Defunct Audio Manufacturers - Vi - audiotools.com.
Originally founded in 1936 as Székesfehérvári Vadásztölténygyár and is based in the town of Székesfehérvár (Szfvár/Stuhlweißenburg) in Fejér county, which is located in central Hungary, south-west of the capital city of Budapest. Initially operated as a metal workshop and manufacturer of ammunition for both private and armed forces usage and the name translates into something like "The Szfvár Gun Cartridge Factory" or simply "The Szfvár Ammunition Factory". Incorporated in 1938 as Vadásztöltény csappantyú, gyutacs és fémárugyár Rt. and was by then making military electronics, weapon subassemblies and other metal parts primarily for armed forces usage, with their biggest client being the Wehrmacht (German army) and to a lesser degree the Hungarian armed forces.
Started acting as a subcontractor for American and European computer manufacturers in the 60's but when the COCOM rules were introduced they moved into making consumer products both as an OEM and as a contract manufacturer for a number of European and Asian firms although their loudspeakers and car audio products where for a time sold under their own brand in the west, these were exceptionally good value in the 1970's and 80's and thus did quite well for a time in particular the loudspeakers. In the English speaking countries were sometimes marketed anglicised as Videotone although the speakers themselves remained marked Videoton.
Cassettes sold in the early 80's by the British importer Videotone Limited which was based in Crofton Park in London. These were offered under the localised Videotone brand. The cassettes were actually not made by Videoton but rather made by a West-European OEM specifically for the British importer.
Despite being bargain priced and somewhat cheaper in the UK than the original brand products they did not sell well as people perceived them to be East-European despite them actually being North-European. Videotone Ltd. operated into the early 1990's.
The company started manufacturing for Akai Electric Co. in 1979 and was the source of most of the Akai loudspeaker products sold in Europe during the 80's, and in addition did rather well in that decade under its own brand, particularly in Eastern Europe. However the fall of the communist governments in Central Europe led the company to lose its primary markets for CE products which in turn lead to the company being privatised in 1991 under the name of Videoton Rendszertechnika Ltd and sold to the a consortium consisting of the Hungarian Credit Bank (70%), Euroinvest (20%) and local computer firm M?szertechnika Holding (10%). In 1996 the managers of M?szertechnika, namely Széles Gábor, Lakatos Péter and Sinkó Ottó (note: Hungarian names) took over the company in a leveraged buyout and run the company to this day.
Austian enginner Friedrich Horny begun manufacturing radios in Wien in 1923 under his own name, he incorporated his company in 1924 as Vindbona Radio and manufactured radios under the Horny brand, in addition to making passive and active electronic components. The company became the leading producer of brown goods in Austria almost from the word go and held a number of patents both locally and internationally, the company registered the brandname Hornyphon in 1927 and used that name on their products thereafter. At a similar time the company entered into a deal with the Dutch giant Philips whereby Vindobona stopped the manufacture of valves and bought them instead from Philips which in return licensed some of their patents, in the following years the company undertook an ambitious expansion plan that stretched their financial capacity to the limits and in 1936 the company went bankrupt, but bounced back almost immediately as Radiowerk Horny under the ownership of Philips.
A manufacturer of high end cables and interconnects based in Barred, Alberta, Canada and run by Rick Schultz. It was one of the first high end audio cable producers to try to market their wares directly to the punter, but normally cables and accessories are the audio product that require most dealer sales support. Mr. Schultz started out in late 2000 or 2001 by selling cables on the Audiogon site under the Dr Audio name, in 2002 he started selling them on his website under the VD name.
The company announced in December 2009 that they would be closed during the latter half of the month since they were moving their premises and would open up again in the middle of January 2010 and at the same time advertised for a more or less a complete new sales and manufacturing team. In February 2010 an announcement appeared on their site that they were closed for good.
Virtual Dynamics landed something of a marketing own goal in 2008 when someone's power cord came apart and he posted pictures of it on the internet (see link below), but the company's site usually listed suggested retail prices of 3x what they actually charged, in this case the cable sold for USD99 but was listed on the site as having a MSRP of 299USD which may have sounded like a good idea at the time.
The fairly inexpensive construction of the cable along with an overinflated MSRP meant that people looked at it as a scam, in actuality the construction of the cable was in pretty much in line with a USD 50 to 75 power cable and would if the real retail price have been shown not been anything outrageous, with with the claim that this it was a 300 USD cable things started to sound a bit fishy. The story and the pictures of the cable spread far and wide on the blogosphere in 2008 but it is not known if this had anything to do with the demise of the company.
Other resources : The company's Youtube Channel -- Orginally had no less than 77 videos uploaded by the company, but in late 2011/early 2012 all the sales and "evagelisation" videos were removed from the channel, leaving only 22.
Rick Schultz's Youtube channel -- The former VD CEO's Youtube channel, with some 20 odd videos mostly on Virtual Dynamics.
USA based maker of budget hi-fi products. Went bankrupt in 1977.
Although this was run as a separate company it was actually a project run by Nelson Pass of Pass Labs along with some financial backers, founded in 2000 in an attempt to break into a more cost conscious market with an upgraded line of their Aleph single ended transistor amplifiers that Pass labs had discontinued in the 1990's, but provided them in a more inexpensive housing thus maintaining a lower price point than what the original product archived. Not a success and the company discontinued the line in February 2002.
Founded in 1888 by Charles Sumner Tainter and Alexander Graham Bell to manufacture the Graphophone (now better known as the Dictaphone).
British manufacturer of open reel tape recorders and related products such as mixers etc., believed to have been started up in the late 1940's although that is not for certain but was taken over by Clarke & Smith (S.T.D.) in the early 70's after the passing of its founder.
British turntable manufacturer founded in 1985 and run by engineer Guy Adams, also sold a number of turntable related upgrades for third party decks such as power supplies etc. The company's main claim to fame was the original Voyd turntable but it was the first British table to use multipile motors, and 3 Pabst Aussenlaufer at that, but unlike its mainland European counterparts the Voyd featured a suspended subchassis.
The company was bought by Audio Note UK Ltd. sometime in the latter half of the 1990's and the original Voyd designs live on as the Audio Note UK TT-3 series. Voyd's former proprietor is now working for Hewlett Packard no service is provided for older products from the company except that ANUK can provide you with spares for certain models..


