text:
Name of initiative: Community Grants Policy
Policy/program/service: Policy (guiding program implementation)
New or up for review: Up for review
Sector: Local government
This case study has been drawn from real examples, however the narrative is fictional.
Asha and her team manage the Community Grants Program at a metropolitan local council. This program provides funding to various local community groups and organisations each year.
The Community Grants Policy is the overarching document that guides who is eligible for community grants, how council promotes grants, and how applications are assessed and awarded. While the existing policy has been in place for almost a decade, it is currently up for review.
As part of this policy review, Asha and her team must complete a gender impact assessment (GIA). As the lead in her team, Asha is accountable for the GIA but will not complete the whole process alone. Asha’s organisation recommends that teams work together on their GIA as follows:
- use the 4 steps in the as a guide
- invite one of the organisation’s trained ‘GIA champions’ to support the team through the GIA process
- brainstorm critical issues and assumptions in a workshop with all team members, plus a GIA champion where possible ()
- dedicate time for further research and consultation to inform options for policy amendments ()
- document options for policy change and discuss the risks and benefits of each option in a workshop with all team members ()
- document final recommendations for policy change and submit them for approval by a member of the Executive Management team ()
- file GIA documentation to support legislated GIA progress reports every 2 years.
Step 1: Define the issues and challenge assumptions
Defining the issues
The group agrees that the Community Grants Policy should provide a clear and consistent guide for allocating and managing funding under the Community Grants Program.
The Community Grants Program should then deliver financial support to community groups and organisations to carry out programs, projects and activities that benefit the local community.
The team agrees that the intention of both the Policy and the Program is to support all members of the community. They note that they have never viewed this work through a gender lens. They are unsure if the policy or program privileges, prioritises, or even disadvantages or excludes different groups of women, men and gender diverse community members.
The team agrees that the volunteer Community Assessment Panel who review grant applications are key decision-makers. They decide they could have included members of the Community Assessment Panel in this GIA process, as well as previous grant recipients. The team agrees they will need to consult with these stakeholders to better understand their experience of Community Grants Policy and procedures.
The team agrees that different community members might ‘access’ the community grants program differently. As a team, they work to connect with potential grant applicants by distributing promotional material, running public information sessions, and providing individual pre-application briefings.
The team agrees the grants program responds to identified needs in the community, in line with the council plan. They don't believe that 'access' to community grants has ever been considered through a gender lens. They do not currently collect gender or demographic data on community inquiries, attendance at information sessions, or grant submissions.
In the application process, they also do not ask questions about the gender of target communities or if applicants have considered gender in the design of projects. Some team members worry that adding more questions to the application process could also disadvantage some applicants or turn some applicants away.
The team agrees that all grant applicants want to deliver projects which benefit the community. They agree that some applicants need targeted support to submit applications and write funding reports. Others might need targeted promotion and support to see themselves as potential grant applicants.
The GIA champion also raised the idea that there might be some gender stereotypes associated with different funding streams. These might inform how the Assessment Panel reviews funding applications. The team will need to gather more information to understand how gender bias might influence the grant-making process.
The team finds this question one of the most difficult to answer. They agree that literacy skills, socio-economic status, culture or IT skills might influence whether community members apply for the grants program.
Their GIA champion discusses how other social roles and responsibilities might influence people’s access to Community Grants. For example, people with caring responsibilities, those experiencing financial difficulties, people with low literacy, or people experiencing social isolation might experience particular barriers.
The team might need to think about things like representation in promotional materials, scheduling of information sessions, appropriate and accessible facilities, childcare options, transport options to program events, or translated materials if they want to support different women, men and gender diverse community members to feel welcome and included.
The team agrees that the 'default' audience for the community grants program is a community member who would feel comfortable and confident to apply in English, have the time and resources to attend information sessions, have the literacy and IT skills to access online application forms, feel represented in promotional materials and information sessions.
They brainstorm some initial ideas about how they could engage all community members beyond this ‘default’ audience. Suggestions include:
- reviewing the language and accessibility of the grant application process
- reviewing the promotional collateral to ensure imagery and project examples are representative of intersectional gender diversity in the community
- engaging existing grants recipients in delivering information sessions or pre-application briefings
- offering different audio, visual and written options for the submission of grant applications
- providing training and resources that address IT and English literacy needs.
Broadening the issues with a gendered lens
After completing Step 1, the team has a list of questions to investigate further. They will answer some questions through desktop research and others through consultation with key stakeholders. Questions include:
- What do we know about the state and nature of intersectional gender inequality in our community of potential grant applicants?
- How might this inequality privilege, disadvantage or exclude women, men and gender diverse people in our community?
- What role does gender play in influencing different aspects of grant promotion and community engagement processes?
- How might gender bias influence community grant-making?
- What do we know about the experiences of the Community Assessment Panel as critical decision-makers?
- What do we know about the gender split of grant applicants? What groups are over-represented and what groups are under-represented? Who is and isn't represented at the application and selection stages, and why might this be the case?
- How can we better understand the gender outcomes of grants and the benefits to different genders? Overall, who is over-represented and under-represented as a beneficiary of grant funding? Who is excluded?
Step 2: Understand the policy context
- Asha and her team follow the process in to address some of the knowledge gaps they identified in GIA Step 1
- They draw on internal data, desktop research and stakeholder consultation to better understand how the community grants program might privilege, disadvantage, or exclude women, men and gender diverse community members
- They aim to complete this work over a few weeks, using it to inform and develop options for recommended policy/program amendments.
Investigating internal data
Asha and her team have limited internal data on the gender of grant applicants and the gender of participants at information sessions. They also don’t currently collect data about the gender of grant beneficiaries. This limits their ability to evaluate program access and benefits by gender.
Instead, they review various council data and collate key statistics about council communities and the different experiences of women, men, and gender diverse community members. They look at a range of documents, including:
- the Council Plan
- the Municipal Health and Wellbeing Plan
- gender-disaggregated data from the consultation processes which informed these plans
- previous project and program reports from the community grants team
- available data from their grants management software.
Data, statistics and desktop research
They consult some of the following publicly available sources to better understand the state and nature of gender inequality in the community:
- Australian Bureau of Statistics
- Victorian Women’s Health Atlas
- HILDA Survey Data.
The team also turns to verified websites, open-source journal articles and research papers to investigate a range of topics, including:
- gender neutrality in grant-making
- unconscious bias in application processes
- gender equality in promotional advertising and communications.
The team also recognises the value of learning from the experiences of local community members as key decision-makers in the future direction of community grants policy and programming.
Asha speaks with representatives of some of the following groups:
- past Community Assessment Panel members
- community representatives involved in engagement processes informing the current Council Plan
- current grant recipients
- local support services, networks and community groups that currently support and distribute promotional material about grants.
Evidence collected by Asha and her team
The team documents a range of insights into the different experiences of women, men and gender diverse community members. These insights will form the evidence base for possible options for policy and programming improvements. Future data collection improvements will also help them to take a continuous improvement approach to policy review.
- Women are more likely to lead single-parent households, care for dependents, and earn below minimum wage (), potentially limiting or shaping their opportunity to engage in community grants application or review processes unless specifically targeted and supported.
- Women’s experience of issues such as violence and economic insecurity put those who experience them well behind the starting line in terms of accessing opportunity, meaning that mainstream or 'gender neutral' funding does not always result in equality of outcomes ().
- Women are generally under-served by funding of mainstream programs, particularly those that do not consider gender difference, and a ‘gender-neutral’ approach can result in women missing out ().
- Gender bias in grants review processes can lead to women being less likely to be scored highly in funding reviews than men ().
- Individuals with caring responsibilities, often women, can be inadvertently excluded when sessions are held at certain times, in specific settings, without childcare support (stakeholder consultation).
- When gender is not considered, there is a risk that gender assumptions may slip into programming, influencing the participation of women ().
- Language and illustrations used in promotions, marketing and communications may encourage or discourage women from engaging ().
- Expectations around masculinity can limit men's potential to participate more broadly (), potentially shaping how men's groups apply for specific grant streams or how men's applications for different grant streams are reviewed.
- The language used in promotions, advertisements and other published material may encourage or discourage men from engaging ().
- LGBTIQ+ people face greater social, health, wellbeing and economic challenges than the general population (). This infers a potential barrier likely limiting or shaping opportunities for gender diverse people to engage in community grants application or grants review processes unless specifically targeted and supported.
- The language used in promotions, advertisements and other published material may encourage or discourage LGBTIQ+ individuals, including gender diverse people, and organisations from engaging in council grants processes ().
- Culturally and linguistically diverse women experience additional intersecting barriers to participation, including racism, sexism, tokenism, devaluation of skills and experiences, lack of support networks, lack of confidence and language barriers ().
- Language bias in grant-making can lead to an inclination to favour grant proposals and applications written well in a particular language. Applications written well in the chosen language of communication tend to have an unconscious effect on grant reviewers ().
- Older women are more likely to be perceived as having outdated skills, being too slow to learn new things, or as someone who would deliver an unsatisfactory job ().
- Women with disabilities experience more significant disadvantage on all measures of social and economic participation (housing security, income, employment, education) compared to women and men without disabilities ().
- The language used in promotions, advertisements and other published material may encourage or discourage individuals of diverse identities and experiences from engaging in Council grants processes ().
- Australian Women’s Donor Network (2019) ‘‘, accessed 21 May 2023.
- Australian’s Investing in Women (2021) .
- Broderick E (2013) ’‘, accessed 21 May 2023.
- City of Melbourne (2022) , accessed 21 May 2023.
- Daniels A (2019) ’‘ in The Chronicle of Philanthropy, accessed 21 May 2023.
- Ewuru B (2022) ‘’, Good Grants, accessed 21 May 2023.
- Flood M (2020) ‘’, Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth), Melbourne, accessed 21 May 2023.
- Patterson K (2021) ‘‘, accessed 21 May 2023.
- Pillay et al. (2022), ‘’, Victorian Multicultural Commission and Mindtribes.
- State of Victoria, 2022, , accessed 21 May 2023.
- Women’s Health Victoria (2022) accessed 21 May 2023.
- Women with Disabilities Victoria (2019) ‘’, accessed 21 May 2023.
Step 3: Evaluate the options
- Based on the evidence gathered, Asha uses to document 2 possible options for policy review.
- She brings the team back together for a 60-min session to discuss these options and consider any gendered risks and benefits.
- The team also discuss practical resourcing and capacity implications for their preferred option.
Asha and the team discuss the following:
Gendered benefits of continuing with existing programming
- the existing policy and program are open to people of all genders in the community (although it does not take steps to ensure people of all genders can access and engage with different aspects of programming).
Gendered risks of continuing with existing programming
- the existing policy and program are not adequately designed to address the perspectives and priorities of diverse people of different genders – intersectional gender equality is not an established policy priority or principle that guides grants promotion, applications and assessments
- without targeted changes, the ‘voice’ of the program (i.e., program promotions and engagement of decision-makers) may not be representative of the diversity of the community
- there may be limited engagement from community members, especially women, who are outside the program’s existing ‘default’ audience (i.e., those with IT skills, literacy skills, socio-economic status, language skills, time and resources to attend sessions)
- without targeted changes, program ‘access’ and ‘benefits’ (i.e., applicant groups and target groups for communities) may continue to perpetuate intersectional gender inequality, reinforcing unbalanced norms, roles and relations.
The overall impact of continuing with existing programming
The team agree that continuing with option one would see a negative gender impact.
Based on research completed, Asha believes there are several actions the team can take to ensure the Community Grants Policy better supports community members of all genders and also promotes gender equality. She presents these to the group:
- amend policy wording to establish intersectional gender equality as a guiding principle in the Community Grants Policy and across Community Grants Policy Guiding Documents, including application guidelines, assessment panel terms of reference, application and assessment forms and reporting forms
- amend the Community Grant Policy to include a commitment to training for staff and assessment panel members to address the effects of unconscious bias in grants review processes
- integrate a commitment to improved data collection to support gender-disaggregated monitoring and evaluation of grant applications and delivery
- review program promotion materials and community engagement processes to include statements of commitment on the grants, website, in promotional collateral, information sessions and pre-application briefings.
Asha and the team discuss the following concerning this option:
Gendered risks of this option
- community backlash around ‘gender’ as a priority. For example, some members of the community believing that women and gender diverse people may be receiving unfair treatment
- concerns from current grants recipients around the burden of application and reporting processes to include gender lens.
The team agrees that while these risks are genuine, there are things they can put in place to address these risks.
Gendered benefits of this option
- having a statement of commitment in the policy creates an ‘authorising environment’ for building intersectional gender equality in the distribution of community grants funding
- process changes ‘operationalise’ this commitment, ensuring grants program practices welcome and include voices of diverse groups of women, men, and gender diverse at all stages
- increases the chances of funding going to projects and programs that significantly contribute to positively transforming gender norms
- challenges existing unconscious gender bias
- encourages discussion amongst the grant community around gender issues
- improves the selection of Community Assessment Panel members that are representative of the community demographics gender split
- improves data collection over time to inform future review processes and decisions around changing funding streams over time.
The overall impact of this option
The team rate the overall gender impact of this option as positive.
Step 4: Finalise recommendations
Asha formally recommends that the organisation proceed with Option 2. She documents her specific recommendations as follows:
- Update the Community Grants Policy to include the following:
- statement of commitment to gender equality as a guiding principle
- commitment to unconscious bias training for team members and volunteers involved in assessing grants.
- Update Community Grants Policy Guiding Documents to include the following:
- statement of commitment to gender equality in Community Grants Application Guidelines
- statement of commitment to gender equality in Assessment Panel Terms of Reference and commitment
- additional questions around gender breakdown of intended target communities in Application and Assessment Forms
- additional questions around gender breakdown of reported outcomes in reporting forms.
- Review Community Grants Application Guidelines and promotional materials with an intersectional gender lens, using the evidence they have gathered to make necessary improvements
- Review end-to-end application process with an intersectional gender lens and make necessary improvements (for example, scheduling and location of information sessions, modes of delivery, involvement of diverse facilitators, provision of in-language information materials)
- Develop a survey to assess the experiences of community assessment panel members and grant applicants.
Asha shares her completed GIA Template with a GIA champion for peer review. She then submits the GIA template to an executive management team member for sign-off.
Preparing for progress reporting to the Commission
- Asha files the completed GIA template as per instructions provided by her GIA champion.
- This GIA template will inform for the Commission for Gender Equality in the Public Sector.
- To prepare for progress reporting, Asha will also need to upload a short summary of actions taken as a result of this GIA.
Every 2 years, Asha’s organisation must submit progress reports to the Commission for Gender Equality in the Public Sector. These reports must include the following:
- detail of the policies, programs and services that were subject to a GIA
- the actions taken as a result of the GIA.
All of Asha's recommendations were approved, and the team is proud of their work to promote gender equality. Asha files her approved GIA template in a central shared drive for use in progress reporting. Other teams may also access this template for reference when completing their GIAs.
Summary of actions taken:
- the new Community Grants Policy will include intersectional gender equality as a guiding principle
- previous grants recipients will be involved in the delivery of information sessions
- the grant application form will include a new question about how proposed projects target women, men and gender diverse community members
- the Community Assessment Panel team will participate in a practical training session on unconscious bias with an intersectional gender lens
- Gender requirements will be considered as part of scoping for new grants management software.
Reviewed 22 June 2023

