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The Candidate Experience 2021 | Recruitment News UK
The world is beginning to open back up. But is it business…
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Five Ways Recruitment has Changed | Recruitment News UK
It's a seller's market Right now, recruitment in the UK…
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Live eBoss Jobfeed data: September 2021 | UK Recruitment News
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Oh no, not again! | Data Compliance for Recruiters
Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the data... Britain's…
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Maximise your sales potential with these hiring tools | Recruitment CRMS
As a recruiter, you will wear many hats throughout your day.…
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Can I sell my resumé as an NFT? | The Future of Recruitment
Don't be put off by the terrible drawings and ludicrous prices.…
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Is there a resignation epidemic? | UK Recruitment News
Employee retention comes under the microscope - but recruiters…
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Government faces hiring bias questions | UK Recruitment News
Anti-bias hiring tools are crucial for recruiters, even when…
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Live eBoss Jobfeed data: August 2021 | UK Recruitment News
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Live eBoss Jobfeed data: May 2021 | UK Recruitment News
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eBoss Insider: May 2021 | UK Recruitment News
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Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The Big Bend Country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties, State of Washington", published by Western Historical Publishing Co., 1904.
CHARLES GILLETT is a well known and enterprising citizen of Reardan. He dwells in the central part of the town where he owns twenty acres of fine land devoted almost exclusively to gardening and dairying, carrying on the former industry quite extensively. Mr. Gillett is a man who takes a keen interest in public improvements and the development of the country and is a participant in political matters and alive to all the questions of the day.
Charles Gillett was born in Ohio, on March 5, 1862, being the son of Wesley and Matilda (Pasco) Gillett, natives of Ohio and New York, respectively. They were pioneers of the Buckeye State, and are still dwelling there. Our subject was educated in his native state and started for himself at the age of fifteen. He followed various occupations until 1888, when he came to Yakima county, Washington, and settled eleven miles from Yakima. From that place he moved to Lincoln county and bought two acres of land adjoining Reardan. That was his first home and he has increased his holdings by purchase as stated above. Mr. Gillett has a good residence, fine barn, buildings, windmill, and other improvements, and has a very tasty and well-kept place.
On June 3, 1888, in Newton county, Missouri, Mr. Gillett married Miss Mary A. Roffy, who was born in Marion county, Ohio, on October 12, 1867. They have one child, Ralph, aged fourteen. Mrs. Gillett spent her girlhood days in various places, being in Colorado, Texas, and finally locating in Missouri when sixteen. Her parents were farmers. Mr. Gillett and his wife came to Washington from Missouri in wagons, consuming twenty-two weeks on the road. We find in Mr. Gillett a most ardent worker in educational lines, and in fact, in improvements in general of every kind in the community, and he is respected as an energetic, progressive and upright man.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Cyberbrau is a web based program to help the homebrewer. It allows for very simple and intuitive recipe creation, and it automatically calulates all the pertinant information based on the selected ingredients and schedule. In addition to the recipes, it allows the brewer to track their batches, making note of racking, bottling and lagering time frames.
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Thompson River Waterfront Property! Beautifully updated home with a new garage. Main and top floor have a total of 5 bedrooms and three baths. The master bedroom is on the top floor, has a 5 pce ensuite, walk in closet, and a private sun deck overlooking the water. Lovely main has both a formal living area and separate family room with a wood burning fireplace. Kitchen has stainless steel appliances, gas range, and walk in pantry with barista bar. There are 2 laundry rooms 1 conveniently located on top floor by bedrooms and one in the basement. Additional storage room in basement. Large garage measures 30' X 40' ft on the main, and has an unfinished loft above. Garage has 125 amps, plumbing, 2 pce washroom, and garage doors on both front and back. Items included are 10 appliances, central air, central vac, roughed in security/camera system, underground sprinklers, and hot tub. Some fencing has been done on lot lines All measures are approx. and are to be verified by the Buyer.


Find the best quotes by Executive Chairman and philanthropist Galen Weston. George Weston Limited is a leading food processing and distribution company.
Shops are not a growing business, so it's a scary place to be.
Weston Bakeries is proud to support local children's charities across Canada. We believe the more we invest in our kids' futures today, the better our communities will be tomorrow.
Change of this magnitude is not easy. And we have had our share of challenges.


RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) - The Flying Squirrels are making the trip to the ballpark much more enjoyable for nursing mothers.
The group "Latched Mama" worked with the The Diamond to create two nursing rooms dubbed the "Nursing Nest."
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The Flying Squirrels' home opener is Friday night.


But letting parenting clashes drive a wedge between you and your spouse will not only cause your marriage to deteriorate, it could also have a serious negative impact on your children.
It's essential for your marriage and your children's health and happiness that you and your spouse become a parenting team.
Below are some key guidelines to follow in order to re-establish a connection with your spouse and become united in your parenting.
1. Always back each other up.
Often in marriage, one spouse ends ups being the stricter parent and the other is more lenient. These different styles usually come from differences in their personalities as well as their own childhood upbringings.
For instance, Paul grew up in a strict family in which him and his siblings were kept to a tight routine and were immediately disciplined for any bad behavior.
As a result, he believes that his two young children should be kept to a strict dinner and bedtime routine, with consequences in place if they try to get out of bed.
On the other hand, Maia was the fifth child in her family and experienced quite laid-back parenting, in which she often was allowed to stay up later with her siblings and a lot of 'naughty' behavior was shrugged off as just 'kids being kids'.
As a result, she is less worried about having a set dinner or bedtime for their children and tends to be more lenient with the kids if they get out of bed at night – often reading them another story or letting them have a hot drink.
Although there is nothing wrong with having different parenting styles, this can often cause conflict between spouses if they do not communicate and come up with ways to approach parenting issues as a team.
In the case of Paul and Maia, these differences in their approach to situations such as bedtime have been putting serious strain on their marriage.
Paul feels that Maia is undermining him and making him feel like the 'bad guy' when she doesn't back up the consequences he has set, while Maia feels that Paul is being too hard on the kids and could do with 'loosening up'.
If they do not find a way to parent as a team, then this could continue to rupture their marriage through the build-up of tension and resentment. And not only this, but their children will also be exposed to unstable parenting and may develop unhealthy behavior patterns.
This is a prime example of why it is so important that parents always back each other in their parenting decisions.
If you don't do this, it will demonstrate to your children that you are not a unified front, which will lead them to try to undermine your authority and avoid punishment.
To avoid this from happening, try making a rule with your spouse that if one parent disciplines the kids, the other parent must back them up – even if they do not fully agree with the decision at the time (unless the discipline is abusive – in which case you need to put a stop to your spouse's behavior and seek help immediately).
Alternatively, if you feel that you need a more clear structure in place when it comes to working with your spouse, often a strategy that works well is when a couple agrees that the stricter parent will lead when it comes to discipline – with the more lenient spouse backing up the limits they set.
Please note that this strategy is not designed to give the stricter parent all of the control or mean that their methods are 'better' than the more lenient parent's.
It is simply a more effective way of 'bridging the gap' between parenting styles. Because what actually usually happens when this strategy is put in place is that the two spouses gradually become more similar in their parenting over time.
Why? Because when the stricter parent feels that they have their spouse's support, they will generally become more flexible and generous in parenting, as they stop feeling the need to over-compensate for the leniency of their spouse.
And when the lenient parent sees that their children are benefitting from the structure and firmer rules of the strict parent, they will naturally start to become more firm in their own parenting, while still being kind and considerate.
The end result is that the parents end up being a much stronger parental team, where they are both gentle but firm in their parenting and set the same limits – which is greatly beneficial for their kids.
They will feel that they are in a more safe, settled and predictable environment. And as a result, they will start to listen to their parents more and their behavior will improve.
