text:
This recipe was supposed to be a Banana Loaf, inspired by the lovely Naturopath Helen Ridge over at Alive Natural Health but it turns out that I didn’t quite have all the right ingredients (ha, usual story!). I couldn’t even find my loaf tin, damnit! So now we have Gluten Free Banana Muffins, but they’re delicious!
- 2 free range or organic eggs
- 1 cup besan (chickpea flour)
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- pinch of salt
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 3 very ripe bananas, mashed
- 1/3 cup brown sugar (original recipe used maple syrup)
- 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Vanilla Essence, I use Heilala
Preheat oven to 170c.
Sift both flours, baking powder and salt in a bowl and mix. In another bowl mash bananas with a fork then add sugar, eggs, oil, vanilla and mix together. Add wet mixture to dry ingredients and fold together, don’t over mix.
Add to muffin tray that holds 12 (or like the original recipe, make a loaf in a loaf tin). Bake for 30 minutes.


text:
Examining human bonds with high-tech art
Podcast EP 9
Artist Liu Chang feels "obsessed and excited" when she uses data, algorithms, coding and other digital tools to make her artwork and projects, which mainly cover the topics of social interactions, the existence of time and the connection between nature and the artificial world with a sense of humor.
"Programming, opensource software have opened a new window for designers and artists. It's highly changeable, and it interacts with everything around it, air, humidity, temperature, nature, human. My computer is my work partner." Liu has done a lot of interesting and special art projects to seek deeper meanings in interactions, communication and connections.
Art does not serve to treat an illness, but art matters in the process of how it heals us.Liu Chang
In one of her works, "Scent of Conversation," she uses data and algorithms to create different scents of the chemistry captured between people from their conversations by analyzing their emotions. In another work "Social Clinic," she gives prescriptions like "talk to your loved ones," "say hello and save me from my phone," "talk to me, just do it" in a "Social Clinic" diagnosis.
She believes that art with data and algorithms gives people infinite possibilities, and awakens a higher level of thinking about ourselves and the world around us, especially during tough times like the COVID-19 pandemic.
"When we were at the darkest hour of this world, may it be a song, a painting, or an artistically interactive experience, these things can prompt us to think, to feel, to meditate," Liu said. This is perhaps healing, and the work not only aims to entertain, but also attempts to prompt people to become aware of their anxieties and other social behavioral concerns.
A graduate of Pratt Institute and New York University, Liu's practice ranges from audiovisual and interactive installations to coding art, from digital art to printmaking and artist books. Her work uses algorithms to create new aesthetics in the digital art field.
In the first part of Liu's conversation with Shanghai Daily, she shares with us her ideas about how human beings interact with society around us.
Q: A lot of your projects explore the topic of social interactions. Why?
A: I think it had a lot to do with the fact that our lives revolve around the world of data and social media. For example, there are spaces and personas on Instagram and TikTok made entirely from artificial and fictitious information. There are also cyber celebrities whose profiles are entirely built by nothing real but the Internet, yet these "people" have millions of followers. These kind of Black Mirror-esque changes in our lives have revolutionized the way we socialize and engage with the world, both mentally and physically. Also, when you take the subway and look at all the people, almost everyone is staring at their phones, which is perhaps the primary way of communication now. I have a lot to say with regard to this phenomenon.
Q: What prompted you into the "Social Clinic" project in New York ?
A: In research I was doing back then, I came across a lot of people with various social syndromes or phobias who probably just fixed their eyes on their screens, or worked their thumbs on keyboards, or feeling socially awkward, which my two project partners and I grouped into three categories: the Selfie Syndrome, Social Awkwardness and Notification OCD.
So we created this project, which was quite performative. My partners and I dressed up like doctors in white robes, and people could come into our booth and pretend to be treated. We incorporated facial recognition technology that detected people's emotions, and combined it with a questionnaire that surveyed, for example, "how many times have you interacted with other people in the past week?" and so on.
People who participated would get a note printed out with their diagnosis and prescription on it. The prescriptions included "turn off your phone for ten minutes" and "text 'I love you' to the person you love the most." They were conceptual prescriptions, but the main purpose was to provoke people's thoughts on social interactions.
Q: What does it mean to be socially diagnosed?
A: The targeted participants in this project had, in one way or another, some sort of social issues or phobias, though we weren't saying they really were sick. Although this carried some sense of performance and most participants laughed at their diagnoses, which weren't meant to be accurate, the project was intended to evoke some sort of thinking in them. If it made them change a little or did something, that would be enough.
Q: Your current research interests revolve around museums and their interactive arts, can you elaborate?
A: Before the pandemic, my research focused on interactive technologies in museums and how it enhanced the audience's experience. For example, at the Cleveland Museum of Art, there was an installation where you could make a face in front of a camera and you would be linked to an art work that had a similar facial expression, or you could strike a pose to match that of a sculpture.
During the pandemic when the museums were closed, my research focused more on the virtual experience of museums. There were online 3-D games that you could play, or you could wear virtual reality glasses and virtually enter a museum. This technology has great potential, but it still needs development.
Q: Are there arts app that we can use to relax such as coloring apps?
A: On an app named "Arts and Culture" by Google, you can take a selfie and it links you to a painting, perhaps a portrait or someone in a classic oil painting, that looks similar to you. I think this is a good example of engaging people with art and having fun.
Q: How do you interpret the healing power of art?
A: I'm not an expert on art therapy, but I'm certain about art's healing power. Especially during the pandemic, when we were stuck in our homes and we underwent both a mental and physical urge to go out and interact with nice and pretty things, like going to a museum. This is an integration of our physical and mental reactions. Art does not serve to treat an illness, but art matters in the process of how it heals us.

domain: artistic


text:
Psychiatrist Peter Cleve’s clinical eye observes, with apparent professional detachment, the deranged love story between Stella Raphael, the wife of a criminal asylum’s deputy manager, and Edgar Stark, a patient who’s there for killing his wife. But tragedy is behind the corner.
The plot is a mediocre psycho love drama, skilfully and smartly set up, with a predictable ending and too many coups de theatre. The only true surprise comes up too late.
In this penny dreadful, McGrath reminds more of a marketing expert rather than a good writer, which explains the popularity of Asylum and its huge commercial success.


