text:
Facebook has gone way beyond allowing people to declare that they are in a relationship and their sexual preference in a partner. Users can now click on the basic two gender options or add more than 50 other choices. Does it really add clarity to offer so many gender options, or confusion?
Facebook has always allowed its 1.5 billion active users to keep their gender identity private and continues to do so. Now, the social network site offers an extensive list of gender identities that many people choose when describing themselves. A pull-down menu has also been added for those selecting one of the new gender options to indicate a preferred pronoun by which they prefer being addressed publicly: female (she/her), male (he/him) or neutral (they/them). There is a privacy setting that lets users control to which audiences they want to show their gender information.
The company explained on its own Facebook page that people come to the site to connect with causes and organizations they care about. So the company added the options to help them feel comfortable expressing who they are.
Facebook representatives said that the decision to allow users to change gender options for clarity on their preferences did not happen overnight. The company talked with a variety of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender advocacy groups and activists before making the changes.
Alex Schultz, the Facebook Director of Growth, indicated the company had no qualms about the implications of allowing so many options. He said the intent was to allow people to express something fundamental and create more understanding and tolerance.
A software engineer who worked on the project, Brielle Harrison, explained that the availability of 50+ options will not mean a lot to most people, but is important for those it does impact. For Harrison, it is personal. The engineer is in the process of transitioning gender from male to female and reportedly switched her Facebook identity to Trans Woman. She explained that too often transgender or gender nonconforming people are given a male or female choice that does not let them tell others who they really are.
The Facebook gender choices are confusing to those not familiar with gender identification differences. For example, there is such specificity as cisgender, a person who identifies with a gender assigned at birth, or agender, someone who does not identify with any gender. Other options that have been identified include Trans Male, Gender Questioning, Bigender, Androgynous and Two-Spirit. There are also a variety of Transgender or Transsexual categories that allow people to indicate whether they view themselves as Male or Female versus the gender assigned at birth.
The reception has been largely positive to the changes. However, some comments on the company's own Facebook page point out that other areas of the site are still binary in gender choices, such as son/daughter or interested in male/female.
The new gender clarity options on Facebook can only be added within the U.S. right now. The company does plan to eventually introduce similar changes worldwide.
By Dyanne Weiss


text:
Durham Region Country Wedding
Escape the busy city to a wedding location full of the peaceful sounds of nature. If a country wedding has always been something you have dreamed of, you have come to the right place because Durham Region has country wedding facilities to make your wedding day even more special. With wonderful wedding packages to choose from, these country wedding facilities are prepared to help you make your wedding ceremony and reception unforgettable.
Trillium Trails Conference & Banquet Centre | Durham Region Weddings
Trillium Trails with its' Bavarian style atmosphere and beautiful scenery creates a peaceful setting for your wedding reception.
Our wedding packages will take care of your every need from the time you arrive until the time your guests leave. Some of our complete packages include disc jockey service, rental items and weddings on site. We personally oversee your reception, the hall set-up, food and bar service as well any other needs you may require to make your day a special one.
53 Snow Ridge Court, Oshawa, ON L1H 7K4 • Phone: 905-655-3754
Email: email@example.com • Website: www.trilliumtrails.com

subset: commoncrawl


text: Sri Lanka has the extraordinary privilege of welcoming five of the world's seven species of sea turtle to its shores. The turtles, who travel around the world and across entire oceans, somehow know to return to their natal beaches when the time comes to reproduce. At night, they emerge from the ocean and lay their eggs in the sand. At Rekawa Beach, the Turtle Conservation Project keeps a watchful eye over the eggs and provides tourists a rare opportunity to see the giant creatures clamber onto land.


text:
My old high school English teacher used to sneer at television and movies. Both are entertaining, of course, but neither quite challenges the imagination quite like a good book. And unlike movies, books have been around for hundreds of years, giving us a look into our own collective past.
Of course, online there are plenty of sites that offer unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows, but similar services for books are few and far between. That's why I'm excited about Oyster, a new service that bills itself as a Netflix for books.
The numbers behinds Oyster are compelling. For $9.95 a month – less than what you'd pay for the average e-book – you get access to Oyster's library of over 100,000 titles. The app offers your choice of typography and a social element to help you discover new books and like-minded readers.
Oyster does a good job at maintaining a diverse selection of books. You get classics like Brave New World and Lord of the Rings, of course, but you also get plenty of modern and non-fiction books as well.Wheat Belly, Fast Food Nation, Al Gore's Earth in the Balance, Water for Elephants, Life of Pi are all waiting to be read at your convenience.
For now, the service is compatible with iPhone and iPod Touch users only, though we imagine support for Android (read: Kindle) will be forthcoming in due time. To learn more or to request an invite to Oyster, check out the company's website.
This article was written by Fox Van Allen and originally appeared on Techlicious.
More from Techlicious:
- Great Personalized Children's Books
- How to Find Free Kids eBooks
- MatchBook Offers Cheap Kindle Versions of Your Amazon Print Book Purchases
- Trade eBooks for Free on eBook Fling
- Apple e-Book Lawsuit Settlement Puts Cash in Your Pocket


text:
Fixin' Up Update
This update was a good one.
It didn't have a ton of items, but it did have a ton of fixes. Info was added, items were moved & broken things were repaired. 2 pages fixed up, several image problems remedied and batches of 'where to get it' info too. Kmart shirt...hmmm...
Yes, the mail was light this week.
GOOD. It was quite a relief to be able to catch a break and do all the little extras that needed doing all in one shot. It may not be flashy and highly visible, but the site is better for it, that's for certain. Plus, me actually getting to get a rest is very good as well.
Does this mean it's out of stuff?
NO! There's loads of stuff left in the old mail. A 2nd update is possible, just to add more things for the week, but the numbers are still up around 190something and 240something worth of old letters containing items, so there is certainly no shortage.
Item of the week:
Sonic Boom. It's actually an event and not an item, and it's only on Wanted Gear because it hasn't happened yet. It's Sega's 20th anniversary 'party' of some kind where items may be given out and demos run for Generations. Naturally it's in California, so hopefully some Gear lookers/readers can attend and send a photo if anything interesting occurs or is given out. It's likely to be really games-based, which Gear doesn't cover because other sites do it better. Still, I'm curious about it.
Next week:
More mail bag which means randomness. If the new mail is light again, 'show pages' will appear to cover all of Sonic's serieses and disks/vhs/etc that were also made. Probably fortified with watchable youtube videos for extra action. This section is needed, and has been in the works for a while so hopefully the opportunity can come up to actually do it next week.


text:
Savaiian Hotel on Savai'i in Samoa offers fantastic fishing, snorkeling and kayaking. There is a swimming pool to relax in and enjoy the balmy sea breeze. The hotel is a great base to explore Savai'i while on your holiday in Samoa.
They offer Samoa open air bungalows as well as well as enclosed air conditioned options. There are both Ocean and garden view rooms to choose from, all at affordable prices. All accommodation rates include a continental breakfast.
Le Sogaimiti Bar & Restaurant offers well stocked with beers, wines and spirits as well as a delicious variety of fresh fruit cocktails! The restaurant is well known for its delicious menu made from fresh local produce and has always been a highlight for many a traveller's stay.
In honor of the Soga'imiti and its historical significance as described below, all visitors with either the "Pe'a" (males only) or "Malu" (females only) will receive a 5% Patriotic Discount on bar items. A little bit of Samoan history and background as to the meaning of Soga'imiti - "Soga'imiti" is the name given to the traditional almost full-body tattoo undertaken by men in Samoa. It is a practice available to all men and in the olden days signified the coming into manhood of a young boy.
The Samoans take great pride in their customs and culture. The Pe'a signifies honor and strength and is displayed with much pride by those men who have chosen to undertake this painful historical practice. The pain that comes with the traditional tattoo requires a Herculean effort on the part of the recipient; hence this was always reserved for the strong warriors of Samoa.
The Le Sogaimiti Restaurant was so named as the family of the current owners is strong supporters of this practice, with five of their nine children having been tattooed already.


