text:
Jackson Spider is a cancer ridden man in his 50s. He has lost all hope in medical science so he turns to magic. Jackson builds a machine that will cure him, but he uses magic to do so. Unaware of the consequences of his actions, Spider takes his machine to the center of stonehenge, where it is suppose to work at. Jackson attaches himself to the machine, allowing the magic to flow through his DNA. But something goes wrong, and the machine causes a massive explosion, producing a bright purple light that illuminates the entire sky. Anybody who looks at this for the brief second it appeared would gain unusual powers based on their personality/lifestyle. Jackson himself is believed dead, but he got the greatest power of them all. He leads a crime ring throughout the world, but he was never caught. As the FBI try to figure out how he is eluding them for all these years, several other people develop powers as a result of the explosion. There is Frank Hawkins, a pack rat who gets the power of another dimension in his pockets. Scott Bruce, a college senior who gets the ability of biokinesis. Mike Sky, a knife maker who gets the ability to extend knives from his skeleton in various places. Jack Sweet, an inventor who gets the power to amplify nearly anything. Victor glass, a window maker who gets the ability to control light. Malcolm Hyde, a college student obsessed with technology who gets the ability to control anything electronic. Luther Force, a power hungry CEO who develops the power to increase his strength and other aspects of himself by sucking energy. Zero, who can reverse a superheroes powers, invisibility, phasing, and darkness control. There are dozens of others who gained unique abilities, our heroes will encounter several more during their journey. As the heroes progress, they will learn to develop their powers beyond their current levels and face villains who threaten their lives and even confront a villain with incomprehensible power. They are the Theta Squad.
Frank Hawkins was working late at night at the factory where he works, when a machine started to go haywire. Frank saw a bright purple flash in the sky and his machine exploded. He awoke the next morning seemingly fine. Frank is a pack rat who still has everything he ever owned, and he keeps a lot of stuff in the large pockets of his green trench coat, which he is never seen without. However, Frank noticed that he has been putting a lot of stuff in his pockets lately and he never needed to take anything else out. He started to put everything in his room in his pockets until it's almost empty. He decided to see how much room was left by sticking his hand in his pocket but he got sucked into it. He "fell" on the ground, it was like Earth without the buildings and cars. Just grass as far as he could see, although there was a lake somewhere around him. When he looked around he could see all his stuff, and that's when it hit him: He had a dimension inside his pockets! Now Frank was in a predicament, he didn't know how to get out. So Frank thought about it and all of a sudden he was back in his trench coat. Frank kept his newfound abilities to himself, he didn't even tell his best friend Wayne, who lives in the apartment across the hall. He started to put as much stuff as he could in his pockets in case he ever needed it. He went to garage sales buying everything he could and putting it all in his pockets. He even went to dumpsters and took stuff he could use. It was then he decided to put some kind of storage room in his dimension, so he went to Home Depot and bought wood and supplies and put it all in his pockets. He realized he could manipulate things in his pockets by thinking about it, right know all he could do was move them, so he built a shed. Frank eventually built a small house and got his furniture in it. He was able to stretch his pockets to a degree to accommodate the larger items. It was soon that Frank would start using his powers to fight crime. He was on his way home when a mugger pulls him into an alley demanding his money. Frank remembers something he bought at awhile back. He pretends to dig into his pockets for money but instead he pulls out a 5 ft elephant gun and points it point blank at the mugger, who proceeded to flee. It was at this moment when Frank realized the responsibility he had, and set out to help others in need. Frank has a cornucopia of various items in his pockets which he can pull out at any time, he also knows quite a bit of kung fu. However Franks greatest power comes from his pockets, where he can seemingly pull out anything he needs. After a while of protecting Brooklyn's citizens, he comes into contact with several other people with unique abilities at a meeting in NYC. The team names themselves the Renegade Brigade, and set out to use their powers for good.
Frank was sitting at home watching TV with his neighbor Wayne, when someone crashed through his window and fell onto the floor. It was no sooner when a young man flew into the apartment to check on the man. Frank was puzzled by this so he questioned it. The kid who flew in was named Scott Bruce, but his alias was Saga. Frank quickly learns that Scott has powers like himself, only Scott had the ability of a genius IQ and biokinesis. Frank and Scott team up and call themselves Pack Rat and Saga. They travel the city looking for action, Saga with his hover boots and Pack Rat on a turbo powered hover board. The notice two robbers entering a 7-11 so they follow them. They easily grab the robbers and throw them through a couple windows, but when the cops get there they think they are the robbers and start to shoot. Although their armor protects them, they are still minorly injured and fly off. Scott and Frank decide they should be more careful of what they do, they could end up killing someone. While Frank doesn't have a hard time hiding his powers from his friends, Scott has a tougher time. When he got to school the next morning everyone wanted to talk to him. The school was buzzing about what he did to Jeff. During lunch Jeff came up to Scott and shoved him against a wall for what he did yesterday, but this time Scott was prepared. Scott started to walk away but Jeff grabbed him again and punched him hard in the stomach, and knocked him in the head. Scott was about to do something, but he didn't want to hurt Jeff, so he walked away. Scott was on his way out when Jeff grabbed him and pulled a knife on him. Jeff was about to cut Scott when Scott punched him in the stomach. Jeff went flying onto a nearby table and the students applauded again. Scott was a hero. On the way home, Scott and Zach were confronted by a man in a trench coat and a hat covering his face, it was none other than Frank Hawkins. Frank told Scott he needed to talk to him so Scott told Zach to walk home without him. Frank told him that there was a fight between the police and a superpowered individual downtown. It was Malcolm Hyde aka Spectro. Scott put on his suit and the two flew down to the scene. Spectro was lifting up cars techopathically and throwing them at the police, but more kept coming. Instantly there were 5 police cars filled with people at the scene. Almost immediately the police started shooting at Spectro, but he just use his electric forcefield to deflect them. He use his gloves to electrocute the officers and knocked them out. He was on his way off when he was got confronted by Frank and Scott. Spectro used his super strength to lift them by their necks and tossed them. Scott had his hover boots and Frank pulled out his hover board and the two took off right before they would've landed on the ground. They flew back in the direction of Spectro, each one grabbed an arm and lifted him into the air and slammed him against a tree. But Spectro is not easily harmed, he used his powers to lift up several cars and threw them at Frank and Scott, luckily there were able to dodge them. Frank went to pull out something from his pocket that could help him, but he pulled out a scarf instead. Trying to make it useful, Frank flew over to Spectro and tried to strangle him with the scarf, but he used a knife to rip it apart. All of a sudden Scott flew over pushing Frank, a car was about to hit him. Spectro kept throwing cars and they continued to dodge them. But Spectro wasn't about to give up, he kept on flying the cars around trying to hit the two, although they were able to dodge for a short while they started to get hit. Scott was hit in the back of the head with a side mirror that crashed on his head, luckily his powers saved him. In a last ditch effort, Scott concentrated on using his powers and was able to use his biokinesis to temporarily reverse Spectros superhuman gene in his DNA making him a normal human for the time being. However this effort made Scott faint and was about to fall when Frank caught him. The FBI arrived and handcuffed Spectro and took him to jail. When Frank got to his apartment Scott gained consciousness. Frank warned Scott that he could get himself severely injured if he kept up this lifestyle, but Scott refused. Just as Frank was about to answer, they heard a scream from down the alley.
"I'm not giving this up". Scott refused to quit being a superhero, after Frank insisted because he was afriad he would get hurt. While they were arguing an old lady was being mugged outside in the alley, when Mike Sky showed up and beat up the mugger. Although Mike was no ordinary human, knives extened from under his wrist which he used to cut the thug. However the old lady was more frightened at Mikes knives than she was at the mugger, she ran from even if he was the mugger himself. Frank and Scott stopped what they were doing and went out the window do investigate this disturbance. When they got down they encountered Mike questioned him. He told them he was just helping out an old lady when she got frightened and ran off when he used his knives. It was at that moment Frank and Scott realized they weren't alone with their powers. Mike could extend knives from his skeleton at basically any point on his body, although he often does it from his knuckles, wrist, and elbows. He also gives his fingers a point tip, sometimes turning his fingers themselves into knife like objects, he also does that to his arms. They told Mike he was welcome to join their team, and they would help him develop his powers. Mike said he would think about it, and he would always know where to find them. Later the next day, Mike was walking down the sidewalk when he noticed someone was robbing the bank. He decided to use his powers for good and stop the robber, but Mike was in for a surprise. When Mike entered the bank to stop the thief, he encountered an 8 ft tall beast of a man with long dark brown hair and wore goggles. Mike extended knives from his elbows, wrists, and sharpened the edges of his fingers, but this human juggernaut failed to see Mike as a threat, and while Mike attempted to stab him he knocked Mike into the parking lot where he crashed onto a car. At this giant brute exited the bank, Mike transformed his arms into knife-like objects and tried to cut right through the giant, but it was to no avail. Mikes knives failed to penetrate the mans skin, he then proceeded to lift Mike up and throw him against a lightpost where Mike fell to the ground. The giant then lifted up a car and tossed it at Mike, where he managed to grab the car as it crashed into him, and if it weren't for Mike extending knives from his heels to slow him down, he would've been crushed by the sliding car. Mike was out of options, so he decided to fight this man with his hands, where he failed miserably. Mike was about to be pummeled, when all of a sudden a toilet plunger flew threw the air and landed on the giant mans face, blocking his view. Mike turned to see what happened, and he saw Frank and Scott hovering behind him. This man, this Golem, easily ripped the plunger from his face and directed his anger at the two floating in the air. Frank and Scott flew around him in circles making it difficult for him to catch, and Frank grabbed a broomstick from his pocket and whacked Golem on the head, to which it cracked in half on impact. He tried throwing everything and anything he could find but nothing put a dent in his skin. Scott also tried his hand at defeating Golem but he failed also, this man was just too strong. Then Frank and Scott attempted to battle Golem in hand to hand combat but he was too much for them. He easily knocked them back and when he got ahold of them he threw them back so hard it would've been fatal to a normal human.