domain: sociology


text:
The next generation of gaming consoles is finally here. While both the Xbox One and the Playstation 4 are both nice enough in their own special ways, buying both could become an expensive venture fast.
Here’s a breakdown of each next-gen system for those looking for the next big thing for their living room entertainment needs.
A gaming system’s biggest asset is, arguably, the games it offers. Keeping with the tradition of snubbing the competition by offering console exclusive games, both the PS4 and the Xbox One will have their own repertoire of games only playable on each specific system, never to become cross-platform.
On the Sony side, there are eight confirmed exclusives, including the latest in the “Killzone” series, “Killzone: Shadow Fall” and “InFamous: Second Son,” the third main entry in the “Infamous” series.
The Xbox One comes in slightly ahead on exclusives so far, with nine confirmed, with some big names thrown in for good measure, such as “Halo 5” and “Dead Rising 3.” “Titanfall” is another Xbox One exclusive, and it’s certainly one of the more hyped games this year. While the Xbox One might be just a hair ahead on exclusives now, it’s possible this will change, as indie developers cite a friendlier, more supportive infrastructure, giving the PS4 a potential boost in the independent, cult-classic game department.
Up until recently, gaming consoles have been entirely about playing video games. However, with the video and music streaming explosion, consoles have the opportunity to entirely take over the living room space. Microsoft has made it clear it wants Xbox One to rule this comfy realm, making the Xbox One into a TV-gaming multimedia extravaganza. After telling the Xbox One what make of television it’s working with, the console takes over, doing everything a remote would, such as volume control, channel flicking, et cetera, with either voice control or game controller. In addition, the OneGuide gives those with cable a great replacement for their old cable box menu, allowing users to make a menu of just the channels that matter to them and throwing in streaming apps like Netflix for good measure. While the PS4 offers the usual streaming apps like Hulu Plus and Netflix, it’s not a cable box replacer like the Xbox One. Which may be fine depending on the buyer.
While the PS4 might lack the Xbox One’s TV-takeover abilities, it does appropriately go for $100 less. Those looking for a dedicated gaming console without fluff will find a better deal here. Additionally, games on the PS4 run at a native 1080p versus upscaled 720p on the Xbox One, creating a sharper-looking gaming experience.
In the end, it all comes down to the wants and needs of the individual gamer. The Xbox One, starting at $500, provides a full living room entertainment smorgasbord, complete with voice commands and facial recognition, though some might find the always-watching Kinect a little creepy.
The PS4, coming in at $400, provides more of a pure game console experience, along with the essentials necessary for movie nights and Netflix marathons, with a lot less Orwellian weirdness. Neither console is an objectively bad offering, however, and at this point, waiting to see what comes next for both is the best option.
Photo courtesy of New Game Network.

domain: entertainment


text:
You could be seeing a lot more of your favorite TV actors as their union approved a deal on Saturday that would allow them to appear in multiple shows at once.
SAG-AFTRA has been lobbying for a decade to curtail so-called “exclusivity” deals, which prevent regular TV series from taking other jobs while on hiatus.
The deal, approved by the union’s national board on Saturday, will require producers to give TV actors three months after each season to take any job they want. That means show stars may more often appear as guest stars — or even regulars — on shows on other platforms and networks. The new agreement applies to work under contracts entered into on or after January 1.
The agreement also limits the reasons a producer may prevent a set series from accepting an appearance on another program.
SAG-AFTRA explained the financial component as follows: “An increase in exclusivity money breaks from $15,000 per week or per episode for half-hour programs and $20,000 per week or per episode for programs of an hour or longer to $65,000. per week or per episode for half-hour programs and $70,000 per week or hour for programs of an hour or more.
The deal came about after the union enforced the issue, with a bill in Sacramento that would have essentially eliminated exclusivity clauses. That bill, AB 437, appeared en route into the legislature, prompting the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers — which negotiates on behalf of the studios — to seek a negotiated solution.
The bill is now withdrawn.
The Motion Picture Association had opposed the legislation, which would make it more difficult to coordinate schedules and could lead to fewer multi-season TV shows being renewed.
The union has argued that in today’s TV environment – with a plethora of shows and platforms – exclusivity is far less important than it was in the days of three broadcast networks.
Earlier this month, SAG-AFTRA signed a similar deal with Netflix. That agreement also creates a mandatory conflict-free window of three months and sets limits on option periods. The actors’ union has also complained that actors can remain in the dark for months or years while a network decides whether or not to renew a show. The Netflix deal limits those option periods to 18 months after the start of a season’s main photography. It also requires firing to begin within two months of the option being exercised.
The deal with the AMPTP does not cover option periods, although that could be addressed when the contract is negotiated next year.

