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Olympus step into the Micro Four Thirds world with the E-P1. Matt Grayson met with Olympus to give his thoughts.
| Olympus PEN E-P1 in Compact Cameras
Olympus PEN E-P1: Specification
- Resolution: 12Mp
- Sensor size: 17.3x13.0mm
- Sensor type: Hi-Speed LiveMOS Four Thirds
- Image size: 4032x3024
- Aspect ratio: 4:3
- Focus system: Contrast detection AF system
- Focus points: 11
- Crop factor: 2x
- Lens mount: Micro Four Thirds
- File type: 12bit RAW, JPEG
- Sensitivity: ISO100-6400
- Storage: SD, SDHC
- Focus types: Area, single, face detection
- Metering system: TTL open aperture
- Metering types: Digital ESP, centre-weighted, spot
- Exposure compensation: +/- 3EV in 1, ½, 1/3 step increments
- Shutter speed: 60sec-1/4000sec
- Frames per second: Approx. 3fps
- Flash: External only
- Flash sync speed: 1/30sec-1/180sec
- Image stabilisation: Sensor shift type, one or two dimensional movement to 4EV steps
- Integrated cleaning: SSWF
- Live view: Yes, Contrast detection system, 100% field of view
- Viewfinder: Optional accessory
- Monitor: 3in Hypercrystal LCD, 230,000dots (73,000px)
- Interface: USB 2.0, HDMI
- Power: Li-Ion battery
- Size: 120.5x70.0x35.0mm
- Weight: 335g (body only excl. battery and card)
Olympus E-P1: Features
Based on the 35mm Pen released in 1959, the E-P1 follows the basic principles that challenged the designers 50 years ago to make a camera small enough for people to pocket but had interchangeable lenses. The new model is roughly the same size as its forefather but is a little squarer on the top plate. A command dial on the left shoulder is turned using a small black thumb dial just below on the back. It looks nice and works well enough but I found that the ledge housing the large 3in screen on the back got in the way. It's a firm dial which is in stark contrast to the easy-to-turn dial on the back of the camera used for scrolling through menus.
Akira Watanabe, SLR Planning Department Manager for Olympus Imaging, stated at PMA that he considered 12Mp to be a reasonable resolution that would cover the needs of most customers. This echoes what I said in the review of the Olympus E-620 and the E-P1 shares the same resolution but has an advantage of pushing the images through a brand-spanking new Trupic V processor. Exact specifications of this new processor and what it can do have bee kept relatively quiet however, Olympus are confident that it'll produce excellent images and full HD video at high speed and high ISO.
The reasoning behind the Pen was principally a marketing one. In an interview, Mr Watanabe said that for a number of reasons, Micro Four Thirds was developed to meet the demands of those who wanted a DSLR but without the size problems that come with one. "More and more customers are female and don't want, require or need a larger camera." He continued: "20% of compact camera users have thought about buying a DSLR at one stage but hesitated due to the size."
He also said that the idea for the design was down to the fact that the same challenges had been set when designing the E-P1 as was set when designing the original Pen. It's certainly a good idea as the retro lines of the Pen work very well. It's a very pretty camera and cashes in nicely on the consumers new need for all things vintage.
Features that Olympus seem to be pretty proud of are the full HD video which, like the Panasonic GH1, also works with autofocus and after trying it, a few clicks can be heard but it's not overbearing. The Art filters have also been incorporated into video so anyone interested in making a film noir type video can set the Grainy Film setting and start filming.
In camera image stabilisation has a maximum 4EV steps keeping your images sharp through the new 17mm f/2.8 pancake lens or the 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 zoom lens. These new lenses are of the Micro Four Thirds lens mount which means they're smaller than Four Thirds but with an adapter, they can be fitted to a Micro Four Thirds body. These new lenses can't be fitted to a normal Four Thirds camera though.
Dust reduction is available on the smaller camera and it's been redesigned especially to fit the smaller model. The Supersonic Wave Filter shakes up to 30,000 times a second to create a supersonic wave that, Olympus say, removes dust missed by conventional dust removal methods.
Take care on the menu system as it caught me out when I first started using the camera. They've still used the typical on screen display that superimposes over the image showing the usual options for ISO, white balance, file format, sharpness and white balance etc. Olympus have not prioritised the usual method and instead opted for a "side-of-the-screen" version similar to Casio or Canon. When you're in this menu, you can press Info and it'll switch to the more familiar method and from then on the camera will favour that style, but it's unusual nonetheless.
Out of the menu, pressing the Info button will scroll through several options such as bracketing and focusing as well as display options such as histogram and targeting cross hairs. In the focusing mode, if you wish to use the naviagtion pad to select the continuous shooting mode, it's not possible without scrolling through the modes to a normal screen or the focus area will move around when you press up, down, left or right.
Olympus E-P1: Build and handling
With a metal construction the E-P1 feels nice and solid in the hands although when you first pick it up it feels far from correct. Maybe it's the retro design that made me think it would feel older (?) than it does and I think I expected it to smell like it had been sat in a canvas bag for the last thirty years. The wheel that moves the top command dial sits a little too close to the 3in LCD screen which projects out from the back of the camera and my finger got caught on it. To be fair to the camera I did get used to this and it only happened a couple of times.
A Micro Four Thirds adapter is available for fitting normal Four Thirds lenses onto and I took my 8mm Zuiko lens along to try and it works nicely.
Using the 8mm Zuiko lens is possible with the Micro Four Thirds adapter.
Possibly the most humorous area of the new releases is the 14-42mm lens. It's compacted down quite nicely but when it's fixed to the camera it makes the camera lean forward slightly. A small locking switch is sat next to the focal lengths and surprisingly this is because the lens isn't at 14mm when it's closed. Two small barrels telescope out around an inch which makes it look more like a bridge camera than a DSLR.
I appreciate that the camera isn't strictly a DSLR as the mirror box and prism have been removed to make the camera smaller but it's aimed at a DSLR more than a bridge compact.
In tricky light, this portrait image looks good.
Olympus E-P1: Performance
Taking a portrait has come out really nice. In a mixture of light from a large Halogen and Daylight from some huge windows at the top of the stairs, this close up of the German sixties model has a good skin tone and plenty of detail.
There are a selection of Art scenes available on the new cameras released this year including Pop Art which boosts the colours to a ridiculous level, Grainy Film whioch sends everything black and white with a grainy look, soft focus, pale and toy camera which emulates the look of a pin hole camera with black vignetting around the edges.
Pop Art mode bursts bold colours out of the screen.
Toy camera mode darkens the image and vignettes the borders.
These options generally take a while to process meaning I was sat around for a while waiting for the camera to show me the picture before I could move on. The brighter image of the model in the blue vintage bikini is using the Pop art while the darker one of her is using the toy camera.
Grainy Film mode gives the image a noir effect.
I threw the point of interest out of focus for the Grainy film effect giving it more of a sixties look, I think and this highlights probably the best use of the mode. These type of vintage or noir style images are fitted perfectly to this mode.
Once outside I managed to capture a few shots of Penny, the model who is fronting the Olympus Pen campaign, and after taking a shot at normal exposure, I found the arm to be extremely over exposed so I dropped down the exposure by 1/3 stop and it balanced the image out while deepening the blue of the sky.
Metering slightly under sorts out over exposure and deepens the sky.
At correct exposure, the arm is blown out slightly.
The Don with his girl and protection have a good amount of detail in shadow areas despite the large light directly infront of the camera.
Olympus E-P1: Focus and metering
Disappointment and elation abound in these two areas as I could explain about the decent metering system in the time it takes for the focus to lock. An 11 point AF system is used to find the subject and it wasn't always concise with what I wanted it to focus on. Face detection worked quite well but the main problem is the camera's incessant need to hunt through the complete range before settling on its selected subject. There's no speedy focusing system that we saw in the E-3 and E-30 which is a shame. Olympus want to turn the world on its head with this camera so they need everything to be bang on perfect.
Metering is headed up by a 324 area ESP mode which breaks down into an 18x18 grid. This is particularly noticeable on the image of the Don and his girl and bodyguard. A light was shining directly into the lens and the camera has managed to retain some detail in the areas which would normally be silhouette.
Olympus E-P1: Noise test
I was originally unimpressed with the noise performance when I reviewed the pictures back on the cameras screen but I think the relatively low resolution impeded my opinion because on reflection, they're not that bad.
I actually think that noise is to an acceptable standard up to ISO1600 where the sample image started to suffer noticeably in lack of detail and colour invasion. These are only sample images taken at the launch and while they're final production, keep looking back for the official ones when I get a model in for an update and to spend more time with it.
The ISO100 test.
The ISO200 test.
The ISO400 test.
The ISO800 test.
The ISO1600 test.
The ISO3200 test.
The ISO6400 test.
Olympus E-P1: Verdict
During my time with the Olympus E-P1 I really enjoyed what it could do for me. It certainly has some issues such as no viewfinder and a slow focusing system. Noise is still good which shows my initial reservations were due to viewing the images on the camera's screen.
The screen is also inferior as Olympus are now the only company not to add a 307,000pixel screen to a camera. I'm not too keen on the design idea of the 14-42mm lens but it's not encroaching on performance so it's a matter of opinion.
If you like the retro design and the idea of a smaller lens system then this is the camera for you. I'm into vintage chic so I'll probably end up with one although it won't do much for my bank balance sitting at £700 with the 14-42mm f/3.5/5.6 lens.
Blessedly it's under a grand unlike the Panasonic GH1 so seems a more appropriate choice in the MFT (Micro Four Thirds) system. It does video with autofocus and has stereo sound so it's not too dissimilar.
Olympus E-P1: Plus points
Good build
Lovely design
Good noise performance
Olympus E-P1: Minus points
No built-in viewfinder
Focusing is slow
Slow processing on Art modes
The Olympus E-P1 standard kit is priced at £699.99 with the 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 lens and is available from Warehouse Express here:
Olympus E-P1 & 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 lens
Body only £599.00
Body with 14-42mm zoom £699.00
Body with 17mm pancake plus the viewfinder thingy £749.00
Nice to see they have fitted two dials and adapters will be available for both 4/3 and older Zuiko lenses.
'Get thee behind me Satan!'
(I came so close to getting the Sigma DP1 but was frustrated by the fixed focal length (I still LOVE the Foveon sensor though))
Quote:My word that is a bit pricey
The camera is really not as expensive as I first thought
For example look at the Leica M8 the only other camera this small with inter changeable lenses.
There`s no auto focus, no IS or live view and no video, the body and lenses cost serious bucks.
I`m guessing its not out of the question.
Quote:Blimey, theres some real nasty chromatic abberation in those sample shots. Have a look at the ISO800 shot and the edge of the guy's white shirt!!
This was using the 8mm Zuiko lens.
The only thing that`s stopping me flashing the credit card immediately is the lack of a built in flash. Now, I realise many of the "real" photographers may think a pathetically small built-in flash would be next to useless, but I would say that for me, this camera would be my carry everywhere, snapshot/general purpose camera, replacing a compact. If I end up carrying your camera in one pocket and a fairly bulky flash in the other, well, it kind of loses it`s portability doesn`t it?
By the way, I notice that you can pre-order the Pen. How is this possible? You either order it or you don`t. "Pre-order" indeed; Whatever`s happening to our language?
As is often the way, the camera is not *quite* what I am after. I've been waiting for ages a for a compact camera with a decent sized sensor, to use for general carrying around when my big SLR is not convenient. The E-P1 is so nearly there, but I would like a viewfinder. I'd rather have an add-on one that gives a good view than a built-in one that's like a peep hole. So now I'm torn between the fixed 17mm, which is nice and compact and has a matching viewfinder, or the 14-42 zoom which is more versatile but bigger and without a viewfinder.
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RENT a car FROM our 'COMFORT' RANGE
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The pleasure of driving
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subset: commoncrawl


