Rome tours can be confusing to decide on, but this is the best way to see the Eternal City's highlights, a must for first time trips to Rome. Take our Rome walking tour of the city's most popular monuments and bustling piazzas in the historical center. You will enjoy the highlights of Rome attractions with over 2000 years of history coming to life!
Your enjoyment of Rome's treasures will certainly be enhanced by your knowledgeable and passionate guide. You will experience real Roman folklore as well as travel back in time and learn old traditions and customs. Your expert guide will not only help you navigate Rome's charming streets, but also help you uncover Rome's secrets – from past to present. Another benefit of having a true local as your private tour guide is that you wont need to think of things to do in Rome - know where to shop, where to eat, and get ideas of what to do in your spare time in Rome from your guide. If you are tired from a long flight, why not upgrade your walking tour to an Electric Golf Cart Tour!
Everyone who comes to Rome must visit the Spanish Steps - the "5th Avenue" of Rome - where all the world's top designers have set up shop. Take in the magnificent view of Rome from the top of the steps, then stroll down Via Condotti, at the base of the Spanish steps, which is one of the most famous places to shop in the world. All while learning the Spanish Steps history.
You won't need to ask yourself " where is the Trevi Fountain " as you'll be expertly navigated through the city streets. You'll want to toss a coin into Trevi Fountain, the largest and most famous fountain in Italy (seen in Fellini's La Dolce Vita movie), ensuring that you will one day return to Rome. Learn the secrets that the fountain holds.
Continue walking among the city's wonders, and explore the Pantheon - This magnificent building is considered the most well-preserved ancient temple in the world and the most amazing architectural structure of the ancient world. Michelangelo was so impressed with the Pantheon that when he saw it for the first time, he proclaimed it of "angelic and not of human design"
You'll stroll through the bustling Piazza Navona, named the most beautiful square in Italy, which houses three magnificent fountains including the famous Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of the Four Rivers) by Bernini. Piazza Navona is also one of the liveliest squares of Rome with several quaint outdoor restaurants and cafes.
If you are up for more touring, we highly suggest pairing this tour with a Colosseum Tour, or following our special 2019 Première Early Morning PRIME Vatican Tour!
Lose yourself in Trastevere's charming streets and lively piazzas. You'll immediately see why this unique neighborhood is a favorite for visitors and locals alike. You'll find many bars and restaurants nestled in the curving alleys - a great place to end your day of tours and have a bite to eat! An extra fee will apply if transportation is requested.
Book your tour and create your personal walking experience by making it a full day, adding 3 extra hours! You can tell us in advance your favorite sites to visit or your personal guide will make suggestions based on your interests and energy level - you set the pace and see what you want to see. Please make a note on your booking if you have specific requests so we can ensure that reservations are made when needed. An extra fee will apply if transportation is requested.
US$140** Please note: Entrance to the site is optional - Admission tickets will be charged separately.
No time to do a full Colosseum tour? Make it quick! Marvel at this epic engineering feat of the ancient Romans, one of the most amazing attractions of the Ancient World, and a highlight of any trip to Rome. Your guide will bring to life the stories of this iconic monument, its famed gladiators and the emperors who made it all happen. An extra fee will apply if transportation is requested.
US$140** Please note: Admission tickets are not included and will be purchased on site.
The quiet tunnels will come to life as your guide tells you the stories and legends of early Christianity during the days of Roman persecution. The catacombs were the underground burial places of the early Christian and Jewish communities. You will discover the secrets of Christianity's earliest proponents who helped Christianity survive during the persecution from Rome's pagan emperors. An extra fee will apply if transportation is requested.
Reveal the ancient secrets you won't find at the Forum with this extension! Walk through the Teatro Marcello, conceived by Caesar and built by Augustus, which certainly served as the blue-print for the later and more famous Colosseum. Then visit the Jewish Ghetto and end in the Area Sacra of Largo Argentina where you will learn about Julius Caesar's dramatic final moments. An extra fee will apply if transportation is requested.
US$265** Please note: Price is up to 4 people. For bigger groups please send us an email.
Accompanied by your private guide, head to a historical trattoria in Rome and meet the chef, who will teach you the main techniques to bake a pizza according to the traditional Italian recipe. Season your own pizza with delicious, fresh ingredients and put it in a wood-fired oven for a perfect cooking. Enjoy the pizza you've prepared with your family and friends, accompanied by a soft drink.
US$350** Please note: Price is up to 4 people. For bigger groups please send us an email.
Reach a typical roman "gelateria", an artisanal workshop that has recently been renovated. Engage in a funny, entertaining activity and learn how italian people prepare the famous gelato. Make your own ice cream following the traditional Italian techniques and recipes and enjoy it! An extra fee will apply if transportation is requested.
US$430** Please note: Price is for transport up to 4 people. For bigger groups please send us an email.
Discover a new way to tour historical Rome. Make yourself comfortable while your private driver and guide accompany you during this 3 hour tour. Set off and admire the most significant sights of the Eternal City. Listen to your guide, who will be your story-teller during this tour to discover the major fountains and squares of Rome.
US$120** Please note: Experience is intended for up to 6 people. For bigger groups please send us an email.
In the picturesque atmosphere of Via dei Coronari, street of the antiques, you will take part in the workshop of an Italian artist. This activity is fun for the whole family!. You will learn how to make a fresco or a mosaic. Choose a subject, prepare the surface with the plaster, the drawing, and you will use your brush to give life to the images; or make your own mosaic with a natural glue (water and flour) and fasten the marble or the glass pieces (tesserae) on a wooden support, creating your small masterpiece. Take home your creation to make your Roman holidays even more memorable!
US$70** Please note: Admission tickets are not included and will be purchased on site.
The Capuchin Crypt is a small space comprising several tiny chapels located beneath the church of Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini on Via Veneto near Piazza Barberini. You'll be amazed by the strangely decorated Capuchin Chapel - which displays the bones of over 4,000 Capuchin monks! The Capuchin order insists that the display is not meant to be creepy, but instead, a silent reminder of the swift passage of life on Earth and our own mortality. An extra fee will apply if transportation is requested.
Hi Eyes Of Rome. Can you explain the difference between the Early Bird tour and the Art & Breakfast tour?
Rome has a vast historical center, but walkable and always surprising. You will never see it all in a day, never in a lifetime. So take the time you have to enjoy its eternal beauty at your best. You will love it in any case!
walking tour in rome, loved it! I have been on a walking tour of rome a few days ago with eyes of rome with my friend and we loved it! September is a great time to travel in Rome, weather still very nice and not many tourists around.Rome is a such an beautiful and interesting place, everything has a story to tell, fountains, streets, the number of churches that are along the way, and out guide was brilliant. Silvia the guide also suggested a nice restaurant where to have dinner and where to find good gelato! Definitely recommended to have a guided tour in Rome. Next time we come toRome we definitely want book a food & wine tour!
City Walking Tour = Amazing! I loved this simple and beautiful tour through the ancient city center. It's remarkable the amount of world-famous and world-class art, out in the open, free of charge and no tickets needed that you can find in Rome. Having a guide to point out the things you may have missed along the way, as well as the stories behind these great monuments and the great people behind them was indispensable. I do recommend this tour, and be sure to throw a coin in Trevi Fountain so you'll come back to Rome!
I loved the City Walking Tour. I had no idea that almost all the most famous spots in Rome were so close, and our guide Azzurra was great. She knew absolutely everything- even when we tried to stump her, she had an answer. Anyways, after this tour, together with the Vatican and Colosseum, you'll have seen most of what people come to Rome to see, and can cross Rome off your bucket list!
Good question! You are right that the stops on the City Walking Tour (also called the 'Rome by Night Tour' after dark) are all pretty close to one another, and can be visited on your own in a couple of hours or less, depending on your speed.
However, speed is not necessarily the best way to take in the sites of Rome. One of our mottos here at Eyes of Rome is 'Looking is not Seeing' and I wholeheartedly agree- there is a lot behind everything in Rome, and these world-famous stops are no exception.
Starting with the great Pantheon- Rome's oldest surviving place of worship, you'll learn about its construction, its famed dome which was thought impossible to construct at the time, and how and why the great painter Raphael came to be entombed there. Sure, the Pantheon is stunning on the surface, but a private guide to bring the past alive and tell its stories are really what makes touring with a private guide a good investment! On this tour you'll also visit Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, and the Spanish Steps...all with amazing histories and secrets to discover.
Also on a private tour you can spend more time at the sites you want (or haven't yet seen) and less time at the sites you are less interested in- everything is totally customizable either beforehand while making your booking, or at the start of your tour with your guide.
Thanks again for your question! Either way, Rome remains amazing and of course we'd love to have you on a tour!
Ciao! I am interested in your Private City Walking Tour; I'd like to add Trastevere and the Jewish district but my dad walks with a cane and I'm not sure a 4h walking tour would be feasible....Can we include those areas and shorten the standard itinerary?
This is Stefania writing, I am one of the tour guides here at Eyes of Rome! You know, one of my favourite tours is the City Walking Tour! I love to show my guests around my city and, among the best sites to visit, I definitely recommend the Jewish district and Trastevere! There are many stories about the Roman Tradition to tell.....I usually arrange this tour in the afternoon so that, at the end of the visit, I can recommend you a couple of genuine roman restaurants where to have dinner! Regarding your dad, don't worry! Having a private tour allows you to keep your own pace and choose the itinerary that suits your needs the most! I wait for your email then :) Please write us at info@eyesofrome.com if more info are needed! A presto!
Hi, I have a question: does the "One Extra Hour" extension mean that the guide will slow down the regular tour or it rather means that you can choose to visit some Site else?
Good question :) Both options are actually correct: whether you think you need an extra hour to slow down and take it easy, or if you want to add a place of interest to your itinerary! If you already have something on your mind please contact us at info@eyesofrome.com and we will be happy to discuss it together!
Tour Time: Approximately 3 hours. Adding optional sites will extend your tour time.
Tour Start Time: You can select your favorite starting time. We recommend 09:30AM or 3:00PM.
Tickets: Admission tickets are not needed.
Children Tour for Free: Children aged 17 and under tour free with paying parents.
Dress Code: Modest attire is required to enter churches.


text:
Q: How can I bound type variable to integer in scipy minimization? I use from scipy for minimization.
Variable must to be 0 or 1.
How can I do this?

