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October's Budget Busters
October 23, 2016 § Leave a comment
The data shows that household spending drops well below the annual average in the weeks following Thanksgiving up until the 3rd week of November.
The fact is that you don't have to give a good glass of wine with dinner or after a hard day, you just have to find the best of the ones that fit your budget.
What follows is a list of 3 whites and 3 reds that provide great value and don't break the bank.
Jean Louis Blancs de Blancs (Sparkling) – An everyday Sparkling wine. Yeah that's right an everyday sparkling wine to celebrate life's small victories. Delightful ripe apple and pear, a very decent mousse for the price. Just a fine glass of wine for the price. ~ Score 8.2/10 ($12.99-$14.99)
Cono Sur Gewurztraminer – For those who enjoy a lighter style wine that is a touch sweeter. This is a light bodied quaffer that shows flavours of lychee nut, white peach and pear. ~ Score 7.9/10 ($9.99 – $11.99)
Lindemans Bin 65 Chardonnay – A richer wine that embodies the sun of the country it comes from. Tropical fruit flavours with a touch of caramel on the finish. I love this wine as it has not really changed its price since the wine came into the market back in the early 90's. ~ Score 7.8/10 ($10.99-$12.99)
Giacondi Sangiovese Merlot – Buy this one by the 1.5L (Magnum) as it works out to being about $6/Bottle. This wine is one of the most consistent and best values on the Market. Cherry, berry and plum flavours with a medium body. Do me a favour, let this wine breathe for 15-30min. before enjoying. If you do you will be handsomely rewarded. ~Score 7.9/10 ($11.99 1.5L)
Tocado Grenache – This is a super juicy, ripe wine and it will be tough to stop at one glass. Ripe raspberry, currant and blueberry flavours with a gentle soft palate. I know you can get this at Cascadia stores for $11.99 and $9.99 if you buy it by the case… and it is worth buying by the case. ~ Score 7.8/10 ($9.99-$11.99)
Terra Andina Carmenere-Syrah – I would be hard pressed to find another wine of structure that provides better bang for the buck. The Tocado above is all about juicy-ness and a soft palate, this wine has some structure and is filled with plum, blackberry and cassis. ~ Score 7.6/10 ($9.99- $12.99)
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Domaine de Pellehaut 2015 Rosé
June 28, 2016 § Leave a comment
Have you ever watched the move My Summer In Provence? Every scene that involves a meal has a bottle of Rosé. It makes perfect sense because Rosé can be incredibly refreshing and wonderfully versatile. In fact Rosé goes with a broader spectrum of foods than does white (I know I know I am generalizing). So when the temperature rises to above 20C and the grass starts to bleach out, I get a craving for rosé.
As I strolled through my local wine shop I saw a signficant increase in the number of rosés from Provence, which is classic. Prices ranged from $15-$25 which is what I expected, but then I say a lonely wine from Gascogne. Not your typical rosé hotbed and you know how I love to find great values where they are unexpected, so I grabbed a bottle of the Domaine de Pellehaut 2015 Rosé.
Price ~ $18.99
Score ~ 8.1 Over Delivers
If you follow me on Instagram (rod_phillips) you no doubt saw the photo I took of the wine. The colour is a deep rose, and the nose shows bright fruit of strawberry, raspberry. and currants, while the palate is fresh, alive and bursting with finesse and elegance. The finish shows all the fruit and is dry. It is not possible to not want more of this wine, as evidenced by my instagram photo. This is a highly shareable wine and my recommendation would be to have 6-10 bottles kicking around for when friends drop by as one will not be enough.
Grapes ~ I had to do some research for this one as the label doesn't really tell you anything. Tannat, Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon & Malbec
Store Section ~ France
Availability ~ Private Stores only
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Clos des Miran 2013 Visan Cotes du Rhone-Village
June 3, 2016 § Leave a comment
As you know the purpose of this blog is to provide useful reviews of wines under $20. The goal is to weed through the plethora of inexpensive wine to find the true values. This wine perfectly encapsulates this.
This wine didn't have a sale tag but, for those in the know, it is significantly under priced for it's appellation. Cotes du Rhone-Villages is one cut above Cotes du Rhone, yet most Cotes du Rhone's on the market are in the $20 range. With that in mind, this wine had all the potential of being a truly magical find.
Price ~ $14.99
Score ~ 6.8 Good Drop
It is a good wine, but it didn't wow me like I was hoping. For the cork dork looking for elegance and finesse as expressed by bright acidity and relatively delicate palate, this is a great wine. However for those looking for the boldness one comes to expect from Rhone wines, you will not find it here.
I loved exploring this wine as it unfolded on my palate. Cerebraly it kept my attention glass after glass, but it left friends over for a barbeque, wonting.
The nose shows savoury spices, raspberry and dark plum. The palate is medium bodied and filled with complexity if you choose to let it show.
For food pairings, this is great for chicken and pork on the grill and certainly cheeses like mild Gouda.
Grapes ~ Grenache, Syrah, Carignan
Store Section ~ France
Availability ~ Both private and public stores.
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Ermelinda 2014 Monte da Baia
April 1, 2016 § 2 Comments
Castelao, Castelao, Castelao! If you say that 3 times fast wine miracles happen I promise.
I was in the liquor store the other day and ran into a friend of mine who is on the floor as a product consultant. It was great to catch up to her and I was reminded that we are all looking for a great glass of wine.
I told her I was looking for a killer wine but it had to be under $20. She looked both ways, looked back at me and said, "come over here." We silently strolled past a few other people in the store and went to the Portuguese section. She silently reached down and picked the bottle up. After staring at it with a smile for a few seconds she handed it to me and said "this one."
Price ~ $11.29-$12.99
Score ~ 7.4/10
This one is called Monte da Baia from the Ermelinda winery in Portugal. It is a blend of Castelao, Touriga Nacional and Syrah. The nose shows blackberry, plum and black cherry. The spice offers some dark cocao, but what is truly amazing is this sense that I'm tasting the soul of mother nature. I know that sounds dramatic, but I'm telling you there is an earthy sense, that slows the heartbeat to slow down, makes you feel connected to something more than a collection of grapes, tanks, a label and some words.
For food I would suggest simply grilled steak, or chicken with BBQ sauce. A roast ham would do well to. Perhaps a Ham and Pepperoni pizza.
Grapes ~ Castelao, Touriga Nacional, Syrah
Store Section ~ Portugal
Availability ~ both public and private stores.
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PS- below is a link to the Wine Folly book on Amazon. Yes this is an affiliate program and it helps us keep the blog going, having said that I highly recommend this book and use it myself. It is colourful easy to read book that you can have a resource. Enjoy.
Terra Andina Carmenere-Syrah
January 8, 2015 § 1 Comment
Score: 9.1 – Best Buy
Price: $9.99-$10.99
About the Wine: Juicy, seductive, spicy, layered sub $15 bliss. The nose shows generous lush dark plum, blackberry and black pepper, while the palate is lush. The complexity of this wine suggests $15/bottle easily. It does the job from start to finish. Speaking of the finish, it is very long for an $11 wine, and leaves you with a spicy, juicy kiss goodbye.
I recall a time about 10 years ago when I was an importer and we carried this winery and wine. The price then was $14.99 and we had trouble keeping it in stock. At $10.99/$11.99 this is a steal. Best Buy indeed.
Value: Put down the Fincas Los Primos or Copper Moon Malbec and trade up to this wine. In fact I would save myself a buck or two and choose this wine over Beringer Stone Cellars Cab Sauv or the Vina Maipo Carmenere.
Added Value: Those who would serve this as a wedding wine or having a BBQ will find extra value in this wine.
Service: Twist off the cap, wait 5-10 minutes and enjoy.
Grapes: Carmenere, Syrah
Store Section: Chile
Appellation: Central Valley
Available: Everything Wine, Metro Liquor, Legacy Liquor Store,Beverly Corners Liquor Store, Hillside Liquor Store, Liquor Express, Liquor Depot
Buy Online/Delivered To Your Door: Everything Wine, Metro Liquor, Legacy Liquor Store, Liquor Depot
Alcohol: 12.5%
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Fat Bird 2014 Sauvignon Blanc
January 7, 2015 § Leave a comment
Score: 7.5 – Over Delivers
Price: $18.99
About the Wine: This wine is the child of the new generation of winemaking and viticulture in New Zealand and it shows through. Bright youthful aromas of citrus, gooseberry and melon greet your nose. What you notice on the palate is the freshness of the wine without it having biting acidity. The palate shows flavours of citrus, melon and gooseberry as mentioned above, however there is the addition of fresh-cut grass and peas. Think of these last two flavours like little kids playing hide and seek; giggling but a little shy as well. In balance these all work together beautifully. The finish is crisp and refreshing.
Value: This is a tough wine to put into perspective of the market. There has been a lot of price activity from the big boys of Oyster Bay and Kim Crawford where their wines are $17.99. This is most often matched (or exceeded; I have seen it at $14.99 and at that price it is a Best Buy) by Fat Bird. In relation to Oyster Bay at $17.99 Fat Bird is in good stead. A little more youthful and intriguing than Oyster Bay. Oyster Bay is classically New Zealand. In relation to Kim Crawford at $20.99, I would go with Fat Bird.
Would I trade up to Fat Bird from some of the Leyda, Limari or Casablanca Valley Sauvignon Blancs from Chile? I feel they at two (or four) different experiences. The Chilean versions are not only a few bucks cheaper, but they are also far more tropical and less vibrant than Fat Bird. When I'm in the mood to brighten my day I would go Fat Bird, if real money is issue I might go Chilean.
Added Value: For those having a Date Night, Movie Night, Girls Night Out, a Seafood BBQ, or are having the 'Foodies' over, there is added value in this wine for you.
Service: Chilled but not cold. Take it out of the fridge and if there is condensation on the bottle, then give a few minutes to warm up to enjoy. When it is too cold the wine shuts down its personality; the lovely vibrant citrus aromas and flavours, become muted which allows flavours and aromas of fresh-cut grass and peas to dominate. True enjoyment of this wine is in its balance of aromas, flavours and texture.
As for food (my mouth is watering as I say this), I absolutely adore this wine with fresh, local halibut when it is in season.
Grapes: Sauvignon Blanc
Store Section: New Zealand
Appellation: Marlborough
Available: Everything Wine, Hillside Liquor Store, Vintage Spirits (Victoria)
Buy Online/Delivered To Your Door: Everything Wine
Alcohol: 12.5%
Lindeman's Bin 65 Chardonnay: Updated
January 7, 2015 § Leave a comment
Score: 9.1 – Best Buy
Price: $11.99 ($22.99 for the 1.5L Bottle)
About the Wine: There are few better Chardonnay's under $15 in B.C. This wine shows balance through and through. It offer generous fruit, bright freshness, a creamy texture, layers of spice and hints of vanilla. It provides a complete taste experience from start to finish on the palate.
It's a big brand, and one doesn't normally associate an artisan approach to wines from a global giant, but this is the wine that built the Lindeman's brand and they seem to understand that it is the pillar of the brands growth and stability. I have tasted, bought and enjoyed this wine for each of the last 8 vintages and it has yet to disappoint.
For those fearful of too much oak in Chardonnay, particularly Australian Chardonnay, there is nothing to fear here. The key to this wine is balance and enjoyment. Best Buy for sure!
Value: It would be a mistake not to trade up in price to this wine from the likes of Barefoot, Naked Grape, & Copper Moon and save yourself a buck by trading down in price from Yellow Tail or Woodbridge Chardonnay.
Added Value: There is added value in serving this wine if you are doing any of the following: getting married, having a group of people over or going to a party, snuggling up on the couch for movie night, or enjoying a girls night out.
Part of the Story: I remember when Lindeman's Bin 65 Chardonnay first gained popularity in B.C. It was a part of the first wave of Australian wine back in the early 90's and Wyndham's Bin 222 Chard was king. B.C. has long been known to pay the lowest prices to suppliers. Bin 222 was growing by leaps and bounds with every passing year and Wyndham Estate found themselves without enough wine to match global demand. Instead of raising their prices they simply cut supply to markets that paid the lowest prices… first on the list, B.C.
Without the market leader present on the shelves consumers were looking for an alternative and Lindeman's Bin 65 became that alternative. It was the number 1 selling Australian white wine right up until Yellow Tail stormed the beaches in the early 2000's. From what I understand from the agent, Lindemans Bin 65 is once again the most popular Australian white wine.
The price for Lindemans Bin 65 in 1995, and this adds to why this gets a Best Buy rating, $9.99. The price today $11.99. An increase of only $2 over 20 years is amazing. An increase of only $2 over 20 years while maintaining quality is priceless.
Service: Chill to about 8C. In the event that you don't have a thermometer handy, if there is condensation on the bottle when you take it out of the fridge, just wait a few minutes for it to warm up a bit and serve. For food pairings this has always been a favourite of mine with grilled chicken or roasted pork tenderloin, but best of all is pairing this with a big bowl of hot buttered popcorn.
Grapes: Chardonnay
Store Section: Australia
Appellation: South East Australia
Available: BC Liquor Stores, Cascadia Liquor Stores, Beverly Corners Liquor Store, Everything Wine, Liquor Express, Metro Liquor, Liquor Depot
Buy Online/Delivered To Your Door: Everything Wine, Metro Liquor, Liquor Depot
Alcohol: 13%
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Discovery Bundle – Gerry Beckley, Rusty Young, Jack Tempchin
Gerry Beckley – Carousel
2016 solo album from the singer/songwriter best known for his work with the Grammy-winning band America. Recorded at his Los Angeles studio Human Nature, the shimmering 12-track album plays to all of Beckley's strengths; the singer, songwriter and musician played most instruments on the album. "With a solo project I'm really a committee of one," says Beckley. "There's only myself to please. Having said that, it's not always easy. Each project is a snapshot in time. The material on Carousel came from a wide scope of inspiration." Carousel contains original standouts such as the deeply personal "Lifeline", "No Way I'm Gonna Lose You" (co-written with Dan Wilson who won an award for his work with Adele) and "Tokyo", of which Beckley says: "The song actually came to me while I was waiting to board a flight home from Japan. I seem to remember I lost track of time and almost missed the flight." There are also three covers on which Beckley puts his distinctive spin: Spirit's "Nature's Way", Gerry Rafferty's "To Each and Everyone" and Gerry and The Pacemakers' "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying". "I've fortunately never been short on inspiration for my original material but I do love to record a cover every so often," says Beckley. "These three are of course from my long list of fave songs."
Rusty Young – Waitin' For The Sun
2017 solo release from the singer/songwriter best known for his work with country rock pioneers Poco. In 1967, a young musician from Denver was invited to play steel guitar on what would become the final album by Buffalo Springfield. Soon after, he – along with Richie Furay, George Grantham and Jim Messina – would form the seminal West Coast country-rock band Poco. Over the next five decades, alongside bandmates that would also include Paul Cotton, Randy Meisner and Timothy B. Schmit, he became not only the musical core of the band, but also the writer and vocalist behind hits including 'Rose Of Cimarron' and the #1 smash 'Crazy Love'. Now the singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist who remains the heart and soul of Poco has made the most surprising statement of his 50-year career. Waitin' For The Sun is the sound of a hit songwriter, roots innovator and Grammy-nominated steel guitar legend exploring and expressing a lifetime of music influences. "I learned how to write songs not only from the guys in Poco, but the people I hung out with, too," explains Rusty. "People like Neil Young, Stephen Stills, and Gerry Beckley from the band America all made a big impression on me. As the sole writer on this record, I got to visit all kinds of different places that relate to my musical heritage and experiences. Most of all, I wanted to take people on a journey that was fun to listen to from the first note to the last." The album was recorded at Cash Cabin in Hendersonville, Tennessee, the former home recording studio of Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash. It was produced by Rusty and longtime Poco bassist/vocalist Jack Sundrud – and mixed/mastered by Joe Hardy (ZZ Top, Steve Earle, The Replacements.)
Jack Tempchin – Peaceful, Easy, Feeling
2017 release from the veteran singer/songwriter. Jack Tempchin and Glenn Frey were friends for a long time before either became world-famous, Jack as a hit songwriter and Glenn as an Eagle. It's a friendship first sparked back in 1972 when Frey, then a member of the duo Longbranch Pennywhistle with J.D. Souther, spent a San Diego night at Jack's big house and candle factory, a beloved hippie crash pad. Two years later at his friend Jackson Browne's L.A. home, Jack played Glenn a new song he'd written about a waitress in El Centro called "Peaceful Easy Feeling." So enthralled was Frey by the tune that he recorded it on cassette tape, telling Jack that he'd formed a new band eight days earlier, and wanted to play it for them. Jack's reaction: "Whoa, yeah!" That band was the Eagles. The next day Glenn returned with a recording of the Eagles singing this song. Hearing that track with those now-iconic Eagles harmonies blew his mind. "It was," he said, "the best thing I had ever heard." He already knew Frey was a fine solo singer, but had no clue about his greatness as an arranger and harmony singer. The song became one of The Eagles' most beloved hits, a triumph Jack attributed more to the band than the songwriter. "It is not a normal love song," he said. "But The Eagles, with their arrangement, breathed life into it." It's success led him on a lifelong songwriting path from which he's never veered since. As a solo artist, Tempchin has recorded twelve albums over the years. Now comes Peaceful Easy Feeling – The Songs of Jack Tempchin on Blue Elan Records. A poignant tribute to his fabled friendship with his "musical brother, " Frey, it features Jack's own renditions ten of their songs, performed solo and with guest vocalists Rita Coolidge, Janiva Magness, Chris Hillman and Herb Pedersen. "This album," wrote Jack in the liner notes, "is dedicated to my great friend of 46 years, Glenn Frey. Glenn and I always had a fabulous time writing songs together. We would talk about our lives and laugh. He was the funniest person I've ever had the pleasure to know. It was my great good fortune that my buddy happened to be one of the best songwriters of all time. Goodbye my friend and musical brother. Thanks for all the wonderful times." Raised in San Diego, Jack became one of America's most prolific and widely-covered songwriters, crafting classics for himself as a solo artist and band member (as part of the legendary Funky Kings) as well as for a host of other artists, including George Jones, Emmylou Harris, Tom Waits, Glen Campbell, Jackson Browne, Dwight Yoakam, Linda Ronstadt, Tanya Tucker, and many more. His most famous non-Eagles hit, first recorded by the Kings, was "Swaying To The Music (Slow Dancing)," a giant hit for Johnny Rivers, and now a modern standard.

