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With the beginning of the holiday season comes the first present dilemmas. Buying a present anyone would like , no mater age, gender or interest, isn`t an easy task . In this post I pulled together some of my go to presents for a white elephant gift exchange or even if you don`t really know the interests of someone and are out of ideas.
Bonsai Tree Kit 16$ Quite a random one, but I find that random gifts are usually the biggest hits at gift exchanges and also great conversation starters.
Marble Portable Charger 24$ if you are leaning towards a more practical gift, a portable charger is a fail safe choice. If you find one with a beautiful design it will definitely be a hit.
Star Wars Mugs 24$ a good fun gift is a cool mug and this year with the Star Wars craze , I think a Star Wars mug would be a fought over gift in any group.
Coloring Books 18-24$ I have really come to enjoy adult coloring books and even though this might not be the greatest gift for a man,but in a white elephant there will always be someone who would enjoy and really use it.
Mini Waffle Maker 18$ again quite random but honestly who wouldn`t want a mini waffle maker?
Miscellaneous Books (from left to right 1 2 3) I always like to pick up fun/interesting coffee table type books since they make great last minute or emergency presents.


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Interestingly for me, in 1998 I presented a dissertation on Monsanto, GM foods and their effects as part of my HNC Business Studies course. Bees and the effects of GM crops on them, didn't come into it at that time.
Obviously this has nothing to do with this topic so apologies if it's off on a tangent.

subset: commoncrawl


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Oil prices rose Thursday ahead of the release of employment data in the U.S. although the increase was kept in check by ample crude supplies and worries about the eurozone economy.
Benchmark oil for April delivery was up 12 cents to $92.64 per barrel at late afternoon Bangkok time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell 2 cents to close $92.52 on the Nymex on Wednesday.
The Labor Department will release weekly jobless claims later in the day. A brightening employment picture in the U.S. helped propel the Dow Jones industrial average to a record high earlier this month.
On Wednesday, the Energy Department's Energy Information Administration said crude supplies rose by 2.6 million barrels to 384 million barrels for the week ended March 8. Analysts had expected an increase of 2.3 million barrels. The increase puts oil in storage 10.5 percent higher than levels one year earlier.
Sickly European economies are also keeping oil prices down.
Official statistics released Wednesday showed that industrial production across the 17 euro countries fell by a worse-than-expected 0.4 percent in January. Both Germany and France, the two industrial powerhouses in the region, registered drops in production.
Brent crude, used to price many kinds of oil imported by U.S. refineries, rose 8 cents to $108.60 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London.
In other energy futures trading on the Nymex:
- Wholesale gasoline lost 2.2 cents to $3.11 a gallon.
- Heating oil fell 1.1 cent to $3.001 a gallon.
- Natural gas added 1.9 cents to $3.699 per 1,000 cubic feet.


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[HOWTO] Thunderbird Reply At Top of Message
For some reason, Mozilla Thunderbird defaults so that when you hit the reply button, your cursor starts at the bottom of the message, underneath the quoted text. Now this kind of reply was all well and good in the usenet days, but in modern email, your reply should be at the top of the message.
Here is how to change the default behavior in thunderbird:
Go to Tools > Options:
Click on the Config Editor button and type reply into the Filter box:
Double Click on the one that says "mail.identity.default.reply_on_top" and change the value from 0 to 1:
Click on Ok and restart Thunderbird.
Now it will automatically place the cursor at the beginning of all replys for all acounts by default.


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Give Used Halloween Candy Wrappers A Second Life | Care2 Healthy & Green Living.
Related Articles
- Green Halloween: how can I reduce the amount of sweet/candy wrapping? (recyclethis.co.uk)
- Turns Out The Evil Halloween Candy Poisoners Was Just FUD That Got You To Buy Prepackaged Candy (techdirt.com)
- Halloween Safety for Trick or Treating (socyberty.com)
- Can fun-size candy bars be good for the environment? (slate.com)
- How can Halloween be more environmentally friendly? (greenanswers.com)
- Gloss How-To: Go Green This Halloween (mygloss.com)


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Official Volvo XC90 (2015 - )
Several leaked photos forced Volvo to unveil its all-new 2015 XC90, after working hard almost three years. As you can see from the photos, the design of the 2015 Volvo XC90 is dominated by the T-shaped "Thor's Hammer" LED daytime running lights but also by the brand's new iron mark logo which has the arrow...
Volvo XC90 (2015 - ) News
The multi-awarded Volvo XC90 did it again. Recently, the Volvo XC90 has been voted SUV of the Year at the...
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Ask almost anyone on the planet about the need to develop alternative energy sources and I predict an overwhelming number of those questioned would say it's a great idea. After all, deriving power from wind and sunlight present a much prettier image than coal-fired power plants, massive dams or nuclear reactors.
However, ask the same interviewees about putting a wind or photovoltaic farm in their backyard and many more negative responses will be elicited. Even more negative would be the response of a worker at an existing coal-fired power plant if he or she feared the loss of their job. All of these issues are swirling across the globe as companies move to claim their stake in the developing renewable energy market.
GREEN, AT WHAT RENEWABLE ENERGY BRINGS CONTROVERSY, In Spain, the home base of many wind power and photovoltaic (PV) energy companies, at issue is an academic report that concluded that for every renewable energy job created it would cost 2.1 existing jobs. The report formally titled, "Study of the effects on employment of public aid to renewable energy sources," has become known as the "Calzada report," after its research director Gabriel Calzada, Ph.D. The report was quickly pounced on by critics of the Obama administration in the United States, notably Fox News, in yet another attempt to discredit the policies of the president.
The controversy then moved to Washington in July where at a hearing of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on green jobs the issue was broached.
Committee Chair Senator Barbara Boxer introduced a study by the Spanish government contradicting the Calzada report that included a letter from Teresa Ribera Rodriguez, Spain's Secretary of State for Climate Change. Among other facts she hurled at the Calzada report were employment figures showing the renewable energy field employed 73,900 direct workers as opposed to the 52,200 direct and indirect jobs listed in the Calzada report.
In addition, the ISTAS-CCO (labor union institute) projects more than 270,000 direct jobs in 2020, based on a 2 percent annual growth rate in the renewable energy field. Critics of Calzada also suggest that it is important to follow the funding sources of Calzada that include a number of corporations, including Exxon Mobile. other issues swirling are military security concerns and scenic-tourist values.
The security concerns are coming from the western United States, where that country's army and air force control large amounts of air space that is used for test flights and other research activities. The military claims that wind turbines distort the radar used to track and evaluate flights. Clusters of wind turbines, it is claimed, appear like "storms" on radar. These military concerns have already delayed the installation of wind turbines in these "wide open spaces".
Another issue that is raised specifically about wind turbines is their location in scenic regions that attract tourists. Should wind turbines be placed near the Grand Canyon or perhaps on top of the Statue of Liberty in New York harbor or in the Washington Mall?
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Tahincioğlu Real Estate is a corporate group that operates as a real estate development and investment company under Tahincioğlu Holding. One of Turkey's leading names in the real estate industry, Tahincioğlu Real Estate is directed by Chairman Özcan Tahincioğlu and oversees premium retail, office, residential and shopping mall projects in addition to the construction and development of luxury hotels.
The company also has an extensive portfolio comprised of revenue-generating real estate assets that the company actively manages.
The total construction area of projects completed by Tahincioğlu covers over 2 million square meters to date. Tahincioğlu's construction company, Nida Construction, fulfills all the general contracting requirements of these projects. Among the projects that have become symbols of the company are Palladium Tower, Palladium Ataşehir Shopping Mall and Residence, Palladium Antakya Shopping Mall, Nidakule Kozyatağı, Nidakule Göztepe, Swissôtel Büyük Efes, and Congress Center. Tahincioğlu is currently constructing Nidapark Başakşehir and Nidapark Seyrantepe as well as Nidakule Ataşehir and Nidakule Levent, which are candidates for the LEED Gold Certificate.
Having completed Nidapark Beşiktaş in June 2015, Tahincioğlu continues to conduct urban transformation projects under the "My House is Appreciating" program. Tahincioğlu Real Estate also has several projects in the planning stage, such as the Nidakule Istanbul Finance Center in Ataşehir, Nidapark Yenisahra, Nidapark Beykoz, Nidapark Denizatı, and Nidaparks in Çengelköy, Bomonti, Kozyatağı, and İstinye.