A: I find the solution with add the constraint.
cons = ({'type':'eq'
          ,'fun': lambda x_f : np.array([(x_f[:x_ini_size][i]-int(x_f[:x_ini_size][i]))
                                    for i in sentences_idx])})

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Comedy legend Kevin McAleer has found a new legion of fans - as he's having to remind people who approach him when he's out and about that he's not his Derry Girls character, droning Uncle Colm.
He was speaking at the launch of the 20th Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival (CQAF) programme in Belfast.
He has become one of the favourite characters in the hit Channel 4 series written by Lisa McGee, with fans taking to social media to rejoice every time he makes an appearance.
"I'm not boring Uncle Colm," he explained. "A lot of people come up to me and congratulate me on how well I do the boring Uncle Colm character and I have to explain to them that it's acting."
The Tyrone comedian will perform two runs of his stand-up show 'Guru' at The Sunflower in Belfast on May 5 and 7.
The gigs are both sold out, but festival director Sean Kelly said he hopes they can work to fit in a third.
Speaking about the comedian, Mr Kelly said: "Kevin has recently found a whole new audience base by being among a number of stand-out acts in Derry Girls, but to us he's always been our favourite Irish comedian."
"He's now somewhat of a spiritual guru and the highest Lama in Co Tyrone.
"He's going to help you find your whole again," he quipped.
The 11-day celebration of the arts will feature more than 100 events in over 20 venues across Belfast's Cathedral Quarter and beyond as the festival marks its 20th anniversary with a bumper programme of live music, comedy, literature, theatre, film, visual art and more.
Rufus Wainwright, CQAF artist in residence DANI, Marian Keyes and Phil Taggart are among the star names descending on Belfast between May 2-12.
Representing the Arts Council, Grainne McCann said: "As ever, this year the programme is ambitious, it's eclectic, it's full of surprises and that's really a large part of the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival every year.
"You can never really be quite sure what to expect.
"On behalf of the Arts Council, on your 20th birthday, I just want to say that we are very proud to be your principal funder.
"The CQAF is certainly one of our outstanding festivals of the year.
"We do recognise how much blood and sweat goes into making a festival programme and making this a great and memorable time in the city and lighting up our days and nights to come."


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Home Metro News We will lose N50m daily to suspension — Dana Air
We will lose N50m daily to suspension — Dana Air
Chiagozie
The management of DANA air has stated that the airline would incur a daily loss of N50million as a result of the federal government's suspension of the airlines operational license.
DANA air Director of Flight Operations, Capt. Oscar Wilson, made this known at a joint press conference by the Dana Group and Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON).
It held as events continue to unfold after an MD 83 aircraft in the Dana fleet crashed into a residential area in Iju-Ishaga on the outskirts of Lagos.
All the 153 persons on board the aircraft which was heading for the Lagos airport from Abuja, died in the crash which also claimed the lives of some people on the ground.
Wilson said that the airline would be losing 2,000 passengers and N50 million daily due to the suspension of its operations in the wake of the crash.
According to him, the loss would amount to N1.5 billion in one month.
The Director reaffirmed that the airline's insurer, Lloyds of London, was capable of paying the families of the crash victims N30,000 US dollars (N4.6 million) within the first 30 days of the accident.
Wilson appealed to commentators and the public to stop speculating in the media about the causes of the crash.
"There have been many speculations from aviation experts on the crash. They said that the aircraft lost its two engines but it is when the result of the investigations come out that we will know the true position of things," he said.
The Secretary of AON, Capt Mohammed Joji, said that the purpose of accident investigation was not to punish people but to find a way to prevent a repeat of mistakes that could have caused mishaps.
He explained that aircraft were made and flown by man and the human error element in the cause of accidents was about 75 per cent.
Joji said that the airline business was capital intensive globally, and urged the Nigerian government to give concessions to airline operators and assist in bailing out those in difficult situations.
"The economy here is very good, that is why we have 24 foreign airlines operating in the country," he said.
plane crash in lagos
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Mac June 8, 2012 At 7:42 am
We are talking of innocent and precious lives of men, women and children lost in the Dana Air crash, Mr. Director of Dana flight Operations is busy and courageously talking about the amount of money the airline is losing based on the suspension of their operational license.
This goes all the way to show that, Dana Air management and its investors were just interested in maximizing their profits and never bothered to maintain their air crafts, there by risking the lives of Nigerians in the name of business.
May God save us from the hands of these greedy bastards who do everything within their reach to enrich themselves.
Achi June 8, 2012 At 9:36 am
Mr wilson d diretor, i dont knw wht type of human being u're 4 God sake. Life is lost and u're shamfully talking about lost. Are u a child? How i wish u're in that plane 4ur family 2 feel wht others are going trul. Dont talk again. Bcos,it show u knw that the plane ws bad. The law wil cach up wit u,allah.
freemind June 8, 2012 At 9:57 am
The board and management of DANA AIR should actually be remanded in detention/prison for roasting over 160 innocent citizens and residents of Nigeria, not adding salt to injury. If they continue to be talking non sense then BOKO HARAM onslaught will just be right for them. Watch it.
Treasuremine June 8, 2012 At 10:17 am
Mr director Wilson, may God save your soul. Your statement shows that there is no remorse or repentance in you guys. Are you people animals without any sence? Some families lost as many as 9 people,some 3 people, some 2, a whole family of husband, wife and four kids perished and you are lamenting about loses. Do you wish to endanger more lives before correcting your errors? Don't just say anything if you don't know what to say. You should be praying to God to forgive you ang your entire organization for this slaying!
Dlord June 8, 2012 At 2:12 pm
Na devil go purnish una, we are talking about hundreds of lives lost in one day and u are talking about N50m, does the lives of the passengers not worth more than N50 trillion???
anon June 8, 2012 At 3:30 pm
if that is the case, why didnt you send your air-crafts for regular and proper maintenance ?
God will pay you in this same coin.
Definitely the souls of the crash will haunt you for these comments of yours.
I forgive you.
John June 8, 2012 At 6:27 pm
The management of Dana Air should go fly the Indian airspace if the indefinite withdrawal of their liscence is a punishment too difficult to bear. How dare they count their losses in Naira when affected families are yet to come to terms with their losses of human lives.
Its high time punishment be meted out to persons who truly deserve them.
harry June 11, 2012 At 4:40 pm
this bastard jacky and his team should be deported from nigeria for all the wrong doinf=gs. he is a true bastard who will never bother about the lives but for the money let us pack this dana group from nigeria

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


LTI's dedication to high quality and unmatched innovation has allowed the TruPulse series to withstand the test of time. It's almost an insult to even call these powerful measurement tools a "Laser Rangefinder" because their capabilities go far beyond just measuring a range. You can instantly measure slope distance, inclination and azimuth* and calculate horizontal and vertical distance - all with a single push of a button.
The TruPulse 200L and 200 models have just been just been revamped and now are better than ever with new enhancements and improvements. Offering higher accuracy, better target acquisition and higher range resolution these lasers are just another example of LTI's dedication to bringing the highest level of quality and innovation to the world.
From the 200L, our most affordable professional laser rangefinder, to the 200 and the 200X, you are able to capture the measurement needed with accuracy, confidence and ease of use.
Small enough to fit in your vest pocket and lightweight enough to comfortably hang from a neck strap, the TruPulse is the ultimate tool for professionals in the field. All TruPulse models include LTI's Missing Line Routine feature. The TruPulse 200 Series Missing Line routine is a 2D measurement. Taking 2 shots to remote targets calculates the distance & inclination values between those 2 remote targets. TruPulse 360 Series has an integrated compass that allows you to measure azimuth which enhances the Missing Line routine. This is a simple 2-shot routine that instantly calculates the distance, inclination and azimuth direction value between any two remote points.
All TruPulse laser rangefinders have TruTargeting Technology built-in giving professionals four targeting modes - Closest, Farthest, Continuous and Filter - to be able to capture the correct measurement for your intended target. The included on-board solutions calculate a height or clearance value of any target under the most challenging conditions.
Use the 3-shot Height routine for upright targets like phone poles or buildings, even when the top or base may be obscured. The Vertical Distance and Missing Line modes are perfect for leaning objects such as most trees you encounter; and for clearance values of a wire or bridge over a roadway.
Download the measurement data to a device using the standard RS232 serial port or wireless communication that is included in these lasers. These measurements can be used to remotely position a target when integrating with GPS or add a height value as an attribute in GIS.
What else can we say about the TruPulse? Our customers have claimed it paid for itself within their first project, so get your hands on one and see why the TruPulse laser rangefinder is one of the best measurement tools in the world.
Measures distances, height, missing line* and azimuth*.
Fits inside a vest pocket and is very economical.
Displays all measurements and menus right in the scope.
Integrates with GPS and popular GIS software**.
Below is a comparison matrix for the TruPulse 200 series models. The purpose of this matrix is to provide you with an easy reference in order to quickly compare the major differences between each specific model.
*Note: Target quality can be affected by atmospheric conditions, such as heat shimmer, dust, target reflectance, traverse angle to target and beam spread.
Below is a comparison matrix for all the available TruPulse 360 series models. The purpose of this matrix is to provide you with an easy reference in order to quickly compare the major differences between each specific model.
The newly released TruPulse 360R offers all the same functionality and specifications as the 360 model, but with a rugged waterproof horizontal design for the harsher environments.
The TruPulse laser rangefinder takes the measurements that you need in a snap. From distance, height, 3D missing line, 2D slope grade, the LTI TruPulse provides the laser measurement solutions to get what you need measured done quickly, easily and safely.
Place over bottom (receive) lens of laser to filter out foliage or obstructions and only acquire a reflective target. Fits all TruPulse series products including the TruPulse 360R and also fits the TruSpeed Sx.
Provides central pivot point when used with pn 7024746 ("L" bracket) and mounted to a monopd or tripod for use with LTI's TruPulse 200/B & 360/B .
For use with LTI's TruPulse 360 R, TruPulse 200X and the TruSpeed Sx products.
The TruSpeed S Series Premium Hard Case can be used for all S series chassis units; the TruSpeed S, Sxb, Se and even some of the TruPulse units like the 200x and 360R. In addition to carrying a laser, there is a convenient space for carrying a smartphone bracket, mechanical filter, spare batteries, etc.
9 1/2" x 7 1/2" x 4" premium hard case from Pelican.
Rechargeable 3.0V Li-Ion RCR123A cells with smart Li-Ion charger.
Contains 4 Tenergy Li-Ion RCR123A 900mAh cells, 1 smart charger, and 1 car adapter.
Smart charger adjusts to worldwide standard AC outlet voltages 100-240V.
Note: This rechargeable battery is only approved for the TruPulse 360R.
"L" bracket with 1/4 - 20 thread for mounting to monopod or tripod.
Requires pn 7024736 for use with TruPulse.
This adapter aligns with any smart phone or mini-tablet camera to TruPulse and TruSpeed S Series eye pieces.
This adapter aligns with any tablet camera to TruPulse and TruSpeed S Series eye pieces.