domain: economics


text:
AP Basketball Writer
Drop the pen. Everybody knows no ink makes contact with a bracket sheet until Monday night at the earliest. Until it's deadline time, pencils are preferred.
It's tempting to make big decisions about your picks while you're still waiting for the fourth region to be unveiled. Don't. In the next 10, 12 hours you will hear so many nuggets of information and reasons to change your mind that you will, over and over.
That, folks, is real March Madness.
To add to your confusion, here a few thoughts and tips about the 2013 bracket.
There weren't any really fervent arguments when the bracket was revealed.
Gonzaga being the fourth No. 1 seed caused a ripple of controversy because it revived and an old argument: BCS conference vs. the mid-majors. If the Bulldogs weren't a No. 1, Miami probably would have gotten it.
The last of the at-large selections again weren't full of emotion or indignation. Again, it was BCS vs. mid-majors with La Salle and Middle Tennessee State being the last two in the field instead of the likes of Virginia, Maryland and Iowa, all big-time programs with small-time nonconference schedules.
Don't read anything into this about Gonzaga not being a deserving No. 1 who is capable of winning the four games that get you to the Final Four. The Bulldogs, who go 10 deep in the rotation, have a big front line led by 7-footer Kelly Olynyk and a solid backcourt featuring Kevin Pangos.
For those still wearing black after the last Big East tournament as we know it, eight Big East teams were selected for the field of 68, the most of any conference. It is the fourth straight year the Big East has had at least that many teams selected, including an NCAA-record 11 in 2011. The Big East has had at least eight teams chosen six times since 2006.
No other conference has ever had eight teams chosen for one field.
And if you want to look ahead and hope for a final farewell for the Big East next month, history says you'll be happy.
The conference has had five schools make a Final Four appearance in the last four years, including Connecticut's remarkable title run led by Kemba Walker in 2011.
Even though Thursday begins the two-day national basketball holiday when the tournament gets under way in earnest, don't forget Tuesday and Wednesday. The games officially known as the "First Four" will be incorrectly called the play-in round but they could be the springboard to the "Final Four" -- as they were for VCU in 2011.
On Tuesday at Dayton, it will be North Carolina A&T against Liberty, the lone team in the field with a losing record, in a matchup of 16 seeds and Middle Tennessee facing Saint Mary's, Calif., in a matchup of 11s. On Wednesday, it's LIU-Brooklyn meeting James Madison in a 16 matchup and Boise State facing La Salle in a game between 13 seeds.
When VCU made its run to the Final Four, the Rams beat Southern California in a game of 11 seeds, No. 6 Georgetown, No. 3 Purdue, No. 10 Florida State and top-seeded Kansas. They lost to Butler in the national semifinals.
There were a slew of big upsets this season, or at least games considered upsets at the time. With teams ranked No. 1 losing seven times this season and a run with a different No. 1 for five straight weeks, it became apparent that there would be a pretty sizable pool of teams worthy of advancing to the Final Four.
But don't get carried away with trying to find the low-seeded team that will make you memorable around the office.
A team seeded fourth or better has won the championship the last 24 years, since sixth-seeded Kansas, led by Danny Manning, won it all.
A wise old TV announcer named Bill Raftery once told me the smartest thing to do when radio hosts would ask you for your Final Four was to keep changing it so at least people in one city will think you're smart.
Here's a grasp at a Final Four (check someplace else to see if I'm smart):
MIDWEST: It's hard to pick against top-seeded Louisville after the way the Cardinals have played during their 10-game winning streak that included the Big East tournament. This, however, is by far the toughest of the regions. No. 2 Duke, with Ryan Kelly back in the lineup, is in it, along with third-seeded Michigan State which gets to play its first two games in nearby Auburn Hills, Mich. Then there's Saint Louis, the team filling the bill of everyone's "chic" pick.

domain: sports


text:
By further exposing greenhouse tomatoes to the natural plant hormone ethylene, overall uniformity in ripeness will be enhanced. Additionally, accelerating the ripening of final tomatoes saves energy and decreases waste accrued from less mature tomatoes stuck in the mix of more mature harvests. In summary, applying added ethylene results in better color and final quality for greenhouse tomatoes.
- Ethylene: 1.5 –5 ppm
- Number of generators typically needed per hectare to achieve 5 ppm: approximately 0.5 to 1 generator per hectare. The actual number of generators depends on the tightness of the greenhouse, ventilation practices, etc.
- Application: To achieve ripened fruit, a typical operation is for 3 – 4 weeks; ethylene is applied overnight for 10- 12 hours. In the morning, the space is vented during the day to remove the buildup of carbon dioxide (CO2) and to replenish Oxygen (O2).
- Ethylene sensors: Best practice is to use sensors to monitor both ethylene and CO2 levels; automatic control of the ethylene generator and ventilation is possible but not necessary for good results.
These recommendations for greenhouse tomato ripening were amassed from a diverse number of sources for use by clients of Catalytic Generators, LLC. While we have made great effort to provide accurate and current ripening techniques, Catalytic Generators makes no warranties regarding these recommendations or the applicability of such information to a particular ripening operation. Please note that we do not provide these recommendations as a replacement for technical ripening experts; if having ripening problems or starting a ripening program, we suggest that professionals be consulted.

domain: agronomy


text:
Interview with Steve Rosinski
Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I am a 29 year old Pro Triathlete who is also a full time Doctor of Optometry at Crozet Eye Care in Charlottesville, VA. I am in my 2nd full season as a Pro who mostly competes in half distances and will be doing my first full distance race this fall at Ironman Chattanooga.
Q: What keeps you inspired to continue to train for and participate in triathlons?
I enjoy the sport of triathlon as it is a way to test the limits of your body. I hear many people enjoy a triathlon training camp and I can understand why. There are so many amazing athletes out there that I look up to. I see what they are doing and try to emulate what they do. I try to not set limits on what I can accomplish and hopefully one day I will be finishing right with the best in the sport!
Q: Do you think that your lifestyle has changed since you did your first triathlon? If so, in what ways?
I started out running cross country and track in high school then ran at NCAA Division I Lehigh University. After college I started riding a bike my Uncle gave me and I enjoyed everything about riding. Since I was riding and running I might as well start swimming – so I raced my first triathlon. Since then, besides my wife, family, friends and work, most things revolve around triathlons. I make sure I get the right amount of sleep, eat the right foods and even plan some vacations around races. Fortunately triathlons take you to some amazing places!
Q: What are your goals for the Luray Triathlon?
I am hoping to put together two good races in both the Sprint and Olympic. These will be my only races shorter than a half this year so it will be short, fun and painful at the same time!
Q: What advice would you give any aspiring triathletes?
For those new to the sport…I would say enjoy the ride and make the most of it. Find a group of athletes and start training with them…even if they are faster than you. Training with others makes the miles go by more quickly and the time more fun!
Q: What’s next for you after Luray Triathlon?
I will be training hard for Ironman Chattanooga the last weekend of September.
Good luck, Steve, and see you in a few weeks in Luray!
Luray Triathlon Race Director

domain: hobby


Dumbara Weaver, Thalagune, Sri Lanka #13
Sarath Wickramasinghe transfers raw cotton onto bobbins with a traditional hand-turned spinning wheel. Sarath is one of the last of the famous Dumbara weavers of Sri Lanka, who once created clothes and art for the Kandyan kings. Shot on assignment for Serendib, the inflight magazine of SriLankan Airlines. My story, The Last Royal Weavers, runs in the July 2017 issue.


OPPO Reno5 A characteristics price technical sheet OPPO Reno5 A: ultra-fast charging and power from Qualcomm to compete in the 5G mid-range OPPO has just presented in Japan the new OPPO Reno5 A, a mid-range terminal with quite interesting specifications. It comes to be part of a family made up of brothers like the OPPO Reno5, Pro and Pro +, or like the OPPO Reno5 Z. We are going to tell you the characteristics and specifications of this new OPPO, a terminal with a very striking design, fast charging and a fairly ambitious memory configuration.
OPPO Reno5 A datasheet
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT
162 x 74.6 x 8.2 mm
Full HD +
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G
6 + 128 GB
5G SA / NSA Headphone Jack
PRICE: Not available
stands out mainly for its Snapdragon 765G, a processor that has been on the market for some time, but which is still the best in its segment. This powerful processor is accompanied by 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal memory, expandable by microSD cards of up to 1 TB.
The screen is 6.5 inches, IPS and with a refresh rate of 90Hz in Full HD + resolution. It has a small front perforation in which it houses a 16 megapixel camera. To power this set, we find a 4,000mAh battery with 65W fast charging, one of the fastest in its segment.
The rest of the cameras are made up of a 64 + 8 + 2 + 2 MP quadruple system, with ultra wide angle, macro and depth. The terminal comes with several AI add-ons for the camera, such as the video night mode to obtain greater luminosity. At the connectivity level it is served, with 5G SA / NSA, NFC, type C port, Bluetooth 5.1 and even a headphone jack to enjoy wired sound.


Welcome to the 42nd episode of The Castle Vault! In this week’s journey exploring the famed Disney Vault through the Disney Plus streaming service, we take a deep dive into … Atlantis: The Lost Empire!
In this episode, we discuss the radically different yet oddly enjoyable Disney film from 2001, Atlantis: The Lost Empire! This film can easily be considered an unappreciated Disney film like no other, but it’s ridiculously fast-paced action makes it hard to fit everything in to one movie. It definitely doesn’t FEEL like a “normal” Disney movie. But where will it land on The Hierarchy? We also have all of our fun segments that we do weekly, including another incredible World of Color Brain round and the next installment of Chillin’ Like a Villain!
All this and more in Episode 42 of the Castle Vault!
Stay magical, friends.
- #CastleVaultCooking – Lettuce!
- Disney Plus check-in
- The Castle Vault – ATLANTIS: THE LOST EMPIRE (2001)
- Chillin’ Like a Villain
- Counting Crows
- Talkin’ Tie-ins
- The Hierarchy
- World of Color … Brain
- Five Fun Facts
- Tough Trivia Time
- We Recommend!
NEXT WEEK’S MOVIE IS:
LILO & STITCH
Want to contact us?
Jason: @JasonInquires (Twitter and Instagram)
Josh: @TheNoyse (Twitter and Instagram)
Show: @TheCastleVault (Twitter and Instagram)