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I'm sure most of us have been there.
You're shopping online and snapping up some bargains. You click here, you click there – adding all these great deals to your cart because – how can you not?
But then you get to the checkout and reality sets in. Maybe you have to set up an account, or the shipping charges are through the roof, or you get distracted by the kids – and you completely forget about your order. The list goes on, but either way, you abandon your shopping cart.
You're not alone. A study by Barilliance found that a whopping 68.8% of customers abandon their carts before purchasing!
[tweetthis]A whopping 68.8% of customers abandon their carts before purchasing![/tweetthis]
The Baymard Institute estimated the combined loss for the e-commerce industry in the US and the EU due to abandoned shopping carts to be $260 billion.
A highly effective and proven method to capture those potential customers or clients and get back some of this lost revenue is to have an abandoned shopping cart email strategy.
What is an Abandoned Cart Email?
An abandoned shopping cart email is usually an automated email sent to potential customers shortly after they have left your site – and their in-progress shopping cart – trying to persuade them to return to complete the transaction.
When implemented successfully, this tactic can reclaim a lot of potentially lost revenue. In a study by Fresh Relevance, shopping cart abandonment emails increased turnover by $80k for every $1 million made.
Below is an example from fashion giant Bloomingdale's.
Reasons People Abandon
Before we look at what to include in your emails, it helps to know the reasons people abandon their carts in the first place.
There are lots of reasons people abandon their carts, but here are some of the main ones:
- Extra costs added on at the last minute such as a shipping, one day rush order, handling fees or taxes. The Baymard Institute study found this was the main reason for abandonment with 61% of people put off by hidden costs.
- Having to create an account on the site. For example, many e-commerce websites and online courses are run on platforms that require a buyer to set up an account before they purchase.
- They didn't trust the site with sensitive information such as credit card details and address.
- Shipping is not quick enough.
- The checkout process is too complicated.
- Lack of product information.
How to Write the Perfect Abandoned Shopping Cart Email
Timing is Everything
When you send your emails – and how many you send – can make or break a sale. It needs to be relatively soon after the cart is abandoned. Marketo recommends sending one within hours of the cart being left and then another after 24 hours.
Choose your Words Carefully
Your subject line is pivotal to the success of your email. Get it wrong, and it won't even get opened. The key is to convey a sense of urgency without being too pushy. Credibility is also important, and Inc. has put together a list of words you can use to increase your credibility here.
Keep it Personal
Keep the tone of your email conversational and include the recipient's name, if you captured it. Be helpful an add value for your reader. Customer.io recommends offering support and advice where you can.
Include a Product Reminder
Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Remind your customer what they are missing out on. Pictures are great to help add a visual element of persuasion.
Add an Offer
You don't have to include one in every email. Customers may simply have gotten distracted or had technical issues which caused them to abandon their cart, which means that they won't take much convincing to purchase. But for those sitting on the fence, this can really help. Make sure you put a time limit on the offer to encourage readers to take action. Essence of Email recommends increasing the size of the discount in a ladder style with every email sent.
Call to Action
Make sure you put a direct link back to the checkout page. You want to make it as easy as possible for the customer to come back to you. You may want to include links to recommended products or landing pages with promotional offers, but be careful not to overcrowd the message.
[tweetthis]61% of people are put off by hidden costs. It's the main cause of abandonment.[/tweetthis]
Abandoned Shopping Cart Email Examples
There are some fantastic examples out there of how to craft an abandonment email. Most companies send out a drip campaign of 2-3 for each cart. Let's start by taking a look at some individual email examples:
Crate and Barrel
Crate and Barrel is an online housewares store, and they excel when it comes to email marketing.
Here is an example:
- The title line ensures you know from the start what the message is about.
- This message is simple and isn't overcrowded with too many words or pictures. It gets the job done.
- Kissmetrics describes abandoned cart emails as a form of remarketing. You need to see them as a second chance to market your company. So, continuity in brand and adding value for your readers should be a top priority. Crate and Barrel does this well by using their corporate colors and font throughout the message, while trying to be as helpful as they can by including their customer support number.
- There is one clear call-to-action button, and the blue color helps it to stand out from the rest of the message. Crate and Barrel doesn't confuse readers with links to recommended products and web pages.
Kate Spade
Kate Spade has an excellent example of an abandonment email:
- The title is unobtrusive and not demanding in any way; it is polite and helpful. The casual language keeps the tone light and conversational and is supported by the rest of the text with phrases like, "If you're on the fence" or "take a peek."
- The design of the email is very minimalist and draws the reader's eye to the center point of the message – the picture of the abandoned item. The large picture can help to entice the reader into making a purchase.
- The single call-to-action is clear while keeping with the stylish branding of a fashion retailer.
- The brand continues to add value offering multiple contact details if the customer needs help. This can increase conversions dramatically as a large number of people abandon carts because they can't find the answers to their questions about a product online.
Fashion giant Oakley also knows how to craft compelling emails for shopping cart abandoners:
- The title cuts to the chase and does not try to sell. It is quite a masculine, no nonsense approach that should speak to male readers without being pushy.
- The picture of the left-behind item with the price is a nice touch, reminding viewers what they are missing out on.
- The design is minimalist and fits with the sleek and stylish branding Oakley is known for.
- There are a lot of call-to-actions in this message, but the use of color helps to differentiate between the two different groupings: the ones that take you back to your original cart or the ones that take you to recommendations.
- Including recommended items gives two benefits. It can increase sales through upselling, but it also increases respect for your brand as it shows that you care about your customer's needs.
Case Studies
Case Study #1: Case of Mine
Case of Mine sells smartphone cases and accessories for your car and home. They ran a series of three emails to recover abandoned carts. Due to the campaign, overall 23.15% of people that left the carts came back, and 9.7% of them purchased!
Let's take a look at the emails themselves:
Email 1:
- This email was sent one hour after cart abandonment.
- It has an open rate of 47.22% and a conversion rate of 4.5%.
- The subject line is strong. You don't want to be too pushy in your first email. Especially if you are sending it out one hour after customers left your site. The line is polite and doesn't blame the customer for leaving. The word "favorites" adds value to the items left behind.
- The pictures are large, taking up a third of the email, and leaving no question to the reader as to what they are missing out on. Pictures especially help when they are well taken and visually pleasing, such as these.
- The call-to-actions are clear, taking the viewer directly back to the sales page or individual items pages. This is a nice touch because the viewer may have left because they were unsure about the item. Your product page should be full of enough information and benefits about the product to close the sale.
Email 2:
- This email is sent 12 hours after the customer leaves.
- It has an open rate of 45.49% and a conversion rate of 3.4%.
- The subject line is a little pushier than the last, but it still isn't demanding. The positive "Yes" keeps the reader's eyes on the prize as it conjures images of abundance and getting what you want. If they say yes to this, what else might it lead to?
- Again, Case of Mine keeps it simple. A few lines of text and large pictures ensure the reader doesn't get turned off by information overload.
Email 3:
- This email is sent 24 hours after abandonment.
- It has an open rate of 41.07% and a conversion rate of 2.1%.
- The subject line here is a little more intrusive. But this is the last email in the series so Case of Mine can afford to make a final strong pitch to drive customers back. It is almost slightly menacing and comedic which should help to take the edge off for readers starting to get annoyed with these messages.
- The main text is short and sweet, and written in a polite conversational tone which is perfect for gently closing the sale.
Case Study #2: Peak Design
Peak Design sells bags and other accessories for cameras, drones and iPads.
In a case study looking at remarketing, they had awesome results sending a series of two emails to those who abandoned their carts.
Email 1:
- This email was sent 30 minutes after cart abandonment.
- The open rate for this email was 66% with a click though rate of 14%.
- The title is unobtrusive and the stunning picture it sits on helps the reader to think of all the trips they could use Peak Design's equipment on – if they purchase.
- The tone of the main text is conversational and shows that Peak Design wants to add value for its customers as they are eager to answer any questions that the reader may have.
- The message does well by reminding the reader twice that they can get free shipping with their purchase and a lifetime guarantee – once in the title and also in the main body of the text
Email 2:
- This email is sent 30 hours after the first.
- Its open rate was 59% and click through rate 18%.
- The main difference between this email and the first in the introduction of a small discount. Making this the title of email makes it clear and ensures that it is not missed by skim readers. Although this is a small discount, it can be enough to push potential customers who are on the edge about purchasing. When sending your own emails, try not offering a discount every time as some customers will come to expect it and hold out on purpose. Marketo recommends adding them around 20% of the time.
The average recovery rate for this campaign was an impressive 12%. And it remained at this level throughout.
Shopping Cart Abandonment and Pagewiz
Abandoned cart emails are a great way to get people back on to your site. But if the pages you send them to aren't converting well, your efforts are being wasted. Pagewiz provides high-converting landing pages that are quick and simple to set up and can be fully customized to ensure maximum conversions. What's more, they come with unlimited A/B testing so that you can optimize your campaigns and keep them running smoothly.
Wrapping It Up
A surprisingly large amount of online business revenue is lost to abandoned carts.
If you are making no effort to get this back, then in the words of Customer.io you are definitely, "leaving money on the table."
Abandoned cart emails are a great way to increase bottom line. With the marketing automation technology available today, implementation is simple. And if you're a very small business with few sales each day, you can even personalize these emails and send them out manually. I've done this in the past and the ROI on my time was unbelievable!
There's simply no good reason not to add this to your sales process.
Over to you – have you tried to recover sales in your business with abandoned cart emails? If not, what's holding you back?
Elna Cain is a professional writer living in Canada. She works closely with B2C and B2B businesses and has a background in marketing and psychology. She's been featured on OptinMonster, Social Media Today, Blogging Wizard and is a Huffington Post contributor.
Also published on Medium.


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Noncitizens Must Have Documents Verifying Their Status At All Times
Since the events of September 11, 2001, we have heard of reported incidents of many nonimmigrant foreign nationals and even lawful permanent residents of the United States encountering difficulties when boarding domestic flights. They have been questioned and asked to present documentation establishing their status in the country. One client reported that he felt secure only if he carried a copy of the entire visa petition that was filed on his behalf, which has yet to be approved by the INS. There have even been incidents of individuals questioned at their workplace and requested to provide evidence of their legal status in the country. These individuals appear to have been singled out based on what one can only presume to be their "foreign" names or appearance. Individuals are being threatened with deportation for failure to carry immigration-related documentation, as well as a passport, on their person. The inconsistencies in what people are being told make it necessary to lay out the applicable sections of the law that form the basis of such queries.
There is a little-known provision in the Immigration and Nationality Act ("INA") that states, "every alien, eighteen years of age and over, shall at all times carry with him and have in his possession any certificate of alien registration or alien registration receipt card issued to him . . . Any alien who fails to comply with the provisions of this subsection shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall upon conviction for each offense be fined not to exceed $100 or be imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both." INA § 264(e).
Section 264.1 of 8 Code of Federal Regulations, implementing INA §264, delineates what constitutes a registration document for different classes of individuals, including nonimmigrants.
Pursuant to 8 C.F.R. § 264.1(a), the following forms are prescribed as registration forms:
Form No. and Class:
Form No. and Class:
Section 265 of the INA, in turn, states "Each alien required to be registered under this title who is within the United States shall notify the Attorney General in writing of each change of address and new address within ten days from the date of such change and furnish with such notice such additional information as the Attorney General may require by regulation." INA § 265(a). Subsection (b) states that the "Attorney General may in his discretion, upon ten days notice, require the natives of any one or more foreign states, or any class or group thereof, who are within the United States and who are required to be registered under this title, to notify the Attorney General of their current addresses and furnish such additional information as the Attorney General may require."
Although INA § 237 renders the failure to comply with the above-mentioned provisions a deportable offense, it is silent as to violations of INA § 264. Therefore, it is not clear whether the failure to carry evidence of registration is, strictly speaking, a deportable offense.
The provision in the INA that requires that all non-U.S. citizens carry evidence of registration and status has generally not been enforced. However, in wake of the events of September 11, and in light of the current atmosphere in the country, foreign nationals have come under increasing scrutiny. Therefore, we advise all foreign nationals, whether on nonimmigrant visas or lawful permanent residents, to carry documentation at all times, and especially when traveling.
About The Author
Cyrus D. Mehta, a graduate from Cambridge University and Columbia Law School, practices immigration law in New York City. He is a trustee of the American Immigration Law Foundation and recipient of the 1997 Joseph Minsky Young Lawyers Award. He is also Chair of the Immigration & Nationality Committee of the Association of the City Bar of New York. He frequently lectures on various immigration subjects at legal seminars, workshops and universities and may be contacted at 212-686-1581 or email@example.com
Parastou Hassouri is an associate attorney at the Law Offices of Cyrus D. Mehta. She received her J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1999. Prior to joining the firm, she served as a Judicial Law Clerk with the Executive Office for Immigration Review, New York City Immigration Court.


