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Charlotte is waiting to make your trip to North Carolina entertaining and educative at the same time. Examine the city’s past by visiting The Charlotte Museum of History, Millican Pictorial History Museum, and other historical sites, including the 18th-century Hezekiah Alexander House. Explore the area on bike and discover notable neighborhoods such as Myers Park and Plaza Midwood. Soak in the sun in the rarely crowded, sandy beaches, then enjoy creative handmade cocktails in the lively rooftop bars in the evening. Don’t leave Charlotte without sampling Carolina-style barbecue ribs or pork, as well. While here, live like a local in the city’s cozy lofts. Keep reading to find the top lofts for rent in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Queen City Loft is in Villa Heights, a beautiful and quiet neighborhood with lots of friendly people. This newly renovated one-bedroom loft is perfect for three guests and is close to a plethora of great breweries and dining options.
Appliances such as a stainless steel oven and a stove are there for you to whip up a quick meal with ease. What’s more, you’ll find complete shower essentials, a hairdryer, and clean towels in the spacious and clean bathroom.
Chic Villa Heights LoftCharlotte, North Carolina, United StatesSuperhost
Top guest reviewstop-of-the-line full kitchen bath and furniture made this studio way more than an add-on to someone's beautiful propertythe bed was comfy textures for bedding and blankets and pillows were like a “staged” homethe bed was very comfortable and overall the neighborhood was quite at nightextremely clean and comfortablesuper clean comfortable and well thought outthe loft was very clean and adorableadorable and very clean with lots of thoughtful touchescozy clean bright and inspiring
Host:katie is an amazing host & even gave us recommendations of where to eatkatie and mat were amazing hosts and very responsive and accommodatingyou can tell the hosts put a lot of care into the design and setup of their rentalvery nice and the hosts really pay attention to details would definitely recommendkatie and her husband were extremely nice and very helpfulRead more reviewsgreat location quiet private space everything you need to get away while still being close to the citykatie's place is so cuteit’s in a great neighborhood and is close to stores and restaurantsquiet but near fun stuff in nodagreat neighborhood within walking distance to optimist hall and midwood
Perfectly calm and quiet for a restful stay in Charlotte, this loft is out to make your holiday in the city pleasant. It is private, sparkling clean, and nicely tucked in Plaza Midwood. This neighborhood is known for its enjoyable nightlife and vibrant restaurant scene.
The rental features a full kitchen with granite countertops and modern appliances such as a Keurig coffee maker and a dishwasher. With reliable Wi-Fi at your disposal, surf the web and set up video calls with your family and friends with ease. The cherry on top is the accomodating and attentive host who takes good care of guests.
Cozy LOFT in Plaza-MidwoodCharlotte, North Carolina, United States
Top guest reviewsthey had an impressive tv subscription that my husband enjoyed a lot we highly recommend their placeplenty of sitting and sleeping with a full kitchen the neighborhood is outstandingwe had a wonderful stay at larry and barry's loft apartmentvery clean and comfortable placevery clean and well laid outclean comfortable and safe placeit was sparkling clean and securethe studio apartment was super clean organized and charming
Host:the host are friendly and are welcominglarry was a wonderful hostpristine stylish apartment with lovely hostsbarry and larry were great hosts and have the perfect setupeverything was as advertised and the host were super pleasantRead more reviewslocated in the wonderful area of plaza midwood and close to uptowni definitely recommend this location in charlottegreat location near everything you would like to dogood location and close to many local places to visit while in towngreat and central location - nearby to many areas of charlotte
Find peace and comfort within the hubbub of Charlotte while staying in this tastefully renovated mid-century loft. It has ample space for four people and is tucked in a quiet, family-friendly neighborhood. This rental that comfortably hosts up to four people is airy and with lots of natural light for a relaxed indoor stay.
There is a fenced back patio for outdoor enjoyment and fast Wi-Fi for remote work. Moreover, the residential area where the loft is located has friendly neighbors. Guests can also walk to many great restaurants and attractions.
Upscale Uptown Retreat on Quiet Residential StreetCharlotte, North Carolina, United StatesSuperhost
Top guest reviewsthe mattresses on both the bed upstairs and the sofa bed were comfortable memory foam mattressesbed and furniture was very comfortable and i felt at home in the time that i stayed therethe space has everything you need for a comfortable staydecor was tasteful and bed was very comfortable we have already booked our next stayclean modern and comfortable stayawesome place clean and comfortablethe apartment was very clean and designed thoughtfullythe apartment was clean nice sunny and cozyit was very clean with an easy check in and out process
Host:the host paulina was very nice and accommodatingpaulina is a great host and the place is wonderfulpaulina was a great host and the stay was very nicereally great place to stay and paulina was really helpful and available when we had questionspaulina was quick to respond and super friendly would definitely stay here againRead more reviewswould recommend staying at this locationit’s in a great location within walking distance to everything in uptownit’s a great place at a great location within a 10-15 minute drive of everythinggreat looking place and great locationgreat location & quiet neighborhood wish had bigger parking spaces
Enjoy a stress-free holiday in this small yet cozy loft that’s close to everything that Charlotte has to offer. There is a private entrance so guests can come and go as they please and an accommodating host who gives helpful suggestions of what to do around the area.
Make use of the functional appliances, including a refrigerator and a microwave, to make your stay away from home pleasant. Also, you can spend time lounging and watching your favorite programs on the Smart TV after a fun but tiring tour around the city.
Quiet, Comfy and Stress Free StudioCharlotte, North Carolina, United StatesSuperhost
Top guest reviewswe tried one of bri’s suggestions the rhino deli for breakfast and it was yummyvery clean and all the extras were thought about ahead- toiletries garbage bags access to wifi etcthe space is comfortable and a great refugegreat clean place and areathe place is clean and beautifulbrianna's place was clean comfortable and really nicely decoratedthe place was very clean set up nicely & decorated beautifullyit was super clean great little kitchen and the bathroom was nice
Host:the host was communicative and very niceand- the nicest hosts everbrianna was a fantastic hostthe extra’s that the hosts provide were wonderfulgreat host and great spaceRead more reviewsthis place was so cute and close to everythinggreat place to stay very convenient location for downtown charlottethis place was amazing and is in a great locationvery quiet and comfortable stress free place convenient to everything charlotte had to offera beautiful place to stay minutes away from such a beautiful city
Stay in this loft that’s nestled in the heart of Charlotte, a stone’s throw from the Bank of America Stadium. The vacation rental is great for anyone looking to explore the city and de-stress in peace away from home. The property is clean, modern, spacious, and full of natural light.
You’ll find a pullout sofa and a queen-sized bed with a memory foam mattress and reading pillows for a good night’s sleep. For your entertainment, the loft provides guests with a Smart TV and WiFi. Pets are welcome here, as well.
***Uptown*** BEAUTIFUL Safe Condo w/parkingCharlotte, North Carolina, United StatesSuperhost
Top guest reviewsthe bed was super comfy and there was tons of natural light in the condoextremely clean and just as picturedvery nice clean and spaciousit was super clean and tidy there were plenty of towels and the bed was beyond comfortablewhat a great space the apartment was clean and beautifully decoratedspace was nicely decorated and very clean
Host:she was an incredible host who was kind and accommodatingthe host was very nice and made sure i had everything i neededthe host was very responsive and check in was easya great airbnb hostthe host was phenomenal and gave great tips on things around charlotte to tryRead more reviewswalking distance to the stadium so i highly recommendthis place was the perfect location walking distance to the stadium and downtownthe location is great it’s close to the city center but still super quietshort walk to very good restaurantsthe location is easily accessible and convenient when exploring the city
Spend your holiday in Charlotte in this private loft and appreciate its quietness, comfort, and privacy. It is airy and spacious, with windows to let in lots of natural light. Moreover, its balcony and luxe bathroom add to the property’s glamour. It is a beautiful sanctuary in a safe yet central neighborhood.
Close to the property are great shops and restaurants for your food and other items. With functional air conditioners and two top-notch ceiling fans, you’ll enjoy a cool indoor space. The hosts are quick to respond to your messages and offer great regional tips.
Magnolia Oaks - Convenience & ComfortCharlotte, North Carolina, United StatesSuperhost
Top guest reviewsvery clean and peaceful would definitely stay againit is comfortable and cleanthe loft is extremely cozy and clean as well as furnished beautifullycomfortable and clean - we’ll definitely be backtheir place is incredibly clean cozy and private
Host:the owners are also so nicehosts are very nice and quick to respondthis was a beautiful place to stay and the hosts were very kindplus the hosts are super responsive and helpfulbryan and lisa are great hosts and the place was exactly as picturedRead more reviewsgreat location and beautiful loftbryan & lisa’s place is truly in an excellent locationit's location was great for food and funadded bonus is close proximity to shops and restaurantsvery nice space and a great location
Guests will never have a dull moment in this loft that is nearby downtown Charlotte. The rental is perfect for anybody looking for a romantic getaway or a quick break with friends. Among its amenities are soft and fresh towels and shower essentials in the bath, two 50-inch Smart TVs with Roku, free parking, plus access to a gym and a pool.
Work remotely using fast Wi-Fi in the dedicated workspace, complete with a desk lamp and a comfortable chair. In-unit laundry facilities and board games make the loft feel like a home away from home, too.
BOHO Studio in the CityCharlotte, North Carolina, United StatesSuperhost
Top guest reviewsthe apartment looks exactly like the photos and the location is extremely convenienteverything was clean i loved the detailed touches of items you could easily forget when packinggreat place very clean and nice locationvery clean and great locationloved this place very clean and i was greeted with a bottle of wine very welcominga great clean studio apartment with a fantastic location
Host:sharon was a great hostlovely place and hostsharon is super helpful in answer all questions you have + recommendations for local spotsthe host was very nice and responded back in a timely manner and location wise it was perfectRead more reviewsthis stay was close to downtown but not city center which was perfect for using uber to get aroundthe complex is located within walking distance (for active walkers like myself) from uptownsharon’s place is a great location only a few minutes from most places in charlottelocation is awesome close to uptown and south end can’t wait to book another stay heresuch an amazing place for such an amazing value
Located five minutes from Charlotte Convention Center, this two-bedroom loft offers a serene spot to unwind and explore the city. The rental has large windows that let in natural light and allow stunning views of Charlotte’s skyline. Guests can also enjoy city views on the private balcony day or at night.
The exposed brick walls and indoor plants make the loft more attractive. In addition to two comfy bedrooms and a bright living room, the property has a spacious kitchen with cutlery, plates, bowls, and other items, plus free parking for one car.
EPIC City Views! Exposed Brick Penthouse LoftCharlotte, North Carolina, United States
Top guest reviewsspace was beautiful and comfortable would book againgreat host great views big comfortable bedswe had to clean most of the place ourselvesclean and accurate with an easy check ingreat location flat was clean open and modern
Host:thanks again oh and the response from the host was super quickgreat place and great hostsgreat space host was quick to respond and no issues overallamazing place to stay with a great hostRead more reviewsgreat location close to everythinggreat location walking distance to most anywhere uptowngreat central location to visit the citywalking distance to boa stadium and many awesome eateriesperfect location and awesome space
This contemporary loft can comfortably host two guests. It is equipped with modern amenities to ensure a relaxing getaway, including a Smart TV with Amazon Prime, Hulu, and Netflix access, Wi-Fi, and a modern bathroom with hot water. There is even a dedicated workspace with an office chair and table for guests working or studying remotely.
The loft’s floor-to-ceiling windows and the beautiful exposed brick walls add to its charm. On top of that, the host is extremely responsive to any inquiries.
Two Story Center City Loft ApartmentCharlotte, North Carolina, United StatesSuperhost
Top guest reviewsit’s such a cool and comfortable space and jay was very communicative and helpfulvery clean nice little apartmentvery clean modern apartment downtownthe stay at jay's was great the apartment was clean and very trendyit’s comfortable clean and well equippedexactly as described clean and great location
Host:host was extremely responsive and helpfuljay was very responsive and helped make the stay greatRead more reviewsgreat location easy access to downtowngreat location uptown near all conveniencesgreat location to downtown charlottegreat location for the pricegreat airbnb within walking distance to a lot of major spots
Anyone looking for a peaceful and relaxing stay in Charlotte should consider residing in this clean, quiet, and comfortable loft. The rental is close to excellent restaurants, shopping centers, and beer gardens and boasts a thoughtful and communicative host. A highlight of the property is its clean swimming pool that you’re welcome to use when the weather allows.
Besides that, guests are supplied with shampoo, a hairdryer, and plenty of clean towels and blankets in the bathroom. There is also a small but well-kept balcony overlooking the neighborhood for unwinding outdoors.
Bliss.it Cultural-Living (In Uptown Charlotte)Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
Top guest reviews
Host:everything from the host to the place itself are lovelyenjoyed the pool and gaberiella was very helpful & hospitableoverall aside from a few communication issues with the host it was a pleasant stayRead more reviewsgabriella's place is in a perfect locationthis place is amazing great location modern finishes easy accessif you're looking for a place to lay your head near downtown gabriella's place is a great valuegabriella's place is a nice value for what you geti would definitely book this place again whenever i'm in the area
Private accommodation at its best
Charlotte is a nice urban area to explore and have fun. Among its accommodation options are cozy lofts. Play, de-stress, and enjoy staying in a serene environment in any of the lofts above and make your trip to the charming city memorable.
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By Paul Farmer
In the span of five days Will C. Wood High will celebrate its past and take a giant step into the future.
The school will induct the class of 2018 into the Will C. Wood Hall of Fame on Saturday at the Ulatis Community Center and hold a grand opening celebration for its new Wildcat Stadium at the corner of Marshall and Peabody roads on Thursday at 3:30 p.m.
Being inducted into the Thor Jensen, the only wrestling coach the school has had; Rochelle Jagdeo, M.D. (soccer, volleyball, track and field); Dathan Miller (wrestling, football); Darian Morton (football, track and field); Bob and Geri Zagata (athletic program contributors); and Marvin Brown (track, football, basketball).

