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Gold Valley’s rodeo champion is facing the toughest challenge of his life—a Christmas wedding!
Legendary bull rider Jake Daniels has only one plan this Christmas—to ignore the pain the season always brings. Until his best friend, Callie Carson, shows up on his ranch with a marriage proposal. Jake has lived so close to the edge it’s a miracle he’s still alive—he knows all about risk. But marrying the woman he craves more than anything feels like the biggest risk of all.
Callie Carson may be rodeo royalty, but to fulfill her dreams of riding saddle bronc, she needs her inheritance. And to access that, she needs a husband. But Jake the husband is deliciously different from Jake the friend, especially after the wild heat of their wedding night. He was only supposed to be her cowboy for Christmas, but Jake’s every heart-stopping touch has Callie questioning how she’ll ever be able to walk away.
Published Date: 26 October 2021
Jake is a successful bull rider who give up rodeo. After years in rodeo, he know that it is young man game and his body is began to feel the wears and tears of being thrown from a bull’s back.
Callie, on the other hand, loves them and want to him to train her. Her ambitious is to be the first female saddle bronc rider which obviously her family refuse to support her dream.Callie comes from a wealthy family of seven adult children and she is the only daughter. The other way for her to get the fund to compete is thru her trust fund which she can have if she married. So she came with a fake marriage idea and her choice of pretend husband is her best friend Jake.
The story continue with how the relationship between Jake and Callie developed and soon, both Callie and Jake realise that both of them want more than just a marriage of convenience.
This book is about family dynamics and duties, loss, grief and friendship. Both main characters’ stories touches on various emotions: love, grief, joy, hope and despair.


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Edita won’t be acquiring assets of Ole bakeries manufacturer
Snackfoods giant Edita won’t acquire Egyptian Belgian Company’s assets after talks collapse: Edita Food Industries’ bid to acquire assets belonging to Egyptian Belgian Company has fallen through after the two companies were unable to agree on a valuation. The EGX-listed company had expected to finalize an agreement with the Ole baked products manufacturer this month but said in a regulatory filing (pdf) yesterday that negotiations had been suspended after failing to reach an agreement. A senior Edita official told us that talks collapsed because the two companies couldn’t agree on a valuation following due diligence.
Background: Edita submitted a non-binding letter of intent in November to acquire the company’s real estate assets (including land plots and buildings), as well as machinery, equipment, and production lines. A senior exec told us at the time that the company viewed the acquisition as a “major milestone” that would have added “significant” production capacity to its baked goods segment.
ALSO ON THE M&A FRONT-
Creed Healthcare discloses size of Cleo stake sale to MCI Capital: Creed Healthcare sold an 8.9% stake, or almost 142 mn shares, in Cleopatra Hospitals Group (CHG) to MCI Capital Healthcare Partners for EGP 709.8 mn (EGP 5 per share) last week, the company said in a bourse disclosure (pdf). The sale reduced Creed’s stake in CHG from 37.9% to 29%.
The transaction was part of MCI Capital’s acquisition of 23% of CHG: MCI Capital, a subsidiary of state-owned CI Capital, last week bought a 23% stake in CHG for a total EGP 1.8 bn. Creed, which owns its stake in CHG through its subsidiary Care Healthcare, had agreed to sell an 8-12% stake in the company to MCI at the EGP 5-per-share offer price during its voluntary tender offer. The confirmation of its 8.9% stake sale to MCI Capital means that other CHG shareholders collectively sold around a 14.1% stake.
Creed remains CHG’s single-largest shareholder with its remaining 29% stake, while MCI Capital’s total holding in CHG now stands at around 26.8% following the acquisition, according to information previously provided to Enterprise by a source with knowledge of the transaction. Creed used to own more than two-thirds of CHG but divested a 31.5% stake in 2019.

domain: news


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Careers, Industries & Professions, Commodities, Debt, Derivatives, Economics, Equities & Stocks, Foreign, Exchange, General, International Business, Management & Leadership, Marketing & Sales, Outsourcing, Personal, Finance, Real Estate, Small Biz / Entrepreneurship
In the instant number one New York Times bestseller Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man, Steve Harv..
The Bottom Line on Success
Most of us are eager to achieve success in life. But are we really..
In The $100 Startup, Chris Guillebeau shows you how to lead of life of adventure, meaning and pur..
What would happen if a top expert with more than thirty years of leadership experience were willi..
Father Duncan MacAskill has spent most of his priesthood as the ?Exorcist”-an enforcer employed b..
The dollar is in trouble. Its value on foreign exchange markets has been falling for the past six..
Finally available, a high quality book of the original classic edition of The Communist Manifesto..
The Count of Monte Cristo (1845) is an adventure novel by French author Alexandre Dumas (père) (1..
The classic guide to constructing a solid portfolio— with out a financial advisor!
Historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Barbara Tuchman has brought to life again the people ..
Published to critical acclaim twenty years ago, and now considered a classic, The House of Morgan..
The Iliad of Homer - (FREE Audiobook Included!)
-Included TOC for Reader.
Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor Southern tobacco fa..
“Bernstein has become a guru to a peculiarly ’90s group: well-educated, Internet-powered people i..
What if there were a way to cut through all the financial mumbo-jumbo? Wouldn't it be great if so..

domain: library


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A quality improvement strategy is usually focused on examining and improving processes in organizations. It is possible to apply different organizational strategies in healthcare settings to improve patients’ health outcomes and increase their satisfaction with care. In this context, it is possible to use care improvement strategies in a hospital-based on the Six Sigma approach. This strategy is grounded in prioritizing projects, and the key steps are defining, measuring, analyzing, improving, and controlling outcomes (McEwen & Wills, 2019). An example of the quality improvement strategy based on the Six Sigma approach to be used in nursing is the implementation of the intervention to prevent patients’ falls.
Quality interventions based on the Six Sigma approach, including the prevention of fall intervention, are often applied in nursing practice because the identified steps allow for determining the project’s importance for improving the care quality. When identifying the fall problem in healthcare settings, it is necessary to define it, measure rates and risks for patients, analyze results, implement the intervention, and control received outcomes (Al Kuwaiti & Subbarayalu, 2017). It is possible to state that the assimilation of such strategies can significantly enhance leadership because of contributing to developing skills in prioritization and decision-making. In this case, healthcare and nursing leaders are expected to make reasoned decisions and address the organizational goals focusing on patients’ satisfaction.
The use of the 7th APA style edition published by the American Psychological Association is important to guarantee that all citations and references in research papers are formatted effectively to avoid plagiarism. Much attention should be paid to not only formatting citations but also presenting full information on used sources, including a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) for online articles. It is necessary to guarantee that all sources mentioned on a reference page are listed in the text as properly formatted in-text citations. The examples of citations used in a comparison research paper are followed:
- Paraphrasing: Finally, she stated that there are three specific types of comfort that are relief, ease, and transcendence, which are available for patients (Oliveira et al., 2020).
- Direct quoting: The main focus was on using comfort measures to determine patients’ satisfaction with the help of the GCQ that was “modified to be used for different populations in several studies” (McEwen & Wills, 2019, p. 233).
Cheng, Y., & Luo, Y. W. (2020). The application progress of Johnson’s Behavior System Model. Journal of Engineering Research and Application, 10(3), 39-42. Web.
Karkhah, S., Ghazanfari, M. J., Norouzi, M., Khaleghdoust, T., Dahka, S. M., & Taheri, Z. (2020). Designing a nursing care plan based on Johnson’s behavioral model in patients with wrist joint hematoma: A case study. Research Square, 2020, 1-10. Web.
McEwen, M., & Wills, E. M. (2019). Theoretical basis for nursing (5th ed.). Wolters Kluwer.
Oliveira, S. M. D., Costa, K. N. D. F. M., Santos, K. F. O. D., Oliveira, J. D. S., Pereira, M. A., & Fernandes, M. D. G. M. (2020). Comfort needs as perceived by hospitalized elders: An analysis under the light of Kolcaba’s theory. Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem, 73(S3), 1-8. Web.

domain: literature


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ACES Antioxidant 200 gels by Carlson Labs
Scientific studies have shown that in order to combat the pollutants floating around normally in the atmosphere, vitamins E, C and A combined with selenium may show increased effectiveness. This is the story behind ACES Antioxidant by Carlson Labs. Made of those four ingredients in addition to calcium, ACES Antioxidant is an active dietary supplement that protect the body from potential damage caused by free radicals. ACES Antioxidants by Carlson Labs may help neutralize dangerous molecules within the body and support regular cell functioning. ACES Antioxidant by Carlson Labs has guaranteed freshness, purity and potency as checked for by an FDA-registered laboratory independent of Carlson labs.
Other benefits of ACES Antioxidant by Carlson Labs may possibly include:
- Protection from potential free radical damage that comes from everyday air pollutants.
- Cleansing of existing free radicals within the body.
- Promotion of healthy tissue, blood and cell functioning.
- Maintenance of muscle and nervous system strength.