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BNR Governor Mugur Isarescu stressed the idea that the imbalance between pension system contributors and beneficiaries is 14 years old. "No improvement can be seen!"
Tax evasion remains a more than delicate problem in Romania, a problem that worsens the deficits registered by the pensions fund and the health securities fund. Romania has for at least 14 years been caught in a vicious cycle resulting from the high number of beneficiaries of the pension system and the low number of pension system contributors and no improvement can be seen in this respect, the National Bank of Romania (BNR) governor Mugur Isarescu said on Tuesday, Agerpres informs.
"We clearly have a vicious cycle: five million pension beneficiaries and only four million contributors. This is not new! I raised this issue for the first time in the Parliament of Romania in my capacity as prime minister. Fourteen years have passed and, if you look at the figures, no improvement can be seen," the head of the Central Bank said at the event dubbed 'Mugur Isarescu and Guests.' "One can use such a system only if the ratio is one to one," he added. Isarescu also spoke of the "vicious inflation cycle" which Romania managed to break out of as late as after 20 years. "The current vicious cycles are minor, but we must break out of them," he said. The governor said there was yet another "vicious cycle" of tax evasion and explained the greatest problem it generates is the fact that it destroys the market. According to him, a dodger of VAT has a 24 percent advantage over competing firms.
The National Bank chief commented on a proposal to return to the global tax as a solution to balance the social contribution system and stressed that the system was abandoned because it was unwieldy and there were no electronic systems. "Fourteen years on, we still do not have electronic systems," he said, explaining that the taxpayer even today comes with cash and a pile of paperwork to the county capital to pay the taxes.
At the same time, the BNR Governor once again nuanced his position towards the political decision of joining the Euro Area in 2019, stating that he supports the initiative, in order to have a national program that politicians who lack a long-term vision would take into account, not the deadline proposed which is difficult to meet.
Tax evasion of 16 pc of GDP in 2013
On the other hand, Fiscal Council President Ionut Dumitru, present at the event, estimates the tax evasion at 16 percent of GDP in 2013, of which 12.2 percent of GDP solely from dodging the VAT, compared to the 13.8 percent estimate for 2012, while the degree of collection is very low, falling below 60 percent of budget obligations. "The breakup of tax evasion entails zero tolerance towards this scourge. A level of 16 percent of GDP concerns national security, the future of this country. Just like we have a political pact on adopting the Euro, we should have a political pact on combating tax evasion. The restructuring of ANAF is mandatory, we have a program with the World Bank but we are still waiting for results," Dumitru said. He pointed out that of the tax evasion of RON 72 bn that the Fiscal Council estimates when it comes to VAT approximately RON 10 bn are evaded in the food industry, the latter being first. Moreover, in the meat industry the tax evasion is even higher than in the bread industry, surpassing 80 percent. The tax evasion when it comes to VAT represented 12 percent of GDP, and when it comes to CAS approximately 2 per cent of GDP. Ordered by sectors of the economy, in the agriculture sector the tax evasion is estimated at RON 6.3 bn, and in the energy sector at RON 4.1 bn.
The degree of collecting budget revenues falls below 60 percent and is also caused by excessive red tape, Romania being 146th in a 148-country table that concerns the effect of tax levels on the motivation to work and invest. Dumitru also pointed out that by European standards the budget revenues are very small, namely 32.7 pc of GDP, compared to a European average of 42.7 percent of GDP. He pointed out that since 1990 Romania pushed its budget revenues closer to 35 percent of GDP only in 1999 and 2007, while fiscal revenues surpassed 30 percent of GDP only once.