text:
Of course is not an impossible thing for people to discuss sometimes argue who are the top rated or most popular CEOs, hence I put up this list so you'll also be in the know.
Recently Glassdoor (a company that specializes in giving awards, rating of individuals, trending topics and all) put up the 2015 list of highest rated CEOs from both Tech companies and other companies as well. Well after going through the list I decided to bring you the Top Rated Tech CEOs and their positions in the 50 man list of Top Rated CEOs.
Looking at the list below the number is expected Google's Larry Page tops the list of top rated tech CEOs and also Top Rated CEOs 2015;
2015 TOP RATED TECH CEOs and the companies they head
1. Google's Larry Page, 97 percent approval
4. Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, 95 percent approval
5. Ultimate Software's Scott Scherr, 95 percent approval
10. Apple's Tim Cook, 94 percent approval
11. Expedia's Dara Khosrowshahi, 94 percent approval
12. LinkedIn's Jeff Weiner, 93 percent approval
21. Salesforce's Marc Benioff, 92 percent approval
22. Yelp's Jeremy Stoppelman, 91 percent approval
33. Cognizant Technology Solutions' Frank D'Souza, 91 percent approval
34. CDW's Thomas E. Richards, 91 percent approval
35. Infosys' Vishal Sikka, 91 percent approval
36. Intuit's Brad Smith, 91 percent approval
39. Intel Corporation's Brian M. Krzanich, 90 percent approval
47. Adobe's Shantanu Narayen, 89 percent approval
#48 Airbnb's Brian Chesky, 89 percent approval
The numbers in front of their names indicates their positions in the list of Top Rated CEOs actually its a 50 man list.
to view the top 50 CEOs go HERE
Share this
Receive Quality Articles Straight in your Inbox by submitting your Email below.


text:
Charlottesville Breaking News
Lawnmower men: Meriweather mows irreverent ground
You've tossed dull corporate newsletters straight in the trash, so why read the one from the yard maintenance company? How about dramatic candor of "The Ooops Issue"?
"In May of '96, if you were driving down 250 in the vicinity of McIntire Park and saw a truck pulling a trailer that was ON FIRE, chances are good that was us."
Then there's the customer appreciation issue with photos of Meriweather Mowing Service owners Rod Ballard and Dave Norford kowtowing– literally– to one 20-year customer, yet also calling out by name a deadbeat client who ordered a lot of work right before filing for bankruptcy. "Not cool, Richard. Totally. Not. Cool," admonishes writer/editor Ballard, whom Norford calls "the volcano of creativity that keeps bubbling out."
The newsletter started out as "strictly advertising," says Ballard. "And lawnmowing is kind of boring. You can only say 'let us lime and fertilize' so many times."
The two men had a long history of deadpan before starting Meriweather in 1990, says Ballard. They both attended Albemarle High and became friends at PVCC. Both worked at the original Piedmont Airlines. They used to broadcast Madison High football games.
And they were both playing on the same softball team in 1989 when Norford helped Ballard mow his lawn. "We knocked it out," says Ballard, "and said, we ought to start a lawn service."
The next summer, they had 30 customers.
Given the frequency of the...
The week in review
Worst slaying: Clark Elementary third-grade teacher Dawn Reddick is gunned down in a drive-by shooting in Newark July 29, shielding a seven-year-old boy she didn't know from flying bullets, the Newsplex reports.
Worst flashback: Three teen girls attending a camp at Virginia Tech report seeing a man who possibly was carrying a gun August 4 around 9am, leading to a cancellation of classes at the university that was the scene of the worst campus mass murders in 2007. No one fitting the young women's descriptions, which police deemed credible, was found, and the alert ended around 3pm, WSLS-TV reports.
Sharpest dispute: Carey Hicks, 47, of Crozet is found knifed in the stomach and crouching in bushes August 6 on Harris Road, according to NBC29 reports. Police say he was stabbed during an altercation on nearby Bent Creek Road, and they've arrested Linda Doig, 50.
Worst trend: A woman is stabbed in the shoulder early August 8 in Southwood Mobile Home Community, NBC29 reports.
Most ho...
Wrong people identified as debtors
The August 11 print edition's property auctions incorrectly identified Jason and Candice Love as the owners of two parcels on Morgantown Road. The parcels actually are owned by Maplehurst Associates. The Hook regrets the error.


text:
Donate to our charity
The natural world needs our help, so we need yours. Join us and support our mission to conserve wild animals and their habitats on a global scale.
Become a ZSL Fellow
Become part of ZSL's distinguished network of Fellows and help shape the future of our natural world.
Let's protect #MotherThames
From helping monitor wildlife to simply buying a re-usable drinking bottle – there are so many ways that together we can protect this precious habitat for the future.
Become a Corporate Supporter
Working with ZSL is a distinctive and rewarding way for your business to demonstrate CSR and gain a range of special benefits.
Donate in Memory
You can make a donation to ZSL in memory of a friend or relative and help us safeguard wildlife for future generations.
Become a volunteer
If you are interested in supporting ZSL why not give us your time as a volunteer at ZSL London Zoo or ZSL Whipsnade Zoo?
Become A ZSL Patron
ZSL Patrons is your opportunity to be part of conservation action and be inspired by wildlife. Your support is vital.
Support ZSL America Inc. from the United States
ZSL America Inc. is a 501(c)(3) registered non-profit whose mission is the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats.
Make a lasting contribution to the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats with a gift in your will.
Save the Snowdon Aviary
Support our campaign to connect people with the natural world, and save the Snowdon Aviary at ZSL London Zoo.


text:
Prosecutor requests Catalan police chief be held in custody
Judge to decide on fate of Mossos d'Esquadra head Josep Lluís Trapero at 6pm on Monday
A Spanish high court prosecutor has requested that Catalan police chief, Josep Lluís Trapero, be remanded in custody without bail as part of an investigation into charges of sedition. The prosecutor considers Trapero to have acted "in direct connection" with Catalan pro-independence leaders in a "strategic committee" with the goal of achieving independence. A judge is set to make a decision on the police chief's future at 6pm on Monday.
According to court sources, the prosecutor asked for Trapero to be held in custody to avoid him giving orders to his officers that might be contrary to those from the courts aimed at preventing a declaration of independence. The prosecutor made his request after Trapero gave evidence in which he denied ignoring court orders or being part of any strategic committee.
The president of the Catalan National Assembly, Jordi Sánchez, and the president of Òmnium Cultural, Jordi Cuixart, are also due to appear in court on Monday evening.