domain: medical


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Booking a cruise can sometimes be a little complicated, especially if you’re new to cruising. There’s a lot to consider and work out, including what type of room to book, when to sail, and more.
You’ll also need to check what’s included, and see whether your cruise line offers additional packages to cover things the basic fare normally wouldn’t.
NCL has a Free at Sea package that guests can book for a more inclusive cruise, but things get a little more complex because there’s also Free at Sea Plus.
So, what does each one give you, and which should you book? Is it best to book neither and choose a cruise-only fare? Let’s take a look.
Free at Sea Explained
Free at Sea is a package that guests can book alongside their NCL cruise to give them a more included fare. It gives guests a limited range of free drinks as well as a small amount of free WiFi credit, speciality meals and shore excursion credit.
NCL has changed how Free at Sea works over the years. It used to be that you could book and choose one of the benefits for your cruise without paying extra, or pay more to get all the packages included.
But in more recent years, the offer has changed so that you don’t get any of the extra benefits with a standard cruise fare, but you can often pay a reduced-price upgrade fee to get all of the packages included.
And now there’s the additional option of Free at Sea Plus, which costs more again and gives you additional benefits.
It can be a little confusing, but the option is always there to just choose a cruise-only fare if you like, and then pay for the different parts of your cruise individually. However, you may find that Free at Sea or Free at Sea Plus offers much better value, depending on how much you’ll use the perks.
Free at Sea and Free at Sea Plus Compared
Here’s a quick guide to what you get with Free at Sea and Free at Sea Plus:
|Free at Sea
|Free at Sea Plus
|Unlimited Open Bar Package including a range of drinks under $15
|Premium Plus Beverage Package including a much wider range of drinks
|Up to 3 included meals depending on cruise length and cabin category
|Two additional meals
|Shore Excursion Credit
|$50 per tour for guest 1
|An extra $50 for guest 2
|Up to 300 minutes free depending on cruise length
|Unlimited Standard WiFi for 2 guests
To really understand the range of benefits, you need to delve a little deeper, so let’s look at what each package gives you in more detail.
NCL’s Free At Sea Package Includes:
The Free at Sea cruise package includes NCL’s Unlimited Open Bar Package. Despite the name, this isn’t completely unlimited, because there are restrictions on which drinks you’re allowed.
What you get is:
- Selected premium cocktails and spirits under $15
- Selected beers and wines by the glass under $15
- 20% off all bottles of Champagne and wine
- Unlimited soft drinks and juices
But this bit is really important – who gets the drinks package depends on where you cruise from.
If you’re cruising from the UK, only Guests 1 and 2 enjoy the drinks package, and anyone else sharing your cabin will need their own drinks package.
On cruises booked with NCL in the US, the terms and conditions are different, and the drinks package covers up to 8 guests in the same cabin, provided they are aged 21+. Kids don’t get the drinks package.
Sounds like the US gets a great deal compared to anyone booking in the UK, right? Well actually, US guests need to pay a gratuity for the Open Bar package, which UK guests don’t have to pay. And that gratuity is 20% of the cost of the drinks package per day, so while you’re getting a ‘free’ drinks package, you’re still asked to pay $21.80 per person, per day.
While this is a lot cheaper than paying the full cost for the package (which would be $109 per day, plus the $21.80, for a total of $130.80 per day), it still is a little bit of a kicker when you get almost $300 added to your cruise fare for a week-long cruise for two guests for your ‘free’ drinks package.
2. Speciality Dining
NCL ships have a range of speciality dining restaurants onboard which come with an additional fee. But with Free at Sea, you’ll be able to enjoy at least one free meal in one of these restaurants.
The amount of free speciality dining meals you get will depend on which cabin type you book, and how long your cruise is:
- Cruises of 3-6 nights – 1 meal
- Cruises of 7-11 nights in a Studio, Inside or Oceanview cabin – 1 meal
- Cruises of 7-11 nights in a Balcony cabin or above – 2 meals
- Cruises of 12+ nights in a Studio, Inside or Oceanview cabin – 2 meals
- Cruises of 12+ nights in a Balcony cabin or above – 3 meals
Regardless of whether you book your cruise in Europe or the US, these free speciality meals are for first and second guests only – anyone else dining with you will need to pay the regular cover charge.
Read more: NCL Free At Sea Specialty Dining Explained
3. Shore Excursions
With the standard Free at Sea package, you get a $50 credit to use against shore excursions, but it’s $50 against each tour. Essentially, this means you’re getting a $50 discount at each port of call you visit.
It only applies to the first guest though, so if you have a shore excursion costing less than $50 per person, one guest will get it free but the other guests will have to pay full price.
You get a limited amount of free WiFi with the Free at Sea package, but both the first and second guests can make use of the credit. The number of minutes you get depends on your cruise length:
- 3-6 nights – 75 minutes of WiFi
- 7-11 nights – 150 minutes of WiFi
- 12+ nights – 300 minutes of WiFi
It’s not a huge amount – around 15-20 minutes per day on average, enough time to check a few emails and send a few messages, but it’s better than having to pay for a WiFi package if you don’t plan on using the internet much.
Free At Sea Plus Includes:
You get the Premium Plus Beverage Package when you choose Free at Sea Plus, which gets you a much wider range of drinks included. You get:
- All top-shelf cocktails and spirits
- All beer, wine and Champagne by the glass
- Select premium bottles of wine and Champagne served with dinner, and 40% off all other bottles
- Unlimited soft drinks and juices
- Unlimited still and sparkling bottled water
- All Starbucks coffees and speciality drinks
- Energy drinks
If you’re travelling from the UK, then the same rules apply as with the regular Free at Sea package – only Guests 1 and 2 get a Premium Plus Beverage Package, and all other guests must pay for their own drinks package.
Things get a little more confusing with bookings made for US guests though. Unlike Free at Sea, not everybody gets the drinks package. Instead, you need to pay extra to cover the upgrade charge from Unlimited Open Bar to Premium Plus, which means paying an additional $29 per person, per day plus the extra gratuities.
Guests 1 and 2 will instead be paying $27 per person, per day as that’s the gratuity cost for the Premium Plus Beverage Package.
So to summarise for US guests:
- Guests 1 and 2 pay $27 per person, per day gratuities for their drinks package
- Guests 3-8 in a cabin pay $56 per person per day ($29 upgrade fee + $27 gratuities)
If Guest 2 is a child travelling with an adult then they will get a Soda Package with Free at Sea Plus. This applies to all guests no matter where you’re booking your NCL cruise. But Guests 3-8 don’t get any drinks package if they are under 21.
2. Speciality Dining
When you book a Free at Sea Plus package, you get two extra speciality dining meals, compared to the equivalent Free at Sea package. So again, it depends on how long you’re cruising for, and the cabin type you book.
Here’s a simple guide for comparison:
|Free at Sea
|Free at Sea Plus
|7-11 nights, Studio, Inside or Oceanview cabin
|7-11 nights, Balcony or above
|12+ nights, Studio, Inside or Oceanview cabin
|12+ nights, Balcony or above
It’s also worth clarifying that if you’re travelling as a solo guest, you still get the extra speciality dining meals but only for one person – you can’t invite a guest you meet on the ship to dine free with you.
For everyone else, the free meals continue to apply to Guests 1 and 2 in a cabin only.
3. Shore Excursions
With Free at Sea Plus, you still get $50 shore excursion credit per tour for Guest 1, and you get an additional $50 credit for Guest 2.
So if you’re a couple, you’ll each get $50 off your shore excursions in each port. But remember that if you’re travelling with 3 or more guests in a cabin, everyone else will have to pay full price for their excursions.
The free WiFi offering you get with Free at Sea Plus is a lot simpler than with regular Free at Sea. Regardless of how long your cruise is, you’ll get an Unlimited WiFi package for your cruise for Guests 1 and 2 (Guest 1 only for solo travellers).
It’s the basic package so you won’t be able to use streaming services – if you want to, you can upgrade for an additional £9/$10 per person, per day to get the Unlimited Premium WiFi package which includes streaming.
Free at Sea Vs Free at Sea Plus Costs
One of the biggest deciding factors for whether or not you should upgrade your cruise is the cost of the package.
In the UK, the cost of upgrading to Free at Sea is very clearly explained. You’ll pay between £149 and £449 per person, depending on the length of your cruise.
- 3-5 day cruises – £149 per person
- 6-8 day cruises – £199 per person
- 9-11 day cruises – £249 per person
- 12-14 day cruises – £299 per person
- 15-17 day cruises – £349 per person
- 18-21 day cruises – £399 per person
- 21+ day cruises – £449 per person
In the US, it’s not as straightforward, and depending on the promotion at the time, you might find that you get Free at Sea with one or two of the perks included for lower-value cabins, with the option of adding more if you upgrade.
It gets a little clearer when you upgrade to Free at Sea Plus though. Here are the upgrade prices:
|Free at Sea Plus Adult
|Free at Sea Plus Solo Adult
|Free at Sea Plus Child
|£39 per person, per night
|£35 per person, per night
|£25 per person, per night
|$49 per person, per night
|$42 per person, per night
|$29 per person, per night
These are the prices you’ll pay on top of your standard Free at Sea fare, so in the UK for a 7-day cruise you’ll be paying £199 per person for Free at Sea, plus an additional £273 per person for Free at Sea Plus, so a total of £472 per person above the cruise-only fare.
Which To Choose?
Which of the Free at Sea packages you should choose will depend on your budget for your cruise, and how much you’ll use each element.
Let’s use the working example of a 7-day cruise to demonstrate the value of each package, and let’s assume you’re booking a balcony cabin.
In the UK you’ll pay £199 per person for Free at Sea, or £472 per person for Free at Sea Plus.
Here’s the value of each element, broken down:
With Free at Sea, your Unlimited Open Bar would normally cost you $109 per person, per day – so that’s $763 per person, which is around £600.
With Free at Sea Plus, the Premium Plus Beverage Package would normally cost you $138 per day – so that’s $966 per person, which is around £760.
For this example of a 7-night Balcony cabin cruise, you’d get 2 meals with Free at Sea. While individual restaurant costs can vary, a 2-meal speciality dining package would normally cost you $99, or around £78.
Free at Sea Plus would get you 4 meals, and a 4-meal package usually costs $169, which is around £133.
Remember you get either $50 or $100 credit depending on which Free at Sea package you choose, but that’s against every tour.
For the sake of this example, let’s say you book 3 tours on your 7-night cruise. That means a total value of $150 for the Free at Sea package (approximately £118) and a total value of $300 for Free at Sea Plus (approximately £236).
It gets a little trickier to place a value against WiFi on the Free at Sea package, because you can’t normally pay for WiFi by the minute. So for Free at Sea, we have to value it at £0, and just give the minutes as bonus time.
For Free at Sea Plus, you get the Unlimited WiFi package worth $29.99 per day, which is around $210 for a 7-night cruise, or approximately £165.
|Free at Sea Value
|Free at Sea Plus Value
|£600 per person
|£760 per person
|£78 per person
|£133 per person
|£118, averaged to £59 per person
|£236, averaged to £118 per person
This means that booking Free at Sea gets you £737 of value per person for a cost of £199, meaning a saving of £538.
Free at Sea Plus gets you £1,176 of value per person for £472, for a saving of £704.
So, which should you book?
Free at Sea Plus offers better value but only if you would be buying a Premium Plus Beverage Package, a Speciality Dining Package, multiple shore excursions and a WiFi package anyway.
Most of the value comes with the drinks. If you aren’t someone who drinks alcohol, then think hard about whether the speciality dining, shore excursion credit and WiFi costs you get are worth the package.
With Free at Sea they are, but it’s not worth paying £472 per person to get £133 of dining credit, £118 of shore excursion credit and £165 of WiFi. You’d actually be overpaying by £416.
Of course, the Premium Plus beverage package does include soft drinks too, as well as Starbucks coffees and bottled water. You don’t get that with regular Free at Sea bookings.
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I wish there was an easy answer to tell you which of the packages was the right one for you, but it entirely depends on how much you like to drink (and what you drink), how many excursions you take, how valuable WiFi is to you and whether you prefer to dine in speciality restaurants or the complimentary ones.
For a lot of people, it might make sense to book a cruise-only fare and then pay just for a soda package or even buy drinks individually.
But for anyone who likes to drink premium spirits and Starbucks coffees, dine in the speciality restaurants, or get online during their cruise, choosing Free at Sea Plus could be a better choice.
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If you found this interesting, please share!
Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.