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For arithmetic sequences and series you need to know how to use the formulae in the formula book.
A lot of questions will involve forming and solving simultaneous equations as shown in the video and the second exam question below.
January 2008 Question 2 – answer here
June 2006 Question 3 – answer here


text: Finding the Balance at Athleta by Rachel Arthurs LinkedIn: link opens in a new window Facebook: link opens in a new window Twitter: link opens in a new window Athleta May 23, 2017 LinkedIn: link opens in a new window Facebook: link opens in a new window Twitter: link opens in a new window Figuring out how to be your best self at work and at home can be a tricky balancing act — but it's a little easier when your employer is supportive. Athleta's Sara Thompson took a minute to chat about work-life balance and share a few tips. Tell us a little bit about your background and what do you for Athleta. I've been part of the Gap Inc. family for almost 19 years, most recently as general manager of the Athleta store in Corte Madera, Calif., before I was promoted to my current job as area manager for Athleta in the Bay Area North/East. I've been married for 15 years and have two girls: Paige is 8 and Kate is 3. What's been your biggest challenge in maintaining work-life balance? I think one of the most important parts of finding balance is knowing that it changes: There are times when I have to give more to work and there are times when I need to give more to my family. The challenge is knowing when to make that shift and making sure you have the support to do it. Another challenge is being OK with not being "perfect" all the time. Sometimes, the laundry piles up and I have to order pizza for dinner. I've learned that I need to be OK with that, not beat myself up or feel like a failure as a mom or a person. Has working at Athleta helped with that kind of flexibility? Absolutely — I've always felt supported by my team and my supervisors to prioritize myself and my family. Some days I need to leave early to pick up my daughter from school or get to a soccer game, and I've never felt pressured or guilty about making those choices. It's actually been the opposite: I've been encouraged to make decisions that are in the best interest of myself and my family. What is it about the Athleta culture that makes balance possible? The words that come to mind are uplifting, supportive, sisterhood, community. It's a place where you can unapologetically be yourself, but also be inspired and pushed by those around you to be the best version of yourself. And it's a place where we really get to know one another on a personal level. Our work selves are just one part of who we are; when we can see the whole picture of who someone is, we're able to fully support what they need in order to achieve their limitless potential. What's your greatest accomplishment? I'm really proud that wherever I am, I'm there 100 percent. When I'm at work, I'm 100 percent focused on my team and give my all to them. And when I'm at home, I'm 100 percent focused on my family. If I need to do work when I'm off, I try to make it quick and not let it take away from quality time with my girls. Work will always be there tomorrow! Can you share your best tip for finding balance? Make time for yourself. This is definitely the hardest thing for me, but I've found that I'm my best self at work and at home when I take time to do what I love. For me, that's running. If I can squeeze in a three-mile run before I start my day, I know it's going to be a good one. Categories People Tags Career advice


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The Most Expensive Game Ever Played — Part II
The Most Expensive Game Ever Played
Part II — Trinidad
As Andy mentioned, we went to the England versus New Zealand match in St. Lucia and it turned out to be really boring. On the other hand, the energy surrounding the match was electric … super fans in crazy costumes, face paint, national flags as capes, gorilla suits, and yes, even a Borat-style swimsuit (he made the cover of the local newspaper, yikes).
The big game in Trinidad was India v. Sri Lanka. Not only is this a huge game and historic rivalry, but India's cultural influence in Trinidad is apparent in every part of life. We briefly read about this alleged East Indian influence and thought: Huh? What? How prevalent could it actually be? Maybe some Tandoori chicken here and there?
Seriously, one cannot fully grasp the magnitude of East  Indian influence until experiencing Trinidad in person. Indeed, 43% the population of Trinidad and Tobago is Indo-Trinidadian, and another 18% characterize themselves as a mixed race with some fraction of East Indian descent.
Upon our arrival in Trinidad, we immediately noticed a very different vibe. The polite and reserved British fans, even the "super†fans, paled in comparison. In a way, India was more the home team even than the West Indies team.
After the abolition of slavery in the British empire in 1833, a labor shortage forced Caribbean sugar cane farmers to seek out other solutions. As such, the first Indian indentured laborers arrived in Trinidad on May 30, 1845 (a national holiday since 1995 called "Indian Arrival Dayâ€) on a ship called the "Fatel Rozack." Ultimately outlawed by India in 1917, this migrant labor program nevertheless resulted in the immigration of 140,000 people from the Indian subcontinent.
Not surprisingly, the program had some problems. British and Trinidadian people, even those in official and leadership positions, referred to the Indian immigrants as "Coolies,†a pejorative term thought to mean "menial laborer,†although the exact origins suggest a racial slur. The term caused bitterness and distrust especially since many of the Indian immigrants paid their fare to the Caribbean and ultimately became successful land and business owners – these immigrants were not slaves, but they experienced similar racism and abuse. A strenuous campaign to adopt the term Indo-Trinidadian was successful in the late 1880's.
Because of this migrant labor program, the East Indian influence is everywhere in Trinidad — signs, businesses, music, fashion, architecture, language, accents, food, attitude, religion — truly everywhere from the Taj Mahal dry cleaners to the best Indian food we've ever had to the Hindu prayer flags to the cab driver's dashboard statuette of Vishnu.
But East Indian is not Trinidad's only exotic racial influence … next door to Trinidad's best restaurant, which is Indian food, is Trinidad's second best restaurant, which is authentic Thai food. Indeed, Trinidad contains a wide array of the world's citizens including African, European, Middle Eastern, Thai, Indonesian, Chinese, and Latino. The people-watching was fascinating and highly entertaining and we frequently pointed out a "colorful†passerby asking each other, how the hell did he get here?
Just like their uniqueness in appearance, Trinidadians are also unique in personality. We met several locals with extremely strong opinions formed by relatively trivial or obscure events. For instance, a waitress instructed us to take a Maxi (a small bus with a specific route but no defined bus stops requiring passengers to yell "stopâ€) to get to our next destination. As we waited for the yellow-striped van, a cab driver approached us ranting and raving that the waitress worships the devil. Apparently, he disagreed with her transit suggestions and as such, she's a demon who wishes to "keep good men down,†especially those who are trying to better themselves. After negotiating the fare, he ranted about the demon waitress (who publicly "claims to be a born again, church-going woman†and is apparently "reborn of the devilâ€) for about 10 minutes more, and then started in on his ex-wife.
Along the same lines, we had a hysterical interaction at the cricket match with a deadly serious Rastafarian nut salesman (who even had dreadlocks in his beard) that went something like this:
Andy: Hey man! You've got pistachios? I love pistachios! I'll take two bags!
Rastafarian Nut Salesman:Â Nods affirmatively and seriously.
Andy: Looks at price. Man, you're sure not giving these things away, but I'll take two anyway, I guess.
Rastafarian Nut Salesman: Stares intently. You will have justice.
Andy: OK good … um … wait … what? Are we still talking about nuts?
In any event, Trinidad's cultural diversity produces a fantastic vibe of cooperation and mutual respect. This vibe, along with all the complexities of the cricket situation, combined to make our two days in Trinidad absolutely magical.
In St. Lucia, the local news was that vendors and hoteliers are gravely disappointed in World Cup revenues. On the promise of huge tourist dollars, many business owners were appropriated financial incentives to refurbish or expand their facilities, and it has turned out to be a bad investment. Evidently, this has not been the case in Trinidad as all of the hotels in Port of Spain (Trinidad's capital city) were totally sold out. The last proper hotel with vacancies was the Port of Spain Hilton at a shocking $450 per night. In a weak moment of frugality, we opted for the Bel Air International Airport Hotel (not to be confused with the Bel Air Hotel) … a total dump at $150 per night and a $30 and 1-hour-minimum cab ride to Port of Spain.
To be fair, the crappy Bel Air is staffed with friendly, competent, and professional people. Waiting for a cab into the city, we witnessed this good service first hand while getting acquainted with some other hotel guests, the Chaudhury family. Dr. Chaudhury brought his wife, daughter, and son all the way from London to see their beloved India cricket team. Unfortunately, they put their tickets in their checked luggage, and lovely Air France (definitely not a Melissa and Andy favorite) just can't seem to master that "keep-the-luggage-on-the-same-flight-as-the-passengers†trick. As frequent air travelers to ticketed events, we knew that putting the tickets in the checked luggage was a rookie mistake, but we felt bad for them anyway. At 3:00 p.m., they were panicking to locate the luggage or contact ICC (International Cricket Council) personnel for an alternate resolution before the game started at 9:30 a.m. the following morning. Everyone was desperately trying to help this stranded family, and since we had two extra tickets, we exchanged contact information with Dr. Chaudhury should their other options run out.
Then we met Max, the East Indian but West Indies cricket fan cab driver, who took us into Port of Spain. A quick stop at a scenic overlook provided a fantastic view of the city and port, and a fabulous impromptu calypso serenade.
Calypso is a unique Trinidadian music form with French Creole roots. Often backed by a steel drum, Calypso is primarily lyrical and can be irreverent, political, satirical, witty, or gossipy. Some Calypso artists use the music form as a verbal newspaper to discuss contemporary issues, and some rely on more general themes like life, love, and loss. Some lines from our personal serenade included:
"She may be wearing blue, but her heart is happy because she'll always love you.â€
"God's gift is the love in your eyes, but cut back on the Stags, you could use some exercise.â€
With a population of 500,000, Port of Spain is a lively atmosphere of urban chaos. We walked a couple of blocks, checked out the cricket ground, and then just kind of stopped for a late lunch at the first available establishment. With tons of televisions with multiple international feeds, Trotter's is a sports bar that wouldn't be out of place in Westwood, Tucson or Columbia, Missouri. We quite liked it, but it definitely lacked anything approximating local flavor – they offered jalapeno poppers, spinach dip fully plagiarized from Houston's, and a perky waitress with precisely 37 pieces of flair.
We moved on for drinks at Smokey and Bunty's, a legendary local pub in the St. James neighborhood.  The crowd was totally representative of Trinidad itself … East Indian bartender, light complexion West Indian owner, dark complexion African-descended patrons to our right, British immigrants at the table to our left, Southeast Asian family patronizing the roti stand next door. The people-watching was astonishing, but we had yet to find rowdy cricket fans, and we were missing them.
Hoping to see some rival fans (or perhaps some players), we walked about two miles over to dinner at the fabulously authentic Apsara. The food was amazing … deliciously spicy, burn-your-face-off scallops on a sizzling skillet, chicken tikka masala served on a brazier of red hot coals, and a huge plate of naan with all the accoutrements. Dressed in a fantastic Indian get-up, the Indian maitre d' told us that our hero Murali had eaten there every night that week. He also explained that he was a converted Sri Lanka fan because of the restaurant's former chef, an exceptionally talented and well mannered Sri Lankan who had sadly lost his visa.
After the meal, we decided to head over to the famed Hilton, in part to try to visit Dr. Chaudhury (who ultimately didn't need our help) and in part to try to mingle with the fans. It was a short walk, and as we approached this lovely hotel, it was pretty clear that we'd blown it by not staying there.
Now back to Andy for Part III of "The Most Expensive Game Ever Played.â€


