Douglas County Republican commissioners Abe Laydon, George Teal, and Lora Thomas have spent the last two years embroiled in a series of public infighting spats that have led to censures against Thomas and a lawsuit against Laydon and Teal.
But with Thomas term-limited, the battle to fill her seat in 2024 may prove just as contentious. So far a trio of conservatives have declared for Thomas’ seat. Former Colorado Republican Party Vice Chair Priscilla Rahn was the first to announce. She resigned her party leadership role in June, just months after winning reelection to pursue the county office.
She will face Kevin Van Winkle, the current Colorado state Senator representing Highlands Ranch who announced less than a year after winning his first four-year term in the state senate, and John Carson, a former Douglas County school board member and University of Colorado Regent, for the District 3 seat, who just recently declared his candidacy.
Douglas County has long been a Republican stronghold in a state where the party has seen its power dwindle in the last several elections. Democrats have controlled the Governor’s office, the House, and the Senate since 2018.
Yet, Douglas County’s commissioners have been universally Republican since at least the early 2000’s. For Van Winkle, who would likely resign from the Legislature should he win, serving as commissioner is a higher-paying gig than state senator at $125,913 vs. $41,449 annually.
Both Rahn and Van Winkle are staunch pro-life conservatives and defenders of the Second Amendment. Rahn shows herself firing a gun at a shooting range in a campaign video and says she wants to make Douglas County a leader in preventing school violence.
Rahn is endorsed by Douglas County Sheriff Darrin Weekly, who appeared on Jimmy Graham’s podcast saying he supports arming teachers and staff who’ve had active shooter training. Graham, the owner of Able Shepherd, a company that provides mass shooter training to churches and schools, organized a protest at the Douglas County PrideFest earlier this year, causing many county sheriff’s departments to cut ties, including Douglas County.
In his 2022 bid for state senator, Van Winkle earned the endorsement of the Rocky Mountain Gun Owners Super PAC (RMGO PAC), Colorado’s largest state-based gun lobby.
“Kevin loves the Second Amendment and has demonstrated it through his voting record…RMGO is endorsing him because of his refusal to support unconstitutional gun control legislation, which is even more important than ever. As our rights are threatened, we need strong leaders like Kevin Van Winkle speaking up on our behalf under the Golden Dome.”
Carson’s website lists enhancement of school safety and security and support for law enforcement as reasons to vote for him.
Rahn, a long-time public school teacher, previously lost a pair of bids for prominent educational roles: a 2020 run for University of Colorado regent and earlier this year she was a finalist to become Elizabeth school board superintendent. She supports the Supreme Court’s ban on affirmative action and believes equity is only appropriate in schools when supporting students with learning, emotional or physical differences.
With all three candidates having solidly conservative resumes, the primary fight will likely be a race to the right. Van Winkle is framing himself as the “grassroots” candidate, declaring his campaign to be a fight against “big-government leftists in BOTH parties.”
Rahn sports endorsements from more moderate or “establishment” Republicans like current commissioner Abe Leyden and talk show host George Brauchler, but she also was the only GOP leader from Kristi Burton Brown’s term to win reelection by the party faithful alongside far-right darling Dave Williams.
In 2021, the Colorado Times Recorder reported that Rahn gave a speech titled “Unpacking CRT” to FEC United, a far-right election conspiracy group with an affiliated militia, the United American Defense Force. Rahn has also been a vocal opponent of Critical Race Theory, equating this curriculum with Marxism and accusing universities of not creating safe spaces for conservative thought.
Rahn also attacked Gov. Jared Polis’s (D-CO) support of Disney after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis threatened to revoke the company’s special tax status over its “don’t say gay” bill. In an X post, Rahn wrote, “You’ll target and destroy CO SMALL businesses and support the sexual grooming of 5-8 year olds.”
Van Winkle denies Trump lost the 2020 election. He signed a “Standing for Trump” petition stating that the “establishment media and deep state refuse to acknowledge the growing evidence of election fraud uncovered by the Trump Campaign and other independent investigators.”
According to his website, voter fraud remains a top issue. Van Winkle states, “Voter fraud undermines free and fair elections and must be stopped.”
He also supported a bill that would prohibit the government from forcing “speech, an artistic act, or a religious act” that would violate that person’s religious belief. Conservatives often use this argument to claim it’s not discrimination or harassment to refuse to refer to transgender youth by their preferred pronouns.
Carson announced his run for county commissioner at a Castle Rock and Sedalia Republican breakfast meeting earlier this month, saying he hoped to bring an experienced conservative voice to the office, according to a newsletter about county government sent by Thomas. As Douglas County school board president, Carson belonged to what is known as the “reform board” from 2009 to 2013.
Carson led the movement to create a voucher program that was later struck down by the Colorado District Court. He also began the pay-for-performance program and ended the district’s collective bargaining agreement with the teacher’s union.
Carson served as Colorado University Regent from 2015 to 2021, where he says he “oversaw multi-billion-dollar university budget and four university campuses in Boulder, Denver, Colorado Springs and the Anschutz Medical Center in Aurora serving 60,000 students.”
Rahn and Van Winkle have begun fundraising, with Rahn collecting $81,886 in donations to Van Winkle’s $30,682 (Van Winkle announced his candidacy in September). Carson, who filed his intent to run for Douglas County commissioner in District 3 on November 17 has yet to raise any money.
Candidates for county commissioner have until March 5, 2024, to be placed on the primary election ballot. The Republican primary will be on June 25, 2024.
Requests for comment from Rahn, Van Winkle and Carson had not been return at the time this article was published.
CORRECTION: Due to an editing error, a previous version of this article listed incorrect dates for the candidate deadline and GOP primary.
Reporter Erik Maulbetsch contributed to this article.


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Welcome to the second installment of the IR data series related to Guided Pathways. By now, you have likely seen and/or heard a presentation about the equity framework informing EvCC work and its dimensions: aspiration, access, achievement, economic progress, and engagement. While the limited space of this blog post prohibits me from reviewing the underlying concepts of and explicating these dimensions, I think it is important to discuss what infusing equity means from a data and measurement standpoint.
Essentially, infusing equity means disaggregating data and trying to identify trends and patterns among different student and pathway characteristics. This is not a perfect way to examine equity; quantitative data and numbers don’t tell us everything, and inequities are rooted in broader systems. However, examining seven years’ worth of patterns (which we did for the data summit) helps to reveal inequitable patterns. It is important to interrogate these patterns and what they reveal about our institutions. Doing so helps us determine how our institution can work to achieve greater equity. The focus in doing this is on EvCC’s capacity and performance, not on the abilities of certain groups of students. This is an important point of emphasis. Identifying inequities and performance gaps identifies the ways in which we are underserving different groups of students, not on deficiencies of these students. It is up to EvCC to ensure that all students are successful; therefore, the equity gaps we uncover are a reflection on our ability to serve and educate all students.
Throughout this series, I will disaggregate our data by race, sex, age, and socioeconomic status. There is inherent imprecision in doing so as categories can be reductionist and labels are charged. However, when dealing with broader patterns, we must do this to identify how we are serving and underserving our students. This focus on equity is also a priority at the state level, as new recommendations for Student Achievement Initiative (SAI) focus on closing equity gaps for historically underrepresented and underserved racial and ethnic groups (African American or Black, Hispanic or Latinx, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian), as well as low-income students. The focus on these groups also aligns with our own internal goals and strategies for Strategic Enrollment Management.
Finally, I want to share a helpful description that I think encapsulates what we want to see in our data if we make progress toward equity: “As data on academic achievement and other student outcomes are disaggregated and analyzed, one sees high comparable performance for all identifiable groups of learners, and achievement and performance gaps are virtually non-existent” (Intercultural Development Research Association). The data I will share in the coming weeks will exhibit gaps, and the imperative of our work moving forward is to increase performance for all students while closing these gaps.

domain: sociology


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500 Bonus Airpoints Dollars when you apply by 8 August 2022, are approved and spend $1,500 on your new Card within the first 3 months. New Card Members only.
Annual Fee: $195 p.a.
To apply for an American Express Airpoints Platinum Card, you’ll need to be able to meet the following criteria:
- Be aged 18 or over
- Have no history of bad debt or payment default
- Have a personal gross (pre-tax) annual income of $65,000 or more
- Have the right to work in New Zealand, and
- If self-employed, have been trading for at least 18 months (or 12 months if I hold an existing American Express issued Card)

domain: economics


What does CHF mean AR 15?
The Cold Hammer Forged marking ‘CHF’ is stamped into millions of rifle barrels around the world. And while it’s not the only way to make a barrel, for AR15 patterned rifles it is likely to be the most common* .
Are stainless steel AR barrels good?
If your goal is to build an absurdly accurate AR 15, then 416R is the steel to go with. Stainless steel enhances accuracy and resists heat better than other standard steels. Most shooters won’t need this type of barrel.
What is a CHF barrel?
The CHF method provides exceptional control of the bore and groove dimensions, resulting in excellent dimensional accuracy and tolerance. A cold hammer forged barrel has smoother barrel surfaces compared to other barrel manufacturing methods such as button rifling and cut rifling.
Are CHF barrels chrome lined?
The barrel is then chrome lined to the spec for a M249 Machine Gun barrel, which is about twice as thick as that of an M4 barrel. The end result is a rifle that can be run hard day after day. For any high round count, high temperature, heavy shooting, we recommend our chrome lined barrel.
Who makes cold hammer forged AR barrel?
FNH USA Hammer Forged Barrels: More than a Century of perfecting precision, strength and quality. With its more than 100-year legacy of exceptional barrel manufacturing, FNH USA has long perfected the cold hammer forging process to ensure accuracy and durability.
Why are barrels rifled?
In firearms, rifling is machining helical grooves into the internal (bore) surface of a gun’s barrel for the purpose of exerting torque and thus imparting a spin to a projectile around its longitudinal axis during shooting to stabilize the projectile longitudinally by conservation of angular momentum, improving its …
Are Palmetto barrels chrome lined?
Barrel: 16″ Mil-spec barrel steel, mid-length gas, Special lighter profile barrel, chambered in 5.56 NATO, with a 1/7 twist, chrome lined bore and M4 barrel extension made for us right here in Columbia SC by FN Manufacturing. Barrels are high pressure tested, mag particle inspected.


