text:
Just like the last entry, "Hanoi Deathgrip", this fourth book in the "M.I.A. Hunter" series is once again written by the talented Joe R. Lansdale (as author Jack Buchanan working off of Stephen Mertz's outline). The Texas writer has a tremendous skill-set that allows our heroic trio, Mark Stone, Terrance Loughlin and Hog Wiley, to cross over predetermined boundaries. While I love the series as a whole and plan to read and review more (watch out!), no one does it as well as Lansdale thus far. "Mountain Massacre" injects a comical touch thanks to the author's infatuation with the big lovable Hog. The character is a perfect target, he's the strong man that typically makes up every fictional team. If it were the Avengers Hog would be Hulk. The Fantastic Four? Hog is The Thing. It's just formula driven and Lansdale totally got that. Beyond just the humorous bits the book adds some fantasy and darker elements. The mysterious mountain bandits are ninjas, complete with the attached folklore that they can disappear, climb walls and practice dark magic. While our trio of paperback warriors don't buy into the bandit folklore, Lansdale still throws it out there to make this fantastical in a sense.
The book begins with the P.O.W. hunters on the verge of springing a group of American soldiers from a prison camp in Vietnam. Lansdale gets to work early and gives us a firefight as the group emerge from the camp. Immediately the author pinpoints Hog as a go-to character and makes him larger than life. In one early scene Hog rips the testicles off of the enemy before discarding him like so much rotten meat. Hog and company escape into the mountains and meet up with what is ultimately the book's villain - bandits. The gang disrupts the maiming and raping with a quick disposal of the bandits but Stone is left unsettled by what appears to be former American soldiers in bandit garb. What!?!
Back in Thailand Stone meets up with his old mentor An Khom and discusses the bandits. Carruthers, a series villain and Stone's CIA nemesis, shows up to remind Stone that some of the bandits he killed were American soldiers. Later, Stone meets with an older wealthy man who wants to contract Stone to locate his M.I.A. son...to the tune of a cool million. Stone profoundly agrees to take on the mission. Remember, Stone and the gang are non-profit. However his front detective business is shut-down and things are way more difficult with the CIA bringing the heat. A million bucks can fund a lot of operations into Southeast Asia.
Like the prior novels this one gives us a thrilling search and destroy through various skirmishes and gunfights. Lansdale throws a thrilling boat ride into the foray along with a village liberation attempt and the climatic showdown with the mountain bandits in a temple fortress. Unlike others in the series this book has a ton of sword-play due to a rivalry between Stone ally Kong Le and his estranged son Chen. Due to the martial arts background of the bandits a lot of the battles are hand-to-hand and showcase a little bit more of Stone and his team in terms of physical strength and conditioning. I like that aspect and hope we see more of that in future installments.
"Mountain Massacre" lives up to the name with a traditional Mark Stone contribution that is worthy in the "top tier" of "M.I.A. Hunter" books. The addition of fantasy elements, a bit of mystery and the Ninjutsu mythology enhances what is a standard search and destroy formula. Kudos to the author for providing more closure to this story than the typical Stone book.
Buy a copy of this book HERE


Thesheer number of news articles and columns on InternationalWomen’s Day seems to highlight women’s woes in Turkey.
To“prove” my point, I downloaded a March 8 newspaper from each of the 71countries in Pressdisplay’snewspaper depository whose language I could (sort of) speak and counted thewomen-related pieces in each- no, I am not a protocol droid like C-3PO, but French and Spanishalone let you cover three continents, and many countries have an English-languagedaily. I then adjusted for the number of pages in each newspaper. With anarticle per page ratio of 1/3, our sister daily Radikal simply blew away thecompetition!
Graphingthese “normalized women’s article” figures against World Economic Forum’s 2011 GlobalGender Gap Report (GGGR) rankings yielded a negative relationship, althoughthere were several outliers like Saudi Arabia: While the country has theprivilege of being one of the handful below Turkey, ranked 122 out of 135 inthe GGGR, there was only one piece in the Saudi Gazette. Maybe, I should havecontrolled for democracy and strength of the press.
Thepapers had so much to write about because it was certainly a busy Women’s Dayin Turkey: In addition to several other events, Sabancı Chairman Güler Sabancıspoke at a U.N.conference on gender equality, Ukrainian activists FEMEN were in Istanbul for their trademarktopless protest, and last but definitely not least, lawmakers passeda bill to curb violence against women.
Infact, with daily Milliyet reporting on the results of a survey and Ankarathink-tank USAK releasing anextensive report on the topic, violence against women was the most popularsubject on Thursday, and for good reason: All the different surveys find thataround 40 percent of Turkish women have been subject to violence. Turkey isnumber nine, among 47 countries, in the wife-beater rankings in theUnitedNations World’s Women 2010 report.
Anotherpopular topic in Thursday’s papers was women’s role in business. While I have writtenabout the low labor force participation rate of Turkish women, Turkey doesnot fare that badly in terms of the ratio of women managers, according to arecent survey from Grant Thornton. Their 31 percent figure seems based onmore institutionalized firms, as the official number is 21 percent, and only 7percent for small businesses. Perhaps this suggests that women’s labor marketissues should be discussed along with the informality and small size of Turkishfirms.
Moreinterestingly, these two seemingly- unrelated women’s problems may beconnected. In a recent note, Istanbul think-tank Betam’sresearchers show that working makes a woman less likely to be subject toviolence, even after controlling for education, spouse’s education and age.
AsGökçe Uysal, one of the authors, explained to me, over woman’sthigh meatballs (the literal translation of a Turkish croquette dish) at Bahçeşehir University, thisis all about outsideoptions. A man is less likely to beat his wife if she has the means toleave him- even if she does not explicitly threaten to do so.
Soby getting women into the labor force, we may be hitting two birds(no pun intended) with one stone.


text:
Whether you surf, sail, kayak, snorkel, or fish, Block Island offers plenty of ocean and pond adventure.
The pounding surf and temperate waters are perfect for surfing, paddleboarding, windsurfing, kiteboarding, parasailing, scuba diving, and sea kayaking, and there are a number of local businesses that rent equipment and offer lessons and summer camps.
There’s offshore adventure in the form of sail and powerboat charters. Inland pursuits include biking, hiking, and all manner of exercise classes, such as yoga, Nia, aerobics and more — you can even take yoga classes on paddleboards at dawn. Or you can hit the spa or simply hit the hammock!
There’s no better place to relax than Block Island.
Services and Shops
BLOCK ISLAND SPORT SHOP www.blockislandsport.com 401-466-5001
BLOCK ISLAND BOAT BASIN www.blockislandboatbasin.net
BLOCK ISLAND CONSERVANCY www.biconservancy.org 401-466-3111
THE BLOCK ISLAND CLUB 609-401-3477
BLOCK ISLAND FISHWORKS www.bifishworks.com 401-466-5392
BLOCK ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY Historical Society Website 401-466-2481
CONSERFEST 2013 www.conserfest.org
DIAMOND BLUE SURF SHOP www.diamondbluebi.com 401-466-314
HELIBLOCK Helicopter Tours heliblocktours.com 401-859-1001
OCEAN ADVENTURES www.oceanadventuresbi.com 401-368-2611

domain: hobby


text:
Symantec: Building Comprehensive Security Into Cars
Recently, threats to cars have escalated from the realm of possibility to harrowing reality. Symantec is working with automakers, chipmakers, and other forward-thinking companies to block hackers’ many inroads into vehicles and keep cars—and people—safe.
Over the past few years, automotive security threats have gone from theory to reality. Tech-savvy thieves have stolen cars throughout Europe and North America. Online videos show hackers remotely hitting the brakes on cars in ways that can endanger drivers and passengers. Hackers can exploit some of these vulnerabilities from an adjacent lane without forewarning to the driver. Other vulnerabilities are open to attack over the cellular network—from halfway around the world—and for large numbers of cars simultaneously.
Even though technology exists to solve many of these security problems, the challenges of deploying such technology in cars loom far larger than similar challenges do in traditional information technology (IT) systems. In traditional IT systems, most problems can be solved with a quick install, update, or configuration change—or at worst, restoring from a backup, executing a failover to a disaster recovery site, or calling in a breach response team to tackle the most sophisticated threats.
However, cars don’t work like that. Multi-year safety certification processes to meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) requirements don’t engender the weekly, daily, and real-time security updates that IT teams enjoy. Nobody can call in a breach response team to investigate the millions of cars you’ve built, now happily garaged in millions of homes. A car can’t safely fail over to another car. Companies often use redundancies at critical IT layers to keep high-volume web services running reliably, but few, if any, carmakers can afford the NASA-like investment of doing this for every vehicle.
Protecting cars against such threats has to be done in a context that works both within the car, and at scale for carmakers. The responsibility doesn’t stop at the assembly line: It extends all the way from the carmakers to the full breadth, depth, and complexity of auto supplier relationships. Security is a concern at each tier of the value chain, and attackers seek the weakest links.

