text:
ReidsItaly.com Places in Italy Florence See in Florence The Bargello
Galleria Nazionale del Bargello ★★☆
The statue-filled upper hall
A flock of Donatellos and other great works in this sculpture gallery annex of the Uffizi
What the Uffizi is to painting, the Bargello is to Renaissance sculpture—largely because this actually was the Uffizi's sculpture and applied arts collection, moved here in 1859 after it outgrew the Uffizi space.
This imposing, castle-like palazzo was built in 1255–1350 as the original "Palazzo del Popolo" seat of government. It remained the mayor's office until 1502, when it became a police headquarters and prison until 1859 (see below).
It now contains the greatest collection of Renaissance sculpture in Florence—in fact, one of the best in all of Italy.
You could spend 45 minutes or two hours here, depending how much you're into the early works of Michelangelo (a wonderfully tipsy Bacchus, the Madonna of the Stairs, and a Bust of Brutus that may be a semi self-portrait), Donatello (the Bargello contains some of the gretest masterpieces by thus first truly great sculptor of the Renaissance), and mannerist Giambologna (his Flying Mercury and many whimsical animal bronzes intended to decorate Medici gardens).
These reside in the Bargello alongside statues by Brunelleschi, Desiderio da Settignano, Agostino di Duccio, Vecchietta, and Michelozzo, glazed terracottas by the della Robbia clan, and collections of fine porcelain, objets d'art, silverwork, and other decorative arts,
The Bargello even contains the Baptistry doors competition piece by Lorenzo Ghiberti that is considered, by many art historians, to have officially started the Renaissance period.
Downstairs in the Bargello—Michelangelo and the High Renaissance
In the palazzo's old armory are 16th-century works, including some of Michelangelo's earliest sculptures.
Carved by a 22-year-old Michelangelo while he was visiting Rome, Bacchus ★★ (1497) was obviously inspired by the classical antiquities he studied there but is also imbued with his own irrepressible Renaissance realism—here is a (young) God of Wine who's actually drunk, reeling back on unsteady knees and holding the cup aloft with a distinctly tipsy wobble.
Michelangelo polished and finished this marble in the traditional manner, but from 1503 to 1505, soon after finishing his famous David with a high polish, he carved the Pitti Tondo ★ here, a schiacciato Madonna and Child scene in which the artist began using the textures of the partially worked marble itself to convey his artistic message.
One of Michelangelo's weaker works here is the so-called Apollo-David (art historians can't agree on which hero the unfinished work was meant to be), but the master is back in top form with the bust of Brutus (ca. 1539). Some people like to see in this sculpture an idealized portrait of Michelangelo himself; a more accurate and less contentious representation sits nearby, the famous and oft-cast bronze bust of Michelangelo by his pupil Daniele da Volterra.
Also in this room is Giambologna's Flying Mercury ★ (ca. 1564), looking for all the world as if he's on the verge of taking off from the ground—justifiably one of this mannerist's masterpieces.
The Bargello courtyrad
The baddest prison in town
After a confession had been rung out of them by the authorities inside, the bodies of particularly reviled criminals were hung from the Bargello's windows.
The great artists of the day would be commissioned to come paint the portraits of the malefactors on the lower external walls as a warning to others.
When Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo abolished the death penalty in 1786, the Bargello's torture instruments were ceremoniously burned in the Bargello's über-medieval courtyard.
The palazzo's inner courtyard—one of the few medieval cortile in Florence to survive in more-or-less its original shape—is studded with the coats of arms of various past podestà and other notables.
The grand stairwell leads up to a second-story loggia filled with a flock of whimsical bronze birds cast by Giambologna for the Medici's gardens.
A room full of Donatellos
The doorway leads into the old Salone del Consiglio Generale (General Council Room) ★★,a vast space with a high ceiling filled with glazed terra-cotta Madonnas by Luca della Robbia and his clan, and some of the most important sculptures of the early Renaissance.
Donatello dominates the room, starting with a mischievously smiling Atys-Amorino cupid (ca. 1430–40).
Nearby is Donatello's polychrome bust of Niccolò da Uzzano, a bit of hyperrealism next to two much more delicate busts of elfin-featured characters by Desiderio da Settignano.
Donatello sculpted this most oft-copied version of the Marzocco, lion symbol of the Florentine Republic, out of pietra serena between 1418 and 1420.
The marble David (1408) is an early Donatello, but the bronze David★★ (1440–50) beyond it is a much more mature piece. The Biblical hero here is a nubile, almost erotic youth, naked save for his helmet and massive sword, with a shy, detached air that has little to do with the foot resting casually atop the head of the slain Goliath. It was considered even at the time to be one of the greatest masterpieces of early Renaissance sculpture—and was the first free-standing bronze nude cast since antiquity
Against the far wall is Donatello's St. George ★, carved in 1416 for a niche of Orsanmichele. Look at the masterful panel beneath showing the saint slaying his dragon done in an early example of the sculptor's patented schiacciato, a technique of working in extreme low relief, using thinly etched lines often barely scratched into the marble and perspective (a good decade before the use of linear perspective in painting) to create great depth in a very shallow space.
The room has more than just the Donatellos. There are stellar sculptures by Desiderio da Settignano, Agostino di Duccio, Vecchietta, and Michelozzo, as well as some of the the patented glazed terracottas of Luca della Robbia and Andrea della Robbia.
I also like to point out a small work on the wall, a tumultuous Battle Scene by one of Donatello's star students, Giovanni di Bertoldo. Bertoldo would later go on to teach a talented teenager named Michelangelo how to sculpt. (Look at the similar work by a young Michelangelo in the Casa Buonarotti and you'll see Bertoldo's influence.)
In the back right corner of this room are two bronze relief panels by Brunelleschi and Ghiberti of the Sacrifice of Isaac, finalists in the famous 1401 competition for the commission to cast the Baptistery's doors. Ghiberti's panel won for the greater dynamism and flowing action in his version. This proved to be a turning point in art—the start of the Renaissance (see below).
The very first work of Renaissance art
Modestly in a corer on the wall of this cavernous space are the two finalist bronze panels of Abraham Sacrificing Isaac that, in many scholars' estimations, marked the beginning of the Renaissance. Why more guidebooks don't make a big deal out of this is beyond me.
These panels were submissions to a 1401 contest held by the powerful Arte di Calimala (Wool Guild) to pick an artist to cast images for the new North Doors of the baptistery. All the great Gothic sculptors of the day entered the contest, including Donatello, Brunelleschi, and Jacopo della Quercia.
The judges surprised everyone by picking a relatively obscure 23-year-old sculptor named Lorenzo Ghiberti. At first glance, these panels from both finalists—Ghiberti and Brunelleschi—are very similar in composition. Look more closely, though, and you'll see why Ghiberti's won.
Brunelleschi's figures look posed and still. Ghiberti's look as if we're seeing a snapshot of action, frozen in the moment.
Brunelleschi's figures are stylized. Ghiberti's are naturalistic.
Brunelleschi's figures are simply laid out in a tableau, with the main action dead center. Ghiberti's are composed to tell a story and, along with the shape and flow of the background rock, move the action dramatically around the scene, drawing your attention to the sacrifice happening on extreme stage right (offsetting it like this adds to the tension of the moment).
Brunelleschi's posed figures are seen mostly from straight on (a bent-over shepherd notwithstanding). Ghiberti uses perspective to make his angel leap toward the audience from the clouds, and stacks the shepherds on either side of the donkey both to look more natural and to help sell the illusion of depth.
In short, Brunelleschi submitted a gorgeous and masterful work of Gothic art. Ghiberti, however, submitted something new, something that made use of the most current advances and cutting-edge thinking in art.
Something worthy of being called "Renaissance."
The rest of the Bargello
Out the other end of the vast Donatello room is the Islamic Collection, a testament to Florence's wide and profitable trade network.
Decorative arts from the Roman era through the 16th century fill the long corridor, at the end of which is the small Cappella Maddalena, where condemned prisoners spent their last moments praying for their souls; it was frescoed by Giotto's studio. A perpendicular corridor houses the largest collection of ivories in the world, from the 5th to 17th centuries.
Upstairs are rooms with glazed terra cottas by Andrea and Giovanni della Robbia and another room devoted to the sculptural production of Leonardo da Vinci's teacher Verrocchio, including yet another David (1465), a haughty youth with a tousle of hair inspired by the Donatello version downstairs.
The Bargello tours
Bargello Museum Tickets
Tix | from €15
After serving for many centuries as a prison and police station, the fortress-like Bargello was transformed into the National Museum of Sculpture in 1886 - on Donatello's five-hundredth birthday. The Bargello's courtyard, loggia and frescoed rooms are filled with marble and bronze masterpieces by Donatello, Michelangelo, Cellini, Bernini and others. Particularly important to the history of Florence are two bronze panels of the Sacrifice of Isaac by Lorenzo Ghiberti and Filippo Brunelleschi for the competition to decorate the doors of the Baptistry. Had Brunelleschi won this contest, he might not have gone on to design the great dome of the Duomo of Florence.
Skip-the-Line Bargello Museum Ticket
Visit the Bargello Museum's excellent displays of Italian sculptures with this skip-the-line ticket. The palace itself was built in 1255 by the people of Florence as a symbol of their victory over the nobility, and was the site for the people's government and jurisdiction. The former fortress and arsenal now holds a superb collection of sculpture, one of the most important in all of Italy.
Visit: Museo Nazionale del Bargello, Florence, Tuscany
As you enter the first room from the courtyard, you'll discover masterpieces by Michelangelo. On the ground floor, there are works of art by Cellini and Giambologna.
On the first floor, you will find the Salone del Consiglio (Council Hall), characterized by its high ceiling, that was once the tribunal hall. Here, you will see some of the finest works of Donatello and the Ivory Room with the Carrand collection. This collection contains 265 pieces that may be dated between the 5th and 17th century, including diptychs, ceramic tiles, and reliquaries.
On the second floor, there are many glazed terracotta objects in two rooms, including the Busto di fanciullo (Baby's bust) by Andrea della Robbia. There is also an exhibition of Italian medals and an exquisite collection of small Renaissance bronzes. The Sala delle Armi contains fascinating medieval ivories, armory, and weapons.
Skip the Line Bargello Palace and Museum Private Guided Tour
Enjoy a 2.5 private tour of one of the most important museums of Renaissance sculpture in the world taken by the hand of a local expert who will make art and history come alive. The Bargello is a monumental medieval palace that collects masterpieces by Michelangelo, Donatello, Ghiberti, Cellini, Giambologna, Ammannati and many more famous artists.
You will hear fascinating stories, learn about the culture, society and facts of the XV century Florence, when the economy of the city was bigger than the one of whole England.
The Bargello is a spectacular medieval palace in the heart of Florence that used to serve as Court of Justice and now houses one of the most important collections of Renaissance sculptures in the world.
On this 2,5 hour private exclusive tour you will visit the museum highlights exploring the sumptuous rooms of the palace taken by the hand by a local expert guide.
You will see and learn about Michelangelo's Bacchus, Tondo Pitti, Brutus and David-Apollo, Donatello' David and St. George Tabernacle, Giambologna' Architecture and Mercury, Sansovino's Bacchus, Gemito's Fishermen, Cellini's bust of Cosimo I and many other great artworks by Bernini, Ghiberti, Brunelleschi and more.
You will also explore the collections of precious ceramics, textile, tapestries, ivory, silver, armors and old coins. You can also customize your visit focusing on the rooms and items you are more interested about. Your guide will be happy to meet your needs and answer all your questions.
Private Florence Bargello Museum Tour with Skip-the-Line Access
Follow your professional private guide for the next 2-hours and discover absolute sculptural masterpieces by wonderful artists as Michelangelo, Donatello, Giambologna, Cellini and Verrocchio, all within the fascinating setting of a Medieval palace.
Your Private Guide will show one of the most prestigious Museums of Sculptures in the world with masterpieces by the greatest Renaissance artists, among which, just to name a few: the David and St. George by Donatello, the Bacchus and the Round Pitti by Michelangelo, Mercury by Giambologna, besides the magnificent glazed terra-cotta by Giovanni and Andrea della Robbia. The importance of this museum concerning sculptures is comparable to the importance of the Uffizi Museum for paintings. The splendid fortified Bargello palace was the first public Florentine building (1255). It has a beautiful and austere courtyard and a high embattled tower, and owes its name to "bargello" that means "master of the guards" who had their seat here in the sixteenth century. Outside the building, it is still possible to see the hook to which the rope used for hangings was tied.
Your visit experience will be further enriched with the explanation of San Firenze square and the particular "Badia Fiorentina" church (exterior visit), a real hidden jewel of the city center, characterized by its hexagonal bell tower.
Florence Top Attractions Private Tour from Duomo to Santa Croce w Hotel Pickup
This tour begins with a pick-up from your town centre hotel. Your licensed, local guide will then take you on a private tour through the streets and piazzas of Florence. This customized tour takes you on a historical journey via the numerous historical landmarks that adorn this most beautiful of all Renaissance cities; Santa Croce Church, the Bargello Palace, Piazza della Republica to name a few.
Children are complimentary but please advise if you have with you.
After meeting with your guide you begin the walking tour with a visit to the Palazzo Strozzi to see the marvelous preserved patio and then, a little away from the usual tourist trail is a visit to the Palazzo Davanzati, a superb example of a medieval palace. You pass by the "Porcellino" (little pig) market on the way to the Ponte Vecchio, dating to the 1300s and one of the most recognized bridges in the world.The bridge affords a wonderful vista of the hills that surround Florence and your guide will tell you of the history of the bridge and how with the building of the Vasari Corridor there was a significant change to the many shops that line the bridge.It is then on to what was the political centre of Renaissance Florence, Piazza della Signoria. The offices of the Grand Duke's of Florence were once housed in the building that is now the Uffizi and the seat of the Florentine government was on the opposite side of the square in the Palazzo Vecchio. Then follows a stroll through the oldest part of the city to see the tower houses that date from the 1300s. Finally you reach Piazza Duomo where you can gaze upon Florence's magnificent Cathedral with its striking green and white marble. Crowned by Brunelleschi's dome, a masterpiece of architectural achievement both for design and realization the cathedral and its dome are enduring symbols of Renaissance Florence. The visit ends before the Porta dei Paradiso, the wonderfully decorated doors of the Bapistery, alongside which there is Giotto's famous Bell Tower. We are sure you will enjoy this splendid walking tour of Florence and like many tourists before fall hopelessly in love with the city and its people.
Florence Walking Tour of the City Must-See Attractions & Sites with Local Guide
Our knowledgeable tour guide will meet you in the very city centre, during our 2.5 hours walking tour you will be able to admire all the most important outdoor monuments, palaces and piazzas of Florence.
We will walk through the city historical centre, hitting all the major sights, such as: palazzo Medici, the Duomo, you will admire the Dome from outside, hearing how its architect Brunelleschi recovered lost knowledge in order to build it, piazza della Signoria, where we can't miss Michelangelo's incomparable David, Giotto's bell tower, ponte Vecchio and its jewelries shops, plus some unusual and less known spots that will truly surprise you.
This is a 2.5 hours small group walking tour please be sure to wear comfortable shoes and bring loads of questions! Our expert tour guide will be able to unveil of the secrets and curiosities of Florence.
This tour is the perfect choice to enjoy your first time in Florence; wear your most comfortable shoes and allow our English-speaking tour guide to lead you at the discovery of the Tuscan capital.
The begin of the 14th century truly was a dark time in Europe, having barely survived the Black Death and the latest attempts of the Crusaders to reconquer the Holy Land; it's in this scenery that the Medici family, the most influent patrons of the arts, started to support the work of Michelangelo, Botticelli and Donatello, it all began here and here we can admire the work of the Renaissance's geniuses.
Our tour includes all the most important piazzas and outdoor monuments: Santa Croce church, Bargello palace, Piazza della Signoria, Ponte Vecchio, Palazzo Vecchio, Duomo and Giotto's bell tower, Uffizi gallery's courtyard, church of San Lorenzo... there is no limit to the beauty you can experience in Florence.
Florence Tour and Sightseeing of the City Top-Places with Local Guide
This 2-hour strolling visit is an eminent prologue to the city of Florence. In the organization of a nearby and extremely proficient guide you will see the Santa Croce Church, the Bargello Palace, Piazza della Signoria, Ponte Vecchio, Palazzo Vecchio, the Cathedral, Giotto's Bell Tower, Uffizi Gallery's patio and the congregation of San Lorenzo. Your guide will likewise give you proposals for whatever is left of your stay in Florence; what else to see and where to eat!
Visit: Piazza Santa Croce, Florence, Tuscany
On this little gathering (max 15 individuals) visit you are taken through the avenues and piazzas of Florence by a local guide who will reveal to you something of the city's history. You see the landmarks, squares and markets of this lovely Renaissance city and find out about its perfect works of art and great engineering.
The visit begins at the Church of Santa Croce and the returns to the Bargello Palace; not on numerous schedules this castle is a heavenly case of Medieval engineering. At that point it is on to Florence's most renowned and most seasoned extension that dates to the fourteenth century, the Ponte Vecchio. From here you have awesome perspectives towards the slopes that encompass Florence and your guide will describe the extensions history and how the Vasari Corridor profoundly changed the botteghe (shops) that line the scaffold.
The following piece of the visit takes you to Piazza della Signoria, the political focal point of Florence. On one side the wonderful building housed the Great Duke's central command and is currently the well known Ufizzi Gallery. On the opposite side there is the Palazzo Vecchio, the notable seat of the Florentine Government.
A short reroute from the primary vacationer courses brings you into the most seasoned piece of Florence to see the medieval pinnacle houses and afterward it is on to the Piazza Duomo. This eminent square is the place you can see the shocking Cathedral with its novel marble inscriptions and transcending above everything Brunelleschi's Dome, a ponder of Renaissance design and a persevering image of Renaissance Florence.
In the square there is additionally Giotto's renowned chime tower, a great case of 1300's design and additionally the Baptistery with its dazzling Porta del Paradiso.
The visit closes before the congregation of San Lorenzo and from here you can investigate the encompassing business sector territory.
Florence Top-Sites Guided Tour with Skip-The-Line Access to Michelangelo David
Meet your local guide at your lodging and begin this strolling voyage through Florence. This visit will carry you into the center of a standout amongst the most renowned urban areas on the planet. You will see the Santa Croce Church, the Bargello Palace, Piazza della Repubblica and more with a nearby guide. Set out toward the Accademia Gallery, one of the city's best exhibition halls. Bounce the long lines with skip-the-line tickets and appreciate the principle draw of the Accademia, The Michelangelo's 'David.
