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Pinellas Sheriff's Deputies Deliver Easter Meals to Families in Need
LARGO — Pinellas County Sheriff's deputies assigned to the Community Policing Unit loaded up their vehicles April 17 with holiday dinners destined for families in need throughout Pinellas County.
Deputies picked up the meals at the Publix in the Indian Rocks Shopping Center, 12022 Indian Rocks Road in Largo.
The project is an annual event that partners the Sheriff's Office, the Indian Rocks Beach Rotary Club, Calvary Episcopal Church, Pinellas Suncoast Fire Rescue and Publix for helping families who might not otherwise be able to afford a traditional meal this holiday.
Deputies with the Community Policing Unit identified the families in need through their daily work in the community.
The meal includes a fully cooked ham, green beans, corn, mashed potatoes, navy beans, sliced pineapple, peanut butter and grape jelly or macaroni and cheese, loaf of white bread, jelly beans, apple juice and iced tea.
Fifty families will benefit from the contributions this year. After loading their cruisers with meals, deputies made deliveries to dozens of homes in the Ridgecrest, Highpoint, Lealman and areas throughout north Pinellas County.
This is the 15th year these organizations have partnered for this event. Similar events are conducted for Thanksgiving and the Christmas Holiday.
Throughout the year, Calvary Episcopal Church continues their work through the Beach Community Food Pantry. The pantry is open every week, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at the Calvary Episcopal Church.
The pantry is always accepting monetary donations and all non-perishable food products to keep the pantry going. If anyone would like to help with holiday meals, or the food pantry, call the Calvary Episcopal Church at 727-595-2374, or visit www.calvaryirb.org.
SOURCE: tbnweekly.com

subset: commoncrawl


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It's no secret that I'm a bit of an education junkie and I would much rather study something than watch regular TV or go out and be social. Last year I decided to bite the bullet and just study make-up artistry as it's been on my list for a little while. When doing my initial research I came across the option to study it online or in person. I decided that I would really appreciate the hands on learning and didn't think that online makeup training would be right for me. In December 2017 I graduated from The French Beauty Academy and completed my Cert 3 in Make-up. I enjoyed my time there and was sorry that it ended so soon. While I was studying at the French I really wanted to delve into special effects and go to a school that specialised in film. During my research I came across the AACM and decided that that was where I wanted to continue my education. I was originally planning on enrolling for 2018 or end of 2017 but at the time I was told that August was the last part-time intake for the Diploma of Cinemagraphic and as I knew I wouldn't be able to take 2 weekdays off a week I gave myself no choice but to enrol in the part-time course beginning August. 2017 became a hectic year- working my full time job- 1-2 night classes on the gold coast each week and then taking every Thursday off for more class. At the time I also had a Sunday job at a bakery and weddings to photograph on some Saturdays. Let me know if you want me to write about my French Beauty Academy experience & AACM experience.
During this time I continue to watch youtube videos from other makeup artists talking about their school experience and many reviews of the schools they went to. Part of me was thinking are they just saying nice things about the academy because they get paid to or get free stuff or do they genuinely recommend the school. Also the kits- most of the time the reviews are just an unboxing of the kit they received from the school but not an actual review and feedback on their study experience. I was then thinking I should test one out for myself and see if an online school is really comparable to an in person school and so my online makeup school addiction begins. Ha ha. Below are the links to the posts related to my online school experience.
QC Makeup Academy
QC Makeup Academy First Impressions
Which QC Makeup Academy Course should you take?
Vizio Makeup Academy
Vizio Makeup Academy First Impressions
Which Vizio Makeup Academy Course should you take?


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7 Best Entry Level DSLR Cameras for Beginners in 2023
A selection of the best entry level DSLR cameras for beginner photographers or those on a budget. All these entry level DSLRs are far better than you smartphone, so you can get snapping today!
If you're looking for the best entry-level DSLR camera for starting photography in 2023, this guide has you covered.
Entry-level cameras have come a long way in recent years, with many great features taken from more expensive models.
A good entry-level DSLR should be both easy to use and affordable – perfect for photographers on a budget, or those learning photography.
Small, lightweight, feature-packed DSLR that's perfect for those on a budget who need a high quality camera to grow with. Easy to use and excellent value for money.
Even professional photographers love their compactness and simplicity.
(I spent a month with a basic Nikon DSLR camera and was really impressed by it!)
So if you're in the market for the best DSLR for beginners that won't break the bank, dive right into our recommendations below.
Table of Contents
Top 7 Starter DSLR Cameras for Beginners in 2023
|Canon SL3OUR #1 CHOICE
|View Price →
|Nikon D3500GREAT VALUE
|View Price →
|Canon EOS 6DTOP RATED
|View Price →
|Nikon D5600
|View Price →
|Canon EOS 77D
|View Price →
|Canon T8i
|View Price →
|Pentax K-70
|View Price →
1. Canon EOS Rebel SL3 (EOS 250D)
Camera Type: DSLR | Sensor: APS-C CMOS | Megapixels: 24.1 Lens mount: Canon EF-S | Screen: 3″ vari-angle touchscreen, 1,040,000 dots | Max burst speed: 5fps | Max video resolution: 4K UHD at 25p
- Excellent IQ
- Easy to operate
- High-quality 4k video recording
- Excellent autofocus
- Tilting touchscreen
- Slightly more expensive
First introduced in April 2019, the Canon EOS Rebel SL3 is a 24-megapixel sensor entry-level DSLR with an APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and Canon EF/EF-S lens mount. (It's also known as the EOS 250D / EOS Kiss X10 in some countries.)
It isn't the cheapest entry-level DSLR you can buy, but it's still our number one recommendation due to its excellent IQ and autofocus performance, all packed into a small, lightweight body.
The fully-articulating touch screen is a joy to use, allowing you to get creative with your compositions. Battery life is above average at approximately 1,070 shots – more than enough for a day's shooting.
You can shoot at a maximum resolution of 6,000 x 4,000 pixels, allowing you to make great-looking prints. The native ISO range of 100-25,600 can be boosted to 51,200 – handy for low light photography when you don't have a flash.
The best feature is Canon's Dual Pixel CMOS AF autofocus, which is fast, easy to use and eerily accurate – it's nice to see a feature from much higher end Canon DSLRs on this entry-level Canon EOS rebel.
For video-shooters, the maximum resolution of 4K video at 25p provides tons of detail and the flexibility to crop the frame when editing. There's also WiFi and NFC connectivity, for sharing images on the go.
The Canon EOS Rebel SL3 provides a convenient entrance into the wonderful world of Canon EF-S lenses, which are more numerous and traditionally less expensive than Nikon lenses – we'd recommend buying the Rebel with the Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM kit lens which offers great flexibility and value for money.
Canon Rebel cameras go from strength to strength, and this one's the best Canon camera for newcomers.
2. Nikon D3500
Camera Type: DSLR | Sensor: APS-C CMOS | Megapixels: 24 Lens mount: Nikon F | Screen: 3″, 921,,000 dots | Max burst speed: 5fps | Max video resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Best budget option
- Easy to operate
- Great IQ
- Excellent battery life
- No tilt-screen
- Limited point AF system
Launched in August 2018, the Nikon D3500 is a 24-megapixel sensor entry-level DSLR camera with an APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and Nikon F lens mount.
It's not only one of the best entry-level DSLR cameras you can buy in 2023, but it's also one of the cheapest, making it perfect for students or those looking for a low-cost way to get into photography.
(Willing to invest a bit more? Check out the Nikon D5600 below.)
Don't be put off by its age – the D3500 offers excellent IQ and numerous useful features, all packed into one of the lightest DSLR camera bodies on the market – just 415g with battery and memory card!
The APS-C CMOS 'DX' sensor produces vibrant JPEGs, and 12-bit RAWs with enough tone and colour range to make the most of every pixel, when editing your favourite photo editing software.
Nikon's EXPEED image processing system ensures that the camera's auto-focus keeps up with its 5fps continuous shooting speed, and the battery life is an impressive 1,550 shots per charge – the best we tested.
There's no touchscreen or vari-angle display, which is why we didn't make this our number 1 choice, but these are the compromises when it comes to such a lightweight and affordable entry-level DSLR.
When shooting with the viewfinder, the 11AF points are clustered in the middle of the screen, but using the focus-recompose method is simple enough, especially with the 18-55mm kit lens. The 5 frames per second shooting speed ensures that nothing it missed.
Live view shooting is equally easy to use, with the contrast-based AF-P autofocus technology helping to lock onto your subject with surprisingly little effort.
The Nikon D3500 offers the best value for money, and allows photographers to take advantage of the entire Nikon DX lens lineup, which includes some excellent entry-level options. Get it with the 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR kit lens, or opt for the 70-300mm if you're a wildlife shooter.
3. Canon EOS 6D
Camera Type: DSLR | Sensor: Full Frame CMOS | Megapixels: 20.2 Lens mount: Canon EF | Screen: 3″, 1,040,000 dots | Max burst speed: 4.5fps | Max video resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Best IQ
- Robust camera body
- GPS for location tracking
- Access to best-quality lenses
- Hard to find
- Below average frame rate
Launched in November 2012, the Canon EOS 6D is a 20.2-megapixel sensor entry-level DSLR camera with a full-frame CMOS sensor and Canon EF lens mount.
Entry-level doesn't need to mean you're limited to just APS-C sensor DSLR cameras – thankfully, the FF sensor Canon 6D is affordable enough to deserve a place on this list.
A Canon full-frame sensor offers better IQ, better low light performance, and greater ability to blur the background than the smaller APS-C format. It also means you're able to use the exotic Canon red-ringed lenses, with faster apertures and better build quality than their EF-S range.
Despite being rather old and heavier than the other entry-level DSLRs in this review, IQ out of the 6D is top-notch, and there are plenty of great features – remember, this is still a professional photographer's DSLR.
With an ISO range of 100-25600 (expandable to 102400), the Canon 6D can shoot photos in the dark without a flash much better than the APS-C CMOS entry-level DSLRs recommended here.