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Start-up company Nowadays Trading has officially marked its entry to the UAE’s healthy fast-food segment with the launch of its one-of-a-kind, market disruptive healthy frozen ready meals under its new FatBroccoli brand.
The newly introduced FatBroccoli products features locally produced healthy frozen food with 100 per cent natural ingredients. The nutritious fast-food will be available in schools, gymnasiums, universities, hospitals, petrol stations, government offices, service centres, airports, and other high footfall areas. From the UAE, FatBroccoli aims to expand into new territories, such as having 20 outlets in other GCC markets are already in the pipeline.
The launch of the new, innovative food concept of the home-grown FatBroccoli brand comes amid the rising consumption of fresh ready meals in the country as well as the exponentially growing local frozen food market. At the onset of the pandemic in 2020, the value of the UAE frozen food sector stood at USD 790.74 million and is predicted to jump higher at a compound annual growth rate of 4.87 per cent during 2021-2026. The figures are based on a study conducted by marketresearch.com.
Gilbert Kahawaty, Co-founder and Director of Strategy, FatBroccoli, said: “The UAE is home to many nationalities of diverse cultural backgrounds. When it comes to food, FatBroccoli aims to offer them cuisines that they miss and love back home. We got very inspired by top cuisines in the world, and we carefully crafted our menu to cater several nationalities which helps a lot not only providing the whole UAE a food concept that has already been embraced in the UK, the United States, and many European and Asian countries, but a line of healthy frozen meals that is a convenient way for health-conscious consumers to prepare and eat nutritious food despite their demanding schedules. With fresh ingredients, frozen food is a nutritious choice for many who lead a busy life but still aim for a healthier lifestyle.”
Kseniia Khrypun, Co-founder and Director of Innovation, FatBroccoli, said: “The entry of our products to the Emirates comes at the most opportune time, as the government continues to step up its efforts to build a healthy population and combat various health concerns such as obesity. Through our healthy frozen ready meals, we aim to add value to the UAE Government’s relevant initiatives in this regard. Moreover, as a home-grown company, we seek to contribute to the country’s overarching food security program. This is in line with the goals of the National Food Security Strategy 2051 and the ‘UAE 2020: Towards the next 50.’ We provide not only food for your convenience but the food of the future as well.”
FatBroccoli’s menu consists of mouth-watering international cuisines, including Chilli Con Carne, Beef Kofta, Broccolini Pumpkin Curry, Mexican Pulled Beef, and Salmon Penne, to name a few. Containing natural sweeteners and with a shelf life of one year in the freezer, all of the company’s products are made with reduced sugar, low in salt, no additives, and no preservatives. The company cooks and delivers the ordered meals that can be reheated in two convenient methods: either through a microwave for less than five minutes or through the oven for 30 minutes. The dish will remain hot and fresh but with less time consumed. Shoppers may place their orders via FatBroccoli’s Instagram account (@fatbroccoli_ae), which features images of its delectable offerings and has been designed with an integrated ordering system.
The name FatBroccoli is an oxymoron and unique term that seeks to highlight the fact that broccoli is one of nature’s rock stars. Fat-free, broccoli is a green vegetable that is rich in vitamins and minerals.
Aside from being a proponent of healthy eating, FatBroccoli also embraces sustainability with the brand using only sustainable and eco-friendly packaging for all its products. Its efforts seek to reduce its environmental impact and contribute to building a more sustainable future for all.

domain: news


text:
From: Mike Janke
Date: 2001-03-20 18:47:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Adrenal Ferret/Insulinoma
Beta cell tumors can be diffuse throughout the pancreas and it's my
understanding that they can be almost microscopic, so they may not
present as visible tumors on the surface.
I guess the next question is, what is Tango's blood glucose? Below
70mg/dl is a pretty good indicator of insulinoma.
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., Tracy Jose <tracy@f...> wrote:
> Hello FHL,
> I just recently had my Tango in for adrenal surgery. He had his
left adrenal removed and his right one debulked. They both were
quite large the vet said. Before he went into surgery, I asked the
vet if he would check his pancreas for insulinomas...he had been on
Prednisone for a year (I have a new vet). Well, the surgery went
well and the vet informed me that his pancreas looked very normal in
color, size and no signs of insulinomas at all.
> I'm wondering if he was misdiagnosed for insulinoma from the very

domain: medical


text:
Unlike any other poem, Dickinson does not include a title for most of her works. This means that a title cannot be analyzed, therefore a jump to the first line of the first stanza must be done. The first line of “I Heard a Fly buzz—when I died” includes, “I Heard a Fly buzz—when I died—” (Dickinson 1). The significance the narrator is putting on the fly cannot be missed. Ironically, other than rot and decay, there is no significance or relation between death and flies. This could either show that the ...
... middle of paper ...
...n their deathbed, the truth, the reality of their situation, that death is death and nothing else, will remain in their subconscious, and will shortly be realized. Written in four parts, Emily sets up an interesting, attention grabbing first stanza, highlighting the significance of a fly to the death of a person. She continues to raise inquiry and interest as she introduces religion and reveals to the reader the narrator’s situation. This was followed by a conveyance of the narrator’s personality, showing kindness and generosity. A surprise then crashes in, revealing the significance of the fly as the harsh truth and reality, and the realization of the falsities of religion and the afterlife. She successfully communicates truth in atheism, the fallacy in the belief of religion, and theists’ futile resistance of finality, through the creation of an afterlife, a heaven.
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- Emily Dickinson is one of the most well-regarded, and well-known American poets of today. Born in 1830s Massachusetts, she lived quite an introverted life, writing a collection of more than 1760 poems. She spent most of her early life in school, but later in adulthood, indoors, writing or reading literature. Many of her poems deal with life and death, and also immortality, with her poem, “I Heard a Fly buzz—when I died” not an exception. Emily usually did not give titles to her poems. Her works, instead, are titled as their first line, or given number by author Thomas H.... [tags: Death, English-language films, Afterlife]
1455 words (4.2 pages)
- Death in Dickinson's I heard a fly buzz when I died Emily Dickinson’s poem “I heard a fly buzz when I died” is a reflection on what happens when one dies. In the poem, the speaker is waiting to die. It seems as though they are expecting something spectacular to happen at the moment of their death. This spectacular event they are expecting does not happen. I heard a fly buzz when I died By Emily Dickinson I heard a fly buzz when I died; The stillness round my form Was like the stillness in the air Between the heaves of storm.... [tags: Emily Dickinson Poem Essays]
897 words (2.6 pages)
- ... In Emily Dickinson’s poem “I Heard a Fly Buzz When I died” the poem seems to revolve about death. After reading the poem countless times many different meanings come to mind, but one seems particularly clear: Emily Dickinson is writing about how death can feel, how it happens, and what can be expected from it. The first line of the poem starts off with “I Heard a Fly Buzz-When I Died”, where Emily is starting to picture the idea of death. She sees people dying around her and she wants to feel what they are feeling, more specifically the feeling of death and life carrying on around you.... [tags: death, war, poem ]
599 words (1.7 pages)
- An Annotation of Emily Dickinson's I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died Emily Dickinson's poem "I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died" is centralized on the events of death and is spoken through the voice of the dying person. The poem explores both the meaning of life and death through the speaker and the significant incidents at the time of near death that the speaker notices. Many of Dickinson's poems contain a theme of death that searches to find meaning and the ability to cope with the inevitable. This poem is no exception to this traditional Dickinson theme; however its unusual comparisons and language about death set it apart from how one would view a typically tragic event.... [tags: Dickinson Heart Fly Buzz Died Essays]
1089 words (3.1 pages)
- An average fly is only 1.2 millimeters in length. One may think an unpleasant fly is insignificant, though it can symbolize a much larger meaning. In Emily Dickinson’s commendable poem I Heard a Fly Buzz-When I Died, Dickinson negatively approaches religion in the fly that buzzes throughout the course of her poem resembles the evil one, death throughout the poem and where there is good there is evil around the corner. One can prove these methods by the three elements of symbolism, oxymoron and irony.... [tags: Death, Life, Good and evil, Emily Dickinson]
1551 words (4.4 pages)
- Analysis of Dickinson’s I heard a Fly buzz - when I died Emily Dickinson wrote hundreds of poems during her lifetime that dealt with death. She seemed to have an almost morbid fascination with the subject. Her poem "I heard a Fly buzz - when I died" is one of the many poems she wrote about this ghastly topic. The symbols she used make this poem interesting because they can be interpreted on more than one level. The punctuation and capitalization used also give the poem an abstract quality. Like much of Dickinson's poetry, this poem is both startling and somber.... [tags: Dickinson I heard a Fly buzz]
1316 words (3.8 pages)
- Emily Dickinson had a fascination with death and mortality throughout her life as a writer. She wrote many poems that discussed what it means not only to die, but to be dead. According to personal letters, Dickinson seems to have remained agnostic about the existence of life after death. In a letter written to Mrs. J. G. Holland, Emily implied that the presence of death alone is what makes people feel the need for heaven: “If roses had not faded, and frosts had never come, and one had not fallen here and there whom I could not waken, there were no need of other Heaven than the one below.” (Bianchi 83).... [tags: identity, Emily Dickinson, ]
1592 words (4.5 pages)
Differing Experiences of Death in "I Heard a Fly Buzz-When I Died" and "Because I Could Not Stop for Death by Dickinson,
- ... The reader is able to connect to a house and relate to the welcoming feeling that most houses give off. It seems unusual that an author would use very mundane images like a "house" and a "roof" in describing her grave. The last stage of the narrator's journey is in lines twenty three and twenty four. Dickinson uses horses' heads as a means to add closure to "Because I could not stop for Death." The narrator is aware that she is about to pass away, as expressed by stating, "I first surmised the horses' heads/ Were toward eternity." However, Dickinson only mentioned the head of the horse, and not the entire horse.... [tags: imagery, afterlife, fear]
1861 words (5.3 pages)
- Emily Dickinson uses irony to layer and deepen the meaning of her poems. Irony can be defined as “a discrepancy between appearance and reality,” (Pearce, “Irony and David Copperfield”) and comes in several different forms including verbal, situational, dramatic, and cosmic irony. In Emily Dickinson’s poem “I heard a Fly buzz–when I died,” Dickinson uses irony to express her feelings of trepidation towards death. To begin, Dickinson was presumed to have faith in God, but did not attend a church regularly; she seemed to have some doubts about faith.... [tags: Death, Afterlife, Spirituality, Life]
728 words (2.1 pages)
- Death in Emily Dickinson's Because I Could Not Stop for Death and I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died Emily Dickinson's two poems, "Because I Could Not Stop For Death" and "I Heard A Fly Buzz-When I Died," revolve around one central theme, death. Though the two do centralize around the theme of death they both have slightly different messages or beliefs about what is to come after death. By discussing both of the poems and interpreting their meanings, the reader can gain a fuller understanding of the message Dickinson is trying to send to her audience and a greater feel for what may lie ahead in the afterlife.... [tags: Emily Dickinson Death Dying Literature Essays]
962 words (2.7 pages)