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text:
Every production of an artist should be the expression of an adventure of his soul. ~ W. Somerset Maugham
Today I am in conversation with Sandhya Vaidyanathan, owner of Masala Popsicles. An architect by profession, Sandhya had always loved painting and illustrating. Having grown up Dubai and now living in Bangalore, she started Masala Popsicles in 2011 with the ambition to do something for herself. What started with a few terracotta pots is now one very sought after craft store.
I have been a fan of Sandhya’s artwork since years now and two things I always marvel at are – the designs are always unique and all her designs have so many different aspects to them, as if telling a new story everytime. Talking about Masala Popsicles, Sandhya told me, “Masala Popsicles is about weaving individual artistic stories for the customers. I do only commissioned and restoration work, so what I specialize in, is taking something old old and making it brand new or bring it back to its original glory and creating something beautiful that is made keeping in mind the customers, tastes, preference of colour etc. My artwork is a lot like story-telling. Each product is different, I have never replicated or made a duplicate of my own product, so what a customer gets is entirely fresh, never made before and the only piece in the world.
Every work comes with its own set of challenges and what might seem like a smooth functioning job, would have problems only the person doing it would know. Sandhya’s first major challenge was what practically all of us creative people feel. Explaining the costing to clients. The common notion is that creating something is easy and while the product will make us happy or even bring us new business, it is okay if we underpay. It isn’t easy being a freelance creative artist and Sandhya too faced the same. “It has been a task to explain to people why things are priced this way. In India, appreciating artists and art is a
relatively new trend and I repeatedly get asked, “Why is tis so expensive?” Another thing is the collective mindset of few people that if they are paying for something, they own the creator’s time. Art cannot be pushed; one needs to be patient. Being called up at 1am to know the status of the work you have been commissioned is not something delightful to undergo.”
Wow, that must be a real test of her patience! “One needs to be extremely patient and calm while dealing with several questions and enquiries that come regarding orders. I’ve found that explaining to them in detail helps, and also being truthful about timelines and expectations does wonders. One must not take on more that’s one can chew, for it can lead to a lot of confusion and problems.”
Moving away from work, we talk about Sandhya’s life growing up. “My childhood was cushioned and protected. I was born and brought up I’m Dubai. My parents lived in Dubai for almost 38 years. My father was a big influence in my childhood growing up. He encouraged me to paint and draw and even enrolled me into professional classes very young. I learnt to paint from Mrs. Simita Roy, who was a graduate of Calcutta School of Art. I studied under her for several years, till I went to college to study.” By qualification, Sandhya is an architect from Dr. Bhanuben Nanavati College of Architecture. “College was way more fun than school was; I decided to come to India to study Architecture and design. My first choice was to become a chef, since I loved cooking so much, but I was discouraged by family members, since they said the professional kitchen was not a place for women. College was a place I realised my true potential in design and art. I had several avenues to showcase my creativity, also help me develop a positive and strong mindset, which has later helped me start this business and run it.”
Sandhya is one very strong woman and her favourite quote is “Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.” Inspired by her mother who had worked for several years and being surrounded by many inspirational women, she thinks of someone who has had it worse than her and draws inspiration from them. She believes that, “You have to love yourself and inspire yourself every day. Women need to help lift other women; we have to ensure we support and help other women achieve their dreams and inspire each other.”
Sandhya has had two near death experiences and one stint in the Critical care ICU on a life support machine. Her philosophy in life is, “The tragedy of life is not death, but what we let die inside of us when we are still alive.” She says that her learning from these experiences is that we need to live life more vicariously, laugh more, make more memories and stop cribbing. If you have 2 meals a day, a roof above your head and clothes to wear, you are better off that 60% of the world’s population. I’ve now learnt to love myself, the body I came in and the brain and heart I’ve been gifted – we must make use of them beautifully.”
A typical day in Sandhya’s life starts at 7 am, and since her studio is at home, she is able to balance housework along with her art seamlessly. “Once breakfast, etc. is done and the morning chores of laundry and other errands are done, I do a little work at around noon. It’s a quiet time then, since there isn’t much happening around the house . At around 12 I start preparing lunch (since my husband comes home for lunch) and once that is done, I work from 2-3 pm again (the natural sunlight helps ) . I take a nap from 3-5 since I work very late into the night. When I’m done with kitchen work at 9pm, I start my artwork again at around 11 and go on till 2 am, this is the most peaceful and productive time for me.”
Sandhya’s creations are spellbinding and we wish that someday they find a place each in every household in the world.


Site visit and demonstrations in Ghana
On 15 April 2019, ahead of the official launch of the Alliance for Green Revolution Forum 2019 (AGRF 2019), a range of applications of drone technology for agriculture have been showcased by members of Africa Goes Digital at Bomarts Farms Ltd, in Dobro, Nsawam, Ghana. About 20 Ghanaian and international journalists participated in the field trip together with representatives from AGRA and CTA. Bomarts Farms grows a range of fruit crops for export and demonstrations on drone-based crop diagnostics and crop spraying were done on pineapple fields by Acquahmeyer Drone Tech Ltd and Ziongate Geospatial and Research Services (ZGRS) Ltd, both Ghanean startup companies benefiting from CTA support.
Acquahmeyer Drone Tech is a Ghanaian startup offering drone-based spraying services. Drones are programmed for executing their mission on a given flight path (e.g. a pineapple field). The drone carries a tank with agro-chemicals. The product is applied to crops in a precise manner, via very fine droplets, reducing human intervention and exposure risk to a minimum. The drones used by Acquahmeyer are designed in Germany and assembled in Ghana. The spraying drone has a 10 litre tank, with four spraying nozzles that can be adjusted to cover a spray width of 3 to 6 ft. The drone is fitted with high pressure pumps, that atomise water and oil-based pesticides in a form of a mist.
The drone sprays one hectare in 15 minutes. Because of the efficiency and precision of the drone, the farmer can save up to 50% fertilizer as compared to using the bag pack or the boom sprayer. The drone can be used to apply fertilizers, micronutrients, pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides.
Ziongate Geospatial and Research Services (ZGRS) Ltd. is a start-up which provides drone based crop diagnostic and documentation services. During the field visit, ZGRS demonstrated how drones equipped with multispectral sensors and analytic tools can be used on farms to obtain high resolution, georeferenced and actionable agronomic information to help farm managers make spot-on decisions on how to invest crop inputs (water, fertilizer, herbicide, pesticide etc.) to maximize productivity. Two different drone-based technologies were deployed for the demonstration, namely a Parrot Disco Pro Ag and a DJI Phantom 4 pro.
The first one, being a winged drone equipped with a Sequoia multispectral sensor. Thanks to its sensor, this drone can take both multispectral and RGB high resolution georeferenced imagery. Multispectral imagery is analysed using specialised software to produce crop diagnostic maps, crop inventories, etc
Specifically, ZGRS demonstrated how the Parrot Disco Pro Ag works, beginning with safety checks, flight planning, launching, and data acquisition to processing of raw data (high resolution georeferenced aerial images) into meaningful or actionable products such as the Normalized Difference Vegetation index (NDVI) map, as an example. This index shows the health of crops and the ground vegetation which the farmer can use to identify the various stress areas or even the diseased part of the crop.
Additionally, ZGRS demonstrated how the DJI Phantom 4 pro with its high-resolution camera could be used for crop scouting. The copter is equipped with a high resolution camera and which can take both georeferenced still RGB pictures and high resolution footage. Imagery captured with the drone can be used to generate composite images (orthomosaics) and also digital elevation models of the landscape.
Both Acquahmeyer Drone Tech Ltd and Ziongate Geospatial and Research Services Ltd. are associated to the Technical Centre for Agricultural Cooperation ACP-EU (CTA) in the framework of the project known as “Transforming African Agriculture: Eyes in The Sky, Smart Techs on The Ground”. The project started in 2017 currently and supports 35 digital / drone operators, mostly start-ups run by young entrepreneurs in 19 African countries including Ghana.


text:
Angel's Friends Jigsaw by Kooxpi
Play this 3 scenes jigsaw puzzle games of Angel's Friends. Level up, difficulty increase.
More Puzzles Games
Sketcher 2, not unlike its predecessor, is a game going around the idea of connecting the dots to create a picture. The second installment in the series primarily features more solid, robust and attractive engine and game play - now every picture consists of smaller parts which are drawn separately. The graphics are all kept in the paper and pencil theme, new levels (there are 12 of them, 4 more than before!) are themed around animals. New music and sound effects, menus and graphics, feeling and enjoyment!
Zigzag across the game board and capture ghosts in this classic arcade style game. Help pacxon fill empty level space and build walls to trap the onrushing clan of angry ghosts.
↑↓←→ to move.
Play this jigsaw puzzle games of the ace combat. This game including 3 modes - 3x4 pieces, 4x5 pieces and 5x6 pieces. Use mouse wheel or spacebar to rotate the selected pieces.
Dress up your favorite Little Hanna with your favorite costumes. Have Fun


text:
- How the West has won. // Books in Canada;Apr85, Vol. 14 Issue 3, p6
Highlights the book 'Perdue: Or How the West Was Lost,' by Geoffrey Ursell, winner of the ninth annual Books in Canada Award for First Novels in 1984. Judges for the year's awards; Award contenders; Insights on the author's manner of selecting the winning novel.
- FICTION. // Books in Canada;Mar1990, Vol. 19 Issue 2, p16
Reviews the books 'Woman Between Mirrors,' by Helen Parente Cunha and 'Way Out West!' by Geoffrey Ursell.

