For our second live taping of 'Women Who Travel,' we took a deep dive into the Texan hotelier's creative process.
Austin Motel in Austin to the Phoenix in San Francisco, have long been on Traveler's radar, thanks to Lambert's eclectic taste and commitment to high-quality service. Her work as a master hotelier, and her deep sense of place infused in every hotel, is why she not only made it onto our list of people changing the way we travel but also our most powerful women in travel list, too.
We caught up with Liz for a live podcast taping at Holy Roller in Austin during South by Southwest to hear how she fell in love with hotels (starting with The Lincoln Hotel in Odessa, Texas), her non-traditional path into the business, and how having a five-month-old child has changed the way she travels. Plus, we get the goss on her go-to room service order, her hatred of in-room coffee, and what's coming next for her hotel group (hello, New Orleans!). Liz also shouts out Kelly Sawdon, chief brand officer of Ace Hotel Group, and Harsha Chanrai, founder of Saira Hospitality, which hosts restaurant and hotel training pop-ups in under-served communities.
Thanks to Liz for joining us, our sponsor Bermuda Tourism Authority for providing the top-notch rum swizzles at the event, and to all of you who made it out for the live taping. Be sure to sign up for our newsletter for updates on future meet-ups and live tapings. As always, thanks to Brett Fuchs for engineering and mixing. Check back every Tuesday for the latest installment of Women Who Travel. To keep up with our podcast each week, subscribe to Women Who Travel on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and if you have a minute to spare, leave a review—we'd love to hear from you.


text:
Wrongly Convicted Couple Detained in Qatar...
Wrongly Convicted Couple Detained in Qatar Return to California
Matthew and Grace Huang are en route back to California today after an appeals court cleared them of all charges in the 2013 death of their adopted daughter Gloria.
The couple attempted to leave Qatar on Sunday but was blocked from boarding their flight by local officials, who said another appeal had been filed. A spokesperson for the State Department later said paperwork rescinding the travel ban had not yet been processed and caused the delay.
The Huangs were arrested when Gloria, 8, died from severe malnutrition after being rushed to a Doha hospital in a coma.
According to Justin Brooks of the California Innocence Project, who provided the couple with legal council during the trial, Gloria suffered from a parasitic condition which interferes with absorption of nutrients from food.
"From time to time she would exhibit an eating disorder — common among children with backgrounds similar to hers — where she would refuse food for days at a time and then eat more than an adult," Brooks said. "Other times she would eat food from the garbage even when she had healthy food available."
The Huangs were convicted of child endangerment and sentenced to three years in March. During the trial and appeal, the couple's two remaining adopted children were initially placed in a Qatari orphanage but were eventually allowed to return to the U.S. to live with relatives in California. The couple hasn't seen their sons since their arrest.
Read the full stor

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


A Tax Credit for Innovators – Do You Qualify?
Surprisingly, "even though most businesses that implement automation systems are eligible for the credit, only about 5% actually take the time to go through the process of claiming it" says Knarr. Your tax preparer can advise you on your potential eligibility for R&D and other tax credits – it could be well worth your time to investigate!
According to Tom Taulli in Forbes, examples of covered projects include "software development (whether for sale or for internal purposes), design tools, dies, molds, patents, certification testing, environmental testing and automated manufacturing processes." However, the credit is not applicable for surveys, management studies, marketing research or other social science initiatives.
As with all business matters, recordkeeping is critical. Taulli suggests keeping project documentation "such as emails, billings, payroll records, specs, project timelines, diagrams, drawings, flowcharts, meeting schedules and so on." You're also able to carry forward expenses for 20 years or amend returns as far as three years back for a refund.
Many states also have R&D tax credit programs. Note that provisions vary by state and may differ from those of the federal government. Many states require that the relevant work be performed within that state. Check with your state department of taxation to learn more.
What about small companies and startups?
In today's business world, innovation is the key to success. If you're looking to improve or automate your manufacturing processes, remember Force Design. We're your source for controls and mechanical engineering, automation strategies, and of course, ongoing support. Contact us today to learn more!


Our goal is to provide high quality products at competitive prices, and top-notch service to customers around the world. We are ISO9001, CE, and GS certified and strictly adhere to their quality specifications for 4 0mm Bending Fence , 4.0mm Bending Fence , 3D Bending Fence , in case you are fascinated in any of our products.
To be a result of ours specialty and service consciousness, our enterprise has won an excellent status between buyers all around the globe for 4 0mm Bending Fence , 4.0mm Bending Fence , 3D Bending Fence , We are willing to give you the best suggestions on the designs of your orders in a professional way if you need. In the meantime we keep on developing new technologies and creating new designs so as to make you ahead in the line of this business.


Samantha Ronson doesn't usually get too political, but this week she took to her MySpace blog to address a disturbing rash of hate crimes against gays in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood in recent months.
NO ONE should have to suffer any sort of attack, verbal or physical, for any reason. there are no excuses for violence — people say "well they're just ignorant or uneducated" — so what??? i don't know how to speak chinese, i haven't studied hinduism, i've never been to brazil, that doesn't mean that i feel that it's ok for me to hate what i don't understand, least of all resort to violence when challenged.
Ronson found out about the attack after seeing a photo of the badly bruised woman online, and others on the scene also said the woman was attacked because of her sexuality. Seattle police won't confirm a hate crime, saying the incident stemmed from a fight with bouncers.
In any sense, the attack comes at a strange time for the Seattle neighborhood, which reported at least four hate crime incidents against the LGBT community in recent months.
I'm glad Ronson blogged about the incident, since the issue barely made the local papers before she mentioned it. Like us, Ronson can't believe, in 2009, that such discrimination continues.
…why are we still fighting each other? the whole world is a damn mess and we're too busy hating to come together and change it. President Obama ran a campaign based on hope- not hope for any group of people in particular- hope for everyone. His message was embraced worldwide, so why can't we, here in the US, fight together instead of with one another? I'm not saying that everyone has to love everyone individually, i'm no hippie, but seriously people, no one should ever resort to violence. What if your sister, mother, brother or father were being pummeled for wearing a red sweater? would you stand by and do nothing? well, we are all someone's child, sibling, or friend! Open your eyes!
Hopefully, whoever committed this crime — and any other hate crime — will be brought to justice, and that Ronson will continue to speak out.


text:
Leadership governor of the year: No amount of 'bad belle' will desecrate this honour
by Femi Orebe
in Femi Orebe, Sunday
Fayemi
In two short years, Dr Fayemi has permanently changed the face of Ekiti
At a time like this, we need leaders not looters, leaders, not rulers. We need leaders with the fear of God; those who will not lie; leaders who will accept in public what they can accept in private; leaders who are not corrupt; leaders who will not steal; leaders who look in the eyes of the common man with compassion and not eyes of the privileged few. May I congratulate you on behalf of the nation because the nation needs leaders like you" –Elder statesman, Alhaji Maitama Sule, former Nigerian Ambassador to the United Nations, congratulating Dr Kayode Fayemi, the Ekiti state governor and this year's winner of the prestigious Leadership newspaper's Man of the Year award.
While dignitaries, far and near, have since been celebrating the quietly efficient governor of Ekiti state, a man not given to empty self-glorification, some, especially nearer home, have left nothing undone in trying to equate the award to the likes of 'honour' a segment of the Nigerian students union once bestowed on a professor who conducted the worst ever election, not only in Nigeria, but the world over as was eloquently attested to by the foreign election monitors amongst who were former Heads of State. Like the latter, they even have the temerity to suggest that it was bought.
Questions, largely out of ignorance and an unbelievable insularity, if not self-inflicted limited choices of what they choose to read, have been asked, for instance about Leadership Newspaper which they claim they do not know. I have elsewhere lumped those who ask such questions with those whose newspaper choices most probably do not go beyond the soft sell magazines.
Also, in an attempt to square up with those of us who criticize undiscerning recipients of just any 'honour', some have laid us up to charges of political partisanship whereas what underpins our abhorrence of 'honour' for honour sake, simpli cita, is the sure knowledge that there are too many such 'honours' being peddled around the country today that a governor Fayemi will not as much as touch with the longest pole. Of course we could not have so easily forgotten awards of 'Best Banker in Africa', Banker of the Year and such like 'honours' whose recipients were, within a year of such awards shown for what they truly are. The lesson we preach here is: let would-be awardees beware.
A word or two then about the three most critical elements in this discourse since we must not attach any undue importance to the critics who may have been motivated by whatever considerations: political, an eagerness for a pound of flesh or what former President Obasanjo would rather describe as 'bad belle'. They will always be entitled to their self-inflicted grumbles.
Of the three, Sam Nda Isaiah comes first.
After reading his ramifying 50th birthday anniversary interview sometime around May, 2012, I tried never to miss his weekly column and when I got news of this award, I reached out to my good friend and University of Ife contemporary, Dr Femi Adebanjo, who not only taught Sam Pharmacology and Toxicology at the Great University, but was his Project supervisor for the B.Pharm degree to validate what things I knew about him. It was a learning curve..
Hear Femi Adebanjo: Sam Nda Isaiah was an exceptional student. Son to a former editor of the Nigerian Herald, he came from a journalistic background; a fact which helped him perform brilliantly as the youngest ever Editor-in-Chief of the Pharmaceutical Association in the 81/82 session. He graduated in the 2nd class (Upper) Division and although he subsequently went to read Law at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Sam refused to defend his project, strictly on principle.'
Continued Dr Adebanjo: 'Mr Nda- Isaiah has been a phenomenon since leaving school. A complete tee-to- taler, Sam buys books like Nigerians buy recharge cards and has several thousand volumes in his library. Sam, he says, is bolder than bold itself, and is hugely respected throughout the length and breadth of Nigeria. Concluding, Dr Adebanjo said 'both Sam and Kayode Fayemi are two stars born to shine, and shine they always will.' Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, former Health Minister, who also knows Sam very well, would later confirm Dr Adebanjo's views of the publisher. You do not come from such a laudable background to join the crowd of award hawkers.
The Leadership newspaper worships no creed, race, or persons, and, had late President Yar Adua had his way, the publisher and his editors would probably still be in jail for the paper's objective assessments of that lacklustre administration. Nothing demonstrates the paper's single-minded uprightness than its credo which reads as follows: 'Leadership is not a regional or sectional paper. It is a national paper symbolically embedded in the nation's capital. We shall stand up for good governance. We shall defend the interests of the Nigerian state even against its leaders and we shall raise our pen at all times in defense of what is right. These are the values by which we intend to be assessed and we shall never, ever, for any reason forget the noble reason of our coming into being. For God and Country.'
The paper has studiously been honest to its raison detre.
The third, and most critical in this discourse is governor Kayode Fayemi. For me, writing about him, as regular readers of this column must know by now, is like eating eko with akara –two popular Yoruba foods.
A few weeks ago on this page, I treated readers to the efforts of a highly concentrated mind, and his enormously committed team, in turning around the fortunes of a beleaguered state which, for nine cheerless years, was in the throes of some thoroughly vacuous PDP governments, one of which lasted all of one day. That article was in continuation of the series I called: 'FAYEMI'S QUIET REVOLUTION IN EKITI', a subject which the Leadership award has further confirmed. Ordinarily, one will expect most people to see and appreciate his yeoman's efforts in transforming a once beleaguered state but we must be gamely enough to concede that some are so occluded they will deny the evidence of their very eyes. It is permitted. But for the honest and objective observer, it should be about the easiest thing to conclude that in two short years, Dr Fayemi has permanently changed the face of Ekiti. The Ekiti of his dreams, no doubt, remains a work in progress as no one man will ever be able to do it all.
Dr Fayemi is a far cry from the types who will not only accept but will luxuriate in cheap awards, the kind being marketed around political office holders and which many are eager to sign up to. In contrast to those, the Leadership awards are very credible, the process of award transparent and the criteria independently verifiable. The cheer calibre of eminent Nigerians who graced the occasion is proof positive of how highly Nigerians rate the Leadership awards and that, in itself, should be enough to shut up busy bodies.
In conclusion, and paraphrasing Hakeem Jamiu, 'the governor's Senior Special Assistant on Research and Documentation, governor Fayemi was the first to sign into law, the Freedom of Information Bill, after it had been domesticated by the state House of Assembly, sign the bill against gender- based violence as well as the Social Security bill courtesy which Ekiti elderly citizens now receive N5, 000 monthly support. In spite of the state's meagre resources , and a debt overhang of N42 billion from the immediate past administration, Fayemi has embarked on a massive transformation of the State through road construction, urban renewal, provision of pipe-borne water, streetlights, traffic lights and the general beautification of the state capital. He has done a lot to improve the quality of education and the administration is currently renovating 100 schools in the first phase of the Operation Renovate All Ekiti Schools. Health care delivery is in top shape with children and the elderly enjoying free health and old, moribund industries to which the last two regimes paid no regard are now being aggressively resuscitated just as agriculture and tourism are receiving appropriate attention'
Need I say more?.
Tags: Fayemigovernor
32 teams jostle for Extra Joss Football Championship
Flood, flood everywhere
Jonathan's extemporaneous speeches


