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RF Splitter (4 Way, 50 Ohm, Low PIM)
RF Splitter (4 Way, 50 Ohm, Low PIM)
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Free Lifetime Support. SKU / Model: AFCCS0727S4CNFM3
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Product Description
Premium quality RF Splitter (4 Way, 50 Ohm, Low PIM) is used to divide a signal evenly between 4 output ports. It is weather-proof and can be used for indoor and outdoor installation. This is our premium signal booster custom model # 3 inventory item: RF Signal Splitter/ Divider/ Combiner (Four Way, 50 Ohm, Low PIM) with UPC 697691010588.
This signal splitter is compatible with any 50 Ohm cell phone booster and repeater including Uniden, Hiboost, SureCall and Wilson weBoost Electronics. It is typically used to connect several indoor antennas to a single booster. They are also often used to couple or "stack" four exterior antennas together to increase gain or shape signal coverage. Thus, it is also called, Signal Combiner, Consolidator, or Aggregator.
This wide band splitter operates on all cellular bands from 698MHz to 2700MHz. This design allows it to be used with many frequency bands making it useful for many applications including 900 MHz and 2.4 GHz WiFi and wireless video systems. The low PIM rated cavity splitter delivers low insertion loss and VSWR.
- Compatible with any 50 Ohm Cell Phone Signal Booster, Amplifier and Repeater.
- Full Band Coverage (698 MHz to 2700 MHz).
- Low VSWR and insertion loss.
- Weatherproof.
- High Directivity.
- N Female Connectors (50 Ohm).
- Low Passive Inter Modulation (PIM).
- Operates for all carriers.
- 2G, 3G, 4G and LTE Cellular.
- Indoor and Outdoor use.
- CDMA, LTE, UMTS, GSM and AWS.
- Uniden, Hiboost, SureCall and Wilson weBoost Boosters.
- 802.11b/g/n WiFi, WiMAX.
- Distributed Antenna Systems.
- Splitting Radio Frequency Signal Strength.
- Combining Radio Frequency Signal Strength.
|Frequency Range
|698-2700 MHz
|Insertion Loss
|< 6.3 dB
|< 1.25:1
|< -150dBc @ 43dBm x 2
|50 Ohm
|Maximum Power
|200 Watts
|5 x Type N-Female
|9.4 x 2.4 x 0.97 Inches (239 x 61 x 25 mm)
|Temperature Range
|0.46 lbs. (0.16 kg)
What does Low-PIM Splitter Mean?
To understand what Low PIM splitters mean, we must first understand what is PIM or Passive Intermodulation.
What is PIM and What Causes It?
PIM stands for Passive Intermodulation. In wireless infrastructure, PIM is measured in dB's and typically occurs when two or more signals are present in a passive, non-linear element or device, such as a DAS solution. PIM occurs when signals mix together in elements typically expected to operate in a linear manner, thus generating unwanted signals related to the original signals.
PIM has become a growing concern for cellular network operators, with problems occurring due to the ageing of existing equipment, when installing new equipment, or when co-locating new carriers. It's of particular concern when duplexing new carriers into old antenna runs.
This intermodulation distortion occurs in components typically described as linear, such as antennas, connectors, and cables. However, these devices are capable of generating intermodulation signals at -80 dBm and even higher when exposed to high RF powers found in cellular systems.
For cellular operators trying to maximize the reliability, capacity, and data rate of their network, not to mention their return on investment, PIM is a very serious issue.
As the industry decides on the new "standard" RF connector, let us look at the difference between low PIM and high PIM.
- Low PIM means happy customers and improved revenues for carriers, because users receive strong signals with more bandwidth.
- High PIM means lost customers for the carrier, because the end-user receives limited bandwidth and poor cellular reception.
What Does This Mean?
It means that, from a hardware point-of-view, the design intention of every connection must be to minimize PIM and all connections must be tested to ensure correct installation. PIM testing is all-important to both design and installation processes to ensure top performance from the system. With today's high-speed digital data communications, PIM testing has become critical. Because high transmitter power creates PIM, on-site testing should be carried out either at, or above, regular transmitter power levels to ensure PIM issues will be revealed.
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Brian T. Delaney
Phantom BoySD
IMDb: 6.6
84 min
A super-powered boy helps a wheelchair-bound policeman in his attempt to bring down a mob kingpin.
Actors: Edouard Baer, Jean-Pierre Marielle, Audrey Tautou, Jackie Berroyer, Alex Gagnol, Noa Bernaoui-Savreux, Patrick Ridremont, Patrick Descamps, Yves Barbaut, Fred Armisen, Joey Camen, Robert Creighton, Marcus D'Angelo, Vincent D'Onofrio, Brian T. Delaney
Justice League DarkHD
IMDb: 9.2
Justice League Dark is what it sounds like. It's the dark side of justice. A group of supernatural heroes who band together loosely to take ...
Country: USA
Actors: Rosario Dawson, Camilla Luddington, Jeremy Davies, Jerry O'Connell, Jason O'Mara, Alfred Molina, Matt Ryan, Dee Bradley Baker, Enrico Colantoni, Fred Tatasciore, Nicholas Turturro, Roger Cross, Ray Chase, JB Blanc, Brian T. Delaney
Despicable Me 3HD
IMDb: 6.8
90 min
After he is fired from the Anti-Villain League for failing to take down the latest bad guy to threaten humanity, Gru finds himself in the ...
Country: USA
Actors: Jenny Slate, Kristen Wiig, Steve Carell, Julie Andrews, Miranda Cosgrove, Steve Coogan, Russell Brand, Trey Parker, Dana Gaier, Pierre Coffin, Nev Scharrel, Andy Nyman, Brian T. Delaney, Michael Beattie, Adrian Ciscato
Resident Evil: VendettaHD
IMDb: 6.5
97 min
Chris Redfield enlists the help of Leon S. Kennedy and Rebecca Chambers to stop a death merchant, with a vengeance, from spreading a deadly virus ...
Country: Japan
Actors: Orion Acaba, Erin Cahill, Darin De Paul, Brian T. Delaney, John DeMita, Kevin Dorman, Jason Faunt, Jason Hightower, Arif S. Kinchen, Mary Elizabeth McGlynn, Matthew Mercer, Tony Oliver, Arnie Pantoja, Alexander Polinsky, Karen Strassman

subset: commoncrawl


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"What is more mysterious than the great unknown existing beyond the frontiers of birth and death?" – Amy Wright Glenn in Birth, Breath, & Death, the Sacred Readings: A Global Book Club book in June.
It's time for a round-up of the best links shared on the Pagan Families Facebook page in July.
On Pagan Pregnancy and Parenting:
- From The Allergic Pagan: The Challenges of Family Rituals: "Paganism can be incredibly intricate. In simplifying it for my children, is something lost in the process?"
- From Pointedly Pagan: On Abortion: A Pagan Ethical Response: "We become fully human only through our relation with the world and with other human beings. Even the most advanced fetuses have taken only the first steps along this path. They are not fully human in any way that counts morally."
- A Blessing for Mothers-to-be – The Birthing Site: "Oh, you who radiate life A blessing May your pregnancy unfold with ease May gentleness surround you…"
- From The Wild Hunt: UK Pagans React To Same Sex Marriage Legalization: "Let us hope that society continues to move forward on accepting the simple reality of consenting adults loving each other, and that the desire for modern Pagan clergy in England and Wales to perform legally recognized unions within that tapestry of love is soon realized."
- Carol P. Christ writes: "Z Budapest's song "We all come from the Goddess, and to Her we shall return" connects us to the cycles of birth and death."
- Grey Catsidhe at Offbeat Families: My plan for raising Pagan children: "I intend to raise my child in a Pagan household. I've come to see that this means different things to different people, and a lot of it probably has to do with our own experiences of childhood."
- From Talk Birth: New Baby Ritual (Plus Maruti Beads Review!) "One of my good friends recently had her family's eighth baby. I've had mother blessing ceremonies for her with past babies and I meant to do so for this baby as well."
- The author of this new book for Pagan kids sent me this link: "The Wheel of the Year" by R Aurora Lightbringer BSCBS "The Wheel of the Year goes around and around, And it keeps my feet on the ground. And though my head is in the clouds, the Wheel of the Year goes around and around!" Come celebrate the Sabbats with "The Wheel of the Year"!"
- On Staff of Asclepius: Pagan Accessibility Project – Community Input Requested: Janet Callahan and Tara "Masery" Miller are writing a book to assist Pagan event organizers and Pagan members of the disabled and Deaf communities improve accessibility. Their focus is to write a guide for making Pagan events more accessible and to help leaders and volunteers assist people at Pagan gatherings and events.
- Nurturing The Soul of Your Family: "Join AP parents through July and August as we discuss Nurturing the Soul of Your Family by Renée Peterson Trudeau through Attachment Parenting International's online book club, API Reads (on Goodreads)."
- HILL BABIES: Book Review! Fed Up With Frenzy: Slow Parenting in a Fast-Moving World "Suz's "Slow Celebrations" chapter has great ideas for birthdays, baby showers, and rites of passage."
And an opportunity to participate in research:
Were you raised within a family and/or communities which practiced a form of Paganism? If so, scholar Laura Hanlon-Wildman asks if you would fill out this survey: Spiritual Beliefs and Social Identity Survey


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Selamat Sore! I'm Luki, an Indonesian correspondent of ASIACLICK.
In a article about the Philippines we posted, our correspondent introduced 'INFLUENCE ASIA 2017' held in Malaysia. It's the largest social medias awards in ASIA. It included the Top 300+ nominees each from 7 countries, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and Korea.
This time I'm going to introduce "Elle Yamada" who won in lifestyle category! In fact, one new products of Japanese company became famous because she promoted it in Indonesia.
■Who is "Elle Yamada"?
"Elle Yamada" is an Indonesian influencer and famous with her sister, Jess. She introduces methods of skin care and meals, movies and movies via Blog and Instagram, Youtube and Facebook. In addition, she manages Online Store (http://gowigasa.com/) which sells clothes and accessory. Her Instagram is the most popular, and its followers are 2.35 million people.
She promoted a new product Indonesia NISSIN, 'Mikuya Ramen', in Indonesia. As a result, it attracted many people. Them, let's check how she promoted it!
■Key word is "Friend"!
The upper picture is quoted from official website of Indonesia NISSIN. The catch phrase of 'Mikuya Ramen' is 'Pretty girls deserve good food.' How did she promote it via SNS.
Please look at the bottom right of the upper picture. As you can see, her fan asks her where they can buy a new product. Then, Elle replies 'Foodhall.' She promoted Mikuya Ramen with replying each comment, so fans could think Ella is like a friend.
It's very effective for Indonesian who love to chat to 'reply comments'. That's why Mikuya Ramen has been attracting many people since it started to be sold.
When you promote your products via SNS, there are many ways. The effective method of promotion is using influencers and replying comments like this case for your target country. On the other hand, there is also a country which has people are apt to like videos introducing various methods of cooking and so on. It's important for expanding overseas to understand national character and localize not only your products also methods of sales and promotion!
ASIACLICK has correspondents in Southeast Asia and China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Korea, and they support your expanding overseas and localizing. In addition, we can hold events inviting influencer and promote your company through their articles. Our clients are both companies and local governments. Please contact us (firstname.lastname@example.com) !
(ASIACLICK・Indonesian Correspondent/Luki)