domain: news


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Guests can surf the web using the complimentary wireless Internet access. Business-friendly amenities include desks, desk chairs, and phones. Additionally, rooms include coffee/tea makers and irons/ironing boards.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
Check-in begins at 5:00 PM.
Check-out is at 10:00 AM.
Situated in the mountains, this vacation home is within 3 mi (5 km) of Big Cottonwood Canyon, Alta View Hospital, and Wasatch-Cache National Forest. Donut Falls and Jungle Jim's Playland are also within 6 mi (10 km).

domain: geography


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Netflix has signed a deal with BBC Worldwide to allow it to offer BBC shows to customers in the UK and Ireland.
Under the streaming deal, Netflix users in the UK and Ireland will be able to view BBC programs like Doctor Who, Top Gear and Faulty Towers six months after they are broadcast on TV.
The deal also includes other popular BBC shows like Little Britain, Spooks, Inspector LynleyTorchwood and Miss Marple. The service, which is quite popular in the United States, plans to launch its service in the UK and Ireland early next year and has been busy inking streaming deals to provide content which appeals to its target audience, as reported by SlashGear.
"BBC programmes are a big favourite of our over 20 million streaming members in the US, Canada and Latin America," said Ted Sarandos, chief content officer at Netflix.
"We are incredibly proud to make these high-quality programmes available to Netflix members in the UK and Ireland," he added.
Netflix has faced the ire of customers in the United States for increasing the prices of its DVD delivery and movie streaming services. The company also has to compete with Amazon's LoveFilm service which already has a strong presence in the country.

domain: entertainment


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Strawberry Flavour Chewable Multivitamin and Mineral Food Supplement with Sweeteners.
Children over 3 years, one tablet to be chewed each day.
Do not use if seal is broken.
Store in a cool, dry place away from children.
Not suitable for children under 3 years.
These tablets are not sweets.
Food Supplements are intended to supplement the diet and should not be substituted for a varied diet or healthy lifestyle
If you are taking any medication or are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to become pregnant, or taking warfarin or other blood thinning medications, please consult your doctor or pharmacist before taking this product.
Excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
Incase of overdose seek medical attention.
While every care has been taken to ensure this information is always as accurate as possible, food products are regularly improved and nutrition content may occasionally change. As a result we recommend that you always read the label carefully before using or consuming any products. Nutritional Reference Value (NRV) information is based on the typical composition of the product. Guideline daily amounts are those for a typical adult (men and women).NRV information for non Boots products is calculated by the manufacturer. Boots has no control over the recipe or nutritional content of such products and information on this site may differ to that given on the product label. We would therefore recommend you do not solely rely on this information and always read the product label. If you have any queries, or you would like advice on Boots products please contact our friendly Customer care team on 0044 115 9181122.
This information was last updated 29/07/2014
Inulin, Xylitol, Calcium Carbonate, Magnesium Oxide, Ascorbic Acid, Corn Starch, Magnesium Stearate, Silicon Dioxide, Magnesium Citrate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Maize Maltodextrin, Citric Acid, Ferrous Fumerate, Zinc Citrate, DL-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate Calcium Citrate Sodium Carboxy Methylcellulose, Nicotinamide, Flavours (Natural Strawberry, Natural Vanilla), Acacia Gum, Sweetener (Sucralose), Sucrose, Modified Waxy Maize Starch, Potato Maltodextrin, Calcium Pantothenate, Manganese Sulphate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Retinyl Acetate, Medium Chain Triglycerides, Chromium Chloride, Propylene Glycol, Folic Acid, Potassium Iodide, Corn Oil, Monoglyceride, Sodium Selenite, Antioxidant (DL-Alpha Tocopherol), Biotin, Vitamin K (Phylloquinone), Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol), Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin).
Allergy advise - For allergens, see ingredients in bold.
per daily dose
Energy nil kJ / nil kcal
Fat nil g
of which saturates nil g
Carbohydrates nil g
of which sugars nil g
Protein nil g
Salt nil g
Vitamin A 450 µg RE
Vitamin D 7.5 µg
Vitamin E 12 mg α‐TE
Vitamin C 30 mg
Thiamin (Vitamin B1) 0.7 mg
Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) 0.8 mg
Niacin (Vitamin B3) 11 mg NE
Vitamin B6 1 mg
Folic Acid 130 µg
Vitamin B12 1 µg
Biotin 30 µg
Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) 2 mg
Vitamin K 30 µg
Calcium 120 mg
Magnesium 60 mg
Iron 6 mg
Zinc 6 mg
Iodine 100 µg
Chromium 30 µg
Manganese 0.3 mg
Selenium 30 µg
Inulin 575 mg
Delivery is provided by Boots Delivery Services Ltd. We collect payment for delivery charges on behalf of Boots Delivery Services Ltd.
£3.00 or 300 points
30 UNI £0.10 per 1UNI
Strawberry Flavour Chewable Multivitamin and Mineral Food Supplementwith Sweeteners
Collect 12 points with this purchase
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Delivery outside of the UK excluding Republic of Ireland is provided to you by Boots Delivery Services Ltd. Boots UK Ltd receives all delivery payments on behalf of Boots Delivery Services Ltd.

domain: health


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- Charles Schwab is weighing the possibility of launching a crypto brokerage.
- The service would rely on the tech of a crypto-native partner, according to sources.
This feature story is available to
subscribers of The Block Daily.
You can continue reading
this Daily feature on The Block.
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If you need to find a peaceful place not too far from HCM City to relieve stress from the hustle and bustle of city life, immerse yourself in the green space with old houses, gardens, and trees in Củ Chi.
From the beginning of the pregnancy to the delivery of the baby, a pregnant woman has to do a lot of tests. These tests help healthcare providers find possibly latent conditions that may affect the foetus and the newborn if left untreated. But what tests are needed and when?
Vietnam Visual Arts in History, Religion and Culture is a weighty treasure of more than 500 pages. Nguyễn-Long's narrative is general yet specific and concise in orienting readers to Vietnamese history.