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Puerto Peñasco, Sonora. March 20, 2016. In order to improve international connectivity while reviving municipal economic development, Mayor Kiko Munro announced commercial flights between Cd. Juárez and Puerto Peñasco will begin June 26th. The flights will initially operate weekly on Thursdays and Sundays.
He explained the new route, operated by the TAR airline (Transportes Aéreos Regionales) headquartered in Querétaro, was obtained through joint efforts of the State Government and Secretary of Tourism (SECTUR).
"Peñasco's connectivity to the world, and reviving economic development, has been my priority since day one of our administration," he emphasized, "now we will see these results, and negotiations are still underway with TAR for another flight to Hermosillo, and there are talks with Volaris."
Mayor Munro added that with this achievement efforts are well underway to ensure Puerto Peñasco develops not solely as a real estate destination, but rather once find itself in the spotlight for both national and international tourism.
The agreement for the upcoming flight was reached during the visit of Municipal Economic Development Coordinator, Ruben Sánchez Lizárraga, to Mexico City where he met with Salvador Sánchez Estrada, Deputy Secretary of Planning and Tourism Policy, Roberto Cabral y Bowling, General Director of Planning, and Vanessa María Vázquez Meseguer, Consulting Coordinator of the Deputy Secretary of Planning and Tourism Policy, all from SECTUR.
Others involved in the talks included José Luis Rangel Esquivel, Executive Director of Offices from the Mexican Tourism Board, Alejandro Cobián Bustamante, General Director of the National Chamber of Aerotransport (CANERO) and Fernando Antillón Valenzuela, Director of the Aeropuerto Mar de Cortés.


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ACT Policing is seeking the assistance of the public in its investigation into the alleged abduction of a 16-year-old Theodore girl, who was reported to have been forced into the back seat of a vehicle by a man, taken to an unidentified house in Tuggeranong, but later escaped.
The incident occurred around 9.25am on Tuesday (June 14), when the victim, wearing black tracksuit pants and a red top, was waiting at a bus stop in Theodore. A vehicle described as an older model, dark green-coloured Holden or Ford sedan stopped alongside her, a man got out and the victim was forced into the back seat. She was driven for a short time to a house, taken inside but managed to escape.
She fled the house, running along paths in the Calwell, Chisholm, Richardson and Theodore areas until reaching her home.
The offender is described as aged in his late 20s, about 5'10"-6' tall (178-183cm), having a stocky build, slightly tanned skin, a beard and sideburns. He was wearing a black, hooded jumper and blue adidas tracksuit pants with white stripes down the side.
Police are appealing for anyone who may have witnessed the incident and may have seen the girl, wearing black tracksuit pants and a red top, walking along pathways in the Chisholm or Richardson area, near the Calwell shops or in area of Theodore on Tuesday. Anyone with information which could assist the police investigation should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
NewsCanberra's most creative
residential property specialists


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By LARRY VAUGHT
With Kentucky holding a 55-42 lead late in Saturday's game with New Mexico State, the Aggies were deep in the red zone when UK sophomore Derrick Baity picked off a pass in the end zone to seal the win for the Cats.
It was the kind of winning play that coach Mark Stoops had been wanting.
"That was really big play. I talked about that all the time to the DBs. And I just told them that after the game, that they can't flinch, with that pass that I was mentioning (in the first half), where we blew it early, and that really got us angry, to start, but you have to be able to play that position, you have to be able to jump, get back in the fight and let it go and move on," Stoops said.
"As I always say to DBs, they're going to get some of theirs and we got to get ours and we got to make some plays and that was big for him to step up and get that ball at the high point and get that interception.
"When things start turning, we'll start making those plays instead of dropping those plays and that was much more difficult than other ones we did make. He actually went up and made a heck of a play. So we need more of that."
That's because he's not been happy with UK's secondary play. That was supposed to be the strength of this defense but has not been.
"We need to get better, but they will. They will. We have got a lot of work to do. But they will get better. They mean well. That's all I could say," Stoops said.


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Lovejoy Academy
Lovejoy Academy was established in 1842, when Jefferson Madison Lovejoy decided to open his Classical and English School in Raleigh. Lovejoy's school occupied an existing school building on Burke Square a few blocks northwest of the State Capitol building, the site of the present-day Governor's Mansion. Although the school operated under a variety of names before becoming known as Lovejoy Academy in 1852, it soon became known as one of the state's best private boys' schools.
Students of Jefferson Lovejoy recalled his passionate devotion to Greek, Latin, and English literature. Virgil's Aeneid and Samuel Augustus Mitchell's Ancient Geography were among his favorite texts. Teaching by having students read lessons aloud from their books while he corrected their mistakes, Lovejoy had "a formidable reputation for severity," especially on occasions when he encountered the "three vices of slothfulness, deception, and intemperance." One of his former pupils, Kemp Plummer Battle (later president of the University of North Carolina), recalled that Lovejoy was quick to deliver hard swats to the hand to any student caught breaking his rules.
The Civil War dealt a severe blow to Lovejoy Academy, as a number of the older boys joined the military and hard economic times prevented some parents from continuing their sons' enrollment. Despite these problems, the school remained open until near the end of the war. When Lovejoy died in 1877, a Raleigh newspaper noted that few other men had done as much for the cause of education in North Carolina.
Moses N. Amis, Historical Raleigh with Sketches of Wake County and Its Important Towns (1913).
Elizabeth Reid Murray, Wake: Capital County of North Carolina (1983).
Additional Resources:
Report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, by Michigan. Dept. Of Public Instruction.
1 January 2006 | McGee, David
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An incident investigation has found berth fendering at Salvador to be in a poor state of maintenance. Vessels sailing to the port should be vigilant to the condition and suitability of fendering before committing to coming alongside the berth.
A claim has recently been brought against an entered vessel for costs associated with the replacement of a berth fender that broke away as the vessel was coming alongside. The master reports that a pilot was on board and the vessel came alongside parallel to the berth as intended.
A subsequent investigation has found the existing fendering at Salvador to be in a poor state of maintenance. Fendering there is of the type consisting of two jumbo tyres secured either side of a metal plate and hung from the quay on chains. Although the cost of replacing a fender of this type is not expensive, damage caused to vessels due to damaged or missing fendering can result in large claims and pollution incidents. In such cases the vessel is initially highly likely to be held responsible, which may result in delays in sailing.
The survey has found that most tyres on the berths are partly damaged/cut, heavily pressed and with exposed hanging chains - in no condition to withstand the heavy pressure that can be exerted on them during normal vessel berthing operations.
In the case reported in this bulletin, the concrete base from which the fender was secured was found with signs of damage from several previous incidents. Additionally, the hanging chains were heavily pitted and corroded. One of the chains was also sighted to be partly damaged and bolts were missing from the securing arrangement.
If you need to call our offices out of hours and at weekends, click After Office hours for a up to date list of the names of the Duty Executives and their mobile phone numbers.
This Ship Finder is updated on a daily basis. Members who need to advise the Club of updates to their recorded ships' details should advise their usual underwriting contact.


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I'm in awe. Absolute awe. The beauty of Babycakes of Scottsdale's babycakes is astonishing. The perfect centerpiece for a baby shower, now that I've seen and touched one, my idea of a babycake has completely changed.
See, when I was in the "baby shower stage" (and, gosh, I'm dating myself a few years) baby cakes were pretty much diaper cakes. The ones that had nothing but cloth and dispie diapers in 3 layers with a few ribbons. Cute, kind of. But nothing really special.
Then, a sample of a Babycake of Scottsdale arrived. I pulled it out, seriously thinking it'd be just the image previously embedded in my head. What a shock this beauty was!
3 gorgeous layers of pink: onesies, bibs, cloth diapers. And we're not talking plain and boring onesies… each one had a different image or message on it. Woven throughout and around the babycake were silk flowers, with the look that only a florist can achieve. Also included were a soft teddy bear, baby shoes and beautiful pink ornaments for the Christmas tree, and so much more. (To get an idea of the variety of beauty available by Babycakes of Scottsdale, check out images from their Showroom. If you're in Scottsdale, make an appointment to stop by.)
Wrapped lovingly in tulle and topped with a Christmas tree topper and flowers, this Babycake sat as the centerpiece on my dining room table for several weeks. How could it not? It was more beautiful than most flower arrangements I put there.
Available in blue, pink and gender-neutral, Babycakes are created individually; each will differ. Missy and Jeremy London have commented that "Babycakes was considered one of our favorite baby gift items." Babycakes were also gifted to the Jolie-Pitts, Tori Spelling and Marcia Cross… to name just a few modern families enjoying their cake. To order, I'd contact Hilary at Babycakes of Scottsdale. She'll provide you with information about additional items that can be included in a Babycake. Use promo code babycakeswithstyle for 10% off any babycake purchase.
(btw, I hope neither of my sisters sees this. Once they finally find a guy, get married, and then get pregnant, this will definitely be the centerpiece at her shower!)
Possibly the most beautiful shower gift I've ever seen
I'm in awe. Absolute awe. The beauty of Babycakes of Scottsdale's babycakes is astonishing. The perfect centerpiece for a baby shower, now that I've seen and touched one, my idea of a babycake has completely changed.


