text: Now you can select your favourite BSNL numbers online through their number reservation initiative named as "Choose your Mobile number" scheme. This service will be available in all telecom circles. All the vacant numbers will be listed in their website circle wise and customers can choose their favourite numbers. Customer can select any One GSM Mobile number of his choice from the available numbers. After selection of the number (Max. No 1) the customer will get an SMS with a PIN of 7 Digits Valid for 72 hours(or 96 hours depends on circle) only. Customer need to input the 7 digit PIN in the web site confirming the selection is over and taken. Now the customer is free to approach the nearest Customer Service Center or Franchisee and inform him the Mobile Number and PIN received to get the selected choice number accross the counter by submitting the required documents and completing the formalities of release of new connection. The process can be done through SMS also,Send SMS NLIST free to 53733. Customers can also send as NLIST free ***** where * can be replaced with 3 to 5 digits of his choice. Then BSNL will send numbers with such combination of digits. Customer want to intimate BSNL regarding the selected number by sending SMS in the format CONF chosen number to 53733. Then customer will get a 7 digit PIN and the number will be reserved. After that visit the nearest BSNL customer service centers or franchisee and complete the rest steps.


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(The above video is best viewed with a 4K monitor or device.)
Announced leading into August's annual Gamescom showcase, Rise of the Tomb Raider will be coming to Xbox One X – the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft – on November 7
Developed in partnership with Nixxes Software, the Xbox One X update for the award-winning game includes 4K graphics, and a range of technical enhancements that leverage the full power of the console. The update also introduces three visual modes, so gamers can choose the setting that best suits their play style.
Xbox One X players can choose from one of three visual modes, including:
- Native 4K: (full 3840 by 2160) for highest fidelity resolution
- Enriched Visuals for stunning graphic upgrades
- High Frame Rate for the smoothest possible gameplay
New Xbox One X tech enhancements for Rise of the Tomb Raider include:
- HDR display support for more vibrant and accurate color representation technology
- Spatial audio support, including Dolby Atmos, for true 3D audio
- Enhanced texture resolution for Lara Croft, NPCs, and environments, leveraging additional memory offered by the Xbox One X
- Improved anti-aliasing for immersive realistic details
Additional visual enhancements include:
- Improved volumetric lights
- Improved reflections
- Enhanced foliage
- Upgraded polygonal detail
- Amplified texture filtering
Enhancements for Rise of the Tomb Raider on Xbox One X will be available timed to the console's launch on November 7. Players who have already purchased the game for Xbox One will be able to download and experience these unique features for free on Xbox One X.
If you're out at Gamescom this week, stop by the @xbox booth to see the Xbox One X enhancements in action.

subset: commoncrawl


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Soul Devotional - March 26, 2015
James 1:2-4
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
In the Christian walk I think these might be some of the hardest verses to follow. They are completely counter intuitive to how our minds work. But it is truth. We need to realize the big picture in life. Jesus has started a good work in us. Not an easy work but a work that will make us "mature and complete, not lacking anything." What a reward we have when we allow Jesus to work on us. And all we need to start is faith. When we have faith that Jesus is in control, it allows us to have joy in the trials. When we know that our Saviour is in control it gives our faith a base. Faith leads to perseverance. Perseverance is the commitment to seeing things through (with joy). Joy is the key though. With out joy perseverance is stubbornness.
I challenge you this week to see every trial as an opportunity for your faith to lead to perseverance that will make you a more whole Christian.
Trevor Neufeld
Children's Pastor | Living Word Temple


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Welcome to Urban Word Wednesday! New words, phrases, and sayings I am learning (and using in my day-to-day life) brought to you by ME…and the Urban Dictionary. You are gonna love these!
French Lace Cookies: A type of cookie. Delicate. When you hold them up to the light, you'll see why they're called lace cookies. The thin batter is transformed, in baking, into a crisp round with open spaces resembling lace. The rolled-up version is popular in Sweden; cooks there roll the warm cookies around a piece of broom handle.
Examples Of Use:
It's my turn to take a kick at the Holiday Yum can and I thought what better way than to have some Urban Word Wednesday fun with it. Hubby and I went to see the movie Lincoln on the weekend and I enjoyed telling this family story much to the amusement of those around us.
Hubby: so what's with the French Lace Cookies for the Holiday Yum blogfest? What's the story there? I didn't think you baked? So full of surprises…
Me: you know how I am slightly baking challenged with mishaps and "incidents"?
Hubby: that's putting it lightly. You are more than a little challenged? You nearly qualify for disability when it comes to baking.
Me: well…it's genetic! Growing up, Mom did a ton of baking. And especially at Christmas time. And she had some solid recipes that she'd mastered like butter tarts and meat pies. But let me tell you, we also had us a few adventures and baking mishaps that elicited a few temper tantrums. Dishes were thrown out. Swear words were spoken. It was duck and cover.
Hubby: so you do come by it honestly….
Me: oh yes…and one of those times was when Mom decided to try baking these French Lace Cookies. We'd never had them before and Shawn and I were instructed to help. We measured. We mixed. We anticipated. We knew from the photo they were supposed to come out like this:
But they came out more like this:
Hubby: oh lord…your Mother must have lost her mind….
Me: actually…she wasn't too bad but I think it was because Shawn and I ate the darn things anyway. Ya just had to suck on them for an hour or so first to soften them up. ROFL!!
Hubby: interesting…so that's where you developed that remarkable little skill….sorry, I digress…so what happened? What went wrong? Did she try them again?
Me: yip…she realized she had used 2 cups of flour instead of one…LOL…and she did try them again and they turned out perfectly time and time again. And Shawn and I had a ton of fun rolling them up and making them into rolls, fans and whatever shape we could think of. They are a deliciously light and crunchy cookie.
Here's Mom's recipe taken straight out of my family heirloom (stories and recipes) book. From my family to yours; I hope you enjoy them for years to come!
Ever had French Lace Cookies? What baking mishaps have you had? When things go awry in the kitchen, do you blow up or stay calm, cool and collected? Come on…share the wealth…
More blog deliciousness here:
For the month of November and December, I am proud to be taking part in the Holiday Yum Blog Hop where a group of uber bloggers will regale you with recipes and funny cooking stories.
This week's highlights:
- December 2: Estee Lavitt's Latke L'Latke L'Hop in the Pan – Holiday Yum Chanukah Baked Latke Recipe!
- December 5: Yours truly with French Lace Cookies
Already Posted:
- November 17: Jenny Hansen's Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Meal – talk about an extravaganza!
- November 19: Kathy Owen's Spiced Pecans – OMG I so want to try these.
- November 26: Ellen M. Gregg's Chocolatiest Chocolate Cake Evah (and lemonade) – how will I EVER follow a diet now?
- November 28: Jenny Hansen's Almond Roca…I hear it's to DIE for!
Stay tuned for:
- December 10: Kathy Owen's Butter Spritz Cookies
- December 14: Ellen M. Gregg's Old-fashioned Buttermilk Sugar Cookies (with Christmas punch)
- December 17: I am back with a recipe for Cheesecake that is so simple but even I messed it up once
- December 19: Jenny Hansen's Holly Candy
- December 23: Jess Witkins will entice us with either some comfort food or appetizer
- December 26: Kathy Owen will come through with beef rib-eye roast with currant jelly brown gravy
- December 28: I will give you some fabulous Mocktail options for your New Year's Eve parties
Be sure to check out our ever uberlicious host, Kathy Owen's Holiday Yum page and leave her some blog hop luv!


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Kenya's drought: Here's what we're seeing at our outreach clinics
Published 25th July 2017
By Lucy Coley
In northern Kenya, the demand at our outreach clinics is overwhelming – sometimes people start crowding around our van as soon as we arrive. Our clinic space is often just two plastic chairs under the shade of a tree and it's hot, it's dusty, it's chaotic. No one queues as they're so desperate to see a doctor.
Kenya is experiencing its worst drought in three decades and around 2.6 million people urgently need humanitarian assistance. Doctors of the World is holding outreach clinics to treat malnutrition in remote villages in Isiolo and Marsabit, two of Kenya's worst affected counties. I've been running this project from London and visiting Kenya regularly.
During my latest trip this month, I went on three outreach sessions with our brilliant team: Muna, a Kenyan nurse and our team leader, Mary, a Kenyan doctor, and Patricia, a volunteer nurse from the UK.
When we went to the village of Daraja, we set off at 6am and drove for almost 4 hours – and that was just the journey to collect our medical supplies. We then drove for another 90 minutes to reach the village. Many of the villages we work in are several days' walk from the nearest hospital or health clinic.
Here's a photo of me in the outreach van:
At our outreach sessions, everyone we meet is sick in some way. The drought is causing both malnutrition and respiratory problems. Kenya's drought has brought with it a pervasive dry red dust – it gets in your eyes, in your throat, under your fingernails. Many people we see also need our help with chronic health problems such as diabetes. They don't have any other access to a doctor.
We screen children under five, pregnant women, and breast-feeding women for malnutrition. This is because malnourished children must be identified and treated before the age of five, to avoid lifelong physical and cognitive impacts. We also provide vaccinations for babies and primary healthcare for anyone in need.
Marsabit's malnutrition rate is 30% and Isiolo's is 19%, both far above the emergency threshold of 15%. During my trip, all of the pregnant and breast-feeding women we screened in Loglogo village were malnourished. In another village, we saw 12 severely malnourished babies ("severe" is the most life-threatening level of malnutrition, one level above "acute").
Sometimes you initially think these babies don't look too unhealthy – until you learn their age. We saw one baby who was 11 months old, but he was so stunted due to malnutrition that he looked closer to 11 weeks old.
When someone is acutely malnourished, we give them a paste fortified with vitamins. We give them enough sachets to last them until our next outreach in their village, when we'll assess them again.
When someone is severely malnourished, they must be admitted to hospital. We help families with transport and other costs, but it's still very hard to persuade them to go. The idea of being admitted to a faraway hospital is daunting for someone who isn't even used to seeing a doctor.
As soon as we get back in the van after our frenetic outreach in Daraja, Mary starts writing up the report for the day. The team have so much energy, they're all amazing. We see 75 patients on average per outreach and we do at least four outreaches per week.
Kenya's northern communities will continue to see malnutrition rise at least until the next rains in October – and worryingly these are predicted to be poor. The drought has stoked violent clashes between cattle farmers, as good land for grazing is so scarce, and political tensions are rising in the lead-up to a national election on 8 August.
I know that, for many people reading this, northern Kenya's villages feel like they're a world away. But I really want people to know just how important Doctors of the World's presence is in these areas. We really are saving lives.
You can save a life today. Please donate £8.41 to help treat a child facing acute malnutrition. You can also watch Lucy's Facebook Live Q&A about our Kenya work here.