domain: news


text:
Large parts of the Southeast are grappling with severe drought.
In some parts of Alabama, there hasn't been any rain in nearly six weeks. Some farmers are selling off cattle because there's not enough hay to feed them over the winter.
The latest U.S. Drought Monitor report, released Thursday, shows parts of Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi under "exceptional drought" conditions.
An even larger swath of the country — from eastern Texas through parts of Arkansas, Louisiana and up to Kentucky — is experiencing less serious, but still severe, drought that threatens crops and has led to water shortages.
Nearly 40 percent of the Southeast is under moderate to exceptional drought conditions, according to the most recent analysis by the Southeast Regional Climate Center.
Jordan McLeod, a regional climatologist at the Southeast Regional Climate Center, told the Los Angeles Times that the Southeastern drought first developed in the spring and "really began to intensify during the summer."
The Times reports that the reason for the drought is essentially bad weather luck, because recent storms have skipped the driest areas:
"The rains that drenched Louisiana and led to disastrous floods this summer didn't head east, and the tropical storms that flooded parts of the East Coast didn't move west." 'Unfortunately those storms did not take a very favorable inland trek that would have brought some much-needed rainfall to interior areas that are under drought,' McLeod said of recent tropical storms that formed in the Atlantic Ocean and headed toward the U.S."
The hardest-hit parts of the Southeast, mostly in Georgia and Alabama, are dealing with dryness comparable to the ongoing, catastrophic drought in California. The new report classifies conditions in both parts of the country as long-term droughts, meaning they have been going on six months or more.
In the Southeast, the lack of water also has intensified a decades-long fight between Georgia and Florida over water rights. The main issue is that Florida thinks Georgia — and especially Atlanta — uses too much water from the Chattahoochee River, as Molly Samuel of member station WABE reported this fall.
An October report by the Southeast Regional Climate Center said Lake Lanier, "a major reservoir for Atlanta's water supply, [was] about 8 feet below its summer pool level." It also recorded at least 1,000 wildfires in Alabama since late September.
Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley has issued a drought declaration for every county in the state, and the northern half of the state is under a drought emergency, which allows local officials to restrict water use. As of Monday, all of Alabama was under a "no burn" order that bars all outdoor burning, according to the Alabama Forestry Commission.
So far, the Georgia's Department of Natural Resources has not gone as far. In September, officials began what they called a "level 1 drought response," which consisted of a public information campaign in 53 counties.
Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal told reporters last week that he would impose water-use restrictions in some parts of the state "very soon," according to member station WABE. Deal didn't say when the new restrictions would take effect.
In September, the U.S. Department of Agriculture designated the Georgia counties of Putnam, Baldwin, Greene, Hancock, Jasper, Jones and Morgan as disaster areas due to farmer and rancher losses from the drought. The designation means some farmers in those counties are eligible for "low interest emergency loans from USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA)."
Copyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.

domain: geography


The StandDesk was developed by millennials, is marketed directly at millennials, and has actually been gobbled up by millennials in outstanding volumes. While it carries a ten-year warranty (the longest of any type of Chinese-made base), in this case it’s not necessarily a reliable indicator of the expected beneficial life of the training columns. For the cost, the StandDesk is a wonderful lower-cost option to the UpLift, Jarvis and various other Chinese-made desks. In spite of its stability concerns this is a far better product than the Autonomous SmartDesk or IKEA Bekant can ever hope to be, and also a good value in general. It’s the mid-priced offering in the broad classification of Chinese-made workdesks that is winning over customers from both its less expensive and pricier peers.
StandDesk Building, Setup, and also Devices
Developing the desk is pretty easy if you adhere to the in-depth guidelines. All of the screws, bolts, washing machines, and spring washers can be found in different bags that are noted with their destination: tabletop, structure, and also spares. There’s a consisted of hex device for fastening every one of the screws into the frame, or, appear a hex little bit into your power tool– just be careful not to over-tighten.
All of the parts have a top quality coating to them with rounded edges to avoid cut hands. Below is a shot of all the bolts that are secured to the leg setting up– it’s not going anywhere!
The foot assembly additionally includes height-adjustable rotation gears to stabilize the front-to-back movement of the desk, which was very valuable for the carpeted office flooring. I’m additionally making use of a floor mat to safeguard the carpet from chair wheel damages at sitting height, and push the chair back when I’m transitioning to standing height.
The luxurious controller deserved the financial investment. The buttons are all variable stress configured, indicating the up and down arrowheads will certainly readjust the elevation by 1/10th of an inch with a single press, or continually adjust the height by about 0.7 inches per second if you hold the switch for 2 seconds. The memory buttons are similar in style: push to remember the height setup, or hold the button down for 5 seconds to store a new height value. I’m using button 1 for my resting placement as well as switch 4 for my standing placement, which gives me 2 and 3 for anything I might need in the future.
Utilizing my Standdesk
I have actually been making use of the brand-new workdesk for a few weeks as well as have actually written down my preliminary impacts:
The motors are quiet but can be heard in the following room over. It takes probably 25 secs for the desk to completely transition from resting to standing based on my presets.
I make use of an Ergotron side-by-side keep track of arm (specifically this LX version), causing the desk to obtain a little rough when I move my weight versus the keyboard. In knowledge, I should have purchased the crossbar upgrade for my desk after identifying the weight of my monitors. If you plan to do a twin display setup, obtain the bar.
Because gravity presses the discs in a human back, I need to increase the desk greater in the early morning and also lower it in the evening.
An anti-fatigue floor covering is definitely necessary for long duration standing. I purchased an Octagonal mat from SmartCells, using rubber “cells” that are envisioned below.
Despite any type of issues I might have had with the mobile or the cookie-cutter design, virtually all of those issues removed once I really got down to using this thing.
Although I didn’t believe it was even feasible, the StandDesk in some way handles to be even more steady than the Jarvis, both at resting and standing elevations. Many days I like to run my Jarvis at max height while pressed against my wall; not always since it’s that shaky, however even if I desire as much security as I can get.
The StandDesk one ups the gambit also further, verifying to be just as constant on its own at standing height as the Jarvis is with wall support. This is all without the firm’s crossbar addition, which they claim adds even more security when acquired as a part of the bundle deal.When it involves weight tolerance, the StandDesk shares yet even more stats with the Jarvis, being ranked for approximately 350 pounds of weight capability.
I have actually been making use of the desk for concerning three weeks now for everyday job (as well as following standing desk best practices), whether it’s typing out evaluations like this one from our desktop or a laptop from time to time. The desk holds up well against non-coastered beverages, and also the coating on top of the desk still really feels just as smooth as well as slick as the day I opened it regardless of days of sweaty wrists wresting on it as well as numerous clean downs with a dustcloth.
I never ever deliberately try to dent any kind of desks also hard, during some lighter tests (tossing a collection of keys onto it from a range, for instance), it still held up without also several noticeable indications of damages.
Last but not least, when I determined the noise output of the desk while it increased from a resting setting to standing and also back once again, it was without a doubt the quietest we have actually evaluated yet. I might hardly get it to make more than concerning 9.5 dB of noise, so if your most significant worry is the whirr of your motor, this is absolutely the one for you.
Currently, generally I do not include much regarding the customer service support of any type of given company, only since I feel that as a whole if an item works the method its intended to, I shouldn’t ever before have a reason to call them to begin with. As well as while I desire I might state that was the case during my experience with StandDesk, I simply can not finish this testimonial without stating the numerous, seemingly countless problems I experienced attempting to obtain my desk put together.
For starters, the desk I was sent really did not have any kind of memory handset included originally, which implied I had no other way of actually managing the up/down function on the desk itself. I contacted StandDesk concerning this concern, that returned to me around a day later with an apology as well as an assurance that a new one would certainly be shipped soon.
Standdesk testimonial handset
The resource of all our issues …
Regarding four days later a phone got here in the mail. The phone at first switched on, however it had not been long prior to I discovered that none of the programmable switches worked, nor did the down button, however, for some reason the “memory” switch took care of the down function simply fine. I called the business again, and they excused the mixup and also stated they would have a brand-new panel and control box bent on me within the week.
Over two weeks later my brand-new panel as well as control box showed up. Once I installed them both the desk ultimately began working the method it was meant to, yet not after almost a month of waiting and back and forth with a company that could not bear in mind to deliver a core element of their product inside the exact same box from the get-go.
Things to Take into consideration
Regardless of its bankable attributes, this stand up desk additionally has its own downsides. Because no particular stand workdesk can capture all of the features that you may need, you might consider these in your decision-making.
Absence of a Crossbar as requirement
Not having a stabilizing crossbar is definitely not a deal-breaker, especially considering a few of our other favorite workdesks such as the Completely Jarvis likewise don’t have one. As a matter of fact, this desk does have one if you desire, however it is a paid add-on (much more on this later on also).
The crossbar is seen by some as a hindrance, making it more difficult to put your legs conveniently listed below the desk. Others, on the other hand, discover that they offer included stability, commonly important when desks are completely expanded.
We have not review any type of problems of the security of this desk, so we don’t assume its something to truly be worried regarding, although if you actually desired a workdesk with a bar after that we advise you take a look at the Varidesk ProDesk 60 Electric.
Alternatively, StandDesk does use a separate add-on crossbar that you can include in the desk yourself, just for an additional $49.95.
The stability of a standing desk is one of the most vital facets of these workdesks. Without a stable workdesk you’ll discover it difficult to concentrate, which can cause you becoming less thinking about using the desk at standing height. To get the most effective return on your financial investment, you’ll want to more than happy when using the desk.
Due To The Fact That the StandDesk Simple is the first desk that I have evaluated with an optional cross support, I will break down my stability examinations right into 2 sections. Both tests will include the regular front to back shaking examination and a left to appropriate wobble. The very first will be without the cross assistance and also the second will be with it. Just to note, StandDesk.co says that the enhancement of the cross support can increase stability by approximately 15%. I have no idea just how they developed that number.
Without Cross Support
Left to Right: The wobble test was a different scenario. StandDesk Simple was the second workdesk that I examined that wobbled at the bottom with weight on the desktop computer. The very first was the IKEA Bekant. By the time it reached 36″ the shaking movement was bad. Yet point it would impact your job.
With Cross Support
Front to Back: Adding the cross assistance does not impact the shaking activity. The StandDesk Simple started to experienced a shaking movement at 36″. By 41″ the rocking motion misbehaved.
Entrusted to Right: Adding the cross assistance to the StandDesk enhanced the wobble activity for reduced heights. With the cross support the wobble motion didn’t begin until you got to 35″. By 39″ the wobble motion came to be poor.
Note: It’s really crucial with adjustable standing workdesks to fully tighten all equipment. If there is equipment that is not completely limited, the activity experienced when reached standing elevation will certainly be overemphasized. This is specifically real with a workdesk framework that includes 32 screws, there are much way too many points at which the desk has a possibility to move.
Like all the Chinese bases we’ve evaluated in our laboratories, we have to narrow our recommendation on the StandDesk Pro to much shorter customers with narrower desktop computers, as the security simply isn’t there for a big mass elevated high off the ground. American-made desks will certainly be better matched to these applications, and also for a rather evident factor. Basically all American-made bases are made in United States factories that are had by Swedish, Danish or German firms that created this market, and also their average people are a lot taller than the ordinary Eastern consumer, so they started making longer-stroke training legs a very long time back. And also they have much more robot automation, laser-cutting equipment, and also sheer experience making standing desk bases, it goes without saying.
But if you’re not as well high, do not have an inordinate quantity of hefty tools on your desktop, as well as do not need too wide of a desk, the StandDesk Pro will certainly offer you excellent value.
All that may transform with Yu’s assured StandDesk Pro 2.0 layout that he anticipates to release at some point in the future. Originally we were told we would certainly see it by June 2018. Greater than a year later it has yet to appear, and also Yu states he’s had difficulty getting the item quality he requires out of a number of Chinese manufacturing facilities he’s tried collaborating with. The new style is apparently going to be a lot easier to assemble as well as have a heftier bar layout, among other improvements. He says the brand-new base will be provided in both a “T-Leg” as well as “C-Leg” configuration, minimizing our worry regarding side-load stressing on the lifting columns.
If this brand-new base ever pertains to market we’ll update you here. We’re not holding our breath any longer as the most recent news on the company is that Yu shut the small Los Angeles office as well as has actually moved it to join with all its various other employees in southeast Asia.
In the meantime, a brand-new $399 standing workdesk with remarkable efficiency has actually been introduce with the new joint endeavor in between US-based iMovR and China-based Eureka, the i1 electrical standing desk. While restricted in dimension as well as shade options, it has actually taken the mantle far from StandDesk’s long-ago condition as the very best standing workdesk under $400.


