I recently started doing narrated tutorials for the first time, after a long time writing tutorials. But the microphone that I used to record the voice was not of high quality, and I was kind of dissatisfied with how the voice recording sounded. So I started searching around for a good tutorial on how I could improve the quality of my recordings, and I came across an amazing tutorial in Youtube, that improved the sound of my voice recording incredibly, and I made my recording with the microphone of my webcam, after I finished improving the sound with Audacity the end result was incredible. I'm posting a link to the video.
The steps to make your voice sound better.


Apologies for the month long absence from the blog but I spent three of the last four weeks following the Lions tour around New Zealand. We just did the test matches and the rest of the time Pauline and I were visiting with friends, travelling, going to breweries/bars and vineyards. A further apology for the state of the photos. My main phone (Note 4) died on the way so I was left with the rubbish camera on my iPhone to take pictures.
My first craft beer in New Zealand became a bit of a favourite I have to say. Panhead Super Charger is a beautiful APA. Fresh hops, big bitter hit and plenty of body to back it up. I drank copious amounts of this beer over the course of three weeks.
The first few days in Auckland were not for beer. They were for Rugby and friends. We then started driving south towards Wellington for the 2nd All Blacks test match a week later. We stopped off at Hobbiton on the way and I had a couple of drinks at the Green Dragon Inn. Then to Rotorua for a couple of nights before heading to Napier for the night.
We eventually arrived in Martinborough for some wine tours but of course there's a brewpub in the centre of town so it would be rude not to visit. The beer was pretty good on the tasting board, there wasn't a bad beer among them. Their imperial stout was only available in bottle though so I took a chance and bought two to bring home.
After a truly epic drive over the mountains into Wellington, we headed out for the first brewpub on my list called Fork and Brewer. The beers were all clean and well made but for me, Murder of Crows was the standout. It's an imperial stout. Pitch Fork saison was also excellent with a special mention for Burton Ernie, a cask beer or at least a hand pull. It was colder and more carbonated than traditional cask so perhaps pressurised key keg or something along those lines.
The next night we went to The Garage Project in Aro valley, a very trendy neighbourhood a short 20 minute walk from the main city centre. It reminded me a little of Stoneybatter in Dublin actually. The brewery has a tap room where you can buy bottles/cans to take away or get growler fills. You can also get free samples of their beer while there.
We tried a few of their beers here before moving down the road to their bar for some proper pints since we already had a fair idea what we wanted. The reason I did that was because there were thousands of Lions supporters in Wellington for the game the next day so I figured the bar would be too busy for sampling and I was right. It's tiny and it was elbow room optional. We decided not to stay because getting to the bar was a challenge in itself.
Not far away, near Cuba street was The Third Eye. It's a Tuatara owned brewpub and being a fan of Tuatara beer, I decided to pop in for a few.
I got a sample platter and unfortunately my notes have disappeared but I believe I got hoppy wheat beer, a coffee pale ale, some fruity thing (it was odd) and a delicious milk stout. The beer was good and the odd fruity thing grew on me. All I'll say is that a visit to The Third Eye is worth it. There was a taco truck out back where you could go to get food and bring in to the bar.
The last Brewpub I got to visit in Wellington was The Black Dog Brewery. It was getting late and I was running out of room for beer so we just grabbed a couple of pints. I went for a coffee stout and a golden ale for Pauline.
I can't finish with Wellington without mentioning Hashigo Zake. It's an amazing little cellar bar near the wharf area where you find the museum and the massive Mac's brewbar. Actually Mac's is worth a visit just to see it but they also have good beer like Panhead in cans and bottles.
Hashigo Zake is hard to find by the way. I walked past it because the sign was facing the other direction. To help, this link to Google Streetview will show where it is. It's under the archway to the right. They had two proper beers on cask and they were well conditioned. I would say the rotation was going great with all the Lions drinking Wellington dry!
Next I moved onto the south island via the Picton ferry. The only brewery I visited was Moa while on a Marlborough wine tour. The image above was taken across the road at the Allan Scott winery. They collaborate with Moa to produce a fizzy, hopped Sauvignon Blanc. Josh Scott is Allan's son and he looks after Moa brewery across the road. I haven't tasted Gooseberry Bomb yet but I have a couple of cans I brought home with me to try out.
It was raining that day so the outside area was pretty empty but there were a few people in the corner to the right as I recall. I didn't take a look at the brewery as it was a flying visit to taste some beer. I just bought a couple of bottles of the imperial stout which wasn't on the tasting tray as I figured it would keep better for the journey home.
With the decline of the Moa, the Haast's eagle also went extinct. Anyway, that's enough digressing, back to beer.
The south island was all about wine and scenery after that. so we next head back to Auckland for the third test.
Back in Auckland, the day after the Lions drew the test series with the All Blacks, we headed to a brewpub called Dr Rudi's. It has a large open terrace overlooking the harbour and is very upmarket looking. There's some serious money behind this place I would reckon as Auckland is not cheap. They even have a two lane bowling alley at the far end of the pub.
We arrived early, perhaps 5pm or so. That was lucky because as it turns out, the Lions team had made it their post match party destination. Most of them were there. I got my picture taken with Alun Wyn Jones above as well as Irish players Tadhg Furlong and Rory Best. I'm taller than those two but Alun towered above me. The bouncers were refusing people entry from about 7pm so only the rugby players were allowed in. We were lucky to already be inside.
To be honest, I wasn't really feeling Dr Rudi's as a beer destination at first. The beer was decent but they didn't care much for it. It really is a superpub type place that happens to have a brewery. No tasting trays/flights for instance though they will give you a small sample if you ask. I discovered that pitchers were the way to go. $50 got you a pitcher with about 4 beers worth. It's essentially $12.40 per pint (about 400ml). That's actually not bad value for Auckland.
We went for Vienna lager (not one of theirs). I think it was called Brick Lane but I can't find a New Zealand brewery with that name so unless it was an import.
As the night wore on though, I started to enjoy it but I suspect if the Lions hadn't turned up, we would have moved on.
On our last full day in Auckland, we got the ferry to Waiheke Island. We knew there were some vineyards there and even a brewery though Pauline was a little unsure and reckoned the wine wasn't very good there. That's probably because of one in particular we don't think much of on the far eastern side of the island. We jumped on the bus to the middle of the island where there are a few vineyards and the brewery located in a small cluster.
Waiheke Island Brewery is located on the same site as Wild Estate Vineyards. Their tasting room covers both the beer and wine. We settled on a tasting platter of both the beer and wine. I of course went for the beer and Pauline did the wine but we shared them. The two porters were the best with the Kumara Porter being the most impressive. I had asked for the cider but I received the non alcoholic ginger beer instead. I had thought about having them swap it but decided to keep it as I was getting a little heartburn anyway and the ginger would help. I found the ginger beer a little too sweet for my taste but otherwise it was nice enough.
On the ferry back that evening, I shook hands with Neil deGrasse Tyson who was with his family. I didn't take a selfie with him as it was clearly a family holiday. I simply walked up to him and shook his hand after saying hello and then walked to the back of the ferry to take a picture.
Our last day was a full day since our flight wasn't until just before midnight so we tried to fit in as many brewpubs as we could. We started off with Brother beer which has the highest ratebeer rating. It's actually in a sort of shopping/industrial complex called City Works Depot.
There's a small brewkit onsite and they serve pizza. I was told the main brewery is a little outside of the city centre. It was a little soulless at the time because it was a weekday afternoon so there were only a few other people inside. We sat outside on some comfy chairs with our flights.
We ordered every beer that Brothers had on tap that was their own. They had 9 of their own beers on tap and since two flights included 10 beers, I gave the bar man dealer's choice and pick something he likes to drink.
I don't recall the guest beer he picked but it was a hoppy lager and it was fantastic, perhaps the best beer on the tray. Brothers Black was also fantastic, I think it was my favourite from the range along with Wayfarer IPA and Brown ale. Unfortunately my crappy iPhone doesn't appear to have kept the receipt from the top flight in focus so I can't tell what they were called. The bottom flight was from left to right, an amber, lager, black, fresh hop ale and then pale ale.
After this we headed to The Brewers Co-Operative which is the number one Auckland bar on ratebeer apparently. It was actually pretty good but I just ordered a couple of beers. I think I had a Sparks Outlander stout and Pauline had a New Zealand Pilsner most likely.
The last thing before we left the city centre was to head to Shakespeare Tavern which doubles as a hotel reception. Unfortunately they only had two of their beers on tap so I went for the stout and Pauline had the pale ale. They were both solid beers though there seemed to be little interest from the staff.
After this, we headed back to our friends' house in the suburbs to buy some beer in order to fill our suitcases before we headed to the airport. We managed to fill four suitcases and a backpack with beer and wine. All of which made it up to Dublin without incident so I'll have some New Zealand beer to write about over the coming weeks.