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REGISTER [guest]
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The Page Loads Graph shows how many page loads your site received over time during the date range. The Unique Visitors graph shows the quantity of visitors who were new visitors. The Returning Visitors graph shows the number of times unique visitors returned to your website during a specified time period.
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Friday 2022-Jan-14 180 106 106 0
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People are shifting focus of Ghanaians from National issues – Nii Lantey Vanderpuye
The Member of Parliament MP for Odododiodoo constituency, Nii Lantey Vanderpuye says the prominence being given to the National Democratic Congress' (NDC) internal issues, is an attempt to shift the focus of Ghanaians from national issues.
Speaking on the AM Show on Joy News TV on Thursday, Mr. Vanderpuye said there are issues like petrol price increase and other factors that should be focused on rather than the leaked "fake" Kwesi Botchwey committee report.
"Instead of people focusing on how people are using sole sourcing to get products to fight fall armyworms, and people using sole sourcing to get GPS that is fake, unreliable pirated and plagiarized, people are shifting the focus of Ghanaians", he said.
"There has been petrol price increase over the period by 45% and electricity tariffs have gone up by 200%, these are the things that Ghanaians are interested in and not about the Kwasi Botchwey report of the NDC," he added.
Co-panelist, Mr. Patrick Yaw Boamah who is the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Okaikwei Central, took a jab at him for that statement.
According to Mr. Boamah, if Mr. Vanderpuye claims the NPP has underperformed so far, then the people should be interested in on-goings in a government-in-waiting.
On Monday, October 23, Joy News laid hands on leaked documents from the NDC's Kwesi Botchwey Committee Report which outlines the reasons that led to the heavy defeat of the party in the general elections held on December 7, 2016, and strategies for moving forward.
Some members of the NDC including Greater Accra Regional Chairman, Mr. Ade Coker and Nii Lantey Vanderpuye have openly denied the authenticity of the document.
Nii Lantey Vanderpuye believes the leaked document is just a product of malice.
"We have met and have resolved, we have examined the media document and come to a conclusion that, what is going round is not our report, what somebody has done is just picking pieces and pieces from here and there putting them together, he told Mamavi Owusu Aboagye, the host of AM Show on Joy News TV on Thursday.
Mesut Ozil 'Eager' to Reconnect With Former Boss Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford
Police will deal with vigilante groups – IGP


text:
Q: Laravel dusk asserting for 404 errors I'm trying to use laravel dusk to test for 404 not found error. Specifically when loading an image. After reading the laravel dusk documentation I've found no asserts that could help me test if a 404 exception occurs.
Is there a good way of getting a browser test to know whether a resource has failed loading or is it simply not possible?

A: There is intentionally no way to access HTTP status codes:
https://github.com/laravel/dusk/issues/422
https://github.com/facebook/php-webdriver/issues/470

A: You can use browser -> driver -> manage() -> getLog('browser') to get the log and see if there is a 404 Error


Yahoo's getting ready to launch a new version of Yahoo Mail that closely integrates social networking features. The new release is intended to streamline the sharing, organizing and storing of information, including media content. At the same time, the company says the new Yahoo Mail will offer improved performance.
Among other things, users will be able to directly respond to posts on Facebook, Yahoo and other services. They'll have more flexibility in how they chat — including outside of Yahoo Messenger. In addition to Yahoo Mail's 284 million worldwide users, the service will be available to partners such as Nokia, Verizon, and other device manufacturers and broadband service providers.
Impatient users who don't want to wait their turn in the rollout can go to overview.mail.yahoo.com and click the "Upgrade Now" button.
Some of its approach seems to resemble Google's Gmail, though it puts more media — ie, photos and the like — right upfront.
away. And sometimes it won't go to my contacts. I just get a blank page. How is this better?


What a fabulous way to round off the year! The Gap youth club Christmas party was a great success, with 32 young people attending for the festive fun. We'd like to say a huge thanks to the Jack Petchey Foundation and our Youth Achievement Award Winner - their prize funds added extra sparkle to the party! We had team games, cheesy jumpers, and a hilarious round of lip sync battle to Christmas songs!!
The Gap club will now be closed for two weeks and we'll be back on January 8th 2016!


Most monitors, like a lot of phones these days, are just black rectangles for browsing Facebook. Not so with Samsung's latest: the Series 9. With its brushed aluminum back and long chromed stand, it's tantalizingly attractive from all sides—not just the one playing Magic Mike. Throw in a titanic 2560 x 1440 resolution and touch-sensitive controls, and you have a piece of hardware that's equal parts technically and sculpturally drool-worthy.
You know who they are. Maybe you are one: the techno-outdoorsy types, who do 10K trail runs so they can Instagram the finish, and someday hope to tweet from base camp at the foot of K2. And now, for those Patagonia-wearing, plastic-and-paper-separating enviro-techno-obsessive friends, there's the BioLite CampStove. When they're out in the sticks, they can stuff in twigs and leaves to power their gadgets via USB, and boil a liter of water in 4.5 minutes, to boot. Ditching the fossil fuels, and electricity to charge iPhones? They're sure to tumble about that.
Remember the promise of the cordless computer? Even with WiFi and Bluetooth, we still manage to need (and forget) tons of cables when we travel. Until our gadgets go completely wireless, Crumpler has a unique solution to your tethered conundrums with the All and Sundry. Simply stuff your wrapped-up USB and AC whatnots into the bag and fold it in half, for a slim, double-sided carrying case that keeps those techno-gremlins from making a tangled mess.
While we want our tablets to do more and more these days, all of the options—Netflix! Angry Birds! Sudoku!—can be overwhelming when you just want to buckle down and dive into some Telegraph Avenue (or, you know, Fifty Shades, if that's your thing.) For those of us with short attention spans, thank goodness simple, straightforward e-books are still around, and getting better year after year. The Kindle Paperwhite is tops at the moment. Whereas older e-book readers had that gray newspaper-y look to their screens, the Paperwhite has, as the name implies, a whiter screen, and a gently lit screen for easy night reading.
The number of cracked screens out there are proof: People tend to drop their iPhones on hard surfaces. You don't need to swath the sleekest phone out there in inch-thick armor, however. The SYSTM Hammer uses a proprietary impact-absorbing material called Poron XRD that's tough, yet relatively, thin. The case has extra protection around the corners to protect your phone from drops and also doubles as a nice grips for you Instagrammers out there.
TVs have been getting jacked up to the Internet over the past few years, with WiFi connectivity and streaming services like Netflix and Hulu Plus baked into their hardware. And now, projectors are getting in on the Internet TV game. The 3M Streaming Projector has the ability to stream content from Netflix, Amazon Video on Demand, and other streaming services, without having to string any bos to it. All you need is a power outlet, a white wall, and a WiFi connection to get your Parks and Rec marathon on.
The Zik, designed by Philippe Starck, is nothing short of a miracle: a Bluetooth headphone that's actually—get this—intuitive. Instead of Tic-Tac-sized buttons that all feel the same to your blindingly groping fingers, it uses touch controls: stroke the right ear cup's surface up or down to tweak the volume, forward and back to change the track. Take the Zik off your ears and the music stops, and vice versa. Plus it has active noisecanceling and a smartphone app that lets you tweak the sound. Which, oh yeah, is pretty damned good.
Your average wireless speaker is just that: a single point of sound. But the Swedish-born Nocs blend our high-tech audio present with our hi-fi audio past simply by being two separate speakers. That means you get powerful, punchy stereo sound—as in, it feels like Jack White's band is playing on a stage in front of you, not in a small box on your mantle. The NS2 uses Apple's AirPlay, so you can wirelessly stream tunes to them from any iDevice or computer.
For the last few years we've been rambling on about the benefits of the interchangeable lens camera (ILC, if you wanna show off in a crowd of nerds). You get all the killer photo-taking power of a bulky procamera—including swappable lenses and a big sensor—in a smaller body. Except Marc Newson, designer of the 16.3-megapil K-01, missed that last part of the memo. Instead he created something that looks part Playskool, part pop-art. It's bigger than the average ILC, sure, but it's also more intuitive and looks a hell of a lot cooler hanging around your neck.
You're traveling for work: do you bring the iPad or the laptop? Dilemma solved with Logitech's Bluetooth keyboard, which lets you get some real work done on Apple's tablet. Bonus: it doubles as a magnetically attached cover.
If you've ever lost your precious smartphone on a messy desk or nightstand, you'll appreciate the Milo. Just press the back of your phone against its microsuction—but not sticky—surface and your phone stays put, levitating in midair.
You've gotten smarter about eating well and staying in shape, and your scale should, too. The Aria can measure weight, body fatpercentage, and BMI, and send the info to a smartphone app so you can trackjust how well that new ercise regimen is working out.
Think of a headlamp as a no-hands flashlight, and you'll realize that you to don't have to climb Kilimanjaro to appreciate the SnowMiner. Yeah, it works great for finding the perfect tree after you've tossed back a few at the campsite. But it's also great for everything from grilling in the dark to working under the sink. And in lantern mode it'll light up a dark corner as easily as it does a tent.
Yeah, this is a little bit of déjà vu. But we can't say it enough: when you're carrying around a beautiful camera, the cheap strap that comes in the box won't do. Tanner Goods knows how to make leather gear that lasts—and unlike your camera, you won't want to upgrade this strap in a few years.


