text:
45700 Woodland Road, Suite #100, Sterling, VA 20166
Dupont Korian
Virtual Kitchen
Granite Countertops Head to Head with Solid Surface
Deciding on the material for kitchen countertops can be difficult. You can choose from a number of natural stones are available, not to mention the numerous manmade materials. Among the most popular materials for countertops are granite and solid surface. Here is a head-to-head comparison between granite countertops and solid surface to help you make the right choice.
Granite defined
Builders have used granite for centuries to build monuments and anything else they want to last because it is a very durable, very abundant natural material. Granite is natural stone of the igneous type, formed under the surface of the Earth from a mix of minerals present in magma, including very hard quartz and feldspar. It formed over millions of years under immense pressure and heat, giving it its durability and distinctive crystalline structure that is visible to the naked eye.
Granite comes from all over the world, including the US, Italy, Brazil, and Spain. To get granite from the source to the kitchen, granite companies cut blocks of it from a quarry, cut it into slabs or tiles, and send it to distributors and retailers. Kitchen countertops use slabs cut and polished of 2 cm or 3 cm, which are thick enough to stand up to vigorous and constant use, but not so much that they become too heavy.
Solid surface defined
Solid surface slabs, on the other hand, are not natural stones. It is a composite of different minerals, resins, and pigments and produced using a patented process invented by DuPont. The company marketed the solid surface material for use as kitchen countertops under the Corian brand, and it is the first solid surface brand to come out into the market. The patent has since expired, and many other companies have come out with their own solid surface products. Generally, solid surface slabs are 66% crushed minerals and 33% resin and pigments.
Granite countertops and solid surface cost approximately the same per square foot, between $40 and $60, installed. Granite slabs can be much more expensive, depending on its source and rarity. However, many countertop specialists offer special packages featuring a wide range of granite colors and varieties at around $30 per square foot, so you can probably save a significant amount of change by taking advantage of these special packages.
Esthetic comparison
Tastes and preferences vary, so comparing granite and solid surface in terms of esthetics can be problematic. Some people prefer the uniqueness of patterns and depth of colors of granite, while others like the uniformity and predictability of solid surface colors and designs. Some solid surface brands do offer products that give a good approximation of the look of natural granite, but perhaps not enough to convince the discerning. In any case, the jury is still out on which one is more esthetically pleasing, but most people do tend to turn to granite when it comes to design.
Most reputable manufacturers of manmade dimension stones offer some type of warranty for their products, and this includes solid surface stone brands. This is in case of manufacturing defects that can cause the product to fail. Countertop suppliers have no such warranties for granite slabs because there is no need. Granite stone is particularly durable, and will most likely outlast the home in which it resides. The only time when granite may crack or break is during fabrication and installation, in which cases it is on the countertop company to replace them.
Maintenance issues
Solid surface countertops are non-porous, which means it does not need sealing. Granite is slightly porous, and requires sealing. That said, solid surface is much more likely to stain than granite, all things being equal. In addition, granite is heat and scratch resistant; solid surface is neither. This means solid surface is more likely to sustain damage with regular use than granite countertops. In terms of cleaning, both are safe for food preparation with daily cleaning with mild dish soap, clean water, and a soft cloth.
Granite is a very durable stone, which means it is very hard to cut it. It is also quite heavy, so installation is no picnic. In most cases, granite countertops require skilled and experienced professionals to fabricate and install them. This is not the case with solid surface. While it is still quite heavy, it is soft enough that you can cut it with a regular circular saw. Theoretically, you can DIY its installation if you have some basic carpentry skills. However, this also means that solid surface countertops will probably not last anytime as long as granite countertops. You will probably need to replace them in a few years.
Without a doubt, granite countertops have a lot more going for it than solid surface. The manmade option has some following, but this head-to-head comparison explains why granite continues to be one of the most popular materials for kitchen countertops.
However, if you plan to put in granite countertops in your home, it is extremely important that you do so through a reputable company. Silver Marble Granite is your best bet in the areas of Washington D.C., Alexandria, Arlington, Falls Church, Fairfax, Chantilly, Herndon, Centreville, among others. You can visit our showroom in Sterling, VA to see the products before you buy.
We are your ONE-STOP SHOP for home improvement, and we specialize in the best kitchen countertops in Northern Virginia. We work only with the best brands in the business, and can offer better prices and faster turnarounds than big box stores.
However, don't think we have no truck with manmade stones. Aside from granite and marble, we also carry top brands in engineered quartz, including Silestone, MSI, Cambria, and Caesarstone.
Check out our website for some of the best deals in kitchen countertops and other products to make your home a better place. While you're at it, take advantage of our free quote. You will be amazed at the deal we can offer you!
By webmaster| 2019-04-24T18:46:33+00:00	February 18th, 2019|Countertops|Comments Off on Granite Countertops Head to Head with Solid Surface
About the Author: webmaster
Stunning Types of Marble Countertops
Lucky Colors for Kitchen Countertops
Silestone Quartz Countertops to Consider
Fascinating Facts about Quartz Countertops
Grim Facts about Concrete Kitchen Countertops
Monday – Friday: 8 am to 5 pm
Saturday: 8 am to 5 pm
Sunday: By Appointment Only!
45700 Woodland Road, Suite #100,
Email: info@silvermarblegranite.com
Copyright © 2018 Silver Marble & Granite. All Right Reserved.
Get Quote Free


text:
Leonard Greene, California nearing landmark change to sex-crime statute of limitations as New York lawmakers lag behind
August 24, 2016 /in California /by SOL Reform
California's state assembly is close to accomplishing something New York lawmakers could not do — change the way sexual assault is prosecuted.
Inspired by Bill Cosby, of all people, elected leaders in the Golden State passed a bill last week to end the time limit for prosecuting rape and felony sex crimes.
Under the California's current law, rape and felony sex crimes must be tried within 10 years, unless DNA evidence comes to light after that time period.
And sex crimes against children younger than 18 must be prosecuted before the victim turns 40. Cosby stands accused of assaulting more than 35 women in the '70s, '80s, and '90s, but in several of their cases, the statute of limitations has expired.
"There are some crimes that are so heinous that there should never be a statute of limitations," Assemblyman Travis Allen told the Los Angeles Times.
Assemblyman Mike Gipson agreed, calling the bill "long overdue" and saying it would "ensure that criminals be placed in jail" no matter when charges are brought against them.
The legislation now moves to the state senate, and if the governor signs the bill, crimes including rape and continuous sexual child abuse would no longer have a statute of limitations and could be prosecuted at any time.
Though the legislation is not yet a done deal, it is lightyears ahead of anything New York has done on the issue.
In Albany, Democratic lawmakers were pushing for different versions of the Child Victims Act that would either extend the time that child sex abuse victims can bring legal cases, or eliminate the time limit altogether.
But Senate Republicans blocked the measures from coming to a vote before the 2016 legislative session ended in June.
The missed opportunity angered child sex abuse victims who have been unable to get justice because of laws shielding predators from prosecution.
Daily News front page for April 1.
(New York Daily News)
The victims have been trying to pressure state lawmakers to reform New York's statute of limitations which bars sex abuse victims from pursuing criminal charges or civil litigation after their 23rd birthday.
The bill sponsored by Assemblywoman Margaret Markey (D-Queens) would have increased the time a sexual abuse case could be brought by five years, opened a six-month window to revive old cases, and treated public and private entities the same when it comes to sex abuse.
The bill moved through committee, but never came to the floor for a vote.
Unlike the Senate, the Assembly in the past has passed legislation dealing with the issue, though the last time was in 2008.
http://sol-reform.com/News/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Hamilton-Logo.jpg 0 0 SOL Reform http://sol-reform.com/News/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Hamilton-Logo.jpg SOL Reform2016-08-24 20:50:122016-08-24 20:50:12Leonard Greene, California nearing landmark change to sex-crime statute of limitations as New York lawmakers lag behind
2014 Bill Progress (8)
2015 Events (1)
2015 Legislative Session (5)
2016 Action Alert (5)
2016 Legislation (11)
Action Alert (7)
Cases (CT) (2)
Cases (DE) (1)
Cases (Florida) (3)
Cases (IL) (1)
Cases (New Jersey) (5)
Cases (NY) (1)
Cases (SC) (1)
Catholic Church Opposition (3)
Child Sex Abuse Cover-up (3)
Child Sex Abuse Settlement (1)
Clergy Abuse Settlement (1)
Civil Elimination Testimony (1)
Civil Extension Testimony (2)
Clergy Child Sex Abuse (6)
FindLaw (2)
Hawaii Testimony (6)
Hawaii Window (10)
Illinois Testimony (1)
Iowa Testimony (1)
Jordan Walsh (1)
Justia Columns (2)
MN Post Window (22)
New York Testimony (3)
NY Child Victims Act (8)
Religious Exemptions (1)
Resources: Delay (1)
SOL Opposition (1)
Survivor Events (2)
Survivor quotes (1)
Teacher-Student Sex Abuse (4)
Testimony (17)
Testimony: Arizona (1)
Testimony: California (1)
Testimony: Civil Elimination (3)
Testimony: Civil Extension (2)
Testimony: Civil Window (1)
Testimony: Connecticut (1)
Testimony: Criminal Elimination (1)
Testimony: Criminal Extension (1)
Testimony: Georgia (1)
Testimony: Iowa (1)
Testimony: Massachusetts (1)
Testimony: Minnesota (1)
Testimony: New York (1)
Testimony: Pennsylvania (1)
Testimony: Retroactive (1)
Testimony: South Dakota (1)
Testimony: Window (2)
Erin Alberty, Students: BYU Honor Code leaves LGBT victims of sexual assault...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
A Computer Game Worthy of Your Attention
by Gary Stager September 7, 2008 July 25, 2020
Genius game designer Will Wright's new computer game, Spore, is available today. Will Wrights it the inventor of SimCity and The Sims.
According to the fascinating description in Wikipedia,
[Spore] allows a player to control the evolution of a species from its beginnings as a unicellular organism, through development as an intelligent and social creature, to interstellar exploration as a spacefaring culture. It has drawn wide attention for its massive scope, and its use of open-ended gameplay and procedural generation.
The flexibility, customization and extensibility of Spore may make it truly worthy of the "edugaming" hype touted by many educators. Spore benefits from the efforts of a singular vision. It's many forms of gameplay may be attractive to a wide range of users.
Take a look at Spore here.
Another Conservative Concerned about Palin
No Maverick
There's Always a Back Row
March 4, 2021 April 14, 2021
Books & Stuff that Soothe and Inspire Wonder
Should My School Teach Keyboarding? (1989)


