text:
Orijen Petfoods is committed to the welfare of your dog. Orijen is probably among the best dried, kibbled dog food available in the market. Orijen is exclusively manufactured and distributed by Champion Petfoods in Canada. They have their own processing plant that have a strict quality standard to ensure the safety and efficiency of the dog food they produce. It is a family owned business which has been in the industry for over 30 years. Their experience and expertise have led them to create quality, safety and efficient dog food. The company is focused on dog nutrition and most of their ingredients are sourced in Canada.
Orijen Dog Food New Plymouth Idaho
As a proof of their quality, Orijen was awarded by the Glycemic Research Institute in Washington DC as ‘Petfood of the Year’. They have been awarded three times in a row and defeated 100 other dog food brands. It is hard to get that award and recognition. The dog food must be low glycemic, and manufactured without meat by-products, or ingredients that cause harm to dogs. Additionally, the dog food must be high in nutrients and palatable, and promotes the health of the dog. [dyna dynami=”image5″]
Orijen Dog Food has been one of the most favorite dog foods among dog owners. This dog food receives the highest rating for nutritional value and ingredient quality. They are never involved in controversy for reducing the quality of their products or using low nutrition ingredients. Orijen’s top ingredients include all meats or meals, poultry or fish. The Six Fish formula, for example, includes fresh salmon, salmon meal, walleye, herring, and herring meal among its top ingredients. The ingredients are a good source of concentrated proteins. They only use fresh meat ingredients without using any byproducts. When the processing is done, they enriched the formulas with probiotics that support your dog’s digestive system and immune functions. Chelated minerals are also included in the formulas. This is done to compensate for any loss of nutrients like vitamins and minerals during the processing stage.Orijen Pet Food – Great Source of Protein
Orijen Dog Food’s protein count is incredibly high, doesn’t consist of fillers or grains, and the carbohydrate sources are excellent. Most of the Orijen formulas include fresh fruits, whole eggs, and fresh vegetables which are good for your dog’s health and are rarely seen in many popular dog foods. Above all, all the Orijen formulas are marketed as totally grain free, which makes them easy on the canine digestive system and an appropriate option for dogs with digestion problems or allergies. It’s exceptional use of fresh meats and meals help it become among the highest quality formulas currently available on the market.
Orijen Dog Food Reviews New Plymouth Idaho
Orijen receives good reviews from the majority of its customers and veterinarians. They consistently rate the formulas around five stars for the quality ingredients used in all their products. Your dog may have some form of grain sensitivity that affects his digestive system or activates allergies, but Orijen is among the rare high-quality foods that contain absolutely
no grains, such as corn, wheat and soy.
It also contains great amount of fresh meat protein and meat or fish meals. If you feed your dog with Orijen, you will notice more energy and healthier weight of your dog. If your dog has any digestive problems, it will disappear once you change your dog food to Orijen. These formulas are mild on the stomachs of any dog but nonetheless offer more nutrition than most rivaling dog foods. The cost is high in comparison to many dog food formulas, but customers agree that the price of the food makes it definitely worth it. [dyna dynami=”image5right”]
What makes Orijen pet food a great dog food is because of their priority to improve the dog food they produce without reducing the quality and value. Orijen Dog Food believes in creating dog food that is as close as possible to the normal diet that your dog would get in the wild. Orijen gets our highest rating for the premium quality ingredients that they will use in their food including fresh and quality regional ingredients. Most of the animal proteins are shipped fresh and do not contain any preservatives. Each of the meat products in Orijen dog food hasn’t been frozen and most of their meats are not farm-raised.
Orijen promotes their ingredients as having a large amount of nutrition, due to a steam cooking method that uses lower temperatures. Oftentimes, the first three ingredients in Orijen dog food consist of meat or meat meals. The carbohydrates in Orijen dog food come primarily from russet potatoes and sweet potatoes. The protein content in all Orijen dog food formulas is higher than most other dog food formulas. A few examples of meat used in Orijen are bison, pork, salmon, lamb and wild boar. Obviously, customers appreciate Orijen Dog Food. They see how their dogs love eating Orijen dog food.

domain: health


text:
Gucci Mane Ft. Young Thug – Gucci Land
listen and Download below:
Download the latest music coming from American Rapper Gucci Mane Ft. Young Thug on the song titled Gucci Land, download and listen.
Gucci Mane Feat 2 Chainz x Young Dolph Both Eyes Closed (Mp3)
Gucci Mane Featuring Rapper 2 Chainz,Young Dolph on the song tagged Both Eyes Close, check it out.
Gucci Mane ft BigWalkDog & Peewee Longway – Gelati
Download mp3 Gucci Mane ft BigWalkDog & Peewee Longway – GelatiGucci Mane the American rapper has teamed up with BigWalkDog & Peewee Longway to deliver a brand new song titled Gelati.
Gucci Mane ft Lil Baby & NBA Youngboy – Bodies
Download mp3 Gucci Mane ft Lil Baby & NBA Youngboy – BodiesGucci Mane the American rapper and record executive has teamed up with Lil Baby and NBA Youngboy to dished out an amazing new song titled Bodies.
Download Naijacrawl App today
Fastest way to read on the go
Download the Naijacrawl App.

domain: celebrity


text:
Baghdad - The Kurdistan Regional Government rejected the artillery shelling of border posts in the region.
"While we affirm our commitment to the principles of good neighborliness and non-interference in the affairs of others, and that we are not a party to the problems between the Islamic Republic and the opposition groups, we do not want to target civilians in the border areas of the region under this cover, who are residents of border villages, or be victims of the bombing of the Islamic Republic of Iran." A statement issued by the Kurdistan Regional Government said.
"While the KRG condemns this bombing, it calls on the Islamic Republic of Iran to stop these attacks on civilians and on the territory of the Kurdistan region," the statement said.
The statement pointed out that the Kurdistan Regional Government summoned the Iranian consul to hand him a letter expressing their rejection of the bombing, to be taken to the Iranian capital Tehran.
Iranian artillery has bombed sites in Iran's Kurdistan and Kurdistan region inside Iraqi territory, under the pretext of the presence of Peshmerga fighters belonging to the two Democratic parties in Iran's Kurdistan.
Iranian troops began shelling the hills of Halkord Mountains again.
Source: National Iraqi News Agency

domain: news


text:
My Rainbow lorikeet just died
(Pottsville NSW Australia)
Hi all, Yesterday my lorrie started vomiting so we brought her and her partner inside.
This morning she was okay, but just an hour ago, we was dead. Her partner was standing on top of her, he is absolutely devastated. When we bought the male, he came with a female, which flew away 2 years ago when some assh*le from the street opened the cage. We've had this young female with him for a year now and they got on good, other then him being a bit too rough with her.
Anyway, we've taken her out now and buried her, but skiddles (the boy) is doing the same whistle noises as last time and he walking around with his head down. We have managed to feed him some food and he has come out of the cage (but not touched us).
Do you think the vomiting was an illness that could have been spread to Skiddles? He looks fine considering...

domain: pet


text:
- Fulton International Industry Limited
Is there any difference between using no silicone oil paper or tin foil?
oasted cookies with oil paper is to avoid cookie dry and electric baking plate adhesion, in making cookies dry on oil paper and tin foil is not too much difference.But if it is when making cake rolls, silicone oil paper is an indispensable special tool, is there the difference between baking cookies with no silicone oil paper or tin foil?Today, Hong Chang will come to answer this question.
The silicone paper can be placed on an electric baking sheet, so the toast model can be more complete.
Second, high quality and high quality silicone oil paper is more soft than tin foil paper.
When rolling the toast, you can simply roll the cake with a rolling pin.Tin foil is not good, because tin foil material belongs to the more rigid class, so you can not use tin foil when making cake paper, you can only use silicone oil paper.If it is when baking toast, then tin foil can be used.Cover the toast with foil to avoid a darker toast and affect the final effect.But for another benefit of tin foil over silicone oil paper, tin foil can be spread flat over the thermal radiation on the surface of toast bread to relieve surface cracking.
These are some differences between the use of silicone oil paper and tin foil paper.In addition, the big difference between foil and silicone oil paper is that —— foil can be used for charcoal roast meat. After using foil, the meat will be more tender and more moisture.
And silicone oil paper can not be used for charcoal fire barbecue, because although it is resistant to high temperature, but it can not well withstand the open fire baking system.All in all, silicone oil paper is more commonly used when making cakes, and tin foil paper is not as advantageous as silicone oil paper, but it can be used for charcoal barbecue.After reading this, have you learned the difference between baking cookies with no silicone oil foil or tin foil?We will see you again next time!