text:
|This centre is a member of The LSE Research Laboratory [RLAB]: CASE | CEE | CEP | FMG | SERC | STICERD
Abstract for:
August 2007
Paper No' CEEDP0085: | Full paper
Save Reference as: BibTeX File | EndNote Import File
Keywords: education; tracking; selection
JEL Classification: I2
Is hard copy/paper copy available? YES - Paper Copy Still In Print.
This Paper is published under the following series: CEE Discussion Papers
Share this page: Google Bookmarks | Facebook | Twitter
Abstract:It is difficult to know whether widening access to schools which provide a more academically oriented general education makes a difference to average educational achievement. We make use of reforms affecting admission to the 'high ability' track in Northern Ireland, but not England. The comparison of educational outcomes between Northern Ireland and England before and after the reform identifies the net effect of expanding the academic track to accommodate more students. This is composed of the direct effect of the more academic track on individual performance and the indirect effect arising on account of the change in peer group composition. Our paper is relevant to debate on the consequences of ability tracking and of expanding access to the academic track.
Copyright © CEE & LSE 2003 - 2020 | LSE, Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE | Tel: +44(0)20 7955 7673 | Email: firstname.lastname@example.com | Site updated 12 August 2020


text: JKim 0 Report post Posted December 30, 2018 Hello, all, I'm currently located in state Louisiana. I've been a member of this forum until sometime 2011 or 2012, since far before the current web page has restructured (design-wise). I deleted my account because I lost my interest in scarab rearing, and only focused on collections and researches. I'm still working on the researches, but also started to rearing beetles again. I published number of articles and researches in: (1) Scarabs Newsletter (2) Southern Lepidopterists' News, (3) A quarterly Journal of Entomology, and (4) Be-Kuwa, the popular insect magazine in Japan. (5) an output of B.S. research project can be found in University of Nebraska State Museum page, at HERE. I previously had an experience of rearing many U.S. beetles including: Dynastes grantii, Dynastes tityus, Megasoma punctulatus, Phileurus valgus, Strategus aloeus, Strategus antaeus, Pelidnota punctata, Gymnetis caseyi (G. thula now), Lucanus capreolus, Lucanus elaphus, Lucanus mazama, Platycerus quercus, Sinodendron rugosum, and South Korean species (while I was in South Korea) including: Dorcus hopei hopei, Dorcus titanus castanicolor, Dorcus rectus rectus, Prosopocoilus inclinatus inclinatus, Prismognathus dauricus, Trypoxylus dichotomus when I was in South Korea. I also reared couple of silk moths (when I found female adult moths) and countless number of other insect species. I currently have Strategus aloeus, Strategus antaeus, Dynastes tityus, Lucanus placidus, Pelidnota punctata. I already gave off some batches of these to friends, so I don't have any for offer right now (except P. punctata), but if you are interested to trade species, hit me up next year. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


text:
If Bob Ross Could Paint the Night Sky, It Just Might Look Like This
It's hard to believe greens, reds, yellows, and purples naturally occur in the night sky, but they do—and this photographer has captured it all on film. A lover of landscapes during both night and day, Norwegian photographer Terje Sørgjerd decided to create a video of his beloved aurora. Using footage taken in his native Norway as well as in Russia, Terje has pieced together moving music and two minutes of eye candy at its finest.


text:
NEW DISCOVERY: SMOOTH TUTORS "Drag Tide" feat. Jody Perigo (BusCrates 16-Bit Ensemble Remix)
November 25, 2009
I felt like this song was dope enough to share with the BLS Fam. The group is called Smooth Tutors and they hail in the city of Pittsburgh,PA. BusCrates 16-Bit Ensemble put me on to them while I was recording there with him. He actually plays keys for the band. I'm not sure when Smooth Tutors will release a project but I do know that they have songs available at myspace for you to check. While majority of the songs are more experimental, this remix of their song "Drag Tide" feat. Jody Perigo by BusCrates 16-Bit Ensemble has a more electronic/hip-hop sound. Check it out. Let me know what you think.
Smooth Tutors– Drag Tide feat. Jody Perigo (BusCrates 16-Bit Ensemble Remix)
Porsche Smith: LOVELAND EP
November 24, 2009
I have to write up on this chick everytime she drops something because not only is she family but she is one of the most talented female singers I know. Born and raised in Oakland,CA, Porsche Smith has an undeniable gift. She is a musician/songwriter/ singer who's voice is smooth, raspy, and sultry. She also is apart of a dope all-female band in Dallas, TX by the name of Beauty and the Beats who you will hear from very soon. In 2007, Porsche released her debut album About Life which is still available on iTunes. About Life told a story of every day life and is a very inspirational album. It was also an album that was full of soul with hints of jazz. Nowadays, Porsche is moving into a new direction. Her latest ep LoveLand is a more Electronic/Pop/R&B project which is totally left field from what she is known for; however, Porsche still remains soulful with her vocal style and range, unlike other artist who change their complete style in order to fit in with today's crowd. LoveLand consists of three tracks and it tells the classic story of Prince Charming and love. Please support indie, and download a copy of Porsche Smith's LoveLand today. Available on iTunes.
Porsche Smith via Twitter
Porsche Smith via Myspace
Porsche Smith– Honorable Mention (from the LoveLand EP)
Porsche Smith– Daydreamin' (from the About Life LP)
Muhsinah//Oscillations:Sine Review
May 30, 2009
What isn't there to say about the talented D.C. native, Muhsinah? Muhsinah Abdul-Karim aka Muhsinah has risen from all things including direction in career to weight loss. Muhsinah started out singing background for Bilal Salaam and is pinned with crews such as Low Budget (Dj Roddy Rod, Kev Brown, and Peter Rosenberg) to name a few.For those who didn't know, Muhsinah is a very skilled piano player and studied classical music. Nowadays, you will find Muhsinah playing keys for Chicago bred rapper Common (Common Sense). Muhsinah has also been featured on projects such as Stacy Epps's "The Awakening" and Foreign Exchange's "Leave it All Behind". Whether she is in a band or producing for others, Muhsinah still has a sound of her own that can't be simply put into one category. She fuses modern day sounds such as hip-hop and electronic with classical,jazz,and R&B. Whether the lyrics may seem unclear and non-existent at times, Muhsinah still manages to draw you in with her uncanny and subtle voice. In 2008, Muhsinah released her album Oscillations:Sine which is the first of 2 parts. Oscillations:Triangle,which features all new music and production from producers Slimkat78, Mike Slott, Exile,and herself, has been pushed back until further notice. If you rewind back to 2005, Muhsinah released the Oscillations EP which featured songs such as "Millions" which you would find on her Daybreak and Daybreak 2.0 release. The Oscillations: Sine is Muhsinah's album that combines Daybreak,Daybreak 2.0, and Prelude. All which can be bought separately. Daybreak was released first as download music and then she released Daybreak 2.0 which added bonus tracks. It was also sold physically and digitally. Prelude was a Japanese release and had a few tracks on it that wasn't on Daybreak or Daybreak 2.0. You have to love the genius behind her team (Rxlngr pronounced Rock Slinger).
What I enjoyed about Oscillations is that it was very diverse in sound yet it was so Muhsinah. Drums are hip-hop and sometimes unorthodox. Melodies are flowing and mysterious. Energy is incredible. You can't turn your ipod,stereo,or computer off when hearing Muhsinah's sound.
"A.M" starts the journey off with a obvious tribute to Alice Coltrane with a synthetic harp sound and piano riffs. In a away, it represents an awakening of some sort.
Slowly creeping in after is "Construction" her hit song, in my opinion, which I feel is very universal. The beginning of Oscillations are all favorites.
"Discovery" is a very non-defying song that I can not place. It just has a feel good sound about it and her voice haunts it superbly.
"Once Again", another favorite of mine, is so beautiful and pacy. Muhsinah's vocals easily shined in this piece. Her harmonies that sat in the back of this track help to bring this song to life. The music is very simple and I was told uses a sample from John Coltrane's "Love Supreme".
"Gogh" is one of those songs that I would say has limited lyrics but the music intrigues you. It's very different. It has a electronic feel with off rhythms. It also features that dark and slowed down vocal along with the reversed vocal she puts in just about all her tracks. This is when it starts to get repetitive. That would be the most annoying thing I get out of her music,but other than that….
"Outsource" has a rock feel with some,again,off rhythms.Yet, Muhsinah pulls it off with her vocal arrangements.
Same can also be said about "Yiy" which features Muhsinah's piano talent. It is very reminiscent of Radiohead and is executed beautifully.
"Mine" is a song that I can honestly tell you, I had no idea what was going on at first. It seemed all over the place and would probably be my least favorite; however, she manages to again make you pay attention with her vocals even though we could do without the not-so-good rap verse.
"Billieclub" which features soul singer Wayna, is easily a favorite and is named after a wooden club used by police in the UK during the Victorian Era. The song talks of police brutality and the words are very strong.
Muhsinah is a very talented individual and I must say, she has come a very long way. She has much more to give and a lot more growing that is in process.
Head Nod Scale
2=Waste your time like I did mine but I dare you to disagree.
3=Well, there was the single.
4=If it were a hand in spades there's "two and a possible".
5=It's a "good" album. Meaning at least 3 or 4 solid songs.
6=Really Good Project. Has the "Rewind Factor" more than once.
7=The number of completion. Great Album. Instant Classic.