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Some 37 years after its release, Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) today takes out the coveted #1 spot on the ARIA singles chart this week off the back of it’s global sync on Netflix’s hotly anticipated Stranger Things Season 4.
Max, played by Sadie Sink, visits the grave of her brother Billy in season four of Stranger Things. Without giving away any spoilers, Bush’s 80’s classic Running Up That Hill sound tracked the epic final scene in episode 4 of Stranger Things, now being hailed as one of the most thrilling scenes in the entire franchise.
Within 48 hours of the new season of Stranger Things airing on the 27th May, Running Up That Hill shot straight to #1 on the iTunes charts in the US and Australia, #1 on the Australian Spotify Viral Chart, #2 on the Australian Spotify Daily Songs Chart and received a flood of playlisting support across Spotify, Apple and Amazon.
This week the track officially charted at #1 on the ARIA singles chart, as well as currently sitting at #1 on the Spotify Daily Singles Chart, #1 on the Spotify Daily Viral Chart, #1 on the Shazam chart, #1 on Apple Music Daily Top Songs Chart and #1 on the iTunes Daily Top Singles Chart.
Locally, the song has also become Bush’s third of five Top 10 singles in Australia, having placed a single on the Australian ARIA charts for five of the past six decades, the 1970’s, 80’s, 90’s, 2010’s when Wuthering Heights returned (April 2012) and now the 2020’s.
Having originally peaked at #6 in the ARIA singles chart back in late October of 1985, spending two weeks within the ARIA Top 10, the song’s use within the series has exposed the iconic singer/songwriter to a whole new generation of fans. While Bush has always had a cult following, she has since found an even larger following in the audiences of Gen Z, with the track now dominating TikTok videos across the globe with over 1 million global creations as well as sitting at #1 on the TikTok trending chart today.
“When the first series came out, friends kept asking us if we’d seen ‘Stranger Things’, so we checked it out and really loved it. We’ve watched every series since then, as a family. When they approached us to use Running Up That Hill, you could tell that a lot of care had gone into how it was used in the context of the story and I really liked the fact that the song was a positive totem for the character, Max. I’m really impressed by this latest series. It’s an epic piece of work – the shows are extremely well put together with great characters and fantastic SFX. It’s very touching that the song has been so warmly received, especially as it’s being driven by the young fans who love the shows. I’m really happy that the Duffer Brothers are getting such positive feedback for their latest creation. They deserve it.” – Kate Bush
Last week it was revealed that Bush granted permission for the song to be used in Stranger Things as she herself is a fan of the series. Sony’s Wende Crowley, who oversaw the publishing deal, told Variety that Bush is usually “Selective when it comes to licensing her music”, after reading the script and footage instructions Bush ultimately gave her blessings for the use.
“Thanks very much to everyone who has supported the song. I wait with bated breath for the rest of the series in July.” – Kate Bush

domain: entertainment


Perhaps no vertical illustrates volatility and global competitiveness better than the financial services industry. The global recession has taken its toll; slow growth, customer distrust and a more aggressive regulatory environment. Financial services companies need modern technologies that foster dynamic business operations—technologies like open, hybrid clouds with software-defined networking (SDN) that provide responsive and reliable infrastructures so financial services companies can succeed in today’s global, competitive, regulated and highly dynamic market.
In its recent market study, “The Challenges Ahead – The State of the Financial Services Industry 2014,” global management consulting firm Oliver Wyman says that technology will reshape the competitive landscape and the most likely winners will be those financial firms who embrace it. We couldn’t agree more.
Case in point: In order to deliver financial services globally, firms need their infrastructure to be scalable, easy to manage and flexible. At Red Hat and Nuage, we believe that legacy, proprietary networks and systems [must give way] to open hybrid clouds to avoid vendor lock-in. Yesterday’s static data center networking models require time-consuming manual programming that can delay the availability of network services to support cloud applications and make it difficult to scale to meet global operations. In this environment, increasingly data center infrastructure can leverage a virtualized, software-defined networking (SDN). A software defined network enables automation, is easier to manage than proprietary systems and provides the flexibility for supporting global business operations that fluctuate as demand dictates and that must be tailored to meet local business requirements.
Financial services firms also are facing new competitive threats from online companies like Apple Pay, Google Android Pay, Bitcoin and PayPal, which are forcing them to shift from decades-old processes to more agile ones. At the same time, they are facing a fast-moving and increasingly strict regulatory environment. To keep pace—or better yet, outpace—these pressures, firms need to deliver cloud-enabled financial services applications from a flexible and scalable platform that’s equally reliable and secure so that risks are mitigated and regulatory compliance is not compromised. Policy-based open hybrid clouds built with software-defined networking can address those security requirements that financial firms can’t afford to forsake.
The Red Hat and Nuage Networks SDN-based cloud solution is designed to provide financial services firms with an agile, flexible, and automated infrastructure so they can launch network services for cloud applications faster, reduce operational costs, and take full advantage of cloud technologies. It is application-centric, with built-in programmable business logic and a powerful policy engine so IT administrators can define network requirements once in simplified application terms and comply with resource policies across the infrastructure on a per tenant and per-application basis. There’s no manual intervention required, so administrators can focus on critical issues.
With the Red Hat and Nuage Networks SDN-based cloud solution, financial services firms can build scalable, application-centric clouds with flexible, automated network configuration and simplified network setup and secure multi-tenant capabilities. Firms are better equipped to deliver instantaneous network connectivity so cloud applications can go live more quickly. And they can cost-effectively capitalize on new market opportunities as they arise.
We’d love to hear if you are using SDN and open hybrid clouds as you navigate the dynamic financial services market. Let us know in the comments section below!


Glass Rail Systems:
Providing the architectural and design advantage of open space and elegance, Tri Tech’s glass rail systems provide structural stability without sacrificing aesthetics.
For designs where handrails are needed but economy is a factor, Tri Tech’s pipe railings provide a dependable system. Stainless steel or aluminum, all-welded or component systems, Tri Tech offers some of the strongest pipe rail systems available today.
Custom Railings and Fabrications:
Tri Tech offers a multitude of unique shapes and designs to customize any railing. Also fully equipped for custom fabrications, Tri Tech can create peripherals and accessories to accent or accompany any rail designs


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The BBF Regional Council hosted a region-wide Infant/Toddler Drive in June, with participation from over 12 locations across the region. Each donation site was set up to collect donations to help support the Parent Child Center, Family Birthing Center and Community Action, offering concrete supports for families who needed clothing, infant supplies, and various food items. The council was ecstatic to have nearly 300 items donated, all of which were distributed to the above sites. This collective impact work continues to be a highlight for the council and will continue to support the council’s Action Plan goals of offering needed resources in our communities.
The Franklin/Grand Isle Children’s Integrated Services programs have been working tirelessly over the last few months to support the region’s goal to integrate and support play as a highlighted, effective tool for children and families throughout service delivery. From the Parent Child Center, Franklin County Home Health Agency, and the Vermont Department of Health, CIS providers are building a play toolkit to be distributed amongst home visitors, early childhood providers and families so that play can continue to be at the foundation of healthy development and overall wellness among children and family structures. While this goal will be worked on over the course of the next several months, the work this group has already done has been nothing short of fantastic!
Franklin/Grand Isle Counties are thrilled to have a new DULCE Family Specialist on the Parent Child Center’s Early Childhood Support team! Danielle Patrick will support and play an active role within the region’s HEART program, supporting the mental health needs of prenatal and post-partum moms. Danielle will be directly embedded in the Timber Lane Pediatrics office, located in Milton, VT. This is such an exciting new partnership for the entire region and we are all thrilled to welcome Danielle to the region’s growing support network for our region’s families and to support her work.
The BBF Regional Council continues to utilize and explore the importance and availability of concrete supports for children and families throughout the region. During one of the council’s brainstorming sessions, it was brought to the council’s attention that the winter months often lead to children coming to school with winter clothes/boots that don’t fit and, in some cases, no winter gear all together. The council decided to take some action and will be hosting a winter clothing drive throughout the month of October, supported by some of our local schools, to ensure that winter gear can be accessed before and during the winter months. Be on the lookout for our winter clothing drive flyer on our region’s BBF website!
For the past several months, the BBF council has been planning for and exploring ways to incorporate developmental screenings in community events in the region, a charge lead by our partners at Help Me Grow. The council was thrilled to have the support of the local Parent Child Center, offering the opportunity to host a BBF table where the region’s Early Intervention team offered to support screenings during the region’s annual Kids’ Fest. Developmental Educators supported screenings of several children, offered developmental education, referred children to various early childhood programs when appropriate, and input screening results in the Universal Developmental Screening Registry. For the region’s first developmental screening event, this was a huge, collective impact success for our children and families.