It seems that all is lost for our heroes as Golem gets closer. In case you missed the last issue, a superhuman known as Golem robbed a bank, Mike Sky tried to stop him but failed, Pack Rat and Saga showed up but their powers were useless against his awesome strength and nearly unbreakable skin. The Renegade Brigade decided to use all their powers in an attempt to stop Golem. Pack Rat managed to pull out a flame thrower out of his pocket, Saga altered his DNA to increase his strength to its maximum, and Mike extended knives from his knuckles, wrists, and sharpened the edges of his fingers. They all attacked Golem at once and it seemed for a second that they got him down. Then, without warning, Golem threw his arms back, knocking the heroes back and knocking them out. Golem was preparing for his final attack when a man came up and attempted to battle him. The man was Jack Sweet, but he preferred his alias, Zone. Zone has the unique ability to amplify almost anything. He amplified his strength by 12 times in an attempt to battle Golem. Unlike the other heroes, Zone put up a fight, but didn't have enough power to stop him but he could still hold his own. Zone amplified his other senses in order to maintain his safety. He was able to land some damaging blows to Golem but Golem got in more. Golem lifted up a car and threw it at Zone, but he was able to catch it and attempted to throw it back. They continued to brawl it out until Golem got the upperhand and start to get in more punches. Mike awoke and saw Jack and Golem fighting in the parking lot. Mike told Zone not to give up, he is the only one with the power to defeat Golem. Jack heard this, and began to increase his powers to upper levels, multiplying his strength further and gaining the upper hand. For the first time, Zone began to pummel Golem and was about to knock him out when he had another idea. He amplified the sharpness and durability of Shredders knives by 15 times. Shredder felt the incredible boost of power and grabbed Golem by the next, extended a knife from the back of his wrist, and stabbed Golem right through the stomach. Golem fell down, but he was not dead, just unconscious. They dragged him to jail where Zone amplified the durability of the prison bars and walls so Golem couldn't escape. Mike decided to take Frank up on his offer and join their team of superhumans. Jack Sweet also joined after growing tired of being a vigilante. The four named themselves the Renegade Brigade and dedicating themselves to battling superpowered villains and protecting those who could not protect themselves. After battling Spectro and Golem they decided they should develop their powers further since there will be more powerful villains out there than Spectro and Golem. Zone amplified all their powers by 10, giving them a significant power boost. Frank learned he could emit a "dimension blast" from his pockets which teleport people into his realm. Scott learned to use his brain power for telekinesis. Mike learned that the material that his knives are made of are a part of his body, making him very durable. Jack started to amplify other things, realizing that his power is even greater than he thought. The team started training and acted more like a team. Back at school, Scott had more friends and Jeff stayed away from him. Zach urged him to go out for a sport, his abilities would give him a great edge. Scott thought about it and decided to join the basketball team. At first he had trouble playing since he wasn't familiar with the rules, but once he got the hang of it he became the star player. Because of his powers he was able to see time slower than normal, once he got the ball he wouldn't let anyone take it from him. And he was able to use his telekinesis to make sure the basketball went in the basket every time he threw it. Scotts dream was coming true. Back at Franks apartment, his friend Michael was making a turkey for thanksgiving. Since Frank didn't have anything better to do he offered to assist. Michael asked him for some help and without realizing it he pulled out a turkey baster from his pocket. By now Michael knew of Franks pack-rat behavior and let that turkey baster thing go over his head. Franks bald friend Jason was talking to him on the phone when a bright flash stole his attention. Naturally, the other three members of the team went to investigate. When they got there, they noticed there was a large hole burnt into a garage door. All the windows were shattered, as well as all the glass inside. When they got into the garage there was a semi large creater-like hole on the ground that looked like it was burnt as well. As they looked around, it seemed like everything in the vicinity was burnt to a crisp. that's when they noticed the footprints, they were burnt into the road and led down the street and into a forest. The heroes started to track them down when they noticed a large silhouette in the backround. As soon as they heard that voice, Frank and Scott knew who it was. Someone they thought was long gone. Someone they hoped they would never encounter again.
"Oh no." Frank and Scott stared at the man they most feared, a man they thought had been put away for good. Of course, the rest of the team didn't recognize Malcolm Hyde, they joined after he had been defeated. Spectro was able to escape by having a friend secretly bring him an electric pencil, which he used to subdue the guards in prison and escape. This time Spectro came back with more power. He created a gigantic robot suit that was 12 ft. tall. Without warning, Scott flew into the air and attempted to knock Spectro back, but he simply swatted him away, where Scott slammed into a tree and slumped over. Shredder extended knives from his wrists and attempted simply slash through the robot, but he greatly underestimated Spectros power. Spectro created a ball of electricity and unleashed it at Mike, who fell to the ground with a lightly burnt suit. At that point everyone started attacking the suit, Zone increased his speed and tried to fight him, but his strength was inferior to that of Spectros. Spectro grabbed Zone with his massive hand and tried to hold him, but Zone was able to break free of his grasp and managed to land a punch to the center of the suit, which was able to drive him back just a little. Frank wanted to pull out some kind of squirt gun which he could use to electrocute Spectro, but he pulled out a TV dinner instead and threw it at Spectro, having no effect. Saga altered his DNA to be able to resist the effects of electricity and flew at Spectro without fear. With the advantage of flight, Saga flew around Spectro zapping him with energy blasts from the very gloves Spectro made for him. He used the cold feature in the gloves to blast a freeze beam at Spectro, seemingly freezing him in his tracks. But he just overheated his suit and melted the ice off and continued battling Saga. Scott seemed to have the upper hand until Spectro, remembering building the gloves for him, realized they were electronic and disabled them and at the same time electrocuting Scott. Now Spectro was getting read to fire off a powerful energy blast at the fallen Scott which would've killed him. But while the beam was piercing through the air, Pack Rat unleashed a "dimension beam" from his right pocket which sucked up Spectros energy beam and sending it off to another universe. Spectro, aware of what Frank could do, blasted him while he was talking to Scott, and Frank was knocked out. Now enraged, Zone amplified his powers by 15 times and ran up to Spectro and knocked him off his feet. However Spectro was only slightly damaged, and increased the power of his left arm and knocked Zone into a building. Now it was up to Shredder to defeat this techno goliath. Spectro walked up to him and put out his left arm point blank at Mike where he was about to fire an energy blast. But right at the moment when the blast was firing, he shoved a knife into the center of Spectros giant palm and caused an internal reaction and the left arm of Spectros robot suit exploded, leaving his human arm dangling from the suit, which seemed out of place next to the giant right arm. Shredder, acting over confident, turned away to check on Zone. But while Mikes back was turned Spectro rebuilt his arm using nanotechnology and blasted Shredder in the back. Now it seemed hopeless for Spectro to be stopped, seeing as the Renegade Brigade had fallen. Spectro flew into the air about 80 ft preparing to launch energy bombs which would kill off the team. It was at that moment when Saga realized something. He used his powers of telekinesis to reverse the energy of the electricity that powers Spectros suit, causing him to fall 80 ft to the ground where he was defeated once more. Frank, Mike, and Jack awakened and congratulating Scott on a job well done. But it was at that moment when the team realized that they forgot all about the bright explosion in the garage where the burnt footprints started. Tracking the footprints on the road again the team continued their previous adventure. But Frank wasn't moving, he was stuck. Everyone stopped to see what had gone wrong. Franks feet were trapped in a clay-like substance on the road. Everyone pulled on Frank to try and get him out of this quicksand but all of a sudden a figure began to rise from the clay. They thought he was gone, they thought they had stopped him. But they had no idea what he was capable of. Fear struck their faces as they started at the man. Even before he began to take on his human form they knew who he was, and they were about to face their worst nightmare.
Frank tried to walk but he noticed his feet were stuck in some kind of clay material. The teams fears became a reality when they looked behind them at the Golem. While Golem was in prison, he realized he had another power, he could transform into clay and manipulate himself while in clay form. Golem easily from prison by turning into clay and sliding through the cracks. "Out of my way", Shredder was ready to take this guy on again after defeating him at the bank. Shredder turned his arm into a knife and attempted to stab Golem with it like last time*, but Golem turned to clay and hardened himself so Shredder could not pierce him. Golem proceeded to knock Shredder down the street where he attempted to hit him again when Saga flew up from behind him and knocked into Golem. Golem was barely knocked back and them grabbed Saga by the foot and swung him into window. Golem started to run at Saga when he tripped on a bannana peel thrown by the Pack Rat. Frank attempted to battle the Golem and actually did okay for a while, Frank knew some martial arts so he was able to dodge the attacks, but Frank was unable to hurt Golem. Golem quickly gained the upper hand and was about to knock out Frank when Zone came up from behind and put Golem in a headlock. Zone tried to restrain Golem and almost succeeded until Golem broke free of his grasp. By now Zone was able to amplify things by 15, and started to battle the Golem. Zone knocked Golem into a wall and then tried to hit him again but Golem softened his clay so Zones punch just went right through him. Golem headbutted Zone and he crashed into the side of a car. Golem was walking up to him when Zone ripped off a car door and slammed it against Golem, which knocked him to the side a bit but didn't do any incredible damage. The two continued to fight with each getting in their share of punches. Golem lifted a lightpost and swung it at Zone, who was knocked into a 3rd story window of an apartment. Golem continued to go after Zone when blasted his dimension beam at Golem which created a hole in him. Golem quickly rebuilt his body and went after Frank. Frank pulled out his hoverboard and flew away and back again in an attempt to knock Golem down. Frank pulled out a frying pan in an attempt to duel with the Golem. Frank knocked Golem upside the head and continued to beat him with it when Golem decided he had enough and knocked Frank to the ground. Saga flew over when he was hit by a clay ball from Golem and fell to the ground. Shredder sliced golems arm off but is grew back. Shredder continued to cut his limbs and even his head but they kept growing back. When Mike realized his knives were useless against this monstrosity, he began to fight Golem himself but could not hold his own and got sent into a wall. Zone jumped on top of Golem trying to bring him down but Golem spun Jack around his head and tossed him. Once again it seemed like the Renegade Brigade would be defeated. Golem moved in on the heroes when he got distracted by a bright flash from behind him. The team remembered the flash and the burnt footprints they tried to track but got distracted by Spectro and his super suit. The flash seemed to come from a human with glowing blue eyes. The light grew brighter and seemed to cover the entire area and all of the lights exploded. This was one of the few times since Golem got his powers that he felt fear.
The blinding light from behind distracted Golem as he was approaching the fallen heroes. Golem decided to investigate what this was, so he approached it. He encountered a human who was seemingly covered in light and had glowing blue eyes. "Who are you?", Golem asked the light figure. "My name is Victor Glass, but you can call me Prism." At that, Golem attempted to land a punch on Prism, but he levitated above Golems grasp and several feet back. "Fool, you can't hurt light, for that you will pay", and Prism raised his left arm and emitted a light blast that destroyed Golems left arm and part of his chest. "You think that will keep me down? I can regrow any part of my body, I am the indestructible Golem!". Prism refused to acknowledge Golems statement and raised his right arm and blasted Golem like before, but on the right side. "Don't you get it? You can't win! It is impossible to keep me down!", gloated the Golem. "That is just a fraction of my power, your clay may be incredibly durable but it cannot compare to my heat", and before Golem could answer, Prism raised both arms and released a massive light blast that incinerated Golem, leaving a pile of sand-like clay. The heroes began to get up and Prism came over to help out. "That was some feat you pulled Jack," a thankful Saga told Prism. "It was nothing, and please, call me Prism". "Okay Prism". Apparently Golem survived the attack, and began to reform from the clay on the ground. "You, how did you survive?", "Like I said, I am indestructible!". Prism was not scared, and he told the other heroes to get out of the way. As they Renegade Brigade scattered, Prism prepared to put Golem down for good. "You may have survived my last attack, but you will not recover from this", "Go ahead and try, you can't succeed". However, Golem was not prepared for what would happen next. Prism levitated himself and began to glow exceedingly bright, it seemed like his entire body was made out of light. To any normal human, the light emitted by Prism would've permanently blinded them. Then, without warning, Prism unleashed his light in all directions, almost destroying the area. The entire area was pure light, nothing could be seen. Then it stopped and Prism gently floated back to Earth, apparently weakened from this massive attacked. The heroes began to return to the area, noticing that there wasn't a single piece of clay around. Prism incinerated everything within its path, apparently completely destroying the Golem in his clay form. The team congratulated Jack, "We are forever in your debt Prism, we would be honored if you joined our team". Prism accepted, and the Renegade Brigade has accepted its final member. In addition to gaining a new member, the team also gained a real headquarters. It was discovered that Jack Glass inherited his parents vast wealth when the died, making him a millionaire. Jack paid for the teams expenses, and bought a building and made it their headquarters. Prism learned he could travel through mirrors, and Zone learned to amplify things by 20 times. Shredder also learned that the material that makes up his knives is also present in his skin, making him very durable. The team started fighting supervillains and honing their powers. The Renegade Brigade was finally on their way to become a real superhero team.