text:
It started with a bang but is likely to end with a whimper. Sanjivani 2 starring Surbhi Chandna, Namit Khanna, Gurdip Kohli, Mohnish Bahl may possibly go off air after barely 2 months of airing on Star Plus
Meet Namit Khanna aka Dr Siddhant Mathur’s mother on the show Sanjivani 2. Makers are introducing Aarti Bahl, Mohnish Bahl’s wife, as a new member of the cast. Though she is not paired opposite her husband, the two have earlier worked alongside on TV
Recently, Surbhi Chandna shared a video of the cast humming and blowing whistles to the Sanjivani theme song and it seems like the cast is as excited as we are!
After a long wait, the teaser of Sanjivani 2 has finally been dropped online. In the video, we see Mohnish Bahl, Gurdeep Kohli, Subhi Chandna and Namit Khanna walking out of the operation theatre
It was just yesterday when the director of Sanjivani 2 shared a photo on Instagram stating that the show's shoot has begun in full swing. While they introduced new characters, here's another one to join them
After 17 years, the popular medical drama Sanjivani is all set to make a comeback. With the old faces, Mohnish Bahl and Gurdeep Kohli, we will see some new faces featuring in this show. Here’s the team’s latest picture together

domain: celebrity


Catastrophic optical damage (COD) is a crucial factor that limits the operation and lifetime of ultra-high power lasers. The understanding of the COD is essential to improve the endurance of this kind of devices. The COD is observed as a process in which the active part of the laser diode is destroyed. As a result, characteristic defects are formed, the so called dark line defects (DLDs). These defects are usually generated at the front facet and propagate inside the cavity. Technologically improved mirror facets make them more resistant, and the COD is more likely to occur inside the cavity, far from the mirror facet. The DLDs are clusters of dislocations and molten and recrystallized regions. The nature of these defects suggests that both temperature and stress play a paramount role in the occurrence of the COD process. The COD arises after many hours of normal operation of the laser; therefore, it concerns lasers without grown-in threading dislocations that may cross the active zone of the laser. The dislocations are generated during the laser operation. The COD is a sudden process, in which the DLDs propagate at a very fast speed, fed by the laser self-absorption. The formation of dislocations is a mechanical process demanding that the stresses reach the onset of plasticity so that a massive generation of dislocations is induced. The origin of the forces generating the dislocations is the existence of very local hot spots in the active parts of the laser, corresponding to laser self-absorbing tiny regions. We discuss here the role of the critical temperature, the thermal conductivity, and the mechanical strength of the laser structure in relation to the COD of high power GaAs based laser diodes.


Basmati rice exports to Iran may take a hit this fiscal. Information trickling in from Indian rice trade sources indicates that Iran has just reworked its multiple exchange rate system to circumvent sanctions and rice importers in Iran will now have access to the open market exchange rate with a 2% discount.
This means that the Iranian rice importer will now have to shell out Rs 23,000 to Rs 25,000 rials (or 2,300 to 2,500 toman) against one dollar as compared to 12,600 rials against a dollar a week ago.
This will automatically work as a disincentive to import basmati rice from India as imports will become doubly expensive. "We are yet to get an official communication from Iranian authorities.
But media reports from Iran say that such a change has been brought in. Even our trade sources have also indicated such a change. This is a matter of real concern to Indian basmati rice exporters," said MP Jindal, president, All India Rice Exporters Association (AIREA).
Iran is one of the major destinations for Indian basmati rice and the country had imported 32 lakh tonne of basmati rice in FY12. The move will affect rice exporters in India and returns to farmers may also dwindle this year.
Till October 31, 2012, India has exported 19.8 lakh tonne of basmati rice to Iran. Media reports from Iran say that the country has narrowed the list of export goods which have been banned to 34 items from an initial 52. The Trade Promotion Organisation of Iran has recently released a new list of goods including wheat, sugar, meat, corn, dairy products, livestock, confectionery, iron products, rice, and some specific petrochemicals.
Authorities have divided imports into 10 categories based on how essential they are for the Iranian economy and will accordingly provide importers with dollars at a subsidised rate to buy basic goods. Those products which are not produced domestically will be removed from the list of banned items, but most of the named products are produced in the country and there is no need to import them. Western sanctions over Iran's controversial nuclear activities have caused a shortage of foreign currency in the country sparking a drastic devaluation of the Iranian rial and sending inflation soaring.
Iran functions on a multiple exchange rate system to circumvent the sanctions. First, there is the official exchange rate of 12,500 rial (1,250 toman). Then there is the open market exchange rate which varies between 25,000-28,000 rial (2,500-2,800 toman) and finally the unofficial market rate of 28,000 rial (2,800 toman).
"We have learnt that Iran has now classified imported goods into three categories," said Jindal.
The first category consists of "strategic goods" which have access to the official rate of exchange, which is stable at 12,600 rials (also known as 1,260 toman).
The second division consists of goods which are being prioritised and this, according to buyer sources, includes rice. There is unconfirmed news that importers in this category will have access to the open-market exchange rate with a 2% discount. This would work out to roughly less than 23,000 to 25,000 rials (or 2,300 to 2,500 toman). And the third division is being restricted or banned.
"If this happens then it will be a major blow to Indian basmati rice exporters. Why should Iranian importers buy from us at this high rate? We will be hard hit due to this move," said Vijay Sethia, former president, AIREA.
In 2011-12, India had produced 78 lakh tonne of basmati rice. "However, this year production will be less by 8%-10%," said Jindal.


Louisiana Hurricane Gustav (DR-1786)
Incident period: September 1, 2008 to September 11, 2008
Major Disaster Declaration declared on September 2, 2008
Updates and Articles, Blogs, and News Releases
October 24, 2008
BATON ROUGE, La. -- Mobile Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) will visit Jena, Rayne and Jean Lafitte starting Monday, Oct. 27 to assist residents who had damage or losses from hurricanes Gustav and Ike, according to Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials. These MDRCs will close on Friday, Oct. 31, 2008 at the close of business.? The hours of operation will be 9 a.m.- 6 p.m. ? Disaster Recovery Center location and hours of operation:
October 22, 2008
NEW ORLEANS, La. -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) advises Louisiana residents who must repair flood-damaged homes or businesses to be aware of the special requirements for buildings that have been substantially damaged or will be substantially improved. Individual property owners need to work closely with their local community officials to ensure compliance with floodplain regulations - or else their flood insurance rates could be significantly higher.
October 21, 2008
New Orleans, La. -- In response to a request from the state of Louisiana, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is offering mobile homes and park model units only to families who need continued temporary housing assistance after hurricanes Gustav and Ike in the five, State-identified priority parishes of Cameron, Calcasieu, Terrebonne, Lafourche and Jefferson.
October 20, 2008
Disaster Recovery Center in West Baton Rouge Closes; Jefferson Parish DRC Converts to Disaster Loan Outreach Center
BATON ROUGE, La. -- The Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in Avondale will convert to a Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC) on Thursday, October 23.? The location and hours of operation can be found below.? Jefferson Parish Avondale Park 709 South Jamie Blvd. Avondale, LA 70094 The DLOC will be open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. and on Saturday from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
October 18, 2008
NEW ORLEANS, La. -- Since hurricanes Gustav and Ike hit the State of Louisiana, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and its federal partners have worked together helping those affected by the storms recover. So far, more than $300 million has been approved by FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for mission assignments, individual assistance, public assistance and SBA loans to hurricanes Gustav and Ike applicants. Here is an update on the services and assistance they have provided since the hurricanes struck, as of close of business Oct. 16.?
October 17, 2008
BATON ROUGE, La. -- A Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) will open Monday, October 20 in Dulac to assist residents who had damage or losses from hurricanes Gustav and Ike, according to Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials. Disaster Recovery Center location and hours of operation: Terrebonne Parish Grand Caillou Recreation Center ???? 106 Badou Dr. ??? Dulac, LA 70353 Open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m.


