When injected into a muscle responsible for strong facial expression lines, it blocks the nerve signal to that muscle which then allows the muscle to relax in that particular area only, leaving a smoother, fresher, natural look. It can take up to 14 days for the full effect to take place and the result can last 3-4 months. After this period, the muscle movement returns back to normal and you will need to be treated again.
After a thorough face to face medical consultation and examination a bespoke treatment plan will be created for you. The treatment in itself can take as little as 10 minutes. A small amount of the botulinum toxin is injected into the areas required with a very fine needle. The experience is relatively painless when done by trained experienced hands and the use of anaesthetics is rarely if ever necessarily.
BOTOX® has been FDA approved since 2002 with millions of treatments provided. It is used across medicine in many licensed and unlicensed indications including armpit sweating and migraines as well as being used for spasticity in children and adults.
Most side effects are simply down to the needle entering the skin causing some minor redness, risk of bruising or swelling. These are temporary if they occur at all and the vast majority of people find they can go about most of their daily duties straight away.
As it is a prescription only medicine there may be some rare side effects and this will be discussed with you at your consultation.
This treatment is not recommended for pregnant or breast feeding women. Individuals with muscle disorders (such as myasthenis gravis) are also not treated. Any other specifics will be discussed with you at your consultation.


Amergaurd offers an variety of equipment ranging from air driven-electric-hydraulic plural component high pressure machines. After we help you determine what equipment is best for you, based off the information provided. We give you a good, better, best option for your business needs.
Graco's Reactor is a state-of-the-art proportioning system that gives superior performance, control and accuracy. It is designed to apply polyurea, foam and other fast-set materials that require accurate temperatures and pressures necessary to achieve ultimate results.
Coat A HP / Coat B HP is a two component, 1:1, 100% solids, fast set, liquid applied, modified polyurea liner system for metal, concrete, fiberglass and wood surfaces.
Neutral or Black. Custom colors are available upon request.
Coat A HP / Coat B HP may be applied at any rate to achieve desired thickness. Theoretical coverage per gallon is 1600 sq. ft. at 1 mil.
Coat A HP / Coat B HP may not be diluted under any circumstances. Thoroughly mix Coat B HP Side-B Base material with air driven power equipment until a homogeneous mixture and color is obtained.
Side-B base material must be thoroughly agitated until a homogenous mixture is obtained. Do not allow air to be incorporated into the product. Total suspension must be achieved. Side-A Isocyanate requires no mixing.
Both Side-A and Side-B materials should be preconditioned at 75-80°F before application. Coat A HP / Coat B HP should be applied using a plural component, heated, high pressure 1:1 spray mixing equipment like Graco?s Hydra Cat, Gusmer or other equivalent machine may be used.
Both Side-A and Side-B materials should be sprayed at temperatures above 150°F. Adequate pressure and temperature should be maintained at all times.


All rolled up together…small balls of fur cuddled up like an entity, with closed eyes, they look like angelic beauties. Yes! We are talking about a pack of new born pups. To preserve these gifts of God, we have to be extra careful about their upbringing, especially for the first eight weeks, which has a strong influence on their personality and development. Here's how to bring up the smartest, healthiest and most disciplined pooch.
When a pup is born, his first socialization starts with his mom and it's the strongest bond… Puppy's relationship with his mother and siblings during the first eight weeks is most important as it plays a vital role in his development and his attributes, in later life. The first test of life starts with his littermates only, where the smartest one of the pack gets maximum nourishment and mother care. Nature has given an instinct in everyone that helps him survive.
In the first two weeks, newborn puppies spend more than 90 percent of their time sleeping… They are unable to produce body heat, so doggy mom just keeps them huddled together for warmth. Their natural instincts guide them to reach their mom for feed and heat. But their legs are so weak that they cannot even crawl, so if mother allows, caretaker or breeder can help puppy in getting nourished. Mother's milk is important as it is a rich source of antibodies, which helps them grow stronger. Mom takes good care of pups in everyway; she licks and cleans the pups and also cleans pup's anogenital area, which helps them urinate and defecate.
At this stage, a pup's senses become fully active, he can see, smell and feel. He will react to light and respond to loud noises as well… better check yourself, just ring the bell…. or try a torchlight…he will react in an adoring way. He even starts pawing his littermates and moves a little also. Even though he has started relieving himself, he still needs to be cared. He should not be weaned, but we can start giving some supplements to him. And you will also notice the first wag of your pup at this stage…all tails up!
In these two weeks, one will notice the maximum and fastest growth of li'l puppies… they start crawling, walking and even running. They start playing with the littermates and this is the time doggy mom becomes the strict guide, she teaches discipline and set limits for each pup…and this is every pup's first lesson to behave. The pups now bark and make themselves audible for their needs and requirements.
It is the best time to start socializing with them. They will develop acquaintance with the surroundings and mix well with the human companions as well, besides littermates and other things. The pups also start having first teeth at this stage. Start giving them soft food to chew, the caretaker or the children in house should take this opportunity to start feeding them to develop a long human-canine bonding with them.
The mamma's little boy starts looking more like his breed, his muzzle elongates. The expressions become clearer, he barks in defense, whimpers in fear, and wags in excitement. He will start demanding pat and pampering…in a typical pooches' way.
Now they can eat solid food as well, so start dog food, as mother for sure, will wean them at this stage. The urge to explore newer horizons increases rapidly by the end of this stage; he will sniff for new places and things…always on a lookout for something new.
This is the stage, he is fully aware of his behaviour and knows when to feed, roam, urinate or defecate. He gets used to human intervention in grooming, feeding, and playing etc. During this period, the war of supremacy reaches a newer level, you will observe strong behavioural changes and reactions. At this time, he is ready to leave his littermates and find a new loving family for himself. Are the pet lovers listening ?
Thyroid problems – canines get affected too!


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We hate slow sites more than you do.
As we all know, there are a million moving parts when it comes to maintaining and improving upon a dynamic, web application platform. Both IT and Marketing have a stake in the long-term success of these projects, as does the creative agency on record. If your site was built early on by an agency or a development team that was new to the platform, then they likely built your site around the CMS vs. inside it, making it poorly architected, has significant performance issues and cumbersome at best for your authors.
We're ready to help you speed up your website performance, no matter who built it. Mobile content, enterprise portals, e-commerce shopping carts, and everything in between — we'll make sure your user gets your site faster and protect you from any surges and spikes in traffic.
There are a myriad moving parts when it comes to maintaining and improving upon a dynamic, web application platform. Both IT and Marketing have a stake in the long-term success of these projects, as does the creative agency on record. If your site was built early on by an agency or a development team that was new to the platform, they likely built your site around the CMS vs. inside it, making it poorly architected with performance issues.
Platform & Hosting Review
Often times clients are behind on the platform, thus not taking advantage code fixes and patches that would solve some of their immediate issues. Rather than throw out the investment, the situation really calls for a platform capabilities review, an upgrade to the most recent version and some training on the work area.
With a Code Performance Audit, we are going to explore your platform from the inside out and make certain we understand exactly where this site has been, and where it is going.
These on-site, comprehensive performance audits include the following:
Hosting Environment Review
Current Hosting Environment Specifications
Infrastructure Configuration (IIS, SQL, etc..)
Redundancy & Risk Management
CDN Utilization
DNS Redundancy Review
Disaster Recovery Strategy & Configuration
Future Growth & Traffic Spike Considerations
.NET CMS Web Platform Review
Code Development History (Versions, # Dev teams)
Current State of VB vs. C# Code Base
Caching Strategy
Folder Layouts
SQL Architecture & Usage Review
Content Author Workflow Analysis
Content Sync Configuration
Admin, Content Author, and Developer Training Analysis

