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We hear time and again from friends and family that they’ve been so eager to visit other countries—from Europe to Asia, from Australia to Africa—that they’ve all but forgotten to see their own. So we want to tell you more about Gate 1 Travel’s itineraries right here in the U.S. Each one is carefully designed to be as enriching, as comprehensive, and as value-packed as our international trips.
From the magnificent sweep of our national parks to bustling cultural centers, from coastal beauty to southern charm, Gate 1 gives you plenty of reasons to stay close to home in 2017 and 2018. So join us … take a closer look at your own backyard.
Gate 1’s U.S. Escorted Tours: The Ultimate in Convenience and Value
Here’s the real beauty of seeing this magnificent country on a Gate 1 Escorted Tour: We take care of everything for you. This saves you countless hours of planning—arranging airfare and car rental, researching sites to visit and making sure you have driving directions, hoping you’ve picked a decent restaurant for your meals. We take care of all that for you, and are happy to recommend dining venues for meals that are not included in your trip cost. Plus, you’ll gain insight and learn more about your destination than you ever would on your own, thanks to the expert knowledge of our tour managers. Simply put, the only thing you have to worry about is enjoying yourself and taking in our country’s glorious sites.
What’s more, our buying power with hotels and other travel providers ensures you the lowest possible price for your overall trip. In fact, if you were to try to duplicate any one of our trips on your own, you would end up paying far more.
So let’s take a look at the breadth of Gate 1’s reach across our very own great country.
North by Northeast: Rich Histories and Seductive Charms
We’ll begin where the U.S. began. You’ve long heard about the birth of the nation and the gently rolling hills outside Boston, Massachusetts, that were the stage of the American Revolution. It’s quite a moving experience to witness firsthand the historic places that carry echoes of pre- and post-colonial days. It all comes startlingly to life in New England, from the first settlement at Plymouth Rock to the living museum of Old Sturbridge Village.
Of course, Boston was the hub of it all. Legendary sites like the Old North Church, Beacon Hill, and the Boston Commons—the oldest public park in the country—take you back to inspiring moments in history. There’s more inspiration in Hyannis on Cape Cod, lined with beautiful sand beaches and home of the Kennedy Compound, witness to so much national pride and tragedy. Massachusetts also nurtured some world-renowned literary and artistic talents, as you can see at Herman Melville’s Arrowhead; Edith Wharton’s home, the Mount; and the Norman Rockwell Museum—each one providing incredible insight into the lives of artists whose work has stood the test of time.
Those lovely rolling hills of Massachusetts rise into dramatic mountains in Vermont and New Hampshire. Traversing these stunningly beautiful states—much of them protected U.S. Forest Land—you’ll pause to explore charming, steepled New England villages and admire sweeping vistas of granite cliffs and hills blanketed in evergreen.
There’s more northern beauty along the legendary lakes that surround Michigan. This truly is one of the undiscovered corners of the U.S. But Michiganders are in the know about the tranquil beauty here, from inviting shores lined with Victorian gems and green forests to the charming Bavarian village of Frankenmuth. Major moments in history have also played out here: Detroit’s Henry Ford Museum chronicles the achievements of American inventors and Fort Mackinac was erected by the British to fend off the new colonists during the American Revolution.
The South: Grace and Vitality
The American South is a virtual gumbo of history, culture and beauty. Antebellum charms, pretty green parks, and trees dripping with Spanish moss line the streets in Charleston, South Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia. These inviting and very walkable cities are home to some of the country’s most treasured Greek Revival, Revolutionary Era, and plantation mansions. It’s easy to imagine sipping a mint julep on any of the sprawling porches of these gracious cities. Nearby, St. Augustine, Florida holds the torch as the country’s oldest city. Straddling the Matanzas River near its mouth, it was founded by Spanish conquistadors in 1565, more than two centuries before independence.
For a completely different southern experience, you can visit New Orleans and Cajun Country, where life is lived slowly and strains of jazz echo on the bayou. Home of Bourbon Street and the annual Mardi Gras festival, New Orleans’ French Quarter is one of the most captivating musical centers in the country—a place to let your hair down and join in the fun. But the state of Louisiana has much more in store. You can take time to explore its rich history in its fascinating museums; take in the blend of Spanish, French, Creole and Cajun cultures in Baton Rouge; and witness the natural beauty of the Atchafalaya Basin, the largest wetlands in the U.S.
There’s music to be danced to, as well, in Tennessee. For country and rock music lovers, the state is home to revered pilgrimage sites. In Nashville, you can visit the Grand Ole Opry and the Country Music Hall of Fame. In Memphis, music clubs lure you in with twangs and strums spilling onto the famous Beale Street. And, of course, no visit here should bypass Graceland, the palatial home of Elvis Presley. Another musical legend, BB King, is memorialized at his namesake museum in the Mississippi Delta.
Texas, too, has its musical roots and much of them live in the lively capital of Austin. But the Lone Star State is known more for its Old West charm, cowboy culture and presidential past. Near Austin, the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historic Park preserves the memory of the 36th president and Lady Bird Johnson. Dallas is home to the sobering John F. Kennedy Memorial and the Sixth Floor Museum, fronted by the infamous “grassy knoll.” The George W. Bush Presidential Library is also here, and you’ll pay a visit. From San Antonio to Houston, you’ll admire Spanish colonial charms and an impressive cosmopolitan air. And you’ll see where Texas gets it reputation for indulging in all things in the biggest possible way; Houston even helped send men to the moon.
Our National Parks: Magnificence Preserved
West of the Mississippi, the plains open up to some of the grandest vistas in the country. Symbols of the grand American ideal, many are protected as American Parkland.
Perhaps one of the most interesting parks, South Dakota’s Mt. Rushmore is more know for its man-made wonder than its natural ones. For many visitors, its quartet of presidential sculptures carved into the granite cliffs of the Black Hills serves as an altar to democracy. In Wyoming, endless grassland and soaring peaks set the stage for the drama of Yellowstone. Its countless hot springs, massive mountain faces, and towering waterfalls are truly stunning, but the “Old Faithful” geyser steals the show. Not to be outdone, the Grand Teton massif, with its distinctive and spectacular craggy range, is a humbling testament to the west’s natural beauty.
In Arizona and Utah, fissures in the earth have carved out breathtaking natural wonders. Almost 280 miles long and up to 18 miles wide, the Grand Canyon is the great American icon—a colossal chasm sculpted over millennia. In Utah’s Bryce Canyon, conical-shaped rock formations stand like sentries among pine-dotted hillsides. And at Zion National Park, red sandstone canyons are kissed by cascading waterfalls, flowing rivers and vivid desert colors. Though it is nowhere near the size of the Grand Canyon, it’s been said that its beauty far surpasses its larger cousin.
More startling earthen colors and stunning rock formations grace the landscapes of Canyonlands National Park. Ascend to its 1,500-foot mesa to marvel at red-rock vistas, including the legendary Mesa Arch. Many more of these astonishing natural sculptures – the densest concentration in the world – greet you in Arches National Park. In Colorado, you can get a glimpse of how ancient peoples lived amidst such ruggedly beautiful terrain at the Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings in Mesa Verde National Park, home to 5,000 known archaeological sites.
Farther north, you might answer the call of the wild in Alaska. Denali, (formerly Mt. McKinley) watches over an untouched wilderness in Denali National Park. This is a pristine world of magnificent panoramas cut by babbling streams and salmon-rich rivers. A deluxe train journey and a tour of the tundra highlight it all. Incredible scenery is everywhere in Alaska; even our transfer days take the breath away! And no trip here would be complete without seeing its impressive glaciers. Kenai Fjords National Park and its 300-square-mile Harding Ice Field is one of the best spots to witness them as they calve into the icy waters. You can watch from a safe distance during a spectacular cruise among soaring, snow-capped peaks.
The West: Glittering Cities Amidst Natural Beauty
The western U.S. has a lot more to offer than its national parks. California, especially, is home to beautiful cities that enjoy beautiful settings. To be sure, the hills of San Francisco, its situation on its famous bay, and the iconic Golden Gate Bridge make for one of the most breathtaking skylines in the world. Exploring the city—with its bustling Union Square and Ghirardelli Square—and the vineyards to the north—with their inviting wineries and galleries—is pure pleasure.
The star of California’s coast is the “17 Mile Drive.” Widely called one of the most scenic panoramas in the world, this road follows the jagged Big Sur coast to the Del Monte Forest. Sweeping vistas unfold around every corner, from crashing surf on rocky shores to multi-million dollar homes hugging hillsides. And of course, one cannot visit northern California without laying eyes on its towering redwoods, which you can do during visits to Redwood National Park and Humboldt Redwoods State Park.
Long heralded as one of the most magnificent corners of the U.S., the Pacific Northwest offers an enriching blend of natural beauty and rich culture. If you want to get a sense of how much Oregonians love and respect the wilderness that surrounds them, just consider that Portland ranks high on the list of the most “green and livable” cities in the world. From here, an exploration of the Columbia River Gorge, an 80-mile-long twisting river canyon fed by plummeting waterfalls, takes the breath away. The lush, rugged Oregon coast and Crater National Park punctuate the state’s unrivalled natural diversity.
An entirely different landscape mesmerizes all who visit New Mexico, where starkly beautiful desert vistas have long inspired artists and craftspeople for generations. Glimpse the old Pueblo ways in Albuquerque at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center and the Bandelier Monument, one of North America’s oldest settlements. In Taos, explore the streets of Taos Pueblo, a typical ancient village preserved as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And get to know the life and works of the region’s most famous artist, Georgia O’Keefe, at her home known as Ghost Ranch and at Santa Fe’s renowned museum named for her.
Explore More of the Americas with Gate 1 Travel!
Convenience and ease … the unmatched value of our buying power … magnificent and awe-inspiring destinations … a comprehensive trip made all the more fascinating by our expert tour managers. If you’re planning to explore your own country in 2017 or 2018, then a Gate 1 Escorted Tour is your ticket to a trip unlike any other. Join us!