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Competitions are a part of life which can never be done away with.
With this thought, we aim at offering creative and innovating competitions for all. The competitions shall be open for all irrespective of any eligibility criteria. Law students, non- law students, legal jurists, legal as well as non-legal professionals, esteemed members of academia – legal or non-legal and literally anyone in the country may choose to participate in our regularly organised competitions.
LAW Learner's 1st Amendment Writing Competition on Constitutional Law
Law Learners presents to you the 1st Competition of the season. Law Learners 1st Amendment Writing Competition. Alongside providing Certificate Courses, we are simultaneously organising the competition. We aim that this competition enhances your argumentative capacity, logics, and you get more profound with legal knowledge along with developing new insights to self-interpretation.
We are organizing this first of its kind Constitutional Amendment Writing Competition to enhance the practical thinking capacity of the participants. We wish to instill in our family, the ability to comprehend the situational demands of the society, and come up with new measures of problem solving. Being the future of the Nation, we wish to make our youths believe that their Ideas Count. Who knows, the hub of talents, thoughts and creativity may solve the issues whose practical solution might have never been thought of before.
And yes we again make you informed that ALL the Participations in The LAW Learners including the Competition are FREE, along with various rewards set aside for the best performers.
So hurry up and be a part of our journey to IGNITING MINDS!
Eligibility – Anyone is eligible to participate in the Competition and express their views and thoughts. There is no bar on eligibility. We encourage anyone to participate without any restrictions.
Theme – CONSTITUTIONAL LAW OF INDIA
Registration Fees – NIL
Competition Proposition –
The Competition runs on a way simple line of Action.
"You are given a veto power of making any one Constitutional Amendment to the Indian Constitution. This amendment may include any sort of addition/ amendment/ omission to the existing Articles or insertion of an altogether new Article to the Constitution. In the mentioned scenario, what would be the amendment that you shall come up with and Why?"
We however wish to put to your notice that you shall insert ONLY ONE Amendment to ONLY ONE Article of the Constitution, or can alternatively insert ONLY ONE New Article (Along with its Article Number) to the Constitution.
Word limit –
We expect you to be to the point and choose your words wisely enough so that only relevant content reaches us.
How to Submit – You may Choose to Apply Here by filling up the Application Form. If any problem persists in the Application Form, you can simply mail us your submissions with your personal details i.e. Name, Contact Details, Designation and Institution [if any].
Judgement Criteria – All the participants will be adjudged out of 50 marks which shall be divided as follows :- UPDATE
Utility for the society – 20
New Ideas – 15
Strength of the Argument – 15
Timeline –
Competition Start Date – 10 June '18
Submission Deadline – 30 August'18
Personalized Reviews – 18 September '18
Result Declaration – 20 September '18
Prizes Disbursement – 30 September '18
Review – All the participants shall receive a personalized review regarding their submission, via mail on or before 18th August 2018.
Rewards – Our top 10 participants receive :-
Gold Medal
Certificate of Excellence
Free Publication in our Journal
Internship Opportunity
Publication in Newspapers and Magazines
Contact –
Call and Whatsapp – 7906170230
You may mail us on our mail id – [email protected]
More exciting opportunities at : www.thelawlearners.com
For any query, feel free to reach out to us.


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State and local agencies seek ad space and sponsors to keep afloat financially.
Take a trip to the San Francisco Zoo and you'll see something you may have never seen before: a 14-passenger, solar-electric shuttle with beady orange owl eyes staring at you.
These eyes gawk from a banner displayed across the side and above the front window of the transporter. "Get Closer at Natgeowild.com," reads the text, promoting the National Geographic website. Such an advertisement might not be the strangest sight at the zoo, but it could be one of the rarest, because public spaces traditionally have been forbidden territory for corporate sponsors.
But not anymore.
In the face of endangered funds, the idea to put ads in zoos, parks and gardens has spread countrywide. The notion is dividing government agencies that are desperate for revenue to save public spaces and environmental groups that want to protect natural areas from a brand-name invasion.
"I think it's a very slippery slope," said Bill Wade, a former superintendent of Shenandoah National Park, Va., and now a leader of the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees."I don't want to think about the potential outcome years from now of what these places are going to look like."
For critics, the quandary raises weighty questions: Do governments have any business selling ad space to generate revenue? Will the practice look like an endorsement of a product or service?
And in the case of the San Francisco Zoo, which is operated by the city and the San Francisco Zoological Society, the plot thickens because the NASCAR-style ads help support green technology. After securing the National Geographic Society as a corporate sponsor, the zoo became the first in the country to deploy two free electric vehicles as part of a pilot program by the Solar Electric Vehicle Co. (SEVC).
"It just seemed to be natural fit," said Bob Jenkins, the zoo's vice president for institutional advancement and the project lead. "Since they came free of charge pending the agreement, and we had the right to say 'yay' or 'nay' with regard to the sponsors, we saw this as a win-win."
Considering the country's economic climate, SEVC, based in Northbrook, Ill., launched the pilot as a way to deliver energy-efficient vehicles at no cost to operators of public spaces.
"The fact is you can't get advertising or promotion inside of a zoo, garden or park. They don't sell it," said SEVC Vice President Bill Eichengreen. "This is a unique business model that we thought would accelerate getting solar-electric vehicles out there in front of the public. When they see the vehicle, they want to ride on it. When they see that a sponsor made it possible, it does great goodwill."
In this model, as seen with the San Francisco Zoo, every party involved reaps rewards, Eichengreen said. The sponsor pays for the vehicle and gets eco-friendly recognition for providing green technology; the zoo, in turn, gets a free electric vehicle to use; and SEVC collects monthly payments from the corporate sponsor.
But with corporate sponsorships, will these vehicles ultimately look like NASCAR racecars roaming the parks? Not according to Eichengreen, who said the ads are "very tastefully done." In addition, organizations have the right to refuse any sponsor and certain companies will be prohibited automatically.
"I don't think a beer company is appropriate for a zoo, which has kids and families," he said.
In addition to the multipassenger shuttle, the company also has a four-passenger, street-legal electric security vehicle with lights and sirens. Eichengreen added that the company's manufacturing partner, Sarasota, Fla.'s Cruise Car Inc., is an approved General Services Administration license holder.
Though the SEVC pilot started in San Francisco, the program has been gaining traction at a critical time — cash-strapped states are devising alternatives, such as raising park fees or closing parks, to weather the economic storm. From California to Georgia to New York, various states in recent months grappled with the delicate question of whether corporate sponsors could and should save parks.
To boost revenue and plug budget gaps in Georgia, the state's Department of Natural Resources recently hired a marketing firm to help identify sponsors for events and infrastructure within state-owned parks.
"It's important for us to maintain high-quality facilities to ensure a positive experience for our visitors, while keeping rates reasonable so that they can remain accessible to Georgians," said Georgia Natural Resources Commissioner Chris Clark. "If engaging corporate partners helps us keep our facilities open and maintained, I think our visitors will be comfortable with small signs recognizing those partners."
In Washington state, the use of corporate sponsorships by government entities must have a public purpose, according to the Municipal Research and Services Center. In most cases, it would be a public-private partnership in which the jurisdiction receives funding, goods or services from a private entity in return for naming rights or advertising.
But with the trend of corporate sponsorships, especially on the national level, Wade sees signs of trouble ahead — a potential risk of whittling away the basic concept of parks until they become mundane commercial zones.
"I think people go to parks to get away from the things they see in everyday working life," he said. "The whole idea is that they would be special, not like other places. The more they move toward commercialism, the more they lose that specialness."
Moving beyond plaques honoring donors and trails sponsored by companies, the mobile billboard approach adds a new twist to the corporate sponsorship concept.
In SEVC's program, the ads appear only on the vehicles, possibly signifying a trend, given California's similar idea to use pop-up ads on citizens' digital license plates to pay bills.
There's also the fact that the shuttles and police vehicles can cut fuel and maintenance costs because they're solar powered. With the acquisition of the vehicles at the San Francisco Zoo, for example, administrators took four of their six golf carts offline, saving money that would have gone to repairs. And solar panels can extend battery life by one-third, Eichengreen said, adding that the vehicles can go up to 25 mph.
It was a deal that made too much sense for Barb Vicory not to pursue. As executive director of the Preservation Foundation of the Lake County Forest Preserves in Illinois, she had been looking for a new police vehicle and a trolley for tours that could better navigate the trail system at the Independence Grove Forest Preserve.
At the moment, the preserve has standard police vehicles that barely fit on the paths. Slightly larger than golf carts, the new electric vehicles would be more maneuverable and quieter with zero emissions.
"It meets our desire to have an open and approachable vehicle," Vicory said. "It's much more customer-service oriented than a squad car."
The solar trolley, she added, would be accessible to people with disabilities, helping provide transportation to senior programs and events and for "people who don't have a way of enjoying the finest preserve trails."
The foundation is actively seeking partners for the project and sponsors to provide $20,000 per vehicle. It's first-come, first-serve, Vicory said, and there has been some interest, but so far no takers.
"We're closing in on the end of the summer," she said, "but we'll certainly keep feelers out for next year. This is a pilot project, and if we see that it really is a good benefit, it would be happily extended."


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There are 1 names in this directory beginning with the letter H.
Haldanes is a Hong Kong-based law firm experienced in serving the needs of local and Asiapac clients. Established in 1975, partners have an extensive collective knowledge of legal practice in the region. The firm has strong reputation across its practice areas, which excellence has been acknowledged by various awards bodies.