Senior men's football is coming to Cold Lake.
The Cold Lake Fighter Jets were granted access into the AFL (Alberta Football League) and are preparing for kickoff in less than two months time on the brand new football field beside the Energy Centre.
The league runs over the summertime and the home opener is scheduled for May 25.
The AFL gives opportunities for recently graduated high-school players or those still with the itch to play the chance to suit up.
In the past, there has a handful of players signed from AFL teams by CFL teams.
Cold Laker and club president, Damen Schaub, had been with the Vandals since 2010 and decided to try and start a franchise after the city's football field project began.
"I had been with the Vandals since 2010 commuting back and forth to Cold Lake for eight seasons now. I was just a guy that only a high school experience and at that time in 2010, a lot of guys that just had high school experience shone in the league," said Schaub.
The Fighter Jets launched a Facebook page, which is helping the recruitment cause, Schaub said. The list of interested local and lakeland players is in the 40s at the moment.
"It's generated a lot more players since we went live to about six new faces on the roster coming this weekend for our last indoor workout before we head outside," said Schaub.
Schaub said he isn't too concerned about sponsorship dollars, which he estimated during the council meeting the team needed roughly $60,000 to operate, and says it will be an opportunity for businesses in Cold Lake and the surrounding area.
The football team presented to city council last week asking for a partnership opportunity with the city for $10,000. The agreement would put the city's logo on their jerseys.
"If they say yes, we put their crest on our left chest and wear it with pride. We got this community support behind this already. It's definitely more motivating for the group and we got that," said Schaub.
The decision will come back to the council as early as next week.
"We're here to provide facilities to everybody and we're excited that somebody wants to come and use the field. We do know we're getting a lot of eyeballs at the Energy Centre and what we've built over the last few years," said Mayor Craig Copeland.
"The city won't get involved in the actual running of these organizations. We'll do a user agreement similar with what we do with the Junior A and Junior B, but these groups have to stand on their own and do their business model. We wish them well like we wish the Junior A and Junior B well," said Copeland.
A key issue upcoming for the team will be when the city takes control of the field. Right now, the city does not have the keys to the field because the contractor might have to do some final landscaping work once the spring melt is finished.
The Fighter Jets had to essentially restart their planning a little under a month ago Schaub said during the presentation to city council.
The disintegration of the old board leads to the current pressure and tight deadlines to get everything going for the 2019 season.
"There was just a lot of things that were out of my control that led to harsh decisions needing to be made and people to be moved around. It left us in a situation where we didn't have a future unless we made some serious moves," said Schaub.
The new board includes Cold Lake Wings marketing and media relations person Andrew Heliotis and Cold Lake High School head coach Kelly Johnson to get involved.
"Anytime I need to ask him something, he's never hesitant to give his honest opinion," said Schaub about Royals coach Johnson.
The team announced the hiring of their first head coach Thursday.
Jim McKenna will lead the Fighter Jets on the sidelines after three years experience coaching the now-defunct Lloydminster Vandals of the AFL.
"I think it's important to hit the ground running with a new team and a new city. A community always likes to watch a winner. There are some talented players who are going to be in the lineup and the fans are going to see some great football," said McKenna on the Fighter Jets Facebook page.


The beginning of an adventure: I was going to roam around Tokyo on my own and find my way around the underground. It appeared daunting at first: many stations use nothing but Kanji for signs and ticket vendors; it is easy to get confused between the local and express, limited express and God knows what else, between train and underground, not to mention all the line names. But I pride myself on my resourcefulness, and with the help of my sketchbook where I plotted the lines in English and Kanji, and of the impeccable Tokyo signage system, I was feeling at home in no time.
I returned to Takashimaya: the lower ground floor is a huge supermarket where I wandered for an hour among the most incredible packages I had ever seen. I felt like Alice in designer wonderland! The streets of Tokyo everywhere are lined with row upon row of vending machines that offer anything from drinks to hot noodles (even books and rather unbelievable things in some places), and I made an abundant use of them – purely for the packages. I brought home 15 cans that had contained iced tea, flavored water or such. Tasting them was an act of bravery: there's absolutely no way for a foreigner to know what's inside them.
I finally made it to Daiken-yama where I got to taste the delicious nâshi, a local fruit that tastes like something between an apple and a pear. My cousins took me shopping in Shibuya, among other things to a wonderful place: the 100 Yen Plaza!
I had dinner with them and when I took the train home it was nearly 11 at night. That in itself was ok -- Tokyo is a safe city and I felt no discomfort at being alone on the streets at night. However, I had made a mistake: I hadn't noted our apartment's address and phone number, so that in case I got lost, I could show them to someone and get guidance. And get lost I did! A mixture of intuition and luck got me home safely, but what a dumb thing to do. Needless to say the lesson was well learned.
As swordsmanship fans, Anne and I had set the morning aside to go to the Japanese Sword Museum (Nippon Bijutsu Tôken Hozon Kyûkai). Getting there was no small feat. After walking in circles for a while we asked our way inside an expensive-looking pottery shop. The elderly gentleman showed enthusiastic courtesy, going so far as to make a color photocopy of a map he had for us. That map was scary-looking to me. Japan doesn't use street names, but rather chops the city into areas, themselves divided into smaller areas, etc. The smallest units are numbered, and the numbers are not necessarily next to each other. We made it nevertheless, and I was surprised to see such an important museum so discreet, almost hidden in the maze of small streets of a residential area. It is small, with just a single exhibition room, but it contains national treasures.
We then headed to Takashimaya, again! While Anne went to work (she taught English) I went to search for another museum, this time one of paper. How my quest went along is summarized in my journal: "AAARRRRGH how can the biggest paper museum in the world be so hard to find?" Indeed I took the train to one of the remotest areas of Tokyo, then went out and got lost. I ended up entering a fashion school to ask my way. Very few japanese speak English, even in Tokyo, and I can't blame them: when you understand how Japanese works, you realize how very complicated English must be for them. They try their very best to help, though, and I got the directions I needed. I had been walking away from it!
I returned to the station and climbed a flight of stairs that zigzagged uphill between trees. I'd never have thought that was the right way, as it looked for the world as if they were heading straight into a forest. It turned out, they did, but the forest was a park at the edge of which I finally found my museum. The museum was entirely in Japanese, but a very detailed leaflet in English is distributed at the entrance. It almost makes the visit of the museum unnecessary! The best part was the museum shop, that has a small but beautiful selection of Japanese papers. They are works of art and I almost daren't use them. Here is a more in-depth article on Japanese paper and its uses.
It's when I got home and told Tacchan I had been to Ôji that I realized how far I had been. His reaction was: "Ôji?? What on earth took you all the way to Ôji?"
I was on my own again for the day. Anne recommended I should try and go to the shrine at Asakusa. It instantly became one of my favorite spots in Tokyo.
Asakusa is the temple town around the Kinryûzan Sensôji Temple, better known as Asakusa Kannon. This temple complex is what got my heart. On exiting the subway I wondered if I'd manage to find it, but my concerns were put to rest immediately: the gorgeous Kaminarimon gate was visible all the way down the street. Entering under the large lantern, between Fûjin the God of Wind and Raijin the God of Thunder, one steps right into a long market street, Nakamise-dori, that has been there since the early Edo period (1600-ish), and where every kind of traditional artifact is sold. I had the time of my life. Kimonos, lucky charms, umbrellas, fans, foods, dolls, I filled my eyes and shopping bags. The beauty of it is that these objects are not made for tourists, who were still quite rare at the time. The Japanese buy and use them themselves.
At the end of the shopping district the street opens into a wide court framed by stately structures and small statues playing hide-and-seek throughout the compound. The place was crowded with visitors who came as much to enjoy their day as to pray in one of the many shrines. The extraordinary red shone above everything else.
-- Is it the bell in Ueno or Asakusa?
he most spectacular construction in the compound is the five-story pagoda, originally erected in 942. Both it and the original Kannon were actually lost to fire during World War 2, and rebuilt afterwards. The precinct also includes such precious concepts as shrines to honor used pins and needles, fans used in dance, hand-copied sutras, and Soeda Chûdo's writing brush. I was charmed by the many holy statues wearing aprons or hats that populated the bushes of the precinct.
"It is almost impossible to cross a river too wide, waves are hard all over the river, you can't get to the other shore without a boat. But if you get a chance to cross the river when waves calm down, you can get a powerful means to pick up a giant fish."
Inside Asakusa Kannon there is a small booth where a monk sells devotional images and objects. In the Japanese tradition of playfulness, there was a stamp for visitors. The monk laughed when I didn't stamp it hard enough the first time!
An unavoidable feature found in every single shrine in Japan, no matter how small, is the ablution fountain (below) with its spoon-cups – a single one or a multitude of them, as was the case in the large basin of Asakusa.
Outside, a little girl came up to me and said in a careful English: "Good morning, what is your name?" Apparently her mother had sent her, and she arrived herself immediately with an adorable little boy. She said something to the girl and she asked again: "Can we take a picture with you?". I don't know why she wanted a picture of her kids with me (maybe it was the hair), but I gladly complied.