domain: food


The Postal Service has rolled out a new Overtime Admin Tool for the city carrier and clerk crafts.
“OTAdmin is intended to serve as a tool to assist local managers and supervisors administer and track clerk craft bargaining-unit overtime. The application will help users assign overtime more efficiently and consistent with the appropriate collective bargaining agreement and local memorandum of understanding (LMOU). … It is anticipated that nationwide implementation will be completed by the end of Fiscal Year 2017.”
The utilization of OTAdmin does not change the provisions of Article 8 or Article 30. Violations of Article 8 and Article 30 – LMOU tours and sections – should be grieved as if this program does not exist. The program is designed to break down the applicable ODL(s) by tours and sections – overtime calls for Begin Tour, End of Tour and for N/S days. The system currently provides two reports: “Call Notification List” and the “Rotation List”. The program also keeps track of make-up overtime and provides an email warning to the supervisor when a PSE nears 8 hours in a service day.
The OTAdmin tool was developed because of the vast number of overtime grievances and payouts. Given the large number of employee overtime calls and bid changes these days, this OTAdmin tool looks labor intensive to maintain. Attached is a USPS PowerPoint that explains how it works.
First Name: Don
Last Name: Cheney
Union/Local: APWU – Auburn WA Local
Office held if any: Retired President


text:
Orbit has revealed the cover for Jade Legacy, the third book in the Green Bone Saga! It’s fittingly as bold and epic as its predecessors. I like how the series starts with a close-in image on the cover of Jade City, to a city skyline in Jade War, to the mountainous landscape of Kekon in Jade Legacy, reflecting the expanding scope and stakes of the trilogy.
Read the full announcement and book description here.
Pre-orders and first week sales are immensely valuable to authors and publishers because they signal to booksellers that there’s demand for the book. If you pre-order Jade War or buy it within its first week of release, I’ll send you a signed bookplate, a postcard of the Green Bone oath, and a vinyl No Peak clan sticker to show off your clan loyalties!
All you have to do is:
1) Rush out and buy a copy of Jade War in any format (print, audio, e-book)
2) Post a selfie (or book photo, or pet photo) with your purchased copy of Jade War on social media (Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram) with the hashtag #JadeWar by July 31.
3) Email or DM me with a link to your post and your mailing address (anywhere in the world is fine!)
4) Receive your swag! (Allow 1-3 weeks for delivery)
In advance of its release on July 23, Jade War has garnered a triumvirate of starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly, Library Journal, and Kirkus. Here’s what they’re saying:
“Lee’s story is sweeping, leisurely, and epic, and combines political intrigue with sharply choreographed action scenes, but it’s a character-driven family drama at its heart. Conflict ranges from delicate boardroom negotiations to dramatic duels, and from assassinations to all-out war, while the increasingly complex narrative continually ups the stakes. This worthy continuation of the larger story line delivers a satisfying tale and sets the stage for the next installment.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Smart and action-filled fantasy, filled with vibrant characters.” —Library Journal (starred review)
“Strong, thoughtful, and fast-paced.” —Kirkus (starred review)
Cross Fire, the sequel to Exo, is a 2019 Locus Award finalist for Best YA Novel, alongside many deserving fellow nominees. The winners will be announced June 30 in Seattle. Check out the full list of finalists.
Look at these beautiful advance reader copies of Jade War! The second book in the Green Bone Saga releases on July 23, and I can’t wait to share the continuing story of the No Peak clan with readers. I’ll be giving away these signed ARCS to newsletter subscribers, in person at Norwescon April 19-21, and on Twitter. So subscribe, follow, and stay tuned.
My fun superhero short story, “Welcome to the Legion of Six” has been published by The Overcast. This is my first podcast publication and I think the audio format suits this story particularly well, particularly with J.S. Arquin’s expressive narration. Have a listen here.
I now have a page on Curious Fictions where I’ll be posting behind-the-scenes content related to my books as well as reprints of blog posts and short stories. Come find me there!
The audiobook of Jade City, narrated by Andrew Kishino, is a finalist for the 2019 Audie Awards in the Fantasy category. Andrew did an outstanding job bringing my book to life for listeners and I couldn’t be more thrilled to see his work recognized. Listen to a sample here, or download the book at Audible, Downpour, or wherever audiobooks are sold.
Winners will be announced at the Audie Awards Gala on March 4th.
I’m happy to share the news that Cross Fire is a finalist for the 2019 Oregon Book Award in the YA category, alongside The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw, Books Smarts & Tender Hearts by Shelley Pearson, and This Mortal Coil by Emily Suvada. Congratulations to all the finalists! This is my third Oregon Book Award nomination (Zeroboxer and Exo were nominees in 2016 and 2018 respectively). The full announcement and more details can be found on the Literary Arts website.

domain: artistic


text:
Sault Ste. Marie’s top cop wants the federal government to ensure provinces have cash to run treatment facilities if possession of narcotics is decriminalized.
City council in Vancouver passed a motion at a meeting last Wednesday calling on the Liberal government to end the prosecution of persons with drugs.
Mayor Kennedy Stewart called the motion “a health-focused approach to substance abuse.”
Chief Hugh Stevenson, of Sault Ste. Marie Police Service, says provincial ministries of health need“significant” dollars to offer drug treatment before a federal government decision to end prosecution of drug possession.
“To go down that road without that, to me, is irresponsible,” said Stevenson. “They have to look at what the implications are of their decisions.”
He is a member of Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police’s substance abuse committee. The committee recently sent a letter to the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police stressing the federal government’s need to ensure drug treatment facilities are in place before decriminalizing drug possession.
“I think one of the biggest mistakes the Government of Canada made was that when they legalized marijuana they never thought, or didn’t put, investments … into treatment for all drug usage.”
The Sault, he adds, is part of a North American opioid crisis “and yet we have no treatment facilities.
“Why would you ever think it’s a great idea to continue to go down the road of decriminalization when you can’t deal with the issues that you have now?”
Stevenson says he made the same point when the former provincial Liberal government asked for his feedback about the legalization of marijuana. At the time, he was director of Criminal Intelligence Services Ontario.
Stevenson’s recommendation was setting up treatment facilities “across this province.”
Canada made recreational marijuana legal in 2018.
Mayor Christian Provenzano would back a motion similar to what was recently passed in Vancouver.
“People who have substance use disorders and addiction issues are not criminals,” he said Friday. “I do not believe that they should be criminalized or treated like criminals.”
The health-care system, Provenzano adds, is “failing” drug addicts with services that are “severely inadequate” to meet their needs.
“It’s obvious that any changes that hasve been made have been incremental and we’re not going to find any success in dealing with these societal challenges with incremental changes,” said Provenzano.
He wants the Ontario government “to make a significant commitment to addressing this issue.”
Sault Area Hospital and its community partners are still waiting for provincial approval for a Level 3 Withdrawal Management Facility.
No city councillors have yet to approach Provenzano with a motion similar to what was passed in Vancouver.
Provenzano, who also serves as the police board’s chief, does support the prosecution of illicit drug producers and distributors.
On Twitter: @Saultreporter

domain: sociology


text:
When it’s too hot to turn on the stove or oven, a no-cook meal plan is the perfect way to prep your meals for the week. Get a complete guide for the to calorie level here! // meal prep // meal prep monday // meal planning // summer recipes // e
7 Healthy Meal Prep Ideas - Ready To Eat Meals and Protein On The Go
The 3 Week Diet Weightloss - 7 Days Of Healthy Meal Prep Ideas – Ready To Eat Meals and Protein On The Go Recipes - A foolproof, science-based diet.Designed to melt away several pounds of stubborn body fat in just 21 libras en 21 días!
When you’re trying to pack on muscle, you have to fuel your body with lots of high-quality food. Meal prepping can help you hit your calorie requirements with healthy food that’s also delicious. Here (Fitness Challenge Food)


