Digital will represent 30% of all US restaurant sales by 2025(1).
4 in 10 restaurant visits are influenced by the guest's mobile phone(2).
20% of guests have ordered ahead when eating at a restaurant chain(2).
When we released our report on the impact of digital on the restaurant industry in 2017 we had a strong thesis on the growth of digital channels. We projected digital restaurant sales growing 5x from 6% in 2017 to 30% by 2025. While directionally we were correct, we completely underestimated how rapid the ascent would be. In our follow-up dining guest and restaurant operator study that we conducted earlier this year we found that digital is no longer at the periphery of the dining experience, and that operators are largely underprepared to deliver on the expectations of this new guest experience.
Digital is now deeply embedded into the entire dining journey and 4 in 10 restaurant visits are influenced by a guest's mobile phone. Pre-meal research for reviews and menu items is a habit across all generations (Gen-Z to Boomers), and digital ordering a growing expectation. In-the-moment sharing of dining stories has become a new social currency.
This has significant impact on not just how restaurant operators think about the guest experience, but also on how restaurant operations and processes need to be tuned to support digital demand and influence. Millennials lead this charge and use digital to enhance their dining experience every other trip. Their digital activities range from those to researching where and what to eat (60%) to sharing pictures and content (23%).
While most restaurant operators are well prepared to deliver on the base expectations of the guests today, they are challenged by what is to follow. Over the next 24 months, all guests will start weighing factors such as mobile order ahead and contactless payments incrementally higher than more traditional factors. This will result in the emergence of a new set of table-stakes, which will soon become the base dining expectations of all guests. The core essence of those expectations is using technology to streamline the order, pay and collect process irrespective of where and how the guest orders. (More details about the execution gap can be found here).
Most operators are underprepared to deliver on these new expectations and their investments seem driven more by a desire to match competitor initiatives rather than a true reexamination of what makes their dining experience unique.
Starbucks has to be given credit as their mobile order and pay truly changed the game. Mobile is no longer a cute little experiment but a significant business opportunity. However, even they weren't immune to operational under-preparedness. Its mobile order-ahead experience initially led to frustrating wait- times at pick-up for shoppers and higher labor costs. McDonald's, while late to the game, has focused its effort on getting their digital operations to support their core proposition; speed of service and supporting the drive-thru. Or as they put it, "Digital is the next drive-thru".
Operators need to redesign their business processes and invest in technology to meet and exceed guest expectations. Mobile order-ahead is the most critical aspect of the guest journey restaurants must focus on. A good way to begin is by assessing the end-to-end order-ahead process.
For more information on guest expectations and operators preparedness on the digital dining experience, see our new report: Restaurant Digital Crossroads: The Race to Meet Guest Expectations. For more information on our research partner, BRP/Windstream, visit https://www.windstreamenterprise.com/industries/retail.
We will continue this series on the state of digital in the restaurant industry through an examination of the new non-linear, time-shifted, place-shifted dining journey over the next few months. Stay tuned.
Incisiv Digital Restaurant Study (2017).
Incisiv BRP-Windstream Enterprise Dining Experience Study (2018).


Today's post will be full of pictures from Oltrarno, a residential neighborhood across the Arno river from the main part of Florence with palaces and cathedrals. We took a walk around this neighborhood before visiting the Pitti Palace and Boboli gardens, where the important Medici family eventually lived.
Oltrarno is known for its artisans and quaint roads.
Fruit from a local market.
We got some strawberries and they were really yummy!
Flowers in a window box.
What do you think? Did you like this photo+caption post?
Hi everyone! Today's post is pictures of Pisa!
We left the Florence train station mid-morning.
Pisa, which is most known for it's leaning tower, also has a large church and baptistry built in the Medival ages. Surprisingly, they do not look gothic, which was the traditional style of the time. They have more of a Renaissance appearance.
This is the front of the baptistry.
This is the front of the church.
This is a view of the Church and Baptistry from the top of the leaning tower!
And now for the leaning tower! It really does lean!
The tower will not fall over because they have poured cement into the ground underneath!
Actually, a nice tourist gave me an ice cream cone which was perfect for a funny photo! It was super hot so if I'd had any gelato it would have melted in seconds!
I did get to go up the leaning tower!!!!! My favorite part was climbing it because I had a weird sense of vertigo, as the stairs were somewhat leaning too! (you can't really see it in this photo.
To reach the top level, I had to climb a small spiral staircase! Because so many people use them they are slippery and quite hard to walk on.
Here is some cool architecture at the top.
The view was great! We were hoping we could see the sea from the top, but it was too far away.
On the top, I sat on the side that was leaning. After a while, we climbed down and went back to Florence.
Do you like the photos? Which is your favorite? Have you been to Pisa too?
This is the outside of the Duomo. The Duomo has four main buildings; the cathedral, the baptistry (octagonal building in the front), bell tower, and a museum called the Opera del Duomo. The first three are in this picture.
The all three have a marble facade. The next one is of the cathedral.
Here's an interesting one of all three (it does cut off the top of the bell tower).
My favorite of the Duomo sites was the bell tower. It has the best view of the city and the dome, and it is less crowded. There are all lots of places to stop on the way up because there are quite a few steps to climb.
Here are a few pictures from the bell tower.
The cool one above is from one of the small windows in the stairs.
The picture below is the metal case that you walk through at the top of the bell tower.
I did take some awesome landscapes but I'll be posting them in a separate post.
The inside of the Cathedral is unimpressive except for the huge fresco on the inside of the dome. The picture was taken from a balcony as I walked up the dome. I really like the figures at the top that look like they are coming out of their niches.
The climb up the dome was really cool! There were a ton of long spiral staircases that made me feel like I was in a medieval castle!
This picture is from the top of the Dome looking down! One of the best parts of the dome was waving down to part of my family that didn't go up!
The drop was really steep.
There are really neat arches at the top.
I really like the red terracotta tiled rooves.
The baptistry was neat but I don't really like many of my pictures. The mosaics on the ceiling are in the byzantine style and very two dimensional.
Here are a few pictures from my way down.
This is a pipe from the walls. I'm experimenting with black and white… not sure how it turned out.
The museum was worth it especially because they have both of Ghiberti's doors, which are from the early 1400's and went on the baptistry. Many people say the doors 'opened' the era of the Renaissance.
These were his first ones.
Here is a picture of the Duomo from far away. I took the picture from the top of Palazzo Vecchio.
And that concludes my Duomo post! What did you think? Have you been to the Duomo? Which picture was your favorite?
The Rialto Bridge is a pretty famous landmark and it was the only bridge that spanned the great canal for many years. Thankfully now there are a few more bridges to span the canal but we still did not cross over from our side because it was so much of a hassle.
Here is a picture I took from the top of the bridge.
Here are a few pics of the all famous gondolas. We didn't ride in one but they were awesome to photograph from the many small bridges.
Here's a pretty waterway near a huge church.
Venice is a city of waterways, but it's also a city of super narrow alleyways! I found the majority of the paths were actually narrow alleyways for pedestrians only. Most are smaller than the one pictured below.
A few churches had interesting fronts.
St. Marks square is full of tourists and pigeons. I don't really care for pigeons so we didn't feed them.
The bell tower at one end, which you can walk under is really interesting. On the top, not visible in the picture, there are two statues that move and bang a giant bell.
St. Marks church is a Byzantium style church and the ceiling is covered in gold leaf mosaics. They are beautiful especially in the light but unfortunately, I wasn't able to take any pictures. I did get a picture of the outside.
Here is the square at sunset.
The giant tower was a watchtower so the Venetians could see approaching enemies in the old days because abound the 1300s it was the main trading port in the Mediterranean Sea.
Venice was a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget! The unique atmosphere and roads will be forever picturesque in my mind!
A few weeks ago, I went to Colonial Williamsburg! If you don't know what it is, it is a living history town, taking place during the Revolutionary War. It was so much fun and I took a ton of pictures! This post is all about the governor's palace and grounds.
So, the town is pretty big, with one large road but there are two main sites: The Governer's palace and the Capitol. There is the courthouse, the market, a few taverns, and trade shops, along with gardens and houses you can visit.
Here are a few pictures of Duke of Gloucester Street (the main street).
The Capitol is at the end of the road in this one.
This is the palace green.
The gate in front is really interesting because it is the English crest.
Inside, there is a weapon room, and bedrooms but I only got pictures of the weapon/ receiving room.
The top guns are actually from the 1700's!
The walls were lined with guns, swords, and pistols to show the governer's strength.
In the back, there are really pretty gardens.
There were tons of gorgeous tulips!
I even got our tour guide to pose for my picture!
We heard some rivermen sing behind the palace too.
In one of the kitchens, we got to make chocolate! It was actually pretty hard.
Outside we got to see a few animals. One was a Cleveland Brown (I think? I'm not the horse expert) and one of the last couple hundred of the breed still alive.
And I also saw a young ox and a cart horse.
(^just outside the palace) They give carage rides, but we didn't end up doing one.
The end of part one of my Colonial Posts!
What did you think? Have you been to Colonial Williamsburg before?
Today, I'll be sharing a few photos I took of some interesting, and random, food.
This one might be my favorite photo. It is some kind of ground root (I'm not sure what!).
I really like the way the sun came through the bottle.
I know this last picture isn't food but I thought I could include it!
Did you like the photos? Which photo is your favorite?
I am participating in Camp NaNoWriMo so I may not be able to post as much this April!
Guess what?! I got a tour of the U.S. Capitol!!!! It was amazing, and I even got to go see the house floor!! Congressman Harper, from Mississippi, gave the tour to our group so we were able to go to some places most tours do not!
I took tons of pictures! These are of the outside, early in the morning.
First, we went to the original place where Congress meets.
Statues line the outer walls. The one below is of the ceiling.
Then we went to the place where Congress meets now! It was amazing, but I wasn't allowed to take any photos =(. Our group sat in the front row of the seats because it was empty.
And now for to dome! At the base, the walls are lined with famous paintings like Cornwallace's surrender and the signing of the declaration!
Our tour was just before the area was open to the public so it isn't as crowded as it normally is.
As you look up, there is intricate molding before the beginning of the dome.
And finally the dome! It's really magnificent! I was standing in the center of the room, which is actually the center of Washington D.C., and the dome was so large I couldn't fill it all on the photo!
Then we were able to onto the Speaker's balcony! The view was amazing!
This one I took when we were riding down an escalator.
The tour was finished so we went outside to catch a ride home. I wanted to go up closer like I had in the morning but they blocked off the area. When we went home we learned it was because Trump and Paul Ryan were greeting the Prime Minister of Ireland on the front steps! It's that funny timing! Here are the pictures I took from behind the blocked off area.
What do you think? Have you been to the Capitol? Which picture is your favorite?
I'm Sapphire – a teen blogger who loves Jesus, reading, traveling, writing and photography! Thanks for stopping by!
Thou shalt not steal. I own all copyrights to my pictures.


