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I've been back in Perth for a week now.
How lovely it was to touch down at 530am, get through immigration quickly, and see my bag almost as soon as I got to the carousel at baggage claim. I had no problems getting through customs either. It was all really quick and easy, really.
The flight was okay – I never really sleep well while flying anyway. I had gotten maybe a grand total of 2 hours' sleep. I was TIRED.
But when I walked through the exit and into the arrivals lounge, my eyes scanning the crowd for my new boyfriend (of less than 2 months), I felt my lethargy melt away when I saw him. Standing there, smiling at me, waving.
I walked up to him, we embraced and the first words he said to me: "I missed you."
It was lovely. I had been away for just over 3 weeks. A long time to be away from someone you just got together with. Nevertheless, the shyness disappeared and it was like 'old times' again. Like I'd never left.
Except, I had. For more than 3 weeks. And in that time, a lot happened with him and myself.
He was super busy. Working from home, for himself, the workload had skyrocketed. December had been a quiet period; the end of Jan was when it all started to pick up and go crazy again.
And here I was, basically a bum with nothing to do. So while he had meetings and video conferences and emails to write and people to hound (and so much money owed to him, while at the same time needing to pay for a bunch of stuff), I had… nothing to do.
I hung out with my friends. But they work, too. And some are not even in the country. So for company and entertainment, I sometimes had to rely on my busy boyfriend. I felt bad; I felt like I was in his way. I didn't want to be too demanding, but I was going stir-crazy at his place. He'd be holed up in his office, working away and I'd be… watching Just Shoot Me, or Modern Family, or whatever it was he put on for me to keep me entertained.
It's an awful feeling sometimes, when someone has so much going on in their lives and at the same time tries to do everything they can to keep you occupied and happy, yet you still feel… bored and cabin-feverish. I wanted to go out and DO stuff. But he didn't really have time for all that, not at the moment. Things were picking up for his business(es) and only getting better. He's smart, charismatic, ambitious – of course he's got heaps of people wanting his services and expertise. (Myself included – haw, haw, haw).
Anyways. The reason I am such a BUM with NOTHING to do is because I am waiting for the University to send me my COE – Confirmation of Enrollment. I paid for the first semester's fees on Monday and was told I'd receive it within 48 hours. 5 days later and nothing. It's frustrating because I need to go and apply for my Student Visa as soon as possible (semester starts on the 28th and I haven't even enrolled in any units!), and I can't do it without the COE.
For God's sake, what's taking so long? Checking my email every day is excruciating when I haven't received anything. I called them yesterday and was assured that I'd receive the COE by the end of the day.
Noooope, it's still not THERE!
Please, ECU, I beg of you, send it to me so I can get moving on this thing!! And so I have something to DO while my boyfriend works!
God damn. I can't wait for semester to start so I can stop feeling so useless.


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Employers and industry should expect high quality training and assessment from registered training organisations (RTOs). A key function of the Training Accreditation Council (TAC) is to ensure that training providers operate within the national quality assurance arrangements to meet employer and industry expectations.
In this section, employers and industry can find information about:
industry training packages
technical advisors
memoranda of understanding
industry regulators
complaints information.
The Client Qualifications Register (CQR) is a system for recording student achievements of nationally recognised training, achieved at RTOs that are registered by TAC.
The data held on the CQR is used to provide records of achievement to students following the closure of an RTO. The CQR also provides employers with an avenue to verify qualifications, with approval from the employee.
For an employer to request verification of an employee's qualification, the employer - employee records verification form must be completed and submitted to the TAC Secretariat to the details on the form or emailed to email@example.com.
The data TAC can provide is limited based on what the organisation provided to TAC on its closure.
TAC cannot provide an extract of the records to the employer; it can only verify whether the evidence provided matches the information on the CQR.
Should the employee require an extract of the data from the CQR, the employee should complete the student records request form, and any records will be sent directly to the individual.
TAC policies and guidelines
Standards for RTOs 2015

subset: commoncrawl


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James Eccles (1885-1983)
In Hong Kong Harbor
Oil on Canvas
24 x 28 inches
Signed Lower Left
This painting SOLD in our 3rd Annual Sale of Historic Indiana Art.
This painting was featured in our weekly email on 12/8/17 along with the following gallery comments:
James Eccles retired from a banking career a little early and spent the better part of the rest of his long life painting. He combined this with a love of travel and so his work has three typical settings: Brown County, the Virgin Islands (and surrounding) and the Far East. Today's work, In Hong Kong Harbor (Eccles' title), is obviously the latter. And I believe we have a smaller study of the same subject (you can see it here). It's a beautiful painting in Eccles typical high-key style which is prominent throughout of the subject of the fishing junk. The painting has been cleaned and conserved and it's housed in the artist-created frame and ready to hang.
Would you like more information about this artwork? Please contact us.


