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Wishing everyone a Happy Valentine’s Day!
Hugs and Kisses!
My mother and I years ago!
Then there are those impromptu nights when a friend stops by to say “hello,” and the minutes pass unnoticed, turning into hours. By the end of the night, my kitchen table is covered in candles, crumbs, cheese plates and empty wine glasses-and my heart is full of love and gratitude for having such people in my life.
Baked and drying !
Sprinkle with a little cinnamon…now all they need is some red ribbon for hanging!
The simple evenings can be just as enjoyable-wrapped in a quilt, reading a good book on the couch, while colored lights on the tree intermingle with the warm glow from our wood burning.
And, sometimes, it;s those less than perfect moments that we recall year after year. Like the time my husband had to wire the Christmas tree to the wall to keep it from falling over. Or the time my daughter spilled red wine on the white couch and tried to cover it up (unsuccessfully). Or the holiday dinner that was pushed back three hours because the turkey needed to cook longer than originally planned. These are the moments I remember. These are the memories that can’t be placed under the tree.
Hoping you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I had the most enjoyable time with my family. The only thing I missed about not hosting Thanksgiving this year at my house was the smell of turkey roasting in the oven and filtering through all the rooms…yum!
It’s that time of year!
When we send out our new holiday Life at Kettle Cove Newsletter! I have received several emails requesting more paper dolls, I have whipped up a special Coco paper (wait a minute for it to download!) doll for the holidays!
If you haven’t signed up already, just click the link below to receive your own!
Also anyone interested in the previous newsletters you can email me at firstname.lastname@example.org
Wind In The Willows
By Kenneth Grahame
Illustrated by Ina Moore
The Wind In the Willows is one of my favorite books, so much so that I could read this classic over and over.
When I was young I was inspired by the pictures, but as an adult I appreciate the cadence of the author’s words and the timelessness of his characters. Out of all the stories, Dulce Domum is my favorite tale. It embodies the love and empathy between Mole and Ratty.
As our lives change throughout the years, there is always that one place that remains constant, where the warmth and a familiar smell bring us back to a time when we felt safe and loved. It maybe our childhood home, a grandparent’s, or just a safe heaven. The tale offers a reminder that there is always a warm place of refuge, even if only you can visit the memory in your heart.
Autumn. Is it the sound of rustling leaves? The smell of apple pie in the oven? Or the excitement I feel when I take my boots out of storage? For me, fall means all three and more.
I love filling my wood stove and cozying up on the couch while watching “The Legend of Sleepy Hallow.” Pumpkins, fall decorating, hayrides – my favorite time of the year.
Sketching with a watercolor brush
After being under the weather for several weeks, I am happy to say I have a clean bill of health and am ready to get back into the groove of things. When I woke up yesterday I could hear the autumn rain. The first thing I did was make a cup of coffee. The second thing I did was go into my studio, my private space. A feeling of pure delight washed over me. I took out my watercolor paints and a piece of watercolor paper and thought of something that inspires me. Obviously, the first thing that came to mind was pumpkins and sunflowers.
No sketching with a pencil that morning—just a brush and some paint. With a little effort, mistakes become flowers or a vine, as splashes of paint flowed from the brush in beautiful, warm autumn colors.
Happy Autumn Day!
The Summer Newsletter will be on it way this week!
The beautiful summer breezes of Maine tempt me daily…my morning walks on the beach never seem to be enough, but it has to be. I work in my studio diligently like a ochrestra of blowing reeds swaying in one direction. My to do list grows daily with tasks that I know I can’t get to. I just say to myself, “Get one more page done and I will tend to my obligations,” but one more page turns into one more page and what was once was a mole hill has now turned into a mountain.
Then sometimes I just hit a wall when the creative juices just aren’t flowing and I find myself dissatisfied with my progress of the last picture…it’s time to take a break, and tend to all those whispering responsibilities that we all hear when things get out of hand…and all dabble in a few pleasures of summers harvest before it’s all disappears.
This year’s summer newsletter is filled with some gentle tidbits of what you will see in the book! and yes all of you lucky ducks are the first to know the title of one of the first books in the series of Tales of Kettle Cove.
I will be staying in touch much more often and sharing my progress!
For I have missed all of you sooo much!
When I wake up thinking about the book illustrations and I go to bed thinking about the book illustrations. Every day is anew and I feel so lucky and privileged to be doing what I love. I start my morning with a walk on the beach (it clears my head: the smell of the sea air, fog horns, sand beneath my feet) and it inspires me so much that when I sit at my studio desk, it’s as if the pencil has its own mind and whatever I am feeling pours onto my paper as if by magic. And yes, there are those days when nothing is working and that’s when I take some needed time to take a tea break in Portland with a friend and do some serious catching up! An amateur at heart, I love to cook – especially something with sauce and garlic. There is just something wonderful about the delicious smells of garlic, olive oil and basil, mmm…just heavnly! I take look at my yo-yo’s that I had started for a quilt and with a sigh I put them away knowing that there will be absolutely no time for finishing this project. But, it is on those days when nothing is working that I fill myself with all the warm comforts of home, such as friends, family, food, candles and the feelings of gratefulness. It is amazing what a day off can do for the spirit and how one can see the day with a new fresh set of eyes!
So it is back to work and I am delighted to be back in my happy place!


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The Board of Regents’ decision to name only one finalist to succeed Bob Bruininks as president of the University of Minnesota left a lot of journalism-nerd types, myself included, huffing that the 12-member body had dodged Minnesota’s Open Meeting Law.
Still laboring through the two-hour production – by most accounts, regents meetings are nothing but fronts of unity put on by the board – my phone lit up with text messages full of ire, much of which about Regent David Larson for this comment:
“I believe the Open Meeting Law has made this more difficult,” Larson said of the presidential search process. He referred to the law, which stipulates regents must interview presidential finalists in public meetings if they meet with more than three members, as an “obstacle.”
The Open Meeting Law certainly was a costly obstacle for University, having eventually lost a Minnesota Supreme Court decision for violating it in the 2002 presidential search process. But this time, by naming only one finalist for the public interview phase, the regents got around the court case the Minnesota Daily and other media outlets brought against it. Now the Stony Brook University provost Eric Kaler will be the only candidate students, faculty and staff of this public University – along with the taxpayers who fund it – will get to screen. We might never know who the presidential search committee recommended to the Board of Regents, which has the final say in choosing the president. Kaler may not be it if Regents don’t think he passes muster.
Jane Kirtley, a media law professor at the University, said that while she’s not making any accusations of impropriety by the board, an absence of public scrutiny leaves open the question of whether the process worked the way the law intended.
“If you’re going to be president of a state university, you have to get used to public scrutiny,” she said. “And if at this early stage, the candidates are not prepared for that, I think it raises a question of how they’re going to serve in office.”
Kirtley reasons that the way public university presidents are hired (avoiding the glare of the public) becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy when secrecy is the norm. I share her sentiment.
Candidates from the private sector, Kirtley also mentioned, might be more averse to public oversight.
Regent Larson is an executive vice president of Cargill, Inc. When I called him at his house Saturday afternoon to clarify his Friday comment, he asked me whether I’d want my name in a public recruiting pool from a competing organization. That’s the argument many universities make – that they cannot find the very best candidates because they bow out for fear of harming their reputations if they’re not chosen – and I told him it’s a reasonable one.
“As a general statement, you know, we’re an autonomous body. But the Supreme Court ruled against us, in spite of the fact that the University was formed before the state was,” Larson said. “And we’re an autonomous body, and therefore, if more than three regents talk to any particular candidate it becomes public, which makes it extremely difficult to recruit people who are currently holding substantial positions.”
That’s the we-were-here-first argument the University made unsuccessfully in court. I then asked Larson if he thinks the public interviews are important and why.
“To me, I think the reason they’re important because first of all, that’s the law and we have to abide by that and we intend to abide by that,” he replied. “And secondly, being that it is the law, and we also do have a shared governance system within the University, I think it’s important that professors and students and the public in general, for that matter, gets a chance to get to know these people.”
That’s how the system works, he explained, positing that if this were a private institution, “it probably wouldn’t be like that.”
“I’m guessing – I’m not guessing, I know – that if we were a private institution, the regents would be making the decisions and then giving the public and other people an opportunity, other, you know, stakeholders, constituents if you will, the opportunity to get to know this person,” he said.
The University’s most powerful stakeholders have had a say in the search process. Inside the $45-million McNamara Alumni Center – built thanks to the generosity of the University of Minnesota Gateway Corp., a conglomerate of the nonprofit University fundraising entities that now reside in the astonishingly angular complex – chairwoman of the search committee, Regent Patricia Simmons, said they were “blessed with input.”
“We had wonderful help and input by members of the agriculture community in Minnesota – both leaders in production agriculture and agri-business leaders,” she said at Friday’s meeting. “Alumni and supporters of the University were forthright with sharing with us their ideas, their thoughts and their passion. And one of the very helpful things we were able to capitalize on is input from CEOs, leaders in the financial sector and the business community around Minnesota.”
Regents made laudatory speeches about candidate “C.” Chairman Clyde Allen, who earlier had said that the law “required” the regents to respect the candidates’ privacy, submitted the motion to invite “C” – Kaler – to campus. As they almost always do when motions come to a vote, the regents bellowed a resounding “Aye!”
“Most of their debate goes on behind closed doors because they don’t want to tarnish the reputation of the University by having any kind of diversity of opinion. And they don’t want to appear to undercut the president,” DFL Sen. Sandy Pappas, who has chaired the Higher Education Committee, said of the regents.
Imagine reputations more valuable than transparency and public knowledge of our state institutions.
Justin Horwath, the Minnesota Daily editorials and opinions editor, welcomes comments at firstname.lastname@example.org.

