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Aberdeen Voice
Toolkit Launched To N.E. Tourism Businesses
Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Featured No Responses »
With thanks to Eoin Smith, Senior Account Executive, Tricker PR.
An initiative designed to help tourism businesses across the area attract more visitors has been launched by tourism body VisitAberdeenshire.
The 'A Shared Story for Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire' toolkit is supplied to businesses free of charge so that they can deliver consistent marketing messages to potential visitors in order to inspire them to come to the region.
The toolkit offers suggestions and tips on how businesses can use common themes, words and phrases, imagery and tone in their marketing materials.
It was developed following in-depth research and a series of industry discussions and workshops carried out by independent consultants, Blue Sail.
It is described as a 'recipe book' where businesses can follow the recipe word for word or can adapt the recipes to suit the ingredients they have. The toolkit, which contains some example imagery from the local area, will be further augmented by access to a photographic and video library. This will again be supplied free to businesses when it becomes available.
Blue Sail identifies the key features which are unique and special to the area as:
It is 'true' – a place which is authentic and real
Doric culture – everyday language and music in particular
The scale of the place – its landscapes and seascapes
Location and latitude – big skies, clarity and changing light
Long history – characterised by multitude of castles and royal associations as well as golf and whisky distilleries
A proud international city – unique architecture, with global connections
Importance of the natural world – the elements, wildlife and plant life
"The most successful tourism destinations have a simple story to tell," says Nikki Morris-Laing (pictured), marketing director of VisitAberdeenshire.
"The 'Shared Story' toolkit gives a way of describing the area with a few simple themes and messages.
"It also uses third party endorsements of the area such as National Geographic describing The Cairngorms as 'one of the last great places on earth' and The Scotsman newspaper describing the city of Aberdeen as 'one of the most architecturally distinctive in Europe'.
"It's important that we identify and all work towards marking out our unique and special qualities to attract an increasing proportion of Scotland's visitors to our region. We need to reposition our area in the minds of the travelling public so that they see beyond the 'oil and gas capital of Europe' nametag; our area is definitely worth visiting for its own sake and we all need to confidently portray this to potential visitors."
The toolkit gives one over-arching story for the region and also shared stories for Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and the Banffshire coast, Royal Deeside, castles, whisky, golf, festivals and events, food and drink, and outdoor activities.
Carol Benzie of Aberdeen International Airport says,
"The toolkit is an excellent resource for tourism businesses in the area. It gives everyone a clear direction for how we can all support the key messages being promoted by VisitAberdeenshire by focusing on what is unique and special. We will definitely be using the toolkit to help shape our marketing efforts in the future."
Giving guidance on tone of voice, the toolkit recommends a conversational tone which is clear and direct; welcoming and approachable; and positive and confident. Businesses are encouraged to use the stories to inspire content in their marketing campaigns including in their websites, across social media platforms, leaflets and brochures and press releases.
Key focuses from the individual shared stories are:
Aberdeen – proximity to the sea, a special light, the city's two old 'towns', off the tourist map
Aberdeenshire and Banffshire coast – a strong community feel, theme of people and place
Royal Deeside – feeling encircled and embraced, majestic scale and natural beauty, royal associations
Castles – range of types/settings, famous and inspirational, strong royal connections
Whisky – sense of place, bringing natural elements to life, off the tourist track
Golf – sense of drama and importance of links and parkland courses, space and light
Festivals and Events – how names of festivals evoke wider themes of latitude, light, royal, coast, nature, culture and belonging
Food and Drink – big brand names, top quality, traditional to contemporary, alchemy of resourceful people and bountiful place
Outdoor activities – abundance of outdoor pursuits, quality of light and air, roam free in all seasons
VisitAberdeenshire, which was created from the merger of three previous destination management/marketing organisations VisitAberdeen, Banffshire Coast Tourism Partnership and Visit Royal Deeside, as well as the Aberdeen City & Shire Tourism Partnership, in April this year prioritised key segments of visitors. These segments, based on VisitScotland research, include natural advocates, engaged sightseers, curious travellers and business extenders.
Focus will be on those visitors who have direct access, including access by flight routes, from the UK, Norway, Germany and The Netherlands.
VisitAberdeenshire is funded by Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeenshire Council, and Opportunity North East, with additional support from Scottish Enterprise. For further information or a copy of the toolkit, contact VisitAberdeenshire on 01224 900490, email info@visitabdn.com or visit www.visitabdn.com.
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Posted by Editor at 23:26 Tagged with: Airport, Business, Castle, Commerce, Competition, Hospitaility, Hotel, Leisure, Tourism, VisitAberdeenshire
Enhanced Ambassador Scheme Aims To Boost NE Tourism
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A programme designed to encourage professionals and academics to bring high profile conferences and exhibitions to the north east of Scotland will be expanded at an event held on November 30.
The reach of the Aberdeen Ambassador Network (AAN) will be widened at a reception held in the Malmaison Hotel to build on the work undertaken by ambassadors in the region's business tourism industry.
Industry leaders and academics currently acting as ambassadors promote Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire to professional organisations around the world looking for venues and facilities in which to hold conferences and events.
These ambassadors are all highly respected in their fields, and have the potential to influence the organisers of international conferences and events to bring them to the north east. But lead AAN partner VisitAberdeenshire believes there is potential to expand the programme further.
Jenni Fraser (pictured), business development manager at VisitAberdeenshire, says,
"When people think of business tourism in the north east, they often think only of the energy industry – but our ambassadors work across a wide spectrum of fields, and bring an incredible variety of events to the region.
"The world-leading research carried out in the city's higher education facilities, agencies and institutes makes our area unique in terms of excellence in a wide variety of disciplines. Organisers are attracted to a region which is a centre of excellence in their field where their delegates will also be able to network with our local professionals and academics. Our ambassadors do a brilliant job encouraging and nurturing relationships with key figures to bring these events to the north east.
"By expanding the Aberdeen Ambassador Network, we will increase the number of ambassadors promoting the region and to bring even more high-profile conferences and events to Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. This in turn will have a knock-on benefit not just for conference venues, but also for accommodation providers, restaurateurs and tourist attractions as visitors to the area discover all it has to offer."
The Aberdeen Ambassador Network will focus on attracting new ambassadors over the coming months, encouraging and supporting them in bringing high-profile business and academic events to the region. Through the AAN, partner organisations will support ambassadors by providing a range of services to help at every stage of the process – from BID support and an accommodation booking portal, to pre-event marketing support and visitor information.
One ambassador who has experienced the benefits of the AAN is Professor John Watson, who for the last 10 years has used his work at the University of Aberdeen to bring numerous conferences and events to the region. Earlier this year he received a special recognition award for his work as an ambassador, having attracted major events including the European Optical Society 2012, 3DTV 2013, EurOCEAN 2007, and IEEE Oceans 2007 and 2017 conferences.
Professor Watson says,
"Organising major international conferences requires support and experience, and the Aberdeen Ambassador Network is incredibly forthcoming with both. They have always been very encouraging, and willing to help when bringing any event to the area.
"It is encouraging to hear that the AAN is actively looking for new ambassadors, as Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire have so much to offer and we are currently just scratching the surface. By regularly communicating with colleagues and partners around the world, we can continue to bring international conferences and events to the region."
The Aberdeen Ambassador Network is a partnership between VisitAberdeenshire, Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre, University of Aberdeen, Robert Gordon University and the James Hutton Institute. For more information, visit www.visitabdn.com/AAN
Posted by Editor at 15:16 Tagged with: Ambassador, Business, Commerce, Competition, Hospitaility, Hotel, Leisure, Tourism
Braemar Castle Hoping To Mark 10th Anniversary With Award
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Volunteers from Braemar Castle celebrate the end of their successful 2016 season, during which they attracted over 12,000 visitors.
A Deeside visitor attraction run entirely by volunteers hopes to get its 10th anniversary celebrations off to a flying start by picking up one of the region's top tourism awards. Braemar Castle is in the running for the visitor attraction of the year accolade at the Aberdeen City and Shire Tourism Awards (ACSTA), which will be announced next week.
It would top off an incredible run of successes for the venue, which is operated as a not-for-profit charity by the community for the community.
Locals were granted a 50-year lease on the property in 2007 and have almost tripled the number of visitors since its first season.
This season 12,045 visitors walked through the doors of Braemar Castle – compared to just over 4,000 in the opening season – and it hopes to hit a target of welcoming 20,000 people to the historic property by 2020.
ACSTA judges shortlisted Braemar Castle for the award after learning how the community had transformed the property, which had closed in 2004, into a focal point to provide entertainment and education to tourists, and bring business into the village.
The group responsible for running the castle has been able to appoint a full-time manager – while still undertaking the lion's share of work – and have also raised over £440,000 to carry out repairs to the roof and chimneys.
Doreen Wood, vice chairman of Braemar Community Ltd, says everyone is keeping their fingers crossed for the big awards night taking place at Ardoe House Hotel in Aberdeen on Friday, November 25.
The castle will battle it out in the best visitor attraction category with Royal Lochnagar Distillery and the Museum of Scottish Lighthouses in Fraserburgh. The winner will go on to represent the region in that category at Scotland's national tourism awards – The Scottish Thistle Awards – which are announced in the spring.