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Read more →
Nature is the New Luxury
To aid in the achieving of the United Nations Millennium and Sustainable Development Goals by protecting and conserving assets of nature and culture through sustainable tourism.
To provide a luxury, low volume authentic eco lodge which stewards cultural and biological diversity preservation by integrating sustainable, environmental and socially responsible development and management.
To promote tourism to our destination and maximize benefits to our Mayan community.
To mitigate our effect on global warming and move further to becoming carbon neutral.
To convey a better understanding of climate change and individual carbon/water footprints.
To inspire sustainable, healthy and peaceful lifestyles.
Green Transparency – Conservation of air, water, soil, flora & fauna
Energy Conservation
Renewable energy 180 solar panels producing 20 kW of power. Energy saving led and compact fluorescent/low wattage bulbs, solar garden security lights. Electric meters monitor consumption. Solar hot water heating. www.thelagunalodge.com is hosted on a carbon neutral server. WiFi is provided by a solar powered tower on top of Laguna Nature Reserve. Fireplace is fueled with naturally fallen brush wood and non-recyclable construction wood. Natural lighting and ventilation through large opening windows, high ceilings and natural building materials. Solar pumps for water supply. Natural gas stoves and dryer. Pressure cookers. Grow organic produce and purchase locally. Eschew in room appliances. Clocks are water powered. Lawns cut with manual mowers. Batteries are rechargeable. Sports activities are low impact. Boats use efficient 4 stroke motors. Employees arrive by foot or public boat. The lodge provides an electric golf car in Santa Cruz for staff use. Source from local providers and small sustainable suppliers.
Water Conservation
Rainy season planting. Watering in the early morning or late afternoon. Landscaped with edible plants, bananas, papayas, coffee and large hardy succulents. Grey water goes to the garden. Rain water is collected in rainy season. Sheets and towels are replenished with reuse option. Water pressure reduction. Toilets set at low water levels with half flush option. Low flow shower heads. Rain and lake water is cleansed through filters, ultra violet light and reverse osmosis. Water meters and water calculators for measuring and monitoring.
More info on water consumption and pollution in meat production
More info on Water Cycles
Waste Management
Reusable bags, wooden and cardboard boxes are used to bring supplies. Bulk buying and emphasis on fresh un-packaged produce. Food waste is composted for the produce garden. Plastics, paper, metal and glass are taken to re-cycling centers. Lodge staff collect rubbish along the lake shore. Printing is reduced and scrap paper used on both sides. Staff instruction on reduce, reuse, recycle techniques. Weigh inorganic waste to measure consumption reduction. Complementary purified water in suites and at refilling stations and reusable bottles are available. Seedlings are grown in used cardboard containers. Biodegradable plastic bags and use is restricted. Beverages are in glass bottles. Baskets for guest laundry. Used soap treated and donated.
Chemical Reduction
Non-toxic biodegradable phosphate and chlorine free detergents and natural cleaning agents. Smoke and fragrance free rooms, unscented candles. Natural and organic toiletries and spa range. Organic spray aromatherapy. Bathroom tissue is unbleached. Organic cotton bathrobes, and bathrobes and room slippers are made of locally woven fabric. Unbleached paper and recycled paper for printing. Naturally made corn and coffee papers. Linseed oil and water based varnish used for wood preservation. Finishing materials are low/zero VOC and are lead free. Pool is cleansed with salt silver, copper and ultra violet filter. Landscaping and organic food production using natural insecticides, mulch and compost. Natural foods without preservatives, emulsifiers, artificial colors or flavors are served. Insect screens in food preparation areas. Natural fruit extract control. Relocation of larger insects.
More info on Chemical use in Farming
Tsampoj Organic Gardens
Maintain organic gardens producing avocados, vegetables, salad greens, fruit, native plants, herbs, and coffee. Picked daily by our gardeners and delivered on foot to the lodge. Adobe clay is excavated here and blocks handmade and dried in the sun. They are used for lodge construction and the smooth clay for wall finishing.
More info on uneconomical use of land in animal farming
Low Carbon Cuisine
It is not just local and organic provenance that matters in the food chain but our food choices themselves. Sustainable plant sourced food choices are uniquely effective in reducing greenhouse gases and pollution while preserving biodiversity and water. Zotz restaurant serves modern sustainable meat/fish free and plant based cuisine. Produce is predominantly local, natural, and organic. Gourmet menus use local ingredients and traditional recipes. Artisan cheeses, free range eggs, and the lodge gardens fresh organic produce feature in the menus. Organic and carbon neutral wines are included in wine choices. Guests mayvisit the organic gardens and join food preparation demonstrations. Ordering fixed dinner ahead of time and al a carte breakfast reduces wastage.
Natural, Renewable and Recycled Materials
Locally produced cotton towels, handwoven local wool blankets, hypoallergenic bedding and pillows. Hand blown recycled glass and stoneware. Bamboo table mats. Stainless steel kitchen utensils, appliances and equipment. Individual cotton hand towels in restaurant bathroom. Reduced use of paper napkins in favor of hand woven local cloth napkins. Paper is from recycled sources. Electronic mail and white boards for daily information. Local fabrics woven on backstrap looms feature on dining room upholstery and table cloths. Handmade adobe blocks are made at the lodge gardens, and smooth clay used for wall finishing. Wood for construction is from sustainable forestry and some trees were cut on lodge land and replanted. Recycled wood, railway sleepers and reclaimed lumber. Stones washed down in a flood were purchased to clear a disaster area. Local wood fired terracotta tiles and slate. Palm and bamboo are from sustainable plantations on the pacific coast. Local reed mats and cane. Recycled glass and local ceramics. Indigenous antiques. Guests may take behind the house tours to see renewable energy systems and adobe making demonstrations.
Boats run on energy efficient 4 stroke motors. Most employees walk 15 minutes from the local village located on a mountain side in the next bay. Goods are purchased locally. Organic vegetables and eggs delivered on foot. Tour vehicles are diesel.
Knowledge exchange
Work experience exchanges with leading lodges. Attend eco-tourism conferences TIES Norway, presented at TIES Quito 2015, and keynote speakers Global Eco Rottnest Island 2015. Members of the Association of Private Nature Reserves of Guatemala. Enter international ecological awards recognizing contribution to environment, community, innovation.
Finalist position in the World Travel and Tourism Councils Tourism for Tomorrow awards, Environment category 2015, Finalist position in The National Geographic World Legacy Awards, Earth Changer category 2016. Promote visits of government bodies, embassy staff, tour operators, journalists and television/documentary producers. Affiliated with international luxury travel operators, major ecological websites. www.thelagunalodge.com and our Facebook page www.facebook.com/lagunalodge shares ecological information.
Technology and Development
Monitor, evaluate, review operations. Incorporate latest technologies and developments. Benchmarking for further improvement.
Contribution to Local Economy and Cultural Heritage Preservation
Laguna Lodge has incorporated sustainable, ecological, environmental and social principles. Reflecting local and national heritage our designs and use of indigenous materials blend both traditional and contemporary ideas.
Purchase from environmentally conscious service providers. Local indigenous Mayans have been commissioned or have supplied us with antiques, carvings, wooden furnishings, intricate weavings, and paintings. They have provided other services such as the sewing of curtains, carpentry, cushions, and supply of thatch and reed matting. The lodge displays Mayan artifacts found during construction or from the lake area. Lodge décor showcases fabrics woven by men on pedal looms and by women on back strap looms. Paintings, hand carved furniture, masks and sling shots. Foods are from local artisan suppliers. Local woman are supported to sell backstrap loom weaving directly to our guests. Construction and lodge staff are all indigenous and use traditional clothing and Kaqchikel language. The Mayans are masters with rock work and adobe block work from which the lodge is constructed. Tours take guests to visit working villages where organic coffee plantations, traditional weaving and plant based fabric dying can be observed. Guests may partake in Shaman ceremonies, weaving demonstrations, and tortilla making. Mayan guides provide interpretive experiences. Global Code of Ethics in Tourism is promoted in suite manuals.
Employee Education/Gender Equality and empowerment
We employ 100% indigenous Kaqchikel staff of which more than 50% are woman. We provide long term employment with opportunities for personal and professional development in the fields of construction, organic gardening, reserve management, managerial, secretarial, culinary and other services within the lodge. Staff receive information on ecologically sustainable concepts. Notices are posted in staff areas as reminders to reduce-reuse-recycle. Teachers give English lessons and health professionals provide information.
Guest Information
Guests may visit the nature interpretation room. Room manuals have mission/action statements and explain conservation and energy saving measures that guests may participate in. Suites have reading books on Lake Atitlan its geography, culture, history and ecology. Books may be purchased. DVD library has a wide range of ecological documentaries. www.facebook.com/lagunalodge and www.thelagunalodge.com offers current information for a sustainable future. Guests may plant a tree from our nursery. Back of house renewable energy tour and adobe block making demonstrations. Mayan guides are available to provide an interpretative experience on the nature reserve and cultural and sustainability tours. A Zotz Restaurant Vegan and Vegetarian recipe book will be available on-line shortly. In season guests may pick organic coffee on Laguna Lodge Nature Reserve. Guest positive lifestyle feedback via in-house comments book, on-line reviews and social media. Green traveler tips are given in room manuals in the Global Code of Ethics.
Other Carbon Offset
Carbon calculators & Food emissions calculators aid in measuring output.
Native trees are seeded in our nursery and planted on the reserve in wet season. Planting of trees is available for guests and visitors. Laguna Nature Reserve conserves 40 hectares of tropical dry forest with carbon stock of 27.19 tonnes per hectare. Low room volume allows green space of 2 hectares per person.
Laguna Nature Reserve
Laguna Lodge protects over 100 acres of bio-diverse ecosystem which is home to endemic bird species including the endangered belted flycatcher. The nursery grows seedlings with an emphasis on native endemics. All proceeds from admissions are put back into the reserve for the maintenance of trails, limiting the spread of invasive species, training of nature guides and protecting and preserving flora and fauna. Visitors are asked to stay on the trails and bring back rubbish.
Admission: Indigenous from Santa Cruz La Laguna: Complimentary
Guests: Complimentary
Children/Students: Q20
Adults: Q40
Laguna nature reserve is a member of the Association of Private Nature Reserves of Guatemala. Guatemala has 44 legally protected areas with 60 more under study. The Lake Atitlan basin is a multi-use area protected by The Guatemalan System of Protected Areas and The National Council of Protected Areas.
More info on deforestation and global warming caused by cattle ranching
More info on Cattle Ranching and Loss of Top Soil
This beautiful and mountainous land begins at the lake front of Laguna Lodge and sprawls behind the lodge to escarpments and high altitude tropical dry forest. Laguna Lodge is the gateway to 100 acres of safe walking on this bio diverse land. Situated in Tzantizotz which in local Kaqchikel is Point of Bats, it begins at the lakes edge at 1,565m (5135ft).
The top of the reserve is at 1,963m (6,440ft) with some of the last remaining primary forest on the lake. Sometimes the top is in cloud cover. Well maintained paths for every fitness level traverse old Mayan trails. Palm thatched resting pavilions offer panoramic views of the entire lake. The trails encompass large cliffs and ancient Mayan ceremonial rocks. To protect the biodiversity of this unique ecosystem native flora is replanted. Organic coffee is grown on the lower slopes of the reserve. Bird watchers will see a plethora of birds many of them endemic. An interpretation room may be visited before setting of on the trails with a map available at reception. The Association of Private Nature Reserves of Guatemala has been documenting the flora and fauna. Images of local residents, a Margay and a Fox were captured using a wildlife night sensor camera. The Birding list of sited birds is being added to www.thelagunalodge.com/laguna/naturereserve
The Margay (Tigrillo) is in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and is Near Threatened.
The reserve is also home to the Belted Flycatcher which is Near Threatened.
Laguna Lodge Logo
The Logo is the plumed serpent, called Quetzalcoatl in ancient Nahuatl and Kucumatz in local Kaqchikel. This represents the resplendent Quetzal which from a distance looks like a bright green snake flying through the air. Feathers of the Quetzal were worn by the ruling elite as a sign of their association with the god Quetzalcoatl. In Mayan mythology Quetzalcoatl is the god of nature, life, light, maker, heart of the lake and sea.
The Quetzal was named a symbol of conservation by pioneer Guatemalan conservationist Professor Mario Dary Rivera. In 1979 he created the first Quetzal reserve in the virgin cloud forest of Baja Verapaz. He was assassinated while protecting what was left of the nation's natural habitat.
Laguna Community Care
Medical experience with a desire to help created Laguna Community Care.
It is funded by the lodge and by guests wishing to donate in a professional capacity, monetarily or with donated items.
LCC is not a non-profit or foundation so we do not receive salaries or financial benefits of any kind. All funds donated are used directly for care and go a long way.
LCC Mission
To provide medical aid to reduce suffering and poverty and to promote basic education, gender equality and empowerment.
LCC asks skilled professionals to donate or reduce rates for appointments and treatments. We donate stays at Laguna Lodge to health professionals who in return donate consultations and treatments We facilitate the meetings and coordinate between the medical provider and those being treated. We arrange family involvement, explain the options available, provide transportation and after care. Meals are sent to the village from the lodge for the very ill/elderly. If guests wish to meet and sponsor an underprivileged child or family, we organize the meeting in the village or sponsor from our photographs and descriptions. We provide funds after sudden illness or death, and home repairs. Provide information on family planning and aids education.
Pantufla project – Room slippers are collected and given to the infirm and the elderly.
We are pleased to receive donations of milk/fortified formulas, vitamins, pain relief of all types, saline eye drops, antibiotic cream, gauze, sterile pads, bandages, Ensure nutritional supplement, blankets, warm jackets and woolens. Children's reading books in Spanish, pens/pencils, laptops/ipads. Lodge refurbishment materials are repurposed and redistributed.
Eye Care
Due to poverty and lack of educational and medical infrastructure indigenous peoples lack resources to know what is causing and how to obtain help for their illness. Encountered are cases of cataracts and other eye diseases which cause pain and partial to complete blindness. We explain the options available and arrange family involvement, appointments, transportation, and after care. Obras Sociales de Hermano Pedro hospital in Antigua facilitates the work of the late American Surgeon Doctor John Cheatham and the Mathis foundation. The facility has the latest equipment and well qualified doctors and nurses administering treatment. In most cases the person's sight is restored and they can once again leave their homes in which they have sat blind, in some cases for years.
LCC donates luxury stays at the lodge that are auctioned at charity events supporting environmental and social causes such as CREST and Sprout Up. These charities give part of the proceeds from the auction to LCC.
Lodge postcard sales are directly donated back to LCC.
Please read more and see photos at www.thelagunalodge.com/laguna/lagunacommunitycare
We greatly appreciate any donations which we are pleased to receive at the office for Laguna Community Care.
Matiox! Gracias! Thank you!
More info on Health Impacts of Meat Consumption
There are 12 million people in Guatemala of which nearly half are of Maya descent. There are 21 Maya ethnic groups, Xinca, Garafuna, and Ladino. Positioned around the lake are 12 indigenous villages. Laguna Lodge Nature Reserve is situated in the municipal of the village of Santa Cruz La Laguna. The municipal has the village of Santa Cruz, the aldea of Tzununa and six caserios including Jaibalito under its jurisdiction. The population is approximately 3,000 persons, mainly indigenous Maya Kaqchikel and few Ladino. The village is situated high up on a mountain slope approximately 100 meters higher than lake level and within walking distance from the hotel. Originally the village was in the valley below before flooding caused a move to higher ground. The village is one of the most isolated on the lake as there is no road access and it can only be reached by boat or foot. There is a small road from the main dock to the village used by small vehicles to carry supplies. Agriculture is the principal economic activity. Black beans, maize, and squash are grown for local consumption, while citrus, avocado, and coffee are mainly sold in Panajachel or Sololá.
Chickens are kept by some households. Fish and crab from the lake are caught by the local fishermen and the excess sold in the local market. There is a small cottage industry of weaving and sewing. Dry goods such as soap, rice, beans, snack foods and drinks are supplied by small shops or the front window of a home. Adobe is produced for construction. Most of the houses are made from adobe and have metal roofs with earthen floors while cement blocks are increasingly being used. The Maya Kaqchikel live on the northern side of the lake and speak Kaqchikel one of 21 Mayan languages. In the Mayan book of creation the Popul Vuh, the Kaqchikel lineage are called the Bat House, the bat motif is still seen in traje. The women of Santa Cruz wear traditional tops (huipiles) and long wrap around skirts (cortes) a shawl (perraje) and a headband (tzutes). As Santa Cruz is a poor community there clothing is simple in design. Most women weave their own huipiles and perrajes using the colors and designs of Santa Cruz. The huipiles are red and embroidered with geometric shapes on the back and a small collar of embroidery around the neck. The cortes are dark blue or black joined with a colorful seam. Inhabitants are poor, health services are minimal, and illiteracy is as high a 70%.
Traditional cultural identity is strong. The areas geographic location and the past political situation has allowed relatively slow modernization however western styles and ideas are being progressively incorporated by the younger generation. Due to Spanish colonialism Christianity was forced upon them. Religion plays a large part in the village with large followings in catholic, protestant and evangelical churches. Mayan traditional beliefs are immersed with the Christian belief system. On the plaza there is a colonial church built in the 16th Century, dedicated to Santa Helena of the Cross, the town's patroness. Spanish is taught in schools and is the national language. Due to lack of schooling some indigenous do not speak Spanish and many only have a basic understanding of it. Boat services are owned by locals from Santa Cruz. Expatriates contribute to the village economy by providing employment in construction and within households. Tourism is increasing and creating employment while NGOs are aiding in community development.
Flora & fauna
The biological kingdoms of temperate North America and tropical South America converge in Central America and the two largest oceans on the planet are separated thus creating extraordinary biological diversity with one of the richest life systems on Earth. Guatemala with its extreme geographically and varying altitudes has plant and animal species in 14 specific life zones. 14% of these are found nowhere else in the world.
It is also home to the Earth's richest flora with an estimated 8,000 species of vascular plants.
Flora of Atitlan
Tropical dry forest, coniferas and latifoliadas, rain and cloud forests, mixed forest, with 798 plant species of which 61 are endemic. 160 of these are flowering plants. Trees include the oak, cedar, pine, conifer, chaparral, avocado, jicote, matasano, kapok, wild fig, acacia, alder, chichicaste, guachipilin, palo de la cruz, palo de jiote, ceibillo, castilian cane, water reeds. Bromiliad and epiphyte such as fern and orchid. The cacti, agave, maguey, nopal, pitahaya, and tuna.
Guatemala has over 214 species of reptiles of these 12 are endemic. (17 turtle, 3 crocodile, 75 lizard and 119 snake). 113 species of amphibians of which 4 are endemic. (2 caecilian, 33 salamander, 77 frog, and 1 toad). 250 species of mammals including marine mammals of which 4 are endemic. 669 species of birds of which 5 are endemic and 134 migratory birds. Guatemala has 220 species of fresh water fish of which 30 are endemic. 808 species of fauna, many of which are endemic are in danger of extinction. 130 of these are in noted in The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. (CITIES)
Fauna of Atitlan
The regions rich and unique biodiversity includes 116 species of reptiles and amphibians of which 12 species are endemic.141 species of mammals of which 7 are endemic. They include the puma, squirrel, pig, deer, deer mouse, margay, gray fox, armadillo, spider monkey, opossum, bat, coatimundi, central american ringtail cat, northern racoon, kinkajou, rabbit, coyote, weasel, skunk, and otter cat.
Birds of Atitlan
236 bird species of which 12 species are endemic. This area is a key migrational corridor for neotropical migratory birds as well as a refuge for resident endangered species such as the resplendent quetzal and the horned guan. Many migrants such as the hummingbird, tanager, and oriole are essentially tropical having originally evolved in the neotropics and only later extending their range into North America in search of food and better nesting grounds. Other birds include the pink-headed warbler, yellow warbler, brown-backed solitaire, blue-throated toucanet, azure-rumped tanager, pied-billed grebe, ruddy duck, american widgeon and american coot, red-tailed hawk, melodious blackbird, brown pelican, yellow-throated tiger heron, southern house wren, clay colored robin, buffy-fronted wood partridge, wild pigeon, common raven, baltimore oriole, blue-gray tanager, rufous collared sparrow, brown capped vireo, little hermit hummingbird, golden-fronted woodpecker, chestnut-sided shrike vireo, white bellied emerald hummingbird, thicket tinamou, fulvous owl, singing quail, grey-necked wood-rail, anhinga, northern jacana, seagull, kingfisher and road runner.
Fish of Lake Atitlan
Mojarra are native to the lake. Tilapia and silver carp were introduced as were the predatory largemouth black bass in 1958 which caused a reduction of the native fish population and led to the extinction of the giant grebe. Crabs are found along the shores.
More info on species extintion