Warwickshire County Cricket Club is one of the largest and most successful Professional Cricket Clubs in England and Wales. The Club is based at the iconic Edgbaston stadium, the second largest cricket stadium in the country following the completion of the £32m redevelopment in 2011.
To take responsibility and accountability for the planning and execution of events, acting as Duty Manager for multiple events (exhibitions, banquets and conferences). To liaise with relevant departments and lead and motivate a team with the appropriate skills to ensure budget targets are achieved. To be customer focused and financially astute to achieve company and client objectives.
To deputise in the absence of the Operations Manager in accordance with the standards required by Compass Group UK & Ireland.
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Positioned on the opposite side of the A41 from Hampstead, West Hampstead possesses a character all of its own, managing to combine a quirkily distinctive high street with unrivalled transport links. Outstanding examples of late Victorian and Edwardian architecture feature prominently throughout a neighbourhood that has also made room for some exciting new developments. City professionals, young families and wealthy students are finding that this is just the sort of area that is indicative of London's modern urban profile: respectful of tradition while being mindful of the need for progress.
West End Lane is the neighbourhood's main thoroughfare and is home to several funky independent retailers and hip eateries. Here, you can eat your way from Andalusia to Vietnam in the space of 200 metres and that's even before you get to the vibrant street food stalls that have colonised the forecourt of West Hampstead Thameslink Station. The retail scene has been further boosted by the recent opening of a Waitrose branch at the top end of the High Street. This kind of zesty atmosphere has encouraged developers to invest in imaginative new apartments such as West Hampstead Square and Alfred Court.
Handily situated in Zone 2, West Hampstead is home to no less than three main railway stations. Trains run overland, down from Hertfordshire and through to St Pancras where they interconnect with the Eurostar terminal. Another separate overground station forms an integral part of the Orbital network that links all London's Zone two districts and includes both the Shepherd's Bush and Stratford Shopping Cities. The Jubilee line connects to the West End in under ten minutes and continues on to London Bridge and Canary Wharf.
The area is exceptionally well-served for transport by the Jubilee and Metropolitan lines on the Underground with stations at Swiss Cottage and Finchley Road, and by both the overland Thameslink and Silverlink metro network with stations at West Hampstead and Finchley Road and Frognal.


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algorithm (LRM 2500 / 2500CI only) dramatically improves reliability of measurement in unfavourable ranging conditions (rain, snow, bushes, wires, etc.) With a built-in high-quality digital compass and inclinometer LRM 2500CI instantly measures height, azimuth, and elevation.


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Alaska Region Commercial Use Authorization Fees
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Form Number: AKRO CUA
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Q: Remove element from list of lists during loop I have a data structure info (a list of lists?) that I am constructing as follows:
pages     = [12, 41, 50, 111, 1021, 121]
bookCodes = ['M', 'P', 'A', 'C', 'A', 'M']
sentences = ['THISISASENTENCE',
             'ANDHEREISONEMOREEXAMP',
             'ALLFROMDIFFERENTBOOKS',
             'ANDFROMDIFFERENTPAGES',
             'MOSLTYTHESAMELENGTHS',
             'THISISSHORT'
             ]
info = list(zip(bookCodes, pages, sentences))

I am then iterating over this list (of zipped lists) on letter at a time. As some sentences are shorter than others (e.g. THISISSHORT) I reach the final element before other sentences. In this case I want mask this element from future iterations completely but I don't want to filter it before I start my loop.
import random

letters_read = 0

for i in range(21):
    random.shuffle(info)
    for b, p, s in info:
        if len(s) <= i+1:
            print("End of sentence reached at position %s. Sentence: %s" % (i, s))
            continue
        letters_read += 1

I am currently using continue to skip over elements where this is the case, and print a message to indicate the sentence that has reach its end. However, this will continue iterating over this element until the end of the loop. I want to exclude such elements from further iterations.
I have ~ 10,000 sentences in my list, and these can be as large as 2000 characters, so I am assuming that by masking such sentences from future iterations rather than skipping will increase the efficiency of my script.
Is it possible to remove/mask an element from this data structure during iteration? I've tried using info.remove(i) and del info[i], but this doesn't work (seeing as this is not a list).

Output:
End of sentence reached at position 10. Sentence: THISISSHORT
End of sentence reached at position 11. Sentence: THISISSHORT
End of sentence reached at position 12. Sentence: THISISSHORT
End of sentence reached at position 13. Sentence: THISISSHORT
End of sentence reached at position 14. Sentence: THISISASENTENCE
End of sentence reached at position 14. Sentence: THISISSHORT
End of sentence reached at position 15. Sentence: THISISSHORT
End of sentence reached at position 15. Sentence: THISISASENTENCE
End of sentence reached at position 16. Sentence: THISISASENTENCE
End of sentence reached at position 16. Sentence: THISISSHORT
End of sentence reached at position 17. Sentence: THISISASENTENCE
End of sentence reached at position 17. Sentence: THISISSHORT
End of sentence reached at position 18. Sentence: THISISASENTENCE
End of sentence reached at position 18. Sentence: THISISSHORT
End of sentence reached at position 19. Sentence: THISISASENTENCE
End of sentence reached at position 19. Sentence: MOSLTYTHESAMELENGTHS

Desired output:

End of sentence reached at position 10. Sentence: THISISSHORT
End of sentence reached at position 14. Sentence: THISISASENTENCE
End of sentence reached at position 19. Sentence: MOSLTYTHESAMELENGTHS

A: You need to make copy of original list and then iterate over new copy and remove the items from original list
for item in list(original_list):
  ...
  original_list.remove(item)

In your case, code will look like below
total_read = 0

for i in range(21):
    random.shuffle(info)
    for index, value in enumerate(list(info)):
        b, p, s = value
        if len(s) <= i+1:
            print("Overshot! Shouldn't see this sentence anymore: %s" % (s))
            info.pop(index)
        print s[:i+1], i, s

        total_read += len(s[i + 1])

A: You can use del to delete the item from the zipped list
for i in range(21):
    q=0
    for p, b, s in info:
        if len(s)<=i+1:
            print(f'Overshot! Remove this element {s} {q}')
            del info[q]
        print(f"{s[:i+1]}, {i}, {s}")
        total_read += len(s[i+1])
        q+=1

A: Sanitize your input first and then loop over it:
sentences = ['THISISASENTENCE',
             'ANDHEREISONEMOREEXAMP',
             'ALLFROMDIFFERENTBOOKS',
             'ANDFROMDIFFERENTPAGES',
             'MOSLTYTHESAMELENGTHS',
             'THISISSHORT'
             ]
max_len = len(max(sentences, key=len))  # kudos ZachGates
print max_len  # 21
sentences = filter(lambda x: len(x)==max_len, sentences)
print sentences  # ['ANDHEREISONEMOREEXAMP', 'ALLFROMDIFFERENTBOOKS', 'ANDFROMDIFFERENTPAGES']

Now you can proceed as you did.

A: Make a copy of the list and iterate through the copy and delete the item from orginal.
for i in info[:]:
  info.remove(i)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
A client–queue–client or passive queue system is a client–server computer network in which the server is a data queue for the clients. Instead of communicating with each other directly, clients exchange data with one another by storing it in a repository (the queue) on a server.

