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A Record Setting Year
November 18, 2016
It's been an incredible three months and we are nearing the finish of a record setting season filled with cultivating dreams of youth and adults from around the country.
I wanted to take a moment and provide some highlights of the season thus far.
Record setting event attendance
This season is one for the record books. Some of the highlights include:
- Over 5,600 kids participated in our School Tours and Youth Invitational Rodeo – an increase of 700 more than last year
- More livestock were shown during our Livestock Show than in the last five years
- More than double entries in our Cutting Horse show
- More ProRodeo tickets sold than in the last five years and a standing room only Saturday performance
- Record setting gross sales at our Junior Premium Livestock Auction
- Over 40,000 attended the Friday events at the World Series of BBQ and record setting attendance for the weekend overall
Newly formed Scholarship Fund
The American Royal has now established a separate fund that will provide the structure to manage all of our scholarship funds – whether that's our Royal Scholars, designated scholarships like the Stanley Stout Livestock scholarship fund or future scholarships yet to be identified. This new fund will provide transparency and focus to our scholarship funds and create a pathway for more donor giving in this area.
New website/app and unprecedented media coverage
In September, the American Royal launched our new website and app which included all new branding. The website has all new navigation and new pages to better project who the American Royal is today and the impact we have on youth around the country. The app allows you to purchase tickets to our events, see maps and receive push notifications for up to date information about the events. Lastly, we had a 200% increase in media coverage of our BBQ this year with over 570 stories on-line and in print as a result of our media outreach strategy.
What's next?
The Arabian Horse Show occurs December 3 – 4th and planning is currently underway for the first Women in Ag Leadership Summit to be scheduled in March, 2017. Our Annual Meeting will be held on February 15th at a location TBD.
As we wind down the season and start planning for 2017, I feel gratitude to our Board Members, sponsors and volunteers that have supported us with such enthusiasm and a willingness to serve that I have never encountered in my non-profit career.
Finally, I am so proud to work with and lead such a talented and dedicated staff at the American Royal. I am very grateful that each of them is part of our team and family.


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Monday, May 16, 2016
Even More Blues from the Lee Ann Thornton Home Collection
Congratulations go to Greenwich, Connecticut-based designer Lee Ann Thornton, who recently launched her own home furnishings collection. Consisting of twenty-five pieces, including upholstered seating, pillows, and even games tables, the furniture and accessories have that classic, tailored look that lends a home polish. What especially caught my eye are the collection's fabric options. Curated by Lee Ann herself, the fabrics, from such lines as Raoul Textiles, Lisa Fine, and China Seas, are in shades of blue and white. Whether you choose to mix a ticking-striped sofa with a botanical print pillow, all of the fabrics (which you can see above) are designed to work together, bringing a cohesive look to a room. Very clever.
Lee Ann plans to explore other colors in future collections, but for this debut collection, the blue-and-white theme has started things off with a bang. I urge you to learn more about this collection, which can be viewed on Lee Ann's website. I've seen one of her pillows in person, and I am thoroughly impressed.
For more information, or to see photos of Lee Ann's design work, please visit her website.
Games Tables:
Dining Chairs:
Upholstered Furniture:
All images from Lee Ann Thornton's website
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subset: commoncrawl


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Sasha Johnson
Sixth Grade Math Teacher
Sasha Johnson is returning to Black Pine Circle School after a year teaching at Countryside Day Montessori in Chicago. Many BPC students and community members know her as "Miss J," having taught history, debate, and technology in the upper school from 2014 to 2018. She also worked closely with BPC's STEAM program for three years, ran the debate team, and was a faculty advisor for BPC's Sexuality and Gender Alliance. Ms. Johnson has a B.A. in international studies from DePaul University and a master's in education and social policy from Northwestern University. She enjoys continuing her educational studies by attending Philosophy of Education Conferences and participating in other professional development opportunities. She also loves the great outdoors, bookstores, photography, and cooking.
Why I Work with Children
I love teaching middle school because I get to work with incredible human beings during their most formative years. I love working with adolescents because I find they often are candid, direct, and unafraid of sharing their observations of the world and their experience in it. Most are willing to share all, if you just listen. They remind me how to embrace the unknown with bravery and grace.
A Favorite Book
Fahrenheit 451. It was the first time that a book made me question the construction and design of human society. As a firefighter's daughter, I remember my mind imploding: a world where firefighters start fires rather than putting them out? It was learning of Bradbury's dystopian world that made me examine my own world as well as the worlds of the past. My adolescent mind acquired the ability to critically examine systems and institutions.
Quick Fact


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IntroductionAt the time of writing this article I cannot really recall why I started out on this project in the first place. Maybe, because some time ago I was experimenting with the built-in analogue-digital converters of some PIC micros and was thinking that they could be used easily to interface the analogue output of an accelerometer… Maybe I saw something similar on a web site and thought I could make a better one… I don't know. What I do know is that I like projects that involve LEDs (especially blue ones, preferably flashing most of the time :) ), interfacing with real world, and projects that teach me something new. So… one day I decided to make a 3 axis accelerometer – to see if I can make it – that could be used (as is or with slight modifications) in real life applications. I tried it in a car - it works great there, but at the moment I just have it sitting on my desk to entertain visitors.
|The assembled 3-axis accelerometer


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Drawing from over 100 hours of never-before-seen footage that has been tucked away in the National Geographic archives for over 50 years, award-winning director Brett Morgen tells the story of JANE, a woman whose chimpanzee research challenged the male-dominated scientific consensus of her time and revolutionized our understanding of the natural world.Set to a rich orchestral score from legendary composer Philip Glass, the film offers an unprecedented, intimate portrait of Jane Goodall — a trailblazer who defied the odds to become one of the world's most admired conservationists.
Never miss a Nat Geo moment
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Now here's a deal! Now through August 25th, Flip-Pal is offering a $30 discount with its Flip-Pal mobile scanner Picture Keeper Bundle!
The bundle includes the Flip-Pal mobile scanner, a Deluxe Flip-Pal mobile scanner Carry Case, and a Picture Keeper PK 8. (Regular Price: $229.97, Sale Price: $199.97). If you are not familiar with the Picture Keeper, click here to see how this USB flash drive is a great way to keep your digital images safe and organized!
To receive this discount, you must enter a coupon code upon checkout. The coupon code is: SAS725 (good through 11:59pm on August 25th, 2013).
©2013, copyright Thomas MacEntee


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© 2020 Strange Loop
José Valim (@josevalim) is the lead-developer of PlataformaTec, member of the Ruby on Rails Core Team and author of Crafting Rails Applications. Software developer for 8 years, he graduated in Engineering by the São Paulo University and has a Master of Science by Politecnico di Torino, in Italy. He is an active member in the Open Source community.


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15 Couples Who Don't Care About Having a "Normal Relationship"
Most people dream about finding beautiful, sincere love full of romantic and happy moments. But some couples have their own idea of what a perfect relationship is. They arrange photoshoots in a supermarket, buy each other vegetables as presents, and even get strange tattoos. It may look a bit weird and hilarious to an outsider, but at least they look happy!
Bright Side gathered photos that prove romantic love can be a very biased idea. We also prepared a bonus image that tells you how to make you beloved happy while still treating yourself.
"Couldn't afford to get my wife a new car so I got one of those giant bows instead and put it on her existing car."
Husband trolling, level 100
"I made my girlfriend an Easter April Fools egg."
Romance is not flowers and chocolate. It's cleaning a grimy tub.
"My boyfriend commissioned a portrait of my cat for our anniversary."
"Wasn't expecting to see a wedding when I stopped by the supermarket this weekend."
"I'm pregnant, and this is a gift my husband made for me to use when someone gets too grabby toward my belly without asking first."
"For the past three years, my wife has made me such cakes for my birthday."
"A gift from my husband. He's an engineer and it's my initial in binary code."
"My girlfriend asked for a Caesar salad."
"Got my wife an 18-carrot necklace."
"My husband and I decided to get matching couples tattoos."
"My husband got me candy and a 'tulip' conductor's bouquet."
"I asked my girlfriend what she wanted for dinner and she replied instantly."
Bonus: A tricky gift
Which type of relationship do you prefer: the ones you see in the movies or the kind that were in this article? Let us know!
Preview photo credit soul_oh/reddit


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I notice there are a lot of advertisements for doing exercises, especially this time of the year. Like anyone has time for that anyway, and especially this time of the year. Now, I agree that persons who exercise a lot are probably healthier than I am. But I am healthy enough. I get all kinds of exercise every day just trying to get my job done. Being a mother can be exhausting. But it is great at the end of a busy day to know I have done my share of exercise.
I do not have to go to the gym. I get all I need right here at home. For instance, I do lunges pretty frequently. I have to lunge forward to pick up the dirty clothes in order to load them in the washer. Sometimes I even add a stretch or two as I reach from my lunge and pitch something in the washer. Then I get lots of time in for squats. That happens when I start to sit down for a moment and someone calls out, 'Hey Mom, what did you do with my other sock?' Or 'Honey, can you please bring me a bandaid? I just cut myself shaving.'
And how about buying those groceries and then lugging them all into the house. When I put them away, I get lots of stretch time. I even occasionally get in another lunge or two if I drop something. And then when I go into the pantry, I turn my neck slowly from side to side trying to find that can of tomatoes that I am sure I just bought.
A therapist once told me that if I carry something with me while doing steps, it will make my bones stronger. I ought to have the strongest bones on the continent. I am constantly doing stair steps up and down and down and up all day long. And I am carrying piles of dirty clothes and then piles of clean clothes while I go up and down all day long.
After thinking about all this, I think I will lunge out to my car, squat into the seat and go to the drive in to get a great big ice cream cone. Should reward myself for doing all this exercise, especially this busy time of the year.
No wonder I look so good!


