The severity of skin conditions such as psoriasis could be assessed in 10 minutes with a portable device that produces high-resolution 3D images of skin.
The advance from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has been developed at a fraction of the cost of devices with comparable capabilities that weigh up to 30kg compared to the 100g prototype device.
The NTU team adds that most equipment used to assess skin conditions provides 2D images of the skin surface, but their device maps out the depth of the ridges and grooves of the skin at up to 2mm.
Commenting on the development, Dr Yew Yik Weng, a Consultant Dermatologist at the National Skin Centre and an Assistant Professor at NTU’s Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, said: “The device could be especially useful in studies involving wound healing, as we are currently lacking a tool that maps the length and the depth of skin ridges. Currently, we rely on photographs or measurements in our trials which could only provide a 2D assessment.”
The key component of the NTU device is PEDOT:PSS, a polymer commonly used in solar panels. To use the device, a person pushes a button to press a gold-coated film onto the subject’s skin to obtain an imprint. This causes sebum, an oily substance produced by the skin, to be transferred onto the film, creating an imprint of the skin surface.
The 5x5cm imprint of the skin is then transferred to the portable device where a set of electrodes is immersed in a solution. With another push of a button, the device triggers a flow of electric charge, causing PEDOT:PSS to be deposited on the surfaces of the gold-coated film in areas that are not covered with sebum. This results in a high-resolution 3D map of the skin, which reflects the ridges and grooves of the subject’s skin.
Using pig skin as a model, the researchers demonstrated that the technology was able to map the pattern of various wounds such as punctures, lacerations, abrasions, and incisions.
The team also showed that even the complex network of wrinkles on the back of a human hand could be captured on the film. The thin film is also flexible enough to map features on uneven skin areas, such as the creases of an elbow and fingerprints. Their results are published in Analytica Chimica Acta.
First author of the study, Fu Xiaoxu, a PhD student from NTU’s School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, said: “The 3D skin mapping device is simple to operate. On top of that, a 1.5V dry battery is all that is necessary to run the device. It is an example of a basic, yet very effective application of electrochemistry, as no expensive electronic hardware is required.”
Clinical trials are expected to take place later in the year.


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After going to a birthday shindig where I was the only single entity in attendance (a 15th wheel - if you will), I spent some time doing some thinking about the state of things. And, well, I've decided that I mostly like the state of things in my life. Sure, there are some things I think about and hope for. I pray that whatever's supposed to happen, happens with those desires God has planted in me.
But, really, it's a grass is greener type of situation. And I'm happy to spend some time investing in my own "yard"- to extend the cheesy metaphor. While I'm here in this moment. There's plenty of things that are awesome about being single during this part of my life.
Here are some thoughts I had on the sitch.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Now that I've received notice that the package arrived safely, I can share some pictures of a recent wedding gift I made. Katy and Martin met at Beloit College in Wisconsin where I earned my degree. We shared a lot of good times during those years and I was disappointed to miss their wedding last October. They are a lovely couple with a jovial, youthful spirit and a heap whole lot of creativity.
The inspiration for their gift was a picture of their halloween costumes from last year. They sported the personas of two major Baltimore faces: "The Utz Girl" of potato chip fame, and "Mr. Boh"from National Bohemian Beer. Both are particularly quirky representatives of Baltimore consumption. So is the couple.
As you can tell by looking at the date of their wedding (OCT 2011!), it took me a long time to get around to getting this project done. Once I started the process, however, it only took a couple evenings to finish the embroidery.
I stretched it so that it would fit in any 8x10 sized frame (that way they could pick a frame that would go with their chic home decor). That freed me up to send the gift via cheap-o snail mail. It was fun to wrap it up in brown paper and to stick several stamps on it, knowing that it would arrive at some unknown date between 3-5 days later. How I love the postal service!
I feel good about the way it turned out and am pleased to hear that Katy and Martin like it too. I think I will file this design for when I get my Etsy store finally up and running. There might be a market for it in the Northeast.
I hadn't been in touch with this couple much at all since graduation from college. These life moments punctuate the time between then and now. A wedding a month or so. Recently, the babies have started to appear. I am startled to find that 6 years have passed since I was a college student. I still sometimes think of myself as a high schooler. Perhaps that's the fault/benefit of working with young people all the time.
I'm always making embroideries to mark the big moments in other people's lives. I think the next project I take on should be a sampler for myself. What should I make? Perhaps a map project? (Ala The United States of Sinda & Niko) Maybe a treasure map, or a Family Circus style bouncing dotted line map. What do you think? What are the landmarks I should include in my-awesome-life-so-far-journey embroidery?
Monday, March 19, 2012
Since summer decided to come early, I've been enjoying an awful lot of unprecedented March social events and outside engagements. The windows are open and fresh air is flowing. Creative juices are flowing, too!
|photo credit - Amy Bracken|
Sunday, I met with some lady friends to have an afternoon of art-making. Our host, Tracey, provided the necessary tools and everyone (but me, gosh I was underprepared) brought snacks for sharing. None of us claim to be professional painters. Though Tracey is a (seriously talented) media artist and graphic designer. We all just came in with open minds and blank canvasses. It was fun to watch our hall of fame grow as we taped up finished products.
|photo credit - Amy Bracken|
The afternoon was very productive for me. A pastel drawing and a few watercolors and pen drawings and blind contours (drawing without looking at the paper- my favorite!). I practice quantity when it comes to making 2D art. I think maybe my lack of ability to focus for too long makes my attention to detail suffer a little. Meh. It's fun!
Today was equally gorgeous. I spent a good part of the day outside exploring some of the parks in Tipp City. I was really impressed by the paths around the ponds and the river at the Nature Center. Afterwards I ran some errands, did a little shopping and I found secret stash of dollar records in the 2nd story of a little antique store. I might have gotten a little carried away, but I couldn't help myself. And, yes, you do see the Village People, ABBA, and Steve Martin in the mix.
Though Smoke Dreams has a truly wonderfully spooky/sexy cover (perhaps too sexy for this space), I must vote this Tommy Dorsey album the prettiest of the day.
I have yet to listen to them all. I am excited to throw open the windows, turn up the knob and listen from a cozy corner on my back patio. First, there's a project to be completed. That back patio is just a slab of concrete sporting a crispy Christmas tree, bike, and trash can. There's a lot to be desired. Thank goodness the weather looks to hold out for a few more days so I can prepare the porch.
Wedding gift post will come soon. I have to mail it first... and confirm its receipt before I show it off.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Last night I had a little traditional St. Patty's day debauchery. (Watered down a good deal for kid-friendlyness. I am a grown up with grown up friends who sometimes have children, now. It's true.) We hit up an Irish joint in Troy before the real partying started. I had a shepard's pie and enjoyed good company. We kicked off the karaoke after hours with a little Dolly Parton and The Sugar Hill Gang.
I've not spent much time in Troy but I from what I've seen it's a pretty cute little town. I need to spend an afternoon there with my camera to capture a bit of its small town charms. It has some nice architecture and signage as well. Not to mention a haunted bookstore (supposedly- investigation is necessary).
Today, I spent talking sunny walks, cleaning house and doing a little holiday cooking for a cell group gathering. Of course, it had to be green!
(Green) Rosemary Shortbread Cookies
- 3/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 5 drops green food coloring (holiday optional)
- 3 pinches dried rosemary
- 2 cups flour
Mix the top 5 ingredients well. Softened butter works best. Rub dried rosemary in-between fingers before sprinkling in to release flavor.
Once mixed, patiently knead in 2 cups of flour. I didn't end up using all the flour because it was getting really dry. The recipe said to roll it out, but it wasn't rolling so well so I made 1 inch(ish) balls and smushed them with the bottom of a smaller cup to make the shape.
Baked at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or so. Keep better track of time than I do and they'll probably be softer in the end. Still, they turned out yummy and I love the pairing of a savory spice with a sweet treat.
Great weekend so far, and tomorrow there's church, tennis and an afternoon of painting with some lady friends. Beautiful weather seems to be doing wonders for my productivity. How about you?
Friday, March 16, 2012
Just watching some Woody Allen while storms are abrew North and South of my little hovel in Tipp City tonight. Some movies remind me of my childhood dream to be an actress. (I used to pray nightly that God would let me be in a movie before I turned 16. It was more like a mantra. I said it over and over until I fell asleep.) Now, when I watch movies I particularly enjoy, I think about what it would be like to be a part of the production or to be friends with the group of creative minds that pulled it all together.
I think I would enjoy Woody Allen in person, although I imagine I would annoy him. I might be too cheerful for his taste. He might like me better if I wrote my blog at glasshuffempty.
I fiddled with some sketching and watercoloring tonight. I really like to do this. Even if you aren't a fantastic pencil artist (which I AM NOT - I do not understand dimension) the watercolor makes things look finished and fun. I've some sketches for a children's book I've been slowly working on for 6 years using this technique. 2012 is the year I get'er'done. (And now that I've said it online, it must be true!)
I made a funny here. The original jar reads "ATLAS - STRONG SHOULDER - MASON" What does it all mean?! Nothing, really. Or does it?
I got a little silly here, too. I think perhaps I'm insinuating that TV is my boyfriend. Do you see what I mean? (Read the article I wrote for GLG and you might start to believe that it's true!)
Thursday, March 15, 2012
I'm just so excited to have been asked to write a post about the Bachelor Finale for my friend's blogging venture, Girls Like Giants. (I became the 3rd Sarah to write for the site! Go Sarahs!)
Check it out if you dare to submit yourself to an in depth look at the villainous constructs of the show so many of us hate to love.
Girls Like Giants is a really awesome site chock full of thoughtful accounts of women in pop culture. You should shuffle through the posts and enjoy some of the other bloggers colorful insights. I especially enjoyed Sarah T's response to Zooey Deschanel and the cutesy chic nerd trends.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Recently, the seasons have taken a jarring turn for the better. Oh I am ready for spring. I was sick most of last week with an icky flu-like ailment. When I finally felt better I was greeted with the above sky and a gorgeous spring day. I said, hello spring and pulled out some crafts I'd had in the dockets.
With some guidance from my friend and neighbor, Madison (a peppy elementary teacher and scarf maker for a little boutique in Peoria, IL), I tackled a painting I had been wanting to do for a big, bland, blank spot on a wall in my office. I've never been much of a painter, but I had fun thinking outside of the box and making a little bit of a mess in my parking space on a Sunday afternoon. I think the final product
will really brighten up the space.
Afterwards Madison and I spent some time making scarves in her homey little craft room. She taught me a couple tricks of her trade and I ended up with a repurposed fishy sarong. We'll see whether I can pull it off or not, but I really do like the fabric a lot more now that the sea life scenery has been deconstructed.
So far, spring is just great. This evening after work I got together with 4 friends and neighbors to toss around a frisbee. It's pretty great that I like my coworkers so much that I want to hang out with them after a whole day of seeing them in the office. Madison made a comment about how it felt a little like college. She was totally right.
With the sun glaring just right off my glasses, I was transported back in time. The sounds of the neighborhood kiddos playing on the swings were the voices of my teenage friends in the quad my freshman year at Kenyon College. It seems like so long ago. Sometimes I even forget about that year of my life, having transferred to Beloit after only one year at the Ohio College. I have a lot of history in this state, and it feels good to be living here again after all the places I've hopped around from. Nothing like Spring to remind you how great the journey can be.
Monday, March 5, 2012
As promised: a photo diary of some of my Saturday in Dayton. We also hit up some spots in the Oregon District (Press, Peace on Fifth, and The Record Gallery) which I didn't capture. But I did get a few shots of some great old signs and buildings we passed during our walk across the river to the Masonic Temple.
And a few shots of ALEFEAST itself. Not enough. And NONE of the food! What kind of diary is it if it doesn't reflect the crux of the event? I guess I ate so much that my brain wasn't functioning properly. Check out those awesome lighting fixtures in the main room. I was kinda in love with them with their funny uncovered bulbs and crusty green foliage.
After the event, we took the long way back to my friends' place in the Oregon District and walked past the Riverside Community Park. We watched the skaters for a while and toasted our fingers on the open fires. It's nice to see people out and about in cooler weather. It reminds me of my winters in Minneapolis (except much, much warmer).
In summary- Yay, Dayton! I continue to learn new amazing things about my nearest metropolitan area that make me love it more. It is a great truth that our experiences are only as enriching as we make them. I can either grumble and groan about living in an economically depressed, small Ohio city or I can make an adventure of each and every outing and encourage others to do so as well. That's the only way Dayton will ever evolve and grow to thrive post-industrially.
Coming soon: an overdue wedding gift!
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Whelp, I've been a little absent this past week. A little emotionally exhausted and a little busy. Life is slowly slipping back into it's normal paces.
I made a quick trip to Kentucky for Mike's funeral with my mom last week. I learned over and over during the visitation and funeral about the amazing influence Mike's life had on a buh-zillion people. It was so good to be surrounded by my southern family- especially after a 4 year absence. What a relief to find that I still feel as though I "belong".
Kentucky is several weeks ahead on its journey towards spring. There were crocuses and buds. At night, we stayed in the guest house at Alice Lloyd College (the school campus I grew up on as a professor's brat). Caney creek was rushing from the melted snow. The sky was darker, the stars bright. Voices bounced off the hills as college kids yelped late-night hellos. Did I imagine the sound of spring peepers? I slept more soundly than I had in ages.
In the morning, before we left campus, mom and I visited the grave of our dear dog. I brushed wet leaves off of the slate slabs marking the spot. We stood for a few moments, remembering it all. On the way out we saw a black dog, his shape and size trotting towards the highway.
I didn't bring a camera. At first, I regretted the oversight, but it turned out to be a blessing. There never was a moment that felt like it should be captured. It was a beautiful visit that will exist in memory only.
On another, less somber and more crafty note.. I wanted to show off one of my absolutely most favorite (and most useful) Christmas presents from this year. I asked my dad to craft a "Now Playing" shadow box for my media center. I imagined a shelf box in which I could put a 33 record. He went above and beyond and created this gem.
It's an enclosed frame that you slide a record in from the side. I absolutely adore it. And it gives some oft neglected cover art a moment to be the center of attention. I totally think he could make a million dollars selling these babies to hipsters and jazz cronies.
Coming soon: a picture diary of Dayton's Ale Fest. Now, THAT's a photo opportunity.