domain: law


Ways to save – Chemicals and plastics manufacturing
Ways to save
Optimise the use of existing equipment
A range of technologies are used in the chemicals and plastics manufacturing sector including motors, pumps and fans, air compressors, boilers, lighting and HVAC systems. Many plants have equipment that is used sub-optimally or is left on when not in use. Optimising the use of this equipment can yield energy savings for little or no cost.
Implement effective shut down procedures
Most manufacturing plants have energy overheads, such as energy-using equipment that is left on even when the plant is not producing anything. By analysing energy use in terms of the throughput, it should be possible to determine if energy use per unit produced (for example, kWh per tonne) is broadly consistent during the day, week or month. If it is not, then improving plant control can save energy.
Ensuring that all equipment is turned off when not in use is a simple way to reduce energy usage. PACIA has identified that one of the simplest energy savings has been switching off air-conditioning systems overnight and at weekends. Vinidex’s use of this measure at its O’Connor plant in Perth resulted in savings of $6,000 and 80 tonnes of CO2-equivalent per year.
Optimise operating temperatures and pressures
The percentage yield and rate of chemical reactions is highly dependent on temperature and pressure. It may be possible to achieve energy savings through reviewing the optimal temperatures and pressures for particular chemical processes.
Ongoing innovations in catalysts can lower the activation energy barrier for chemical reactions, which reduces the temperatures and pressures needed.
Energy savings can also be made by taking the following actions:
- Ensure chemical distillation is being carried out under optimum conditions and that the products are not being over-purified.
- Decrease processing temperature, optimise cooling temperature and set thermostats to an appropriate temperature – A one-degree celsius drop in average space temperature can cut fuel consumption by about 8%. Be mindful that storing polymer granules at low temperatures can lead to the formation of condensation when the granules are moved into a warmer factory space. This can result in greater drying requirements prior to processing.
- Monitor and adjust the pressure of equipment. Qenos reported through the EEO program – ‘The boiler feed water pumps produce a higher pressure than is needed to supply water to the furnace waste heat boilers. One of the boiler feedwater pumps is a steam turbine. Slowing the pump down will reduce steam usage by approximately 500 kg/hr while still having adequate supply pressure for boiler feedwater. There is no capital investment required. Labour/engineering costs to implement will be less than $2000 and deliver an energy reduction of 12,000 gigajoules and $30,000 per year in energy savings.'
Use advanced process control
Chemical and plastic process plants are complex and present an opportunity to minimise energy usage and maximise energy recovery through advanced process control (APC). APC is a systematic approach to enable dynamic optimisation of plant operations. APC involves installing hardware and software for capturing process operating data, analysing trends and developing strategies to optimise control of all relevant variables.
Organisations that have used APC include:
- Incitec Pivot Limited (IPL), who reported: ‘In 2008 IPL implemented advanced process control of its Ammonia Plant at Gibson Island. This project is saving approximately 0.1 GJ per tonne of ammonia manufactured or approximately 30,000 GJ per year. The project has also resulted in production gains of approximately 5 tonnes per day of extra ammonia by improving control close to process constraints.’
- Burrup Fertilisers Pty Ltd, who reported: ‘The cost estimation and payback calculations confirm that the payback period was within one year which will translate to annual energy savings of approximately 96,167 GJ. There is also an annual production increase of 3083 MT of ammonia, at an implementation cost of just over $300,000, payback period less than one year. The final scopes of works and implementation details of the project are currently in the development stages.’
Minimise heat loss from steam generation processes
One of the most common processes in industrial chemical plants is distillation to separate chemical mixtures. Significant energy is used in this chemical separation processes because large quantities of steam need to be generated. A substantial quantity of energy can be lost as heat through the production and distribution of steam requiring more energy to maintain boiler temperatures. Inefficient distillation and steam generation systems can also increase air-conditioning cooling loads.
Thermal insulation of pipes and taps and the replacement of defective steam traps are effective cost-saving measures in the distribution of steam. The amount of energy involved should also provide a strong incentive for minimising heat loss from boiler systems by insulating boiler valves, steam and condensate return pipes, and storage units.
Improve the efficiency of existing equipment
Motors systems are widely used in the chemicals sector to drive pumps, fans and air compressors. Because of their extensive use, they provide excellent opportunities for energy savings. It is also possible to cost effectively improve the energy efficiency of boilers and steam systems, as well as lighting and HVAC systems. The use of variable speed drives (VSD) can in some cases result in up to 50% energy savings with a three-year payback.
Optimising these technical systems, when coupled with best practice motor management, can generally deliver energy savings of between 30 to 60% cost effectively.
Maintain existing equipment
A large proportion of energy used by chemical companies is related to the operation of furnaces and boilers. The efficient use of this equipment depends on good control and regular maintenance to reduce energy wastage in steam distribution. Key maintenance tasks include:
Improve heat and power recovery
The use of heat recovery is very common in the chemicals industry. Many of the processes used in the industry require extreme temperatures and often need rapid changes in temperature.
Combined heat and power recovery technologies offer significant potential to improve the energy efficiency of existing processes at chemical and plastics plants.
Install more effective heat exchangers
A theoretical study by the US Department of Energy identified significant potential to improve the degree to which heat exchangers could recover more heat and energy from chemical processes.
Recent innovations in the construction of heat exchangers has enabled heat to be recovered from processes that were previously too extreme to deal with, such as very high temperatures and pressures, and chemically hazardous environments.
This has enabled more heat to effectively be captured and utilised in processes such as the manufacture of nitric acid or sodium hydroxide (caustic soda).
For more information
Invest in cogeneration
Energy assessments of the chemicals sector have shown the potential for significant energy savings from investing in cogeneration. Studies in the US chemicals sector have found that combined heat and power systems, such as cogeneration, could enable a 44% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
In Australia, Qenos has invested $45 million in cogeneration technology at its olefins site at Altona. This facility will meet Qenos’s electricity demand at that plant and will be capable of producing over a third of its steam requirements. This builds on Qenos’s company-wide efforts since 1995, which have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 40%, largely through a focus on energy efficiency.
Recover waste heat and ensure boilers have condensate return
Energy and water loss can be minimised by using steam traps, which collect condensed water and return it to the boiler. This saves water and helps to conserve the heat of the water in the boiler, because the returned condensate is much hotter than feedwater and may not require treatment.
See the Process Heat, Boilers and Steam Systems technology page for more information.
Implement process innovation and equipment upgrade
Energy analysis and best practice case studies demonstrate that significant savings can be achieved through innovations in chemical manufacturing processes and upgrades to more energy efficient equipment.
Upgrade equipment to improve process efficiency
It is possible to significantly improve the overall energy efficiency of chemical and polymer processes through upgrading existing plant equipment.
Steam cracking for olefin production is the most energy consuming process in the chemicals industry, but significant energy reductions are possible. The use of state-of-the-art technologies, such as improved furnace and cracking tube materials and cogeneration using furnace exhaust, can save as much as 20% of total energy.
The remainder of the energy is used for separation of the ethylene product, typically by low-temperature distillation and compression. Up to 15% total energy can be saved in this process by improved separation and compression techniques, such as absorption technologies for separation. Catalytic cracking also offers the potential for reduced energy use, with a saving of up to 20% of total energy.
Consider alternatives to steam distillation
One of the most energy-intensive operations in the chemical industry is distillation separation. Most of the external energy and heat loss in distillation units occur in condensers, which are usually cooled by water or air. In many of the processes, a relatively few distillation columns and heat exchangers are responsible for the bulk of energy and heat losses. These losses could be minimised by improved heat integration, such as cooling the condensers with other process streams or by using waste heat to raise steam.
Another approach is to use alternative separation technologies such as reactive distillation and membrane separation:
Use solar thermal systems for water heating
Solar water heating is well suited to help save energy by preheating boiler feedwater in steam boilers for a wide range of chemical and plastic manufacturing plants. Boiler feed can be heated in solar panels up to 80ºC before being fed to the boiler.
For more information
Purchase and replace equipment with more energy efficient models
It is worth analysing whether there have been innovations in the core equipment used by your business. Over time, innovations often occur that substantially improve the efficiency of equipment compared to when you made your original purchase.
For example, polystyrene manufacturer Andpak (Aust) Pty Ltd based in Sunraysia, Victoria, has reduced energy use by 60% while also increasing production by more than 40%, through investment in more efficient moulding machines. The new moulding machines require significantly less steam than other technologies, requiring less energy to run.
Significant energy efficiency improvements can be achieved through the upgrading and replacement of many types of equipment and ensuring new equipment is correctly sized such as motors, pumps and fans, compressed air and lighting.
- US Department of Energy (2006) Chemical Bandwidth Study – Exergy Analysis: A Powerful Tool for Identifying Process Inefficiencies in the US Chemical Industry. US DOE ↩
- US Department of Energy (2006) Chemical Bandwidth Study – Exergy Analysis: A Powerful Tool for Identifying Process Inefficiencies in the U.S. Chemical Industry. US DOE↩
- US Chemicals Industry (2000) ‘Vision2020 Chemical Industry of The Future Technology Roadmap for Materials’. US Chemicals Industry↩
- Anastas, PT and Warner, J C (2000) Green Chemistry: Theory and Practice,OxfordUniversityPress:New York. Anastas, PT and Zimmerman, JB (2003) Design through the Twelve Principles of Green Engineering. Environmental Science and Technology 2003, 37(5) ↩
- Argonne National Laboratories (2001) Ethyl Lactate Solvents: Low-Cost and Environmentally Friendly. Argonne National Laboratories Office of Technology Transfer ↩
- See PACIA media release ↩


