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Category Archives: Discussion
Due to an ill-advised experiment last night, the Bartender has found herself temporarily without much taste for alcohol. (Note to self: Never, ever combine rum and diet cola again. Ever.) While hardly a problem in her day-to-day life, this makes writing posts for a cocktail blog a little tricky. Let us hope that it proves to only be a temporary setback.
For the moment, however, a friend has come to the rescue, pointing the Bartender to a video from none other than CNN’s Rachel Maddow, demonstrating one of her favorite cocktails. The Bartender has never tried a Jack Rose, but while she cannot completely approve of the use of artificial grenadine, she appreciates the attitude toward mixology shown here, both in its seriousness (“Measure. You owe it to the liquor.”) and in the fun, seat-of-your-pants aspect as well.
Enjoy, and pray for the Bartender’s swift recovery!
Thanks to Cyrano for the link.
And here we come to the seventh and final installment in this series, and possibly the most enjoyable one. Tinkering with a recipe is fun, and showing off your technique is great, but it’s that moment where the recipient first lays eyes on the completed product that differentiates between the ultimate assessment of “That was tasty” and “Wow!”. People may be able to fall in love with each other slowly, true, but when it comes to drinks it’s love at first sight or not at all. Or, to paraphrase Megamind’s best line, what’s the difference between a drink and super-drink? Presentation!
We’ve already addressed the first step in the process – having proper glassware handy. And while this might seem to go without saying, the Bartender will emphasize it anyway – your serving glass should be clean, dry, and free of chips or cracks. Always hold the glassware by the stem, if you can – it keeps unsightly fingerprints off of the part that actually displays the drink.
The next part of the equation is the drink itself. If it’s a shaken cocktail, things are pretty simple – although a popular trick is to add a dash of egg white to create a pleasant white froth at the top. (Pro tip: For more tropical-flavored drinks, coconut milk will do the same without the danger of salmonella poisoning.) Certain drinks, however, will create a layered effect when you build them over ice; as you learn the relative densities of different ingredients, you can add them in the proper order to create that graduated-color look that’s always impressive. (Just remember to offer the recipient a straw or a swizzle stick!) If you’re making a drink with herbs of some sort, be extra-enthusiastic with your muddling – smaller pieces that tear off will float in the liquid and often look quite striking.
Finally, however, there is the pièce de résistance, the part where the aspiring bartender can really show their creativity – the garnish. From the classic maraschino cherry to a mouse painstakingly carved from a single radish, the garnish is often the most visually interesting part of the cocktail, and therefore what really grabs the recipient’s attention. Invest in some toothpicks (or, even better, long metal cocktail picks), and start experimenting. For tropical drinks, chunks of fresh fruit are always pretty, especially when speared on a paper umbrella. If the flavor is more herbal, try floating pieces of fresh basil on the surface, or garnishing with a sprig of rosemary. Candy is also fun and eye-catching, especially for sweeter drinks: There’s the classic peppermint stick in a cup of hot chocolate; you could try floating a sour gummi on the surface of that liquid Jolly Rancher, or spearing a fun-size Snickers bar for that chocolatini. Even purely decorative garnishes still add visual interest to your creation.
When you have a frothy surface (either from a cream-based ingredient or whipped cream topping), you can sprinkle a spice atop it: freshly-grated nutmeg or ground cardamom both look emininently classy. Be careful, though – spices will add a surprising kick to your concoction, so don’t overdo it, and make certain that the flavors are complementary!
In this endless garden of possibilities, do keep in mind that not every garnish has to be fancy or complex. Indeed, there’s a reason some of the simplest creations are the most iconic – serving a Manhattan with anything other than a single maraschino cherry might well make you a victim of mob justice in certain circles. The Bartender recently was impressed by a drink designed to taste fruity, spicy and Christmasy; the garnish was simply a pick strung with small dried cranberries and golden raisins. Simple, striking, elegant.
But there’s also nothing wrong with letting your inner Lady Gaga go hog-wild. Maybe incredibly elaborate and colorful garnishes will be your trademark. Maybe you’ll be known for your riffs on the classics. Perhaps you’ll find ways to create minor works of art out of common household objects. Experimentation is fun – but when you unveil your creations to the “oohs” and “ahhs” of the recipients, you’ll start to see where the real joy of bartending lies.
It’s nearly impossible to find an alcohol-oriented blog without drink recipes, and there’s a reason for this: inventing, tweaking and sharing recipes is one of the most rewarding parts of participating in cocktail culture. Be forewarned, however, that many bartender-bloggers pride themselves on posting lots of recipes using particularly expensive or arcane ingredients – it’s an easy way to show originality in a crowded field. While there’s nothing wrong with this approach, it can be frustrating for many newbies, as hunting down and buying a whole bottle of something unusual and pricey just to try out one drink isn’t a time- or budget-efficient way to get a good grounding in mixology. (The Rebel Bartender doesn’t promise to stick entirely to grocery-store ingredients, but the majority of the recipes here should consist of relatively easy-to-find and easy-on-the-budget items – in large part because the Bartender’s budget doesn’t stretch that far in the first place!)
Now that you’re familiar with some of the classics, you can start branching out – the Internet is a wonderful resource for new drink recipes. Here also you will see the benefits of your course in the classics: because you’re familiar with a lot of flavor combinations, you’ll be better able to pick and choose recipes that are likely to be good. This is the Internet, after all, where filters and objective standards are minimal; and while there’s no shame in trying a recipe, discovering it’s crap, and pouring it down the drain, reducing those incidents to a minimum is helpful to one’s liquor budget.
During your hunt for new recipes, chances are you will see a few different measurement systems. The Bartender writes her recipes in fluid ounces, because she’s an American and that’s what she’s used to; however, you’ll likely find recipes written in centiliters, milliliters, or just generalized “parts”. People do the latter in order to make their recipe easily scalable; usually, for a standard-size drink, a “part” is 1 fluid ounce (American) or 2 centiliters/20 milliliters (metric, about 2/3 a fluid ounce), although of course it depends on who’s writing the recipe. Google is an excellent tool for converting between systems – just type “25 ml to oz” in the search bar and it’ll pop right up with the equivalent. If you don’t have internet access at that moment, however, you can just go with a bartending rule of thumb – three centiliters (or 30 milliliters) is about equivalent to one fluid ounce. Sometimes, in more casual recipes, you’ll see an ingredient given with no measurement (i.e. for a screwdriver: 1.5 ounces vodka, orange juice); that’s usually an indication that you put the other ingredients in first, then fill the glass with the last one(s).
Branding (using specific brand names such as “Cointreau” instead of generics like “triple sec”) can also cause some confusion, largely because of the differing reasons behind the practice. Sometimes a recipe’s author will put in specific names simply because it’s what they’re used to or because they’re trying to promote a specific product. Other times they’ll put it down because the flavor of the cocktail actually depends on that specific ingredient – Grand Marnier, for instance, qualifies as a triple sec but has a very different flavor from DeKuyper or Patron Citronge. Generally speaking, the more distinctive (and, often, expensive) the ingredient, the bigger a difference a substitution will make to the flavor of the drink (with certain exceptions) and therefore the more likely it will be called for by name. If you don’t have a particular brand of liquor handy, it’s perfectly okay to substitute, but just be aware that the effect on the resulting drink can be anywhere from subtle to dramatic – so try the substitution yourself before serving it to a friend. (As you experiment with different ingredients, the knowledge gained will serve you well here; a drink might call for Absolut Citron, but if you dislike the medicinal flavor of Absolut and find Skyy Citrus to be sweet and pleasant, swapping it in is a no-brainer.)
This probably feels like a lot to take in all at once, but honestly it’s not hard to keep in mind once you’ve played around with mixing for a while. The joy of mixology is that it’s less a science than an art. Once you’ve got the basics down, start tinkering! Try adding your favorite ingredient to a drink, or swap out a disliked component for one you enjoy better, or just toss together a bunch of liqueurs that seem like they’d complement each other and see what happens. Many of your favorite recipes will likely be discovered this way, so experiment, compare, take notes, and write down your discoveries. Keep a notebook or a card-file full of your favorite recipes. Develop a signature drink (or three). Take risks, and have fun!
We’ve now covered every topic necessary to send the beginning mixologist out into the world, and if you’ve stuck around this long, both your future guests and the Bartender thank you. However, there’s one more entry planned in this guide; and (as is appropriate for a finale) it’s simultaneously the most frivolous and the most important one. Tools, technique, knowledge, and showmanship will get you making decent (and hopefully, eventually, fantastic) drinks. But remember, humans are visual creatures, and much like in cooking, the difference between “Huh, this is a good drink” and “Holy crow, this is amazing!” is often nothing more than a shade or two of color and a pretty garnish. And since one of the purposes of The Rebel Bartender is to address the artistic value inherent in mixology (read: to make drinks that really impress our friends), this guide would not be complete without at least a peek into the wide variety of presentational touches that can really make that “Wow” factor happen. And that, dear friends, is what’s in store – if you’ll bear with us for one more week.
One of the best goals for the aspiring mixologist is to attempt to make as many different classic drinks as they can. Doing so might seem an obvious step, as it familiarizes you with the touchstones of cocktail culture as well as ensuring you have a good range of basic ingredients on hand. But it also has a number of other benefits.
Think of it as building a toolbox. As discussed in the last article, there are a number of different ways to actually combine ingredients; if you make a Cosmo, a Martini, and a White Russian, you’re now familiar with the three major methods to make a cocktail (shaken, stirred, and built over ice respectively). Not only that, but you’ve also got an idea of what three different flavor categories taste like: fruity/citrus, herbal/savory, and rich/sweet. As you make more diverse drinks, you learn what flavor combinations tend to work well, and you train your palate to discern the variations between different recipes in the same general flavor category.
Many forms of alcohol are an acquired taste, which is part of the point of this exercise – once the flavor of whiskey in general is less surprising, you’ll be able to differentiate between types of whiskey, levels of quality, and (eventually) methods of production. Almost inevitably, however, you will come across a classic drink (or even a whole ingredient) that you can’t stand. Don’t be discouraged; everyone is different, and very few people enjoy everything in a given category. The experience of tasting it, however, will serve you well – both in terms of advising you as to what to avoid ordering, and in familiarizing you with its general flavor profile. The latter is useful when you have a guest whose tastes run toward that particular drink or ingredient: even if you don’t have the ingredients for their favorite on hand, you can still offer something in a similar vein. (And do remember that one of the great things about alcohol is the endless variety even within a very specific definition – chances are there’s a far better version out there that you might appreciate more.)
Be forewarned that, while a drink’s “classic” status indicates it’s worth trying, it also means that the drink likely has several different variations, any of which might be labeled with the same name as the original (the Martini is the biggest offender here, but there are others). Fortunately, the International Bartender’s Association maintains a list of their official cocktails, these being the most frequently-made cocktails by bartenders around the world; this makes a great starting point for newly minted mixologists. (Note that IBA standards are written in centiliters. If you’re American and your measuring device has no markings for metric, just remember – three centiliters is about one fluid ounce.)