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Західне Задунав'я () — статистичний (NUTS 2) регіон Угорщини. Належить до вищого регіону Задунав'я (NUTS 1). Охоплює округи Зала, Ваш та Дєр-Мошон-Шопрон. Адміністративний центр — Дєр.

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 Географічний довідник Угорської Республіки станом на 1 січня 2009

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PHOTO: U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says he supports a proposed constitutional amendment to give control of campaign spending to Congress and the states. Photo courtesy Reid's office.
CARSON CITY, Nev. - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., is supporting a proposed constitutional amendment that would give control of campaign spending to Congress and the states.
Reid testified at the Senate Judiciary Committee meeting on Tuesday to discuss the legislation. Senate Joint Resolution 19 would limit political campaign donations that many, including Reid, say are out of control.
"It's still bad for America," Reid said. "It's bad for the body politic. We must undo the damage done by the Supreme Court's recent campaign-finance decision, and we need to do it now."
Supporters of the amendment say Supreme Court rulings - in Buckley vs. Valeo in the 1970s and the more recent Citizens United and McCutcheon cases - have determined that campaign spending is a form of speech or opinion, essentially making a person's campaign donations a First Amendment issue.
Reid told the committee that limiting campaign spending would help restore some balance to American democracy.
"The constitutional amendment also gives the states the authority to institute campaign spending limits at state level," Reid said. "Simply put, the constitutional amendment is what the nation needs to bring sanity back to political campaigns."
Passage of a constitutional amendment is not easy, however. It requires a two-thirds vote in Congress, and support from three-quarters, or 38, of the states.
The text of the resolution is online at scribd.com.


A journal Heath Ledger kept in the final days of his life is featured in a new documentary series about the young Hollywood star's death.
In 2007, Heath Ledger landed one of the biggest cinematic roles of his career--playing the lead villain in Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight." In the film, the award-winning director sought to create a villain that would defy every conventional image of movie "evil," challenging his star to break bold new ground.
Ledger as The Joker, photo courtesy of Warner Bros.
As Ledger was working on physical and emotional characteristics, he kept a diary. The journal contains thoughts and emotions Ledger poured onto the pages of the diary, not as himself but as his homicidal Joker character, recording each and every sick and twisted thought the psychopathic killer may have had.
It's that grueling process that many have speculated ultimately took a severe toll on the young star. He frequently complained of sleep troubles, and resorted to pills to help him. Ledger died on Jan. 22, 2008 from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs. "The Dark Knight" had not yet been released.
In a new documentary series, "Too Young To Die," the actor's father Kim Ledger shares the journal with audiences for the first time.
"This is the Joker's diary.
In order to inhabit his character, he (Heath) locked himself up in a hotel room for weeks.
He would do that. He liked to dive into his characters, but this time he really took it up a notch."
"The hospital scene is interesting because when he was a kid, his sister Kate liked to dress him up as a nurse. He was really funny like that. He also was in the movie.
Ledger was posthumously awarded the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, the first time a deceased actor or actress has received the award.


The Laboratory has been heating up around here- being inspired by many interesting submissions. Balancing this with working in the studio.
I'm opting this week for snapshots and glimpses..the clear duralar has been challenging to work with- I like aspects of its reflective quality, but then again I don't. Feels so shiny, but I enjoy working on the backside and seeing the underside and responding to that.


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Accessing tenders (RFT) and expressions of interest (EOI)
The City advertises tenders (RFTs) and expressions of interests (EOIs) for the purchase of a wide range of goods and services in Wednesday's or Saturday's edition of the West Australian newspaper and via the City's e-tendering portal.
Organisations interested in supplying goods and services to the City are encouraged to register at this site. Registration and the download of tender documents are free of charge.
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The City is committed to achieving value for money outcomes for its ratepayers. To achieve this, the City believes that open and effective competition is essential. All potential suppliers to the City will be given the same opportunities to compete for business.
All procurement activities are operated fairly and transparently, in order to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes for the City and its suppliers.
The City of Fremantle is committed to securing goods and services that assist it achieve its sustainability goals. Sustainability will not only be assessed as environmentally friendly, but also include enhanced social outcomes, resource reuse and the health and safety of users.
All tenders (and quotations for goods or services over $50,000 ex GST) include assessment criteria weightings to assist the City achieve its sustainability objectives.
The City's sustainability goals are available on the One Planet page.
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The City has a range of policies and procedures in place to ensure legislative and best practice requirements are met. All the policies and procedures have been developed, to assist the City to comply with the Local Government Act 1995 and Local Government (Functions and General) Regulations 1996
View the purchasing policy.
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x equations as an additive term - the same as I although negative in size. Also, setting r small has the effect of ensuring that z evolves on an intrinsically slower time scale than x and y. Together, these constructions have the effect of ensuring that z acts like a slowly varying synaptic current, albeit one which, due to the x term in (45), is also state dependent. Hence as z becomes more negative, it acts like the bifurcation parameter in the FitzHugh Nagumo model and precipitates - via a subcritical Hopf bifurcation - a run of depolarizations. However, due to the x term in (43), these depolarisations have the (relatively slow) effect of increasing z. Eventually the depolarizations are terminated as the reduced effective contribution of z to total synaptic current restabilizes the fixed point via a saddle node bifurcation. Hence the system, as shown in Fig. 23, exhibits a burst of spikes interspersed by quiescent phases. Indeed with r = 0.006, the system exhibits this pattern in a chaotic fashion.
Note that, as discussed, the fast spikes are far more evident in the dynamics of x whereas the dynamics of z are more sensitive to the bursts.
where C is the coupling parameter. Two such simulations are shown in Fig. 24, where blue and green time series denote each system. In the top row, with c = 0.35, the bursts are coincident but the spikes are often discordant. However with c = 0.5, the spikes are also synchronized. This interesting phenomenon, studied in detail by Dhamala et al. (2004) of burst and then spike synchrony, has been observed experimentally.
term I. The functions F and G model the feedback between the inhibitory and excitatory cells. Within physiologically realistic parameter values, such a system can exhibits chaotic dynamics, as shown in Fig 25 (a), organized around a homoclinic orbit.
Synaptic coupling between the excitatory neurons in two such populations of cells allows construction of a mesoscopic neuronal model - a system on the intermediate scales between single neurons and the large scale systems considered in the following section. An example of synchronization between two such subsystems is illustrated in Fig. 25 (b-c), where a single parameter in each system has been set with a small mismatch (all other parameters are equal). Whilst the time series appear identical (panel b), a plot of the values of V1 versus V2 (panel c) reveals that their co-evolution, whilst close to the diagonal is nonetheless confined to a nearby smooth manifold. This form of non-identical synchronization is known as generalized chaotic synchronization (Afraimovich et al. 1986, Rulkov et al. 1995). Further details and examples of more complex behaviors - such as intermittency, scale-free dynamics and travelling waves - can be found in Breakspear et al. (2003, 2005).
This concludes our survey of basic, small-scale neural systems. We hope to have illustrated the power of combining analysis and geometry in elucidating some of the fundamental properties of neurons. We now turn to macroscopic models.
Large scale neural network models are thought to be involved in the implementation of cognitive function of the brain (Mesulam 1990; Bressler 1995, 2002, 2003; Bullmore et al. 1996; Mountcastle 1998; McIntosh 2000; Bressler & Kelso 2001; Jirsa 2004; Bressler & Tognoli 2006; Bressler & McIntosh 2007). To understand the neural basis of cognition, theoretical and analytical means must be developed which are specifically targeted to the properties of large scale network dynamics. Such theoretical understanding will also guide the interpretation of the enormous data sets obtained from non-invasive brain imaging. The functional expression of a cognitive operation seems to require the co-activation of certain subnetworks. Such co-activation does not necessarily require a simultaneous activation of all network components, but may be represented in a characteristic spatio-temporal network dynamics with both simultaneous and sequential activations. The properties of the network dynamics will crucially depend on the interconnectivity of the network components and their dynamics (Sporns 2002; Sporns & Tononi 2002, 2007; Jirsa 2004; Beggs et al. 2007). The goal of any large-scale description of neural dynamics is to reconstruct all relevant spatiotemporal dynamics of the neural system while preserving the mechanisms which give rise to the observed dynamics. Large scale models have the implicit assumption to be based upon neurocomputational units, which are more macroscopic than single neurons. This approach is to be juxtaposed with the high-dimensional computation of the full network composed of microscopic complex neurons with dendritic and axonal ion channel dynamics, as well as pre- and postsynaptic processes. Large scale models also bear the promise that they provide insight into the underlying dynamics-generating mechanisms of the network due to their reduced complexity. Finally, large scale models are easier and less time-consuming to be solved computationally. The following sections discuss the various schools of thought in large scale network modeling and characterize these from the perspective of anatomical and functional connectivity, the latter identified with the dynamics of the network.
A large scale model is composed of microscopic units or atoms which do not represent individual neurons, but rather complexes, also referred to as neural masses (Beurle 1956), capturing the non-reducible dynamics of a set of neurons. Such complexes may either be localized in physical space and defined in a volume element at a location x, or distributed over physical space and are defined functionally (e.g. in K-sets as discussed below (Freeman 1975, 1992)). Though the former is more common, in practice the two variants often coincide due to stronger local connectivity and the resulting co-activations ("what wires together, fires together"). Unlike many subcortical structures, in which neurons are packed into nuclei, the cortical sheet appears at first sight as a dense homogeneous medium with no obvious demarcation of its components. Corticocortical columns typically consist of 5,000 to 10,000 neurons, macrocolumns contain 105 to 106 neurons (Nunez 1995). Yet, there are a number of anatomical tracing studies which indicate mutual anatomical and functional parcellation (Szentagothai 1975; Mountcastle 1978). For instance, macrocolumns form functional units in sensory areas with homogeneous tuning properties inside the unit, but sharp differences amongst neighboring units (Mountcastle 1978). For our purposes, the neural mass is a highly connected set of neurons, sharing common input and output pathways and specialized low-level function. The activity of a neural mass (also known as neural mass action) in a large scale model is described by an m-dimensional vector variable ^(x, t) = (*i(x,t), *2(x,t), ••• , ^m(x,t)) at a discrete location x in physical space and a point t in time. The variable ^(x,t) is also referred to as a neural population, neural assembly or neural ensemble activity. If the distance between neighboring neural masses is infinitesimally small, then the physical space x is continuous and ^(x,t) is referred to as a neural field. Since the neural mass action is physically generated by the N neurons within the neural mass, there will be a mapping $ : Z(x,t) ^ ^(x,t), which unambiguously relates the high-dimensional neuron activity Z(x,t) = (Z1(x, t),Z2(x,t), ••• , ZN(x, t)) to the neural mass action ^(x,t). Zj(t) is the n-dimensional state vector of the i-th neuron with i= 1,...,N. For concrete-ness, a neural mass may contain N=10,000 neurons with n=2 in case of a FitzHugh-Nagumo neuron model. The situation is shown in the cartoon on the bottom of Fig. 26. Here a cortical sheet is shown which is decomposed into color-coded patches representing neural masses. Within a neural mass the local connectivity of a single neuron is illustrated through the density of its connections (red squares) which decreases with increasing distance. The partial overlap of the neural masses indicates that synaptic connections of a neuron may belong to different neural masses. The critical step in the development of a large scale model occurs through the mapping $ : Z(x, t) ^ ^(x, t) when the activity Z(x, t) = (Z1(x, t), Z2(x, t), ••• , ZN(x, t)) of a given neural mass is replaced by its neural mass action ^(x, t) = (^i(x, t), (x,t), ••• , ^m(x, t)) where m << N. The nature of this relation between neuron activity Z(x,t) and neural mass action ^(x,t) will be generally non-trivial and involves a mean-field reduction which will be discussed in the next section. On the top of Fig. 26 the neural network dynamics is now captured by locally coupled neural mass actions ^(x,t) assigned to each neural mass at location x = X;. Each neural mass is locally (as indicated at location X5) and globally (as indicated at location X1) connected.


