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The 100 Greatest Sega Dreamcast Games of All Time! Counting Down #080 to #061...
HEY! Part One - counting down #100 to #081 - can be can be found right here.
It's been 13 years to the month since the Sega Dreamcast was released in North America, and to commemorate the console's birthday, I decided to embark upon a journey to quantify and rank the 100 greatest titles the system had to offer. It was a gargantuan assignment, obviously, but it was also an absolute blast to take such an all-encompassing trip (really, more of an extended vacation) down memory lane; if you have half as much fun reading it as I had writing it, than I know I've made DJ Professor K and Big the Cat proud.
At this point, what more can be said about the Dreamcast? It was the Kurt Cobain of gaming consoles, that amazing, stellar vision that arrived, changed the industry forever, and then faded away long before its time. It was radical, it was revolutionary, it was, for lack of a better term, freaking awesome, and believe you me - narrowing the list down to just 100 games was a challenge in and of itself.
Before we get down to business, a few notes about the countdown:
1. To make things less complicated, I tried to list ONLY Sega Dreamcast games that were given North American releases WHILE the console was still in production. So, if you're wondering why games like "Ikuraga" and "Segagaga" didn't make the list…that's why.
2. There's no real set criteria for my rankings. Simply put, I just weighed the overall quality of the games with their influence on my youth, and arranged the countdown accordingly. Your list, most certainly, would differ.
3. Note that this is a list of the GREATEST Dreamcast games ever and NOT the best (which, by the way, is not an interchangeable term for "favorite," either.) You may think some of my selections are weak, and that's totally cool. If you disagree, feel free to drop a comment or two. Just try to be civil about it, OK!
4. And lastly, did you know that if you put most first-party Dreamcast games in a CD player, you'll oftentimes get a brief, humorous message telling you not to do that shit? Well, you will.
And with the fine print out of the way, who is ready to party like it's 9/9/99?
Hydro Thunder"Hydro Thunder" was a launch window release for the Dreamcast, so understandably, most people assumed it was going to suck. As it turned out, however, the arcade port was actually one of the great, unheralded titles released in 1999, and a "Wave Race"-style game that remains pretty damn fun today.
This racer is no frills gaming at its best. Forget things like "customization" and "fine tuning," with "Hydro Thunder," it's a select screen, a level select, and then, balls out arcade fun, While the graphics look a little harsh these days, the controls are still intuitive and the tracks are just as fun as they were during the latter days of the Clinton Administration…even if the seat with a sub-woofer installed in it wasn't included on the home version.
There are only a few vehicles at your disposal, but the levels are very diverse (everything from an arctic landscape to a post-apocalyptic New York) and there's definitely a lot of replay value. As with many other Midway titles of the timeframe, this game was an absolute hoot as a multiplayer experience - so if you and your best buds haven't experienced it before, I think you're all long-overdue for a play through or two on this one.
Maken X"Maken X" is pretty much what would happen if Alejandro Jodorowski was commissioned to design a first person shooter. And the game itself, I assure you, is every bit as awesome as that premise sounds.
From the opening cinematic of the game - in which a gaggle of anime characters bring a cybernetic sword "to life" before an army of literally sharp-tongued Neo-Nazis invade a research facility - you just know you are in store for all kinds of awesomeness. "Maken X" is a rare entry in the first person slicer genre - so although the game takes place through the "eyes" of the character you are playing, you're actually wielding huge assed cutlery as opposed to your standard firearms and whatnot. The graphics are stellar, and the swashbuckling gameplay is extremely satisfying. In addition to some truly kick ass boss fights, let's just say that the narrative takes a LOT of unexpected twists and turns as the game unfolds. If you're looking for a game that breaks away from all those boring ass action-game conventions, this is one title you definitely need to add to your queue.
Of course, most analysts will tell you that the original Japanese version of the game is the best way to go, and they're probably right. Not only does that version have much improved voice acting, it also has a lot of material that ended up getting cut from the Western release…including a pair of swastika-headed enemies and even a boss fight inside the Vatican…against the Pope himself!
Sword of the Berserk: Guts' RageI've never been a big fan of anime or manga, so I really don't know the first thing about the "Berserk" franchise. Additionally, I've never really been that big a fan of the hack and slash genre, but there's just something about "Guts' Rage" that jumps out at me…and no, it's not just the copious amount of plasma flying all over the gaming landscape.
If you've ever played a "Dynasty Warriors" game, you know what to expect here. The gameplay is very smooth, and the graphics are generally pretty good. The game also implemented a lot of neat little hooks, including a "rage mode" that gave you super-duper powers when you were at death's doorstep, as well as series of quick-time-events that actually had bearings on the outcome of the story.
Admittedly, the story is a little generic, and there's probably way too many cut scenes in the game, but overall, "Guts' Rage" is a fun, hyper-violent title with plenty of action, kick-ass swordplay, and some of the dopest boss battles to be found on the Dreamcast. If you're in need of a good bloodbath - and definitely if you are in need for a challenging single-player experience - then "Guts' Rage" is a title you definitely need to give a try.
Silent ScopeFor awhile, it seemed like the Dreamcast was going to be an absolute haven for light gun shooters. I mean, shit, this is the same company that gave us "Virtua Cop" and "The House of the Dead"…how could the company's newfangled console NOT be glutted with such genre offerings?
Well, unfortunately, the aftermath of the Columbine tragedy insured that our offerings on the Dreamcast were to be limited, and as a result, this port of the Konami arcade hit DOESN'T support light gun gameplay in ANY regard. It's a loss, no doubt, but thankfully, the gameplay here is still solid and addictive, making the title a worthy addition to any Dreamcast owner's library, anyway. And hey, at least they included jump pack support for us.
There's not really too much to talk about in "Silent Scope." There are a ton of levels, with a wealth of game modes to run through, including a pretty entertaining (and challenging) story mode and a few time trial modes that will really keep you glued to your VMU. That, and if you're wondering where Chris Nolan got the idea for the football stadium scene in "The Dark Knight Rises"…
Ooga Booga"Ooga Booga" was an online game that played out, basically, like an amalgam of "Worms" and "Pikmin"…with just a little bit of "Super Smash Bros." and "MDK" thrown in for good measure. And if that's not enough to pique your interest? One of the playable characters is Honest Abe himself.
Thankfully, "Ooga Booga" has an offline mode, so you can still play the title now, and if you never tried it out back in the day, you really don't know what you're missing. Not only is this one of the most absurdly underrated games on the Dreamcast, it's also one of the finest party games to be found on the console.
If you want some insane death matches, this game delivers just such an experience and then some. Forget running around grey corridors and shooting each other with laser cannons, this game allows you to run around an entire archipelago, blowing the hell out of your best friends with all sorts of kooky weapons. The graphics are very well done, the audio is tremendous, and the gameplay is simplistic, yet immeasurably satisfying. And if you think "Halo" was the first multiplayer game to allow players to run each other over in warthogs…well, think again (and much, much literally, as well.)
Toy CommanderI am willing to bet my entire bank account that this game was ignored when it was initially released simply because gamers thought it was a part of the underwhelming "Army Men" series. And that is a deep, deep shame, because "Toy Commander" was one of the absolute best launch window games for the Dreamcast.
At first glance, the game bares an uncanny resemblance to a certain, extremely popular Pixar franchise - and the fact that the protagonist's name is "Andy" doesn't really help the title distance itself, either. However, the game quickly demonstrates itself to be a rather competent action-adventure game - in essence, sort of what would happen if you combined "Chibi Robo" and "Twisted Metal" into a single experience.
"Toy Commander," for the most part, is a vehicle based action game - albeit, with the hook that everything is set within the mind of a grade-school kid. While the "household warfare" shtick has been done before (like in "Micro Machines" and "Harley's Humongous Adventure"), "Toy Commander" manages to implement the concept better than just about any game I've played, with so many awesome, creative elements (like, using #2 pencils as weapons of mass destruction). The fact that the graphics and music are outstanding certainly doesn't hurt the title - nor does the shockingly fun multiplayer, which remains pretty much lag-free during even the most hellacious of skirmishes.
Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2It's a boxing game, in which Michael Jackson - yes, THAT Michael Jackson - is a playable character. For that reason, and that reason alone, it deserves a spot on the countdown. The fact that it's a really fun and well-designed arcade title, of course, is also warmly welcomed, I might add.
Much like "Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!", "Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2" is a game that features very simplistic boxing mechanisms AND an absolute wealth of partially offensive stereotypes to pummel. There's not a whole lot of meat to the game, but as far as just pick-up-and-play games go, this is one of the Dreamcast's most entertaining - and offbeat - titles. I mean, shit, where else are you going to see Shaquille O'Neal fight a robot, or watch Bill and Hilary have a knockdown, drag-out brawl?
Oh, and did I mention that MICHAEL FREAKING JACKSON is a playable character in the game?
AeroWings 2: AirstrikeAdmittedly, I'm not a really big fan of the flight sim genre, but I do find something peculiarly relaxing about those kinds of games. "AeroWings 2" is something of an arcade-flight sim hybrid, meaning it gives you pretty much the best of both worlds here - intricate, technical challenges, as well as a sense of pick-up-and-play instant gratification every time you flip on your console.
While the visuals and audio are nothing to write home about, the gameplay is very satisfying, and very nuanced. If you're all about quasi-authentic flight mechanics, you'll find them in "AeroWings 2," as large portions of the game can be spent honing your aviation prowess. And if you just want to shoot down some hot air balloons? Yeah, the game gives you that option, too.
If you're looking for a challenging game, this is definitely a title with a steep learning curve. Even so, it's also a very, very fine-tuned game, with a pretty outstanding multiplayer mode…that is, if you can find another person out there that has mastered the controls, anyway.
Sega Smash Pack Volume 1"Sega Smash Pack" was a compilation disc that contained a pretty eclectic assortment of games. In addition to having all-time Genesis masterpieces like "Vectorman" and "Shining Force," it also featured some, well, less-expected titles, including, among others, an unreleased arcade wrestling game from the early '90s, a really fun freeware title called "Sega Swirl" and even the PC version of "Virtua Cop 2," which, awesomely, allowed for light gun use.
A lot of people complained about the quality of the ports, especially regarding the audio - as if "Altered Beast" was ever that much of an aural pleasure to begin with. Even so, you really can't complain about the quantity of games you're getting with the package - the first Sonic game, "Phantasy Star II" and even a mildly censored "Revenge of Shinobi," on one CD-ROM? How about yeah!