domain: geography


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Stopped children from raising wrong slogans: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra
The complaint pertains to a video in which children were seen using abusive language in front of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
Raebareli: A day after being served a notice by the apex child rights body, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said on Friday she had stopped children from raising wrong slogans and asked them to raise good slogans.
"The children were playing among themselves. When I got down to meet them, they raised some slogans. As soon as they raised wrong slogans, I stopped them and told them to raise good slogans instead," Vadra said here.
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) had issued a notice to Vadra on Thursday over alleged use of children in election campaign. The complaint pertains to a video in which children were seen using abusive language in front of Vadra.
The Congress general secretary in charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh admitted that the notice had come, saying a video of the incident was in the public domain.
The NCPCR underlined a 2014 order by the Bombay High Court, which said children should not be included in election campaigns.
The body has asked the Congress leader to provide details, within three days, of the names and addresses of these children, places where the slogans were raised and how the children reached there.

domain: news


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Self-exile such as Rushdie’s is not a new phenomenon. Whether it is modernists like James Joyce, Joseph Conrad or T. S. Eliot or a postmodernist like Rushdie, the focus of exile is not on pain. But the exile of Western writers, whether Joyce, Conrad or Eliot, took place within the context of European or Western society; if there was a difference in milieu, it was between provincial and metropolitan. In the case of Third World exiles like Rushdie, the difference between the West and the Third World implies a more significant difference — between lifestyles and cultures. Yet, both types find exile an enabling experience.
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domain: literature


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Police Chief Thomas Vaughn’s office is an 8-by-10-foot space, which contains filing cabinets used for storage.
“The roll call room is utilized by other agencies, for breathalyzers, fingerprints and people picking up police reports,” Vaughn said. “You’ll have someone doing a breathalyzer on a drunk, with someone getting their fingerprints for their government job and then a child sitting at a desk coloring in a coloring book. In today’s society those things are not acceptable.”
The initial idea was for the building’s use to be limited to the police station, but that evolved. The facility will now house the offices of city officials and a meeting room for the City Council, which approved the $1 million project, funded by a bond. June 30 is estimated completion date.
The building will feature secured entries, but there will always be access to a safe room for those in trouble to contact the police.
The current community center, which can be rented for events, will not be abandoned. Perry Senior Services will continue to call it home, and space has been offered to the Lions Club of Southport for its meetings.


Logrea Dance Academy (school of the Westchester Ballet Company) inspires students of all ages and abilities to achieve their highest potentials, through training in classical ballet, as well as jazz, tap, and modern. Founded in 1986 by professional dancers, Beth Fritz-Logrea and Jean Logrea, LDA offers classes for students age 3 through advanced, by an all-professional staff. Annual Nutcracker and scholarship auditions are held each fall, and all students have the opportunity to participate in performances of the highest artistic standard.
Meet the Director
For 30 years, Beth and Jean Logrea have provided quality dance training for pre-professional and recreational dancers. The Logreas have had extensive performing careers here and abroad, plus years of experience as co-directors of the Westchester Ballet Company, including the annual production of The Nutcracker at the Westchester County Center each year. In addition to the regular September-May season, LDA offers pre-camp and post-camp open classes, a five-week summer program, and a pre-ballet program for ages 3-5.


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domain: library


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The words climate emergency do not appear in the Climate Change Commission’s 188-page draft advice which it is now consulting on. Despite the Prime Minister, free of New Zealand First’s scepticism, adding New Zealand in December to the list of countries that have declared an official climate emergency. Perhaps the Commission is channeling climate change warrior Greta Thunberg who criticised the declaration because the tough talk at the time lacked powerful actions.
Three and a half years earlier, Jacinda Ardern first called climate change her generation’s nuclear-free moment. With a degree in communications, Ardern certainly knows the power of words. But in the intervening period the climate change atom bombs have continued to be detonated.
It is not our choice of language that is holding us back from dealing with climate change, it’s our failure to implement the actions we need to take.
Whether something is to come of this contradiction will come down to her government’s response to the commission’s final report.
This will need to include some tough and expensive consequences for citizens, businesses and governments. The commission estimates a cost of $34 billion for the actions the country must take by 2035. Politicians never like imposing big changes and associated significant costs like this. They sometimes use language as a proxy for action when the consequences of acting might leave us speechless.
Yet New Zealand’s climate adaptation direction of travel has been clear for some time as the commission emphasises in its consultation presentations. This is also clear to those of us who have been attending the sessions, which have been extended by demand until March 28. The response generally varies between those who think the commission lacks ambition to those who think it lacks adequate authentication.
The Productivity Commission’s 2018 low-emissions economy report had already prioritised three key shifts: transitioning from fossil fuels to electricity, substantial afforestation and changes to agricultural production. It also focused considerably on the role of cities and urban technology in mitigating climate change. The Climate Change Commission takes a different tack concentrating more narrowly on the functional urban elements of building, industry, transport and waste. In doing so, it misses the opportunity of providing a broader city lens and identifying a broader range of emission reduction opportunities.
Cities are a major contributor to climate emissions, with transport typically the biggest single area. In Auckland it makes up 40 percent of total emissions. Technology is an increasing part of the building, energy, transport and waste climate response in smarter cities. The World Economic Forum highlighted the role big data, artificial intelligence, blockchain, 3D printing, virtual reality technology and also sensors are playing in cities’ climate change responses in Canada, the Netherlands, Norway and the United States. The commission does not mention any of these elements.
It lacks confidence in the role technology will play in reducing climate emissions, emphasising the promise and the uncertainty, except in areas such as energy and waste. While this may be true with agricultural emissions, in transport and other urban technology innovations the practice is more developed.
A United Nations affiliated expert group, the Paris Process on Mobility and Change has put twenty transport quick wins together. Some of these are implied by the Commission’s guidance: increasing e-bike sharing schemes and incentivising greater electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Other technology initiatives are missing, such as supporting mobility-as-a-service technology applications (such as Helsinki’s Whim) which create one place to access all the different city transport options, and improving city freight efficiency by championing shared block-chain systems – such as shipping companies are doing.
Paradoxically the report later comments that the cost of adapting to climate change is often overstated because international evidence shows technologies often improve faster than expected.
The earlier Productivity Commission report offered other important insights. It said strong, early action is justified, and that climate change success will “critically depend on political leadership and fortitude”. The Paris Process quick wins were proposed in 2015. Fewer than half have been significantly advanced in New Zealand.
The words climate emergency also did not appear the 620-page Productivity Commission report – either as a description of what is happening or a strategy for action. The Government’s response since has been to say it is doing everything it can. That is not true, as the Climate Commission reveals. It has been doing all it thinks it can get away with – fearing that too quick a change to petrol prices or agricultural operating costs will lose political support.
Its key strategy until now has been to extend both the time-frame for action and the meaning of words. While we wait for the real emergency.
If Ardern is hoping the Climate Change Commission’s report is the deterrent she has been waiting for, she will need it to address its own contradictions first.


