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In Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, families were forced out for a huge hi-tech plant – but three years later, it still has not been built.
When Sean McFarlane recently returned to the site where his lifelong home was demolished, he found in its place a retention pond and hundreds of geese perched on a hill.
The quiet scene came as a shock. The Wisconsin village of Mount Pleasant had effectively forced him, his girlfriend and four children from their home in 2017 to make way for a proposed 20m sq ft hi-tech plant owned by the Taiwanese electronics giant Foxconn, a plant Donald Trump had said would soon be the “eighth wonder of the world.”
To make way for this “wonder,” village officials temporarily placed the McFarlanes in a dilapidated vacant house with no working toilets or heat, then allegedly failed to meet the promised relocation payment of $22,000.
Three years later, the factory for which the family went through hell has not been built. Sitting in his wheelchair on an empty sidewalk in November, McFarlane sighed in disbelief as he scanned the vast patchwork of mud, open fields, ponds and a few underutilized buildings comprising the 3,000-acre Foxconn site.
“They demolished my house for this? A bunch of geese that sit on a hill?” McFarlane, 37, asked. “It’s upsetting. That’s where my old house was, and now it’s just nothing. You know? Nothing.”
In 2017, Mount Pleasant officials had used the promise of 13,000 jobs and $10bn in private investment by 2023 as justification for forcing hundreds of residents from their homes and turning the property over to Foxconn. Officials vowed to transform the sleepy rural village into a bustling, hi-tech hub for manufacturing known as “Wisconn Valley” – a promise that appealed to many in the state who have suffered as traditional manufacturing jobs have disappeared.
Instead, the project imploded in slow motion. Few jobs have materialized and Foxconn has not submitted new construction plans in over a year. The LCD screens that were supposed to be made there are not being built in its “factory,” which is 20 times smaller than proposed and now zoned as “storage.” After Foxconn failed to meet its job creation targets, Wisconsin’s governor, Tony Evers, last month pulled a deal that would have handed the company nearly $4.5bn in incentives for completing its plans.
While Mount Pleasant residents are frustrated, they have largely directed their anger at local leaders. They said that the village waged a dirty war against its constituents in which it issued dubious eminent domain orders – a process by which the government takes private land for public use – and used other tactics designed to drive them out of their homes.
Village leaders upended lives in the name of acquiring property for the company, residents said. Some continue to fight for their land while others took inadequate relocation packages and left. A few saw their homes seized by the village.
“There was a bit of evilness to all of this,” said Kelly Gallaher, a Mount Pleasant resident and vocal critic of the project. “The kind of things they pulled really did traumatize a lot of people.”
Meanwhile, the village is running up nearly $1bn in debt to fund the property acquisitions and new infrastructure that continues being built even as Foxconn’s plans fizzle.
Pristine new four- and six-lane highways now border and bisect the site’s fields. Village leadership claimed autonomous vehicles would fill the roads, but green John Deere tractors were among the few vehicles in sight on a recent afternoon. Many view nearly $320m in water, sewage and electric upgrades that ratepayers must shoulder as unnecessary for the site’s four underused buildings. And earlier this year, Mount Pleasant began leasing farmland it purchased back to farmers.
In a statement to the Guardian, Claude Lois, a village consultant hired to manage the project, wrote that Mount Pleasant “worked diligently to secure voluntary agreements with property owners … and has succeeded in doing so in the vast majority of cases.” The Mount Pleasant village president, Dave DeGroot, did not respond to a request for comment, but in September told the Racine Journal Times he’s “thrilled” with the progress and called for patience on a project that will now take “decades” to complete.
But as he took pictures of the long, empty sidewalk and highway, McFarlane said he had none of that patience left. “The roads were supposed to be for 13,000 workers but no one is here,” he said. “What is this sidewalk for? I don’t understand it. It’s the sidewalk to nowhere.”
‘They’ll leave you on an island’
In early 2017, Kim Mahoney’s family left their home in a noisy city in the state for a three-bedroom house they built in an agricultural preserve in Mount Pleasant that “felt like a park.” Eight months later, that dramatically changed.
The village notified her subdivision’s residents that it would use eminent domain to seize their homes if they did not accept a relocation offer. But Mahoney and others claim the orders were “illegal.” Instead, the questionable orders seemed to be a cunning attempt by Mount Pleasant’s “acquisitions team” to scare residents into selling their property.
The mere prospect of a fight over complex eminent domain laws convinced most residents that they “had no choice” but to accept the village’s offers, Mahoney said. “You feel like you’re up against Goliath.”
While state law allows municipalities to use eminent domain to seize property to widen roads, Mount Pleasant in many cases wrongfully claimed that it would need to demolish properties’ homes, even if they sat outside the area needed for road widening. Village leadership also threatened to prohibit residents from connecting driveways to widened roads, which it lacks the authority to do.
Though the village acquisitions team conceded its statute did not apply to their home, Mahoney said, an official continued threatening the family: “Foxconn is still going to want your property. They’ll leave you on an island.”
Mahoney stressed that her family was always willing to sell for a fair price that would cover the cost of rebuilding, but the village refused to negotiate. Now Foxconn’s few buildings – including one called “The Globe” that Mahoney described as “a crazy-looking disco ball sitting on a pedestal” – are the family’s only neighbors.
Mount Pleasant took a similar approach across the Foxconn site, including when it tried to force out the owners of a 400-acre pumpkin farm. The Creuziger family sued, and their attorney, Dan Bach, said the village “quickly retreated.” If the Foxconn project ever materializes, it may have to be built around the pumpkin patch.
In other cases, the village appeared to be drawing road plans that would change or disappear once a homeowner sold their property. When those measures failed, the village declared the entire Foxconn site – including the Mahoney’s newly built home – “blighted,” which Mahoney dismissed as another scare tactic.
While some families won their battles with the village, the fight took an unimaginable mental toll, said Mahoney, who started using sleeping pills and blood pressure medication to deal with the stress.
“My brain wouldn’t shut off trying to figure out, ‘How do I fix this?’” she said. “The frustrating part is that there’s nothing I can do about it.”
‘I felt like a stupid dummy for trusting them’
Before the Foxconn proposal, McFarlane, who lost a leg in a car accident, rented a house that was owned by his mother and had been tailored to be wheelchair-accessible. Three years later, he still does not have an accessible shower in his new home in neighboring Caledonia, and the family, which largely relies on disability payments, is out of renovation money.
McFarlane’s difficult situation illustrates how families that received inadequate relocation packages still have not been able to fully rebuild their lives. While the village paid landowners up to 10 times the value of their empty parcels, homeowners were only given 1.4 times the value of their homes, and the village issued the assessment.
Mount Pleasant offered a relocation payment of $22,000 to McFarlane, who was a renter, and over $500,000 to his mother, Sherri Shaver, who was a homeowner. It also housed McFarlane temporarily in a village-owned home, and the family was shocked to discover as they moved in that it had sat vacant for several years. Aside from no heat or working toilets, it had been vandalized, had three feet of water in the basement, was mold infested, had doorways that were too small for McFarlane’s wheelchair, and its sinks spit out tainted water that left rashes on his kids’ skin.
Then the situation took another ugly turn: Mount Pleasant’s leadership withdrew its offer for McFarlane’s payment, he said, and threatened to sue Shaver over an unrelated matter if he fought them. Despite tearfully pleading for the money before the Mount Pleasant board of trustees, the relocation payment never arrived. McFarlane said he was told by village officials that the payment to his mother was enough for the entire family.
“There’s no explanation for why they did it, except that they could, and I felt like a stupid dummy for trusting them,” McFarlane said. “I don’t know why I did. I feel like I let my family down.”
Still, McFarlane said he was grateful to be starting fresh in a new town.
“I’m just glad we’re not in Mount Pleasant any more. Thank God,” he said.
Village leadership looks across the Foxconn site with a different view than the Mahoneys and McFarlanes. They see a project that’s already creating “thousands” of construction jobs while priming the land for investment. They note that Foxconn is already kicking in over $1m in tax revenue, and in 2023 it must start paying $30m annually in taxes, even if the project is dead.
But recent history shows Foxconn plans from Pennsylvania to Indonesia have fallen short. Meanwhile, Lois, the consultant, recently ran a similarly structured deal in Illinois that fell apart in spectacular fashion. It ended with a developer in prison for fraud, the FDIC shutting down a bank, and Lois suing online commenters who criticized his performance.
Should the Foxconn deal meet a similar fate, state taxpayers are on the hook for 40% of nearly $1bn in debt that Mount Pleasant will probably owe. The project is already extremely unpopular around Wisconsin, said Randy Bryce, an activist and former congressional candidate. Residents question why the state’s limited resources are being directed to a foreign company, he said.
“Especially now – look at how that money could be used to help struggling businesses during Covid,” Bryce added.
Though Trump and the former Republican Wisconsin governor Scott Walker declared with the 2017 Foxconn announcement that they had revived a critical upper midwest swing state’s manufacturing sector, the project is now viewed as a loss for Republicans. Meanwhile, there’s a growing sense that Mount Pleasant residents’ lives were upended for what was little more than elaborate political theater designed to score a phony public relations win for Trump and Walker.
But while the “political stunt” is galling, it is the battle with local officials that was most demoralizing to Mahoney.
“It’s disgusting that the people who are supposed to represent you are the ones who stomp on you,” she said.
Portions originally published on The Guardian as ‘They demolished my house for this?’ Residents outraged by the Foxconn factory that fizzled