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Zahava L. Friedman, PhD, OT, BCBA; Jorge Ochoa, OT; Dina Prisco, PhD, OTR/L, BCP; Francine Seruya, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA
Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurologically-based developmental disorder representing a subdomain of neurodivergence. Occupational therapy intervention for ASD typically incorporates sensory modalities, addressing a multitude of challenges, including mental health outcomes. This scoping review analyzes available evidence of the sensory-based intervention of therapeutic drumming (TD) to improve mental health in autistic clients.
Method: Following the Johanna Briggs methodological framework, Proquest, Ebsco, Scopus and OTseeker databases were searched with the key and related words of “autism,” “therapeutic drumming,” and “mental health,” yielding 448 articles. After removal of duplicates and application of inclusion criteria, seventeen articles were included in the final analysis.
Results: Analysis revealed strong consistency in delivery and implementation of TD intervention. Instrumentation of outcome measures, in contrast, was not well-synchronized; therefore, efficacy of the intervention was difficult to assess.
Conclusion: Limitations included a general lack of research, limited research of TD with autistic people in occupational therapy literature, and a dearth of strongly instrumented research. This review revealed valuable contributions of TD interventions as a neurodiversity-affirming practice to support mental health and inform future studies of implementation of TD for people with ASD across the lifespan within the scope of occupational therapy.
Friedman, Z. L., Ochoa, J., Prisco, D., & Seruya, F. M. (2023). Connected Rhythm: A Scoping Review of Therapeutic Drumming as an Intervention for Autistic Individuals. The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy, 11(4), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.15453/2168-6408.2133

domain: psychology


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Directed by her brother Jasset, we premiere the actress' latest short film, 'Dame Judy'
English actress, model and society-type Tallulah Harlech’s voice skips and frolics as she excitedly plots ways to bring the worlds of fashion and film closer together. “I’m working on a film for Vogue.com, which they’ve never ever done. I’ve managed to get a massive production company called Future Films to come on board, and we had a meeting with the editor of Vogue.com last week to go though how we were going to do it. There’s a script, there’s dialogue, I’m very excited about it.”
A role in fashion would have seemed like the obvious route for Tallulah, whose mother is Lady Amanda Harlech, creative collaborator with John Galliano before taking a similar role with Karl Lagerfeld. However, despite the party invitations and hefty connections, Tallulah believes her name is a mixed blessing. “People definitely take me less seriously. Close friends who work along side my mum are endlessly saying, ‘the fashion industry is there for you, it’s so viable, you’re good at it, why don’t you just do it?’ They rack their brains trying to work out why I’m trying to fit this square peg through a triangle, trying to be an actor.”
Having studied acting at the Lee Strasberg school in New York – which she playfully describes as, “like a finishing school… full of wannabe people who don’t really want to go to university” – Tallulah is certainly well placed for bringing these two worlds together. “I use fashion as a way to help myself up with my acting career, I try to play them hand in hand as much as possible. I’m dong a fashion film where they said ‘we just want you to wear the spring/summer 2012 clothes.’ And I said, ‘wait, how can I inject acting into this?’ So instead of having an overlay of music, I did a Shakespeare monologue of Desdemona’s speech.”
It’s acting rather than the fashion world that excites her most. “As far as I can remember, it’s always the thing I’ve wanted to do. I was always a little performer, and I was always told I was really good, it was the affirmation that gave me, which I have subsequently learned as I’ve gotten older is not the route a healthy mind!”
She’s certainly not hiding from her name. Tallulah’s most recent film, 'Dame Judy', was directed by her brother Jasset and, and Lady Amanda herself wrote the script for Tallulah’s Vogue.com film project. “It’s the first screenplay she’s ever written. And I’m the only person in it which is wonderful, it makes it all about me!”


Solo Leveling Hoodie characterizes Sung Jin-woo collectively along with his trusted vassals, the Shadow High Orc Tribe! This Shadow Tribe is likely one of the Shadow Monarch’s strongest summons. They seem completely different from another Jin-woo vassals as a consequence of their Pink-black coloration fairly than the standard Blue-black.
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The man knows his guitars
We want prenup! We want prenup!
Sutble rewind to that time Mayer was a guest on ‘Chappelle’s Show’
Atlanta’s emerging rap talent, Rome Fortune adds some Southern flair to an NYC loft party in the video for his new single, ‘Grind’.


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Painting with a Twist Offers Fun Events on Palmer Crossing Cir
If you believe a paint and sip event at your local Painting with a Twist on Palmer Crossing Cir is just a painting class, you may want to think again! A paint and sip event at Painting with a Twist is all about making fun art, not fine art. But there's always room to learn something new! No matter if you've got painting experience or you've never seen a paintbrush before, we'll help walk you through every painting technique, color option, and brushstroke so that you can paint confidently and make something completely unique. Join a scheduled painting event in Sarasota that interests you, and let us handle the rest. We'll have all the supplies set up for you when you arrive. All that's left for you to do is invite your friends, grab your favorite beverage, and get started on your painted work of art!
Virtual Painting Events & At-Home Paint Kits in Sarasota with Twist at Home
Can't make it to your local studio but still looking for a fun paint night? Get an at-home painting kit, which comes with all the painting supplies you'll need to create your own work of art right at home. Looking to put a little extra twist on your next paint and sip event? Go virtual with a Twist at Home painting event hosted by your local Painting with a Twist at 5543 Palmer Crossing Cir. You don't have to leave your Sarasota home to participate in a fun paint and sip event. Join an upcoming Twist at Home event from Painting with a Twist in Sarasota, and pick up your paint supplies kit from our Sarasota studio before the event. Have you been wanting to host a private gathering? Book a private Twist at Home event! Select the artwork you'd like to paint, send us your guest list, and we'll help you throw a party they'll be sure to enjoy.
Do Events Your Way in Sarasota, FL
A painting event at Painting with a Twist is perfect for all sorts of celebrations and everyday occasions. (Which, by the way, are celebrations, too!) Perhaps you're searching for new date night ideas in Sarasota. Skip the played out dinner-and-a-movie date night, and go for the experience of a painting event that'll be fun for both of you! Whether you need to brush off that first-date pressure or you're looking to spice up your long-term relationship, Painting with a Twist at 5543 Palmer Crossing Cir can turn your next date night into an unforgettable experience!
If you're planning to get the girls back together for some overdue bonding time, some wine and conversation are a perfect way to spend your get-together! Throw in a sip and paint event at Sarasota Painting with a Twist, and be prepared to sip, paint, and laugh while making memories that you'll all remember for years.
Is it time you unplug from the world for a little while? Join a zen painting event at Painting with a Twist at 5543 Palmer Crossing Cir to help you relax and reset your mind! Break loose from the stress of everyday life with a calming painting, relaxing music, and a soothing environment that helps provide a zenful experience. You’ll leave our Zen event refreshed and rejuvenated to take on the world!
Put a spin on your upcoming team building event by bringing everyone to Painting with a Twist in Sarasota, FL! Book an in-studio or virtual private event for your team, and get ready to foster relationships, create conversation, and share some laughs along the way!
While Sarasota Painting with a Twist's in-studio events are open to any aspiring Twister, sometimes you'd rather enjoy a painting experience that's a bit more exclusive. If this is what you're looking for, schedule a private painting party at our Sarasota studio to reserve our space for you and your party! From birthday celebrations to family reunions to bachelorette parties, Painting with a Twist at 5543 Palmer Crossing Cir has space for you!
Celebrate the Big & Small at Painting with a Twist on Palmer Crossing Cir
Are you ready to plan a fun Sarasota outing that doesn't cost a fortune? A painting event at Sarasota Painting with a Twist is for you! Our painting events, both in-studio and virtual, are an easy and enjoyable way to destress, try something new, develop a skill, and even meet friends in the Sarasota area, all while enjoying your favorite glass of wine! Book your seat at an upcoming Sarasota painting event at Painting with a Twist at 5543 Palmer Crossing Cir, and get ready for the Sarasota outing you've been looking for. Call (941) 822-0357 with questions or to book now!

domain: artistic


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I wanted to do something unique and not something you see every day so I came up with making crochet puppets. They are durable and can handle being put in the washing machine and I am currently making adult sizes so that parents can play too, I will be adjusting the puppets to make ones for smaller hands too. With my busy schedule that I currently have, I don’t have a whole lot of time to crochet, so I have decided to also add a section on crafts as we do a lot of crafts in my family.
Here I will post my progress updates and will be posting about current projects. Enjoy!


Selective Epitaxial Growth (SEG) of silicon has shown great potential for advanced integrated circuit technologies. Before SEG can be fully utilized, sidewall defects must be reduced or at least controlled. The phenomena responsible for these defects were not understood, therefore more quantification of the sidewall defects is necessary. Walled diodes have been used to measure the sidewall leakage currents, but are susceptible to problems which make them poor devices for comparing different sidewall interfaces. A new device structure, the Sidewall Gate Controlled Diode (SGCD), is presented for the quantification of the defects near the SEG sidewall. The SGCD is shown to have advantages over the use of walled diodes despite the complex fabrication process required to build it. The development of the fabrication process for this device and the verification of its useful operation are presented. After the operation of the SGCD was verified, the device was used to evaluate the effects of various SEG deposition parameters on the sidewall defect density. This study determined that lower temperature, slower growth rate depositions followed with an in-situ hydrogen anneal generally reduced the defect density. Inconsistencies in the results also indicated that the profile of the sidewall may also influence the defect density at the SEG/oxide sidewall.
Date of this Version