This visit is the ideal method to begin your Florentine remain.
Meet in Piazza Santa Croce where the assemblage containing Michelangelo's tomb will be found. You will examine the downtown zone, stop at the Ponte Vecchio associate and eat up your eyes on the heart stopping view over the inclines that circle Florence.
Now, you will walk around the town campaign and the astonishing Loggia in Piazza della Signoria, the political heart of Florence. On one side, you will welcome the well known Uffizi Gallery, when the Great Duke's base camp, by then Palazzo Vecchio, the eminent seat of the Florentine Government. The visit will then continue to the old market where you will play with favorable circumstances with Porcellino.
You will see Piazza della Repubblica and visit the extraordinary house of God. The assemblage incorporates sublimely spared, novel marble engravings, Brunelleschi's vault and in particular, a heavenly event of designing, a picture of the Renaissance advancement in Florence because of its testing plan and troublesome affirmation. The visit will be halfway outside and inside and incorporate a visit of the Academy Gallery to see the statue of David.
Pass By: Piazza della Repubblica, Florence, Tuscany
Private Florence Tour of Must-See Sites from Duomo to Santa Croce & Old Bridge
This visit sets aside you back in opportunity to Renaissance Florence as you follow the historical backdrop of this stunning city through its various antiquated landmarks and structures. Join your own neighborhood master on this private strolling visit through the boulevards and piazzas of Florence. You will learn about the Santa Croce Church, the Bargello Palace, Piazza della Signoria, Ponte Vecchio, Palazzo Vecchio, the Cathedral, Giotto's Bell Tower, Uffizi Gallery's courtyard and the church of San Lorenzo. The tour is family friendly and free under 18 years.
You visit the awe inspiring Palazzo Strozzi with its consummately saved patio and a little off the standard vacationer trail visit the great Palazzo Davanzati, an eminent case of a Medieval Palace. A short stroll past the "Porcellino" (little pig) advertise conveys you to the Ponte Vecchio, Florence's most established extension dating to the 1300s.
From the extension you can appreciate the perspectives of the encompassing slopes while your guide describes the historical backdrop of the scaffold and how with the working of the Vasari Corridor the shops that line the scaffold changed drastically.
It is then on to the Piazza della Signoria where you will see the Palazzo Vecchio on one side that was at one time the seat of the Florentine governments and on the other the Uffizi Gallery that once housed the workplaces of the Grand Duke.
Another bypass from the standard traveler trail takes you to the most established piece of the city to see the pinnacle houses that date from the 1300s. From here you rise into Piazza Doumo with its glorious Cathedral. The Duomo is noted for its challenging plan and much additionally difficult acknowledgment; Brunelleschi's Dome overwhelms the horizon and the sun plays upon the special green and white marble enhancement.
The visit closes before the Baptistery to see the astonishing Porta del Paradiso and Giottos' Bell Tower, a persevering case of the best of 1300s engineering.
The Duomo symbolizes all that is incredible adjoin Renaissance Florence; the ideal place to end a voyage through Florence.
Guided Tour of Florence and Pistoia Highlights with Traditional Tuscan Lunch
This tour will allow you to have a first touch with the magnificence of Florence, enjoy a traditional Tuscan food in Pistoia and get to know this beautiful medieval town a little off the usual beaten paths.
Our English-speaking tour guide will meet you in Florence and lead you to discover the quintessential renaissance capital. Santa Croce church, Bargello palace, Piazza della Signorai, Ponte Vecchio, Palazzo Vecchio, Duomo and Giotto's bell tower, Uffizi gallery's courtyard, church of San Lorenzo... in this city there is no limit to the beauty you can experience in Florence. After a morning of wandering in Florence you will feel the need to escape the crowd, that is the right moment to take a train and reach Pistoia! After a delicious typical Tuscan lunch our expert tour guide will help you explore this medieval beautiful little town, you will be able to recognize the influence of Florence and interpret the differences.
Our private walking tour starts every day, it will last approximately 5 hours, including the walking tour in Florence and Pistoia, the local train to reach Pistoia from Florence and the way back, a traditional lunch in Pistoia.
Our professional and fully licensed tour guide will spend all the time with you sharing all the important arts and historical facts and tasting delicious wine and local food specialties. We can arrange vegetarians and gluten-free options, please be sure to mention any diet restrictions and/or allergies during the booking.
Please be sure to wear comfortable shoes, be hungry and eager to learn; there will be much to see, taste and drink.
Florence does not really needs presentations, is one of the most famous city in the world, you will be astonished by the beauty of the Duomo, the holiness of the Baptistery, the majesty of the Bell tower, no visit to Florence is complete without at least some time spent dawdling on the Ponte Vecchio, looking at the glittering jeweler's shops along the bridge.
After 2 hours and 30 minutes we will get a local train to reach Pistoia, we prefer to get a train instead of a car in order to relax viewing the countryside landscape and avoiding the mad commuting traffic.
In Pistoia we will enjoy a traditional Tuscan lunch, starting with a rich tagliere with cured meat, pecorino cheese and bruschettas, in Italy there's no lunch without a mouthwatering pasta dish.
After this delicious lunch break there's nothing better than a leisurely walk in a charming quiet medieval town.
In Pistoia you will see all the main monuments and attractions, such as: the Romanesque church S. Andrea, the Ospedale del Ceppo, Piazza del Duomo with its cathedral, baptistery and intact medieval palaces, Dealla Sala square and many other astonishing sites.
This tour is a delightful combination of food, wine and history, at the end of the tour your belly, heart and soul will be fully content, we will say our goodbyes after having shared a great experience that we are sure will stay with you forever!
The minimum number of participants is 2.
From the Middle Ages to the Stars
A journey that will take you to discover the most characteristic museums of the city. It will start from the Basilica of Santa Croce with the famous tombs of Michelangelo and Galileo and then visit the Bargello National Museum with sculptures and masterpieces by Michelangelo, the Galileo Galilei science museum, the Ponte Vecchio and the city across the river, ending with the square Holy spirit.
The church of Santa Croce is famous for the burials of Galileo and Michelangelo, and includes numerous works of art with fresco and sculpture, pride of the city and place of memory of the great Italians.
The Bargello is the most important sculpture museum in the world. Includes works by Michelangelo, Donatello and Gian Lorenzo Bernini.
Stop At: Museo Galileo - Institute and Museum of the History of Science, Florence, Tuscany
The Museum recalls and celebrates the great scientist Galileo Galilei. It also includes scientific instruments once belonging to Galileo.
The medieval bridge is among the best known in the world. Standing for almost a millennium, it is surmounted by the Vasari corridor, a private passage built for the Medici family.
Stop At: Piazza Santo Spirito, Florence, Tuscany
The convent and church are an Augustinian settlement dating back to the late Middle Ages. Numerous and valuable works of art, from Filippino Lippi to Michelangelo.
Andrea's Tour in Florence
We will visit the most important places of this wonderful city, from the Roman origins to the splendor of the Medici family. my tour is focused on the history and biographies of the men who have contributed to making Florence unique in the world. Santa Croce, Bargello, Dante's House. Piazza della Signoria. Ponte Vecchio Piazza Repubblica, Baptistery, Duomo and Palazzo Medici. in short, the best of Florence :-)
I will tell the story of the Basilica of Santa Croce and all the traditions related to the Calcio Storico Fiorentino.
Stop At: Via del Proconsolo, Florence, Tuscany
I will talk about the history of the Palazzo del Bargello, an ancient medieval prison that today houses the sculpture museum.
We will talk about the history of Palazzo Vecchio and the Medici family who lived here.
I will show you the gallery of the Uffizi gallery and the famous Vasari corridor.
I will show you where the first Roman colonizers of Florence arrived in 59 A.c.
We will talk about the history of the Baptistery, the Duomo and the wonderful dome of Filippo Brunelleschi.
I will show you the first house of the Medici family, prototype of the Renaissance palace.
Tour in Florence
1 hour | from €27
We're also on Piazza San Firenze, will find our staff overthere
Visit Florence in a unique way and explore the city in the most relaxing way on our quiet electric vehicles. Discover the beauty of this city in the shortest possible time and get to know the main attractions of Florence with your free multilingual audio guide.
Pickup Time: We're open at 9.00 AM until 8.00 PM, please booking the pick-up time.
• Choice of various departures during the day
• Exceptional economic value
• Full tour of the city
• Exceptional panoramic tour and orientation of the city
• Ideal introduction for new visitors
• Audio commentary recorded with earphonesDiscover the main attractions of Florence with electric vehicles. If you feel energetic and full of enthusiasm or if you want a simpler way to admire the city, do not miss this experience!
A free multilingual audio guide will be provided on board for visits to places of interest. Jump on the most innovative means to cross Florence without wasting time walking.
You will almost touch the places and monuments like:
• Piazza della Repubblica
• Orsanmichele
• Casa di Dante
• Museo Nazionale del Bargello
• Piazza della Signoria
• Loggia del Mercato Nuovo
• Palazzo Strozzi
• Palazzo Davanzati
• Piazza Duomo
• Piazza Santa Maria Novella
• Lungarno Vespucci
• Ponte Vecchio
• Palazzo Pitti
• Ponte alle Grazie
• Biblioteca Nazionale
• Piazza Santa Croce
Tour in Florence - Golf Cart
Tour in Firenze - Golf Cart
Best of Florence Tour by Night
This 2 hours walking city tour will take you to the highlights of the city of Florence after sunset with a top-rated local guide. This tour is a great introduction to the city and you will see Santa Croce Church, the Bargello Palace, Piazza della Signoria, Ponte Vecchio, Piazza della Repubblica, Palazzo Vecchio, the Porcellino, the Cathedral, Giotto's Bell Tower and much more.
Walk around the core of Florence, going by the square of the Duomo with its Bell tower and the Baptistery, we'll make a beeline for Piazza della Repubblica, the most seasoned piece of the city at that point changed in an exquisite square, and after that to Ponte Vecchio to see its prestigious gem specialists' shops.
Continue to Piazza della Signoria that holds an outdoors exhibition of Renaissance statues and piazza Santa Croce to respect the Franciscan church of Santa Croce where numerous well known Italians are covered.
You will be part of a small group. The maximum amount of people on the tour is 15 people so no earphone is needed and you can have a close interaction with the guide.
This tour is a perfect option for your holiday evenings in Florence to explore more of the city and meet new friends.
Florence Sightseeing Walking Tour with a Local Guide
This 2 hour walking city tour will take you to the highlights of the city of Florence led by a local expert guide.
This tour is a great introduction to the city and you will see Santa Croce Church, the Bargello Palace, Piazza della Signoria, Ponte Vecchio, Palazzo Vecchio, the Cathedral, Giotto's Bell Tower, Uffizi Gallery's courtyard, the church of San Lorenzo. The guide will give you also precious suggestions on how to spend your holiday in Florence and where to eat.
This is a small group tour up to 15 people.
Get an introduction to the history of the Italian Renaissance on a walking tour of Florence city center, and discover a host of historical monuments with the help of a local guide.
Go for a stroll through the cloisters of the Basilica di Santa Croce,
and then make your way to Piazza dei Peruzzi and the Palazzo Bargello. Pass Porcellino market, and then listen to the story of the city's oldest bridge at the Ponte Vecchio. Wander small streets that date back to the Middle Ages to arrive at the political heart of the city at Piazza della Signoria. Get impressive views of the Uffizi Gallery and Palazzo Vecchio, historically the home of the government of Florence.
Arrive at Piazza del Duomo in the oldest part of the city. Marvel at the marble engravings and the magnificent dome of the Duomo. Continue to the Basilica di San Lorenzo, from where you can explore the market district by yourself.
Florence Super Saver: Florence Walking Tour plus 2 Chianti Wine Tastings
This is a combo tour that allows to see, in one only day, the best of the city of Florence, with a complete guided walking tour and the amazing landscapes of the Chianti area, where you will have also the chance to enjoy two delicious wine tastings in two different region of Chianti (Chianti Fiorentino and Chianti Senese). You will be served a total of 8 glasses of wines and local products.
Follow a wonderful hilly route in your bus along the "Via Chiantigiana." you will reach a family-run winery where you'll visit the cellars and the barrique room and taste four excellent limited-production Chianti wines, as well as local products.
Visit the medieval village of Greve, where to admire the famous main square flanked by arcades where you can stroll by the shops selling articles and typical products of Chianti area.
Stop At: Rocca di Castellina, Castellina In Chianti, Tuscany
Reach a family-run winery and visit the cellars and the barrique room where you can taste four excellent limited-production Chianti wines.
Continue on to Castellina in Chianti, an ancient hamlet set high on a hillside between rolling vineyards and olive groves. Take in beautiful views out over the rolling vineyards below and enjoy free time to wander at your leisure.
Florence Super Saver: Florence Walking Tour plus Tuscan Cooking Class with Dinner
Do not miss this One Day Combo tour: in the morning you will discover the city of Florence with a complete guided walking tour and in the afternoon you will enjoy a fun cooking class where you will learn how to prepare a typical Tuscan meal and, of course, you will dine with all the dishes you prepared with your friends in a fun atmosphere.
Stop At: Via Cavour Firenze, Florence, Tuscany
This is a Small group course for food lovers that is held in the ancient city centre. This is how one can find out about Tuscan and Florentine culture by being taught some of its celebrated food & wine traditions. On this course you can learn to cook a classic Tuscan meal, prepared with seasonal and organic ingredients. In a top class cookery school you will be able to make a four-course meal (starter, first course, second course and dessert) under the expert guidance of a multilingual chef. The course will be followed by dinner with the dishes you have prepared, accompanied by a good Tuscan wine and a fun and friendly atmosphere.
Florence Super Saver: Renaissance and Medieval Florence Walking Tour plus Concert and Dinner
Do not miss this amazing One Day Combo tour that allows to discover the City and have fun in the evening.
In the morning enjoy a complete guided walking tour of Florence and in the evening dine in a typical Tuscan Trattoria and, after the dinner, see a beautiful show.
This is the perfetc combination between Art, History and Music!
This austere crenellated building is the oldest public building in Florence and it served as model for the construction of the Palazzo Vecchio
Stop At: Opera at St. Mark's Anglican Church, Florence, Tuscany
After a delicious dinner in the ancient and fascinating neighborhood "Oltrarno", in the old city center you will enjoy a very special and unforgettable evening: in an intimate and old setting (the Anglican church), you will be amazed by the most beautiful arias from the operas of Puccini, Verdi, Rossini and other renowned Italian composers, in addition to world famous Neapolitan songs.
David vs David: Accademia & Bargello Galleries
Enjoy our half day tour to discover all the secrets hidden in the two most famous David in the World! Would you like to try to guess which one is the most beautiful?
Enjoy one of the best museums in Florence!
Enjoy one of the best museum in Italy!
Pass By: Keys of Italy, Florence, Tuscany
Our agency is located in the city center of Florence, in Via del Trebbio 8/R
Glories of Renaissance Tour: Michelangelo and Donatello
Everyone has heard of Michelangelo's David (at the Accademia), but how many tourists and agencies remember that the Bargello Museum houses some of the most important masterpieces by the geniuses of the Florentine Renaissance: Donatello and Michelangelo?
Michelangelo, Donatello and many other masterpieces
The main square of Florence
Our Agency is located in the city center, Via del trebbio 8/R
Bargello Museum Private Tour
Bargello building as a National Museum began in the mid-19th century. Today is the setting for works of sculpture, especially from large ducal collections, many examples of Gothic decorative minor arts and many important sculptures of Michelangelo and Donatello.
Pass By: Florence Tours by Made of Tuscany, Florence, Tuscany
A tour operator in the centre of Florence
A beautiful square in the historic centre of Florence
3-Day Tour Florence and Pisa
If your time is short and you don't want to miss the best of Florence and Pisa, this independent tour is the right option for you. You will discover the City of Pisa as well as the city of Florence with 2 beautiful tours. Some time free will be also available.
Day 1 - FLORENCE - PISA
Arrival at Hotel. Check in and free time.
In the Morning Walking Tour of Florence City (Medieval & Renaissance): The most complete and thrilling guided walking tour starts from the peculiar Central market zone, characterized by its workshops and multicolored stalls, where the Medici Chapels, and Basilica di S. Lorenzo, the church of Medici's Family, are located. In a short time you can reach Piazza del Duomo, where you can admire the Cathedral* (inside visit) and its dome by Brunelleschi, the bell-tower by Giotto, Saint John Baptistery with its Paradise Door. The tour continues by visiting the medieval quarters where Dante Alighieri and Beatrice lived. Further on you can find Palazzo del Bargello. Not too far, there is Piazza dellaSignoria, a great "open-air sculpture museum", overlooked by the imposing Palazzo Vecchio. Next to it the Uffizi Gallery, one of the most important museum all over the world. Then you proceed to the picturesque MercatodellaPaglia(Straw market), where the famous Piglet Fountain is located. You walk along the street that leads to Ponte Vecchio, the "jewels bridge". By crossing the bridge, you will reach the wonderful Pitti Palace where our tour ends. (*) The Cathedral cannot be visited on National Holidays and for reasons beyond our control.
Afternoon free to explore Florence on your own. Overnight at Hotel.
Breakfast in Hotel and departure to your next destination.
Get into The Bargello for free (and skip the line at the ticket booth) with:
Firenzecard:
How long does Galleria Nazionale del Bargello take?
For the few main rooms of sculpture, expect to spend at least 30–45 minutes, more if you're a fan or plan to do some sketching.
The ticket office closes 40 minutes before the museum.
Museums in Florence
Palazzi in Florence
Free first Sunday
Della Robbia
Giambologna
Lorenzo Ghiberti
Verrocchio
The Bargello
Via del Proconsolo 4
at the S end of the street, off Piazza San Firenze
Bargellomusei.beniculturali.it
Daily 8:15am–2pm
Closed: 1st, 3rd, 5th Mon of each month and 2nd & 4th Sun
Admission: €8
Selectitaly.com
Free first Sun of each month
Michelangelo in Florence Tour
★★ Palazzo Vecchio Palazzo
★★★ Piazza della Signoria Square
★★ Loggia de' Lanzi Building
Neptune Fountain Monument
Also in Santa Croce
★★★ Santa Croce Church
★ Calcio Storico Festival
★ Piazza Santa Croce Square
Casa Buonarotti Museum
Museo Horne Museum
Sinagoga (Synagogue) and Jewish Museum Church
Santa Maria Maddalena dei Pazzi Church
★★★ Gelateria Vivoli Cafe
★★★ Ristorante Cibrèo Restaurant
★★★ Ristorante La Giostra Restaurant
★★★ Pizzeria Il Pizzaiuolo Pizzeria
★ Trattoria Cibrèo Trattoria
★ Ristorante Vecchia Firenze Restaurant
★ Trattoria da Benvenuto Trattoria
★ Osteria de' Benci Trattoria
Osteria de' Pazzi Trattoria
Antico Noè Trattoria
Trattoria Pallottino Trattoria
Ristorante Pizzeria I Ghibellini Pizzeria
★★★ Palazzo Antellesi Apartments Apartment
Books on The Bargello
Take only memories
"Take only memories, leave only footprints."
— Chief Seattle