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Kindness, I believe is a state of the human soul, it cannot be seen but it can be felt.
Kindness is in the little things we do, a smile while passing by someone in the streets, a hug for a friend, lending a helping hand or even in a compliment.
A little act of kindness done by you may look meaningless but means the world to the recipient.
You have some loose change left from your shopping?. Why don’t you give it to the begger down the street, it might mean the difference between starvation or a meal for him.
You have old but still good clothes you don’t wear anymore, donate to the orphanage.
Excess food, give it out!.
Be kind with words, you don’t know what the struggles of the person.
Using Social Media, people tend to get carried away and hurl hurtful comments all in the name of savagery.
A compliment as basic as, ‘ you look good’ can brighten someone’s day. Doubt me?, Why don’t you give it a trial.
You don’t have to be as rich as Jeff Bezos to be kind. You may have little now, but come compared to some people, you’re privileged. You can make a change.
Kindness makes you a happy person, beautiful even.
Be kind, it doesn’t cost a thing!.
What do you think?

domain: sociology


Sentera has announced that its ultra-high-resolution RGB sensor, the 65R, is now compatible with its PHX fixed-wing drone.
According to the company, this can lower the cost and time required to produce accurate digital surface models (DSMs) and imagery products for several industries, including construction, infrastructure, agriculture, and environmental monitoring.
The 65R’s global shutter and fast frame rate combine to quickly produce exceptional imagery, free from distortions produced by electronic rolling shutter cameras and with a rugged “no moving parts” design that is ideal for the sometimes-challenging physical environment onboard a drone.
With 65 million pixels per frame of global shutter imagery, the 65R is a tool to produce 3D products like DSMs. DSMs have become a critical factor in how businesses and governments make decisions, from planning and development to natural resource management to disaster mitigation. With 65R, the DSM and the RGB imagery product can both be produced from the same dataset.
“3D models have become almost as popular with our customers as our imagery products,” said Eric Taipale, CTO of Sentera. “65R is a very high quality imager, and integration of this sensor with a high-efficiency platform like PHX cuts the data acquisition time required to capture large areas by up to 50 percent versus comparable VTOL platforms.”
PHX is one of the most popular high-throughput drone platforms for multispectral and thermal data production. Because of its design, the fixed-wing drone can cover up to three times more ground than multi-rotor drones in the same amount of time. Now, with the additional of 65R, the platform adds 3D and UHR RGB capabilities.


Easily one of the top UK hiphop tunes of the past year, this track has been floating around for quite some time now, be it on radio which gave it tons of airplay, or the limited edition promo that flew off the shelves. It's finally getting a full release now, and is accompanied by remixes care of Joe Buhdah and Dag Nabbit. Buhdha's remix is atmospheric and really chilled, using tons of strings and a simple beat. Nabbit's remix is another nice twist on the original, with an electronic guitar loop and some strings. As enjoyable as the two new versions are, it's still the original which provides the most energetic and uplifting experience of the track. Skinnyman recently told Rapnews that his verses were actually freestyles, yet they seem as good as penned. If you haven't picked up the release on vinyl yet, which would be a suprise, make sure you take this final opportunity to get your hands on a very memorable tune.


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Climate Action Summit Interview: Rachel Kyte
Rachel Kyte, CEO of Sustainable Energy for All and Special Envoy for Climate Change has an important message for youth: "Every aspect of who you are is going to be affected by climate change. This is not something you will pick up when you turn 35. You have got to act now and you have got to speak out now". Rachel Kyte interviewed by Max Thabiso Edkins from Connect4Climate at the People's Haus Media Hub during the Climate Action 2016.

domain: news


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A deeper cut in oil supplies is one of the options that OPEC and its allies could consider in December, its secretary general said on Thursday as the producer group’s forecasts pointed to slower global growth and lower demand next year, Economic Times reported.
OPEC, Russia and other producers, this year have implemented a deal to cut oil output by 1.2 million barrels per day to support the market. The pact runs to March 2020 and the producers meet to set policy in early December.
“The conference will take appropriate, strong, positive decisions that will set us on the path of heightened and sustained stability for 2020,” Mohammad Barkindo told reporters at a briefing in London. “All options are open,” he said, when asked about the prospect of a deeper oil supply cut.
Oil prices have failed to gain a lasting boost from supply disruptions this year, including the attack last month on Saudi Arabian oil installations that briefly shut down more than half of .. production in the world’s top exporter.


Breaking news and archival information about its people, politics and economy from The New York Times.An unbiased essay on war will make your essay more persuasive and readable.Journal Essay The Gaza War, Congress and International Humanitarian Law.Total War against Gaza: Israeli Genocide and its Willing Accomplices. By Prof. James Petras. The purpose of this essay is 4-fold: 1.Zionist War Crimes in Gaza, humanitarian Crisis, and the peaceful Palestinian dialogue attempts - a photo essay.Get the knowledge you need in order to pass your classes and more.In your essay on war, you can also indicate the harmfulness of wars that are fought.At least 23 people, among them 14 women and children, were killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza on Sunday, November 18th, bringing the total number of Palestinian.
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By Nick Snow
STILLWATER, Okla. —
When Stillwater High School junior wrestler King Williams won his consolation semifinal match in Saturday’s regional tournament, the look of relief on his face told the whole story.
Twice in his young career, Williams had dreams of making an appearance in the state tournament, only to have those dreams shattered in regionals. Williams failed to make weight in his freshman year and got upset in the regionals in his sophomore year.
“It’s worn on him for two years,” Stillwater coach Doug Chesbro said. “As a freshman, he was having a really good year and ended up not making weight at the regional tournament, so he was automatically disqualified from the get-go. ... Then last year, he was having another good year and got upset in the consolation semifinals — one match away from placing.”
Those tough experiences paid off Saturday as Williams became one of six Stillwater wrestlers to punch their tickets to the state tournament after he finished third in the 120-pound weight class.
“This was one of those cases where his hard work definitely paid off,” Chesbro said. “He did everything right — living right, eating right and training right. ... He made sure he put himself in a position to be able to have success.”
Williams’ quest for the state tournament began before the season began. A standout on the football field, Williams made a commitment to Chesbro and the Pioneer wrestling program to forget about the gridiron and be more focused on the mat.
“From the get-go this year he told me, ‘I’m going to make it this year. Wrestling is the No. 1 thing in my life right now,’” Chesbro said. “He promised me that he would commit himself to wrestling this year and he certainly did that.”
It hasn’t been easy for Williams — or any of the six wrestlers moving on to state. Injury and illness have limited their time on the mat.
It’s through that adversity Williams began to understand exactly what it takes to make it to state.
And when the final whistle blew in Williams’ 9-0 major-decision victory in the consolation semifinal, a sense of relief washed over both Williams and Chesbro.
“During the consolation semifinals the coaching staff as a whole was a little bit on edge,” Chesbro said. “We wanted it for him so bad that we were really coaching him up hard to get there. You get that immediate sense of relief because you made it there, but you also have a sense of pride for the kid who is finally going to get what they paid for after all this time.”
Joining Williams at state will be Kennedy Monday, who avenged an early-season loss to win the 106-pound weight class at regionals. Kaid Brock and Joe Smith also took home regional championships, while 126-pounder Benny Teegarden finished second at regionals. Chase Lane took third in the 138-pound match as the Pioneers finished third as a team.
“It wrapped up our season on a positive note,” Chesbro said. “With the exception of the Sapulpa Tournament, we got no lower than third, which I thought was pretty impressive with the competition we’re up against. I’m really proud of the fact that we stayed in the top three.”
The season may be over for most of the Pioneers but with state beginning Friday, Chesbro said all six wrestlers still have their minds on one thing — winning a state title.
“Their goals aren’t over yet,” Chesbro said. “They’ve got to a certain point and now we’re going to train to go on and do better.”


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1. Are you experiencing any of the following symptoms?
(they must not be chronic or related to another condition)
Fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, difficulty swallowing, decrease or loss of smell or taste, pink eye, runny or stuff nose, headache (long lasting – not a migraine), nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, muscle aches, joint pain, unusual fatigue, falling down often:
2. Has a doctor or heath care provider or public health unit told you that you should be isolating (staying at home)?
(this can be because of an outbreak or contact tracing)
3. In last 10 days have you tested positive on a rapid antigen test or home-based self-testing kit?
(if you have tested negative on a lab-based PCR test select NO)
4. In the last 14 days have you been identified as a “close contact” of someone who currently has COVID-19?
(if you are fully vaccinated and have not been advised to self-isolate by public, select NO)
5. In the last 14 days have you receive a COVID Alert exposure notification on your cell phone?
(IF you are fully vaccinated and/or have already gone for a test and got a negative result, select NO)
6. In the last 14 days, have you travelled outside of Canada and been advised to quarantine per the federal quarantine requirements?
(if you are not fully vaccinated and you live with someone who travelled outside of Canada – you can work or go out for essential reasons only)
7. Is anyone you live with currently experiencing any new COVID-19 symptoms and/or waiting for test results after experiencing symptoms?
(if you are fully vaccinated select NO)
If you have answered YES to any of these questions, please contact the office at 519-688-6342.