text:
In the cold, predawn darkness, I could barely make out the form of my four-month-old Siberian Husky pup, Tikaani, as he tugged against the ten-foot line that was secured to a nylon climbing belt fastened around my waist. With a low center of gravity built for easily pulling a heavy sled across frozen terrain and a nearly black coat, I was only aware of his presence because of the persistent jolts to my lower spine and the accompanying wheezing and hacking that occurred each time Tikanni threw his weight against his choke collar in an attempt to make me walk faster. It was only day three of his training, but the sporadic forward thrusting that was typical of young pups of his breed and the high pitched labored breathing caused by the collar that was nearly choking him had already subsided a great deal. I knew from experience raising sled dogs in Alaska that just a few more 5 mile hikes with the same rigging would curtail Tikaani’s instinctual, but reckless desire to charge down the trail at breakneck speed and teach him instead, to adopt the controlled, mile consuming gait that would be necessary for the urban sledding I had planned for him. Even though it was still dark, I closed my eyes and imagined Tikaani pulling my mountain bike up a steep mountain trail or along a sunny country road like some aberration of my childhood as a junior Musher in Alaska. I felt the familiar sting of the cold morning air as it blew past my cheeks as I swayed to the rhythm of Tikaani and I moving as a team. At that moment, I smiled. Everything was good and as it should be. Not just because my hope of urban sledding with my pup would soon be realized, but also because life, the Master Teacher was guiding his training. Tikaani was rapidly learning from the feedback he was receiving from being anchored to me by a ten-foot line and a choke collar while I was taking an observatory back seat. Through his self-discovery, he was adjusting his pace and his power, all on his own, and in a few short months, the choke collar would be replaced by a harness, our walk by a run, and me, by a bike or a sled. Life indeed was the Master Teacher, and I wasn’t the least bit worried about letting him instruct Tikaani the way he knew best.
I’m not sure exactly when, or why it happened, but many dog owners have lost their trust in the ability of the Master Teacher (life) to teach their dogs without harming or killing them. Instead, these owners now control every aspect of their dog’s existence and take great care never to allow them to suffer the consequences of their actions. Worried stiff, they fail to realize their efforts are depriving their dogs of the essential feedback necessary for not only their dog’s survival but for it to establish a safe and harmonious coexistence with humans. Recently, after sharing my story of Tikaani with a few of my clients and friends, I was met with a look of horror from all of them. “Weren’t you afraid he would choke himself to death?” they all asked. “No,” I replied, and before they could ask why I went on to explain that all mammals were given the ability to flexibly deal with changes in their circumstances by developing solutions to any problems their new condition creates. Every time Tikaani strained too hard against his choke collar with me in tow, the collar squeezed the powerful muscles of his neck sufficiently enough to make his breathing difficult. When Tikaani’s oxygen debt climbed beyond his ability to tolerate it, which was way below any level that would have caused harm to his trachea, he instinctively dialed back his pace and his effort to drag me until the collar loosened amply enough to allow his breathing to return to normal. In less than a week, Tikaani developed a solution to a change in his ability to breath every time he dragged me too hard and too fast by simply slowing his pace until it coincided with my ability to keep up with him. Lesson learned, breathing back to normal, no damaged trachea, and all accomplished with only supervised and controlled exploration and cause and effect.
Our lack of trust in our dog’s ability to learn some things on their own through controlled and supervised exploration and cause and effect (even if the result is discomfort or pain), has severely crippled their learning potential. After all, no lesson is more enlightening and permanent than those that are self-taught, especially, if those lessons do cause discomfort and pain to the student. As a consequence, the majority of today’s dogs are ill-equipped to deal with anything the least bit uncomfortable or even remotely painful in their environment. Typical external stressors such as weather events, loud human-made noises, separation from owners, encounters with unfamiliar humans or dogs, traveling in vehicles, trips to the vet, and obedience training, are causing a significant number of dogs to suffer from the harmful and debilitating effect of pathological stress. This is because, when the adult canine brain is unable to interpret a signal, or it has not learned how to safely respond to it (the result of insufficient learning) the default mechanism is fear and avoidance until the brain learns otherwise. If this wasn’t bad enough, when the avoidance option becomes unavailable, such as the case when dogs are leashed, these fearful dogs learn through their self-discovery that causing pain and discomfort to unfamiliar humans and dogs that are improperly deemed as threats, will make them go away!
This unnatural, overprotective desire we have to ensure our dog’s acquisition of knowledge never experiences any emotional or physical discomfort has not only created a higher number of unlearned and aggressive dogs, it has also created an unhealthy and imbalanced state of mind that leaves us too paralyzed to take necessary action to ensure a safe and happy coexistence with our canine companions. For instance, a few years ago, I had a visit by a woman with an uncontrollable and aggressive German Shepherd. During the interview portion of our training lesson, I learned that she and her husband never ate dinner at home because the dog constantly harassed them. Family and friends never visited because they feared for their lives. All of the furniture in their house, except for a sofa, bed, and television (all obtained from a Goodwill thrift store) had been placed in storage to protect it from the dog. Any attempts to walk the dog were made hours past the couple’s regular bedtime to lessen the chances of encountering strangers with or without dogs. Unfortunately, that plan backfired because the people and dogs they wanted to avoid were out walking late at night because they too were wanting to avoid other people and dogs like hers! As a result, walks ended altogether. Lastly, plans to sell their home and purchase a new one were put on hold because they were unable to afford the repairs needed to fix the damage the dog had done to their current home.
Control, a valuable commodity that was missing in that household, had to be gained to save a fast sinking relationship between the owner and her dog. So, on went, the same type of collar that had been instrumental in regulating Tikaani’s speed and power, and attached to it was a four-foot leash held firmly in my hands. Like Tikaani, the large dog threw his weight against the collar and like Tikaani, he quickly experienced a drastic reduction in his ability to breath. However, unlike Tikaani, this dog had had its way with everyone and everything for months. It had used its unabated power to exert complete control over its pack (owners) and take over their home and their lives, and it wasn’t about to give up any of that control to me anytime soon. Over and over again the dog thrashed and bucked and flung its entire weight against the collar, but I held steady while closely monitoring his efforts to ensure his safety was never compromised. After what seemed an eternity, but was, only a few minutes, the dog solved its new problem with its breathing by ceasing its fight with the collar, the leash, and me. Afterward, when I looked into the dog’s eyes, I saw no fear or what we humans would call resentment. Instead, I saw only calmness. The dog had merely adapted to a change in its circumstances by adjusting its behavior while on a leash, and it was time to move on. Lesson learned, breathing back to normal, no damaged trachea, and like it was with Tikaani, all accomplished with only supervised and controlled exploration and cause and effect.
Sound like a happy ending? It wasn’t, and that’s the point of the story. After gaining the first ounce of control over the dog ever, I handed the leash to his owner and instructed her, with pride, to take her newly behaved dog on a walk, and that’s precisely what she did, right to her car. The next day she called me, sobbing, and told me she could not do that to her dog. When I asked her why she was crying, she replied, “I don’t want to continue to live like this.” When I asked her what she was going to do, she answered, “I guess, nothing.” In an instant, the owner became a martyr while the dog continued its uncontested reign. Ironically, in a twist of fate, the owner that couldn’t bear to have her dog experience the pain or discomfort that was necessary to establish a safe and happy relationship with it, was mauled by the dog a few months later and a court order subsequently euthanized the dog.
Twenty years ago, a story like this woman and her German Shepherd would have shocked me. It no longer does. Her story is just one of the hundreds I could write. We have become weak dog owners. We don’t want to make our dogs suffer enough to control them. Even if what is required to establish control is very mild, we would rather not go there. The same goes for us. In our own lives, we don’t want to suffer at any level. The problem is, suffering is unavoidable. It’s part of the Master Teacher’s plan. Suffering creates problems. Problems generate the need for solutions. Solutions create learning. Learning helps us avoid the suffering from which it was borne. Proper training places our dogs in a position to learn from this model. Through controlled and supervised exploration, our dogs experience cause and effect while developing solutions to the problems we present to them. This is good because hard fast learning and reliability are only achieved through some level of suffering. Otherwise, why bother? Such is life for our dogs and us, or least it should be and could be if we still trusted the Master Teacher.
2164 Hillshire Circle
Memphis, TN 38133
© — Memphis Web Design by Speak

domain: literature


text:
A Cute Little Boy Becomes a Needy Puppy to Persue the Girl He Loves
Ascetic doctor falling love with the popular cartoonist
Ryan Ren and Kabby Xu’s love story.
Maybe It's Love
Yang Yang fought for glory
It was adapted from the same series of novels as "A Love so Beautiful"
Romance between Kitchen Maid and Domineering CEO
Lie To Love
City of Streamer
Sharp-tongued Girl Tames the Wild Mermaid


It is ironic that the word glocal was introduced by none other than Japanese giant Sony in the 90s, when they wanted to capitalise on the ‘think global, act local’ philosophy. Years later, Sony has lost market share to Samsung in home entertainment (Trinitron and Bravia), to Apple and Samsung in mobile phones (Xperia, Sony Ericcson) and to Apple again in sound driven products (Walkman and Discman). While Sony and Nokia have missed the bus in a globalised environment, there are several examples of global giants not being able to capture a local insight in time or in the right way.
In my previous article for Aurora on co-branding, I wrote about how Engro Foods captured a local insight and then partnered with Rooh Afza to introduce a rose flavoured milk drink, an insight that Nestlé and other beverage companies failed to pick up on. Although it may be too early to judge the impact of Olper’s Rooh Afza on Engro’s P&L, the nature of the innovation and the way it resonated with consumers is praiseworthy. About a decade ago, when I was working on a consultancy project for a local sugar mill, the idea of packaging sugarcane juice was discussed. Gannay ka rass (sugarcane juice) for most Pakistanis is synonymous with freshness. Yet, so far no juice manufacturer, be it Nestlé or Engro, has been able to leverage this insight.
The problem with thinking global and then acting local can be tricky, especially for multinational companies, which are often compelled to fit global initiatives into a local context. There are also examples of multinational companies having adopted local consumer insights, although they tend to happen more in the food sector than in any other category. For example, Pizza Hut’s launch of a tikka flavoured pizza, Lay’s chatni flavoured offering and Maggi’s aata noodles. Here are two more examples of multinational companies successfully adopting a local insight into their strategy.
Tang with lemon and pepper
This was a case of a local company – Hilal Foods – having captured a local insight before a multinational giant like Kraft Foods did. In 2006, Kraft’s brand Tang was heavily dependent on its orange flavour as it was contributing 97% of Tang’s total volume. Tang was therefore struggling to diversify its range of flavours. In the meantime Hilal had developed a product suited to the local market and aptly named it Limopani. They also created a jingle based campaign which resulted in a 15% share loss for Tang in the non-carbonated beverages segment. At Tang, we (I was working there as assistant brand manager) had two options. Either to launch a lemon variant or look for another flavour variant that would click with local consumers. We decided to do both. We started developing a lemon flavour and also launched a mango flavour. Tang had previously launched a mango flavoured drink which was imported from the Philippines and was very sour in taste. Pakistanis take their mangoes seriously and can differentiate their chaunsas from their langras and their sindhris from their ratols. A Filipino based version of mango was never going to work and it did not. The new mango flavour we developed was ratol based and the pulp was sourced in Pakistan. Lemon was a different story; we launched a lemon flavour, but with a black pepper twist. Research had showed that most Pakistanis add black pepper to their homemade lemonade. Although I left the company before the launch, Tang was able to capture significant market share in the lemon flavoured drinks category, pushing Limopani back to a single digit market share, while Tang Mango also captured about a four percent share in the non-carbonated beverage category. This is an example of cutting a diamond with a diamond; countering a local insight with another local insight.
Persil and abayas
Abayas are an integral part of an Arab woman’s wardrobe, whether she is a student, a homemaker or a working woman. Saudi women are paying more and more attention to fashion and with emphasis on their abayas. Abaya customisation and care is one of the few ways Saudi women have of expressing themselves. Henkel was able to cater to the requirements of Arab women who did not have a special detergent for their abayas but did not want to ruin their treasured possessions by sending them to the laundry. As a result Henkel came up with Persil Abaya Shampoo, a product specifically suited for the needs of abaya wearing women in Saudi Arabia. The launch of Persil Abaya Shampoo, also known as Persil Black, was a huge step in moving consumers up the benefit ladder and creating a differentiation in a fast commoditising detergents’ category. P&G followed with an abaya detergent under their Tide brand, as did Italian FMCG manufacturer Bolton Manitoba with Omino Abaya Shampoo. Both missed the mark by a big margin, one of the reasons being that both opted to use their globally designed colour packaging without taking into account local preferences and the fact that a black, rather than a pink bottle might have resonated better when it came to marketing a black detergent. In fact, despite heavy ATL presence and in-store activation, Tide was only able to capture a two percent market share in the black wash detergent segment in the Middle East in the two years following the launch. Now, while P&G is looking for an exit strategy from this segment and focusing more on universal liquid detergents, Persil Black is enjoying a dominant 75% market share in the black wash segment. Earlier this year, Henkel launched the Persil Black Oud fragrance; once again based on a local insight whereby Arab women use the essence of oud on their abayas for special occasions and social gatherings. The launch led to further conversion to the abaya wash category, which is now driven single-handedly by Persil Black.
In terms of local insight driven innovation, there is Nestlé’s raita business, which is part of their chilled dairy portfolio and only exists in Pakistan. A couple of years ago Sunsilk launched a shampoo variant targeted at women who cover their heads, thereby providing a solution to a wide audience in Pakistan and the Middle East.
Here are two questions anyone thinking about bringing an innovation to a market should ask themselves. Firstly, are you a responsive innovator, because this is key to success. The innovation strategy should respond to local consumer needs as opposed to introducing global ideas to the local market irrespective of whether they fit the local context or not. Remember there is a fine line between a ‘blue ocean’ and a ‘niche’. Secondly, which matrix should you follow? Will the Forbes Innovation Matrix, which is the most commonly used innovation strategy, suit your objectives? Or are you forcing your strategy to fit into that matrix? Have you thought of using the Gunther Sonnenfeld Innovation Matrix which is more flexible and deals with culture and research as well as the intrinsic and extrinsic values of an organisation, and is precisely what is needed to ‘think local and act local’. Finally, manufacturers need to evaluate their capability to handle innovations at a local level, conduct research to identify consumer needs and last but not the least, they must have the local talent to identify those needs and stay close to the consumers.
Needless to say that a marketing guru sitting in Cincinnati cannot decide what a consumer in Islamabad needs.
Sami Qahar is a Dubai-based Pakistani looking for excuses to write. Aurora gives him a few. firstname.lastname@example.org