Albatros Bits :: View topic - Rhy?
The fan-art page'll be waiting when you do.
The real-life Rhy has weighed in and says that she loves her, but that there needs to be just a bit more sunkenness around the eyes. She's rotten, after all!
I'm sorry I still haven't done anything, now I feel bad. (school is now my life).
and I'm not busy, so what better thing can I do?
Im hopping to have a new one up Friday night/ Saturday morning latest.
I was under the impression that that day of Sabbath was one in which you weren't supposed to do any work . Not that I disagree with you for doing it, since just about every jewish kid I know does, but.... yeah.
I can definitely relate to school taking over your life part though. I've had time for 5 things this past week: sleeping, eating, schooling, running, and homework :/.
Lookin forward to it, Gio! I know the real-life Rhy is, too. I hope school's going well, and happy new year!
I'm back! Schools still big but I just wanted to get in and say I... weeeeell I kinda forgot about yall' schoolin'z tough stuff.
But I'm back with renewed vigor! Don't lose faith in me, and if u have revert!
Welcome back! Given the thread you posted in, I'm looking forward to the results!
Tell me what you think of the eyes, shading is a major endeavor so i avoided it, in place I used a different approach to try and capture a "sunken" feel.
/clap, Looks like a case of "Vigour Mortis"
Is this final in the eyes of the artist? If so I'll get it into the fan art page as soon as I have some free time (always at a premium). Do you have a particular passage that you'd want quoted beneath it?
As a significant other of Gio, I am able to say that she will not be able to post for some time.


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Q: Problemas con importación de DBF con paquetes foreign y spsurvey en R Esta es la parte de mi código que cree ayer para iterar un script que había preparado con un path específico. Ayer el código corría con el paquete foreign. Hoy que agregué la parte iterativa ya no funciona. También intenté con spsurvey pero es lo mismo. Me pregunto si el problema son los argumentos que utilicé con las funciones para iterar o con la ruta. Saludos
  setwd("C:/Users/.../Documents/Datos/Scince/Estados/")

  files <- list.files(path ="C:/Users/.../Documents/Datos/Scince/Estados/",
               full.names = T, recursive = F)

for(i in 1:length(files)){
lapply(files, function(x){

      #require(spsurvey)

      require (foreign)

      pob <- read.dbf("files[i]/ageb_urb.dbf")

Error in read.dbf("files[i]/ageb_urb.dbf") : unable to open DBF file

A: Lo que tienes mal es ese ""files[i]/ageb_urb.dbf"".
Puedes intentar utilizar la función map_df del paquete purrr
Lo que hace map_df es iterar sobre argumentos (listado de nombres de archivos) aplicando cierta función (función para leer un archivo) y luego reduciendo
library(purrr)
library(foreign)

files <- list.files(path ="C:/Users/.../Documents/Datos/Scince/Estados/",
           full.names = T, recursive = F)

data <- map_df(files, read.dbf)

A: Esta es la respuesta, efectivamente había un error al especificar las rutas. Asimismo si es posible utilizar al mismo tiempo for y lapply de forma anidada.
parent <- "C:/Users/.../Documents/Datos/Scince/Estados"

 dirs <- list.dirs(parent, full.names = F, recursive = F)

 require(foreign)

 lapply(dirs,

    for(i in 1:length(dirs)){

      pob <- read.dbf(paste(parent, dirs[i], "ageb_urb.dbf", sep = "/"))
      edu <- read.dbf(paste(parent, dirs[i], "tablas", "cpv2010_ageb_urb_caracteristicas_educativas.dbf", sep = "/"))
      viv <- read.dbf(paste(parent, dirs[i], "tablas", "cpv2010_ageb_urb_viviendas.dbf", sep = "/"))
  }


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text:
Q: Computing the probability of a PDF Hi all I have the following question:
Given that the pdf of Y is $\frac{1}{\Pi (1+y^2)}$ for $y\in (-\infty, \infty)$, what's the probability of $Y^{-2}$ being in the interval [1/4,4].
My initial reaction is to simply integrate $Y^{-2}$ with 1/4 and 4 as the limits. Am I on the right track?

A: Guide:
We do not need to find the pdf of $Y^2$ explicitly.
We are interested in $$\frac14 \leq Y^{-2} \leq 4$$
Try to solve for $Y$, that is find $a,b,c,d$ such that
$a \leq Y \leq b$ or $c \leq Y \leq d$.
You can then use the pdf of $Y$ to evaluate the probability.


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Paolozzi Cafe at Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art
Kerry Teakle January 7, 2020 December 19, 2019 Cafés, Italian, Lunch and brunch, Scotland, Tea
Five years ago, working on a temporary contract for a public sector organisation near the Gyle, I used to take lunchtime walks to get my cultural fix at the Royal Bank of Scotland building nearby where the Wealth of Nations Sculpture by Eduardo Paolozzi sits. Closer to home now, I also have the Manuscript of Monte Cassino sculpture, which is housed temporarily on Hillside Place, while its previous base outside St Mary's Cathedral is being redeveloped as part of the new St James Centre.
I have to admit though, it's some time since I visited Paolozzi's other sculpture, the 24ft high Vulcan sculpture housed at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art but the reopening of the former Cafe Modern Two, now known as Paolozzi's Kitchen was the perfect excuse to reignite my passion for this Edinburgh born artist.
Paolozzi's Kitchen has an Italian inspired menu
I took the opportunity to catch up with Diana of Wine Events Scotland over lunch. We were seated under this magnificent sculpture and it really is awe-inspiring.
Paolozzi's Vulcan is the impressive dining backdrop
In partnership with the gallery, Heritage Portfolio has worked closely to develop a striking new look for the cafe, with the interiors and menu both inspired by one of Scotland's most acclaimed artist, Eduardo Paolozzi, who was recognised for his contribution to Pop Art and has a permanent exhibition at Modern Two.
Of Italian descent, Paolozzi was born in Leith near Edinburgh. He studied in Edinburgh and London and spent two years in Paris from 1947, where he produced enigmatic, bronze sculptures reminiscent of those by Giacometti.
Paolozzi's Kitchen aims to create a fusion between culture and food, bringing together Eduardo's heritage with a quirky, Scottish twist. The menu features a variety of Italian influenced dishes, and sharing plates created with locally sourced produce providing a dining experience with a cultural backdrop – just perfect for this 'culture-vulture'. Some of the hero dishes from the new menu include haggis lasagne, slow-cooked venison ragu and panettone bread and butter pudding but there's a little too much polenta for my liking.
My dining partner and I shared the warming carrot and fennel soup, with a homemade cheese and Arran mustard scone, which were just as the perfect scone should be – unlike the sweet American cream scone, a Diana Henry recipe I had made that morning and which had been a complete disaster (I think the recipe might have too much baking powder in it!). Paolozzi's Kitchen scones were perfectly risen with a good tang of cheese (although I couldn't detect the mustard), which complemented the thick carrot soup.
We also shared a bruschetta which were served on toasted sour dough. Traditionally, bruschetta are an antipasto from Italy consisting of grilled bread rubbed with garlic and topped with olive oil and salt. Variations may include toppings of tomato, vegetables, beans, cured meat, or cheese.
We chose a marriage made in heaven – the whipped ricotta, honey braised fig, crispy rosemary and although they promised rocket, it had been substituted with pea shoots, which have a nasty habit of tickling your throat on the way down. Just as I commented on this, my dining partner, let out a 'chokey' cough. Thankfully not one that I needed to perform a Heimlich maneuver on!
For mains, we shared the slow cooked venison ragu, with herby set polenta and a dressed leaf and herb salad. The ragu had beautiful depth and a good flavouring of red wine and although we were convinced had some spice in it, were assured it hadn't. I'd have preferred a side of mash or pasta to the polenta, which I always find rather cloying – but that's a personal preference.
We also shared the Paolozzi's Kitchen Winter Salad, with charred spiced cauliflower, pomegranate, edamane, toasted seeds and chickpeas and a tahini, orange and maple dressing, which was deliciously healthy, very filling and good value at £9.25.
There's only a choice of two desserts, Panettone Bread & Butter pudding and an Orange & Almond Polenta Cake, both we decided were quite heavy choices to finish our lunch with. Instead we perused the selection of cakes on the counter and both opted for their chocolate-orange brownie instead, which tasted just as it looked, rich with a very satisfying fudge texture.
Paolozzi's Kitchen has some tempting cakes and scones
Go hungry as the portions are generous but it's the sort of place where you can linger for a long lunch, with service that is unobtrusive and the most impressive dining backdrop that you could wish for.
You'd be hard pushed to find a more impressive backdrop to enjoy your coffee and brownie, overlooked by Paolozzi's Vulcan
Monday – Sunday – 10am – 4pm
Lunch is served from 12 noon until 3pm
Paolozzi's Kitchen @ Modern 2
Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art
73 Belford Road
EH4 3DS
Kerry dined at the invitation of Paolozzi's Kitchen
Last updated by Kerry Teakle at December 19, 2019 .
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About Kerry Teakle
Working in communications during the day, by night, Kerry is a self-confessed culture vulture and foodie, and can be found lapping up anything culinary or to do with the arts.
View all posts by Kerry Teakle →
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The same study showed that a well-crafted financial plan not only helps individuals retire with more confidence, it also helps them be better prepared for unexpected expenses, practice better spending habits, save more and manage their debt more effectively during all phases of life.
So, why aren't more people following this seemingly simple practice? The answers may boil down to three factors.
Many Americans have difficulty imagining a life in which they don't live from one paycheck to the next, and they don't believe they have enough money to warrant having a financial plan in the first place. Sentiment and optimism vary among generations, however, and these disparities present opportunities for advisors to engage with their clients and address their objections head-on.
Helping your clients — no matter how old — understand the importance of planning and consistently investing small amounts over time, and how those incremental steps result in growth, is key to overcoming the "I don't have enough" mindset. Help establish a workable plan that fits into your client's current budget. Even a small amount each month can help form a habit of investing and show returns over time.
Another reason some people hold off on developing a written financial plan may involve uncertainty about the current financial and political climate, which can make trusting in the market a major hurdle for some clients. Current market volatility have many feeling uneasy, and lingering memories of the 2008 financial crisis are still prevalent.
Continue to engage with clients on a personal level, be realistic about potential returns, and focus on their short- and long-term goals. While facts and figures inevitably need to be part of the conversation, start with a focus on building a strong client relationship that stresses transparency, honesty and trust.
The sheer number of investment choices alone can cause anxiety among many investors. Often, clients have investments in multiple outlets ranging from an employer's 401(k) to pensions, bank accounts, mutual funds, annuities, and the list goes on. Each has its own rules and regulations, may be managed by different entities, and is intended to address different financial needs and risks. Keeping them all straight and knowing which actions are needed to maximize their potential can overwhelm even savvy investors.
While many aspects of investing are indeed complicated, the basic principles and core strategies don't need to be. In general, avoid buzzwords, financial jargon and excessively complicated graphs, charts and statistical data. Some clients may be interested or engaged by this approach, but the majority of investors simply want to understand the core principles of investing so they can feel confident in the direction their plans are headed.
It all comes down to getting to know your clients and what resonates with each. A cookie-cutter approach to explaining investment options will not get you very far in an age in which highly personalized service and tailored content dominates every other aspect of clients' lives.
Technology is playing an increasingly important role in simplifying the approach to investing. Be sure you also leverage online tools and make efforts to enhance your digital client experiences to get those goals down in writing — whether on a digital device or on paper — and help them get the ball rolling.
One of the biggest regrets many investors have is not starting to build their portfolios sooner in life. You can help your clients avoid those same mistakes by building trust and developing a plan that focuses on a long-term strategy for growth. To help, we've developed a resource you can share with clients that outlines many of the risks associated with putting off investing. Access this complimentary resource today by clicking the link below.