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Looking for dinosaurs in the Badlands, AB Kayaking in Caliper Lake Provincial ParkMining for Amethyst in Thunder Bay, ONThe amazing sunsets in Sleeping Giant NPExploring Beautiful MontrealSwimming and Sunbathing in Shediac, NBLighthouse trail on Gaspiesie PeninsulaExploring the Maritimes in Nova ScotiaDriving the Cabot Trail on Cape Breton IsExploring Grassy Point in North SydneySeeint Whales and exploring St John’s, NFTracing heritage and hiking on Fogo IslandExploring Gros Morne National Park Ancient Pictographs in Lake Superior.Passing the centre of CanadaThe beautiful Prairies of SK & Manitoba
‘The website provides a platform for members to stay as a guest at someone’s home (homestay), host travellers, meet other members, or join an event. Unlike many hospitality services, Couchsurfing is an example of the gift economy; there is no monetary exchange between members and there is no expectation by hosts for future rewards’ – Wikipedia
Couchsurfing is a great way to travel, to some the only way.
I’ve spent years travelling since I left my hometown in 1999 and have been to 25 countries and lived in 4. I have stayed in 5 star hotels, motels, hostels, B&Bs, camping grounds, AirB&Bs and Walmart parking lots but I think Couchsurfing is the best. My 20th birthday at Dougies Backpackers in Port Douglas in 2000. Who are these people?
Yes, you get to see the city/town you came to visit and in hostels you normally meet some fun people but it takes a local to show you their hometown for it to be an extra special experience. A treasured memory. Folks jamming at out host Chris’s mother’s birthday BBQ in Port Alberti. 2016
The local ‘hole on the wall’ eateries you would probably otherwise walk straight past but if you are in the know you will go in and experience the city’s most amazing cuisine. The secret local’s lookouts most tourists never view the city from, getting into attractions cheap or free because your host knows someone who works there, a tour driver, a dinner companion, a kareoke partner, a friend. Couchsurfing photos on my profile
We have couchsurfed in the following places so far, Victoria, Nanaimo, Port Alberni, Calgary, Medicine Hat, Sudbury, Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City and all of them have been great experiences. Some lived alone, some had other couchsurfes and family staying at the same time, many had cats, some had dogs, some had children, some partied with us, some took us for dinner, some were hardly there and some were always there. Each and every experience has been different. A friendly cat in Montreal
You really have to go in with an open mind though, you never know what the host’s expectations may be despite what it says on their profile. If you just feel like chilling and being alone, don’t book a place on Couchsurfing as the host may well have plans to take you to dinner or show you around their town.
So go to https://www.couchsurfing.com/ today and sign up. It’s £13 per year to join but it’s so worth it, you save money after the very first time you stay with someone.
If you go in with an open mind anything is possible, that’s why we travel right?
Made spam and egg rolls for breakfast and were on our way around 11. Such a lovely place to stay, if you are ever in the area see if the Rustic Cabin in Hubbards is available on Air B&B. I highly recommend it.Headed to Blue Rocks which is just outside Lunenburg for a look first thing. My manager at Brewster’s Mountain Lodge in Banff grew up in Lunenburg so very kindly wrote out some recommendations for us which we basically planned our day around!
Blue Rocks is a small fishing village but various artists live there too due to its beauty. It’s a great spot for kayaking and just like Peggy’s cove the day before, thick coastal fog rolled in while we were there, you can see it in the pictures below.Lunenberg was our next stop and lunch was on the cards! It was a bit of a nightmare getting parking as town was so busy, found a spot on a residential street a few streets away from the Main Street after about 30 minutes of circling. Lunenburg is another fishing village located on the Fairhaven Peninsula at the western side of Mahone Bay. It’s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Its won most beautiful small town in Canada, Prettiest Painted Places in Canada and Port City of the Year so it worth going for a visit I’d say!
The buildings were all neatly and colourfully painted and had lush green lawns and gardens or flower boxes adorning thei windows. The streets were clean and contained cute shop signs enticing you in to the many gift shops and clothing stores. We headed down to the jetty for a look at the boats moored up. They say, Lunenburg is a holiday destination for the wealthy and by the look of some of the yachts moored there is say that us very true! There were some beautiful saitboays there full of deckhands cleaning and getting prepared for he next voyage.Didnt have much trouble finding the Grand Banker, the building is bright Aqua and overlooks the docks. This place was also recommended by Adam and it was started by a Lunenburger is 1996 and is now also run by Lunenburger so that was an attraction too, keep it local I always say. The menu is great and it’s always a good thing when you have a lot of trouble deciding. We both went for the Po Boy fish sandwich which was amazing! I could have had a second one for dinner it was so good!
Went to a few gift shops and wandered around town before heading off to Ovens Natural Park. Ovens is a 190 acre privately owned park that contains a camping ground, restaurant, shop, petting zoo, cliff trail and gold panning. It was also the site of a gold rush over a century ago.
We paid $23 to get in and did the cave and cliff self guided tour.
Tour explanation: Experience the Park’s fascinating gold rush history, unique geology and diverse coastal environment as you enjoy our self-guided tour along the beautiful sea cliff trail that leads to the famous Ovens Sea caves. High points of the tour are the visits to Tucker’s Tunnel, the overlook at Indian Cave and finally, spectacular Cannon Cave, where you will be able to hear the resounding boom created as the waves enter the cavern.
The trail was pretty cool and it was so nice to feel the ocean breeze and spray from the water rushing in and out of the caves on your face, it was such a hot day.Avter visiting the caves we hotfooted it to Halifax to our Couchsurfing host’s flat.
Serena is a 21 year old uni student. Her flatmate was away in Toronto so we had her room. There are also 2 kittens in the flat, Tilda and Bear. The house is big and in a lovely street about a 30 minute walk to town.We all went out to a bar called Freemans and had some drinks with Serena and a bunch of her uni friends. They were all lovely and liked to tell us about Halifax and what to see & do.Fergus and I carried on to an Irish pub in town called The Halifax Alehouse. Met locals, drank and danced until about 4am. It was fun but spent way too much money and it was definately a night to remember!
We started our day with a breakfast of chicken noodles (yes I know that’s bad) that I had been carrying around in my rucksack for days. Drove to a car park in town and paid $18 for 24 hours. The cheapest way as we had no idea how long we would be.
Walked up a steep street to Old Quebec which covers an area of 1.4 km. In 1985 it was declared a World Heritage Site and you can certainly see why.
Office Buildings, busy streets and chain restaurants makeway for quaint French style cafes with hanging baskets and terraces, boutiques with brightly coloured awnings, art galleries with painted city scenes, squares containing statues of the citys founding fathers and fountains and of course, souvineer shops containing tacky Chinese made wares. Old Quebec really is a lovely area, I could have spent hours browsing the stores had I not been on such a strict budget. I considered buying a lovely print of the city in the Fall but it probably would have been ruined on our travels, maybe we will return on our way back to Banff?
The place I was really keen to see was the Château Frontenac. A famous Fairmont Hotel that is the most photographed hotel on the planet. It is very spectacular indeed and it must cost a small fortune to stay there, but for me, it doesn’t compare to the Fairmont Banff Springs. The castle in the mountains has a special place in my heart and in my opinion it’s just as grand.Wandered along the boardwalk outside the hotel watching tourists go about their day, street performers trying their best to secure loose change, water taxis ferry people from shore to shore across the wide river and people sunning themselves on the moored cruise ships, it was very hot and humid so I don’t blame them really.Walked up another steep embankment to the La Citedelle de Quebec which is an active military base as well as the official residence of the Canadian Monarch and the Govenor General of Canada. There were free tours that took you around the barracks and Museam but we weren’t that interested so had a quick look around before heading down to the Funiculor.I’ve been on heaps of Funiculors in Europe, but they always give me the slight heebee geebies, this one was $3 for a 30 second ride. Easy peasy. We ended up on the nicest street in the old city (according to a friendly city representative we spoke to nearby) called Rue du petit Champlain. And it was very nice, again, just like the city streets of Europe. Went to a creperie called Le Casse-Crêpe Breton for lunch and we assumed the place was quite popular due to the queue outside. After about 20 minitues we were seated inside the busy restaurant. After ordering we then waited nearly 35 minutes for our meals. We learned later that they o lay had 2 crepe hotplates a one girl making all of them so that is why it took so long! I had a cheese, mushroom and ham crepe with a salad, it was really good but the wait was far too long. Returned to Jean’s and collected our gear, played with the kitten for a while and hit the road again.Headed North-East towards the Gaspiesie Peninsula and getting out of the city was a bit of a nightmare but we were soon on the motorway to Rivière-du-Loup where Fergus had booked a Hi Hostal for the night. It was Fergus’s birthday so he wanted to sleep in a comfy bed for the night.
Arrived around 7pm and checked in and went and got some wine. Sat outside on the veranda of the huge, old, white wood house and wrote my blog, caught up on my emails and chatted to fellow guests.
Went up to a fire someone had started and chatted to the other guests well into the night.
Left Montreal late after doing a bit of shopping in Westmount and having breakfast.
Drove about 2.5 hours to Quebec City. Not much to see on the way we drove, it was a lot like motorways in the UK, trees on either side of the motorway giving way to fields in places but mainly straight and flat. Getting into the city was easy and our host, Jean’s place was just off the main road into town.
He lives in a 2.5 bedroom new-build, modern flat in a quiet area at the foot of a steep hill. We unpacked our gear and went out for dinner. Walked up the very steep hill where Jean told us his personal trainer takes him to train. Sounds like too much hard work to me! Chatted and he told us about the city. Went to a lovely French restaurant on Boulevard Rene-Levesque called Cochin Dingue. I was difficult and had 2 starters, steak with satay sauce and grilled cheese & salad. It was very good and I haven’t had satay aside in years, I’d forgotten how good it was!
Jean very kindly paid for our meal which we were not expecting but incredibly thankful for. We are so very lucky.