The emergence of blockchain technology, a distributed ledger technology based on peer-to-peer information networks, cryptography and game theory, came with a re-invigoration of decentralization visions of the internet. By disrupting existing intermediaries and replacing trust in a centralized middleman with the blockchain technology itself, distributed ledger technologies were envisaged to bring about a 'democratization' of the sharing economy in general and of the energy transition specifically, re-igniting visions of decentralized, democratized renewable energy systems.
builds on what I've termed 'retrospective insider research', characterized by
field work that is self-ethnographic, serendipitous and undercover. The
research took place in the emerging blockchain-in-energy community of practice centered
around Berlin in the years 2016-2018, termed thought collective in this paper. Based
on insights from moments of epiphany in the field, I show how the blockchain-in-energy
thought collective came about as a radical subcultural notion of shifting power
balances in the industry but ended up replicating what they originally set out
to challenge. Furthermore, they are informed by a Foucauldian understanding of
power and its recent reiterations, infopower and energopower, signifying the
power inherent to information and energy infrastructure, respectively.
The power struggles inside the thought collectives reveal how different stakeholders perceive and shape, colonize and co-create the blockchain discourse. Dissimilar visions are promoted by different stakeholders, of which some support and some rather obstruct the energy transition, and at times, the technology is used as a veil rather than a change agent. Blockchain in energy emerged as a testing ground for challenge and resistance to the status quo; at the same time, it became a product of the incumbent power and governance structures while it also creates its own new centralized governance structures, two forces of power that are termed energopower and infopower in this paper. Techno-utopianism, as a form of technological determinism, contributes to a blindness towards power issues which helps this paradox to emerge. It thus becomes a technology of structure preservation and is not, as often perceived, an answer to surveillance capitalism and the current #BreakUpBigTech platform regulation debate. With these paradox results regarding the 'technology of decentralization', I conclude that cooperative ownership and democratic control, not decentralization in itself, could function as a vision of ways forward in the current power struggles of transition in both data and energy systems.
Keywords: blockchain, power, governance, decentralization, recentralization, insider research, energy transition, information systems
|Publication date||13 Apr 2020|
|Publication status||Submitted - 13 Apr 2020|
|Event||Transformative Technologies - Kerschensteiner Kolleg des Deutschen Museums, München, Germany|
Duration: 30 Jan 2020 → 2 Feb 2020
|Location||Kerschensteiner Kolleg des Deutschen Museums|
|Period||30/01/2020 → 02/02/2020|
- energy transition
- power struggles


College of Charleston faculty and staff recently gathered for the inaugural Maroon Walk for Juneteenth in recognition of the annual celebration historically held in African American communities on June 19 to mark the date in 1865 when word reached Texas, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, that those enslaved were free.
Developed by the Whipper Grant Caucus, an affinity group designed to support CofC’s Staff Advisory Council (SAC) to the President in communicating the experiences and perspectives of Black/African American staff members, the Maroon Walk for Juneteenth, held on June 9, 2022, honored the African American settlements established by fugitive slaves known as maroons. More than 30 faculty and staff members gathered for a half-mile walk to sites where African Americans made indelible contributions to the CofC campus while decorating flowerbeds, walkways and buildings with Pan-African flags along the way.
“Inspired by Ms. Opal Lee’s Walk for Juneteenth, we aspired to establish an empowering, yet active opportunity to recognize Juneteenth at the College of Charleston,” says Charissa Owens, SAC chair, Whipper Grant Caucus member and director of diversity education and training in the Office of Institutional Diversity. “We wanted it to be a space of jubilation for all campus members, especially African American/Black employees. We also wanted to make others, including visitors and students, aware that campus members were honoring Juneteenth.”
The Office of Institutional Diversity and the Graduate School, along with many other campus divisions, offices and programs, contributed funding for the Pan-African flags, banners and yard signs. The caucus used the College’s Discovering Our Past virtual tour to identify a few sites to feature on the route to educate participants about the history of campus buildings and land. Featured sites included the Solar Pavilion near the Pi Kappa Phi Bell Tower where an 1853 slave tag was found, the African American Cemetery Memorial that honors the former site of an African American cemetery at Rivers Green and the Knox-Lesesne House, which was built in 1872 for A.O. Jones, an African American and clerk of the South Carolina House of Representatives during Reconstruction.
“We wanted to celebrate the moment and really make an event out of it,” says Kameelah Martin, dean of the Graduate School and a member of the Whipper Grant Caucus, which is named for Lucille Whipper and Owilender K. Grant, the College’s first Black administrator and first Black tenure-track faculty member, respectively. “We also wanted to acknowledge all of the sacred spaces on campus where people of African descent have contributed to the campus culture – in the past, present and into the future.”
Martin says the goal in putting up the flags and signs was to both celebrate Juneteenth and also raise awareness about the holiday, which Congress voted to make a federal holiday in 2021.
“The signage will be up a week before and a week after June 19, the official holiday,” she says. “For community members who do not know the significance, perhaps they will take a moment to learn more about it because they see the beautifully designed banners.”
And incorporating campus history and the contributions of African Americans and enslaved Africans as part of the Maroon Walk for Juneteenth helps elevate the immediate history of African Americans in the South Carolina Lowcountry.
“There are African American employees and students who are tethered to the history of the region. Their family histories, especially among the Gullah Geechee community, are sacred,” says Owens. “Yet, many African American employees and students do not feel connected to the College or don’t know the role the African American community contributed to the College of Charleston. The Maroon Walk for Juneteenth fills a part of that void.”
Chatting about the history of each site and decorating flowerbeds, paths and buildings with the red, black and green Pan-African flags along the walk, members of the campus community reflected on the significance of Juneteenth and the importance of elevating African American history at CofC.
“It was really a joyful moment,” says Martin, who hopes to see the Maroon Walk for Juneteenth become an annual event at the College. “It was great to see our colleagues join in a meaningful celebration.”
Owens says she is “elated by the outcome” of the inaugural Maroon Walk for Juneteenth, noting that CofC President Andrew T. Hsu attended the event, which “spoke volumes to his commitment to DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion).” She also took note of the excitement from Facilities Management employees, who were “so proud and jubilant” that they pinned the Pan-African flag in their hats.
“It was truly a moment of unity and celebration – something I believe our campus members needed to see and be a part of,” she says.


text:
HOUSTON -- Hiroki Kuroda's final turn in the rotation could have come in Sunday's season finale, but the veteran struggled mightily down the stretch, prompting Yankees manager Joe Girardi to give the ball to David Huff instead.
Kuroda was one of the Yankees' most reliable pitchers through the first four months of the season, but his performance fell off in mid-August. Kuroda was 0-5 with a 6.80 ERA in his final seven starts of the year.
"He's thrown a lot of innings [201 1/3], and I've said that his sinker was not quite the same and his slider wasn't quite the same," Girardi said. "The first year we had him, it happened a little bit in April, the inconsistency, and then he really locked it in the rest of the year.
"And then this year, he came out great and it happened at the end of the year. It could be a combination of a lot of things: all the innings the last two years, fatigue, it could be a combination of a lot of things, but no one ever really knows."
Kuroda completed his second season with New York holding an 11-13 record and a 3.31 ERA in 32 starts. A free agent, Kuroda has said that he is unsure about his plans for 2014.
Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @bryanhoch and read his MLBlog, Bombers Beat. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


The Finance Minister of France: Bruno Le Maire says, Facebook’s crypto-currency, “Libra” cannot be allowed in Europe.
Facebook is planning to launch its crypto-currency next year.
The social network company claims, Libra will make cross-border money transfers easier and bring about major economic and social changes.
However, The Finance Minister of France says, “Libra” could threaten the monetary sovereignty of countries, trigger financial turmoil, and be used for money-laundering.
French government officials say, the crypto-currency could destabilize the global financial system and cause personal data breaches, among other problems.
Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors of the G-7 countries agreed in July that Libra would have to meet the highest regulatory standards, before gaining approval.


text:
You can learn something about me and my Firesign series if you know a pair of seemingly unrelated tidbits: I loved the Guardians of the Galaxy movie, and I used to watch (and enjoy) Glee. There’s a unifying theme throughout the three.
It’s probably no surprise when I say I enjoyed Guardians of the Galaxy. So did everyone else, and it’s an ensemble space opera romp with narrative similarities to my own work (a group of friends, adventure, traveling, tons of explosions). Glee might be more surprising; it’s what I would call a guilty pleasure if I didn’t think those were bullshit, at least up until the melodrama got to me and I stopped watching. The reason why I liked Glee, though, is linked to why I loved Guardians of the Galaxy, and why Firesign is the way it is.
You guessed it (or not): the ensemble. I love me an ensemble cast, where the best moments are when the whole group is working together toward something huge. I’m a guy who spent a lot of time playing MMORPGs as a lad, doing 40-100+ people dungeon raids to take down living gods; I learned it young. That’s what I liked about Glee, and why I still think fondly of the awesome all-cast ballads (and Jane Lynch, obviously). That’s why I liked Guardians of the Galaxy out of proportion to its actual merits, because the heroes all came together at the end, and it was sweet.
That’s why Firesign features not one, but three main characters so far. It would have been smart for my first book to have only one main character (and to have a simpler world, a less expansive plot, and much more), but that’s not what gets my blood boiling. A group of friends, sticking together through thick and thin, who work together to do something greater than any could accomplish individually . . . that is my kind of story.
I might expect more of that going forward, if I were you. Just a thought : )As always, thank you for using my Amazon Affiliate link (info).