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Ummmmm . . . it's been a while. But I have NOT fallen off a cliff, been swept away by a flood, or been the victim of turtle anarchy.
Just busy!
Ellie came over and had her first RV sleepover! She did a great job and was the perfect little overnight guest. She even helped me make meringue cookies . . .
By being the royal taste-tester! Haha!
Then I spent a lovely long weekend with Sawyer and June . . .
While their mommy and daddy were in the hospital, having Olivia Mae!
Isn't she just darling?! I'm completely enamored all over again and so is Sawyer. Can you blame us?! June, on the other hand, is still not quite sure. She's not happy with the fact that her spot in mommy's lap has been usurped!
I've done absolutely nothing quilty/stitchy in forever (unless you include purchasing patterns -- I got two -- more later). In fact, last week I told Todd I really felt the need to get some crafting on, or I'd burst! We had a ladies' event at church and the theme was flip flops, so I made a little wreath.
It was fun, fast, and relatively inexpensive . . . only $15 and all my materials came from Dollar General! I was very tickled with the way it turned out and the winner (we used it as both decoration and door prize) was very pleased!
We had all the kids and grandkids up at the camp for Father's Day. It was a wonderful afternoon/evening of celebrating and eating and listening to the grands laugh and play! I'd wanted to get a photo of Todd and I with all of them, but forgot to mention it until *after* we'd eaten dinner, ice cream cake, and played in the hot, humid, buggy camp! Oh well, this is REAL life!
I wouldn't trade it for all the bug spray in the world!!


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A bored bunny is a bad bunny, and lots of rabbits are bored just because their homeowners have little appreciation for how good they are, and how a lot they should play and 'work' their brains. Good hub, I'm aware as a result of I heard Hell's Bells years in the past (it was a ministry devoted to exposing Devil in entertainment), and likewise Carmen used to put some stuff out. The subliminal messages in these violent types of entertainment can seize the creativeness of our kids and harden them in opposition to the seriousness of actual violence. Any and all media that's uploaded and/or shared on this weblog was finished so for the only goal of entertainment of others and to help and promote the Artist(s) mentioned. Welcome back to Keepin' It Reel, the IGN present where Jim Vejvoda and Ahmad Childress carry you the latest style film news. It offers crucial and attention-grabbing news first, whereas answering who, what, the place, when (how and why are often reserved for later).
This week, we discuss the brand new trailers for Doctor Unusual and Suicide Squad, as well as official information on Ben Affleck's solo Batman movie and the MCU's Spider-Man: Homecoming. Dorian James Entertainment has been committed to providing top quality kids's entertainment at reasonably priced costs for twenty-five years.
The AAMMA AWARDS was established by Scrim Entertainment (owned by Daniel Okoduwa) to have fun Artists of African origin no matter borders or Nationwide identities. Welcome again to Keepin' It Reel, the IGN present where Jim Vejvoda and Terri Schwartz are joined by Eric Goldman to convey you the latest style movie news. Welcome back to Keepin' It Reel, the IGN show the place Jim Vejvoda and Eric Goldman (subbing for Terri Schwartz this week) convey you the newest style film news. Everybody's occasion is exclusive, subsequently we tailor every entertainment bundle to particularly meet your particular person needs. They had been also able to use their bigger presence in home entertainment to their advantage.
SHUT-UP AND STROLLING MAGIC: Shut-up magic is the right ice-breaker: it amazes and includes folks like no different entertainment. Pirate101 is published by KingsIsle Entertainment (the creators of Wizard101) and places players within the sneakers of a pirate in an epic sport world with loads of adventure and treasure. People often say: 'Effectively that is not me, maybe different individuals, I work darn hard and still not getting forward.' Effectively that may be so, but let's outline entertainment so we all know what we're talking about. We additionally look forward to future productions by Now That's Entertainment as they current the very talented #Gladys Knight and Howard Hewett.
Our web site has much more entertainment ideas accessible on your marriage ceremony night reception in case you are in search of something slightly extra unusual. For the cost of just a few drinks (avoid alcohol to keep it actually low-cost) you may take pleasure in a night of stay entertainment.


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So many things are changing the next few weeks, I have a hard time not breaking down right now.
The thing is, the future looks great. But so many big changes are going on within the next two months, its stressing my mind and body to the max.
I've graduated, which is great! But now, I'm leaving the town I've lived in for almost my whole life. I'm excited for new sights, new adventures, new people. But I am also about to leave my family, my two best friends I've know since elementary school, this beautiful town full of amazing kind people. I'm going to miss it so much.
At least once a day I think of the packing I have to do these next two weeks, all the goodbyes I'll have to say soon, and I start gasping.
I don't want to change everything, but I am.


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Extreme deep conditioning is just a super fancy pre-shampoo that layers an oil over your conditioner to seal in all that moisturizing goodness. This week I applied my extreme deep conditioning combo of Jessicurl (on my roots for extra moisture) + Joico (on my ends for strength) + Coconut Oil (all over to seal) to dry hair to knock out two birds with one stone: pre-poo AND deep conditioning!
- Extreme Deep Condition- I applied Jessicurl Deep Treatment to my roots as I gently finger detangled. Next, I applied Joico K-Pak Reconstruct Conditioner from the line where my unprocessed hair meets my relaxed hair down. I massaged a little extra virgin coconut oil from root to tip, covered with a plastic cap, then let it all marinate over night.
- Tea Rinse- using 2 Bamboo tea bags steeped in a 1:1 ratio of water and aloe vera juice + 2 tbsp of glycerin.
- Smoothing/Detangling Treatment- with a large dollop of Matrix Detangling Solution
- Air Dry with Chi Silk Infusion applied to wet hair then wrapped in a satin scarf for about an hour.
- Leave ins- I used Jessicurl Too Shea Extra Moisturizing Conditioner and Pura Body Naturals Cupuacu Hair Butter to seal then set my hair in about 12 bantu knots
Well hello curls! I sure hope that y'all aren't sick of my bantu knot curls because I am sooooo in love! I usually prefer when my sets are big and bouncy, but lately all I've gotten are super tight curls. I worn it out for a day then the next day I sported tousled high bun.
How was your #washdayexperience? I'd love it if you shared below!
- Follow your hosts SavingOurStrands and JustGrowAlready via Bloglovin', Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest.
- Healthy Hair is the theme. Entries completely unrelated to the theme or linked to your homepage will be deleted.
- Share it! Your blog post must link back to this site so others see. We even made this nifty button below which links back to The Wash Day Experience page! Just copy and drop the code into your blog post.
- Encourage the wash day experience contributor that linked up directly before you with an inspiring comment. We are each here to support each other and build a community of determined women and hair-friends. Don't worry, the chica who links up after you will do the same; comment love for everyone!


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In September of 2018, the Drug Enforcement Agency announced its rescheduling of Epidiolex, a CBD-based drug from medical marijuana with no more than 0.1% of THC.
This was further followed by President Trump signing the Hemp Farming Act (also known as the 2018 Farm Bill) that fostered greater investment in the already rapidly growing industry.
There are still a lot of misconceptions floating around regarding the legal status of CBD in the United States.
Is CBD legal?
We're not lawyers or legal experts — meaning you shouldn't take this article as legal advice. However, we've done our best to provide you with the most accurate information on the legal status of cannabidiol in the USA.
in this article, we'll cover the current laws surrounding federal and state regulations of marijuana and CBD supplements — including its contradictions.
We'll also cover the future of CBD based on past cases involving other (similar) natural health products.
What is the Legal Status of Cannabidiol in 2020?
As we speak, cannabidiol remains in the Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) — meaning it has no accepted medical use and carries a "high potential for abuse".
However, this only applies to the cannabidiol sourced from marijuana plants, which also contains significant amounts of THC — the psychoactive compound in cannabis.
According to the 2018 Farm Bill, CBD from industrial hemp is excluded from the CSA and thus has recently become legal on the federal level.
Companies are now allowed to grow, manufacture, sell, and transport hemp and CBD-rich hemp products across the states as long as they meet certain guidelines.
CBD from Hemp vs. Marijuana: Is There a Legal Catch?
Hemp and marijuana are both members of the Cannabis plant family, and both can yield an abundance of CBD.
Being the same species, hemp and marijuana are similar on many levels; inexperienced CBD users often confuse these two plants due to their visual similarities.
But at a chemical level, hemp and marijuana have striking differences.
While hemp is known to produce almost no THC (less than 0.3%), marijuana comes with an abundance of this psychoactive compound —reaching up to 30% of its dried weight.
Unless bred for specific purposes, marijuana typically comes with lower concentrations of CBD than hemp, which strengthens its mind-altering effects and is the main reason why marijuana remains federally illegal in the United States and many other countries.
Now that you're familiar with the basic differences between hemp and marijuana, it's time we elaborated on the legal status of cannabidiol depending on the source.
Legal Status of CBD Derived from Marijuana
CBD can be extracted from marijuana plants just as it can be extracted from hemp.
Some marijuana strains are bred to have high CBD concentrations — however, the THC content can vary dramatically, often exceeding the legal 0.3% limit.
In fact, the THC levels in marijuana can be as high as its CBD content.
Therefore, the problem with medical marijuana is that it's not legal everywhere. In the United States, there's a striking contradiction between the federal and state laws regarding marijuana-derived CBD.
Federal Marijuana Laws
Marijuana is listed in the Schedule I category of the Controlled Substances Act.
Despite having been legalized in 10 US states for medical and recreational purposes — and contrary to what modern science says about the benefits and risks of using cannabis — the possession, use, sales, and transportation of marijuana are considered a federal offense.
As the 2020 elections are coming closer, more candidates than ever are pulling out the federal legalization card, which may become the main subject of debates among politicians from both Democrats and Republicans. It looks that the legal status of cannabidiol may soon change again in favor of marijuana advocates.
State Marijuana Laws
As of 2020, there are 10 US states where Cannabis, including marijuana and hemp, are legal for medicinal and recreational use.
A total of 47 states have legalized marijuana-derived CBD only for medicinal purposes. The qualifying conditions may vary by state; some states are very liberal about the medical use of cannabidiol while others permit this compound only under highly specific circumstances (like an approved medical diagnosis).
Three states have taken a strong stance against marijuana-derived CB — Idaho, Nebraska, and South Dacota. Even hemp-derived cannabidiol is stuck in a legal grey-area in those particular states.
Where is Marijuana-Derived CBD Legal?
States with regulations that permit the use of marijuana-derived CBD for recreational and medicinal use:
- Alaska
- California
- Colorado
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Nevada
- Oregon
- Vermont
- Washington
States that allow the medicinal use of marijuana-derived CBD for a broad range of conditions:
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Washington
- West Virginia
States with regulations that permit the use of CBD from marijuana under certain circumstances:
- Alabama
- Georgia
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kentucky
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- North Carolina
- Oklahoma
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
The regulations for the majority of these states require patients to apply for a medical marijuana card prior to purchasing marijuana-derived CBD. These requirements vary depending on individual state laws.
States Where CBD from Marijuana is Banned (Regardless of the Purpose)
As mentioned, some states have a particularly hostile attitude toward marijuana.
Marijuana-derived CBD is strictly prohibited in the following states:
- Idaho
- Nebraska
- South Dakota
If you live in one of these states, you must turn to the hemp-derived CBD for relief from your ailments.
Speaking of which…
Legal Status of CBD Derived from Industrial Hemp
Is CBD from hemp federally legal?
Short answer: yes, as long as it's produced within the regulations defined by the US law.
Until 2018, hemp-derived CBD was caught in a legal grey-area. The 2014 Farm Bill legalized the use of hemp for industrial and research purposes, but the commercial sales of hemp-derived CBD products were still prohibited.
There was a legal loophole allowing companies to sell hemp products obtained from the seeds and stalks of industrial hemp, which many businesses used as an argument for selling CBD oil despite its unclear legal status.
Needless to say, there's little to no CBD in the stalks, let alone the seeds, which are completely void of cannabinoids.
Things changed when President Trump passed the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 (also known as the 2018 Farm Bill) — which we'll discuss in the section below.
Farm Bill 2018
The 2018 Farm Bill removed hemp as a Schedule I substance and classified it as an "agricultural commodity."
A common misconception about the 2018 Farm Bill is that it reclassified CBD regardless of its source. This is not true.
Based on the DEA guidance, CBD from marijuana is still a Schedule I substance and remains federally illegal.
If, however, the CBD in question comes from hemp plants and stays compliant with the following regulations set by the new Farm Bill, it doesn't fall under the Controlled Substances Act:
- The hemp must have less than 0.3% of THC
- The hemp must follow the shared state-federal regulations
- The hemp must be grown by licensed growers
On top of that, the 2018 Farm Bill also allowed the sales, transportation, and possession of hemp-derived CBD products and removed restrictions on their transportation across state lines as long as the products adhere to the guidelines defined above.
The Future of Cannabidiol: Full-Spectrum Extracts vs. Isolates
There's still much to be done in terms of clarifying the legal status of CBD in the United States.
Prior to the approval of Epidiolex, the FDA explicitly stated that CBD cannot classify as a dietary supplement because CBD is no longer an Investigational New Drug (IND) under the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act); it's an approved one.
As a result, pure CBD cannot be defined as a dietary supplement.
This situation isn't anything novel. In a similar case, a pharmaceutical company Biostratum requested the FDA to draw consequences against manufacturers of high-pyridoxamine dietary supplements because Biostratum had issued an IND application for pyridoxamine dihydrochloride.
As a result, products containing pyridoxamine can only be sold by pharmaceutical companies as a drug.
Another similar precedent took place in April 1997, when another company, Pharmanex, was advised by the FDA that their product, Cholestin, was a drug — not a dietary supplement.
Cholestin was high in Mevinolin, a constituent of red yeast rice that has been shown to lower cholesterol levels. Mevinolin has a chemical structure identical to lovastatin, an FDA-approved drug produced by Merck.
The FDA found Cholestin was manufactured with levels of lovastatin exceeding traditional red yeast rice products, and thus the product was more like a drug than a dietary supplement.
The vast majority of hemp-based products are full-spectrum extracts with concentrations by weight of CBD rarely exceeding 15%, as compared to Epidolex, which consists of 99% CBD.
Given the above precedents, it's possible that the FDA will impose restrictions on the classification of products infused with isolated CBD but not hemp extracts that contain naturally occurring levels of cannabidiol.
The current legal status of CBD is still evolving, particularly when it comes to its regulations vis-a-vis the CSA and its status under the FD&C Act.
There is, indeed, the need to reclassify cannabis as a whole on the federal level if we want to clarify the legality of CBD once and for all. For now, you can freely use CBD products as long as they come from industrial hemp and contain less than 0.3% THC.
If you want to buy marijuana-derived CBD, you must live in a state or country which allows the recreational or medical use of marijuana.
Outside of the United States, the legal status of cannabidiol is more confusing. Since cannabis laws can vary for each country, we suggest that you reach out to your country's justice department for detailed information.
We hope this guide has helped you get a better understanding of this complex subject. As always, we strongly encourage you to do your own research on CBD and its potential benefits because we believe that well-informed customers are happy customers.
Is CBD legal where you live?