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Staff writer, In5D.com
It's an amazing trip to be connected to the higher vibrations of the collective human consciousness field. When we are connected, the thoughts we have can be downloads of what other people are thinking, and vice versa. Many people seem to be discussing Superpowers and DNA activation these days, as confirmed by my experience after our In5d conference.
I discuss over thirty Superpowers in the portion of my speech, as well as how to activate your latent DNA.
After the conference, I began to have a barrage of confirmation shown to me through the internet that many other people are discussing the same topics. I had no idea that so many people were talking about this at the same time.


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Health Care Reform for Dummies
AllHipHop Staff
Health Care Reform for Dummies
Can someone please tell me why these people are mad?
Havent they watched SICKO? Well maybe their Senators should hold a town hall meeting where they watch the Michael Moore documentary about health insurance in America and let see if they continue to bitch and moan about Prez Obamas proposed reform.
I wont pretend to know the ins and outs of the bill that is on the table but I do know I need cheaper health care.
After being laid off in December, I opted to continue my health care coverage. If it wasnt for Obama offering economic assistance for COBRA users I could not afford my health plan. The 65% reduction was just what I needed.
Dont be fooled, I am a journalist but the well is drying up. My peers and I talk about how bad it is. Some of us have had to move, others are working jobs they would have laughed out just six months ago and some are getting in on the system. Even Ive considered going down to get food stamps.
Time For Food Stamps?
When it comes to health care, its something that I cant afford to be without. Its also something that I cant afford to pay for each month as an independent journalist.
Seeing these people go ape shit over a health care plan that wants to treat everyone fair and equal further proves that:
1 People love to yell and scream
2 We are a selfish country
3 Senior Citizens think the government is out to kill them
4 Most Americans have no idea what the reform really entails
To debunk these myths and fears, the white house launched http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck. I suggest you check it out.
Perhaps if Prez Obama created another 30 minute long commercial that aired on all channels explaining his plan, Americans will get it. I suggest he enlists the creators of School House Rock to direct the spot. I envision little pills and syringes dancing on an examination table singing along about the virtues of a better health care system. Dont act like you wouldnt watch. How many of us today only know what a bill is because of this:
Im telling you, animation and a cute song will win everyone over.


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Served with an oven baked roll
Strips coated in a blend of cayenne pepper, garlic and chilli spices with naan bread, Asian salad and sweet chilli mayonnaise
Toasted slices of Parisian baguette smothered with homemade garlic butter with melted mozzarella and cheddar cheese
Goat's cheese, rocket, sun-dried tomatoes, red onion jam, sourdough bruschetta, balsamic and pesto
Prawns served with Marie Rose sauce, lettuce salad and wheaten bread
Confit of duck, soya vinaigrette and napa salad
Causeway Prime Irish rump steak with champ, beer battered onion ring and brandy & peppercorn sauce
Pan fried smoked cod served on buttered mash, savoy cabbage and smoked bacon with white wine seafood cream sauce
With champ, brandy & peppercorn sauce and tobacco onions
With champ, Yorkshire pudding and red wine jus
Served on colcannon mash with parsnip crisps and Bushmills whiskey cream sauce
Linguine pasta, white wine and garlic emulsion, peas, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, crème fraîche and lemon gremolata
Pork coated in a crushed peppercorn seasoning, champ, peppered sauce and tobacco onions
With homemade stuffing, champ and red wine & cranberry jus
Served with Oreo ice cream, chocolate sauce
Steamed sticky toffee pudding with rich hot toffee sauce and vanilla ice cream
Honeycomb ice cream, meringues, strawberries, raspberries, strawberry purée, butterscotch, chocolate sauce, fresh cream and homemade honeycomb
Creamy coconut and raspberry cheesecake flecked with chocolate bits on a biscuit base with coconut ice cream


text: Who is not intrigued by the beauty and energy of hummingbirds? In his recent book, A Summer of Hummingbirds, Christopher Benfey imagines a circular route of this amazing creature as it connects the genius of Emily Dickinson, Mark Twain, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Martin Johnson Heade. This unusually creative theme beckons me to further study of the art and cultural landscape of the l9th century. I have so enjoyed this book!


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What do you think of the styles below?
What do you think of the styles below?
What do you think of the styles below?
What do you think of the styles below?
What do you think of the styles below?
What best represents your body shape?
How do you prefer your clothes to fit you?
Top Half?
Form Fitting Loose Both
Bottom Half?
Form Fitting Loose Both
How tall are you?
Super tall
What style of jeans do you prefer?
Are you more of a pants & top girl or a dresses & skirt girl?
Mostly Pants
Mostly Skirts or Dresses
Mix of Both
Are there any fabrics that you would like to avoid?
Faux Fur
No, I'm okay with all of them
What is your jewellery style?
Mostly Classic
Mostly Statement
Mix of Both
What is your preferred tone of jewellery?
Mostly silver
Mostly Gold
Mix of Both
Are your ears pierced?
Are there any Accessories that you would like to avoid?
No, I'm okay with all of them
Do you wear high heels?
Now that we have your preferences tell us what you are shopping for.
Business Casual
Business Smart
Night Out
Lazy Day
Errand Day
Work It
Daytime Pleasure
Weekend Getaway
Your style preferences have been stored successfully!
Thank you!
Here is your preferences!!!Chic :
Boho :
Tomboy :
Glam :
Classic :Body Type :Fitting Preference Top Half :
Fitting Preference Bottom Half :Height :Jeans Style :Clothing Preference :Fabric Type :Jewellery Style :Jewellery Tone :Ears Pierced :Avoid Accessories :High Heel Shoes :
Answering the question, "What should I wear?" Catherine Abela is offering Canadian women a fresh approach to shopping. In 2016, she created STYLEARTIST, a personal styling and shopping service, born from the idea that busy Canadian women shouldn't have to spend hours at the mall or online to look fabulous.
Catherine spent a career mastering the art of buying for large retailers and listening to the needs of everyday Canadian women on a quest to look current. She found her employers unable to react quickly to the changing needs of clients. Armed with the knowledge that most women want to look polished and pulled together but don't always have the time or know-how, and buoyed by the success of similar US startups, she came up with STYLEARTIST.
With STYLEARTIST, women get just what they want, when they want it, without a subscription fee and without having to go down the rabbit hole of endless online scrolling just to purchase an outfit for date night.
At the heart of STYLEARTIST is its proprietary personal shopping engine, STYLEWIZARD, a free, one-of-a-kind online styling tool that any woman can use to assemble a number of unique looks created with her needs and preferences in mind.
STYLEWIZARD offers women the fun of an online editor with an ability to mix and match from a carefully curated line of high quality, contemporary brands like Zadig & Voltaire, Mother Denim, Bailey 44, Sam Edelman, Rebecca Minkoff and more – all through a single site. To start, the customer completes a brief survey from the comfort of her home or office, and in seconds, receives several outfit suggestions tailor made for her. With just one click, she can swap out an item for another, purchase an individual piece or choose a complete head-to-toe outfit, from earrings to shoes. When a customer finds what she wants, she heads to the checkout and her purchase soon arrives lovingly packed in a single STYLEARTIST gift box.
Catherine has sought to create a chic, comfortable and efficient online shopping experience. Through her blog, she pulls from her own life, offering tips and tricks for looking good and maintaining balance in a hectic life. STYLEARTIST aims to give busy women what they crave most – a fabulous look without the shopping fuss.
Catherine brings an incredible eye for emerging trends and an ability to identify and source new products and brands ahead of the market. On the heels of her role as executive vice president at a leading shoe retailer, Catherine dreamed of venturing into business for herself with an eye to changing the retail game.
Catherine has 20+ years experience buying and leading merchant teams for Town Shoes Ltd. and Hudson's Bay Co. She successfully created and launched several private labels and worked closely with Canadian fashion royalty like Jeanne Beker and David Dixon to develop, market and sell exclusive product lines.
Catherine enjoys travelling the globe looking for new and innovative products to bring back to the Canadian market. She has a network of strong industry relationships in Canada, the United States, Europe and Asia.
When she isn't travelling the world building a perfectly curated assortment for her customers, she is driving her two kids to a multitude of activities around Toronto. To manage the chaos, she takes time out for yoga, running, weight training and tennis and spends quality time with her family and best girlfriends.
Catherine lives in Toronto with her husband, teenage children, and Prince the Pomsky. She spends her summers in Muskoka – her happy place.