Once you’ve gotten a good grasp on the classics, you can start tinkering some of the better-known variations, or strike off on your own and start searching for (and inventing your own) recipes, which is where the real fun comes in. But long after that first Manhattan or Harvey Wallbanger is behind you, the tastes you’ve developed and the techniques you’ve perfected during this period will be of great use.
All right. You’ve decided what drink you want to make. You’ve chosen your ingredients, tasted them, and found them up to snuff. Your tools are all clean and ready to use. The appropriate glass is chilling in the freezer. You’ve put on some nice mood music in the background. You, my friend, are ready to start mixing.
Now, mixology is a complicated subject, but the Bartender is here to tell you a secret: The actual act of mixing? Totally easy. There are really only a few techniques you need to know, and none of them take more than a few minutes to learn. But the great part is, each and every one is an opportunity to inject a little showmanship into your bar routine. For instance:
Building. This is the simplest method, usually done in a rocks or highball glass. Measure each ingredient, then pour it over ice in the glass. But if you want to get a bit showy, you can buy some inexpensive pour spouts and practice with them (using water!) until you can pour single ounces reliably, then pour two ingredients at once into the glass. A small straw will work fine for the traditional swizzle stick, but if you find some nifty blown-glass or ceramic-headed ones at your local art show, even better.
Shaking. The traditional, iconic method of cocktailing, shaking is one of the quickest and most fun techniques as well. Front-to-back? Side-to-side? Up-and-down? At an angle? A bit of a swirl, or no? What kinds of different sounds can you make with the ice? And can you strain with a flourish? Can you do two at once? Practice in front of the mirror (without the ice, unless you have Thinsulate fingers) so you can show off to your friends.
Stirring. An alternative to shaking, for when the drink doesn’t need to be quite as cold, or when over-dilution is a concern (such as in a Martini). Pour the ingredients over ice in a mixing glass, then use a chopstick or a bar spoon to stir it all together. Strain into the glass, either over ice (if a rocks glass) or without (if a cocktail glass).
Muddling. Some drinks contain ingredients that are solid – fresh rosemary, mint leaves, an orange rind, etc. Muddling bruises these ingredients and allows them to release their flavor into the drink. Put the solid ingredients in the bottom of the shaker or mixing glass, along with a small amount of liquid. Then, using either a muddler or something with a similar broad flat bottom (the Bartender uses a wooden spoon-handle), gently mash them up until their oil mingles with the liquid – you’ll be able to smell it when it does. Then pour in the rest of the ingredients and shake or stir normally. Don’t worry about the solid bits, they’ll strain out along with the ice.
Layering. This is one of the few bartending techniques that can require a bit of know-how. For instance, you have to know the relative densities of the liquids you’re layering. (Fortunately, this step is usually included as part of the recipe – every set of instructions for a Harvey Wallbanger has you layer the Galliano on top of the orange juice, not the other way around.) Pour the first ingredient in, then hold a spoon upside-down over it. Slowly pour the floating ingredient over the back of the spoon (and onto an ice cube if you can manage it) – it will dip down into the base ingredient, but if you do it right the majority of it should sit on top. Just remember, the key words here are patience and consistence – pouring too quickly or inconsistently is the easiest way to ruin the effect. But if you can pull it off, it never fails to impress.
There are other, more dramatic techniques as well (flaming in particular comes to mind), but with a little bit of practice these basics should get any bartender through day-to-day. And, in fact, an excellent way to practice them happens to be by working your way through your classics…but we’ll save that for next week’s lesson.
Let’s get this out of the way first thing: The Bartender has never been a vodka drinker. Oh, she’s used the stuff regularly – it’s practically impossible to earn one’s mixology credentials in America without doing so. And it’s an absolutely unparalleled choice for giving a bit of alcoholic kick to any juice concoction you might come up with. What better than a neutral spirit to blend without unbalancing your careful mixing of flavors?
However, it’s difficult to get far in American cocktail culture without realizing that vodka is far from just a mixer on these shores. It has encroached on several gin drinks in the form of the vodka martini or vodka-and-tonic; the Bartender once had a spirited discussion with the person at the counter of a dive bar in Alaska who was convinced that a Greyhound consisted of vodka and grapefruit juice. (This despite the fact that the entire point of a Greyhound, and indeed the reason it has attained “classic drink” status, is the way the gin and grapefruit flavors complement each other, whereas vodka in grapefruit juice tastes like – wait for it – grapefruit juice! Ahem.) And then there are the die-hard fans who will drink the stuff straight, usually from the freezer.
This certainly explains the myriad brands available on the market – after all, if the stuff were truly tasteless, it wouldn’t much matter whether you used Grey Goose or Svedka – even if it still leaves the source of the attraction mysterious. However, the Bartender is nothing if not open-minded, and several of her friends who fall into the vodka-drinking camp are planning a visit later this month. Therefore, now seems like a good time to build up a stock of premium vodkas, experiment with them in vodka-centric cocktails, and generally attempt to gain more familiarity with a particular segment of bartending that she has avoided thus far.
Is vodka, like gin and whiskey, merely an acquired taste? Will the Bartender discover a well-hidden love for the stuff over the next several days? Or is she dooming herself to a bleak period of medicinal and depressingly bland cocktails, with only the thought of a good stiff gin martini at the end of it to keep her going?
Stay tuned! The most thrilling part of our tale is yet to come!
*The Bartender reserves the right to change the actual chronological length of Vodka Week at her discretion, but maintains that “Vodka Week” sounds rather snappier than “Vodka Week-Plus-A-Day-Or-Three” or “Vodka Indeterminate-Diurnal-Period”.
A glass functions rather like a stereotypical unappreciated sidekick – it’s invisible, and yet its entire function is to make the drink look good, as well as to keep it from being messy and difficult to consume. (Admittedly, there’s always the option of drinking it directly from the bottle of shaker, but one takes advice from Foul Bachelor Frog at one’s own peril.) The flavor of a cocktail suffers somewhat less than wine when put in an inappropriate container, but that still doesn’t justify serving a Cosmo in a beer glass – unless, perhaps, you’re a rural Alaskan bar and don’t know any better. Remember, half the battle in serving an impressive drink is the presentation, and your glassware choice is the first step in that battle.
Fortunately for the aspiring bartender’s pocketbook, there’s a little more wiggle room in glassware than in tools. Tall drinks can usually be scaled down to rocks size; therefore, there are only three types you really need to have stocked:
Shot glass. Used to serve hard liquor straight up, or to build shooters in, these are a pretty basic bar staple. They come in all kinds of novelty shapes and styles, but it’s pretty hard to beat the plain glass ones – they’re thick enough to be tough to break, and dense enough (unlike plastic ones) to hold a chill when you put them in the freezer.
Rocks glass. Also known as an “old fashioned glass”, a “short glass” or a “lowball glass”. These are traditionally used to serve drinks “on the rocks”; most whiskey-based cocktails are served this way. They also come in any number of styles; however, the Bartender favors the traditional look; it’s simultaneously timeless and also perfect for getting in touch with one’s inner Don Draper.
Martini glass. Occasionally referred to as the more generic “cocktail glass”, this is the classic triangular shape made famous by a thousand glowing neon signs. Lately there have been trends to spice up the design a bit with funky stems or patterned bowls; these touches can add visual interest to your drinks, but are by no means necessary to pay extra for.
Once you have a good stock of those, you can start looking at additional glassware to give yourself more flexibility in presentation. These are less necessary, but can really add an artistic flair to your drinks:
Highball glass. Taller than a rocks glass and a staple for making tall drinks – Bloody Marys, for instance, or any kind of booze-and-soda combination (Jack & Coke, Cuba Libre). Note that while the shape is similar to an iced tea glass, they’re not quite as big. A highball generally holds 8 to 12 ounces, while an iced tea glass can be anywhere from 12 to 20 ounces.
Irish Coffee glass. These are made from tempered glass and have a handle to make it easy to drink hot liquids – hot toddies, mulled wine and hot chocolate with rum, as well as the eponymous Irish Coffee. The flared lip especially lends itself to whipped cream topping.
Hurricane glass. Hot out today? The sight of one of these, filled with a frozen daiquiri or a melange of fruit juices, is enough to make anyone feel refreshed. Pro tip: Keep a reserve of the little paper umbrellas. You’d be surprised how tough they can be to find.
Cordial glass. Probably not necessary if you already have shot glasses, these are nonetheless handy if you plan on sipping liqueurs. At the very least, they’re a touch more elegant, and they definitely beat a screw cap for tasting.
With the exception of hot drinks, it’s a rare cocktail that can’t be improved by being served in a frosty glass – hello, freezer! If you need day-to-day space for your groceries you can get away with just sticking them in for fifteen minutes beforehand. A tray of some sort is helpful, as many freezers use wire-mesh racks that make it especially easy to knock over cooling glasses (cold glass is brittle!). You can use a cookie sheet if you don’t have a proper dish rack.
If you don’t have time to properly chill your glasses, you can use the bar trick of sticking a scoop of ice in one and letting it sit for a minute or two. The Bartender has had mixed success with this method, as the glass never seems to get as cold as a proper freezing would make it, but if you have a party-style setup with an ice tub or ice machine this might be easier and quicker. NEVER PUT A GLASS IN THE ICE TUB or ice maker to chill; if the glass breaks then you’re out an entire tub of ice. (God help you if you break a glass in the ice machine; having to sit and wait for the entire bin of ice to melt will ruin just about any party plan.)
Now that we’ve got the support system out of the way, it’s time for the fun part! Mixing a drink might seem simple – and, really, it is – but it’s the showmanship aspect that can really make a difference between a pedestrian potable and a classy cocktail. Next week we will look at techniques, but also personal touches, embellishments…and possibly even a flourish or two.
See you then!
As the contents of many a suburban guest-bedroom closet will inform you, every hobby has its own specific tools; and as any hobbyist can tell you, there’s nothing worse than being in the middle of a project and then being stalled for want of the proper gadget. Mixology is no different, although it has an advantage over some in that the home bartender can get by with relatively few items on hand. There are, however, certain pieces that no cocktail-maker should be without:
Shaker. The majority of popular cocktails are shaken, as it’s a quick way to simultaneously combine ingredients and cool them over ice. There’s some debate over the superiority of the Boston-style shaker, versus the more common cobbler shaker. So far as the Bartender has ever noticed, the Boston shaker has a slight edge in versatility (as both sides can be used as mixing glasses at once), which is likely why many professional bartenders use them. But the built-in straining capabilities of the cobbler shaker are rather more convenient to the home bartender, and preclude the necessity of buying a separate cocktail strainer.
One other point of note: shakers, like many items designed to hold liquid, come in single-walled and double-walled varieties. Either will work just fine, but the insulation of a double-walled shaker will simultaneously keep your drinks cooler and your fingers from getting cold while you’re shaking them. On the other hand, some mixologists judge a cocktail’s readiness by the amount of condensation on the outside of the shaker; obviously, a double-walled version would prevent that. Ultimately, it’s up to your personal preference.
Measurer. It takes years to develop a trained eye for pours, and even then it’s a good idea to measure out portions for any drink involving more than two ingredients – it can only take one mis-poured ingredient to ruin a cocktail and waste the alcohol involved. The Bartender’s first measuring device was a shot glass with measurement indicators; now, she uses a small angled measuring cup for convenience when pouring from above. If you wish to go the more traditional route, there’s always the jigger, named after bartending slang for a 1.5 ounce measurement. Be careful, however; jiggers come in varying sizes, and not all of them even measure a proper jigger (or pony, the slang for a 1 ounce pour). Given the potential for confusion and the fact that lots of cocktails require more esoteric measurements, the Bartender recommends that the beginner find something properly demarcated.
