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Behind the Band: A Chat with Parachute's ex-Tour Manager, Chris Jones
Behind every successful music group is a Tour Manager, the unsung hero who ensures that life from concert venue to venue doesn't become a traveling circus. Before joining beer giant ABInbev, where he is currently the Global Marketing Director for Corona, Chris Jones spent two years globetrotting as Tour Manager for Parachute, a pop rock outfit from Charlottesville, Virginia whose albums have thrice reached the Top 10 on the Billboard U.S. Digital chart. We sat down with Chris to chat about life on the road, roaming New Orleans with Kelly Clarkson, crazy fan encounters and more.
Trebel Music: Your story with Parachute begins with your college days at the University of Virginia. Take us from your time there to how you became a tour manager for the band.
Chris Jones: While at UVA I was active in the Charlottesville music scene and played in several bands, most of which were part of the alternative and indie communities. It was a relatively small scene, as most of Charlottesville at the time revolved around college rock and jam band stuff, so everyone knew each other. Through that experience, I made several friends and it happened that when I was looking to transition jobs a few years out of undergrad, one of my buds was looking to leave his job as Parachute's tour manager. I had been working for a healthcare consultancy in D.C. and reached the point where I was uninspired and eager to dive back into a world I was passionate about. Parachute had just released their first full length and was garnering a lot of attention with their single "She Is Love," which was receiving national exposure through a Nivea ad campaign. When I met the team, they told me they had just been confirmed for the Kelly Clarkson arena tour. With all that momentum and as a fan of their music, I jumped on board.
What does it really mean to be a tour manager? Walk us through a typical day on the road.
There really is no typical day on the road, but in general, you're the nucleus and engine of a traveling music operation. One day, you might be advancing a set of shows, and another day you're keeping a group of wild banshees in order, going from commitment to commitment from the wee hours of the morning. As the go-to guy regarding all tour operations, you can expect to be managing all aspects of what happens on the road. That includes organizing the shows themselves, managing tour finances, coordinating press interviews and events, making sure everything is taken care of for morning and late night TV performances, making meet and greets happen – you name it. You're the guy, the jack of all trades, making sure that everything that needs to happen, happens.
A kid comes up to you and says "I want to be a tour manager." What's the first thing you say back?
Know what you want to get out of the experience. At the end of the day, it's a job like any other that requires commitment, discipline, and hustle to do it right. If you're in it for the glamour, you'll fail. But it's a great opportunity to meet people, build your network, and really get your foot in the door in other areas of the industry you might be interested in. Like I said, you are the command center for all that goes on, so you're constantly interacting with a diverse set of people connected to music somehow. All this said, it's not for everyone. A lot of long days, long nights, unpredictability, and little privacy can be tough to deal with. It's a job that requires durability, organization, and patience. You can't get by without those three.
While a band is on the road, what type of interaction takes place between the tour manager and the other constituents (record label, lawyer, business manager, etc.) surrounding a band?
For the most part, you're working with artist management and business management on a consistent basis. Artist management is focused on developing the act and setting up the right opportunities for them, and as a TM you're helping shape and execute the full picture based on what's feasible amongst all the band's commitments. On the business management side, they're the ones who manage the act's finances. As the one responsible for making sure all tour revenue and expenses are taken care of, you are their right hand.
As for others, it's a bit more on an ad-hoc basis depending on the band's needs. When we vere in LA and NYC, I tended to deal with those folks a bit more.
Who are the industry people you looked up to the most during your touring days? Who "taught you the ropes," so to speak, and what was the biggest lesson you learned from them?
At a high level, there are pioneers like Kevin Lyman, Brett Gurewitz, and others who've I've always admired. People who turned their convictions into longstanding music institutions on their own terms. I grew up on punk rock, so much of the DIY and entrepreneurial spirit of that community exists in the touring world. The persistence, the hustle, and will to push on for another day because you care about what you're doing. That's really what these guys all embodied.
Other than this group, I didn't have any insight into the touring world before I started, so I really had no one to look up to. But I certainly learned a lot from one guy who took me under his wing during those first few tours. His name is Shane Haase. He had spent the better part of a decade touring by the time we teamed up and I was always inspired by how professional and focused he was about his job. Not only did he excel in his primary craft, which was running front of house for the band, but he was exceptionally great with people, always brought a positive spirit to the group, and was very direct and clear in his management style. I believe he's now tour managing with Alabama Shakes.
Parachute toured with Kelly Clarkson, Goo Goo Dolls, Hot Chelle Rae and many other bands while you were with them. How does your responsibility change from a tour that Parachute is headlining to one where they are the support act?
When you're headlining a tour, your entire agenda is planned around an album release. You're promoting the album beyond the shows themselves and there is hardly any free time in your schedule. You have press interviews, early morning and late night TV obligations, radio appearances, video shoots, sponsor performances – it doesn't end. So there's a lot of connecting the dots, last minute planning, unexpected flights, the whole nine yards.
As a headliner, you're in the driver's seat a bit more and have more flexibility to make things happen. This means more convenient load-in times to the venues, guaranteed sound checks, venue staff being more accommodating with your needs and all of that. In the end, expectations are higher as the headliner, so all aspects of the tour are heightened and things get more professional.
As a support act, much of the experience becomes less pronounced. The biggest differences are in regards to the shows and venue treatment – everything from needing to arrive to venues earlier to having your set played at a noticeably lower decibel level to not having your rider fulfilled.
Tell us about touring with Kelly Clarkson in 2009 and 2010. Any funny stories? What surprised you the most that you didn't expect going in?
It was a fun tour. We did the North American, Europe, and U.K. legs, so we spent a lot of time with her and her people. I can't say anything surprised me, but that it was just an enjoyable experience being part of a friendly and down to earth crew. Obviously, she's a mega talent, but she's also super personable, positive, and easygoing.
I have a lot of memories from that tour, including the last night of the U.S. portion, which was around the holiday season. Kelly rented out a section of the House of Blues in New Orleans and we ran around the city in a torrential downpour to find ugly sweaters for the occasion. It was just one big family party.
Busking in Switzerland is another one. We had time to kill before our show in Zurich and set up a few instruments with Kelly's band in the middle of a traffic square a few blocks from the venue. It was a warm up of sorts for that night.
As a tour manager and an overall music guy, did any part of you ever wish to be on stage playing with the band, or were you comfortable with your behind-the-scenes role?
No. I loved what I did. If you're in this to be close to the band and the glamour, you're doing it for the wrong reasons and won't ever give it the focus needed to do it well. When the days end, there are a lot of people counting on you for things to go smoothly. Not just the band and the rest of the crew, but the band's management, label, and everyone else who has a vested interest in the group's success. There is a lot of responsibility with the TM job, and it's not fair to anyone to have someone distracted by their desire to be up on stage. That's not what you signed up for.
What's the one thing you couldn't live on the road without?
Two things.
Granola and trail mix for sustenance. You sometimes don't know when you might eat next, or if you'll even have a reasonable meal to choose from, so it's nice to have some relatively decent and nutritious fuel on hand.
Secondly, my iPhone. It sounds cliché, but when you spend so much time in tight corridors with the same people, escaping into your headphones might be the only way to get your own space. Music, podcasts, whatever. They all help give you some privacy and alone time.
Where does Parachute fit into the scope of music you typically like? What artists are in your rotation right now?
I love pop and pop crossover music. One of the first groups I ever got into was Franki Valli and the Four Seasons, so I've always been a sucker for a solid melody and appreciate bands like Parachute. At any given time, I'll have a handful in rotation. But I'm a punk rock guy at heart. Right now, I'm giving Bad Religion, H20, and The Interrupters high reps.
What was your experience like interacting with fans of Parachute?
I never wanted attention from working with the band, but the truth is the guys developed a digital video series to broadcast our adventures to their fanbase and I became a known entity through that. Every one or two weeks, the guys would upload a new video to YouTube and I'd find myself in them.
Eventually, some fans caught on and would recognize me at shows, but it never became more than passing encounters and casual conversation. As a representative of the guys, I felt it was my role to be respectful, but I never had a desire to become the star with fans myself.
What was the craziest fan encounter you ever saw or were a part of?
Honestly, I can't recall any isolated encounters, but I do remember the rabid dedication of a handful of fans who would find a way to show up to almost every show and appearance against all odds. For certain legs of a tour, we would have the same fans show up everywhere – the radio station appearance you thought nobody knew about, the Barnes and Noble acoustic in-store performance, and then the show itself where they'd always be first in line hours before doors opened. What I always found perplexing was the number of photos they'd take with the band — any time they showed up, they would get in line for photos. Maybe they made some great collages out of them, who knows.
It's said that after you've toured the country once, the allure of checking out new venues goes away. True or false?
There's truth to that, for sure. On my first tour, everything was new and I was constantly in awe of these new places I was seeing and experiences I was having. But we'd never spend more than a day or two in a given place, so I'd leave feeling like there was more to explore. Over time, we'd visit a lot of the same cities over and over again and this sentiment became increasingly lost on me. In a job like this, the world becomes your home. The stability and comfort of one place ends up feeling so foreign – I reached a point where I'd grow restless being home for more than a few weeks.
In terms of sound, cleanliness, staff friendliness and things like that, what are the most memorable venues that come to mind for you?
All the House of Blues spots tend to be pretty professional and score high on the cleanliness and polish factor, but they lack that sense of character and uniqueness from venue to venue. Dallas, Anaheim, Chicago, Orlando, wherever – it's that old "Hard Rock" effect.
In terms of overall vibe and likeability, there are a few that come to mind. Stubs in Austin, the Fillmore in San Francisco and First Avenue in Minneapolis.
Eventually you transitioned out of music into your current role at AB Inbev. What prompted that decision?
I was looking for greater growth opportunities in my career. The music industry is a wild animal. I sure learned lot, but accelerating my development meant I needed to take more control of my future.
Get free music downloads of Parachute and other bands on the Trebel app for Android and iPhone.
- Behind the Band: A Chat with Parachute's ex-Tour Manager, Chris Jones - November 1, 2016
- Pop Punk Fan? Good News - October 18, 2016
- New on Trebel: 5 Songs to Check Out This Week - April 11, 2016
- Be a Music Contributor for Trebel - March 17, 2016