Another great benefit from this is that spouses also feel more supported by one another and confident in one another's ability to discipline the children effectively, which brings them closer as relationship partners.
2. Not in front of the kids.
This point follows on from the one above. The best way to discuss parenting issues is when you and your spouse are feeling calm and are alone.
Because when parents argue about parenting decisions in front of their kids, this creates an unsettling environment which could have serious effects on the children's wellbeing.
The added tension in a household caused by fighting parents will often cause children to start acting out more. But as the parents are too busy blaming each other and focusing on who is 'right', their children are not receiving the attention or discipline they need.
Children are good at intuitively picking up when their parents are not on the same page when it comes to discipline, and using this to their advantage. They may try to deliberately cause an argument between their parents, in order to get away with acting out.
And the reality is that their behavior won't improve if their parents are too busy clashing to set reasonable limits and give their children the discipline they need for misbehavior.
Kids need boundaries, but they don't have the maturity to set these for themselves. This is your job, as parents.
So make a rule to never argue about your parenting in front of your children.
Always back each other up in front of the kids, and go over any parenting disagreements with your spouse later when you are alone. Or alternatively, distract your children and ask to speak to your spouse in another room.
Keep in mind that your goal is to raise healthy, well-behaved and happy kids. And in order to do this, you need to work together with your spouse.
So it's important to go into these discussions with a clear head and a will to come to a beneficial resolution.
Having the discussion when you are both really fired up is not going to be productive, so give each other the chance to calm down beforehand if need be.
3. Communicate and listen to each other with respect.
Whenever a parenting issue comes up that you and your spouse disagree on, take a moment to talk about each of your viewpoints on the topic and why you feel this way.
Often, there will be significant reasons underpinning why each of you feels strongly about a certain issue. Again, this comes back to your own upbringings and your visions for the future.
The next time you and your spouse are discussing a parenting issue, try hearing out your spouse's views without defending, blaming, criticizing, or trying to talk them into your way of doing things.
Listen to what they have to say and recognize your understanding of why the issue is important to them.
If your spouse feels more strongly about it than you do (but you accept their reasoning), tell them that you don't feel as strongly about it but will support their decision. And hopefully they will do the same when there is something you feel more strongly about.
Remember, there is never 'one right way' to do things when it comes to parenting.
If you can respect that your spouse may have thoughts which are different to your own but are every bit as valid, you will become more open to negotiation and finding common ground.
From this point of greater understanding and acceptance of where each other is coming from, you will become more open to different ways of thinking about parenting issues.
You will feel heard, valued and understood by one another, which are crucial elements in getting your marriage back to a healthy place.
4. Make each other's emotional needs a priority.
It can be easy to get so caught up in all of the demands of child-rearing that you start to neglect the needs of your spouse.
Perhaps the time, love and affection you used to give freely to your spouse seems to now be all used up with the kids, leaving your interactions with your spouse feeling empty and cold.
Right now, the easiest way for you to feel connected to your spouse would be to see them also putting lots of effort into childcare, but they don't seem to be as dedicated as you do.
Or perhaps you are the opposite spouse. You have tried to connect and be affectionate with your spouse, but they seem to keep pushing you away and leaving their time and energy solely for the kids. Eventually, you give up trying and withdraw your own emotional support.
As this goes on, both spouses end up feeling resentful and neglected. The spouse investing more into childcare may feel unsupported by their spouse, while the withdrawing spouse may feel that their spouse doesn't care about their marriage anymore.
And soon enough, the marriage starts to fall apart.
The truth is, parenting is a whole lot harder if your own needs are not being met, as you are constantly drained of emotional resources.
You and your spouse need nurturance and affection as well as your children. And the best source you can receive this from is each other.
Meeting each other's emotional needs will give you and your spouse the strength you need to be good parents.
The more effort you put into meeting your spouse's needs, the more they will also strive to meet yours. And this will give you both the emotional resources YOU need to be able to give your children the support THEY need.
Remember the love that created your children in the first place.
Don't let parenting struggles drive you and your spouse apart. Support and love one another in the best ways you can as you go through this challenging but rewarding phase of your life.


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Membership of the Young Pars costs only £15. To obtain an application form phone Jean on 01383 731409 or, alternatively, you can complete and submit the application form online or print it off and send it to Jean at the address given.
PLEASE NOTE: The mascot system has been run by Dunfermline Athletic Supporters Club for many, many years. When the Young Pars was founded about 9 years ago the DASC kindly offered us half of all home games, including Cup games, to be used for Young Pars members. All these places are selected through a ballot system. We feel this is the fairest system which gives everyone the same chance of being a mascot.


After a delay before takeoff, an overnight flight, and long lines at customs once you finally landed in Madrid, you're exhausted. Just one of those things on their own would have tired you, but the combination of the three has wiped you out. What was supposed to be a full day of sightseeing will have to be modified. Now you need a strong cup of coffee, a shower, and a place to decompress. Luckily, you'll feel right at home at your hotel.
In just six stops, the light rail transports you from the airport to Madrid Atocha, the largest train station in the city. Then you cross the busy Paseo de la Infanta Isabel—it's really that easy—to reach a huge, 19th-century building that was recently converted into Only YOU Atocha. Usually you wouldn't stay right near a big transportation hub. But the hotel has views up Calle de Alfonso XII and across Retiro Park. There's a rooftop restaurant with a terrace that wraps around it. Plus, as you're about to see, it has a hip, dare we say hipster, vibe that would fit in New York quite easily.
As soon as you walk into the lobby, you feel at ease. You can definitely hang out here. In fact, you want to hang out here. There's an undulating bookshelf surrounded by leather chairs. The open room spreads into Coctelería Trotamundos, a casual restaurant that serves street food-style plates and interesting cocktails. There's a bakery, where you'll soon return for a café con hielo and a still-warm pastry, to the other side. While the check-in desk is practically hidden in a back corner.
The cool vibe continues upstairs in the seven-story building, as well. The corridors are lined with red stripes and stenciled numbers. The rooms look like converted lofts with brick walls, wooden floors, and lots of natural light. Your corner junior suite is full of amenities. The media hub has Bluetooth, HDMI, and USB connections. There's a rain shower, flashy bathrobes, and a hair straightener in the white-tiled bathroom. Even the hangers say, "you look great in that." You quickly unpack, refuse to let yourself take even just a quick nap, take a quick shower, and head back downstairs for that much-needed coffee.
As you drink your coffee with ice, you try to decide how to reschedule your day. The Reina Sofía Museum, the Prado Museum, and lots of shopping can wait until tomorrow. So can exercising—though you're excited to hear that there's a running station set up to provide route suggestions, towels, and water bottles—and a beard trim at the old-school Malditos Bastardos Barbería. Instead, you decide to go upstairs to Séptima for a lazy brunch. The sun-filled room, the hanging plants, and a strong gin and tonic will surely wake you up as you eat everything from artisan yogurt and homemade cake to oysters and smoked meat.
By the time you finish, you'll be ready for a siesta and then a stroll in Retiro Park before tapas and jazz later tonight. After a slow start, you finally feel ready to take on Madrid now that you feel at home.


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Thorpe Bay, Essex
Thorpe Hall School
About Thorpe Hall
Our Key Policies
Learning 1, 2, 3
Choice Afternoon
THS@9
School Plus +
Theatre School
Nursery Welcome
Nursery Sessions & Fees
Nursery Uniform & FAQs
Lower School Welcome
EYFS Attainment & The 11+ Examination
Lower School Uniform & FAQs
Upper School Welcome
Upper School Day
Upper School Uniform & FAQs
Examinations Information
Bursary Awards
Friends of Thorpe Hall
Parent Participation Guide
Girls on Board
SIMS Parent Online
BestStart Breakfast
Holiday Camps & Events
Music & Drama Groups
Sports & Fitness Classes
The Seaglass
Old ThorpeHallians
Parent Gallery
Thorpe Hall News
The Seaglass Centre
Presentation Day 2019
In his speech at Presentation Day, Andrew Hampton said:
Good morning and isn't it wonderful to be having our presentation day in this amazing, new £2m building. Though it has taken a 5 and half years to complete since the original decision to build, it has been well worth the wait. Showing round prospective parents fills me with pride as we arrive at three new jaw-dropping 'wow' spaces – this hall, the fitness suite and the dance studio. Although the build has been painful at times and I suppose all builds are, I think this new facility also represents excellent value for money.