The 20.2MP full-frame sensor combined with Canon's DIGIC 5+ Image Processor produces beautifully detailed and rich JPEG images, and RAW files with lots of latitude during post-processing.
4.5 frames per second continuous shooting speed is more than adequate for most situations, and when shooting JPEG the buffer will fill after around 1250 shots, and around 14 shots when shooting RAW. Battery life is decent at around 1,090 shots.
There's built-in Wifi for faster image transfer and remote control via Canon's iOS and Android app, and built-in GPS. Although it does drain the battery much quicker, it's great to shoot with the GPS enabled while on holiday, and track your photos using Lightroom's Map functionality when back at home.
If you're looking for a DSLR with the best image quality, look no further – the Canon 6D will blow you away and is a bargain of a camera. One caveat: it may not be available when you read this! If you find it still in stock, snap it up quickly.
4. Nikon D5600
Camera Type: DSLR | Sensor: APS-C | Megapixels: 24.2 Lens mount: Canon EF-S | Screen: 3.2″ multi-angle touchscreen, 1,040,000 dots | Max burst speed: 6fps | Max video resolution: 1920 x 1080p full HD
- Excellent image quality
- Flip forward LCD touchscreen
- 39 point AF system
- Excellent battery lif
- No built-in AF motor
- Live view not as fast as Canon's Dual Pixel AF
First introduced in November 2016, the Nikon D5600 is a 24MP entry-level DSLR camera with an APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and Nikon F lens mount.
Weighing in at only 465g, the Nikon D5600 is the perfect size to carry around for everyday photography. With a 39 point autofocus system, ISO range of 100 – 25600, 3.2″ articulating screen and built-in wireless, you definitely get a lot for your money.
5 frames per second continuous shooting is good for keeping up with fast-moving subjects, and the camera's operations feel responsive and snappy, thanks in large part to Nikon's excellent Expeed 4 processor.
You can shoot at a maximum resolution of 6000 x 4000 pixels, and image quality is impressive – JPEGs look great straight out of camera, and RAW files provide a bit of extra image data for pushing/pulling those shadows and highlights in post-production.
One important feature of the Nikon D5600 is the lack of anti-alias (low-pass) filter, which can help to increase the sharpness and level of detail in your photos.
The standard Nikon F-mount gives you access to over 300 native lenses – even ones dating back to the 1960s!
The articulating LCD touch screen is a pleasure to use and allows you to place your camera on the ground or hold it above your head for some creative compositions. It's also great for selfies, and for filming yourself in full HD video, YouTube vlogger style!
The Nikon D5600 features built-in Wi-Fi connectivity ( 802.11b/g/n with Bluetooth 4.1 LE and NFC), which lets you transfer your photos directly to mobile devices without any physical connection.
With its NFC feature, it can communicate with smartphones equipped with this technology by simply touching them together! You can also use your smartphone as a remote to control our the camera.
As far as the best entry-level DSLRs go, the Nikon D5600 is hard to beat and represents excellent value for money. Get it with the DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR, which is a flexible first kit lens – check out the best Nikon D5600 bundle that currently includes it.
5. Canon EOS 77D (EOS 9000D)
Camera Type: DSLR | Sensor: APS-C CMOS | Megapixels: 24.2 Lens mount: Canon EF-S | Screen: 3″ multi-angle touchscreen, 1,040,000 dots | Max burst speed: 6fps | Max video resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Excellent image quality
- Excellent autofocus
- Excellent battery life
- Useful tilting LCD screen
- Mediocre battery life
- Not weather sealed
Introduced in February 2017, the Canon EOS 77D is a 24MP entry-level DSLR camera with an APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and Canon EF/EF-S lens mount. (It's also known as the EOS 9000D in some countries.)
It features Canon's impressive Dual Pixel AF system, which improves on AF performance, allowing you to focus on a subject much quicker and track the subject more effectively across your frame than ever before.
If you use Live View a lot, or you're a video shooter, DPAF is amazing for switching focus points quickly. The 3″ vari-angle touchscreen of the Canon 77D makes this much easier – you're able to slide your finger from one point to another, to 'rack' focus in a smooth fashion.
It's great being able to use all the two-finger gestures you're used to from your smartphones on the LCD screen of the 77D. It offers a 45-point autofocus system with all cross-type points, greatly increasing its ability to focus in low light.
Having lots of focus points isn't all that important on an entry-level DSLR, but if you're trying to track movement (sports photography, wildlife photography, etc.), more focus points mean more chance of getting a sharp photo.
Other features include Wifi, Bluetooth and NFC for fast image transfer and remote control, twin control dials for easy one-handed shooting, a top plate LCD screen for quick reference, built-in interval timer for time-lapses, eye-sensor to turn off the read LCD while shooting, mic port for audio recording, 6 frames per second continuous shooting and great image stabilization during video recording.
The Canon 77D is one of the best DSLRs for shooting video – the features mentioned above, coupled with dual AF and the rotating touch screen makes this a very popular camera for vloggers -this is one of the only entry-level DSLRs that offer easy and dependable autofocus while shooting video.
Image quality is superb, with beautiful skin tones as you can expect from a Canon sensor, and 24MP is more than enough to print large photos or crop while editing.
6. Canon EOS Rebel T8i (EOS 850D)
Camera Type: DSLR | Sensor: APS-C | Megapixels: 24 Lens mount: Canon EF-S | Screen: 3″ multi-angle touchscreen, 1,040,000 dots | Max burst speed: 7.5fps | Max video resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Great image quality
- Excellent autofocus
- 45 AF points
- Vivid tilting touchscreen
- No articulating screen
- Poor battery life
Introduced in February 2020, the Canon EOS Rebel T8i is a 24MP entry-level DSLR camera with an APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and Canon EF/EF-S lens mount. (It's also known as the EOS 850D or Kiss X10i in some countries, and is a newer model of the Canon EOS Rebel T7i.)
With the tried and tested 24.2 Megapixel CMOS (APS-C) Canon Rebel sensor and newest DIGIC 8 Image Processor, image quality and overall speed is impressive for a Canon EOS Rebel camera.
JPEG images straight out of the camera are vibrant and detailed, and skin tones have a beautiful warmth to them that's become associated with Canon sensors.
Overall the build quality is nice on the Canon T8i. It's definitely a smaller build than most DSLRs which could be a big bonus if you like to travel or walk around with a lighter camera.
The articulating, touchscreen LCD is a great feature, and thanks to Dual Pixel AF and face recognition, focusing in Live View is a breeze. Being able to tap your subject and have your camera focus on them in a split second is something that formerly only mirrorless cameras could do.
The T8i can track subjects around the frame just as well in Live View mode then it can when you're looking through the viewfinder, which is perfect if you just want to tap the LCD screen and have the camera follow your child at they run around.
For video shooters, having those extra AF points spread further over the frame will help keep your moving subject in focus. It's a nice little upgrade from its predecessor, the Canon EOS Rebel T7i (see best bundle deal).
The kit lens that comes bundled with Canon Rebel cameras is a standard 18-55mm offering, allowing you to shoot at an approximate field of view of 28mm at the wide end, and 88mm at the long end.
7. Pentax K-70
Camera Type: DSLR | Sensor: APS-C | Megapixels: 24 Lens mount: Canon EF-S | Screen: 3″ vari-angle touchscreen, 921,000 dots | Max burst speed: 7.5fps | Max video resolution: 1080p
- Great IQ
- Good low light performance
- Image stabilization
- External mic jack
- Poor battery life
- Rather heavy for a starter camera
Introduced in June 2016, the Pentax K-70 is a 24MP entry-level DSLR camera with an APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and Pentax KAF2 lens mount.
Pentax may not be front of mind when shopping for a new DSLR camera, but the K-70 is worthy of consideration, particularly if you're struggling to decide among so many best Nikon and Canon DSLR camera bodies!
With its 3″ fully articulated screen, 6 fps continuous shooting speeds, 100 – 102400 ISO range and built-in wireless functionality, it's much like the other camera models on this list.
However, the K-70 stands out in a number of ways, with its rather unique feature-set, starting off with a robust, weather-sealed body, ready to tackle the elements – just make sure you pair it with a weather-sealed lens.
Then there's the special High-Resolution mode, where the camera takes multiple images of a scene while moving its sensor using the sensor-shift image stabilization system, and combines them automatically to create a much higher resolution image – perfect for printing enlargements.
The K-70 is also the only DSLR in this guide to offer sensor-based image-stabilization, meaning that all Pentax lenses will be stabilized down to 4.5 stops when attached to the camera body.
100% viewfinder coverage is also rare at this price point, meaning that what you see in the viewfinder while shooting will match exactly what you get in your image. This helps enormously with framing your photography compositions.
Battery life is below average at only 410 shots, but thankfully spare batteries aren't expensive.
The AF system offers 11 focus points, with 9 of them the more accurate cross-type sensors. The k-70 also features face detection AF, which intelligently detects faces in a scene, and locks the focus automatically – this is immensely useful when photographing children.
Another unique feature is the Astro Tracer mode, where the camera uses its GPS and sensor-shift mechanism to track the motion of the stars to creates a long exposure image without visible star trails. This makes K-70 one of the best cameras for Astrophotography.
All in all, the K-70 is a unique camera and the best value for money in 2023. We recommend getting it with the 15-55mm or 18-135mm kit lens.
How to Choose an Entry-Level DSLR Camera
Let's first answer this question: What is an entry-level DSLR? Most would say it's the cheapest DSLR that a camera manufacturer offers.
I'd like to improve on this definition by saying that it's one that appeals to first purchasers, or photographers who want simplicity.
These cameras typically won't have every bell and whistle of more expensive or newer camera models, but this isn't an important consideration for the buyer.
The best entry-level DSLR cameras of 2023 aren't necessarily the newest models, since this is where the real bargains lie.
Professional photographers may leap at every new camera release no matter the cost, but everyone else can take huge advantage of discounted older models – these DSLRs offer great bang-for-the-buck to consumers today.