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Author Archive
All Things Must Come to an End—PatternBuilders is Shutting Down
By Terence Craig and Mary Ludloff
There's a sad, but true, statistic that every entrepreneur knows by heart: 9 out of 10 startups fail. Unfortunately, PatternBuilders is adding its number to this pile. We have been procrastinating writing this post because shutting down a company is hard. When you put your heart and soul into something, you need time to process, reflect, and eventually get to the point where you can move on.
But moving on does not mean that we are disappearing; after all, shutting down the company does not end our passion for big data, privacy, and all things tech-related (especially IoT). To that end, we will be maintaining this blog, as our main place to write and comment about those issues. We are also consulting around all areas involving big data and/or privacy (via our existing consulting organization, Ludloff-Craig Associates) and are working on some other things that we are keeping under wraps for now. But if you follow our blog, @terencecraig, or @mludloff, you will be the first to know. And if you have interesting opportunities, consulting projects, or for the right company – a full-time job – please get in touch.
There are a number of reasons why we are shutting our doors, but suffice to say, we made some decisions we knew might have an adverse effect on the company. And we stand by those decisions. (more…)
CISA Rears Its Ugly Head Once Again: Privacy Loses as U.S. Technology Companies Try to Quietly Jump on the CISA Bandwagon
Well, unfortunately today's news validates the last sentence in my previous post regarding Congress and the current administration blindly following the NSA's lead. CISA has been passed out of the House and with White House support, there is a real chance this badly conceived bill could become law. The disturbing fact is that this is largely due to support from almost every major U.S. technology company. Why would they support a piece of legislation so odious that even the DHS is against it? Surprisingly, the DHS calls the bill fundamentally flawed, deriding:
"…the bill's failure to mandate a privacy scrub of personal data, explaining that DHS will be forced to 'contribute to the compromise of personally identifiable information by spreading it further.' Companies and the government should be securing our personal information, not sharing it unnecessarily." (more…)
Mozilla's Lightbeam: A Leading Indicator on How U.S. Internet Giants Have Become Privacy Advocates!
Congratulations to Mozilla on their new Firefox plugin Lightbeam.
Lightbeam allows consumers to see who is tracking their web browsing. It is a part of a much needed trend where internet technology companies are stepping up to the plate to protect their users' privacy from unchecked government surveillance.
Thankfully, almost all of the big internet companies (like Google and Microsoft) have taken a proactive role in attempting to protect their users' privacy from surveillance overreach. (more…)
A Sneak Peek at Our New HTML 5 UI and Geek Love for Some of the Libraries Used in Building AnalyticsPBI4Azure
Drumroll please! After nearly a year of development work, we are about to offer early access to the first real-time/streaming analytics solution software appliance for the cloud – AnalyticsPBI for Azure. There will be more forthcoming on the product launch but the new UI is so cool I had to show it off a bit.
We will be following up with a formal launch and Early Access Program (EAP) signups in the next couple of weeks so watch this space and patternbuilders.com for details – the big data analytics market is about to change in a big way! Here's a sneak peek on what we've been working on.
For the geek part of my blog I am going to give a shout out to three libraries that we are using – all have made a huge difference in the product's performance, scalability, and usability. The first two libraries come from Microsoft – Reactive Extensions and TPL Dataflow. The third library is the open source math and statistics library, Math.Net.
Events to Measures – Scalable Analytics Calculations using PatternBuilders in the Cloud
One part of the secret sauce that enables PatternBuilders to provide more accessible and performant user experiences for both creators and consumers of streaming analytics models is its infrastructure. Our infrastructure makes it easy to combine rich search capabilities for a diverse set of standard analytics that can be used to create more complex streaming analytics models. This post will describe how we create those standard analytics that we call Measures.
In my last post about our architecture, we delved into how we used custom SignalReaders as the point of entry for data into Analytics PBI. We've tightened up our nomenclature a bit since our last post, so it's worth reviewing some of our definitions:
|An external source of data to be analyzed. These can include truly real-time feeds such as stock-tickers, the Twitter firehose, or batch feeds, such as CSV files converted to data streams.
|An external event within a Feed that analysis will be performed on. For example, a stock tick, RFID read, PBI performance event, tweet, etc. AnalyticsPBI can support analysis on any type of event as long as it has one or more named numeric fields and a date. An Event can have multiple Signals.
|A single numeric data element within an Event, tagged with the metadata that accompanied the Event, plus any additional metadata (to use NSA parlance) applied by the FeedReader. For example, a stock tick would have Signals of Price and Volume among others.
|A string representing a piece of metadata about an Event. Tags are combined to form Indexes for both Events and Measures.
|FeedReader (formerly SignalReader)
|A service written by PatternBuilders, customers, or third parties to read particular Feed(s), convert the metadata to Tags, and potentially add metadata from other sources to create Events. Simple examples include a CSV reader and a stock tick reader. An example of a more complex reader is the reader we have created for the University of Sydney project that filters the Twitter firehose for mentions of specific stock symbols and hyperlinks to major media articles and then creates an Event that includes a Signal derived from the sentiment scores of those linked articles. That reader was discussed here.A FeedReader's primary responsibility is to create and index an object that converts "raw data" received from one or more Feeds to an Event. To accomplish this it does the following:
|A basic calculation that is generated automatically by the PatternBuilders calculation service and persisted. Measures are useful in and of themselves but they are also used to dynamically generate results for more complex streaming Analytic Models.
As the topic of this post is Events to Measures, let's create a simple Measure and follow it thru the process. For this purpose, we'll be working with a simplified StockFeedReader that will create a tick Event from a tick feed that includes two Signals – Volume and Price – for stock symbols on a minute-by-minute basis. The reader will enrich the Feed's raw tick data with metadata about the company's industries and locations. After enrichment, the JSON version of the event would look like this:
{ "Feed": "SampleStockTicker", "FeedGranularity": "Minute", "EventDate": "Fri, 23 Aug 2013 09:13:32 GMT", "MasterIndex": "AcmeSoftware:FTSE:Services:Technology", "Locations": [ { "Americas Sales Office": { "Lat": "40.65", "Long": "73.94" } } { "Europe Sales Office": { "Lat": "51.51", "Long": "0.12" } } ], "Tags": [ { "Tag1": "AcmeSoftware", "Tag2": "Technology", "Tag3": "FTSE" } ], "Signals": [ { "Price": "20.00", "Volume": "10000" } ] }
Note that there is a MasterIndex field that is a concatenation of all the Tags about the tick. When the MasterIndex is persisted, it is actually stored in a more space efficient format but we will use the canonical form of the index as shown above throughout this post for clarity.
A MasterIndex has two purposes in life:
- To allow the user to easily find a Signal by searching for particular Tags.
- To act as the seed for creating indexes for Measures and Models. These indexes, along with a date range, are all that is required to find any analytic calculations in the system.
Once an Event has been created by a FeedReader, the FeedReader uses an API call to place the Event on the EventToBeCalculatedQueue. Based on beta feedback, we've adopted a pluggable queuing strategy. So before we go any further, let's take a quick detour and talk briefly about what that means. Currently, PatternBuilders supports three types of queues for Events:
- A pure in-memory queue. This is ideal for customers that want the highest performance and the lowest cost and who are willing to redo calculations in the unlikely event of machine failure. To keep failure risk as low as possible, we actually replicate the queues on different machines and optionally, place those machines in different datacenters.
- Cloud-based queues. Currently, we use Azure ServiceBus Queues but there is no reason that we couldn't also support other PaSS vendor's queues as well. The nice thing about ServiceBus queues is that the latest update from Microsoft for Windows 2012 allows them to be used on-premise against Windows Server with the same code as for the cloud—giving our customers maximum deployment flexibility.
- AMPQ protocol. This allows our customers to host FeedReaders and Event queues completely on-premise while using our calculation engine. When combined with encrypted Tags, this allows our customers to keep their secrets "secret" and still enjoy the benefits of a real-time cloud analytics infrastructure.
Once the Event is placed on the IndexRequestQueue, it will be picked up by the first available Indexing server which monitors that queue for new Events (all queues and Indexing servers can be scaled up or down dynamically). The indexing service is responsible for creating measure indexes from the Tags associated with the Event. This is the most performance critical part of loading data so forgive our skimpiness on implementation details but we are going to let our competition design this one for themselves :-). Let's just say that conceptually the index service creates a text search searchable index for all non-alias tags and any associated geo data. Some tags are simply aliases for other Tags and do not need measures created for them. For example, the symbol AAPL is simply and alternative for Apple Computer, so creating an average volume metric for both APPL and Apple is pointless since they will always be the same. Being able to find that value by searching on APPL or Apple on the other hand is amazingly useful and is fully supported by the system.
More formally:
<Geek warning on>
The indexes produced by an Event will be:
where n equals the number of non-alias tags and the upper limit for k is equal to n.
</Geek warning off>
From our simple example above, we have the following Tags: AcmeSoftware, FTSE, Services, and Technology. This trivial example will produce the following Indexes:
The indexing service can perform parallel index creation across multiples cores and/or machines if needed. As Indexes are created, they, and each Signal in the Event, are combined into a calculation request object and placed in the MeasureCalculationRequestQueue queue that is monitored by the Measure Calculation Service.
The analytics service will take each index and use it to create/update all of the standard measures (Sum, Count, Avg, Standard Deviation, Last, etc.) for each unique combination of index and the Measure's native granularity for each Signal (Granularity management is complex and will be discussed in my next post).
Specifically, the Calculation Service will remove a calculation request object from the queue and perform the following steps for all Measures appropriate to the Signal:
- Attempt to retrieve the Measure from either cache or persistent storage.
- If not found, create the Measure for the appropriate Date and Signal.
- Perform the associated calculation and update the Measure.
Graphically the whole process looks something like this:
The advantages of this approach are manifold. First, it allows for very sophisticated search capabilities across Measures and Models. Second, it allows deep parallelization for Measure calculation. This parallelization allows us to scale the system by creating more Indexing Services and Calculation Services with no risk of contention and it is this scalability which allows us to provide near real-time, streaming updates for all Measures and most Models. Each Index, time, and measure combination is unique and can be calculated by separate threads or even separate machines. A measure can be aggregated up from its native granularity using a pyramid scheme if the user requests it (say by querying for an annual number from a measure whose Signal has a native granularity of a minute). A proprietary algorithm prevents double counting for the edge cases where Measures with different Indexes are calculated from the same Events.
So now you've seen how we get from a raw stream to a Measure. And how, along the way, we're able to enrich meta and numeric data to enable both richer search capabilities and easier computation of more complex analytics models. Later on, we explore how searches are performed and models are developed—you will see how this enrichment process makes exploring and creating complex analytics models much easier than the first generation of big data, business intelligence, or desktop analytics systems.
However, before we get there we need to talk about how PatternBuilders handles dates and Granularity in more detail. At our core, we are optimized for time-series analytics and how we deal with time is a critical part of our infrastructure. This is why in my next post we will be doing a deep (ok medium deep) dive into how we handle pyramidal aggregation and the always slippery concepts of time and streaming data. Thanks for reading and as always comments are free and welcomed!
pii2013: Building Trust in the Data Driven Economy—Hope to see you there!
As entrepreneurs at a growing startup there are very few things that are exciting enough to divert even a tiny bit of our attention from giving our customers the world's best streaming analytics technology. And while my co-founder Mary and I have been known to disagree on what those things might be, we are always in agreement that the Privacy Identity Innovation Conferences (pii) are the best conferences for bringing together leading voices from technology, science, and government for the critical discussion(s) of what Privacy and Identity mean in the age of the NSA, Facebook, and Internet of things. pii2013 is being held in Seattle this year to (as their website states):
"Explore emerging technologies and business models, and highlight strategies and best practices for building trust with users. From news reports of increasing government surveillance to stories about startups using customer data in 'surprising' ways, there's no shortage of examples illustrating why now is an important time to talk about innovation and trust. It's a critical conversation about the future of privacy, identity and reputation that you won't want to miss." (more…)
Enterprise Software in the Cloud: Why We Chose Azure as our First PaaS Platform
I've been absent from the blog too long, but if you've been following my colleagues (Mary and Marilyn) postings, you'll see it's been a very busy and fruitful time at PatternBuilders. While I'm still overdue for the next segment of the architecture blog series, I thought I would take a break and talk a bit about some of the things we learned as we moved our product and business model to Microsoft Azure.
As someone who has worked with Microsoft technology and partnered with them off and on over the last two decades (even flirting with going to work for them a couple of times), the most surprising discovery was how serious Microsoft has become about the cloud, open source, and being an active and supportive partner for startups. As many of you who have been around as long as I have will no doubt remember, this is a very different, some would say revolutionary, move for the world's most powerful proprietary software company. We had some concerns when we became members of Microsoft's Azure Startup program BizSpark Plus and subsequently the more exclusive BizSpark One, but it has turned out to be a great experience for us on both the business and technical level. (more…)