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Tender Warrior is about striving to become the king, warrior, mentor, and friend to our wife and children. Men can sometimes get so caught up in trying to work so hard to provide for their families. They don't spend enough time in building and maintaining the role their family needs them to fulfill. A man must have a vision for the future of their family. It's important to share our dreams with our wife and we need to listen to her dreams. Weber believed in keeping his word and promises and passing that character trait down to future generations.
He also shared the story about Job and how he stayed with God even when he lost all of his children, animals, and servants. He kept serving God despite the problems, pains, and struggles that he had to endure. Today, when men encounter difficulties most are running instead of practicing endurance. The book discussed the statics of fatherless homes and the rise in divorced rates. He included an analogy of how our children are like arrows and we must teach them how to survive and how to provide for themselves and their families.
Stu Weber asked men to examine the answers to these questions: (Page 31-32).
"If our marriage were to go on just the way it's been going, what will it be like for us in five, ten, twenty years?
"How can I build the self-esteem of my wife, who spends enormous amounts of time cleaning house and changing diapers?"
"When will my little boy and I need to have our first talk about sex?"
I only shared some of the important questions we need to ponder. The book contained much more discussion questions to dive into.
I would recommend this book to men who have the courage to stay in the race with their family. Staying, protecting, leading, and providing are critical roles, we must practice to raise our children the precise way. The book is a magnificent written book that appeals to the hearts of men. It has a lot of stories that will give men the strength to know that they aren't alone. I learned that I must step up my game in order to be the husband and father I was created to be. I also have seen the importance of leaning on other men in our journey together to fathering our children. I tend to be more of the lone ranger and I am realizing that I must continue to work to change that. I am going to start to pray for a Jonathan to come into my life. I enjoyed the discussion questions and how they were displayed. At the end of each chapter, readers got the chance to answer some by himself and some with his friends. I don't have any children right now but in the future this book will be a great book to reread to remind me of the magnitude of passing down high-quality character traits. I learned so much about learning to be a man who is able to stand and lead his children correctly. Even when I fail, all that matters is that I try again and learn from my mistakes! If you're looking for a book that will assist in your parenting then read this awesome life changing book! Fellow, Tender Warriors arise!
"I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review".
If you would like to purchase a copy of Tender Warrior check it out on Amazon.com:
Read Chapter One:
More Info:
Author Bio:


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Literacy is at the heart of our curriculum. We believe that it is an essential life skill and as such we embed other curriculum areas into literacy lessons in order to develop pupils' spoken language, reading, writing and vocabulary. Across any given week children experience a wide range of literacy based activities and skills, allowing them to learn, practise and adapt their understanding, skills and knowledge to everyday life.
Throughout the school we incorporate drama, role-play and speaking and listening activities into all our work to enhance their speaking and listening skills.
We use cross curricular topics to make learning come alive and aim to:
Develop competent writers;
Enthusiastic readers who are able to deduce and infer from a text and
Children who are fluent in the English language.
Children are taught in a daily literacy session which lasts between 60 and 75 minutes. Objectives are grouped into units of work which focus on a specific text genre e.g. poetry and follow a teaching cycle of reading, where children immerse themselves in the text type – speaking and then writing. Specific grammatical or punctuation points are taught where appropriate in the cycle. In addition to the main literacy session children engage in daily guided reading sessions. These lessons enable children to read multiple copies of the same text with their class teacher. These groups are normally determined by reading ability and focus on comprehension skills as well as decoding strategies. In addition, children are given individual reading books to read at home and at school, and have opportunities through each week to use the school library.
We believe that whilst children are learning to read they should also be learning to love books. Consequently we ensure that there are a range of whole school activities provided, such as Book Week and character days that introduce the children to new authors and share our love, as adults, of literature. Our pupils are taught to read through adopting a range of strategies to decode print. One of these strategies is phonics, the breaking down of language into its component sounds. We follow the 'Letters and Sounds' programme across EYFS and KS1, extending the programme into KS2 where appropriate. Sessions take place daily, lasting 20 minutes.
Speaking and Listening is a vital part of our literacy curriculum. If a child cannot 'speak' something, they cannot 'write' it. Children are given opportunities to engage in formal and informal speaking and listening opportunities across the school including 'Show and Tell' sessions in Reception, Years 1 and 2; class assemblies and performances. The children are taught how to hold a pen or pencil correctly from Reception. After learning the basic letter formation they are taught how to join letters and then engage in specific weekly handwriting sessions.
Literacy is not only taught as a discrete subject but is linked across all curriculum areas. When planning for our Cornerstones topics, usually covering History, Geography, Science, Art and DT, teachers will identify specific areas where specific literacy skills can be reinforced or embedded.
At Christopher Rawlins CE Primary School, we follow the statutory National Curriculum Programme of Study for English in Key Stages 1 and 2. These can be accessed by clicking here.
Additional key documents for each year group are below for reference.