text:
GTU, GU postpone December exams
Ahmedabad Mirror / Updated: Dec 2, 2020, 06:00 IST
Both varsities decided against holding offline exams looking at spurt in Covid cases in State
Gujarat Technological University has postponed its Winter 2020 exams starting from December 10. Varsity officials said they had decided to put off offline exams for PG courses as well as UG semesters 3-5-7 keeping in mind increasing cases of Covid-19 in parts of Gujarat. Late on Tuesday, Gujarat University too announced that it will defer the exams it was to hold from December 8.
GTU has also decided to start next academic session for these students from December 3, said Vice-Chancellor Navin Sheth. This is to ensure that students get 90 days of academics as per AICTE guidelines. He added that the exam will be held as and when the situation improves.
When the varsity had announced its decision to hold offline exams, the students had raised an objection to this. GTU held a meeting with deans and associate deans to discuss the issue. "Everyone in the meeting was of the opinion that exams should be put off as the number of cases in Gujarat were rising by the day. We issued a circular on Tuesday, informing students about the postponement. We also told them that the new exam dates will be announced at least 10 days in advance," said registrar KN Kher.
According to him, there are around 4.5 lakh students in PG courses as well as UG semesters 3-5-7. When asked if students will be offered the option of appearing for exams online, Kher denied the possibility outright. "Managing online exams for 4.5 lakh students is not possible with limited resources. We will stick to the offline exam whenever we conduct it," he said.
Gujarat University students had also made demands for offline exams to be deferred. Though officials had initially said that exams will be held as per schedule, the varsity on Tuesday announced that it will not conduct the exams.