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Changing Minds at High Court in Health Care Case
Chief Justice John Roberts was not the only member of the Supreme Court to have a change of mind sometime after the arguments over President Obama's health care reform in late March and before the June 28 decision in the case. Justices Stephen G. Breyer and Elena Kagan also had a change of mind, or heart, on the secondary issue in the case: the constitutionality of the expansion of the federal-state Medicaid program.
This information comes not from confidential sources but from a re-reading of the transcripts of the March 28 arguments. Kagan and Breyer, even more than their liberal colleagues Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor, challenged attorney Paul Clement relentlessly as he argued that the states were being forced to agree to the expansion even though the federal government was paying all or virtually the cost through 2020 and beyond.
"Why is a big gift from the federal government a matter of coercion?" Kagan asked. "It's just a boatload of federal money for you to take and spend on poor people's health care," Kagan added. "It doesn't sound coercive to me, I have to tell you."
Breyer intervened later to take on Clement's point that the law put the states at risk of losing all their Medicaid funds, not just the new federal money, if they refused to go along with the expansion. "Where does it say that?" Breyer said.
Clement fumbled, but Breyer had his answer already. Quoting the pertinent section, Breyer said a provision in the original Medicaid law passed in 1965 gave the secretary of Health and Human Services discretion to withhold funds from states.
Citing his own research, Breyer said the law had never been applied in the way Clement was suggesting. "I want to know where this idea came from that should state X say, 'I don't want the new money,' that the secretary would or could cut off the old money?" Breyer snapped.
Solicitor General Donald Verrilli got tough questions in his turn from the other side of the bench, so by the end of arguments the likely outcome was unclear. But Breyer and Kagan seemed all but certain votes against the states' position.
Sometime after the arguments, however, Breyer and Kagan came to a different conclusion. They joined Roberts and the court's conservatives in holding that the Medicaid expansion was unconstitutionally coercive toward the states. Roberts joined the four liberals, however, in salvaging the expansion by limiting the penalty for non-participating states to loss of new, not existing, funds.
Like Breyer and Kagan, Roberts cast votes in the case, National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius, at odds with the tenor of his questions during the six-and-a-half hours of arguments. Unlike Breyer and Kagan, however, Roberts has come under public scrutiny for his change of mind after an extraordinary disclosure by CBS News legal affairs correspondent Jan Crawford.
Crawford reported on July 1 that Roberts decided to uphold the law six weeks after he had voted and started drafting a majority opinion to strike down the entire Affordable Care Act. Quoting "two sources with specific knowledge of the deliberations," Crawford said Roberts withstood "a month-long, desperate campaign" to bring him back to his original position. Justice Anthony M. Kennedy in particular was "relentless" in the unsuccessful lobbying effort, she said.
Crawford, a good reporter with very good conservative sources to match her conservative leanings, did not identify her sources. The logical suspects are justices themselves or law clerks, perhaps with a justice's approval. Clarence Thomas is a prime suspect, given the mutual admiration between Crawford and Thomas; Kennedy is another, given the flattering description of his role in the events.
A week later, Crawford's report is unconfirmed — but also uncontradicted. The structure of the opinions provides some substantiation. The joint dissent listed as authored by the four conservatives — Antonin Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, and Samuel A. Alito Jr. — mistakenly refers to Ginsburg's partial concurrence as "the dissent," suggesting it was originally drafted as such. Some evidence also comes from a tweet by the conservative National Review columnist Ramesh Ponnuru in May that the justices had voted to strike down the law but that Roberts had gone "wobbly."
Justices can and do change their minds after initial votes in conference. In two known instances, Kennedy himself changed positions in major cases in 1992. He voted initially to permit school-sponsored prayers at high school graduation ceremonies only to write the majority opinion barring the practice. And he voted initially to overrule the abortion rights decision Roe v. Wade before joining Justices Sandra Day O'Connor and David H. Souter in the joint opinion that largely reaffirmed the decision.
Conservatives feel betrayed by Roberts' vote. Some are convinced that he yielded to warnings in editorials and commentary in the media and legal blogs that a ruling against the law risked political attacks on the Court. Conservative columnists and commentators responded by publicly pressuring Roberts not to yield to public pressure.
Court watchers are bemoaning the leak — "a stain" on the Court, says former solicitor general Theodore Olson — but the Court and the justices will survive. For now, it is enough to recall Justice Felix Frankfurter's oft-quoted comment when he changed his view on an arcane tax issue only six years after an earlier decision. "Wisdom too often never comes," Frankfurter wrote in Henslee v. Union Planters Bank (1949), "and so one ought not to reject it merely because it comes late."
Posted by Kenneth Jost at 10:00 PM
It would be intereting to know why Breyer and Kagan changed their mind regarding the coersion argument. Ginsburg's dissent points out the absurdity of the coersion argument.
Jost on Justice is listed among the top legal blogs by the ABA Journal
Kenneth Jost is author of Supreme Court Yearbook and Supreme Court From A to Z (both CQ Press) and Trending Toward #Justice. He graduated from Harvard College and Georgetown University Law Center, where he is an adjunct professor. He is a contributing writer with CQ Researcher and was a member of the CQ Researcher team that won the 2002 American Bar Association Silver Gavel Award. His articles have appeared in national and legal publications; he also appears as an analyst on national and local radio and television news programs.
The opinions expressed on the blog JostOnJustice are the opinions of the individual author and may not reflect the opinions of CQ Press or SAGE Publications, or any individual employee. Links to external sources are provided solely as a courtesy to our blog visitors. We are not responsible for and do not endorse or warrant in any way any materials, information, goods or services available through such linked sites or any privacy or other practices of such sites.
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Messing in Court With Texas' Voter Photo ID Law
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Home Tags Posts tagged with "New capital"
New capital
Indonesia's parliament on January 18 finally passed a bill to relocate the nation's capital from Jakarta to an area in East Kalimantan province on...
Indonesia's new presidential palace will look like a monstrous Garuda
The presidential palace in Indonesia's planned new capital on Borneo island will look like a giant Garuda,...
Development of Indonesia's new capital on track, says minister
The Indonesian government has said that the country's planned new capital was on track and that construction...
Doubts over Indonesia's new capital plans
Indonesia's plan to build a new capital from scratch on Borneo island, which has already taken a...
Indonesia's new capital project gets stuck amid virus crisis
Plans to relocate Indonesia's capital from Java to Borneo have been put on hold amid the coronavirus pandemic...
Indonesia weighs bid for 2032 Olympics to be held in new capital
The victorious entry in a design contest for Indonesia's new capital Indonesia is considering a bid for...
Indonesia's new capital will be "very special", advisor Tony Blair says
Tony Blair delivers a speech on Indonesia's new capital after a meeting with President Widodo on February 28
Indonesia's new capital to be inspired by Silicon Valley
Indonesian President Joko Widodo wants to model his country's planned new capital on Borneo island after California's...