Doreen adds,
"We want to give our visitors the very best experience of Highland Scotland in an authentic setting. And we want the Castle to act as a magnet to bring visitors to this area.
"The castle is operated by the community for the community and its success is down to the hard work and commitment of our local volunteers. With our 10th anniversary on the horizon, it's a real accolade to be recognised and shortlisted for this award."
Visitors who arrive at the castle can have a personal guided tour with a local volunteer, and an audio tour in both English and German is also available. They find the rooms presented as though the occupants have just stepped out – they can handle the artefacts and sit on chairs as though they were guests.
Volunteers work in partnership with local tourism businesses and events to cross-promote the area, and also stage exhibitions at the castle which change on an annual basis. They held re-enactments and events to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the 1715 Jacobite uprising, and even found time to revive a local hill race.
In addition, the castle has been awarded a Certificate of Excellence by interactive travel forum Trip Advisor, and has been rated the top thing to do in Braemar by the site's many users.
"Over the past eight years we have refined our brand and we are confident in our distinctive product," says Doreen.
"We aim to support and complement the current and future village offerings to establish Braemar as a destination."
ACSTA aims to celebrate the very best of tourism businesses and individuals who help make stays in the region a memorable experience for guests. Awards will be presented in 15 different categories from most hospitable hotel to friendliest pub and from regional tourism ambassador to rising star.
Further information about the awards is available at www.acsta.co.uk
Braemar Castle photos – Credit: Angus McNicol.
Posted by Editor at 23:37 Tagged with: ACSTA, Award, Braemar, Commerce, Hospitaility, Hotel, Leisure, Tourism
VisitAberdeenshire To Attend World Travel Exhibition
VisitAberdeenshire will swap the north east coast of Scotland for the Nevada desert this October, as the tourism organisation visits IMEX America.
The exhibition, which takes place from 18-20 October in the newly renovated Sands Expo and Conference Centre, will bring the meetings, incentive travel, conferences and events (MICE) markets together with tourism operators from across the globe.
This will be the first time VisitAberdeenshire has exhibited at the renowned American business travel event, allowing the organisation to network with 3000 hosted buyers and 2000 attendees to show what Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire have to offer.
Peter Medley (pictured), business development director at VisitAberdeenshire, says,
"There has never been a better time for us to promote business travel to Aberdeen from the USA. Icelandair's new flight routes via Reykjavik have opened up a more flexible travel schedule to visitors, alongside existing routes via traditional international hubs in London, Frankfurt, Paris and Amsterdam.
"We'll be showcasing Aberdeen as a centre of excellence for far more than oil and gas. For example, the research conducted at the University of Aberdeen and Robert Gordon University extends far beyond oil, gas and renewables. We can attract further conferences and events to the area by underlining the city's expertise in key areas including the life sciences.
"At IMEX America, we will stress this diversity of knowledge with key buyers and organisers looking for suitable destinations which have access to world class professionals to host their future conference and event needs. We have previously exhibited at IMEX Frankfurt predominately reaching the European markets, but with improved access to Aberdeen via new flights, the time is right for us to exhibit at IMEX America.
"As with everything in Vegas, it's on a whole new level with 3,100 exhibitors, 3,000 hosted buyers and 2,000 delegates attending, which makes it a fantastic opportunity for Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire."
VisitAberdeenshire will have much to discuss with those attending the conference, not just about Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire's far-reaching wealth of expertise but also the region's developments in meetings and conferencing facilities.
The area's rejuvenation, he says, shows that despite the current downturn in oil and gas, Aberdeen is still a force to be reckoned with in the meetings and events industry.
He continues,
"Across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, venues and suppliers are continually improving the quality of their offering, and providing new and valuable services to those looking to organise meetings, events and conferences.
"Work is now underway on a £333 million transformation of the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre (AECC) which will have a significant impact on the MICE industry. Relocating to a site near Aberdeen International Airport, the venue's facilities for conferences, exhibitions and meetings will be greatly improved, and will be augmented by a state of the art performance arena, hotels, restaurants and leisure facilities.
"The airport itself is also in the midst of a £20 million expansion programme, featuring new passenger lounges, baggage claim and security services. This is an important step in improving the north east of Scotland's infrastructure for delegates visiting the area.
"Venues which are traditionally associated with the region's rich culture – including Aberdeen Art Gallery and the Music Hall – are also currently being renovated and expanded. These two developments, worth £37 million in total, will provide unique locations for meetings, gala dinners and drinks receptions in the heart of Aberdeen city centre."
At a time when Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire's room rates are at their most competitive level in recent memory, the region has become incredibly attractive not just to meetings and event organisers, but also to those looking to offer incentives to their clients and colleagues. The area's many historic castles provide a stunning backdrop for hosting dinners for conference and incentive groups, and nearby whisky distillery tours are consistently a hit with visitors.
Peter adds,
"Conferences today are not just about spending the whole day in a meeting room, and there is increasingly a requirement to offer delegates the chance to get out and about, to network informally and relax between sessions.
"The north east of Scotland, for example, is home to some of the best golf courses in the world – from Royal Aberdeen and the Trump International Golf Links to Braemar, the highest 18-hole course in the UK.
"In addition to our wonderful choice of 56 golf courses, Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire offer plenty of opportunities to explore the outdoors, and for team building events to be organised at one of the region's outdoor centres."
For more information about Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, and the facilities on offer to the meetings, incentive travel, conferences and events market, please visit www.visitabdn.com
Posted by Editor at 00:24 Tagged with: Business, Commerce, Health, Hospitaility, Hotel, Leisure, Sport, Tourism
VisitAberdeenshire Keen To Strengthen Links With Norway
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Tourism body VisitAberdeenshire will cross the North Sea later this month in order to strengthen the north east's connections with Scandinavia.
Representatives from the organisation will attend Offshore Northern Seas (ONS), a key energy industry event in Stavanger, Norway, from 29 August to 1 September.
Norway is Scotland's seventh largest international market in terms of visits, spending around 430,000 nights in the country and contributing £68 million to the economy.
In addition to meeting with key Norwegian travel industry operators and media, VisitAberdeenshire has sponsored the Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire Pavilion which forms part of the conference's evening festival entertainment in Vagen Harbour.
Open nightly from 5pm to 1am, the festival's official after-party programme also includes concerts and fireworks displays, and allows delegates the chance to meet in an informal environment after attending the event's conference, exhibition and technical sessions through the day.
Steve Harris, chief executive of VisitAberdeenshire, says,
"Norway has traditionally been a key market for both leisure and business visitors to the north east of Scotland, and VisitAberdeenshire is keen to strengthen these links.
"Despite the depressed nature of the oil and gas industry, it is still a key driver of business tourism in the north east of Scotland. Aberdeen and the surrounding area is still recognised as a global centre of excellence for the energy industry, and so it makes sense for international events related to the field to be held in the region. Throughout ONS we will be liaising with decision makers in the industry to attract new events to the north east of Scotland."
Regular flights from Oslo, Stavanger and Bergen allow travellers to touch down in the north east after just over an hour's flight time. This close proximity allows for great collaboration in both business and leisure tourism.
Steve continues,
"Attending events like ONS allows us to meet with key business and leisure contacts to increase awareness of everything Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire have to offer. Aberdeen is consistently one of the most popular destinations for Norwegian visitors, and in fact is the fourth most popular destination for Norwegian travellers in the whole of the UK."
"New developments like the relocation of the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre will undoubtedly be a big talking point for those interested in bringing large conferences and events to the north east of Scotland. Many business visitors will also be interested in extending their stay in order to enjoy the area's renowned golf offering.
"And the region also has a lot to offer leisure visitors. Lower shopping prices are incredibly attractive, as are the area's amazing castles and whisky distilleries.
"With the area's hotels more competitively priced than ever before, we firmly believe that there has never been a better time for Norwegian travellers to visit Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire and we look forward to spreading that message in Stavanger later this month."
VisitAberdeenshire was launched in April 2016, and is supported by Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Councils, Scottish Enterprise and Opportunity North East. For more information, please visit www.visitabdn.com
Posted by Editor at 02:06 Tagged with: AECC, Business, Castle, Commerce, distilleries, Hospitaility, Leisure, Tourism
City And Shire Lead The Way In Customer Service
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Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire are leading Scotland with more tourism professionals achieving WorldHost accreditation that any other area in the country.
Over 1,300 people working in the tourism industry – from taxi drivers to visitor attraction managers – have now completed the training, which promotes world-class customer service.
In addition, 73 businesses of all sizes in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire have attained WorldHost Recognised Business status, including Aberdeen Taxis, Braemar Highland Safaris, the Aberdeen Marriott Hotel and The Spotty Bag Shop.
This means over 50% of staff have undertaken WorldHost training, and owners have signed a commitment to delivering excellent customer service.
While traditionally this kind of training has been aimed squarely at accommodation providers, WorldHost – a renowned customer service training scheme popularised by the London Olympics and Glasgow Commonwealth Games – brings together all those working in the tourism industry. From transport providers to restauranteurs, the course aims to focus operators' attention on the entire customer journey and experience.