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Illusions Rhythmic Gymnastics - Chilliwack, BC
Rhythmic Gymnastics is an exciting blend of sport and art that promotes flexibility, coordination, endurance, balance, strength and poise.
Illusions Rhythmic Gymnastics Society is pleased to offer recreational programs for children, teens and adults by our NCCP qualified coaches. Our club is operated entirely by a parent committee. All parents are invited to be actively involved.
Illusions Rhythmic Gymnastics Society is a member of the BC Rhythmic Sportive Gymnastics Federation and Gymnastics BC
Our programs involve movement to music in a safe, supervised atmosphere with direct instruction and an excellent gymnast coach ratio. Our positive, safe environment fosters group cooperation, team spirit and self-esteem. Illusions main goal is to promote life-long involvement in the sport. Our head coach Karen Bauer has been involved in the sport for the past 20 years as a competitive gymnast and coach. Other coaches are Jocalyn Kulba, Analeissa Mayer, Amberlea Pepper, Shaelyn Woods, Cailey Bergen, and Jaylene Mitchell.
2019/20 Registration Event starts this August at the Chilliwack Mall!
Classes start at just $25/month!
Illusions Rhythmic Gymnastics Classes begin for children 3 and up with the Jelly Beans, and continue on to our Beginner and Intermediate classes.
Our Display Team Programs begin on the Novice level, allowing gymnasts to work their way up to the Performance and Provincial Display Teams.
To find more information, or to register your child for one of our classes or display teams, please contact us! You can also follow Illusions on Facebook!
Illusions Rhythmic Gymnastics - Chilliwack, BC 604-798-6234 email@example.com
Illusions Rhythmic Gymnastics Society Copyright 2018 - Web Design by S Tarr


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Great way to spend an evening. Last night over dinner I started reading this report, or at least the Executive Summary. I feared that the other seventy pages of detail and statistics might have impinged on my digestion. I note that the work was conducted by BiGGAR Economics for DECC and RenewableUK. Pause for a moment and reflect. What does it tell us about the impartiality of the report — and, indeed, the impartiality of DECC — when the report is co-commissioned by the wind industry?
I am particularly concerned about three aspects:
Emissions savings: The report is informed by the assumption that wind power, almost by definition, delivers CO2 emissions savings. So far as I can see, there is no reference to recent reports (or the evidence from Germany) showing that when you look at the entire system emissions, wind turbines plus conventional back-up, the emissions savings are trivial or even zero. See Professor Gordon Hughes here.
Cost of wind-generated electricity: The report seems to fall into the regular trap of most economic analyses of wind. It looks at the cost per KW of electricity generated by a stand-alone wind turbine, and ignores the very substantial costs of back-up generation. As you will be aware, gas back-up uses single-cycle generation, already much less efficient than modern combined cycle. Intermittent running of the gas plant further reduces efficiency and drives up cost. Professor Hughes (cited above) estimates that the capital cost of wind plus back-up is nine to ten times higher than an equivalent combined cycle gas plant.
"Green Jobs": The report looks at the economic benefits of green jobs, even to the extent of considering local spending on bed-and-breakfast accommodation for installation workers. But I can find no reference to repeated studies from several countries showing that each green job, by driving up energy costs and suppressing growth, costs several real jobs in the real economy. See for example http://www.versoeconomics.com/verso-0311B.pdf
There is a good case to be made that wind power achieves little or no emissions savings; that it is much more expensive than generally reported; and that it is damaging UK employment.
I have written to DECC, urging them, in the interests of balance, to commission a report into these questions from a neutral organisation not committed to the wind industry.


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Dec. 28, 1941 - June 18, 2017
Floyd Gean Jordan, of Hearne, formerly of Glen Rose, Tx passed away June 18, 2017 at the age 75 surrounded by his family and sidekick Chief. Floyd was born December 28, 1941 in Wichita Falls, Texas to J.W. & Bernice Jordan.
Floyd is preceded in death by his wife of 36 years Becky Jordan, his parents J.W. & Bernice Jordan, brothers Gerald, Lloyd & Don Jordan, along with numerous other family and special friends.
Floyd enjoyed many activities including spending time with his family and friends, fishing, bbqing, bluegrass music, making and sharpening knives, and telling tall tales to anyone willing to listen. He never met a stranger and was always willing to help anyone with whom he came in contact with.
Floyd knew nothing other than to work. During his years he served as a police officer with the City of Abilene, he worked as a mechanic professionally and under a shade tree throughout his years. For several years he owned and operated a wrecker service in Robertson County and from 1973 until his retirement in 2000 Floyd worked for Texaco Pipeline.
Floyd is survived by his furry companion and constant sidekick Chief, his wife Sug of the last 16 years who resides in Glen Rose, Texas. Also surviving him are his 2 girls and spouses Ann & David Brymer and Debbie & Shannon Boyd of Hearne, loving bonus children Darrell Morgan and wife Karen of Alvord, Texas and Becky Summers and husband Bob of Olean, Missouri.
The greatest blessings come to him in the form of his grandbabies. Steven Loper, Anita Berlan and husband Patrick, Anthony "Scott" McKinney and wife Lindsay, Jordan Huffhines, Mychaelah Jordan, Wendy Gavit and husband Rodger, Shauna Morgan, Karla Morgan, Darrell Morgan Jr and wife Terri, Alicia Smith and husband David, Jolena McDaniel, Nick McDaniel, Byron McDaniel, Trevor McDaniel and wife Drezdan and Keegan Freese and numerous great and great-great grandchildren along with a host of other family members and dear friends.
Services are in care of Memorial Funeral Home in Hearne.
The family will be accepting visitors Friday June 23rd from 10am to 12pm at Memorial Funeral Home followed by a Graveside Service at 1 pm in Calvert City Cemetary (New Edition).
Proceeding over the services are Darrell Morgan Sr, Darrell Morgan Jr, and Rodger Gavit.
Serving as Pallbearers are David Brymer, Shannon Boyd, Scott McKinney, Steven Loper, Patrick Berlan and Jordan Huffhines.
Serving as Honorary Pallbearers are Ronnie Cox, Ike Isenhour, Raymond Loper, Neal Backues and Joe Bass.
The family would like to extend a special thanks to Brazos Valley Hospice Care of Bryan and his hospice care team for the unending support and loving care over the past couple of months. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made in his name to Brazos Valley Hospice.


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Combination of hub and brake disk for mounting to a separate gear shaft
Axial plug in, easy assembly, maintenance-free
Hub bored with feather keyway acc. to DIN 6885 sheet 1
Material steel
For a braking torque up to a maximum of 104,000 Nm
To be used in combination with all KTR disk brakes (hydraulical and electromechanical)
KTR-STOP NBS is used wherever a brake is mounted to an additional gear shaft. (Not to the coupling between motor and gearbox!)


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Conspiracy theories can be intriguing, outlandish or even downright looney, but are they ever true? As it turns out, they can be. Let's take a look at a handful of examples of conspiracy theories that are rooted in truth.
1. The CIA developed a heart attack gun.
As the theory goes, the CIA built a secret weapon in the '60s and '70s that could cause fatal heart attacks. The weapon shot a small poison dart that could penetrate clothing, and left behind nothing but a tiny red dot on the skin. The dart disintegrated on impact, and the target would only feel a small prick, similar to a bug bite. Since the poison denatured quickly, it could not be detected in an autopsy.
2. The CIA spied on, and controlled, the American media.
CIA project Operation Mockingbird spied on members of the Washington press corps in 1963, 1972 and 1973. They also paid journalists to publish CIA propaganda, wiretapped their phones and monitored their offices to keep tabs on their activities and visitors.
3. The government poisoned alcohol during Prohibition.
When the government banned alcohol in 1920, bootleggers would steal industrial alcohol — used in paints, fuels, solvents and medical supplies — and redistill it for sale. Some of this alcohol contained heavy metals, and led to illness or blindness. In an attempt to stop people from drinking alcohol, the government changed the formulas of industrial alcohol to make it completely undrinkable. At least 10% of industrial alcohol formulas had to contain methyl alcohol, a poisonous substance, in addition to other noxious ingredients such as kerosene, gasoline, chloroform, formaldehyde and acetone. The plan backfired. People still drank the poisonous alcohol, and more than 10,000 people died.
4. A U.S. Air Force laboratory researched the possibility of using pheromones as a weapon.
Theoretical research conducted by a U.S. Air Force laboratory in 1994 explored the use of a non-lethal chemical weapon called the "gay bomb." They speculated on the effects of troops doused in female pheromones. The objective was to make the soldiers sexually irresistible to one another and negatively impact their effectiveness in combat.
5. The U.S. government stole dead bodies for radioactive testing.
After dropping nuclear bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima, the U.S. government stole parts of dead bodies to measure the effects of nuclear fallout on the human body. Researchers needed young tissue, but the agents who were recruited to find recently deceased babies and children took samples — including full limbs — without the consent of the grieving families. More than 1,500 families were affected.
6. President Woodrow Wilson's wife ran the country after he suffered a stroke.
After President Woodrow Wilson suffered a debilitating stroke, Edith Wilson made most of the executive decisions in his stead. She effectively ran the country for well over a year, but the government kept it quiet, for fear that it would cause a stir.
7. The CIA tested LSD and other hallucinogenic drugs on Americans.
As part of a top-secret experiment on behavior modification called MK-ULTRA, the CIA tested volunteers for a time. Eventually, they began testing people without their knowledge, let alone consent, and left many of the test subjects with permanent mental disabilities as a result of the testing.
8. The Dalai Lama was a CIA agent.
According to declassified intelligence documents, in the 1960s, the CIA provided the Tibetan Resistance with $1.7 million a year to aid guerilla operations against China, including an annual subsidy of $180,000 for the Dalai Lama.
9. The FBI spied on Beatles band member John Lennon.
A vocal advocate of the '60s and '70s anti-war counterculture, John Lennon was put under surveillance by the FBI in 1971. A year later, the Immigration and Naturalization Service attempted to deport him, but he was ultimately deemed to be too influenced by narcotics to act as an effective revolutionary.
10. Canada developed a "gaydar" machine in the 1960s.
Paranoid about sexual orientation, the Canadian government hired a university professor to develop a machine that detected orientation in federal employees. The resulting machine measured pupil dilation, perspiration, and pulse in response to same-sex pornography. Those tested were told that the machine's purpose was to rate their stress levels, but the truth was that the government wanted to remove its gay employees. Subsequently, more than 400 men were excluded or fired from civil service, the military, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. More than 9,000 people were investigated.
— Parcast