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Elegant silk drapes flow down your wall in Florence, a decadent design with rich shimmering tones. The vibrant palette of earthy tones compliment the pops of color pulled from lush green forests, amethyst, and cool blue waters. Florence will highlight the beauty of any space, adding an intricate depth to your walls.


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Netflix's 'crazy' salary rule
NETFLIX allows all senior employees to see exactly what their colleagues are earning, with the open-salary policy meaning "everyone is always looking" and comparing their whopping pay packets, according to a report.
The streaming giant pays between 25 to 50 per cent more than traditional media companies in a bid to poach top talent, according to Hollywood Reporter, with some execs easily taking home multimillion-dollar salaries.
Entry-level assistants make from $US70,000 to over $US100,000, managers earn between $US150,000 and $US400,000, directors from $US400,000 to $US800,000 and vice presidents easily more than $US1 million.
The report notes earlier this year Netflix was hiring a movie publicist for $US400,000, and one top publicity executive makes a base salary of $US1.5 million.
"It's not comparable to anywhere else," one insider told the magazine. "It's like play money."
Chief content officer Ted Sarandos reportedly implemented the open-salary policy last year so employees could check whether they're being fairly compensated.
Anyone at director level or above can see what everyone else makes - and their entire pay history - through an internal system called Workday.
"We were all like, 'F**k, this is crazy,'" Hollywood Reporter quoted an insider as saying. Another said, "Everyone is always looking. It's, 'Holy s**t, they got a $2 million raise last year? What happened?!'"
Netflix shares have fallen more than 23 per cent from their peak in July when the company reported much slower subscriber growth than anticipated, sparking an investor exodus.
The streaming service added 5.1 million subscribers during the April-June period, missing its target by nearly one million. Analysts blamed a series of misfires and flops in Netflix's slate of original content.
There is also growing competition from a raft of rival streaming services including HBO Go, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube Red and Facebook Watch. In Australia, the Nine-Fairfax joint venture Stan recently passed one million subscribers.
Meanwhile, Disney is working on a streaming service set to debut next year, and Apple is spending about $1.4 billion on original programming of its own.


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"On the outside, much of my time was spent looking at relationships in terms of who is going to fight me and who likes me."
"My dad died 6 years ago. I miss him. They shot him 18 times. He was in the Mexican mafia."
If a kid has "turned the corner" it means they are not going home, but will see a judge…
"I've been coming to Burnaby since I was 13… for assault. Here, I'm in the 11th grade and I get straight As and Bs. This time I've been here for twelve months."
"I got into a lot of trouble; running away, drinking, drugs, robbing people, fighting. I will serve ten months in and then five months out. I did these tattoos on my hand with india ink at home. I want to be a tattoo artist."
"I work in the garden 2-3 times a week, I love it. I am being charged with assault with a deadly weapon, part of a gang-related stabbing when I was 15. I was almost charged as an adult. I still have back in the day thoughts… but I am more mature."
D.F has been in the system since he was 12. He recently escaped by chewing out of his cell. He is being kept in a room that doesn't meet ACA standards for suicide prevention cells and he just defecated all over a meal tray to make a point.
"I was on probation with a ankle bracelet… my boyfriend and I decided to run away to Juarez (Mexico). I've been here for four months, it really sucks, you have to listen to officers and do exactly what they tell you to do. They do unscheduled cell searches every day."
"I've been incarcerated since I was 15, charged with assault with a deadly weapon, I was almost charged as an adult but I was 15 so I wasn't. I work in the garden here two or three days a week and I get $8 an hour… pretty thrilled about that."
"I was a gang banger, my mother is in the police academy and lives with her girlfriend. My dad died. I was locked up in juvie for a month for assault battery, and robbery. Now I want to finish school here and get out and spend some time with my family."


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Board of Directors
Meet our Board of Directors and view their biosView Board of Directors
At VAALCO good corporate governance is part of our culture and a guiding principle to always promote the best interests of the shareholders at every level of the organization, including our Board, the Management Team and our employees. The Directors are committed to maintaining high standards of corporate governance in conducting its business, and to interact with its shareholders, employees, business partners, governmental entities, the public and our communities in a responsible, ethical and lawful manner.
|Board Members
|Nominating and Corporate Governance
Mr. Fawthrop has served on the Board since October 2014 and as the Chairman of the Board since December 2015. Mr. Fawthrop has deep and broad-based experience in the oil and gas industry, including in West Africa, having served for 37 years with Unocal Corporation and Chevron Corporation (following its acquisition of Unocal in 2005) in a vast number of international leadership positions. Most recently, from January 2009 until his retirement in 2014, Mr. Fawthrop served as Chairman and Managing Director for Chevron Nigeria. Prior to his assignment in Nigeria, Mr. Fawthrop served as President and Managing Director for Unocal/Chevron Bangladesh from 2003 until 2007.
In his professional career, Mr. Fawthrop held various positions of increasing responsibility for exploration activities around the world in geographies including China, Egypt, Indonesia, South America, Africa, Latin America, and Europe. Mr. Fawthrop served as a Member of the Advisory Board of Eurasia Group. He served as a Director of Hindustan Oil Exploration Co. Ltd. from 2003 to 2005. He was an active member of the United States Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce, the Asia Society of Texas and the Houston World Affairs Council.
Mr. Fawthrop holds a Bachelor of Science in Geology and Chemistry and a Masters degree in Marine Geology from the University of London.
Mr. Bounds was appointed Chief Executive Officer on December 29, 2016 after having served as the Chief Operating Officer for VAALCO since July, 2015 as well as interim Chief Executive Officer since September 1, 2016. Mr. Bounds has held a variety of technical and management positions of increasing responsibility with major energy companies as well as independent E&P companies.
Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Bounds was Business Unit Manager and Vice President, Noble Energy Equatorial Guinea Limited from May 2013 until July 2015. Earlier in his tenure with Noble, Mr. Bounds held the position of North Sea Country Manager from April 2010 until May 2013. Prior to Noble, Mr. Bounds was the Engineering and Planning Manager, Worldwide for Terralliance Technologies, Inc. from 2007 to 2010 and served as their Country Manager in Mozambique from 2007 to 2010. Mr. Bounds was with SM Energy from 2004 to 2007 and held the position of Engineering Manager for their Gulf Coast and Permian regions. Mr. Bounds spent five years with Dominion E&P serving in corporate development, planning and reservoir engineering positions. Mr. Bounds began his career with ConocoPhillips in 1991 where he held a variety of reservoir and production engineering positions in U.S. onshore regions.
Mr. Bounds holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Petroleum Engineering from Texas A&M University.
Mr. Pully has served on the Board since July 2015. Mr. Pully has over 30 years of experience in capital markets, finance, investing and legal matters. He also has extensive board participation and leadershipexperience, having served in a variety of roles on fifteen boards including EPL Oil & Gas, Inc., where he was the lead independent director at the time of the company's sale. Mr. Pully is currently on the board of Bellatrix Exploration, a public Calgary-based oil and gas producer and Aspire Holdings (formerly Endeavour International), a private North Sea oil and gas producer.
From 2008 until 2014, Mr. Pully served as General Counsel and Partner of the investment firm, Carlson Capital, L.P. Mr. Pully previously was an investment banker, serving as a Managing Director in the energy and power investment banking division of Bank of America and as a Senior Managing Director in the natural resources investment banking department of Bear Sterns & Company. Mr. Pully began his career as an attorney with Baker Botts LLP in Houston.
Mr. Pully holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Georgetown University and a J.D. from The University of Texas School of Law. Mr. Pully is a Chartered FinancialAnalyst, a Certified Public Accountant in the State of Texas and a member of the State Bar of Texas.
Mr. Knapp has served on the Board since December 2015. Mr. Knapp is a Partner at CCM Opportunistic Advisors, LLC, an investment fund in Houston Texas, a position he has held since March 2011. He also serves as the President, Chief Executive Officer, and principal stockholder of Andover Group, Inc., a real estate investment and development company he founded in 1978. Mr. Knapp currently serves on the board of directors of ATRM Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATRM) which he joined in April 2015, and previously served on from January 2013 until March 2013. He also serves as a director of On Track Innovations Ltd. (NASDAQ: OTIV), and has served since December 2012.
Previously, Mr. Knapp served as the Chief Executive Officer and a director of ICO, Inc. (NASDAQ: ICOC), from October 2005 to April 2010. Mr. Knapp is a Chartered Financial Analyst and is currently a trustee of Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky.
Mr. Knapp holds a Bachelor of Arts from Williams College.