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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The Best Kitchen Torches in 2022
By Fred Decker May 4, 2022
Image Credit: John Joh/Moment/GettyImages
Cooking and fire go back a long, long way, and they're still strong partners even in the modern age. You may or may not cook over gas in your kitchen, but the backyard grill and—increasingly—kitchen torches help keep that connection intact. Even for the most "indoorsy" of cooks, there's something innately satisfying about using an open flame to prepare your meal (or dessert).
While most of us have a pretty good idea of what we like in a grill, buying a kitchen blow torch is unfamiliar territory for many cooks. If you think you'd like one but aren't quite sure, relax ... we've got you covered. Stay tuned and we'll break down what sets the best kitchen torches apart, and how to pick one that's right for you.
Kitchen Torch Uses
A kitchen torch is admittedly not one of the basic fundamentals that you automatically need in your kitchen, like measuring cups or pots and pans, so it's worth taking a moment to talk about how surprisingly versatile a torch can be. Everyone knows you can use a kitchen torch for creme brûlée, but that's just the starting point.
Once you've got one, you'll use it to roast the skins on peppers and tomatoes for easy removal, for browning meringue on your pies, getting the breadcrumbs or cheese on your casseroles to a perfect golden brown, or even toasting marshmallows at midnight for s'mores without the campfire (we won't judge). We haven't even discussed yet what it can do for meats, or for barbecue and grilling. The glaze on your ham didn't caramelize? Hit it with the torch. The skin on your slow-roasted pork butt didn't bubble and puff? Get some flame on it. Cooked a steak sous-vide and want to get some nice char on it? You bet. Heck, you can even use the torch to light your charcoal in a hurry.
What to Consider When Purchasing a Kitchen Torch
Fuel Type: Kitchen torches invariably run on either butane or propane. Butane comes in two standard forms: The slender cans used for refilling lighters, and the larger cans used in portable stoves. Most torches use the former, but a few use the latter. Torches using propane tend to be larger and heavier-duty. They'll take either the small, stubby tanks you'd use on a portable stove or the longer, slender variety used on a plumber's torch (spoiler: they're not just for plumbing). All of these fuel sources work well, just be aware that most butane-powered torches require frequent refueling.
Size and Design: Some torches are quite large, and others are relatively small. Some are utilitarian, and others are sleek and stylish. The size of your hands, the amount of storage space—for relatively little-used tools—and your own commitment to aesthetics will all factor into your purchase.
Comfort Level: Some of the kitchen torches in our roundup are intended for use by professional cooks (or even tradesmen) and are full-bore kitchen blow torches. They assume you have a degree of existing comfort and experience with using such a potent tool. Others are much smaller and have more in the line of safety features, making them a better option for occasional (or nervous) users.
Image Credit: Lucas Ninno/Moment/GettyImages
The Best Overall Kitchen Torch
Iwatani Professional Kitchen Torch
Iwatani is a well-established manufacturer of commercial cooking equipment, and that's exactly what this torch is. It won't dazzle your Instagram followers or color-coordinate with your linens, it's just a really good torch. That's why you'll see them in restaurants all across the continent, and that's why it's our top choice. The torch itself offers excellent control over your flame, dialing down to pencil-point precision for your creme brûlée but still becoming a roaring conflagration when you want to char a steak. The torch lights reliably and, once lit, stays going even when you remove your finger from the trigger (consumer models usually won't).
What you get for your money in this case is the torch mechanism itself, which clips directly onto a stove-style can of butane (sold separately). It's not visually elegant, but it is a deeply pragmatic approach to the design. It also means the torch itself is compact and easy to store when it's not in use.
Image Credit: Amazon/Iwatani
The Best Value Kitchen Torch
Gibot Butane Torch
There are plenty of highly-capable torches out there, but this one represents something of a sweet spot between low price and functionality. It couldn't be much simpler to operate: Fuel goes into the handle of the torch (it uses the same butane you'd use for refilling a lighter, which is sold separately), a button at the back of the torch ignites the flame and twists to lock or unlock it, and a sliding regulator at the side—like the one on a lighter—controls the flame. It holds enough butane for a few minutes' use per fill, depending on how big of a flame you use, and that's enough to do a batch of creme brûlée once you get the hang of it. This is a really basic unit and others have a lot more features, but at this price, it's an excellent choice for occasional use.
Image Credit: Amazon/Gibot
The Best Kitchen Torch for Beginners
Jo Chef Refillable Kitchen Torch
If you're reasonably confident that you'll use your torch a lot, this model from Jo Chef represents a substantial upgrade over the little Gibot, for a relatively modest increase in price. So what's different? Well, the Jo Chef holds more butane per fill, so you can sear or caramelize more food with it. The flame is more precise and adjustable, and the torch won't cut out mid-use like cheaper models often will. The torch stands up on a sturdy base, so you can light it and then set it down in order to work with both hands (that's more a craft thing, but it's sometimes handy for sugar work as well). The Jo Chef also has a safety lock to protect it from inquisitive kids, and it requires both hands to light it (a safety feature for home use; professional torches are made for one-hand ignition). Overall, this is an excellent kitchen tool.
Image Credit: Amazon/Jo Chef
The Best Kitchen Torch for the "Torch Hesitant"
Eurkitchen Premium Torch Lighter
It's great fun to watch professional chefs on TV flambeeing with aplomb or torching a perfect crust onto their beautifully-composed entrees with casual ease. It's quite another thing for a shaky-handed novice to try the same dish, and—let's face it—it's only natural to have qualms about wielding a tool that can operate at a couple of thousand degrees. If your desire to have a torch is tempered by a hesitancy to risk your fingers with one, this model from Eurkitchen is for you. Like the Jo Chef unit, it has a safety lock to prevent accidental ignition, and a fuel gauge so you'll know when it's time to refill. The big difference with this model is that the nozzle directs the flame away from your fingers at a sharper angle, and there's a plastic finger guard to protect you against any snaps and pops from hot sugar or fat.
Is it the best torch for the money, or the easiest to use? No, not really. But if a concern about injuring yourself is what keeps you from buying a torch, the Eurkitchen may be the safe option you need.
Image Credit: Amazon/Eurkitchen
The Best Heavy-Duty Kitchen Torch
TS8000KC Premium Torch Kit
$59.98 at The Home Depot
You might expect to see a Bernzomatic blow torch in your garage, or a tradesman's truck, and you'd be right: They're widely used for soldering, light welding and cutting, and a host of other practical uses. That doesn't mean they can't double as a kitchen torch, though. In fact, if you looked in professional kitchens, you'd find that most of the chefs who aren't using an Iwatani are using one of these. They're powerful but precise, able to go from diamond-like precision (for your delicate desserts) to an imposing blast of flame (for searing meats) at the twist of a dial. The torch head is designed to work at any angle, so it won't cut out as you work (an issue with lesser torches in this style), and it works with a big 14-ounce cylinder of propane (included in the kit) that will fuel you through months of frequent use.
Like the Iwatani, this torch isn't photogenic in the least. But if you're reluctant to buy single-task tools, this one—because of its non-culinary applications—might just be the best all-rounder.
Image Credit: The Home Depot/Bernzomatic
The Best Kitchen Torch for Barbecue
SearPro Gun-Style Cooking Torch
Some people fall into the "less is more" camp, while others gleefully embrace an over-the-top approach to life and kitchen wares. If you fall into the latter camp, the SearPro might just be the torch for you. It's visually distinctive, with its gun-style handgrip and its oversized torch chamber, and its performance backs up its looks. You can adjust the torch to the kind of pencil-point that's ideal for meringues and creme brûlée, but it really shines when you open up the throttle and crank out an absolute gust of flame to sear your meats or start your coals. It's practically a flamethrower, and its potential for "hold my beer" moments is probably its biggest downside. Like the Bernzomatic, this torch runs on large propane cylinders (sold separately) so there's plenty of fuel to keep the fun going.
Image Credit: Amazon/SearPro
How to Preheat a Gas Grill
How to Light a Blow Torch
Game-Changing Holiday Gifts for Home Cooks
The Best Smokers in 2022
Tools for Melting Gold & Platinum
13 Barbecue Must-Haves Picked by Grilling Experts


Voter registration ends Feb. 11 – Greene Publishing, Inc.
If you haven't registered to vote in the upcoming Greenville election, now is the time to do it. Monday, Feb. 11, is the last day to register or to change political party affiliation, according to the Madison County Supervisor of Elections Office.
Keep in mind also, that you must update your voter registration card if you've moved since the last election or changed your name. Any new registrations received after the Monday, Feb. 11, deadline will be deferred until after the election.
Election day for the Town of Greenville will take place on Tuesday, March 12, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Greenville residents can vote at the Greenville Senior Citizens Building, located at 166 SW Onslow St., in Greenville.
Voters may register in person at the Madison County Supervisor of Elections Office, located at 239 SW Pinckney St., in Madison, pick up the registration form there and mail or bring it back, or call (850) 973-6507 and have it mailed. However, it is strongly recommended to fill out the form in person, in the Supervisor of Elections Office, so that no mistakes are accidentally made.


John has been certified in Adobe InDesign CS.
John has returned to his teaching assignment at FIDM and continues to provide consulting services.
John's background includes stints as the owner of his own typesetting company, which serviced the Hollywood entertainment community. Moving from traditional typesetting to desktop publishing, John has been an acknowledged leader in electronic prepress.
John served in the technology department of the GTS Companies, the educational publishing division of TechBooks, Inc., for over 10 years. He played a key role in creating PDF based CD-ROMs for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Mosby, and McGraw-Hill, among others.
As PDF became a format for Computer-to-Plate, John headed GTS's team that developed PDF-based workflows, and continued to update and improve those systems, aligning the company's campuses in York, PA; Boston, MA; Fairfax, VA; and New Delhi, India. He has worked with publishers such as McGraw-Hill, Harcourt, Pearson, Thomson, and printers such as R.R. Donnelley and Quebecor on standards for 4-color print production. He has served on technical committees for several educational publishers on issues such as PDF and XML. John is the author of several articles, and a regular speaker on PDF issue in the publishing/printing industries at PDF Conference, GraphExpo and Seybold Seminars.
In addition to consulting with printers and prepress professionals on workflows and automation techniques, we offer the following production services. If you don't see what you need, please contact us .
"John was a resource for me, for our clients, and for many industry organizations. Not to be minimized is his keen awareness of costs and his ability to positively affect them.
John has excellent communication skills. His professional demeanor translates to exceptional interpersonal skills with co-workers, clients, and management.