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I say it a lot, but I like things to be easy. That's not to say I'm lazy (okay, maybe it says I'm a little bit lazy), but I think we can all do with getting on with the stuff that makes us feel on fire and alive and, importantly, earns us money. I think we waste a lot of time (especially online) and if we only realised how much, we might be able to figure out some tricks, or get some help, to focus on the stuff we love. Read More
Category Archives: Finance
The date is set and the time is confirmed! Join me and some fantastic colleagues for a live chat on all things rates and pricing on Wednesday 5th October at 20:00 BST. We'll have actual proposals, real figures and (hopefully) some fun as we share tips and insights into our pricing practices. We'll also have a few great giveaways from some of my favourite translation heroines. Below is a screenshot of what time it might be where you are ('cos I'm helpful like that) when the chat is happening: Read More
Today's 5 minute focus is about something exciting that I'd really like to get translators involved in….(as usual, you can watch the video or just read the post – it's up to you!) Update! You can register for the live chat by clicking this link.
I've always been a bit of a do-it-yourself type of gal. Use experts? Pah! External help? Not a chance! I was always more likely to have a go, get frustrated, read the first page of the instructions, have another go, get frustrated…you get the idea. But in the past few months I've come to realise that there are
some many things that I can't do on my own. For me, this is my list of must-have experts:
When it came to designing the logo and website, I realised that if I wanted something that truly reflected Silver Tongue, I needed somebody to help me. I had some ideas on what I wanted, (the name and the colours) but I had no idea how I could come up with something that captured professionalism and creativity. Equally, I didn't have the software or the expertise to create an attractive design. So I turned to A Creative Feeling. In the next few weeks there will be a post about the logo and the process behind creating it, written by Al (the brains behind A Creative Feeling). If I'm very nice to him, he might give tips on what to think about when it comes to branding.
Finance & Legal
This seems like an obvious one, but having someone to handle company finances and legal issues was really important to me. Silver Tongue Translations is a Limited Company and, as such, is incorporated with Companies House. When it came to setting everything up, I decided to get an accountant on board straight away, to have all i's dotted and t's crossed from the start. I wanted to understand my options for set up, the differences between a Limited Company and a sole trader, the requirements for VAT registration and how it works around the world. Experts in the financial or legal sector with whom you feel comfortable asking questions (however basic!) are to be snapped up and kept forever…so if you find one, be nice! This article is pretty handy for what to look for when you're shopping for accountants, this piece on top legal tips for small businesses and this one on general "What Should I Think About?" stuff. Just to mention, I don't have any affiliation with anything I've linked to, I just found the tips handy!
Sales & marketing
For a long time, my marketing plan consisted of…okay, I didn't have a marketing plan. I was busy working and translating and living. But then I realised that every time I sent a bid for a job, or an email to an agency registering interest, I was marketing myself. When it came to getting direct clients I realised that I needed to think about it a little more. For the number of marketing emails I currently send in a month, email templates aren't necessary. And besides, I prefer the personal touch. One of my pet peeves is receiving emails from agencies with "Dear translator", or worse, "Dear Sir/Madam" – it's so insulting! I came across a blog post recently "How Not To Write A Marketing Email" and it reinforced my thinking on having email templates! However, it was necessary to seek some advice on how best to market Silver Tongue's services, so I engaged with some friends who are experts in the industry and did a bit of a skills swap (I baked, they talked). The aggressive approach is still not for me, but I am learning that marketing yourself and being
arrogant pushy don't have to be the same thing. I've found some interesting tips on marketing for start-ups/small businesses here, here and here (I feel like a flight attendant).
Marketing material
As with the marketing plan, marketing material didn't feature on my business expenses list until this year. I decided though, along with the logo and the website, that I would invest in some business cards. Other marketing materials, such as letterheads and postcards go against my eco-ethos, but do bring out the inner stationery addict in me, so I've limited the material to business cards for now! I found Moo to be fantastically helpful and the result was superb. They offer so many customisation options, along with loads of paper and finish choices. They have Classic, Green (to assuage eco-guilt) and Luxe. You can use their templates or upload your own complete design (that's what I did). Obviously you don't have to use the same company I did, so here's a review of lots of business card providers!
So that's my list (so far!) on which experts to use, and what, for me, have been good things to invest in. This list is obviously from a business perspective, rather than being translation specific – that's for another post!
Creating a website is hard work. It's one thing to live by principles of hard work, good practice and fair pay when everything is between you and the translators you work with, but formalising these principles and, more importantly, putting them out there for the world to see, makes it something else entirely. I think it's a good thing though; it's made me realise that the translators who I've been working with are pretty awesome. It's also emphasised what I've always thought, by vocalising a thought you make it real. (My accountant, on the other hand, might argue that it became real a while ago…)
I was thinking about this recently when I was setting up the Twitter handle for Silver Tongue. I've been an avid Tweeter for a number of years and I've seen plenty of examples of oversharing. When someone tweeted about turning "names into energy" (I'm looking at you, Tom Cruise) we saw that our world of instant gratification (and publication) has its drawbacks, especially for Tom's followers, n'est-ce pas? So creating the website, or turning my ideas into energy if you will, became something of a minefield. Do I really want to commit to minimum rates for translators? Do I really believe in fair pay when I'm the one committing to paying fairly? Well, yes I do, on both counts. I think the profession of translation should be treated as such – a profession. Translators use their skills to help people all over the world, just like other professionals do. If my, albeit small, company can do its bit to ensure that the immensely talented professionals who work in my industry get paid accordingly, then yes, I want to nail my colours to the fair pay mast.
The (un)fair pay cross is not one that is born solely by translators or language professionals. The pay divide between men and women is a news item that doesn't get old. I'm not sure why it's still okay that a female doctor gets paid 28.5% less than her male counterpart; I pretty sure she wouldn't have spent 28.5% less time or 28.5% less money on her medical degree. To illustrate the point, here's a handy graphic from the Think, Act, Report Framework from the Department for Culture, Media & Sport which is designed to get companies thinking about how to banish the gender pay gap. Unfortunately, it doesn't give advice on
punishment or plans for backdating retrospective cases.


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Practice Advice on Budgeting and Financial Management
Performance Budgeting (OECD)
Summary Advice: The OECD advises that governments should better integrate performance information into management and budget decision making.
Main Points: The five lessons from a review of Canadian experience are:
Source: OECD (2007). "Performance Budgeting in Canada," Lee McCormack, OECD Journal on Budgeting, Volume 7, Number 4 at http://www.oecd.org/canada/43411424.pdf (accessed 26 January 2013).
Page Created By: Ian Clark on 26 January 2013. The content presented on this page is drawn directly from the source(s) cited above, and consists of direct quotations or close paraphrases. This material does not necessarily reflect the official view of the publishing organization.


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New champs were crowned, but which ones?
Whenever one of WWE's "big four" PPVs rolls around, you know
you're in store for a really good wrestling event that weekend, something worth
scheduling on your calendar and settling down to enjoy.
Of course, we're talking about the Saturday WWE Network event, not the one on Sunday. NXT TakeOver
events have been must-see affairs since they began, but in recent years, they
have completely overshadowed the WWE PPVs that follow them the next night.
It remains to be seen if SummerSlam can top this, but
TakeOver: Brooklyn IV was an outstanding event, producing five matches that
varied from "really good" to "flat-out incredible." It's hard to be critical of
such an event, but there were a couple very
minor points to note for improvement.
Beyond those hypercritical instances, TakeOver delivered exactly
what NXT fans have come to expect: tremendous wrestling, great conclusions to
storylines, a natural progression of angles, and a couple surprises. Saturday's
event check all of those boxes.
We got to see new champions crowned, while others defended
their titles. We saw feuds ended and others launched. And we saw outstanding
wrestling. You really can't ask for much more.
With that said, let's dive right in and see what clicked and
what just missed the mark. Let's get to it…
25 Most Revealing WWE Instagram Posts Of The Week (May 31st)
10 Wrestling Messages Hidden In Plain Sight
11 Ups & 1 Down From AEW Double Or Nothing 2020
Scott is a former journalist and longtime wrestling fan who was smart enough to abandon WCW during the Monday Night Wars the same time as the Radicalz. He fortunately became a fan in time for WrestleMania III and came back as a fan after a long high school hiatus before WM XIV. Monday nights in the Carlson household are reserved for viewing Raw -- for better or worse.


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The Summer of Music (okay, maybe not the most creative of names) is happening, and I want you guys to share your live shows as well. So when you post photos or updates about concerts this summer, add #thesummerofmusic hashtag to it. And forgive me for putting a hashtag in a blog post, considering how much I bitch about those who hashtag on the wrong platforms - you know who you are, hashtagging Facebook-ers.
|This is a guitar. It plays music. See how it marginally fits this post's theme?
Tomorrow is the Field Trip festival, featuring the reunion of Broken Social Scene, along with Feist, Hayden, Dan Mangan, Stars, etc... then next week comes The National, Wintersleep, plus the rest of the NXNE shows, and then Osheaga in August. That's the plan thus far, and it's growing.
Collectively, this is becoming musical Christmas for me.
And after this Summer of Music, the fall has some more amazing concerts to come. Local Natives in September and a little band called Nine Inch Nails will be here in October. I may have danced around my living room at that news.
To tide you over here's the new NIN tune. Let The Summer of Music begin!