domain: artistic


text:
Our mission is to positively impact elections by identifying all Senators and Representatives who support President Trump's Agenda to Make America Great Again. All Democrats and all identified Rino's have been marked for defeat.
Bug fixes across the app.
Ratings and ReviewsSee All
A little clunky
It seems threads and posts from the same person repeat like five times when scrolling down and going into groups causes the app to shut down an restart. I want Facebook to go out of business, so I want this app to be successful. Let me know if I can help QA.
- Rob Raskin
- 156.2 MB
- Social Networking
Requires iOS 9.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
- Age Rating
- Infrequent/Mild Medical/Treatment Information
- © Darrell Davies
With Family Sharing set up, up to six family members can use this app.

domain: politics


text:
Project Directors and featured artists Bianca Lago and Julia White are initiating Conversations About Power in the creation of their work. The artists are survivors of sexual abuse who use art as a means of self-expression in response to trauma. The duet exhibition aims to give a platform to survivors of sexual abuse, to discuss consent, boundaries, relationships and mental illness. The exhibition showcases two contrasting styles of paintings that exist in visual and conceptual dialogue with one another. In addition to the exhibition, Conversations About Power facilitates mixed-media sketchbook workshops that teach art-making techniques and processes as tools for introspection. We hope to share and spread the use of visual expression as a vehicle for processing trauma and promoting healing.
Lago’s work demands the issue of sexual abuse to be seen and responsibility to be taken. She created her series of haunting portraits to focus on the predators, rather than those who have been victimized. Lago works in parallel towards her personal healing and that of her community, by addressing the dynamics of power in its many facets. Conversely, White’s practice functions as a form of meditative visualization. White is enshrining her psyche in a protective, patterned, magical veil. This visual, meditational practice allows her perspective to shift away from the belief that the world is a dark place; White believes instead, that the darkness informs the light. The artists’ bodies of work are in dialogue with one another in an incredibly symbiotic way, as they are both centered on coping with experiences of abuse. Just as individual survivors have infinite ways of getting through life and thriving in the aftermath of trauma, we tackle this issue in very different and even dualistic ways.
Our organization’s mission is to perpetuate these imperative conversations about power, both its loss and reclamation. Far too often survivors of abuse are shamed or not taken seriously; the pendulum needs to shift. Far too often abusers are let go with no more than a slap on the wrist, while survivors suffer lengthy traumas. The cultural conversation about mental health and seeking help when you have either been abused, or have thoughts about abusing, needs to get louder. We believe that art can be a powerful vehicle for social change. In the fight to eradicate sexual abuse from our culture, we hold that it is high-time for civilization to live up to its name. What better way to answer and subvert the negative effects of the most uncivilized of acts, than with Art?

domain: sociology


text:
Via press release:
Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: SGMO) announced today the initiation of two new Phase 2 clinical studies (SB-728-1101 and SB-728-902, Cohort 5) in its program to develop a "functional cure" for HIV/AIDS. Sangamo's ZFP Therapeutic® approach (SB-728-T) generates T-cells that are resistant to HIV infection using its zinc finger nuclease (ZFN) technology to permanently disrupt the DNA sequence encoding CCR5, a co-receptor used by HIV to enter cells. The company expects to present data from its SB-728-T HIV clinical trials at appropriate medical meetings in 2012.Most interesting: "In addition to safety, the study will evaluate the effect of escalating doses of Cytoxan on SB-728-T engraftment, the effect of SB-728-T treatment on viral load following HAART interruption." In other words (I think), they'll be looking at whether patients can cease taking meds after the treatment.

domain: medical


text:
The government will spend at least $12 million to relocate the Royal University of Fine Arts (RUFA) and build a cultural center on four hectares of land in Chroy Changvar district, while the old university buildings will be used to expand the National Museum.
Culture and Fine Arts Minister Phoeung Sakona said yesterday that the decision to relocate RUFA, which is now behind the National Museum, was made to make the school more spacious and strengthen education in the fields of culture and fine arts.
“We will create a new university which is more spacious than before and expand the capacity of the next generation,” she said.
“We will also expand our museum as we will take statues and relics that are stored in the warehouses to exhibit. Our museum lacks places to exhibit, so we will expand further.”
According to Ms. Sakona, engineers are studying the master plan for the new RUFA building, which includes apartments for students from the provinces. The project will break ground in April before the Khmer New Year.
On National Culture Day on Friday, Prime Minister Hun Sen announced that the government would spend $12 million in the first stage of construction for the university on three hectares of land and build a cultural center on one hectare of land in the capital’s Chroy Changvar district.
“Now, the important thing is to arrange the amount of $12 million as soon as possible,” he said.
“We can do it step by step to push the project forward. So we will have a new university and hope that we won’t have to wait three years. It’s important to start this project as soon as possible.”
Mr. Hun Sen also confirmed that he would get foreign assistance to build the new university and luxury cultural center.
RUFA was originally named the Royal School of Fine Art, or Sala Rachana, and was built in 1918. It became RUFA in 1965. Students can choose majors such as archaeology, visual arts, architecture, urban management, music and choreography.
A freshman at RUFA, who asked not to be named, said the relocation will make the school more spacious and modern, however he personally wished it would not move as it has existed at its present location for nearly a century.
“I love the current school because it has many years of history. Soon they will hold its 100-year anniversary,” he said.
“The older students have had so many memories there – they slept there and have many friends. So they don’t really want it to change, everybody loves this school.”
The government plans to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the university from March 23 to 25.
Source: Khmer Times

domain: news


text:
A rare vinyl copy of Darrell Banks' soul classic Open The Door To Your Heart has sold at auction in the U.K. for more than $23,000 (£14,000).
The London Records' pressing of the mint condition seven-inch record, which is believed to be the only one in circulation, was won by an anonymous bidder on the RareSoulMan.co.uk website, which crashed a number of times during the auction due to high volumes of traffic.
It went for $23,269 (£14,543). The record is thought to be the only one of its kind in existence because all the original versions were destroyed following Emi bosses' acquisition of the track's rights in 1966, and it was described by auction organiser John Manship as the "holy grail" for record collectors.
Open the Door to Your Heart was Banks' only big hit before his untimely death in 1970. He was shot dead by an off-duty policeman who had been having an affair with the singer's girlfriend.
Once a fire fighter, always a fire fighter.
Today (September 14th) marks the 25th anniversary since the album's 1993 release.
Labrinth has teamed up with Sia and Diplo to form a new supergroup: LSD.
The Struts teamed up with Kesha for a red and gold themed music video as part of their collaboration on 'Body Talks'.
Sometimes actors are not acting.