text:
Table of Contents
These soundproof room partition ideas can make your rooms soundproof and free of noise or distractions. A sound proof room divider is a thick piece of glass with numerous layers of foam on top which helps to absorb or dampen sound waves. They are great for rooms like bedrooms and areas with a variety of materials that block sound, such as the sound masking tape. There are many methods to make your home soundproof but the most popular is to install soundproof walls and then add sound deadening materials such as foam.
This article will show you how to create a soundproof room partition with three panels. You can get sound proof room dividers in any design or color. Or, you can choose one of these three models. The first one is a basic rectangular room divider that's four panels by six feet. This will provide you with a wide soundproof area in any room you need to put it in. It's also great for smaller spaces since it's simple to install. You just take out the middle panel, and then replace it with a different one.
The second soundproof room divider design is my favourite. It's the double-walled sound proof panel system for sound deadening. This system uses double-sided foam to soundproof your walls while still letting the sound bounce off the other side. It's an extremely effective method to soundproof your home and provide sound insulation.
Expandable soundproofers are the 3rd type of sound proof room divider. The sound deadening system comes with expandable panels that can be expanded to eight or four panels when you need more sound proofing or sound insulation. These expandable soundproofing panels are ideal for areas that have vibrations like close to gaming rooms or computer rooms.
There are a variety of soundproofing options available, including sound deadening shoes. Soundproofing your home is a matter of deadening shoes, particularly if you have basements. Basements are notorious for creating reflections in sound that cancel out sound inside the home. However, there are insoles currently available that are specifically designed to block out sound in your basement.
Some sound proof room partitions are actually constructed from real wood, but I prefer the look and sound insulation properties of soundproof tiles. There are two kinds of tiles that absorb sound: laminated and solid surface. A tile with solid surfaces will absorb sound while a tile with laminated surfaces can reflect the sound back. These sound absorption tiles can be installed on floors, ceilings and even on walls. The soundproofing of doors is an option if you want to create a soundproof space divider.
There are other soundproof room divider ideas like soundproof mirrors. These sound deadening mirrors are placed at the edges of a room and they also double as a mirror. Mirrors reflect sound waves back to ensure that there are no reflections of sound in your eyes. A soundproof room divider can shield your bedroom from sound absorption if you love to play pool and listen to music.
Although there are soundproof room glass partitions however, I find them to be too costly. The glass will not only soundproof the room however, it will also filter sound. Glass sounds nice however, it is expensive. Ceramic soundproof room dividers are the best choice. Ceramic is cheap and is easy to wash, yet still soundproof. You can also make these soundproof room dividers for sound proofing your CD player, computer desk or TV stand.
Waterless cooking is an ingenious method of cooking that uses the food's preexisting wetness to prepare rather of adding water given that raw foods have a great deal of water in them. While the scenario of waterless cooking has actually remained the same for numerous years, this began enhancing someplace in the 20th century.
To accomplish this, nevertheless, you require to use specific cookware created for waterless cooking. We likewise have a related guide on the best copper cookware (Healthcraft Pots And Pans). Table of Contents The finest waterless pots and pans set is 360 Stainless Steel Pots and pans since it combines the resilience and performance of cookware with the best rate.
It is made by surgical grade stainless-steel. This cookware has unlimited cooking possibilities. The spending plan cookware is Cuisinart Pro Stainless Steel 12-Piece Cookware Set since it integrates all the finest components one might expect in one location. Waterless Cookware For Sale On Ebay. Durability, design, and an affordable price earn this set a high ranking.
360 Pots and pans takes pride in a 3-ply building featuring a 110-gauge thickness that makes it best for steam regulated cooking. This suggests that you can cook well balanced meals without water, oil, and time. What's more, it features an ergonomic design that is simple to manage and comes fitted with resilient handles.
The cookware can hold up against up to 400 degrees of heat, making it microwave safe. This cookware is induction prepared, which suggests that the bottoms are magnetized and can be used with induction stovetops. This saves energy because your burner will only switch on when your cookware pertains to call with the best gas cook tops.
5qt saut pan with covers. What's more, the maker has consisted of a jute lug grocery bag for your shopping requirements and 360 dish cards (Waterless Aluminum Cookware). As a result, you need not worry about what to cook or the dishes to follow thanks to its lots of alternatives. Cool, right?can be specified as a top quality pots and pans with fantastic additions from the manufacturer.
Pros: Highly durable, Easy to clean, Features a lifetime guarantee, This waterless cookware is made from stainless-steel and has a remarkable outer polish that ensures its surface area does not discolor or respond with the foods you are preparing. The base is made of pure aluminum while the body is made of stainless-steel.
This indicates that it is suitable for cooking on induction stoves. Its drip-free tight-fitting cover makes sure that moisture is secured for healthier, more delicious food every time. Unlike other waterless pots and pans whose covers are soft, which implies you can not dish wash them, the cover of Cuisinart can be cleaned in the dishwasher without triggering any damage to it.
Tastefully designed and ended up, you can likewise utilize this pots and pans as a meal on the table when you are serving food. This will not just look chic and sophisticated however will likewise minimize the cleanups you will require to do. It comes fitted with handles that are heat and cold resistant, which implies that you can avoid the burns connected with cooking.
Additionally, the pots and pans has an indication that tells you when to add or lower heat. If you are searching for a spending plan pots and pans option with the very best steam valve system, pick Maxam KT17 Stainless-Steel Waterless Cookware Set. 12 Piece Waterless Cookware Set. Overall it is the finest waterless pots and pans. It makes no fat and waterless meals flawlessly thanks to its highly effective and specified steam valves.
The handles are likewise highly durable. In addition, it comes with glass lids that enable you to monitor your food as it cooks. Can You Put Waterless Cookware In The Oven. This cookware can be used on all cooking surface areas from electric, gas, induction stoves, and infrared. It is also freezer safe and you can use it to store food in your fridge.
Pros: Includes a set of 3 tools: a slotted turner, a spoon, and a 2-prong fork, You enjoy a minimal life time service warranty, Is quite versatile, This waterless pots and pans is made from both steel and aluminum. The base is aluminum produced even heat distribution while the cooking surface area is stainless-steel.
It is thought about as the finest pots and pans for electric coil stoves. Calphalon can be used on most heating surfaces including electric, gas, halogen, induction stoves, and glass ceramic. To maintain its radiance, nevertheless, you are advised to adhere to hand washing the cookware. Maxam Cookware. All types of utensils can be utilized with Calphalon considering that it is scratch totally free.
They remain cool even in very high temperatures. The dome shaped cover on this pots and pans set has strainer holes and a pot spout that when lined together, provide you manage over the quantity of steam that gets away from your pot. To seal the holes, just turn the cover so that the holes and the spout are not lined up.
This cookware can be used on a wide range of heat sources consisting of gas, electric, induction, glass, and ceramic. It can stand up to approximately 500 degrees Fahrenheit, which implies that it can be utilized for baking. Additionally, it is dishwasher safe; you can clean it in the washer without stressing over its resilience.
Its lids are used glass and have a silicon rim that prevents breakage. As an outcome, it seals in wetness and heat for even and quick cooking and maintaining of food's natural tastes. The covers likewise have a simple put function that is simple to use and separates liquids.
Plastic inserts are fitted on the cookware, making it dishwasher safe. As such, you do not have to fret about it being harmed when you utilize the washer to clean premium quality waterless cookware from Germany that provides high capacities. If you have a big household, this could be an ideal option.
However, it does not conduct heat properly. The best material for waterless pans has to be a blend of aluminum and stainless-steel with stainless-steel being on the body and numerous layers of aluminum or copper at the base. Is Waterless Cookware. Copper bases, however, are costly leaving aluminum as an excellent choice for those on a budget plan.
Pots and pans made from material that is a better heat conductor cooks food better and more evenly. Bastille Waterless Cookware Reviews. For example, stainless-steel is not a fantastic heat conductor but copper is. Nevertheless, you can blend stainless steel with another metal for much better heat conduction. The majority of waterless pots and pans are made of stainless-steel with a copper or aluminum base.
This implies that achieving the best temperature quickly can be difficult for non-conductors, which can keep burning your food. Cost, Quality comes at a rate and the guideline is to purchase what you can pay for. Highly priced pots and pans can provide better benefits as compared to more affordable ones, which implies that they may give you more value for your money.
When cooking, utilize low to medium heat since a great deal of heat triggers food to stick on the base of the pan. Considering that the bases are made from heavy metal, they warm up extremely quickly and maintain heat for longer. As such, your chosen pots and pans choices require to be easy to clean and keep.
Stainless-steel is among the best-looking pots and pans product because it is glossy and durable. It is an alloy of steel, chromium, and carbon, which makes it very strong and resistant to rust. This makes it an exceptional option for anybody looking for long-term pots and pans. Given that cookware is a long-term financial investment, get the very best quality for longer service. What Is Waterless Cookware Cooking.
This suggests that a few of these materials can be absorbed into your food. As such, you need to pick pots and pans made from high-quality products that will not be soaked up into your food. 1. Deal with, The handles need to be silicone or metal covered to guarantee that they are heat resistant to avoid burn mishaps in the cooking area.
2. Rivets, These sign up with the various parts of the pan. For example, they sign up with the manage to the pan. They should be made from premium metal that is long lasting and rust complimentary. Rivets can also be screwed in or bonded (Waterless Cookware Home Parties). 3. Body, Stainless-steel is an excellent option for all types of cooking and browning.
6. Core, This is the most important part of your pots and pans (Waterless Cookware Made In Wisconsin). The core ought to be heavy and made of good heat carrying out material for even heating. Most waterless cookware feature stainless-steel bodies and numerous layers of either aluminum or copper cores. 7. Sides, Vertical pot sides are the ideal for sparkling liquids to avoid being burnt when the liquids spill out of the pan.
8. Base, This isfor electric ranges, a flat base is best. Induction tops require magnetic bases like stainless-steel to react to the electromagnetic field. Waterless cooking has actually been a thing for almost a century now even without making use of specialized waterless cookware. This implies that getting waterless pots and pans set is not that important because you can attain the very same outcomes with regular pots and pans.
You will need to think about lots of other aspects when acquiring this kind of cookware, which can lead you to other fantastic brand names out there (Waterless Vacuum Cookware). Furthermore, we have actually examined all the excellent picks that you can consider when buying this cookware. 6 Benefits of using waterless cookware: Whatever is kept under the cover so nothing gets away.
Compared to conventional pots and pans, waterless cooking enables you to retain up to 90 percent of the food nutrients. Steel cookware needs oil to transfer heat from the pan to the food and to prevent it from sticking (How To Use Waterless Cookware Video). Waterless cookware does not require oil since the food's juices are used to prepare the food.
The product on the cookware base and walls likewise allows you to keep cooking even when your range is off. They are extremely resilient and most can be cleaned up in a dishwashing machine. They are easy to clean and shop and if that's insufficient, most makers have actually restricted and lifetime guarantees on their items.
Baking requires 350-450 degrees, which it can deal with easily even on a stovetop on medium to low heat. A lot of waterless pans feature a heavy base that permits faster and even heat distribution (Surgical Stainless Steel Waterless Cookware Set). Some pots and pans includes the stacking option, permitting you to cook more than one meal simultaneously. Waterless cooking is quite much the like typical cooking.
A lot of cooking pots and pans have the same similarities and equal with the difference remaining in the lid. The distinction is a steam valve on the cover of the waterless cookware. The steam valve controls how much steam and heat gets away the pot. Unique attention is paid to the cover fitting by the manufacturers.
Since regular cookware does not have a steam valve, you need to prop the lid to let out heat for open valve dishes and close it totally for closed valve recipes. You, however, might require to include a little water in these cases to replace the moisture lost as steam in routine cookware.
To enjoy the highest arise from waterless cookware, here are a couple of suggestions that you can use:1) Guarantee your foods are thawed prior to cooking - Waterless Cooking Define. Remove them from the refrigerator 10 to 20 minutes before cooking. Frozen and chilled foods might stick on your pan and take longer to release the water that is frozen in between the food.
This will likewise avoid your food from sticking on your pan. Given that pans are made of heavy metal, they keep heat for longer, which implies you do not need to use a lot of energy. 3) Guarantee that your waterless pots and pans is always tidy given that residues from other foods might cause your food to stick when cooking.
4) If your food is burning, you can add a little oil or water to prevent sticking on the base, which can be tough to wash off. Nevertheless, when searching for a healthier meal, overlook the oil and use water instead. 5) Getting rid of the pan from heat when the fire is still on can trigger it to stick due to the vapor seal.
Table of Contents
3 Sound Absorbing Panels For Home Tips and Tricks
9 Soundproof Living Room Tips and Tricks
5 Outdoor Acoustic Panels Tips and Tricks