text:
Brian Brooks
daryln
Jeremy Leaming
lhigashi
Mizue Suito
T. Nancy Hsu
veng
Zamir M. Brown
Georgesula Ziama
Alexis Robles-Fradet Issue Brief
The National Health Law Program believes that abortion is health care and should be covered and accessible like any other medical intervention. This issue brief examines a brief history of abortion in the United States, defines abortion procedures as common and safe medical interventions, presents the myriad of populations…
California Policy Needs During COVID and Beyond: Access to Medi-Cal Services
Abigail Coursolle and Héctor Hernández-Delgado Issue Brief
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of creativity and flexibility in delivering critical care when individuals are not able to receive health care services and supplies in person. During the Public Health Emergency (PHE), California has implemented various policy changes to ensure that Medi-Cal beneficiaries are receiving the…
California Policy Needs During COVID and Beyond: Due Process
Skyler Rosellini Issue Brief
Medi-Cal is a lifeline for Californians during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). Among the many crucial benefits of Medi-Cal, beneficiaries have strong due process protections including the right to written notices, an appeal of denials, and a hearing. These protections ensure that beneficiaries have meaningful rights to challenge…
The National Health Law Program (NHeLP), founded in 1969, is leading the way on advancing access to comprehensive, quality health care for low-income individuals and families, people of color, women, persons living with disabilities, and LGBTQ people.At NHeLP, we embrace the values of accountability and transparency as a matter…
National Health Law Program, Autism Legal Research Center and eight other organizations submitted an amicus brief in the First District of the U.S. Court of Appeals. The brief was filed to address the failure of insurance plans to fully disclose required information about behavioral health services and limitations on…
Mental Health Parity: Substance Use Disorder Parity Lags & Requires Meaningful Disclosure
Elizabeth Edwards and Abigail Coursolle Health Equity
Eliminating discriminatory treatment limitations is at the heart of federal parity law, but access to substance use disorder (SUD) treatment continues to face substantial barriers for the more than 20 million of people in the U.S. who have a substance use disorder.Parity laws require health coverage programs, including Medicaid…


You may have had the car ready for sale for over a month; perhaps, you are considering putting it up for sale but would prefer to avoid the associated expenses with selling the car. Whether your car has been for sale and there seems to be no luck finding a buyer, or you are considering putting it up for sale, you can get it sold quickly and for cash. Cash for Cars Blue Mountains is a car buyer in town that pays cash for cars of any make and condition.
So, when you have a car that is for sale, you can get it sold without any costs, as well. Say that old Toyota needs quite a few repairs before you can advertise it for sale. With us, there is no need to make the repairs. We buy cars in "As Is" condition. Suppose your car is in great working condition. Even better. We pay top cash for used cars of any make and year. We are car buyers that won't hesitate to make you an offer for your Ford, Proton, Toyota, Isuzu, or any other make of car.
Cash for Cars Blue Mountains also makes selling a car an easy process that most car sellers have never experienced. We are car buyers that make cash quotes for cars over the phone and online. We also come to the location of our customers and remove their cars for free; so, you have the courtesy of us coming to you to buy & remove your car, and the courtesy of an instant cash payment for the car.
With Cash for Cars Blue Mountain, there are no hassles involved in getting your car sold as we want to make you a cash offer that you will accept.
Contact us over the phone or online for an instant quote for your car.
Accept or reject our cash quote offer.
Schedule a free car removal in Blue Mountain at a time that works with your schedule. The process to buy & remove your car only takes about an hour of your day when you have the time to spare.
Our process to buy your car is that simple. Just give us a call at the number below or fill out our online form on our homepage to receive an online form.


What a better way to use my Blog than to make a shout out to my good friend Sean Reynolds and his right hand man Martin, who are behind the scenes creating my new logo and this fantastic website. Thank you both for your endless patience and amazing creativity!
So l will be using this blog as an off-on thing. Please check in throughout the planting season. l will post pictures of ongoing projects and a short explanation of the design ( the method behind my madness as it were), photographs of what is inspiring me, and seasonal observations that may, or may not relate to your PLOT.
In the meantime, check out what springtime has to offer....Birds calling from sunrise to sunset, the color chartreuse bursting with enthusiasm, just the simple sound of raindrops, bulging buds to let us know a flower is on the cards. Clematis has the most beautiful life like arms with delicate fingers clutching onto new props, its intention to cover as much ground as possible and flowers to boot. Spring is by far my favorite season. It insists on arriving, and brings a sense of new beginning after what feels like the longest season before it. If you've never paid much attention to what goes on in the Springtime, I hope you experience it in a different light this year, to hear and see things you didn't notice before. Enjoy!


text:
Q: Get the width of button which I'm going to add I want to create container of btns which is similar to wrap panel. My way of thinking is to get firstly the width of screen. Secondly I would create the btn in code behind then check if there is enough space for it in row of table, if not I would add it to next row of table.
The problem is that the button's width is not constant( we cans say that width is equal wrap_content), so I need to know what is the width of btn before to check if is enough space for it.
When I try do this by getWidth() I get always 0.
I can't do this by tree observer cause the btn is not added yet to layout.
One thing which comes to my mind is to add some simple btn, without any letters, then add one letter after another and check after every added sign how the width changed and find some dependency.
Have you any idea how to do it in other way ?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The ideal size for viewing on our website is 800X800 pixels.
It will make the page print out at the right size for those wanting to use your project.
This will make your project image enlarge well enough to show the details.
We're happy to do it for you.
Load a quick snapshot of your project, then email us your high-res image at submissions@stampendous.com.
We will size it, and place it into your project.
If you have photo editing software, you can download our image template.
In your instructions, please include all the "colors" or "styles" of products you've used.
ex. Emboss with White Detail embossing powder.
ex. Add Champagne Glass Glitter to Aged Copper Embossing Enamel and heat from underneath.
In the Supplies area, please list the Stampendous Supplies first. Please list all supplies and tools used.
We're so excited to see what you've made! Thanks for sharing with us!
Privacy Information - Your project will contain your name as the project creator. No one outside of Stampendous can access any of your personal data other than your name. Stampendous will never sell or use your information for anything other than listing your name as product creator or emailing you directly if there are questions about your project. We will never contact you otherwise unless you specifically give us permission, like by signing up for our email newsletter. Posting a project here gives us permission to share your project, with your name as creator, on our social media. That means it can be shared on the social media of others as well. Thank you for your submission.
You must be logged in in order to submit a new project. Click here to login as a project author.


We're very excited to share the news that from now on we will be pressing all of our releases with our own hands. In our own pressing plant!
Nine months after we started building the space we can now happily say this pressing plant is up and running. Check out our journal over at dunkpressing.com.
Last week we ran a first test. This turned out pretty successful which allowed us to move on to a first official pressing right away. So that's when we pressed Exoplanet by Stories From The Lost with our very own hands in our own pressing plant. By the way, this first official dunk!pressing vinyl is available at the moment in two nice color variants.
So the status of the pressing plant is now up and running. Only at 50% though. We hope to speed up production by replacing a few parts in the next few days but at least we're now officially pressing our own dunk!records releases. We'll be open for external orders soon. Feel free to get in touch any time to discuss your vinyl pressing plans.
Check out Exoplanet by Stories From The Lost, the very first dunk!pressing production.


Trekking is an enjoyable activity. I often choose to trek when I have a holiday and don't know what to do with it. Last month I visited Shimla. Here are five places near Shimla where the trekking experience was truly fabulous.
The Dhanu Devta temples have a unique architectural style. There are three temples in one spot. They are located on the Southern slopes of Shimla and are in a state of neglect. The place is definitely worth a visit and what you will enjoy most is the trek. I think this is one trek I enjoyed a lot during my visit to Shimla.
I started my trek from Mall Road downwards. I passed the HIgh Court and crossed Bemloe en route. I reached the cart road and from there headed towards Central Potato Research Institute and finally reached the cemetery at Shimla's Bypass Road.
I headed further downhill and reached the village Kalyana. This is where the first temple of Dhanu Devta is located. Move further downhill and you will see the remaining two Dhanu temples. You may even have a fun picnic with your families in these locations.
I loved the visit to this temple. It is located on top of one of the seven hills of Shimla. The temple is located at a 20 minutes' walk from Boileauganj. You will surely love the trek. I enjoyed it as there were many sights worth seeing in the route.
I loved the view of the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies. I also enjoyed the stroll through Boileauganj marketplace. I clicked many beautiful pictures during my small trek.
Waterfalls have been a big weakness. I love watching waterfalls. The sound made by falling waters are soothing and rejuvenating. You must not miss a trek to the Chadwick Falls in your trip to Shimla.
I started off from IIAS and walked HP University Campus using the road that falls to the right. I used the unpaved road and walked amidst dense greenery. I was enjoyable. I followed the signboards to reach the Chadwick Falls.
All the treks were thoroughly enjoyable.