text:
Nestled in the east wing of the hotel, facing the Ischia pool, lies Gazebo, a shisha lounge where you can sample a selection of Moroccan, Turkish and Lebanese mezze in the outdoors or simply enjoy your favourite shisha overlooking the unobstructed views of the Dubai Creek. The relaxed atmosphere that surrounds Gazebo lounge along with snug cushions and warm atmosphere makes it the perfect al fresco option for shisha sessions with friends.
Operating Hours: 5:30pm to 2:00am
For enquiries, please email or call
Bookings / Offers:
Starting from AED 110 onwards
For reservations and more information:

domain: travel


text:
The market stalls are full of seasonal fruits so it wouldn’t hurt to take advantage of them to prepare tasty and healthy jams.
Prepare jams from natural ingredients and try to give up the sugar content to fully enjoy the nutrients that the fruits in the jams have.
This sugar-free homemade apricot jam recipe that I will present below is the healthy version of the classic jam that we have all avoided in recent years, precisely because of the addition of 1: 1 sugar in most recipes.
This sugar-free apricot jam is not so sweet, but it is much healthier. The secret is to use apple juice that contains pectin and will help both the preservation and gelling of apricots.
• 500 ml of very sweet apple juice
• 2 kg apricots (1.7 kg without seeds)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Method of preparation:
1. Wash the apricots well and remove the stalks and seeds
2. Pour the apple juice into a large bowl and simmer until reduced by half
3. Add the apricots
4. Add the vanilla essence and lemon juice
5. Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring constantly. Because I wanted a well-gelled apricot jam, I boiled the jam 2 times for 30 minutes, with a cooling interval. That is, boil for 30 minutes, let it cool, and boil and then cool
6. When it reaches the desired consistency, turn off the heat and pour the jam into sterilized jars.
7. Close the jars tightly and immediately place them with the leaf up (10 min), to form a vacuum; then return to the normal position and allow to cool slowly, in Dunst, and transfer to the pantry.
This post contains affiliate links. Please read our Disclaimer for more info.
Of course, I kept it a little and aside to test it. It is a little sour but with the taste and aroma of fresh apricots. The color is nice, and the consistency given by the apple pectin is very good.
The jars with this sugar-free apricot jam are kept in the cool pantry. After opening a jar, it must be kept in the refrigerator.
The fact that it does not contain sugar makes it suitable for any diet, children, or diabetics.


text:
Smaller, Less expensive iPhone is Planned - Sources Say
Apple plans to launch a cheaper version of the iPhone in the fourth quarter that could be based on the ultra-slim iPod Nano music player, according to a JP Morgan report.
Kevin Chang, a JP Morgan analyst based in Taiwan, cited people in the supply channel that he did not name and an application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark office for his report.
Apple filed a patent application document that refers to a multifunctional handheld device with a circular touch pad control, similar to the Nanos scroll wheel.
Apple did not respond to requests for comment.
Long lines of people turned out on June 29 when U.S. sales began for the iPhone, a mobile phone with a music player and Web browser. Analysts have estimated that sales in the first weekend were as high as 700,000 units.
Chang said a way to follow up the iPhone with a cheaper version would be to convert the Nano into a phone and price it at $300 or lower. The iPhone sells for $500 and $600, depending on storage space.
We believe that iPod Nano will be converted into a phone because its probably the only way for Apple to launch a lower end phone without severely cannibalizing iPod Nano, he said noting that the new phone could have rather limited functionality.
Because of the anticipated lower price, 2008 sales of 30 million to 40 million units is achievable, Chang said.
This would be a much larger volume than is expected of the first iPhone, Apple has targeted sales of 10 million units in 2008, which would give it a 1 percent share of the global market.


text:
Who says pink and blue is only for a baby shower? The combo has never looked better than in this hip and modern rooftop wedding at Hotel Monaco! Inspired by an image she found online, Alex worked hard to make the color palette sophisticated with edgy details. Lush, voluminous bouquets from The Farmer’s Daughter in varying shades of white, pink, periwinkle, and purple gave a brilliant pop of color against the bridesmaids’ soft blue gowns from Bridal Beginning. A variety of arrangements set in gold rimmed terrariums or mercury glass containers matched the ivory and gold chairs at the cocktail style reception. But the highlight was certainly the boxwood wall with an ombre effect courtesy of red, pink, and white carnations. Planned in just five months with the help of Pittsburgh wedding planner bumble burgh Events & Co. and beautifully captured by Rachel Rowland Photography and Dorosh Documentaries, this wedding is proof that pink and blue is a winning combination for any occasion.
About the Couple
We met a few years ago when I was integrated into Scott’s group of friends. After a few months of seeing each other at friend events, we exchanged numbers, talked about The Bachelor, and ended up going out together. Fast forward a few years (and many Bachelor/ette seasons later) and we were engaged!
About the Wedding
Graphic, classic, and colorful. I fell in love with an image of a ocean-like blue icing on a cake with different colored pink flowers all over. I immediately became obsessed with the color palette but knew that it would be difficult to overcome it looking like a baby shower. With the flower wall elements, gold details, and the muted range of pink and blue hues, it turned out perfectly.
Both Scott and I were able to spend so much time with our bridesmaids and groomsmen because our planners and vendors were so on top of it all. There wasn’t a moment we were worried about details or timing or anything; it was all facilitated for us. We got to live in the moment, spend time with our friends and family, and remember every bit of magic that was that day.

domain: design


text:
Ah Italia! Land of gelato, Vespas and frescoes – I’ve pined for the place so many times over the last year that it’s difficult to know which I love more: Italy itself or the idea of Italy.
The joy of travel is always sparked in part by imagination: the anticipation of a place before you arrive; the memory of it once you leave. And it's not without reason that we love to recreate the places we admire back home. The Chinese have even gone so far as to enshrine their nostalgia for England through Shanghai’s mock English suburb Thames Town. It’s a riot of British stereotypes – from phone boxes to village greens.
We too love to indulge in our own make believe versions of the countries that have captured our hearts. Nowhere is this more true than our passion for Italy. Indeed, Britain has the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio to thank for the wave of Italian-inspired designs that swept across Britain in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Suffolk’s Italian fantasia
Seeking out a slice of Italy without going abroad is not as far fetched as it sounds. English gentlemen returning from their Grand Tours of Europe frequently sought to find ways to conjure up the Stivale back home. Frederick Hervey, Suffolk's Earl-Bishop, was so struck by Italy’s villa Borghese that he commissioned a giant Rotunda to be built in the heart of Suffolk – the likes of which had never been seen in Britain. There, he housed all the art and antiques he had collected on his Italian travels. He based his design on plans by Italian architect Antonio Asprucci and the result was the breathtaking Ickworth House: towering above the Suffolk fields, it is reminiscent of Florence’s famous Duomo, only fashioned out of local stone. Taking 47 years to complete, his wife dubbed it a ‘stupendous monument of folly’ – an 18th century slap down to rival even the most acerbic TripAdvisor review.
Giant folly or not, there’s arguably no better place in Britain to embrace la dolce vita. Not only does this part of Suffolk tot up an enviable number of annual sunshine hours, the Ickworth estate is a short drive from Cambridge, with its 40-minute train link into King’s Cross. And best of all, you can visit for more than a day by staying on the estate. Forget expensive testing kits and quarantine – this is a slice of Tuscany right on your doorstep.
1,800 acres of parkland surround the house with an intoxicating medley of Italianate gardens and over 10 kilometres of wooded walking trails. Although the house itself is owned by the National Trust, the West Wing is home to The Ickworth hotel, giving you a chance to fully immerse yourself in this epic piece of Italian fantasia on holiday. You can even stay in a Grand Tour themed suite which is decorated in period style and overlooks the Italianate gardens.
Daydreaming of San Gimignano while napping under the cypress trees wasn’t a stretch. Having so much space to roam in, with no crowds or burdensome airport check ins, was almost enough to satiate my deepest Tuscan longings. It wasn't for nothing that the grand daughter of the 4th Marquess described a stroll through the avenues of blossom trees as 'like walking through lace'.
I’ll admit my appreciation for Italy has sky-rocketed since having children. Anybody who has tried in vain to chorale their raucous offspring through a three course dinner at a stiff-lipped French restaurant will know that Italy’s all-embracing attitudes to bambini is balm to the soul for holidaying families.
This relaxed attitude is replicated in spades at the Ickworth, which boasts a walled play garden, an on-site creche, bike hire and a swimming pool. There are family friendly dining times, an adults only dining room and a basement cinema to boot. All this makes it very tempting to spend your entire stay on site.
Authentic gelato in Aldeburgh
Plenty more Italian delights lie in store for those who do venture out, not least to the East of Suffolk in Aldeburgh. Here, you'll not only find the best fish and chips in England but a tiny Italian ice cream kiosk next to the miniature boating lake whose scoops rival Florence for flavour. Watching children sail toy ships in front of Aldeburgh's colourful seaside façade conjured up thoughts of Positano. The town manages to be both archetypically British and fey. Each seafront house playfully battles to be different from its neighbour, with a new pastel shade, a sundial or porthole door. This being Suffolk, there's not a Tuscan-style hill in sight. Instead, the town slowly frays into the quiet marshes of the Haven nature reserve. It’s not hard to see what drew artist Maggie Hambling back to the town, or composer Benjamin Britten who lived and died here.
Britain’s answer to Venice
Ickworth may boast its own original Titian portrait but nearby Cambridge’s Fitzwilliam Museum will also supply you with a treasure trove of Italian art from Domenico Veneziano’s The Annunciation to more works by Titian and Veronese. The Bridge of Sighs, the river Cam's most iconic crossing point, takes its name – and its enclosed structure – from Venice’s ‘Ponte dei sospiri’ which was built to ferry captees from Venice's ducal palace to the city's prison. Casanova was famously held here and Venice's many tourists are known to kiss as they pass underneath it. Tickets into St John's College, where you can cross Cambridge's version of the bridge, are available at the Porter's Lodge on St John's Street.
Continue the Italian theme with lunch at La Margherita, a family-run Italian restaurant on Magdalen Street. This stalwart of the Cambridge dining scene boasts authentic dishes that are made from scratch and a mouth-watering gelato menu. Before you know it you’ll be hopping on a punt, cone in hand, and belting out ‘Just one Cornetto’. Indeed, punting down the Cam and admiring the college quads and bridges is about as close to Venice as you can get this side of the English Channel.
So much for the Green List; if the weather's on your side, Britain's Italian gems are a worthy substitute.
Visit The Ickworth for summer availability and room rates