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About Shaw-Lin Lo Shaw-Lin Lo graduated from Freiburg University, and he was the Deputy for forestry department in National Chung Hsing University from 1980 to 1986. Currently, he is the emeritus professor of the department. Prof. Lo started to manage his own plantation in Dongshi in 1974 and he has such deep passion for forestry that hel decided to dedicate his entire lifetime for his career in forestry. Why did you choose to establish a private agro-forestry plantation? In 1974, I first started to manage a plantation in Dongshi, Taichung, in central part of Taiwan. The plantation used to be an orchard with plum trees, persimmons trees, lemon trees and orange trees until I took over the place. My aim was to practice what I learned from studying abroad in Germany by restoring the place back to its own original state and running my own forest. Furthermore, I aimed to set up the place for studying the tree planting processes, tending approaches and the growth of tree species in a sustainable and ecological way, just to prove and experiment what I learned. Where the challenges in starting a plantation? In the beginning, I faced a problem regarding the reforestation, because the land use model of an orchard was different from a real forest plantation. Besides that, I found out that the cost of employing workers was a lot more than I could afford. However, is impossible to the whole plantation by myself. I finally came up with an idea to overcome the problem, and that is by using an "au pair" method. It is a concept of using exchange labour, by renting the forest land to the ginger farmers. The reason that I decided to rent the place to the ginger farmers was that I saw there was a market for ginger farming, and in that time the revenues from trading gingers were high. So, this was actually encouraged and a lot of the other farmers wanted to be engaged in ginger farming. The farmers had to plant the Cunninghamia lanceolata (Chinese fir) and the Aleurites montana as main species of the plantation right beside the ginger in exchange for using the land. Finally, I saved up some money for more workers and the fertilization from the ginger farming also improved tree growth. In general, what are difficulties in running forestry plantations in Taiwan? Taiwan is always under severe climate conditions and the mountains are characterized by high elevations,, steep slopes and swift torrents and here are natural disasters such as typhoon and landslide. Consequently, there were many records of softwoods brought down by typhoons and landslides. I finally came to realize that the trees species Cunninghamia lanceolata and Aleurites montana which were used in reforestation from the beginning were not suitable to be planted in this location. Henceforth, I replaced them with native hardwood species, for example, Michelia formosana, Zelkova serrata, Sapindus mukurossi and so on. Besides that, I also tried the native conifer species, for instance Taiwania cryptomerioides and Calocedrus formosana, and they turned out to be suitable. What are your reasons for practicing agro-forestry? Agro-forestry is a land-use system, which arranges the forest, agriculture, and animals under the principle of spatial mixture in order to make optimal use of the vertical and horizontal space. For instance, I plant some coffee trees under the conifers and it becomes a mixed stand, so that I could make sure that the land would be used in different aspects and also create a diverse ecosystem in the plantation. This practice helps to make the forest more resilient to the influence of the weather as well. What are your conclusions after dedicating so much time to the forest? I have been with the forest for nearly forty years, and I also contributed half of my life time for the forests and lands, ( not even mentioning the energy and money that were invested in this field. If we only look at it from a short-term, economy-oriented point of view, it may seem like an investment that will not be yield immediate returns. Nevertheless, I think it is worth doing it, because I want to prove that the concept of close to nature management could be applied anywhere on earth. Therefore, as a forester, practicing forest management is all I can do to pass down the "green treasure" to the next generations. Because I believe the more deeply one is involved, the closer one is to the truth. For questions or comments please contact ching41041(a)gmail.com ]]>
Tropical Plantation Management in Taiwan. Interview with Professor Shaw-Lin Lo
By Simone Massaro|2016-12-19T05:14:44+01:00December 19th, 2016|Other posts|
About the Author: Simone Massaro
Head of Web Subcommission 2018-2020


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Watch Tuesday, October 21, 2014 at 10pm on WMHT TV.
Two-and-a-half years after the U.S. pulled out of Iraq — a conflict that is projected to cost America more than $2 trillion dollars — Iraq is once again in crisis, with Islamic extremists gaining ground, civil war hanging in the balance, and the Obama administration being pulled back towards the conflict.
What went wrong? How did we get here? And what happens now?
Drawing on one of the richest archives in broadcast journalism (including more than 40 reports on the war on terror), as well as new, in-depth interviews with policymakers and military leaders, the investigative team behind The Lost Year in Iraq, The Torture Question, Endgame and Bush's War traces the U.S. role from the 2003 invasion to the current violence — exploring how and why Iraq itself is now coming undone.
"In reporting this documentary and tracing the history of our involvement in Iraq, it's become clear that the crisis that's unfolding right now isn't the result of just one or two big decisions," says veteran FRONTLINE filmmaker Michael Kirk. "It's the tragic accumulation of many mistakes and miscalculations. You see them stack up — and you see how, from the very start, nearly every step of the way, we made fateful decisions."
In Losing Iraq, FRONTLINE reveals the key political stories behind the Iraq war's defining moments: from the toppling of the statue of Saddam Hussein, to Fallujah and Abu Ghraib, to the U.S. role in creating Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's government and then trying to restrain it, and to the Sunni tribal leaders and the violent rise of the radical jihadist group, ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria).
"You can't understand what's happening right now in Iraq without understanding the context of the U.S.'s involvement — how the war has been fought, both deep inside the government and on the ground," Kirk says. "With the violence in Iraq spreading, and questions about the U.S.'s involvement and responsibility permeating the national conversation, it's our obligation and our promise to bring that context to the public in Losing Iraq."


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Jennifer Murphy Named President of NetPlus Alliance
NetPlus Alliance, a buying group for industrial and contractor supplies distributors, has announced Jennifer Murphy as the company's new President.
Murphy is the fifth generation to guide the successful Lockport, New York based company, following in the footsteps of family members that included her father, great-great uncles and grandfather. Murphy's father Dan Judge had served as President since 2002, when the most recent chapter of the company's rich, nearly 130-year history advanced along its current path as NetPlus Alliance. Dan Judge and his over 40 years of industry knowledge will continue to serve NetPlus Alliance in a leadership capacity role as Chairman and Chief Financial Officer.
Murphy has been with NetPlus Alliance since 2006, serving first as Marketing Director and most recently as Vice President of Marketing & Chief Operating Officer. Working for NetPlus Alliance has not only been a family affair, having grown up and learned at a very young age about the inner workings of the industrial supply industry, but a homecoming for Murphy, a Lockport native and current resident.
As the new President of NetPlus Alliance, Jennifer Murphy seeks to advance the company's current work of making steady progress toward large improvements in its members' NetPlus experience. "It comes down to relationships and providing the tools for success in our industry," said Murphy. "Those tools are not just the literal hand, mechanical and powered tools of the industry, but in leveraging technology, developing marketing tools for our distributors and enhancing back-office systems that make reporting easy and accessible. But as much as technology is important, I can't emphasize enough the power of face-to-face communication and relationship building. My goal is to deepen engagement, listening and implementing resources our distributors and suppliers need to be competitive as a vitally successful part of the American supply chain."
To that end Murphy sees the hosting of more face-to-face, in person events and engagements at a growing number of NetPlus Alliance regional and national meetings. The company is gearing up for its first Annual Meeting, to be held March 16-18, 2014 in Las Vegas.
With a rebounding industrial economy, there is certainly work that needs to be done. "Economic conditions still pose challenges for many distributors and our focus will be to provide the confidence and support they need to grow in new and exciting ways," continued Murphy. "It's our job to support them in any way possible, allowing them to explore new opportunities through the programs we deliver through our loyal supplier partners. It's a challenging road ahead, but we're prepared for it and energized to meet it head on. I look forward to partnering with the great team we have here at NetPlus and all our member partners around the country."
Jennifer Murphy is a St. Bonaventure graduate with degrees in Business Administration and Marketing, as well as a program graduate of the University at Buffalo Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership (CEL). She is also a member of the national group W.I.S.E., Women Industrial Supply Executives – a networking group within the Industrial Supply Association of accomplished and influential women from the industry.
A wife and mother of three children, Murphy enjoys running, coaching swimming, and volunteering in the community with organizations that include serving on the board of directors for the YWCA of Niagara.
About NetPlus Alliance
Founded in 2002, NetPlus Alliance brings industrial and contractor supplies distributors of all sizes together to improve net profit, share best practices and open doors to new opportunities.
NetPlus Alliance leverages the group power and volume from many distributors to negotiate rebate programs with a broad selection of industrial and contractor supplies manufacturers and wholesalers. Categories include abrasives, adhesives, anchors, casters, chemicals, cutting tools, fasteners, hand tools, hoists, hoses, janitorial supplies, ladders, machine tools, material handling, paints, power tools, safety, saw blades, tape and film products, vending and welding equipment.
Through its strong marketing programs, NetPlus Alliance works to steer distributor purchases to its actively growing list of product suppliers, which currently includes over 125 manufacturers and wholesalers.
For additional information contact Zach Brado at (716) 438-2014 or visit www.NetPlusAlliance.com.


