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Black Tar
Ahh, stories of the road. I don't know about you but they just make
me want to drop everything and take off into the sunset. Robert brings a
fantastically written account of his recent motorcycle trip to the blog, with fellow
Greet Death Moto Gang members. Robert also happens to be a really great friend of mine
whom I interviewed a few months back. Have a look at that here. Read on fellow
wanderlusters, and get lost in what it's really like to ride thousands
of miles on two wheels with a bunch of stinky dudes.
The gang left Seattle about three weeks before I linked up with everyone. They clocked about half of their 7,000 mile trip before I beat them to a dusty KOA with all-you-could-eat pancakes for $2.99. I can't speak in detail about their trip before it became ours. I left comfortable Carbondale, CO in a hurry. I knew I was leaving but had an uncomfortably busy summer leading up to the trip. Thus, the packing for this trip was sparse and relied on foggy memories of helpful possessions. I changed the oil and fixed the brake light and blinkers (that had been out for about a year) the night before. My speedometer never worked but I figured, how could a cop ever see that if I was stopped by the time he got out of the car?
The first leg of the trip was southwest from Carbondale. My aunt rode her Can-Am to visit something of a local art myth in the medium of stone. Greg Tonozzi is a gifted artist who hides in a pile of Marble in the town by the same name. We continued to Paonia for a slow lunch even though the restaurant was empty. Paonia is determined to operate in the 1980's despite what everyone else says. I ventured down past Telluride and further to a town named Roco, which calls to Paonia to come back to the 1960's. I'd passed a turn-off but it was too wet to slam on the brakes and I continued onto another outcropping and decided it was too exposed to the road and too far from the river. Eventually I got too cold and found a nice camp spot right off the highway. Someone left in a hurry and I used the rest of their firewood to warm back up.
The next day I was headed to intercept the rest of the 'Greet Death Moto Gang' of which I am a proud member from my time in Seattle. The road went straight through silent desert. The 4-Corners Monument was merely a downshift and rear brake off the highway. It left me shaking my head at the misguidedness of people and their beliefs that lines on the map mean anything more than a fable. It was merely a plaque surrounded by far too many seats, like maybe one day the metal might spring into a replica of Jimi Hendrix and sings some tunes. Behind the seats were jail cell cinderblock cubes where sunbaked Navajo folks sold jewelry and T-Shirts. It seemed like more of an RV spot to check a map and realize it's the desert no matter what it's called in your GPS.
I got rained on outside of Petrified Forest and the evening was squeezing my body temp down so I motored on to the KOA. I had a trashbag to wrap up my clothes and skateboard; it was shredded by Seattle. The boys had a 600-mile day and they're always considerably late so I booked the spot. I lied about how many bikes would show up, but it only made an eight dollar difference. I set up my tent and a family pulled up 30 yards away and I thought about how a solo biker in a tent at 8PM might seem strange or lonely, but in context of five other people it would make a lot more sense, and would be a lot louder. The bikers rumbled in about nine. The glue that holds this gang together is mainly skateboarding, drinking, motorcycles, and the will for adventure. I suppose the willingness to tolerate self-imposed suffering could be considered a glue. We had to celebrate their arrival by walking to the nearest bar, which turned out to be an excellent little dive that was several decades old. We played some pool with bent sticks and got a late night snack at the gas station. I found myself thinking a lot about the least evil foods in a gas station because when you strip the motorcycle away, you're basically just sitting, so crappy food just lingers in your gut.
We sent it to the Grand Canyon and had a site booked. I had never been before and realized how the scenery had been crunched into a theme park model. At first glance, this aggravated me. After being crammed onto a bus with a bunch of mouth-breathing, obese Americans I softened up to the idea on the rationale that these people would not be 'experiencing nature' at all if it were not for a temperature controlled bus. We hiked for a whole 30 minutes before the lack of cardio that a bike provides capped our hike. While waiting for one of our members to give birth in a high traffic public restroom, we struck up a conversation with a bus driver. She liked us enough to click the bus door closed, speed walk us to a railing, and point to a spot, made by the founder of the outcropping for smoking privately. We jumped the rails and sat where a woman, in 1880, would have had to hike to smoke because her male contemporaries found smoking publicly unladylike. The feeling of sitting in history, that was roped off simply due to its lack of announcement, felt special.
From the Grand we followed some nice tar to Bryce Canyon. Miles got pulled over and caught back up to us so quickly we didn't even notice. A guest star gang member met up with us at a campsite that was, in all honesty, a Teepee. I tried to last the first night in a hammock but got cold enough to join the rest in the disorganized mess of gear and stinky dudes in the culturally appropriate dwelling. This site had a hot tub that we took full advantage of. Stephen's bike, a borrowed machine, was 'running funny' and after some closer inspection sounded like it was gurgling metal. He got a Uhaul home the following morning. He was relieved in a very apparent way; the road takes a toll on some people. He talked about the remaining days like they were a sentence he was forced to fulfill. Bryce Canyon is some of the most unique landscape I've ever experienced. It's a much more relaxed atmosphere than the Grand, but with colors and shapes I've never laid eyes on before.
The forecast looked grim. We left Bryce in hopes of outrunning yet another storm across Nevada. If my rain gear was graded on a curve, it would still only get about a C. After enough shivering, we pulled off at a gas station somewhere just inside the Nevada border. There was about five nice touring bikes outside and we nodded at a group of Frenchmen obviously attempting to dry out in the Shell-Burger King florescent box. I watched a younger Frenchman buy an older one a pink hat that said 'Merica in bedazzled plastic. We never truly dried out. Matt went to buy some light blue surgical gloves to try and keep his hands dry and took two grocery bags and tied them around his shoes. I thought I was traveling light with only a backpack, tent, and sleeping bag, but his gear bag was slightly smaller than mine, probably because he assumed it wouldn't rain. We were looking at two days across Nevada to Reno. This was the only point of contemplation in turning back to Moab and trying to find some climbers to tool around with instead of riding in a loose formation in a downpour. It's what I imagine a car feels like when its being power washed.
We pressed on into the 'Loniest Highway in America'. It was the type of scene I feel most people envision when they're thinking of a classic motorcycle trip. There were no cars, just open roads and purple amber clouds authoring light beams onto the sage fields. The engines created a harmony of combustion and we took over the whole road. The sun set and we somehow threaded the needles through the isolated thunder storms as a sign read 'Gravel and Oil Ahead'; and the sign wasn't joking. We were all pretty cold at 10PM at a nondescript gas station town. Ian and I each got a room at what I called the Bed Bug Motel. The woman was sweet and told me I looked cold and she would put me in Room 9 since the heater worked well. Across from the Bed Bug Motel was Trump Thumper Bar, which I never actually saw anyone go into but the signs were overt and obvious. I added my opinion in the form of stickers on top of the billboards and knew it would only make this jerk double down on his opinion, but at least it showed someone wanted to say something back.
Highway 50 kept being lonely like a cranky trucker. We stopped at the perfect exit for breakfast. The diner used to be a rest station for the pony express. It doubled as a diner, bar, barber, therapist office, hell... maybe even medical advice was given out too. There was something preserved there, like it was too far from a major interstate to be exploited by corporate interests. Well, until some cooking show host with frosted tips comes to sample the hash browns, which were pretty good. Ian and I rolled into Reno at a coffee shop that catered to motorcycle folks. That meant they sold expensive gloves, sparkplugs, photo books, and switch blades with their coffee. The gang was busy getting replacement parts, vegan food or skate shoes all across Reno so Ian and I continued to Lake Tahoe. If a giant magnet sucked up all the tourist cars, that would be a 5-Star road for riding fast. It truly is unbelievable that from an ugly step-cousin of Vegas, you climb 3,000 feet to a misplaced emerald in the desert. We finally had clear weather and found a funny little bowl for skateboarding. There was some sort of field day event a stones throw from the park and our bikes stood out in the sea of BMWs and Lexus. I'm sure a member of the Parent Teacher Association was delegated to keep an eye on the bearded man-children still skateboarding while the middle school games took place.
We got a campsite on the southwest side of the lake and the boys started hyper-ventilating at the forecast declaring the low was going to be in the 30's. Miles and Matt decided they were going to race the sun to the nearest store that might have long underwear. They both have the most crashes under their belt and loved to push each other. Everyone's girlfriends who knew of Matt didn't like him. The two guys let their high-powered crotch rockets loose on what might as well have been called the spaghetti strip, and Miles lost it around a corner. His bike low sided into a guard rail and, thanks to his fully padded space suit, he hobbled away mostly unscathed. We got word and Matt told us they had it under control and he would meet us at the bar. They tarped up the bike until they could get a Uhaul in the morning. The local guys really didn't like us in Tahoe. There was enough tension, shoulder bumping, and sideways glances I was halfway expecting a bar fight to emerge. I guess the local girls were bored of hearing about how sick the mountain biking was that day and needed a new story and looked to us to tell it.
The morning grocery store we sought breakfast at was fully staffed by the sideways glancing bros from the prior evening. Ian's toast took 30 minutes. A bar fight would have been spicier than passive aggressive hung-over toast making. We helped Miles lift his bike into the Uhaul and altered our plan away from Crater Lake since the low was in the 20's. Ian and I split for a 600-mile day to Portland. The Northwest was still on fire from some idiot kids playing with fireworks during a drought. It was uncomfortable to see blue haze late in the day when it should be misty fog.
Ian is from Portland and we were greeted by tacos, more rain and his parents. A laundry checkpoint was critical and I stopped by while my clothes were drying to see my friend who makes glass-making equipment. Portland is changing in the same way tech money does to everything it can sniff out and declare hip. Warehouses are turned into condos and rents are as absurd as conditioned beards. From there we reconnected at the boarder of Washington with the remaining crew members and headed north to Seattle.
I arrived once again shaking and cold to a hot shower at my best buddy's house. I didn't want it to end. The creature comforts of a city are nice, but I think people resonate with travel, especially in a nomadic tribe model because that is how we were raised on the plains. In all honestly, riding a motorcycle a long distance isn't all that hard. With some mechanical knowledge and some buddies, you just have to keep your meat sack on the machine and turn your wrist. While that statement may bruise some egos, it's the suffering days that stand out more than the sunshine. I think under the smiling photos of motorcycle freedoms, its more about the return to the nomadic tendencies we were evolved with, and less about destinations or purpose. The focus then becomes more on the group and thinking as a unit, which is much harder than changing spark plugs.
After a few days of karaoke, friend visits and ripping around on the bike, the reality that I missed the weather window had closed for my solo return. My intended route through the high country already had snow on it and the bike was having some strange electrical issues and the clutch was slipping. I drove it to my friend's factory after always having to park it on a hill to bump start it since arriving in Seattle. I hugged the machine like it was my horse that I wasn't going to see for a long while and got a ride back to the city. I found it uncomfortably empty to reverse all those miles with two hours of airplane travel. Just like that the trip had ended. We all agreed that if someone could sponsor us we would never stop. Throwing yourself to uncertainty was fun, but real life has a tendency to pull you back. Until the next group text is sent out and we decide what to do, the bike is in a factory and the snow is falling in the mountains.
If you enjoy the stories and creations we share on Rock Meets Soil, consider supporting us on our Patreon page
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Dollar Rises Against Mark On Weak German M3 Data
NEW YORK -- A grab bag of economic data from Japan, Germany and Britain rattled currency markets, pushing the dollar up against the mark but down against the yen.
The first piece of news came when Japan reported an unexpected widening in its overall trade surplus, prompting a wave of yen buying for nearly every currency.
Japan's November trade...