domain: library


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An employer is responsible for maintaining a safe working environment that is free from bullying, intimidation and harassment. Whilst there is no legal definition for bullying, it is usually characterised as offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour. Harassment is defined by the Equality Act 2010 as unwanted conduct related to a protected characteristic, which has the purpose or effect of violating an individual’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for that individual.
Employees who feel that they may be victims of bullying or harassment in the workplace should familiarise themselves with their employers bullying and harassment policy and take the steps advised.
It is also open to an employee suffering bullying at work to resign and present a claim for constructive unfair dismissal, provided that they are an employee and dependent on two year's continuous service. There is an implied term in all employment contracts that employers shall provide 'reasonable support' to an employee to ensure that the employee can carry out the duties of their job without harassment and disruption by fellow workers. Employees suffering from bullying at work may, in appropriate circumstances, be able to bring a claim for breach of contract or constructive dismissal against their employers.
As an employer, unless you take reasonable steps to prevent the behaviour occurring, e.g. publishing and implementing anti-harassment policies, you will be held liable for any act of harassment committed by an employee. If you have been bullied or harassed at work or have resigned as a result of the way you were treated in the workplace, please contact a member of the Employment Team on 01279 755777 or get in touch with Gary Smith, Partner in our Employment Team.

domain: sociology


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EXCLUSIVE: Entertainment uber-lawyer Skip Brittenham is negotiating a first-look producing deal with Warner Brothers for axed New Line founders Bob Shaye’s and Michael Lynne’s new production company. I’m told they’re only going to get the “ex-studio president’s special — like Mark Platt and Casey Silver”. Updating my report yesterday, I can confirm that Mark Kaufman is on board and will be based in New York. And right now both Shaye and Lynne are in town interviewing candidates to be based in Los Angeles. Also, Toby Emmerich has agreed to find some New Line projects that Bob and Michael could be attached to. But at the same time Toby is trying to distance himself from his former bosses. Oy.
Right now, the new company has no name. How about “Old Line”?
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Happy Easter! Browsing through the pictures on Flickr this week, I was inspired by the many beautifully decorated biscuits for Easter. I hadn’t made any iced biscuits since Christmas and so decided to have a go at making some for work. Delving through my vast and ever-growing collection of cookie cutters, I found a chick, a rabbit and also my handbag cutter, which I could adapt to make Easter hampers.
“The Biscuiteers Book of Iced Biscuits” is my go-to book when making iced biscuits – they hold their shape and taste great! The book describes the icing process in detail and has lots of great ideas and pictures to inspire your decorating! Once you have mastered the basic recipe, it is easy to adapt to incorporate your own flavours. For my Easter spiced biscuits, I added lemon and orange zest, cinnamon and mixed spice to capture the Easter flavours of hot cross buns and traditional Easter biscuits.
These biscuits do taste great still warm out of the oven but also store really well – I find they are fine for at least a week, if stored in a biscuit tin.
Easter spiced biscuits
- 350g plain flour
- 100g self-raising flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- Zest of an orange
- Zest of a lemon
- 125g granulated sugar
- 125g salted butter, diced (at room temp)
- 125g golden syrup
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
Makes approx. 24 biscuits
- Sift the flour, baking powder and all the spices into a mixing bowl. Add the sugar and stir well.
- Rub in the butter, using just the tips of your fingers, until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Make a well in the centre of your mix and add the golden syrup, egg and zests.
- Use a knife to stir the mixture until it begins to come together as a dough.
- Use your hands to bring the dough together.
- Divide the dough into two and shape into two flat disks.
- Place the first piece of dough between two sheets of baking parchments. (This means that you do not have to add extra flour when rolling.)
- Roll the dough out evenly until it is approximately 5-6mm thick all over (you can buy rolling guides, but I have this rolling pin, which is brilliant!). If the top or bottom sheets of parchment crinkle at any time, peel it off and smooth out.
- When rolled to the correct thickness, move the dough (still sandwiched between parchment) onto a baking tray and then into the fridge to chill for at least 20-30 minutes.
- After chilling, use your selected cutters to cut out the biscuits, cutting each one as close to the last as possible, in order to use the dough efficiently. Re-roll the dough as necessary, but try to work the dough as little as possible.
- Place each biscuit onto a lined baking tray, allowing space between as the biscuits will spread a little.
- Bake the biscuits for 14 – 18 minutes. When cooked, the biscuits will be very lightly golden, firm around the edges but still slightly soft on top.
- Remove the baking trays from the oven and carefully remove each biscuit from the tray, placing them gently onto a wire cooling rack. The biscuits will still be very delicate at this stage.
- Allow biscuits to cool totally before storing or icing.
These biscuits were decorated using royal icing, which dries to a very hard surface – making it easy to wrap these biscuits as presents or transport them. The easiest way to work with royal icing is to start with a ready-made royal icing mix.
- 500g royal icing sugar
- 75ml water
- Paste food colours
- Add the water to the royal icing sugar in a large bowl.
- Use an electric mixer to beat the mix (starting on low and increasing to high speed) for about 5 minutes. You are looking for the mix to be bright white and a toothpaste-like consistency (this is “line icing”).
- Divide the line icing between smaller bowls.
- Use a skewer to add small amounts of the paste colours to the bowls of icing, adding a little at a time until you reach the desired colour.
- Spoon some of the icing into a piping bag with a very small round tip.
- Pipe the outlines of the shapes. Set aside the rest of the line icing to add details to the iced biscuits.
- Add water to the icing left in the bowls until you reach a pouring consistency (this is called “flooding icing”).
- Spoon into a piping bag or piping bottle.
- Pipe the flooding icing onto the biscuits to fill the areas outlined on the biscuits.
- Allow iced biscuits to set.
- Use remaining line icing and other decorative items to complete the decoration of the biscuits (I used jelly beans and flowers stamped out from fondant icing).
- Leave to dry for at least 24 hours.

domain: food


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Museums & Zoos
Concord Museum - Four Admission Passes
- Item Number
- Estimated Value
- $60 USD
- $40 USD to cdbe3bcbe
- Number of Bids
- 5 - Bid History
For a small town, Concord has a big history. From the “shot heard round the world” to the writers of the American literary renaissance, things have happened here, words have been spoken here, and books have been written here that changed the face of a nation.
The Concord Museum is home to one of the oldest collections of historical, literary, and decorative arts treasures in the country - open to the public since before the Civil War. You'll find the famous 1775 Revere lantern, the desk where Henry Thoreau penned Walden, the study of Ralph Waldo Emerson, and more.
Passes are not valid during special events. Expires December 2020.
Discovery Museum stores data...
Your support matters, so Discovery Museum would like to use your information to keep in touch about things that may matter to you. If you choose to hear from Discovery Museum, we may contact you in the future about our ongoing efforts.

domain: history


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A different frame of reference
We will assist you to effortlessly uncover your forgotten inner resources. Inspired by great masters of consciousness find fearless authenticity and peace within.
Schedule an individual introductory session.
|"It was as if I had emerged freshly made from a vast blackness that was somehow radiant. Like having had a cataract taken
off my brain, letting me experience the world and myself properly for the first time." ~John Wren-Lewis

domain: artistic


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World Mental Health Day is celebrated around the globe each year on October 10 with a goal to raise awareness for mental health.
This year, the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) decided on suicide prevention and awareness as the focal point for Mental Health Day. Suicide is the second most common cause of death for individuals ages 15 to 29, however, still affects many individuals despite age, gender, or race.
“It’s important for students to be aware of mental health not only for themselves, but for their classmates, friends and peers,” Mental Health Club Vice President Sophie Talbert said. “Being aware of the signs of mental health struggles can [help] more than we realize. Sometimes all it takes to make a difference is reaching out or assuring others of your support.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that every 40 seconds, someone loses their life to suicide which adds up to roughly 800,000 worldwide yearly. In response, WHO, the International Associate for Suicide Prevention and United for Global Mental Health are sponsoring the day with a “40 seconds of action” challenge.
The goal of this challenge is to enhance awareness, and instill a community of care and love amongst individuals. Suggestions include taking part in “40 seconds of action” include sharing mental health stories, sharing statistics on social media, or speaking to a trustworthy individual regarding ongoing feelings.
“Although we aren’t hosing any events for World Mental Health Day, we will be posting reminders on Instagram and encouraging FSC students to spread awareness through social media,” Talbert said. There is also need to spread awareness of the ill-effects of alcohol, the alcohol detox contra costa can help with overcoming this issue.
Talbert encourages students to participate in World Mental Health Day by posting on social media, checking on loved ones and even peers who appear to be struggling.
“Sometimes people are suffering in silence, so students can make it known that they are willing to listen to whoever needs to talk,” Talbert said. “Most importantly, they can encourage going to the counseling center, especially when there is a situation that goes beyond their capabilities.”
World Mental Health Day was first celebrated on Oct. 10, 1992 as an initiative set by the WMHF and is recognized by leaders and organizations worldwide. The goal for this event is to improve awareness and understand preventative methods and treatments for the one in four people affected by mental health issues. One can also be open and try mindfulness therapy as well.
To participate in World Mental Health Day, WHO encourages the use of the #40seconds and #WorldMentalHealthDay on social media. In addition, the organizations calls for the privacy of individuals battling mental illness specifically in regards to sharing details without consent.
On campus, the Counseling Center provides individual, couples and group counseling sessions lasting roughly 30 to 50 minutes in the center located in the first floor of the Thrift Building. In case of emergency, campus safety is available by phone at 863-680-4305. In addition, the Peace River Center located in Lakeland provides individualized mental health treatment as well as crisis counseling and intervention.
National Hotlines and Resources include the National Suicide Hotline reachable at 1-800-273-8255, the Crisis Intervention Crisis text line at 741741 as well as the Suicide Prevention App.