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Under the old British Rail, we used to have a direct train to London from Grimsby and the constituency of my honourable friend the MP for Cleethorpes, Martin Vickers, through Market Rasen.
I have been campaigning for that train to be reinstated for forty years — ever since I was elected as a Member of Parliament.
Sometimes I wander down from my home in the Wolds and wait forlornly on the platform at Market Rasen, but the train never comes.
Today I asked if the Secretary of State might oblige an old campaigner and give us our train back, please.
We've been campaigning for decades to restore Market Rasen's daily return rail service to London.
If the Minister's hints are anything to go by, we might have some good news soon. pic.twitter.com/9j8PsGT7xq
— Sir Edward Leigh MP (@EdwardLeighMP) June 8, 2023

domain: politics


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Starting in 2020, Costa Cruises will strengthen its presence in the Mediterranean, a favorite itinerary with guests.
In winter 2020/21 Costa Fortuna will offer two new 14-day itineraries, marking the return of the Italian company to Turkey and Israel. The first, departing from Savona on December 6, 2020 and February 7, 2021, includes Marseille (France), Barcelona (Spain), Iráklion (Greece), Izmir (Turkey), an overnight call in Istanbul (Turkey), Athens (Greece), Palermo and Naples. The second itinerary, which also sails from Savona on January 10 and March 7, 2021, will be porting in Marseille (France), Barcelona (Spain), Iráklion (Grecia), an overnight call in Haifa (Israel), Kusadasi (Turkey), Palermo and Naples. During the rest of the winter season, Costa Fortuna will be offering one-week itineraries in the Western Mediterranean, also calling at Valencia.
Costa’s presence in the Mediterranean will grow further with the delivery of the two new flagships Costa Smeralda and Costa Toscana, both powered by liquefied natural gas.
Meanwhile, Costa Firenze will be positioned in Asia earlier than anticipated in order to meet increased demand from the Chinese market.
As a result of these changes, in winter 2020/21 Costa Mediterranea will be replacing Costa Fortuna, offering the same itineraries from Singapore to discover Cambodia, Malaysia and Thailand. The company is also planning changes to Costa Victoria’s program after September 9, 2020, and to Costa Luminosa’s Caribbean program in winter 2020/21, which are therefore no longer available for bookings.
Commenting on the news, Costa Cruises President Neil Palomba said: “Costa’s strategy for the next few years is based on sustainable development while meeting the increasing trends in demand. This announcement is in line with that strategy, our aim being to exceed our guests’ expectations. For this reason, we are working to further enhance our presence in the Mediterranean, making it more than ever our home region, with a range of itineraries suiting all needs, in terms of both duration and destinations covered.”
Costa is informing travel agencies and guests of these changes, in order to guarantee that everyone has alternative solutions for their holidays. Guests who have already booked a cruise from Singapore on Costa Fortuna in winter 2020/21 will be rebooked on Costa Mediterranea. Guests booked on any of the following itineraries:
Costa Victoria cruises in India and the Maldives;
Costa Mediterranea cruises in the Indian Ocean;
Costa Luminosa cruises in the Caribbean;
Costa Firenze cruises in the Mediterranean or her positioning cruise to Asia; will have the opportunity to choose from Costa Cruises’ product portfolio and will be entitled to an additional 10% fare discount on the cruise of their choice.

domain: geography


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Happy National Social Work Month!
Social Work Month in March is a time to celebrate the great profession of social work. The theme for Social Work Month 2021 is Social Workers Are Essential. Social workers are essential to community well-being.
The Social Work Month campaign will inform the public, policymakers, and legislators about the way the nation’s social workers each day meet people where they are and help them live to their fullest potential.
Social work is one of the fastest growing professions in the United States, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). There are currently about 700,000 professional social workers in our nation, but that number is expected to rise to more than 800,000 by 2029, BLS said.
Social work has been around for more than a century and has made significant contributions to our nation. For example, social workers such as social reformer Jane Addams, former Labor Secretary Frances Perkins, and civil rights leaders Dorothy Height, Whitney Young and Ida B. Wells have helped Americans secure voting rights, equal rights, Social Security, unemployment insurance, and other programs.
You will also find social workers throughout society – protecting children from abuse and neglect, providing mental health and substance use disorder treatment, assisting active duty military, veterans and their families, in schools, helping corporations better serve their communities, and in community organizations as well as in local, state and government.
During the Coronavirus pandemic social workers have also been on the frontlines along with doctors, nurses, grocery store staff and other essential employees. For instance, social workers such as Rosanelly Garcia, a trauma social worker in the emergency room at Mount Sinai Hospital in Chicago, are helping people hospitalized because of the Coronavirus get the best quality care and the services they need to recover once they return to their families and communities.
Other social workers such as Carla Monteiro in Massachusetts are helping people cope with mental illness and substance use disorders during the pandemic, often doing this job remotely to keep everyone safer.
However, the social work profession faces challenges. There is shortage of social workers in schools where they are needed to help young people cope with complicated issues such as trauma, poverty, the opioid addiction crises and the need for more resources to help students learn during the pandemic.
And although social workers play a critical role in our nation’s health care and mental health system, they could be better compensated for the work they do, according to a 2019 report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.
Social workers often are unsung heroes, but they play an essential role in helping people from all walks of life and backgrounds to live life to the fullest. During social work month we hope you will learn more about this amazing profession, say a kind word to the social workers in your lives, and advocate for policies and legislation that benefit the profession and the populations they serve.

domain: sociology


On-line data capture and archival of historical plant information on both local and wide area networks.
Curtiss-Wright Nuclear’s R*TIME software is a real-time data acquisition, display, and man-machine interface, and control system software program. R*TIME presents real time information in a manner that is meaningful, easily accessible and tremendously beneficial. R*TIME provides easy access to menus and displays of real time and historical data through defined icon buttons and pull down menus. The system provides the user with the ability to construct and use color graphic displays with trends (time, x-y and bar), alarms, logs, message files, and many other tools. Data points are selected using point-and-click. Poke points to view displays and trends are fast and simple.