What to look for in entry-level DSLRs
- Value for Money – Spending around $500 is a good place to start. Any less than this and the image quality may not be better than your smartphone. Between $500 and $1,000 is where the best models exist, so try and stretch your budget a little to invest in something that you can use for years to come. Remember that you don't need the latest model.
- Interchangeable Lenses – DSLRs by their nature offer multiple lens options. This gives you flexibility and opens new doors to creativity in your photography.
- Ergonomics – DSLRs offer better ergonomics than compact cameras. Models at this price point are often small and lightweight, but make sure they fit your hand well. The Nikon D560, Nikon D3500 or Canon EOS Rebel series are good in this respect.
- Image Quality – in general, the more you spend up to around the $1,500 mark, the better the image quality will become. Above this amount, there's diminishing returns. Opt for a full-frame sensor for the best IQ and low light performance.
- Autofocus – don't worry too much about the what point autofocus system the camera offers – it's more important to get a camera with fast AF performance. The Canon EOS Rebel series do well here, thanks to Dual-Pixel AF.
- Battery Duration – depending on how long you expect to shoot for before recharging (or how many spares you want to carry), the life of the battery can be an important consideration, particularly when travelling.
- Video – 4k video is a nice option for a camera, but it's not essential to most photographers. 4k video also takes up more space on your memory cards, and requires a powerful computer to edit. All the cameras in this guide have full HD video, with only the Canon EOS Rebel SL3 offering 4k video.
- Connectivity – having built-in Wifi is a nice feature to have, particularly in this day and age of spontaneous sharing of images on social media. Built-in Wifi also allows you to control your camera remotely, perfect for selfies or group shots.
- Continuous Shooting – aka burst mode. Useful for capturing fast-moving action, such as photographing birds in flight.
Why Buy a DSLR Camera in 2023?
There are plenty of types of camera to choose from here in 2023 – everything from mirrorless to instant, not to mention the various sensor sizes in between.
Despite the huge popularity of mirrorless cameras with both amateur and professional photographers, there's still millions of people around the world using DSLRs.
Manh believe that mirrorless cameras have killed DSLRs, but this isn't totally true – you should definitely still consider buying one to advance your photography hobby or even build your career.
For many, DSLRs offer a real photography experience. Everything from the Optical Viewfinder (OVF) to the shutter sound to the camera grip – it just feels better than the average mirrorless camera.
DSLRs at this price point typically offer much better ergonomics than mirrorless models, with more pronounced grips and manual dials and buttons with tactile feedback.
While shooting with an LCD screen and Electronic viewfinder (EVF) may be fun, with an OVF, you're getting a what-you-see-is-what-you-get representation of the world. You're basically looking through a piece of glass, as opposed to looking at a mini screen.
DSLRs may not be the most modern way to take a photo, but for many photographers, only a DSLR will do.
APS-C Sensor or Full-Frame?
With only one full-frame (FF) camera recommendation in this guide (the Canon 6D), you may be wondering whether it's a wise investment to make.
FF cameras are intended to be used by serious amateurs (some call them 'prosumers'), wealthy hobbyists, or professionals.
The photography term: 'Frame frame' refers to a camera with a 35mm image sensor (36 mm × 24 mm. It's the largest consumer format you can buy.
Addressing the elephant in the room, FF cameras are expensive – multiple times more than crop sensor cameras.
So, what do you get for all that extra money?
- Better image quality – a bigger sensor means more image data can be captured. This translates to more tonal range and depth to your photos.
- More dynamic range – you'll be able to do more with your RAW files when editing them on your computer.
- Access to better lenses – faster prime lenses and specialist tilt-shift, macro, and other forms of lenses are more abundant. They're also way more expensive!
- Better low-light capabilities – the ability to shoot at higher ISOs with less noise.
- 'Real' focal length – with no crop factor to contend with, a 35mm lens will gve you a 35mm field of view.
- Wider angles – with no crop factor, wide-angle lenses are as wide as intended.
- Shallower depth of field – wider aperture lenses and a larger sensor mean greater ability to create a bokeh background (i.e. .
- Better build – typically, although some high-end APS-C cameras offer robust bodies too.
All the above features are nice to have, and may even be essential depending on the type of photography you intend to shoot.
Most professional photographers need FF cameras, but perhaps they're overkill for you – only you can decide.
Make no mistake – all the models listed in this guide are equally capable of producing a great image, and no one will be able to tell if you used a FF camera or one with an APS-C sensor!
Should you Buy a starter DSLR with a Bundle?
Due to their budget prices, many entry-level cameras are aimed at first-time camera buyers. As such, you'll often see these models bundled together with several accessories, such as filters, tripods, bags, lens cleaners, battery chargers, memory cards… everything but the kitchen sink!
(This is especially the case on Amazon, where we usually recommend you buy your camera gear.)
While it might be tempting to buy everything all at once for what looks like a great price, I'd recommend you think before hitting that Add to Cart button.
Most of the accessories included in classic bundles are of poor quality, or available elsewhere for a low price. In addition, many of the accessories you may never need.
With photography, starting simple is best. Don't go out and buy tons of camera accessories just because you think you need them all.
Over time, you'll understand what exactly you need – then it's best to invest in each particular gadget and gizmo, once you've done adequate research.
At the bare minimum, you need to buy a lens and a memory card when purchasing your starter camera – without both these things, you can't take any photos!
I'd recommend a couple of 32GB or 64GB cards and the kit lens that comes bundled with your camera.
What about Kit Lenses?
Kit lenses get a lot of flak from professional photographers, mostly due to their cheap construction and low prices.
However, if you're just starting out with photography, there's absolutely nothing wrong with buying a camera with a lens included.
These bundled lenses will usually be 18-55mm, i.e. wide-angle to standard focal length. This is ideal to experience a range of useful focal lengths in one compact lens, giving you a feel for what preferences you may have.
There are many types of lenses available for your chosen camera, but a kit lens offers a nice introduction.
All the models recommended in this guide are available to buy with an included lens. Most of them offer a zoom lens in addition to the 18-55mm, which is also worth considering if you shoot subjects from a distance.
After you've experimented with the kit lens for a while, you may feel like trying something else. In this case, I'd recommend the next lens you buy is a 'nifty-fifty'.
These are small, lightweight and surprisingly affordable 50mm lenses that are available from all the main camera brands. They offer a faster f/1.8 maximum aperture, allowing you to blur the background and shoot in lower light.
What about the Camera Brand?
Nikon vs Canon vs Sony vs Fujifilm… Pentax… Olympus… Leica… choosing a brand for your first camera can be tough!
In this guide, Canon DSLRs have dominated, simply because there are far more models available to consumers in this niche.
Nikon is second most numerous, and Pentax here is the outlier.
These days, there really isn't much difference between the main camera brands (i.e. Canon and Nikon). Both produce excellent starter cameras, and both offer a wide ranger of accessories and lenses.
Canon still offers more lenses (especially specialist ones), but you're not likely to attach any of these to any of the DSLRs on this list.
Prices are also very similar, so it all comes down to personal preference. I started my photography journey with a very basic Nikon D40, and I absolutely loved it!
This started off a 5-year relationship with Nikon, until I finally switched to Sony. I also use Fujifilm, and dabble occasionally with other brands too.
All this to say: don't worry too much about which brand you choose! Whatever the camera, you'll be able to take a great photo – invest in your education, and learn how to use your camera properly.
Final Recommendations
With so many great options on the market here in 2023, it's hard to recommend an absolute best camera.
The truth is, all the entry-level DSLR cameras in this guide are excellent cameras and provide great value for money.
There are definitely some bargains to be had if you shop for an older model, but by investing in something more up to date, you're future-proofing yourself.
Camera technology moves fast, after all…
Our number one pick is the Canon SL3, and the Nikon D3500 in close second place as a more affordable option. If you're willing to try something different, the Pentax K-70 is truly unique and packs some features not seen elsewhere.
Above all, think about what lenses you need – once you decide on Nikon, Canon, Pentax, or any other DSLR camera brand, you're part of that ecosystem, so choose wisely!
What is the best entry-level DSLR camera for you? Leave your comments below.
Small, lightweight, feature-packed DSLR that's perfect for those on a budget who need a high quality camera to grow with. Easy to use and excellent value for money.


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Renal angiography or renal angiogram is an imaging modality that helps to assess The functioning of the blood vessels present in your kidney. Coronary angiography hospital in Jaipur helps to detect any obstruction or narrowing which can be then treated surgically, or with the help of medication. The procedure is also known as renal arteriography.
The major indications of renal angiography include:
- Blood clots
- Blockage or obstruction
- Structural defects
- Vascular spasms
- Tumour
- Hypertension on the arteries
- Widening of vessels
- The procedure is usually performed under the influence of sedatives.
- A narrow flexible tube, known as a catheter, will be introduced into your artery by making a small incision near the groin.
- The catheter will be then guided towards the affected artery for precise examination.
- During the procedure, a dye will be administered to your blood vessels to enhance the visibility of the images.
- If your doctor feels the need, the problem may also be treated alongside.
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What's the meaning of the Summer »
This page is about the meaning, origin and characteristic of the symbol, emblem, seal, sign, logo or flag: Summer.
An old Germanic sign for the season of Summer, used in clog almanacs.
Bearing a distinct resemblance to a bowl or vessel, which it has also been used to indicate, this symbol for Summer is indicative of the earth and it's life forms receiving the full measure of the sun's warmth and energy.
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Graphical characteristics:
Asymmetric, Open shape, Monochrome, Contains both straight and curved lines, Has no crossing lines.
Summer is part of the Clog Almanac group.
More symbols in Clog Almanac:
The clog almanac was originally a Scandinavian creation that was later brought to England. A "clog" referred to a four-sided piece of material (usually wood but could also be bone, horn or metal), an… read more »
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By John Macklin
It was midnight and a gale sent dark clouds scudding across the moon and deepened the shadows in the stable yard. The wind moaned through the ancient buildings and twigs tapped insistently against window-panes.