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Samsung Galaxy Note Ice Cream Sandwich update with Premium Suite available tomorrow.
Samsung just announced that their Android 4.0 upgrade for Canadian Galaxy Notes is coming tomorrow. It includes Premium Suite software which are programs that use the Note's S Pen.
You can now use the S Pen to solve mathematical formulas along with tables and grids. You can also write out questions and get answers.
Other new features include My Story, Face Unlock, Android Beam and the Data Usage feature in settings.
Rogers LTE coming to 28 more cities
From The Forums,
Rogers LTE is coming to 28 more Canadian cities:
Abbotsford, Ajax, Barrie, Burlington, Cambridge, Edmonton, Guelph, Hamilton, Kelowna, Kingston, Kitchener, London, Moncton, Niagara, Oakville, Oshawa, Pickering, Regina, Saskatoon, Sherbrooke, St. Catherines, Sudbury, Waterloo, Windsor, Winnipeg, TroisRivières, Quebec City and Victoria.
To go along with:
Calgary, Halifax, Montreal and surrounding area, Ottawa and surrounding area, St. John's, Toronto and surrounding area and Vancouver and surrounding area.
which are already live.
They're also getting more LTE devices including the Sony Ion, ZTE MF28B and a LTE Rocket HUB that connect up to 15 devices.
Do you live somewhere where LTE is live? Do you have LTE? If not why not?
Is it for you? Our review of the Sony Xperia U.
Reviews and Hands-on
Here's our review of the Sony Xperia U written by HC - NO "i".
While the high end of the market gets all the attention Sony's been doing a pretty good job of going after the entry level to mid range. Last year's Xperia Ray, Xperia Pro and Pro Mini where all affordable yet solid yet offerings.
Now we have the Xperia U (ST-25a). An entry level phone with a new dual core processor.
Is bigger better? Our HTC Titan II review
The Titan II is HTC's top-of-the-line Windows Phone device. Its step-up features include a bigger screen, 16GB of storage and of course, LTE.
When Microsoft launched Windows Phone 7 2 years ago, there were certain hardware specifications that manufacturers had to adhere to which positioned it at the high end of the market. Since then, the specifications haven't changed that much even though the market has moved far ahead.
While I was writing this review, Microsoft announced the next iteration of Windows Phone family. Windows Phone 8 addresses a lot of my issues with the Titan II's specs except for the fact that it wasn't available 6 months ago.
First iPhone Released Five Years Ago Today
Google announces $199 the Nexus 7 tablet running Android 4.1 Jellybean
Google just announced the $199 Nexus 7. It's got a 7" 1280x800 display, Nvidia Tegra 3 Quad-core processor, 1.2MP front-facing camera (no rear facing one), 1GB of RAM and either 8 ($199) or 16GB ($249) of storage. At 340g it's pretty light (the Blackberry Playbook weighs 425g while the original Galaxy Tab, 380g) plus at 198.5 x 120 x 10.45mm it's pretty thin. Other specs include scratch-resistant glass from Corning, a 4325mAh battery (the original Galaxy Tab had a 4000mAh) and WiFi and NFC
It also sports the latest version of Android 4.1 AKA Jellybean.
While a $199 tablet is not news you're getting a lot of hardware for your money.
Another thing to point out is that while Android is doing extremely well on the Phone side it lags a bit on the Tablet side. While Samsung is able to sell a ton of Galaxy S II's at close-to-iPhone prices, for the most part Android tablets sell because they're cheap.
While the Nexus 7's $199 price is very affordable the real story is that it has the potential to really shake things up in the Tablet space. While the iPad is an expensive device it suddenly seems even more expensive when you compare it with the Nexus 7. Sure, they're different sizes but anyone who's going to spend $499 or more on an iPad is going to take a long hard look at the Nexus 7. Apple is still going to sell millions of iPads but the Nexus 7 will really give the Android tablet market some much needed momentum.
Looking elsewhere the Nexus 7 is another nail in RIM's coffin. No one's going to buy a Playbook now unless RIM cuts the price again. The Amazon Kindle Fire's main selling point - it's low price suddenly doesn't seem that low.
Finally things suddenly got a lot more difficult for Microsoft. While the Nexus and Surface occupy 2 different segments of the market they're both still tablets. If you're thinking of buying a Surface you're going to take a long hard look at the Nexus and wonder whether you need to spend the extra money.
All in all the Tablet market suddenly became a lot more interesting. ...
Mozilla Launches a Speedy and Powerful Upgrade to Firefox for Android
From the Mozilla press release:
Mozilla Launches a Speedy and Powerful Upgrade to Mobile Browsing with Firefox for Android
As a pioneer of the Web, Mozilla unlocked the Web experience on the desktop with Firefox and we are doing it again in mobile. We're proud to announce a new Firefox for Android is now available for download in the Google Play store. The new Firefox for Android is a snappy and dynamic upgrade to mobile browsing that makes it faster and easier to get where you want to go on the Web.
Full release and notes here.
Talk about it here.
Motorola Intros Ice Cream Sandwich For RAZR and RAZR MAXX
Carriers,
Talk about it in the forums here.
Samsung Galaxy S III - "The Next Big Thing Is Here"
Samsung Galaxy S III Canadian launched delayed
I just got an email from Samsung saying that the S III launched has been pushed back a week. The new launch day is June ...
Just got our Samsung Galaxy S III
I just got a Samsung Galaxy S III with LTE support. I'm using it on TELUS. This is a work in progress so I won't be done for a few more days. I'll also be comparing it with the quad core varient soon so after you read this check back in a couple of days - there will be more.
In just 3 short years we've gone from Samsung Galaxy to Galaxy S III. What a ride. ...
Read More 108 Comments
Samsung Galaxy S III coming to T-Mobile June 21 with HSPA+ and a dual core processor
T-Mobile just announced the Samsung Galaxy S III with HSPA+ and a dual core processor. It will be available June 21.
T-Mobile to Debut the Samsung Galaxy S III on June 21
Latest in Galaxy S series brings fast group sharing and on-the-go entertainment all running on America's Largest 4G Network®
BELLEVUE, Wash. — June 4, 2012 — T-Mobile USA, Inc., the No. 1 mobile operator brand in Samsung Galaxy S sales, and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile), the No. 1 mobile phone provider in the U.S. and the No. 1 smartphone provider worldwide,1 announced the upcoming release of the highly anticipated Samsung Galaxy S® III. Starting June 21, T-Mobile® customers will have the opportunity to own one of the most innovative smartphones in the market to date, joining the popular Galaxy S family of devices.
The Samsung Galaxy S III is one of T-Mobile's fastest 4G (HSPA+ 42 technology) smartphones. With an intuitive design, the Galaxy S III enables customers to share photos, videos and more effortlessly to a compatible TV or other Galaxy S III devices. Featuring a beautiful 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED™ screen, the Galaxy S III packs a powerful entertainment experience allowing customers to watch HD movies and TV shows, download apps and securely browse the Web at lightning-fast speeds on America's Largest 4G Network®.
"We have a tremendous history of working with Samsung to bring cutting-edge devices to market, and we know our customers are excited to get their hands on the Galaxy S III," said Brad Duea, senior vice president, product management, T-Mobile USA. "As we continue to aggressively compete, this device is yet another example of how T-Mobile delivers amazing devices and 4G experiences to our customers."
Galaxy S III Key Features
· Connecting and Sharing: Imagine shooting a video with a group of friends and being able to share it immediately with others in the group. The Galaxy S III enables group sharing via Wi-Fi Direct™ so that content such as a video or photo on one device can easily be shared with up to five other Galaxy S III devices. That same video or photo can also be viewed by the group on a compatible big screen TV, such as a SmartTV, using AllShare®. With an advanced 8-megapixel camera with LED flash and zero shutter lag and a 1.9-megapixel front-facing camera, the Galaxy S III will capture beautiful HD videos and photos that are perfect to share.
· Entertainment: Whether waiting for an appointment or commuting on the bus, customers can take in the latest action movie in full HD from Samsung Media Hub or catch their favorite TV show with T-Mobile TV in Mobile HD2. Images appear crisp and clear on the Galaxy S III's 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED screen, bringing entertainment to life on the device. In addition, customers can choose between 16 GB or 32 GB of internal memory, and have the option for expandable memory via a MicroSD slot, providing plenty of storage for downloading movies, music, games and other apps. Featuring Android™ 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and a Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ S4 Processor with 1.5 GHz Dual-Core CPUs and 2GB of RAM, the Galaxy S III also offers a large, 2100mAh battery to power hours of on-the-go entertainment.
· Productivity: For customers who want to use the device in their business and personal lives, T-Mobile's Galaxy S III offers a suite of security features delivering enterprise-friendly capabilities. From syncing corporate email, calendars and contacts to providing on-device encryption, the Galaxy S III makes it easy to maximize efficiency and productivity for enterprise users. T-Mobile customers also have access to Wi-Fi Calling and the Smartphone Mobile HotSpot feature ensuring easy and reliable connectivity while on the road.
The Samsung Galaxy S III is expected to arrive in a metallic blue or ceramic white color at T-Mobile retail stores and select retailers nationwide, and at www.t-mobile.com starting June 21.
To learn more about the Samsung Galaxy S III, visit http://galaxy-s.t-mobile.com/samsung-galaxy-s3.
Is Less More: Our HTC One S review
Both the dual and quad-core versions of the HTC One X signal a new generation of Android phones. While on paper, they're not all that different from last year's model; they're actually much faster, have much more capable cameras, the best screens I have ever seen plus they're running the most mature version of Android yet. As awesome as the One X is, the 4.7" screen may be too big for some. Sometimes more is less.
Here's where the One S fits in. It packs the same processing power as the as the faster dual core One X, the same camera capabilities, same amount of storage, RAM, etc into a smaller, more manageable package
Cricket Wireless to Offer iPhone 4 and 4S Beginning June 22nd
Cricket becomes the 4th US based wireless provider to offer the iPhone 4 and 4S.
The monthly rate will still be $55 per month but the fair usage data cap for the iPhone will be 2.3GB instead of 1GB before throttling
The iPhone 4 will be $399.99 without a contract and the iPhone 4S will be $499.99 without a contract
MarketWatch | Forum discussion
Tick Tock: Our Galaxy S II HD LTE review
Here's our review of the Samsung Galaxy S II HD LTE (SGH-I757M) on Bell written by our own HC - NO "i".
With all the news about the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S III I was a little surprised that Bell would be offering the Galaxy S II HD LTE. There's a good reason for the release; AT&T recently cancelled an order for the Samsung Skyrocket HD (aka SGH-I757M). Guess where those cancelled Skyrockets turned up? The Galaxy S II HD LTE on Bell is even wrapped in the "TXTNG & DRIVING... IT CAN WAIT" plastic that AT&T phones come in.
From a strategic standpoint, Bell has been selling their Galaxy S II 4G for longer than TELUS and Rogers have been selling their variants so it's time that they refreshed it.
As for the name, Samsung Galaxy S II HD LTE I, one can only hope that they ship a pentaband version of this phone with no Android customizations. Then they can call it the Samsung Galaxy Nexus S II HD LTE X.
"Two iPhones Walk Into A Bar"
Ice Cream Sandwich Coming To These Galaxy Devices:
From The Forums
Samsung Canada just announced that the following Galaxy devices will be getting Android 4.0 upgrades:
GALAXY S II LTE
GALAXY S II LTE HD
GALAXY S II X
They didn't specify when exactly these devices will be getting their upgrades. According to TELUS the S II X and Note updates are coming in early June, the Tab 10.1 in mid June and the 8.9 in late July.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...5296049&type=1 | Forum discussion
HTC One X gets root with 1 click
Treatz
HowardForums,
I was reading on Androidandme That the HTC One X, and [email protected]'s version have achieved 1 click root.
The best one yet: Our Nokia Lumia 900 review
It's been quite a year for Nokia fans. A year ago, Nokia's coolest phones were the X7 and the N8. Meanwhile, Android users had the HTC Sensation, Samsung Galaxy S II and LG Optimus 2x to choose from. We all knew Nokia was working on some Windows Phones but they weren't available yet. Now that Nokia's Lumia phones are here, fans have a little more choice. However, the competition has gotten much more intense in the past year.
Based on its specs, it's really hard to say where the Lumia 900 fits in the overall market. On one hand, it's currently Nokia's flagship Windows Phone. On the other hand, it's specs are quite modest compared to what you can get on Android. ...
iOS 5.1.1 Released
Apple released iOS 5.1.1 today and it offers the following:
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amirkhan8 Today, 01:41 AM
good question happy to read the answer and...
good question happy to read the answer and helpful for my knowledge.
Yep, AT&T and Verizon were praying so hard they...
Yep, AT&T and Verizon were praying so hard they both completely forgot to object to the merger during the comment period. Verizon and AT&T don't care because they already know how this movie ends:...
elecconnec Today, 01:04 AM
I Believe that price is only with Google fi...
I Believe that price is only with Google fi service is it? Force you to buy the service with the device?
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Whitieiii Today, 12:59 AM
Do you think a iPhone 6s is still good for use on...
Do you think a iPhone 6s is still good for use on ATT?
dandn1321 Today, 12:48 AM