With a landmass covering 535 square miles, at no point more than 5 miles from the sea and lochs penetrating deep inland towards a huge and spectacular mountain mass, Skye allows you to experience a whole range of species in an unsurpassed setting.
It is quite possible to sit with Golden Eagles and Ptarmigan on the Cuillins and with a good scope, watch rafts of Manx Shearwaters on Loch Scavaig below. It is equally possible to see either Golden Eagles or White Tails from virtually any public road on Skye. The scattered crofting communities of Skye are host to a wide range of species and the towns of Broadford, Kyleakin, Portree and Dunvegan, provide shelter from the vagaries of the weather and additional feeding opportunities. Garden birds may include Twite and Reed Bunting as well as regular appearances by Wheatear, Whinchat, Stonechat, Raven and Merlin. Rarities regularly turn up at garden feeders. It is therefore well worth looking out for birds anywhere on the island. As many species are under-recorded, and many areas totally unwatched, your observations could be vitally important for future conservation.
The following are examples of sites which have been watched regularly over the last few years. All can be viewed easily, but a good telescope is certainly helpful as many are coastal sites.
Click the points marked on the google map to the left for more information about the birds in that area.
Not for the faint-hearted, the northernmost point of Skye (NG410768), is well worth a visit, but requires an awkward scramble. The coastal scenery is spectacular and it is the best place on Skye to observe breeding seabirds. The site can be reached from several footpaths originating at Duntulm and Kilmaluag. Access to the point is reached by a steep path which descends from a gap to the west of Meall Tuath (NG411763). As this walk features in many of the excellent walking guides to Skye, it is suggested you consult one of these in the first instance.
There are spectacular cliffs in the area which contain breeding Fulmars, Kittiwakes and Shags. However, on the east side of Hunish are several stacks and arches affording spectacular views of breeding Fulmars, Shags, Guillemots and Razorbills. This is also a prime location for seawatching, with the chance of seeing passerines on the move. The cliffs are regularly patrolled by Peregrine Falcons.
Located at Ellishadder (NG505650), this roadside loch just south of Staffin provides excellent feeding for diving ducks. There is a public car park located on the east side of the roads which provides access to fine viewpoints across the sea to Raasay and Wester Ross.
Little Grebe are often on the dubh loch beside the car park as well as on the main loch. A good location for diving duck including Tufted and Pochard, as well as Goldeneye. There are resident Greylag Geese and Whoopers have summered here in the past. From the neighbouring car park at Kilt Rock ou are likely to see Fulmars, Kestrels and maybe even a Peregrine along the sea cliffs.
This site is best at low tide when the mudflats at the mouth of the Skeabost River are exposed. The Free Church car park at Bernisdale (NG406490) is a good observation point. I have found it best during late summer and autumn but it would benefit from more regular watching.
Favoured by good numbers of Lapwing, presumably on passage, because it is not a common bird in Skye. Other common waders are present including Greenshank, Ringed Plover and Dunlin. It is a good site for Goosander and usually holds small flocks of Teal and Wigeon. Loch Snizort is good in winter for Red-breasted Merganser, Great Northern and Red Throated Diver.
There are several sites in the Dunvegan area which are worth looking at and these are outlined below. It is also worth mentioning the policies of Dunvegan Castle contain some attractive mature woodland with a rich variety of passerines. It is an area which would merit a special effort especially during Spring and Autumn as it is likely to pick up some scarce migrants.
1.	Pool Roag (NG275435) is a small area of intertidal mudflat. Though rarely containing large numbers of birds it is a good place to see Shelduck. It also picks up waders on migration including Knot, Black and Bar Tailed Godwits, Greenshank and Dunlin. Easily viewed from the access road from Roag village to Ardroag.
2.	Loch Dunvegan (NG250470) normally provides a selection of common waders and wildfowl. Eider breed on the islands opposite the castle and there are normally a few pairs of Shelduck.
3.	Loch Suardal (NG240510) is a bit of a gem. Use the car as a hide. There are invariably Whoopers in winter. Over the years it has picked up a number of scarce wildfowl including Garganey and Green Winged Teal, so check everything thoroughly. Nearby Loch Corterach is good for Goldeneye.
4.	Claigan and the Coral Beaches (NG233540). The fields at Claigan often contain good flocks of Barnacle Geese which spend most of the winter on the nearby island of Isay. The walk to the Coral Beaches and Groban na Sgeire is always worthwhile with the chance of picking up Turnstone and Ringed Plover on the shoreline, as well as Great Northern Diver, Eider and Black Guillemot in the sea.
The westernmost location in Skye overlooking the minches, and probably one of its best seawatching points. There is a public car park (NG133478) at the end of the unclassified road which goes to the west from Glendale. From the car park steep stairs and a path descend to the lighthouse. There are various good observation points to afford excellent views of seabirds some of which breed nearby. Nearby Loch Mor is always worth checking.
As Shags, Kittiwakes, Fulmars, Guillemots and Razorbills all breed nearby they are constantly on the move. It is a superb spot for watching Gannets which feed close inshore. Good movements of Shearwaters occur through the Minch, both Manx and Sooty, as well as Great and Arctic Skuas. Dedicated watchers will no doubt be rewarded with a few 'firsts' for Skye. There is also some passerine movement through the area, including Wheatears, Pied Wagtails and Robins. It will be worth checking any area which provides cover, such as the nearby gardens at Waterstein. Glendale and Milovaig have also hosted a number of Skye 'firsts'.
The River Drynoch enters Loch Harport at NG406314, creating a small estuarine habitat with some saltmarsh. Nearby pasture is an added attraction to feeding wildfowl and waders. The area is well contained and can be easily watched from the nearby B8009. A good site in autumn and winter.
Greenland Whitefronts, Barnacles and Greylag Geese have been recorded. One of the best locations for Teal. Goosander occur regularly. A good site for common waders. Loch Harport normally has good numbers of Great Northern Diver and a Velvet Scoter recently wintered.
This site includes the Harbour and Portree Bay generally. The main feeding area for wildfowl and waders is at the south end of Loch Portree and the birds roost on various small spits and islets exposed at high tide. It is best watched from the side of the A87(T) (NG475414). The Harbour area can be easily watched from the nearby streets. The entrance to the Bay can be viewed from an attractive public path which commences near the entrance to the Cuillin Hills Hotel at NG490438.
Good numbers of common waders such as Curlew and Oystercatcher occur as well as regular Greenshank and Bar Tailed Godwit. It is a good spot for wintering Wigeon and Red Breasted Merganser. There are always huge number of Gulls in the Harbour area and in winter you are likely to find both Glaucous and Iceland Gulls. You should also see a selection of Auks, Kittiwakes and the occasional Skua in the outer bay. If the weather is inclement the Aros Centre provides refreshments for body and soul, as well as an RSPB Sea Eagle display and cctv link to a nest site.
This is probably the best birding spot on Skye, and because of its location and feeding opportunities, regularly picks up migrants on brief stopovers as well as the occasional scarce vagrant. The Bay itself can look pretty empty at times, but there are many nooks and crannies such as Ardnish, Ashaig and Camas na Sgianadin which are well worth exploring, and which are all part of the wider Bay ecosystem. The weather here, as elsewhere on the island, plays its part, and the Bay can often be relatively sheltered when gales are belting in from the west.
1.	Camas na Sgianadin (NG625255), easily observed from large roadside lay-by or from the forest walk which starts beside the cemetery.
2.	Broadford Bay (NG650250), can be watched from numerous points including the New and Old Pier, and the Co-op Car Park. The east end is probably best for wildfowl and waders at high tide, especially at Harrapool and Waterloo.
3.	Ardnish (NG670240) is best accessed from the end of the Waterloo road at NG665240 or from Lower Breakish (NG672235) – please note there is no parking at either! The walk round Ardnish is always worthwhile and affords a number of excellent observation points. The islands at the east end of Ardnish are the main roosts for waders and gulls.
4.	Ashaig (NG688244), is easily accessed and there is ample parking near the cemetery. At low tide it is possible to wade across to Ardnish. There is an excellent coastal walk eastwards to Lusa where it is possible to do some sea watching from various vantage points.
This site has potential all year. Though the intertidal zone is not extensive, it probably provides some of the best feeding grounds along the north west seaboard, hence it is a favoured stopover point during spring and autumn migration. Though never large concentrations of birds, the turnover can be significant, so it values regular watching. Again because of the location, birds travelling south are liable to be funnelled into the area, at any time, so the occasional vagrant is inevitable. Probably best in April/May and from July to November but also good in winter.
Waders include Black Tailed and Bar Tailed Godwit, Sanderling, Knot, Grey Plover, Greenshank, Turnstone, Purple Sandpiper and Whimbrel. Curlew Sandpiper are recorded annually and Broad-billed Sandpiper was a recent first. Wildfowl recorded include Scaup, Pintail, Common and Velvet Scoter, Greenland Whitefronts and Brent Geese. There is a small wintering population of Slavonian Grebes and it is often possible to see three Diver species, with up to 25 Great Northerns. There are often huge numbers of auks and Kittiwakes offshore. During northerlies in autumn Petrels, Shearwaters and Skuas are blown into the Bay. Little Auks are probably regular in winter off Lusa. A wandering Sea Eagle will occasionally spice things up.
This sheltered sea loch (NG550280) is easily watched from various parking spots alongside the A87(T), though a telescope is helpful. The unclassified road at NG543268 also provides various vantage points to overlook the mudflats at the west end of the loch. This unclassified road continues through Moll to eventually rejoin the A87(T) at Sconser Golf Course, providing excellent views to Scalpay and Raasay. I have counted all three species of divers on this loop including over 30 Great Northerns in winter.
There are often large numbers of Guillemots, Razorbills and occasionally Puffins in the loch, particularly when northerlies are blowing. Divers have already been mentioned and it is a regular winter haunt of Slavonian Grebe. Eider, Goldeneye and Red Breasted Merganser are regular in good numbers. Cormorants, Shag and Gulls are attracted by the fish farm. This is a good spot for Iceland Gull. Golden Eagles breed in the neighbouring hills and there are several pairs of breeding Greenshank.
This is the peninsula which lies between Lochs Slapin and Scavaig in the south west of Skye and is reached by following the A881 from Broadford, through the villages of Torrin and Elgol. This is a spectacular setting and the drive through the Red and Black Cuillin is one of the most popular on the island. There are a variety of habitats including native woodland, estuarine, open sea, and montane. Again, it is a drive on which you might see either species of Eagle from the car. The Red Hills are one of the best locations on the island to see Ptarmigan. Specific locations always worth a visit are as follows.
1. Loch Cill Chriosd (NG610214) This reedy roadside loch is always worth a look at any time of year. In winter it is a good place to see Whoopers, Goldeneye and Tufted Duck. Reed Bunting and Little Grebe breed. Moorhen and Coot, extremely rare on Skye, formerly bred here and both have been seen again in recent years. In late summer evenings Swallows and Pied Wagtails can be seen coming to roost in the reed beds. Good numbers of Lapwing breed nearby in Suardal.
2. Loch Slapin (NG565220). The head of the loch can be easily watched from a number of roadside vantage points. It is worth watching all year round and Greenshank, Turnstone and Ringed Plover can usually be seen. Wildfowl include Wigeon, Goosander and Red-breasted Merganser. However, in favourable conditions in late spring, Scaup, Shoveler, and Brent Geese have dropped in. It is a good area to see Black Guillemot at any time of the year. Access to the lochside is also possible further west at Kilmarie (NG565170) from where it is possible to walk westwards along a coastal path to Drinan and Glasnakille. In late summer this is a super area for Auks, Gannets and Gulls. Autumn and winter bring all three species of Divers with counts of 20 Black Throats and 30+ Great Northerns.
3. Strathaird Point (NG530114) This headland is properly known as Rubha na h-Easgainne and is accessed via an indistinct coastal path from the west end of Glasnakille or by the coastal link from Elgol. This is an area of spectacular limestone cliffs, which along with Eilean na h-Airde, have scattered breeding colonies of Shags, Black Guillemots and increasing numbers of Fulmars. Strathaird Point is excellent for sea watching and Pomarine Skuas have been recorded in May. Arctic and Great Skuas are regular in summer and autumn when the areas hosts thousands of Shearwaters from Rum, as well as huge numbers of Auks, Gulls and Kittiwakes.
4. Camusunary (NG585186) Reached via a good path which starts at the car park beside the road near Strathaird Farm (NG545173), this is a spectacular location, set in the heart of the Cuillins. During the summer there is every likelihood of seeing Merlin or Golden Eagle. Golden Plover are scarce but listen for them on Am Mam or neighbouring hills. The bay is a good spot for Turnstone and Ringed Plover as well as other waders such as Dunlin which enjoy brief stopovers. In spring and autumn Pink Feet Geese stream over the Cuillins during migration. In winter the coastal path to Elgol is excellent for viewing Great Northern and Black Throated Divers in nearby Loch Scavaig.
Sleat, the long peninsula which stretches from Kinloch to Armadale, and eventually on to the Point of Sleat, enjoys a relatively sheltered position from which derives its reputation as the 'garden of Skye'. It contains a number of remnant woodlands of oak, ash, hazel and birch as well as formal gardens and scatterings of exotics at Armadale Castle and other locations along its eastern edge, adjacent to the A851. You will therefore find woodland species here which are difficult to find on other parts of the island, and the greater density of species probably reflects the available shelter and cover. There are public footpaths to a number of these woodlands. Some of the remnant woodlands are more challenging but well worthy of exploration.
The coastal fringes only provide limited feeding in the intertidal zone, though offshore can always be rewarding and the Point of Sleat is an excellent spot for sea-watching and local migration.
1.	Kinloch (NG700166). This is the car park which gives access to Forest Enterprise woodlands and an enjoyable walk to the deserted village of Leiter Fura. The area contains some mature hardwood stands and much of the modern forestry planting will eventually be replaced by hardwoods as part of a larger millennium forest project. A good area to look for warblers and flycatchers in summer. One of the few areas on Skye where there are resident Great Spotted Woodpeckers. You are always likely to see Eagles, Merlin or the occasional Peregrine. Nearby Loch na Dal is always worth a scan for Divers, waders and wildfowl, especially Teal.
2.	Armadale Castle Policies (NG640047) Though full of exotic tree species this is an excellent sheltered garden, good for warblers and other passerines in spring and summer. A number of species, scarce elsewhere on the island, are likely to be found including ChiffChaff, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, and Wood Warbler.
3.	Point of Sleat (NG563992) This involves a moderate walk, round trip 6 miles, by track and footpath to eventually reach the lighthouse. The final section can involve a little loop, approaching via the beautiful sandy beach at Camas Daraich, and returning via the lovely natural harbour near Acairseid an Rubha. This is an excellent location for sea watching from spring through to autumn with Shearwaters, Skuas, Gannets, Auks and Gulls high on the list. It is also an arrival and departure point for other migrants 'island hopping', including birds of prey, wagtails, Twite and Pipits, as well as waders. An excellent place to see good numbers of Whimbrel in early May. A location which is rarely watched but which could reap good pickings for those prepared to make the effort.
4.	The Tarskavaig – Ord loop road (start at either NG650062 or NG673104) This unclassified road is a spectacular drive in itself with wonderful view of the Cuillins. In winter many of the lochs here hold Whooper Swans. There is a high probability of spotting a Golden Eagle from the car, as well as Hen Harrier or Merlin. The bays at Tarskavaig, Tokavaig and Ord are good for Great Northern Divers and Red Breasted Mergansers as well as Turnstone and the occasional Purple Sandpiper. From this route there is a beautiful walk to Coille Dalavil which starts at NG622068 - well worth the effort.
In many respects the birdlife of Raasay is a microcosm of its bigger island neighbour. However, it is a special island well worth a visit in its own right with some superb walks through contrasting landscapes. A regular ferry service leaves from Sconser (NG525323). The ornithology of the island was well documented over a century ago and would benefit from regular recording. There are two pairs of Golden Eagles and regular sightings of White-tailed Eagle. Red-throated Divers breed on several of the hill lochs. Great Skua has recently colonised the north of the island. The Sound of Raasay is excellent for sea-watching. South Rona is also well worth a visit and there are regular boat trips in summer from Portree Harbour.
The Cuillins mountain range is a mecca for climbers and walkers. Easy access is available from a number of centres such as Sligachan and Glen Brittle. Regular boat trips from Elgol bring visitors to the heart of the Cuillins and the spectacular Loch Coruisk, seen in the photograph. This is a stark landscape and it is difficult to see how much wildlife can survive. The area is designated as a Special Protection Area (SPA) for Golden Eagles and has 8 pairs in the wider Cuillin area. White-tailed Eagle are also established on the coastal fringes. Other mountain species include Ring Ouzel, Golden Plover and Ptarmigan. Greenshank breed extensively in the valleys and Red-throated Divers on some of the lochans. Snow Bunting may have bred in the past and are occasionally recorded in winter. Don't expect to see huge numbers of birds but what you do see may be extremely rewarding.
Ferries and Boat Trips are an ideal way to see wildlife in and around Skye. Calmac operate a number of services and all provide fantastic opportunities to see birds and cetaceans. Probably the best is the Minch crossing from Uig to the western isles which regularly turns up rarities. The Armadale to Mallaig service provides links to the Small Isles with daily crossings in summer to Eigg, Muck, Rum and Canna, so a day trip from Skye as a foot passenger is perfectly feasible and usually rewarding. In addition there are boat trips from private operators throughout the island and from the mainland. Though many of these are geared to see cetaceans, they will provide opportunities for good birding though the knowledge of crews varies considerably. We regularly receive reports from MV Brigadoon out of Portree, from MV Shearwater out of Arisaig and from the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin cruises out of Gairloch.