Like peer-to-peer, the client–queue–client system empowers hosts on the network to serve data to other hosts.

Example
Web crawlers on different hosts need to query each other to synchronize an indexed URI. Whereas one approach is to program each crawler to receive and respond to such queries, the client–queue–client approach is to store the indexed content from both crawlers in a passive queue, such as a relational database, on another host. Both web crawlers read and write to the database, but never communicate with each other.

See also
 Centralized computing
 Decentralized computing
 Friend-to-friend
 Ontology (information science)

References

Network architecture

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Joss Whedon, a highly successful balding ginger man, has included another Easter egg for the sequel to the smash hit movie, Avengers Assemble. The first film includes a reference to the game Galaga, an arcade space invaders style shooter. The end of the film sees an invasion of aliens descending upon earth, in a similar fashion.
Our inside reporter at Dog Bin, Colin Bo, managed to view a similar scene at the set of Avengers 2.
Nothing unusual there, we say, but Colin Bo managed to get a look at the final battle of the film, filmed almost entirely to the backdrop of a blue screen.


Everything's coming up Rose Gold! Shop rose gold medical ID jewelry for everyone on your list. Rose gold medical IDs are perfect gifts! And because they're custom engravable, our rose gold medical IDs are a great fit whether you're shopping for lymphedema alerts, diabetes bracelets, adrenal insufficiency med IDs, or a medical alert for any other medical condition or treatment consideration.
You'll find rose gold medical IDs for women and girls plus matching med ID accessories such as med ID keyrings and medical ID charms to complete every look.


About North Georgia Publisher Randy Golden sits down and shares a few words about Liberty, Justice or the American Web!
The comsumption of the Felton house by fire has added another historical loss to our growing list. Is there a way to make preservation a priority that benefits everyone?
Those little historical facts you find on the web might not be historic after all.
Napster is a copyright issue -- Metallica made it a privacy issue.
Wonder what's going on with the stock market, oil prices, technology stocks? Well consider it a wake up call.
Urban Atlanta begins to encroach on north Georgia, and About North Georgia's publisher Randy Golden had to learn it the hard way.
North Georgia's short-term drought has ended for the time being, and our publisher is glad about that.
Events of September 11, 2001 are frequently compared to Pearl Harbor. Are they really similar.
Everybody hates spam. Publisher Randy Golden tells us what we can do about it.
One of the major issues facing next years elected officials will be spam. Don't vote for somebody who does it.
Our town has changed from a front porch community to a back deck world. Its not that bad after all.


text:
Egyptian Ambassador Rif'at Al-Ansari, Former Diplomat at Tel Aviv Embassy: 50,000-Strong Media "Watchdog" Serves Israeli Interests
Source: Palestinian Authority TV
Egyptian Ambassador Rif'at Al-Ansari spoke about a "huge Jewish-American organization called Watchdog," which monitors all media outlets for anti-Israeli content. "If anyone says that Israeli society is corrupt, that what the Israeli government is doing is wrong, and runs counter to American interests - this is monitored, and a campaign is launched to refute these claims," he said, in an apparent allusion to MEMRI. Al-Ansari became known as "Casanova of the Nile" in the Western media following an affair with a young British diplomat in the early 1980s, during which she passed on confidential information to him, while he was serving as a diplomat in Egypt's Tel Aviv embassy. The interview aired on the Palestinian Authority's TV channel on October 22, 2018.
Rif'at Al-Ansari: Today, just like there is AIPAC, there is a huge Jewish-American organization called "Watchdog." "Watchdog" is a huge organization with around 50,000 employees. It monitors every possible media outlet: the TV, the radio, the press, the social media, the electronic media, and all the others. If anyone says that Israeli society is corrupt, that what the Israeli government is doing is wrong, and runs counter to American interests – that is monitored, and a campaign is launched to refute these claims. Suddenly there are 550 comments cursing him, refuting him, threatening him, and blocking him from appearing on any media outlet. So this Israeli media watchdog makes tremendous efforts, which yield positive results for Israel.