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About Peek-A-Boo Publishing Group | Our Mission
Peek-A-Boo Publishing Group is an exciting new approach to quality children's literature. We curate our collection through an organic creative process, driven by authors. This process results in enduring tales that celebrate individuality and diversity.
About the Author
Sonia Jones is a wellness advocate, philanthropist and devoted yogi whose mission is to make health and wellness available to everyone. She is a co-founder of Sonima.com and The Sonima Foundation, a board member of the Chopra Foundation and an Advisory Board Member of the Contemplative Science Center at the University of Virginia.
After recovering from severe back pain using natural methods such as yoga and postural alignment therapy, Jones wanted to make physical and mental health and wellness available to all. So in 2012, she established The Sonima Foundation, which brings health and wellness programs to children, largely in underserved communities. The Sonima Foundation has programs in Houston, Orlando, San Diego, New York and Palo Alto, working with over 27,000 K-12 students.
Last year, Jones launched Sonima.com, a multi-media platform that provides yoga tutorials, guided meditations, workouts and cooking videos as well as an array of articles and videos on numerous other topics, including sleep, nutrition and mental health.
Sonia was born in Sydney, Australia, and when she was nineteen moved to New York City where she met her husband. She is the mother of four children, and her entire family is committed to living a life of complete health and wellness. For more information on Sonima and The Sonima Foundation, please go to Sonima.com.
About the Illustrator
Todd Dakins is an award-winning children's book illustrator who lives in Nashotah, Wisconsin. His published credits include Good Morning, Good Night Billy & Abigail (Billy and Abigail Board Books), A Counting Book with Billy & Abigail, A Very Special Snowflake, Sparky the Fire Dog and Bobbie and Minnie — We Can Do Anything.
About See-Saw Publishing
Titles in the categories of folk tales, fairy tales; pop-up, novelty, and picture books; and easyconcept non-fiction [For ages 4-10]
Discover Other Wonderful Books by Peek-A-Boo Publishing Group
How to Order
Independent Publishers Group (IPG) is the premier distributor of independently published titles in North America. You can order all of the titles from any of our imprints through IPG's secure website.
- All titles are available as 8 x 8-inch Paperback Spinners or Quality Hardback
- Premium quality paper and printing on all titles
- Well written with thoughtful subject matter
- Detailed and colorful illustrations
Contact Us
DC Metro Office | 703-259-8816
500 Montgomery St., Ste 260 | Alexandria, VA 22314
New York Office | 212-933-4230
416 East 71st St., Ste 20 | New York, NY 10021


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The Board
DNSSAB Board of Directors
The Board was officially designated as a delivery agent for Ontario Works in 1999 following the enactment of the District Social Services Administration Board (DSSAB) Act in 1998, and evolved from a District Welfare Administration Board. The Nipissing DSSAB (DNSSAB) is among 10 Boards created in Northern Ontario to deliver social programs in an integrated manner with their jurisdictions.
The jurisdiction of the DNSSAB covers 17,000 square kilometers and includes 11 municipalities, two First Nations, and two unorganized areas – Nipissing North and Nipissing South. The Board is made up of 12 Municipal councillors and elected members from the townships without municipal organization, who exercise powers, duties and responsibilities relating to Social Services, while respecting the DSSAB Act and the DNSSAB's Procedural By-Laws. Shared responsibilities with the Province, Municipalities and staff are combined within the DNSSAB.
Board Members
Here are our 2019-2022 Board Members.
Board Documents
Board & committee meeting packages & presentations.
Select a document category below.
|Date modified
|2020 Board Meeting Calendar
|05-05-2020 14:24:37
|Procedural By-Laws 2017 01
|06-13-2018 10:52:44