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Madrid's old heads are helping Vinicius, says Solari
Real Madrid coach Santiago Solari lavished praise on Vinicius Junior and Marco Asensio ahead of his side's clash with Girona.
Stephen Creek
Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior - Getty Images
Santiago Solari described himself as "delighted" with the progress Vinicius Junior is making at Real Madrid but stressed the credit for his development must be shared among his team-mates.
Brazilian forward Vinicius has scored two goals in 12 LaLiga appearances this season and his performances in all competitions have helped to justify the club's €45million investment in him.
The 18-year-old played 81 minutes of Madrid's 2-1 first-leg win over Ajax in the Champions League last 16 and Solari was full of praise for the way he has established himself at Santiago Bernabeu.
"He's very young and you can see in the last few months his improvement," Solari told reporters.
Read: Ramos shocked by yellow card fuss
"We're delighted with his progress. He's getting lots of help not just in matches, but in training too.
"Lots of credit must go to Vinicius but also to his team-mates for the advice they're passing on, helping him to improve his game."
Marco Asensio in action during Real Madrid's first leg of Champions League last-16 match against Ajax. - Getty Images
Marco Asensio came off the bench to score Madrid's winner at Johan Cruijff Arena after recovering from a thigh muscle injury and his return to form and fitness could present Solari with a selection dilemma.
Los Blancos lined up with Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Vinicius in attack against Ajax, but Solari indicated he would have few problems finding room for left-sided playmaker Asensio in his side to face Girona in LaLiga on Sunday.
"Marco can play anywhere across the front three, even as an attacking midfielder," said Solari.
"He is talented and came back from injury strongly. Hopefully he continues to work in same vein.
"He came on and scored a decisive goal - an important goal for him and for the team. We're happy with the way he has returned from injury."
Jonty Rhodes: Cricketers from disadvantaged backgrounds need equal opportunity
Real Madrid tops La Liga table after win over Sevilla


I am finally back home from the most incredible extreme hiking weekend that has left my soul filled to the brim that is it so long ago overflowing!
We spent the weekend up in the mountains on Olive Grove Farm where we went out hiking on both Saturday and Sunday in the snow, sleet, rain and wind. We have thrown snow balls, built a snow man, skied back down on our feet, hiked in the snow, jumped over small crevices that had my heart pumping fast, we've laughed non stop, we've joked, we've seen thing, we've played tricks on each other, we got competitive, and we bonded.
After this weekend one thing is for sure, I couldn't ask for more awesome team members to face Aconcagua and all that remains of the Seven Summits with. They've got your back, they look out for you, they go out of their way to make sure that no matter what no one gets left behind, and I mean that in every sense of the word.
I am blessed to be walking this journey and I'm so blessed to be walking this journey with these incredible souls.
I leave this weekend richer.
We share a camaraderie like no other.
And I for one can't wait to hit the slopes of Aconcagua in 2014.
Previous Dreams Do Come True! Next With Eyes Wide Open ~ Happy ChooseDay!


Our staff members generally hail from all over the country and from many walks of life. Many of them are seasoned veterans of the joys and travails of boats, boating, and boatbuilding, while others are warm, friendly faces doing their very best to make your stay with us a pleasant, comfortable one. From the School Director to our energetic kitchen, waterfront, shop, and office staff, each member possesses a strong commitment to a first-class program and the creation of a positive, safe environment for students and visitors alike. Above all, they enjoy sharing this "little piece of paradise" with all who stop by.
The folks who administer WoodenBoat School believe that each student's experience is of the utmost importance. From your very first communication with the School office to the completion of your course(s), they will work hard at meeting your needs and expectations.
Originally from Philadelphia, Rich Hilsinger first arrived at WoodenBoat School as a student back in 1983, and he's lived in Brooklin ever since. Rich managed the School shop for seven years and also enjoyed the opportunity to teach courses in kayak and small boat construction. Woodworking became a part of his life after college, and he's dabbled in everything from house carpentry, restaurant and bar renovation, post-and-beam barn restoration, and cabinetry. The "boat bug" bit while Rich wintered in the Caribbean in the 1970's. After sailing throughout the Caribbean and Europe for 3 years with the four-masted bark SEA CLOUD as ship's carpenter, Rich returned to the U.S. and assisted on yacht deliveries; did boat repair; worked at North End Shipyard in Rockland and Brooklin Boat Yard; and purchased his own Crocker pocket cruiser MARTHA. He stepped into the position of WoodenBoat School Director in 1990 and has enjoyed bringing insight, energy, and full-time dedication to the well-known institution. When he is not involved with work at the School, Rich enjoys spending time with family and friends, sailing, gardening, reading, and cheering for all of Philadelphia's professional sports teams.
Kim Patten continues as Business Manager for her seventeenth year. Prior to joining WoodenBoat School, Kim spent five years as part of the WoodenBoat Store "team." Originally from New York, she has spent every summer of her life in Maine, before making the move permanently after college. While summering in Maine, she spent her days sailing on Penobscot Bay. Kim and her husband Marvin keep busy working on their home and raising their daughter Riley. She enjoys the outdoors, sailing, skiing, and spending time with family and friends.
Born and raised in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, Greg Bauer came to boatbuilding as a third career later in life. Before the boatbuilding bug bit hard, he worked for six years as a design draftsman for a metal fabrication shop and for ten years as an accounting manager of an auto parts manufacturer. A couple of sailing experiences on the Maine windjammer ROSEWAY led Greg to the world of wooden boats, and he soon enrolled at The Landing School in Kennebunkport, Maine. After graduating from their boatbuilding program, Greg joined the school's staff as a graduate teaching assistant. He then spent three years as a joiner with Bruckmann Yachts in Mississauga, Ontario. Greg moved to mid-coast Maine in the spring of 2002 and spent nine years with the boatbuilding crew at French & Webb in Belfast, Maine. In the spring of 2011 he joined the staff at WoodenBoat School as Waterfront Manager. In the fall of 2011 he started his own business, NB Woodworking, specializing in yacht joinery, custom cabinetry and fine woodworking.


This exquisite pearl pendant features a AAA quality 9mm Tahitian South Sea pearl with 'Very High' luster (please see our pearl grading section for more information). All Tahitian pearls are imported directly from the shores of Tahiti. The pendant is comprised of 1.2 grams of the finest quality 14K gold and also includes approximately .07 Carats of SI Quality diamonds. All of our pearl pendants are made on site, and our experienced staff of GIA certified specialists pay careful attention to all details in order to create a truly beautiful piece of jewelry. This pendant comes packaged in a jewelry gift box. Please view the options below to customize your pendant.