This beautiful, innovative project consists of 2 condo buildings linked by 3 walkways in the sky containing gardens, pools and recreational spaces. The unusual structure allowed the building to abound with other outdoor terraces and personal gardens, creating a space of natural beauty, sunlight and airflow. A truly cool solution to the downers of urban living; BishanCentralCondo.com.
Trust German engineers to realize that what we all really dream of is a personalized geodesic dome. After having made these impressive structures for fairs and exhibitors, Zendome has recently released a “home” model. Set it up as a garden retreat, a temporary guesthouse, or let the kids go wild in it. We like the idea of putting it up as a shed, then convincing the neighbors it’s actually a spaceship; Zendome.com.
The words “prefabricated home” can easily conjure nightmares of bland developments and poor construction, but there’s far more out there on the market. Check out these seriously cool possibilities.
Design your own ultra-modern luxury home with FlatPak. You select every aspect from an a la carte menu, wall by gorgeous glass wall, while their engineers help ensure that your home takes full advantage of its stellar setting; FlatPak.com.
It might look like something out of a coffeetable architecture book, but modular homes from LABhaus are designed to be affordable — and earth-friendly, with energy-efficient lighting packages and recycled components; LABhaus.
Need a little more space? And we do mean, just a little. Check out Add-A-Room’s One + house. Build what you like out of Add-A-Room’s Lego-like cottage chic modules, or simply complement your existing structure.


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Vans Kicks Off Competition for Art Students
Vans Brand is calling all original and innovative high school students to join in the sixth annual Vans Custom Culture competition, a nationwide competition among high school art students.
High school art teachers can register their classes to compete with thousands of other students to see who can create the most artistic designs using blank Vans shoes as their canvas.
The top five finalists will get the opportunity to travel to New York City to showcase their creations. Celebrity judges will select an overall winner who will receive a $50,000 cash prize for their school’s art program. The winner will also get the chance to see their masterpiece for sale at Vans retail locations and online.
Vans will donate $4,000 to each of the four runner-up schools. An extra $50,000 will go to non-profit partner Americans for the Arts, the nation’s leading organization for advancing the arts and art education.
The competition is intended to inspire high school students to embrace creativity through art and design and to raise awareness for the nation’s suffering art programs.
In its inaugural year in 2010, the competition had just 326 schools participate. This year, it is estimated that around 3,000 schools will participate. Vans hopes to see the competition continue to grow and afford high school students this wonderful opportunity.
The arts help encourage creativity and confidence, and boost problem-solving skills and fine-tune the ability to focus and persevere. This competition is the perfect way to engage and excite students around our country to follow their artistic dreams. I appreciate Vans and its dedication to helping art students and programs around the U.S.

domain: artistic


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Anyone who’s been following Crowfall over the years since its original Kickstarter has likely at one point or another felt like the game’s development was dragging out to infinity – pre-alpha seemed to have no ending. So a couple weeks ago when ArtCraft pulled the trigger and opened up its beta to the masses (well, to many of its registered players), it felt like finding water in a desert. Yet to the many players who backed the game and have been playing for years already, this was simply the next step towards the game they’ve been ready to experience with the rest of the world.
Let the bodies hit the servers
One of the most important parts of a PvP game is actually having other players to PvP against. It doesn’t matter how great your game is; without a critical mass of players, it’s going to flop. Now, what that critical mass of players is will be different from game to game. When I first began writing about Crowfall, I struggled to find anyone else to fight. However, over the last year and a half, that experience has improved tremendously, up to the point we are at now.
There is a whole new air about the game’s worlds. Compared to the alpha and pre-alpha level of engagement, the game feels so alive. Whether you are rolling a new character in the God’s Reach or joining the Infected or campaign server, there are other players all around. Admittedly, this isn’t WoW Classic newly come online with everybody lined up to level, but it is still fantastic to see.
Even when you are playing through the tutorial, it feels so much more like an actual, live MMORPG with other players around doing similar tasks as you. Seeing players in the map chat asking and answering questions – it’s just a joy. You can honestly see the game that so many players backed years ago, now coming to life.
Grappling with the concept of the crow and vessel
There is one core game aspect of Crowfall that I’ve never put much thought into previously that I would like to discuss: the crow and the vessel. I’ve understood it well enough, but now that the game is really coming together and there is a light at the end of the tunnel, I’ve begun to give it more attention.
The long and short of it is that when you play Crowfall, you are technically a crow, which is some sort of undead spirit. When you create a character, you (the crow) actually inhabit that body (a vessel). So in parallel with a typical game, you might consider having a dozen alts as a dozen different player characters. Here, however, each is actually just a different body that you, the crow, temporarily control. So far, I can dig it – it seems like any other game with a different coat of paint.
But Crowfall takes this concept a step further with its necromancy system: literally a crafting system for digging up body parts and building a new vessel. When you’ve crafted (or purchased from a crafter) a new vessel you will then be able to use that for your next character. The point of this whole crafting system is that you could create a vessel that is a higher-tier than the starting vessels. In other words, your vessels, your characters, are just like gear. You start with weak ones and later on you’ll be able to upgrade to better ones. Are you seeing where I’m going yet?
This is the point where I begin to grapple mentally with the system. Again, this is all cool and makes a lot of sense. However, I’m not really the type of MMORPG player who keeps a bunch of alts. I create a main, and I play my games 90% with my main. Before I start to dive into a game headfirst, I do research and check out character calculators and any tools that I can find. I look at what class offers the gameplay I like the most. I find which skill tree will be my favorite. And then, after the research is done, I create my main. I play and maximize my main as fast as I can so that I can start to be competitive with it. Only then, after I’ve felt like I’ve mastered this character and this playstyle, will I begin to consider some alts.
I guess you could say my main is the driver of my engagement in the game. Honestly, I still play the main I created with the two- or three-day head start for Guild Wars 2. However, that is not an option with Crowfall. Not practically. Not if I want to be competitive – which I always am.
Playing through the God’s Reach zones, I’ll see players ask in chat, “What’s the best class for stealth?” “If I want to have ranged DPS spells, which is better Frostweaver or a Confessor?” But as a new player, there is almost no reason to care or become invested in your character because it feels rather disposable. I almost want to tell those newbies that it doesn’t matter what they pick because it’s going to be weak as a beginner vessel. That is something I am still struggling with.
I understand what many other long-time players are surely thinking: that I could always do the same routine, then when it comes time to upgrade to a better vessel I could simply make it the same race and class as my original one. I just have to level up again. And levels are just a number, and there isn’t anything stopping me from getting all the same skills. After that, just do the same thing anytime I upgrade my vessel. Level up again, re-learn the skills. This is likely what I will do. Yet it still feels weird. The character I start the game with isn’t going to be the same one I play a year or two down the road. It doesn’t matter what I start with – it’s going to be weak. To me, that is just weird, and I haven’t fully come to terms with it.
So, crows, have you had a chance to get into the game’s beta yet? I’d be interested in knowing what players who hadn’t played in the alphas thought of it overall, from gameplay to population. I’d also like to get your input on the vessel system. I’m by no means arguing against it, but it is a different concept – for me at least! Let me know in the comments!