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Sam Tshabalala est un chanteur et guitariste sud-africain.

Carrière

Chanteur et guitariste du groupe The Malopoets, premiers musiciens noirs sud-africains se produisant au Market Theatre de Johannesburg, il est considéré comme un héros de la résistance culturelle au régime d'apartheid alors en place dans son pays.

Depuis plus de 20 ans, il habite en France.

Sa musique mêle des éléments des traditions musicales et chorégraphiques des cultures noires d'Afrique du Sud à des rythmes jazz, funk ou reggae. Ses chansons racontent l'histoire souvent douloureuse de l'Afrique du Sud, les espérances de la population et la vie dans les townships, en de nombreuses langues parmi lesquelles se trouvent le zoulou, le shangaan, le tswana et l'anglais. Les mélodies de ces chansons sont paradoxalement douces et joyeuses.

Albums
 Meadowlands
 Communication

Références

Liens externes
 Site web de l'artiste sur MySpace.
 Biographie (Africultures)

Chanteur sud-africain
Guitariste sud-africain
Date de naissance non renseignée (XXe siècle)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Where Was Lifetime's The Enchanted Christmas Cake Filmed? Who is in the Cast?
Stuti Gokhale
The holiday season is the most special time of the year, and Lifetime has just the perfect lineup of Christmas movies to make it even better for the viewers. Directed by Robert Vaughn, 'The Enchanted Christmas Cake' is one such festive love story. The film revolves around Gwen, who is grieving the loss of her beloved grandmother and struggling to manage their bakery. She is also searching for her grandma's secret recipe for the town's special Enchanted Christmas Cake, which holds millions of precious childhood memories.
When a high-end chef arrives in town to shoot a Christmas special, Gwen is reluctantly forced to help the producer Gavin with the preparations in order to keep her bakery afloat. The reluctance soon gives way to closeness, as Gavin makes Gwen realize that love is after all the magic needed for her cake. A hearty tale of kitchen romance and the love that is passed over generations through food, 'The Enchanted Christmas Cake' is an appealing movie set against the backdrop of the holidays. In case you wish to know where it was filmed, here's everything we know.
The Enchanted Christmas Cake Filming Locations
'The Enchanted Christmas Cake' was filmed in various locations of Ontario, particularly Toronto, Hamilton, Port Perry, and Guelph. Principal photography seemingly commenced in the last week of September 2020 and was wrapped up on October 14, 2020. Ontario is a hotspot for movie and TV show productions, given the regional tax incentives on filmmaking offered by the authorities, as well as the diverse natural landscape and technologically advanced filming setups.
A post shared by Erica Durance (@durance.erica)
TV shows like 'Schitt's Creek,' 'Chucky,' and 'Titans' have also been filmed in the province of Ontario, along with movies like '8-Bit Christmas' and 'Ghosts of Christmas Past.' Now, let's take a detailed look at the exact filming sites for 'The Enchanted Christmas Cake.'
Toronto is one of the major filming locations for 'The Enchanted Christmas Cake.' The capital city of Ontario is a famous filming spot and is popularly known as "Hollywood North." The Toronto International Film Festival, which showcases the best of cinema every year, is one of the main highlights of Toronto. The topography of the city includes rivers, lakes, and forests, that are present alongside giant skyscrapers in the urban cityscape. This assortment of backdrops makes Toronto the perfect setting for any genre of movies and TV shows. The movies 'Enemy' and 'Good Will Hunting' were filmed in the city as well.
Some parts of 'The Enchanted Christmas Cake' were filmed in Hamilton, a port city with forest ridges and waterfalls that run through its middle. The crew filmed the Vernon Falls Inn sequences at The Barracks Inn, situated on 425 Wilson Street East, in Ancaster – a historic town located on the Niagara Escarpment in Hamilton.
Another filming site that features in the movie is Homewood Suites by Hilton, a hotel on 40 Bay Street South, a Lower City arterial road. Hamilton is one of the most common filming locations in the province of Ontario, where TV series such as 'Locke & Key' and 'The Handmaid's Tale' are filmed.
Port Perry is a community in Scugog Township, Ontario, that has been used as a filming location for 'The Enchanted Christmas Cake.' Christmas market scenes were filmed at Queen Street, a beautiful downtown area with charming shops, as well as Old Flame Brewing Co., which is a historical brewery on Perry Street.
A few scenes from 'The Enchanted Christmas Cake' were filmed in Guelph, also known as the Royal City. The Enchanted Bakery in the movie was recreated in Reids Chocolate, Candy & Nut Shop, located in the Old Quebec Street Shoppes. The crew artfully transformed the entire store into a beautiful bakery for the duration of filming.
The Enchanted Christmas Cake Cast
Renowned actress Erica Durance plays Gwen, who is trying to run her grandmother's bakery after she passes away. Robin Dunne plays Gavin, the cynical producer of the Christmas Special show, who gradually becomes the missing ingredient in Gwen's life. The actors star together in the movie 'The Christmas Chalet' and thus have an established chemistry.
Durance's other prominent works include the hit TV series 'Smallville,' 'Saving Hope,' and 'Supergirl.' You may even recognize her from the movie 'Open by Christmas.' Meanwhile, Dunne plays notable roles in the TV series 'Sanctuary' and the movie 'Cruel Intentions 2.' The Lifetime movie also features Kyana Teresa (Becky Gibson), Paulino Nunes (Danté), Sarah Abbott (Michelle Wright), Philip Craig (Ron), Kathleen Laskey (Estelle), and Martin Roach (George). Other cast members include Jill Frappier (Judy Reeves), Michael Brown (Duncan), Brandon Ludwig (Noah), and Arcade Riley (Frank).
Read More: Where Was Lifetime's Holiday In Santa Fe Filmed? Who is in the Cast?


Only a few short years ago, the idea of a human thief teaming up with a green-skinned assassin, a bad-tempered alien warrior with a murderous agenda, a walking tree with a small vocabulary and a talking raccoon who also happens to be a strategic genius to take down a villainous blue terrorist—in space—would not only be considered as preposterous as this sentence's structure, but also laughably unfit for the big Hollywood screen. But today's world is one of epic cinematic possibility, allowing films like Guardians of the Galaxy to light up screens around the world with dazzling visual effects and make millions along the way. Released on Aug. 1, the latest entry into Marvel Studio's cinematic superhero world introduces audiences to an entirely new cast of otherworldly characters, not unlike the now-familiar Avengers but decidedly closer to the wrong side of the law. Comedy and adventure naturally ensues.
The film follows Peter "Starlord" Quill (Chris Pratt, Parks and Recreation), a human taken from Earth as a child and raised as a bandit amongst intergalactic alien mercenaries. After he inadvertently steals a potentially world-ending artifact, Quill finds himself in the middle of a conflict between Ronan (Lee Pace, the Hobbit trilogy), a powerful maniac intent on global genocide, and the peaceful citizens of the galaxy. After a series of events lands him in prison, Quill teams up with the mysterious Gamora (Zoe Saldana, Star Trek), a skilled fighter with connections to the enemy, and Drax (Dave Batista, Riddick), a violent and muscled alien with a personal vendetta against Ronan. Also joining them are Groot, a giant, walking, tree-like alien with a peaceful demeanor, and his bounty hunter partner Rocket, a raccoon who has been genetically manipulated to talk like a human and think like a battle tactician (voiced by Vin Diesel, the Fast and the Furious series, and Bradley Cooper, The Hangover, respectively). Together, this band of unlikely companions must move past their own differences, both in species and personality, in order to defeat the genocidal threat of Ronan and earn their place as the titular guardians of the galaxy.
At its heart, Guardians is undoubtedly Marvel's most kid-friendly spectacle; complete with talking animals, shining spaceship battles and the best soundtrack on a Hollywood film since Space Jam's dropped the beat on the world in 1996. Additionally, the visuals are, in a word, impressive; every scene in the film seems to contain the entire spectrum of visible color, without threatening to overwhelm the viewer with an explosion of blinding highlights. Guardians' source material stems from the seemingly boundless world of comics, and the film's creators take full advantage of this lack of reality-imposed boundaries; the film's outer space landscape varies between the visual mastery of Gravity and the almost cheesy otherworld-ness of Thor, and constantly tops itself in terms of ingenuity and just plain wackiness.
However, despite its high-quality visual effects, the film could not have become the critical and financial success that it is without the chemistry evident among its cast members, both leading and supporting. Although Pratt has been known mostly for his supporting roles in the past, the actor's introduction into the center of the blockbuster spotlight is a successful one. In a nutshell, Pratt's Quill is Iron Man without the destructive health problems: a natural born leader and womanizer who can crack a joke as easily as he can pilot his ship through an oncoming barrage of galactic enemies. In accordance with the more lighthearted tone of the film, Pratt shines the brightest during his more comedic moments, of which there are many. At his side, Saldana and Batista do the same, albeit in a more reserved sense, while Diesel and Cooper need only their voices to make the pairing of Groot and Rocket one of the more memorable and hilarious in recent history. And that's just the main cast. Veteran actors such as Glenn Close (Damages) and Benicio del Toro (Traffic) are counted among the film's supporting lineup, resulting an array of performances, both dramatic and comedic, that manages to do the impossible in overshadowing the film's stunning visuals.
Overall, Guardians has provided the Marvel Cinematic Universe with a brighter, funnier and slightly more innocent facade, made even more prominent in the wake of more brooding films like Captain America: The Winter Solder and Thor: The Dark World. This contrast between the lighthearted and the ominous poses some interesting questions for the future of the superhero franchise. Although Guardians did not contain direct connections to any of the other Marvel films aside from a few supporting characters and locations, the film itself takes place within the same cinematic world as 2012's The Avengers, meaning that audiences may soon be paying to see Quill and the gang team up with Iron Man, the Hulk and the rest of Earth's mightiest heroes.
Beginning with Avengers: Age of Ultron in May 2015, Marvel seems to be entering a brave new world of superhero cinema, one in which entire galaxies may come head to head and the characters that audiences have come to love will get to interact in ways only seen in the comics themselves until now. Already, Marvel has granted Guardians a sequel, along with a third installment in the Captain America franchise and a debut film for Ant-Man, a popular comic book star who has yet to be seen in any film installment to date. It remains to be seen if these bold new steps into previously uncharted superhero territory may prove to be too confusing or implausible to Marvel's loyal fan base, but as it stands, with Guardians of the Galaxy currently dominating the global cinematic scene, the studio has never been stronger.