Mixing glasses. Also known as pint glasses, they’re used for mixing drinks, but can also serve as beer glasses, water glasses, collins glasses, or half of a Boston shaker. Plus, they’re a popular promotional item with breweries, so if you have a favorite you want to demonstrate your support for, you can buy from them.
Bamboo chopsticks. You can get a fancy bar spoon with the swirled stem if you like, but plain ol’ chopsticks are super-cheap (especially if you can get them from a nearby Asian store) and work just as well for stirring drinks.
Small, sharp, serrated knife. This is one area where you don’t want to skimp on quality. A good knife will last you damn near forever, especially if you hand-wash and remember to sharpen it now and then. The Bartender has personal experience with Wusthof, who make some of the best kitchen knives in the world; their 4.5″ serrated utility knife isn’t too pricey and will likely be bisecting citrus fruits and cutting garnishes long after you’re gone from this planet. Use that for a few weeks, and then just try going back to your usual K-mart specials. (Straight-edged knives will work too, but serrations are of particular help when cutting citrus peel, which you will be doing quite often.)
Cutting board. Here, on the other hand, cheap is just fine. A small plastic one will work quite well, and can go through the dishwasher, besides.
Juicer/Strainer. The Bartender prefers the ergonomics of a handheld reamer with a separate strainer, but there are plenty of all-in-one options as well. Remember what we discussed in the post on ingredients? Make certain it’s strong enough and comfortable enough to withstand constant use.
Dish towel/Bar rag. Glasses need drying, and spills happen. Anything soft and absorbent will do, but you can get lint-free cotton diaper cloths if you’re feeling particularly classy.
There are many other tools advertised for the use of the home bartender, many of which we will likely examine in the future – and some of which may even be useful. But this list should get all but the most ambitious home bartenders through the actual drink-making process. Make certain everything is clean and ready before you start, as leaving a half-full shaker to go and wash your juicer will land you with an overly diluted drink.
As for what happens after the drink is ready…well, presentation is almost as important as content. And while we’re not quite ready to dive headfirst into the subject, a good discussion on glassware should make a nice scratch in the surface. Next week: the difference between hurricanes and highballs, when to use shot glasses and when to use cordial glasses, and why your freezer will be your new best friend!
Facing down the liquor aisle for the first time is a task to test the will of any aspiring mixologist. So many different bottles! An endless variety of colors and shapes! Where do I look first? What on earth is “framboise”? Is there a difference between liqueur and schnapps? Why is there a Mrs. Butterworth’s bottle and a Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch? Jesus, did they misplace the decimal on the price? How do I know that I’m not shelling out $30 for something horrid?
That last question is often foremost in the newbie’s mind, as liquor doesn’t come cheap. Sure, you can just poke around and buy whatever bottle catches your eye, but if you’re serious about this mixology thing, over time you’re going to be investing quite a bit of cash in your liquor collection. Therefore, it’s a good idea do some research on which items will give you the best return on investment. Expensive doesn’t necessarily mean better quality, but buying the bottom-shelf version of everything isn’t the way to go, either – the only person that Winner’s Cup Vodka is making a winner is the person pocketing your hard-earned $8.
So before you go stare at the pretty bottles, look up recipes for the type of drinks you’re most interested in trying. What ingredients get mentioned the most often? What brand names do people recommend? Visibility is often more a matter of marketing than quality – Malibu is probably the most widely-mentioned coconut rum, despite being thin, watery and harsh in flavor – but if enough people refer to a brand by name, chances are it’s at least mixable.
Liquor reviews can be helpful, especially if you can find an individual reviewer whose tastes align with (or diametrically oppose) your own. Sadly, the Internet has not yet provided us with a good centralized crowdsourced liquor-reviewing website a la Yelp or Amazon (seriously, Internet, what’s with that?), so finding out the general opinion of a particular product is a bit of a haphazard undertaking – liquor-oriented discussion communities and Google will be your friends here. Be on the lookout for paid promoters writing overly positive (or negative, for the competitor’s product) reviews; generally, these aren’t hard to pick out due to their overly effusive or venomous content.
Once you’ve made your selections and brought them home, the fun part begins. The first thing to do with a product you haven’t tried before is to open it up and pour yourself a small sip (cordial or shot glasses work well for this, but you can also use the bottle’s screw-cap in a pinch). Give it a whiff – taste and smell are very closely linked, and given how quickly alcohol evaporates, most liquors aren’t at all shy about expressing themselves through scent. Note any components that are noticeable or overpowering. Then, close your eyes and take a sip.
Don’t swallow right away – this is the part that differentiates the enthusiasts from the amateurs. You’re not looking to get drunk, you’re looking to get an idea of the flavor – is it herby? sweet? fruity? sour? Is the smell similar to the flavor, or misleading? Does it remind you of one thing in particular (vanilla extract? banana Runts?) or is it a combination of tastes? Get a notebook to keep by your liquor cabinet and use it to jot down your impressions. Even if you don’t look at them again, taking the time to sit and identify flavor notes keeps them fresher in your mind. Additionally, the discipline of paying attention to what you drink helps expand and refine your palate, which comes in handy once you start mixing up your own recipes.
Now that we’ve addressed the booze, it’s time to think about the non-booze ingredients. This might seem a little overkill, but consider – per unit of volume, most cocktails have equal or larger amounts of nonalcoholic ingredients, and, just like alcohol, these can vary in flavor. Don’t believe me? Try two different brands of tonic water, or cranberry juice. The more expensive one may or may not taste better to you, but they’ll certainly taste different.
Fortunately, finding a favorite type of juice or soda is a little easier – they’re less expensive, for one thing, and chances are you already have a favorite type of cranberry or orange juice. If a recipe calls for a fruit juice you’re unfamiliar with, try to find a not-from-concentrate version – a lot of subtleties of flavor are lost when it’s boiled down and reconstituted.
Some recipes may refer to seltzer or sparkling water; others to club soda. Be aware there is a slight difference in flavor between the two (club soda has a small amount of mineral salt added), but it’s not strong enough that you can’t substitute the one for the other in a pinch.
The only hard-and-fast rule the Rebel Bartender will lay down is this: Resist the temptation to buy the little plastic bottles of lemon and lime juice. They may look convenient, but if you try them next to fresh-squeezed, there’s just no comparison – and the fruits themselves are inexpensive enough that you can generally have several on hand at any given time.
But, the Bartender hears you ask, how do I get that proper fresh-squeezed flavor from a lemon? How much will I be shelling out for a stir-stick or a shaker? What on earth is that doohickey that looks like a large flat spoon with holes and a spring around it? Will I need a jigger? Am I even allowed to say “jigger” in polite company?
Never fear, young pupil. Join the Rebel Bartender next Saturday and learn all about the tools of your new hobby!
The Rebel Bartender thanks LiveJournaler Fivecats for permission to use his photo of the Perth Tesco’s breathtaking liquor aisle.
Given the prevalence of the hangover in past as well as present popular culture, it may come as a surprise to some that the chemical causes of a hangover are not well understood. Plenty of theories abound, from dehydration to vitamin/electrolyte deficiencies to tiny demons in our skulls that use alcohol as fuel to dig their way out with minute picks and hammers. Ultimately, we don’t know, and frankly there’s a high likelihood that, much as people metabolize alcohol differently, hangovers stem from combinations of causes that vary between bodies. This would explain the lack of a universal panacea, as well as why your friend’s guaranteed cure doesn’t do a thing for you.
If you’ll pardon the Rebel Bartender getting on her “moderation” horse again, there is, in fact, one universal preventative for the hangover: don’t drink to excess. Admittedly, “to excess” falls within that grey area that differs greatly between individuals, but the biggest part of responsible drinking is knowing one’s limits. And if you absolutely must stretch those limits, there are several effective ways to mitigate (or altogether prevent) hangovers:
Don’t binge, and drink fluids. If you’re planning on drinking throughout a night, space out the cocktails with water – or even better, fruit juice or a sports drink. These help replenish glucose supplies, which are simultaneously used to power the brain and to metabolize alcohol. One of the theorized causes of hangovers is the overuse of glucose stores for metabolization and the subsequent shortage of it to fuel the brain, thus leading to symptoms such as fatigue and difficulty concentrating. (Additionally, if your friends lambast you for not drinking enough, you can just tell them your glass of orange juice is a screwdriver. But if that’s the case, the Bartender recommends using your unimpaired abilities the next morning to go in search of better friends.) A glass of something electrolyte-heavy just before bed is also helpful.
Eat before you start drinking. Not just a snack, but a real, full meal – food in the stomach helps keep your body from absorbing alcohol too quickly, which in turn helps keep your system from becoming overloaded, as well as providing nutrients that may be tougher to take in while impaired.
Stick to vodka or gin. Distilled alcohol has been shown to be significantly less painful the next morning than wines and liqueurs, with white spirits edging out brown (e.g. whiskey, dark rum) by a notable margin. The mechanism behind this is also not well understood, but is thought to be a result of fewer impurities in the more distilled spirits. Sugary drinks and champagne (hello, post-Valentine’s hangover!) are well-known to cause particularly toxic hangovers.
Volunteer to drive. That is, don’t drink, or limit yourself to one for the night. There’s no reason you can’t have a good time without alcohol, and it’s the only 100% guaranteed way to avoid a hangover – even the above steps will be defeated if you drink enough. People of East Asian descent (such as the Rebel Spouse) are especially advised to use this method, as they are genetically predisposed towards low alcohol tolerance and particularly violent hangovers.
All that said, we’re human and we sometimes don’t have the foresight that we really should. Even the Bartender has occasionally woken up wishing she had paid better attention to her own advice (although she’s never made it into the four- or five-alarm hangover category). Unfortunately for your head that morning, there’s no immediate cure, but these two steps are probably the most universally effective means of shortening a hangover’s hold on you:
Advil. This, preferably paired with a glass of one of the aforementioned glucose/electrolyte sources (the Bartender has had particular luck with Emergen-C) should be your step one – you can curl back down for a nap while it kicks in. (And if you can’t nap because of other commitments, then shame on you for choosing to drink to excess the night before.) Note that some people recommend taking it before going to sleep for the night, but that’s ineffective at best; your usual grocery-store painkillers only last about four to six hours, so by the time you wake up the effects will have passed. Also note that combining alcohol and acetaminophen (i.e. Tylenol) can have disastrous effects on your liver, which is why the Bartender recommends ibuprofen specifically.
Food. This is step two, designed for longer-term relief. It’s also quite possibly the more difficult one to implement – the last thing you feel like doing when hungover is attempting to cook, and chances are you’re in no state to be seen in a public place like a restaurant. But after the Advil nap, this is what’s most likely to get you up and moving around again; your body can’t restore your equilibrium without fuel. If you have an unaffected spouse or friend willing to cook for you, bask in your luck and make certain to thank them once the skull-demons calm down a bit.
Unsurprisingly, there are all kinds of other hangover cures, from commercially bottled drinks to home-brewed wow-wow juice. Some may be efficacious; some may work solely on the placebo effect (but if it works, it works). Some may be actively harmful – a little “hair of the dog” might help in the short term, but all it does is put off the reckoning for later and simultaneously court addiction. As with many other alcohol-related questions, the answer really boils down to this: Use your good sense, and do your research before you become impaired.
Got a new and different hangover cure you’d like the Rebel Bartender to write about? Send it in.