domain: literature


text:
Editor's note: This column by Lee Cavin was originally published in the Loudonville Times on July 20, 1988.
Modern history for the area now known as Ohio started about 300 years ago. That was when the first Europeans who kept journals walked through the area.
What went on before ...
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domain: library


text:
Healthy Workplaces Act Introduced In U.S. House of Representatives
A bipartisan group of lawmakers have introduced the Healthy Workplaces Act to provide a tax credit for critical expenses associated with protecting employees from COVID-19.
The act was introduced by Representatives Tom Rice (R-SC), Stephanie Murphy (D-FL), Darin LaHood (R-IL), and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA). The bipartisan, bicameral bill was also introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), and is supported by ISSA and its more than 50 coalition partners.
If enacted, the Healthy Workplaces Act would establish a refundable payroll tax credit equal to 50% of an employer’s “qualified employee protection expenses,” such as testing for COVID-19, protective personal equipment (PPE), and cleaning products or services; “qualified workplace reconfiguration expenses;” and “qualified education and training expenses.”
Businesses, nonprofits, independent contractors, and self-employed individuals would all qualify for the tax credit. In each calendar quarter, qualified expenses are based on a sliding scale according to the average number of employees (Summary).
“The pandemic has led to a new standard of cleanliness as well as financial hardships for many organizations,” said John Nothdurft, ISSA's director of government affairs, in a press release. “This tax credit will help businesses uphold cleanliness, protect employees, and restore the confidence of consumers.”
Disclaimer: Please note that Facebook comments are posted through Facebook and cannot be approved, edited or declined by CleanLink.com. The opinions expressed in Facebook comments do not necessarily reflect those of CleanLink.com or its staff. To find out more about Facebook commenting please read the Conversation Guidelines.

domain: finance


Published: 14th December 2022
Calcutta HC: Enforcement Directorate ordered to join the CBI on OMR scam case
About 80 out of 183 candidates who were "wrongly recommended" have already started working, noted the counsel
The High Court of Calcutta on Wednesday, December 14, 2022, in the probe on the scam of Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) sheets to accommodate ineligible candidates illegally in the appointment list for Class IX and X teachers in state-run schools, ordered the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to join the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). A bench consisting of a single judge, Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay asked the ED to join the investigation process effectively immediately and conduct a thorough investigation on the financial angle involved in the scam, stated an IANS report.
On Wednesday, December 14, Justice Gangopadhyay asked the counsel for the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) how many of the 183 candidates who were "wrongly recommended" are actually working as instructors in several state-run institutions. The commission's counsel responded that while 80 of these applicants have already started working, the remaining ones have not done so despite obtaining appointment letters.
Justice Gangopadhyay ordered the commission to fill those positions right away with suitable candidates chosen on the basis of merit. It has been heard that the ED would look into the financial aspect and try to uncover information about the money paid by such incorrectly-recommended individuals in order to illegally obtain those jobs. It will also include information about who among these candidates made payments and how much, as well as information about the recipients and beneficiaries of such payments.
Senior advocate and CPI-M Rajya Sabha member, Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya said this decision is welcome on part of the Calcutta High Court. "Undoubtedly wrongly recommended candidates secured jobs by paying huge amounts of money. It is also to be seen whether there is any hawala angle in the scam. The ED, being an agency expert probing such crimes relating to financial embezzlement, is the right agency to probe the scam," he said, as reported by IANS.