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James Kirkup
The Catch 22 of Labour's gender policy
23 May 2018, 12:00am
Earlier this week, I wrote about David Lewis, a Labour member who was allowed to stand for election as a constituency women's officer on the basis that he identifies as a woman under some circumstances. That report seems to have drawn some attention, not least from Labour HQ. David Lewis was told on Tuesday night that he has been suspended from the party and cannot therefore stand for election as Basingstoke CLP women's officer. I'll try to unravel the implications of that in a moment, but first I want to say something about David Lewis and the general debate around this case.
As is usual with debates around gender, a lot of people have strong feelings about this case, and have expressed them bluntly. On social media, David Lewis has been called all sorts of unpleasant things, accused of bigotry and other nastiness. That does not accord with my impression of him. On the basis of a couple of conversations and some exchanges via email, I do not believe David is a bad person or acting with any bad intent. He strikes me as a thoughtful, earnest person committed to polite and orderly debate about matters of public interest.
The same can be said of many of the other people involved in this. Some of the people who have commented on David and his case are committed advocates of trans-rights and believe firmly that policies, including self-identification, are fair and right. The vast majority of those people do not engage in nasty name-calling online or other unpleasant conduct: they just advocate policies they think will make life better for people.
In short, I hope (probably in vain) that this conversation can be had without allegation of bad faith, that this can be an exchange of views between people who are all, in their own ways, trying to do the right thing and who accept that this is true of others too.
Let's start with Labour's position. The party has a number of roles and positions that are reserved for women: all-women shortlists for parliamentary selection and women's officer roles. Who counts as a women for Labour? The party's National Executive Committee on Tuesday reaffirmed a policy of self-identification, meaning that those roles are open to "self-identifying trans women". The force of that policy is that if someone says they are a woman, Labour accepts that they are a woman. The party does not check or verify a statement of self-identified womanhood.
The thinking behind that approach is that transgender people should not be subject to additional checks or "gatekeeping" simply to be accepted for who they are. Non-trans people don't have to prove their gender, so why should trans people? That strikes me as a perfectly noble sentiment and the policy is advocated by many people with good intentions.
But implementing it in practice does raise some questions. First, there's a legal debate: is this policy compatible with existing equality law, which allows Labour to reserve some posts for women? The law also offers a mechanism for transwomen to legally change their gender and be recognised in law as female, obtaining a gender recognition certificate. Labour does not require such a certificate and some people say that means it is contradicting the law by opening up "women only" posts to people who are, in law, male.
Which brings us back to David Lewis. David was born male and has lived most of his 45 years as a male. He was initially told he was eligible to stand as Basingstoke CLP women's officer on the basis of a statement he made to the CLP secretary that he self-identified as a woman as per the party's own rules. As he has since written:
"All I told my CLP was that 'I self-identify as a woman" as that was all that the Party policy required. I was very careful not to lie or deceive in my communications. I also wrote a supporting document to be handed out which I consider to be truthful."
He later spoke to me and I wrote the article that is now being cited by Labour as the reason for his suspension. By suspending him, I think Labour runs the risk of raising some difficult and maybe even impossible questions about its own policy. The party, as the NEC stated again this week, accepts trans women as women on the basis of self-identification. Many leading Labour figures, including Dawn Butler, the shadow equalities minister, have said they do not believe that someone who says they are changing or varying their gender should be questioned or tested over that statement: a person's declaration of gender must be accepted as valid.
How can that approach be reconciled with the treatment of David Lewis? He said he was a woman. His local party accepted that statement and allowed him to stand for an all-women post. He was then suspended. The issue at hand is whether his actions contradict the position as set out by the NEC:
"Anyone attempting to breach Labour Party rules and subvert the intention of All Women Shortlists, women's officers or minimum quotas for women will be dealt with via our established safeguards, selection procedures and disciplinary measures."
How might David Lewis be "subverting" the intention behind Labour policy on women's posts? One explanation is that Labour could be saying that David Lewis is not a "genuine" trans women but a man who simply says he is a trans women in order to stand for a women's post and, by doing so, question that self-ID policy.
In the cloud of social media rage this case has generated, this explanation is quite common: a lot of people are on Twitter accusing David Lewis of acting in "bad faith", of carrying out a "stunt" to make a point. Perhaps that is a reasonable interpretation of his actions. I make no comment on that. But I must observe that anyone who takes such an interpretation of David Lewis's actions is taking a position that is impossible to reconcile with that policy of self-identification.
The only way to conclude that David Lewis is engaged in a "stunt" or is "abusing" Labour's self-ID rules is to make a judgement on the validity of his declared gender identity. If you adhere to a position of accepting self-identified trans women as women (and thus entitled to women's legal rights) then you have to accept David Lewis is a woman – because he says he is a woman. In this position, anyone who says they are a trans woman is, by definition, genuine. Indeed, there can be no other sort of self-identified trans woman.
You can only criticise or reject what David Lewis has done by saying he is not a "genuine" trans woman. And by doing so, you proclaim your own right to pass judgement on the declared gender identity of other people. That is to reject self-identification and accept the need for gatekeeping.
Nor is it sufficient to argue, as some do, that David Lewis's own words constitute an admission of bad faith. Nowhere in his published remarks does he indicate that his declaration of gender identification is not sincere; he insists, as I noted above, that he has not said anything he considers to be untrue. Again, the only way to construe his words as proof of bad faith is to say that you judge his declaration that he is a woman to be untrue – and thus assert a claim that your judgement of his gender identity trumps his declaration of his identity.
In short, Labour policy's and the suspension of David Lewis opens up a conversation that involves asking fundamental questions about how an approach based on the principle of self-identified gender can actually be made to work in practice. This case has also proved that policies devised with the very best of intentions can run into trouble if they are not properly debated and considered first.
A proper debate about self-ID would surely consider the possibility of the sort of abuse David Lewis stands accused of. If anyone who says they are a woman must be accepted as a woman, what's to stop men with bad intent obtaining the legal status of a woman for malign purposes?
The people who accuse David Lewis of bad faith should reflect on the fact that if he had not chosen to speak to a journalist about his actions, the Labour Party would not have had grounds to suspend him. If he was a bad man trying to subvert the rules, he could have simply stayed quiet and remained a candidate for a job that the rules reserve for women. I don't believe David Lewis is a bad man with malign intent. But I do believe that such men exist.
If this article has made your head spin a little with the mental contortions required to follow the arguments I have so laboriously set out, I can only apologise, not least for writing like the failing philosophy undergraduate I once was.
But I also suggest you get used to this stuff, because this will soon cease to be an issue just for Labour. The Government will shortly bring forward a consultation that could see a move to introduce the principle of self-identified gender in English law. I wonder if ministers will have some answers to the questions that Labour and David Lewis have raised.
Written byJames Kirkup
James Kirkup is the Director of the Social Market Foundation and a former political editor of The Scotsman and The Daily Telegraph
Topics in this articlePoliticsgenderlabour partyuk politics


For Research Administrators and Unit Reviewer/Approvers, Information Technology Services (ITS) has prepared job aids, reference materials, FAQs, and training documents.
Learn more about the recent 2018 Award Management Functionality project.
What happens when U-M receives the award?
First, Project Representatives from the University of Michigan's Office of Research and Sponsored Projects (ORSP), under the Office of Research, must review the award and prepare the award for set up in the eResearch Proposal Management (eRPM) system.
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Once the new award is internally reviewed, approved, and ready, staff from the Finance - Sponsored Programs office create the appropriate record(s) in M-Pathways Financials, the U-M accounting system, and activate the Award (AWD) record (e.g., AWD000001) in eRPM.
How do I get my awarded funds?
Every award is different. You must read the Award, and any details in the Sponsor Guidelines to understand how and when you will receive the funds. You need a P/G number set up to start spending. After you've reviewed the award you can contact your assigned Finance - Sponsored Programs Customer Service Representative with questions.
Should the PI want to modify the budget distribution, the proposed changes may be made on a Budget Reallocation Form, which should then be routed through the normal approval process.
Award management encompasses the greater activity that occurs within multiple phases of the sponsored project lifecycle – from the steps to accepting an award, to change requests and modifications throughout, and to the deliverables due to the sponsor during and at the conclusion of a project.
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At the time of award activation, a system-generated email notification is sent to all investigators and administrative personnel listed on the award and identified email contacts for all departments participating in the award informing them that the AWD has been created in eRPM. That notice provides the AWD number and the Project/Grant (P/G) number for the project.
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The AWD record in eRPM contains attachments and details including the terms and conditions, key personnel, and other items that the project team can review.
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To start an Award Change Request (ACR), use the Request Action/Modification activity in the eRPM Award record and upload a signed copy of the Post Award Change Request (PACR) form to request changes to the award. Subsequent changes in terms and conditions, additional funding, time extensions, and other modifications may require ORSP staff to complete a Modification (MOD) to the AWD record in eRPM. Completed ACRs and MODs can be reviewed and accessed through the Modifications tab in the AWD record.


2)Multi-function: Bag-forming, filling, sealing, date-printing, cutting and counting .
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Jinan Joysun Machinery Co., Ltd. is a hi-tech enterprise that is engaged in professional developing,producing and selling on microwave energy applying equipment ,which is one of the biggest scale microwave energy equipment manufacturer sachet water packaging machine/sachet mineral drinking water making machine in China since 2009. Jinan Joysun Machinery Co., Ltd. has microwave drying sterilization, microwave thawing, microwave sachet water packaging machine/sachet mineral drinking water making machine drying, hot-air drying, combined microwave hot air drying five series of more than 50 products, sachet water packaging machine/sachet mineral drinking water making machine has been widely used in food, condiment, agricultural and sideline products, medicine, flowers, wood, building materials, chemical raw materials, ceramics, rubber and other areas.Jinan Joysun Machinery Co., Ltd. has a group of professional sales team, established a perennial cooperative relations with some well-known domestic and foreign universities and enterprises,equipment exported to Europe, South America, Africa, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Japan, South Korea, more than 30 countries and regions.