domain: medical


The demographic outlook is relentless: the Czech Republic is aging. Both individuals and society as a whole will have to cope with this. And especially the social and healthcare systems. But this is not a problem that can be easily solved. Nor is it a problem that will arise overnight. The Czech Republic and the whole of Europe are facing the daunting task of solving the problem of an aging population.
The Czech Republic is slowly but surely turning into a country of the old for the old. In 2020, the 65+ category accounted for less than a third of the population. In exact numbers, 2.17 million people currently fall into the 65+ category. In the second half of the 21st century, this group is set to grow to one-third of the entire society. There are several reasons for this.
The first is the strong year classes of so-called Baby Boomers, i.e., children born after the Second World War.
The second will be the so-called Husak children. Gustav Husák was the General Secretary of the Communist Party and later President of Czechoslovakia, under whose rule the state pursued a robust pro-family policy from 1970-1980.
Since the fall of communism and the restriction of pro-family policies, the birth rate in the Czech Republic has been on a downward trend. While from 1970-1980, the birth rate was as high as 200,000 births per year, in 1989, only 130,000 children were born. For completeness of comparison, in 2022, only 99,000 children were born.
A continuous system without continuous contributors
Like many other European countries, the Czech Republic uses a Pay As You Go (PAYG) pension system. This is a system to which current employees contribute, and these funds are automatically redistributed to pensioners.
However, this system has one major drawback. It becomes precarious and loss-making if there are more pensioners than contributors. And this could one day be a problem for the Czech Republic if no change is happening.
Currently, the so-called dependency index is at 32.6. This means that for every 100 employed payers, there are 32.6 pensioners. That is one pensioner for every three employees. However, demographers say if the system is not modified or the birth rate doesn’t go up, the dependency ratio could be 1:1 around 2050. For comparison, in 1993, the index was 19.2.
Another significant financial burden is the strain on the health system. Over the last five years alone, annual health expenditure for people over 65 has risen by EUR 844 million annually.
Financial problems and possible solutions
A significant problem for pensioners themselves is their ever-worsening financial situation. The average pension to net wages ratio continually oscillates between 50 and 55 %. Whereas in 1994, the ratio was 55.8%, today, it is 54.5%. After all valorizations, the average pension in 2023 will be EUR 867, and the Ministry of Finance predicts the average net wage to be EUR 1593.
Pensions are increased for pensioners through so-called statutory indexations, which occur yearly according to the law. And what’s crucial to note is that even though the 54.5 % ratio sounds high, the problem is that it, combined with the statutory indexations, cannot cover the 17% inflation gripping the Czech Republic.
And what is the solution to the whole situation? In short, very complicated. The main thing that needs to happen is the long-delayed pension reform. According to the information, this should bring some unpopular steps, such as raising the retirement age, which is currently set at 65. The current proposal is for a new limit of 67.
However, the reform foresees an adjustment and deep restructuring of the pension system. Thus, the age of 67 would not apply to those working in constrained environments. For such workers, employers will contribute more significant amounts to the state budget.
Czech demographics jokes
There is also talk of a realignment of family policy, which the government says should increase the birth rate to ensure “more payers.” The state also plans to encourage employers to hire older people who are discriminated against in today’s labor market. But sociologists predict that future retirees will be much more efficient workers than the current ones.
This major pension reform is planned to be introduced by the current Czech government in late April 2023. This big reveal is eagerly awaited by both current pensioners and especially today’s young people, who will be mainly affected by this new system.
But the Czechs would not be Czechs if they could not make fun of this tense situation. As a new joke circulating among people says: “I don’t mind working even now at 80. What bothers me more is that I can’t remember where I work every morning.”


Named for its prime perch overlooking downtown, Highland Park may be Dallas' most desirable home base. Its hedge-lined streets, top-notch schools, and bounty of glamorous shops epitomize the ease of Park Cities living.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Super-luxe shopping and society soirees.
Family-focused with an appreciation for the finer things in life.
Jaw-dropping mansions that wouldn’t look out of place in Beverly Hills.
YOU'LL FALL IN LOVE WITH
A community as tight-knit as it is beautiful.
Estates, Shopping, Green Spaces, Community, Parks, Tranquil
Available Homes in Highland Park
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Today, more Canadians are employed in service work than any other type of work. While creative workers contribute disproportionately to economic growth, and while blue collar workers were once the largest segment of the labour force, today each group is outnumbered by the service class. According to the most recent Canadian Census, 7.4 million (46%) people are employed in service class jobs, compared to 4.7 million (29%) in the creative class, 3.4 million (22%) in the working class and less than a million (3%) in activities such as fishing, farming and forestry. If policy makers wish to secure future prosperity, an understanding of the issues facing service workers, the country’s largest group of workers, is vital. Current research by the Martin Prosperity Institute highlights the especially precarious nature of service work in Canada. Precarious occupations are those with limited job security, few employment benefits, a lack of control over the labour process, and very low wages.i Service class work is characterized by each of these forms of precariousness.
Employment income is arguably the most significant indicator used to measure precariousness. An individual’s employment income determines their ability to access necessary goods and services, and alternately, whether they must rely on social assistance. Exhibit 1 provides a graphical depiction of the composition of job holders by class and its share of the total income. In Canada, the service class makes up 46% of total labour force employment. Yet these same individuals account for only 35% of the total employment income. For comparison, the creative class accounts for only 29% of job holders in Canada, yet they earn 42% of the total employment income. Such inequality in wages is one example of the kinds of challenges workers in the service class face in making a living. This inequality has only grown as the labour market has become polarized between these two groups of workers.
Service work is characterized by high rates of part time employment. 52% of total part-time workers are found in the service class and 51% of the service class is employed part-time. Part-time work is marked by lower levels of job security and job protection. As a result, service class workers work fewer hours a week than those employed in creative or working class jobs.
Unions also have a weak presence amongst the service class. In 2008, employment in service producing industries, particularly industries where low-wage service jobs are most prominent, had the lowest incidence of unionization. 7% of workers in Accommodation and food services, 11% in Other services, 16% in Business, Building and Other Support Services and 26% in Information, Culture and Recreational services were covered by a union, compared to 31% for the labour force as a whole. Many of the workers in these lower-wage, part-time service jobs also do not receive benefits and social provisions through their employers.i
Too often do service class workers have minimal say over how their work is performed. While they play an integral role in providing services, they do not make decisions about how services are delivered. A lack of higher educational attainment among the service class makes advancement into higher paying and managerial positions difficult. While service class workers are generally more educated than working class workers, they do not have the same level of educational attainment as creative workers. In Canada, 14.0% of service class workers have a bachelors degree or above while 51.0% of creative class workers and 5.0% of working class workers have a bachelors degree and above.
Service work has clearly become more precarious as it has become more common. Fortunately there are opportunities to improve these jobs. First, employers can redesign portions of service delivery to better utilize the creative inputs of service workers. Leading edge companies such as Best Buy, Whole Foods, and Four Seasons have already begun to do this.ii In addition, society at large must recognize and value the importance of service work. This means understanding the role of service workers in the economy, recognizing the amount of skill necessary to perform high quality service work, and enhancing the potential for all service workers to improve service delivery. The MPI hopes that the Strength in Services summit will help to begin this process.
i. Vosko, L.F. (2006). Precarious employment: Understanding labour
market insecurity in Canada. Kingston: McGill-Queen’s University Press.
ii. Florida, R. (2009). Who’s your city? (Canadian Edition). Toronto: Random House.
The Martin Prosperity Institute at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management is the world’s leading think-tank on the role of sub-national factors—location, place and city-regions—in global economic prosperity. Led by Director Richard Florida, we take an integrated view of prosperity, looking beyond economic measures to include the importance of quality of place and the development of people’s creative potential.


Chronic-Con, Episode 420: A New Dope
In response to Morgan Spurlock's COMIC-CON: A FAN'S HOPE, comedian Doug Benson (SUPER HIGH ME) stars in this doc that looks at San Diego Comic-Con from his hazy perspective. Featuring fellow pot and film fanatics Kevin Smith, Brian Posehn, Joe Rogan and even Spurlock himself, it's a fun look at a rapidly growing cultural event.
This movie is not available on Netflix in your country? The solution is:


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The Cityscape Awards for Emerging Markets has recognized the 2013 pioneering global real estate developments at a ceremony in Dubai.
Selected among 27 shortlisted projects from 11 countries, the 12 winners of the event were hosted a reception attended by hundreds of industry professionals and VIPs.
Reflecting the true international nature of the awards and the submissions received, the winners came from all corners of the globe, including the One AIA Financial Center in China for the Best Commercial & Mixed (Built) Development, Quasar Istanbul for Best Commercial & Mixed (Future) Development, Hotel Indigo in Hong Kong for Best Leisure & Tourism (Built) project and Ahyaa Amman Boutique Hotel in Jordan for Best Leisure & Tourism (Future).
GCC winners included the Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC) for the Louvre, Abu Dhabi for Best Community & Culture (Future) Development, while both sustainability awards were snapped up by regional projects — Siemens Middle East Headquarters in Masdar, Abu Dhabi for Best Sustainability (Built) Project and Msheireb, Downtown Doha in Qatar, for Best Sustainability (Future) Project.
Other winners included the National Institute of Fashion Design in India for Best Community and Culture Project (Built), Qatar Foundation’s Male & Female Student Housing for Best Residential Project (Built), Windchants for Best Residential Project (Future), Akbati Shopping Mall for Best Retail Project (Built) and Hang Lung Properties’ Olympia 66 for Best Retail Project (Future).
Sponsored by Axor by Hansgrohe and Flash Properties, the Cityscape Awards for Emerging Markets was a feature of Cityscape Global, which concluded on Thursday at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Center.
Wouter Molman, exhibition director of Cityscape Global, said: “The Cityscape Awards for Emerging Markets this year attracted a total of 283 nominations from across the world, with only the finest 27 chosen to move forward to the final judging day this week. The quality of the nominations this year was incredibly high, and it’s great to see such a diverse range of projects celebrated on a global stage.”
Cityscape Global was a hive of activity as leading international, regional, and local real estate developers showcased their latest projects and innovations to thousands of investors.
With exhibition space growing by 50 percent for the second year in a row, the three-day event is stated to have mirrored the positive sentiment that the real estate market has seen building up in the last two years.
Organized by Informa Exhibitions, the Middle East’s largest real estate event hosted 223 exhibitors from 19 countries this year, with 35 percent of exhibition space occupied by international property developers.