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Sailing Under The Florida Sun
Take a break from the beach for the day and explore the Gulf Of Mexico and The Choctawhatchee Bay on a charter sailing catamaran. Each trip is private and tailored to your family or group. Choose to take a morning or day sail, go for a swim, or even go snorkeling. We also offer Dolphin Tours and excursions to Crab Island, where you can party like a local. We leave from the Destin Harbor and voyage to the Gulf of Mexico where the curious and playful dolphins await. Join Pam and her crew, learn to sail or relax on the deck with cool drinks, music, and wonderful company.
Private Tours & Charters
Invent your own private charter sailing excursion in Destin aboard a spacious 31-foot catamaran. Join Captain Pam for an adventure of a lifetime! Discover Destin, Florida by sailing on your own private 31' catamaran. We offer personalized dolphin excursions, snorkeling, and amazing sunset spots all to yourselves. All your gear is included and the boat is equipped with a freshwater shower, bathroom, as well as space for sunbathing and a canopy for shade.
Sunset Sail
What could be better than sailing the emerald waters off the coast of Destin? Watching the sunset over the Gulf Of Mexico, of course! The open waters off Destin provide a breathtaking view of the sunset.
Sand Dollar hunting or just a better view of our natural aquatic life here in Destin, Florida. Snorkeling is fun for the entire family, safer than scuba diving, and less expensive than buying your own submarine 😀
Party On Crab Island
The coolest thing about Crab Island is that it isn't really an island. It's a sandbar on the bay side of the Destin pass where locals and tourists alike come to anchor their boats, party, swim, cook out, and swim or walk to one of the floating restaurant shacks for a bite to eat or a drink.
Dolphin Cruises
The Gulf Of Mexico hosts some pretty friendly Aquatic Mammals, like the Tursiops Truncatus, or Bottle Nose Dolphin. These happy mammals are some of our best friends and they love meeting new people.
Moonlight Cruise
There is nothing so romantic as a moonlit beach, except for a Moonlight Cruise on the waters off Destin's Shores. Our little paradise has more to offer than white sandy beaches and emerald water.
We are located at 404 Harbor Blvd, behind the Marina Cafe. Marina Cafe is located between Boshamps Restaurant and The Inn on Destin Harbor. There is a blue stairwell leading to the docs on the east side of Marina Cafe. If you are going west on Hwy 98, a U-Turn may be required.
Tours for more than 3 hours are available. Call for more Information.


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In Colorado, researchers have developed a process for using brewery wastewater to create carbon-based fuel cell materials. The breakthrough could help brewers reduce the need for costly wastewater treatment. The University of Colorado Boulder researchers cultivated the fast-growing fungus Neurospora crassa in sugar-rich brewery wastewater and were able to dictate the fungus's chemical and physical properties to create naturally-derived lithium-ion battery electrodes.
Breweries use about seven barrels of water for every barrel of beer produced, and extra filtration is required for disposal. "The wastewater is ideal for our fungus to flourish in, so we are happy to take it," says lead author Tyler Huggins. The study was published in Applied Materials & Interfaces.
The use of biomass, such as timber, to produce carbon-based battery electrodes is already an established practice by some energy industry sectors. However, such feedstocks are often expensive, limited in supply, and difficult to optimize. Huggins and study co-author Justin Whiteley have filed for patent protection and founded a company named Emergy to commercialize the technology.


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From Asa Bennett published in The Huffington Post
"George Osborne's economic stewardship has come under fire after evidence emerged that most of the jobs created since the coalition began have been on poor wages."
"Out of the 587,000 net rise in jobs created since June 2010, roughly four in five were in industries with average wages of less than £7.95 per hour, like retail, waitressing and residential care. The "living wage", the estimated salary for a worker to meet basic needs, is £7.45 per hour outside of London and £8.55 per hour in London. But the legal minimum is £6.55 per hour."
"The sobering findings come from the latest analysis published by the TUC as part of their report "The UK's Low Pay Recovery"."
Green Party leader Natalie Bennett said: "The results of the TUC survey will come as no surprise to the many workers struggling with the realities of today's job market. Low pay, casual hours even for those who are looking for a full-time post, and zero-hours contracts are like a disease spreading through our labour market."
"According to the TUC research, the retail sector comprises the biggest part (234,000) of the net employment increase, followed by residential care, which contributed 155,000 jobs."
Full article here:


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TRACK WORLD QUESTS: View your active world quests and emissary bounties from directly within the app! You can check out the rewards and figure out which quests to do once you're in-game.
MISSION CONTROL: See which missions are available to you in your Class Order Hall and get them started, all while you're on the go. You can complete your missions and collect your rewards, as well as manage your followers,, upgrade their gear, and recruit troops for future missions.
ORDER HALL PROGRESS: Conduct research and track the status of your Order Hall tech tree to maintain the momentum of your in-game progression.
**To use all the features of the app, you must have an active World of Warcraft subscription and characters of an appropriate level. World of Warcraft accounts on Starter or Veteran Editions will able to log into the app but will not be able to select any characters.
Languages Supported:
* English
* Français
* Deutsch
* Español (Latinoamérica)
* Español (Europa)
* Italiano
* Português
* Русский
* 한국어 (Korean)
* 简体中文 (Simplified Chinese)
* 繁體中文 (Traditional Chinese)
©2016 Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. All rights reserved. Hearthstone and Heroes of Warcraft are trademarks, and Battle.net and Blizzard Entertainment are trademarks or registered trademarks of Blizzard Entertainment, Inc., in the U.S., and/or other countries.
|Last Updated:
|Number of Downloads
|100,000 - 500,000
|Current Version
|Content Rating
|USK: Ages 12+
|File Size
|OS Version
|4.0.3 and up
|Interactive Elements
|In-App Products


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The Quad: Exploring LA's matcha tea cafes
(Yixuan Jiang/Daily Bruin)
By Yixuan Jiang
January 28, 2017 5:36 pm
There is nothing better than a cup of freshly brewed matcha tea to warm a person up after freezing in the cold, wet winter of Los Angeles this year. Over the break, driven by my passion for matcha, I went on a quest to investigate matcha cafes all around LA and created this guide to help matcha-lovers locate the cafe best suited for them.
[Related: Matcha tea: A lifestyle and form of art]
Shuhari Matcha
Location: 1522 Abbot Kinney Blvd
Venice, CA 90291
Mon – Sun 9 a.m.- 9 p.m.
As the matcha cafe nearest to UCLA, Shuhari Matcha Cafe is the perfect choice for students looking for a place to spend the afternoon doing work while enjoying the umami taste of matcha. Shuhari also offers the most options on its menu, including not only matcha tea, but also great-tasting desserts for those who dislike the bitter taste of the classical tea, like rice cakes, sundaes, butter buns and ice cream.
The prices are moderately high, offering desserts ranging from $3 to $8.50, low-quality sencha at $4 and the best matcha tea at $8. I, of course, had to try their signature matcha tea, even though it had the expensive price of $8 for merely one shot. Luckily it was worth the price, as the tea was very rich and left a savory aftertaste on my taste buds for quite a while.
The customer service in Shuhari is also among the best I experienced. They were very welcoming, and when I accidentally spilled half my tiny cup of costly tea, the staff offered to whisk me another cup for free.
Matcha Box
Location: 8036 West 3rd St
Los Angeles, CA 90048
Mon-Fri 11a.m. – 6 p.m., Sat & Sun 11 a.m – 5 a.m.
Tucked away on a street in West Hollywood, the cafe may seem small and unnoticeable from the outside; however, Matcha Box is actually the first-ever matcha cafe in Los Angeles. It's l around a half-hour drive from Westwood, and a great place to rest your feet after spending the day at LACMA, which is in walking distance from Matcha Box.
Unlike other matcha cafes that serve snacks appealing to a broader group of customers, Matcha Box stays loyal to the traditional matcha tea, serving only eight types of matcha, each with cool names such as "Ring of Fire" and "Spheres of Influence." Outside food and beverages are not allowed in the cafe.
This cafe also has the most economical price of the three. The most expensive type of matcha tea is only $5 for a large cup, served in a fancy traditional Japanese bowl with an almond snack on the side. Although the tea in Matcha Box is slightly thin and diluted compared to the other cafes, its cost-effectiveness is still a plus for students on a budget.
Another feature of this cafe is its options for lactose-intolerant customers, as it offers almond milk options for every item on its menu.
[Related: The Quad: 'Lactose intolerance is scamming us all']
Midori Matcha
Location: 227 E 2nd St
Los Angeles, CA 90013
Mon – Sun 10 a.m.- 10 p.m.
Midori Matcha is the newest matcha cafe of the three, which is rather surprising considering the fact that it is currently the first and only one in the Little Tokyo district and even the greater region of downtown Los Angeles. The brand originally began selling cold-brewed, bottled matcha tea and later went on to open its first cafe.
Midori resembles Shuhari Matcha in many ways. It has a variety of options from beverages to pastries. As seen from the invention of cold-brewed matcha, it offers many unorthodox ways of making matcha tea, such as "blueberry matcha tea" and "strawberry matcha tea," and all items are relatively affordable.
I didn't expect a westernized cafe like Midori Matcha to serve good traditional matcha, but their "matcha ceremony" was a pleasant surprise. The tea was whisked smoothly and like the classical matcha tea in Shuhari Matcha, served in a shot. Contrary to my doubts, it preserved the bitter, lasting taste of matcha very nicely.
Midori also stays open the latest, so it is a suitable place to get a cup of tea to help you through the night or simply to order some desserts after dinner.
These are not all — New York City's Matcha Bar has also come to join the Los Angeles matcha hype. The first Matcha Bar in LA, located on 3534 Sunset Blvd, is scheduled to open on Feb. 4, while a second one is already in construction.