Crazy 88 Mixed Martial Arts took a team of 7 competitors to the No Gi Pan Championships this year and came home with 4 Gold Medals, a winning record once again. Highlights: Crazy 88 Wins All Age Groups at IBJJF No Gi Pan Championships 2017 – across Adult, Masters, and Juvenile divisions.
Crazy 88 fearless No Gi head coach Tye Ryan Murphy was the last to compete for the day in the Master 1 Black Belt Medium-Heavy Division and still came out ahead, literally. Coach Murphy won his first match 2-0 with a bunch of advantages for good measure. He won his Finals match with a crafty takedown to secure the Gold Medal. Murphy was unable to continue on to the Open Class Division after reopening a gash in his Finals match, a cut above his right eye that sent him to the emergency room a few weeks prior.
Vannessa Griffin entered the adult Brown Belt Female Middle Division. Multiple world champions were entered to compete across all the brown belt weight classes. She won one match to secure the Gold Medal on points 2-2 with 1-0 on advantages. Her opponent was also a Purple Belt Light Weight World Champion the year before Griffin won the division.
Tafon Nchukwi, a beast of an athlete, entered the adult Blue Belt Ultra-Heavy Division. He won his first and second matches both on a 12-0 lead. Nchukwi was able to secure the final win and bring home the Gold Medal by referee's decision in the Finals. He entered the Open Division later in the day and won two out of three matches. Nchukwi won his first open class match 9-0 and the second by referee's decision. He brought home another Bronze Medal.
Meghan Sirico entered the Blue Belt Juvenile 2 Female Light Division. She also brought home a Gold Medal in her division after beating two opponents. She won her first match by points, coming back from being down on the scoreboard to pull into the lead. Sirico won her second match 6-0 and avenged a previous loss from earlier in the year to win her division.
Jon DelBrugge, Byung Ju Lee, and Navarro Chamberlain also competed at the tournament. Our competitors will look to improve on their performances in the coming months before the IBJJF No Gi World Championships in December 2017.


The owners of an 1890s Victorian wanted to update two bathrooms and add laundry on the second floor while maintaining the period ambiance of the house. Additional storage and closet retrofits were another priority. Swapping the original master bath with the family bath enabled Feinmann to reconfigure the second story, moving doorways and closets to satisfy the goals of the project. Adding 15 square feet to the master bath permitted the homeowners to have both the shower and bathtub they desired. Good space planning, luxurious materials, and custom arched replacement windows have reinvigorated the second floor of this grand dame home.
The 15 square foot "bump out" in the master bath allowed for a deluxe Bain Ultra bathtub with air massage and whirlpool jets along with a tiled shower and new vanity. A new, custom arched-top window replaced the weathered existing one in what is now the family bath. A walk-in master bedroom closet and the remodeled family bath make up this "guts-to-glory" renovation. All photographs were taken by our staff, before and during the renovation. (Master bath top, Family bath below). Stay tuned for the final reveal later this spring!
We never know what we might find when we open walls and floors, especially in an older home. The field staff, led by Lead Carpenter David Ramirez, were interested to find a newspaper from The Boston Globe dated November 1911!
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Library of Congress > News from the Library of Congress > 2013 > Library Acquires Sportscaster Bob Wolff's Rare Audiovisual Recordings
April 26, 2013 Library Acquires Sportscaster Bob Wolff's Rare Audiovisual Recordings
Interviews from Nine Decades of Star Athletes and Classic Play-by-Play Calls
Press Contact: Gayle Osterberg (202) 707-0020 | Sheryl Cannady (202) 707-6456
Legendary award-winning sportscaster Bob Wolff is a man for all (sports) seasons. In a career that includes recordings in nine decades—the longest of any sportscaster—he is the first and only broadcaster to handle play-by-play championship calls in all four major professional sports. The Library of Congress today celebrated the acquisition of Wolff"s vast personal collection of historic audio and video recordings, documenting some of the greatest names and most golden moments in sports history.
Held at the Library's majestic Jefferson Building in Washington, D.C., the event also included an historic conversation with Wolff, who was the pioneering television voice of the Washington Senators for 15 years, answering questions about his collection from current Washington Nationals radio play-by-play announcers Charlie Slowes and Dave Jageler. "Bob Wolff is a voice for the ages, calling some of the most memorable games in sports, but he is also an archivist at heart," said Librarian of Congress James H. Billington. "He has amassed an extraordinary collection of his work and ensured that these important recordings, which document the historical record of the nation's sports history, will be forever preserved for future generations."
Wolff's personal archive of recordings spans over 74 years and features more than a thousand hours of him interviewing the greatest stars in sports history. Also included are some of the Hall of Famer's most famous calls including:
Play-by-play of Don Larsen's perfect World Series game in 1956
Play-by-play of the Baltimore Colts' overtime win over the New York Giants in the NFL championship game in 1958, called "the greatest football game ever played"
Televised play-by-plays of the New York Knicks' two championships
An interview with Jackie Robinson early in his career – plus Robinson's last major league hit, which was a game winner in Game Six of the 1956 World Series.
Wolff's performances with the Washington "Singing Senators"
Candid interviews with numerous great sports legends, including Babe Ruth, Jim Thorpe, Ty Cobb, Vince Lombardi, Tris Speaker, Mickey Mantle, Joe Louis, Yogi Berra, George Steinbrenner, Clark Griffith, Rocky Marciano, and hundreds of others.
In addition to major sports figures, Wolff also talked sports with other notables in the booth, including Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Milton Berle, Bob Hope, Jerry Lewis and Richard Nixon.
"For the past 74 professional sportscasting years, and still continuing, I've had the pleasure of recording interviews with the nation's sports stars," said Wolff. "I saved them all—from early audio and then video. I'm delighted that the Library of Congress will now provide a terrific new home for them and they will all be available for future generations to enjoy for all time."
At the age of 92, Wolff continues to call the plays and make sports history. Guinness World Records recognized Wolff as attaining the longest career of any sports broadcaster. The on-the-go sportscaster for many years annually averaged over 250 play-by-plays, plus pre- and post-game shows and nightly sportscasts. In addition to network shows, he was the television play-by-play voice for eight teams in five different sports—the Knicks, the Rangers, the Washington Senators, the Minnesota Twins, the Baltimore Colts, the Washington Redskins, the Cleveland Browns, and soccer's Tampa Bay Rowdies, plus thousands of other sports programs.
Wolff is in the National Sportscasters-Sportswriters Hall of Fame, the Madison Square Garden Walk of Fame and the recipient of the National Baseball Hall of Fame's Ford C. Frick Award. He also received the Basketball Hall of Fame's Curt Gowdy Media Award, joining Curt as the only two sportscasters to be recognized by both the basketball and the baseball halls. Wolff was inducted into the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007 and the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball Hall of Fame where he served as League Commissioner for five years. On Long Island, he won the Press Club Outstanding Journalist Award in 2001. He's received a TV Ace Award and Emmy Awards for his on-camera work.
Wolff's career in sports broadcasting began with his work on CBS Radio, WDNC in Durham, North Carolina, in 1939 while going to Duke University. He added TV to his schedule in 1946 as Washington D.C.'s first telecaster on DuMont's WTTG. His TV assignments have included play-by-play on all the major networks. He was the pioneer television voice of the Washington Senators beginning in 1947, and in addition to calling the games, also handled the team's pre-game and post-game TV and radio shows, plus a nightly TV sports show and radio show. Wolff was the first NBA basketball team telecaster when he called play-by-play for the Washington Capitols in their inaugural 1946-1947 season in the BAA, the predecessor of the NBA.
In 1951, he was selected for the first college football TV Game-of-the-Week series and, in 1953, was on the first professional football TV Game-of-the-Week. Wolff left his position as broadcaster of the Minnesota Twins, where he spent the '61 season to accept a contract with NBC-TV in 1962 as its Baseball Game-of-the-Week play-caller. Wolff continues a full schedule of activity in today's competitive New York marketplace with his award-winning commentaries and his coverage of major sports events, now in his 27th year at News 12 Long Island where he also served as sports director and sports anchor. He also has been seen and heard on Madison Square Garden programming for 59 years.
Wolff has written four books and his articles have been published in numerous publications. His latest book is "Bob Wolff's Complete Guide to Sportscasting."
Wolff's recordings will join the vast collections housed at the Library's Packard Campus for Audio Visual Conservation in Culpeper, Va. The materials will be cataloged, digitally preserved and made available to the public in the Library's reading rooms on Capitol Hill, and eventually on its website as non-downloadable, streaming files.
The Library of Congress holds the largest collection of sound recordings in the world and has been collecting and preserving historically, culturally and aesthetically significant sound recordings in all genres for nearly 90 years. The Library of Congress is also the home of the National Recording Preservation Board and the National Recording Registry, which were established by the U.S. Congress to promote awareness of the need to preserve the nation's recording history for posterity.
Founded in 1800, the Library of Congress is the nation's oldest federal cultural institution. The Library seeks to spark imagination and creativity and to further human understanding and wisdom by providing access to knowledge through its magnificent collections, programs and exhibitions. Many of the Library's rich resources can be accessed through its website at www.loc.gov.
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Bishops of the Arizona Catholic Conference Statement on New Law Benefitting Charities
July 07, 2022| PDF
The Bishops of the Arizona Catholic Conference (ACC) are grateful that Governor Doug Ducey has signed HB 2693 into law.
HB 2693 increases the amount of tax credits that donors can receive for making contributions to qualifying charitable organizations serving the poor and assisting children in foster care. These organizations include many faith-based and secular organizations that provide necessary services to the most vulnerable in our society, including the homeless, pregnant woman, and children.
By indexing these tax credits to the rate of inflation, these nonprofit organizations will be better prepared to provide the resources that help so many in need. Accordingly, we sincerely appreciate Representative Ben Toma for sponsoring this legislation and for all the legislators who voted in support.
Most Rev. Edward J. Weisenburger