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NSBA's "A School Board Vision for Public Education"
Support 11/11/2013 — ASBA News
November 11, 2013--The National School Boards Association (NSBA) has unveiled a new vision statement, elevator speech and guiding principles, important aspects of a unified framework that helps education leaders become better advocates and boosts NSBA's presence as a leading advocate for public education and school board governance. The documents were written by NSBA's Board of Directors to help NSBA members as well as members of the general public advocate effectively for public education. "School boards are different than any other player in the education community," siad NSBA Executive Director Thomas Gentzel. "We are not a special interest, our local school board members are elected officials and they have a responsibility to stand up in the community and say 'here's what we think needs to happen.'"Advocates can use the statement and principles in their messages to Congress and the public, as well as to aggressively pursue NSBA's federal agenda, deal with an emerging environment in Congress, address critical priorities in education and school governance and promote key strengths of NSBA.A comprehensive statement entitled "A School Board Vision for Public Education," lays out the vision and results that public schools shoud achieve. Those include accountability for the success of each child, closing the achievement gap, continuously meeting high expectations for student achievement and community satisfaction and providing a safe learning environment that focuses on individualized instruction and protecting the civil rights of each child. To do this, public schools need capacity to provide effective teachers, technology and other resources; the necessary funding, research and technical assistance to meet the educational demands of a dynamic world; active participation by parents and the community; locally elected school boards who work with the community and educators; and state and federal lawmakers who are committed to public education and the goals of their locals.
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HomeBrief History of Latchford
People and PlacesPublications
©Copyright 2012 Christopher Pearson Design
LATCHFORD HISTORY GROUP
LATCHFORD REMEMBERED
Latchford Lines - Mike Kenwright
In 1901 the Kenwright family were living in Oxford Street Edward Kenwright was a station porter on the railway. By 1913 the family were living in Powell Street in Latchford. By this time the electric trams were an important part of the public transport system in Warrington and Latchford and Edward's occupation was now as a tram driver. The front cover of the Latchford History Group's Booklet about the trams has a picture of Edward at the controls of a tram at the Latchford terminus by the swing bridge.
Granddad the Gardener - Harold Throssell
Great Granddad was a gardener. There was not near enough space in the yard to satisfy his passion for growing things, so he needed the allotment in Victoria Park. He set off soon after breakfast. Slowly walking, slowly kneading tobacco. Along Westy Lane, over the lock gate to cross the 'cut' into Vicky Park, his second home. His ten by twenty yards patch of earth for growing things, complete with tiny storage shed, one of similar plots in this corner of the park.
Allotments were a great blessing for people on low incomes at any time but especially during the uncertain period of the Great Depression followed by World War Two. A particular boon for our extended family was we leased from the Borough Council virtually every plot in this corner of Vicky Park, each with its little shed just big enough to store all the paraphernalia of gardening, plus a wonky chair and the odd bottle secreted way. It was a tribal meeting ground for Great Granddad.
Latchford Born & Bred - Alice Rose
I was born at the Victoria Park nursing home and lived on Knutsford Road in Latchford village until I was married. The Village started at the Swing bridge over the canal and the first building was a small Savings Bank, then Shepherd's house which had iron railings and a front gate opening on to the road, The owner used to look like a ship's captain in full uniform. I don't know his exact job on the Manchester Ship Canal.
The trams terminated here and a round shelter stood in the centre of the road. The driver changed ends and they swung the connection over from one cable to the next and off they went back to town. The fare was only one penny in those days.
A shop on the left side was Southern and Lea's plumbers, they used to sell loose putty wrapped in newspaper and panes of glass cut to the size you required. Next to them was a gent's toilet set into the wall.
Bolton Council School - Irene Lucas
What a wonderful Christmas Present the 'Good Morning Teachers' book of Bolton Council School is. I couldn't put it down and couldn't get anything done because I was looking from page to page to see who I knew from those days.
I can remember my first day at school. I was crying and Miss Lowe, the most wonderful teacher ever, asked me if I knew anyone in the class. I looked around at the little tables set out, with four little chairs at each one and I saw three boys sitting around one of them at the front and said 'I know those boys over there'. They all lived in Nook Lane at the Thelwall Lane end where I lived. Miss Lowe said, 'Well you go over there and sit with them' and that put an end to my tears.