subset: commoncrawl


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A Tale Of Two Host Cities: Philadelphia And Cleveland Put On 2016 Political Conventions
Apr 13, 2016, 10:45 ET
PHILADELPHIA, April 13, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- While presidential candidates are going head-to-head in heated discourse, the great American cities of Philadelphia and Cleveland are pushing political banter aside to ready themselves for the national spotlight as they host the Democratic National Convention (July 25-28) and Republican National Convention (July 18-21), respectively. Cleveland's last political convention was the 1936 RNC; that same year, Philadelphia welcomed the DNC. The cities will be part of history again in 2016.
City Population (2013):
- Philadelphia – 1.6 million
- Cleveland – 390,100
- Philadelphia – 1682
- Cleveland – 1796
- Philadelphia – Philly, City of Brotherly Love, The Place That Loves You Back
- Cleveland – Forest City, Rock and Roll Capital of the World, The Land, The CLE
Economic Base:
- Philadelphia – By the early 20th century, Philadelphia, called the "Workshop of the World," was the driving force behind the Industrial Revolution. Today's industry landscape looks much different: "Eds and meds" ranks as the city's top industry, and leisure and hospitality ranks fifth.
- Cleveland – Built by early 20th century industrial entrepreneurs in the steel and manufacturing sectors, Cleveland is now an advanced manufacturing powerhouse, with productivity increasing 92% from 1999 to 2015. Entrepreneurs are playing a significant role in the resurging economy, expanding in health-tech, high-tech sectors from flexible electronics to health care to biomedical engineering. The city is also a health care hub with more than 60 hospitals, including the world-renowned Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals.
- Philadelphia – Lonely Planet ranked the city as the best place to visit in the United States in 2016.
- Cleveland – CNN named Cleveland one of its "16 Intriguing Things to See and Do in 2016" while the city is the only U.S. destination on FoxNews.com's "10 under-the-radar destinations for 2016."
Quakers vs. Shakers:
- Philadelphia – Finding religious freedom in William Penn's colony, a pacifist sect of Christians called Quakers settled and grew in and around Philadelphia, contributing greatly to civic and philanthropic life.
- Cleveland – After splitting from the Quakers in England, the "Shaking Quakers" (so known for their ecstatic movement during worship services), or "Shakers," moved from New York to Ohio and other states where they led austere lives, practiced celibacy and set trends with their simple furniture and crafts. Cleveland suburb Shaker Heights was named for them.
Famous American Firsts:
- Philadelphia – As the first U.S. capital and the site where the Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, Philadelphia claims these firsts for the public good: first meeting of Congress, public school, hospital, flag, newspaper, bank, free lending library, university, postal route, volunteer fire company, law school, stock exchange, U.S. Mint.
- Cleveland – Cleveland is the home to innovative firsts: the first electric streetlight, electric streetcar, electric traffic signal and rapid transit system from the airport to downtown. Pop culture firsts include: first rock and roll concert, "Superman" comic, Life Savers candies and broadcast of a "Monday Night Football" game, which aired from Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Cleveland residents also elected the first African-American mayor, Carl Stokes.
History Of Political Conventions:
- Philadelphia – Independence Hall housed the Constitutional Convention in 1787. Between 1848 and 2012, the city hosted one-quarter of the major national party conventions—most notably, the first convention of the new Republican Party in 1856; the Republican, Progressive and Democratic conventions in 1948, when Southern Democrats formed the "Dixiecrats;" and most recently, the Republican National Convention in 2000.
- Cleveland – This year marks the third Republican National Convention in Cleveland. Previous conventions were hosted in the Cleveland Public Auditorium in 1924 and 1936. The 1924 convention delivered general election winner Calvin Coolidge.
Top Attractions:
- Philadelphia – Independence National Historical Park (Independence Hall, Liberty Bell Center, The President's House, National Constitution Center, National Museum of American Jewish History), Philadelphia Museum of Art and Rocky steps, Valley Forge National Historical Park
- Cleveland – Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Cleveland Museum of Art, Playhouse Square, The Cleveland Orchestra, Cleveland Metroparks, A Christmas Story House, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Cleveland Botanical Garden, Cleveland History Center
Major Musical History & Attractions:
- Philadelphia – Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff created the soulful "Sound of Philadelphia" in the early 1970s; a marker shows where their studios stood for more than 30 years. Another historical marker notes the location where Dick Clark broadcast "American Bandstand."
- Cleveland – DJ Alan Freed first coined the phrase "rock and roll" here in 1952, so it is appropriate that the world's only Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum calls the city home. The Cleveland Orchestra, one of the most acclaimed performing ensembles in the world, plays seasonally at Severance Hall in University Circle and has residencies in Vienna, Miami, at the Lincoln Center Festival in New York and at the Lucerne Festival.
Arts & Culture:
- Philadelphia – The grand Benjamin Franklin Parkway is lined with the world-renowned Philadelphia Museum of Art, Barnes Foundation, Rodin Museum and other institutions. Philadelphia is known as the "Mural Capital of the World," thanks for the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program's 3,800 creations.
- Cleveland – Playhouse Square is the country's largest performing arts center outside of New York with nine theaters in a one-block radius. University Circle is home to the world-famous Cleveland Orchestra, the Museum of Contemporary Art and the always free Cleveland Museum of Art, which features 900 pieces of artwork on display in 16,000-square-feet of renovated space.
Classic Food:
- Philadelphia – Almost no one leaves Philly without sampling a cheesesteak, roast pork sandwich or South Philadelphia's Italian restaurants, where red sauce goes by "gravy."
- Cleveland – Eastern European cuisine—including pierogis, stuffed cabbage and the Polish Boy—is the "must-have" for any visitor to Cleveland.
Contemporary Restaurant Scene:
- Philadelphia – Four words might best describe Philadelphia's current food scene: alfresco, BYOB, Passyunk and Fishtown. The city's first restaurant with sidewalk seating opened in 1998; today, Philly resembles a European city, with tables and chairs outside of almost every eatery. Because local liquor licenses can be hard to come by (expensive, time-consuming) and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania controls all in-state liquor sales, BYOBing is a way of life in Philadelphia. Two of the hottest restaurant hubs are vibrant neighborhoods outside of Center City: Fishtown in the north and East Passyunk Avenue in South Philadelphia.
- Cleveland – Ranked number seven on Travel & Leisure's list of "America's Best Cities for Foodies," Cleveland's food scene is booming with restaurants like Lola, from Iron Chef and "The Chew" host Michael Symon, and Greenhouse Tavern, from James Beard Award recipient Jonathon Sawyer. Great Lakes Brewing Company, Platform Beer Co. and Market Garden Brewery have brought Cleveland to the forefront of the national beer scene. Restaurant hotspots include E. 4th Street and the Ohio City and Tremont neighborhoods.
VISIT PHILADELPHIA® is our name and our mission. As the region's official tourism marketing agency, we build Greater Philadelphia's image, drive visitation and boost the economy. On Greater Philadelphia's official visitor website and blog, visitphilly.com and uwishunu.com, visitors can explore things to do, upcoming events, themed itineraries and hotel packages.
Destination Cleveland is Cleveland's convention and visitors bureau. This private non-profit organization's mission is to drive economic impact and stimulate community vitality for Greater Cleveland through leisure and business travel. Cleveland welcomes nearly 17 million visitors annually. For more information, visit www.thisiscleveland.com.
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160411/353748
SOURCE VISIT PHILADELPHIA; Destination Cleveland


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Welcome Winter
The time has come. Winter weather has arrived in our beautiful mountains. It was 38 degrees while I took these pictures and our high for the day will be 39. You can't see it but it is snowing also. As much as I don't enjoy the cold, I adore the beauty of our country side as it transitions from one season to the next. And the fall to winter transition is one of the most amazing displays for me. I won't put on a coat until absolutely necessary but I love to layer with tops, vests and scarves.
As I was writing this post I looked out the window to see this Mule Deer. The miracle of life and nature takes my breath away always!
What is your favorite part of the changing season?
Thanks for stopping by!
I am always so excited when I get comments and very appreciative! If you ever want to know where I got anything I am wearing or showing, just let me know and I will get right back to you!