In June of each year, in conjunction with National Trails Day, the Lake Hopatcong Foundation hosts a guided hike at a trail in the Lake Hopatcong area.
In 2013, the hike was through the newly established Prospect Point Trail in Jefferson; in 2014, it was at Roland May Eves Sanctuary Trail in Hopatcong; in 2015 it was at the Ice Age Trail in Landing; and in 2016 the foundation changed it up to host a narrated walk through the Mount Arlington Historic District.
Our hike for 2017 will be on the newly blazed Hopatcong section of the Lake Hopatcong Trail and is scheduled for 9:00 am on Saturday, June 17. We will meet behind the Hopatcong Senior Center. Come out and join us!


text:
New dining option at the Royal Mail
Parker Street Project is the new lunch and dining option at one of Australia's most famous gourmet destinations; the Royal Mail Hotel in Dunkeld in Western Victoria.
The new offering opened mid-March in the area of the Royal Mail Hotel formerly known as the Public Bar. The Parker Street Project offering consists of seasonal, à la carte, ingredient-focused menu options alongside traditional 'pub classics' for the mid-priced diner.
Executive chef Robin Wickens will feature more affordable options using ingredients grown in the Royal Mail Hotel organic kitchen garden – the largest working restaurant kitchen garden in Australia - while sommelier Marcus Radny will select wine flights from the extensive wine collection to introduce diners to new tastes.
The space was refurbished with local artworks and freshly polished wood floors - treading the line between gastro pub and fine dining – to introduce a new signature menu that the chef describes as "simple, precise, seasonally-driven comfort food."
The Parker Street Project menu includes the Royal Mail Hotel beef and lamb – which is reared on the owners' neighbouring Mount Sturgeon property.
The menu may include Great Ocean duck terrine with green pickle;?organic chicken with Mount Zero grains and crab apple, or lamb shoulder with cumin and carrot, as well as pub classics with a Royal Mail twist like Port Fairy fish with hand-cut chips and the Royal Mail beef burger.
A range of boutique beers including the Royal Mail Hotel and Temple Brewing collaboration "Seasons Harvest" and speciality spirits are also available.
Nestled at the southern tip of the spectacular Grampians National Park, the Royal Mail Hotel was originally established in 1855 as a bluestone inn that offered accommodation, stabling, a reception room for concerts and meetings and was at one time a farm supplies store.
A multi-million dollar refurbishment was undertaken in 1997 incorporating historical architectural features with contemporary styling. Since then the property has then been regularly upgraded and refurbished with the most recent improvements including the installation of a wine bar and upgraded accommodation facilities.
Now recognised as one of Victoria's premier destination dining venues, the hotel has received acclaim for its innovative kitchen brigade, extensive culinary plantings and a cellar containing one of the most comprehensive and varied wine collections in the country, including Australia's leading collection of Bordeaux and Burgundy.
These features of the property have put Dunkeld on the culinary radar globally and established a reputation as one of the best high-end travel destinations in regional Victoria.
The Royal Mail Hotel provides a wide range of luxury accommodation options for up to 120 guests with motel-style rooms and cottage accommodation at the nearby Mt Sturgeon Station.
The Parker Street Project will be open every day for lunch from noon-2.30pm, dinner from 6pm until late and for gourmet snacks all day. For bookings phone (03) 5577 2241 or visit www.royalmail.com.au.
Posted by Winsor Dobbin at 15:44 No comments:
A cute little cafe in country Victoria
Anyone driving from Melbourne to Great Western or the Grampians will want to break the journey for a coffee or a bite to eat; and I can heartily recommend cute and quirky Sparrows in the hamlet of Beaufort.
Owned by former Melbourne food and wine operative Cameron Russell, Sparrows serves good food, coffee and has a selection of local Pyrenees and Western Victorian wine by the glass.
The vibe in this former garage space is shabby chic and food is hale and hearty; pumpkin soup, toasted sandwiches or maybe a tasty beef empanada with a simple salad.
The welcome is warm - and the wines are good.
Sparrows Cafe, 29 Neil St (Western Highway), Beaufort, Victoria. www.sparrowscafe.com.au
Airline food that comes as a pleasant surprise
Unless you are flying at the pointy end of the plane, most airline food is pretty awful.
We've all suffered from stale rolls, rubbery omelets and dishes that bear very little resemblance to their description.
On short hauls, some airlines (hands up Virgin Australia), have given up - handing over 30 grams of mixed nuts to see you through your one or two hours in the air.
On almost all airlines in economy class you'll get what you are given unless you make a special request in advance for a vegetarian or Halal option (which aren't always available).
That's why I'm a great fan of the food offering on Air Asia and Air Asia X. You pay for it, sure, but there is a good choice of dishes that can be selected online before you fly, or once you are on board.
Think food of the quality you'd get from a good suburban takeaway specialising in Asian dishes and you have a good idea of what to expect.
There is the same choice whether you are flying in economy or business and having sampled three different dishes on both long and short legs this month I was extremely impressed.
The food came hot; it was tasty and on each occasion I ate every mouthful. I can't say that very often on full-fare carriers.
The dishes I tried, pictured below, are the chicken satay, moist and juicy with tangy peanut sauce, the nasi lemak, not as visually appealing but spicy and interesting, and - the star of the show - nasi daging (long-grain rice with coconut milk, fenugreek and shallots, served with a chicken curry and a mixed vegetable pickle. Outstanding.
To be fair, the western food I have had on Air Asia has been less impressive. I'd stick to the Asian dishes.
AirAsia X flies daily to Kuala Lumpur from Sydney, Melbourne, Gold Coast and Perth with up to 11 daily connecting flights to Bangkok, as well as Pattaya and other Thai airports. A range of over 100 destinations across 23 countries are serviced by AirAsia, including a Fly-Thru service to a range of destinations whereby they can connect with a single booking, have luggage transfers included and not have to clear immigration. For bookings or further information visit www.airasia.com.
An oasis in which to escape the bustle of Bangkok
It struck me that the Anantara Riverside Bangkok was a little familiar. Then the penny dropped. I'd stayed here a decade ago when it was a Marriott property - and had reviewed it favourably.
It has, of course, been impressively tarted up by Anantara but it remains what it was back then; a delightful oasis on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, a real resort in the city.
Bangkok is one of Asia's most vibrant cities; a sprawling, bustling metropolis that's always on the move. It is a kaleidoscope of sounds, sights and aromas, day and night.
But Bangkok can sometimes be just a little bit too full on, which is why it can be great to escape from the bedlam to somewhere that is cool and gracious.
It's just a 15-minute river transfer by the resort's quick and efficient river ferry to the Skytrain, which gets you downtown within minutes.
If you are on a stopover you may choose not to leave the resort at all. It is fun to sit back and watch the barges and longtail boats go by. The pool is a typical resort affair (you could easily be in Phuket or Koh Samui) and there is a delightful torch-lighting ceremony each night.
There are myriad dining options, too, from long-time favourite Trader Vic's with its Pan-Asian cuisine to Japanese steakhouse Benihana (part eatery/part theatre); Tuscan cuisine in Brio, a world buffet at the Riverside Terrace and buffet breakfasts in The Market, which is just too big and sprawling to be much fun (you feel like you've walked a marathon by the time your get back to your table with your toast).
There is also an impressive range of bars from the clubby Elephant Bar to the Longtail Bar by the river; Loy Nam for poolside drinks and snacks and Numero Uno for morning coffees and pastries.
There is a range of Manohra cruises departing from the hotel's own jetty - including dinner cruises - and the on-site attractions range from the lovely Anantara Spa (with a bewildering array of treatments) and Silver Spoons cooking school to the hotel's own Muay Thai kickboxing school.
As this is an Anantara, the service is spectacularly good; seamless, multilingual and understated. The free wi-fi works and there is a business centre with helpful staff, along with a fitness centre and kids' club.
The rooms (try to get one overlooking the river) are extremely well equipped and come with a nifty smart phone that includes free local calls and wi-fi and can be used throughout your stay. There is a brand new shopping centre that's part of new Avani Riverside property next door.
This is a grown-up sort of place; the perfect destination to enjoy the tropics for a few days.
Anantara Bangkok Riverside Resort, 2571-3 Charoennakorn Road, Thonburi, Bangkok. +66 2 476 0022. www.anantara.com.
Posted by Winsor Dobbin at 01:15 1 comment:
Ten top things to do in Phnom Penh
The Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh is a fascinating place with a macabre history - but it is possible to have fun, too.
1. Monumental interest
The Independence Monument, built in 1958 to celebrate Cambodia's independence from France in 1953, stands at the intersection of Norodom and Sihanouk boulevards, one of the city's busiest intersections. It is a high-rise lotus-shape structure that has been modelled on the central tower of Angkor Wat.
2. National Museum
There is a lot more to Khmer history than the recent Khmer Rouge atrocities - and this is the best place to learn about the culture of the local people. A red-sandstone building of colonial Khmer design, it is home to sculptures, ceramics, textiles, glass, pottery and bronzes dating back as far as the 12th century. The building was designed by renowned French architect George Groslier under the direction of King Sisowath, who wanted to preserve Khmer cultural heritage.
3. The killing fields
Choeung Ek, a 35-minute drive out of Phnom Penh, is the hamlet where Pol Pot's murderous Khmer Rouge slaughtered thousands of Cambodians and buried them in mass shallow graves between 1975 and 1979. Many of them were bludgeoned to death to save the cost of a bullet. Formerly an orchard and Chinese cemetery, Choeung Ek is today an eerie place where the remains of almost 9000 were discovered and more remain underground. It is estimated up to 20,000 people died here. Human bones can be seen protruding from the ground in some places and skulls of many of the victims are stored in a macabre memorial tower. Choeung Ek is the best known of more than 300 killing fields throughout Cambodia.
4. Local flavours
Khmer cuisine tends to be flavoursome without being overly spicy. Kampot pepper is more prevalent than chillies, which tend to appear as a side dish - good news for those who don't like their food too hot. Rice-noodle soups, stir-fries and curries are common and you'll occasionally find frog's legs, reminiscent of French colonial days. Sit at local roadside cafes and pay just a couple of dollars.
5. Toul Sleng
The Khmer Rouge ruled Cambodia for less than four years but this short chapter devastated the country and those who survived Pol Pot's reign of terror. Toul Sleng, on the fringes of downtown Phnom Penh, is a former high school that became known as S21, a centre of torture and interrogation of political prisoners that is now a genocide museum showing in graphic detail the beatings and humiliations dealt out to more than 17,000 who passed through the doors. Some history books say that only seven people survived, and one of them, Chum Mey, can be found in the grounds selling a book written about his horrific experiences. S21 remains exactly as it was, surrounded by barbed wire.
6. Cyclo rides
Cyclos, better known as cycle rickshaws, are dying out throughout south-east Asia, replaced by motorbikes and tuk-tuks. Some do survive, however, usually ridden by cyclists from poor country families, who sleep in their cyclos at night. Tour companies such as Footsteps in Asia, which custom-designs tours of Cambodia and Vietnam, use cyclos supported by Cyclo Centre, a non-government organisation that is helping keep the tradition alive. A cyclo ride gives a close-up view of the city and its people without anything to obscure the sights, sounds and smells. A one-hour ride can cover many highlights, including Wat Phnom, the Central Post Office, palaces and museums. The passing parade can be absolutely fascinating.
7. Wat Phnom
Set atop a 27-metre-high artificial hill, Wat Phnom (Temple Hill) is the capital's tallest temple and a gathering place during the annual Pchum Ben, the festival of the dead. Legend says the temple was built in 1373 to house several Buddha statues found washed up on the banks of the Mekong by a woman named Penh. Today, the gardens surrounding the temple are popular with locals, who use them for family gatherings, and with visitors, who use the benches as picnic areas.
8. Royal Palace
