Note: The folder you want to create the folder in, must exist. In other words: create subfolder hierarchy one at a time.
1. Set a breakpoint in the producer espace.
2. Tell the producer espace to "Debug in Public Area"
3. Tell the consumer espace to "Debug in Public Area"
5. Do actions that should cause the breakpoint to be hit.
// Set the header so it knows we are sending JSON.
// Make sure sharePointUrl does not end with a slash.
// Make sure templatesRelatviePath does not start with a slash.
POST multiple parameters to an ASP .NET Web Api REST service from a .NET 3.5 assembly, by using one dynamic JObject "options" parameter.
// Uses the System.Net.WebClient and not HttpClient, because .NET 2.0 must be supported.
// Create the one and only "options" parameter object.
// Convert the dynamic JObject to a DocumentDto object.
// Use the given data to create the result.
In this post I will use a UnitTest project written in C# .NET 2.0 as client code.
And a ASP .NET Web Api project as Server (service).
Create a new UnitTest project and change target framework to .net 3.5.
// Set the header so it knows we are requesting JSON.
Create an empty ASP .NET Web API project in Microsoft Visual Studio 2013.
This post describes how you can create a Microsoft Office Word (2007/2010/2013) document by merging a Word template and a custom xml document.
Note: This post uses Microsoft Office Word 2013, but the same applies to Microsoft Office Word 2007 and 2010.
First insert some text, a table and an image to give the template some body.
Rename the file to "C:\Temp\CustomerInfo.zip"
Extract the file to "C:\Temp\CustomerInfo"
Create the files item1.xml and itemProps1.xml and the folder _rels in the folder "C:\Temp\CustomerInfo\customXml"
The itemID is just a GUID.
Create a file item1.xml.rels in the folder "C:\Temp\CustomerInfo\customXml\_rels"
The Id is just a GUID without "-".
The ID is a GUID without "-".
Search for "CustomerName" in the file.
just after the <w:sdtPr> containing the CustomerName content control.
Now when you zip the contents of the folder "C:\Temp\CustomerInfo" and rename the zip to CustomerInfo2.docx, the CustomerName content control should be automatically filled with the text "Customer 1" from the item1.xml file.
This tool was created for Office 2007, but can be used for Office 2010 and Office 2013.


Also available in "Soft" version. Modular article. Double-panelled fir and poplar frame. Feet in brushed unfinished metal, untirust protection with matte varnish. Differentiated density polyurethane foam filling with acrylic fibre covers.
Springing with woven elastic straps of covered rubber. Seat cushions in washed and sterilized goose down with pad in differentiated density polyurethane foam. Back cushions in washed and sterilized goose down. Leather upholstery with sharp edge stitching. Available in all soft leathers. Optional cushions in washed and sterilized goose down (48x48, 60x60 or 75x75).


text:
The Heart Truths
To Keep Singaporeans Thinking by Roy Ngerng Yi Ling 鄞义林
Singapore: May Peace Be Upon You
It is disappointing that PM Lee had used a poor choice of words in his recent interview with The Australian.
The Australian had quoted Mr Lee as saying:
"People are not so poor. They think their government is not poor so they expect the government to do more for them. They're not poor but they feel less well off relatively than others they can see in society. There is that relative sense that 'I should get my entitlement."
"In America, entitlement spending is a big chunk of your budget. In Britain it's half the budget. In Europe it's not just entitlement spending but the whole idea of state welfare, which is entrenched and you cannot undo this. How do you cut back on spending when benefits, once given, cannot be taken back? The Germans have done a big restructuring over the last 20 years, but the French have not given up their attitude to entitlements, neither have fundamentally the Spanish or the Italians … We have started with very minimal welfare and we've gone on the basis of growth and high employment and low unemployment. If you're out of a job you can find a new job. You will get help but the help is not something you're absolutely entitled to. We have to adjust that without going overboard and ending up where the Americans are or the Europeans are or where the New Zealanders were."
From a public relations angle, Mr Lee had made a blunder in brushing off Singaporeans as being "not poor" and seemingly want the "entitlement" that he might suggest that they should not be entitled to. He had over suggested that his government should ensure that they do not allow Singapore to go "overboard" with the allocation of their budget for welfare benefits, to end up like the countries which had.
Are Singaporeans poor?
However, what is of more concern is that by saying so, Mr Lee and his government have shown that they are resistant towards responding to the people's needs.
The question is – is Mr Lee right to suggest that Singaporeans are not poor? There are nearly 300,000 people who are earning less than $1,000 (based on their CPF contributions). Of these, it is estimated that about 100,000 are fully employed and the rest are employed on a part-time basis. It is discussed by some sectors that about 20% of the Singapore population lives in poverty. An article that I had seen on one of SMU's publications had also opinioned that according to a study, the household income that a family of four should have to ensure a basic standard of living is $1,700. On top of that, Singapore's Gini coefficient, and our income inequality is one of the highest in the world.
So, are Singaporeans poor? Mr Lee had said this – "They're not poor but they feel less well off relatively than others they can see in society." What Mr Lee is suggesting is that Singaporeans feel poor only because we compare to others. He seemingly suggests that we are not contended and what we feel about being poor might actually be imagined.
Clearly, most Singaporeans are not poor. And Mr Lee is partially right in suggesting that for some, our sense of being "poor" might be misplaced – a suggestion could be that as we achieve a higher standard of living, we want to afford things that might be beyond our means, as we strive to be live a more 'luxurious' life. But is Mr Lee's opinion targeted at this group of people?
Even if it is, in broad strokes, Mr Lee had thus slighted those who truly are "poor" – those earning below $1,000 and the elderly who, in their 70s and 80s, still have to work to make ends meet, among others. The question is this – does the government have an eye on them, to ensure that even if we do not go "overboard" in the resources we allocated towards those who are in the lower social rungs of society, that we continue to provide them with a basic standard of living that is respectable in the Singapore economic context?
The truth is this:
When the government opened up Singapore's borders to a larger migrant flow in the mid-2000s, in subsequent years, there was a depression in the wages of those in the lower wage groups. In fact, the group earning less than $1,000 grew in numbers. However, it is also a fact that those who earn more than $4,000 grew as well. So, PM Lee isn't wrong to say that (most) Singaporeans are not poor. But the reality is also that those in the lower wage group have not seen their lot increase, at least over the past decade – their wages have depressed, their numbers have rose and their standard of living has necessarily dropped.
When the government opened up the borders, necessarily, the larger migrant flow would necessarily result in a moderation of wage increase, due to market forces – which would have slowed down the potentially higher wage increase for Singaporeans. The government had largely taken a capitalistic approach towards allowing market forces to calibrate the wages of Singaporeans, and thus necessarily, our wages would not have increased at a pace that it would have if the government had calibrated the opening of the borders more carefully. This is coupled, with inflation rates that have soured above the increase in wages.
Thus, if PM Lee wants to talk about relative terms, we have actually grown poorer, than what we could have potentially achieved, if the government had not left wage increase to capitalistic forces but had actively intervened to calibrate the wages of Singaporeans, to compensate for the expected depression in wages, due to a relaxed immigration policy and to adjust for inflation.
But, if we go on debating on whether Singaporeans are actually poorer or not, it will only be a debate of words – we are either poorer or richer, however we choose to see it, in relative terms.
What would be the more important issue is this – what is the right thing that government can do?
Do Singaporeans want what they are not entitled to?
Mr Lee had this to say at the interview:
You will get help but the help is not something you're absolutely entitled to.
We have to adjust that without going overboard and ending up where the Americans are or the Europeans are or where the New Zealanders were.
But what is "entitlement"? Here, Mr Lee is suggesting that there are some Singaporeans who feel that they are entitled to assistance that they feel that the government should provide. From anecdotal evidence, this might be true – though it is a human condition that exists in all countries, that there are a group of people who might rely on the government to fulfil their needs because they are unable or unwilling to do so. PM Lee is thus wary of "going overboard" with welfare spending, which might over-compensate this group of people, at the expanse of revenue which can be redistributed elsewhere.
However, aside from this group of people who might feel "entitled", there are real concerns that Singaporeans have. For example, in the area of healthcare expenditure, even though Singapore has the world's highest GDP per capita, we spend one of the lowest proportion of our GDP on healthcare and the people pays one of the highest out-of-pocket expenditure for healthcare – which means that we fork out proportionately more to pay for our own healthcare bills. It is obvious thus, that the government can afford to do more to increase funding to subsidise for healthcare needs, to match up to its responsibility, as can be seen by the example that other countries have set. Of course, do the other countries set the standard as to what affordable healthcare is? They don't. But when even Singaporeans lament about the expensive healthcare, surely, the people can't be lamenting because they feel "entitled"?
Healthcare is not an entitlement. Healthcare is a basic right that people should have.
In the most ideal situation, the people should be afforded free healthcare, but this is unrealistic in a capitalistic society. However, the government needs to recalibrate the funding for healthcare expenses, to ensure that the people do not feel burdened by healthcare costs, do not feel the need to have to work in their 70s and 80s so that they can continue to live, so that they do not need to worry if they will have enough in their old age – the government has a responsibility to ensure that people's well-being, in this sense, is taken care of.
Mismatch of Expectations Between the Government and People
Simply put, the government has taken a capitalistic approach to managing Singapore. It's all about money and managing the country's purse strings in a most stringent way, that maximises the utilisation of manpower and resources, to achieve the highest profits. But Singapore is not a company, as much as the government chooses to see it that way. Singapore is both a company where there are workers, and where there are people whose well-being need to be taken care of.
Is PM Lee wrong to say that Singaporeans are not poor, that not everyone is entitled to help and that the government shouldn't go overboard in its welfare spending? No, he is not – not in relative sense.
But the government needs to remember this – it is a matter of principle and expectations.
The government sees workers in a company. The people see lives in a country.
The government prioritises revenue and profits. The people prioritise their well-being.
The government believes in capitalistic controls. The people believes in calibrated redistribution to balance income differences.
There is clearly a mismatch of expectations, and a mismatch of the principles of governance. The government wants to continue on its path of capitalistic management and in recent overtones, is trying to bulldoze its way through – the most recent example as can be exemplified in PM Lee's interview. But the people are not letting that happen.
Who is Right?
The final question is this – the government still feels that it is a matter of power and control. In the current debate, it is a matter of whether traditional media and government control can survive and outweigh online opinion and fightback. The people are not letting it go, and neither does the government want to back down.
But who is right? Who wants to work for the betterment of Singapore? NO ONE. The government wants to increase its coffers and at this point, people don't think it's just for the country's long term growth – one thing for sure, it doesn't work for the interests of the people at this current point in time. The people want to fight for their what they perceive to be economic rights to be returned to them, which at this point, the government feels might be an "entitlement" which is not always deserved to a people who are not "poor".
Who has the big picture? I am disappointed because at this point, both the government and the people have lost sight of Singapore and her future. We are fighting for ourselves – and not supporting one another. We are a complete disgrace to ourselves and our forefathers – brothers in a fight for the country's wealth, which none had built but which the forefathers had.
The government had created the National Conversation. The philosophy of this is important and necessary – the government and people need to start talking to one another again. But when both sides choose to continue operating in silo, and not talking – both holding their own National Conversation in their own realms, we will forever be a country divided. We have the ask ourselves this then – do we want to become like America, where the people are divided right down the middle, with half supporting the Democrats and half supporting the Republicans?
The government has to snap out of their comfort in wielding the power they had comfortably held on to for the past 47 years of governance. This power has gave them the illusion that their overall plans for the country are the best, and that their tight control to execute these plans by bulldozing the people are the best.
The people have to take a damn good look at themselves. How long more do we want to complain and actually still wait for the government to do what we keep hoping that they would do? How long more do we want to lament and then vote them back in again, so that we can continue to lament? When do we want to take the situation into our hands and say – if you won't do what's right? I will show you. We are only allowing ourselves to entrapped by the state of governance as we choose to be stuck in. If we want to regain power, then we have to restructure how we understand governance, and how we can take it into our own hands, to make things work and to provide solutions.
At this point, we are a disgrace and a laughing stock. If we choose to take opposing sides and refuse to have an understanding of each other and reach out to each other, than may peace be upon you.
Written by Roy Ngerng Posted in Uncategorized
October 4, 2012 - 8:23 pm adrian
hello i really like your writings, but for this particular post, i disagree on one point: healthcare is *not* a right. access to healthcare is a right. healthcare by itself is a need. same goes for food, water, shelter.
October 4, 2012 - 11:19 pm My Right to Love
Thanks for this. Thanks for clarifying your thoughts on that! I haven't actually thought too much into that, though it does seem right!
Another point I'm starting to think about is that I would need to look at the statistics further to understand how unaffordable health actually is, or perhaps that it might actually be affordable.
Otherwise, is a particular group or groups particularly affected by healthcare costs, and perhaps the government needs to target healthcare cost support for these specific groups – through a system generated identification (and not one which further burdens the patient to have to apply).
What the Singapore Government Needs To Do: The Right Thing
How Should the Singapore Government Govern?
ROY NGERNG 鄞义林
View Roy Ngerng's profile
Follow The Heart Truths on Facebook
[Poll Results] Singapore's Prime Minister Should Not Earn More than S$325,000 A Year
Singapore's Education Outcomes Are Very Unequal at Higher Levels of Difficulty
[Poll] How Much Do You Think the Prime Minister and Singaporeans Should Earn?
Singapore's Prime Minister Earns Up to S$2.7 Million and 1 Years' of Bonus, or More
Singaporeans Pay High Rates for Health Insurance, but Get Back Low Returns; Other Countries Pay Low Rates, Get High Returns
How Much Do You Need To Earn To Survive In Singapore?
I Have Just Been Sued By The Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
I am Tired. I Do Not Know if I Can Still Carry On the Fight, If It's Just Me.
Singapore: First World Economy, First World Costs, Third World Everything Else
Singapore Leaders' Family Relationships with One Another
26% Of Singaporeans Live Below Poverty Line In Singapore
The Singapore High Court Says I have Defamed the Singapore Prime Minister
Singapore Government Spends $400 Million To Invite International Students To Study In Singapore?
Singaporeans are Kiasu: Is It Good or Bad for Singaporeans?
Truth Exposed: The Dirty CPF-HDB Scheme To Trick Singaporeans
Charting Singapore's Future
Controlling the People in Singapore
How Much Tax Are Singaporeans Really Paying?
In Singapore We've Forgotten: I Think That I Am Better Than You
Jobs Wages & Employment
New Licensing Framework for Online News Sites
Singapore Haze 2013
Singapore Perspectives 2013: Governance
Singapore Population White Paper 2013
[Infographics]: How Much Tax Are Singaporeans Really Paying?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
<?php