text:
For movies, 2003 was a bad year. Movie Habit only handed out a few four-star reviews, and they were often given hesitantly. This year, instead of debating which beloved movie deserve to be on the top of the list we talked about whether we'd find ten movies that deserve a spot on the list at all.
Some of the best films from 2003 were "officially" released in 2002. City of God, for example, was Roger Ebert's best film of 2002, but it never played in Denver — not even at a press screening — until February or March.
As usual, the best films were often the independents. Only a few Mainstream movies were noteworthy, among them the capper to (arguably) the best filmed trilogy ever made, The Lord of the Rings.
As always, we hope this list does more for you than just rehash the year in movies. Hopefully you'll re-evaluate some films you didn't appreciate the first time around. Maybe you'll even learn about some good movies that you missed. We hope you are surprised with at least one film on this list, and we hope there's at least one you haven't seen yet.
10. Mystic River, Clint Eastwood
...because it's such an effectively creepy little horror movie
...because it combines the magic of Tim Burton with strong storytelling
The Cremaster Cycle
...because the scale and ambition of the non-sequitar spectacle, such as having a demolition derby in the elevator lobby of the Chrysler building, is an act of bravura that needs to be witnessed to be believed.
...because from the opening credit sequence onward the audience knows this will be a serious endeavor without knowing winks or the usual clutter of self- referential genre quotes.
...because it transcends the notion of a "kids movie" and entertains all
...because the setting, the music, and Valeria Golino provide a mesmerizing treat
...ostensibly because of the touching, complex portrait of a troubled American boy, but really because of the voyeuristic thrill at peering into someone's life for a year
...because of the outstanding performances by Ralph Fiennes and Miranda Richardson, and the wonderfully twisted story
...because of the wonderful friendship that develops between the unlikely characters
...because of the amazing cinematography of birds on the wing
not on the list
These films were on other top ten lists, but not Movie Habit's. Most were very good, but not good enough. Read on.
The School of Rock
Because its script doesn't wrap things up too neatly, and some seasoned actors give terrific performances
Mystic River is a solid crime drama from director Clint Eastwood and adapted by Oscar-winner Brian Helgeland.Mystic River is refreshingly adult. That's not to say college kids can't enjoy it, only that Eastwood doesn't pander to a younger crowd in search of larger audiences.
Mystic River follows three friends who grew up together in Boston. They grow apart, as childhood friends do. Now adults, and all leading their own lives, the three reunite over a tragedy. Sean (Kevin Bacon) is the cop called to investigate the murder of the daughter of Jimmy (Sean Penn); Dave (Tim Robbins) is an undiscovered prime suspect, known only to his wife and the audience.
The plot is standard police fare. One clue leads to another, each one justifying a new scene. The scenes, instead of revealing only more leads, reveal the rich backgrounds behind the three lead characters and their friendships. By the time we feel like we know the characters, the plot has been established enough to take over the movie's momentum. By then, we care what the outcome is, not to satisfy our curiosity, but because we care how it will affect the characters.
Helgeland includes frayed edges that don't get too neatly tied up. Of course the main plot thread has a resolution, but it is these fringes that are left out of place that make you think that the characters in the film will continue to live on after the movie, because they still have too much to work out. When it ends, you know that it doesn't really end. Talk about getting your money's worth.
Add Mystic River to my Rent List
Buy Mystic River now from Amazon.com
9. Lost in Translation, Sofia Coppola
Because it surprises us with grace, its humor, and its maturity.
Lost in Translation is a rarity: a film about a purely emotional love affair.
Bill Murray plays Bob Harris, a former movie actor in a stale marriage who finds himself in another world, where he is getting $2 million to endorse a Japanese whiskey. Adrift in Tokyo alongside him is another American, dewy Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson), married for four years to a hip photographer (Giovanni Ribisi) who has lots of interests that don't include her. The two lost souls find each other at their hotel bar on one sleepless night, and soon they are spending all of their evenings together.
The film is equal parts travelogue and chaste romance. The pair have a handful of nighttime outings with shadowy family members and Japanese hippies. Meanwhile, they rediscover themselves through each other. Director Sofia Coppola captures the experience of traveling in an unfamiliar place with no destination. The novelty of the place brings out the novelty in the characters: free of their usual context, they discover themselves anew.
Bob and Charlotte's world of constant jet lag and room-filling beds makes us dread the pair's inevitable grope toward intimacy. Instead the film is an eternal first date. They share confessions, advice, and sit sweetly side by side after a big night of karaoke. They finally fall asleep at last, not in each other's arms but in the back of a taxicab, each sprawled in their own corner.
If you could enjoy a 100-minute movie about two people who never consummate their love affair, without much of a plot but with lots of atmosphere and wry humor, you could fall in love with Lost in Translation as I have. With grace and humor, writer-director Coppola succeeds at something difficult in fiction: telling an affecting story that allows its characters to be decent people.
Add Lost in Translation to my Rent List
Buy Lost in Translation now from Amazon.com
8. American Splendor, Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini
Because the mix of real and cinematic, the elevation of the mundane, and the quirky personalities of its heroes makes American Splendor gives everyone something to enjoy.
American Splendor is a biography of a nobody. The fact that a nobody would have a comic book, a play, and now a movie written about his life, makes him a somebody and makes his life interesting. If you don't buy that, you're probably right to be a little skeptical. Harvey Pekar was a file clerk at a Veterans Affairs hospital, and his life really is mundane. But maybe the point is that any of our lives might be interesting if they were written as comic books or a movie. A soup can is just a soup can until you hang it on a wall in an art gallery.
The episodes in this movie aren't interesting in and of themselves. What makes them interesting is that they are real. There is a real Harvey Pekar, whose triumphs and foibles are being acted on a 20-foot high screen. Is he really like that? What would he think of this movie?
Luckily, the film answers each of these questions, exactly when they spring to mind. Intercut with the fictional retelling of Harvey's life are on-camera interviews with Pekar, his wife Joyce, and other friends and family. We learn enough about the real man that we can tell Giamatti's performance isn't exact, but that it's an inspired impression.
The juxtaposition of the real and the cinematic really makes American Splendor into something great. Seeing both Harveys together gives us a more insightful portrait of the man. One is a photograph, the other is a caricature. The photograph is realistic, but the caricature captures his essence. Which is more "real"? Which is more "true"? That's a philosophical question you'll have to answer yourself.
Add American Splendor to my Rent List
Buy American Splendor now from Amazon.com
7. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Peter Jackson
Because Return of the King caps (possibly) the best movie trilogy ever.
If The Return of the King wins Best Picture or if Peter Jackson wins Best Director at this year's Oscars, the award will ostensibly be for The Return of the King. But the statuettes would actually be well-deserved rewards for seven years of hard work on three epic films by one talented nerd and his crew.
While The Return of the King will be praised for its big battle scenes, they are balanced by the smaller, more intimate human stories. As Frodo collapses under the weight of his burden, ever-loyal Sam picks up the slack. Serkis continues his standout performance as Gollum, driven by a patient, insatiable desire for his "preciousss."
But not all of the characters get their due. Aragorn, who is the title character after all, doesn't get as much screen time as I had hoped. Legolas and Gimli have so little to do they are relegated to sidekick status.
On its own, The Return of the King may not deserve all the Oscars it will win. But as the final chapter in a 10-hour, three-film epic, it does. Along with Best Picture and Best Director, special consideration ought to go to McKellen, who gives Gandalf a knowledge beyond what is written in the script, and Serkis, who was nominated last year for Gollum.
Add The Return of the King to my Rent List
Buy The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King now from Amazon.com
6. 21 Grams, Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu
Because the nonlinear storytelling grabs your attention until the well-developed characters engross you.
21 Grams is a wonderful movie in which casting, acting, editing, and direction all come together to tell an interesting story in a very interesting way. Iñarritu cuts between different threads and different times like a four-dimensional Star Trek alien. Finding out how the threads come together is what keeps you glued to your seat.
But the technique is only the first thing that grabs your attention. As we get to know the characters, they begin to demand our attention and the storytelling technique becomes less exotic and more linear. The characters are written with grit and honesty, and each of the leading actors (Benicio Del Toro, Naomi Watts, and Sean Penn) is outstanding.
Add 21 Grams to my Rent List
Buy 21 Grams now from Amazon.com
5. The Man on the Train, Patrice Leconte
Because the unexpected, bittersweet friendship between two complementary old men is moving and sincere.
Man on the Train is a simple, bittersweet tale about two men, both loners, thrust together into a week-long friendship.
The title character is in town for a bank robbery on Saturday and is disinclined to converse with anyone. His host (the town's hotel is closed) is a lonely old man who will be going in for surgery on Saturday, looking for a friend to talk to.
Eventually Manesquier cracks through the visitor's hard exterior and finds common ground. Both are alone, and both are lonely. Both brood about their dates with destiny on Saturday and worry about the things they can't control. They come to see in each other the qualities that are missing from their own lives. At one point, Manesquier says of his tame and boring life, "I stopped living before I got old." Those same words might well be the Milan's epitaph if he doesn't slow down.
The film becomes heavyhanded in one scene at the end, but tolerably so. The best thing about the movie is the friendship between the two men, played by two very good actors. Director Patrice Leconte gives them time to sit quietly and let them soak into the screen.
Add The Man on the Train to my Rent List
Buy Man on the Train now from Amazon.com
4. A Mighty Wind, Christopher Guest
Because Christopher Guest keeps a straight face, even as he tells joke after joke about his fictional folk singers.
This clever "mockumentary," by Christopher Guest is centered around a tribute concert for renowned folk music producer Irving Steinbloom. The Folksmen were just one of his discoveries. There was also a 9-tet called The Main Street Singers, and the guitar-and-autoharp duet known as Mitch and Mickey. The movie introduces us to each of these groups, and gives us a "behind the music" look at their early days and their modern faces. The characters have talent, but so do the actors who play them. The songs (some of which were written by the cast) sound passably good. They're written to sound genuine, but like the movie's title, they also have another layer of subtle humor.
Add A Mighty Wind to my Rent List
Buy A Mighty Wind now from Amazon.com
3. Dirty Pretty Things, Stephen Frears
Because the gritty portrait of immigrants keeps it real, even as its story descends into the surreal.
The main characters are all immigrants, illegal or otherwise, from Nigeria, Turkey, India, Spain, Russia and elsewhere. Starting with a disturbing discovery in a London hotel room, Dirty Pretty Things is a thriller that takes full advantage of its setting.
The story revolves around Okwe (Chiwetel Ejiofor, Amistad), who doesn't like to sleep. Instead he works two jobs, at a hotel at night, and in a cab during the day. He's an illegal alien from Nigeria living in London and he lives his life constantly on the run from immigration officers. Okwe takes occasional breaks on the couch in the apartment of Senay (Audrey Tautou, L' Auberge Espagnole). She's an illegal alien from Turkey, naively on her way to her dream life in New York.
Matters get more complicated for them when Okwe finds the cause of a plugged up toilet in a room frequented by a prostitute — evidence of a murder. It becomes his mission to uncover what happened, which is not easy for a man trying to avoid attention from immigration officers and from his sleazy coworkers.
There's something Hitchcockian about what Frears accomplishes. He creates a smart thriller that stays true to itself without telegraphing its next move. The film becomes more involving as it progresses, right up to its honest and heartbreaking conclusion.
Add Dirty Pretty Things to my Rent List
Buy Dirty Pretty Things now from Amazon.com
2. Rivers and Tides: Andy Goldsworthy Working with Time, Thomas Riedelsheimer
Because Goldsworthy's beautiful masterpieces look great under the gorgeous, fluid cinematography.
Rivers and Tides is a portrait of the life and work of Scottish artist Andy Goldsworthy. His artwork is magical. Working outdoors, and with only what he finds at hand, Goldsworthy creates ephemeral masterpieces. He makes swooping oxbows from icicles or vines. He makes path markers out of stone or ice. He concentrates nature's color.
His art is ephemeral. He builds one of his trademark "seeds" out of blocks of ice on a thawing river. He builds one on a beach below the high tide mark and watches the sea swallow it up. He builds a driftwood igloo over a swirling eddy at the mouth of a river and waits for the tide to carry it out to sea.
But Goldsworthy says the point is not to make them ephemeral. He says "I haven't simply made the piece to be destroyed by the sea. It is given to the sea as a gift. The sea makes more of the piece than I ever could. [...] It doesn't feel at all like destruction."
The cinematography is outstanding. Riedelsheimer shoots on film, not video. The rich, lush look proves that it was the right decision. In addition, he uses a crane in a half dozen key shots throughout the movie, and the effect is breathtaking. As the crane moves the art piece gains a new dimension and it seems to come alive.
Fred Frith provides the music for the movie, which is often good, but sometimes distracting. The most unfortunate failure of the filmmaking is in Riedelsheimer's lack of narrative structure. It makes the movie feel overlong, even though I wanted always wanted to see more of Goldsworthy's work.
Add Rivers and Tides to my Rent List
Buy Rivers and Tides: Andy Goldsworthy Working with Time now from Amazon.com
1. City of God, Fernando Meirelles
Because it's a smart, thought-provoking movie with an unfrogettable visceral impact.
City of God is told in the hip style of Trainspotting. Our narrator uses the tricks of Pulp Fiction to tell his story in flashback, in flash-forward, and from many different angles. But as in the better works of Martin Scorsese, any stylistic trick first and foremost serves the story, which, like the better works of Scorsese, is about gangsters.
City of God is based on a true story. It's told from the point of view of Rocket (Alexandre Rodriguez), who narrates from the present. He grew up around hoods. His brother was part of "The Tender Trio," a gang that robbed the occasional gas truck or motel. The Tender Trio look like choirboys compared to Li'l Dice, a sociopathic seven-year-old who enjoys murder and desires power and respect. Li'l Dice grows up to become Li'l Zé (Leandro Firmino da Hora), the most ruthless, most powerful drug dealer in The City of God, the poorest slum in Rio de Janeiro.
The style and the story both make City of God far above average. What makes it great is that it treats its subject seriously and honestly. It looks closely at the details of crime and poverty without turning away in revulsion or dismissing the hoods as evil non-human beings. Because the film keeps its eyes open, you can bring anything you like to the film and get something in return.
Add City of God to my Rent List
Buy City of God now from Amazon.com