domain: geography


Edwin Olivarez eyes rollout of Paranaque’s COVID-19 vaccination program in April
The city of Parañaque is now ready to inoculate its residents against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez said on Tuesday that once the city government’s ordered vaccines arrive, they can begin the rollout, likely as soon as next month.
“We’d like to tell each and everyone that the city government of Parañaque is already prepared para sa ating vaccine. Naka-order na po ang city ng ating iba-vaccine sa mga constituents. Hanggang sa logistics, prepared na rin siya pati na rin yung vaccination team. Hopefully by next quarter ay mag-uumpisa na tayo ng rollout (for our vaccine. The city has already ordered what we would vaccinate to our constituents. Even the logistics is already prepared as well as the vaccination team. Hopefully by next quarter, we can begin the rollout),” Olivarez said during the press launch of Parañaque Aces for National Basketball League (NBL).
He said the city’s first batch of vaccines would come from AstraZeneca much like many local government units have ordered for their own citizens.
“Nakapag-downpayment na tayo doon. Ang initial delivery sa atin ay 200,000 doses (We have already paid the downpayment. They will deliver 200,000 doses to us),” Olivarez said.
He said the city government has also already begun negotiations with Moderna, Pfizer, NOVAVAX, and Johnson & Johnson.
“Lahat ay i-inoculate natin. Walang maiiwanan natin dito (Everyone will be inoculated. No one will be left behind),” he said.
Parañaque residents who want to avail of the Covid-19 vaccine can go to the city government’s website at oneparanaque.net or scan the quick response code posted in Olivarez’s Facebook page.
The city has so far logged 9,278 Covid-19 cases with 8,877 recoveries and 233 deaths. (PNA)


text:
We are delighted to welcome Tennyson Perera to the 2017 Fairway Galle Literary Festival.
- Shortlisted for the Fairway National Literary Award (FNLA) 2016, Sinhala Language
- Winner, State Literary Award, 2007
- Winner, Vidudaya Award, 2001 and 2002
Tennyson Perera is a Sinhala Language author whose first short story collection ‘Sanda Eliya’ (Moonlight) was published in 1958.
His first novel ‘Duk Gindarak Medin’ (Passing Through Sorrow) was published in 1962.
Since then, he has authored 29 novels, 10 short stories collections, 38 Children’s story books, and more than 5 translations of novels.
He is shortlisted for the 2016 Fairway National Literary Award for his latest novel ‘Maha Ravana’.

domain: library


As we continue to improve our network management system, we identified some ways to improve our MonitoringAgent application.
The MonitoringAgent performs a simple but important task in the FileCatalyst product family: tracking product alarms. The MonitoringAgent says, “Tell me the state of my FileCatalyst products (also referred to as agents), and let me know what is going wrong.”
MonitoringAgent Communication Improvements In 2.8
The first improvement we made for v2.8 of FileCatalyst Direct was flipping the direction of the MonitoringAgent communication protocol. Since its original release in v2.5, it was the responsibility of the MonitoringAgent to know where each product on the network was installed. Everything from product discovery to communication was made from the center and extended outwards. While offering a simple design from a software engineering viewpoint, we ran into issues with this in deployment scenario.
Every product (primarily FileCatalyst Servers and HotFolders) had to open up an additional listener port to handle management commands from the MonitoringAgent. If you are working on an internal LAN, this doesn’t present much of an issue. However, across a WAN and under real customer environments, the need to open up multiple ports meant too much work for our clients: dealing with reluctant system & network administrators, playing around with corporate firewalls, NAT port forwarding, and a few other issues. This gets compounded the larger the deployment, especially with regard to HotFolders which normally do not require open socket listeners. 100 clients need to send you data? That’s potentially 100 clients who have to mess around with port settings.
By switching the protocol around, only the MonitoringAgent needs to open up a socket listener port. Services are instead required to “dial in” to a central MonitoringAgent; HotFolders go back to not having open server ports.
Reversing the protocol also presents the option of auto-provisioning new products on the network: new products simply need to connect into the MonitoringAgent, and alarms/status can be immediately routed.
Additional MonitoringAgent tweaks:
Since the MonitoringAgent doesn’t present a GUI to users, Remote Server Admin was enhanced to serve as a configuration console for the MonitoringAgent. Views are now available to list all currently managed products on the network, in addition to being able to set configuration options formerly available only in a text-base configuration file.
Scalability was also addressed in the MonitoringAgent. The old logic responsible for agent polling was updated to allowing multiple services to be polled concurrently rather than a sequential walk-through of products. This allows not only more products to be managed, but also dramatically reduces the time required between polling cycles. The result is a refresh that feels much more natural when scanning for alarms via the GUI.
There you have it! If you’re already using MonitoringAgent, we hope you’ll benefit from the recent changes. If you’re not using it or were previously unaware of the MonitoringAgent, your representative would be happy to provide further information.


text:
Funding for Oregon’s Farm to School and School Gardens programs is on track to reach $1.2 million in state funding in the 2013-15 biennium.
On the final day of this year’s session, the Oregon Legislature approved $500,000 for the programs in its final spending bill. Lawmakers had already approved $500,000 for the two programs through House Bill 2649.
And the Oregon Department of Education budget includes around $200,000 in grants for the programs, as well. Most of the $1.2 million will pay for schools to buy lunch food from local farms. The rest can help fund food, garden and agricultural education over the next two years.
Kasandra Griffin of Upstream Public Health said she and other advocates had requested $5 million in funding, but that $1.2 million will help achieve their goal of having dedicated staff people and a significant funding stream dedicated to the programs.
The $1.2 million total is a big step up from $189,000 in grants offered to Oregon schools for the Farm to School and School Gardens programs in the 2011-13 biennium. Those grants connected schools with local farmers and fishermen and put Oregon berries, beef, wheat and oats onto student lunch trays across the state.
As I reported earlier this year, one grant even allowed the Bend school district to add some scrumptious Oregon coast seafood – pink shrimp salad and Dover sole fillets – to its lunch menus.
The idea behind funding farm to school programs was to support the state’s food producers economically while improving school lunches, but they can also have the added environmental benefit of fewer transportation miles and lower-impact food production.
Upstream Public Health and Ecotrust coordinated more than 20 legislator visits to cafeterias, gardens, and ride-alongs on school field trips to farms to advocate for more funding, and Griffin said the visits seem to have worked.
“We wanted legislators to see the benefits of Farm to School and school garden programs firsthand,” she said. “Once they saw how excited kids can get about fresh kale they’ve picked themselves, and how much kids can learn about science from a compost bin, the result was overwhelming support for program expansion.”

domain: food


text:
Lucy Worsley gets into bed with our past monarchs to uncover the Tales from the Royal Bedchamber. She reveals that our obsession with royal bedrooms, births and succession is nothing new. ...
See full summary »
Today, few people's clothes attract as much attention as the royal family, but this is not a modern-day paparazzi-inspired obsession. Historian Dr. Lucy Worsley, Chief Curator at Historic ... See full summary »
Historian of the medieval period, Helen Castor, presents an in depth and insightful series covering England's early Queens, from the High Middle Ages with Eleanor and get daughter-in-law ... See full summary »
Using a combination of documentary and drama, historian Dan Jones tells the story of the War of the Roses - the 30 year civil war between the House of York and House of Lancaster that saw the crown change hands seven times.
James Oliver Wheatley
Lucy Worsley gets into bed with our past monarchs to uncover the Tales from the Royal Bedchamber. She reveals that our obsession with royal bedrooms, births and succession is nothing new. In fact, the rise and fall of their magnificent beds reflects the changing fortunes of the monarchy itself.
"I'm going to get in bed with famous kings and queens from history...."
This show, hosted by British historian Lucy Worsley, is about the British bedchamber and its importance to history as well as its everyday routines. The show only barely mentions monarchs before Henry VIII and goes from him up through Victoria--a period of about 350 years. At first, the bedchamber is very important--with courtiers jockeying for position by getting closer and closer to the king or queen during their time dressing, sleeping and relieving themselves. The show then follows this through the years and ends with Victoria, who unlike previous monarchs, was very private and unwilling to let her private life be on such public display. Overall, a very interesting show and one that gives you a unique view of the British royals. Its only problem is that the show is so brief that it really seemed a tad rushed.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.
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domain: history


text:
Mountain hike in the summer
Foto: Jan Heidegård
In Lødingen you will find all the challenges you need.
There are areas where you can find peace, excitement and fantastic views. Lakes to fish in or take a swim.
There are also tours and paths that are adapted to most people.
With Lødingen as a hiking destination, the possibilities are many, ranging from precipitous peaks
to idyllic valleys with river outlets and flower beds are just some of what one can experience.
Along the coastline, several places are protected to preserve history, vegetation and the abundant bird and animal life one finds just here.
We will adapt the trips to weather conditions.
We will bring some food.
We will provide local guide, walking poles and shoe covers.
Backpack with drinking bottle/water bottle/thermos, chocolate/orange and seat pads can be rented or bought.
You need good shoes, and on cold or windy days you also need warm underwear and windproof clothes.
We can also offer to stay overnight, in a tent.
It's just to get in touch, we set up a tour according to your wishes
Price and Booking
NOK 650 PP
Overnight trip with accommodation outside or in a tent:
NOK 1 250 PP (18:00-12:00)
If we go sleeping in a tent or outside, you ned to bring a sleeping bag.
Phone: +47 90723064

domain: hobby


text:
- Photo: Evan Agostini/AP1 of 17
- Photo: Theo Wargo/WireImage2 of 17
- Photo: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.3 of 17
- Photo: VPB/WENN4 of 17
- Photo: Bill Davilla/Retna Ltd.5 of 17
- Photo: United Artists/Promotional6 of 17
- Photo: Brian Hamill/TriStar Pictures/Promotional7 of 17
- Photo: Bill Davila/Retna Ltd.8 of 17
- Photo: United Artists/Promotional9 of 17
- Photo: United Artists/Promotional10 of 17
- Photo: United Artists/Promotional11 of 17
- Photo: Miramax/Promotional12 of 17
- Photo: United Artists/Promotional13 of 17
- Photo: REMY DE LA MAUVINIERE/AP14 of 17
- Photo: FRANKIE ZITHS/AP15 of 17
- Photo: United Artists/Promotional16 of 17
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His mother later re-tweeted the message, adding, "Boom."
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domain: entertainment