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WP president’s kids support Saders
- 07 Apr 2013
The two daughters of WPRFU president Thelo Wakefield are both staunch supporters of the Crusaders and All Blacks.
Wakefield said last week that the bad behaviour of the Cape Crusaders is why Saru won't stage Springbok-All Blacks Tests at Newlands.
WP also launched an investigation into the violent incidents in the stands that plagued the Stormers-Crusaders match.
According to Rapport, the WP president admits that his daughters support the Crusaders and All Blacks, but that they understand the golden rule that you must behave when you go to rugby and that you go to enjoy it.
Super Rugby preview: Cheetahs
The Cheetahs could struggle again in this year's tournament after a mass exodus of players.
Reinach comes of age
Cobus Reinach can be an asset for the Springboks at the 2015 World Cup, writes JON CARDINELLI.
Another Super snooze awaits
Vodacom Super Rugby in its current format offers nothing to be excited about and the expanded version in 2016 will do nothing to invigorate a waning brand, writes RYAN VREDE.


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The Italian Sea Group, a shipbuilding conglomerate whose brands include Admiral, Tecnomar and NCA, has opened a US office in Ft Lauderdale, Florida. Located at 401 East Las Olas Blvd, the office will be managed by Italian Sea Group vice chairman Francesco Carbone. He has also been appointed president of The Italian Sea Group Americas Inc.
“We’re delighted to be establishing a base in America where we are seeing a steady growth of superyachts,” says group chairman Giovanni Costantino. “Moving our vice chairman Francesco Carbone confirms our focus on this market. The Italian Sea Group Americas Inc, under the direction of Francesco, will help drive our success in the Americas.”
Francesco Carbone worked at the group's Italian headquarters for the last seven years, helping to sign multiple contracts for new builds up to 75m LOA and sell the shipyard's entire inventory of pre-owned yachts.
“There is an increasing interest in our yachts in the Americas, so we have to establish our presence there,” says Carbone. “We have already built several amazing superyachts for American owners and I very much look forward to working more closely with them, along with American brokers and captains.”
Headquartered in Carrara, Italy, The Italian Sea Group owns and operates brands such as Admiral (established in 1966), Tecnomar (1987) and NCA (1942). Collectively the three yards have delivered more than 500 yachts and commercial ships.

domain: economics


text:
Library Launches Twitter Feed for Updates, Programs
Events coming up include a talk on Sci Fi and "Weird Science."
Hillsborough Public Library is now on Twitter—you can follow the library's feed @HillsboroLibNJ to keep up with programs, events and updates on what's new to the library.
For the month of March: View the collections of local artists Wayne Mathisen and Bernice Fatto.
Did you know that the Friends of the Hillsborough Library have daily book sales?? DVDs, CDs and hardcover books are only $1, paperbacks, records, children’s books and magazines are only 25 cents! VHS tapes are FREE! March Madness Sale: All hardcover books on sale – buy 1 get 1 free! Coming in April: Five Children’s Books for $1 !!
Teen Tech Week Kickoff: PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST! - Grades 6-12
Demonstrate your tech savvy by submitting 1 photo that has been manipulated using any photo editing app. Photos will be displayed in the library and voted upon by our patrons. Prizes will be awarded! Email your photos to firstname.lastname@example.org byThursday, March 28!
Summer Teen Volunteer Program Sign-Ups!
Attention - Students entering Grades 8-12 in Fall 2013: Applications for Teen Summer Volunteers are due no later than April 27! Pick up your application in the Hillsborough Library Teen Center and hand it in today!
Hillsborough Library Programs
Adult Services Programs from March 25 through April 6:
ESL Conversation Group – March 25 and April 1 at 7 p.m.
Sign up for our mixed gender ESL Conversation Group sponsored by Somerset County Literacy Volunteers.
The program runs through May 20, 2013. Must know basic English.
NJ History Comes Alive: Vintage Views New Jersey – March 26 at 7 p.m.
Walter Choroszewski presents vintage views of New Jersey in art & photography from engravings, paintings, prints and photographs found at museums and the Library of Congress. He discusses the art periods which influenced the art and gives biographical information about the artists. Walter also revisits some of the New Jersey locations found in the artworks and offers a comparative view through his own photography.
Best Books: Sci Fi/Weird Science – March 26 at 7 p.m.
Yvonne Selander, our Readers' Advisory specialist from the Bridgewater Branch, will present a book talk in the conference room about the 'Sci-Fi/Weird Science' genre.
Your Library is Open 24/7 – March 28 from 3:30 to 5 p.m.
Stop by the conference room between 3:30 and 5 p.m. - a librarian will be available to show you how to search the catalog, manage your account, place holds, get started borrowing e-books, music, access SCLS databases, and more! Bring your questions and get answers!
Book Discussion: How to Start a Business & Ignite Your Life – April 4 at 7 p.m.
First in a series of book discussions about small business/job searching/career development. In this brief but informative guide, Dr. Ernesto Sirolli, one of the world's leading consultants on the topic of economic development, provides guidance on how to put together an effective team that allows a business venture to get off the ground, flourish, and grow. This book outlines an easy-to-follow formula for success so that passionate people can transform their ideas into a thriving business.
Friday Night Movie: Zero Dark Thirty – April 5 at 7 p.m.
Starring: Jessica Chastain, Joel Edgerton, Chris Pratt. Rated R.
Youth Services Programs from April 1 through April 6:
Monday Morning Moms – For Parents/Caregivers – April 1 at 10 a.m.
This program will have different topics of discussion along with recommended resources.
Stories for 4’s, 5’s & 6’s: Transportation – April 1 at 1 p.m.
A fun family storytime! No registration required.
Toddler Time for 2’s and 3’s: Monkeys – April 2 at 10 a.m.
Introduce the pleasure of books to your child! Join us for stories, songs & more.
Rhyme Time for ages newborn to 24 months – April 2 at 10:30 a.m.
Build brainpower! Join us for 20 minutes of nursery rhyme fun!
Movin’ Munchkins – Ages 3-6 – April 3 at 10 a.m.
Join us for a creative movement program for the child and parent/caregiver! **Please note: An SCLS Release/Waiver must be filled out and signed by the parent or the child cannot participate in this program. Forms are available at the Children's Desk or online.
Science: Animal Science – April 3 at 4:30 p.m. for Grades 3-5, April 4 at 10 a.m. for Ages 4’s, 5’s and 6’s, April 4 at 4 p.m. for Grades K-2
Join us for some hands-on science fun!
Baby Songs - Ages newborn to 24 months – April 5 at 10 a.m.
Spend time making music with your little one! NOTE: Parents, in order to provide a safe environment for our youngest patrons, older siblings will not be allowed into this program.
Special Storytime: Fishy Fun - Ages 2-6 – April 6 at 10 a.m.
Join us for a special storytime!
The Hillsborough Public Library is on Twitter and Facebook! “Follow” or “Like” us and receive updates on programs and registration for events at the library and other info.
All programs are held at the Hillsborough Library, 379 South Branch Road, Hillsborough NJ. For more information on any of the programs, or to register, please call the Hillsborough Public Library at (908) 369 - 2200 ext 14 for children's programs and 12 for adult. Registration can also be done online using the library calendar or Facebook or Twitter. For additional programs and information check the library website @ www.sclsnj.org

domain: library


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PELATIHAN HOME INDUSTRI SAYURAN BAYEM UNTUK DIJADIKAN MAKANAN KHAS DI DESA BAYEMGEDE KEC. KEPOHBARU
This training was given to the participants with the aim of increasing the participants' skills on matters relating to the processing of vegetables into food, namely steamed spinach cakes. The material presented and the method of delivering the material will be the main attraction of the participants to achieve the desired target in this activity. Submission of material accompanied by direct practice is the right method to do, where from the results of the questionnaire 100% of the participants understand the training material presented.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

domain: agronomy


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Tags: Lakeview Rock Products Inc.
by Adele L. Abrams, Esq., CMSP For the second time in less than a year, an Administrative Law Judge has held that the Mine Safety Administration (MSHA) failed to demonstrate there were hazards of having haul trucks overturn from an unbermed ...
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Colorado Taking Pictures
The taking pictures follows one other mass capturing last week at Asian-owned spas within the southeastern state of Georgia that left eight lifeless. President Joe Biden, who final month called on Congress to enact “widespread sense” gun regulation reforms, had been briefed on the shooting, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki tweeted. Suspect, 21-12 months-old Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, was right now charged with 10 counts of murder after he acquired hospital remedy for wounds he sustained throughout an exchange of gunfire with police. The jury seated for former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin’s trial in George Floyd’s demise includes a chemist, a nurse, a social worker and a grandmother.
This is not the first mass taking pictures in Colorado, Dougherty acknowledged later Monday evening. But in all circumstances, he stated, regulation enforcement officers from surrounding areas and from local state and federal brokers have rallied to assist the communities. Several unhurt people who had been sheltering contained in the King Soopers were escorted out by officers within the late afternoon; Post reporters saw the witnesses loaded onto buses to be taken away from the scene. Outside, regulation enforcement from all around the Front Range — Jefferson County, Erie, Boulder, Longmont — was fast to respond.
What We All Know In Regards To The Victims Of The Colorado Capturing
This made it inadmissible as evidence except Holmes’ mental well being became an issue in the case. Prosecutors dropped their request for access to the pocket book on September 20, 2012. Due to suicide makes an attempt made by Holmes, Judge Sylvester agreed to postpone proceedings until December 2012.
In New York City, law enforcement officials had been deployed to theaters screening the brand new film. The film’s release date was rescheduled to January 2013, and the theater scene was replaced by a brand new sequence in a special setting. The jury consisted of 19 girls and five men, two of whom had connections to the Columbine High School bloodbath. Arapahoe County prosecutors stated that Holmes was sane during the taking pictures and intended to kill all 400 people in the theater, whereas Holmes’ lawyers mentioned he had a psychotic episode in the course of the attack. On August 9, Holmes’ attorneys said he’s mentally unwell they usually wanted extra time to evaluate the nature of his illness. The disclosure was made at a court docket hearing in Centennial, Colorado, the place news media organizations asked a judge to unseal courtroom paperwork in the case.
More From Global Information
Eventually, the police cleared the grocery store of threats and led Ms. Montoya and her colleagues via the bloody aisles and out of the building, urging them to avert their eyes. ” screamed a store supervisor who had been lined up for her own vaccination, and everyone scattered, Ms. Montoya, 25, recalled on Tuesday morning. “Another American metropolis has been scarred by gun violence and the ensuing trauma,” he stated. Mr. Stanisic was the son of Serbian refugees who had fled Bosnia through the Nineties. His Facebook page is crammed with anime drawings, and his profile picture reveals him posing with friends from his Lakewood, Colo., highschool. In 2018 she launched into a brand new career, advising individuals turning sixty five about how to apply for Medicare.
Colorado has been the scene of a number of the most surprising mass shootings in fashionable U.S. historical past. Boulder Police Chief Maris Herold, her voice choking with emotion, said 10 people died in the attack at King Soopers grocery. Among them was fifty one-12 months-old policeman Eric Talley, an eleven-year veteran of the Boulder police force, who she stated was the primary officer to reply to the capturing.
The state of Colorado has seen numerous mass shootings, including the 1999 Columbine High School assault that left 12 students and a trainer dead and the 2012 attack at a cinema in Aurora that killed 12 people. Tactical police units respond to the scene of a King Soopers grocery retailer after a taking pictures, March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colo. The last mass taking pictures at a grocery store was at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, in August 2019, during which 22 individuals died and 26 had been injured. That shooter focused Latinos, and has not gone to trial but on greater than 90 federal costs. Boulder police Chief Maris Herold recognized the deceased officer at a information conference Monday night as fifty one-yr-old Eric Talley, who had been with the division since 2010 and was first on the scene of the shooting.
Killed In Colorado Supermarket Capturing; Suspect Arrested
It follows a lull in mass killings in the course of the pandemic in 2020, which had the fewest such attacks in more than a decade, according to the database, which defines mass killings as those that go away 4 or more dead, not together with the shooter. A tapestry and a pillow blocked a slim window next to the entrance door on the Arvada house believed to be owned by the suspect’s father. No one answered the door after a number of knocks, however younger kids occasionally pulled the pillow aside and peered out of the window. The two-story house with a 3-automobile storage sits in a relatively new center- and upper-class neighborhood. The Table Mesa space of Boulder where the taking pictures occurred is residence to a residential neighborhood and the hilltop laboratory of the National Center for Atmospheric Research.