Dramatic both inside and out, the Royal Palace dates back to the late 1860s and is noteworthy for its classic Khmer architecture, elaborate gilding, soaring spires and golden temple nagas (carvings of mythical reptilian creatures). The palace is an oasis of peace in the middle of an increasingly frenetic Phnom Penh city centre and its lush French-style gardens house life-size sculptures of Khmer warriors and Buddhas reclining in a range of poses. Don't miss the Silver Pagoda, also known as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha; its floors are covered with more than 4000 silver tiles. It was rebuilt in 1962 and houses religious and cultural artefacts.
9. Market shopping
Phnom Penh is full of bustling street markets, all of which merit leisurely exploration even if you have no intention of buying anything. Bargaining is de rigueur, although you will still pay a "foreigner's price", and expect to be bumped into on occasion. Among the major markets are Psar Thmei (Central Market), Psar Tuol Tom Pong (Russian Market), Psar Chas (Old Market) and O Russei, the most modern of them all. Pick up gifts such as local coloured check scarves known as kramas, Kampot pepper and silk purses.
10. Dine with Friends
Friends is a charity-run eatery that trains Phnom Penh street kids in restaurant skills (kitchen, front-of-house, waiting etc) so they can find jobs in hospitality. Friends specialises in what it calls Western and Cambodian-style tapas and frozen daiquiris (think Khmer glass-noodle salad with fish cake slices and fresh herbs or Cambodian chicken curry). The service is charming and your dollars go a long way to improving someone's life. Profits from the restaurant help 800 kids each day.
How an old-school winemaker turned into a hipster
Barossa winemaker Rick Burge is eloquent, urbane and knowledgeable on many matters. But I doubt that anyone has ever accused him of being a hipster.
For a start, he doesn't have a beard and his wines are made in a very traditional way.
Nothing hipster about them; no weird blends, funky "out there" labels, silly names or murkiness in the bottle.
"I'm way too old to even resemble a hipster, even in low lighting, but part of me still feels young occasionally," he jokes.
But Burge has just released his Burge Family Winemakers 2013 The Hipster red blend; a wine with an interesting story behind it.
It was inspired by a story on hipster wines in a wine magazine. "The notion that some young Turks are producing wines that equally hip marketers and sommeliers are foisting onto the market as 'hipster wines' intrigued me," he said.
"So, possibly as a consequence as a reoccurring fear of missing out, I decided to make one.
"We had already released The Spanner, a tempranillo/grenache blend which had garnered some complimentary reviews, but I felt we could go one better by incorporating some monastrell (aka mourvedre/mataro).
"Instant success. An instant hipster wine. Geez, I thought, this is easy, even if I couldn't maintain any cloudiness that seems a pre-requisite of the hipster style."
The end result is The Hipster 2013, a blend of garnacha (42%), monastrell (31%) and tempranillo (27%) - using the Spanish names, rather than the French.
It was matured in older Alliers barriques, but it is largely the fruit doing the talking. It is a soft and savoury wine, described by those with which I shared it as "bloody delicious". You can't really ask for much more for $25 a bottle. Oh, and it blossoms when given some air.
It's well worth a try for anyone aching to be hip - and a lot easier than growing a ridiculous beard.
Posted by Winsor Dobbin at 20:08 2 comments:
Celebrating 20 years of Orange wine
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Orange appellation in Central Western New South Wales being both recognised as a wine-growing region and accorded formal cool-climate status by the international Geographic Indicator Committee.
While official recognition was provided in 1996, family vineyards have been planted in the region since the first European settlers in the 1840s. Italian migrant families moving into the region a hundred years later in the 1940s then commenced the first commercial wine production in the region.
The first contemporary vineyard plantings were pioneered in the late 1980s - inspiring an entirely new generation of wine growers and winemakers to flock to the region.
The Orange region now has over 80 vineyards, with around 40 cellar doors, and is regarded as one of the finest cool regions in Australia.
"Orange is currently gaining significant traction with its reputation as *the* cool climate region of New South Wales, with a distinct and elevated terroir producing elegant and sophisticated wines," says David Crawley, President of the Orange Region Vignerons Association (ORVA).
"Not only is it emerging into the national consciousness as one of Australia's finest wine regions, but it is also on the cusp of stepping onto the world stage as an aspirational food and wine destination."
One of the world's leading winemakers calls the region home. Former head winemaker for Rosemount Wines, Philip Shaw, established his own vineyard and label in Orange in 1989 after searching Australia for years to find the best possible site in an emerging wine-growing region.
The charm and the strength of the Orange region lies in its close-knit community of high-quality and family-owned boutique wineries and cellar doors. The altitude also plays a key role.
From a recent batch of wines from Orange and surrounds, several aromatic whites impressed me.
There were rieslings from a new name to me; a producer named after one of the prettiest towns in Alsace: Colmar Estate. The 2015 Single Vineyard Riesling was expressive and delicious; floral, crisp and pure.
Another new name was Carillion, whose 2014 The Crystals Chardonnay, a single block wine, is elegant with cool-climate persistence.
The 2015 Panther's Patch Sauvignon Blanc has a decidedly odd label but makes up for that with its zingy, grassy freshness. It's made from fruit grown at 750m above sea level.
A more familiar name is Printhie, one of the original flagbearers, whose 2015 Sauvignon Blanc is engagingly aromatic and fruity, but with a zingy finish.
The third annual Taste Orange @ Watsons Bay festival event is on at Robertson Park in Watsons Bay on Sunday, May 22, with wineries including Angullong, Cargo Road, Gilbert by Simon Gilbert, Logan, Patina, Philip Shaw Wines, Patina and Ross Hill featured. Tickets cost $40.
Key Orange dates:
Orange Wine Festival is coming up Friday 14 to Sunday 30 October, 2016 and;
Orange F.O.O.D Week will run from Friday 31 March to Sunday 9 April, 2017
Just how do you avoid getting allocated the worst seat on the plane?
It is a mantra for just about any frequent flyer. Avoid the middle seat; particularly on long-haul flights.
You can get stuck between two non-stop talkers; two fatties (sorry, two people with weight issues), or, even worse, a couple who booked the window and the aisle in the hope of getting an empty spot between them. They'll talk across you for the whole flight.
The New York Times reported recently that as planes fly at full capacity and new cabin configurations aim to squeeze in ever more passengers, airlines are, intentionally or not, nudging flyers into paying extra to avoid drawing the proverbial short straw.
So how do you avoid getting stuck in the middle?
Many high-value frequent flyers get allocated their favoured aisle or window seats, usually near the front of the plane, as a matter of course. That's a lot of good seats gone.
Other canny flyers try to secure their seat when they book their flight; sometimes paying for the privilege.
Seat selection is a perk, so choose airlines that let you select your seat in advance and avoid playing musical chairs.
But the crunch has left some travellers taking extreme measures to avoid getting stuck in the middle.
The New York Times reported flyers offering fellow travellers money or drinks to switch seats, who paid a fee to upgrade to a premium or an exit row, feigned illness or switched flights. Some travellers even reported buying two seats, just to have an empty one next to them.
Getting to the airport as early as possible, when the check-in agent still has room to switch people around, might just boost your chances of avoiding a middle seat.
But the reality is someone has to sit there - and some passengers will go to extreme lengths to avoid it being them. Among the favoured plays is saying you have a stomach upset and need to be in an aisle seat - but that could result in you being denied boarding because you are "unwell".
Probably the best use of airline points, if you have any, is to upgrade to an exit row, a premium cabin or business class to avoid the dreaded middle seat (or a seat next to the toilet, another option to be avoided).
But if you see someone in tears at check-in then they might well have just been given a middle seat from Sydney to Dallas-Fort Worth. A fate worse than death.
A beginners' guide to eating and drinking in the Huon Valley
If it were not for the Gourmet Farmer, the Huon Valley in the deep south of Tasmania might have remained a well-kept secret rather than one of Australia's fastest-emerging wine and food destinations.
But Matthew Evans chose the Huon Valley as the base for his successful series of TV shows and books (and currently has a restaurant under construction at Fat Pig Farm) and word has spread.
Today the Huon, the valley that put the apples into the Apple Isle, is home to a booming cider industry, boutique wineries whose artisan bottlings you'll find on the lists at trendy wine bars in Sydney and Melbourne, and cute country cafes specialising in local produce.
Whether you are looking for saffron, fresh berries, locally grown mushrooms, or beef from Huon Valley Meats, you've come to the right place – and the Huon is only a 30-minute drive south of Hobart, making it an ideal day trip or weekend destination.
There are no traffic lights here. No McDonald's; no chain hotels. You will find wild rivers, orchards, forests and farmers selling produce from honesty stalls at their farm gates.
The local council recently launched some ambitious region branding "Product of the Huon" with a vow to one day see the valley regarded among the top gourmet destinations in the country. [www.thehuon.com].
The hamlet of Cygnet, population 1000 or so, is the foodie capital of the Huon, dotted with eateries and surrounded by vineyards, apple orchards and berry farms. It is populated by an intriguing mix of traditional farmers and newcomers with an artistic bent. The hills surrounding Cygnet produce strawberries in abundance, apples for the locally-made Pagan cider, organic vegetables from Alex Taylor at Golden Valley Farm and saffron for Tas-Saff. These and mushrooms from Cygnet Mushroom Farm and goat cheese from Tongola Goat Farm make their way onto the menus of Hobart's trendiest eateries. Locally, the award-winning Red Velvet Lounge is something of an icon, with chef Steve Cumper serving up dishes with a swagger of local chic using ingredients like Huon Valley Berkshires free-range pork. Fresh, usually organic, produce is also the driving force behind the menus at the rustic Lotus Eaters Cafe, which always has vegan and vegeterian-friendly menu choices. Newcomer Port Cygnet Diner sees chef Asher Gilding serving high-end burgers and fish and chips featuring local flathead. There's good coffee and country food at the Schoolhouse Coffee Shop.The biggest winery in the region, Panorama, recently sold and its cellar door is currently closed but you can taste at Hartzview, where liqueurs like cassis are the speciality, and at Two Bud Spur (weekends only). Also look out for brands like Chatto (the personal label of Mount Pleasant winemaker Jim Chatto) and Sailor Seeks Horse, by rising stars Paul and Gilli Lipscombe. Chatto says: "This part of the world has the potential to be among the most exciting sites for pinot noir anywhere in Australia." Those with a sweet tooth will want to pop in to Cygneture Chocolates, where Gillian Ryan uses fresh local fruits in her creations. Many of the local small farmers sell their produce at the Cygnet Market (first and third Sundays of the month), or you can pick up High Flint's home-made hummus, Cygnet exotic mushrooms and hot Huon Valley kitchen pies at the Cygnet Garden Larder on the main street.
Huonville
On the road into Huonville, the largest town in the region, you can't miss The Apple Shed at Grove, home of Willie Smiths Organic Cider, and the venue for the Huon Valley MidWinter Festival. A range of ciders is available for tasting and there is appetising local produce and a museum devoted to the region's apple-growing history. A Tasmanian version of the apple brandy calvados is in production. In town, artisan chocolatier The Cat's Tongue and cafe The Local (with the best coffee in town), are popular with local foodies and just outside town, at Ranelagh, you'll Home Hill Wines. Home Hill won the Jimmy Watson Trophy at the Royal Melbourne Wine Show for its 2014 Kelly's Reserve Pinot Noir, and is also home to an excellent restaurant overlooking the vines. Boutique winemaker Kate Hill is based in a rustic nearby shed, and the town is also home to food writer Michelle Crawford. The Huon is also about to get its first craft brewery at Ranelagh with former home brewer Bradley Churchill expecting to launch his opening salvo of Church Hill brews next week. Also check out the Summer Kitchen bakery in Ranelagh and long-time favourite Huon Manor restaurant in Huonville.
SoHu (south of Huonville]
The Huon Highway meanders south of Huonville until it runs out at Southport. Next stop Antarctica. Turn left to find Huon Aquaculture at Hideaway Bay, producers of a wide range of salmon and trout goods that are sold globally and employers of close to 500 locals. Check the the attractive villages of Franklin, Port Huon, Geeveston and Dover. Franklin is home to Frank's Cider (where tastings are conducted in a former church) and the re-born Aqua Grill waterfront restaurant where two Italian chefs have revamped the menu. At Port Huon, also overlooking the river, Sass at the Kermandie Hotel is one of the few reliable places for eating seven days a week, while in Geeveston you'll find arguably the best sushi in Tasmania at Masaaki's – a hole-in-the-wall spot where chef Masaaki Koyama opens just on Fridays and Saturdays and is often sold out by 1.30pm. Bookings are essential – but he's also at the Hobart Farm Gate Market every Sunday. You can pick berries fresh from the hedgerows in season or maybe fish for river trout. You'll pass turn-offs for Heriot's Point and Wombat Springs -but will need an appointment for a wine tasting.