subset: commoncrawl


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Conservative leader David Cameron and Southwark-born actor Sir Michael Caine visited the Globe Academy in Harper Road on Thursday morning.
Sir Michael Caine, who grew up near Elephant & Castle, joined the Conservative leader at his Westminster press conference on Thursday morning to launch the party's proposal for 16-year-olds to take part in non-military national service.
The National Citizen Service would be a two-month summer programme for 16-year olds, involving both residential and at-home components delivered by independent charities, social enterprises and businesses.
Speaking at the press conference, Sir Michael referred to conversations he had had with young people in Southwark whilst filming his recent Harry Brown movie around the Heygate Estate and Rockingham Estate.
Later Mr Cameron and Sir Michael travelled to Globe Academy in Harper Road where they met young people who have taken part in The Challenge, an example of the sort of scheme that the Tories want to build on.
The Challenge Network, which has its offices in SE1, currently works with young people from Southwark and Hammersmith.
Bermondsey and Old Southwark Conservative candidate Loanna Morrison was also in attendance.
Globe Academy pupils taking part in Easter revision workshops clamoured for autographs of the Hollywood star and Tory leader.
Globe Academy, formerly Geoffrey Chaucer Technology College, is sponsored by the educational charity Ark (Absolute Return for Kids). Ark's chairman is Stanley Fink who is also co-treasurer of the Conservative Party.
In January David Cameron chose Ark's other SE1 school, Walworth Academy, as the setting for the launch of his draft schools manifesto.
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Summertime brings with it vacations, warmer weather, outdoor activities and the stress associated with these changes from your regular routine. We all enjoy the break from our regular routines especially when it means having fun in the sun or having a break from school or work.
Unfortunately the enjoyment is tempered by situations that have to be managed that result from change in routine. A good many of these situations concern kids and how to care for them during off-school times. Other situations demand that we change our routine to correspond to the changing needs of the season.
The Kids
Kids are off from school during the summer months and need alternative care during times when the adult members of their families continue to be away at work. The solution may work out to be babysitters, neighbors, relatives or daycare centers.
Those solutions may involve a certain amount of cost and a possible hardship on your household budget.
One way to address this financial stress is to organize a block babysitting co-op. One member acts as secretary and records all babysitting needs (date, times) and it is up to the members of the group to each provide the service of watching the other members children in exchange for having their children watched when they need this service.
The secretary records how often members baby-sit and how often they request to have their children cared for. No money is exchanged but services are monitored so that on one is taken advantage of.
Summer Camps
Enroll the kids in summer camps, vacation bible school, sport teams and neighborhood activities like bake sales and lemonade stands to help keep the kids happy and busy. Kids who become bored will create mischief and get on the nerves of adults.
Keep plenty of stress busters around like arts and crafts supplies (crayons, paint, clay, chalk, bubbles, silly string, beads and other jewelry handiwork). Supply them with board games, playing cards, crossword puzzles, and books. Interest them in hobbies like stamp collection, gardening, bug and bird watching, or biking.
Around the House
Encourage older kids to do projects around the house that perhaps have been shelved during the busier months of the year like organizing those photographs, or putting storage items into protective containers.
Teach older kids to cook and you could return from work to a home-cooked meal, prepared and ready to eat. Kids can even clean and straighten the rooms in your home so you can return to nice clean living spaces. Involve them in researching summer vacations. Kids today are very computer literate.
Too Much of a Good Thing
The daylight hours are longer during summer months so we have more time to be outdoors. We tend to overdo and stress our bodies and our minds with too many outdoor activities with family and friends. We tend to take on too many outdoor projects like landscaping the yard, or maintaining vehicles or our homes.
Most of us do not know how to say no to volunteer or organizational opportunities. As summer approaches it is a good idea to decide just how many activities you can reasonably commit to and then stick to your plan.
Manage your stress through organizing activities for kids that keep them happy and busy while keeping your activity level to a minimum. Learn how to delegate tasks and to say no, when it is necessary.
Enjoy family time and create those special family memories this summer, that you will cherish for a lifetime.
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Posts Tagged Ofsted
Dear Colleagues, it's time we finally took control.
Posted by juneosullivan in Early Years, Education on April 24, 2013
Our Minister has done us a favour, although she may not have realised it. She has thrown down the gauntlet by challenging the sector, so now we need to take control of our own destiny. Her ill-informed and contradictory facts beg us to tell our story, so every individual – especially parents – is left […]
Ofsted Annual Report? A great read, but please tell us something we don't already know.
Posted by juneosullivan in Early Years, Research on December 10, 2012
Last week Ofsted produced its Annual Report, the first from her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children Services and Skills, Sir Michael Wilshaw. It also had the First Ofsted Annual Lecture on Early Years given by the Director of Education, Sue Gregory. The report admittedly was slightly overshadowed by the news of the Royal pregnancy, […]