One of the things the Governing Body were keen to achieve was to be able to use The Seaglass to promote Thorpe Hall's relationship with the community of Southend. Already we have hosted numerous sporting clubs and other groups and the foot fall passing through the school to visit this building and the Cunningham Theatre is considerable. The Development Officer who was in post at the time that many of these relationships were formed was Cheryl Bertschi, who runs the Nursery but who is leaving us to seek new opportunities at the end of this term. Cheryl has been an amazingly effective contributor to Thorpe Hall since she started around 7 years ago. Under her leadership the Nursery has been transformed and the fact that it is widely regarded as the best Nursery in the area was underlined when we won the ISA Award for Excellence and Innovation in Early Provision in 2017. As Development Officer she has been responsible for numerous impactful projects including the new uniform in the Junior School, the refurbishment of the Theatre Foyer and the establishment of relationships with Olympic Gold Medalist Max Whitlock and the holiday Kidz Camp. Cheryl has been brilliant for Thorpe Hall and I am sure she will continue to be amazing at whatever she chooses to do next.
Our new Development Officer is Alison Gellett and she joined us in April having had a very successful career within the Southend Local Authority Education Department. Her remit is to continue to transform education in Southend, but this time engaging local schools in partnerships with Thorpe Hall. You will be hearing more and more about our ENGAGE programme over the coming years and Alison has already made an impressive start. Many fee-charging schools in the UK try but don't succeed in forming effective and long lasting partnerships with local schools. Very early on in her job here, Alison figured out why. Instead of going to a local school and asking how we can help make them better – which is the approach recommended by the Department for Education, Alison has simply been asking local Heads what their schools are really good at and that they might help us learn from them. So instead of feeling patronised and defensive, local Heads have been keen to share their expertise with us and new projects relating to outdoor learning, public speaking and literacy are already planned for next year. The quick success Alison has achieved through this flipping of the initial approach to local schools has been shared with the ISC – the Independent Schools Council – and indeed the Department for Education, both of whom are very excited.
Speaking of ISC and the Department for Education, I was delighted last week when Thorpe Hall's Girls on Board initiative was quoted in a document that ISC had been asked to submit to the Department relating to exemplary character education in independents schools. Thorpe Hall made the cut in a document that had been limited to 500 words and we were one of only 6 schools mentioned. Needless to say those other school mentioned were considerably richer and bigger than Thorpe Hall. Girls on Board has now been adopted by over 100 schools across the UK, both independent and state, and, importantly, has generated an income of over £20,000 for the school since it started two years ago. Thorpe Hall was shortlisted for the TES 'Wellbeing Initiative of the Year Award for 2019'. The fact that Thorpe Hall continues to make an impact on the national stage is something we should all be shouting about around the town and be very proud of.
One of the things I have been doing this last year is visiting schools and training teachers how to apply the principles of the Girls on Board approach. When girls fall out with each other it can be tough for those girls and the teachers who try to support them; but it can be particularly tough for the parents. They witness their daughter coming home when friendships have gone wrong, in a distressed state and their desire to try to fix the problem can be overwhelming. When I invite the teachers from other schools to share with me and each other the stories attached to girl conflict, the parents very often get a bad press. No doubt motivated by a genuine desire to help, some parents at these other schools find themselves communicating with teachers in ways that are very unhelpful. Using aggressive and accusatory language, they seek to blame other girls, their families and the schools, sometimes even resorting to litigious threats.
And, of course, this is true not just in the case of girl friendships. We heard in the press a few weeks ago of a headteacher who moved abroad to continue her career so that she did not have to suffer the aggression and outright abuse that she had suffered at the hands of the parents in her school. Sir Michael Wilshaw, former Chief Inspector of Ofsted, weighed into the debate, calling for parents to be fined if they were abusive to teachers. Since then the Department for Education has sadly missed the opportunity to support teachers and leaders in schools with any sort of statement condemning aggressive communication.
What is missing from the debate is the anyone pointing to the simple truth that aggressive communication towards teachers makes the situation much worse for the child. Teachers, in the face of anger and threats, become de-skilled and straight-jacketed as parents seek to wrest back moment by moment control of what happens to their child in school. We forget that school is a place where young people learn to make mistakes and that includes, on occasion, poor behaviour. Up to a certain age, that poor behaviour should definitely be managed with parental involvement, but there comes a moment, and that moment is defined by circumstance, when telling the parents is part of the punishment. In other words, there is a rites of passage for parents as much as for children, when the behaviour of a child is kept within the teacher's domain and not shared with home. And that is appropriate and natural.
Having listened to the stories emanating from dozens of schools, of parents exerting negative influence on teachers through the tone of their communications and I am proud to share with you that Thorpe Hall's parents are very rarely guilty of such choices, especially by comparison. The terms and conditions of the contract that the school has with you as parents includes the sentence: communication with the school must be courteous and constructive. Two great words courteous and constructive. Although rare, as I say, it is still vital that ALL communications from parents remain compliant with these contractual obligations, and having shared these thoughts with the Governing Body, I know they are fully in support of this.
Sadly, but also joyously, we are saying goodbye to Mrs Leslie at the conclusion of a brilliant 21 year career at Thorpe Hall. I say joyously because it is hard to think of Mrs Leslie without seeing in your mind her beaming smile and positive and energetic demeanour. It has to be said that that beaming smile has got wider and wider as she has counted down the days to retirement. Mrs Leslie has been a consistent bastion of support and comfort to children and parents alike. Her unstinting mission to get the most from every child and to help parents achieve that has impacted the lives of hundreds and hundreds of children across Southend, some of whom who are now parents themselves. Her loyalty and unwavering support for me personally and as part of the Senior Leadership Team has played a major part in making Thorpe Hall the successful school it is today. In the 12 years it has been my privilege to work alongside her there have been good times and bad times but she has never been anything other than totally committed to the cause, available, able and willing to do everything takes to help everybody make the most of every day. I wish her a very happy retirement.
As we look forward to the post-Leslie era, the most exciting prospect is undoubtedly the school new commitment to sustainability. A small committee of enthusiastic teacher met twice towards the end of term to decide on are aims and direction and to make a start on what will be, over time, a massive and high impact programme. If I read you the aims we agreed upon I think you will get a flavour of what lies ahead.
We want to make the school
Carbon Neutral in 10 years or less.
We want pupils leave the school as responsible citizens for whom sustainability is their priority
We want to give agency to pupils so they feel they can make a difference as individuals
We want to make Thorpe Hall a global exemplar of sustainable schools
Exciting stuff and there will plenty of opportunities to engage with the programme from home.
Finally I would like to thank all the staff at Thorpe Hall both teaching and non-teaching. There have been many highlights across all aspects of the schools work this year and every single one of the team works hard, with passion, integrity and imagination to do their best for the school and the children in it. It is my absolute privilege to work alongside them and help them to thrive and flourish.