After our wonderful dinner, Jean took us to one of his favourite spots that he takes friends and family when they visit Quebec. Chocotats Favoris a legendary ice cream shop like no other I have ever visited. You choose a size, flavour of ice cream, type of chocolate dip and then your topping. The topping is nothing like ice magic either, it’s about 2cm thick! Overindulgence at its finest!Walked back to Jean’s for a nightcap and saw a lovely sunset on the way down the hill.
I’ve always known there is a French speaking park of Canada but just how similar that area is to France I didn’t know. Being in Montreal was just like being back in Europe for a long weekend. We love Montreal, it’s a vibrant and energetic city. Started the day with a healthy breakfast of Avacado, Tomato, Omlette, Bread and Hummus before catching the Metro to Parc Jean-Drapeau to start our day of sightseeing at the Biosphere which is a dedicated to the environment. What an amazing structure! It’s huge at 76 metres high and you can see it from miles away. It used to be enclosed but after a fire, all that remained was the steel frame. We didn’t go inside but outside were a lovely series of photographs of places all over Canada. A lot we have now visited and a lot we now want to see, it’s such a diverse and beautiful country, I really have fallen in love with this place.Next on our days itinerary was the Biodome. This was built for the 1976 Olympic Games and hosted the cycling and judo events. Now it makes up part of the largest natural science complex in Canada. There are 4 separate ecosystems inside:
- The Tropical Forest is a replica of the South American rainforest.
- The Laurentian Forest is a replica of the North American wilderness.
- The Saint Lawrence Marine Eco-system is an estuary habitat modelled on the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.
- The Sub-Polar Region is a habitat that is divided into Arctic and Antarctic.
We spent hours in there just watching the different animals and birds in there different habitats. Just fascinating.
We then caught the Metro to a restaurant a friend from London had recommended to us which looked amazing. Schwartz’s is a famous sandwich shop that specialised in smoked meat. Openened in 1928 by a Romanian immigrant it was featured on the Food Network‘s ‘You gotta eat here’ and is a Montreal institution. There was a queue outside when we arrived but only after 10 minutes or so we got in, anyone getting take out was quite fast so it was moving along nicely. Sat with 4 others on a shared table. The place was packed, but our food came out really fast. Ordered a meat sandwich each and shared fries and a pickle. It was all hustle and bustle and families and couples chatting and laughing, a great city atmosphere.It was probably the biggest ‘just meat’ sandwich I have ever had, it was lean and juicy and I can understand why the place is so popular.
Got a bit lost wandering around the city looking for the Circus Festival as we were unable to connect to the city’s free wifi but eventually found it.
The street was alive with performances from acrobatics to tightrope walking displays and people walking about with fishbowls on their heads. The most impressive performance was ‘Red‘ which saw dancers preform on a large stage made of shipping containers with aerial acrobatics and both techno and classical music. Made our way back to Valerie’s and had a long chat with her before retirin to bed after a long, exhausting but very fun day.
Woke up super early because we had to be out of the house before our host Terri departed for work. Went to Tim Hortons for breakfast and to use the wi-fi to find a laundrette nearby. We have 12 days worth of clothes, sheets and towels to wash so it was high time we stopped having so much fun and got on with some chores.
Left the city and drove the 2 hours to Montreal. When we crossed the border into Quebec the English signs disappeared making way for French. We pondered why in Ottawa and other provences they have English and French on their road signs but in Quebec it’s only French yet 21% of the population are native English speakers and 51% are bilingual.
Visited some services for lunch and went to an information centre inside. The lady there was very helpful and gave us tips on Montreal and Quebec City and told us about a region we were going to completely miss but have now decided to shorten our time in Quebec City to explore. Pays to ask.
Upon reaching to city we decide to drive up to Mount Royal, a large park sitting on a volcanic mound overlooking the city of Montreal. We visited the Mount Royal Chalet where we enjoyed a fantastic view over a city I had no idea it was so big. Wandered through the forest to the Mount Royal Cross where we sat and watched Squirrels play. Drove back through the suburbs of Montreal to our Couchsurfing host’s home. We passed huge, beautiful, European looking houses on leafy streets, cute high streets and large parks before arriving at Rue Sherbrooke West. Valerie was not home when we arrived so we unpacked, changed and headed out into the city. Got a bit lost looking for the Metro initially but found astation only a couple of blocks away from the flat and purchased a day pass for $10 each. The network isn’t big so we will find our way around quite easily…I hope. Left the train at Place-D’Armes and wandered up to the Basilique Notre Dame de Montreal. Unfortunately it was closed so we headed down Rue Saint-Paul where we came across a busy European street scene of cafes, restaurants, bars, souvenir shops and tourists wondering what continent they were on. It’s so European and reminded us of Paris and the streets of Prague or Brussels.Wandered around the Place Jacques Cartier for a bit, considered getting a caricature done but decided it would probably get ruined and headed off to find a cheap place to eat.Funnily enough instead of going for French, Italian or Spanish Tapas, which there were plenty of in the area we opted to head to Chinatown and get Vietnamese food. Went to Pho Bang New York and had Tonkiniose Grilled Chicken soup and spring rolls. It was only $10 and I got a huge bowl. Fergus had Beef with Vermicilli noodles.Made out way back to Valerie’s and when we arrived she was having dinner with a friend. Had an interesting chat about travel, couchsurfing, babies and all sorts of things.
Valerie moved from France to Canada 25 years ago, is a translator for an accounting firm, has 2 daughters and enjoys, swing dancing and swimming. She is a lovely, very chilled out and beautiful woman. Her flat is very French. Mostly white with lots of clutter, but it’s cool clutter. Picture frames and easels, sarongs, glass jars and chess sets, lots of books, artwork and plants. She also has 2 very friendly cats.
Hung around the campsite for a bit using the free wifi, rearranging the car (actually put the back seats back up as we won’t be car camping for at least 4 days) and milling about. Went to the beach for a look and headed to KFC (or PFK in French!)Both got a 4 piece pack with 4 pieces of chicken, chips gravy and a drink. Yes I know that’s piggy but we don’t have KFC in Banff so it was a real treat. Carried on East towards Ottawa. It was only a short 2 hour drive so we took our time as we didn’t need to be in Ottawa until 4pm.
The weather was mostly sunny en route but about 20k from the city a huge cloud came in and it absolutely bucketed down, so much so we could hardly see the road!Made it to our Couchsurfing host Terri’s house around 3 and parked on the road opposite her house and walked into town. Walked along the river in the hot, humid weather, past bridges, a Blues festival and skyscrapers to the Parliament Buildings. Compared to European Buildings we have seen they weren’t all that impressive but it was nice to see where all the important decisions are made for our wonderful temporary home. With Canada (and NZ/OZ for that matter) being so young, when they talk about historical places and buildings it makes you appreciate the history in London and the UK a lot more as ‘old’ in England is a whole different ballgame really.Walked back to Terri’s and met her and her friend Heather in the backyard enjoying a mojito. Had a beer and chatted before moving inside to avoid the rain.
We were very spoilt, enjoyed some grilled haloumi and Terri’s homemade pickled beans and onions for starters before goats cheese and mushrooms rolled in Pork Tenderloin with feta salad and broccoli. Definately the best meal I’ve had in a long time and totally unexpected. Chatted about Ottawa, travel, Couchsurfing, work and life in general. Terri is obviously a foodie, the meal was just fab and we had prosecco to start followed by red with our main. Her pickles were amazing and to think we were just going to have noodles for dinner!
Fergus and I washed up, said goodbye to Heather and went to sleep on the fold out sofa around 11pm. We are very lucky people indeed.
I hope one day we can host travellers with the same hospitality we received that night.
Today wasn’t too exciting really, driving wise. Checked out of Pine Grove bang on 11 and headed to Canadian Tire to get a new cooker. Managed to get one for $44 so I hope it’s as good as our old Colman bless its heart. Continued East through small lakeside villages and First Nations communities on the mostly flat road. Didn’t come across to much roadworks today, unlike yesterday where we were forever running into the orange and black cones.
Stopped for lunch in a cute wee town called Thessalon. Right on the bay, it had a river seperating it in two and had a long peninsula stretching out into Lake Huron. Stopped by Jo-Anna’s bakery & cafe and got a homemade sandwich each. Went and had a look ad the lovely houses then went to a beach along the peninsula to eat. It was the best egg sarnie I have had in ages! Fresh, soft bread and an incredible creamy egg filling. Yummy! Carried on East and by this time there were big black clouds in the sky so we knew rain was on its way and we were quite glad we weren’t camping that night!
Once the rain came it came hard! Listened to a very interesting Stephen Fry audio book which was very funny and a nice chance from music to be honest.
Carried on into Sudbury where the rain stopped and we found our host, Audrey’s home. Audrey is 36 and has 2 children, Eve and Caleb who were there when we arrived. The house is a large bungalow style home across from a school and is on a road not too far from the motorway.
Sat and chatted for a while and had a couple of Twisted Teas before ordering a pizza. When it came to the door Audrey wouldn’t accept any money from us so that was an unexpected but very welcomed treat.
We all clambered in the car and spent the next hour or so driving around town looking at tourist spots. Sudbury is surrounded by a number of Nikel mines and there are huge chimneys and factories all over town. As we drove down the road Audrey pointed out things of interest and had a lot of knowledge about her adopted hometown. Visited the Big Nikel, a 9 metre high replica of the Canadian Nikel and got some photos.Also went to Bell park to check out the beach and drove over to the university sector on the other side of the bay and then up to a Lookout where we saw a load of statues and a maze.Returned to the house and chatted, had a drink and chilled. I learned Audrey is studying nursing, her boyfriend is in a yoyo team, and he also has 2 children and they have a foster daughter there too (who I met later on) so it’s a busy household. It’s people like her that are the reason I love Couchsurfing, you enter a stranger’s home and upon leaving you are friends.
In a world full of negativity and distrust it’s so nice to meet caring and giving people who are interested in sharing their lives with you and hearing about yours. Everyone should experience Couchsurfing.