The Kermandie Hotel, overlooking the Huon and a marina at Port Huon, offers comfortable modern rooms.
Frenchman's River comprises two new luxury cottages; the Writer's House and the Helmsman's House, in the hills above Cygnet launched this month by author and former McLeod's Daughters and Hi-5 creator Posie Graeme-Evans.
# This is edited version of a story that first appeared in The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald
Get ready for Tasmania's first "calvados"
First it was wine, then whisky, then cider. Now Tasmania is set to produce its first commercial volumes of apple brandy, known in France as calvados.
In a new page in the history of artisan Tasmanian distilling, Huon Valley cider producer Willie Smith's has unveiled the first Australia-built Alembic Still that will be used to make apple brandy.
It's a $200,000 investment to further value-add to the Tasmanian apple industry and build on Willie Smith's reputation as a producer of quality hand-crafted beverages.
Approximately 180 people attended the official launch at The Apple Shed in Grove on Tuesday night, conducted by the `godfather' of Tasmania's whisky and spirits industry, Bill Lark.
The event included a barrel filling ceremony, with Lark filling the first 100-litre sherry
barrel - a product that will be released in three years' time.
Willie Smith's head cider maker, and now distiller, Dr Tim Jones, said he was extremely
pleased with the initial spirit run saying "the spirit is smooth and fine, with creamy complexity and apple aromas – it expresses the characteristics of the cider we produce for this spirit and is also the result of this wonderfully designed and built still.
"It's a process of patience, but we think it will be well worth the wait!''
In the shorter-term Willie Smith's is already selling Apple Schnapps and will be releasing Pear and Cherry Schnapps made with the still in the next couple of months.
Peter Bailly from Knapp Lewer Contracting crafted the copper still in Tasmania.
It is the first purpose-built Alembic copper still in Tasmania and probably Australia.
Willie Smith's co-owner, Sam Reid, said Tasmania now has 15 distilleries.
"We feel that this will be another boost for tourism in the Huon Valley and Southern Tasmania and give people even more of a reason to visit our great region,'' he said.
"There are viewing windows from where you can watch the still in operation along with tours at set times planned for the future."
The Charentais alembic still was designed in the early 16th century in the Cognac region of France, where it is still used for fine cognac production. To this day, it is the preferred still of choice for calvados producers in Normandy in France.
Unlikely alliance proves a festival winner
It is an unlikely combination that works.
Celebrating its sixth year, Pyrmont Festival returns in 2016 with a 10-day program to showcase the best of the Mudgee Region and Pyrmont. Country cool meets city funk.
The country folk hit the big smoke and get together with the inner-city hipsters for a festival that celebrates wine, food and fun, including wine dinners and tastings, photographic exhibitions and art displays.
Participating Mudgee wineries include Burrundulla Wines, Robert Stein Vineyard, Huntington Estate and Petersen's, Mudgee Ridge, Moothi Estate, Walter Wines, Burnbrae Wines and Manners Wines.
Pyrmont eateries featured are Blue Eye Dragon, Café Morso, Flying Fish, Bar Zini, The Apprentice, Brio, The Persian Room, Zebra Lounge, Le Trader, Quarryman Hotel, Dunkirk Hotel, Ovolo 1888, Gourmandise de Paris and Pyrmont Point Hotel, showcasing the best of their dining experiences with Mudgee wines to match at lunches, dinners and tastings across the 10 days.
The highlight of the festival will be a two-day free headliner event in the City's award winning Pirrama Park on Saturday and Sunday, May 14-15.
An event designed for the whole family, with live music, local and Mudgee region artists showcasing sculptures, rides and children's entertainment and approximately 100 stalls where guests can meet winemakers, participate in tastings and sample a broad range of fine foods.
Pyrmont Festival is a product of industry collaboration with Mudgee Region Tourism, Mid-Western Regional Council and Mudgee Wine Grape Growers Inc, presented by Pyrmont Ultimo Chamber of Commerce with the City of Sydney.
It is an opportunity for Pyrmont, just two kilometres from the CBD, to demonstrate its position as one of Sydney's fastest-growing tourist, creative, cultural and dining precincts.
The Mudgee Region is the third largest grape-growing region in NSW and is three hours west of Sydney (on a good day).
For more event information and accommodation, or for a chance to win a luxury Mudgee Region Sensory Escape, go to www.pyrmontfestival.com.au
Whisky, vodka and gin are old hat. Now Australia has its first rakia
Australian artisans have enjoyed huge recent success with whiskies, gins, vodkas and other spirits. Now an enterprising pair of Adelaide brothers has launched the country's first rakia.
Rakia originates from the Balkans region of Eastern Europe and is a fruit brandy. It is widely considered to be the national drink of Macedonia, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia.
Now Jon and Con Lioulios have distilled and launched the only new-age rakia to be licensed and sold in Australia; 36 Short.
The name is a tribute to Jon and Con's Macedonian-born father, Pando, who bought the recipe to Australia almost 50 years ago. It refers, somewhat obscurely, to his suit size.
The Lioulios brothers are primarily known for their successful, fresh, vegetable produce business Quality Lines, but have branched out in a new direction.
Con Lioulios said: "Recent trends and statistics tell us that young and old people alike are experimenting with spirits and liquors more than ever before and we wanted to share our very own rakia with their sophisticated palates."
"Dad dedicated a lot of time, energy, love and patience to distilling, and with four generations who all had the same passion for distilling rakia preceding him, now it is our turn to do the same."
So how to use this mysterious spirit?
"Rakia can be served straight before a meal and be accompanied with pickled vegetables as well as cured and barbequed meats," says John Lioulios. "Our white Rakia can be used to make various cocktails."
Yes, you read that right. Not content with making on rakia; the brothers have made both a white and a gold version, both made from grape juice distilled with star anise.
The White is viscous and refreshing with a hint of aniseed, smooth, refreshing ideal for cocktails, while the aged gold is more complex and spicy and ideal for enjoying on the rocks. Neither is for the faint-hearted. Both weigh in at 45% alcohol.
Individually bottled and batched, the rakia is hand finished with the closure dipped in a glossy wax, which I found fiddly and annoying. It should probably be re-thought.
Both 36 Short White and Gold have recommended retail prices of $70 and are available online at www.36short.com as well as selected bottle shops, hotels and bars in Adelaide including Electra House, Edinburgh Cellars, Udaberri, Mr. Good Bar and Thrift Shop.
There's a new scam in town
From the same people who brought you the "temple is closed" yarn and the "hotel fully booked" scam comes a new rort that leaves hapless tourists with nowhere to turn.
This scam involves a well-dressed couple with a happy child dancing alongside them on a busy city sidewalk.
No one would give them a second glance.
Except the child collides with you, quickly, deftly, snatching your wallet, or in my case my iPhone, from my pocket.
Fortunately I was on to them. The child still had my iPhone in its hand.
The parents, of course, expressed sorrow and amazement that such a thing could have occurred. They spoke faux sternly to the child, who handed back my phone.
It is close to being the perfect scam. If they get away with it they are home free. If the angry tourist rounds on them they plead innocence.
And if the tourist manages to call the police then they can hardly change a four-year-old who made "a mistake".
Ingenious. And one to watch out for. Bangkok today, who knows where tomorrow?
A quiet celebration to mark 20 years of Margan Wines
Andrew and Lisa Margan are among my favourite wine people.
Not only do they produce a fine range of wines from the Hunter Valley at sensible prices, they are operate a great cellar door and eatery in a dramatically beautiful setting.
They experiment with different grape varieties, grow their own produce for their restaurant and always seem to be having a great time.
And, while bringing up a young family, they also seem to have discovered the secret of eternal youth. They just don't change.
Margan Family Wines celebrates its 20th birthday in May, with a series of events and a new range of wines to mark the milestone.
The Margan story began two decades ago when young Tyrrell's winemaker Andrew Margan decided to have a go himself and make wine under his own name. His parents had a vineyard in the Hunter Valley in the 1970s so there was already wine in his DNA.
Armed with a purchase order from a wine club he was able to fund the costs for the first wines. After that he and wife Lisa, were on their own.
Today, Andrew Margan is chief winemaker and viticulturist, while Lisa is executive chef, develops the 'estate grown' projects (lambs, bees, garden and deli goods) and manages the Margan Restaurant and Cellar Door.
There is now a team of 30 staff across the business spanning winery sales, vineyard, cellar door, restaurant and admin.
The wines, restaurant and cellar door have picked up numerous awards, with Andrew Margan being named Viticulturist of the Year and Lisa Margan being awarded Excellence in Food Tourism at the National Tourism Awards, both last year.
And now the next generation is also coming through, with the couple's eldest son Ollie just about to finish a double degree in winemaking and viticultural science at the University of Adelaide. Daughter Alessa is studying communications at UTS while working in wine and food PR (and provided much of the info for this story) and their other son, James, is studying economics at Sydney University.
Today the Margan family owns 100 hectares of its own vineyards – including icon Hunter varieties semillon and shiraz and pioneering varieties including barbera and albarino (yes, real albarino, not savagnin).
Production has grown to around 30,000 cases a year with the new "Breaking Ground" range featuring an albarino and a tempranillo graciano shiraz launched on May 1 to mark the 20th birthday milestone. The albarino is a stunner
There was a fabulous tasting and lunch on May 26 to mark the birthday, with vertical tastings of aged semillons and shirazes, shiraz mourvedre blends, botrytis semillopns and the "first-ever" Hunter tasting of barbera..
It was, as you would expect, a fun affair.
For more details see www.margan.com.au
10X 2018 Chardonnay - 10X is the entry level range for 10 Minutes by Tractor, one of the star wine producers on the Mornington Peninsula. This is a classic cool-climate chardo...
Huon View
Happy as a pig in mud at #HVMWF 2019 - As a bloke in the queue at the bar said to me when I went to fetch a hot spiced cider, "Gumboot people are happy people!" As nice as it would have been to ...
Winsor's Choice
All Saints Hip Sip Tawny - It has been bloody cold down our way recently and this flavoursome tawny from All Saints in Rutherglen, north-east Victoria, proved a formidable freeze fi...
TRAVEL TROLL - Travel News - Deals - Hotels - Airlines - Tours - Cruises
Europe 2020 Flash Sale - Europe is your oyster! For those of you currently suffering from severe summer FOMO, scrolling through a social feed full of friends living their best live...
Traveloscopy Travelblog
Hawaii: The Phantoms of Sarah Joe - By William Starr Moake Sunday morning Hana Bay was as flat as a pond with a gentle southerly breeze under a clear sky. These were unusual weather condit...
Vintnews
Wine News with David Ellis
Neil McGuigan just back from Canada - GAME BET WITH A BOTTLE OF RED David Ellis WINE consortium Australian Vintages Limited that embraces McGuigan Wines, Miranda, Nepenthe, Tempus Two and P...
Winsor Dobbin
rodeime
Just how do you avoid getting allocated the worst ...
A beginners' guide to eating and drinking in the H...
Whisky, vodka and gin are old hat. Now Australia h...
A quiet celebration to mark 20 years of Margan Win...
A lovely hotel where you can avoid the excesses of...
Major accolade for Queensland resort
Little things add up to a great stay in Kuala Lump...
Tasmania's gourmet showcase in Melbourne to expand...
Three changes that would make Melbourne even more ...
Why saving money with Air Asia X makes lots of sen...
Spectacular location for swish Melbourne hotel
Kiwi couple succeeds by doing things differenty
Thriving Tasmanian distillery came about by accide...
The perfect way to kill a few hours at Melbourne A...
Tee off in conjuction with one of Thailand's most ...
Another day, another idiot abroad
Another day, another tale of woe from an Australian travelling overseas who has suffered from misfortune. This time, it is a woman in Bali...
All material @WinsorDobbin. Picture Window theme. Theme images by Brasil2. Powered by Blogger.