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Could millennials be the saviours of the car dealership, rather than the death knell?
Natalie Sweet, VP of Marketing at Apak Group explores millennials behaviour and how they could be essential for the car dealerships survival.
By Natalie Sweet at 9 Aug 2018
NADA 100 - Celebration & Change
James Powell at the 2017 NADA Convention and Exposition in New Orleans explores the key topics affecting the Automotive Finance industry at an event that this year celebrates 100 years of NADA
By Natalie Sweet at 27 Jan 2017


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Feb 20, 2018 - 12:21 PM
The bird trap can be delivered to India. The issue would be size and weight. If you let me know the exact delivery address, I can get you a quote. I am estimating the cost of delivery at around $200 - $300 USD. Let me know if you want to proceed.


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When visiting Jakarta, you must drop in at Monas Jakarta. In fact, Monas or Monumen Nasional or the National Monument is the icon of Jakarta. The monument with 132 meters high becomes the most favorite spot for many visitors in Jakarta. It was built to remember the hassle of Indonesia people in reaching the independence from Holland. It was built on August 17th in 1961 in Soekarno government. Then, it is opened for the public on July 12th in 1975.
The History of National Monument (Monas) Jakarta
In the Holland colonial, the capital of Indonesia is moved from Jakarta to Yogyakarta. In 1949, Jakarta became the capital of Indonesia again. After that moment, the president announced that he will build a monument to remind the hassle of Indonesian people. Besides that, it functions to improve the spirit of patriotism from the future generation. The National Monument Jakarta was designed as well as possible. The fire design of gold reflects the spirit of the Indonesian people to get the independence.
There were many designs offered to the president. However, he did not like them. Then, Frederich Silaban made another design and the president loved it so much. However, the amazing design made this monument spends much money. Because of that, the Soekarno delayed to build the monument. Finally, it is built in 1961 with R.M. Soedarsono as the architect with Friedrich Silaban. The process takes 3 phases. The first was from 1961/1962 to 1964/1965. The second phase was from 1966 to 1968. It took too long because there was the tragedy called as G 30 S PKI. The last phase was from 1969 to 1976. This Jakarta National Monument was officially introduced by the president on July 12th, 1975.
How to Get to Monas Jakarta
As the most iconic building in Jakarta, the National Monument is addressed in a strategic location. So, you can find it easily. If you come from other cities, from the airport of Halim Perdana Kusuma you should continue to go to Cawang UKI with a public transportation and then continue to Cempaka Mas 2 with a bus way. You will be transferred to Cempaka Timur halter and continue to go to Gambir 1 halter with a bus way before you reach Monas Jakarta. From the Gambir 1 halter, you can walk to the National Monument because the distance is near.
If you transit at Soekarno-Hatta airport, you can use a bus to Gambir airport. This is more recommended than you transit at Halim Perdana Kusuma airport because is faster and easier. If you consider using a train, you should transit at Gambir station and then continue to the Jakarta National Monument on foot. If you use a bus, you can stop at the Lebak Bulus terminal. After that, continue the trip using a bus way. There are many ways how to get this place. You can choose your desired way.
The Ticket Prices of Monas Jakarta
The National Monument opens from 08.00 a.m. to 03.00 p.m. every day. However, it is closed on the last Monday every month. The ticket price is also cheap enough so that this destination is appropriate for anyone. For adults, the ticket is priced at 20,000 Rupiah whereas children just need to pay for 10,000 Rupiah. If you want to get the top of this National Monument, you need to pay the extra cost at 7,500 rupiahs for adults and 3,500 rupiahs for children. This is really affordable because you can see the stunning view of Jakarta from the top of Monas.
If you want to visit the National Monument, there are various activities that you can do there. For example, it is very fun to walk or go cycling around. Besides that, you can consider doing exercises in the morning because the people who live around it also often do that. Then, it is very exciting to look around the museum that provides so many memories of Indonesian history before we got independence.
Before you go home, you cannot skip buying souvenirs because there are many people who buy souvenirs. For example, you can buy a miniature of Monas Jakarta, Ondel-ondel, or others. Besides, you can consider eating local foods such as Soto Betawi, ketoprak, gado-gado, etc.
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Send us your Moffatt photos:
Moffatt is a township in Arenac County.
The latitude of Moffatt is 44.121N. The longitude is -84.108W.It is in the Eastern Standard time zone. Elevation is 768 feet.
The population, at the time of the 2000 census, was 1,121.
Sections below provide additional information and links about Moffatt demographics, travel and tourism, nearby airports, cemeteries, the Arenac County economy, education, environment, genealogy, government, historic sites, libraries, maps, museums, newspapers and other media, nonprofit groups, real estate, recreation, religion, transportation, and weather in the 48659 ZIP code.
24% of Moffatt residents report German ancestry, and 11% report Irish. For more info on local ancestry groups, see the Moffatt ancestry & family history guide.
Post a query on a message board:
Records & databases:
At the time of the 2000 census, the per capita income in Moffatt was $16,058, compared with $21,587 nationally.
7% of Moffatt residents age 25 and older have a bachelor's or advanced college degree.
Median rent in Moffatt, at the time of the 2000 Census, was $296. Monthly homeowner costs, for people with mortgages, were $771.
The average commute time for Moffatt workers is 26 minutes, compared with 26 minutes nationwide.
More info about Moffatt:
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Able Brewing Kone Pourover at Revolver Coffee
Brewing every cup of coffee to order Revolver Coffee's brew bar was designed to make the coffee brewing process transparent to customers. If you stick around the bar while your coffee is being brewed you can see the basic techniques of a pourover coffee at work: the amount of coffee used (pre-measured in glass jars), set water temperature (from the hot water boiler), amount of water (measured using a scale) along with the brew time (measured with a timer).
By default brewed coffee at Revolver Coffee is made using Able Brewing's Kone filters on a glass Chemex brewer. The Kone filter was invented in 2010 by Portland's Keith Gehrke who made it a personal project to develop a replacement for the paper filters traditionally used in Chemex brewers. The Kone filters are currently in their third generation design with the latest version adding the plastic rim which allowed for a thinner stainless steel material to be used along with smaller holes.
Revolver is also a great place to ask any questions about making coffee at home with more in-depth advice available next door inside Archive along with their showcase of home brewing equipment available for purchase.
Revolver Coffee | revolvercoffee.ca | 325 Cambie Street, Vancouver | 604-558-4444
Monday to Friday 7:30AM - 6PM (the Archive space opens at 9AM on weekdays)
Saturday 9AM - 6PM
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
BeanScene Magazine: Coava's Kone Sustainable Brewing
MARROW Magazine: Coava Coffee Roasters, Coava Kone (K-ONE) Pour Over Filter
Serious Eats: Coffee Talk: Interview with Coava Coffee


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The latest announcement from the Article 29 Working Party on the US-EU Privacy Shield also suggests that there shouldn't be any short-term surprises for those using the other justifications for exporting personal data to the USA.
The Article 29 Working Party of European data protection supervisors had hoped to make a full statement on the EU/US Safe Harbor agreement at the end of January. However this has now been postponed, probably until mid-April. The European Court of Justice declared last October that the original Safe Harbor did not guarantee adequate protection when personal data were transferred from Europe to the USA.
The Information Commissioner's Office has published a new article on how they are responding to the European Court's Safe Harbor judgment. The overall message is that data controllers should take stock and not panic. While noting that the judgment does remove some of the former legal certainty, the ICO is "certainly not rushing to use our enforcement powers".
ENISA's new report proposing a "Security Framework for Governmental Clouds" may be more widely useful than its title and explicit scope suggest.


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Sandal season is finally hereeee! Guess it's time for me to start getting pedicures on a regular basis again. Speaking of that, I probably should book a pedicure appointment asap…it's been awhile! Is it just me or but do your feet go in hiding like your razor does in the winter time? If it's covered up, there's not as much reason to spend the effort - am I right?!
I'm actually in the market for more sandals! Although I absolutely adore these pom pom gladiator sandals (I mean how fun are they?!), I need more everyday sandals first. I'm looking to purchase a neutral heeled and flat sandal. I actually purchase this pair of lace up sandals last year but ended up returning them, which I regretted the second after! They were sold out by the time I went to go buy them again so I'm definitely not missing my chance this time! Plus, you can't beat the price. I see myself pairing them with so many flow-y dresses for a fun and romantic look!
Do y'all have any fun Easter plans? W and I don't have too much planned this weekend, which is super nice! We plan to catch up on sleep and get a few photoshoots in for the blog. I am super excited to try out this restaurant for brunch! I've heard rave reviews so I hope it lives up the hype! I know we sound so boring sometimes, like an old married couple but the perfect weekend to me is relaxing at home and getting things checked off my to-do list. Don't get me wrong, I love going out for a cocktail here and there, but I'd much rather be cozied up on my couch with pizza, wine, and a movie!
Hope y'all have a lovely Easter weekend with family and friends!