With the support of Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Councils, all libraries and visitor attractions are now working on gaining accreditation, alongside VisitScotland Information Centres, the National Trust for Scotland and Historic Scotland.
Elaine Booth, business engagement manager at VisitAberdeenshire, says,
"While business travel levels have been lower in the last 12 months, the leisure market has remained constant. Historically leisure travellers saw Aberdeen as a weekend destination, with high midweek room rates pricing them out of the market. The last year, however, has seen this shift somewhat, and now is the perfect time for tourism operators to ensure that all their staff are providing excellent service to all visitors.
"WorldHost allows tourism businesses the chance to really focus in on the customer journey, and ensure that they are thinking of their guests at every stage of the process. Trainees will learn valuable skills including how to build a rapport with guests, how to empathise with and listen to customers' concerns, and how to go the extra mile.
"It is so important that everyone working in the tourism industry – from taxi drivers to hotel managers – is well-versed in providing exceptional customer service, and is thinking about every step of a customer's visit to the region."
Those business that have gained WorldHost Recognised Business accreditation are already reaping the benefits, with an increase in solid customer satisfaction feedback. Two such businesses are the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre, who achieved the status in March this year, and the Station Hotel in Portsoy which has been accredited for a number of months.
Anna MacKenzie, senior sales manager at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre (AECC), says that although she feels the venue has always offered good quality service, taking part in WorldHost training has ensured that everyone is working together.
She explains,
"There is now a high level of understanding across all departments of where the customer comes in the whole process – we're all singing from the same hymn sheet. Everyone has a role to play in service delivery, from the person greeting them on arrival at the front desk to the event planning team, and this joined up thinking allows us to present an even better service to our customers.
"We as an organisation often have to sell Aberdeen and the north east as a destination before we can sell the AECC as a venue. It's in the best interests of everyone working in the tourism and hospitality industries across the region to provide the best customer service possible – we are all ambassadors for Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire and contribute to a visitor's enjoyment of their time here."
Susan Cameron, owner of the Station Hotel in Portsoy, agrees that widespread WorldHost accreditation is the route to a boost in the tourism industry in the north east of Scotland.
She says,
"Through programmes like WorldHost, customer care in the north east of Scotland – and across the country – has really improved. The more businesses across the region that complete the training, the better. If everyone is operating at the same level and to the same high standards, there is more likelihood for visitors to return in the future or extend their stay.
"Whether a guest is visiting from Canada or down the road in Elgin, it's important for everyone to remember the customer journey and ensure that they have the best experience possible.
"Prior to the WorldHost training, some of our staff had been through external training courses and some had been trained in-house. By putting everyone through the same training, it allowed us to ensure that we were delivering a consistent level of service across the business. It also allows a rare opportunity for the whole team to get together and really think about the service they deliver, and refresh their core customer care skills."
Those completing their WorldHost training in the north east of Scotland are also entitled to an added bonus: access to Discover Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, a dedicated training course that educates tourism operators in the intricacies of the north east tourism industry.
Complementing the joined-up thinking promoted by WorldHost, the online course will allow tourism organisations a greater understanding of their place in the local industry and how they can work to improve the service they provide.
For more information about WorldHost, and Discover Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, visit www.scotland.worldhost.co.uk/regions/aberdeen-city-shire and www.visitabdn.com/discover-aberdeen-and-aberdeenshire/
Posted by Fred at Aberdeen Voice at 23:23 Tagged with: Commerce, Competition, Customer, Events, Hospitaility, Hotel, Leisure, Tourism
Ballater Shines Again For Summer Season And Beyond
With thanks to Esther Green, Senior Account Executive, Tricker PR.
Glen Lui Hotel in Ballater
Ballater's back on the map – that's the bold statement from accommodation providers in the Deeside village as the area continues to bounce back from flooding and rolls out the welcome mat to summer visitors.
Ballater's hospitality trade is in positive mood as they welcome the return of seasonal visitors choosing the village as their holiday base.
In the past couple of months, the Glen Lui Hotel has welcomed parties of fishermen, golfers and an American shooting party – and staff look forward to seeing yet more visitors to Ballater, attracted by its great range of outdoor activities, while being within easy reach of Aberdeen and the city's attractions.
Susan Bell of the family-run hotel which has 17 rooms says:
"The village is coming to life again and I think there is a feeling of anticipation as everything is getting busier.
"Shops are looking better and there's only a few yet to reopen. We're looking forward to Ballater Victoria Week, Ballater Games and Etape Royale and then our big winter festival which will feature an ice rink and reindeer and these will all result in a lot of activity in the area.
"There are people milling around at the monthly farmers markets too. Ballater has suffered its setbacks with the floods and the fire at the Victoria Station but now everyone wants to push Ballater as much as possible.
"I think everyone is pulling together and looking forward to all that's ahead."
Deeside, with its natural beauty and its close connections to the Royal family who arrive at Balmoral Castle for their annual break in August, has long been a favoured destination with visitors.
Alan McCorquodale of the Alexandra Hotel says that Ballater makes a great base for exploring the wider area.
"There are rays of hope all around the village as businesses are refurbished and reopening and community events that will help draw visitors to the area are being planned.
"Great progress has been made and there's a real push on now to show that Ballater is moving forwards in the right direction.
"In a relatively short time, Ballater has come a long way in overcoming the challenges and hurdles that Storm Frank brought in its wake.
"Six months on and it's a completely different picture from the images of the flood-ravaged village that filled the newspapers and were broadcast on television news."
Richard Watts, chairman of Ballater Business Association said that the village is fortunate to boast a great range of bed and breakfast establishments, caravan park open for tourers and campers, guest houses and hotels and that all are well prepared for the school holidays and visitor market.
"We'd encourage visitors from near and far to come and enjoy a break in Ballater and experience for themselves excellent hospitality at our great range or accommodation providers. It's easy to find them at www.visitballater.com
"Our village has a huge amount of vibrancy and vitality, and we'd encourage visitors, be they day trippers or holiday makers looking for a longer stay, to come and see all that Ballater and the surrounding area has to offer."
Posted by Fred at Aberdeen Voice at 23:41 Tagged with: Ballater, Business, Commerce, Deeside, Flood, Hospitaility, Hotel, Leisure, Tourism
Final Call For Entries In Tourism Awards
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Aberdeen City and Shire Hotels' Association tourism awards launch, at Dunnottar, July 2014.
The Aberdeen City and Shire Tourism Awards (ACSTA) are heading into the finishing straight, and those who want to enter the prestigious scheme are being urged to get a sprint on to beat the fast-approaching deadline.
Entries close later this month on June 30, and ACSTA organisers are sounding a final call to businesses and individuals across the region to ensure they are part of the annual showcase of top tourism talent.
The awards – now in their fourth year – celebrate the very best of the area's tourism offering, from restaurants and pubs to hotels and guest houses.
There are also accolades for top events and visitor attractions, and a brand new category for best sports event.
Individuals who make a real difference to the experience of tourists – whether they are visiting for business or leisure – will also be recognised with sections for hospitality heroes, rising stars and local ambassadors.
ACSTA chairman Peter Sangster says the competition is heating up, but organisers want to see even more entries to ensure those who are making a significant impression on the tourism sector get credit where it is deserved.
He adds,
"The awards are not just for large operators and hotels that are part of a national or multi-national chains – this is about recognising those who go the extra mile to provide excellent service regardless of their size.
"We sometimes hear that operators have not entered because they are small in comparison to other entrants. That's irrelevant, as what we are interested in hearing about is what they do improve the tourism offering, not how many covers they seat or what their turnover is.
"Over the past three years we have had a wide variety of winners, from charities and community groups to national chains. There is a huge benefit to taking part as even being shortlisted shows customers that a very high quality experience is being offered.
"The awards are completely free to enter, so there is absolutely nothing to lose. With the addition of the new category this year for sporting events, there is now even wider scope for operators to showcase what they provide. I would urge anyone who has not already entered not to delay and make sure their nomination is with us before the June 30 deadline."
Entrants in each category will be shortlisted, and those who are finalists will go before an interview panel or have an undercover visit from the judging panel. ACSTA is a regional heat for the national tourism Oscars – the Scottish Thistle Awards – and winners will go on to represent the north east in that event in 2017.
The full list of awards categories is:
Most Hospitable Hotel
Most Hospitable B&B/Guest House
Best Accommodation Provider (previously Best Holiday Accommodation)
Best Informal Eating Experience
Best Restaurant Experience
Friendliest Pub/Bar
Best Cultural Event or Festival
Best Sporting Event
Best Outdoor/Adventure Experience
Working Together for Tourism
Best Visitor Attraction
Tourism and Hospitality Hero
Innovation in Tourism Award
Regional Rising Star (age -30)
Regional Ambassador (age 31+)
Entry into the awards is free and can be made at www.acsta.co.uk. The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony and gala dinner at Ardoe House Hotel in Aberdeen on November 25, 2016.
Posted by Fred at Aberdeen Voice at 00:22 Tagged with: Commerce, Competition, Hospitaility, Hotel, Leisure, Prize, Tourism
Ballater Café Comeback Serves Up Improved New Look
Aberdeenshire, Articles 2 Responses »
With thanks to Gemma Setter, Account Executive, Tricker PR.