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The Rush of Wind Power
By David Hodes
Renewable wind energy sources for electricity generation operations are on a fast-track to quicker development, even in light of developments in fracking technologies that allow more natural gas to be drawn from huge shale deposits in the mid-Atlantic and the northern plains.
Sources for wind generation in the United States are expanding from the base of the plains states (Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Nebraska) to others in the North and Southeast based on the advancement of new technologies in generating electricity from turbines, and the growing economic advantages of cheaper, more reliable energy from wind.
Findings from the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) point to new developments in taller towers, longer blades and lower speed turbine technologies — plus other studies by an independent grid operator serving 13 mid-Atlantic and Great Lakes states that found wind integration into the grid causes no reliability issues or any significant costs for grid updates.
As a result, new wind projects are in strong demand in areas of the country where it used to be uneconomical, such as Ohio and Michigan. The world view of wind power is even brighter.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), electricity generated from wind could rise from 2.6 percent to 18 percent of the world's electricity by 2050. Technology Roadmap: Wind Energy says since 2008, wind power deployment has more than doubled, approaching 300 gigawatts installed capacities led by China (75 gigawatts), the United States (60 gigawatts), and Germany (31 gigawatts).
In an email response to questions, Lindsay North, manager of media relations and outreach for AWEA, stated that the wind industry is coming off the biggest year on record in 2012, installing more than 13 gigawatts across the country.
In addition, the cost of wind energy has been driven down by more than 40 percent in the last four years, North wrote, confirming the finding by the IEA that the cost of land-based wind power is close to competitive with other sources of electricity.
It's a robust economic engine. The industry employs 80,000 in the United States in more than 550 manufacturing facilities, and has helped spur $25 billion in private investment in 2012 alone.
As more wind power become available through better transmission lines and grid updates, the spreading economic power of renewable wind energy has industry think tanks and simulation labs across the country stepping up their testing to the next stage: making wind a preferred cost-effective, readily available and reliable energy source in a diverse mix of electricity sources for the United States as the country innovates itself closer to the goal of energy independence.
Testing, Testing, Testing
The innovations in wind technology are coming fast and furious. Fairfield, Conn.-based General Electric, one of the world's leading wind turbine suppliers, is working in a new partnership with Clemson University in Clemson, S.C., located 31 miles south of Greenville.
Here, what is being touted as one of the world's most advanced energy testing and research centers for wind energy development recently broke ground, financed by one of the largest grants ever given to the university by the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE).
The $98 million, 82,000-square-foot wind turbine drivetrain testing facility was financed with $45 million from the DoE and matched by $53 million in private funds. The facility, the South Carolina Electric and Gas (SCE&G) Energy Innovation Center at the Clemson University Restoration Institute, houses an advanced wind-turbine drivetrain testing facility that allows GE to perform tests of full scale highly accelerated mechanical and electrical advanced drivetrain systems for wind turbines. The drivetrain is the critical component of a sustainable wind turbine, taking energy generated by the turbine's blades and increasing the rotational speed to drive the turbine's electrical generator.
Additionally the facility will be working on grid integration studies using the facility's 15 megawatt test rig — an innovation which came from a Clemson student that is now backed by Duke Energy.
One aspect of the selection by GE for Clemson is the proximity of the facility. GE's renewable energy business, which is part of GE Power & Water, has engineering headquarters in Greenville.
The engineering team has a great local relationship with Clemson, says Katelyn Buress, spokesperson, GE Power & Water. "The fact that the university has the ability to do the testing for larger scale machines is really helpful," she says.
GE engineers will be using the simulator to test their drivetrain engine over a full range of transmissions to stress the machine and push it to its limits, Buress says, with the goal of understanding how the machine could withstand the environment and the winds that are out in the field. "To do advanced wind testing on large machines beforehand is a great opportunity because it enables engineers to know what it is they are getting into. Now they have a machine to duplicate what could be expected in a real world scenario. That helps us make machines that are more reliable and are as efficient as possible for our customers."
Buress says that GE is also working with Clinton Community College in Plattsburgh, N.Y., in a collaboration to develop state-of-the-art training and create a hiring pool for their wind energy operations. Last year, GE gave the college $400,000 in training equipment for their wind energy program. "That work, and the Clemson partnership, are what we need to do to help move forward advanced technology in wind energy development," she says.
Wind Farms and Transmission Lines
In regard to wind farm developments, Geronimo Energy, an Edina, Minn.-based utility-scale wind farm developer for the upper Midwest since 2005, began acquiring land and soliciting bids from companies in 2008 for another wind farm project.
Xcel Energy, the No. 1 retail seller of wind energy in the United States, responded with a proposal to buy power generated from a 200 megawatt Geronimo project slated to start construction in the spring of 2014 and be operational by the end of the year. The $350 million Prairie Rose Wind Farm will include 125 wind turbines on 25,000 acres of far southwest Rock County, Minn., where average wind speed is 18 miles per hour. Xcel is also set to buy power from another planned $350 million Geronimo wind farm near Jamestown, N.D.
Aside from a steady wind source, this area of the upper Midwest has advantages with getting the power source delivered across a number of new transmission lines.
The development of new transmission lines is the result of Minnesota's aggressive policies to acquire renewable energy through the CapX2020 transmission lines project. CapX was created to study how much transmission investment will be needed by 2020 to keep up reliability and import sufficient renewable energy to meet the state's policies.
CapX is a joint initiative of 11 transmission owning utilities in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin that includes four 345 kilovolt transmission lines and one 230 kilovolt line. The new lines are expected to cost more than $2 billion and cover nearly 800 miles when complete. "CapX actually resulted in the construction of several connecting 345 lines around Minnesota and in to neighboring states like North Dakota," says Betsy Engelking, vice president of Geronimo Energy.
The result of cheaper, more reliable energy is more high-electricity use businesses coming to the state, such as data centers. Engelking says that they have seen a number of data centers located in Iowa, in part because that state has been very aggressive in wind power development. "We would expect to see some of that happening in eastern north and eastern South Dakota, and southwestern Minnesota, because of the electricity infrastructure and the generation that can go into those areas" she says.
Another line in the CapX project will go in an easterly direction, from Hampton, Minn. into LaCrosse, Wis., targeted to be in service by 2015. "The idea is to facilitate more energy from wind-rich states like North and South Dakota to facilitate export to Wisconsin where it is very weak between the western and eastern portions of that state," Engelking says.
Tracking new transmission capabilities is also top of the agenda for the Wind Coalition, a nonprofit association representing eight so-called "wind corridor" states in the central United States — Kansas, Texas, Nebraska, Missouri, Arkansas, New Mexico, Louisiana and Oklahoma.
One example is the Competitive Renewable Energy Zone (CREZ) transmission line project in Texas, authorized by state's public utility commission in 2009 and coming on line by the end of 2013, representing one of the biggest infrastructure projects the state has ever undertaken, says Jeff Clark, executive director of the coalition.
This is a $4.9 billion transmission line project constructed by seven transmission and distribution utilities that are expected to transmit 18.5 megawatts of electricity from west Texas and the panhandle to the more populated metropolitan areas of the state. "We are also looking to build new transmission lines for export," Clark says. "Because one of the very promising areas for economic growth in this region is the ability to harness the wind power that we have, generate electricity, and move that electricity to other parts of the country that need it."
Clark says the technological breakthroughs are also coming in the electrical side — with updated retrofitting of older turbines and better drivetrains added — and the mechanical side — with more advanced blade designs using composite materials and design advancements to improve the efficiency of the blade.
Advancements in meteorology and the ability to forecast wind are being fine-tuned, along with dramatic improvements in communications and computational abilities among turbines themselves.
It's really a convergence of engineering and communications technologies that are making some really fascinating improvements, Clark says, citing the use of radar for to scan the wind before it even gets to the farm. "These were things that were unthinkable that are now becoming commonplace."
For complete details on the wind energy business, visit:
American Wind Energy Association
Competitive Renewable Energy Zone
Jamestown/Stutsman (N.D.) Economic Development Corp.
International Energy Association
South Carolina Electric and Gas (SCE&G) Energy Innovation Center
Illustration by nokhoog_buchachon at Free Digital Photos.net


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By: Nanda Thayalan
Street art is any art developed in public spaces i.e. "in the streets". It usually refers to unsanctioned art, as normally opposed by the government. Street Art is done all around the world but it stared very secretly because it was illegally to paint on public property you can find it everywhere you look. The street art can involve traditional graffiti artworks which include stencil graffiti, sticker art, wheat pasting and street poster art, video projection, art intervention, guerrilla art, flash mobbing and street installations. Typically, the term street art or the more specific post-graffiti is used to distinguish contemporary public-space artwork from territorial graffiti, vandalism and corporate art.
Street Art is a very popular form of art that is spreading quickly all over the world. You can find it on buildings, sidewalks and street signs. Street art has become a global culture and even art museums and galleries are collecting the work of street artists. Street art started out very secretly because it is illegal to paint public and private property without permission. People often have different opinions about street art. Some think it is a crime and others think it is a very beautiful new form of culture.
Street art is most common in Europe. It's not like normal graffiti and also makes statement about politics. There's plenty of kitschy street art, but it typically symbolizes some sort of statement. It is often conducted in the dark of the night and many artists' dose not put their real names, but puts a fake name since they're often vandalizing and defacing property. Some street artists have gone commercial, picking up gigs with major pay, but for the most part, the art remains safe from heavy monetary influence.
Street artists do their work for a reason. Some of them do not like artists who make so much money in galleries and museums. They choose street art because it is closer to the people. Some artists try to express their political opinion in their work, in order to protest against big business and corporations. Others like to do things that are forbidden and hope they don't get caught.
Advertising companies also use street art in their ads because it gives you the impression of youth and energy. The New York department store Saks Fifth Avenue recently used a street artist's design for their shop windows and shopping bags.
One of the main things in today's world that helped street art to be so popular is the internet. Through internet street artists can show their pictures to an audience all over the world. Many city residents, however, say that seeing a picture on the Internet is never as good as seeing it live. The street art movement lives with the energy and life of a big city. There, it will continue to change and grow.
Street art is a whole new world of art that has been on the map for quite some time, but has been pushed into the spotlight thanks to the Internet. With the Internet, street artists communicate with each other and show their work to the world. While much of it is politically driven, there's a free spirited charm to street art that is lacking in other contemporary art forms.
Article submitted by Nanda Thayal, founder of Hackney Art who provide the information on online art gallery, digital art, paintings, drawings & other artworks. Contact Nanda to sell or buy art online.
Article Source:


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I was really saddened to hear today that Adam Yauch, better known as MCA of the Beastie Boys, has lost his fight with cancer. I've long been a fan, and I'm old enough to remember the exhilarating rush of the bratty, adolescent, punky white-boy hip hop on their controversial 1986 debut album Licensed To Ill – all the boys in my class at school secretly coveted the VW badge chains the Beasties wore in their videos!
Most critics saw the early Beasties as a bit of a joke, but after the release of their astonishing and hugely influential second album Paul's Boutique in 1989, a fair few of those critics were forced to eat their words.
And since then, the Beasties haven't stopped creating amazing, era-defining music – I DJ'd for a while at uni in the mid 1990s, and vividly recall the chaotic dancefloor reaction every time I dropped 'Sabotage', the massive lead-off single from the 1994 album Ill Communication…
And it wasn't just the music. MCA, who was a practicing Buddhist, and the other Beasties took a principled and cultured approach to what they did, involving themselves in activism for social justice causes as well as creative projects including film production and distribution.
After a life like that, it is sad to think that a man who inspired so many, who produced some of the most memorable and groundbreaking music of the last 25 years, and who tried to live his life as he believed to be right should die at the stupidly young age of 47, leaving his wife and daughter behind.
He fought for his right to party – and inspired several generations in the process. That's a pretty cool legacy.
RIP MCA – you will not be forgotten.