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ALA.NI
ALA.NI's debut feature-length record is from a different era: one that was more innocent. Despite that sound, she never feels anything less than authentic – and she never sounds less than inspired.
Reviewed on July 17, 2016
The first time you hear "Cherry Blossom," you might be shocked by the song's retro trappings. It's not that the production is poor, or that it feels forced (like so many "retro" records do). Clearly, ALA.NI is nothing less than authentic.
But it feels like ALA.NI has arrived from another era. It's as if she spent most of her life hanging out with Ella Fitzgerald and Cole Porter. YOU & I is the sort of record that people don't make anymore: the songs don't cradle themselves within theatrics, and share more in common with lullabies than anything we might consider jazz or pop today.
But there's a sense of innocence throughout the record that it feels like we've lost. That innocence, which I feel we traded in for sophistication, is what makes ALA.NI so memorable. Her subtle choral effects have something in common with Feist, but it doesn't feel likely she's ever listened to Feist.
"Ol Fashioned Kiss" is exactly the sort of song that a person steeped in the Jazz Age would write, and it's beautiful. It's beautiful largely because it's about a kiss: there isn't any innuendo here. It's not a slutty song about somebody's birthday.
It would be easy to mistake this innocence for naïveté, but tracks like "Darkness at Noon" (which has a stupendous chorus) suggest that ALA.NI isn't foreign to emotional trauma. It's just that she chooses to frame the experience of life through lenses that are different from how we're used to hearing it.
YOU & I is over almost as quickly as it begins. Many tracks are under three minutes long, and some are under two. When the album is over, you're left with the rare sensation that it just wasn't long enough. ALA.NI might be emulating a style we've long forgotten, but for many of us, hearing it again is an emotionally powerful sensation. It's such a rarity to hear music that, at its most basic level, still packs an incredible emotional punch.
I immediately hit Play again, and put the record on repeat. I suspect that you'll do the same.


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Town of Nobleford most sustainable municipality in Alberta: CFIB
Posted on January 29, 2019 by Sunny South News
Sunny South File Photo
By Nikki Jamieson
Sunny South News
Nobleford is Alberta's most sustainable municipality, according to a recent Canadian Federation of Independent Business report.
The Alberta Municipal Spending Watch Report, which was released in December 2018, looked at municipalities in Alberta with populations over 1,000 people, and analyzed their operating spending habits between 2006-2016.
During that time period, inflation-adjusted — or real — operating spending by municipalities grew by 62 per cent, while population increased by 24 per cent. While the report deemed that the vast majority of the 186 Alberta municipalities had been studied have issues with operating spending, that wasn't the case for the Town of Nobleford, which placed first in the report's ranking.
"(I'm) pretty proud; proud of our CAO (Kirk Hofman), proud of our staff, proud of our PWs, I mean everybody goes into something like this, and previous councils," said Don McDowell, mayor of Nobleford. "I think what it shows to the municipality, to the citizens of Nobleford, is that they're getting the best possible value for the dollar spent. I mean, that's what the survey is; it shows that we're on the right track, if you will, to keep this community strong and vibrant as it is right now.
"Our CAO, and all of our staff really, they're the ones that should be getting the kudos on this. Yes, council has something to do with it, but the CAO, when it comes right down to it, is the one that makes sure that those dollars spent are going to the best possible areas, and the results speak for themselves."
According to the report, between 2006-2016, Nobleford had a population growth of 48 per cent, and a 62 per cent growth in real operating spending per capita. Between 2015-2013, there was a 3 per cent reduction in real operating spending per capita.
With a cumulative real operating spending per capita of $755.67 — much lower than the provincial average of $2,325, and the lowest in the province — and a 10 per cent growth in real operating spending per capita, the report deemed Nobleford as being "Alberta's most fiscally sustainable municipality".
"We have just received (a) financial indicators report from the province of Alberta in December, saying that Nobleford has one of the highest asset values per capita. What that means is we spend the most money on infrastructure and assets, so we're ranked very high," said Hofman.
"So now with this recognition from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, it shows we have the best of both worlds; you're getting some very high quality infrastructure in Nobleford, and we're doing it at the best possible cost, the most efficient as you can get.
"Ranking number one as sustainable; that's what every municipality is after, to be sustainable on a prosperous basis."
McDowell credits the municipality being "frugal" for the ranking. Noting that they are about a 20 minute drive the City of Lethbridge and its amenities, it enables the town to focus on infrastructure and other things that may not be considered exciting — such as water and sewer services.
However, that doesn't mean the town shies away from big projects. The town has recently completed a $1 million clean water storage dome to double their water capacity, and have $3 million sewage lagoon project that will start later this year. They are also working to attract more businesses to their downtown area.
"It's not like we sit still and do nothing. We continue to strive to make this a place where people want to come and live," said. McDowell. "Its an ongoing thing with our CAO and council, to try and keep improving Nobleford, but at the same time, making sure that the money that we do spend, we're getting absolute top value for it."
"If you look at the reports that the province does at all municipalities in Alberta, Nobleford has retained the lowest cost for operating since 2011, of all municipalities in Alberta," said Hofman. "So that's a huge, huge factor."
Although Nobleford has less staff then other municipalities, Hofman said they are paid very well, "better then other municipalities pay them", and they achieve results.
"I think that's what we do here different; we measure by results. And everybody is accountable for their time and actions."
Nobleford had previously placed ninth overall in the October 2017 edition Alberta Municipal Spending Watch Report, first in the September 2015 Alberta Municipal Spending Report and placed second in the November 2014 edition of the Alberta Municipal Spending Report by CFIB.
"It is one thing to compete against smaller municipalities, but we're competing against larger (municipalities), like Edmonton, Calgary, Lethbridges all over, so that's a tough measure to continue," said Hofman.
"We think that we're one the right path — we're doing all the things that this report recommends that the other municipalities do. The benefits are outstanding, to be in a position that we are."


We offer monthly, 6 and 12 month memberships. Our monthly membership is $24 a month and renews on the 1st of each month. Our 6 month membership is an upfront payment of $132 ($22/month) and a 12 month membership is an upfront payment of $240 ($20/month). Both the 6 and 12 month memberships will come with a free bonus apron.
Currently, we only ship to the United States and Canada. Canadian shipping is available for an additional shipping fee of $10/month. It can take 7-14 business days for delivery to Canada based on our shipping schedule.
All memberships will auto renew at the end of their term, however this can be turned off anytime during your memberships before the term is up.


The HaHa app uses Mastercard's Masterpass digital payment platform.
Over the next 30 days, the Land Transportation Department is expected to announce a new regulation to let taxi drivers receive an advanced booking fee, with a ceiling price of B100, to eliminate denial of service to passengers.
Faced with competition from rival ride-hailing apps, Howa's taxi-calling service has cratered. The company decided to invest in DMT and a traffic operations centre to replace taxi radio services, said Hudsadin Eamsherangkul, deputy managing director of 30-year-old Howa.
The DMT is a digital display device comprising a meter and location tracking system that verifies taxi drivers working with the HaHa taxi booking app through a card reader.
All taxis are legal, complete with insurance coverage and driving licences, Mr Hudsadin said.
Howa has 4,000 vehicles in the system and keeps upgrading to new systems. A taxi driver needs to pay B30,000, a one-time charge for the DMT, and B3,500 in annual service fees.
Under existing radio systems, drivers are charged B6,700 for a meter and B20,000 for the additional radio tracking system, with a monthly fee of B500. DMT uses cloud service from Advanced Info Service Plc.
Howa also has a traffic operations centre that will open under a collaboration with universities to use data analytics for city traffic management.
The HaHa app targets premium passengers who need to be picked up with a surcharge of B50 and an advanced booking fee of B150 for up to three hours in advance in prime areas such as hospitals, department stores and five-star hotels.
Howa will use a credit scoring system for drivers who do not deny passengers, so the system will prioritise good drivers and assign jobs to them first.
"We aim to have 20,000 taxis using our DMT in the future," Mr Hudsadin said. Howa has about 500 taxis and has joined Mastercard to use the Masterpass digital payment platform to provide electronic payment as an option for passengers alongside cash.
Aileen Chew, head of market development for Thailand and Myanmar at Mastercard, said HaHa is the first taxi booking app in Thailand to use the Masterpass digital payment platform. The HaHa app provides similar services as the taxi apps that use Masterpass in Hong Kong and Singapore.
The platform lets passengers use a debit or credit card to pay via the app, through which customer data will be stored in the Mastercard cloud.
"Some 65% of global public transport uses cash, so there is a big opportunity for digital payment," Ms Chew said.