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Pregnant ladies want to be comfortable and fashionable, too. However, the price tag on maternity clothing can be two or three times as high as regular clothing, leaving many women scrambling to try to make their "fat pants" fit or to wear their husband's over-sized T-shirts. There is another way. You can make your own maternity pants out of an old pair of jeans or trousers and some knit fabric. You won't have to spend more than $10, and you'll have a pair of fashionable pants that also give your growing belly some breathing room.
Cut the waist band off the pants you intend to alter. Cut the band just below the seam line, and be careful to cut around any rivets.
Cut a sloping line down the front of the pants. The line should create an elongated bell curve down the front of the pants, from one side of the waist line to the other. The bottom of the curve should be about halfway down the zipper.
Cut the zipper out of the pants. You can focus on just cutting out the metal teeth instead of trying to get the entire zipper out of the pants.
Fold over the pant opening as it would lay if it were zipped up, and top stitch the fabric closed. From the outside, it will look as if a zipper is there, but the area will not open.
Measure your stretchy fabric to the same width as your pants and the height you would like it, for the back part of the belly panel. Most full panels cover the full belly, which corresponds to about the middle of the back.
Lay the pants over the stretchy fabric and trace the sloping line on the front, for the front part of the panel. The width will match the waist band on the pants, and the height should match the back panel.
Sew the sides of the front and back panel together.
Pin the panel to the waistband.
Sew the panel and pants together.
Measure a piece of 1-inch elastic about two inches smaller than the circumference of the raw edge of your new belly panel. Sew the ends of the elastic together with a zig-zag stitch.
Pin the elastic to the inside of the raw edge of the belly band.
Fold the raw edge of the belly band over the elastic and sew it closed with a zig-zag stitch.
Things You Will Need
- Pair of pants
- Stretchy fabric like knit, rayon or lycra
- Scissors
- Tape measure
- Pins
- Thread
- Sewing machine
- 1-inch elastic
You can skip several steps by purchasing a belly band and sewing it to the pants instead of creating your own from stretchy fabric.
You can also create an elastic waistband instead of a full belly panel. Just adjust the height of the stretchy fabric.
You can also use this method to add a belly panel to a skirt or pair of shorts.


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Safe Food Temperatures for Sizzling Summer Heat
5 Learner Reviews -
- Course Delivery: On Demand
This course is intended to prepare you to keep your food safe in the heat of summer. This course covers safe food temperatures, related risks, and common food allergens. It will help you be a food safety expert during your summer cookouts!
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course, the learner will be able to:
- Develop a better understanding of food safety, and its importance.
- Describe the six conditions that cause disease-causing bacteria to multiply..
- Define temperature control.
- Understand the best methods for thawing, heating and cooling foods.
- Recognize the importance of checking food temperatures.
Topics Covered
Lesson 1: Time/Temperature Control for Safety Food (TCS)
Lesson 2: Food Allergies and Allergens
Lesson 3: Temperature Control
Lesson 4: Thermometers
Got questions? Contact us below or call 877-881-2235
Contact Sales
NOTE: Need Help? Are you an existing customer?
For all complaints or concerns Click here. For all sales enquiries, please fill out the form below.
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- Fast and easy courses completion
- Get an education faster than at traditional colleges!
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5 Real Reviews From Actual Learners
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this was a great experience and new learningPosted 2 years and 10 months ago
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Very nicer stiail of teachingPosted 3 years ago
Easy to understand modules with correct information.Posted 3 years and 3 months ago


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Lucky 5'er is on every weekday - thanks to the Custom Kitchen Company!
Have you checked your change? CASH IN on the excitement of Magic899's Lucky Fiver!
Every weekday morning on the Morning Mash-Up, we reveal today's lucky $5 serial number.
The Lucky Fiver prize pool is constantly rising until we find a winner, don't miss your chance!
Today's serial number for the Lucky Fiver is BD 162 790 167 and worth $1,085 (16/08/19).


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Documented since the 13th century, the church was transformed into the Baroque era. The nave is closed by a rectangular choir, whose vault has stucco decorations from the 17th century. In front of the altar, a tabernacle in carved wood from the end of the 17th century. In the choir there is also a Renaissance tabernacle in white marble with bas-reliefs of saints, above it a fresco of Christ in the tomb and angels, perhaps sixteenth century. Above the triumphal arch is a seventeenth-century panel with the Martyrdom of St. Peter. In the chapel of the Madonna, vault decorated in stucco (17th century). On the opposite wall there are frescoes of St. Charles Borromeo (17th century).
Canvases (St. Sebastian and Crucifixion) that could be the work of Alessandro Gorla.


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Davenport University
Founded in 1866, Davenport is a private, non-profit university serving more than 8,000 students at campuses across Michigan and online. With tuition among the lowest of all private universities in the state, Davenport provides high academic quality, small class sizes, conveniently located campuses, faculty with real-world experience and more than 80 dynamic undergraduate and graduate programs addressing in-demand careers in business, technology, health professions and urban education. More information is available at www.davenport.edu.
Davenport University is a leader and innovator amongst Higher Education institutions. DU received national recognition from The Chronicle of Higher Education for compensation and benefits offerings as well as supervisor/department chair relationship. The university also received recognition from the Detroit Free Press as a Top Workplace affirming Davenport as an ethical, caring employer with solid leadership and development opportunities for its staff and faculty. Most recently, Davenport was a recipient of the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) award.
Davenport University benefit offerings include medical, dental, vision, 403 (b) with 10% employer contribution after one year of service, tuition remission, generous paid-time-off flexible spending accounts, employee assistance program , life insurance, long-term disability, salary continuation, flexible work arrangements, and professional development opportunities just to name a few!


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Early Monday morning, Belgium's Tomorrowland Festival drew to a dream-like close after attracting record crowds (the final numbers showed nearly 200,000 attended over three days this year). Sporadic rain could not and did not deter Dutch, French and Belgian fans of electronic music who flocked en masse to the event, which is quickly emerging as Europe's answer to the Electric Daisy Carnival and now firmly established as a global DJ circuit "must" for fans and industry alike.
But the truth is Tomorrowland is in many ways better than EDC. Here are just five reasons to hit this sensorial experiential extravaganza next year (start saving up now, tickets sold out early this year and will again in 2012).


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Someone asked about LaGuardia today and I thought it was a good time to share some basic info about that school and the other specialized ones.
Taking the SHSAT or auditioning for LaGuardia is all arranged through your middle school guidance counselor. They should notify you early in the school year that you have to let them know if your child is taking the test and/or auditioning. They distribute admissions tickets before the test so make sure they know if you're interested. Advance sign ups are mandatory. You cannot just show up and take the test (I'm amazed every year that people actually do that).
LaGuardia. Kids can audition for more than one discipline, like theater and fine arts, or music and theater tech. Kids can also be admitted to more than one disciple. Kids can earn seats at LaGuardia and a spot at a specialized high school. Plus a seat at a main round school. I've known kids with 4 offers - that's some decision to make.
Another note about LaGuardia. They host NO TOURS and NO OPEN HOUSES. There is no chance to check out the school before auditions. Suddenly the overwhelming open house scenario seems lovely compared to absolutely nothing. Some parents sneak into the building during auditions, which is what I did. I went up to the office to ask a question so I got to see at least a couple of floors, the escalator, and glanced in the theater.


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Dear Zak,
Its been a little over a year now
Since you and I first met,
That chin – those cheeks – those feet!
We will never ever forget
All of us are sad,
And miss you very much
Gosh what we would give
For one last kiss – one hug – one touch
Nicknamed "the Golden egg"
It was with you all the way
Until you made your grand entrance
On that very special day
Then we found out you were sick
And stated to despair
Your Mummy and Daddy so frightened
Life is so unfair
You will always be in my heart
A little nephew I have got
I will never forget playing with your giant feet
In your tiny cot!
We had you in our lives
From just 15th to 18th of May
Your always in our thoughts and hearts
And we will meet again one day
My sister spending some time having a cuddle with Zak a few hours before he got his wings.
Filed under: DAY TO DAY STUFF | 6 Comments »


text: TAKING it back to basics, 30 students on the renowned MA Graphic Design course at London College of Communication have lent their talents to a new exhibition which, complete with mince pies, mulled wine and a chance to meet the designers, previews this evening at 9 Newburgh Street at London's Carnaby area. "The current graphic design scene is filled with too many diverse clashing styles that there is a need to return back to the roots of graphic design," says David Lee, curator of the exhibition, entitled Back To Basics. Comprising a pop-up gallery and shop, there will also be the chance to buy the designers' unique prints. "The exhibition highlights the change in the way designers are thinking today. Our attitudes to the way we live, design and perform are now focusing on the bar fundamentals, not only environmentally but aesthetically," adds Natalie Jones, co-curator of for the exhibition. Back To Basics is at 9 Newburgh Street, Carnaby until December 21, open from Monday to Saturday 11am - 7pm and Sunday 12 - 5pm. Visit www.carnaby.co.uk for further information.


