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Hello Kitty and Little Big Club Land 14 December, 2012Posted by dear1dear2 in Dear2, Leisure & Games, Travel & Discovery.
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We planned a Legoland trip last Sunday, but it started to rain even before we stepped out of the house in the morning, so we changed to the wet weather plan to Hello Kitty and ‘Barney’ Land instead. What a brilliant plan!
We wanted to avoid the crowd and aimed to reach at 10 am sharp when the gates open, but by the time we board our car, it was already 9.30am. Fetched the grand parents at Taman Jurong, crossed the customs, tried to follow the posters on the road, ended up in Legoland instead, and we finally reached Hello Kitty and Barney Land at 10.30. Though it was only officially opened one week earlier, the morning was already packed with lots of people! Dear1 wanted to look at both the lands, so we purchased the tickets at RM110 per pax. A single Land would cost RM65 each. In the end, a Malaysian auntie offered to purchase the both lands tickets for us at a discounted RM85 while Baby1 and Baby2 got in for free.
Took the escalator up and we were stunned by the crowd at Hello Kitty Land. “Up first”, I said, so we went into Barney Land on level 3. A very wise choice indeed. Most people would go to the first Land first if they have tickets to both, so Barney which was on the higher floor was pretty empty earlier in the morning.
On the first floor of Barney Land, there’s a Pingu Room with some arcade machines, a Barney House with some slides and stuff, and an Angelina Ballerina Room where Baby1 had so much fun ‘dancing’ on the stage in the tutu and mouse ears. We even had to drag her out of this room so that we can explore the upper floor.
Upper floor was even more exciting. There’s a Windmill (ferris wheel), Helicopter, Train, Bus, Bumper Car and Cradle Drop rides, all of which Baby1 was just eligible except for the Bumper Car which she is not old/tall enough to ride. We had a go at all of them when the queues were not very long yet, haha, that’s the strategy of going early cos most families are usually out from late mornings onwards.
After lunch and the mini Barney show which again Baby1 enjoyed tremondously singing and doing the actions together with the cast on stage, we went to check out Hello Kitty Land. It was already 2+pm and the clock is ticking down. It’s nap time for Baby1 and she’s showing signs of tiredness.
Alas, Hello Kitty Land was very disappointing (luckily). Though most of the crowd had adjourned to Barney Land (which was very very crowded when we left – oh my, look at the queues for the rides!) now, the snaking queues at Hello Kitty Land looked very bad – they were not moving at all! Jewellery Making, Cookie Something, Nail Art… No wonder the queues hardly move. We didn’t even want to try the queue at all, and proceeded right for the Teacups ride instead. There’s no queue at the Hello Kitty House, either, so we went in. Hmm… Very lame.
Baby1 had some fun in the Indoor Playground structure while waiting for the mini Hello Kitty Show which she didn’t finish watching. “Not exciting”, she said. There’s also a Black Wonder room where you’ll be given a lamp to follow some clues but we skipped that as it was really time to go home.
Overall, the trip was really fun. It was our first self drive trip (Dear1 has always wanted to do one, and we finally did it!). The Second Link was fairly empty though it still took us 1 hour from Puteri Harbour, Malaysia to Bukit Batok. We had the grandparents with us too so the all-Malay road names and signs did not pose a problem, otherwise we might have panicked without any GPS or Malaysia’s road maps. I also learnt that driving to Malaysia is not just about a passport – you will need a Touch and Go card for the tolls, and maybe a Malaysia’s cashcard for the carpark charges. There wasn’t an ‘ERP’ at the Little Red Cube building so we are not sure if parking is free, or just that the system is not ready yet, like some of the lifts there. The Baby Room is commendable too - 2 spacious and clean rooms on each level with tables and chairs – just right for our little Baby2 who pooed twice during the time there.
It’s a great place for a day’s family outing – all the rides, activities and shows are free, and you can play all day from 10am to 6pm. For families like us, I’ll recommend Barney Land only as Hello Kitty Land is really very over rated – small, un-interesting and more adults than kids there. At Hello Kitty Land, you can only do each activity once (except for the Teacups), huh.
I’m still targeting to go Legoland soon, but probably after the December holidays.
Royal Caribbean – Voyager of the Seas 12 June, 2012Posted by dear1dear2 in Dear1, Dear2, Travel & Discovery.
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It was a much anticipated wait for Dear1 and Dear2 for the Voyager of the Seas! First, it was bigger the Legends of the Sea, secondly we had just nice memories of the Legends, then it was the inaugural port at Singapore, and finally it was the maiden cruise from the new Marina Bay Cruise Centre, how exciting!
Alas, the 4D3N trip to Port Klang was more disappointment than fulfillment.
1. Too big a ship (aka too many people?)
Yes, this ship is much bigger, but bigger also means it can carry more passengers. 3000+ pax seems like an awful lot of number – there’s longer queues at the restaurants, food counters, rock climbing, lifts (yes, incredibly every lift seems to be packed and we all got irritated with the waiting and waiting….), pools, BINGO, photo taking etc etc etc. We even had to stand throughout the Ice Show even though everyone’s supposed to be able to fit in with the carefully planned schedule. Oh well…
2. Bad crowd
On the Legends, the crowd were more laid back. Things moved at a slower pace. Relaxing slow, not waiting slow. This time, everything felt like a big rush. Everywhere we went, there were people moving, rushing, snatching. The crowd felt more rowdy than before. There was also a lot more foreigners, from Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, China, India, etc. Probably they’re here to catch the biggest cruise ship to dock in south east asia.
3. Retro…… Themed?
Hmm.. There doesn’t seem to be a central lobby on this big ship. Instead there’s this aisle called the Royal Promenade where live bands are staged. Even the Captain’s reception is held there too with everybody’s dressed up drinking champagne on this street. The shows feature some old school western pop which Dear1 and I can’t appreciate, and we finally conclude it’s because of the era…. The shows are probably tailored to the western crowd since the ship just arrived in Singapore.
4. 3N too short to feel pampered
We reached the new terminal at 10.30am on Day 1, finally board at 12.30noon, had a casual ‘fine dining’ on that evening itself, 1 proper Fine Dining on Day 2, 1 more casual fine dining on Day 3, and it was disembark at 9am on Day 4. Too short, too rushed for a short, pampering getaway…
5. Salty pool water!
Yucks! We didn’t believe it when they say the pool water was salty, but it really was, and VERY indeed. Is it sea water, or is it too much urine in the pool. I dread to think further… We didn’t swim in the pool during our stay on the Legends, so we didn’t know cruise pool water is salty.
6. Non-existent Royal-Tots
We were told and we read that there was going to be Royal-Tots programs for 18-36 mths on this ship. That was one of the reasons we booked this cruise. However, our room attendant told us there wasn’t such a program onboard. Eventually, we found the program sheet from the Ocean Adventure attendant. We followed the program and made our way to the Conference Room where it was held and found it empty. We visited the Conference Room again at a later scheduled time and found it occupied by another company’s event instead. We called the guest service operator and was told no Royal-Tots program was scheduled. So who is right? Disappointed…
7. No drinking water?
Our room attendant told us the water from our stateroom toilet is not portable. Even after boiling. He recommended us to get (free) drinking water from the Promenade Cafe. Imagine throughout our cruise we had to bring bottles to the Promenade Cafe to fill. We saw other cruisers doing it too. For Baby1′s milk, we had to bring our thermal flask and ask the restaurant staff to fill with hot water from the kitchen. We also simply ask for room service for a flask of hot water once. Stateroom water not portable? Then why is there a kettle in the room?
Disappointed. It was a good $700+ per pax (SGD2130.82 total) for a short 3N holiday. The food (fine dining) was great, and so were the friendly staff and the fantastic shows – even Baby1 sat still throughout all the shows. The taxi experience to Aeon (Jusco) was interesting too – that uncle who coordinates the taxis and his boy are still there! And how they have improved their taxi booking system in these 2 years, haha! But for $700, it could have been spent on a holiday that feels more like a holiday, haiz…
Well, there was a big surprise (and disappointment). When we checked in, we discovered that we were upgraded from our Oceanview Stateroom (deck 3) to a Balcony Stateroom (deck 7)! We didn’t know why we were upgraded but Dear1 postulated that it was because we were Anchors & Crown Gold Members (i.e. because we had cruised with Royal Caribbean before). Nice! But because of the last minute room change, our luggage had already been checked in to our previous room number. Luggage crew confusion ensued and it wasn’t until multiple communications with the onboard crew and 9pm that night that we finally received (retrieved) our luggage, haiz…
We enjoyed ourselves, just that it didn’t live up to our expectations.
Mariner of the Seas is coming to port inaugural in Singapore next year (2013). As big as the Voyager but newer. Would we go on cruise again…?
- Dear2 (Dear1 added some too)
Landing in Shanghai 21 November, 2011Posted by dear1dear2 in Dear1, Travel & Discovery.
I will write about some of the observations that I have made during my time in Shanghai.
I landed at Pudong Airport in the mid afternoon. Well, the first thing that caught my eyes was that the immigration card was really easy to fill in; no extra questions about bringing in animals, plants, etc.
The immigration check took some time, and so did the luggage collection. Once I stepped out of the arrival hall, however, I was greeted by a horde of people. There were just lots and lots of people lining the walk-out aisle, holding up name boards. Some of them were simply holding hotel names, I wonder who they were actually expecting. Anyway, the crowd did gave me a little surprise and it almost felt like I was a movie star, except without the flash photography.
I made my way past the crowd and went to the tourist information counter. A man approached me to try to sell his taxi service. Naturally, I ignored him as it is likely to be a scam. I then made my way towards the Maglev station. There, I bought a one way ticket for 40RMB (discounted price for passengers who landed on the same day)
It was my first ride on the Maglev train, and a rather short one at that. The train accelerated to 430km/h before decelerating to a stop shortly thereafter. I think the entire trip was less than 10mins. But wow, the ride was really smooth, and the train felt really fast. The tracks even tilted at the bends to accomodate the fast moving train.
At the Maglev station, I needed to walk to the next building to take the city metro (Longyang Road Station). It was here that I first noticed there wasn’t any lifts around. That meant taking trains in Shanghai with luggage is definitely a bad idea. Luckily, my luggage was light, so no big problems for me.
It was at Longyang Road Station that I first encountered the bad and the good of the people here. I had wanted to buy a Shanghai Public Transportation Card (as oppose to a single trip ticket), so I approached a young lady in the queue, asking if I could buy the Transportation Card if I joined the queue. To my surprise, she promptly turned away, raise her hand to cover half her face so that I can’t see her, and snorted “I don’t know”. I maintained my poker face, but in my mind, I was thinking WTF? However, in a split second, another young lady further front in the queue turned towards me and asked what I wanted to know. Ah, a kind soul! And she replied that I could indeed purchase the Transportation Card if I joined the queue.
And so I did. When my turn came, I was greeted by yet another surprise. The sale cashier told me rudely that the card was not sold there, without even looking at my face when she talked. And she ended her conversation right there. I asked where I could purchase the card. She pretended to be deaf. I asked again, and she hastily replied, “Line 7″. Line 7 was in the next building. Nay, I decided not to risk it, I’ll just get a single trip ticket.
I went to the ticketing station and read the English instructions, and slowly went about my purchase with the machine. Suddenly, someone approached from behind me, and attempted to help me insert my flimsy dollar note into the ticketing machine. At first, I rejected. But after numerous attempts and the machine still refused to accept my note, I decided to let him give it a try. He, too, took numerous attempts, flipping the note in every orientation, but he succeeded eventually. I thanked him and walked off.
This was when he sprung the trap on my unwary mind. He rushed before me and show me a nicely laminated note, written in English “I am deaf, please contribute and help” (to that effect). Again, in my mind, WTF? I was caught offguard once again. Overcame by embarrassement, and regretting accepting his help earlier, I reached for the small change and gave him a 10RMB note. On hindsight, I realized that I wasn’t very accustomed to the local currency and purchasing power yet. For it was only some time later that I calculated and realized that I might have been too generous. Sigh… Silly me.
I was lucky to board a train that was rather empty, so I had a seat. And I noticed that the seats in Shanghai don’t have “buttock shapes” delimiters. Meaning, a row of seat is simply a flat bench, without clearly demarketed seat widths. I managed to get a corner seat along one of the long benches and I began to observe how other people handle this situation. (On a later trip on the metro, I also noticed that the newer rolling stocks did have the “buttock” delimiters.)
Well, rather unsurprisingly, people entering the train simply rushed in with tenacity without giving others a chance to alight first. Once in the train cabin, they literally run to grab any empty space on the seat bench. And if there was some empty spaces between seated passengers, the incoming person will give a shout and motion the seated passengers to make way for him. Wow. Culture shock. But I can appreciate such behaviour. After all, in such a competitive and crowded society, I expect only the fiercest will survive.
I alighted at my stop, People’s Square Station and started making my way to my hotel. It was here that I noticed a middle age man ransacking a dustbin. It turned out that he was searching for drinks. I watched as he picked up every can, packet, cup of drink he could find and emptied whatever remaining contents into his mouth. I raised an eyebrow. Really? No money for water? But he looked quite able bodied as he stomped off in an agressive walk after his ‘feast’.
A little further along, I noticed this time an old lady, searching a rubbish bin. Nope, she wasn’t collecting metal tin cans. Neither did she eat or drink anything she found. In the end, she left empty handed, so I wasn’t quite sure what she was looking for. A begger? I’m not so sure.
After I checked in to my hotel, I walked outside again for dinner. I spotted a BreadTalk shop along the streets and decided to give it a try just to see if it tasted any different. There was an alfresco section just outside the shop so I decided to sit down and just people watch while I eat my bread. Unfortunately, just minutes after I sat down, I would be harrassed by a begger. He kept asking me for loose change. Well, I just pretended I couldn’t understand Mandarin. I quickly left after gobbling down my bread. So much for people watching.
Several days later, while walking along Nanjing Rd, I would be stopped by an unassuming young lady. I thought that she had wanted to ask me for directions. Nope, I was wrong, she’s a begger. And she followed me for almost the next 100 metres or so begger me to buy her food and pleading for my charity. I just ignored her and walked on, no sympathy required here.
During my stay, I had the opportunity to visit the riverside where the Oriental Pearl Tower could be seen. The riverside promenade was well renovated, spacious and clean. However, I was taken aback by just how crowded it was there on a Monday and Tuesday evening. The riverside walk just wasn’t serene at all, it was rather noisy with too much activity going on.
The last thing I will talk will be my experience with the people. Sad as it was, the fact is that there are far too many PRC in Singapore. Everywhere in Singapore, you see and hear PRC in the roles of cashier, waiter, house keeper, cleaner, sales personnel, drivers, or simply pedestrains. And it saddened me that I experienced that same familiarity in Shanghai. I did not feel the sense of travel and the sense of being in a different geographical location. It all felt just the same, as if I had never left Singapore. Nope, it wasn’t heart warming at all.
It is heart breaking.
For just this last reason alone, I will not want to visit China for a holiday. There is simply no sense of travel being in a place not that different, in more ways than one.
A Trip Alone 14 November, 2011Posted by dear1dear2 in Dear1, Slice of Life, Travel & Discovery.
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I woke up at 7am, and gazed at Baby1 sleeping next to me. My eyes watered involuntarily at the thought of not being able to do the same for the next 5 mornings. I was going to Shanghai for a conference for the next 5 days. It would be the first time I had to travel without my family.
I was on a morning flight, so that meant I had to ready myself to set off for the airport soon. Initially, I had hoped to leave the house before Baby1 woke, but that was not to be. Baby1, with her well tuned bio-clock, woke up as usual at around 7.15am. That meant I had a bit of time to interact with her before I had to leave.
Maybe her baby sense told her something, but I found Baby1 unusually quiet and solemn this morning, her baby hands lightly stroking my back while I carried her. Maybe she saw my watery eyes.
My bags were packed the day before, so there was no last minute rush at all. However, the timing was tight and I really had to leave for the airport. Dear2 and Baby1 accompanied me to the void deck, my parents were there to drive me to the airport. A kiss to Baby1 and a kiss to Dear2, and I boarded my parents’ car. I wondered if Baby1 understood, she did looked rather puzzled, with just a touch of unhappiness. My eyes watered again.
Suddenly, I remembered seeing this Japanese girl on the Keisei Skyliner on our way to Narita airport during our Japan trip. She was carrying a large luggage and tearing most of the way on the 1+ hour train ride. As an observer, it was easy to tell that she was leaving her family and probably won’t be back in a while. Today, I felt that I could better appreciate her feelings that day. Eventhough my trip was short, I think the emotions are similar, strong and deeply rooted.