domain: hobby


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Genworth Releases Fourth Report Edition to Track the Entire First-Time Homebuyer Market
I am pleased to release Genworth Mortgage Insurance’s First-Time Homebuyer Market Report for the fourth quarter of 2017 (See Fact Sheet and Full Report). This is the only economic series focused on the size of the first-time homebuyer market, and it tells an important story about what is driving home sales and home price growth, as well as where supply is most needed. We also look back at 2017 to see how the first-time homebuyer market has evolved, and to understand where the housing market stands in the cycle.
Don’t Miss Our Next First-time Homebuyer Market Report – Subscribe To The Genworth MI Blog Today!
Here are some key takeaways from this quarter’s report:
- The first-time homebuyer market is no longer cyclically depressed; growth rate has moderated and will likely continue.
Housing is a cyclical market with many ups and downs. This is no different for the first-time homebuyer market segment. Looking back over the last 24 years, an average of 1.8 million first-time homebuyers per year purchase homes. Years 2007 through 2015 were a depressed era for the first-time homebuyer market, with below-average numbers reported. Potential buyers deferred homeownership, some even reverted to staying with parents. However, it has become clear in the past three years that some potential buyers have decided the wait is over. The millennial generation is starting to reach the age for starting families and buying homes. The strong job market, rising home prices, and historically low interest rates also provided favorable economic conditions for potential buyers. These are the main reasons for the sharp recovery in the first-time homebuyer market since 2014. As a result, almost 2.1 million first-time homebuyers purchased homes in 2017—300,000 more than the historical average. That is why we believe the first-time homebuyer market is no longer cyclically depressed. The implication is that the growth rate will be more moderate from this point on.
- First-time homebuyers will continue to maintain an outsized role in the housing market, as housing demand moves from rent to own.
The recovery of the first-time homebuyer market means that they command a larger presence in both the housing market and the mortgage market compared to their long-term average. Historically, 35 percent of home sales and 46 percent of home purchase loans went to first-time homebuyers. In 2017, those numbers were 38 percent for home sales and 56 percent for home purchase loans. We expect those numbers to remain elevated compared to the long-term average. While the growth since 2014 has been impressive, there remains a large number of potential first-time homebuyers on the sidelines and they will continue to enter the housing market in the coming years.
- The growth in the first-time homebuyer market means that low down payment mortgages will continue to be an important part of the mortgage market.
Down payment has always been the biggest hurdle facing potential first-time homebuyers. Low down payment mortgages allows these buyers to afford entry-level homes using a small amount of savings. In the past three years, 79 percent of first-time homebuyers have relied on low down payment mortgage products. We expect that trend to continue with the low down payment mortgage market growing with the first-time homebuyer market.
- Private mortgage insurance is expected to become the leading source of financing for first-time homebuyers as government lending programs step back.
While the growth in the first-time homebuyer market is expected to boost demand for low down payment mortgages, the private mortgage insurance industry should benefit the most from this trend. That is because the three percent down payment product offered by the private mortgage insurance industry is gaining greater acceptance among lenders and borrowers. In addition, government lending programs such as the FHA already have a very large presence in the market, and are stepping back as credit availability has improved.
- The repeat homebuyer market has not seen any growth since 2013. Instead of moving, homeowners are doing repairs and remodeling. This has removed one of the growth drivers for household mortgage debt.
The rapid growth in the first-time homebuyer market is a sharp contrast to the repeat homebuyer market, where sales have been stagnant since 2013. While the economic environment is just as favorable for repeat buyers, many have seen repairs and remodeling as a better choice to buying. The lack of growth in the repeat homebuyer market is a drag for both housing and the mortgage market.
- The supply of affordable new homes for first-time homebuyers is not growing, keeping inventory low and home price growth high in 2018.
The strong growth in the first-time homebuyer market between 2014 and 2017 has had a tremendous impact on the housing market. It contributed to over 80 percent of the growth in home sales during this period, which drove housing supply to the lowest level on record and pushed home prices up 26 percent since the end of 2013. One area of the housing market that has not responded to the rise of the first-time homebuyer market is the new construction market. Sales of new homes priced under $250,000 were down two percent in 2017, and down six percent from 2013. Growth in new home sales has concentrated in the price range above $250,000, which is less affordable to most first-time homebuyers. We believe that the lack of supply of new homes to first-time homebuyers will keep inventory low and home price growth high this year.
- We expect faster growth in disposable income to generate positive momentum for the first-time homebuyer market, but the rapid increase in interest rates will make housing less affordable.
What is ahead for the first-time homebuyer market in 2018? Our analysis of the new tax law suggests that it will provide a modest boost to after-tax income in most parts of the country. A tightening labor market is also beginning to translate into faster wage growth. These will likely create positive momentum for first-time homebuyers. However, the rapid increase in interest rates we have seen recently may make housing less affordable, and potentially slow down housing market activity.

domain: news


come join us with Friends Like Family and Post Modern Panic live at the Main Pub!!
Forget Paris with Mission Transmission SATURDAY JUL11 10 PM Forget Paris is a four-piece rock band hailing from Naugatuck, Connecticut. Mixing different elements of pop and alternative genres, this quartet lets the music do the talking. $7.00
What's better than awesome music, beer and a free show? Not much! Come out and have a good time with good people, good bands and enough alcohol to make you enjoy anything you don't like. www.takethistoheartrecords.com
Sounds Like: Jimmy Eat World, Bayside, Mayday Parade, Yellowcard, Story of the Year
Bio: Mission Transmission (MXM) is a pop rock band from central CT, formed by members of CT-based groups Tip the Van and Call II Consciousness. This group of friends, having crossed musical pasts, developed a sound inspired by bands such as Mayday Parade, Jimmy Eat World, Story of the Year, Fall Out B...See Full Bio
“Mission Transmission was born from the ashes of two prominent CT bands, Tip the Van and Call II Consciousness. This group of friends, having crossed musical pasts, developed a sound inspired by bands such as Mayday Parade, Jimmy Eat World, Story of the Year, Fall Out Boy, Yellowcard, and Monty Are I. The group's songs are based on catchy melodies, fast-paced beats, and action-packed riffs that look to capture the ears of a broad audience. MXM has taken the CT scene by storm in a just a few short months and the release of their second single, Screaming Apollo, found success and airplay on CT's largest alternative rock radio station, Radio 104.1 WMRQ.”


What causes archers to lose their bearings?
- “Generally speaking, archers make mistakes in one of two ways,” White explains. In order to keep the pin on the target stable, they try to move the wrist or hand of their bow arm, or they try to press the release trigger with their finger.
How do you get a bullseye every time in archery?
Make a deliberate effort to aim high with your second arrow. Shoot so that you can see where the “crosshair” is pointing when you’re about to go overboard when you’re shooting. Finally, with the third arrow, aim towards the center of the target. In the same way that Goldilocks did, except instead of porridge, you receive a bullseye!
What is pinching in archery?
The pinch draw is accomplished by pinching the end of the arrow between the thumb and index finger. When people first start shooting, they almost always employ this draw instinctively. However, unless the archer possesses tremendous finger power, this release prohibits the drawing of a stiff bow from being accomplished.
Which is a common bow shooting error?
One of the most typical archery blunders is to rush the process of placing your fingertips on the string. Taking a second look at your finger placement can make a significant difference in the outcome of your shot. When you hook the bowstring with too much finger stress – or in the wrong position on the fingers – you might get into a lot of trouble.
What hand holds the bow grip?
In the case of a right-handed person, which hand do you use to grasp the bow? You will grasp the bow with your left hand and draw the bow string back with your right hand if you are a right-handed person. Designed to be carried with the left hand by archers who have a dominant right hand, right handed bows are used by archers with a dominant left hand.
How does Archer aim to adjust for gravity?
Whenever an object is thrown, gravity acts on it, altering the route that it takes. The archer in the first image is pointing her arrow just above the bull’s eye of the target, rather than straight at it, as shown in the second image.
Why are my arrows all over the target?
Wind, alignment faults in the bow, torquing the bow, and canting the bow are all factors that can cause an arrow to wander off of the target. It’s vital to note that while you’re shooting close up, a drifting arrow won’t be nearly as obvious. You will notice that the more you go away from the target, the more the arrow will drift away.
How do I strengthen my bow arm?
Bow Hunting Exercises: 9 Fundamentals
- Dumbbell Lateral Raises using only one arm. Dumbbell Shrug (with or without a weight): Grab your weight (or start without). Pick up the weights and hold one in each hand, with your arms relaxed at your sides. Rowing with a dumbbell on one arm only. Bench dips. Bend-over Rare Lateral Race. Push-ups with a variation. Planks. Overhead Triceps Extension.
How many fingers do you need to draw a bow?
Bow strings have been drawn in virtually every configuration possible throughout history. With the string squeezed between the fingers, between the fingers and the thumb, or with the string looped around the fingers and/or the thumbs In modern Olympic sport archery, the three finger (Mediterranean) release is the most often utilized release method.
Is thumb important in archery?
” For every archer, the use of the thumb, index, and middle fingers is essential to success. He went on to say that as soon as they pick up a ‘Teer-Kamthi,’ (bow and arrow), they “stop using their thumbs.”


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If you love to play games that raise your adrenaline to its top level, you should try Obunga the Backrooms. You will start in a spooky maze that seems to be endless. Your task is to look for an exit and get out from here as soon as possible. But it will be more than scary ad you are not alone in this location. A terrible monster will keep running after you through all the rooms and corridors. Will you be able to develop the right speed to keep at a safe distance from your enemy?
Similiars games online


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Tilted Heart with Rose Pendant in Sterling Silver and 14K Rose Gold Plate
Item #: 19953932
Honor the one you adore with your heart and a single, shimmering rose, the symbol of everlasting love. Crafted in sleek sterling silver, this charming ribbon heart is adorned with a single 14K rose gold-plated heart that catches the eye. An enchanting design, this heart is turned on its side and polished to a brilliant shine. The heart suspends close to hers along an 18.0-inch rope chain that secures with a spring-ring clasp.
||14K Gold Plate|
Typographic errors are subject to correction. Merchandise enlarged to show detail and may not always be exactly as pictured. Promotions, prices, styles and availability may vary by store and online.
Guest Return and Exchange Policy

domain: design


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The Bikeshelf is a great solution for people with limited indoor storage for their bicycle. Free up your floor space and turn your bike into an eye catching statement on your wall. This robust, stylish product is made from thick sheet steel and screws into a solid wall, holding your bike as well as your books and plants pots.
Available in five different colours, the Bikeshelf features a protective rubber element to prevent scratches on your bike and a hook to hang your bag and bicycle lock. For extra security the Bikeshelf is designed with a hole in the top so you can lock your bike.
Lead time: Available now.
Postage: If you would like to find out the cost of shipping a product, you can calculate the accurate cost by simulating the checkout process and entering your postcode. Please contact us for information on delivery outside of the UK.
Note: Fixings and instructions included.