A leaked video from Nokia talks about the Nokia Lumia 610 NFC - that's right, the lowest spec'd Lumia phone might be the first Windows Phone handset to feature NFC. Last year Nokia did say that it plans to integrate NFC in all of its future handsets, but we expected it to start with one of the higher end models.
Anyway, the Lumia 610 NFC seems to be identical to the regular Lumia 610, which Nokia unveiled at the MWC this year, except for the newfound Near Field Communication technology.
The video was pulled by Nokia but someone managed to make a copy of it (it's kind of choppy, but you can still see what's going on). The video shows how the Lumia 610 NFC can be used to simply follow someone on Twitter or pair with the Play 360 speaker that launched with the Nokia N9.
The Nokia Lumia 610 NFC is likely to be announced today - Xavier des Horts (Communications Manager for Nokia France) tweeted the following teaser. The whole "Tap into something" sounds in tune with the video. The teaser is rather vague and there might be videos for other NFC-enabled WP7 phones that didn’t leak.
Either way, we should know by the end of the day.


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Our Shamrock Bobby Pin Felties slide perfectly on to your hair grips making the perfect hair accessory. If you have a more personal request these can be done on any of our fine glitters or felts so please feel free to message us.
Our felties are always original and of the highest quality and we can guarantee they will stand the tests of time.
Approx size shown in pictures. Felties are uncut please head to our youtube channel to find out how to use these.

domain: artistic


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The second installation of the Christmas themed Tuesday’s Tutorial Treat is all about Christmas Decorations – if you haven’t made any decorations this year, perhaps these might tempt you:
A quirky twist on the typical Christmas stocking – Disney Family Fun (lol, not a website I frequent too often, I found this on Pinterest) show you how to make an Elf style stocking. Love the curly toe! Link HERE.
Isn’t this cushion a stunner?!!! Centsational Girl (if you don’t follow this blog and love home DIY you should!) shows you how to make this beautiful poinsettia cushion. I want this cushion in my life, NOW! Link HERE.
Finally you can’t have a post on Christmas decorations without having a tree ornament. This one comes from Kirsty Fish off That Crafty Fish, via Bugs and Fishes (two really lovely UK based crafty blogs, do check them out!). Link HERE.


Iran FM: Vienna talks on right track, good deal possible
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran says that it possible to reach a reasonable agreement for the Islamic Republic and all parties in the P4 + 1 in the ongoing Vienna talks.
Hossein Amir-Abdollahian made the remarks on the sidelines of the memorial ceremony of the former Iranian envoy to Yemen Hasan Irloo on Tuesday.
"The negotiations are on the right track. The important thing is that we now have a common, unified text that our negotiating team is focused on. The opposing parties also focus on the issues of dispute," he added. "If the other parties continue the negotiations in good faith, it is possible for all parties to reach a good agreement."
Amir-Abdollahian emphasized: "If seriousness and goodwill are seen in the other parties in the future stages of negotiations, reaching an agreement is possible soon and shortly."
He also said: "Iran's negotiating team is heavily involved in talks with the opposing parties in the P4 + 1, and Enrique Mora from the European Union, on behalf of the EU, is actively working to continue its coordinating role in this regard."
Elsewhere in his remarks, Amir-Abdollahian noted the Iranian diplomatic mission in Yemen is now run by chargé d'affaires, adding that the new ambassador will be introduced soon.
Iran believes that in order to preserve the national unity and territorial integrity of Yemen, a government should be formed with the participation of all Yemeni parties, he added.


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An important settlement for more than two millennia, by the late 12th century Paris had become a walled cathedral city that was one of Europe's foremost centres of learning and the arts and the largest city in the Western world until the turn of the 18th century.
Conquering New York in one visit is impossible.
Instead, hit the must-sees – the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, the Metropolitan Museum of Art – and then explore off the beaten path with visits to The Cloisters or one of the city’s libraries. Indulge in the bohemian shops of the West Village or the fine dining of the Upper West Side. The bustling marketplace inside of Grand Central Station gives you a literal taste of the best the city has to offer.
Founded in 1565, by the Portuguese, the city was initially the seat of the Captaincy of Rio de Janeiro, a captaincy of the Portuguese Empire. It later, in 1793, became the capital of the State of Brazil, a State of the Portuguese Empire. In 1808, when the Portuguese Royal Court transferred itself from Portugal to Brazil, Rio de Janeiro became the chosen seat of the court of Queen Maria I of Portugal.


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I came to the University of the Universe.
I came to the place of words seeking sustenance for my soul.
A decade of drought had parched the vapid landscape.
The famine was familial, the ennui unending.
Nurturing had been neglected.
My thoughts were emaciated, my emotions distended.
I hungered. Oh, how I hungered!
Daily, then, did I enter the hallowed portals.
In the cloistered colleges of convivial congregation
I gorged wantonly on the banquet.
I drank beyond my fill of the wines of sensuality and intellect
until the blood of grapes and the blood of men
ran down my face and soaked the hems of my garments.
Then did I laugh the laughter of inebriated indulgence.
For I, I too, could join the feasting.
Day and night did I return to the table and never, never could I satiate myself.
It is a wonder to me now that I would have been satisfied by so little.
And when I was bloated with the novelty of new minds,
I came to the place of shadows where the upright do not walk.
Or, maybe… maybe… we do all have a dark side after all.
And there, in the darkness, I met my nemesis.
I loved you, Scheherazade. From the first moments, I loved you.
What coincidence of cosmic synchronicity caused our cycles to cross?
I cannot say.
But in the time we had, Scheherazade,
you showed to me the wonders of the universe that immortals inhabit.
And you held me.
You held me
In your arms I resonated to the rhythm of eternity.
Nightly, daily you wove your tales
as if your life depended upon your so doing.
Only the tales kept you from the executioner’s sword, Scheherazade, and only for a season was there commutation.
For you were under sentence of death.
You had donned the black cap and had pronounced yourself guilty.
The bailiff awaited the final instruction to take you down,
and the jailer rattled his keys impatiently, even as we met.
Your gravity wrenched me from the mindless monotony of my obdurate orbit. Turning, tumbling, trance-held, transfixed in the light of your gaze, was I.
In a sempiternal leap of the soul you carried me to the heavens
where Mercury and Venus were your playmates.
Cordelia, Ophelia, and Desdemona were your intimates.
Juliet, Rosalind, Oberon:
And I, I too became a Galilean satellite in the orbit of the divine.
Per ardua ad astra, Scheherazade, per ardua ad astra.
I sought a mirror for my soul, and I thought you a void of reflection.
Yet you reflected not, Scheherazade. You were void of reflection, you were void.
Te deperire, Scheherazade. Dulce et decorum est pro amor mori.
Oh, so matter-of-factly did you show unto me Shangri-La.
For you were a diviner.
Water, and the dreaming hearts of men, did the divine, divine.
And Shangri-La was in my blood for you to see.
You chided me for the baseness of my intercourse
as if you knew from the first that that my high places had not died,
but merely were unconquered.
Your gaze bore into souls as mine will never do.
Thus it was, you moved me,
and I reached deep into my inner sanctum,
somehow to locate gifts worthy of the divine.
I scoured my kingdom for the richest I owned and was shamed that my offerings were barren.
Yet it was that my poor and humble tokens did distract you for a little.
You condescended to break your journey through the heavens for a spell.
I soared, Scheherazade. You promised me it would be so, and soar I as you taught me. We flew so high.
I fell so low.
But you were so high, Scheherazade.
You were so high.
Never should I have thought you could be satisfied with me for more than the shortest of seasons.
Never should I have risen in hope to dare to dream you could be mine.
I knew from the first that I could not reach you.
Would that I could have made it otherwise!
But our unity was transient while I hungered to be your eternity.
For it is unpardonable damnation for a mortal to love a deity.
And it is oh, so foolish for a goddess to stoop to love a man.
You knew this Scheherazade, you knew.
You tried so very hard to warn me.
Yet I would not see.
And for a season you allowed me to convince you it could be otherwise.
For an eyeblink I fooled a deity.
It could not be ever thus.
We cross the primordial boundaries at our peril.
We tear down the barriers set for our protection without regard to consequence. We step into the minefield of forbidden love
and are shocked when we are destroyed by the devastation we have initiated.
The dominoes fall.
The gestalt begins.
There are no innocents.
We are culpable.
Mea culpa, Scheherazade. Mea culpa maxima.
Whom do the gods consult when they seek permission to love a mortal?
They approach the throne rooms of dead kings.
A petition did you present there, my love.
The royal decree was swift and favourable,
the exoneration complete.
But still you could not believe it.
Still would you not accept that the king did bless our union.
So high was your morality, Scheherazade, so wide your guilt; so deep your anger.
So let us sit upon the ground and weep oceans into the graves of dead children.
Let us rage our affronted aphorisms at the inherent injustice of the universe
and the moral systems better men than us design.
Then shall we make pilgrimage to the Shrine of Incredulity,
adding to our number from the lost souls we meet
as we pass by the villages of the damned.
Malum noster hereditas est, Scheherazade, noster hereditas.
Did we delay the execution day, my love?
Did we postpone the slow, sad steps of Aphrodite’s priestess
as she approached the cell,
sacred book in hand?
What last rites did she read as you walked the final walk?
Who waited to execute you when you had ceased to weave your tales, my love?
Who held the Damoclesian sword that terrorized you nightly?
Did you dare to dream that if you sculpted another universe of articulation,
my unseen hands would hold back the blade?
Or perhaps you wished that I would add my strength to the executioner’s arm
to make the cut more clean.
The only executioner, was you Scheherazade, only you.
If ever you could confront the Dark One in the visitations that terrify you;
if ever you could turn to face The Faceless when the black times come;
if ever, ever you would allow your screams of terror
to be attended by the Apothecary of the Soul,
then you would know.
Then you would see that you were not held accountable.
So why must you crucify yourself in absentia yet again?
And why, oh why, oh why, would you not let me love you?
We know why, don’t we, Scheherazade?
You and I know that to love is a sin.
Only a god can love a god.
For otherwise do the Furies rage and are not be stilled.
Ever was it thus.
Mortality is made of commencement and completions.
We had our ending, Scheherazade.
It’s illumination bore through me in the dark.
Never have I known such pain.
It took two to cradle me that night.
I watched the sun rise with them
as I had watched it rise with you so many, many times.
But it chilled my bones.
Its light was frozen.
The sun will not rise upon me again, Scheherazade; nor will its light warm me.
Gaia will live; but I will not feel it through your hands.
The strings will orchestrate; but I will not hear them.
The arboreal inscription remains forever in the bark;
but I will not see it through your eyes
nor ever through my own.
It is a monument that will yield to the ivy growth of time.
Which future generations of Pan’s children will uncover it
and wonder at the handiwork of your passion?
We are impermanent, Scheherazade. Time is the cancer in our blood.
I am driven from the face of the earth, and your face I shall not see.
I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth.
But I shall not dwell in the land of Nod. East of Eden I shall not cast my gaze,
nor ever shall Enoch comfort my elder days.
Yet you have marked me, Scheherazade, lest any finding me should kill me.
And the mark is the legacy you have left me.
It is precious to my soul.
I will hold my legacy high
and display the gift of the goddess for all who will turn aside to gaze.
I still come to the place of words.
And now, in the University of the Universe
they esteem me as I once esteemed you.
The paradigms are broken.
The banquet is over.
Only the discarded remnants of garrulous gluttony lie strewn across the table.
I hunger no more.
I am satiate.
In the sweat of my face do I eat bread.
© Michael Forester