text:
I used to love the Tenderloin,
Till I made some tender coin…
San Francisco is my adopted city and as of this past September 9th I have lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for more than half my life.
For the past twenty years I’ve lived in the “country”, an hour north of the “city but I still consider San Francisco to be my home town. I spend less time there than I’d like to unfortunately. When we work there we tend to commute in and out. After reviewing the schedule for our gig this past week however we decided that based on the late nights and early mornings we’d spend those five days in the city just as we would for an out-of-town gig.
We stayed at the Hilton Hotel Downtown Union Square – which is neither located downtown nor in Union Square. The Hilton is on O’Farrell Street between Taylor and Mason in a neighborhood more commonly known as The Tenderloin. The marketing geniuses from the Hilton Corporation knew that they would not sell many rooms if they called it the Hilton Hotel Tenderloin. It would be akin to trying to sell rooms at the Hilton Hotel South Bronx or the Hilton Hotel South Central LA. Certain neighborhoods in certain cities have reputations that precede them and The Tenderloin is one of those neighborhoods.
The first morning I walked out the door of the Hilton I was approached by no fewer than five “street people” looking for spare change or a cigarette. Most people would feel uncomfortable at least, frightened at worst. I’d be a liar if I said I didn’t feel uncomfortable walking the streets of the Tenderloin early that morning. I have been removed from it for twenty years. The last full-time job I held before starting my business was working right there in the heart of the Tenderloin for six years. I was the Administrative Assistant to the Vice President of Marketing for a small group of boutique hotels, four of the five in the Tenderloin.
For the last three years of my employment with this group I worked out of one of their Tenderloin properties, The Atherton Hotel. It was located at 685 Ellis Street, on the corner of Larkin. I remember well the challenge of marketing hotels in a dubious neighborhood. At one point it was suggested that we “rename” the area the hotels were located in to “Lower Nob Hill”. When my original boss left, the genius that took her place wanted to do a campaign surrounding Dashiell Hammett, one of the Tenderloin’s more notorious residents. Deceptively renaming a neighborhood and making an alcoholic author of pulpy detective fiction the center of an ad campaign was not going to sell rooms in a hotel whose front windows faced a sex shop that tirelessly advertised its sale of inflatable sheep in large letters on its marquis. Despite the relative film of hopelessness and despair that covered this neighborhood we managed to put heads in those beds. The hotels were clean and quaint, most rooms were renovated and they were priced at lower rates than their competitors in Union Square. Most important though, that seedy neighborhood is one of the most centrally located to all that San Francisco has to offer. Walk east a few blocks and you’ll be at the Powell Street Cable Car turn-around and the tony shopping of Union Square. Walk south and you’ll find yourself on bustling Market Street or at the Moscone Convention Center. Walk west and you’ll be at Davies Symphony Hall and the War Memorial Opera House. If you are a fan of Asian food you’ll never go hungry here – hundreds of small noodle shops, Dim Sum parlors and Pho Houses each offering up yummy for the tummy delicacies under $10.00 per plate.
In all that walking around you will certainly come in contact one way or another with the neighborhood’s local color. The homeless, the residents of the myriad of SROs that line the streets, the hookers – transvestite and otherwise – they are all part of the scenery. Twenty years after I left the Tenderloin they are still there. In 1987 Mayor Art Agnos held a symposium addressing the homeless problem in San Francisco. It was there that I learned who exactly made up that population. Some were down on their luck folks, rendered homeless by some reversal of fortune. Some were alcoholics or drug addicts, panhandling one fix to the next. Some were mentally ill, released to the streets after Napa State Mental Hospital was closed down. The upshot of it all was there was little anyone could really do as two-thirds of the homeless population would accept the little help offered to them. They would wander the streets carrying on conversations with their invisible friends or yelling up into the heavens until they lay their head down on the concrete pillow of their choice, swathed in newspaper and cardboard.
Directly across the street from the Hilton is Glide Memorial Methodist Church and on this morning hundreds are lined up waiting for breakfast. In 1929 Methodist philanthropist Lizzie Glide purchased the property and construction of the church was completed in 1931. In 1963 a young minister by the name of Cecil Williams came to Glide and transformed the church into a safe haven for its community, welcoming all through its doors for worship and comfort. Throughout the 1970’s and 1980’s Reverend Williams spearheaded programs that included the free meals program, recovery programs for addicts and alcoholics and outreach programs for HIV and AIDS patients. Glide is the cornerstone of this neighborhood, serving the disenfranchised, the poor and the suffering of San Francisco right at the bleeding heart of it all.
The Tenderloin will never change, despite the efforts to shine it up a bit. Some of the crosswalks have been the beneficiary of a paving project that is underway. There are more boutique hotels neighboring the funky old SROs closer to Market Street than there were twenty years ago, and with them a few more “uptown” style eateries. The neighborhood where the Atherton sat is now known as “Little Saigon” and those old noodle shops and Pho Houses have a fresh coat of paint and a shiny new sign. Newer, trendier Asian restaurants have opened in that area as well and have managed to keep their prices down low enough that it is the spot where the young and hip can grab a good meal before heading out to a show at the Great American Music Hall or the Warfield Theater. The tranny prostitutes are gone as well and the Atherton is now a gayly painted youth hostel. The Essex Hotel across the street is now a registered historic landmark and has a bright new neon sign to show for it.
As I walked up Eddy Street in a particularly nasty stretch of abandoned and boarded up buildings I caught out of the corner of my eye a banner hanging a-top the street sign post that read:
409 Historic Buildings
The Uptown Tenderloin Historic District
In 33 Blocks
Now, this was something new to me. The “Uptown Tenderloin” was designated a national historic district in 2009. The means to this end were actually begun in the 1980’s but halted for a time so that land-use measures preventing gentrification were in place. The efforts to put these measures in place were spearheaded and completed by an organization now known as The Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation and they saved 176 buildings, mostly SROs – a total of 18,000 homes – through these efforts.
With city funding architectural historian Michael Corbett was hired to do the research and paperwork necessary to apply for the application. Fueled by the designation and funded by grants from the Mayor’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development a historic district plaque project began with building owners. Today 73 buildings have participated in this project.
I have never looked at the Tenderloin through these eyes before. Those old funky SROs were just that – hotels with sparse furnishings, thin sheets and a shared bath for the floor, smelling like urine and bug infested. While that might still be the case in many of those buildings, their walls had a living, breathing history. The ghosts of Frank Capra, Dashiell Hammett and Jerry Garcia walked those hallways stepping over the nodding out junkies. So I gave myself my own little walking tour of the Tenderloin, seeking out the places those ghosts go, the places that were previously invisible to me.
The Ambassador Hotel is a six-story 134 room SRO built in 1911. Science fiction and true crime author Miriam Allen de Ford lived there from 1936 until her death in 1975. It has been owned by the Tenderloin Neighborhood Development (TNDC) since 1999 and its rehabilitation was completed in 2003.
The Hotel Bristol apparently was the home to Richard Ramirez, better known as the Night Stalker Serial Killer as well as Valerie Solanis, the failed assassin of Andy Warhol who died there in 1983.
Frank Capra was living at the Drake Hotel in 1921 when he was hired to direct his first film, “The Ballad of Fischers Boarding House”.
One of the dominating businesses back in the day in the Tenderloin were the film exchange businesses and most of those were located on the 200 block of Hyde Street in what were known as the Film Exchange Buildings. The place was steps away from the Cinema Houses on Market Street. It was in one of those buildings that Wally Heider opened his recording studio in 1969. The first work released from that studio was the Jefferson Airplane’s album “Volunteers”. Throughout the 1970’s the studio flourished, laying the tracks for rock n’ roll greats such as the Grateful Dead and Creedence Clearwater Revival. Today it is Hyde Street Studios and continues the tradition of recording the masterful works of music giants such as Bonnie Raitt, Tupac Shakur, Spearhead and Chris Isaak.
Plaques, pavement, paint and historic district aside, it is the residents of the Tenderloin that give the neighborhood its unique charm. Combined with an active movement to prevent gentrification, the continued good works of Glide and the ongoing efforts of the TNDC these residents are not going anywhere anytime soon. The role of organizations such as Glide and TNDC work tirelessly to improve the lot of the city’s worst off.
When the TNDC was founded in 1981 they decided that property needed to be bought, rehabilitated and preserved as affordable housing forever. Their tenants are the working poor, single parent families, the disabled, folks transitioning from public assistance to the workforce and people are simply trying to put their lives back together after being put out on the street due to fire, personal tragedy, addiction or unemployment. 70% of their tenants have incomes less than $14,000 per year – 50% rely on fixed monthly stipends, mostly from SSI.
The TNDC has a staff of twenty social workers that deal with the myriad of issues facing their tenants. They have an after school program providing literacy programs, sports activities and field trips for children aged 5-17. Their mission is to create a sense of community among the residents of each building they own and operate.
I never knew this organization existed in the six years that I worked in the Tenderloin. In looking at the neighborhood with new eyes though I can see where they have made in-roads in their uphill battle. I saw more people walking out the front doors of freshly painted buildings as opposed to people sleeping in the doorways of crumbling SROs. I saw more Moms and kids walking together to school. I saw street art adorning the old brick walls, gardens and overall a sense of pride in the neighborhood in general. It is a neighborhood that will never change and will remain the home for the city’s invisible citizens.
I’ve been high,
I’ve been low.
I’ve been yes,
And I’ve been oh, hell no!
I’ve been rock n’ roll,
I’ve been disco…
Won’t you save me San Francisco.

domain: geography


Backpacking in Banff National Park is usually done from May through October due to the severity of the Canadian winter. There are over 1,500 km of trails to use along with 50 campsites located in the back country. There are also trail shelters as well as alpine huts for hikers and backpackers to spend time in during their journeys. Guides are available and permits are required for any person or group planning on being in the park overnight. Since the weather in this part of the world can change rapidly for the worse, hikers are advised to take extreme caution and be aware of all possibilities.
According to the Parks Canada website, birdwatchers in Banff have documented as many as 260 separate bird species. In addition to those that live in the park, there are numerous migratory birds that can be spotted as these creatures make their way either north or south at certain times of the year. Among the multitude of birds that can be seen in Banff are bald eagles, mallards, tundra swans, redpolls, pygmy owls, snow buntings, teals, ospreys, mergansers, wood ducks, barn owls, Canadian geese, scaup, goldeneyes and warblers.
A total of 53 different kinds of mammals call Banff home, with predators such as the grizzly bear, brown bear, bobcat, Canadian lynx, wolverine, mountain lion, coyote and wolf at the very top of this ecosystem's food chain. There are actually more grizzly bears than black bears in this region, and anyone that ventures into the wilderness needs to be aware that the potential for a bear encounter is very real. Other wildlife that lives in Banff includes marmots, beavers, porcupines, elk, bison, mountain oats, bighorn sheep, caribou, mule deer, white-tailed deer and ground squirrels.
The winter months bring a whole new set of fun things to do for tourists flocking to Banff. Cross-country skiing is immensely popular as are downhill skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing. Extreme sports such as ice diving and ice waterfall climbing are not for the faint of heart but are allowed in the park. Skating, photography and experiencing the many hot springs located in Banff are also popular winter activities.
Scenic Gondola Ride
It is highly recommended that anyone traveling to Banff take a ride on the gondola that brings people to the summit of Sulphur Mountain. This allows you to view the surrounding countryside from an elevation of almost 7,500 feet and gives you a breathtaking look at nearby peaks, crystal clear mountain lakes and Bow Valley, which expands from east to west from that area. The ride takes 8 minutes one way and the scenery will not soon be forgotten.