text:
Ofsted reports in music and materials for schools
- Music in schools: what hubs must do - 15 November 2013. This short survey report challenges all music education hubs to be bold in implementing the National Plan for Music Education and to grasp the opportunity to lead, with schools and other partners, improvement in schools on a major scale.
- Music in schools: sound partnerships - 5 October 2012. This report highlights the benefits and pitfalls of partnership working in music education. It is based on visits to 59 schools by specialist music inspectors between September 2011 and July 2012, together with six further visits to observe good practice.
- Subject professional development materials: Music in schools - promoting good practice - 3 September 2012. These professional development materials have been put together to help to promote dialogue between music teachers, headteachers, and music hub leaders to build their shared understanding about the key features of good teaching and learning by reflecting on the main messages from the music report.
- Music in schools: wider still and wider - 2 March 2012. This report examined music teaching and found wide differences in the quality and quantity of music education in schools across England. One in five of the schools visited were judged inadequate for music. Our report is based principally on evidence from 194 specialist music inspections and good practice visits in schools between 2008 and 2011, including curriculum lessons, additional instrumental and vocal tuition, and extra-curricular musical activities.
- Making more of music - improving the quality of music teaching (secondary) - 17 September 2009.
- Making more of music - improving the quality of music teaching (primary) - 17 September 2009. Two Making more of music booklets – for primary and secondary schools – are intended as discussion documents for staff who are involved in teaching music in schools. They highlight aspects of effective teaching in a chart that describes the satisfactory, good and outstanding features seen in Ofsted’s music inspections.
- Making more of music: an evaluation of music in schools 2005-08 - 4 February 2009. This report is based on evidence from inspections in a range of maintained schools. Part A focuses on inspection findings. They show that there is some outstanding provision and that pupils enjoy music, although they do not always make as much musical progress as they could. Part B considers the essential components of effective teaching in music.
Inspectors visit 150 schools each year to inform Ofsted’s subject surveys in English, mathematics and science. Survey visits for other subjects are less frequent but continue to take place from time to time.
Case studies of good practice in music in schools
Good practice case study Cotham School - 2 March 2012. This good practice film about Cotham School includes teaching and learning using music technology and the use of video and audio recording for assessing students’ work. It illustrates how specialist arts status has been used to build musical links with feeder primary schools.
Good practice case study Whitefield Schools and Centre - 2 March 2012. This good practice film about Whitefield Schools and Centre considers how classroom teaching, music therapy, partnerships with professional musicians and innovative assessment methods can be used to support the musical achievement of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
Good practice case study Churchfields Junior School - 2 March 2012. This good practice video for Churchfields Junior School includes ‘Wider Opportunities’ work and singing work in Key Stage 2, including use of the Curwen-Kodaly hand signs.
Good practice case study Flegg High School - 2 March 2012. This good practice film about Flegg High School explains how a rural school has overcome geographical isolation by building networks in the local authority and using technology. It also considers how one headteacher has worked with a specialist adviser to develop his own understanding of key issues in music education.
Good practice case study John Scurr Primary School - 2 March 2012. This good practice film about John Scurr Primary School includes singing work in the Early Years Foundation Stage.
Good practice case study London Oratory School - 2 March 2012. This good practice film for the London Oratory School includes a range of curriculum and extra-curricular vocal work.

domain: artistic


text:
Why Choose Storage West?
Community - Service - Stability
Flamingo Road Storage Facility Features
- Friendly Resident Managers
- Alarms on all units
- Camera surveillance on site
- All ground level units
- Close to Convention Center
- Local Business Pass Members
Other features include:
- Flexible month to month leases.
- Competitive rates.
- Computerized record keeping.
- Prepayment plan for no hassle obligation.
- Military Discount - Save 10% per month. Show your Military ID at the time of your storage rental and save 10% every month on your storage space as long as you store with us. Thank you for your service!
- - Refer a friend and receive $25.00 if your friend rents a unit from one of our facilities with our self storage referral program.
From the Manager
“Storage West Flamingo Road is located at 2700 East Flamingo Road in Las Vegas. If you are coming from the east on either the 515/95/69 freeway get off at the Flamingo Road exit. Turn left onto Flamingo Road and drive for 2 miles. You will see the Storage West sign on the right side.
From the west, north, or south on the 15 freeway, take the Flamingo Road exit and head east – and cross the Strip. From the exit our facility is approximately 3.6 miles. You will find us on the north side of the street. Watch for the Storage West sign on your left once you pass Eastern Avenue.
We have a convenient RTC bus stop right at the entrance to our facility. Our facility is convenient for McCarran International Airport, the Strip, and UNLV. Canadian, Hawaiian, and Alaskan residents love to use us to store their cars and motorcycles for those frequent trips to Las Vegas. A quick cab ride from the airport and they are ready to go touring! When finished, their ‘toys’ are safely stored for the next trip and then it’s just a quick cab ride back to the airport. Don’t forget – all units are drive-up, no upper levels!”
Self Storage Made Easy!
Your Las Vegas storage rental is strictly month-to-month, no long leases needed.
Your storage space rental starts on the day you move in, i.e. you move in on the 15th, your next month's space rental is due on the 15th.
There is a one-time administration fee of only $19.95. No deposits are required.
Moving Boxes and Packing Supplies Sold Here!
At Storage West Self Storage in Las Vegas we also offer a full line of moving boxes and packing supplies.To learn more about our merchandise, click on this link:
Moving boxes and packing supplies.
If you would like to order moving boxes or packing supplies online, click on this link:
Moving boxes and packing supplies on line.
Computerized Access System at our Flamingo Road Storage Facility.
Our storage facility gate is secured with a computerized access panel, which accepts your personalized security code.
Once inside our Flamingo Road storage facility only you can access your storage unit because only you have the key to your personal storage space.
A Storage Space to Fit Your Individual Needs.
You will find a wide variety of storage spaces at our Las Vegas, Nevada facility.
Let our friendly resident managers help you find the storage space that is just right for you.
Click this link for more details: Storage West Business P.A.S.S. Information.


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- 3' CAT6 Ethernet cable (w/ a male RJ-45 connector on each end)
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Hotels near Desert Botanical Garden
Desert Botanical Garden Hotels
Orbitz makes it easy to find the best Desert Botanical Garden hotel deals for your trip. With an outstanding selection, easy-to-use search tools and descriptive hotel profiles, you'll find Desert Botanical Garden hotel deals in a wink..
Great selection of hotels in Desert Botanical Garden
Whether you're searching for hotels in Desert Botanical Garden on business, or hunting for a family getaway, Desert Botanical Garden hotel options are only a click away. Find hotels in Desert Botanical Garden with the location, star-rating and facilities you need. Narrow your search results even further by star rating, hotel chain and amenities, such as free parking, babysitting services, or fitness centers. And with area maps, you can view Desert Botanical Garden hotels close you are to the airport and nearby attractions.
Desert Botanical Garden hotel reviews, photos and virtual tours
Thanks to photos and virtual tours, you can look before you book your Desert Botanical Garden hotel reservation. Check out Desert Botanical Garden hotel properties using interactive tools which allow you view hotel rooms, common areas and key features. On Orbitz, you can also learn more about hotels in Desert Botanical Garden with unbiased reviews from verified Desert Botanical Garden hotel guests. We ask guests to offer candid feedback on services, comfort, location, value and amenities.
Grab Desert Botanical Garden hotel deals and special offers
Orbitz works around the clock to find exclusive offers and Desert Botanical Garden hotel deals, just for you. Sign up for deals by e-mail where you'll get first crack at money-saving extras like promo codes, resort credits, free nights and more. You can also "Like" Orbitz on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to receive up-to-the-minute news on hotel discounts, giveaways and more.
24/7 support with Desert Botanical Garden hotel reservations
When it comes to finding hotels in Desert Botanical Garden, an Orbitz specialist can help you find the property right for you. Chat live or call 1-800-454-3743 any time for help booking your hotels in Desert Botanical Garden. Our team of experts can help you pinpoint Desert Botanical Garden hotels options suited to your tastes and budget.
Forget Orbitz change or cancel fees on Desert Botanical Garden hotels
On Orbitz, Desert Botanical Garden hotel deals mean flexibility. If you need to change your Desert Botanical Garden hotel reservations, or cancel your stay, Orbitz doesn't charge cancel or change fees. Orbitz also offers great selection on airline tickets, vacation packages, and car rental deals to so you can plan your trip to Desert Botanical Garden all in one place.
Featured Desert Botanical Garden Hotels
…Desert Botanical Garden (2.7 mi/4.3 km). More
Small but mighty
What a nice Surprise!
The Hospitality Suite Resort in Scottsdale offers one- or two-room units with kitchenettes and thermostat-controlled HVAC. Courtyards, barbecue grills, two outdoor pools and hot tub are the perfect settings for private relaxation. RoomsThis Scottsdale hotel has 147 one- and two-room suites... More
This hotel needs a upgrade!
…This hotel places you within 5 miles of many popular attractions including the Sun Devil Stadium, Desert Botanical Garden, and historic Old Town Scottsdale. More
Close to airport
808 N. Scottsdale Road Map
Save 20% on your stay
The Country Inn & Suites Phoenix Airport at Tempe is a beautiful 83 room hotel in North Tempe, just a 1.5 miles from ASU-Arizona State University and 5.1 miles from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. The hotel is conveniently located near Karsten Golf Course, Tempe Town Lake, Big Surf Water Park, the... More
1429 N Scottsdale Rd, Map
Capture Your Summer Moment - 40% Off
Red Lion Inn and Suites Tempe ASU is a three-tier resort-style destination offering a blend of traditional rooms and guest suites. Located in the heart of Tempe Arizona bordering Old Town Scottsdale and Phoenix our hotel is three miles east of the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and one... More
Situated one mile from Arizona State University's campus, the Hampton Inn & Suites Phoenix/Tempe-ASU Area hotel offers easy access to lots of shopping and dining options, recreation activities, and attractions including Tempe Town Lake, Phoenix Zoo, Mill Avenue and Old Town Scottsdale. Enjoy... More
Hampton north Tempe
Very clean and new
…Desert Botanical Garden (3.1 mi/5 km). More
The Suburban Extended Stay Hotel is conveniently located, offering easy access to many nearby landmarks and attractions. This Scottsdale, AZ hotel is just one mile from Arizona State University (ASU), home of Sun Devil Stadium, Frank Kush Field, Wells Fargo Arena and ASU Gammage performing arts... More
Great New Years Get away
Motel 6 Scottsdale South is located within 3 miles of ASU campus, Tempe Town Lake and the Phoenix Zoo. Enjoy our outdoor pool, open all year. Wi-Fi is available in all guest rooms for a small fee. More
Motel 6 Phoenix East is located off Loop 202 and E Van Buren St. Visit the Phoenix Municipal Stadium, spring home of the Oakland As, Phoenix Zoo and Arizona State University. Amenities include an outdoor pool and Wi-Fi in all rooms for a small fee. More
Weekend Getaway Nightmare
Scottsdale is the place to go for art shopping and nightlife in the valley of the sun. Now there is a hotel creating even more desire around the desert experience. The Saguaro brings with it a new look where Old Town the Arts District and Civic Center Mall meet. Bright lush and vibrant it is a... More
passing thru Phoenix
3131 North Scottsdale Road Map
…When guests ask about the best Arizona attractions nearby, favorite staff suggestions include the beautiful Desert Botanical Garden, the fun-filled Phoenix Zoo or shopping in Old Town Scottsdale or at Fashion Square Mall. More
Girls Get Away
3838 East Van Buren Street Map
Complimentary wired and Wi-Fi Internet Access
…Desert Botanical Garden (3.4 mi/5.5 km). More
recent business trip to Phoenix
great time and. comfort was outstanding
Celebrate your style at Aloft Tempe, with views of Arizona State University and plenty of places to play! Sun Devil Stadium lures the football fans, while top golf, corporate offices, and easy breezy airport access make business travel a pleasure. Meet & mingle with friends at our w xyz(SM)... More
Aloft was nice, but forgetful
With its unique décor and lively atmosphere, the Aloft-Phoenix-Airport is an attraction in itself. As well as access to a wide range of modern amenities on-site, guests can easily reach Phoenix's shopping and entertainment areas. Highlights of this hotel include a 24-hour business center and a... More