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Everyone's been through it. If you're home relies on technology like so many of them do today, you've probably got about 50 remotes lying around. There's one for the Blu-Ray player, one for the TV, maybe even one for your ceiling fan. Staring at your various remotes trying to figure out which one goes to what is a common thing at that point. Matching your remote to the brand of electronic can be a time waster that you could otherwise spend enjoying your favorite movie or listening to your surround sound system. That's where the Harmony remote from Logitech comes in – and they just made it even better.
What is the Harmony Remote?
There are two types of Harmony remotes from Logitech. One looks like your average, every day remote (except a little bit bigger). It'll allow you to control every piece of equipment hooked up to your home theater or home entertainment system. It's essentially a universal remote on steroids. The second type of Harmony Remote is a Smart Remote. It allows you to hook it up to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, which can be really useful for a few different reasons.
- Control through walls – Well, more than likely cabinets, but this allows you to hide away your different devices, while still being able to control them. The fact that you've got Wi-Fi and Bluetooth means that you can easily access all of the devices in your home from just about anywhere.
- Use your phone – You can easily connect your smartphone to your Harmony remote and control the same devices using your smartphone as you can with your remote. It's an easy way to connect everything in your home to your smart devices. You can set the whole thing up online and even transfer information between Harmony remotes if you choose to upgrade
What's new from Logitech's Harmony Remote?
Every product needs something that will put it a cut above the rest – Harmony has it. The Harmony remote now has Nest integration, which means that you'll also be able to manage climate control with your remote. That's right, you can change the temperature of the room by using your universal remote (not to mention it also works with Sonos products). Nest is ahead of its time as well, working as a learning thermostat that gets to know your preferences over time. The Harmony remotes are attractive, easy to use, and can give you ease of control over your whole home.
Home Automation with CSS
Considering making your home a little easier to control? A home automation system gives you the ability to control nearly every facet of your home from security to entertainment. We carry a wealth of products at Chesapeake System Service to get you started or to help you expand your home automation system. Please contact Chesapeake Systems Service, Inc. by calling 800-205-4909 or click here today for a free estimate! Bringing you the best in sound would be our pleasure! You can also check out the Little Falls Place townhomes at this website. You can follow CSS Inc.on Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn,Google+ and Twitter as well!
Sources: Hot Hardware, Logitech


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Pros and Cons of an Employee Handbook
Denzil Dsouza (10)
Harikrishnan (14)
Rohan Rege (32)
Sachin Abraham ITTY (33)
* Freelance journalist for Khaleej Times Newspaper
|S. No: |Topics |Page No. | |1. |Summary…………………………………….. |3 | |2. | | | | | | | | | | |
One way to provide employees with a clear understanding of what is expected of them is through the creation of written policies and procedures contained in an employment handbook. An employment handbook provides employers with a mechanism for communicating their expectations, and for setting codes of conduct in the workplace. This is important in small, medium and large workplaces as it provides employers with a means of communicating their expectations to employees directly and clearly, and provides employees with clear expectations of what to expect from the employer in the Workplace.
An employee handbook gives employers an efficient and effective means of communicating with employee's about the nature of their expectations and, if used properly, is a means of receiving employees input and feedback on the creation and implementing of policies and procedure in the workplace. Obviously, in some workplaces, an employee handbook may be unnecessary. When there are a small number of employees and the employer/owner is present in the workplace and able to convey information to the employees in a simple and direct manner, there may be no need for an employee handbook. However, even in small workplaces where communication is not a problem, it may be useful to have written policies for employees to ensure that they are given information on how the workplace functions and their roles in ensuring that it continues to do so in an appropriate manner.
A main upside of issuing an employee handbook is establishing uniform, well defined employment policies. Even an apprentice HR professional recognizes that the major trait of good employee relations is standardized and consistently applied personnel policies. In a nutshell an employee handbook defines and codifies the employer's standards. These defined and communicated standards allow employers of large and small organizations to treat its employees consistently.
There are several reasons why a company should have an employee handbook. To enumerate a few, it places employees on direct notice of what is required of them and summarizes the employer's personnel policies. A meticulously drafted employee handbook can be a motivational tool – it can provide the employee with company history & set forth the company's objectives and core values in addition to explaining the role an individual employee plays in achieving them.
It is not unusual for many employers to assume that employees know and understand what is expected of them, even when these expectations are not communicated to them in any direct manner. One way to provide employees with a clear understanding of what is expected of them is through the creation of written policies. These written policies serve as a clear roadmap for the employee in understanding standard level of organizational behaviors which is required, and has to be abided by in an organization.
1. They provide an opportunity for employers to identify and...
Bibliography: Websites:
• Why a Company Should Have an Employee Handbook - Learning the Pros and the Cons -
• Employee Handbook - http://www.alexander.cleaver.com/html/employee_handbook_.html
• Planning your employee handbook –
• Writing the Employee Handbook in Ontario By: Alison M. Dewar
Personal Reference:
• Mr Prabhu Arul, Manager - HR, Scientechnic Dubai.
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You've got to be kidding me?
What's wrong with Michael Chiklis? He played the shit out of Jerome "Curly" Howard back in 2000!
Am I right?!
Not one of you guys remember this?
I am surprised Sean Penn is playing Larry Fine since he has a serious lack of a sense of humor…but Benicio Del Toro as Moe Howard is truly inspired.