Admissions and Fees
Congratulations to Lee Bright and the excellent Thorpe Hall catering team for being awarded the Healthy Eating Gold… https://t.co/VVFVbuhohZ
Want to know more about our influential, innovative and inimitable Headteacher Mr Andrew Hampton? In this short "… https://t.co/xZj3uOp5p4
The Nativity on Friday last week was, as ever, a thoroughly touching and lovely show. Special mention goes to the l… https://t.co/a65ovc0QLG
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Year 5 thoroughly enjoyed their visit to the Natural History Museum, London yesterday. As their 'Forces' project dr… https://t.co/JkaIoh5M5r
Last week the THS Green Growers were invited to RHS Hyde Hall for their awards ceremony after 10 weeks of working o… https://t.co/xOMYY63vL6
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Your Critic is in Another Castle
About Your Critic
Mass Effect 2, Values-Driven Gaming, and Me
Aside from the "Lair of the Shadow Broker" and "Arrival" DLC missions, I finished Mass Effect 2 on Saturday night. And I have to admit, despite how much I dragged my feet starting the series to begin with, how much I didn't enjoy the first few hours, and how I initially only played it as a promise to my spouse -- I loved it.
I'm a tiny bit in love with Kate Shepard's life and story, the same way I was a little bit in love with Lord of the Rings in 2001-2004 and with Star Wars in the mid-1990s. I keep wanting more. I genuinely felt the adrenaline pumping as I chose my final team and I noticed after we finished that I'd actually been biting my nails at one point. Now, the Christmas gift isn't that I paid for this household's copy of Mass Effect 3 (I pre-ordered it last December as a gift for him), it's that he gets to play it first, with his Shepard, no questions asked.
But I actually had a moment, along the way, where I walked away from the PC in frustration and anger, ranting, and considered walking away from the game entirely. (This discussion will have some big spoilers, as you might expect.)
Oh, Miranda.
Oh stupid, annoying, weasel, sashaying, fight-picking Miranda. I spent all that time and energy rescuing your stupid sister who you lied to me about, and then when I get back on board the Normandy the first thing you're doing is picking a fight with another member of my crew -- my crew -- who your boss told me to recruit?
I mean, what the fuck? I did all that for you on Ilium and I don't even get ten minutes of loyalty from you? Way to waste my damn time, lady. Feel free to take a long walk out of a short airlock any time. *grumble*
But of course, Miranda Lawson didn't actually do anything or make any decisions, because she's a fictional character. The true source of my frustration lies with a handful of writers and designers at Bioware, who created a game that gives the player choices but then does the Nelson Muntz laugh when I try to make them. Ultimately, what frustrated me was not losing Miranda's loyalty* (although that was frustrating), but the feeling that my actions were futile.
I actually did Miranda's mission twice: I loaded an earlier save after the first time, and swooped around the galaxy picking up more paragon points before I went and tried it again, just in case. From further research, outside of the game (which I hate doing), it seems that unless I had done Miranda's mission much, much earlier in the game, I would be unable keep both Miranda and Jack unless I played essentially full paragon or full renegade.
I do know that people play the game that way: "A is my paragon Shepard, and B is my renegade Shepard." But to me, that feels as if it's entirely missing the point. The game gives you so many chances for nuance, and so many opportunities to define the character for yourself, that it feels much more natural and organic (and much better-scripted) to pick and choose how you'll react in any given situation. Where the first game always presents paragon, neutral, and renegade options, ME2 is better about being sensitive to context. Sometimes the paragon option is "shut up," and sometimes it doesn't exist.
Sometimes it's better to play a situation neutral while you still lack pertinent information. Sometimes it's better to negotiate a diplomatic and peaceful solution to an issue. And sometimes it's better just to shoot the fucker. The Mass Effect franchise is all about that choice. (For the record, my Shepard finished ME 100% paragon and about 15% renegade; she concluded ME2 about 95% paragon and 20% renegade.)
Shepard has, transparently, what all of us have experienced at one time or another: the proverbial angel and devil on her shoulders. Paragon and Renegade aren't meant to translate directly to right vs wrong, nor to good vs evil. Sometimes they do translate to doormat vs badass but they equally can translate to compassionate vs asshole. Ultimately, I think, to me the choice boils down to Shepard's leadership style: does she want the love and respect of those she commands, or their obedience and fear? Either will lead to loyalty, of a kind.
The game strongly encourages this level of in-character thought. They don't want you looking behind the curtain. Your weapons and armor don't have visible, comparable stats the way they did in the first game. There are no personality- or damage-determining numbers on Shepard's character sheet. In combat, damage has no visible numbers associated with it and neither does health. In short, they want you in the character and in the moment. This is your Shepard, and this is her (or his) crew and her (or his) story. And we make it so.
Mass Effect is, in fact, designed to be values-driven gaming. It's not the only title aiming for that particular niche these days (Fallout: New Vegas leaps to mind), but it's probably the most successful one. Because of the strong writing and design in the franchise, along with the top-notch voice acting and third-person perspective, the player can very easily get carried along on the tide of the story. The reapers will be the reapers no matter what (also holy FUCK that human Reaper reveal on the Collector base was OMG, I went slack-jawed), and the Council and the Citadel and all the rest, but Shepard is malleable. She becomes whoever we decide she is. And, ego-driven gamers that we are, we tend to make our (first pass at) characters in idealized version of our own image. The value system the player imparts upon Shepard informs the way the whole game is played: side quests, main mission, and all.
I know that choice in gaming is an illusion, and at best the Mass Effect franchise can sustain binary decisions across games. And life's not binary. But the disconnect came for me when the illusion of choice and the illusion of character were so complete that a deviation -- a reminder that this is indeed a constructed world, not of my making, running on rails with a set script -- was jarring. I reached the point where my value system, the ethos I had determined for Shepard, was no longer able to apply. I felt angry with the game, for implying that I should have been 100% Dudley Do-Right or 100% asshole to my crew in order to advance in the way that I felt was natural. I'd have been better off never seeing the greyed-out charm and intimidate options, rather than having them hover there, unattainable.
But you can't have everything, right? Mass Effect is a lesson in that, too. Still, against my own expectation (I thought for sure Zaeed at least would get bumped off, and possibly Jack for sheer recklessness), all 12 of my crew will live to see Mass Effect 3. So watch out, Reapers: Shepard is ready to bring it. FOR HUMANITY! (And maybe, just a little, for Garrus too.)
*"Why choose Jack's loyalty over Miranda's?" you ask. "You could have gone the other way on that, you know." Well, one of them is spying on me to her boss, who finances a major terrorist organization -- but the other is a psychopathic, murderous, hair-trigger biotic sleeping right next to my ship's highly explosive engines. On whose good side would you decide to stay?
Posted by K. Cox at 3:51 PM
Tags: choice, mass effect, post-mortem
Line June 1, 2011 at 4:51 PM
Interesting! I played Linus Shepard as a mix of Paragon/Renegade, and went on Miranda's mission about a third of the way through the game. But I was able to choose the Renegade diplomacy option in the Jack/Miranda dispute. Linus was at about 40% Paragon and 30% Renegade at that point, if I recall correctly. It may just be that it's easier to win these particular people over with intimidation than with sugar-coating, which does fit their personalities.
That said, Teresa Shepard - my first character - was closer to the Paragon side, and I had a similar experience to yours in this situation. But I was absolutely delighted with how it turned out. Teresa hated Miranda! It made sense that they wouldn't get along, and I was glad that I was given a chance to side with Jack over her. A problem I have with Bioware in general is that it's usually too easy to be everyone's friend. As a player, I have the impulse to get everyone on my good side. But as a roleplayer, that makes the interactions with the characters feel flat. Interpersonal conflicts are a great source of drama, and should be exploited! The party disputes in ME2 are one way to approach that; another is how Dragon Age 2 gives you bonuses for being both friends and enemies with your party members. I appreciate that Bioware is exploring this more.
K. Cox June 1, 2011 at 4:56 PM
That was the funny thing: I hated Miranda. I didn't like her or want to like her, but somehow I still wanted her to like me. Because yes, I have the exact same issue: I always want everyone to like me, in gaming. Which is stupid. I'm better off without someone like the Illusive Man liking my anti-Cerberus Shepard.