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The PROG Mind
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Gig Review: Lux Terminus and Imminent Sonic Destruction
January 16, 2019 · by The Prog Mind · in Musings. ·
Photos courtesy of the extremely talented Kyle Finlan Photography.
Two thousand nineteen started with a bang for me. I was honored to get the chance to see such a fantastic show, that I'm not sure it can be topped this year. Yes, I'm aware I'll be seeing my favorite band, Riverside, in May. If you know me, that should really give you an idea of just how impressed I was by the show on the 4th of January; featuring Ego, Lower 13, Imminent Sonic Destruction, and Lux Terminus.
It was a cold night on the east side of Cleveland. I was just coming off a high with the Bent Knee/Leprous/Haken show late last year, and this Lux Terminus show was a bit of surprise, as I had only known about it for a few months. I was accompanied by my young brother, Josiah, my go-to guy to drag along to shows when my wife is unavailable. I was also happy to be able to meet Matthew Phillips, writer for Progressive Music Planet, for a great dinner before the show. So, the stage was set, the prog fans had gathered, and we were ready for a tremendous show.
The show took place at The Foundry Concert Club in Cleveland. The venue itself is rather small and industrial, but the sound ended up being rather good. Their bar, too, is very clean and nicely tended. For a metal bar in Cleveland, I was also happy that the restrooms were actually usable and functional. That's always a nice bonus for a metal show.
The show began with a small local band called Ego. The band was a bit fragmented, as Vikram and Matthew from Lux Terminus filled in to play bass and drums, respectively. That said, the set was unexpectedly awesome! The band plays a balls-to-the-walls classic prog metal. When I say "classic", I really mean that. They sound similar to Queensryche, only proggier.
The set was only about four songs, though they were long ones. I couldn't make out much of the lyrics besides something about blood and Nosferatu, and I honestly avoided looking at their band page online at the recommendation of a friend. However, the music itself was heavy, emotional, and simply glorious; with humongous vocals and pealing guitar solos. I was really impressed with what I heard, and the set was definitely fun.
Lower 13
The next band up was Lower 13, another local Cleveland band. They were definitely the odd balls in the group, being more along the lines of death and thrash metal. I wouldn't really call them progressive, to be honest. That said, these guys really know how to play, and their set was loud and proud of that.
Their set was chock full of blast beats, technical guitar work, growling, and one of their mothers singing along to every word in the front row. Some of the drumming, especially, was spellbinding and cinematic. Though they had no keys, there were times that the drums added a whole new dynamic that just felt melodic in some strange way. So, yes, these guys are really good at what they do.
Imminent Sonic Destruction
The next band was one with which I am completely familiar, having seen them open for Pain of Salvation a couple years ago in Detroit. Imminent Sonic Destruction put on a show that exemplifies their name in every way imaginable. Yes, they are progressive metal, but their sound is almost more detailed and movement-based than you may think.
ISD offers truly outstanding guitar work that feels inspired, purposeful in arrangement, and interactive. The waves of sound they produce powered through the crowd, offering two new songs and two songs off their last album, as well. The new songs showed promised for the new album, which I expect later this year (according to Tony, their singer), and displayed a spacier, more atmospheric approach which I think is exactly what they needed in order to add more variety and deftness to their music.
ISD knows how to put on a show, for sure, and it's more than just their music. During the show, even just the interactions between band members and the building confidence that I am seeing in them have become signatures to their live performance style. I'm very excited to hear their new album, and hopefully will see them again soon.
Lux Terminus
Lux Terminus was the headliner, and the primary reason I was there that night. The band promised to play their full debut album, "The Courage to Be", in its entirety. Now, this being my #2 album of 2018, I had really high expectations, but my expectations were completely blown out of the water. The band played a set that I will never forget, and the show will live on as one of the best I have ever seen.
Vikram, Matt, and Brian took the stage with authority and confidence. The sound mix had been perfected by this point, so Vikram's keys were searing and bright, while Brian and Matt's rhythm section offered a hefty, tremored contrast to them. Yes, the album is just as good live as in the studio, and it flows with real power, color, and emotion. You could see the emotion painted all over Vikram's face, especially.
The highlights of the set include the bright "Electrocommunion", the jazzy "Miles Away", and my favorite from them, "Effusion". The latter hit with such force that I basically couldn't move. The epic title track followed and offered nothing short of fireworks as the guys produced more music than three people ought to be able.
Two of the best moments came at the very end, however. If you know the album, you know it ends with "Epilogue: Fly", a vocally-led track that featured Anneke van Giersbergen on the studio album. Subbing in for Anneke, however, was Vikram's girlfriend, Lauren Nolan. I hadn't heard much of her singing outside some snippets online, and so I didn't know what to expect. The results were absolutely stunning. Lauren laid down vocals that were perfectly performed. She hit every note and exuded all the emotion you would expect for such a song. As you can see in the video below, she really ended the album on a high note.
Also in that video, you will see a surprise cover of Toto's "Africa" played by the band and sung by the crowd. It may be the best cover of "Africa" I've ever heard, complete with some proggy twists thrown in for good measure. It was a splendid ending to a phenomenal evening of fun, friends, and fantastic music.
And, so, the evening was a success. One thing I noted about this show, especially compared to many other shows, is that the crowd changed with each band. People came and left, filtering in and out of the bar. However, when Lux Terminus took the stage, in surged a throng of people that ended up packing out the place. Yes, some of them seemed like they haven't been to a show in decades, so the dynamic that evening felt different than any show I've ever seen. I was so impressed, for each and every band, at the people that came to support these bands. Even Vikram's father showed up to dance and be there for his son. That means a lot to me. It was a refreshing and promising start to 2019.
Tags: Imminent Sonic Destruction, Lux Terminus
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MES 2017 includes the following new features and enhancements.
MES Operations and MES Quality reports against the MES reporting database—powered by Intelligence—are included in this release. The Information Server-based reports are still included in this release but will be removed in the next release.
MES Quality SPC Chart Enhancement.
As well as additional enhancements. See Read Me for more information.


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Brazil seek revenge for Rio 2016 quartefinal loss to China
Lausanne, Switzerland, July 31, 2017 - China host Brazil Wednseday in Naning, looking at carrying on from their FIVB World Grand Prix win in 2016 that ended a Brazil 12-match head-to-head winnining streak in the competition. It's the first time the two clash after China's five-set win at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games quarterfinals that devastated the hosts and provided the springboard for the Asians to go on and strike Olympic gold. The two sides meet for the 37th time in World Grand Prix history with Brazil leading the series 25-11.
• These teams last met in the World Grand Prix on 19 June 2016, when China won 3-0.
• That victory ended a 12-match losing streak for China against Brazil in the competition.
• In total these team met 36 times in the World Grand Prix, with China winning 11 times and Brazil 25 times.
• Twenty-five losses against a specific opponent is a record for China in the competition. Brazil have only suffered more defeats versus Russia (12).
• At last year's Olympic Games China beat Brazil 3-2 in the quarterfinals. They would go on to win the gold medal.
• China will host the final round for the eighth time, most of all countries. Japan follow with six.
• This will be China's first World Grand Prix match in the city of Nanjing. They had played in 16 other Chinese cities before.
• China (199) are one shy of winning their 200th World Grand Prix match (W199-L112).
• Only forthcoming opponents Brazil (244) have broken the 200-wins barrier so far (United States 171).
• China are in search of their second World Grand Prix gold medal, after winning the title in 2003.
• China have won five of their nine World Grand Prix matches this season, but lost their last two (versus Russia and Serbia).
• They last lost three World Grand Prix matches in a row in 2016 (two versus United States, one versus Netherlands).
• Brazil have won a record 11 World Grand Prix titles.
• They have won six of their nine World Grand Prix matches this season, losing to Serbia (3-0), Thailand (3-0) and Japan (3-2).
• Brazil lost only two sets in their last three matches, as they beat Belgium 3-0 and Netherlands and United States 3-1.
• Adenizia was the best blocker in Group 1, averaging 1.09 per set.