That, and the game became infamous after a warez group found a way to turn the disc into an all-purpose Sega Genesis emulator…and if that's not bizarre enough, the process was apparently simplified, as a programmer apparently left directions on how to co-opt the emulator WITHIN the actual game data itself!
Dead or Alive 2The Dreamcast is often celebrated for bringing better-than-arcade quality graphics to home consoles for the first time. It's also celebrated for giving gamers the first truly great online service for a home system. And among those pioneering accomplishments, "Dead or Alive 2" demonstrates an equally important milestone in home computing - the debut of in-game breast physics.
OK, so maybe the fighting engine in DOA2 isn't on par with "Soul Calibur," or "Virtua Fighter 3" or even "Fighting Vipers" on the Saturn, but there's no denying that it's a fun, fun title, regardless. It may not be the deepest fighter on the system, but the controls are just spot-on, and the visuals, even now, look mighty damned impressive.
There's just too much to like about this game, from the bizarre character designs (the dude from "Ninja Gaiden" versus a Sisqo clone? Why the hell not?) to the multi-tiered stages to the counter-system to the awesomely goofy story mode. The game may set the women's rights movement back a couple of decades, but other than, it's a downright excellent little offering.
Sega Rally 2"Sega Rally 2" is simply fantastic, no-frills arcade racing at its finest. Although a lot of hardcore gear heads will probably be turned off by the lack of realism and customization features, as long as you have a proclivity for high speed, super-satisfying racing game play, I have a difficult time imagining anyone being disappointed by this offering.
While the graphics, generally, are quite week compared to today's standards, it's still a fairly impressive game for its time, with a particularly beautiful cockpit mode. I really like all of the environmental effects Sega threw into the game - really neat things like helicopters flying over the tracks, and track textures that alternate from gravel to tarmac and especially some of the in-game weather conditions. To this day, "Sega Rally 2" has some of the most fun snow-covered tracks I have ever experienced in a racing game.
While the model list isn't the most impressive (unless you really like Toyota Celicas, I suppose), the championship mode (which is comprised of 10 years worth of racing challenges) is definitely addictive, and the multiplayer, while not the best the system has to offer, is still very fun and enthralling. That, and it has quite possibly the most upbeat game over screen in history…
NFL Blitz 2001
"NFL Blitz 2001" is arguably the greatest game in the arcade-football series. What the game lacked in technical realism, it more than made up for in extremely satisfying, balls-out pigskin action. While the No-Fun-League today makes EA include "concussion safety" pointers in their modern games, the NFL was considerably more lenient during the Tagliabue era - so expect plenty of leg drops after the whistle and uncalled pass interference via clothesline whenever you play it.
The graphics may not have been the best, but the audio was pretty good and the gameplay itself was sensationally good. If you're looking for a party game, this is definitely one of the first games I would point you to - although the rubber band AI in the game, I must warn you, is absolutely notorious for cheating players out of victories in the fourth quarter.
Floigan Brothers Episode 1: Moigle's Secret ProjectEvery time I think about this game, I want to weep. This was precisely the kind of innovative, enjoyable, and original kind of game that you could only play on the Dreamcast at the time, and I can't help but ponder how the industry would have turned out differently had the system - and its library of unique, cutting-edge games - been more commercially successful.
"Floigan Brothers" is basically a platformer-puzzler-adventure game, with truly excellent visuals, fantastic sound design, and absolutely stellar controls. It's also one of the funniest games on the Dreamcast, in addition to being one of the console's most creative titles.
The game's "hook," I suppose, is that it's something of a "squad-based" platformer. You control a fairly diminutive character, who most rely upon his larger, stronger and (unfortunately, quite dim-witted) brother to solve a series of puzzles, so that you can progress to different areas of the game world. The thing is, the puzzles are actually pretty challenging, and there are so many different things you can do that, conceivably, spend hours just running around the place trying out different command combinations. For all of you jaded hipsters that bemoan the lack of originality in today's gaming climate - perhaps it would serve you well to revisit this criminally underappreciated 2001 offering from Visual Concepts.
Sega Bass FishingLeave it to Sega to not only make a FUN arcade fishing game, but an entire arcade fishing FRANCHISE.
It's really, really easy to dismiss a game like this, but if you've never actually played it - well, you might be surprised by just how addictive the experience is. While real-life fishing is a rather boring experience anchored around jigs and lures and lots and lots of waiting, "Sega Bass Fishing" throws you into high-speed angling, with a two minute time limit to hook and reel in as many bass as you can. Of course, you do get some options when it comes to equipment, but really…it's all about that fast-ass bass fishing right here.
The only regret I have about this game - which was one of the very first Dreamcast games I ever played - is that I never went out and picked up the proprietary fishing rod controller that Sega released alongside the game. Even so, this is a pretty damned fun game, with super enjoyable gameplay, even with a standard VMU pad. Sigh…is there anything Sega can't turn into an awesome gaming experience?
NBA 2KWhen it was announced that EA would not be supporting the Dreamcast, a lot of sports fans figured the DC was going to bomb when it came to licensed games. However, Sega not only created a damn fine multi-sports series of its own, but one that totally eclipsed what EA was doing on the PS1 and PS2 at the timeframe.
"NBA 2K" was one of the first basketball sims that I felt really captured the NBA atmosphere. The player introductions had this epic grandness to it, and the audio aspects of the game - the superb commentary, the roaring crowds, etc. -really gave the game a heightened sense of realism.
Of course, it was the gameplay that really stood out in "NBA 2K," and even now, it remains a very fun - if somewhat arcade-y - roundball experience. And damn, does this game have some awesome slam dunk animations!
Tennis 2K2Honestly, I don't know the first thing about tennis. In fact, next to golf, tennis is my most hated anything ever. And with that in mind, you KNOW Sega crafted one hell of a sports game when even an unabashed hater like me can enjoy their virtual recreation.
While it would have been very easy to turn this thing into a really polished "Pong," the guys at Hitmaker went that extra mile and made "Tennis 2K2" a very complex, very in-depth tennis title, with a relatively steep learning curve that, while initially frustrating, ultimately results in a highly technical, very cerebral sports game. And while the single-player mode is extremely satisfying, it's the multiplayer that really makes this one worth going out of your way to experience.
The mixed doubles aspect of the game may seem like an inconsequential gimmick, but trust me, it leads to one of the most strategic sports games experiences you'll ever play. It may take a while to get the controls down and really find your groove in the title, but once you do, you'll no doubt find yourself picking this one up time and time again.
Bust-A-Move 4The "Bust-A-Move" series has always been a deceptively simple - and unavoidably addictive - franchise. While "Bust-A-Move 4" may not be a visual powerhouse on par with "Soul Calibur," it's still a very fun, immensely enjoyable game, with a particularly satisfying versus mode.
If you've never played a "Bust-A-Move" game before, this iteration is pretty much the same as the previous three installments in the franchise - which, considering the extreme replayability here, is very much what I would consider a GOOD example of a developer not taking any chances with its IP.
There are a ton of game modes here, including a challenge mode and a fairly lengthy story mode. While the character design and audio choices may put off some gamers, I think the sheer fun of the gameplay here is enough to keep any true gamer reeled in for hours at a time. All in all, there weren't that many AAA-quality puzzle games on the Dreamcast - and certainly, "Bust-A-Move 4" is one of the absolute best genre titles that made it to Sega's last home console.
Bomberman OnlineIf you've never played a "Bomberman" game before, there's a few things you need to go do to yourself…starting with actually playing a "Bomberman" game the first chance you get (just as long as it wasn't released on the XB360, obviously.)
Of course, the big appeal of "Bomberman Online" way back when was that it was among the first puzzle games people could play online via a console with STEADY multiplayer support. Since the Dreamcast servers have been down for…yeah, about a solid decade now…sadly, you won't be able to play this game online anymore. That said, the game still has a tremendously fun single player mode, and the local area multiplayer is as satisfying as ever.
Despite receiving a graphical makeover (dig those cel-shaded graphics, no?), the game is very much a true "Bomberman" release, with gameplay that's virtually unchanged since the first game in the series was released on the NES. For those of you well-versed in Bombermanology, you already know how fun and intense theses games can be. And for those of you that are late (I mean, LATE) to the party? This is one Dreamcast title you SORELY need to experience.
4 Wheel ThunderI suppose you can count on one hand the number of "good" monster truck games that have been made since the days of the Atari 2600. While that racing subgenre has no doubt given us many, many atrocities over the years, "4 Wheel Thunder" remains not only an astonishingly enjoyable monster truckin' experience, but stands out as one of the absolute best non-traditional racing games on the Dreamcast.
Actually, calling this game a "monster truck" racer is sort of a misnomer, since there are tons of vehicles to choose from in the game. As in, a pretty damn astonishing number, actually, all of which can be tweaked, modified and fine tuned - a real anomaly among arcade racers of the timeframe.
The graphics are shockingly good, and the gameplay is even better, with vehicles handling as smoothly as you could imagine them. That, and the game provides a real challenge for a change - as far as "arcade" style racers go, this game is about as hardcore as they get. Even racing fanatics tend to overlook this unheralded Dreamcast classic - a real rubber-burner that any adrenaline junkie needs to find pronto.
Legacy of Kain: Soul ReaverWhile Eidos will forever be known as the house Lara Croft built, I think it's pretty much a consensus at this point that the company's true shining achievement were the "Legacy of Kain" games - an innovative, action-horror franchise that clearly influenced a generation of games, from the obscure "Shadow Man" to the very, VERY mainstream ("God of War," anybody?)
Although the "hopping between two worlds" motif had been done to death even before "Soul Reaver," was released, the game was pretty damn pioneering in regards to 3D action - even now, I consider it to be a way, way better non-2D "MetroidVania" game than just about anything that can be found on the PS3 or XB360.
The graphics were very, very good, and the combat, while mildly repetitive, was fairly solid, as well. That, and the game was really, really long, too - meaning you were almost guaranteed to end up spending many nights playing this one at 2 in the morning. A visually impressive title, with an immersive game world, and some really entertaining exploration elements? Yeah, there's not a whole lot of negatives one can bring up when discussing this one. Well, besides the main character's aversion to water, anyway…
And that folks, is our update for this week. Be sure to tune in next Friday for the second installment of the countdown, where we will countdown #060-#041 on our ever-dwindling list of the greatest Sega Dreamcast games of all-time. Until then, don't forget: it's still thinking…