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In the age of technology, people can easily search for apartments and rental homes online and apply without setting foot into the new apartment. Although searching online for apartments offers convenience and efficiency in finding a perfect place, if apartment hunters are not careful they can find themselves at the mercy of scammers, fraudsters, and spammers. Being aware of the red flags and knowing how to double check for the legitimacy of an apartment can save you time, money, and give you peace of mind.
Common frauds and scams:
The price bait scam involves lowering the online price of an apartment listing to reel in unsuspecting victims. These listings are "too good to be true," and often times lowered half the actual listing price. Scam artists will find a legitimate property listing, copy it and repost it with a much lower rental price. Sometimes new listings are simply created, but either way the listing will always be much cheaper than apartments of the listing's size and quality.
After an apartment hunter finds the listing and contacts the phony landlord, the scammer will use one of several ways to steal their money. Generally, the scammer will ask for a check to be mailed to him or her, ask for a money wire payment, or even a MoneyGram payment.
If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. If the apartment listing looks a lot cheaper than those around it, do some research to see if it may be a fraudulent listing. There are free online tools you can use to see how much rent should actually be in an area, and you can always search for apartments in the area to gauge what rent is in the general area.
If you find that everything appears legitimate, you should meet the landlord or owner in person, and look at the lease before signing a check. You can also search through your county's tax assessment website to see who owns the building, just to be safe.
This fraud often uses a price bait scam to get apartment hunters interested, but it also has another twist. The scammer will express that he or she is living overseas, is soon moving overseas, or for any other reason would need you to send money to a difference country. Sometimes the scammer will tell victims that he is in a rush to get rid of the apartment, as he needs to move overseas in a hurry and will be happy to rent the apartment out at a much cheaper rate.
Often times the apartment listing is completely fabricated, but sometimes the scam is done using existing listings which are copied and reposted at a lower rate. The scammer will take the money sent to him via Western Union or a check, and the apartment listing will disappear along with your money.
Never try to rent an apartment where the owner or landlord lives overseas. At best you will rent an apartment where you can never reach a landlord about issues with the apartment. At worst, you will have hundreds to thousands of dollars stolen from you. Be careful of awkwardly worded emails that may have been written in broken English, and always be wary of strange requests. This is another type of scam that can usually be exposed by searching through your county's public tax assessment records to see who actually owns the apartment. If the apartment does not show up, or if it is owned by someone else, report it immediately.
MoneyGram is a global payment system that is available in more than 190 countries, and is used for fast and efficient money transferring. Scammers have found a way to use this service by asking apartment hunters to prove they can pay for rent by providing a MoneyGram receipt. The victims of this type of fraud feel safe enough to send money to a friend and simply email or fax the receipt to a landlord, but in this case the scammer can actually take the receipt and use it to pull the money out of any of the 190 countries that host MoneyGram services. Since money can be extracted anywhere at any time, MoneyGram can be very convenient for rental scammers, and should be avoided when possible.
If you are searching for an apartment, do not use MoneyGram to transfer funds. If the landlord is looking for confidence that you make enough to pay for rent, ask for a reputable tenant screening service. Screenings cost around $15, and some landlords require future tenants to handle the bill, but it is much cheaper than losing a security deposit or entire rent check to a scammer.
A security deposit scam involves any sort of rental fraud where the supposed landlord asks for a security deposit to hold the apartment, takes the money, and disappears. This may be one of the most common types of rental scams, as it is relatively easy for the scammer.
This can also take the form of an unscrupulous landlord simply keeping the security deposit at the end of your lease. Security deposits are intended to be used for repairs, and it is fraudulent to for a landlord to keep them for his own purposes.
Since this scam requires you to send someone a check directly, you should make sure the landlord or owner is who he says he is. Meet them in person before signing a lease or handing over any money. Look at the apartment to make sure it exists, and that it is the same as the description in the listing. Finally, look up the owner of the building using your county's tax assessment website. You should be able to contact the owner this way if you believe something is off. If it is not owned by the person asking for a security deposit, report them immediately.
You may also be able to speak with the previous (or current tenants, if they have not yet left the apartment) and ask them about the landlord. If the landlord belongs to an association, feel free to call them and politely inquire about any issues or complaints the landlord may have received.
In a foreclosure scam property is rented out while it is in the process of being foreclosed, or will be in the future. This can get complicated as it is not always an untrustworthy landlord who scams unwitting tenants, but sometimes a third party, or simply a scammer who has come across a foreclosed rental home. Tenants residing in a foreclosure will eventually receive a visit from a bank officer and can get into serious trouble for trespassing on a bank's property. Perhaps the worst issue with this type of scam is that the victim will be paying for rent while they are staying there, and could be doing so for months before being made aware of the situation.
Since this type of scam is somewhat more complicated than others, preventing it can be somewhat more difficult. Finding the property's information through your county's tax assessment site will give insight into when the last time the property has been sold, for how much, and to whom. If this does not match the landlord's story, report it. If it does match, you can also ask a realtor to look into the information for you, or take the information directly to a lawyer or legal aid. Another alternative is to be cautious of any bizarre requests from a landowner, such as request for rent to be paid in cash.
Defective Premises Fraud:
This type of fraud is not always illegal, and so falls in the gray area of scamming. However, hosting defective premises which are hazardous is illegal and can be taken care of. This includes significant water damage, mold, holes, defective railings, and anything that could be considered life threatening. Renting an apartment and finding the surroundings to be subpar can be a nightmare if you are locked into a lease, but it can also be easily avoidable.
Look at the apartment before signing a lease. Go through each room, try the lights, use the faucets, and try to inspect anything you feel might not function properly. Any hazardous surroundings should be covered by your states consumer fraud statues, which will most likely not cover minor things such as stains or holes. If you are worried about a hazardous issue in your apartment, send a written notice to your landlord. If the issues are not addressed, contact your local, state, or federal health or housing authorities, and/or the Health Department.
Identity Theft:
Identity theft via rental applications are not new, but they can still be very frightening and painful. This is another scam that can be easy to avoid, and since its consequences can be severe, it is a good one to be cautious of. Identity theft can happen when apartment hunters fill in information for a credit check or renters application. Sometimes owners ask for a lot of personal information, and sometimes that information can be used to steal identities.
Do not give out your personal information to just anyone. If you are renting from a development association or bank, you may be asked to fill a larger application which may ask for several pieces of information. If you are not comfortable with adding your bank information, birthdate, or social security number, feel free to move on to the next apartment. You can also often omit certain information, or ask for an alternative processes. If the landlord asks for your banking information to make sure you can handle the rent, ask him if he would consider using a reputable tenant screening company.
General Safety Tips:
- Personally meet with the landlord or owner before signing a lease.
- Visit and inspect the apartment for any damages, defects, or hazardous surroundings.
- Search for the owner of the building using your state and county's public records, generally through the county tax assessment website. If this does not match up with the landlord, try and contact the owners of the building for clarification.
- If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Use a rental comparison site to find out how much rent in the area should be, or use an apartment searching site to find how much neighboring apartments charge for rent.
- Do not deal with overseas landlords. The chances of it being a scam are much higher.
- Deal locally to avoid false listings and sub-par apartments.
- Be very careful when sending payments using Western Union or MoneyGram, or cash. It is much safer to only send money locally and with checks.
- Read the entire lease. Do not send a check without looking at the apartment, without having signed a lease, and without having met the landlord.
- Be aware of emails written in poor English to avoid overseas scams.
10. Do not give out personal information such as your social security number, bank account information, or credit card information. If you are required to do so, ask if you would be able to omit some information, or use a reputable tenant screening service.


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June 1997, Vol. 8, No. 2, Special Issue
Magnetic and Ionospheric Observations During the October 24, 1995 Total Solar Eclipse in Vietnam
Author(s): Nguyen Thi Kim Thoa, Ha Duyen Chau, Trong Quang Hao, Pham Van Tri, Vo Thanh Son, Luong Van Truong, Vu Hong Nam
Ionospheric Response to a Solar Eclipse in the Equatorial Anomaly Region
Author(s): K. C. Yeh, D. C. Yu, K. H. Lin, C. H. Liu, C. R. Huang, W. H. Tsai, J. Y. Liu, J. S. Xu, Kiyoshi lgarashi, Chufu Xu, and W. -X. Wang
Observations of the Ionospheric Total Electron Contents During the Solar Eclipse of October 24, 1995 by Using the GPS Beacon
Author(s): J. S. Xu, S. Y. Ma, and Q. Wu
Ionospheric Changes Observed Over Waltair (Dip 20 N) During the Total Solar Eclipse of 24th October 1995
Author(s): P. V. S. Rama Rao, D. S. V. V. D. Prasad, P. Sri Ram, and P. T. Jayachandran
Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances Detected During the Solar Eclipse of 24 October 1995
Author(s): Kang Cheng, Yinn-Nien Huang, and Sen-Wen Chen
Ionospheric Observations of the Solar Eclipse on Oct. 24, 1995 at Chung-Li
Author(s): Lung-Chih Tsai and Jann-Yenq Liu
Ionospheric Absorption Effects of the Solar Eclipse of 24 October 1995
Author(s): Wen Zeng, Xunjie Zhang, and Zerong Huang
Indications of Atmospheric Ozone Decrease in Solar UV-B Flux Changes During the Total Solar Eclipse of 24 October 1995
Author(s): K. Niranjan, S. Thulasiraman, and Y. Sreenivasa Reddy
Published by The Chinese Geoscience Union