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The act of multitasking has been attached to a superhuman ability in these modern times although it is one of the vital attributes every woman should possess. Multi-tasking is an activity most people perform almost every day even though they might not be conscious of it. You might be wondering what exactly multi-tasking is. Dictionary defined multitasking as the simultaneous execution of multiple tasks or programs under the control of an interrupt-driven operating system. Multitasking can be a great strategy to realizing your unending to-do lists, thereby, increasing your productivity although; you must learn to accord the appropriate focus to each task. As women move out from the cliché of just being housewives to occupying seats in top boardrooms, the need to be great mothers as well as excellent career women becomes more needful and sometimes stressful. Being a home-keeper, wife and a career mom can be very exhausting for most women, but the ability to multi-task and still keep your cool will leave you more fulfilled than you can ever imagine. Have you ever wished you could be able to satisfy yourself, career and kids? If yes, then you need to have at the tip of your fingers more effective ways by which you can multi-task.
Below is Seven Effective Ways a Woman Can Multi-task:
- Make a To-do list: Having a schedule list of whatever tasks you need to accomplish in a day can help you multi-task, as this gives you the ability to select two tasks that can possibly be performed simultaneously without any of the two missing out. Making a to-do list involves scheduling tasks and setting time frames. Have deadlines or a short turn-around time for tasks, and you'll surpass your expectations. Through trials and errors, you learn how best and fast to complete tasks. Also, avoid the tendency to take on more than you can handle you can do this by making sure that your allotted time suits the activity to be performed.
- Make Use of Technology Provided Aid: In a world where technology seems to have the answer to almost all human problems, multi-tasking should not be so much of a big deal. Technology has helped to provide mothers who can do shopping online and at the same time do the laundry with the help of a washing machine, while doing shopping online as the electronic self-rocking cradle rocks the baby to sleep. Therefore, using technological aids can boost multi-tasking and make it more efficient.
- Avoid Distractions: Multi-tasking calls for a lot of self-discipline. Everyone faces distractions especially when there is a lot of task to get done but the ability to handle these distractions is what keeps you on track and makes the act of multi-tasking much more effective. These distractions can come in form of phone, calls, television, and social media etc. but self – discipline keeps a mom on track especially the mom who runs a home-based business.
- Grab the Opportunity to Delegate: Most mothers have problems with delegating because they can barely trust anyone to perform a certain task as perfect as they would have done it themselves. Multi-tasking is more beautiful when add extra hands. In order not to regret the decision to delegate, assess the task you are personally able to and the ones good enough for delegation. Delegation is a great way to get so many tasks done at the same time.
- Discern the Activity for the Moment: Learning to do the right thing at the right time can make multitasking more effective. When preparing your to-do list, you must bear in mind the best time for every activity and place all activities within the right timing. Recognize when you work best by monitoring your productivity and assign all activity the way it suits you. Allocating the best time of your day to your most important work is a great way to be more effective and productive.
- Use Waiting Time Efficiently: Whenever any of your activity provides for a waiting time be conscious to use it effectively. Waiting time may come in places like the airport, bank, or doctor's office. Always take along some work, especially if you have to be in places where waiting is inevitable. While waiting, find a means to multi-task with any available chore.
- Take Multi-task Rehearsals: Practice they say makes perfect as it is an act to mastering any skill. In order to become skilled in the act of multi-tasking, you must learn to practice the act frequently. Multi-tasking should be part of every woman's life, and not an activity that arises just from a need to get many things done. To practice how to multi-task take a look at all you need to do in a day and pick a few routine tasks to start with.
Women have been assigned a handful of responsibilities in our society today, these responsibilities are definitely not beyond their capacity but making good use of their multi-tasking skills can help them become more productive than they have ever imagined.


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(06-02-2015, 01:47 AM)dylankhiew Wrote: Hey, I am planning to get my hands wet, so what are the recommended members for a Water Greek? So many choices I don't know which to train. List of worthy members:
Ao Guang
Water Uncle
Water Dragons Duo
Was initially planning for:
Poseidon, Zeus, Pisces, Pisces, Cassandra
Poseidon, Zeus, Ao Guang, Pisces, Pisces
or is Zeus not very effective in Water Greek? Thanks,any help would be appreciated!
(..and wow, nice guide. Very attractive and neat. *thumbs up*)
Hands wet..? Okay, LOL. Anyway, thank you for the fine words , I'm actually still not satisfied with the guild in overall - there's still a lot of I had in my mind but I'm kinda lazy/ can't find the time to do it.
Ixidor already gave you his inputs on nearly what you needed to know, so I'm not too sure what to add here. So let's talk about Zeus for a 'lil, shall we? I'll be frank here, I do not have much experience playing Zeus on a Greek team, I was stuck with my sole Greek God, Hephaestus for quite some time before Poseidon came to me but even then I've never found myself putting in Zeus - mainly because of the long-ass CD. Might be worthy if you'd yours at SLV maxed but otherwise I reckon that the slot is better off utilised by other cards.
You have 2 Pisces, maxing 1 is more than sufficient (Harpy should go to Ao Guang next), more than that are more of less luxuries. I personally have 1 all maxed Pisces, and 1 more sitting at SLV11 (no rush for the last SLV). I've not really seen myself slotting in 2 most of the time, I'd very much prefer to go with Ao Guang as the 2nd converter.
I notice you wrote ' list of members instead of cards or whatsoever' . Do you have any other leaders?
P/s - saw your thread on your guild's recruitment, awesome artworks(whatever you call them ), would be nice if you can teach me how'd you do those!
Error 101: Signature not found.


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We're just about finished with our major remodeling project. The kitchen actually has been done for weeks but because we changed flooring in the lower level we also decided to spruce up the place with fresh paint. That's been my project of late. And I'm almost done.
In the meantime, I was searching for some pictures to print and hang in the bathroom when I ran across some of Matthew's work. I didn't remember seeing these before. Who knows when he shot them…sometimes he's stealthy. I know I've shared some of his pictures before but I thought you'd appreciate his unique perspective.
Matthew does not see the world quite the same as you and I might. You know the saying, "Can't see the forest for the trees?" That's Matthew. Just like when he works puzzles he puts them together in groups and then finally fits it all together. Me, on the other hand, I always start with the border and work my way in… It's just how we are.
So here you go:
|Yes, it's a rope. It's a fence keeping us off the grass.
|I don't even recognize this house! But look close at the TV, it's the Ninja Turtles movie!
|Dining Room Table and Chairs…but, no, look closer…see that white cat paw? That's Spunky hiding under the table.
|Beloved AG Bear who apparently needed to rest on the pillow.
|I don't know…was he watching Walker, Texas Ranger?
|View from the back seat.
|Sure, a favorite movie.
|And yes, a drink ready to be poured into a cup.
|I do believe this is a very close up shot of Mr. Incredible.
|Another TV show… I recognize Batman in the background.
|I think we're looking at Harry Potter. Do we have this movie?


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The learner approved V-Star 650s have topped the cruiser sales charts for a number of years with good reason.
Plenty of attitude in a surprisingly lean and low package – priced to leave more room in your pocketbook to express yourself with cool Custom Star Accessories.
A low seat height means just about anyone can ride one – and more crucially, the 650s have the fit, finish, reliability and performance that all our Stars are known for.
An ideal starting point to the world of V-twin, the 650 V-Stars punch well above their weight. Meaning you get all the benefits of sweet handling and light weight while you appear to be riding a full bore badass V-twin.
Now there's no reason to settle for less than a real Star.
Why buy from Trooper Lu's Garage?
We are a 100% dedicated Yamaha motorcycle and ATV specialist – the only one in Sydney! We're absolutely crazy about Yamaha! We carry a range of new and used motorcycles, customized motorcycles as well as genuine parts & accessories.
We at Trooper Lu's:
We're located behind the BP station at 3/80 Heathcote Rd, Moorebank, NSW, 2170 – close to the M5.
Call us on (02) 9602 3773, or email [email protected]
*Photos shown may be overseas model and/or optional accessories fitted that may not be included*.
|Engine Type
|Air-cooled, SOHC, 70-degree V-twin
|649 cc
|Bore x Stroke
|81.0 x 63.0 mm
|Compression Ratio
|Lubrication System
|Wet sump
|Fuel Management
|(2) 28mm Mikuni downdraft-type
|Digital TCI
|Starter System
|Fuel Tank Capacity
|Final Transmission
|Shaft drive
|2340 mm
|880 mm
|1075 mm
|Seat Height
|695 mm
|1610 mm
|Ground Clearance
|140 mm
|Dry Weight
|220 kg
|Wet Weight
|233 kg with 16 litres of fuel
|Frame Type
|Steel double cradle
|Suspension Front
|41mm Telescopic fork, 140mm travel
|Suspension Rear
|Single shock, link-type w/adjustable preload, 86mm travel
|Brakes Front
|298mm discs
|Brakes Rear
|200mm drum
|Tyres Front
|Tyres Rear
We can provide efficient and cost effective finance packages on a range of products and services. These include:
This is just the start. Let our team help you. Discuss your options at ease with one of our Industry Experts – Our staff are here to guide and facilitate and NOT just do the hard sell!
Get quote for Finance
We are an authorised agent for YMI (Yamaha Motor Insurance)
Before you take your New or Pre-owned Motorcycle out for a ride, make sure you have insurance. Trooper Lu's Garage is accredited through Yamaha Motor Insurance. We can assist you with finding the right cover for you.
All applicants are welcome – you don't even need to purchase a motorcycle from us!
***Finance disclaimer
Weekly payments provided are for indicative purposes and to approved purchasers only. The payments don't consider your personal situation, insurances, loan protection, warranty options, short fall cover or any additional accessories. Weekly price is based upon a personal finance application for the advertised price of the vehicle. Additional costs may be applicable. Repayments are based on 11.95% over 60 months with 10% deposit. Comparison rate 12.54% and is based on a secured consumer fixed rate loan of $30,000 over a term of 60 months. WARNING: This comparison rate is true only for this example given and may not include all fees and charges.
Terms and conditions are available on request. Rates may vary, please contact one of our finance staff to learn more.
If you would like to know more about this motorcycle or would like to arrange a test ride, please click here.
Copyright © 2020 Trooper Lu's Garage. All rights reserved. MV ID: MD030467