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Outcry follows demolition of student-built shed at Grasso Tech
Groton — As construction of the new Ella T. Grasso Technical High School building rolled on, contractors late last week tore down the shell of a shed that carpentry and electrical students built and worked on during the 2013-14 school year.
State Sen. Heather Somers, R-Groton, was quick to criticize the decision on Facebook, and a torrent of commenters criticized the state for wastefulness and for devaluing student work. As of Monday evening, it had been shared more than 1,460 times.
"This could have been donated, re-purposed or even sold but the superintendent, the state Department of Education decides this is what should be done," Somers wrote. "This is what they think of our students work!"
Connecticut State Department of Education spokesman Peter Yazbak said that Jeffrey Wihbey, superintendent of the Connecticut Technical Education and Career System, didn't know about the decision to tear down the shed ahead of time, but that the Department of Administrative Services handles construction.
Grasso Tech Principal Patricia Feeney said the shed was scheduled to be taken down as part of the original construction plan for the new school. She noted that students removed valuable components — like siding, windows and doors — which will be sent to other technical schools in the state.
Jeffrey Beckham, spokesman for the Department of Administrative Services, noted that students removed a garage door and electrical wiring.
Feeney said the reason the shed was demolished so soon was for safety reasons, so there would be room for emergency vehicles.
Likewise, carpentry instructor Gene Chaude noted that the fence between the current school and new construction was recently moved, creating a new need for road access to the side of the building where the shed stood.
As with the shed, Feeney said the greenhouse will be demolished as well, but essential components will be removed first.
She said the shed was not constructed in a way that it could be taken apart piecemeal, that it was "bolted upon bolted."
Chaude said he and his students could have built a wooden platform for the shed, and had a machine pick the structure off its concrete slab and place it on the wooden platform.
"You couldn't take the thing down the highway, but it could've definitely went up to Fitch, or it could've went down to the Groton park, or it could've been used on the property," Chaude said. "And I'm sure if it was offered to the public at no cost, somebody would've come here and taken it apart."
The missed opportunity for public use was what got Somers upset. She questioned why the school couldn't have donated the shed to Groton Social Services, Groton Senior Center or Noank School Public Gardens, and suggested the greenhouse be donated to a community garden.
"To me it showed a disdain for the carpentry program," she said. CTECS is closing the Grasso Tech carpentry program at the end of this year.
Chaude said discussion about the shed coming down began a while ago. He recommended alternate uses to school staff — such as using it to store athletic equipment — and offered to take it down and try to repurpose the materials.
Chaude estimates that $5,000 worth of materials — purchased with funds generated from the carpentry program's other work — went into building the shed.
About 24 students worked on building and outfitting the shed at different stages about four years ago, he said.
About a third of the 20-by-16-foot shed was used for a wood dehumidification kiln, and the rest was used to store production tools for the carpentry program. Chaude said Grasso Tech was the only technical high school in the state to have a wood dehumidification kiln.
Stories that may interest you
Somers launches PAC to support Republican candidates
State senator launches political action committee dedicated to raising money for Republican candidates for the General Assembly and GOP town committees.
New Dodd Stadium lease lowers rent, boosts other payments to Norwich
Norwich and the Connecticut Tigers' owner signed the lease Aug. 1, while the team's name change is expected to be announced in November.
WWII Wings of Freedom Tour flying in to Groton-New London Airport
Five World War II bomber and fighter aircraft will visit the Groton-New London Airport from Sept. 9 to 11, part of the Collings Foundation's 110-city nationwide Wings of Freedom Tour.
Connecticut's first offshore wind bidding war applauded
Environmental and labor leaders, along with competing international and American energy companies, applauded the state's first bidding war dedicated to offshore wind power.
Unsealed warrant: New London teacher, Gaskin speculated about sex with students in texts
Analysis: 15 ways to compare the Trump economy vs. Obama economy


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Top Chats presents you with the hottest adult chat environments on the web.Meet sexy girls, chat with cute guys and find the time of your life right in front of your computer screen.There's no chances of your getting pregnant, you can't get any sort of disease and you don't even need to pay for condoms.
Now you may be wondering, why would I want to use an adult cam chat site.
Let us share a few of the benefits associated with adult chat sites and you can make your decision from there.
The number one biggest benefit of using an adult chat room environment is that you can bring your wildest fantasies to life.
Having sex with a porn star, having a threesome with two drop-dead gorgeous women or even giving gay sex a try, they are all just a few clicks away.
Visit fantastical, exotic locales where you can engage with alluring strangers, plunge into plots of intrigue and romance, or just sex -- your imagination is the limit.


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Fluffernutter Minis Are Here!
These delicious donuts are filled with peanut butter pastry cream, glazed in gooey marshmallow fluff, and topped with chopped, salted peanuts. These will be available at all shops (including BPM) today-Sunday, September 21st-23rd, as well as September 28th-30th. Grab them while you can - they disappear fast!
**Allergy Warning - Please be aware that these donuts contain peanuts**


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This unique Cobaltchrome 7mm comfort-fit band features a two tone design. The grey metal boldly shows off the black ceramic center for a sophisticated, modern look. This flat style cobalt ring has a satin finish with high polished beveled edges for unforgettable style.
Precise Laser Engraving Available
Click Here to Upgrade to a Rosewood Ring Box
Monday to Friday from 10am - 2pm Pacific Time.
Note: We will be closed during major US holidays including, but not limited to, New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
Get a
plus exclusive offers and more
when you sign up*


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OXFORD readers competition
In the enclosed file you can find information about Oxford readers competition. Books from Oxford can be borrowed from our library IKC. Careful! Books must be published by OXFORD.
Please bring your competition entries to English Office. The deadline is December 10, 2012. Thank you.
readers_competition.pdf (373,4 kB)


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Adele 'Calls In Help From Pharrell' For New Album
Two of the biggest hit-makers in the music industry are finally (maybe) working together, yay...!
With her alleged new album constantly in the headlines, it looks like Adele has joined forces with Pharrell Williams to ensure her comeback is a happy one. Get it?!
According to the Daily Star, sources told them: "Adele is back in the US to finalise her new album and she's making some 11th hour alterations. She wants to try something different with Pharrell."
While the Come Get It Bae singer would be silly to turn down the opportunity to work with the Brit.
He said: "I always thought it was special, man that soulful, soulful voice."
Amid album speculation, Adele touched down in LA over the weekend, where she flashed her wedding ring slamming reports that her and hubby Simon Konecki had split.


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Today I'm talking with my good buddy Lewis Howes all about how to create your game plan for playing BIG! His latest book, The Mask of Masculinity, is being released this week, and in this episode Lewis reveals how we all are wearing a mask. He shares with us what these masks are, why we wear them and how we can begin to take them off!
In this episode you'll learn:
- You might be making 6 or 7-figures in your business, but still playing small…
- The powerful experience in grade school that led to Lewis wearing his mask for years
- What happened when the "Athlete Mask" was ripped off of him
- The two ways you can live your life – it's your choice
- The 9 different masks that Lewis identifies in his new book
- One of the scariest moments of my life when I removed my own mask and what happened for me!
Get Lewis's latest book here!
Register now for Activate!


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There is manners when it comes to making complaints.
Complaints should always be done in person, never in someone's back and never by texting.
You should never air your complain to others before speaking face to face with the person concern. The odds are that they will hear about it from a 3rd party. Who knows how that individual will have interpreted and repeated what you've said.
You shouldn't complain by text because your recipient can't hear your voice, they have no idea just how big a deal an issue is to you or if you are just pulling their leg.


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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Kroger Co. KR, -0.35% said Wednesday union workers in Louisville, Ky. ratified a four-year labor contract. Kroger said the contract covers more than 11,200 workers, who are represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 227 and work in 87 Kroger stores in Louisville and southern Indiana.
Kroger: Kentucky union members ratify 4-year labor contract
Quote References
-0.08 -0.35%


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Rescheduled Lunch & Learn: Michael Kitchens
Shannon | 09/20/2017
Due to hurricane Irma, we made the decision to
reschedule our anticipated
Lunch & Learn featuring Michael Kitchens,
author of Ghost of Grandeur: Georgia's Lost Antebellum Homes and Plantations.
We are now taking reservations for the new date:
Thursday, October 19, 2017
12:00, Noon
Hills & Dales Visitor Center
1916 Hills & Dales Drive
Box lunches provided by Mare Sol.
$20 for Troup County Historical Society Members
$25 for Non-Members


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Director Somnath Sen making 'Gora' for TV
Director Somnath Sen is filming Rabindranath Tagore's 'Gora' for the small screen with more emphasis on female characters like Harimohini and Sucharita.
Bengali actor Pallavi Chatterjee, who plays Harimohini in the show, says it was one of her toughest roles. "While I had read Gora earlier in Bengali, I read the main novel over and over again once Parthoda approached me to get a feel of the very character, who wears white, shuns non-veg and all luxuries of life and yet retains the insatiable desire to live life the way she wanted," Pallavi said.
Asked if there was change in the character, she said, "look, who can ever think about straying from the original in a Tagore work. No way, he has sought to keep to the main novel, but yes he has injected the spirit of independence, contemporariness in outlook, not in dress and focused on the spirit of straying beyond the perceived lines though keeping true to the family and society in Harimohini's character.
"I strongly identify with some of the women characters in the novel and feel for Harimoni as the poet speaks through the lines about women's emancipation," he said. PTI