domain: travel


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The girls over at Jingle Belles also decided it was time for us to think about being a bit kinder to this planet of ours in our Christmas card creating this time around and challenged us to:
"... create a holiday card which re-uses, re-purposes, re-cycles, up-cycles, or in some way "rescues" a bit of... well, SOMETHING... which you'd've either thrown away, or perhaps just overlooked in terms of card-making..."
Having had the best teacher in the form of Danielle over at EcoScrapbook, I had a lot of fun tackling this prompt and produced a whole crop of green(er) cards.
First of all, I decided that I could only use my scrap paper box and my small box of cut out elements in addition to anything I found lying around.
This first card uses some pretty tissue wrapping paper I received full of Christmas goodies from my wonderful friend Heidi. Then I die cut and embossed a scrap of brown paper from the wrapping of my Christmas exchange from Helen back in December and I topped it off with a tag sent to me by Ginger during a Christmas card swap. The sentiment was a scrap I found in the bottom of the box, already stamped.
Again, only using scraps, I cut out the background paper and a piece of cardstock. Then I cut out the pretty motif from a card sent me to by Heidi in that Christmas goodies package and tied it off with a length of red ribbon that had come on some Doodlebug packaging. The small round tag is also from that Doodlebug item and I covered it with a scrap of paper and added the sentiment that I had cut out from Heidi's card. The string was from the Christmas exchange presents.
And this last one features a die cut shape that I took from a card a couple of Christmases ago and some more of that parcel string. The sentiment was just lying at the bottom of my scraps box. Simple.
I don't spend much time on any of my cards and so they are all relatively simple and hopefully lighter for postage than last year! But that growing pile makes me smile. More than 30 cards already and I had challenged myself to 60 before November. so I'm well on track :-)

domain: design


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For Immediate Release: October 22, 2015
Providence, R.I. – Providence College has received a $10,000 grant from the Avon Foundation for Women through its Speak Out Against Domestic Violence initiative. The grant will help fund Step UP! at PC, an evidence-based, bystander intervention program developed by the University of Arizona in partnership with the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
This is the second consecutive year PC has received funding from the Avon Foundation for Women for this program initiative. The grant is one of 25 Avon campus grants totaling $250,000 awarded to colleges nationwide to fund programs focused on preventive education on dating abuse and violence, sexual assault, stalking and the promotion of healthy relationships, as well as to offer local resources and provide referrals for community-based domestic violence experts. The grant also supports educator training, materials and support sessions about healthy relationships.
“Since arriving at PC almost four years ago, I have heard and iterated the phrase, ‘Friar Family,’ many times,” said Kristine Goodwin, Vice President for Student Affairs at PC. “I believe StepUP! helps us even more fully realize this characterization of our community as it empowers students to look out for each other by raising their awareness, increasing their motivation to intervene and help, and developing their skills and confidence for responding.”
In the first year of Step Up! at PC, 85% of our students participated in the introductory training. Now in its second year, the College continues to move forward with a successful initiative that fully integrates the program into the administrative structure and the student culture of the campus.
Surveys throughout the last academic year helped the College assess first-year students’ changes in knowledge, attitudes, and intentions regarding active bystander behavior.
With a senior administrator to sustain bystander training at the College on a continuing basis, and a core of student, staff, and faculty trainers, we expect to train at least 2,500 undergraduate students in a revised and updated version of our bystander intervention program.
Last fall, freshmen, student-athletes and student leaders underwent bystander training to give them the tools to intervene in, and possibly prevent, serious problems such as alcohol and drug intoxication, and discrimination or bias issues.
The program offers students three options for intervention: direct, delegate, or distract. Direct methods of confrontation might not be the right option for everyone. But a student could delegate by alerting police, a bartender, or other person with authority who could step in.
In April 2014, the White House issued NOT ALONE: The First Report of the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault, highlighting steps school administrators can and must take to honor their obligation to protect all students from sexual assault and violence. Recognizing that school administrators bear the burden of responsibility to provide safe communities for all students, the Avon Foundation partnered with Futures Without Violence to develop Guidelines for Preventing and Responding to Gender-Based Violence in Higher Education. These guidelines highlight best practices for creating and promoting a campus norm of interpersonal respect and non-violent relationships, and can be downloaded for free.
Using this grant, the Avon Foundation has funded campus dating abuse programs to educate significant numbers of student groups and faculty to create awareness, to recognize the warning signs of abuse and to encourage students to safely intervene to help prevent violence.
The Avon Foundation for Women, the world’s largest corporate-affiliated philanthropy focused on issues that matter most to women, was founded in 1955 to improve the lives of women. Visit www.avonfoundation.org for more information.


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Obstructing Human Rights: The Texas-Mexico Border Wall
MetadataShow full item record
The Working Group submits these briefing papers to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (the “Commission”) with the request that the Commission consider the violations of human rights taking place through the construction of walls along the Texas/Mexico border. These briefing papers focus on the human rights impact of border wall construction on the Texas/Mexico border, although wall segments also have been and will be built along the border between Mexico and the states of California, New Mexico and Arizona. These briefing papers focus on the Texas/Mexico border because: 1) the Working Group enjoys a unique connection to the residents of Texas and the Texas/Mexico border region; 2) the construction of border fencing in Texas presents issues involving the public taking of private land that are not present in the other states where the majority of property along the border is federal land; and 3) the next phase of border wall construction will take place predominantly in Texas. The papers focus most heavily on the area along the Texas/Mexico border known as the Rio Grande Valley, which is located at the southernmost tip of Texas. Much of the border wall construction planned for Texas is scheduled to take place in this area, and residents of this area were the first to contact the University of Texas regarding the severe impact that the border wall will have on their human rights. The papers do nonetheless address border wall construction in other areas of Texas where important human rights issues are raised, particularly in relation to the indigenous communities that live in western Texas.


To Be Young, Gifted, And Sitting PrettyLeah Nathans Spiro
Though he is only 28, Alphonse "Buddy" Fletcher Jr. has already achieved an unusual amount of notoriety on Wall Street. He is the black trader who sued Kidder, Peabody & Co. for stiffing him on his bonus and won a $1.3 million award in 1992. He also sued Kidder for race discrimination. That case went all the way to the Supreme Court, which refused to hear it, landing it back in arbitration, where it is still pending.
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Paul Marion Under the Lowell Sun Spotlight
Paul Marion and Rosemary Noon at Boardinghouse Park (from Lowell Sun) “Paul Marion, a Lowell native who grew up in Dracut, has worked to revitalize the city since the 1970s. Sun/Bob Whitaker
Don’t miss Nancye Tuttle’s article and sidebar about Kiwanis Club Community Spirit honoree (and our blog colleague) Paul Marion in today’s Lowell Sun:
LOWELL — Paul Marion doesn’t brag about his accomplishments or take credit for making things happen. But behind the scenes, the soft-spoken Marion has been a key player in making Lowell a better place to live, work and play for nearly 40 years.
The Greater Lowell Kiwanis Club celebrates Marion’s community service and honors him with its 2012 Thomas Kelakos Community Spirit Award on March 23 at a banquet at Lenzi’s in Dracut.
“It’s humbling to be singled out, since so much of what I do is about partnerships and collaborations, but I’ve always tried to be a leader,” said Marion, 58, executive director of community and cultural affairs at the University of Massachusetts Lowell.
Read the full article here: http://www.lowellsun.com/local/ci_20009235
One Response to Paul Marion Under the Lowell Sun Spotlight
Tom Kelakos would be very proud of Paul. I know I am.