domain: library


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Yesterday, The first metaverse gaming platform The Sandbox announced a collaboration with French Video game company Ubisoft to allocate metaverse land to the gaming giant company.
Ubisoft is one of the leading industries in the gaming space that have launched a set of popular games including Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, Tom Clancy’s, Prince of Persia, Rabbids, and Rayman.
As per the announcement, Ubisoft will initiate metaverse with the voxelized versions of Rabbids’ characters from Rayman.
The Sandbox says the project has “strategically partnered with Ubisoft to introduce Ubisoft game IP elements to The Sandbox gaming metaverse.”
Since the launch of the Rayman, Rabbids characters were among the favorites of many video game players. as IGN said in 2006 that the game is “engaging and addictive and the title’s sense of humor is in a league of its own.”
Ubisoft has already fallen into non-fungible tokens in the last few months. Last year, Aleph.im provided the storage for dynamic NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) on Ubisoft Quartz.
On the Sandbox metaverse, Ubisoft will build an entertainment zone that will provide an interactive experience to users.
Guillaume Mammi, Ubisoft’s senior manager of new business and partnerships, said “We’re excited to bring the Rabbids to The Sandbox community and to empower players to create their own original experiences incorporating elements of our gaming IP. We can’t wait to see how they make the Rabbids’ world their own,” Mammi said.
The Ubisoft executive added, “The Sandbox is an obvious new fun playground addition to the long list of Rabbids world invasions, and a great opportunity for Ubisoft to experiment a metaverse experience for its brands.”


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Apple-Oatmeal Crumb Cake
Contributed by Diane S.
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup regular oats
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup chilled stick margarine or butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup apple juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1-1/2 cups coarsely chopped peeled McIntosh apple (about 2 apples)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a
knife. Combine the flour and next 5 ingredients (flour through nutmeg)
in a bowl, and cut in the margarine with a pastry blender or 2 knives
until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Reserve 1/2 cup flour mixture
for topping; set aside.
3. Combine the remaining flour mixture, baking powder, and baking
soda, and add the apple juice, vanilla extract, and egg. Beat the
mixture at medium speed of a mixer until blended, and fold in the
4. Spoon the batter into an 8-inch round cake pan coated with cooking
spray, and sprinkle the reserved 1/2 cup flour mixture over the
batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until cake springs back
when touched lightly in center. Cool the cake on a wire rack. Yield: 8
servings (serving size: 1 wedge).
CALORIES 204 (30% from fat); FAT 6.9g (sat 1.4g, mono 2.9g, poly 2g);
PROTEIN 3.1g; CARB 33g; FIBER 1.3g; CHOL 28mg; IRON 1.2mg; SODIUM
154mg; CALC 33mg
September 98 Recipes

domain: food


text:
We appreciate the amazing work of the teachers in Alachua County and throughout Florida. When a Florida resident purchases or renews this Support Education specialty tag, $20 goes directly back to support schools, teachers and students in the county where the tag is registered.
https://www.alachuacollector.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/59664125_2490422850991504_7327259858183389184_n.png 254 508 Jessica Phillips https://www.alachuacollector.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/tiny-header-logo-300x100.png Jessica Phillips2019-05-30 10:03:252020-03-08 14:46:12Thank a Teacher!
Alachua County Tax Collector
12 SE 1st Street
County Administration Building
Gainesville, FL, 32601

domain: geography


text:
DirectionsTrail GuideTopo MapReviewsPhotosGPS
Walnut Canyon Professional Review and Guide
"This passage’s peaceful traverse of Anderson Mesa from Marshall Lake and along Walnut Canyon belies its proximity to the city of Flagstaff. In the bottom of Sandy’s Canyon, before the Arizona National Scenic Trail (AZT) ascends to the Fisher Point area, you will come to a junction. The left fork, a resupply route for thru-hikers, heads north into Flagstaff (see Passage 33, page 238). The right fork takes Passage 31 northeast and follows the edge of Walnut Canyon after passing Fisher Point (a popular destination for Flagstaff locals). The latter is also the equestrian bypass around Flagstaff."
--Matthew J. Nelson, Your Complete Guide to the Arizona National Scenic Trail (Wilderness Press).
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Every so often a young actor comes along whose body of work truly captivates, and that is certainly the case with Sam Littlefield. A natural born storyteller, he’s been breathing life into an array of colorful and hypnotic characters since his youth. Whether it’s lighting up the screen in high-profile productions on television or turning […]
Tag: independent film
‘Mickey And The Bear’ Trailer Showcases Spellbinding Performances From Camila Morrone and James Badge Dale
The trailer for SXSW breakout drama Mickey And The Bear, starring Camila Morrone and James Badge Dale, has been released. This spellbinding coming-of-age story, the directorial debut of actress Annabelle Attanasio (“Bull”), has premiered to massive critical acclaim: *L’Acid Cannes Official Selection* *2019 SXSW Film Festival* *2019 Seattle International Film Festival* *2019 Nantucket Film Festival* (Adrienne […]
Larry Fessenden is, by definition, a dreamer. His passion for larger-than-life tales began as a child and would ultimately led him to become a master of storytelling. Known for his dark edge, Fessenden has breathed life into some of the most captivating genre films of the past three decades. While he may not be a […]
Robert “Bronzi” Kovacs on his eclectic career, the making of ‘Death Kiss’ and exciting new projects!
Mackenzie Astin discusses his life in show business, growth as an actor and exciting new projects!
Director Jeremy Phillips and Lindsey Shaw discuss the making of their breathtaking independent film.
Writer/Director Timothy McNeil offers a look inside bringing ‘Anything’ from the stage to the screen.
John Carroll Lynch discusses his creative evolution, longevity and dynamic new role in ‘Anything.’
Director Adam Green offers an inside look at his creative evolution and the making of ‘Victor Crowley.’


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We had a superb tour of Waipio Valley with Waipio Valley Shuttle in October. Everyone in our group of six loved it.
Don’t let the name fool you. It’s far more than just a shuttle service. It’s a fully-guided tour.
We met our engaging tour guide and loaded in to the open-window, four-wheel drive van up top at Waipio Valley Artworks. The trip down the average 25% grade, single-lane, cliff-hugging, curvy, curvy, curvy road was an adventure of its own. Did we mention it’s curvy? Our tour guide told us he had driven the road so many times that he could drive it with his eyes closed. He certainly knew what he was doing and quickly gained everyone’s trust.
Our tour guide had previously lived in the valley so he gave us many insights about what it’s like to live where very few homes have running water or electricity. He helped us all appreciate that what the valley lacked in modern conveniences, it more than made up for it in beauty and a spirit of community.
The 90 to 120-minute tour stopped many times to take in a view or hear a story. There was only one stop where we got out of the van. At that stop, we got to take in a view of Hi’ilawe Falls, the wispy, 1200-foot waterfall that’s only visible from the valley ground level. We had plenty of time to snap photos at this one stop.
We saw so many fruit trees and tropical blooms. We even got to taste a number of them. We got to drink fresh coconut water plus eat the flesh of the coconut. We smelled the sweet fragrance of a ginger blossom before eating it. We also tried starfruit, avocado and a fern. Whatever is in season and accessible from the rugged road, was fair pickings.
The entire spectrum of green must exist in this verdant valley. It’s so lush and beautiful — a true piece of island paradise.
Waipio Valley means land of curving water. We got an appreciation for this name as we drove through many streams.
Check out our short video of the Waipio Valley Shuttle tour:
Based on our excellent experience, we highly recommend this tour. Though we’ve also enjoyed a horseback ride in Waipio Valley, we felt like we got to see and learn far more via Waipio Valley Shuttle.
What to know before you go:
- Rental car companies prohibit you from driving their vehicles in the valley. Quite honestly, it is an extremely difficult road to maneuver down and back up. We would never want to drive it on our own, thus the reason we take tours instead.
- You can walk the road down to the valley, though we wouldn’t advise it. It is super steep. We saw a few exhausted looking people making their way back up the road.
- You can book online direct with the company for a discount. The price is currently $65 for adults without the discount and $59 with the discount. Pricing for children up to age 11 are $35 without discount and $32 with discount.
- Be prepared that the ride can be bumpy.
- Wear mosquito repellant.
- The van tour is open window, which makes for better photography without window reflections and distortion.
- The tour does not go to the black sand beach. We were told that the person who owns the land and road to the beach does not allow commercial vehicles on it.
- See more of our photos from this tour.
- You can easily view Waipio Valley from a lookout point. That’s free to do and definitely on our list of don’t miss sights of Hawaii Island.
- For more reviews of Waipio Valley Shuttle, check this TripAdvisor link.
- For more information, see the Waipio Valley Shuttle website.