domain: psychology


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Continued from: Of Reality and Denial
His experience with the Mirror had left him shaken, but he was a resilient man, and continued walking the path without question or doubt, as he had been taught to do since childhood. It was a path that was familiar, comforting and while he didn’t know why he followed it or where it would lead, such questions never arose in his head. The elders must have their reasons and those reasons were above the doubts in those such as him.
In the distance ahead a small city began to come into sight. He could see pastel coloured, small buildings and movement around them, probably people and animals. Curiously, there didn’t seem to be any walls.
To his left up ahead was a small, square area, paved with blocks of stone, strands of grass and weed poking out between the spaces and crevices. Stout lengths of wood at the corners supported a thatched roof that gave shade to weary travellers, rough sacking cloth hanging along the four sides. Two thin dogs sat close by, watching him approach. He stepped in, bending slightly as he was a tall man, and saw two men and a woman, their heads uncovered, seated in one corner. A child lay asleep besides them, snugly wrapped in a worn, woollen blanket, his cheeks covered in dust and his hair bleached by the sun.
He chose the corner farthest from them, sat down cross legged facing his corner as he had been taught, and reached into his sack for food and drink. His drinking gourd felt empty but he held it up-turned above his head nonetheless, delighting in the few remaining drops of cool, clear water. He should have filled it in the forest. Pulling out the bundle of remaining food, he opened it and looked at the contents in dismay. The supple bread he had started out with were hard as rocks and the pieces of dried meat had acquired a greenish tinge. There would be no lunch for him today. He leaned forward, lifted up the cloth wall and threw out the bread and meat, for the dogs looked like they could do with some food.
As he stuffed the empty bundle and drinking gourd back into his sack, the older of the two men in the opposite corner spoke up, offering to share their food and drink with him, a platter of bread, meat and fruit in his outstretched hand. “We have plenty”, the man continued, having obviously seen his predicament.
He grunted a rough sound of refusal, not looking towards them as he had been taught, arose and walked out. The final leg of his journey had begun, and he headed towards the city in the distance. There would be food there.

domain: literature


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Icelight (Wesleyan Poetry) (Paperback)
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Set in an age of ecological catastrophe, Icelight eloquently accepts transience yet asserts the robustness of hope
Icelight, Ranjit Hoskote's eighth collection of poems, enacts the experience of standing at the edge--of a life, a landscape, a world assuming new contours or going up in flames. Yet, the protagonists of these poems also stand at the edge of epiphany. In the title poem, we meet the Neolithic cave-dweller who, dazzled by a shapeshifting nature, crafts the first icon. The 'I' of these poems is not a sovereign 'I'. A questing, questioning voice, it locates itself in the web of life, in relation to the cosmos. In 'Tacet', the speaker asks: "What if I had/ no skin/ Of what/ am I the barometer?" Long committed to the Japanese mono no aware aesthetic, Hoskote embraces talismans, premonitions, fossils: active residues from the previous lives of people and places. Icelight is a book about transitions and departures, eloquent in its acceptance of transience in the face of mortality.
Rumours of wind, banners of cloud.
The low earth shakes but the storm
has not arrived. You pack
for the journey, look up, look through
the doors at trees shedding their leaves
too soon, a track on which silk shoes
would be wasted, a moon
still dangling above a boat.
Wearing your salt mask, you face
the mulberry shadows.
The valley into which
About the Author
RANJIT HOSKOTE (Bombay, India) is a poet, cultural theorist, and curator. This year he was honored with the 7th Mahakavi Kanhaiyalal Sethia Poetry Award by the Jaipur Literature Festival. His seven collections of poetry include Vanishing Acts: New & Selected Poems, Central Time, Jonahwhale (published by Arc in the UK as The Atlas of Lost Beliefs, which won a Poetry Book Society Summer Recommendation in 2020 and, most recently, Hunchprose. His poems have been translated into German, Hindi, Bengali, Irish Gaelic, Marathi, Swedish, Spanish, and Arabic.


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Good Local Governance stands for a vigorous local democracy through proactive co-operation and partnering between elected council, administrative body, citizens and all partners (business, government, NGOs, cultural institutions, religious communities, community groups etc.) in order to focus local development on the improvement of quality of life. A new role model for the triangle of public, private and third sector, requires new partnerships and strong democratic control.
The final decision about the municipal budget lies with the elected council. Involving citizens early in setting budget priorities as well as making results transparent, is increasing the acceptance and agreement with local government budget decisions. It also facilitates the use of synergies between public and private funding and policies, and between municipal funding and funding from other government sources.
Local government’s effective collaboration with citizens, other government agencies, the private sector, the third sector and partners within and without municipal boundaries is a vital factor for successful problem solving.
APPROACH USED BY JINJA MUNICIPAL IN BUDGET FORMULATION:
According to the 1997 Local Government Act of Uganda it requires that each level of local government to begin its budget process with a budget conference which is open to public. The act gave local government “Jinja Municipal council” to raise funds and plan on how they can provide public goods and services including financing development projects for the benefits of its residents. The process is done through Participatory manner where by each individual participate in the budget formulation. The budget conference are held over one full day and discussion is open to the citizens so that they can complain on what has gone wrong and provide solutions of some problem raised. Discussion is guided by agenda set aside before the conference starts. After the budget conference some proposal are included in the Municipal budget and others are forwarded to Central Government.
Participation is the process by which stakeholders influence and share control over priority setting, policymaking, resource allocations, and/or program implementation. There is no blueprint for participation because it plays a role in many different contexts and for different purposes. In planning process participatory approaches is important to influence over policymaking and implementation.
Enhanced participation in budgeting can mean improved public transparency, strengthened external checks on government, and, ultimately, greater efficiency and efficacy. Citizens participate in allocating budgets according to priorities they have identified in the participatory diagnostics, formulate alternative budgets, or assess proposed allocations in relation to the government’s policy commitments and stated equity concerns. Citizens track whether public spending is consistent with allocations made in the budget and track the flow of funds to the agencies responsible for the delivery of basic goods and social services. Citizens monitor the quality of goods and services that are
meant to have an effect on their lives, especially the poor. This can be measured in relation to the amount of funds spent on such programs.
The Chairman of the Market Traders Association found the budget conference was a useful platform where old plans and new ideas were discussed. People against buying a new generator which was too expensive while there were more pressing needs. With participatory approach people are able to speak the language they felt comfortable and people a finally aware of what is going on and feels more part of the community.
ADVANTAGES OF PARTICIPATORY APPROACH IN BUDGET FORMULATION
The following are the advantage of Participatory approach in Budget formulation:
A range of stakeholders, including the poor and vulnerable groups, especially women, are tapped and their perspectives systematically incorporated into the design and implementation of the municipal annual plans. Transparency of participation and its outcomes at the municipal levels build trust, ownership, and support among all stakeholders.
Participatory processes should build as much as possible on existing governance and political systems. Participatory processes that build on existing mechanisms are more likely to be institutionalized and sustained over time. Similarly, policy reforms are more likely to be adopted if they are informed by a widely shared understanding of poverty and its causes.
Regular participation play a key role in continuously improving poverty reduction strategies. Public actions to reduce poverty need to be put into the budget and reflected in the public expenditure system. Participation in decisions regarding budget allocations, spending patterns, and public service delivery is thus a key entry point for civil society engagement in choosing public actions.
Enhanced participation in budgeting can mean improved public transparency, strengthened external checks on government, and, ultimately, greater efficiency and efficacy It can influence the Budget formulation and analysis where Citizens participate in allocating budgets according to priorities they have identified in the participatory poverty diagnostics, formulate alternative budgets, or assess proposed allocations in relation to the government’s policy commitments and stated equity concerns. Expenditure monitoring and tracking where Citizens track whether public spending is consistent with allocations made in the budget and track the flow of funds to the agencies responsible for the delivery of basic goods and social services. Monitoring of public service delivery. Citizens monitor the quality of goods and services that are meant to have an effect on their lives, especially the poor. However, because of their highly technical nature, many civil society groups shy away from budgeting, spending, and public service delivery processes.
PARTICIPATORY APPROACH APPLIED IN MY ORGANIZATION:
My organization Kinondoni Municipal council have powers to levy and collect taxes, fees and charges same applied to that of Jinja Municipa Council in Uganda. This is according to the Local Government Finances Act No. 9 of 1982 which requires the local government authorities in Tanzania Mainland to levy taxes and other types of revenues, which will be sufficient for meeting approved expenditure. The Budget Cycle,
Kinondoni Municipal Council is using participatory approach in budgeting process. The basis of participatory planning and budgeting is provided for in the National Constitution; in the Local Authority Acts No. 7 and 8 0f 1982; the Regional Administration Act of 1997; and the Regional Management and Planning Guide of 2000.
The plans starts from Mitaa level where by residents of that Mtaa using approach of participatory with tools like Opportunity and Obstacles for Development (O&OD) identify their problems and prioritize it. The Ward Development Committees coordinate and consolidate priorities from different Mitaa with the location and prepare and submit to the Council the Ward plans which indicate the expected sources and levels of funding. These plans are integrated with the projects which are developed at council level and discussed by the respective sector standing committee of the council. The council executives prepare a draft council plan and budget and submit them to the respective Regional Secretariat whereby sector representatives scrutinize the draft plan and budget with the aim of establishing that sector policies as contained in the planning and budget guidelines have been adhered to. The Regional Secretariat provides written comments and advice on how the council plan and budget can be improved upon. The Council Director convenes a meeting of the council which is responsible for finance and planning whereupon the draft council plan and budget are tabled indicating how the comments and advice received from the Regional Secretariat have been dealt with.
Finally, the draft budget is submitted to the Full Council Meeting where it is discussed and passed at least a month before the beginning of the financial year. The council plans and budgets in the region are supposed to be consolidated into a regional plan and budget before submission to the ministry responsible for local government for further consolidation and later submitted to Ministry of Finance for inclusion in the Government Budget for Parliament approval.
Kinondoni Municipal Council planning and budget cycle requires planning to start at the lowest level hierarchy passing the various stages before final approval. This means that the bottom-up planning approach is emphasized. By using this approach people’s priorities and felt needs are captured in the course of developing the council’s annual plan and budget, and that the approved plan and budget continue to reflect those priorities and needs as perceived by the people themselves.
Thus, the people at the lower level get the chance of making use of the participatory planning techniques in identifying the problems, prioritizing them and looking for solutions to those problems so that by using resources within their means and with possible assistance from Central Government and other stakeholders, they can bring about their own development.
The technique of Participatory Approach is appropriate in facilitating budget processes since approaches has prepared through several policy paper including Opportunities and obstacles to development (O &OD) which is used as planning techniques to facilitate budgeting process in my Organization . The O &OD techniques allow the Council planning team with collaboration by Ward development committee to call for mitaa meeting and key stakeholders e.g. community based organization(CBOs) ,Non governmental Organization , religious institutions, the disadvantaged people to determine the issues of concern to them, prioritize the sequence of addressing them and identify the strategies, opportunities, constraints and action for the way forward.