Bologna - capital of the Emilia-Romagna Region and also the largest city in this area, is an important cultural centre and, since 2006, a UNESCO "city of music".
Bologna is situated in a lovely area, right on the edge of the Po valley and right at the foot of the Apennines. The climate here is subtropical and a bit humid too. Winters are cold, summers are hot, but that doesn't stop tourists from visiting the city and it's lovely museums, monuments and other important landmarks.
For instance, did you know that the oldest University in Europe is the University of Bologna? It was founded in 1088 and was the place where many personalities have studied. Among them is Nobel prize winner Guglielmo Marconi, the Engineering Director of the Mercedes Formula One team, Aldo Costa and Popes Innocent IX, Alexander VI and Gregory XV, a few hundred years ago.
A Few Sites In Bologna For The Family To Visit.


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Liberal Democrat Newswire #20 is out: read it here
May 2, 2012 - 11:25 am
Liberal Democrat Newswire #20 is out, and you can now also read it in full below.
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Online snooping, an interview disaster, Cabinet plotting…
Welcome to the latest edition of my monthly newsletter about the Liberal Democrats.
Please do also let me know what you thought of this newsletter, or discuss its contents, by hopping over to its Facebook page.
In this newsletter:
We need more than just more bank lending
Online snooping: does the Home Office know what it wants to do?
The public's verdict: good for country that Lib Dems in coalition with Conservatives, but not good for Lib Dems
SHARE THIS: Lib Dem achievements in government
Are we really in recession?
New report and polling both back Lords reform
Steve Webb pushes for new pension plans
Elsewhere from me…
Local Liberal Heroes: Duwayne Brooks
I don't want you to read this book
Campaign Corner: How not to handle an interview
And in other news…
Is this Cabinet plotting against the Prime Minister?
What did you make of this newsletter?
British firms don't just need more lending from the banks, they need access to a wider range of finance. That was the message in a speech to the Institute of Directors by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.
It follows a review carried out by Tim Breedon, CEO of Legal & General, which found that there are significant non-bank sources of financing which could be expanded. This would help close the gap between what firms say they need and what banks are willing to lend.
Three in particular got mentions:
Peer-to-peer lending – where services introduce investors or lenders to firms needing cash: like "dating agencies that match people with money to entrepreneurs".
Supply chain finance – where a third-party lends money specifically to fill the time-gap between a firm supplying parts to another and that other firm actually handing over the money for the parts.
Mezzanine financing – loans with an in-built holiday, providing a breathing space for a new idea to start to bring in revenue.
The government is putting £100m into these schemes to encourage their spread and to help firms. Another £400m is available if the initial schemes are a success.
A succession of people working for the big players in the UK's internet industry, from social network and service providers through to ISPs, have met with Home Office officials to talk about its proposals to extend online monitoring. They have all come away saying the same thing: 'we still don't know what problem the Home Office wants to fix'.
The bafflement is baffling, because knowing what problem you want to fix is not exactly an esoteric part of policy-making. It is absolutely central to it. Yet when, for example, big American firms ask for examples of specific scenarios where the government feels it must have access to data and currently can't get it, they draw a blank.
Skype phone calls has been commonly quoted as an example in the media of how technological change means government monitoring powers need to change. Yet this example does not stand up to close examination. Skype calls made by someone can be monitored if you place a piece of Trojan software on the person's computing device. Given how powerful (and relatively cheap) such software is when purchased from the sort of security firms who exhibit in London trade shows, it is hard to believe that GCHQ and colleagues do not have such abilities and more. Moreover, those in law enforcement also have the advantage that they can apply for legal permission to secretly enter someone's premises to place bugging and surveillance equipment and software. They do not have to rely on remote access to someone's systems.
Moreover, although Skype is often talked as being an encrypted peer-to-peer program, it makes use of super nodes and login servers, both of which provide points of remote access for monitoring. Security experts I have spoken to are convinced that the security services can access super nodes.
So what is actually the problem with Skype calls? Is it that what can currently be done on a small scale by GCHQ and colleagues, the Home Office wants to have available on a large scale to the police? But if that is the case, then this is not about monitoring terrorists, large scale criminal gangs or serious international crime of the sort the Home Office has been talking in public about.
If what Theresa May really wants is powers for mass monitoring of the public, not targeted monitoring of suspects the most serious cases, she should say so.
In the meantime, Liberal Democrat opposition to the proposals has been hardening into a demand that not only is mass monitoring blocked but that existing controls as tightened up. The Interception of Communications Commissioner is particularly under fire. I recently talked to one of the senior Liberal Democrat advisers in this area and their comment was simple. They've yet to come across anyone who has a good word to say about the Commissioner and how he regulates the system. You can read more about the Commissioner's failures in my Six reasons the Interception of Communications Commissioner has failed.
Now, about that sneaky transport method so many terrorists use, namely walking…
y 40%-36% the public agrees it is better for the country that the Conservatives are having to work in coalition with the Liberal Democrats rather than having won an overall majority on their own according to the latest ComRes poll.
Yet by 58%-22% the public say that the Liberal Democrats have sacrificed too many principles since joining the Coalition, and by 49%-35% they agree that the Lib Dems seem to have almost no influence on the government's policies. (That 35% disagreeing rises to 62% amongst Conservative supporters however!).
Meanwhile, a YouGov poll based on the proposed new boundaries and conducted in both Lib Dem held seats and the most winnable seats for the party, found Lib Dem support down sharply compared to the last general election, even when prompting people to think specifically about the situation in their area.
The best message to win Liberal Democrat votes varies from contest to contest around the country as the issues at the top of voters' minds in one place are not all the same as in another, especially when it comes to local council elections. But with the Liberal Democrats in government, national issues cannot be ignored and there are many powerful messages to get over about what the party is achieving in government, from fairer taxes to banking reform, and from green investment to civil liberties improvements.
You can help get that message out by sharing with people you know the infographic I published earlier this year.
(Note: not all the points are applicable across all of the UK.)
You can also get a full-colour wall poster version of the infographic.
Writing in the Independent, Hamish McRae questions whether the economy has really taken a double-dip. Instead, he says, the record of economic statistical corrections suggests something else:
In the UK and to a lesser extent in Europe, the initial estimates of growth greatly understate the final outcome… Between 1999 and 2009 … in Europe the numbers were under-estimated by 0.3 per cent, in the UK by 0.5 per cent, while in the US they were overestimated by 0.4 per cent.
You see my point. If the Office for National Statistics has made the same error of judgement as it has on average for the decade to 2009, there was no second dip to the recession at all. But we won't know for another two or three years.
Conservative MP mutterings over House of Lords reform may have caught the news headlines, but the report from the Joint Committee of MPs and Peers backed the substantive points of the government's reform plans: a mostly elected upper house using STV.
They added in some sensible new detailed ideas, such as a minimum required attendance rate in the Lords with those who fall below it losing their seats. The Joint Committee's report gives the government the green light to include legislation in the Queen's Speech to implement the proposals.
Some Conservatives have been looking for loopholes in the wording of the Coalition Agreement or their own 2010 manifesto to give political cover for opposing the Bill. What they seem – so far – to be missing is that Lords reform is to Liberal Democrats what Europe is to many Conservatives.
Given the Conservative promise to work towards a consensus on Lords reform (and simply saying 'no reform' is clearly not doing that!), and given David Cameron's own repeated commitments on the issue, if the Conservative Party walks away from the issue now there will be precious few, if any, Liberal Democrats willing to trust the Conservative Party over any deals in future hung Parliaments.
Meanwhile, the public strongly backs Lords reform:
A YouGov poll commissioned by Unlock Democracy found that 69% of voters support a reformed House of Lords. The poll found that just 5% of voters favour the status quo – a fully appointed second chamber.
The highest number of voters (33%) said they favoured a fully elected second chamber – the official position of the Liberal Democrats and Labour in their 2010 election manifestos.
A fifth of voters favour a chamber with equal numbers of appointed and elected members. A slightly smaller number of voters (16%) favour a mostly elected chamber with a small number of appointed members – the position adopted by the Tories in their 2010 general election manifesto.
A small number of voters (5%) favour a mostly appointed chamber with a small number of elected members. The same number of voters support the status quo – a fully appointed chamber.
Liberal Democrat MP and Minister for Pensions Steve Webb has revealed that the government is looking at a new "defined ambition" style of pensions, which would offer a better balance of risk between employer and employee.
Currently, money purchase schemes put the risk on the employee (poor investment returns or a market crash means they get a lower pension) and final salary schemes, quickly going out of fashion, put the risk on the employer (poor investment returns or a market crash means they have to put more money in).
Instead, Webb is talking of a new type of scheme where the size of the cash pot on retirement is guaranteed, but the size of pension that it then purchases is not, so splitting the risks:
Firms would like to offer their employees some sort of certainty but without all the costs and burden they already face.
Political news in one place: Have you tried out my political news and blogs aggregator, which brings together the best news headlines and political blog posts from across the ideological spectrum, all on one convenient page?
My other email lists: aside from this monthly newsletter, you can also sign up to other lists such as more frequent blog post digests.
Lewisham councillor Duwayne Brooks is the latest person to feature in my Local Liberal Heroes series:
For many people Duwayne Brooks is best known as the friend of Stephen Lawrence, the man whose murder triggered a major investigation into racism in the Met Police and a long-running series of legal actions that finally, at least in part, saw justice done.
Duwayne has however since carved out an impressive political career, being elected as a councillor in Lewisham, becoming one of Brian Paddick's nominees for Deputy Mayor posts, occasionally talked about as a London Mayor candidate himself and being a very likely future Liberal Democrat candidate for Mayor of Lewisham.
He is also at the forefront of a new generation of urban Liberal Democrats from ethnic minority communities, alongside colleagues such as Jennifer Blake in Peckham and Pauline Pearce in Hackney. All have achieved much outside politics, battled difficult personal circumstances and brought a richer understanding of the issues at the heart of their communities to the Liberal Democrats.
You can read the full profile of Duwayne Brooks here and you can see all the profiles in the Local Liberal Heroes series here.
ALDC has just published a new collection I've edited. It's called Top Tips for Local Campaigners and is packed with 160 tips. Here is how my introduction starts:
I don't want you to read this book.
That may seem an odd request for an editor to make at the start of a book. But if you just sit down, read it, think a quick thought afterwards about what you made of it and then leave it at that, the book will have been a failure.
This is not a book to sit and read like a novel or history.
It is a practical manual – to be picked up, used, put to one side, leafed through again, left alone for a bit, urgently hunted for at a moment of crisis, remembered, filed away and brought back into use.
Put at least some of the tips to practical use and the book will have been a success even if you never read all of the words. (The words are all worth reading by the way, just in case you were wondering.)
ALDC members have all been sent a copy for free. If you are not an ALDC member, or if you want to even out the literary balance at home and have one copy for each room, then you can buy further copies for £4 (£3.20 to ALDC members) from ALDC.
No commentary needed:
You can read all the former Campaign Corners here.
Registration for the party's autumn conference has been delayed as talks continue to resolve the dispute over the security checks on party members the police are requesting. This issue caused a heated debate at the party's autumn conference. (You can read my response to the consultation here.)
UKIP MEPs are repaying £37,000 after an investigation found they had been abusing their allowances.
In an interview with the New Statesman, Tim Farron revealed why housing is so important to him, why he likes reading Polly Toynbee and which his favourite Lib Dem blogs are.
Writing for The Guardian, Nick Clegg and Ed Davey have said it is crucial that Europe implements a 30% cut in carbon emissions by 2020.
Dick Newby is the new Lib Dem Chief Whip in the House of Lords.
Richard Reeves is moving with his family to the US and therefore stepping down as Nick Clegg's director of strategy. He is likely to be replaced by Julian Astle, currently a temporary SpAd covering another's maternity leave.
Pauline Pearce, dubbed the Hackney Heroine after a film of her confronting rioters became a YouTube hit last summer, is standing for the Liberal Democrats in a Hackney Council by-election on Thursday.
For some lighter relief, enjoy this classic clip from Yes, Prime Minster:
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Keep scrolling to read the next post: Nick Clegg trashes Liam Fox's economic policy demands...
Civil liberties, Constitutional and political reform, Duwayne Brooks, Ed Davey, House of Lords, Liberal Democrat Newswire archive, Lord Dick Newby, Nick Clegg, Pauline Pearce, Steve Webb, Theresa May, Tim Farron, Unlock Democracy, YouGov
← Nick Clegg trashes Liam Fox's economic policy demands
Police investigate Labour in Leeds over fake poll card allegations →