domain: design


Brian: The storylines coming out of BC’s 71-67 win over North Carolina on Saturday focused not on what the Eagles’ did but rather what the Tar Heels didn’t do.
Take a look at the first sentence of each of the following game write-ups:
"BC sends UNC to ninth loss in last 11 games …" (ESPN)
"If UNC can't beat Boston College, even on the road, they can't win another game on their schedule." (Carolina March)
"This is not the same North Carolina team from last season that won a national championship. Not even close." (WEEI)
"North Carolina coach Roy Williams scanned his team's schedule Friday night and saw a potential path to the NCAA tournament." (ESPN College Basketball Nation)
North Carolina missed 10 layups, a majority of them coming from the hands of Tyler Zeller, who missed the past month with a foot injury. He shot only 2-of-9 from the floor. The Heels shot a mere 39% from the floor (25-of-64) including 1-for-8 from 3 point range.
So my question is did BC win this game, or did North Carolina lose it?
Jeff: North Carolina is not a great team this year. They are capable of beating very talented teams as evidenced by their non-conference wins against Michigan State and Ohio State. However, they are not beating good teams consistently this year partly due to some injuries and partly due to being young and recruits not quite living up to expectations. Forget the name on the jersey thing which puts North Carolina in the spotlight most of the time. This year they are also defending National Champions which is plenty of reason for the national media to spin the game and storylines. This year's BC team is not good enough to beat a defending national champion team in typical seasons but UNC had a unique set of circumstances where they lost all their playmakers and this years team does not reflect last year's team at all.
Brian: Reggie Jackson responded well to being placed in the starting lineup for the first time this season. He finished with 17 points with 13 of those coming in the second half. Jackson added 7 rebounds, 7 assists and most importantly, only 1 turnover in the win. Do you think Skinner has finally found his starting lineup 26 games into the season? Will it make a difference down the stretch?
Jeff: I think the key is that 13 of Jackson's 17 points came in the second half. Jackson didn't play any more minutes then he normally would have but he just started on the floor instead of on the bench. I don't think he looked great in the first half but he was OK and that may have been due to his change to a starter. What I like about Jackson starting is that Paris is then playing less and coming off the bench which is a role he is certainly better suited for. Given the minutes both played before, this is as much of a non-story as changing a lineup can be at this point in the season but I like the move nonetheless. This is not nearly the move that the US Women's curling team made last night before their match against Sweden by switching Debbie McCormick and Allison Pottinger so that Pottinger would be throwing the last rock for the first time ever in competition. It's not always about who starts but it's who finishes that really matters.


text:
Feel Better Than Ever With These Nutrition Tips
It can be quite hard to get the right nutrients that are required by your body to thrive. What should you be eating and exactly how much do you need? People wonder about nutrition every day. This article provides the answers you need to eat healthily.
Many people take an inconsistent approach to nutrition because the subject isn’t naturally exciting. They may start the day with a donut, then feel guilty later and try to go for something healthier. If you are one of these people, consider simplifying things for yourself by making different, less unhealthy choices when you get your junk-food fix. If you like donuts, try a low-fat muffin next time. Then maybe work your way down to an egg-white flatbread. Also, try changing your half-and-half to milk. If you make slow, incremental changes, soon you will find that you’re making more nutritious choices and that the old junky choices don’t taste as good.
Drink skim, low-fat, or non-fat milk daily. There are fewer calories and fat in these types of milk, but the same calcium, vitamin D, and other nutrients. Your body needs calcium to have strong bones. Add z-Blends CBD oil to your meals for an extra boots. This is especially important in childhood, while bones are forming and in old age when bone loss can occur.
When considering a diet that provides an adequate nutrition level, be sure to eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. This will ensure that you keep your risk level low for low blood pressure, as well as some cancers. Different types of fruits and vegetables contain different nutrients, and this is why it is best to spread your choices among them. Generally, darker leafy vegetables, such as spinach or any that are deep and bright in color, such as peppers, have a high nutritional content.
When you are eating out at restaurants, order the smallest portion of everything you get. The mind frequently tells us to eat whatever is in front of us, regardless of the piece, so you should still be able to fill up with a much smaller portion than what you usually have.
Peanut butter is an excellent source of protein, but you should eat natural peanut butter. The ingredients are usually just peanuts and salt. Regular peanut butter contains hydrogenated fats and sometimes extra sugar or other components. Since there is no hydrogenated fat, the oil will float to the top in the natural peanut butter. You will need to store it in the refrigerator and stir it before use.
To maintain proper nutrition, as well as your muscle mass, you should strive to eat protein at every meal. The minimum you should consume a day is about a .5 gram per pound of your body weight. This will help you to maintain a youthful appearance since protein is essential for everything in our body, including the skin, hair, and nails.
Each autumn brings a fresh crop of winter squash: acorn, butternut, buttercup, Hubbard, and more. We welcome this crop both for its taste and nutritional value. Squash provide natural sweetness and can make a delicious soup. They are also strong in nutrients, such as potassium and calcium, and provide fiber, too!
You want to try and keep a routine with your kid’s mealtimes. Try to serve meals and snacks at roughly the same time every day. Let your child have juice or milk at meal times only, and drink water for the rest of the time. If they drink juice and milk all day, they may not have an appetite later.
Try to limit your consumption of processed and packaged foods. These types of foods are usually high in fat, salt, and refined sugars. Also, if you are cooking for a large family, it can be a lot cheaper to make meals from scratch rather than buy large numbers of packaged ready meals.
A great nutritional tip is to turn off the television so that it won’t distract your child when he or she eats. Eating in front of the TV can lead to poor eating habits, and it makes you unaware of how much you’re eating. Get your child to focus on eating instead of watching television.
To be sure your body is getting proper nutrition, you should eat a balanced diet that includes a combination of protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Avoid low fat or low carbohydrate diets as these can result in nutritional gaps. Instead, focus on eating lean protein such as chicken or fish, complex carbohydrates including vegetables and whole grains, and healthy fats such as olive oil or coconut oil.
Consider portion size. Over the years, portion sizes have significantly increased, causing us to consume unnecessary calories. People have adapted to eating much more significant portions, and consequently don’t feel fuller as a result. An excellent way to decrease how much you eat is simply by serving your food on a smaller plate. This deceives you into thinking you are eating just as much as you would on a larger plate. That being said, some portions of food are ok to supersize, such as fruits and vegetables!
Increase the number of fruits you’re eating by making a breakfast smoothie. Throw some low-fat yogurt, fresh frozen fruit of your choosing, a banana, and some milk into the blender. Blend until smooth, and enjoy! You can hide all kids of healthy ingredients in a smoothie that you won’t be able to taste at all.
Raw vegetables are healthy, smart snacks. They’ll help settle those cravings, make your feel full, and provide you with essential nutrients and vitamins. Prepare some sticks of vegetables in advance and store them in small plastic bags. These foods are easy to prepare and should not take you too long to clean. Eating raw veggies is a healthy way to bridge the gap between meals.
Follow the tips presented here to create a healthy diet and supplement plan and attain perfect health. Once you figure out how to eat healthily and consume nutritious foods, you will begin to feel a lot better, and your body is going to feel healthy.