State Of The Economy To Determine Civil Servants' Salaries
Finance and Economic Development Deputy Minister Clement Chiduwa said that the Government has been allocating over 60 per cent of its national budget to development as opposed to recurrent expenditure, up from 5 per cent.
Chiduwa said economic growth will result in an improvement in the conditions of service of civil servants.
Chiduwa said this on Thursday during a question and answer session in Senate while responding to a question from Midlands Senator, Morgen Komichi (MDC Alliance).
Komichi had asked Chiduwa what the Government was doing to match salaries for civil servants with what is obtaining in the Southern African Development Community (SADC). In response, Chiduwa said:
What I can say is as Treasury or Ministry of Finance or as Government, the trajectory is very clear in terms of where we are going as a country. We are guided by the policy.
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The policy is saying we want Zimbabwe to be an upper middle-income economy by 2030. Surely as we move towards that vision the salary levels would move in tandem with the vision.
We are having transitory problems – the problems are there because we are still at the reforming stage and we are now in the growth phase. If you check prior to 2017, more than 95% of our Budget was recurrent budget.
Only 5% or less was devoted to development, but with the coming in of the Second Republic, you look at the proportion that we are allocating to development versus recurrent expenditure, at least 60% of the Budget is targeted towards development. For that reason, we have this balancing act that we are having.
What I can assure Hon Senators is that we have the commitment to ensure that we improve the conditions of service for our people.
This is an issue that we are dealing with on a daily basis. Just this month you will see that there will be some changes.


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New RBA surcharging standard
Currently, different businesses surcharge their customers in different ways. To ensure fairness, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has defined a new surcharging standard.
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Learn more about your terminal, watch videos, get step-by-step instructions on how to perform everyday tasks, as well as troubleshooting guides.

domain: finance


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Tracing the incredible career of one of the biggest music and film stars of all time, Will Smith's inspirational memoir also homes in on the emotional toll that stardom can exact and provides sound advice to all those who think they have mastered life only to find themselves unfulfilled.
One of the most dynamic and globally recognized entertainment forces of our time opens up fully about his life, in a brave and inspiring book that traces his learning curve to a place where outer success, inner happiness, and human connection are aligned. Along the way, Will tells the story in full of one of the most amazing rides through the worlds of music and film that anyone has ever had.
Will Smith's transformation from a fearful child in a tense West Philadelphia home to one of the biggest pop stars of his era and then one of the biggest movie stars in Hollywood history, with a string of box office successes that will likely never be broken, is an epic tale of inner transformation and outer triumph, and Will tells it astonishingly well. But it's only half the story.
Will Smith thought, with good reason, that he had won at life: not only was his own success unparalleled, his whole family was at the pinnacle of the entertainment world. Only they didn't see it that way: they felt more like star performers in his circus, a seven-days-a-week job they hadn't signed up for. It turned out Will Smith's education wasn't nearly over.
This memoir is the product of a profound journey of self-knowledge, a reckoning with all that your will can get you and all that it can leave behind. Written with the help of Mark Manson, author of the multi-million-copy bestseller The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, Will is the story of how one exceptional man mastered his own emotions, written in a way that can help everyone else do the same. Few of us will know the pressure of performing on the world's biggest stages for the highest of stakes, but we can all understand that the fuel that works for one stage of our journey might have to be changed if we want to make it all the way home. The combination of genuine wisdom of universal value and a life story that is preposterously entertaining, even astonishing, puts Will the book, like its author, in a category by itself.
It's easy to maneuver the material world once you have conquered your own mind. I believe that. Once you've learned the terrain of your own mind, every experience, every emotion, every circumstance, whether positive or negative, simply propels you forward, to greater growth and greater experience. That is true will. To move forward in spite of anything. And to move forward in a way that brings others with you, rather than leave them behind. - Will Smith
Number of pages: 400
Weight: 500 g
Dimensions: 240 x 156 x 30 mm
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January 9th, 2020 – By Galina Semyonova
Oksana Senatorova is the publisher of the Jewelry Trade Navigator magazine and the founder of the Jewellery Business Academy.
She graduated from I. M. Sechenov Medical Academy and the Faculty of Psychology of Lomonosov Moscow State University.
In 2001, she started the Jewelry Trade Navigator magazine, the leading Russian professional publication on technologies and culture of jewellery sales.
She heads the industry projects: the ‘Diamond Street’ almanac – about jewelers who are the future of the Russian jewellery art, and the ‘Top 100. The best jewellery stores’.
She also does a popular jewellery guide series for the trade and a wide range of readers.
She is an organizer and host of the prestigious international contest the ‘Best Jewellery Store of the Year’, an organizer and curator of the Russian jewellery industry seminars on sales and professional jewellery trade events.
She is awarded the Faberge Memorial Fund Award: the Small Decoration of the Order of Perkhin (2010).
In an exclusive interview with Rough&Polished, she shares her thoughts on trade shows, diamond trading and consumer trends.
You visit almost all the jewellery exhibitions: Vicenza, Hong Kong, Astana, JUNWEX … Tell us which of the last exhibitions was the most interesting one?
The September Hong Kong show was very unusual, from the point of view of the situation in Hong Kong, and no less interesting. It took us long to decide – to go or not to go because of the political disturbances there. It should be noted that the politics affected the exhibition: many traditional participants have not come – this was especially seen in the Indian pavilions, and the rotation was also in the premium pavilion.
Interestingly, the local jewellers were on the side of the protesters, although they agreed that politics should not affect global business events.
It is also interesting that the Hong Kong fair consists of two parts and it starts at the AsiaWorld-Expo at the airport – there is a large international exposition focused primarily on semiprecious and ornamental stones, of course, polished diamonds and, a whole slew of all kinds of pearls.
At the main jewellery show held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, I walked mainly around premium pavilions and stands. The Russian and Italian speech is heard much. But this year, some companies began to curtail their work at the stand somewhat earlier every day than the official closing time of the exhibition. There were many visitors – the audience – but there were no customers, so the exhibitors thought it more efficient not to waste time on looking sadly at each other’s stands. Of course, on the whole, the participants in the exhibition stated that the number of visitors and customers had fallen drastically – which could not but affect the business.
What stands attracted more visitors?
The stands with mass market products. As I said, many Indian companies decided to take no risks and did not come. But, as always, there is a 5th floor where the Chinese manufacturing factories are displayed. There, the work is in full swing, everything is very lively – mass market products, silver items, jewellery with stones … Everything that the Chinese make – both the time-tested classic jewellery and the trendy minimalism – the products are quite high-quality and fashionable. After all, the customers have become more demanding – for 1,000 rubles (about $20) they want to get an exclusive jewellery piece.
Several Russian companies displayed their goods in the International Exhibition Pavilion. Unfortunately, not many ‘stubborn’ visitors were able to find them there. But some of our manufacturers, being more experienced, displayed their things among the Chinese pavilions that are popular with the buyers from all over the world, and they came up trumps. The right place – from a marketing point of view – is perhaps the most important element of the success at a huge international exhibition.
What about diamond jewellery? Are polished diamonds still popular?
The diamond jewellery sales in the mass segment, of course, dropped. The emphasis is more on a steady classic jewellery, which, at least, sells better. The jewellery cost can be various – from affordable to stratospheric prices, but the design, as a rule, does not go beyond the classic one. Interestingly, the price in Hong Kong is not revealed, as they say, it is an agreed, ‘negotiated’ one – I think it depends primarily on the bargaining skills.
I met a jeweler-designer from Europe, who works in Hong Kong. What he makes is not quite a classic jewellery, although he tends towards the classic one, but not the avant-garde one. A very high-end luxury jewellery piece is a 40 carat diamond with an exorbitant price tag, but the design is classic.
What trends could you point out?
First, the today’s customer needs an offer of something unique that others do not have. Now we should target at a narrow segment, at the quite small groups in a narrow circle of interests: the customers should recognize themselves in each advertisement.
Second, the access to the e-commerce. These are the international market places of Alibaba, Amazon, eBay and others. Moreover, the long-awaited changes in the legislation have taken place, allowing the online commerce. So, it’s time to embrace this niche.
One more trend – the customer is no longer afraid of laboratory-grown diamonds. Of course, there will always be supporters of the natural stones, as they have their own emotional component. For example, several Ekaterinburg companies – MOISEIKIN, CHAMOVSKIKH, DEMIDOV, are still committed to natural stones, classic designs and high-end jewellery. By the way, pay attention to the mini-trend: using your own name in the name of the company and building the brand on its founder identity. This approach increases sales due to greater confidence in the brand.
And at the same time, recently, a jeweller who effectively works with grown diamonds told me a story: there is a category of men who buy ‘two jewellery pieces’. It becomes important for them that for the price of one natural diamond you can buy two lab-grown diamonds of the same or even better quality. In addition, there are young buyers for whom the guarantee of the social and environmental ‘purity’ diamonds is important. For the generation Zers, it is important that these are not ‘blood’ diamonds, no child labor was used in their mining and manufacturing, and the nature was not damaged.
Rational purchasing behavior, cautious attitude to own finances lead the manufacturer to a wider use of grown diamonds in the manufacture of budget diamond jewellery. If we take into account the problem of ‘mixing’ synthetic stones to the natural ‘melee’ categories, it may be worthwhile to openly declare and use the grown diamonds, emphasizing that in such a jewellery piece, the ‘pave’ is of perfect selection and quality.
You also conduct training sessions? What are the topics of your seminars?
First of all, these are information technologies and their use in the jewellery trade, as well as the promotion of the jewellery business in social networks, algorithms to be used in the work with customers. Also, we consider real SMM (social media marketing) cases from the jewellery industry and the luxury market.
As for the e-commerce – the analysis of trading platforms, sales channels, promotion of goods, communication with customers, stages of placement on the platforms, and the opportunities for the manufacturing and retail jewellery companies.
And also the topic I mentioned above – a unique selling proposition (USP).
What do you mean by the USP – is it an event related to some dates, holidays, some kind of an exclusive, attractive offer?
A unique selling proposition (USP) is a kind of a special feature, ‘it’.
‘Unique’ means something that competitors certainly don’t have. The seller must offer the buyer something that other stores don’t offer, and not the same goods but ‘in other – for example, yellow – wrapping’.
‘Selling’ means what the customer pays money for. And this is not about service and comfort, because with comfort and promotions you can increase customer loyalty, but you receive money for a unique product.
The ‘proposal’ – this is perhaps the most difficult thing: we have the goods, but we are not able to – or simply do not – offer them (let them guess); or we do offer this item, but it is not available right now…
The question of what people are buying is ambiguous, and often, it is not at all dependent on the price tag, is it?
The choice always exists, and really, it does not necessarily depend on the price tag.
Everyone buys goods he/she can afford: lovers of premium purchases buy in brand boutiques, the middle class goes to shopping centers, the economy purchases are chosen in the Chinese market or at discounters. But the problem of choice is in any segment. It was in the Soviet times that people bought a ‘deficit thing’ that was sold at a given moment, now the choice is becoming less random and more justified. And if the buyer cannot navigate the choice and correlate it with the actual value for himself/herself, the buyer puts off the purchase. So, actually, we do not satisfy the need – we sell a certain value. And it is very important for jewellers and sellers to think about what value their product translates.
Recently, a consumer behavior study was conducted, specifically for the Jewelry Trade Navigator. Tell us about it, please.
According to the parameters we set, Segmento (its shareholders are Sberbank of the Russian Federation and AFK ‘Sistema’) analyzed a data sample that included over 300,000 residents of Moscow and over 600,000 people from the Russian regions. Only the data on the buyers who made a jewellery purchase in 2019 were analyzed.
And what are the results?
Let’s see how the customer data is distributed in the gender segment: in Moscow, 71% of women make jewellery purchases (in the regions, their share was 75%); 29% of men make jewellery purchases in Moscow (in the regions, 25%).
In the age segment, the shares of age groups in Moscow and the regions practically do not differ, and an audience aged 35–44 years is represented in both segments and it is 10% above the average. The same group holds the largest share among all customers. Also, in both segments, there are few respondents aged 18-24 and 55+ years.
By the ‘gender + age’, it is clear that women aged 35-44 make the majority of the audience in both segments. In the regions, the same group is 1.3 times above the average, and in Moscow 1.25 times above the average. Moreover, in the regions, there are more women-buyers aged 45-54 years than in Moscow.
The sample data by income level was divided into four conditional categories by their income level: the main share of jewellery buyers, of course, has an income above the average and a high one. In Moscow, customers are more affluent, the proportion of high-income respondents is greater than in the regions, and almost 2 times more than this share on the average.
I am fond of a dry language of numbers: it allows you to analyze the market in order to competently build your business, spend money rationally on your advertising campaigns and, working for everyone, appeal to each customer almost directly.
There is always a wide range of interests in customer behaviour that can be divided into two large categories. Firstly, these are online interests: we are talking about the customers who have made a jewellery purchase online and are actively interested in other products and services on the Internet. This is about what they were interested in, what they read about, what they saw. It is the people’s interests that you need to know in order to include them in the advertising data sample. Secondly, the customer behaviour really tells you what characteristic spending is made by our customers. Their online and offline purchases were taken into account. We also plan to investigate what the residents of million-plus cities bought, and we’ll analyze the amount and quality of their purchases.
What should be done if the demand is changing – it has shifted from jewellery to the segment of travelling, cars, gadgets?
At the seminar, we asked ourselves: are there fewer buyers with the entry of the generations Z and Y, or is this old luxury becoming a thing of the past? No, it doesn’t go away – just the demand is changing. And the manufacturers will have to work more with young designers who would understand their generation better. And also, to form a culture of jewellery consumption among the young generation. Let the jewellery pieces for them be small, thin and light – the minimalism is welcome. And then, with age, their preferences and demand will change, but jewellery will stay! Yes, it’s not easy now. Did anyone promise that it would be easy and simple?
Source: https://www.rough-polished.com/Disclaimer: This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.

