text:
Home Technology Is the HPE cloud success story a done deal? Not quite …
Is the HPE cloud success story a done deal? Not quite …
Comments Off on Is the HPE cloud success story a done deal? Not quite …
Back at HPE Discover 2019, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. Chief Executive Officer Antonio Neri stood on the keynote stage and pledged allegiance to an as-a-service future. After three years working on building out the cloud platform that powers HPE GreenLake, Neri was back on the keynote stage at HPE Discover 2022 declaring mission accomplished.
But is the HPE cloud success story a done deal? Not quite, according to industry analysts covering HPE Discover news and announcements during the event.
"The pandemic was a setback, but [HPE] GreenLake is a real shining star," said industry analyst John Furrier during an exclusive broadcast on theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media's livestreaming studio.
Joining Furrier to "unpeel the onion" of HPE's positive messaging during the event were Keith Townsend (pictured), principal at The CTO Advisor, and theCUBE's industry analysts Lisa Martin and Dave Vellante. (* Disclosure below.)
If HPE can nail the cloud operating model, the rest is cake
The standing room-only keynote and high in-person attendance showed that HPE's customer base is resonating with the company's value proposition of annual recurring revenue as a service. But HPE still has to consolidate its cloud operating model, a high-stakes task that presents a considerable challenge.
While it isn't there yet, HPE is absolutely on the cloud curve, according to Townsend, who listed HPE's developer-centric features, including application programming interfaces for easy cloud deployment, a developer portal, and the ability to consume 3PAR storage array services via a Terraform provider.
"They speak the language of cloud practitioners," he said.
This leads to the question of if HPE can build a supercloud across multiple cloud providers to enable it to move into the coming era of enterprise cloud.
"They have the hardware, they have the infrastructure, but they don't have the services," Townsend stated.
As HPE burns its on-premises bridges, staking the company's future on the HPE GreenLake cloud-to-edge platform, there are still questions on if the strategy is viable, according to the analyst panel.
"If they get the operating model right with [HPE] GreenLake, they can double down on that and enable the developers that are driving the digital transformation. That to me is the key position that they have to nail," Vellante said.
HPE's challenge with HPE GreenLake is to follow the example of Microsoft with its 365 platform, according to Furrier. Instead of looking to bring in new startup customers, he believes HPE's ideal customer profile lies within its installed base.
"The developers that they're targeting are the ones inside the company and/or managed services that they're going to go to the ecosystem for. That's where everything kind of comes together," he said.
HPE mustn't forget that customers can move fast too
At the end of the day, customers have many alternatives to choose from, according to Furrier.
"They can move faster to get the value that they need to solve their serious problems, like cybersecurity, like scalable infrastructure, like infrastructure as code, like DataOps, like AIOps. It's all here, and it's all coming fast," he said.
Will HPE GreenLake carry the day? Or will competitor Dell Technologies Inc., which faces the same set of challenges with its APEX as-a-service portfolio, or some yet-to-emerge contender rise to the occasion of meeting the enterprise's cloud services needs?
HPE's differentiator is its established position in the enterprise market, which gives it a strong channel and sales force and some "serious customers with serious problems," according to Furrier.
"[Their] cloud-to-edge operating model is the number one thing that they need to nail," Furrier said. "If they nail that right, they will have a pole position that they could accelerate on."
Here's the complete video interview, part of SiliconANGLE's and theCUBE's coverage of the HPE Discover event:
(* Disclosure: TheCUBE is a paid media partner for HPE Discover. Neither Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co., the sponsor of theCUBE's event coverage, nor other sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)
Photo: SiliconANGLE
Previous article Sister Wives Stars Kody And Meri Brown's Child Leon Comes Out As Transgender
Next article Skoda Fabia 1.5 TSI Monte Carlo 2022 review review
More By Michael Smith
Breaking Analysis is a weekly editorial program combining knowledge from SiliconANGLE's th…
We believe that CISOs are prioritizing zero trust because it has the best return on invest…
Opinion: Why the Geneva show is expanding across continents
The Geneva motor show has been cancelled every year since 2020, yet you can bet the next s…
Load More By Michael Smith
Google LLC researchers have developed an artificial intelligence system that can generate …


New jointly negotiated garbage contracts, the first collaborative gesture between the previously at-odds Pointe Coupee Parish and New Roads city governments, are expected to show a savings from the two current contracts.
The two governments — led by new leaders, parish president Major Thibaut and mayor Cornell Dukes — together negotiated the contracts, the first joint service for the city and parish since a 2013 a rift between the former mayor and police jury.
The parish council voted last week to accept a five-year contract bid from Pelican Waste, which will bring in a new garbage can for each of the 7,993 units in the parish and a per-unit fee reduction of about $2 per month. The deal will net an annual savings of about $244,000 for the parish, Thibaut said.
The city on Tuesday voted to extend its current contract with Republic Waste to March 31 to align with when the parish's contract expires. They also voted to tentatively approve the contract with Pelican to begin April 1, contingent on the council members finding no issue with the contract's verbiage once they receive a copy of both the parish's and city's contracts.
The city council was handed a side-by-side comparison Tuesday outlining Pelican's and Republic's bids, which is what they used to make their tentative decision. Both the city and parish are currently under contract with Republic, and in negotiation, Republic offered $1.30 less per household than it charges each entity now. Still, Pelican offered a deeper savings.
"We would not have been able to get that opportunity, in my opinion, without the parish working together with us, that's not something I think I could've gotten without us working together in unity," Dukes said Tuesday.
The savings for the city, with about 1,800 units, are expected to total $165,000 over the five-year contract, Dukes told the council.
Both Thibaut and Dukes have previously said the collaborative agreements are a sign of things to come, but the garbage collection contracts are a timely first step because both entities' current garbage contracts expiration dates were looming.
A Consumer Price Index cap of 2 percent. New Roads public works director Sal Rinaudo explained CPI to the council at Tuesday's meeting as a payment made once per year to cover moving targets such as fuel and other fluctuating expenses the waste collecting agency spends to service the area.
New garbage cans for each residential unit.
A total of 10 recycling receptacles to be placed throughout the parish and city. Residents do not currently have curbside recycling, but the placement of 10 receptacles is double the number offered by Republic.
To pay your traffic fines online, click the image above.
Need to pay your water bill online? Click on the image above.
Looking for a furry friend to become a part of your family? Consider getting a dog that has been left behind. A pet will provide unconditional love and companionship to all. Call the Town Hall to see if we have a dog that is longing to become a part of your family!
© 2019 Town of Fordoche, LA. All rights reserved.