US President Barack Obama has sought to heal the wounds of a government shutdown and debt ceiling showdown, and warned Washington it must stop governing by crisis.
Obama said US leaders needed to "earn back" the trust of the American people, in a short statement after the Senate voted to back a compromise deal and before the House of Representatives was expected to do likewise.
"Once this agreement arrives on my desk, I will sign it immediately," Obama said after the Senate vote on Wednesday.
"We'll begin reopening our government immediately. And we can begin to lift this cloud of uncertainty and unease from our businesses and from the American people."
Obama called on Democrats and Republicans to come together to advance the interests of the people of the United States, not just their own political careers.
"I'm eager to work with anybody, Democrat or Republican, House or Senate members on any idea that will grow the economy, create new jobs, strengthen the middle class and get the fiscal house in order for the long term."
Obama called on his political foes to work with him to pass comprehensive immigration reform, now stalled in the House, a farm bill and to agree on a budget that would save America's long-term fiscal future.
He struck a magnanimous tone, conscious that the House is yet to vote on the deal, and that voters have shown disdain over the latest showdown in Washington.
"We've got to get out of the habit of governing by crisis," Obama said in the statement in the White House press briefing room.
"My hope and expectation is everybody has learned that there is no reason why we can't work on the issues at hand, why we can't disagree between the parties while still being agreeable and make sure that we're not inflicting harm on the American people when we do have disagreements."
Horse racing records around the world may be smashed after Australian scientists unveiled world-first, stunning new shoes that will slash the weight of a racehorse's normal footwear.
Standard cast-aluminium horse shoes weigh about one kilogram each.
But the boffins at the CSIRO are 3D printing titanium sets which should weigh 50 per cent less.
If the fancy new shoes are widely adopted - and the Aussie horse racing industry appears enthusiastic so far - experts predict lightning-quick thoroughbreds to race down the track like super-charged rockets.
"Naturally, we're very excited at the prospect of improved performance from these shoes," said top trainer John Maloney, whose gelding Such Hope was the first in the world to be fitted with the jazzy 3D printed shoes.
The CSIRO's titanium expert John Barnes told AAP: "It's a lot like bicycle racing to me - speed ultimately comes down to grams."
Such Hope, a four-year-old bay that scored a recent second at Cranbourne, in Victoria, had the hot-pink coloured shoes fitted a few weeks back.
The process involved experts from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation scanning each of the animal's hooves and then 3D printing its shoes to its exact specifications.
The shoes take just a few hours to print - offering another key advantage over standard cast aluminium versions.
And they cost about $600.
Three dimensional printing is not new, but the products the technique can make is rapidly evolving.
Australian scientists are also researching ways to 3D print replacement human body parts.
And its uses in sport are only just starting to be explored, with obvious uses in cycling, motor racing and sailing.
CSIRO's new horse shoes have come too soon for this year's spring carnival, including the Caulfield and Melbourne cups.
But Mr Barnes reckons the shoes could be put into broader production within a couple of months.
The local racing industry appears positive about the development so far, though it remains unclear if the regulations would need a change-up to accommodate the footwear.
Campbell Mavity, president of the Australian Farriers and Blacksmiths Association said the cost of manufacturing titanium may be one of the main barriers to limit the market.
England rugby union coach Stuart Lancaster is looking forward to picking the brains of football counterpart Roy Hodgson in a bid to gain an insight into how to cope with the burden of expectation.
England are due to host the 2015 World Cup and Lancaster is keen to see what lessons he can learn from Hodgson, who oversaw a 2-0 win against Poland at Wembley on Tuesday that guaranteed a place for the England football team at next year's soccer World Cup in Brazil.
Now Lancaster hopes to meet up with Hodgson during the course of November when the England rugby union team face Australia, Argentina and world champions New Zealand on successive weekends at Twickenham.
"Hopefully Roy will come into camp and we'll have a chance to chat," Lancaster said Wednesday after naming his squad for next month's Tests.
"I've spoken to him a couple of times in the past. We'll certainly invite him to our games and hopefully he can enjoy them without worrying about the result.
"Credit to the footballers for dealing with the expectation and pressure.
"I thought the way they coped with it, the way Roy coped with it, was magnificent really. I think the fact the country were behind them, it shows how a crowd can also inspire a team.
"I'm delighted for Roy and his coaching team. Hopefully they can plan now and really look forward to 2014."
Lancaster added: "One of the challenges we'll face is the expectation and pressure of being the home team at a World Cup.
"New Zealand faced that in 2011 and I thought they had that maturity and experience to deal with that pressure and still deliver on the stage.
"Our challenge is to be that experienced and to be ready for that."
Meanwhile Hodgson, speaking at a separate press conference Wednesday, said that for all his 38 years as a manager he too was keen to learn from other sports, notably rugby union and cricket, where overseas tours are routine events in contrast to football where prolonged periods abroad only come about during major championships such as a World Cup.
"I think you learn from other sports. I've had some dealings with Stuart Lancaster, I've had some dealings with Clive Woodward (England's 2003 World Cup-winning coach), from rugby union.
"I met Andy Flower (the England cricket who next week will take the team to Australia as they seek a fourth successive Ashes win over their arch-rivals) and we agreed that when his busy time in the summer with the Ashes is over and my time trying to qualify the team is over, we'd get together over a coffee and swap some stories.
"I'm very interested to hear how they approach things."
Hodgson, once in charge of the Swiss national side, was also keen to catch up with British and Irish Lions rugby union coach Warren Gatland, who this year led the combined side to a 2-1 series win in Australia.
"It'll be interesting to talk to the Lions people as well, because they have long periods away from home when they tour because they go to the southern hemisphere.
"I'm all ears, really. Any information we can get which will improve our knowledge, the better it is.
"But on the other hand, I do think with the FA (England's governing Football Association), we sit on a large, large body of knowledge as well, a lot of experience.
"It would have been better for me if I'd met those guys before going to America with Switzerland probably (for the 1994 World Cup)!"
Sixth seed Gael Monfils fell victim to a 213th-ranked lucky loser on Wednesday as the Frenchman crashed to a 7-6 (7-0) 7-5 first-round defeat against Jaroslav Pospisil at the Austrian Open.
A week after beating Roger Federer, an out-of-sorts Monfils had no answer to his little-known opponent, who got into the draw hours before the match when Australian Marinko Matosevic pulled out with a shoulder injury.
"I'm pissed, I didn't come here to lose in the first round," said Monfils, who admitted that he failed to make the quick turnaround required after arriving from Asia and working to adjust once again to Europe.
"Credit to him, he played well, but it was more about my body and my lack of game. He was playing tough but I was just not ready. I'm not happy with tonight.
"I tried hard, I did the best I could, but it's not easy to come from outdoors (Shanghai) and adjust to an indoor court in only a few days. This is tough to take."
Czech fifth seed Radek Stepanek reached the quarter-finals after taking nearly two and three-quarter hours to defeat Lukas Lacko 7-6 (7-4) 5-7 7-6 (7-5). Fellow Czech seed Lukas Rosol joined in tuning up for next month's Davis Cup final by defeating Mirza Basic of Bosnia-Herzegovina 6-3 7-5.
Monfils went down to love in the first-set tiebreaker but got a break back in the second for 4-all before Pospisil again found his range. The Czech broke for 6-5, then a game later earned three match points from a weak Monfils return. One was enough to see him through to the second round against Austrian Dominic Thiem.
French top seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga said he is nearing a decision on a new coach but won't make any announcement until a deal is done.
Tsonga, who is fighting for a place in the eight-man season finals in London next month, is top seed at the Austrian Open and begins in the second round after a bye when he faces German Daniel Brands.
Tsonga, who missed nearly three months of play over the summer with a knee injury, said he will soon have a new mentor after splitting in September from Australian Roger Rasheed, who also formerly coached Monfils.
"I'm looking for a coach and I'm getting close to one," Tsonga said in his only words on the subject.
The former Australian Open finalist has gone it alone in the past, playing without a coach in 2011 before picking up Rasheed after the Australian ended with Monfils.
World number eight Tsonga is coming off a Shanghai semi-final last week, losing to eventual champion Novak Djokovic.
Tsonga stands provisional ninth in the field for the World Tour Finals from November 4, but needs to keep earning ranking points if he is to be assured of making the trip.
He is trying to stay ahead of a pursing pack led by compatriot Richard Gasquet and Canadian Milos Raonic.
The Frenchman said he is still playing at less than 100 per cent on his knee, but has been cleared by doctors to compete.
Tsonga won the Vienna title in 2011, his only previous appearance, and in his eyes he is defending that crown after not playing here in 2012.
"I'm feeling good and I'm fresh in my head," said the player starting his fourth event in the last five weeks since making his return.
Lawyers for the Health Services Union (HSU) say they will pursue friends, family and associates of Michael Williamson to claw back the millions he is believed to have cost the union.
The former HSU secretary and Labor Party president on Tuesday pleaded guilty to various charges including defrauding the union of almost $1 million.
It's reported he declared himself bankrupt on the same day.
Selwyn Black of Carroll and O'Dea Lawyers is charged with recouping up to $5 million for the HSU.
"We've got a $5 million judgment against Williamson personally, now that's only one string in our bow of recovery," Mr Black told the ABC on Thursday.
"The second string is to go against other people who were involved in the exercise."
This could include businesspeople who knowingly offered kickbacks in return for extra business, or services paid at an inflated rate.
"It's clear to us that whatever outrageous amount Williamson made, there are others out there who've made a lot more out of this exercise," Mr Black said.
He said Williamson's apparent bankruptcy was a blessing because Michael Jones, who has been appointed trustee, would be able to ferret out hidden funds.
"In cases like these, my job is to check it's not stashed under the pillowcase, hidden in the Cayman Islands or been given to a family friend with the purpose of hiding it from creditors," Mr Jones has told Fairfax Media.
Pursuing the money with the help of the trustee was one strategy, Mr Black said, "and we're going to give that a very good shake".
"The second strategy is going against the other persons knowingly concerned and I might say there are larger amounts there," he said.
Washington has became the second US state to adopt rules for the recreational sale of marijuana, setting what advocates hope will become a template for the drug's legalisation around the world.
"We feel very proud of what we're doing," said Sharon Foster, chairwoman of the Washington Liquor Control Board, as she and her two colleagues approved the rules on Wednesday.
"We are making history."
Washington and Colorado last year legalised the possession of up to an ounce (28 grams) of cannabis by adults over 21, with voters deciding to set up systems of state-licensed growers, processors and sellers.