text:
How to do Exercises and use the Fitness Equipment at LA Fitness.
Standing Bent Over Dumbbell Row – Palms Out
Stand with your feet approximately shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees slightly and lean forward at your waist so that your torso is almost parallel to the ground. Hold the dumbbells at your sides with your palms facing out, and while keeping your elbows bent slightly, use your upper back muscles to lift the weight to your sides. Then, slowly reverse the motion, and return to the starting position, again maintaining a slight bend at your elbows. Repeat for your desired number of repetitions.
If you want to effortlessly follow our blog, then CLICK HERE and we will show you how to have each new workout sent right to you!


text:
Get mobile app to better browse
The IA releases the first issue of electronic newsletter "Taamin"
Dhabi, April 1st, 2015
Insurance Authority (IA) released the first issue of its quarterly electronic
newsletter "Taamin", which aims at introducing the IA's achievements,
activities and initiatives as well as the developments in the insurance sector
and promoting insurance awareness and culture in the local society.
first issue included the message of H. E. Engineer Sultan bin Saeed al-Mansouri,
Minister of Economy and Chairman of the Insurance Authority, and many reports
and news articles that reflect the IA's recent achievements and activities.
newsletter captured the IA's achievements during 2014, which contributed to enhancing
the UAE market competitiveness. It also shed
light on the financial instructions to the traditional insurance and Takaful
insurance companies which were issued by the IA by the end of 2014. It further addressed the brainstorming session
organized by the IA in Cairo to develop the Arab insurance industry, in
addition to the IA's successes in transforming most of its services to smart
services to facilitate the procedures for customers and to save time and
newsletter focused on the IA receiving the ISO, the international accreditation
certificate, for licensing and registration services, as well as the awareness
campaigns organized by the IA to educate policyholders on their rights and
obligations, in addition to other topics.


text:
The school chess club decided to hold a tandem simultaeous match with FM Tin Jingyao and NM Olimpiu Urcan alternating moves against 37 members of the school team. This format is interesting and offers the players a good chance to win because the differing styles of the masters might trip up the flow of their game and they have to second-guess their partner's plans swifty. Jingyao has an active style of play, with a penchant for sharp tactics while Olimpiu's chess can veer from ultra-positional to rabid-hyperaggression, depending on his mood. Also, as this is Jingyao's first ever simultaneous challenge, it would be interesting to see if he can cope with the physical effort and the concept.
The players who were holding their own right into the endgame found it increasingly difficult to cope with the speed of the moves as more players fell wayside. After 3 hours and 20 minutes, the match ended with the score of 36.5-0.5 for the masters. Lester Teh, a Primary 4 student got the solitary draw. "It was very stressful. Although I was one piece up, after my move, the masters soon appeared on my board again and I was under pressure to make a move again so I blurted out the draw offer", Lester explained.
The 4 best performers in the event, Lester, Tin Ruiqi, Samuel Tan and Royce Tan were awarded Chess DVDs for their fine play. The NYPS chess club teachers in charge hope that this event will stir up their fighting spirit for the National Schools Teams (Primary Section) due this Sunday on 9th September 2012.
Games Section


text:
News – The Darkness II Delayed
July 20, 2011 by Simon Wigham
Filed under News
The Darkness II has been delayed. It was originally scheduled to be released 7th October this year, but will now arrive February 10th next year.
The game will be truer to the Top Cow comic that it's based on than the original game was and a cel shaded visual style will do its part in delivering this, though it brings the same mixture of gun-play and the less conventional tentacles.


text:
The Panel of Pigskin prognostication returns to discuss the first 48'ish hours of free agency. From Suh to Miami, yo Bradford and Foles being traded like Pokemon Cards, to JIMMY FREAKING GRAHAM! The panel tries to make sense of what exactly happened/is happening
Follow the show on twitter @22weekspod
Matt Ryan: @ImMattryan
Alex Soberman @Alexsobe123
Matthew Foster @MatthewDfoster
Tom Garrett @Theaxisofego
Marvin Williams @Thesidenotes
This week's episode is sponsored by
22 Weeks is available on Placetobenation.com, as well as on I-tunes, and 22weekspodcast.wordpress.com and is produced by Gotta Say It Media.


text:
Synonyms for arboretum
Including the arboretum, their total area did not then exceed 11 acres.
To-day we arrived at Derby, and hastened to see its Arboretum.
But the arboretum wanted a good many of those trees and so did we.
The final purchase was made largely in order that the arboretum might be able to start off with the Bixby collection as a nucleus.
A large proportion of the total acreage of the Gardens is monopolized by the arboretum.
Hester met me at the station, and we walked through the Arboretum to her home on the campus.
Loudon, in his Arboretum, has collected much information, but has left the question pretty much where it was seventy years since.
Well, to-morrow we can go to see them; in the Arboretum at the foot of the big Monterey pine.
The Arboretum, or third section, includes twenty-five acres, and contains all kinds of ornamental and fruit trees.
You can take my bag round while I walk up through the arboretum and let myself in by the Garden Room.