(I have been told that the Miranda/Jack dispute actually keys off of how many paragon or renegade points you've earned so far as compared to how many have been available, rather than an absolute threshold. So yes: if I had done Miranda's mission earlier, I probably would have had a negotiation tactic available.)
Eventually I realized I could take a lack of loyalty from Miranda... but I'm beyond relieved that I was able to negotiate the Tali / Legion dispute. (Which I expected from the start. I mean... duh.) Those are both characters I'd genuinely have hated to be hated by.
Andy June 1, 2011 at 8:35 PM
I wonder if I would have enjoyed ME2 more if I had played ME1 (which I will probably never do now). I don't recall the human collector being that big of a deal. Then again, my memory is terrible. Sigh.
It was a neat game though. I keep thinking I'll play it through again as something other than a sniper, but every time I try there is too much I want to skip. And load times. Man, games still have those? Weren't they supposed to go out of style when hoverboards came in? Wait. Crap.
Patricia June 2, 2011 at 10:36 AM
Oh. Shit. I should have thought about the fact that Jack sleeps next to the explosives before I broke up with her..
wsn June 2, 2011 at 3:58 PM
ME2 really does pigeonhole you. I think if they relaxed the thresholds some it would help. Doing more missions with Jack/Miranda and Tali/Legion should not make them less likely to trust you.
Dragon Age 2 has a much better system. There are 2 kinds of "I win" choices - personal and companion.
The PC (Hawke) can make dialogue choices with associated tones (generally diplomatic/do-gooder, sarcastic/charming, and aggressive/direct). The game tracks these, and assigns Hawke a dominant tone. In some circumstances, having a particular dominant tone will allow you a special "I win" choice. Note that not all tones do not give special options in all cases.
The other is companions - your companions will sometimes be able to use their personalities/roles to give additional dialogue options. A smooth-talking character can help you lie, a guardswoman can scare the piss out of people, a mage can help with magey stuff, etc.
RedJenny June 3, 2011 at 3:44 AM
Red Jenny Shepard chose Jack because Miranda's loyalty to Cerberus would do in a pinch. Boy Shepard (I don't remember his name, I didn't pick it) chose Miranda because he wanted to schtup her.
You can regain the lost one's loyalty through conversation later in the game. I don't remember the details but I've done it.
Had I but words enough and time, that's what I would have written. Well said.
Don't worry: She's an incredibly powerful biotic (at least in the cutscenes*) so distance from the engines probably wouldn't save the Normandy.
*http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CutscenePowerToTheMax
K. Cox June 3, 2011 at 7:39 AM
See, I thought the human Reaper was gross. And I was wowed by the idea that they don't all look like bugs, that in some way they take on the aspect of the species they annihilate... to me that was a thing with enormous psychological punch potential, imagining a giant turian one coming for the last turian survivors, a giant human one coming for the last human survivors... slightly less intimidating when you think of the hanar, admittedly.
I actually was never able to have the necessary conversation with Miranda to win back her loyalty. I went back, repeatedly, until my crew were captured and it was time to go. (BTW having you play as Joker there is a nice touch, I forgot to mention it in my initial post.) Both the paragon and renegade options stayed permanently greyed out no matter how often I went back to have that conversation, so eventually I decided the hell with Miranda anyway. She wasn't someone I needed to have by my side in Mass Effect 3; others were more important to me (Garrus and Tali most of all, which I think is not uncommon, though also I quite liked Mordin, Grunt, Legion, and Kasumi).
I didn't win Zaeed's loyalty; I told him to go to hell and saved everyone else from the fire. He was one step too far for my Shepard, and he wasn't someone she would have picked for her crew on her own. That's part of why I'm surprised he survived the game, but I think that's mostly down to having made all good leadership and specialist choices whenever the game made me pick. (Most of which are relatively easy to make, if you think about what the character is going to need to do and which characters are most suited to the task. Although I spent a long time making some of those decisions.)
Stephen Winson June 3, 2011 at 10:08 AM
slightly less intimidating when you think of the hanar, admittedly.
I dunno, Blasto the Hanar Spectre is one bad mutha-shut-yo-mouth...
It's not a bad thing. My first reaction to the concept was more "OK, how the hell is a species, even a mostly mechanical one, supposed to evolve a method of reproduction that requires you to pulp nearly the entire population of that species in an entire galaxy for their genetic material?" I just didn't feel that held together especially well in a logical consistency sense.
K. Cox June 3, 2011 at 12:24 PM
There's an opportunity, but never a guarantee. I never could get Miranda to sit down and shut up.
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The Gamer's Gaze, part 2
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A Combustible Lemon - This is That Post
The Age of the Dragons, part II: The Tragedie of Kirkwalle
Sashaying Through the Normandy
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https://publichealth.ouhsc.edu/Alumni Parent Page: Alumni id: 25786 Active Page: John Finleyid:26238
HOME / Alumni / Distinguished Alumni Award / 2020 Distinguished Alumni / John Finley
2020 Departmental of Health Administration and Policy Distinguished Alumni Award
The 2020 Distinguished Alumni Award for the Department of Health Administration and Policy goes to John Finley, JD/MPH
John Finley earned his JD/MPH degree in 2002, and while a student, he served as the ACHE President. He was the first OU student selected as a Presidential Management Fellow. From 2002-2004, he served as Fellow in the White House and at the US Food and Drug Administration. In these roles, he coordinated the development and implementation of a range of health care legal and policy issues, including food, drug and public health policy. He was the lead attorney on the US Surgeon General's Task Force on Drug Importation and he coordinated the White House-led, inter-agency policy process to authorize the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in 2003. Many have considered this program to be the most successful US led, international public health program in history.
Since graduating from OU, John has dedicated his career to improving the lives of patients and improving the public health by taking leadership positions in key health care companies. John has almost 20 years of leadership on a broad range of healthcare laws, policy and regulations governing the activities of pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributors, health care providers, pharmacies and healthcare payers. He has extensive experience with FDA, CMS, and the OIG within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). John even developed the most common risk structure used by compliance departments across the US.
John has held the top legal, research and compliance positions at the University of Kansas, Aetna, WakeMed, the FDA and the White House. He has helped major medical centers, pharmacies and Fortune 100 healthcare companies build their legal, audit, and compliance functions and strengthen their relationships with regulators following the resolution of first of its kind material litigation. He has led successful resolution of federal investigations and legal actions and effectively implemented six Corporate Integrity Agreements, one CMS exclusion, two FCPA cases and one Deferred Prosecution Agreement.
John has built and led global legal, compliance, audit, privacy, and regulatory affairs programs across complex domestic and international jurisdictions and regulatory environments. He has built and provided leadership to international teams on federal and state regulatory obligations in 37 countries and led teams of 22-600 people. He has built established and overseen collaborative processes for the proactive identification and analysis of risks and related control gaps in business operations. John is currently leading several strategic priorities including efforts to work with the HHS to help solve the opioid crisis.
John currently serves as the General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer and Corporate Secretary at AIS HealthCare. AIS is a national, healthcare and specialty pharmacy company based in Dallas, Texas and the leading provider of specialty pharmacy solutions for intrathecal pain care, home-health infusion and nursing services in all 50 states. John reports to the President and CEO with a dotted line to the Board. He provides leadership, oversight and direction in the areas of compliance, legal affairs, regulatory affairs, audit, information security, privacy and risk management.
John lives in Southlake, TX with his wife, Jenn, three daughters and two golden retrievers. John is active in the community and serves as a Board member for a non-profit cancer foundation, as an Advisory Board Member for his undergraduate college and as an executive mentor for the Columbia University Graduate Center for Technology Management. John has participated in the annual Ed Brandt Memorial lecture in Women's Health; and, occasionally be found on the OU campus speaking to students about careers in public health and law.