Charles Collins left his bed and went to the window overlooking the yard. The wind, strange surroundings and a sense of unease had made it impossible for him to sleep. What happened next ensured that sleep was now out of the question…
It was October 1959, and Collins, then a traveller for an engineering firm, was on his way back to London after a West Country sales tour. By the time he reached the edge of Salisbury Plain it was dark and he was tired and hungry.
He had decided to break his journey overnight just as the Spread Eagle public house appeared in his headlights. It was a small 18th century coaching inn on the outskirts of a village. They had a single room and dinner was available.
After his meal and a couple of drinks at the bar, Charles retired to his room on the second floor of the inn, overlooking the large stable yard.
At the back of the yard, heavy doors sealed off an archway obviously once used by coaches. Now the archway was a store for beer-crates and barrels and these were piled in front of the closed doors.
At about 11pm, Charles got into bed and put out the light. A wind had risen and as he listened to it moaning around the inn he felt a strange sense of foreboding. Later he was to recall: "I had never seen the Spread Eagle before and knew nothing of its history.


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You have to hand it to her: Vice President Kamala Harris has a knack for having her career advanced by others, despite continual abysmal performance as a public official. Unfair, you say? How else can you describe someone who fails so badly at one job, and then is immediately rewarded with another job of even greater importance?
There are lots of definitions out there for "failing upward" but probably the best comes from the "Simplicable" website, which calls it "a common feature of cronyism" in which members of a "social group continue to promote and reward each other despite an ongoing string of failures."
Could anything better describe Harris' political career, especially her latest turn as President Joe Biden's "immigration czar"?
The most polite thing you can say about Harris' so-far brief tenure as border czar is that she's done little to make things worse. That's largely because she's a political cipher, picked precisely because she wouldn't do a thing to stop illegal immigrants from crossing our borders.
That takes the heat off of Biden, whose early moves undid President Donald Trump's smart, humane policy (which led to an enormous decline in both illegal contraband and border crossings), and replaced it with the Democrats' dangerous, divisive open-border policy.
Harris is plainly incapable of doing the job. And that's the point.
How else could you describe someone who claims that "climate adaptation" in Latin America is key to ending the U.S. border crisis?
Or someone who explained the "root causes" of the thousands of Central Americans illegally crossing the U.S. southern border by referencing the television show "Cheers," where "everyone knows your name"?
Or someone who has focused on luring American companies to invest in Central America as a way to stop the surge, rather than focusing on the cause: Biden's open-border policy?
Or someone who, during her 71 days as czar, refused to even visit the border or meet with border-state governors, who have desperately pleaded for help from Washington to handle Biden's growing disaster?
Or someone whose own staff members are said to have "panicked" when she was named border czar because they're afraid she'll get tagged with Biden's out-of-control border failure?
Or someone who has plainly ignored new U.S. intelligence warnings that Biden's open-border policies represent a new terrorism threat?
Or someone who apparently supports Biden's plan to "return" to the U.S. some of the 935,000 illegals deported under Trump?
Lest you think Harris' bumbling do-nothingism is costless, it isn't. Last week, appearing before Congress, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas repeated the Biden administration's blatant lie that the "border is closed."
This, despite the fact that the U.S. Border Patrol apprehended more than 178,000 illegal crossers in April alone, while DHS has released some 60,000 illegals into the U.S. heartland since February.
"It looks like you rolled out a big welcome mat that says 'send us your kids,' and that is criminal," Republican Rep. Steven Palazzo said. "Because as long as they know if they get to our border we're going to take them and turn them into American citizens and let them roam free (in) our country, people desperate in those countries are going to continue to take that risk."
True. Open-border policy starts with lax enforcement, and ends with no border controls at all. And that's where we are today, thanks to Biden and Harris.
In his more lucid moments, Biden must be cackling to himself after offloading this wildly unpopular policy onto Harris. To reward her, this week he handed his inept No. 2 the added job of ushering an election reform bill through Congress.
Knowing the bitter divide this awful legislation has caused, putting Harris in charge is tantamount to admitting failure. Is that Biden's real aim here? After all, Harris is neither liked nor respected in the Senate. Will she take the fall for his incipient senility? Or is she being groomed by clueless leftists to take over? It's hard to tell.
But, given that Harris is a literal heartbeat away from being president, it's a scary thought.
Anyway, Democrat talk of "voters' rights" and "reform" is all hypocritical nonsense. They want more votes, period. They'll do anything to get them, as we saw last year when thousands of their supporters violently rioted around the country, intimidating non-leftist voters, while the media did their part by gaslighting anyone who dared to question obvious voting irregularities.
Biden and the far-left Democratic Party are merely looking to "reform" voting in a way that makes it impossible for the Republican Party to ever win another major election.
That's what Democrats mean by voting reform, and they don't really even try to hide it anymore. So we wish Harris the exact same success reforming voting as she's had in solving our border crisis. And that is none at all.
— Written by the I&I Editorial Board


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At the very heart of the country, Burgundy is one of France's most prosperous regions. Its peaceful way of life, celebrated wine, delicous food and numerous outdoor activities all combine to make this region the ideal place to discover and appreciate la vie française. Wine is, of course, the region's most obvious attraction, and devotees head straight for the great vineyards, whose produce has played the key role in the local economy since Louis XIV's doctor prescribed wine as a palliative for the royal dyspepsia. Wine tasting is particularly big business around Chablis, Mâcon and Beaune.
For centuries Burgundy's powerful dukes remained independent of the French crown, and during the Hundred Years' War they even sided with the English, selling them the captured Joan of Arc. By the fifteenth century their power extended over all of Franche-Comté, Alsace and Lorraine, Belgium, Holland, Picardy and Flanders, and their state was the best-organized and richest in Europe. Burgundy finally fell to the French kings when Duke Charles le Téméraire (the Bold) was killed besieging Nancy in 1477.
There's evidence everywhere of this former wealth and power, both secular and religious: the dukes' capital of Dijon, the great abbeys of Vézelay and Fontenay, the ruins of the monastery of Cluny (whose abbots' influence was second only to the pope's), and a large number of imposing châteaux. During the Middle Ages, Burgundy – along with Poitou and Provence – became one of the great church-building areas in France. Practically every village has its Romanesque church, especially in the country around Cluny and Paray-le-Monial, and where the Catholic Church built, so had the Romans before, with their legacy visible in the substantial Roman remains at Autun. There's more history on show at Alésia, the scene of Julius Caesar's epic victory over the Gauls in 52 BC.
Between bouts of gastronomic indulgence, you can engage in some moderate activity: for walkers there's a wide range of hikes, from gentle walks in the Côte d'Or to relatively demanding treks in the Parc Régional du Morvan.
AuxerreMost travellers to Burgundy arrive in Auxerre, the chief population and industrial centre in the north of Burgundy – and with good reason. A very pretty and historic town of narrow lanes and lovely open squares, it looks its best from Pont Paul-Bert over the river Yonne and the riverside quays. From here you get a lovely view of moored houseboats and barges, with churches soaring dramatically and harmoniously above the surrounding rooftops. To enjoy some local colour, and pick up some local produce, try the market in place de l'Arquebuse (Tues & Fri morning).
The most interesting of Auxerre's many churches is the airy, light abbey church of St-Germain, famous for its ten-ribbed vaults, containing three of only five in existence worldwide. The monks' former dormitories, around a classical cloister, now house a historical and archeological museum, but the real highlight is the crypt where the tomb of St Germain, fourth bishop of Auxerre (378–448), was the epicentre of the bishops' burial catacombs. The tomb is empty – St Germain's remains were used for various reliquaries and what was left was desecrated by Huguenots in 1567. The crypt is one of the few surviving examples of Carolingian architecture, with its plain barrel vaults still resting on their thousand-year-old oak beams. Its wonderfully vivid and expressive ochre frescoes are the oldest in France, dating back to around 850 AD.
The Canal de BourgogneEast of Joigny, and, conveniently close to the TGV stop of Laroche-Migennes, the Canal de Bourgogne branches off to the north of the River Yonne southeast towards Dijon. Along or close to the canal are several places of interest: the beautiful town of Tonnere, the Renaissance châteaux of Tanlay and Ancy-le-Franc, the Abbaye de Fontenay, and the site of Julius Caesar's victory over the Gauls at Alésia. Just east of the canal, perched above the River Armançon, lies the picturesque town of Semur-en-Auxois. Further east the Canal encompasses the upper reaches of the River Seine: at Châtillon-sur-Seine is the famous Celtic Treasure of Vix.
Abbaye de FontenayThe UNESCO World Heritage Site of Abbaye de Fontenay is the biggest draw in the area. Founded in 1118, it's the only Burgundian monastery to survive intact, despite conversion to a paper mill in the early nineteenth century. It was restored in the early 1900s to its original form, while the gardens were re-landscaped in 2008 in full harmony with its Romanesque structure. It is one of the world's most complete monastic complexes, including a caretaker's lodge, guesthouse and chapel, dormitory, hospital, prison, bakery, kennels and abbot's house, as well as a church, cloister, chapterhouse and even a forge.
AlésiaA few kilometres south of Montbard, on Mont Auxois, above the village of Alise-Ste-Reine is Alésia (closed Dec & Jan). It was here in 52 BC that the Gauls, united under the leadership of Vercingétorix, made their last stand against the military might of Rome. Julius Caesar himself commanded the Roman army, which surrounded the final Gallic stronghold and starved the Gauls out, bloodily defeating all attempts at escape. Vercingétorix surrendered to save his people, was imprisoned in Rome for six years until Caesar's formal triumph, and then strangled. The battle was a fundamental turning point in the fortunes of the region, as Gaul remained under Roman rule for four hundred years. The modern Muséoparc d'Alésia brings the battle of Alésia to life with a visitor centre, a museum and a multimedia exhibition about Gallo-Roman life. You can also visit excavations, including the theatre and a Gallo-Roman house.