domain: hobby


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ATLANTA, May 29, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sheila Ray, chief financial officer of State Bank Financial Corporation (Nasdaq:STBZ) and its subsidiary State Bank and Trust Company, has been named CFO of the Year in the midsize public company category by Atlanta Business Chronicle.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6c3ffdb0-9d54-4b70-8369-7a502f76cb84
“We are very proud of Sheila and her accomplishments not only in 2014, but throughout her distinguished banking career,” said State Bank President and CEO Tom Wiley. “In the past year, Sheila accomplished more than many CFO’s accomplish in a lifetime, helping manage a community bank through tough times, negotiating the successful sale of the bank, and assuming the title of CFO of the acquiring bank, all in one calendar year.”
Ray was the founding CFO of Atlanta Bancorporation and its subsidiary, Bank of Atlanta, a $180-million community bank in Midtown founded in 2006. She joined Atlanta Bancorporation after a successful career in various audit, accounting and operations roles with Wachovia, First National Bank of Gainesville, Tucker Federal, and RBC Centura.
In 2014, Ray was a critical part of Bank of Atlanta management that attracted the attention of State Bank, which was seeking to expand its presence in Midtown. Ray served as the lead negotiator for the eventual successful sale of the bank to State Bank that was consummated last fall.
“We were so impressed with Sheila’s leadership and financial acumen that we named her CFO upon the announced retirement of prior CFO Tom Callicutt. Since assuming the CFO duties, Ray has done an outstanding job leading our finance team as State Bank continues to grow as one of the healthiest super-community banks in the United States,” Wiley said.
About State Bank Financial Corporation
State Bank Financial Corporation, with approximately $3.4 billion in assets as of March 31, 2015, is an Atlanta-based bank holding company for State Bank and Trust Company and First Bank of Georgia. State Bank operates 21 banking offices in Metro Atlanta and Middle Georgia. First Bank of Georgia operates seven banking offices and four mortgage origination offices in the Augusta and Savannah, Georgia MSAs.
To learn more about State Bank, visit www.statebt.com.
The State Bank Financial Corporation logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=14370
Source:State Bank Financial Corporation

domain: finance


text:
There are plenty of ways that a person can become an United States citizen so that he or she can work legally in Sedro Woolley, Washington. The most common is being born in the United States. Anyone born within the United States or its territories becomes an United States citizen, provided the birth is registered with the proper authorities.
Sedro Woolley Citizenship Lawyers Understand the Naturalization Process
Individuals not born in Washington, or any other state within the Union can apply for Citizenship through the process of naturalization. Although naturalization procedures vary according to each applicant's circumstances, in general, one must qualify as a legal permanent resident, live in the U.S. for a specified time, successfully complete an U.S. law and history exam, and exhibit good moral character.
Sedro Woolley Attorneys Have Experience With the Citizenship Documentation
Your Citizenship may be denied if you have been convicted of certain violent felonies, or if you are avoiding outstanding removal orders. The process is confusing and should not be attempted alone. Sedro Woolley, Washington Lawyers can provide a consultation and answer any questions you may have about becoming an United States Citizen.