text: Snowman Game Studio that brought us Alto's Adventure (and soon Alto's Odyssey) has released a couple teaser trailers for two other games they are collaborating with. One of them is "DISTANT" made by Slingshot and Satchel. A side-effect of having a really successful game such as Alto's Adventure for a small indie-studio is that you can help produce, distribute and raise awareness other indie developers games. Personally I think this is a win for everyone in the indie game community. Kill Screen has more from Ryan Cash of Snowman on what to expect from a game play stand-point. We will sure be following the process and development as more becomes available. Here is the trailer below.

subset: commoncrawl


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|Investment Services
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Educational Stages
From 4 months to university
SEK-Cataluyna is a member of the IB® World Schools International Community. The only school in Cataloniato teach three International Baccalaureate® (IB) programmes, from 12 to 18 years old, integrating them in the national curriculum.
The International Baccalaureate® (IB) programmes correspond to the following educational stages:
- Early Childhood and Primary Education – Primary Years Programme (PYP)
- Secondary Education – Middle Years Programme (MYP)
- Baccalaureate – Diploma Programme (DP)
Secondary School (12 - 16 Years)
Secondary School
IB® International Middle Years Programme (MYP)
International Baccalaureate® (IB) Middle Years Programme is integrated into the national curriculum and is focused on the development of student skills:
- It encourages student development in their roles as creative, critical and reflective thinkers, whilst encouraging them to be supportive, open-minded, and able to act upon and solve problems.
- It focusses on a deeper study of academic disciplines and recognition of the inter-relationships between these in order to address and understand the significant and relevant themes at an individual, national and global level.
- Tutorial action is focused on directing students' learning and helping them discover their potential.
Baccalaureate (16 - 18 Years)
IB® International Diploma Programme (DP)
Over this stage where students near Higher Education and professional life, SEK-Catalunya students experience learning that aims to foster intellectual and personal growth, evolving towards adulthood.
They can choose between taking the Spanish LOMCE Bachillerato or the bilingual IB® Diploma Programme, integrated into the national curriculum and which:
- Fosters critical thinking, solidarity and intercultural understanding.
- Involves the participation of international educators in the assessment processes.
- Requires all Baccalaureate students to complete the Diploma Programme Extended Essay, a rigorous and independent research project.


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S/V Aspen – December 15, 2009 – Log #22
Position: 9 degrees 22.1' N 79 degrees 57.0' W
(Cristobal/Colon, Panama)
It is the dry season, finally, in Panama. That means that the deluges that are called rain only occur less often than every day, as in November. The temperature hovers around 95 degrees with 98% humidity though. Remember, we are only 9 degrees or about 550 miles north of the equator.
Aspen is tied onto a nice floating dock here in Shelter Bay Marina, Panama. This is in the middle of the abandoned US Army base that used to be the vast expanse of Ft. Sherman. Now this area is a huge national park and the jungle has reclaimed most of the land around us.
The wildlife here is impressive: parrots, monkeys, snakes, el gato solo (some weird looking cat-like creature), leaf cutter ants, wild pigs, capybaras (very large rat-like things), birds, panthers, and even salt water crocodiles.
We walk throughout this area without worries because there are heavily armed Panama military guards that surround the perimeter of the old base. It seems that Panama doesn't want any more destruction of what is left here.
The old base is lost in a time-warp. The buildings are crumbling and abandoned while the jungle reclaims the land at will. After the US gave the Canal to Panama on December 31, 1999, the local governments fought over the land and since no one could win they just looted everything in sight.
So here we are, in the middle of the jungle, aboard Aspen, with strange creatures all around us, connected to the internet. Isn't this great?!?
Steve runs on the abandoned roads far and wide. One of the roads heads north and west to the river called Rio Chagres. This river was the richest in the world long before the canal was built. The Spanish explorers used the Rio Chagres to transport Inca gold and silver from the Pacific side to be loaded onto ships that waited on the Atlantic side, bound for Spain. Billions of dollars worth of gold flowed down this river. Even gold from the California Gold Rush came down this river headed for New York.
At the Caribbean entrance to the Rio Chagres stands a fort named Fort San Lorenzo or Castillo de San Lorenzo that dates back to 1592. It was built by the Spanish King Philip II only 100 years after Columbus arrived. The run up to this fort is spectacular!!! The old army road winds through the jungle with monkeys screaming from the tree-tops and unseen things making noises in the jungle all around. The fort sits atop a high bluff and guards the river entrance. It was at this spot that pirates like Sir Francis Drake and Sir Henry Morgan fought the Spanish for control of the riches flowing from Panama.
The run to the fort is nearly 7 miles one way but the rewards are without equal. Standing on the same spot that the conquistadors and pirates tread was humbling. Even today the mighty Rio Chagres is vital to Panama as it provides the Panama Canal with the necessary water to open and close the huge locks!
We are awed by the historical significance of Panama. The ghosts of The Camino Real, Portobello, Balboa, and even Bolivar are forever linked to this strategic country.
Maria keeps Aspen in great shape for the sailing adventures that lie ahead. Grocery shopping is always an adventure as you could imagine. There is a shuttle bus that departs twice a day from the marina that takes sailors to the nearest grocery store, about 30 minutes away. The store is well stocked and the prices are the best we have seen in the Caribbean. There are even lots of US brands to choose from. Knowing Spanish really helps when you are ordering meats from the meat counter! We found that our Spanish is pretty rusty but we are getting lots of practice using it again. The real adventure is getting the groceries back to the marina and aboard Aspen.
The road to and from the store passes next to and across the Panama Canal via a very small one lane bridge. This bridge is moved out of the way when ships are using the locks. Ships have priority so we can sit at this little bridge quite a while waiting to cross. At least we see the huge ships go by as we wait.
The bus that transports us is a small model that holds 25 people. Once you leave the grocery store to return to the marina, you have the same 25 people inside PLUS lots and lots of groceries. The bus also transports sailor's gas cans, propane cylinders and diesel jugs back to the marina. You can probably imagine what this bus looks like careening through the jungle on horrible roads loaded with gringos who are guarding their precious food and leaking fuel containers! The driver is oblivious to all the chaos going on behind him as he tries to avoid running over the snakes and animals that are trying to share the road with him. Every day is an adventure down here!
There are more pictures posted on the blog if you are interested.
Sail on sail on Aspen…
Steve and Maria
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Congratulations Jason!
On Thursday December 21 it was our extreme privilege to attend an Emergency Medical Services Exemplary Medal Award Ceremony for our president and friend Jason Brearley .
The exemplary service medal is awarded to persons in high risk professions who have dedicated themselves to Canada's public safety through long and outstanding service. By performing his vital duties in an exemplary manor, Jason improved the quality of our lives and our sense of security. Jason deserved this award as his patient care has been exemplary from the first day he became a Paramedic, treating patients with excellent care, respect and compassion.
This award was presented to Jason by Lieutenant General Richard Rohmer in front of a large crowd of friends, family and colleagues. Jason has been a leader improving the working conditions for paramedics and a passionate patient advocate.
OPSEU Local 303 congratulates you, Jason Brearley on this outstanding achievement. Thank you for your continued leadership and promotion of our profession.