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class __TwigTemplate_4a9d9001e69fe4fa5a6362d4fabdcec9e5a33b0e7dc48de006be52c82a8fc7cd extends Twig_Template
{
    public function __construct(Twig_Environment $env)
    {
        parent::__construct($env);

        $this->parent = $this->env->loadTemplate("::layout.html.twig");

        $this->blocks = array(
            'title' => array($this, 'block_title'),
            'body' => array($this, 'block_body'),
            'ocplatform_body' => array($this, 'block_ocplatform_body'),
        );
    }

    protected function doGetParent(array $context)
    {
        return "::layout.html.twig";
    }

    protected function doDisplay(array $context, array $blocks = array())
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        $this->parent->display($context, array_merge($this->blocks, $blocks));
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    // line 5
    public function block_title($context, array $blocks = array())
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        // line 6
        echo "  Annonces - ";
        $this->displayParentBlock("title", $context, $blocks);
        echo "
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    }

    // line 9
    public function block_body($context, array $blocks = array())
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        // line 10
        echo "
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        // line 12
        echo "
Annonces

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        // line 17
        echo "  ";
        $this->displayBlock('ocplatform_body', $context, $blocks);
        // line 19
        echo "
";
    }

    // line 17
    public function block_ocplatform_body($context, array $blocks = array())
    {
        // line 18
        echo "  ";
    }

    public function getTemplateName()
    {
        return "OCPlatformBundle::layout.html.twig";
    }

    public function isTraitable()
    {
        return false;
    }

    public function getDebugInfo()
    {
        return array (  63 => 18,  60 => 17,  55 => 19,  52 => 17,  46 => 12,  43 => 10,  40 => 9,  33 => 6,  30 => 5,);
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Whether its hiking off the beaten path, or creating climbs on an unchartered rock face. If you're an adventurer at heart and have adrenalin pumping in your veins, then welcome home. Whether its the rush of zip lining over a cliff or along the treetops of ancient, sacred rain forests.
Before man created skyscrapers and urban jungles, the only neck-craning, gravity defying facades one had to look up were rock faces, crafted by nature. Or God. Or Mother Earth.
Raw and undefined, nestled amidst pristine biodiversity, lies an abandoned Quarry. For the quintessential adventure seeker, the landscape paints umpteen opportunities for one to push boundaries, seek thrills, grab moments, make memories and define yourself.
The Quarry Adventures is an activities centre, which is an adventure and family-marketed, day centre, specializing in activities centred around adventure and nature.
The Center is built around an abandoned stone quarry, which covers a little less than 18-acres, has 365 days of vegetation and a breath taking sunset view which is visible from most vantage points in the centre.
We will strive to deliver the best possible experience to adventure enthusists, by providing them with world class adventure equipment's, track safety records & by following proper implementation of procedures and standards.