domain: travel


Holy Guacamole: Researcher Tracks Invasive Beetle Threatening Florida's Avocados
(PhysOrg.com) -- A researcher at North Carolina State University is tracking the movement of the Redbay Ambrosia beetle, an invasive insect that, if it spreads to southeast Florida, may severely affect the production of avocados, a $15 million to $30 million industry in the state.
First detected in the United States near Savannah, Ga., in 2002, the beetle had spread to Hilton Head Island, S.C., by 2004, causing widespread mortality in Redbay trees. Dr. Frank Koch, a research assistant professor at NC State who works with the United States Forest Service to help monitor and track the geographical movement of invasive species like the Redbay Ambrosia beetle, says it currently is continuing its journey south.
The female Ambrosia beetle carries fungal spores on its body, a source of food for adult beetles and their larvae, which then inoculate Redbay trees. The fungus causes laurel wilt, the source of widespread and severe levels of Redbay mortality in the Southeastern coastal plain. When the beetles bore into the sapwood of a host tree, the fungus germinates in the tree tissue and can cause tree death.
"This beetle is very small - roughly two millimeters long - but it kills extremely rapidly," Koch says. "There are thousands of species of Ambrosia beetles, but they usually don't cause damage to this extent. This particular beetle is very serious because the fungus it carries is remarkably lethal."
The worry, Koch says, is that as the beetle continues to spread down the coast, it will begin to affect avocado trees, which belong to the same genus as Redbay trees.
"This beetle is moving very fast, and it may be in the avocado-growing region of Florida within a year or two," Koch says. "The avocado industry is very concentrated - about 7,500 acres southwest of Miami - and an invasion by these beetles could cause major damage to the production of avocados."
Koch is part of a team that hopes to devise a plan in case the Redbay Ambrosia beetle moves to southwest Miami, as they predict. The team is currently monitoring the beetles' path and hopes to catch them - and stop their progress - before they get to avocado trees. The biggest problem for researchers is that it's hard to tell a tree has been infested until it begins dying.
"There are a lot of people very concerned about the potential of this predator attacking avocado trees. And no one knows quite what to do," Koch says. "Some are trying to figure out if they can protect avocado trees with fungicides. Others wonder if it is possible to closely watch the avocado orchards and isolate and remove any infected trees as soon as they begin to show signs of wilting. Researchers are trying to determine the effectiveness of these options in hopes of coming up with a solution to protect avocado groves."
Provided by North Carolina State University


According to “TimeOut London”, Lloyd’s building is one of the most impressive buildings in London. It is an office building and the home of the insurance institution Lloyd’s of London. Its construction started in 1978 and was completed in 1986.
Designed by Richard Rogers, the building has 14 floors and is 88 m tall. Staircases, lifts, water pipes and electrical power conducts are on the outside, providing a large space inside. The external lifts are made of glass and the whole structure is made of stainless steel and concrete.
The building consists of three main towers and three service towers around a central rectangular space, while its “core” is the Underwriting room in which the Lutine Bell is kept. The total value of the building is estimated at 75,000,000 pounds.
Images of the building are provided below.


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China's HNA Tourism Group acquires Carlson Hotels
China-based HNA enters into agreement with Carlson Hospitality Group for the acquisition of Carlson Hotels
China-based HNA Tourism Group and Carlson Hospitality Group has entered an agreement for the acquisition of Carlson Hotels, Inc, and speculation that the firm was considering sale options earlier this year.
The latter owns the Quorvus Collection, Radisson Blu, Radisson, Radisson Red, Park Plaza, Park Inn by Radisson, Country Inns & Suites By CarlsonSM brands and the Club CarlsonSM global hotel rewards programme.
Carlson Hospitality Group chief executive officer David P. Berg said in a statement: "We look forward to working within HNA Tourism Group, a greatly respected global enterprise, in what will be an exciting new chapter in the history of Carlson Hotels. As part of HNA Tourism Group, Carlson Hotels will have an opportunity to advance our commitment to providing guests with hospitality world-wide."
Under terms of the agreement, HNA Tourism Group will acquire all of Carlson Hotels, including its approximately 51.3% majority stake in Rezidor Hotel Group AB, Carlson Hotel's master licensee based in Brussels, with hotels in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions, and is expected to close in the second half of 2016.
Berg will remain as CEO of the new organisation, and HNA Tourism Group has pledged to maintain Minnetonka, Minn. as its headquarters.
Diana Nelson, Carlson Board chair said: "Hospitality is in our hearts, which made this a difficult decision. We strongly believe that selling our hotel business to HNA Tourism Group, a company that fully recognises its value and heritage, is the best way for us to position it for success and to be true to my grandfather's legacy in the long term."
"We have great respect for the Carlson family and a deep appreciation for its history and special culture," said Bai Haibo, HNA Tourism Group board member and HNA Hospitality Group chairman and CEO.


India’s leading airline SpiceJet has recently added Doha (Qatar), Almaty (Iraq) and Sulaymaniyah (Kazakhstan) to its list of destinations for its international cargo network.
The airline today operated two cargo flights from Mumbai to Doha carrying over 20 tonnes of pharma, perishables and cargo supplies.
SpiceJet, using their Boeing 737 freighter aircraft, carried over 14 tonnes of pharma and cargo supplies to Almaty from Delhi and over 17 tonnes of essential cargo and relief goods to Sulaymaniyah from Sharjah, UAE.
Interestingly, Spicejet signed an MoU with Gulf Air to co-ordinate cargo and other services last year in November.
“With Almaty, Sulaymaniyah and Doha we have further expanded our fast growing cargo network in the Middle East and CIS boosting the supply chain in these unprecedented times.”~Ajay Singh, chairman & managing director, SpiceJet
SpiceJet operated the country’s first cargo-on-seat flight on April 7 carrying vital supplies in passenger cabin and belly space. Since then, the airline has been regularly deploying its B737 and Q400 passenger aircraft to carry cargo in the passenger cabin. Recently, Spicejet announced that it has converted three of its Q400 passenger aircraft into freighters.
Since the outbreak of the pandemic, SpiceJet has been transporting essential cargo to and from destinations across the world like Abu Dhabi, Baghdad, Bahrain, Bangkok, Bishkek, Cambodia, Cairo, Cebu, Colombo, Dhaka, Dubai, Guangzhou, Ho Chi Minh, Hong Kong, Huangzhou, Incheon, Jakarta, Kabul, Kathmandu, Khartoum, Kyrgyzstan, Kuala Lumpur, Kuwait, Male, Myanmar, Shanghai, Singapore, Sharjah, Tashkent and Ukraine among others.


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It is quite common that when we hear the word Requiem we associate it with Mozart’s masterpiece, although symphonic music offers us hundreds of extraordinary works such as Fauré Requiem.
Though Mozart’s Requiem has catapulted its fame thanks to its musical excellence, Mozart’s own death and the famous film Amadeus. Fauré’s Requiem is known for being a gift of liberation and a transition to happiness.
Dozens of singers will join to interpret Fauré`s masterpiece, if you are interested in being part of this great assembly Corearte Colombia will be such a special opportunity to live this unforgettable performance.
In this publication we tell you three generalities and facts that will interest you about Fauré’s Requiem.
1. Fauré Requiem: its composer
Gabriel Fauré was a French composer and pianist from the Niedermeyer School (Paris). He was a student of the virtuous pianist Camille Saint-Saëns, who became his friend and mentor.
After having been in the Franco-Prussian war and being a composer, organist and choral director of several churches in France, Fauré became the chapel master of the Madeleine church with Camille’s help.
Within Fauré’s most famous compositions are the Requiem Op 48, the Pavane, his nocturnes for piano, the suites Masques et bergamasques, among others.
Several years later, he was appointed professor of composition at the Conservatoire National (Paris) and in 1905 he took over the direction of the Conservatoire. He was considered a revolutionary director who modified the curriculum by broadening the range of music taught there.
Today Gabriel Fauré is recognised as one of the most advanced composers of his generation whose pieces are a bridge between Romanticism and Modernism.
2. The masterpiece
Despite all his liturgical compositions, Fauré was not seen as a great religious devotee, but in the years around the death of his parents Fauré began to compose the Requiem in D minor.
The first version of the Requiem was written for soprano, baritone, choir and organ and premiered in 1888 in the Church of La Madeleine (Paris).
Later Fauré traveled to London where he met the musician Edward Elgar, who encouraged him to orchestrate the Requiem. By 1900 Fauré completed the orchestration of the Requiem, but he would still not get to hear its premiere.
In this way, Fauré ‘s Requiem was recognised as an innovative work as it did not follow the liturgical order. Fauré omitted the Dies Irae sequence, placed the Pie Jesus after the Sanctus and added the In Paradisum.
In addition, and contrary to Mozart’s Requiem, Fauré’s Requiem is seen as a cooing of death, leaving behind the fear and terror it evokes.
According to Fauré, death was ‘like a happy liberation, an aspiration to a higher happiness, rather than a painful experience’; he wanted to capture this in his work.
3. The final premiere of Fauré Requiem
After Fauré had finished the second version of the Requiem, his friend Edward Elgar wanted its premiere in London, but despite all his efforts it was not possible.
In 1924 Gabriel Fauré died, without having heard the premiere of the second version of his Requiem in England, but the first version was performed at his funeral.
Finally in 1937 the work was premiered in England by Nadia Boulanger, a pupil and great admirer of Gabriel Fauré.
This master piece will be performed by the Symphonic Orchestra of Caldas (conducted by Maestro Leonardo Marulanda), the Chamber Choir of the Music Department of the University of Caldas (conducted by Maestro Yenny Moreno) and singers from different countries under the direction of the Spanish Maestro Josep Prats in the framework of the International Festival Corearte Colombia 2022.