A business owner who was forced to close her Ballater café after it was affected by flooding has taken the opportunity to improve access for disabled customers during its refit.
Karen Gerrie, owner of the Brown Sugar Café, is working alongside builders to install features that will make it easier for all to access the popular Bridge Street café.
It's a case of turning a negative into a positive, and ensuring that when the flood- hit premises makes its comeback in June, it's even better than before, with a new disabled toilet and level flooring throughout.
Despite the café undergoing a major refit, it will retain many of its familiar features which will be revealed when the premises make their comeback in mid-June.
Brown Sugar Café first opened in 2009 and was taken over by Karen in July 2011, since then it's become a well-known hangout for residents and tourists, best known for its homemade sandwiches, soups and homebakes as well as its cosy atmosphere.
Karen stresses that her café and the wider village of Ballater have not been beaten by the floods and that there is lots of positive action to show the area is still open for business.
Brown Sugar Café will have two stalls at the Aboyne Rotary Duck Festival on Sunday May 22 when they will be selling gifts and traybakes – including their much-loved millionaire's shortbread – to remind the public about what they do best.
After overcoming the initial shock of having to temporarily close her business, Karen focused her energy on getting the café back up and running and she admits to being overwhelmed by the offers of help that came in from both locals and visitors.
Karen says,
"The support we received from far and wide meant a great deal to us, as it was a very dispiriting time. The staff and I all decided that we weren't going to give in easily, as you can sit around and cry or you can pick yourself up and get on with it. We chose to get stuck in with the work, and that really kept us going.
"Since then, we've come a very long way and I'm just so thankful to everyone who has got in touch to let us know that we're in their thoughts. It's been so exciting watching all the refurbishments going on throughout Ballater and knowing that we're another business on its way to reopening.
"There has been a real silver lining to the floods in the sense that the community has really come together. The Business Association has been great at providing information to all the businesses' involved and there has been lots of positive communication between everyone. There's a real community feel to it all, it's such a great feeling to see everyone get back on track."
Brown Sugar Café is one of a number of Ballater businesses which will be back in business for the summer. This is extremely positive news to the area, as the aftermath flooding of Storm Frank meant that many homes and businesses had to be evacuated back in December.
Richard Watts of Ballater Business Association says,
"To see another business on track to reopen in the next month is such a boost for the whole of Ballater. Everyone has worked extremely hard to ensure that the village remains open for residents, as well as the many tourists which visit throughout the year.
"We're really pleased that Brown Sugar Café will be back up and running again very soon, and it's fantastic that improvements are being made that will make the café more wheelchair friendly."
Posted by Fred at Aberdeen Voice at 02:18 Tagged with: Cafe, Commerce, Disability, Drink, Flood, Food, Hospitaility, Leisure, Tourism
Blood, Sweat and Gears: Cyclists Smash Fundraising Targets
Aberdeen City, News No Responses »
ACSHA's Mike Edwards and Alzheimer Scotland's Andrea Watt celebrate the hoteliers' donation. They are joined by regular resource centre users Andy Clark and Dorothy Melia, and Resource Centre manager Brenda Stewart.
With thanks to Eoin Smith.
Aberdeen City and Shire Hotels' Association (ACSHA) has announced that it has broken its fundraising target for one of the country's leading dementia charities – thanks to a four-figure boost from its recent cycle-a-thon.
Hoteliers today handed over a cheque for over £27,000 to Alzheimer Scotland at the charity's recently-opened Aberdeen Dementia Resource Centre at the culmination of a year-long fundraising period.
The 3,500km cycle-a-thon, equivalent in length to the Tour De France, took place on static bikes in Aberdeen International Airport and hotels across the region.
Staff, management – and even some guests – from a dozen hotels pedalled their way through 24 gruelling hours to raise over £4,000 for the worthwhile cause.
The mammoth biking effort was just the latest in a series of fundraising initiatives undertaken by ACSHA in the past year – including the launch of a new lager with Deeside Brewery, participation in the city's annual Memory Walk, and the auction of a bottle of Pol Roger Vintage Cap 1943 champagne.
Mike Edwards, owner of the Mariner Hotel, has spearheaded ACSHA's fundraising efforts throughout 2015/16. Alzheimer Scotland is a charity close to Mike's heart, as his father – a well-respected member of the hospitality industry in the north east – was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2008, aged just 59. In the Aberdeen area alone, there are around 300 people under the age of 65 living with dementia.
He says,
"The cycle-a-thon marked the big finish to our year of fundraising for Alzheimer Scotland, and it was fantastic to see so many of my colleagues and peers in the hospitality industry squeezing themselves into their cycling gear and jumping on the bikes.
"We are absolutely thrilled to have exceeded our fundraising goals for Alzheimer Scotland, and this is all thanks to the generosity and determination of hoteliers in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
"I would like to personally thank the members of ACSHA who have worked tirelessly over the past year to raise funds for such a worthwhile charity.
"Dementia affects those in all walks of life, and the new Aberdeen Dementia Resource Centre has quickly become such a valuable haven of support and advice in the city. Each and every penny raised will go towards improving the quality of life of those living with dementia in the north east, and their carers.
"Aberdeen City and Shire Hotels' Association is proud to support Alzheimer Scotland's work in the north east of Scotland."
Andrea Watt, Community Fundraiser with Alzheimer Scotland, adds,
"With over 90,000 people now living with dementia and the number on the rise, Alzheimer Scotland is passionate that nobody should face dementia alone. It is our mission to challenge dementia once and for all by working with our supporters and partners to increase awareness and raise funds.
"We are incredibly grateful to the support provided by Aberdeen City and Shire Hotels' Association over the last year. Their hard work has provided a welcome boost to our operations in the north east and will be invested back into the new resource centre which provides a vital source of information and support for those living with the condition."
The money raised by ACSHA will go towards funding Alzheimer Scotland's operations in the north east, including the Aberdeen Dementia Resource Centre which was opened last year.
In addition to monetary donations, a number of ACSHA members have also signed up to the Dementia Friends initiative, which aims to make public venues more welcoming to those with dementia and their carers.
Aberdeen City and Shire Hotels' Association represents 49 independently operated hotels and conference venues, along with a further nine associate members. These hotels provide around 4,500 bedrooms in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. ACSHA is committed to improving the quality and standard of hotel services and to furthering the overall standards of excellence and hospitality within the region.
For more information about Aberdeen City and Shire Hotels' Association, visit www.aberdeenhotels.org
Posted by Fred at Aberdeen Voice at 01:34 Tagged with: Alzheimer's, Charity, Commerce, Cycling, Hospitaility, Hotel, Leisure, Tourism
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Corning's Terwilliger to play rugby at Quinnipiac
By Tom Passmore tpassmore@the-leader.com
Mar 21, 2019 at 9:39 PM Mar 21, 2019 at 9:39 PM
CORNING - Corning's Erin Terwilliger became the first ever signee in Hawks history to make her college plans official for the sport of rugby when she penned her name to attend Quinnipiac University Thursday.
"I never thought this day would be here, but it is," said Terwilliger. "It felt really good, I can't believe that it happened. I'm just honored Mr. (Bill) Pierce fought for me and I was able to have a signing here."
Academics as well as athletics influenced Terwilligers decision to attend Quinnipiac rather than other choices Harvard, Penn State and St. Bonaventure.
"Not only is Quinnipiac a great rugby school, but it has a nursing program that I wanted to get in to so that was a big part to it," Terwilliger said.
Terwilliger will be joining a rugby program that has won three National Intercollegiate Rugby Championships since the program's inception in 2011.
"I'm going to be really nervous at first, but I've met a couple of my teammates and they are amazing," said Terwilliger. "I just have to keep working hard and never slack off while I'm playing. Hopefully I can compete with them as well."
Terwilliger is currently playing rugby for her hometown team, the Corning Girls Rugby Club after winning multiple award with the Orchard Park Rugby Club. Terwilliger was also named the "U18 Overall Winner Award" at the Women's U18 Rugby Combine.
"Erin's desire to play at a higher level, while seeking a degree, has only eclipsed the hard work it took her to make NCAA Ruby at Quinnipiac a reality," Quinnipiac head coach Becky Carlson said in a press release. "We are incredibly excited to witness the impact and contributions Erin has to offer as a player and a person."

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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The Brandwatch React team delves into the emoji data, finding women are far more likely to use emojis with tears than men.
The Brandwatch React team, with our new tool Audiences, decided to explore the ways in which we use emojis by breaking down usage by gender.
We chose a collection of our favorite emojis and searched for them in Twitter bios and tweets to check out the gender data surrounding them.
Brandwatch Audiences can scan active tweeters' bios as well as search a representative 10% sample of all tweets, giving us a good idea of which the most popular emojis are and who uses them.
To determine gender, we ran author names through a vast database and then categorized accounts as owned by men or women (where it is unsure or the account in question is organizational, it does not assign a gender).
We started by examining how we express our feelings online. It turns out men are less inclined to weep digital tears than women, and they really aren't fans of the crying cat emoji.