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Maid of Secrets (Maids of Honor Series)
by Jennifer McGowanJennifer McGowan
In this "lively and fast-paced debut" with "plenty of action and plot twists" (Kirkus Reviews), a secret society of young women make up Elizabeth I's most trusted royal guard. If God won't save the Queen…they will.
Orphan Meg Fellowes makes her living picking pockets—until she steals from the wrong nobleman. Instead of rotting in prison like she expected, she's whisked away to the court of Queen Elizabeth and pressed into royal service, where she joins four other remarkable girls in the Maids of Honor, the Queen's secret society of protectors.
Meg's natural abilities as a spy prove useful in this time of unrest. The Spanish Court is visiting, and with them come devious plots and hidden political motives. As threats to the kingdom begin to mount, Meg can't deny her growing attraction to one of the dashing Spanish courtiers. But it's hard to trust her heart in a place where royal formalities and masked balls hide the truth.
Meg's mission tests every talent she possesses, even her loyalty to her fellow Maids. With danger lurking around every corner, can she stay alive—and protect the crown?
Maids of Honor Series
Jennifer McGowan was born in Ohio, grew up in Montana, and studied in Paris. She fell in love with the Elizabethan era as a college student and is now an unrepentant scholar of the period, happily splitting her time between the past and present. An RWA Golden Heart Award winner and multiple finalist, Jenn is the author of the Maids of Honor series. She lives in Ohio. Visit her (and the Maids of Honor) at JenniferMcGowan.com.
Maid of Secrets
Mule-brained Tommy Farrow would ruin everything.
To my credit I didn't even flinch as I caught sight of the boy's white-blond hair bouncing through the crowd. I'd been trained better than that. But the fat purse I'd just lifted from an unsuspecting lord now felt too heavy in my hand. I shoved it deep into the folds of my overskirt with perhaps a bit more force than necessary.
Stepping away from my mark, I smiled easily and strolled forward a few lazy paces along the crowd's edge; just another young English lady, out enjoying the day's spectacle.
No one so much as glanced at me.
I ducked under a faded coronation banner that still whipped proudly above a milliner's storefront, and paused to scan the knot of Londoners clumped together in the inn's courtyard. Tommy wasn't hard to spot.
Where is the silly little bit going?
The youngest—and by far the most hopeless—thief in the Golden Rose acting troupe could barely pick the pocket of the simplest of villagers, but this was Londontown. With his mutton hands and clumsy feet and a mouth that galloped well ahead of his brain, Tommy would be branded a thief before he'd bobbed his first lord. And then he'd be branded in fire, a white-hot poker pressed into the soft skin of his hand, forever announcing him a criminal.
My mouth tightened into a grim line. No child deserved that. No matter how straw-headed.
I threaded my way through the gawkers, steadying my nerves by snipping off another loose bauble from a velvet sleeve as I passed. Then the tuft of blond hair abruptly changed course in the crowd, and panic squeezed my heart.
For Tommy, who couldn't tie his own breeches without getting his fingers trapped, crowds were a disaster. The boy somehow always went after the one mark in the mob who'd never be taken in by his sweet-faced charm and big blue eyes.
Show Tommy a hundred people to fleece, and he'd always choose the worst. It was almost a gift.
Truly. I'd seen the boy target magistrates and nuns.
Now, judging from the purposeful stride of his small, pumping body, Tommy had already picked out his next unlikely victim. I followed the child's line of sight. And then I did flinch.
Tommy was heading straight for the Queen's court.
More specifically, toward a hawk-faced scowler dressed all in black, bundled in a thick wool cape and in heavy trunk hose despite the balmy spring afternoon. I'd heard the man called Sir William, even as I'd brushed by him naught but an hour earlier. He looked like he was perpetually in a bad mood, as pale and sour as spoiled milk. The type of man who expected bad things to happen.
So I'd stolen his purse.
Sir William had been making a fine art out of flashing a temptingly round money pouch, loosely attached to his belt. He'd displayed the heavy bag no fewer than a dozen times with a toss of his cape. It was a folly, of course, meant to draw the eye and the errant hands of a thief, whom Sir William could then catch in the act and punish publicly. Our new Queen, as it turned out, hated thieves.
Sir William's smaller purse, discreetly tucked against his side, was the real prize. Or it had been, until I'd nicked that pouch without the good lord realizing it . . . which meant that Tommy still had a gift for picking the wrong mark.
Figure it out, Tommy . . . .
A sudden spill of people jostled in front of me, blocking my view. For the first time ever I wished a teeming crowd had not turned out to watch our company's afternoon performance.
The Golden Rose acting troupe had become London's newest sensation—and not a moment too soon. Grandfather, God rest his soul, had always forbidden us to perform in any of the larger cities. But the young and dashing James McDonald was our troupe master now, and he'd seen the truth of things quickly enough: With the crowning of a new, triumphant Queen, no one much cared for traveling actors anymore. The village folk were giving all their time—and their money—to bards with stories of London and its new royal court. All eyes had turned to the capital city. To survive, that's where we had to be as well.
And without question, we'd never had larger crowds for our shows than here in Londontown, or riper pickings. Surely, Grandfather would understand.
Just today, in truth, as we performed in the sprawling courtyard of the White Lion Inn, we'd won the ultimate boon. The dazzling Queen Elizabeth and her court of fools had taken it into their heads to walk the city's streets and mingle with the common folk. Even now they tarried to watch our company shout our way through the second act of our most popular play, The Beggared Lord.
We'd felt the court's royal presence before we'd even been able to see it, like the quickening breeze of a seaborne storm. Gap-toothed urchins, worn-faced merchant's wives, even sharp-eyed hucksters, had all tensed with expectation, eager to see the new young Queen. I confess I stared as well. She was nothing short of awe-inspiring, our Elizabeth. Young and powerful. Radiant. Gloriously free to do whatever she wanted.
With her arrival the crowd had swelled to bursting. I'd caught Master James's knowing nod, and had set to work among the smug-lipped lords. In no time at all, I'd secreted away a fortnight's worth of their coin beneath my skirt's heavy cloth.
Master James would be proud. I smiled just thinking on that.
But if Tommy picked the wrong pocket, the blessing of the Queen's presence would become our curse. Even if the boy didn't come away with Sir William's purse successfully, he would be detained for trying. Searched.
And though Tommy wouldn't have Sir William's money on him, he'd probably managed to lift someone's silver this day. Which would be aught that was needed to doom us all. Unless I moved quickly, there would be twenty branded thumbs before the day's end—the Crown's punishment of choice for first-time offenders.
And that was if we were lucky. If the Queen wasn't feeling indulgent, our plights could be far, far worse. Gibbets. The stocks. The whistle of whip leather cutting into flesh.
My stomach clenched and I plunged forward into the crowd, locating Tommy anew when he stepped deliberately into the outermost ranks of royal courtiers. With a nonchalance I'd perfected over long years, I moved ever closer to him, my steps meandering and my manner harmless. This was an act I knew all too well.
Because I was female, I was forbidden to play a true role as a Golden Rose actor before the crowd. Instead, I'd honed my theatre craft in the crowd.
I was a fine and laughing lady, a guileless merchant's daughter, a scornful fishmonger's wife. I mimicked those around me easily, be they farmers, freemen, or fools. To a one I smiled, nodded . . . then picked their pockets.
By all accounts, you could say I stole the show.
I reached Tommy just as I saw his tiny hand flash out toward Sir William's false purse, brushing the man's coat but missing the purse entirely. Then I heard the turning harrumph of Tommy's target. The boy had committed no crime, yet that still might not save him.
Moving quickly, I yanked a heavy brooch out of my bodice and swirled forth in a fluster, praying that my carefully painted face still gave the impression of sophistication far beyond my seventeen years.
"What, ho, young man. You found it!" I cried, even as Sir William's head jerked up at the interruption, his cold gaze flashing over me as I reached out, clasping my hands over Tommy's and pressing the brooch into his dirty palm. "My sweet and heavenly days, this is some great luck. What a wonderful lad you are, for finding my lost treasure!"
Even Tommy realized something had gone terribly wrong. " 'T-tis nothing, m'lady. I saw it shining in the dirt?" he said hopefully, his wide eyes desperate as he proffered the brooch back to me.
"And shine it would!" I beamed, taking the bit of jewelry with great show. "You've done very, very well. You should be proud of yourself."
Tommy nearly fainted with relief, his grin huge and heartfelt. God love the boy, he did try.
As I cooed and fluttered, however, I could feel the chilly grey censure of Sir William, hovering like a soft-gloved hand over my throat, ready to squeeze. Panic clawed through me, but I kept my voice steady, my eyes bright.
"There now. Off you go," I said, plucking a coin from the largest purse in my carefully sewn pockets, and forcing myself not to smirk. I was paying Tommy with Sir William's own coin, of all the grand irony. Swiftly I pressed the shilling into Tommy's hand. "Run along and get yourself a pasty, sweetling, and tell your mum 'twas a gift for being the smartest of boys."
"I will! I will, then! Thank you!"
As Tommy dashed away, shouting with his good fortune, I turned smartly in the other direction and clutched the brooch to my chest, a fine lady with her riches restored. I went five long paces, then stepped into a deep and shadowed doorway, holding my breath as I glanced back.
I needn't have worried. With The Beggared Lord to draw the people's attention, no one paid any heed to a little boy running through the crowd, or to the woman who'd rewarded him so generously.
Even Sir William watched the play now, a curiously soft, secret smile on the man's thin lips. I offered him my own mocking smile from the shadows. Look your fill, you old goat.
I had no way of knowing his smile would be my undoing.
After allowing another few minutes to pass, I rolled out of the doorway, taking pains not to clink as I drifted through the crowd. Master James and I exchanged another nod as I passed, even as the crowd burst into rowdy applause. Had he seen me save Tommy's thumbs? Had I impressed him?
The sudden heat that swept through me at that thought made me wince, and I looked away hastily. Not for the first time, I decided that I cared too much what our new young troupe master thought.
I lifted my chin, once more immersing myself in my role as a worldly merchant's wife—whose husband was conveniently away on the Continent, and ergo not complaining night and day like all the husbands I'd ever seen.
Pish on Master James. There was no harm in being glad he'd noticed my accomplishments, but that was as far as it could go. Master James was smart and handsome, to be sure—particularly this day in his deep black velvet doublet and slashed trunks, with his roguish grin and curling chestnut hair and bright green eyes. And, yes, he was doing a fine job as Grandfather's replacement, safeguarding our traveling license and ensuring that our troupe of twenty-odd actors and their families did their jobs and ate their fill. There was much to recommend him, but he was still male. In the eyes of Queen and country, that meant he was my better. Should I ever be so stupid as to marry, my husband would own me like I was some prize goat . . . or, worse, a sturdy cow.
I'd lived my life more or less as I'd wanted these past seventeen years. I could not imagine suddenly shackling myself to any man, for any reason. So, to me, Master James could only be a troupe master, nothing more and nothing less.
And he would owe me for this day's work. I grinned as I hauled my gold-laden skirts up a short stone staircase to gaze over the Thames, the last lines of The Beggared Lord booming out behind me. Grandfather had always worried too much about the dangers the cities held for our company. And for what? London had welcomed us with open arms—and pockets—and I'd never felt more right with the world.
As my skills had sharpened dramatically over the past several months, I'd proven my worth to the troupe twelve times over. Soon Master James would promote me to lead the street thieves, and then I could begin keeping a portion of our profits for myself. Within three years—fewer if we kept to larger cities—I'd have enough coin to live anywhere, be anyone.
That thought was almost too much to think about. I hugged it to me close, a hidden dream.
Then I straightened, pressing my hands to the small of my back to counterbalance my heavy skirts, as acclaim for the Golden Rose troupe thundered through the courtyard behind me. I had no time for dreaming. There were riches to be sorted and sold, and plans to be made for our next performance. Master James relied on me more with each passing day. And if he hadn't seen my work with Tommy, I'd be the first to tell him about it, and I'd bury my blushes in gold. Everything was moving forward the way it should, and I was at the pinnacle of my abilities: subtle, skillful, and—in my own way—wondrously free.
"Whether recounting her perilous missions or her moral dilemmas, Meg's first-person narrative is consistently engaging. Meg's adventure comes to a satisfying conclusion while leaving the door open for sequels."
"This lively and fast-paced debut has plenty of action and plot twists to keep readers fully engaged."
Gr 9 Up—At 17, Meg Fellowes has been an orphan and a criminal for many years. After the queen's own men capture her, she finds herself not in the dungeon but being trained with four other maids to be part of the Maids of Honor, Queen Elizabeth I's all-female protectors. Each spy has her own skills, and Meg's uncanny ability to repeat any conversation she hears soon gets the attention of her trainer, Cecil, and the queen. However, it also puts her in a tough position when she learns a secret about the monarch's heart. Meg has also become distracted by the mysterious death of the girl who held her position before her, the dashing Count de Martine from Spain, and trying to avoid marriage. Though she finds a way to escape from the castle, she chooses to stay for her friends and for the information she has started to glean about her parents, leading her to gain the goodwill of the queen with her plot to catch a spy from Spain. This novel encompasses all the glory, excess, and intrigue of Queen Elizabeth I's reign; the issues surrounding Catholicism versus the Church of England; and the poor relationship between Spain and England. Full of adventure and romance and starring a very likable, spunky protagonist, this is an enjoyable historical read.—Clare A. Dombrowski, Amesbury Public Library, MA
Orphan and talented pickpocket Meg Fellowes gets more excitement than she bargained for when she is appointed spy and maid of honor to none other than Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth I in this swashbuckling tale of murder and intrigue in high places. Meg is violently snatched away from her street life as a member of the Golden Rose acting troupe and taken to Windsor Castle by the sinister Sir William Cecil. There she joins a select cadre of young girls being trained as spies and guardians of the queen's honor. This is a challenge for Meg as, although she has the power of total recall, she has never learned to read. The story plays out against a backdrop of rivalry and betrayal among courtiers vying for the queen's favor, the tricky foreign nobles she has to manage and the maids themselves, who are by turns supportive and ruthless. Meg's twin talents of total recall of speech and sleight of hand ultimately keep her in good standing with the court's powers that be, and her quick wits and loyalty to her monarch save her from a nasty fate in a flooded basement prison cell. This lively and fast-paced debut has plenty of action and plot twists to keep readers fully engaged. (Historical fiction. 12-17)
Maid of Secrets 4.8 out of 5 based on 0 ratings. 5 reviews.
I loved this book! It had just the right amount of mystery and thrill, balanced with romance and excitement. It was as good as I'd hoped and more. There are a few things I love in books, things that usually keep me glued to the page. One is historical fiction, throwing in a little bit of history and the feel of someplace lost to time. Maid of Secrets took place in Queen Elizabeth's court. Another is mystery, preferably a murder mystery, it gives off just the right amount of eerie, intriguing and dashingly dangerous. Maid of Secrets gave us the gruesome tale of poor Marie. And romance is of course something I can never get enough of. For that, Maid of Secrets gave us Rafe. Lovely, lovely Rafe.. *coughs* Erh-hem, yes where was I? The story was fantastic and I never knew what would happen next. Each of the characters was unique and well thought out and they really brought the story to life. I loved the idea of the maids and thought each of their talents fit perfectly together. Rafe was a totally crush-worthy man and I loved any scene that had him in it. All the characters were fantastic and Meg was superb as the MC. I didn't want this book to end and I'm so glad this a series so I continue to be a part of this fantastic story. Maid of Secrets grabbed me from the get-go and that didn't ease until I'd taken in the final words, on the final page. I absolutely adored this book and cannot wait for the rest in the series! Thank you Jennifer McGowan, for writing such a fabulous tale! This is set to be one of my top book series!
Christine_Kohler More than 1 year ago
This book was a fun romp--humor, romance, suspense, political intrigue--through Elizabethan England with young female spies in the Queen's court. I loved the author's humor and how she broke tension with comic beats. The mystery was not revealed until the ending, and it fit perfectly with the clues. The romance was sweet romance so the story is appropriate and accessible to middle grade readers. The researched seemed to be solid, too. I am anxious to read the entire series. I bought this book at Barnes and Noble.
A Must Read! I haven't been this swept away by a book in a while. I'm an avid YA fiction reader, but lately, there just hasn't been any well written, truly fantastic books to read. Picking this book up was a very, very good decision! The characters were so wonderfully crafted, and the plot was spectacular. I loved the action and independence that came along with Meg Fellows. There are absolutely no damsels in distress allowed here-and I love it! I'm not a huge fan of romance books, but the author blended suspense and romance so perfectly, I couldn't complain. Rafe swept me away, I can't deny that. My only regret- literally only one- was that the book was too short for my liking. It's a decently long book, but I was so caught up in the characters and the setting that I just didn't want it to end. I genuinely really enjoyed this book and I hope to read much more books by this wonderful author in the future.
Chogseth More than 1 year ago
I enjoyed this book very much. Mystery, intrigue, romance, friendships, and plot twists.
estrellas quinceanera
book by heather w petty
book by jennifer mcgowan
top secret 4 der auftrag
top secret 9 der anschlag
wentworth hall
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the
This Printz Honor Book is a "tender, honest exploration of identity" (Publishers Weekly) that distills ...
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The day Finn Maguire discovers his dad bludgeoned to death in a pool of blood, ...
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CHERUB agents are highly trained, extremely talented—and all under the age of seventeen. For official ...
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For as long as Estrella Alvarez can remember, her mother has been planning to throw ...
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A teen girl unravels the mysteries of a secret society and their most dangerous invention ...
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In modern-day London, two brilliant high school students meet. A murder will bring them together. ...
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Gang warfare gets gruesome in the eighth book of the CHERUB series, which Rick Riordan ...
Gang warfare gets gruesome in the eighth book of the CHERUB series, which Rick Riordan says has "plenty of action."CHERUB agents are highly trained, extremely talented—and all under the age of seventeen. For official purposes, these agents do not exist. ...
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Fourteen-year-old Sherlock Holmes knows that Amyus Crowe, his mysterious American tutor, has some dark secrets. ...
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Jan Mammen (Leeuwarden, 27 april 1899 – Amsterdam, 10 december 1978) was een Nederlands kunstenaar.