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132 zoekresultaten voor "refugees" in de Studentenwebsite
Refugee students Exceptional circumstances
Leiden University supports students with a refugee background by providing guidance and encouraging contact with fellow students and staff. Find out about the services available and how you can play a role.
EUniWell Open Lecture Series: Well-being, Education and Young Refugees Agenda - 27 januari 2022
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What the refugee crisis teaches us about human connection Nieuws - 9 november 2020
What if a major world event alters the trajectory of your research project? Tsolin Nalbantian was studying citizenship along the Turkish-Syrian border when the Syrian Civil War erupted and led to a global refugee crisis. While her research participants were forced to flee the region, she was forced…
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Akke de Hoog (26) helps asylum seekers whose application has been rejected to plan their future and voluntary return to their country of origin. Her master's programme taught her about migration and how international politics, the climate and the economy impact different migration flows, as well as…
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Assistance for refugee students, first-generation students, and students from Suriname and the Caribbean region of The Netherlands.
IncLUsion Refugee students
IncLUsion is a student initiative that enables refugees who are not (yet) able to register on a regular study programme to follow courses at Leiden University. But studying is more than just attending classes, which is why IncLUsion also offers a buddy system. Buddies are Leiden University students…
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The Community Service (CES) of the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, part of the Career Service FSW, focuses on informing, advising and guiding students towards relevant (extra-curricular) involvement, with an important focus on volunteering.
Student initiatives Student well-being
As a student you might have good ideas about student well-being, or are curious about other people's perspectives on well-being. Take a look at the initiatives and ideas of fellow students below and stay connected with one another.
Psychology Awards 2021 Nieuws - 12 januari 2022
Psychology teacher of the year is Anouk van der Weiden. The master thesis awards are for Irina Verhülsdonk and Christel Klootwijk. Eliška Procházková receives the PhD publication prize; Katja Cardol and Judith Tommel the PhD wild card: the Open Science Award. Conny Binnendijk earns the OBP prize and…
Study programme Public Administration (MSc)
When deciding what to study you undoubtedly read a lot of information about your study programme. Leiden University employs various systems to provide information about programmes and courses and to facilitate communication between lecturers and students.
Guest Lecture by Alasdair Tyrrell upon return from Lesbos Nieuws - 8 december 2020
On Thursday 3 December 2020, Mr Alasdair Tyrrell, addressed students from the LLM in European Law, the LLM Advanced Programme in European and International Human Rights Law and the LLC course in European Asylum Law. Mr Tyrrell, a UK lawyer by training, had just returned from Lesbos, Greece, where he…
A good conversation Student well-being
Would you like to chat to fellow students or get to know new people? Or do you think you would benefit from talking to a professional coach or psychologist? The university would like to tell you about the options available.
Who can I turn to? Student well-being
We are on hand to offer you help and advice in a range of different ways. On this page you can find out who you can turn to depending on your situation.
'The memory of persecution is in our blood': documenting loyalties, identities and motivations to political action in the Ugandan Pentecostal Agenda - 27 januari 2022
CADS alumna Shirley van der Maarel wins Leiden University Thesis Prize 2020 Nieuws - 20 februari 2020
Shirley van der Maarel won the Thesis Award 2020 with her thesis 'Terra Incognita'. Van der Maarel graduated summa cum laude for the master's specialisation Visual Ethnography. She researched a group of refugees housed in an Italian village and wrote an interactive thesis and made a film. This resulted…
Online launch of the "Leiden Overview on SOGIESC in International Law" Agenda - 26 januari 2022
Congres/symposium
'Fortress Europe' at the Humanities Lab Cafe Nieuws - 15 oktober 2015
Thursday 1 October, Humanities Lab hosted the second edition of the Humanities Lab Cafe; this edition's theme was migration. Professors Leo Lucassen and Piet Emmer were invited to offer the audience their points of view, after which there would be time for a discussion with all those present. At half…
'Migration is more about hope than economy' Nieuws - 18 december 2021
Afghans who came to the Netherlands in a hurry, refugees who were used as leverage by Belarus and boat refugees who tried to reach Europe in an increasingly desperate manner: the newspapers were once again filled with news about migrants. Today, on International Migrants Day, we talk to professor Marlou…
New international platform campaigns for children's rights Nieuws - 3 november 2020
From the rights of refugee children to the right to a sustainable Earth. The online platform Leiden Children's Rights Observatory makes information on children's rights accessible and raises the social and scientific debate on this subject worldwide. Ton Liefaard, Professor of Children's Rights and…
Imagine you're Ilias from Turkey Nieuws - 28 september 2021
In the confrontational 'House of Misconceptions', visitors put themselves in another person's shoes and have to justify their existence. The performance is the result of a unique collaboration between the Liquid Society art collective and Professor of Law and Society Maartje van der Woude and her st…
Grants for journalistic projects Leiden students and lecturers Nieuws - 21 mei 2021
Three projects affiliated with the university will receive grants from the Leids Mediafonds (Leiden Media Fund ed.). The money is to be spend on creating a journalistic production in collaboration with a local media partner.
Little Amal in The Hague Nieuws - 22 november 2021
During the week of 15 November, Little Amal, the larger-than-life doll visited The Hague. Naturally she received a warm welcome by Leiden University during her visit. Little Amal (art project The Walk) was invited by Amare.
Jorrit Rijpma appointed professor of European Law Nieuws - 8 juni 2020
From 1 June 2020, Jorrit Rijpma will be holding the chair in European Law, specialization Area of Freedom, Security and Justice.
Contact with other students Student well-being
Staying in contact with other students might not always be easy but it is very important. Find out about the different ways in which you can meet other students.
Information market
Are you curious to know which organisations you can come into contact with on the information market? Do visit this year's online information market between 13:00 en 14:15.
For LGBT+ migrants, dating apps are about much more than sex Nieuws - 10 december 2021
When you think of migration, you probably won't immediately think of dating apps. Yet such apps are important to many migrants, such as those who identify as lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer or questioning (LGBT+). Researcher Andrew DJ Shield studied the role that dating apps play in the migration process,…
Invitation Jaap Doek Children's Rights Thesis Award Ceremony 2020 Nieuws - 24 november 2020
The department of Child Law of Leiden University and Defence for Children invite you to the eighth Jaap Doek Children's Rights Thesis Award ceremony. The ceremony will take place online, on Thursday 10 December from 15.30 until 17.00h.
Asghar Seyed Gohrab: 'Teaching keeps me young and sharp' Nieuws - 9 maart 2020
Associate Professor Asghar Seyed Gohrab considers it his role to tell students about Iran, the country where he was born and raised. His research focuses on the connections between the present and the past on the basis of the 'magical triangle': Persian literature, politics and religion.
How does social distancing affect the relationship between population groups? Nieuws - 29 oktober 2020
Hardly ever before have different groups in the population retreated into their own bubble as much as they are doing today. Professor of Sociology and Law Maartje van der Woude and her students will be examining the effect of social distancing on relationships. How do the people of Leiden look at students…
A full overview of all English FLO 2021 lectures. Note that the Dutch lectures can only be found on the Dutch website.
Community building POPcorner Humanities
The Humanities POPcorner student panel consists of 4 student members, all from different study programmes. This ensures that the POPcorner FGW student panel is able to represent a larger group. The panel organizes activities such as promotions, lectures, excursions, and get-togethers, thus contributing…
Nominees Van den Berg Thesis Prize 2020 Nieuws - 23 september 2020
Who authored the best theses in Leiden University's Political Science BSc programmes?
Eighteenth Century Dutch slaves in Morocco already had orientalist views Nieuws - 9 januari 2020
The idea that prejudices about the (Middle)-East came to be during the colonisation of North-Africa in the 19th century is false. Mounir el-Badri wrote a cum laude bachelor thesis about orientalist judgments with which 18th century slaves in Morocco much earlier characterised their captors with.
Van der Heide on jihadism in the Sahel Nieuws - 11 februari 2020
Jihadism and smugglers, gold fever and ethnic strive. It is a toxic mix that makes the Sahel a volatile region in which jihadi's thrive. In the Dutch daily De Volkskant, terrorism expert Liesbeth van de Heide sheds a light on the complex problems that the Sahel is facing. Van der Heide is a researcher…
Alumna Cultural Anthropology Van der Helm is 'Stadsfotograaf' Leidsch Dagblad Nieuws - 28 september 2020
Every year a photographer portrays Leiden as Stadsfotograaf (City Photographer) of the Leidsch Dagblad. This year it is the honor to Leonie van der Helm, an alumna of cultural anthropology. Over the next 52 weeks, Van der Helm will visualize the meaning of 'home'.
Bareez Majid nominated for ECHO Award Nieuws - 21 mei 2015
Iraqi-Kurdish student of Middle Eastern Studies Bareez Majid has been nominated for the ECHO Award. 'She has a strong personality, though she may appear unassuming at first,' was the comment from one of her lecturers.
The Future of the United Nations: Time For Change Agenda - 26 april 2021
Alternative minor equivalent: Ecology, Migration and Tolerance: Limits to cooperation? Mededeling - 30 april 2021
3 October University: from Russian DNA to drug-related violence Nieuws - 4 oktober 2021
In prehistoric times there was a huge wave of migration, from the steppes in Russia and Ukraine to West Europe. The newcomers' genes began to dominate. Archaeology research in Leiden into burial mounds in the Veluwe and Utrechtse Heuvelrug areas of the Netherlands yielded this spectacular conclusion.…
Garenmarket: woven into the fabric of Leiden Nieuws - 17 februari 2020
Linguists: crimefighters extraordinaire Nieuws - 11 januari 2021
Rector Magnificus Carel Stolker will retire on 8 February. If there's one theme running through his career, it's the links between the University and society. In this series of pre-retirement discussions, Stolker will talk one last time to people from within and without the University. In this first…


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text:
Q: Data structure for category I am looking for a data structure to add, remove, get, and find on categories.
For example:
Books

*

*Drama

*Science fiction

*Other

Sports

*

*Cycling

*Golf

*Team Sports

*

*Soccer

*Football

etc.
I think about using tree from the C5 collection library for example, but it looks like it has only red-black trees.
Any suggestions?