The world has lost one of the true Queens of Magic. Deanna Shimada passed away on Saturday, November 18th. 2017.
Many are asking, "What can I do for her family?" This is an answer to that question. Deanna's passing was sudden, and has left the family with immediate expenses which need to be addressed... medical and legal, among others.
This fund is set up in Deanna's memory, and will help her family cover these immediate issues.
Enjoy this loving tribute, written by her daughter Luna, and give what you can to remember this wonderful, beautiful soul! Thank you!
Deanna was born in a small country town in South Australia on December 13, 1943. Deanna always had a natural flair for things and loved dancing, horse riding, and modeling.
In 1959 she became Miss Port Adelaide where she also won seamstress lessons which she later used her skills to make her own clothes. She also won several Rock n Roll Dance competitions. She was a photographer catalog model, modeling many products including lingerie.
In 1964 she was working as an usherette in a theater in Adelaide called the Theater Royal where a touring Variety show called Tokyo Nights came in for a run featuring a very young and exotic Magician from Tokyo, Japan by the name of SHIMADA.
Well, it was love at first sight, she said as she had never seen anyone so mysterious and exotic before. Mesmerized by his dashing looks and stage persona and his magical skills, she just had to meet him. They met in a coffee shop nearby where they could barely communicate with each other due to their language barrier and yet somehow love prevailed, especially after she showed him her modeling shots.
This was the beginning of a whirlwind romance that eventually led to their marriage in 1965. They moved to Sydney, Australia where they worked in many local nightclubs across the city and appeared regularly on television. They began their humble career as a team of performance artists and shortly after that in 1966, they had their first child, a daughter they called Lisa ( now known as Luna).
With their first born in tow, they began their life on the road with their show taking them across seven continents and over 27 countries where their career progressed and performed in prestigious venues like the London Palladium, regular appearances on the Johnny Carson show and headlined in Las Vegas Showrooms with notables such as Liberace. Deanna was a great source of inspiration to her counterpart husband Haruo where they collaborated and conceived their unique acts such as the Japanese Parasol act and the Dragon Act.
Deanna also used her sewing skills to make all of their elaborate stage costumes and other secret magical apparatus. Deanna also came up with the name for the magical effect Fickle Fire, a collaboration between Shimada and Kakuchi. Now a standard effect in magic.
A beautiful, elegant gliding shadow on stage, many considered Deanna to be one of the best Magic Assistants of her Era and was emulated and admired by many. She was Shimada's biggest fan and the power behind the throne so to speak for 30 years. In 1979 Deanna and Haruo had a second child, a son named Jason.
In 1997, Haruo and Deanna divorced and went their separate ways after three decades and an illustrious career.
Deanna was forced to re-evaluate and reinvent herself. She had always had acute senses and intuition, an ability that steered the course of their lives.
With Luna her daughter heavily involved in esoteric studies, she began to take an interest in the mystical arts. This interest was later enhanced by her meeting of her future fiance, Daniel Hamilton, a man who made a career in the Psychic Arts. He began to mentor her, and along with Luna's support and additional training, she found her new passion and her natural ability.
In 2007, Daniel Hamilton Passed away suddenly leaving Deanna heartbroken and still unwed. With her strength and perseverance, she was a survivor for she was no stranger to heartbreak. Since then, Deanna Shimada has used her unique skills and acute senses and lifelong experiences and wisdom and has helped 1000's of people in her 20 years in this field. She specialized in Tarot, Palmistry, Numerology, Hand Writing Analysis, Soul Retrieval, and Past Life Regression.
She was a counselor, life coach, mentor, and mother figure to many.
She was vibrant, youthful, very funny with a great sense of humor; she could also be biting and blunt with not much of a filter. However, she always aimed at the good. She was a kind and generous heart, a gift giver which was her main love language. She was a rock; she was strong an proud and determined. She loved animals and always put them and everyone before herself. She loved her two children Luna and Jason beyond anything in the world. She believed in her grand children's future. She lived in service to others.
She was fierce and gentle at the same time….
This memorial fund will help defer medical and other expenses Deanna incurred in her final days.


The Lock keyboard and mouse feature provides the capability to lock the keyboard and mouse input devices of the host computer. This option can be enabled or disabled by using the Lock keyboard and mouse checkbox in the Security tab of the Streamer. In the sample illustration below, it is shown as disabled.
The lock feature is available for keyboard and mouse devices only. Any other input devices, such as Touchscreens, audio input devices, Barcode scanners, etc., cannot be disabled/blocked by this feature.
The system hotkeys: Ctrl + Alt + Delete, Windows key + L., etc., still work when the keyboard is locked. The computer will switch to lock screen or secure logon page (the computer is still secure on the page).
Why can't I get response to mouse-click on macOS 10.13?


Who is Molly and Why is She so Dangerous?
Mary Jane and Lucy are both old news, there's a new girl in town and her name is Molly. She came in with a force and has been making a name for herself across parties and concerts nationwide. But who is Molly, and where in the world did she come from?
Molly is Ecstasy's cousin, but she's more pure and more dangerous. With a strong backing from some of today's most popular musicians, Molly was born to be a star. From Miley Cyrus to Kanye West, she's been talked about in some of the most popular songs of the decade. How could teenagers have been prepared to say no to something that was so talked up by their idols? Before we get too much into the effects that Molly has had on our country, let's talk about what Molly is.
This video was released last year, but obviously the information is still relevant.
SEE ALSO: What are the Long Term Effects of Ecstasy?
Molly is considered a more pure form of lab made MDMA. MDMA is an empathogenic drug of the phenethylamine and amphetamine classes of drugs. It affects the central nervous system and creates euphoric highs. It also can cause rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure, blood vessel constriction, sweating and can prevent the body from regulating temperature.
The health risks and negative effects are obvious.
With a rise in use sadly comes a rise in fatalities. Many of this year's largest and most popular music festivals reported at least 1 death related to MDMA this year. This includes but is not limited to: Coachella, Electric Zoo, Ultra, and Glastonbury.
Concert-goers report that this drug is everywhere. Most of the time the drug is used and sold right in public, it's become an accepted part of concerts. You'll often hear people just offering it up or asking for it by name." It is fairly cheap, around $20 a dose, and it is widely accepted among many young teens. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse's report, almost 20% of high school students have reported trying Molly or MDMA on at least one occasion.
Molly that comes off the street usually contains many different types of drugs and chemicals. This is dangerous because the user is usually ingesting drugs that they don't know they are taking. This makes it even more difficult to treat during an overdose.
With the rise in popularity of electronic music festivals, there is no reason to think that Molly with decrease in popularity. It is difficult to say at this point what some of the long term effects of the drug will be. For now, we assume that many of the effects with be similar to those of ecstasy, and that quitting molly may also be similar to quitting ecstasy.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with molly abuse, please reach out for help. It is entirely possible to enjoy yourself at music festivals and at concerts without using drugs. We are always here to help.


Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to be an Olympian for a day? When you bobsled in Whistler you'll get to fulfill that dream.
Imagine the thrill of speeding down the track just like the Olympic athletes of 2010. With former world class bobsled drivers at the helm, we had a once in a lifetime opportunity to shoot down the down the fastest Bobsled track in the world reaching speeds of 125 km per hour.
You don't need any experience or training, just a little bit of guts and a zest for adventure is all that's required to bring home an everlasting memory from your travels.
We arrived at the Whistler Sliding Centre with eager anticipation for the ride ahead. We didn't quite know what to expect and had visions of falling down while trying to jump into the bobsled at the start of the course.
As we quickly found out during our half hour briefing session, we weren't going to be running along while pushing the bobsled at the start of the track. It would be impossible for amateurs to successfully squeeze four large bodies into this tiny coffin like tomb, so instead, they had us sit one by one in an orderly fashion before having a staff of two people push for us.
This isn't a makeshift bobsled course designed for tourists only. There are no tracks holding the sled on course it's a track made of ice and a smooth fibre glass sled whizzing down a winding course for 45 seconds of pure adrenaline.
It's a far cry from our Jamaican Bobsledding experience, but we were reminded of it when we found out that Pat Brown, the coach of the Jamaican Bobsled team of 1988 is one of the drivers at the Sliding Centre.
That story went on to be featured in the movie Cool Runnings starring John Candy.
The Whistler sliding centre is one of only 15 competition sliding tracks in the world and athletes train and prepare on this track on a daily basis during the winter months.
However, for a couple of hours each day, the Whistler Sliding Centre closes down for training and opens up to the public.
You have your choice of skeleton or bobsleigh and anyone over the age of 18 and in good physical condition can take part.
We arrived just as the public skeleton was finishing and needless to say, it looked a bit intimidating. The skeleton doesn't reach the speeds that the bobsled does, but you are on your own and there is nothing between you and the ice but your winter coat and a helmet!
After our briefing and gathering up our helmets, we took a short shuttle to the start of the course. The public bobsleigh only uses 1/3 of the course compared to what the professionals do, but that's all you need.
We were told to sit back and hold on tight. If we made the mistake of putting our head forward, we'd be stuck hunched over the entire ride as the g-forces would keep you down and you'd miss seeing all the fun.
I made sure to take a strong stance with my head up while leaning back. I didn't want to have my head shoved down to the floor of the sled for the next minute of my life.
Once we were loaded in, we were off in a matter of seconds.
The experience was amazing. We it took a couple of seconds to accelerate giving us the chance to settle in, but once we rounded the first bend, we were sliding full tilt boogie and you could instantly feel the pressure on your helmet.
It felt as if a solid concrete block was pushing down on your head forcing you into the seat.
By the time we hit the 10th and final bend of the course, we had reached our fastest speed. It turns out that our team had the fastest time of the day reaching an impressive 126 km per hour.
Dave was a distant 8th but like all bobsledding races, the distance is measured by mear nanoseconds. He was less than a second behind us!
13 Responses to "Bobsled Whistler, Our Olympic Moment"
What a great experience. Not something I would automatically think to put on the top of my activity list when visiting Whistler, but now I'm definitely intrigued! It would definitely make for a great story to share when swapping adventure travel stories.
As a sports fan and wannabe athlete, I would love to try this. I have no coordination for winter sports but this would still be a lot of fun. I've done a luge so I am sure that is plenty of training. Ha!
I think that the bobsled is a good choice over the skeleton. It's less scary but goes faster. Next time, we'll do the skeleton…work our way up in scariness.
What a wonderful experience! Whistler is a close trip from my home. This looks like a lot of fun. I'll have to add it to my experience list and arrange a trip up next winter. Did you guys get the video?
Wicked, you can also do the skeleton too. It looked really good and you get to go twice. The bobsled is only one ride. However the bobsled goes faster, so it's a tough choice.