Today, I had learnt yet another valuable lesson of life, and gained a drop of wisdom.
Making Rice Balls 5 October, 2011Posted by dear1dear2 in Dear2, Food & Beverages, Travel & Discovery.
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When Dear1 and Dear2 went on our Japan trip in 2008, we had triangular-shaped rice balls for breakfast in the business hotel on our first morning there. They came in various colors – green, red, purple, how weird. Wrapped with pickles within, or diced pickles all around, top with a steaming bowl of miso soup in the early morning, it was a fascinating morning meal for us both.
When we went to Taiwan earlier this year, while waiting for our pancake to be ready fresh, there were 2 other office ladies ordering rice balls on the other half of the road side stall. Hmm… We wondered what was it, so we ordered 1 ball to go as well. Hot and steaming, wrapped with some crunchy crackers and floss and a whole load other stuff in that gigantic rice ball, it was a surprisingly yummy breakfast for us.
One fine day, Dear1 had an idea to make rice balls for our own breakfast as well. A trip to NTUC and it seems that the short grain Japanese rice only comes in 2.5kg bag. No choice, I’ll just have to make lots of rice balls to eat. Buy some frozen fish finger fillet, 200g of pork floss from Bee Cheng Hiang, the medium hard type ones cos there were the soft fluffy ones, the very crispy ones, and the medium hard ones that was a nice in between. With 1 big pack of bite-sized seaweed left over from our Korea trip, we are ready to make rice balls!
First, oh, we gotto soak the washed rice for 30min before cooking. After cooking, we gotto leave it for a further 15min, hmm… Oven bake the fish fingers, prepare a piece of cling wrap over a rice bowl, lay some rice on it, top with the fish fingers and GENEROUS servings of the pork floss, cover with more rice, wrap the whole cling tightly, compact it nicely into a ball shape first, then shape it into a triangular one, finally remove from cling wrap and lay it on a piece of seaweed. Tata, we have a nice rice ball (or triangle)!
First attempt at making rice balls and I was pleasantly surprised at the outcome. Baby1 took a few bites too, and she seems to like it too. Some refinements needed though. Firstly, the rice has to be laid real thin without exposing the inner ingredients. Too much rice to ingredients ratio makes the ball a tad too plain for savours. Then, the pork floss has to be real generous. Again, the ball won’t taste nice if there’s too little ingredients within. Next, don’t make the ball too big. Too big means not easy to handle with all the stuff spilling out from within. Finally, remember to compact the rice real tight, otherwise the triangle won’t be able to stand up nice and proud.
Happy making rice balls, yum yum!
Korea 2011 – Musings 2 September, 2011Posted by dear1dear2 in Dear2, Travel & Discovery.
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Dear1 and Dear2 have been trying for Baby2 for the past few months, so when Auntie Menses reported again, we decided to take this window of opportunity and go on a holiday. That means we have the next 2 weeks to decide, plan and book the holiday!!
Confirm that we want to go Korea, book the air tickets online, did research on hotels and make the bookings, bought the travel insurance, took out our Korean won and USD which we had changed earlier, and packed our luggages. Scramble to settle stuff at work, email the siblings on our flight and accommodation details, forgot to notify NS status on being out of county, and in 1 week’s time, we were off for our holiday. Kudos to Dear1 for doing all the research on attractions, air tickets and hotel in just 1 week’s time, most of which were very well arranged indeed. :)
We took the overnight flight to Korea, in the hope that Baby1 will sleep throughout the flight there. And since we can ask for early check-in in the hotel, we can go straight to the hotel once we reach Seoul. The flight will touch down around 6+ in the morning, take a 1 hour airport shuttle bus to CALT, and from there, there is a complimentary shuttle to the hotel, very nice. *Perfect arrangement*, except that Baby1 didn’t really sleep all the way through the flight as we have imagined, groan…
Ibis Seoul Ambassador is a very nice business hotel where the staff speaks reasonably good English. There is even a roof top garden though a bit miniature. But it is located right in the middle of 2 subway stations including the one at COEX Mall, both of which at least a 15 mins walk away. By the time I reach the subway station with Baby1 on the Beco, my legs were already tired out. Luckily the taxi rates in Seoul are not expensive, so we use that mode of transport quite frequently.
For food, we ate in a couple of places where the English menu is available, so it was yummy spicy tofu soup, or ox-tail soup with rice, or cold buckwheet noodles, or ramen, or simply just fastfood. The spread of kimchi and preserved vegetables was interesting; I even got used to eating kimchi radish and preserved green chillis. One kind assistant even demonstrated to us how to serve the free flow kimchi from it’s pot, and to season the ox-tail soup with salt. No wonder my first bowl was so tasteless!! Price wise, it’s really not very expensive, compared to Japan. Here, you can have a hearty meal at around 9,000 won, which works out to be about SGD 10. Not very expensive, considering that there’s lots of kimchi (aka vegetables), compared to Japan which is SGD 10 for just a bowl of Ramen.
On shopping, outside the hotel, restaurants and popular markets, most retailers cannot speak English, or probably very little of it. But don’t worry. If words cannot work on the price of an item, the shopkeepers will just show you the amount in real cash. Money transcends all languages, LOL. Dear1 even manage to negotiate down $2 off a pair of Baby1′s shoes at the Myeong Dong market, LOL!
The subway experience is definitely my proudest experience out of this trip. At first glance, it’s really very complicated. The subway grid is real messy with so many lines in various colours. There might be a English name for each station, but with hundreds of them on the map, it’s hard to locate where you are and where you want to go. Many places require that you do transfers too, so you need to decide which station to transfer at. And upon alighting the train, you’d better find the correct directions to led you to the right platform before you even start climbing the stairs up. Oh how interesting!!
Koreans are very fashionable. This summer, it was big black glasses (for both the men and women, some even without the lenses!), and hot shorts for the ladies. The shorts look orbit to me though, big and flair with a cutting that looks like what I wore in the 90′s, yet you can definitely tell that it’s in season now. And every where you go, there’s boundless shops that sell skin care products. Everyone’s fair and well-kept, except for their generally not-so-branded-looking clothes. Probably the Koreans have too many clothes that they need to keep for 4 seasons, so it seems like they don’t really go for branded clothes and shoes (unlike us superficial Singaporeans).
Finally, do be careful when you walk alongside Koreans, cos they don’t really watch where they are walking. True, in fast-paced cities including Tokyo, people tend to walk fast, but Koreans do walk as if they own the roads, bumping into people without so much as a glance. Somewhat like Hong Kong-ers except that Hong Kong is overly crowded for you to walk big.
Korea is pretty baby-friendly too. Though the subway stations deter strollers by all that stairs, you can rent a stroller at most malls, and baby-changing facilities are pretty easy to find too.
It was a nice trip for our family. Though short and tiring, Dear1 and Dear2 definitely had enjoyed ourselves and had fond memories of Seoul.
Till our next trip, let’s keep our fingers crossed that our Baby2-making is heading progress.
Korea 2011 – Baby1 20 August, 2011Posted by dear1dear2 in Baby, Dear2, Travel & Discovery.
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Dear1 and Dear2 can’t bear not to bring Baby1 along if we go on holidays. 7 days is a long time. What if she misses us during this period? What if she can’t sleep without mummy and daddy around? So, when mummy and daddy goes on a holiday to Korea, Baby1 comes along.
But Baby1 is a fussy baby. At 18 months, she sleeps less and wants to do more things rather than just stay still. And at 10.4kg now, Beco-ing her along is not a light affair anymore. Hence Dear1 decided that this Korea trip will be more free and easy – Dear1 listed down all the possible attractions that we might want to visit, but which day do what, we’ll decide accordingly on the day itself.
First, let’s talk about the flight. We took the bassinet seat for Baby1. Yes, she can sleep better in the bassinet, provided that it is not during take off, landing and when the seat belt sign is on which happens quite frequently. And having the screen right next to the bassinet on the Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight means that we cannot watch any movie during the 6 hours flight, cos we don’t want the flickering screen to disturb her. No movies is fine actually, except that Dear2 don’t dare to sleep either. What if Baby1 gets abducted while I have my eye shut!? I’d better keep an eye on her! So it was taking turns to sleep for Dear1 and Dear2….
Next, on the hotel. Cleanliness and spaciousness is really important, and here I am very pleased with the Ibis Seoul Ambassador hotel which we stayed in. Plenty of storage and table space in the room, and the shower area in the bathroom is spacious enough for Dear1 and Dear2 to comfortably bath Baby1.
Now, on sight-seeing with Baby1. During our Taiwan trip, she slept quite a bit in the Beco as we went sight-seeing on foot. She practically fell asleep everytime we put her in the Beco. We attributed that to the weather being cold, and she was only 1 year old that time. On this trip, she slept quite a bit again. Hmm… Was she bored by the walking? When she woke up, I made sure to let her walk about a bit so that she gets enough circulation and breeze.
Being a fussy girl, Baby1 has never let us eat in peace in restaurants. Usually before the food is even served, she’ll start crawling out of the feeding chair already. This was one big problem that we already foresaw before the trip. To get around this problem, we either (1) take turns to eat while the other parent brings out her to walk, (2) eat while she fell asleep in the Beco. Interestingly, we had some restaurants that have bench-style seats, even with cushions, or the typical floor style in Korean restaurants, so Baby1 was able to have some nice sleep and mummy and daddy enjoy our meals in peace, or (3) eat cup noodles or buy take aways to eat in the hotel. :(
Seoul is a rather baby friendly place, unlike Hong Kong. Here, baby wearing is very prevalent, maybe because some of the pavements are not exactly wheels friendly, and also because there’s so many stairs in the subway stations. Strollers are commonly available for rent in the malls though. We exchanged our passport for free rental of the stroller at COEX Mall and at the N Seould Tower Observatory. At Lotte World, it was rental at 3000 won for an Iglesia. We wanted to rent one at the Baby Fair too, but alas we found out too late, and the queue for the Iglesia was so very long because of overwhelming response.
On taking transport, this again is a headache for our fussy one. She hates being still, so it was MRT once she hits slumberland so that she don’t fuss in the train again. On buses and taxis, pray that the vehicle continue motion, else it was very much “uncle drives” and “almost there” to stop her fuss. Haiz…
Baby1 fell sick on day 5 of our 7 days holiday. We wanted to bring her to see the local doctor, but the nurses can barely understand English to attend to us, much less the doctor. And even if we manage to see the doctor, do we dare to feed her the medicine or allow a jab? So it was a scramble to return to Singapore as soon as we can so that she can see someone familiar. Meanwhile, I had packed 2 pieces of the cool patch (and left the remaining 2 more at home), and a new bottle of paracetamol. This experience taught me to bring all available medication and first aid in preparation, because it was so hard to get that 1 more pack of cool patch because the Koreans in stores can’t speak English!
The flight to and fro was a near disaster too, so one lesson that I’ve learnt is “never take over night flights if you don’t want to chance into wailing babies to disturb your sleep”. Before the plane takes off, Baby1 will usually keep her eyes wide open, be it already 12 midnight, long past her usual bedtime. She can even spot the far away mini playground in the boarding area of T3 while waiting for boarding! We took the experience from the first flight and keep her entertained with stickers from the toy pack provided by SIA. Phew, it was hard to make her keep sticking the stickers on mummy, den on daddy, den on herself and over and over again during the 30min descend. But we made it. :)
We love Baby1. Though she is fussy, but we still love her nonetheless, and it makes all the hard work more worth it when she smiles at us.
Korea 2011 – The Sights 19 August, 2011Posted by dear1dear2 in Baby, Dear2, Shop till you drop, Travel & Discovery.
Dear1, Dear2 and Baby1 went on a 1 week trip to Seoul, Korea last week over the National Day holidays. We flew on Sunday, and was supposed to return on the following Sunday for our 7 days free and easy trip, but came back earlier on the Friday overnight flight as Baby1 caught the cold bug there. I shall split our Korea experience over the next few posts, so let’s talk about the sights that we have visited there.
There’s a reason why Lotte World gained numerous awards – it’s really cool!! Big, or I would say, so EXTREMELY big is the interior once you enter. You can’t even see the far end of the building. There are hot air balloons cruising overhead, there’s a huge ice skating rink right in the middle below (though this is not part of Lotte World), there’s lots of kids and families, lots of attractions, and a huge stage on the other far side – all seen when you enter. And we have not even went outside for the outdoor park, and inside the various holes for more attractions, and upstairs where there are more rides and even the Folk Museum outside. Lotte World is simply fun!!
However, do note the limitations for the Passport ticket. This supposedly include all attractions, but excludes Game Attractions and rides which indicates that children under certain age needs to pay.
Gyeongbokgung Palace, Insa Dong and Dongdaemun
On Wednesday, we took subway Line 3 to the palace, and after the 1 hour English guided tour which starts at 11am, it was a short walk to Insa Dong. The palace is huge – really like the mock up we saw at the Folk Museum the day before, except for its real stone paths and sand walks. And no jokes about the stairs, it’s really steep. Insa Dong was lively, and we walked the way to Dongdaemun in the hope of getting some lunch along the way. Surely there must be food from all the shops I see ahead? We walked until our legs nearly gave way before we finally found a Korean food eatery. Luckily for us, Dongdaemun was just round the corner after we finished our meal.
Dongdaemun is a market, a wholesale market from what we gather. Shops and shops that sell clothes to metal poles to buttons to plastics, all in various shapes and sizes. The Cheonggyecheon Stream runs up here too, so we took the stairs down and strolled along the stream like the other local Koreans. There was a grateful breeze down here where you can hardly hear all the noise and bustle upstairs.
Baseball Match @ Jamsil Sports Complex
We took a cab from our hotel to the stadium. It was the Doosan Bears (home ground) versus some other team. Dear1 says that watching a baseball match is what a Korean packaged tour will never bring you to, so here we were. We spotted 2 Ang Mos buying tickets, and went up to inquire on the ticketing. First, you need to determine which team you are supporting, cos that determines which side you sit. Then you point to the grid and say which seat you want. Paid, and bingo we went searching for the entrance in the huge complex. Before going in, the Koreans will buy a pair of cheering ballons (1000 won each for the reused ones sold illegally outside, 2000 won each for the authentic new ones sold in the stores) and a box meal for the 3 hour match.
The game was exciting, more so becos of the mood and atmosphere. We left at 4 of 9 rounds, and the game ended only at about 11pm while we watched it live in the hotel room. Keke.
Namsangol Hanok Village and Namsan Park
Next morning, we took a subway to the village. Unfortunately on this day, the rain came back again (the typhoon was still looming on Monday when we reached Korea, and cleared the next 2 days after). Hence a brief tour of the village and we were off to Namsan Park on Bus 2. First time taking a Korean public bus, we were very nervous, but off course you’ll just alight when everyone alights on this tour bus. After alighting, what next? Just follow everyone uphill!! It was a steep uphill climb and we reach the bottom of the Observatory very soon.
The Observatory was just very ‘observatory’. The only familiar landmark we spotted was the Hanok Village which we came from earlier. Then we went to the Teddy Museum. Surprisingly, this museum is very cute indeed with all the animated teddy bears dressed like real people in the familiar palace!
Before we descended the park, we made sure that we leave a ‘love lock’ locked there too, just like the Koreans. :)
From the same bus station, we took Bus 5. This bus stops at Namdaemun (2 stops) and ends at Myeongdong. Ermm… “What if we miss the Namdaemum stop, cos there are 2 stops listed?” Dear1 asked. ”Then we’ll just go right to Myeongdong”, I replied. True enough, the first Namdaemum stop doesn’t look quite like a market we want to go, so we alighted at the next one where some teens got off. This market is quite unlike Dongdaemun; it’s more like the Shilin Night market where there are rows and rows of shops selling clothes and local produce and street food. Interesting!!
From the market, we took a 1 stop MRT to Myeongdong (we learnt our lesson from Dongdaemun, no more walking please). This market is totally mind-blowing. Soooooooo many people, and its extend is soooooooo very huge. Chinatown in KL, and even Mong Kok seems small compared to this. Definitely a must visit if you are in Seoul!!
On Friday, Baby1 started to feel feverish, and so we packed our bags for the night flight home. On this day, we hang around in COEX Mall for the Baby Fair and Aquarium. Though it requires registration and a 5000 won entrance, the Baby Fair was very impressive judging from the crowd already there at 11am. The Aquarium was more disappointing for its 17000 won entrance fee – it’s small and stuffy, though the interesting use of daily household items as tanks for the fishes makes this aquarium different from the rest we’ve seen.
Though a short trip, it was really interesting and eye opening for us. I shall talk about the other aspects of the trip again.