The Eyeglass Program was developed in response to a need for vision care identified in the countries visited as part of other Rayjon programs. The purpose of the program is to provide vision correction for those unable to afford or obtain either the examination or the eyeglasses they need.
To accomplish this purpose, clinics are organized each year in developing countries. Optometric professionals and support staff are recruited to conduct the clinics. Donated eyeglasses are prepared for distribution in developing countries. Volunteers are trained as Eyeglass Team members. For more information about participating in an Eyeglass Trip, please Contact us.
I Can See Clearly Now: The Rayjon Share Care Story is a documentary about the Eyeglass Program.
It was produced under the direction of Eyeglass Program Manager Joanne Atkinson with the cooperation of CKCO in Kitchener. You can watch it above!
The Eyeglass Program has been featured in the award-winning Transformations Photojournalism initiative. Click the photo above the view the full exhibit online!


text:
Aira's COSPLAY - Black Rock Shooter (2011/02/22)
Aira's character from Black Rock Shooter! Black Rock Shooter is a 2010 Japanese original video animation produced by Yutaka Yamamoto's studio Ordet and directed by Shinobu Yoshioka. The 50-minute OVA is based on the song of the same name by Supercell and its accompanying music video with illustrations by Huke. Musical composer Ryo and Huke, both members of Supercell, collaborated on the project. A "Pilot Edition" of the anime was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc in September 2009, and the full version was released on DVDs bundled with select magazines from July 24, 2010 and is subtitled in seven languages.
Tags: Aira, Black Rock Shooter, Cosplay