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Code Geass R3
Okay, ever since Code Geass R2 many fans wanted a third season.
They also left many unaswered questions that should be answered in a third season.
How did Suzaku survive the Lancelot explosion?
How did Lord Gilferd survive the Fleia blast at the Tokyo Settlement?
Are there any other Geass users?
What is Suzaku's Geass?
What happened to Britannia after Lelouch died?
What happened to the Knights of the Round?
Did Lelouch Really die?
If Lelouch really died what happened to the people affected by his Geass?
Now you may be saying a third season will ruin Code Geass. It's a possibility, but it's a risk we have to take.
Who knows it might improve and make Code Geass more popular in the States,hence making english Geass games and more fans. Now you're saying, how will it start out? I will give you examples.
It could start out like this...
A person with Geass starts ragnarok and brings back Charles, V2, Marianne, Rolo, Mao, Shirley, Euphemia, The dead Knights of the Round and the whole Geass Order and sets out to kill Lelouch. Lelouch goes to Zero and asks for help. Or..
Someone discovers Suzaku and Lelouch's secret of Zero Requiem and wants to rid the world of Lelouch. Or..
Chaos breaks out and a secret group overpowers Britannia forcing war and Lelouch must return as Zero.
There are much more, but we have to go on.
Now a third season could bring about more and BETTER mechandise and bring Sunrise more fans and money.
Also R3 could bring Code Geass games to America and happier fans. Also all the fans will shut up about R3 and go back to admiring Sunrise and not critizing it.Those are only some reasons why R3 should be created. i'll keep on posting more stuff and info on Code Geass R3.
For the last time I am only stating. Also I DON'T KNOW if a third season is POSSIBLE!!!! I am on both sides on the card. I do and don't want this part of the series to continue. What I do know for certain is that a few mangas will be made set in different periods of time. Anyway later on I'll make another page based on future Code Geass projects. Until then Zero is out.
There are two new projects coming out.
The first is Code Geass:Renya of the Darkness/Jet Black Renya which is a manga
The second is Code Geass GAIDEN:Boukoku No Akito which is either an OVA or an actual show
Look up Code Geass GAIDEN in Youtube and you'll find a trailer = =
There is an english version of Renya of the Darkness. So far it isn't much, but it's better than nothing.Another thingis that once you read it, don't jump to conclusions.