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A bit of mild haggling is acceptable at flea markets and antique shops, but everywhere else you're expected to pay the advertised price.
Dangers & Annoyances
England is a remarkably safe country, but crime is not unknown in London and other cities.
- Watch out for pickpockets and hustlers in crowded areas popular with tourists, such as around Westminster Bridge in London.
- When travelling by tube, tram or urban train services at night, choose a carriage containing other people.
- Many town centres can be rowdy on Friday and Saturday nights when the pubs and clubs are emptying.
- Unlicensed minicabs – someone with a car earning money on the side – operate in large cities, and are worth avoiding unless you know what you're doing.
Emergency & Important Numbers
|England (and UK) country code
|International access code
|Emergency (police, fire, ambulance, mountain rescue or coastguard)
|112 or 999
Entry & Exit Formalities
Entering or leaving the UK is usually straightforward and hassle-free, save for the occasional inconvenience of long queues at passport control and security.
A referendum result in the UK in June 2016 that favoured withdrawal from the EU renders information in this section highly liable to change; it's important to check the current regulations before travel.
Customs Regulations
Britain has a two-tier customs system: one for goods bought duty-free outside the EU; the other for goods bought in another EU country where tax and duty is paid. The UK's 2016 decision to leave the EU (widely known as 'Brexit') may eventually lead to a change in these arrangements.
Following is a summary of the current rules; for more details go to www.gov.uk and search for 'Bringing goods into the UK'.
Duty-free The duty-free limit for goods from outside the EU includes 200 cigarettes or equivalent in cigars, 4L of wine, 1L of spirits and other goods worth up to £390.
Tax and duty paid There is no limit on goods from within the EU (if taxes have been paid), but customs officials use the following guidelines to distinguish personal use from commercial imports: 800 cigarettes, 200 cigars, 10L of spirits, 90L of wine and 110L of beer. Still enough to have one hell of a party.
Generally not needed for stays of up to six months. Not a member of the Schengen Zone.
Further Information
- If you're a citizen of the European Economic Area (EEA) nations or Switzerland, you don't need a visa to enter or work in the UK – you can enter using your national identity card.
- Visa regulations are always subject to change, and immigration restriction is big news in the UK, so it's essential to check with your local British embassy, high commission or consulate before leaving home.
- At the time of research, if you're a citizen of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, Israel, the USA and several other countries, you can stay for up to six months (no visa required), but are not allowed to work.
- Nationals of many countries, including South Africa, will need to obtain a visa: for more info, see www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa.
- The Youth Mobility Scheme (www.gov.uk/tier-5-youth-mobility), for Australian, Canadian, Japanese, Hong Kong, Monégasque, New Zealand, South Korean and Taiwanese citizens aged 18 to 30, allows working visits of up to two years, but must be applied for in advance.
- Commonwealth citizens with a UK-born parent may be eligible for a Certificate of Entitlement to the Right of Abode, which entitles them to live and work in the UK.
- Commonwealth citizens with a UK-born grandparent may qualify for a UK Ancestry Employment Certificate, allowing them to work full time for up to five years in the UK.
- British immigration authorities have always been tough; dress neatly and carry proof that you have sufficient funds with which to support yourself. A credit card and/or an onward ticket will help.
Manners The English have a reputation for being polite, and good manners are considered important in most situations. When asking directions, 'Excuse me, can you tell me the way to…' is better than 'Hey, where's…'
Queues In England, queuing ('standing in line') is sacrosanct, whether to board a bus, buy tickets at a kiosk or enter the gates of an attraction. Any attempt to 'jump the queue' will result in an outburst of tut-tutting and hard stares – which is about as angry as most locals get in public.
Escalators If you take an escalator (especially at London tube stations) or a moving walkway (eg at an airport) be sure to stand on the right, so folks can pass on the left.
Gay & Lesbian Travellers
England is generally a tolerant place for gay and lesbian people. London, Manchester and Brighton have flourishing gay scenes, and in other sizeable cities you'll find communities not entirely in the closet. That said, you'll still find pockets of homophobic hostility in some areas. Resources include the following:
Diva (www.divamag.co.uk)
Gay Times (www.gaytimes.co.uk)
Switchboard LGBT+ Helpline (www.switchboard.lgbt; 0300 330 0630)
Although everyone in England receives free emergency medical treatment, regardless of nationality, travel insurance is still highly recommended. It will usually cover medical and dental consultation and treatment at private clinics, which can be quicker than NHS places – as well as the cost of any emergency flights – plus all the usual stuff like loss of baggage.
EU citizens are entitled to reciprocal healthcare (including for the two-year transition period after Brexit in 2019), but we recommend most travellers of any nationality take out travel insurance including comprehensive medical cover and emergency repatriation. Worldwide travel insurance is available at www.lonelyplanet.com/travel-insurance. You can buy, extend and claim online anytime – even if you're already on the road.
Internet Access
- 3G and 4G mobile broadband coverage is good in large population centres, but limited or nonexistent in rural areas.
- Since 2016, EU citizens have been able to use their home data allowances across the EU zone (including the UK, at least for now), but data roaming charges can be very high for other overseas travellers – check with your mobile/cell phone provider before travelling.
- Most hotels, B&Bs, hostels, stations and coffee shops (even some trains and buses) have wi-fi access, charging anything from nothing to £6 per hour.
- Thanks to the prevalence of 3G and public wi-fi zones, internet cafes are becoming increasingly rare in England, especially away from big cities and tourist spots.
- Public libraries often have computers with free internet access, but only for 30-minute slots, and demand is high. All the usual warnings apply about keystroke-capturing software and other security risks.
Legal Matters
- Police have the power to detain, for up to six hours, anyone suspected of having committed an offence punishable by imprisonment (including drugs offences). Police have the right to search anyone they suspect of possessing drugs.
- Illegal drugs are widely available, especially in clubs. Cannabis possession is a criminal offence; punishment for carrying a small amount may be a warning, a fine or imprisonment. Dealers face stiffer penalties, as do people caught with other drugs.
- On buses and trains (including the London Underground), people without a valid ticket are fined on the spot (£80, reduced to £40 if you pay within 21 days).
- Newspapers Tabloids include the Sun, Daily Mail and Mirror; quality 'broadsheets' include (from right to left, politically) the Telegraph, Times, Independent and Guardian.
- TV All TV in England is digital. Leading broadcasters include BBC, ITV and Channel 4. Satellite and cable-TV providers include Sky and Virgin Media.
- Radio Main BBC stations and wavelengths are Radio 1 (98–99.6 FM), Radio 2 (88–92 FM), Radio 3 (90–92.2 FM), Radio 4 (92–94.4 FM) and Radio 5 Live (909AM or 693AM). National commercial stations include non-highbrow classical specialist Classic FM (100–102 FM) and Virgin Radio UK (digital only). All are available on digital.
- DVD PAL format (incompatible with NTSC and Secam).
ATMs widely available; credit cards widely accepted.
Exchange Rates
|New Zealand
For current exchange rates, see www.xe.com.
- Restaurants Around 10% in restaurants and teahouses with table service, 15% at smarter restaurants. Tips may be added to your bill as a 'service charge'. Not compulsory.
- Pubs & Bars Not expected if you order drinks (or food) and pay at the bar; usually 10% if you order at the table and your meal is brought to you.
- Taxis Usually 10%, or rounded up to the nearest pound, especially in London.
Further Information
In England you're not obliged to tip if the service or food was unsatisfactory (even if it's been automatically added to your bill as a 'service charge').
ATMs (usually called 'cash machines' in England) are common in cities and even small towns. Cash withdrawals from some ATMs may be subject to a small charge, but most are free. If you're not from the UK, your home bank will likely charge you for withdrawing money overseas. Watch out for tampered ATMs; one ruse by scammers is to attach a card-reader or minicamera.
The currency of Britain is the pound sterling (£). Paper money (notes) comes in £5, £10, £20 and £50 denominations. Some shops don't accept £50 notes because fakes circulate.
Other currencies are very rarely accepted, except at some gift shops in London, which may take euros, US dollars, yen and other major currencies.
Credit & Debit Cards
Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted in England, except at some smaller B&Bs, which take cash or cheque only. Other credit cards, including Amex, are not so widely accepted. Most businesses will assume your card is 'Chip and PIN' enabled (using a PIN instead of signing). If it isn't, you should be able to sign instead, but some places may not accept your card.
Money Changers
Cities and larger towns have banks and exchange bureaux for changing your money into pounds. Check rates first; some bureaux offer poor rates or levy outrageous commissions. You can also change money at many post offices – very handy in country areas, and exchange rates are fair.
Opening Hours
Opening hours may vary throughout the year, especially in rural areas where many places have shorter hours, or close completely, from October or November to March or April.
Banks 9.30am–4pm or 5pm Monday to Friday; some open 9.30am–1pm Saturday
Pubs & bars noon–11pm Monday to Saturday (some till midnight or 1am Friday and Saturday), 12.30pm–11pm Sunday
Shops 9am–5.30pm or 6pm Monday to Saturday, often 11am–5pm Sunday
Restaurants lunch noon–3pm, dinner 6pm–9pm or 10pm (later in cities)
Cafes & Restaurants
Most restaurants and cafes are open for lunch or dinner or both.
- Standard hours for cafes are 9am to 5pm. Most cafes open daily.
- In cities, some cafes open at 7am for breakfast, and shut at 6pm or later.
- In country areas, some cafes open until 7pm or later in the summer. In winter months hours are reduced; some cafes close completely from October to Easter.
- Standard hours for restaurants: lunch is noon to 3pm, dinner 6pm to 9pm or 10pm (to midnight or later in cities). Most restaurants open daily; some close Sunday evening or all day Monday.
- A few restaurants open for breakfast (usually 9am), but mainly cafes do this.
Museums & Sights
- Large museums and sights usually open daily.
- Some smaller places open Saturday and Sunday but close Monday and/or Tuesday.
- Smaller places open daily in high season but operate weekends only or completely close in low season.
Post Offices
- 9am to 5pm (5.30pm or 6pm in cities) Monday to Friday.
- 9am to 12.30pm Saturday; main branches to 5pm.
- 9am to 5.30pm (or 6pm in cities) Monday to Saturday, and often 11am to 5pm Sunday. London and other cities have convenience stores open 24/7.
- In smaller towns and country areas shops often shut for lunch (normally 1pm to 2pm) and on Wednesday or Thursday afternoon.
The British postal service is generally efficient and reliable. Information on post-office locations and postage rates can be found at www.postoffice.co.uk.
Public Holidays
Holidays for the whole of Britain:
New Year's Day 1 January
Easter March/April (Good Friday to Easter Monday inclusive)
May Day First Monday in May
Spring Bank Holiday Last Monday in May
Summer Bank Holiday Last Monday in August
Christmas Day 25 December
Boxing Day 26 December
If a public holiday falls on a weekend, the nearest Monday is usually taken instead. Most businesses and banks close on official public holidays (hence the quaint term 'bank holiday').
On public holidays, some small museums and places of interest close, but larger attractions have their busiest times. If a place closes on Sunday, it'll probably be shut on bank holidays as well.
Virtually everything – attractions, shops, banks, offices – closes on Christmas Day, although pubs are open at lunchtime. There's usually no public transport on Christmas Day, and a very minimal service on Boxing Day.
School Holidays
Roads get busy and hotel prices go up during school holidays. Exact dates vary from year to year and region to region, but are roughly as follows:
Easter Holiday Week before and week after Easter.
Summer Holiday Third week of July to first week of September.
Christmas Holiday Mid-December to first week of January.
There are also three, week-long 'half-term' school holidays – usually late February (or early March), late May and late October. These are staggered, so the whole country is not on holiday during the same week.
- Smoking Forbidden in all enclosed public places in England. Most pubs have a smoking area outside.
Taxes & Refunds
Value-added tax (VAT) is a sales tax that is charged on most purchases at 20%. It's always included in quoted prices. Non-EU residents can reclaim the VAT on certain purchased goods; see www.gov.uk/tax-on-shopping/taxfree-shopping for further details.
Britain is on GMT/UTC. The clocks go forward one hour for 'summer time' at the end of March, and go back at the end of October. The 24-hour clock is used for transport timetables.
|Time Difference with Britain
|Los Angeles
|8hr behind
|5½hr ahead Nov-Feb, 4½hr Mar-Oct
|New York
|5hr behind
|Paris, Berlin, Rome
|1hr ahead
|9hr ahead Apr-Sep, 10hr Oct, 11hr Nov-Mar
|9hr ahead Nov-Feb, 8hr Mar-Oct
Public toilets in England are generally clean and modern, but cutbacks in public spending mean that many facilities have been closed down. Your best bet is to use the toilets in free-to-enter museums; those in train and bus stations often charge a fee (from 20p to 50p), and most pubs and restaurants stipulate that their toilets are for customers only.
Tourist Information
Most English cities and towns have a tourist information centre or visitor information centre – for ease we've called all these places 'tourist offices'.
Tourist offices have helpful staff, books and maps for sale, leaflets to give away, and advice on things to see or do. Some can also assist with booking accommodation. Some are run by national parks and often have small exhibits about the area.
Most tourist offices keep regular business hours; in quiet areas they close from October to March, while in popular areas they open daily year-round. In recent years cost-cutting has seen many smaller tourist offices close down; some have been replaced with 'tourist information points' – racks of leaflets and maps in locations such as public libraries and town halls.
Before leaving home, check the comprehensive website of England's official tourist board, Visit England (www.visitengland.com), covering all the angles of national tourism, with links to numerous other sites.
Travel With Children
Britain is ideal for travelling with children because of its compact size, packing a lot of attractions into a small area. So when the kids in the back of the car say, 'Are we there yet?' your answer can often be 'Yes, we are'.
Best Regions for Kids
- London
Children's attractions galore – some put a strain on parental purse strings, but many others are free.
- Southwest England
Some of the best beaches in England, and fairly reliable holiday weather – though crowded in summer.
- Peak District
Former railways that are now traffic-free cycle routes make the Peak District perfect for family outings by bike.
- Oxford & the Cotswolds
Oxford has kid-friendly museums plus Harry Potter connections; the Cotswold countryside is ideal for little-leg strolls.
- Shropshire
The historic England–Wales borderland has many castles to explore, plus excellent museums for inquisitive minds.
- Lake District & Cumbria
This is Outdoor Activity Central: zip wires and mountain bikes for teenagers; boat rides and Beatrix Potter for the youngsters.
England for Kids
Many places of interest cater for kids as much as adults. At the country's historic castles, for example, mum and dad can admire the medieval architecture, while the kids will have great fun striding around the battlements or watching falconry demonstrations. In the same way, many national parks and holiday resorts organise specific activities and events for children. Everything ramps up in the school holidays.
Bargain Hunting
Most visitor attractions offer family tickets − usually two adults plus two children − for less than the sum of the individual entrance charges. Most offer cheaper rates for solo parents and kids too. Be sure to ask, as these are not always clearly displayed.
On the Road
If you're going by public transport, trains are great for families: intercity services have plenty of room for luggage and extra stuff like 'buggies' (prams), and the kids can move about a bit if they get bored. Most regions offer family tickets and/or travel passes that provide savings on train and bus travel.
If you're hiring a car, most (but not all) rental firms can provide child seats − you'll need to check this in advance. Most will not actually fit the child seats; you must do that yourself, for insurance reasons.
Dining, not Whining
When it comes to refuelling, most cafes and teashops are child-friendly. Restaurants are mixed: some offer highchairs and kiddy portions; others firmly say, 'No children after 6pm'.
In some pubs, those aged under 18 are not allowed, but most pubs in tourist areas serve food, making them 'family-friendly'. If in doubt, simply ask the bar staff.
And finally, a word on another kind of refuelling: England is still slightly buttoned up about breastfeeding. Older folks may tut-tut a bit if you give junior a top-up in public, but if done modestly it's usually considered OK.
Children's Highlights
Best Hands-on Action
'Please Do Not Touch'? No chance! Here are some places where grubby fingers and enquiring minds are positively welcomed.
- Science Museum, London Seven floors of educational exhibits at the mother of all science museums.
- Discovery Museum, Newcastle Tyneside's rich history on display; highlights include a buzzers-and-bells science maze.
- National Railway Museum, York Clambering into the driver's cab on a steam locomotive, exploring a Royal Mail train, taking part in engineering demonstrations…it's all here.
- Action Stations!, Portsmouth Toys with a military spin; your chance to fly a helicopter, control an aircraft carrier, or up-periscope in a submarine.
- Enginuity, Ironbridge Endless interactive displays at the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution.
Best Fresh-Air Fun
If the kids tire of England's castles and museums, you're never far from a place for outdoor activities to blow away the cobwebs.
- Conkers, Leicestershire Play indoors, outdoors or among the trees in the heart of the National Forest.
- Puzzlewood, Forest of Dean A wonderful woodland playground with maze-like paths, weird rock formations and eerie passageways to offer a real sense of discovery.
- Whinlatter Forest Park, Cumbria Highlights include a 'Go Ape' adventure park, excellent mountain-bike trails, plus live video feeds from squirrel-cams.
- Bewilderwood, Norfolk Zip wires, jungle bridges, tree houses, marsh walks, boat trips, mazes and all sorts of old-fashioned outdoor adventure.
- North York Moors National Park, Yorkshire Easy, scenic bike trails at Sutton Bank, hard-core mountain biking at Dalby Forest.
- Lyme Regis & the Jurassic Coast, Dorset Guided tours show you how to find your very own prehistoric fossil.
- Tissington Trail, Derbyshire Cycling this former railway is fun and almost effortless. You can hire kids' bikes, tandems and trailers. Don't forget to hoot in the tunnels!
Best Rainy-Day Distractions
On those inevitable gloomy days, head for the indoor attractions, including the nation's great collection of museums. Alternatively, try outdoor stuff like coasteering in Cornwall or canyoning (check conditions) in the Lake District − always fun, wet or dry.
- Cadbury World, Birmingham Your dentist may cry, but kids love the story of chocolate. And yes, there are free samples.
- Eden Project, Cornwall It may be raining outside, but inside these gigantic semispherical greenhouses, it's forever tropical forest or Mediterranean climate.
- Cheddar Gorge Caves, Somerset Finally nail the difference between stalactites and stalagmites in the West Country's deep caverns.
- Underground Passages, Exeter Explore medieval catacombs − the only system of its kind open to the public in England.
- National Media Museum, Bradford Attractions include a TV studio where you can film yourself, a gallery of 1980s video games (yes, you can play them) and an IMAX cinema.
- Honister Slate Mine, Lake District Explore the dingy depths of a former Lakeland slate mine.
Best Stealth Learning
Secretly exercise their minds while the little darlings think they are 'just' having fun.
- We the Curious, Bristol One of the best interactive science museums in England, covering space, technology and the human brain.
- Jorvik Viking Centre, York An excellent smells-and-all Viking settlement reconstruction.
- Natural History Museum, London Animals everywhere! Highlights include the life-size blue whale and the animatronics dinosaurs.
- Thinktank, Birmingham Every display comes with a button or a lever at this edu-taining science museum.
- National Space Centre, Leicester Spacesuits, zero-gravity toilets and mini-astronaut training − all guaranteed to fire up little minds.
- Kielder Observatory, Northumberland National Park Attend a stargazing session at this Northumbrian astronomy centre.
- National Marine Aquarium, Plymouth Gaze into the shark tank at the UK's biggest aquarium.
Best Animal Experiences
England has some superb zoos (London, Bristol and Chester are the standouts) but there are more unusual wildlife experiences on offer, too.
- London Wetland Centre, London Break out the binoculars to spy bitterns, black swans, herons and kingfishers.
- Longleat, Wiltshire Pretend you're driving across the savannah at this Wiltshire country estate, surrounded by rhinos, giraffes, elephants and lions.
- Tamar Otter Wildlife Centre, Devon Watch semiwild otters frolic.
- Whitby Coastal Cruises, Yorkshire If you're lucky, you'll spot minke, sei and fin whales off the north coast.
- Lundy Island, North Devon Take a day trip off the North Devon coast in search of puffins, Lundy ponies, sika deer and Soay sheep.
- Scilly Seal Snorkelling, St Martin's, Isles of Scilly Don your fins and swim with playful grey seals off the island of St Martin's.
- Cotswold Farm Park, The Cotswolds Watch the cows being milked, feed the lambs and ride pedal tractors.
- Shepherding Experience, Ilfracombe Come by! Away! Lie Down! You'll be herding like a pro in no time.
Best All-Round Family Fun
Sometimes a good dose of old-fashioned family fun is in order – so here are a few of our favourite days out that everyone will enjoy.
- Legoland Windsor, London Huge Lego models and thrilling rides galore – but be prepared to queue.
- Alton Towers, Staffordshire Arguably the UK's best – and certainly most popular – theme parks, with a riot of roller coasters and other rides to try.
- The Making of Harry Potter, Leavesden Step behind the scenes at the Leavesden studio where the films were shot.
- Warwick Castle, Warwick Jousting tournaments, trebuchet launches and waxworks bring medieval times to life.
- Bewilderwood, Norfolk Clamber through a tree-top world of zip wires, jungle bridges and tree houses.
- Eden Project, Cornwall Learn about all manner of environmental matters in Cornwall's spectacular space-age greenhouse.
Useful Websites
- Baby Goes 2 (www.babygoes2.com) Advice, tips and encouragement – and a stack of adverts – for families on holiday.
- Visit England (www.visitengland.com) Official tourism website for England, with lots of useful info for families.
- Mumsnet (www.mumsnet.com) No-nonsense advice on travel and more from a gang of UK mothers.
- Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet.com/family-travel) Inspirational articles about travelling as a family.
When to Go
The best time for families to visit England is pretty much the best time for everyone else − any time from April/May till the end of September. It's worth avoiding August − the heart of school summer holidays − when prices go up and the roads are busy, especially near the coast.
Places to Stay
Some hotels welcome kids (with their parents!) and provide cots, toys and babysitting services, while others maintain an adult atmosphere. Many B&Bs offer 'family suites' − two adjoining bedrooms with one bathroom − and an increasing number of hostels (YHA and independent) have family rooms with four or six beds, some even with private bathroom attached. If you want to stay in one place for a while, renting a holiday cottage is ideal. Camping is very popular with English families, and there are lots of fantastic campsites, but you'll usually need all your own equipment.
Nappy Changing
On the sticky topic of dealing with nappies (diapers), most museums and other attractions in England have good baby-changing facilities. Elsewhere, some city-centre public toilets have baby-changing areas, although these can be a bit grimy; your best bet for clean facilities is an upmarket department store. On the road, baby-changing facilities are usually OK at motorway service stations or out-of-town supermarkets.
Travellers with Disabilities
All new buildings have wheelchair access, and even hotels in grand old country houses often have lifts, ramps and other facilities. Hotels and B&Bs in historic buildings are often harder to adapt, so you'll have less choice here.
Modern city buses and trams have low floors for easy access, but few have conductors who can lend a hand when you're getting on or off. Many taxis take wheelchairs, or just have more room in the back.
For long-distance travel, coaches may present problems if you can't walk, but the main operator, National Express (www.nationalexpress.com), has wheelchair-friendly coaches on many routes. For details, ring its dedicated Disabled Passenger Travel Helpline (0371 781 8181).
On intercity trains there's more room and better facilities, and usually station staff around; just have a word and they'll be happy to help out. A Disabled Person's Railcard (www.disabledpersons-railcard.co.uk) costs £20 and gets you 33% off most train fares.
Download Lonely Planet's free Accessible Travel guides from http://lptravel.to/AccessibleTravel.
Useful organisations:
Disability Rights UK (www.disabilityrightsuk.org) Published titles include a Holiday Guide. Other services include a key for 7000 public disabled toilets across the UK.
Good Access Guide (www.goodaccessguide.co.uk)
Tourism For All (www.tourismforall.org.uk)
Various organisations offer volunteering opportunities in England, with conservation, organic farming and animal welfare projects to the fore.
Weights & Measures
- Weights & Measures England uses a mix of metric and imperial measures (eg petrol is sold by the litre but beer by the pint; mountain heights are in metres but road distances in miles).
Whatever your skills, it's worth registering with a number of temporary employment agencies – there are plenty in the cities.
Low-paid seasonal work is available in the tourist industry, usually in restaurants and pubs.
At time of research, EU citizens didn't need a work permit, but this may change as a result of Britain's referendum vote in June 2016 to leave the EU.
The Youth Mobility Scheme (www.gov.uk/tier-5-youth-mobility) allows working visits for some foreign nationals.