text:
Welcome to From the Battlefield to the Boardroom®
From the Battlefield to the Boardroom® is dedicated to supporting military job seekers throughout their transition process by providing topical articles, tips, advice, and much more.
Whether you are currently in the process of transitioning out of the military or have been in the civilian workforce for a while, this blog is for you.
Blog Archive November (2) October (5) September (4) August (5) July (4) June (4) May (5) April (4) March (5) February (4) January (4) December (4) November (6) October (4) September (4) August (5) July (4) June (5) May (4) April (4) March (5) February (4) January (4) December (5) November (4) October (4) September (8) August (4) July (5) June (4) May (4) April (5) March (4) February (4) January (4) December (5) November (6) October (7) September (5) August (4) July (5) June (4) May (4) April (5) March (4) February (4) January (5) December (3) November (6) October (5) September (4) August (4) July (5) June (4) May (5) April (3) March (4) February (4) January (5) December (4) November (4) October (5) September (4) August (5) July (5) June (4) May (7) April (4) March (4) February (5) January (4) December (5) November (8) October (4) September (4) August (7) July (8) June (9) May (6) April (4) March (3) February (2) January (2) December (3) November (2) September (2)
Transition Corner
Orion Base Visits
Orion Hiring Conferences
Orion Talent, formerly Orion International, has been the most trusted military recruiting partner to businesses large and small across the U.S. since 1991.
With offices located throughout the United States, and an all-veteran Recruiting and Sales team, Orion is the firm of choice for Junior Military Officers, Noncommissioned Officers, and Technicians separating from the military, as well as America's top companies seeking to hire the best.
We have found rewarding careers for 40,000+ Veterans. As of 2016, we have expanded the recruitment and sourcing services we provide to businesses across the Manufacturing, Distribution, Energy, Aerospace, Medical, Engineering, Semiconductor and Technology industries.
Today our nationwide recruitment team has expanded, and we are putting both military-experienced and skilled professionals into top jobs across the nation.
5K Races base visit Career Advancement children of fallen patriots Distinguished Candidate Conference Donation emcor Enterprise Holdings Featured Employer Federal Initiatives Fundraiser GI Bill Golf Challenge guest bloggers Hero Home Hiring Conferences Hiring Process In the News Independence Day Industry Spotlight infographic Interview Advice job search Leadership Development Program linkedin Memorial Day Military Family Military Skills Translation Military Transition networking new year Novotus Operation Coming Home operation military embrace Orion Alum orion international Orion Talent Partners recruiter Recruiter Spotlight recruiters vs. headhunters resume writing RPO Shelton Leadership Center Social Media Advice Success Story support veterans Telecommuting thank veterans Toys for Little Troops twitter Veteran Education veteran employment veteran hiring veteran legislation veteran low to high challenge Veteran Spotlight veteran unemployment Veterans Veterans Day Veterans Employment Initiative Virtual Hiring Conference VOW to Hire Heroes Act warrior hike
Branch Poll
Online Surveys - Zoomerang.com
Celebrating 240 Years of the Stars and Stripes
According to popular legend, the first American flag as we know it was sewn around 1777 by Betsy Ross. It displayed thirteen white stars on a sea of blue, with the familiar red and white stripes.
Adopted at the Continental Congress on June 14, 1777, the stars represent Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, New York, North Carolina, and Rhode Island.
Thirty-seven stars later, we are celebrating the 240th birthday of our Star-Spangled Banner. While Flag Day is not an official federal holiday, National Flag Day was established by an Act of Congress in August 1949.
The day is commemorated by parades across America. In fact, there are three cities that are known for their long-running Flag Day parades - Fairfield, Washington; Appleton, Wisconsin; and Quincy, Massachusetts. Americans are urged to fly the American flag for the duration of National Flag Week, June 10th-June 16th.
Happy 240th Birthday to Old Glory!
Posted by Allison at 8:00 AM
VIDEO: Unboxing an Offer Letter
Check out our unboxing video to find out what it's like to receive an offer letter from a great company like PPL Electric Utilities! ...
Orion Talent Career Services
Click here for more Suggested Reading.


text:
Legal / Law
Opinion / Editorial
RSS Email Newsletters Put PRWeb on your site
A Rise in R&R: Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa to Open Its 2nd Bergen County Spa and 29th New Jersey Location in Franklin Lakes
Leading Massage and Wellness Franchise Succeeds in Bringing Relaxation and Rejuvenation to New Markets in New Jersey
Hamilton, NJ (PRWEB) August 20, 2013
Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa is pleased to announce it will open its second location in Bergen County in Franklin Lakes at 828 Franklin Ave., Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417. The location is set to open August 10, 2013 by veteran entrepreneurs, Regional Developers and brothers, Jeff and Ken Silbert. The Silberts already own three other locations in the state and plan on opening six more in northern New Jersey within the next three years. This opening signals unprecedented growth and expansion of the quickly rising massage and facial spa franchise.
"Being a New Jersey-based brand, we're very pleased to expand our presence in the state and bring more opportunity for relaxation and overall wellness to Franklin Lakes," Todd Leff, CEO and President of Hand & Stone said. "Through our partnership with Jeff and Ken, we're able to bring the health benefits of massage and genuine customer service to Franklin Lakes, while upholding our promise of being the most affordable choice for decreasing stress and increasing overall wellbeing."
Spearheading their fourth location, the Silberts have an extensive business portfolio. Prior to joining Hand & Stone, Ken was a senior managing partner at Accenture, managing large operations and logistics projects for Fortune 500 companies. Jeff previously led marketing and sales for multiple venture-backed companies and pioneered an advisory firm, which he still manages, that helps successful business owners significantly increase the value of their business. The brothers use their extensive background in operations, logistics, sales, marketing and business development to bring the best service to their Hand & Stone customers.
"We chose Hand & Stone because it truly enhances the quality of life and we believe Franklin Lakes is the perfect location for our new spa, providing the community with affordable and effective services," Jeff Silbert said. "Hand & Stone is synonymous with affordable spa offerings with a luxury feel, and it's important to us to be able to provide massage therapy and skincare to a variety of customers."
Launched in 2005 by John Marco, a physical therapist with 20 years of professional experience, Hand & Stone's steadfast goal is to bring superior massage therapy and skincare to the public. With an emphasis on superior customer service, combined with a variety of client options, the brand is positioned for continued growth well into 2013 and beyond.
"Health and wellness are initiatives that are heavily valued and addressed this day and age. Stress reduction, pain relief and over all well-being is important and we took those fundamentals and made them readily available to everybody," Leff said. "Our customer satisfaction and rapid expansion can be attributed to our high-quality franchisees, who share our passion for the highest level of service."
Due to growing demand of the brand's services, Hand & Stone will continue seeing progress in the New Jersey market, where 28 spas are currently in operation. Hand & Stone will also continue expanding nationally, with a growth goal of 50 new locations in 2013.
"As we continue our growth nationally, we are thrilled at the opportunity to introduce even more people to a more affordable and healthy lifestyle," Leff said. "The future is certainly bright for Hand & Stone."
About Hand & Stone
Hand & Stone is a 100-plus unit massage and facial spa with a mission to bring massage and facial services to the masses. Launched in 2005 by a passionate physical therapist, John Marco and now led by franchise veteran Todd Leff, Hand & Stone now has locations in 19 states and Canada. For more information on Hand & Stone, visit http://www.handandstone.com .
Share article on social media or email:
View article via:
Lauren Kaminski
No Limit Agency
Email >
Questions about a news article you've read?
Reach out to the author: contact and available social following information is listed in the top-right of all news releases.
Questions about your PRWeb account or interested in learning more about our news services?
Call PRWeb:1-866-640-6397
PRWeb home
Why PRWeb
Create a free prweb account
©Copyright 1997-2015, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC. Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.


President Obama remarked Tuesday that the "vulgar and divisive rhetoric" that has been heard on the campaign trail this political season has to stop.
He made his less-than -friendly remarks at the Friends of Ireland Luncheon hosted by House Speaker Paul Ryan at the Capitol.
CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller was there taking notes and reporting.
Well, the president should know all about this — he's been engaging in "corrosive behavior" and "divisive rhetoric" full-throttle for eight years now, without any sign of letup.
And social media was only too happy to remind him.
And he wasn't talking about al-Qaida on that one — he was referring to the Republican Party during his first presidential run.
@markknoller The man who has refused to work with congress for 7 years now wants to talk?
This one pretty much summed it all up.
If this is the manner Obama chose to repay Ryan's hospitality, I somehow doubt that the speaker will be inviting him to any more luncheons.