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Earliest known MERS outbreak, in Jordan, infected 10
Additional cases would bring global count to 72
The earliest known outbreak of the MERS coronavirus infected at least 10 people, a retrospective study has shown.
Two of those cases, from an outbreak in Jordan in April of 2012, have been previously reported.
An official of Jordan's Ministry of Health revealed the news today in an interview from Amman.
Dr. Mohammad Al-Abdallat says blood samples from 124 people were tested for antibodies to the Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome coronavirus.
He says eight people tested positive, including six people who had been known to be sick at the time of the outbreak, one health-care worker and one household contact of a confirmed case.
The two previously confirmed cases died at the time of the outbreak but were confirmed later using samples that had been stored.
Cluster occurred before new virus recognized
The study was a joint effort by the Jordanian health ministry and scientists from the U.S. Centers for Diseases Control in Atlanta.
The additional cases, if added to the World Health Organization's global tally, would bring the global count to 72 cases, 38 of which have been fatal.
The cases in Jordan occurred at Zarqa, southwest of Amman. The outbreak happened before the existence of the new virus was recognized. At the time no cause for the cluster of severe pneumonias was identified.
In June of 2012, scientists at Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, identified a previously unknown coronavirus — a cousin of the virus that caused SARS — in a sample taken from a Saudi man who had died from a similar pneumonia in a hospital in Jeddah.
The bulk of the diagnosed infections to date have occurred in Saudi Arabia, which on Sunday revealed they had found three new cases in disparate parts of the country.
A recent outbreak of hospital-related cases in Saudi Arabia has racked up several dozen cases in the kingdom's Eastern Province. But in recent days cases have popped up in Taif, near the holy city of Mecca, Jeddah and Riyadh.
Saudi Arabia says four more people have died from a new respiratory virus related to SARS, bringing the total number of deaths to 32 in the kingdom at the center of the growing crisis.
Overall, nearly 40 people have died from the virus since September, mostly in Europe and the Middle East, according to local officials and the World Health Organization.
The Saudi Health Ministry also said on Monday that it confirmed three more cases of the virus, including in a 2-year-old child. Officials are still seeking clues on how easily it is spread between humans.
The new virus is related to SARS, which killed some 800 people in a global epidemic in 2003, and belongs to a family of viruses that most often causes the common cold.

domain: news


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The Mysterious Benedict Society
Mr. Benedict's Book of Perplexing Puzzles, Elusive Enigmas, and Curious ConundrumsBook - 2011
A companion workbook to the best-selling Mysterious Benedict Society series features write-in and page-folding puzzles, riddles and brain teasers compiled by Mr. Benedict and his students to help fans determine if they are eligible society members, in a volume complemented by a preview of The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict.
Publisher: New York :, Little, Brown and Co.,, 2011.
Edition: First edition.
Branch Call Number: J FIC STEW
Characteristics: 147 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 22 cm
From the critics
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MLB team name origins Vol 4.
So far we’ve covered all of the National League teams from 1876 up until today. The National League, which is called the senior circuit, existed 25 years before the American League which is why I covered it first and now that I’ve gotten all of them out of the way I am going to tackle the American League teams! I am looking forward to this and I hope you are too! If you haven’t read them all, or have missed one of them, here are the first three installments of the MLB team name origins:
The American League is called the Junior circuit because they officially . The National League originated with teams that still exist today in 1876 and the American League became an official part of the major leagues in 1901. The American League started out with eight teams, same as the National League. Following is a list of the eight charter American League teams:
- Baltimore Orioles
- Boston Americans
- Chicago White Stockings
- Cleveland Bluebirds
- Detroit Tigers
- Milwaukee Brewers
- Philadelphia Athletics
- Washington Senators
So I look at this list and I see a National League team and some interesting name changes coming! So without anymore fanfare, here we go!
The first team I am going to name here is the team that has been the cornerstone of the American League, the New York Yankees. I know, you are looking at that list and thinking wait, the Yankees aren’t even listed there! There isn’t even a New York team listed on there! Well, this is what got me to want to do this little set of articles in the first place… I was fascinated by what the New York Yankees were originally called:
New York Yankees– In 1901 when the American League started the plan was to have an American League team in New York but the National League’s New York Giants were able to block it for a while which is why they put the team in Baltimore and took the name the Orioles. The Baltimore Orioles existed there during the 1901-02 seasons and for the 1903 season were moved to and built a ballpark in Manhattan as the New York Highlanders. The team name came from the elevation of the location. They went by the Highlanders name from 1903-12 and then finally settled on the New York Yankees for the 1913 season. They have won the World Series 27 times since they became the Yankees. They won it in 1923, 1927-28, 1932, 1936-39, 1941, 1943, 1947, 1949-53, 1956, 1958, 1961-62, 1977-78, 1981, 1996, 1998-2000 and 2009. That is six different times that they won the World Series in at least back to back years!
Little known fact- Their first manager, when they were known as the Baltimore Orioles they were managed by John McGraw.
Boston Red Sox– Because they were in the American League and had no official nickname when the Boston franchise started out they began as the Americans. They did not adopt a nickname that they’d use officially until 1908 when they became the Red Sox. The Red Sox played in and won the very first World Series in 1903. Overall they have played in twelve World Series and won seven of them, they won in 1903, 1912, 1915-16, 1918, 2004 and 2007. The New York Giants were the National League champs in 1904 but had declined to play in the series that year because they thought the Highlanders would be playing and didn’t want to make them look credible so they declined to participate. If that series had been played it would give the Red Sox thirteen and a possible eighth championship.
Little known fact- The Red Sox won the pennant on the last day of the season in 1904, they wouldn’t beat the Yankees in a pennant deciding game for 100 years.
Chicago White Sox– The Chicago White Stockings were officially a major league team in 1901 and subsequently won the first American League pennant. Newspaper editors immediately started calling them the White Sox and by 1904 they had adopted the White Sox name. They have played in six World Series, winning three of them. They won the Series in 1906, 1917 and 2005.
Little known fact- Charles Comiskey, the original owner of the White Sox originally bought this team when it was in a minor league called the Western League. The team was originally located in Sioux City Iowa, Comiskey moved the team to Saint Paul, Minnesota. When the National League gave the American League permission to put a team in Chicago, Comiskey moved his team there.
Cleveland Indians– In 1900 the Cleveland Lake Shores were in the Western League which changed its name to the American League that year. In 1901 they changed their name to the Bluebirds when the American League declared itself a major league. The players didn’t think Bluebirds was really suited for baseball and in the meantime writers started to shorten the name to the Blues since they wore all blue uniforms. The players weren’t happy with the name Blues either though and in1902 they tried to change the name to the Broncos but that didn’t really catch on. In 1903 the name was changed to the Cleveland Naps. In 1912 the team’s name was changed to the Cleveland Molly McGuires. They were named after coal miners that were considered heroes for trying to establish a union. This name lasted only three years though. In 1915 they changed their name to the Indians, some say this was a a take off of the Boston Braves name who were at the time called the Miracle Braves. They have played in five World Series, winning twice. in 1920 and 1948.
Little known fact- In 1901, Charles Somers, the original co-owner of the Indians was also c0-0wner of the then Boston Red Sox.
Well, that’s all for now! Part five will be coming soon…