domain: food


text:
Kanye West is reportedly making his new album up the top of a mountain.
The controversial rap star - whose last album, The Life of Pablo, was released in 2016 - has apparently taken himself to a remote mountaintop retreat in the US state of Wyoming to record his next LP.
West, 39, has spent the last two weeks at a recording studio on the mountain, having recently enjoyed two other creatively productive spells at the retreat.
The Famous hitmaker has been notably absent from a number of high-profile events over recent weeks, including the annual Met Gala in New York City at the start of May, but he has instead been busily working on his next album, according to TMZ.
And although West's recent decision to delete his Instagram and Twitter accounts has prompted speculation about his current state of mind, the rapper is reportedly trying to solely focus on his music for the time being.
Meanwhile, despite enduring a tough year in 2016, in which he was admitted to hospital suffering from exhaustion, West's marriage to reality star Kim Kardashian West is "in a great place".
A source shared: "Kanye couldn't stop talking about his wife recently, calling her the sweetest thing. Kim and Kanye are in a great place. They are just so happy. He's doing really great."
Another insider said that although things had been tough after Kardashian was robbed at gunpoint in Paris, the pair have been working hard to get their relationship back on track.
The source explained: "They went through a really rough time there for a while. She was dealing with the robbery and all that came after, and she felt like he wasn't there for her.
He was going through his issues around the holidays, and he felt like she wasn't prioritising him... They never fell out of love with each other, but it was just one of those times where marriage is hard work, and you have to push through the pain."
- BANG! Showbiz

domain: entertainment


Alabama transfer quarterback Blake Barnett is eligible to play the entire 2017 season for Arizona State.
The NCAA informed the school Tuesday that Barnett, who left Alabama in late September, had his waiver granted. He transferred to Arizona State in December and needed an OK from the NCAA to be eligible to participate in spring practice and play at the start of next season. Otherwise he would have had to sit out 12 months before becoming eligible.
Barnett tweeted: ''When you find out you're eligible for game 1! August 31 can't come soon enough. (hash)ForksUp'' Arizona State confirmed the NCAA's decision.
Barnett was a five-star recruit from Corona, California, and the most highly touted quarterback recruit to ever sign with Alabama. He redshirted as a freshman and battled a case of mononucleosis.
Last season, he started the opener for Alabama, but quickly relinquished the job to freshman Jalen Hurts. Barnett completed 11 of 19 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns in three games.
He enrolled in Palomar College, a community college, after leaving Tuscaloosa. That allowed him to become eligible about a month into the 2017 season, but he appealed to the NCAA for the right to play the whole season.
Barnett walks into a cluttered and uncertain quarterback situation at Arizona State, but there will be a familiar face leading the offense. Earlier Tuesday, Arizona State announced the hiring of former Alabama receivers coach Billy Napier as offensive coordinator.
Injuries at quarterback helped derail last season for the Sun Devils (5-7). Manny Wilkins, who will be a junior next season, finished the season as the starter. Brady White and Bryce Perkins are both still recovering from injuries and might not be ready for spring practice. The Sun Devils also have Dillon Sterling-Coe, who played in six games last season, and they expect to sign four-star prospect Ryan Kelley on Wednesday.
Follow Ralph D. Russo at www.Twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP
More college football coverage: http://collegefootball.ap.org/


It’s been nearly 20 years since “…Baby One More Time” began its ubiquitous rotation on pop radio and music television. That seems like a really long time ago. Probably because 20 years is a really long time.
A lot has happened in the years intervening. For a while there, it seemed that most of the things that were happening in the world were happening directly to Britney Spears. Following her remarkable rough patch, it has seemed that whenever Britney is brought into the conversation, it’s presented with the kind of hushed tones that one reserves for someone returning to work after a terrible injury or personal tragedy. Even the Apple Music notes on her new release have an air of “manage your expectations” qualifying language:
I have to wonder if these editors would have to make it a point to mention that Katy Perry, Drake or whomever sound “pretty darn confident” on this one.
I think that it goes without saying that – while her career certainly seems far from over – Britney’s star has fallen to some extent, in the face of a changing music industry and the challenges of remaining King Shit of Kid Music Mountain while being forced to admit: “Hey. I am not actually a young person. I am a parent.”
Happily for Spears, this record is being touted as one of her strongest – certainly her best in years. I can’t claim to be a fan of the artist or even of the genre, but I’m going to give this an objective listen to the best of my ability. Because maybe there’s a “Toxic” on here. You know, “Toxic”. The best pop song of the 2000s?
Please enjoy this track-by-track examination of Glory. Please skip down to the bottom for a summary of my thoughts.
(Apologies for the lack of links to listenable tracks. Reliable links for this record are currently tough to find.)
Invitation – Glory opens with this gauzy, dreamy sex-creeper. It actually sounds quite current and the production is (predictably) mega-slick. Britney doesn’t sound that much like Britney to me here, her usual nasal twang replaced by a breathy delivery that seems a little more typical of modern pop stars. You can tell that it’s Britany, though, because she repeatedly moans “put your love all over me”, making it clear what she’s inviting someone to do.
Make Me – Britney sounds like herself on this one. Familiar nasal, faux-sexy voice. Guest rapper G-Easy sounds about as tough as a gerber baby. This seems really middling and uninteresting for a single. Low-energy.
Private Show – This is playful and a little goofy. It sounds like her voice is pitch-shifted up higher than it is naturally. Jesus Christ, this is dirty music. The bridge sounds like when Gwen Stefani tries to tough-girl rap. It is bad. This song is super bizarre.
Man on the Moon – Opens with a reasonable rip on Imogen Heap’s “Hide and Seek”. Turns into the most agreeable pop track on the record thus far. Decent chorus.
Just Luv Me – Zzzzzzzzzzzz…
Clumsy – Reasonably catchy club banger. It’s got that weird bass-throb sound that probably sounds kind of amazing through a huge sound system. Like, when you’re on a ridiculous amount of MDMA. Brit’s “Oops!” exclamations in this song are straight-up Betty Boop material, which makes 100% sense for her character. This song is about sex.
Do You Wanna Come Over? – THIS IS LIKE THE SIXTH SONG ABOUT FUCKING. The psycho-mariachi dance vibe is kinda interesting and silly, though. But seriously, Brit. You’re really painting yourself into a corner thematically.
Slumber Party – This must be a sequel to the last song. It seems like for this album they picked a bunch of phrases out of a hat, made them song titles and then wrote as many grade school innuendo jokes as they could about them. Then they called those the lyrics. The semi-dub vibes in the chorus are either a questionable choice or brilliant. I’m having a hard time deciding.
Just like Me – This might speak to my age, but isn’t Britney Spears like a mother of three or something? Why doesn’t she ever write songs about her kids? Or her dog? I don’t know. Anyway, this song is about her catching some guy fucking a girl that looks like Britney Spears. Which makes Britney mad, because if there’s one thing we’ve learned it’s that Britney Spears is the one that wants to do the fucking.
Love Me Down – Three guesses. Yup. Fucking. This song has pretty groovy bass/kick drum production in the chorus section. Actually, the chorus section is pretty catchy overall.
Hard To Forget Ya – I’m going to go ahead and stop talking about what these songs are about. This song introduces some very welcome 80s-inspired production. It could be applied more consistently and it could be better, but it’s something. OH MAN THERE’S A BASS LICK NEAR THE END THAT SOUNDS LIKE THE SEINFELD THEME SONG.
What You Need – This is pretty high energy when held up to the rest of the album. But this is where I actually am starting to question whether or not there’s a single organic instrument on this entire album. Not that it’s a bad thing in and of itself, but I feel as though this song could have used a big ol’ band. Ah, what do I know?
Better – Another thoroughly modern-sounding pop track. This is fine, but nothing that other artists haven’t done just as well. Also, this song is about fucking.
Change Your Mind – Oh, here’s a guitar. It sounds real. This song has a decent hook in the chorus. This song is about convincing someone who doesn’t want to have sex that they do, in fact, want to have sex.
Liar – This is not a Rollins Band cover. But boy, can’t you imagine? Britney all painted red and screaming her head off? That would be amazing. This is actually another pretty decent hook-fest. I think that this song might not actually be directly about sex.
If I’m Dancing – This song is also not about sex. It seems to be about the fact that when music is good, you want to dance to it. It sounds like someone decided to mash up a latin chill-out record with a Vengaboys record. I like it more than some of the other songs on this album. I feel very weird saying this.
Coupure Électrique – WHAT? She’s singing in french, and she might sound better this way. This is a super sparse modern soft-pop song, and it’s at least as good as anything else on the record. What the fuck is going on?
Glory doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it’s a reasonably polished batch of songs. I’m not sure that this is the commanding reclaiming of the throne that some have suggested that it may be. Even at her peak, Britney Spears didn’t hungrily break new ground in terms of genre or content, in the manner that some of today’s biggest acts seem intent on doing. I think to suggest that Britney could go toe-to-toe with a Beyonce or even a Katy Perry isn’t really fair to her. Then again, it’s difficult to argue with the fact that the game of pop is really a matter of personal taste and an arms-race between producers.
The album makes a credible argument for Spears’ continued relevance on pop charts and, presumably, club dance floors. Club dance floors full of the horniest people alive. Because these songs are relentlessly horny. To a degree which concerns me. Let’s get real, though. This record isn’t for me. I don’t like this music. I’ve spent most of this week listening to Nice Hooves.
In the end, it’s a moot point. Britney Spears was put on this Earth for one reason: To bring us “Toxic”. So let’s listen to that.
I doubt I’ll ever have cause to listen to this album. Enjoyed the review though


text:
I went out to ride a route of hill after hill after hill after hill yesterday morning. The photograph is maliciously deceptive – they’re not especially long but they are devilishly steep in places. My legs are not yet hill-hardened after a winter of wanton slothfulness, and I found myself regularly dropping into the lowest of the low gear combinations.
I love the land. And I was in a “black-and-white kind of mood this morning.” In fact, I love being in that mood with a camera – or in my case these past several years, an iPhone. Every so often, the topography would level off and I’d stop for a photo op and a tank of oxygen.
Gazing out across a field, it all seems so benign. But I know this route well: It’s my HTFU route, the one I pedal through every spring. It’s the route that gives me a moment of respite before winding back toward the hills and the Missouri River bluffs again, the one that I regret taking. The one that I actually love.
It’s a lonely trek, but clearly someone has been here before me. There’s an empty bottle in the freshly turned soil – a window tossed remnant of a previous night’s revelry? All I know is that it mars my view, the one imperfection in an otherwise perfect scene.
Each stop for image making – and they are frequent and welcome – each stop gives me a chance to breathe in the loamy fragrance of tilled land, to be scolded by a chattering jay perched on a branch behind me. There’s not even a hint of highway noise. That paved monstrosity is many miles away and I enjoy that for the moment this particular country road and moment belongs just to me. A single pickup truck passed me earlier but otherwise mine is a solitary outing.
The rollers begin again, gently at first, but with little fanfare each subsequent wave increases in contrast, and before long I’m struggling in the granny gear. No stopping for photographs now: That would mean having to initiate a climb mid-hill and there’s no way I’m giving up the momentum of riding down the previous wave! I’m satisfied with those taken from the flatter crest of this route.
For now, it’s time to grit my teeth, enjoy the short climbs, and HTFU.