Anyone else suffer with blemishes and spots? I have suffered with acne since I was about twelve! It's a lot better now but still no where near clear. The smallest thing can cause a breakout. About two years ago I introduced something new to my skincare routine and that is this baby, the Tea Tree With Hazel Night Treatment Gel. I picked it up because there was a 3 for 2 sale and I was just curious. Ever since, it has been a constant item in my skincare routine! I think I'm on my fourth tube/bottle.
I'm not a huge fan of toners, I never really feel like the do anything so I've actually subbed in this tea tree gel instead and find that it works wonders. You only need a pea sized amount to cover your entire face. Sometimes if I have active spots, I layer it up a little. It dries in super fast so I can go on with my serum almost immediately. I tend to only really use it at night as it is a night treatment, but if my skin is acting up, I do add a bit in the morning too!
It dries really quickly so I don't have to wait before applying a serum.
You get 75mls in the tube, which lasts me about 6 months!
To be completely honest, I have not one thing negative to say about this product. It does exactly what it claims to do and it does so excellently.
I think this product would be ideal for anyone suffering from the odd blemish, to having full on acne. Also a major plus, when I had my skin consultation a while back, I was told that this product is perfect to use on my skin which is fantastic because sometimes cheaper skincare can filled with stuff that doesn't actually help your skin. So there you have it! You can purchase this is any Boots store nationwide for only €3.99! What an absolute bargain!
Have you tried the tea tree witch hazel night treatment gel? What did you think?
I want to make loads of memories and document them! I feel like I document so much here, on my Youtube channel, but most of it is material things, I want to start documenting more personal things. That's why I'm starting a new YouTube series called 'The Monthly Vlog' where I'll basically vlog the month. But I don't want it to be a situation where I feel I have to do fun things in order to have content for the vlog. This series is very much for me and what I mean by that is, usually the videos I make, I try to have it as a win win situation, where I like what I create and my audience like to watch it! With this vlog, I of course hope that my audience like it but if not that's ok I'm doing it for me. SO some videos might be 10 minutes while other might be 35, I guess we'll have to wait and see. I want to document my last full year in college and see how much things really do change in a year. This was completely inspired by Hazel Hayes, an Irish Youtuber who is phenomenal. I'll leave her series linked here, warning you may cry!
On a very similar note, I want to see people more! Unfortunately this year I had a few people pass away. It made me realise that we've no clue when the last time we see someone will actually be, so we need to make the most of it and clear some room in our schedules that always seem to be busy. I want to see my friends more and my family and do fun things, go on adventures and make the best memories possible.
I want to save money! I've spent both 2015 and 2016 completely broke! It's time that changed. I want to start saving, like properly saving. I always try my best, save some money and then BAM it's black Friday and I feel the need to buy ALL OF THE THINGS or something similar comes along. However I really wanna buy a new laptop/desktop, I wanna go on a holiday and save for my graduation holiday. I'm planning on going to Disneyland Orlando and seeing all of Disney, Universal and Harry Potter world, all that jazz! But obviously to afford all of these big expensive things, I need to save. I need to be smarter with my money and stop being such an impulse buyer!
Routine. I need one, I'm one of those people who needs to have a routine otherwise I'm a mess. I'm actually a really organised person in certain aspects of my life. I just need to concentrate on being as organised as possible in all aspects on my life. Somehow I find myself getting into bizarre routines and having really unproductive weeks which doesn't do my mental health any good.
In term of the blog, I actually have lots of little goals like finally going .com and adding a search function to the home page, I'd also like to set up a monthly newsletter. I'd like to do more micro blogging and by that I mean doing smaller reviews or first impressions on my social media as opposed to on the blog. My reason for this is I use so so so many products but don't review them all, sometimes because I try them once or twice, don't really like them so just move on. Some I like but don't think it warrants it's own full blog post so I'd like to increase my micro blogging. I want to join the Irish Blogger Agency, run by Sinead Carroll. I'd like to work with some brands and companies and start doing a little bit of sponsored posts. I've worked on my blog for two and a half years now and eventually would love to be a full time blogger. But you have to start somewhere so working with a few brands and seeing how we get on.
The last thing in relation to blogging is that I want my blog to be slightly more niche than it has been. I want my blog to be mainly a budget beauty blog. As I'm sure you're all well aware, I'm a student which means I'm constantly broke. The majority of the products I buy are from affordable brands so I think I'll mainly be reviewing them from now on with maybe a roundup post every month or 6 weeks of higher end makeup if you're wanting to treat yourself. It won't be a major change or anything but I like the idea of being more niche and structured!
In terms of YouTube I want to up my editing game. I've just bought a new camera and I already have artificial lights so all I need now is to perfect my editing. I want to learn how to use Adobe After Effects and start doing some cool edits! And of course I'd love to reach more people with my videos, maybe finally hit that 1,000 subscribers mark! But baby steps!
In terms of career or work, I'll be back in college for the majority of the year but I do want to increase my freelance work. I had so much fun doing my workshops and doing private consultations this year. I'd love to have more clients as I really enjoy that type of work.
And last but by no means least... my weight! I really need to cop on to myself and get a handle on it. Since coming to college I'd say I've easily put on 3 stone which is ridiculous. I started slimming world this time last year as I'd a wedding to go to in Feb, and I lost half a stone, after that I got lazy and kinda gave up. However one of my family members did it last year and lost an unbelievable amount of weight and looks amazing! So I'm going to sit down and make a plan with her so that I can get back to my normal wight! I know lots of people have issues with slimming world, for me when I did it last year, it made me eat lots more fruit & veg, make my meals from scratch and still allowed me to have treats so I didn't feel like I was depriving myself or on a 'diet' I also know it works for me so I'm going to give it a go!


George M! is a Broadway musical based on the life of George M. Cohan, the biggest Broadway star of his day known as "The Man Who Owned Broadway." The book for the musical was written by Michael Stewart, John Pascal, and Francine Pascal. Music and lyrics were, of course, by George M. Cohan himself, with revisions for the musical by Cohan's daughter, Mary Cohan.
After eight previews, the Broadway production, produced by Emanuel Azenberg and directed and choreographed by Joe Layton, opened on April 10, 1968 at the Palace Theatre, where it ran for 433 performances. The cast included Joel Grey as George M. Cohan, Bernadette Peters, Jamie Donnelly, and Betty Ann Grove.


text:
Commentary - Californians fall prey to high interest credit card loans while in exam chairs. Here's a fix
Current News, Opinion
http://www.elkgrovenews.net/2019/07/californians-fall-prey-to-high-interest.html
Sen. Holly J. Mitchell (D - Los Angeles).
By Holly J. Mitchell and Jen Flory, Special to CALmatters |
There are few more nerve-racking experiences than sitting in a dentist's chair writhing from severe pain.
You trust the dentist to fix the problem, relinquishing yourself to his or her care, while under pain medication. Sitting in that dentist's chair, the last thing on your mind would be high-interest credit cards.
But for thousands of Californians, the pain of the medical credit card debt they acquire in that moment extends far beyond the office visit.
Medical credit cards are usually offered for services not covered by insurance, like dental and chiropractic care. They are also offered to people without coverage, including immigrants. But even people with coverage can find themselves signed up for high-interest credit cards. They might not even remember signing up for the credit.
If that doesn't sound right, it's because it's not. That's why our economic justice priorities this session includes Senate Bill 639, which would end situations in which patients are signed up for high-interest cards in high-stress medical situations.
In 2017, Los Angeles resident Kenda Williams went to an emergency room with extreme mouth pain. After a shot of pain medication, and after receiving a prescription for additional pain medication, Kenda was referred to a dentist.
She arrived at the dentist at 9 a.m. the next day, and didn't leave until 7 p.m., when she came out of her medication-induced haze. In those 10 hours, Kenda received a root canal, $300 worth of pain medication, a bill of more than $9,000, and two high-interest credit cards that she doesn't remember signing up for.
One card was with Dental Alliance at 28.24%. The other was with Care Credit at 26.99%.
"I don't remember signing anything," she said later.
Kenda is unemployed and on Medi-Cal, so she didn't understand how she was approved for the cards while she was in and out of consciousness. When she understood what happened weeks later, she contacted her insurance carrier only to discover that it hadn't received a claim from the dentist. The entire cost of her treatment was on the cards.
Kenda's story is not unusual.
People across the state report problems with medical credit cards, despite previous efforts to regulate how providers offer these products. That is why I proposed SB 639, with help from the Western Center on Law and Poverty.
Western Center advocates and their local legal aid partners have heard countless cases in which Medi-Cal patients are signed up for credit cards, particularly in dental offices, despite the Legislature's decision to restore Denti-Cal, which provides dental services for people in need.
In some cases, the dentist never submits a request to Denti-Cal for reimbursement of services. In other cases, the patient is billed for services not covered by Denti-Cal.
Providers shouldn't market high-interest, third-party credit in high-pressure situations when patients can't research options.
Medical credit cards are usually marketed with a zero percent-deferred interest introductory period. Few consumers understand that deferred interest provisions mean they accumulate interest at a high rate during the entire introductory period.
Those who don't pay the entire balance in the introductory period, or make a late payment, end up with a huge interest charge that can be larger than the remaining balance.
Most striking is the disparate impact these provisions have on people who are already experiencing financial distress. "Subprime" consumers are more likely to pay high deferred interest rates than wealthier consumers, which means deferred interest provisions deepen racial and socio-economic inequalities that already exist when it comes to credit and debt.
While third-party financing may have a place when patients need services they can't immediately afford, products with deferred interest clauses have no place in medical practice.
Sen. Holly J. Mitchell is a Democrat representing Senate District 30 in Los Angeles, senator.mitchell@senate.ca.gov. Jen Flory is a health policy advocate with Western Center on Law & Poverty, jflory@wclp.org. They wrote this commentary for CALmatters, a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California's Capitol works and why it matters.
< http-equiv="REFRESH" content="0; url=https://www.mediapass.com/subscription/noscriptredirect?key=3488&asset=3690&uri=elkgrovenews.net">
Opinion 3544771517937616819


It might seem odd that we look forward to watching small sedans run rings around Clark International Speedway, but the Vios Cup just continues to deliver. Now in its fourth season, Toyota Motor Philippines' motorsports showcase offers fun and excitement for racing veterans and newcomers alike. Part of the event's novelty is the roster of celebrities that compete on the track each year.
The first leg of the 2017 season saw the return of Vios Cup stalwarts like Fabio Ide, and Jasmine Curtis-Smith. Alongside them were some fresh faces; Aubrey Miles, Gretchen Ho, Ella Cruz, and Dominic Roque all joined the event for the very first time. The newcomers did pretty well in their races, too. Gretchen Ho netted the award for best overall best female celebrity driver, while Dominic Roque was crowned the Total Excellium male high-performance racer.
Another famous name in attendance was Keiichi Tsuchiya, aka the Drift King. The man is nothing short of royalty to gearheads, and he caused as big a stir as all the other celebs. He also took to the track himself, drifting a Toyota 86 around the corners for some very lucky passengers. We've driven that very same car ourselves, but we didn't look anywhere near as cool as his majesty.
Check out our photos for a closer look at this year's Vios Cup celebrities. If you want to get your #selfiegame on with them, keep an eye out for details of the upcoming races later this year.