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Richter pushed for more heading into U17s win over FC Dallas
December 8, 201910:55AM EST
Ryan Richter knows he has a talented Union U17 academy team. Brandan Craig, Paxten Aaaronson, and Jack McGylnn have shined this year as the 17s rolled through the winter half of their schedule, but the entire team has contributed to make this one of the best squads in their age group.
As he prepares to face off with one of the most productive academies in MLS, FC Dallas, in a match that will determine which teams finishes atop Group E in the DA Winter Cup, Richter remains focused on that group aspect of his team's achievement.
Looking back at the club's wins over Vardar and FC Golden State, Richter said, "Anthony Ramirez got two goals, including the winner against Vardar; he really did well to come through. Ian Abbey put in a huge performance to get the winner against FC Golden State.
"It's clear that while the players are developing individually, they put the team first. Everyone has played a role and shown up in key moments."
Still, Richter wants to see a different side of his squad against Dallas. In the team's first two games. they gave up four goals and came from behind to win. That's not the formula the coach wants to see going forward. Instead, he's hoping to see his group jump on top of the opposition early.
"We haven't played to the capability of the team," Richter admitted. "But in both games we showed good control and good nerve to come back and win them.
"The performances have been good but the group is so talented, they can still do better."
Fighting for the full ninety is something that defined the Union first team in 2019, and if that's what it takes to get the win, Richter will take it.
"The group has a great thing in their DNA in that they fight til the end and work as a team to come back," he explained.
But the Union's DNA as a club is moving more and more toward the front foot: A pressing, aggressive style that knocks other teams back. That's what Richter and his young, exceptional squad will hope to do at 11:00 a.m. ET on Sunday.
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2011 Ford Fiesta 5-Door SES Review
See Also: Ford Buyers Guide
See Also: E-Carmony: Is The 2011 Ford Fiesta Your Perfect Match?
2011 Ford Fiesta 5-Door SES
Is America ready for small cars? With the introduction of its subcompact Fiesta to North American shores, Ford is betting so.
If you have a long memory, or are a student of automotive history, or know the European market, the Fiesta name will be familiar. It's Ford's top seller there. A Fiesta hatchback was sold here in the oil crisis days of the late 1970s. It disappeared here after 1980, but lived on quite healthily in Europe, with continuous production and four more generations up to 2008, when an all-new version debuted in Europe, with plans for the American market.
The small hatchbacks of the late 1970s didn't make much of an impression on the American automotive market. Good fuel economy became a non-issue when oil prices stabilized, and the Spartan nature of most hatches of the day earned them few friends, and little use except as commute modules. The term "econobox" was not exactly complimetary. Americans like their style, comforts, and amenities, even in small, inexpensive, economical cars.
And Ford knows this. The 2011 Fiesta is nearly identical in looks to its European or Asian counterparts, is refined and quiet inside, and can be had with almost all of Ford's repertoire of electronic information, entertainment, and communications technologies. It sips regular gasoline, to the tune of an EPA-estimated 29/38 and 28 real-world mpg during my week. Even better, it's fun to drive, with a suspension tuning little-changed from the European model.
In other parts of the world, power is from a variety of small four-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines, with a 1.6-liter gas engine the most powerful. U.S.-spec is different, as we do have different crashworthiness and emissions standards, and longer distances to drive. The only engine at present is a 120-horsepower four-cylinder, matched either to a five-speed manual or, unusually, especially in the subcompact class, a six-speed "PowerShift" dual-clutch automated manual for the automatic choice.
Body styles are five-door hatchback and four-door sedan, with sedans offered in S, SE, and SEL trim levels and hatches in SE and SES. Base prices range from $13,320 for an S sedan to $17,120 for an SES hatch. And yes, as is the norm today, the hatch is considered the sportier version. "S" may mean austerity, but SEL or SES mean "fully-equipped", with ambient lighting, Ford's SYNC® in-car connectivity system, a good AM/FM/CD sound system with jack and USB inputs, and Sirius® satellite radio included.
Early sales results for the Fiesta are interesting -- over 60 percent have been hatchbacks. No surprise. Since the dark days of the late `70s, SUVs and crossovers, which are really just monster hatchbacks, have proven popular. And there are a couple of new generations of drivers who don't remember `70s econoboxes, but who have been exposed to European cars via the Internet and video games, and like what they've seen.
And the SES hatch with stick that is this week's test car is likely to please anyone looking for a fun-to-drive but economical small car. It's far more than basic transportation, with more room inside than might be suspected by its small exterior. Add good luggage space and five-door hatch versatility, and easy parking. If my 28mpg for the week was less than the advertised, I wasn't babying this car. The engine likes to rev, and the suspension is fully up to playing hard as well. There's plenty of competition in the sporty subcompact niche, but the Fiesta SES holds its own at the head of the class.
APPEARANCE: Econobox? Um, box not spoken here. The Fiesta is pure Euro-Ford, nearly a one-form design from the side as the hood is only slightly less sloping than the windshield. The only straight lines are the character lines on the sides, even the fender lines at the edges of the hood are complex curves. The front is distinguished by a small upper grille, flanked by complex "cat's eye" light clusters and a distinctive upside-down rounded trapezoid lower air intake. On the sides, strong wheel arches are tied together by twin character lines that add a dynamic look and body strength. The arched roof ends in a small visor-type spoiler, and the convex rear features a large hatch opening and tall taillights.
COMFORT: Welcome to Spaceship Control… The Fiesta's interior is as complexly styled as its exterior, but function does not lose out to form. Multiple shapes and materials keep it interesting, but not distracting. In the SES, windows and mirrors are power-operated, and "Intelligent Access" keyless pushbutton start/stop is available, and was fitted to my test car. Front seat comfort is among the best in its class, with cloth upholstery and manual adjustability including driver's cushion height. All Fiestas have a tilt-and telescope-adjustable steering wheel; in the SES it has a leather rim and auxiliary controls for cruise and audio systems. The center stack has plenty of buttons, but all are well-marked, for easy control of the audio and SYNC systems. Direct access to Sirius radio channels is a plus. Front door pockets with bottle holders and a large glove box provide storage. There is no console box, the minijack and USB connectors for external audio players and a 12-volt power point are conveniently placed in an open compartment on top of the console, with a second power point to the rear. Rear seat comfort and space are better than the class average, although if the front seats are all the way back, rear knee room will be impacted. The rear seat folds with a 60/40 split, and the large hatch opening makes cargo access easy. Luggage space is good with the rear seat in place, and great with it folded.
SAFETY: Small does not mean unsafe! A strong unibody with extensive use of high-strength steel is designed and built for maximum occupant protection. A full complement of airbags, including a driver's knee bag, is standard in all models, as are the AdvanceTrac with ESC® traction and stability control system and antilock brakes. Don't worry about unavailability of an electronic blind-spot monitoring system - Ford's outside rearview mirrors have built-in convex sections that allow the driver to see what otherwise would be invisible.
RIDE AND HANDLING: A large part of the Fiesta's fun-to-drive character is due to its suspension tuning. In the best European manner, it's supple and compliant, but spring and shock rates are correctly matched for good manners and minimal body roll. The suspension design is the class-standard, independent MacPherson struts in front and a torsion beam axle in the rear. Done right, that works just fine, and it's done right here. Attention to detail makes a difference.
PERFORMANCE: The other part of the Fiesta's fun character comes from its engine. By today's standards, 1.6 liters is not very big, and 120 horsepower (at 6350 rpm) and 112 lb-ft of torque (at 5000 rpm) not very much. But then, the SES's 2500-pound curb weight is light for a car today. The aluminum alloy twin-cam engine uses variable cam phasing on both camshafts to best balance efficiency, low emissions, and performance. As you might notice from the specs, power is developed at relatively high revs. There's enough to keep up with traffic at low engine speeds, but for maximum performance, drive it like you stole it… keep revs above 4000. The five-speed manual gearbox is a good thing for that. Even driving in the engine's sweet spot as much as possible, I managed 28mpg. A lighter foot should return even better mileage.
CONCLUSIONS: If you think "subcompact hatchback" means "cramped, uncomfortable, ugly econobox", drive a 2011 Ford Fiesta and get a much-needed attitude adjustment.
Engine Type			dual overhead cam 16-valve inline
4-cylinder with variable cam phasing
on both camshafts
Engine Size			1.6 liters / 97 cu. in.
Torque (lb-ft)			112 @ 5000 rpm
Transmission			5-speed manual
Wheelbase / Length		98.0 in. / 160.1 in.
Fuel Requirement		87 octane regular gasoline
Tires				P195/50 R16 94H Hankook Optimo H426
Brakes, front/rear		vented disc / drum, ABS and AdvanceTrac
electronic stability control standard
Suspension, front/rear		independent MacPherson strut /
twist-beam axle with coil springs
Drivetrain			transverse front engine,
city / highway / observed		29 / 38 / 28
0 to 60 mph				est 9.5 - 10  sec
Rapid Spec 301A - includes:
Intelligent Access with push-button start, heated front
seats, chrome beltline and decklid moldings,
perimeter alarm					$ 795
Destination charge					$ 675