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So very excited to welcome Robert J. Duperre who is touring his latest book Silas and today is the day for he features on my page. Thus, you all read on for the exclusive interview, book summary, a review of Silas by me and.....the one you are waiting for the Kindle3 Giveaway.
Ken Lowery is a man at odds with his life. He hates his job, is disappointed in his marriage, and feels resigned to leading a mundane existence.
That all changes when his wife brings home a rambunctious Black Labrador puppy named Silas, who forges a remarkable connection with Ken and begins to heal his inner turmoil. When some neighborhood children start to go missing, he takes it upon himself to protect those around him and is thrust into a surreal world where monsters roam. Not everything is what it seems to be, he soon discovers, including his new best friend.
Robert J. Duperre is a lover of literature in all its forms. Be it horror, fantasy, science fiction, literary fiction, or even romance, he delves into it all and relishes every minute of it. It is his desire to show this love of all genres by creating wide-reaching stories that defy classification, that can reach the widest possible audience.
Robert lives in northern Connecticut with his wife, the artist Jessica Torrant, his three wonderful children, and Leonardo the one-eyed wonder yellow Lab. You can read more about Robert and his views and ideas by visiting robertduperre.com.
- Rob's website
- Rob on facebook
- Rob on goodreads, Silas on goodreads
- Rob on twitter
- Rob's YouTube channel
Exclusive Interview With Robert J. Duperre
Q: It is often said that if you can write a short story you can write anything. How true do you think this is and what have you written that either proves or disproves this POV? A: I most certainly think that's true. For an example, when I picked writing back up again, I thought big and wrote a massive, 1600-page epic. The writing was horrible. Un-publishable. Embarrassing. So I set it aside and started writing shorts. They were rough at first, but eventually I re-learned what I'd been taught about crafting a solid story, and I started flying through them. When I reached the point where I thought I knew enough about plot construction and character development, I picked that old manuscript back up and started re-writing it. I wouldn't have been able to do that had I not polished my short-form skills.
Q: How do you research for a book before you begin the writing process?
A: As of this point, not very much. I do simple online research, then write to professionals on message boards and find out the correct terminology. However, this all happens during the writing process, when I run across a section that requires that information, and not before. So I guess you could say I don't research at all before I begin.
Q: What is the best part of writing for you?
A: Editing a story. There's just something exquisite about taking something that you know is pretty good and making it really good. Also, the stress of the creation process is gone by then.
Q: Did you always have in mind to be a writer or it just happened?
A: Yes, I always wanted to write. In middle school and high school, my English papers always ended up being grand opuses. I would get caught up in the idea of the story (or the examination of the story) and then go overboard. That's just sort of stuck with me over the years.
Q: What is your guiltiest pleasure that few know about?
A: Okay, try to keep this quiet, but I secret enjoy watching crappy reality television with my wife. We'll sit down and watch Bridezillas, Batchelor Pad, Jersey Shore, etc, and laugh at the absurdity. We love every minute. Okay, I can't believe I just admitted that.
Q: What advice would you like to give budding authors or those who want to start writing?
A: Listen to criticism. As in, really, truly LISTEN! You can learn so much from the people who pick apart your work. It might sting at first, but trust me when I say it's worth it. In fact, some of the people I feel closest to now are folks who've ripped me apart in the past. I've learned from them. I'm a better writer for it.
SILAS is a very moving book. While I admit its a little long but it serves its purpose nonetheless. Not only does it enforce the fact that our pets - well gi-faht (read the book you'll know what i'm talking about here)(well primarily dogs) not only being cute but also form a close bond with their masters but it also makes us wonder - 'What if there is really an alternate reality?' - I definitely don't have an answer to that but yes what I do know is Time is one element that is like a vast to ocean - much is still left to be explored.
Answer the question of the day in the form provided and you are entered in the Kindle3 Giveaway. Questions provide contestants the chance to choose one of two answers (questions center around a playlist of songs Rob put together for Silas). Contestants are awarded three points for the correct answer (one point for the wrong) with the chance to gather up to 45 entries by answering each question. Open US/Canada (sorry not international).
Monday, August 29th - April, My Shelf Confessions
Tuesday, August 30th - Johnny, Pages of Forbidden Love
Wednesday, August 31st - Greta, Paranormal Wastelands
Thursday, September 1st - Lisa, A Casual Reader's Blog
Friday, September 2nd - Karen, The Slowest Bookworm
Monday, September 5th - Melissa, Books and Things
Tuesday, September 6th - Heather and Pushy, Bewitched Bookworms
Wednesday, September 7th - Cindy, Oodles of Books
Thursday, September 8th - Theresa, Just One More Paragraph
Friday, September 9th - Gef, Wagging The Fox
Monday, September 12th - Mandy, The Well-Read Wife
Tuesday, September 13th - aobibliophile™
Wednesday, September 14th - Aparajita, Le' Grande Codex
Thursday, September 15th - Farrah, The Book Faery Reviews
Friday, September 16th - Nevey, Le Vanity Victorienne
Tuesday, September 20th: Announcement of the big prize winner on Rob's Site!


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Many of you will know that I when I attended UC Day in 2016 as The Skype Show I broadcast a live stream to Skype Broadcast Meetings. This year I am being ambitious, not only in the schedule of live events coming to your eyes and ears, but also the platforms you will be able to watch the stream from! Our consumption of cloud services combined with our preference to use consumer over corporate services because generally they are more accessible, means that we must now adopt the B2C space first. Like Mobile and Cloud First methodologies, we should now be looking at B2C First. Therefore, with that in mind, I am very pleased to announce that in conjunction with one of my fabulous sponsors, Pexip I will be streaming to 5, yes FIVE online viewing platforms simultaneously!
From my booth on the stage, using equipment purchased on a budget I am attempting to stream to Skype Broadcast Meetings, YouTube Live, Facebook Live, Periscope, Twitter (via Periscope), Three65.blog (via YouTube Live) giving you at least SIX different ways in which you can watch from the comfort of your own device, whether it is an iPhone, Android, Windows Phone, Laptop, Mac, iPad, even a Blackberry! and even to your Smart TV in your living room using YouTube App, or Cast!
I am hoping that this accessibility will encourage viewership and raise awareness on how to leverage cloud services to reach out to your potential customer base and breaking that B2C barrier down with Thor's hammer!
So How Am I Going to Achieve This?
The core of the solution is Pexip's Infinity Cloud Video Interop service. They provide the glue to all these platforms by leveraging connections to RTMP streams for Facebook, YouTube and Periscope and you can add / invite your Pexip endpoint into your Skype Meeting to connect your business application to Pexip, and Pexip connects to the consumer services. A true B2C bridge! To visualise the setup
First off the equipment. I have had to buy most of this stuff and have made full use of my Amazon Prime subscription! This year I want to have more than one person on at a time, so I am going all out and planning on having up to 3 guests at the same time. This poses a problem with audio, from last year's experience and a single Blue Yeti Microphone just won't do the trick, unless of course we all hug each other like a rugby scrum!
So, I needed 4 individual microphones and herein the first issue, you can't have 4 microphones in a Skype meeting from one device and having 4 laptops would just prove overkill and way, way too expensive. Taking some good advice from Max Sanna (@MaxSanna) who apparently moonlights as a music producer (Sann-i-am) I bought some basic vocal dynamic microphones and a audio mixer capable of mixing 4 pre-amp inputs from microphones into a USB output that I could then use in a Skype Meeting.
I also want to use a better camera than last year, I had a problem with my Logitech C930e and LED lighting. When trying to record the camera was able to see the refresh rate of the LEDs so it produced flicker. So this year I am upgrading to a HD DV Camera. However, the output on this camera is HDMI, and Laptops only have an HDMI out, not in, so I needed a way of capturing the HDMI stream into an input. Luckily I have a Magewell HDMI to USB capture card, so this will do the trick for me. I am now able to connect the 4 microphones to SKype as a single device and also capture the HDMI stream from the DV Camera to a USB Virtual Webcam so this can be my video device in Skype too.
Next I wanted to use my other webcam to look out to the sponsor hall to capture some scenes, so I can connect this to another laptop I have. However, this laptop serves another more important service. It will be the endpoint for the Skype Broadcast Meeting. I haven't found a way stream directly from Pexip cloud into a broadcast meeting because it lacks a dedicated endpoint and does not have an RTMP streaming service. So I have to schedule a broadcast meeting and join the broadcast from a Skype client. I can then invite my Pexip endpoint into the Skype broadcast meeting as an attendee and make the video active for broadcasting. The result is a 5 way multicast stream simultaneously to B2C and B2B services.
Although, on the face of it, it seems rather complicated, it is in fact simple because Pexip makes it simple! The service is so easy to use, and when they say "It just Work's" they really are not telling lies!
So what did this setup cost me? Taking away items I already own, I spent:
- £75 on the Behringer Q1202USB Mixer
- £50 on microphones
- £16 on XLR to 1/4 inch microphone cables
- £120 on HD DV Camera
- £13 on Tripod
Total: £274.00
All in all a pretty inexpensive rig.
So don't forget to sign up to UC Day today to get your free ticket to attend the conference in person at www.ucday.co.uk – See you there!