NETGEAR ORBI WI-FI 6E (RBKE963): KEY SPECS
Wi-Fi spec: Wi-Fi 6E (AX10800, 802.11ax, 10.8 Gbps)
Router ports: 1 WAN/4 LAN
Satellite ports: 4 LAN
Processor: Quad-core 2.2GHz
Wi-Fi chip: Qualcomm Networking Pro 1610
Max range: 95 feet
We review a lot of the best mesh Wi-Fi systems here at T3 and I myself have reviewed my fair share. Which is why I was really rather excited to review Netgear's latest flagship system, the Netgear Orbi Wi-Fi 6E (RBKE963).
This system is so special as it is the industry's first quad-band mesh Wi-Fi 6E system, which in layman's terms means next-gen speeds, connectivity, range and device capacity. I am lucky enough to own quite a large home and also have many devices (I do work at T3 after all!), so theoretically this should be the ideal fit for my networking needs.
Here in T3's Netgear Orbi Wi-Fi 6E (RBKE963) review I will run you through my findings of using this system for over a month, covering everything from design to setup and onto performance and features.
NETGEAR Orbi Wi-Fi 6E (RBKE963) review: pricing and availability
The Netgear Orbi Wi-Fi 6E (RBKE963) costs, if I'm being candid, an eye-watering £1,499.99 in the UK ($1,499.99 in the USA). This is huge amount of money to spend on a mesh networking system, even with a router and two satellite package. Are there cheaper mesh networking systems available? Absolutely. Are there any that offer this package? No. It is obviously also massively future proofed.
In terms of availability, the product is available right now (writing as of March 2022). Today's best deals on the Netgear Orbi Wi-Fi 6E (RBKE963) in your territory can be viewed directly below.
NETGEAR Orbi Wi-Fi 6E (RBKE963) review: design and setup
If you're familiar with the Netgear Orbi brand then you'll recognise the design of the RBKE963's router and extension satellites, which are immediately visible when opening the large box the system is delivered in.
Each looks like a futuristic space pod and are a clean and stylish blend of white and chrome silver. They are in my opinion the most stylish mesh Wi-Fi nodes on the market and it makes having them on display around you home a joy rather than a necessary evil.
The router and its satellites are large though, there's no getting away from that (due to all the antennas and technology loaded within), so if you buy these then you're going to need to see them for sure.
The router delivers a 10 Gigabit WAN port, a 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet port and three Gigabit Ethernet ports, with the unit measuring in at 11 inches in height and 7.5 inches in width.
The satellites, meanwhile, have the same dimensions as the router but deliver just a 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet port and three Gigabit Ethernet ports on the rear.
Physical setup is super easy. You plug in the RBKE963's router and then proceed to position the two satellites around your home. Rather than having to do this blind, or uninstructed, the entire setup procedure is guided via the Netgear Orbi app, which has a step-by-step setup wizard.
This setup procedure literally holds you hand every single step of the way, with it detecting if the correct cables are plugged in, if your router is receiving broadband, if the satellites are speaking to the router and so on. I had the system setup and detected within 10 minutes of opening the box.
Setup in this sense was literally a case of plugging in the router and satellites, loading up the Netgear Orbi app, and following the instructions.
As part of the setup procedure the firmware on the system is also updated and you can setup security features like fingerprint ID for accessing the app. Once the setup procedure is complete you are informed your Netgear Orbi Wi-Fi 6E (RBKE963) is up and running, the connection stability between the router and satellites is optimal and that you have mesh Wi-Fi coverage.
Once setup is complete the app offers you access to a device manager, a speed test tool, parental controls and security features, the latter powered by Netgear Armor. You get a free trial of Netgear Armor out of the gate in this package, but then you have to pay for it once that runs out, which I have to say I thought was frustrating considering you've just spent a grand and a half on this package.
Just for the record, I placed my Orbi router in my kitchen (where my broadband enters the property), a satellite at the other side of the house on the ground floor in my living room, and the other satellite upstairs in the centre of the house in my study. This placement delivered a maximum stability connection despite the three nodes being far apart and separated by numerous walls and floors.
Overall, setting up the Netgear Orbi Wi-Fi 6E (RBKE963) was easy and I am a big fan of their design, even if they are really rather large.
NETGEAR Orbi Wi-Fi 6E (RBKE963) review: performance and features
Here we get onto the real reason why most buyers will pick up the Netgear Orbi Wi-Fi 6E (RBKE963) system, performance. This system delivers 10.8Gbps, AXE11000 Wi-Fi 6E speeds (which, for the un-initiated, are ludicrously fast and the absolute best you can get on the market today), as well as a monstrous 7,500 square feet coverage area and world-ending 250 device connectivity capacity.
With the Netgear Orbi Wi-Fi 6E (RBKE963) router and six satellites (sold separately of course) the maximum range of this mesh networking system blows up to a simply staggering 17,500 square feet. Yes, we're not in Wi-Fi Kansas anymore. The Netgear Orbi Wi-Fi 6E (RBKE963) supports internet services up to 10Gbp.
The performance is powered, in terms of core router hardware, by a quad-core 2.2GHz processor and 1GB of RAM.
The big take away, of course, is the system's Wi-Fi 6E capabilities, which means the Orbi here adds in a 6GHz wireless band that can be tapped into by new high-performance Wi-Fi 6E enabled devices, such as seen on the best TVs, best phones and best laptops.
So, the quad-band capabilities of this system include, firstly, a direct connectivity between the router and the satellites, and then you get a 2.4GHz, 5GHz and 6GHz Wi-Fi bands from the system for your various devices to connect to.
This is super useful as, regardless of how fast your paid broadband connection is, you can tier the devices in your house and prioritise the most important to the higher connectivity bands. For example, a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra smartphone that is Wi-Fi 6E compatible and a device that is used all the time can sit on the rapid and clean 6GHz connectivity, which is unimpeded by older or less important devices that can operate off the 2.4GHz, for example.
Got a home office and work from home a lot? Then providing you've got a laptop that can make use of the 6GHz connectivity then you've just guaranteed video meetings run smoother than you've likely ever experienced before.
My experience with the RBKE963 was flawless in terms of performance, even though my home is not equipped with a top tier broadband connection. The range of the Orbi's mesh network was incredible, with me even getting strong connectivity at the bottom of my garden in my garden pub (lockdown project for the win!) and I experienced no connectivity issues at all during use.
I just loaded every single device I owned onto the RBKE963 mesh network and just kicked back and enjoyed flawless operation. Video streaming was smooth and flawless with no skips or artefacts, downloading and playing Xbox Series X games online fast and easy, and transferring files between devices rapid.
Mobile devices just kept reporting to me that they had excellent 5 bar signal no matter where I moved around my house (even in my attic!), and I've finally managed to find a system that my Sky Q box will actually stay connected to (on my past network the Sky Q box kept losing Wi-Fi signal and disconnecting).
And talking of connections, I loved how I could still hardwire multiple devices into the RBKE963's satellites, with a host of Ethernet ports available. Upstairs in my study, for example, I hardwired my PC, TV and Xbox Series S into a satellite for the best possible connectivity (if I have a 5-star connection from router to satellite, why would I introduce anything that could degrade that!).
Lastly, in terms of features, I was a big fan of the parental controls and device manager offered in the Orbi app. I've got a 12-year-old daughter with a phone and a love of playing video games, so being able to control what she can do and when she can do it was great. Being able to funnel connectivity to certain devices was also great, as well as setup a guest network (my partner and I recently held a post-show party at our house and had a lot of guests).
NETGEAR Orbi Wi-Fi 6E (RBKE963) review: verdict
Here at T3 we like surfacing the very best products for our readers, as we want these products to help them live better lives. And, in that sense, the Netgear Orbi Wi-Fi 6E (RBKE963) system is, by far, the best mesh Wi-Fi system on the market today. Its design, performance and features combine to deliver the ultimate home networking solution.
I simply loved how comprehensive a networking package the RBKE963 delivered which, regardless of its first-in-the-world quad-band Wi-Fi 6E flagship performance, is so, so welcome. Incredible speed, range and capacity aside, this system is one of the absolute finest mesh networking systems I've used for ease of use and making your life easy. And, for me, that's literally what I want most from a networking product. What's the point in having amazing performance on offer if you can't use it?
The price of the Netgear Orbi Wi-Fi 6E (RBKE963) system, though, means that this ultimate performance will be out of reach for many, many people and, being candid, the performance this system offers will likely be overkill for a lot of those people anyway. Do most people need this system's quad-band design with Wi-Fi 6E capabilities? I'm guessing not. But, for me as a technophile, this is a dream mesh Wi-Fi system.
As such, if you can afford the Netgear Orbi Wi-Fi 6E (RBKE963) system and have a home that is big enough to justify it, then it's an super easy recommendation. You're simply going to love this product. If money is no object and you're looking to inject your home with the absolute best range, speeds, stability and device capacity then this is the mesh Wi-Fi system to buy.


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H2 Equity Partners has acquired a stake in UK-headquartered building materials supplier Siderise Group from its founding shareholder, according to reports.
Vehicle is expected to hold a final close in March 2020, Unquote understands
Merger of German and Dutch peers will result in a client base of 3,500 companies
Fund's predecessor, BlackFin Financial Services Fund II, closed on €400m in 2016
GP will support the Munich-based software company's growth by broadening its product offering


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Your olive oil and vinegar pour just got an upgrade with these super cool oil bottles. Judith Lemmens, designer behind the Julems line of wheel thrown ceramics, hand draws the Scandinavian inspired lines design. We love adding flavored vinegar to sparkling water for a shrub-based pick-me-up. This bottle makes that recipe even cuter!
Shown with dishes for salt, pepper and chopped herbs or your fave trinkets.