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


We live in a consumer society. Companies produce products and incent consumers to purchase. Media and marketing professionals build programs to create desire for those products, giving consumers more and more reasons to buy. And mass culture is created around building additional desire and compelling consumers to purchase.
But what happens when consumers have more than they need? And what happens when technology makes products irrelevant and unnecessary?
The answer to the first question is easy. When people have too much, marketers simply convince them they need even more.
Fashions change. Suddenly your beautiful Italian drape suit is out of style – you need to replace your loose, slouchy outfits with newer, skinnier ones.
Furniture manufacturers change. They go from producing solid heirlooms handed down from grandparents to parents to creating throwaway pieces replaced season after season.
Computer manufacturers redesign their products. Computers work faster and faster even though few users can exploit the enhanced capabilities. But no matter, we can't resist the latest, the fastest, the newest.
The answer to the second question is more nuanced. Because while the steady wave of new technology does make many of the things we own obsolete, we continue our purchase pattern by replacing the outmoded with newly relevant devices.
Apple iPods replace Walkman and CD players.
Laptops replace televisions, typewriters, and checkbooks.
Smartphones replace iPods, laptops, wristwatches, and so much more.
In their book, The Experience Economy, authors James Gilmore and B. Joseph Pine chart the evolution from the agrarian economy, to the industrial economy, the service economy, and now to the experience economy.
The authors suggest that companies today must create memorable events for their customers. By doing so the memory of enjoying the product becomes the product itself. Gilmore and Pine further argue that as more and more products become commoditized, manufacturers must continue to evolve their wares to differentiate them.
But wait. As you move across the authors' evolutionary ladder what disappears is the tangible product itself. Although this might not seem to be a problem at first, imagine what it does to conspicuous consumption. If one of the main reasons consumers buy more and more expensive products is to keep up with the Joneses, what happens when their money is not spent on a statusy car to show off in the driveway but an around-the-world trip or meal at an uber-exclusive restaurant?
Who's going to see the experience if no one is present to share it?
Before continuing, let me make it clear that I am not a conspiracy theorist. I don't believe people have much Machiavellian prescience. I don't believe groups of people working sub-rosa can accomplish the things many conspiracy theories suggest they can. And I don't believe any great group of people can keep a secret for a few days or weeks, let alone years.
That being said, Social Media in general – and Facebook in particular – is the great experience economy enabler. After all, the one way to transform personal experiences into status symbols is a democratized media that allows each of us to broadcast our activities to the world. This explains not only why the travel industry has embraced social media as its killer app, but why we are all so excited about projecting our lives and activities to the more than one billion people on Facebook and 100 million on Instagram.