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May 24, 2010 Qatar Foundation, Library of Congress Sign Memorandum of Understanding
Press Contact: Jennifer Gavin (202) 707-1940
Public Contact: John Van Oudenaren (202) 707-4543
Her Highness Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al-Missned, wife of the Emir of Qatar, Chairperson of the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development and UNESCO Special Envoy for Basic and Higher Education, visited the Library of Congress today, where she met with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Librarian of Congress James H. Billington to discuss cooperation between the Qatar Foundation and the Library.
The Qatar Foundation is a founding partner of the World Digital Library (WDL), a project launched by the Library of Congress and UNESCO to place on the Internet important cultural and historical documents and to make them accessible, free of charge and in multilingual format, to users worldwide. Seventy-five partner institutions from 50 countries are participating in the project. The Qatar Foundation contributes to the WDL by providing through its Central Library cultural content, personnel and financial support.
"The World Digital Library, an asset to lovers of learning all over the world, owes its existence to the leadership and generosity of His Highness the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and Her Highness Sheikha Mozah of Qatar and their ongoing support," Dr. Billington said. "As its digital assets increase, the world's capacity for understanding will increase as well."
On the occasion of the visit of Her Highness, the Qatar Foundation and the Library of Congress signed a memorandum of understanding outlining joint efforts and expanded cooperation in four areas: (1) adding Arabic-language books, manuscripts, and other works to the WDL, with the intention of making these works better known and more accessible in both the Arabic-speaking and non-Arabic-speaking worlds; (2) including works of Arab science and technology in the WDL and promoting the WDL as a vehicle for increasing understanding of the achievements of Arab science in both the Arabic-speaking and non-Arabic speaking worlds; (3) increasing the number of institutions from the Arab world that are partners in the project; and (4) increasing the use of the WDL by students and educators in the Arab world.
Her Highness was accompanied by a delegation that included Dr. Abdulla bin Ali Al-Thani, Vice President for Education of the Qatar Foundation. Her Highness and her delegation examined rare Arabic books and manuscripts from the collections of the Library of Congress that are included in the WDL, and were briefed by the WDL staff on future plans for the project, especially as they relate to the Arabic-language interface and to the addition of content from and about the Arab world.
Her Highness and Speaker Pelosi also were given a tour of the Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress that included a visit to the personal library of Thomas Jefferson and demonstrations of how the Library combines the display of actual historical documents with interactive displays in its educational outreach to students, teachers and the general public.
Founded in 1800, the Library of Congress is the nation's oldest federal cultural institution. The Library seeks to spark imagination and creativity and to further human understanding and wisdom by providing access to knowledge through its magnificent collections, programs and exhibitions. Many of the Library's rich resources can be accessed through its website at www.loc.gov and via interactive exhibitions on a personalized website at myLOC.gov. The World Digital Library is on the web at www.wdl.org.
The Qatar Foundation was established in 1995 by His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, as a vehicle to convert the country's current, but temporary, mineral wealth into durable human capital. Qatar Foundation is dedicated to building human capital in a part of the world where the need and potential for human development are considerable. Through its threefold mission of education, scientific research and community development, it is helping build a sustainable society where the sharing and creation of knowledge will enhance quality of life for all. It sets out to be an asset not just for Qatar but for the entire Middle East region and beyond, and it already touches communities and individuals well beyond the country's borders. Qatar Foundation's flagship project is Education City, a 1,000-hectare campus on the edge of Doha where most of its member institutions are located. Learn more about the Qatar Foundation at www.qf.org.qa External.


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The costs of raising children in the U.S. continue to climbPosted: June 17, 2012 Filed under: clothing, Economy, Education, Entertainment, Health care, Housing | Tags: children, income, USDA 2 Comments
On June 14th, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its 2011 cost estimates for raising children in the U.S. (see "A Child Born in 2011 Will Cost $234,900 to Raise According to USDA Report"). According to this report, the average cost of raising a child in the U.S. rose 3.5% from 2010 and rose 22.5% from 1960 (in 2011 dollars), the first year these data were collected. (Note the USDA cautions that its methodology has changed over the years so comparisons between now and 1960 are not "precisely comparable). The share of expenditures has changed dramatically in certain categories like child care and education, food, and health care. The following chart is from the end of the publication (click image for a larger view), and it demonstrates the big differences in how children are raised now versus 50 years ago:
The amount families spend on children varies greatly based on household income, so these averages hide even more interesting stories. For example:
"A family earning less than $59,410 per year can expect to spend a total of $169,080 (in 2011 dollars) on a child from birth through high school. Similarly, middle-income parents with an income between $59,410 and $102,870 can expect to spend $234,900; and a family earning more than $102,870 can expect to spend $389,670."
It is clear from the report that the costs increase according to income because of choices families make. Thus, it is not quite accurate to say child-rearing gets more expensive with income. Instead, families tend to choose to spend more on their children the more income at their disposal.
Read/download the full report here.
2012 Illinois State Fair Increasing Prices 40-50%Posted: May 14, 2012 Filed under: Entertainment | Tags: Illinois, state fair Leave a comment
The price of attending the Illinois State Fair is skyrocketing again. This summer, it will cost $7 for adults to attend for a day, a 40% increase from last year's $5 admission price. In 2009, prices increased from $3 to $5 in 2009 and broke a 19-year run at the $3 admission rate. It looks like Illinois is playing some bigtime catch-up. Children and senior citizens will pay an extra 50% at $3 per person.
For more details see "State Fair releases concert lineup; admission price increasing."
Redbox raises prices 20% to cover higher costs for DVDs and debit card transactions.Posted: November 1, 2011 Filed under: Entertainment | Tags: Coinstar, CSTR, DVD, movie rental, Redbox Leave a comment
Last week, Redbox, the company owned by Coinstar (CSTR) that rents movies through big red kiosks, raised the price of DVD rentals from $1.00 to $1.20, a 20% increase. The company needs to offset higher costs for DVDs and process debit card transactions. Redbox tested out higher prices for a year in select cities and concluded that it was OK to roll out the increases nationwide. Given this testing, the company should not suffer the same backlash and outcry that Netflix (NFLX) suffered when it dramatically increases its movie rental prices.
For more details see "Redbox rental prices to rise."
Production costs may have the last laugh on The SimpsonsPosted: October 6, 2011 Filed under: Entertainment, Jobs, Salaries | Tags: cartoons, labor dispute, production costs, television show, The Simpsons Leave a comment
The venerable cartoon series "The Simpsons" has a strong following that has kept the show alive for a record 23 seasons. However, NPR reports hat rising production costs threaten to deliver the last laugh on The Simpsons. 20th Century Fox Television wants the show's actors to take a 45% pay cut on the $8M a year they currently earn. A $4.4M salary sure sounds fantastic to 99% of us, but in wages and income, relativity counts. These actors have certainly built lifestyles to match their salaries and a sudden and drastic cut could actually cause at least a few of them some hardships (hopefully just in the short-term).
If negotiation go poorly, the actors will be left with zero pay. Hopefully, they will still get a cut of the treasure trove that awaits in syndication. NPR states that "…one analyst noted that ending the show would make it worth even more in syndication — perhaps $1.5 million for each of the show's 506 episodes, which would bring in something like $750 million." This means the studio actually has a large incentive to end the series rather than continue to pay high production costs to keep the show going.
For more, see or listen to "Do Rising Costs Have 'The Simpsons' On The Ropes?"
Price declines continue for televisionsPosted: March 28, 2011 Filed under: Electronics, Entertainment, Retail | Tags: BBY, Best Buy, PHG, Philips, television Leave a comment
In "Philips Warns On TV Business As Price Pressures Remain", the Wall Street Journal reports that Philips (PHG) observed a 15% decline in television prices form the fourth quarter of last year to the first quarter of this year. PHG is under pressure to turn a profit in televisions as the company has lost money in this division for several years.
The troubles at PHG confirm the poor performance retailers like Best Buy (BBY) saw in televisions. From BBY's last earnings report (March 24, 2011):
"The Domestic segment experienced a low double-digit decline in entertainment hardware and software, as well as TVs, as current consumer demand in new television technologies had not yet emerged as a significant revenue driver…"
Now showing – higher prices at NetflixPosted: November 23, 2010 Filed under: Entertainment, Retail | Tags: Netflix, NFLX Leave a comment
Netflix (NFLX) is increasing the price it charges for its 1-DVD and 2-DVDs out at a time plans by $1. Its 3 DVDs-plan will increase by $3 to $19.99.
See "Netflix offers stream-only service, hikes prices"
Post Office to lose more money thanks to NetflixPosted: August 10, 2010 Filed under: Entertainment, Retail | Tags: Netflix, NFLX Leave a comment
As if the Post Office did not have enough problems, Netflix (NFLX) is bragging about the $600M it will transfer from its postal bills to Hollywood. Netflix announced today that it will stream films from Paramount Pictures, Lions Gate and MGM as a part of its online subscription service:
"Ted Sarandos, the chief content officer for Netflix, said he is essentially taking the "huge pile of money" that Netflix pays in postage for DVDs by mail — about $600 million this year — "and starting to pay it to the studios and networks."" ("Netflix to Stream Films From Paramount, Lions Gate, MGM")
Expect more upward pressure on the price of stamps to recover the ever-bleeding revenue streams at the Post Office.