domain: history


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Chengdu South Railway Station
Tthe expanded South Railway Station has been in service since December 20th, 2014. It is about 3.4 miles (about 5.5 km) south of Tianfu Square (city center), 8 miles (about 13 km) from Chengdu Railway Station, 7 miles (about 11 km) from the East Railway Station and 11 miles (17 km) from Shuangliu International Airport.
Address: Northern section of Tianfu Avenue in Wuhou District
Chengdu South Railway Station See-off Service
Schedule and Ticket Booking
(Last Update on Apr 25, 2023)
|To||Trains||Duration||Ticket Fare (CNY)|
|First/ Second Class Seat|
|C6273, C6251, C6017, C6251...|
20 departures from 06:34 to 21:46
|0h10m - 8h15m||CNY 13/ 8|
USD 2/ 1
|G2195, C5651, C6273, D1751...|
58 departures from 06:10 to 21:46
|0h46m - 7h29m||CNY 73/ 46|
USD 11/ 7
|C6273, C6273, C6269, C6269...|
38 departures from 06:34 to 21:46
|1h2m - 1h48m||CNY 78/ 49|
USD 11/ 7
2F: waiting hall, toilets, hot drinking water, staff office
1F: waiting hall, platforms, ticket office, toilets, hot drinking water
How to get to the South Train Station from downtown area?
At Railway Station Traffic Hub: 76, 99, 111, 133, 187, 188, 236
At the Station West Road: 16, 121, 147, 222, 238, 304, 501, 806, 806B, 815, 815A, 816, 824
At West of Station East Road: 35, 99, 121, 147, 181, 238
Passengers arriving by bus will get off at the front square. For ticket holders, please enter the station directly and find the correct waiting area according to the ticket. For those without a ticket, the ticket office is on the first floor. Go there and purchase a ticket first and then go to the waiting hall to wait for departure.
Arrival by subway line 1, line 7, line 18: Passengers should get out from exit D1, and then follow the direction boards to find the waiting area.
Arrival by taxi
Passengers getting to the station by taxi will be dropped off at the front square.
|From||Duration (Minutes)||Cost (CNY)|
|Chengdu Railway Station||35||35|
|East Railway Station||20||30|
Note: The above duration and cost do not include delays caused by traffic lights and traffic jams.
Ticket Check and Boarding
How to exit and leave the station?
Leave by subway:
There is an underground passage leading to the platforms of subway line 1, line 7 and line 18. It can be found easily following the direction signs.
Leave by bus:
Passage can take buses on the west side of front square.
Leave by taxi:
Taxi stands are located on the front square.
Transportation to other places:
1. Take subway line 1 to the square and get put from exit F.
2. Or take bus line 16 and get off at Tianfu Square East.
Chengdu Railway Station:
1. Take subway line 1 to get there and get out from exit D. Or take subway line 7 to North Railway Station and get out from exit E, then walk north around 100 meters to find Chengdu Railway Station.
2. Or take bus line 16 to get there directly. One should get off at North Station Bus Stop.
East Railway Station:
1. Take subway line 7 to get there directly and get out from exit E. Or take subway line 1 to Tianfu Square first and then change to subway line 2 to the destination.
2. Take bus line 147 and get off at the east square of the east station.
Shuangliu International Airport:
1. Take subway line 7 to Taipingyuan and transfer to line 10 to the airport.
2. Walk eastwards about 1,200 yards to east of Station East Road to take Airport Special Bus Line 3 to the airport. The bus is available from 07:00 to 19:00. It usually takes an hour and the ticket fare is CNY12.
3. Or take a train to the airport directly.
Facilities and Services
The ticket office is located on the first floor and 13 ticket windows are currently in service. Passengers can purchase tickets and handle other problems such as ticket changes, ticket refunds and ticket loss.
Waiting hall is on the first and second floors where passengers can have a rest before boarding. Toilets and hot drinking water are available on both floors. Inside the terminal there are eleven escalators and six elevators connecting the two floors.
Left luggage service:
There are some hotels or shops to temporarily store luggage around the station. It usually charges CNY5 for a small bag and CNY10 for a large bag per day.
If you are nore sure about the travel time, you can consider to buy ticket at station directly. However, the ticket availability cannot be guaranteed, therefore, it would be better if you check it often online. Or you can change the ticket to other earlier or later trains. The ticket can only be changed one time and if there is no seat available on other train, you cannot change it. Hope for your advanced notice.
How much time do I need for transfer to another train?

domain: travel


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The company advertised that their travel food containers kept food warm for hours. We we received them, we were very excited and used the containers the next day for a packed lunch. By lunch time the food was cold. When I contacted the company they said they would only give me a 30% refund.
Otherwise, I could ship the containers back to China to get a full refund. Tracking this size package back to China costs almost as much as I paid for it. The container was made from cheap plastic and is better off in the trash. The company is selling these products fraudulently and then keeping the money when the consumer finally realizes what they purchased.

domain: food


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Massive DisneyLand Attraction Database
Picture: The Steve Jobs' Go Twister attraction, which recently celebrated its checkered anniversary
Steve Jobs' Go Twister
February 2, 2006
Avg. queue length:
This rollertwister -- the the farthest from the entrance in Toontown -- is designed for fraidycats of all national origins.
- If you are intolerant of children, then you were practically made for this attraction.
- After enjoying this attraction, you'll want to try something soothing.
- Minimum height 32".
- This attraction closes at random.
- If you have an ounce of sense, maintain your loose articles and opinions away from the attraction at appropriate times.
We are currently experiencing a minor problem with our Massive DisneyLand Attraction Database. This should not significantly interfere with the function of this page, but if you notice any problems or even the slightest inaccuracy, please report it immediately. Thank you for your understanding.