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THOMAS FREEMAN YEBOAHWednesday March 13, 2019
Mr. Hayford coach of the Black Queens received an offer to coach the Lions of Punt of Somalia a few weeks ago and he left the country to finalise talks with the East African country.
Bashir Hayfors came under intense criticisms when his side the Black Queens failed to qualify for the FIFA Women's World Cup to be staged in France this year.
He is one of Ghana's most decorated coaches who are still alive, having won league titles with both Asante Kotoko and AshGold in 2008 and 2015, respectively.
The former Dwarfs coach is also for his controversial statements.


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NFL rumors: Patriots hosting former Broncos tight end for free agent visit
NFL rumors: Patriots hosting former Broncos tight end for free agent visit originally appeared on nbcsportsboston.com
The New England Patriots need depth at tight end, and they reportedly will be hosting one for a free agent visit Thursday.
Matt LaCosse, who's played three seasons in the NFL, will meet with the Patriots, per the Houston Chronicle's Aaron Wilson.
Denver Broncos tight end Matt LaCosse is visiting the New England Patriots today, according to a league source
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) March 14, 2019
Lacosse spent the 2018 season with the Denver Broncos. He tallied 24 receptions for 250 yards and one touchdown in 15 games for the Broncos.
The 26-year-old spent his first two pro seasons with the New York Giants but played in only five games total.
Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski has not made a decision on whether he'll retire or return in 2019, and New England released veteran tight end Dwayne Allen last week.
The Patriots, given their lack of depth at the position, figure to be in the mix for a tight end during next month's 2019 NFL Draft, where they currently have a league-high 12 picks, including six in the first three rounds.
Click to read our Patriots offseason tracker>>>
Click here to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Celtics easily on your device.