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Wednesday, April 26, 2017
Billy Hopeless, David M, Jack Fucking Keating, and Kitty and the Rooster
Too much going on over the next few days...! Lotta cool music in the city, and I'm not even going to MENTION D.R.I at the Rickshaw tonight, because, y'know, it's sold out. I might even go see some of it - because a small show in an intimate environment by a brilliant, unhyped local band is a far, far better thing - aesthetically, emotionally, spiritually and economically - than a huge show in a faceless arena by an overhyped mediocre one.
Billy Bonito's benefit for Jay Millette, Jaystock, is on Friday at the SBC Cabaret, with the Spitfires, Stab'Em In the Abdomen, the Ramores, and indeed, Billy Hopeless all playing... not sure what order, exactly, but I interviewed Billy here about it! (He's also popping up at the JFK gig below).
Also cool: my favourite new local band, Kitty and the Rooster, plays a show with Carolyn Mark and Twin Peaks on Saturday at Lanalou's. Brilliant, funny male/ female duo, whose new video about being renovicted just came out... just heard them on Co-op Radio, too! Really smart, funny, entertaining band. Note that at least one song on that spoof album cover ("Damp Cold") is a real song that they do!
David M. has his 62nd birthday bash on Monday at the Princeton - he'll be doing his set for Paul Leahy, and giving the second (?) public performance of a song he CO-WROTE WITH ME, or that I co-wrote with him, or something, which so far has only been seen or heard at my wedding, at least in his version of it. There will possibly be some Bowie and Mott the Hoople covers... I'm not sure what else he has planned, but it's going to be a big night for you NO FUN fans out there. I have told him to thin out the Gorgo references, for the benefit of young'uns who don't remember Gorgo (and who thus don't get the joke that there barely was anything Gorgo to remember) but he tends to ignore external input and just go ahead and do what he likes. As he should.
Also on May 1st, Jack "Fucking" Keating is going to do a JFK "fuck band" gig in tribute to Howard Rix and Brian Goble at the Revel Room (which I keep wanting to describe as the "Rumpus Room"), with Billy Hopeless, Joanie Keplter, Eddy Dutchman and others in attendance. I won't be there, since I'll be at David M's show - double booked on a Monday! - but I am sure it will be fun. I get the impression, when Jack talks to me at shows, that he has carried a folded up print out of the article I wrote on him in his back pocket ever since September 2013, so if anyone asks him what a fuck band is, he can just whip it out.He should just get it laminated, if you ask me - it must be getting pretty creasy by now. I talk to Billy a bit about that, too (see above).
That's some pretty fun stuff happening in a short time period... I can use some fun!
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Traveling around the US and UK I've been asked plenty of times what I do, and to be frank I was unsure what the correct title would be. I'm happy to call myself a programmer as few knows what a 'developer' is, but I noticed that in the US that would mean I'm just a mere code monkey. Software developer is a developer that is more involved in the whole process around the application (which I am as a consultant), and 'engineer' indicates that you have formal education.
Funny enough engineer is not a protected title in Sweden and is being used to fancy up job titles to make people want to go for degrees that are otherwise not so popular, so while I do use software engineer in US, I use developer in Sweden.
At conferences I just say I'm a dev 🙂
I always also explain what I actually do, just a brief walk through to kick of the conversation, most people have no idea what to say once you drop a mysterious title like that 😀
What do you call yourself, and does it differ from country to country? Or situation?
7 Responses to "Ask Iris: Software engineer, software developer or programmer? (Stupid Q 217)"
Depends on the situation. My formal title is software engineer, but we do Scrum so generally discourage titles. I am the Scrum master though, so that's what I refer to myself as to people who know Scrum.
Hi Iris,
Love your blog! As an independent consultant, I call myself a Technology Consultant. I'd prefer to help a customer choose an of the shelf solution over building the equivalent from the ground up. From there any custom development would be able to leverage a foundation that gives the project a jumpstart over starting from scratch. Calling myself a software engineer, developer, or programmer would place an artificial limit on what my clients might expect me to provide.
I'd been calling myself a "Computer Programmer" for the last 30 years, but lately I've realized that I'm the last person in the US using that term, and recently switch to "Software Developer". Here in the US (and perhaps elsewhere also) we use a host of titles, usually involving some assortment of buzzword ("architect", "enterprise" etc) largely to convey the idea "I design; they type" (I've worked at over a dozen different companies, and have never seen a designer/coder breakdown in jobs. It's always been project manager/developer with every developer having significant design responsibilities).
In less formal settings, I've called myself an "itinerant programmer" (when consulting), a "simple country programmer", and at one trendy dotcom boom company which let employees pick their own title, "Programmer Laureate"
Until recently I've called myself a computer programmer, but have switched to "software developer" (like everyone else seems to have done!). However when I speak to muggles they don't seem to understand "software developer" so much. My current role is officially "senior software engineer", although I'm doing C#/WPF. This title seems to be popular in the US, but here in the UK many still relate that title to hardware/embedded programming.
By the way Iris, would you be offended if I said you were absolutely stunning, and an inspiration to others?! Intelligent, *and* the added bonus of gorgeous funky hair!
It depends on the point of view that you choose:
– From my employer: Application Developer level 3.
– From my department: Software Architect.
– From the Spanish Employment Office Service: may be Senior Programmer ??
– From my education: Biologist.
– From my salary: no comment…
Hi Iris,
Accidentally, I came across your profile in stackoverflow and there by visited your blog. Your writings, your personality everything is so interesting.
Ok. Coming to the context, my designation were Software Engineer, Sr. Software Engineer and now Technical Lead. I hold a masters degree in Computer Application, I do not hold any Engineering degree. But here in India we all are called Software Developers/Engineers. I am in Malaysia now on an onsite assignment. Here my designation is System Analyst. I don't know why it is so, here.
My current designation Technical Lead. But I would like to be become 'Technical Architect' at the earliest. I love that designation.


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The former Wall Street Journal reporter who penned a tell-all on Rupert Murdoch's take-over of the venerated publication said last night the media mogul has made the paper "more chaotic" and she's noticed "a lot more typos" during his three-year reign.
Speaking at Borders bookstore at Columbus Circle last night, author of "War at The Wall Street Journal: Inside the Struggle to Control an American Business Empire" Sarah Ellison, a 10-year Journal vet, ripped into Murdoch for his management of the paper since he bought it for $5 billion in 2007.
"Murdoch came in and transformed the Wall Street Journal faster than … anyone thought," Ellison said.
She added, "The way the Journal's run now, it's more seat-of-your-pants and haphazard than the way it used to be. I've also noticed a lot more typos."
Murdoch changed the management and editorial style of the paper from "rigid and planned out" to "much more chaotic," she said.
But Ellison confessed the mogul's recent of addition of "Greater New York" section that focuses on news and culture in the New York City-metro area is giving a lot of recession-hit journos job opportunities.
"He's trying to knock the New York Times off its perch," she said. "It's not all doomsday though. Murdoch is investing in the paper and … more journalists on the street."
"In this day in age in journalism, that's an enormous investment."


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Vatican - Legion of Christ Looking for a new head
For immediate release: Friday, December 16, 2013
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790, firstname.lastname@example.com)
Any real hope of reform in the scandal-ridden Legion of Christ seems very unlikely now. High ranking officials in this Catholic order reportedly still hold their criminal founder in high regard and are resisting substantial change, the Associated Press reports.
We are saddened but not surprised by this. For years, Legion officials hid and denied the misdeeds of Fr. Maciel and attacked the integrity of his victims. Then, Legion officials tried very hard to minimize the wrongdoing of Fr. Maciel. They've tried hard to pretend he's basically the only wrongdoer in their cult-like institution. Now, they're making token gestures towards progress only because of external pressure and they're pretending they're doing a major turn-around.
In our view, the Legion is an unhealthy outfit with a long and sordid history and many clerics with misguided, self-serving goals and priorities.
Fr. Sylvester Heereman is particularly disappointing. He implies that he's more sophisticated and mature than wounded victims and betrayed Catholics because he can maintain a mixture" of feelings about his criminal supervisor while many others "cannot share those feelings."
We hope donors to the Legion will give elsewhere. We hope Pope Francis continues to push for real reform in this troubled and troubling religious group.
SNAP Conference Postponed to September
SNAP Conference Postponed to September
As cases of COVID-19 continue to dominate the headlines, affect the way we work and play, and force changes to our daily lives, we have decided to postpone the SNAP Annual Conference from July until September. We are now planning to hold the conference from September 25 - 27 and it will still be held in Denver, CO.
In order to help make this change easier, we will be charging only $99 for registration from now through June 30. Stay tuned for updates and register today on our conference page.SNAP Conference Postponed to September


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Facilities Maintenance
Swim Center
The Swim Center, also known as Sinsheimer Pool, is a municipal swimming facility built in 1979 as an extension of Sinsheimer Park master plan. Located at 900 Southwood Drive, the Swim Center is jointly operated by staff from two City departments:
- Public Works for systems and trade related maintenance
- Parks and Recreation for activity programming and housekeeping
There are two public pools on the property; a 750,000-gallon, 50-meter by 25-yard Olympic pool; and a 25,000-gallon, 20-foot by 50-foot Therapy pool.
There are two bath houses on the property. The main bath house is the larger of the two and has been the primary public use building since 1984. The original bath house, built in 1979, is currently used by the Swim Club and for overflow events. It also houses the mechanical areas where circulation, filtration and treatments systems are located for the main pool.
Programming of activities is managed by the Aquatics Division of Parks and Recreation. They schedule and oversee all public recreational use of the pools and work closely with Building Maintenance staff to provide safe and efficient availability of the pools for everything from open public swimming to Nationally recognized competitive swim meets. In addition, all housekeeping services are provided by Parks and Recreation Aquatics staff. E-mail inquiries for information about the Swim Center's activities or for housekeeping issues can be made directly to the Parks and Recreation Department Recreation Supervisor.
Facility maintenance is handled by Building Maintenance, a Division of Public Works. Technical staff are at the site daily and are responsible for maintaining all the chemical and mechanical systems. The most current equipment and controller technology are installed and monitored to insure there is always safe and clean water in both pools, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
E-mail inquiries for information about the Swim Center's physical plant can be made directly to either the Public Works Department Building Maintenance Supervisor.
The Olympic and Therapy pools are chemically treated to maintain state standards for safe operation. Each pool is treated using the same chemical methods - a combination of Liquid Chlorine and Acid. Chlorine is the primary disinfectant with Acid used to maintain pH balance.
Olympic Pool
Water disinfection is achieved using the Chlorine and Acid which are both stored and dispensed from large sealed tanks. The chemicals are precisely metered into the filtered water circulation line by way of an electronic dispensing system.
Therapy Pool
Liquid Chlorine and Acid are also used for water disinfection. The chemicals are precisely metered into the filtered water circulation piping by way of an electronic dispensing system.
In addition to chemical treatment, mechanical cleaning of pool water and the plaster pool shells is collectively accomplished by several methods: Sand filtration for the both the Olympic and Therapy Pools; mechanical vacuuming of the plaster shell using a self-propelled, remotely controlled underwater vacuum; and hand brushing and vacuuming of the plaster shells from the deck. All these combined methods insure the cleanest conditions possible are consistently provided.
Both pools are heated by direct fire gas boilers. The large pool uses three 1,000,000 BTU boilers. The Therapy Pool uses one 450,000 BTU boiler.
The three larger units "stage" their firing as needed and each extracts residual heat from their exhaust gas when in operation. This helps each boiler achieve an efficiency rating in the high 90 percentile range while still being very effective in balancing gas usage with heat demand.