text:
Last Updated on 05/28/2021 by Veronica Jones
Fruits and vegetables: love them or hate them, there’s no denying the many health benefits of eating your five a day.
But do the same health benefits apply to dogs? Should you give your dogs fruit and vegetables in addition to their normal dog food?
Some fruits and vegetables can actually help to strengthen a dog’s immune system, reduce inflammation and aid digestion. But it’s important that you choose the right ones.
Look no further than our complete list of what fruits and vegetables that dogs can and can’t eat.
What fruits can dogs eat?
Dogs can eat apples. The flesh of an apple is a safe, tasty and nutritious snack for your dog. It can even help to keep your canine’s teeth clean and freshen their breath. However, it’s important to remove the core and any apple seeds as they could be harmful.
How much to give your pooch: a slice or two daily as part of a balanced diet.
Can puppies eat apples? Yes, as long as you supervise them and remove the seeds.
Each part of a banana is safe for your furry friend. They also contain nutrients such as potassium.
How much to give your pooch: Bananas are high in sugar so should be given as an occasional treat.
Can puppies eat bananas? Yes, puppies can enjoy bananas too but check with your veterinarian first to make sure it doesn’t interfere with their special growth diet.
Blueberries are packed with antioxidants, fiber and vitamins C and K which all support the immune system.
How much to give your pooch: blueberries are low in calories, so don’t feel bad about giving them to your dog as a snack.
Can puppies eat blueberries? Yes. The same health benefits apply to puppies.
Blackberries are loaded with antioxidants that help to fight free radicals in your dog.
How much to give your pooch: blackberries are low in sugar and calories, making them a good option for an occasional snack or treat.
It’s safe to give your dog raw or cooked celery. Celery contains vitamins A, C and K, potassium and folate. This vegetable is also fat free and low in calories, making it a good choice of snack for overweight pooches.
How much to give your pooch: too much celery can cause your dog to urinate more than usual as it causes the body to expel water. Large amounts of celery can also lead to gas and gastrointestinal upset so give it in moderation.
Can puppies eat celery? Yes. Celery is considered safe for puppies to consume in moderation.
Dogs can reap the health benefits of cranberries too. These tiny fruits contain high levels of Vitamin C, fiber, potassium, and can even fight inflammation.
How much to give your pooch: too much of a good thing can cause problems, and cranberries are no exception. Overfeeding your dog cranberries can cause calcium oxalate stones in their bladder. Only give cranberries as an occasional, healthy treat.
Can puppies eat cranberries? Yes, if given in moderation.
Coconut flesh and oil are safe for dogs and contain anti-inflammatories that can help with conditions such as skin allergies, arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease.
Never feed your dog the shell as it can cause an intestinal obstruction.
How much to give your pooch: the amount you give your dog will depend on its size, breed and medical history so check with your veterinarian first.
Can puppies eat coconut? Yes, but check with your vet beforehand.
Dogs can safely enjoy mango as a sweet treat. Mango contains Vitamins A, B6, C and E. Peel the mango and remove the pit before serving to your pooch. Make sure the soft flesh is cut into small pieces to avoid a choking hazard.
How much to give your pooch: mangos contain high levels of sugar so only give in moderation.
Can puppies eat mango? While puppies can have mango as a snack, consult your vet first to make sure it’s suitable for their diet.
Nectarines are a sweet and nutritious summer fruit that dogs can enjoy in moderation. Vitamins A and C, potassium, fiber and magnesium make them a nutritional fruit.
How much to give your pooch: one or two slices on occasions is plenty. Too much can upset your dog’s stomach.
Can puppies eat nectarines? It’s best to avoid giving your puppy nectarines as they contain high levels of sugar.
Watermelon is packed full of nutrients, moisture and fiber, making it a healthy and hydrating snack for your dog.
How much to give your pooch: watermelon should be an occasional treat as part of a balanced diet to avoid obesity and diabetes.
Can puppies eat watermelon? Yes, as long as they avoid the rind because that can cause gastrointestinal upset.
Removing the pit and seeds and cutting the flesh up into bite-sized pieces will make pear a safe fruit for canines. Pear contains copper, fiber and vitamins C and K.
How much to give your pooch: a slice of pear now and then is plenty.
Can puppies eat pear? Yes, if cut up small enough for your dog to chew and digest.
As long as you remove the prickly peel and crown, dogs can enjoy pineapple and benefit from the vitamins, minerals and fiber it contains.
How much to give your pooch: a few small chunks of pineapple a few times a week is enough.
Can puppies eat pineapple? If the flesh is cut up into small pieces, puppies can enjoy the occasional bit of pineapple too.
Dogs can eat both the pulp and seeds from pumpkins. The high levels of fiber make it an effective remedy for diarrhea or constipation in pooches.
How much to give your pooch: start by feeding your dog one or two tablespoons of pumpkin every other day, depending on your dog’s size.
Can puppies eat pumpkin? Puppies can eat pumpkin as part of a balanced diet. Offer pureed pumpkin while they are being weaned.
Raspberries make a tasty treat for your dog that’s full of antioxidants, manganese, fiber and vitamin C.
How much to give your pooch: raspberries contain low levels of natural xylitol, which can be toxic to dogs. This means that it’s safe to give your pooch raspberries, but only in moderation.
Can puppies eat raspberries? Yes, in small amounts.
Aside from the obvious health benefits of strawberries (high levels of antioxidants, fiber and Vitamin C), strawberries can even whiten your pup’s teeth.
How much to give your pooch: strawberries contain sugar, so only feed them to your dog as an occasional treat.
Can puppies eat strawberries? Yes, as long as they don’t overindulge as the sugar levels can cause long-term health issues in canines.
The fleshy part of an orange contains vitamin C and is safe for dogs. However, the skin, pith and seeds may contain toxins.
How much to give your pooch: oranges contain a lot of natural sugar so should only be given to dogs occasionally to avoid weight gain.
Can puppies eat oranges? Yes, but only small amounts of the flesh as too much can cause gastrointestinal upset.
What fruits can dogs not eat?
While the flesh of an apricot is considered safe for dogs, the stone, leaves and stem contain cyanide which is highly poisonous to canines and should be avoided.
Avocados contain persin, which is a fungicidal toxin that can cause serious health problems, and even death in dogs.
Cherries should not be given to canines as the pits are a choking hazard.
The rind of grapefruit is toxic to dogs and the flesh is very acidic, which can cause digestive issues.
Lemons contain no health benefits for dogs. They can also cause digestive problems and contain high levels of citric acid, which could make your furry friend ill.
Just like lemons, limes contain dangerous levels of citric acid and should not be given to dogs.
Dogs cannot eat grapes. Even though grapes are small, just one or two could cause serious harm to your pooch.
24. Raisins and currants
Dried fruit is very toxic to dogs and can even lead to kidney failure.
Toxins found in rhubarb can cause damage to your dog’s nervous system, kidneys and digestive system.
The pits of a plum could cause a bowel blockage if consumed by your dog.
27. Wild berries
Not all berries are good for dogs. Avoid letting your pooch eat wild berries as there is a risk that they could be poisonous.
The high fiber content can cause severe diarrhea in dogs.
What vegetables can dogs eat?
29. Brussel sprouts
Brussel sprouts are rich in antioxidants and fiber which can help to improve blood circulation and help reduce inflammation. They are also packed full of essential vitamins.
How much to give to your pooch: too many sprouts can cause gastrointestinal issues like diarrhea and gas, so only give to your dog in moderation.
Can puppies eat Brussel sprouts? Yes, but in moderation and consult your vet beforehand.
Cabbage is a safe source of vitamins K, C, B6 and B1 for dogs and can be enjoyed on its own or baked and stuffed with other pet-friendly ingredients.
How much to give your pooch: cabbage is low in calories so can be enjoyed as a regular snack or meal addition.
Can puppies eat cabbage? Yes, if it’s cut up into small, bite-sized pieces.
The carrot itself and the leafy green top are safe for dogs to munch on. Carrots can even slow down the progression of dental disease.
How much to give your pooch: carrots are extremely healthy for dogs, so they can be enjoyed daily as part of a balanced diet.
Can puppies eat carrots? Yes, as long as you cut them into manageable pieces to avoid a choking hazard. Steamed or boiled carrots are easier for puppies to eat.
Cauliflower is another safe, nutritious vegetable that you can feed to your pooch. It contains fiber, folate, potassium, calcium and vitamins K and C.
How much to give your pooch: feed your dog small amounts of cauliflower occasionally.
Can puppies eat cauliflower? It’s safe to feed puppies small amounts of cooked cauliflower in moderation.
Dogs can snack on green peas, sugar snap peas and garden peas on occasion. Peas contain vitamins and minerals to help support a healthy immune system in canines.
How much to give your pooch: small breeds should stick to a teaspoon of peas now and then, and larger breeds should be given a tablespoon on occasions.
Can puppies eat peas? Yes, in small amounts. Never give your pup canned peas as they have added sodium which can be harmful.
Dogs can safely eat any color of raw or cooked peppers, as long as the stem and seeds are removed first. Peppers contain vitamins A and C which help heal scarring and create new skin tissues.
How much to give your pooch: this will depend on your dog’s size and diet, so consult your vet first. Make sure your dog gets a variety of vitamins and nutrients in its diet.
Can puppies eat peppers? Yes, if cooked and cut up into manageable pieces to avoid a choking hazard.
35. Sweet potato
Sweet potatoes are a good source of fiber for dogs. Cook the potato well and remove the skin before serving to your canine so it’s easier to digest.
How much to give your pooch: too much sweet potato can cause health issues so give in moderation.
Can puppies eat sweet potatoes? Yes, as long as it’s served cooked and without the skin.
Cucumber is another safe, low-calorie snack for dogs.
How much to give your pooch: too much cucumber can cause your dog to have an upset tummy, so only feed it to your dog in small amounts.
Can puppies eat cucumber? As long as the puppy is weaned and ready for solid food, cucumber can be given in small portions as an occasional treat.
37. Green beans
Green beans contain high levels of iron and vitamins, making them a healthy snack for canines.
How much to give your pooch: only feed your furry friend fresh green beans, not the tinned kind that contains added salt.
Can puppies eat green beans? Unseasoned green beans can be a good addition to your pup’s diet, however consult your veterinarian first.
Romaine, arugula and iceberg lettuce do not contain anything that will harm your dog.
How much to give your pooch: small pieces are perfectly fine, and are a good choice for a low-calorie treat for overweight dogs.
Can puppies eat lettuce? Yes, as part of a balanced puppy diet.
Kale is high in fiber and low in calories, making it a good treat for dogs who need to lose weight.
How much to give your pooch: as with all vegetables, only give kale occasionally.
Can puppies eat kale? Check with your veterinarian before feeding kale to your puppy.
Cooked butternut squash is perfectly safe to give your dog, but it should be served without any seasoning or oils.
How much to give your pooch: regular small amounts of squash is recommended for dogs.
Can puppies eat squash? Yes, as long as it’s cooked and the skin and seeds are removed.
Courgette is a good source of vitamin C, potassium, calcium and folate that helps to support the functioning of your dog’s muscles, nerves, immune system and vision.
How much to give your pooch: too much courgette can cause excessive gas in dogs, so only give in small amounts.
Can puppies eat courgette? Puppies can safely enjoy courgette too as an occasional small treat.
Eggplant is a non-toxic food for most dogs, however dogs who have kidney problems or arthritis should avoid it.
How much to give your pooch: small amounts that don’t contain any seasoning are safe for canines.
Can puppies eat eggplant? Small amounts of cooked eggplant can be given to a puppy, however you should consult your veterinarian first.
What vegetables can dogs not eat?
Asparagus itself is not toxic to dogs, however the inedible part of the asparagus plant (known as the asparagus fern) is, so it’s best to keep your four-legged friend away from it. Raw asparagus is also difficult for dogs to digest.
Broccoli contains an ingredient called isothiocyanate which can cause gastric irritation and severe abdominal pain in dogs.
Onions contain N-propyl disulfide which is toxic to dogs. You shouldn’t give any part of the onion part to your pooch, including the flesh, leaves, juice or processed powders.
Your four-legged friend may see mushrooms as an interesting snack while out for a walk, but you should avoid feeding your dog mushrooms because some can be extremely dangerous when eaten.
Never feed your dog raw potatoes as they contain solanine, which is toxic to dogs. Cooking a potato will reduce the level of solanine, however it could still be harmful to your canine.
While spinach contains vitamins, iron and antioxidants, it contains high levels of oxalic acid which stops a dog’s body from absorbing calcium and even lead to kidney disease.
49. Unripe tomatoes and tomato plants
It’s important to make sure your pooch can’t access your tomato plants because they contain tomatine, which can damage the nervous system, kidneys and digestive tract.
If eaten, watercress can cause dogs to vomit or a case of diarrhea. It can even be toxic to some canines so avoid feeding it to your furry friend.
Introducing new foods to your pooch
As tempting as it is to throw your dog your leftovers, it’s very important to know what foods can dogs eat and what foods are toxic to dogs first. Before introducing new foods to your dog’s diet, consult your veterinarian. If you think your dog may have eaten something they shouldn’t, seek professional advice straight away.
- Hearing Dogs “Safe foods for dogs”, https://www.hearingdogs.org.uk/training-our-puppies/dog-treat-recipes/dog-safe-food/, Accessed May 23rd, 2021.
- Puppyup “Healthy human foods for dogs”, https://www.puppyup.org/10-healthiest-human-foods-you-should-be-feeding-your-dog/, Accessed May 23rd, 2021.
- Falls Village Veterinary Hospital “Healthy, natural treats for dogs”, https://raleighncvet.com/nutrition-weight-management/11-healthy-natural-treats-for-dogs-in-your-kitchen/, Accessed May 23rd, 2021.
- Animal Trust “What can dogs eat”, https://www.animaltrust.org.uk/blog/what-can-dogs-eat/, Accessed May 23rd, 2021.