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John Turturro's an acting legend. Lots of directors have actors they like to work with. Turturro's a favorite of both Spike Lee and the Coen Brothers. Starting from "Do The Right Thing," he's appeared in nine of Spike's films, four from the Coens. He can play tough. Devious. Vulnerable. Brooding. Weird. He's never not himself, but no two roles are ever the same. He talks with Jesse about his latest film, "Gloria Bell." It's directed by the Chilean filmmaker Sebastian Lelio, kind of an English language remake of his breakthrough 2013 film "Gloria." It's a story about relationship from two people in late middle age. Its messy, nuanced, and the performances from both Turturro and Moore... just keep you transfixed.
Comic and Daily Show Correspondent Roy Wood Jr.
Another favorite from the Bullseye archives this week. This time: Roy Wood Jr.! He's a comedian. You've probably seen him as a correspondent on "The Daily Show." He's done comedy pretty much his entire life, but he majored in broadcast journalism and for a while, it was looking like that was gonna be his career. He was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama and first got his start in radio, working at a handful of stations. Sometimes he wrote, sometimes he produced or reported, but at heart, Roy's always been a standup, doing his act whenever he found the time. Roy talks with Jesse about the difficulty of writing original jokes, gang colors, and how being on the Daily Show has given him an opportunity to share some of his bolder takes on politics and race.
Bill Hader on Barry, Saturday Night Live and more
We're replying some favorites from the Bullseye archives this week! Today, we're excited to bring you Bill Hader. You know him from his time on Saturday Night Live. He was kind of an impressions guy - he did a mean Vincent Price. His most famous character was Stefon, from the Weekend Update sketches. He left the show in 2013 and went on to perform in movies like Trainwreck, Inside Out and the smash hit Sausage Party. Along with Fred Armisen, he also starred in the IFC show, Documentary Now. His latest project is an HBO TV show called Barry, which enters its second season later this month. Hader stars as the show's title character, Barry Berkman. Barry's an ex-marine, turned low rent hitman in Ohio, turned aspiring actor in Los Angeles. Bill tells Jesse about working as a production assistant when he first came out to Los Angeles, the influence his parents had on his taste in film, and the struggle he had to project his voice.
Jena Friedman, comedian & host of Adult Swim's Soft Focus
WARNING: This episode contains some discussion of difficult topics. We cover sexual assault, miscarriage, violence against women and more. If you're sensitive to these kinds of topics, we figured we'd give you a heads up. Our guest is Jena Friedman. She's a comic, a filmmaker, and a writer. She created and hosts a show on Adult Swim. It's called Soft Focus. It's really funny, just like her all of her comedy, but it also talks about some very difficult, sometimes painful topics. It's satire that cuts deep. Jesse talks with her about the show, about her earlier work on the Daily Show, and her practice of incorporating hard to talk about stuff into her comedy.
Actor Stephen Root on Barry, Office Space and more
Has Stphen Root, the actor, had a million parts? It's not a million, right? Ok. It's 236. Still: wow! Root is is the kind of character actor that can take even the most basic, dreary TV show or movie and light it up. One or two scenes with Stephen in it, say a by the book police procedural or a saccharine sitcom, and that's all you'll talk about. He'll joins us to discuss some of his most memorable roles: He'll tell us why his voiceover role in "King of the Hill" was one of his favorite gigs. Plus, he'll tell us how he got the part in his most recent project HBO's "Barry," and how he helped flesh out his character's role.

domain: entertainment


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I promised an upbeat knitting post, and there's one coming -- but I'm currently haunted by the FW blocks so I have to say a little more about them. I have been knitting for 30 years and it feels like second nature; knitting projects don't worm their way into my brain the way these little FW blocks have done (or at least they haven't for a long time). I love the mittens I'm working on, and the book I'm using is so interesting that I really do want to share it with you all, and will do soon, I promise...but please bear with me! The comments on my last post were so helpful -- I truly appreciate them!
SO: I thought I was done, or at least due for a lengthy sabbatical from "farmer's wife" stitching, but I guess I'm back. I just can't get this project out of my mind, and although it may take a long, long time to get the blocks done, and although some of my blocks are less than perfect, I'm going to keep trying.
I whipped up my 44th, 45th, and 46th blocks -- and each one had to be pieced twice to get them to size. (I didn't measure until I had pieced all three. Brilliant, huh?) Yuck. I am a bit of a glutton for punishment, I guess.
I am working on my 1947 Featherweight right now, while my Horizon is being cleaned and repaired (I have problems with the bobbin case leaping out of place). I love the Featherweight, but even with my new 1/4" foot and seam guide -- which have helped me to get a reliable scant 1/4" seam on this little machine -- I still end up with FW blocks that are smidge undersized. I think there may be a little problem with the printing of the pdf's from my FW disk...I don't know. I don't generally have this problem with the FW blocks pieced on my Horizon.
NEVERTHELESS, I am going to hang in there. The blocks don't need to be perfect, they don't need to be done by a deadline, and as long as I am getting some satisfaction from making them I am going to keep on going! My main goal is to choose fabrics for them that I really like.
So here are block 58, Mother's Dream -- which had been languishing in a half-made state:
block 77, Seasons (a new one):
and block 92, Streak of Lightning (also new):
And finally I made a beautiful fussy-cut version of block 85, Square Dance, but it too was undersized and I haven't had the heart to rip it open and re-do. More on that in a future installment of the farmer's wife melodrama!
Next up: bright, cheerful, and angst-free Norwegian mittens, I promise!!

domain: hobby


Softstyle T-Shirt by Gildan
64000 | Gildan
- 4.5-ounce, 100% cotton (preshrunk)
- Deluxe 30-singles Softstyle yarns
- Seamless double-needle 3/4" neck
- Taped neck and shoulders
- Rolled forward shoulders for better fit
- Double-needle sleeves and hem
- Antique Heliconia, Antique Sapphire, and Sports Grey 90/10 cotton/poly.
- Dark Heather, Heather Irish Green, Heather Military Green, Heather Navy, Heather Orange, Heather Purple, and Heather Royal 35/65 cotton/poly.


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On August 24th, Quacky the Duck will host the 20th annual Duck Race benefitting The Center for Prevention of Abuse. Festivities will begin at noon with face painting and carnival games, and the ducks will start swimming at 3pm.
The Center for Prevention of Abuse urges community members to join in the fun at the marina in front of Old Chicago as Quacky and 15,000 of his feathered friends fight the current of the Illinois River in a race for great prizes. This year’s winners have the chance to take home a Chevy Cobalt donated by Jim McComb Chevrolet, a 50” Plasma HDTV with Bose sound system from Sherman’s, and three nights at a luxury Las Vegas hotel with roundtrip airfare from Peoria to Vegas for two, courtesy of Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino and Southwest Airlines. If these prizes aren’t incentive enough, surely the chance to raise money for a great cause will be!
The Center for Prevention of Abuse is the only agency in Illinois to provide combined services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault or abuse, and elder abuse. By serving 15 new people who have been affected by violence each day, in addition to 15,000 students who are at risk each year, the Center works to achieve its vision of building a safe, peaceful community.
Entry forms will be available in early July at the Center for Prevention of Abuse, area sponsor locations and at the Erin Feis festival. Each sponsored duck helps to carry out the Center’s mission by providing services such as body safety programming for area students and medical advocates in area hospitals, in addition to providing a safe place to which families can come after fleeing violent homes.
Executive Director Martha Herm said, “We rely upon the proceeds of this event to support the work we do throughout central Illinois to bring help and hope to those living in violence.” Join Ducky in the race at the Riverfront and help our community prosper! a&s

domain: sociology


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An old wiser farmer once told me “spring won’t start until the snow has touched the daffodils and the later the snow touches the daffodils the better summer we’ll have”. Something like that anyway he came out with a lot of sayings. But if you look at the recent weather we’re all experiencing there may be some truth to that.
Usually by now we have started grass cutting and with the lighter days the sun has been making its impression on the ground; grass growing, bulbs showing, daffodils in full bloom oh and becoming drier, but this year we’ve not touched a mower or seen daffodils to mow around them and it’s certainly not been dry.
It is an unusually late start to the season this year, the snow has certainly touched what daffodils have been poking their heads out of the ground and the lateness of the snow could mean a good summer. Or is everything how it should be and due to the mild winters we’ve been having for years we’ve just got used to spring starting just after Christmas and bedding plants for sale in B&Q from Jan 1st.
One things for sure, after all this weather we’ve had, instead of Ned Starky saying “Winters coming” how about Alex West saying “Springs coming” so get your mowers dusted off, spark plugs checked , petrol cans full and shears sharpened as its going to start with an intense growing period or bang!
For those who need help with their garden or grounds maintenance we can help; our mowers are all ready, 2 stroke mixed, shears sharpened, strimmers fettled and staff keen to brush of the winter cobwebs ready for the gardeners tan lines.