domain: economics


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TriCaster™ Virtual Set Editor 2 (VSE) lets you make a statement with your live production. Get the look you want using breakthrough technology to build and customize your own network-style virtual sets. Edit specially-designed virtual sets that produce real-time reflections and specular highlights. With a wide range of elements that you can customize. Or create a one-of-a-kind virtual environment using your own original artwork. Use with any TriCaster 850/855/860 series, TriCaster 450/455/410/460 series, TriCaster 300 or TriCaster 8000 system to design the studio of your dreams.
TriCaster Virtual Set Editor lets you:
- Change the color and tone of set elements
- Apply custom logos and artwork directly to sets
- Replace backgrounds with video or your own images
- Show or hide select set furniture and fixtures
- Add custom backgrounds and frames to double-box effects
- Set start and end framing position of virtual zoom
- Adjust placement (position, scale and rotation) of live video inputs
- Add your own artwork to Layer Sets to create custom virtual sets
- Use 32 or 16-bit PSD (Photoshop® document) files for real warped mapping layers
TriCaster Virtual Set Editor includes TriCaster VSE-compatible virtual set content files, Layer Sets, double-box effects, 48 double-box frames, more than 30 backgrounds and PSD examples.

domain: artistic


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Pune: Kothrud police and Pune Municipal Corporation employees recovered Rs 500 fine from Amarnath Rajurkar, Member of Legislative Assembly of Congress from Nanded, who was caught roaming in the area without wearing a mask. A team of police personnel under the supervision of Police Sub-Inspector Narendra Munde from Erandwane police station took this action.
A fine of Rs 14.60 lakh was recovered in the last three days during the action taken against 280 citizens who did not wear masks. The drive was conducted at locations like Dahanukar Colony underpass in Kothrud, Mohanrao Shiralkar Chowk, Shastri Nagar Police Station Chowk, Kinara Chowk, Karve Putla Chowk, Shivaji Putla Chowk, Paud Phata Chowk and Bhelke Nagar Chowk.
Sandeep Kadam, Assistant Municipal Commissioner of Kothrud Bavdhan Ward Office, Pratibha Joshi, Police Inspector from Kothrud police station and Ram Sonawane, Senior Health Inspector along with Health inspectors Sachin Lohkare, Ganesh Sathe, Pramod Chavan, Vaibhav Ghatkamble, Shivaji Gaikwad, Rupali Shendge, Police Personnel A R Andhare, Vilas Joshi, S S Lokhande, Manoj Pawar, Shravan Shewale, Ganesh Kandhare, Mokadam Vaijnath Gaikwad, Anna Dhavare, Laxman Sonawane, Sainath Telangi, Ashok Kamble and Vijay Patil participated in the drive against violators.
Vaijnath Gaikwad said, "The punitive action taken against the Congress MLA has sent a right message to the citizens. We hope that this will discipline citizens who are stepping out of their homes without wearing masks and wander on the streets for unessential purposes.
Sandeep Kadam, Assistant Municipal Commissioner of Kothrud - Bavdhan Ward Office of PMC said, "The continuous joint action of the police and the PMC will lead to discipline among the citizens. Everyone needs to cooperate to curb the spread of coronavirus. Covid-19 cases are on the rise in the city due to some citizens venturing out of their homes without wearing masks, spitting on the streets and not following social distancing norms."