text:
SHUJAAH
Sankhesh Dedhia
Lens: 600MM
Shutter speed: 1/1600
Description: It felt like the moment was meant to be for us to end the 5-day safari in the best way possible, was like the very delicious desert you get after a 7-course meal which leaves one to be very satisfied
Story from behind the lens: It all started at around 11.30AM when we were around the "lookout" area where we were expecting a potential reverse migration of wilder beast and zebras at the river crossing. We got news that there was a leopard around. Our guide was very certain that there could be a potential kill that happens if the leopard is hungry since there were so many animals around it. We went by and saw a huge male leopard (Shujaah) right there in the bush. The massive leopard with a small cut on the left eye, giving it a unique look. It was an ideal spot for Shujaah with all the wilder beast and zebras around to go for a kill and that is precisely what it started walking for. Unfortunately, there were about 35 / 40 cars around and it became very chaotic with all of them trying to get the best shot possible. This led to the leopard getting blocked and also made the herd of wilder beast and zebras move away to the other direction. We were very disappointed at this miss, it is extremely rare to see a leopard making a kill, and barring our guide none of us had seen this. Most of the other guides and tourist were happy seeing the leopard and were not to bothered about what happens next. Our experienced guide Dikir Moses told us we have to wait the whole day if needed, but we have to see this leopard make a kill today. Shujaah went back to the bush and the herd of animals were a little further up, nowhere close to allowing Shujaah to make a kill. We waited while all others left. Most cars left for other places or lunch as it was getting closer to lunch time, but thanks to our guide, we waited. Suddenly at around 1.30 PM a herd of wilder beast started moving towards the bush where the leopard was hiding. We sensed something exciting and the leopard also was suddenly up. The leopard was in the bush, and there was a small gap of about 200 metres due to the dry river that led to a flat area where the wilder beast were crossing. It was the perfect spot for the leopard to hide and go towards the wilder beast. It went slowly unseen due to the gap, and made the first attempt, but failed at it. It got spotted as soon as it went up and the wilder beast stopped. It went down in hiding again. In about a minute and a half from there the wilder beast from behind kept pushing and once again the wilder beast started crossing (the first few at a very fast pace knowing there was a leopard there). The ones behind probably were unaware and were crossing. We waited ready with our cameras and phone for a video, very well positioned by our guide Dikir Moses, and in a fraction of a second Shujaah pounced high onto one wilder beast. It was a sight to see such a grown-up male leopard to jump so high and get its prey at the first attempt. The wilder beast was caught and it struggled as the leopard bit into its neck and finally succumbed. These are moments that exemplify the "circle of life", where life of one becomes food for another. The leopard dragged its meal to the bush and the rest of the herd of wilder beast survived to fight another day.


When will the coins be sent to our wallet ?
Good job Synereo team by the way, $4.7 mln is a good result!
Buy that sell wall before it's too late-It's a boot moving up along with the price to get the wall owner chance to accumulate.
Question: what will happen when it's gone?
Disclosure :Sure I bought AMP today but not trying to bump this up just observing and sharing. Any comments,thoughts from experienced traders would be much appreciated.
Its looking better indeed , i wont worry about the wall.
where are those walls ?
What's your price prediction for the synereo equity offering? The company shares? Dividends?
i heard all i wanted to hear from Dor in the hangout : the team will double up thanks to the crowdsale funds. excellent.
its really getting exciting the price start to move up hopefully holding it for some more time will make good rpofits in return. good luck guys.
Lots of positive times ahead.
I hope so , I bought from exchanges and also the "overpriced" crowdsale. Actually I bought at the crowdsale knowing I was paying over the odds so my investment via the exchange pays off via the crowdsale funding.
In Q1 2018 expecting to see at least 3€ !!!
I see we will get email soon from AMP group re. how to get our AMP coins from crowdsale, so thank you!
Hoping we see this baby fly in near future.
I saw a link for slack above, but how do we LOGIN to your slack?? ie. says my email is not valid or something. Do we need a password or something?
Watch the latest weekly update from the live community hangout!
you have to invite yourself from here http://slack.synereo.com/ to login into slack.
I just eant the AMP system to come online and see what all the fuss is a out. If it works like it should then we can monotonize our content and our coin is backed by that content of ours. So you own what you have and it has a value. Very cool. Can't wait.
Currently, it's an Omni token. A bitcoin wallet with the Omni protocol running serves as its wallet for the time being.
Gosh! I did missread this as P&D efforts, all of a sudden felt tight myself.
Now fresh pants later it seems we are on track. Especially the RChain will change the landscape, might even reach the Bitcoin maximalists out there. Timescale? Synereo would have to prove it's workability for a year or two, on a similar workload that current Blockchain technology carries.


text:
Scott A. Gese
Image source: Velocoffee / Pixabay
He was ready to end his life, but for some unknown reason, something deep inside wouldn't let him do it.
The old man sat motionless behind the wheel. He was clenching it tight. The engine was running. Sweat began to bead on his forehead and a tear ran down his cheek.
The car sat ten feet away from a sheer cliff with nothing more than a final thought between him and the hereafter.
All he had to do was take his foot off the brake, step on the gas and it would all be over in a few seconds.
He had made it this far, but now, faced with the possibility of impending death, the end of his ninety-plus years on this earth and the end of his life as he knew it, he hesitated and he remembered.
He remembered all the firsts in his life. His first job. The first time he saw a television set. His first car, his first date, his first kiss and the first time he made love.
Her name was Emma. She had the reddest lips, big brown eyes and auburn hair. He had a passion for that girl. It didn't last past high school. He had joined the service and that was the end of it. She refused to wait.
The memories were now pouring in. Lost within the dark recesses of his mind for so many years, they had found an opening and broke loose. Flooding forward like a tsunami wave heading toward the shore.
He recalled his wife of sixty years. He still loved her even though she had passed on five years ago. Secretly, he had always wanted her to go first. To spare her from the grief he knew would come. To spare her from the loneliness he now felt.
He knew her, and believed he could handle it better than her. He didn't realize how hard it would be or that it would last so long. Why was he lingering here? Why hadn't he passed on right after her like so many couples he had known? Why?
He recalled his kids. Two girls and a boy. His son was killed in action. He was given a metal and the flag that draped his sons coffin. It was a worthless consolation for the loss of his only son.
No one was left to carry on the family name. It would end with him.
His two girls grew up and grew old. One passed last year. He lived with the other. He was a burden to her and he knew it.
He recalled many things as he sat behind that wheel. He looked out over the ocean ahead of him. Hawaii was out there somewhere. He had been there once, many years ago. He always wanted to go back, but time got away from him and it never happened.
There were many things he had wanted to do. Now he was too old and too feeble to do much more than walk the length of his daughters house.
He had left a note behind so she would know where to find his body. He knew she would be distraught, but at the same time relieved.
As he sat there in deep thought, a knock on the window startled him and brought him back to the present moment. It was a police officer. He motioned him to roll down the window.
"Mr. Sheridon, are you OK?"
"How do you know who I am?" The old man asked.
"I ran your license plate. Are you OK? Our office received a call from your daughter. She's worried about you. She told me where to find you. She thought you may have driven over the cliff."
"No, I think I've changed my mind on that. I thought I had the courage, but I guess I don't. I think I want to go home."
"That's good Mr. Sheridan. Why don't you let me give you a ride."
The old man turned off the ignition and stepped out of the car.
The young family on the beach directly below the cliff was enjoying a picnic lunch on a beautiful day. Their kids, two girls and a boy, played in the sand.
They were unaware of what was taking place just above their heads.
© Copyright 2019 by Scott A. Gese All Rights Reserved.