I have a first class honours degree in Nutritional Science. I am passionate about the healing power of food and feel strongly that our health is not entirely predetermined, but is often as a result of the food we eat and the lifestyles we lead.
Using a scientific approach to nutrition I help clients to identify the underlying causes of their health concerns. Symptoms tell us that one or more of the bodies systems is out of balance.


text:
Home ‣ About Us ‣ Director's Report ‣ Director's Message
Colleagues:
I am excited to introduce the first edition of the NEW Director's Message - a newsletter with quick updates, important information and (get ready!) Service Excellence Awards.
If you have been at Contra Costa Health for a few years, you might remember the Director's Report. It was a bi-monthly newsletter that included news about the department's staff and activities.
Think of this as the 2022 version - short, simple and delivered to your inbox. I look forward to connecting through the Director's Message and sharing more about the great work you do in our communities.
Wishing you health and wellness,
Anna Roth
Health Director, Contra Costa County
Service Excellence Awards Are Back!
Service Excellence Awards acknowledge the care, skill and compassion Contra Costa Health employees bring to work each day.
While the pandemic forced us to pause Service Excellence Awards for the past few years, the care and service to our patients did not stop - even under the most challenging of circumstances.
You will see that reflected in the number of employees who were nominated from the start of the pandemic through now.
I am excited to get back to recognizing the incredible work being done at CCH and acknowledging employees who have gone above and beyond for each other and our communities.
To celebrate the return of Service Excellence Awards, we designed a new certificate and created a new webpage where you'll find the list of nominees each month.
Please join me in celebrating and thanking each person who has been nominated. As you receive your Service Excellence Award, I hope you feel as much pride and gratitude as I do or our team at CCH.
Service Excellence Awards
Nominate a Coworker
What's New This Month
CCHS Wellness
Throughout the pandemic, I have seen so many of you working long hours, postponing time off and sacrificing self-care because you are focused on caring for others. I am incredibly grateful for all you do.
Now more than ever, I encourage you to focus on your well-being and to care for yourself. To help get you started, check out CCHS Wellness. CCHS Wellness is a group of our colleagues who put together resources to support you through the ups and downs of the pandemic.
If you have not yet heard of CCHS Wellness, you have probably seen their work through screensavers, videos and employee events. On the CCHS Wellness page, you'll find wellness tips, videos and other resources.
Have Student Debt?
Expanded Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program: Could it be right for you?
In October, the U.S. Department of Education announced a limited-time waiver to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program's rules.
The program aims to encourage public service by cancelling student loan debts after 10 years of employment for a government agency or qualifying nonprofit. But its impact has been limited because of restrictions on what loans qualify for forgiveness.
The waiver could allow student borrowers to count payments from all federal loan programs or repayment plans toward forgiveness, including loan types and payment plans that were not previously eligible.
To qualify under the new temporary rules, eligible workers must consolidate their existing loans and submit an application to the Department of Education by Oct. 31, 2022.
Details on who should apply, how long it will take and what documents are needed can be found here.


Life might not always be rainbows and unicorns...but your crafting certainly can be with these fun projects. We've got you covered from parties to costumes to quilts and everything in between.
Beside your new links this week, we'd LOVE for your to link up any of your own Rainbows or Unicorn Projects from the past.


After all the excitement and the stress, your baby boy is finally here! But the excitement and the immense love you have for your boy doesn't end. Your whole world now lay safe in your arms, and you finally belong to someone. Make your happiness greater by sharing it.
You are not the only one who is happy to have the new addition to the family. Your family and friends would be equally delighted to know about your baby so be sure to send baby announcements. Birth announcements are sent to tell your loved ones that the baby and mother are both safe and sound. You can also use this opportunity to show pictures of your baby.
You can increase your loved one's happiness by sending the newborn announcement with sweets. Chococraft provides the best baby announcement you can ask for. With Chococraft, you can send a creative baby announcement which is like no other. Chococraft sends a baby announcement with a box full of chocolates! And these chocolates would be nothing like ordinary.
With Chococraft you can customize the chocolates any way you want. These chocolates would bear any design you want. You can have a picture of your baby boy on these chocolates. Not only this, you can even select the fillings you want in these chocolates.
Chococraft's 4 chocolate box is the perfect way to send unique baby announcements. You can even customize the chocolate box. Include pictures of your baby all over the chocolate box to show the world your adorable boy. Chococraft website has a lot of birth announcement templates, and you can choose from them.
You are blessed with a baby boy, and you want to show off your boy to the world through announcement cards. But what should be written on the announcement cards? Your creative ideas for the birth announcement cards can go downhill if you don't have baby announcement wordings right.
You should consider what style of announcement you want to have. It could be a classic, traditional or modern announcement. As you are sending these announcements to friends and family, make sure it is something they won't be offended by.
There are some things which are always included in an announcement like the name of the baby, the name of the parents, date of birth, and weight of the baby. Sometimes the name of grandparents is also included in the announcement.
Newborn baby messages from parents are written on the announcement card. Baby boy messages from siblings are also included. Elders write their blessings and quotes on the announcement to show their feelings for the newborn. Baby announcement quotes should be original and creative that would make people smile.
Consider whether you want to send a printed announcement or an announcement via electronic means. Send whichever way comfortable to you, and also something that your friends and family would appreciate. An electronic announcement is cost-efficient, but the paper announcement is the one which would be with you forever. You can also use social media sites to share your baby's announcement cards.
When you have a second baby, you know that now your world will be filled with double happiness. Now you have two parts of your heart, and one more addition to your family. Your first child now has a companion with whom he/she could share his/her experiences and spend life with.
Now your child could have a sibling bond which would help them in growing up to a full sensible adult. Share your double happiness with the world through a second baby announcement. Second baby boy birth announcements are always important as they will be the continuation of the first baby announcement.
Look for creative 2nd baby announcement ideas that would make your announcement look adorable as well as memorable. Mostly sibling baby announcements are used for the announcement. Your children in one announcement would make the announcement look irresistible.
Use pictures of your children on the invitation. Take pictures in a creative way that would make people smile seeing the bond between the siblings. It could be the elder sibling holding the baby, or they could be wearing matching clothes.
Sibling birth announcements are liked by everyone as they show the sibling bond which makes people nostalgic. But you should make the announcement respective to your audience. Some people tend to get easily offended. So make sure to make announcements which are cute and something that would touch their heart.
If the baby has a sister, then a big sister birth announcement is a must. Nothing is better than the brother-sister bond, and it is one of the beautiful relations in the world.
When you adopt a child, you welcome a member to your family. This baby boy needs to be properly introduced to the family members, and what's better than sending adoption announcement cards? Introduce this new addition to the family with creative adoption birth announcements.
Your loved ones need to know about your new baby, and your baby boy needs to be introduced properly. In the announcement, do mention the full name of the baby along with his date of birth. Also, mention the date when the baby joined your family. This way, your family can know when you welcomed a baby to your family.
Name of parents and siblings are also written on the announcement. Most of your family and friends might already know about your decision to adopt a baby so you can make a simple adoption announcement. Select the theme of your announcement which your loved ones would appreciate. Select an announcement which would make them smile with pride.
Chococraft gives you the perfect way to introduce your baby to the world. Chococraft is the best birth announcement idea. With Chococraft you can send your announcement with a box full of chocolates. You can even personalize the chocolates. Print picture of your baby on the chocolates to make your baby announcement unique and one of a kind.


President Phagwara Environment Association and the honourable club members of Lions Club Phagwara on Tree Plantation: Creating a greener world!
On 19th January 2019 Kamla Nehru Public School, Chak Hakim, Phagwara in collaboration with Phagwara Environment Association organized a Tree Plantation: Creating a greener world!
We are Thankful to Mr. K.K Sardana-President Phagwara Environment Association and the honourable club members of Lions Club Phagwara, Inner Wheel Club Phagwara for collaborating with us in promoting United Nations Sustainable Development Goal No 13 Climate Action and Goal No 15 Life on Land.


text:
Mirage News Politics	May 1, 2019 5:14 pm AEST Date Time
Liberal Government has learned nothing from Integrity Commission Report
Tasmanian Labor
Report released and still no access to terminations through public system
Government has learned nothing from this case
Women suffer while Minister drags his feet
It is ironic that at the time the Angela Williamson Integrity Commission Report is released, Tasmanian women are still unable to access termination services through the public health system.
Shadow Minister for Workplace Relations, Michelle O'Byrne, said the Hodgman Liberal Government had learned nothing from this case.
"Ms Williamson was sacked from her role at Cricket Tasmania after she criticised abortion services in Tasmania. This is a woman who was trolled by one of the Premier's senior advisers who later left the Premier's office under a cloud," Ms O'Byrne said.
"It is disgraceful that on the day this report is released, Tasmanian women are still no closer to accessing termination services from the public system in this state.
"Health Minister Michael Ferguson is now five months overdue on his commitment to provide the service in Tasmania and it is now more than 470 days since Tasmania's last clinic closed.
"As part of the Minister's commitment to provide termination services in Tasmania, he also promised funding to a group which doesn't provide counselling or support for women wanting to access terminations.
"It is unacceptable that while this group has received its funding, Tasmanian women are still waiting to access the termination service.
"The only low cost termination services available in Tasmania are those provided by private doctors who have stepped up to support women where the Minister has failed to.
"Tasmanian women are under extreme stress by having to leave the state and their support networks at significant cost to obtain a termination.
"It is time for the Minister to put his personal views aside, show Tasmanian women some respect and provide safe and accessible termination services in this state."
Tags:abortion, Commission, cricket, doctor, Ferguson, Government, health, Minister, Premier, Tasmania, Tasmanian Labor, Tassie, woman
$650,000 upgrade of Cookernup Station now complete More accessible for passengers with mobility issues with…
First sod turned for new Sunningdale Primary School in Yanchep Brand new $17 million school…
Adopt-a-Park grants announced
More volunteer community groups will now be able to help care for and complete projects…
Extra green bin collections for suburbs hardest hit by storm
Residents in Belconnen and the inner south that were the hardest hit by the storm…
Tasmania's revolving door of homelessness
No end in sight to Tasmania's housing crisis More Tasmanians are waiting for appropriate, safe…
Australind Action Plan and WA-made railcar design revealed
New Western Australian made Australind railcar designs unveiled Features include buffet, storage for 16 bikes,…
New program to support Aboriginal staff to become teachers
$3 million pilot program to support current Aboriginal staff at the Department of Education to…
Reforms to improve building and construction industry
The changes form part of the NSW Building Commissioner, David Chandler's work plan. The plan…