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I dont really know any other profession that asks people to jump in and start running when they've never had any experience at all in the field. And that is what planning a wedding is like. how many times has someone thrown a party with a full dinner and entertainment for 50-500 people before? and everyone wants their wedding to be beautiful and stylish and unique and a reflection of their personalities... but it is a lot to juggle, especially if this is your first time.
You may have seen cute little things floating on pinterest that seem like good ideas, but then fitting all your ideas into one cohesive event can be a challenge. Or, through the process of planning and designing you decide half-way through that what you liked 6 months ago is not necessarily your true style. It was only through immersion in the wedding industry did you find out what you really like.
So, here i am to give you a fairly comprehensive list of style trends for 2015. What is deader than a doornail, and what is up and coming.
Mason Jars. Mason jars with cutesy striped straws. Mason jars with straws with flags. mason jars with candles in them, mason jars hanging from wire, mason jars of any kind shape or form of any kind of function. Unless you are getting married in a barn or in a mason jar factory, lets let the mason jar fad fade away.
Shabby Chic. this includes distressed dressers, collection of mis-matched shabby vintage items on display, etc
'vintage'. the actual word 'vintage' is technically used to describe any time in history, however in the wedding industry it's used synonymously with 'shabby chic'. As in 'I'm getting a vintage typewritter for my guestbook', or "I think I'll use vintage mason jars for centerpieces'. or 'i got a bunch of vintage picture frames i want to hold up and peek my head through while you take a picture.' the 'vintage' trend has thankfully been replaced by a more refined old-time glamour (think downton abbey or The Great Gatsby instead of Sweet Home Alabama)
barn weddings. because things like shabby chic, vintage, and mason jars fit so well with barns, and because people are now tired of those same things, barn weddings have fallen out of favor
cupcakes. it's no secret, i love me a good cupcake. but, i'm also a traditionalist. the cake is SUCH a beautiful work of art and a focal point of the wedding reception. it's like your own personal sculpture.... THAT YOU CAN EAT. Though cupcakes can give lots of variety, cakes can too. Cupcakes take up lots of un-necessary awkward space, and they lack the impact a beautifully designed wedding cake has. save your cupcakes for a bakery treat that you can get any old time, and appreciate a beautifully designed wedding cake. when else are you going to treat yourself to a cake like this?
strapless gowns. CAN I GET AN AMEN?! look. i don't have anything against strapless. I do, however, have some beef with the weird skin rolls we all (admit it, all of us) get with skin pooches rolling over the top of the dress by our armpits. and the fact that we have to keep hiking them up all day long. and the fact that there have been, on multiple occasions, wardrobe malfunctions with a little slip-of-the-nip that happens during the reception. This is how it typically goes: "hi, i think you may have gotten a photograph with my bridesmaids nipple exposed.. is there a way to photoshop that out?' it's been a long run with these strapless wedding gowns, and i bid them (and nip-slips) adieu.
satin gowns. i dont know why it took so long for them to die. it was like the 80s went straight into the 90s and it just.kept.going. they're being replaced with flowy gowns that you can move in AND look gorgeous. more on that later...
bridesmaids wearing the same dresses. In what other time or place are we like 'lets all dress exactly the same, regardless of our personal tastes or body types. that would be awesome!' .
knick-knacks. i'm not sure why this trend started (is it part of being shabby chic?) but for a time there were all these extraneous 'knick knacks' for decor at weddings. like little vignettes of randomness throughout the day. i'm so happy to see a focus on the essential and meaningful items of the wedding now.
Trash the Dress sessions. oh holy hannah hallelujah! nothing spells classy like rolling in the mud in your strapless wedding gown. i still love doing a little photoshoot the following day of the couple if it is a destination wedding and we want to get a little more local flavor imbued in the photo gallery, or perhaps the timeline didn't allow for photos the day-of, but i'm seeing a real resurgence in the photojournalistic aspect of wedding days play the most important role- instead of the one-upmanship of how crazy/out there/unique a photographer can get with a creative idea.
Boudoir Albums as Wedding Gifts: I could not possibly come up with a more awkward situation in the entire world than giving the groom an album of sexy boudoir photography on the day of his wedding when he's surrounded by his groomsmen and dad and asking the photographer to photograph it to get his reaction. For his sake, for my sake, for everyone's sake.... get him a classy present for the wedding day. save the boudoir album for your first night on your honeymoon.
the wedding adjectives. 'whimsical, ethereal, bohemian vintage with a modern twist'. lets call a spade a spade and remember that this is a ceremony, a party, a reunion, and a union. Lets not take ourselves too seriously and use over-flowery adjectives to describe an event that just focuses on the style of the wedding. lets remember what it is really about.
super-saturated colored uplighting in reception ballrooms. This one is still hanging around, but i'd like to see it fade into more natural lighting. Stylish weddings all have one thing in common- understated timeless elegance. and, blue and magenta uplighting in your ballroom says more 'fish bowl mixed with rave party' than 'timeless elegance that will never go out of style'
naked cakes. i'm sad to see this one go (i think they are so beautiful!) but, in true practicality there is nothing worse than an un-frosted cake. you put an un-frosted cake out on display and within 15 minutes that thing is dried out and nasty. the reason cakes have frosting is to seal the moisture inside, creating not just a beautiful display, but also a tasty one too. lets love our cakes and put some clothes on them. no one likes an immodest cake (the shame!).
Choosing a wedding 'style' that is so-not-you but you saw it on pinterest so you did it anyway. were you raised on a farm in alabama? is your home decor burlap and grandma's lace? no? you actually live in Manhattan and your home decor is ultra modern and your preferred clothing of choice is a suit? well... lets not have a barn wedding then, just because it's on pinterest.
Treating the wedding day like a senior photography photoshoot. the point of hiring a photographer is not to get as many posed portraits of you and your fiance in every beautiful location in the city. Tt's to photographically tell the story of your day, so that your album reads like a visual book with a cohesive beginning middle and end, instead of a set of disjointed images that dont work together as a group.
floral crowns. i really really do love floral crowns. but i think this is going to be one of those things we look back on and say 'gosh, i feel kind of silly' - especially if you're not a bohemian type of girl and are actually a type-A personality business woman.
bowties and vintage clothing for guys. guys are being less 'cutesy vintage' and more Don Draper Dapper (say that three times fast). I think this comes from the desire to have a 'timeless' wedding that looks like it could be from yesteryear. the problem is... timeless means 'without time period'. and when you dress in a clothing style from a certain era- it tends to look more 'costume' than 'timeless'. so choose a traditional tux instead- something that has always been in fashion and will remain so.
the garter toss. Always an awkward tradition while grandma is sitting next to you watching this all unfold
the bird cage veil. I love a good bird cage veil- but sometimes it can look 'costume-y' and there are so many other beautiful veil options... see below.
Bridezillas. enough said.
Using your wedding day for good causes. Companies like Black Sheep Bride are celebrating weddings that give back and educating brides on ways they can utilize their day (and the massive amount of money that is spent on one day) for charity.
gowns that flow, have sleeves, are lightweight, and beautifully elegant. check out what Ellie Saab, Claire Pettibone, and BHLDN are doing this year. backless is in style and anything that moves in the wind. as a photographer, this makes me very, very , very happy! here are some of my most favorites
understated elegance: floral designs that have asymmetry and texture that feels effortlessly thrown together instead of perfectly manicured spheres of flowers. like all of these incredible displays
outdoor receptions lit with candlelight and long tables that go on for ages like these examples
Calligraphy instead of type- the more elegant the better. check these out by clicking here
a focus on the food- not only are we seeing more platted dinners with food elegantly displayed, but brides are paying attention to things like calligraphed menus for each guest at their place setting. midnight meals (hello food trucks!) are being featured when the guests need a break from dancing and celebrating .
Mixologists. along with the greater attention on food, it's presentation, and the design that goes along with it- drinks are getting the same kind of love. Companies like The Grand Bevy are taking drinks to the next level- creating art pieces in and of themselves.
Destination weddings. with family members spread out across the US and having to buy plane tickets to attend a wedding regardless, it makes sense to have the wedding venue in a beautiful destination. And, with wedding vendors specializing in destinations and traveling, you can have everything you wanted for your wedding at your new destination. gone are the days of having to hire local wedding vendors. check out these venues by clicking here
Cakes as art pieces- check it out here
pyrotecnics- the basic sparkler has been replaced by some seriously awesome effects. sparkler exit? how about fireworks going off as the getaway car drives away. though not technically pyro- confetti bombs will be big this year and to come during the first dance. HALLELUJAH! please, though, seriously.... one of my brides... can you do a confetti cannon for your first dance? preferably with metallic confetti so the light catches it just right..... you can see it all by clicking here.
Veils. you guys.... i mourn inside my heart every time i photograph a wedding where the bride doesn't wear a veil. there are SO MANY BEAUTIFUL OPTIONS, and at no other time in your life will you have the option to wear a veil. and it's SO beautiful in photos. lets bring this beautiful traditional style back in, even if it's just for the ceremony. click here to see all the different ways you can style a veil
Bold Statements: who says weddings have to all be blush, gold, and white? Where my Frida Kahlo's at? don't be afraid to introduce a bold pattern or color or statement piece into your wedding. Click here to take a look at some of the art installations you could do.
Headpiece Crowns. Not like a 'i bought this at Claires for my Junior Prom and i feel like a princess' kind of crown- but more of a headpiece. check it out here
artists who paint the reception or ceremony scene right there at your wedding like greg kalamar
candles, ribbon, cloth. - check out Frou Frou Chic or Silk and Willow for the most glorious hand-dyed ribbon ever and fabrics ever.
Honoring your heritage and culture and imbuing age-old traditions in your ceremony. i have lots of pinterest boards for different cultures weddings, go check it out by clicking here.
A focus on the photojournalistic aspect of wedding photography instead of being perfectly posed and placing the emphasis on the photographer photographing the wedding decor instead of the connections between people. read this if you haven't already
laughter. i mean, i love the quiet moments of the wedding day as much as anyone. but i'm tired of the straight faced super model poses and long for heartfelt belly laughs and genuine emotion. lets make that happen in 2015 shall we?