domain: travel


text:
There are five stages of an relationship. In the end of each level, there will be a great engagement. As of this engagement, there will be a decision to get married or perhaps separate. Of these five levels of a relationship, you will have an interest, intimacy, online dating, dissatisfaction, eventually, commitment.
Throughout these types of stages of relationships, you will learn if you as well as your mate are really meant for one another. Once we go through these kinds of stages in every single relationship, our brains changes. We changes from getting mostly drawn and romantically interested to be a little more rational and less interested.
Should you look spine at your relationship history, you will find that you have created several stages. The initially stage was when you were dating. You could have fallen fond of one another but you were not looking forward to marriage however. It may have been entertaining while you were dating nevertheless eventually you still have to know one other better and started having serious interactions about having a wedding. It may currently have seemed like all kinds of things was heading smoothly but since soon whenever you proposed to each other, the ball was rolling down hill.
This is because even as we proceed through the early stages of a relationship; the brains instantly associate matrimony with secureness. Marriage provides stability. It also presents a clear reference point because it asiana bride is anything we have been through before and we have a great understanding of what is included. Our brains will start to generate connections between our early on attachment to each other and the long term future promise of security and financial wealth.
The second scenario for love marriage is the one where you fell in love. Persons move in a linear stage. They go from being fans to being lovers, after that friends, and then finally falling in love. Peoples’ behaviors stick to predictable style.
Once your head moves from being in the Lover phase to currently being in the Friend phase, then it is the perfect time to put aside variations of thoughts and opinions and interact with each other to build a powerful foundation for the purpose of your relationship. At this stage, your partner could feel the pressure of your relationship and may also feel unconfident and uncomfortable. You should not permit this eventually you.
Thirdly and last level of your marriage is called Understanding. You should at this point manage to understand every single other’s requires, feelings, and behaviors. You will additionally be able to speak well with one another. During this stage, both both you and your partner may have reached a comprehension about the ongoing future of the relationship.
There are also stages of any relationship, which are experienced by people who are extended range term and permanent human relationships. In this stage, couples be oriented to one another and are able to resolve their problems more effectively. This stage also helps the few to develop an obvious understanding of what each partner wants through the relationship. It is during this level that the couples are able to work more effectively to look for solutions to any kind of conflicts inside the relationship. It is also at this stage where the couples recognize that the collaboration that they have is usually indestructible and will certainly carry these people through various ups and downs of their life.
When it comes to knowing what levels of a relationship are best for you, everything boils down to you and your partner. Many people get confused between the periods of a relationship, while others basically don’t understand these people. While there are not any set stages of a relationship per se, most people acknowledge that there are several general levels in most relationships. These phases are the following:
Stages of the relationship can be separated in three primary categories or stages of an relationship: first stages, mid-stage, and final stage. The majority of people consider the initial stages to be the most important types because they will help decide whether a romance will end up good or certainly not. At the first stage, couples begin to build their interconnection and understanding one another. They are also slowly figuring out their own personality. It is during this time that couples continue to discover what they have in common with one another.
The mid-stage of your relationship is considered to be the second most crucial stage, specifically couples who’ve been together longer periods of time. Throughout this stage, they learn how to work together as a team, what compromises and disagreements could possibly arise, and how to deal with pressure from friends and family members. During this level, both parties generally feel uncertain of what they have to do next. The next stage of a romance is considered to be the most difficult. This stage involves the discovery of how to survive living together and it is often the longest one continues.

domain: psychology


text: Sophie Hulme's Gibson range is part tote, part bucket bag. Free from detailing, these no-fuss bags will make you seem like you have the minimal look down. Leather or suede, the bucket bag has a drawstring top, detachable shoulder strap and inside patch pocket. The tote is roomy inside, with top handles and stamped branding. Keeping it simple has never seemed so good.

domain: design


text:
Skyclan & the Stranger. #3, After the FloodBook - 2012
As SkyClan struggles to survive after a flood destroys their home, Leafstar must decide what the next step for them should be. Meanwhile, Sol is demanding that he be made a warrior, but Leafstar doubts he will ever be able to embrace the warrior code.
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text:
The memorial is located inside an alcove and it is made up of two statues placed on a pedestal, on either side of a crankcase with the marble memorial stone. There are also two lions holding a sarcophagus above which is placed a sculpture depicting a woman. The memorial is dedicated to Anna Maria Ferreris who was the widow of the Swiss nobleman Gaspare De Maklis. He had moved to Bologna after the political upheavals happened in France and he committed himself to the trade thanks to which he managed to maintain thriving the economic situation of the family. The description of the monument in 'Collezione scelta dei Monumenti Sepolcrali' by Natale Salvardi (1825), declares that 'it was Anna Maria Ferraris's grand-son Gaspare who commissioned the monument that is now keeping her rests in the Certosa cemetery. They were very close and he was extremely devoted to the her and to the virtues she showed in her life which ended in 1819 when she was 86.' The work was commissioned by Gaspare De Maklis (her great-nephew) to Giovanni Putti. The artwork appears to be one of the most eccentric made by this artist.
The embodiment of the "Time" is very similar to the one belonging to memorial Buratti*; also the image of the "Eternity" is close to many other single statues of Putti, although her hairstyle shows an evolution in the style by becoming less and less bound to specific models. In addition to that, also the "Piangente" sculpture which sits on the cover of the unusual sandal-shaped sarcophagus is far away from the first statues depicting the same figure that Putti built. The artist indeed does not abandon the virtuosity of the drapery, but on the contrary, he emphasises it as he no longer feels the need of hiding his 'pathetic' figures under wide robes. So he tries to make the dress folds and the postures look more expressive, in order not to take the emotional impact away from the work. That very statue, seen from the side, while she wipes her tears away, acquires a meaning of intimacy that is in contrast with the power and strength conveyed by the sculptures representing the "Time" and the two lions.
*The only relevant difference is the addiction of a rich and saggy drape placed on the old man's head. Translation from the italian language thanks to the 2017/18 students of the Galvani high school in Bologna, supervised by the teacher Annamaria Marconi.