text:
Family-Owned and Operated for 65 Years910-862-3688 | 6485 US Hwy 701 North White Lake, NC 28337
Consumer Commitment
NAUTIQUE BREAKS GROUND ON EXPANSION OF ITS WORLD HEADQUARTERS AND MANUFACTURING FACILITY
on June 10, 2015 in Events, Lifestyle
ORLANDO, FLA (June 9, 2015) — Nautique announces the expansion of its world headquarters and manufacturing facility today with a ground breaking ceremony to kick off the $8 million dollar project that will complete in January of 2016.
Recognized worldwide for building industry leading waterski, wakeboard, and wakesurf boats, Nautique continues to experience significant growth in the marketplace and plans to increase its workforce to accommodate rising demand. Nautique will continue to push the industry standard of technology and design from a brand new state of the art Product Design and Development facility that integrates a design studio, engineering lab, and prototyping lab. The new expansion will also allow the company to continue its development of the boating industry's most advanced manufacturing techniques in every step of the build process with more space and new equipment in every department. These advancements will allow Nautique to continue to deliver the performance and high standard of quality Nautique has built its name on for many decades.
"The marketplace has responded to the game-changing, innovative products that Nautique Boat Company has recently delivered," said Nautique President Greg Meloon. "This facility expansion will provide our growing team with the resources necessary to continue the innovation of our products and cutting edge manufacturing processes."
Celebrating 90 years of excellence in the marine industry, Correct Craft is the owner of Nautique Boat Company, Inc., Aktion Parks, Pleasurecraft Marine Engine Company, Bass Cat, and Yar-Craft. To learn more about Nautique and its complete product line, visit www.nautique.com. To learn more about Aktion Parks visit www.aktionparks.com. To learn more about PCM, Crusader and Levitator engines visit www.pleasurecraft.com.
2015 Plant expansion
Open 2021!
White Lake Marine's Annual Christmas Shutdown
Wilmington Boat Show Oct 2020
Announced as a "Top 100 Dealer"
© 2021 White Lake Marine | All rights reserved

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: Is 'smaller-bore' proposal (or plan) an ordinary expression? I found the expression (Obama needs to present the Congress) smaller-bore job proposal in the August 22 article of Washington Times written by Chris Cillizza under the title Economy has Obama facing major political test — and Democratic strategists divided.
The text reads:

Some suggested that Obama needs to think big when it comes to his jobs proposal. -- "Go long and big," said Steve Rosenthal, a senior party strategist. -- Others advised him to take it one step at a time, forcing a series of votes on smaller-bore jobs proposals rather than going for one major victory.

I understand that bore means diameter of a pipe and tube and caliber of a gun, hence it means sharply focused proposal on job creation. However, it's the first time for me to see the word small bore being used as "smaller-bore proposal (or plan)." Is this just a casual expression in English, or rather a stylish expression of the writer? Can I use "small-bore" casually, like 'He made a small-bore remark on the nuclear power issue,' instead of a hard-edged remark?

A: According to Dictionary.com, there are two definitions for small-bore:

–adjective

*

*of, noting, or relating to a .22-caliber firearm.

*insular or parochial in scope, attitude, etc.: small-bore officials.

So, a smaller-bore proposal is one that is "more small-bore". That is, it is more insular in scope. So instead of focusing on "one major victory", the passage is saying the the president should focus on smaller areas in which he can reliably affect change.
I had not heard the phrase before you mentioned it, and am not sure how common it is. A quick search of "small bore" finds more hits for the actual gun than for the idiomatic meaning. However, because it has found its way into dictionaries you can expect some (but not all) people to understand it.
As the meaning of hard-edged that I'm familiar with is "severe", I don't think it is a good synonym for "small-bore" or "smaller-bore" (though you may use the phrase differently than I do). However, related phrases are:

*

*smaller scale

*more manageable

A: You can use "small-bore" casually and people may understand what you mean.  However, the phrase has strong ties to the gun world.  So, if you use it, you will want to keep your audience in mind.
For example, I would try to avoid that phrase when speaking to a teacher's union or animal rights activist.  However, the phrase would be accepted when speaking at a gun club or when dealing with hot-button issues (religion and politics are good examples).

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Best of Android Apps for PC and Mac
Police VS Prisoner for PC | Windows-Mac
Police VS Prisoner For Windows & Mac On PC/Laptop
Police VS Prisoner comes with an awesome portal for the players who always wish to act as a boss in the game. Not just doing action and making criminal activities but players can have tons of fun in solving criminal activities. As this game provides three different game modes for its players. First one is of helping their avatar to escape the prison. The second is of fighting with the police of the state and the third is of solving mysteries in order to unface the truth about some rich personalities in the game.
At first, a player needs to decide an avatar for his gameplay. Most of the avatars are strong enough to face any sort of difficulties but try to get the ones who are quicker than their opponents. Gamers need to be aware of that they do not have to wrestle with their rivals, they just need to complete their missions as fast as they can.
Also Read: Play & Download FINAL BLADE for PC on Windows-Mac
In the game, each player is provided with a number of missions accordingly to their choice made for the game modes. The game missions consist of different nature and some of them can be really challenging for the players. Each mission comes with a different task for the players, they just need to follow the right instructions in order to complete them conveniently.
However, there are lots of game locations which comes with a variety of weapons for the players. So just need to keep themselves alive in order to come forward in unraveling the corrupt system. Players need to set their feet strong in the prison world because without it, they will not be well-known and they find themselves as in the position of pets of their enemies. Moreover, gamers can also decide to make some destruction on the streets of the city even if it is not required in the meantime.
As you know that this game is available on smartphones but you can also play Police VS Prisoner For PC with the help of Android emulator. For that particular purpose, you need to install the emulator on your PC/Laptop. Follow the steps below in order to download and install Police VS Prisoner For PC running Windows and Mac OS:
First, download Bluestacks on your PC. (Link)
After installation, open the emulator.
Click on my apps menu.
Hit the system apps.
Open Google play store.
Provide your google email in it.
Search for Police VS Prisoner in the search menu.
Open the game and hit the install button.
Click on the accept button and wait till the installation complete.
When the downloading is complete, click open to play Police VS Prisoner For PC.
The icon of the game also appears in my apps folder.
That's all, if you face an issue while installing Police VS Prisoner For PC then let us know in the comments below. Thanks.
Top 5 Apps To Meet New People Online
Download VideoLeap Video Editor For PC (Windows 10, 8, 7)
How To Install NetCapsule VPN On Your PC (Windows And Mac)
Ludo King For PC – Free Download – Windows 7, 8, 10
VITA Video Editing App for PC, Mac, Laptop (Free Download)
Best of Android App for PC and Mac - Download Android © 2021
Privacy Policy | Cookies | DMCA Disclaimer | Contact Us
Disclaimer: our Website is only for Free apps, to report copyrighted content (DMCA), use our Contact Form


text:
Anything Goes The Musical
Musical, Comedy 159 min
Filmed live at the Barbican in London, this major new 5-star production of the classic musical comedy features an all-star cast. When the S.S. American heads out to sea, etiquette and convention head out the portholes as two unlikely pairs set off on the course to true love – proving that sometimes destiny needs a little help from a crew of singing sailors, a comical disguise and some good old-fashioned blackmail. This hilarious musical romp across the Atlantic, directed by the multi-award-winning Broadway director and choreographer Kathleen Marshall, features Cole Porter's joyful score, including "I Get A Kick Out of You", "You're the Top" and the show stopping "Anything Goes."
"Sutton Foster dazzles in Cole Porter's fizzing tonic for our times…Blissful songs and dance and spirited performances from a virtuoso cast make a preposterous plot into a delightful musical escape." — Lyndsey Winship, The Guardian
Ross MacGibbon, Kathleen Marshall
Sutton Foster, Felicity Kendal, Robert Lindsay