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IZOD Brand Named Official Apparel of Champions Series Tennis
Posted on September 24, 2011
PVH Corp. has announced that its IZOD brand is the 2011 official apparel brand of the Champions Series. Through the sponsorship, PVH is outfitting all tournament officials, ball kids, and staff in IZOD apparel during the 12-city tennis tournament. 2011 Champions Series is a competitive tennis circuit featuring legendary tennis champions Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, John McEnroe, Jim Courier, Bjorn Borg, Michael Chang and Mats Wilander.
The 2011 Series runs from September 22 through October 22 and will be broadcast on Fox Sports Net and the Tennis Channel from November 2011 through January 2012.


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THE GO TO DESIGNER
THE GO-TO DESIGNER:
Dolce & Gabbana
Who: Italian duo whose romantic and glamorous aesthetic is inspired by the strength of the Mediterranean woman.
Why now: The SS15 collection was a seasonal highlight, mixing Spanish folk traditions with signature Sicilian tropes. Read our previous blog post on owner Bruna Harrison's Sicilian roots and why she is currently drawing inspiration from this collection - READ HERE
Key pieces: Embroidered dresses, appliqud pencil skirts and fringed capes, plus modern touches via humbug-striped jersey separates.
In the family: Domenico Dolces mothers beloved red carnations appeared across sheer black tulle.
HQM's Essential Jewellery Picks: Spend hours trawling through our online store and you are sure to find something extremely special. See a few of our essential Jewellery picks below, the perfect adornment to you Dolce & Gabbana look.


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The Virginia Women’s basketball team cam out with a 70-45 win over Coppin State in their first game of the Holiday Inn University Area Cavalier Classic. The Cavaliers were lead by Tiffany Suarez with 16 points and Ataira Franklin with eight rebounds. Virginia will play Princeton during the championship game on Sunday at 2:30 pm. Coverage will begin on WINA at 2:00 pm.
These celebrities will celebrate their birthdays on Labor Day.
A look at the celebrities who will be celebrating this weekend.
LISTEN: This week's top pop songs, according to the latest Billboard chart.
The recent marathon of all 552 episodes of "The Simpsons" inspired us to sit down and come up with our 10 favorite episodes. Enjoy!


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Pushed Aside by COVID-19
The Ongoing Challenges of a Foster Youth Advocate to Support a Native American Foster Child with Educational Attainment
Foster youth are plagued with emotional, psychological, physical, behavioral, mental, and health challenges that may take years and the involvement of many social services to recover from, if they ever do. Obtaining an education is a critical element for ongoing self-sustainability, confidence, and growth as they age out of the foster care system. A foster child who is of Native American heritage has an even greater challenge to obtaining an education with the lack of parental support and guidance, and an even greater trial to obtaining an education in a pandemic-laden world. This manuscript will detail the challenges a Native American foster youth met due to being pushed aside from obtaining an education critical for engaging in a successful and positive life as a direct result of COVID-19. The manuscript is a singular, empirical case study. The purpose of this manuscript is to detail the extenuating educational access challenges a specific foster youth and her advocate experienced as result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Copyright (c) 2022 Laura Schaffer Metcalfe
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a

domain: literature


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Lone Survivor – Review
Lone Survivor Movie Review
The ‘Lone Survivor’ is yet again another film based on a true story. It’s gritty, but lacks any sense of drama or character development and is hindered by its simplistic and limited script.
The film focuses on a group of Navy Seals who embark on a recon mission is a remote region of Afghanistan, they are soon ambushed by Taliban and only one survives. This sounds incredibly simplistic and that is what the film is. Peter Berg makes no effort to go delve deep into this unfortunate event, instead we get a film which is fixated upon the brutality and violence of what happens, so much so that any motive to convey emotion is reduced to next to nothing.
Mark Wahlberg is not a fault for what is an incredibly average film, he does what is required and he remained faithful to his director. The acting is not at all bad, although Eric Bana’s talent seems wasted and that is a shame. The plot hasn’t got much to do with him, but there could have been more of a back story or Bana’s character weaved in more to the central plot. I understand that this was a true story and that the source material couldn’t be altered to an extent where it becomes fiction, but there should have been more of a character framework and less of the gratuitous violence.
My biggest issue with the film is it’s over-the-top action sequence which lasts around 30 minutes. It’s fun to watch for about 5 minutes, but after that it becomes ploddy and incredibly dull. I understand Peter Berg’s motive to show the gritty events which actually took place and how we are supposed to sympathize with the protagonist as he is slowly left to fend of his enemies by himself, but I feel none of this. This film prides it action sequence over its story telling and that is the largest flaw this film has. If the action sequence was condensed and there was more attention upon the villagers or this mans struggle then the film would have been a lot better and pleasantly shorter. For me the title of the films is somewhat misleading, there is no denying he was a lone survivor, but the film doesn’t take enough time to show this. The script is at fault here, we didn’t see enough of Mark Wahlberg’s characters struggle and his survival story doesn’t seem heroic enough. This is by no means a comment on the actual event, it is a comment upon the lackluster filming which failed to encapsulate the events justly. With this is mind, the battle sequence deserves some recognition for its brilliant cinematography.
Unfortunately this film is not fun, nor is it harrowing or moving account about the survival of a brave individual. It’s not bad, it merely fails to achieve what it set out to do. The underlying issue with the film is it’s decision to prioritize the action over the character. It feels like a feature length army advert, it’s American jingoism at its finest.

domain: entertainment


Fancy getting into bed with Virgin?
The global company, led by the colorful Richard Branson, asks the provocative question on the website for Virgin Hotels. The new division of Virgin Group Ltd. is being launched to manage and rebrand hotels in Miami and other cities including New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston and Washington, D.C.
“At first blush, it seems like yet another boutique-ish, semi-hipster group doing what’s been done before,” said Peter Slatin, an analyst with Real Capital Analytics, a New York real estate research company. “But, we could use an update of this trend — and they could be the ones to pull it off.”
Virgin wants to acquire hotels, partner with existing hotel owners or act as a third-party manager. The company is seeking 150- to 400-room urban properties that can be transformed to four-star hotels to appeal to what it calls the “creative class” of high-income, well-educated metropolitan travelers. The company, part of Branson’s $18 billion Virgin empire, will establish itself in the U.S. before expanding internationally.
Virgin Hotels plans to invest $500 million in properties over the next three years.
“Our capital is very flexible,” said Anthony Marino, the company’s executive director. “It could be equity, it could be debt. And we can bring in other partners. There are a number of institutional-type real estate investors who want us to bring them deals.”
Virgin Hotels has brought on Paul Whetsell, a Washington, D.C.-area hospitality veteran who is president and CEO of CapStar Hotel Co., to serve as a board member, adviser and investor. His investment firm acquires and develops hotels. Whetsell was chairman of Interstate Hotels & resorts until March 2009.
South Florida's hotel industry has shown signs of a revival, particular in trendy South Beach.
Sam Nazarian, founder and CEO of Los Angeles-based SBE, plans a $65 million redevelopment of the shuttered Ritz Plaza Hotel at 1701 Collins Ave. It would reopen in spring 2012 as a boutique hotel called the SLS South Beach, with 142 rooms and design work by Philippe Starck.
Plans have also been announced for the redevelopment of the Seville Hotel into a residential property.
Miami-Dade County had a nearly 10 percent increase in the supply of available rooms in 2009 as new properties came online and older properties were redeveloped.
In Fort Lauderdale, B Hotels & Resorts is refurbishing a former Holiday Inn, along the ocean at Sunrise Boulevard, into a 240-room and -suite hotel.
B Hotels CEO and President Ayelet Weinstein has a background as a real estate developer and sees an opportunity to provide a brand alternative for flagged and independent hotels, according to a news release. The Fort Lauderdale hotel, which is expected to open in December, will be the first one for the company.
The site became available after a foreclosure action and there are plenty of others to pick from in the region.
The site of a stalled Hilton hotel project along the ocean in Pompano Beach is headed for auction after its owner lost a $31.6 million foreclosure judgment.
For the week ended Sept. 18, occupancy in Miami-Dade County rose to 62 percent from 54.9 percent in the prior-year period. Occupancy in Broward County rose to 54.2 percent from 51.1 percent. Occupancy in Palm Beach County rose to 44.1 percent from 42.3 percent.
According to hospitality research firm HVS, 73 major- and mid-market hotels nationwide changed hands in the first half of the year, more than double the 29 which sold in the same time period in 2009. Sales of those hotels totaled $1.76 billion.
Another piece of the Virgin plan is to market its hotels to its existing airline customers, and vice versa, particularly through the company’s loyalty programs.
Virgin Atlantic Airways has flights to Miami International Airport, while Virgin America has flights to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.


