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First Friday: No excuses edition, part 2
If you thought April's First Friday offered a delightful art stroll on a heavenly warm evening, get ready for the May sequel. Could this weather be any better for meandering through the Mall and its surrounding environs, ducking into this gallery and that for a dose of visual culture?
Although some venues, like Second Street Gallery and Warm Springs Gallery, are continuing their April fare, most venues are changing it up with intriguing new shows. I'm especially eager to see Chroma Projects' "Disclosed," which features nine artists exploring the idea of secrets, taboos, and exposure. Owner/director Deborah McLeod takes an adventurous approach to curating shows, so the works promise to be intriguing.
Another recommended stop this evening is a collaboration between artist Dean Dass and poet Sam Witt on view at the brand new WVTF/Radio IQ Studio. Meanwhile, local favorite, glass artist Chip Hall, is showing work at McGuffey Art Center (which also features four, yes, four other exhibits). One street over at The Garage, Richmond-based artist Sean Kelly presents "Flux," an installation of drawings, video, and performance. (Color me curious.)
Finally, two photography shows promise strong work: Ed Deasey's "Black and White Dreams" at Angelo, and a showcase of UVA fourth-year students' images at The Bridge.
As always, the above are just a few enticing items on the First Friday menu. Here's the full range of choices for your arty walk-about:
First Friday, May 7
The McGuffey Art Center holds an opening reception for its five May exhibitions: Cri Kars-Marshall, Jeannine Barton Reagan, and Jean Simpson's "Gathering Light"; Chip Hall's sculpted hot glass; James Hubin's "Re:Nata"; Dick Thomas' paintings and sculptures with wood; and the "2010 Inmates Show." 5:30-7:30pm. 20 Second St. NW. 295-7973.
Chroma Projects Art Laboratory opens "Disclosed," a nine-artist show that explores the idea of exposure, 5-8pm. 418 E. Main St. on the Downtown Mall. 202-0269.
The Bridge hosts an opening for the UVA fourth-year photography show, 7-9pm. 209 Monticello Road. 984-5669.
The Garage celebrates "Flux," an exhibition of drawings, video, and "performance" by Richmond artist and UVA alum Sean Kelly, with an opening, 7:30-9:30pm. 250 N. First St. For more information, visit http://thegarage-cville.com.
Angelo hosts an opening reception for photographer Ed Deasy's exhibition, "Black and White Dreams," 5:30-7:30pm. 220 E. Main St. on the Downtown Mall. 971-9256.
Eloise opens the exhibition, "Bill Atwood's First Art Show since the 3rd Grade," featuring artwork by Bill Atwood to benefit the Women's Initiative. 5-7pm. 219 W. Water St. 295-3905.
Mono Loco opens "Hidden Works: Creations by non-art majors at PVCC," a show curated by instructor George Andrews that features work created by members of Piedmont Virginia Community College's Art 100 Class. 5-7pm. 200 W. Water St. 979-0688.
The WVTF and Radio IQ Studio opens a collaborative exhibition by artist Dean Dass and poet Clay Witt, 5-7pm. 216 W. Water St. For more information, contact firstname.lastname@example.com.
Fellini's #9 hosts a reception for Elaine Reed's watercolor exhibition, "Places I Have Been," 5:30-7pm. 200 W. Market St. 979-4279.
Mudhouse opens artist Cass Kawecki's exhibition of recent work, "Experiment in Process," 6-8pm. 213 W. Main St. 984-6833.
Sage Moon Gallery, LLC welcomes "Ladies in Waiting," an exhibition of Jacqueline Peters' oil paintings, with a reception, 5:30-8pm. Siips, 212 E. Main St. on the Downtown Mall. 977-9997.
Spring Street welcomes "New Paintings" by Gloria Mitchell with a reception, 6-8pm. 107 W. Main St. on the Downtown Mall. 975-1200.
The Art Life Studio opens the exhibition, "Women Shaping Life through Art," featuring paintings, installations, life-size self-portraits, and poetic writing by Cate Caldwell, Donna Ernest, Melanie Fredericks, Susan Hastings, Amy Kilroy, Hobby Parent and Karen Robertson. 5:30-7:30pm, with an artists' presentation at 6:30pm. 313 Second St SE (the Glass Building), Suite 208. 996-8087.
BozART Gallery opens painter Randy Sights Baskerville's exhibition, "Eyes on Virginia," 5-9pm. 211 W. Main St. on the Downtown Mall. 296-3919.
C'ville Arts opens "Portraits of Song," an exhibition of Kathleen Mistry's bird-oriented artwork, 6-9pm. 118 E. Main St. on the Downtown Mall. 972-9500.
Art Upstairs hosts an opening reception for its exhibition of animal portraits painted by Christine Rich. 5-8pm. 112 W. Main St. on the Downtown Mall (in York Place). 923-3900.
Skylight Studios hosts a reception to celebrate the abstract expressionist works of C.P. Franklin, 5-9pm. 108 Second St. NW. 293-3908.
The Gallery @ 5th & Water opens Nancy Jane Dodge's exhibition, "Conversations," which includes the artist's new Pitcher Plant series. 5:30-8pm. Upstairs foyer of Hampton & Everett and Stoneking/von Storch, 107 5th St. SE. 979-9825.


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10 / 39 Adverts
Stone-Built House Attached home, single storey, separate entrance, in a private property
from $22/Night (rates)
6 people 5 adults, 1 kid
3 bedrooms
5 roomsLiveable floor area : 970 Sq.ft.
Ground surface : 4,300 Sq.ft.
3 bedrooms
5 roomsLiveable floor area : 970 Sq.ft.
Ground surface : 4,300 Sq.ft.
High chairInfant tub
- View : Unobscured, dominant, sea/ocean, harbour, city, rooftop
- Kids welcome
- Setting : Picturesque, Ocean
- Sandy beach at 0.3mi.
- Fishing
- Exposure : South
Meublés de Tourisme Touristic region : discover Pointe du Raz
Advert No. 49141
For your guidance
Contact by phone
Contact by email
For safety and quality control reasons, we strongly recommend to contact the owner through IHA Holiday Ads.
Reviews about the Advert 49141
Be the first to provide a review about this advert!
La GarenneAdvert 49141Audierne - Finistère - France
Advert details 49141
Assets House
Advantages : 2 bike(s)
baby equipment : High chair, infant tub
Interior Stone-Built House with View: unobscured, dominant, sea/ocean, ...
Receive up to : 6 person(s) (5 adults, 1 kids)
Liveable floor area : 970 Sq.ft.
Interior layout : 5 Room(s), 3 bedroom(s), 1 shower room, 2 toilets, living room 270 Sq.ft., american style kitchen, dining room, dining area, tv den, walk-in closet, laundry room
Sleeps - bed(s) : 3 full bed(s), 1 baby cradle
Guest facilities : T.V., hi-fi system, DVD player, board games, book collection, t.v points, wardrobe, cupboard, Hanging wardrobe, hair dryer, heated towel rail, central heating, Drapes, Blinds, Double glazed
Appliances : Crockery/flatware, kitchen utensils, electric espresso coffee maker, electric kettle, toaster, juicer, fondue set, gaz stove, oven, micro-wave oven, extractor hood, refridgerator, deep freeze, dish washer, washing machine, clothes dryer, vacuum cleaner, iron, ironing board
Exterior Vacation rental in Setting: picturesque, ocean
Ground surface : 4,300 Sq.ft.
Outside accommodation : Terrace, yard shed
Outside setting : Enclosed grounds 4,300 Sq.ft., lawn 3,300 Sq.ft.
Outside amenities : BBQ, gaz BBQ, yard table(s), 10 yard seat(s), parasol, yard seated area, 2 chaise(s) longue(s)
Rates Calendar Availability Vacation rental in Audierne
Seasons & Availability Stone-Built House in Audierne
Rates Stone-Built House in Audierne
Check-in day
Season Night Weekend week 2 weeks Month
Low season - - $385*$330* -
Mid season - - $385*$330* -
High season - - $605* Sat$550* Sat -
Festive specials - - - - -
Promotional period - - - - -
ServiceFrequencyIncluded / SuppliedSupplementRates
Single family home
Yard/swimming pool maintenance1 X / per week
For your guidance
Information :
Kids welcome
Non smoking rental
Cell phone network coverage
Water : hot/cold
Local voltage supply : 110-120V / 60Hz
Electricity supply : mains
Booking conditions
Reservation :
Payment made upon reservation : 30% of rental sum
Payment balance : 2 weeks before the stay
Deposit required : $330*
rentals :
Service charges included
Day tax in addition
Cleaning charge levy on departure : $46*
Accepted methods of payment :
Bank transfer (wire)
Leisure, Surroundings, Location Home 49141
Specific activities on site or less than 3 miles :
FISHING Brittany
Leisure activities less than 12 miles : Bathing, snorkelling, scuba diving, surfing, windsurfing, sailing, kite surfing, canoeing, tennis, riding school, pony club, pathway/broadwalk, coastal/forest paths, hiking, mountain bike (path), boat trips, horse trecking, fishing, fishing
Supervised : Sailing school, dive school, riding school
Attractions and relaxation : Bar/pub, restaurant, movie theater, sea world, nature reserve, historical site, museum, thalassotherapy center, beauticians
Locality :
Heated swimming pool at 1.85mi.
Sea/ocean at 660'
Sandy beach at 0.3mi.
Rocky beach at 0.93mi.
Public swimming pool at 1.85mi.
Public tennis court at 0.62mi.
Watersports centre at 0.93mi.
Cliff at 6mi.
River at 0.3mi.
Forest at 1.25mi.
Marina at 660'
Amenities :
Downtown at 660'
Bus stop / bus station at 660'
Bike/mountain bike hire at 660'
Car rental at 18.5mi.
Breadstore at 330'
Local stores at 660'
Supermarket at 1.5mi.
Hairdressing salon at 660'
Internet cafe at 660'
Mail office at 0.3mi.
Bank at 660'
ATM at 660'
Drugstore at 660'
Doctor at 660'
Hospital at 25mi.
Location AccessHouse Audierne
rue de Kéridreuf
29770 AudierneBrittany
GPS coordinates of accommodation
Latitude 48°1'12"N
Longitude 4°32'18"W
Access routes Vacation rental 49141
at 23,6mi. / 40min.
Airport Quimper Cornouaille
Quimper, Finistère, Brittany, France
at 660' / 10min.
Bus station Audierne
Audierne, Finistère, Brittany, France
at 23,6mi. / 40min.
Freeway (exit) N165
Quimper, Finistère, Brittany, France
Cities close by
Brest (37,3mi.)
Locronan (25mi.)
Quimper (23,6mi.)
Close to Pointe de Lesveen, Les Pourceaux, Le Trepied, Pointe Penn-an-Enez, Goyen, Pointe de Talagrip, Lescongar, Ar Flammen, Korneien Halen, Chaussee des Pierres Noires, La Corne Nord-Ouest de la Chevre, Petit Leac'h, An Hinkinou, Kougou Ruz, Roche du Rouget, Kereon, La Sournoise, Roche Men Bret, Le Lion, Ar Boullennou, Ile Gueneron
Cities close by
Nearby places
Photos House 49141
Return to the rental listingsContact