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This article is from the archive of our partner .
With the smaller iPad rumors looking as sure of a thing as an Apple rumor gets, the tech bloggers have started a fierce debate going about what the exact size, design, and screen resolution should be. Since reputable places like The Wall Street Journal , The New York Times, and Bloomberg all have unnamed sources saying we will see a 7.85-inch tablet, the techies have latched onto this bit of pretty solid, if unconfirmed, information and have now found themselves arguing over what the thing should look like. Daring Fireball's Jonathan Gruber has a 2,000+ word piece with math and footnotes included that settles on a thin iPad Air idea. Gizmodo paid an artist to mock-up what it thinks the new offering will look like: just a smaller iPad. And then we have 9to5Mac's suggestion that it will look like a big iPod Touch. (Mock-up above.) All this blogging isn't just for blogs sake, though. The exact measurements of the device, from a user perspective, do matter. The way it ends up looking will determine how it feels to use it. And, as Apple has proven before, that kind of stuff impresses consumers.
Holding It
iPads have different uses than iPhones and iPod touches. We don't sit in bed and hold an iPhone to read a whole book or watch an entire show, as we do with the iPad. That's why everyone is all talking about the bezel to screen ratio -- we need something to hold on to while we tablet. Unlike a phone which we can clutch at the sides while texting or talking or gaming. The problem with a big iPod touch, which has a thinner bezel, for example, means that we have to be careful where we put our fingers. "The lack of bezel on the side will not allow you to carry it like you hold a full-size iPad when in portrait mode without triggering some multi-touch on the display," explains 9to5Mac's Seth Weintraub. Though, Gruber argues we won't need as much thumb-rest room for a smaller screen. The other possibility, of course, is to have a shrunken down iPad, which gives plenty of room for thumbs. But, then it loses its mini-ness. As evidenced by competitors like Google and Amazon, people like the smaller size for portability.
Though, if Apple is going through the trouble of making a smaller iPad, it has some implications for how it feels. A smaller iPad makes it easier to lug around. But, the rumorers have also pointed out that the new iPad will probably a lot lighter as well as smaller. "I'm thinking thickness and weight. The iPad 3 gained a retina display — but at the expense of getting thicker and heavier than the iPad 2, so as to fit a more powerful battery to run those additional 2,359,296 pixels. So I'm thinking the iPad Mini doesn't get a retina display but in exchange gets to go remarkably thin," writes Gruber. That will make it easier to hold for a long time. But, it will also make it easier to hold it from the back, meaning we won't have to wrap our fingers around to clutch the bezel. See above.
Tapping Icons
Jobs had said previously that this smaller size wouldn't accommodate apps in a way he liked. Things need to be easy to tap, for example. Smaller things are harder to tap. Apple could recommend a 44 point or larger tap target -- the size it uses for the little iPhone -- for iPad apps, as well, as Joel Bernstein argues over Cast Irony to compromise. He points out the very small margins with which tapping will get harder and more error filled. Yet, it's still a compromise.
Really, all this speculation is to figure out how Apple will do it again. Jobs disapproved of the smaller machine because it couldn't obtain his design perfection. Users are used to (and pay up for) a level of usability from Apple products. If we're going to get the smaller iPad Steve Jobs never wanted, these bloggers just want us to know what the user trade-offs are.
This article is from the archive of our partner The Wire.
We want to hear what you think about this article. Submit a letter to the editor or write to email@example.com.


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The morning came earlier than I expected. A few short hours for everything to come undone.
Stark light blinds as it reveals. I know only the now, and now, I know I cannot stay here. I have to be away, far away from what lies beside me, this flesh that carried promise, once, and pleasure, lying leaden upon these unfamiliar sheets.
I do not know where I am, exactly. I do not know exactly where I can go.
The weight shifts, scattering heaviness, lazily threatening to pull me down again. "Are you awake," he says, flatly.
It's not quite a question. I do not give an answer.


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From the gurus at http://www.bodybuilding.com…
For some reason, women, their trainers, and advertisers have kidnapped the word "toned" and turned it into the ultimate lady goal. It seems that being muscular is not a goal women should aspire to. Here's the real deal: You can't see shape without muscles. You can run on the treadmill or swoosh away on the elliptical all day. Sure, you might get thinner, but without some meat on your delts, triceps, and biceps, you'll never see those awesome shoulder caps.
Ladies, "I want more muscle," is an absolutely legitimate goal to tell your trainer or your friends.
On a scientific note, "tone" actually has meaning on a physiological level. Your muscles maintain a low-level contraction, even when you're at rest. That's why your muscles are always at least a little firm. This is called "muscle tone," or "residual muscle tension." It helps keep you upright, and maintain balance and posture. In this light, there's really no way to "tone up" your muscles—they're already toned.


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As the mom of a girl, I am concerned about making sure she does not shy away from math and science early on in life. So, when I heard about 10monkeys Math World Giveaway, I jumped on board to help promote fun ways of introducing or reinforcing math skills to children. My daughter loves the monkey aspect and as a new Kindergartner next year, I would love to have some additional activities to keep her engaged on the math side of things. Below, you can read a description of the product and a review completed by Emilee at Pea of Sweetness and enter a giveaway for the product sponsored by the makers. The giveaway starts today (July 23) and ends on August 5! So, get those entries in below!
10monkeys Math World Giveaway Sponsored by 10monkeys.com LLC
Hosted by Pea of Sweetness
Co-Hosted by Deals of Sweetness
10monkeys Math World is an online Math Program geared for younger elementary aged children around grades K-3. It has fun, eye-catching graphics kids love! 10monkeys Math World takes a progressive approach to learning Math. It uses what is referred to as the "high pedagogic approach," developed together with top professionals and schools. As they progress, their skills are improving as well – and they're having fun!
As a homeschooling mom, Emilee at Pea of Sweetness loves the progressive approach 10monkeys Math World takes and loves that her kids want to learn Math with 10monkeys Math World! Check out her full 10monkeys Math World math program review on Pea of Sweetness.
Whether you are a homeschooling parent, teacher, or parent (or grandparent) to young children and wanting to enrich their education, 10monkeys Math World offers a quality program anyone can appreciate! Three winners will each receive a one-year subscription to 10monkeys Math World (all levels) for one child. This giveaway begins on 7/23 and ends on 8/5 at 10:00pm (times are Central) and is open worldwide ages 18+. Please refer to the full terms and conditions in the Giveaway Tools.
Disclosure: Emilee from both Pea of Sweetness and Deals of Sweetness received a code for the full version app in exchange for an honest review. Participating bloggers are not responsible for prize fulfillment.


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Saturday, May 28, 2011
Douglas Stanglin, USA TODAY
May 13, 2011
U.S. commandos who raided Osama bin Laden's compound also recovered a "fairly extensive" stash of pornography, including videos, Reuters reports.
The news agency quotes unidentified current and former U.S. officials as saying it is unclear where in the sprawling compound the material was found nor is it clear who had been viewing it.
The officials specifically say they do not know if bin Laden himself had acquired or viewed the materials, Reuters reports.
Recently released home videos showed bin Laden viewing pictures of himself on a TV screen, indicating that the compound did have equipment for playing videos.
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Interactive Videos
Choose Your Path - BFF or the Ex?
Decide what Karla should do when she is offered Xanax or Vicodin to help her calm down.
Choose Your Path - The Big Test
Help this teen decide whether to take his sister's Adderall to help prepare for a test.
All Videos
Animated graphic showing 2019 Monitoring the Future Survey results for overall drug use.
Scientific experts help answer thousands of questions during National Drugs & Alcohol Chat Day. How do they do it? NIDA's Dr. Jack Stein follows the "Lifecycle of a Question," during the signature event for National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week (#NDAFW). Rockville, Md 2019
The number one reason that teenagers express is that they want to experiment.
NIDA's Facebook Live discusses the crucial link between science and understanding with it comes to health risks associated with vaping.
Naloxone saves lives. This video reviews when naloxone is used, how it is administered, and the way it works.
Monitoring the Future (MTF) is an annual survey of 8th, 10th, and 12th graders measuring drug, alcohol, and cigarette use.
NIDA explores in this video the intriguing similarities between the processes of brain development and computer programming.
Dr. Nora Volkow explores why teens may be attracted to vaping – and what they are vaping.
NIDA's researcher discusses fentanyl overdose deaths in the U.S.
Dr. Nora Volkow explores why teens may use drugs and how parents can respond.
NIDA scientists answer teens' questions about drugs and addiction.
Monitoring the Future (MTF) is an annual survey of 8th, 10th, and 12th graders.
Setting the record straight on common myths around drug use and addiction.
Nkima Stephenson, 2nd place winner, 2017 ISEF Addiction Science Award.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse's research-based, informative video series "This Is NIDA," addresses the topic of OPIOIDS.
Learn what happens with addiction and why it's so hard to quit.
Knowing how the brain functions helps us understand what happens during drug use.
The model helps us understand why not everyone who abuses drugs becomes addicted.
Addiction changes the signals in your brain and makes it hard to feel OK without the drug.
Drugs activate the brain's limbic system, which control's our ability to feel pleasure.
Cocaine use causes a response from the brain's reward system.
Methamphetamine use causes a response from the brain's reward system.
Marijuana use causes a response from the brain's reward system.
Steroid abuse can cause harm and have serious consequences.
El doctor Ruben Baler un científico del NIDA habla acerca del peligro y los efectos del abuso de los esteroides.
The facts and dangers of prescription drug abuse are explored.
Addiction and compulsive drug use can be serious consequences of prescription drug abuse.
Addiction, compulsive drug use, and prescription drug abuse are explored in detail.
NIDA scientists play softball with young friends and talk about the safe use of prescription painkillers.
Dr. Volkow talks to parents in Harlem about how to talk to kids and recognize signs of drug use.
The annual survey measures teen drug, alcohol, and tobacco use and attitudes.
Dr. Volkow discusses the 2015 survey results on teen drug use and attitudes.
The health effects and dangers of smoking and nicotine are explored.
Dr. Volkow discusses the 2015 survey results on tobacco and e-cigarette use among teens.
NIDA's scientist discusses what bath salts are and how they can affect us.
NIDA's Dr. Carl Lupica explains what happens to brain neurons when someone uses drugs.
NIDA interviews a book author about her research on addiction behavior and social media.
NIDA researchers use brain imaging as part of their research on drug use and addiction.
NIDA scientists create molecular tools used to research drug abuse.
NIDA's inspiring Dr. Ruben Baler shares his story of diversity and research.
Eye tracking offers clues in drugged driving research at the National Advanced Driving Simulator.
Teens learn the important connection between HIV and drug use.
An HIV-positive teen recounts her night of drugs, alcohol, and risky sexual behavior.