It's April Afghan Day! Here's the Carol Adams square. I didn't feel a need to tinker with the pattern, except to start the patterning with a wrong side foundation row.
Here's a nifty variation on the Kf&b increase that I've been using on these squares for the get-out-of-garter stitch increases. First, reverse the stitch mount (if necessary) so that the left leg is nearside. knit the back leg, then the front leg (Kb&f). What's the point? When worked on a RS row, it makes the little bump hunker down deeper into the fabric. Also, if you sneakily choose your increase points so that those new "bump stitches" become the bottom of purl stitch columns, they blend in with the scenery even more.
I've been especially unfocused in my knitting lately - and for me, that's really saying something. I have no pictures because I keep ripping everything out! I started the Cabaret Raglan from IK Spring 2004, but Stockinette Tension Weirdness quickly set in. My purl stitches generally tend to be larger than my knit stitches, but on this project the opposite is true. Whassup with that? Maybe it's something about the cotton knitted tube structure of the Reynolds Cabaret. But then the Manos Cotton Stria arrived for my Perfect Tee class sample, so I put the Cabaret Raglan aside. This yarn is a lot like knitting with chenille because of its bumpy structure. I had to use needles two sizes smaller than I customarily would to get gauge. Then, halfway up the back, my tension changed. So this had to be ripped and reknit.
As a result of all this stockinette, I got it in my head to try controlling the tension for purl rows with my thumb. I'm pretty infatuated, but I've got to swatch properly, and then I'll report.
I had to start a new sock project because I was going to a classical music concert and needed something on wooden needles (no clinking). So I cast on Cookie A's new Stricken socks, but I've ripped them out at least twice now. First I misread the chart; the second time, I decided I really needed to make the calf more shapely, since the biasing and the twisted stitches interfere with its stretch. And I only got a couple of inches into her Mingus socks before bailing on that too. I'm going to start over and convert this to toe-up so I can control the fit more easily.
There are a couple of bits of good knit-news: mercifully, whatever was ailing the gauge of the Sea of Despair Socks seems to have straightened itself out, so the second one has a heel now. And I got my own copy of Principles of Knitting! I swapped my spare copy of Alice Starmore's Stillwater for it. Hurray, Ravelry!
Oh, and I cast on Nancy Bush's Estonian Socks yesterday for No Good Reason At All.


text:
Q: Can ReactJS be used for plugins? I need to write a plugin component that other developers can use on their websites.
Normally I would create a jQuery plugin.
I have recently been enjoying using ReactJS for web applications, based on https://github.com/andreypopp/react-quickstart .
Are there issues around:

*

*filesizes

*namespaces

*multiple versions of the plugin in one page

*multiple instances of the plugin in one page

if I use ReactJS to create a plugin for (non-ReactJS) web pages?

A: I don't why it could make an issue, but pay attention other developers would have to use React in their site just for this plugin.
I like React too, but jQuery is mainstream, and most websites have jQuery in them, so if I were you, I'd go jQuery for the plugin, and make a React wrapper around it.
good luck dude!

A: Some folks are already developing reusable react-based components: http://react-components.com

A: It's 2014 and JQuery is slowly on its way out, even if many devs are still too used to it to give it up. If you are working on a very reusable component, I would write it in vanilla js; else you can write it in react yes, if it helps you to keep the bug count lower, but some people won't use it because of the dependency on react.js, probably.


in 200 ml of boiling water add a tablespoon of lady's mantle. Drink two to four cups of the tea per day.
Moreover, tea made of shepherd's purse is also effective in treating uterine inflammation.
In a glass of boiling water add a tablespoon of shepherd's purse and let it soak for five minutes. Then, strain the tea and drink it. You can drink three glasses of the tea daily, as long as your condition gets better.
The yellow bedstraw is also beneficial in healing uterine diseases.
In a glass of boiling water add a tablespoon of the herb and let it soak for five minutes. Then, strain the tea and drink two glasses a day.
Mistletoe tea is beneficial because it can normalize the menstrual issues and uterine problems as well.
In a glass of cold water add a tablespoon of mistletoe and let it soak for 12 hours. Then, strain the tea and warm it a little. Drink two to three cups a day.
Yarrow tea is effective in treating uterine and breast issues.
Prepare a yarrow tea and drink two to three cups of it a day. In addition, baths with yarrow tea are super effective in treating uterine inflammation.
In case of genital cancer in women, a tea of yarrow and calendula is recommended.
Use 300 gr of yarrow and 300 gr of calendula. Drink six to eight cups of the tea a day. For two liters of tea you need eight spoons of the herbs. Also, add three spoons of Swedish bitter in the tea.
Prepare a tincture: chop the fresh shepherd's purse and soak it in rakia in 1:5 ratio or 100 gr of the herb in 500 ml of rakia. Drink ten drops of the tincture three times a day. Also, add tincture in the lady's mantle tea. Meanwhile, practice warm baths with yarrow tea.