domain: finance


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AFL Round 21: Melbourne vs. St Kilda
Sunday Afternoon, 13th August 2017 at the MCG
For me, a lot of tackling is intent. Technique might take about 20 percent of it and intent takes up the rest, in terms of just the desire to make that tackle and make it stick. The technique is really your icing on the cake.
Jude Bolton
Much was expected of the Demons and the Saints in 2017, but have they progressed as much as we expected? After Round 20 in 2016, St Kilda were 9th with 10 wins and Melbourne 11th with 9 wins. Fast forward 12 months and after Round 20, St Kilda are 11th with 10 wins and Melbourne 10th with 10 wins. This is hardly a major step forward for either team. However, that is potentially doing both teams a disservice as they have both faced tougher draws in 2017 and in the case of Melbourne inopportune injuries and suspensions have cost them dearly.
Both teams have had their coming of age moments in 2017. St Kilda had their statement win over GWS in Round 7 under Friday Night lights and their incredible first half performance against Richmond in Round 16. Whilst for Melbourne their 2017 win portfolio includes the emotional win against Adelaide at the Adelaide Oval and the 3 week period when they knocked off Collingwood in a classic Queens’ Birthday encounter, thumped the Bulldogs and then won that remarkable contest against West Coast in Perth with Tom McDonald’s late heroics. Regardless, this week is a virtual elimination final for both teams, in particular for St Kilda with their poor percentage already placing them effectively a game behind their competitors for a spot in the Top 8. Which means this game is the most important Melbourne versus St Kilda encounter since the 2006 elimination final, which coincidentally was the last time Melbourne won a final.
Much has changed since 2006. Melbourne was in the last of their even year peaks in 2006 (Melbourne under Neale Daniher were the ultimate yo-yo club, with Melbourne playing finals in every even year of his reign between 1998 and 2006) before they started their decline in 2007. Whilst for St Kilda, they were in their final year under Grant Thomas before the arrival of Ross Lyon for the 2007 season. The match itself was the classic tale of two halves. St Kilda had the better of the Demons in a tight first half, taking a 20-point lead into the half-time break. But a 10-goal to 4 second half booked Melbourne a place in a semi-final against Fremantle. And the turning point of the game was a Nathan Carroll tackle on St Kilda full forward Fraser Gehrig moments before half-time. Gehrig had kicked 3 first half goals to stamp his presence on the game. But when he decided to take-on the man on the mark (Carroll) rather than a set shot at goal, he found that he had underestimated his opponent. Not only was he penalised for holding the ball, he also suffered an ankle injury in the process and played no further part in the game. [The incident occurred just after 1:00:30 into the match replay shown below].
It was ironic that the demise of St Kilda’s 2006 season was due to a tackle, as the Saints under Grant Thomas were not known for their pressure. The 2007 AFL Prospectus  reflected the following on the Saints 2006 season:
The Saints’ forwards are not chasers and scrappers, the type that is needed to win a premiership. At ground level in the forward 50, the Saints averaged one fewer hardball-get and five fewer looseball-gets than their defender counterparts. Only the Kangaroos had a worse record in 2006. At tackles in the forward 50, St. Kilda ranked 15th. Montagna led tackles in the forward 50 at St Kilda, but he won 87% of his disposals in the midfield and defensive 50 combined. Odd!
The Saints under Alan Richardson are the polar opposite of the 2006 team; with the 2017 AFL Prospectus  identifying St Kilda as having a game style based around out-pressuring the opposition. This is reflected in the 2017 Tackle Rankings as presented in Table-1 and Figure-2. The presented rankings are based on the average tackle differential per game in the 2017 season. St Kilda is the top ranked team, averaging 6.9 more tackles than their opposition per game. Interestingly, the Giants are second in the rankings, a team that is often criticised as being too reliant on talent and not enough grunt.
However, tackling as a form indicator is a contradictory premise. In order to lay a tackle, a player must not have the ball, but surely the first objective in football is to get hands on the ball first. Hence, a team such as Melbourne, that prides itself on winning the contested ball, is only 11th in the tackle rankings. But I’d imagine from a coach’s perspective the cardinal sin would be getting resoundingly beaten on both the scoreboard and the tackle count, as it implies you neither won the contested ball or were there to put the pressure on. But as renowned tackler Jude Bolton suggests, tackling is 80% intent . Taking a high intensity into every contest you encounter on the ground, whether at the man or the ball, could only be conducive to team performance. So can a team’s tackle count be a good indicator of a team’s success in a match?
In 53% of games this year, the team that won the tackle count won the game. This is hardly convincing evidence of the importance of tackling as a form indicator. But such summary statistics can be misleading. For example, the Lions are a decent tackling team but they haven’t got the wins on the board to reflect this, as the Lions' main deficiencies lay elsewhere on the ground. But using St Kilda and Melbourne as our case examples and plotting their tackle differential against match margins, more can be revealed (see Figure-3 and Figure-4). For both teams there are the outliers where they were chasing and tackling all day and got beaten comfortably (the lower right quadrant of the graphs). However, the trendline for both teams indicate a positive correlation between tackle differential and match margin. Meaning that for the Saints and the Demons, winning the tackle count is more important than you may have thought.
But what does that mean for this week's match? St Kilda have hit a bit form, winning the tackle count the last 3 weeks. In particular their win last week against West Coast was off the back of winning the tackle count by 32 and the contested possession count by 34. In contrast, the Demons have not won the tackle count in their last 5 games. And their worst effort was last week when they lost the tackle count by 33 and the contested possession count by 14. So current form is definitely in favour of the Saints. What is even more concerning for the Demons is that their record at the MCG has been mediocre at best in 2017 (4 wins and 5 losses). In contrast, St Kilda have not lost at the MCG since Round 3 2015. However, the Saints rarely play at the MCG, with the game this week their first opportunity of the season to add to their 4 game winning streak at the ground. The match this week also brings together the most accurate team in the AFL (the Demons, 1.72 goals to every behind) and the the least accurate (the Saints, 1.06 goals to every behind). But perhaps Melbourne's accuracy in front of goal is only covering up for their other deficiencies. Despite Melbourne's undoubted potential, based on current form it will be hard to tip against the Saints.
St Kilda to win by 3 points
Post Match Comments:
Final Score: Melbourne 14.12.96, St Kilda 10.12.72
A blistering first quarter setup the win for the Demons despite a fight back from the Saints. St Kilda's pressure improved as the game went on, winning the tackle count 70-58, but they butchered the ball a little too much when going forward. In the end the Demons just had a little more class around the ground.
 Kotton, H. (2009). “Skills of Australian Football: Tips from the Stars of the AFL”. Slattery Media Group, Victoria, Australia.
 Champion Data. (2007). “AFL Prospectus 2007”.
 Champion Data. (2017). “AFL Prospectus 2017”.

domain: sports


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Unions urge teachers to avoid Royal Winter Fair amid lockout
Not bringing school groups to annual fair would show support for locked out stagehands, union says
At least two unions representing Ontario teachers are urging members not to take school groups to the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair this year to show support for locked-out stagehands.
The fair opens on Friday at Exhibition Place in Toronto, but it will be behind a picket line staffed by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), Local 58, which has been locked out of the entertainment venue since July.
At issue in the ongoing labour dispute is the contracting out of jobs. Both sides are said to be working toward scheduling new talks.
The Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF), which represents more than 60,000 education workers, say they are reminding teachers that, wherever possible, they should plan and schedule field trips to events not being held at Exhibition Place.
"We've reminded our members that the IATSE local has been locked out by an employer who doesn't seem to be engaging in what we would consider to be sincere or good faith bargaining," Harvey Bischof, president of the OSSTF, told CBC Toronto on Wednesday.
"For that reason, at the very least, we would ask them if they are attending anything that is happening on exhibition grounds as a class trip to respect picket line protocols," Bischoff said.
Picket line protocol typically means waiting at the picket line for a prescribed time, accepting information provided by picketers, then crossing the line when invited to do so, he said.
On Thursday, Sam Hammond, President of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario, tweeted that his union is also urging its members not to cross the picket line.
Move shows solidarity, union says
The move is intended to show solidarity with the broader labour movement, he said.
In a message to members dated Oct. 19, the OSSTF notes that the lockout began on July 20.
"During this time, the Board of Governors of Exhibition Place has not engaged in proper bargaining with Local 58 and continues to put forward positions that are solely meant to remove jobs that the members of IATSE Local 58 have been providing for the City of Toronto for generations," the message reads.
In addition to the fair, the message urges teachers not to plan and schedule trips to such events as Toronto Marlies hockey games, performances at Medieval Times or concerts at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, all of which are held at Exhibition Place.
The OSSTF represents public high school teachers, occasional teachers, educational assistants, continuing education teachers and instructors, early childhood educators, psychologists and support staff. Roughly 15,000 of its members are in the Greater Toronto Area.
Events 'caught in the middle' of dispute
Justin Antheunis, president of IATSE Local 58, said the show of support is "fantastic," but says he is saddened that Exhibition Place events are being affected by the ongoing labour dispute. He said the event organizers are tenants of Exhibition Place, they still have to pay rent to the city, and this dispute is not a result of their actions.
"It shows that, as a united labour front, we can take on these attacks on the working people in the city of Toronto," he said. "Again, I feel bad for all of these events that are caught in the middle of this pointless labour lockout. They aren't the ones who locked us out."
Teachers, however, have been steadfast in their support of the stagehands, he said. They understand they may need support from other unions when they negotiate contracts with the new provincial government, he said.
"With this kind of support during these difficult times for Local 58, it makes it easier to keep our heads up high. Solidarity in the labour movement is the key to the fight for workers' rights."
The Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) says it wants its members to show solidarity with IATSE workers.
"Members have been encouraged to send a message of support for the IATSE workers to Toronto Mayor John Tory and be mindful that they and their students would be crossing a picket line should they choose to attend the Royal Winter Fair," ETFO said in a statement to CBC Toronto.
Royal has drawn up contingency plans
Charlie Johnstone, CEO of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, said the organizers of the fair have drawn up contingency plans to ensure the event, which includes the horse show, goes on.
"The labour dispute at Exhibition Place is between the City of Toronto and IATSE Local 58, we, as a tenant of the Exhibition Place since 1922, respect IATSE Local 58's right to provide information to the general public outside our facilities," Johnstone said in an emailed statement on Wednesday.
"The relevance of our agricultural roots and understanding how our food comes from the Farm to our Table is perhaps more important today than at any time in recent memory. We look forward to welcoming competitors, exhibitors and guests from around the world."
Coun. Mark Grimes, re-elected to council and chair of the Exhibition Place board of governors, said the next board of governors next meeting is scheduled for Nov. 15.
The Canadian National Exhibition, held at Exhibition Place in late summer, projected that it lost at least $1.5 million this year, in part because fair-goers declined to cross the picket line to attend the event.