Chevalier d'Éon: the cross-dressing diplomatTonnerre's quirkiest claim to fame is that it was the birthplace of the great eighteenth-century cross-dresser, Chevalier d'Éon. Born in the Hôtel d'Uzès in 1728, still the most magnificent structure in Tonnerre, d'Éon went about his important diplomatic missions for King Louis XV dressed in women's clothes. He fell out with the king, however, and, when he was in exile in London, wore a (male) dragoon's uniform – yet still bookmakers took bets on his sex. When Louis XVI ascended to the throne he allowed d'Éon to return to France – but exiled in Tonnerre – and also recognized his claim to be a woman and to dress as such. After the Revolution, Chevalier d'Éon slowly slid into debt, and died penniless in London in 1810. An autopsy determined that he was undoubtedly a man. A museum in Tonnerre, at the Hôtel Chevalier d'Eon, 22 rue de Pont, features much of his correspondence as well as his lavish silk dresses and other personal effects.
TonnereOn the Paris–Sens–Dijon TGV train route, Tonnere is a great base for exploring this corner of the region, and far cheaper than Chablis, just 18km away. Although not as prosperous as its world-renowned neighbour, it is much prettier, since it was not bombed during the war – unlike Chablis – and it has several sights well worth a look. Another string to its bow is the local golden, fruity Chardonnay – the newest appellation contrôlée in Burgundy, recognized in 2006. Tonnerre is also an excellent starting point for cycling along the Canal de Bourgogne; from here to Dijon it's four or five days of easy cycling through some superb countryside. You don't even have to worry about luggage: Bag Transfert will pick up your bags and take it to your next stop for €12 per piece.
Treasure of VixFor anyone interested in pre-Roman France, there is one compelling reason to visit Châtillon-sur-Seine, around 30km east of Tonnerre: the so-called Treasure of Vix, discovered in 1953 6km northwest of Châtillon. The finds, from the sixth-century BC tomb of a Celtic princess buried in a four-wheeled chariot, include the famous Vase of Vix, which, weighing 208kg and 1.64m high, is the largest bronze vase of Greek origin known from antiquity, with a superbly modelled high-relief frieze round its rim, and Gorgons' heads for handles. The treasure is displayed in the Musée du Pays Châtillonnais, which also boasts an impressive collection of objects from Celtic, Gallo-Roman and medieval periods found in the Châtillonnais region.
Château livingBurgundy – and in particular the area to the east and south of the Morvan – is one of the prime château regions in France. Whether still in the hands of old families like the Château de Vauban,whose current owner is related to Vauban, the great French fortification builder, or state-owned and state-maintained like the Château de Castellux, their remoteness and association with a feudal aristocratic class places them several steps above a simple stately mansion.
As the upkeep of such massive structures becomes more and more expensive, many château owners rent their properties to large families or groups. Depending on numbers, costs can be as low as £300 per week, but take note: wi-fi may not penetrate the thick stone walls, and you will almost invariably need your own car; some places come with a cook and a maid, and occasionally the owners may still live on the premises (though you might never even bump into them). The range of experiences is broad, however, and you should be able to find something to suit your tastes – from Château de Missery near Saulieu, who offer weekend cookery courses and wine tastings for about a dozen people, to Château de Tailly, which is split into three buildings and can accommodate smaller parties of guests.
DijonIn Celtic times, Dijon held a strategic position on the tin merchants' route from Britain to the Adriatic. It became the capital of the dukes of Burgundy around 1000 AD, and in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, under the auspices of dukes Philippe le Hardi (the Bold – as a boy, he had fought the English at Poitiers), Jean sans Peur (the Fearless), Philippe le Bon (the Good – he sold Joan of Arc to the English), and Charles le Téméraire (also the Bold), Dijon flourished. The dukes used their tremendous wealth and power – especially their control of Flanders, the dominant manufacturing region of the age – to make this one of the greatest centres of art, learning and science in Europe. It lost its capital status on incorporation into the kingdom of France in 1477, but has remained one of the country's pre-eminent provincial cities. Today, it's an affluent university city: elegant, modern and dynamic, especially when the students are around.
Dijon is not enormous and the area you'll want to see is confined to the eminently walkable centre. The two tram lines that started service in the winter of 2012/13 have transformed the place, with cars being forced out onto the outskirts; if you have driven to Dijon, you are advised to leave the car at your hotel and forget about it until you leave. Rue de la Liberté forms the spine of the city, running east from the wide, attractive place Darcy and the eighteenth-century triumphal arch of Porte Guillaume – once a city gate – past the palace of the dukes of Burgundy on the semicircular place de la Libération.
The Palais des DucsThe focus of a visit to Dijon is inevitably the seat of its former rulers, the Palais des Ducs, which stands at the hub of the city. Facing the main courtyard is the relaxed place de la Libération, built by Jules Hardouin-Mansart, one of the architects of Versailles, towards the end of the seventeenth century. It's now something of a suntrap on a good day, and the decision to close it to traffic has stimulated a boom in café trade. The fourteenth-century Tour de Bar dominates the courtyard in front of the east wing, and now houses the Musée des Beaux-Arts, which houses an interesting collection of works from the Middle Ages to the twentieth century; among the highlights are the Flemish paintings, particularly the Nativity by the so-called Master of Flémalle, a shadowy figure who ranks with van Eyck as one of the first artists to break from the chilly stranglehold of International Gothic, Burgundy's homespun phase of Gothic art.
Visiting the museum also provides the opportunity to see the surviving portions of the original ducal palace, including the vast kitchen and the magnificent Salle des Gardes. Displayed here are the lavish, almost decadent, tombs of Philippe le Hardi and Jean sans Peur and his wife, Marguerite de Bavière, with their startling, painted effigies of the dead, surrounded by gold-plated angels.
Quartier Notre-DameArchitecturally more interesting than the dukes' palace, and much more suggestive of the city's former glories, are the lavish townhouses of the rich burghers. These abound in the streets behind the duke's palace, most notably on rue de la Chouette. Some are half-timbered, with storeys projecting over the street, others are in more formal and imposing Renaissance stone. Particularly fine are the Renaissance Hôtel de Vogüé, 8 rue de la Chouette, the Hôtel Aubriot at no.40 rue des Forges, plus the Hôtel Benigne Malyot and the Maison des Cariatides at no. 1 and 28 rue Chaudronnière respectively.
The food of BurgundyThe richness of Burgundy's cuisine is largely due to two factors: the region's wines and its possession of one of the world's finest breeds of beef cattle, the Charolais. Wines are often used in the preparation of sauces, especially à la bourguignon. Essentially, this means that the dish is cooked in a red wine sauce to which baby onions, mushrooms and lardons (pieces of bacon) are added. The classic Burgundy dishes cooked in this manner are bœuf bourguignon and coq au vin. Another term that frequently appears on menus is meurette, which is also a red wine sauce but made without mushrooms and flambéed with a touch of marc brandy. It's used with eggs, fish and poultry as well as red meat.
Snails (escargots) are hard to avoid in Burgundy, and the local style of cooking involves stewing them for several hours in white wine with shallots, carrots and onions, then stuffing them with garlic and parsley butter and finishing them off in the oven. Other specialities include the parsley-flavoured ham (jambon persillé); calf's head (tête de veau, or sansiot); and a pauchouse of river fish (that is, poached in white wine with onions, butter, garlic and lardons).
Like other regions of France, Burgundy produces a variety of cheeses. The best known are the creamy white Chaource, the soft St-Florentin from the Yonne valley, the orange-skinned Époisses and the delicious goat's cheeses from the Morvan. And then there is gougère, a savoury pastry made with cheese, best eaten warm with a glass of Chablis.
The MorvanThe Morvan region lies in the middle of Burgundy between the valleys of the Loire and the Saône, stretching roughly from Clamecy, Vézelay and Avallon in the north to Autun in the south. It's a land of wooded hills and, with poor soil and pastures only good for a few cattle, villages and farms are few and far between. In the nineteenth century, supplying firewood and charcoal to Paris was the main business and large tracts of hillside are still covered in coniferous plantations.
Carpeted with forest and etched by cascading streams, the Parc Régional du Morvan was officially created in 1970, when 170,000 hectares of hilly countryside were set aside in an attempt to protect the local cultural and physical environment with a series of nature trails, animal reserves, museums and local craft shops. It's an excellent place for outdoor activities, especially cycling and walking, with a good network of simple accommodation.
AutunWith its Gothic spire rising against the backdrop of the Morvan hills, Autun is scarcely bigger than the circumference of its walls; most of the enclosure still consists of Roman fortifications that have been maintained through the centuries. The emperor Augustus founded the town in about 10 BC as part of a massive and, ultimately, highly successful campaign to pacify the brooding Celts of defeated Vercingétorix. The splendour of Augustodunum, as it was called, was designed to eclipse the memory of Bibracte, the neighbouring capital of the powerful tribe of the Aedui. Autun did indeed become one of the leading cities of Roman Gaul until it was sacked by the Arabs in 725 AD. Today, it is a picturesque provincial town, and an excellent base for exploring the surrounding countryside, particularly the Parc du Morvan. This town's past remains very tangible, and two of its four Roman gates survive – Porte St-André, spanning rue de la Croix-Blanche in the northeast, and Porte d'Arroux in the northwest – while a number of other remains are dotted about the town.
VézelayThe tourist buses winding their way up the steep incline to Vézelay should not deter you from visiting this attractive hilltop hamlet, which is surrounded by ramparts and has some of the most picturesque, winding streets and crumbling buildings in Burgundy. While the main draw is undeniably the Basilica of Ste-Mary La Madeleine – one of the first UNESCO-inscribed sites in France – Vézelay is also a popular destination for art-lovers, with many small galleries and antique shops on rue St-Pierre, and an impressive art collection in the Musée Zervos.
NeversSome 60km west of the Parc du Morvan, Nevers, on the confluence of the rivers Loire and Nièvre, is a strange place, where motorbikers and boy racers drawn to the Formula One racing ring at nearby Magny-Cours mingle in the streets with religious pilgrims come to pay their respects to Bernadette of Lourdes, gourmands attracted by the local nougatine sweets, and shoppers out to buy fine hand-painted pottery. Faïence, as it's called, has been a hallmark of Nevers since the seventeenth century, and is painted in the deep colour known as bleue de Nevers; there's a stunning new museum – the Musée de la Faïence et des Beaux Arts – celebrating the renowned earthenware, housed in the restored Abbaye de Notre Dame at 15 rue St-Genest.