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Beautiful Ideas English Cottage
English cottage is enjoying a beautiful place outdoors is often the dream of many people who are daily submerged in the stress of the city. However an excellent alternative is to have a comfortable cabin away from the chaos and sonic pollution that exists. Building a cabin is usually not as complicated as it usually seems, and there is a large number of materials that can be easily molded into the wood, bearing in mind that besides being a fresh material it can also be obtained in good quality and at a good price.
The first thing that must be done before determining the materials that will give life to the construction of the English cottage is to get the right place where it will be located. Taking into account the type of existing climate and what are the natural elements that surround this space, rivers, fruit trees, animals, among others.
12 Picture Gallery: Beautiful Ideas English Cottage
The company can assemble the structure, but also the users can do it. By acquiring a kit that includes the structure, the ceilings, the beams, the pavement and the insulation. The interior can be decorated according to the taste and style of each user, and according to the use you decide to give your small English cottage plans.
This post topic: Design


text: Programs: CHEF SCHOOL PROGRAMS How to Apply DOMESTIC STUDENTS INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS Open House: ATTEND OUR NEXT OPEN HOUSE If you love everything about food, you're in the right place. George Brown College offers a blend of theoretical and experiential education, students gain the skills and knowledge to achieve a successful career in today's culinary and food industry. Our culinary learning environments and experiential training locations are best-in-class. We also offer extensive externship and recruitment opportunities and a Dean's recognition program to help our students grow their skills in real world settings. Our commitment to being one of Canada's best culinary schools has led to the launch of the first four-year Culinary Management honours degree in Canada. You'll join over four decades of impressive alumni. We're proud to count the likes of Mark McEwan, Jamie Kennedy, Bonnie Stern, Roger Mooking, and several internationally recognized chefs among our graduates. Located in the heart of downtown Toronto, George Brown puts you at the centre of the culinary industry in Canada. The Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts is proud to be LEAF Certified through our positive efforts to become an environmentally-friendly and sustainable foodservice establishment. Learn more about our programs: Culinary Management Program (H100) Culinary Management (Integrated Learning) Program (H116) Culinary Management – Nutrition Program (H119) Culinary Skills Program (H134) (previously H112 Culinary Skills - Chef Training) Honours Bachelor of Commerce (Culinary Management) (H315) Honours Bachelor of Commerce (Culinary Management) (Bridging) (H316) Baking and Pastry Arts Management (H113) Food and Nutrition Management Program (Postgraduate) (H402) Culinary Arts - Italian (Postgraduate) Program (H411) Advanced French Patisserie (Postgraduate) Program (H413) Baking – Pre-Employment (H108) Cook Apprentice Program (H601) Baker / Patissier Apprentice Program (H600) Attend our Open House! Visit George Brown College by signing up for one of our Open House Discovery Days. You'll learn all about our programs and how to secure financial aid. Open House Discovery Days take place at 300 Adelaide St. East. Space is limited! Register for Open House


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We made it on TV!!! April 27 2018We made it on TV!!
We made it on TV!!! April 27 2018We made it on TV!!
Kentucky Crafted: The Market 2017 February 02 2017
We are extremely excited to have been accepted into the Kentucky Crafted program. We be set up at the Market for the first time this year. Please make plans to join us. There will be lots of cools things to see and purchase.
Tour Video of our process by Kentucky Proud October 28 2015
Just copy this like to your browser to view the video.
We were so excited to have this experience. It is was an adventure to film this. I hope this gives you all a idea of what we do. We love every minute of it.
Kentucky Proud!! November 22 2014
The Kentucky Proud staff has been wonderful to help us grown our small mom and pop business. Check out this article they wrote about us.
Our Farm made the Paper!!! August 08 2014
Our local paper came out to our farm for a series of article they were writing on "young" farmers. It turned out great please check it out!!!
Berea Craft Fair July 16 2014We had a wonderful weekend at the Berea Craft Fair. Great neighbors, great weather and fantastic customers. Looking forward to our next soap outing, Shaker Village Craft Fair the first weekend in August. Hope to see you there.
New Product!!! Goat Milk Lotion May 18 2014
Goat Milk Lotion, this is a very creamy long lasting lotion in a convenient pump bottle. This is soon to be your favorite go to lotion. Great to have on your desk at work to keep you hands soft and smooth. $12 for 8oz pump bottle.
Art in the Park Versailles KY May 18 2014
We are gearing up for our first art fair of the year. We are hoping for good weather. This is in a beautiful setting and is one of my favorite of the year. For more information please see the following link.
Appalachia Kentucky Proud February 19 2014
Kentucky Department of Agriculture release a new campain, Appalachia Kentucky Proud. We where mentioned in the action plan, on page 19 if you would like to check it out. It is a small thing but small thing mean the world to a small business. Thanks Department of Agriculture!!
Busy Restocking January 11 2014
Hello All,
We had an amazing Christmas season!!! We have been busy working on new fun spring products and replenishing our core line of scents and products. One of our new spring scents will be Lilac. Check it out. More to come soon.
New Year New Web Site December 07 2013
We are very excited to start our new, more user friendly website.
We are already planning for 2014. New soap scents are in the works along with new coloring techniques to make our goat milk soap irresistible to your eyes and nose.
We made 9 batches of soap this weekend. Pictures to follow soon.


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Fragile (2014)
Australian Writer/Director Juliet Juliana Mango's tale of an eight-year-old transgendered child featuring a solid acting performance by young Alex Bryans.
The Devil's Playground (1976)
An accurate portrayal of comradeship and the trials and tribulations associated with living at a boarding school.
The Life of Cardboard (2011)
What happens in the mind of a boy who is being bullied or ridiculed? This short film attempts to provide an answer.
The Rocket (2013)
Beautiful cinematography, set locations and, most of all, the performance of the young cast make this a film worth seeing.
Stew (2013)
Stew is a film about the past coming back to haunt the present.
Review : Great Adventures (2012)
The viewer is invited to take an epic journey in the 2012 short film Great Adventures.
Marry Me (2008)
Marry Me is a heartwarming short story written and directed by Michelle Lehman. It tells the story of a young girl who has a crush on a boy and is determined to marry him.


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PODGORICA: This is the last day for applications for MIDPOINT´s first intensive workshop dedicated to Montenegrin filmmakers, that will be organised in Podgorica from 12 to 15 October 2019. The workshop is organised together with the Film Centre of Montenegro and will focus on script and project development.
British script consultant David Pope will join MIDPOINT again as a group leader and he will be joined by the Slovenian producer Danijel Hocevar as producer tutor.
Click HERE for the press release.
Click here>>>