text:
The Savage Glen[33.4, 67] is a subzone of the Lost Isles, an area only new goblin players can access. This area is mostly made up of large trees, some roaming Jungle Cats, some hidden SI:7 Assassins, and a Teraptor Matriarch that periodically roars.
Patch changes
- Patch 4.0.3a (2010-11-23): Added.
External links
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Check out the latest updates, additions, and enhancements to Envision Cloud's online booking feature.
Check out new features and latest enhancements to Envision Cloud Software.
Envision Cloud's Quarter 1 updates are here! Get all the details on the newest features recently added and see how you can start using them today.
We are always looking into improving our software and adding features or changes that you have requested. But do you know how you can input a suggestion for future updates? You can do it right from your Envision software!
We are always making sure our software is updated and improved. What you may not know, is that these updates are available to you at any time on our website, www.envisionhelpdesk.com!


text:
This is a favorite of mine and another photographer in Laguna Beach. The photo was taken on January 11, 2017. I took over 400 photos that day – from early morning beach surf to this sunset.
What was unusual that day was the number of good photos I got, three alone at sunset. Not just the photo above but also the photo you see in the header (Go to the index page for this blog to see the entire picture.) The third photo you can view at my flickr site. It's here. They were all taken in Laguna Beach at the Heisler Tide Pools. I was lucky in one respect in that the clouds help give me two sunsets. The first when the Sun went behind the lower clouds and finally the real sunset. The crowd didn't show up until the real sunset started. So I had very few people to contend with. I don't mind people in my photos but during a sunset they manage to get in the middle of a photo where I don't need them. The one in the header is an example of someone enhancing the photo. With that photo I was afraid they would get up and walk away before I could get in position with the tripod and camera. As you can see they stayed and I got my photo.


text:
7-hour flights from Sydney to LA could happen soon
That's half the time that it takes now. - by Tori Ottley
Getty Images
You could soon get to LA from Sydney in less than a day's work.
It currently takes around 14 hours to do the journey, but this could be halved which would make going to the U.S. city even more appealing.
This incredible theory could become a reality within the next few years, for first class and business flyers.
It would be made possible on a supersonic commercial plane, designed by Denver-based company, Boom. They recently revealed the potential plans on Paris Air Show. They're also working on doing 2.5-hour flights between London and New York.


text:
Adoption Journey — Day 129
I have nothing new to report. Still waiting on the Japanese Consulate, still waiting on some medical stuff for BDH, still waiting for the homestudy report to be completed.
I'm okay with waiting, in this particular circumstance anyway. Normally, I am not a terribly patient person, but with this I am okay so far. Some people freak out when they have to wait, and complain and agonize over every little hiccup. I've seen on websites and blogs how people get all bent out of shape by delays and waiting, trying to micromanage the process and making endless calls and emails in an attempt to speed things up. Maybe that's just their way of dealing. But we're not like that, yet. That's not to say that we won't have those times too. But right now, it's cool.
Perhaps the endless waiting and patience required with the infertility treatment process has trained us well. Maybe it's the ease of knowing that, in all likelihood, there will be a child waiting for us at the end of all this, whereas in infertility treatment, it's a total crap shoot. Those waits, those ups and downs, were agonizing. Horrible, emotional, frustrating times. (Times, you'll recall, filled with much baking.) But now, with this, we know there's something to wait for. We know it will, most likely, have a happy ending. So it's okay.
What is still hard for me, what will continue to be hard, I know, is the pregnancies. All around me are women who are pregnant, and it sends pangs of sadness through me. I regret never knowing what it was like, never feeling a baby's kick, never being fussed over like a new mom, never having had the same experiences as most other women my age. I sometimes feel like I have missed out on so much. I still sometimes feel how unfair it has all been. But those times pass, and they are fewer and farther between than they once were.
We are told as adoptive parents to embrace this wait time as our "pregnancy". I struggle with that concept sometimes. It is not the same, and we are not treated the same, and we don't feel the same. We don't have a constant physical reminder of our soon-to-be child, to sing to and to talk to and to take care of and love. We don't have anything but a paper trail. And having been pregnant and miscarried, and having tried infertility treatments and failed so many times, hope and anticipation are very, very hard to come by. So you just… don't. You don't get all excited and carried away.
But there are some things we do as we would if we were pregnant, and it helps pass the time. We prepare, tentatively, buying the odd thing here and there — clothing, diapers, supplies. We talk, ever so briefly, about names. We have a lot of paperwork, of course, and that makes time fly by. And, as we get closer and we know it really will happen, we'll step up the preparations, and paint the nursery, and set up the furniture, and buy all the things we need.
Mostly, though, right now, life just goes on and we live it. We don't get wrapped up in the baby stuff. We don't watch the calendar about the adoption stuff. We just live from day to day. It's out of our hands, out of our control, and we just have to trust that everyone is doing their jobs properly.
We have time and we take time to breathe, knowing that in the end, our patience and hard work will be rewarded.


text:
What is an overdraft?
An overdraft occurs when the amount withdrawn from an account exceeds the available balance. It is also sometimes referred to as "insufficient funds."
Deeper definition
It is not just checking accounts that can be overdrawn. It is also possible to withdraw more money from a savings or money market account than is available. Most banks charge around $35 for one overdraft item.
Overdraft fees are a type of short-term lending, for which banks charge fees rather than interest.
Overdraft examples
Say you expected a check for $2,000 to be deposited in your checking account on payday and paid your bills as usual. If, for some reason, the deposit was not made by the time the checks cleared, you could be charged a separate fee for each check. If four checks bounced, your fees alone would be around $140.
You also may be charged an "extended overdraft fee," if your balance remains in the red. For example, after five days of a negative balance some banks charge $35 more while other banks charge up to $6.99 per day after the fourth day of negative balance.
Read up on these five ways you may get nicked by bank fees.