For some time I’ve been writing about the healthy state of innovation in publishing thanks to digital technologies – see for example this post and this earlier one. I spotted in the newspapers very recently a couple of articles making the same point, one in The Observer and one in the New York Times, while the BBC programme Imagine this week covered the same subject. The latest trend I’ve noted is short e-books, with publishers ranging from my own dear Princeton University Press to Penguin now publishing these. This is evidence of a healthy industry, and a great contrast to the resistance of the music industry to using digital technologies to serve consumers’ preferences – maybe the newspaper industry itself could learn something from these contrasting examples?
The key lesson is not so much about being clever in using technology, though. It’s about paying attention to consumers. Technologies enable successful businesses when they are used to serve unmet demands. Diet and celebrity books dominate the best seller lists of course, but there is in these times in particular a strong appetite for understanding, for serious fiction, current affairs, debate. Faster publishing cycles, print on demand, e-book shorts, all enable publishers to respond and that’s what they’re doing.


Micrel and Monolithic Settle Patent, Trade Secrets Suit
Under the terms of the settlement, Monolithic agreed to pay Micrel $3 million. Micrel agreed to license to Monolithic the two patents in dispute, which regard semiconductor manufacturing processes and semiconductor design elements.
Micrel also released Monolithic, its chief executive officer and its chief design engineer from all claims of alleged...
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Tiger Eye - Part I: Curse of the Riddle Box
I really enjoyed this game the riddles were good you should have more like this one.
When is part 2 coming out.
people will enjoy this game
November 15, 2011
in this hidden object puzzle mystery, you are psychically-gifted Dela Reese and you are exploring China. the story begins when Dela purchases an ancient riddle box, only to discover that this teeny tiny box contains a 7-foot tall warrior named Hari who has been imprisoned inside for 2000 years. Hari has been cursed to be enslaved to whomever calls him forth from the box, and Dela was the lucky girl. in this game, you must help Dela and Hari escape would-be murderers who want to possess the box (and Hari).
graphics: comic-book style art. although there weren't any junk piles to dig through, some of the hidden objects were difficult to find because they were not well defined. the item search lists were easy to remember because they took the form of "find ten of ....". many hidden object scenes included mini-games where you used items you found to assemble another item. the game also included a large variety of puzzles in a variety of forms -- puzzle boxes, doors, drawers -- and they varied in their level of challenge. some of these puzzles were new spins on old puzzles, which was fun.
music and sound effects: nice, but not extraordinary. voiceovers are above average and the dialogue is realistic.
storyline: although i am not a fan of romances, i am curious to know how this story progresses. i especially enjoy how Dela, our heroine, is no push-over!
gameplay: there is a click penalty. hints are added by collecting hidden objects, solving puzzles and are also at the end of each level that you complete. if you manage to collect 50 or more unused hints, you unlock extras. i didn?t notice any freezes, stutters or hiccups whilst playing this game.
my interaction: one hour demo.
this is an interesting game in the sense that it includes scenes and words that some parents may deem inappropriate for young children. (although -- seriously -- kids see and hear far worse on TV and on the schoolyard every day!) however, that said, this game?s main strength is the storyline, so if you are a fan of romantic mysteries, then this just may be the game for you!
June 18, 2012
Romantic Love Girl Game!
This was like one of my steamy, girlie romance novels!!! LOVED IT!!! Puh-leeze BF..we need MORE like this! I believe it is so close to the novel as the author contributed to the game. (Which is why part 2 is so dissapointing - but that's another review elswhere!) The hidden objects were well incorporated into scenes, no junk piles and trash to dig through--yaay! The story carried you along and I was SO dissapointed and surprised when it ended! Cliffhanger alert!! The mini games were also incorporated into the scenes and you discovered them as you searched for HO's. So you could decide when to click on the mini game prompts to play them. I don't consider myself an "expert" but even the more daunting looking mini games were solvable without any skips! Joy! One of the more corny, dissapointing mini games though, was "dress Haji"....really?? I completed that challenge but found myself so embarrassed by it that when the Hubby came into the room I quickly turned off the game!! Not good! But everything else was so great it made up for that small irritation. There were VO's but not so much that you got bogged down. Plus you could read the dialog and speed it along if you wanted. I also loved that the female protagonist wasn't a simpering, dumb girl and she was the one that disabled bombs etc. and had the paranormal ability to solve problems and save the day! The game ends with a great cliffhanger that left me groaning when the game ended with our two character in peril! You really want to immediately jump into part 2....but that's another review!!
I don't just recommend this game - I'm going to start playing it again right now!
June 13, 2012
Unique & fun game!!
This is an oldie but goodie. Its a puzzle game of sorts and it has an awesome love story entangled within it. It has a lot of dialogue between the characters but it has voiceover and the characters are interesting and attractive for cartoons LOL The plot line draws you in quick, there are lots of puzzles to solve but most aren't going to do your head in. There are also lots of items to collect and you use them to do the puzzles.
I would rate this game 5 stars because thats how much I like it BUT I just played the sequel and the sequel is pretty awful especially compared to this one even though its just picking up where this one left off and this game ends with a cliffhanger so because part 2 of this game is so bad and this one leaves you hanging it changes how I feel about this game a little. In terms of gameplay, puzzles and the plot in this game, its a slam dunk, 5 star effort. A completely out of the box game especially for games that came out when this one did but even to this day, there aren't many games that have appealed to me the way this one has and Ive replayed it many times waiting for the sequel to come out and it has great replay value because if you get 50 hint points you can play in expert and the puzzles are even harder even though I have never been able to get 50 points because Ive needed help with other things in the game.
BUT in terms of this game being a finished product, this game is not as it leaves you hanging and it left people hanging for years and then comes back with a lackluster sequel that tied up the story but killed all the things that were so great about this one so I can only give this 4 stars because even though this game is great, its ending 3+ years later is terrible so there is really no conclusion for a great game. Its such a shame.
I completely recommend this game but you have to know that the sequel may disappoint the heck out of you.
July 26, 2012
Fantastic game has it all.
I really loved all the mini games. This was really excellent how they made so many parts of it, the story line the hogs, etc. The music was really good too. I ran into Tiger Eye part II first and saw the reviews and thought I would do part 1, then get part II. I just finished and want to play again. Excellent game!.
June 19, 2012
Where is part II ??!!!
I loved this game, the characters, story and the romance with s"xual innuendo. Very cute, hilarious and original.
What I did to like is the HO scenes were almost impossible to see clearly due to the muddy graphic quality. Also, I completed the game and I'm still locked out of the extras. What's up with that? Also, too many of the same puzzles, let's put more variety in there please for the next game, it became a bit annoying and redundant.
Definitely recommend this game and can't wait for the sequel, I just hope they upscale the graphics, make more crisp and defined and unlock the extra box when you finish the game!
June 2, 2012
Overall this game was fun and I enjoyed the puzzles - challenging but not too hard to enjoy. I don't typically care for the stop-motion people graphics reminiscent of early gaming, and that is the only thing that would keep my from purchasing the next one.
May 25, 2012
From the other reviews, you get the impression that there is a ton of romance in this game, a great storyline re: same, and all in all it's like playing a novel. The story is not to my tastes, but that's a personal judgment. It's okay, as romances go, kind of sweet, simplistic, kind of Harlequin (I assume, I should say, since I've never read one). The VO acting was well done, compared to some games when the VO folks are reading a script and many times reading it poorly. The artwork for the "personal storyline" scenes (as opposed to the game scenes) was kind of crude -- crude in quality, not in content :-).
For me, all of that was irrelevant. The game play was what drew me in. You mostly find a list of 10 of this, 7 of that, over and over, in order that you can play the puzzles. Every scene has puzzles - puzzle boxes, puzzle doors, jigsaw-type puzzles, a variation on the pipes puzzle that gets more challenging as the game progresses. I was very impressed with the puzzles. They were not easy; they were fun to accomplish; they were often variations on standard puzzles, but unique variations.
I had a great time with them, and was sorry that the game was over simply because I wanted more puzzles to solve :).
Had a hard time rating this one. 4 stars because of the game play and the puzzles (a few of which should have received 5).
May 16, 2012
Compared to Part 2, this was just 'ok' for me....
If it weren't for the "adult content" overtones to this game, I would think it was aimed at kids more than grownups.... Precocious young teen girls would love it! :)
If I could, I would've given Part 1 3.5 stars, but I just couldn't give it 4. I'm not much for gothic-type love stories, which is pretty much what this story line is.... If you like gothic novels, you might appreciate this game more than me... ;)
Also, Part 1 does not have nearly the number of puzzles that the sequel does.... The graphics are beautiful but are mostly still pictures.... very little animation.... which is true of the sequel as well, but the puzzles save that one for me....
Anyway, it's worth buying and is fun, but doesn't rise to the level of its sequel imo....
July 18, 2012
Its storyline would be fine but those long conversations - I could barely wait for them to shut up! :D T
he other side - this is not a bad game but I have had better before. I wonder if the sequel is an improved one?
May 12, 2012