Hij was zoon van huis- en decoratieschilder en leraar aan een ambachtsschool Johann Mammen en Johanna Cornelia Sikkink. Hij was getrouwd met Bregitta Elisabeth Gerarda Schermer.

Hij stond bekend als glasschilder en kunstschilder. De Telegraaf meldde op 14 december 1978 naar aanleiding van zijn overlijden, dat hij een opleiding genoten heeft aan de Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten. Hij werkte vervolgens in het atelier van Joep Nicolas. Hij was voor langere tijd kerkmeester van de Sint-Agneskerk in Amsterdam-Zuid, waarvoor hij ook een kerkraam heeft gemaakt. Volgens hetzelfde In memoriam was hij meer dan veertig jaar docent in zijn beroep, maar leverde ook verfraaiingen van kerken en openbare gebouwen. Dagblad Trouw meldde nog dat hij zich liet inspireren door Bijbelverhalen en schrijfsels van Sint Jan en Theresia van Avilla.

Hij was ridder in de Orde van Sint-Gregorius de Grote.

Nederlands beeldend kunstenaar


SFBRealty is a big base of real property where you can make a search within a wide variety of variants in Lafayette, CA. Among them small beautiful and cozy condos for sale. But before you decide to make this city your permanent residence, please take a look on our little survey.
Lafayette, California (population is 25053), is a city in the San Francisco Bay area. Its economy affords residents a number of occupational opportunities to explore. The city has been able to attract a number of commercial and retail businesses in the area that not only provides valuable services, but also provides the community with a sizable number of jobs. With the cities skilled workforce, such companies as Bedford Property Investors Inc/md are among the top employers here.
The educational system in this city is presented by some public and private elementary and middle schools: Burton Valley Elementary School, Lafayette Elementary School, Happy Valley Elementary School, M. H. Stanley Middle School, Springhill Elementary School, Contra Costa Jewish Day School, Diablo Valley Montessori School, St Perpetua School, Meher Schools. As to high education, there are some opportunities nearby. They are as follows: Merritt College, University Of California-berkeley, Laney College, Saint Mary's College Of California, Berkeley City College.
Since Lafayette (zip code: 94563, 94556) is a Bay area town, city residents will enjoy different types of recreational facilities on a daily basis. Among them tourist attractions and beautiful park areas . Shopping opportunities are also available for residents and visitors.


French Dressing is a salad dressing commonly used with green salads. It can also be used as a sandwich spread, or many other uses. A commercial version is also called "Catalina Dressing".
Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender, and process until smooth. The goal is to have a red / orange smooth sauce.
This page was last edited on 17 July 2014, at 00:38.


1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C, gas mark 4; grease a deep 18cm cake tin and line with baking parchment. Simmer the chestnuts in the milk for 10-15 minutes, until soft, then drain and cool; discard the milk. Whizz the chocolate in a food processor until it forms a coarse grit; set aside. Rinse out the processor and whizz the chestnuts and hazelnuts to a rough paste; set aside.
2 Put the butter and sugar in the processor; cream together until smooth. Blend in the egg yolks, one at a time, then the brandy and orange zest. When everything is well combined, transfer to a large bowl and fold in the chocolate and the chestnut mixture. Whisk the whites to stiff peaks and beat 2 tbsp into the cake mix, then fold in the rest. Tip into the tin, level the surface and bake for 30 minutes, until risen and firm to the touch.
3 Cool for 10 minutes, then carefully turn out onto a wire rack. Remove the parchment and leave to cool completely. Swirl the chestnut spread through the crème fraîche and serve with the cake, lightly dusted with icing sugar, if liked.
This recipe first appeared in the Harvest section of Waitrose Food, December 2016 issue. Download the Waitose Food app for the full issue.
Click here to watch this being made.
This recipe was first published in Thu Dec 01 11:02:00 GMT 2016.