subset: commoncrawl


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Item #3154
80 days from transplant. The Listada de Gandia eggplant, a French heirloom variety, produces plentiful 6"-8" attractive oval fruits on plants that thrive in heat. You'll love its thin-skinned fruits that do not require peeling. Eggplants are often grown as ornamental vegetables. Their starry, violet flowers and attractive fruits make them beautiful additions to your flower garden as well as edible treats!
This packet yields approximately 20 plants when started indoors.
Seedling Image
Days to Emerge:
Seed Depth:
Seed Spacing:
Row Spacing:
When to sow outside: 2 to 4 weeks after average last frost and when soil temperatures are warm, and when outside nighttime temperatures are at least 55°F.
When to start inside: RECOMMENDED. 10 to 12 weeks before average last frost. Transplant seedlings outside 1 to 2 weeks after last frost.
Harvesting: Listada de Gandia should be harvested when the fruit is 6"-8" long and the skin is still shiny. If you are in doubt about maturity level, note that it's better to harvest eggplants a little young rather than wait until they are overly mature with dull skin, plentiful dark seeds, and bitter taste. To harvest, cut woody stem with pruners. Continual harvest will encourage more production.
Artist: Susie Hyer
Item #3154
25 seeds


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Ultroner x Asmodus Luna Squonker Box Mod
Powered by single 18650 battery, the Asmodus is laser engraved into the firing button which has as responsive, click button.
Each stabilized wood mod is made from genuine maple and will contain natural imperfections. Coloration will vary from unit to unit and pictures are depicted for general visualization purposes.
Availability: غير متوفربالمخزون
Regular Price: US$ 83٫50
Special Price US$ 39٫32
Please note that the pictures are for reference only, there might be minor changes without notice.
Product introduction
The Luna Squonk Mod, a collaboration between Asmodus and Ultroner, is constructed from 6063 aluminum alloy and then covered with stabilized wood. Powered by single 18650 battery, the Asmodus is laser engraved into the firing button which has as responsive, click button. While being unregulated the mod offers multiple built-in safety features as well as an LED indicator light to keep you updated with just a glance.
Size: 82x 46x 26mm
Standby current: 50UA
Atomizer ohm range: 0.1- 2.5ohm
Resistance range: 0.1- 3.0ohm
6.0ml squonk bottle included
Powered by single 18650 battery (Not included)
Constructed of 6063 aluminum & stabilized wood
With a powerful protection chip, the UL-80-JX
-Overheating prevention
-Reverse polarity, cut-off timer
-Driven by advanced UL-80-JX chipset
-Low voltage/ atomizer short protection
Package includes:
1x Luna Squonk Mod
1x Extra Bottle


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The two-day Warfighter Intermediate Pistol course will cover fundamentals of combat pistol marksmanship and is designed to improve and enhance basic shooter skills. Shooters should have basic weapons handling skills acquired and ready to improve their shooting techniques. Select shooting evolutions will challenge shooters to successfully engage targets while under stress. Listed below are some of the topics that will be presented.
Prerequisites: Warfighter Basic Pistol or equivalent
- Warfighter Mindset
- Fighting Stance
- Weapon Retention
- Proper Loading/Unloading Techniques
- Fighter Stance
- Grip
- Malfunctions
- Marksmanship Fundamentals
- Gear Placement
- Holster Draw
- Accurate Fire
- Rapid Fire
- Reloads
- Proper Range Attire
- Serviceable Pistol
- 3 Magazines
- Magazine Pouches
- Battle Belt/Duty Belt
- Dump Pouch (Optional)
- Ear/Eye Protection
- Ball Cap
- Hydration source
- Knee Pads
- Gloves (optional)
Pistol: 1800rds
Check the calendar for upcoming course dates.


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Botanics kindly sent me some products over the past few months, and I am finally getting round to giving them a proper review (Is proper even a word? I'm going to use it anyway). Keep reading to find out what I think about the Botanics all bright soothing eye makeup remover.
I posted about me using the eye makeup remover over on my Instagram stories (now available to watch in my highlights) and I got a positive response. I asked you guys if you would like a more detailed review, and the mass vote was yes. How could I say no eh?
~Keep scrolling for an update~
I'll be completely honest, at first I thought it was micellar water, so I went to town and poured it religiously on my cotton pad. Mistake number one! Less was definitely more. I had to shake the bottle vigourosly to mix the contents in the bottle, because it was a bi-phase product.
What is bi-phase?
Bi-phase products basically contain two separate formulas inside them that don't mix well, and sit on top of each other instead of merging. But when you give the product a good shake, they merge enough to be used. This is the whole concept behind bi-phase products, which generally comprise of an oil based layer and a water based layer. This makes it easier for makeup removal because the oil would break down the products, and the water based would give a good clean and maybe moisturise. This would depend entirely on the ingredients used, and formulas created.
What did it feel like?
Oily. I'm not 100% sure if it felt a bit grim because i'm not used to it, but it didn't spark my fancy. I did use it on part of my face, and it felt a lot more comfortable. I think it's just one of them products where you'd play around with how much to use till you find the perfect amount.
Would I use it again?
Yes, I do like that it has the two formulas inside, it saves me a step in my makeup removing routine where I'd first go in with coconut oil to break down my makeup. But, on the eyes it just felt a little much. From now on I'll be using a lot less of the makeup remover, and focus on building it up instead.
What about it being 'all-brightening'?
Well, it's an eye makeup remover. I'm not expecting it to make any differences to be quite honest with you. I wouldn't buy the product for this purpose, only for it's bi-phase content and pretty packaging. If I wanted to focus on brightening my eye area, I'd use the Botanics All Bright Refreshing Eye Roll On, or the concentrate serum.
After using the product again, my opinion has slightly changed. It is still slightly oily for my liking, but it removed my eyeshadow like a dream! Mascara not so well, but after a few rubs my lashes were clean. Oily, but clean. I've understood the best way to use it is to hold the cotton pad soaked in the eye makeup remover on the eye, wait a while, then gently swipe (instead of going straight in and rubbing). For the price it's a great product, it's mainly organic and cruelty free!
What do you think of the range? Have you tried any of Boots Botanics products?
Just want to say a huge thank you to botanics for sending me these, I'm super grateful to try them out. Regardless of me receiving these products, all opinions are completely my own.
Lot's of love,


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Friday, February 03, 2006
Second Thoughts
Although sometimes whole essays or stories present themselves as full entities, these occasions are rare for me. I need to revisit a piece of work several times before putting it out for public consumption and it's still flawed.
But I'm looking forward to the rewrite process. It's both lure and reward. Writing is organic. It grows and I love to watch it grow. When I first sit down, I'm excited to see what happens. I throw words and ideas down, conscious of, but not worried about, clarity, connection, conciseness. At this point, I don't stress too much because I know there are forgotten angles, structural screw-ups, words misused, people offended. It's on the revisits that a piece develops and deepens, and for me, that's where the fun is. I am seduced by the promise of discovering something in my head I didn't know was there the first time around. Returning to the work leads into "epiphany."
This self-enlightenment can only come from setting aside a project and letting it percolate. That's trite, but it's dead-on accurate. While the first draft is locked in my subconscious (the brain's back burner) , I go about my life. It cooks. I forget about it. Then I come back. The act of moving it out to the front of the stove (the brain) is rewarding. What do I have here? I made this? Let me taste it. Has the flavor of the dish (story/essay) deepened? What spices (a sex scene, more conflict, a startling fact) will it need to be better? What in the world have I forgotten? The best and most gratifying part is, if it isn't just right, gumbo or essay, I can usually fix it!!!
3 comments:
- Secret Sister said...
You are obsessed with food today? I really miss crawfish bisque. Remember how grandma would use some tubular part of the crawfishs' exoskeleton and stuff it with chopped crawfish blend (I don't know - I was five) and then put those in the bisque. I remember having to slide that part out and I loved sucking on the shell. Heaven! Gingerbread from the bakery we got the wonderful bread we ate the crawfish with. I could die and go to heaven. The fact is the cajun experience is nothing without the food - it defines southern Louisiana's people and places. "Where is your favorite fishing hole?" "Redfish you catch yourself on Grand Isle is better than anywhere else." And trust me - Mississippi Catfish has nothing on gulf Catfish.
- Gay Degani said...
Gingerbread and crawfish bisque??? That I don't remember. But the bisque. Those little tubes were the body shells as I remember and sucking on them is worth a few days of life!
Speaking of ""Where yo' favorite fishing hole at?" "I din' see you at d' Cathedral Sunday" "Are you Catholic" "Who's yo' momma?" and "Can you make a rue?" The last three combine,I think, to make the title of a recipe book.
- Secret Sister said...
We didn't eat the gingerbread with the bisque. We ate the great french bread with that! We ate the gingerbread at other times - they were like big slabs of brick and tasted so good for dessert. We have to be able to get some pralines when we visit. Good ones, that is - not from Stuckey's while on the road. Although I am sure there aren't many, if any, Stuckey's around any more. Those were the days. Am I really saying that about summer vacations with Dad driving? It has been a long week.