The measures put state officials in the difficult position of crafting rules for a fledgling industry barred by federal law for more than seven decades.
The liquor board devised Washington's rules after nearly a year of research, debate and planning, including public hearings that drew hundreds of people around the state.
They cover everything from the security at and size of licensed marijuana gardens, to how many pot stores can open in cities across the state.
Sales are expected to begin by the middle of next year, with supporters hoping taxed pot might bring the state tens or hundreds of millions of dollars, with much of the revenue directed to public health and drug-abuse prevention.
"What the Liquor Control Board has done is build a template for the responsible regulation of marijuana," said Alison Holcomb, the Seattle lawyer who drafted Washington's marijuana initiative.
"This is a template that is going to be reviewed by other states, and already is being reviewed by other countries," including Mexico, Uruguay and Poland.
Colorado approved its pot industry rules last month, and sales are expected to start in some cities there at the beginning of 2014.
The two states' rules are largely similar, although Colorado will allow stores to sell recreational and medical marijuana. Both states will require such measures as seed-to-store tracking, background checks for license applicants, and child-resistant packaging.
Washington liquor board members said they tried to strike a balance between making marijuana accessible enough that legal pot would undermine the black market, but not so accessible that it would threaten public health or safety.
The board hopes the sale of legal pot will capture about one-quarter of the total pot market in the state, for starters.
The federal government announced earlier this year it would not sue Washington, Colorado or other states over plans to tax and regulate marijuana sales for adults over 21, provided they address eight federal law enforcement priorities, including keeping marijuana off the black market and keeping it away from kids
Frank Farina says it's a good thing a home-grown coach is set to return to the Socceroos' helm.
Farina held the top job for six years before his axing in 2005 ushered in an era of three foreign coaches - Guus Hiddink, fellow Dutchman Pim Verbeek and German Holger Osieck.
With the glow of Hiddink's great performance with the team at the 2006 World Cup a distant memory and Osieck sacked on Saturday, Football Federation Australia chairman Frank Lowy has indicated the role will go to one of three leading A-League coaches - Graham Arnold, Ange Postecoglou and Tony Popovic.
While not willing to comment on the Socceroos' recent woes, Farina said he was pleased the governing body was looking at the leading Australian coaches.
"I don't want to talk about the national team, I'm not interested in making any comments," the Sydney FC coach Farina said after training on Thursday.
"I'm sure the FFA will make the right decision and I'm looking forward to whoever it may be when they do.
"I think it's good yes (that they are looking to appoint an Australian)."
Farina, who was chosen over many candidates in 1999 including then caretaker coach Raul Blanco - who had replaced Terry Venables - departed in June 2005 after his team lost all three games at the Confederations Cup.
Despite a short stint as Papua New Guinea national coach in 2011, he has been an A-League coach ever since, first with Brisbane from 2006 then Sydney FC from early last season.
He said that's where he intended to remain and he was in no way surprised his name hadn't been linked to the current Socceroos vacancy.
"From my personal perspective, no I'm not surprised or unhappy (that I haven't been mentioned)," he said.
"I had six years and I think the body is still a bit too warm to even be reconsidered for that.
"I've got a big enough task here with Sydney FC, it's a huge club with huge demands, so I've got enough in my plate.
Vice-captain Aaron Davey says his indigenous All Stars team might be smaller than Ireland but if there's any rough stuff in the international rules series "we aren't just going to stand back".
Past Irish teams have complained about Australia's physical style of play but this year they'll be the side with the size advantage.
"This Irish team will be the bigger team," Australia's assistant coach Tadhg Kennelly told AAP ahead of Saturday's first Test at Cavan (Sunday morning AEDT).
"They've got some big guys that are 6'6" and 6'7".
"These boys will be a lot bigger than our indigenous side."
Kennelly was a key member of the Irish squad which outclassed Australia 2-0 in the 2011 series.
He's played 12 international rules matches for Ireland over six series.
But his close friend and Australian coach Michael O'Loughlin convinced the former Sydney Swans star to swap sides in 2013.
Kennelly insists amateur Gaelic footballers are pretty much professionals except "they're not getting paid".
"The amount of time and energy they've spent in the sports science of Gaelic football is enormous."
Davey, however, isn't fazed by the potential for a bruising encounter.
"We might be smaller but if the Irish are going to come out a bit more physical I can tell you now we aren't just going to stand back," the recently-retired Melbourne forward told AAP.
"Quite clearly we are going to be out-sized in height and some of these guys are real athletic.
"But our speed is our biggest strength."
Australia played a combined Dublin universities team on Wednesday in preparation for Saturday's match and scored a comprehensive win at Parnell Park.
Afterwards Davey stated: "I don't think I've ever played in a quicker team."
"I reckon now that it's all up and going a lot of people are going to sit back in Australia and be glued to the TV and watch the game."
Kennelly - the only man to have won an AFL premiership and an All-Ireland Gaelic football title - says Australia will rely on being quick and agile to put pressure on Ireland.
The plan is to give the hosts less time to dispose of the ball.
The assistant coach thinks the Irish could struggle to tackle the All Stars who plan to keep the ball out in the open.
The indigenous team, on the other hand, will be tenacious, Kennelly said.
"Their whole careers they've been playing against blokes that are bigger than them. Now it's no different playing against the Irish.
"You don't have to be the biggest player in the world to tackle (and) we've also got some big boys that can throw their weight around."
The 32-year-old expects Ash McGrath will likely to be Australia's keeper in the first Test.
Kennelly has done a lot of work with the Brisbane Lions defender who was "super" during Wednesday's practice match.
"He made some really good saves and his kicking is very good," Kennelly said.
"Ash is a deep defender, he's kicked out an awful lot in the AFL, so it's not a foreign position to him.
"The only foreign thing to him is obviously stopping and goal keeping."
And, of course, dealing with the round ball.
Three truck drivers who lied to the NSW corruption watchdog about paying off a heavy vehicle assessor to obtain a truck licence could now face prosecution.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption is inquiring into allegations that former heavy vehicle competency assessor Christopher Binos received kickbacks for falsifying log books.
The inquiry has heard Mr Binos, who worked on behalf of Roads and Maritime Services, received up to $1800 from truck drivers to make false log book entries.
The entries made it appear applicants had passed a driving competency test.
It's alleged Mr Binos falsely certified 91 people as competent to drive heavy vehicles despite spending no driving time with them.
Alexander Daubney told the second day of the inquiry he paid $1500 to Mr Binos last year to have him fill out his log book.
He said Mr Binos told him he could do the assessment - the final step in obtaining the licence in NSW - two ways.
"(He said) you can actually do the test or not do the test and he'd fill out my forms," Mr Daubney said on Thursday.
Mr Daubney admitted to counsel assisting ICAC, David McLure, that he gave false evidence during an initial examination.
"You knew that when you were giving evidence to the commission that it was an offence to give false or misleading evidence?" Mr McLure asked.
"Correct," Mr Daubney replied.
Mr Daubney later told ICAC Commissioner David Ipp he did not realise the seriousness of the case and panicked.
"I was a bit intimidated because I use my licence on a daily basis," he said.
Fellow truck driver Mark McDonagh also admitted to lying when he was first brought before ICAC.
Mr McDonagh told the inquiry on Thursday he paid Mr Binos $1800, gave him his log books and collected them later when the pair met at Burger King in Hoxton Park.
Shane Florio, who gave evidence at the inquiry on Wednesday, also admitted to giving incorrect information initially.
His lawyer told Mr Ipp his client had panicked, but on reflection, realised that was wrong.
Mr Ipp will consider whether to refer the drivers for prosecution over giving false statements to ICAC.
He said had the truck drivers told the truth, a public inquiry may not have been needed.
"So these two days have been spent because they lied," he said.
Mr Ipp said it had been a waste of money for ICAC, a matter very close to his "heart".
The inquiry has concluded and a report will be prepared.
A television show you’ve never heard of is currently the next big thing in the US.
I know a fair amount about Duck Dynasty, and yet I have never watched a minute of it. I doubt I ever will. But it is part of the cultural fabric of the US and the American-focused web milieu, and my understanding of human culture is more comprehensive for knowing about it.
I learnt about Duck Dynasty from a podcast, NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour. PCHH saves me a lot of time – one hour a week, and I’m up to date with a range of pop culture references that I would likely never have encountered otherwise. I’m leveraging the critical cultural apparatus of talking heads to diversify my investment in cultural capital.
My tendency to rely on outsourcing a lot of my cultural consumption is not unique. It’s indicative of a wider social movement. We are faced with such an overabundance of content that there is no time to read, watch, consume and participate in everything – and it has always been thus, but not to such a huge extent.
Reliance on review culture is not new, but it is evolving. The depth of review coverage has lessened to a large degree, as the breadth of available content stretches thin our attention. We’re faced with recommendation culture, and have become more discerning about what we consume in full, and what we merely glimpse – like Duck Dynasty.
Now, enough valuable time reading about recommendation culture, let me recommend some cultural recommendation systems.
Slate podcasts – the original and still often the best marker of what has captured the zeitgeist in any given week, these podcasts are discussions covering the most interesting happenings in their designated field – politics, culture, sport. They also have Spoiler Specials and Book Club podcasts, particularly handy for quick and dirty cliffnotes on that movie or book that everyone is talking about.
NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour – a weekly conversation about entertainment and pop culture events, with the podcast hosts sourced from the National Public Radio’s culturally-attuned writers and presenters. PCHH closes every week with a segment called ‘What’s Making Us Happy’, which is useful for cultural tip-offs ranging from the San Fermin album to the newest Broadway adaptation.
Vulture – there are a lot of entertainment news sites, but New York Magazine’s Vulture is frequently the informed, diverse and witty. Not only do they have the most up-to-date pop culture news, insider gossip and review coverage, but the style is playful and often more entertaining than the ‘entertainment’ it covers.
Book Riot – one of the most fun book sites, their tag line ‘Always books. Never boring’ is a succinct but accurate description. Their ‘Critical Linkage’ posts are particularly useful as a concise and amusing round-up of news from the world of books.
Slashfilm – this movie review site, and particularly their podcast /filmcast, features movie nerds talking about films in great depth, with background knowledge and differing perspectives. You’ll never need to see a movie again – but in case you want to, they break their podcast into two segments, clearly signposting the spoiler-laden coverage in the latter half of the recording.
What are your recommendation recommendations? Come tell me on that one recommendation engine to rule them all, twitter @annetreasure.
Anne Treasure is a recent survivor of the book industry.