text:
Photography Classes in Cutler OH
Interested in learning about photography in Cutler OH? Whether you are a hobbyist, professional, or beginner, the best approach to improving your photography abilities is through hands-on classes with knowledgeable instructors.
There are many accredited and recognized photography schools in Ohio. Photography classes teach techniques like lighting, exposure and composition, posing and unposing, portrait capture, and other photography fundamentals. Being an accomplished photographer can pave the road to a lifelong hobby or a booming professional career.
There are many Photography Classes in Cutler OH:
- Cutler Studio Photography Classes
- Cutler Photography 101
- Cutler Digital Photography Classes
- Cutler Nature Photography Classes
- Cutler Editorial Photography Classes
Cutler OH Photography Classes
Ohio University-Main Campus
020 Chubb Hall
Athens, Ohio 45701-2979
Phone: (740) 593-1000
36.13 miles away


text:
19-01-17 Collaboration between Hill Mead Primary School in Brixton, Digital Maker Collective members & CYLAND artist/engineers from St Petersburg
We are really looking forward to starting a collaboration in the lead up to the Tate Exchange between children from Hill Mead Primary School in Brixton (via http://londonclc.org.uk/), UAL Digital Maker Collective members & CYLAND Media Arts Lab artist/engineers in St Petersburg
UAL staff Workshop Lead: Nicola Rae Supported by Demelza Woodbridge, Harry Wills and Ibrahim Romman
10.15 am - Meet and greet in the Digital Maker Collective project space.
10.30 am - Start working on the Spark Fun and Arduino kits in twos or threes - each group will have one of us available to help. We will explore multiple blinking lights, servo motors and create music as code for buzzers.
We will look at videos made by the CYLAND team in St Petersburg about how to create various robotic functions with the Spark Fun kits and how these might relate to the ELECTROACTIVE GRID at TATE EXCHANGE.
Here is a link to CYLAND's website: http://cyland.org/lab/about/
Informal experimentation/play
1pm - 1.30pm Arts School Tour
CYLAND video selected clips (by Nicola)
Intro to 2.15 mins
13.5 Danae example
16.36 Robotic Eyes moving
21.56 Buzzer tune (twinkle twinkle little star) (I also have the notes for this to insert into the code, as it presently plays Rick Astley's 'I'm never going to let you down!!!)
Other clips
Arduino insect robot complete
My first bot complete with forward facing sonic sensor. I think I'm done with this one now, next up with be more conventional and use wheels, perhaps powered with the ...
How to make a simple walking insect robot
Hi Guys, This is another walking robot tutorial video. In this tutorial, I'll be showing you step by step process to make a simple six legged walking insect robot ...
How to make a simple running / hopping robot - DIY Robot
Here is a simple running robot which you can easily make yourself. It has two C wheels driven by one plastic geared DC motor ( 100 RPM). The legs are made form PVC ...
Robot-SM 2011, Mini Sumo compilation
72 rounds of Mini Sumo in 5 minutes from Robot-SM 2011. Music by Professor Kliq : "Surfs Up" Thank you to CRF (www.crf.nu) for hosting the competition.
How To Make a Simple Walking Robot That Can Avoid Obstacles
Hi guys, This is the next level of my walking robot tutorial. In this tutorial I'll be showing you a very simple method to make a two legged walking robot th...
University of Nevada LEGO Line Follower Competition
Line follower competition from one of UNR's ME 151 classes from spring '09.


text:
Thursday, August 10, 2017
Amazon Daily Deal: Up to 50% Off Backpacks Today (8/10) Only
Today (8/10) ONLY - Save Up to 50% off Back to School Backpacks and Bags $10.06 - $221.25.
Browse around for your child's favorite.
Shipping is free with Amazon Prime or your $25 purchase. Not a Prime Member? Start your FREE Trial NOW! *Prices can change at anytime!
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Ideas on How to Spice Up Your Date Night
As a married couple, it is essential to maintain the romantic love alive in your relationship. This can easily be done by the couples organizing date nights every so often. Here are some pointers to assist you to make your date night exciting and interesting.
You can opt to dine together at one of the best restaurants in town for your date night. This might add a twist of how you usually eat together at home and also the kind of food you eat.
The second idea you should opt for is going out for picnics. It is also beneficial since the picnic can be enjoyed both inside or outside a particular place.
Other couples might decide to have their date nights indoors and employ the method people are using currently called Date in a Box. This concept entails that a couple makes an order for this date night box from the various date night website available on the internet and a Datelivery containing a bunch of random things would be made.
Some of the things that come with the box include specially curated items selected to match that month's theme together with several games and activities designed to bring a little fun to the date night, and most of all create a few memories.
Couples who need such services should subscribe to the date night box agencies online.
Another idea you could employ for indoor date nights would be to pick a movie that neither one of you has seen and watch it together. To get a twist into this thought, you could turn the night into a slumber party meaning that you can incorporate sleeping bags and popcorns to make it complete.
Visiting cultural events such as play, operas or museums are also regarded as excellent ideas for a date night. If you want to save some cash for this special night, you could visit some of the outdoor shows which are usually showcased during the summer, for example, movie films.
Something which may be interesting for married couples would be to try and recreate their first date night. These places include restaurants, parks, movie theatres, etc.
Fun activities like mini golfing and bowling can come in handy for your date nights. Such activities are advantageous to do since you can talk and have fun at the same time.
Going for salsa classes or even cooking classes together will bring a new refreshing twist to your date nights.
You and your spouse will benefit a lot if you follow some of the tips mentioned above to spice up your marriage with regards to date nights.
What You Should Know About Relationships This Year


text:
- Products
- Service & Repair
- Safety & Security
- News
- About Overhead Door™
- Our Reputation
- Contact
- Careers
Consumer Alert Part 2: Four Common Reasons Your Garage Door May Need Service
We are continuing our series on garage door repair scams that you can avoid. A good way to avoid these scams is knowing the essential reasons why you might need garage door repair. If you can start by recognizing these reasons you can begin to …Read More


text:
On another note, I just saw Superman Returns with my mother (my second viewing) and the experience was absolutely wonderful. Emotions were running high the first time.
"Superman Returns" Box Office Round-Up
On another note, I just saw Superman Returns with my mother (my second viewing) and the experience was absolutely wonderful. Emotions were running high the first time.
13 comments:
Lol I just saw it a second time, too! I just can't get enough of him <3
- Tuesday, July 4, 2006 at 11:24:00 PM PDT
- BJ'sSuperFan said...
I saw it for a second time, and I want to see it again! I can't wait until the movie comes out on DVD.
- Wednesday, July 5, 2006 at 7:22:00 AM PDT
Second time? So should I feel crazy if I've seen it three times, fourth time fastly approaching? heeheehee :)
- Wednesday, July 5, 2006 at 8:44:00 AM PDT
me too.. actually i've seen it for like 5 times in different moviehouses here in the philippines.. he's soo freakin hooottt!! cant wait to see him again!! will be watching the movie again this weekend!!
- Wednesday, July 5, 2006 at 10:35:00 AM PDT
He is terribly gorgeous!! where the heck is he hiding all my life??!! LOL i was so thrilled by this movie, i've seen it TWICE already and i still cant get enough of him... Love you Brandon Routh... you rock my world!! and I love Superman Returns...really worth every penny... and thanks for the one who did this website...SO COOL ;-)
- Wednesday, July 5, 2006 at 2:39:00 PM PDT
- Cristen said...
Yeah, I'm seeing it with my mom! Again on Thursday. When I saw it the first time I was crying(at certain parts)! I Will probably be seeing it for a 3rd!
- Wednesday, July 5, 2006 at 3:11:00 PM PDT
an unexpected,triumphant,joyful little bundle
of a movie that was SUPER....MAN!!! hands clenched into fists then changed to clap. while on the edge of my seat yelling "this is the best 7.00 dollars ive spent for awile".i want more !!! this movie fulfilled my heart and soul. yummy i want email@example.com
- Wednesday, July 5, 2006 at 9:18:00 PM PDT
- Sidney said...
It's no wonder that the film has such high ratings and has already brought in so much money! It's an awsome movie I saw it the 3rd day it came out and it was still packed!(the movie theater that is)! And already I plan on going to see it a second time. It's worth the money. Brandon sure can pull off that suit! And I can't beleive he had to gain 22 lbs. for the suit!
living to love life,
- Friday, July 7, 2006 at 1:29:00 PM PDT
Brandon ROUTH is gorgeous !
- Sunday, July 9, 2006 at 5:04:00 PM PDT
- aphrile said...
Superman Returns was a very great movie. Brandon Routh and Kate Bosworth was a very outstanding choice to play the role of Clark and Lois. Brandons acting, and the voice was very perfect. Every part of the movie was good . I like most was the multitasking of superman to saved the world and everyone, the romance between Lois and Superman, the tearjerker scene of Lex Luthor and Superman and most of all the twist of earning a son of Superman from Lois. I give 5-5stars for this movie. Good job Brandon and i love your eyes and your voice.
- Sunday, July 9, 2006 at 7:53:00 PM PDT
- aphrile said...
after 2 weeks of airing the SUperman returns movie, still in every movie house here in the Philippines, it's still a box office, lots of line before entering the moviehouse... I think they look forward for the handsome face and blue eyed Brandon Routh and the ever beautiful Kate Bosworth. Like me ive been watching it 5 times already.
- Sunday, July 9, 2006 at 7:56:00 PM PDT
I would gladly pay 100$ just to get a chance to meet Brandon Routh he is such a gifted actor and is adorable! He is an incredibly gifted actor and does the legend of Superman justice! And the 22 lbs. of muscle he had to gain to get the part were definitly worth it! And oh my god does that suit look good on him!
- Sunday, July 9, 2006 at 9:49:00 PM PDT
- king said...
i watched SR 6 times..i didn't even get bored...the movie is really amazing...or should i say fantastic plus the fact that brandon has x-factor presence on screen,actually he has...
- Tuesday, July 11, 2006 at 8:22:00 PM PDT


text:
Kendall Jenner's newly leaked nude portraits for photographer Russell James' upcoming book, Angels, has the famed supermodel at the center of some heat on the Twitterverse.
After the shots took the Internet by storm on Tuesday night (September 11), several users attacked Jenner, criticizing the star for being underweight, which is ironic because her Keeping Up with the Kardashians sisters are typically criticized for being overly big for their reported body enhancement surgeries. Nonetheless, it doesn't seem like the model cares much about the fuss, especially since she rocked a plunging sheer gown by Longchamp when she stepped out in Paris on Tuesday night and, yes, the ensemble exposed her breasts.
Meanwhile, sources close to the controversial photoshoot told TMZ that the images of Kendall were stolen from James and released without permission. More nude photos of the 22-year-old reality star are expected to appear in the book, including snaps of her climbing a tree and lounging in a pool. Scroll on below to see just how some body-shamed Jenner for her nude photoshoot for Russell James.
Photo: Getty Images