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Licensed Nursing Schools
A career as a licensed nurse LVN is finding an increasing number of takers these days. The reasons are not hard to establish. Someone completing their education from a licensed nursing school would have a morally rewarding career apart from the financial rewards. There is a spurt in the demand for licensed nurses and this trend is seen all over the world. In fact recent surveys indicate that there is an acute shortage of trained vocational nurses and the demand is bound to increase in the future. Although it is good news for aspiring nurses it is important to attend a quality licensed nursing school first.
This would enable you to pass the tough NCLEX-PN examination. A quality licensed nursing school would offer a broad based curriculum that develops the specific technical skills that are required for this demanding career. Apart from the technical skill the students are also equipped with sound interpersonal abilities. It is important that when you choose a particular training program you should make sure that your curriculum covers all these aspects. Since the profession of a licensed nurse demands that you have developed good practical skills along with interpersonal skills you should always choose your licensed nursing school with care.
You can always locate a good licensed nursing school through a simple online search. You can also find out about a good licensed nursing school through some of your friends or family members. In fact going through referrals is perhaps the best way to locate a quality nursing school. All the states in the U.S require nurses to pass a licensing examination after completing a practical nursing program. It is for this reason a licensed nursing school should have the necessary infrastructure to offer proper and hands-on practical training to its students. Typically a licensed nursing school would offer LVN programs ranging from about 1 year to ones which take about three semesters to get over. The subjects covered as part of the curriculum will include anatomy, obstetrics, nutrition and first aid, among others. A good licensed nursing school would also put its students through clinical practice in a hospital. This is also done in certain other settings in some institutions.
Although you can easily locate a good licensed nursing school or LVN program through a simple online search, it is best that you visit the school personally. Interacting with the staff at the school will give you a lot of valuable information before you join. Similarly you can also talk to the students who are already studying there. They can give you a good idea about the overall facilities at the particular school. One thing that you need to check for an institution is the accreditation. A good licensed nursing school would be definitely accredited by a reputed body or organization. This way you are also ensured of good certification. A good certificate is what will help you in getting placed. A reputed certification will also signal your commitment towards your profession to your superiors. Although the demand for nurses has meant that there is no dearth of schools, it does make sense however to does a little bit of research before joining a licensed nursing school.
Request information


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25 Inspirational Friendship Quotes
Friendship is one gift that will keep on giving. Inspirational friendship quotes will brighten your day and remind you of the greatest treasure you own, each other. Over time we learn that isn't your possessions that fill you, but the relationships you have made over the years. Your heart can sing with the right friends and can break as well but here are some inspirational friendship quotes to help you in any stage of your life.
1. "Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain. It's not something you learn in school. But if you haven't learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven't learned anything." – Muhammad Ali
2. "A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently allows you to grow." – William Shakespeare
3. "Friendship isn't about who you've known the longest, it's about who walked into your life, said "I'm here for you," and PROVED it."
4. "Friendship is delicate as a glass, once broken it can be fixed but there will always be cracks." — WaqarWaqar Ahmed
5. "A strong friendship doesn't need daily conversation or being together. As long as the relationship lives in the heart, true friends never part."
6. "If you wanna find out who's a true friend, screw up or go through a challenging time … then see who sticks around." — Karen Salmonsohn
7. "A true friend is someone who will always love you — the imperfect, the confused, the wrong you — because that is what people are supposed to do."
8. "One of the things you can give and will not cost you any money is friendship." Catherine Pulsifer
9. "Never take friendship for granted, you never know what tomorrow holds."
10. "True friendship isn't about being there when it's convenient; it's about being there when it's not."
11. "Friendship is one of the sweetest joys of life. Many might have failed beneath the bitterness of their trial had they not found a friend."
12. "Friendship is the perfection of love and superior to love. It is love purified, exalted, proved by experience and a consent of minds." – Samuel Richardson
13. "Sometimes the measure of friendship isn't your ability to not harm but your capacity to forgive the things done to you and ask forgiveness for your own mistakes."
14. "It is only the great-hearted who can be true friends; the mean and the cowardly can never know what true friendship is." – Charles Kinsley
15. "Friendship improves happiness, and abates misery, by doubling our joy, and dividing our grief."
16. "Friendship is a strong and habitual inclination in two persons to promote the good and happiness of one another."
17. "Friends show their love in times of trouble, not in happiness." — Euripides
18. "A friend is someone who gives you total freedom to be yourself."
19. "Friends find the sweetest sense of happiness comes from simply being together."
20. "Friendship is a living thing that lasts only as it is nourished with kindness, sympathy, and understanding."– Mary Lou Retton
21. "The only way to have a friend is to be one." – Ralph Waldo Emerson
22. "If you are going to gain anything in life, gain a friend, they will always be there, and that makes all the difference in the world."
23. "Where there are friends, there is wealth."
24. "Friendship is a tree to take shelter from the storm, to find shade from the blazing sun, to climb its branches to get a better view, and to swing from when we're happy"
25. "One of the most beautiful qualities of true friendship is to understand and to be understood." – Lucius Annaeus Seneca
If any of the inspirational friendship quotes hit home for you come back regularly for a good dose of more to make your day even brighter.
Looking for more inspirational quotes to fill you up? Check out our inspirational quotes on love, quotes for women, quotes to inspire, quotes for work, life quotes, famous quotes, and more.
If we can help you on your journey, reach out to us. We are here to serve you.


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NBBJ completes "vertical campus" for Tencent's headquarters in Shenzhen
The Shenzhen headquarters of Chinese tech giant Tencent is made up of two towers, connected by bridges to encourage staff to meet. More
The Shenzhen headquarters of Chinese tech giant Tencent is made up of two towers, connected by bridges to encourage staff to meet. More
Skylights top eight angular peaks on the roof of this exhibition centre in the Chinese city of Nanjing by architecture firm NBBJ, funnelling natural light down into the interior. More
US firm NBBJ has created the largest office in North America for tech company Samsung, incorporating features intended to show how a "legacy brand can play on par with the most-nimble tech startups" (+ slideshow). More
Architecture office NBBJ has unveiled a concept for a series of natural ice rinks on London's River Thames that emerge from below the water's surface. More
Architecture firm NBBJ has unveiled a conceptual plan to turn London Underground's Circle Line tunnel into a 17-mile-long moving walkway. More
A concept for "shadowless" skyscrapers that redirect sunlight to public spaces could work for tall buildings anywhere in the world, say the London designers behind the proposal. More
News: Amazon has gained planning permission for a new Seattle headquarters that will feature a trio of glass orbs containing a jungle of mature trees and tropical plants (+ slideshow). More
News: Google has teamed up with global architecture firm NBBJ to design a new 100,000-square-metre campus for San Francisco Bay, California. More


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Sunset Cliffs
It was a hot and sunny day yesterday even at the Ocean. I painted this yesterday at Sunset Cliffs, Ocean Beach with a friend of mine that was over from Ireland. It was a blast, we each go in two paintings because we went to get a bite. This is on cold press rough which I really enjoyed painting on, 10 x 20.
On another note, I am simplifying my online presence and so disabling my web site and transferring my domain name over to my online gallery within Daily Paintworks. This link for this is already on my blog and I'll be working on customizing it over the next few weeks to adjust categories, etc.
To Buy Click Here: http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/katharine-engh/sunset-cliffs/276287


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Social Procurement in Vancouver
Originally Published in The Legal Edge on July 12, 2016 | By Larry Berglund, SCMP, MBA
Started in 2000, Starworks is in their 16th year of business as a social enterprise. I had the great experience a few years ago to contract for supplies through Starworks for the City of Vancouver. Those same goods cost us substantially less through Starworks when compared to having them made through City trade staff. Our objective was not to seek a lower cost it was to engage with social enterprises. We met with the president of the CUPE union to see if the union had any issues with us outsourcing this work. There were no objections; in fact, they were pleased to hear about us engaging with Starworks.
Starworks hires people from the community facing employment barriers. The workers receive at least minimum wage and some benefits and a safe work environment. The work previously performed by the union staff could be characterized as menial to a trade's person or craftsman. However, this was very meaningful work to the Starworks group.
The Starworks' employees become financially independent and most live in their own apartment. Their families are delighted to see them integrating into their communities and contributing to society.
Starworks has many clients from the public and private sectors. Starworks also bids on tenders in the market and operates similar to any other private company – they don't have the burden of having to generate profits as they reinvest surplus revenues in expanding their operations and capacity.
Companies which have adopted a social procurement strategy help to redistribute the wealth in the communities where they operate. Studies show this contributes to people with fewer health issues; reduced crime rates; support for arts and culture; improved social and economic development; reduced governmental subsidies; and an overall improvement in the quality of life.
If those same companies only buy goods and services with a heavy focus on the lowest cost, they will not achieve the best value for their community.
Larry Berglund, SCMP, MBA
InstructorLarry has been in the supply chain management field as an author, manager, business trainer, academia, and consultant for many years. Larry has worked in both the private and public sectors. Recently he has been co-facilitating NECI eSeminars, classroom sessions, and online modules. His new book, Good Planets are Hard to Buy, was released in the fall of 2015.