text:
Gun Violence Is A Problem In Texas. And No One's Talking About It.
By editor • Oct 27, 2020
Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, of Texas, back right, speaks during a debate with MJ Hegar, of Round Rock, left, Friday, Oct. 9, 2020, in Austin, Texas. (Bob Daemmrich/Nexstar/KXAN via AP, Pool)
Bob Daemmrich/AP / Pool Nexstar/KXAN
Originally published on October 28, 2020 9:46 am
Texas has been home to several high-profile mass shootings over the past decade. And after each deadly event, like clockwork, there's a debate about the types of legislation that can be passed to prevent the next tragedy. But for some reason, the issue has hardly been spoken about during the 2020 election cycle.
During the third and final presidential debate, the topic wasn't broached once. That's odd considering just 13 months ago, former El Paso congressman Beto O'Rourke declared, "Hell yes we're going to take your AR-15s, your AK-47. We're not going to allow it to be used against our fellow Americans anymore," during a Democratic debate featuring candidates who were hoping to represent the party in the race for the presidency.
The lack of discussion about guns and Second Amendment rights is also unusual because gun deaths have been on the rise over the past two decades. According to the latest figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of annual gun deaths in Texas has jumped from 2,117 in 1999 to 3,522 in 2018.
It's because of that increase in annual gun deaths that Ed Scruggs, board president of the nonpartisan group Texas Gun Sense, said his group advocates for evidence-based policies that they believe will reduce gun injuries and deaths.
"We need to emphasize safety with firearms in the home," he says. "Safe storage, training, keeping those guns secure from children in the home, [and] other people in the home that may be under mental distress."
In Texas, an average of 3,139 people are killed each year with a gun. Yet, according to a recent poll conducted by the University of Texas and Texas Tribune, Texas residents are divided about gun control — with about 50% saying they want stricter gun laws.
Still, over the past decade, the state's Legislature has expanded where people can carry guns, who can have a firearm on school campuses, and the right to openly carry firearms in public.
"Our laws are not as wide open as states like Idaho, Kansas or Montana," said Scruggs. "But we're pretty wide open when it comes to gun laws. We don't have many restrictions."
Scruggs points out that in recent years, the Texas Legislature has also reduced the fee to get a license, they've allowed folks to carry guns on campuses, they've made it possible for one to carry guns at demonstrations and that Texas laws allow gun owners to open carry assault-style rifles.
"Many states don't do that," he said.
So if half of Texans want stricter gun laws and gun deaths in the state are rising annually, it begs the question — why aren't guns a bigger issue?
"It is just not the most important thing. Other things are more important. You know, healthcare, taxes, social security, medicare, the future. I mean, there are so many other things at stake," said voter Will Hancock.
Hancock is a liberal voter from Kingwood. And he loves guns. He even runs a YouTube page for liberal gun enthusiasts. And although he talks about guns all day, he says the issue will not be top of mind when he votes.
Scruggs said lots of voters are in the same boat. "COVID-19 has changed so many things because there are so many immediate emergency issues that come into play."
The pandemic, Scruggs said, has made it a struggle to get politicians talking about guns, gun rights, or gun violence prevention.
But politicians haven't been completely quiet about firearms during the election cycle. Scruggs said, prior to the pandemic, that guns were a major issue in the U.S. Senate race in Texas.
"MJ Hegar came out strong in support of gun violence prevention policies from the beginning," Scruggs said. "It was an issue in her primary and in her runoff and some people believed an issue and an advantage that she had, and one reason she won the nomination."
Hegar supports a ban on the sale of assault-style rifles. She's in favor of red flag laws. And Hegar wants to close loopholes in background checks.
In an interview with KERA, Hegar said her opponent, Republican Senator John Cornyn, has an extreme view on guns and doesn't want to do enough to stop preventable deaths. And she points to the mass shootings in Midland and Odessa as an example.
"Universal background checks would've saved lives in Midland that day and they know it would save lives," she said. "So I don't accept that John Cornyn thinks he's done enough. He knows he hasn't. But he is trying to serve his corporate PAC donors over his constituents."
KERA reached out to Senator Cornyn and his campaign to discuss his stance on gun violence and Second Amendment rights, but he declined an interview.
When we shared Hegar's sentiment with his representatives, they pointed out a law called the Fix NICS Act. It provides new financial incentives to states and agencies to report violent criminals to the FBI's background check system. And Cornyn successfully pushed it through the senate in 2018.
The Senator spoke about Fix NICS in his debate with Hegar in early October. He touted how the law helped get an additional six million people reviewed by the FBI's background check system in just six months. But the 30-second comment was the only mention of guns throughout the hour-long debate.
Cornyn, his office said, considers the Fix NICS Act to be "the accomplishment he's most proud of." And they said the Senator calls Fix NICS "the only major reform of the background check system in decades."
"Fix NICS was important, everyone knows that it was. But the facts are it's something that should've been fixed long before that," said Ed Scruggs.
He says that over the past 18 years, Senator Cornyn has toed the line when it comes to gun legislation: Cornyn has not come out in favor of universal background checks. He's voted against banning high-capacity magazines of over 10 bullets. And he's voted to expand the places where guns are allowed. All of that has earned him an A-plus rating from the NRA.
"His actions on gun violence prevention are very limited. It might be slightly more than others in his party, but he has a long way to go," said Scruggs.
Firearms have barely come up in Cornyn or Hegar's 2020 campaigns, but they're not alone. Across the board, COVID-19, the economy and racial tensions surrounding policing have been the dominant themes for politicians.
Since the summer, health experts have spoken out about their concerns pertaining to gun violence during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some have brought up domestic violence, others have worried about financial insecurity and how it could push one towards acting out violently. But recently, Doctor Eric Fleegler, a pediatric emergency physician at Boston Children's Hospital, and two of his colleague wrote a paper for the Annals of Internal Medicine warning readers that a suicide epidemic could be on its way.
"I think that we are highly likely to see more firearm suicides at a level that we've never ever experienced in the history of our country," says Dr. Fleegler.
Fleegler's concerns have to do with the alarming number of gun sales that have occurred in recent months, especially purchases from first-time buyers.
"We don't have specific data about how many guns have been bought, because the federal government does not collect that data," Fleegler explains. "But we do know that background checks, which are a good proxy for purchases, have gone through the roof."
He says that it is clear that a state's gun ownership rate is directly tied to a state's mortality rate — that includes homicides, suicides and unintentional deaths. "And so, as guns are purchased at higher and higher rates, the concern is that we're going to see a trend towards more fatalities."
Fleeger's also concerned about first-time buyers. And that makes sense, because a recent study by The New England Journal of Medicine did show that men who bought a gun for the first time were eight times as likely to kill themselves by gunshot in the subsequent 12 years than non-owners; women were 35 times as likely to do so.
"Increased anxiety, increased depression and firearms truly have the potential to increase gun violence, specifically around suicide," Fleeger said.
That's why he believes politicians who are currently pushing gun issues aside because it doesn't affect the polls is an error of judgment.
"We know that firearms are responsible for 20% of the fatalities of youth in America, and that they're responsible for almost 40,000 deaths in our country," said Fleeger. "These are deaths that are avoidable and not necessary."
He believes politicians — everyone one else — turning their attention away from gun policy issues is simply making a mistake. One that is surely going to lead to more losses, and not just not the political ones.
Got a tip? Email Hady Mawajdeh at hady@KERA.org. You can follow Hady on Twitter @hadysauce.
KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider making a tax-deductible gift today. Thank you.
Copyright 2020 KERA. To see more, visit KERA.
Latino Voters 2020: A Democrat And Daughter Of Immigrants Becomes A Faithful Trump Voter
By María Méndez • Oct 27, 2020
Sylvia Cervantes is 74 years old, retired and spends a lot of time tending to her front garden in Laredo.
"These are my pride in joy," she said in Spanglish. "These are my Angel Trumpets. See how beautiful they open up."
Her garden is filled with flowers like Angel Trumpets, Plumerias and Hibiscuses. The upkeep can be grueling work.
"When you're poor, you have to work very hard because you don't have to get a gardener. I don't have the money," she said.
But she's used to hard work.
Why Will 1,000 National Guard Troops Deploy In Texas Cities On Election Day?
Lee esta historia en español.
From Texas Standard:
On Election Day, members of the Texas Army National Guard will be in the streets of some Texas cities. According to reporting on Monday, the order came from Gov. Greg Abbott. The troops are said to have been called in case of disturbances that arise during the Nov. 3 election.
But many questions remain about where exactly troops will be, and what they'll be doing.
Four Ongoing Legal Battles That Could Make It Harder To Vote In Texas
Texas voters are on pace to break records this year: The state already has surpassed 80% of its total 2016 vote total.
But while Texas is among those states leading the country this election cycle, it's long been notorious for low voter turnout – and rules that make it harder to vote here than in most other states. A recent University of Northern Illinois analysis ranked Texas dead last in terms of access to the ballot.
Kamala Harris To Make Campaign Stop In Texas
Kamala Harris, Joe Biden's running mate and the California U.S. senator, will be visiting Texas on Friday, according to an email Biden's campaign sent to Democratic lawmakers in Texas on Sunday.
Harris will be the highest-profile representative of the Biden campaign to visit Texas in person during the general election, though his campaign was already set to spend millions of dollars on TV ads in Texas.
Amid Continued Anger About Vanessa Guillén's Death, Critics Say The Army Often Ignores Sex Crimes
By Jolene Almendarez • Oct 26, 2020
Three years after the #MeToo movement went viral, the military is having its own version of the movement: #IAmVanessaGuillen.
People are using the hashtag to share their accounts of being raped, sexually assaulted, and sexually harassed in the military. They say there often were few or no consequences for their attackers.
There Are A Few Never Trump Republicans In Texas
Republicans in Texas are overwhelmingly behind President Trump's reelection, as are statewide officials like Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Atty. Gen. Ken Paxton.
But a few past GOP leaders support Democrat Joe Biden, including former Congressmen Alan Steelman and Steve Bartlett.