domain: law


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Professional military education needs tools to look at the past as a guide, as a way to learn the practice of discovering solutions that meet present needs by knowing enough to ask the right questions. History supplies these military professionals with the tools to shape models of the present and visions of the future.
The experiences of American soldiers deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, sometimes over and over again, are central to this story, including consideration of the lasting impact of their time abroad. American culture is already rife with conversations about post-traumatic stress, veterans’ services, and treatments following deployments. Unfortunately, the voice of the veterans themselves is seldom heard with clarity in these conversations.
No general would ever suggest you read this book, and maybe that is why you should make time to do it. The first person perspective offered by Kassabian is unpolished, irreverent, and told from a soldier’s perspective. In a world full of strategic challenges it is, in my view, a good thing for those making the decisions and grappling with the consequences to get an appreciation for what the greatest of plans looks like when 18-year-old Americans are sent forth to implement them.
The practice of grand strategy has been a staple of statesmanship since time immemorial. But only since the Napoleonic era has much ink been spilt analyzing and grappling with the grand strategic behavior of varied historical dynamos. Until now, scholars have largely demurred from trying to pin down the theoretical essence of what grand strategy actually is. By borrowing insights from fields as varied as strategic studies and cognitive theory, Layton has created an interpretation of how grand strategy could and should look in practice.
Even without a lifelong appreciation for all things Star Wars, anyone with a basic understanding of the movies and their stories and an interest in better understanding modern military conflict will benefit greatly from reading Strategy Strikes Back. I have not found another collection of essays where the authors use their superior imaginations to explain and simplify complex topics so well.
Lansdale was a colorful figure, who revealed in his maverick status and his disdain for the sprawling national security apparatus. Perhaps if Lansdale had been a bit more of an adept bureaucratic knife fighter he would have been more successful. Yet, if he had, it is likely that he would never have been the agile advisor who helped Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay defeat the Hukbalahap rebellion.
In the beginning, being a fighter pilot was all about having what later came to be called “the right stuff:” good eyesight, excellent hand-eye coordination, good stick and rudder skills, and aggressiveness. Fino goes to great lengths to demonstrate that over the course of next three decades these skills did not necessarily change, but they did evolve as pilots had to contend with increasingly complex aircraft systems. The history of fighter aviation rapidly became the struggle to understand automation.
This book is a must for any student, policymaker, or practitioner seeking to better understand America’s war in Afghanistan––even if that student disagrees with its conclusions. As America seems to be on the verge of stepping into the Afghan breech yet again, this book should serve as warning to the over-zealous or those prone to hubris. Moreover, Our Latest Longest War must be included in any pre-deployment reading list for any soldier, diplomat, or aid worker heading to Afghanistan.
War Porn is an attempt to come to grips with the modern, and perhaps even the postmodern, experience of war—an experience that Achilles would still understand. Yet, what is most striking is the author's incessant meditation on what it means to be “a spectator of calamities taking place in another country.” This tension forms the brutal backbone and gritty strength of the novel, uniting all who watch war.
The decision to stop production of arguably the world’s greatest flying machine elicits impassioned opinions on both sides of the argument. Raptor supporters argue that the Air Force is significantly weaker than it should be because of the limited number of F-22s, while supporters of Secretary Gates’ decision argue the cancellation of the line allowed the investment of billions of dollars in equipment that saved countless lives in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
When Phil Klay's book Redeployment was delivered to my apartment a few months ago, I was about to take a long subway ride down the eighty or so blocks to Columbia. I took the book with me. It wasn’t a good idea after all, to open it up and read the title story on the 1 train — crushed into the railing, rattling southward in the dark tunnel. My throat had closed up by the time I hit my stop. When I emerged out into the sunlight from underground, Sgt. Price, the bluntly insightful narrator of “Redeployment,” walked up the stairs and out onto Broadway with me.

domain: library


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- Fang, Bin, et al. Show all 10 Authors
- Ecological indicators 2017 v.77 pp. 323-336
- algorithms; climate change; data collection; deciduous forests; geometry; moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer; normalized difference vegetation index; phenology; reflectance; remote sensing; spring; time series analysis; Eastern United States
- ... Advances in the timing of spring green-up date are a typical response of vegetation global change. Long-term observations of plant phenology have been used to track vegetation response to climate change. Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and enhanced vegetation index (EVI) have been the most commonly used indicators in reconstructing spring green-up dates from remote sensing over the p ...

domain: biology


text: Metal Evilution is proud to present a monumetal end of year Heavy Metal party to take place at The Sandringham Hotel in Newtown, Sydney on December 31st. New Years Evilution returns again for the second year running at The Sando to let you all cut loose and bury 2011 to the sights and sounds of some of the country's best True Heavy Metal acts. We are proud to announce the confirmation of the first 2 bands locked in for the event. ELM STREET(Melb) Forming in 2003 and circling the live scene in Victoria since 2004 Elm Street have taken the metal scene by storm with their unique style of traditional heavy metal. With a style that is heavily influenced by bands such as Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Manowar and Savatage, Elm Street have claimed their spot in the vastly growing new wave of traditional heavy metal. This will be the bands first appearance in Sydney and guaranteed a set not to be missed. "Traditional Heavy Metal" Melbourne, Australia Website: www.metalelmstreet.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/metalelmstreet MySpace: www.myspace.com/metalelmstreet TERATORNIS (Sydney) Sydney's Teratornis, play old school thrash metal inspired by such 80's heavyweights as Sodom, Destruction, Coroner and King Diamond. It's lineup was completed in late 2008 and 2009 was spent writing and refining songs. Teratornis made their live debut towards the end of 2009 and has gigged throughout 2010. A debut EP entitled 'Back From Extinction" was recorded in December 2010 and released early 2011 to positive acclaim. Teratornis will be a big part of the future of Australain Thrash and the perfect soundtrack to put 2011 to the sword to. http://www.myspace.com/teratornismetal More bands and details to be announced later on. Please spread the word and keep the night free so you can bang in the New Year with some awesome True Heavy Metal bands,beer and mates. What could be better?

domain: artistic


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The Wu Liang Shrine: The Ideology of Early Chinese Pictorial Art
Pp. xxiii, (1), 412; 151 text-figures (mostly fine line-drawings but some photographs). Publisher's original black cloth, lettered in gilt on the spine, color pictorial dust jacket, sm 4to (9 3/4 x 8 1/4 inches). This is the hardcover first edition printed on clay-coated paper. This volume's contents follow - Part I: A Thousand Years of Scholarship: The Wu Family Shrines; Part II: The Wu Liang Shrine Carvings: A Pictorial Universe; Epilogue: The Ideology of the Wu Liang Shrine Carvings. There are also four detailed appendices. A review of the book from JAS by Jean M. James is laid in at the rear.
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OFT (V1) vs OFTV2 - Which should I use?
This page explains the differences between OFT/OFTV2 and when to use each one.
Our Omnichain Fungible Token (OFT) was our first implementation of our standard. This OFT was first used in projects such as Stargate's token. The standard was written to support EVM chains only. If you are looking to only support EVMs now and forever then OFT (V1) is for you.
What if you want to build an Omnichain Fungible Token that supports EVMs and non EVMs (eg. Aptos)? In this case you should use our OFTV2 which supports both. This version has fees, shared decimals, and composability built in. This version of OFTV2 is currently being used in projects such as BTCb.
The main difference between the two versions comes from the limitations of the Non EVMs. Non EVM chains such as Aptos/Solana use Uint64 to represent balance. To account for this, OFTV2 uses Shared Decimals for value transfers to normalize the data type difference. It is recommended to use a smaller shared decimal point on all chains so that your token can have a larger balance. For example, if the decimal point is 18, then you can not have more than approximately 18 * 10^18 tokens bounded by the uint64.max.
OFTV2 is intended to be used with no more than 10 shared decimals


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Here’s some of the funniest Jordan Memes from the Warriors VS Thunder Series.
Alas, we meet KimYe's newborn bundle of joy.
It's almost been 24 hours since Drake released his "Hotline Bling" music video, and the Canadian rapper is still trending…
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Pottery by the late Denny Young
Samantha Badiner Guthrie
Hats made by Old Man’s Pants. Love ’em!
My engagement ring, hand-crafted in Montana
Kim Kaiser Dupree
So many treasures!
Fantastic jewelry by Marjorie Thompson. I used to buy a piece or two every year.


Johannesburg - A matric farewell is a right of passage for every scholar, and arguably, one of the biggest nights of your life as a teenager.
The dress, the suit, the hair, the car - everything's got to be perfect!
Kagiso Modupe wants to help fans get one step closer to making that special night one to remember. The Scandal star took to his Instagram page on Tuesday to announce a new competition he will be hosting.
The winner stands the chance to walk away (or should that be drive away?) with Kagiso as their chauffeur for the night of their matric dance. How cool is that?
"The more you enter the higher your chances of winning. If it's not you, you can do it for your School, Friend, Cousin, Neighbour, Child, etc."
The actor will also be giving a special motivational talk at the winners farewell. To enter, fans have been asked to text their name, school, and date of their matric farewell to 33477. So what are you waiting for? Get texting!