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Steph & Sanj's Fun and Whimsical Hand-Crafted Wedding with an 80s Kick
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I'm absolutely thrilled to share Valerie and David's magical wedding with you today, and I don't mean...Read More
Melissa & Nick's Handmade Modern-Rustic with Quirky Touches Wedding
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Heather and David met in Scotland while Heather was attending a Veterinary school in Glasgow. She's Californian by birth and...Read More
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The 37 Hour Party
Sometimes you need a nudge to do something you know you should do.
The biggest obstacle in trying to bring Friend-Building to your office is finding the time to actually get started. Once people read about the science and see the success stories, they realize that a consistent plan is needed to make their company culture better.
But who has the time?
A friend of ours in Seattle recently got into a jam with a planned company morale event. Weather and logistics turned a sure thing into "we have to scramble" to make some magic happen. And the folks in the FunCorp Seattle office were happy to oblige. We turned around a Conference Room Olympiad in less than 24 hours.
When it was all said and done, staying inside the office was way more fun and valuable than the road trip, which was more expensive and more planned out.
You know in your gut you are missing out on opportunities to impact your office culture by not running consistent events that actually focus on Friend-Building, as opposed to a happy hour or booze. So what if instead of waiting until "next month" you tried to put one together in 37 hours? What if you took away all the expectations of weeks or months of planning, and you just said "Hey, this Friday afternoon we are celebrating a big win, and not waiting a month to try and start planning."
When your new puppy does a good job, you don't wait 3 weeks to congratulate it.
If your company hits a huge milestone, or has an amazing month, how fast can you get a party in the office to reward them?
For our friends in Portland and Seattle, the answer is about 37 hours.
Don't worry so much about the perfect party in the PERFECT location. Think about all the extra space you have in your hallway, your parking lot, and your empty conference room, and instead ask, "What's keeping us from getting started?"
Probably just a spark, a bit of necessity, and 37 hours.
Maybe your existing event fell apart, maybe you want to put something together real fast, maybe you are just curious. But don't "wait until next month" or say "we will get to that in Q2" when it comes to building friendships and social capital. If you start that process it will multiply throughout the year. It will do the work for you when no one is looking.
There is no perfect time to move your office, to switch to a new software system, or to plan a Friend-Building party. Sometimes, as you probably know from your own personal life, it's the spur of the moment parties and celebrations that end up being the most memorable.
Focus on the "friends" and not the location, and see if you can have someone help you run a 37 hour party INSIDE of your office, when all of your employees least expect it.
You might find that it was just the party your company was looking for.


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For the first time, sister attractions Madame Tussauds Orlando and Sea Life Orlando Aquarium will play host to a "sensory-friendly day." It is in conjunction with Autism Speaks, an advocacy organization.
The International Drive attractions will adjust the lighting and sounds to reduce sensory triggers from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 22. There will also be quiet room / safe place for guests to use.
Tickets for the event will be at a 20 percent discount from the regular admission. Those will be available at the door or online using the promo code Sensory18 (Pick the Sept. 22 date). For tickets, go to madametussauds.com or visitsealife.com.
Madame Tussauds features replicas of famous people ranging from Walt Disney to Taylor Swift plus interactive moments and photo opportunities. Sea Life aquarium is home to hundreds of fish in creative, clear-tunnel tanks and educational displays. Both attractions are in the I-Drive 360 complex south of Sand Lake Road.


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Dubai Investments (DIC), whose profit jumped 240 percent in the second quarter after it sold assets, says it may be on the cusp of its first ever investment-grade rating as it bolsters cash holdings.
The company expects the credit rating to be increased by year-end to at least BBB, two steps above junk, according to Chief Executive Officer Khalid bin Kalban. Its Dubai Investments Park Development Co. LLC unit, which raised $300 million from an Islamic bond in February, holds a BB+ grade at Standard & Poor's. Dubai Investments sold a 66 percent stake in Globalpharma Co. LLC, which was valued at 385 million dirhams ($105 million), to Sanofi in June.
"We're flush with liquidity thanks to the sukuk and the Sanofi (SAN) deal," bin Kalban said by telephone from Dubai yesterday. "By year-end we are looking at an improvement to our rating."
Shaking off junk status would help Dubai Investments attract investors whose rules prevent them from holding non-investment grade debt, as it seeks to reduce its borrowing costs and fund acquisitions. Dubai, the second-largest member of the United Arab Emirates, has earmarked more than $8 billion to develop roads, rail lines, a new airport and an exhibition center in preparation for the Expo 2020 global trade fair.
The investment park unit sold the only dollar-denominated Islamic bond from the six nation Gulf Cooperation Council in the first quarter of the year, in a debut issue due 2019 that paid a 4.291 percent profit rate. The current rating from S&P, one level below investment grade, applies only to the division that issued the bond. Kalban said he wants any new grading to apply to the whole group.
Dubai Investments' second-quarter profit soared to 540.5 million dirhams from 158.5 million dirhams a year earlier after it sold its controlling interest in Globalpharma. The yield on the Shariah-compliant bonds from its subsidiary climbed three basis points in the period to 4.21 percent. That compares with an 18 basis-point drop to 4.17 percent for Middle East sukuk on average, according to JPMorgan Chase & Co. indexes.
S&P let Dubai Investments know what was required for an upgrade, and Kalban said they're preparing to advise the rating company that the conditions have been met. Dubai Investments was upgraded one level on June 23, S&P said at the time.
"Improved liquidity at the parent company was the main factor for the recent upgrade," Dubai-based Karim Nassif, associate director of Infrastructure Finance at S&P, said by e-mail yesterday. "The outlook is stable, which means we currently don't expect changes in the ratings over the next 12 to 24 months time horizon."
Any upside to the ratings would be contingent on the Dubai Investment consolidated group significantly outperforming base case assumptions, Nassif said.
An improved rating may not lead to another sukuk issue from the company, Kalban said.
"We have untapped limits from various Islamic banks, and those have not been drawn or are only partially drawn," he said. "We're borrowing cheaper, and with a rating upgrade that would fall even further. Sukuk is perhaps now our second option."
The company is in advanced talks for two acquisitions that it hopes to conclude this year, Kalban said, declining to name the targets. The investments may total about $100 million and "if we get a good deal we would borrow money by whatever means," he said.-Bloomberg


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Twelve authorities in gemology and related disciplines will headline the Gemological Institute of America's first Gemological Research Conference, being held in San Diego, Calif., Aug. 26–27, 2006, just prior to the International Gemological Symposium, Aug. 27–29.
The keynote presentations will provide reviews and highlight the latest innovations and developments in gemology as they relate to the themes of the six conference sessions. Eight additional speakers for each session will be selected from submitted abstracts.
"The conference will include 60 oral presentations that will explore the most recent technical developments in gemology," director of GIA Research and co-chair James E. Shigley said. Additional gemological research will be presented in a Poster Session.
Keynote speakers, and the subjects of their presentations, are listed below for each session theme.
Geology of Gem Deposits
* Jeff Harris, University of Glasgow, UK – Diamond occurrence and evolution
* David London, University of Oklahoma, Norman – Geochemical cycles of gem-forming elements: What it takes to make tourmaline, beryl, topaz, spodumene, and other pegmatitic gems
Gem Characterization Techniques
* George Rossman, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, Calif. – Characterization of nanofeatures in gem materials
* Emmanuel Fritsch, IMN, University of Nantes, France – A forecast of important techniques in gemology over the next 10 years
New Gem Localities
* Lawrence Snee, U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, Colo. – Mapping of gem localities in Afghanistan and Pakistan
* Federico Pezzotta, Museo Civico di Storia Naturale, Milan, Italy – An update on gem localities in Madagascar
Gem Synthesis
* James Butler, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C. – Growth of CVD synthetic diamond
* Ichiro Sunagawa, Tokyo, Japan – Growth, morphology, and perfection of single crystals: Basic concepts in discriminating natural from synthetic gemstones
General Gemology
* Shane McClure, GIA Gem Laboratory, Carlsbad, Calif. – Genetic source type classification of gem corundum
* Menahem Sevdermish, Advanced Quality A.C.C. Ltd., Ramat Gan, Israel – Color communication: The analysis of color in gem materials
Diamond and Corundum Treatments
* Ken Scarratt, GIA Research, Bangkok, Thailand – Corundum treatments
* Mark Newton, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK – Diamond treatments
Researchers who wish to present information at the conference (whether orally or in the Poster Session) should send an abstract for consideration by March 1, 2006. Abstracts for oral presentations should be submitted to the organizing committee at firstname.lastname@example.com. Abstracts for poster presentations should be submitted to Dona Dirlam at firstname.lastname@example.com. Abstracts of oral and poster presentations given at the conference will be published in a Proceedings volume.
A limited number of conference attendees also will be able to join a one-day pre-conference field trip to the world-famous Pala pegmatite district in San Diego County (separate registration is required). Preliminary arrangements have been made for underground tours of three mines in the Pala district.
To register for the GIA Gemological Research Conference and the fourth International Gemological Symposium, visit www.symposium.gia.edu. For further information on participating or presenting at the GIA Gemological Research Conference, contact the organizing committee at firstname.lastname@example.com or visit www.gia.edu/gemsandgemology or www.symposium.gia.edu.Follow JCK on Instagram: @jckmagazine
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Listen to free music played by gohardgirl
Blip.fm is internet radio made social. It's easy to search for, play, and discover free music recommended by real people. Join today to create your own free station and start listening to @gohardgirl.
Jul 26, 2011 at 5:03 am via YouTube | AMAZON | ITUNES
LaxtonsSuperb gave props on Aug 10 at 5:11 am


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…and squirts all over Kayla! Well Jess does admit she's a bit of a squirter lol
The scene is Jess's Messy Corner. Kayla is looking hot and sexy in lingerie and stockings and is looking forward to getting a faceful, having her knickers filled with creamy goodness and sucking on Jess's 'cock'.
Lots of gaffs and giggles in this one with even Miss T unable to resist joining in the fun at the end!