Here is an excerpt from one of his nomination letters:
"John has built a career using his legal skills to help advance worthy public health initiatives and has changed the lives of millions on doing so. Accordingly, he has made healthcare delivery better for all."
Congratulations, John, on this prestigious award. We are proud to call you an alumnus.


It's fair to say the Italian Riviera goes on and on and on. It's not that the distance is that great, more that the coast road is slow, twisting and ambling. Our average speed doesn't get much over 25 mph but that isn't such a bad thing as it gives plenty of time to look around. Since we crossed the border we have done nearly 240 km and other than the day in Diano Marina where we saw a million motorhomes, we haven't seen a single one actually on the coast road. We guess that means those in the know use the tolls and then drive off at the exit to the part of the coast they are visiting. It makes sense as taking this route has increased our journey times from under 2 hours on the toll, to well over 8 hours so far. However, for us its been a revelation, one of the most unspoiled coastlines we have been lucky enough to visit, made possible really due to our winter transit, as if its this slow now it must be absolute hell in summer.
We moved on fairly handy from Campsite Colditz on Friday morning and feeling fresh and ready for a challenge we headed into the depths of Genoa. It was one of those moments where on the map it looked such a little place then surely we would zip through it on a reasonable road. In reality it isn't that little, the roads are pretty rubbish for a city and no-one with more than two wheels was zipping anywhere. We coped reasonably well with the roads, the Italian cars were fine but the scooters and mopeds made it feel like driving through Quadrophenia. They come at you from all angles, overtake on both sides, they appear out of nowhere and there is no way they are giving way to any other vehicle. It isn't a stereotypical view that Italians all ride scooters and mopeds like maniacs, they do, its not debatable, the wacky driving conventions are just innately Italian.
It took us an hour to wing our way through the city, every-time we thought we must be coming out the other side, another view of city life appeared around the corner. We didn't actually stop in the city, to be honest nothing really jumped out and said this is a place we want to spent a few hours or leave the van unattended for any amount of time. There are some incredibly beautiful buildings but overall everything felt a bit tatty, a bit industrial and a lot way to busy – so despite wasting our morning trudging into Genoa we then trudged straight back out the other side.
Chiavari is a fishing town, loaded with character, ornate apartment blocks along narrow, twisting streets and a long harbour which is currently having a new beach built right in the centre (to replace the dull looking grey sand one there at the moment) the town is famous for it's ancient medieval arcades, known as Caruggio dritto, the best way to describe these is like the Rows in Chester, they house mainly specialty shops and super cute Italian coffee houses which open out onto the cobbled alleys. Walking through town we came across market day and obviously we had a look around for a bargain, no money changed hands as markets here sell high end expensive goods – this is not a place for pound shop type bargains. As we wandered round the streets in the market we realised that what appears at first to be ornate plaster-work on several buildings was Trompe L'Oeil which then had us questioning what was real on every street. After a few days we have learned that pretty much all the overly ornate appearances, even on historic buildings, in this part of Liguria are painted. It is so well done that it's really hard to pick out unless you get up very close.
After nearly a week in Italy we were seriously lacking in the 'must do' department. We keep getting messages of things we must see and do in Italy but not a soul had mentioned our top two – pizza and gelato :). Needing to tick at least one off we headed for the Gelateria, for those that know the Werthers Original advert, the Gelateria was similar with a gold sheen running through the shop, for once the photo does do it a little justice. They tried to sell us tubs, no way we wanted cones who cared if it was winter to them, for us we needed cones to wander around town with. The verdict, absolutely nothing like an ice-cream then? more akin to very thickly whipped and chilled cream with incredible flavours, yes we will be repeating the experience very soon. Culturally it may not have been a visit to Rome or Florence, but for us it was the absolute essence of a trip to Italy.
We left the campsite Saturday (returning our keys) and decided to go 50 minutes down the road to another little site we thought might be open. When we were 15 minutes away we hit a diversion as the road followed old rail tunnels along the side of the cliffs and the signs showed 1.8 metre width restrictions. We drove up into the mountains, and up and signs appeared advising it was mandatory to have snow tyres as we were getting so high. Then came the rain, torrential rain with fog thrown in too for good measure. Eventually we saw a road that headed down back to wards the coast, we took it pronto. Down the mountainside on a one track road it was visibility pretty well nil, and as the road got narrower we squeezed the van down praying we were not going to meet anyone coming up, right at the bottom met a minibus, we let him do the reversing and found ourselves back on the coast road. Where we were faced with – another diversion sign due to tunnel widths! The diversion had the narrowest roads known to man so what on earth were the tunnels like? We spotted a young Italian lad stood in the road with a fluorescent jacket on (orange jacket means knows what is going on we think) we gestured wdith of van, he said fine go and ignore the width signs on the tunnels – I wouldn't have, Iain did, end result we sailed through over 4 km of tunnels with room to spare and we are 2.32 metres wide, so the diversion signs stating 1.8 metres are obviously just there for some annoyance value? more of the joys of not understanding enough words in a language to work out what is going on.
The light at the end of the tunnels was Deiva Marina, a small village by the sea and not too far from the Cinque Terre, which we plan to visit after the weekend. A result in that after all the hassle of getting here the campsite is actually open and even better its only €15 all in, we did a swift handbrake- kettle manoeuvre and spent a couple of hours looking at the rain and doing some research on routes and places to stop next week.
Deiva Marina (there isn't a marina) is split into two, the newer town is down by the sea, behind it stands the old town with the smallest alleys and medieval houses. There is a church in the centre that dates back to 1730, but sadly it was locked up. The maze of alleyways was literally just wide enough to walk through and right in the middle there was a small area with an outdoor cafe. Despite the drizzle it was perfect, we kept expecting someone to fling open a window, step onto their verandah and burst into O Sole Mio, a little slice of old Italy where we least expected it.
In the last 6 weeks we have travelled 2654 miles and spent £433 on fuel – 27.14 miles per gallon. Slightly lower than we would normally expect but we are running the heating on diesel every evening. Diesel here in Italy is on average around €1.40 per litre, whereas we were paying more like €1.17 in France, still cheaper than home. Overall the all powerful spreadsheet that controls all finances and tells us what is and isn't possible at a glance it says "yes, you are under budget, Pass Go and continue your travels".
Having driven along a fair section of the Italian Riviera in the last few days, I can honestly say that I'm moved beyond belief by the amazing scenery to be viewed by following the coastal road from San Remo to Genoa.
We travelled the first bit on the motorway (as per Sandra's' previous post) and today we've just done a large section on the "old road" through the coastal towns/resorts from Diano Marina to Savona. Its only about 75km, which would be gone in a flash on the motorway, but by "going scenic" we took nearly 4 hours, being caught out at one point by a large detour through the mountains due to a long term road closure and missing the right diversion, took us about 20km through the mountains over some of those legendary "Italian job" type hairpin roads that you see in the movies!……. not really designed for Bella Vega coaches full of gold bullion……. nor campervans, however the views from the top were truly awesome.
Over the years, man has invested zillions and zillions into road and rail building around the world, I think most must have gone into building the links around this region! The motorway, often high up on the mountainside, crosses countless massive viaducts hundreds of metres above the ravines and often a kilometre or more in length, only to disappear seconds later into huge tunnels through the mountains. Its unnerving driving over the viaducts with the huge drops protected only by barriers no higher than the M1 central reservation armaco, then disappearing into the semi black of a tunnel…….. again and again.
However, its only when you start to follow the old road, which in itself was a remarkable feat of engineering when built, that you begin to realise the true engineering planning and design which must have gone into the motorway, as you travel along, occasionally glimpsing the motorway 100's of metres up the mountainside above you – also the pure hard labour that must of been expended 150 years ago, building the main railway line along the coast from La Spezia to the French border……… all truly awesome!