Sterling Silver 16" Liquid Silver and Simulated Turquoise Double Dolphin Necklace. A sophisticated liquid silver heishi silver necklace suited for dolphin lovers as well as beach bums alike. A sleek liquid silver and heishi bead necklace measuring 16" long. Kissing double dolphin motif measures 20mm in diameter with light antique finish and 6mm round bezel set cabochon. Barrel clasp. Made in USA.


Twenty-seven years on, the Washington Jewish Film Festival remains a vibrant part of the Nation's Capital scene. As the area's largest Jewish cultural event, the 12-day program of documentary and narrative movies, running from May 17-28, will feature 63 features and 18 short films representing 25 countries. Screenings, related talks, a concert featuring traditional Yiddish music, and even a bar crawl will happen across the metropolitan area, including the AFI Silver Theatre (Silver Spring MD), Landmark Bethesda Row Cinema (Bethesda MD), Landmark E Street Cinema, the National Gallery of Art, and the Aaron & Cecile Goldman Theater at the Edlavitch DCJCC. Attendees from out of town using the Metrorail system should visit the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's SafeTrack website here, to see if any of the track work will impact their schedule.
This year's event, again spearheaded by Festival Director Ilya Tovbis, is bookended by two English-subtitled entries. The Israeli box office smash The Women's Balcony will be the Opening Night attraction at the AFI. Emil Ben-Shimon's film (due for release in the United States through Menemsha Films) is a quasi-comedic look at the religious rifts that upends disparate politics with an Orthodox community. On May 28th, the French-Belgian Fanny's Journey is director Lola Doillon's look at a little-known episode featuring 11 children in World War II.
WJFF has three threads programmed. Mechanism of Extremism (11 films) looks at extremist governments, societies, and movements, while Laugh Track (12 titles) naturally is about all things funny, including such classics as Ernst Lubitsch's To Be or Not To Be(1942, Happy 75th Anniversary!) and Amy Heckerling's Clueless, her 1995 masterpiece (May 25th, with a Q+A with the director following the screening). The third strand is Rated LGBTQ (6 titles, including a 45th anniversary screening of Bob Fosse's Cabaret), which focuses on queer cinema and is presented in partnership with GLOE – The Kurlander Program for GLBT Outreach & Engagement.
Most of the films are DC or Mid-Atlantic premieres. Some (Dad in Training, Let Yourself Go, A Jew Must Die, Murder in Polna, OMG, I'm a Robot and others) are the first screenings for East Coast, U.S., or North American audiences. There are three shorts programs, including a comic collection called Walk a Mile in My Shoes that has some wonderful examples of Jewish humor. The second screening (May 28th) of this program is paired with the festival's back-by-popular-demand Two Jews Walk Into a Bar (and a Deli) pub crawl in Chinatown.
Among the Spotlight screenings this year are Dani Menken's On the Map, a documentary about the 1977 Maccabee Tel-Aviv basketball squad which showcases the team's David vs. Goliath efforts in toppling the four-time defending European champion Soviet club. Also check out Menashe, which won hearts at the Sundance and Berlin Film Festivals. This is a heartwarming story from director Joshua Z. Weinstein about a sad sack Hasidic Jew, a widower trying to raise a son. The boy is forced to live with his strict uncle, and poor Menashe is having issues as his religious community insists he re-marry. Another Spotlight entry is Radu Mihăileanu's period saga The History of Love based on the bestseller by Nicole Krauss. Gemma Arterton, Derek Jacobi, and Elliott Gould are featured in the cast. The very romantic German comedy The Bloom of Yesterday from Chris Kraus is about a Holocaust researcher who reckons with a personal and professional crisis.
This year's WJFF Visionary Award is being presented to Agnieszka Holland and Barry Levinson. Levinson, the Oscar-winning director of Rain Man and responsible for Diner, Bugsy, Avalon and other gems, will be honored on May 18th in conjunction with a screening of Liberty Heights. Holland, the great Polish director and screenwriter, will attend the award ceremony on May 27th and participate in a special Q+A. This event will also present Holland's Academy-Award nominated film Angry Harvest (1985).
The good news is that nearly all the films have two screenings. There's even on film (Angel Wagenstein: Art Is a Weapon) that you can see for free. This US/Bulgarian documentary is a look at the eponymous Bulgarian-Jewish filmmaker.
Dozens of directors, actors, and speakers will be on hand to introduce and talk about the films. For a complete schedule and ticket information (if you're 30 or under, a festival pass is just $40; for those above the age threshold, it will run you $175; individual tickets start at $13) visit the Washington Jewish Film Festival website here.