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|Pants- American Apparel, Shoes- Urban Outfitters, Tank- Zara
When I first bought these pants, I was a little unsure about them. Not because I felt uncomfortable in them or didn't like them, but because I was unsure as to how often I would end up wearing them. Well needless to say, I'm glad I kept them. Little did I know not only how many outfits I would be pairing them with, but also how confident and unexpectedly feminine they would make me feel. I even got a pair of low nude pointed toe pumps to wear with them, something I would have NEVER expected to happen (I've been anti-pumps for a while now). So expect to see more of these pants on my blog. I also hope to get a striped pair too.
Well done American Apparel.


text: May is the most spectacular month in Wicklow. This is due to the sudden mass-blossoming of the various trees and shrubs along the hedgerows and in the parks and gardens. May is usually quite warm too, and it is this year, but there is quite a bit of rain too, which also helps the blooming, but can cause them to fade a little faster too.


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A search is underway to locate a crewmember who reportedly fell overboard from a Malta-flagged liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carrier 400 miles off Cape Hatteras, N.C.The U.S. Coast Guard said watchstanders received a report that a man overboard had been reported aboard the 225-meter-long Hellas Gladiator.
At least 21 containers were lost form a barge traveling from Honolulu to Hilo, Hawaii on Monday, the U.S. Coast Guard said. Nine of the 40-foot containers lost from the Young Brothers barge Ho Omaka Hou have been located, while another 12 are still missing, according to the Coast Guard. The barge was being pulled by the tug Hoku Loa at the time of the incident. No injuries have been reported.
Search & Rescue algorithm identify hidden "traps" in ocean waters, helping to more quickly identify regions where objects — and missing people — may have converged.The ocean is a messy and turbulent space, where winds and weather kick up waves in all directions. When an object or person goes missing at sea, the complex
Nearly 200 towing vessels and 600 barges are queued on the Intracoastal Waterway while salvors work to clear a halved and partially sunken rock barge near Berwick, La., the U.S. Coast Guard said.A section of waterway has been closed since Sunday night, when a towing vessel pushing six rock-filled hopper barges ran aground at mile marker 99.
The search for three missing mariners was called off on Monday after two towing vessels collided on the Mississippi River at mile marker 123, near Luling, La., Sunday, the U.S. Coast Guard said.Search crews scoured more than 835 nautical miles for approximately 67 hours but were unable to find the three missing mariners, the Coast Guard said.
The U.S. Coast Guard and local agencies are searching for three crew members missing following a collision between two towing vessels on the Mississippi River at mile marker 123, near Luling, La., Sunday.The Coast Guard said its watchstanders in New Orleans were alerted at 5:37 a.m.
Responders have called off a search for two fisherman missing following a fatal ship collision near Galveston, Texas, the U.S. Coast Guard said on Thursday.One crew member has been rescued, one is deceased and two remain missing at the conclusion of a three-day search involving the Coast Guard and local responders that covered more than 49 square miles by aerial flights
The US Coast Guard and local authorities on Wednesday continue to search for two fishermen missing after a fatal vessel collision in Galveston, Texas.The Coast Guard said four fisherman were forced into the water on Tuesday afternoon when their 81-foot vessel Pappy's Pride capsized following a collision with the 600-foot chemical tanker Bow Fortune near the Galveston jetties.
Search teams continue to scour the Atlantic Ocean for traces of seven mariners still missing offshore tug supply vessel Bourbon Rhode, which sank near a category 4 hurricane in September, the vessels' owner said."To date, the search operations decided by the CROSS continues: the Alp Striker vessel – a 90-meter anchor handling tug supply vessel (AHTS) capable of operating over very long distances
French offshore vessels owner Bourbon confirmed that its tug supply vessel Bourbon Rhode sank in middle of the Atlantic Ocean while navigating heavy seas near a category 4 hurricane on Thursday. Three crew members have been rescued, the body of one deceased has been recovered, and responders are searching for 10 crew still missing.
Rescue workers on Monday were planning to extract four missing crew members from a South Korean cargo vessel carrying about 4,000 cars to the Middle East that turned on its side off the coast of Georgia, the U.S. Coast Guard said.Helicopters rescued 20 crew members from the 656-foot (200-meter) Golden Ray on Sunday after it became disabled
Four crew members are missing from a roll-on/roll-off cargo vessel that is disabled, overturned and has caught fire near Brunswick, Georgia, the U.S. Coast Guard said on Sunday.Twenty people have been safely removed from the ship, and the Coast Guard said it is working with local partners to locate the four crew still missing from the 656-foot vehicle carrier, MV Golden Ray


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Already visited the famous Radimsky Restaurant?
Let's talk gastronomy for a moment
If we talk about the gastronomy at King's Resort, we have to start with the famous Radimsky Restaurant.
Radimsky was named after the prominent 19thand early 20thcentury Czechoslovak impressionist, Vaclav Radimsky, and is decorated with his original work. Radimsky was a fundamental part of our founder Mr. Leon Tsoukernik's original vision for his casino. His desire was to exceed common border casinos in both service and offerings. Facilities for high quality gastronomy are essential to provide services for discerning customers, the biggest players in the world, and VIPs.
Radimsky Restaurant has been in operation for 15 years. During these years, it has been under the guidance of only one chef – David Vávra. Mr. Tsoukernik personally chose Mr. Vávra for his talent, passion, attention to detail, and work ethic. Today, it is a highly acclaimed restaurant offering specialities from all over the world.
In its early stages, this restaurant was originally used to provide personal caterings to Mr. Tsoukernik. However, after his guests had seen the delicacies that were being served to him, demand to expand it into a full-fledged restaurant quickly developed.
Mr. Vávra has created many successful menus over the years, with influences from his practical training in Thailand and Sardinia. Thanks to King's Resort's close proximity to the border, it can import fresh ingredients straight from Germany. This does not mean ingredients from its own country are ignored, but that its options are far greater and its choices more diverse. From time to time, you can taste rare delicacies from unique ingredients such as Piemonte truffles, Iranian caviar, meat from the finest breeds such as Wagyu and U.S. Prime Beef, and fresh exotic fish. These dishes can be paired with a choice from our almost exclusively Italian wine list or high-quality champagnes.
Several times a year, Radimsky experiments with its menu by bringing in regular guest chefs from Lebanon, China, Italy, and Israel. As people from around the world come to visit us, the need to accommodate our guests' needs and preferences becomes vital. Radimsky is one of the few places in the region where the joy of cooking shines through the walls of its kitchen.
Author: Jan Teska


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Xindy popular 9d mobile cabin cinema in Moldova
Look, this is Xindy popular 9d mobile cabin cinema in Moldova. This theater is built in an amusement park in Moldova. It has attracted a long line of people. Numerous experience person expressed great recognition and praise of the mobile cinema.
After our client have established the mobile cinema, he had sent a letter of thanks to us. Because the cinema was so popular and it can operate easily , it has brought a big profits to him.
For appreciating your trust and support to our products, we will keep the good reputation and continue to create an abundant profit for you.
If you want to know more aboutXindy popular 9d mobile cabin cinema in Moldova , please leave your message, we will contact you as quickly as possible.


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October 2014
LORIENT Polyproducts, a designer and manufacturer of high-quality sealing systems for performance doors across the world, is returning to The Big 5 2014 following its successful debut at last year's event.
"Our participation last year was a successful brand positioning exercise that complemented our international expansion strategy perfectly," says Maria Simmonds, the group managing director.
Commenting on the event, she says: "The Big 5 attracts a multi-national, high-quality visitor profile; the footfall is high, and the facilities are well thought through and organised. A great sense of community is created during that week in and around the exhibition halls. It forms a central focus for construction projects and acts as a hub for essential business connectivity."
At the show last year, under the theme, 'Sealing doors worldwide', each member of the Lorient Group was represented including those in the UK, North America, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
"We were also delighted to exclusively announce the incorporation of a new operation at the show – Lorient, located in Sydney, Australia," Simmonds adds. "The show was a perfect way to reinforce the highly respected and well-known Lorient brand in this thriving region. Our exclusive Middle East distributor, the leading architectural hardware and doorset provider Laidlaw Gulf had a permanent presence on our stand."
Lorient has supplied to many projects through Laidlaw Gulf.
With regard to its partner, Simmonds says: "Our close partnership with Laidlaw can only strengthen our position in this region; and together we are committed to provide customers with comprehensive support and unrivalled technical expertise."
At this year's show, Lorient will be promoting its 'Made in Britain' marque, international presence, and testing and technical facilities. It will be introducing its Lorient Architectural Seals (LAS), a mainstream range of architectural seals, and Aura, a range of high-end architectural seals; antimicrobial protection; and energy containment systems.
Lorient has been in business for 35 years now. Its intumescent seals are a vital part of a fire door assembly, helping to protect buildings against the spread of fire.
Lorient's product range includes acoustic, smoke, fire and thermal containment seals; Aura and Lorient architectural seals; door hardware protection; fire-resistant glazing systems; and air transfer louvres.
"Our smoke seals restrict smoke movement around a building, giving people time to escape, and reducing property damage. Our acoustic door seals help to contain sound within a room, or prevent it entering. Many of our door seals also improve the building's energy efficiency. We also design seals so the door can be used with minimal effort, helping those with reduced mobility," says Simmons.
She continues: "Ensuring a fire door provides complete protection involves more than door seals alone. That's why Lorient offers a suite of products including fire-resistant glazing and door hardware protection. Our louvres and fire dampers protect ductwork and walls, as well as doors. Taking this 'system' approach means Lorient can recommend the most efficient, cost-effective combinations for every situation."
In terms of business, Simmonds says 2014 has been a much more positive year than 2013 with growth exceeding expectations.
Lorient has seen some significant developments and recently was privileged to have been granted the use of the 'Made in Britain' marque. "We are now applying it on our printwork and packaging. This logo helps reinforce our international presence and an impressive 35 years of manufacturing British products in Devon."
Last year, the company launched its testing and technical services division featuring a state-of-the-art acoustic transmission suite. "Manufacturers and designers now have access to a diverse range of specialist testing services to assist the development of new or existing products, investigate new materials, right through to durability testing and benchmarking performance. A variety of different assemblies can be tested including doorsets, windows, glazing systems, door hardware, and dampers, to name but a few."
The dedicated testing and technical services centre at Discovery House hosts a state-of-the-art, purpose-built acoustic transmission suite; an indicative fire test furnace; many cycling rigs; air and smoke leakage testing equipment; environmental chambers; and an analytical laboratory.
The year 2013 also saw the company unveil its new Aura range of architectural seals.
"Aura is a select and discerning range of architectural seals with strong design accents. Sensitive to the choices an architect has to make and aiming to minimise the design conflict of form over function, Aura delivers something different.
"Aura combines elegant curves, innovative features and the freedom to re-think finishes, offering the functional performance you'd expect of a Lorient system but with a new design sensibility," explains Simmons.
Lorient also recently added integral antimicrobial protection to its range of popular door seals for sound, smoke, fire and thermal containment as standard. These include Finesse, DS, Batwing and plain fire seals. In addition, it is now introducing integral antimicrobial protection into a number of other products within its fire-resistant glazing systems, and fire- and smoke-resistant dampers/air transfer grilles ranges.
Earlier this year, Lorient set up a new subsidiary in New South Wales, Australia, bringing its full range of high-quality acoustic, smoke and fire sealing systems to the Australian and New Zealand markets, says Simmonds.
Simmonds says Lorient has a continuing strategy of growth around the world. "We focus on enhancing our product offering, entering new markets and ensuring high quality products and services on which our reputation is built, to serve our customers in the performance sector of the market.
"With 35 years, there's not much we don't know about door sealing. Respected throughout the industry for our technical depth, we play an active role in helping to shape standards and best practice. We share our knowledge openly with our door manufacturer customers, and support their product development in our own research laboratory."
She adds: "Our library of test evidence is second to none. We have a host of Certifire certificates; and we still remain the only seal manufacturer with BBA (British Board of Agrément) accreditation (for our main range of fire and smoke seals). It's not only our products that excel. We boast both BS EN ISO 9001:2008 and BS EN ISO 14001:2004 accreditation."
Established in 1979, Lorient's head office and testing and technical services are based in Devon, the UK. Outside the UK, its offices are spread throughout the world including Europe (Lorient UK and Europe), North America (Lorient North America, Kentucky, US), India (with Madras Malabar Corporation), Hong Kong (Lorient Pacific), Singapore (Lorient Southeast Asia) and Australia (Lorient). Lorient employs 100 people and has an annual turnover of £16.5 million ($26.55 million).
Lorient can be visited at Stand 2B66 at The Big 5 show.