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Sheraton Hotels and Resorts is a part of Starwood International Hotels and Resorts Inc., which also includes the hotel brands Westin, Four Points, Meridien and Aloft. Sheraton Hotels near Virginia Beach are located in Virginia Beach, Norfolk and Richmond. These locations are on the beach, downtown or within 30 miles of the nearest airport.
Sheraton Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotel
The Sheraton Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotel is located at the northern end of the resort area. Beach access is easy, and bicycles are available for rent so that you can ride along the boardwalk. This Sheraton has an ocean-side outdoor pool. Snorkeling, windsurfing and sailing can be arranged. In addition to the outdoor pool, Sheraton Virginia Beach Oceanfront also has an indoor pool and fitness facility. The property has three restaurants: the casual Aqua Vi lounge, the ocean-view Aqua Vi restaurant and the poolside Sea Sprays on the Boardwalk. Sheraton Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotel 3501 Atlantic Ave. Virginia Beach, VA 23451 800-325-3535 sheratonvirginiabeach.com
Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel
The Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel is located in downtown Norfolk along the Elizabeth River. This is Norfolk's only waterfront hotel, and it is located close to museums, restaurants, MacArthur Mall and the Norfolk Tides minor league baseball team. The Virginia Beach resort area is 17 miles east. Hotel guests upgrading to a club guest room have access to the 10th floor exclusive and upscale Club Lounge that overlooks the water. Rooms at the Sheraton Waterside have city or harbor views, and suites offer expanded living space. The outdoor pool is open seasonally when weather permits. Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel 777 Waterside Drive Norfolk, VA 23510 800-325-3535 sheratonnorfolkwaterside.com
Sheraton Richmond Park South Hotel
The Sheraton Richmond Park South Hotel is located 19 miles from Richmond International Airport and 10 miles from downtown Richmond. The University of Richmond and the Fan District are also located nearby. An indoor pool, outdoor pool and hot tub are available, as is a full fitness center with cardiovascular and strength training equipment. Babysitting and business services can be requested. Guests upgrading to a club room have access to the Club Lounge serving beverages, hors d’oeuvres and breakfast. Sheraton Richmond Park South Hotel 9901 Midlothian Turnpike Richmond, VA 23235 804-323-1144 sheratonrichmondparksouth.com
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When news happens, text LT and your photos and videos to 80360. Or contact us by email or phone.
Axe to fall on 30 jobs at Burnley Council
ONE in ten staff at Burnley Council are facing the sack – and more could be under threat if further town hall funding is lost.
Council bosses say they must find cuts totalling £1.8million from next April, and around 30 posts must be axed.
Because of staffing arrangements, this will put 50 positions potentially at risk, equating to 10per cent of the workforce.
Council finance director Nick Aves has warned that if ‘transition funding’, given to Burnley after the housing market renewal programme was abandoned, is lost, then more cuts may need to be cons- idered.
He added: “It is possible that more challenges lie ahead in the New Year. Current projections assume that we continue to receive transition funding .”
Government officials are expected to make an announcement on the transition funding in December.
The redundancies would need to take effect by the end of the current financial year in March 2013. Work on redunancy consultations has already begun with affected staff.
Steve Rumbelow, the council’s chief executive, said: “Every staff member directly affected by these proposals has given high-quality and professional serv-ice to the people of Burnley, in many cases over a good number of years.
“The proposals are not in any way a reflection on their work, but are entirely driven by the budget pressures we face.”
Rossendale Council is also contem-plating how it will save £1.3milion, and Pendle Council is expected to face similar challenges.

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MUFFINS, Lemon Crumb Muffins
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Peta Zetas cooperates in the IX Antoni Bosch Memorial Tournament
The tournament, with support of Peta Zetas®, took place in Artesa de Lleida (Lleida) last October 1st.
10 Catalan Children Football teams participated in the tournament. In the morning, RCD Espanyol resulted first in Group A after a match with CF Balaguer. In Group B, FC Barcelona reached the first position with no problems, followed by UE Bordeta.
In semifinals, the two teams from Barcelona beat the teams from Lleida. Third and fourth position were for CF Balaguer and UE Bordeta respectively.
The end of the day came with a surprise, since the matches during the day pointed towards a clear victory for FC Barcelona, but the match was very even and thrilling and ended with a draw. Penalties filled the football field with emotion until the end, when FC Barcelona was the winner and champion of the tournament.
Peta Zetas® congratulates all teams, supporters and families, since it was a tournament with lot of visitors, who enjoyed the day and specially the final match.
For more information about Peta Zetas® visit:


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Industrial Grade Power Control Centre comprises of either Breaker Panels Only or Breaker and MCC panels coupled together. The Power Control Centre comes with breaker panels that can be offered either in single to two tier configurations. The Power Control Centre is equipped with Busbars that is designed for rating up to 3200 A and 65kA fault level for 1 sec. The Industrial Grade Power Control Centre is suitable either for cable or bus duct entry from top to bottom and can be coupled with either Single front or double Front MCC panels.
Industrial Grade Power Control Centre - Indian Products Directory