text:
Introduction: Dual Booting Windows and Ubuntu
If you have a computer, you have probably heard of Linux. Linux is an operating system that has open-source development. If you are curious about trying out Linux and don't want to totally remove Windows, or want to have both Windows and a Linux System on your computer, you can set up dual-booting on your computer. We are going to use Ubuntu for this instructable, there are lots of other types of Linux Systems that you can check out! (We'll go over Windows 8.1 and Windows 7, they have very similar installations)
Step 1: Back Up Your Computer
Before we do anything, we want to back up all files that are on your computer. This is a pretty easy step, just use whatever your storage device of choice is. We're doing this because we will be messing around with the memory, so potentially something can get messed up.
Step 2: Create a Partition for Ubuntu
Right now, the computer's memory is divided up into partitions. Because the Windows operating system is the only system, we need to create some free space in the memory, this will allow us to install Ubuntu onto the computer. If you don't have enough free space (30 gbs+ free), I recommend freeing up some space before continuing.
- Open up the "Create and Format Hard Disk Partitions", you can search "Disk Management" on the start bar to find this.
- Once you open this up, find the OS(C:) volume, and right click to open up the menu.
- Select shrink volume, then a querying message will pop up. After this is done, enter the amount you want to shrink OS(C:) by.
- This is in megabytes, and we want 20-30 gigabytes
- Type in 20000-30000, depending on how much space you want for Ubuntu
Step 3: Create a Live USB
Next, we are going to create a Live USB stick, this will allow us to install boot up Ubuntu from the USB and download it to the computer. We need an 8 GB flash drive. If your flash drive is a little bit less, that will be fine (Mine said 7.4 GBs).Go here and download the Ubuntu 14.04 system. Then follow this tutorial to create a Live USB.
Step 4: Turn Off SecureBoot (Windows 8)
This is a Windows 8 step only.
In order to Dual Boot, we need to turn off the SecureBoot.
For us to do this, it will take a few steps.
- Restart your computer.
- When the screen shows the boot option (F2 and F12), hit F2 to go to the setup.
- At this point there is no mouse, and you can only use the keyboard.
- Go to the Boot section, and move down to the secureboot, then make sure it is set to disabled.
- Save these changes and exit.
Step 5: Boot From Live USB
Now that we have the Live USB setup (and secureboot disabled), we can boot Ubuntu from the USB. Just turn off your computer, plug the USB in, and turn on your computer. The Ubuntu install menu is what should pop up. Arrow down to install Ubuntu and hit enter.
Step 6: Installation
Here is where we start the actual installation of Ubuntu.
There are several options, but we want to pick Something Else.
Step 7: Installation Types
Remember when we partitioned the computer memory in step 2? Well, here is where that matters. We need to create three new spaces for Ubuntu.
- Click the "+", this allows us to allocate memory for Ubuntu
- First make a "/" space of 10 GBs, this will be the "root". In the use as portion, select EXT 4 journaling file system, and hit "ok".
- Second, assign 8 GBs to the swap area.
- Finally, we memory to the "/home" partition. This is just like the "root", and assign the rest of the space you allocated to this space.
Step 8: Finishing Up
After going through all the menu options (Language, Login, etc...), Ubuntu should begin to install! When this is finished, you can hopefully restart your computer, unplug the USB, then next start up, a new option menu should pop up, and you can select between Windows and Ubuntu.
This is what is supposed to happen, but in case something goes wrong, here are some troubleshooting option.
Windows 8:
If the Ubuntu option does not pop up, go into Windows and enter:
bcdedit /set "{bootmgr}" path \EFI\ubuntu\grubx64.efi
in the command line.
Windows 7: If Windows boots normally, try starting again from step 5 and reinstalling Ubuntu. This should fix the problem.
Misc. Problem:
If your option to select Windows disappears, you have to run a boot repair. Go into Ubuntu and follow these instructions, this will fix your booter.
Be the First to Share
4 Discussions
Is this the same way for Windows 10?
works good! really liked it. thanks for the instructable
This is great if your computer has limited resources, but if you have a robust system you should look into Virtual Box which lets you run both ( or even more ) OS's at the same time.
Thank you for sharing these detailed instructions!


text:
13 SEER Package Air Conditioner, 2 to 5 Tons:
- Environmentally sound R-410A refrigerant
- Scroll compressor standard on all models
- Copper tube/aluminum fin condenser and evaporator coils
- All models available with optional factory installed tin-coated copper evaporator coil (These models are identified with letters TP in the 11th and 12th positions in the model number)
- Dehumidification mode (airflow reduction) on all models
- Installs easily on a rooftop or at ground level
- Easy three-panel accessibility for maintenance and installation
- Easily converts to down discharge applications
- Pre-painted steel cabinet
- High efficiency ECM indoor blower motor on all models
- Hail guard (3/8" spacing) wire grilles standard on PAD3**000KTP models (2" spacing wire grilles on non-tin models)
- Vertical condenser fan discharge
- Full perimeter steel base rails
- High and low pressure switches provide added reliability for the compressor
- 1 year No Hassle Replacement limited warranty for models with tin-coated copper evaporator coil.
- 5 year parts limited warranty (including compressor and coils)
- With timely registration, an additional 5 year parts limited warranty (including compressor and coils)
- * For owner-occupied residential applications only. See warranty certificate for complete details and restrictions, including warranty coverage for other applications.


text:
Classic Steel
In this modern age of advanced materials, technologies and manufacturing techniques, steel bicycles remain in demand across all categories. Steel is the rawest of the raw materials, and its unique ability to form a passionate connection between the rider and the bicycle, is both mythical and magical. So if you haven't already fallen in love with steel, then you probably haven't ridden a Masi, because when all is said and done, our hopes and dreams amount to nothing more grandiose than the experience of the ride.


text:
Why choose VONK for a FEED study?
With an excellent reputation and over 80 years of specialist knowledge in this field, VONK can guarantee a FEED (front end engineering design) study which creates a successful project delivery every time.
A FEED study in Gabon
In Gabon, we completed a FEED for a new control room at Shell Gabon using a multi-disciplinary local team. What was a problematic project for years before we arrived, became efficiently managed and realized within 10 months of taking over. At VONK, we have the contacts and network to gain the trust and approval of all stake-holders involved. Even in the most difficult of cases like this.
A conceptual design
Before a project can get off the ground, the initial idea needs to be turned into a conceptual design. We achieve this via a FEED study. This ensures methodical planning, consultancy and cost-estimates at the development stage. It is crucial in defining the scope of a project and reduces the final total costs as our experts are experienced doing construction driven engineering, resulting in pragmatic solutions. Compared to our competitors who only do a theoretical FEED study, we uniquely perform a FEED study using our engineering experience with the operational execution of a project as the main focus.
Talk to our experts
Do you want the reassurance that your project will stay on schedule and within budget? Is it important for you to identify the necessary mitigations through a thorough risk-assessment? And do you need help with the final investment decision? Then proper planning and a FEED study is vital to your project.
Would you like expert advice about FEED? Call us now.


text:
When the University of Hartford was incorporated just over 50 years ago by business and community leaders, they envisioned a center of education and culture for Greater Hartford. Read more...
Persons with disabilities who wish to access the WWUH Public File may contact John Ramsey at: email@example.com
Sunday Afternoon at the Opera - Berlioz: Les Troyens, Acts I-III
Sunday Afternoon at the Opera host Keith Brown writes:
From the days of his childhood Hector Berlioz was fascinated with the stories contained in the Roman poet Virgil's epic poem The Aeneid. As a mature man and composer he resolved to turn this epic into a French grand opera along the lines of, and on the monumental scale of, those of Meyerbeer or the music dramas of Wagner. He slaved away on what he would later decide to call Les Troyens through the years 1856-58.
Berlioz conceived the opera in five acts. Book II of The Aeneid would comprise the first two acts. Books I and IV make up the third, fourth and fifth acts. The opera's action takes in Cassandra's prophecy about the fall of Troy to the Greeks with their wooden horse, the arrival of Aeneas and the Trojans in Carthage, leading to the love affair of Aeneas with Dido, the queen of Carthage, and Aeneas's desertion of the queen when he leaves for Italy to found the city-state of Rome.
Berlioz had a lot of trouble trying to get Les Troyens staged. In total frustration he was forced to settle for a mutilated version of his masterwork to be given as two separate operas at the Theatre-Lyrique in Paris in 1868. Unfortunately, I am forced to follow a similar pattern in presenting the complete Les Troyens as Berlioz intended it to be performed. The first three acts will come this Sunday. There's a new recording of Les Troyens out on four compact discs through Parlophone/Warner Classics. It was made live in concert performance in April, 2017 at the Erasmus Hall in Strasbourg, France. John Nelson conducts the Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus of Strasbourg, the Choir of the National Opera of the Rhine, and the Baden State Opera Chorus. In the singing cast is one of the best mezzo-sopranos of our time, Joyce DiDonato, portraying the Queen of Carthage.