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Family Of Slain Teen Wants 'Marlen's Law' To Require DNA Testing Of Newborns Brought To Hospitals
by Naomi Mcguire January 3, 2022 January 3, 2022 0184
Family participants of Marlen Ochoa Uriostegui Lopez, who become slain and had her unborn son stolen from her womb, call for the brand new regulation that would require identification and DNA testing for everybody coming into a health facility claiming a new child as their personal.
The 19-year-old become laid to rest in suburban Stickney on Saturday. Her son is still preventing his existence while three humans related to her homicide are held without bail. Julie Contreras, a spokeswoman for the circle of relatives and chair of the LULAC National Immigration Committee, said the family is pushing for a bill known as Marlen's Law to test the identities of newborns delivered into a medical institution.
The regulation could create a popular method to keep away from kidnapping kids, much like what befell Lopez's son after his mother changed into strangled, Contreras said. State Rep. Karina Villa is sponsoring the legislation and introducing the regulation as early as the subsequent year. Last month, Clarisa Figueroa, who is among the 3 charged in the homicide of Lopez, was brought to Advocate Christ Medical Center on April 23 after calling 911 claiming that her child was unresponsive after giving delivery at her home.
Christ Medical Center got here under hearth for failing to notify the police and the Department of Children and Family Services after figuring out Figueroa did no longer, in fact, provide birth to the child. "While on the hard work and shipping phase at Christ Hospital, defendant Clarisa was tested but showed no signs regular with the female who had simply delivered a toddler," prosecutors said in the courtroom in advance this month. The blood on the suspect was wiped clean off through an OB technician, and the defendant changed into treated, prosecutors said.
According to a Tribune file, the hospital mentioned "patient privacy" for now, not contacting the government until two weeks after the toddler became admitted to the hospital on April 23. Contreras said hospitals and clinical facilities needed to have standardized protocols and procedures to verify folks who carry newborns into a sanatorium, especially after giving birth at domestic, are the mother and father. "It's very alarming how a person can stroll right into a health center with an infant, who doesn't display signs of childbirth, and no questions are requested. Why wasn't that a red flag?" Contreras puzzled.
"Marlen died a brutal, heinous loss of life," Contreras stated. "I don't need her life to be remembered like that. We don't need her existence to be lost in uselessness. By developing Marlen's regulation, we're retaining her alive and maintaining kids secure." On April 23, Lopez vanished after leaving Latino Youth High School in Little Village. Lopez changed into lured to a home in the Scottsdale community in the South Side with a promise of changing toddler garments for a double stroller, prosecutors stated.
Child laws vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and there are many approaches to determining the number of award payments. Many states consider multiple factors when determining support, such as the parents' income, the number and ages of children living at home, basic living expenses, and school costs. If the child has special needs, the laws may take costs involved with caring for these children's exceptional situation into consideration.
They may provide earmarking of funds for specific items, such as school fees, daycare, or medical expenses. These laws serve to make custodial parents more accountable for the money they receive from non-custodial parents and ensure that they get what they need. For example, some jurisdictions may require parents to pay tuition fees directly to their child's school rather than remitting money to the custodial parent.
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Over Native American, Adoptions Is About
Naomi Mcguire July 10, 2019 June 19, 2021