text:
Statistical yearbook reflects in figures the life of Estonia
Posted on July 31, 2009 by Kairi Rintanen
Statistics Estonia presents today, i.e. on 31 July, the newly published publication "Eesti statistika aastaraamat. 2009. Statistical Yearbook of Estonia", which gives an overview of the Estonian environment, social and economic life and provides comparisons with other European countries.
Statistical Yearbook of Estonia covers in figures the major spheres of life of the state and places the latest data next to the data published earlier. At the presentation of the yearbook, Statistics Estonia also looks ahead and seeks an answer to the question on how sustainable the development of Estonia is on the basis of recent trends, bearing in mind the objectives: better coherence of the society, attainment of economic welfare and maintenance of ecological balance.
Estonia recovered fast after the economic difficulties at the end of nineties. The growth rate of GDP accelerated after the accession to the European Union (EU), rising over 10% in the second half of 2005. Double-digit growth rates persisted for over a year. Above all, economic success was made possible by cheap loans. The situation was favourable for loan stock to increase with the expanding real-estate boom. During 2000–2007 the loan stock of private persons increased more than ten times. Enterprises could spare resources for expansion and their value added thrived. In prosperous economic climate the income of households increased fast which in turn contributed to the growth of domestic demand. Economic growth, brought on largely by loan money and based on domestic demand, proved to be fleeting and ten years after the last crisis Estonian economy is once again in recession. At the beginning of 2008 we were expected to endure "soft landing", but already in the 2nd quarter the GDP of Estonia started to descend drastically compared to the same period in 2007. Economic cooling affected the majority of developed countries in 2008. In almost all European countries as well as in the USA and Japan there were negative GDP growth rates in the last quarter of 2008.
In order to come out of the recession, Estonia should pursue gradual balancing of the economy. Rapid decrease in the domestic demand, improved foreign trade balance and adaptation of the labour market to new conditions have already contributed to this end. The openness of Estonia gives us opportunities, but makes us also more vulnerable when foreign demand for our products and services is decreasing. The exporting capacity and possibilities of the Estonian enterprises need to be increased. Productivity should also be increased, though it often involves additional costs.
Although increasing of the exporting capacity of Estonia is important, the exports of electric energy and shale oil have two sides — increased exports have caused an increase in the volume of oil shale ash by one third, other environmental pressure has increased, too.
Economical use of resources and reduction of the negative impact of waste on the environment serve as a precondition for sustainable development. In Estonia, the generation of municipal waste has grown by a quarter since 2001. Although the increase in consumption has brought along larger volumes of waste, it should be pointed out as a positive sign that growth in the generation of waste has been slower compared to the economic growth. With the volume of generated municipal waste per person — nearly 500 kg per year — Estonia remains a bit below the average of EU. Larger volumes of municipal waste per person are characteristic of Denmark, Ireland, Cyprus, Luxembourg and Malta.
In 2008 the impacts of economic recession did not concern the social area very much. Probably the majority of negative impacts will appear in 2009 and 2010. At the same time it can be presumed that economic difficulties that have reached the labour market already will, through an indirectly forced growth in efficiency, establish more sustainable basis for social areas in the longer perspective
Source: Statistics Estonia.
Bear population highest during past century
There are about 700 bears living in Estonian woods, the highest figure during the past one hundred years, the daily Eesti Paevaleht reported.
The number of bears has recently increased, mainly because of the growing wild hog and roe deer populations. Due to the increased numbers, hunters will be issued more bear shooting licenses this year than usual, the paper wrote.
The greatest number of bears (110) have been counted in the north-eastern East-Viru County, with 95 of the animals living in Jõgeva County, 90 in West-Viru County and 80 in Järva County. The bear population is the smallest in the south-eastern Võru County were only five bears are reported to be living.
The bear population changes slowly, because bears achieve maturity at four to five years of age and mate every other year.
Profit of Yliopiston Apteekki up 69 pct
The operating company of the Estonian Ülikooli Apteek pharmacy chain, Yliopiston Apteekki OÜ, posted a profit of 8.7 million kroons (EUR 560 000) last year, up 69% from 2007.
The company finds that the growth in profit was due to increased turnover and fall in the prices of purchased raw materials and components, it appears from the annual report of the company.
The sales proceeds of the chain totalled 144 million kroons last year, up by 20% against the year before.
During the year, Yliopiston Apteekki invested a total of 1.6 million kroons into material fixed assets, most of which was connected with the opening of new pharmacies and their installation.
The labour costs of the company totalled 11 million kroons last year and the two-member board were paid a remuneration of 1.2 million kroons.
The company had 12 pharmacies last year, and in addition to those Yliopioston Apteekki bought a subsidiary, Lihula Apteek OU, last year.
As of the end of 2008, the retained profit of the pharmacy chain was 21 million kroons. The board moved non-payment of dividends.
The owner of the chain is the Finnish pharmacy chain Yliopiston Apteekki OY.
SmartPost to sell its self-service post-office pack to Italy
When the state-owned Estonian Development Fund announced about a year ago that it will make its first seed investment into "self-service post office" solution provider SmartPost some people were truly amazed, the others kind of dissapointed.
They doubted if that qualifies of being "Estonian Nokia" everybody were looking for.
But now, a year later, SmartPost business idea kind of make sense. The start-up has established a country-wide parcel terminal network (30 terminals in different shopping centres) and offers a really handy parcel delivery service with good price.
Full-pack solution
That goes with a full-package-solution: hardware (parcel terminal), software, payment solution, network planning and operating system tools, client service and all. See the video!
CEO of SmartPost, Indrek Oolup says that the company is in negotiations to license the service-pack to a business client in Italy, that would then put up his own network there and start using an adapted business model.
It's fascinating that Estonia is the second country in the world with a nation-wide automated parcel service network. DHL has something similar in Germany, but their terminals are located outdoors, making it inconvenient to use the service in case of bad weather.
Estonia as a good reference
German solution is also much more expensive and less flexible, since, for example, their terminal is not modular and do not have credit card payment option. All that makes Estonia a good reference country for SmartPost in its mission for breakthrough in Western European markets.
Oolup confirms that SmartPost has done really well in Estonia and will soon obtain the market leader position in private parcel delivery sector.
Source: Estonian Technology Community Tigerprises.com (see video)
Filed under: New products, innovation |	Leave a comment »
Lithuania to increase VAT to 21 pct
Lithuanian lawmakers gave final approval to an increase in the value added tax to 21 percent as the government copes with faltering tax revenue, Bloomberg writes.
Lawmakers voted 66-34, with 18 abstentions, to approve the change, according to Parliament's Web site. The increase from 19 percent will come into force on Sept. 1.
Read more from BBN
Filed under: Finance & Taxes |	Leave a comment »
Trade in machinery and equipment declined the most
According to Statistics Estonia, in May 2009 exports of goods at current prices were 31% less and imports 41% less than in the same month of the previous year. The decrease in trade was primarily caused by the steep decline in the exports and imports of machinery and equipment.
In May 2009, exports from Estonia totalled 8 billion kroons and imports to Estonia 8.5 billion kroons at current prices. The trade deficit amounted to 0.5 billion kroons. That was six times less than in May of the previous year amounting then to 2.9 billion kroons. Compared to May of the previous year, the trade in machinery and equipment decreased significantly — the relevant exports decreased by 0.9 and imports by 1.6 billion kroons. As a result of a bigger fall in imports compared to that of exports, trade surplus of 0.1 billion kroons was announced in the trade in machinery and equipment.
In May, the biggest share of exports was held by the commodities of machinery and equipment (accounting for 20% in Estonia's total exports) as well as by mineral products (16%). The biggest decrease was in the sections of both machinery and equipment and in metals and products thereof. The decline in exports was announced among all commodity sections.
In May, the biggest share of imports was also held by machinery and equipment (18% of Estonia's total imports) and by mineral products (18%). Compared to May of the previous year, the biggest decrease was reported in the imports of machinery and equipment (1.6 billion kroons), transport equipment (1.2 billion kroons) and metals and products thereof (1 billion kroons). The turnover of imports among all the commodity sections declined considerably.
Significant decline in Estonia's foreign trade has been caused by the decreasing demand in internal and external markets in Estonia as well as in main partner countries. Steep decline in both exports and imports is characteristic of the whole Baltic region. According to Eurostat, during the four months of this year (January–April) a decline of more than a quarter was announced in the trade of Finland, Sweden, Latvia and Lithuania.
In May, the main countries of exports from Estonia were Finland (18% of total exports), Sweden and Latvia. The main commodities exported to Finland and Sweden were electrical machinery, and to Latvia — electric energy. A remarkable decrease in exports of goods from Estonia was announced to all main countries of destination. Exports increased notably only to Nigeria influenced by exported petroleum products.
The main countries from where goods were imported to Estonia in May were Finland (15% of total imports), Russia and Sweden. Commodities of electrical machinery and equipment were mostly imported from Finland, fuels from Russia and transport equipment from Sweden. Compared to May of the previous year, imports of goods from Germany and Finland declined the most.
Compared to April of this year, exports of goods from Estonia increased by 5% and imports to Estonia decreased by 10%. Foreign trade deficit decreased more than threefold compared to April. The increase in exports from Estonia was influenced by the increase in dispatches of mineral products (incl. fuels). The decline in imports was influenced by the decrease in the arrivals of products of the same commodity section.
See graphs here on Statistics Estonia website
Volume of problem loans may reach 9 pct this year
Jana Kask, Head of the Financial Sector Policy Division of Eesti Pank
In June, the corporate and household loan and leasing stock declined by 1.7 billion kroons, i.e., 0.6%. At end-June the volume of the loan and leasing portfolio amounted to 261 billion kroons, being nearly 2% smaller year-on-year. The drop in the loan volume this year has been mainly caused by the anticipated waning of corporate credit demand. The volume of loans issued to business services and trade companies has contracted more than average over the first six months of the year, by 10% and 8%, respectively.
The effect of decreasing Euribor on banks' loan interest rates has abated in recent months. Average interest rates on housing loans and long-term corporate credit have slightly lowered, being 3.8% and 4.3%, respectively, in June.
The deposit volume of Estonian households and non-financial enterprises decreased by an approximate 800 million kroons, i.e., 0.7% in June. Household deposits exceeded 500 million kroons, partly owing to seasonal factors, but the increase was unable to offset the 1.3 billion drop in corporate deposits. The past half-year's deposit volume has been on the level comparable to end-2008.
Similarly to May, growth in the volume of overdue loans in June continued at a slower pace. The share of loans overdue by more than 60 days in the loan portfolio rose from 5.5% in May to 5.8% in June. However, the volume of loans with lower defaults has declined. The current economic outlook allows presuming that the volume of problem loans will increase this year and it may reach to 9% of the banks loan portfolio as expected in Eesti Pank's spring forecast.
The loan quality of enterprises active in the construction sector is worse than average: nearly a fifth of the loan portfolio faces repayment difficulties. The volume of housing loans overdue by more than 60 days is below 4% of the total housing loan volume.
The banks operating in Estonia suffered losses of 1.9 billion kroons in the second quarter of 2009. The unprofitability of foreign banks' branches has hiked – the losses of the branches accounted for 30% of the total banking sector losses.
Loan write-downs, which amounted to some 2.3 billion kroons, had the strongest impact on the results of the banks. Loan write-downs made in the first half of the year make up 1.6% of the banks' loan portfolio. According to the base scenario of Eesti Pank's spring forecast, loan losses may increase to form up to 4% of the loan portfolio in 2009. In addition to larger loan losses, the banks' profitability was adversely affected by net interest income, which was almost 25% smaller quarter-on-quarter.
The capitalisation of the banking sector continues to be high. Due to increased losses borne by banks, the aggregate capital adequacy ratio lowered by 0.5pp in June to 21.8%, exceeding the 10% minimum requirement by a sufficient margin.
The financial sector statistics and publication calendar are available on the web site of Eesti Pank at www.bankofestonia.info/pub/en/dokumendid/statistika/pangandusstatistika/tabelid/.
Source: Bank of Estonia (see the graphs here)
Filed under: Banking, leasing, insurance |	Leave a comment »