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Type 2 diabetes is a condition where your body doesn’t use insulin correctly, called insulin resistance, and where the pancreas of the body is not able to produce enough insulin to overcome this resistance. Insulin is a hormone that allows sugar to go from the blood into the cells. Your blood sugar (glucose) levels begin to rise as a result of type 2 diabetes.
Blood glucose levels that are too high can be dangerous. If you have high blood sugar that’s not well-controlled, you could develop eye disease, kidney disease, nerve damage, or heart problems. One of the primary treatments for type 2 diabetes is following a diabetes-friendly diet.
Different kinds of foods affect your blood sugar in different ways. This is why it’s so important to eat a balanced, nutritious diet when you have type 2 diabetes. Foods that contain carbohydrates are the ones that increase blood sugar, while protein and fats do not. Carbohydrate-containing foods that are rich in fiber and less processed help keep your blood glucose at healthy levels, while highly processed, low-fiber carbohydrate foods can cause blood sugar to spike.
Following a heart-healthy diet is also important for people with type 2 diabetes. Being overweight is a risk factor for both diabetes and heart disease. A heart-healthy diet includes:
- managing intake of saturated and trans fats
- watching your sodium intake
- choosing high-fiber whole grains, vegetables, and whole fruits
The glycemic index (GI) is a tool used to rate foods in terms of how quickly they increase your glucose levels. Foods with a high GI rating cause blood sugar to rise quickly after eating. Low GI foods digest more slowly. Generally, the GI index is associated with the amount of fiber a given food contains. High-fiber carbohydrates are usually, but not always, lower on the GI scale than low-fiber carbs.
Carbohydrates break down into simple sugars during digestion. Starches are sometimes called complex carbohydrates and sugars are sometimes called simple carbohydrates.
Refined carbohydrates are generally not as healthy. They are found in “white” foods such as:
- white rice
- white pasta
- white bread
- sweets and sugared drinks
Complex carbs are less refined and processed, and they contain more fiber than simple carbs. Complex carbs include:
- brown rice
- legumes and beans
- whole vegetables and fruits
- whole grains such as whole-wheat pastas and bread, and higher fiber grains such as millet and whole-grains oats
Simple carbs break down more quickly during digestion than complex carbs, causing a more rapid and higher increase in blood sugar levels, at least when eaten alone. Fiber-rich complex carbs digest more slowly. This keeps you feeling full for a longer period of time and may not cause high blood sugar to the same extent as simple carbs.
People with type 2 diabetes need to plan carefully when eating carbohydrates to make sure they keep their blood sugar in a safe target zone. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends including carbohydrates that come from natural sources, such as:
- low-fat dairy products
- whole grains and legumes
Reading food labels
Food packaging labels clearly mark carbohydrates in grams (g) so you know how many there are in each serving. However, fresh produce often does not include a nutrition label. A dietitian can work with you to help you know how many carbs you should eat each day. Most people with type 2 diabetes eat 45 to 60 g per meal. The amount will depend on your individual health, as well as what your target glucose levels are.
Your dietitian can also help you learn to estimate how many carbs are in whole fruits and vegetables. You may have heard that people with diabetes can’t eat a lot of fruit because of the sugar content. However, whole fruits are often a good option when eaten as part of the total carb allowed. Studiesfound that long-term glucose control and weight loss did not increase when fruit consumption was restricted. Ask your doctor or dietitian what’s right for you.
Several factors come into play when planning diabetes-friendly meals. The goal is to balance your carbohydrate intake with healthy protein and fat choices, which can help stabilize blood sugar levels.
As with managing your carb intake, determining the number of calories you need each day will depend on your specific situation. If you’re overweight, your doctor may recommend cutting calories to help you lose weight.
Snacks eaten as needed throughout the day can help minimize hunger and manage portions at meals. Stocking the house with healthy carb-controlled snacks (for example, carrot sticks and hummus or Greek yogurt) can help you feel satisfied without causing your blood sugar to rise.
Snacking on nuts might be a good option. Nuts can be a healthy addition to a diabetes-friendly diet. Unsalted almonds are a good source of protein, and research from The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) suggests that eating nuts and peanut butter may improve blood glucose levels and reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in some women. It’s important to remember, however, that nuts are high in calories. To avoid increasing your daily calorie intake, nuts should be used as a replacement for one of your other snacks instead of an addition.
You’ll want to fill your grocery cart with foods that contain a variety of nutrients to help you plan healthy and tasty meals, including:
- healthy fats, such as olives or avocados
- lean proteins, such as beans, fish, poultry, or pork
- fiber-rich foods, including legumes, sweet potatoes, and whole grains
- low-fat milk and yogurt
- fresh fruits and vegetables
Stick to the outer perimeters of the grocery store to stock up on fresh produce, meats, and dairy products. The middle aisles of most supermarkets are laden with temptations that are generally processed and high in unhealthy fats, calories, and salt, and should be chosen less often when you have type 2 diabetes. Check out the spice aisle and fresh herb section too — there are plenty of options for flavoring your favorite meals without using salt.
“Nutrition Facts” labels on food packaging list the amount of nutrients the item contains and for the most part, it’s easy to understand. People with diabetes learn how to look for key nutrients on the labels, including carbs, sugar, fiber, protein, and fat. The sugar listing is where it gets a little tricky.
The “sugars” listing on a food label includes both natural and added sugars that the food contains. For example, cow’s or soy milk and yogurt contain carbohydrates naturally, but can also contain added sugar to increase sweetness. You may see a number of different terms on your food label, such as:
- raw sugar
- cane sugar
- beet sugar
- maple syrup
- agave nectar
- high fructose corn syrup, or corn sugar
These words may refer to different types of sugar, but their effect on raising blood sugar levels is the same. Try to choose foods that contain less added sugar, such as plain or unsweetened yogurts and milks.
Sugar alcohols such as malitol and sorbitol are other forms of carbohydrate that are often found in products made specifically for diabetes. They contain half of the carbs and calories as other carbohydrates.
The ADA suggests looking at the “total carbohydrate” listing on food labels instead of “sugars” to account for all of the carbohydrate you are getting at each meal. All sugars, sugar alcohols, starches, and fibers are taken into consideration for the carbohydrate count.
If you’ve just been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, you might not be in the habit of counting calories, limiting your carbs, or reading food labels. It may seem like a lot of extra work at first, but soon preparing healthy meals and learning more about food and how it affects your body will become second nature. Eating for diabetes doesn’t have to be bland and boring. Experiment with new spices and seasonings to make it work for you!


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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) -- Interest rates are on the rise and causing some serious stock market disruptions in the process. Is it a positive or negative? And how does this affect the average Arkansan?
Sean Barron, from Delta Trust and Bank broke it down for us on "THV 11 This Morning".
For more information you can contact Sean at:
Delta Trust & Bank
11700 Cantrell Road


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3 April 2014
Malta saw its first railway in 1883. The line opened on 28th February and was single track line connecting Valletta and Notabile (Mdina). Unfortunately finances of the railway always proved to be lacking and by the 1st April 1890, just 7 years after, the Malta Railway Company Ltd went bankrupt and the service stopped. The government took over the railway, invested in its infrastructure and reopened in January 1892. In 1895 the line was extended and opened in 1900. The railway continued to operate until 1931 until again it was closed due to economic insufficiency. The railway had fallen victim to the more convenient bus system.
The railway system may be gone however Malta still has a train tour service. The sightseeing train tour is not limited by a track and explores the areas of Mdina, Rabat and Mtarfa. Known as Melita Trains it has become established as a 'Quality Assured Visitor Attraction' and departs every hour from a terminus next to the Domus Rimana (Roman Villa) in Mdina. Commentary on board the train is available in seven languages and explains the historical, cultural and architectural importance of the areas of Mdina, Rabat and Mtarfa. (Mdina is where they make the best Pastizzi!)
The tour lasts approximately thirty minutes and explores an 8km route that passes adjacent to Mdina Main Gate, Old Casino Notabile, then to the heart of Rabat with its numerous archaeological places, in close proximity to St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Grotto, the catacombs of St. Paul’s and St. Agatha Complex and thereon to the suburb of Ghar Barka with picturesque views of Rabat and the surrounding countryside.
The tour proceeds into the heart of the neighbouring town of Mtarfa viewing other interesting buildings such as the Ex Royal Navy Hospital and the Clock Tower. The train at its highest point on the island proceeds from Mtarfa with breathtaking views of Mosta and most of Malta with particular emphasis on Mdina and the surrounding magnificent bastions with their captivating allure. The train passes over the same bridge transited by the Old Malta Railway Trains and close to the Old Railway Station, thereafter steaming to Mdina’s Greek Gate Tunnel and back to the terminus.
The design that Melita Trains has opted for, features an ancient style locomotive that blends well with the historical environment of the villages of Mtarfa, Rabat and the outskirts closed city of Mdina. To add a nostalgic feature to the train, the inclusion of the classical bell is a must.
The train is designed to contain four units, the first of which is the locomotive. The other three units are not powered and consist of three separate carriages which have been designed to give perfect ergonomics with extremely comfortable seating and high quality interiors.
‘You can find out more about this train tour at Melita Trains Facebook page. Reviewers on TripAdvisor seem to have enjoyed the ride too.
Author: Adam Claffey

domain: geography


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Tonic Room, one of Auckland’s leading health and wellness clinics, recently launched their Tonic Room Teas that have been carefully curated and hand-blended by their team of naturopaths. Using only the highest quality organic herbs and botanicals they have created bespoke blends of herbal tea that not only taste delicious but are good for the body and mind. Therapeutic herbal tea and tonic blends customised to suit individual needs are also available.
You may like...
Delicious herbal tea infusions to enjoy hot, cold, in cocktails and with fresh herbs
Sugar-free sparkling teas brought to you from Waiheke Island, NZ. They’re hand-crafted and contai...