domain: game


text:
I PROPOSE to treat of Poetry in itself and of its various kinds,
noting the essential quality of each, to inquire into the structure of
the plot as requisite to a good poem; into the number and nature of
the parts of which a poem is composed; and similarly into whatever
else falls within the same inquiry. Following, then, the order of
nature, let us begin with the principles which come first.
Epic poetry and Tragedy, Comedy also and Dithyrambic poetry, and the
music of the flute and of the lyre in most of their forms, are all
in their general conception modes of imitation. They differ,
however, from one another in three respects- the medium, the
objects, the manner or mode of imitation, being in each case distinct.
For as there are persons who, by conscious art or mere habit,
imitate and represent various objects through the medium of color
and form, or again by the voice; so in the arts above mentioned, taken
as a whole, the imitation is produced by rhythm, language, or
'harmony,' either singly or combined.
Thus in the music of the flute and of the lyre, 'harmony' and rhythm
alone are employed; also in other arts, such as that of the shepherd's
pipe, which are essentially similar to these. In dancing, rhythm alone
is used without 'harmony'; for even dancing imitates character,
emotion, and action, by rhythmical movement.
There is another art which imitates by means of language alone,
and that either in prose or verse- which verse, again, may either
combine different meters or consist of but one kind- but this has
hitherto been without a name. For there is no common term we could
apply to the mimes of Sophron and Xenarchus and the Socratic dialogues
on the one hand; and, on the other, to poetic imitations in iambic,
elegiac, or any similar meter. People do, indeed, add the word 'maker'


text:
Facilities Operations and Development’s Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) team established their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) committee to help create a more diverse workforce that is reflective of the Buckeye community they support.
This fall, members from the EHS DEI committee met with students from the Metro Early College Middle and High School to discuss career pathways in science. The EHS team highlighted the importance of the health and safety field and the benefits of creating a positive safety culture in working and learning environments at Ohio State. Members were...
Video of 2021 Buckeye Wellness Leadership Award Winner: Jay Kasey Ohio State’s senior vice president of Administration and Planning (A&P) is getting high praise for his commitment to health and wellness. Jay Kasey received the OSU Wellness Executive Leadership Award at the virtual 2021 State of Health and Wellness in Buckeye Nation address.
The event featured updates about wellness efforts, initiatives by Buckeye Wellness Innovators and celebrated Wellness Leadership Award winners.
“We honor senior leadership who are so committed to health and well-being and have been instrumental in helping us build a fabulous culture,” said Dr. Bernadette...
Because of the overwhelming interest and support of the Wonder Woman Wednesday series, the Leadership Center has decided to carry this momentum forward through Coffee and Conversation. Check their calendar of events for various programs of interest, including communication and conflict management, strengths-based training, leadership development, team building and development, coaching, and more.
Jun 16-19 Juneteenth, a holiday first commemorated in Texas, marks the date in 1865 when slaves were read federal orders freeing them under the terms of the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation. Several events have been scheduled to mark the event. More .


S5 E37: Unsettlingly competent United
Hosts Harry Robinson and Jack Tait react to a 3-0 win aganst Brighton & Hove Albion away from home in the Premier League.
They talk about Paul Pogba, Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford and the teenage wonder Mason Greenwood. And Nemanja Matic. And more. And more.
Plus there's the latest insight on the academy including about why Angel Gomes left Manchester United this week.
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.


text:
The subject of this painting, an Italian Grehound named Samson, is owned by a friend, Brandi. I love these dogs’ doe-like eyes and refinement. Samson is so fragile-looking and gentle. He just begs to be cuddled with.
I finished this 6×6 painting of an Italian Greyhound last Sunday. It was a perfect snowy day outside and I was working in the studio, semi-watching (i.e. taking occasional glances towards) Star Wars and The Sound of Music. I don’t have a DVD player in my studio, and ordinarily I listen to audio books; I just have a VCR. However, VCRs were in existence a lot longer than DVD or HD Streaming have been around, so although I have an ever-growing DVD collection my VHS movie collection is much larger, and of course, I bought all my old, favorite movies as soon as VCRs were invented, so the studio theater remains important.
Here is a poem on the subject of our corporeality. I like the way Judith Sutphen describes the resignation with which we all see our own bodies.
Living in the Body
Body is something you need in order to stay
on this planet and you only get one.
And no matter which one you get, it will not
be satisfactory. It will not be beautiul
enough, it will not be fast enough, it will
not keep on for days at a time, but will
pull you down into a sleepy swamp and
demand apples and coffee and chocolate cake.
Body is a thing you have to carry
from one day into the next. Always the
same eyebrows over the same eyes in the same
skin when you in the mirror, and the
same creaky knee when you get up from the
floor and the same wrist under the watchband.
The changes you can make are small and
costly — better to leave it as it is.
Body is a thing that you have to leave
eventually. You know that because you have
seen others do it, others who were once like you,
living inside their pile of bones and
flesh, smiling at you, loving you,
leaning in the doorway, talking to you
for hours and then one day they
are gone. No forwarding address.
by Joyce Sutphen


text:
Russia finds ready friends in a Southeast Asia battling terrorism
Matthew Abbey says Asean countries including Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines are forging ever closer defence and trade links with Moscow, a willing arms supplier that asks few questions
In another bid to attract Southeast Asia into its sphere of influence, Russia has increased its arms exports to the largest nation in the region, Indonesia. The arms deal comes amid enhanced cooperation between Russia and member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
High rates of economic growth in the region have allowed governments to enhance their military expenditure. At the same time, the growing terrorist threat has prompted governments to pursue arms exports from Russia, a trade partner that delivers unconditionally. The response to terrorism in the region has largely ignored human rights concerns, prompting criticism from Western nations and civil society organisations.
Indonesian defence minister Ryamizard Ryacudu officially announced last month that the government had purchased 11 Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets from Russia. The ministry had budgeted US$1.5 billion for the deal. Indonesia is the second state after China to purchase the Russian fighter jets.
The recent announcement mirrors similar efforts by Russia to integrate its defence economy with Asean members. Military spending in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand hit record highs in 2015, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Between 2010 and 2015, Russian arms to the region doubled, to US$5 billion from the previous five-year period.
Asean members are grappling with the heightened terrorist threat. Islamic State and its affiliates have gained ground throughout the region, particularly since militant groups in Indonesia and the Philippines pledged their allegiance to an Islamic caliphate in 2014.
In May, a bomb blast struck a hospital in Bangkok and suicide bombers allegedly linked to IS attacked Jakarta. That same month in the Philippines, IS-linked militants seized Marawi, a city in the troubled southern province of Mindanao.
Over 1,000 foreign fighters from Southeast Asia have joined the ranks of IS in Iraq and Syria. Armed with new skills, the fighters could raise the terrorist threat upon returning home. In short, terrorism is thriving and governments are responding with force.
As a response, Indonesia and other Asean nations have looked to boost their relationships with Russia. In April, the Russian navy made its second visit to Manila. The next month, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte visited Moscow. While there, he sealed several agreements, including one on defence cooperation.
In March, the Russian commander-in-chief of land forces, Colonel General Oleg Salyukov, visited Bangkok to meet Thai military officials, marking 120 years of bilateral relations. The two countries had previously agreed on military cooperation in 2016.
Vietnam, on the other hand, has long been an ally of Russia. Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union, which Russia informally leads, have had a free trade agreement since 2016. The relationship is bound to open the door for similar agreements with other Asean members over time.
Of course, states have a legitimate need to respond to acts of terrorism. But some of the counterterrorism operations occurring in the region have drawn criticism. Duterte, for one, has said that the armed forces should ignore civilian casualties in the fight against terrorism. Human Rights Watch has also called on the Indonesian parliament to scrap proposed counterterrorism legislative changes that infringe human rights. And the decline in human rights standards following the military coup in 2014 has challenged the relationship between Thailand and the US, its traditional ally.
The Russian charm in the region has the potential to grow. Perspectives of Russia in Southeast Asia are largely different from the West, enhancing Moscow’s ability to take advantage of popular sentiment. Russian weapons are less expensive, yet modern and reliable. In response to the growing threat of terrorism, Asean member states are seeking arms purchases without conditions, and Russia is gladly supplying.
Matthew Abbey is a freelance journalist and political commentator based in Bangkok