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Dear White People (including myself),
As Black History Month wraps up, I want to make a plea that we all choose not be done with Black History for the year.
Current events are daily revealing how necessary it is that all Americans learn Black History all year long.
For how long?
For as long as it takes for us to unwrite the rules we wrote when our brothers and sisters were enslaved and we did not count them as people.
For as long as it takes to unmake a system that has its roots planted deeply in white supremacy.
For as long as it takes for us to consider Black History as an integral part of American History, embedded in our lives and national stories, just like The Mayflower, The Pilgrims and Independence Day.
Extensive reading is my preferred (and maybe too easy) method of becoming awake to how the decks are stacked against our black and brown brothers and sisters in this country. But I am committing this year not to just reading about racism, but also to talking about it, to writing about it regularly and to calling it out in myself.
Let me say that again.
I am committed to calling out racism in myself.
Lamenting it.
Confessing it.
Repenting of it.
I like to say that I am about 67% woke. (That's probably generous.)
Woke refers to a state of being aware of racial injustice in the world.
So if I am 67% woke, that still leaves like 33% of me that is asleep, that is ruled by racism.
I was raised in a country that was founded on white supremacy, so I am going to have a natural bent towards participating in racism that is both underlying and overt. I would like to hurry up and follow that up by saying that I am not a racist, but the fact is that even when I unknowingly participate in racism, that makes me racist.
As a Christian (and an evangelical), I am repenting of being complicit in a system that has sold itself out in a grab for power. I am so sad that I am a part of tradition that was meant to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the world and instead seems to be the second coming of the Pharisees. I cannot make it right by saying I am not a part of the group, or I am not one of those kind of evangelicals. Somehow I stood by while we were seduced by the empire and so I participated.
For years and years, I was content to sit in a church on Sunday morning filled with people who looked like me, to fill the seats at my table with people who looked like me. I was content to read only books about people who looked like me, and I studied history that was missing the pieces that explain why life is so different for people who did not look like me.
I am lamenting that I did not notice how wrong this was. I am lamenting that my unwillingness to cross racial lines has contributed to walls that exist today, and to the rhetoric that is adding more bricks every day to those very walls, causing them to be thicker and harder to break down.
I confess that I have contributed to an atmosphere where we need to say out loud that Black Lives Matter, because the blood on the streets shows that these words are not a given. We must say that Black Lives Matter so that maybe one day we will live in a country where that is true to everyone. In fact, I believe that if we had made it true that Black Lives Matter then we would also have solved the problem of welcoming refugees, because if we raise up and value the lives of those who are different from us, then we will continue to do it with refugees and Muslims.
And so I repent that I personally have not always shown with my actions in the world that Black Lives Matter.
I repent that I have acted as though I am owed the privilege that I was born with. I pass through borders and drive by police cars without fear. I walk into stores and restaurants and never doubt that I will be treated with respect. I expect to have the very best possible schools for my children, without regard for the effect my school choices have on the districts and towns in which we have lived.
If I live to be 100 I cannot undo what I have done to uphold the standard of white supremacy in the US, and this fact overwhelms me. It overwhelms me so much that I considered not writing this letter. But even if I cannot undo all the things or do all that must be done, I can try.
I can do the little that I know how to do today. And tomorrow I can try to learn about another thing. I can work towards another half percent of being woke.
And I would be so honored if you would join me.
That's why I am making this page into a Get Woke Resource List, a page that I can add to whenever I come across something that contributes to my awareness of racial injustice. You can come back to it and read again and again because this journey towards racial reconciliation is long.
But I think the long journeys are the ones worth taking.
And I think that God is with us on the long journeys.
And when I think about Martin Luther King Jr, and I listen to his speeches, I remember how bravely he stood in the face of a long uphill climb that he knew would probably end in death.
And so how dare I grow tired?
If I ever say I am tired of hearing about racism, I will call myself out and repent.
Because, friends, think of how weary our black and brown brothers and sisters are of this battle.
So very weary. I hear it in their words. Laments for hard won changes that are given only to be revoked again or never enforced.
Let us not grow weary in doing good. Let us each find the part we have to do and do it. Let us lament. Let us confess. Let us repent.
Then maybe we can rise together.
In solidarity,
Reading Resource List
This is just a start on this list. I will continue to add to it. If you know of something I should add, feel free to send me an email (alison AT alisonchino DOT com) or tell me on Twitter.
Children's Books
Black History Children's Books
Sit In by Andrea Davis Pinkney
Let Freedom Sing by Vanessa Newton
The Youngest Marcher by Cynthia Levinson
The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles
The Great Migration with paintings by Jacob Lawrence
God Bless The Child by Billie Holiday, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney
March by John Lewis
Children's Books for Talking About Race
All the Colors We Are: The Story of How We Get Our Skin Color by Katie Kissinger
The Skin I'm In by Pat Thomas
Shades of People by Sheila M. Kelly
Children's Books with Black or Brown Protagonists
Chocolate Me by Taye Diggs
Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman
Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
The Barber's Cutting Edge by Gwendolyn Battle-Lavert
Dancing in the Wings by Debbie Allen
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Dear Martin by Nic Stone
A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi
Another great resource for children's books is the website We Need Diverse Books.
I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
Warriors Don't Cry by Melba Patillo Beales
The Long Shadow of Little Rock by Daisy Bates
Walking With The Wind: A Memoir of the Movement by John Lewis
The Cross and the Lynching Tree by James H. Cone
Divided by Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in America by Michael O. Emerson and Christian Smith
Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi
How To Be An Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
Just Mercy Brian Stevenson
The New Jim Crow by Michelle WIlliams
Slavery By Another Name by Douglas Blackman
America's Original Sin Jim Wallis
The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Tears We Cannot Stop: A Sermon to White America by Michael Eric Dyson
Race and Place: How Urban Geography Shapes the Journey to Reconciliation by David P. Leong
Rethinking Incarceration: Advocating for Justice that Restores by Dominique DuBois Gilliard
My Grandmother's Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies by Resmaa Menakem
How to be Less Stupid About Race by Dr. Crystal M. Fleming
The Color of Compromise: The Truth About the American Church's Complicity in Racism by Jemar Tisby
The Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery and the Making of American Capitalism by Edward E. Baptist
Malcolm X
Twelve Years A Slave
Ruby Bridges
Mississippi Burning
The Color Purple
The Hate U Give
Anything on the website Black Perspectives
The Racism of Good Intentions by Carlos Lozada
This is the best explanation I've ever seen of White Privilege by Lori Lakin Hutcherson
White Debt by Eula Bliss (first line: "The Word for debt in German also means guilt.")
White People: I Don't Want You To Understand Me Better, I Want You To Understand Yourselves. by Ijeoma Oluo
This is what an antiracist America would look like. How do we get there?
Ibram X Kendi
Southern Baptist Seminary Documents History of Racial Injustice
The Cost of the Confederacy by Brian Palmer and Seth Freed Wessler
On Being consistently has great content regarding race. Here are a few of my favorite episodes:
Love in Action with John Lewis
Let's Talk about Whiteness with Eula Bliss
The Heart is the Last Frontier with Isabel Wilkerson
Where Does It Hurt? with Ruby Sales
Who We Want To Become: Beyond The New Jim Crow with Michelle Alexander
W.E.B. Du Bois & the American Soul with Maya Angelou, Elizabeth Alexander and Arnold Rampersad
Pass The Mic is another podcast I appreciate for discussions concerning a diverse church. It is the podcast of the website The Witness (a Black Christian Collective), a great resource for Christians who want to explore more diverse perspectives. They also have a great episode on the use of term "woke."
I'm also newly enjoying the perspectives from the three lovely women around Truth's Table.
Other individual podcast episodes:
How Not To Accidentally Raise A Racist (The Longest Shortest Time)
Shots Fired Part 1 and Part 2 (Radiolab)
Object Anyway (More Perfect)
Poverty Myth Busters (On The Media)
Seeing White (series by Scene on Radio)
Monumental Lies (Reveal)
The Worst Thing We've Ever Done (On The Media)
This video of Adam Thomason explaining racial preference.
A short documentary about this reign of terror by lynching in the US put out by the Equal Justice Initiative.
Tim Wise talking about White Like Me
MTV's Documentary White People
Ruby Sales on "How we can start to heal the pain of racial division"


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Lietuvos Rytas
- City: Vilnius
- Language: Lithuanian
- Circulation: 70,000 (Saturday edition 200,000)
Founded in 1989, Lietuvos Rytas (Lithuanian Morning) is an independent liberal newspaper, not averse to occasionally defending the interests of the former nomenklatura. It is the country's leading daily, and its Saturday supplement enjoys sales of 200,000 copies.
On the web
Updated: 18 January 2017


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Studio tel: 0 1 7 0 7 5 5 2 5 6 0
Practical, beautiful interiors for inspired living or working spaces.
Bright Space Design is an interior design, decorating, property maintenance and refurbishment company serving north London, west London, Middlesex, St Albans and Hertfordshire. Our Key Areas Served are listed on our blog, but we can, and do, sometimes travel further afield. We offer a range of services to suit our clients' needs from basic design advice to a complete interior design and refurbishment key-holding project.
Using an interior design company for your decorating needs is not more expensive than using a good tradesperson direct. Our professional team will transform your interiors and save you time and money.
At Bright Space Design, we take the time to closely understand your needs and fulfill your wishes, with the highest attention of care and detail given, accordinspecifiedspecified budget.
Our projects vary widely including one room projects including kitchens, entire contemporary penthouses, traditional country estates, restaurants, retail outlets and hotel refurbishments, and we can accommodate a wide range of clients' tastes and preferences. We are happy to take on any sized project including home styling and staging for house sellers who wish to make the most of their property's value.
An extensive portfolio is available to view on our Houzz page and also at the initial meeting, and references are always available on request.
We offer a stress-free way to create the home you have always aspired to own.
Book a consultation with one of our interior designers or skilled tradespersons.
Email us at:
or call:
Studio 01707 552560
Trades direct line 07906 839093
NB: We are often out on site - please leave a message and we will reply as soon as we can.
Alternatively, contact us using the form above right.
PLEASE NOTE this web form is only for our clients or prospective clients. All other messages will be deemed spam.
Copyright 1999-2020 © All Rights Reserved • brightspacedesign
We will willingly discuss your interior design, decorating, property management or refurbishment projects.
Contact us today:
Please do not use this form for any other purpose. Spammers will be reported.
Follow our design blog -
Property Management and Maintenance for residential and commercial properties. If you live in an apartment block or have a property that needs building or grounds maintenance we'd love to discuss it with you. Rental properties maintained and managed. Call 07906 839093
Latest projects »
Whole house design in Shenley
Kitchen, living, dining and entrance hall in Chiswell Green
New kitchen in St Albans with space planning for open plan area
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Whole house design, Harpenden,
Whole house design in Winchmore Hill, London, N21
Restaurant in St Albans, AL1
Whole house interior design and space planning in Chiswell Green


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Brad Bartling's Hole in One
Brad Bartling hit a 170-yard hole in one using a 6-iron on the 10th hole at Knolls in Omaha, NE. The ace was reported on May 20, 2008. Witnesses: Craig Bartling, Ryan Bartling.
Know more about this ace? Share the details and we'll post them on this page.