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Hi all, just thought I would post this neat trick for transferring details from one mesh to another using layers.
The issue was that I had saved first after creating zsphere model and once again after posing the model. But I hadnt posed on a separate layer. So I took the early mesh and dumped it on the new mesh…watch and see.
I hope this is of help to you all!

domain: design


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Another Catholic priest, Reverend Father Vitus Borogo, has been confirmed killed in his farm at Kaduna State by rampaging gunmen.
In a statement the Chancellor, Catholic Archdiocese of Kaduna, Reverend Father Christian Okewu Emmanuel, disclosed the gunmen raided the farm at Kujama along Kaduna-Kachia road and hacked the priest to death.
“It is with a heavy heart, but with total submission to the will of God that we announce the death of Rev. Fr. Vitus Borogo, which sad event took place today, at Prison Farm, Kujama, along Kaduna-Kachia road, after a raid on the farm by Terrorists.
“Until his death, late Fr Vitus aged 50 years was the chaplain of the Catholic community of the Kaduna State Polytechnic, and the Chairman of the Nigerian Catholic Diocesan Priests Association (NCDPA), Kaduna Chapter.
“Most Rev. Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso, the Catholic Archbishop of Kaduna condoles with the immediate family, the NFCS Family of Kaduna Polytechnic, and indeed the entire Kaduna Polytechnic Community and assures them of his fraternal closeness and prayers,” he stated.
Emmanuel said details of Bogoro’s funeral arrangement will be announced as soon as possible and prayed for the repose of his soul.
“Meanwhile, we commit his soul to the maternal intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and call on all men and women of goodwill to continue to pray for the peaceful repose of his soul and for the consolation of his bereaved family, especially his mother,” the chancellor added.
Gruesome attacks by gunmen continue unabated in Kaduna State despite the presence of military barracks and other security formations.
The Kaduna State government has consistently raised alarms informing security agencies and the public of plans by terrorists to unleash mayhem on the state.
Airports, trains, barracks, travellers, rural communities, educational institutions, and worship centres have been targeted by terrorists, commonly referred to as bandits.
Several people have either been killed, injured, kidnapped or displaced by the activities of the criminals.
Terrorists on motorcycles killed three people after attacking two churches and several villages in Kajuru Local Government Area of the state last Sunday.
Click on The Trumpet and follow us on our Twitter page for more:


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« PreviousContinue »
When Summer reddens, and when Autumn beams; | Disclos'd, and kindled, by refining frost,
Or in the wintery glebe whatever lies
Conceal'd, and fattens with the richest sap:
These are not wanting; nor the milky drove,
Luxuriant, spread o'er all the lowing vale;
Nor bleating mountains; nor the chide of streams,
And hum of bees, inviting sleep sincere
Into the guiltless breast, beneath the shade,
Or thrown at large amid the fragrant hay;
Nor aught besides of prospect, grove, or song,
Dim grottoes, gleaming lakes, and fountains clear.
Here too dwells simple truth; plain innocence;
Unsullied beauty; sound unbroken youth,
Patient of labour, with a little pleas'd;
Health ever blooming; unambitious toil;
Calm contemplation, and poetic ease.
Let others brave the flood in quest of gain,
And beat, for joyless months, the gloomy wave.
Let such as deem it glory to destroy,
Rush into blood, the sack of cities seek;
Unpierc'd, exulting in the widow's wail,
The virgin's shriek, and infant's trembling cry.
Let some, far distant from their native soil,
Urg'd or by want or harden'd avarice,
Find other lands beneath another Sun.
Let this through cities work his eager way,
By regal outrage and establish'd guile,
The social sense extinct; and that ferment
Mad into tumult the seditious herd,
Or melt them down to slavery. Let these
Insnare the wretched in the toils of law,
Fomenting discord, and perplexing right,
An iron race! and those of fairer front,
But equal inhumanity, in courts,
Delusive pomp, and dark cabals delight;
Wreathe the deep bow, diffuse the lying smile,
And tread the weary labyrinth of state.
While he, from all the stormy passions free
That restless men involve, hears, and but hears,
At distance safe, the human tempest roar,
Wrapt close in conscious peace. The fall of kings,
The rage of nations, and the crush of states,
Move not the man, who, from the world escap'd,
In still retreats, and flowery solitudes,
To Nature's voice attends, from month to month,
And day to day, through the revolving year ;
Admiring sees her in her every shape;
Feels all her sweet emotions at his heart;
Takes what she liberal gives, nor thinks of more,
He, when young Spring protrudes the bursting
Marks the first bud, and sucks the healthful gale
Into his freshen'd soul, her genial hours
He full enjoys; and not a beauty blows,
And not an opening blossom breathes in vain.
In Summer he, beneath the living shade,
Such as o'er frigid Tempe wont to wave,
Or Hemus cool, reads what the Muse, of these,
Perhaps, has in immortal numbers sung;
Or what she dictates writes: and oft, an eye
Shot round, rejoices in the vigorous year.
When Autumn's yellow lustre gilds the world,
And tempts the sickled swain into the field,
Seiz'd by the general joy, his heart distends
With gentle throws; and through the tepid gleams
Deep musing, then he best exerts his song.
E'en Winter, wild to him, is full of bliss.
The mighty tempest, and the hoary waste,
Abrupt, and deep, stretch'd o'er the buried earth,
Awake to solemn thought. At night the skies,
Pours every lustre on th' exalted eye.
A friend, a book, the stealing hours secure,
And mark them down for wisdom. With swift wing,
O'er land and sea imagination roams;
Or truth, divinely breaking on his mind,
Elates his being, and unfolds his powers;
Or in his breast heroic virtue burns.
The touch of kindred too and love he feels;
The modest eye, whose beams on his alone
Ecstatic shine; the little strong embrace
Of prattling children, twin'd around his neck,
And emulous to please him, calling forth
The fond paternal soul. Nor purpose gay,
Amusement, dance, or song, he sternly scorns;
For happiness and true philosophy
Are of the social still, and siniling kind.
This is the life which those who fret in guilt,
And guilty cities, never knew; the life,
Led by primeval ages, uncorrupt,
When angels dwelt, and God himself, with man!
Oh, Nature! all-sufficient! over all!
Enrich me with the knowledge of thy works!
Snatch me to Heaven; thy rolling wonder there,
World beyond world, in infinite extent,
Profusely scatter'd o'er the blue immense,
Show me; their motions, periods, and their laws,
Give me to scan; through the disclosing deep
Light my blind way; the mineral strata there;
Thrust, blooming, thence the vegetable world;
O'er that the rising system, more complex,
Of animals; and higher still, the mind,
The varied scene of quick-compounded thought,
And where the mixing passions endless shift;
These ever open to my ravish'd eye;
A search, the flight of time can ne'er exhaust!
But if to that unequal; if the blood,
In sluggish streams about my heart, forbid
That best ambition; under closing shades,
Inglorious, lay me by the lowly brook,
And whisper to my dreame. From thee begin,
Dwell all on thee, with thee conclude my song
And let me never, never stray from thee!
The subject proposed. Address to the earl of
Wilmington. First approach of Winter. Ac-
cording to the natural course of the Season, va-
rious storms described. Rain. Wind. Snow.
The driving of the snows: a man perishing
among them; whence reflections on the wants
and miscrics of human life. The wolves des-
cending from the Alps and Apennines. A winter
evening described: as spent by philosophers;
by the country people; in the city. Frost.--
A view of Winter within the polar circle.
thaw. The whole concluding with moral re-
flections on a future state.
These! that exalt the soul to solemn thought,
And Heavenly musing. Welcome, kindred glooms!
Congenial horrours, hail! with frequent foot,
Pleas'd have I, in my cheerful morn of life,
When nurs'd by careless solitude I liv'd,
And sung of Nature with unceasing joy,
Pleas'd have I wander'd through your rough
Trod the pure virgin-snows, myself as pure;
Heard the winds roar, and the big torrent burst;
Or seen the deep fermenting tempest brew'd
In the grim evening sky. Thus pass'd the time,
Till through the lucid chambers of the south
Look'd out the joyous Spring, look'd out, and
To thee, the patron of her first essay, [smil'd.
The Muse, O Wilmington! renews her song.
Since has she rounded the revolving year:
Skimm'd the gay Spring; on eagle-pinions borne,
Attempted through the Summer-blaze to rise;
Then swept o'er Autumn with the shadowy gale;
And now among the Wintery clouds again,
Roll'd in the doubling storm, she tries to soar;
To swell her note with all the rushing winds;
To suit her sounding cadence to the floods ;
As is her theme, her numbers wildly great:
Thrice happy! could she fill thy judging ear
With bold description, and with manly thought.
Nor art thou skill'd in aweful schemes alone,
And how to make a mighty people thrive:
But equal goodness, sound integrity,
A firm unshaken uncorrupted soul
Amid a sliding age, and burning strong,
Not vainly blazing for thy country's weal,
A steady spirit regularly free;
These, each exalting each, the statesman light
Into the patriot; these, the public hope
And eye to thee converting, bid the Muse
Record what envy dares not flattery call.
Now when the cheerless empire of the sky
To Capricorn the Centaur Archer yields,
And tierce Aquarius stains th' inverted year;
Hung o'er the farthest verge of Heaven, the Sun
Scarce spreads through ether the dejected day.
Faint are his gleams, and ineffectual shoot
His struggling rays, in horizontal lines,
Through the thick air; as, cloth'd in cloudy storm,
Weak, wan, and broad, he skirts the southern sky;
And, soon-descending, to the long dark night,
Wide-shading all, the prostrate world resigns.
Nor is the night unwish'd; while vital heat,
Light, life, and joy, the dubious day forsake.
Meantime, in sable cincture, shadows vast,
Deep-ting'd and damp, and congregated clouds,
And all the vapoury turbulence of Heaven,
Involve the face of things. Thus Winter falls,
A heavy gloom oppressive o'er the world,
Through Nature shedding influence malign,
And rouses up the seeds of dark disease.
The soul of man dies in him, loathing life,
And black with more than melancholy views.
The cattle droop; and o'er the furrow'd land,
Fresh from the plough, the dun discolour'd flocks,
Untended spreading, crop the wholesome root.
Along the woods, along the moorish fens,
Sighs the sad Genius of the coming storm;
And up among the loose disjointed cliffs,
And fractur'd mountains wild, the brawling brook And cave, presageful, send a hollow moan, Resounding long in listening Fancy's ear.
Then comes the father of the tempest forth,
Wrapt in black glooms. First joyless rains obscure | Drive through the mingling skies with vapour foul; Dash on the mountain's brow, and shake the woods, That grumbling wave below. Th' unsightly plain Lies a brown deluge; as the low-bent clouds Pour flood on flood, yet unexhausted still Combine, and deepening into night shut up The day's fair face. The wanderers of Heaven, Each to his home, retire; save those that love To take their pastime in the troubled air, Or skimming flutter round the dimply pool. The cattle from th' untasted fields return, And ask, with meaning lowe, their wonted stalls, Or ruminate in the contiguous shade. Thither the houshold feathery people crowd, The crested cock, with all his female train, Pensive, and dripping; while the cottage-bind Hangs o'er th' enlivening blaze, and taleful there Recounts his simple frolic: much he talks, And much he laughs, nor recks the storm that blows
Without, and rattles on his humble roof.
Wide o'er the brim, with many a torrent swell'd, And the mix'd ruin of its banks o'erspread, At last the rous'd up river pours along: Resistless, roaring, dreadful, down it comes, From the rude mountain, and the mossy wild, Tumbling through rocks abrupt, and sounding far; Then o'er the sanded valley floating spreads, Calm, sluggish, silent; till again, constrain'd Between two meeting hills, it bursts away, Where rocks and woods o'erhang the turbid stream; There gathering triple force, rapid, and deep, It boils, and wheels, and foams, and thunders through.
Nature great parent! whose unceasing hand Rolls round the seasons of the changeful year, How mighty, how majestic, are thy works! With what a pleasing dread they swell the soul! That sees astonish'd! and astonish'd sings! Ye too, ye winds! that now begin to blow, With boisterous sweep, I raise my voice to you. Where are your stores, ye powerful beings! say, Where your aërial magazines reserv'd, To swell the brooding terrours of the storm? In what far distant region of the sky, Hush'd in deep silence, sleep ye when 'tis calm?
When from the pallid sky the Sun descends, With many a spot, that o'er his glaring orb Uncertain wanders, stain'd; red fiery streaks Begin to flush around. The reeling clouds Stagger with dizzy poise, as doubting yet Which master to obey: while rising slow, Blank, in the leaden-colour'd east, the Moon Wears a wan circle round her blunted horns. Seen through the turbid fluctuating air, The stars obtuse emit a shiver'd ray; Or frequent seen to shoot athwart the gloom, And long behind them trail the whitening blaze. Snatch'd in short eddies, plays the wither'd leaf; And on the flood the dancing feather floats. With broaden'd nostrils to the sky up-turn'd, The conscious heifer snuffs the stormy gale. Ev'n as the matron, at her nightly task, With pensive labour draws the flaxen thread, The wasted taper and the crackling flame Foretell the blast. But chief the plumy race, The tenants of the sky, its changes speak. Retiring from the downs, where all day long They pick'd their scanty fare, a blackening train
Loud shrieks the soaring hern; and with wild wing
The circling sea-fowl cleave the flaky clouds.
Ocean, unequal press'd, with broken tide
Where now, ye lying vanities of life!
Ye ever-tempting, ever-cheating train!
Where are you now? and what is your amount?
Vexation, disappointment, and remorse.
Sad, sickening thought! and yet deluded man,
A scene of crude disjointed visions past,
And broken slumbers, rises still resolv'd,
With new-flush'd hopes, to run the giddy round.
Father of light and life! thou good Supreme!
And blind commotion heaves; while from the O, teach me what is good! teach me Thyscif! shore,
Eat into caverns by the restless wave,
And forest-rustling mountains, comes a voice,
That solemn sounding bids the world prepare.
Then issues forth the storm with sudden burst,
And burls the whole precipitated air,
Down, in a torrent. On the passive main
Descends th' ethereal force, and with strong gust
Turns from its bottom the discolour'd deep.
Through the black night that sits immense around,
Lash'd into foam, the fierce conflicting brine
Seems o'er a thousand raging waves to burn:
Meantime the mountain-billows to the clouds
In dreadful tumult swell'd, surge above surge,
Burst into chaos with tremendous roar,
And anchor'd navies from their stations drive,
Wild as the winds across the howling waste
Of mighty waters: now th' inflated wave
Straining they scale, and now impetuous shoot
Into the secret chambers of the deep,
The wintery Baltic thundering o'er their head.
Emerging thence again, before the breath
Of full-exerted Heaven they wing their course,
And dart on distant coasts; if some sharp rock,
Or shoal insidious break not their career,
And in loose fragments fling them floating round.
Nor less at land the loosen'd tempest reigns.
The mountain thunders; and its sturdy sons
Stoop to the bottom of the rocks they shade.
Lone on the midnight steep, and all aghast,
The dark way-faring stranger breathless toils,
And, often falling, climbs against the blast.
Low waves the rooted forest, vex'd, and sheds
What of its tarnish'd honos yet remain;
Dash'd down, and scatter'd, by the tearing wind's
Assiduous fury, its gigantic limbs.
Thus struggling through the dissipated grove,
The whirling tempest raves along the plain;
And on the cottage thatch'd, or lordly roof,
Keen-fastening, shakes them to the solid base.
Sleep frighted flies; and round the rocking dome,
For entrance eager, howls the savage blast.
Then too, they say, through all the burden'd air,
Long groans are heard, shrill sounds, and distant
That, utter'd by the demon of the night, [sighs,
Warn the devoted wretch of woe and death.
Huge uproar lords it wide. The clouds com-
With stars swift gliding sweep along the sky. [mixt
All Nature reels: till Nature's King, who oft
Amid tempestuous darkness dwells alone,
And on the wings of the carcering wind
Walks dreadfully serene, commands a calm;
Then strait air, sea, and earth, are hush'd at once.
As yet 'tis midnight deep. The weary clouds,
Slow-meeting, mingle into solid gloom.
Now, while the drowsy world lies lost in sleep,
Let me associate with the serious Night,
And Contemplation her sedate compeer;
Let me shake off th' intrusive cares of day,
And lay the meddling senses all aside.
Save me from folly, vanity, and vice,
From every low pursuit! and feed my soul
With knowledge, conscious peace, and virtue pure;
Sacred, substantial, never-fading bliss!
The keener tempests rise: and fuming dun
From all the livid east, or piercing north,
Thick clouds ascend; in whose capacious womb
A vapoury deluge lies, to snow congeal'd.
Heavy they roll their fleecy world along;
| And the sky saddens with the gather'd storm.
Through the hush'd air the whitening shower
At first thin wavering; till at last the flakes
Fall broad, and wide, and fast, dimming the day,
With a continual flow. The cherish'd fields
Put on their winter-robe of purest white.
'Tis brightness all; save where the new snow melts
Along the mazy current. Low, the woods
Bow their hoar head; and, ere the languid Sun
Faint from the west emits his evening ray,
Earth's universal face, deep hid, and chill,
Is one wide dazzling waste, that buries wide
The works of man. Drooping, the labourer-ox
Stands cover'd o'er with snow, and then demands
The fruit of all his toil. The fowls of Heaven,
Tam'd by the cruel season, crowd around
The winnowing store, and claim the little boon
Which Providence assigns them. One alone,
The red-breast, sacred to the household gods,
Wisely regardful of th' embroiling sky,
In joyless fields, and thorny thickets, leaves
His shivering mates, and pays to trusted man
His annual visit. Half-afraid he first
Against the window beats; then, brisk, alights
On the warm hearth; then, hopping o'er the floor,
Eyes all the smiling family askance.
And pecks, and starts, and wonders where he is:
Till more familiar grown, the table-crumbs
Attract his slender feet. The foodless wilds
Pour forth their brown inhabitants. The hare,
Though, timorous of heart, and hard beset
By death in various forms, dark snares, and dogs,
And more unpitying men, the garden seeks,
Urg'd on by fearless want. The bleating kind
Eye the bleak Heaven, and next the glistening
With looks of dumb despair; then, sad-dispers'd,
Dig for the wither'd herb through heaps of snow.
Now, shepherds, to your helpless charge be
Baffle the raging year, and fill their penns [kind;
With food at will; lodge them below the storin,
And watch them strict: for from the bellowing East,
In this dire season, oft the whirlwind's wing
Sweeps up the burthen of whole wintery plains
At one wide waft, and o'er the hapless flocks,
Hid in the hollow of two neighbouring hills,
The billowy tempest whelms; till, upward urg'd,
The valley to a shining mountain swells,
Tipt with a wreath high-curling in the sky.
As thus the snows arise; and foul, and fierce,
All Winter drives along the darken'd air;
In his own loose-revolving fields, the swain
Disaster'd stands; sees other hills ascend,
Of unknown joyless brow; and other scenes,
Of horrid prospect, shag the trackless plain:
Nor finds the river, nor the forest, hid
Beneath the formless wild; but wanders on
Fron hill to dale, still more and more astray;
Impatient flouncing through the drifted heaps,
Stung with the thoughts of home; the thoughts
Rush on his nerves, and call their vigour forth
In many a vain attempt. How sinks his soul!
What black despair, what horrour, tills his heart!
When for the dusky spot, which fancy feign'd
His tufted cottage rising through the snow,
He meets the roughness of the middle waste,
Far from the track, and blest abode of man;
While round him night resistless closes fast,
And every tempest, howling o'er his head,
Renders the savage wilderness more wild.
Then throng the busy shapes into his mind,
Of cover'd pits, unfathomably deep,
A dire descent beyond the power of frost ;
Of faithless bogs; of precipices huge,
Smooth'd up with snow; and, what is land, un-
What water of the still unfrozen spring,
In the loose marsh or solitary lake,
Where the fresh fountain from the bottom boils,
These check his fearful steps; and down he sinks
Beneath the shelter of the shapeless drift,
Thinking o'er all the bitterness of death,
Mix'd with the tender anguish Nature shoots
Through the wrung bosom of the dying man,
His wife, his children, and his friends unseen.
In vain for him th' officious wife prepares
The fire fair-blazing, and the vestment warm;
In vain his little children, peeping out
Into the mingling storm, demand their sire,
With tears of artless innocence. Alas!
Nor wife, nor children, more shall he behold,
Nor friends, nor sacred home. On every nerve
The deadly Winter seizes; shuts up sense;
And, o'er his inmost vitals creeping cold,
Lays him along the snows, a stiffen'd corse,
Stretch'd out, and bleaching in the northern blast.
Ah, little think the gay licentious proud,
Whom pleasure, power, and affluence surround;
They, who their thoughtless hours in giddy mirth,
And wanton, often cruel, riot waste;
Ah, little think they, while they dance along,
How many feel, this very moment, death
And all the sad variety of pain.
How many sink in the devouring flood,
Or more devouring flame. How many bleed,
By shameful variance betwixt man and man.
How many pine in want, and dungeou glooms;
Shut from the common air, and common use
Of their own limbs. How many drink the cup
Of baleful grief, or eat the bitter bread
Of misery. Sore pierc'd by wintery winds,
How many shrink into the sordid nut
Of cheerless poverty. How many shake
With all the fiercer tertures of the mind,
Unbounded passion, madness, guilt, remorse ;
Whence tumbled headlong from the height of life,
They furnish matter for the tragic Muse.
Ev'n in the vale, where Wisdom loves to dwell
With Friendship, Peace, and Contemplation join'd,
How many, rack'd with honest passions, droop
In deep retir'd distress. How many stand
Around the death-bed of their dearest friends,
And point the parting anguish. Thought fond man
Of these, and all the thousand nameless ills,
That one incessant struggle render life,
One scene of toil, of suffering, and of fate,
Vice in his high career would stand appall'd,
And heedless rambling Impulse learn to think;
| The conscious heart of Charity would warm,
And her wide wish Benevolence dilate;
The social tear would rise, the social sigh;
And into clear perfection, gradual bliss,
Retining still, the social passions work.
And here can I forget the generous band',
Who, touch'd with human woe, redressive search'd
Into the horrours of the gloomy jail?
Unpitied, and unheard, where misery moans;
Where sickness piues; where thirst and hunger
And poor misfortune feels the lash of vice. [burn,
While in the land of liberty, the land
Whose every street and public meeting glow
With open freedom, little tyrants rag'd;
Snatch'd the lean morsel from the starving mouth;
Tore from cold wintery limbs the tatter'd weed;
Ev'n robb'd them of the last of comforts, sleep;
The free-born Briton to the dungeon chain'd,
Or, as the lust of cruelty prevail'd,
At pleasure mark'd him with inglorious stripes :
And crush'd out lives, by secret barbarous ways,
That for their country would have toil'd, or bled.
O, great design! if executed well,
With patient care, and wisdom-temper'd zeal.
Ye sons of mercy! yet resume the search;
Drag forth the legal monsters into light,
Wrench from their hands oppression's iron rod,
And bid the cruel feel the pains they give.
Much still untouch'd remains; in this rank age,
Much is the patriot's weeding hand requir'd.
The toils of law, (what dark insidious men
Have cumberous added to perplex the truth,
And lengthen simple justice into trade)
How glorious were the day! that saw these broke,
And every man within the reach of right.
By wintery famine rous'd, from all the tract
Of horrid mountains which the shining Alps,
And wavy Appennine, and Pyrences,
Branch out stupendous into distant lands;
Cruel as Death, and hungry as the Grave!
Burning for blood! bony, and gaunt, and grim!
Assembling wolves in raging troops descend;
And, pouring o'er the country, bear along,
Keen as the north wind sweeps the glossy snow.
All is their prize. They fasten on the steed,
Press him to earth, and pierce his mighty heart.
Nor can the bull his awful front defend,
Or shake the murdering savages away.
Rapacious, at the mother's throat they fly,
And tear the screaming infant from her breast.
The godlike face of man avails him nought.
E'vn Beauty, force divine! at whose bright glance
The generous lion stands in soften'd gaze,
Here bleeds, a hapless undistinguish'd prey.
But if, appriz'd of the severe attack,
The country be shut up, lur'd by the scent,
On church-yards drear (inhuman to relate !)
The disappointed prowlers fall, and dig
The shrouded body from the grave; o'er which,
1 The Jail Committee, in the year 1729.
Mix'd with foul shades, and frighted ghosts, they howl.
Among those hilly regions, where embrac'd In peaceful vales the happy Grisons dwell, Oft, rushing sudden from the loaded cliffs, Mountains of snow their gathering terrours roll. From steep to steep, loud-thundering down they
A wintery waste in dire commotion all;
And herds, and flocks, and travellers, and swains,
And sometimes whole brigades of marching troops,
Or hamlets sleeping in the dead of night,
Are deep beneath the smothering ruin whelm'd.
Now all amid the rigours of the year,
In the wild depth of Winter, while without
The ceaseless winds blow ice, be my retreat,
Between the groaning forest and the shore
Beat by the boundless multitude of waves,
A rural, shelter'd, solitary scene;
Where ruddy fire and beaming tapers join,
To cheer the gloom. There studious let me sit,
And hold high converse with the mighty dead;
Sages of ancient time, as gods rever'd,
As gods beneficent, who blest mankind
With arts, with arms, and humaniz'd a world.
Rous'd at th' inspiring thought, I throw aside
The long-liv'd volume; and, deep musing, hail
The sacred shades, that slowly-rising pass
Before my wondering eyes. First Socrates,
Who, firmly good in a corrupted state,
Against the rage of tyrants single stood,
Invincible! calm reason's holy law,
That voice of God within th' attentive mind,
Obeying, fearless, or in life, or death:
Great moral teacher! wisest of mankind!
Solon the next, who built his common-weal
On equity's wide base; by tender laws
A lively people curbing, yet undamp'd,
Preserving still that quick peculiar fire,
Whence in the laurel'd field of finer arts,
And of bold freedom, they unequal'd shone,
The pride of smiling Greece, and human-kind.
Lycurgus then, who bow'd beneath the force
Of strictest discipline, severely wise,
All human passions. Following him, I see,
As at Thermopylæ he glorious fell,
The firm devoted chief, who prov'd by deeds
The hardest lesson which the other taught.
Then Aristides lifts his honest front;
Spotless of heart, to whom th' unflattering voice
Of freedom gave the noblest name of just;
In pure majestic poverty rever'd;
Who, ev'n his glory to his country's weal
Submitting, swell'd a haughty rival's fame.
Rear'd by his care, of softer ray appears
Cimon, sweet-soul'd; whose genius, rising strong,
Shook off the load of young debauch; abroad
The scourge of Persian pride, at home the friend
Of every worth and every splendid art;
Modest and simple in the pomp of wealth.
Then the last worthies of declining Greece,
Late call'd to glory, in unequal times,
Pensive, appear. The fair Corinthian boast,
Timoleon, happy temper! mild, and firm,
Who wept the brother while the tyrant bled.
And, equal to the best, the Theban pair',
Whose virtues, in kersie concord join'd,
1 Leonidas. 2 Themistocles.
Pelopidas and Epaminondas.
Their country rais'd to freedom, empire, fame.
He too, with whom Athenian honour sunk;
And left a mass of sordid lees behind,
Phocion the good; in public life severe,
To virtue still inexorably firm;
But when, beneath his low illustrious roof,
Sweet peace and happy wisdom smooth'd his brow,
Not friendship softer was, nor love more kind.
And he, the last of old Lycurgus' sons,
The generous victim to that vain attempt,
To save a rotten state, Agis, who saw
Ev'n Sparta's self to servile avarice sunk.
The two Achaïan heroes close the train:
Aratus, who a while relum'd the soul
Of fondly lingering liberty in Greece:
And he her darling, as her latest hope,
The gallant Philopomen; who to arms
Turn'd the luxurious pomp he could not cure;
Or toiling in his farm a simple swain;
Or bold and skilful, thundering in the field.
Of rougher front, a mighty people come !
A race of heroes! in those virtuous times,
Which knew no stain, save that with partial flame
Their dearest country they too fondly lov'd:
Her better founder first, the light of Rome,
Numa, who soften'd her rapacious sons :
Servius the king, who laid the solid base
On which o'er Earth the vast republic spread.
Then the great consuls venerable rise.
The public father who the private quell'd,
As on the dread tribunal sternly sad.
He, whom his thankless country could not lose,
Camillus, only vengeful to his foes.
Fabricius, scorner of all-conquering gold;
And Cincinnatus, aweful from the plough.
Thy willing victim2, Carthage, bursting loose
From all that pleading Nature could oppose,
From a whole city's tears, by rigid faith
Imperious call'd, and honour's dire command
Scipio, the gentle chief, humanely brave,
Who soon the race of spotless glory ran,
And warm in youth, to the poetic shade
With Friendship and Philosophy retir'd.
Tully, whose powerful eloquence a while
Restrain'd the rapid fate of rushing Rome.
Unconquer'd Cato, virtuous in extrême.
And thou, unhappy Brutus, kind of heart,
Whose steady arm, by aweful virtue urg'd,
Lifted the Roman steel against thy friend.
Thousands besides the tribute of a verse
Demand; but who can count the stars of Heavon❤
Who sing their influence on this lower world?
Behold, who yonder comes! in sober state,
Fair, mild, and strong, as is a vernal sun :
'Tis Phoebus self, or cise the Mantuan Swain!
Great Homer too appears, of daring wing,
Parent of song! and equal by his side,
The British Muse; join'd hand in hand they walk,
Darkling, full up the middle steep to Fame.
Nor absent are those shades, whose skilful touch
Pathetic drew th' impassion'd heart, and charin'd
Transported Athens with the moral scene:
Nor those who, tuneful, wak'd th' enchanting lyre.
First of your kind! society divine;
Still visit thus my nights, for you reserv'd,
And mount my soaring soul to thoughts like yours,
Silence, thon lonely power! the door be thine
See on the hallow'd hour that none intrude,