We used a couple of emojis here that could be interpreted as including tears but aren't always primarily used for that purpose (see the top right and bottom left).
Of those emojis, the "laughing crying face" was the most popular. In fact, it appears to be the most popular emoji out there.
Crying on Twitter is all well and good, but what about when we want to report a ghost sighting? Or that we have been possessed by an evil spirit?
It turns out once again that women are more inclined to use this set of emojis. The only one men significantly out-tweeted them on in this batch, was the robot face emoji (and it's not exactly a massively popular one).
Of this set, we found the ghost emoji to be most popular, with smiley purple devil face and scary skull face just behind.
Natalie Meehan loves using emojis. But recently a new problem associated with them has emerged. Here she explains why context is so important.
Our data doesn't quite correlate with the statement that this is primarily a US trend (only around 20% of the tweeters using it were located in the US, based on location set out in their profile/geo-tagged tweets). However, it does show another predictable trend.
Since we're on an immature roll, we thought we'd research our favorite emoji. The one you've all been waiting for.
Emojis can speak louder than words ?
One of the best things about Audiences is that you can look further than individual authors and overall volumes. Aside from being able to export author lists of people who interest you for further analysis in Brandwatch Analytics, you can also take a look at trending content within your selected audience and the prominent groups within them.
For example, we searched for people with the frog face emoji in their bios, finding a large segment of Trump supporters used it.
Pepe the Frog became a popular meme with Trump supporters during his election campaign.
Are you a journalist looking to cover our data? We have plenty more. Email react@brandwatch.com for more info.
Get a free demo of Audiences today.


I am in total disbelief that Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away. This one is just sneaking right up on me, folks. Normally by now I would have posted a few real-food holiday recipes, but due to an extremely busy semester and the ongoing chicken learning curve (I have spent more than a little bit of time chasing chickens of late) I have been negligent. To make up for that, I asked several wonderful food bloggers to help me put together a round up of gluten-free appetizers that are worthy of your holiday table. There is so much great stuff in here! All of these would also be wonderful for a New Year's Eve party, if you are planning ahead. In addition to all of the recipes being gluten free, many are Paleo, Primal, and/or vegetarian and vegan, so there is something in here for pretty much everyone. Thanks to everyone who let me share their recipes.
So many things I need to try! If you are still working on recipe planning for your feast, you might want to check out my Real-Food Thanksgiving Round Up from last year. Lots of recipes for traditional sides that are made with whole, unprocessed foods.
SO many yummy recipes!! Thanks for including my kale wraps!
Taylor, they look great! Thanks so much for letting me include the recipe.
What a scrumptious collection of appetizers! Many thanks for including mine from Cooking On The Weekends. 🙂 Happy holiday season!
Thanks for letting me include your recipe, Valentina!
Hi Angela! Great Round up I see so many I want to try. Thanks for including my Salt Block Shrimp!
Glenda, they look so good–the salt block is now on my must-buy list.
One of the best lists of GF seasonal appetizers! Thank you!


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Binu Paul Appointed as Head of Digital Assets in the U.K's FCA
Godfrey Benjamin Oct 15, 2022 14:30 2 Min Read
Binu Paul has been named the new head of digital assets at the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the primary financial regulator in the United Kingdom.
The news was first announced after Paul made a post on Linkedin that he has officially resigned from the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) in New Zealand, as a fintech specialist lead.
Paul takes over from Victoria McLoughlin, who had been overseeing digital assets in an acting capacity since April according to a post she made via LinkedIn.
"I have had the good fortune to hold positions that allowed me to positively impact New Zealand's financial services and technology industries, both as an employee and an entrepreneur. My accomplishments to date include founding SavvyKiwi for KiwiSavers, leading New Zealand's top investment research firm through its successful exit, and bringing together the fintech community with Finnotec", says Paul.
While Paul has been receiving congratulatory messages via his Linkedin post, some of his connections say he will be greatly missed in New Zealand's fintech community.
"A big loss for New Zealand, but sounds like an amazing ground of opportunity in an exciting space," says a commenter.
Fighting the Activities of Money Laundering
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is the UK's financial regulator that oversees the actions of 59,000 financial institutions.
The FCA, which is independent of the government, guarantees that businesses act ethically while fostering competition and openness for the benefit of customers. The FCA continues to monitor major risk factors in the financial markets and has a variety of supervisory and enforcement measures at its disposal to spot, discourage, and stop improper behaviour.
Beginning in 2020, the FCA took over as the United Kingdom's anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing body.
The regulator thus demanded that businesses engaging in certain crypto asset operations across the country register with it. To this end, Revolut was offered registration to trading services in the UK, which makes it a total of 38 companies now on the list to operate crypto asset businesses in the nation.
UK FCA Regulator Proposes Mandatory AML Data Reports from Cryptocurrency Firms
BINU PAUL


text:
The Middle East's Endless Wars Part 2
This post is the second of three which look at thirty five years of conflict in the Middle East, and seven steps that have led to the emergence of ISIS.
The Iranian Revolution in 1979 triggered Saddam Hussein's invasion of Iran and the beginning of the eight-year long Iran–Iraq war. It also marked the escalation of the battle within Islam between Shia Muslims and Sunni Muslims, as Saudi Arabia began to spend billions of dollars to export its fundamentalist form of Islam across the world.
The Soviet war in Afghanistan also provided Saudi Arabia with an opportunity to demonstrate its primacy as defender of Islam by backing Islamic fighters against the Soviets. The United States found common cause with the Saudi rulers in these wars by supporting Iraq against Iran, and backing Islamic rebels against the Soviet invaders.
In 1988, the Soviets finally began withdrawing their forces from Afghanistan. By early 1989 the last of its soldiers had left the country. Then, in December 1991, the Soviet Union itself collapsed.
As the West celebrated the triumph of democracy and capitalism over communism, many in the Muslim world drew a very different conclusion: it was by God's will that the jihadis had overcome the Soviets in Afghanistan and brought about the collapse of the Soviet Union. The Islamists had a point. Throughout the 1980s, Saudi Arabia had provided more assistance to anti-communist forces around the world than had the United States. [1]
Step 4: The First Iraq War
The end of the Iran–Iraq war in August 1988 brought only a short period of relative peace to the region before Saddam Hussein launched another hostile attack on a neighbouring state. On 2 August 1990 the Iraqi army invaded Kuwait. After two days of fighting, Hussein declared Kuwait to be the 19th province of Iraq. With Hussein's forces massed close to Saudi's rich oil fields, Iraq now represented a direct threat to Saudi Arabia.
One of the many Saudi citizens who had taken part in the battle against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan was Osama Bin Laden. Before leaving Afghanistan, Bin Laden had set up a data base of jihadi fighters who had taken part in the war there. He called his organisation Al Qaeda – qaeda being Arabic for database. Whenever jihad needed fighting, experienced volunteers could be contacted quickly using this database.
Bin Laden at this time was not seen as a villain. As Robert Lacey writes in 'Inside the Kingdom', because of his efforts in Afghanistan, he was seen as a hero, 'using his wealth to help a noble cause that was supported by the Saudi government – and by the American government as well.' [2]
When Hussein invaded Kuwait, Osama Bin Laden approached a member of the Saudi Royal family with an offer of support. He offered to mobilise the jihadi fighters on his Al Qaeda database to fight a guerrilla war against Hussein within Kuwait.
Bin Laden's proposal was politely refused. Instead the al Saud royal family turned for help to the United States. Bin Laden was incensed. Having gained permission from the Saudi ulema, King Faud invited U.S. forces onto Saudi Arabian soil.
In January 1991, the US-Arab coalition's air bombardment of the Iraqi armed forces in Kuwait began. The bombing campaign, which lasted 38 days was aimed at demoralising and destroying Iraqi resistance ahead of a ground invasion. When the ground invasion began, Saddam's army surrendered after less than 100 hours of combat.
The coalition which had come together to expel Saddam from Kuwait had no agreed aims beyond that. The US President George Bush later stated that if the US had toppled Saddam it would have meant the US effectively taking on responsibility for ruling Iraq, something the US did not want to do at that time. Saudi Arabia was not keen to topple Saddam either, knowing that doing so risked handing power to a Shia led government in Iraq.
According to Bush's Defence Secretary Dick Cheney, "The question for the President, in terms of whether or not we went on to Baghdad and took additional casualties in an effort to get Saddam Hussein, is how many additional dead Americans is Saddam worth? Our judgement was 'Not very many.'" Ten years later, as Vice President, Cheney was to argue exactly the opposite. [3]
photo credit: Zoriah via photopin cc
Step 5: Rise of the Taliban and Al Qaeda
Following the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan in 1989 the country descended into a brutal civil war. From amongst the warring factions a student army, the Taliban, arose aimed at unifying the country under strict Islamic rule.
The madrasas that had been funded by Saudi Arabia and the United States played a pivotal role in the creation of the Taliban. Within the madrasas the students' education focused on the black and white rules of fundamentalist Islam, and on the just and perfect society that Mohammed was able to create fourteen centuries ago.