domain: sociology


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Feast Beast Records (NA/EU) / Spiritual Beast (Asia)
Release: 22 October 2021
For fans of Blind Guardian, Falconer, Powerwolf, Sabaton, Unleash the Archers
“Lyrically, the album tells 10 stories from various sources all surrounding Hubris, the notion of arrogance and the hunger for power, resulting in the demise of the story’s main characters – beneath the surface, hidden messages are scattered throughout various lyrical lines that pertain to the band’s real-life experiences. Musically, the album is the marriage of European Anthemic Power Metal and American Speed Metal, with a penchant for speed and aggression accentuating the dynamics of the music.” – Ravenous
Album Pre-Order – https://igg.me/at/hubris
“Ignoring Ravenous E.H. would be as foolish as turning your back on Arya Stark” – Tinnitist
“Ravenous is not your squeaky clean, hyper-active, frilly shirts with puffy sleeves, keyboard-driven, ballerina, musical-box type of Power Metal, but more your mud and blood and grime with style” – Metal Rules
“A power metal album with enough to the longstanding traditions that makes the style fun and exciting for those who crave melodies and hooks” – Metal Observer
“Everything is here and there are no weaknesses. A real gem that will be written for years! I am waiting for more! Until then, “repeat” remains!” – Power Metal Warrior
“An abundance of Power Metal motifs that blend into a more or less captivating musical waterfall” – Metal Forever
- Carnage in Carthage (4:37)
- Astral Elixir (5:16)
- Son of Storms (4:33)
- Die 1000 Deaths (5:24)
- Bridgeburner (6:10)
- The Alder Queen (3:17)
- March of Hunger (4:47)
- Claw is the Law (5:24)
- Onwards & Upwards (4:09)
- …Of Beasts and Faust (10:21)
Total Length 53:57
Japanese Version Exclusives
- Cakaw Te Partiro (Bonus) – 3:13
- 一瞬千撃 (Bonus) – 5:25
Total Length 62:34
Live Band Line Up:
A. Voltaire: Vocals
Jake Wright: Guitar
Skyler Mills: Guitar
Chris Valax: Bass
Dave Crnkovic: Drums
2021 – Hubris (LP)
2019 – Eat the Fallen (LP)
2019 – Conquering the Sun (Single)
2017 – Eternal Hunger (EP)
Ravenous was forged in the spring of 2016 in Calgary, Canada as the brainchild of vocalist R.A.V, known for his exploits leading Edmonton-based satirical terrorist Metal band Villainizer. Ravenous also started with members of other established Western Canadian metal bands: Viathyn, Scythia, and Black Pestilence. Influences ranging from Thrash, Power, Black, and Progressive metal came together to deliver heroic Heavy Metal anthems in the style of Manowar, Sabaton, Iced Earth, and Running Wild.
Rife with soaring vocals, thundering percussion, and shredding solos, the ‘Eternal Hunger’ EP, recorded and self-produced by Ravenous in December 2016, was released in January 2017 and featured just a taste of what was to come.
In 2018, together with founding guitarist Jake Wright (Viathyn) and bassist Chris Valax (Black Pestilence), Ravenous recruited drummer Dave Crnkovic (Viathyn) and guitarist Skyler Mills (W.M.D). This lineup would go on to play several shows, including the debut of the Hyperspace Metal Festival in Vancouver as well as dates with video game metal band Powerglove.In preparation for their upcoming full-length album ‘Eat the Fallen’, Ravenous released a music video for ‘Conquering the Sun’ – dedicated to the 70,000 Tons of Metal festival, featuring the festival’s staff and fans.
After a successful pre-order campaign reaching their $5,000 presale goal, Ravenous signed to Feast Beast Records and set out to release ‘Eat the Fallen’ on April 26, 2019. Combining their various influences across the gamut of Metal, they coined a new term for their music – Metallum Heroica Celeritas, Heroic Speed Metal.
The album was engineered by frontman R.A.V, mixed and mastered by Sacha Laskow at Perfect Filth Studios, and features orchestration from Jon Phipps (OrchestralMetal.com), guest solos from Charlie Parra del Riego (Solo, Difonia, M.A.S.A.C.R.E., Ex-Kobra and the Lotus), Tim Brown (Striker, Ex-Kobra and the Lotus), and samples by former drummer James “Little V” Mills.
Ravenous announced several Western-Canadian shows in support of the new album which including Alestorm on select Canadian tour dates and performance on Hyperspace Metal Festival in Vancouver.
Now in 2021, Ravenous is set to bring out another heavy music feast with their next full-length entitled “Hubris” due out October 2021 via Feast Beast Records for North America and Europe along with a Japanese release via Spiritual Beast Records, which will include two exclusive tracks.
“When we formed we were originally looking to make fun, simple, fist-pumping songs that a crowd could sing along with. After touring for the Eat the Fallen record in 2019 and playing some great shows across Western Canada, we started thinking about the direction we were going to take our second album. When the Pandemic hit and the world shut down, the songs started to flow out organically in a darker tone than they had previously. We wanted to maintain the catchiness and simplicity that we had focused on in the early days, but tighten up the writing, performances, and editing so that we could put out something professional and punchy. We were meticulous and anal when it came to how everything was done, and the fantastic production job by Fredrik Nordstrom really showcases everything we set out to achieve. We recruited several of our friends (and one long-time vocal idol!) to contribute guest vocals and instrumentation to fill out the album with the appropriate amount of atmosphere and variation.” – Ravenous
Lyrically, the new record tells ten stories from various sources all surrounding Hubris, the notion of arrogance and the hunger for power, resulting in the demise of the story’s main characters – beneath the surface, hidden messages are scattered throughout various lyrical lines that pertain to the band’s real-life experiences. Musically, Ravenous offers up a marriage of European Anthemic Power Metal and American Speed Metal, with a penchant for speed and aggression accentuating the dynamics of the music. So pump your fist, bang your head, and roar your lungs out to show your hunger for more!


Congressman Brian Baird (WA-03) is continuing his drive to improve the health of marine ecosystems. Congressman Baird recently joined with other lawmakers and scientists to participate in the Puget Sound Ocean Acidification Workshop in Seattle to help address ocean acidification.
Ocean acidification occurs when oceans absorb massive amounts of carbon dioxide, nitrogen and sulfur compounds from the atmosphere. The ocean then becomes more acidic, causing big changes in ocean chemistry and threatening the health of marine organisms.
For Congressman Baird, part of the problem is making the issue of ocean acidification more relevant to everyone.
"When you talk about ocean acidification, people need to understand that it means more acid in the ocean and that it affects the food chain. Acid is not a good thing, acid is scary," Baird said. "When I talk to fishermen in my district, I talk about how ocean acidification will impact the food supply for the salmon. Then they get it."
The Puget Sound Ocean Acidification Workshop brought together regional experts to try to establish a comprehensive plan to monitor and manage the ocean acidification problem in the Sound.
Congressman Baird, who chairs the Energy and Environment Subcommittee, has long been a leader on the issue of ocean acidification. Congressman Baird wrote and helped guide the Federal Ocean Acidification Research and Monitoring Act of 2009 (FOARAM) through Congress. President Obama signed the bill into law in March 2009.
FOARAM ensures that the Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology can put into effect a plan to better understand and manage ocean acidification and its impact on marine ecosystems. The Joint Subcommittee's one year report on ocean acidification is due out soon.


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Join the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens on the third Saturday of each month for studio classes. In this class, students will explore works of sculpture from the Museum’s permanent collection before returning to the studio to construct three-dimensional works of their own. Projects will be completed within one class period. Open to children ages 6 through 12. Class size is limited. For further information, please email email@example.com or call 904-355-0630. Cost is $10 for members and $15 for non-members.
January 20, 10:30am to 12:30pm -- Mediterranea
February 17, 10:30am to 12:30pm -- The Lost Bird Project
March 17, 10:30am to 12:30pm -- Nature And Art


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A music series celebrating Geelong’s strong jazz culture in concerts featuring some of the regions best established and emerging talents.
This event will feature star Australian jazz vocalist Amelia Evans accompanied by Geelong best jazz musicians.
Award-winning Australian vocalist, Amelia Evans is a Melbourne based musician and recent graduate of the Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music, Monash University. As the recipient of the Margaret Schofield Music Performance Scholarship (VCAA) and the Monash-Pratt Music Performance Jazz Scholarship, 2016 marked the beginning of her success as a young jazz vocalist.
In 2017, Amelia was awarded the coveted James Morrison Generations in Jazz Vocal Scholarship, performing as one of the six best young jazz vocalists in Australia. Chosen by James Morrison and an expert panel of some of the world’s finest musicians, Amelia worked with the likes of Jazzmeia Horn, Gordon Goodwin, Wycliffe Gordon, Ross Irwin and Kate Ceberano.
The band will include:
Callum Watson – Piano
Evan Jones – Bass
Sean Loughran – Drums
Our bar and kitchen will be available for this event selling wines from our exclusive partner Jack Rabbit, cheese platters and delicious Devonshire tea.
This event is supported by the City of Greater Geelong as part of Geelong Seniors Festival 2019.

domain: entertainment


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The Beautiful looking email template is one of the key aspects of your email marketing because professionally designed eCommerce email templates attract the attention of your customers and increase their curiosity to buy your product.
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It is a powerful HTML templates for transactional-based emails that compatible with Apple iPhone, Gmail App, Apple Mail, Outlook & more. it with your WooCommerce or Shopify theme, or build custom emails with content builders from MyMail, StampReady, MailChimp and CampaignMonitor.
WonderHome – Real Estate E-newsletter Template is a high-quality eCommerce email template incorporated with responsive style and suitable for Real Estate, Hotels, Hostels, Businesses, Agencies, Magazines, Personal Blogs, Webshops, and E-commerce.


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Ready to increase desired behaviors in your child, and take some of the emotional struggles out of parenting a child with special needs? A token economy, also known as token reinforcement, is easy to set up and implement.
What is a token economy?
Remember that gold star you coveted on your homework in elementary school? The potty chart your mother used when you were a toddler? Token economies in action!
A token economy is a system that rewards target behavior with a chosen token, chip, sticker, or checkmark.
Those tokens can periodically be exchanged for items or activities that are motivational to the child. Sounds familiar? Of course it does: if you have ever had a job, a token economy is just the same. You go to work and meet an expectation in exchange for money. The money, which has no value on its own, can be exchanged for things you want.
What you need to start at token economy
Anything that is visible and can be counted can be used as a token. Yes, we’re starting with the obvious, here. And no need to overthink it: poker chips are an easy choice, but your tokens can be tickets, stickers, play money, or any other item of your choice. What to keep in mind: tokens should be portable, so that they can be awarded anywhere.
A means of keeping track:
Children need a way to keep up with their tokens that is consistent. This could be a chart, a tally system, a jar, etc.
A behavior target:
What behavior do you want to change? What do you hope to encourage? A list of the desired behaviors and the tokens that will be rewarded for each must be clearly listed and explained to the child ahead of time.
Most parents find it easier to choose a handful of behaviors to focus on when setting up a token economy.
Items for exchange:
What can your child earn? Just like you (and the example of your paycheck) your child wants to know what they’re working for. An exciting menu of options that appeal to the child is the key to success for this type of program. How to do this? Create a ‘store’ of choices for which the child can exchange their tokens. Or how about presenting your child with a ‘menu’?
There are no wrong ways to go about this, as long as the rewards are clear to your child ahead of time. By the way, these items do not have to be material items. Choosing what’s for dinner, staying up late, or going to the park can all be choices for exchange. Just be sure to get your child involved in choosing the rewards they would like to earn.
Tips for your token economy
- Choose a handful of behaviors to address, but do not overwhelm your child by trying to correct everything. Focus on a behavior where the child excels so that they can get the feeling of succeeding with the system.
- Frame the desired behavior in a positive manner. In other words, encourage positive behaviors instead of discouraging negative ones. Instead of, ‘don’t complain during dinner’, use ‘keep a cheerful attitude during dinner’.
- If the child is struggling to earn any tokens, break the task into smaller chunks and reward more frequently. Again, a feeling of success is key.
- Reward the proper behavior immediately by handing out a token. Instant gratification is ideal for kids who are struggling with delayed consequences.
- Change the system as the child improves their behavior. Give tokens more sparingly and make rewards more costly to wean your child away from the token economy.
So, does it really work?
Research shows that token economies are very effective for kids who have been resistant to all other types of intervention. The immediate delivery of a tangible reminder of good behavior keeps children motivated and helps them to stay focused.
Another benefit: because the rewards can be varied, kids are also less likely to get bored with the system. However, by far, the greatest benefit is the flexibility of the system. If it’s not working quite right, you can tweak the system by adding rewards or breaking tasks down into smaller chunks for faster success. Parents save face, and kids progress. Win win!
More to read: Is it Possible to Faint When You Use Medical Cannabis?