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Towards the end of last year I was lucky enough to visit perhaps one of the most beautiful, most luxurious hotels I have ever had the opportunity to stay in: The Ritz Carlton Abama. Prior to visiting the hotel, my only experience of the Ritz had been an afternoon tea experience at the Ritz in London which I found to a very old, decadent, hotel and wasn’t sure what to expect from the Tenerife version.
I’ve visited Tenerife several times as a child with my family as my father spent several years living there. We’d always stayed in the area of Los Gigantes – a resort town on the west coast of the island. We’d steered clear of the more well known British hotspots such as Playas Des Americas to try and maintain a more authentic experience and as such, I’ve always had fond memories of the island.
I specifically didn’t do much research before visiting the hotel, other than to see that it was very, very pink. The Ritz-Carlton Abama is situated on 400 acres of gardens along Tenerife’s sun-drenched west coast and offers an incredible way to experience the Canary Islands. The hotel boasts two Michelin- starred restaurants and 10 eateries in total. There is a gym, spa, seven heated pools, a renowned goal course and an exclusive beach with stunning views over the nearby cliffs.
After our check in, we were taken to our deluxe villa in a golf buggy. Depending on the type of room you book, you may have you very own golf buggy outside you room to drive around in as the resort is huge!
Our room had an ethnic style, was very minimal with high ceilings. Our enormous bathroom was made entirely of marble and we had a beautiful balcony that overlooked their tropical garden and had uninterrupted views of the Atlantic Ocean. One of my favourite things to do on the holiday was to wake up early every morning and sit on the balcony, soaking up the early morning sun and listening to the birds chirping – I felt as though I was in paradise.
As I’m training for the London Marathon I visited the hotel gym on multiple occasions and was thoroughly impressed! It had floor to ceiling windows and overlooked the golf course, every machine was equipped with a bottle of water and towel and it was open 24/7. They had an array of fitness classes and personal training available.
On one of the cloudier afternoons we visited the spa, which is open every day and offers a selection of different treatments including full body massages, facials and they even offer couples treatments in a bamboo hut in the gardens of the spa.
We chose to relax in their enormous jacuzzi pool that had incredibly tranquil views of the garden and had a sauna and various steam rooms available.
We had booked the trip as a relaxation from home and to switch off. I run multiple businesses now and as a result, I rarely spend time off my phone or relaxing, so the majority of our time at the hotel was spent by this pool, soaking up the warm winter sun and reading (although I’ll admit I did do a tiny bit of work).
The hotel has a whopping 7 pools – with several that are child friendly. We chose to move between the pool right in front of our villa, and this stunning infinity pool (which is where we also had breakfast every day).
At the bottom of the hotel, guests could get a cable car or walk down to the secluded beach for a change of scenery. There’s a restaurant if you’re planning to stay for the day and sun loungers. We didn’t venture into the sea (I went in November and it was VERY cold) but lots of people were swimming, cliff jumping and crab hunting.
We stayed for a total of 5 nights and every evening sampled a different restaurant in the hotel. We had two favourites: Verona – that offered Italian cuisine including handmade pasta and artisan pizzas.
The staff were friendly, the food delicious and flavoursome and it offered amazing views of their terracotta visits and luscious gardens.
On our final evening we were treated to a spectacular evening at the Abama Kabuki – a Japanese fusion restaurant. It’s mainly reached by car as it’s quite a distance from the hotel and overlooks the golf course, hotel and Altantic Ocean.
We started the evening with some tasty cocktails and nibbles whilst we drank in this incredible view.
Then we moved in doors and I tried the beef short rib – which being a big meat lover – was one of the most tender, exquisite short ribs I’ve ever had. The staff were very attentive, the atmosphere quiet with a very exclusive feel.
We didn’t have a car and as such were quite limited in what we could do outside of the hotel. It takes up so much space that it’s near on impossible to walk anywhere nearby – be it a shop, a cafe or anything else. So if you’re planning to explore the island during your stay I’d definitely recommend hiring a car.
This is hands down one of the best hotels I’ve stayed in. It oozes elegance in every corner, and is so large it feels as though you are in your own village away from the rest of the island.
The range of restaurants is brilliant, the number of pools and endless breathtaking views of the hotel, gardens and Atlantic Ocean are second to none. The staff are very friendly, but sometimes not as attentive as I would have expected in a hotel as grand as this – especially by the pool. We tended to order lunch by the pool and it was very difficult to find staff to order food and drink from.
Aside from this, if you’re looking to book somewhere for a special occasion, have money to splash, want to spend a week in a tropical oasis or simply want to enjoy a different side of Tenerife, then I would thoroughly recommend the Ritz Carlton Abama – it’s a hotel I would love to go back to.
Prices start from 261 euros per night. To find out more, visit: https://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/spain/abama
To my ever lovely readers – have you ever been to Tenerife? Would you ever stay in the Ritz Carlton?
Disclaimer: I was offered a discounted stay, but was under no obligation to create this post. All views are my own.
Fantastic. Keen to follow how your goals go for this year too. Rat year starts at the end of this week.