The Taliban received vital support in terms of finance and arms from the Pakistani Inter-Service Intelligence ISI. According to one Saudi diplomat the U.S. and Saudi Arabia played a more sinister role. 'The fighting with the Soviets had tragic consequences – it was creating a lot of orphans,' the Diplomat recalls, 'So some of us in Washington did some brainstorming. "What better source of future fighters," we said, "than these boys whose fathers have been killed by the Russians." The plan was to find them, clothe them, put them through school – then ship them to the front. The Saudis get the blame for the madrasas now, but let's not forget that many of them were part of a joint US-Saudi project to take these poor kids and make them warriors for the West.' [4]
By the end of 1996, under their leader Mullah Omar, the Taliban had taken Kabul and twenty two of the country's thirty one provinces. A vehemently sectarian organisation, they declared Shia Muslims to be infidels and massacred thousands of Shias across Afghanistan. The Taliban also enforced their ultraconservative form of Islam on the nation – girl's education was banned, women were forbidden from working, the burqa was made compulsory, TV, kite flying, pool tables, music, toothpaste, and makeup were all banned. These draconian regulations were enforced by religious police squads modelled on the Saudi model of fundamentalist vigilantes. In Saudi Arabia, these developments were enthusiastically praised by the Saudi ulema.
Bin Laden took advantage of the rise of the Taliban and moved his base from Sudan to Afghanistan. Although he had played no role in the Taliban's rise, on arrival in Afghanistan he was given the protection of Mullah Omar and began working with the Taliban to set up jihadi training camps. According to Saudi intelligence estimates, by the beginning of 1998 there were around 8000 non-Afghani fighters in these camps.
On the eighth anniversary of the arrival of US troops in Saudi Arabia prior to the first Gulf War, Al Qaeda launched the first of its international attacks. On 7 August 1998, suicide bombers attacked the US embassies in Nairobi and Dar Es Salaam within eight minutes of each other. Two hundred and twenty four people were killed and more than four and a half thousand injured. In response, the Clinton administration launched missile attacks on a suspected chemical weapons factory in Sudan, and on Al Qaeda training camps in Afghanistan.'
Bin Laden was at last receiving the international attention he had sought for so long.
Part 1 of this series can be read here. Part 3 will deal with the Arab Spring, the beginning of the war in Syria, and the emergence of Islamic State.
[1] Robert Lacey, Inside the Kingdom, Arrow Books, 2010, page 77
[2] Robert Lacey, Inside the Kingdom, Arrow Books, 2010, page 115
[3] Robert Lacey Inside the Kingdom, Arrow Books, 2010, page 147
This entry was posted in Dangerous Personalities Today and tagged Afghanistan, Al Qaeda, American foreign policy, first gulf war, Iran-Iraq War, Iranian Revolution, osama bin laden, Saddam Hussein, Saudi Arabia, Taliban by Ian | disorderedworld. Bookmark the permalink.
2 thoughts on "The Middle East's Endless Wars Part 2"
pannalot on September 22, 2014 at 10:37 am said:
So the Taliban are sort of latter-day janissaries. I can understand that. Your analysis makes the neo-con decision to invade Iraq even more deranged than it seemed at the time!
Alan on September 23, 2014 at 7:10 pm said:
Very interesting and enlightening summary of a complex history and present. The rise of the Taliban demonstrates the real dangers of a power vacuum. The West (apart form the US) don't really feature much in your summary of what appears to be a decades long (if not centuries long) regional sectarian struggle. Yet, western intervention and its role in creating these power vacuums only add to the regional volatility. I suspect this will discussed further in your next post on the Arab Spring and IS.


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Posted by Dissent at 1:48 pm	Breach Incidents, Business Sector, Non-U.S.
Privacy officials in B.C. and Ottawa are looking into a reported data breach involving former Canadian retailer NCIX, with millions of records – including customer names, addresses, phone numbers and payment information – said to have been made available through a Craigslist post.
Travis Doering, who runs a small cybersecurity firm in Vancouver known as Privacy Fly, in a post on his company website said he noticed last month that NCIX database servers were being sold online.


God Stalk is another book I remembered very fondly from my teenagehood (I even had a limited-edition hardcover), and recently re-read to see how it withstood the test of time (as well as comparing older and contemporary young-adult fantasy). I enjoyed it tremendously — and kept reading through the series. Some of those volumes I've now read for the first time.
Below are my thoughts of the series broken by books, for prospective readers.
God Stalk is a highly entertaining story, setting up the beginning of an epic fantasy cycle. Hodgell is slowly building the mythology around the people, characters, and places in the world. Hints and back stories are alluded to, giving tantalising tastes of things to come. Structurally, the story takes place in important episodes over the span of a year and a bit. We get to know Jame, her companions, and the fantastic city and world as events interweave and grow in tempo to conclusion.
Allow me to go on a tangent: there is the question of the thieves guild. While this is a fantasy trope (and in Hodgell's defence, she published this in 1982, before many recent treatments), one always wonders about how cities can support this. There is the basic predator/pray populations ratio that every biologist will tell you about. Conversely, large enough populations to support such a large guild would be expected to develop mechanisms to cohabitate in close proximity. Be that as it may, this is handled well in the novel.
Back to the series. The second volume, Dark of the Moon, alternates viewpoints between Jame and Tori. They lead vastly different lives and adventures, and Hodgell uses both to expose us both to the world of Rathilien and to the culture of the Kencyrath. Both characters are highly engaging, and both plots leave you turning page as you (and them) make your way to meeting at the grand battle at the end.
Seeker's Mask was published almost a decade after the previous volume. There's a slow start to the novel, as Jame is confined to the Women's World and the accompanying frustration. Once things get going though, we're back to the usual (read: Jame in the centre of some colossal destructive events, looking slightly apologetic). Hodgell exposes more of the politics and the Riverland 'home country' of the Kencyrath, as well as playing with myth forces, both old and new to the world. Overall, it's an excellent continuation of the series.
Blood and Ivory is a collection of short stories. It includes 3 stories (well, two plus a fragment) that expose some background to the story to come (in the next novel and further sequels), one story that's pretty much a fun little missing chapter from God Stalk, the original short story out which God Stalk grew (that reads pretty much like certain bits towards the end of that book), a short that happens some unknown years in the future, a short about Jame in an alternate, post-apocalyptic world, and an unrelated short about Sherlock Holmes (that is more Gothic horror than detective, even if it does credit to Conan Doyle's style). In some ways, the three first shorts contain "spoilers" as they illuminate things that Jame will only learn way down the line. In other ways, they make those events a lot clearer to the reader. The best way I can describe this collection, is as the "DVD extras" for the series — non-essential bits, for the die-hard fans.
To Ride a Rathorn continues where Seeker's Mask left off. Jame is thrown into another impossible situation at the military college of Tentir. We get to see this aspect of Kencyrath culture, enjoy her sojourns into the dream-like under-layers of reality, get a bit more of Torisen, and generally marvel at the mayhem Jame spreads. More of the past is revealed, some questions are answered, and events are inexorably — albeit slowly — advance towards to the inevitable end of days. All in all, Hodgell keeps up her excellent writing, with rich language, engaging characters, and a truly magical fantasy world.
Bound in Blood sees Jame continuing her military education in the randon college of Tentir, as well as increasing involvement with the Merikit hill-tribes and the native forces on the Kencyrath's adopted world. Some of the mysteries that were painfully obvious to readers who have been following the books diligently are becoming clearer to the characters, and they in turn are growing up towards their inevitable final role in what would one day be a climatic resolution to this epic cycle. If you've read so far in the series you probably like Hodgell's style, but if you haven't this isn't the place to jump in.
Honor's Paradox details Jame's second half of the year as a randon cadet. Expect more adventures, more native forces and power struggles, and further advancement of the overall story arc. It's great to see Torisen and Kindrie rising into their own as well. By now both Hodgell and fans have settled into a good pace, and if you've read so far than rest assured Hodgell consistently delivers high-quality fantasy that makes the whole series very well worth the read.
The Sea of Time takes Jame finally out of the Riverland (after four novels). We get a wonderful look at the world of Rathilien, with its bizarre societies and locations. We also get an important history lesson — both to the Kencyrath and the world, and personally to Jame and Torisen — as the past shadows the present. The novel also contains the first real skirmish with what would be the main conflict and resolution of the entire epic cycle. This last bit I felt a little underdone, but other than that quibble the book is as well written as the rest of the series.
The Gates of Tagmeth is the latest novel in the series, but not the last. Jame has a unique task for her third year as a randon cadet, and naturally it comes with her penchant for unique adventures. More importantly, the novel ends at a point that has been long in the coming, with a final stage-setting for the series conclusion. It's great to see all the characters (main and side) mature and develop.
From reading Hodgell's blog, my understanding is that the next novel — "By Demons Possessed" — is currently with her editors, and that she has started writing the next, and possibly final, volume. Naturally, writing and publishing is a lengthy exercise, but at least as a fan I know the grand finale is in the works and should be coming soon(ish). It's been an amazing journey (definitely for the protagonists and for me as a reader since childhood — and I can only imagine for Hodgell as an author), well worth the read.