text:
IBTimes UK can reveal the extent of crime at train stations in London during 2015. Across the network of Underground, Overground, DLR, and National Rail there are 681 stations. In total 15,400 crimes were committed.
St Pancras has emerged as the most crime-ridden train station in London after 840 offences were committed there. The station topped the list of offence rates, ahead of Victoria and Euston.
Liverpool Street had the fourth worst record, while London's busiest train station Waterloo was fifth on the list. Overall, 15,400 crimes were committed at train stations in the capital with October seeing the most crimes (1,448).
In contrast, British Transport Police (BTP) received just one reported crime at 51 stations, including depots in London. King's Cross St Pancras was the London Underground station with the most crime, a response to a Freedom of Information request by IBTimes UK revealed.
Victoria (165), Oxford Circus (143) and Leicester Square (115) came in behind King's Cross as the Underground stations where commuters were most likely to be targeted by criminals last year.
Check if your local station is a hotspot for criminals
10 stations with the highest number of offences committed in 2015
St Pancras International - 840 offences
Victoria - 827
Euston - 557
Liverpool Street - 524
Waterloo - 513
King's Cross - 509
Paddington - 323
London Bridge - 227
Kings Cross St Pancras - 221
Clapham Junction - 189
More than 28m passengers either entered or exited St Pancras International last year, a rise of almost four million. It hit headlines in 2015 last year when hundreds of passengers' journeys to France were delayed when migrants blocked the tracks leading to the tunnel under the English Channel. It was also the station where Chelsea fans were heard making racist chants before their side's Champions League match against Paris Saint Germain in February 2015.
Stations with the fewest number of offences committed in 2015 (1 each)
Acton Town Depot, Barnes Bridge, Beckenham Road, Birkbeck, Blackfriars South, Bounds Green, Carshalton Beeches, Clock House, East Ham, Ebury, Edgware House, Elmers End, Elverson Road, Fairlop, Fieldway, Friars Bridge Court, Fulwell, Gallions Reach, Greenford, Hadley Road, Harrow on the Hill, Heathrow Terminal 4, Heathrow Terminal 5, Moorgate, Morden South, Mudchute, Ravensbourne, Reeves Corner, Roding Valley, Royal Albert, Snaresbrook, South Acton, South Hampstead, South Kenton, South Ruislip, Sudbury Hill, Upminster, Wapping, East Ealing, Wimbledon Chase, Winchmore Hill
BTP said crime at train stations across England, Scotland and Wales was down to its lowest level in more than a decade and that the chances of falling victim are "minimal", especially on the London Underground where there were 12% fewer offences than during the previous 12 months.
"Currently, crime is at a low of 6.8 offences per million passenger journeys across the London Underground... an improvement on the eight offences per million recorded in 2013/14," A BTP spokesman said. "This is even more impressive when you consider the increase in passenger volume, with 27m more passenger journeys taking place than last year."
BTP added the sheer number of passengers passing through hub stations like St Pancras and Victoria meant people were more likely to be victims of crime. Some stations on the list appeared to have high numbers as they were "end of line" terminals and officers sometimes recorded crimes committed on trains under that station.


text:
Free Range Restaurant
Top Tags:
Typically, when the server recites any specials, they should announce the price as well. If it's on the menu, you can see the price. Why should off-menu items be any different? In this case, there was only one special this evening, a 40oz Porterhouse for two. The menu is brief yet they were out of the rack of lamb so we decided on sharing the porterhouse. It was good but not worth the $140 dollars we were charged. This restaurant is nice but doesn't warrant these prices. I don't like writing negative reviews. If I have a bad experience, I just don't return. In this case I'm doing a public service.
Food is delicious. Staff friendly and knowledgeable. Acoustics are a bit loud.
The food is prepared so well. Everything we have had there has incredible flavor. The service is excellent!! The waiter is so nice with a great sense of humor. I think it might be our new favorite restaurant in the area. We will definitely be repeat customers.
Valentine's day dinner was amazing. Each course was better than the one before.
Owner/Chef is very personable! Wait staff was very friendly!
Chef Paul did s great Valentine's Day menu! Great overall experience!
Excellent food! Three of us shared numerous small plates and side dishes and the mussels were the best combination of sauces I've ever had! The crispy potatoes and carrots stood out as the top side dishes. Only wish there were more carrots for three of us. The truffle Mac and cheese was slim on shrimp and bacon instead loaded with noodles. Will go back again!
We are always looking for new places. We will definitely go back. Service was great, so was the food other than our mussels. Had to send back twice. Atmosphere seemed a little sterile. Overall food was delicious. Highly recommend the lamb chops!
Great food, great service love the open atmosphere!!! cant wait to come back!!!
The food and service are very good but would like to see more specials on a regular basis
Been here several times and we highly recommend it. Never had a bad bite of food there.
One of the few restaurants that isn't afraid to use spices. We love the mussels chowdah and Brussel sprouts side. Great meal as always.
Food is always delicious and the service is wonderful and Paul the Chef always comes out to see how are dinner was
Fantastic dinner - little bright but well worth a visit
We loved the rack of lamb, pork chop and the mussels were amazing! We are so happy to have this local gem near us and are excited to support our local economy. The servers were attentive and so kind. It was our first time but definitely not our last!
The food was amazing!
This was our fourth visit this summer. Each time we brought a different group of guests with us. The food is always exellent and the staff very accomodating. One time we were lucky to have a table outside. The only complaint I have is with the noise level inside the building.
Scallops were fantastic. BYOB. Bright & high noise level. 2 blocks from the boardwalk.
Food was very good, but took over an hour for food to arrive after ordering.
We tried Free Range after reading the great reviews. They were not wrong! The food was amazingly fresh and tasty. Make sure to make a reservation as the restaurant is on the smaller side and it filled up quick! Highly recommended.
Food was excellent. Service was nearly non-existent. Everything we ate was delicious and portions were more than adequate. The chef is "on point". But whoever is running the front of the house needs to visit a few good restaurants to learn how its done. The wait staff seemed to be undertrained and indifferent. Expect a great meal but a frustrating experience.
The food was delicious and the restraunt had a cute casual vibe. The service was excellent. Prices were a tad high considering sides did not come with entree, nor did they offer you bread. My biggest gripe was the cleanliness. We say outside and there were cigarette bitts all over the sidewalk, someone could have swept up prior to dinner service. The bathroom toilet was clean but you could tell the floor hadn't been mopped and it was dusty. A little attention to detail and overall it would be too notch. I would go back!
Excellent and creative food. We struggled a little with the narrow table and long benches but i understand the need for extra serving room. Great place!!!
A perfectly seasoned tomahawk steak that satisfied all four of us. The mussels chowder is really a fairly large collection of steamed mussels in a delicious broth. Great place to eat and wonderful prompt service without feeling pushed to leave.
The place wasn't open!!!
Repeat customers - food is very good - portions are nice - group of 8 sat outside - Sophia- our server - was helpful and charming - ask for the bread - it's so good and worth the wait! All had various dishes- the pasta/mushroom is a favorite - savory and delicious - the chicken dish is also a favorite - as well as the pork chop and steak - you really can't go wrong here - plus the BYOB factor makes this place a great value - we will be back - again and again!
Free Range has great food, but the service is terrible. Your bothering the servers and you CANT sit inside the noise level is unbelievable!
Dirty bathroom and no soap. Flies everywhere. Service non existent. Ordered a salad, and appetizer and dinner. After a very long wait, our dinners came out. Never got salad and app. They said they can keep our dinners "warm" and would bring out salad and app. We said no, just give us the dinners. The manager/owner brought out the salad and app and said we wouldn't be charged for them. When we got our bill they charged us for the app. When I spoke to the manager/owner he really didn't seem to care. We are locals, not tourists, and will never be returning. The entire experience was very disappointing. They seem very unorganized and don't know how to run a restaurant.
The food is delicious but very overpriced !
We ordered a special appetizer, actually 2 orders , Burrata with lobster. Very small portions of lobster and watery burrata . When our bill came out the appetizers were $38 a piece 🙀 we spoke with manager and he was very nasty !
Service for a upscaled priced restaurant was not happening.
A 300 bill for 4 people at a BYOB restaurant in seaside heights is crazy .
The food was fabulous! Great service! I highly recommend it! We will definitely return ! It is a hidden gem! 🌻🌻
Food was on point and the service was exceptional. The chef even came out to see how our meal was.
The food is outstanding. You can tell the chef takes pride in crafting his dishes!
Good dinner. A bit pricey but nice
Great find near the boardwalk
First, the food- it was delicious. Among us, we had the salad with the feta, the eggplant with burrata, truffle Mac and cheese, and the bucatini. It all came in generous portions and was quite enjoyable. We also had bread, which arrived at our table just about when the check did, despite our having to ask for it repeatedly. It was good. Too bad we didn't get it before or even with dinner. Second, the ambiance. We were seated against a corrugated metal wall, which no doubt only exacerbated the extremely loud noise level. There were a few things that I assume were meant to help, such as a couple or wall planters and a few ceiling panels, but far from enough to help lessen the din. The proximity of the tables to one another didn't help. It would probably have been quieter if we ate at the street-side tables. Third, the service. It was the food that caused me to give an overall 4 stars. The service, along with the noise level, was a great detriment to our dining experience. The people on the floor all seemed disorganized and inexperienced. We had to ask for the simple things like salt and pepper, more water, the bread, our wine to be opened and so on, more than we should have had to. With good service we would not have to ask for any of those things. This place clearly has an excellent chef. What they also need is a competent floor manager and experienced management staff .
Awesome meal at Ftee Range...again. creative menu, excellent presentation and the best food on the Jersey Shore.
The special salad was delicious. The pork chop exceptionally good.
Although our friends warned us (they waited 2 hours for their meals recently) we decided to give this restaurant a try. We waited almost one hour for our dinners. They told us they ran out of chicken and had to go to the store. They were also out of french fries. The service was sloppy when she did deliver a salad and food, basically throwing the plates on the table and not refilling water. No bread service so we were pretty hangry.
The food actually tasted very good when it arrived and they offered us free dessert to make up for the wait.
This was my third visit to free range and as always, the food did not disappoint. We made a reservation and were seated upon arrival with no wait. I think the service could have been a little better. The waiter may have been run down from a long weekend of being very busy, but you never let your customers know that. When asked if there were any specials he snapped "No. It was a very busy weekend, no time for any specials". His response was rather rude. Our food order did take quite a bit of time to come out but we kept ourselves plenty busy. Everything we were served: Eggplant Burrata, Truffle Mac and Cheese, Tuna Guacamole and the 64 oz. Tomahawk Steak were outstanding. We split the Tomahawk among 5 people and we all had plenty. If you are a steak lover, I highly recommend this. I will definitely be visiting Free Range again!
Reserved an outside table it was a gorgeous night. A few small children running around jumping off the railing was a bit annoying but the left before the food arrived. Waited for a while till someone came out to take our order and bring water.. Apps cane out and waiter said be right back with the bread. Apps done and no bread. Asked and it came out with the meal. Pork chops excellent, scallops also very good, chicken also very good. My mom has the eggplant app for dinner also great. Wanted to order carrots as a side., they ran out! Always good food but the service wasn't so great.
A good option for dinner in Seaside. Very slow service...
Free Range Restaurant offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (732) 250-8788.
Free Range Restaurant is rated 4.3 stars by 90 OpenTable diners.