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Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris
Urban Fantasy
Sookie Stackhouse, small-town barmaid, is in the midst of trouble again. Sam's bar Merlotte's is fire-bombed and although the police think it is because of a back-lash against shifters, Sookie is not so sure.
Eric, her vampire boyfriend, comes running to help because of their blood bond. Sookie is very uneasy about this blood bond and asks Amelia, a witch, to help her break the bond.
In the meantime, Dermot and Claude, Sookie's fairy kin help her to clean out the attic. Sam suggests an antique dealer who can help her sell the unwanted furniture. While the dealer is inspecting the pieces he finds a secret drawer which reveals a velvet pouch with a cluviel dor, a fairy talisman.
Lots of action and trouble in this book. I have not felt right about Eric for the last several books and this just keeps proving me right. Eric is not the man for Sookie. Also can Sookie not even pick friends right. What is it with Amelia and her actions? Does this mean if a girl always picks the 'bad' guy she also picks 'bad' friends?
First Line: "The attic had been kept locked until the day after my grandmother died"


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UPDATE: Infinity Ward has confirmed that Raven Software and Neversoft are assisting in developing GhostS:
Now that our reveal is live, we wanted to give a special thanks [email protected]ravensoftware & @neversoft for their support in developing #CODGhosts
— Infinity Ward (@InfinityWard) May 22, 2013
According to the Ghosts Fan Hub section of the Call of Duty YouTube page, it appears that Infinity Ward might not be developing Ghosts alone. The YouTube page has the logos of Neversoft and Raven Software alongside Infinity Ward's logo.
Neversoft has stated that they are working on a Call of Duty game, but no information on their game has been announced. It seems likely that the game is Ghosts.
Raven Software was developing Call of Duty: Online for China, but they have been known to be involved in many of the previous Call of Duty games.
It is assumed that both Neversoft (about a mile away from Infinity Ward) and Raven Software(Wisconsin) might be helping them out..
SOURCE: Call of Duty YouTube Page via @subject15


text: 6 Holiday Headaches You Can Control with Home Warranty 11. February 2019 Jason Kelley Comments (0) The holidays can be both joyous and stressful. With a home warranty, unexpected repairs can be fixed by reliable technicians. Save yourself a headache! While many of us look forward to the holiday season all year, it can also be a time of great stress. In between all that cookie-baking and gift-buying, it can be challenging to get someone to fix your broken dishwasher or HVAC system. Fortunately, there's a solution for any unexpected breakdowns that might put a damper on your holiday spirit: a home warranty plan. A home warranty is an excellent way to protect your home from unforeseen and unexpected expenses. The Home Warranty Plan is a one-year service contract for the repair or replacement of covered home system components and appliances that typically break down over time. Take a look at these five common holiday season headaches that can be easily managed with an Home Warranty Plan. 1. Finding reliable help around the holidays It can be just as challenging to find reliable home-repair help during the busy holiday season as it is to get that Thanksgiving turkey just right. With a home warranty plan, you'll have access to industry-leading expertise 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. BestWayInsurance will find the right licensed personnel and eliminate the need for you to locate qualified help during the busy days leading up to and during the holidays. 2.Unforeseen expenses Repairing something as major as your home heating system could cost you thousands of dollars. Such a huge expense can be stressful at a time when you're already spending money on gifts, food, decorations and other miscellaneous holiday expenses. But with a home warranty, you'll only need to pay the monthly fee along with a trade service call fee, which is a fixed amount that's easy to plan for. 3. Dealing with insurance companies With a warranty plan, you can skip the whole process of filing claims and deal with insurance, and spend that precious time shopping, wrapping gifts, cooking delicious meals, or decorating your home with family and friends. 4. Playing host with a broken appliance A broken dishwasher or refrigerator can really put a damper on your holiday festivities. A home warranty plan offers an expedited repair process on covered items. You no longer have to worry about a crisis caused by appliance or system breakdowns at a time when your house is swarming with guests. 5. Paying the full cost of repair or replacement In the event of a breakdown, insurance usually reimburses the value of the item minus depreciation. This means you will not be reimbursed the full amount paid at the time of purchase. With a warranty plan, you won't have to pay for the actual repair or replacement of covered items, and your contract will cover repair or replacement of covered items regardless of age, make or model. 6. Not enough time to coordinate home repairs Finding reliable help that suits your budget, following up and replacing parts all involve a considerable time investment. Since the costs associated with repair and replacement are so high, it is not possible to skimp on the research and effort needed to get a satisfactory solution. A warranty plan will save you time when you need it the most this busy holiday season. edb0d07c-0c30-46cf-8bb5-18e324b5d067|0|.0|27604f05-86ad-47ef-9e05-950bb762570c Tags: http://bestwayinsurance.com/homewarranty , http://blog.bestwayinsurance.com/ , Home warranty cost , Holiday Headaches , Unforeseen expenses


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… and that's why this isn't one – at least I don't think so.
However, I have decided to keep private all my previous posts: don't ask me why, but I've suddenly grown wary of what one should post on the web. Gone are the days I felt the need to air my feelings, my experiences, to anyone who just passed by this doorstep of mine – granted, I never really had that much traffic around, and I've grown to like some of the few that commented from time to time. They have a special place in my heart, I am grateful I could connect with them through WordPress (you know who you are…).
I have actually moved on to other means of stayin' connected: twitter and faceb*k have become my – still scarce on twitter – expression channels, even though I would sign off from the latest if all of my friends would move on to twitter – do you read this? come on people! let's ditch that hell of options and privacy parameters and small print that doesn't even ring true sometimes…
So, back to this Pearwood Luggage: I am not sure what I want to turn this into, but I haven't closed it because… well because I am a bit of a "this might be useful sometime" kind of person and guess this never-in-the-mood-for-writing-a-blog-post may very well pass some day in the future… who knows what I could feel the need to tell the world about? a house…? a wedding…? a baby…? my WoW experience…? my cats…? (oh, already done that…)
See you! 🙂
PS: I definitely should keep writing, if only to keep my English fresh! I admit this blog has always been a time-hogger, I spend waayy too much time checking grammar, phrasing, wording (is that even a word?) and though I tried to keep my posts shorter and more spontaneous (remember my 'thought shots'?) I always ended up telling a ton of stuff… then sometimes ditching it because it felt too long tedious or boring for anyone but me… *sigh* just like this post scriptum!
Filed under: News | 2 Comments »


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Bedroom and bathroom counts (together with finished sq. ft) add the most tangible value to homes. Getting a function built laundry room right room Finishing a basement is a good alternative to acquire a goal constructed laundry room is correct for your own wants. There is a further design component in the amazing basement concepts that is not often take into consideration when designing different rooms from the ceiling of the house. Whatever you plan to do along with your basement, though, you will have to remember some important basement ending concepts that can save you plenty of time, money, and energy. Some individuals choose a layout design that allow basement ideas one thousand sq ft to an workplace area and fitness. Large completed basement with stone partitions sectional sofa massive TV screens and recessed lighting. If the beams and pipes remain seen they can be painted the same colour because the ceiling. Here is a distinct idea altogether basement rustic living room to sit and skim. Light acoustic panels slide into the grid to type a ceiling floor constantly.
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The good colour move will create a way of continuity and harmony throughout your Basement. Some very good imitation resembling wood or stone tiles that they look actually authentic really feel of the wealthy to provide your basement. The selection is absolutely as much as you, but when young folks will play within the basement of a washable vinyl floor tile with area rugs could also be smart. There are several things you should embrace within the record, ranging from the very basic need such as the cement block up to the furnishings in decorating basement ending concepts. These first two steps are the fundamental you must know before waterproofing basement in your home. But as you may see below, and you've got little question seen elsewhere finished basement has grown to incorporate quite a lot of kinds and features and includes a variety of furnishings cavemen.
For individuals who love this game centric sport basement with pool tables and arcade-fashion games. A basement could also be the ideal area for an workplace house kids's play space workstation fitness or game room. Finished basement had humble beginnings that consists of the TV room or family room, and presumably components of the game reminiscent of a pool desk. Ceramic versatile and low maintenance ceramic tiles can be laid in numerous ways allows to insert should be organized artistically and are available a variety of shade, texture and pattern. The more cash you invested in basement finishing ideas, you are able to do variety of things to it. However, even if there may be only a lot cash for the basement finishing ideas, you have to calculate it correctly.