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Principle and Practice of Selling (QQI)
(Which Leads To A QQI Level 5 Award Now Made By QQI And Attracts 15 Credits)
Excellent sales skills are of vital importance in to-days competitive world. We specialise in training sales people to be successful, confident and highly motivated. Our courses are practical, results oriented and fun.
On completion of this workshop you will have acquired a wide range of best practice sales skills and techniques to sell to customers over the telephone and face to face.
What are the Benefits of undertaking this training?
- Gain a national QQI Level 5 Principle and Practice of Selling Award ref (5N2062)
- Increase your emotional intelligence
- Increase customer sales
- Improve customer satisfaction
Course Content:
Unit 1: Introduction
- Basic Philosophy of Selling
Unit 2: The Consumer's Mind
- Personality of Sellers and Consumers
- Consumer Decision-Making
- Six Psychological Stages in the Selling Process
Unit 3: Planning to Sell
- Planning and Preparation in Selling
- Legal Responsibilities of the Seller
- Pre-Planned Questions to Encourage Purchase
Unit 4: During a Sale
- Establishing Rapport and Trust with Consumers
- Questioning Techniques
- Handling Problems During a Sale
Unit 5: Closing a Sale
- Techniques in Closing a Sale
Unit 6: Strategic Selling
- Comparative Analysis on other products
- Devise strategies to respond to competition
Unit 7: Building Consumer Loyalty
- Identify Post-Sales Activities
- Establishing Long-term Relationships
Available on request – Group discounts also available
The grading scale is:
Pass 50% -64%
Merit 65% - 79%
Distinction 80%- 100%
Candidates must have an Irish PPS number or a UK National Insurance number to receive a QQI Certificate.
IAOT Equality and Diversity
In order to provide equal employment, learning and advancement opportunities to all individuals, employment decisions at the Training for Success/IAOT will be based on merit, qualifications, and abilities in compliance with all statutory and legal obligations and guidelines.
The Training for Success/IAOT do not discriminate in employment opportunities or operational practices on the basis of gender, marital status, family status, sexual orientation, disability, age, religious or political beliefs, race or membership of the travelling community, or any other characteristic protected by law.
This policy governs all aspects of the delivering of training, employment, including selection, job assignment, compensation,discipline, termination, and access to benefits and training.
Any employees or learners with questions or concerns about any type of discrimination in the workplace are encouraged to bring these issues to the attention of the M.D. In turn it is also the policy of Training for Success/IAOT to deliver all its programmes and services to learners in accordance with good practices and in compliance with equality legislation and regulations.
Employees and learners can raise concerns and make reports without fear of reprisal. Anyone found to be engaging in any type of unlawful discrimination will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment/course participation.
All parties involved have particular responsibility in the implementation of this policy i.e. Centre Director, Tutors and Learners.
Protection for Learners
IAOT is not subjected to section 43 of the qualifications act 1999, as the programme Principle and Practice of Selling Award ref (5N2062) is not delivered over a 3 month or more duration.


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WMU closed beginning Dec. 24 for holiday recess
Dec. 17, 2004
KALAMAZOO--Except for essential and emergency services, Western Michigan University is closed Friday, Dec. 24, to Monday, Jan. 3, for the university's holiday recess.
WMU residence halls open for spring semester at 9 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 2, and classes begin at 4 p.m. Monday, Jan. 3. WMU offices reopen during regular hours beginning Jan. 3.
In the only public event on campus during the 10-day holiday recess, the Bronco men's basketball team takes on the University of South Alabama at University Arena at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 28.
Listed below are the holiday recess hours for selected university offices and services. Faculty, students and the public are encouraged to call ahead to make sure that a particular office on campus is open. For emergencies only, contact WMU Public Safety at (269) 387-5555.
Admissions office is closed Dec. 24 to Jan 3.
Computer lab in the Bernhard Center closed Dec. 11 and reopens at noon Sunday, Jan. 2. The UCC lab is closed Dec. 24-25, open noon to 5 p.m. Dec. 26, open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 27-28, closed Dec. 29, open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 30, closed Dec. 31 and Jan. 1, and open noon to 10 p.m. Jan. 2 and 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Jan 3. The computer Help Desk is closed Dec. 24 to Jan 3.
WMU's computer network will be down from 6 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 29, until 7 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 30, for major system improvements. WMU Web pages and e-mail will be unavailable during the outage.
Student Recreation Center is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Dec. 20-23, closed Dec. 24 through Jan. 1, open noon to 9 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 2, and open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday, Jan. 3.
Sindecuse Health Center, excluding the pharmacy, is closed Dec. 24 through Jan. 2. The pharmacy is open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, Dec. 28-29, and closed the remainder of the recess. Medical emergencies should be referred to local hospitals or other health care providers.
Waldo Library is closed Dec. 18-19, open noon to 5 p.m. Dec. 20-23 and closed Dec. 24 through Jan. 2. The library resumes normal hours Monday, Jan. 3.
West Hills Athletic Club closes Dec. 24 at 2 p.m.; is closed Dec. 25-26; is open normal hours Dec. 27-29; closes Dec. 31 at 6 p.m.; is closed Jan. 1; and is open Jan 2 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Media contact: Thom Myers, 269 387-8400, email@example.com
WMU News