text:
Lopez promises improvement for JC
Jamaica College (JC) forward Shadane Lopez, who led the 'Dark Blues' with a hat-trick in their 8-0 win over Kingston High in their Group F ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup game at Breezy Castle yesterday, believes his team is starting to settle down and expects to get even better as the competition progresses.
The former Buff Bay High student netted in the 18th, 52nd and 55th minutes to help the defending champions to their fourth win in five games.
"I put in the hard work in training, so I expect it to come out in the matches. It was an easy match, so as soon as I scored the hat-trick, coach took me off, but it was a good 60 minutes," he told The Gleaner.
"I feel like I am on the way to reaching the standard that I want this season. I am one of the main players in the team, and things are looking good for me so far. I have four goals and will be looking for more every game.
Talisman Shaneil Thomas opened the score after five minutes, before Lopez made it 2-0 in the 18th and Tajay Grant made it 3-0 before half-time.
After the break, Lopez fired home two goals in quick succession (52nd) and 55th) to seal his hattrick. Further strikes from Norman Campbell (62nd), Calwayne Allen (70) and Duncan McKenzie sealed the win for the Old Hope Road school.
JC coach Andrew Peart said his team still needs to "sharpen up" in front of goal.
"It's an okay game. We got eight goals - the most we have scored this season. We need to sharpen up in front of goal, but it's just the decision making, so at least we know what we have to do," he commented.
JC and Hydel are tied at the top on 13 points, but JC leads with the better goal difference.
Yesterday's ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup results:
Tarrant 2-0 Papine
Cumberland 3-0 Cedar Grove
Clan Carthy 2-2 Dunoon
Mona High 0-1 Kingston College
Ardenne 0-4 Calabar
Bridgeport 0-2 St Jago
Innswood 3-2 Greater Portmore
Tivoli 0-1 Denham Town
St Mary's College 0-5 Excelsior
Haile Selassie 0-2 St Catherine
Vauxhall 0-1 Hydel
Kingston High 0-8 Jamaica College
Campion College 1-2 Kingston Technical


text:
The new Category 3 Fund called 'Samvitti Capital Alpha Opportunities' will focus on short term opportunities only
Mumbai, 14th March, 2018: Samvitti Capital, a SEBI registered asset management boutique founded by first generation professionals and based out of Mulki, Karnataka, today announced the launch of its new Alternative Investment Fund (AIF). The new category 3 Fund called 'Samvitti Capital Alpha Opportunities' will be open ended in nature and focused entirely on the secondary markets. The capital for this AIF will be raised largely from high net-worth individuals, corporates and family offices.
Samvitti Capital today manages assets of over Rs 340 crores with more than 100 clients.
This is Samvitti's third AIF to be launched since 2015. The first one is the 'Samvitti Capital Alternative Investment Fund' – a three year closed ended long-only AIF that is benchmarked against the CNX Nifty Index over the life of the fund – a first. This fund is closed for subscriptions. The second one is the 'Samvitti Capital Alpha Fund –an open ended long-short fund with quarterly redemption which seeks to generate absolute returns by positioning itself on both the long and short side of the markets using various strategies.
The new fund is an extension of the products that Samvitti already has, however the strategy in the new fund will be different – with a focus on short term opportunities only. The key strategies in this fund will be based on price/result momentum, index based strategies and special situations. The endeavour of the fund will be to carry limited positional or overnight exposure.
'' We are extremely pleased to announce the launch of our third AIF as a part of our ongoing commitment towards wealth creation for our clients on sustained risk-adjusted returns while maintaining the highest ethical standards " said Prabhakar Kudva, Co-Founder and Director, Samvitti Capital. "Our investment strategies are based on analytical analysis, balance of financial theory and experience based on the founders 40 years of cumulative experience dealing in capital markets & inn, ovative research"
For further info on Samvitti, please visit: www.samvitticapital.com
More from General
Tinder introduces Prompts to help express yourself and increase Match potential
National, 1st June: Did you hear? There's a new way to put your personality front-and-center on Tinder. The world's most popular …
Infinix redefines the rules of the sub 10-k smartphone category with HOT 9 and HOT 9 Pro
Infinix latest series will build on the stellar success of Hot 8 series to further strengthen its leadership in the space Key …
FedEx Express Supports Local Communities Combating COVID-19 Across the Middle East, Indian Subcontinent and Africa
Critical COVID-19 medical supplies donated to frontline healthcare workers India, May 28, 2020 — FedEx Express, a subsidiary of …


text:
Ho Ho Ho!
I missed the MyG Secret Santa thing but still want to give a little back to the Community that I have gained so much from over the last year. So I'm clearing out a bunch of unused Steam Keys and will be sharing them via the randomness of SteamGifts Giveaways over the next few weeks leading up to Christmas.
Here's the first batch of 3, all single games:
STAR WARS Starfighter
KickBeat Steam Edition


text:
The following information constitutes a brief summary of the music program and the audition requirements and is provided by the DEN as a courtesy. Be sure to contact the school directly for further details and for all application guidelines.
The School of Music is a community of academically and artistically talented musicians within a major research university in a historic hub of culture. As the first degree-granting music school in the United States, the BU School of Music challenges students to uphold and build upon the proud tradition and innovative spirit the city of Boston exemplifies.
The BU School of Music is committed to the highest artistic and professional standards in performance, composition, music education, and musicology. The faculty is drawn from the ranks of some of the world's most distinguished musicians and institutions and includes 30 members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The quality and diversity of Boston's music scene provide constant stimulation and contribute to the School's culture of musical excellence. Students undergo rigorous preparation for careers as composers, performers, scholars, and teachers.
Keyboard & Piano Faculty
A listing of keyboard and piano faculty can be found here.
Undergraduate and Graduate Piano Audition Requirements
An audition is required of undergraduate applicants regardless of major as well as graduate applicants to all performance-based programs. Graduate applicants in Composition, Musicology, and Music Theory do not need to audition. MM Music Education applicants to the Initial Licensure path who wish to take applied music lessons on one of these instruments during their program of study must complete an audition, while MM Music Education applicants to the Professional Development Path and DMA Music Education applicants do not need to audition.
For more information about auditions and the application process, please visit the School of Music website.


text:
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) crossed 25,000.
President Donald J. Trump often touts the stock market hitting new records as a major milestone for America.
Dow just crashes through 25,000. Congrats! Big cuts in unnecessary regulations continuing.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018
The reality is that not everyone in America is exposed to the stock market.
Just moments after the Dow hit 25,000, Deutsche Bank released its massive "US Income and Wealth Inequality" slide deck authored by Peter Hooper, Matthew Luzzetti, Brett Ryan, Justin Weidner, Torsten Slok, and Rajsekar Bhattacharyya.
Some of the slides highlight how U.S. stock are mostly owned by the wealthiest households.
The richest 10% hold the bulk of the stocks.
Just 25% of households own more than $25,000 worth of stocks
The richest 1% own 40% of stocks held by households.
Households making over $250,000 own 60.5% of stocks held by households.
Julia La Roche is a finance reporter at Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter.
- New York's wealthiest are threatening a mass exodus because of the GOP tax plan
- Here's what the tax cuts will look like for America's most popular jobs
- Kanye West gave Kim Kardashian stocks for Christmas
Stock Market had another good day but, now that the Tax Cut Bill has passed, we have tremendous upward potential. Dow just short of 25,000, a number that few thought would be possible this soon into my administration. Also, unemployment went down to 4.1%. Only getting better!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018


text:
I had two days in a row without drinking–Monday and Tuesday–which is a real rarity for me, especially for the past two or three years. It helps that I had doctors' appointments and errands to run both days after work, so by the time I got home the seroquel was in effect and I was ready to go to sleep.
I didn't have night terrors these two nights, but I did wake up Monday to a drunk man screaming at a woman on the sidewalk outside my window about how he's going to die alone and lonely because she won't leave her husband for him even though they're already having sex. Stay classy, Chicago.
Bursts of inspiration and motivation have been hitting me lately, but I'm unable to follow through with my whims due to a lack of money. I tried to start an e-commerce business and lost money. I watched a comprehensive bookkeeping tutorial, and at the end I learned the start-up costs were too high. I've thought about learning how to work the stock market, but I still have credit card debt anyway.
Some other whims I've had recently:
- Buy and renovate a home
- Buy and renovate a house boat
- Turn my janky stairwell into a welcoming deck space
- Actually learn how to use my fairly decent camera
- Learn latchhooking or macrame
- Blog about my experience with naltrexone and the Sinclair Method (oh hey)
Tonight I'll probably end up drinking, but I don't know how much. If I'm at home cooking and doing chores, I'll probably drink a lot. If I go over to my boyfriend's place, I'll probably just have a few glasses of wine.
I look forward to seeing how this week plays out.