Tonight's campsite, chosen, for a change, by yours truly, is not as expected for €19 a night…… and we'll be on the move again pretty handy in the morning…… its looked sooooo nice in the acsi book too, how deceptive a couple of strategically taken photos and carefully worded text can be eh? Look up 2292, then transpose to …… grey shingle/stone beach, buildings and foundations on beach side of railway (main line) falling or fallen into the sea, site predominantly quite old permanently sited touring vans, 3m high steel fence around site, looks like a concentration camp compound! Internet available extra cost @ €8 for 5 hours, site sandwiched between motorway 300m above (I thought it was pigs that flew, not 40ft artics!!) and main rail line (about 5m away from our van) with intercity express trains every hour or so.
Tomorrow, Sandra will be choosing again ……. thank God!
Yes, at last we have dragged ourselves out of France and made it over the border to Italy. A great trip, mainly because we took the toll road – again. Our Sat Nav estimated from Taradeau to the border would take 6 1/2 hours avoiding tolls or 2 1/2 hours with tolls. Looking at the longer route we were going to run right along the coast through Nice and Monaco and it just didn't appeal. Everything we read said stopping in Monaco with a motorhome was very difficult and we didn't see the point of 4 hours driving just to be able to say we had driven through. We bit the bullet and agreed tolls, praying we wouldn't regret this as we had no idea on tolls costs.
The first plus point for the toll roads were the views, the motorway is high enough up to give amazing vistas both over towards the Alps and down along the coast over the Cote D'Azur. The only downside was the toll booths which totally freaked me out, some gave tickets, some just wanted money, the ones that wanted money didn't seem to want notes only coins or cards. There is of course a button to push if you want help, not that anyone is coming over to help when you do push it. I tried this at two different toll booths, nothing despite there being toll staff standing yards away. The big question then, how much? Class 2 at all 5 tolls (4 in France – 1 in Italy), the total was €25.30. We are not going to argue with that to save over 4 hours driving, we would probably have spent more than that on lunch in Monaco if we had been able to park. We wont become full toll road converts, we haven't got a single euro built into the budget for tolls, (a slight oversight on my behalf). Therefore they will remain treats for high days and holidays and when we cannot face driving through major cities which look like causing melt-down situations between driver and navigator.
Italy rolled into view before we really realised it, just time to snap a border photo and France was behind us. We felt cheated at the border, mainly because there isn't a real border. We were a little nostalgic about the good old days when you queued for ages, then a very stern Customs officer would talk to you in a language you didn't understand, you held your breathe held whilst the prized stamps were added to the passports, then panic set in case you hadn't changed enough money – in this case into zillions of Lira. Nowadays the first you know it's a different country is when the mobile phone pings and it's an O2 or Vodaphone welcome to Italy, not the same at all.
Driving along the coast road from Sanremo we ambled through colour splashed towns and villages and just past Imperia we came upon the smallish town of Diano Marina where there is a sosta for at least 100 vans and next door an ace campsite. We pulled into the site, Marino Camping, and despite it being really busy for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception they had spaces which ranged from €13 to €18 per night, added to this are the best showers we have found anywhere on a campsite, after 5 weeks of van showers and a couple of tepid attempts on French sites we are in shower heaven.
The beach is 300 metres away and the town centre just 150 metres. The beach is very typical of what we would expect of the Italian Riviera (I just wanted to type that as it sounds very cool for us to be here). On Monday when we arrived the sun was shinning and town was incredibly busy. We saw more motorhomes in an afternoon than we had seen in total during the previous 5 weeks in France. Despite it being warmer than an early summer day in Wales the Italians were well wrapped up in coats, boots and scarves, we on the other hand were in summer wear.
We cycled back to Imperia today, a fairly good cycle path for the first few miles, then we actually rode up through the town amongst proper Italian job traffic. It wasn't planned really we just got a bit caught up in the traffic flow and found ourselves peddling like mad up the hill to as there was no pavement or place to get off and walk. Once we found our bearings we realised there was a path of sorts through the marina and alongside the beach so we used that on the return trip stopping off for a wander around some of the super yachts, we both fancy a week on 'Imagine', checking on Google its €530,000 a week for 14 people, bit of a bargain then.


Travelling North of the Philippines this summer season? Be sure to visit the only floating river resto in La Union. It is only a few minutes ride from San Juan, La Union, the surfing capital in the North. You most certainly won't miss the signage just before Baroro bridge, Bacnotan, La Union.
For photo enthusiasts and health buffs like me it is enjoyable to just walk along the driveway to the resto on a windy not too warm afternoon and capture petals, skies and leaves or just about anything :).
The "must-eats" of course are seafoods which are most certainly fresh! and their version of "pinakbet," a meat-vegetable (eggplants, tomatoes, okra, squash, string beans, chili pepper and others) stew in fish or shrimp sauce. Their seafood soup and grilled seafood, meat and vegetable menu specialties are RiverFarm hotpot and RiverFarm medley respectively.
For refreshment I recommend sipping on coconuts! Just the thought of the mild sweetness of coconut juice is making me dreamy.
on special days, one could go boating too!
During my last visit to the place we just had a quick "pancit bihon" snack before heading for the other side of Baroro bridge for sunset watching. One could go photowalking by the bridge first before eating! For the adventure lovers traversing the bridge on foot is no challenge.
you might want to check out his site here..
The view in all directions from the bridge is enough to completely erase my fear.
"May your families be blessed with all the love in the world."
What a beautiful place sis. The sight of the pancit with kalamansi makes me drool lol.
This place is remarkable, Zen. I wish I can also have a summer get away for a while. Been very busy lately. Love your pictures too! And that pancit looks yummy.
looks like the floating restaurant in bohol. i love all the captures, very pretty place. drooling over your bihon pic, lol!
Beautiful place! Wow! That is indeed worth a tour! There used to be a floating river resto too in my hometown CDO but when Typhoon Sendong hit the city, accordingly, it got damaged. I am not sure if it rebuilt.
Looking at it through your pictures, this floating restaurant is very inviting and a must-visit place.
Looks like your hometown has got a lot of beautiful things to offer, Dokie. I only had the chance to try a floating restaurant in Bohol. It was one wonderful experience for me.
You look great in that photo, Doc. Thanks for the online tour.
I miss eating like these kind of food,sis.You have a beautiful hometown and thanks for sharing with us.
This reminds of the a floating restaurant in Cagayan de Oro.
oh my gosh, you are pretty lucky to live in a beautiful hometown....:) That floating restaurant reminds me of my hometown.
Nice photos specially the twilight shot. Seems a great place to visit in La Union. Mapuntahan nga.
Wow, Zen, these are outstanding shots of every corner of this place. Your food must be so delicious with all the gorgeous view around you!
I won't be in the Phillipines any time soon but I would love to eat at that restaurant on the water.
My husband's mother is from Bacnotan! :) Too bad you didn't write about this last year, though, when we went on our northern road trip.


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⟵How to delete webviewerpro.exe malware in C:\Program Files\web viewer pro folder?


To celebrate the end of the semester, and Emilie's successful Master's defense, the Wright and Thomson Labs (collectively called the Neucastle Lab) got together for the first annual 2016 Tamalegeddon*! I'm assuming this is going to become an annual event because it was delicious and tons of fun.
1) Find all the ingredients. This is harder than you think in Hawai'i. After some searching, we did find masa at one of the grocery chains, and corn husks at Mercado de la Raza.
2) Make the filling. Bob braised some pork shoulder for carnitas on his own, so this was a super easy step for the rest of us.
3) Make the tamale dough. I thought this was going to be harder than it was. Bob and I made two batches – one with lard and carnitas broth, and the other with shortening and veggie broth. We have a variety of dietary restrictions in the Neucastle Lab, so we covered all the bases.