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American singer, songwriter and actress, Miley Ray Cyrus has revealed plans to drops her 6th studio album. The "Wrecking Ball" crooner last dropped an album in 2015, pairing up with Flaming Lips for "Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz" For the new album, she is gearing up to release it's lead single …Read More »
Daily Archives: May 4, 2017
Cristiano Ronaldo breaks record, becomes first man to reach 100million followers on Instagram
Cristiano Ronaldo has become the first sport star, footballer and MAN to reach 100million followers on Instagram. He reached the milestone in the same week as scoring a stunning hat-trick for Real Madrid in their 3-0 Champions League win over city rivals Atletico. The 32-year-old only trails behind pop stars …Read More »
Prince Philip, husband of UK's Queen Elizabeth II, to retire from public life
Prince Philip, 95-year-old husband of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, is to step down from public life, Buckingham Palace has announced. The prince, who has been at the Queen's side for her 65-year reign, will stop accepting invitations for public engagements from September, the palace said. "His Royal Highness The Duke …Read More »
Basketball's governing body Fiba changes headgear rules to allow hijab
Basketball has changed its rules on headgear in a move that will allow players to wear the hijab during matches. Previous rules had banned the practice, over what world governing body Fiba said was a safety issue. The Qatar women's team withdrew from the 2014 Asian Games after being denied …Read More »
"Baby Boy" Sequel Coming Soon, According to Tyrese
Baby Boy is definitely a cultural classic with its significance notably spanning more than one generation, and it seems that its influence will soon be revamped according to some new informations supplied by the film's lead, singer and actor Tyrese. Taking to Instagram two days ago, the Fast & Furious star …Read More »
Tim Omotoso Charged With Human Trafficking, Sexual Exploitation In South Africa
A Nigerian televangelist appeared in a South African court on Wednesday facing 22 charges of human trafficking and sexual exploitation. Tim Omotoso, 58, was arrested on April 21 when he landed in the southern city of Port Elizabeth, initially facing two charges of sexual assault and two of trafficking. But …Read More »
Security Forces Kill 31-Year-Old Somalian Minister Mistaken for Terrorist
Security forces on Thursday accidentally opened fire on a 31-year-old Somalian minister who was mistaken for a terrorist. The minister, Abdullahi Sheikh Abas was killed in his vehicle near the presidential palace in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu. Police chief, Major Nur Hussein told newsmen that the security operatives on patrol came …Read More »
Lola Rae feat. Patoranking and RDX – One Time (Remix)
Lola Rae returns with the remix of her previously released single "One Time" featuring Dancehall act Patoranking and RDX .Read More »
Dani Carvajal Could Miss Rest Of The Season With Hamstring Injury
Real Madrid have confirmed that Dani Carvajal suffered a hamstring injury during Tuesday's 3-0 win over Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final. Dani Carvajal limped off towards the end of the first half at the Bernabeu, and did not emerge for the second 45 minutes as Nacho …Read More »
Timaya – Dance Ft. Rudeboy (P-Square)
Fresh out of the Soundbwoy music lab, is another banger by the acclaimed Soundbwoy of Africa, Timaya. This one is titled 'Dance' and it features Rudeboy of P-Square; produced by Orbeat.Read More »


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|Image picked up from Twitter
There is a saying "Lies take care of the present but never the future."
Likewise, I can also say, "Prayers take care of the present and also the future."
Sometimes, I have to pinch myself to remember that this is the life I had prayed for when I was younger.
It wasn't a grand life that I thought about. I never prayed to travel the world or to have millions in the bank. But I do remember only wanting a roof over my head, food on the table and surrounded by people who love me.
So, yes, I have to be thankful for a lot and that I should count my blessings.


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List: 2008's Most Covetable DVD Box Sets
Posted by Alison Willmore on
By Matt Singer and Alison Willmore
DVD box sets remain the go-to gift for any film fan in your life — they come in a range of sizes and prices, so that you can scale up or down depending on how much you like the recipient, and this time of year they're often discounted for last-minute holiday shoppers (and those treating themselves to a present). Here are the new or revamped box sets from 2008 that we've been eyeing:
Mystery Science Theater 3000 20th Anniversary Edition
Shout Factory, $59.99
"Mystery Science Theater 3000″'s inaugural release from Shout Factory (after many years and discs with Rhino Records) celebrates the show's 20th anniversary with a spiffy box set featuring four never-released-to-DVD episodes: "Werewolf" (with the "great" Joe Estevez), "Future War," "First Spaceship on Venus" and the long-awaited and highly coveted "Laserblast," the final episode on Comedy Central. The set also includes an 80-minute documentary on the show's MSTory, and footage from a panel from this summer's San Diego Comic-Con, where the series' various cast and creative teams assembled publicly for the first time in years (hosts Joel Hodgson and Mike Nelson appear in public together about as often as Clark Kent and Superman). By my count, I already own 31 episodes of "Mystery Science Theater," somewhere in the neighborhood of 45 hours of bad movie riffing, in various home entertainment formats — I've even got a couple on both VHS and DVD — but I'm still embarrassingly excited about this set, particularly the limited edition version that comes with a Crow T. Robot mini-bust.
Classic Sci-Fi Ultimate Collection 1 & 2
Universal Studios, $59.98
Universal Pictures created some of the most famous monsters to be seared onto celluloid and our collective movie memory — Chaney's "Phantom of the Opera" and "Wolf Man," Karloff's "Frankenstein," Lugosi's "Dracula" — absolutely none of which appear on this ten-disc set of dreckier, campier and excellently entertaining selections harvested mainly from the studio's '50s B-movie library. Instead, you have giant insects springing from scientific experiments gone wrong ("Tarantula") or glaciers melting ("The Deadly Mantis"); predatory females (Faith Domergue as a vengeful snake woman in "Cult of the Cobra," Coleen Gray as an aging housewife harvesting pineal glands for youth in "The Leech Woman"); underground kingdoms of dinosaurs ("The Land Unknown") or Sumerian albinos ("The Mole People") and miniaturization both mysterious ("The Incredible Shrinking Man") and intentional ("Dr. Cyclops"). And at the price, it's a deal that can't be beat — the glimpse of a strikingly young Clint Eastwood as an unnamed "Jet Squadron Leader" in "Tarantula" alone makes it worth your while.
10 Years of Rialto Pictures
Criterion Collection, $149.95
If you've got to buy a present for a teenager (or anyone, really) who's starting to take an interest in classic arthouse cinema, you can't go wrong with "10 Years of Rialto Pictures," a streamlined ten-film set from the Criterion Collection commemorating the tin anniversary of the great repertory distributor founded in 1997 by Film Forum programmer Bruce Goldstein. You won't get much in the way of extras, there are a few surprising omissions ("The Battle of Algiers," for example) and the set can never recreate the fun of seeing these films in the Forum's musty ambiance surrounded by rabid cinephiles. Nevertheless, it's a great introduction to many of the giants of international filmmaking, from Buñuel ("The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie") to Bresson ("Au Hasard Balthazar") to Godard ("Band of Outsiders"). Plus, if you're trying to acquaint a skeptic with old movies, the lineup isn't too heavy or highfalutin', with choices that touch on film noir (Jules Dassin's "Rififi"), thrillers (Carol Reed's "The Third Man") and dark comedy (Alberto Lattuada's "Mafioso").
Essential Art House: Vol. 1
Criterion Collection, $99.95
If the ten-discer above seems a little much, Criterion also has a lighter-weight six-disc box of selections from their Janus Films-fueled Essential Art House collection. "Vol. 1" is a bite-sized encapsulation of the hefty, covetable and, for most, utterly out of reach 50-film $850 "Essential Art House" bound-book set that came out two years ago to be drooled over by many a movielovers, ourselves included. Offered in this first volume breakdown are four unimpeachable arthouse classics — Bergman's "Wild Strawberries," Cocteau's "Beauty and the Beast," Kurosawa's "Rashomon" and Renoir's "Grand Illusion" — along with two slightly edgier choices, Polanski's masterfully claustrophobic debut "Knife in the Water" and the 1963 adaptation of "Lord of the Flies." It's another fine starter kit for someone who's just starting to explore arthouse film, and one that, while again, doesn't come with many of the expected extras, does break down to a per-disc average that's around half the cost of the typical Criterion release.
Dirty Harry Ultimate Collector's Edition
Warner Home Video, $74.98
With Clint Eastwood's turn as a crotchety, gun-toting racist in the new "Gran Torino" drawing comparisons to his iconic maverick cop Inspector Harry Callahan, it's a great time to reexamine the "Dirty Harry" series, and the "Ultimate Collector's Edition" makes a convenient one-stop shop. You get all five "Dirty Harry"s, each with its own new commentary track and a variety of other new-to-the-set extras, including a feature-length documentary on Eastwood's career, "Out of the Shadows." None of the sequels matched Don Siegel's original for brains or brawn, but the franchise did a better job than many of its contemporaries — like, say, the "Death Wish"es — of refusing to pander to a certain segment of their audience by devolving into a succession of brainless kill-fests. Even late entries like the Eastwood-directed "Sudden Impact" from 1983 continued and expanded the first film's exploration into the nature of and limits to justice, in a story that saw Harry on the trail of a vengeful rape victim. The coolest-slash-goofiest extra: a replica wallet and police ID, I guess so you can run around like a lunatic, screaming at people "Go ahead: make my day…what? No officer, it's not my fault! Blame the people at Warner Home Video!"
David Lynch: The Lime Green Set
Absurda, $179.99
Let's get this out there off the bat: There are only a quartet of features contained in this ten-disc set, put out by David Lynch's own Absurda label — "Eraserhead," "The Elephant Man," "Blue Velvet" and "Wild at Heart," the director's first four, sans "Dune," and all already available on DVD. But you're not being asked to plop down such a significant chunk of change for the movies, you're being asked to do it for the endless oddities with which they come swaddled: interviews with Lynch, a doc on Joseph Merrick, the "Eraserhead" soundtrack on CD, the experimental stage musical "Industrial Symphony No. 1" (previously obtainable only on long out-of-print VHS). Then there's the much-speculated-over "mystery disc," chock-a-block with snipped "Wild at Heart" footage, shorts, web series episodes ("Rabbits" and "Out Yonder") and a "Twin Peaks"-era music video. Needless to say, "The Lime Green Set," which comes in the promised shade of extreme viridian, was created for the dedicated Lynchophiles out there, who've probably already cleared shelf space in anticipation for sequel sets in other bright colors built around works from later in the filmmaker's career. If you're looking to pick this one up, DavidLynch.com seems to offer the best bargain.
Houdini: The Movie Star
Kino, $39.95
Everyone knows Harry Houdini's legacy in the world of magic, and documentaries about his life always include newsreel footage of his death defying stunts, but until I heard about Kino's three-disc "Houdini: The Movie Star" I didn't even realize that Houdini's presence on the early silver screen went beyond actualities into the world of fiction. In fact, Houdini made numerous serials and features throughout the 1910s and 20s, and though Kino's set also includes footage of many of Houdini's actual tricks, the bulk of the collection's devoted to the former rather than the latter. They sound freaking awesome; 1919's "The Master Mystery," for example, stars Houdini as a government agent who busts up a patent con scheme while escaping dangling-over-vats-of-acid death traps and fighting over crazed robots. And since Houdini had a keen interest in the supernatural and the afterlife, there's also stuff like "The Man From Beyond" (1922) a feature where he plays a guy frozen in a block of ice, thaws out, and hooks up with the reincarnation of his former flame. Sadly, a lot of this material isn't intact — the serials are missing numerous chapters — but Kino compiled all the material that does exist and included title cards and stills to bridge the gaps in the storylines.
The Rat Pack Ultimate Collectors Edition
Warner Home Video, $59.98
The definitive Rat Pack movie is a title that, for audiences these days, is far more likely to bring up thoughts of a tuxedoed George Clooney and a tieless Brad Pitt than Ol' Blue Eyes and Dean Martin. But what's surprising, watching the 1960 "Ocean's Eleven," the highpoint of this four-film collection, are the hints of darkness fluttering around the edge. Soderbergh's con men ease effortlessly through their multiple-casino heist, but the gang in the original are old army buddies with wives to rescue from stripping, or terminal cancer and families to support, or dead-end careers due to their race. Then again, Soderbergh needed every inch of filmmaking style he could summon just to measure up to the luminescent star power of the Pack at its height: Frank Sinatra, Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop, not to mention Angie Dickinson and a cameo from Shirley MacLaine. The Rat Pack members may have been comfortable on camera, but they weren't always great actors; this box set also includes western comedies "4 for Texas" and "Gunga Din" reworking "Sergeants 3" as well as gangster musical "Robin and the 7 Hoods," all with their highs and lows, but all, in their capturing of the talent and even more impressive rapport of their performances, ineffably entertaining. This set also come with lobby card reproductions, stills, a deck of Rat Pack cards and commentary tracks on three of the films from Frank Sinatra Jr.
Murnau, Borzage, and Fox
20th Century Fox, $239.98
One of the most well-reviewed ("the best that home video has to offer in quality, scholarship and enduring aesthetic interest" raved The New York Times' Dave Kehr), not to mention expensive (at almost $250 beans) box sets of the year includes a dozen films from its two titular directors. Only two — 1927's landmark silent "Sunrise" and 1930's "City Girl" — come from F.W. Murnau, who died in a car accident in 1931, just five years after emigrating from Hollywood from Germany. The ten other features come from his studiomate at Fox, Frank Borzage, an American who paid close attention to Murnau's visual style and applied it to his own burgeoning aesthetic in movies like 1927's "Seventh Heaven." Though Borzage was more prolific, made more money and remained a key figure in the transitional period between silent and sound cinema, he's largely forgotten to history (note whose name comes first in the box's title), a fact this set will hopefully come to rectify. Extras include several documentaries, commentary tracks and a book about the filmmakers and their time at the innovative Fox studio.
Ray Harryhausen Gift Set
Sony Pictures, $80.95
Harryhausen! And not the giant Cyclops/dueling skeletons Harryhausen of "The Fantastic Films of Ray Harryhausen" (released back in 2004) — this three-film set offers two-disc versions of the stop-motion master's greatest work in sci-fi, "20 Million Miles to Earth," "It Came From Beneath the Sea" and "Earth vs. The Flying Saucers." In the first feature, a specimen brought back from Venus grows into a gigantic, sulfur-gobbling, elephant-murdering monster that wreaks havoc on Rome (picked because it was where Harryhausen wanted to have his vacation). "It Came From Beneath the Sea" finds a massive radioactive octopus (that, for budgetary reasons, only actually had six tentacles) attacking San Francisco. And "Earth vs. The Flying Saucers" offers an invasion by alien spaceships, effects that were groundbreaking at the time and that are still impressive. Each of the films comes in both the original black and white and colorized editions, and the set includes figurine of the "20 Million Miles to Earth" creature.