text:
|Cotton: Midday Report (Monday, March 30, 2015 10:51:25)
Equity strength may be boosting cotton futures. ICE cotton proved generally mixed Sunday night as traders seemed to square positions in preparation for Tuesday’s Prospective Plantings report. However, prices turned higher as Monday morning passed, which may simply have reflected the big surge posted by the equity indexes and the economic strength that implied. May cotton advanced 0.34 cents to 63.89 cents/pound shortly before noon (EDT) Monday, while December futures lifted 0.07 to 64.75.
|Wheat: Midday Report (Monday, March 30, 2015 10:51:25)
The wheat markets are reacting to spotty weekend rains. Wheat futures marched higher Friday as they recovered from Thursday’s big breakdown and resumed the rally this morning. Wire service reports cite uneven weekend rainfall over the southern Plains wheat region for the much of the rise. Also, the potential results of Tuesday’s USDA reports are focusing the industry’s attention as well. May CBOT wheat jumped 18.0 cents to $5.2575/bushel in late Monday morning action, while May KC wheat leapt 21.0 cents to $5.74/bushel, and May MWE wheat surged 14.5 to $5.895.
|Soybeans: Midday Report (Monday, March 30, 2015 10:51:25)
The soy complex moved modestly higher in early trading. The crop industry seemingly suspects Tuesday’s USDA reports will prove rather bearish for the 2015 soy outlook, which would explain last week’s sustained weakness. However, prices have begun this week firmly, possibly reflecting ideas that the slippage was overdone. As with corn, short-covering has seemed to be the order of the day so far. May soybean futures gained 6.5 cents to $9.7375/bushel as the lunch hour loomed Monday, while May soyoil rose 0.01 cents 30.61 cents/pound, and May meal rallied $4.0 to $325.4/ton.
|Corn: Midday Report (Monday, March 30, 2015 10:51:25)
Short covering reportedly boosted crop markets Monday morning. Tomorrow’s big USDA Grain Stocks and Prospective Plantings reports could spark strong reactions in the crop markets, so traders are probably squaring positions beforehand. Indeed, wire service reports cited short-covering for today’s early corn strength. Concurrent soybean and wheat gains are likely pulling corn higher as well. May corn futures edged up 2.0 cents to $3.93/bushel late Monday morning, while December added 1.75 to $4.165.
|Hogs: Midday Report (Monday, March 30, 2015 10:51:25)
CME hogs are trading mostly lower in the wake of Friday’s USDA report. Last Friday’s quarterly USDA Hogs & Pigs report was interpreted as being generally bearish. However, recent futures losses had anticipated a negative result, which explains today’s mixed action just after the CME opening. The bearish atmosphere seemed to regain dominance by late morning, although the deep deferred contracts traded higher. April hog futures sank 0.70 cents to 60.42 cents/pound just before lunchtime Monday, while June hogs slid 0.32 to 74.67.

domain: agronomy


Using a gaming VPN for your computer games has become essential in the last couple of years. Not only does a gaming VPN allow you to access games in restricted countries and institutions, but it also protects you against DDoS attacks. Your system has to be as safe as possible, especially when you’re playing against online opponents.
In addition to improving your security, downloading a VPN service for your gaming increases your connection speed and data limits. We’ve gone over 50 VPN services, checking for compatibility, speed, and security, and we’ve picked the 10 best VPN services for gaming. Let’s take a look.
ExpressVPN is our #1 pick because of its superfast connection speeds wherever you are in the world and great server locations. This VPN service has over 3,000 servers across 160 locations across 94 countries, so you’re guaranteed to find a server almost anywhere in the world.
When we tested the server speed, we discovered that the claims were real and very stable. There are no lags in connection and your games continue playing seamlessly. Also, you don’t have to worry about DDoS attacks when playing your favorite games. It keeps you 100% safe. You can use ExpressVPN on 5 devices at most, and it works on your Android, iOS, Playstation, Xbox, Windows, Mac, and Linux devices.
NordVPN may be the only VPN service you’ve ever heard of – it’s quite popular. But this famous provider is not all hype. It lives up to its expectations. If you like to leave your VPN running in the background, you can be certain that the speed is well above average.
It has even more servers than ExpressVPN, boasting of 5,000 servers in over 80 locations around the world. NordVPN may not fully protect your system from DDoS attacks, but it promises to put a lot into dealing with traffic than your normal broadband connection. With NordVPN, you can use over 55 devices simultaneously, and it works well on your Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS.
Windscribe has both a free and paid version of its services. You’ll get 10GB of free data to play games every month. If you decide to play a data-heavy game like Destiny 2 non-stop, it should take you 33 hours to exhaust your data.
However, you can use it for longer on games like Call of Duty or Fortnite. Windscribe uses military-grade encryption, has an ad-blocker, and is compatible with your router. Windscribe’s free servers may be a bit slower especially during peak times. If you get the premium version, you won’t experience these lags and you can even use it to watch some restricted Netflix content.
IPVanish has dedicated gaming features, that’s why we took a liking to it. It has its own network and is faster than most VPN services. IPVanish has over 1,500 servers across 75 locations. With this service, you also get the option of sorting by ping time and you can find servers specifically meant for gaming.
You can use this provider on your Android and iOS phones, but its mobile apps aren’t as great as the desktop PC versions. When you register, you get 250GB of cloud storage as a bonus. It may not be the greatest choice when going for VPN services, but it is a decent one.
PrivateVPN handles your security like a pro – that’s why we like it. It has over 150 servers in 60 countries. You might feel that there would be lags because of the small number of servers. But, we found out that this is not true.
PrivateVPN runs smoothly and you can still play games at fast speeds. If you’re unsure of whether to get this provider, you can sign up for the 7-day free trial. They won’t ask for your payment details, so you don’t have to be worried about automatic renewals. All PrivateVPN servers are P2P-friendly and it is compatible with your Android, macOS, Linus, Windows, and iOS devices.
Hotspot Shield is one amazing VPN provider that performed excellently during our tests. It has over 3,200 servers across more than 130 locations around the world. Its servers are very fast, so you don’t feel any lag in connection when playing games.
Even over long distances, it maintains its good speed. You can also use it on your streaming services like Amazon Prime Video and Netflix. If you want to try it out to see if it’s what you want, you can try the free version first. However, with the free version, you only get 500MB per day. The only thing we didn’t like about this provider is the not-so-fantastic support.
Surfshark is one of the most affordable VPN services for gamers on a budget. When we tested this service, we noticed that even though it is very affordable, it maintains very fast connections. It has over 1,700 servers across 100 countries and you can use it over an unlimited number of devices at the same time.
This feature-packed VPN provider doesn’t sacrifice cost for quality. While some people might find Surfshark a bit too simplistic, we think it’s very decent, especially for those who don’t have so much to spend on a VPN service.
ProtonVPN is one of the few VPNs that give out all their services for free. It has a huge network of servers across 36 countries and provides you with unlimited data and bandwidth. So, you’re not paying anything and you’re getting free data.
We checked its security too, and ProtonVPN provides military-grade encryption, DNS leak protection, built-in ad-blocker, and an automatic kill switch. This is tight security. The only issue we had is that the free version was not fast enough for us. There’s a paid version for those who enjoy the free version and want superfast data and other extra features.
hide.me is a freemium VPN service with a few features we appreciate. If you’re going for the free service, you get 2GB of free data monthly. That’s about 7 hours of free gaming for a whole month (not so much). But, you also get features like tight security measures and fast speeds for free.
It uses an automatic kill switch and 256-bit AES encryption to protect you from other gamers that may try to attack your system. We found the servers’ access a bit restrictive in the free version. It only allows you to access 5 of its 47 server locations – Canada, Singapore, US, and the Netherlands. But, some might say this is fairly decent since the servers are well spread. hide.me is compatible with your Linux, Chrome, Windows, Firefox, Amazon Fire OS, macOS, and iOS devices.
TunnelBear is also another VPN service for PC gamers; it is not router-compatible. It has multiple servers across 22 countries around the world and gives you free 500MB every month. Although it doesn’t work with your router, it makes up for this with its security features.
It uses AES 256-bit encryption to keep your system safe from security breaches and attacks. We loved TunnelBear because it is so easy to use. You won’t have any problems setting this up. If you want more features, you can upgrade to its premium version, but you don’t get a money-back guarantee. You’ll most likely enjoy TunnelBear better if you pay for its services.


text:
Governor Northam says will take a close look at COVID-19 numbers in Virginia in coming days to see if there is any surge in new cases created over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend — and whether to order tighter statewide restrictions. For now, the governor says he will continue the restrictions he ordered almost three weeks ago; they include limiting all gatherings to no more than 25, shutting off restaurant alcohol sales at 10:00 pm and closing restaurants at midnight. WFIR’s Evan Jones has more;
Northam says Virginia has a lower rate of new cases than 45 other states, but he says the current caseload numbers continue to increase, and 15,000 people are currently hospitalized for treatment of the virus in Virginia hospitals.
The governor says workplaces and schools are collectively doing a good job of adhering to health safety guidelines, but most of the new cases are being acquired at churches and small gatherings.
Northam says the state expects to receive its first 70,000 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine shortly after federal approval is granted, perhaps by mid-December, and the first doses will be administered to health care workers and residents of long-term health care facilities.