ATLANTA (AP) — The southwest Atlanta day care where a toddler was left in a vehicle for about two hours has been ordered to close down.
Multiple news outlets report The Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning issued an emergency closure order for A New Beginning Learning Center II Wednesday after a 2-year-old boy was found in a locked van Monday. The child was found alert and breathing after his mother reported him missing.
Van driver Shavonda Dailey was arrested on child cruelty charges and released from jail on bond Wednesday.
The center appealed the DECAL order and can still stay open for 48 hours pending a decision. A hearing has been scheduled for Friday morning.


text:
By Bolaji Okunola
The Nigeria Infection Disease Society (NIDS) has proffered a solution to the raging COVID-19 pandemic. It stated this recently during its 2021 annual general meeting and scientific conference, at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Yaba, Lagos.
Speaking on the theme “Implementing a national vaccine strategy during the COVID-19 pandemic,” head of the Infectious Disease Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Lagos, Dr. Iorhen Akase, and Kemi Adekanmbi, an infectious disease specialist from the Department of Medicine, University of Ibadan, stated that it was high time Nigerians got oriented on the consequences and solution to the pandemic.
The duo, however, hinted that regular awareness was paramount in eradicating the pandemic.
“We feel that our stronger scope is to get out of this pandemic. And we have been doing our best in terms of availability of vaccines and acceptability of the vaccine. These are all very strong issues and we all know government alone cannot do this. They need organizations or institutes like us and the media who have a voice in decision making. We need to find ways in which we can implement a strategy to overcome this.
“Secondly, we feel that the right messages need to be passed across in terms of this pandemic. Presently, we are not out of the woods in terms of this pandemic. So, awareness needs to be made so that people won’t take the pandemic for granted.
“At a point in time, the citizens learnt a lesson about the pandemic, which struck unexpectedly but, sadly, most people don’t know the damage this pandemic can do. And we have seen what it has done.
“So, it’s important for us to come out so that we can proffer solutions to this even though people are now getting used to it. We need pass more relevant messages aside from the wearing of nose mask, hand sanitizers and social distance,” Akase stated.
Adekanmbi said: “As we all know, COVID-19 has done a lot of damage to our usual activities. If anyone told us we woul all be wearing masks for over a year, I don’t think any of us would have believed it. And till date, the only weapon we have against this disease is the vaccine. Clearly, in this state, prevention is better than cure. We’re all aware that implementing a vaccine strategy will be one of the strongest solutions to this.”
The two-day conference, also saw Dr. Falsal Shuaib, Folashade Ogunsola, Sadiq Mohammed, Prof. Babatunde Lawal Salako, Prof. Phyllis Kanki and other medical practitioners dissecting the issue and recommending ways to tackle the virus.


text:
On the red carpet of the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards on Monday, the Saturday Night Live star, 24, wore a beaded friendship bracelet that spelled out “AGD” — the initials Grande, 25, could take after she and Davidson eventually walk down the aisle.
“I have to keep Grande because my grandpa was so proud of our name,” she said of her beloved family member, who died in July 2014 — adding, “I feel like I’d like to just eventually be Ariana. It’s got a ring to it.”
The VMAs marked Grande and Davidson’s first red carpet appearance as a couple, coming more than two months after they got engaged.
They didn’t hold back either, sharing a smooch or two for photographers.
Grande wore a revealing metallic dress which she paired with stiletto, over-the-knee stocking boots. The powerhouse singer let her long locks break free of her signature pony, wearing them down instead.
Davidson, meanwhile, looked casual in a NASA sweatshirt and black sweatpants.
RELATED VIDEO: 2018 MTV VMAs Recap
Their PDA continued inside, as the pair remained cute and cuddly, smiling and whispering together throughout the show.
Grande also gave her fiancé a shout out as she accepted the award for best pop video.
“Pete Davidson thank you for existing,” she gushed at the end of her speech.
— Video Music Awards (@vmas) August 21, 2018
PEOPLE confirmed that Grande and Davidson had started casually dating back in late May. Then, just weeks later on June 11, PEOPLE revealed they had gotten engaged after the comedian popped the question with a massive 3-carat diamond ring.
In July, Grande — who performed “God Is a Woman” at the VMAs — defended herself and her relationship after fans criticized her decision to name one of the tracks on her new album, Sweetener, after Davidson.
“He’s my fiancé. This is my album. I’m an honest and emotional artist and human being and if my openness in my work isn’t for you, that’s OK,” she wrote to one fan. “I won’t be offended. Still wishing y’all all the love in the world.”


Global energy giant Royal Dutch Shell Plc has acquired a stake of almost 20% in Orb Energy Pvt. Ltd, a Bengaluru-based solar power services provider, in the latest bet on an Indian renewable energy company.
Orb Energy said in a statement the investment from Shell’s New Energies business will help it provide lower-cost solar power to more Indian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The company offers SMEs credit to invest in rooftop solar systems. This drives Orb Energy’s own sales.
“Shell’s investment will power the next phase of our growth and ensure that more underserved SMEs in India can benefit from clean, lower-cost electricity from solar,” said Damian Miller, Orb Energy’s CEO.
Brian Davis, vice president at Shell Energy Solutions, said the multinational giant was attracted by Orb Energy’s focus on providing cleaner and affordable energy solutions to SMEs in India. “This is a vital and growing sector, with great potential to contribute to the country’s renewable energy ambitions,” he said.
Davis said the deal is part of Shell’s ambition to provide reliable electricity supply to 100 million people in the developing world by 2030.
Shell, through various arms, has previously invested in at least three Indian-related renewable energy companies.
In August Shell India invested in biomass company Punjab Renewable Energy Systems Pvt. Ltd as part of a Series B round of $7.7 million.
Last year, Shell Technology Ventures LLC led a Series C round of $20 million in Husk Power Systems Pvt. Ltd, which supplies off-grid power to rural areas. In December last year, Shell acquired a 49% stake in Singapore-based Cleantech Renewable Assets Pte. Ltd, which develops solar projects in India and Southeast Asia under the name Cleantech Solar.
Orb Energy was founded in 2006 by Damian Miller and NP Ramesh. It claims that it has sold 160,000 rooftop solar systems in India with cumulative capacity of about 75 MW since inception.
Orb has two factories in Bengaluru to make solar photovoltaic panels and solar water heating systems. It employs 250 people in India. Orb also has operations in Kenya.
Existing investors in Orb Energy include Dutch development bank FMO, Bamboo Capital Partners and Pamiga SA of Luxembourg, Switzerland’s Rianta Capital and the US-based Acumen Capital Market Funds I.
Unitus Capital acted as the exclusive financial adviser to Orb Energy for the transaction with Shell.


Wesley Crusher comes back to the Enterprise for a visit, but he’s not the young man the others expect him to be. Meanwhile on Dorvan V, the Native American colonists are being forced to uproot by Starfleet in an ugly bit of history repeating. Throw in some Cardassians with itchy trigger fingers, and you’ve got Journey’s End going into this week’s Mission Log.
Tags: 1680, Admiral Nechayev, American Indians, Anatonia Napoli, Anthwara, Bularian canapés, Cardassian, colonists, colony, Corey Allen, demilitarized zone, diplomacy, DMZ, Dorvan V, Doug Wert, Earth history, Eric Menyuk, George Aguilar, Gul Evek, history, indigenous people, Jack Crusher, Javier Maribona Picard, Journey's End, Lakanta, Mozart, myth, mythology, Natalija Nogulich, Native Americans, Ned Romero, peace agreement, politics, Pueblo Revolt, Richard Poe, Ronald D. Moore, Shawn Piller, spiritual, spirituality, Starbase 310, Starfleet Academy, The Next Generation, The Next Generation Season 7, The Traveler, TNG, Tom Jackson, uniform, Vassbinder, Vetar, vision quest, Wakasa, Wesley Crusher
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This Thursday, November 23, Mission Log will take a break from our regular weekly schedule while we celebrate Thanksgiving.
We wish all our friends and listeners happy holidays if you celebrate, or happy fourth-Thursday-of-November if you don’t.
Your Mission Log will return on Thursday, November 30th at 12am PST with “Genesis.” Watch this space for an upcoming announcement about the return of Mission Log Live!7 Comments
Watch the premiere episode of Mission Log Live below! Then join us every Tuesday at our Facebook page for a new live show!
Since 2012, Mission Log has dug deep into the heart of Star Trek episodes analyzing the story elements for morals, meanings and social relevance.
Starting September 26, Roddenberry Entertainment adds a show that puts fans in the captain’s chair. 48 hours after each new Star Trek: Discovery episode, “Mission Log Live” invites you to join hosts John Champion and Ken Ray to share your thoughts on the new series. What was the episode about? What were the morals, messages and meanings? How does this new series fit in to the Star Trek universe?
This time it’s your chance to dig into the series and discover what’s there!19 Comments
It’s convention season again, and that means John and Ken will be on the road!
If you missed San Diego Comic Con this year, on August 3rd we’ll release the audio from Larry “Dr. Trek” Nemecek’s panel featuring four of your favorite Trek podcasters, and we’ll get the latest news on Roddenberry Podcast Network. Special guests: Kayla Iacovino (TrekMovie/Shuttle Pod podcast), Aaron Harvey (TrekFM/Saturday Morning Trek), Lisa Guetzkow (TrekRadio) and John Champion (Mission Log).
Then if you’re coming to Creation Entertainment’s massive Star Trek convention in Las Vegas, you can find John and Ken at the Roddenberry booth all five days along with the hosts and crew from Priority One and Women at Warp podcasts. On Thursday, August 3, be sure to attend the Mission Log panel “TNG 30: Trek in Transition.” As our coverage of TNG comes to a close, we’ll see how the passing of the torch affects the future of Star Trek’s storytelling. (Audio from this panel will be released as a podcast on Thursday, August 10. Mission Log will resume on August 17 with “Gambit, Part I” and “Gambit, Part II.”)
Those arriving in Vegas early be sure to come to the 8th annual “Landing Party” being held at the Masquerade Bar at the Rio Hotel. There will be trivia, prizes, and mingling with your fellow con attendees. Brought to you this year by Roddenberry Podcast Network, Larry Nemecek’s Portal 47, Bye Bye Robot, TrekRadio, TrekMovie and GeekNation Tours.
Finally – if you are in Southern California, make sure you catch The Improvised Generation, a hilarious and completely original improvised show in the style of Star Trek: The Next Generation. We saw their special performance at Comic Con and can enthusiastically recommend it to Trek fans and comedy lovers throughout the Federation. Performances are every Sunday night in August at 7:30pm at the Impro Studio. Follow @ImprovisedGen, and let us know if we’ll see you there for this away mission!
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Your Mission Log crew are taking time this holiday to be with friends and family, and we wish the best of times to everyone of you as well. Your regularly scheduled Mission Log will return next Thursday at 12:00am PST. Remember, no matter where you are, your Star Trek Pals are most of all thankful for you!
At the 2016 Star Trek convention in Las Vegas, we were proud to take to the Roddenberry Interactive Stage to present the Podcast Summit with some of our favorite friends and colleagues. The discussion ranged from distinguishing ourselves in the crowded field of Trek podcasting, the marker of success to the types of audience feedback we get. You can listen to the audio-only podcast courtesy of TrekGeeks or watch the video below from our friends at Priority One.