|From:||Lenny Siegel <firstname.lastname@example.org>|
|Date:||8 May 2007 20:08:51 -0000|
|Subject:||[CPEO-BIF] New York City's brownfields plan|
Developing Brownfields The Right Way opinion by Mathy Stanislaus and Jody Kass Gotham Gazette (NY) May 7, 2007Mayor Michael Bloomberg's plan to build on an estimated 7,600 acres of contaminated land, known as brownfields, will eliminate health hazards that plague poor neighborhoods and communities of color and create space for desperately needed housing. The mayor's plan is visionary, courageous and insightful, and the implementation plan includes provisions that empowers residents and community based organizations and directs funds where they are most needed.
A Transparent ProcessA dozen groups, including New Partners in Community Revitalization has lobbied the city to create a centralized office focused on redeveloping city brownfield sites. The mayor included such an office in his plan, but it now needs the authority, staff and funding to develop and implement his agenda. Moving forward, the office will also need to ensure that the projects it assists have emerged from a community planning effort or have support of the local community. And any project that seeks city help to develop a brownfield must demonstrate that their projects are consistent with the city's sustainability goals.
Dual RoleThe primary focus of the city's new Office of Environmental Remediation is to advance the redevelopment of the city's brownfield sites, but it will also be charged with regulatory oversight. When the same agency that develops a project also has the responsibility for regulating it, an inherent conflict arises. To avoid that, the new office will needed to develop policies and procedures and hire the right personnel to assure a user-friendly program while achieving regulatory goals.
Making the Best Use of FundsThe mayor announced that the city will provide $15 million for a public-private revolving loan fund to finance remediation and related costs. But it is not clear how the city will get these dollars into specific projects. The city government should maximize its funds by leveraging private dollars for remediation through partnerships with community lending institutions such as NY Metro Brownfields Redevelopment Fund Program, which uses federal and city funds to credit enhance remediation loans.
... For the entire column, see http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/issueoftheweek/20070507/200/2171 -- Lenny Siegel Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight c/o PSC, 278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041 Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545 Fax: 650/961-8918 <email@example.com> http://www.cpeo.org _______________________________________________ Brownfields mailing list Brownfields@list.cpeo.org http://www.cpeo.org/mailman/listinfo/brownfields
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A United Nations expert on adequate shelter is heading to Peru to assess housing and living conditions, focusing primarily on the needs of the poor, women and minorities.
Miloon Kothari, the UN Commission on Human Rights' Special Rapporteur on adequate housing, will begin his two-week field mission on Monday. He is expected to examine the status of Peru's efforts to realize the right to adequate housing and other related rights, with particular attention to aspects of gender equality and non-discrimination.
Mr. Kothari is also expected to speak with high-level national and local officials - including the Ministers of Housing and of Women and Social Development - other global agencies and representatives of civil society about their efforts to secure these rights; and identify practical solutions and best practices towards enhancing the standard of living overall.
The Special Rapporteur, an architect by training, will also visit communities in Lima, Iquitos and Ica to assess housing and living conditions, with particular attention to the needs of the poor, the rights of women, children, minorities, migrants and indigenous peoples. He will also hold hearings to listen to experiences of community groups.