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I was surfing through different blogs early morning and saw this news that Nokia has finally taken a hint from the market; touchscreens are good. It has been stated that that Nokia is prepping to launch 3 touchscreens enabled devices at some point this year to join the likes of their N97 coming this summer. One of these rumored phones is said to have the codename 'Nautilus' which features both a touchscreen and full QWERTY keyboard.
Rumor has it these new touch screen devices will utilize haptic feedback technology licensed from Immersion in an attempt to make typing on the phones less of a chore.
Well lets wait and watch whats new is coming in market. Nokia is still far ahead in innovation race and bring competition in the market. Will others would be able to beat it?


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Steve Lonegan, the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, is a libertarian of undoubted conviction who relishes a good political fight.
His model is Sen. Ted Cruz, the Texas rookie who has become a leader of the rejectionist wing of the Republican Party. Lonegan says he supports the shutdown, and vows he will never vote to increase the debt ceiling.
He opposes raising the minimum wage on principle. He wants to replace the progressive tax with a flat tax that would favor the rich. He fervently opposes efforts to limit carbon emissions, and says climate change may be a net benefit to mankind.
He believes it was a mistake to establish Social Security and Medicare, and that safety-net programs like them should be left to charity. He promises to support any tax-cut proposal that crosses his desk, with business tax cuts at the top of his list.
As mayor in Bogota, he led protests over a McDonald's billboard that advertised in Spanish, saying it was offensive to his constituents. He would ban gay marriage and prohibit abortions even in cases of rape and incest.
So if you want to reinforce the partisan divisions that are crippling this great nation, Lonegan is your man. If you want to aggravate the divide between rich and poor, shred the safety net and invite the government into your bedroom, then vote for him on Oct. 16. On virtually every issue, he takes the most extreme right-wing position, as if checking boxes on a form.
Worse, he regards compromise as weakness. And like Cruz, he is willing to escalate the fight by threatening to damage the country with shutdowns and defaults to get his way.
Cory Booker, the mayor of Newark, is almost the opposite of Lonegan, so the choice here is stark.
Booker is a practical politician who looks for opportunities to make bipartisan deals. He was a key ally of Gov. Chris Christie in the fight to scale back benefits for public workers, a policy that most Democrats opposed. He supports the promising education reforms that Christie is pushing in cities like Newark, including the expansion of charter schools, reform of tenure and merit pay for the best teachers. He infuriated orthodox Democrats by objecting to President Obama's demagogic attacks on Wall Street.
Booker is known as a liberal, and that is true when it comes to bedrock economic, environmental and social issues. He is a firm supporter of Obama's health care reform, a higher minimum wage and greater assistance to college students. He wants to scale back subsidies for oil and gas interests, and take urgent action to combat climate change.
But as mayor, Booker has been a pragmatic centrist. He raised taxes, but he also reduced the city workforce by roughly 25 percent, a record of austerity that even Christie cannot match. He has convinced big companies such as Prudential and Panasonic to make major investments in downtown Newark. Last year, the city accounted for 30 percent of the state's new building of commercial and apartment buildings, measured by square footage.
The knock on Booker is that he is an absentee mayor, more show than substance. And there is a sliver of truth to that. He is out of town roughly one in four days, according to a Star-Ledger review of his travel. He has lost control of a city council that was elected under his name, and leaves behind no lasting political organization. And while he made impressive progress against crime in his early years, much of the gain has evaporated. Violence remains endemic as he approaches the end of his second term.
But overall progress in Newark is undeniable. Booker's travels have helped him raise more than $300 million in philanthropy for schools, affordable housing, parks and police. The building boomlet has gone beyond the downtown into the neighborhoods. And the corruption that has cursed Newark for generations has been checked.
A vote for Lonegan is a vote for pointless political bickering. He is a danger to the environment and the economy, he would widen the gap between rich and poor, and he would use extreme tactics that threaten the nation's welfare.
Booker, an African-American, would add needed diversity to a Senate that remains mostly a white men's club. He is a compelling spokesman for progressive causes who is always on the lookout for sensible compromise. This one is not a close call.


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In 2005 Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua and Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson fought each other in the legendary PRIDE organization, with 'Shogun' emerging as the victor after a dominating performance that ended with a first round TKO victory.
Since then 'Rampage' has made it clear that he wanted a rematch, claiming that he was injured prior to the bout and should never have taken the fight in the first place.
So far the two men's paths have not crossed again, but they've both continued on to great success, with each having held the UFC's light-heavyweight title.
Lately they've both hit a rocky patch however, with Rua losing to both Jon Jones and Dan Henderson in 2011, while Jackson has suffered back-to-back defeats against Jones and Ryan Bader.
With that in mind it would seem like this might be the time to put together a second fight between them, and surprisingly it's Shogun, not Rampage who's banging the drum for the rematch.
"The fight against 'Rampage' will happen. It's inevitable and (the) UFC knows it," Rua told TATAME after Rampage lost to Bader on Saturday night. "He won't retire before fighting me and neither am I. I don't know if he got injured (vs. Bader), if he was not feeling okay….it's hard to know, but 'Rampage' is very professional and deserves to be respected."
For his part Jackson had in fact specifically asked UFC president Dana White to match him up with Rua at last weekend's event in Japan, but a scheduling conflict ruled it out.
So, from the sounds of things both men would jump at the chance to fight, but there's a number of opponents out there for both men so we'll just have to wait and see what the UFC decides to do.


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The New Jersey Appellate Division recently limited the applicability of the "mode of operation" doctrine. This doctrine relieves a Plaintiff from having to prove that a Defendant had actual or constructive notice of a dangerous condition. It creates an inference of negligence and shifts the burden to Defendant to that it exercised due care. The doctrine is based upon the holdings in Wollerman v. Grand Union Stores, Inc., 47 N.J. 426 (1966), and Nisivoccia v. Glass Gardens, Inc., 175 N.J. 559 (2003). Nisivoccia states that the mode of operation doctrine applies when the nature of the Defendant's business creates the hazard while Wollerman states that, if the doctrine applies, the Defendant must show that it did all that it could to reduce the risk of injury.
In Arroyo v. Durling Realty, Docket No. A-0967-12T3 Plaintiff Jacquelin Arroyo ("Plaintiff"), brought a personal injury lawsuit against Defendant Durling Realty, LLC ("Durling") for injuries sustained on June 29, 2008. On that date, Plaintiff went to a Quick Chek convenience store in Wantage, New Jersey. This store was owned by Durling. Plaintiff purchased some items and then left the store. After she left the store, Plaintiff slipped on a discarded telephone calling card and fell, injuring her knee.
Plaintiff alleged that the presence of the calling card on the sidewalk created an unreasonably dangerous condition. In support, Plaintiff showed that the phone cards were displayed on racks near the cash register and the exit. Plaintiff argued that Durling should have foreseen that telephone cards would be immediately used and then discarded on the sidewalk. Durling's store manager testified that the front of the store was swept for debris 10 to 15 times per day. The front sidewalk and parking lot were swept twice per day. The area was cleaned after every shift change. The area was vacuumed every two to three days.
Durling moved for summary judgment which the trial Court granted. In its ruling the trial Court stated that Plaintiff failed to present evidence that the telephone card was present for an unreasonable amount of time. The trial Court refused to extend the mode of operation doctrine to cover this situation. Plaintiff appealed.
The Appellate Division affirmed the trial Court. The Court noted that there was no genuine issue as to whether Durling had actual or constructive notice of the presence of the discarded telephone card prior to Plaintiff's fall. Further, there was no evidence contradicting the testimony of the store manager regarding the routine maintenance.
… the Court ruled that how the purchaser used or disposed of the card after leaving the store was not an integral feature …
With respect to the mode-of-operation doctrine, the Appellate Division noted that the telephone card was outside the store, not inside. Further, the store's method of doing business was completed by the time the hazard was allegedly created. The phone card purchaser would have to take it off a rack, present it to the cashier for activation, and pay for the card. The transaction then would be complete. The Court concluded that extending the mode of operation doctrine would be unwise in such a situation where the nexus between the presence of the card on the rack and then on the sidewalk was "extremely attenuated." Finally, the Court ruled that how the purchaser used or disposed of the card after leaving the store was not an integral feature of Durling's operation. Therefore, the Court found "no principled basis" for the mode of operation doctrine to apply.
This matter affirms the mode of operation doctrine's limited usefulness for plaintiffs. The doctrine normally arises in matters involving self-service areas of businesses, such as a buffet table. What Arroyo does is state that the there must be some sort of connection between the self-service activity and the hazard alleged. The more steps a plaintiff has to traverse to get to the alleged hazard, the more likely the Court will not permit the use of the doctrine.