Gardeners cannot always be faulted for not understanding who their insect friends are. Entomologists have done a relatively poor job of advising the public on what garden insects are pests, and which are beneficial. It is especially problematic when you consider metamorphosis. You do not always know which larva corresponds to which adult, and whether both life stages are helpful or harmful. Case in point, larvae of flower flies (family Syrphidae), also known as "hover flies."
The overwhelming majority of flower flies in the subfamily Syrphinae are aphid predators in their larval stages. What you might easily mistake for just another flower- or foliage-munching caterpillar on your rosebush is probably one of these allies in your war on pests.
Female syrphid flies lay eggs in or near aphid colonies. The tiny larvae that hatch feed and grow, with three instars before pupation. An instar is the interval between molts. Despite its elastic appearance, the larva still has an exoskeleton that must be shed in order for the insect to grow larger. The final molt results in the pupa stage, a convex pear-shaped lump attached to a leaf, stem, or other substrate. The adult fly eventually emerges from the capsule-like pupa.
Most adult syrphids strongly resemble wasps or bees, to the degree that they frequently fool entomologists. Like their hymenopteran models, the flies are capable pollinators of various flowers, visiting blossoms for nectar and picking up pollen in the process.
Flower flies can be recognized by their hovering behavior (few bees are capable of hovering, oddly enough), enormous eyes that meet at the top of the head in males, and nearly meet in females, and only one pair of wings to a bee's two pairs. Flower flies also have very short antennae in most cases, whereas bees and wasps have longer, thicker antennae, often "elbowed" where the first, long segment is connected to the remaining shorter segments.
Lastly, while bees and wasps have chewing mandibles and sometimes a tongue-like arrangement of other mouthparts, flower flies have an extendable...."arm" tipped with a sponge-like pad. This organ is retracted under the fly's "chin" when not in use.
Adult Eupeodes or Syrphus sp.
Syrphid flies are among the most abundant of garden insects, especially conspicuous in spring and fall when aphid populations are at their peak. Watch for them and be careful not to accidentally kill their larvae when you are contemplating taking aphid control into your own hands. Between syrphid larvae, lady beetle larvae, and lacewing larvae, you may not have to do anything to keep aphids from reaching destructive numbers.
Sources: There are several excellent online resources about syrphids.
Rotheray, Graham E. 1993. "Colour Guide to Hoverfly Larvae in Britain and Europe," Dipterists Digest. No. 9. Sheffield, England: Derek Whitely and the Royal Museum of Scotland. 160 pp.
University of California Integrated Pest Management website on syrphids.
Everyone has their own icon for a harbinger of fall, but mine has to be the assassin bugs in the genus Acholla (Gesundheit!). Adult specimens can actually be found regularly beginning in July, at least in some localities, but are most obvious in autumn, perhaps because foliage is falling and prey insect populations are beginning to decline.
I first encountered these assassins in Massachusetts in 2009. I found one climbing on a signpost at the Mount Sugarloaf State Reserve in South Deerfield on November 1. Acholla multispinosa is our most widespread species, the only one found in eastern North America from New England south along the Appalachia Mountains to Tennessee and North Carolina, west through the Great Lakes, to Kansas, Nebraska, and southeast Iowa.
Here in Colorado, our common species is A. ampliata, which also occurs in California, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. Last year I found one on September 2, and another on September 8, both apparently males. I found what I assume to be a gravid female just last Friday, October 23, 2015. All the specimens were found beneath a large cottonwood tree in our reasonably urban, residential neighborhood. The bugs had apparently fallen out of the tree and were on a tall, plastic utility box beneath it.
Acholla is easily mistaken for the more common Sinea species, but lacks the "thorny" appearance of that genus, and has no prominent spines on the inner surface of the tibia ("shin" segment) on the front leg. Acholla average slightly larger, too, ranging from 12-16 millimeters in body length compared to 12-14 for Sinea.
There is a third species of Acholla, A. tabida, found in California and Mexico.
What do these assassin bugs feed on? According to one reference, A. multispinosa is an enemy of the Pine Webworm, Pococera robustella, a caterpillar in the moth family Pyralidae. Another source reports the bug to prey on caterpillars of the Codling Moth, Cydia pomonella, family Tortricidae (the "worm" in the apple). Acholla in general are mostly arboreal (tree-dwelling) and thus feed upon insects associated with trees. Indeed, woodlands and orchards seem to be this insect's primary haunts.
Acholla overwinters in the egg stage. The eggs are adhered to a substrate with, and protected by, a hardened secretion from the female's subrectal glands. This material probably insulates the eggs from weather and dessication, but may also repel potential egg predators. Diligent searching has failed to turn up any further information on the life history of Acholla. More appears to be known about its chromosomes, ironically enough.
So, before you put away your field gear for the winter, take one last look for these autumn assassins. You might easily add to our knowledge of their geographic distribution and natural history.
Sources: Drooz, Arnold T. 1985. Insects of Eastern Forests. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Miscellaneous Publication No. 1426. 608 pp.
Hoffman, Richard L. 2006. "Assassin Bugs of Virginia," The Insects of Virginia. No. 15. Martinsville: Virginia Museum of Natural History. 74 pp.
Swanson, D.R. 2011. "New State Records and Distributional Notes for Some Assassin Bugs of the Continental United States (Heteroptera: Reduviidae)," Great Lakes Entomologist 44(3-4): 117-138.
There is currently a video of a giant moth that has gone viral, with a complement of completely incorrect identifications. This blog post will help sort fact from fiction and address the problems that stem from "oversharing" of such posts.
Here is the video, which elicits the full spectrum of human reactions from horror to beauty to fascination.
A truly horrible – and GIANT – moth.
At first glance, the creature strongly resembles a sphinx moth. Indeed, given the location of Australia, many have identified it as the Privet Hawk Moth, Psilogramma menephron. The moth in the video is even larger, though, and the head and legs look a bit different.
It took a little bit of "Googling" myself to find the real answer. Turns out this is a "Giant Wood Moth," Endoxyla cinereus. Most people are not familiar with the carpenter moths of the family Cossidae, to which this herculean lepidopteran belongs, so it is no surprise that the moth in the video has been repeatedly misidentified.
This moth was formerly known as Xyleutes cinereus, which might add to the confusion. The caterpillars are grubs that bore in solid wood of eucalyptus trees. The adult female moth can have a wingspan of up to 23 centimeters; and it is the world's heaviest moth, weighing in at up to 30 grams.
Videos tend to command our attention, and we often forget to read the introductory material to learn where the subject was recorded, and other relevant information. Sometimes, the person posting the video fails to include those important details, too. Consequently, viewers may post comments that are not applicable. Before you know it, not only is the video going viral, but so is all the misinformation.
The speed with which erroneous "facts" are broadcast, often unwittingly, is at an all-time high thanks to the internet, so it is up to us as scientists and journalists to do the best we can to correct them, as quickly as we can. I urge you to use your own blogs, Facebook posts, Twitter, and other social media to do just that.
Better late than never, allow me to share with you the experiences we had here in Colorado during National Moth Week, July 18-25. I participated in three events here along the Front Range, and all of them exceeded expectations in terms of public participation and excitement over the insects we encountered. While I approached two of these venues about doing Moth Week events, Bell Mead of the Mile High Bug Club carried out all the liaison and organizational work.