text:
Happy Birthday David Crosby. 'Sing Crosby'
PORTRAITSPOP
This day (August 14, 1941), in Los Angeles, California, is born David Van Cortlandt Crosby simply known as David Crosby, American singer-songwriter, guitarist & co-founder of the Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash
DC (Aug 14)
Mr. Tambourine Man (w/ The Byrds, 1965) . Chimes Of Freedom (w/ The Byrds, 1967) . Down By The River (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, 1970) . Traction In The Rain (w/ Graham Nash, BBC) . Lee Shore (Crosby, Stills & Nash, Winterland, 1973) . Almost cut my hair (Crosby, Stills & Nash, Winterland, 1974) . Wooden Ships (Crosby, Stills & Nash, Houston, Texas, 1977) . Suite: Judy Blue Eyes (Crosby, Stills & Nash, Houston, Texas, 1979) . Delta (Universal Amphitheater, Los Angeles, 1982) . Wasted on the Way (Crosby Stills & Nash, 1983) . Southern Cross (Crosby Stills & Nash, The Tonight Show, 1987) . Farm Aid (1988) . Drive My Car . Turn, Turn, Turn (w/ McGuin & Hillman) . 1000 Roads (The Acoustic Concert, San Francisco 1991) . Hero (w/ Phil collins) . Helpless (w/ Neil Young & Crazy Horse) . Dream For Him (1999) . Here Comes the Sun (w/ Paul Simon & Graham Nash, Tribute to George Harrison) . Find The Cost Of Freedom (w/ David Gilmour & Graham Nash) . Carry Me (w/ Neil Young) . Another Day In Paradise (w/ Phil Collins) . For Free (Fretboard Journal photo shoot, 2011) . Long Time Gone (Crosby, Stills & Nash) . Delta (Crosby, Stills & Nash, 2014) . Deja Vu (2015) . Somebody Home (w/ Snarky Puppy) . Turn, Turn, Turn (w/ Chris Hillman, 2018) . Long Time Gone (2019) .
David Crosby Top 10 :
Eight Miles High . Almost Cut My Hair . Deja Vu . Wooden Ships . Shadow Captain . Long Time Gone . In My Dreams . Guinnevere . Renaissance Fair . Music Is Love .
Released in March 1968, Song to a Seagull is Joni Mitchells debut album (produced by David Crosby). >>
Déjà Vu' by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young is an album (their second as 'Crosby, Stills & Nash' and their first with Neil Young) released on March 11, 1970 by Atlantic Records. >>
Crosby, Stills & Nash incl. Suite: Judy Blue Eyes is their first album released on May 29, 1969. >>
'American Dream' by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young is their second album released on November 1, 1988 by Atlantic Records. >>
Neil Young's 'Harvest' is his fourth album, featuring James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, David Crosby, Graham Nash and Stephen Stills as guests and released on February 1, 1972 by Reprise. >>
[1973] Crosby, Stills & Nash – that is David Crosby (g, voc), Stephen Stills (g, p, voc) & Graham Nash (g, p, voc) – will be together on stage at Winterland in San Francisco, CA >> 44 MINUTES on RVM >>
[1989] Stray Cats, Levon Helm, B.B. King, Al Kooper, Don Was, k.d. lang, Bonnie Raitt, Emmylou Harris, The Byrds with Roger McGuinn, David Crosby & Chris Hillman, Bob Dylan plus Cindy Bullens (g), Wendy Melvoin (g), Lisa Coleman (kb), Tina Weymouth (b), Debbie Peterson (voc)and Carla Azar (d). They all pay tribute to Roy Orbison at Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles, California >> 82 MINUTES on RVM >>
[1973] Manassas – that is Stephen Stills (g, p, banjo, voc), Chris Hillman (g, mando, voc), Al Perkins (pedal steel, g), Paul Harris (kb), Calvin Fuzzy Samuels (b), Dallas Taylor (d) & Joe Lala (perc, voc) – plus David Crosby, Graham Nash as guests perform at Winterland in San Francisco, CA >> 79 MINUTES on RVM >>
[1969] you do not want to miss Joni Mitchell, next to Jefferson Airplane, David Crosby and Stephen Stills at The Dick Cavett Show >> 53 MINUTES on RVM >>
[2005] David Gilmour has invited David Bowie, David Crosby, Graham Nash & Robert Wyatt plus Richard Wright (kb), Phil Manzanera (g), Jon Carin (kb, stl g), Guy Pratt (b), Steve DiStanislao (d) and Dick Parry (s, kb)for his big concert at Royal Albert Hall in London >> 136 MINUTES on RVM >>
[1973] Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – that is David Crosby (g, voc), Stephen Stills (g, p, voc) & Graham Nash (g, p, voc) & Neil Young (g, harmo, voc) – will be together on stage at Winterland in San Francisco, CA >> 55 MINUTES on RVM >>
[1965] you do not want to miss The Byrds -that is Gene Clark, David Crosby, Michael Clarke, Chris Hillman & Roger a.k.a. Jim McGuinn – at 'Hullabaloo' hosted by Michael Landon on NBC >> 3 MINUTES on RVM >>
[2017] you do not want to miss David Crosby on A Prairie Home Companion hosted by Chris Thile on American radio >> 14 MINUTES on RVM >>
[2014] David Crosby sits in with Snarky Puppy for the recording of their next DVD at Esplanade Studios in New Orleans, LA, >> 5 MINUTES on RVM >>
[2015] David Bromberg, Jackson Browne, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Judy Collins, David Crosby, Emmylou Harris, Paul Simon, Mavis Staples, Richard Thompson and more. They will all celebrate Joan Baez Birthday at the Beacon Theatre in New York City >> 138 MINUTES on RVM >>
[1972] Manassas – that is Stephen Stills (g, p, banjo, voc), Chris Hillman (g, mando, voc), Al Perkins (steel g, g), Paul Harris (kb), Calvin Fuzzy Samuels (b), Dallas Taylor (d) and Joe Lala (perc, voc) – plus David Crosby &Graham Nash as guests will be on stage at Winterland in San Franciso >> 79 MINUTES on RVM >>
[1970] if in England, you do not want to miss David Crosby and Graham Nash, recorded live in September at BBC Studios in Manchester, at In Concert on BBC >> 29 MINUTES on RVM >>
[1989] you do not want to miss Phil Collins duetting with David Crosby at The Arsenio Hall Show on a television station near you >> 5 MINUTES on RVM >>
Wikipedia : This day (August 14, 1941), in Los Angeles, California, is born David Van Cortlandt Crosby simply known as David Crosby, American singer-songwriter, guitarist & co-founder of the Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash
Official Site : As a solo artist, Crosby debuted with the 1971 masterpiece If Only I Could Remember My Name and he also performs and records with CPR, the jazz-flavored trio he formed in 1995 with his son James Raymond and Jeff Pevar.
@allmusic : A brilliant singer/songwriter with an angelic voice, who played in a pair of key folk-rock groups and overcame major drug problems.
Photo : Frederick Fenyvessy
1000 RoadsAlmost Cut My HairAlmost cut my hair (CrosbyAnother Day in ParadiseCarry MeChimes of FreedomChris HillmanCrazy HorseCrosbyDavid GilmourDéjà VuDeltaDown By The RiverDream For HimDrive My CarEight Miles HighFarm AidFind The Cost Of FreedomFor FreeGraham NashGuinnevereHelplessHere Comes The SunHeroIn My DreamsLee ShoreLong Time GoneMr Tambourine ManMusic Is LoveNash & YoungNeil YoungPaul SimonPhil CollinsRenaissance FairRoger McGuinShadow CaptainShe's Got to Be SomewhereSnarky PuppySomebody Home -Southern CrossStillsSuite: Judy Blue Eyes;DeltaThe ByrdsTraction In The RainTurnWasted on the WayWooden Ships
Nancy Wilson sings at Newport Jazz (1987)
Warner Bros. publish Randy Newman's seventh album : 'Trouble in…
The Byrds release their fifth album : 'The Notorious Byrd Brothers'…
Neil Young and Crazy Horse support Pro-Choice (1995)
Columbia publish 'Paul Simon,' his eponymous second solo album featuring…
Neil Young & Crazy Horse attend Austin City Limits Festival (2012)
Led Zeppelin are inducted (1995)
On TV today, Paul Simon on Cinemax (1984)
Happy Birthday Joan Baez. 'Here's To Joan'
Simon & Garfunkel release their second album :…
Warner Bros. publish Randy Newman's seventh album :…
The Byrds release their fifth album : 'The Notorious…
Columbia publish 'Paul Simon,' his eponymous…
Happy Birthday Stephen Stills. 'Stills dazzling after…


Up to 4 & 28 ON and OFF programmes per week.
Permanent OFF and timed outputs available.
Easy view 24 hour digital clock/timer display.
Optional 1 or 2 hour boost facility.
Programme advance and review options.
BS1362 fuse replaceable from front.
Double pole switch for ease of control.
Integral memory back up battery retains programmes in event of power failure.
Fits a single gang wall box min. 25mm deep.