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A Look Back at the 2007 World Seafood Congress
This was the official website for the 2007 World Seafood Congress held in Dublin. It was a a prestige international networking event synonymous with relevant business-focused programme offerings, world-class speakers and commentators as well as a diverse delegate body that features representatives from every aspect of the international seafood sector.
Content is from the site's 2007 archived pages as well as from other outside sources.
Congress Organisers Welcome
Welcome to the website of the World Seafood Congress 2007. We're delighted to see you here and look forward to seeing you at the Congress in Dublin, Ireland on September 25th-27th 2007.
As Ireland plays host to the 2007 World Seafood Congress (WSC) from 25-27 September next, the Dublin-based conference is set to become one of the highlight events in this year's corporate calendar for the global seafood industry.
Now entering its seventh year in operation, the Congress has established itself as a prestige international networking event synonymous with relevant business-focused programme offerings, world-class speakers and commentators as well as a diverse delegate body that features representatives from every aspect of the international seafood sector.
Between 500-750 attendees from 50-plus countries are expected to attend this year's Congress which is set to engender informed debate and analysis on the themes:
• seafood and health benefits
• nutrition and well-being
• trade and market access
• seafood standards and assurance initiatives.
Welcome to World Seafood Congress 2007 delegates from John Browne, TD. Marine Minister
Dear Delegate, On behalf of the Irish government, and indeed, the Irish people, I would like to extend a very warm welcome to you, and encourage you to attend the World Seafood Congress 2007 which is being held in Dublin, Ireland this year.
I was delighted to make the announcement last year at the Brussels Seafood Show, that Ireland had secured the hosting of this prestigious event, and it is now my great pleasure to personally welcome all of the perspective delegates to what is going to be a really good show. Once again, I would like to express my thanks to IAFI for choosing Ireland as the location for their 2007 Congress.
The Irish government is committed to developing the Irish seafood industry and just recently I joined with my colleague, Mr. Bertie Ahern, our Taoiseach (Prime Minister) in launching a seven year strategy for the sector with a total investment value of almost €600,000,000.00. In many ways, the World Seafood Congress 2007 will represent Ireland's first opportunity to showcase our wonderful industry to the world, and we are determined that you will find the experience of attending the World Seafood Congress 2007 stimulating, rewarding and thoroughly enjoyable.
We Irish are known throughout the world for the warmth of our welcome, and I can assure you that you will experience this first hand if you are lucky enough to come to the World Seafood Congress 2007 here in Ireland. I know that our State Agencies, Bord Iascaigh Mhara (Irish Sea Fisheries Board), Enterprise Ireland (industrial development agency) and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland will do a wonderful job in bringing you a world class conference and tradeshow.
I look forward to seeing you there.
Mise le meas,
John Browne TD
World Seafood Congress 2007 Hosts and Organisers
The World Seafood Congress 2007 is hosted by BIM - The Irish Sea Fisheries Board: www.bim.ie, Enterprise Ireland: www.enterprise-ireland.com and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland: www.fsai.ie.
The congress is presented by the International Association of Fish Inspectors: www.iafi.net
World Seafood Congress 2007 Co-Organisers
The Congress Co-Organisers are the FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations), UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organization) and IFQC:SMART GROUP: www.seafoodcert.com.
Meet the Team!
The World Seafood Congress 2007 Team has worked together on many large conferences and events. Donal Maguire (Congress Moderator) and Dee Moore (Congress Organiser) work with BIM. David Lyons (Congress Scientific Content Manager) joins us from the Food Safety Authority of Ireland and Peter Marshall is the Managing Director of IFQC Smart Group.
Contacting Us
Should you need to contact us for any reason other than expressing your interest in the World Seafood Congress 2007, you may contact the congress team by email using the form on the Contact Us page. Please click here to go to the contact form.
Press and Media Information
For the latest press and media information, please take a look at our Press and Media Information page. For further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.
See you in Dublin on September 25th 2007!
2007 World Seafood Programme Page
Welcome to the World Seafood Congress programme page. Please choose from the list below which programme you wish to see.
- Full Conference Programme
- Daily Conference Programme
- Entertainment Programme
- Full Conference Programme Including Speaker Information (for print and download)
IAFI Pre Congress WorkshopsSunday 23 and Monday 24 September 2007
Workshops run by international experts in their field cover range of issues from Access requirements into the main markets of EU, USA/Canada; Sustainability Standards, Seafood HACCP, Mercury v Health and Traceability and Logistics. They give all attendees the genuine chance to be involved in understanding and discussing the issues. They are all half-day events. These always sell out so get in early to book on line to ensure your seat.
|Tuesday 25th September 2007
|Opening Ceremonies
|Plenary 1
|"Problems of Communicating with Consumers about Trace Contaminants in Seafood"
|"The Emergence of Sustainability Policies in Seafood
|"Importance of Seafood to World Health"
|Lunch and Exhibition Networking Opportunity
|Day One Breakout Sessions 1, 2, 3
|BREAKOUT 1: (Key Import Authority Requirements for Seafood)
|KEY IMPORT AUTHORITY REQUIREMENTS AND FINDINGS: Market access can be denied for a number of reasons, and increasingly public concerns are to the fore when consignments are refused entry at a country's borders. Representatives from the regulatory authorities in some the key strategic seafood markets (Japan, Europe, the US and Australia) will discuss their respective country's standards and requirements for imported seafood. A review will be provided of the various regulatory regimes in each region along with information on some of the more commonly found flaws that lead to imported seafood being rejected from these markets.
|BREAKOUT 2: (The Retail Sector and the Changing Dynamics of Seafood Consumption)
|THE RETAIL SECTOR AND THE CHANGING DYNAMICS OF SEAFOOD CONSUMPTION: The retail sector is a major player in providing consumers with a range of meal formats and choice of species. Trends in the UK and Irish markets mirror the situation in the US and beyond. They highlight how retail consolidation and the requirements of consumers for convenience and choice have become key market drivers. The emerging trend of the retail sector offering foodservice solutions highlights how the ongoing rapid pace of change in this sector will continue to impact how seafood is supplied and consumed.
|BREAKOUT 3: (How Best to Communicate the Risks and Benefits of Eating Seafood)
|HOW BEST TO COMMUNICATE THE RISKS AND BENEFITS OF EATING SEAFOOD: Recent research has shown that seafood consumers are confused by the food advisories issued by the Food Safety Authorities worldwide. They frequently react in a manner which is not in the interests of their health, because of anxieties created by the mode of messaging. This breakout session will explore new work being carried out in how to communicate effectively with seafood consumers. Methods of communicating both the benefits of having seafood in the diet, as well as, the potential risks from trace environmental contaminants (methyl mercury, PCB's and dioxins).in a balanced and proportionate way, will be explored. This breakout session will be exceptionally
lively and interactive. It will feature the use of Digivote technology, which allows participants to vote for or against the propositions being put forward by the Provocateur.
|Plenary 2
|PLENARY 2: (Exporters View of the Global Seafood Market)
|Closing Address for Day 1
|Wednesday 26th September 2007
|PLENARY 3 Sustainability Challenges
|"Retailer's Perspective on the Changing Seafood Market"
|"How a Processor Sees Today's Seafood World"
|"The Changing Face of Seafood in Food Service"
|"Aquaculture's Blue Revolution Will Rise to Meet the
World's Seafood Demand"
|Breakout Sessions 4, 5, 6
|BREAKOUT 4: (Sustainability & Nutrition – the challenges and opportunities)
|SUSTAINABILITY & NUTRITION – THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES: The health benefits of a diet rich in seafood are well recognised. The consequences of this realisation are increased consumer demand for what is also perceived to be a dwindling resource. How can producers and processors of seafood meet the demand and exploit the market opportunity this presents without causing the potential market to implode? Speakers will address this issue, looking at the potential for functional foods from seafoods, the risks and benefits of current consumption trends and what challenges the future might bring.
|BREAKOUT 5: (Trends in Sustainable Fishing Technology)
|TRENDS IN SUSTAINABLE FISHING TECHNOLOGY: Improvements in capture technologies place extra demands on the sustainability of fish stocks. Common sense dictates that responsible stock management embraces advances in new technologies, especially those, which contribute to the protection and rejuvenation of fish populations. Likewise, there is concern for the ecosystem effects of new gears and the economic implications associated with the introduction of new technologies. This session will evaluate current trends and future directions in fishing technology taking into account the impact of the activity on the physical environment and the selective capture and controlled capture of target species.
|BREAKOUT 6: (Making the Label Stick- Seafood Standard Certification)
|SEAFOOD STANDARD CERTIFICATION - MAKING THE LABEL STICK: Over the last five years it has become a pre-requisite for seafood companies, both nationally and internationally, who wish to supply food to processors, multiple retailers and caterers, to have a food quality / safety / sustainability standards certificate against a recognised food standard. These food standards often surpass legislative requirements and also (where relevant) prescribe structural, welfare, environmental, health and safety and traceability requirements. This session will discuss the emerging trends in Seafood Certification Standards and the emergence of Eco-Label Standards.
|Lunch and Exhibition Networking Opportunity
|Breakout Sessions 7, 8, 9
|BREAKOUT 7: (Microbiological and Virological Risks – The Reality)
|MICROBIOLOGICAL AND VIROLOGICAL RISKS – THE REALITY: Terrestrial farmers and producers have faced a succession of food scares from a variety of sources that have undermined their efforts to grow and expand markets. Consumer confidence in a product is now intrinsically linked to the perception that the food in question is not only sustainably produced, but also safe to consume. Speakers will address the issues of virological and microbiological threats (norovirus, listeria and Vibrios) to the perception that seafood is safe to eat.
|BREAKOUT 8: (Models for Managing Fisheries Sustainably)
|MODELS FOR MANAGING FISHERIES SUSTAINABILITY: Fisheries sustainability is dependent on the quality of the biological inputs to the management process and a variety of external factors, which effect the decision making process. Management models may embrace input at a local, national or regional level or be dictated by unilateral or multilateral administrations and processes. Successes and failures stand testament to judgements based on varying levels of foresight and understanding. Through example and discussion, this session will address the dynamic boundary that exists between the success and failure of sustainable fisheries management models.
|BREAKOUT 9: (SeafoodPlus Breaking News)
|SEAFOOD Plus BREAKING NEWS: SeafoodPlus is an integrated research project supported by the EU under Framework 6. It has more than 70 partners in 16 countries, and is currently engaged in 20-plus research projects. The strategic objective of SeafoodPlus is to reduce health problems and increase wellbeing amongst European consumers by applying the benefits which may be obtained through the consumption of safe seafood products. This breakout session will bring delegates up-to-date on the breaking news emerging from the wide ranging research being undertaken by SeafoodPlus.
|Plenary 4
|Greening the Logistics Train
|Closing Address for Day 2
|Thursday 27th September 2007
|"Is Eating Seafood the Best Way to Get those all important Omega 3s into your Diet and your Children's Diet?"
|Breakout Sessions 10, 11, 12
|BREAKOUT 10 (Innovations in Seafood Safety 1)
|INNOVATIONS IN SEAFOOD SAFETY 1nnovations in Seafood Safety 1: Just as new products have emerged to meet consumer demand, so too have new developments in the technology and science of monitoring and assuring the safety of seafood. In the area of biotoxins, for example, monitoring technology is progressing rapidly on a number of fronts driving down the cost of monitoring while raising the precision and speed of results. Speakers will look at a variety of technologies and developments that are driving these trends now and into the future.
|BREAKOUT 11: (The Potential & Challenges of the Emerging Functional Foods Markets)
|THE POTENTIAL & CHALLENGES OF THE EMERGING FUNCTIONAL FOODS MARKETS: Health and well being are moving from a 'niche' issue to a global concern for most consumers. This trend highlights that the long established demand for functional products in Asia has the potential to also become a mainstream market in other countries. The Asian experience and recent developments in Ireland, with a diverse range of marine functional raw material, reveal the opportunities and challenges any company should consider in developing this emerging market.
|BREAKOUT 12: (Mercury)
|Mercury: Methyl mercury contamination of seafood is an emotive issue, especially in the USA. This session will aim to separate the facts from the fiction and will put the issue in perspective. The real risks associated with mercury and seafood will be examined and discussed by a panel of expert speakers.
|Lunch and Exhibition Networking Opportunity
|Breakout Sessions 13, 14, 15
|BREAKOUT 13: (Innovations in Seafood Safety 2)
|INNOVATIONS IN SEAFOOD SAFETY 2: The drive to produce quality seafood in sufficient quantities to meet spiralling consumer demand is pressuring producers to look both at methods of production and locations that were previously regarded as risky. Improvements in the efficiency of monitoring technologies that concentrate on inorganic contamination and veterinary residues may allow areas previously regarded as marginal to be exploited and treatments to be used in a more focused way without reducing the benefit experienced by the consumer. Speakers will look at developments in this area and the potential these might have to allow the supply of seafood to be expanded.
|Breakout 14: HACCP - Where To Next?
|HACCP - WHERE TO NEXT? Widely recognised by most progressive businesses as sound investment, HACCP has been the major food safety innovation in the last half-century. The system has proved both robust and flexible and has been successfully applied in just about every conceivable food production business type, including seafood. However, what has worked before does not always work in future and a number of international speakers will review the past successes of HACCP, discuss its future prospects and consider what changes need to be applied if this success story is to continue.
|Breakout 15: Maintaining The Seafood Chain Of Custody.
|MAINTAINING THE SEAFOOD CHAIN OF CUSTODY: Food Standards Agencies state that food fraud is big business. The UK Food Standards Agency believes that around 10 per cent of the UK weekly shopping may be counterfeit. From printing misleading labels to product substitution to modifying the food itself, there are many ways for unscrupulous suppliers to dupe consumers. This session will look at the latest technology advances and practicality of Seafood Product Integrity Management, Testing and RFID Tracking and Tracing Technology to ensure a Chain of Custody within the Seafood Supply Line.
|Plenary 6
|Closing Ceremony
Congress Entertainment Programme Starting on Monday the 24th September to Thursday 27th September.
Monday 24th September 2007<
The organisers of the World Seafood Congress 2007 will host a Welcoming Guinness and Oysters Reception for delegates. This will be held between 19:00hrs and 21:00hrs in The Jurys Croke Park Hotel in The Canal and Terrace Rooms on the Ground Floor.
Members of the WSC 07 Organising Committee will be on-hand to help you with any queries you may have and to help you settle in. You will be addressed by Ms. Jayne Gallagher, President of IAFI, to officially welcome you to the WSC 07.
Tuesday 25th September 2007
A coach will collect you from you hotel at 19:00hrs and will bring you to the historic St. Helen's Radisson SAS Hotel, one of Dublin's finest and most luxurious hotels. You will enjoy their renowned marquee barbeque, which will feature the best of Irish seafood, along with the finest of other traditional Irish fare. Entertainment will be continuous, interactive and always exciting.
There will be live eclectic music, interactive entertainers and traditional Irish performing artists - all presented in the magnificent setting of the formal gardens of The St. Helen's Radisson SAS Hotel.
You will be transported back to your hotel by coach, at 23:30hrs to get a good nights sleep and to enjoy the conference proceedings on the following day.
Wednesday 26th September 2007
As before, you will be collected by coach from your hotel at 19:00hrs and brought to one of Ireland's most famous race courses - The Leopardstown Race Course - where you will enjoy a superb three course dinner, with wine, and be treated to an interactive "Virtual Race Night". You can be an Irish punter for the evening, enjoying this exciting and spectacular night out, which will include mock-betting and prizes for the delegates.
At 23:30hrs, tired, happy and laden down with your winnings, you will be collected by coach and dropped safely back to your hotel to rest up before the last day of the conference.
Thursday 27th September 2007
We guarantee that this will be a night to remember! The entertainment for the conference reaches its peak with the staging of our lavish World Seafood Congress 2007 Gala Dinner and Dance.
Guests not staying at the Jurys Croke Park Hotel, will be collected from their hotels at 18:30hrs.
The Gala Dinner will be held in the magnificent Hogan Suite of the conference venue, Croke Park. This wonderful night will will kick off with a drinks reception at 19:15hrs and from there you will embark on an evening's entertainment that will be magical and uniquely Irish.
This will be your opportunity to relax, sit back and enjoy the world class array of entertainers and performers, which we will present to you over the course of the evening. The food will be superb, spread over five delicious courses and themed around the finest of Irish cuisine.
The night will be crowned by an extravagant stage show, featuring dance, song and the best of Ireland's culture and heritage, all performed by artists of the highest caliber. This show will thrill and amaze you, and will be a non-stop tour de force.
After the stage show, it will be time for you to kick back and let your hair down as there will be a late bar and dancing.
Minister Coughlan opens 2007 World Seafood Congress in Dublin
25 September 2007/ /www.agriculture.gov.ie/
The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Mary Coughlan TD, today opened the seventh World Seafood Congress in Dublin's Croke Park Conference Centre. The Congress is being co-organised by Irish government agencies Bord Iascaigh Mhara, Food Safety Authority of Ireland and Enterprise Ireland.
In excess of 400 seafood and food safety professionals from across the globe are attending the three-day conference and exhibition to discuss the complex challenge of balancing a spiralling worldwide consumer demand for seafood with the development of sustainable global fisheries.
Minister Coughlan told delegates of the necessity to develop a profitable but sustainable fishing sector: "While the global fisheries sector needs to be a primary source of wealth creation, we must ensure all future development of our industry is conducted in a sustainable way with respect to our stocks and the environment."
Commenting specifically on the domestic seafood sector the Minister added: "Our seafood sector enjoys a uniquely strong and growing demand for its products. This means that the challenge for us here in Ireland is not so much one of generating greater volumes of seafood sales but of having the true value of seafood, as a health giving super-food, realised by the consumer."
Renowned scientist Professor Michael Crawford, Director of the Institute of Brain Chemistry & Human Nutrition, London will deliver the Congress's keynote address. He leads a line-up of world-class experts and commentators from Ireland, the UK, Sweden, Spain, the USA, Canada, Australia, Japan and Africa to cover the programme's range of lectures, debates, plenary and breakout sessions.
Professor Crawford's presentation will focus on how a lack of seafood in the modern diet may be contributing to the rising tide of mental illness currently plaguing the developed world.
Congress sessions on "Seafood Standard Certification - Making the Label Stick", "The Reality of Microbiological and Virological Risks", "Key Import Authority Requirements for Seafood" and "The Exporter's View of the Global Market" figure in a raft of subject matter tailored to appeal to attending seafood companies and seafood professionals from all areas of the industry.
The programme session on "The Retailer's Perspective on the Changing Seafood Market" will hear contributions from retailers Wal-Mart, Tesco, the UK's Young's/Foodfest Group and the Barry Group, Canada on their current market strategies for managing consumer trends and expectation that pressure for the delivery of a rapidly increasing range of safe, healthy and convenient seafood products. The leading trends in today's fast moving seafood market will be revealed in detail.
Against this consumer-driven background the necessity to develop functional foods from seafood will be increasingly important for the global seafood sector as will be shown by an in-depth report on the progress of the EU research project SeafoodPlus, when it presents WSC delegates with its breaking news "New Concepts for Value-added Functional Seafood Products".
The Congress will also stage the BIM "Great Debate" on its closing day. The debate will see the Congress enter into the current controversy "Is eating seafood the best way to get those all-important Omega 3s into your diet and into your children's diet?"
Speakers invited to lead the debate on the crucial importance of Omega-3 in human nutrition and whether the benefits of eating fish outweigh those derived from taking supplements include Dr. Alex Richardson, who will focus on her compelling research findings on the dietary role Omega 3 plays in early childhood cognitive development. The WSC "Great Debate" will also see the return of WSC opening speaker Dr. Michael Crawford as well as valuable contributions by Dublin-based guest speakers Dr Patrick Wall, Chairman, European Food Safety Authority and Paula Mee, well-known consultant nutritionist and food and health advisor. The debate will be chaired by Ireland's celebrated broadcaster, Miriam O'Callaghan.
Commenting on behalf of the 2007 WSC, Congress moderator Donal Maguire, BIM said: "Ireland is honoured to have been chosen to host the World Seafood Congress. This prestigious event offers us an excellent opportunity to showcase our country and to demonstrate why Ireland's innovative fishing, aquaculture and food safety industries will continue to perform very competitively and successfully at a global level."
Dr John O'Brien, CEO, FSAI said: "Annually, Irish people eat less than half the quantity of fish consumed in other parts of the world (7.2 Kg/person/year as compared to 16.5 Kg/person/year). By contrast, we eat seven times more beef, pork and poultry than fish, with only one fifth of the Irish population eating two or more portions of fish on a weekly basis. It is disheartening that fish is not viewed as a valuable health enhancing food product here like it is in other countries throughout Europe and the world. The health benefits of eating fish need to be more widely appreciated by Irish people."
Commenting at the launch Mike Feeney, Executive Director, Enterprise Ireland said: "Enterprise Ireland is delighted to sponsor the World Seafood Congress 2007. The Congress affords participants from all over the world the opportunity to come together, share their experiences and explore opportunities for profitable future relationships."
Wanted: greener fish
Market trends require stronger environmental performance by seafood industry
25 September 2007, Rome / http://www.fao.org//
The US$400 billion seafood industry has no choice but to adapt to intensifying demand from retailers and consumers for "environmentally friendly" fish, FAO said today.
During opening remarks made to industry representatives attending the 2007 Seafood Industry Congress (25-27 September, Dublin), Grimur Valdimarsson, Director of FAO's Fishing Industries Division, said that the need for seafood producers to guarantee environmental performance is unavoidable.
"The push towards sustainable fisheries is not just coming from government or environmental groups, but from the market itself," Valdimarsson said, noting that major seafood retailers like Unilever, Tesco, Walmart and Asda have already committed to putting on their shelves only fish that was harvested or raised sustainably.
"In recent years the seafood industry has been uncertain as to whether these trends represent a momentary fad. Today, there's no question: it's real, it's a sea change, and it's the way of the future," he said.
In broad terms, this means that producers will need to be able to assure retailers and consumers that their fish were not taken from overexploited stocks, farmed in ponds where mangroves once stood, or caught in nets without turtle-saving excluder devices installed.
Doing so requires monitoring fishing activities via tracking systems, labels and similar mechanisms. There are already a number of initiatives under way that seek to do this, established either by seafood retailers or public interest organizations. While expressing concern over the proliferation of diverse and competing efforts, Valdimarsson stressed that, overall, the trend is a positive one.
Transition anything but easy
"Complying with these new imperatives is technically extremely difficult, and so the challenge facing industry right now is finding ways of doing so that are both adequate and economically feasible," Valdimarsson acknowledged.
The capture fisheries sector should draw lessons from the last 25 years of food safety assurance in other sectors, which moved largely from being a government-run activity to one managed by industry itself within a government-established framework and subject to spot verification.
Seafood producers have been wresting with a similar problem for years now, which could help.
"Already, producers have put into place internal systems to ensure that they are providing seafood that is fresh, safe to eat, and of the highest quality -- which is what today's consumers demand," Valdimarsson said. "You don't need to invent a new agency to guarantee that environmental standards are being met -- monitor for environmental performance in a similar way, as you do for safety and quality."
Developing countries will have a tough time
Resource-strapped developing countries will have a particularly hard time making the transition to fully certifying their fisheries.
"They've already been struggling mightily to comply with health and safety regulations on fish imports put into place by importing countries in the developed world," Valdimarsson explained.
Helping resolve this problem is an issue of particular importance to FAO, he said, adding that the retailers shaping market trends have a responsibility to help suppliers in the developing world cope.
And FAO and other international development organizations working on fisheries and aquaculture will need new resources to help the developing world's fisheries sector adapt.
Fishing rights key
The widespread practice of granting open or nearly-open access to fishing grounds is another challenge.
"Under the open access regime, fishing is an extremely competitive, zero sum game: if a fishermen doesn't land a fish, his competitor will, leaving little incentive to conserve the resource" according to Valdimarsson, and the consequence is overfishing. "So fishermen have a vested interest in not revealing what they've been doing."
"That must change, because the emerging paradigm requires the industry to be able to say exactly where, when and how a fish was caught. Only fishermen who hold clear rights and are not obliged to outfish a large group of competitors will feel secure enough to operate with that level of transparency."
Safety and quality issues
This year's World Seafood Congress was co-organized by FAO, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, the World Health Organization, the International Food Quality Certification Group, and Ireland's Sea Fisheries Protection Authority in collaboration with the International Association of Fish Inspectors and with the support of the Irish Sea Fisheries Board, Enterprise Ireland, and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland.
The congress has traditionally focused on seafood safety and quality issues, but environmental concerns have risen higher on its agenda in recent years.
One of the most serious difficulties faced by fish exporters is coping with different safety standards being imposed by various importing countries. The need for greater harmonization of standards and more equivalence agreements, as well as the proliferation of private standards and certification schemes for fish products will also be discussed in Dublin.
Dublin is the capital city of Ireland - founded in the early ninth century by the Vikings who arrived to sample the charms of the Irish. Dublin is a city of culture, coastline, creativity and craic! Note that you will rarely see craic! (the Irish word for enjoyment) without an exclamation mark after it.
Croke Park
Croke Park Stadium is Ireland's premier venue for sporting events, meetings, conferences, exhibitions and entertainment. Located on Dublins north side, the venue is ideally situated on the airport route from the city centre.
Deep in the heart of Irish culture is the Gaelic Athletic Association - the GAA - owners of Croke Park. The site upon which Croke park now stands was originally owned by Maurice Butterly in the 1870's and was known as the "City and Suburban Racecourse". The GAA became one of the grounds most frequent users and in 1908 Frank Dineen purchased the 14-acre site for the handsome sum of £3,250. The GAA subsequently purchased the site from Frank Dineen in 1913 for £3,500 and immediately renamed the ground Croke Park in honour of the association's first patron Archbishop Croke of Cashel.
The complex has been refurbished to an impeccable standard over the past 10 years and now includes conference and exhibition facilities along with the 3 stadia, the GAA Museum and private meeting and dining rooms.
Dublin has been at the centre of many conflicts and battles - our culture is built from a rich fabric of ancient mariners, sea-faring invaders, holy men (and women) as well great orators, chieftans and warriors. The history of Dublin is told in many forms, including guided tours and walks. Definitely worth a visit are Trinity College, where you will find the Book of Kells; Christchurch Cathedral and the Duvlinia (old Dublin) area; Dublin's many art galleries including the Hugh Lane Gallery and the National Gallery of Ireland hold a host of treasures for art lovers; Our tradition of storytelling has left us a legacy of some of the worlds finest writers including James Joyce, Beckett, Swift and Wilde, and the Dublin Literary Pub Crawlbrings them to life.
Dublin is located on the East Coast of Ireland, and boasts some of the most beautiful wild and rugged coastline in Europe. Starting on the North side of the city at Howth (home to a number of sailing clubs and fantastic golf) and travelling South to Bray (the traditional seaside holiday resort for Dubliners) the Dublin Area Rapid Transit system - also known as the DART - will bring you through charming suburbs like Sandymount, old fishing villages like Dalkey and through to the mansions of Killiney.
A short journey outside of Dublin to the South you'll find the Wicklow mountains and the spectacular Blessington Lakes and the famous Glendalough. To the East are the flatlands of Kildare, home to some of the world's most famous horse breeders. To the North, the hills of Tara and the truly fascinating Newgrange where the Winter Solstice is celebrated each year in style...
If there's one thing we Irish are famous for aside from the genuine warmth of our welcome, it's our creativity. We are a nation of story tellers and entertainers, musicians, actors and dancers. You'll find festivals at every available opportunity on the calendar, late September in Dublin brings the Dublin Fringe Festival, one of Europes most highly regarded theatre festivals. We know you already know all about U2, Thin Lizzy, the Hot House Flowers, Boyzone and Westlife, and you've probably seen Riverdance on one of its many World tours. You may not know about the myriad of Irish performers and artists who keep us entertained on smaller stages throughout the city every night. Irish creativity is evident everywhere from our street markets, to the outdoor art auctions along the rails of St Stephens Green, and in the way we rename our national monuments!
We Irish are famous worldwide for our hospitality - as much as we're famous for our creativity, culture and coastline. Craic is the Irish word for enjoyment, and it's the one thing you are guaranteed on your visit to Dublin for the Congress.
Whether you want to be entertained by professionals at any of our bars, pubs, clubs, theatres or concert venues - or just be entertained by the local clientele in one of our thousands of pubs, you'll find what you're looking for in Dublin. Our pub culture is also famous all around the worlds, and even the ban on smoking in enclosed public places hasn't managed to diminish the charm. New words like Smirting entered the Irish vocabulary - to the uninitiated, smirting is a combination of smoking and flirting, and is practised outside most Irish pubs on any given evening.
Dublin's Temple Bar is a must for night time revellers, or a visit to Johnny Foxes Pub - the highest pub in Ireland where you need to book your table well in advance. Dublin boasts plenty of superb restaurants, including the Michelin starred Patrick Gilbauds and the truly amazing Shanahans on the Green or Rolys Bistro in Ballsbridge. Fish restaurants, naturally, abound - from the King Sitric in Howth to Cavistons in DunLaoghaire or even Angelo's Cafe in Aungier St. where the fish and chips are the best in world, fish lovers will be in heaven. There are a multitude of restaurants of every variety, so be sure to check out a few possibilities and book early!