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This blog entry will cover the many restaurants we experienced throughout our trip.
The dining scene on St. Martin is well-known for being one of the most impressive and famous in the Caribbean. The island is considered by many food experts as being the food capital of the Caribbean. Although the island is just a mere 37 square miles big, there are an astounding 400 plus restaurants to choose from! This made it quite difficult for me to narrow down exactly where we were going to eat. I literally had several dozen too many choices! During my research, I consulted Trip Advisor as well as referencing my two guidebooks (Frommer's Portable & Fodor's In Focus) to narrow down the long list. Being that the island has both French and Dutch influence, most of the restaurants are European, although many have a Caribbean flare.
Although there are restaurants located all over the island, there is one town in particular that receives more accolades and dining praises than any other, which is Grand Case. This tiny town has been thrown into the international spotlight from its famous "restaurant row" where dozens of high end dining establishments line Boulevard de Grand Case. We ate nearly half of our meals in this lovely town, located on the French side of the island. If you make your way to Grand Case, beware of the parking situation; the town has just one small lot which tends to fill up very quickly. Arrive early or else you will find yourself driving in circles attempting to find street parking along with dozens of others! On Tuesday evenings during high season (January to April), Boulevard de Grand Case is closed off to traffic due to the weekly Harmony Nights festival which involves a parade, musicians, street food, and local vendors. If you happen to be in St. Martin during these months I highly recommend that you make an effort to experience this lively festival.
No matter where we ate dinner on the island, we noticed that most restaurants didn't fill up with patrons until 8 PM or even later. We actually preferred to eat earlier, typically around 6:30-7:00 so that there would be at least some daylight left. It is recommended to always make your dinner reservations in advance; most restaurants allow you to complete your reservation via email but a few require that you actually call to make the reservation over the phone. All of the restaurants we visited had staff that spoke both French and English, so there is no need to worry about any language barriers.
The one commonality we found at every restaurant we visited was that they all had some form of seafood on the menu and it was always of excellent quality. Seafood lovers will love this island!
Food in general on the island is expensive no matter where you go. Most restaurants on the French side use the Euro (although a few places will allow you to pay using cash U.S. dollars at a one-to-one exchange rate) and all the restaurants we ate at on the Dutch side used the Dollar. If you want to experience fine dining on the French side, be prepared to spend at least 100E for one appetizer, two entrees, and a dessert.
For our first few nights out, we got conjured into ordering bottled water. However, after tasting the tap water at our condo, we realized it was completely unnecessary to be ordering 7 Euro bottles of water. The tap water on the island is clean and tastes great! Also, be aware that a service charge is sometimes included on the bill so always double check before tipping!
In addition to being well know for its plethora of fine dining establishments, St. Martin is also famous for its abundance of barbecue stands, referred to locally as lolos. You will see these lolo stands all over the island. Two of the more famous ones are located on Restaurant Row in Grand Case and several more are located near the harbor in Marigot.
To save some money, we utilized the grocery store for breakfast and snack items. Although the pricing at the grocery stores on St. Martin is much higher than you would pay back home, it's still obviously less expensive than what you would pay for a meal out.
Below is a list of the restaurants we ate at on our trip, organized by the French and Dutch side, and finally by each city. Further below you will find a detailed review of each place.
French Side:
Grand Case:
Dutch Side:
La Villa:
This incredible French restaurant is located along Grand Case's famed restaurant row and is the top rated restaurant on the entire island per Trip Advisor. Due to the restaurant's popularity, I made sure to make our reservation several weeks in advance on their website. Like with most of the restaurants on the island, La Villa features open air dining and exposed wooden rafters. The restaurant is dimly lit, which makes for a romantic dining experience for most, but a photography nightmare for me.
|Exterior of La Villa
|La Villa
|La Villa
|La Villa
|Amuse bouche at La Villa.
|Enjoying our meal at La Villa.
Unlike most of the fine dining restaurants on the island, La Villa offers its guests a prix fixe menu. This great value includes your choice of any soup or appetizer, any main course, and any dessert for 49 Euro per person. Additionally, La Villa was one of the few restaurants in Grand Case that allowed a 1 for 1 exchange for Euro to Dollar, making this prix fixe menu an even better value.
For an appetizer, Shyawn selected the Lobster Ravioli with a lightly flavored ginger cream sauce. The pasta was very delicious and Shyawn commented that he wished there had been more ravioli to eat!
|Lobster Ravioli at La Villa.
Choosing my appetizer from the menu was quite easy. As soon as I saw the listing for Crab Meat Profiteroles with avocado guacamole and fresh tomato tartar it was a no-brainer as both crab and avocados are two of my top favorite food items. This dish was definitely one of my favorites of the entire trip. The crab, avocado, and tomato that were sandwiched between two layers of pastry melded together in perfect harmony. I ate this dish as slowly as I could, savoring every single bite.
|Crab Meat Profiteroles at La Villa.
|Crab Meat Profiteroles at La Villa.
For my entree selection, I went with the Seared Black Pepper Crust Tuna Steak with soy and sesame oil sauce, asparagus tip risotto, ginger, and wasabi. This dish was yet another standout on the trip. The tuna was incredibly delicious, moist, flavorful, and, of course, paired perfectly with the wasabi. I also thoroughly enjoyed the asparagus tip risotto which was a soothing reprieve to my palette from the spicy wasabi.
|Seared Black Pepper Crust Tuna Steak at La Villa.
Shyawn's entree choice was one of the specials of the evening, the Red Snapper Fillet Roll with Lobster, mashed plantain, fennel sauce. This was yet another strong and memorable dish.
|Red Snapper Fillet Roll with Lobster at La Villa.
Our visit to La Villa happened to occur on a Tuesday, which is when the weekly Harmony Nights festival occurs. From January through April, this weekly event features a street festival as well as a parade with live music and dancing. We were able to view the parade from our seats and one of the costumed women came into the restaurant enabling me to snap a few pictures of her beautiful costume!
|Harmony Night in Grand Case.
|Harmony Night in Grand Case.
|One of the performers from Harmony Night in Grand Case.
|One of the performers from Harmony Night in Grand Case.
|Hot Chocolate Cake at La Villa.
|The ice cream portion of the Hot Chocolate Cake at La Villa.
My profiteroles were quite delicious on their own, although it is slightly unfair to compare as they just couldn't even come close to the hot chocolate cake. You'll have to eat these quickly as the chocolate sauce on top is as the description indicates hot and the ice cream melts quite quickly.
|Hot Chocolate Profiteroles from La Villa.
Located inside a restored 19th century Creole cottage in Grand Case, this wonderful and charming restaurant serves its patrons beautifully presented food that combines both traditional French and contemporary cuisine.
|Le Pressoir
|Le Pressoir
|Le Pressoir
|Le Pressoir
|Le Pressoir
I loved the container that the butter was placed in for the bread service.
|Butter for the bread service at Le Pressoir.
|Bread service at Le Pressoir.
For an appetizer, we decided to split the Fricasse of Langoustines with baby veggies and reduction of lobster broth. Although we did not request this, the restaurant literally split the appetizer into two separate portions, which was a nice gesture. This appetizer was very delicious and a strong start to our meal. The langoustine was cooked perfectly and paired wonderfully with the lobster broth. Additionally, there was some sort of crispy noodle that was served with the dish creating not only a unique presentation but also providing great texture when eaten with the rest of the dish.
|Fricasse of Langoustines at Le Pressoir.
|Fricasse of Langoustines at Le Pressoir.
For our entrees, we both decided on the same dish, the Crispy Grilled Mahi-Mahi Fillet breaded with cruesli, and saffron sauce. Although it is quite unusual for us to order the same dish, we both love mahi-mahi and saffron and neither one of us could pull ourselves away from ordering it! Every aspect of the dish not only looked great, but also tasted delicious. The fish was cooked perfectly and tasted great with the accompanied ratatouille.
|Crispy Grilled Mahi-Mahi Fillet at Le Pressoir.
|Crispy Grilled Mahi-Mahi Fillet at Le Pressoir.
Prior to dessert arriving, Shyawn ordered a Cafe Latte in an attempt to perk himself up which he stated was extremely good and of the best quality.
|Cafe Latte from Le Pressoir.
We decided to split dessert and went with one of their daily specials. Unfortunately, I misplaced the receipt that the restaurant had so kindly written down the name and details of the dessert. The dish was a medley of fruit slices, raspberry sauce, a tiny piece of cake with apple gelee, and a chocolate dipped marshmallow. It was all very delicious, especially the fruit and the cake.
|Dessert from Le Pressoir.
|Dessert from Le Pressoir.
|Dessert from Le Pressoir.
Le Pressoir is a great choice for those looking for a wonderful and intimate French meal in Grand Case. It was one of our top five favorite restaurants on the island.
Le Bistrot Caraibes:
|Le Bistrot Caraibes
|Le Bistrot Caraibes
|Le Bistrot Caraibes
For my entree, I selected the Fettuccine with Royal Shrimps in a light garlic sauce. The delicious pasta was homemade and the shrimp was perfectly cooked.
|Fettuccine with Royal Shrimps at Le Bistrot Caraibes.
|Roasted Beef Tenderloin from Le Bistrot Caraibes.
|Potato side dish from Le Bistrot Caraibes.
|Coffee at Le Bistrot Caraibes.
We decided to spring for dessert, and went with the Hot Chocolate Cake with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce. The cake was incredibly moist and flavorful but wasn't quite as good as the Hot Chocolate Cake from La Villa. Still delicious, nonetheless.
|Hot Chocolate Cake from Le Bistrot Caraibes.
After dinner, we checked out the restaurant's lobster offerings for the evening.
|Live lobsters outside of Le Bistrot Caraibes.
|Le Bistrot Caraibes
Of the many restaurants located in Grand Case, the majority specialize in French cuisine. However, there are a few that don't including an Italian restaurant called Spiga. The restaurant features both indoor and outdoor dining within it's beautiful 1914 Creole building. We opted to sit outside since the weather was so pleasant that evening. Unfortunately, I forgot to take photos of the interior and exterior of the restaurant so I have none to show you.
|Bread service at Spiga.
Shyawn and I did not arrive to the restaurant with empty stomachs so much to my disappointment we felt we only had enough room for an entree. He chose the Gnocchi Gorgonzola (potato gnocchi, spinach, gorgonzola cheese, cream) while I went with the highly recommended Pappardelle Pork and Italian Sausage (pappardelle, pork tenderloin, Italian sausage, and mixed mushroom ragu). Shyawn enjoyed his dish, but the real standout of the evening was my pappardelle. The sauce was incredibly delicious and flavorful. Given the amazing depth of my dish, I had wished in hindsight that we had arrived hungry and been able to try some of Spiga's appetizers and desserts. Additionally, this restaurant offered a 1 for 1 exchange for Euros to Dollars, which made it so much more affordable than most of the other high end restaurants on the island.
|Gnocchi Gorgonzola from Spiga.
|Pappardelle Pork and Italian Sausage from Spiga.
Located within one of the oldest homes in Grand Case along restaurant row, this restaurant specializing in traditional French fare, was the only minor dining disappointment of our dinners from the trip. The restaurant was recommend not only in both of our guidebooks but also on Trip Advisor, having been rated the second best restaurant on the entire island. As a result, we went into our dining experience with very high expectations.
|L'Auberge Gourmande
The interior of the restaurant was beautifully decorated, evoking a very warm feeling with it's dark wood beams and bright yellow walls.
|L'Auberge Gourmande
|L'Auberge Gourmande
|L'Auberge Gourmande
For an appetizer, we split a serving of French Onion Soup topped with grilled Swiss cheese on top. The soup was good, but definitely not the best French onion I've had.
|French Onion Soup from L'Auberge Gourmade.
|Bread service from L'Auberge Gourmade.
For his entree, Shyawn selected the Duo of Sea-Scallop Saffron Sauce and Jumbo Cajun Sauteed Shrimps served with a mushroom parmesan risotto and vegetables sauteed in garlic parsley butter. While he enjoyed the saffron sauce atop the shrimp, he indicated that his shrimp were overcooked which was very disappointing.
|Duo of Sea-Scallop Saffron Sauce and Jumbo Cajun Sauteed Shrimps at L'Auberge Gourmande.
For my own entree I went with the "Supreme" Breast of Tender Chicken delicately filled with a Swiss cheese, topped with a morel sauce, and served with gratin dauphinois. Everything within this dish tasted good but it was nothing spectacular nor particularly memorable.
|"Supreme" Breast of Tender Chicken at L'Auberge Gourmande.
As we received our check, we were also given two small complimentary shot glasses of the house made rum.
|Housemade rum from L'Auberge Gourmande
Maybe we didn't pick the right items off the menu or maybe we were there on an off night. However, given our experience at L'Auberge Gourmande, we wouldn't eat there again on a future trip.
Talk of the Town:
Probably the most well-known lolo on the island, this very popular and busy BBQ stand is located among the fine dining establishment's of Grand Case's restaurant row. This particular lolo is always packed at dinner but we stopped by for a quick lunch so we didn't have to contend with the crowds. We split a plate of BBQ Chicken Breast with a side of Rice and Beans, which cost just $9 (all of their prices are listed in Euros but they accept a 1 for 1 exchange). The food was extremely delicious so it's no wonder why this place is so popular with both locals and tourists!
|Talk of the Town BBQ Restaurant.
|Talk of the Town BBQ Restaurant.
|BBQ Chicken Breast and a side of Rice and Beans at Talk of the Town BBQ Restaurant.
Sol e Luna:
This beautiful restaurant, located just past Orient Bay, was one of the highlights of our trip. We ate here on our first evening on the island making the experience extra special. Sol e Luna not only operates as a restaurant but also as a guest house, offering several different suites to rent. As soon as we walked into the restaurant, we were blown away with the setting. The interior space looked immaculate and looked as though it was fresh out of the pages of a magazine cover. No detail was spared and every square inch of the restaurant was visually stunning. It was the most romantic setting I had ever seen before and was so excited that we were going to be eating there!
|Exterior of Sol e Luna.
|Sol e Luna
|Sol e Luna
|Sol e Luna
|Sol e Luna
|Sol e Luna
|Sol e Luna
|Sol e Luna
|Sol e Luna
We were seated on the wrap-around porch. Unfortunately, when we arrived it was already dark out but I read that the best seats in the restaurant are on the porch as they offer an amazing view of the surrounding area.
Once seated, we perused the drink menu and I decided to order the Exotic Martini (Grey Goose Vodka, peach and passion fruit liqueur and lime juice) while Shyawn went with the Espresso Martini (Absolute Vanilla, patron xo cafe and a shot of espresso). My martini was amazingly delicious; I sipped my drink quite slowly to try and enjoy it for as long as possible. Shyawn said his martini was good but nothing too special.
|Exotic Martini at Sol e Luna.
|Espresso Martini at Sol e Luna.
For an amuse bouche, the restaurant served a chilled carrot soup, which I found to be surprisingly delicious considering that I don't normally care for carrots!
|Amuse bouche at Sol e Luna.
We were also given a basket of beautiful bread, which tasted as good as it looked. We both helped ourselves to several servings of the soft and crusty warm bread.
|Bread service at Sol e Luna.
We decided to split the Lobster Bisque (topped with puffed pastry and almonds) for our appetizer. The puffed pastry created such a beautiful presentation of what would otherwise be a relatively boring dish. The pastry was incredibly delicious, especially with the bits of almond on top. The soup itself was also very good although it was moderately difficult to enjoy given that it was 75 degrees outside.
|Lobster Bisque at Sol e Luna.
For my entree, I selected the Beef Tenderloin Angus (Agrodolce sauce, french potatoes puree, green beans, garlic, parsley, and butter). The beef was amazingly tender and flavorful and paired wonderfully with the agrodolce sauce (which is a sweet and sour sauce) as well as the mashed potatoes. I was in foodie heaven! Unfortunately due to the dark lighting at the restaurant I had difficulty capturing the beef in a clear shot so its slightly blurry.
|Beef Tenderloin Angus at Sol e Luna.
|Beef Tenderloin Angus at Sol e Luna.
|Beef Tenderloin Angus at Sol e Luna.
Shyawn chose the Jumbo Shrimps Flamed (brandy, peppercorn sauce, herbs, arugula risotto, asparagus, warm spinach). His entire dish was fantastic, from the tender and juicy shrimps to the delicious risotto that I couldn't keep my fork out of. His entree was likely the highlight of our meal at Sol e Luna.
|Jumbo Shrimps Flamed at Sol e Luna.
At the end of our meal we were each brought a shot glass of the house made rum, this one being made with passion fruit which was incredibly yummy!
|House made rum at Sol e Luna.
Sol e Luna was in our opinion hands down the most romantic restaurant on the entire island, and likely the most romantic restaurant we have ever been to! The food was wonderful, the decor was stunning, and the atmosphere was comfortable and unpretentious. Definitely make sure to schedule one of your dinner meals here!
Orient Bay is lined with multiple restaurants and beach bars. We did not go out of our way to select Bikini Beach Bar, rather we happened to park nearby and it was the very first restaurant we saw along the beach. We wanted a simple meal that would enable us to enjoy a view of the beautiful ocean and beach and this place definitely fit the bill.
|Bikini Beach Bar in Orient Bay.
|Bikini Beach Bar in Orient Bay.
|The beautiful view from our table at Bikini Beach Bar in Orient Bay.
|The beautiful view from our table at Bikini Beach Bar in Orient Bay.
The restaurant serves a large variety of food ranging from Thai to tapas to American fare to some classic French bistro options. Shyawn ordered the Hamburger while I went with the 1/2 Chicken, which came with fries and a salad. Had we known how massve the size of the lunch entrees would be, we likely would have only ordered one. The food was good, but nothing outstanding. The real reason to come here is to enjoy the amazing view.
|Hamburger and Fries at Bikini Beach Bar in Orient Bay.
|1/2 Chicken with fries and salad at Bikini Beach Bar in Orient Bay.
|The view of Orient Bay from Bikini Beach Bar.
|The view of Orient Bay from Bikini Beach Bar.
|View of Bikini Beach Bar from the beach at Orient Bay.
|View of Bikini Beach Bar from the beach at Orient Bay.
La Cigale:
This warm and charming French restaurant, located along Baie Nettle, is unique for its setting, which overlooks the Simpson Bay Lagoon. The restaurant feels very private as it is tucked away and almost hidden behind a hotel. Luckily we arrived while it was still light out so we were able to spot the sign from the road but apparently it is common for most guests to miss the sign completely and have to turn around.
|La Cigale
|View of the lagoon from La Cigale.
|View of the lagoon from La Cigale.
|View of the lagoon from La Cigale.
|View of the lagoon from La Cigale.
|View of the lagoon from La Cigale.
|View of the lagoon from La Cigale.
|View of the lagoon from La Cigale.
|View of the lagoon from La Cigale.
|View of the lagoon from La Cigale.
|View of La Cigale.
|View of the lagoon from La Cigale.
|View of the lagoon from La Cigale.
|Outdoor seating at La Cigale.
|View of the lagoon from La Cigale.
|View of the lagoon from La Cigale.
|View of the lagoon from La Cigale.
|La Cigale
|La Cigale
|La Cigale
|Shyawn enjoying the view at La Cigale.
|Sunset view at La Cigale.
|Sunset view at La Cigale.
|Sunset view at La Cigale.
|Sunset view at La Cigale.
To begin our meal, we were brought an amuse-bouche of a cerviche made with tilapia. To be honest, I was hesitant to try this as I am not a fan of tilapia, but this was surprisingly quite good and refreshingly crisp. In fact, I would have loved an even larger portion!
|Tilapia Cerviche from La Cigale.
|Bread service at La Cigale.
Both being huge lovers of salmon, as soon as we saw that there as an appetizer listing for Salmon Carpaccio (gravelax, homemade brioche toast and garlic cream sauce) we agreed in unison to order it! Luckily, this was a wise decision. The salmon was fresh and flavorful and the garlic cream sauce that accompanied it was truly delicious. This was one of our favorite appetizer dishes of the entire trip!
|Salmon Carpaccio at La Cigale.
|Salmon Carpaccio at La Cigale.
|Brioche Toast served with the Salmon Carpaccio at La Cigale.
Shyawn ordered the fish special of the evening, which was Sea Bream which came atop a bed of risotto, asparagus, and other vegetables. The presentation of the dish was beautiful and colorful and the fish itself was very moist.
|Sea Bream at La Cigale.
|Sea Bream at La Cigale.
For my own entree I selected the Black Angus Beef Filet Mignon "Rossini" with morels sauce and onion compote. The beef was good, though not the best of the trip. The red sauce was rich and flavorful and paired well with the beef. I also thoroughly enjoyed the layer of deep fried mashed potatoes that the beef was placed atop.
|Black Angus Beef Filet Mignon at La Cigale.
Overall, our experience at La Cigale was quite wonderful. It wasn't necessarily the best food of the entire trip (exception being the Salmon Carpaccio appetizer) but the amazing views and peaceful ambiance made it a very special place that I would whole heartily recommend to any visitor.
This lovely waterside restaurant is located just outside of Marigot in an area that overlooks the Sandy Ground Bridge. I made sure to request a waterside table when I made our reservations as they are often booked in advance.
|View from Mario's Bistro.
|Shyawn perusing the menu at Mario's Bistro.
|Mario's Bistro
|Sunset view from Mario's Bistro.
|Sunset view from Mario's Bistro.
For our appetizer, we ordered the special, which was a combination sushi and sashimi dish, placed atop a bed of local seaweed. Unfortunately, I forgot to have the restaurant write down the name of the dish in its entirety. This plate of food was incredible. The fish was fresh and everything went together so perfectly. This was one of the best appetizers of our entire trip.
|Sushi appetizer special at Mario's Bistro.
|Sushi appetizer special at Mario's Bistro.
|Sushi appetizer special at Mario's Bistro.
For his main course, Shyawn went with the Pad Thai with Caramelized Duck, Shrimps & Peanuts. Being that we are from Seattle, we have a plethora of Thai restaurants to choose from, even just miles from our house. Unfortunately, Shyawn wasn't overly impressed with this dish and commented that the noodles were a bit dry.
|Pad Thai with Caramelized Duck, Shrimps & Peanuts at Mario's Bistro.
My main entree, on the other hand, was simply amazing. I had read many raves reviews for the Sauteed Jumbo Scallops and Grilled Jumbo Shrimps with Crab Mashed Potatoes, Leek Tempera, Lobster Sauce & White Truffle Oil. This was likely the best entree of the entire trip. The lobster sauce combined with the white truffle oil was indescribably delicious. Both the scallops and the shrimps were cooked perfectly. The crab mashed potatoes were extremely satisfying, especially when paired with the sauce. And finally, the leek tempera provided an additional level of texture that helped to perfect the dish. If this is on the menu, just trust my judgement please and order it. You will not be disappointed!
|Sauteed Jumbo Scallops & Grilled Jumbo Shrimps with Crab Mashed Potatoes, Leek Tempera, Lobster Sauce & White Truffle Oil at Mario's Bistro.
|Sauteed Jumbo Scallops & Grilled Jumbo Shrimps with Crab Mashed Potatoes, Leek Tempera, Lobster Sauce & White Truffle Oil at Mario's Bistro.
|Candle lit dinner at Mario's Bistro.
Overall, I was quite impressed with the dishes at Mario's Bistro, even though the Pad Thai wasn't spot on (maybe it was a bad night?). The two other dishes we had completely overwhelmed us and because of that I would rate this one of the best restaurants on the island.
This lolo, located in Marigot facing the ferry port and marketplace serves traditional Creole food. We were looking for a place to eat lunch at and there were several lolos that were trying to lure us in. We ultimately went with Rosemary's Restaurant after she showed me that her restaurant had been reviewed in the New York Times by Anthony Bourdain, a food expert I highly respect.
|Rosemary's Restaurant
|Rosemary's Restaurant
To drink, Shyawn ordered a Presidente, which seemed to be a popular choice on the island.
|Presidente at Rosemary's Restaurant.
Shyawn ordered a plate of fish, which came with salad, rice, vegetables, and plantains. I requested the Roseys (rosemary infused baked chicken, which also came with salad, rice, vegetables, and plantains). Both of the dishes were amazing and the best part is they were each only $11 and $12! A great bargain for the quality and the quantity of food we received!
|Fish Plate at Rosemary's Restaurant.
|Rosemary Infused Baked Chicken at Rosemary's Restaurant.
|View from Hidden Forest Cafe.
|View from Hidden Forest Cafe.
|Hidden Forest Cafe
|Watch out for the friendly chickens at Hidden Forest Cafe!
|Hidden Forest Cafe
|Hidden Forest Cafe
I had a difficult time deciding on what to order for lunch but ultimately went with the Asian Tuna Summer Roll in Rice Paper with Shallots and Wakimi Soy Sauce. This was an excellant choice; the tuna was fresh and flavorful and the rolls themselves were refreshing and light, yet also filled me up. It was a pleasant change of pace from the heavy French fare I had been eating throughout the trip.
|Asian Tuna Summer Roll in Rice Paper at Hidden Forest Cafe.
|Asian Tuna Summer Roll in Rice Paper at Hidden Forest Cafe.
Shyawn, ever the burger man, ordered the Hamburger with Fries. I was quite surprised when I took a bite of his burger to discover that it was actually very good. The meat was of very high quality and moist and flavorful. The fries were cooked perfectly and tasted great.
|Hamburger with Fries at Hidden Forest Cafe.
Located within the Atlantis World Casino, this fancy and innovative restaurant serves contemporary French and Carribean fare and has received many accolades. I did not have my DSLR during our visit as were were going out that night and obviously didn't want to be lugging around the huge camera. As a result, all of the photos this night were taken with my iPhone and didn't turn out as well.
|Tempation Restaurant
We both ordered a cocktail to drink: I had the St. Maar "tini" (peach schnapps, grey goose, cranberry, and passion fruit juice) while Shyawn had the Classic Martini (gin, dry, shaken, dirty). Both of the drinks were very good and a fun way to start our meal!
|Martinis at Temptation Restaurant.
Instead of serving the typical bread and butter service, Temptation does something different, providing its guests with focaccia and a basil-infused oil which was utterly amazing. The focaccia was served warm and soft and soaked up the basil oil perfectly. I believe we had our waiter bring us out at least two additional servings of this delicious bread!
|Basil-infused olive oil at Temptation.
|Focaccia bread at Temptation.
It was tough to make a decision for our entrees because there were so many great dishes to choose from, but I ultimately went with the 4 Hour Braised Certified Angus Beef Shortrib (red wine caramelized shallot glaze, gouda soft polenta, and market vegetables). The beef was so tender that just a gentle nudge from my fork would result in it falling apart. The sauce was rich and flavorful and went well with not only the beef but also the gouda soft polenta.
|4 Hour Braised Certified Angus Beef Shortrib at Temptation.
Shyawn ordered the Lobster Paella (Cognac-garlic sauteed Maine lobster tail, Chorizo, Merguez, clams, calamari, mussels, and saffron basmati). This dish had some of Shyawn's most favorite food items (seafood and saffron) so needless to say he was quite happy with his choice!
|Lobster Paella
We discovered this lovely bakery in quite an unusual way; while at Mullet Bay beach on the Dutch side of the island, a vendor was passing out flyers for a bakery located near Simpson Bay. Typically, I wouldn't have given even a passing glance to such a flyer but since it was a bakery it piqued my interest. After we went back to our condo I did a little research online and saw that it had a ton of reviews on Trip Advisor with an average rating of 4.5/5. The following day we decided to visit for lunch. The indoor seating only bakery is quite large and offers a ton of choices in both the pastry and sandwich department.
|Pastries to choose from at The Taste Factory.
|The Taste Factory
Shyawn ordered some sort of a Toasted Panini sandwich covered with cheese on top, which he indicated was quite good.
|Toasted Panini at The Taste Factory.
I decided to not only order a simple sandwich of bread, proscuitto, and mozzarella cheese but also one of their Passion Fruit Raspberry cakes. The cake was very good and went down quick and easy. My sandwich was simple and delicious, exactly what I was looking for at the time.
|Passion Fruit Raspberry Cake at The Taste Factory.
|Proscuitto and cheese sandwich at The Taste Factory.
I would definitely recommend The Taste Factory to those in need of some delicious treats or those looking for an inexpensive lunch option in the Simpson Bay area!
La Sucriere:
Located literally just a few stores down from The Taste Factory, this popular bakery has a second location on the French side of the island in Marigot. As with The Taste Factory, we stopped in one day for lunch. La Sucriere offers its customers seating outside on their deck which has a beautiful view of the Simpson Bay Lagoon.
|La Sucriere
|La Sucriere
Shyawn ordered a Ham Sandwich, which was made fresh to order.
|Ham Sandwich at La Sucriere.
Being a huge croissant lover, I, of course, requested a few as well as a Strawberry Tart. The beautiful croissants were good, but not quite up to the caliber of Parisian-style croissants that I so adore. The tart was tasty, but not quite as tasty as I had hoped for.
|Croissants at La Sucriere
|Strawberry Tart at La Sucriere.
The best part of our experience at La Sucriere was not actually the food but the amazing view from its back deck. I would say that the quality of food is much better at The Taste Factory but if you are looking for a relaxing place to enjoy a simple lunch with a wonderful view then headed to la Sucriere.
|Back deck at La Sucriere.
|Beautiful view from La Sucriere.
Mary's Boon Tides Restaurant and Bar:
Over the course of our 11 days on the island, we had many amazing meals. However, there was one meal in particular that will always stand out in our memory as being horrendous. Unfortunately, Mary's Boon Tides Restaurant and Bar has been given this distinction. We stopped in on a whim after we learned that the only way to access Simpson Bay Beach was via a resort or restaurant. The restaurant is located within Mary's Boon Beach Resort overlooking Simpson Bay. From first appearances, the resort appeared beautiful and had an amazing view of the water.
|Mary's Boon Tides Restaurant & Bar
|Mary's Boon Tides Restaurant & Bar
|Mojito at Mary's Boon Tides Restaurant & Bar
|Fish sandwich and fries at Mary's Boon Tides Restaurant & Bar.
But the
|Tomato soup at Mary's Boon Tides Restaurant & Bar.
The only good thing about the restaurant was the amazing view from its deck. Otherwise, it was a complete and utter disappointing bust.
|Mary's Boon Tides Restaurant & Bar
|Mary's Boon Tides Restaurant & Bar
Taloula Mango's:
Located along the Philipsburg boardwalk, this happening restaurant is a fun place to spend some time enjoying the beautiful view of Great Bay as well as participating in some great people watching. The restaurant has two floors and the best spot is up on the second floor deck, where we managed to snag a table. There was a live band playing directly below us across the street from the restaurant further increasing our enjoyment.
|Taloula Mango's
|Taloula Mango's
|Taloula Mango's
|Shyawn enjoying the view from the second floor of Taloula Mango's.
|The view from Taloula Mango's.
|The view from Taloula Mango's.
|The view from Taloula Mango's.
|The view from Taloula Mango's.
Shyawn ordered a few beers (which were actually priced quite reasonably) and we split a pizza, which was much better than I had anticipated it would be. There are tons of places that visitors can choose from along the Philipsburg boardwalk to enjoy a beer and some food but Taloula Mango's definitely has the best view!
|The view from Taloula Mango's.
|The view from Taloula Mango's.
Mr. Busby's Beach Bar:
Located on Dawn Beach, this popular beach bar and restaurant by day transforms into the more formal Daniel's by the Sea during the evening hours. We stopped in for an early lunch one day to enjoy the oceanside views. I had a yummy frozen pina colada while Shyawn had a beer and we split the Philly Cheese Steak sandwich which came with a side of rice. The sandwich caught us both by surprise as it was actually very delicious, which we had not expected from a beachside restaurant.
|Mr. Busby's Beach Bar
|The view from Mr. Busby's Beach Bar.
|The view from Mr. Busby's Beach Bar.
Mama Pizza:
This casual and family friendly pizza restaurant is located in Oyster Pond, which is directly next to Dawn Beach. We passed the restaurant nearly every day on our drive to and from the condo and finally decided to eat there during our last night on the island. I wasn't sure what to expect in terms of quality, but I was pleasantly surprised with the restaurant especially its affordability. They offered about two dozen different types of Italian pizza. We ended up ordering the Royale pizza (tomato sauce, mozzarella, ham, mushrooms) which was very delicious.
|Mama Pizza
|Mama Pizza
|Mama Pizza
|Mama Pizza
Up next: Day-Trip to the island of Anguilla.