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Several months ago I attended a conference about Continuous Delivery. The highlight of the conference was a talk from Kohsuke Kawaguchi the original creator of Jenkins. I enjoyed it so much, I decided to recapture it in this blog.
To the uninitiated, Jenkins is a Continuous Integration (CI) engine. This means basically it is a job scheduling tool designed to orchestrate automation related to all aspects software delivery (e.g. compilation, deployment, testing).
To make this blog clear, two pieces of Jenkins terminology are worth defining upfront:
Job – everything that you trigger to do some work in Jenkins is called a Job. A Job may have multiple pre-, during, and post- steps where a step could be executing a shell script or invoking an external tool.
Build – an execution of a Job (irrespective of whether that Job actually builds code or does something else like test or deploy code). There are numerous ways to trigger a Job to create a new Build, but the most common is by poling your version control repository (e.g. GIT) and automatically triggering when new changes are detected.
Jenkins is to some extent the successor of an earlier tool called Cruise Control that did the same thing, but was much more fiddly to configure. Jenkins is very easy to install (seriously try it), configure, and also very easy to extend with custom plugins. The result is that Jenkins is the most installed CI engine in the world with around 64,000 tracked installations. It also has around 700 plugins available for it which do everything from integrate with version control systems, to executing automated testing, to posting the status of your build to IRC or Twitter.
I've used Jenkins on and off since 2009 and when I come back to it, am always impressed at how far it has developed. As practices of continuous delivery have evolved, predominately through new plugins, Jenkins has also kept up (if not enabled experimentation and innovation). Hence the prospect of hearing the original creator talking about the latest set of must have plugins, was perhaps more exciting to me that I should really let on!
Kohsuke Kawaguchi's lecture about using Jenkins for Continuous Delivery
After a punchy introduction to Jenkins, Kohsuke spent his whole lecture taking us through a list of the plugins that he considers most useful to implementing Continuous Delivery. Rather than sticking to the order that he presented them, I'm going to describe them in my own categories: Staples that I use; Alternative Solutions to Plugins I Use; New To Me.
NB. it is incredibly easy to find the online documentation for these plugins, so I'm not going to go crazy and hyperlink each one, instead please just Google the plugin name and the word Jenkins.
Staples that I use
First up was the Parameterised Builds Plugin. For me this is such a staple that I didn't even realise it is a plugin. This allows you to alter the behavior of a Job by supplying different vales to input parameters. Kohsuke liked this to passing arguments to a function in code. The alternative to using this is to have lots of similar Job definitions, all of them hard-coded for their specific purpose (bad).
Parameterised Trigger was next. This allows you to chain a sequence Jobs in your first steps towards creating a delivery pipeline. With this plugin, the upstream Job can pass information to the downstream Job. What gets passed is usually a subset of its own parameters. If you want to pass information that is derived inside the upstream Job, you'll need some Groovy magic… get in touch if you want help.
Arguably this plugin is also the first step towards building what might be a complex workflow of Jenkins Jobs, i.e. where steps can be executed in parallel and follow logical routing, and support goodness like restarting/skipping failed steps.
Kohsuke described a pattern of using this plugin to implement a chain of Jobs where the first Job triggers other Jobs, but does not complete until all triggered Jobs have completed. This was a new idea to me and probably something worth experimenting with.
The Build Pipeline view plugin was next. This is for me the most significant UI development that Jenkins has ever seen. It allows you to visualise a delivery pipeline as a just that, if you've not seen it before, click here and scroll down to the screenshot. Interestingly, the plugin hadn't had an new version published for nearly a year and this was asked about during the Q&A (EDIT: it is now under active development again!). Apparently as can happen with Jenkins plugins, the original authors developed it to do everything they needed and moved on. A year later 3000 more people have downloaded it and thought of their own functionality requests. It then takes a while for one of those people to decide they are going to enhance it, learn how to and submit back. Two key features for me are:
- The ability to manually trigger parameterised jobs (I've got a Groovy solution for this, get in touch if you need it) (EDIT: now included!)
- The ability to define end points of the pipeline so that you can create integrated pipelines for multiple code bases.
The Join plugin allows you to trigger a Job upon the completion of more than one predecessor. This is essential if you want to implement a workflow where (for example) Job C waits for both A and B to complete.
This is good plugin, but I do have a word of caution that you need to patch your Build Pipeline plugin if you want it to display this pattern correctly (ask me if you need instructions).
The Dependency Graph plugin was mentioned as not only a good way of automatically visualising the dependencies between you Jobs, but also allowing you to create basic triggering using the JavaScript UI. This one I've used locally, but not tried on a project yet. It seems good, I'm just slightly nervous that it may not be compatible with all triggers. However, on reflection, using it in read-only mode would still be useful and should be low risk.
The Job Config History plugin got a mention. If you use Jenkins and don't use this, my advice is GET IT NOW! It is extremely useful for tracking Job configuration changes. It highlights Builds that were the first to include a Job configuration change. It allows you do diff old and new versions of a Job configuration in a meaningful way directly in the Jenkins UI. It tells you who made changes and when. AND it lets you roll back to old versions of Jobs (particularly useful when you want to regress a change – perhaps to rule out your Job configurations changes being accountable for a bad change causing a code build failure).
Alternative Solutions to Plugins I Use
Jenkow plugin, the Build Flow plugin and the Job DSL plugin were all recommended as alternative methods of turning individual Jobs into a pipeline or workflow.
Jenkow stood out in my mind for the fact that it stores the configuration in a GIT repository which is an interesting approach. I know I'm contradicting my appreciation of the Job Config History plugin here, but I'm basically just interested to see how well this works. In addition, Jenkow supports defining the workflows in BPMN which I guess is great if you speak it and even if not, good that it opens up use of many free BPMN authoring tools. All of these seem to have been created to support more advanced workflows and I think it is encouraging that people have felt the need to do this.
The only doubt in my mind is how compatible some of these will be with the Build Pipeline plugin which for me is easily the best UI in Jenkins.
New Ideas To Me
The Promoted Builds plugin allows you to manually or automatically assign different promotions to indicate the level of quality of a particular build. This will be a familiar concept to anyone who has used ClearCase UCM where you can update the promotion levels of a label. I think in the context of Jenkins this is an excellent idea and I plan to explore whether it can be used to track sign-off of manual testing activities.
Fingerprinting (storing a database of checksums for build artefacts) was something that I knew Jenkins could do, but have never looked to exploit. The idea is that you can track artefact versions used in different Jobs. This page gives a good intro
The Activiti plugin was also a big eye opener to me. It seems to be an open source business process management (BPM) engine that supports manual tasks and has the key mission statement of being easy to use (like Jenkins). The reason this is of interest to me is that I think it's support for manual processes could be a good mechanism for gluing Jenkins and continuous delivery into large existing enterprises rather than having some tasks hidden in Jenkins and some hidden elsewhere. I'm also interested in whether this tool could support the formal ITIL-eque release processes (for example CAB approvals) which are still highly unlikely to disappear in a cloud of DevOps smoke.


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District 6540 Outbound GSE Team to Austria Selection Announcement
Group Study Exchange is Rotary's premier inter-cultural educational program for young professionals and an excellent way for Rotarians to build goodwill and better understanding among cultures leading to a more peaceful world. GSE exposes Rotary to non-Rotarian young professionals who often go on to join and serve Rotary during their lives. A number of Rotary leaders had their first exposure to Rotary through GSE. Program and international travel costs are paid by The Rotary Foundation. Our exchange partner district is responsible for all hosting of our team while in their district including internal transportation, all meals, all lodging, and activities. Clubs within our district will be providing similar arrangements for our visiting teams. Team members are young professionals between 25 and 40 years of age who live or work in our district.
This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity experiences a unique cultural and vocational Rotary exchange. The Team will return with new perspectives and fresh ideas understandings of different cultures, commerce and governments, as well as rewarding skill-building opportunities and personal growth.
Our Outbound Team, which departs May 18th thru June 15th, 2013 consists of the following;
Rotarian Team Leader: Burne Miller, Elkhart Morning Rotary
Team Members & Club sponsors: Tara Burge – Fort Wayne; Rhonda Ladig-Moxter – Fort Wayne; Nathan Bosch – South Bend; and Kirk Weesner – Fort Wayne.
Our visiting Inbound Team from Austria will arrive April 13th thru May 11th, 2013 and will have an opportunity to meet our outbound team at the District Conference in Merrillville, next April. Their individual bio's are on the www.rotary6540.org website under Group Study Exchange.
The HUB clubs hosting the Inbound team will arrive their first week to the Anthony Wayne Rotary, then South Bend Rotary, Crown Point Rotary and will finish with the Bluffton Rotary. Within their weeks at the HUB clubs they will have vocational visits, cultural experiences, fellowship opportunities and Rotarian involvement. The HUB clubs will coordinate with the Spoke clubs, transportation, host families, meals and numerous experiences. The Bluffton club will be hosting the farewell dinner for all to bid our friends from Austria farewell and best of luck.
For more information on GSE, Inbound teams and Outbound teams please visit our website for up to date information. Our outbound team will be preparing a Blog to follow as well.
For additional information contact Linda Popovich, GSE Chair.