domain: psychology


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The City is rife with gambling addicts whose habits contribute to a risk-prone culture of the sort which helped Kweku Adoboli lose UBS £1.5bn, according to one London trader.
Adoboli's trial heard that the 32-year-old lost £123,000 with a spread betting firm in just one year, and had taken out more than half a dozen short-term loans despite a combined annual salary and bonus of £360,000. Simon Taylor, one of Adoboli's desk colleagues, told the trial that such private trading was widespread at UBS.
The risky, off-the-books bets carried out by Adoboli during his job were likely to be another symptom of a wider addiction to gambling, said the trader, who asked not to be identified.
"There are absolutely thousands of undiagnosed gambling addicts in the City. The difference is that the odds are slightly more in your favour than if you're gambling in a Ladbrokes, and so there are many more people who can be successful gambling addicts."
Such an addiction, inevitably, affected work decisions, he said: "There are human emotions and you're dealing with things that shouldn't be emotional. That, for me, is the crux of the matter. Trading decisions should be pragmatic, but they're not, especially when you're trying to recoup losses like he was."
Some trading houses had brought in psychologists to look at this, he said, adding: "But for some reason, with the banks it's still the bottom line is all that matters."
Separately, the trader said, he was aghast that UBS had supposedly failed to pick up on the extent of Adoboli's side deals in his job, something now being investigated by Swiss and UK regulators: "When I put on a trade, just to click the button on my mouse I have to have limits set, and from there it goes through at least four or five individuals over the course of a day. Overnight, all your positions are assessed. If you avoid those processes, someone has to let you avoid those processes."
He added: "If someone wants to commit a fraud they will. There's not a huge amount you can do about it. But ever since Barings I don't understand how there's an internal system at a bank that doesn't automatically prevent them from doing things like that, or else someone overseeing it. That, for me, is the real surprise. If not, inevitably something like this will happen."
While there had been a handful of cases of giant losses racked up by banks in such ways, the trader said, this was the tip of an iceberg: "It's happened, I promise you, at least 100 more times when it's not big enough to make a news story, so we never hear about it."


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Arkansas’ recent legislation mandating age verification for social media use has sparked opposition from the technology industry. NetChoice, a tech trade group representing major companies such as Google, Meta (formerly Facebook), and TikTok, has taken legal action against the state of Arkansas, citing violations of the U.S. Constitution in the form of the Social Media Safety Act. The law, according to the group, encroaches upon individuals’ First Amendment rights to free speech by compelling users to disclose private information in order to access social networks. Additionally, NetChoice argues that the law undermines family decision-making processes.
NetChoice further asserts that the Act compromises privacy and safety by requiring internet companies to rely on a third-party service for the storage and tracking of children’s data. The group claims that many state residents are unfamiliar with or have no affiliation with this service, making it a potential target for cyberattacks. Moreover, the lawsuit argues that the law attempts to regulate the internet beyond state jurisdiction while disregarding federal legislation. Since Arkansas cannot verify residency without demanding personal data, the law effectively imposes a requirement for everyone to submit documentation.
State Attorney General Tim Griffin, in a statement to BuyTechBlog, expresses his determination to “vigorously defend” the Social Media Safety Act. The law mandates age verification for all users through means such as submitting driver’s licenses or other “commercially reasonable” methods. Individuals under 18 years old must also obtain parental consent. However, certain exceptions seem to apply to major social media platforms and related categories, such as “professional networking” platforms like LinkedIn or platforms featuring short entertaining video clips like TikTok.
Arkansas’ age verification requirement aligns with a broader trend among policymakers seeking similar measures for social media platforms. States like Utah, Connecticut, and Ohio have either enacted or are contemplating similar laws, while Senator Josh Hawley has proposed federal legislation that would prohibit social media access for children under 16 years old. These measures aim to protect younger users from potential threats such as predators and inappropriate content, as well as address concerns regarding mental health issues stemming from distorted perceptions of reality and addictive behavior.
The success of the lawsuit remains uncertain. However, if the legal challenge proves successful, it could have ramifications for other initiatives aiming to verify age through personal data. Should Arkansas’ approach be deemed unconstitutional, other states might be compelled to abandon their own efforts in this regard.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about lawsuit
What is the lawsuit about?
The lawsuit is about tech firms suing Arkansas over its social media age verification law, citing constitutional violations and concerns regarding privacy and free speech.
Who filed the lawsuit?
The lawsuit was filed by NetChoice, a tech trade group representing companies like Google, Meta, and TikTok.
What are the main concerns raised by NetChoice?
NetChoice’s concerns include potential violations of First Amendment free speech rights, the requirement to share private data for accessing social networks, the infringement on family decision-making, privacy and safety issues related to storing and tracking kids’ data, and the disregard for federal law while regulating the internet.
What does the law require in terms of age verification?
The law mandates age verification for all social media users, which can be done through methods such as submitting driver’s licenses or other “commercially reasonable” means. Users under 18 also need to obtain parental consent.
Why are states implementing age verification laws for social media?
States are implementing these laws to protect younger users from potential risks like predators and inappropriate content. They are also concerned about the impact of social media on mental health and addiction.
How might this lawsuit impact similar age verification efforts?
If the lawsuit succeeds and Arkansas’ approach is deemed unconstitutional, other states may need to reconsider or drop their own age verification initiatives, potentially impacting the broader trend of implementing such laws.

domain: law


An assessment that demonstrates the importance of migrating off old systems, and shows you the tools and services that can simplify the process.
Upgrading your ERP system can be a stressful process, with so many opportunities for things to go wrong. Sometimes you think it would just be easier to suffer through the deficiencies of your current system, rather than disrupt the business.
Our proven consulting methodology tools and services provide predictable and successful project outcomes. By utilizing best practices, we help you bring your data and business processes forward to Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations.
Your business needs ERP that is transformative and running an outdated ERP system doesn’t support the business environment in which you and your competitors operate.
For Dynamics AX 2009 customers this means bringing opening balances, and the chart of accounts and customer data to the cloud. You will learn how to use Power BI to leverage historical data that is not migrated.
For Dynamics AX 2012 customers the tools will help bring all their current and historical data to Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations.
Take advantage of:
Continuous innovation with a click of a button.
Rich customizations without costly code upgrade.
New features introduced as opt-in enable at a time that works for your business.
A clear understanding of what migrating to the cloud looks like and what it will mean for your specific business.
A firm grasp on how to use robust tools and services for simplified and predicable upgrades and migrations that reduce time and cost.


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Director, Editor, Producer. POLAND.
Lukasz Rog is an independent, self-taught film enthusiast from Rzeszów (Poland). For years he has been passionate about creating music videos and commercials because all his life while listening to the music (that is most important to him), he sees images to it.
In 2021 Lukasz directed his first feature film NO STARS ANYMORE which has been awarded at 38 international film festivals and also he won the main awards at 11 of them, including the best film of the year and the best directorial debut.
F I L M