The DSP-22-1 detector is designed to be a low power, direct replacement for the existing DoorKing Model 9410 single channel inductive loop vehicle detectors for the parking and access control industries. The DSP-22-1 loop detector plugs into the loop detector ports on the DoorKing operator control board.
The DSP-22-1 operates as a single channel detector. The DSP-22-1 is a detector that uses advanced channel scanning technology to provide superior noise tolerance.
The DSP-22-1 always operates in the Fail-safe mode of operation.
DKS is a registered trademark of DoorKing Systems.


Reduce or prevent light pollution while enhancing the built and natural heritage of Westmount Use these guidelines to ensure the right lighting for you and your neighbourhood:
• direct all light downwards
• use fixtures that have top and side light cut-offs
• light only where and when needed
• avoid using too many lamps
• avoid using high-intensity lamps
• use energy-efficient sources.
Choose light fixtures, bulbs and controls to suit your security needs; use timers, dimmers, sensors and/or photocell controllers to turn off exterior light during daytime or when light is not needed. Guidelines for renovating and building
In Westmount, light that washes across a building's facade is prohibited. Consult the City’s Landscape Design Guideline, section 6.8.2 for more details (available from the Westmount Urban Planning Department or by clicking here
). Lighting in streets and lanes
The City of Westmount is doing its part to reduce light pollution with a project to replace existing Washington street lamps, which send about one-third of their light into the sky, with a different fixture that allows only 2% of its light to shine above the horizon. By reducing light pollution we:
• restore the dark sky so it may be enjoyed again from the city’s lookout and elsewhere
• improve the aesthetic quality of our streets
• sleep better at night and save energy
• reduce disturbances to bird migration
• help protect Westmount’s Summit Woods, a bird sanctuary and part of the Mount Royal Historic and Natural District.


text:
The city of Zilina paid tribute and honored nine extraordinary people, Zilina natives, that have contributed to development of the city and represented Zilina in many different ways. The celebration, held on January 16, 2009 in the city concert hall Fatra, completed historical year 2008, the year of 800th anniversary of the first written record about Zilina.
Nine personalities were chosen by the cultural-educational board of the city, based on nominations by Zilina citizens, members of the city parliament or institutions. Three persons received Honor Citizenship and six public appreciations were given to other honored persons.
It was a great pleasure for us that three of the honored people had their origin in our community. Two of them received Honor citizenship and one was honored with public appreciation.
1. Art photographer Magdalena Rozsivalova b. Robinsonova in memoriam.
2. Actress and singer Hana Hegerova
The photographer Mrs. Rosivalova, more known as Robinsonova, survived shoa and became one of the founders of modern Slovak photography in after war period. Her works are a part of the New York Museum of Modern Art exhibitions. Mr. Pavel Frankl, the head of the Jewish religious community in Zilina, received the certificate of the Honor citizenship on her behalf.
Well known singer of chansons Hana Hegerova was also honored with the Honor Citizenship but due to the health problems could not participate in the celebration. An audio message from her was played to thank and greet all people present in the concert hall. Her voice took us symbolically back to time the time when she performed at Jilemnicky Theatre in Zilina.
Vojtech Spanyol, a doctor and an ophthalmologist, was honored, among others, with the Public appreciation for his contribution to the city development. He was a founder of an eye clinic in Zilina shortly before WWI and successfully worked as a chief of the clinic almost for four decades. MUDr. Michal Stubna, today’s chief of the ophthalmology, in Zilina received the certificate of the Public appreciation on his behalf.
Jewish religious community Zilina


It's been a disappointing road trip so far, but the Celtics hope to close it out on a good note tonight in Portland.
HOW TO WATCH
On TV: NBC Sports Boston
Desktop/Laptop: NBCSportsBoston.com [click here]
Mobile/Tablet: MyTeams App by NBC Sports [download]
ANALYSIS AND REACTION
BEFORE THE GAME: At 8:30 p.m., Celtics Pregame Live presented by TD Bank gets you ready for the game with reports from Kyle Draper, Chris Mannix and Chris Forsberg in Burlington, and Mike Gorman, Brian Scalabrine and Abby Chin in Portland. Watch on NBC Sports Boston or click here for the livestream.
AT HALFTIME: Tune in to watch Draper and Mannix break down the first two quarters on Halftime Live presented by Ace Ticket. Watch on NBC Sports Boston or click here for the livestream.
AFTER THE GAME: As soon as the game ends, tune to Celtics Postgame Live presented by New England Ford for analysis, commentary and player reaction. Watch on NBC Sports Boston or click here for the livestream.
Questions on our livestream? Get all your questions answered here on our Streaming FAQ
DURING THE GAME, FOLLOW US
BY THE NUMBERS
While there have been multiple factors that have triggered the Celtics' three-losses-in-four-games slump, most have been forged by at least one player on the opposing team doing more than just score a bunch of points. The Blazers' two-headed scoring monsterof All-Star guard Damian Lillard and his high-scoring backcourt mate, C.J. McCollum, won't ease that issue tonight.
Remember how good the Celtics used to be on the road? Yeah, we don't either.
RISING IN THE EAST
The Eastern Conference was supposed to be the Celtics' playground this season, but -- what with the fast starts of the Raptors and Pacers and Bucks -- that hasn't been the case so far. And now Jimmy Butler's heading to Philadelphia, giving the 76ers some much-needed toughness . . . and making the C's road a little tougher, as well.
Click here to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Celtics easily on your device.