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UK newspaper coverage of robots
March 11, 2015
A recent article in the UK press discusses how robots may steal our jobs and ruin the economy.
This is a topic I have covered before – quite some time ago.
Anyone got any thoughts on this issue?
Bad Robot
September 27, 2010
I was speaking to a lady the other day (an acquaintance, I guess, if people still have such things in our world of six degrees of separation) who is losing her job because the organisation she worked for is closing down.
Since it became clear she would be out of work by the end of the year she started applying for jobs in similar organisations. Times are hard in that industry (and many others) and no one is hiring.
So she turned to one of the big supermarkets, the logic being working for one of them until the current recession is over is better than the dole. I couldn't agree more.
This has not come to pass – from the discussion I had with her, I came away with the distinct impression the supermarket was not hiring till staff because they were expecting to increase the number of self-service tills.
As a child and teenager I was an avid reader of science fiction books (and of sci-fi comics and I'd watch movies and TV shows too) and one of those ever-present themes was about machines taking away jobs from people. This would lead to anti robot uprisings amongst civilian populations and would generally create a big mess.
Robots have been present on production lines for many years (I'm fairly certain I read in an Asimov story once about robots building robots that were better than humans could ever build), but this is the first time I have actually heard someone I know say they haven't got employment because of the robots.
This is a worrying turn of events. Computers and robots are supposed to be machines – tools – to assist us. Not workplace rivals.
When you see the cute Asimo on the the Honda ads (great ads btw, made by Wieden + Kennedy) remember one day he may be stealing your job out from under you.
I foresee the Daily Mail stopping the immigration stories and running with the robot stories instead…


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A few years back, you would see there wasn't a significant trend for winter. But nowadays, with the emerging fashion trends in the new generation, people also focus on following these trends in winter too. Now Trend has been changed to few dresses to immense collections, but with the emergence of new designers, It has been difficult to recognize which one should we opted and which one shouldn't. The new trend is fantastic, follow it up, girls. Stuff your wardrobe with amazing winter designs and enjoy winter stylish look. Girls always love clothes, and no single girl can avoid buying fresh stuff by changing the weather. So, girls, the winters 2019 are here almost, and all the designers and brands have launched their newest winter collections. Go, shop and grasp the best ones for you.
Nimsay Elegant Cambric Winter Wear Collection
In today's article, we will show you up the alluring Nimsay Regalia and Parsa Cambric Winter Collection 2019. Nimsay is the new and iconic name in the fashion market. It's leading Pakistani brand that was established in 2007. Till now, Nimsay has gained very much fame and popularity along with big market share. The sales along with Nimsay loving females are increasing gradually. The essence of a brand concentrates on catering diversity. Along with diversity, they are providing contemporary fashion trends to cater best to their customers. They always deliver commodities that are authenticity rely on delicately chosen substances.
By the time, Nimsay's footprints reveal the clientele growing trust in their selection. Their fabric is made up of elegant, and high-quality stuff. The winter collection 2019 consists of digital prints with sleek embroidery and unique designing that came from research. The range aids you in finding the best-fit outfit for you in no time. Nimsay collection is the blend of Asian, Arabic style and colour pallets. All their dresses personify lady's charisma and add heart throbbing charm to your personality. Check out the below Emboridered cambric Outfits 🙂
Girls and ladies always want something very different and unique in their dressing. So, for all such women and girls, Nimsay is the best brand to carry on. Nimsay has recently launched its winter accumulation, and all the designs are now accessible in the market. They also provide e-shopping convenience so that their customers get the stuff with ease. All the stock is available on e-store and outlets. The fall collection consists of exotic digital and classic designs. As the tagline of brand says, Redefining Styles the prints and patterns are redefined refreshingly. In the freezing days of winter and cold breeze, wear the soothing dresses with soothing hues. The nimsay winter collection is made up of calm and fresh shades of orange, fawn, off-white, shades of blue and mix and match of all cool colours.
The patterns are designed so carefully in a modest and decent way. So, must prefer Nimsay dresses for any event in winters. All their clothes are unique enough to be wearing on formal occasions too like kitty parties and get together. The designs of Nimsay are so refreshing, and appealing that is inspired by the modern styles of the market and women cherishes overall. Each design is the presentation of hard work of designers of Nimsay, which is embellished with lush stuff, needlework, embroidery and print patches. Digital prints are introduced, and they are the best style to add the classy, colourful and trendy look to your character. A digital print dress is itself an attire carried by gorgeous ladies. The patterns and vigorous styles have impressed me so much, so, I am going to shop for Nimsay Fall Collection soon. You too, do so. See the whole variety of winter collection of Nimsay on our fashion blog, select the desirable for you and get them online or rush to the outlets
Nimsay Embroidered Luxury Collection 2019
You don't need only casual stuff for winter all you have to select embroidered stuff as well. Nimsay has taken care of their valuable customer need and offering a wide range of Embroidered apparels. Vibrant Colors with incredible embroidery is all set to mesmerize you for any occasion. Wear these attires on any occasion whether formal gathering, events. Nimsay has used incredible emboridered prints on Khaddar that will not only keep you warm but also they will give you standout appearance. Good news for all the ladies Embroidered Luxury collection isn't only for khaddar outfits but also for Linen and cambric too. Take a look below for ravishing & spectacular designs for winters.
These are ravishing designs that have been offered by nimsay and ladies of all over Pakistan are opting such designs. Designs are available at affordable prices so anyone can grab these attires for upcoming winters. Get your favourite dress online or through Nimsay outlet. Try out these mesmerizing designs for your standout appearance. Have happy winters to the fullest 🙂


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HATTIESBURG, MS — Two police officers were shot dead in Mississippi late Saturday. It was the first time in 30 years that an officer was killed in the line of duty in Hattiesburg, the mayor said.
Officers Benjamin J. Deen, 34, and Liquori Tate, 24, were making a traffic stop when they were shot, Mayor Johnny DuPree said.
They were taken to hospital, but did not survive.
"The men and women who go out every day to protect us, the men and women who go out every day to make sure that we are safe, were turned on tonight," DuPree said.
Police have apprehended two suspects, Marvin Banks and Curtis Banks, he said.
After the shooting, the suspects stole a police vehicle, which they used to flee. It was later found abandoned, according to CNN affiliate WDAM. The two men both have criminal records.
Police also took a woman into custody who was with the suspects at the time of the shooting, WDAM reported. They have not said whether she was involved.
Deen had been named the city's officer of the year in 2012, according to Jackson newspaper The Clarion-Ledger. Tate had recently graduated from the police academy.
Deen leaves behind a wife and two children. Tate was not married and had no children, Mayor DuPree said.
After visiting the crime scene, the mayor went to the hospital, where he tended to family members until early Sunday.
"You have to search for words you say to family members how much we love them; we are here to support them," he said. The city is making grief counselors available to the slain men's fellow officers.
DuPree vowed that the perpetrators of the attack would face justice.
Police in Oxford, Mississippi, sent out condolences in a tweet.
"Both Hattiesburg Police Officers have died. Terrible. Prayers to the entire community and families," it read.
TM & © 2015 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.


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In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren and inspired by Pop Culture Junkie.
Every week (or skipping some, depending on how frequently new books enter my life!), I'll be posting on Sundays about what books I got, from all sources – bought, borrowed, exchanged, etc.
I tried not to purchase anything this week, but finally succumbed to the allure of the Chapters in the same building as the movie theatre downtown, where I spent almost all weekend watching old, classic movies on the big screen. Thankfully, I escaped with only one book!
- ADD-Friendly Ways to Organize Your Life by Judith Kolberg and Kathleen Nadeau


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As we continue our exploration of viable, clean energy sources, geothermal energy is up next on the list. Geothermal energy is quite different from more commonly known renewable energy sources […]Read more
Category: Geothermal Energy
The Advantages of Geothermal Energy
Geothermal energy is the heat produced by the molten core under the Earth's crust. This heat is continuously produced through decay of radioactive materials such as uranium and potassium. The […]Read more