text:
The Seipel Group Pty Ltd., an Australian company committed to the research and development of specialized formulations to improve bladder control, has been granted U.S. Patent No. 9,452,191 for Herbal compositions for the prevention or treatment of urinary incontinence and overactive bladder.
Seipel Group has registered the U.S. trademark Urox for the formula, a proprietary blend of Lindera aggregata, Equisetum arvense and Cratevox (Crateva nurvala), which is sold by several U.S. supplement companies under their own brands.
Developed by Tracey Seipel, N.D., a naturopathic clinician and herbalist who has been combining traditional and scientific theories to develop treatment strategies and formulations since 1987, the Urox formula was developed through years of research into the prevalence and impact of bladder control issues for both men and women, which affects up to 50 million Americans.
For more information, visit www.seipelgroup.com.au.

domain: medical


text:
Address: 13 West Market Street, Laurel, DE 19956
Contact President: Rebecca Mosan
Web site: unknown
SIC code: 546100 Industry group: FOOD STORES, Business category: RETAIL BAKERIES, Subcategory: RETAIL BAKERIES
Gross Annual Sales (Revenue): USD $ 76,000
Description: Auntie Annes is a business categorized under retail bakeries, which is part of the larger category retail bakeries. Auntie Annes is located at the address 13 West Market Street, Laurel, DE 19956 in Laurel, Delaware 19956. The President is Rebecca Mosan who can be contacted at (302)875-3343.
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about: Auntie Annes (Meat, Fish, Fruit, Grocery Food Stores)