text:
Category: Cover Reveal
May 5, 2018 January 13, 2019 2 Comments
So today I will be starting The Bitter Pill Social Club Official Blog Tour organised by Bloomsbury India, with a little cover reveal and introducing to other members of the tour through Instagram.
First comes the gorgeous looking book :
Below is a picture with a list of all the Bookstagramers taking part in this tour, so make sure to look them up for many more posts on the tour.
Since I have never before been a part of a book tour, am really looking forward to this amazing opportunity and hope you guys come along enjoying your time.
Nazm-E-Aashiqui – a new poetry book – DESCRIPTION
April 21, 2018 January 13, 2019 Leave a comment
Book description :
Love is the most beautiful feeling experienced by Mayank, love showed him that everything on the uranium has two side "positive side" and another is "negative side". The book Nazm-E-Aashiqui is about this both the phases of love. The first phase expresses its joy in good times and second phase shows sorrows of the bad times. All the poems in book are just words until you experience them. And this all experience is now in your hand.
About author :
Mayank was born in the states of Maharashtra and bought up in Madhya Pradesh. At the age of 16 his grandpa gifted him a diary and asked to improve handwriting, but improving handwriting did not worked for him, as he was fond of reading and listening Hindi poems, shayri, gazal, he wrote them into the diary. Mayank is pharmacist by profession and believe every wound can be healed either by medicine or by words.So he started writing his own feeling into the diary as shayri, Nazm,etc.
His father is businessman and mother is home maker, they both encouraged him at every stage of life. He is inspired by his father
COVER REVEAL + Book Description of Love in Lutyen's Delhi
LOVE IN LUTYENS' DELHI
BY AMITABH PANDEY
Releasing 22 December 2017
•	Are women in urban India becoming independent, or is it just an illusion?
•	Are the young men of India truly liberal? Will they stand by their partners or
conform to their traditional family values?
•	Have the urban youth been able to break out of their class hangovers?
Fiction > Modern & Contemporary Fiction> Romance
₹ 199 ǀ 160pp ǀ Paperback | ISBN 9789386215222
Akriti 'Akku' Patel and Sanjay 'Sanju' Saran become friends in kindergarten, lovers in college, and then
hit the real world. With bureaucrats for parents, Sanju's world is one of power, privilege and entitlement.
Akku, on the other hand, is brought up by a single mother – a distinguished surgeon widowed very young – and an aunt who is a smart and sassy books editor with commitment problems.
Sanju's mind is in turmoil as he chooses to abandon his dreams and, like his parents, looks to the Civil Services for what he thinks will be a meaningful career. Meanwhile, Akku, armed with a BTech from IIT, is jetting off to California, land of systems design and fun-loving computer geniuses.
Can their love survive these growing differences? Or will the compulsions of Lutyens' Delhi stand in the way of their togetherness?
AMITABH PANDEY studied Economics at St Stephen's College and Delhi School of Economics. He taught Economics at an undergraduate college of Delhi University and then joined the Indian Railways where he worked for twenty-four years, during the course of which he conceptualized, implemented and managed the Railways' online ticket reservation system at the IRCTC. In 2007, Amitabh shifted to the private sector and spent five years building business software. He now lives in Noida and writes full-time.
COVER REVEAL + SYNOPSIS of A Column of Fire – the long awaited sequeal of The Pillars of the Earth by KEN FOLLETT
RETURN TO KINGSBRIDGE WITH KEN FOLLETT
Releasing 12 September 2017
'Follett is a master' —The Washington Post
The saga that has enthralled the millions of readers of The Pillars of the Earth and World Without End continues with Ken Follett's magnificent, gripping A Column of Fire.
Christmas 1558, and young Ned Willard returns home to Kingsbridge to find his world has changed.
The ancient stones of Kingsbridge Cathedral look down on a city torn by religious hatred. Europe is in turmoil as high principles clash bloodily with friendship, loyalty and love, and Ned soon finds himself on the opposite side from the girl he longs to marry, Margery Fitzgerald.
Then Elizabeth Tudor becomes queen and all of Europe turns against England. The shrewd, determined young monarch sets up the country's first secret service to give her early warning of assassination plots, rebellions and invasion plans.
Elizabeth knows that alluring, headstrong Mary Queen of Scots lies in wait in Paris. Part of a brutally ambitious French family, Mary has been proclaimed the rightful ruler of England, with her own supporters scheming to get rid of the new queen.
Over a turbulent half-century, the love between Ned and Margery seems doomed, as extremism sparks violence from Edinburgh to Geneva. With Elizabeth clinging precariously to her throne and her principles, protected by a small, dedicated group of resourceful spies and courageous secret agents, it becomes clear that the real enemies – then as now – are not the rival religions.
The true battle pitches those who believe in tolerance and compromise against the tyrants who would impose their ideas on everyone else – no matter the cost.
Rs 499 | Paperback │ Pages: 768
KEN FOLLETT was twenty-seven when he wrote Eye of the Needle, an award-winning thriller that became an international bestseller. He then surprised everyone with The Pillars of the Earth, about the building of a cathedral in the Middle Ages, which continues to captivate millions of readers all over the world and its long-awaited sequel, World Without End, was a number one bestseller in the US, UK and Europe. Recently, he has written the bestselling Century trilogy, which comprises of Fall of Giants, Winter of the World and Edge of Eternity. This is the third novel in the Kingsbridge sequence.
COVER REVEAL + SYNOPSIS of "Awaken" by Ashok Banker
Hi, very excited to present Book 1 in the AWAKEN: Shakti Trilogy by Ashok Banker. PanMacmillan India has always been my favourite spot for promising reads. And the coming month they are publishing this powerfully gorgeous book.
RELEASING 1ST SEPTEMBER
Present-day avatars of mythic heroes defending the world against an alien invasion
#girlpower #superhero
#scifi #fantasy
#alieninvasion
Ashok K. Banker
THE SHAKTI TRILOGY BOOK I
9789386215161 | Paperback | Rs 299
The Haters are coming to destroy all life on Earth. It is not a question of if, but when.
The Brahmaand has already rung the warning bell and the awakening of the Preservers has begun. Kiara unexpectedly finds her skin covered with golden fur and her sense of smell extraordinarily enhanced; Saumya is suddenly able to go from Ahmedabad to New York in just a step; and Sia's songs have the power to do things she had never imagined possible.
First in the thrilling Shakti Trilogy set in contemporary India, Ashok Banker's action-packed and brilliantly imaginedAwaken introduces our unlikely heroes who must discover and harness their superpowers before they can protect and preserve the Earth from the wrath of a menacing alien invasion.
Ashok Banker is the internationally acclaimed author of over sixty published books which have sold over three million copies in twenty-one languages and sixty-one countries. He has been credited as the pioneer of Indian crime fiction in English and with launching the genre of mythological retellings, India's biggest-selling publishing category. As a journalist, he broke front-page news for Times of India, Outlook and The Week. As a screenwriter, he created and wrote India's first TV series in English, A Mouthful of Sky. Ashok is of Irish-Portuguese-Sri Lankan-Indian parentage, and lived in India for over fifty-one years before migrating permanently to the United States. Awaken is the first book in the Shakti Trilogy.
The Shakti Trilogy continues with Book II ASSEMBLE (November 2017) and Book III ARISE (January 2018).
The storyline sounds amazing and an absolute in present time. Women power at it's best. So do not forget to grab this book next month.
COVER REVEAL + SYNOPSIS of Against All Odds by Danielle Steel
Taking chances is part of life,
but when you bet your future against the odds, it's a high-risk game …
AGAINST ALL ODDS by Danielle Steel
Featuring an exclusive foreword by the author.
Kate Madison's stylish second-hand clothing shop has been a big success in New York, supporting her and her four kids since her husband's untimely death. Now her children have grown up and are ready to forge lives of their own. They all choose to play against the odds, much to their mother's dismay . . .
Isabelle, a dedicated attorney, is in line to make partner at her Wall Street firm, when she falls for a client she represents in a criminal case. She tells herself she can make a life with him – but can she? Julie, a young designer, meets a man who seems too good to be true and falls under his spell. She marries him quickly, gives up her job, moves to LA to be at his side, ignoring the danger signs. Is all what it seems? Justin is a struggling writer who pushes for children with his partner before they're financially or emotionally ready. Will the strain on the relationship take too high a toll? Willie, the youngest, a tech expert, makes a choice that shocks them all, with a woman fifteen years older . . .
Kate – loving, supportive and outspoken – can't keep her children from playing against the odds. Can the odds be beaten? No matter how much she loves him, in the end, the risks are their own and the hardest lesson as a mother is that she can't protect them from the choices they make.
Danielle Steel has been hailed as one of the world's most popular authors, with nearly a billion copies of her novels sold. Her many international bestsellers include Property of a Noblewoman, Blue, Precious Gifts,Undercover, Country, Prodigal Son, Pegasus, A Perfect Life, and other highly acclaimed novels. She is also the author of His Bright Light, the story of her son Nick Traina's life and death; A Gift of Hope, a memoir of her work with the homeless;and the children's books Pretty Minnie in Paris and Pretty Minnie in Hollywood.
COVER REVEAL + Synopsis of Dangerous Games by Danielle Steel
SHARING AN EXCITING NEWS!
Pan Macmillan has acquired Danielle Steeland they will be publishing 6 new titles from her every year, starting 2017.
Danielle Steel is the biggest selling living fiction author in the world
Global sales approaching 1 billion copies
80 titles across 69 countries in 45 languages
No. 1 International bestseller in all formats
'DANGEROUS GAMES' has released on 9thMarch.
Danielle Steel tears down the walls of power at the heart of the White House in the thrilling Dangerous Games.
Television correspondent Alix Phillips dodges bullets and breaks rules to bring the most important news to the world. With her daughter in college, and working alongside cameraman Ben Chapman, an ex-Navy Seal, Alix exhilarates in the risks and whirlwind pace of her work. But her latest assignment puts her at the center of an explosive story that will reshape many lives, including her own: investigating damning allegations involving the vice president of the United States, Tony Clark.
Alix starts with a nationally revered woman who may be the key to exposing frightening secrets. Olympia Foster is the fragile, reclusive widow of America's most admired senator, who had been destined for the presidency before an assassin's bullet felled him. Since then, Olympia has found emotional support in Clark, who once wanted her as his wife and now stands as her protector and confidant. When Alix begins to dig deeper, federal agents pick up the trail. Then the threats begin.
As the stakes rise in this dangerous game, Alix needs Ben's help as never before. Soon they realize they are grappling with an adversary far more sinister than they had imagined . . .
COVER REVEAL + SYNOPSIS of Crushed
So, here I am, back with another cover reveal. This time it is –
Book one in the CRUSHED series – Crushed by ELISA DANE.
Interesting fact : Crushed was previously published as Ex Factor before the author got her rights back.
Nevaeh Evan's life is uprooted after her father's death, when she moves in with her aunt and cousin, Livvie. Her plan to lay low at her new high school isn't working. Her friend's jerky boyfriend keeps asking her out, the guy she likes treats her like garbage, and the thought of tumbling again makes her want to hurl.
So when her aunt pushes her into joining the elite X-FACTOR cheer leading squad, Navaeh goes along with it.
But Nev feels she doesn't deserve to be happy. Not after what happened the night her father died.
Bodie Scott knows about grief all too well. Critically injured in an alcohol related accident the year before, Bodie struggles with the fact that he'll never play football again, and he's so far behind in credits he can't see straight. That is, until he meets Nev. Haunted by their bloody pasts and wary of a shared future, Nev and Bodie turn to one another for comfort and support, and realize they're not so alone after all. And when the party scene at school threatens the life of a loved one, the two stop at nothing to keep the past from repeating itself.
ELISA DANE is a self-proclaimed book junkie. A lover of handbags, chocolate, and reality television, she's a proud mother to three All- Star cheerleaders. Writing is her absolute passion, and it's her mission to create stories that will not only take you on a romantic journey that will warm your heart, but help you find a new respect and interest in the sport of All-Star cheerleading.
Elisa is no stranger to the publishing world. She writes steamy paranormal romance under her real name, Lisa Sanchez. Her adult works include the Hanford Park series (Eve Of Samhain, Pleasures Untold, and Faythe Reclaimed), Obsessed (an erotic suspense), and a paranormal novella, Cursing Athena. Elisa lives in Northern California with her husband, three daughters, and a feisty Chihuahua who stubbornly believes she's human.
You can connect with Elisa at the following places on the web:
Facebook – Elisa Dane, and Lisa Sanchez Romance Author
Twitter – @ElisaDane, and @LisaSanchez3
Website – elisadane.com, and LisaSanchezRomanceAuthor.com Less
COVER REVEAL + SYNOPSIS ( The Harbinger : The Fray Theory book two)
EXCITING NEWS:
The next book of The Fray Theory series is soon to be published. The first book is Resonance, whose review along with I have posted if you might want to check. Thanks to the author for allowing to let me do the cover reveal and share with all the synopsis of the book – THE HARBINGER.
Cages come in all shapes and sizes. Some have walls close enough to touch. Some are made of bars, with a distant view of freedom. Many are made of the promises we make to others, and nearly all are fortified by our fears.
But not every cage has a way out.
Dylan Sterling is an anomaly. He dreams of things before they happen. But over the years, this phenomenon has transformed from a gift into a curse. Because when Dylan wakes from a nightmare, the agony of torture clings to his skin. The echo of his screams keeps ringing in his ears. The terror of his own gruesome death keeps rattling his bones.
With each passing day, the boundaries between dream and reality are becoming more and more muddled, hammering away at his mind and body. And unless he can find a way to break out of his cage, his hours may very well be numbered.
Also, here's a link to The Harbinger's GR page, for people who want to add it:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32797394-the-harbinger
Nelou Keramati was born in Shiraz, the city of poets, scholars, wine, and literature. At the age of twelve her family immigrated to Vancouver, Canada, which she has since proudly called her home.
Following six years of studies in Biology, Cognitive Neuroscience, and Psychology, she obtained her Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of British Columbia (UBC). Four years later, upon obtaining her Masters in Architecture, she switched gears once more to pursue acting, art, and writing.
Her debut novel, The Fray Theory – Resonance, is the first book in the Young Adult Science Fiction/Urban Fantasy series.
In her spare time, Nelou happily squanders her Wi-Fi binge-watching her favorite shows on Netflix, spends quality time with friends and family, reads, writes, studies acting, and explores digital painting on her Wacom tablet. She is a proud nerd and carb-addict who loves to travel almost as much as she loves Pembroke Welsh Corgi puppies.