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The N.F.L. schedule makers haven’t exactly delivered a holiday weekend of big-ticket items.
Then again, they couldn’t have foreseen so much uninspired football. A glut of teams apparently began gorging on tryptophan just after Labor Day and now have records of 4-6 or 5-5 that keep them in a sorry excuse for contention.
For that matter, no one could have imagined last spring that in Week 12, Oakland would be the thrilling side of the Raiders-Panthers matchup.
The schedule provides just one Sunday game in which both entrants — Kansas City at Denver — have winning records.
No pressure, Chiefs and Broncos, but after a Thanksgiving plate of four division leaders in three games, everyone is looking at you as the most appetizing leftovers.
Here’s a look at all of Sunday’s matchups and who we think will win them:
Chiefs (7-3) at Broncos (7-3)
8:30 p.m. Line: Denver by 3 ½
The Broncos are the defending Super Bowl champions and winners of five consecutive A.F.C. West titles. The Chiefs have won 17 of 20 regular-season games. Remember that before mentally sending the Patriots and the Raiders straight to the A.F.C. championship game.
Each defense is carrying its offense; both teams are in the bottom third of the N.F.L. for yards. Kansas City has a league-high 23 takeaways; Denver is just behind with 20.
Both teams are a game behind Oakland in the division, and both still have home games against the Raiders. The winner here earns the better shot at sticking a finger in Oakland’s eye patch.
Cardinals (4-5-1) at Falcons (6-4)
1 p.m. Line: Falcons by 4
Forget everything you learned in geography class. The Falcons will win the South by conquering the West.
Arizona is one of three N.F.C. West teams the Falcons will play in the next four weeks. The Matt Ryan-to-Julio Jones connection remains the best statistically in the league. Let’s see what that pair can do against Arizona’s top-ranked pass defense.
The Cardinals have maneuvered into playoff prospects that are long on hope and short on probability. Asked to explain the Cardinals’ season, receiver Larry Fitzgerald said, “The things that are happening are pretty unexplainable.”
Bengals (3-6-1) at Ravens (5-5)
1 p.m. Line: Ravens by 4
How southbound are the Bengals? The retired receiver Chad Johnson offered to help on extra points after kicker Mike Nugent missed twice in a 16-12 loss to Buffalo last week.
“I’m available & enjoy pressure situations,” Johnson posted on Twitter. The Bengals could certainly use some help. They just lost receiver A. J. Green (hamstring) and running back Giovani Bernard (knee) to injuries, shelving a combined 135 catches for 1,300 yards.
The Ravens have held half of their opponents under 20 points. If they cannot end a five-game losing streak to the Bengals under these circumstances, they have no business challenging the Steelers for the division title.
Jaguars (2-8) at Bills (5-5)
1 p.m. Line: Bills by 7 ½
Bills Coach Rex Ryan called the Jaguars “the best two-win team I’ve ever seen,” forgetting every 2-0 team in history.
Jacksonville plays solid defense (No. 7 in yards allowed), but the offense is the disaster behind its five straight losses. Quarterback Blake Bortles’s 13 interceptions are tied for the league’s worst, and now he is playing with a bad shoulder.
Buffalo has its problems. Running back LeSean McCoy had thumb surgery Monday, and Robert Woods, the team’s leading receiver, is doubtful because of a sprained knee. But a loss would be inexplicable, and the surest path to an N.F.L.-leading 17th straight year without a postseason berth.
Titans (5-6) at Bears (2-8)
1 p.m. Line: Titans by 4 ½
Can’t the Titans make up their minds? They’ve seesawed between wins and losses for six weeks, unable to get to the higher side of .500.
DeMarco Murray has hit the 1,000-yard rushing mark. Quarterback Marcus Mariota is a top-10 passer. Outside linebackers Brian Orakpo and Derrick Morgan have combined for 17 sacks. The run defense ranks seventh. Is the secondary really that disastrous?
While Bears quarterback Jay Cutler has been coping with a shoulder injury that threatens to end his season, Matt Barkley prepared for his first N.F.L. start after nearly four seasons of waiting. Off the bench, Barkley has thrown 65 passes in his career, six of which have been intercepted. If Kirk Cousins, the league leader in pass attempts, had the same interception rate, he would have thrown into his opponents’ hands 40 times so far this year.
Giants (7-3) at Browns (0-11)
1 p.m. Line: Giants by 7
A few members of the 2008 Lions, the only N.F.L. team to endure the anguish of an 0-16 season, recently said that they would not wish the same fate on the Browns. This game won’t do anything to relieve their sympathy, or Cleveland’s pain.
Browns quarterback Josh McCown draws the short stick this week. He will start in place of the concussed rookie Cody Kessler, who became the third Cleveland quarterback to go down behind an offensive line that has allowed a league-worst 38 sacks.
Fourteen sacks plus eight interceptions, including five in the past four games by the young safety Landon Collins, have equaled a five-game winning streak for the Giants.
Chargers (4-6) at Texans (6-4)
1 p.m. Line: Chargers by 1 ½
Houston will finish the season against six straight opponents that went into Week 12 without winning records. If the Texans somehow miss the playoffs after that, don’t blame the Mexico City altitude for Monday’s 27-20 loss to the impressive Raiders.
Houston quarterback Brock Osweiler won’t sleep on the Chargers. As a Bronco last year, he threw three interceptions against San Diego in the regular-season finale, which helped put him on the bench — behind Peyton Manning — for Denver’s Super Bowl run.
The Chargers are the best last-place team in the league, which means no one notices that Melvin Gordon has 838 rushing yards and 11 total touchdowns.
49ers (1-9) at Dolphins (6-4)
1 p.m. Line: Dolphins by 7 ½
Half a season ago, these teams were 1-4 equals in the N.F.L. standings. Only one has refused to let go of the anvil pulling it toward the bottom.
That would be the 49ers, losers of nine straight games for just the second time in their history. Point one finger at a defense that is threatening to set the league record for yardage surrendered in a season. Point another at Coach Chip Kelly’s hurry-off offense, which ranks last in time of possession, following a three-season pattern for the Eagles under Kelly’s command.
Fantasy Football 2016 | Week 17 Rankings
These player rankings from the Sablich brothers are for standard scoring formats and will be updated each week.
The Dolphins’ Jay Ajayi is destined to rush for 100 yards by simply rolling out of bed. Miami has won four straight games by a touchdown or less. Consider this game a much-needed breather in the Dolphins’ push back into postseason consideration.
Rams (4-6) at Saints (4-6)
1 p.m. Line: Saints by 7
The Rams, ranked sixth in total defense, give up 18 points and change per week, and the Saints, ranked first in offense, bank 28.5 a game.
On the flip side, no team has scored fewer points this season than the Rams, who are 8 behind the Bears and 30 behind the Jets. And the Saints have allowed more points per game than anyone but the pitiful 49ers and the dirt-eating Browns.
Hence, a showdown for the right to be a game away from .500.
In the battle of featherweight units, the Rams will send out the rookie quarterback Jared Goff for only his second start, against the Saints defense in the mayhem of the Superdome. When the heavyweights are on the field, the Rams will have to contend with Drew Brees.
So expect Rams Coach Jeff Fisher to pass Tom Landry for second place on the career loss list, and to pull to within three defeats of clipping Dan Reeves for the record.
Seahawks (7-2-1) at Bucs (5-5)
4:05 p.m. Line: Seahawks by 6
Tampa Bay quarterback Jameis Winston is coming through just in time to make everyone remember he is still on the team payroll.
“Jameis motivates me,” Bucs Coach Dirk Koetter said after an unforeseeable 19-17 win at Kansas City last week. Winston has broken his interception habit in two consecutive wins that have put Tampa Bay one game out of first place in the N.F.C. South.
Too bad the Buccaneers have to play Seattle at this time of year. The Seahawks have won 31 of their last 37 games after Nov. 1. With their division all but wrapped up, they are working for home-field advantage in the playoffs — a bounty for any team, but a flying carpet with a genie on board for Seattle.
Patriots (8-2) at Jets (3-7)
4:25 p.m. Line: Patriots by 8
Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick complained in October that people in the team’s headquarters didn’t believe in him. Now returning to the starting lineup to face New England, he may wish they didn’t believe in him so much.
The beleaguered Fitzpatrick shares the N.F.L. interception lead at 13, despite missing two games. So when Coach Todd Bowles said Fitzpatrick looked “normal” at practice this week, it’s not certain what that portends for a team that has lost six of its last eight.
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady should tie the retired Peyton Manning for the N.F.L. record for career wins as a starting quarterback with 200. The Jets are responsible for 21 of Brady’s wins — going on 22.
Panthers (4-6) at Raiders (8-2)
4:25 p.m. Line: Raiders by 3
Everyone loves the Raiders again. Television executives. Mexico City. Las Vegas. And Oakland, with a renewed passion that prompted the mayor to announce that she wants to work out a deal to keep the Raiders from moving to Nevada.
Quarterback Derek Carr keeps finding ways to win games near the finish line, where he has delivered his best work (eight touchdown passes and a 119.4 quarterback rating in the fourth quarter).
The Panthers have won three of four, but to see linebacker Luke Kuechly tearfully leave his last game with a concussion is to hope no one rushes him back. Carolina can miss the playoffs just fine without him.


NDA has been using IRC for twenty five years. Ian’s considerable knowledge, of the crane industry is second to none and shown every time. His companies structure/planning from the phone call, site visit, methodology, supplying the right crane, right operator and equipment required for each respective job is excellent! We will continue to use IRC for many years ahead and would highly recommend IRC on their exceptional performance.
The guys have been having some beers and they wanted me to send an email to comment on how thankful they were for your assistance and grateful for the work that your guys did on-site.
Firstly, thanks to you both and your team for you assisstance over the past few days. You efficiency and professionalism is a credit to you and your company.
Just a quick note to say a massive thanks to your team for the planning and craning of the new toilet block yesterday.
I was a bit taken aback by the age of your crane operator when he first arrived onsite, but I have to say the three guys onsite did nothing but elevate the professional image of your company.
Once again thanks for achieving a great result for us.
Just like to thank you guys for the safe delivery of our shipping container. Your driver was excellent, he went over and above for us to make the whole process easy, even going at lengths to get our container level.
Awesome work guys, thanks again.
Amazing service and precision by your operator, Im an extremely happy customer! Highly recommend your company. Please thank Chum and the team.


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I could not be any happier with how well our trip to Italy went. Our travel agents took the time to plan a wonderful 10 day trip for me and my husband. We went in May 2015 & the weather was wonderful. Our agent escorted us on a guided tour of Cinque Terre and knew many of the people in the villages. They arranged for our own private tour guides to see the religious sites of Rome, the historical sites of Rome, & the ruins of Pompeii. The guides were very knowledgeable and even got us access into areas that were restricted to other tours! They made recommendations on where to eat and what to do in our free time. We are so happy with our decision to book with this agency and would recommend them to others! They truly care about making your trip a dream come true! We will be using them again in the future!
Our guide did a great job of showing us around Cinque Terre. She made sure to tailor the day (walking) to accomidate our needs and limitations. She was very friendly! We enjoyed hearing stories about the people we met on the streets who our guide knew (people who owned shops or came by to sya hi) and it really helped us to view the area as it is in every day life instead of a just as vacation destination. We loved having our own private guides! The guide who did our religious tour in Rome was very knowledgeable. She was also friendly. The guide who did our Ancient Rome tour knew more about the area than all the books she had in her bag combined! She knew how to keep things entertaining and interesting. We felt so honored to have the privilege to see under the stage area and the very top of the colosseum where only a few tours can go. We also had a great time seeing Pompeii with our guide there! We were amazed at how well preserved the city is! Our guide knew a great deal about the history of the city and knew the best spots to focus on and the areas to avoid the large crowds. Our private driver was a breath of fresh air! So lively and funny! He even stopped along the way to take our photo with the beautiful Amalfi a Coast in the background! Our rooms were lovely and the staff were always kind. We could tell that a lot of time and effort went into planning our trip.
I wouldn't change anything about our trip. We had a great time! We plan on taking our kids back when they are a little older and will most definitely be booking with this agency!
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