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Tender, moist Vegan Blueberry Scones with simple glaze are a wonderful addition to any breakfast or brunch! Better than Starbucks!
Scones can be pretty dry but that is not the case here. These vegan blueberry scones are incredibly moist, tender and just plain delightful. They taste a million times better than the ones at Starbucks, and are made with no animal ingredients!
These Vegan Blueberry Scones:
- Are made in 1 bowl
- Are moist & tender
- Have crumbly edges and a golden crunchy exterior
- Include a wonderfully simple glaze drizzle
- Have an abundance of blueberries!
How to make vegan blueberry scones:
First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Next, in a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, ground flaxseeds, sugar and salt. Stir to combine.
Add the cold vegan butter and use a pastry cutter (or your hands if needed) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pour in the milk and vanilla, and stir until just combined. Then fold in the blueberries.
On a lightly floured surface, turn out the dough and knead it just a few times until it comes together. Flatten the dough into a circle, about 1 inch thick. Slice into 8 equal triangles with a pizza cutter or large knife.
Place the scones onto the prepared baking sheet, and bake for 22-26 minutes until golden brown on top.
Let the scones cool for at least 15 minutes before drizzling the glaze on top. The glaze is totally optional, you can leave it out if desired.
Can vegan blueberry scones be frozen?
Yes, you can freeze these scones after they cool if desired. I would leave the icing off if you are going to freeze them though.
Can you use frozen blueberries for these scones?
Yes, you can use frozen blueberries. Do not thaw frozen blueberries if using, but add them directly from the freezer to the dough. They still might make your scones a little blue but they will taste great! I especially like using those little frozen wild blueberries in scones.
Can blueberry scones be made gluten free?
I haven't tried it myself, but I'm sure a good quality gluten free flour mix would work just fine. You can also substitute whole wheat pastry, spelt or white whole wheat flour for some or all of the white flour, if desired.
Want more vegan scone or muffin recipes?
Vegan Blueberry Scones
Tender, moist Vegan Blueberry Scones with simple glaze are a wonderful addition to any breakfast or brunch! Better than Starbucks!
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 26 mins
Total Time: 36 mins
Servings: 8 scones
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 8 tablespoons cold vegan butter (or solid coconut oil)
- 3/4 cup almond milk (soy or coconut milk fine)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3/4-1 cup fresh blueberries (may use frozen as well)
- OPTIONAL: lemon zest from 1 lemon
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, ground flaxseeds, salt and sugar.
Add the cold vegan butter, and use a pastry cutter or your hands to work the butter into the dry ingredients. It should resemble coarse crumbs.
Pour in the milk and vanilla, and stir until just combined. Fold in the blueberries.
On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough a few times until it comes together. Flatten the dough with your hands (lightly flour your hands if sticky). Flatten it into a circle, about 1 inch thick.
Using a pizza cutter or large knife, cut it like you would a pizza, into 8 pieces.
Place the scones onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 22-26 minutes, until lightly golden brown on top.
Make the optional glaze:
Combine the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. If the glaze is too thick, add more milk. If too thin, add more powdered sugar.
Let the scones cool for at least 15 minutes, then drizzle some of the glaze onto each scone. Let the glaze set before serving.
Recipe Notes
- May also use whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour. A gluten free flour mix would probably work, but I haven't tried it.
- You can sub the vegan butter with coconut oil that is hard. Cut it into the dry ingredients the same way.
Serving: 1serving Calories: 322kcal Carbohydrates: 55g Protein: 4g Fat: 10g Saturated Fat: 2g Sodium: 274mg Potassium: 203mg Fiber: 2g Sugar: 29g Vitamin A: 542IU Vitamin C: 1mg Calcium: 105mg Iron: 2mg
source: https://www.noracooks.com/vegan-blueberry-scones/


text: Steve Beeley August 28, 2016 - posted by Jon Ellis (25) (0) It was with enormous sadness that I heard today that one of my friends Steven Beeley has passed away. For those of you who didn't know him, he was super intelligent, honest, generous, funny and liberally-minded. We managed to hit it off in seconds, it was impossible not to like Steve. Steve was a key figure... Read more » Read Full Entry | 0 Comments


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GLAMFA (Greater LA MFA) Exhibition
GLAMFA (Greater LA MFA) Exhibition
Curated by: James Adams, Michael Bernard, Carol Cheh, Desiree DeVirgilio, McLean Fahnestock, Christen Sperry-Garcia
1250 Bellflower Boulevard
Long Beach, CA
Long Beach, CA
September 9th, 2007 - September 20th, 2007
Opening: September 9th, 2007 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Greater Los Angeles MFA Exhibition
Group show of current and recent MFA students from the metro LA area, Southern California and beyond curated by MFA studio art and MA art history students at CSULB.
Please visit www.greaterlamfa.com for more information.
CSULB MFA students do not curate themselves into the GLAMFA exhibition, but they will open their studios to the public on September 9th, 2-9pm, in conjunction with the opening of GLAMFA. Visit www.artgrads.com for more information on open studios.
From the 405 or 605: Take the 22 West until it turns into 7th Street. Continue west to the second traffic signal, East Campus Road. Turn right and proceed to either lot 7 (immediately on your left) or lot 8 (on your left about 1/4 mile down the road).
Contact: James Adams, firstname.lastname@example.com
ArtSlant has shutdown. The website is currently running in a view-only mode to allow archiving of the content.
The website will be permanently closed shortly, so please retrieve any content you wish to save.
The website will be permanently closed shortly, so please retrieve any content you wish to save.


text: After more than a year of delays, the boardwalk amusement center in Ocean City, New Jersey, at last opened Wild Waves, the third of its three-coaster complex, on September 6. Custom designed to surround the more vertical and narrow footprint of Gale Force (an S&S multilaunch coaster that opened in July), Wild Waves is a custom dipper-style coaster, which features a split lift and two full circuits around the taller, more extreme coaster. While the ride is aimed at all ages, even well-traveled ACE members have praised the sharp airtime and visual close calls with overhead structures. Wild Waves is a product of E&F Miler Industries, a company perhaps better known for its kid-sized coasters.


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About our company to undertake the hospital service agent manufacturers RepairsBeijing Hua Ze Kangnuo Technology Co., Ltd.Professional medical equipment maintenance service providers
With the development of people's social rhythm of life is becoming faster and faster , and the time seems people are becoming increasingly inadequate. A wide range of medical devices , people often can not all be familiar with . Consequences is often caused by unfamiliar looking for a machine because of accessories, or to repair a machine and wasting half a day or even a day to come to come to repair supply company . The Company is resident in considering this aspect , the use of a number of joint relations vendors maintenance engineer , co- founded Beijing HuazekangnuoTechnology Limited. The purpose of the establishment of the company is the use of various vendors resources , each engineer connections , to create an information exchange, resource sharing , joint repair, joint sales of professional medical equipment service company. Allocation of resources by the powerful integration technology enabling a more comprehensive system for individual hospitals, various medical companies to provide the most comprehensive medical equipment sales and maintenance services.
Beijing HuaZe connor technology co., LTD. All rights reservedTelephone: fax: 13391816794 13391816794Beijing qinghe peace zhuang east road, haidian district, tower 2, 18, 302


text:
Opened 9 years ago
Closed 9 years ago
#444 closed defect (invalid)
x264 rev. 2074 - part of image jumping with some presets and strange bitrate dependance
|Reported by:
|Owned by:
|Blocked By:
|Reproduced by developer:
|Analyzed by developer:
I have almost fully static 1920x1080p 25fps scene: dark bottom with some tree branches shaking within no more then 10 pixels and slow clouds passing by. In 30 sec of the whole scene there are couple of ~2 sec chunks, where bottom of the image begin to jump with ~0.2 sec period, up and down with visual amplitude 8-16 pixels. This happens only with "--preset" settings slow, slower and "harder". More "light" presets work pretty. Initial file is .mts, decoded through ffdshow/AviSynth. The command line is:
x264 --preset slower -b 6 -r 8 --crf 18 -o file.mkv file.avs
Players were Classic Media Player and VideLan? VLC, showing the same.
Varying -b and -r parameters doesn't help, so lack of memory for decoding is not very probable reason (Core Duo 2.8 GHz, 2GB RAM)
Also, in this and close situation, with only slooowly moving and transforming clouds in the frame: veryfast, faster, fast, normal presets sequence gives growing bitrate! When visualising motion vectors in ffmpeg plugin, more "hard" preset shows longer vectors.
Change History (3)
comment:1 Changed 9 years ago by cehoyos
Please explain if there is a problem with FFmpeg and if yes what the problem is.
(x264 is a different, independent application.)
comment:2 Changed 9 years ago by Dimon
No ,actually FFmpeg itself doesn't cause any problem.
I'm here from VideoLAN page.
http://www.videolan.org/developers/x264.html "BUGS" in the bottom
If I am at the wrong address please delete the ticket.
comment:3 Changed 9 years ago by cehoyos
- Keywords mts x264 block jumping removed
- Resolution set to invalid
- Status changed from new to closed
First read the FFmpeg bug report guidelines.
Then report your bug to http://mailman.videolan.org/listinfo/x264-devel