text:
One reason the Bush & Obama Administration's Treasury Department may have been interested in recently bailing out the Big Three automobile corporations with a big corporate welfare grant is that the chairman of the board of the private investment firm that owns Chrysler--Cerberus Capital Management--is John W. Snow.
Coincidentally, between January 2003 and July 2006 Cerberus Capital Management Chairman of the Board Snow was the Bush Administration's Secretary of the Treasury.
Goldman Sachs-Linked Foundation Funds Economic Policy Institute
If you check out the Ford Foundation website, you'll notice that sitting on the Ford Foundation board of trustees are Goldman Sachs Senior Director Robert Kaplan, former Carlyle Asset Management Group CEO Afsaneh Beschloss and former Morgan Stanley Senior Advisor Peter Nadosy. Yet the Economic Policy Institute [EPI] has apparently been accepting large amounts of money from the Wall Street-linked Ford Foundation at the same time it claims to be "a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank that seeks to broaden the public debate about strategies to achieve a prosperous and fair economy," on its website.
According to the EPI's Form 990 filing for 2006, for example, the Goldman Sachs-linked Ford Foundation has contributed over $3.7 million to subsidize the research work of the EPI. The Ford Foundation's own website indicates that the EPI's New York office was given by the Ford Foundation a grant of $1,250,000 in 2005, two grants (totaling $650,000) in 2006, two grants (totaling $1 million) in 2007 and two grants (totaling $400,000) in 2008.
Billionaire Wall Street Speculator George Soros's Open Society Institute also has apparently invested a lot of money in the EPI think-tank. According to EPI's Form 990 filing for 2006, Soros' Open Society Institute, for example, has contributed over $1 million to the EPI. The Open Society Institute's own website indicates that the EPI was given by Soros' Open Society Institute 3 grants (totaling $1,050,000) in 2005 and a grant of $800,000 in 2006.
The Rockefeller Foundation has also contributed $850,000 to the EPI, according to the EPI's Form 990 filing for 2006. In addition, $730,000 has been contributed by the Mott Foundation and $650,000 has been contributed by the Joyce Foundation to the EPI.
Besides collecting large amounts of money from Wall Street-linked foundations, the EPI also is apparently heavily-funded by some of the same U.S. labor union leaders who have not had much success lately in preventing U.S. corporations from laying off large numbers of U.S. labor union members during the "Great Recession of 2007-2009."
UAW leaders, for example, have contributed $400,000 to help subsidize the research reports of the EPI, while the AFL-CIO has contributed $595,000, according to the EPI's Form 990 financial filing for 2006. Over $1.1 million has been contributed by the American Federation of Teachers and over $370,000 has also been contributed by the National Education Association to the EPI. In addition, the United Steelworkers of America has contributed $400,000, AFSCME has contributed $562,000 and SEIU has contributed $410,000 to the EPI, according to the 2006 financial filing. Not surprisingly, therefore, U.S. labor union leaders like UAW President Ron Gettlefinger, Richard Trumka of the AFL-CIO, Lee Gerard of the United Steelworkers of America and Gerald McEntee of AFSCME have been sitting alongside folks like former Soros Fund Managing Director Robert Johnson, Lehman Brothers Senior Managing Director Ernest Green, former American Income Life Insurance Company CEO Bernard Rapoport, American Prospect magazine co-editor Robert Kuttner and an unsuccessful 2002 Democratic Party candidate for governor in Massachusetts, Robert Reich, on the board of directors of the "nonpartisan" EPI think-tank.
Much of the Wall Street-linked foundation and labor union money that the EPI is given each year is apparently used to pay the EPI executives, consultants and researchers annual salaries that are a lot more than what the average U.S. factory worker, U.S. office worker or U.S. student anti-war activist earns each year. In 2006, for example, the "nonprofit" Economic Policy Institute's total revenues exceeded $6 million and the EPI's President, Larry Mishel, was paid an annual salary of $199,457 that even exceeded the annual salary of UAW President Gettelfinger. At leasat five employees of the "nonprofit" EPI also were paid annual salaries in 2006 which exceeded $98,000 per year; and for his "professional services" of "project research," the EPI apparently paid a researcher named Peter D. Hart $127,500 in 2006, according to its Form 990 financial filing.
So given the heavy extent to which the EPI is dependent on Wall Street-linked foundations and U.S. labor union leaders for its funding, it's not likely that any of its economic research reports will ever demand that "nonprofit" institutions like the Ford Foundation or Harvard University be taxed at the same rate as "for-profit" corporations, in order to obtain the government tax revenue needed to provide union-wage jobs for all unemployed U.S. workers.
Nor is it likely that the EPI will produce an economic research report which demands that U.S. automobile industry finally be nationalized under democratic, working-class community control, in order to avert more mass layoffs of U.S. auto industry workers in 2009 and to protect the economic class interests of rank-and-file U.S. union members, all U.S. working-class people and U.S. consumers.
James and the Twenty-Seven Bicycles
10 years ago


text:
Q. Should female animals be spayed prior to their first heat cycle?
Yes. Spaying prior to their first heat cycle greatly reduces the risk for mammary cancer.
Q. When do animals first go into heat?
Cats typically go into heat around 6 months of age, but it can be earlier.
Small breed dogs can be 6 months. Larger breed dogs are on average between 6-12 months of age.
Q. What are the signs my cat/dog is in heat?
Your cat will be more affectionate! She meow and yowl like crazy! When you're petting her, she may raise her hind end in the air, get low to the ground and purr like crazy. She will also lift her tail and spray urine on vertical surfaces.
For dogs, the vulva swells and there will be a bloody vaginal discharge.
Q. How long do heat cycles last?
Cat heat cycles typically last 7 days. Dog heat cycles typically last 9 days.
Q. How often will my cat or dog go into heat?
Cats can go into heat as often as every 2-3 weeks. Dogs typically go into heat twice a year, every 6-8 months.
Q. Can animals be spayed during a heat cycle?
Cats can be spayed during a heat cycle. There will be an extra charge for dogs that are spayed during a heat cycle.
Q. Should I let my pet have one litter before being spayed?
No. Female animals that are spayed prior to their first heat cycle have less risk of developing mammary cancer.
Q. Should I let my pet have a litter so my children can wittness the miracle of birth?
NO! Letting your pet have offspring (in which you have no intentions of keeping) teaches your children irresponsibility. Shelters are overflowing with cats, dogs, kittens and puppies. Please do not add to this problem.
Q. Can an animal be spayed if it is pregnant?
Yes. The sooner that you bring them in, the better. There is an extra charge.
Q. Can animals become pregnant during their heat cycle?
Q. How long does a pregnancy last?
A cat's gestation period is typically 65 days. A dog's gestation period is typically 65 days.
Q. How long after having a litter of puppies/kittens can an animal be spayed.
10 weeks. Puppies and kittens should be 8 weeks of age and must be eating and drinking on their own prior to their mother's surgery. Be sure that lactating animals do not nurse for at least two weeks before the scheduled surgery date.
Visting the Shelter
Shelter Hours
Physical Address
11650 N. Ramsey Road
Hayden, ID 83835
Mailing Address
PO Box 1005
Hayden, ID 83835
208.772.4019 - Phone
208.762.8645 - Fax


text:
Hi, I'm Madonna and I'm a fame-aholic
Madonna, once the world's best-loved superstars, known for all-time classic songs such as Material Girl and Vogue.
Once hailed as the greatest singer of her time, a star who'd be remembered for generations to come for her influence on music. Yet now she's a middle-aged mum who should probably be concentrating on her family and not her 'career' (when did she last release a song people can remember? It was probably that one where she was prancing around in a pink leotard, when we all first really noticed those hands *shiver*).
She is a woman desperately grasping onto fame, doing whatever she can to get into the spotlight. I see her in the papers all the time but what really got my eyes rolling was seeing her wearing a fishnet body sock (come on now!), stockings, a black wig (I assume it's a wig anyway) and a checked blazer adorned with chains, spikes and other pieces of metal best left to the punk fashion of the 80s. My favourite quote on this outfit comes from a Belfast newspaper which states 'Madonna spent an awful lot to look this cheap'.
Though she does a lot to keep herself in the media, she does do a lot of good work. She raises money for various charities and causes, being a firm believer in the education of girls and women the world over, which can only be inspiring. I just don't understand why she over-shadows her generosity and concern for world issues with radical fashion statements and attention-seeking actions (such as getting her boob out live on stage, causing a stir about Obama during a concert, blaring music out at all hours in her Manhattan apartment, dating Brazilian toy boys, kissing Nicki Minaj both on and off stage, her attempt to be a director…oh I could go on all day long and still not be finished with this list).
I feel sorry for myself for having to look at her face and hear her know-it-all comments, but I feel a hell of a lot more sorry for her children who are overshadowed by their mother and have had to grow up in a less than normal environment. The eldest of her children, Lourdes, who 'created' her own top-class, very professional fashion line at the age of 13, is the one I feel for most. I just hope that the saga of Madonna and her attention seeking life isn't repeated.
Maybe she's going through a mid-life crisis? Maybe she doesn't know how to live without fame being so young when she achieved it? I don't know the whys, all I know is that soon I can imagine her doing a Jodie Marsh and Britney Spears combined. I honestly wouldn't be surprised to see her snapped with a completely shaved head and just a couple of well-placed belts.