The first event was held at Cheyenne Mountain State Park, located just south of Colorado Springs, on July 18. Park staff arranged for us to set up at the camper services building, hoping to draw campers in the park, but there was enough publicity that people came from elsewhere, too (like "moths to a flame?"). One family even supplied their own lights and sheet. It turns out one of their children raises moths, and dad had to secure interstate permits to legalize the rearing of species not found in Colorado.
The landscape surrounding the building is mostly grassland, with Gambel's Oak thickets and scattered mixed conifers. This diversity in flora produced a corresponding diversity of moths. Among the more spectacular specimens were a female sphinx moth, Smerinthus ophthalmica, which began laying eggs right on one of the sheets.
The public portion of this event ended around ten PM, but the Mile High Bug Club folks held an "after party," visiting illuminated outposts such as restrooms, self-pay kiosks, and the visitor center. Moths may be a "gateway drug" to a fascination with other nocturnal arthropods, and indeed we found many interesting beetles, true bugs, scorpions, a large centipede, and two "camel spiders" (non-venomous arachnids in the order Solifugae).
The second event was held Wednesday, July 22 at Hudson Gardens & Event Center in Littleton, Colorado, just outside Denver. Amanda Accamando, the Education and Volunteer Manager there, provided many supplies, creative publicity, and volunteer support. It paid off. We had thirty (30) attendees.
We chose the "Hobbit Hole" as our station, located beside a long pond that we assumed would be a natural flyway for moths. Unfortunately, we were overwhelmed by caddisflies instead. The few moths that did make it to our sheets were interesting species, though, and no one felt the least bit disappointed given the myriad other insects that flew in.
Our finale was a repeat of a private event the Mile High Bug Club held last year in Rock Creek Canyon, southwest of Cheyenne Mountain State Park. Our co-sponsor was the May Natural History Museum, which boasts the world's largest, publicly-accessible private collection of insects and other arthropods. The Golden Eagle Campground and RV Park is also here, affording even more lit-up facilities after dark.
We were thrilled to have moth guru Sam Johnson on hand to set up his own stations, and help us paint bait on trees. "Sugaring" for moths consists of slathering a thick mixture of fermenting fruit puree, stale beer or other alcoholic beverages, and brown sugar onto tree trunks. Many moths that don't come to lights will come to bait. Glowsticks attached to the trees helped us locate the bait stations after dark.
No sooner had the sun gone down on this pine-and-oak forest habitat than in came the moths, plus Ten-lined June Beetles (Polyphylla decimlineata), enormous root borers (Prionus californicus longhorned beetes), and many other insects. Here's a video of part of the fun.
This year, the area experienced an outbreak of the Douglas-fir Tussock Moth, Orgyia pseudotsugata, but most were in the cocoon stage, so we weren't inundated. A few males showed up at the lights, but females are wingless and call males to them from their cocoons.
The bait was effective, and drew at least one species of underwing moth, Catocala amestris, that Sam identified as being a new record for southern Colorado. Last year, Same collected Catocala delilah, another unusual species for the region at this same location.
We were so excited by the success of these three events that we held another one, this time at Bell's home near Garden of the Gods Park in Colorado Springs, on August 15. Despite thunderstorms raging around the city, her neighborhood remained mostly rain-free.
We even took a stroll up to the American Mothers Chapel at the edge of Rock Ledge Range, to see what came to the lights on that little white building. We saw several familiar moth species, but plenty of new ones, too, given the later date.
I want to again thank Bell Mead for coordinating with personnel at all the event locations, securing lights and other equipment, and generally organizing everything. Additional thanks to Brian Kelly and Rick Baker of Mile High Bug Club for their assistance, too, and my wife Heidi for enjoying the same odd recreational experiences that I do.
We're already looking forward to National Moth Week, 2016, but we probably won't wait until July to start "mothing." After all, the IO Moth and other big, exciting moths emerge earlier than that.
Tree crickets, genus Oecanthus, are having quite the year here along the Colorado Front Range. Last month I went to Garden of the Gods park in Colorado Springs and could hardly go twenty feet without hearing a male tree cricket singing in the tall weeds or from a yucca blade. I even managed to capture videos of their singing and courtship.
There are five species of tree crickets in Colorado: the Prairie Tree Cricket, Oecanthus argentinus, Western Tree Cricket, O. californicus, Snowy Tree Cricket, O. fultoni, Black-horned Tree Cricket, O. nigricornis, and the Four-spotted Tree Cricket, O. quadripunctatus. Determining the species of a given individual is difficult to say the least because identification frequently hinges on the markings present (or absent) on the first two segments at the base of the antenna. I know! The whole insect is only about twenty millimeters maximum.
It is much easier to tell which gender is which. Females are very slender, with the front pair of wings hugging the body tightly. The short, stout ovipositor, used to insert eggs into berry canes and other plant stems, is easily visible.
Males on the other hand have the front wings greatly expanded into paddle-shaped musical instruments that make them look more like green lacewings than crickets. The intricate pattern of veins is all about lending support to the membrane that generates, amplifies, and projects the male's song. He lifts his wings into a heart shape at a 90-degree angle to his body in order to sing.
The song is produced when a "scraper" on one wing is drawn across a "file" on the other wing, near where the wings join the thorax. The rapidity with which this happens cannot be captured by ordinary video cameras. Some male tree crickets align their wings with gaps in foliage, or even chew holes in leaves, to reduce acoustic interference and further intensify their call.
Like most crickets and other members of the order Orthoptera (grasshoppers, katydids, crickets), males have more than one kind of song. Once a male successfully lures a female, he switches to a softer song to help her orient to him. His raised front wings also expose a metanotal gland in the center of his thorax, which secretes a substance that the female feeds on. This is something of a distraction so that he can transfer a spermatophore, or "sperm packet" to her genital opening. The packet appears as a small, pearly blob near the tip of her abdomen in the video and images below.
The spermatophore takes time to drain sperm into her oviduct, and the female would undoubtedly eat it if she did not have the more attractive metanotal secretion to lick instead. She is sufficiently addicted that she feeds for several minutes after mating.
Tree crickets are omnivores, feeding on plants and small insects like aphids. Some species are truly arboreal, living in shrubs or high in trees, but a surprising diversity can be found in grassy fields, meadows, and similar habitats.
There are many wonderful online resources to help you appreciate and identify tree crickets. One of the best is Singing Insects of North America, which covers grasshoppers, katydids, and cicadas along with crickets. Oecanthinae.com was created by Nancy Collins, a citizen scientist who has become a leading authority on tree crickets, even discovering a species new to science. Lisa Rainsong writes and illustrates the blog "Listening in Nature," which covers all kinds of acoustic phenomenon in the outdoors.
Enjoy listening to, and looking for, tree crickets in your own neighborhood. Finding them is a challenge, but your patience will be rewarded. Above all, have fun.
Sources: Collins, Nancy. 2014. All About Tree Crickets. Parker, Colorado: Outskirts Press. 48 pp.
Dethier, Vincent G. 1992. Crickets and Katydids, Concerts and Solos. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. 140 pp.
Elliott, Lang and Wil Hershberger. 2007. The Songs of Insects. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. 228 pp.