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Have you ever wanted to lurk in the crowds surrounding Frank Underwood, and/or get paid to pretend to be a fancy person from D.C.? Well, now's your chance: House of Cards is hosting an open casting call tomorrow from 3-7 PM. More details below.
WHERE: The Bel Air Armory, 41 N. Main Street in Bel Air, Maryland.
WHEN: 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. on Friday, May 15
Per the casting call announcement:
PLEASE DRESS IN YOUR *BEST* upscale attire & come "camera ready," men use hair product. Women please have your hairstyle and make-up applied as we will be taking your photos for you.
* Black Tie Affair
* Government Official Types
* Men In Black
* Cocktail Party Dresses, Business Casual, Art Gallery Types, Working Class
To get an edge on the competition, see our insider tips about what actually goes on at a HoC casting call.
- The Effect of a Dilapidated Home on a Baltimore Block - September 19, 2017
- The Ku Klux Klan Is Apparently Still Alive and Well in Maryland - August 24, 2017
- Baltimore May Be Getting a Professional Soccer Team - September 16, 2016


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Local Plan 2041
All planning authorities have to produce a Local Plan. The Local Plan guides future development and sets out policies, against which planning applications are considered. The current Local Plan consists of a number of documents which set out an overall strategy to guide development across the District until 2026.
We are currently preparing a new Local Plan for the Forest of Dean District which will replace the existing plan. The local plan will:
- set out how the Forest of Dean will develop over the next 20 years to 2041
- help deliver new homes and jobs and safeguard the environmental assets we value.
Latest news
The Local Plan review goes through a number of stages of preparation and we are at the start of the plan process - the issues and options. Finding out what big issues affect the District and looking at options for addressing them are important steps in producing the Local Plan.
A consultation was held from Tuesday 17 September 2019 to 4.30pm on Thursday 31 October 2019. This has now closed.
The comments received during the consultation are now able to view via the consultation webpage
All comments received will be used to help us prepare the Local Plan for the Forest of Dean. You will have a chance to comment again on the document when we have prepared a draft version.
To read the full document and for further information please
Frequently asked questions
What is a Local Plan?
A local plan is a key document that sets out the planning policies for their area. The Local Plan is used to guide decisions on planning applications for development.
It will identify land for housing, jobs, local services and supporting infrastructure to meet the needs of local people over the next 20 years and include policies to protect and enhance our historic and natural environment.
Local Plans must be positively prepared, justified, effective and consistent with national policy set out in National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the national Planning Practice Guidance online resource (PPG).
A Local Plan is produced by the Local Planning Authority in consultation with local people and organisations.
What does a Local Plan do?
The Local Plan will allocate land for new housing and employment, to provide for the future needs of local communities.
The Local Plan also sets limits to the extent which towns and villages can grow into the surrounding countryside.
It provides strategies on how to protect the places we care about, like historical buildings, parks and town centres. It also guides the design of new places so that they are pleasant, attractive and respond to local needs.
Does the Forest of Dean have a current local plan?
The Forest of Dean has a current local plan which consists of a number of documents including the Core Strategy, Allocations Plan and Cinderford Northern Quarter Area Action Plan. These will continue to be used in decision making until the new local plan is adopted. However the work on the new Local plan progresses, emerging policies could start to influence decisions on planning applications. Once the plan is adopted it will replace the existing documents.
How often is the Local plan reviewed?
A local plan must be reviewed every five years after it is adopted to ensure its policies still reflect national guidance. Some policies may be carried over.
What stages are involved in the preparation of the local plan?
The Local Plan preparation must follow a number of stages to ensure the local community and stakeholders are fully engaged in the process:
Issues and options:
The development of issues and options is the first opportunity for residents, businesses and other interested parties to be involved in planning for our future.
- Draft Local Plan:
Your views on the Issues and Options, along with the evidence that supports the Local Plan and the outcome of the Sustainability Appraisal will be used to help develop our new Local Plan to the next stage when we will produce a draft plan. We will ask for your comments on the draft plan. After this consultation we will update the draft plan based on your comments and agree a publication version.
- Publication draft of the Local plan
The publication version of the plan is the final version that will be submitted to the Secretary of State. This is a stage where we request more formal comments and the comments made form part of the evidence used in the public inquiry/examination of the plan which follows. Only comments received at this stage will be considered by the Inspector during the examination.
- Submission and Examination stage:
The plan will be submitted for examination so it can be formally adopted by the council.
- Adoption
The Inspector may direct that a plan be withdrawn, but will generally guide the examination to a point where he or she can recommend changes to the plan needed to make it sound (able to become part of the development plan). The plan will be adopted and given full weight in planning decisions.
How and when will local people be involved in preparing the new Local Plan?
There will be three stages to formally comment on the new local plan:
Issues and options: Autumn 2019
We will ask for your comments on what you feel are the issues facing the Forest of Dean and the options we have to address them. The information gathered at this issues and options stage will be used to produce a draft plan.
- Draft Local Plan: Autumn/Winter 2020/2021
We will ask for your comments on the draft plan. After this consultation we will update the draft plan based on your comments and agree a publication version.
- Publication draft off the Local plan: Summer 2021
The publication version of the plan will be made available for formal representations. Only comments received at this stage will be considered by the Inspector during the examination.
Can I asked to be notified about the progress of the Local plan?
If you would like to be kept informed about the progress of the Local Plan and other planning policy documents, please register to join our local plan database:
Where can I find out more on the Local plan?
All of the information relevant to the new local plan can be found on our website:
- visit the Issues and options stage web page
- if you would prefer to read a paper copy you can visit the Council Offices in Coleford
or contact a member of the Local Plan team
- email Local Plan team
- write to: Local Plans, Forest of Dean District Council, Council Offices, High Street, Coleford, Gloucestershire, GL16 8HG
- phone 01594 810000 and ask for local plan team
How can I comment during the various consultations?
- Online at the Forest of Dean consultation portal
- email Local Plan team
- write to: Local Plans, Forest of Dean District Council, Council Offices, High Street, Coleford. Gloucestershire. GL16 8HG


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The classic film Grease may be turning 40 this month, but its cultural influence is as alive as ever.
Even today, learning the lyrics to "You're the One that I Want" is expected!
As we celebrate this special anniversary of the film's release, one thing is for sure: Grease would not be the same without Olivia Newton-John. Her unforgettable performance helped the hit musical become the top-grossing film of 1978 and earned ONJ posters a place on fans' walls worldwide.
Although she first gained international stardom from Grease in her late twenties, she is a naturally born performer who took to the stage as a preteen.
By age fifteen, she had cocreated a girl band with classmates called Sol Four, and she earned the nickname "Lovely Livvy" while starring on Australian TV two years later.
Olivia is not only talented but also extremely passionate, making her popular among her costars — including the swoon-worthy John Travolta. She has channeled this passion into activism for multiple humanitarian causes.
As a previous survivor and recently diagnosed with breast cancer, Olivia holds cancer activism near and dear to her heart. She is "excited about educating and encouraging women to take a positive role in their breast health." Thank you for all you have done to help others who are fighting this tough battle, Olivia. We wish you a speedy recovery!
Are you a true ONJ superfan? Check out the list below to see how well you really know the gorgeous Grease star. And if you loved this list of Olivia trivia, please be sure SHARE the fun with your family and friends on Facebook!
Thumbnail Source: Instagram / therealonj


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My slides to my talk "Deploy Magento Shops with Capistrano v3"
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Singaporean woman found dead in Bali hotel; MFA assisting family
The family of a Singaporean woman who died in Bali is receiving assistance from the Singapore embassy in Jakarta, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said.
Ms Hua Ming was reportedly found dead in the bathtub of her hotel room in Bali. A spokesman for the MFA said the ministry has been in close contact with Ms Hua's family and Indonesian authorities.
A consular officer from the Embassy in Jakarta was in Bali to assist the family, the spokesman added.
"We extend our condolences to the family of the late Ms Hua Ming on her passing," he said.
Coconuts Bali reported that Ms Hua, 50, was found at the Anantara Hotel by a room attendant.
Police saw no signs of violence on her body, the website said, quoting from an Indonesian news report.
Ms Hua checked into the luxury hotel on Jan 23 with two friends, and her friends left the hotel on Sunday (Jan 24).
One of her friends was from Singapore and one was from China, Coconuts Bali said.
A cup of coffee and bread was found near her naked body, Indonesian press reported quoting the police.
This article was first published on Jan 28, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.