A: You can just create a Category class that exposes a list of other Category instances.
public class Category
{
    public Category()
    {
        this.ChildCategories = new List<Category>();
    }

    public string Name { get; set; }

    public IList<Category> ChildCategories { get; private set; }
}

A: A tree would be a good approach, but I get the feeling you are thinking there is going to be a one-size-fits-all data structure that you could use and that is not really how I envision it.  I concur with Mark's solution, but recommend a Dictionary instead of a List.  That way you can lookup a Category and get its subcategories quickly.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Allowing students to redo assignments and assessments is the best way to prepare them for adult life.
Jarrel plagiarized one paragraph in his health class essay on the dangers of second-hand smoke. Carla came to after-school review sessions and followed every direction, but she only scored a D on her English exam. Marco was distracted by other things when he did his history homework: It's full of incomplete thoughts and careless errors that he doesn't normally make.
All three students would like to redo their assignment or assessment properly, and they would like to receive full credit for the new versions they submit. All three cases put our instructional mind-set to the test.


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Hotel Parma is 900 m from the MiCo Fiera Milano City Congress Centre. Domodossola Metro Station is at 350 m away. The property is 12 km from the Expo 2015 Exhibition Centre. Sempione is a great choice for travellers interested in architecture, food and culture.
Each room has air conditioning and features flat-screen TV, desk and a wardrobe.
Check in from 14:00 to 10:00.
My boyfriend and I loved Hotel Parma! We stayed here for two nights. Very affordable and we really liked this neighbourhood for easy access to great restaurants and the metro. The room was very clean and included a veranda outdoors. The hotel staff were very friendly and reached out to us a couple days before we arrived to check what time we'd like to check in and they accommodated our early check in. At night the hotel was very quiet. The air conditioning works great as well!
My only gripe is when I wanted them to hold my luggage, they left it out in the open, instead of putting it behind the reception desk, or somewhere secure.


I have always loved books ever since I learnt to read. The sort of person who would look at an instruction manual if there were nothing else available. Not that that has happened too often - I have tottering piles of books not to mention e books. I will read almost anything as l long as it holds my interest. Besides books. I love music, photography, cryptic crosswords and playing Fitz 1 & 2 games.
What happens when you find yourself unexpectedly pregnant and you decide to keep it despite your partner's lack of enthusiasm? Even worse when you work with him in the fickle world of TV. Emma is much younger and talented but always seems to be there, much to Carrie's dismay. Very much a slow burner, with much too much about the seemingly shallow environment of TV scriptwriting/producing which I found dull. None of the characters, even the hard done by one, came out well in this book. I did enjoy the Broadstairs parts which were interesting. I did expect this story to have a few creepy undertones judging by the description. It was better when the pace picked up later on as the reader discovers the true mettle of the characters and why they behaved as they did.
Marianne thought she was so lucky and blessed when she not only caught the attention of the skilled, handsome surgeon, Simon but got to marry him too. There she was, living a wonderful like with the man she adored, his young daughter and later on their twins. Able to buy the best of everything. But delve deeper and it wasn't the heaven she expected when Simon showed his true colours. It was very easy to read, but the trouble was it went on and on a bit too much with Marianne's thoughts and actions trying to preserve the "perfect" life (a word which was definitely overused in this book!). A once strong woman turned into a whining mess by her "loving" husband. She was so annoying, so much so that it was hard to feel anything for her plus the other characters were also awful. I did read it all, so was invested that much in the story. Would describe it as a domestic, kitchen sink drama, rather than psychological.
Loved the cover! The book itself, not quite as much mainly because it couldn't seem to decide what it was. Supernatural? Espionage? Romance? Not enough of the first, too much of the second and the third only just touched on. The house on the island was interesting, so would have liked that to have been gone into in much more depth than it was. This novel had the makings of being really creepy but wasn't and I felt it could've been reduced by a quarter as it was too long and repetitive.
Where's the bride? Has anyone seen her? This is Seth's dilemma on his wedding day. His new wife Charley has gone, disappeared. A great start, but then it slowed down a bit, until the end, where all is revealed and why. Seth was very calm and collected, a bit too calm, came across as a cold fish really. Told from several viewpoints, from then and now. Despite it wasn't a racy, fly through the pages book I still enjoyed it and was intrigued enough with the plot to stay with it, to see how it all panned out.
This is Nicky's story of how she was abused and betrayed by the people who should've protected and loved her the most. It is distressing to witness just how cruel and horrible some people can be. Anyone not moved by this memoir must have a heart of stone.
Anyone who likes particularly gory murders will enjoy this, especially as there are so many! The title of this is "The Teacher" but could just as easily be another profession because that doesn't really feature much. Obvious who is doing it and everyone in the book is flawed in some way. The Museum is creepy with its exhibits and I liked that, also the role reversal. It was certainly an interesting read!
Emma, an attractive university student is kidnapped and tortured by someone wearing a clown's mask. The cover was fantastic, really creepy and I loved it. I quite liked the book, despite the over descriptive bits but that ending lost it some stars. I hated it, so rushed, unsatisfying with questions left unanswered and made me wish I'd chosen something else to read - sorry! Two star rating.
When Elena spots the handsome, affable Nicholas at her mother's funeral, she has no idea of what she's letting herself in for. The story follows the "what really happened to wife number one" formula, but this one adds a twist to the proceedings. Elena was a bit of a wet blanket to be honest and spineless most of the time, so that was annoying. This is a dark novel, so maybe not for those who enjoy gentle romances. It was a bit predictable really, but maybe I've read too many books in this genre! I liked the cover and descriptions of the Irish scenery.
A spate of murders, but is it a serial killer? The victims die horribly and all in a short space of time, so what is the connection? A huge problem for the police. Joe and Becca from two different departments work together to solve the case. On one hand I loved this book but on the other was irritated by the actions of some of the characters who were never 100% focused on what they were meant to be doing and it began to get very tiresome! That niggle aside, it was a great story and hard to put down. Started with plenty of oomph and finished in the same manner. Plenty of thrills and spills to keep the reader intrigued.
Keep away from this particular typewriter because it has a mind of its own! A gruesome tale with a gruesome main character, although none of the others were particularly likeable either. Would have really loved this story if there had been a different style of writing. Great idea though, but ultimately disappointing simply because of the clunky, stilted way it was written. Could've been brilliant, but turned out to be mediocre.
Three and a half star rating.
It all begins in high school where Ava is desperate to be accepted into a clique of three other girls, but finds that when she is allowed into the edges of the group that it's not that great and the girls not that nice. Years later she is determined they won't get away with what they did to her. Ava might have been the victim then, but proves she's none too pleasant herself! Loved the idea of this book but it was confusing at times - a change of font would sort that out. It was annoying too to find both English and American spelling - centre 1 minute and the next center etc. A great story for people who like awful girls (+1 boy) but who are also hilarious at the same time.
Murder mystery in a posh, expensive American school. Twins Bel and Rose are sent here by their grandmother when their mother dies. Handsome teacher, handwringing wife and attractive schoolgirls with crushes - a recipe for disaster! Who would want to go to boarding school after reading this tale? Goes along nicely, gathering pace as the villain is revealed. I liked the idea and found it easy to get on with and would buy it as a nice little stocking filler.
Sam, Merry and their baby now live in an idyllic part of Sweden. It's a beautiful location, wholesome and good, but only on the surface. There are secrets and undercurrents and into this mix comes Merry's best friend Frank (Frances) who knows her friend better than she knows herself. This story is deep, dark and disturbing and not really suitable for those of a sensitive nature. There's nothing likeable about these three at all and they all deserve contempt. Starts off all calm and homely and then suddenly without any warning it's as if you've stepped off a cliff and from that point there's no going back and you have to read every single word with eyes half shut! Wow, what a book, it's great and horrible all at the same time - I loved it!
It's Anna and Ray's 35th wedding anniversary when she makes the decision to walk out the door for good. From this a whole chain of events follows. The book starts as a family drama then gradually changes to something a bit darker with secrets and lies. I liked the start and end but not the middle section too much. It may have been the style of writing which didn't seem to flow along easily. Plus there were too many "disconnected"s - almost every time someone spoke on the phone this word would appear! Loved the idea of this story so read it very quickly. It was engaging.
An isolated luxurious hotel in the mountains, assorted secretive people who have come to spend a weekend, away from it all. All is great until an ice storm hits, cutting them off from civilisation, then all hell breaks loose. Reads very much like an Agatha Christie type of book, so great for people who like "whodunnits" with a slightly sinister feel. Sadly the way it was written really let the story down - it was stilted and awkward and with so many people having their say, a bit muddled. I read it all as I enjoy murder mysteries but I was left feeling disappointed by this book.
This is the 6th book to feature Erika. This time a murder and several assaults. On the face of it that's all it is until she starts digging deeper and finds some rather unpalatable secrets. Erika is her usual feisty self and won't rest until she's found the culprit. It would be really nice if she could experience a bit of happiness! As usual, a fast paced, gripping story to keep readers on their toes, racing through the pages to the conclusion - phew the rollercoaster has stopped......for now!