Levenhuk 2x Barlow Lens
Achromatic. Magnification: 2x. Barrel diameter: 1.25"
The Levenhuk 2x Barlow lens will be an excellent choice for expanding any amateur astronomer optical accessories kit. It can be used with various eyepieces, so that you can double their magnification. The standard 1.25" barrel diameter makes the Barlow lens compatible with most modern telescopes.... more
The Levenhuk 2x Barlow lens will be an excellent choice for expanding any amateur astronomer optical accessories kit. It can be used with various eyepieces, so that you can double their magnification. The standard 1.25" barrel diameter makes the Barlow lens compatible with most modern telescopes.
The achromatic optics reduce optical distortion, providing the higher quality of the transmitted image. The optics are made of fully multi-coated glass. The Levenhuk 2x Barlow lens features filter thread.
- Achromatic Barlow lens
- Doubles the magnification of the telescope
- Fully multi-coated glass optics
- Compatible with all 1.25'' barrel diameter telescopes
- Light filter thread
The kit includes:
- Barlow lens
- Protective caps – 2 pcs
|Optical design||achromatic (2 elements)|
|Optics material||optical glass|
|Optics coating||fully multi-coated|
|Barrel diameter, "||1.25|
|Operating temperature range, °C||−5… 35|
High-resolution images (zip) 4181kb
Levenhuk 2x Barlow Lens - Total: 25 0 25
Does it suit Celestron AstroMaster 70 EQ model? Levenhuk Customer Service:
Yes, Levenhuk 2x Barlow Lens suits this telescope model.
I would like to buy quality eyepieces and Barlow lenses. My telescope is levenhuk dob. I'd like to observe the Moon in detail, planets, galaxies. thanks. Also advise me please some good inexpensive solar filter. Levenhuk Customer Service:
1. We recommend that you consider Levenhuk Kellner 6.3 mm Eyepiece - http://www.levenhuk.com/catalogue/accessories/levenhuk-kellner-6-3mm-eyepiece/. 2. Unfortunately, suitable solar filter is currently not available in our product range.
Good time of day, I want to ask a question. I have Sky-Watcher BK 1025 AZ3 and there are Super 25 and Super 10 eyepieces in the kit. Can I use them with Levenhuk 2x Barlow Lens? Won't the image be distorted? Thank you in advance. Levenhuk Customer Service:
Yes, the Levenhuk 2x Barlow lens can be used together with eyepieces included in the standard kit of your telescope.
Hello, is this lens suitable for Celestron Travel Scope 70? Is it any better than lenses that come in the kit with the scope? Levenhuk Customer Service:
Yes, the Levenhuk 2x Barlow lens is suitable for use with your telescope model.
Hi, is it ok to use this barlow + 6.3 eyepiece with MakVeber 90x1000? Levenhuk Customer Service:
We don't recommend using this combination of accessories with your telescope since the highest practical power of 180x will be exceeded. The best solution in your case is using eyepiece alone.
I have 60x900 refractor and 8 and 20 eyepieces... is it reasonable to buy 2x Barlow lens? Thank you! Levenhuk Customer Service:
Using 2x Barlow Lens with these two eyepieces you will get around 90x and 225x magnification, i.e. your 8 mm eyepiece is enough.
Hi! I've observed Jupiter with my telescope, I saw the moons and two atmospheric bands! Will this thingy help me to see it even closer? Levenhuk Customer Service:
Resulting magnification depends on the specifications of your telescope, if objective lens diameter of your model is less than 60 mm, than yes.
Can I use 1.25" Orion 13% Transmission Moon Filter with this lens? Levenhuk Customer Service:
Yes, this filter fits Levenhuk 2x Barlow Lens perfectly.
10 mm (100x) and 20 mm (50x) Levenhuk Customer Service:
You can use Levenhuk 2x Barlow Lens with your telescope but together with 10 mm eyepiece the highest practical power of your telescope model will be exceeded.
Hello! Can I use it with my Celestron Astromaster 90eq? Levenhuk Customer Service:
It depends on which eyepiece you are planning to use together with Levenhuk 2x Barlow Lens and your telescope.
This lens does have filter thread, right? Levenhuk Customer Service:
There is no filter thread in the Levenhuk 2x model.
I bought Levenhuk Skyline 70x700 AZ Telescope, it comes with 2x Barlow and two eyepieces (10 and 25 mm). Is it advisable to purchase 3x BL for this telescope to get higher increase? Levenhuk Customer Service:
Using 10 mm and 2x Barlow Lens with Levenhuk Skyline 70x700 AZ you will obtain the maximum useful magnification of 140x, there is no need in 3x Barlow lens.
is it suitable for a spotting scope? Levenhuk Customer Service:
Levenhuk 2x Barlow lens may be installed on a spotting scope with 1.25'' barrel diameter.
Good day. I own the Celestron Advanced C8-SGT telescope. is it worth to buy 2x BL and 5mm eyepiece for the highest practical power? What else can you suggest? thanx Levenhuk Customer Service:
By using 5 mm eyepiece only you can already get the highest practical power (in your case it's 406x). With 2x BL+ 5mm eyepiece the magnification will be too high (812x) - you'll see almost nothing.
Hi! Please help me! I've got MAK80x1000 with 6.3mm eyepiece. Does it make any sense to install BL as well? Thanx Levenhuk Customer Service:
By using 6.3 mm eyepiece you get about 159x magnification, which is almost the highest practical power of your telescope. Due to this using Barlow lens is not reasonable.
Hi! does this lens fit Levenhuk Ra 200N Dob model + Levenhuk Zoom 7-21 mm Eyepiece? Levenhuk Customer Service:
Yes. Levenhuk 2x Barlow lens is suitable for Levenhuk Ra 200N Dob Telescope.
Which eyepiece is better for MEADE NG70-SM telescope, 6 mm or 4 mm? with no quality loss Levenhuk Customer Service:
The highest practical power is D*2 (D-is the objective lens diameter). For your telescope it's 140x. To understand what magnification you will get with a particular eyepiece you should divide the focal length of your telescope (in your case it's 700mm) by the focal length of the eyepiece (so you get 116x for 6 mm and 175x for 4 mm). So the image won't be sharp when using 4 mm eyepiece. For your telescope the minimum acceptable focal length of an eyepiece is 5 mm. Consider Levenhuk Ra LER 5 mm Eyepiece: http://www.levenhuk.com/products/eyepiece-levenhuk-ra-ler-5/
Hi! What's better 2x BL 2x with 9mm eyepiece or just 4 or 6 mm eyepieces? Levenhuk Customer Service:
It's always better to use eyepiece alone, without Barlow lens, the image is cleaner and brighter this way.
Hi! I wonder if Levenhuk 2x Barlow lens magnifies the picture twofold. Levenhuk Customer Service:
Yes, that's correct. Levenhuk 2x Barlow lens doubles the magnification of an eyepiece.
Hi I have MEADE NG70-SM telescope (AZ refractor). Does it need this lens? Is it more helpful than the one in the kit? Levenhuk Customer Service:
To get higher magnification we recommend you to use the Levenhuk Ra LER 6 mm 1.25" eyepiece: http://www.levenhuk.com/products/eyepiece-levenhuk-ra-ler-6/ instead of a Barlow lens.
Hello, is there any difference in image quality when using 2x Barlow lens? Levenhuk Customer Service:
There may be a little loss of quality when using 2x Barlow lens.
Does it fit Meade NG-70 telescope? Levenhuk Customer Service:
Yes, Levenhuk 2x Barlow lens fits this telescope.
Please tell me what's more suitable for the Levenhuk Skyline 90x900 EQ model: this lens + eyepieces from the kit (10mm and 25 mm) or an extra 5mm eyepiece (without any BL)? To get the highest practical power of 180x? Thanx Levenhuk Customer Service:
The eyepiece always provides image of higher quality than the combination of eyepiece and Barlow lens.
is it suitable for the levenhuk 2LNG microscope? Levenhuk Customer Service:
No, Levenhuk 2x Barlow lens is designed to be used with telescopes.
Is it ok for Celestron AstroMaster 114 EQ with Celestron Omni 9 mm eyepiece, 1.25" or Sky-Watcher Plossl PL 7.5 mm eyepiece? One specialist said that max magnification of telescope is calculated like: lens diameter multiplied by 2. Is this true? Why the max useful magnification of my telescope is 269x on the website? please help me, i'm counting on you. Levenhuk Customer Service:
Both eyepieces are suitable. The maximum magnification usually is calculated by this formula: D*2, where D is the objective lens diameter. Some manufacturers sometimes overestimate this parameter. more
Submit your question or review on
Levenhuk 2x Barlow Lens:


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Additive Circuits Technologies LLC (“ACT”) announced it has acquired Bench 2 Bench Technologies, a Fullerton, CA-based high-performance manufacturer of flexible circuit boards for the medical device markets.
The strategic acquisition of Bench 2 Bench will accelerate market access for the company’s proprietary additive technologies and provide ultra-high-density line capabilities to the flexible circuit’s market segment. The technology ultimately will allow for smaller, faster, and thinner circuits to meet increasing demands of the overall electronics market.
“Our acquisition of Bench 2 Bench will industrialize the manufacturing of high-definition flexible circuits, allowing these types of products to reach targeted customers in an accelerated manner. ACT’s technology embedded into Bench 2 Bench flexible circuit products will provide a truly differentiated product that will address the next-generation technology needs of our customers,” said David Torp, ACT’s CEO.
The acquisition of Bench 2 Bench is part of an aggressive business strategy to deploy technology into multiple market segments concurrently. The Bench 2 Bench acquisition follows the 2020 acquisition of Winonics, a rigid printed circuit board fabricator for the aerospace and avionics markets. These acquisitions have served to establish new technology platforms for exploiting the company’s proprietary additive manufacturing technologies and to gain market access and extend product offerings within the electronics manufacturing sector.
The capabilities of the combined organizations will create a company with great strengths across a range of technology platforms. The combination of Bench 2 Bench’s expertise in flexible circuits broadens ACT’s reach into new market segments while extending product offerings, services, and capacity of the Company’s current rigid circuit board manufacturing facility at Winonics.
“We are incredibly excited to join ACT and Winonics, the synergy between the three organizations makes for a very powerful combination,” added Ira Rosenberg, General Manager, Bench 2 Bench Technologies. “We have a shared value in innovation that I am confident will lead to greater profitability and perhaps transformative breakthroughs in electronics manufacturing.”
For more information about Additive Circuits Technology, visit additivecircuits.com
For more information about Winonics, visit winonics.com
For more information about Bench 2 Bench Technologies, visit bench2bench.com


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ERBIL, Iraq, 19 June 2014 – UNICEF and Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) authorities have agreed to urgent measures to prevent the spread of polio and other diseases among the large number of children displaced by continuing violence into the Kurdish Region of Iraq.
Dr. Rekawt H.Rashid Karim, KRG Minister of Health and Dr. Marzio Babille, UNICEF Iraq Representative, met on Tuesday and agreed to expand immunization to include host populations, displacement camps and border crossings.
KRG officials estimate that approximately 300,000 people have fled into Erbil and Dohuk Governorates since the onset of violence in Mosul and have largely settled in host communities in urban areas and rural villages.
This crisis is compounded by the reappearance of polio in Iraq, which recorded its first new case this year, fourteen years after the country eliminated polio through mass immunization campaigns. Poor routine immunization and inability to reach children with immunisation outreach services within conflict zones and among displaced populations renders Iraq and the region extremely vulnerable to a large polio outbreak.
Dr. Babille strongly advocated for expanding immunization services against polio beyond the Syrian refugee camps, which was the primary focus of the four day campaign that started on 15 June, as well as the positioning of polio immunization teams at transit points where displaced populations cross into or out of the Kurdistan Region. UNICEF is also calling for rapid efforts to protect displaced children against measles and provide Vitamin A. Dr. Marzio Babille spoke about supporting the Ministry with vaccines supplies and also with technical expertise on social mobilization and external communication.
In a follow up meeting held on 18 June, the Minister agreed to support polio and measles vaccinations at checkpoints, camps and border crossings, with a catch up polio campaign tentatively planned from 29 June to 3 July, targeting more than 700,000 children under the age of five. This will be the first time in which Iraq has organized a mass public health campaign during the Holy Month of Ramadan.
About UNICEF Iraq UNICEF has been in Iraq since 1983 working and supporting the Government of Iraq to ensure Iraqi children survive and realize their full potential. Maintaining its comparative advantage in health, nutrition, education, water and sanitation, child protection and social policy, UNICEF supports the development of child friendly policies, building the capacity of institutions that deliver essential services to children and convening all duty bearers to realize the full rights of Iraqi children. Via a network of staff and partners, UNICEF’s programmes improve basic health services, safeguard quality education, develop water and sanitation systems, protect children from abuse, violence, and exploitation, and meet the needs of the most deprived and vulnerable. For more information about UNICEF and its work for the children of Iraq, please visit: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/iraq.html or www.unicef.org/mena.
About UNICEF UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere. For more information about UNICEF and its work, please visit: www.unicef.org