text:
United States
1-8 of 8 results
Narrowed By: Syrah-Shiraz Zinfandel United States true
Terra D'Oro 2016 Deaver Vyd. 135 Year Old Vines Zinfandel, Amador
Case $19.95 per bottle (12) $239.40 per case
Josh says: "The best value Old Vine Zin! Editors' Choice!" Read More
Napa Cellars 2016 Zinfandel, Napa Valley
Case $22.95 per bottle (12) $275.40 per case
Josh says: "Napa Valley Zins are very rare indeed, especially this good at this price!" Read More
Ridge 2017 Geyserville, Alexander Valley
Josh says: "Zinfandel leads the way in this classic blend from Ridge Vineyards!" Read More
HW 2014 Zinfandel, Old Vine, Lodi
Josh says: "Gorgeous estate bottled Old Vine Lodi Zin, On Sale!!" Read More
Shafer 2016 Relentless, Syrah, Napa Valley
Josh says: "Extremely Limited Cult Napa Syrah!!" Read More
Bella 2016 Zinfndel, Dry Creek Valley
Josh says: "Family-Owned Bella Vineyards superb Dry Creek Zin! Limited!" Read More
Folie a Deux 2013 Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma
Case $18.95 per bottle (12) $227.40 per case
Josh says: "Dry Creek Valley Zin at a great price!" Read More
Rombauer 2017 Zinfandel, California
Case $34.95 per bottle (12) $419.40 per case
Josh says: "This Zin from Rombauer has a strong following for good reason." Read More


text:
Everyone loves a spacious home. Finding a home in the right locality is often all you need to do if you wish to buy a home that offers you space you always dreamed of. Purchasing your very own 1 BHK flat for sale in Vile Parle East is a great investment option for those looking for a larger space. And if you want something even bigger, there are ways that can make your home look spacious:
The Right Colours
The colours you paint your walls with make a huge difference in how your home ends up looking. Shades such as white often make the home look roomier than it is, which is why flats for sale are often painted white. Dark shades such as red, on the other hand, can make your home look a little cramped. A safe bet would be merging both if you love dark colours.
Smart Furniture
Lately, a new trend of furniture can be seen which utilizes little space but offers more utility than you can imagine. Foldable tables, beds that can turn into a wall showcase, and a lot more can be found that help saves space while giving you as much benefit as possible. The placing of the furniture is equally important in utilizing space.
Hardware and Fixtures
The knobs and fixtures in your homes is another thing you can work with to make sure your home doesn't look too small. Large fixtures and hardware are only bound to take up more space, making the house look smaller.
Add Rich-Looking Accessories
Accessories that have a rich look and feel tend to make a room more sophisticated, in turn making your home look spacious. Wall hangings or ceiling home accessories are a better bet as compared to ones strategically placed in the corners of your homes. Leaving the flooring free from the clutter of accessories is a smart way of making the home look roomy.
With all of these methods, your apartments in Vile Parle east are sure to look larger than life!


text: Well once again it's been a crazy weekend in the 'best wee country in the world'. Sectarian singing is condemned by an ESPN presenter and they say they will contact the Police and Authorities to 'see if they can do something'. Once again it takes someone from outside Scotland to highlight the bigotry in the Sevco support. Continue reading "Sevco Sectarianism but Police Swamp CATB gig"


text:
FAC Secure Funding for H2020 +CityxChange Project
Back in April, Future Analytics Consulting contributed to the submission of the +CityxChange proposal. The proposal was rated as the best among eleven competing proposals and FAC are thrilled to report that we have secured funding in this major EU research competition. Due to the professional inputs from William Hynes, James Sweeney, and Robert Farrell, FAC are now part of a consortium that has been awarded €20 million in funding from the highly competitive and prestigious Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme. The awarded project, +CityxChange, is a response to the EU call for the creation of a 'low-carbon, climate resilient future' through 'secure, clean and efficient energy'.
FAC's Planning Consultant, Robert Farrell (pictured second from left) and Managing Director, William Hynes (fifth from left) at the Limerick City Proposal Meeting in March.
Future Analytics Consulting are leading the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) of all projects undertaken during the lifetime of the project. M&E will involve high-levels of cooperation with all project partners who operate in a range of sectors across society, such as energy-systems, governance, ICT, mobility and education. Partners come from a host of cities across Europe, all of which seek to take significant, and innovative steps towards enabling 'Smart Cities and Communities'.
For the next five years, the cities of Trondheim, Limerick, Alba Iulia, Pisek, Sestao, Smolyan and Voru will experiment on how to become smart positive energy cities, that utilise digital services to improve quality of life for and together with all of their citizens, generate more energy than they consume, and exchange experiences with cities across Europe to learn faster, together.
Under the leadership of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, these seven cities will develop and test new solutions together with an impressive list of 11 large enterprises, 9 SMEs (including FAC), 3 non-for-profit organisations and 2 universities, covering the entire value chain.
In its evaluation, the European Commission commends the proposal for demonstrating and substantiating actions that will contribute to the wide scale roll out of Positive Energy Districts across Europe, with a convincing approach to make local governments an active and integral part of the energy solution, engaging citizens in the city transformation, and involving the entire district energy value chain, extending to high level policy makers and cities, universities, large enterprises, distributed network operators, SMEs, and not for profit organisations
Find out more about the +CityxChange project by visiting the website www.cityxchange.eu, which details each of the demonstration projects, the cities involved and all project partners. You can also follow the project on Twitter @plusCities.
Future Analytics Consulting Ltd is a leading town planning, socio-economic research and data analytics consultancy, specializing in delivering evidence-based solutions across multiple sectors. To find out how we can help you and your business, please contact us on 01-6394836 or at email@example.com
FAC is a leading Chartered Town Planning, Development and Socio-economic Analytics Consultancy based in Dublin with an extensive project portfolio throughout Ireland. FAC has extensive experience in town and village renewal, town and village health checks, and settlement profiling.


text:
Our innate immune system uses two mechanisms. The first kills foreign bodies within the phagocyte itself. The second kills them outside the cell. Microbiologists have discovered that a social amoeba also uses both these mechanisms. Since this amoeba possesses an innate defense system similar to that of humans, while being genetically modifiable, the researchers can therefore carry out experiments on it in order to understand and fight genetic diseases of the immune system.
Mar 02


text:
Another super crazy busy week.My classes are really hard and this has increased my stress level and I've been an emotional eater. I am trying to only reach for healthy snacks, but its very very hard with all the juggling that I do. But I am trying. Managed to continue walking everyday and incorporated turbo jam a few times this week.
Scale shows I lost 0.8lbs last week which is progress.
Going to continue walking this week, and will try to do turbo jam as much as I can, but will be hard with 2 final exams, 1 quiz, 1 paper, work, and a child to take care of.
Spread the love