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Building smart study habits can be key to a brighter future! Our Study Skills programs in the Charlotte region are focused on equipping kids with important skills they can use in the classroom and in life. Areas of focus include time management skills to effectively transition from elementary school to college and even in the workplace. Whether your goal is to help keep your son or daughter from falling behind or provide that extra guidance to get ahead, our study tips and strategies are sure to make a positive impact.
Smart and Effective Study Strategies
Through a combination of instruction and independent learning, we help ensure effective study habits become second nature. After all, kids and teens need these habits in school — and long after they graduate!
Personalized Tutoring (K-12)
Each child is different. This is why we never take a one-size-fits-all approach to learning, especially when certain behaviors and attitudes can have a big impact on every subject. Our Personalized Tutoring program caters to the unique learning needs of each child. The skill sets we focus on include:
- Strategies for active reading: Strengthened comprehension skills can make a big difference across all subject areas.
- Boosted writing skills: We can help your child become a more effective communicator.
- Techniques for note-taking: Get equipped with smart strategies for ensuring more productive study time, including flash cards, color-coding and more.
- Better time management skills: When it comes to heavy workloads, it can be difficult knowing where to start. That's why we're here to help your child organize and prioritize for optimal results.
- Honing research skills: Focusing on a particular subject, we can explore the best ways to assess sources and put together bibliographies.
- Internet safety: We can help children understand how to use the internet in a safe and responsible way.
Advancement & Test Prep (Grades 9-12)
We empower advanced students to master skills that will serve them well in school and beyond, from effective studying and goal-setting habits to writing and research skills. Our passionate tutors motivate students to work and study smarter so they can achieve their full potential. Features of our Advancement & Test Prep program include:
- Strengthen the right skills: Through this modular program you can choose which topics of study to focus on, which helps ensure your teen's specific needs are taken care of.
- Build lifelong competencies: We provide plenty of opportunities for Sylvan students to put their new skills to work. This helps engrain key concepts and turn smart habits into lifelong competencies.
- Gain confidence: By encouraging and reinforcing positive behaviors, we can help your teen feel more confident, more motivated and more prepared to take on big tasks.
- Prepare for the future: We can help your teen get a head start on adult responsibilities by working on advanced strategies in goal setting, public speaking, job interview preparation and more.


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What are you waiting for? Sign up now for Peak Time Savings!
By laura.oakleaf On May 7, 2018 · Leave a Comment · In Blog, Director's Blog, News
Smart meters are now installed throughout Cook County, making this a good time to make sure you are taking advantage of ComEd's Peak Time Savings program.
The program rewards customers who reduce their electricity usage when costs and demand are high, typically when air conditioners are on, businesses are open and factories are operating. People who sign up for ComEd's Peak Time Savings program will be able to earn a credit on their electric bill if they voluntarily reduce or delay heavy power usage during Peak Time Savings hours (typically occurring for a few hours between 11am and 7pm during the summer). There are typically only three to five days with Peak Time Savings hours during the summer.
The program has no risk or cost for customers; it is purely a cost-savings option. You are eligible if your home has a smart meter and if you are not enrolled in AC Cycling or net metering. Residents with other suppliers can still take advantage of the Peak Time Savings program.
This program is just one advantage of having a smart meter. Smart meters are designed to help you interact with programs that will save you money on your electric bill. Digital smart meters have been installed throughout Cook County to communicate wirelessly with the new digital grid. Your smart meter eliminates the need for estimated bills and meter readers on your property and gives you access and power to understand how and when you use energy. By signing up for high usage alerts and emails that summarize your daily usage, you can take steps to guide your energy use and reduce your electric bill.
The Peak Time Saving's summer season occurs between June 1 and September 30 of every year. When you enroll, you can choose to be notified by phone call, text message or email. You will be notified on the day Peak Time Savings Hours occur, at least 30 minutes prior to the start of each Peak Time Savings Hours.
When you participate, ComEd will credit your monthly bill for reducing your electricity use during Peak Time Savings hours, $1 for every 1 kilowatt-hour of energy saved. It will appear as dollars off your total amount due. There is no penalty for not participating. You just won't earn a credit on your electric bill for that day, but you can still participate in future Peak Time Savings Hours.
To sign up visit: www.comed.com/WaysToSave/ForYourHome/Pages/PeakTimeSavings.aspx
Want to learn more about how you can save energy and money in your home all year round? Visit our website or contact Sarah Edwards at firstname.lastname@example.com for more information on smart meter and energy efficiency programs.
A Message from the President
I believe that Cook County should be a world-class model of sustainability. We are working not only to boost sustainability practices throughout County government, but also to join forces with local governments, nonprofits and business, to accomplish more than we could separately in making each of Cook County's communities sustainable. To further this work, I appointed Deborah Stone as the County's first Chief Sustainability Officer, and as Director of the Department of Environmental Control. I also recognize that Cook County needs to share ideas and collaborate with a diverse group of community leaders and sustainability experts. In March 2012, I appointed the Cook County Sustainability Advisory Council to help lift our vision higher and give us access to best practices. You can meet the Council members and read more about their mission in the "Advisory Council" section of this website. Toni Preckwinkle,Cook County Board President
What is Sustainability?
" Ensuring that there is enough for today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."Deborah StoneChief Sustainability Officer, Cook County Government
Contact UsCook County Chief Sustainability Officer
69 W Washington
Room 1900
Chicago, IL 60602
312-603-8200 (o)
Coming Downtown?
Scan the QR Code with your smartphone for a map and directions.
Click here to reserve discounted parking from Spothero.com, a winner of the "Apps for Metro Chicago" Open Data application contest.


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Is your practice AML/CFT ready?
The clock is ticking for NZ practices to be compliant with the AML/CFT Act.
In Brief
- NZ's AML/CFT Act kicks in on 1 October 2018
- The DIA has a range of tools to address non-compliance including penalties
- Time is running out for CAs in public practice to be AML-ready
New Zealand's Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Amendment Act 2017, kicks in on 1 October 2018.
It is critical for accounting practices that provide "captured activities" to be ready for this deadline. Non-compliance can bring costs including reputational damage.
The AML/CFT Act is not just designed to prevent money laundering. It will also help to reduce the risk of legitimate businesses including accounting practices, being used to launder money - something that has occurred in New Zealand in the past.
Many of the services offered by Chartered Accountants in public practice can leave them vulnerable to exploitation by money laundering criminals.
Equally important, CAs in public practice are often privy to detailed information about their clients and the transactions they engage in. This can leave accounting practices far better placed than banks and other institutions to spot possible early signs of money laundering activity.
The AML/CFT Act is activities based, so your obligations, if any, under the AML/CFT Act will depend on the nature of services you provide to clients.
New Zealand's Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) has produced guidelines for accountants to understand the variety of captured activities that could make your practice an AML reporting entity.
Register now
If your practice comes under the ambit of captured activities, your firm will need to comply from 1 October 2018.
Now is the time to take action.
As a starting point, appoint someone in your practice as the AML/CFT compliance officer. The DIA is the supervisor for accountants, and while it's not a statutory requirement, the DIA is requesting accounting practices that are AML reporting entities to register with them by 26 September. Don't delay!
The DIA's registration form asks for information about your AML/CFT Compliance Officer. Hence the need to appoint one promptly.
Assess and formalise in writing, the money laundering and terrorist financing risks your practice faces. Then establish a compliance program that spells out how your practice will detect and manage AML/CFT risks.
These compliance steps must include verifying the identity of clients who request services covered by the AML/CFT Act, asking questions, and being alert to any potential signs of money laundering.
Compliance with the AML/CFT Act does raise the compliance burden for Chartered Accountants in public practice and indeed all members who provide captured activities. Zowie Pateman, Deputy Reporting and Assurance Leader at Chartered Accountants ANZ (New Zealand), note, this puts an extra burden on accountants, who will have to up-skill to be fully aware of their obligations and work with staff across the practice to implement systems and processes.
Nonetheless, Pateman believes the AML/CFT Act, will lift public and international confidence in New Zealand's financial systems.
With only days remaining until the AML/CFT Act becomes part of New Zealand's legal framework, members in public practice are urged to take the necessary steps to comply.
Several Roadshow events have been held for members on the AML/CFT Act. If you did not attend, it's highly recommended that you view the recording of the Wellington session.
DIA/FIU AML Roadshow for accountants
If you were unable to attend the DIA/FIU AML Roadshow for accountants, the Wellington session was recorded and is now available to watch on demand.Watch now


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What makes us Unique
Our Commitment to
Giving Back
Commitment to helping the underprivileged to attain self sustaining income.We partner with Yimba Uganda, to support capacity building of the girl child.
Our Products are made out of rich African Kitengi fabric, 100% cotton guaranteed real wax block prints printed as phoenix HITARGET.
We take pride in the fact that our products are made from Authentic Ugandan raw materials. Blacmode is Proudly Ugandan


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Switch serves as water-resilient, potting-friendly solution
C&K KSC PF switch is compact yet resilient to water ingress and made to be potting friendly. Device is constructed to meet the size and performance requirements of products with small surface areas, while also withstanding harsh elements such as liquid and vibration. The soft actuator tactile switch combines a compact SMT form factor (6.2 x 6.2 x 5.2mm) with a potting-friendly extended cage, which improves potting level tolerance, enables faster production and increases quality. Potting is often necessary to ensure complete protection even when a sealed switch is used, but potting levels are typically difficult to control in production.
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Andrew Jackson
Court-Packing Is Not a Threat to American Democracy. It's Constitutional.
Congress is allowed to change the size of the Supreme Court, and it has done so seven times. The country survived just fine.
The Myth of Normal America
There are no good old days to return to in U.S. politics. The truth about a post-Trump era.
Trail of Fears
Forget Nixon. Trump is more like Andrew Jackson than Tricky Dick—and the consequences of his crimes will be far more devastating.
Trump's Ignorance Is Radicalizing U.S. Historians
They're in great demand by the media. But will many Americans even believe what they're saying, or accuse them of partisan bias?
Trump's Crude, Ignorant Theory of American History
His bizarre and mistaken beliefs about the past are a window into his mind—and serve his political agenda.
Have We Ever Had a President Like Donald Trump?
Yes, we have—but you have to go back to the nineteenth century.