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An active rock slide affecting the Jones Hole Trail and adjacent creek forced the closure of the trail and surrounding National Park Service land in Dinosaur National Monument on Thursday.
The Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service fish hatchery boundary to Ely Creek are closed until further notice, according to a Thursday news release.
The first slide was reported Tuesday. A fisherman reported having to run from a boulder that landed in the stream near him, the release states.
Thursday morning, another small slide occurred, and yet another in the afternoon, according to the release.
No injuries were reported.
For more information on Dinosaur National Monument, call 435-781-7700 or visit www.nps.gov/dino.

domain: news


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Pre-harvest sprouting of wheat
As wheat matures in central Michigan, minimize the risk of sprouting (low falling numbers) as some early grain loads suggest some fields are testing moderately low.
Pre-harvest sprouting of wheat is always a potential risk, but this season there is some concern given the past and current weather pattern and some early test sample results. In any event, here are a few reminders regarding the issue.
Pre-harvest sprouting sometimes occurs when natural dormancy is broken, triggering the kernel to behave as a germinating seed rather than a starch-storing grain. This process begins well before there is any visual evidence of sprouting. This is why for decades the milling industry has relied on a Falling Number test.
The Falling Number test score is actually the number of seconds it takes a plunger to fall through a grain/water slurry under very controlled conditions. The industry generally prefers grain measuring 300 seconds. Depending on the end-user, there is often significant concern when the seconds slip below 250 or 275.
Pre-harvest sprouting is more likely when grain is exposed to moisture in the form of rain, fog or high relative humidity. While the process may be more likely to begin at lower grain moisture levels, it’s clear that the process can occur as soon as grain reaches physiological maturity (35 to 40 percent).
There are differences in susceptibility among varieties. Soft white and many soft red wheat varieties grown in Michigan are considered susceptible or moderately susceptible. Linda Brown, PhD candidate at Michigan State Univeristy, has categorized many of Michigan’s commonly grown varieties relative to sprouting in “Wheat Variety Comments, 2017,” page 2 in the sprout column.
MSU Extension recommends the following:
- Bring samples to your local elevator before or as soon as harvest begins to learn if grain has a marginal falling number score.
- Harvest as soon as wheat can be reasonably threshed, especially where grain has marginal falling number scores and the variety is not resistant to sprouting.
- Be prepared to segregate grain from different parts of the same field as there can be significant differences in falling number.
- Never blend grain having low falling numbers with good grain. Blending low with high falling number grain is not additive. For example, if you were to blend grain having a falling number of 150 with an equal amount of grain having a 250 score, the bulk load will not test 200; rather, its score will be closer to the 150 second level.
For more information:
- Pre-harvest Sprouting of Wheat, Alpha-Amylase Enzyme, and Falling Number by USDA ARS
- Understanding Pre-harvest Sprouting of Wheat by Virginia Cooperative Extension

domain: agronomy


Middletown, Killingworth and Essex were among 17 municipalities and non-profit organizations to receive $75,925 in America the Beautiful grants for urban forestry projects in their communities.
The state's America the Beautiful urban forestry grant program is made possible by funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service, Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry. Under the America the Beautiful grant program, municipalities and non-profit organizations are able to apply to the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for grants of up to $8,000.
Middletown's Urban Forestry Commission received $1,558 to plant shade trees along sidewalks in that city, and Killingworth received $2,325 to plant approximately 10 American elm trees in the town center. The Essex Tree Committee received $1,950 to plant about six shade trees at various locations around town to restore tree canopy that have been lost to various causes such as storm damage.