text:
Vase Found In Old Shoe Box Set To Go For $600K In Auction
(THOMAS SAMSON/AFP/Getty Images)
Gabrielle Okun Reporter
A vase found in an old shoe box in France is set to go for around $600,000 in an action this June, according to Agence France-Presse Tuesday.
An artifact belonging to Qing dynasty Emperor Qianlong from the 18th century is set to go up for sale on June 12 at the Paris branch of Sotheby's auction house, the international news agency reported. This rare porcelain vase called "Yangcai" features deer and trees, with a colorful design on the top, according to Sotheby's press release. Qianlong who originally possessed this piece of art was also known for being a large patron of arts during the dynasty.
"We didn't like the vase too much and my grandparents didn't like it either," one of the owners told Agence France-Presse. However, the owners contacted Sotheby's auction house earlier this year about the artifact. (RELATED: Rare Ancient Chinese Bowl Is Auctioned Off For $30 Million)
A rare Imperial Qianlong porcelain vase is displayed at Sotheby's auction company in Paris on May 22, 2018. (THOMAS SAMSON/AFP/Getty Images)
"Chinese art has been admired and collected across Europe for centuries, but the importance of certain pieces is occasionally lost over time," Henry Howard-Sneyd, Sotheby's chairman of Asian Art for Europe and the Americas, said in a statement.
Howard Sneyd also advised people to search their attics since they might unknowingly have other important Chinese artifacts.
Follow Gabrielle on Twitter
Send tips to gabrielle@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
Tags : china france paris
Gabrielle Okun


text:
Le Championnat britannique des voitures de tourisme 1975 était la  du championnat britannique des voitures de tourisme, remporté par l'anglais Andy Rouse. Le championnat a débuté à Mallory Park le  et s'est terminé à Brands Hatch le .

Calendrier

Classement final

Pilotes

Liens externes
 Résultats du BTCC
 Site officiel
 Saison du BTCC 1975 en détail

Sport automobile en 1975
Championnat de Grande-Bretagne des voitures de tourisme
1975 au Royaume-Uni

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Cicada as Japanese culture
Over thirty species of cicadas live in Japan and almost everywhere in Japan, cicadas sing their songs in summer, even in downtown of Tokyo or Osaka. So cicada-songs are very familiar to Japanese people.
Their songs are the symbol of hot summer season and used in many movies, TV dramas and TV commercials to express summer or its hotness.
The movie, "Semi Shigure" (based on a novel by Shuhei Fujisawa), whose English title is "The Samurai I Loved", and a TV production of the story was called "Love And War Of A Samurai", cicada-songs are used as a symbol of the scene that the hero carried his father's dead body on cart in hottest summer. "Semi Shigure" means the situation that many cicadas' song/chorus come down from high trees as if rainy shower fall from high. "Shigure" means scattered showers.
In Japan, we can buy some insects, for example, Kabuto-mushi (beetles), Kuwagata-mushi (stag beetles) and Suzu-mushi (bell crickets) etc. in shops. Boys love Kabuto-mushi and Kuwagata-mushi for pets; and many people love Suzu-mushi's song. Though we can not buy cicadas in shops, many Japanese boys collect/hunt them. Cicada-hunting is one of the most popular play of boys in summer holidays in Japan.
This is Japanese culture.
Back to the top page


text:
When's the last time a game gave you a tough moral choice?
The big moral choice was a selling point in narrative games for a long time. They were seen as so essential they were shoehorned into BioShock even though Ken Levine didn't want them, just because they made a good back-of-the-box feature. Lately, though, they've been rarer. RPGs like Disco Elysium and The Outer Worlds have given us some tough decisions, but they feel like exceptions. BioWare haven't made one of these games for a while, Telltale aren't around any more, and few other developers have stepped up to the plate.
When's the last time a game gave you a tough moral choice? Here are our answers, plus a few from our forum.
(Image credit: Bethesda)
Emma Matthews: I played through Fallout: New Vegas last year to get in the mood for The Outer Worlds, and it's filled with moral choices. I was determined to take out Mr. House for the latter portion of the game, and didn't hesitate when I finally arrived at his little pod. New Vegas' abrupt ending and quick summary reminded me that it didn't have to end that way, though. It didn't feel like a tough decision at the time, but after reading a few threads that explored the other options, where they led, and why people picked them, it forced me to think about my hasty decision.
James Davenport: On brand yet again: I dig the ending of Dark Souls. Any Dark Souls game, really. You're given the opportunity to link the fire or put that shit out, and in this scenario, the fire represents Mankind. Putting it out eliminates all people, everywhere, until the eternal dragons and whatever else get bored or accidentally fuck something up that leads to the creation of humanity again. The problem here is choosing between perpetuating the thieving, insatiable thirst for power that man kinda just puts out into the world or saying hell no, let these stones rest, violence isn't the answer, neither is life or death or anything in between. It kinda boils down most big moral questions in videogames. Awareness or nothing? Make the big moral choice, you all-knowing gamer, you.
Andy Chalk: I finally got around to playing Soma a few months ago, and if you've played it you probably already know which moment I'm talking about. (And if you haven't, major spoiler ahead, and believe me, you don't want to spoil this if you have any intention of playing it someday.)
Around the midpoint of the game, the lead character's consciousness is transferred into a new body—except it's not a transfer, it's a copy, leaving the "original" unconscious but alive. At that point you're given a choice: Leave him (that is, the former and technically still you) behind, trapped forever in a hellish underwater nightmare with no hope of escape, or switch off the life support, euthanizing him, to save him from the horror. The decision has no real impact on the game, there's no morality system tracking your progress and nothing to be gained or lost from going either way. No right or wrong at all, really. It's just a big, deeply messed-up choice that lands out of nowhere, and you're stuck with making it.
(Image credit: Obsidian)
Jody Macgregor: The Outer Worlds asked me to choose between corporations who bury people in debt over funeral fees on one side, and rebel outsider environmentalists on the other. I went with the latter knowing full well that the game was going to pull the rug out from under me with a "well actually" at some point, and when it did I rolled my eyes and doubled down on the side I'd already chosen. It felt artificial and predictable and had no impact on me at all, which unfortunately was true of a lot of The Outer Worlds. (Except for Parvati's sidequest, obv.) I want games to keep trying this stuff, but reducing morality to an immediate gotcha like this doesn't work anymore.
Pifanjr: I was playing Mass Effect as a complete paragon. I don't even remember if this was in the first or second game or even what the context was, but I remember having to choose between sparing someone and killing them and my finger hovered over the renegade button for a while, knowing my time was running out, not being able to make the decision.
I don't remember what decision I made. I do think I made one before the timer ran out. I think I might've actually chosen the renegade option and reloaded to change it, but I'm not sure. I really only clearly remember that moment of indecision about whether this guy was worth sparing.
(Image credit: EA)
Frindis: The Arl of Redcliffe quest from Dragon Age: Origins and the decision you have to take at the end of it. It was not easy and when all was done, I walked out feeling like I was the bad guy.
McStabStab: Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales had some tough decisions that made me wonder how another playthrough might go. Also Frostpunk. You're often choosing one evil over another, trying to balance resources, hope, and what's left of humanity. The first time you mix sawdust into the food or execute someone over the steam vents you may start to feel your conscience nagging you.
zippygeorgeandben: I find myself in dilemmas everytime I have to create a character on a game. Lasts about 2 hours!
(Image credit: Owlcat)
Zloth: Pathfinder: Kingmaker had a good one. Nok-Nok built a statue to his deity, the Mother of Monsters. The city folks were NOT pleased about a statue to an evil deity being built, even if it was outside of town. My neutral-good character certainly wasn't going to be happy, either. The thing is, Nok Nok was far and away the best character in my party. He had saved us countless times already and would do so many more times in the coming months. He had earned the right to some autonomy!
I stared at the screen for a good while on that one but eventually made him tear it down. I reasoned that, if Nok Nok didn't tear it down now, some mob of city folks would try and sneak in to do it and probably get themselves killed in the process. My city could tear itself apart over something like that, so down the statues went.
(Image credit: Skydance Interactive)
XoRn: In The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners the very first quest giver asks you to kill her turned husband, and bring his wedding ring back to her. She's lost contact with her children and once in possession of the ring hopes to set out and find them. When you complete the quest (SPOILERS, but again, it's the VERY first quest of the game really), you discover a letter written by the husband, a shotgun, and two small bodies covered with bloody sheets. Even without the confession on the letter, the implication is obvious.
When you return the ring you're given the choice to tell her about the children or not. If you tell her she becomes furious with you and demands proof, which you can provide with the letter. If you don't tell her, then she simply thanks you and gives you your quest reward.
It's a harsh introduction to the world of The Walking Dead (for someone who has never bothered with the show at least) and made all the grim when you realize you can kill NPCs. Now on top of your initial choice you might just grapple with having to commit an additional act of violence that you might feel justified in doing, regardless of if you told her or not.
Sinner: That ring looked like it might be worth something after all.
Saint: "Tell me about the rabbits George…"
Dakkon: Telltale's The Walking Dead series, especially The Last Season where you care about AJ and your decision making actually determines and influences his upbringing and understanding what's good and what's wrong.
(Image credit: Paradox)
Sarafan: It has to be Tyranny. The game is full of tough choices, if you prefer to play as a good character. But one moment owns it all. In one of the chapters you have to decide about the fate of a newly born child. The Kyros's will is to kill it. The player has an option to do a workaround, but it's still an extremely hard moment, especially if you're playing a character which doesn't oppose Kyros. I couldn't do it and decided to go with the workaround. It's only a game, but it felt so bad! The mind is not that easy to reason if you're fully immersed in a game.
invader: The one that comes to mind at this point is on Phoenix Wright 2 final case. In it you have to extend the case for as long as you can because the life of your dear friends are on the line and need time for a friend/antagonist to rescue them. The game was brilliant in making me suffer through all the trial to get a little more time and you get to the point that there is absolutly no more ways to drag the case, no more clues, discussions and/or questioning. and you have to make the decision to end it one way or another. It was horrible to decide if the fuc%&$ was going to walk away or my friends died
(Image credit: Bethesda Softworks)
Johnway: The last game that made put me in a tough moral dilemma was Prey. In fact there was 2 situations that made you decide the fate on survivors lives. That's not counting on the people who you could rescue or kill them.
If you don't want to know, look away now:
The first was in the testing lab where you had someone who was stuck in a test chamber who was a live subject to a horrible experiment. If you spare him, he would give you the code to the armory where a prize shotgun, mobile turrets and ammo awaits. Kill him and you get valuable crafting resources. What makes it tricky? if you read the volunteer's record before hand you'll discover that he is apparently a pedophile that lies through life selling drugs and trafficking or kidnapping people. Scum of the earth. Can you trust this man? Does this man deserve to die? he does plead for his life, but can you trust him or is it another act?
My decision: Spare him. There was only humans and aliens and i would trust humans over the alien threat that couldn't be reasoned with. Plus i already raided the armory without his help. I managed to shoot a plastic dart at the lock and open it from the other side. if he wanted to betray me, i already had the shotgun ready to deliver swift justice.
The second one is slightly more detached but no less harrowing. A space shuttle left just minutes before the carnage on the station began. The shuttle wasn't properly checked and its about to land on Earth! it might be ok, after all nothing turned up on security scans… But then again, they weren't searching for typhon…
Do we scuttle the craft killing everyone innocent onboard or do we pray its safe and let it return to Earth but risk it spreading uncontrollably?
my decision after a bit of thinking? Scuttle it. The risk was too great. Better to be safe rather then sorry.
Choice, game, gave, moral, Time, Tough, Whens
Amazon's Lord Of The Rings Series Full Name Revealed In New Teaser
The Sims 4 is getting customisable pronouns
Eiyuden Chronicle JRPG from Suikoden developers to be crowdfunded
League of Legends Yone champion, brother to Yasuo, arrives in new trailer