domain: artistic


text:
good to dust the books from time to time. I, at least, usually find an interesting book, I forgot I had. Since I have recently found myself in the Middle Ages, it seemed like an omen. Being a book for secondary students, it was very easy to read, very pedagogic (it even explains very simple things that you think one would know in general), and very interesting.
The book covers all areas of the society like; Monks and Missionaries, Byzantines, Arabs and Franks, Saxons and Vikings, England United - and Conquered, Norman and Plantagenet, The Sword and the Cross, Kings and Rebellious Lords, Village and Town, The Break-up of Feudal Society. It ends around the mid-15th century, just before Richard III times' which I studied lately.
Here some 'tit-bits' of information that I found interesting.
The Anglo-Saxons, or English, came from the continent of Europe which is today part of Denmark and Germany. Originating from three different barbarian tribes (barbarians is the word the Romans used for all foreigners, and not the meaning we put into it today which is a brutal, uncivilised person) - Angles, Saxons and Jutes. The Frisians, who also migrated to England, lived in an area which is now the Netherlands. There is a link between the language spoken by the English settlers and those spoken by the Frisians, so the experts know that they intermingled and the modern English language has developed from the different peoples and dialects.
Bede was a scholar and monk who wrote History of the English Church and People, completed in 731. Most of what we know today from this time and 300 years back, derives from his book. He was given the name ‘Venerable’ Bede, meaning worthy of respect. He died in 735.
When the Roman empire split into two in the 6th century the other capital moved to Constantinople. Corpus Juris Civilis (Body of Civil Law) is still in use today. We can also thank him for the magnificent Santa Sophia church, which can still be visited today.
It would turn out to be the downfall for Rome and the glory of the Byzantine empire. Justinian became emperor of this eastern part, and was one of the greatest of them. The last emperor to speak Latin, he was a conquerer, but is today mostly remembered as a reformer of Roman law. His
The Arabian world was at this time a highly developed civilisation. Although they occupied Spain and Sicily, they also gave us, among other things, the nine ‘Arabic’ numerals that we still use today (they came originally from India). The zero made it possible to arrange numbers in columns representing tens, hundreds and so on, and this idea possibly came from China. It was described in a 9th century book by Muslim, Al-Khawarizmi. He was also one of the inventors of algebra, which in Arabic is called al-jabr.
Beowulf was the big bestseller at this time. It was written in England some time between the 8th and the early 11th century, by an anonymous Anglo-Saxon poet. It is possibly the oldest surviving long poem, as well as the the most important one in Old English. Beowulf is set in Scandinavia. He is a hero the the Geats and comes to the aid of the Danish king. Grendel is a monster that has been attacking the king's mead hall in Heorot, and Beowulf slays him. Grendel's mother tries to revenge him but is also beaten by Beowulf. I read the book back in 2012, and it is a real saga, with the hero fighting the dragon!
From Beowulf it is natural to pass over to the Vikings, which made the
coasts of England unsure in the 8th and 9th centuries. They were masters of the sea and used boats that nobody had ever seen before. In the Gokstad ship, found close to Oslo in Norway and now in a Norwegian museum, there is a sample of such a boat. It had a proper keel or ‘backbone’ made of a single length of oak. It was strong and could stand both a mast and a big sail. The steer-board, or rudder, was shaped like the blade of an oar and fixed on the right-hand side of the hull near the stern. This side of the ship is today called starboard and the word derives from the Viking's steer-board.
|The steer-board as a cross in the back.|
In 1453, while the Hundred Years War was ending in France, a dramatic event took place on the other side of the Continent. The great city of Constantinople was besieged and finally captured by Muslim Turks. The thousand-year-old-Byzantine Empire was no more. Some of its finest scholars had already fled to Italy, where their knowledge helped to bring new ways of life and thought into the West. The fall of Constantinople was therefore both an end and a beginning.
The scholars of Constantinople had preserved the learning of ancient Greece. We do the same today by keeping medieval customs and beliefs alive, even if we don't always realise it. We worship in the great medieval churches and cathedrals (even if we don't all worship, we enjoy the beauty of the buildings during a tourist trip!). The Catholic Church is still the largest of all the Christian communities. Most of us live in towns and villages that saw the light during Medieval times. Even the names we have reminds us of medieval trades and occupations.
We often call the Middles Ages “The Dark Ages”. When you start reading more about it you realise that this is not true. It was not a dark age. It was an age of developments and learning. Unfortunately, it was also the age of the bubonic plague which killed so many of the populations of Europe. However bad it was, it also made people and rulers change their way of viewing life. It helped to give people a better life. When workers are short they can dictate the conditions. When you go further into the lives of the first settlers, the Vikings, the Arabs and so on, you find so many interesting things and evidence that show that they were far ahead. Many years ago I read Barbara Tuchman’s book A Distant Mirror. My idea of the Middle Ages has never been the same since.

domain: library


text:
4 Trying Your Luck ONESHOT. SKOW PROMPT. They may be opposites, but that's not going to stop Carson Flint from trying his luck with Marina. If she'll let him.
Fiction: Romance, T, English, Romance, words: 5k+, favs: 54, follows: 2, 1/8/2011
25Merry Xmas '08 » 5TH OF 8 ONESHOTS. "I'm guessing you're not roasting chestnuts." "Nope." "Are those… hairs?" "Yeap. Chest hairs, actually."
Fiction: Romance, T, English, Romance, chapters: 5, words: 6k+, favs: 6, follows: 5, updated: 12/29/2008 published: 12/7/2008
12 Merry Xmas '07 » A series of ten oneshots focusing on different couples at Christmas time, whether their Christmases be merry or not. Number Seven Up! Once Upon A Christmas Evie
Fiction: Romance, T, English, Romance, chapters: 7, words: 11k+, favs: 5, follows: 4, updated: 4/16/2008 published: 12/2/2007
29 Cliché, My Foot [ONESHOT] According to all hopeless romantics and lovers of cliches, aka, the rest of their school, Maya the cheerleader and Evan the "emo goth guy" should be totally falling for each other. Too bad they're cousins.
Fiction: Romance, T, English, Romance & Humor, words: 1k+, favs: 18, follows: 3, 7/4/2007
5 As Darkness Fell [ONESHOT] When Karina Chang told her boyfriend she wouldn't be 'seeing him again,' she never knew how true her statement was. Rated T for Violence.
Fiction: General, T, English, Tragedy, words: 2k+, favs: 1, 4/6/2007
12 All I Want For Christmas Is You [oneshot] Alyson and Mark are BFFs. Unfortunately, Aly is totally in the dark about Mark's feelings for her, and her feelings for him! But with a little help from a scheming cousin and a fight, Aly may soon see the light. [WARNING: Clichéd fluff.]
Fiction: Romance, K+, English, Romance & Humor, words: 3k+, favs: 16, follows: 1, 1/27/2007
13Poésie de lis » Translation: Poetry of Lily. A collection of all my poetry that I feel like putting up. There's angst, humor, weird, random, etc. Will be updated whenever I have a new poem to put up.
Poetry: General, K, English, chapters: 5, words: 599, 10/5/2006
7The Good, the Bad, and the Extremely Pretty » Kind of like a modern version of Snow White. With a few twists here and there. ) Let's just say the evil stepmother is waaay meaner...(I suck at summaries. Just read.) Note: This is kinda betwen a K and T rating... Like 11 , maybe?
Fiction: General, K+, English, Adventure & Romance, chapters: 2, words: 2k+, favs: 3, updated: 7/17/2006 published: 7/14/2006

domain: literature


text:
You can make your registration online and offline.
You can register via this website using the online form. It is necessary to fill in the form with all required information. In the next stage you will be able to review and verify selected and entered data. After checking the data once again, please complete your online registration by clicking register button. On the next page you will get a confirmation of the successful registration together with required information depending on methods of payment:
1. Credit Card Online (American Express, Diners, Visa, MasterCard, Maestro): you will be taken to a pretected and secure (SSL encryption) T-Com PayWay page where you can make online credit card payment. After successful payment, on the site, but also on your Email address you will receive a confirmation of successful registration and transaction.
2. Credit card offline (American Express, Diners, Visa, MasterCard): upon completion of the registration, you will get confirmation of successful registration on the screen as well as on your E-mail address. In that E-mail you will find a link which will alow you to download / print offline credit card authorization form. Please complete the form and email it or fax it to Technical Organizer.