Minister of Planning Nuri al-Dulaimi on Sunday called for German expertise to contribute to investment projects in the liberated areas, while German Ambassador to Baghdad Cyril Nun unveiled a forthcoming visit by German Economy Minister Peter Altmeyer to Iraq.
"The Minister of Planning Nuri al-Dulaimi received the German ambassador to Iraq Cyril Nun, and discussed increasing international support for reconstruction projects and stability, and contribute to sustainable development projects to support the private sector," the Ministry of Planning said in a statement received by Alsumaria News.
He called Dulaimi, according to the statement, "German expertise to contribute to investment projects, especially in the liberated areas that have been extensively destroyed in the infrastructure."
Al-Dulaimi stressed the importance of "establishing a German support group, which will be the nucleus of an international group working on supporting government projects in various sectors and providing international advice to develop the work of the private sector."
For his part, Ambassador Nun praised "the qualitative efforts of the Minister of Planning in relation to joint work with foreign investments and the provision of facilities for them," announcing the "upcoming visit to the German Minister of Economy of Iraq accompanied by a delegation of specialized businessmen."
The Minister of Planning, Dr. Nouri Sabah al-Dulaimi, received on Sunday the German Ambassador to Iraq Cyril Nun and his accompanying delegation. The meeting discussed increasing international support for reconstruction and stability projects and contributing to sustainable development projects to support the private sector.
to the importance of establishing a support group of German , Which is the nucleus of an international group that works to support government work projects in various sectors and provide international advice to develop the work of the private sector.
For his part, Ambassador Nun praised the efforts of the Minister of Planning, in terms of joint work with foreign investments and providing facilities for them, announcing the upcoming visit of the Minister of Economy of Germany to Iraq accompanied by a delegation of specialized businessmen.


text:
Q: Why isn't LinearModelFit behaving consistently at different levels of lists? I get the following results when I run the following regression on datass:
datass = {{0, 1}, {1, 0}, {3, 2}, {5, 4}, {1, 4}};
testsOls = LinearModelFit[datass, x, x];

FittedModel[1.2 + 0.5x]

testsOls["FitResiduals"]
{-0.2, -1.7, -0.7, 0.3, 2.3}

However, when I run LinearModelFit in sublists like the following, I get a different type of result:
datas = {{{0, 1}, {1, 0}, {3, 2}, {5, 4}, {1, 4}},
        {{3, 4}, {5, 6}, {9, 9}, {8, 6}, {5, 5}}};
testOls = LinearModelFit[#, x, x] & @@@ datas

{FittedModel[-1. + 1.x], FittedModel[2. + 1.x]}

Through[testOls["FitResiduals"]]
{{2.22045*10^-16, -2.22045*10^-16}, {-8.88178*10^-16, 0.}}

I ran Clear["Global*'] many times and even exited Mathematica before reopening and rerunning both experiments.
Why do I

*

*Get different FittedModels for the same data (datass = datas[[1]]) and

*The Dimensions of my FitResiduals in the second experiment is [2,2] as opposed to [2,5]?

A: *

*You can use Map (/@) in place
of Apply (@@@):

testOls = LinearModelFit[#, x, x] & /@ datas

{FittedModel[1.2 + 0.5 x], FittedModel[2. + 0.666667 x]}

*If you have to use Apply (@@@) you can do

LinearModelFit[{##}, x, x] & @@@ datas

{FittedModel[1.2 +0.5 x],FittedModel[2. +0.666667 x]}

... why not Apply?
To see why does LinearModelFit[#, x, x] & @@@ datas not work try
foo[#, x, x] & @@@ datas

{foo[{0, 1}, x, x], foo[{3, 4}, x, x]}

That is, when you use @@@ you are effectively using
{LinearModelFit[{0, 1}, x, x], LinearModelFit[{3, 4}, x, x]}

which, correctly, gives

{FittedModel[-1.+1. x],FittedModel[2. +1. x]}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Workers celebrate the completion of the tunnel boring machine (TBM) Caiyun in Kunming, capital of Southwest China's Yunnan province, Aug 1, 2017. The Chinese made TBM, which has a 9.03-meter cutter head, was completed in Kunming on Tuesday and it will be used to drill a railway tunnel in the province.
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PREMIERSHIP REPORT: A metronomic 23 points from the boot of AJ MacGinty steered Sale Sharks to a crucial 28-17 victory over Harlequins that reignites their Premiership top-four hopes.
USA international MacGinty slotted seven penalties and also converted Byron McGuigan's interception try just before half-time to move Sharks within five points of fourth-placed Quins in the race to the semifinals.
The visitors had started quickly as Mike Brown became Harlequins' record try-scorer in the professional era and then Jack Clifford crossed but MacGinty kept the Sale scoreboard ticking over to ensure the last eight meetings between the teams have been won by the home side on the day.
Harlequins flew out of the blocks as Chris Robshaw forced an early turnover, Danny Care made a decisive break and a few phases later the ball was recycled inside for Brown to crash over for his 90th try for the club – overtaking Ugo Monye for the Quins professional-era record.
And that early lead almost became even greater on seven minutes as Alex Dombrandt looked certain to score and only some brilliant last-ditch defending from Faf de Klerk held him up over the line.
But MacGinty started a trend that would continue for 80 minutes as he punished the visitors' ill-discipline with three penalties that gave Sale a 9-7 advantage.
However, Quins responded in style, this time Care putting up a clever cross-field kick and Clifford out-jumping a defender to claim the ball and slide over for the score.
Demetri Catrakilis's second conversion – in his first Premiership start in a year – made the score 14-9 but the flyhalf was then at fault for Sale's score just before the break.
With Quins on the attack following another successful MacGinty penalty, Catrakilis threw a long pass that was gleefully intercepted by McGuigan and the Scotland international streaked 60 metres to dot down under the posts, as Sharks celebrated a 19-14 half-time advantage.
MacGinty added a fifth penalty shortly after the break and although Marcus Smith cancelled that out with one of his own on 57 minutes, Kyle Sinckler's yellow card for slapping De Klerk in the chest put the visitors on the defensive for ten minutes.
In the final stages of the game, MacGinty then added two more penalties – the second of which came after Matt Symons was sin-binned – to complete his own 23-point haul and ensure Sharks left victorious with their top-four chances back on track.
Sale Sharks: 15 Luke James, 14 Denny Solomona, 13 Sam James, 12 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 11 Byron McGuigan, 10 AJ MacGinty, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Josh Beaumont, 7 Tom Curry, 6 Jono Ross (captain), 5 James Phillips, 4 Bryn Evans, 3 WillGriff John, 2 Rob Webber, 1 Ross Harrison.
Replacements: 16 Curtis Langdon, 17 Valery Morozov, 18 Joe Jones, 19 Josh Strauss, 20 Ben Curry, 21 Will Cliff, 22 Cameron Redpath, 23 Arron Reed.
Harlequins: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Nathan Earle, 13 Alofa Alofa, 12 Ben Tapuai, 11 Cadan Murley, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Danny Care, 8 Alex Dombrandt, 7 Chris Robshaw, 6 Jack Clifford, 5 James Horwill, 4 Matt Symons, 3 Kyle Sinckler, 2 Max Crumpton, 1 Lewis Boyce.
Replacements: 16 Dave Ward, 17 Nick Auterac, 18 Phil Swainston, 19 Ben Glynn, 20 Mat Luamanu, 21 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, 22 Marcus Smith, 23 Francis Saili.


The UN Climate Conference (COP23) is the perfect place for voices to be heard. Thus, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has dedicated a special day to indigenous peoples.
The UN Climate Conference (COP23) is the perfect place for voices to be heard. Thus, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has dedicated a special day to indigenous peoples for years. In the case of the Bonn Conference, this moment took place on November 7, so that its representatives could share their history and demands.
Addressing the theme "Protection and Promotion of Indigenous Territories and Knowledge", the Federacíon de Comunidades Nativas del Ucayali y Afluentes (FECONAU) promoted a panel with the purpose of showing the reality experienced by the indigenous peoples of Peru.
The Peruvian Robert Guimaraes (president of FECONAU) and the Brazilian Benki Piyako Ashaninka (indigenous leader Ashanika) were responsible for reporting part of the day-to-day experience of their peoples. Benki mentioned the ancient knowledge of indigenous peoples, stressed the need for respect for diversity and emphasized the importance of educating the young generation for the future of forests.
In addition, Benki emphasized that "the indigenous peoples are trying to promote a reflection on their rights and denouncing the situation of violence that they are suffering".He adds that "there was a decrease in the amount of fish and extinction of species of plants and animals as a direct consequence of the deforestation of the Amazon forest." According to Benki, "if climate change is due to our actions and we know how to fight them, we do not have to think about it, but to act."
Robert, on the other hand, broadened the debate by saying that the struggle of indigenous peoples is framed in a global setting, that is, many resources that the industrialized countries need lies in the forest. According to the president of FECONAU, indigenous knowledge regarding rivers, plants and animals is part of the tradition. "We seek to transmit to the new generations this knowledge, which can not be passed in five years of university but through many years of practice."
In any case "these practices and our own lives are being threatened mainly by oil contamination, installation of hydroelectric plants and by the agribusiness in Peru", denounces the Peruvian activist.
For Robert, the government does not want to discuss the environmental impacts these activities cause on the environment and among indigenous peoples, covering up the true deforestation.
FECONAU fights against this reality. The organization has planted more than one million trees and plans to plant more than 9 million by 2040. "There is no justice for indigenous people but we struggle to change this situation and guarantee a decent future for the next generations" concludes Robert.