text:
March 2015
A GAMUT of industries represented at Gulf Industry Fair (GIF) made it worthwhile for business visitors to have a go around. Manufacturers, retailers and stockists were at hand to provide answers and explanations to queries raised about products and processes. There was a variety of goods and services to excite interest with the more recent launches provoking a great deal of curiosity.
Some of the exhibitors and what they showcased have been featured here.
One of the largest stalls was set up by Bahrain's Alba, ranked among the world's biggest primary aluminium producers. Interested visitors could learn about its premium grade products, technological strength and innovative policies, strict environmental guidelines and high track record for safety. The company is preparing for its next big expansion – the installation of Potline 6. Alba has consistently supported GIF and was the main sponsor of the aluminium segment.
Bapco was in the news as it pitched its stall. It is building a new crude oil pipeline to Saudi Arabia and the talk was about who would be awarded the first construction contracts. The new pipeline, expected to cost $350 million, will cater to the future increase in crude oil demand post implementation of the Bapco modernisation programme. The pipeline is a key pre-requisite for Bapco's planned Sitra refinery expansion up to 500,000 bpd capacity, estimated to cost upwards of $6 billion.
Separately, Bapco is also exploring additional gas resources to meet surging local demand.
Asry, the ship and rigs repairs specialist and a pioneer in its field in the Middle East, put its Project Jupiter in the forefront of display. Project Jupiter is an initiative aimed at making the shipyard the leader in onsite specialist contractors. It will ensure any global owners' needs are catered for specifically and efficiently. Leading names including ABB, Solas and Seven Seas have opened new or bigger workshops at the yard, with several more on the way. By the end of Project Jupiter, Asry expects to be a 'one-stop-shop' for owners.
It already accommodates 33 specialist contractors including leading operators such as Alfa Laval, Wartsila, Blohm+Voss, Harris PYE and Goltens and is looking forward to seeing several more global names take up a permanent and significant presence in the yard.
One of the largest companies participating in the fair was Ahmed Mansoor Al A'ali (AMA). The company opined Gulf Industry Fair was "well organised." Muein Marji, general manager of the structural and mechanical division felt it had the potential to grow even bigger. He would like to see greater participation by industries in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province and Qatar. A household name in Bahrain, AMA has set its eyes on large projects such as the Riyadh Metro. The company has accomplished many projects in both kingdoms – Bahrain and Saudi Arabia – and is currently looking for a major role in Alba's Line 6.
"There are more fabricators than required in Bahrain. It's good to have competition but there isn't enough work. On the other hand, projects in Saudi Arabia are huge and can be up to 25,000 tonnes. There is investment and money there," commented Marji.
Marji says that what differentiates AMA from its competitors is its focus on quality and delivery.
"Our line of business entails a huge amount of procedures and for that you need a qualified workforce, and we have that. If you have a highly qualified team, your mistakes will be limited. And that is what clients demand – high quality products and timely delivery."
For one of the well-known extruders in the Gulf – Bahrain Aluminium Extrusion Company (Balexco) – GIF was another opportunity to communicate its expertise. The company caters to a wide array of customers to meet their demand for industrial and architectural solutions. Its architectural Balexco Systems cover areas including casement, sliding, lift and slide and curtain wall. The company, which exports 75 per cent of its products, also offers thermal break profile systems. Balexco provides specialised and customised shapes, and its offerings include kitchen cabinets, air-condition grills, shop fronts and scaffolding profiles.
Its spokesman says that being an ISO 9001:2008-certified company, Balexco strives to go beyond the expectation of the customers, end users, clients and has achieved a high level of customer satisfaction.
Among the giants at GIF was Nass Corporation whose services cover the entire spectrum of the industrial sector.
One of its divisions, Nass Industrial Services (NIS), also known as Nass Mechanical Contracting (NMC), has evolved to become today one of the region's leading electro-mechanical EPC contractors and turnkey engineering solutions providers.
One of the major projects of NIS/NMC was the piping pre-fabrication (300,000-inch dia) and supply, fabrication, erection of storage tanks for Sadara's propylene oxide plant in Jubail, Saudi Arabia.
Nass Marine Services, Abrasive Technology Industries and Nass Commercial were the other companies that flew the Nass flag at the Northern Gulf's premiere industrial exhibition.
Majaal, a developer and manager of industrial facilities, operates more than $60 million worth of flexible use industrial space and has 32 tenants who fill the 400,000 sq ft of leasable area. The company says it is actively looking at raising capital to set up similar projects in Saudi Arabia and Oman, paving the way for regionalisation of the SME-oriented brand that it has so successfully instituted in Bahrain. Amin Al Arrayed, Majaal's co-founder and managing director, says key to the company's success has been the flexibility of its offerings. The company's design is open span with no columns and tenants represent the sectors of banking, bakeries, industrial plants and printhouses.
Midal Cables, part of the Aluminium Village segment at GIF, occupied one of the larger stalls. The company highlighted that its production has increased from 12,000 tonnes to 300,000 tonnes over the years. Managing director Hamid Al Zayani said his company has entered into production of fused aluminium for scaling rust from steel. "A $35 million project has been set up. A second project that is upcoming is the $60 million auto parts project being undertaken with a Japanese firm." Al Zayani added that the plant is coming up near Alba.
Pressure and temperature instruments maker Ashcroft Al Rushaid Instrument Company (Aarico) of Saudi Arabia, was a repeat exhibitor at GIF.
The company, a joint venture between Al Rushaid Petroleum Investment Company and Ashcroft Nagano Keiki, is the only manufacturer of Ashcroft pressure and temperature instruments in the Middle East.
"Ashcroft is globally the number one brand in pressure and temperature instruments while Nagano Keiki is the leading manufacturer of pressure sensors in the global business. The integration of both US and Japanese technologies has helped Aarico to firmly entrench itself in the Middle East market," says a spokesman of the company.
Visitors interested in aluminium composite cladding panels (ACPs) had a useful time talking to representatives of Alwah Alkhaleej Factory. The plant was built in 2012 and it started production under the registered trademark Techno Bond.
"Since ACPs have a lot of uses, such as in the cladding and facades of buildings, interiors and in advertising, we decided to establish a factory to cover the growing domestic demands and neighbouring markets," said company spokesman Adel Abdullah.
One of the main advantages of ACPs is its low cost, ease of installation and its suitability for all buildings.
Abdullah said: "Techno Bond aluminium composite panels are designed to give a commercial project the clean, innovative and dramatic appearance one expects."
Alaa for Industry (AFI), one of the regulars at GIF, highlighted its Parker Hannifin and Enerpac products. According to Matio Morales, an AFI marketing official, Hydraulic torque ranges is the fasting selling Enerpac item, making up 60 per cent of all Enerpac sales. Other products of the brand that have done well in Saudi Arabia are flange alignment tools and the hydraulic nut splitter. Buyers of Enerpac products include Sceco and Sabic. Morales also said that Enerpac's flange alignment tools have demand among engineering, fabrication and rigs services companies such as Schlumberger, Nabors and Arabian Drilling. The hydraulic nut splitter has customers including Schlumberger, Nabors and Arabian Drilling because, as Morales put it, "it's a complete tool."
The company also acquainted visitors with its manufacturing range which includes hydraulic power packs, cylinder and other hydraulic components, seals and hoses, transportation equipment, vacuum jetting tankers and super suckers, weigh bridges and rubber components.
Tebodin Middle East Ltd Bahrain, a multi-disciplinary consultancy and engineering firm, proudly showcased its design, engineering and construction supervision capabilities.
The company, part of the Netherlands-based Tebodin BV, is currently working on a first-phase EPC management contract with Mondelez for the construction of a factory at the Bahrain International Investment Park (BIIP) to produce biscuit brands.
"We've done it before for Mondelez – their first plant in Bahrain, also at BIIP," said Abdulrahman Yaseen Abdulrahman, a Tebodin official in charge of IT and networking, Bahrain office. Mondelez's first plant, also at BIIP, makes Kraft cheese and Tang beverage powder.
Over the years, Tebodin has been involved with projects of leading Bahrain companies including Bapco, Banagas and Gulf Aluminium Rolling Mills (Garmco).
"Bapco is our biggest and oldest client for whom we have accomplished many projects including gas and oil pipelines," said Abdulrahman, "Projects we have executed for Bapco include a gas distribution point system and a flame facility for waste gas.
"Successful completion of projects such as those of Bapco has inspired other companies to contract us. We are currently working on a gas pipeline for Garmco."
Ducab, one of the more prominent manufacturers at GIF, showcased the strength and safety of its cables and wires. The company took part through its Bahrain office and is keen on proclaiming its presence in the local market, which has seen an uptick in construction projects.
Present at the stall were Ducab's marketing manager, Ashish Chaturvedy, and Ian Watts, project manager of Ducag-AEI Cables Ltd, UK. Watts spoke on the new Code of Practice BS 8519:2010 at a seminar alongside the exhibition. He discussed how the new code addresses the selection and installation of fire resistant power and control cable systems for life safety and fire-fighting appplications.
He offered recommendations and guidance for power and control cable systems required to maintain circuit integrity for critical applications.
Ducab has gone through a period of hectic expansion. Construction work on its sixth plant for the production of aluminium rods and conductors at the Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (Kizad) began weeks earlier.
Alwardi Group Bahrain showcased its capabilities and achievements in the fields of industrial transport and plant hire. In a statement prior to the exhibition, Turk Alwardi, owner and managing director of the group, stated: "Our participation at the fair will be beneficial in meeting new clients and developing business opportunities as well as providing a platform to re-enforce our business relationships with our existing customers."
Alwardi's fleet, around 350-strong, is exclusively used by Alba, Awal Gulf Manufacturing Company (Awalco), Midal Cables and Arabian Sugar.
The company's fleet has expanded from 250 to 350 over the last year with plans for further expansion.
Business tips are always welcome no matter where. At GIF SysProve, a business process and strategic IT consultancy firm based in Bahrain, did just that to the appreciation of business visitors.
In the six years of its existence, SysProve has established a successful track record in assisting leading organisations, especially manufacturing companies, in the Middle East. It has worked with the public and private sector in a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, supply chain and logistics, healthcare, energy, banking and finance, and retail.
"Efficient processes are the core of any organisation. The quality of products and services depend on them," said a spokesman for the company.
Process improvement offers opportunities to achieve significant changes to manufacturing and supporting processes, enabling increased efficiencies, improvement of product delivery, enhanced customer satisfaction and profitability, he said.
BIIP spells hope for Bahrain. Bahrain International Investment Park is the mechanism through which local and international companies, including manufacturers, have set up shop and are producing goods and services that bring value to Bahrain and its people. Much investment has poured in as the slickly managed operation communicates to business promoters and entrepreneurs the logic of doing business in Bahrain. One of the investors at the park is Mondelez International, which is adding a biscuit plant to its cheese and beverage facilities.
Ahmed Yousif Taqi, acting park chief, recalled BIIP's traditional support for GIF. He said its participation at the fair serves as a support to its clients, some of whom were present as exhibitors.
The company has developed as a major player in the region's marine industry.
"Over the years, AJS has gained the confidence and trust of many loyal clients and it can only be said that this has been mainly due to our solid infrastructure, diversification, top-quality service and dynamic and highly skilled management team," said managing director Ali Hasan Mahmood. Despite the global crisis, the company had done well "through proper planning and hard work," Mahmood added. The company supplies services to the offshore oil and construction industry. AJS offers time charters related to tugs, barges, supply boats, crane barges and accommodation barges, among other craft and has an inhouse fabrication yard. It also provides extensive catering services through its affiliations with Fine Foods Company and is the agent in Bahrain for Aggreko, a world leader in the rental of temporary power generation and temperature control systems.