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Making plans for a vacation to Brazil is all part of the fun, but for visitors from certain countries there is one important detail that should be taken very seriously: applying for an entry visa at the right time.
Fortunately for most, many countries are exempt from any visa requirements for visits of up to 90 days. This includes citizens of the United Kingdom, European Union nations, some other European countries, some Asian and African countries, and most of South America.
For visitors from the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan however, it is important to apply for the correct visa before setting off on your Brazil vacation.
Travelers must apply for their visas at the Brazilian consulate in their own country and as with all visa applications, timing is crucial. This is especially the case with recent changes to the application process in the United States.
Walk-in applications are no longer accepted, neither are mailed applications. Instead, US visitors are required to send an e-application form and then make an appointment for a face-to-face meeting to collect their visa and passport.
Also, to avoid a backlog, Brazilian consulate officials have asked applicants to submit their forms with plenty of time as processing time is between seven and ten days. But don’t submit your application too far in advance, as your visa is only valid for 90 days from the date of issue.
The online application form is available at: https://scedv.serpro.gov.br/frscedv/index.jsp. After completing this form you will be given a reference number (officially known as your Individual Protocol Number). Once you have your reference, you must arrange an appointment with the consulate using the online booking system at your consulate’s website.
When attending your appointment, take the following items: your passport (which must be valid for at least six months from the date of entry), a recent passport style photograph, a copy of your vacation or flight booking slip including arrival and departure dates, and the processing fee.
And once you’ve got your visa application out of the way, you can get back to planning your Brazil vacation! For some inspiration, check out the free Brazil Travel Guide.
Plan your own exciting tour to Brazil. Call and chat with an expert travel advisor at Latin America For Less now!
Matt left England for Peru in 2008, originally planning to stay for just 12 months but ending up settling down in Lima working for Latin America For Less for three fun-packed years. He remains a perpetual traveller, working and writing his way through Europe, North America and Asia but he has always saved a special place in his heart for Peru and South America.


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End of August / early September I visited St. John’s in Newfoundland for a week, to attend a course and a conference. Unfortunately this didn’t leave me with much time to explore the city or its surroundings, however, I nonetheless managed to take a few pictures along that trip. Carrying my dear and precious Nikon FM with me, the only images I took where captured on film. Here are some scanned images of the prints, from this beautiful coastal town on the North Atlantic Ocean.
After a very busy December the idea came up, to find some relaxing days in the Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park – or more precisely – to visit the Hannukuru area for a decent sauna turn in the middle of the wonderful nature, and in the middle of the polar night. The plan was to take our (borrowed) forest skiers to go to Hannukuru for a relaxing sauna evening, and to return back home the same way. Fortunately (I have to say), a heavy snowfall made us stuck in the beautiful Hannukuru valley, where we experienced a most wonderful night under the clear full moon sky – topped with some northern lights, just after the snowfall ended. Continue reading “During the Polar Night to Hannukuru: Skiing, Sauna, Full Moon, and Northern Lights in Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park”
In May I attended a summer school (International Summer School of Karelia) which took place in Helsinki and Petrozavodsk. Besides education and watcing ice hockey world championship, I also had some time for taking pictures on our excursions. I had chosen to leave my digital camera at home and instead take my 1951 built Rolleicord III K3B with me, with a few Kodak TriX 400 and Adox CH50 film rolls. It was actually quite a story to be able to develop these films .. Continue reading “Short Trip to Helsinki and Petrozavodsk”
In April I kind of felt like needing some mountains around me, especially because I really wanted to go skiing. Alpine Skiing! Rovaniemi and its surroundings is really great for cross country, but suffers from a total absence of mountains – like Finland in general (I’d say, even if not everybody agrees). However, close to the Norwegian border, in the very North-West of Finland, there are some (the native Austrian would say: almost) mountains, that looked inviting for skiing when I passed by there in January, on my way to Tromsø.
So it was pretty easy to make a decision. Continue reading “Skiing in Käsivarsi Wilderness Area – Exploring the Surroundings of Kilpisjärvi”
A Series of night photography, done with a Nikon F4s, using a 50mm and a 20mm lens on Kodak Tmax400 films. Some of the pictures were taken in middle format, with a Roleicord III K3B (from 1951) on Kodak TriX 400 and Adox CHS 50. Continue reading “Rovaniemi by Night in Winter 2010/11 – A Series in Black and White”


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Welcome to Information Technology 11/12! This is a course intended to teach some of the basic principles involved in programming. Specifically, this will cover program flow, decision making, data input and output as well as storage of information. The focus of this course will be to create a text based game using web based technologies. While this course may teach some of the fundamentals of game design, this is not a video game design course. If you have time at the end of the year, or even mid year, and would like to explore this on your own, it can be counted towards your course assessment as long as you can demonstrate that you have used it to meet some of the learning outcomes of the course.
We will be creating a game that can be played with a web browser, so primarily text with maybe some simple graphics for decoration. Actions will be primarily user input based (users click on links or buttons) at which point the user interface can be updated with new information, or a new page can be loaded.
This game will focus on building a text based game, and is essentially broken down into 4 main components:
- Planning all of the aspects of your game. You will be breaking down your game into sections and creating a ruleset for each section. For example you may have an exploration component, a building component and a combat component. Within the combat component, you may have rules to determine the order of combat, or how to determine if someone scores "a hit", or a calculation of how much damage is done. Each of these can be considered their own mini project. If you do not complete all of the projects for the year, that is okay, as each project will help reinforce coding principles and will help you build fluency with programming. This will largely be a pen/paper exercise, and you will be encouraged to playtest your system with others in class, to help you make sure that the system is balanced, and that there are no loopholes that can be exploited.
- Designing the User Interface. Just like planning, you need to decide how the game is going to look. This will require some knowledge of HTML, forms (how data is passed to the server for calculation) and some cascading style sheets (CSS) to make your game look nicer. You will be creating what the user will see when they look at their web browser.
- Coding your Game. The user interface is just the part that the game player sees. All of the calculations and decisions occur in the background, on the server (webhost) side of the game, and the player only sees the results as output on the client (webbrowser) side of the game. If you have a good plan for how parts of your game work, then this will be relatively easy, and just requires finding out what command is needed to perform the desired action.
- Storing Data. We will also explore how to store data so that a player can store their game, and then continue at a later date. This will require some knowledge of databases. Databases are simply giant tables of information that can be read, or written to. Once a player's information is updated, the data can all be written to the database for retrieval at a later date. Think of a database as a book of information. You can write to it, you can search for information to use and you can read that information for use as well.
This course is project based, which means there will be no formal instruction. You will be working at your own pace, problem solving how things will work and what code you need to use to make that happen. Your resources will be your peers, search engines, this website, and your teacher.
Your mark will be based on your own assessment in consultation with your teacher. You will have a checklist/rubric of course learning outcomes and at several times during the year, you will have an opportunity to reflect on what you have done through the term and decide how well you feel that you know the concepts. You will meet with your teacher to justify your decision and provide evidence to support your assessment. This will come from examples of your work and explanations of what phase you are at and what steps you will be doing next.

domain: hobby


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Alvin Check Tea Towel Illusion Blue
The J.Elliot Home Premium tea towel range brings together sophisticated design with functionality. A range of tea towels available in 3 contemporary and clean lined designs, keep the kitchen clean and stylish! Available in 6 neutral modern colours. Minimum order 6.
We Also Recommend

domain: design


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In her promotional materials, Imani Uzuri self-identifies as a “vocalist, composer and cultural worker.” From her 2008 self-produced rock opera Her Holy Water to her 2012 release The Gypsy Diaries, a more introspective effort inspired by her travels across the world, Uzuri has been interested in exploring different aspects of her personal lived experience and her heritage. More recently, the North Carolina-born vocalist curated a 4-day festival titled Sinners and Saints at the end of February, which explored African-American vernacular culture and their musical forms: ring shouts, spirituals, blues, gospel, line singing, and more.
Her new project Praise House closed that festival, and she has described the ensemble as an effort to explore “improvisation as an ecstatic tradition,” or, as the etymology of “ecstasy” suggests, improvisation as an art that carries one into an out-of-body experience. We hope that you’ll join us this Friday as Uzuri and Praise House share their explorations into African-American vernacular culture through music.
Imani Uzuri’s Praise House performs at The Jazz Gallery this Friday, May 2nd, 2014. The ensemble features Uzuri on vocals and tambourine, Darius Jones on saxophone, Marika Hughes on cello, Graham Haynes on cornet, Aruan Ortiz on piano, and Nasheet Waits on drums. Sets are at 9 and 11 p.m. $22 general admission and $10 for members. Purchase tickets here.