Saturday Evening Dinner Selections 1st Qtr.
Please make your choice of the main entrée and salad when making reservation.
▪Honey Mustard Chicken: Boneless Breast in a Savory honey mustard sauce, served with Rice Pilaf & Sautéed Green Beans.


text:
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The Met: Policing London - Series 3
Full Documentary Video Series 1 here
Documentary following the officers of Britain's biggest and busiest police service.
Series 3 has 6 six episodes, which starts 3rd October 2019
Episode 1: Detectives investigate a case of rape by a stranger. The Territorial Support Group deal with knife crime in London. CID search for a suspect after a man is robbed at gunpoint.
Detectives from the Met's Sapphire team deal with the case of a distressed young woman who is raped by a stranger on her way home. When the young woman realises she is on the wrong bus, a man offers to help her, but when she gets off the bus he threatens to kill her with a knife and then rapes her. The detectives need to find the rapist as soon as possible and uncover some vital CCTV evidence near the crime scene. When the Sapphire team view the footage the detectives are shocked by what they uncover and bring a man in for questioning. When the suspect denies rape the team have just 24 hours to get enough evidence to prove he is lying.
The capital's four major hospital trauma centres have treated more than four hundred stabbing victims in the first seven months of 2018. The Met are under huge pressure to tackle knife crime and task the Territorial Support Group (TSG) to increase the controversial tactic of stop and search. The TSG target and patrol those Boroughs with the biggest spike in violence, but when they try to carry out searches they face strong and vocal reactions from some members of the community.
In south London a man wearing a £130K Franck Muller watch is robbed at gunpoint in broad daylight. The victim of the armed robbery is the ex-chairman of Crystal Palace Football club and radio sports pundit, Simon Jordan. DI Dan O'Sullivan from Croydon CID is tasked with finding the armed robber. It doesn't take Dan's team long to identify the suspect - a known career criminal who's already wanted for other offences. But trying to find him is another matter. Dan and his team get embroiled in a week long and costly game of cat and mouse as he evades capture. Finally, they locate an address where he might be living and as detectives and armed officers move in to get him, he goes on the move again. Frustrated the detectives decide to lie in wait in the hope they get another chance to strike.
Episode 2: 2018 saw the highest murder rate in London in over a decade. This episode follows the investigations into two of these killings.
The first is the murder of 22-year-old Kobi Nelson from Tottenham, who was violently stabbed 14 times near his home and died at the scene. Kobi was well known in the community through his work as a youth worker, and detectives believe he was murdered in a random attack. Forensic evidence from a car at the crime scene identifies a 20-year-old known gang member from Wood Green as a suspect.
Less than five weeks after Kobi's murder, 19-year-old Kelvin Odunuyi was shot dead at a cinema in Wood Green. Kelvin was privately educated in a school in Leeds and was a good student. His mother noticed a change in his behaviour when the family moved to Wood Green, and she believes he was groomed by gangs in the area.
The case is handed to DCI Luke Marks and his team. One theory is that Kelvin's murder is part of a feud between two gangs in the borough, a direct retaliation for the murder of Kobi Nelson. The Met are under pressure to halt the escalating murder rate, and with tensions high in the borough, the detectives are alive to the fact that further retaliation killings are a real possibility, and just weeks later violence in Tottenham hits the national news as 17-year-old Tanesha Melbourne-Blake is gunned down on the street.
As Kobi's mother makes preparations to bury her son, tensions in the borough remain high. The police are concerned that the funeral will be used by gang members to settle scores. Extra plain-clothed and uniformed officers are deployed on the streets to try to ensure there are no more killings.
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Always a good time for London! Never enough time in London!
This would be my forth trip to London and I haven't even scratched the surface of all the things I want to see and do. There are always my favourites that I must return to, and then there is a list as long as my arm of the new places and attractions I want to visit.
On our first of three days we would start with a trip to Buckingham Palace. Entry is usually permitted but this time it was not. It was probably closed for one of her Majesty's weekly audiences with the Prime Minister or a reception. Even so, walking around the Palace is still amazing and serves as the venue for many royal events and ceremonies. Wandering around, we and the multitude of other tourists enjoyed snapping pictures and videos of the Royal Guards in their regalia and the grounds. We particularly enjoyed the Victoria Memorial, the monument to Queen Victoria located at the end of the Mall in London. Designed by the sculptor Thomas Brock, it was unveiled in 1911. Quite majestic, 82 foot high and shows the queen on a throne and above her a column supporting a bronze winged 'Victory' angel on the top.
In what would surprise most London visitors, I have walked and drove by the St-James Park many times but never actually went in. So, it was finally time. We went to a little shop and bought a couple of sandwiches and drinks to enjoy this sanctuary in the dead heart of the city. To find such a beautiful place within a bustling city is a real treat. The famous flower beds are really stunning, and the views of the lake and fountain are really something else. The park is over 400 years old and a great feature is the resident pelicans that were originally presented as a gift from the Russian Ambassador to King Charles II. We finally saw what we had been missing!
This is a magnificent way to get oriented to a city. Our double decker bus with an open roof drove us through the heart of London and to the most visited attractions. There are two tour routes to choose from, a 90 minute jaunt and an almost 3 hour journey. Both are great ways to see London's most famous attractions like London Eye, Piccadilly Circus, Madame Tussauds, London Bridge and much more.
We would climb to the heavens in St Paul's. Not knowing what was ahead of us, we found the stairway…there were a lot of stairs! The first level was the Whispering Gallery, where it is said that whispers spoken in one area can be heard in the opposite end of the dome, and offers an interesting look down on the massive Cathedral. From there we found more sets of stairs cases, two to be exact; these would lead us past the Stone Gallery and the Golden Gallery, the highest part of the dome. To our amazement we would have a breath-taking panoramic view of London, as far as the eye could see. But what goes up must come down, descending is definitely easier. Finally, at ground level we found out that we had just climbed 592 steps in each direction.
The dread Tower of London! There are so many tales and stories about this really awesome building. It has been maintained throughout the centuries and is a really fun place to visit. There are so many interesting things within. My favorite parts were the ghost stories our guide would tell us as we visited the execution room and the dungeons. It must have been terrible to be placed here – no wonder it's haunted! There is also the Jewel House in the Waterloo Block where the Crown Jewels have been on display. They include 23,578 gemstones, the 800-year-old Coronation Spoon, St. Edward's Crown and the Imperial State Crown. Any one of them could pay off the national debt!
A perfect trip to London would have to include a live play in the West End. There is something for every taste, age and schedule. We chose to go to the 113 year old Novello Theatre and Mama Mia, which was a perfect ending to an amazing day and has been running for some years now and still has packed houses. I hadn't seen the musical before, and the actors were terrific and brought the house to its feet at the end with the wonderful music of Abba. Before and after the show we enjoyed the district where many of London's theatres, major tourist attractions and shops are found.
The National Gallery is an art museum in Trafalgar Square and has a collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. It was absolutely incredible and we were surprised that entry to the main collection was free of charge. It is easy to see that it is among the most visited art museums in the world, after the Louvre, the British Museum, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
We always wanted to do more of this, but time is limited on vacations. We had a bit of time, so we visited Bond Street, which is chic and very expensive. Though we only did some window shopping, it is packed with designer clothes and other extravagant stores.
Oxford Street is the main shopping street and is filled with miles and miles of stores including more than 300 shops, designer outlets and landmark stores. Home to the legendary Selfridges, it also boasts a range of famous department stores and well-known chain stores. Selfridges is a very different place, from softer lighting, hardly any price tags and live music from string quartets. Really unique!
We enjoyed some good eats at Fortnum and Mason food court that had a delicious range of goodies to choose from. Packed hampers, picnic essentials, chocolates and sparkling wines are abundant and ready to enjoy a meal.
Exhausted from three days on the run, we would need a vacation to recuperate. London is deep in history; after all it was the capital of a world empire! We were delighted and amazed around every corner. So much to see and do, I may never get through my long list of things to do even with multiple visits. I just might have to adopt London as a second home!