Here are two more tools to enhance teachers communication with students parents. Using these tools you will be able to engage parents in their kids learning and create a supportive class community. You can instantly send messages to parents either collectively or individually, share learning materials with them like documents, photos, and class updates. You can also use them to coordinate events and meetings, create online sign-ups for various occasions (e,g., filed trips. school fundraising and many more). Check them out and share with us your feedback.
Bloomz is 'the free award-winning app that saves teachers lots of time in all parent communications, while creating a supportive classroom community. Bloomz makes it easy for teachers to securely share photos, classroom updates and reach parents instantly through messaging, as well as to coordinate events (like PT Conferences) and sign up for volunteers. Bloomz now supports Student Timelines, a simple & beautiful way to capture and share student-driven portfolios. Students can publish their work by quickly scanning a QR code and annotating their work. Teachers can approve and instantly share with parents on Student's Timelines'. Watch the video below to learn more about Bloomz.
This is another great tool for communicating with your students parents. 'You can post updates and announcements, share pictures and upload documents. If you have a room parent, you can let him/her also share content with your class circle. Everything you share stays private in your circle. Parents can access all the information on a computer, table, or via free mobile apps. They also get email notifications about all the new content.When you organize an event or task on SimplyCircle, it goes on your circle calendar. Parents get automatic email reminders about upcoming events and deadlines. You can create online signups for any occasion: a field trip, a classroom party, a school fundraiser, or a parent-teacher conference. For more private teacher-parent communication, you can message one-on-one with a parent. You don't have to look up parents' email addresses in a directory – just click on the parent's name in your class roster, and start a conversation with them.' Watch the video below to learn more about SimplyCircle.


Come watch a caber toss, eat some fish and chips, shop Celtic wares and most of all have a good time at the Iron Thistle Scottish Heritage Festival & Highland Games. There's something for everyone, Scottish or not, as you watch a kilted dancer and tap your feet in time to a reel.
Enjoy this taste of Scotland with rousing Celtic bands and roving pipe band performances and Scottish and Irish dance troupe jigs. Watch traditional Scottish heavy athletic competitions and sheep herding demonstrations or find out more about your Scottish heritage with genealogy research and clan tents. Get a glimpse of traditional Scottish life in the crofters' village. Families will also love shopping the Celtic vendors, sampling traditional Scottish and American cuisine, and participating in kids' crafts and games.
Admission (10 & older): $8 each in advance, $10 at the gate.
Weekend pass (advance purchase): $15 While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the pricing listed above, prices are subject to change without notice.
Located on the corner of Garth Brooks Boulevard and Vandament Ave, just next to Walgreens. Parking is available next to the park at the Yukon Middle School.


Colegio el Salvador Hermanos Maristas is the place to unwind after a hard day's work in Bilbao. This spa and swimming pool is in the south-east of Bilbao. This spa is the perfect place to unwind after a hard day's work. Why not pamper yourself? Take time to read the practical information to prepare your stay in Bilbao. If you intend relaxing at Colegio el Salvador Hermanos Maristas, then discover our selection of hotels all within easy access of this wonderful spa. Watch the video before booking your dream your room at an unbeatable price with one of our partners.
More info: 25m x 10m, 1.4m - 1.79m depth, indoors.


Along with the exponential growth of big data in terms of its quantity, myriad of collection points, nearly limitless storage capabilities, and complex analytics, investors are keenly interested in discovering unique advantages from this phenomenon to be applied in the securities markets.* While financial institutions of all types have used sophisticated metrics and predictions to gain tactical advantages in their trading operations for many decades, burgeoning big data methodologies have recently created new opportunities for entrepreneurs to provide the financial services industry with ever more original and arcane forms of predictive analytics.
Investors now have data services available to them offering insights never previously feasible or even imaginable. Yesterday's (November 21, 2014) edition of The Wall Street Journal carried a fascinating report highlighting three of these operations entitled Startups Tip Investors to Hidden Data Pearls by Bradley Hope. (A subscription to the WSJ Online is required for full access to this report on WSJ.com, but this piece was available here in slightly different version on CBS's Marketwatch.com.) This additional extract page from the article is also available online and contains explanatory graphics of their formats and analyses.
Orbital Insight analyzes satellite photos of building sites in 30 cities in China, cornfields, and parking lots in order to assess how their capacities might influence the markets in various ways. They are seeking to intuit "early indicators" of trends and influences. Their clients include hedge funds.
Dataminr sifts through a half a billion daily tweets in order to spot potential market moving trends ahead of the news services.** The link above to the graphics from the WSJ article contains a very effective infographic on this process.*** The company's proprietary systems categorize and analyze all tweets in real time, discerns potentially useful patterns, and then distributes the results to their clients.
Premise Inc. uses a global system, now in 18 countries, that provides cell phone credits as payments to individuals who monitor the prices of various goods. From this input, the company tracks early inflation rates and other economic data. They believe that their data can differ from official government sources.
I recommend reading this story in full for all of its compelling details.
Who watches these watchmen? Will market forces determine which of them are producing valid and actionable collection and analytics or should they somehow be subject to regulatory oversight?
Because these data types and analytics are so new, how are these companies and others like them addressing the distinctions between correlation and causation in their reports to their clients? Would it be beneficial for them to form a trade association to address this and other issues that might arise in the future for this nascent industry?
Are there entrepreneurial opportunities here for another type of new startups to vet the practices and products of such companies? That is, analysts who produce no new data types themselves, but rather, apply existing and, perhaps develop new, analytical tools for such assessments?
What other fields, markets and professions might benefit from this trend to discover and assess new data types in addition to finance?
* Please see this April 9, 2014 Subway Fold post entitled Roundup of Some Recent Books on Big Data, Analytics and Intelligent Systems.
** Please see this July 31, 2014 Subway Fold post entitled New Analytical Twitter Traffic Report on US TV Shows During the 2013 – 2014 Season.
*** Please see this January 30, 2015 Subway Fold post entitled Timely Resources for Studying and Producing Infographics.


Serve as a light meal or as a main with extra vegetables.
Place the capsicums in a shallow microwave dish and cook on high for 1-2 minutes or until softened a little.
Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan. Sauté the mushrooms on high for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and season. Add the remaining ingredients.
Fill the capsicums with the mixture and place in an oven-proof dish. Cover the capsicums loosely with foil. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until tender.
Great served topped with light sour cream. Serves 2.
Great served as a starter to dinner or as a light meal served with crusty bread and cheese.
Sauté the shallots in the oil, until softened. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the stock and herbs and simmer for 15 minutes on low heat.
Meanwhile, cook the tortellini according to the packet instructions. Lift out with a slotted spoon and add to the soup. Simmer for 1 minute. Remove the bunch of herbs and add the chopped parsley. Serves 4-6.
Heat the oil on low in a heavy frying pan. Sauté 4 cloves of garlic and the shallots for 2 minutes. Add the whole mushrooms. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, turning over halfway through cooking.
Meanwhile, toast the bread. Brush one side of each slice with oil and rub with the remaining (cut) clove of garlic.
Serve the garlic and shallots on the bread. Top with the mushrooms and the spinach tossed in the balsamic dressing. Serves 2 as a snack.


Organisations that want to take part in European Solidarity Corps volunteering, traineeships and job activities need to receive a Quality Label.
This label is required to ensure compliance of the participating organisations with the principles and objectives of the European Solidarity Corps, with regards to their responsibilities during all stages of solidarity activities. All organisations holding a Quality Label gain access to the European Solidarity Corps database.
This workshop is for organisations who want to apply for a Quality Label to take part in the European Solidarity Corps.
what is the Quality Label; who is eligible; what is the process?
what is being assessed when applying for a Quality Label.
For queries, please contact Suzanne Kavanagh or Noeleen O Callaghan.