Click to listen. Carson Cooman, organ
Click to listen. Erik Simmons, organ
Duration: 4 min.
Dedication: for Erich Koch
Contact the composer regarding perusal or performance materials.
Preludio festivo (2016) is dedicated to Erich Koch. It is a grand and majestic festive prelude.
This piece may also be performed as one of a set of Five Preludes (2016) in the suggested order below:
Preludio con ostinato
Preludio quasi eco


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Marie Bashkirtseff was an unknown artist who, despite her short lifetime, once held the title of one of the most well-known women in Europe.
Maria Konstantinovna Bashkirtseva was born in 1858 to a privileged noble family in Gavrontsi, Russian Empire (now Ukraine). She spent a large portion of her youth travelling throughout Europe with her mother after her parents divorced when she was twelve years old before settling in Paris. She received an intensive private education encompassing painting and music, like many other noble women of the day. As a result of the consequences of tuberculosis mistakenly identified as chronic laryngitis, she lost her voice in 1877, ending her first artistic aspiration to pursue a singing career.
Marie studied painting at the Academie Julian (a private art school established by Rodolphe Julian that admitted young ladies and foreign artists barred from the École des Beaux-Arts). She started displaying her artwork in the Paris Salon as earlier as 1880 and did so for the remainder of her life.
Marie then focused solely on visual art, and in 1877 she relocated to Paris to attend the Académie Julian. At the Robert-Fleury studio in Paris, she also studied painting, and in 1880 her work “Young Woman Reading: The Question of Divorce" (1880) was accepted for display in the Salon.
Bashkirtseff's breakthrough came in 1881, when she became the first woman artist to have a painting accepted for exhibition at the prestigious Salon de Paris, which was held at the Louvre Museum. Bashkirtseff's first painting to be exhibited at the Louvre was a portrait titled "The Meeting", which was included in the 1881 Salon exhibition. The painting depicts two young girls meeting on a pathway in a garden, with one holding a small bouquet of flowers.
The Louvre is one of the most prestigious museums in the world and it is a great honor for any artist to have their work displayed there. In Bashkirtseff's case, her inclusion in the Salon exhibition, which was held at the Louvre, was likely due to her growing reputation as an artist and her connection to the Parisian art scene.
A portrait of the female students at Julian's workshop was another accepted painting in 1881. In 1883, a pastel portrait of Dina Babanine and two oil paintings—Portrait of Irma and Jean and Jacques were displayed; the pastel received an honorable mention. The paintings The Umbrella (1883) and A Meeting (1884), as well as the bronze statue Nausicaa's Pain, are among her best-known creations (1884). The Salon of 1884 featured a performance of A Meeting just before Bashkirtseff passed from TB. She created about 230 pieces between 1877 and 1884, primarily paintings and drawings.
In addition to having artistic talent, Bashkirtseff gained notoriety for her writing in Europe. She became known as an intellectual in Paris during her lifetime and contributed to the feminist publication La Citoyenne in 1881 with several articles. Her lifelong notebook is her most well-known creation. She began keeping a detailed journal when she was thirteen years old, and it now provides her firsthand knowledge of the late nineteenth-century European bourgeoisie.
Bashkirtseff was conscious of her limited time left. Her right lung had sustained permanent damage. The left has been becoming worse over time. Where there had previously been no bones, now there were. She picked up a pen and a new notepad and started writing what would eventually become the final draught of the preface to her diary.
She was willing to try anything to get immortality through her art and her journal. She aspired to achieve posthumous recognition through her paintings should enough time be left before she passed away. Her diary was scheduled to be released in the case of an early demise.
Obviously, Bashkirtseff's diary changed how young people viewed their diaries and themselves; it also affected how literary stardom functions.
At 25, Bashkirtseff passed from TB in 1884 and was buried at Paris' Passy Cemetery. The French government has designated a full-size artist's studio as a historic monument honoring her grace. Despite the shortness of her life, her writings and artwork are preserved in libraries and museums worldwide.

domain: artistic


BBNaija star, Eric blushes hard as a female fuel attendant gushed over his looks (video)
Former Big Brother Naija housemate, Eric has shared a video of the moment a female fuel attendant gushed over his looks at a filling station.
Apparently, the lady recognized the reality star while she was attending to him and she couldn’t help but comment on how handsome he looks.
According to her, Eric is extremely good-looking and ‘that lady’ fucked up. Netizens have opined that she was referring to Eric’s co-star and love interest on the show, Lilo Aderogba.
Eric could be heard chuckling in the background as he told the lady to repeat her statement.
Watch the cute video below,
After the BBNaija lockdown edition ended in 2020, Lilo took a swipe at her love interest while she was in the house, Eric.
She captioned the photo “We Move” … In the photo, she writes “Meet Boluwatife Lilo Aderogba, the first lady to pick a man over money in 1930”. See it here.


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StyleWatch I Really Love My. Bella's been flaunting a new satchel all over L.A., Olivia Palermo can't get enough of her ankle-strap pumps and Gwen Stefani is all ... Bosworth tells CBS News about her career aspirations and what she thinks about her time on reality TV 25. Noureen Dewulf: The Indian American actress is a new entrant on the list of the Sexiest Asian Women. 24. Riya Sen: Though not exactly known for her acting ... Get your fix of breaking news and cute photos of celebrity babies, kids, moms and more with the PEOPLE.com Celebrity Baby Blog. Get the latest celebrity news including photos, videos and much more . Over 15 years of the most beautiful nude women, more than a million photos of sexy naked babes, thousands of videos of girls with big tits showing their pussies and ...
GWEN ZAMORA IN HER NUDE PHOTO is very hot
click here for our featured girls on great photos of beautiful girls

domain: celebrity


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Seagull Scientific Announces New Headquarters Office
Bellevue, WA — June 27, 2016 — Seagull Scientific, Inc., manufacturer of BarTender software, today announced that it has relocated its corporate headquarters to accommodate its rapid growth.
Effective immediately, Seagull’s headquarters address is 15325 SE 30th Place, Suite 100, Bellevue, WA 98007.
“Our new headquarters is only about 1.5 miles from our previous location,” said Harold Boe, Seagull’s President and CEO, “but the new facilities give us room for significant further growth and provide attractive amenities for talent in our competitive local market, including cardio equipment, weight rooms, walking paths and on-site dining.
“We carefully designed the space to maximize the available natural light and provide more spaces for collaboration,” Boe continued. “This was a great problem to have: needing more room to better serve our growing customer base and attract even more top talent.”


text: Having a gritty vocal approach, considerable guitar skills, and an all natural sense of country-pop dynamics, Frankie Ballard seems with an unshakable template for country music stardom. Given birth to in Fight Creek, Michigan, Ballard was performing Elvis Presley tunes with his father (and with fervor) by enough time he was five, but he quickly fell beneath the summer time spell of football and forced himself to excel like a ballplayer. He was 18 before he got his 1st acoustic guitar, but thereafter he spent hours playing it, and music became his additional passion. He started playing in blues rings within the weekends, juggling gigs with football games, till music received out and he devoted himself to creating a career like a performer. Ballard’s big break arrived when he received Kenny Chesney’s Following Big Star local competition in Michigan in 2008, heading on to open up for Chesney through the nation star’s Michigan tour times, which resulted in Ballard being authorized to a posting cope with Sony ATV, and a documenting agreement with Reprise Information. He relocated to Nashville in the springtime of 2009 and started focusing on a debut recording with maker Michael Knox. An initial single, “Inform Me You Obtain Lonely,” premiered in the springtime of 2010, accompanied by “A Buncha Ladies” and his self-titled long-player for Warner Nashville in-may of 2011. After travels starting for Chesney, Taylor Swift, and Bob Seger, he released the record Sunlight & Whiskey early in 2014. “Helluva Lifestyle” got the record off the bottom, peaking at amount eight on Billboard’s Scorching Country chart, then your title track visited number five, accompanied by “Youthful and Crazy,” which shut from the album’s operate on the graphs in 2015. That calendar year also saw the discharge of “EVERYTHING Started using a Beverage,” the initial flavor from his third record, Un Rio, which didn’t strike the shops until June of 2016.


Karim Benzema - Forward who plays for Real Madrid C.F. in La Liga
Player ratings from Atletico Madrid's 1-1 draw with Real Madrid, which saw Karim Benzema's late goal cancel out an early strike from Luis Suarez.
Zinedine Zidane admits he hopes to welcome Karim Benzema back to Real Madrid training ahead of the Madrid derby with Atletico Madrid.
90min ranks the top 10 best overhead kicks in Champions League history.
France manager Didier Deschamps says he will never forgive Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema for his accusations of racism.
90min rank the top 50 world class footballers in the world - including Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar.
90min ranks the top five strikers of 2020 as part of the Welcome to World Class series.


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Sam Smith Named Best British Breakthrough Act at 2015 Brit Awards
In the fan-voted category of Best British Breakthrough Act, Sam Smith took home the prize at the 2015 Brit Awards.
In addition to the high honor at the Brit Awards, Smith picked up the Record of the Year and Song of the Year for “Stay With Me” -- as well as being named Best New Artist -- at this year’s Grammys. He also went home with a Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album for his debut, In the Lonely Hour.
In addition to the 2015 accolades he's been receiving as of late, Smith had about as good of a year in 2014 as any new artist: In the Lonely Hour was the second best-selling album in the U.K. and third best-selling in the U.S., selling millions of copies in both countries. Oh, and it peaked at No. 2 in the U.S. and No. 1 in the U.K.
Congrats to Sam Smith on this massive award -- here's to an exciting 2015!