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A Full-Service Facility Specializing in Structural Steelwork, Pipe and Pressure Vessel Fabrication and Pipeline Repair for the Oil and Gas Sectors
Fabrication is the heart of Lindsayca. Whether it's structural steel, pipe fabrication or modularized and skid-mounted separation or conditioning equipment, we can fabricate it.
Our 100,000-square-foot shop in Houston, Texas, undertakes every aspect of fabrication, from metal cutting and machining to welding and inspection. And because we handle the entire process—from design to delivery and installation—we're able to build equipment customized to meet your needs.
Our fabrication shop is ASME certified, both 'U' for pressure vessel fabrication, and 'R' for repair work.
ASME certification is difficult to get and hard to maintain, but it gives our clients peace of mind. That 'U' or 'R' stamp means we've designed-in an appropriate safety factor, our welders are Section IX certified, and we use only certified materials. It also requires we arrange third-party inspection and hydrostatic pressure testing.
Pressure vessel and pipe fabrication takes welding, and making quality welds takes great skill. That's why inspection is a big part of ASME certification. At our Lindsayca plant in Houston, we have a full range of inspection technologies at our disposal. These range from dye penetrant and magnetic particle to ultrasound and radiography. Whether we're building a structural steel fabrication, a fuel gas skid or a condensate stabilizer, you can be sure of it being inspected appropriately.
Some fabrication shops just fabricate. Here at Lindsayca, we provide a complete service, from concept design to delivery and installation. That tight integration of functions helps us do a more thorough job of meeting your needs. If you need a structural steel fabricator, we can do that. If you need highly engineered process equipment custom-fabricated to your needs, that's where we excel.
Meeting Fabrication Needs in the Oil and Gas Process Equipment Industry
From pipeline manufacture and repair to pressure vessel fabrication, we have the skills and capabilities you need. To learn more about how our fabrication capabilities can benefit your business, call, email or complete our Contact Form.


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At one point we were told that Chief Schultz and crew believed that they'd managed to put the genie back in the bottle only to have Councilors Winter, O'Malley, and Cadigan drop a press bomb on their efforts. The result was the lead news story on KRQE, and KOAT with KOB running it later in the newscast. APD ended the day in full bunker mode sending John Walsh out to express hastily cobbled together outrage.
(Sidebar)OK, so maybe the APD outrage wasn't feigned. On camera, John Walsh looked to be shaking with rage. The 5th floor is certainly not happy with elected officials sticking their noses behind APD's curtain. One would think that city councilors have not only the authority to ask questions of the Chief of Police but have the obligation to do so when it appears that administration officials may be abusing their authority.
We got our eyes on both the press release from the council that included their letter to the chief, and an incredibly poorly written reaction from APD - part of which was read on-camera by APD's spinmeister John Walsh.
We would respectfully request that before APD releases a written statement to the press or the public that they proof read it, run it by an English 101 student, or at least run spell check. We have to read these things after all and we would prefer it if the sentences made some sort of well... sense.
(End Sidebar)
APD's reaction contained a bizarre mix of denials, admissions, outrage, and accusations. They deny the investigation had anything to do with Sergeant Heh's appearance before the council and admit that his public comments were directed at the APOA. (To criticize the Chief, Department, or the Almighty Alcalde could be construed as a violation of APD's SOP.) APD makes the claim that "complaints were voiced" by sworn officers of the sergeant creating a hostile work environment over the APOA contract. They also claim that said environment "was being perpetrated by other sworn members of the APD."
By the way that last part is the basis for APD's IA investigation. According to APD's "complaints" the sergeant managed to create a "hostile work environment" relating to a contract that was presented and voted on in 24 hours.
Folks, these are cops. They deal with hostile environments on a daily basis. We have a hard time believing that a lone sergeant even with determined help could create an environment hostile enough to even be noticed by most officers.
(Sidebar)Moving on to the rest of this ridiculous illiterate reaction... The Chief wraps himself in altruistic stupidity claiming that "[he] will not tolerate any possible intimidation or interference in any way regarding fair process, such as the recent voting that took place." Huh? Won't tolerate intimidation? (See previous Sidebar)
If one would like to talk about hostile work environments, let's talk about officers having to keep their mouths shut - even when they're not on duty - for fear of having someone on the 5th or 11th floor take offense and start an IA investigation that could take away the retirement that you've quite literally bled for. That's a hostile work environment and that's the environment our Eyes tell us the 5th floor has created for all of the officers that have taken the oath to protect us. We imagine that it's pretty difficult to deal with the criminals in front of you while trying to protect your back from being stabbed by your own department's leadership.
(End Sidebar)
The next few points of the APD statement basically take the council to task for doing their jobs telling them to butt-out and "chastis[ing] them for trying to turn internal workings of the Dept. into politics publicity." (Walsh actually read that last part on the air.)
Finally, one last claim - one that the 5th floor probably felt was the coup de grâce. They voiced their "great" concern that Sergeant Heh may be working on Councilor Winter's Campaign and "this might have political motivation." Fortunately, the TV news guys gave this all of the coverage that it deserved... none.
As far as we're aware, there's only one semi-announced candidate for mayor. At least there's only one candidate that has sued to make sure that they can run for mayor should they decide not to run for governor - which of course they've already decided not to do because they decided to run for U.S. Senate, something they found out they couldn't do only to have to sue in order to keep their current job which they would have lost. Yes... we're talking about the Almighty Alcalde - Mayor Martin Chavez. And yes, he's running for the only position that he could possibly win - at least three years ago.
Floating the idea that this whole thing is more about Councilor Winter than the shenanigans of the Albuquerque Police Department's leadership is just one more way to try and kill the messenger and distract the rest of us. It shows just how politically involved the department has become. It shows that they're more concerned about keeping their jobs than doing their jobs. It shows that we're all in trouble - not just a sergeant that steps up and speaks his mind.
Councilors Winter, O'Malley, and Cadigan - Press Release and Letter to Chief Schultz
APD's Reaction
In our early morning pajama clad haze we inadvertently screwed-up the link for the city council press release. Thanks to an alert Eye reader, we have corrected the link above.


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Armadillos and moles are tearing up our yard and I assume it is in search of grubs. Even though it is Spring is there anything I can use on my yard now to get rid of these little pests?
There are chemicals made for grubs in lawns. Here are details on what is available and what not to use: http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/how_to_choose_and_when_to_apply_grub_control_products_for_your_lawn
Timing is crucial for effective control. Contact your state's cooperative extension service for when to apply insecticides in your area.
You must be logged into your account to answer a question.
If you don't have an account sign up for an account now.


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Blog // Connect South Carolina
EdTech Conference 2014
The annual South Carolina EdTech Conference, themed "IT Super Heroes," will be held at the TD Convention Center in Greenville, October 29-31. This conference offers content and activities that span all areas of educational technology with diverse workshops, presentations, speakers, exhibitors, and recognition events. Connect South Carolina Executive Director Jim Stritzinger, along with Connected Nation's Eric Mills and Brent Legg, will present on "Organizing for Mobile Learning Success." This event is hosted by the South Carolina Association for Educational Technology (SCAET) board of directors and the conference planning committee. SCAET is...Read More Share
Trends 2014 is Fast Approaching!
Thursday, November 6 is the day IT-oLogy in partnership with Connected Nation will present Trends 2014! The IT-oLogy Theater in downtown Columbia will host the annual daylong conference centered on an emerging trend in technology, with Gartner, one of the world's leading information technology research and advisory companies, serving as keynote presenter. This year's theme will be the Internet of Things (IoT). Gartner says that by 2020, the world will have about 26 BILLION network-connected devices that measure and monitor nearly every human activity. The day will open with Gartner research director, Al Velosa on "Creating...Read More Share
Abbeville Becomes 2nd Connected Community
On October 9, at a private event at West Carolina Tel in Abbeville with more than 20 people in attendance, Connect South Carolina's Jim Stritzinger and Leslie Callison announced Abbeville as a certified Connect South Carolina Connected community and presented the Abbeville County Economic Development team with an official Connected trophy and certificates. Abbeville's Connected certification comes after almost a year and a half of the Abbeville County Economic Development team working with Connect South Carolina to assess the broadband landscape, identify gaps, and establish actionable goals and objectives. The Abbeville...Read More Share