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Blaszczykowski signs five-year Dortmund deal
Dortmund - Borussia Dortmund have kitted out midfielder with a new five-year contract, tying him down until 2018.
'Important cornerstone'
The 27-year-old Polish national team captain, who has made 168 Bundesliga appearances to date, scoring 25 goals and setting up a further 41, put pen to paper on the new deal on Monday.
He follows the examples of Sven Bender, Neven Subotic and Roman Weidenfeller in committing his long-term future to the beaten UEFA Champions League finalists. "Kuba is an important cornerstone of our side, both sportingly and as a person," said BVB sporting director Michael Zorc. "He was a sensation throughout Europe last season and we're delighted to be able to build a long-term future with him."
Blaszczykowski, or 'Kuba' for short, joined Dortmund in 2007 from Wisla Krakow, and now feels more than at home in the city. "When my contract's up, I'll be able to look back on over a decade with BVB," he reflected; "That's a long time in professional football nowadays.
Proud Pole
"It makes me extremely proud that a big club like Borussia Dortmund have shown such faith in me and are planning ahead long term with me. I've long felt this is my second home," added the 60-time Polish international.
Meanwhile, Dortmund have confirmed that Daniel Ginczek, who scored 18 goals in 31 Bundesliga 2 games for St. Pauli while on loan during the 2012/13, has moved to 1. FC Nuremberg. "We wish Daniel all the best," said Zorc.


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On my laptop I need to attach an external card reader
directly to a USB port. I cannot use the built-in reader
either to boot or even to format a SD card, only write to
it. It is possible that not all external readers can do
this. I am fortunate in that the only one I got will.
Then I put in in the boot sequence before HD and probably
CD/DVD as well.
My laptop is about 4 years old and even then it is possible.
I have IFD on a SD card. I usually use IFW for my images so
don't use it that often.
On 1/8/2012 9:39 AM, AlanD wrote:
> On 2012-01-07 6:24 PM, mjnelson99 wrote:
>> Jim,
>> I am using an SD card to boot IFW/IFD now and it is pretty
>> painless. BING can also boot from SD if your computer allows
>> it. It is very rapid compared to CD or floppy.
>> I must agree with the question of how often are you going to
>> actually be using those old images?
>> Mary
>> On 1/6/2012 11:02 PM, ohaya wrote:
>>> [quote="Bob Coleman":gan0ix4a]I wouldn't say it's true that there would be no use for the images that you have. It is true that they can't be used by Image for DOS (IFD) which is included with BIBM and intended to be used for imaging by BIBM users.
>>> However, there is nothing to prevent your keeping your BING boot media and use it to restore any
>>> existing BING images when/if necessary. Surely, as time goes on this won't be a frequent requirement.[/quote:gan0ix4a]
>>> Hi,
>>> When you say"keeping your BING boot media and use it to restore any existing BING images", do you mean having BING on a floppy or CD, and having to boot to the floppy or CD when you need to restore the BING image? That (to me) sounds like it'd be a bit of a pain.
>>> Jim
> Not to interrupt, but Mary would you share with us how you managed to
> boot from SD card?
> AlanD


text: Air strikes have targeted Palestinians in recent days Two Palestinians were killed and at least eight wounded in an Israeli air raid on Gaza City, witnesses and medics said. A missile struck Tal al-Hawa district, north of Gaza City, on Monday. The targeted vehicle was a small pickup truck with official Palestinian Authority licence plates, witnesses said. Earlier, one Palestinian man was killed and several others injured in separate incidents in the Gaza Strip.Salim Abu Shabab, 30, was shot dead just south of the central Gaza Strip town of Deir al-Balah, Palestinian medical sources said. Abu Shabab, who is from the town of Khan Yunis, was shot several times in the head and stomach, according to Ibrahim al-Masdar, director of the Shuhada al-Aqsa hospital in Deir al-Balah.The Israeli army said he was approaching the illegal settlement of Kissifum, but admitted he was found to be unarmed.Tanks open fire Also in Gaza, two Palestinians were injured when Israeli tanks fired at a group of pedestrians, according to witnesses and local hospital sources. Two Palestinians were injured fromreported Israeli tank fire Israeli troops also barricaded off the main coastal road leading into Gaza city on Monday morning, forcing Palestinians to travel along the beach by foot or donkey cart a distance of approximately 3km. Pedestrian traffic was halted when Israeli tanks began to fire at the Palestinian commuters, said witnesses."There was literally a rain of tank fire overhead, they didn't care that there were human beings there," said 22-year-old Hanan Abu Saad.The incidents come one day after Israeli forces fired a rocket at a car in Gaza City, killing local Hamas leader Khalid Abu Salima and injuring eight bystanders. The Israeli policy of extra-judicial killings has resulted in the deaths of eight Palestinian civilians in the last week, according to the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights. SOURCE: Aljazeera


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In more than a decade of writing about green living, one of the most common complaints I hear about it is that it costs more up front. I have learned that this is a deceptive and surprisingly complicated query, with no one answer.
Sure, shopping at Whole Foods (aka Whole Paycheck) can cost more than the corner Safeway/Albertson's/Tesco/Walmart. But that doesn't count any of the long-term effects of diet and health, which can easily run in the millions of dollars for serious conditions like heart disease, or can shorten our lives.
And more directly to the point, as my friend Jeff Yeager (the Green Cheapskate) frequently points out, it is often cheaper to buy green. Instead of pre-packaged TV dinners, buy bulk lentils. Instead of pricey cans of gourmet tomato sauce, make your own from over-ripe produce and bulk spices. Skip the treats aisles and go to the baking goods section.
The infographic below gets into some of these trade-offs. It's easy to write off green living as something only the rich can afford, but the truth is more nuanced.


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Yup, we have a new PlayStation added to the site! The PlayStation Team Jordan Edition!
To mark the release of Formula 1 '97, Psygnosis has teamed up with the Jordan Formula 1 team to produce some exclusive limited-edition merchandise, including a specially customized PlayStation, sprayed by Jordan in their team colors, which you have a chance to win.
The first prize is a specially customized PlayStation, sprayed in the Jordan colours by the Jordan team. This is an unpurchasable collector's item. Second prize is an exclusive F1 '97 mountain bike, again sprayed in the Jordan colors. Third prize is a limited-edition Jordan/Formula 1 T-shirt and a copy of "Formula 1 '97" in the PlayStation format (first and second prize winners will also receive a copy of "Formula 1 '97" and a T-shirt). Ten runners-up will win a copy of "Formula 1 '97".
Thanks to this console we have 10 unique PlayStation 1 consoles on the site! Check it out here
and guess what This item is for sale on ebay! Check it out on http://www.ebay.com/itm/252902989934


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3 injured in W.Va. methane ignition, gas well fire
Authorities say three people have been injured in a gas well fire at an Antero Resources operation in Harrison County. The flames are out and there's no public danger.
Sgt. Heather Mick of the Harrison County 911 Center says the victims were taken to Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown after the blast around 4 a.m. Friday near Sycamore.
Department of Environmental Protection spokesman Tom Aluise says workers were in the early stages of drilling a Marcellus shale gas well. As they withdrew the drill, a spark ignited methane gas, creating a fireball and a fire on the rig floor.
It happened at Antero's Cottrill No. 3 well.
Colorado-based Antero didn't immediately return a message.
Aluise says Antero voluntarily shut down the site. An investigation is under way.