Strengthen your back and open your shoulders and chest as you move step by step into Dhanurasana.
Strengthens your back; opens your shoulders and chest; stabilizes your legs; improves hip-flexor function; stimulates digestion and energy flow in your internal organs.
Begin by lying on your belly with your arms in a cactus position on the floor. As you inhale, gently squeeze your shoulder blades back toward each other. Then, progress by lifting your chest, your head, and the top of your ribs off the floor. Exhale, and on your next inhalation, lift your legs off the floor. Press your feet together and keep your legs active and engaged. Bend your elbows as if squeezing them toward each other behind you.
that your tailbone is free to lift as the top of your sacrum moves toward the floor. (This is important to avoid low-back strain.) However, if you feel any pinching or compression in the low back, lower the pose until you feel comfortable. Don't forget to always start slowly and listen to your body as you progress.
Model and teacher Jodi Blumstein has been a devoted student of Ashtanga Yoga since 1994. In 1998, she opened the first Ashtanga Yoga school in Chicago, and for the past 11 years, she has been teaching the practice at YogaWorks Center for Yoga in Los Angeles. To learn more, visit jodiblumstein.com or check out her classes at yogaglo.com.


So, what think you? Comments and suggestions welcome.
One of my favorite classes from conference was titled Working with Your Pattterns for Fit and Creativity, taught by Susan Lazear, a teacher in the fashion program at Mesa College in San Diego. Contrary to many sewing instructors, Susan is not keen on using fitting muslins. Her approach is to measure clothing that you already have in your closet to learn the garment measurements you prefer, and then to use that information to modify commercial patterns.
For example, if you have a v-neck t-shirt that you really like, measure both the length and width of the neck opening. Use those numbers to help you tweak the fit on all shirts and dress patterns calling for a v-neck.
Susan also developed a software program named Garment Designer by Cochenille Design Studio to help sewists with fitting problems. I have not used this software program, tho I have to admit it looked rather intriguing. The main reason I have balked at all of the pattern-making software programs is the Scoth tape issue. The thought of taping up a million or so sheets of 8.5×11 inch paper and driving to the store every week for a new ink supply has no appeal. None whatsoever. Simply BOR-ring! But Garment Designer caught my eye, so I may have to investigate this one a bit.
What are your thoughts? Do you use any pattern-making software? What do you like and what do you dislike?
What a great accomplishment – a completed quilt! Personally, I have started more than one quilt, but have not been so successful with actually finishing them. My young student, Kathryn, has been working on this quilt for the past few sewing sessions, and today she finished it up. What a great job she did! She coordinated a nice selection of fabrics, laid them out in a pleasing arrangement, and stitched them together nice and accurately, too. There were lots of decisions along the way, a bit o' ripping, and plenty of hard work. Today was the day we stitched on the binding, and called it good. I am really proud of Kathryn. As I mentioned earlier, actually completing quilts is not my strong suit, so I bow to anyone who can cross the finish line.
Great job, Kathryn – keep sewing!
Well, I am physically (if not exactly mentally) back from my very first ASG Conference. It was really, really, REALLY great. I took an all-day jeans fitting workshop with Jennifer Stern last Thursday (pictured above), and then Friday thru Sunday I took 3 workshops each and every day. What a great collection of instructors and sewing nerds! It was just as informative and fun to talk with women from all around the country as it was to hear what the teachers shared in ther lectures and demos.
I think my favorite class turned out to be Susan Lazear's Working with Your Pattterns for Fit and Creativity. I switched into this class on Sunday at the last minute, and boy am I glad I did. Susan is AWESOME. She owns Cochenille Design Studio, and developed a nifty software program titled Garment Designer to help women with fit and styling issues. I really dug her logical, analytical approach to improving fit using commmercial patterns, and hope to be implementing some changes in my processes based on her recommendations.
So now it is back to dishes, toilets, cooking, and taking care of the pooch. Ah well, LA was great while it lasted, and you will be hearing more (much more!) on this subject very soon.
…tomorrow morning for the ASG conference in Los Angeles. Time permitting, I will try to post about the fun classes I am taking and the awesome sewing nerds I hope to meet. Until I return on the 22nd, the blog may be a little quiet.
Here is a little eye candy for the next week – my very own Rocketeer! Saaaaaa-weeeeeeeeeeeet!
Singer 500, also known as the Rockeeter. Bet you are SO jealous!
I love the retro vibe, but I do not have many things in my closet that could be classified as vintage styling. I think I just might change that! I fell in love with this Butterick pattern, and decided it would be a fun dress to make and wear at the ASG Fashion Show. So I found some darling Betsy Johnson embroidered cotton black dot fabric that suited this pattern to a T, and made up a quick muslin of the top to check the placement of that V-neckline. It needed a little adjusting and I was all set.
One of the things I liked about this pattern was the dress has a full back – which of course means I can still wear a bra but it looks like a halter-ish style from the front. And I double-heart the tie in the back!
OK, maybe I didn't get that tied very well, but you get the idea. A couple of long wrap around ends that cross in the front and then tie in the back. Cute, eh?
And are these the perfect shoes for the dress or what?!? They might be "15 minute" shoes, but I will at least look good walking into the room. All I have to do is make it to my table and sit down for dinner. I can slip them off under the table if they are killers.
Peep toe beaded black shoes!
Now I wonder if I can get another dress or skirt done today….
In just a few days I will be heading to Los Angeles for my first ever American Sewing Guild Conference. This is where all the REALLY BIG sewing nerds collect once a year to take classes and geek out on all things sewing. Right up my alley!
The two classes I am most excited about are the all-day Jeans Fitting workshop taught by Jennifer Haseman (aka Jennifer Stern on patternreview.com), and her Professional Techniques for Jeans Construction session which should add the icing to my jeans-making. Eeeck! Total geek out! Like everyone else, I love wearing jeans, and am always looking for ways to improve fitting and construction techniques for myself and my students.
I am also totally pumped about the session on men's sportswear. There is not much out there about sewing for men, and it should be fun to learn a few more techniques for the man men in my life. Other classes on my agenda include Fibers and Fabrics (might get to burn stuff!), some seam and hem finish workshops, a bit o' Vintage Inspiration, making purses with "professional flair", and how to work with sheer fabrics. Nothing but fun times ahead for me. A couple of days of vaca with my DH before deep immersion into all things sewing. Heaven!
Lycra – love it or hate it?
Lycra® (or spandex), is that wonderfully stretchy fiber added to lots of fabric and RTW clothing these days. It was originally developed by DuPont (now Invista) in 1958 as an alternative to rubber.
How about you? Are you a lycra lover or hater? Or somewhere in the middle, like me?


One simple price of $90 for almost all your everyday electrical needs. No hidden fees, minimal waiting time and don't forget our on-time guarantee!
Emergency callouts, fit-outs, test and tag, maintenance and repairs. Get your business running smoothly and safely with just one phone call.
Residential and commercial air conditioning installations. Zero-interest payment, easy-to-understand packages and full safety accreditation.
New homes, property developments, and fit-outs. Residential, commercial and industrial projects of all sizes. Team up with a contractor you can rely on!
Proactive and reactive maintenance for homes and businesses throughout Southeast QLD. Safety and compliance checks, audits and odd jobs of all types.
Prowire Electrical specialise in electrical installations, data and communications, air conditioning, new constructions (domestic and commercial) and maintenance. As a small and focused team, we enjoy the opportunity to work on a diverse range of projects, from installing extra power points through to major commercial switchboard upgrades and new constructions. We are a family-owned business that has, since starting out in 2010, thrived on word-of-mouth referrals and solid reputation for innovative, cost-effective service. Our team of experienced, well-trained electricians strive to provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision, whether you're a home owner, commercial client or body corporate.