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SINGAPORE property supplies are fixed for their greatest yearly performance in 5 years, and planners believe the rally is at a great distance from over. With an anticipated pick-up in real estate succeeding the facilitation of housing edges, developers are likely to be the bright position in Singapore impartiality as increases in the city-state’s supplies may be definite for the entire year.
Mr. Desmond Loh at the valued JPMorgan Asset Management says that, “The residential property market has gotten a noticeable development in sentiment,” Mr. Lo helps achieve the 2nd-best execution Singapore fund this year. Reputable developers that have started purchasing land for recent projects stand to help, he said, counting that vacancy charges are anticipated to drop over the succeeding years.
The Singapore government flashed rehabilitated notice in the island’s real estate market subsequently it moved back some waysides in March ensuing a 3 ½ year collapse in home charges, the longest bounce of failures because the data was first issued in 1975. In very similar month, housing sales rushed to the uppermost in approximately 4 years as developers traded over twice the number of homes not like with the preceding year, government data exposed.
Property supplies counting UOL Group Ltd and City Developments Ltd are by now driving increases in Singapore stocks hitherto, this year, with property trusts and developers making up partial of the 10 best-performing supplies on the Straits Times Index.
Singapore’s standard degree has ascended to 12% this year, even though the gauge pursuing 42 Singapore real estate supplies has skipped 16%, heading for its greatest yearly gain since 2012.
City Developments completed the transaction 2.5% higher by the side of S$10.88 on Monday, the respected UOL Group advanced 1.97% to close next to S$7.76, whereas CapitaLand Ltd mounted 0.56% to S$3.59.
“Prices are stirring up again, even though in a more regular way, market interest is more optimistic in terms of dealings,” said Mr. Andrew Gillan, the respected head of equities for Asia apart from Japan at Janus Henderson Group, that has around US$330.8 billion possessions under management worldwide. “That’s going to mean quite fine for wages,” he added, directing to developers that have gathered land at “reasonable” prices. Developers has also ramped up activities and prepare for upcoming launches like Kandis Residence and Shine at Tuas South.
Government land sales are getting investor attention. A residential scheme last month gotten a record value in a government sale, through a Chinese association bidding S$1 billion. Other eminent developers are totaling land by purchasing up current apartment buildings for renovation in supposed en bloc sales.
Four of these contracts – where a group of owners’ gather together to trade whole apartment blocks at a heavy premium – have been hit this year, by a joint cost of S$1.5 billion.
Still, the retrieval in home trades has not been constant. Government data in the previous week presented that Singapore home sales chop down 34% in May as less new projects were advertised. And a more surge in housing contacts may as well prompt more waysides or slow the reduction of them.
The chance taken is “if volume actually begins to pick up quite powerfully, then we will view more measures as of the Monetary Authority of Singapore”, mentioned the Nomura’s South-east Asian equity strategist, Mr. Mixo Das, attributing to Singapore’s central bank. He added, “That’s somewhat I can’t dismiss, it’s definitely a possibility.”
That may as well add to the breezes off-putting gains in the general Singapore market. The estimation of Straits Times Index’s is “seeing a bit high” as opposed to historical levels and roughly of its regional associate, which would cap more upsurges this year at 3%-5% at finest, said the head of research at Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp, Ms. Carmen Lee. The measure is trading at 14.7 times anticipated earnings, associated with 13.3 times at the beginning of the year.
While property supplies aren’t as inexpensive as they were 6-9 months ago, furthermost are still trading at a rebate to their book price and will outclass the entire market, she mentioned. The Singapore property supplies directory is trading at a price-to-book cost of 0.89, and former traded at par 4 years ago, conferring to data gathered by Bloomberg.
The hopefulness for home sales this year correspondingly comes as investor idea amended in Singapore on the back of a retrieval in export call that provoked the government to give an optimistic viewpoint on the economy in May, mentioning that it will perhaps expand over 2% this year.
“We’re in a retrieval stage at this point,” said the equity strategist at Morgan Stanley in Singapore, Mr. Sean Gardiner. “There are a several number of macro cost-effective measures that are still pondering on the real estate market nevertheless we are certainly up from the lowermost we saw early last year.”


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A FSBO, also known as a for sale by owner, can easily be described as a homeowner selling their property without the representation of a real estate agent or broker.
There are many reasons why homeowners attempt to sell their home on their own. A few of the most popular reasons for FSBOs are they want to save the money that would be spent on real estate commissions or that they feel they don’t need a real estate professional to sell their home. No matter the reason, according to the National Association of Realtors, less than 10% of FSBOs actually sell.
FSBOs Don’t Know How To Prepare The Home Correctly Before Listing For Sale
Properly preparing a home for sale plays a huge role in the success of selling homes, whether FSBO or not. One of the most common reasons why FSBOs fail in real estate is because the homeowner has no idea how to properly prepare before it is listed for sale.
FSBOs Don’t Know How To Screen Potentials Buyers
A top real estate agent overtime learns how to screen potential buyers. One of the biggest reasons why FSBOs fail in real estate is because the homeowner has no clue what questions they should be asking or how to screen the potential buyers.
FSBOs Aren’t Able To Be Available To Handle Property Inquiries
One of the biggest reasons why FSBOs fail in real estate is because the homeowner doesn’t have the time or availability to handle inquiries on their home or time to show it. Home buyers and buyers agents want quick responses on their inquiries, otherwise, they will often move onto the next potential property..
FSBOs Don’t Allow Potential Buyers To View The Home Without Pressure
Without doubt, one of the primary reasons FSBOs fail in real estate is because the homeowner doesn’t allow a potential buyer to have space as they view their home. Most home buyers do not like to be pressured when looking at a home.
FSBOs Don’t Know How To Negotiate With Potential Buyers Offers/Contract
A FSBO who doesn’t have a strong understanding of a real estate contract may not know what they are agreeing and also the possibility exists they don’t know how to negotiate specific parts of the contract. Real estate contracts are loaded with lots of clauses, timelines, and also many common contract contingencies, such as mortgages and inspections.
FSBOs Don’t Know How To Handle The Home Inspection Findings
Most home buyers want to have a home inspection and there are many reasons why a home buyer should have a home inspection when buying a home. One of the most common reasons why FSBOs fail in real estate is because the homeowner does not know how to handle the home inspection phase of the real estate transaction.
FSBOs Aren’t Willing To (Or Able To) Pay A Commission To A Buyers Agent
Another common reason why FSBOs are unsuccessful is because the homeowner is not willing to pay a buyers agent a commission. A FSBO is able to save the commission they would have to pay a listing broker and some are willing to pay a buyers representative, which is a smart idea. FSBOs who are unwilling to pay a buyers agent a commission will greatly reduce the chance of a successful sale.
FSBOs Home Is Lacking Exposure
One of the biggest reasons FSBOs fail in real estate is because the homeowner is not able to get their home in front of enough potential home buyers. There are certainly websites that allow FSBOs to list their home for sale, however, there are also some websites that will not allow FSBOs to market their home.
The FSBO Incorrectly Prices Their Home
Learning how to properly price real estate takes lots of practice and experience. One of the biggest reasons why FSBOs fail in real estate is because the homeowner incorrectly prices their home. There are many factors to consider when pricing a home for sale, many of which are not taken into account by a FSBO.
FSBOs Don’t Know How To Ensure The Deal Actually Closes
Once a purchase offer is accepted on a piece of real estate, there are many things that still need to be completed prior to the closing. Another common reason why FSBOs fail is because the homeowner doesn’t know what to do after accepting the offer and the ball is dropped somewhere along the line.
Before you decide to sell your home by owner, remember, the chance you will be successful is less than 10%. If you decide you want to take on the challenge, make sure you are aware of the above common reasons why FSBOs fail in real estate.


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Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC) dropped an absolute bombshell on Sean Hannity’s show recently.
According to Meadows, there is proof that sitting ambassadors were part of a massive plot to take down President Donald Trump.
Unearthing the Plot
According to Hannity, there is an “avalanche” of new evidence to support the premise of a real “Deep State” working against Donald Trump.
Of everything that was unearthed, the fact that Rep. Meadows said he has seen actual evidence proving that sitting ambassadors were trying to undermine Trump is the most worrisome.
While Meadows did not specifically state he meant U.S. ambassadors, it was clearly implied in his mention of the State Department.
If that goes even further to foreign ambassadors, we are talking about a whole new ballgame of foreign entities trying to impact our government.
New Special Counsel?
Hannity himself wondered why all this information does not fall under the scope of Robert Mueller’s investigation.
The answer to that seems pretty clear: Mueller is only interested in taking down Trump — not going after those who were working against him either during the election or after he was elected.
It is because of that Rep. Meadows thinks there needs to be a new special counsel appointed to investigate these issues.
He also thinks when all the information comes out, it will prove there was no collusion between the Trump campaign team and Russia.
If the newly confirmed attorney general, William Barr, does appoint a special counsel to investigate this Deep State plot, Democrats are going to be outraged.
Thus far, they have gotten away with everything — but that could all change if Barr has the courage to do what is right and get to the bottom of this obvious plot to take down Trump.