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Shieh Dental Health Care
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text:
Aeronautics enrollment rises as airlines seek more pilots
Enrollment in Averett University’s aeronautics program has soared, the Danville school reports, from about 40 students a few years ago to more than 100 now.
More and more young people recognize that demand for pilots is increasing, says Travis Williams, the university’s chief flight instructor.
Boeing’s 2018 Pilot & Technician Outlook, released in July, projects a demand for 790,000 pilots during the next 20 years, double the current workforce.
Airline representatives are visiting campuses and recruiting through social media, Williams says. “Over the last two or three years, the word has kind of spread” about the shortage and “starting salaries have almost tripled.”
He believes students choose his school because “you know if you come to Averett you’re going to be in an airplane right away. Our students fly the first year. The first week of school, students are out flying already.”
Another attraction is the university’s partnership with Piedmont Airlines and PSA Airlines Inc., both of which are subsidiaries of the American Airlines Group.
“It’s a pretty good deal,” says Williams. There’s tuition reimbursement, and students can build up hours working as instructors. “Once they hit the minimum hours of flight training, they head to the airlines.”
Averett is one of about a dozen Virginia colleges and technical schools with aviation and/or aeronautics programs.
The university plans to cap enrollment in its program at 125, Williams says, because “we don’t want to get too big. We want to give one-on-one attention.” Total enrollment at Averett is about 1,600.
Most students hope to become commercial airline pilots, but aviation jobs also are available in surveying, forestry, crop dusting, law enforcement and government contracting.
Averett offers undergraduate degrees in aerospace management with fields of concentration in aviation business and flight operations. The program also offers a joint major in aerospace management and criminal justice. The flight center is located at Danville Regional Airport, near campus.
“I don’t think most people realize how much you have to know about things like meteorology and factors that affect the body while flying,” Williams says. “And you have to learn how to instruct. It’s like an education major, you have to learn how people learn. It’s more than just coming out to the airport and just flying.”


“Elbit systems” announced today that it was provided contracts, in an mixture quantity of about $fifty six million, to deliver Anti-Submarine warfare (ASW) abilities to the military of a country in Asia-Pacific. The contracts can be performed over a 12-month period.
underneath the contracts, Elbit systems will offer the Seagull™ USVs which is categorised as an Unmanned surface Vessel configured to carry out ASW missions and the Towed Reelable active Passive Sonar (TRAPS) structures. The Seagull USVs will combine Helicopter/ship long-range active Sonars (HELRAS) and can be equipped with the enterprise’s autonomous suite, fight control system and satellite verbal exchange functionality. The TRAPS systems, a good way to be hooked up onboard the purchaser’s corvettes, are low frequency variable-intensity-sonars meant for detection, tracking and classification of submarines, midget submarines, floor vessels and torpedoes.
Oren Sabag, Co-GM manager of Elbit systems ISTAR & EW, commented: “advanced autonomous and sonar talents are a key to addressing the increasing challenges inside the underwater arena. According To GM of Elbit system they consider that their portfolio of well verified or tested maritime capabilities is well placed to assist the developing operational requirements of naval forces around the world.”


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Piers Morgan has released the first glimpse of his new "work home" ahead of TV show launch.
The Newick resident will present a new global prime-time show which will hit our screens in a few weeks.
This comes almost a year after his turbulent time on Good Morning Britain came to an end an abrupt end following his controversial comments towards Meghan Markle.
Piers has teased the show will be "massive" upon its highly anticipated launch.
He said in an Instagram post: "BREAKING: First (very early) glimpse of my spanking new work home.
"If you judge a man by the size of his studio then I’ll be MASSIVE when my new global daily prime-time TV show launches in a few weeks."
He then joked with his 1.8m followers to "relax" as " those aren’t actually dance-floor lights" which can be seen on the studio's ceiling.
In September last year Piers said the TV show will be a "new adventure".
It will air in the UK on TalkTV, while on FOX Nation for US audiences and on Sky News Australia.
It was also announced that Morgan will join The Sun and the New York Post as a columnist.
As well as this he will also present a series of True Crime documentaries.
Piers in a statement said: "I’m thrilled to be returning to News Corp. Rupert Murdoch has been a constant and fearless champion of free speech and we are going to be building something new and very exciting together.
"I want my global show to be a fearless forum for lively debate and agenda-setting interviews, and a place that celebrates the right of everyone to have an opinion, and for those opinions tt be vigorously examined and challenged."


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One of the most famous and longest places that produce wine is France, with roots dating back to the 6th century BC you can guarantee that everyone will have heard of a few French wines that have been perfected over the years. Throughout history generations have maintain vineyards and has improved the quality as the knowledge and understanding needed has also significantly improved at a rapid rate.
In the early days wine was often just consumed locally but in the late 1800’s one of the main reasons for France’s economy to be doing so well as it began to export it worldwide and had a monopoly because not many other countries were producing wine.
France is now the most wine in the world by value but as time goes by more and more countries are beginning to rival that record forcing everyone to produce more each year. As mentioned before the majority of wine made in France was actually consumed in France but this has been dropping for over 40 years making it much more cost effective to export wines to other countries that require them.
One thing is for sure, we can expect to see France producing and exporting wines for many years to come!