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17th June 2017, Stowe School, Buckinghamshire.
Stowe House is one of the most important country houses in England. Reaching its magnificence in the eighteenth century, it was soon visited by leading European nobility and royalty, including King Gustav IV of Sweden, Tsar Alexander I of Russia, King Louis XVIII of France, the Prince Regent (the future King George IV). And on a scorching June day in 2017 it was the turn of History Masterclass, where our attendees enjoyed a unique learning experience on Henry VIII in love and war.
The Masterclass was held in the Blue Drawing Room, named for the panels of blue silk damask that hung on the wall in the latter half of the nineteenth century and have since been immaculately restored.
The Masterclass began with the attendees helping to create and then explore a timeline which placed Henry VIII in a global context as well as considering the significant events of the era in which he lived. From Columbus discovering the New World in 1492 to the Armada in 1588, from Henry's birth in 1509 to his coronation, marriages, break with Rome, and death in 1547, the Masterclass was now set up to consider how Henry and his Tudor world were influenced by love and war.
Dr Sam Willis began by considering the surviving examples of Henry's armour and exploring the stories behind three significant and very different sets. Each was considered as an object biography. What can we learn from armour? Using a heavily-decorated armour commemorating his first marriage, Dr Suzannah Lipscomb then considered Henry's relationship with Katherine of Aragon before introducing Anne Boleyn and Henry's first crisis in love. The subsequent break from the Catholic Church was then explored by Sam in relation to the fortifications built by Henry VIII to defend England from French invasion. After a brief working lunch the attendees were given a mini-masterclass in palaeography. How can we translate Tudor handwriting? Within twenty minutes the class had decoded one of Henry's love letters to Anne Boleyn. The Masterclass then finished with an introduction to Henry's navy, using the Mary Rose as case study.
An exciting and joyful event in a truly fabulous historic location, this was a Masterclass none of us will forget any time soon.