text:
Home Money, Politics and Power Nine Is the Loneliest Number
Nine Is the Loneliest Number
Romney finally shows his taxes.
by Paul Waldman
I try to resist the temptation to argue that any particular statement a candidate makes represents his "true" self, revealing what he wants to conceal the rest of the time. This is something that campaigns say whenever their opponent makes a "gaffe," but in general what matters isn't what someone says once off the cuff, but what they repeat multiple times. That's why I have pointed to something Mitt Romney said repeatedly when asked about his taxes, that "I don't pay more than are legally due and frankly if I had paid more than are legally due I don't think I'd be qualified to become president." He really seemed to be saying that if you don't game the system as much as you can, then you're a sucker, a chump, and you wouldn't want a chump to be president.
This quote-and he said variations of it on more than one occasion, remember-is now coming back to haunt him, because Romney is releasing his 2011 tax returns, and his team of accountants and tax lawyers has fashioned them in a very particular way:
The newest documents show that the GOP presidential nominee paid a 14.1 percent income tax rate in 2011, paying more in taxes than he was required to do by federal law, according to accounting firm Pricewaterhouse Coopers. The Republican opted to drive up his income tax rate by not claiming more than $1.75 million in deductions for charitable donations.
If he had claimed those deductions, his tax rate would have been more like 9 percent, and the fact that that number is in single digits would have looked really, really bad. Now maybe Romney has an explanation for why he instructed the accountants to do this, other than "Because a 9 percent tax rate would have gotten me a lot of bad press." But I can't think of what it might be. So he's choosing to be accused of being incredibly cynical over having his opponents repeat "9 percent! 9 percent!" over and over until election day. And you know what? Strategically speaking, it was probably the right move. Just think of how much fun Democrats would have had with it. "Herman Cain had a 9-9-9 plan; Mitt Romney has a 9 plan. But just for rich guys like him!" And so on.
Blog: Vox Pop Paul Waldman Politics Election 2012
Paul Waldman
Paul Waldman is a weekly columnist and senior writer for The American Prospect.
Read more by Paul Waldman


text:
Birch Hill Appoints Linda Phypers, Executive Director
February 1, 2018 /in Uncategorized /by Ben French
New leadership role created to support Birch Hill CCRC's ongoing vibrancy and growth
Manchester, NH, January 31, 2018 – Birch Hill Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) in Manchester, NH is pleased to announce that Linda Phypers has been selected as the new Executive Director. Her role will be to lead the community, which is currently in the process of a $9 million capital enhancement of Birch Hill's physical property, including landscape, facilities, amenities and living spaces. The community, which is an affiliate of The RiverWoods Group, is the only CCRC in Manchester, and is focused on continued improvement and providing uncompromised quality services on a beautifully wooded campus just minutes from downtown Manchester.
Justine Vogel, CEO of The RiverWoods Group says, "Birch Hill is at the beginning of an exciting new era. We are reimagining the physical campus; it is being transformed. With a new Executive Director like Linda, the culture and energy of the community will be similarly transformed."
Birch Hill is hosting a "Meet the new Executive Director" event on February 15, 2018. Click here for details and to RSVP.
Linda's wealth of experience and passion for advancing the quality and vibrancy of CCRC communities will enable her to lead Birch Hill into the future. She has enjoyed over 35 years working in long-term care in a variety of roles from Nurse Educator, Director of Nursing, and Nursing Home Administrator of a freestanding skilled nursing facility, and most recently as Director of Health Services for a CCRC in Vermont. She also holds a degree in Healthcare Management from Champlain College.
Today, Linda brings to Birch Hill an industry-leading approach to the highest quality of hospitality and care. This will be a wonderful asset, coupled with her commitment to create ongoing opportunities for residents to grow, connect and engage in pursuits that support a vibrant lifestyle, overall wellness and health.
Phypers' responsibilities include managing operations and planning for the future of the Birch Hill campus in Manchester. Phypers reports to Justine Vogel, President/CEO of The RiverWoods Group, Birch Hill's parent company.
Ms. Phypers says, "I couldn't be more pleased to have the opportunity to lead this dynamic community, especially as this time of tremendous growth and investment. From the physical environment to the myriad of offerings that make it a fulfilling place for residents to live, and a rewarding community to work within, it's a pleasure to be part of Birch Hill."
About Birch Hill
Birch Hill began in 1875 as a Women's Aid Home, and evolved through the decades to meet the changing needs of seniors in Manchester, NH. In 2009, the organization became a CCRC (Continuing Care Retirement Community), providing independent, assisted living, memory support and nursing care.
CCRCs welcome people 62 years or older, to enter as independent residents. Once there, residents enjoy a variety of amenities from housekeeping, laundry service, dining, inside and outside maintenance to educational programs and exercise classes, while making friends and cultivating community engagement. As they age, if a resident needs a higher level of care, it is available to them within the same campus.
Birch Hill is an affiliate of the RiverWoods Group, which is the parent company of RiverWoods Exeter, a charitable, nonprofit, nationally-accredited CCRC comprised of three vibrant campuses on 200 wooded acres in Exeter, New Hampshire. RiverWoods Exeter was begun by a small group of Seacoast area residents, and today has earned many awards and accolades for the quality of health care, and the innovative approach to their work. For more information visit www.RiverWoodsRC.org or call RiverWoods at 1-800-688-9663.
Click here to view a primer on CCRCs titled, Insider's Guide to CCRCs.
The RiverWoods Group
5 White Oak Drive,
Exeter, NH 03833
AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – Fiscal year 2017- The RiverWoods Group... RiverWoods Durham sells out in six weeks


Summer isn't over yet so what better way to spend your break than visiting some of Queensland's best beaches. Head north and chill out at Caloundra's Kings and Dicky beaches, then head to Moffat for an acai bowl to beat the heat. Down south is the bustling Surfers paradise and the more mellow Main Beach on the Gold Coast. If you're chasing somewhere closer to home, jump on a barge at Cleveland and visit Stradbroke Island's Cylinder Beach.
Spending your school holidays at Dreamworld, Aussie World and Australia Zoo doesn't have to be expensive. Free2Go members receive great discounts at Queensland theme parks to help you beat the boredom this summer.
School holidays are when all the best movies come out and 2019 will be no exception. See Avengers: End Game, Dumbo and Shazam! using pocket change with Free2Go's Event Cinemas ticket offer.
Brisbane's cultural hub has everything to take your school holidays from average to amazing. Grab some ice-cream and dip your feet in one of the many wading pools or have a wander through the Rainforest Walk. Enjoy Brisbane from a new perspective with 10% off the Wheel of Brisbane, exclusive to Free2Go members. The Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) and the Queensland Museum are also a short walk from South Bank.
Those who want to enjoy the great outdoors (and score the perfect Insta picnic) can hike the trails at Tamborine National Park, Kondalilla Falls and Springbrook National Park, all for free. Save some cash on the drive there with Free2Go's Puma fuel discount.


text:
No Right Explanation
Women Will Kick Your Butt
Firefilm | 1 Oct 2012 12:00
No Right Explanation - RSS 2.0
Last week, the guys discussed who was the toughest female hero in science fiction, and this week continue the discussion for your reading enjoyment.
Chris: So women are hard to write for. Are we all in agreement there? Great! I think that pretty much wraps things up here for the week, yeah?
Okay fine, let's dig deeper for the sake of Internet discussion. Right now in the mainstream culture surrounding movies, TV shows, and video games, there are generally three kinds of female characters: Sex appeal, corpses, and men. Alright, more explanation is needed there.
First, you have your obvious with sex appeal. I'm looking pretty heavily at video games here, specifically ones like Dead or Alive or Soul Calibur insomuch as the female characters represented there are more to show off jiggle physics than competent and deep game mechanics.
Second, you've got the corpse, the classic "woman in a refrigerator" that comics have been going wild with. This is essentially any female character whose main purpose is to be either bait for the hero, a reward for the hero, or the emotional righteous anger-inducer so that the hero may push through to their Super Saiyan transformation (though interestingly, Dragon Ball Z very rarely made females in peril the impetus for ragesplosions save for one throw-away fight in the Tenkaichi Budokai series).
Last, we have the most common female character for movies and TV shows: The man character that just so happens to have lady bits. She walks like a man, dresses like a man, talks like a man, and most importantly feels no emotion, just like a man. We're talking Michelle Rodriguez or The Bride from Kill Bill.
So why am I wasting time talking about stuff we already mostly likely know when I could be talking about the best science fiction female debate? Because I can't honestly bring up a truly strong female character in science fiction or really any fiction because what we define as "strong" doesn't work across genders and there isn't a universal agreement as to whether a strong woman is stronger than a strong man.
You wanna get some rage in ya? My senior year political science teacher got the class to levels of pandemonium one day when he mentioned that the best male athletes are always stronger, faster, and more impressive than the best female athletes. On a purely scientific level, yeah, you can't disprove that (world records for universal "best" are currently all held by men). But the problem comes from us defining women's abilities based on the standard we've supposedly agreed upon, which is currently "man."
This is like trying to judge a car by how far it can fly compared to a jet. A jet was built to fly, whereas a car was not, but we don't look at a car that flew an absurdly far distance despite its design as impressive because that jet still flew farther and made it look easier. Same goes for any races in the Olympics. Gold medal? Greatest guy in the world. Silver medal? Never heard of him.
Okay, back to females. My point is we're so damned stuck on this notion that female characters have to come as some sort of a comment, reaction, or inverse to male characters, and that simply doesn't have to be the case. I haven't mentioned books here because books, thank God, are still plowing ahead with stories and characters, especially of the female variety, that are unapologetically separate from the "men but different" ideas. And I can give you exactly no examples here because I read far too little and I wouldn't be able to appreciate that sort of story anyway because I am, sadly, very stupid when it comes to literacy.
Science fiction is one of the few genres that has begun pushing forward with some interesting plays with motherhood as central themes, such as in the Alien movies and here and there in the Metroid series. We're not quite all the way there just yet, but we're moving slowly forward at the very least. All that I ask is that we don't fall into the usual trappings of judging female characters against their male counterparts.
In terms of the debate though, damn, Sarah Connor had a super awesome moment where she told a terminator that it was terminated as she was terminating it, so my vote goes to her. Boom goes the dynamite.
firefilmalienaliensellen ripleysarah connorsci fiscience fictionterminatorthe terminatorwomen in games
Take My Money: Tomorrowland & The Best of Disney Sci-Fi TrishaHershberger 8 Comments
Good Bad Flicks: Arachnoquake CecilT 13 Comments
There's Now Credible Evidence of Alien Intelligence - But Are We Ready For It?" m00se 48 Comments
Full Frontal Nerdity: Skynet Needs a Reboot Aaron Williams 30 Comments
Judging By The Cover: Terminator: Genisys Yahtzee Croshaw 30 Comments
CineMarter: Ex Machina - A Modern Sci-Fi Masterpiece Marter 34 Comments
Gallery of the Day - Movie Villains Encaen 6 Comments