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Sunday, March 7, 2010
March Post
I received my edition of the AHS E-Mail News last week. If you do not subscribe, you are truly missing a nice publication which is edited by Elizabeth Trotter. The top picture of H. ' Webster's Pink Wonder' is one of the best that I have seen and reminds me of why I drove to Knoxville from Nashville two years ago in a daylily frenzy to pick up a plant because I didn't want to wait for the postal service to deliver it. Elizabeth has done a wonderful job of collecting AHS news and links with a lot of daylily news for this publication. If you are interested in subscribing, please see the AHS website.
I've had occassion to talk several times to Sandra Merritt recently, the region's new Exhibition Judge Liaison. If you need assistance finding judges for upcoming shows, please feel free to contact her at email@example.com. She has been very busy this spring working with Joann Stewart, AHS Chairman of the Exhibition Judges Records, to update the Region 10 list of available judges and is ready to help any club in need of judges.
That's about all for now - remember, if you have any newsworthy club events or news coming up, I will be glad include them in the monthly blog if you forward them to me.
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Since our last game I'd sourced, enhanced and printed out the deck plans of USS Intrepid (historical details at the end of the post) from Boardgamegeek, giving a bombing objective for the Japanese. We decided the the US had been caught napping and the 2 US planes would need to take off from the carrier (at altitude 0). The Carrier is bristling with AA guns which would hopefully help with protection until the defending planes got airborne.
So the new rules used were take-off, bombing, altitude and AA fire. The special damage was to be used as well, but none came up this game. We also were at pains to use the correct method of the planning phase this game, having incorrectly used the planning rules from MacSver's WWI Wings of Glory last time. This all slowed this session down as we got the hang of the new options, so this report seems a lot more brief than it actually was.
This was a fun game. Quite whether the amount of flak guns made it an even match up was never really discussed, as this had all the feel of a "proper" scenario. The US planes never had a chance of engaging as take-off takes 3 turns to get off the ground, never mind climbing to a decent altitude. The AA guns take a round to reload, so timing the shots and trying to predict the enemy movement was more just putting up a line of markers. The Japanese tactics of coming in low also took the movement of the dropped bombs out of the equation when making their attack. Maybe the next session will have the second wave coming into complete the job?
|The USS Intrepid
(Yes I realise now my planes were taking off in the wrong direction!)


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Below you can find the first part of a chapter written by Bas van den Beld which is part of a collaborative white paper called "Direct Marketing" published by Selligent. You can download the entire chapter at the end or download the entire e-book here.
The human brain can be very quirky at times. For one thing, it doesn't always do what we want it to do. Even though we have the impression that we're in control, the brain seems to have a mind of its own. It seems determined to do its own thing. It likes to take decisions without asking our opinion.
However, it must be said that the brain doesn't really take decisions on its own. Instead, the decision is taken in our subconscious. We don't think out loud about certain decisions we take. Harvard Professor Gerald Zaltman even claims that 95% of our thoughts, emotions and "life lessons" take place in our subconscious and that we actually only consciously decide in 5% of cases.
But if it's true that 95% of our decisions originate in our subconscious, what are these decisions based on? Why do we choose one pair of shoes in preference to some other pair? Why the blue jacket and not the red one? In the last analysis, it's not because we prefer blue to red, but because we think about our environment in our subconscious. What would my partner say about these jackets? Will my colleagues find me more attractive in the blue one or in the red one? That's the kind of question that our brain asks our subconscious. And then we choose. We allow ourselves to be influenced by our environment.
Our environment not only affects our subconscious choices, but it also has a strong influence on our conscious choices. Just think: Why do you go to a specific restaurant? Very probably because somebody you know went there and told you it was good. Why do people follow the latest fashion? Because other people's opinions matter very much, in fact, much more than we think, so much that other people's opinions control most of our life.
Over the last 10 years a lot of "new things" have appeared in our environment. The Internet has come to play a major role in our lives, and technology is driving us forward in a way we never thought possible.
Amidst all these technological changes there's one thing that hasn't changed: the way we make choices and how we deal with the influence of our environment. The Social Media are a good example of this phenomenon. We now go online to do the kind of things we used to do offline and to chat about this and that in the way we used to do on the street, but now it's with a lot more people at the same time and it's a lot faster and much more volatile. But it essentially boils down to the same thing: word of mouth. And online too, we allow ourselves to be influenced by other people.
There are countless examples of how we allow ourselves to be influenced. One example that springs to mind is the "like" button. The more likes you get the better, because it means that other people appreciate what we "do", what we put online. Research has even shown that "likes" have a physiological effect on us. When we get a "like" for an update, dopamine is released in our brain and produces that happy feeling: it's good to be valued!
But it goes much further than that. Over the years marketers have discovered that the influence of other people plays an important role in society. They have known this for a long time about our life offline, but they now know that this also applies to our life online. And it has even been given a fancy name: Influence Marketing.
Influence Marketing
The expression "influence marketing" is one of the marketing buzzwords that has caught on in the last few years. And this is just the start of the hype. It goes much further. And as with many phenomena of this kind, there will be marketers who use it only in limited ways, simply because they don't see its full potential. For this reason, we should take a closer look at this concept.
This article is part of an e-book published by Selligent. You can download the rest of the chapter by filling in the form below.
Download the entire white paper by clicking here
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Regular price
In Japan, cranes are a symbol of longevity, loyalty, and strength. Longevity as legends say they live for thousands of years. Loyalty as they only have one mate for life. And strength as they fly hundreds of miles without tiring. In Japan, peonies represent good fortune as well as a righteous and noble spirit.
Material : 100% cotton sateen
Material #: s921


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The movie The Great Debaters debates universal topics and topics that all people can relate to and understand. What is moral right or wrong, which is to be primarily? The law or one's own conscience?
This is just one of the many outstanding topics debated and argued throughout the film, dealing with the inequality, injustice and abuse of human rights. Over the centuries, the legislature had written unjust laws to enslave, disenfranchise and oppress blacks in America.
Thankfully, because of some noble and intellectually quiet men who, in particular, framed and formulated their arguments peacefully, the justice and angelsax hearts came to freedom. This gradually rose and eventually became a release for blacks throughout the country. But those in power do not turn over their control and remove their dominance easily. They must be confronted, exposed and infinite.
Therefore, the beauty and burden of democracy is a way that can be controlled by majority, thereby legally introducing immortality. As Gandhi expressed civil disobedience sometimes it is only when human laws are unfair.
Although the power of the ruling class would say civil disobedience is nothing but the true face of anarchy, nothing can be further from the truth when looking at the historical cruelties in America affixed to the African race.
Honestly, no people are more placed or ready to show true love and forgiveness for America and its people than the Africans oppressed by this nation.
A march of civil disobedience made peacefully as instructed by Gandhi maintained human dignity and respect for its opponents, even to humbly accept the legal consequences for your actions. Such acceptance of the consequences of defying the law (although unfair) can in no way be anarchy.
Another topic for debate in the film is welfare, as some say counteracts hard work. Survival, eating and drinking, has a roof over your head, undoubtedly the biggest motivation for going to work daily. It is therefore obvious that welfare further deteriorates the poor and makes them lazy and reluctant to work and to be self-sufficient.
Nevertheless, the innocent children without work who are both willing and able to work do not have to suffer and walk without, while a nation is as successful as we like. Government should provide.
Today, we no longer demonize Indians, Blacks and Communists. Instead, we prefer to demonize Muslims and label them terrorists (often people we do not know anything about). Therefore, the oppression is in America - it has just been removed from our land and moved to another war of war where less public scrutiny will be given.
It is therefore wrong logic and supposed to call America divine and good when it badly represents the Creator's heart both historically and now.
Who shall we do nothing? Such an unforgettable question was questioned in this wonderful film which calls us to account.
A law that violates my conscience is out of order. So too are ordinances that send sons to war to kill innocent people of another color or creed just because they can not understand the English language when a gun is put in the face.
Conscience precedes law and allows us to know right from wrong.
Black was hanged, lynched and killed without justice. Today, history recovers itself again.
Are we confused or convinced by our own media propaganda?
An unfair law is no law at all.
Your opponent is a mere deviant voice to the truth, which we in our hearts already know. God is the judge of the living and the dead.
Intuitive professor Tolson began to acknowledge early in The Great Debaters' irony of Bethlehem Steel, a company that makes warfare and still uses the name of the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ's birthplace.
Whatever is required to make us comfortable with imperialism and the military industrial complex, I assume. The person's denial continues, just far away.
Today, the black freedoms they fought for and won gloriously! I encourage them and all people to continue the struggle for others who are brutalized by all-powerful America and abused under the rule of law, which is often no law at all, but we at the same time deny international law and become a law to ourselves.