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For this blog post I pondered: "What is the connection between the life of an artist and the way of the bodhisattva?"
This is a provocative question. Western culture often considers the life of artist to be one of self-absorption, isolation, non-conformity and separation from what is commonly considered socially, politically, and culturally mainstream. Being an artist is associated with struggle – how to manifest one's creative expression with the time and resources available, financial challenges, and the social alienation of being an "outsider." Artists are rebels and courageous risk takers. They can sometimes be stubborn, egotistical and self-important. The lifestyles and behaviors of artists are often called "crazy," "wild," and "unconventional." Many visual artists are introverts and many performers are extraverts. For artists, one size definitely does not fit all. Most artists perceive and interpret the world differently from the norm. They "walk to the beat of a different drummer" and so do bodhisattvas who turn self-interest on its head.
Artists often struggle with being misunderstood or worse — not understood at all. Artists long to share their creative experiences with the world but all too often they are under-appreciated or ignored. There are countless stories of accomplished artists who have battled loneliness, depression and other mental illnesses, relationship problems, substance abuse and other addictive behaviors. All too often great artists die with their work unknown and their genius undiscovered.
I am a proud, stubborn, crazy artist and I am traveling the path of the bodhisattva to tame my monkey mind and benefit beings. So for me there is a visceral connection between creative expression and my spiritual journey. Being an artist is one of the ways that I identify who I am and so is being Buddhist. As Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche likes to say, Buddhism is a science of mind. It is a way of viewing reality and taking action in the world. A Buddhist view defines my experience and helps me to make sense of an often bizarre world. My sense of identity is connected to being an artist and a creative person (no matter how fleeting and ultimately illusory such labels are). My aesthetic style is very ratna (one of the five Buddha families). Ratnas are "more is more" people – quite the opposite of the simplicity of Zen design (which I greatly admire). The world fascinates me – especially the wonders of nature with its great variety of color, texture, shapes. As a Buddhist, I am fascinated by human nature, the display of emotions, impermanence and working with obstacles.
I once had an art teacher who said, "Being an artist is choiceless." At the time, I had a full-time job that didn't feel particularly creative. It made me wonder if I really was an artist because I had other career choices and interests. But later, I came to understand that there is a sense of choicelessness to my being an artist. Creative expression is like breathing or eating. If I neglect that side of myself, I become kind of dead inside. Feeding my artist self is a kind of "life force" nourishment that is essential. Buddhist study, meditation and contemplation are also essential nutrients for me.
Here are eight commonalities between the life of the artist and the way of the bodhisattva:
- Discipline – you have to show up for your practice on a regular basis.
- Humor – laughing feels good and one can't take oneself too seriously.
- Fearlessness – fear can be paralyzing. It is pointless to worry about what others may think or how you compare to others. Your path is unique. Take a leap!
- Confidence – a belief in your basic goodness and that your presence and expression can make a positive difference in the world.
- Failure – nature is a great teacher here. Try and try again, then try some more.
- Expectations – are pointless and only lead to disappointment. Let them go.
- Disappointment – a painful part of the human condition. Everything changes and happens for a reason, so move on.
- Time – don't dwell in the past; don't anticipate the future. Be here now.
Perhaps the best examples of the "marriage" of my bodhisattva path and being an artist is my clown character, MeeMee HeeHee. She was "born" several years ago following an amazing weekend workshop at Naropa University on the "Clown Chakra" led by Moshe Cohen, a Zen Buddhist practitioner and founder of Clowns Without Borders. He helped me find and begin to articulate this very playful side of my performer self.
MeeMee (it is all about Me) is characterized by her childlike innocence and curiosity. There is a Buddhist mind training slogan by Atisha that says, "Be a child of illusion." This is MeeMee HeeHee's motto. The slogan is often explained as "like a young child experiencing and encountering new things which are unfamiliar and dream-like." For HeeHee, this might be physical objects or emotional responses. She bumbles along and enjoys the ride. MeeMee HeeHee sometimes reminds us of simple human truths and hopefully connects her audiences with the joy of being alive.
Most of my clown performances have been in the context of meditation retreats. My source material arises from the experience of spending 10 days studying and practicing Buddhism with 100 people. My short performances will reference something that has been learned or occurred during that time. Another example is collaborating with other Buddhists to create performances. In 2004 for the inauguration of Nalanda West in Seattle, Thomas Hewitt Brooks and I performed part of an original play he wrote about the life of the great yogi, Milarepa. The play is set in modern times and Milarepa is a city slicker in search of Marpa in the backwoods of Tennessee. I had the privilege of playing the role of Milarepa to Hewitt Brooks' brilliant portrayal of Marpa.
One of my favorite pastimes is re-writing song lyrics with a Buddhist twist. This habit was first inspired by Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche for whom I rewrote the lyrics to Madonna's "Rain" as "Rain of Wisdom." He then challenged me to rewrite the lyrics to the Rolling Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want." I've been continuing this type of playful creativity ever since. I often perform the songs at Nalandabodhi gatherings.
Another Buddhist-inspired performance expression for me is using puppets and props to act out dohas, spontaneous songs that express spiritual inspiration and realizations. The Tibetan saint, Milarepa, is quite famous for these types of songs, as is my teacher's guru, Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche. Once at a Nalandabodhi sangha retreat, Mitra Lee Worley and I were using an Indonesian rod puppet to act out the doha called "Eighteen Kinds of Yogic Joy" by Milarepa. When we got to the line that said, "Fearsome visions getting worse and worse, feels even better still," the puppet's head accidentally flew off!
Whether it is through creative expression or simply being in the world, my aspiration is to make the world a better place through joy, wonder and laughter. In this way I hope that my life can sometimes cheer folks up and connect them with their inherent goodness.
"Everything is a miracle. It is a miracle that one does not dissolve in one's bath like a lump of sugar." – Pablo Picasso


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Our Regal Palms Home
Our Regal Palms home vacation rental is situated just outside of Orlando Florida and just ten miles from Disney World®. This vacation rental by owner is available year-round.
The largest villa that is in the gated community of Regal Palms Resort and Spa featuring 4 bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths, and 1856 square foot. Upgraded and Nice makes this home stand out from the rest. Two master suites with one having a king size bed and the other having a queen sized bed. The third bedroom has a bunk bed with a full size bed on the bottom and a twin size bed on the top. The 4th bedroom has 2 twin beds. Comfy mattresses! 5 TV's with over a hundred channels, dvd players, and your own FREE private WIFI connection with speeds up to 30 megabits per second. Large flatscreen TV in living room. NEW COUCH! Full kitchen ready to go. Two covered patios on the ground floor and an upstairs covered balcony patio. There is a washer/dryer for your use in the villa. High chair and pack-n-play provided.
As an owner, we strive to keep our home in top condition so that our visitors and ourselves will feel at home when on vacation. We have a full time and very responsive property manager that is always close by.


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Tuesday, July 29, 2003
On the Road With...Dean? http://slate.msn.com/id/2086320/
John Kerry's voters ask their candidate to act like the other guy.
By Chris Suellentrop, MSNBC & Slate
DES MOINES, Iowa, July 29 — When I arrive at John Kerry's campaign headquarters Saturday afternoon for a "Kerry Country BBQ," the candidate's staff is buzzing about a tall young blond man who has arrived for the event. They want to prevent him from getting anywhere close to the candidate. Before I came to Iowa, I was conditioned to think of Howard Dean as the unpredictably exciting, insurgent candidate and to think of Kerry as the aloof, preprogrammed establishment contender. This is my first taste of what the differences look like up close.
What's all the fuss about the blond guy? I ask Kerry's Iowa press secretary, Laura Capps. "He takes pictures of himself with the candidates and posts nasty comments about them," she says. I'm not sure, but this may be a historic moment for the Iowa caucuses: The Kerry campaign is terrified of how their candidate will be portrayed by a blogger.
Later, I sidle up next to the man to ask about his Web site, which turns out to be NineDwarfs.com...So far, he's snapped pictures of himself with six candidates. This is easy to do in Iowa, where campaign events usually end with a ritual that resembles Picture Day at a Major League Baseball game, as voters line up to take snapshots of themselves and their children with the candidate du jour. The NineDwarfs.com blogger needs shots of Kerry, Carol Moseley Braun, and Bob Graham to complete his collection, but he fails in his mission at the Kerry barbecue. Instead, the next day he adds a picture of Kerry's head on the body of a chicken to the top of his site.
Kerry arrives a few minutes later, riding a Harley. A crowd of voters and campaign volunteers surround him, but it appears that the campaign workers are the ones making most of the noise, a lot of "Yay, John, woo-hoo!"-ing. (In contrast to the Dean campaign, I notice later that some Kerry volunteers and staffers are introducing themselves to the candidate, as if for the first time, and having their pictures taken with him.) [...]
At the two Kerry events I attended this past weekend, voters kept encouraging the Massachusetts senator, in effect, to be more like Howard Dean. After Friday's Kerry speech, a voter walked up to him and told him the Democrats must quit being passive. "Oh, I'm not passive," Kerry soothed. Today, he does something similar when an angry voter complains about the Leave No Child Behind bill. "Oh, I am so furious about it," Kerry says matter-of-factly. These are questions Dean wouldn't even be asked.
As I'm leaving the event, I run into a Kerry campaign worker. He stops me and asks me about Dean and what he's like. He says he'd really like to hear him speak, but it's not kosher for staffers to go to other candidates' events. Maybe if he goes in plain clothes, he muses. Everyone talks about what a great speaker Dean is, he says, but how does he interact with people? I tell him I was impressed.
The more I tell him about Dean, the more crestfallen he seems to get. Without mentioning Kerry, I tell him that Dean never appears to be trying to walk out of a room. He interjects: "That's a real problem we have, because Kerry's a senator, so he needs to be back in Washington. Dean's basically unemployed, so he can spend all day hanging out with three people." It's only a feeling I get, but I can't help wondering if he signed up with Kerry because he thought Kerry would win, and now he's questioning his decision. As I head out to catch my plane, I think that the girl on his right appears to be consoling him.
COMMENT by Scott: Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch.
DiscussionPost a Comment
Obama 2008 - I want my country back
About Nation-Building
Nation-Building was founded by Aziz Poonawalla in August 2002 under the name Dean Nation. Dean Nation was the very first weblog devoted to a presidential candidate, Howard Dean, and became the vanguard of the Dean netroot phenomenon, raising over $40,000 for the Dean campaign, pioneering the use of Meetup, and enjoying the attention of the campaign itself, with Joe Trippi a regular reader (and sometime commentor). Howard Dean himself even left a comment once. Dean Nation was a group weblog effort and counts among its alumni many of the progressive blogsphere's leading talent including Jerome Armstrong, Matthew Yglesias, and Ezra Klein. After the election in 2004, the blog refocused onto the theme of "purple politics", formally changing its name to Nation-Building in June 2006. The primary focus of the blog is on articulating purple-state policy at home and pragmatic liberal interventionism abroad.