The idea of retiring early is a fantasy for a lot of people. For many, though, it will never come to fruition because they don't generate enough investment income.
Fortunately, it's possible to fund your retirement with rental income, and retire earlier than age 65. And best of all, your rental income can continue to fund your retirement lifestyle long after you stop working.
Rental properties can generate a considerable amount of extra cash before you retire, and during retirement.
If you choose a well-located rental property, you can produce a generous income every month. Then after the property is paid for, your monthly cash flow will jump significantly.
When structured well and properly timed, rental income can build your retirement nest egg, then fund your retirement for as long as you live.
For examples of cash flow from some of our recent rental properties, see our Recent Properties. Then please take a few minutes to read our Customers' Testimonials.
Real estate investing is like every other type of investing in the sense that there is risk, but with the risk comes the potential for profit.
Using a successful property management company to take care of everything from the beginning can decrease your risk and increase your profits.
We locate and negotiate the best deals in town through our contacts in the courthouse and in private banks.
We finance these deals to our investors up to 80% through private lenders who we've partnered up with.
Our construction crew rehabs the home and gets it ready for tenants (if necessary), even getting the property approved for Section-8. We do this work at rates that are typically 30% lower than the average contractor would charge.
We work extra hard to have the property occupied within 90 to 120 days.
We provide top-notch property management and maintenance for the time you own your investment.
Real Estate Investors: Please fill out and send the online Investor Profile. This will give us a little background, which will give us get a good start meeting your investing goals.
Private Lenders: Please fill out the Private Lender Profile. This will give us a little information that will help us meet your investing goals as a lender.


Description: Bell's diffuser is made of transparent hand-blown glass, the lower half of which is also sandblasted by hand. The two reflectors are made of a slab of aluminum turned in a steel mould to ply it into shape, and then turned in a Teflon mould to achieve the characteristic stripes. Available in aluminum and bronze finishes, and with 78" or 200" cable options.
Description: Blown metallic glass and thermoplastic material.
Description: Made of metal and blown glass, available in table and suspension version. Cage Mic in table version is supplied with a support which, once removed, means that the light can be positioned freely wherever it is desired.
Description: Made of fabric and metal, the light is available in floor and table versions and large and small suspension versions, in ivory and grey. Adjustable lampshade.
Description: Available in a wall, ceiling or suspension version, in two colours, in warm and domestic copper or in cool and refined silver, it consists of a polycarbonate diffuser, the internal surface of which features a metallic finish.


We have created a 2019 ranking of the best colleges in Alabama that offer Vehicle Technologies degrees to help you find a school that fits your needs. Each school's ranking is based on the compilation of our data from reliable government sources, student surveys, college graduate interviews, and editorial review. In addition, you can view our entire list of all 19 Vehicle Technologies schools located within Alabama. We also provide reviews, facts, and questions and answers for schools on our site and offer you access to get valuable information from colleges and universities today.
Bevill State Community College offers 5 Vehicle Technologies Degree programs. It's a medium sized public college in a far away town. In 2015, 11 students graduated in the study area of Vehicle Technologies with students earning 8 Associate's degrees, and 3 Certificates degrees.
Gadsden State Community College offers 4 Vehicle Technologies Degree programs. It's a medium sized public college in a small city. In 2015, 337 students graduated in the study area of Vehicle Technologies with students earning 283 Certificates degrees, and 54 Associate's degrees.
Lawson State Community College-Birmingham Campus offers 3 Vehicle Technologies Degree programs. It's a medium sized public college in a mid sized city. In 2015, 25 students graduated in the study area of Vehicle Technologies with students earning 25 Certificates degrees.
George C Wallace State Community College-Dothan offers 4 Vehicle Technologies Degree programs. It's a medium sized public college in a outlying rural. In 2015, 28 students graduated in the study area of Vehicle Technologies with students earning 17 Certificates degrees, and 11 Associate's degrees.
Shelton State Community College offers 3 Vehicle Technologies Degree programs. It's a medium sized public college in a small city. In 2015, 8 students graduated in the study area of Vehicle Technologies with students earning 8 Certificates degrees.
Bishop State Community College offers 1 Vehicle Technologies Degree program. It's a medium sized public college in a mid sized city. In 2015, 5 students graduated in the study area of Vehicle Technologies with students earning 5 Certificates degrees.
Northwest-Shoals Community College offers 3 Vehicle Technologies Degree programs. It's a medium sized public college in a small city. In 2015, 19 students graduated in the study area of Vehicle Technologies with students earning 11 Associate's degrees, and 8 Certificates degrees.
Southern Union State Community College offers 3 Vehicle Technologies Degree programs. It's a medium sized public college in a remote rural. In 2015, 36 students graduated in the study area of Vehicle Technologies with students earning 22 Certificates degrees, and 14 Associate's degrees.
George C Wallace State Community College-Hanceville offers 1 Vehicle Technologies Degree program. It's a medium sized public college in a far away town. In 2015, 14 students graduated in the study area of Vehicle Technologies with students earning 14 Certificates degrees.
University of West Alabama offers 1 Vehicle Technologies Degree program. It's a medium sized public university in a remote rural. In 2015, 6 students graduated in the study area of Vehicle Technologies with students earning 6 Associate's degrees.


In 2012 we saw Crude Palm Oil prices climbed to over USD 1100 per mt and on the other side of the market, Crude Oil prices also climbed to over USD 120 per barrel. Both high prices that we have not seen happened until today. In fact, both commodities went down to their lowest level since 2012, Crude Palm Oil around USD 480 per mt, in September 2015, and Crude Oil price around USD 30 per mt in January 2016.
Since early 2014, Government of Indonesia has started seen the Trade Balance diminishing and went negative territory in around July-August 2014. The event created a panic within the government officials and they tried to find ways to solve it. Indonesia imported majority of their fuel consumption, both Gasoil and Gasoline. And since Indonesia already have mandatory blending of Biodiesel, Government then turn to the Biodiesel industry for more blending and in order to reduce import of Gasoil.
On this period, the Biodiesel industry was asked to sell Biodiesel to Pertamina based on Gasoil prices, not Palm-based Biodiesel prices (ICIS benchmark). The industry was still able to sell with this scheme only for first few months. Since Oct 2014, the industry started to suffer losses and the worst happened in January 2015 where the industry had to stop all Biodiesel deliveries to Pertamina. The estimated loss for January 2015 was minimum USD 300 per mt.
In early 2015 the Indonesia palm oil industry started the discussion to find ways to stop price decline of Palm Oil and concluded that Biodiesel program can stop the price decline since it will create new demand and this demand was inside Indonesia. The industry also concluded that the only way to support the program is by self-subsidy, from the industry to the industry with collection of levy from the industry to be used to support the palm-based Biodiesel program.
After long months of discussions for creating new regulations on CPO Fund (now called Indonesia Estate-Crop Fund), and regulations that follows for reimbursement of the fund, the first drop of Biodiesel delivered to Pertamina end of September 2015 and price of palm oil has improved since then and highest CPO price we have seen was over USD 700 per mt last December.
Palm Oil has entered new era of demand, Biodiesel!
Currently, the blending rate in Indonesia is 20% and is going very smooth in Transportation sector, creating new demand of around 3 million mt of CPO equivalent per year. Industrial sector is yet to move as planned and when this happened, there would be another 3 million mt of CPO equivalent demand domestically in Indonesia.
Currently, the blending rate in Indonesia is 20% and is going very smooth in Transportation sector. Any chances that the blending rate could be reduced below 20%?
As far as all information received as of now, there is no intention from Government to reduce the blending below 20%. Government is confident that the fund is enough to support all programs under Indonesia Estate-Crop Fund which include replanting, promotion, human resources development, research, biodiesel and others.
Dear Mr. Togar, Thank you for the presentation materials. The Indonesian government is targeting to achieve biodiesel production of 4.6mn KL (in which more will be pushed from the Non-PSO sector), up from 2016 realization of 2.7mn KL. I noticed that under ESDM regulation No 26/2016, Non-PSO will now be eligible to obtain subsidy from the Indonesia Estate Crop Fund. A couple of questions for you: 1) Do you think that government target of 4.6mn KL will be achievable? 2) Since the issuance of ESDM regulation No 26/2016, has there been any improvement in the participation of the Non-PSO sectors in the B20 program? I don't think mechanism for the subsidy disbursement for Non-PSO has been regulated yet. Kindly assist with my inquiries. Thank you very much in advance.
Dear pak Yudha, thank you for your comments and questions. Apologize for a bit of delay due to Im currently travelling. To answer your questions: 1. the target of 4.6mio KL might not be achieved due to non-PSO program is yet to pick up in full speed. My guesstimate would be almost the same as 2016, around 3mio KL. 2. Yes, the regulation is there and you are correct the regulation to disbursement of fund for non-PSO is still far from the horizon. There have been a lot of discussions back and forward between industry and government on this issue but still no clear directions yet. I am afraid we have to wait and see the outcome for this moment.
Thanks for the response Pak. If I may ask a follow-up question, what are some of the major concerns/issues that industry/government have that may held back the establishment of fund disbursement mechanism for non-PSO?
The fund was originally designed for PSO support. Since the program begins price difference between CPO and Gas Oil widened. The fund still enough for the PSO but will not be enough to support non-PSO. Also, there was a small 'mistake' on wording of revised Perpres, it was actually intended for electricity support but it did not stated specifically. Hence, it become for all Gas Oil usage as we read on Permen 26/2016.