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The Dokdo (Takeshima by Japan) conflict has been ongoing and it strains the bilateral relations between Korea and Japan. Recently, Japan has left a soar taste for Koreans with their approved textbooks claiming Dokdo belongs to Japan. The book states that S. Korea illegally occupies the territory and is approved by the Japanese government. Therefore, S. Korea retaliated by playing a 30 second video at Times Square in New York showing Dokdo as a territory to S. Korea. Plus, handing out thousands of bracelets with the words "Dokdo is Korean Territory" and "East Sea is Korea" written on them. This leaves the question: What makes Dokdo such a special place
Dokdo's fame comes from its abundant supply of gas hydrate, which is the solid state of natural gas. It is a critical source of natural energy and is about ten times greater than any existing source of natural gas. Thus, without rhyme or reason Japan has made a claim to the Dokdo region because of its abundant natural resources. Thus, is Japan's claim valid
The Japanese have long known about the existence of Takeshima or in ancient times as "Matsushima". This is clear from many references both on maps and in text. Two families in 1618 were given permission by Tokugawa Shogunate and every year the families went fishing around the island. Thereby, the two families would give some of their fish to Shogunate as a tribute. Thus, during the mid 17 century, early Edo period Japan established sovereignty over Takeshima.
During 1905, Korea made no protest against Japan's takeover of Takeshima. Furthermore, Korea is an occupied nation and is in no place to defend its alleged claim. Thus, Japan lays claim to the island with its effective occupation during 1905 to 1945
To this day, Japan continues to insist that Takeshima is the rightful territory won during its war, which Japan retains the territorial rights of the island.
Dokdo has long been a part of Korean heritage since the early 500s, and the first Japanese written record on Dokdo, admits this fact. (Note: Japan went on a mission during their colonial rule to confiscate and burn all Korean history texts in an effort to eradicate the Korean way of life.)
Japan's government claims that Korea did not make a protest, but Korea has documents showing that both the government and people absolutely rejected it. Korean soldiers were sent to Dokdo by the new government in 1948, before the 1951 Treaty of San Francisco. Thus, Japan cannot claim Dokdo violates the treaty. On top of that with "SCAPIN No. 677" means areas of Japan will be restored to its owner.
Dokdo is currently inhabited by Koreans, which includes the Korean police and some residents, but no Japanese inhabitants.


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The Liberal Party of Canada has a vicious little bigot sitting in an executive position:
Dunja Stajic is a long-time Liberal activist and vice-president, communications on the national executive of the Young Liberals of Canada. According to her LinkedIn profile, she is also the front office receptionist at Liberal premier Wade MacLauchlan's office in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. The trouble for Stajic began around eight in the morning on July 2, when she sent five tweets in just under 10 minutes. (see here)
4 days later and Stajic is still on the executive of the Liberal's youth wing and apparently still employed by the PEI Liberal premier. Telling huh?
Update: Ex-Liberal cabinet minister Ujjal Dosanjh is calling on Trudeau to remove Stajic:
Update: Stajic has now been forced out
Late Sunday evening Ricochet heard from Liberal sources that Stajic had resigned. This was confirmed shortly before 11 p.m. EST in a statement from president of the Young Liberals, Justin Kaiser. (see here)
But still not one word of this from any major media outlet.


text: The annual National Geographic Bee return s for the 2 6 th consecutive year . This year, award - winning journal ist, speaker, producer and television host Soledad O'Brien will serve as host and moderator. The 20 1 4 N ational Geographic Bee will feature fourth - to eighth - graders vying for the Bee crown and the top prize of a $ 50 ,000 college scholarship and lifetime me mbership in the National Geographic Society. Second and third prizes are college scholarships of $15,000 and $10,000 . The finalists, all winners of their state - level geographic bees, have triumphed over a field of nearly 4 million students to earn a place in the national championships. They represent the 50 states, District of Columbia, Atlantic Territories, Pacific Territories and Department of Defense Dependents Schools.


text:
There haven't been a lot of studies on halo nevus, which is also known as Sutton nevus. There isn't a lot of information on the causes of it. Old wives' tales say that it was the mark of the devil, link to previous lives, sign of good luck, location of an illness or disease, blessed by God, kissed by an angel, and ability to curse.
The location and size of the mole along with the time in history would determine the meaning in the medical community, none of these reasons matter. In some people, a mole will trigger an autoimmune response that causes the skin around the mole to depigment eventually overtake the mole. In rare instances the cause of a halo nevus is skin cancer, which is also known as melanoma.
The only problem with a halo nevus is that they can be cosmetically unsightly.
Halo Nevus Studies And Research
It is rare that the cause of this type of skin lesion or blemish is caused by a medical condition, so there aren't a lot of studies done on them. Available research funds are usually used for other medical conditions. Some families seem to have more halo nevus than others, but it hasn't been determined if there is a genetic link. People with Turner syndrome are more likely to develop halo nevus.
A recent study that is mentioned in Journal Watch on this type of skin lesion has shown the following results:
- Removal for melanoma is rare
- Persistent depigmentation without a residual nevus
- Partial repigmentation
- Cosmetic removal sometimes occurs
- Regression with halo
- Complete repigmentation can occur
The Formation of Depigmentation Around A Mole
Many people have moles, and some people have more than others. There are moles that people are born with that are referred to as a birthmark, and there are others that develop as people age.
In general moles are common. They are monitored and mapped because the first signs of melanoma can be moles that change in appearance, texture, and shape. It is not surprising that a halo nevus can cause concern of cancer though it is really quite rare.
In some people, a mole will stimulate the immune system and the resulting autoimmune response will be the skin around the mole and will become depigments turning whitish. Sometimes it will eventually overtake the mole and later the halo will repigment and match the surrounding skin leaving no trace of the halo nevus.
Basic Statistics
Some of the information known about the development of a halo nevus:
- No gender preference
- Onset begins in mid to late teens
- May last a lifetime with no changes
- Could run in families
- Commonly benign
- No race preference
- About 1% of people in the US are affected
The biggest fear is that it is a sign of cancer though it is not. When there are signs or symptoms of melanoma, it is important to consult with a medical professional.
Skin Cancer Signs and Symptoms
Only a healthcare professional can diagnose skin cancer and determine if the cause of a halo nevus is cancer. If melanoma is suspected, a biopsy is done and if there are cancer cells the cancer and surrounding tissue is removed. A mole that changes in color, size, texture, or bleeds is one of the symptoms of melanoma.
These are some of the signs of skin cancer according to the Mayo Clinic:
- Pearl or wax-like bump
- Flat scar-like lesion
- Solid red nodule
- Flat crusty or scaly lesion
- Large brown spot with speckles
- A lesion with an irregular border
- Swollen lymph nodes
Anytime cancer is suspected it is best to err on the side of caution and get checked. Early diagnosis is the key to successfully surviving any cancer. If there is not cancer present there is no reason to remove a halo nevus but some people choose to so for cosmetic reasons.
Cosmetic Removal of Moles, Blemishes, and Halo Nevus
No matter what the cause is, there are certain people who find the halo nevus unattractive to the point where they decide to have it removed. Any invasive medical procedure comes with risks that should be taken into account when choosing to optional procedures like cosmetic removal of a skin blemish or lesion.
One of the risks includes scarring that can be more unsightly than the lesion being removed. The removal procedure is often done in the office or as an outpatient procedure. A laser may be able to remove it, or it may need to be removed with a scalpel knife. The healing time can vary between 1-2 weeks with the scar taking several months to disappear.
As with any invasive procedure there is a risk of infection. The most serious type of disease is a staph infection that is resistant to antibiotic treatment, like MRSA or VRSA.
The wives' tale that explain the cause of moles and skin blemishes like a halo nevus are more interesting and entertaining than the medical causes of this type of skin lesion, but the fact remains that they are a benign skin lesion that doesn't commonly need any medical attention.