By Justine Smith
The sleaze king of Hollywood cinema paved the way for a generation of filmmakers, evading post-Code censors with his “nudie-cuties”.
In Praise Of
By Georgina Guthrie
How many ’60s exploitation movies have you seen where women get to smoke, drink, drive and fight?
Little White Lies was established in 2005 as a bi-monthly print magazine committed to championing great movies and the talented people who make them. Combining cutting-edge design, illustration and journalism, we’ve been described as being “at the vanguard of the independent publishing movement.” Our reviews feature a unique tripartite ranking system that captures the different aspects of the movie-going experience. We believe in Truth & Movies.


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While steel is undoubtedly one of the more popular construction materials, it’s not without its shortcomings. Steel is vulnerable to corroding. Here at Specialty Steel Treating, we’d like to offer some guidance on how to protect steel so it lasts as long as possible and looks its best for as long as possible to make the most of your investment.
Special anti-corrosion coatings are one of the best things you can use on steel to protect and preserve it. Not only are such coatings effective, they’re affordable as well. What makes them work is the coating creates a shield. This shield blocks the transfer of the electrochemical charges that cause corrosion in the first place. Besides paint coatings, there are also dry powder coatings. These adhere to the metal when steel is heated up. Examples of powders used in steel heat treating include urethane, epoxy, nylon and acrylic.
CONTROL THE ENVIRONMENT
Another step you can take to keep your steel from succumbing to corrosion is to keep the environment where you store steel well controlled. While you can always go so far as to control how much oxygen, sulfur and chlorine are in the air with water boilers, you should also protect your steel from saltwater and rain. If you have space, storing your metal inside is a great preventative strategy. If you do decide to use water boilers, it’s best to add softeners to the feed water to properly adjust the oxygen content, sulfur or chloride.
There are unique chemicals that can be applied to steel that inhibit corrosion. They block the chemical reaction that causes corrosion with a protective film. One example of the use of such inhibitors is the blue-green film on the Statue of Liberty. Note that it’s possible to modify such inhibitors so they’re more durable. If you do decide to use a modified inhibitor, make sure it won’t lock in water, dust or other common types of debris.
There are several types of plating, also known as metallic coatings. With mechanical plating, a metal powder is welded to a substrate metal with the help of a fluid solution. There’s also electroplating. This is when a metal film is spread over the steel in an electrolytic bath. This electrolytic bath is made up of metal salts and water. Electroless plating involves glazing steel with a coating metal through a chemical reaction. Finally, there’s hot dipping, which applies a protective sheen to steel through a molten bath.
Cathodic protection is a corrosion-blocking method that shifts the active sites on metal to passive sites. This method creates an opposing current that releases free electrons that block the process of corrosion. The two different processes of cathodic protection are impressed current protection, which is mainly used on ship hulls and buried pipelines, and sacrificial system, which involves the use of magnesium, aluminum, and zinc. Both work to prevent corrosion by blocking the activity of corrosive electrolytes.
Besides the above methods, we recommend you also pay close attention to the overall condition of your steel. Any crevices or cracks in the material are more likely to lead to an increased risk of your steel breaking down. Note that such cracks and crevices can be the result of time, flaws in manufacturing and the overall needs of the construction project. Be sure to thoroughly inspect steel before purchasing it, while you’re completing your project. You might want to conduct a follow-up afterward just to be on the safe side.
DON’T FORGET ABOUT CREVICE CORROSION AND STRESS CORROSION
Crevice corrosion is another common concern. To combat it, address any tight spaces there might be in your steel, such as under washers, screws and barnacles, and between joint hinges. The reason these spaces are so vulnerable to corrosion are they have a wide enough gap for fluids to collect underneath them, but that gap isn’t large enough to allow the fluid to drain once it’s collected. You can prevent corrosion by either improving circulation in the above areas. Another option is to close the gaps entirely.
As far as stress corrosion, load-bearing steel becomes fractured and cracked before it’s even reached its load limit. Corrosive ions might be present, which allow for the spread of small cracks. The best way to combat this particular type of corrosion is to make sure the steel you use has been properly tested for stress. It’s also worth noting that stress corrosion is made worse in higher temperatures and liquids that have dissolved chlorides.
If the steel is going to be exposed to water, it’s best to have it treated with a high-quality marine epoxy paint. Not only are you working to prevent corrosion, you also keep marine life from growing on the steel. You may not know it, but barnacles that latch onto steel can actually exacerbate corrosion.
Hopefully, this article gave you some insight on how to protect steel from corrosion.

domain: chemistry


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01 Nov 2007 11:10
English rugby’s ruling body has responded angrily to criticism of coach Brian Ashton by England World Cup stars Lawrence Dallaglio and Mike Catt.
Dallaglio and Catt have both accused Ashton of failing to properly prepare and organise England during their run to the World Cup final.
England recovered from a dismal start to their campaign in France and were eventually only beaten by South Africa in the final. But that didn’t stop two of the team’s senior players expressing their displeasure at Ashton.
The Rugby Football Union (RFU) are reviewing England’s World Cup performance and have yet to decide if they want to keep Ashton, but they remain publicly supportive of the coach.
An RFU statement on Wednesday read: “The board recorded their extreme disappointment that two senior players have chosen to criticise publicly members of the England coaching team and disclosed alleged proceedings within England team meetings.
“The long-standing ethos of the game, as well as the custom and practice of the England team meetings, is that they have always been private and confidential.
“It is essential that the fundamental trust between players and coaches, which is critical for any team’s success, is not undermined.”—Sapa-AFP
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Frontline managers should be responsible for the staff’s level of involvement. Leadership has to figure out what motivates employees.
Posts Tagged: communications
The lighthearted film included everything from the complex office dynamics, teamwork, to inter-generational communications and collaboration that offered a few stark similarities to the federal workforce today.
As communications professionals, we have a never-ending thirst for images that support the public affairs products we create. Below I’ve created a list of nine websites that provide royalty free images. Many of these sites allow unrestricted use of their images. In short, you often can use their photos as you please, as long as… Read more »
“It’s part of life to have obstacles. It’s about overcoming obstacles; that’s the key to happiness.” – Herbie Hancock System updates..upgrades…capabilities…permissions. I prefer not to hear those terms anytime soon. I met with some tech-savvy staff every day this week. I have not reached the finish line, but I am closer to my goal. My… Read more »
In the digital age, where a 140 character tweet can be considered news, the art of storytelling has been lost. To make matters worse, government has been hit with a double whammy of poor public support and complicated processes and procedures. How easy is it for you to explain your job to a friend at… Read more »
We’ve all said at some point we wish that we had more time in the day. Chances are we would put more on our plate and complain about the same issue. Time is a commodity. Everyone has 24 hours in a day-how you spend them makes the difference. Invest some of my spare time working… Read more »
The 9/11 anniversary is a tricky time to use social media. With well-funded corporate marketers prone to stumbling on social media on the 9/11 anniversary, you might think it’s a day best avoided. But, things are different when it comes to government agency communications. Because of their public service mandate, most agencies should not stay silent on September 11. There are many ways… Read more »
I replay some conversations (in my mind) with management – to make sure I assessed the situation reasonably. I paid attention to what they said, but I really wanted to know what they thought. So I interviewed some supervisors to learn their perspective. I asked them what did they want to tell their staff, but… Read more »
In the seminal military treatise, The Art of War, author Sun Tzu writes, “In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.” This maxim holds true during workplace transitions. Change for Govies is constant, taking on varying forms. Whether it’s a system upgrade, turnover, reorganization, or downsizing, it is bound to happen at your agency…. Read more »
“And we danced all night to the best song ever!” – One Direction, Best Song Ever I have a confession to make. I am 28 years old, and I am a One Direction fan. It’s true. I have no shame when it comes to this confession. I am not even ashamed to tell you I… Read more »