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Branson Farmer's Market: Located at the Branson Landing every Tuesday through October is Branson's Farmer's Market! Enjoy the freshest from local gardens, jive to live music, browse through local vendors, and great food trucks. Enjoy this open air market and visit with the locals! Follow BFM on Facebook for updates on who's gonna be there!
Southern Gospel Picnic at Silver Dollar City: Join us at Silver Dollar City (August 22-September 2) for the gathering of some of the premier bands and groups in southern gospel music! You'll have something to shout about when you hear the different varieties of music that are gonna be here. Enjoy over 70 southern gospel acts and, of course, picnic style food will be available! Come check out what's happening in Branson!
Bass Pro Outdoor Days: Let the good folks of Bass Pro give you the low-down on great ways to connect with outdoors. Whether it's learning a new outdoor activity or learning about conservation, this free event will help you understand the great outdoors. Gather up the whole gang and be Dewey Short Visitors Center (by Table Rock Dam) September 7&8 for this all ages and all skill levels event.
Autumn Daze: Take part in this Branson tradition! Wander around Downtown Branson and see artisians and crafters who are showcasing their unique talents! Any event in Branson wouldn't be complete without live music! Get ready as Ozark Mountain Country welcomes to fall air in with one of the best craft fairs in the area! Join us in Branson September 19-21!


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Hello Rocksmith fans!
Looks like the newsletter has been mailed out which means we have a chance to predict what August has in store for us!… Read More
Greetings Rocksmith fans, the code has been posted and cracked, and it looks like we are going back to the 70s next week.… Read More
Greetings Rocksmith fans! Another new addition to Rocksmith 2014 has been announced today, and they are definitely not a metal band.… Read More


Twist in Ovambanderu chieftaincy
…as door once again opens for Aletha Nguvauva
By Hilary Mare
THE Ovambanderu Traditional Authority faction under Aletha Karikondua Nguvauva has scored a major victory in the High Court after Justice Masuku delivered a judgement that opens the door for Nguvauva, who has been fighting to be recognised as the paramount chief, to pursue this route.
Read the full story in this week’s edition.


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Brooklyn-based food & event photographer Clay Williams brings his discerning eye to some of the world’s most celebrated publications. Now he’s talking to The Best Of Everything New York (TBOENY) about his professional journey thus far and the importance of co-creating Black Food Folks.
What started as a “release from the office world” has evolved into capturing food-related moments for The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and James Beard Foundation. Whether it’s a talented chef plating a meal, a server delivering a main course, or a mixologist concocting a masterpiece, Clay Williams puts himself in the perfect positions to see detail and nuance that otherwise might go unnoticed.
Over a decade ago, Clay found himself working in media IT along with pursuing his passions of food and photography. He spent lunch hours on the streets of midtown Manhattan snapping shots of food trucks while his weekends were filled with butchering sessions and his own food experimentation. “If you really love something you will put in the work to get better,” Clay says. He knew this was something he wanted to do longterm and taking time to understand all the moving parts of the food service industry was necessary.
Clay’s photos bring truth to their subjects. They portray actions and items in a realistic manner, almost like a documentary. Clay is passionate about his pictures telling an interesting story. He sets the scene, with minimal staging, and puts himself in place to snap just the right moments. Some of his experiences have been documented in the books 111 Rooftops In New York That You Must Not Miss and 111 Places in Queens That You Must Not Miss.
In 2019, Clay co-founded Black Food Folks with fellow culinary professional, Colleen Vincent. What started as a conversation about self expression and representation has grown into a platform that supports black excellence and contribution in food and beverage. With networking events, IG Live/Zoom Sessions, and robust social media, Black Food Folks has become a community hub that amplifies black voices. They are thriving through COVID-19 due to their masterful online presence and they look to keep that momentum going into next year..
Clay hopes that Black Food Folks will continue to bring people together post COVID-19. He also looks forward to shooting in-person events and getting back to the restaurants and bars around New York that he loves. Check out some of Clay’s favorite spots and follow him on instagram:
Best New York Bar: Quarter Bar in Sunset Park, Bklyn. Neighborhood watering hole with a comfy backyard garden.
Best New York Museum: International Center of Photography Museum in downtown Manhattan. Fantastic exhibits.
Best New York Park: Sunset Park in Brooklyn. Unique vantage point where one can see from Newark Airport all the way up to the Chrysler building, including a great of of the Statue of Liberty.


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On Sunday, Animal Planet aired Puppy Bowl X -- a delightfully furry tradition that this year arguably saw more excitement than the Super Bowl did.
If you tuned in, you witnessed new levels of adorableness. But you may have missed the moving adoption stories that came with each puppy.
For example, meet Arya, a pit bull who was rescued by a woman named Brielle, according to Animal Planet. She now lives with her forever family in Atlanta, Ga.
"People think [pit bulls] are people-aggressive," Brielle says in the video above. "They're not. They're very, very friendly. They love children."
Arya is just one of many "adoption tails" that came from the Puppy Bowl. To see more, visit AnimalPlanet.com.


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Est. Budget: $1,000.00
We are looking for a talented writer who's available to write top quality fictional stories with an erotica background. Note, we are looking for Erotica, not hardcore pornography. Think 50 shades of grey, not Hustler.
I'm NOT looking for spammy, poorly-written, "filler" articles. Content must be original and not software generated or spun. We need high quality, well-researched stories that present a compelling plot, character development, and point of view.
Again, we are only looking for someone that ...


Homeside smashed in worldly match
‘Bloody terrific’ event despite world getting the best of Mungungo
THE world may have got the better of Mungungo on the cricket pitch this year, but the event the tiny town put on last weekend was first class.
“When I looked out over the grounds and everything on Sunday afternoon as the sun went down I thought to myself, this really is bloody terrific,” Mungungo’s captain Nev Dahtler said.
After eight teams fought for the right to play Mungungo over Saturday and Sunday morning, it was finally last year’s finals day no-shows Gladstone who were left to take on the most prestigious event.
The visitors opened the batting and quickly set to work hitting the ball to the boundary.
“Then my son (Cliff Dahtler) dropped a catch off my bowling, I wasn’t happy with that,” said the determined captain.
With Gladstone reaching 165 for 4, their star recruit, Hannah Staines, from Monto, opened the bowling against her dad Rob Staines for Mungungo.
Mr Staines made 30 before following the competition rules and retiring, along with fellow opener Andrew Myles.
But Gladstone captain Chris Bye had every fielder on the boundary to stop the big hitters, keeping the homeside to only 98 for five at the end of their 10 overs.
Despite the great enthusiasm for friendly banter and competition on the cricket pitch, the real success story was in the incredible community spirit the Mungungo versus the world weekend encouraged.
Local policeman Ron Mientjes was happy with the event, and said he will
be getting the cops from Bundaberg to come over and field a team next year.
“I think we should be called the whallopers, because that’s what we get called as cops sometimes and also because we will be hitting the ball so far,” he said.
“The high point for me was when a major prize was won by a couple from Canberra and they decided they didn’t really need it and gave it to a local family instead,” event organiser Mark Stone said.
“There were so many people who helped us so much, a big thanks should go to Kev and Leann Davis, who spent more than three hours fixing broken toilets for us on Sunday morning.”
But it was Mr Dahtler who pointed out the real stars of the show.
“This never, ever would have happened if it hadn’t been for Mark (Stone) and Trish (Merritt),” he said.
“We are so lucky they showed up here, they have a lot of get up and go and it means a lot they did something like this that is good for all the community.”
The Monto players practised their cover drives during a drinks break.
The Mungungo cricket team of the future were training hard in between games: Blair Heading, Cody Pailthorpe and Grant Heading.


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Saturday, 27 September 2014
I am visiting my daughter in Worcester Park she lives in a strange community modelled on, and named after, the Hamptons. It is a little like waking up on the set of Stepford Wives and I hold myself lucky not to have been stopped as I trundled my flat packed apparatuses along its perfectly manicured roads yesterday afternoon. I must repeat the journey this morning as I am heading to set up Enclosures at Canal in Haggerston. As is usual when I transport work to London it is a little worse for wear and I must first perform some repairs. As I entered the underground yesterday I somehow became entangled in a large wooden stand I was carrying. It's leg snapped off just below the joint. In retrospect I think perhaps I cut a strange figure brandishing a pointy stick and swearing, at least I had a lot of space around me.