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"Fifteen seconds," the pilot said as the transport screamed its entry into Balmorra. Marik barely heard him, instead concentrating on keeping down his breakfast. He was an analyst, not a special forces commando like the rest of them and spewing his guts all over the co-pilot's panel would only make that more apparent.
He was a stranger among this group of brothers and though they treated him well enough since he'd been assigned to this mission, he'd never be one of them. When he'd arrived at the launch pad, huge duffel bag in hand, they had laughed and tossed most of his things. The only things they hadn't dumped in the trash were his large supply of computer spikes, some clothes, and toiletries. The pilot had sat him up with him, and told him about Go Bags and how to construct one.
"Don't worry," he'd said, "You'll get used to it. I did."
Balmorra went from gray to black as the cloud cover gave way to torrents of rain. In the distance, Marik saw the twinkle of distant lights. Cadence, he thought, quickly scanning his mental map. As a child, he'd called this place home, but now it was as much a stranger to him as the men he served with. He knew the names but they were simply words on a datapad. The meanings behind those letters had faded to nothing.
"Ten seconds," the pilot said and reached across to where Marik sat and pulled a lever. Was I supposed to do that? he wondered as the transport slowed and a loud, metallic scream echoed throughout the ship. For a moment he was afraid the ship was tearing apart, but the pilot silenced those fears with a laugh. "Re-entry thrusters on this beast are loud eh?"
"Won't they hear that?" Marik asked, thinking back to the briefing.
"Just one gnat in the horde," the pilot said and that quieted any more questions.
Cadence looked almost peaceful by night. Through the rain and speeding vehicles, lights danced and flickered in the darkness. Marik could just make out the shapes of tall buildings and squat apartment complexes. From that distance, he almost thought he could remember it. He tried, closing his eyes and summoning what he could from that period of his life. His father smiled at him in the sunlit room of their study as he pieced together his first data deck computer. The pride his father's eyes showed him then had cemented his love for the holonet and computer system for life, and it had all begun here.
Marik blinked as a sudden flare lit up the forward viewscreen. The pilot cursed and the transport dove. He felt a lurching in his stomach, bile rising almost to his ears. Curses from the back joined those upfront before the transport leveled out. Marik did not ask what happened, instead seeing Cadence for what it was. The city stretched out before them, hovels and lean-to shacks cuddled up next to decrepit high rises and block-sized squats. Where parks had been lay only burned out hulks of old ships and piles of refuse. The fading memory of his father crashed to pieces and joined the wasteland of his childhood.
The transport gave a lurch and protesting bump as it set down. Marik had seen no landing pad, no central authority to welcome them. The rain obscured everything, even the shattered landscape of Cadence once the ship became still. The pilot turned to him and unbuckled himself. It was then that Marik realized he'd never asked the pilot his name. Emblazoned on his armor was one word; "Enzaro."
"C'mon," the pilot told him. "Trip's over."
The rain was even worse than it looked. Once Marik had taken his much-reduced bag from one of the big commandos, he was rushed outside ahead of them. The water hit him like a sheet of plastoid, heavy and cold. His spikes remained sealed in the pouches on his vest but he still leaned over to cover them.
The ground was muddy and there was no grass, only rocks as big as fists and boulders the size of transports dotting the small clearing they had landed in. "The hell is this?" one of the troopers said, his square, angular face shooting a look back toward the pilot. Marik knew him only as "Eram." He wore ragged clothing with a small blaster pistol at his hip, like many of the others. Marik had only a hold-out in his pocket and wasn't even sure it was loaded.
"Crater," the pilot said. "Quarter klick to the safehouse. Aria should have dinner ready. Said she'd wait up." Four more men followed Eram into the storm, all standing just a few feet from where Marik waited, shivering and miserable. They said this was a suicide mission and they were talking about dinner. Marik felt sick enough to retch, his nerves screaming to his mind to run and hide. He had joined Intelligence to avoid this kind of thing.
Eram grumbled and shouldered his bag before stopping in front of Marik. "All right, kid? Marik right? You used to live here?"
Marik managed a nod, not trusting to speak through the shivers.
"We need to get to Forty-second street by the old theater, can you lead us there?" The man looked at Marik with eyes that seemed both dark and extremely bright. The pupils were large from the low light, but he thought the irises might be green or gold. Small horns showed from beneath matted, black hair. Ever that first meeting, the Zabrak had made him feel stripped and skinned, his fears laid bare.
"Yeah," Marik told him. He knew the way, he realized. The pattern of the lights ahead were familiar, even if the colors were not. He had a superb memory, like a holorecorder when it came to patterns. It had just taken a bit of time. "Yeah I can."
Eram signaled the others and they were walking before he realized it. Mud and drainage made the quarter kilometer take ages but they cleared the old crater and were soon passing dead trees and treading upon broken sidewalks. Balmorra had not even hailed them on the way in, and he wondered if the whole planet was dead and forgotten.
Every street triggered new recognition and soon they were threading between buildings and old alleyways. They took cover from the rain beneath balconies and shop overhangs. Several toughs eyed them as they passed but thought better of it when they spied Eram and the rest. All but one of them was large and muscular, the type of man that makes a potential thief think twice. Tordan was the only exception, being Marik's height, and hid his wiry body beneath padded vests and loose trousers. Unlike most of the others though, Tordan did not have a beard. Marik thought that perhaps he couldn't grow one.
"The theater was there," Marik pointed once they reached their destination. It had taken them only two circles of the block before Marik realized the theater was gone. In its place stood a club with dark windows and barred doors. Eram and nodded and checked something on a datapad. The big man kept the device tucked close to his chest and glanced around for a moment before heading back the way they'd come. "Follow," was all he said.
The safe house was on the second floor of a long gone bakery. Flower and dust mingled on the steps as they pushed their way up, dodging mice and rats and discarded bags full of weevils. Marik narrowly avoided a fall when he slipped on the tail of a rat larger than his own head. Tordan caught him and kept him upright long enough to regain his balance. After that, he walked only where the others did.
A door greeted them at the top of the steps, its lock having seen much better days. It was ancient and worked with a latch and key system that Marik's slicing skills were useless for. Eram knocked once and a blaster greeted him as the door swung wide. The big man gave a smirk and shouldered his way inside.
When Marik entered, he saw that the blaster was held by a young woman with hair cut shorter than any of the boys. She was shorter than he was but athletic, where Marik was rail thin. "This the slicer?" she asked after they'd all joined her inside and shut the door. Eram nodded. "Yeah, arrived at brief yesterday. Name is Marik."
Marik hated feeling left out of a conversation where he was the subject, so he nodded. "Yeah, Marik." The woman shrugged. "I'm Aria then."
Marik felt idiotic. This Aria was not cooking anything. She was likely an analyst here to brief them on the target. He should have known better. Eram told them all to gather around and so Marik found himself kneeling on old carpet and staring at a print out of what had been a bank security building. Aria circled several areas.
"Target is likely in the old vault. I've scanned the power conduits and traced the lines. They feed something that could be our terminal in that area. Intel reports from our last action on Balmorra point to only a small garrison supporting it."
"Any Sith?" one of the commandos asked, who Marik remembered as Jacen. With his dark beard and light colored eyes, Marik tended to confuse him with Eram. Another voice joined in, this from a man with dark blonde hair, and scruff of a beard and dark eyes that reminded Marik of flints of coal. He wore a scarf around his neck with tribal sigils sewn into it. His name was Damian. "Doubtful, the bastards don't like getting wet."
"No," Aria said once they'd both finished. "Any Sith activity is south, near Verdin Palace. You should be facing only some guards and engineers."
Eram scratched at his chin and then nodded. "Entry points?"
"Here," Aria said and pointed at the rear of the building. "The guard rotates every five hours and at midnight, one of them always props the door open and has a smoke. That will be our entry."
"Our?" Marik blurted out and instantly wished he hadn't said anything. "I mean, I'm going?" Damian chuckled and stood. "Yeah kid, we're all going. Did you think you were going to sit here? It's a closed system."
Marik looked to Eram, who he thought was the leader. The team wore no ranks, at least not since they had been made to strip back at base. That was his first taste of fear, folding his belongings with his dog tags to be placed in a box addressed to his next of kin. Marik thought a trooper should volunteer for such missions, not be ordered to perform them.
"Yeah," he said. "You're right. Do you know what kind of system?"
Aria shook her head and flipped through a datapad. "It's got some high power going into it, so it might be as complex as a G-Sixty-Eight or Nine even. That's why we brought you in, right?" She gave him something of a smile, but in the dim lighting of the room, it looked like a corpse grin.
The rest was a blur for Marik. They talked about tactics and fire rates, defenses that all sounded extremely deadly to him. The others just seemed to take it in stride. Finally Aria had Eram help her drag out a locked container full of armor pieces. None of it matched and all of it seemed roughly used.
Damian shoved a plastoid chestguard at him. "Put this on. We're not Republic for this mission and if you go around looking like some whimsical intel brat, we'll be in trouble. Try and look mean while you're at it." He did as he was told, though affecting any kind of intimidating posture was beyond him. He'd known they would be disguising themselves as mercenaries, hired by a rival to cause disturbances and sew mayhem. He needed only to keep his head down and slice the system. Easy. In and out again.
Aria checked her chronometer and picked a sniper rifle out from behind some crates. "Time to move. Stay close and don't step anywhere I don't." She seemed to say the last to Marik and as he looked out of the window, lightning and rain making a strobe of the world, he didn't feel he had any other choice.
They left the safe house the same way they'd come in, this time armed and armored. Even in their bulky plates and padded undersuits, Eram and his men barely made a sound. Damian carried nothing but a blaster rifle made for short ranged bursts and his vibrodagger. Eram and Jacen sported heavy rifles and lots of ammunition clips. Tordan made do with a light carbine and several grenades. Marik merely carried a heavy pistol that he was certain would never hit a thing.
The area surrounding much of Cadence was forest and dense brush. The war a decade gone had still left its mark on the landscape however, with craters and dead trees cutting swathes through the old vegetation. Aria led them through the dense areas quickly, moving slowly only when they were exposed. Damian kept close to Marik, ensuring he would not fall far behind. "Don't get lost," he kept growling.
To get to the old banking building they had to cross out of the woods and cut back through a section of buildings. Aria had obviously scouted it beforehand and led them through burned-out buildings and empty, vacant shops. When she finally held up a hand to stop, Marik could no longer tell where they were. The storm had raised a fog and obscured the lights.
"Blast it," Aria whispered. "I'll have to move closer, this fog is muddying my target area." She pointed above to a second story balcony overlooking the target building. "Tordan and Jacen, with me. I'll signal when its time."
There was no discussion, only nods from the team around him. Jacen and Tordan left with her, leaving Marik alone with Eram and Damian, an arrangement he distinctly did not like. Damian frightened him, and the tribal tattoos on his sodden scarf only made him feel like the man might sacrifice him to some dark god.
"Here," Eram said and handed him an ear bud comm. "Should we get separated."
Marik took it, frowning at the device but shoving it into his ear nonetheless. Almost as soon as he did so, it crackled to life with Aria's hushed voice. "Two targets at the door. Two minutes until zero hundred. On my mark."
It all happened so fast that Marik was still in a confused daze when he heard Aria say, "mark." There was a hushed bark from the area where Aria had run to, then a shout and a second bark. "Clear," she said. "Good luck."
Eram was up and moving with Damian pulling Marik to his feet and rushing him along behind. They cleared the street in less than a heartbeat and were on the open door so quickly that Marik barely had time to register the two dead men laying at its opening.
"Stay close," Damian said and hefted his rifle. Eram made a signal that Marik did not understand and both men entered the building. Marik followed, stepping over a guard that was missing the better half of a head. Bile and breakfast threatened again but he clenched his teeth, ignoring both the sight and the nausea.
The building was lit by glow panels every few meters, casting the corridor into a dull yellow glow. Their footfalls were soft but a metallic shutter echoed with each step, a sound that Marik thought was loud enough to wake the whole city. They moved on, Damian keeping a glancing gaze on him as they did so. Through his comm, Marik heard the subdued voices of the other three troopers outside.
"Ghost One you are clear at entry, bodies removed."
"No sign of alarm."
"Moving in, four hundred meters to target," said Eram, his voice almost inaudible to Marik's ear, but soft and clear over the comm. Here they stopped, nearing the end of the corridor. Ahead of them were low cubicle walls as far as Marik could see. To avoid being spotted they would have to crouch low.
"Check for a signal," Eram told him and tapped the computer on Marik's wrist. He did so and found several, all likely links to the building. None of them would be the one they wanted however. A secure system would have a physical connection, not a wireless one. He was about to tell him so when the commando spoke again. "Let me know if any new ones show."