* WANT TO ADD AN ALIVE TOTE BAG, BADGE & BUMPER STICKER?
ALL LIMITED EDITION FIRST PRESSINGS ON GORGEOUS HAND MIXED STARBURST VINYL, AT A GREAT PRICE.
ADD AN ALIVE TOTE BAG, BADGE, and BUMPER STICKER USING THE PULL DOWN MENU, MAKES A GREAT GIFT.
GET READY TO ROCK : Heath Green and the Makeshifters have produced a stunning debut. Oozing respect for the varied sources from which the band has drawn its inspiration, it is delivered with fire-in-the-belly, preach-from-the-pulpit gusto. As the swampers of Muscle Shoals would tell you, there's something in the water down there in Alabama and whatever it is courses through the veins of this fine band.
NO DEPRESSION : If the Rolling Stones camped with Howlin' Wolf and Billy Gibbons on trucker speed for the weekend with a fuzz pedal, this would be its precious procreation.
POPMATTERS : Sometimes less truly is more as the two-person band set-up of the Bonnevilles allows each musician to shine as well as showcase their prodigious musical talents. Meanwhile, the music rings raw and true and full of heart.
R2 MAGAZINE : Demonstrates a versatility that elevates them from being a vibrant bar-room band to worthy of concert halls across the globe.
LOUDER THAN WAR : Whether you call it power pop, folk rock or alt-country (at times all of these terms apply) GospelbeacH are bursting with melody, with terrific harmonies to boot. This is straight-up genius song writing: honest, brilliantly played and superbly produced.
SHINDIG! : Beefed-up country-rock with a chunk of funk thrown in, brotherly harmonies and a musicality not often found in a rock outfit makes this album a delight.
CHATTANOOGA PULSE : This is blues you can sink your teeth into, raw and primal, tempered with clear, intelligent lyrics and vocals. There just isn't another act like this out there today.
ALREADY HAVE A COUPLE OF THESE? Sub any other ALIVE TITLE $20 and under. Just let us know your choices.