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Archive for March, 2012
Why Radon Mitigation is Important in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Radon gas is a toxic chemical that has become an increasingly serious problem in many developed areas. If radon gas accumulates sufficiently in an enclosed space, it can cause a variety of health problems, including lung cancer. Newer advances in research have pinpointed the causes of this substance's buildup; as a result, technological measures can now be employed to prevent the toxic gas fumes from building up to harmful levels within buildings and water supplies. SWAT Environmental's radon mitigation experts can use several different methods as necessary to combat this hazard. The specific techniques necessary for your home will depend on its unique situation.
Naturally occurring uranium in the soil is one of the leading causes of radon gas buildup in this area; as the uranium breaks down, it releases the radon gas as a byproduct. Many local buildings have been found to contain excessive amounts of radon gas because the ground beneath the building generated it. The gas then rose upwards and slipped between cracks or gaps in the building's foundation. Since radon gas cannot be detected by normal human senses, it is important that you have your house or office tested regularly to ensure that you and your family are protected.
People who live in the Pittsburgh region should consult with SWAT Environmental experts especially quickly due to radon gas's prevalence in this area. It is prudent to have SWAT's technicians test both your home's air and its water for this dangerous gas. Since you will have no idea when you are being exposed to radon, you may not be aware of its connection to health problems. Having your air and water supply tested can ensure that you, your family and your guests are protected from the harmful effects of radon gas.
SWAT Environmental Radon Mitigation Pittsburgh
If your radon gas test from SWAT Environmental shows that your home does contain too much radon, the next step is to begin the radon mitigation. Often one of the first strategies SWAT's experts will employ is simply locating and sealing all the spaces and cracks by which the gas enters your home from the ground. This is not a permanent solution on its own, since new cracks can develop later, but it will help alleviate the problem. In most homes it is also necessary to install specially designed systems to increase air circulation or pressure to prevent the accumulation of the radon gas in your home. Water systems, especially those connected to private wells, can also allow radon into your home; they may need to be supplied with an aeration or filtration system as well.
Fortunately, SWAT Environmental's radon mitigation experts can ensure that all of these systems are installed in as unobtrusive and undisruptive a manner as possible. Considering the potential consequences of inaction, you could quite literally be protecting your life and that of your family by having SWAT Environmental perform your home's radon mitigation.
- Pittsburgh, PA, 15203 USA
email@example.com • 412-261-1975


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Make this cardboard box airplane for your young pilots to fly, the craft is for a big box so that child can fit in, but you can make a smaller version to put toy people in. An easy idea to recycle cardboard boxes. The site have step by step instructions and photos.
Here is the link:


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Here I am wearing those items.
Recently I finished up the straight skirt and the 3/4 sleeve top with pieced front. The print is so crazy I am not sure how obvious the piecing is.
Together the impression of a dress.
Tomorrow I will try showing me wearing them. The fit is quite good. I would wear these in cooler weather with black tights and tall black leather boots, a black jacket and a white, green or silver necklace.


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PNPT1 gene
polyribonucleotide nucleotidyltransferase 1
The information on this page was automatically extracted from online scientific databases.
From NCBI Gene:
The protein encoded by this gene belongs to the evolutionary conserved polynucleotide phosphorylase family comprised of phosphate dependent 3'-to-5' exoribonucleases implicated in RNA processing and degradation. This enzyme is predominantly localized in the mitochondrial intermembrane space and is involved in import of RNA to mitochondria. Mutations in this gene have been associated with combined oxidative phosphorylation deficiency-13 and autosomal recessive nonsyndromic deafness-70. Related pseudogenes are found on chromosomes 3 and 7. [provided by RefSeq, Dec 2012]
From UniProt:
RNA-binding protein implicated in numerous RNA metabolic processes. Catalyzes the phosphorolysis of single-stranded polyribonucleotides processively in the 3'-to-5' direction. Mitochondrial intermembrane factor with RNA-processing exoribonulease activity. Component of the mitochondrial degradosome (mtEXO) complex, that degrades 3' overhang double-stranded RNA with a 3'-to-5' directionality in an ATP-dependent manner. Involved in the degradation of non-coding mitochondrial transcripts (MT-ncRNA) and tRNA-like molecules (PubMed:29967381). Required for correct processing and polyadenylation of mitochondrial mRNAs. Plays a role as a cytoplasmic RNA import factor that mediates the translocation of small RNA components, like the 5S RNA, the RNA subunit of ribonuclease P and the mitochondrial RNA-processing (MRP) RNA, into the mitochondrial matrix. Plays a role in mitochondrial morphogenesis and respiration; regulates the expression of the electron transport chain (ETC) components at the mRNA and protein levels. In the cytoplasm, shows a 3'-to-5' exoribonuclease mediating mRNA degradation activity; degrades c-myc mRNA upon treatment with IFNB1/IFN-beta, resulting in a growth arrest in melanoma cells. Regulates the stability of specific mature miRNAs in melanoma cells; specifically and selectively degrades miR-221, preferentially. Plays also a role in RNA cell surveillance by cleaning up oxidized RNAs. Binds to the RNA subunit of ribonuclease P, MRP RNA and miR-221 microRNA.
Covered on Genetics Home Reference:
From NCBI Gene:
- Deafness, autosomal recessive 70
- Combined oxidative phosphorylation deficiency 13
From UniProt:
Combined oxidative phosphorylation deficiency 13 (COXPD13): A mitochondrial disorder characterized by early onset severe encephalomyopathy, dystonia, choreoathetosis, bucofacial dyskinesias and combined mitochondrial respiratory chain deficiency. Nerve conductions velocities are decreased. Levels of plasma and cerebrospinal fluid lactate are increased. [MIM:614932]
Deafness, autosomal recessive, 70 (DFNB70): A form of non-syndromic deafness characterized by severe, bilateral hearing impairment with prelingual onset, resulting in inability to acquire normal speech. [MIM:614934]
Cytogenetic Location: 2p16.1, which is the short (p) arm of chromosome 2 at position 16.1
Molecular Location: base pairs 55,634,061 to 55,693,853 on chromosome 2 (Homo sapiens Updated Annotation Release 109.20200228, GRCh38.p13) (NCBI)
- old-35


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See what's happening at your local co-op - Sign up for the Outpost Newsletter!
Outpost Natural Foods exists so that our owners have a healthy, diverse, and sustainable community. We will accomplish this while maintaining the long-term strength of the cooperative.
View all Events
7:00 am - 9:00 pm All Outpost Store Locations
1 Angelic Bakehouse Flatzza
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1/2 pound of boneless, skinless chicken thighs, sliced
1/2 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce (we like to use Two Fat Guys Smoky BBQ sauce) plus any additional BBQ sauce if desired
1/2 cup Country Connections Applewood Smoked Gouda Cheese, shredded
1/2 small red onion, sliced
1/2 red or green bell pepper, sliced
1. In a large skillet, add chicken and the BBQ sauce and cook over medium heat until chicken is done (about 10-15 minutes). While the chicken is cooking, sauté the onions and peppers in a separate pan with the 1/2 tablespoon olive oil.
2. Brush the Flatzza with olive oil and top with the chicken and BBQ sauce mixture from the skillet, any additional BBQ sauce (if desired), sautéed onions and peppers, and shredded smoked Gouda cheese.
3. Throw the pizza on the grill over medium-high heat until the Flatzza crust is golden and the cheese melts.
Per serving (1/2 pizza): 586 calories, 19g fat, 4g sat fat, 1267mg sodium, 62g carbohydrates, 7g fat, 43g protein, 270mg calcium
Central Offices — 3200 S. 3rd St. Milwaukee, WI 53207 — Phone (414) 431-3377 — Fax (414) 431-4522
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Mayor Walsh has a weak hand with the state gaming commission, but at least he's playing it as aggressively as he can. The state gambling law, which Walsh supported as a state representative in 2011, gives cities little power to stop casinos outside their geographic borders. So even though the two proposed Greater Boston-area casinos — one in Everett, the other in Revere — sit on Boston's doorstep and would clog the city's bridges and highways, it looks unlikely that Boston will qualify as a "host community" under the legislation's narrow definition. But the mayor still has some tools to defend the city's interests, and he's right to use them.
Since Walsh took office in January, the city's first line of attack has been to claim that, in fact, Boston counts as a host community for both sites. Both rely on Boston's airport. Further, Boston's lawyers say the gaming commission has no authority to rule the city lacks host status. And, while arguing there's nothing for the commission to decide, Walsh also wants Gaming Commission chair Steve Crosby to recuse himself from any decision, arguing that he's biased against the city. It's a kitchen-sink strategy, with the city throwing out tactics and hoping that one will stick.
Walsh's stated goal is to secure an up-or-down referendum on the Everett plan for voters in next-door Charlestown, and a vote on the Revere plan for next-door East Boston. If Boston is indeed a host community, such a vote would be required before the commission can grant a license. But ordering a vote in Boston would delay, and probably doom, both plans. The Everett proposal is unpopular in Charlestown because of traffic concerns, and East Boston voters already rejected an earlier incarnation of the proposal for a casino at Suffolk Downs that was much more favorable to the neighborhood than the current blueprint.
It's not clear, though, if a referendum is really what Walsh is after. After all, he's also said that he's "not looking to kill anything." The mayor may have decided that talking tough with the commission is the only way to put pressure on the casino operators to cough up better terms for Boston. Steve Wynn, the Las Vegas mogul backing the Everett plan, could do more to mitigate traffic in Charlestown, and Suffolk Downs could restore the benefits it promised the East Boston community last year. If the city's legal maneuvering doesn't force Wynn and Suffolk Downs to do more, Walsh still has a few more arrows left in his quiver: He could threaten to throw his weight behind the effort to repeal the casino law unless the two developers meet his demands for Boston.
While battling politically, though, Walsh and the city's lawyers should still put up their strongest legal arguments in front of the gaming commission as it weighs the issue on Thursday. While winning recognition as a host community at Everett is unlikely, the Suffolk Downs plan is murkier. Until November, there was no question that both Boston and Revere counted as host communities for Suffolk Downs, since the property straddles the border. But when East Boston voters rejected the casino proposal, the racetrack hastily revised its plan, moving the planned casino facilities to the Revere side. The track then entered an agreement with Mohegan Sun to run the casino, making the track a nominally separate entity, in hopes commissioners won't view the track, which is mostly in East Boston, as part of the casino. That's a dubious shell-game — a "legal fiction," as casino opponents aptly put it. When Suffolk Downs officials warned recently that this racing season may be the last unless Mohegan Sun gets a casino license, they further undercut any notion that the track is an independent enterprise. Walsh and the city can make a strong case that the commission should reject the charade.