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After parking my car at the bottom of the Catskill Animal Sanctuary's long, winding driveway, I make my way across the icy parking area toward the main barn to find founder Kathy Stevens. An old ram with majestic horns that curl from the top of his head down around his face stands guard at the entrance. His frosty breath hangs in the cold, sunny air. I half expect him to greet me — this is, after all, a place of transformation, described so poignantly in Stevens' new book "Animal Camp: Lessons in Love and Hope from Rescued Farm Animals," a place where abused and abandoned horses, sheep, pigs and cows are often miraculously healed both physically and emotionally. But as I move closer, the ram hobbles away. Clearly, I lack that magical connection to animals that seems so effortless for Stevens.
She appears right then in a hooded jacket and muck boots. Not to worry, she assures me, laughing heartily as she shoves a wisp of blond hair back under her hood. "Rambo is usually the security guard, but he'll change his tune."
So this is the famous Rambo. Stevens features him prominently in "Animal Camp" and her first book, "Where the Blind Horse Sings," calling him "the most exceptional animal I've ever known." Sure enough, minutes later inside the "special needs" barn (for animals who don't quite fit in or aren't comfortable elsewhere) the old sheep presses his giant horns against my thigh, seeking a neck massage, I'm told.
Not to give too much away, but Rambo arrived at CAS full of rage after being locked for years in a crowded, filthy stall with little food. For months he tried to attack anyone who came near him. Finally, after lots of patient TLC he just let go of all that anger. Since then he's been the sanctuary's wise guardian, says Stevens, involved in the care and healing of many other animals — and not all of them sheep.
"The inter-species stuff has been my greatest teacher — other than that one," she says nodding at Rambo, who moves over for a neck rub from her. "I hope people will take away from my books that we all have that capacity to love, that desire to give and receive love."
She leans down and presses her face against Rambo's. He presses back, seemingly as devoted to her as she is to him. I see this devotion again and again as Stevens leads me on a whirlwind tour of her picturesque 80-acre farm in Saugerties, N.Y. There's Ethel, the rotund, ever-social turkey who ambles toward Stevens as they gobble back and forth a mile-a-minute. Stevens explains quietly that Ethel is an "industry bird," bred to fatten up fast for human consumption and not expected to live long. "They grow so quickly, they usually die of heart attacks after a year or two," she says.
There's Echo, a beautiful brown mare whose owner left her and several other horses to starve. "There's my pretty girl," Stevens coos. The once gaunt, distrustful horse nuzzles Stevens' cheek, then greets me. There's Buddy, the blind horse who can't keep his playful mouth off Stevens. Then there's one of my favorites: Franklin, the former outcast pig (a runt from a pork production facility that other pigs initially rejected) who comes over immediately for a smooch from Stevens. Read "Animal Camp" to learn how Stevens transformed Franklin and two other outcasts (Hope, a thoroughbred mare, and a steer named Tucker) into social butterflies.
Stevens, an exuberant former English teacher, started CAS in 2001 after turning down a principal's job at a Boston charter high school. At a career crossroads, Stevens says, "I started looking for ways to combine my love of teaching with my love for animals." Today, CAS is not only a safe haven for about 250 farm animals, but it's also a learning center. Stevens speaks at schools and gives tours, plus the sanctuary recently launched a vegan teaching program called Compassionate Cuisine, with Chef Kevin Archer, and Camp Kindness, a summer kids' program that aims to instill compassion for animals.
"My passion is to help people see cows, chickens and pigs the way they see their dogs and cats," Stevens says. "Sure, there's a relentlessness about this life, but it satisfies all the important pieces of me. I get to teach, learn, love, feel grateful, nurture and create."
All of which translates into an infectious joy that seems to inspire staff, visitors, volunteers and animals alike — not to mention Stevens' burgeoning circle of readers.