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Enabling NGN Services with minimal cost and disruption
The Dataflex ViNE series of Access Gateways enables Service Providers to provide their enterprise customers with advanced NGN capabilities regardless of their legacy equipment. The ViNE gateways provide full interworking between legacy and NGN signalling meaning that service providers are able to provide advanced services and PSTN emulation with a minimum of disruption and cost.
Cost-effective Migration Path to Advanced Services
Due to these extensive interworking capabilities, the ViNE platform promises fast Return on Investment for service providers. Deploying a ViNE solution in the network instantly helps to reduce customer churn and drive revenue, giving serice providers access to the broadest possible market for NGN services. The auto-provisioning, self-install design of the ViNE further increases ROI by eliminating the cost of traditional gateways and lowering the ongoing expenses associated with maintenance and deployment.
Solution Carrier Class Continuity and Quality of Service
The ViNE Gateway delivers industry leading QoS functionality. This ensures control over call quality, optimising bandwidth to ensure that CSPs comply with their Service Level Agreements. PSTN breakout functions and full SIP proxy capabilities provide additional security and ensure continuity of service.
Key Benefits of Dataflex's ViNE IP Transformation Solution
- Connect legacy customers to IP network with a single s
- No upgrade to existing equipment
- CAPEX reduction through simplified deployment options
- CAPEX savings through elimination of PSTN gateways
- OPEX savings through single, consolidated platform
- Multi-media service delivery to legacy CPE equipment
- Flexible introduction of new services to enterprise / SME customers
- Potential for up-selling through addition of new data and video services
- Reduce churn; increase customer stickiness
- Local SIP Proxy and Dial Plan functionality provides onsite survivability with service continuity


text: Does this resonate with you? "Work is such a critical part of our life and yet we often struggle with - and feel overwhelmed by - the numerous challenges it presents us. Whether it's job insecurity, making peace with or leaving an unfulfilling job, or dealing with office conflicts, we often experience fear and a sense of groundlessness just at a time when we want to be our most creative and resilient." This quote is from my guest Michael Carroll's fascinating book 'Fearless at Work' which I found excellent reading. Drawing on Buddhist philosophy Michael Carroll is a long time human resources


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We Buy Records! We Sell Records! Welcome to Wax Trax Records!
Wax Trax is a record store located at 2909 S. Decatur Blvd., Las Vegas, NV owned by Rich Rosen. His inventory includes over a half a million pieces of music, vinyl, CDs, cassettes and memorabilia.
Rock & Roll, Doo-Wop, Jazz, R&B, Country and more are here at Wax Trax. If there is something you can't find in the store, Wax Trax will order it for you!
And remember: Rich also buys YOUR collections, no matter how big or small.
Email your want lists to firstname.lastname@example.com


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We! Ski Kit
Perfect for cross country skiing, skate skiing or snow shoeing, the We! Ski Kit attaches to the wheel axle with a push button system. The adjustable, lightweight tow bars connect to the trailer side mounts and lead to a padded hip harness.
Compatible with:
2007-2014 D'Lite & 2009 D'Lite ST
2007-2014 Solo & 2009 Solo ST
2007-2014 Encore
2008-2014 Cub
2008-2013 Tail Wagon
2009-2014 Nomad
2009-2013 Flatbed


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To for details of career opportunities available at the Bangor Aurora or other Northern Community Leisure Trust affiliated facilities please contact us.
We have several roles listed on TotalJobs.com This will be updated regularly, please check back on this page or keep an eye on Facebook.com/BangorAurora for updates.
If you're looking for a position that's not listed online right now, please complete your details below and we'll be in touch when they become avaliable...
Swim TeacherLifeguardGym StaffRecreation AssistantDuty ManagerReception / Front of HouseCustomer Advisor / SalesCleaning TeamOther
Please see below the some of the types of roles we recruit for here at the leisure centre and the skills and qualifications required.
The duty manager is responsible for the day to day management of the leisure centre, the supervision of staff and health and safety. We are looking for a real people person with excellent customer care skills, problem solving and time management skills. The applicant must be able to work on their own initiative and as part of a team.
The lifeguard is responsible for supervising the swimming pools, cleaning and the setting up and dismantling of equipment. Applicants must hold a current National Pool Lifeguard Qualification and possess good communication skills.
Swimming instructors are responsible for teaching the H2O Swim Life swimming lesson scheme to children and adults of all ages and abilities. Applicants must hold a Level 2 Full Teachers qualification and current National Pool Lifeguard Qualification.
Receptionists are responsible for taking payments and bookings and providing information to customers both in the centre and over the telephone. Applicants must have excellent customer care skills, a good telephone manner and pleasant personality
In addition to the above statutory duties, each trustee should use any specific skills, knowledge or experience they have to help the board of trustees reach sound decisions. This may involve:
Trusteeship can be a thrilling experience, working together in partnership with others who have shared beliefs, shard values, and commitment to achieve a vision. By joining a board, you are at the centre of the action. But trusteeship can also be about your own development as a person: learning new, diverse skills and new ways of working.
Trustees must be prepared to give the necessary time for:
This generally does not amount to more than a few hours a month.Attend quarterly meetings.
If you're interested, the next step is to find out how to become a trustee.Who can become a trustee: basics


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Pamela Peeke
About the Author
Pamela Peeke, M.D., M.P.H., devoted three years to investigating the link between stress and fat at the National Institutes of Health. She is an internationally recognized expert and speaker in the fields of nutrition and stress as well as the newly evolving field of integrative medicine. She has appeared as an in-studio expert on Oprah, Nightline, PBS's Health Week, and CNN Headline News. She regularly appears as a science and health news commentator for the major networks. Dr. Peeke pursued her work in stress physiology as a senior research fellow at the NIH. She is Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Dr. Peeke also works with Vice President Gore as the Medical Director of the National Race for the Cure for Breast Cancer.


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Citing market conditions and budgetary concerns, Hawaii Tourism Japan on Monday said it will close its Honolulu office.
Takashi Ichikura, HTJ's executive director, said in an e-mail statement, "We have decided to downsize our Hawaii office, and are currently reviewing our operations. Therefore, we unfortunately will not have any representation in Honolulu as of the end of this month, and until further notice…"
More Here
Filed under: Economy, Tourism Tagged: | Hawaii Tourism Office, Japan


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Yankee Candle Store at Clintons
Lovely Clintons exclusive Birthday card featuring an adorable illustration of a sleeping dog and a kitten. Detailed with gold foil lettering, sparkling red diamante hearts and a pretty ribbon and tag embellishment.
Includes red envelope.
Product Details:
Especially for my Wife
Happy Birthday
Detail : With Love
In you I found someone special
to share my life with
and as long as we have love and each other.../
I have everything I could ever need
with all my love
Please note as this item is larger than the standard letter box size, it will be sent via our courier service. This item will incur a higher shipping charge. See checkout for further details.
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Do keratin treatments fix hair? That's another question I get asked all the time in the salon.
There's a short answer to this question, and the answer is Yes! They really help to control frizz.
I think there is confusion when it comes to Keratin treatments because it was only a few years ago that most keratin brands were taken off the market because they contained a toxic chemical called formaldehyde. Back then, the keratin containing formaldehyde was considered more to be a straightening system than a system for reducing frizz. We have seen a huge change in what the product does and I think this is where the confusion has come from.
Unfortunately, without formaldehyde in the product, the results have never been as good.But, formaldehyde is so toxic that long term use put your health and safety at huge risk. Some salons back in the day used to give their clients gas masks to wear when the service was being done. How crazy is that?
I like to explain the difference like this; imagine you want to get mould off a bathroom wall, if we use a product like Exit Mould, it will cut through the mould very quickly and give us a clean result. Now, if you wanted to go down the environmental road and you were to mix vinegar, lemon juice and bicarb soda, you may end up with the same result, but a lot more effort is having to go in. That's kind of how I compare the old keratin with the new. The old keratin with formaldehyde used to really get the hair straight and frizz free whereas the new products on the market still do a great job but don't quite get you the same result.
So it's really important when you get a keratin treatment done to take care of it, especially in the first week. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions and advice from your hairdresser.
At Cheveux, we use a product called Chi Enviro Smoothing System and we love it. Reduces up to 95% of frizz and make the hair feel soft and look shiny. It's awesome. It makes doing your hair in the morning so much faster.