text:
All-Star Baseball 2005 gives you the most realistic "between the lines" game play experience ever with ASB05's exclusive FielderCam. The perennial bestelling Baseball videogame franchise is more fun and accessible than ever before, packed with exclusive feature innovations, online head-to-head play AND the deepest franchise mode of any baseball video game.
All-Star Baseball 2005 is a Sports/Baseball video game for PlayStation 2 published by Acclaim on April 9, 2004. It's rated Everyone by the ESRB and 10 of our users have voted it 4.2 out of 5 stars.
Our newest cheats for All-Star Baseball 2005 were added September 8, 2004. We also have the game available on Xbox, in addition to PS2.
As we beta test our new user reviews feature, we're giving away a free Xbox, PlayStation, or Wii console to one lucky reviewer every month! Each accepted review is another contest entry (reviews must meet our publishing guidlines to be accepted). So write a All-Star Baseball 2005 review today for your chance to win!
If you like All-Star Baseball 2005 for PS2, then you might also like playing:

domain: entertainment


text:
It has been proven that the youths are future leaders, but the assertion seems to be ironical in the palace of reality. The triumph of any nation resides in the success of its youths, for youths are seen as the major force in transforming a country’s face for better.
Our noble Professor Wole Soyinka had a long time ago said that “the Nigerian youth is dead at birth”. Critically looking at the statement, the gentleman is absolutely correct, for the reason that here in Nigeria the youths are seen and been used as violent instrument of political balkanization, political thugs, instrument of sensational propaganda and the likes, to achieve their selfish aims, while their future will be conquered by things like; drug abuse, terrorism among others.
It is indeed a tragedy seeing our youths who were expected to maintain peace in the society are found breaching the public peace. Numbers of ugly circumstances are being conceded not by any set of people; but the youths. You’ll rarely see a man of 80 and above engaging himself in breaching the public peace such as stealing of ballot box and terrorizing the society; they count themselves out of such activities, but makes use of the youths to get done such missions. Our youths’ voice are been loudly heard with a sympathetic ardor when it comes to the electoral season; where they pledges above heaven and earth, if at all we can put forward our total support for them to arrive at their political dream. Nonetheless their actions and reactions after we had satisfy their wants becomes unexplainable to the youths, our voices that are been previously heard with a sympathetic passion turns out to be heard fervently.
Moreover, the youths should sit back and think when actually are we going to emerge the seat of leadership which has been in preservation over years, is it after we are in short supply?, or after we are have been driven away by the numbers of crisis they caused in our possession?. When exactly will it be?
Notwithstanding, the ongoing crisis between the federal government of Nigeria and the Independence people of Biafra (IPOB) have claimed majority lives of the so called “future leaders” who the country should stay calm and carve-out hope for tomorrow. The youths who were involved in this movement should know that; secession of any nation from its country requires peaceful democratic procedure and not by the means of aggressive agitations, so as not to be as an act of treason. Similarly, the latter fought civil war of 1967 which can be otherwise called “Biafra war “add no value to the status of the country, but largely reduced its strengths, devastated its lands and demolished over millions lives of the youths.
However, the Nigerian youths had to put an end to these bloody situations by not letting the condition of “man must survive” to weigh down our conscious in peace and unity of our territory. We should hope and believe in ONE NIGERIA for realization of our dear dream to become one among the developed nation.

domain: politics


text:
Our company needs to mock up following our web design, one power-point presentation.
All the technical content is already included in each slide but we need a graphic redesign.
We will send one previously ppt that we have already done, the company logos and also the company web page ([login to view URL]) in order to see how are we mocking up our works. The corporative color is RGB de 63-154-160.
At least we would need to customize the presentation design to a more visual and creative design. It is very important to update the design, according to the corporative web page and the template of presentation uploaded.
The presentation will include max. 15 slides.


Users have reported problems trying to stream anything from the BBC iPlayer on their Amazon Fire TV device.
For the past few days, playback of programmes on the BBC iPlayer is suffering from frequent pauses and buffering. Unlike other instances of buffering, this continues even on a good quality internet connection.
The BBC confirms it is investigating the source of the problem. In the meantime, it’s suggested a workaround that users should take for the time being:
- Exit the BBC iPlayer by pressing back on the remote
- Open the BBC iPlayer again from the home screen
- Select a programme or channel to watch
However, if the Amazon Fire TV device is turned off, the fault will reoccur. Users will need to repeat the above steps.
At this stage, it’s unclear where the fault lies.


Film studio development ‘unnecessary and harmful’
Countryside campaigners are warning of the “dangerous precedent” that will be set if permission is granted for a large (60,000 sq.m) film studio complex at Holyport near Bray. [Windsor & Maidenhead Borough Council planning application no. 22/03374]
The Berkshire Branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) says that the proposal by Greystoke Land to build within the Metropolitan Green Belt, close to the existing Bray Film Studios, is an unnecessary and damaging development that could lead to further “Green Belt land grabs” by developers.
Greg Wilkinson, Chairman of CPRE Berkshire, explains: “CPRE believes that the environmental harm that will be done to the countryside at Holyport far outweighs any economic benefit to the local area. Not only would the development mean further encroachment and the loss of precious open space but it would have a direct impact on nearby heritage assets in the Holyport Conservation Area.”
He adds: “Building in the Green Belt is only permitted where there are ‘very special circumstances’ but this is a high bar and we do not accept that this test has been met by Greystoke Land. The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead must reject this damaging proposal. CPRE Berkshire calls on borough councillors to do their duty by protecting the green spaces and heritage of the Royal Borough.”
CPRE Berkshire’s comments are echoed by the London Green Belt Council, the umbrella group for more than 100 local amenity societies, countryside protection groups and residents’ associations throughout the Metropolitan Green Belt.


text:
Wednesday, 30 June 2010
During june I also spent some time photographing the lovely SW of scotland around Stranraer,Mull of Galloway,castle kennedy,Girvan,portpatrick,etc. This was one of my favourite shots taken at Dunskey castle with the bluebells during sunset.
I took this picture of Ina and Angus Morrison who live nr tarbert Harris who offered me great and wonderful hospitality during my stay.For more people shots check out my earlier blog postings or my website at http://www.scotphoto.com/
Whilst on the outer Hebridean Island of Lewis I took this shot at 7pm towards Stornoway seafront harbour and town.Nikon D3X with 70-300mm lense.Dennis is building up a large image gallery of various Scottish Islands including Coll,Tiree,Arran,Gigha,Islay,Skye,Harris,Lewis,Kerrera,Lismore,Mull and Iona.Contact at http://www.scotphoto.com/
Sorry for disruption in writing my blog but its been a very busy month including this visit to Harris and Lewis .This is one of the wonderful beaches on south harris backed by the north Harris hills.Dennis Hardley at http://www.scotphoto.com/


text:
Coming home from very lonely places, all of us go a little mad; whether from great personal success, or just an all-night drive, we are the sole survivors of a world no one else has ever seen.
- John le Carre
- John le Carre
This post is about where and how I come up with ideas for my short fiction and books in progress.
These days I've been lucky to have a constant stream of ideas which I keep semi-organized in notebooks. The muse isn't taking credit for this one. Not this time.
The back story:
I fell into the trap of the whole writer's block bulls***t in the past. It's like Ray Bradbury said: writer's block is when your brain tells you "I don't like you anymore." Which is one of the reasons why I took a break from writing and submitting. I lost the love of/for writing because I put too much pressure on myself to make this deadline and submit to this anthology and so on and so forth. Writing had turned into a hassle, a chore I had to get done, instead of it being a way for me to tell the stories in my head.
It wasn't all a negative experience, it opened up the doors for the freelancing design and illustration phase of my life. If I hadn't taken a break from my writing, I never would have landed any of the cool projects I was able to participate in. But anyway, that's for another blog post.
The truth is, even during the writing hiatus, I continued to jot down ideas. Then slowly those turned into a couple of lines of prose, then a paragraph, then flash fiction, you get the gist of it.
I rediscovered how to tell stories again.
Not because I wanted to submit to an anthology, but because it was fun to see a story evolve. During this time I only shared my work to close friends and some family.
And now I'm back on the wordsmith saddle again and I feel effing great.
I write what I want and make it available for mass consumption.
Either on Smashwords or my blog
My first release Sid Valentine has been downloaded a total of 176 times. The first week alone it hit 100 downloads. Not bad for an initial release and minimal marketing effort from a currently unknown writer.
I'm now sure how it works for everyone else but my ideas come from the strangest things.
While there is no secret formula, if I had to make one up for myself it would be something like this:
Formulas for R. Van Saint's brand of fiction
Asking "what if" + asking "what the f**k?" + defy logic (always) = my ideas
Be bold + experiment + break rules = my style
Practical application for these are:
1. Jot anything of interest down. Names of people, places, words. If it sounds good to me, it gets written in the journal.
2. Staying hyper-aware of surroundings. I can be sitting here watching the food channel and something strikes a chord, which in turn becomes a new storyline (this actually happened). Even my commute to work has turned to be a good source for ideas.
3. Observing people. The people you meet, the ones you barely know, the ones you see on the train but never talk to. The things you hear (especially dialogue). What they wear, how they smell. Mannerisms. The ones you love and those you loathe.
4. Reading it out loud. Not sure about everyone else but I put everything I write through a test - it has to read well. Funny, because I don't even podcast (yet, soon though). I'm just particular about how sentences and words flow. This is a part of my final editing process.
So there you have it kids, hope it gives you a bit of insight to how I roll. Feel free to toy around with your own formula as a response to my blog.
Today's post is inspired by an awesome chat yesterday via The Creative Alliance
If you enjoyed this post please consider posting the link on your site, Facebook, Twitter, Myspace. Comments are always welcome!
If you have an hour to spare, you can watch the vid below, it's where I got the Bradbury quote from.