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Home People & Places My 24 Hours in Newport: Jason and Gorjana Reidel
My 24 Hours in Newport: Jason and Gorjana Reidel
Jason and Gorjana Reidel of jewelry brand gorjana
Husband-and-wife team Jason and Gorjana Reidel, of local jewelry brand gorjana, share how they got started in the business, as well as their inspirations and favorite places in town.
By Sharon Stello
After immigrating to the United States from the former Yugoslavia by way of Canada and earning a marketing degree from Arizona State University, Gorjana Reidel found herself working in the jewelry department at a Neiman Marcus store. Just 22 years old, she didn't have enough money to buy any fine jewelry, so she started making her own high-quality pieces.
Of course, Gorjana didn't realize that she would one day establish a successful jewelry brand with more than 20 stores in Southern California, the Bay Area, New York, Chicago, Arizona and Texas. Even after achieving this level of success, Gorjana remains passionate about designing jewelry. There's just something about the finishing touch that a necklace, bracelet or ring adds to an outfit.
"I love that jewelry is so personal and how, when you wear it, you become attached to it," she says. "It's much more intimate than clothing. It makes women feel good, beautiful and put together, and I think it is an amazing form of self-expression."
Gorjana lives with her husband, Jason Reidel, and their children in Laguna Beach—where the business is based—while Fashion Island in Newport Beach is among their shop locations.
They met after Jason graduated from law school at Pepperdine University. He was working for a veteran sports agent, but had an "entrepreneurial itch." The couple discovered a shared love for fashion and eventually teamed up to start the jewelry business out of their apartment. "I always say Gorjana is [the] 'talent' and I'm the 'hustle,' Jason says. "Together, we created gorjana, a jewelry collection with an accessible price point that had the look and feel of high-end jewelry."
The brand's jewelry is inspired by the West Coast's effortless, laid-back style and incorporates an 18-karat gold finish as well as textural elements and genuine gemstones. Many of the pieces, like the necklaces, are meant to be layered.
"I love that it allows anyone to create their own look and express themselves," Gorjana says. "My favorite thing is to see how women are layering the pieces and how they are styling them. The best thing about layering is that there are no rules."
Some of the brand's latest ventures include launching a Fine Collection with 14-karat gold, diamonds, sapphires, opals and more. The company has also partnered with Fitbit and this past spring started selling the Fitbit Luxe Special Edition tracker, which blends the jewelry brand's style with the smartwatch's technology.
When designing new pieces, Gorjana is influenced by her surroundings. "My biggest inspiration is our laid-back California lifestyle," she says. "I love creating pieces that seamlessly fit within my day-to-day life. They have to be beautiful, comfortable and versatile, all at the same time."
The business is also community-minded. "Giving back is one of the company's core values," Jason says. "On a national level, we donate auction packages to various charities. On a local level, our company donates food for the homeless [and] is active with … Working Wardrobes and With My Own Two Hands."
When not busy running the business and giving back, the couple enjoys time together in Newport. Here, they share a few of their favorite places in town.
A sandwich at A Market | Photo by A Market
Top-Notch Takeout
For a meal at home, Gorjana and Jason grab provisions from A MARKET. "This is our go-to pickup spot," she says. "From the amazing breakfast pastries to the delicious salads and sandwiches, it is always so good. Some of our favorites are the Reuben, the Chinese chicken salad [and] the lemon bread. Their chocolate chip cookies, which you can now bake at home, are [also] amazing."
Newport Harbor | Photo by Christopher Chen/Unsplash
Coastal Cruising
Family days often find the Reidels in NEWPORT HARBOR. "We love to spend the whole day out on the water," Gorjana says. "We pack all sorts of food and have a blast taking a harbor cruise with our kids."
C'est Si Bon Bakery
Picnic Fare
When craving a well-crafted sandwich for lunch at the park or anywhere, the Reidels head to C'EST SI BON BAKERY. "Their turkey sandwiches on the fresh-out-of-the-oven baguettes are simple yet amazing," Gorjana says.
Bamboo Bistro's traditional Vietnamese egg rolls | Photo by Connie Aboubakare
Cultural Cuisine
BAMBOO BISTRO in Corona del Mar is another local restaurant at the top of Gorjana's list of favorites. "I dream about their traditional Vietnamese egg rolls," she says. "They are literally one of my favorite things anywhere. Growing up in Canada, we would always go to a restaurant that had the same ones, so it [is] pretty nostalgic for me."
Sugar 'N Spice
Island Time
When seeking a mini escape, the Reidel family spends some time on BALBOA ISLAND. "There is something so fun about pretending to be a tourist and getting a chocolate covered banana," Gorjana says. "We switch between DAD'S [DONUT & BAKERY SHOP] and [SUGAR 'N SPICE]. … Whenever we do it, everyone loves it and has the best time walking around the island."
A Market
Bamboo Bistro
Gorjana Reidel
Jason and Gorjana Reidel
Jason Reidel
What to do in Newport Beach
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My 24 Hours in Newport: Heidi Zuckerman
Vintage Vehicles
Fostering Love


The same tenacity and determination that fueled Grace to triumph in law school against extreme odds is the same tenacity and determination that she commits to every case she represents.
Grace is the "little train that could." While pregnant with two of her three children, Grace worked full time during the day and went to law school at night. In 2000 she graduated from law school with honors and passed the California Bar in the same year.
Such singular focus and attention to detail are strengthened by her solicitude and individualized practice. Grace values each client's distinct but equally significant needs, as well as unique but equally vital perspectives. By nature cheerful and compassionate, she builds relationships, not just a business. She partners with each client to approach each concern with straight answers, individually tailored solutions and uncompromising standards.
This client-centered representation is balanced by Grace's keen understanding of the real-life complexities of immigration practice. Her experience, creativity and diligence make her your ideal immigration counsel.


text:
Q: TIN Interpolation in QGIS creates weird lines? I am using TIN Interpolation to interpolate point features based on their cost attribute (value is between 0 and 5000). Graduated symbology creates something like this:

However when I am using TIN interpolation, I get these weird white stripes (image below). I've been trying for hours to get rid of them. They really look out of place..

Anyone have an idea how to get rid of these?

A: I have had similar problems when interpolating data of a scanned image which I imported in a WGS84 projection using its pixel-coordinates (for practical reasons). The points I used for the interpolation were about 0.010 units apart. I retried after multiplying all coordinates by a factor 10^6, and the problem was gone. If this also works for you, it is likely due to precision/rounding applied in the interpolation code, so hen please make an issue for it on hub.qgis.org!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


You have probably heard of the Google Home and the Amazon Echo: Alexa, but have you heard you can now get a Havexa™? Get ready, the HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) industry is starting their own smart-assistant to reside in your furnace and air conditioning equipment.
Do you and your loved ones fight over who is moving the thermostat higher and lower? The Havexa can help!
The Havexa provides advice on different home tasks and personal situations, such as the recommended temperature for washing towels, how hot you look for your night out, or if you truly have time to Netflix and Chill on a certain evening. The Havexa can even predict your mood – just place your hand on your heating and cooling equipment and she can tell you your mood. Like a new-age mood ring!
Call Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning today to ask about installing the Havexa in your heating and cooling equipment and start your life with your own personal smart-assistant.