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Updated: Apr 30
“That I exist is a perpetual surprise which is life.” ~ Rabindranath Tagore
The emission nebula in this night art print is a resident in the small Magellanic Cloud which has star forming regions. It could be deduced that there are plenty of resources available inside these regions which favor countless stars to form, and these stars do not have to compete with one another for existence.
If the mankind is the master of this universe, what is the point of pitting ourselves against other human beings?
Why elevate the stairs of success for yourself just based solely off other people’s achievements? The only competitor we should have as humans are our past selves. Life is simply too short to learn something from each of the person we meet so, we must allow the incredible ones to inspire the magic within us while preventing those who don’t have much to offer, from bleeding us dry.
Sometimes we hypnotize ourselves, becoming numb, and staying in the same habits or way of life forever.
We all need to evolve and grow to find out true purpose. Even the stars depicted in my night art are experiencing series of transformations which may not be visible with naked eye.
Strange as it is, we instead find it more rewarding to spend time on the social media platforms sharing our lives. Browsing posts and online forums, chatting with strangers and acquaintances rather than making in-depth conversations with people they share we day to day lives with. I am not sure if we feel that somehow communication becomes more effective when our fingers are moving across our keyboards at lightning speed? Or that we’re making connections when we keep our eyes focused on our cellphones instead of making eye contact and communicating with each other directly. Where is the human connection?
There are pages of videos on YouTube teaching us how to communicate better, how to support one another and yet, we’d rather choose a video full of memes or influencer-based content from someone who offers us nothing. Has technology brought mankind closer or pushing them further apart?
Family dinners become less frequent and during the rare moments everyone is gathered together, it seems this time is spent looking into our cellphones without so much as glancing up for prayer or conversation during the mealtime. Could we really love someone when we refuse to converse with them?
The world is ever changing and discovering the new facets of every person or thing you love is fun, like finding a new star in the nebula of my night art prints! It’s like having noticed that a new wrinkle has made its way on you father’s face, or a new white strand has just grown on your mother’s hair.
Instead, most humans see everything as static and deny themselves the chance to listen to the stories and history of the people they love. It seems far easier to fall in love with the projected images of someone or something than growing old with them together.
Has time become a luxury product in an era when humans are absorbed in the latest technology?
Opening our eyes to welcome another day is indeed a miracle.
There is always something to be grateful for as long as we are living but, occasionally we lose our way, forgetting how fortunate it is that we are alive and breathing. Perhaps it’s the magnifying of misfortunes that drags us down. When something doesn’t go our way, we turn to anger, regreat, and shame. When the reality is that all of us have an amazing ability to turn a negative into a positive if we put it into the right context.
Instead of languishing in despair, humans have the choice to find tiny blessings in everything yet sparing time to appreciate the lovely creations seems to be an arduous task for some. The scenic beauties of starry nights, sparkling of stars in the sky, the falling of leaves in autumn, the melodious voice of nightingale in the spring, the whispers of the rain, the smell of fresh flowers … these are the things that some of us don’t experience because we choose to remain unhappy.
Some might not even have the chance to bid farewells to the people they love when accidents strike due to never fixing a broken relationship or being the one to say, “I’m sorry”. Who can say for sure that as we age our visual, audio, or other sensory capacities will continue to function normally or the possessions we have will stay that way for tomorrow or the day after?
When the sunlight shines through the windows, shouldn’t we be thankful that we still have a day to go after what we want?
The visions of humans are so frequently eclipsed by such sorrow, preventing them from appreciating the blessings around them.
The glittering stars in my night art are to illuminate the broken souls and to remind them to remain hopeful at the darkest hours.
Not even the most highly acclaimed fortune-teller could predict when the catastrophes will be, nor how each human being could make it through. Here, in these hard times, my night art will sing through the dark night by giving hope to those who gaze upon these pieces. If humans have looked at the sky to feel a closeness to the stars in the quiet evening, they are sure to connect with this captivating night scene.
With the rotation of the Earth and that of the planets and their moons, none can find the same celestial objects at the same time in the night sky.
My fine art prints are to remind humans that nothing lasts forever and their temporal stay on this earth is a surprise gift. None can take whatever he earns on their journey through life. Perhaps, that is why humans cherish memories they have with one another most when their hairs begin to turn grey. While they are chasing dreams and building career empires, the memories with their comrades will stack up and turn into an invisible photo-book which their brains will later recall. Playing the episodes of life like an alluring melody, distant and familiar.
Those having the most contended life when this song is played had the best times with their buddies and understood the importance of fostering amiable friendships and caring about whoever they love who shoulder the rain and storms with them together. When my art collectors are in doubt, perhaps taking a step backward and getting lost in the wall art created by me could give them a little guidance on how they could move on.
The finest art is the one which can strike a chord in the heartstrings of mankind.
This has been my mission as a painter since I first started working on this series of oil paintings which are the prototypes of these night art prints. Being a painter is not just about creating eye-catching masterpieces for spinning profits at art fairs. Fine arts would lose its prestige if the artworks were made to satisfy the art critics’ taste or fit into the galleries’ selling agenda. At the time I am ready for the next contemporary arts exhibit, it will surely be the one which every audience could step into my world and feel my passion in the night sky.


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P.S. 92. Rogers Ave and Flatbush Ave, Flatbush, Brooklyn.
- Image: "P.S. 92. Rogers Ave and Flatbush Ave, Flatbush, Brooklyn.". B/w photographic print, sepia toned, 5.75 x 8.125 in (14.6 x 20.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, CHART_2012. (F129_B79_C68_Public_School_92_02.jpg)
- Notes: Handwritten caption on back lists this photograph as being taken about 60 years ago.
- Rights Statement: No known copyright restrictions
- Title: [A collection of pictures of Brooklyn].
- Description:  leaves (some mounted) : all ill. (some col.)
- Citation: Brooklyn Museum Libraries. Special Collections
- Imprint: [Brooklyn : s.n.], 1878-[1930?]
- Date Display: 1878-[1930?]
- Call Number: F129 B79 C68


It’s the one day of the year set aside for matters of the heart, but that hasn’t stopped psychologists, economists, social scientists and even cybersecurity specialists from taking a more intellectual approach to Valentine's Day.
In fact, an academic cottage industry appears to have arisen to study the economic, cultural and even political impacts of a day nominally devoted to love.
Feb. 14 has become a favorite day to take the temperature of the larger economy, with global sugar prices, chocolate sales and lingerie fashion trends all serving as proxies. One survey has found that the deep recession and a still-shaky job market haven’t stopped consumers from purchasing Valentine's Day merchandise for that special someone.
Total spending for the holiday is projected to reach $15.7 billion, a nearly 13 percent increase from 2010, according to the National Retail Federation’s 2011 Valentine’s Day Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey. In the poll of more than 8,000 consumers 18 and older, 59.8 percent of women and 56.4 percent of men said they planned to celebrate Valentine's Day.
“It seems consumers are not done spending on gifts, which bodes well for the economy,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay.
According to the NRF, the average American spent $103 on the holiday last year, but the 2011 survey projected per capita spending at $116.21.
While the tab is going up, the purchases remain largely the same - cards and candy.
Of those polled, 52.1 percent said they planned on giving greeting cards as gifts, while 47.5 percent would head for the candy aisles and 34.3 percent to local florists. By the time Cupid has shot his last arrow, the survey projected, consumers will have spent a total of $1.1 billion on cards, $1.5 billion on candy and $1.7 billion on flowers.
On another economic front, early February marks the equivalent of the biggest selling season for drug companies peddling Viagra and other sexual-performance pills. In the week before Valentine's Day last year, more prescriptions were written for Viagra’s little blue pill than any other week of the year, according to figures compiled by the firm Wolters Kluwer Pharma Solutions.
The worst time for sales: Thanksgiving week, when families tend to travel and gather in large groups.
On a more political angle, the Republican National Committee is looking to score points again this year with Valentine's Day e-cards poking fun at its rivals across the aisle.
This year’s series included an e-card with a picture of the Constitution with the message “Obamacare, I’m all broken up over you,” as well as one featuring Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. that read “Happy Thanksgiving.”
Relationship specialists such as psychologist Diana Kirschner have spent time studying Valentine's Day’s have-nots, the singles and the unwillingly alone who will be bombarded by images of the culture’s ideals about love and togetherness in movies, magazines and offices.
“These cultural forces have created unrealistic expectations for what’s supposed to happen on this day,” Ms. Kirschner said in an interview for the American Psychological Association website. “Couples are portrayed as so much happier than singles.”
Ms. Kirschner suggested that singles get together with friends to throw a party, go out to dinner or attend a play.
“In short, put your attention on the loving friends you do have,” she said. “Have fun and enjoy the love you share with them.”
From Russia with love? Not this year, at least in the western city of Belgorod near the Ukrainian border. The city’s deputy governor, Oleg Polukhin, has attracted widespread attention with a decree that bans public Valentine's Day festivities.
Many people see this holiday as an opportunity to get drunk, said Grigory Bolotnov, an official in the city’s department for relations with social and religious bodies. He told the (London) Times, “We could have just as well introduced a ‘Vodka Day.’ “
Belgorod residents will not be prevented from celebrating Valentine's Day privately.
Iran’s Islamic regime is trying to get out the word that it will not prohibit Valentine's Day celebrations.
Khalid Samad, a member of the Malaysian parliament from the city of Shah Alam, is denying reports about a crackdown on those who observe the holiday. Mr. Khalid said in a Thursday news conference that the information was misunderstood and that the government only was considering plans to prevent immoral activities by Muslim youths and couples.
With hormones, pheromones and dopamine playing such large roles in human attraction, Valentine's Day has not escaped the attention of the world’s chemists.
In a well-timed study, the Chemistry Central Journal offered welcome news this month that the cocoa powder used in dark chocolate may deliver a more beneficial health boost than most fruit juices.
“Cocoa powder and dark chocolate had equivalent or significantly greater [anti-oxidant, total polyphenol and total flavonol] values compared to the other fruit powders and juices tested, respectively,” researchers concluded. “Cacao seeds … appear to meet the popular media’s definition of a ‘Super Fruit.’ “
One thing to note about the study: It was conducted by the Hershey Center for Health and Nutrition.
Chocolate may have unexpected upsides, but the social media - where relationship sites are booming - are bringing some hidden dangers linked to Valentine's Day. Cybercriminals are exploiting the scamming opportunities on a day when e-greetings soar but many surfers let down their guards.
Online-security specialists say hackers, spammers, identity thieves and phishers are turning more and more to social networks in the search for prey. One study found that many social network sites face Web-based security challenges but that fewer than a third of social networkers take steps to protect themselves online.
“Most people will automatically open an e-card if it’s from a friend or colleague. To protect yourself from unwanted attention from cyberspace, be very careful what e-cards you open and what you forward on,” said Lloyd Borrett, a “security evangelist” with AVG Ltd. “While receiving an anonymous card from a Valentine can be exciting, opening an anonymous e-mail with ‘I Love You’ in the subject line could be courting disaster.”