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A beaver swimming with a branch in it's mouth.
Check out the latest Backpacker which has a great "first-person" account of the LT. It's hilarious and worth the price of the magazine alone.
you seem to have encountered more Catholic Priests on your travels than the average Bear.ReplyDelete
OK what's the register besides something to log people in, why were you reading about that woman and were surprised to find out her age?ReplyDelete
Sage: I admire what tremendous physical shape you must be in to navigate so many miles while being inspired by all the beauty around you. New Hampshire has to be wonderful with the White Mountains! :)ReplyDelete
Randall, thanks, I will.
Vince, actually, this section involved most Episcopal priests--churches are often the site of hostels
Pia, most shelters have trail registers which are nothing more than a notebook (sometimes in a plastic bag and other times in a waterproof box) where hikers sign in and tell about their experiences. When you have hiked behind someone for several weeks, you began to get perceived ideas about them--obviously I was thinking this woman was a lot younger.
Michael, I was going through NH slides last night--there are a pic of me on the top of Mt. Washington and I'm as skinny as I've ever been!
Another great blog post on your hike.
How did you make your decision to hike from south to north?
I always enjoy the lighter than air feeling when I take off my pack after several days of hiking. I feel like I could jump ten feet straight up in the air if I do desired.
Talk about an irresponsible dog owner...
Did I tell you my outdoor group hikes sections of the trail? I may have to join them next time.
Ed, it was logical, I was in the south...
Jen, you should hike the trail if you have a chance!
I love your musings along with the detailed description of your adventures, thanks for always sharing. I look forward to getting back there one day for some backpackingReplyDelete
Sage, I am increasingly amazed at the number of miles you have hiked!ReplyDelete
Great pictures! I like the one with the fog from the ridge above Manchester Center.ReplyDelete