domain: health


image credit: GRIDSMART SMARTMOUNT Bell Camera
No one likes traffic. It’s unavoidable in populated areas, but having the ability to reduce congestion can improve the quality of life for citizens and save wear and tear on roads. Civic leaders in Arizona were battling traffic problems in one particular stretch of road and needed a solution that enabled them to improve vehicle flow.
Bell Road Highway in Surprise, Arizona, sits about 25 miles north of Phoenix. On average, 75,000 vehicles traverse the six-lane highway every day, about 30 percent more capacity than a typical six-lane highway. As a result, traffic overwhelmed about half of the 31-mile road, especially on busy days, such as when Major League Baseball spring training events brought in nearly 2 million fans.
The city, along with six other agencies, looked into widening roads to accommodate the extra traffic, but cost estimations ran as high as $24 million, plus an annual operating cost of $100,000. Instead the group sought an intelligent technology solution, which was estimated at $1.6 million, plus annual operating costs ranging between $30,000 to $50,000.
The pilot project tested adaptive signal control technology in multiple areas and analyzed traffic efficiency during spring training. The solution had to improve traffic flow and safety, adapt for changing traffic patterns, and provide signal timing progression. It also had to accommodate event-based traffic increases, seasonal traffic increases, and unexpected occurrences, such as accidents or lane closures. The project would encompass 50 traffic lights on Bell Road and would focus on nearby freeway interchanges.
Traffic Management on the Edge
The group chose the GRIDSMART intelligent traffic monitoring system, which uses Intel® Distribution of OpenVINO™ toolkit as part of its vision processing engine and AI. The system uses computer vision tracking algorithms to follow moving objects in the intersection. It collects and analyzes real-time traffic data, enabling civil engineers to adjust traffic signals based on usage, thus improving vehicular flow and safety.
GRIDSMART is comprised of three elements: the SMARTMOUNT Bell Camera, the GS2 Processor, and the GRIDSMART Client software. The five-pound Bell camera contains a protected fisheye lens that provides a full view of the intersection. The expansive view allows the camera to capture turn counts, provides situational awareness, views of the center of the intersection and the roads feeding into it, and incident management views. It operates via a Power over Ethernet connection from the GS2 processor.
The data from the camera is sent to the GS2 Processor, where the edge computing takes place. Running the GRIDSMART Engine, a suite of proprietary vision-tracking algorithms, the GS2 processes the camera images to build a 3D model of all vehicles, people, and other objects that enter each intersection. The resulting data is sent to the cloud every night and shared with all controllers. The GS2 is contained in a 1U-high enclosure that can be rack-mounted or stand alone. The front panel LEDs indicate phases, calls, and signal status.
The system is managed by the GRIDSMART Client. Traffic engineers can use the virtual pan-tilt-zoom functionality to configure, view, and manage intersections and highways in real time, and the virtual DVR capability allows engineers to monitor each intersection at different angles and speeds. Engineers can set up detection and counting zones, and receive automatic alerts, notifications, and reports via email. The GRIDSMART system can also be used with other traffic management systems.
Power in Numbers
In the Bell Road Highway implementation, GRIDSMART handled detection and data collection, and the data was fed into the Kadence advanced traffic management system from Kimley Horn. Using its algorithms, Kadence suggested new cycle lengths, splits, timing plans, and other adaptive controls to improve traffic flow.
Image credit: GRIDSMART Client
The GRIDSMART and Kadence solution boosted travel times and intersection efficiency as evidenced by the numbers. In the test area, delays were reduced by 20 percent on weekdays and 43 percent on weekends. Travel times were cut by 2 percent every day, and overall speed increased nearly 2 percent. Even with the spring training tourists, delays were reduced by nearly 39 percent, travel times dropped 5.5 percent, and overall traffic speed increased 5 percent. According to calculations by the Arizona Department of Transportation, that translates to a savings of $9,500 each day and $1,437.36 on days of special events.


text:
I’m posting this tag MID-YEAR. I am so punctual, I can’t even…
I WISH. Why is this like a month late? Is there a different calendar where this time is the middle BECUASE I NEED TO BE PUNCTUAL. I am late to everything people. All the new releases, my birthday, posting, the new releases, hyped up books, comments, bloggers, DID I MENTION NEW RELEASES? I don’t think I did.
But…What if I just time travel? I mean does this break the law of being punctual. SADLY I CANNOT TIME TRAVEL and I will now conveniently faint. *faints*. If someone knows if I can contact The 13th Doctor or how to find a TARDIS somewhere I would be insanely grateful. I mean time travel would be useful for so many things like
- finishing your TBR
- reading all the books
- sticking to your posting schedule
- having your library books for however long you like
- fixing mistakes like dying
- being immortal
- stalking authors
- eat more ice cream
Just a brief list
But anyway I am getting off track! I forgot to thank Inside My Library Mind (fantastic blog by the way) for tagging my old blog (MBL) in this! I’m still the same human so I guess I still get to do it?!
THE MID YEAR BOOK FREAK OUT TAG:
1. BEST BOOK SO FAR
The Hobbit by J.RR Tolkien was FANTASTIC! I loved it and somehow it’s not YA and yet i know it’s an all-time favourite. BILBO WAS HONESTLY SO SQUISHABLE I LOVED HIM ❤ Not to mention the whole magic vibes I got from the story! I’m also really excited to read Lord Of The Rings which looks MASSIVE but they are hopefully as awesome as everyone makes out?
The Accident Season, The Serpent King, Ink and Bone, The Hate U Give, The Girl In The Blue Coat, The Young Elites & Six Of Crows are obviously all up there too! I cannot choose between them. That would be torture *glares*
2. BEST SEQUEL SO FAR
A lot of the sequels I have read this year have been kind of disappointing. Paper & Fire slightly suffered from second book blues and Insurgent was horrible. I was not even fond of The Rose Society because of the characters. HOWEVER, I’ll have to choose one and I’ll admit I’m not spoilt for choice so I will go with A Gathering Of Shadows which was even better than the first book (though way less dark) and it was character driven WHICH MADE THE BOOK SO DELICIOUS. I also absolutely adored Crooked Kingdom which was basically perfection.
3. NEW RELEASE YOU WANT TO READ
Let’s be real this is releaseS. Stress on that S. There are so many books?! SO MANY NEW RELEASES, I AM DROWNING.I honestly really want to read Goodbye Days since I loved The Serpent King so much. I also want to read Ash & Quill because that series is JUST so addicting. There are others like When Dimple Met Rishi, A List Of Cages and Daughter of The Burning City which have been so hyped recently. OHH AND ELIZA AND HER MONSTERS. I want THE COLOUR PROJECT TOO PLEASE.
4. MOST ANTICIPATED RELEASE 2017
Though a lot of 2017 has passed, we’ve still got 5 months to go and THERE ARE SO MANY JUICY BOOKS ready to be released. I would say All The Crooked Saints & They Both Die At the End because everyone else is excited about them too? But honestly books I AM EXCITED FOR…The Book Of Dust. OMG, I am going to re-read the His Dark Materials series this summer and I AM SOO EXCITED FOR THE BOOK OF DUST. KILL ME NOW.
5. BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT SO FAR
Well, it’s sad I actually have TWO books for this category. I had wanted to read Holding Up The Universe but I ended up finding it of really poor quality and JUST WASN’T FOR ME. I was so disappointed because THAT COVER was gorgeous and THE HYPE. I found it so dull and just not my cup of tea?
The Uglies WAS THE MOST DISAPPOINTING THOUGH. I had waited forever to read it and IT WAS. SO. BORING. LIKE INCREDIBLY BORING. WHYYY??
6. BIGGEST SURPRISE SO FAR
THE BIGGEST SURPRISE has to be Divergent. IT WAS A GOOD SURPRISE. I thought I had gone off Dystopia forever but I REALLY REALLY liked it! Somehow? I am confused at myself. Explain this. Dystopia is so burned out and typical and I…what? It was just so addicting and though i really didn’t like Insurgent, I think this was a perfect start to the series! I am yet to watch the movies (which I have heard are great)
7. NEW FAVOURITE AUTHOR
I think V.E Schwab is actually very new to me (like VERY NEW TO ME) I had heard so many great things about her and when I finally read her book, A Darker Shade of Magic, I WAS STUNNED PEOPLE. She is a fantastic writer and having read only 2 of her books, well it’s quite shocking she’s already earned that place of ‘New Favourite Author;
8. NEW FAVOURITE CHARACTER
HOW COULD ANYONE NOT CHOOSE LAZLO STRANGE? He is PRECIOUS AND RARE and did I mention he had a crooked nose because a heavy fairy tale fell on it when he was reading? I need a spin-off series about that crooked nose. AND HE WALKS INTO WALLS WHILST READING. I RELLLATTE TOO MUCH. Seriously Lazlo is SOOOOO AWESOME CAN I MARVEL AT THIS? You need to read Strange The Dreamer to even being to understand the awesome.
Though I desperately need an Enzo (from The Young Elites) in my life. LIKE DESPERTALEY. And Bilbo from the Hobbit!
9. BOOK THAT MADE YOU CRY
Perhaps you don’t know but I DO CRY when reading books. I am not heartless apparently. I HAVE A SOUL (though some books like to steal it which is unfair) So I’ll go with A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. Let’s clear something up: Patrick Ness and I…we do not like each other. I can never get through his books though I love his titles. So I was SOOO SCARED about A Monster Calls but I LOVED IT and I basically sobbed a little at the end because it WAS SO INCREDIBLY SAD.
The Midnight Star’s ending had me tearing up and so did The Serpent Kind though they didn’t make me actually CRY there was just something in my eye OKAY
10. BOOK THAT MADE YOU HAPPY
What a WEIRD question? What is this thing ‘happiness’. No, but seriously, I think Geek Girl by Holly Smale was very ADORKABLE and wonderful, thank you very much. I love how it was such a light read (though it looks massive) and the characters. SQUEE. I also think The Diamond Brother series MADE ME SO INCREDIBLY HAPPY because of the jokes? THE JOKES.
11. MOST PRETTY BOOK
Well cover wise and talking about books I’ve read…I would say INK had a FABULOUS cover. It’s soooooo pretty? While the book is not AS great as the cover, I am still in love. I also really like how artsy Everything Everything’s cover is!! ❤ OH and The Girl Of Ink & Stars. ALL INK BOOKS ARE PRETTY FOR SOME REASON?
12. THE BEST REVIEW YOU’VE WRITTEN in 2017
I have only got into the review writing habit(as in writing my review like 2.5 nano seconds after I finish a book) THIS YEAR but I would have to say my review for Strange The Dreamer tops them all.
NOTE: I DID NOT answer all the questions because some of them I will answer in a blog post or I don’t have an answer too? Like the book-to-move adaptation one. OOPS but here they are for anyone who wants to copy and paste them because I’m a nice bean like that.
- Best Book You’ve Read So Far in 2017?
- Best Sequel of 2017 so far?
- New Release You Haven’t Read Yet, But Want to?
- Most Anticipated Release of the Second Half of 2017?
- Biggest Disappointment?
- Biggest Surprise?
- Favourite New Author?
- Newest Fictional Crush?
- Newest Favourite Character?
- Book That Made You Cry?
- Book That Made You Happy?
- Favourite Book to Movie Adaptation You’ve Seen This Year?
- Favourite Review You’ve Written This Year?
- Most Beautiful Book You Bought or Received So Far This Year?
- What Books Do You Need to Read by the End of the Year?
What do you think you would do if you could time travel? Have you done this tag? What is a pretty book you’ve read this year? have you teared up reading any books? What book really disappointed you? And what are your currently reading?

domain: literature