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You can find Josh on his Instagram (@joshfabdude) and with his husband on YouTube.
John Barrowman Talks About His 50th Birthday (Video)
2016: A Year in Pictures
Thoughts on Wizard World Cleveland 2016
Wizard World Cleveland 2016 marked Wizard World's second convention in Cleveland, Ohio and it was bigger and better. Fans flocked to the FirstMerit Convention Center of Cleveland to see their favorite actors and creators. On Saturday, February 27, 2016, the second day of Wizard World Cleveland, attendance was in the thousands. Many came to get their picture taken with Chris Hemsworth who plays Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Other celebrities at Wizard World Cleveland 2016 were Brent Spiner (Star Trek: TNG), Jason David Frank (Power Rangers), Jason Mewes (Clerks, Dogma) and many more.
As with any other comic conventions, there were plenty of cosplayers at Wizard World Cleveland. The popular characters cosplayers came dressed as were Deadpool and characters from the new Star Wars film, as well as some classics like Batman and the Joker. There were also some blasts from the past that the casual pop culture fan may not recognize such as Hanna-Barbera's Penelope Pitstop and Milestone's Static Shock.
Also, panels such as THE WOMEN OF S.H.I.E.L.D., TIME TRAVELING WITH KAREN GILLAN and LET'S SHUT DOWN SOME STREETS: THE RUSSO BROTHERS gave fans who came out to Wizard World Cleveland 2016 some insight into behind the scenes stories from their favorite movies and TV shows.
Wizard World Cleveland 2016: Day Two (Photo Gallery)
Just a little disclaimer here: if you want to use a photo, feel free to do so but I have two conditions- 1. Please do not alter my pictures in any way or remove the watermark. I put a lot of work into my photography and post-processing and since I don't get paid for my photography yet, I would like to maintain some control of my work. 2. Please give me credit for the photographs and link back to the original source. Thank you
Wizard World Cleveland 2016: Karen Gillan
Karen Gillan talks about DOCTOR WHO, GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY and STAR TREK at Wizard World Cleveland 2016 on February 27, 2016.
Wizard World Cleveland 2016: Day One (Photo Gallery)
Just a little disclaimer here: if you want to use a photo, feel free to do so but I have two conditions- 1. Please do not alter my pictures in any way or remove the watermark. I put a lot of work into my photography and post-processing and since I don't get paid for my photography yet, I would like to maintain some control of my work. 2. Please give me credit for the photographs and link back to the original source. Thank you
Wizard World Cleveland Day 1 (2-20-15) Photos
Trivia Tuesday: Top 10 Grossing Movies of 2014 Trivia*
*Trivia taken from respective films' IMDB trivia page.
10. Godzilla
- The sound designers used a 12-foot high, 18-foot wide speaker array to blast Godzilla's roar at 100,000 watts to get a good idea of his vocal power and strength.
- Gareth Edwards and the design group reviewed all the previous incarnations of Godzilla's design for inspiration on the final design. "The way I tried to view it was: imagine Godzilla was a real creature and someone from Toho saw him in the 1950s and ran back to the studio to make a movie about the creature and was trying their best to remember and draw it… and in our film you get to see him for real. It was important that this felt like a Toho Godzilla."
- A 400-foot model of the Golden Gate Bridge, built at a ratio of 1:0.045, was built for the San Francisco sequence.
- This is the first "Spider-Man" film to be filmed entirely in New York, and the largest film production ever in New York City.
- As was done with Captain America in the transition from Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) to The Avengers (2012), Spider-Man's costume for this film is tailored to resemble his original costume from the comic books, when the character was first introduced. After The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) was criticized by fans for its inaccurate costume, the wardrobe for this film includes the original color patterns for Spidey's hands and feet and the large white eyepieces (which have not been done in any major motion picture about Spider-Man. Each time, the costume eyes were thin, clear colored frames.) The only differences from the costume for this film and the very first Spider-Man costume are the Spider insignia on his back and the lack of Web "wings" beneath his arms.
- Both Andrew Garfield and Felicity Jones have starred in Doctor Who (2005). Rhys Ifans, villain of the preceding installment The Amazing Spider-Man (2012), was considered to play The Eleventh Doctor, a role which eventually went to Garfield's close friend Matt Smith.
8. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
- The book that Alexander (Kodi Smit-McPhee) shares with Maurice is Black Hole by Charles Burns. The story is about a sexually transmitted disease among American teenagers that turns them into outcasts. The book had a number of similarities to the Apes narrative, namely the theme of outcasts living in the woods, segregated from everyone else.
- In addition to the apes, visual effects company Weta Digital created other digital animals, such as a herd of deer, a grizzly bear, and CG doubles of the live horses. The deer were created using key-frame animation and the digital crowd enhancement software MASSIVE, the bear through key-frame animation, and the horses with a mixture of key-frame animation and motion capture.
- Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen were performing in a touring production of "Waiting for Godot" when Bryan Singer approached the actors about reprising their respective roles as Professor X and Magneto. According to McKellen, both men were utterly shocked as they thought they'd passed their roles on to James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender, and would never play the characters again. Both Stewart and McKellen were delighted to return to two of their most popular roles, and to work with the younger actors playing the same characters as well.
- Including his cameo in X-Men: First Class (2011), this will be Hugh Jackman's seventh portrayal of Logan/Wolverine, raising his own record for the most times a comic book character has been played by the same actor in theatrical films. He will also be the only actor to appear in the entire X-Men film series.
- Bryan Singer filmed Quicksilver's scenes in a special format of 3600 frames per second. This means that Quicksilver will be moving 150 times faster than normal. The camera was used to record close-ups and movements of Evan Peters, as well as the guards he encountered.
6. Maleficent
- Angelina Jolie did the stunts herself using harnesses for her flight and battle scenes.
- As a co-producer, Angelina Jolie insisted that the dialogue in Aurora's christening sequence has to be written word-by-word and based exactly from the original animated film because she feels that it was the main core and setup of the entire film. But the new story does differ from the original scene because Maleficent originally cursed Aurora with death after pricking her finger. Then, the final fairy uses her gift to change the spell from death to slumber. There's also a blink-and-miss cameo(one second shot) of Jolie's two children, Pax and Zahara in that sequence as well.
- By coincidence, Maleficent (2014) was released on May 30, 2014; precisely the same date as the 55th anniversary of Walt Disney's classic Sleeping Beauty (1959).
5. Transformers: Age Of Extinction
- The first feature film to be partially shot with the IMAX 3D digital camera. Orignally only select sequences of the film were to be shot using the camera. However once he began using it on the set, Michael Bay enjoyed using the camera so much he not only shot up to 60% of the film in the format, but he had the IMAX corporation build him a second camera.
- This is the longest installment in the series, at 2 hours 45 minutes. 70 minutes of the movie are dedicated to action sequences.
- Everything in the movie was designed to look as if built out of LEGO pieces. This even includes effects like water, fire, laser bolts, explosions and smoke. For instance, the lasers are actually transparent LEGO rods (commonly known as "Lightsaber blades"), while smaller puffs of smoke are LEGO ice cream pieces. This is in contrast with the direct-to-video LEGO movies and cartoon series, in which parts of the sceneries and most of the effects were made to look realistic.
- With the exception of unique pieces for the characters in the film (i.e: President Business's hair and evil helmet) every Lego piece in the movie actually exists and can be used in sets.
- Upon its release, The Lego Movie (2014) became the most commercially successful animated film made by Warner Bros. Pictures, besting Happy Feet (2006), as well as the most critically acclaimed animated film made by the studio since The Iron Giant (1999).
3. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
- To prepare for the role of the Winter Solder, Sebastian Stan went through five months of physical training and historical research: "I dove into the whole Cold War history: I looked at the KGB. I looked at all kinds of spy movies, and all kinds of documentaries about that time, and what it was about. I grabbed anything from that time period and anything about brainwashing."
- Hayley Atwell was aged using computer-generated imagery for her appearance as an elderly Peggy Carter, Anthony Russo commented that "all the old people have looked the same in movies since the 80s when you go down the make-up route." Joe Russo said: "We changed her face and her muscle structure and all of those things that change when you age".
- Near the beginning of the film, in an aerial shot of Washington, D.C., the camera lingers on a shot centered on the Watergate Complex, where President Richard Nixon's Committee to Re-elect the President (the Plumbers) broke into the Democratic National Committee headquarters, sparking the Watergate Scandal, which led to the revelation Nixon had been using the intelligence agencies to gain political power. Robert Redford played Bob Woodward in the famous Watergate Scandal movie All the President's Men (1976).
2. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay- Part 1
- Philip Seymour Hoffman, who plays Plutarch Heavensbee, tragically died with one week of filming left. Due to the fact that the majority of his scenes for the final two movies were already filmed, the role was not re-cast, but finished with CGI face tracking onto another actor in one scene.
- According to Liam Hemsworth, Jennifer Lawrence would purposely eat foods with garlic or tuna fish before any kissing scenes between the two.
- Jennifer Lawrence cut her hair short the summer before filming began, due to damage from constant dyeing for the previous films. As a result, Lawrence had to wear a wig in "Mockingjay" for her role of Katniss.
- The soundtrack album "Awesome Mix, Vol. 1" reached number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, the first film soundtrack ever to reach number one without a single original song.
- Vin Diesel recorded all of his "I am Groot" lines in several different languages, including Russian, Mandarin, Spanish, Portuguese, German and French so that they could use his real voice in the film around the world.
- It took makeup artists 5 hours daily to do makeup and apply 18 prosthetic tattoo pieces onto Dave Bautista. Chris Pratt revealed that during the process, Bautista stood the entire time, with hands holding onto rails that had tennis balls on them with no complaints whatsoever. Eventually the process was narrowed down to an average of 3 hours, at one time just below the average, while 90 minutes were required to remove the makeup.
Doctor Who: The 12th Doctor Revealed!!
Around 2 PM Eastern Daylight Time, it was revealed on BBC America that Peter Capaldi is to be the 12th Doctor on the long-running Doctor Who. Capaldi will take over the TARDIS from Matt Smith, who's last episode will be the yearly Christmas special. Peter Capaldi is no stranger to the Doctor Who Universe. Capaldi was in an episode of the David Tennant era of Doctor Who and also played John Forbisher in Torchwood: Children of Earth. For more on Peter, check out his IMDB page


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Chaiya Tana, 31, a native of Doi Saket, was arrested after police had his friend send him drugged drinks and bananas in the forest not far from his home.
He had hidden there since the alleged assault and rape of his 66-year-old mother at their home in Ban Talad Khilek village in tambon Mae Pong of Doi Saket district on Dec 11.
Media reported Mr Chaiya had been convicted of the murder of his stepfather when he was a teenager. After being freed, he had been in and out of prison for other crimes. Local residents were said to be scared of him because he was allegedly violent when drunk.
Apart from the suspected rape, he reportedly assaulted his elder sister who had to leave home.
Just before the arrest, his friend told police that Mr Chaiya phoned him and asked for food. Police then gave him the food and drinks and searched the forest from early Tuesday morning. Police found him late in the morning.
Read full story here.


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Ladies' Autumn Tea
Hollabaugh Bros Fruit Farm and Market Carlisle Road, Biglerville, Pennsylvania 17307
Ladies' Autumn Tea
Saturday, September 15 at 12:00 Noon Seating
Join us at the market for a lovely autumn-themed tea time! We'll start with an informal tea with time to chat with your friends and new acquaintances, while enjoying several courses of delicious seasonal foods. We'll conclude our gathering by making a craft to add a touch of the season to your home. Join us for a fun, relaxing time with your friends…and make a new friend or two!
This event is open to all Ladies – teens and up!
Register today – call 717-677-8412 or click here to REGISTER ONLINE. Space is limited!
Cost: $30 per person / Registration is required. Payment due at registration