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See other posts at Show Your World
Ruby Tuesday
Visit Ruby Tuesday to see others.
Beautiful red rose, Carly!
YOUR rose is real....and beautiful.
My R T is what I'd like to think as the rose from Phantom of the Opera. HERE
What a pretty location! Oh and I love your new bedding! I love brown and blue together. So pretty!
PS. I left an award for you over at my place. ;)
thats one lovely flower :)
u may view mine here
Marvelous views and beautiful red rose. Methinks this would certainly 'work' for Mary's Window Views meme too ;-)
Hugs and blessings,
Great close-up of this red rose. Reminds me that spring will be here.. eventually.
Happy belated Ruby Tuesday Carly!
Great post.........
I liked your photographs very much.Thanks for sharing.


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Childrens Direct Payments Support Scheme
Choices and Rights have a dedicated worker who supports families/carers of disabled children who wish to use Direct Payments.
What are Direct Payments?
Instead of using services arranged by the Local Authority (Social Services) you can now received money (known as a Direct Payment) to buy the services you need directly.
Direct Payments are primarily for carers of disabled children, and also some disabled young people, aged 16-17 who may be able to manage their own Direct Payment package.
Can I get Direct Payments?
If your disabled child has been assessed by social services as having eligible needs your social worker should offer you Direct Payments in lieu of services provided by the council. The advantage of this is that you can purchase the care to suit your child and the family.
What can direct payments be used for?
Depending on what you have been assessed as needing you can use direct payments for:
- Help with your child's personal care, such as washing, dressing and eating
- After school care
- Respite care
- Assistance to access leisure services such as swimming, going to the cinema etc
- Household tasks, to free up time to care for your child
Direct Payments give you a choice about who you want to provide this service. For example you may know a friend or other individual (not normally a relative) who you feel you could employ to help you care for your child.
What type of support can Choices and Rights give to people who wish to use Direct Payments?
Choices and Rights can talk you through the process, and explain what your rights and responsibilities are. If you are employing someone you do have some legal responsibilities, especially around employment law.
If you have not identified someone who you would like to employ, Choices and Rights can assist you to recruit a Personal Assistant. This includes writing and placing adverts, drawing up Personal profiles, job descriptions, and application packs.
We can assist which short listing applicants and facilitate interviews.
When you know who you want to employ, we can assist with setting up public and employer liability insurance and setting up a payroll service.
When you are using your Direct Payments we will always be available to answer any questions that you might have, and will provide you with ongoing support.
We provide information on legislation effecting employees, signposting and referring to other organisations as required
How do I get in touch?
You can contact the Children Direct Payment support scheme by:
- Telephone: 01482 878778
- Fax: 01482 370999
- Email: email@example.com
Please address written enquiries to:
Denise Canniffe
Direct Payment support worker
The Centre for Independent Living
Choices and Rights Disability Coalition
Tiverton House
Tiverton Road
A Deaf employee manages the Direct Payment support scheme and therefore if you call on 01482 878778 you may be asked to leave a message with one of our admin team. They will then return your call, or Denise will contact you via Typetalk/Text Direct.
People wishing to contact Denise directly who do not have access to a Text Phone can call via the Typetalk Relay Service or Text Direct.
Clients who wish to contact Denise directly can dial direct using the 18002 prefix before dialling 01482 370986 and an RNID Typetalk Operator automatically joins the line to relay the conversation.
D/deaf, Hard of Hearing or Speech Impaired text phone users can contact the Information services direct by Text Phone on 01482 370986


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So, Eircode lumbers on, another debacle in waiting, predictable and avoidable. We dont do evidence based policy making. I have written on Eircode before, here, here, here and here. But, im a professor of finance, so what do I know…Well, lets hear from someone who is a professional postdode person (what a wonderful world we live in that such jobs exist) and has no skin in this game. A person, from out of town, with slides, so definitionally an expert.
The Global Address Data Association is a body, non profit and non aligned, which lobbies and works on postcides, addresses and so forth. They are the pro's from dover when it comes to postcodes and so forth.
Yesterday they launched a report on Eircode. The full report is available here, and it makes for grim reading. Some highlights
Suppose your house's code is A65 F4E2. The first 3 character bit is a "routing key"; it is meant to generally identify a geographic area, one of delivery/sortation functionality for the Post. It is apparently not as strictly a defined area as an American "Zipcode", a system which is quite "determinate" geographically and functionally. Rather, when a new building is constructed, An Post will decide what "key" it belongs to depending on the shape of their postal delivery routes in that area. And with that decision, An Post exits the story of this "postcode".
Houses bearing this key are delivered from the same delivery office or sortation center from which the postmen begin their "walks". However, the official website says, "The routing key will be used to help sort mail, however it is not directly linked to counties, towns and geographic features." How very puzzling. There are some 137 of these routing keys, each of which stretches across 200 sq miles on average. That would certainly seem to be pretty clearly postal, and geographic, but it is not. One of the keys, the Limerick area, contains an enormous number of houses – 86,000. By any stretch, that's a couple of sort centers.
So its neither one thing nor t'other… confused.com
every apartment/living unit will have a "unique identifier".On one hand, this latter point is a very nice advance. No need to write "Apt. 74" when you send your cousin a birthday card. B83 G6M4 specifically refers to his 7th floor flat. On the other hand, this is something no signage anywhere will disclose, unless the building management decides to "translate" the apartment designations. This would look something like "B83 G6M4 = Apt. 74, 7th floor
So, we are not special, just different.
So, Ireland ends up with something that can't really be called a postcode system, except in part for the first bit. The second bit appears to be a system for randomscattering of unrelated letters and numbers, which aren't even posted on buildings. Sadly, it appears there were no address experts involved in the final design process. One is reminded of the old adage about a camel being a horse designed by a legislative committee
Nailed…Who needs experts anyhow? We see the mess that was made when the Department of Finance decided that they could manage a modern economy whithout, oh, economists or tax experts.
Here is a zinger…
aside from the first part of the code, it appears An Post personnel won't use the new codes for delivery, or for anything else, for that matter. They'll still rely on "local knowledge". In fact, the talk in Dublin was that the postal union made it very clear that labor would not support any system that they perceived would threaten their employment numbers, and sequential numbering, publically displayed in a coherently named system of street signage was perceived to be such a threat.
So, the postcode wont be used by the post office, and the postal workers wouldn't have it. What madness is this?
if this is the system, I know that I would want one on the house of my 86-year old aunt who insists on living alone where she has lived for 62 years. The likelihood of the need for me to call the emergency services is high, and I want them to get it right the first time. And when I call in her "code", how do they find her? How do I find my cousin's new apartment?
To learn your neighbor's "code", get the ambulance to your aunt, or find the location of your cousin's new apartment, you and the emergency services will have to consult the database, in map form, created for this purpose. Although not yet live, the beta version I was shown is a standard Google view with the "unique identifiers" printed on each building. This is what everyone, including emergency services, will use to find my aunt.
Remember, the emergency services have said they wont use it. Like, the post office. So why on earth do we have this mess?
And forget free. You'll have to have a digital tool with the Codes loaded, or accessible. And Google and Garmin and TomTom and all the others in the commercial world will make this available to you for a price. They will have to charge because they will have to pay to access the Eircode database and fit its data into a commercial product. You can see how much they'll have to pay, and get back from the public, here: https://www.Eircode.ie/business/products-and-services
Its a nice little earner for someone. I wonder who?
They then go to town on the policy. Remember, these guys, like me, have no affiliation to anybody involved, no skin in the game at all.
If an address is something required by all our institutions and by all people in their daily lives, is it not a critical component of a civilized society and a healthy economy? And if it is a critical component, why is there a charge to use it? Why it is not paid for out of general tax revenues? And why will Unique Identifiers not be made publically visible?
For a country that has been at this project for something like 10 years, we admit to being puzzled and disappointed. No doubt, an expensive street name/signage/sequential numbering solution would have been ideal. Short of that, given the incidence of "non-uniques" and large rural area, we feel that a coherent self-explanatory geocode system that provided sequential functionality for route planning and location identification would have been far more desirable. In fact, Ireland would have been the first country in the world to install such a system.
so, something free, like, oh Loc8? Nah. We dont want coherence in our public planning. Do we?