Gourmet & Dining Style Show serves the support of the specialized trade and the Abverkauf of the products of the industry with the specialized trade. It gives manufacturers the ability to do business with independent specialty retailers in a focused, one-of-a-kind setting - plus exposure to the new home improvement retail channel.
Ad-Tech Tokyo brings together brand advertisers, traditional & interactive agencies, portals, on-line publishers and technology providers. With the rapid growth in technology and use of digital media, ad:tech offers an unrivalled opportunity to discover new practices and technologies, and to learn how many of the great names have utilized the net, built brand recognition and immersed themselves in digital technologies.
DiskCon Japan will address how magnetic hard disk drives and solid state storage devices are meeting our insatiable demand for storage. All phases of New technology challenges, evolving market forces, and renewed growth in storage are the leading products will be presented to comprise an in-depth status report on this quest for storage. Experts representing each area of storage, including market analysts, will deliver their views and participate in a panel discussion to present a timely review of the storage industry and its future. This expo will be held two days from July 29 & 30, 2010 at Ota City Industrial Promotion Organization in the U.S.A., and organized by the IDEMA USA.
Being organized by Japan Management Association, Motortech Japan is an eminent event for showcasing precision electric products & technology. It is the 27th edition of show which will be held at Tokyo International Exhibition Center, Japan for 3 days.
Being organized by Japan Management Association, BOARD COMPUTER ? JAPAN is 18th viable exhibition which is offering solutions for embedded system with board computers and peripheral equipments. Entering into its 18th edition, it is 3 days show which will be held at Tokyo International Exhibition Center, Japan.
Being organized by Japan Management Association at Tokyo International Exhibition Center (Tokyo Big Sight), Japan, Clean Engineering is a definite show for showcasing latest clean technologies for electronic parts & devices and driving parts. It will offer an entrusted podium for displaying ultrasonic washing machine, dryer machine, washing system, cleaning system etc.
Being organized by Japan Management Association at Tokyo International Exhibition Center, Techno Frontier is characterized as one of the largest show for Electronics & Electrical industry. Emerging out as one of the viable show, it is targeted towards engineers and professionals in design and development technology.
Being organized by Japan Management Association at Tokyo International Exhibition Center, Power Supply Japan is one of the highly distinguishable show on power supply. For 3 days, it will emerge out as a leading trade show which will welcome directors, chief engineers, development & design engineers etc. from throughout the world.
Being organized by Japan Management Association, Motion Engineering Japan is a definite event for electronics & electrical industry. It is 3 days show which will be hosted at Tokyo International Exhibition Center for unveiling varied emerging trends of electronic and electrical sector.
Being organized by Japan Management Association at Tokyo International Exhibition Center, EMC Japan is an electromagnetic interference exhibition. For 3 days, it will become a leading meeting place of meeting eminent professionals and will showcase latest technologies such as noise attenuation parts & devices, electromagnetic shielding materials, measuring equipments etc.
Being organized by Japan Management Association, Connector & Cable Technology is an eminent event for showcasing advanced electronic and mechatronic technology. It is 3 days fair which will be convoked at Tokyo International Exhibition Center (Tokyo Big Sight), Japan.
EXPO COMM WIRELESS JAPAN is the only event that brings you to the heart of Japan's wireless market with over 35,000 industry professionals and 180 participating exhibitors. If you're looking to explore the latest wireless solutions, develop new business partners, or expand your share of Japan's wireless market, you need to be at EXPO COMM WIRELESS JAPAN.
Tokyo International Book Fair (TIBF 2010), the largest international book fair in Japan, organised by the Executive Committee of TIBF consisting of major publishing associations. A platform for direct exports, co-publishing projects, rights negotiations.
Digital Publishing Fair, to offer more perfection for your higher production efficiency development and business competitiveness advancement, this series is born under the concept Surpass Your Success on the World Stage, and has featured a great number of the hottest innovations and latest technologies in a comprehensive range of exhibit zones.
Design Zakka Tokyo helps you grab this opportunity to expand your business in the Japanese and Asian zakka market. Design Zakka Tokyo provides a cutting-edge platform for designers and those retailers who want to place orders for innovative and stylish design from all over the world. Buyers from top interior and lifestyle shops shall visit to stock the latest design.
For 3 days, Office Furniture Japan will prove to be one of the largest platforms for meeting leading players from furniture industry. Being hosted by Reed Exhibitions Japan Limited, the show will offer wide business opportunities as over more then 280 exhibitors from 26 nations will attend this mega show which will display office desk, chair, pavilion system, conference table, sofa, computer desk, filing cabinet etc.