Choral music from the sixteenth-century, right up to the late-twentieth-century features on this beautiful eleven-track album, with stunning performances from The Choir of Royal Holloway.
The Chapel Choir was established in 1886 for women’s voices & became a mixed choir in 1965. Forty-three years on and the choir have made 14 CD recordings & have toured most European countries, under the guidance of Rupert Gough, who began his musical training as a chorister at the Chapel Royal, St James’s Palace.
"The programme is superb ... The singing is great, the sound quality perfect and the programme notes are well written and informative."
"What more can one possibly ask for? Here is a choir of 23 young singers, fresh of tone and fresh of mind, careful and accurate over their notes yet giving the impression that it all comes naturally. Collectively they have a keen feeling for rhythm. They enunciate clearly but without making a point of it. They blend perfectly, they shade sensitively, they appear to work with like mind towards an agreed ideal of choral sound.
And their programme strikes a fair balance of old and new, the familiar and unexpected. Personally, I find that too much is slow (the old formula of "quick-slow-quick" is not a bad one for programme-builders, and here the proportions are reversed). But these are the very people to commend Arvo Pärt to the opposition, and certainly his mystical, almost penitential Magnificat has an unusually thoughtful beauty about it. With the entry of the organ in the wedding anthem by Robert Walker the swimmingly tinted ecstasies of a latter-day Duruflé are delivered without overmuch indulgence. On the other hand, how good it is to be woken up from these incense-laden reveries by Stanford’s purposeful Matins freshness, in firmly committed B flat!
But no: no real quarrel with any of this. Only a mild complaint that it’s over too quickly. Forty-seven minutes is distinctly short measure: another 10 at least."
"The mixed choir of Royal Holloway College makes a truly fabulous sound under the direction of Rupert Gough. The title track, a setting of the well-known Communion text by Gabriel Jackson, is a serene vehicle for these beautifully pure voices. The soprano line in particular is a blemishless thread. The basses are nimble: few ever manage the "thundering" in Weelkes’s Alleluia with such precision. The choir is coolly contemporary in Pärt’s Magnificat, romantically heroic in Bruckner’s Christus Factus, and breathtakingly expressive in Weelkes’s When David Heard." ****


MSC Cruises cracked down on passengers who broke newly implemented COVID-19 health and safety protocol as the cruise line’s ships resume sailing after the pandemic shut the global industry down in March.
On Tuesday, the cruise line denied a family from getting back on board the MSC Grandiosa after an excursion during which MSC Cruises says they broke from the “social bubble” put in place to avoid the spread of coronavirus. The Grandiosa departed from Genoa, Italy, Sunday on what was billed as the first Mediterranean cruise after Italy’s pandemic lockdown.
“We had to deny re-embarkation to a family who broke from their shore excursion yesterday while visiting Naples, Italy,” Paige Rosenthal, spokesperson for MSC Cruises, told USA TODAY Wednesday.
Among the other port calls for the Grandiosa are Palermo, Italy, and Valletta, Malta. Malta is one of four Mediterranean countries from which Italy requires incoming travelers to have COVID-19 tests.
Source: Read Full Article


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Delta Trading and it's previous company have been doing business in the Far East of Russia in Primorsky Krai since 1992. We have had much experience doing business with an office in the port city of Nakhodka, Russia. situated at the end of the Trans Siberian Railroad. Nakhodka is situated close to one of the best temperate hardwood forests in the world. It is very close to a modem container port of Vostoschny with weekly service to Busan Korea and ports in Japan.
Our Nakhodka office is managed by Tatiana Lidinzi who is very well versed in freight and the purchasing of Russian hardwood and pine products.
Products that we specialize in are:
Russian White Pine used in Window and Door manufacturing.
Russian Yellow Birch used in flooring manufacturing
Russian White birch used in cabinet and furniture industry
Russian White Oak and Ash lumber.
White Oak, Yellow birch and ash Veneer logs sold on Doyle scale if requested.
Russian hardwood logs sold on Ghost tally for sawmills.
The Russian government is trying to encourage the manufacture of lumber for export by placing tariffs on raw logs leaving Russia. The duties are expected to raise to 80% of value by next year so the future business of Russia will be lumber and Veneer logs, which is the future focus of our company.


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Please note that all cushions are made to order therefore please allow up to two weeks for your purchase to be dispatched.
City doors Repeat takes inspirations from archways and windows that can be found in the architecture that surrounds us. Hand painted design using acrylic paint to create layers and texture and then digitally printed on top quality canvas fabric.
Each cushion is hand made therefore sizes may vary fractionally.
This cushion design is digitally printed on to plain weave canvas 300gsm material.
The Canvas material is a poly-based tightly woven fabric, using a plain closed weave construct.
This fabric is very durable and can be machine washed at 30 degrees on a delicate cycle, which makes it perfect for families with young children and sticky fingers.


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CHAPPAQUA, N.Y. - Chappaqua has several events going on this weekend for residents of all ages. There will be a bird sale, story time, the farmers market and more. Take a look below for the list of events.
- Horace Greeley High School's boys varsity basketball team will travel to Arlington at 7 p.m. on Friday for a first-round sectional game.
- The Chappaqua Farmers Market will return at 9 a.m. on Saturday. The market will continue to be held in the Church of St. Mary the Virgin on South Greeley Avenue.
- The Chappaqua Library is hosting its weekly Bridge and Scrabble Club on Saturday at 10 a.m. While bridge play is not for beginners, all levels are welcome for Scrabble. The club is free and open to the public.
- A story time event called "All Together Now" will be held for children up to 5 years old at the Chappaqua Library on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. No registration is necessary.
- The Saw Mill River Audubon will be selling bird seed at the Pruyn Sanctuary office entrance at 275 Millwood Road on Saturday. Seed sales benefit the local conservation work of Saw Mill River Audubon. Bird seed selection and prices are available online at the bird seed sale web page at www.sawmillriveraudubon.org .
Click here to sign up for Daily Voice's free daily emails and news alerts.


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CRAVE - Sioux Falls
Valentines Day Prix Fix For Two
Feb 14 - Feb 15, 2022$109 Prix Fixe for Two including 4 curated courses with choices for all tastes
HALF PRICE BOTTLES OF WINE EVERY MONDAY
Multiple dates available
Mon 3:00 PM - 9:30 PMCome and Join us for Half Price bottles of Wine every Monday! $40 max discount, in-store only
- Surfaces sanitized between seatings
- Common areas deep cleaned daily
- Digital, disposable or sanitized menu provided
- Sanitizer or wipes provided for customers
- Waitstaff wear masks
- Diners must wear masks unless eating or drinking
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace
Vegan Truffle Parmesan Fries
crispy fries, tossed in white truffle oil, vegan parmesan cheese & house seasoning with rosemary garlic aioli
hand cut Certified Angus Beef medallions topped with béarnaise sauce, served with house seasoned french fries & grilled asparagus
green lipped mussels, clams, & shrimp sauteed with garlic, black pepper, lemon, white wine & butter, tossed in linguini, grilled artichokes, asparagus topped with basil & parmesan
Great food, good service, friendly and timely. The room is open and can be noisy, but not too loud.
Very good sushi… fresh and well presented. Restaurant was surprisingly full for an early Saturday evening (5 pm), but with a concert in town it filled up fast. Despite the volume, service was friendly and quick.
Great pre-theater meal. Nice menu selection. I had the stir fry and my friend had sushi. Would definitely go back.
Wait staff was fantastic
Everything was great, food was delicious and the server was very attentive and nice to us
We’ve been here several times and this is the first time the food hasn’t been good. Hopefully just an off night.
Always love Crave.
Great Food and excellent service.
My wife and I love having date nights at Crave, we love the Sushi
always a nice place to eat. was sat right away and servers helpful
New Year’s Eve
Fantastic new years dinner. Waiter Austin knocked it out of the park with service and suggestions for drinks and dishes. Great night!
Good except table next to us we’re coughing and snorting. Abit distracting
Please stop sending me the messages and Emails. Great restaurant we’ve also been to in the Twin Cities. Thanks for having us on Christmas Eve!
Our server was terrific. Food variety was nice for our group. Everything made for a wonderful evening!
We last visited in April 2021. With a party of four we had a booth which was nice for conversation. The food (3 seafood and one beef) was excellent; no issues. Server was excellent. For someone who doesn’t work a lot of hours she did a great job. We enjoyed their Old Fashion’s. Overall, very nice evening.
Good service as usual. Appreciate the flexibility of the kitchen in making changes to the dish I ordered.
Crave is always in our top 5 for dinner recommendations and we refer people who are traveling through to stay at the hotel because of the location and having Crave and Starbucks on site. The service and food/drinks are always great. I also appreciate they included plant based options on their menu.
Server was excellent- food great as always
Food and service were outstanding, definitely going back
Great service and food even though they were busy with several large groups
We asked for sparkling water, waiter brought soda water. Waited 10 minutes for his return asked him if it was sparkling or soda water. He then went and got sparkling water. Ordered plain ole mac n cheese got lobster mac instead. Sent that back. Mac n cheese when delivered had sour taste to it did not eat. Steak was ok at best, everything thing else mediocre.
My daughter bday
Waygu burger tasted frozen and over seasoned. Mac and Cheese was dry.
Plenty of plant-based options to choose from and the normal menu is great as well.
Appetizers were GREAT all of them wings; shrimp roll; flat bread
Other than the person up front greeting people - the service was great, food was fantastic. We had sushi and it was great. The waitress was very professional. The presentation of the food was excellent.
Always great food at Crave!
Had a business meeting, 2 of my clients are vegan and their orders were wrong, the food and drinks were mediocre at best. Also place was loud could hardly carry conversation. Staff was not attentive.
We were seated at a table that was not desirable and our waiter was able to wait our table properly due to the volume of people he was caring for. The noise level was crazy. However the food was incredible! I think we were there at the wrong place, wrong time unfortunately.
Craft cocktails, food, and service was all great!
Food was very bland. Found a bug in the lettuce wrap, and a hair on my burger.
We have eaten at this Crave with happy results many times but something was off on our last visit. 2 different drinks which are normally great we’re not worth drinking, hurts at $12+ a drink. Hamburger was dry, normally one of the best in town. The Sea Bass had a very strong order and the risotto was more like oatmeal then risotto. Hope this was just an off night, normally one of our favorite places. Positive note the service (waitresses) was great!
Our soup and salad came after our main meal. Took 10 minutes to get requested butter.
Server was friendly, but did not manage our meal service with excellence.
Great place to eat. We had excellent service and the food was wonderful.
Our waitress Whitney was wonderful! Food great too!
Great food, fast service, and fun atmosphere. Definitely worth it!
Food and service were excellent. Our server was actually happy to be working there and it showed. Love to tip big when it is deserved. We'll be back.
The beet and berry starter was absolutely delicious, salmon cooked perfectly, husband’s wagyu steak was served rare just like he wanted and had good flavor but at this price point there are several other places in SF that stand out above Crave. The atmosphere is definitely more conducive to a night out with friends (especially the younger crowd) than for a date night. It is LOUD and the tables are crowded together. Great food and a fun atmosphere for the 20 somethings but if you’re looking for a date night with conversation I would recommend passing on Crave.