Place Carnot is the hub of the centre; nearby, just above the tourist office you'll find the fifteenth-century Palais Ducal, former home of the dukes of Nevers, which has octagonal turrets and a central tower adorned with elegantly carved hunting scenes. That aside, Nevers' main attractions are its religious monuments, including the Cathédrale de St-Cyr and the late eleventh-century church of St-Étienne.
The Côte d'OrSouth of Dijon, the attractive countryside of the Côte d'Or is characterized by the steep scarp of the côte, wooded along the top and cut by sheer little valleys called combes, where local rock climbers hone their skills. Spring is a good time to visit this region; you can avoid the crowds and the landscape is a dramatic symphony of browns – trees, earth and vines – punctuated by millions of bone-coloured vine stakes, standing like crosses in a vast war cemetery. The main administrative and shopping centre is the beautiful city of Beaune, south of which is the Great Wine Route, which checks off the big names in Burgundy winemaking.
BeauneBeaune, the principal town of the Côte d'Or, manages to maintain its attractively ancient air, despite a near-constant stream of wine aficionados using the place as their base. Narrow cobbled streets and sunny squares dotted with cafés make it a lovely, albeit expensive, spot to sample the region's wine. Beaune's chief attraction is the fifteenth-century hospital, the Hôtel-Dieu, founded in 1443 by chancellor of Burgundy, Nicholas Rolin. As grateful ex-patients or their families donated vine plots to the hospital, the town prospered quickly to become the centre of the local wine trade. The cobbled courtyard is surrounded by a wooden gallery overhung by a massive roof patterned with diamonds of variegated tiles – green, burnt sienna, black and yellow – and similarly multicoloured steep-pitched dormers and turrets. Inside is a vast paved hall with a glorious arched timber roof, the Grande Salle des Malades, with the original enclosed wooden beds. Passing through two smaller, furnished wards, one with some stunning seventeenth-century frescoes, then the kitchen and the pharmacy, you reach a dark chamber housing the splendid fifteenth-century altarpiece of the Last Judgement by Rogier van der Weyden and the tapestry of St Eloi, which is comparable to the Lady and the Unicorn in the Musée National du Moyen Age in Paris.
The Great Wine RouteThe place names that line the legendary Great Wine Route National 74 – Gevrey-Chambertin, Vougeot, Vosne-Romanée, Nuits-St-Georges, Pommard, Volnay, Meursault – are music to the ears of wine buffs. These prosperous villages are full of wine cellars where you can get good advice on different vintages; you can taste and buy direct from the source at most of the vineyards by just turning up and asking.
If you're interested in French wine culture, it's worth visiting the Château du Clos-de-Vougeot to see the winemaking process. Particularly impressive are the mammoth thirteenth-century winepresses installed by the Cistercian monks who owned these vineyards for nearly seven hundred years. The land now belongs to more than eighty different owners, each growing and marketing their own wine.
The Saône valleyThe Saône valley south from Chalon-sur-Saône via Tournus all the way to Mâcon is prosperous and modern, nourished by tourism, industry (especially metalworking), and the wine trade. But turn your back on the river and head west and you immediately enter a different Burgundy, full of hilly pastures and woodland. This country is best known for its produce: the white wines of the Mâconnais are justly renowned, and the handsome white cattle that luxuriate in the green fields of the Charolais are an obvious sign that this is serious beef territory. In the past, the region was famed for its religious institutions; almost every village clusters under the tower of a Romanesque church, spawned by the authority of the great abbey at Cluny. Many large and powerful abbeys were established in the eleventh and twelfth centuries under the aegis of Cluny.
Chalon-sur-SaôneChalon is a sizeable port and bustling town on a broad meander of the Saône. Its old riverside quarter has an easy charm, and the town itself makes a cheap and cheerful base for exploring the more expensive areas of the Côte d'Or. The highlight of the old town, set just back from the river, is the lively place St-Vincent, where you can sit outside a café and admire the twin towers of the Romanesque cathedral, surrounded by medieval timber-framed houses. The Saône quays, meanwhile, provide some nice, though not always shaded, walking opportunities.
Chalon festivalsYou may be tempted to visit Chalon during the pre-Lent carnival (Feb or March), which features a parade of giant masks and a confetti battle, or for one of the most remarkable festivals in Burgundy, the three-day Montgolifiades, which has a display and a race of dozens of multicoloured hot-air balloons; it takes place in the last weekend of May. As most of the sponsors are wine producers, the event is a great excuse to drink and be merry.
ClunyScattered among the houses of the attractive modern-day town, the abbey of Cluny is the Saône Valley's major tourist destination. The monastery was founded in 910 in response to the corruption of the existing church, and it took only a couple of vigorous early abbots to transform the power of Cluny into a veritable empire. Second only to that of the pope, the abbot's power in the Christian world made even monarchs tremble. However, Cluny's spiritual influence gradually declined and the abbey became a royal gift in the twelfth century. Centuries later, in the wake of the Revolution, Hugues de Semur's vast and influential eleventh-century church, which had been the largest building in Christendom until the construction of St Peter's in Rome, was dismantled. The most exciting thing that has happened since has been the burial of Mme Danielle Mitterrand, the President's wife, in the town cemetery; her grave attracts many visitors.
What you see of the former abbey today is an octagonal belfry and the huge south transept. Standing amid these fragments of a once huge construction gives a tangible and poignant insight into the Revolution's enormous powers of transformation. Access to the belfry is through the Grand École des Ingénieurs, one of France's elite higher-education institutions, and you can often see the students in their grey lab coats.
MâconMâcon is a lively, prosperous town on the banks of the River Saône, 58km south of Chalon and 68km north of Lyon, with excellent transport connections between the two. A centre for the wine trade, with a surprisingly relaxed, seaside atmosphere, thanks to its long café-lined riverbank and free outdoor concerts in late June, July and August, it also boasts the best nightlife between Dijon and Lyon. It is, however, a nightmare to drive around and parking is problematic, so it's not recommended as a base for a regional wine-tasting tour for anyone renting a car.
Alphonse Lamartine: the great RomanticOften compared to Lord Byron, Alphonse Lamartine (1790–1869) is one of the best-known of the French Romantic poets. He was born and grew up in Milly (now called Milly-Lamartine), about 15km west of Mâcon, and published his first poetic work, Méditations poétiques, in 1820. After the 1830 Revolution in Paris, he became involved in politics and was elected to the Chambre des Députés in 1833.
Lamartine, having acquired a reputation as a powerful orator on the weighty questions of the day, like the abolition of slavery and capital punishment, had his finest hour was as the leading figure in the provisional government of the Second Republic, which was proclaimed from the Hôtel de Ville in Paris on February 23, 1848. He withdrew from politics when reactionary forces let the army loose on the protesting workers of Paris and Marseille in June 1848. Retiring to St-Point, he continued to write and publish until his death in 1869.
The Charolais and Paray-le-MonialThe Charolais takes its name from the pretty little water-enclosed market town of Charolles, with its 32 bridges, on the main N79 road. In turn, it gives its name to one of the world's most illustrious breeds of cattle: the white, curly-haired, stocky Charolais, bred for its lean meat. Throughout this region, scattered across the rich farmland, are dozens of small villages, all with Romanesque churches, the offspring of Cluny's vigorous youth.
Some 14km west of Charolles, across countryside that becomes ever gentler and flatter as you approach the broad valley of the Loire, is Paray-le-Monial, whose major attraction is its Basilique du Sacré-Coeur. Not only is it an exquisite building in its own right, with a marvellously satisfying arrangement of apses and chapels stacking up in sturdy symmetry to a fine octagonal belfry, it's the best place to get an idea of what the abbey of Cluny looked like, as it was built shortly afterwards in devoted imitation of the mother church.
The MâconnaisThe Mâconnais wine-producing country lies to the west of the Saône, a 20km-wide strip stretching from Tournus to just south of Mâcon. The region's best white wines, including all the grands crus and some of the best white grands crus, labelled Pouilly-Fuissé, come from the southern part of this strip, around the pretty villages of Pouilly, Vinzelles and Fuissé.
The Chardonnay grape is the most popular, with around 80% of vineyards in the region growing it. The area, in general, specialises in high-quality wines, mostly whites but distinctive reds and roses also make an appearance in most places.
Getting to the MaconnaisThe Maconnais is 2 hours from Paris or Marseille by train and an hour from Lyon. If travelling by car, follow the A6 and exit and Tournus or Macon.
Things to do in the MaconnaisThe Maconnais region, between Sennecey-le-Grand and Saint-Verand, has plenty of charming little towns and villages to explore.
MaconAlong the banks of the Saone River, lies Macon, the main city in the Maconnais region. Here you can explore the Old Cathedral of Saint Vincent and the New Cathedral of Saint Vincent. Simply strolling through the old town centre and walking down Quai Lamartine is pleasant enough, as with visiting the museum of Ursulines and the Church of Saint-Pierre.
ClunyCluny, North-east of Macon, is home to Cluny Abbey, a national monument of France. Once the largest in Europe, Cluny Abbey has a museum with historical collections and stonework that you can't help but admire. Exploring the streets of Cluny is just a lovely, with pretty old buildings and cobblestone streets.
Solutre-Pouilly VergissonThe national site of Solutre-Pouilly Vergisson is not just known for its vineyards but it's the classic landscape of limestone cliffs and lush green vegetation. Explore the area and look out for the infamous Solutre rock.
Berze-le-ChatelThe Berze-le-Chatel is a castle made up of a fortress, 13 towers and beautiful terraced gardens providing views of the rolling vineyards and cliffs.