COLUMBUS, OH (WOIO) - The Ohio State Highway Patrol reports 11 fatal crashes this holiday weekend - killing 12 people.
This is one more fatality that was reported for the same period last year.
Over the holiday weekend State Troopers arrested 558 impaired drivers and assisted 4,941 motorists.


text:
«Nuestro amor» (en inglés: «Our Love») es el primer sencillo del segundo álbum de estudio del grupo pop mexicano RBD, Nuestro amor. La canción fue utilizada también para promover la segunda temporada de la telenovela Rebelde.

«This is love», la versión en inglés de «Nuestro amor», aparece en el 2006 con el primer álbum de estudio de RBD en inglés, Rebels. La versión en portugués se llama «Nosso amor» y fue lanzado como sencillo en Brasil. Un vídeo musical especial para esta versión de la canción fue planeado, pero fue desechado.

Video musical
El video musical de la canción fue filmado a principios de agosto del 2005 en Pedregal, Distrito Federal, México, y fue dirigido por Amin Azali. Fue su primer video dirigido por Amin Azali y se estrenó en septiembre en los EE. UU. y México.

El vídeo habla de una cita que las chicas y los chicos de RBD tienen. Este video comienza con una llamada telefónica entre Dulce María y Christopher; Dulce se encuentra en el baño y Christopher en la ventana. Entonces las chicas se visten elegantemente para la noche siguiente que van a tener.

También muestra a los miembros masculinos preparándose para una cena romántica en una casa japonesa de aspecto similar, donde los chicos las buscan. Por último, la banda camina, se sientan, cantan, disfrutan de la luz de la luna y extrañamente, comparten varias botellas de leche de las que beben.

Posicionamiento
La canción se convirtió en el quinto mayor éxito de RBD en México. Alcanzó el número dos en el Billboard Hot Latin Pop Airplay y el número seis en la lista Top 50 Latin Tracks gráfico y América Tropical Airplay. La canción también alcanzó el puesto número 33 en la semana 10 en las listas de Rumanía.

Referencias

Sencillos de 2005
Canciones de RBD
Sencillos de RBD
Canciones en español
Canciones de pop latino de México

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Importance Of Following Orders time overseas in combat zones and other overseas tours. Words: 1101 Pages: 5 Yes You homeschooling essay against Can to Importance Of Being On Time Military Essays only from Anti Essays. Words: 1135 Pages: 5 Mandatory Military Service base.
Those advertisers use tracking technologies to collect information about your activity on our sites and applications and across the Internet and your other apps and devices. Even if you choose not to have your activity tracked by third parties for advertising services, you will still see non-personalized ads on our site. The characters in The Importance of Being Earnest assume false identities in order to achieve their goals but do not interfere with the others' lives. EU Data Subject Requests. Dependability in the workplace leads to consistency.
(Friedrich Schlegel) An upper class society is merely a twisted web of superficial dogma amidst nonsensical wisdoms and outrageously absurd beliefs. We have to show discipline, responsibility, show care through following military rules and regulations. Words: 2009, pages: 9, importance Of Being On Time, military Justice punishment, which can result in loss of pay, rank, and time. The importance of being on time in life and in the military. His parody works at two levels- on the one hand he ridicules the manners of the high society and on the other he satirises the human condition in general. By clicking continue below and using our sites or applications, you agree that we and our third party advertisers can: transfer your personal data to the United States or other countries, and process your personal data to serve you with personalized ads, subject to your. tags: Oscar Wilde Being Earnest Essays. Words: 698, pages: 3, importance Of Being On Time, the Importance of Being on Time Time is a reality of life that is utterly inescapable. Middle of paper.es too much room for error. Words: 1073 Pages: 5 Importance Of Military Items in someone to complete a job for you, or even show up on time to an important event. This essay is 100 guaranteed.
The story ends as Tessie is stoned to death while she bemoans the unfairness of the situation. Adams at once progenitor and martyr in the..


Using the Bible as his guide, Dr. Peale shares a powerful road map for navigating life's problems, helping readers find new confidence and purpose, conquer stress, and strengthen everyday relationships.
This preview requires Adobe Flash Player. Click here to download.
Bestselling author and pastor, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, provides biblically-based wisdom, insight and thinking to guide you in every aspect of life.
Norman Vincent Peale and his wife Ruth Strafford co-founded Guideposts in 1945 to provide an organization that would help people from all walks of life achieve their maximum personal and spiritual potential.
Known as one of the most skilled Christian communicators of the twentieth century, Dr. Peale authored the best-selling book, The Power of Positive Thinking, which sold over 20 million copies. A pastor of Marble Collegiate Church in New York City for more than five decades, Dr. Peale gained fame for his sermons on a positive approach to modern living. His weekly radio program, "The Art of Living," was broadcast on NBC for 54 years. He often spoke to over an average of 100 groups a year and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Ronald Reagan.
Dr. Peale passed on December 24, 1993, but his philosophy of telling true-to-life stories as a personal communicating is still at the heart of the Guideposts experience today.
Norman Vincent Peale has been gone many years now but his messages are still timeless. Like the Bible, we should all take time to read and re-read his work often. For anyone that has never read any of his works, I strongly recommend "Navigate" as a good one to start with. For those that have read this book already; read it again. It has a timely message for all and could have been written today rather than 30+ years ago. I just finished it and ordered 3 copies for gifts because I do not want to part with my copy long enough to loan it out. Mr. Peale's message is easy to understand...God is the answer, it doesn't matter what the question is.


text:
Analysis Tucson, AZ: Intervention in Border Patrol Stop
Tucson, AZ: Intervention in Border Patrol Stop
In the midst of an ongoing national debate about the jailing of undocumented minors and the separation of immigrant families, a Tucson family was detained and separated by Border Patrol on March 19, 2019.
Glenda de la Vega Fernandez, Jesús Antonio Torres, and Dariana Torres de la Vega, their 12-year-old daughter, were stopped for having 'overly tinted windows.' Arizona Highway Patrol called Border Patrol and within minutes the entire family was detained. Multiple law enforcement agencies arrived on the scene, including the Pima County Sheriff's Office and the Tucson Police Department.
Despite protests from close relatives on the scene who were ready to take guardianship of the child, Border Patrol placed her in the caged back of the vehicle. Border Patrol also refused to allow community members to offer the detained family food and water.
Someone who had arrived on the scene after receiving notification of the stop from the Tucson Community Rapid Response Team crawled under the Border Patrol truck to prevent it from leaving with the family inside. This action temporarily prevented Border Patrol from transporting the family to a holding facility, but before the growing crowd at the traffic stop could take further action, BP agents pulled the rapid responder from under the truck and arrested him. He was held overnight in Border Patrol custody before being released the next day without charges.
After two nights at Tucson Border Patrol Headquarters, the family was transferred to a Tucson ICE field office. Glenda said they were repeatedly assured by Border Patrol agents that they would be released together. Yet ten minutes after arranging for the family to be picked up, Glenda and Dariana watched as ICE agents separated them from Jesús. "They cuffed his hands, his waist, and his feet," Glenda said. After pleading with the agents, the mother and daughter were allowed a brief moment with Jesús before he was deported. Glenda, Jesus, and Dariana had been living in Tucson together for over 11 years with their other two children aged 10 and 6.
Despite false claims from Border Patrol that Dariana remained with her parents while in custody, Glenda and Dariana say that Dariana was held in a separate cell with 16 other female minors. The cell was so overcrowded that some of the girls had to sleep in the bathroom attached to the room. This comes as the Tucson Sector Border Patrol currently faces a class action lawsuit from plaintiffs who are charging that the dirty, overcrowded, and freezing conditions at CBP Headquarters in Tucson violate constitutional law and CBP's own policies.
What lessons can we take from this latest attack on the undocumented community?
This is likely obvious to the point of redundant by now, but this case shows us once again that the system of deportation is brutal and must be stopped. A family has been torn apart and pulled from a community that they've been part of for over a decade for driving a car with tinted windows. A child has been taken into law enforcement custody, lied to, separated from her mother, and forced to sleep curled up next to a toilet in an overcrowded cell. No pretext is too small for the racially targeted violence of the immigration system, no cruelty too unseemly.
Collaboration between local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies is central to the day-to-day functioning of the detention and deportation systems. The stop was initiated by an Arizona State Trooper who later called Border Patrol. As a crowd gathered to try to prevent the detention of the family, support from the Pima County Sheriff's Department and the Tucson Police Department arrived. More or less every active law enforcement agency with jurisdiction in Tucson worked together to ensure that BP be able to detain this family.
In the wake of the incident, Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus wrote an op-ed absolving the Tucson Police Department of guilt for the separation of the family: "TPD officers will not do BP's job… however, our officers will respond to urgent requests for assistance, calls for emergency help or calls where it's necessary for us to enforce state law. This may involve addressing incidents where persons are blocking a law enforcement vehicle, interfering with a lawful arrest or trespassing on private property. This is a basic expectation of police officers in every city across the country, and one we are duty bound to uphold."
Whenever we effectively intervene in the functioning of BP or ICE, local law enforcement agencies will arrive to back them up. If the rhetoric of Tucson's top cop doesn't make it abundantly clear, we need look no further than the police departments of so-called "sanctuary cities" Portland and San Francisco to prove this point. In each case, despite their progressive talk, the local cops violently evicted the encampments blockading ICE offices last summer. In this sense, Magnus's op-ed boldly states an important truth: while individual cops—even chiefs of police—may not themselves agree that it is good policy to have families routinely torn from their loved ones by armed federal agents, they understand themselves as "duty bound" to use state violence to ensure that this can continue to happen. ¡La migra, la policía, la misma porquería!
We need to think strategically about how to intensify and expand our struggles. On one hand, the actions of the rapid responders who arrived at the scene on the 19th obstructed the work of Border Patrol, transforming an otherwise routine act into a potentially uncontrollable situation—a liability they had to rely on support from other law enforcement agencies to help them manage. Further, through the extensive media and signal boosting work done in the aftermath, the normally invisible attacks on the undocumented community have been made public, garnering significant attention. Now, there has been a large scale fundraising campaign for the separated family raising over $10,000, renewed discussion of a "sanctuary city" initiative in local government, and a pro-bono lawyer secured to help Jesús pursue routes to return to his family now that he has been deported.
That said, it's difficult to view this as any kind of victory. Our goal cannot be to bring attention to deportations, it must be to prevent them from happening at all. When Border Patrol or ICE are called in the city, we need numbers and we need them fast. Oftentimes when the rapid response network gets activated, only a few people arrive before BP is already pulling away with undocumented folks in their custody. Determine if the city you live in has a rapid response network right now, and get signed up to receive notifications. If you're in a city without a rapid response network, create one! Feel free to get in touch with folks at rapidresponsetucson@protonmail.com who would be happy to explain how they got things off the ground.
In addition to bigger crowds at Border Patrol stops, we also need to arrive mentally and physically prepared to act decisively. Consider what risks you might be willing to take to intervene, and discuss with people you trust what sort of actions you might want to take together. Had there been more than one person who crawled under the car at the stop on the 19th, it may have bought enough time for the crowd to have grown to a size where they could have surrounded the vehicle. If rapid responders had linked arms early on, it may have been more difficult for the police to force them out of the road. What might have happened if rapid responders had been prepared with implements to lock themselves to BP cars? In the past, local cops have attacked crowds with pepper spray when law enforcement vehicles get surrounded. Should we come ready to rapid response calls with work goggles to protect our eyes? Let's not simply ask these questions, we need to start answering them and arriving prepared.
Finally, let's think realistically about the risk incurred by taking action in a situation like the one described above. As always, the level of risk one faces changes drastically with one's position within myriad hierarchies of identity-based oppression. Attempting to intervene in a BP stop is, of course, particularly risky for those without citizenship status. For those of us who are U.S. citizens, however, perhaps this case shows us that the risks are not so high as those in power would like us to imagine they are. The rapid responder who crawled under the Border Patrol vehicle was threatened with an "impeding a federal agent" charge, but ultimately released with no criminal charges whatsoever. The sole negative consequence for his action was being held in BP custody overnight.
It would be simplistic to assume that this will inevitably be the outcome of interventions in BP or ICE stops, but let's be clear: we live in a time when there is broad community support available—including, in many cases, free legal representation—for anti-border actions. Let's use this support while we have it, recognizing that the risks we run by taking action are minimal in comparison to those faced daily by those without documents. Or, as Jessica Rodriguez of the Southside Worker's Center said in a press conference after the family's separation, "everyone who's out there wondering what else they can do, I ask you to use your bodies and your privilege to make sure that these systems don't continue deporting families."
Cracks In the ICE: History, Abolition & the Path Ahead
Portland, OR: Vigil Outside of ICE Detention Center July 17th
Seattle WA: #DivestfromICE Protesters Shut Down Bank of the West
On Willem Van Spronsen & His Final Statement