photos: Dean Wilson was a plaintiff in the 2011 InSite case and used heroin for decades. As a methadone patient, he's angry about being used as "a guinea pig." Photo: Garth Mullins.
A crisis of opiate overdose deaths is spreading across the country, and how we respond could save lives. But the drug war is still being waged from Ottawa, despite its abject failure around the world.
Over the past two decades, overdose deaths have shot way up in Canada— now between 1,000 and 2,000 every year. But in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside (DTES), the numbers have gone down dramatically over the last decade, according to the Urban Health Research Initiative. The difference? In the DTES, the war on drugs is somewhat in retreat. Dr. Benedikt Fischer, an expert in mental health, addiction and drug policy, explains that "targeted interventions like naloxone [a drug that reverses the effects of overdose], methadone and [the safe-injection site] InSite have caused a strong relative decrease" in overdose deaths.
But it wasn't always this way. Back in the 1990s, someone died of an overdose in the DTES almost every day. The tiny neighbourhood had the highest HIV transmission rate in the industrialized world.
few services that did exist were often restrictive.
So the community started to organize. There were meetings and protests. In 1998, the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users (VANDU) was formed. A politicized movement of users, community workers, and allies emerged. The stigma of addiction began to lift—at least in this neighbourhood.
The war on drugs is an old-school, law and order approach: cops, jails and "just say no." It's a favourite of right-wing governments.
that some drug use may continue. The difference between the two is whether you believe drug addiction is a moral failing or a medical condition.
A friend tells me about how he overdosed a couple years back. "I got really high—then nothing, like when you get your wisdom teeth out," he recalls.
His breakfast that day was a sizable hit of heroin. But rather than being alone, as he would have been in the '90s, my friend was at InSite, where trained staff keep a sharp eye out for overdoses. "I woke up on the floor, on my back with a bunch of people looking down at me." Had he not been given naloxone [more commonly known as Narcan] twice, in short order, my friend would have been "dead as a doorknob," as he describes it. This story has been repeated hundreds of times each year since InSite opened.
Before there was InSite, activists organized their own unsanctioned, guerilla safe injection sites. This pressured and embarrassed authorities into moving ahead with an official pilot facility in 2003—an experiment that became what is now North America's only supervised-injection facility. After more than a decade, thousands of saved lives, a stack of research and lengthy legal battles, InSite is here to stay. Even police publicly encourage drug users to go there.
the country are working to turn that around. Montreal's Cactus needle exchange continues to push for the four supervised injection sites that were promised to the city in 2013. And last summer in Toronto, the city's public health agency recommended opening several small sites.
After losing a protracted legal battle to close InSite in 2011, the government proposed legislation in 2013 that would erect a number of barriers to the opening of any new safe injection sites.
a small group of entrenched heroin addicts for whom methadone is not effective. Prescription heroin trials have proven to have positive health and social outcomes for these patients.
According to the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition: "Rates of overdose from opioids are on the increase in Canada." Every year, between 1,000 and 2,000 people die from opiate overdose in Canada, according to drug policy expert Dr. Benedikt Fischer. This year, there have been 550 opioid-related deaths in Ontario, where it's the third leading cause of accidental death. In June, a spate of overdoses in Montreal had public health officials worried. Overdose deaths are also alarming medical authorities in Hamilton, Ontario. In suburban Vancouver, there were 13 fatal overdoses in the first four months of this year. About 900 people have died of accidental overdose in Toronto between 2002 and 2010.
So, how are the feds proposing to stop the overdose crisis?
Recently, Health Canada announced plans to require that all prescription opiates "at high risk of abuse" be made physically tamper resistant—difficult to crush and snort, or cook up and inject.
when I lived in London. As a result, regular morphine pills started being manufactured as little green jelly bean- looking things. People shot them up anyway, but a new additive caused the drug to congeal in the veins or under the skin. There were terrible abscesses. On the street, I heard of users losing limbs—and still people kept injecting.
the bloodstream, and other forms of tamper-proofing, won't necessarily address the overdose problem. For Dr. Fischer, it's about the over-prescription of opiates, not their diversion into the arms or noses of users. "It won't make a big dent. Most overdose deaths don't involve tampering," he said.
Methadone in B.C. has already been made tamper-resistant. In February, patients were switched to a methadone syrup which is supposed to be much harder to shoot up than the old stuff. But like the morphine pills in the U.K., people are doing it anyway, and some are getting very bad abscesses. As I reported in Megaphone in June, many patients are also finding it does not last as long, leaving them in withdrawal and relapsing back to heroin use.
Dean Wilson was a plaintiff in the 2011 InSite case and used heroin for decades. As a methadone patient, he's angry about being used as "a guinea pig." He told me that trying to tamper- proof prescription drugs is pointless: "Junkies are always going to find a way to beat the system," he laughed, with dark humor.
Fischer agrees. "Drug users can circumvent tamper-proofing," he says. "Weeks after the new [tamper- proof] OxyNEO came out, people had figured out a way around. It's not an effective deterrent and there can be complications ... people can get sick, it can be a horrible experience." He also said that users often simply switch to a riskier option.
The illicit use of prescription drugs cannot simply be banned or engineered away. In the depths of addiction, people often do not have the capacity to respond to the 'deterrent' of tamper proofing. And, such high-handed solutions can cause new problems— health complications and riskier behaviours.
What does work, experts say, is involving, empowering, and educating users and community members— giving people the agency to help themselves, not taking it away with authoritarian measures.
After a recent rash of overdoses on the DTES, the Drug Users Resource Centre rushed to put on a Narcan course.
the stakes. Most people in the crowd knew someone who died of an overdose. Locher explained the signs of overdose, and demonstrated how to administer Narcan.
One attendee played the overdose victim, sprawling out on the floor.
As people signed up to get their own Narcan kits, staff cautioned that police have been confiscating them. I'd heard rumours about this too.
I asked the Vancouver Police about it. Their media relations officer, Randy Fincham, states in an email: "I am unaware of our members seizing Narcan. Nor have our members been directed to do so." I asked if the police currently carry Narcan as part of their kits. Fincham says the VPD is leaving that to medical professionals.
Locher thinks anyone with the training should have access to Narcan.
Back in Ottawa, it may be hard for some to accept any approach that's not about totally quitting drugs. But putting aside ideology, looking at the science, and most importantly, listening to those contending with addiction, it's easy to see that "just saying no" is not possible for everybody.
Chronic physical pain and deep psychological trauma have launched many long and pernicious habits. The chance for health, security, staying out of jail and a modicum of dignity should not be sacrificed on the altar of abstinence.
Like any war, a never-ending war on drugs will just bring more funerals.


Mom Loves 2 Read: Bow Sweet Bow visits Mom Loves 2 Read ~ Check out these adorable bows and one adorable girl!
Bow Sweet Bow visits Mom Loves 2 Read ~ Check out these adorable bows and one adorable girl!
I'd like to introduce all my readers to a new store I'm absolutely in love with - It's a store on ETSY (etsy.com) called Bow Sweet Bow. The online store is run by a talented woman who has 4 daughters to use as models. She designs and creates beautiful hairbows, and more, for the adorable girls in her life and in the lives of her customers.
I was able to choose a magnetic hairbow with a selection of 4 different magnetic attachments for this review.
This adorable bow is layered with two different shades of pink, and has green and white added to make an adorable Spring time style bow.
It is made with a durable magnet in the center so that it can be personally customized with the customer's choice of different bottlecap designs for multiple outfits or multiple girls to share (like my two).
I chose 4 bottlecaps to use that I love and are perfect for a couple different outfits that both of my girls will be wearing this Spring. I also chose each of the girls their own personal bottlecaps.
The green zebra stripe for Lydia of course and the adorable owls will match many outfits this Spring (and they were both so cute I couldn't choose between the two).
*The durable magnet sticks the bottlecaps on securely - I recommend holding the bow securely in one hand and carefully removing the bottlecap with the other as they do stick very well. Very unlikely that the bottlecap will ever "fall" off!
I love the vibrant colors, the quality of the bow and the bottlecaps and how quickly they were shipped out to me. My daughter's both love having fun and cute things to put in their hair - and Lydia asks me nearly every day if she can wear one of the "special bows" that came in the "cute paper" - (they came wrapped in adorable tissue paper).
Assisted by one of my favorite review helpers (Lydia), I have taken some pictures of the bows, bottlecap attachments and the magnetic bow for you to see how fun and simple it is to use, and to switch out the different bottlecaps for whichever outfit, mood or style you or your daughter wants for the day. What a great way to save money, and still create unique and fun looks to match mulitple outfits, go with different girls, different styles and just different "moods"
Here are the two additional bows I purchased for my girls - our family loves Star Wars, and how could I resist a bow that says "Sorry girls, but I'm my brother's biggest fan!"
What a great Helper! I can't believe my little girl is turning 5 next week! Bow Sweet Bow has a new Special that is "hot off the presses" so to speak - A Special set of hairbows for the major holidays of the year . . .
A year of hair bows offer! One Valentine's Day bow, One St. Patrick's Day bow, One Easter Bow, One 4th of July bow, One Halloween Bow, One Thanksgiving Bow, One Christmas Bow, and One Birthday bow for $36. That comes out to be $4.50 each!
Click HERE to see lots more adorable bows on her facebook page.
I received one or more products in the post above for review purposes only. I was in no way required to write a positive review. All my reviews are my honest and personal opinion. If you have any questions or comments, please see my FTC disclosure or Review Policy.


Security deposit: $150. Application fee: $50. Other fees may apply, please contact property for details.
Comments: ECI's pet friendly communities welcome most breeds of dogs. However, because certain breeds do not thrive in a community environment, we cannot accommodate the following breeds, dogs resembling these breeds or mixes of these breeds: Akita, American Staffordshire Terrier, Bull Terrier, Chow, Doberman, Dogo Argentino, German Shepherd, Husky, Pit Bull, Presa Canario, Rottweiler and Wolf Hybrid. Please contact the Leasing Office for the weight limit at your specific community.
Apartments at The Columns at Hiram are equipped with W/D Connection, Window Coverings and Large Patios Balconies and have rental rates ranging from $1,020 to $1,550. This apartment community also offers amenities such as State-of-the-Art Fitness Center, Clubhouse and Nature Trail and is located on 6736 Bill Carruth Parkway in the 30141 zip code. Browse through 1 Bedroom Apts, 2 Bedroom Apts or 3 Bedroom Apts with floorplans ranging from 801 Sq.Ft to 1417 Sq.Ft., choose your next home in the Columns at Hiram community and apply for a lease online! The ECI Management Corporation property management company will verify your lease application and send you a timely response. Once you become a resident of The Columns at Hiram, you will be able to pay your rent online, submit maintenance requests, and get community news by logging in securely to your Resident Portal.
Hi, I found the listing for The Columns at Hiram on RENTCafe.com and I am interested to find out more or schedule a visit.