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Charlie Leadbeater, as he himself is quick to point out, is one of those people for whom it is easier to say what they used to do than what they currently do. My research on him brings up numerous references to 'ideas generator', 'strategic adviser' and 'the wizard of the web'. He is universally recognised as a leading authority on business, innovation and online commerce. He has advised numerous companies and organisations including 10 Downing Street, Goldman Sachs and Microsoft.
Leadbeater started out on a much more conventional career path as a newspaper man, working for the Financial Times for about 10 years as the paper's Labour Editor before joining the Independent as Assistant Editor. Whilst at the Independent he came up with the idea for a light-hearted newspaper column aimed at young, female readers entitled 'Bridget Jones' Diary'. He admits to borrowing the idea from an existing column in another newspaper - 'The best way to have a new idea is simply to borrow it from someone else', he points out - before putting it into effect with the help of fellow Independent writer Helen Fielding. His experience of failing to capitalise his 'best idea ever' (Fielding was left with all the rights to the character who went on to become the subject the subsequent novel and film) led him to leave journalism and become self-employed. It was at this point that he made sure he would take full advantage of the opportunities that came his way.
As the speaker points out, the word 'innovation' has become a buzz term of late and Leadbeater is keen to underline some of the core principles behind the idea. His own experience dictates that it comes from a handful of very simple ingredients - as he goes on to explain, there are several fundamental rules you need to follow if you want to think about the environment you need to provoke innovation.
'Innovation comes from curiosity' - Leadbeater explains that when pursuing a new venture it is essential to think about what motivates you, and one of the strongest motivators is curiosity; 'following your nose', as he puts it. He gives the example of the inventor who created post-it notes whilst attempting to come up with a type of sealant to attach car roofs to the body of the vehicle. The substance he came up with was not strong enough to fasten metal to metal but when he applied it to paper it worked perfectly and so the post-it note was born.
The second key ingredient is a less obvious one - crisis. Crisis, as the speaker points out, is absolutely essential to innovation, be it a war, an economic crisis or just sheer necessity: 'In crises barriers break down; people have to act quickly. Take the ice-cream cone. In 1904 a guy selling ice-cream runs out of paper cups and with no way of serving his product turns to the guy in the kiosk next to him who is serving waffles. On hearing the plight of his neighbour, the waffle seller rolls up one of his products and serves the ice-cream inside - the waffle cone is born'.
The next point Leadbeater makes is that, generally speaking, it's fairly difficult to come up with ideas unless you welcome constructive challenges. 'The only way to develop real ideas', he explains 'is to expose them to constant challenges. Be prepared to work with people around you who are prepared to give you that challenge. That will teach you new ideas. Success is the worst teacher; when you learn is when things don't work out the way you think they should.'
Being prepared to ask stupid questions is the subject of his next point. 'Some of the best ideas' he explains, 'have materialised when people have been prepared to ask questions that other people consider to be irrelevant'. The example he gives on this point is the founder of Dell Computers, Michael Dell. Leadbeater relates that up until Dell changed the rules of the game in the mid 1990s computers had always been sold by the manufacturers via computer sales specialists. When asking why this was the case, Dell was invariably met with the same response 'that's just the way things work'. Tired of the same instinctive response, Dell decided to go ahead and do things his own way, devising a way of bringing computers directly to consumers via online sales, advertising, home delivery and direct sales.
Leadbeater goes back to his own experiences for his next point - 'borrowing'. 'The best way to have a new idea', he asserts, 'is to borrow it. Rather than burying your head in your own vision, take time to inspect the ideas that are already there all around you which may not yet have been fully realised. Bring elements of things around you into your own environment'. Again, the speaker provides evidence of a master of this particular art-form. A street performer from Quebec, Guy Laliberté, took inspiration from a tour of Europe and on returning to Canada decided to put together a show combining influences from different genres. Ballet, theatre, circus performance, rock opera - all traditional, well-trodden ideas in their own right but when mixed together they formed a new product that was totally unique. Today Laliberté is a 95% share holder in Cirque du Soleil - a company valued at $1.2 billion. 'Often the key to finding an innovative idea', Leadbeater affirms, 'is rather than facing forwards head down towards a goal, is to go out and look sideways'.
Ways of finding your way around a problem is one of the reoccurring messages of Leadbeater's talk. The kind of thinking that got you into the problem, he explains, is very unlikely to get you out of it. Instead, solutions come from conversation - the imparting and sharing of thinking and intelligence. The best way to have a new idea is to have a conversation with someone who can offer new insight: 'Creativity is not a one man game; it comes from having conversations and combining your ideas with those of other people. If you can share knowledge between different people then you get answers quicker. The more you share the more you are likely to get back; by the same token, the more you horde the less likely it is that someone is going to give you something In any business', he explains, be it the legal sector or professional services, to find a solution to the client's problem it is critical to engage them in their ideas and their way of thinking. Understanding the client is vital'. In Leadbeater's words, the most valued clients are the ones who make you think; the ones who demand something different of you.
Ultimately, however, it all boils down to commitment and perseverance. 'Ideas are ten a penny' proclaims Leadbeater, 'what really matters are the skills and commitment required to turn an idea into action; the way you develop an idea and deliver it are what matter. Lots of time people come up with ideas and don't know how to implement them; they lack the drive or the ability. Really great innovators come up with big ideas and have the passion and commitment to follow it through. Steve Jobs had a vision of putting a computer in every living room in America. This mission carried him through to create Apple'. 'Innovators often leave big companies. It is usually the smaller, more creative companies that know how to foster the best talent'.
It is this final point that is perhaps the most resonant - it is all very well to talk about an idea as we have been doing for the last hour but talk means nothing unless you are prepared to act on it. 'You don't learn to swim by sitting by the side of the pool', he says. I get the impression that Leadbeater is a pretty strong swimmer.
Charlie Leadbeater was speaking at a Linklaters event. To see a video of the talk check out: www.linklatersgraduates.co.uk/engage


text: Ronnie's list of collaborations and credits spans the globe and the musical spectrum, from his Latin roots, classical to contemporary. In addition to performing with the California Philharmonic, Germany's V.D.R. Orchestra, and Holland's Metropole Orchestra, Ronnie's credits include concert and album performances with Grammy Award winning artists, Al Jarreau, Andrea Bochelli, Jeffrey Osborne, David Sanborn, Marcus Miller, Brenda Russell, David Pack, Jeff Golub, Jonathan Butler, Euge Grove, Peter White, George Duke, Poncho Sanchez, Paul Brown, as well as performing on the U.S. tour of, All for One, Claire Fisher.


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Blog Archives
The Magic of the Boogie-Down Bronx
Perhaps it's the bright lights of the Big Apple, or maybe it's the enchanted water of the Hudson River. For all we know, it could be the past Yankee legends giving the team a helping hand, like in Angels in the Outfield, or the chanting from the "Bleacher Creatures" out in the right-center field stands, providing inspiration for the Yanks. Whatever the case may be, the Yankees, who lost 4/5 of their Opening Day starting pitchers to the DL and were under .500 as recently as July 2, are still alive in the playoff hunt, trailing Toronto by half a game for the second Wild Card spot as of August 7. How have they actually done it? Let's find out.
1. Tanaka Time — For $155 million over seven years, the Yankees landed what they projected to be a "strong number two starter." Little did they know that Tanaka, former ace of the Rakuten Golden Eagles, would serve as the team's savior prior to the All-Star break, as he went on to post a 12-4 record with a 2.51 ERA before landing on the DL with a potentially season-ending injury to his UCL. Rather than undergo Tommy John surgery, which definitely would have ended his season, he opted to receive a platelet-rich plasma injection and has been feeling better, according to recent reports. If healthy, Tanaka would certainly help the Yankees in September when they make their postseason push.
2. A Pinstriped Pen of Steel — Shawn Kelley has a .203 BAA and Adam Warren has allowed only one more hit (53) than strikeout (52) in his 56.1 innings pitched. Follow those two up with the 6'8″ 260 pound behemoth known as Dellin Betances, whose strikeout total matches his average fastball velocity of 100, and a closer who has converted 30/32 save opportunities in David Robertson, and there's no question that the Yankee bullpen has been stronger than ever, even after its loss of the greatest closer of all-time, Mariano Rivera.
3. Hi, My Name is… — Brian Cashman deserves a tremendous amount of credit for the acquisitions of Brandon McCarthy, Chris Capuano, Chase Headley, and Martin Prado from teams in the NL West this season, though he probably did not envision them having the type of immediate impact they've had the past couple of weeks. McCarthy is 4-0 with a 2.08 ERA since donning the pinstripes, relying on his effective cutter to induce outs. Capuano has not yet won a game in a Yankee uniform, but in his three starts in New York, he has posted a 2.84 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 19 innings. Pretty good stuff for a guy who was acquired from the Rockies solely for cash considerations. On the offensive side of the ball, Chase Headley made an immediate impact on the team when he sent Yankee fans home with a win on July 21 over the Rangers with a 14th-inning walk-off single at midnight. In his 15 games as a Yankee, he has posted a .263/.323/.744 slash line and has solidified the third-base position with superb defense plays, such as this one here. Martin Prado was picked up from the Diamondbacks for catching prospect Peter O'Brien, and his versatility in the field has allowed the Yankees to play him in right and at third to cover for Headley on his off-days. An eight-year veteran, Prado has brought leadership and a strong knowledge of the game to the Bronx Bombers.
If the Yankees can continue to produce the way they have the past couple of weeks, a playoff spot could be the cards for the unconventional Bomber squad. Though the odds would be stacked against them making it far into the playoffs, especially given the dominant rotations of the A's and Tigers (who they just took three of four from in their most recent series), as they say in New York, "Hey, you never know."
The Manoman


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BT consultation on removing payphone boxes
Exeter City Council's City Development service has received a consultation from BT regarding proposals to remove ten public payphone boxes in the City. I attach the consultation material [below].
The boxes generated between 0 and 183 calls each in the last year
There was a similar consultation exercise a few years ago on the removal of an earlier tranche of boxes where the City Council objected to the removal of some, with no success.
You will note that consultation notices were placed on the affected boxes on 24 August advising anyone seeking further information to contact ECC as the local authority planning department . The 90-day consultation period closes on 30 November 2016.
There are not plan at present for ECC to propose to object to any of the proposals. The case officer who will deal with any enquiries will be Laura Caller. Please address any enquiries to her at: email@example.com.
The consultation process gives local communities the opportunity to adopt a traditional red heritage phone box [designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott] and make them an asset that local people can enjoy. It's really simple to do, and it costs just £1. More details on the Adopt a Kiosk scheme HERE.
And what can the kiosk be used for? Well that's up to you – but here's a few ideas.
Payphone boxes in Exeter under consideration for removal:
Further reading:
BT plans to close 82 phone boxes in and around Exeter [E&E on-line, 14 October 2016]


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Probably many times we have liked high-heeled shoes, but the thought that we must wear them all day long and we will feel quite uncomfortable, has stopped us from buying them. Or we have fallen in love with some great model, but it just seems that our foot is not designed for high heels.
In our opinion there is an effective solution – shoes with platform. With them we will both feel comfortable, and look tall and slender. These shoes have many varieties and are back in full force on the fashion scene. Some of them are slightly raised at the front which reduces the height of the heel at the back of the shoe. The other type are with a complete platform and are even more comfortable.
The variety is huge this year – as we start from the platform boots in the winter and finish with the modern summer sandals. This summer will be in fashion the turquoise green and other bright colors. Therefore without any hesitation you can experiment with shades and models.
It is also permissible to boldly combine the platform shoes with different outfits. They combine perfectly as with elegant dresses and pants as well as with sportswear.
This type of shoes seems to take us back to the era of the 50-ies of XX century, and remind us of characters like Brigitte Bardot. Here are some stylish solutions and visions influenced by her image:
Platform sandals can be combined with an impressive lace dress and a short jacket. The hair you can tie in a stylish bun.
Another option is to combine the shoes with high waist skirt in a pastel color and add a shiny top. Your hair may be braided in an interesting braid and the makeup is smoky – style Brigitte Bardot.
You can combine these great shoes with long or short pants with high waist in bright color and a bustier in a neutral shade. Your hair can be of big curls and the makeup is discreet.
And after all this, do not forget to put sunglasses with large frame in the style of the 50s and go out with sunny mood because summer is already knocking at the door.