text:
Find a Veterans Service Officer
ND Department of Veterans Affairs
COMMISSIONERS CHALLENGE ON SUICIDE PREVENTION
State Heroes
Support Veterans
VSO Tools
Benefit Types
Burial and Memorial
Veterans Appreciation
Women and Minority Veterans
Military, Veteran, and Family Outreach Programs
Other Assistance
Veterans can now join the Million Veteran Program online
Federal VA distributes Fact sheet on Community Care "Urgent Care"
New HBOT Treatment Options Available for ND Veterans with PTSD, TBI and other issues.
Changes to the DIC and SBP concurrent receipt or Widows Tax are coming
Benefit Category: State
Income Tax Exemption for retired military pay
HB 1053 passed the 66th legislative session in 2019 exempting 100% of military retirement pay from ND State Income tax. Tax exemption begins for taxable year ending 12/31/2019.
NDCC 57-38-30.3 (2) (s) reads
Reduced by the amount received by a taxpayer as retired military personnel benefits, including retired military personnel benefits paid to the surviving spouse of a deceased retired member of the armed forces of the United States, a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States, or the national guard, but only to the extent the amount was included in federal taxable income.
Military retirees to go to: www.dfas.mil/retiredmilitary to change their North Dakota income tax withholding to zero.
For additional tax filing requirements and other information for military service members, taxpayers may go to www.nd.gov/tax/military.
The definition of "Armed Forces" for the income tax exemption Title 10 USC 101(a) applies which includes: Army, Navy, AirForce, Marine corps, and Coast Guard.
Paraplegic disabled veteran. Permanent and totally disabled person confined to wheel chair.
(NDCC 57-02-08, para 20.a) Property exempt from taxation. All property described in this section to the extent herein limited shall be exempt from taxation:
20.Fixtures, buildings, and improvements up to the amount of valuation specified, when owned and occupied as a homestead, as hereinafter defined, by any of the following persons:
a. A paraplegic disabled veteran of the United States armed forces or any veteran who has been awarded specially adapted housing by the department of veterans' affairs, or the unremarried surviving spouse if such veteran is deceased, for the first one hundred twenty thousand dollars of true and full valuation of the fixtures, buildings, and improvements.
b. Any permanently and totally disabled person who is permanently confined to use of a wheelchair, or, if deceased, the unremarried surviving spouse of a permanently and totally disabled person. If the spouse of a permanently and totally disabled person owns the homestead or if it is jointly owned by them, the same reduction in assessed valuation applies as long as both reside thereon. The provisions of this subdivision do not reduce the liability for special assessments levied upon the homestead. The phrase "permanently confined to use of a wheelchair" means that the person cannot walk with the assistance of crutches or any other device and will never be able to do so and that a physician selected by the local governing board has so certified. Any person claiming an exemption under this subsection for the first time shall file with the county auditor an affidavit showing the facts herein required and a description of the property. The affidavit must be open for public inspection. A person thereafter shall furnish to the assessor or other assessment officials when requested to do so any information that is believed will support the claim for exemption for a subsequent year. For purposes of this subsection, and except as otherwise provided in this subsection, "homestead" has the meaning provided in section 47-18-01 except that it also applies to any person who otherwise qualifies under the provisions of this subsection whether or not the person is the head of a family. The board of county commissioners is hereby authorized to cancel the unpaid taxes for any year in which the qualifying owner has held title to the exempt property.
Disabled Veterans (VA rating 50% or more)
A disabled veteran of the United States armed forces with an armed forces service-connected disability of 50% or greater or a disabled veteran who has an extra-schedular rating to include individual unemployability that brings the veteran's total disability rating to 100% as determined by the Department of Veterans' Affairs, who was discharged under honorable conditions or who has been retired from the armed forces of the United States, or the unremarried surviving spouse if the disabled veteran is deceased, is eligible for a credit applied against the first $6750 of taxable valuation ($150,000 true value) of the homestead owned and occupied by the disabled veteran or unremarried surviving spouse equal to the percentage of the disabled veteran's disability compensation rating for service-connected disabilities as certified by the Department of Veterans' Affairs for the purpose of applying for a property tax exemption. An unremarried surviving spouse who is receiving Department of Veterans' Affairs dependency and indemnity compensation receives a one hundred percent exemption. (NDCC 57-02-08.8)
Exemption should be at highest percentage veteran is compensated. If veteran is compensated higher than combined rating the exemption should be at the higher rate. Example: if combined rating is between 50 and 90 but the veteran is compensated at 100% due to Individual Un-employability. The Veteran's exemption should be at 100%. Attorney Generals opinion 2008-L12
Provide a copy of the DD Form 214 showing veteran's honorable discharge from active military service if claiming exemption for first time. Requesting a copy of your DD214.
Provide a certificate from the Department of Veterans Affairs certifying to the percentage of service-connected disability when claiming exemption for the first time, or if the veteran receives a change in the percentage of certified rated service-connected disability. Contact your Veteran Service Officer. You can also get a letter from the VA by calling 1-800-827-1000 and ask for a property tax letter. This letter will be sent directly to the Veteran.
Complete Application form. Can be completed online and printed.
Submit required documents to your Tax assessor/ Tax equalization office by February 1 when applying for first time, when your disability rating changes, and when requested to do so there after. Your County may or may not require annual applications be submitted. Find your county assessor Tax equalization office
Senior Citizen Or Permanently And Totally Disabled Renter's Property Tax Refund
Any person 65 years of age or older with an income of $42,000 or less per year from all sources, including the income of any person dependent upon him or her, may qualify for a renter's property tax refund up to a maximum of $400.
Any person, regardless of age, who is permanently and totally disabled, with an income of $42,000 or less per year, may also qualify for a renter's refund. A physician's certificate or written determination of disability from the Social Security Administration must accompany only the first application.
Renters must file an application for a refund with the Office of State Tax Commissioner before June 1 following the year for which the refund is claimed.
Applications must be sent to: Office of State Tax Commissioner, 600 E. Boulevard Ave., Dept. 127, Bismarck, ND 58505-0599.
A fillable form with instructions can be found at the ND Tax Department website. Visit the ND Tax Department website for more information on the Homestead Credit Act.
Vehicle Excise Tax Exemption
Up to 2 vehicles exempt from Excise tax for a 100% disabled Veteran. Spouse eligible to maintain one vehicle
Related Resource(s)
Military One Source Tax Service
Tax Help for Military Members and Veterans
Tax Return Filing and Payment Extensions for the Military
News about Tax Information
Veterans owed refunds for overpayments attributable to disability severance payments should file amended returns to claim tax refunds
IR-2018-148, July 11, 2018
Discharge Requests
Most Veteran's benefits require that applicants provide a copy of their Form DD 214 or discharge record, which is evidence of their veteran status. This is an important document and must be safeguarded. In the State of North Dakota separation documents are considered confidential and privileged NDCC 37-18-11 (13). National Guard members may receive a NGB22 and /or NGB23 upon obtaining 20 years of satisfactory service (20 year letter).
Copyright © 2020 North Dakota Office of Veterans Affairs
Download Adobe Reader to view and print PDF files.


text:
Home » Saving money » Are thrift stores open on Sunday?
Are thrift stores open on Sunday?
August 23, 2022 June 4, 2022
There is a perception that thrift stores are not open on Sunday. There was a time when that perception was more than just a perception, and in some parts of the country, it may be truer than in others. The reasons makes sense once you think about it. Let's talk about which thrift stores are open on Sunday, which ones aren't, and why that might be.
Why wouldn't thrift stores be open on Sunday?
Small, independent thrift stores are less likely to be open on Sunday than the bigger chains.
First, let me clarify that I am talking about thrift stores in the United States. The situation may be different in other countries. But there is certainly a clue in what they call these shops in the UK. The UK calls them charity shops.
The religious origins of thrift stores
The two largest thrift store chains in the United States, Goodwill and the Salvation Army, both had their origins in religious organizations. Religious organizations opened shops as part of a charity outreach. Reselling used items at low prices served three charitable purposes. It provided jobs for people in need. It provided an affordable way for people in need to get clothes and other basic necessities. And it raised money for their other charitable work.
The Salvation Army quite literally is a church denomination, although its chain of thrift stores is better known. The word salvation in its name refers very literally to the Christian doctrine of salvation.
This is news to some people. When the Salvation Army purchased a church property near me several years ago, they had to assure the zoning commission and the surrounding neighborhood that they intended to use the property as a church, not as a homeless shelter or a thrift store.
But even if people aren't aware that the Salvation Army is a church body, they are probably aware their stores aren't open on Sundays. They may not have been aware why they were closed on Sundays, but once you make that connection, it makes sense that they would close their stores on Sundays.
Goodwill has origins in the Methodist church, although its ties aren't as deep as those of the Salvation Army. Some would argue it is more of a commercial enterprise now than a religious one. So in many parts of the country, Goodwill stores are open 7 days a week, including Sundays.
Small, independent thrift stores are more likely to be closed on Sunday than, say, Goodwill. The more overtly religious these thrift stores are, more likely they are to be closed on Sunday. If they have a Bible verse in the window, don't be surprised if they don't keep Sunday hours.
Local chains with religious sounding names are also less likely to be open on Sunday.
Which thrift stores are open on Sunday?
Savers, Value Village, and Family Thrift Center are examples of thrift store chains that don't have religious ties. They give some of their profits to charities, not all of them religious. Not that there is anything wrong with that, there's just little reason for, say, the National Kidney Foundation to have a consensus opinion what day a store should be open or not. So those stores tend to be open on Sunday.
Although it's not a hard and fast rule, thrift stores that don't have religious references in their name are more likely to be open seven days a week.
As for thrift stores that sound religious but not Christian, their times of business will vary. A Jewish affiliated thrift store may be closed on Saturday but open on Sunday, for example.
But these are general guidelines, not rules. Always check the hours of any store you are wondering about. But knowing these guidelines can save you some time in your hunt.
previousComputer Reset, Dallas
nextAdvantages of CRT over LCD