Hodgell's story-telling and world-building are top-notch, the characterisations are without par, her story pacing is excellent, and she balances light and dark themes perfectly, without going overboard in either direction. I love the tantalising glimpses into Jame's past, and the slowly-building tension around her. One can't help but feel immersed in the story, love Jame's vibrancy, and wish to learn more.
The first volume — God Stalk — is more or less self-contained, but it's obvious at the end that it is merely the beginning of a larger cycle. This novel was published in 1982, and I imagine some modern readers might find the style a bit dated. The latest installment (book 8) was published last year — 35 years on. The series is still not complete, though I expect GRRM fans will likely not mind this in the least.
The city of Tai-tastigon from God Stalk is wonderful, but the rest of the series takes place in other locations (mostly the Kencyrath home of the Riverland). Style also changes between novels, although I find the writing consistently excellent. Some volumes do seem to have a bit of a slow start, (Seeker's Mask the most noticeably so), and details of the overall arc are accumulated in snatches towards the final confrontation.
A highly recommended series. This is epic fantasy done right, with perfect balance of light and dark, and excellent, slowly-building pacing. This is a series that has withstood the tests of time, and I was glad to reread the original volumes as well as delve into new (for me) books.
If you love fantasy, I strongly suggest you add God Stalk to your TBR pile.


Amazing! This video made my day cool by its worthy ideas that he shared with us. Really a great point of sense I measured in it. So I really like the video and hope that others will like it too because there is nothing to regret in it. The people who don't like have to change their taste accordingly. But thanks a lot for sharing this video and keep posting these kinds of informative and intrusting videos.


The best learning experience . . . is experience.
When I was a child . . . growing up . . . my parents would say " I love you" . . . and as a child . . . I thought that I knew . . . I understood . . . their message . . . their feelings . . . about . . . their . . . Love . . . for . . . me.
The first time I held . . . my first born . . . in my arms . . . she looked at me and she smiled . . . my soul exploded with love . . . love . . . love . . . that I had never . . ever . . . dreamed of . . . love that would never end for her . . . no matter what happened to her perspective of me . . . I would still love her . . . with a never ending love. God spoke to me and said "this is parental love" . . . "what do you think now?"
I now know that I was totally clueless . . . as a child . . . to the words and understanding of my parents.
We can read all the books of the world written on parental love. And we will never understand the true meaning of parental love . . . until we experience being a parent.
We can read all the books of the world . . . on every subject. And we will never understand the true meaning of anything. We are only spinning our wheels . . . and going nowhere . . . truth comes from having direct communication and a relationship with God.
Well, wait until your daughter turns about 13 or 14 and then maybe your feelings will be slightly qualified. But I agree with your insight about book learning as opposed to experiential knowledge. It's like the difference between looking at an illustrated recipe for strawberry shortcake with whipped cream and actually eating it.
Thanks for you comment . . . I failed to post . . . my first born is now 26, and has given me a grand boy in August of 09. Where does the time go?


text:
04.29.2010 Obituaries
Theodore D. Mysliborski Jr.
By Times Review
Former Cutchogue resident Theodore D. Mysliborski Jr. died April 21 in Royal Oak, Mich. He was 65.
He was born in Greenport Feb. 14, 1945, to Theodore and Anna (Bialecki) Mysliborski. Raised in Cutchogue, he graduated from Mattituck High School and later earned a bachelor's degree from Syracuse University and a master's from the University of Michigan.
Mr. Mysliborski worked as a buyer for Jacobson's Department Store for several years and later as a realtor.
According to his family, he enjoyed cooking and telling stories. Family members also said he was an excellent pianist, an avid reader and grew raspberries.
Mr. Mysliborski is survived by his son, Theo, of Michigan, and his sister, Judith, of Voorheesville, N.Y.
The family received visitors April 25 at Coster-Heppner Funeral Home in Cutchogue. Funeral services were held April 26 at Our Lady of Ostrabrama R.C. Church in Cutchogue. Interment followed at Sacred Heart R.C. Cemetery, Cutchogue.
Memorial donations may be sent to Post-Polio Health International, 4207 Lindell Blvd., #110, St. Louis, MO 63108-2930.
Times Review
Email Times Review Email Created with Sketch. Email Times Review
01.20.2021	Obituaries
Evelyn L. Eckartz
Peconic resident Evelyn L. Eckartz died Jan. 16, 2021, at the age of 92.
Virginia M. Jones
Virginia M. Jones of Southold died Jan. 18, 2021, at San Simeon by the Sound Center for Nursing and...
Clare Rose Consiglio
Clare Rose Consiglio of Southold, a former 35-year resident of Sloatsburg, N.Y., in Rockland County, died at home Monday,...
Barbara E. Richter
Lifelong Greenport resident Barbara E. Richter died Jan. 18, 2021. She was 71.
John J. Nickles Sr.
John J. Nickles passed peacefully at Peconic Bay Medical Center on Jan. 12, 2021 from complications of COPD. He...


Technology has changed the way patients and doctors communicate. From emails and social media to telemedicine services, doctors are becoming more "reachable". The medium of communication between individuals is expanding with the aid of technology. The idealism of connected care is understandable, especially so for chronic diseases.
Social media has revolutionised how news and information is spread. It has set the bar for speed in information dissemination. This thirst for speed has also spilled over when it comes to healthcare. Expectations are high when it comes to communication with the healthcare team.
The modalities of communication is ever increasing. There is no possible way now of totally ostracising yourself from the internet. Patients will find every possible way to get to you. Resistance is probably futile. The key is how is one going to manage the different modalities and organise them in a way that promotes outcomes.
Being reachable means being accountable. Failure to adequately and promptly address certain issues may invite litigation should an untoward incident occur. Will a doctor be held accountable if a delay in replying or a miscommunication via the myriad platforms, lead to an less than ideal outcome?
The amount of information that a health professional has to process has exponentially increased. Hence the argument for artificial intelligence and machine learning. This can help process the array of information, make sense of it, and not be bound by fatigue.
Until AI matures in a doctor-patient relationship, being reachable means being accountable.
← Transgender sports : an unfair advantage?


text:
About The GAC
4th Pool
Certification Classes
Public Lane Schedule
2nd Grade Learn To Swim
GAC Staff Directory
Corporate Rates
Insurance Eligibility
National Championship Events
Pool Policies
GAC Manager Susan Braman retiring Dec. 31
The Greensboro Coliseum Complex has announced Greensboro Aquatic Center (GAC) manager Susan Braman will retire effective Dec. 31.
Braman is the only manager in the GAC's 10-year history and has overseen the hosting of six NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships, seven ACC Swimming & Diving Championships, nine YMCA National Championships, the 2012 USA Synchro Olympic Trials and numerous USA Swimming and USA Diving national championship competitions.
"Susan's expertise and dedication have been instrumental in establishing the GAC as the finest aquatic facility in the nation," said Greensboro Coliseum Complex managing director Matt Brown. "She has done a remarkable job hosting championship events that have generated millions in economic impact for our region, while simultaneously serving the myriad needs of our local community with a diverse array of programming."
The success of the GAC during Braman's tenure since its grand opening in 2011 resulted in the facility's expansion with a 27,000-square-foot fourth pool in 2019, making it the largest indoor aquatic center in the country (105,323 SF).
"Susan has done a masterful job of meeting the intense demand for bookings, including meets, practice time for local teams and clubs, daily water fitness classes, specialty programming and the 'Learn to Swim' program with Guilford County Schools," said Brown.
Under Braman's leadership, the GAC developed a 'Learn to Swim' program with Guilford County schools that has resulted in 8,298 second grade students learning life-changing water safety skills. Beginning in 2012 with 257 students from four schools taking lessons at the Greensboro Aquatic Center, the program expanded to a record 1,754 graduates from 31 schools who were provided lessons at six different locations in Greensboro and High Point in 2019.
Upon Braman's retirement, current GAC event manager David Hoover will be promoted to manager. Hoover was hired in 2012 as a GAC event coordinator and has amassed extensive experience working with the local swim community as well as officials from national organizations including USA Swimming, USA Diving, USA Synchro and YMCA of the USA.
"David has gained invaluable experience and shown tremendous growth working alongside Susan the last nine years," said Brown. "His knowledge and experience will allow for a smooth transition which is critical as the GAC continues to be the busiest aquatic facility in the nation."
In 2022, Braman will remain involved with the GAC in a consultant role overseeing the 'Learn to Swim' program with Guilford County Schools. In addition, Braman's consultant role will also include advising on the GAC's hosting of three championship events scheduled for the spring of 2022 – the NCAA Division II Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving National Championships (March 9-12), YMCA Short Course National Championship (March 28-Apr. 1) and the Phillips 66 International Team Trials (Apr. 26-30).
"I am looking forward to retirement and slowing down, but the 'Learn to Swim' program is close to my heart and I wanted to stay involved and help reach our goal of teaching every second grade student in Guilford County life-saving water safety skills," said Braman.
1921 W. Gate City Blvd.
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Rec Pool: 6 am - 7 pm
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Admissions / Memberships


Travel abroad, get out of your comfort zone and join Smiles for Speech for an opportunity to make a difference! This adventure of a lifetime includes 7-days, 6 nights exploring the culture of Peru while volunteering to work side by side with children with special needs at a school, hospital and various non-profit organizations. Become a part of making the world a better place!