Marik nodded and did as he asked, quickly telling the computer to alert him should a new wireless signal appear. His fingers shook as he padded the keys and he forced them to still themselves. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead. No one was here. They would just walk in, steal some data, and get out.
"Let's go." Eram's voice shook him free of his thoughts and crouched low as they wove their way through the cubicle farm. The building was quiet, only the hum of machines breaking the silence. To Marik, it felt like one of those movies that was just waiting to turn into a horror film.
They were halfway through the office area when Aria's voice crackled in Marik's ear. "Contacts. At least one platoon, make your extraction quick, One."
"Copy Four." Eram waved them forward and began to move faster but the swift speed in a crouched position soon made Marik's legs nearly give out. Damian had a hand on his pack and nearly dragged him along.
"We're compromised, One. We'll cover your exit."
The announcement was accented by the sudden chatter of blaster fire. Damian cursed quietly and Eram gave up all pretense of sneaking. The three of them began to run through the remaining cubicles just as red lights flashed and alarm klaxons wailed. "How–?" was all Marik had time to ask before he was pulled into another corridor and pushed up against a wall.
Eram aimed behind them and let loose a barrage of blaster bolts just before Damian tossed a grenade in the same direction. Screams answered, and then return fire in its wake.
"Get down!" Damian yelled and Marik was shoved backwards so forcefully that he fell onto his backside. Pain shot up his spine and for a moment he thought he'd broken something. His vision went white and he heard what could only have been the sky splitting wide open. His head rang like a thousand bells, his sight reduced to moving shadows that seemed to freeze in place only to appear somewhere else a heartbeat later. He rolled to his knees and covered his ears, shut his eyes. I'm going to die. I'm going to die!
And then, like a cloud breaking before the sun, Damian stood over him. He reached a hand down and shook him by the shirt. "Get–" he began but an explosion shook the world and Marik screamed as he felt something slam hard into his leg. More pain erupted and felt something warm and wet spray across his face.
Marik couldn't tell whose voice that was but when he opened his eyes again he saw that Damian was backed up across from him, a hand extended with a blaster pistol in it. He fired continuously, screaming something Marik couldn't make out. Next to him lay his arm, severed just below the elbow. The fingers still clenched a piece of Marik's uniform where it had torn away.
"Five is down, six is hit!" Aria's voice said over the comm. "Someone sold us out, One!"
"Two is down," Damian growled, his voice coming over the comm and from across the hallway. The duality of it made Marik want to cover his ears, but he couldn't say why. He also could not stop staring at the hand that lay just a meter away, still reaching for him.
"Time to go slicer!" Eram said and suddenly he was lifted from the ground and moving. Damian still sat in the hallway, firing back with his pistol. On his last glance he saw the man pull another grenade and haul back his remaining arm.
The base became a blur of hallways, closed doors and yawning entrances. He quickly lost sense of direction and knew finding his way back would be impossible. I'm going to die in here, he thought again.
"Aria, report!" Eram's voice brought him crashing back to reality and the man's firm tones almost settled him. He let Marik go and held a hand to his ear. "Aria! I said report!"
They had stopped before a massive security door that appeared to be locked via terminal. Eram's nod told him all he needed to know and set to work. Finally, he thought as he slid a computer spike into place and bypassed early security. Code scrolled over the holovid and he plucked two essential pieces out before his spike let him know to do so. He'd seen this security style a hundred times. He'd written the counter-crack to it that was now used in Intel training. My job. The thought gave him courage suddenly. They fight. I slice.
The door slid open.
"Let's go," Eram said and spared one last glance down the hallway. "Two?"
"Still here, One."
"Hold the door, we're coming back soon."
"Take your time, I'm enjoying this dance."
There was pain in Damian's voice, though Marik was sure he'd used a stim or two by now. How could he not? The thought of losing an arm…of being hit…
Marik looked down and suddenly remembered the warm sensation he'd felt earlier. His pant leg was ripped to shreds and his flesh had hundreds of tiny scratches that all seeped small trickles of blood. The sight fascinated him more than it unnerved him. How could he not be in terrible pain? Is this what shock feels like?
"Marik, inside!" Eram's command stirred him and he limped in, almost as if the knowledge of the wounds was enough to make the limp required.
The room they had entered was a data bank and he felt the cool touch of temperature control breathe on his exposed skin. This was what Aria's intelligence had discovered. A data bank like this one would explain the power spikes she'd seen.
He didn't waste any time and crossed to a login terminal. There was another door in the room but Eram was already checking it for security feeds. That left him the time he needed to slice the system.
"Sorry One, I went dark. Five is dead. Six and I are en route to you." Marik felt a slight lurch in his stomach to hear Aria's voice again. He'd thought she was dead, that they were all dead, but now two more troopers were coming to help. We'll make it, he told himself as he slid another computer spike into the system. We will.
"You're going to have a fun ride," Damian growled. "It's a blasted warzone in here. Did you find out what tipped them?"
"Sorry Two."
"Make it up to me later." A blast rang down from where Damian had been. "Take that you red sons of—"
Marik paused in the middle of typing out an extensive code crack. He felt cold all of a sudden, like he'd been dropped in ice water. Sith. The very thought made him afraid, made him want to run. The Jedi were fearsome enough but Sith murdered without regard, killed with a power he couldn't even see.
"Aw hell," Damian's voice came. "Four just cut around. I'm going to say hello."
"Stay tight, Two, Six and I–"
"Shut up Aria. Get to Eram and the kid. Sing a song about me in that pretty voice or something."
An explosion echoed down the hall, followed by a torrent of gunfire and screams. Marik found himself shaking when he thought he heard the sound of a lightsaber. He decided to concentrate on his code, to not think about it. If he was lucky, he'd be shot dead without ever seeing it coming.
It took three spikes and two workarounds before the system yielded to him. By that time the blaster fire had increased and then lessened. The lights flickered outside the data bank but there hadn't been so much as a dip within. Marik realized they were within a controlled room.
"Marik," Eram said, his voice floating across the room and not through his comm. "I think we've been misinformed."
Information flashed across the screen. Data schematics. Plans of purchase. Tests. Re-tests. Subjects and the deaths of those subjects. A list of names so long that Marik couldn't take the time to scan it.
Some of those names had been familiar. He'd lived here. Cadence had been his home. And the Empire had done something horrible to it. He opened a test file that was larger than the rest and felt sick.
"Marik," Eram said again. "Get this door open."
"The data's not in here," Marik said, slumping against the terminal. "We… they…"
"I said, get this door open."
Marik glanced over his shoulder as more blaster fire came again. This time it was closer, perhaps just at the end of the corridor. He'd heard nothing from Aria or Damian. They were probably dead. Just like his parents. This place was a graveyard.
Eram was standing there, just behind him. His grizzled face had a grim expression on it, those eyes cold as Hoth in a snowstorm. "Open the door. This needs doing."
"They are operating on people," Marik said, pointing at the data feed. "Implanting them with–"
"Open the door, Marik, now."
Marik turned and with just one last computer spike, opened the last door to the data bank. Eram touched his comm. "Four, report."
"Two is dead, One. Six is wounded. I'm holding the mouth. You have two minutes."
Dead. He'd only known Damian for a short time, but the man had seemed invincible. The image of him sitting there, pistol in hand, defying the incoming imperials burned into his memory. Marik thought that it might never fade.
"That Sith will be on us soon, best get to this." Eram aimed at the new entrance with his rifle and began to walk in. Marik clumsily pulled his pistol, clicked the safety off and followed him inside.
The room was dark and smelled thickly of antiseptic, blood and human waste. There was the unmistakable hum of machinery and computers as well but Marik could not discern where they were located. Eram clicked on his weapon's light and illuminated a small area of the room. What was revealed made Marik retch.
A chair sat in the middle of a round depression, a drain just below it. Blood had caked into every lip and orifice of the plasteel floor and though he smelled the cleaning agents, the sheer volume of blood had been too much. Around the rim of the room were cells that looked more like animal cages. All were empty except for one. Marik felt like someone had skinned him raw and began to shake.
"She's still alive," Eram said and blasted the locking mechanism. It had been mechanical, not technological so it could not be sliced. The girl inside could not have posed a threat however. She was bloody and had sores dotting her neck and ears and there was freshly seared skin implanted just over her temple. Her eyes were large and brown and the nose just below spotted with freckles. He would have known her anywhere.
"You were dead," Marik said.
Eram backed off the girl and motioned to her. "This is your job kid. Get her up."
He couldn't have moved if the Sith Emperor himself had put a lightsaber to his neck. She stared at him, unblinking. Her eyes held no mirth, no laughter like they had growing up. Kira liked to laugh.
This girl would never laugh again.
"It's my sister," Marik said. "I… I can't."
"I know, you think we picked you at random? Get her the hells up. She won't respond to an unfamiliar voice!"
Some compunction set him in motion. Afterward, he could not recall what it had been, but he moved to her and knelt. A shaky hand smoothed back her matted hair, felt the uneven lines on her temple where the skull had been replaced. "They made her into a living data bank. A…a lockbox for information…"
"We need what's in her head, Marik," Eram said, his voice soft this time. "It will save more lives than hers."
She weighed nothing in his arms. Eram told him that her conditioning would keep her from responding to anyone unfamiliar, but she came to him easily. Her thin arms went around his neck and he lifted her as easily as a datapad. She's was so thin.
"Four, status?"
Aria's voice came back pained and thin over the comm. "I've lost Six. That… Sith… I've given him something to think about but… I'm not coming with you, One. I'm sorry."
Eram paused at the doorway to the corridor. He glanced in the direction Aria would be for just a moment, then nodded. "Thank you, Aria."
"Did you… did you get her?"
"Goodbye, One."
Eram waved to him and they hurried down the corridor in the opposite direction, moving away from the sudden increase in blaster fire. There came an explosion and the unmistakable hum of a lightsaber. "Move!" Eram shouted and then they were running, Marik holding onto Kira as tightly as he dared. Her eyes were simply fixed on his face.
Their exit was a security door at the end of the hall. Even in the flashing lights of the alarms, Marik could see that it had sealed itself shut. Eram raised his rifle and without slowing a step, sent a timed grenade careening into the door, blowing it right off its hinges. Another moment later and they were out into the night.
Marik felt tall grass brush against the exposed skin on his leg, a stiff breeze on his face. Kira's warmth was welcome, though her silence disturbed him. Even the blast of the grenade had not stirred her, made her cry out or even wince. He wondered in that moment if she was even alive.
They had only made it a hundred yards when a shout ripped through the night air. Marik turned to see a man leaping through the air at them, a red blade extending from a silvery hilt. The Sith. Marik felt his legs freeze up and he fell, losing Kira in the process.
Eram turned and launched a volley of bolts at the charging Sith, who deflected them as he descended, crashing to earth with an impact so violent that it tossed Marik into the air again and sent him careening into the brush.
"Go!" Eram yelled to him. "Damn it, go!"
Something metallic slid free of Eram's bracer and he saw a blade cut the Sith across the chest. The man screamed, but the sound turned from terror into laughter. He reached out a hand and clenched a fist and Eram began to choke.
"No!" Marik had his pistol in his hand and was firing before he knew what he was doing. It caught the Sith momentarily by surprise and he was forced to drop Eram to deflect the bolts. One shot right back at Marik and blew the blaster right out of his hand. The Sith grinned and began to walk towards him. Marik began to pray to all the Gods of Balmorra.
An explosion blossomed from the Sith's back and Eram came out of nowhere to tackle the man to the ground. "Get out of here, Marik! She's vital! Go!"
Kira was not far. She crouched next to a tree and stared into the sky like she'd never seen it before. Marik took her hand and drew her back into his arms. "We're going away," he whispered with one last look toward Eram. "Far from here."
* * *
"Where's the rest?" the pilot asked as Marik boarded the transport with Kira. A medic was now aboard and took his sister from him almost immediately. They knew all along. They'd kept him in the dark… but why? Marik felt he would never know.
"Not coming," Marik said and the pilot stared for a moment before lifting the transport up off the ground. Rain pelted the windshield so fiercely that it didn't allow for further communication, even by radio. Marik left the pilot deck and went back to sit with his sister. He held her hand in his and stared out at the dark Balmorra night.
Cadence drifted away and was soon obscured by cloud cover and rain storms. Still, he caught the occasional flicker from either the lights below or fires from the data bank. "Clean break," the pilot's voice said over his comm. "We're clear."
Marik looked at Kira, saw her wide eyes still staring at him. He touched her cheek and they fluttered closed. The medic nodded to him, removing the sleep stim. He let his sister's head rest against his shoulder and gave his childhood home one last look before bidding it goodbye. It had taken his parents and the brave men and woman who had taken him back. He never wanted to see it again.
"Home?" Kira whispered in a voice so hoarse he could barely understand.
"No," he whispered to her. "Somewhere better."