Nelson Smith's All Tickets Inc Review | All Tickets Inc.
All Tickets Inc. > Buzz > News > Nelson Smith's Review of All Tickets Inc.
Nelson Smith's Review of All Tickets Inc.
Home » Buzz Article » Nelson Smith's Review of All Tickets Inc.
Taking the wheel on moving day!
Hello, my name is Nelson Smith, a 3 3/4 year old guinea pig. Over the summer, I moved to a magical place called New York City. The move was pretty wonderful and easy, aside from being listed as a "hamster" on my apartment lease, battling bed bugs and cockroaches, my momma getting shingles and being cranky, and my boss at my old construction job in NH getting mad at me for leaving and cutting my hours down from 40 per week to 30 hours over 4 weeks rendering me financially unstable… It was not so bad.
So here I am, a little guinea pig in the big city. As soon as I get there, I receive a group text from some other guinea pig guy friends: Fluffy, Muffy, Buffy, Gruffy, Huffy, Puffy, Ruffy, Tuffy, and Sam. They say they want to plan a big trip, come visit me in the Big Apple, bring all their dates and have a blast, but felt it daunting to plan such a large trip. So they contacted me since I am highly organized and detail-oriented, and own a sweet air mattress that I use my momma's hair dryer to inflate. I tell them to send me their schedules. They are guinea pigs, so it is pretty open. And there, I begin to plan.
The first step is planning how they get here. In New Hampshire, our form of public transportation is hitching a ride with your neighbor. Miraculously, there are buses. So I use this Wanderu service I read about on the subway to help navigate their buses. Easy enough.
Then I start to look up shows, since many of us are lovers of the theatre. Opening Google, I type in "shows in New York." Apparently, there are over 40 Broadway theatres and over 100 Off Broadway Theatres. They all have different shows, schedules, prices, discounts, etc.
After picking my jaw up off the floor, I decide instead to start with restaurants. Momma and I would go to the same 10 places or so back home, so I figured this would be an easy starting point. Google: places to eat in New York. Why is the screen all red? Oh, it is infested with red dots, each representing a different place to eat. Even when I specified "vegan friendly" restaurants, I was still astounded by the burgeoning number of results! I pick my jaw up from the floor yet again.
Now I am beginning to panic. Momma walks into the room and tells me that there are still some bed bugs and we should not have any more guests over. I will need to find hotels for Fluffy, Muffy, Buffy, Gruffy, Huffy, Puffy, Ruffy, Tuffy, Sam and their dates to stay. With dread, I search Google, see the enormous amount of results, and then proceed to sob into my little paws.
Momma sees me sobbing and asks what is wrong. I explain to her my issue. She tells me that while Google is a wonderful creation, that it is not always best for planning, organizing, and booking large group trips. She tells me about a website called All Tickets Inc. If there is anything I have learned in my sweet, short life, it's that my momma is always right.
As I type in the website name, I am afraid of what will pop up. Then again, I have that fear practically every time I use the internet. My fingers tremble while hovering over the enter key, when suddenly I remember, I don't really have actual fingers.
Enter! Well, this website is cleanly designed and not at all daunting! As I use the Group Discount search engine, I find that I can type in my specifications before browsing huge lists of venues, productions, and individual information! All I have to do is type in when my friends are visiting in the date range, my budget, and even the TYPE of show I would like to see! Wow! Avenue Q! Maybe I should have some of my guy friends bring their kids, it's basically like Sesame Street, right?
Next, I call All Tickets Inc at 1-800-922-0716. I tell them, there is so much to do, and so little time! But guess what. They design my itinerary FOR me. I feel so spoiled. I feel so posh. This is what it must be like to live in New York! But without cabs blaring their horns at you, all the muggings, and people urinating on your shoe.
Easy to navigate, informative website.
Informative articles on their Buzz Stream.
They coordinate everything for me with great group and combo discounts; dinner and a show, a hotel and attractions, etc.
Using All Tickets Inc. saved me a LOT of time, effort, and money.
Joining the e-mail list helps keep me in the loop for new shows I may want to see or upcoming seasonal attractions!
Their travel tools let me know about weather, traffic and travel conditions, and even mobile apps for NYC. Thank you for suggesting Uber and HopStop! As a small guinea pig, it is difficult to walk throughout the city. Especially with the large number of women wearing high heels. And men.
The result? My guy friends and I had a wonderful time. We saw a show, grabbed dinner, and they did not have to sleep on my "Walmart's finest" air mattress. We stayed within our budget, and I did not get a headache from over-planning. We had plenty of time to spend together, and they cannot wait to come back and visit again. Thanks, All Tickets Inc!


Kids 2 yrs. - 4th grade enjoy active games, great stories, fun songs, silly characters, challenging contests, and fun, fun, FUN!
The kids love it, and parents are amazed how much their children remember what they are taught! We encourage kids to reach out for Christ's Kingdom by inviting their friends to join them in the fun and learning. Children earn small rocks for memorizing Bible verses, bringing their Bible, doing devotions with their families, and more—then exchange the rocks for fun prizes and activities!


The Adidas Uncontrol Climachill Polo Shirt for men keeps you warm due to the cool Climachill fabric. The mesh like texture and the aluminium silver points dissipate heat away from the body. The polo neck collar with a string of 4buttons can buttoned open for additional ventilation. The slightly contrasting colour cuffs are a highlight. The casual, airy fit also ventilates you.