A bill can get stuck on your credit card account.
That’s the scary part.
It could cost you more than you thought.
ABC NewsMoneyMoney.com has you covered with tips and tricks to avoid a bill.
Energy sources, like solar, wind and geothermal, offer a cheaper way to make money than other sources.
But you might have to shell out a bit more to get a good return on your energy investment.
We spoke with experts to find out which energy sources are the best for you.
Here are some tips on how to pay for your energy.
Solar energy source: Solar energy is inexpensive, easy to get and very efficient.
It’s cheaper than many other sources, so you should check to see if it’s worth the cost before signing up for one.
If you can’t find a solar system, you can get it with a friend, which can be cheaper than buying your own.
But solar panels and batteries aren’t always cheap, so make sure you check out the price before you sign up.
Solar power can be a good option for those who don’t have access to a solar panel.
Solar panels are free and you don’t need to pay a dime.
But if you’re looking to get an investment in your home or to save money, solar panels are often more expensive.
Solar panels are also a good choice if you don-want to be on the hook for your electricity bill.
If your electricity is expensive, it might be worth it to buy a solar roof, which is much cheaper than installing solar panels yourself.
Geothermal source: Geothermal energy has higher efficiency than most other sources and can also be cheaper.
But it’s a lot more expensive than solar and can be difficult to find a system.
The cheapest geothermal power systems are usually installed for $1,000 a year or less.
You can save money by buying a system that comes with a solar filter or solar thermal pump that is free.
Solar and geysers offer some potential for a good windfall, but they aren’t necessarily free.
Some geothermal systems cost more than $10,000 to install and are more expensive to maintain.
A solar thermal system can also cost more, and a geothermal heating system can cost more.
Energy savings: There are several energy saving techniques that can make your energy bills a lot easier to manage.
The easiest one to follow is to add some gas to your energy system to reduce your bills.
If gas is added, it can be an extra $10 or more per month.
Adding gas to the home can also help you save money on your electric bills.
There are also some energy efficiency programs that can help reduce your energy costs, such as smart meters that help you adjust your thermostat to save on energy use.
The next best thing is to use smart meters, which track your energy usage and can help you monitor how you’re spending your money.
The energy company that installs the meters also collects your energy use, and you can see how it’s impacting your bills, too.
If there’s no energy bill that you can use to estimate how much you’re saving, you could be getting too much from that savings.
The meters are typically free.
Energy efficiency programs: There’s a variety of programs to help people cut their energy costs.
The Energy Star program can help make you more money if you use more energy, but it’s still important to consider the cost of the energy when buying it.
Some programs can also save you money on bills.
You may be able to get some savings by signing up to receive a bill tracking service, which will send a text message when you use your electricity more than 30 percent.
Energy efficiency can also make a big difference if you have a problem with a gas or electric bill, like a broken heater.
A few of the best energy efficiency systems are available in your area.
The best energy efficient solar panels that are available are in the suburbs, and some electric utility systems can be installed in homes.
You also can use solar energy to heat or cool your home.
Some electric utilities offer energy efficiency grants, which pay you for installing solar-powered panels in your neighborhood or in your building.
There are also other ways to save energy.
You could buy a plug-in hybrid car, which has no emissions and has fewer maintenance issues.
These cars can save you energy because you don,t have to install all your windows and doors.
You could also consider solar thermal energy, which uses the sun to heat your home, which you can then use to heat water.
Solar thermal energy is also cheaper than natural gas, which tends to cost more to run.
You can also consider installing a geyser, which pumps water to a hot location.
Some of these systems are more efficient than other methods, and they have a higher efficiency.
Geysers can be very powerful if you put the water at a very low temperature.


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WESTMORELAND CITY BLUEGRASS BANDS
Blend some banjo picking with harmonica harmonies and you’ll have the makings of a classic Bluegrass Band. Our professional performers can bring more than the sounds of the South to your event – book one in the Westmoreland City, PA area and see for yourself!
Please note these Bluegrass Bands
will also travel to Manor, Mammoth, Penn, Adamsburg, Larimer, Wendel, Irwin, Grapeville, Harrison City, Claridge, Rillton, Jeannette, Ardara, Darragh, Arona, Madison, Trafford, Herminie, Coulters, White Oak, Greenock, Lowber, East Mc Keesport, Pitcairn, Buena Vista, Monroeville, Export, Greensburg, Wilmerding, Boston

domain: geography


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Mr. Robert Harbron, known simply as Bob, was a local historian. But he was not just a local historian, he was Norton and Stockton’s most passionate and knowledgeable supporter of their heritage. Bob was a founder and contributor to the Norton Heritage organisation, and over the years has provided Stockton Library Service with a complete set of their books with countless updates.
As a regular visitor to Stockton Reference Library, Bob always had a smile and a cheery hello for our staff, who when asked any question about Norton that they were unable to answer, would guarantee that Bob would ‘come up trumps’ with the information required as his knowledge of Norton was second to none.
He will be greatly missed by everyone. R.I.P. Bob Harbron.

domain: library


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Free Ground Shipping on More Products! Click here!
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NEW EDITION! Featuring the character designs of Shigenori Soejima! Go behind the scenes of Persona 3, one of the most unique and respected RPG's ever. Inside you'll find character designs, rough sketches, storyboards, backgrounds and settings, an exclusive interview with the game's creators, and more!

domain: game


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David Westheimer (1917–2005) Biography
(Z.Z. Smith, David Kaplan Westheimer)
OBITUARY NOTICE—See index for SATA sketch: Born April 11, 1917, in Houston, TX; died of heart failure November 8, 2005, in Los Angeles, CA. Journalist and author. Westheimer was a novelist best known for his books Von Ryan's Express and My Sweet Charlie. A 1937 graduate of Rice University, his early career was devoted to journalism. He was working for the Houston Post when America entered World War II, and he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces. Aboard a B-24 bomber near Italy when it was shot down. Westheimer was captured and became a prisoner of war (P.O.W.). While a prisoner, he spent as much time as he could reading, and this inspired him to become a writer. After the war, he returned to the Houston Post, working as an editor for the paper's Sunday magazine and as a television and radio editor until 1960. By that time, he had gained enough success with his first novels, including Summer on the Water (1948) and Watching out for Dulie (1960), that he decided to write full time. Von Ryan's Express (1964) was a bestseller and was adapted as a film starring Frank Sinatra and Trevor Howard. My Sweet Charlie (1965) was likewise produced as a film, as well a 1966 Broadway play. Other works by Westheimer include Lighter than a Feather (1971; published as Death Is Lighter than a Feather, 1995), Von Ryan's Return (1980), and Delay en Route (2002). In addition, he wrote the television screenplays Trouble Comes to Town (1972) and A Killer among Us (1990), and the autobiography Sitting It Out: A World War II POW Memoir (1992). During the 1980s, Westheimer returned to journalism for a time as a columnist for the Houston Post.
OBITUARIES AND OTHER SOURCES:
Westheimer, David, Sitting It Out: A World War II POW Memoir, Rice University Press (Houston, TX), 1992.
Los Angeles Times, November 12, 2005, p. B17.
New York Times, November 20, 2005, p. A28.
Washington Post, November 19, 2005, p. B7.
- Scott Westerfeld Biography - Personal, Addresses, Career, Honors Awards, Writings, Sidelights
- Other Free Encyclopedias


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Truly one of my favorite mythical/supernatural creatures.
I've always been fascinated by this long-living bird that could regenerate from its own ashes. There's something inspiring about this type of complete renewal.
The Phoenix is a much-needed metaphorical champion for anyone who needs a complete change-- a total absolution of their past selves and the growth of a completely new form, rising from the remnants.
This ancient Greek mythical beast is associated with the sun and was subsequently adopted as a symbol for Early Christianity.
Though there are few specific myths featuring the Phoenix, it is referenced in many early texts, sometimes being referred to as the "royal bird" or the "purple one."
Thankfully, modern works, like Harry Potter, have kept this wonderful creature alive for younger imaginations to adore.
From Pyre Redeemed
Time touches not,
what fire's kiss has wrought,
from ash a life reborn.
With feathered flame,
eternal hope remains,
all past lives, the remnants shorn.
Steeped in fire light,
form framed, without sight,
newborn crawling from the dark.
The aged, now ageless,
blood-feathers gracing grey tresses,
from the bitter end a new start.

domain: literature


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Bibb selected for National Cotton Council
On April 23, Chairman of the National Cotton Council (NCC) of America Wallace Darnielle announced that Tunica young farmer leader Jon Koehler Bibb was selected to the 2014-2015 NCC Emerging Leaders Program. The NCC Emerging Leaders Program is an educational project of The Cotton Foundation and is sponsored through a special grant from Monsanto.
Feuer Powertrain officially open for business Jackson, Miss. ...
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Organised by Spelthorne Borough Council, Runymede Runners and Staines Strollers, the Staines 10K aims to provide a fast flat race with the proceeds going to local deserving causes.
The Staines 10K will return at 9am on Sunday 15th May 2022.
Results from 2022 are available from Sports Systems here.
Staines 10K is very fortunate to have a number of wonderful supportive local sponsors. As a result we can offer prizes for all placed finishers in all categories. For full details, please see the information pages.
Staines 10K would like to give a huge thank all the supporters of the 2019 event. We are always happy to be approached by any companies wishing to support the event.
Click here to visit the sponsors page for more information.