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The Mecklenburgh Inn
A historic Chester bed and breakfast.
Listed in Chester Bed and Breakfasts.
Chester boasts a scenic waterfront with boats bobbing at anchor, surrounded by stately homes. The village shops and studios are repositories for local treasures and cosmopolitan gifts. An 18 hole golf course borders the ocean and shares its woodlands with fox and pheasant. and a Siamese cat named "Angus".
If you prefer sailing, tennis, kayaking or fishing charters, Suzi can arrange them for you.
The atmosphere at the Inn is very casual. Kick off your shoes, unpack your bags, make yourself a cocktail and relax.
Please note the information provided here may have been collected from a number of sources and should not be considered authoritive. Please check with the property listed for up-to-date information and current pricing information. Unless specified otherwise, all distances are linear and do not represent driving or walking distances.
The Mecklenburgh Inn78 Queen St,
Nova Scotia,
Telephone: (+001) 902-275-4638
The Mecklenburgh Inn may be a suitable property if you are looking to stay near East Chester, Western Shore, Chester Basin, Martin's Point, Martin's River, Indian Point, Blandford, New Harbour, Mader's Cove or Birchy Head.


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A distinctive medium-sized kingfisher with black-and-white plumage and a speckled body. It has a black crown and crest, white underparts, and black upperparts with white edgings giving a speckled appearance. It feeds exclusively by hovering over water and plunging down to catch its prey, making it easy to spot and identify. Males have two prominent breast bands while females have only one, which is less prominent. Juveniles look like females, but have brown fringes to its feathers. Common call is a "klrr-klrrr-klrrr," uttered mostly in flight. Inhabits all kinds of water bodies with patches of open water without floating vegetation, but avoids small streams and other smaller water bodies in the mountains.
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Businesses and Corpulence
We've seen statistics that prove we are a fat nation. An appropriate question to ask at this time is why did we, that are equally as "equivalent" as everyone else, eventually be the dimension that we're? It would be too simple to answer by stating that we ate too much. That may actually be a sign of the principal problem.
The short answer would be that the main causes of obesity need related to genetics, our living and eating environments, and our psychology. The combination of these influences has cultivated all us to become exactly who we are now. But I don't want to venture in these topics, since we've probably been hearing about them for nearly a decade. Instead, let's discuss an influence that we must take a closer look at–big business in the us.
Before fast food corporations present new products, they do a little market research. This means they will ask questions of the public, perhaps something similar to this, "If we started dipping the entire cinnamon bun in icing instead of simply icing the top, would you purchase them?" The solution might be "yes." If enough men and women say "yes," the company will have somebody make this product so people can try it and give their comments. If enough people like it, then a new product is born.
I feel the folks involved with the industry research did answer the questions truthfully. For instance, if I were to take a bite from a fully iced cinnamon bun, and if I had been asked if it tasted great, how can I say anything but "it is the ideal?" However, if they asked me if I would like you delivered to my home at exactly 7:00 AM every morning, I would understand that my compulsive self couldn't endure the daily temptation. To protect myself, I would have to say, with authority, "NO, I NEVER WANT TO SEE ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE THINGS AS LONG AS I LIVE!"
Businesses are always throwing fresh foods at us. That is exactly why Wendy's, McDonald's, Round Table and KFC all have special items in their menus, such as hot calamari or dipping sauces for pizza strips. If the things sell well, then they should have done a great advertising job, and the thing might turn into a standard on the menu. They suggest the world try their new thing, and we eat it up. What happened to eating what we need? Is it that difficult for us to choose out something for ourselves rather than relying on the nourishment geniuses atop the corporate marketing buildings of fast food restaurants? They would sell us lard burgers if they thought we would eat them, and they may even laugh at us. Why not laugh at them instead? Choose to become healthy and dance to the beat of your own drum.
If you feel at all sorry for all these American fast food companies, let me ask you this question. Which is more comfortable to you: The McDonald's logo, or the logo of the USDA (the government body which generated the "food pyramid")? I rest my case.
The food pyramid has been updated. You can view the brand new (2005) food pyramid online: http://www.mypyramid.gov


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A21/ 100W Chromalux® Full Spectrum Incandescent Bulb
A21/ 100W Chromalux® Full Spectrum Incandescent Bulb
By closely mimicking nature's sunlight, Chromalux® promotes peoples' sense of health and well-being all year round. Chromalux® bathes rooms in pleasant light, with pure, crisp, and vibrant colors.
All Chromalux® full spectrum light bulbs are made of special composition glass that is not colored or coated, but instead contains neodymium, a rare Earth element that absorbs yellow and other dulling components of the light spectrum. As a result, the light is purified, allowing the values of violet, blue, green, and red components to be strengthened , without producing an imbalance of one color over another.
Due to it's chromatic balance and color discriminating qualities, Chromalux® full spectrum light bulbs produce glare free light that helps you concentrate longer, with increased visual acuity and greater comfort.
Voltage: 120V
Lumens: 1,450 (Clear glass) 1,380 (Frosted glass)
Wattage: 100W
Color Temperature: 3750˚K
Length: 5.25'' Diameter: 2.75''
Base: Medium/E26
Average Rated Life: 5,000 hours


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London, 28 April 2014 – Figures released today shed new light on the impact on shopping habits of Britain's biggest recession since World War Two. The research, which tracks how consumer behaviour has changed over the last two years, reveals the emergence of a 'rewards economy', characterised by a new norm of rewards hunting and discount shopping across all sections of the population.
The findings, from customer insight specialist Aimia, show 61% of people admitted the recession altered their shopping habits while nearly half of us (43%) said our behaviour has changed for good as a result of the recession. Nearly three quarters (74%) of people still use reward schemes to make their money go further, up from 71% in May 2012. Meanwhile we are increasingly taking advantage of newer ways to save money, with 44% of us now using vouchers or coupons for eating out, up on 34% in 2012.
The findings are drawn from the latest Loyalty Lens report from Aimia, which compares research among 2,000 UK adults conducted in 2012 and 2014. They paint a picture of a nation increasingly making the most of discounts, targeted offers and lifestyle choices to make their money go further:
- Almost half (48%) of us opt for entertaining at home rather than eating out, up from 39% in 2012
- 57% of people are now using price comparison websites to save money, compared with 56% of people in May 2012
- To save money, over half (52%) of people are using auction sites, compared with 49% in May 2012
- Vouchers remain an important part of household budgeting, with 70% of people using them, unchanged from May 2012
The research also suggests that people are increasingly using these money-saving behaviours to help ease pressure elsewhere:
- Just 30% of people are now sacrificing foreign holidays to save money, compared with 47% in 2012
- 50% of people adhere to a strict monthly budget, compared with 56% two years ago
Jan-Pieter Lips, President of Aimia, EMEA, said: "The coping mechanisms used during the recession have evolved into new behaviours in the home and on the high street that look set to last. We're living in a new rewards economy. Now everyone – regardless of income – is using a toolbox of ways to make their money go further, from discounts and rewards to entertaining at home. By making small daily savings, people can enjoy spending money on bigger purchases, such as holidays."
The news comes amid strong signs for the UK economy, with a strong forecast for GDP growth and the rate of CPI inflation dropping to a four-year low of 1.7% in February. As families wait to feel the effects of these positive signs, the rewards economy behaviours are helping to ease continuing pressure on household budgets.
Despite the improved economic picture, other trends prominent at the height of the recession now look entrenched in normal shopper behaviour, with implications for retailers' business models:
- 61% of people still prefer to shop locally whenever they can, reinforcing the view that large, out-of-town outlets will play a less prominent role in the future retail landscape
- Still over half of us (54%) are continuing to buy more own-label products – with 59% of us doing so two years ago
Rewards economy behaviours extend across income brackets, with 60% of people earning over £90k-a-year saying that they make sure they collect reward points whenever they can. Furthermore, nearly half (45%) of this group say that, despite the economic upturn, they will now always remain focused on ways to make their money go further.
Jan-Pieter Lips added: "Loyalty schemes, discounts and rewards are going to continue to be critical. But as consumers become harder to please, businesses should be wary of slipping into short-termism. Businesses need to work harder than ever to win and keep customers. Those that concentrate on building stronger personal relationships based on understanding their customers over the long term will be the ones that succeed."
Media Contacts
Elle Macgregor-Chatwin
+44 (0)207 367 5215
Tom James
+44 (0)207 367 5240
About Aimia
Aimia Inc. ("Aimia") is a global leader in loyalty management. Employing more than 4,300 people in 20 countries worldwide, Aimia offers clients, partners and members proven expertise in launching and managing coalition loyalty programs, delivering proprietary loyalty services, creating value through loyalty analytics and driving innovation in the emerging digital, mobile and social communications spaces.
Aimia owns and operates Aeroplan, Canada's premier coalition loyalty program, Nectar, the United Kingdom's largest coalition loyalty program, Nectar Italia, and Smart Button, a leading provider of SaaS loyalty solutions. In addition, Aimia owns stakes in Air Miles Middle East, Mexico's leading coalition loyalty program Club Premier, Brazil's Prismah Fidelidade, China Rewards – the first coalition loyalty program in China that enables members to earn and redeem a common currency, and i2c, a joint venture with Sainsbury's offering insight and data analytics services in the UK to retailers and suppliers. Aimia also holds minority positions in Cardlytics, a US-based private company operating in card-linked marketing and Think Big, the owner and operator of BIG – AirAsia and Tune Group's loyalty program. Aimia is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: AIM). For more information, visit us at www.aimia.com.