text:
Or, the ramblings of a man mildly annoyed by an article he read on the internet
Whilst browsing Facebook during lunchbreak, I happened across an article that had been shared by some fellow Filipino foodies. It was a short promotional article in Afar Magazine, detailing Aashi Vel of Traveling Spoon's trip to the Philippines and the subsequent expansion of her business there. In essence, Traveling Spoon offers unique culinary experiences in a select number of countries, whereby travellers can connect with home cooks and eat in their homes.
"Discover an authentic culinary experience with the best home cooks around the world"
Sounds pretty cool, no? So it was interesting to see what she thought of the Philippines' culinary scene.
Alas, it becomes quite clear from the article that she very nearly did not have a good time of it at all. She was only rescued by two of the hosts now signed up to Traveling Spoon, who cooked for and fed her their family dishes. Because of this experience, she came to the conclusion that, to quote the article, "to get a real taste of Filipino food that truly reflects its history, you have to step inside a local home… [because] It's still difficult to find restaurants that serve 'authentic' Filipino cuisine in the Philippines". This, in her mind, makes Traveling Spoon's mission in the Philippines crucial, because they are all about offering people 'real' and 'authentic' food experiences.
As someone who's always enjoyed his food journeys around the Philippines and is really excited by the restaurant scene in Manila, this bold statement comes across as a bit iffy. I felt a bit puzzled about the article and left it alone, but the more I thought about it, the more my puzzlement turned into a mild sense of indignation. How can someone, an outsider, who seems to be still growing in their understanding of Filipino food, cast such generalised and damning judgement upon the entire restaurant scene of a nation of 7,107 islands and 100 million people?
And so I started writing my thoughts down, and compiling them into an essay of sorts. Want to have a read? Just scroll down!
Every country has its great places to eat and its not-so-great (and downright terrible) places that you'd not hurry back to for a second go. So when it comes to visitors to your country, you always hope that they find themselves in the former and not the latter establishments. Unfortunately, in the case of Aashi Vel of Traveling Spoon, she found herself afflicted by bland meat, carb-heavy dishes (was it all that rice?) and no vegetables.
It is unfortunate to hear from Aashi that she had quite a negative experience. But, extrapolating from these experiences, Aashi and the article in Afar Magazine paints a picture of a country where the majority of restaurants fail to offer good 'authentic' meals. Is this really the case, that Filipino restaurants in the Philippines are somewhat useless at providing a good 'authentic' Filipino meal? What of the Filipino people who are stuck with these establishments – do they eat 'inauthentic' Filipino food every time they go out to eat at a Filipino restaurant? I find it therefore a bit puzzling, and quite a shame, that Aashi let her experience of the not-so-great side of the Filipino restaurant scene has led her to characterise the only 'authentic' food in the Philippines as being found in the home.
Furthermore, that characterisation, and the assumptions it makes about what 'authentic' Filipino food is, is rather problematic for me. Whilst I readily agree that some of the best food can be found in the home (as everyone says, their mum's cooking is always the best!), to claim that this manifestation of Filipino food – or any food – is the only 'authentic' one is prescriptive and rather narrow-minded.
A key element of this claim is that home-cooked food is inherently more 'authentic'. The article cites reasons such as learning recipes from relatives, or having dishes you cannot find in restaurants. I find three faults with this line of thought: firstly, the idea that there is such a clear-cut and sharp divide between what homes produce versus what restaurants produce; secondly, there seems to be a conflation of quality with 'authenticity'; and thirdly, the attempt to judge the 'authenticity' of dishes or of different types of food experience, when really we should be looking at the wider food culture that these dishes and experiences exist in and contribute to.
Home cooking versus restaurant cooking
Let's look at this supposed dichotomy of home-cooked 'authenticity' versus restaurant 'inauthenticity'. I would argue that this doesn't really exist in the first place, or at least not to the extent as the author of this article would have you believe. In the Philippines, and indeed all over the world, I would hazard that many restaurants, especially traditional and neighbourhood ones, started out producing dishes cooked to the owner's home recipes; many successful companies and restaurants have roots as family businesses that leveraged an original family recipe to create a much-loved product, or have pioneered their own special twist on common and familiar dishes.
Additionally, there may be some dishes that people enjoy that are primarily store-bought or eaten in restaurants, with a key part of the experience of eating these dishes revolving around getting them from this particular store or that specific restaurant. This could be because the dishes are time-consuming or hard to make at home (sans rival can be made, but it is significantly quicker to just buy it from Sans Rival in Dumaguete); maybe the restaurant or shop is reputed for their dish (think of the famed salt beef beigels in Brick Lane in London); maybe it's a relatively unknown dish or has a secret recipe (Luini in Milan is the only place in town selling panzerotti, a dish from southern Italy that is rarely seen up north); or maybe there is actually a long tradition of going out to enjoy these foods (it is a Cantonese tradition to go out for yum cha).
For many people, not just in the Philippines but elsewhere in the world, these experiences of eating out and buying food from outside of the home are an important way in which they can exemplify the food culture that they exist in. Eating out at a restaurant can be instilled with just as much history and tradition as eating at home.
It therefore seems to me to be a bit erroneous to say that the food found within the home is more 'authentic' than food you can find at a restaurant – or vice versa – when both scenes can play big parts in the everyday food culture of a people. To argue this is, as I've stated, prescriptive and rather narrow-minded, and delegitimises a significant portion of everyday food culture.
Is it 'authentic', or is it just good?
The article posits that "You won't be able to find authentic Filipino food in the Philippines – until you step into a local's home", and that it is "still difficult to find restaurants that serve 'authentic' Filipino cuisine in the Philippines".
As mentioned, I find it hard to believe that the huge numbers of Filipino restaurants, serving Filipino food, in the Philippines, to Filipino people, are not serving 'authentic' Filipino food.
I can think of numerous food experiences that I have had in the Philippines that have happened in restaurants and outside of the home and which have been thoroughly enjoyable. I have eaten a whole array of delightful dishes that form up the pantheon of Filipino food, including those cited in the article that one "can only find in the homes of locals", in these restaurants. So, unsurprisingly, I am somewhat bemused by the article's casual dismissal of the Filipino restaurant scene as mostly 'inauthentic'.
Aside from the promotion of Traveling Spoon, which markets authentic culinary experiences with the best home cooks around the world (which actually sounds pretty cool), it just seems that Aashi just had some pretty bad dining experiences during her trip.
"Instead, I mostly found bland meat and carb-heavy dishes with not a vegetable in sight. It surprised me to find such minimal use of spices and flavors on a tropical Asian island".
One may want to find out what her preconceptions were of what Filipino food should taste like, and one may question whether she is just exaggerating to help explain the raison d'être of Traveling Spoon.
But I think it's more instructive to take this description at face value and to contrast it with the glowing descriptions of the food served at the homes of Nayna and Isi, two of her hosts during her visit – they seem worlds apart.
There is the sense that this is the case because Nayna and Isi offer a more 'authentic' take on Filipino food. They may offer up dishes that use recipes passed down through the generations, but as argued this may not necessarily differ from the situation in certain restaurants. After all, those dishes that they served to Aashi aren't quite the hidden gems that they are made out to be.
The key difference may therefore be the execution: Nayna and Isi may just be really skilled cooks and may have excellent recipes to hand, whereas the restaurants Aashi went to were just really bad. That does not necessarily mean the former are more 'authentic'; they're just good.
But how do you define 'authenticity'?
The elephant in the room that I've been ignoring so far, so to speak, is what we mean by the using the term 'authentic' – and more specifically, how we are using that term to define food in a certain way.
How do you define what is and is not 'authentic'? Who gets to define it? Is the definition of an 'authentic' cuisine set in stone, or can it change as tastes evolve and dishes fall in and out of popularity? And what do we even mean when we talk about 'authentic' food?
As I've discussed in a previous essay, these questions are particularly pertinent to the Philippines, as there have been so many external influences that have been taken on and subsumed by Filipinos over the centuries of colonialism and immigration that, as the article recognises, the food has changed fundamentally since pre-colonial times. And indeed, it still continues to change – recipes evolve, new ingredients are added, new trends emerge, some things fall out of fashion etc. Just look at hot dog spaghetti or Spamsilog to see how some of these, er, innovations have been embraced as a part of the modern day Filipino food experience.
Some people say that this acceptance of disparate influences makes Filipino food a bit schizophrenic, in that over the course of one meal someone can shift from Chinese to indigenous to Malay to Hispanic and even to American influences. But the thing is, as a whole it all makes sense that this experience is a very Filipino one. That is perhaps a defining feature of Filipino food, which marks it out amongst the Asian cuisines: its willingness to incorporate and Filipinise whatever comes its way, and to embrace them all in one go.
Given this huge variety within Filipino food, I think the focus needs to be less on deciding which dish is or is not 'authentic' and more on understanding the characteristics of the food culture that those dishes exist in – in other words, how people enjoy food with others around them. When I think of Filipino food culture at its very basic level, I think of friends and family around one big table, all of them sharing everything and socialising with everyone, and welcoming even more people to the table. You can see this in homes, in restaurants, in fiestas and indeed anywhere that Filipinos find themselves.
If we focus on the food culture that people exist in as opposed to the specific dishes, the distinction between home cooking and dining out becomes less important, because both can contribute to the propagation of a food culture. And this focus can allow us to be more open-minded to really understanding and enjoying the way that a people enjoy their food, because we recognise that we can have fun eating like the locals wherever the locals eat, whether it is at the side of the road, in a fancy restaurant or in someone's dining room.
So there you go. Did that make sense? I hope so. I did spend a lot of time trying to make it make sense *puppy dog eyes*.
But we're not quite yet done. In an extension of my attempt to disprove the statement that "It's still difficult to find restaurants that serve "authentic" Filipino cuisine in the Philippines", I thought I'd leave you with a select list of some of my favourite Filipino restaurants in the Philippines that serve Filipino food to Filipino people.
Chef Laudico Bistro Filipino
3rd Avenue corner 28th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Metro Manila
Modern, bold and satisfying Filipino food found in Bonifacio Global City; the 8 course degustation menu is the best, and most coma-inducing, way to experience all of the modern flairs Chef Laudico dishes out.
The Goose Station
W Tower, 1117 39th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Metro Manila
Pronounce this like a Filipino so that it sounds like 'degustation', and you'll see why I like this one. Whilst I haven't been here, my friend rates it highly. Check out their Filipiniana Concepts to see their interpretations of Filipino food history.
Fely J's
2nd Level, Greenbelt 5, Makati, Metro Manila
The recipes are reputedly those of Felicidad de Jesus-Cruz, the eponymous Fely J and the late mother of the late restaurateur Larry J Cruz. Regardless, I loved their crispy pata and their dilis-cious rice (rice with crispy fried dilis mixed in). Hearty traditional dishes in big portions – what's not to love?
Kanin Club
Several branches in Makati, Muntinlupa, Quezon City and elsewhere in Metro Manila
Simple and unpretentious place that serves traditional Filipino dishes with the occasional twist that makes you sit up and say, "Say whaaaat?". Some of my highlights include sinangag na sinigang (sinigang fried rice!) and the crispy dinuguan – the crispy parts being chicharron!
XO46 Bistro Filipino
Several branches; the one visited was 130 Valero Street, Salcedo Village, Makati, Metro Manila
A rather special place that serves traditional regional dishes, prepared 'the traditional way', and tries to couch the whole experience in a Filipino setting of the distant past – it's all heritage here. Loved their empanadang bilbao ala Vigan and their crispy pata XO style, and absolutely adored their adobong batangas.
Romulo Café
148 Jupiter Street, Bel-Air Village, Makati, Metro Manila
Not only is this quite a smart place to enjoy some fantastic food, it's also an ode to (and history lesson about) Carlos P. Romulo, one of the Philippines' great statesmen and diplomats. Lola Virginia's chicken relleno, boneless crispy pata binagoongan, gising-gising and turon were all winners that night.
Café Juanita
19 West Capitol Drive, Kapitolyo, Pasig, Metro Manila
This restaurant can really claim to be home cooking, because it's, well, in someone's home. Decked out like some eccentric lola's house, filled with all of her bric-a-brac, the food offering here is strictly traditional and hearty.
C2 Classic Cuisine
Several branches in Metro Manila and elsewhere
It's been a while since I was here, but I remember the maruya to be quite something. Bills itself as 'redefined' Filipino classics.
Salcedo Market
Jamie C. Velasquez Park, Salcedo Village, Makati, Metro Manila
For those Londoners among you, think Borough Market – except with sunshine, humidity and Filipino food. Copious amounts of freshly-cooked Filipino fare is on offer, along with a smattering of other cuisines from around the world. Of great interest though are the small stalls with artisan products – last time I was there, I picked up some delicious malunggay pesto and bangus paté. Well worth a visit.
The Grill by Antonio's
One Direction, E. Aguinaldo Highway, Tagaytay City, Batangas
This is a real gem of a place, set in some beautiful countryside just outside Tagaytay. Chef Antonio is classically-trained and so has built his name doing primarily Western-influenced dishes (at the original Antonio's), but the grill sees him drawing upon his Negrense background to deliver a selection of his favourite Filipino dishes. Well worth the excursion from Manila.
Rizal Avenue, Puerto Princesa, Palawan
A bit of an institution in town, this is a very chilled primarily outdoor place, befitting the tropical feel and 'final frontier' status of Puerto Princesa. Alongside the standard Filipino dishes, you can get a vast array of the excellent local seafood, dishes of tamilok (woodworm) marinated in vinegar, and the speciality crocodile sisig.
369 Rizal Avenue, Puerto Princesa, Palawan
Another Puerto Princesa institution, it's all about the seafood here. We dined here on our way to the airport for the flight back to Manila; it was a fitting way to say goodbye to Palawan.
Yoghurt House
South Road, Sagada, Mountain Province
Whilst yoghurt itself may not seem that Filipino a dish, you cannot go to Sagada without dropping by the Yoghurt House. Thick, sweet-sour dollops of yoghurt are teamed up with the bounteous local fruit and jams that the Mountain Province is famous for – it makes for a brilliant breakfast. I'd recommend the strawberries with yoghurt.
Sans Rival Cake House
3 San Jose Street, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental
If you know me, I love my sans rival (and I love making it too for our supper club). So I was very happy to have been brought to Sans Rival Cake House in Dumaguete, which is renowned for its sans rival and its silvanas (the smaller biscuit version). Stock up on them to bring home, or eat them there and then – you can't go wrong with this place.