Added by old_redgolem almost 13 years ago. Updated over 5 years ago.
If you are not logged in the Frontend and try to access a page for logged in users it redirects you to the root-page. In my case the root page is as shortcut to the first subpage. Instead of rendering the subpage it renders the content of the root page.
I have the same problem. It started after upgrading my website from 3.8.1 to 4.0. Strange enough, this does not happen everytime I reload the page from the browser. Some times it does follow the shortcut, but mostly not.
No feedback for over 90 days.


Hallo, mein Name ist Lisa Carpitelli und ich bin 31 Jahre alt. Meine Muttersprache ist Italian und ich unterrichte English, Italian. Online-Unterricht bei Verbalplanet.com gebe ich seit Oktober 2014. Ich beherrsche die folgenden Sprachen fließend: Italian, English, French. Ich biete derzeit eine vergünstigte Probestunde für neue Schüler an.
I live in Edinburgh - Scotland - and work the Edinburgh School of English as English teacher. I trained in London in 2014 and since then I have worked in one of the best boarding schools as ESL teacher and as EFL teacher both in the UK and Italy. I have taught presessional courses for university students in China and have extensive experience with students from all over the world.
As a young enthusiastic, dynamic and flexible person, I can encourage and motivate people to achieve. I'm a qualified EFL teacher, I enjoy being creative and using my drama skills to inspire and create my classes. I communicate very well at all levels and ages.
I have travelled extensively and I really enjoy meeting new people and experiencing different cultures. Languages have always been my passion, together with theatre and acting which are my main interests and have also been a job. Music is another great passion, I used to sing in a rock band and went to singing lessons for years.
IELTS, Cambridge and Trinity exam preparation.
- I am currently studying for the Trinity DipTESOL.
First, I ask the student to do a placement test and write me a letter introducing themselves and explaining their motivation to improve their English. I usually follow with a quick interview that gives me an idea of the student's speaking skills and their needs. I then create a plan based on what the student wants to achieve and what I think they will need to get there. The criteria I use are simple: I try to meet the student's interests as much as I can by tailor-making materials and activities accordingly.
In online classes I obviously focus on speaking skills (accuracy, fluency, pronunciation, intonation) and give homework if necessary, especially with IELTS and Cambridge preparation.
Lisa is very good teacher, speaks very slowly and understandably for the student. I'm very happy to find a good teacher for improve my English. Thank you Lisa.
The lesson was very good. Thanks again.


The Educational Information Architecture (EIA) relies on multiple distributed agents to provide services to students and course facilitators. The EIA specification states that implementation will be done using Java, XML, and CORBA. However, it seems probable that the ease of use of Java RMI will make this transport an early foundation for the development of EIA. RMI abstracts away the details of low-level communication, allowing the programmer to focus on more high-level issues. However, Java RMI is notoriously deficient in regard to performance. While performance may not be critical to many aspects of EIA, it will certainly be important to the transfer of large multimedia data (e.g., video) and also to agent interactions which involve large numbers of small messages (e.g., negotiation for content). These issues may be especially relevant as EIA scales up to be an infrastructure for national or even global education. In addition, EIA is targeted to serve underrepresented groups and institutions that may not have high speed networking resources. This also points to the importance of optimizing the performance of EIA.
This project is proposed to study the performance of Java RMI under a variety of conditions which may be encountered in the EIA. If performance appears lacking in a given scenario, alternatives will be studied and trade-offs examined. For example, if transferring very large multimedia data is unacceptably slow using Java RMI, the project will examine possible alternatives. These will include using the Java Native Interface (JNI) to call Distributed Computing Environment standard Remote Procedure Calls (RPC's), using direct socket calls, or using alternative RMI replacements (e.g., KaRMI; see Nester, Philipsen, and Haumacher, "A More Efficient RMI for Java", Proceedings of the ACM 1999 conference on Java Grande, pp. 152-159). It may also be useful to study the performance of alternative distributed object technologies such as CORBA or DCOM as possible ways to provide RMI's pleasant programmer interface through higher performance means.
· Content negotiation between student agents and teaching agents.
· Large scale content transfers and between course agents.
· Small scale content transfers (updates) between course agents.
· Content delivery from teaching agents to students agents.
· Assignment submission from student agents to teaching agents.
· Student agent to student agent interactive "chats".
Each of the identified scenarios will be benchmarked using standard Java RMI as the transport mechanism. Trials will be conducted using both a LAN (10 - 100 Mbit Ethernet) and a dial-up Internet connection (56K V.90 modem).
· Raw TCP/IP sockets using Java.
· DCE RPC's through Java JNI.
· KaRMI replacement for Java RMI.
· CORBA (if time permits).
· DCOM through Java JNI (if time permits).
· A compression mechanism on top of one of these transports (if time permits).
Finally, all of the performance metrics will be analyzed and compared. Recommendations and conclusions will be presented.
It is expected that Java RMI will not perform well in scenarios which involve a lot of small transfers and/or object serialization. RMI may also be a poor performer for very large data transfers as compared to optimized schemes such as DCE pipes. If either of both of these expectations bear out, it is hoped that one or more of the suggested replacement schemes may provide good performance.
In any case, this project will provide some interesting performance data comparing several popular transport mechanisms. It will either affirm expectations concerning performance limitations for the more abstract transports such as RMI, RPC, and the like, or may lay to rest performance concerns in this area. Regardless of the final outcome of this experiment, useful information will be gleaned.


Community Justice Society is responsible for administering the Nova Scotia Restorative Justice Program in a service delivery arrangement with the Department of Justice. However, we also partner with many other community organizations and programs that work with youth and communities.
Our partners include other community organizations in the HRM like community centers, businesses, and government. We also collaborate with other restorative justice organizations provincially, nationally, and internationally to provide updated, current restorative processes to our clients and communities.
Community Justice Society works in partnership with the Nova Scotia Department of Justice to deliver the Nova Scotia Restorative Justice Program (NSRJP). The NSRJP has a set of best practices and protocol standards that CJS, as well as all other agencies delivering the NSRJP across the province, adhere to.
For more information on this partnership please visit the Nova Scotia Department of Justice website.
Public Prosecution Services prosecutes charges laid by the police under the Criminal Code and under Nova Scotian statutes (ie - acts or legislation) like the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Liquor Control Act.
Cases are handled by lawyers called "Crown Attorneys". There are approximately 80 Crown Attorneys across the province that handle 40,000 cases each year. Crown attorneys are responsible for referring many young offenders to restorative justice and Community Justice Society works closely with them to ensure young offenders, persons harmed, and communities are given full justice through the process.
The Court Administration Services provides assistance to Community Justice Society. For more information about their services, visit their website at http://www.cas-satj.gc.ca/en/home.shtml.
The Halifax Youth Attendance Centre (HYAC) addresses the needs of moderate to high-rish youth under court ordered community supervision in the HRM. It provides services including youth mental health, education, employment support and addictions programs. It is managed by a team of probation officers to ensure compliance with court orders.
HYAC is administered by the Department of Justice in a collaborative partnership with the Department of Education, Community Services and Health, and their service providers.
Community Justice Society works with various police services on a regular basis. Not only are police responsible for referring young offenders to the Restorative Justice Program, but they also participate in our talking circles as community representatives and volunteer their services to helping us prevent crime by participating in community events and dropping in on our community programs.
Community Justice Society works closely with Probation Services in Halifax, Dartmouth and Bedford. We work with probation officers to ensure young offenders are properly rehabilitated and complete their assigned contract terms like community service hours and educational programs or counselling.
Community Justice Society works with various legal aid services. Legal aid provides free legal services to young offenders (and adults) facing criminal chargers. Although services are based on financial need, some of their services are available to all Nova Scotians.
Community Justice Society works with many community organizations, including recreational and service centers. We work with the East Preston Recreation Association to deliver our East Preston Youth Night and other recreational programs like the EAST (Education, Action, Strength, Truth) afterschool program.
The Homebridge Youth Society was incorporated in 1977. It is a charitable, non-profit organization established by social workers who identified a need for residential care in the child welfare system. Currently, up to 40 high risk youth between the ages of 12-18 can receive individualized service in community setting and approximately 120 youth reside in their facilities annually while in the temporary or permanent care of the Minister of Community Services.
The International Institute for Restorative Practices (IIRP) Graduate School is the world's first graduate school wholly devoted to restorative practices. Their faculty is dedicated to helping individuals find new ways to empower people and transform communities. Their campus is located in Bethlehem, PA. The IIRP supports Community Justice Society with training and other restorative justice resources.