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Written by: John Nee '93
This past summer, St. Rita student Cory Thomas was one of 18 high school sophomores chosen from hundreds of applicants to participate in (TASS) The Telluride Association Sophomore Seminar. He was nominated by St. Rita Principal Brendan Conroy based on his strong character and 3.5 GPA. After receiving the nomination, Thomas was required to write three essays on differing topics as well as complete an application for the program.
The Telluride Association has evolved significantly over the past century, but it continues to reflect the personality and ideals of its founder, Lucien L. Nunn. TASS offers bright, motivated high school sophomores challenging six-week, college-level courses in critical Black and ethnic studies. They work with university faculty to create exciting courses designed to inspire young people to explore the histories, politics, and cultural experiences of people of African descent and a variety of other topics. All costs of the program are covered by TASS, including tuition, books, room and board, field trips, and facilities fees.
Thomas took his six-week course at Indiana University at Bloomington where classes met over the summer Monday thru Friday for three hours a day. According to Thomas, the best part of the program was "being able to experience the life of a college student, including living in the dorms, eating in the cafeteria, and roaming around the beautiful IU campus after class."
Thomas grew up in Holy Family Parish located in the North Lawndale neighborhood of the city before moving with his mom and sister, who attends St. Ambrose University. The family now lives in Roseland.