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Rev. Franklin Graham to Stand Outside Pentagon and Pray for Troops After Being Dis-Invited to Speak Inside - Video 5/5/10
Here is video of the Rev. Franklin Graham on with Greta Van Susteren last night, where he said he plans to go to the Pentagon today - on the National Day of Prayer - and pray outside the Pentagon for our men and women in uniform since he was dis-invited to participate in an event inside.
"I'm just going to stand out there and pray. I don't have to be invited to a prayer service to pray for the men and women who serve this nation. I am so proud of my son who is on his 4th deployment (to Afghanistan). I pray for him and the men that are under him, and the men that are above him, and I'm so proud of the men and women of our Army, our Navy, our Air Force, our Coast Guard - I'm proud of them. I'm going to the Pentagon just to pray. I want them to know that I support them."Graham said he has not heard from Obama on the issue of his being disinvited to participate in the Pentagon event, and that the military Chaplains he has spoken to "have to say what they have been told to say."
Graham continued to stand by his comments on Islam, saying "I don't believe Muhammed can lead anybody to God. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. I believe that Jesus Christ died for my sins, that He was buried for our sins, that God raised Him to life....The Muslims don't agree with me. I don't agree with them."
Graham also talked about the way Islam treats women, and pointed out that the Koran itself says that you cannot take a Christian or a Jew as your friend. Graham raised the profile of Christians being persecuted in Islam-dominated nations by pointing out that a Muslim who converts to Christianity, "your family would kill you" if you did not "repent and turn back to Islam."
Video via Gateway Pundit


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Our challenge this week is to make a card featuring lemonade, lemons, or other fruit beverage.
Easy, peasy, lemon squeezy! I used an old retired MFP image on some wonderful nestie dies. Please join in on this fun challenge, and be sure to add it to our BLOG as well.


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Are you concerned that your hearing ability is starting to change? Do you find it hard to catch what people are saying in noisy environments, or to hear the phone ringing whilst you're watching television? It may be the case that wearing a hearing aid can add significant clarity and sharpness to the world around you, so don't waste time, book an appointment with Hidden Hearing Bury St Edmunds and we'll give you a comprehensive hearing assessment, entirely free of charge.
Hearing loss affects around 60% of UK adults, and while it can be a struggle to admit to a problem, the consequences of trying to ignore it can be even more difficult to manage. At Hidden Hearing, we understand this, which is why we stock a superb collection of discreet and highly-effective hearing aids that offer comfort and affordability.
We are open Thursday, fortnightly 09.00 - 17.00.
With more than 40 years experience, we have a deep understanding of the causes of hearing loss and how it can affect people. So trust us to look after your hearing, as thousands of others across the UK already do. Book your free hearing test or call us today.
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Marburg virus
Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Financial, Acronyms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
Related to Marburg virus: Ebola virus
Mar·burg virus(mär′bûrg′)
A filovirus causing an acute, often fatal form of hemorrhagic fever that was originally identified in people who had contact with vervet monkeys in a laboratory.
[After Marburgwhere its appearance in humans was first identified.]
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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|Marburg virus - a filovirus that causes Marburg disease; carried by animals; can be used as a bioweapon
Filoviridae - a family of threadlike RNA viruses that cause diseases in humans and nonhuman primates (monkeys and chimpanzees)
filovirus - animal viruses belonging to the family Filoviridae


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When most people shop for financial products, all they focus on is the listed interest rate. Human eyes instinctively dismiss the fine print, which usually includes the terms APR (annual percentage rate) and APY (annual percentage yield) – or to use a synonym for the latter, EAR (effective annual rate) – as just arcane trios of letters.
In fact, there's plenty of difference between the similar but not identical APR and APY. Each expression sounds straightforward enough, but misidentifying one as the other can cost you plenty. Here's an explanation of these oft-confused terms and what distinguishes them.
Basic Concept of Interest
Grasping the concept of interest should be easy enough. If you borrow $100,000, and pay $5,000 back in interest each year, that should be a 5% interest rate now and forever, right? Why complicate things?
Because there's more to taking out a loan than just making simple interest payments. For instance, there are often origination fees and other one-time charges levied at the time of borrowing.
Say Alpha Mortgage offers you a 5% rate on the $100,000 loan. Meanwhile, Beta Mortgage offers to lend you the same amount of money, but at 4.75%. Over the course of a standard 30-year mortgage, the reduced interest rate could mean thousands of dollars in savings; and would, if all the other conditions of the two lenders' loans were identical. However, Beta Mortgage requires $3,000 in upfront closing costs – a reasonable figure for a new home purchase. Which is the better deal? If only there were a single metric we could use to compare loans with such varying characteristics.
There is, and it's the APR.
The APR
Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is a measure that attempts to calculate what percentage of the principal you'll pay per time period (in this case a year), taking every charge – monthly payments over the course of the loan, upfront fees, etc. – into account.
By the way, the Alpha Mortgage loan in the example above carries the lower APR. With the Beta Mortgage loan, you're essentially paying $3,000 for the privilege of borrowing $100,000, and thus effectively borrowing only $97,000. However, you're still making interest payments that the lender is basing on a $100,000 loan, not a $97,000 one. A lower denominator has the same effect as a higher numerator. The APR on the Alpha Mortgage loan is 5.00%, but the APR on the Beta Mortgage loan is 5.02%.
To calculate the APR for a loan that incorporates costs beyond those of the principal borrowed, first determine how much the periodic payments are. For the Beta Mortgage loan, each monthly payment is:
The $100,000 is the gross principal borrowed, .0475 the interest rate, 12 the number of periods in a year, and 360 the number of periods over the course of the loan. Break out your calculator, and you'll find that the monthly payment is $521.65.
Then, divide the monthly payment into the net amount you're borrowing,
The APR is the unknown quantity that solves this equation:
Which, alas, you can't figure out through any amount of algebraic manipulation. You need either a fondness for trial-and-error and an awful lot of patience, or a computer. [In Microsoft Excel, the formula is 'RATE (nper, pmt, pv, fv, type, guess).' Use 360; -521.65 (rounded); and for the first three values, respectively]. Multiply by 12 to get the annual rate. The resulting rate is 5.02%.
The APY or EAR
APY differs from APR in that the latter takes only simple interest into account. APY incorporates the additional complication of compound interest: interest charged on the simple interest, which again distorts the numbers and increases a borrower's obligations beyond the standard simple interest rate.
Note that APY and EAR are identical. They represent the same quantity, but are quoted by one name or the other depending on the circumstance. The expressions are two sides of the same coin, in much the same way that an accounts payable for one business is an accounts receivable for another. A credit card issuer, for example, would use the term EAR rather than APY, because it's not good public relations to talk in terms of the "yield" that the cardholders' payments are generating for the issuer.
Compound interest – interest on interest – is a subject that should warrant its own article, and does, but suffice it to say that knowing that compound interest differs from simple interest isn't enough. When calculating APY/EAR, the compounding period is everything. Interest that compounds semiannually is far different from interest that compounds daily, as it does on most credit cards.
Difference Between APR and APY
To determine the APR and APY on accounts with compounding interest, start with the interest rate per compounding period – again, in this case that means per day. Target Corp. offers a credit card that levies interest of 0.06273% daily. Multiply that by 365, and that's 22.9% per year, which is the advertised APR. If you were to charge a different $1,000 item to your card every day, and waited until the day after the due date (when the issuer started levying interest) to start making payments, you'd owe $1,000.6273 for each thing you bought (disregarding for a moment that the issuer probably won't let you make daily payments on your card, let alone have them post immediately, and also disregarding that pennies don't carry out to two decimal places).
To calculate the APY, instead of multiplying 0.06273% by the number of compounding periods in a year, add 1 (which represents the principal) and take that number to the power of the number of compounding periods in a year. Subtract 1 from the result to get the percentage form.
.0006273 x 365 = 22.9% APR
That's pretty much it. The difference between APR and APY can be illustrated more forcefully in a couple of equations than in any amount of prose. The higher the interest rate, and to a lesser extent the smaller the compounding periods, the greater the difference between APR and APY. Understand that of the two, APY is the more universally applicable measure, the one that states how much you'll be paying in interest charges (or receiving, in the case of deposit accounts) regardless of compounding frequency. That's why the Truth in Savings Act of 1991 mandates that APY be disclosed with every deposit account offered by financial services firms.
Given that an APR and a different APY can be used to represent the same interest rate, it stands to reason that lenders and borrowers will pick the more flattering number to state their case. A bank will advertise a savings account's APY in a large font and its corresponding APR in a smaller one, given that the former features a superficially larger number. The opposite happens when the bank acts as lender, rather than borrower, and thus tries to convince its own borrowers that it's charging a rate as close to zero as possible.
The Bottom Line
So what can a borrower overwhelmed with data do? As always, caveat emptor. Look for a listed APY before paying attention to APR. If no APY is listed, calculate it from the listed periodic interest rate via the method shown here. And if you're concerned about how much your credit card issuer is charging you in interest, one foolproof way around that is to pay your balance in full every month. That's a nominal rate, an APR and an APY of 0.
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False Creek Flats Arterial Community Panel Recruitment now open
Vancouver residents and businesses from the False Creek Flats area are now invited to submit applications to become members of the community panel that will make a recommendation to Council on the route of a new arterial road through False Creek Flats. Applications will be accepted until December 10, 2018.
The panel will be convened by the Jefferson Center. It will be comprised of 42 community members representative of local neighbourhoods, impacted businesses, and city-wide residents. The panel process will also call for broader community input.
Panel members will undertake approximately eight days of deep learning and discussion, and will recommend a route for the arterial road that will have an over or underpass to cross the rail line, with rationale and suggestions for mitigating any remaining concerns. The panel will endeavor to reach consensus, but divergent views will also be included in the community panel's final report.
Staff will use the Panel's recommendation as a significant input to the overall strategy, but may request further engagement, learning and technical analysis before taking all input to Council in a draft plan later in 2019.
Vancouver City Council and Vancouver Park Board will have the final authority to accept, modify, or reject specific recommendations at its discretion, or refer aspects to appropriate City and Park staff.
How residents can be involved
Community panel
Residents and businesses interested in participating in the panel are invited to submit an application.
Applicants must be able to attend full-day sessions on January 19, 20, 26; February 9, 23; March 9, 10; and April 6.
Applications are due December 10, 2018.
- Apply online at www.fcfcommunitypanel.com/apply
- Phone: 778-381-9121
- Email: email@example.com
People who submit an application but who are not selected to be on the panel are invited to attend public events.
Public engagement events
Community members and the general public will be invited to attend events that provide the opportunity to learn more about the project, provide input on options being considered, and speak with community panel members. Event dates will be released in early 2019.
Area stakeholders
Stakeholders from the area who will be significantly impacted by any of the routes will be invited to participate as part of the program to provide information to the community panel so they can make a well informed recommendation.
How the community panel selection will work
Forty-two people will be selected by randomized draw from the pool of applicants to ensure that a broad, representative cross-section of local residents, city-wide residents, and local businesses are selected to participate. The final panel will be comprised of:
- 21 local residents selected in accordance with demographic composition targets, in proportion to Census data for the study area, including:
- A demographically proportionate number of individuals who identify as men, women, and trans*/non-binary (drawing from both Census and other available data)
- A demographically proportionate number of members from five age cohorts: 16-29 years, 30-44 years, 45-64 years, and 65+ years
- A demographically proportionate number of "visible minority" individuals, as defined by the Census
- At least two members who self-identify as Indigenous, in proportion to Census data for the study area
- 15 local businesses selected to reflect a:
- Mix of location, with an approximate 2:1 ratio of businesses in areas zoned I-2, MC-1, or along a proposed arterial route, to those located in other zoning districts and/or in other parts of the study area
- Mix of business size according to number of employees
- As possible, composed of a mix of genders and ages
- Six city-wide residents, each from a different neighbourhood, composed of a mix of genders and ages
If any category is not filled through the lottery process, these spaces will be reassigned to the other categories or left unfilled at the discretion of the panel Chair to ensure balance and inclusion of diverse perspectives without over representing any single perspective.