domain: economics


Three months into government the coalition still appears no closer to a settled view on university funding - with the main academic and student bodies are also divided over the issue.
Three months into government the coalition still appears no closer to a settled view on university funding – with the Tory Party in particular split between universities minister David Willetts’s insistence graduates should pay a “bigger contribution” to higher education, backbencher Douglas Carswell’s fears of “economic stupor”, and even a call by some in the party for a return to free university education.
The main academic and student bodies are also divided over the issue, with the University and College Union warning Vince Cable’s proposed changes risk escalating the cost of a degree for all students, while the National Union of Students, who support a graduate tax, cautioned against making “sensationalist and simplistic judgements”.
The most left-field suggestion comes from Marcus Booth and Dylan Thomas, who are both on the Conservatives’ approved list of candidates, who explain on Conservative Home:
“The UK spends a little over 1% of GDP on higher education, over 70% of which is government spending in the form of research grants, tuition fee subsidies, and student bursaries.
“Income from tuition fees, currently set at £3,300 per student, comes to only 0.15% of GDP or approximately £5 billion. This is small change for the government but an increasingly heavy burden for graduates.
“We believe that every pound spent by the state on education will have a far greater multiplier effect than the same pound spent on welfare payments to NEETs (not in employment, education or training). Therefore, tuition fees are not a necessary evil but in fact a result of a failure to prioritise government spending.”
While Carswell wrote:
“Taxing graduates more for being graduates is a great idea. If you want to induce economic stupor… Universities need more funding. And more young people want to study. Great. If Society is going to be Big, then let them work it out without imposing blanket solutions or expropriating anyone’s future earnings.”
The UCU, however, says key workers, including doctors, teachers and nurses, would face “massively increased study bills” and the cost of a university degree “would rocket”:
“Teachers, nurses, doctors and social workers would pay considerably more back than under the current system. Under a model where graduates pay a tax of 5% over 25 years, doctors would pay back over £100,000 (£105,564) and teachers close to £50,000 (£46,046).”
General secretary Sally Hunt added:
“Whatever scheme is proposed to replace fees, the government must ensure that studying for key professions remains attractive and that the prospect of prohibitive costs over a lifetime will not put off the next generation of innovators and public servants.
“We urge Vince Cable to look again at the idea of taxing big business for the substantial benefit it gains from a plentiful supply of graduates, rather than merely looking to penalise students further.”


IPS Sealing & Adhesives
Accurate simulation of the sealing deposition process taking the complex material rheology and surface flow into account.
In combination with the IPS Robot Optimization module the software can be used to optimize a sealing robot cell to minimize the cycle time, improve bead quality, reduce material consumption and substantially shorten the product preparation time. The powerful algorithms allow a one meter sealing bead to be simulated in just one hour.
Accurate simulation of sealing material laydown including the complex rheology of the material
Export beads as CAD for additional analyses, such as packing, geometry assurance and assembly simulations
Add-on available for adhesives
Coupling to path planning software for optimization of complete robot cells


Jaguar XJ Review – Jaguar XJ is the designation that the full-size luxury cars sold under the British Jaguar marque was used for a series. First title to be launched in a series of 1968 Jaguar XJ model was used to ship a year. The original model was the last Jaguar saloon Sir William Lyons, founder company data. In the current Jaguar XJ 2009. XJ6 2.8 liter and 4.2 liter straight-six cylinder versions of the famous Jaguar XK engine, Jaguar saloon in 1960, replacing expanded to four separate ranges. Besides the engine, the other large churches Jaguar IRS unit transferred independent front suspension subframe wide X Mark and the geometry of the 1955 revision of the previous model was to get the first liter version 2.4.
Jaguar XJ Series 1, 2 and 3 (1968-1992)
“Series” is generally said, XJ line was facelifted for Autumn 1973 1974 model. 4.2 LI -6 XJ6 (most popular in the UK) and 5.3 L V12 3.4 XJ12 XK engine available in 1975 and continued with the addition of a version of L. Series II models have poor build quality, Jaguar Matters extensive trade problems, at the same time the pressure in the industry in England is part of the British Leyland group is assigned, and known problems inherent in developing certain delays Luke source components.In In 1979 facelifted XJ, and is known as the “Series III”. Using the long-wheelbase version of the car,, XJ6 Pininfarina including a subtle redesign.
Foreign SII and more often in the most significant changes are made with decorative chrome only on the top-heated rubber bumpers, flush door handles for increased safety, a piece of glass door, a separate 1/4 light without a grille with only vertical vanes, once Great narrow rear light clusters and a boat cellar and growing area frame glass a revised daklyn removed.
V12 5.3 L, 4.2 L and 3.4 L straight-six engine with six straight point. Larger six-cylinder, V12 Bosch fuel injection model is covered in small, six-cylinder Carbureted. 3.4 L six-cylinder engines in the U.S. is not small. Short wheelbase XJ sedan and coupe series skipped in recent years. The third model is the introduction of a series of the first XJ model without roof and cruise control option.
Jaguar XJ X350 and X358 (2003-2009)
In 2003 the third generation modified Jaguar XJ (X350 also known as) is not active, an all aluminum body – Integrated. In addition, the new engine is a V6 engine, a bigger interior and luggage space with an XJ6 badge. 3.5 and 4.2 liter V8 engine and a large degree, as well as a supercharged 4.2-liter is offered. Light weight machine matching 3.0-liter V6 petrol 2.7-liter V6 diesel V6 version next role given to prevent it. A new six-speed automatic transmission, which was easy and all gears and a larger spread of the reserve ratio is better equipped for the economy.
All the self-leveling air suspension at the rear as it is equipped with adaptive damping. Jaguar and other manufacturers offer different ride height or suspension full control of the computer is not controlled by the driver. Dynamic stability control, as well as increased quality control. Two climate control standard long-wheelbase model was available with four-zone. An optional touch screen interface controlled default settings, satellite navigation, Alpine sound system, Bluetooth phone. “Jaguar Voice” Voice control of many functions.
Jaguar XJ X351 (2009)
In July 2009, a new style XJ Saatchi Gallery in London brought to light with Jay Leno and Elle Macpherson discovered a new car, it was. Website Jaguar covers broadcasting live. Ian Callum, Jaguar’s new design direction with the pace, it’s a whole new XJ Series exterior design and a break from the mold performed on all previous generations. It is a long drive, wide looks much bigger in front of his clear predecessor.The ties with the executive car XF, although with slimmer, brought light and a larger image, rectangular grille and more aggressive. Controversial part of the back, like nothing Jaguar has shown. Right, swooping taillights, a cat’s claws, and black roof panel, rear screen, which aim to hide the XJ’s width on each side with the nickname, the most interesting aspect. There is also a standard full-length sunroof, just a body colored roof panel that stretches all the way back to the designer compares bridges on yachts.
New XJ is an innovative, all-LCD dashboard and console displays the properties. Besides mandatory speedometer dials shows virtual dashboard can be configured. Display driver and passenger comfort of the comments, with a sophisticated video and audio system controls are also shown. Mike Cross, one of the first engineers, spoke of “new Jaguar XJ dynamics” Auto car an interview with me.


text:
08 Jul 2018
I had a very positive experience with my doctor.
27 May 2018
Doctor is very friendly . Overall treatment satisfied me . Not expensive as compare to corporate hospital.
22 Apr 2018
The doctors and staff at Physicians are amazing. They are not only convenient, but they are also extremely knowledgeable and kind. My family makes appointments here for all of our medical needs. The doctors have experience in so many areas of medicine. We proudly consider Physicians our family doctor.


text:
For the seventh beer of Christmas, my Trudeau gave to me…
…Forgotten Lake Blueberry Ale (with a side of bacon)
Man, it was raining, pouring and old-man snoring all over the Roundhouse Craft Beer Fest this summer…but between torrential downpours, I was able to pour me some of this sweet, sweet nectar. And lemme tell ya, this stuff is stronger than it looks–7.5 per cent, son!
You definitely get some tartness from the blueberries, but it’s not too sweet, or too sour. And it definitely goes good with some bacon-wrapped fried dough in a cone, bro!