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Ultimate Kuranda Day
Ultimate Kuranda Day
Ultimate Kuranda Day SAVE $36!
- Magnificent Hot Air Balloon Ride
- Famous Skyrail & Scenic Rail
Inc. all levies & taxes
Ultimate Kuranda Day Info
Scenic Hot Air Balloon Flight, Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, Free time in Kuranda and Kuranda Scenic Rail:
Amazing early morning smooth and tranquil 30 minute scenic hot air balloon flight above the picturesque farming communities on the Atherton Tablelands. Champagne breakfast catering to all dietary requirements, followed by famous Skyrail Rainforest Cableway with treetop view of the rainforest. Then, free time to explore Kuranda markets and a relaxed Kuranda Scenic Railway train ride back to Cairns.
Your Day Includes:
- Hotel pick-up
- Spectacular 30 min hot air balloon ride
- Friendly and helpful crew & commentary
- Flight Certificate
- Champagne breakfast (dietary requirements advised at time of booking)
- Famous Skyrail Rainforest Cableway
- Free time to explore Kuranda
- Scenic Rail journey back to Cairns Central Train Station
- Ballooning levy
- Departs daily at approx. 4.30am - 5:00pm
- Your hotel pick-up time will be confirmed upon booking
What to bring:
Enclosed flat shoes (essential)
Outdoor layered clothing (White not recommended)
Your ticket
Hat or cap
- Camera
- Sunglasses and sunscreen
Spending money for lunch and the markets
4:30am - Pick-up at your accommodation one hour before sunrise. One hour transfer via Kuranda Range to Mareeba on the Atherton Tablelands. Pick-up times are confirmed on booking.
6.30am - Experience the fun & unique sensation of a hot air balloon ride over the Atherton Tablelands. Enjoy the magnificent picturesque landscape. Breathe in the wide-open spaces!
7:50am - Return and landing, pack-up games, breakfast and lots of laughs.
9:00am - You will be dropped off to Skyrail Caravonica Station for your 1.5 hours journey to Kuranda, allowing for the 2 stops at Red Peak and Barron Falls Station.
11:30am - Arrive in Kuranda, the village in the rainforest for free time to go shopping and sightseeing and the Kuranda Markets.
3:15pm - Board the Kuranda Scenic Railway at Kuranda Station. Train departs at 3.30pm. (2.00pm Train available by request). The Train will stop at Barron Falls for some time to enjoy the view. In total will take about 2 hours.
5:15pm - Arrive at Cairns Central Station and make your own way back to your accommodation.
Make sure to remember your camera. Enjoy spectacular views of the Atherton Tablelands, Mareeba and the Great Dividing Range. Our balloon pilots are very professional and friendly with public safety paramount. From your balloon see kangaroos, local birdlife and farming land.
Please note:
- Not suitable for children under 4yrs or pregnant women.
- It is a CASA (Civil Aviation Safety Authority) requirement that all passengers be able to climb in and out of the basket unassisted.
Guest Reviews
Really happy with the whole experience
Travelling solo and for a first timer, I was really, really happy with the whole experience. I am glad I booked with Travstar. I loved all the activities. One that I will never forgot. I am back in PNG now but already planning on my next adventure with Travstar. Thanks to Kelsi for the online booking and Natalie for your face to face customer service when I visited your office on Friday to make the payment. Thanks Travstar!! You guys Rock.
Posted By Mary M Anda
Ultimate Kuranda Day Rates
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That's why every booking made through a Travstar Website is checked by our local consultants.
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After office hours your tickets may take up to 12 hours to arrive.


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You won't find a shopping mall in Monticello, Florida. What you will find are many unique shopping opportunities. Discover that perfect gift or antique. The shopping in Jefferson County is conveniently located in the downtown Monticello area and along main travel routes around the county. Many local members of our thriving Jefferson Arts Association contribute unique and creative crafts and artwork that are available at many shops in the region.
Auctions at different historic venues and at flea markets are frequently held at different times throughout the year. View our recent Chamber newsletters or check back on our event calendar for updates.


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By Andrew Liszewski
Last year we brought you news of the Samurai Sword Handle Umbrella, but for those of you who prefer the tales of the knights of the round table instead of Samurais and Feudal Japan, there's now a more appropriate option for you. The Broadsword Handle Umbrella will work just as well as its Samurai counterpart, but as the name implies, the handle is designed to look considerably more medieval.
The two-handed handle is made from injection molded plastic with a metal-like finish, and is wrapped with a "leatherette" grip. It opens with a simple push of a button, and it even comes with its own carrying case/scabbard complete with a shoulder strap. But you don't have to worry about hunting down the lady of the lake to find one, you can just head over to ThinkGeek once again where it's available for just $39.99.