text:
here's a fully renovated penthouse unit located at one of ayala land's premiere development fronting salcedo park, salcedo village, makati that's recently in the market for sale.
total floor area is 336 square meters. the bi-level unit has four bedrooms, three toilet and bath, spacious living room, dining room, balcony, upgraded kitchen, service area, maid's quarter with bathroom and comes with two parking slots.
the unit is being sold semi-furnished. a rare find priced competitively at Php 36M.
to view photo gallery, click on the link below :
for serious inquiries, please email or call our office. thanks and warmest regards.
REBAP, Greenhills Chapter
Director, Business Development
02 5148481 ( direct line )
+63 2 5536051 ( trunkline )
+63 2 8561365 ( line 3 )
+63 920 9064829 ( mobile )
email : email@example.com


text:
Thank you for your interest in Seattle Business magazine, a property of Tiger Oak Media. We are located at 1417 4th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101. (google map)
For the most commonly reached departments, please contact us directly: 206.284.1750.
For story leads and suggestions, use this link: "How to pitch a story."
To reach editorial directly, contact Managing Editor Bill Conroy: firstname.lastname@example.com or Editor-in-Chief Rob Smith: firstname.lastname@example.com
For production and creative, contact email@example.com.
For advertising, event sponsorship and business matters, contact Publisher Shirley Eclipse: email@example.com.
For marketing, events and awards nominations, contact Marketing and Events Coordinator Tanya Norton:firstname.lastname@example.com.
For circulation and subscription matters, contact: email@example.com.