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MGM GRAND Hotel ~ Entertainment/Nightlife/Sports/Special Events Listings
MANNY "PACMAN" PACQUIAO vs. JUAN MANUEL "DINAMITA" MÁRQUEZ 4
Fighter of the Decade Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao and four-division world champion Juan Manuel "Dinamita" Márquez will go mano-a-mano and toe-to-toe once again in a 12-round welterweight battle between two of this era's top pound-for-pound and evenly matched fighters. Pacquiao-Márquez 4, the eagerly anticipated fourth act of the fistoric rivalry that has had fans and media standing on their feet for 36 action-packed rounds, will take place Saturday, Dec. 8.
Date: Saturday, Dec. 8
Time: Doors open at 3 p.m.
Prices: $1,200, $900, $600, $400 and $200 (not including applicable service charges and taxes)
Buy: Tickets are now on sale at any MGM Grand box office outlet and all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (select Smith's Food and Drug Centers and Ritmo Latino). Ticket sales are limited to 10 per person and ticket sales at $200 are limited to two (2) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.
HOLIDAY HOOPS CLASSIC
MGM Grand and the Pac-12 Conference will host the Holiday Hoops Classic at the MGM Grand Garden Arena December 22 – 23. Playing four games over two days will be some of the most exciting college basketball teams from around the nation including Oregon State, James Madison, San Diego and San Jose State.
Dates: December 22 and 23
Time: December 22: 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.; December 23 12 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Prices: $50 and $25 (not including applicable service charges and taxes)
Buy: Tickets are now on sale at any MGM Grand box office outlet and all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (select Smith's Food and Drug Centers and Ritmo Latino). Ticket sales are limited to 10 per person and ticket sales at $200 are limited to eight (8) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.
UFC 155: JUNIOR DOS SANTOS vs. CAIN VELASQUEZ II
Last November, Brazilian fighter Junior Dos Santos (15-1) ended Cain Velasquez's reign as heavyweight champion, knocking out the two-time Division I All-American wrestler in the first round. Now, Velasquez (9-1) seeks revenge at the MGM Grand Garden Arena Saturday, Dec. 29. In addition to the heavyweight title rematch, former light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin will meet champion wrestler Phil Davis in a pivotal 205-pound contest.
Date: Saturday, Dec. 29
Prices: $800, $600, $400, $250, $125 and $75 (not including applicable service charges and taxes)
The Eagles will return to the MGM Grand Garden Arena Sunday, Dec. 30 with its Long Road Out of Eden tour. The Eagles – Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit – will perform hits from the chart-topping album Long Road Out of Eden, as well as classic selections from the group's 30-year career including "Hotel California," "Desperado," "Take it to the Limit," "Life in the Fast Lane" and "Take it Easy," among others. The Eagles were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.
Date: Sunday, Dec. 30
Time: 8 p.m.
Prices: $210, $157.50, $93.75 and $68.25 (not including applicable service charges and taxes)
Buy: Tickets are now on sale at any MGM Grand box office outlet and all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (select Smith's Food and Drug Centers and Ritmo Latino). Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.
Following overwhelming ticket sales and sold-out shows throughout Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Asia, five-time GRAMMY Award-winner Lady Gaga will bring The Born This Way Ball World Tour to North America in 2013. Touring in support of her latest album Born This Way, Lady Gaga will return to the MGM Grand Garden Arena
January 25 – 26. The Born This Way Ball World Tour is Lady Gaga's first since the May 2011 release of her album Born This Way, which has sold nearly six million copies worldwide. The popular entertainer was named Forbes' Most Powerful Woman in the World in 2011 and was included in Time's annual "The 2010 Time 100" list of the most influential people in the world.
Date: January 25 – 26
Prices: $210, $99.75 (general admission floor and/or reserved seating) and $57.75 (not including applicable service charges and taxes)
GEORGE STRAIT AND MARTINA MCBRIDE
George Strait, a legend in the world of country music, comes to the MGM Grand Garden Arena Saturday, Feb. 2. Strait's career accomplishments include 59 No. 1 hits, 60 industry awards, more than 65 million albums sold, in addition to being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. With the recent announcement that The Cowboy Rides Away Tour would be his last, country fans have jumped at the chance to see one of the best performers in the music industry live. Joining Strait's tour will be Martina McBride, a four-time CMA Female Vocalist of the Year and GRAMMY winner recently known for her hit single "Marry Me" with Train singer, Pat Monahan.
Date: Saturday, Feb. 2
Prices: $120, $89.75 and $63.50 (not including applicable service charges and taxes)
Master magician David Copperfield continues to wow audiences at MGM Grand's 740-seat Hollywood Theatre with his stage production, An Intimate Evening of Grand Illusion. Copperfield currently holds 11 Guinness World Records including "Largest Illusion Ever Staged" and "Most Magic Shows Performed in a Year." He also is the first living illusionist to be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Dates: December 1 – 4; December 16 – 31
Times: 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.; 4 p.m. matinee performances Saturdays only
Note: Additional 4 p.m. performances daily December 23 – 31
New Year's Eve performances Monday, Dec. 31 at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
Prices: $99.99, $79.99 and $69.99 (not including applicable taxes and service fees);
VIP Meet-and-Greet packages, which include front row seating, a photograph with David Copperfield and a signed souvenir photo, are available for $199 (plus handling fees) during matinee and 7:30 p.m. performances only.
Buy: Tickets can be purchased at any MGM Grand ticketing outlet, online at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com, or by phone at 866-740-7711 or
RODNEY CARRINGTON
Multi-talented comedian, actor and writer Rodney Carrington returns to the Hollywood Theatre at MGM Grand this fall with his hilarious stand-up comedy routine. Carrington has recorded eight comedy albums including Hangin' with Rodney and Morning Wood, selling more than three million copies. According to Pollstar, Carrington has been one of the Top 10 highest-grossing touring comedians for the last decade.
Dates/Times: December 6 – 15: 10 p.m. nightly
Prices: $89.99 and $69.99 (not including applicable taxes and service fees)
Note: $2 from each ticket goes to the Rodney Carrington Foundation. For more information, visit www.rodneycarringtonfoundation.org.
BRAD GARRETT'S COMEDY CLUB
Emmy Award-winning comedian and actor Brad Garrett brings his top-quality comedy to MGM Grand with his intimate 250-seat comedy club. The club provides Garrett, as well as legendary comedians and the next generation of comics, a place to call "home" in Las Vegas. Garrett is scheduled to appear multiple times throughout the year with a plethora of his comedic colleagues. This show contains Adult Content and is not recommended for guests under 21 years of age.
Dates: Nightly
Prices: $59, $49 and $39 (not including applicable service charges and taxes)
Note: Prices are $79, $69 and $59 when Garrett is scheduled to appear: December 1 –2; December 28 – January 1; January 21 – 27; February 25 – March 3; March 25 – 31; April 22 – 28 (special holiday prices apply).
KÀ THEATRE
KÀ by CIRQUE DU SOLEIL
Cirque du Soleil is world renowned for presenting an innovative blend of traditional circus arts and theatrical performance. With KÀ, Cirque du Soleil has taken the genre to a new level – introducing martial arts, puppetry, interactive projections and pyrotechnics to create an epic tale of groundbreaking proportions.
Dates: Tuesday – Saturday
Dark: Sunday and Monday
Times: 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
Note: New Year's Eve performances Monday, Dec. 31 at 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Prices: Tickets start at $69 (not including applicable service charges and taxes)
Buy: Tickets can be purchased at the KÀ box office or any MGM Grand ticketing outlet, online at www.cirquedusoleil.com/ka or www.mgmgrand.com , or by calling
(866) 740-7711 or (702) 531-3826.
ROCK 'N' ROLL FANTASY CAMP
The next installment of Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp, the highly successful music-magic experience, at MGM Grand is January 23 – 27. Headlining the camp will be rock icons Roger Daltrey of the Who and Dave Navarro of Jane's Addiction. Also joining the camp will be Richie Furay (Buffalo Springfield), Simon Townshend (The Who, Jeff Beck) and Stephen Perkins (Jane's Addiction), among others.
The rock camp provides music fans the opportunity to jam nightly with legendary rock stars, write and record original songs, participate in master classes and perform live on stage in front of family and friends. Daily rock sessions are scheduled at MGM Grand and at Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp's facility located west of the Las Vegas Strip.
Dates: January 23 – 27
Prices: Camp packages begin at $7,499
Buy: For registration and additional camp information, call 1-888-762-2263 or visit www.rockcamp.com.
Tabú is a boutique, stylish nightclub offering the finest in beauty, sophistication, service, drink and design. Tabú's model servers provide tableside mixology, impeccable bottle service and signature cocktails. From dynamic images bouncing on every surface, to tables with living, breathing imagery, Tabú strokes each of the senses but leaves everything to the imagination.
Dates: Thursday – Monday
Hours: Opens at 10 p.m.
Admission: Cover charges apply pending day and special events. Table reservations complete with bottle service are available. Guests must be 21 years of age or older with a valid ID.
Contact: Call (702) 891-7183 for more information
FORBES FRIDAYS
The Strip's hottest new party heats up the weekend with electric giveaways and drink specials served by Tabú's stunning model servers. DJ Eric Forbes commands the room with his pulsating beats ranging from hip-hop to rock and every music genre in between. Guests looking for a more secluded area in the stylish venue can enjoy Perrier Jouet Champagne and Absolut Vodka bottle specials at private VIP tables.
VIDA! AT DIEGO
Diego, MGM Grand's trendy Mexican eatery, turns up the heat every Friday and Saturday with Vida! Las Vegas' Latin-flavored dance party. Vida! combines the best in Latin music and modern flair as top Latin DJs spin the latest in Reggaeton, Spanish pop and rock and Cumbia beats. Vida! also features a twist on traditional bottle service as guests are treated to tableside cart service where mixologists create specialty concoctions and signature margaritas.
Dates: Friday and Saturday
Hours: Opens at 11:30 p.m.
Admission: Cover charges apply pending day and special events. Guests must be 21 years of age or older with a valid ID.
MGM Grand offers guests a chance to be the center of attention at Centrifuge, the 77-seat bar featuring live entertainment and an innovative drink menu. The bar comes alive nightly with a progressive music program and numerous freestyle and choreographed dance numbers. Centrifuge features specialty cocktails from each of MGM Grand's signature restaurants, infusing the drinks with fruit and displaying the innovative drinks around the bar in Louise Treize baccarat crystal bottles.
Dates: Daily
Hours: Sunday – Thursday: Opens at 4 p.m.; Friday – Saturday: Opens at noon
Admission: No cover charge. Guests must be 21 years of age or older with a valid ID.
WEST WING BAR
The West Wing Bar provides a secluded place to hang out, meet before an evening of dining and entertainment or wind down with a nightcap. West Wing Bar is open daily at 4 p.m. and features a live DJ set Friday and Saturday.
CSI: THE EXPERIENCE
The popular worldwide phenomenon is available at MGM Grand in the hometown of the original top-rated "CSI" television series – Las Vegas. A challenging and fun multi-sensory attraction, CSI: The Experience places guests in the role of crime scene investigator as they solve one of three true-to-life mysteries. The average experience lasts 60 – 90 minutes.
Dates/Times: Daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (last entry at 8 p.m.)
Prices: $28 per person (12 years and older); $21 per person (ages 4-11); second and third re-entries are priced at $13, with proof of prior admission; Family packs of four (two adults and two children under 11 years of age) are available for $75.
***Nevada residents with valid ID receive a $5 discount.
Additional Information: CSI: The Experience is designed for guests 12 years of age or older. Multimedia portions of the exhibit are presented in English with Spanish subtitles. For more information, call MGM Grand at (702) 891-7006 or go online to www.mgmgrand.com or www.csiexhibit.com.
***Guests can choose three attractions from five venues at MGM Resorts Las Vegas properties and pay only $54. Tickets can be purchased in person at participating MGM Resorts International box offices (excluding Circus Circus), or by calling (866) 606-7111.
CategoriesCasinos, Comedy, Entertainment, Family, Hotels, Music, Nightlife, On The Strip, Sports, Travel TagsCain Velasquez's, Cirque du Soleil, CSI: The Experience, DAVID COPPERFIELD, Dinamita" Márquez, Entertainment, GEORGE STRAIT, Jane's Addiction, JUNIOR DOS SANTOS, Lady Gaga, Las Vegas, Las Vegas Strip, Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao, MARTINA MCBRIDE, MGM Grand, Rodney Carrington, Tabú, The Eagles, vegas24seven
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Blayney Accountancy is a firm of Accountants based in Barry, South Wales offering accounts, taxation and business advisory and support services to a wide range of businesses and individuals.
Whether you're a current client with an enquiry or a prospective client just wanting some advice, we're here to help. Call us whenever you need advice without fear of being billed every time you speak to us.