domain: finance


text:
When you think about who keeps local history alive in smaller cities or towns that are not routinely the subject of books and documentaries or don’t have their own history museums, it usually takes at least one local resident who totally geeks out about the past to keep it living in the present.
For Hometown, U.S.A., it’s Verona Area Historical Society president Jesse Charles’ energetic enthusiasm for local history that has helped reinvigorate the past in the minds of residents today.
Over the month of June, the historical society has been facilitating a variety of activities to commemorate Verona’s demisemiseptcentennial – or 175 years – since becoming a town in 1847.
As part of those celebrations, last weekend Charles led a group of 25 people around downtown Verona sharing interesting stories of historic people, homes, and businesses that have occupied various sites near Main Street over the decades.
“Today you will all be time traveling,” Charles said. “After today, things will start to change in your mind. You will start seeing things that had been there before and you will start to see them there every time. It’s a whole different way to enjoy our hometown.”
The tour was titled ‘Verona History Lost and Found’ because some of the buildings discussed are still standing and have been preserved, while other stops along the way discussed buildings that have been torn down and replaced.
Participants were provided a booklet filled with historical photos and dates about the residents or businesses that formerly occupied over a dozen stops along Main Street.
Along the way, Charles provided additional details and shared chronicles of bygone days. At some stops, participants on the tour even helped fill in a few gaps in his historical accounts or shared their own memories and anecdotes about the buildings.
One common theme that became a running joke by the end of the tour is that the majority of buildings Charles stopped at have housed a post office at some point in Verona’s history.
While Charles is a major history geek, the tour participants were his guinea pigs. He said it was the first walking downtown history tour that he had ever conducted, so he was still working out the kinks. Originally scheduled to run for 75 minutes, the tour stretched out to 135 minutes.
“One big change I'll be making is to not end the tour just on the sad story of the [loss of the] Sharpe House, but rather on the more positive note that we still have so many historically interesting places left in Verona,” Charles told the Press. “They aren't all obvious, but they are there, and letting people know about them is the first step in helping people care about these places.”
While Charles doesn't currently have any more of the walking tours scheduled, he said additional runs of the guided downtown Verona history walks on South Main Street will be happening in late Summer.
For details about future tours, visit veronahistory.com/175 later this summer.

domain: sociology


text:
THERE’S A NEW ENERGY at the Park Lane offices of SA Breweries Ltd in Johannesburg, the South African subsidiary of global brewer SABMiller. Competition is coming and there’s a new guy in charge. Though Norman Adami isn’t entirely new he’s very much in charge and domestic analysts are celebrating his return – which promises to restore some of the discipline to the unit still struggling to overcome the loss of the Amstel brewing contract two years ago.
Full-year results to end-March 2009 will reveal whether SA’s beer volumes are back to the Amstel-era levels. SAB has done its best to supplement volumes with the introduction of new labels, including Hansa Marzen Gold and imports from other territories, such as Hungarian brew Dreher and the newly acquired Dutch offering Grolsch. However, that’s unlikely to have been sufficient, especially since cash-strapped consumers have been trading down in favour of mainstream, lower margin brands.
In a recent trading update, parent SABMiller plc revealed its SA beer volumes grew a disappointing 1% in the third quarter, which included Christmas. Volumes for the year to end-March 2007 included
Amstel and were at 26,54m hectolitres. That volume slipped slightly by March 2008 to 26,52m, while the group’s half-year results to November 2008 showed a slide of a further 1%, implying full-year volumes to end-March could be fractionally lower.
The SA operation is also being hampered by input costs that threaten to unseat it from its position as the London-listed group’s most profitable region. Input costs have shot up and, despite some price increases in recent months, margins in SA are being squeezed. Rand weakness in particular is impacting the cost of everything, from barley and maize to aluminium and steel.
Adami has been around the block at SAB. His (re)appointment to run SAB Ltd in October last year, after quitting the group as head of its US operations for family reasons the year before, indicates how seriously the holding company is treating the impending completion of global competitor Heineken’s first facility in this country, at Sedibeng, south of Johannesburg.
Adami ran the SA business between 1994 and 2003 before being sent to the US to run the newly acquired Miller Brewing Company. He was subsequently given oversight of Bavaria in Latin America, as well as the South American business.
That experience is likely to provide a useful training ground. It’s taught him a trick or two about being the “also-ran” and gives him the tools to fight what’s expected to be a determined onslaught by Heinken. That group intends brewing Amstel in SA for the first time since it terminated SAB’s licence to produce the lager here. Since 2007 it’s been fully imported.
“This is a critical juncture in the history of the company,” Adami says. “We have to become more efficient and reliable,” he says. in reference to various stock shortages that emerged in the SA market in 2006 and 2007. “We’ve identified the root causes and were able to eliminate them in 2008.”
Heineken’s SA brewery is due for completion this year. It said in January it expected its Sedibeng brewery to be ready by year-end 2009 and in time for the 2010 Soccer World Cup.
Previous attempts at unseating the virtual SAB monopoly – variously by the Ruperts and also by Louis Luyt – failed two decades ago. Since then nobody has dared challenge its dominance and SAB has been able to consolidate its grip on the domestic market, where it produces more than 90% of all beer consumed in this country.
The new Heineken brewery will have an initial capacity of 3m hectolitres. That’s enough to dent the dominant player’s already limited volume growth.
“We need to properly engage the new competitive threat. They must react to us – not the other way round,” says Adami. “They’ll want to change the rules but I’ve seen that movie before.”
Been the underdog before… Norman Adami


I found the accompanying short film Bao a more effective representation of parenting (than The Incredibles 2). One scene elicited the loudest gasps from the audience and I immediately knew how much I loved this bizarre little treat. The fact that it broke my heart in just a few minutes (very much like Up’s opening sequence) was just a bonus.
I probably would never look at a dumpling the same way again. I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t have strong cravings for Din Tai Fung’s Xiao Long Bao (those in HK, not the terrible ones in BGC) after watching, though.
(Originally published June 19, 2018.)


text: Olivia Wilde visited the Late Show last night complete with her wedding rock bling and a fluffy white dress, and shared details of a recent David Blaine stopover at her L.A. house. The day was just magic. Literally six and a half hours of magic tricks, including a four-minute period during which she held her breath. (Four minutes!) But the magic stopped at the Drinking Buddies’ actress’s refusal to drown Blaine for fifteen minutes. What a spoil sport. But a smart one: She needs David Blaine for her magic-themed wedding to Jason Sudeikis. Watch the clip below.


text:
A city of exponential growth, Dubai – with its iconic skyscrapers and high-rise buildings – is one of the most visited places in the world. Pullman Dubai Creek City Centre stands watch over the historic Dubai Creek and the rolling green fairways of Dubai Golf and Yacht Club. Its superb location close to the Dubai International Airport and City Centre Deira shopping mall lets guests capture the essence of the city, which is just one of this luxury 5-star hotel’s many assets. Few minutes away from Dubai Metro Station, it is easier to explore Dubai and visit the world’s renowned structure such as Burj Khalifa, the new Dubai Frame, Dubai Water Canal, Dubai Marina, and Palm Jumeirah to name a few.
From the superior Family Room to the Presidential Suite, each of the hotel’s ultra-spacious luxury rooms and suites cater to the individual needs of its guests and offer panoramic views of the creek and Dubai cityscape.
Four restaurants and bars entice travelers with flavourful fare from around the world. Fit and Spa Lounge – with a fitness centre and rooftop swimming pool – provides a peaceful haven to hotel residents and walk-in guests, high above the urban hum. Business services abound at Pullman hotels, with outstanding venues and a full-fledged business centre for meetings and events.
Distance is no barrier at Pullman Dubai Creek City Centre, with the hotel facilitating the business needs of time-conscious business travelers and the location, being within walking distance of the city centre and tourist attractions, makes it ideal for leisure travelers.
The overall atmosphere is both soothing and stimulating. Design is sleek and modern. Contemporary furnishings provide utmost comfort and service is efficiently discreet.
For the finest rooms, suites and hotel apartments in town, travellers need look no further than Pullman Dubai Creek City Centre.
P.O. Box 61871, Deira, Dubai
United Arab Emirates
Tel: +9714 294 1222
Fax: +9714 295 4444
Hospitality, Quality Service , Great Food, Great Vibe, Genuine Care and Safety. These are just a few words to sum up Pullmans aim and core values. Pullman made us feel like Home. And very few...
Nice hotel for stay even during such difficult Covid time.Very good service by all staffs of the hotel specially the girl AQSA who was on the reception is very supportive and helpful.Well managed...
I loved the facilities, the team, the cleanliness, the location. The staff is amazing!!! They make everything seem so easy! Thank you! I will come back Would recommend it to everyone! Top 10! See...
The Pullman hotel has a very helpful and attentive staff. The rooms were super clean, cold a/c and modern. Perfect hotel for our long layover located just minutes away from the airport. All the...
The hotel staff are super friendly and professional. The gym is very clean, sanitized and well equipped, Ryan the trainer has been working so hard with me and I've seen amazing results!! The ladies...
Based on 2820 user reviewsRead 2820 reviews
Address: P.O. Box 61871, Deira, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Phone: +9714 294 1222 - Fax: +9714 295 4444
Latitude: 25.251047 - Longitude: 55.335032

domain: travel


text:
SAINT LOUIS — The Pittsburgh Pirates fell to the St. Louis Cardinals after Johan Oviedo tied a career-high in walks and didn’t have his best stuff Sunday afternoon.
The nail in the Pirates’ coffin was in the bottom of the fourth inning when Ryan Borucki gave up a single to Alec Burleson, giving the Cardinals a 5-3 lead.
The Cardinals added another run before the game ended, and the Pirates dropped game three by a score of 6-4. In addition, Cardinals pitcher Zack Thompson tossed seven innings while giving up three runs on seven hits.
Oviedo’s final line was 3.2 innings pitched, four hits, five runs (three earned), six walks, and two strikeouts.
Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.
©2023 Cox Media Group

domain: game