Top Image: Vineyard in The Maconnais © Catalinka / Shutterstock
TournusGraced by ancient, golden buildings, Tournus is a beautiful little town on the banks of the Saône, 28km south of Chalon. Its main attraction is the old abbey church of St-Philibert, one of the earliest and thus most influential Romanesque buildings in Burgundy. Its construction began around 900 AD but the present building dates back to the first half of the eleventh century. The facade, with its powerful towers and simple decoration of Lombard arcading, is somewhat reminiscent of a fortress.
The wines of BurgundyBurgundy farmers have been growing grapes since Roman times, and Burgundy's wines are some of the most renowned in the world. In recent years, though, Burgundy's vineyards, and those in other regions of France, have suffered due to competition from the southern hemisphere. However, because of stringent legal restrictions banning watering and other interference, French wines, more than others, remain a faithful reflection of the terroir where they are produced, and Burgundy experts remain confident that the climate and soil of their region will fight off any temporary economic challenges.
Burgundy's best wines come from a narrow strip of hillside called the Côte d'Or that runs southwest from Dijon to Santenay, and is divided into two regions, Côte de Nuits (the better reds) and Côte de Beaune (the better whites). High-quality wine is certainly produced further south as well though, in the Mâconnais and on the Côtes Chalonnaises. Reds from the region are made almost exclusively from the Pinot Noir grape, while whites are largely from Chardonnay. Fans of bubbly should look out for the often highly regarded sparkling whites, which crop up across the region and won't set you back half as much as a bottle of Champagne.
The single most important factor determining the "character" of wines is the soil. In both the Côte d'Or and Chablis, its character varies over very short distances, making for an enormous variety of taste. Chalky soil makes a wine drier and more acidic – while clay brings more fruitiness and body to it.
For an apéritif in Burgundy, you should try kir, named after the man who was both mayor and MP for Dijon for many years after World War II – two parts dry white wine, traditionally aligoté, and one part cassis. To round the evening off there are many liqueurs to choose from, but Burgundy is particularly famous for its marcs, of which the best are matured for years in oak casks.
The Yonne valleyBurgundy begins just south of Fontainebleau, near where the river Yonne joins the Seine, and follows the Yonne valley through the historic towns of Sens and Joigny before it reaches Auxerre. Scattered in a broad corridor to the east and west in the riverbanks of the Yonne's tributaries – the Armançon, Serein, Cure and Cousin – is a fascinating collection of abbeys, châteaux, towns, villages and other sites as ancient as the history of France. They all deserve a visit, for reasons ranging from architecture (Pontigny) and wine (Chablis) to sheer secluded beauty (Noyers-sur-Serein).
Chablis and aroundSome 16km south of Pontigny, the pretty red-roofed village of Chablis is home to the region's famous dry white wines. Lying in the valley of the River Serein, the town is surrounded by rows of vines, interspersed with yellow splashes of fields full of sunflowers. While wandering around the wealthy, modern village take a look at the side door of the church of St-Martin, which is decorated with ancient horseshoes belonging to sick horses left by visiting pilgrims – St-Martin being the protector of horsemen.
The wacky Corkscrew and Vineyard Museum at Beine, a ten minutes' drive west of Chablis, is great fun; spot the phallic and occasionally X-rated bottle-openers and corkscrews, and indulge in a little wine tasting.
Chablis winesThe combination of fossilized/limestone Jurassic soil, as well as a perfect vineyard climate with hard, wet winters and dry, sunny summers have made the village of Chablis one of the best-known names in dry white wines. Chablis follows the four Burgundy denominations in its own, particular way: the plots on a plateau are the cheapest, denominated as Petit-Chablis. The ones with a northern or eastern orientation (and thus limited sun exposure) are simply called Chablis. Those facing south or west are much more expensive and classified into 79 premiers crus. At the top of the pyramid are 103 hectares on the west side of the Serein facing south and comprising just seven Grand Crus that many believe produce the finest dry white wine in France: Blanchot, Bougros, Le Clos, Grenouilles, Preuses, Valmur and Vaudésirs. You can pick up a premier cru bottle in local cellars for €20 and a Grand Cru for less than €40.
For tastings try domain Jean-Marc Brocard in Préhy; they use a unique biodynamic model of viniculture which they are happy to explain to you (in English). Vititours offer English-speaking tours that end in tastings. They can pick you up from any hotel within a 35km radius of Chablis, which includes Auxerre. The hotel Du Vieux Moulin also offers tastings of its own domain Laroche.
Eating and drinkingThe café terraces on place de la République are a great spot for a drink or light meal and are open quite late by French provincial standards.
Noyers-sur-SereinAround 23km southeast of Chablis – you'll need to drive, or take a taxi (about €35–40 from Tonnerre or Montbard train stations) – you come to the beautiful little town of Noyers-sur-Serein. Half-timbered and arcaded houses, ornamented with rustic carvings – particularly those on place de la Petite-Étape-aux-Vins and around place de l'Hôtel de Ville – are corralled inside a loop of the river and the town walls; you can pass a few pleasant hours wandering the path between the river and the irregular walls with their robust towers. The Serein here is as pretty as in Chablis, but Noyers, being remarkably free of commercialism, has more charm.
PontignyPontigny lies 25km east of Joigny, and has a beautifully preserved twelfth-century Cistercian abbey church, standing on the edge of the village. There's no tower, no stained glass and no statuary to distract from its austere lines, though the sombre effect is somehow compensated for by the seventeenth-century choir that occupies much of the nave.
Three Englishmen played a major role in the abbey's early history, all of them archbishops of Canterbury. Thomas Becket took refuge from Henry II in the abbey in 1164, before moving to Sens in 1166; Stephen Langton similarly hid here during an argument over his eligibility for the primacy from 1207 to 1213; finally, Saint Edmund of Abingdon retired here in 1240, after unsuccessfully trying to stand up to Henry III. Saint Edmund's relics lie in a seventeenth-century tomb inside the abbey.


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Formal Declaration of War for Karen.
I am so speechless. I tried to tell you. I tried to sit down and talk with you. I was ignored. I was met with threats. Now who has the problem? Can you really fight a doctors opinon? You wanted this. I just wanted you to keep your word. Now she doesn't have to suffer anymore zt your hands. I'm sure I'll get the random people messaging me threatening me, setting my stuff on fire. It's ok though. The truth will set me free. Will it you? I bet your wishing you would of sat down and talked it out.


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Update: On April 16th 2021, Slash GraphQL was officially renamed Dgraph Cloud. All other information below still applies.
In October 2020, Dgraph put out a call to all GraphQL, coding, and UX/UI enthusiasts. Our Hack & Slash Hackathon gave developers from around the world a chance to build web apps, plugins, bots, and more. To help innovation and creativity run free, Slash GraphQL lets users create apps without the need for backend management.
Of course, there were prizes, too. 1st place took home $3000, with 2nd and 3rd place getting $2000 and $1000 respectively. Students with top submissions could also land an internship opportunity with Dgraph Labs.
Over 180 ideas were submitted for the Hackathon, with 42 getting shortlisted. In the end, Dgraph received 18 submitted prototypes. There were some creative and innovative ideas, which made the judging process difficult for the panel of judges at Dgraph.
Looking for inspiration for your next GraphQL project? These winning ideas could give you a push in a fun, new direction.
#3 - Automatic Timetable Generator is a tool for students, building their schedule each term. Students can select courses with multiple available times and the timetable generator will build conflict-free options.
#2 - Graphy - Turn your workflows into amazing forms and surveys. Graphy is a drag and drop survey tool that lets you build better feedback flows.
Winner - Complete Shakespeare: Shakespeare Alexa Skill powered by Slash GraphQL is a graph database of every chapter, play, and paragraph ever written by Shakespeare. It sources data from, and is the spiritual successor to, the Open Source Shakespeare project. An Alexa skill consumes this data, letting you query Shakespeare in natural language. You can ask questions like "Who is Lady Macbeth?" or "Which Shakespeare plays have Henry in them?"
We invite you to check out the projects in more detail to dive into the code and how it all works. But we wanted to know how the Hackathon went. Shardul Aeer, our winner answered our questions:
How did you hear about the Hackathon?
Learned about Dgraph from Hacker News. It's been Google and FB ads after that.
What made you excited to take part?
Was looking to evaluate Dgraph for a while, the hackathon provided an occasion for that. Writing DB schemas and resolvers was a pain point when using GraphQL, Dgraph solved this problem beautifully.
Where did you get the idea for the project?
From the Star Wars API used by graphql.org. I used Alexa because it's simple to work on- no CSS or JS frameworks to juggle around.
What are you going to do with the prize?
It's bootstrap capital for an ongoing venture.
How long did the project take?
About 1.5 weeks to complete - most of that time was spent cleaning the data. Integrating with Alexa only took a couple of days.
Don't miss our next Hackathon or other exciting events. Be sure to join the Dgraph community, and sign up for our newsletter. What prize-winning ideas will you submit?


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Dinosaur Jr Announce More 2017 North American Tour Dates, Listen
Alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr just added several more North American dates to their ongoing 2017 tour. The dates will begin in September following the band's European leg, which runs from June through most of July. The North American dates will see John Brannon's band Easy Action as the opening act. A complete list of dates can be found below.
On August 5, 2016, Dinosaur Jr released their eleventh studio album Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not via Jagjaguwar. The music video for first single "Tiny" can be streamed below.