text:
On Growth and Form 100
Home/Blog/Design Culture/On Growth and Form 100
On Growth and Form 100 exhibition
On Growth and Form 100 Conference
Loud1Design at On Growth and Form 100
The D'Arcy Thompson Museum
The seminal work by Dundee polymath D'Arcy Thompson "On Growth and Form" reaches its centenary year in 2017 and both the Universities of both St Andrews and Dundee where Thompson held important positions have been celebrating his life and work through a with a series of events this year.
The associated Centenary Conference was held in mid-October and explored many aspects of the his life and work and its ongoing influence in all manner of fields and expertise. I managed to attend most of Friday's session of the conference and saw a wide range of work being presented that covered , for me almost every area of interest I have!
Mason Dean presented the work of his lab at Max Planck Institute in Potsdam, Germany on studying the structure of cartilage in sharks and ray skeletons. This was absolutely amazing work to see and something I plan on looking into in more depth. Mason Dean Lab.
Madeleine Shepherd presented the Botanica Mathematica project a fascinating experiment in mass participation, craft and the principals of growth.
Wallace Arthur of the University of Galway discussed the limits of D'Arcy Thompson's transformations in studying and comparing species followed by a quite mindblowing discussion of the potential future for "astrobiology" and what life we may discover outside the solar system. This is the topic of his recently released Life Through Time and Space.
Caroline Erolin introduced gradual efforts to digitize artefacts from D'Arcy Thompson's specimen collections, these are being made available for download, 3D printing and VR inspection via their Sketchfab page here; University of Dundee Museum Collections on SketchFab . I intend to be printing off some of these models as soon as possible!
There was also fascinating work presented by Mark Field and Philip Murray, separately on research within the university of Dundee to understand the underlying mechanisms which drive cell differentation and morphology in living organisms.
Certainly "On Growth and Form" has always been a key influence in my own work and has always encouraged me to think beyond a priori engineered solutions to more systems based thinking and biomimicry. It is my goal to develop designs which evolve to be more appropriate for their context, I would like to see my role as being more of a gardener tending designs than the ego-driven designer or engineer.
I was lucky enough to be invited to present some of my work and pproach in an exhibition launched as part of the centenary conference: "Harmonious Complexity" – 100 Years of On Growth and Form. It is a great honour to have work displayed in the same room as D'Arcy Thompson's original notes, sketches and study models. I would certainly recommend to anyone with an interest in D'Arcy's work or indeed biomimicry/ organicist ideas visit the exhibition!
"Harmonious Complexity" – 100 Years of On Growth and Form is open to the public from
October 13 (Friday) 9:30 am – December 15 (Friday) 7:00 pm
Mon-Fri 09.30-19.00 Sat 13.00-17.00
In the Lamb Gallery, Tower Building, University of Dundee
Bevilacqua – Venice Design Week 2014
On Patents, Open Source Design and Reciprocity
Open Source Product Innovation
Tactile Memories of Lego
Geometry Study of the Columns of the Sagrada Familia


The Seychelles is a nation of 115 islands scattered over 400,000sq km of Indian Ocean, a few degrees south of the equator. Some islands are grand and granitic, others are tiny coral outcrops poking out of the sea. Once known as a five-star destination with three-star hotels, the new-look Seychelles offers areas of outstanding man-made beauty from which to appreciate its teeming wildlife and sweeps of white sand.
Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island (+44 1494 678400; turquoiseholidays.co.uk) is the latest hotel to crop up on this archipelago on the Indian Ocean. The resort is made up of a handful of private houses on Madam Zabre beach in the north and a collection of private villas in the south, all of which are set in gardens planted with mangrove, bougainvillaea and frangipani with private pools and direct access to a beach. Despite the big-name credentials, witty design details (Barbie-pink peacock chairs, tropical-leaf print upholstery) sit side by side with a commitment to the environment, backed by local conservation officer Matthew Morgan, who hopes to protect the marine life and thick forest at the northern tip of the island.
Because each island in the Seychelles is very different, many visitors choose a two or three-stop holiday. Inter-island plane transfers are efficient and well-run, as well as thrilling.
Bird Island is situated about 60 miles from the main island of Mahe, and is easily reached by plane. Its 170 acres are covered in corals and lined with the purest white sand.
COUSINE ISLAND A speck about 6km off the west coast of Praslin, Cousine Island is owned by a South African businessman, who has embarked on an intensive conservation programme to restore it to its primal state. About 2,000 indigenous trees have been planted, and 12 endangered magpie robins have been introduced to share the island with a couple of thousand nesting birds (fairy terns, sooty terns, shearwaters, Seychelles brush warblers, Fodies) and four giant tortoises (each of which, apparently, command around the same market value as a giraffe). Much of the rocky island is out of bounds to visitors.
FREGATE ISLAND There are wonderful walks to be had on Frégate - through primeval jungle, up enormous granite outcrops and along white-sand beaches. Away from the resort, the rest of the island is given over to conservation projects (protecting the endangered magpie robin population, among others), cultivation (vegetables produced with a very sophisticated hydroponics system), livestock (pigs, cows, chickens) and recreation (water sports and scuba-diving; fishing boats, yachts, catamarans and motorboats).
LA DIGUE ISLAND The island's stunning beaches of silky white sand are lapped by turquoise seas. The best beach, Anse Source D'Argent, is reachable by bicycle. Other good places to swim are Petite Anse, with its large smooth boulders. La Digue's west coast, south of La Passe, is protected by a reef, creating calm water, ideal for snorkelling. Besides the pleasures of beach life, La Digue offers horse riding, diving, fishing and boat trips. The bird sanctuary is a woodland of takamaka and badamie (Indian almond) trees, home to several nesting pairs of the rare, endemic black paradise flycatcher. Horse riding is available at L'Union Estate and diving instruction, expeditions and boat trips to tiny Félicité Island (population 12) can be arranged at La Digue Island Lodge.
MAHE ISLAND Mahé is the largest island, and home to 65,000 people. It has the highest mountain ranges in the Seychelles and the world's smallest capital, Victoria. For a stylish souvenir, Michael Adams, Seychelles' most famous artist, has a studio/gallery at his home at Anse aux Poules Bleues (00 248 361 006; michaeladamsart.com).
PRASLIN ISLAND The archipelago's second-largest island is a 15-minute plane hop from Mahé. It is most famous for the Vallée de Mai (open 8am-5.30pm), a World Heritage Site home to the distinctive coco de mer palm. It is a fascinating, friendly and unspoilt island to explore by foot, bicycle or hire-car. A number of excursions, including cruises, bird-watching and photographic expeditions are available from both Mahé and Praslin.
The main international airport is on Mahé. All flights within the Seychelles arrive and depart from Mahé.
Air France (0871 663 3777; airfrance.co.uk) flies via Paris, and Emirates (0844 800 2777; emirates.com) flies via Dubai.
Air Seychelles (01293 596 656; airseychelles.com) runs an efficient inter-island service using Twin Otter planes. All flights arrive and depart from Mahé.
Zil Air (+2 484 375 100; zilair.com) flies to the inner islands.
Cat Cocos (00 248 324 843; catcocos.com) operates a catamaran between Mahé and Praslin; Inter Island Ferry Services (00 248 232 329; seychelles.net/iif) offers catamaran crossings between Praslin and La Digue; La Belle Seraphina (00 248 511 34; seychelles.com) is a traditional schooner which operates between Mahé and La Digue.


I absolutely love traveling down to Ruidoso for portrait sessions and weddings! The town itself is in the mountains (which I love!), and is just big enough to be comfortable, but completely small enough to be a tight-knit community.