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Season's Greetings and Best Wishes for the New Year ♥
The intelligence guys need to go back in their box, bloggers, not informants are key… if you bloggers self organize, and attach yourself like leaches to specific issues, corporations, organizations, challenges, whatever, you will be the intelligence minutemen of this century."~ Robert Steele, CIA
When they love each other dearly, children and parents should be together.
I want to wish all the readers of Parents Rights Blog a good Christmas. There are many of us who will be without our children on Christmas day, for whatever reason. Some parents do not care about their children, but the parents who visit this blog on a regular basis do.
Many parents and children will be going through the same emotions as my child and I. This time of year will be hard for many wondering what their future holds, because the family court system intentionally failed them, in the name of profit. So be it ….Us parents must remain strong over this trying period.
There are parents looking for their children & children looking for their parents, not really a cause to celebrate. All we have is the hope that the New Year will yield better results; whilst never losing our faith.
This is my child's Christmas message to me:
"Thinking of you every single day, sending lot's of love to a very special mum at Christmas and always!'♪
Some parents who do have their children, may never know how fortunate they are.
Merry Christmas And A Fabulous Kick Into Touch New Year ❤ ★
May Your Efforts This Year Be Rewarding!
Family justice: what we can do to protect our children by Blessing on Myspace.
Related articles
- Season's Greetings And Best Wishes For The New Year (englishlawrightsparents.wordpress.com)


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There has been a great deal written about open source in the US government, but until now, there has never been a comprehensive history of how the US has grappled with the benefits and challenges of open source licensing and communities. Without this information, it's hard to describe this relationship, and show where it's going.
Open Source for America and Civic Commons have assembled the largest database to date of major open-source-related conferences, policies, articles, and software releases made by US government entities:
This collaboratively developed database, available as JSON, captures each of these events and tells a story about government open source adoption that will probably surprise you. With this data in hand, we can begin to answer questions like:
We expect this session to be useful to anyone who would like their government to use more open source software, or who would like to work with their government on open source projects.
Karl Fogel is an open source software developer, author, and consultant. In 2005 he wrote "Producing Open Source Software: How to Run a Successful Free Software Project" (O'Reilly Media, online at producingoss.com), based partly on his experiences in the Subversion project. He has worked at CollabNet, Google, Canonical, O'Reilly Media, and Code for America / Civic Commons, all as an open source specialist. He is now a partner at Open Tech Strategies, LLC, where he helps organizations launch and engage with open source projects. He is also an Open Internet Tools Project Fellow at the New America Foundation, a member of the board of directors of the Open Source Initative, and a member of the Apache Software Foundation. He is @kfogel on Identi.ca and Twitter, and his home page is red-bean.com/kfogel.
Gunnar Hellekson
Chief Technology Strategist, Red Hat Government
Gunnar Hellekson is the Chief Technology Strategist for Red Hat's US Public Sector group, where he works with systems integrators and government agencies to encourage the use of open source software in government. He is co-chair of Open Source for America and one of Federal Computer Week's Fed 100 for 2010. He is also an active member of the Military Open Source working group, on the SIIA Software Division Board, and sits on the Board of Advisors for CivicCommons. He is especially interested in cross-domain security, edge innovation, and interagency collaboration through the open source model.
Prior to joining Red Hat, he worked as a developer, systems administrator, and IT director for a number of Internet businesses. He has also been a business and IT consultant to not-for-profit organizations in New York City. During that time, he spearheaded the reform of safety regulations for New York State's electrical utilities through the Jodie Lane Project.
For information on exhibition and sponsorship opportunities at the conference, contact Sharon Cordesse at (707) 827-7065 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
View a complete list of OSCON contacts


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|Courtesy of /www.decontrabas.com
Thank you Facebook for providing enough fodder to write about this subject twice! For part 1, click here. Oh, I could write even more; at any rate, the absurdities continue! Hang on to your photos of cute kitties and enjoy the ride!
#5 A friend decides to rummage through your old photos and likes a few; suddenly, old news is new again as others see the post in their feed and it gets a second life. Yes, Facebook works in mysterious ways; do check the date on what's in your newsfeed. Now, this occurrence is actually a good thing in most cases unless you forgot to delete that photo where your slip was showing.
#6 Ever "like" a comment or post and then your "like" just doesn't stick? Get some better glue Facebook!
#7 Are you a page owner who has had the misfortune of having to ban someone from your page? First, the "offender" has to have made a recent post since you'll never find them in the vast list of fans which only goes back to around the last one hundred or so.
Then, when you do finally ban them, they can still see all the posts (since most pages are public are public this is usually the case), share your posts AND rejoin your page! Facebook, either change the rules and make a banning a true banning, or, if you want to be wimps about it, call your current criteria "first offense"; you know, more like a wrist slapping!
#8 Double trouble: Applies to personal profiles, pages, and groups. Have you ever made a post that appears to not have posted? It's still sitting there with the post button in full color glory? What do you do? Of course, you hit post again, and suddenly you've got TWO posts of the same thing. OOOPS…and apologies; there's no clear solution for this one!
#9 Friend recommendations. While making recommendations of folks to friend is a noble practice, many are people I have no common friends with and lots of them come "complete" without a profile photo! What's up with that, Facebook? Time to reprogram that algorithm?
And a woman turned up in the recommendations today with the same name as someone I used to work with, however, it wasn't her! And no, it's not a common name either.
Whew; writing about absurdities can exhaust you. Good thing there's caffeine; Gordon Lightfoot sang about that second cup back in the 70's. Sounds like a plan. And to avoid even more absurdities, visit us on our website, or on Twitter, Facebook, or Google+.


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Head of Life Sciences
KPMG in South Africa
Joubert is head of KPMG's Life Sciences practice in Africa. He is a licensed pharmacist and MBA graduate with over 18 years' extensive leadership and business experience in consulting, healthcare (incl. clinical, provider, payer, managed healthcare) and life sciences (incl. pharmaceutical, medical device, diagnostic) sectors, at local and international levels for market-leading consulting, healthcare and life sciences companies. He has secured business in the private & public sectors, dealing with clients, patients, healthcare & life sciences professionals, hospitals groups, medical schemes, administrators, managed healthcare customers, government departments, professional societies, industry bodies and private equity companies at different strategic levels. He has an in depth knowledge of the African healthcare & life sciences environment, established relationships with key stakeholders and a strong track record in negotiations and advising key clients. He has 13 years' international experience in market access and 9 years executive level experience. He has a strong business track record in achieving business results, a strong leadership track record in building/leading teams and developing people, leading cross-functional (local and international) business teams and working groups, a strong track record in strategic thinking and delivering organisational effectiveness. His experience in Africa enable him to provide clients with tailored business solutions.
B Pharm
Registered Pharmacist (South African Pharmacy Council)
Member of the Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa (PSSA)
ISPOR (International Society of Pharmaco Economics & Outcomes Research Africa (South African Chapter) Director and Board Member
PCMA Pharmaceutical Care Management Association of SA) Member
"Competitive intelligence in the pharmaceutical industry - A retail perspective" Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa - Potchefstroom August 30, 2003
"Competitive intelligence as a way of improving a country's competitiveness" Paper presented at the 8th annual international conference of the South African Institute of Management Scientists September 30, 2003
Request for proposal


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Showcase invitation 21 July 2014
Information About northern line Performance times Showcase venues Special reward! Who's performing? Travel and accommodation bursaries Monday 21st July is Jazz North's northern line showcase day at mjf (manchester jazz festival) and we're inviting Northern promoters to join us and experience the full and varied range of wonderful music from the artists on the […]
About northern line
Performance times
Showcase venues
Special reward!
Who's performing?
Travel and accommodation bursaries
Monday 21st July is Jazz North's northern line showcase day at mjf (manchester jazz festival) and we're inviting Northern promoters to join us and experience the full and varied range of wonderful music from the artists on the second round of this scheme.
About northern line
If you haven't yet heard, northern line is Jazz North's exciting new touring initiative that offers a hand-picked roster of northern artists – selected by a panel of industry specialists – out to northern promoters at special subsidised rates, along with professional development and media support to the artists. We're now developing Round 2 of this exciting, successful project and we want to share this music with you.
Performance times
First performance will be The John Ellis Trio and 12pm and last performance The Initiative at 11pm.
See full performance timetable / venues at https://www.jazznorth.org/northern-line-showcase-21-july-mjf/
Morning and afternoon Receptions
As some of you will be travelling from a distance we'll be hosting two receptions so you don't miss out on anything. The events will be easy to find in The Square Albert (just opposite the mjf main stage) http://albertsquarechophouse.com/ :
- 11 am: Morning reception where you can learn more about the scheme
- 4:15pm – 5pm Late afternoon drinks reception/networking – where you'll get the chance to meet some of the bandleaders and other people involved in the scheme.
- Reserved meeting space – We've reserved the reception space all day for all promoters and bandleaders as a safe haven for any dialogue you may wish to have.
Three venues in easy walking distance
We'll be presenting each of the bands across three venues at this year's manchester jazz festival – the Thwaites Festival Pavilion in Albert Square (next to the Town Hall), St Ann's Church (in St Ann's Square) and Matt & Phred's (in the Northern Quarter). Performances start at 12.10pm and run through until 11pm. Each gig is free for you to attend, all the venues are within walking distance.
Special reward if you attend all 12 gigs!
To add some fun to the day we're offering a special reward if you attend all 12 gigs.
Who's performing?
For a full list of the artists performing, see https://www.jazznorth.org/northern-line/
For more details on the Manchester jazz festival, including more details about the venues and gig times: http://www.manchesterjazz.com/category/date/21-july/
Travel and accommodation bursaries
There are travel bursaries available to UK promoters to cover your costs in attending for the day. There are also a limited number of accommodation bursaries for UK promoters and press, and for non-UK promoters, who cannot travel back on the same day. Please indicate to Lucy in your RSVP what your likely costs will be.
Press: please contact Lucy Woolley with your hotel requirements.
Promoters from outside the UK: please contact Lucy Woolley to arrange any airport collections and hotel requirements. We have also arranged special subsidised meal rates at The Square Albert for delegates attending the showcase.
Please RSVP to Lucy Woolley on firstname.lastname@example.com by Wednesday July 16th to let us know you'll be coming.
We hope you can join us – looking forward to seeing you in Manchester on 21st July.
The Jazz North team