4) Assemble tamales! It helps if you have a small army of minions for this part, which we did. Our tamales were comprised of carnitas, soyrizo, queso fresco, and roasted serrano and jalapeño peppers.
5) Cook the tamales. With separate steaming pans for the veggie and meat tamales, we managed to get our whole batch cooking at once! While waiting, enjoy a mango margarita or three.
* Note: Bob gets full credit for the cool name.
By Laci Gerhart Barley in Uncategorized on May 12, 2016 .


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Directed by dynamic educator Ms. Tere Mendoza, our Marine Biology program will take you out to sea for an unforgettable marine science experience!
REQUIREMENTS: Students must know how to swim.
Space is limited! First come, first serve basis.


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Increasing Adoption of Cleaner Fuels to Boost the Nylon 66 Market
According to a recent research report published by MarkNtel Advisors, the Global Nylon 66 Market is set to register around 3.1% CAGR during 2022-27. The rapidly rising automotive industry globally is the major reason behind the growth of the Global Nylon 66 Market. The automotive sector is the most prominent end-user of Nylon 66, which has high tensile strength & excellent resistance to high temperatures and is well-utilized in manufacturing tire cords.
In addition, more and more people adopting sustainable mobility options is another crucial aspect contributing to the propelling demand for Nylon 66 in the automotive sector for the production of lightweight automobiles & other automotive components to yield enhanced fuel efficiency. Moreover, the surging private ownership of vehicles, especially EVs, is another crucial driver for the flourishing automotive sector, which, in turn, is augmenting the demand for Nylon 66.
Furthermore, owing to characteristics like superior tensile strength and high abrasion resistance & elasticity, Nylon 66 is being used increasingly for manufacturing automotive airbags and also as engineering thermoplastic materials.
On the other hand, due to its exceptional electrical resistance, toughness, and outstanding insulation properties, Nylon 66 is witnessing a notably growing demand in textile and electrical & electronic applications, and thus, fueling the overall growth of the global market, further states the research report, "Global Nylon 66 Market Analysis, 2022."
Massive Increase in Demand for Resin-Grade Nylon 66 to Boost the Global Market
Nylon 66 resins are undergoing rising demand in the automotive sector for the production of molded parts. The rapidly expanding electronics & electrical industries are also stimulating the sales of Nylon 66 resins globally. Moreover, as these composites help promote a product's toughness and provide superior strengthening, they are being deployed increasingly for packaging applications too.
Furthermore, nylon 66 resins are considered a perfect material for power tools & fibers in textile & carpet applications owing to their rigid properties and excellent chemical & physical resistances to external compounds & fungal attacks, respectively. Hence, these aspects attribute to a more prominent share of Nylon 66 resins compared to fiber, which, in turn, would augment the overall growth of the global market in the years ahead.
With Expanding Automotive Sectors, North America & Asia-Pacific are the frontrunners in the Nylon 66 Market
The mounting inclination of various companies toward including sustainable products in their product offerings, coupled with the growing need of industries like aerospace & defense, automotive, and electrical & electronics for high-temperature resistant engineering & lightweight plastics in the US & Canada, are the prime aspects driving the North America Nylon 66 Market.
On the other hand, the extensive utilization of Nylon 66 for films & coating applications in the packaging sector, substantial investments in obtaining advanced eco-friendly films & coatings for flexible packaging, and the flourishing automotive & packaging sectors across China & India are driving the Asia-Pacific Nylon 66 Market during 2022-27.
The major companies in the Global Nylon 66 Market include Asahi Kasei Corporation, Ascend Performance Materials, BASF SE, Domo Chemicals, DSM, DuPont, Invista, Lanxess AG, LIBOLON, Radici Partecipazioni SpA, The Ensinger Group, and UBE Corporation.
Key Questions Answered in the Research Report:
What are the current & future trends in the Global Nylon 66 Market?
How has the competition been shaping across various countries, followed by their comparative factorial indexing?
What are the key growth drivers & challenges for the Global Nylon 66 Market?
What are the customer orientation, purchase behavior, and expectations from Nylon 66 manufacturers across various regions?
By Grade (Resin, Fiber)
By End-User (Automotive, Electrical & Electronics, Packaging, Textile, Others (Consumer Goods, etc.))
By Region (North America, South America, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Asia-Pacific)
By Countries (The US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, The UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Russia, South Africa, GCC, India, China, Japan, South Korea)


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Woman cut free from her vehicle after single vehicle crash
Mark Boggis
Edgerton Road in Kirkley, where a woman had to be freed from her vehicle by firefighters. Picture: Google
A woman has been taken to hospital with head injuries after a single vehicle crash.
Firefighters freed the woman, in her 20s, from her vehicle as she was trapped after the crash on Edgerton Road in Kirkley this morning (Friday).
Two fire crews and paramedics from the East of England Ambulance Service were called to the scene about 8.10am.
A brigade spokesman said: "Suffolk Fire and Rescue were mobilised to a road traffic collision at 8.13am in Lowestoft. Appliances from North Lowestoft and Lowestoft South attended the incident."
With one casualty "medically trapped," according to the fire service, a "full roof removal took place" before the scene was cleared at 8.54am with the casualty released by the firefighters and placed in care of the ambulance service.
A spokesman for the East of England Ambulance Service said: "We received a report of a collision on Edgerton Road, Lowestoft. A rapid response vehicle and an ambulance attended.
"A female in her 20s was taken to the James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston with a suspected head injury."
James Paget University Hospital
England Ambulance Service
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To help get your sewing patterns and fabric stash organised we've designed some free downloadable tools to get you started. These include Fabric stash tags, Button cards, Ribbon and trim cards, Size measurement cards, Sewing projects lists, Fabric stash library cards with tags, Pattern card notes and Pattern library cards (to organise by designer or pattern type).
We recommend you print them out on card suitable for your printer so they will last longer. Why not print them on coloured card to brighten up your sewing supplies? Happy Sewing!
Note down all the fabrics in your stash and attach a tag label to each listing the type of fabric, width, length, any project ideas you have and whether it has been prewashed ready for sewing. This will save time when you are looking for suitable fabric for a project as you will know how much you've got just by checking the label.
Get your haberdashery buttons organised so that you don't lose matching buttons. You can make small holes in the circles on the button card to thread your buttons and keep them together ready for your next project. Vintage buttons would usually come attached to button cards so they were easily stored but in more modern times we often buy them loose and they can easily get lost in your haberdashery supplies.
Don't let your lovely ribbons and trims get in a tangle in your sewing box, wrap them on a card instead and stack them neatly for easy reference.
Have your measurement card on a notice board or keep in your sewing box so that you can quickly refer to your measurements when deciding what size of a pattern to cut out. You can also take it with you when shopping for quick reference.
What exciting sewing plans do you have for 2016? Write everything down on your Sewing projects 2016 card. Include the pattern name, designer, size to cut out, fabric you want to use and any alternations you want to make. There is even a spot to stick a swatch of fabric too so you won't forget.
Do you want to get your overflowing fabric stash super organised this year? Is your New Year's resolution to use up fabrics in your stash? Look no further than our Stash library cards and matching tags. You can add details of the fabrics in your stash, such as fabric type, width, length, any project ideas and their is even a spot for a fabric swatch sample. Write the number on your Stash library card to match the tag, which you can attach to your fabric.
Make notes about patterns you've made and include them in the pattern envelope so you won't lose them. Next time you come to make that pattern you've got all the details you need for any fitting adjustments you've made and what size you cut out.
Organise your patterns by designer and use these pattern library card dividers to list all the patterns you have by each designer.
Organise your patterns by pattern type e.g. trousers and use these pattern library card dividers to list all the patterns you have of each type.