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About Forever Young BBL
Forever Young BBL by Sciton is a ground-breaking broadband light therapy that keeps you looking "forever young" by actually changing the DNA of your skin and putting the brakes on the natural aging process.
The Forever Young BBL laser delivers infrared light and visible light down through the epidermis and the dermis, stimulating molecular changes deep within the skin. Older, damaged genes are altered in such a way that their gene expressions are changed to resemble that of young, healthy genes. The result is skin that not only appears younger, but actually behaves younger for incredibly long lasting results.
Forever Young BBL is most commonly performed to greatly improve and correct the appearance of many skin conditions including:
- Wrinkles, lines and sagging skin
- Improve quality of life and self confidence
- Age spots, sun spots, liver spots and brown spots
- Birthmarks, freckles, uneven skin tone, blotchiness
What to expect
- Step 1Consultation
- Step 2Preparation
- Step 3Treatment
- Step 4Recovery
- Step 5Results
Step 1 Consultation
A thorough consultation is an important first step when deciding if Forever Young BBL therapy is the right option for you. We thoroughly discuss your desired results and provide an honest, professional opinion on how best to achieve those results. We also make certain that you are a good candidate for treatment, taking into account your skin type, age, health, medical background and other factors that could affect the safety and effectiveness of your treatment. All of our consultations are conducted with the goal of making sure our patients feel comfortable, confident and informed about Forever Young BBL therapy.
Step 2 Preparation
The day of your treatment, please remove all makeup and lotion before you arrive and wear comfortable clothing that allows access to the treatment areas.
Step 3 Treatment
Before your treatment, we will answer any questions that may have come up since your consultation. Every effort is made to make certain that all of your concerns are addressed and you are as comfortable as possible. During the treatment, you will be seated or lying down depending on what area of your body is being treated.
You may feel a slight warming sensation as the light is absorbed into the treatment area. We are happy to provide a topical anesthetic to maximize your comfort level.
Your skin is cleansed and your eyes are covered with protective safety shields before the treatment begins. Your Detroit Plastic Surgery technician will customize your treatment specifically for your skin type. When it is time begin, a laser hand is positioned gently on the skin. Depending on the size of the treatment area, a Forever Young BBL session takes between 30 and 45 minutes.
Forever Young BBL treatments are non-invasive and offer minimal discomfort. You may feel a slight warming sensation as the light is absorbed into the treatment area. We are happy to provide a topical anesthetic to maximize your comfort level.
Step 4 Recovery
Most people are ready to return to work and their normal activities immediately after a treatment.
Step 5 Results
Skin's tone and texture are refined, radiance is renewed, wrinkles and lines are smoothed away and pigmentation issues are drastically improved.
Q: Will my insurance cover BBL Forever Young?
No, Forever Young BBL is strictly a cosmetic service not covered by insurance
Q: Will Forever Young BBL have a natural result?
Patients who maintain a regular regimen of BBL treatments annually can reduce and delay the long term signs of skin aging in a way that looks very natural.
Q: How long will the results last?
Up to 10 years with maintenance treatments.
Q: What are the risks with Forever Young BBL?
Short term risks may include reddening, mild burning or blistering. A brownish/red darkening of the skin may occur at time of treatment.


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Ticket #10832 (closed defect: obsolete)
Installer: Error in permissions and handling of umask => Fixed in SVN
|Reported by:
|Owned by:
|VirtualBox 4.1.18
|permiissions, umask
|Guest type:
|Host type:
We recently updated a linux machine running 4.1.14 to 4.1.18 (the "all distributions" version), and struggled to get VirtualBox running again. It would start as root, but gave various errors when run as a user. The problem turned out to be fairly simple: both the folder /etc/vbox and the folder /opt/VirtualBox/components had the permissions "rwxr-x---", I suspect because of the installing user having a umask of 027. Granting read and execute permissions on these folders allowed users to run VirtualBox again.
Summary: the installer does not take the current umask into account and leaves the installation in an unusable state.
Error messages seen as a result of this:
- Could not find VirtualBox installation. Please reinstall.
- Failed to create the VirtualBox COM object. (NS_ERROR_FACTORY_NOT_REGISTERED)
Change History
comment:1 Changed 8 years ago by frank
- Summary changed from Installer: Error in permissions and handling of umask to Installer: Error in permissions and handling of umask => Fixed in SVN
Thanks for the report. The final 4.2 release will contain a fix (a simple 'umask 022' in the installer script).
comment:2 Changed 4 years ago by aeichner
- Status changed from new to closed
- Resolution set to obsolete
Please reopen if still relevant with a recent VirtualBox release.


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HomeProjectsTransportation Facility
As Gujarat has a
Varity of
Geographical situation in 33 districts and 4 million plus cities the problems of rural and urban areas are different due to
socio cultural, economic and geographical reason. Transportation facility is required in
rural area mostly due to problems like scattered, hilly, forest preserved, desert and
bates covered area. Due to this reason, opening school is not viable due to either neighborhood norms of school opening under RTE Act or less potential number of children
be enrolled in urban and million plus city geographical circumstances are so different
then the rural. In urban areas problems are like
non availability of land, migration, overcrowded population, increasing slum areas at the border side, construction
work and traffic. Due to these problems opening
new school is not viable and children can't attend school regularly or drop out
form the system due to not stable life of families
specially children of slum areas and children of deprived group can't come to school due to this reason. Need base proposal is being prepared for the needy and children of deprived group for better implementation of RTE Act and regular attendance of children for the completion of
elementary cycle. Micro planning is prepared as per the guideline of MHRD from School Management Committee (SMC) to State Project Office.
Objective of Transport facility


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Blueberry French Toast
As shared by Mari @ Once Upon a Plate (www.onceuponaplate1.com)
1 loaf French bread, sliced and cut into 1 inch cubes
2 (8 ounce packages) cream cheese, cut into 1 inch cubes (I use 1 package)
1 cup fresh blueberries, rinsed
12 large eggs
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 cups milk
Grease or spray with cooking oil a 13" x 9" baking pan.
Place half the bread cubes evenly in the pan. Scatter cream cheese over bread and then scatter blueberries over all. Arrange remaining bread cubes over the top. In a large bowl, combine eggs, syrup and milk. Pour over bread mixture. Cover and chill overnight.
Next day, bake casserole at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, covered with foil. Remove foil after 30 minutes and cook for 30 more minutes, until puffy. While casserole bakes, make Blueberry Syrup.*
Top blueberry casserole with some of the Blueberry Syrup, and pass the rest at the table.
Blueberry Syrup
1 cup sugar (I use about 3/4 cup sugar)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup water
1 cup blueberries
1 tablespoon butter
In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and water over medium heat. Cook 5 minutes until thickened, stirring. Add 1 cup blueberries and simmer, stirring for 10 minutes. Add butter and blend.
*You can make the blueberry syrup one to two days ahead if you desire, refrigerate until
serving time.(Best served warm.)
Click HERE to return to Once Upon a Plate


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We strongly encourage our vendors and party planners to adhere to safety guidelines provided by the WHO, CDC, and federal and local governments. Get tips for postponing events or hosting virtual parties here. Please contact us with any questions or concerns.
Between allergies and special diets like gluten-free and vegan trying to find party foods to serve that everyone can eat is becoming increasingly difficult ... and that's before people's New Year's resolutions start to kick in.
The first thing to remember is that unless you're planning a dinner party you don't actually have to provide a ton of food that everyone can eat. People with restricted or special diets know better than to come to a party hungry. It's polite and thoughtful to include a few dishes that everyone can eat, but not everyone has to eat everything that you serve. Remember also that almost everyone can eat fruits and vegetables.
If you're serving cheese and crackers, provide slices of cucumber or apple that can be used in place of the crackers for those on wheat or gluten free diets. Your vegan (no animal products, including dairy) friends can munch on the slices without the cheese, as can those trying to lose weight. Separation is also key. Nuts provide a great and filling food for vegetarians and gluten-free folks, but are obviously a problem for those with nut allergies. Bowls of nuts can be set out away from the other foods, and any food with "hidden"nuts should be labeled. Although "veggie shooters" small cups with veggies and dip have become popular and look great, they're not great if you're expecting guests with different restrictions.
Photo Courtesy of The Hip Hostess
But, presentation is important. Simply presenting simple foods attractively can go a long way towards making your guests feel satisfied. What are your go-to foods for mixed diet groups? Share in the comments.


text: RAPPORT Political Risk and crisis management insurance Opportunities for growth KPMG 30 juli 2016 The challenging macro-economic environment, recent terrorist attacks in France, Belgium and other countries, growing cyber threats, and not least, political uncertainty caused by the recent EU Referendum vote demonstrate a clear demand-supply gap and a need for appropriate insurance solutions. The overall Political Risk and Crisis Management insurance market size is estimated to be around $8.1bn, with almost all key sub-segments showing positive demand growth (particularly, in the cyber security segment) but this is strongly undermined by challenging macro-economic conditions around the world as well as continuous influx of alternative capital. The soft market environment and profitability challenges are unlikely to go away in 2017, forcing insurance carriers and brokers to find ways to innovate and seek partnerships outside insurance. Key findings The growth might have stalled but not forever. There are three key areas that are likely to see significant developments over the next few years: 1) Emergence of products to support capital relief requirements for banking clients 2) Political Risk and Crisis Management insurance moving away from simple protection cover, with greater focus on prevention and response consulting services 3) Growing customer demand for solutions against the changing terrorism risk and cyber security challenges. Naar dit rapport >