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Depressing Implications of NYC's 13th District
New York City's primary season has undergone many changes this year. In addition to the redrawing of the city's Congressional districts, the United States Senate and House primaries were pushed back from the usual September date to late June.But it's neither the earlier date of last Tuesday's primaries nor the shifting district lines that has thrown the recent election into the spotlight. In fact, it's an all too familiar post-election controversy that is drawing the attention of local citizens and national media outlets alike. The redrawn District 13, which includes Harlem and parts of the Bronx, is on the verge of scandal as incumbent Congressman Charlie Rangel and State Senator Adriano Espaillat face off for the win – after the results have already been called.
Tuesday evening closed with a slight but certain margin of victory for the 82 year old congressman, who pulled in 45 percent of the vote while Espaillat took 40 percent, reported Reuters the following Wednesday. By Friday night, that number had evened out, with the difference between the candidates tallying at just over 1000 votes instead of Tuesday's numbers of more than 2000. But by Saturday night, according to the Board of Elections numbers, Congressman Rangel had just over 44 percent of the vote to Espaillat's 42 percent, making the total difference one of merely 800 votes.
As it turns out, the discrepancy resulted from the simple failure to record and count thousands of ballots. Of the 506 precincts in the district, 79 – many of them strongholds for the Dominican challenger - were recorded as taking in no votes. Zero.
Of Sunday, there were 2000 affidavit and absentee ballots left to count of the 3,200 that had been originally disregarded.
While Congressman Rangel is confident that he will hold onto his victory – presuming that some of the affidavit ballots amongst those still left to count are inadmissible for various legal reasons – the number of uncounted ballots surpass the difference between the two candidates, and anything can happen.
Residents of the 13th District are, of course, deeply concerned about the actual outcome of the election. With Espaillat running as the first Dominican candidate in the area and Rangel bringing over forty years of political experience to the table, this primary was an important one.
But the false zeroes in nearly eighty precincts and the weeklong delay in finding and counting nearly 3,200 votes has troublesome implications beyond this primary. With incredibly important elections coming up this November, our confidence in our government's ability to accurately count our votes has been dealt a heavy blow. As numerous pieces covering this story ironically pointed out, this mix-up took place when city officials were dealing with only one election in one Congressional district. When November rolls around and New Yorkers vote for senator, congressman, and president, how will our city's voting system cope with the influx of all types of ballots – mechanical and written – and for multiple races?
The problem is not only a practical one, but a theoretical problem of democracy.
The old adage that "every vote counts" has been challenged by cynics for centuries. An individual vote, really, has little impact in an overall election – especially when dealing with the Electoral College; or when voting for an independent candidate, or a Democrat in a red state and a Republican in a blue one.
While it is important to maintain an attitude that individual participation is vital to a thriving democracy, it is easy to lose sight of this when staring at overwhelming voting patterns and the media portrayal of electoral trends.
It's small-scale elections, really, that remind us how important our individual voice is. We can make a difference in a local primary. We can make a difference, even, in a district Congressional race. When the numbers come back and instead of abstract concepts like "70 million" or even the more specific "66,882,230" (numbers making the rounds after President Obama's victory in 2008), we see vote tallies like 16,898 – Rangel's total count as of last Friday – and we can believe them, we can understand them, we can relate to them. Any one of us could have been that 16,898th vote.
So when these numbers are not to be trusted, what's to restore our passion for participation in the democratic process? When our government is proving to us, over and over, that our votes may or may not count – it doesn't really matter – how are we to help but falling prey to the cynical mindset that every vote doesn't count?
This question has plagued American thinkers for hundreds of years, and is not one that can be easily answered. The American response has been, for the most part, to keep voting and engaging in civil activity, but the past few generations have been witness to a dramatic decrease in both voter turnout and civic engagement. Young Americans are choosing to get involved in other ways, but we are increasingly convinced that our votes may not count as much as we hope they would.
While the theoretical challenge of the small – or nonexistent – impact that on vote can have is inherent to democracy, the practical problem of actually and physically not counting votes is one that can, and must, be solved. Government officials, especially on the local level, must be held accountable for ensuring the security of every ballot. The Board of Elections should treat our ballots with the same meticulous care that the IRS treats our tax forms. It is up to us – and this is where our voices do count – to push for better voting systems and more streamlined counting procedures.
Every vote may not determine an election, but every vote should – and can – be counted.


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If you're the kind of masochistic or hyper-social personality that enjoys standing in long lines, stop by your polling place Tuesday between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. or 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.
The ballot, as you may have noticed, is long. Very long. Sixteen pages long in some districts – which would take five minutes to fill out for a voter who buzzed right through without stopping for last-minute considerations, according to Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley.
That means possible backups to get into the polling booths. The Buzz happens to find lines a buzzkill, so for our self-preservation we've got voting penciled in just before lunch.Poll watchers
Thanks to distractions like threatening letters for foreign-born voters, a decoy candidate, and a general increase in the usual amount of election hanky-panky, there are going to be plenty of folks keeping an eye on things Tuesday.
Kelley's going to have 200 of his people in mobile units, on the lookout for trouble. District Attorney Tony Rackauckas is sending an undisclosed number of two-person teams cruising the county, awaiting radio alerts of problems in or around polling places.
State Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman, R-Irvine, has already had a lawyer pay a visit to Kelley's office. He'll have staff on hand Tuesday, particularly to keep an eye on the tight 34th state Senate District race between Democrat Lou Correa and Republican Lynn Daucher.
Mike Levin, executive director of the county Democratic Party, said 20 volunteer lawyers have been trained to spot misconduct and will be posted throughout the county.
We wouldn't be surprised to also find federal poll watchers in the county, as well as representatives of pro-immigrant Latino groups. Just about everyone short of U.N. envoys and Jimmy Carter, practically.Heavy ballots
The Buzz has gotten its share of calls from voters concerned that other voters might have problems getting their absentee ballots delivered. Not without reason – the larger ballots frequently mean weights in excess of the 39-cents standard.
Kelley made arrangements with the post office to help ensure that all absentee ballots get to him, even if they're lacking sufficient postage. We asked him Friday how many absentee ballots had been returned to sender. At that time, he'd received about 200,000 absentees and said he had gotten calls from about 50 to 70 voters about returned ballots.
"It's almost non-existent," he said of the perceived problem.The parties' parties
Will Rogers once said, "I belong to no organized party. I am a Democrat." That sentiment might also apply to county Democrats' Election Night parties.
The county party will have its official party at the IBEW union hall in Orange (309 N. Rampart). But the county's top elected Democrat – Rep. Loretta Sanchez – is having her own $40-per-head gig at the Orange County Pavilion (801 N. Main St., Santa Ana). And Democrat Correa, representing his party in the county's highest profile race, is having his own fete at his campaign headquarters (121 E. Washington, Santa Ana).
The Republicans appear to be a bit more unified party-wise, with most of the big wigs headed for the county GOP fiesta at the Hyatt Regency Irvine (17900 Jamboree Road). Daucher is also expected to be on hand. But the two Republicans engaged in the vicious battle to become the next south county supervisor, Pat Bates and Cassie DeYoung, will be having their own individual events in the south county district.
Contact the writer: For more, read the Total Buzz daily blog at blogs.ocregister.com/buzz/. Catch Wisckol on KOCE-TV's Real Orange at 6:30 p.m and 11:30 p.m. most Wednesdays.