domain: hobby


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The Mill Valley Arts Commission’s Art in Public Places program is designed to bring the power and delight of art into our everyday experiences of our natural environment through the transformation of ordinary objects – the utility box, the park bench, the mailbox, the ping pong table, etc.
This Public Art Program, Art in Public Places, includes five program elements; one of which is Art Box; the aim of this project is to highlight local artists within our community and, in doing so, brighten up the streets, beautifying ugly utility boxes and deterring vandalism.
Click on the Art Box points on the map above for an artwork preview, location information and the name of the artist! Also, CLICK HERE for a downloadable PDF with Art Box map and information!
Box #1 - Located at East Blithedale & Kipling Drive
The Artist - Susie Ames is an avid traveler and has always loved art and styles from other cultures and countries. The outdoors is also a big draw for her and she loves mountain biking and hiking on and around Mt. Tam and couldn’t imagine a more perfect place to live
The Artwork - The bright, vibrant patterns and colors of Mexican art, folk art and tiles inspire my love of color, pattern and style.
Box #2 - Located at East Blithedale & Lomita Drive
The Artist - Genevieve Elkin was born and raised in Mill Valley. Her passion for painting and drawing began in Mrs. Klein's art class at Tam High. She later studied Illustration and Animation at Parson's School of Design in New York City. She is currently the Production Manager of the Art Department at Lucas Film in the Presidio.
The Artwork - Described as the Path to the Sleeping Lady, is a digital painting based on a photograph Genevieve took while walking the bike path. Stunned by the beauty of the light hitting the marsh and eucalyptus with Mt. Tam's majestic golden glow in the distance she knew that it would make a beautiful painting.
Box #3 - Located at East Blithedale & Camino Alto
The Artwork Goal - Created through a collaboration between the Mill Valley Arts Commission & Mill Valley Recreation, this piece is intended to encourage with simple words that are more complicated in deed: Listen, reflect, and support to create diversity, equity and inclusion.
For more information about Mill Valley's Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, please visit our website.
Box #4 - Located on Camino Alto near Sycamore Avenue
The Artist - Kathleen Edwards is a San Anselmo fine artist and illustrator working in paint, ink, mixed media, and handmade books. Making murals is her latest venture, including collaborating on the "You are Home" mural at Canal Alliance in San Rafael and team teaching mural making at Marin Oaks High School in Novato.
The Artwork - "Crows" We share our neighborhoods with local crows. Mill Valley is human created, nestled in a natural environment; like us, crows are at home in both. Intelligent and social birds, they are known to work together, solve problems, and communicate among themselves. They are the perfect representatives of the positive aspects of community.
Box #5 - Located on Camino Alto in front of the Redwoods
The Artist - Kim Chu k8glass.com is someone who exhibits all things creative, and all forms of thoughtful art. She began to love art and creating at a young age and she continues because, in her words, it gives a true sense of freedom to all. “Art and design are all-encompassing, all inviting and all including. We can all create art and it is all equal.” She lives and works in northern California. Kim recently completed designing graphics for a starting non-profit in Canada and she is illustrating a children's book that is scheduled to be released in November 2019.
The Artwork - When a community is in balance everything blooms. This piece of art is designed to
balance itself, to stand out, yet to also blend in to its environment. The large magnolia blossoms that can easily be found here in the environment represent the wonderful individuals, each beautiful in their own way while being connected and supported through the delicate branches that interweave through the image. The whole image was created to represent the balance and continual spirit of Mill Valley.
Box #6 - Located at Camino Alto & Miller Avenue
The Artist - Spence Snyder is a Marin native who grew up in Novato and now lives and works in Mill Valley. As a freelance illustrator and designer he has worked with clients such as Yahoo!, Intuit and EA Games. You can see more of his work at SpenceSnyder.com and view his fine art at ArtOfSpence.com or follow him on Instagram at ArtOfSpence.
The Artwork - "Summer Fog" was inspired by an "en plein air" oil painting he created from a view just a short distance from his home. "It was a warm sunny day in Mill Valley and the sun shone brightly on the water by the foot bridge below while the fog started to roll in. This made for a dramatic scene and an iconic view of my hometown."
Box #7 - Located on East Blithedale in front of Park School
The Artist - Susie Ames - see info under Box #1
The Artwork - Painting and drawing fish and birds in particular are Susie's favorites as they are naturally bright and beautiful.
Box #8 - Located near East Blithedale & East Drive @ the Boyle Park Tennis Courts
The Artist - Rachel Visalda is a multi-disciplinary artist making work rooted in storytelling and sharing experiences. Born in the Philippines and raised in the Bay Area, she earned degrees in Art, Film & Media from UCSB. Projects span from immersive art and mixed media installations to videos and large-scale paintings. Her work has been featured in various exhibitions and venues, including Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Betti Ono Gallery, and RUSH Philanthropic Arts Foundation, among others. She has produced videos and content for UFC, NFL, 102.9 KBLX, 95.7 The Game, 96.5 KOIT and more.
The Artwork - "Grow Through It" features a heart growing tall among plants and leaves, portraying roots sown through breaking through the darkness and soil. The mural was inspired by the green parks and nature in Mill Valley and the connection to earth people feel here.

domain: artistic


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|Type of paper:||Essay|
|Categories:||Marijuana legalization Criminal justice|
The legalisation of drugs is an on-going global discussion on whether or not to legalize the use of marijuana (Kilmer 2010). It is worth acknowledging the fact that, currently certain states are having the discussion going on regardless of the health, economic as well as the negative contribution of marijuana to the criminal justice system. Following the in-depth research, it is clearly revealed that by legalizing marijuana in the population there are higher chances of criminal activities which in the long run results in a tremendous flop in the criminal justice system. Significantly, the central concern of this paper is to focus on the detrimental effects of the legalization of marijuana and how this act contributes negatively to the smooth operation of the criminal justice system (Kilmer 2010).
To begin with, by legalising marijuana in various states, there will be regular criminal activities thereby prompting the entire criminal justice system to employ the relevant strategies to protect the public (Kilmer 2010). In a bid to curb the illegal activities triggered by the constant use of marijuana, the entire criminal justice system must employ the needed workforce along with the relevant resources. On the same account, so many people will be incarcerated for the non-violent crime which in the long run forces the criminal justice system to waste a tremendous amount of money in tackling the issue. Similarly, by legalising the consumption of marijuana, the police officers will have to spend much of their time in protecting the public properties following the cannabis users. In the long run, the entire criminal justice system will end up consuming the enormous chunks of taxpayer's money that goes into paying the police officers to appear in court for the non-violent crime in the atrocities.
Secondly, by legalising marijuana in the entire public, the criminal justice system is bound to suffer tremendously more so in the prison sectors (Hall & Lynskey 2016). It is imperative to note that, the non-violent offenders as a result of the constant of the illicit drug may in the long run cause jam in the prison facilities leading to the massive consumption of the taxpayer's resources. It is for this reason that the entire criminal justice system is bound to suffer immensely following the legalisation of the illegal drug among the population. On the other hand, by allowing the petty offenders to flog the prison facilities they risk being hardened criminals. Tentatively, such behaviours tend to increase the recidivism that comes from the incarceration of the peaceful groups of people in society only influenced by the unrestricted use of marijuana. The overall result is that the criminal justice system will be overburdened entirely by the high number of criminals within the entire facilities.
Based on my personal reflection, I tend to believe that the nature of criminal activities witnessed in this case would be far much different if the suspects were not under the influence of drugs. It is important to note that, under` the influence drugs, the criminal activities tend to follow certain unique trends which at some point can create more effects on the subjects. Primarily as witnessed, in the description, if the criminals would not be under the influence of any drug the target and the magnitude of the crime would be much more significant. Notably, most criminal activities instigated by the power of drugs are often petty not too severe as compared to the sober criminal gangs. It is also important to note that, most of the illegal activities conducted by a sober criminal are more organised, tactful and do target the high profile crimes (Hall & Lynskey 2016).
In conclusion, by legalising marijuana in the entire society have acute detrimental effects the health, social, economic as well as the criminal justice system. Apparently, in the long run, the incarceration of the non-violent offender would rapidly increase within a short period thereby increasing the overall expenditure in the in the entire criminal justice system (Hall & Lynskey 2016).
Kilmer, B., Caulkins, J. P., Pacula, R. L., MacCoun, R. J., & Reuter, P. (2010). Altered state?: Assessing how marijuana legalisation in California could influence marijuana consumption and public budgets. Santa Monica, CA: RAND.
Hall, W., & Lynskey, M. (2016). Evaluating the public health impacts of legalising recreational cannabis use in the United States. Addiction, 111(10), 1764-1773.
Cite this page
Free Essay on How Legalizing Cannabis Impacts the Criminal Justice System. (2022, Oct 24). Retrieved from https://speedypaper.com/essays/how-legalizing-cannabis-impacts-the-criminal-justice-system
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Sloth is a contemporary coffee table made in polyurethane, with a soft design created by Karim Rashid. The contrast between the rounded lines and the plasticity of the material make Sloth an unforgettable protagonist of indoor settings. The Sloth coffee table is ideal to give a touch of colour and sophisticated design in contract or private homes.
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The UK's Food and Drink Federation's Ian Wright weighs up how Brexit could affect UK food and farming policy - the just-food interview, part two
19 Oct 16
In the second part of an extensive interview on the implications of Brexit for UK food companies, Ian Wright, director general of industry association the Food and Drink Federation, speaks with Ben Cooper about the longer-term implications of Brexit for UK food and farming policy and on the food industry's labour force.
The UK's Food and Drinks Federation's Ian Wright calls for "coldest-eye assessment" of Brexit risks - the just-food interview, part one
19 Oct 16
UK Prime Minister Theresa May has said the formal two-year process for the UK to leave the EU will begin in a little over five months. Ian Wright, director general of the Food and Drink Federation, the industry association representing food manufacturers operating in the UK, spoke with Ben Cooper about the immediate instability the vote for Brexit has caused and his longer-term outlook for the UK food sector.
How Barilla is at forefront of 3D printing tests - interview
3 Oct 16
This spring, Italian food group Barilla showcased a prototype for a 3D printer for its core product - pasta. The company is among those in the packaged food sector working out how it could use advancements in 3D printing technology. Brenda Dionisi talks to Barilla about its efforts so far and how it views the prospects for the technology.