A Virginia youth pastor has been arrested in the shooting deaths of his wife, stepdaughter and the stepdaughter’s boyfriend in their home on Thanksgiving Day, police said.
Christopher Gattis, 58, was charged with three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported.
Police arriving at the family’s Chester, Va., home around 11:30 p.m. found the women’s bodies inside and the man’s body in the front yard, officials said.
Authorities identified the victims as Jeanett Gattis, 58; her daughter Candice “Candy” Kunze, 30; and Kunze’s boyfriend, Andrew Buthorn, 36. All of them lived together in the home, police said.
Neighbors said Kunze recently moved back home from Oregon, with Buthorn joining her. Neighbors also said the family runs a furniture store in nearby Petersburg, the Richmond-Times Dispatch reported.
Gattis was a youth pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, where he was a ministries coordinator for middle school and high school students.
“Members of Grace Lutheran Church are deeply saddened by the loss of life last night as a result of three individuals being shot in Chester, and this tragedy included members of Grace Lutheran Church,” the church said in a statement.
Gattis was being held at Chesterfield County Jail without bond. He was scheduled to appear in General District Court on Monday and Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court on Tuesday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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- Duke Ellington99
◆ Jazz is not dead - it just smells funny
- Frank Zappa99
◆ Jazz is the music of the body
- Anais Nin99
◆ What 'jazz' means to me is the worst kind of working conditions, the worst in cultural prejudice. The term 'jazz' has come to mean the abuse and exploitation of black musicians.
- Maxim Gorky99
◆ Jazz is rhythm and meaning.
- Henri Matisse99
◆ Jazz will endure just as long people hear it through their feet instead of their brains.
- John Philip Sousa99
◆ Dont clap Im not a jazz band for Christs sake.
- Dylan Moran99
◆ The point of jazz is, you do something and then you go on.
- Van Morrison99
◆ Jazz is there and gone. It happens. You have to be present for it. That simple.
- Keith Jarrett99
◆ Jazz is the big brother of the blues. If a guy's playing blues like we play, he's in high school. When he starts playing jazz it's like going on to college, to a school of higher learning.
- B B King99
◆ Eclecticism is the word. Like a jazz musician who creates his own style out of the styles around him, I play by ear.
- Ralph Ellison99
◆ A jazz musician is a juggler who uses harmonies instead of oranges.
- Benny Green99
◆ Jazz was uplifted by what I did.
- Norman Granz99
◆ Jazz radio is not very friendly to pop singers who decide to make a jazz record. But a lot of people have been. A lot of the people I've talked to like the record.
- Rita Coolidge99
◆ I think you have to have a jazz pedigree to be on jazz radio.
- Rita Coolidge99
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Amber Heard sips wine as she enjoys a sunny outdoor lunch with pal... after making donation to children’s hospital
Amber Heard enjoyed a sunny Saturday with a friend in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles, having a wine-filled lunch.
The 31-year-old actress was clad in a beige safari hat with a black top and blue jeans, with a black pattern scarf and a black leather purse.
The fresh-faced film star rounded things out with black slip-on leather shoes, as she was snapped chowing down and later paying a valet parker to retrieve her automobile.
Scroll below for video
Weekend relaxing: Amber Heard, 31, enjoyed a sunny Saturday with a friend in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles, having a wine-filled lunch
Waiting: Amber had a few dollar bills in hand as she waited for the valet parker to arrive
Heard, who plays Mera in the film Aquaman later this year, was out after the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles named her on a list of donors who pledged between $1,000,000 and $4,999,999, squaring with her previous vow to forward the $7 million divorce settlement she got from Johnny Depp to charity.
The Zombieland beauty had told previously told People that her 'philanthropic efforts have always been centered around medical care, especially with women and children.
Deep: The actress was engaged in chatter with her pal on the patio of the eatery
Leafy: Amber enjoyed a salad on the sunny Saturday in Southern California
'Medical care always struck me as a basic human right and necessity. I have been doing this type of work for the last 14 years with children’s hospitals and bringing, hopefully, laughs and alleviation and distraction to kids that are severely ill,' said Heard, as the two-year anniversary of her May 2016 divorce filing with Depp approaches.
After the celebrity pair, who initially got together on the set of 2011's The Rum Diary, finalized the details of their split in August of 2016, Heard said that she was forwarding the American Civil Liberties Union half of the $7 million total. She said the monies were forwarded 'with a particular focus to stop violence against women,' amid the allegations of verbal and physical abuse she aimed at Depp in their split.
Fashionista: Heard looked beautiful in a casual ensemble topped off by a safari hat
Spirited: The Aquaman starlet looked to be making a point as she chatted with her friend
The actress, who shares the screen with Cara Delevingne in the upcoming crime drama London Fields, issued a statement following the settlement stressing that finances played no role in the show business split.
She said, 'As described in the restraining order and divorce settlement, money played no role for me personally and never has, except to the extent that I could donate it to charity and, in doing so, hopefully help those less able to defend themselves.
'As reported in the media, the amount received in the divorce was $7 million and $7 million is being donated. This is over and above any funds that I have given away in the past and will continue to give away in the future.'
Leftovers: Amber's friend left the establishment with three plastic containers full of food
Nice doing business with you: The Hollywood beauty tipped the valet as she boarded her vehicle
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Seacraft Shipyard Corp. of Amelia, La. delivered M/V Cayman Aggressor IV to Aggressor Fleet Ltd. The 110 ft. aluminum luxury dive yacht was designed by Seacraft Shipyard and is Cayman Island Shipping Registry certified. Two 12V71TI main engines, closed coupled to a pair of Twin Disc 514, 2.5:1 transmissions enables Cayman Aggressor IV to cruise at 12 knots. The propeller shafts and rudders are stainless steel and were fabricated at Seacraft's machine shop. Electricity is supplied by one 30 kW and one 40 kW generator. The aft dive deck features storage lockers for diving gear, air and nitrox fill stations, fresh water dip tank, and two access ladders.
The 140 ft. catamaran seismic survey vessel Ms. Cordelia was delivered to Global Geophysical Services, Houston, TX. The all aluminum vessel was converted from a prototype high speed low wake passenger ferry that had not been completed or put in service. The conversion design and engineering was done by the naval architectural firm of Guarino & Cox, LLC, Covington, LA. Seacraft Shipyard carried out the conversion work at their facilities in Amelia, LA.
The town of Sibu developed its vibrant fast ferry building tradition in the decades after World War II. But it is only more recently that the vessels' fame and their designs have grown to the point that the little town on Sarawak's Rejan River is supplying fast ferries for much of southeast Asia. Most of the ferries that ply the rivers of the area are single engined. Many of those that have been supplied to China, Cambodia, Vietnam
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNS), harbored on an island between Kittery, Maine and Portsmouth, New Hampshire, has weathered many a storm since its creation in 1800 under President John Adams. As the nation's first naval shipyard, PNS has risen and fallen with the fortunes of sail, steam, and atomic-powered seacraft. In recent decades, it has reinvented itself as a top-notch provider in the life cycle maintenance of modern Navy submarines
Training tomorrow’s workforce of skilled artisans and engineers is a leading priority of America’s public and private shipyards. It takes an average of six to eight years to train a fully qualified shipyard worker to the level of journeyman mechanic, technically skilled to work on nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers. The average age of a shipyard worker is about 45 years, and 33 percent of shipyard workers are over the age of 50.
3.MAJ Shipyard, Croatia, has purchased the Tribon Shipbuilding system for design and production of ships at its shipyard in Rijeka. To increase the yard’s automatization and efficiency, 3.MAJ Shipyard will in the first phase implement the Tribon system to achieve a highly efficient steel construction site. To support a faster interaction between the shipyard’s designers and suppliers in order to reduce man-hours and costs when searching for equipment, 3.MAJ Shipyard has signed up for Tribon
Donald T. 'Boysie' Bollinger, chairman and CEO of Bollinger Shipyards, Inc., and chairman of the National Shipyard Association (NSA) and Daniel L. Gulling, president of Marinette Marine Corp., and chairman of the Shipbuilders Council of America have announced the merger of the two associations. The new association, also called Shipbuilders Council of America, represents more than 50 shipyard companies that own and operate more than 100 shipyards in 20 states
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U.S. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus on Thursday warned that congressional plans for a piecemeal modernization of 11 cruisers would cost billions of dollars more than the Navy's original plan and meant the warships would have to be retired earlier.
Transnet National Port’s Authority’s R1.4 billion contract to produce nine powerful tugboats is progressing on time and within budget at the Southern African Shipyards premises in Durban. “This is a milestone project that reinforces the capacity and skill of South Africa and
COSCO Corporation Singapore Ltd, part of one of China's largest shipbuilding groups, said its first-quarter net profit dropped 94 percent year-on-year to S$766,000 ($579,600) on weak performance in shipyard and bulk shipping businesses. COSCO Corp
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Severn Offshore Services announced that its new vessel Severn Provider has commenced operations in the German sector of the North Sea. The 26-meter Damen Twin Axe crew transfer vessel Severn Provider was recently christened at Damen Shipyards
Bollinger Shipyards was presented the 2014 Award for Excellence in Safety for the 10th consecutive year, and was also presented the 2014 Award for Improvement in Safety by the Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA) on April 23, 2015, during the association’s Spring General Membership Meeting
Shipowner Navig8 is progressing the application of Interline9001, a advanced cargo tank coating from AkzoNobel’s International marine product range, on a series of 18 chemical tankers currently under construction at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard, South Korea
A good order book and need for higher capacity in the dock were the basis for STX France to purchase more welding automation for its shipyard’s panel welding. STX France decided to turn to Pemamek after a competitive offering round
D'Amico International Shipping has ordered two new long range one product tankers, to be built by Vietnam’s Vinashin Shipyard Co for about $44m each. The tankers are expected to be delivered mid-2017. The 75,000-dwt eco-LR1 product tankers will be built in Vietnam by
Scorpio Bulkers has agreed to sell two new capesize bulk carriers and an ultramax for a combined $111m to an unknown buyer. The two capes are currently under construction in China and in South Korea, and will be delivered between Q3 2015 and Q2 2016.