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Dogfish Head preps for return of events in 2022
Holly Fest set for Dec. 11
Dogfish Head Beer and Benevolence Director Mark Carter speaks to members of the Milton Chamber of Commerce Nov. 18 about the brewery's plans for 2022, which include bringing back a number of events including the Dogfish Dash and the I Pedal A Lot bike race. RYAN MAVITY PHOTO
Ryan Mavity
After nearly two years of having to cancel events due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dogfish Head is set to bring back a number of its large functions in 2022, including the Dogfish Dash and the Weekend of Compelling Ales.
Beer and Benevolence Director Mark Carter said Dogfish was inspired by the Milton Chamber of Commerce's Wicked Weekend held Oct. 30, which drew a larger-than-expected crowd.
"It seems like there's a nice little resurgence of energy in Milton," he said. "A lot of the events based on this property, we're in the process of getting them back up."
Speaking at the chamber's Nov. 18 mixer, Carter said the time off due to the pandemic has allowed the company to rethink its events, to do them in a different way.
"We may scale them back in size a little, which can lead to more quality in the event. We don't want to cannonball in. We want to wade back into getting these up and going," he said.
Carter said a side effect of the pandemic is more things happening outdoors, and Dogfish wants to continue those activities. Among the events planned for a return in 2022 is the I.P.A. or I Pedal A Lot bike race. Carter said he liked the expanded outdoor seating at the Milton brewery that came as a result of the pandemic.
"I think the outdoor thing is here to stay. I think a lot of folks will extend their seasons outdoors. The shoulder season has grown," he said.
Milton chamber preps for Holly Fest return
After the successful Wicked Weekend, which chamber officials said drew an estimated 2,000 people, the organization is set to bring back the Holly Festival from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 11.
The event will feature more than 75 vendors at Milton Fire Hall, Milton library and Goshen Hall. On the grounds of the Lydia Black Cannon Museum will be a Christmas village, a Dogfish Head beer garden, a Christmas garden and live entertainment. The Milton Garden Club will be selling fresh wreaths and other arrangements in front of the museum.
Inside the museum, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., there will be face painting, Santa's workshop and of course, Santa himself.
For more information, visit the chamber website at historicmilton.com.
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Eamon Sullivan
Updated on Jun 12, 2018
Full name Eamon Wade Sullivan
Role Swimmer
National team Australia
Sport Swimming
Name Eamon Sullivan
Strokes Freestyle swimming
Nickname(s) "Sullo"," Mondo", "Mad Dog"
Born 30 August 1985 (age 30) (1985-08-30) Perth, Western Australia
TV shows Celebrity MasterChef Australia
Olympic medals Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's 100 metre freestyle
Similar People Matt Targett, Stephanie Rice, Alain Bernard, Andrew Lauterstein, Jason Lezak
Eamon sullivan swimming highlights
Eamon Wade Sullivan (born 30 August 1985) is an Australian former sprint swimmer, three-time Olympic medallist, and former world record-holder in two events. He is also the winner of Celebrity MasterChef Australia.
Libby trickett and eamon sullivan swim with the whale sharks in exmouth
Swimming career
Personal life and television work
In April 2002 at the Australian Age Championships, Sullivan won the 50 m freestyle and came second in 100 m in his age group, and swam at the Trans-Tasman series.
At the 2004 Olympic trials he grabbed a spot in the 4x100 Freestyle relay team by finishing fourth in the final. At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens Eamon was the youngest male in the Australian Olympic Team and improved his Personal Best in the heat time that gained him a spot in the final of the 4 × 100 m freestyle, in which Australia was dethroned in the event they had won 4 years ago in Sydney.
In July 2005 he was sidelined with a hip injury and missed the World Aquatics Championships.
In March 2006 he won gold in 4 × 100 m medley and silver in 4 × 100 m freestyle at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, setting a new Commonwealth record. He also swam in the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay to capture silver. In December, at the Australian National Championships he broke the 50 m national record in 22.00 s.
In July 2007 Sullivan won the 50 m free at the Santa Clara International Invitational Grand Prix in California in 22.30 s. In the same month he clocked 21.62 s to slash 0.07 s off Brett Hawke's seven-year-old 50 m Short Course Australian record at Telstra Grand Prix2 in Canberra. He set another National Record at FINA/ARENA World Cup at SOPAC in the heats of the 100 m freestyle clocking a time of 47.29 s shaving 0.26 s of his previous best set in Canberra earlier that year.
Eamon has also sustained several injuries throughout his career. He has struggled with hip problems and has had allegedly 6 hip operations, along with numerous shoulder sprains.
At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, leading off Australia in the men's 4 × 100 m freestyle relay final he set a new world record for the 100 m freestyle with a time of 47.24 seconds, winning bronze. In the subsequent individual 100 m freestyle, Sullivan emerged as the fastest swimmer from the heats and semi-finals, Alain Bernard of France re-claimed the World Record set by Sullivan in the relay with a time of 47.20 s. Five minutes later, Sullivan reclaimed the World Record in the second semi-final in time of 47.05 s. In the finals, Sullivan won the silver medal, edged out by Bernard by 0.11 s. In the 50m final, Sullivan finished in a disappointing 6th place.
Just two weeks before the 2009 World Aquatics Championships in Rome, Sullivan was ruled out from competing due to a virus. Two months later, Sullivan's training camp came to an end when he underwent an appendectomy. He was attending a high-altitude training camp in Flagstaff, Arizona, when he became ill. Eamon Sullivan was a member of the controversial Australian Olympic swimming team during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, and competed in the Australian men's 4 × 100 metre relay team. The squad and team were hounded by allegations of bullying, alcohol and drug abuse and he made a media appearance to both acknowledge and deny specific allegations, along with team members Tommaso D'Orsogna, James Magnussen, Cameron McEvoy and Matt Targett.
At the 2014 Australian Trials in Brisbane Sullivan made his comeback official, winning the 50m freestyle, securing him a spot on the roster for the Commonwealth Games team.
In July 2014, Sullivan announced his immediate retirement from competitive swimming, citing ongoing injury as the overriding factor in his decision to retire.
Sullivan became the fastest swimmer in history after he broke the world 50 m freestyle record at the 2008 NSW Open Championships at Sydney International Aquatic Centre. He timed 21.56 to slash 0.08 off the 21.64 set by the Russian Alexander Popov at Moscow in June 2000. However his time was beaten to 21.50 by French Alain Bernard on 23 March 2008, He significantly improved his last PB standing at 22.00 s. He declared he had had positive feelings of being in a good form for the race earlier on. Shortly after, he swam for West Coast club in the 4 × 100 m freestyle Relay and clocked 48.11 s, cutting 0.07 off Michael Klim record set for Australian relay at the 2000 Olympics. His time was also a Commonwealth record, knocking 0.06 s off the previous time gained by South African Roland Schoeman.
On 27 March 2008 at Australian Olympic Trials at the same venue he regained his title as the 50 m freestyle world record holder with a time of 21.41 s, then broke his own record a day later with 21.28 s. He was bettered by Frédérick Bousquet with a time of 20.94 s on 26 April 2009.
On 11 August 2008, he broke the 100 meter freestyle world record in the first leg of the 4x100 relay with a time of 47.24, Australia finished under the previous world record, broke the Oceania record and finished third in the relay in a time of 3.09.91. Before the Olympics, the Australian record was 3.13.67 in winning the event at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. On 13 August 2008, after losing his world record to the previous holder Alain Bernard, Sullivan clocked 47.05 s to set another world record. The 100m free record was then broken by Brazilian sprinter César Cielo at the 2009 FINA World Championships on 7 July 2009 and now stands at 46.91.
Sullivan won the first series of Celebrity MasterChef Australia beating Kirk Pengilly and Rachael Finch. In 2011, Sullivan competed in the third season of the Channel Seven television series Australia's Greatest Athlete. He also made a guest appearance in the third season of MasterChef Australia, cooking the Chocolate Délice dish that earned him the 'title' of Celebrity MasterChef in 2009. In 2013, he became a team captain on the Australian version of the panel show A League of Their Own.
Sullivan competed in the fourteenth season of Dancing with the Stars, and was the fourth person eliminated.
After his retirement from swimming, Sullivan now manages several restaurants in and around Perth, in Western Australia.
In April 2016, Sullivan married Perth lawyer Naomi Bass.
Eamon Sullivan Wikipedia
Andrew Lauterstein


A little while ago, I discovered a blog that was hosting a handmade ornament exchange -- here. I immediately entered my name for the opportunity to send an ornament to someone that I have never met. It was such a fascinating, and perfect idea.
I recently received an email from the lady who owns the blog, and she informed me that my ornament would be making its way to Florida. The only problem was that I didn't yet have an ornament. I had to think long and hard about what to do because I do not sew, and I wanted my ornament to be something unique -- the idea is that the ornament should be something that you've created, right? Something handmade.
That's when I remembered a little ornament that I made when I was younger: a little Styrofoam acorn with gold and green circles pinned to it. I knew that it had to be elegant, but not over-the-top Christmas. Because I don't know the person it is going to, I didn't want the ornament to be kitschy.
that you will use to hang the ornament.
Start pinning the circles to the Styrofoam ball.
properly so you don't have a lopsided ornament.
at the top of the ornament.
I can't wait to send it on its way to a new home in sunny Florida!
That is a really pretty ornament! I would like to do that now as well! I, too, am participating in an ornament exchange (though through another blog). We don't have to make homemade if we don't want to, but I definitely do. Thank you for sharing your ornament exchange!
Thank you very much! Ornament exchanges are so exciting, aren't they? I hope you do make something homemade. It's fun to think that something you made is going to be loved by someone else!
wow! what a fancy and dolled up ornament! love it!
Wow, that ornament is just like my pinecone map one - except yes, way more glamourous! It's beautiful.
Care for a Reese and Oreo Sandwich?


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Crichton Brothers
( Circa 1890 - 1938 )
This business, dealers in antique silver and retail silversmiths, appears to have been established c.1890 by Lionel Alfred Crichton at 29 Church Street, Kensington. They subsequently opened West End premises at 22 Old Bond Street, where but for a short period of re-building in 1905/06, the firm remained until closing in the 1950s. Crichton Brothers also had branches at 636 Fifth Avenue, New York, and 622 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, USA. In 1912 the firm held an exhibition at their premises of rare old silver, mostly English, including thirty plain dinner plates dated 1683, engraved with the arms of the Duke of Dorset. In addition to antique silver, Crichton Brothers were well-known for their stock of fine quality reproduction silver, the majority of which appears to have been in late 17th/early 18th century English style including flat-chased chinoiserie dressing table sets and cast candlesticks. The sometime partners in Crichton Brothers were Lionel Alfred Crichton, Edward Richard du Parcq and Philip Alexander Solomon Phillips until the latter retired in 1919. L.A. Crichton, who had been a well-known bidder at sales for forty years, died after two years' illness at the age of 72 in 1938. His estate, totalling £182,300, included a collection of pictures which his executors had instructions to offer the Victoria & Albert Museum providing they were hung in a room wherein old English silver was also displayed