domain: hobby


text:
Will David Webb ever be able to escape his past - as superspy assassin Jason Bourne? Abridged edition.
University professor David Webb - forever caught between two identities - is still haunted by the splintered nightmares of his former life as Jason Bourne.
Soon he finds himself embroiled in a CIA operation to hunt down a terrorist organisation, and is plunged into the deadliest and most tangled assignment of his double life. With his own side trying to take him down, all the while an assassin as brilliant and damaged as himself is getting closer by the minute...
Read by Jeremy Davidson
(p) 2008 Hachette Audio


When the time comes to move to an assisted living facility there are some questions you must ask. It is a difficult, traumatic and long term decision. You have to make sure that the move is pleasant and right. Below are a set of guidelines/questions that can help in making your decision.
- Is the residence licensed? Is it a good location to family/doctors? Is the entire facility wheel chair accessible? Is the décor attractive and home-like? Is there good natural and artificial lighting?
- do the residents socialize with each other? Do they appear happy and comfortable? Is the facility clean and odor-free?
- does the facility assist with self-administration of medications? What is their policy on medication storage? Do physicians visit patients on the premises?
- Is there 24-hour help available? Is the staff friendly & properly dressed? Does the staff know the residents by name?
- Are units private or shared? What safety features do they have in each apartment? Can residents bring their own furnishings? Is there a kitchen area in the unit?
- Is there an activities program? Is there a wheelchair-accessible van for transportation? Do residents have access to computers and the internet?
- Do they provide three meals daily? Do they provide snacks too? Are there set meal times? Are there special diets available?
- Are the rates all-inclusive or do you have to pay more for higher levels of care? Do they accept the Medicaid Waiver/Diversion programs? If so, is the family/resident expected to contribute financially to help cover the cost of care?
Asking the right questions will help ensure that the decision made is the right one.
The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 was created to reduce barriers that allowed people to move from nursing homes back to the community. The biggest allocation of funds by Medicaid in 2007, The Money Follows the Person program, allocated $1.7 billion to 30 states with the goal of transitioning 38,000 individuals away from nursing homes. As of June 30, 2011 only 15,818 individuals had actually moved to community care despite the fact that the funding was increased to $4 billion in 2010 and 13 additional states were included in the program. With this additional funding, participating states have until 2019 to meet their targets and until 2020 to spend the funds. Florida was among the 13 states that were approved under the program but failed to secure the needed administrative funds for implementation of the program. In fact, states are given great flexibility by the federal government to use these funds to reduce waiting lists, conduct research and other activities that help rebalance their long-term program. Rebalancing means increasing the funding for community care and decreasing the amount spent on nursing home care.
With so many seniors currently living in nursing homes and wishing to go back to the community it’s a wonder why so little progress has been made. The numbers of transitions vary sharply by state. Some like Texas and Ohio have transitioned thousands back home or to assisted living facilities. Others like North Carolina, Missouri and Kentucky have moved fewer than 500. Our firm has worked in North Carolina and Kentucky and these states have very strong nursing home lobby’s preventing the increase in community care. Some states have found it hard to move the elderly with only 1/3 of transitioning individuals being 65 years and older. 900,000 individuals living in nursing homes are in fact eligible to be transferred. Barriers to transfers reported by the states are the lack of state funds (federal funds must be matched by state funds) and the absence of affordable housing and community care providers.
Our experience, having worked with the program, is that other barriers exist which include very strict requirements by the federal government as to eligibility of both the individuals and the place they are transitioning to. For example, in order for an assisted living facility to be eligible to take clients they must offer full apartments with kitchens, a separate bedroom and dining space. The client must have lived in the nursing home for 90 days. But more importantly is the reluctance of some states to stop relying on nursing home care for the growing number of seniors; a reason that is more political than financial.
This has been our battle cry for over twenty years. The benefits of keeping seniors at home with needed services has proven to be cost-effective, beneficial to the health of these clients and responsive to seniors’ desires. And yet, change has come slowly particularly in southern states. Under the pressure of skyrocketing Medicaid budgets fueled by the increasing numbers of low-income seniors our policymakers have had to shift toward funding more community instead of institutional care (nursing homes), what is called in the industry: “rebalancing long-term care.”
One state that has been successful in doing so is Oregon that rebalanced their budget back in the early 1980’s. Many other states have followed, including Washington and Colorado. The number of people receiving Medicaid-funded nursing facility care in these states grew at a much slower rate than in the rest of the nation from the inception of Medicaid home and community-based waiver programs in the early 19080s to 1994. The number of people in nursing homes as a proportion of the population age 75 and above in these states decreased faster than the average for the rest of the nation. Total annual Medicaid spending on nursing facilities also increased at a slower rate in the study states than nationally after controlling for growth of the age 75-and-older population.
Today only a handful of states remain committed to forcing seniors into nursing homes when no longer able to live independently – Kentucky, Virginia, Alabama and West Virginia do not pay for assisted living services. Although an increasing number of states have created Medicaid waivers to pay for assisted living services, the funding always falls short of the need which creates long waiting lists. clients in need of assisted living services cannot wait the two or three years it takes to receive an allocation. So seniors and disabled adults are still forced into nursing homes and we continue to pay for poor quality and undesirable care.
In 2003 our firm started the conversation with the Department of Housing and Urban Development urging them to join forces with the Department of Health and Human Services (federal Medicaid program) to properly fund community care at least for those living in public/subsidized housing. Seven years later, it happened and both departments partnered to create the Community Living Initiative that funds housing and services for low-income disabled adults. Seniors, however, have to wait longer and as of today no initiatives have been taken to address the issues of the seniors.
Apparently financial crisis alone will not prompt the federal government to act. I firmly believe the issue of low-income seniors ending up in nursing homes prematurely must arouse public opinion. Those most affected, the seniors, the families, the advocates, need to demand this change. Rather than being remembered as the “silent minority” we must be remembered as the generation that changed the way we care for seniors in this country.
America is a relatively young country as far as the percentage of individuals 65 years and older in the U.S. today. About 12% of the population in the U.S. is 65 years and older. However, that percentage is projected to increase to 20% within the next decade. Compare those numbers with that of other countries like Japan with the highest percentage of seniors currently at 21.5% of the population. Global aging affects all aspects of our society: work, health care, retirement, services and housing, among others. One of the major challenges is what we call the dependency ratio which means that for every person age 65 years and older there will be fewer than two persons in the workforce and available to care for the older generation. Exceptions are those countries with high birth rates (Mexico, Iceland and Turkey) or in countries like Australia, Canada and New Zealand with high immigration. However, in most countries the dependency ratio will sharply increase from 2020 to 2050. It is becoming more important that we create new ways to care for this aging population that is cost effective and dignified. The U.S. has the highest per capita health care expenditure in the world with a per capita cost per individual of $6,714. Japan, on the other hand, has the lowest health expenditure with a per capita expenditure of $2,581, half of that of the U.S. Most of the expenditure in Japan is paid by the government.
During the Ashoka Summit held this month we were able to discuss with other Fellows challenges facing their countries. Masue Katayama, a Fellow from Japan, has worked for the past twenty years in providing services to the older population in Japan. She came to learn how our firm has been able to change how we care for this older population. We believe that the global financial crisis is pushing us to make due with less and to learn how to use government funding more efficiently. Our firm has a proven track record of being able to service three times as many seniors with the funding the government spends on one. Japan, along with many European countries, has older people and lower health care spending than the U.S. They do this by fixing prices and manipulating prices to keep costs down. Every two years the price of each treatment, test and medication is examined to see if excess profits are leading to overuse and if so the price is cut. This is not done in the U.S. because those who profit from high prices are so powerful. This rationing and price cutting impacts the ability to control chronic illnesses at an early stage. Instead of rationing, Japan should look at ways to improve people’s lives by systematically changing lifestyles through better diets, exercise, medication management and supervision. This is something that Japan and other European countries can learn from the U.S.
Masue and I sat down to establish a collaborative effort that will enable us to learn from each other. She visited one of our affordable assisted living facilities and was impressed with the home atmosphere and the improvement in the physical and cognitive health of our residents. We agreed to formalize this collaboration by her sending a group of her operators to the U.S. for a month to live and learn at one of our facilities. Mia will do the same as we know that there are lessons to be learned from Japan as they tackle the common challenges of global aging.