domain: agronomy


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Welcome to our honeymoon page
We’ve set this page up with the help of Black Tomato to tell you a little about our plans for our special trip in July and August. After all the excitement and build up to the wedding, we’ll be heading off on a truly amazing trip to Indonesia and Singapore, where we can completely immerse ourselves in the wonderful culture and beautiful natural surroundings over there. We’ve set up this honeymoon donation page (aka the honeypot) for our friends and family who wish to donate towards our honeymoon. This will be the trip of a lifetime and a memory we will cherish forever, so we would love to think that our friends and family have helped to make it happen.
Here is what we have planned…
Our honeymoon begins in Bali, the land of a thousand temples. We’ll be heading straight to the beautiful Uma Ubud hotel, situated amongst rice paddies on the fringe of Bali’s artistic town, where we’ll spend the first five nights of our honeymoon. After recovering from our jetlag, we’ll spend a day exploring Ubud with a guide, starting with a Barong Dance Performance at Singapadu village, to see the spectacular Barong & Keris dance performance, after which, we’ll explore Celuk and Mas for its famous of silver and woodcarving, the Ubud Traditional Market to see local art and handicrafts and visit the Wenara Wana Monkey Forest.
We’ll also spend a morning with elephants, getting up close and personal with these incredible animals in a beautiful tropical park setting. And to top off our time in Ubud, we’ll learn the art of Balinese cookery with a private cooking class at Paon Bali, embarking on a culinary adventure unlocking the secrets of authentic Balinese cooking, utilising traditional ingredients and preparation methods, in a fully equipped community village kitchen.
Our next port of call will be Jimbaran, where we’ll spend our last 7 nights in Bali staying at the Belmond Jimbaran Puri nestled on the stunning coast. We’ll spend our time here unwinding in the beautiful surroundings, with the option of activities such as parasailing, scuba diving and kayaking, along with traditional Hatta Yoga classes. We’ll spend our final night enjoying the amazing sunset at Uluwatu temple followed by a traditional performance of Kecak Dance at the Temple. Next up is Singapore, where we’ll spend the final 3 nights of our honeymoon discovering the bustling city and it’s rich culture, before heading back home.
How to contribute to the honeypot
If you would like to contribute to our travels in Indonesia and Singapore then please contact us directly at [email protected]. We really appreciate any contribution you would like to make and would like to say a big thank you in advance.


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Get involved! Send your photos, video, news & views by texting COUNTY GAZETTE to 80360 or email us
Faulty traffic lights in Truro causing chaos
Faulty traffic lights outside an old Truro secondary site are said to be causing “traffic chaos” this morning.
The lights outside the former Richard Lander School are reported to be flickering, causing major confusion.
Drivers in the area are advised to be aware of the problem and take extra care when passing.
Comments are closed on this article.


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How Green is Your Garden?
Green gardening is very on trend...
With all the changes as to how gardeners have started to think about the environment, climate change and how they can play their part, the subject of green gardening is overdue.
We share some tips on how to become more eco-friendly in your garden or back yard
1. Growing your own fruit and vegetables. One of the great things about home-grown (apart from the improved taste) is that there are no air miles and no unnecessary packaging.
2. Helping insects to survive and thrive. Insects aren’t just critical to our gardens, but to the health and survival of the planet. As well as being vital pollinators and nutrient recyclers, they also provide food for birds and other creatures, The big problem is that insects are disappearing rapidly worldwide because of the intensive use of pesticides and other chemicals. Global experts predict that more than 40% of insect species are declining and a third are endangered. Growing native flowers to encourage pollinating insects as well as saying "no" to chemicals will be a big help. If insects become a problem in your garden, look for more natural ways to deter them.
3. Getting rid of weeds without harming the soil by avoiding the use of weedkillers. Instead, regular hoeing is the best way to keep annual weeds at bay while perennial and/or deep rooted weeds can be dug up. Both hoeing and digging provide excellent forms of exercise! If you mulch around plants with wood chip, bark or home-made compost, this will also help. Manual weed control is an ongoing job but so much healthier for you and the soil.
4. Saving rain water. If you save rain water runoff rather than using the tap, you will save money and help your crops as rainwater is neither too acid nor too alkaline. Mulching around plants helps to retain moisture while watering your plants first thing in the morning or last thing in the evening will help to reduce evaporation.
5. Recycling and reusing. Finding creative uses for unwanted and everyday items saves resources and cost. Look for items that you can recycle and reuse rather than buying new. For example, Pinterest will have plenty of suggestions!
6. Rethinking on the subject of lawns. For example, one Swedish study found that cutting the grass for one hour with a petrol-operated mower produced as much air pollution as a car journey of one hundred miles. This was because of the disproportionate amount of fumes produced by small engines. Do you even need to have a pristine lawn? Isn't it time to have a less than perfect lawn? In fact it damages wildlife and the environment too as (a) cutting grass burns lots of fossil fuel (b) it is noise polluting and (c) it can make the grassy area of your garden virtually sterile. Isn't it time to leave your lawn (or sections of it) and let it grow. If you can let at least some of your grass grow longer, it is probably the single most effective thing you can do in any garden whatever its size to encourage wildlife. The mini jungle created by long grass gives wildlife a safe haven to hide in while encouraging the growth of wildflowers which are great for the bees. Get the best of both worlds by having a natural lawn but one that needs less maintenance and is kinder to wildlife, the environment - and of course the insects too!
7. Make your own compost. As well as being an excellent way to recycle vegetable and garden waste, having a compost bin will mean you have a ready supply of rich organic matter to spread where needed. A wormery is another suggestion.
8. As well as compost, you can also make your own liquid feeds – nettles, comfrey leaves, or seaweed steeped in water for a couple of weeks make a nutritious (if rather smelly!) treat for growing plants.
9. Look for supplies of manure from farms and stables who are often able to provide these at no cost. Well rotted manure can be spread on the soil especially over the winter months to break down and improve the soil or they can be added as a layer into the compost bin.
10. If you do buy commercial compost, look for peat free compost. Here in the UK, peat bogs are threatened. They store valuable amounts of carbon, providing important ecosystems.
Going organic and/or becoming more eco-friendly in the garden takes a little more planning, but your plants - and the planet will thank you.
In fact, the future may well depend upon it.


Crimea on Thursday said it was opposed to an autonomous territory for the Tatars, an ethnic minority that was against the Black Sea peninsula's recent annexation by Russia.
"No, that is not possible, there can only be a cultural autonomy," Crimean deputy prime minister Roustam Temirgaliev told the Russian news agency Ria Novosti.
Representatives of the Tatar community throughout Crimea held an emergency Qurultai, or congress, last week and decided to seek increased autonomy in a move widely seen as a challenge to the Kremlin.
The Tatars largely boycotted a March 16 referendum in which Crimea's Russian-speaking majority voted to split from Ukraine and become part of Russia.
Local leaders of the Turkish-speaking Muslim group say they are looking into holding their own referendum on increased autonomy.
The Tatars' spiritual leader, Mustafa Dzhemilev, is a Ukrainian lawmaker, and many Tatars say they want to be part of Ukraine.
The Crimean Tatars, native inhabitants of the peninsula, spent decades in Central Asia after Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin ordered their banishment, ostensibly for Nazi collaboration.
They were allowed to move back in the late 1980s but are still battling with a host of issues including land ownership.