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Serving Residents of Corpus Christi, TX & Surrounding Areas
Windstorm Certification
Gutter Installation in Corpus Christi, TX
Built-Up Roofing
Hot Mop
Torch Down
R-Panel Metal
Boral Steel
Decra
Metal Wood Shake
Stone Coated Steel
Annual Service Agreements
New Roof Giveaway
Differences Between Stone-Coated Steel and Clay or Concrete Tile
By: Bayfront Roofing and Construction
December 7, 2021 3 min
Metal has grown in popularity as a roofing solution for many homes because it offers many options in terms of design. While it has been used in both interior and exterior applications for quite some time, metal has been more widely used for roofing systems in both residential and commercial properties. But does it really stack up against more tried-and-true roofing materials (such as clay and concrete tile)?
Design Differences Between Tile and Metal Roofing
Concrete roof tiles have been around for many centuries, so there's no doubt that they will stick around for many years to come. Roof tiles can give you a virtually unlimited amount of design options, so they can be a good fit for almost any home. You can choose from a number of different options — from smooth, flat surfaces to ones with a little more dimension and texture. You can also choose from a broad selection of colors — one that will fit your home's look and feel. And if you want to change the color scheme, later on, you can easily do it with concrete tile.
Metal is more limited in this area, while many of them are beautiful in their own right. But metal roofing has come a long way in the last several years. It can give homeowners a broader range of textures and finishes that move away from the flat appearance that metal roofs are known to have. They can now mimic the look of wood shake, asphalt shingles, and slate. But the metallic look won't look as authentic as the real thing. The color options are also not as diverse as what you would find with roof tiles, so you may not have as much flexibility in terms of design.
What to Consider When Choosing Between Metal and Tile Roofing
The structure of a product is always important, but it's more critical when it comes to choosing your roofing material. The main things you have to consider are longevity, resistance, and maintenance. Concrete tile can give you the amount of protection and security that many homeowners need. They can last for the life of the property, so it has a proven track record in how it can withstand even the harshest conditions. If it's installed correctly, a tile roof can withstand the effects of rain, snow, strong winds, and even extreme heat. So, it can outperform many other roofing products.
Metal roofs can last for about 30-45 years. So while it may not last as long as tile, the material isn't combustible (which gives it a Class A Fire Rating). There are, however, some other environmental conditions by which it might be affected. Depending on its geographical location, the surface of a metal roof can deteriorate and rust from even a minimal amount of exposure to moisture, salt, and other elements.
Some metal roof finishes can peel, chip, fade, scratch, and chalk over time. And it can be noisy during certain types of weather. A hailstorm can dent or scratch a metal roof, which can make it look unattractive. And the damage may not be covered by your property insurance. If they're installed in areas that experience high temperatures, the metal can expand and contract (which could leave the roof without an air-tight seal). This will allow water to get into the roofing system or create a "wavy" effect.
A metal roof may seem like a low-maintenance solution, but there are many things you have to consider before you decide to have it installed. The color will start to dull after a couple of years, and it may be impossible to find a match if you need to repair it. They're also expensive to fix because the entire sheet would have to be replaced. Because tiles can come in a number of different shades and colors, it's not as hard to find a piece or set that matches the color of more weathered roof tiles. And depending on how many need to be replaced, the cost of repair and materials could be a lot less.
In terms of energy efficiency, metal and tile both have strong advantages over many other roofing materials. There is one important factor you have to consider, and that is how their reflective properties will affect your heating and cooling costs. While metal and tile roofs are both strong in this area, there is one that reigns supreme. The heat's ability to move through the roof's surface and into your attic will depend on the thickness of the material. And because it's thicker than metal, tile has an obvious advantage.
If you want to know more about the differences between metal and tile roofing, contact Bayfront Roofing and Construction today!
Bayfront Roofing and Construction
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Battles are won by courage, luck and a reliable weapon. You don't need anything fancy, just a solid marker for to fill your role, the common foot soldier. If you agree with the above then the Tippmann X7 Phenom Rifleman Scenario Marker Package was made for you.
The heart of the package is the Tippmann X7 Phenom marker. This amazing woodsball marker is the most advanced marker ever released from Tippmann, ushering in a new level of performance, reliability and upgradability. Its blow forward pneumatic design increases the air efficiency and decreases the recoil over all previous Tippmann models. To enhance the handling of the marker an Ergonomic Foregrip is added for a secure grip that installs and adjusts without tools. A Custom Products 14" Tactical Barrel greatly increases the accuracy and aggressive look over the stock barrel, helping you eliminate opponents. Completing the package is a collapsible stock for a stable shooting stance. There is still plenty of upgrade room to build on in the future. this package is a solid and reliable performer for a variety of missions on the field.