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"I'm not coming with you! They'll serve gluten free bread, and all the coeliacs will talk about their diagnosis." That was James' refusal when I invited him to the Coeliac Society dinner, and he gave it with certainty. Luckily not everyone shares his aversion to these events. When I invited the Personality Profiler she said she was willing to take the risk on the gluten free bread. After all it should only a small part of the four course meal. She was also excited by the opportunity to meet new people. For me the main attraction was trying out a new restaurant, which was The Apprentice at Sydney Institute of TAFE. Also, like any coeliac, I was overjoyed at the prospect of being able to eat a meal out without having to ask questions about which dishes would be gluten free.
At The Apprentice the menu for each night is designed by the student who is acting as head chef for the evening. They make the menu and recipes and the other apprentices act as their team for the evening. Our four course dinner was entirely gluten free, and the range of dishes had the coeliacs at the table chattering in excitement. Since the dishes were distributed randomly around the table lots of us made deals for swapping depending on what we were served.
We started the meal with bread and butter, which is an unusual pleasure for a group of coeliacs. The gluten free bread was nothing special though, and it had the odd hole in it despite its density. The personality profiler called it "interesting" and another non-coeliac at our table shook her head and said "potato flour". Gluten free bread isn't something you'd eat if you weren't on a special diet, but for a coeliac bread is a special treat.
A shot glass of pea soup with an accompanying smoked trout salad was a nicely presented appetiser. The pea soup was beautifully smooth and creamy, and it seemed easier to appreciate the texture of this soup than in the usual pea and ham combination. The smoked trout and avocado salad was lemony and delicious.
I was very excited to get the salt and pepper squid for entree, since this dish is rarely gluten free at a regular restaurant. The squid was served with chilli jam and a wedge of lime, but was not as tender as you would hope for.
The Personality Profiler's entree was outstanding however, with perfectly soft gnocchi in a spicy chorizo sauce.
For the mains we came to an agreement for a swap. I was happy with anything but the pork belly, and the Personality Profiler was willing to try anything but the salmon. Murphy's law prevailed and we both received the dish we didn't want – lucky we'd arranged to swap! A quick taste test revealed that the pork was very moist and fatty, which is probably a good thing if you like pork belly.
The salmon was served with a cheesy mash and an orange sauce, which was not only orange flavoured, but an amazing orange colour aswell. The salmon had a crispy skin which was decorated with sweet pieces of fruit. The fruit and fish combination was lovely, and the cheesiness of the mash was offset by refreshing green choy sum.
After the main course our waiter swept the table with a golden ruler. Only one person at our table had experienced this before, and said that he'd seen the same cleaning job performed with a spoon. It made the ruler seem like a miracle of efficiency! The wait staff were being marked on their performance on the night, and we filled in feedback sheets for them at the end of the evening.
The gluten free dessert options were a particularly poignant pleasure to an audience of coeliacs. Finding a gluten free main of grilled meat or fish is a simple exercise compared to finding a gluten free dessert. Eyeing the list of desserts on this menu everyone was in raptures. We wouldn't be eating half-hearted fruit salad or icecream tonight!
The Personality Profiler had a stroke of brilliance and suggested we go halves, so we could taste both desserts. The sticky date pudding was served with caramel sauce and Baileys icecream. The flavour of Baileys was strong and creamy, and the coffee and caramel combination was very nice.
The grapefruit and cardamon creme brulee had a magnificently crackable toffee top. Inside the citrus flavour contrasted pleasantly with the creamy custard. The pistachio biscuit served on the side was extremely crisp and light, as if it was made with eggwhite, and it's lightness contrasted well with the rich custard.
For twenty seven dollars this four course meal was a steal. It was clear that professionalism and care had gone into every step from the menu to the plating. Happily The Apprentice Restaurant is open to the public and serves a similar fixed menu to the one we had at the Coeliac Society dinner.
This diverse menu would have impressed me ordinarily, but the fact that it was entirely gluten free made it truly special. It is a rare pleasure for a coeliac to eat with perfect peace of mind, and not having to choose the boring option was pure pleasure. James was right though – get any group of coeliacs together and the topic of their diagnosis does come up.
The Apprentice Restaurant
Level 7, Building E
TAFE NSW Sydney Institute, Ultimo College
Harris Street
Ultimo NSW
Ratings (out of 5 snorts)
|5 snorts
|4 snorts
|4 snorts
|4 snorts


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Multinational cable, fibre, telecommunications, content and media company Altice N.V. is to separate Altice USA Inc. from Altice N.V. (which will be renamed Altice Europe). The separation will enable each business to focus more on the distinct opportunities for value creation in their respective markets and ensure greater transparency for investors. Altice NV aims to complete the proposed transaction by the end of the second quarter of 2018 following regulatory and Altice NV shareholder approvals.
The separation is to be effected by a spin-off of Altice NV's 67.2 per cent interest in Altice USA through a distribution in kind to Altice NV shareholders. Following this proposed transaction, the two companies will be led by separate management teams. Patrick Drahi, founder of Altice, will retain control of both companies through Next and is committed to long-term ownership. Post-separation, Drahi will serve as President of the Board of Altice Europe and Chairman of the Board of Altice USA.
Simultaneously, the Board of Directors of Altice USA, acting through its independent directors, has approved in principle the payment of a $1.5 billion cash dividend to all shareholders immediately prior to completion of the separation. Formal approval of the dividend and setting of a record date are expected to occur in the second quarter of 2018. The payment of the dividend will be funded with available Optimum revolving facility capacity and a new financing at Optimum. Altice NV will use €625 million of its c.€900 million of proceeds received in the Altice USA dividend to prepay a portion of the Altice Corporate Financing facility and will retain c.€275 million on balance sheet. In addition, the Board of Directors of Altice USA has authorised a share repurchase programme of $2 billon, effective following completion of the separation.
In the spirit of enhanced accountability and transparency, Altice Europe will reorganise its structure comprising Altice France (including French Overseas Territories), Altice International and a newly formed Altice Pay TV subsidiary. This will include integrating Altice's support services businesses into their respective markets and bundling Altice Europe's premium content activities into one separately funded operating unit with its own P&L. Altice NV's ownership of Altice Technical Services US will be transferred to Altice USA prior to completion of the separation for a nominal consideration.
"The separation will allow both Altice Europe and Altice USA to focus on their respective operations and execute against their strategies, deliver value for shareholders, and realise their full potential," commented Drahi. Both operations will have the fundamental Altice Model at their heart through my close personal involvement as well as that of the historic founding team."
"Altice Europe has tremendous opportunities as we deliver on our operational aspirations around much improved customer service and monetising our premium infrastructure and content assets. Altice Europe has a unique asset base that is fully converged and fibre rich with strong number one or number two position in each market with nationwide fixed and mobile coverage. At the core of our strategy is the operational and financial turnaround in France and Portugal. In parallel, we have a clear plan to further strengthen our long-term balance sheet position as we execute our non-core asset disposals."
"Altice USA sees exciting opportunities in the US market as we start 2018 with strong momentum. We have a full operational agenda to deliver best-in-class services to our customers, drive innovation and advance our fibre investment strategy. The new organisation structure will enable us to focus even more on executing this agenda while enhancing transparency for our investors. We remain confident in achieving the objectives we set out at the beginning of our journey in the US and affirm the efficiency targets set out at the time of the acquisitions of Suddenlink and Optimum."
The proposed transaction is designed to create simplified, independent and more focused European and US operations to the benefit of their respective customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders. In particular, the proposed separation will result in:
Altice Europe and Altice USA will be managed by two distinct management teams, focused solely on the performance in their respective markets. Both management teams will benefit from the strategic leadership of founder and controlling shareholder Drahi, who will serve as President of the Board of Altice Europe and Chairman of the Board of Altice USA. Armando Pereira will serve as COO of Altice Europe and serve as strategic advisor to Altice USA for all operations.
Dennis Okhuijsen will serve as CEO and a Director of Altice Europe with all corporate functions and country managers reporting into him. He will report to Drahi.
Dexter Goei will continue to serve as CEO and a Director of Altice USA. He will report to Drahi.
At the core of Altice Europe's strategy is a return to revenue, profitability and cash flow growth and, as a result, deleveraging. Altice Europe benefits from a unique asset base which is fully-converged, fiber rich, media rich, active across consumers and businesses and holds number one or number two positions in each of its markets with nationwide coverage. The reinforced operational focus offers significant value creation potential. In parallel, Altice Europe is advancing with its preparations for the disposal of non-core assets.
Key elements of the Altice Europe growth and deleveraging strategy include:
In order to increase accountability and transparency, Altice Europe will be structured in three distinct operating units with new perimeters:
Altice France will cancel its existing wholesale pay-TV contracts for the content and channels being transferred to Altice Pay TV and will become a wholesale customer of Altice Pay TV with a new revenue sharing contract and significantly reduced annual minimum guarantee (in exchange for c.€300 million break fee payable in 2018 to Altice Pay TV). This new arrangement will include the transfer of other premium content contracts from Altice France to Altice Pay TV and allow Altice France to continue to distribute premium pay-TV content to its customers including SFR Sports and Altice Studio channels.
Altice believes the new Altice France perimeter will allow investors to better assess the underlying performance of Altice France compared to its market competitors.
Lastly, the new perimeter for Altice Europe will exclude Altice NV's international wholesale voice business (separated to be sold).
Central to this deleveraging plan is the operational and financial turnaround in France and the return to revenue, profitability and cash flow growth. In addition, Altice Europe is advancing its potential disposal processes of non-core assets, which include its non-strategic tower portfolio and its operations in the Dominican Republic. As announced in December 2017, Altice has already entered into an agreement to sell its Swiss operations for a total expected consideration of CHF 214 million (9.9x LTM Adjusted EBITDA). The transaction is expected to close imminently. Altice Europe will update investors in due course as it executes on its non-core asset disposal programme.
Together with the c. €900 million dividend proceeds from Altice USA, the successful conclusion of the disposal programme would result in meaningful deleveraging of Altice Europe and would substantially enhance Altice Europe's already strong liquidity profile.
Altice USA's business strategy continues to focus on Altice's original investment thesis when it entered the US market in 2015, which the US team has been successfully implementing since then. Central to Altice USA are investments in networks and the video product, simplification across the operations and improved customer service. Altice USA will focus on the following key areas to successfully complete the original acquisition plan and be prepared for the next phase of market consolidation:
Altice USA will benefit from a significantly enlarged free float from approximately 10 per cent to approximately 42 per cent post separation, providing for enhanced trading liquidity in its Class A Common Stock. Altice USA confirms its efficiency targets set out at the time of the acquisitions of Suddenlink and Optimum. At the same time, Altice USA affirms that its fibre (FTTH) deployment and new full mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) network investment will be executed within the historical capex envelope.
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Gas Interlock System
DON'T forget your gas interlock system.
The gas interlock system is one of the most important pieces of equipment in your commercial kitchen. You need to have your ventilation on to get your gas on. If you can't get your gas on you can't cook. If you don't have a gas interlock system OR gas proving system installed into your commercial kitchen you are risking a gas safe registered engineer coming into your restaurant and shutting your business down.
Check these links for more info;
Gas Safe Register
Gas Interlock Systems
Maybe you also might be interested in Fire Suppression for your restaurant. Don't let a Fire Suppression System be something you wish you had after the fire.
Check out Amerex a leading Fire Suppression Equipment company.