Our first visit will be to Colegio La Alegria en el Senor, a Center for inclusion located in the La Molina District of Peru that educates, trains and rehabilitates disadvantaged, young people with physical disabilities. You'll join an inspired community of like-minded people such as: speech-pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists and educators in sharing methods of helping children with various special needs/disabilities while spreading smiles and joy.
We will visit children at My Small Help and the Kiya Survivors/Rainbow House whose projects focus on providing support, therapy and love children with special needs as well as abused and abandoned children and their families.
During our mission trips, our goal is to serve not only the children and the families we visit, but also their communities. You will have the opportunity to experience agricultural life, traditions, and culture first hand while helping families improve their quality of life by participating in workshops such as: ceramics, chocolate making, Chicha (typical maize drink) preparation, bee keeping, flower growing, weaving, coffee processing or guinea pig raising.
Our last 2 days will be spent enjoying a spectacular and scenic journey to Aguas Calientes and Macchu Picchu.
NOTE: You only have to book your airfare by September 30th to be registered. No deposit required. Pay your balance by October 15th and you are on your way. Email us at hello@smilesforspeech.org to tell us a little bit about yourself and share why you would like to join the mission trip . *based on triple occupancy.
Sandy Dorseyis a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist that for over 15 years has provided speech and language services to wide ranging populations, from early intervention to high school students in New York City. Sandy has witnessed first-hand how children with special needs from disadvantaged backgrounds do not always receive necessary help for various reasons. Driven to close this gap and make an impact, Sandy founded Smiles for Speech, a humanitarian, education based organization dedicated to increasing awareness of this disparity while working with children with special needs and families within their communities to enhance their ability to reach their full potential by promoting self-esteem, self-expression and confidence.
Ana Berrios is a bilingual Speech-Language Pathologist, born and raised in Puerto Rico and trained at the University of Puerto Rico. Her interest in working with culturally diverse people motivated her to move to New York City in 2014 where she currently specializes in Early Intervention. Prior to becoming a Speech Pathologist, Ana volunteered and taught a Spanish course for an NGO in Brazil for children at risk. She enjoys working with infants and toddlers and their families to support and enhance children's developmental skills as well as parent education. This will be Ana's second adventure to Peru!
Thanh Dinh is a Canadian-trained Occupational Therapist currently working with the geriatric rehabilitation. He received his Master of Science in Occupational Therapy in Canada at the University of Western Ontario. Thanh relocated to New York City in 2015 to begin his professional career, where he gained experience working with children and adults with physical, mental, and intellectual disabilities. He has a strong desire to help others while traveling and immersing himself in new cultures around the world.
How many people will attend this mission trip?
We will travel with around 8-10 volunteers.
We welcome those with a sense of adventure and a heart dedicated to helping children with special needs from disadvantaged communities.
When should I plan to arrive at the center?
We will leave the hotel on the morning of October 25th at 8am to make our first visit.
Rooms are assigned on a first-come-first-serve basis based on when you make your deposit. We will match according to you who you would like to share a room with.
Please book your flight to the Jorge Chavez International, Lima, Peru to arrive the morning of Oct 25th.
You are responsible for your airport transfers to and from Lima.
It has been so much fun exploring Russia with Cosmos .
Went to an Oceanarium today. Frogs and fishes and sharks, oh my!
Went to this huge indoor family climbing area/jungle gym. Things went pretty great till they stopped being great and everything was pain. So I decided to give archery a try. I generally like archery but my hands were still raw from the ropes and this just made it worse.
Amusement park today. THIS IS THE BEST THING EVER!!!
Sandwiches were nice. Meat chips were just meh.
Went to an aqua park today. Water slides are sweet but a literal pain.
This place has a LOT of different saunas. Tried out the infrared one. Isn't bad.
Back to Africa today and end of travel journal.
Went out of the city to a flower festival today. It was held at the park of one the old palaces. I forget those palaces though. Lot of squirrels running. Luckily, I remembered an old trick and got them to come really close to me.
It rained quite a bit and, at one point, got so cold that we had a bit of a snow/hail hybrid.
Tried Starbuck coffee today. Wasn't bad but definitely not worth the cost. Had a double cheeseburger at McDonalds, tastes really good but I've seen single burgers bigger than that.
Sent entirely too much time/coins on a scissor version of a claw machine. Won zilch.
Found a simulation gun arcade and shot a bunch of western thugs.
Bought a cup of berries and visited the Summer Garden today. Why are so many statues of bare chested women?
That's a lot of navy/soldiers/I don't even know.
Found a place called The Maze of Fear. Got sent in with another lady and a guy. Suddenly it became the maze of humour to me.
Dude in a monster mask jumped out at us. Pretty sure I terrified him when I hugged him and kissed him on the cheek.
I went to the St. Basil Cathedral with Nancy today; was somebody compensating for something? Because you could literally fit a giant in here.
Got treated to shawarma afterwards, the garlic sauce worth killing for.
Went to this really old bookshop today, place had a marble staircase. Went to the park afterwards and got myself a cup of mulled wine; was good.
On the way back to the apartment, a pair of break dancers performed in the subway car.
Wanted to visit someplace called the Chocolate Museum today; turns out it's just a chocolate shop. Passed a violinist playing a song from Anastasia; wish I could play like that.
Saw an old mosque and had a pretty decent lunch at Burger King.
I am now sick. Literally. I have a cold.
Still sick. Still going to the zoo though.
The metro station next to the zoo looks like a spaceship.
The wolf slept through everyone staring at her.
The jaguar and snow leopard could care less.
I saw a sleeping Sam Winchester.
Owl face. So much owl face.
After the zoo, I let a dude put a snake on my shoulders. It felt like something cool wrapped in cling film and after that another dude put a macaw on my wrist. Bird walked up my arm and on to my shoulders. The claws kinda tickled.
Found a place in a park with a maze and models of famous buildings in the city and historical dudes at a table. This is the tallest I have ever felt.
First day here: Well first thing is we took the subway into town. One thing I noticed about the city centre is that the entire place follows a pastel colour pattern; ivory, peach, pale green, you name it.
Then we went to the Kazanskiy Sobor which is this huge old cathedral/museum. And I mean huge.
After that we took a tour bus around the city, it was pretty fun, the tour guide said that if you spent 1 minute looking at each painting in the Winter Palace/Hermitage Museum it would take you about 60 years to go through all of them.
I went to the Hermitage today! But first I had to wait in line for a very long time in the blithering cold but I still got in and it was worth the wait.
Cool fact: kids under 18 and students (if you have proof) are allowed in for free. Still have to pay if you want to go on a tour though.
There were also special exhibits on the top floor from other countries. Although my favourite parts, were the really old pieces and by old, I mean stone age and iron age. Primarily the weapons.
Turns out that here you have to pay for plastic bags when you shop, which is a great idea. I mean, if you pay for it then you're going to keep and reuse it instead of just tossing it.
Went to an ice-ring today and proceeded to epically fail and nearly break my arm on the wall. I was later informed that I should have rented skates for boys which are much easier to balance on for first time users. When I told NJ about my arm, she laughed at my pain. I need new friends.
I found a shop that has knifes. And crossbows. I wanted one. My wallet said no.
Our favourite writer / contributor Cosmos visited Russia last year and decided to write down her day to day activity to share with us all.
For the rest of the month, we will be sharing with you Cosmos's Russian story.
These stories will be divided into parts – showcasing her day to day activity in Russia, her thoughts, her views and experiences.
We hope you enjoy reading as much as she enjoyed writing.


Due to the bowl's flat bottomed base, the Tefal Cuisine Companion is not the best machine on the market at making smoothies. If you are just experimenting with smoothies or making the occasional chocolate milk, it's perfectly fine. If it's something you do often then I'd buy a specific cup smoothie maker, as they will remove all lumps, tear through fibrous leaves, grind seeds and importantly are much easier to wash up. I personally have the Nutri Ninja Auto IQ and think it's fabulous.


The climber who was killed after falling from Mt Taranaki was a 25-year-old French national Victor Roucher, police have finally revealed.
Roucher and his 24-year-old climbing partner, also a Frenchman, were on their way to the summit, about 200 metres from the crater, when Roucher fell to his death on Tuesday.
RIP. Victor Roucher. The 25-year-old French national had visited many countries and lived, then he came to New Zealand.
The last two people to die on Mt Taranaki were climbers Nicole Sutton and Hiroki Ogawa in October 2013. The couple died of hypothermia after becoming stranded on the mountain overnight.
A woman mauled by a dog will receive emergency plastic surgery today. Dog bite caused serious injury to her leg in Takaka, on Tuesday.
"Dog attacks in the Tasman region are becoming more frequent – an ACC report showed 64 bites registered in the region 2006, compared with 108 in 2015.
This entry was posted on June 8, 2016 at 5:21 am	and is filed under Tourist Deathtrap. Tagged: dog attack, dog bite, Frenchman killed, Killed in New Zealand, Moutere, Mt Taranaki, quad bike death, road toll, Victor Roucher, Visitor killed in NZ. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.