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text:
Bahrain's Al Hilal Computers has won the "Partner of the Year" award from this IT giant
By Jenan Al-MukharriqJuly 17, 2018September 11th, 2019No Comments
Bahrain-based Al Hilal Computers has won the "Partner of the Year" award from global data giant Veritas for its healthy, round-the-year collaboration and growth. The award was received by Al Hilal Computers Product Head Nithyan Thomas at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Dubai's Palm Jumeirah.
Al Hilal Computers has been a leading reseller of Veritas products in the GCC for a while now, especially when it comes to products such as User's Backup (DLO), Cluster Server, Enterprise Vault, Backup Exec, NetBackup, and Volume Replicator.
Among other accomplishments, this award also stands as a testimony to Al Hilal Computer's continuously impressive performance in the domains of business impact analysis, cloud computing, network performance, and big data analytics.
"Our top partner recognition by Veritas is a tribute to the service quality, expertise and commitment of the Hilal team to excellence," Thomas noted after receiving the award from Veritas officials. "We also would like to share this recognition with our clients who have trusted in our advice to help them optimize the benefits of their data at the same time to save money," he added.
Worth noting here is that Veritas has been a key IT solution provider for the vast majority of Fortune 500 companies — 86 percent, to be more specific.
Al Hilal Computers, meanwhile, is one of the oldest IT companies in the Middle East, having been established in 1989 to provide quality IT solutions to corporate and retail clients.
Jenan Al-Mukharriq
A highly driven organizing member of the StartUp Bahrain ecosystem. And a Project Manager at Matter In Hand with a passion for content creation and empowering communities.
Tamkeen signs agreement with Fives Group to upskill tens of Bahrainis in the manufacturing industry
StartUp BahrainJanuary 23, 2023
GFH's infrastructure platform invests with Equitix in electricity distribution
Tamkeen holds press conference to present the annual strategic plan for 2023 and key highlights from 2022


POWERFUL hailstorm and heavy winds swept across Magamba Training Centre on Monday causing a trail of destruction that saw property worth $21 000 being destroyed.
The hailstorm also ravaged tobacco crops worth over $US6 000 and ruptured roofs at three boys' hostels, administration offices and tobacco barns.
The centre's accountant Mr Amos Kazambara, said the hailstorm affected more than 100 students whose hostels and classroom roofs were blown off.
"More than 100 students were left in the open after their three hostels were ravaged by the hailstorm. We are still assessing to establish the exact level of damage. We are saddened by the loss of property. Fortunately no one was injured during the process," he said.
When The Manica Post visited the scene on Wednesday, it was noted that three workshop buildings as well as administration offices ceilings were destroyed.
"The situation is very bad at the campus where three administration offices are left with cracks, three workshop buildings which include a welding workshop, building workshop, two classrooms and hostels had their roofs blown-off during the heavy hailstorm," said Mr Kazambara.
About 120 asbestos sheets were blown off from the buildings' rooftops. Last November, a hailstorm also ravaged the green house and two classrooms at the institution.
He indicated that the hailstorm damaged two hectors of tobacco crops valued at US$6 000 as well as the tobacco barn roofs. It also uprooted trees at the campus as well as two electric poles which fell resulting in power cut at the campus.
"Quantification of the actual magnitude of damage caused by the hailstorm is underway," he added.


text:
Q: Server command? Hi all I've got a couple of questions.  I was asked to log into an online server and I have to figure out these questions:

*

*Find the command that will show you the month of your birthday in the year 2024 (ten years into the future).

*A cataclysm happened in September 1752.  Find the command that will show you the calendar for the entire year 1752 so that we can check on September.

*Find out what kind of CPU is in the server.
I'm having a hard time figuring out the commands for these.  All help is appreciated.
Thanks!

A: Since it would seem to be homework, I'll give some strong hints instead of the exact commands; I assume you know how to look at manual pages.
cal is a useful command, and /proc/cpuinfo would seem to be an interesting file to have a look at.


text:
Park North Capital
Rick Bunka
J.E. Rick Bunka
Rick is a Partner of Park North Capital. Rick and Sean Dorsey founded Park North Capital to leverage their operational and financial expertise to stakeholders who need assistance with special or challenging situations. We add value by delivering capital as well as high-level financial and operating expertise.
Rick is also the President of Point North LLC, a business advisory service specializing in financial and operational turnaround, restructuring, transaction advisory services, and crisis management. Rick has held senior officer level positions in both the public and private sectors and has led organizations through periods of great uncertainty and organizational change. Point North's partial list of clients and roles include: 1847 Holdings (Goedeker's): Advisory Role, Nebraska Book Company (NBC): Chief Executive Officer, Anna's Linen's: Chief Financial Officer, Love Culture: Chief Restructuring Officer, and The Grayson Company (TGC): Advisor.
Prior to forming Point North, Rick was President and CEO of Dots. Over his 15-year career at Dots, Rick helped grow this small regional close out retailer into a national specialty woman's brand with over 400 stores in 28 states. Rick led three sale processes culminating in an outright sale of the business to a global private equity fund.
Previously, Rick was CFO of Gantos (Nasdaq: GTOS), a publicly traded $200 million specialty retail chain with 150 stores in 28 states. Early in his career, Rick was a Management Consultant at PriceWaterhouse specializing in strategic planning, merchandising, and organizational development in the retail and service sector. Rick has developed a wide and highly regarded expertise in hardline, softline and specialty retailing spanning his 30 plus year career.
Rick holds a B.A. in Mathematics and Business Administration from Alma College and an M.B.A. from the Eli Broad School of Business at Michigan State University.
1100 Superior Avenue East Suite 1700
Copyright © 2021 Park North Capital


After losing midweek in a tired performance against Whitworth Park 2-1 in the league the bright spot was Morgan once again on the score sheet . Some of the lads had played 4 games in as many days so they could be forgiven .
However the same could not be said of our performance today in a League Cup semi final where only two players shone like a beacon namely Samir and the ever reliable Quinn .
Why we were not up for it from that start only the players will know with Midway first to the ball , first in the tackle , always first to the ball and with an attitude that said they were going to win the tie and go to the final .When they lost the ball they won it back quickly. Desire and attitude are key in winning games and we looked like losers from the start .
Rightly the lads got a rollicking at half time for their inept display .
But for a 15 minute spell in the second half where Dylan pulled one back , Morgan had three chances and only he knows how he did not score at least one and Dylan also had a further chance Midway deserved to win .Dylan is another player who will benefit from improved fitness coming to us after an operation on his feet and you can see he has the qualities to play at this level .
Once again at least three goals for the opposition were soft two from not winning the ball in dangerous positions near our own box. You have to win these tackles and this is what we have missed without the injured Josh.


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Dalmatian Sage: (Salvia officinalis) is grown in Dalmatia. This Mediterranean herb has been used for centuries in cooking and ceremonies. It is believed that Dalmatian soil and climate in combination delivers a remarkable and powerful herb. Dalmatian sage has been recognized for thousands of years, and its value was prized by many cultures who traded along the Croatian coast.
Sage has a variety of uses. When burned, it has a pungent odor. Sage is used principally for smudging but can also be used in the blessing of our home, office, altar or sacred space.


What is a Baby Boomer Anyhow?
Golden Berg Entertainment is a Denver, Colorado based entertainment and special events company providing outstanding professional DJ service and special event development and management to a large local and out of town client base. We have been helping our clients make lasting memories of their special events since 1993.


Drenched in history and folklore our coastline inspires us every day.
The walk we are undertaking for this adventure is a part of the 'Cleveland Way' National Trail. Starting in Whitby, we follow the winding clifftops to the smugglers haunt of Robin Hood's Bay.
We begin the trail from the famous Whitby Abbey ruins. Its gothic silhouette makes for an epic start to the journey… plus there's usually an ice-cream van around!
From the Abbey follow the signposts for the 'Cleveland Way', once you're on the coastal path its clear where to go, just follow the snaking clifftops all the way to Robin Hoods Bay.
Our favourite point on this trail was the Fog Horn & Lighthouse Station around a mile in. The views are awesome throughout the whole trail but the white lighthouse against the blue sea and sky was a picture postcard moment.


text:
Canada-China Relations
Stéphane Bergeron
Stéphane Bergeron at the Canada-China Relations Committee
On August 17th, 2020. See this statement in context.
August 17th, 2020 / 12:05 p.m.
Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Montarville, QC
I thank the witnesses for contributing to the committee's work with their most insightful comments.
I will follow up on my colleagues' questions about the international coalition.
Mr. Medeiros, you are wholeheartedly calling for a kind of solidarity among the Western democracies to influence decisions in Beijing, particularly between the United States, Canada and a number of other Western democracies.
However, under the Trump administration, we see the United States blowing hot and cold with China, sometimes showing its teeth and at other times clearing the air. John Bolton, former national security advisor to the Trump administration, even revealed recently that Donald Trump had asked the Chinese authorities to help him win the election by purchasing products in certain states that are key to the election.
Under the circumstances, is it even possible to form a coalition like that with the United States? For example, how are the Taiwanese to feel, because they may well be a bargaining chip, so to speak, in the U.S. authorities' political calculations?
See context to find out what was said next.