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SA Express returns to profit and plans to expand its regional network and fleet
South Africa's SA Express has reported a net profit of ZAR650,000 (USD65,000) for the 2013 financial year, turning around a restated loss of ZAR365.9 million (USD36.7 million) in FY2012 driven by increased revenue and stable operating costs.
The result marks a return to profitability as the state-owned carrier and member of the South African Airways Group looks to expand its regional network over the next six months and strengthen its feeder support role for South African Airways as well as implement a fleet replacement programme to further reduce costs.
SA Express also reported a 91% reduction in its operating loss to ZAR25.1 million (USD2.5 million) in FY2013. SA Express CEO Inati Ntshanga said: "Though the business is making the right decisions and heading in the right direction, we cannot afford to be complacent as a lot still needs to be done to ensure that we champion a sustainable operational and financial performance."
While selected details of the financial results were presented at the airline's AGM on 25-Sep-2013, neither the full audited accounts nor the annual report have been made public.
SA Express increases revenue and reduces costs in FY2013
South Africa's Minister of Public Enterprises Malusi Gigaba stated at SA Express' AGM that the South African airline industry has been impacted by slow economic growth and reduced demand as well as increasing costs of landing and navigation charges, the depreciating ZAR and high fuel costs.
Cost control in the short and medium future will be crucial to the SA Express' financial sustainability, Mr Gigaba said.
SA Express increased revenue by 13.6% year-on-year to ZAR2.29 billion (USD226.5 million) on the back of higher fares and improved load factors, despite an unspecified decline in passenger numbers, implying capacity has been reduced.
Operating costs however remained stable, though no supporting figure was disclosed, while cost savings of ZAR129.1 million (USD12.8 million), exceeded the target of ZAR70 million (USD6.9 million).
The carrier's total assets increased to ZAR1.4 billion (USD138.6 million) from ZAR1.1 billion (USD108.9 million) in FY2013 mainly due to an increase in receivables and a ZAR158 million (USD15.6 million) deferred tax asset.
Mr Ntshanga said: "It is expected that operations will be sustainable based on expected future growth levels and implementation of the SA Express 20:20 Vision in line with SAA's long-term turnaround strategy (LTTS)."
SA Express had been negotiating with the government over a ZAR539 million (USD53.4 million) government guarantee to fund its turnaround plan. The guarantee would reportedly include ZAR316 million (USD31.3 million) to cover short term and long term lending facilities, ZAR123 million (USD12.2 million) to fleet expansion and ZAR100 million (USD9.9 million) for working capital and capital expenditure.
Negotiations for the guarantee began in 4Q2012 and had originally been for ZAR1.1 billion (USD108.9 million) after a massive loss in equity led to the carrier being in breach of its loan and aircraft lease covenants.
The guarantee is in addition to a ZAR5 billion (USD499 million) government guarantee granted to SAA on Oct-2012 for a two year period to allow the carrier to borrow on the financial markets and remain solvent. The guarantee was dependent on SAA presenting a turnaround strategy to the government and it being approved by the cabinet.
See related report: South African Airways' future hinges on a new strategic plan and CEO
SA Express has also employed a CFO to help bring the carrier's financial reporting systems back up to standard. The auditor general took over auditing the carrier's books for FY2012 after extensive discrepancies were revealed in the FY2011 accounts by auditors.
SA Express' part in the Long-Term Turnaround Strategy
Under the SAA LTTS, approved by the cabinet and SA Express' 20:20 vision the government will review the fleet, finance and network opportunities for all three state-owned carriers, SAA, SA Express and LCC Mango.
Mr Gigaba said the government has shifted its focus for the airline group from "good financial performance of one company, to strategic leveraging of state aviation assets to optimise economic impact".
SA Express' role in the group is that of a key strategic domestic and regional feeder airline implementing government policy to link African countries and promote intra-Africa trade.
With Middle East carriers establishing hubs throughout the continent, SA Express is required to quickly expand into strategic new markets and secure a competitive position leveraging its affiliate status in the Star Alliance as well as joint ventures with other partners.
SAA's 12-year LTTS calls on the carrier to create an integrated airline group, SAA Group Holdings, incorporating SAA, Mango and SA Express under a single holding company structure to improve asset utilisation, operational efficiency and capital allocation.
Consolidation of SAA's network will form a critical component of the plan over the next 18 months, including reducing its exposure to loss-making international routes, suspending routes to reduce operational losses and focus instead on developing its profitable domestic and African regional network.
SA Express receives approval to operate direct from Durban to Botswana, Mozambique and Namibia
SA Express will expand its regional network over the next six months after being granted approval to launch direct services from Durban to Botswana, Mozambique and Namibia. Currently SA Express' only direct regional services from Durban are to Lusaka, Zambia and Harare, Zimbabwe.
The new route agreements will significantly reduce regional one-stop operations via Johannesburg from Durban and help to establish Durban King Shaka International Airport as a secondary hub to Johannesburg.
SA Express flies daily from Johannesburg to Namibia's Walvis Bay and five-times weekly to capital Windhoek. It also operates 32 times per week to Gaborone, Botswana via Johannesburg as well as to Hoedspruit in Mozambique.
Direct services on the newly approved routes may be introduced by Mar-2014, with Durban-Maputo likely to be the first to launch, even though this will compete directly with SAA's privately-owned affiliate SA Airlink, which already operates four times per week on the route with a 29-seat Jetstream 41. SA Express currently operates to Maputo from Cape Town with a 50-seat CRJ200 three times per week.
Negotiations are also under way for rights to operate direct services from Durban to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which SA Express currently serves five times per week from Johannesburg with Q400s.
SA Express route map
Johannesburg-based SA Express also serves nine domestic destinations across a network spanning 14 routes. While the carrier operates limited services between Durban and Johannesburg and provides all of the group's capacity on the Durban to Cape Town route with 18-weekly services, it does not compete directly on the golden Johannesburg-Cape Town route, which is by far the country's largest.
South Africa Top 10 Domestic Routes (ranked by seats): 30-Sep-2013 to 6-Oct-2013
fastjet Dar es Salaam-Johannesburg service launch delayed by South African Government
South Africa's regional markets are becoming more competitive particularly from Eastern Africa where Kenya Airways and Ethiopian have added capacity in past 12 months.
But Tanzania-based fastjet has had its plans to launch its first international service from Dar es Salaam to Johannesburg on 27-Sep-2013 postponed by an 11th hour request for more information from South Africa's Department of Transport. The move is, unsurprisingly, widely seen as a tactic by the South African Government to delay entry of an LCC competitor against national carrier SAA which holds a monopoly on the Dar es Salaam-Johannesburg route.
London Stock Exchange-listed fastjet remains philosophical about the delay which it regards as part and parcel of doing business in Africa and is confident it will commence operations on the route by the middle of Oct-2013. Its schedules are already loaded in GDSs and as Innovata data show below.
See related report: fastjet plans first international route, delays South African domestic launch
South Africa to Eastern Africa (seats per week, one way): 19-Sep-2011 to 23-Mar-2014
SA Express plans to update its regional jet fleet in 2014
As part of a 15-year fleet strategy approved under the turn-around programme SA Express expects to update its fleet in 2H2014 with next generation aircraft that will allow the carrier to broaden its network and reduce operating costs.
Mr Ntshanga reportedly stated that more aircraft would be needed to operate the planned direct regional network from Durban.
The carrier currently operates a fleet of 23 Bombardier regional jets and turboprops, but does not have any aircraft on order according to the CAPA Fleet Database. SA Express took delivery of seven Q400s in 2011, including four NG models, all of which are reportedly on 10-year operating leases. The Q400s replaced smaller Dash8-300s. The airline also took delivery of a sixth CRJ700 in Aug-2013.
Earlier in 2013 SA Express stated it was evaluating 80-seat regional jet options to replace its existing 50 and 70-seat CRJ aircraft which have an average age of 13.4 years. Given SA Express' close relationship with Bombardier – the carrier became the manufacturer's first authorised MRO provider in Africa in Nov-2012 – the most likely option would be CRJ900 NextGen.
SA Express Fleet Summary: as at 30-Sep-2013
SA Express recovery surprises on the upside, but state protectionism rears its head again
Although the devil is often in the as yet undisclosed detail, SA Express' financial recovery has outperformed expectations which earlier in the year had been for a possible break-even position for FY2013. The carrier also appears to be on track for regaining control of its financial reporting systems and with the help of taxpayer funding is ready to expand its regional network from the increasingly important Durban hub.
The carrier will play a central role in the SAA's latest turnaround strategy by improving regional links, but this is likely to come at the cost of consumers and the travel indusry. The apparent last minute thwarting of fastjet's plans to launch a competing service from Tanzania has again raised the unwelcome spectre of government protectionism in Africa's largest aviation market.