Dinosaur Jr 2017 Tour Dates
Jun 04 Dinosaur Jr. @ L'Usine Geneva, Switzerland
Jun 05 Dinosaur Jr. @ Dachauer Musiksommer Dachau, Germany
Jun 06 Dinosaur Jr. @ Im Witzemann Stuttgart, Germany
Jun 07 Dinosaur Jr. @ Schlachthof Wiesbaden, Germany
Jun 09 Dinosaur Jr. @ Download Festival Paris, France
Jun 10 Dinosaur Jr. @ Sideways Fest Helsinki, Finland
Jun 12 Dinosaur Jr. @ Grosse Freiheit 36 Hamburg, Germany
Jun 13 Dinosaur Jr. @ Zeche Bochum, Germany
Jun 14 Dinosaur Jr. @ Paradiso Amsterdam, Netherlands
Jun 15 Dinosaur Jr. @ Schlachthof Bremen, Germany
Jul 08 Dinosaur Jr. @ Mad Cool Festival Madrid, Spain
Jul 09 Pointu Festival Six Fours Les Plages, France
Jul 10 Carroponte Milan, Italy
Jul 11 Parco Della Musica Padua, Italy
Jul 12 Plaza Zurich, Switzerland
Jul 14 ROCK HERK FESTIVAL Herk De Stad (Limburg), Belgium
Jul 15 Dinosaur Jr. @ Benicassim Festival Benicàssim, Spain
Jul 18 Anfiteatro Estate Terni Terni, Italy
Jul 19 Conrad Sohm Dornbirn, Austria
Jul 20 Dinosaur Jr. @ Wuk Vienna, Austria
Jul 22 Laugardalshöllin Reykjavik, Iceland
Aug 03 Pickathon 2017 Happy Valley, OR
Sep 15 Dinosaur Jr. @ Riot Fest Chicago, IL
Sep 27 Dinosaur Jr. @ The Met w/ Easy Action Pawtucket, RI
Sep 28 Dinosaur Jr. @ Chameleon Club w/ Easy Action Lancaster, PA
Sep 29 Dinosaur Jr. @ Union Transfer w/ Easy Action Philadelphia, PA
Sep 30 Dinosaur Jr. @ State Theater w/ Easy Action Ithaca, NY
Oct 02 Dinosaur Jr. @ Brooklyn Bowl w/ Easy Action Brooklyn, NY
Oct 03 Dinosaur Jr. @ Brooklyn Bowl w/ Easy Action Brooklyn, NY
Oct 04 Dinosaur Jr. @ The Sinclair w/ Easy Action Cambridge, MA
Oct 05 Dinosaur Jr. @ The Sinclair w/ Easy Action Cambridge, MA
Oct 08 Dinosaur Jr. @ The National w/ Easy Action Richmond, VA
Oct 10 Dinosaur Jr. @ The Orange Peel w/ Easy Action Asheville, NC
Oct 11 Dinosaur Jr. @ The Mill & Mine w/ Easy Action Knoxville, TN
Oct 12 Dinosaur Jr. @ Saturn w/ Easy Action Birmingham, AL
Oct 13 Dinosaur Jr. @ Varsity Theatre w/ Easy Action Baton Rouge, LA
Oct 14 Dinosaur Jr. @ Granada Theater w/ Easy Action Dallas, TX
Oct 16 Dinosaur Jr. @ Sunshine Theater w/ Easy Action Albuquerque, NM
Oct 17 Dinosaur Jr. @ Van Buren w/ Easy Action Phoenix, AZ
Oct 18 Dinosaur Jr. @ The Observatory w/ Easy Action Santa Ana, CA
Oct 20 Dinosaur jr. @ The Regency Ballroom w/ Easy Action San Francisco, CA
Oct 21 Dinosaur Jr. @ The Fonda Theatre w/ Easy Action Los Angeles, CA
Oct 24 Dinosaur Jr. @ The Gothic Theatre w/ Easy Action Englewood, CO
Oct 26 Dinosaur Jr. @ The Palace Theatre w/ Easy Action St. Paul, MN
Oct 27 Dinosaur Jr. @ Codfish Hollow w/ Easy Action Maquoketa, IA
Oct 28 Dinosaur Jr. @ Founders Brewing Co. w/ Easy Action Grand Rapids, MI
Oct 29 Dinosaur Jr. @ Mr. Small's Theatre w/ Easy Action Millvale, PA


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A lift kit allows you to raise the suspension of your truck, pushing the tires further away from the fenders. Lift kits are one of the most popular truck upgrades available, and there are many reasons why you might want to add one to your vehicle. Here are the key benefits that truck lift kits can offer your vehicle.
Ease of navigating off-road terrain
If you like to drive off-road, adding a lift kit to your truck is a must. Driving off-road is a great adventure, but it can also damage your vehicle and be uncomfortable for passengers. A better suspension makes it much easier to navigate your vehicle as you drive off-road. With a good lift kit, you'll be able to explore without worrying about damage to your truck. You'll even be able to drive over rocks, which can be dangerous without a lifted suspension.
Better aesthetics
Besides all of the functional benefits of a lifted suspension, it also just makes the vehicle look more aesthetically pleasing. A custom lift kit can help you get the look you want from your truck, so you'll be the envy of everyone else on the road.
Better visibility
Another advantage of putting a lift kit on your truck is that you will get much better visibility when you're out on the road. Since the lift kit raises your suspension, you'll have a much better vantage point while you're driving. This will help you to drive more safely and prevent accidents.
Easier to tow and repair
A truck with an upgraded suspension is actually much easier to tow than one that does not have an upgraded suspension. While no one wants to have to tow their truck, an upgraded suspension makes it much easier. A lifted suspension also makes it much easier to access the underbody of the truck. This will make certain types of truck repairs much easier, particularly if you want to make a repair on your own.
Auto Kicks offers lift kits for many different types of trucks, including all popular models of Ford, Jeep, Ram, Chevrolet. We are based on Long Island, New York, and offer a wide range of services for truck customization. Contact us today to learn more about our advanced truck lift kits.


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Programme notes
To start the final leg of our 'Tune In' series, we are delighted to welcome our long-time friends, The David Gordon Trio. They are a group of musicians whom we have been extremely fortunate to have collaborated with on several occasions in our 30-year history, and we are thrilled to be featuring them in our concert series.
David Gordon – piano
Oli Hayhurst – bass
Tom Hooper – drums
The David Gordon Trio has a unique and individual sound world, a strong pedigree and a worldwide following. Their music is characterised by searingly beautiful melodies, free-flowing improvisation and quick-fire humour. All their recordings have received rave reviews in the media in the USA, Japan and Europe, where they have sold more than 10,000 CDs, with their 2016 album Alexander Scriabin's Ragtime Band receiving the coveted award of Mojo's Jazz CD of the Year.
The Trio has played festivals, radio and clubs in Europe and the UK, and also collaborated with a wide variety of artists, from singer Jacqui Dankworth and saxophonists Andy Sheppard and Jerry Underwood, to guitarist John Etheridge and tap-dancer/vocalist Lucy Dixon.
For more information, visit their website: www.davidgordontrio.com


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Bears Pro Bowl defensive tackle Akiem Hicks is featured in an entertaining and informative film session with former offensive lineman and current analyst Brian Baldinger on NFL Game Pass.
Taped during Super Bowl week in Atlanta, Baldinger breaks down what makes Hicks such a dominant defender against both the run and pass. The 6-5, 332-pounder has excelled in three seasons with the Bears, recording 163 tackles, 23 sacks, five forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and 38 tackles-for-loss.
During a live demonstration, Hicks lines up across from Baldinger, who played 11 NFL seasons with the Cowboys (1982-87), Colts (1988-90) and Eagles (1992-93).
"It's a hand game and it's a power game," Hicks tells Baldinger in the video. "There are so many things you can do if you have proper hand placement and strength behind it."
Baldinger shows a play from last year's season opener in which Hicks overpowers a Packers guard by grabbing his wrist and pushing his arm back up in the air. The move led to Hicks producing a strip/sack of Aaron Rodgers.
"Of all the pass rush I saw you do this year, this was my favorite rush of yours," Baldinger says to Hicks. "Back when I was playing, the worst thing was guys that grabbed my wrist. When they got my wrist, I could not reset. I couldn't get my hands back inside. I lost all of my center gravity.
"What you do right here, I feel like it's almost a lost art until I see guys like you do it."
Baldinger and Hicks both enjoyed the film session. Appearing on "The Mully and Haugh Show" on WSCR-AM 670 Friday, Baldinger revealed that Hicks provided a jolt of energy after the film crew had spent 8-9 hours in the same room taping segments with other NFL players.
"He lit the whole place up," Baldinger said. "He was just into it. He was into talking about football, he was into being a Chicago Bear, he was into his position, he was just into the whole thing. We could have sat there for hours.
"There are just not many defensive tackles that are that size. He's massive and he's strong. You see the whole thing come together when you watch him play. He's just a really gregarious, outgoing fun guy to be around."
Hicks relished the opportunity to talk football with Baldinger.
"It was really enjoyable," Hicks said. "He does a really good job with that type of stuff. [It involved] breaking down the type of player I am. Also breaking down how I see the game differently at this point in my career and really just some fun football shop talk."


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This 2022, the cricket world is seeing a lot of changes. But what amazes fans are the breakout stars that are coming to the spotlight. These are the nine players who are either in the early stages of their international career or about to make their debut that cricket fans should look out for. If you want to follow their careers, make sure that you are updated with the cricket score.
Josh Inglis
Josh Inglis is the name to watch out for. This Australian cricketer was born in England, but the family, later on, moved to Australia when he was 14 years old. In February 2022, Inglis made his international debut when he became a part of the Australian cricket team.
Maheesh Theekshana
Fans are looking forward to the moment that Theekshana will finally cement his place in the international cricket world. This professional Sri Lankan cricketer made his intentional debut for Sri Lanka in 2021.
Mohammad Huraira
He is only 19-years-old, but Mohammad Huraira is the second Pakistani teen to have scored a triple century in first-class cricket. Before his first-class debut in 2021, Huraira was named in Pakistan's team for the 2020 Under-19 Cricket World Cup.
Ravi Bishnoi
Bishnoi is one of the best white-ball players to watch out for this year. In 2022 Under 19 Cricket World Cup, he played for India and became the tournament's highest wicket-taker. The Indian cricketer made his international debut in February 2022 for the India cricket team.
Saqib Mahmood
Mahmood of England has an impressive performance in 2021 against Pakistan. In 2015, he was named the England Development Programme Cricketer. Experts believe that Mahmood will be making it into England's team this year.
These are just some of the many breakout stars that 2022 cricket should be watching out for. They have already made a name for themselves, but there is no doubt that they can prove more to their fans.


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