domain: food


Performance SUVs continue to proliferate, but it’s unlikely Lexus will ever join in the revelry. Its only model within spitting distance is the NX, the smaller and spunkier sibling to the cushy RX. Since the NX debut in 2015, sharing a platform with the Toyota RAV4 and having the brand’s first turbocharged engine, it has been a hit—trailing only the RX in sales.
For 2022, the second-generation NX continues this successful formula. The new design is evolutionary, and the sheetmetal again sports numerous creases. The familiar spindle grille returns, although the checkmark-shaped daytime running lights are relocated above the headlights.
Compared to the outgoing NX, the overall length and wheelbase have increased 2.2 inches. Lexus put those inches to good use, increasing cargo space behind the rear seats by five cubic feet to 23 cubes. Conversely, the seats-down cargo space has decreased by eight cubic feet, but it seems a worthwhile tradeoff.
Because performance matters to us, we set our sights on the mid-tier NX350 with standard all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission powered by an all-new turbocharged 2.4-liter inline-four. With 275 horsepower, it’s more powerful than rivals such as the Audi Q3, BMW X1, and Mercedes-Benz GLA. Pronounced turbo lag hampers this advantage, however. The 3,987-pound NX hits 60 mph in 6.6 seconds, 0.9 second behind the 228-hp X1. With the boost fully on boil, the NX covers the quarter-mile in 15.0 seconds at 95 mph and reaches 100 mph in 16.1 seconds, 0.6 second slower than the X1.
Braking from 70 mph takes 175 feet—15 feet longer than the summer-tire-equipped Q3 and 6 feet shorter than the GLA250. All NXs roll on run-flat tires, and they exacted a performance toll on our skidpad. The 235/50R-20 Bridgestone Alenza A/S02 tires howl under duress and only managed 0.81 g of lateral grip, versus 0.89 g for the Cadillac XT4. Upgrading to the F-Sport handling package ($3,300) adds adaptive dampers that noticeably firm up the ride, but the summer tire option has been dropped. These choices are all in the name of fuel economy: Lexus estimates the NX350 AWD will return a combined 25 mpg.
Despite these middling performance figures, the NX350 also doesn’t mind getting a little rowdy if you push its buttons. Loosening the restraints of the stability-control system means it’s possible to pitch the NX350 sideways on a dirt road, tossing rooster tails of dirt high into the air. Not that any NX owner ever would, but they could.
Inside, we find a new infotainment system that is a massive leap forward. The NX debuts a new Lexus multimedia interface that banishes all memories of the old touchpad nightmare. The giant 14.0-inch touchscreen is crisp, bright, and responsive. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, and you can stream music from your Amazon or Apple Music accounts. “Hey, Lexus!” summons a virtual assistant, who could hear our requests perfectly, even with the music cranked.
Many lesser controls are integrated into the touchscreen, resulting in a less visually cluttered dash. Comfortable seats and high-quality materials add to the air of serenity. On the road, the cabin is not particularly quiet, however. We measured 74 decibels at full throttle and 70 decibels at a 70-mph cruise. The optional 17-speaker Mark Levinson sound system ($1,020) goes a long way toward masking road noise.
The NX350 sits in the middle of the lineup and starts at $42,625. Below it, there’s the $39,025 NX250 with front-wheel drive and a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four. There are also two hybrids: the NX350h and the plug-in NX450h+; the latter promises 37 miles of EV driving. The NX350h is $42,125, while the NX450h+ is a stratospheric $56,635.
Which brings us back to the NX350. While it’s not a performance crossover by any stretch of the imagination, the turbo engine at least gives it a sprightly demeanor. Cross-shoppers will find a lot to like in the new infotainment system, and returning NX owners will feel right at home.
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See what cute and creepy treats our Pinterest followers are loving for a ghostly Halloween!
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Koko Taylor Format: Audio Cassette. MP3 Music, June 18, Tata Super Soul retry". Audio CD, October 1, "Please retry". Vinyl "Please retry".
Audio, Cassette, April 29, "Please The Junglites The Wicked LP. What other items do customers buy after viewing this item? Deluxe Edition. Koko Taylor.
Old School. Customers who viewed this item also viewed. Page 1 of 1 Start over Page 1 of 1. Queen Koko Taylor I Got What It Takes the Blues. Royal Blue. Go Koko Taylor I Got What It Takes. Start your day free trial. Exclusive discount for Prime members. Sample this album Artist Sample. Trying To Make A Living.
Please try again later. Koko Taylor has a big personality on this album and her sense of humor and perspective is very much appreciated. She has a great voice and the content won't bring you down, so to speak. It shows how Taylor developed, with assistance from Willie Dixon over this fertile, seven-year stretch, to her well-earned legendary status.
Electronic Folk International. Jazz Latin New Age. Aggressive Bittersweet Druggy. Energetic Happy Hypnotic. Romantic Sad Sentimental. Sexy Trippy All Moods. Drinking Hanging Out In Love. Introspection Late Night Partying. Rainy Day Relaxation Road Trip.
Romantic Evening Sex All Themes. LCD Soundsystem Tribulations Interviews Lists. Nothing much happened, for Koko or the record, but its producer -- legendary disc jockey Big Bill Hill -- took her to Elis Regina E Zimbo Trio O Fino Do Fino Ao Vivo No Teatro Record blues hitmaker Willie Dixon.
An extended recording contract with Chess Records followed. One of Dixon's compositions was an immediate smash, and went on to sell over a million copies: the classic Ray Barretto Power Dang Doodle.
Ideally suited to Koko's style, voice and delivery, it became her Koko Taylor I Got What It Takes song, and, with the success of several other Chess singles among them, I Got What It Takes and Good AdviceKoko was on her way Prince Fari Psalms For I national and international recognition. Wang Dang Doodle was an instant hit on black radio stations in the mid-sixties and Koko showcased her distinctive voice in black nightspots throughout Koko Taylor I Got What It Takes South, playing in Memphis, St.
When the blues fans of Europe discovered the record, Koko was in immediate demand, and European tours have become a regular part of her schedule. While in France she cut another album, this one for the Black and Blue Koko Taylor I Got What It Takes, including her first live concert recording. John on the National Public Television program Soundstage showed the whole country how Koko can heat Gary Clark Jr Live the airwaves with just straight blues.
Koko is pure blues, and any ill-founded rumors about those blues fading away don't bother her -- Koko Taylor I Got What It Takes Deep 6 Were Going Deep all. I don't believe the blues will ever die. We're gonna keep it alive! Mighty Joe Young is considered one of Chicago's finest guitarists, and Koko Taylor I Got What It Takes cut three albums of his own for Delmark, Sonet, and Ovation.
Sammy Lawhorn spent a decade touring with Muddy Waters before striking out on his own. He's recorded with Muddy, Junior Wells, the Aces, and dozens of other bluesmen.
Presently he leads the house band at Theresa's legendary South Side club. Abb Locke hails from Arkansas and since coming to Chicago has been much in demand for West Side club appearances and has recorded with John Littlejohn. Cornelius "Mule" Boyson is a graduate of the Bobby Rush band, and has been Joe Young's bassist for almost three years.
Sun City Girls Torch Of The Mystics, Ramin Djawadi Iron Man Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, Hans Zimmer Interstellar Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Deluxe Version, Marilyn Manson Holy Wood In The Shadow Of The Valley Of Death, Teebs Ardour, Horace Ferguson Leave Babylon, Sparks Lil Beethoven, The Command All Stars Persuasive Percussion Volume 3, Cab Drivers Comfort Inn EP, Various Eros 01x, The Thompsons Ill Get Over It, Wilson Pickett The Sound Of Wilson Pickett, Michael Wycoff Love Conquers All


We welcome your application for funding to support qualified community development initiatives in the Okefenoke REMC service area. Please review the Foundation Guidelines before completing your application. Along with this completed application, you must also upload and submit:
1. Project Brief based on the following Application Information & Questions:
- Give a brief overview of your organization.
- Describe in detail the proposed program or project that your organization is requesting funding for including:
an outline of estimated costs associated with project to support the dollar amount you are requesting
who will benefit from this program/project and how it will impact the community
the goals and objectives of the program or project? Specifics in how you will measure success.
what geographic areas will your program or project serve and how many people will be impacted
- Describe any community and/or volunteer support of your program/project that you have already received or anticipate you will receive.
- Describe your timeline for accomplishing the goals and objectives of your program/project.
- Please list other organizations that have already or that you anticipate will support the program/project including specific amounts donated. (Please include volunteer and in-kind donations.)
2. IRS 501(c)(3) letter
3. List of Board of Directors
4. Budget and cash flow statements for the current year


"In a decision that sheds harsh light on the state’s commitment to environmental justice amid growing drought anxiety, the California Coastal Commission has granted conditional approval to a controversial Monterey Bay desalination project that even the commission’s own staff said would unfairly burden a historically underserved community."
"U.S. regulators approved a plan Thursday to demolish four dams on a California river and open up hundreds of miles of salmon habitat that would be the largest dam removal and river restoration project in the world when it goes forward."
"The largest dam demolition and river restoration plan in the world could be close to reality Thursday as U.S. regulators vote on a plan to remove four aging hydro-electric structures, reopening hundreds of miles of California river habitat to imperiled salmon."
"As climate change continues to transform California’s landscape in staggering and often irreversible ways, researchers have zeroed in on yet another casualty of the shift: the forests of the southern Sierra Nevada."
"Stream rehabilitation and limits on water diversions saved a crucial feeding stop for migratory birds. The lake is now an inspiration for efforts to heal degraded and warming ecosystems around the world."
"LEE VINING, Calif.—When Rose Nelson camped along lower Rush Creek in the summer of 2017, the water was flowing as high and fast as anyone could remember. The rumble and roar of the creek, she said, was the joyful sound of nature healing.
"Environmentalists on Thursday sued the agency overseeing U.S. fisheries, claiming it had failed to protect endangered humpback whales from entanglement in drift gillnets - sprawling curtains of nylon mesh - used in commercial fishing off California."
"Several months ago, Rosario Rodriguez faced a financial dilemma that has become all too common for millions of drought-weary Californians — either pay the electric bill, which had skyrocketed to about $300 during a scorching summer in western Fresno County, or pay the $220 combined water, sewer and trash bill."
"Seattle, Washington, and Portland, Oregon, were the two major cities with the worst air quality in the world Thursday due to wildfires burning in the Pacific Northwest."
"When Janet Schaaf-Gunter peered through the window at San Pedro Bay last year, she saw so many cargo ships it looked as if Southern California was on the brink of an invasion."


A Trust Anchor of an industrial IoT device is a security capability for trusted information which is the basis to realize cryptographic security functions for the support of applications, such as:
A developer of industrial applications must implement such security functionalities which may be provided by secure elements in a technology-specific manner using custom programming interfaces and libraries.
To facilitate and spread the usage of trust-enabling technologies, ISO/IEC JTC1 SC41 is specifying TS 30168 “Generic Trust Anchor Application Programming Interface for Industrial Applications.
The goal is to simplify the integration and usage of secure elements in IIoT devices by standardizing an Industrial IoT Security API. This will be achieved by providing a technology-agnostic API set for commonly used cryptographic functionality of trust-enabling technologies, such as random numbers, encryption, decryption, and signatures.
The Generic Trust Anchor API, i.e., a unified API for trust anchors will facilitate the integration of crypto-based security in many ways, including:
The work is organized under ISO/ IEC JTC 1/SC 41 and is carried out by national standardization bodies such as DIN in Germany.
For further details please contact us.


Updated:March 26, 2013 Live Help
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