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Did you miss the deadline? Dec. 31 was the end of your annual membership term, but no worries! You can still renew and take advantage of all that WPC offers. If you have a professional membership, it's best to renew with your local WPC chapter since it can take some time for NFPW to trickle-down your membership information. By renewing with us directly, you'll be sure to get started immediately with WPC benefits!
Why Join?
WPC offers networking and professional development opportunities throughout the year. Monthly luncheon meetings feature exciting and relevant speakers. Our annual mixer is one of our most anticipated events, with entertainment, great food, wine, and a silent auction to benefit scholarships for area communications majors. In addition, annual conferences on both the state and national level offer many exceptional advantages.
Other benefits of membership:
- Job leads
- Networking
- Professional development
- Leadership skills enhancement
- Member discounts to monthly luncheon meetings
- Advance notice about special events and issues of interest to communicators
- Affiliation with the National Federation of Press Women
- Peer recognition through state and national communications contests
- Cost-effective libel insurance
- Professional advancement grants
- Discounts to state and national conferences sponsored by our affiliate organizations, Kansas Professional Communicators (KPC) and National Federation of Press Women (NFPW)
- Professional: $154 (includes membership in Kansas Professional Communicators and National Federation of Press Women)
- Local: $50
- Student: $45
How to Join:
Download and print an application, or attend a meeting to fill out a form. Bring payment with you to our next meeting, or pay via PayPal:
Questions? Contact Emily Christensen, vice president of membership, at email@example.com


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If you are tired of the usual satay fare, it might be time to try out the different tapas restaurants in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. But what is tapas? It's a general term that refers to small Spanish dishes or finger foods that are typically served with drinks, typically wine.
If you are like most travelers, you want to have the most varied experiences in the short amount of time that you are going to stay. Malaysia, like most other places, has a lot of gastronomic experiences to offer aside from the traditional dishes.
If you are into tapa fare, you would be glad to know that there are many Spanish restos bars in and around the capital where you can find the best tapas in KL. But of course, not all of them are created alike and there are those that are better in that they come close to authentic Spanish flavors of smoked jamonadas, chorizos and another fare.
The best way to find these establishments is to ride on the experienc es of other travelers. To do that, go to websites like TripAdvisor and search for "Spanish restaurants" and "Kuala Lumpur" in the appropriate boxes.
IF you did just that, you will see that there are at least 20 different results, 33 to be exact. What you want to do is to quickly narrow down these Spanish joints to the most highly-rated. TripAdvisor and other similar websites let you filter the results based on their ratings. Once you have narrowed the search results to only the highly-rated, take a look at the customer reviews.
Currently, the top-rated Spanish restaurant in Kuala Lumpur is called El Cerdo. It enjoys an average star rating of 4.5 stars out of five based on 760 reviews. Having that high average rating (and more importantly, the number of ratings) should tell you that it is at least worth checking out.
But this El Cerdo is a Spanish restaurant, not a tapas bar. If you are looking for a tapas bar to hang out in after a tiring day trip, make sure to check out other results. Read the reviews and, more importantly, take note of the name.
Just below El Cerdo is Pinchos Tapas bar, which enjoys an average star rating of over four out of five stars based on 428. It is rated as the top 13 restaurants in Kuala Lumpur, which is a great deal when you consider that there are over 3,469 restaurants in the area.
Again, check out the customer reviews as well as the pictures so you don't get any surprises. One of the things that we really like about reviews is that you get information on which items on the menu you should try. The reviews on Pinchos are no different. You will find that many customers can't get enough of the wide choices in the menu. But more than this, they can't get enough of the wide selection of wines. So, when you are about to travel to Kuala Lumpur, check it out.


text: In spite of the growing interest in open innovation, one of the core questions that remain unanswered is how different kinds of openness affect innovation performance. Moreover, the impact of the geographical dispersion of partners also needs further investigation, while there is a tension between the motives for global search and the needs for proximity in innovation processes. In this paper we will research the relationship between openness and performance outcome in manufacturing companies when taking the localisation of partners into account. The study is based on survey data from 415 companies. The openness is defined by three dimensions: partner breadth, partner depth and phase depth. Performance is measured in terms of cost, risk and time-to-market, innovativeness and economic performance. The results of this study confirm and illustrate the localisation dilemma. For manufacturing companies using a global approach, it seems advisable to collaborate more intensively with a reduced number of partners. In contrast, the companies applying a more spatially balanced approach could collaborate with an increased number of partners and still be innovative and cost efficient. This implies that different localisation strategies for external partner collaborations require different integration approaches in order to be successful.


text: Reviewed March 2019 Ronald McAulay Fascinating country and a marvellous holiday This is the fourth Exodus cycling holiday I have been on and in true Exodus fashion it turned out to be a great experience. There is no doubt that cycling is the way to see a country and to meet the people. You get to places where cars and buses can't reach. India is a fascinating country with wonderful views and people, a very complex culture and lots of interesting things to see. This trip is a fairly new addition to the Exodus range and it is still bedding in in terms of the itinerary. There were a few sensible changes made as we progressed e.g. an optional cycle ride of an additional 70kms one day would have messed up the plans for all if anyone had decided they wanted to do it. The guide Joseph and his support team were excellent, making sure that all were coping with the cycling some of which was reasonably challenging but within the group's capability. The group itself was made up of a great bunch of people with a marvellous sense of humour making the trip very enjoyable. I hope to meet many of them again....possibly on the next cycling trip. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? I enjoyed the whole trip. If I had to pick a moment, it might be the visit to the local school where the kids and teachers put on a show for us. The kids and teachers were just wonderful and made us so welcome. They were so friendly and the kids behaved just like most kids across the world - wild and loud and desperate to be in a selfie! What did you think of your group leader? Joseph was supported by three support staff: Rindou, Manish and Sadish (not sure about the spelling). These guys were all great and were happy to help and support us at all points over the trip. It was fascinating hearing about their home lives and what it was like to live in India. Joseph made sure that no one ever felt under pressure to complete a section of cycling and he steered us to many different places where we enjoyed lovely food. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Expect to see India as it really is on this trip. The route takes you through villages and towns and cities. You will see poverty, chaotic traffic, lots of waste in the form of plastic and a population that is rising in numbers too fast. But you will also see beautiful countryside, stunning views and people that are so friendly and genuinely interested in meeting you. I often wonder if cyclists travelling through the UK would get the same welcome. Every time we stopped in a village we were surrounded by a crowd of locals who were really interested in meeting us and talking to us. As we rode along, scooter riders would come alongside and start a conversation with you. At no time did I ever feel as if we were ever in any risk. People were so friendly. Great fun. Is there anything else you would like to add? Exodus seem to have the balance right. The trip is always well organised and the range of hotels makes it a different experience each time. Most hotels were lovely and the home stays were very good. However, on this trip, there was one hotel that was very good in terms of facilities and cleanliness but lacked something in terms of staff attention. We were in this hotel for two nights and the breakfasts fell short of what we would have expected.


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*Features some gifted items which are denoted by an asterisk
I don't know about you guys, but I have been hearing about this Sand & Sky* face mask ALL OVER my Instagram for months! I feel like I can hardly scroll through without seeing an ad for it! I'd even considered buying it a few times, I was so intrigued by what I was seeing! When I got the opportunity to test it out (a pal started working at a beauty company and they gave her a few to try and give to friends… result!) I knew I couldn't pass it up! Does this Sand & Sky* mask really do everything it claims?
I'll tell you right off the bat, my expectations for Sand & Sky* were high. It's difficult not to have such expectations when something gets so hyped up, and I was worried that I'd either become addicted to it, or hate it so much it ended up being chucked out the window! Wanna know what happened? Read on!
After the first use:
It's first thing in the morning on my day off, and I'm thinking, now is the perfect time to try out this mask. I hadn't done anything to my face at that point, as I had only just woken up and was about to take a bath. The mask comes with a little brush for application, which made the job much easier, and more even than if I had caked it on with my fingers. I painted it on my whole face, and left it for the recommended 10 minutes!
Straight away, I could feel a little tingling, and as it dried, it felt a little tight on my face, but that's normal. Once I washed it off though, I could definitely feel a difference in my skin! It didn't feel at all dry, like some face masks, and in fact, I felt like I didn't even really need to moisturize (though I did use my usual facial oil, though less of it than normal. My skin certainly felt nourished, and it looked bright and fresh!
After the second use:
This time, I used the mask after a day at work and walking around London. I was curious to see if it would make much of a difference using it in the morning or in the evening! I drew myself a bath, and painted on the face mask (the brush I am totally loving, by the way! It's super soft, and definitely helps with smooth and even application!) 10 minutes later, my skin again was bright and feeling very moisturized. My skin dries out really easily, and sometimes face masks leave me feeling like a desert has taken hold of my face! This time around, that didn't happen, and I didn't even feel like I needed any additional products on my face!
After the third use:
The thing about having curly hair is that washing it is a bit of a chore. I wash it, comb it out and then deep condition. This time though, I thought, why not throw on a face mask too! I'd already exfoliated, but I thought I'd give it a go on top of that too! It definitely tingled a lot more this time round, but the effect was the same. My skin felt soft and clean, and while there were still imperfections, I could still feel a difference!
The Verdict
This Sand & Sky* face mask promises to draw out impurities, deep cleanse, invigorate skin, tighten pores, and brighten skin. I'd say it did all of the above for me, so I'll certainly keep using it. They get bonus points for cute packaging and for including the little brush! That actually made a big difference for me!
My only caveat with it is the price really. Sand & Sky* retails at around £40, and I just don't think it's solidly worth all that. For that price I'd expect a tub of a much larger size. That being said, I did really like it, and I regularly see offers of 15% off on their Instagram with codes and things. If I spotted a code, I'd definitely take advantage of the discount!


text: Cécile Schmitz began her career in the magazine Spirou in 1983 with the series 'Le Dit de la Mouche'. From 1986, she did the series 'Pépé' for the magazine, with texts by F. Paradis. In 1989, she created 'L'Homme de Molokaï' with texts by Jacques Stoquart, a biography of Père Damien. She also cooperated with Stoquart on 'Nous n'Irons pas à Jerusalem' and 'La Vie d'Ignace de Loyola', a biography of Ignatius de Loyola. She also created 'Vicki - Een Les in Liefde', an educational comic on sexuality (1989).