We Chinese people like to "nurture" our body with food. Parents always make chicken soup or honey ginger drinks when kids are having flu. Doctors sometimes recommend teenage boys to eat more melons when suffering from acne issues.
As for us females, we'd like to treat ourselves something "nurturing" monthly. I don't have to explain the "monthly" part in detail right? You should be bright enough to get the idea.
The ingredients for my monthly treatments usually involved with ginger, black sesame oil, pork liver, red bean, and brown sugar. I've got to have something made with some of these ingredients after the periodical thing. Believe it or not, treating myself with these type of food regularly actually relieves the pain and soreness that I used to get on the first couple days.
Ingredients (for a medium sized pot)?
Roughly peel the ginger and slice it lengthwise, about 4 to 5 slices per ginger root. Remove the stems from the chilies.
Drizzle a good amount of black sesame oil into a deep pot, about double the amount compared to regular stir-fry usage. Turn to medium high heat, add in ginger slices, chilies, and a pinch of sea salt. Cook till the aroma comes out and the oil starts to bubble around the ginger slices. Turn down the heat just a little bit, continue to sear these ingredients for couple more minutes.
Add in the chicken drumsticks and sear till the skin turns slightly browned. Pour in hot water till all the drumsticks are submerged under the liquid. Turn to high heat and add in selected dashi powder. You can pour in some Chinese rice cooking wine, about 1 cup if preferred. Switch to medium heat once the mixture turns to a boil. Cover with lid and simmer till the liquid has been absorbed by 1/3 to 1/2.
Pour all over steamed rice. I used brown rice because it holds up the texture better while serving with soup. Brown rice's tougher texture won't get soggy easily compared to white rice.
Well, Chinese's saying again, if you're having pimple issues, maybe try to stay away from this recipe for now. This black sesame oil chicken soup is actually a very "heaty" dish and might cause more breakouts if your body can't handle the heat.
Yes indeed. I'm trying to build up a habbit of having some black sesame oil dish at least once a month!


Dec - 30 | By: zikri | 2 comments.
Siberut Island (4.030 km sq) is the largest island of four islands in the Mentawaian archipelago. It is located about 155 kilometers of West Sumatra coast, across the Mentawaian strait. The Mentawaian islands belong administratively to Padang Pariaman Regency in West Sumatra Province. Siberut is divided into two districts: North and South Siberut with administrative centers at Muara Sikabaluan and Muara Siberut which also service as respectively market centers of Siberut.
We can meet the indigenous Mentawai people who live close to nature and still live in comparative isolation, maintaining their age-old ways. Its virgin rainforest, is inhabited by a number of animal species that cannot found anywhere else in the world, among them some rare monkey species, pleasant surprises wait to explore.
The island also offers continuous spectacular white sand beaches with shallow shelves jutting out to the sea and fringing coral reefs, excellent for snorkeling and leisure a luxury for most of the islanders. It can only be found a few coastal communities. We will be rewarded with stunning views and beautiful jungles abounding with unique plant and wildlife. The real highlight of our journey though, is the chance to meet the Siberut people, traditionally hunter, gatherer clans who are now coming into contact with the modern world. We will stay as guests of a local Kerei (medicine -man) in the Uma (traditional family house). Here, where conditions are basic, we will gain a unique insight into the lives of these people who maintain a belief system based on living in total harmony with nature.
Siberut island recently received international attention as a priority conservation area, for the unique culture of the ethnic Mentawaian and endemic of its biodiversity that need to be preserved. Although the island has plenty to offer, the potential has not been utilized fully especially for tourism. Most visitors to the island are only interested to see the culture at the indigenous tribes, such as the communal clan life in the traditional UMA house along the riverbanks.
Siberut National Park occupies the western half of the island, ranging from the northern coasts. At present the Integrated Biodiversity Conservation Project organized by PHPA, MOF, together with local government, local NGOs and other institutions, conducts the community based conservation program.
Siberut Island is characterized by a wet equatorial climate, with minimum and maximum temperatures of 22o C (71.6F) and 31o C (87.8F). The dry season is from February to June and the raining season is from July to January. Siberut is hilly with wide variations in elevation. Almost 60% is covered by tropical rain forest with many forest types such as: primary dipterocarp forest, primary mixed forest, swamps forest, Barrington forest and mangrove forest. Also, there are many rivers on the islands with a complex system of tributaries.
Although Siberut is only a small island, the internal variations in language, culture, life styles, and in resources is rather substantial. There is no clear indication of when the first man arrived on Siberut, but anthropologists suggest that the bataks of North Sumatra first settled on the island several thousand years ago. In many ways, the Siberut people are among the most archaic people in Indonesia.
The Mentawaian are traditionally organized as matrilineal groups and the social life centered around the UMA, a communal long house which held a clan of people related through a common ancestor. The UMA vary in size between 30 to 80 members divided in nuclear family units, referred to as LALEP. Because of internal friction, the clan might split up and form a new group or a single family. The Mentawaians believe that all living objects, men, plants and animals are supposed to have spirits. The only specialist in the community is the medicine man, KEREI, responsible for communication with the spirits and the souls. In case of misfortune or illness, he is called in to restore harmony within the group or in relation with the spirits in the environment. An elaborate Taboo system based on religious beliefs with respect to the environment is a dominant characteristic of traditional life on Siberut.
Visit and stay in a Mentawaian village, trek to the jungle, learn about sago processing and bark cloth processing, and do other activities that will heighten our interest in and fascination with the natural philosophy of the Mentawaians.
Very few visitors have explored the thickly forested island. Visiting a cave in central Siberut or waterfalls in the northern and southern parts of the island, are possible upon request with our guide. Be observant of our surroundings. We may have the chance to see and hear some endemic wild life. Siberut has four endemic primates that in local names are called Bilou (Hylobates klossi), Simakobu (Simias concolor), Bokoi (Macaca pagensis), and Joja (Presbytis potenziani). There are at least five species of squirrels and chipmunks and birds abound everywhere on the island. Padding a canoe trekking on muddy trails balancing on a shipper log, wading through a shallow river, brushing through a dense jungle – are all parts of an unforgettable jungle adventure on Siberut.
Some good coral reefs can be found along the east, south to southeast part of Siberut and the surrounding small islands. Along the coast, continuous, white sand beaches, magnificent lagoons, enfacing mangroves and Coral Sea gardens all promise an exciting coastal adventure. Dolphins (Stenela longirostris) can be seen along the east coast. Other sea mammals such as digong (Dugong dugong) occasionally can be sighted near the sea grass by the mangrove along with three protected species of sea turtles.
A motorized boat can reach Masilok Beach on the southern part of Siberut within an hour. The island's resort, dominated by coconut grows, a lagoon with beautiful white sand beach, promising a very relaxing environment. The west coast breaks from Siberut Island, connected only by sea garden and mangrove that lie side-by-side making it a unique experience for diving. Accommodation and fresh clean water are available. If we plan to travel to nearby islands, it can be arranged with local owners. In the southwestern part of Siberut lies Sagulubek Beach, with calm and clear waters making it ideal for wind surfing. In the northern part, Sikabaluan beach offers an excellent dip in warm water to soothe the soul.
From Padang City as capital province of West Sumatra, after that go to the Padang Port by public transportation: bus or taxi, available taxi as well, take a ferry from the port with the range price between 110.000 – 150.000 rupiah, with destination to Siberut Island directly.
Leaving Butui, one of the better accessible settlements of the Mentawai on Siberut Island. The Mentawai people never wear shoes but we-the people who cannot walk-need such aids, and many more. A handrail along the slippery tree trunk, for instance, to facilitate access to the house and to leave it, especially at night when somebody had to follow the call of nature.
Tree trunks are very often laid on muddy trails, where the mud can get quite deep. Good balancing skills are required on them, especially on round, slippery bamboo. One plus: falling in the mud does not hurt!
Rivers cannot be followed all the time, and hills in between can be quite steep. They can be better walked uphill than downhill, for us with sticks as walking and balancing aids. Left lane for overtaking!!
Trees had been felled by the local people to grow bananas, and are now part of the trail.
Three of the 21 Mentawai porters we had hired to carry the food for eight days as well as luggage.
Mud walk. Here the 'normal' forest mud, greyish and odorless, but very sticky and difficult to walk with shoes.
Lunch break during a seven-hour trek. Food is always being shared, but most important is that everybody gets a portion of tobacco.
Cigarettes are fuel for the Mentawai people.
Mud walk, here in a sago area. This mud is less dense, has a reddish-brown colour and smells of fermented sago. As with the Inuit who have many different words for snow we try to figure out how many words the Mentawai have for mud. The generic word 'lati' has been one of the first Mentawai words we have learnt.
Beauty contest after a sago mud walk.
We sometimes face the dilemna between balancing on a tree trunk and going through the mud. As shown above, mud can get quite deep. Two persons were necessary to free our fellow traveler from the mud trap, and they had to be very careful not to slip and get stuck themselves.
The river between Atabai and Butui had swollen due to heavy rains and some passages could not be negociated without getting totally wet. Backpacks had to be passed over heads, and a 'bridge' made of round, slippery bamboo to be put across for the sikerei, who felt safer at balancing on it than at swimming.


When I was a little kid, my Dad would pick up my brother and me from preschool, supply us with peanut butter and banana sandwiches, and drive us to an old Italian restaurant in the city, Bill and Toni's, to play pinball. Dad would hold us up so we could reach the flippers, scream encouragement at us, and pass on his lifelong enthusiasm and expertise. We'd play the Adams Family machine with hands greasy from chicken parmy, and fall asleep blissfully on the drive home. Those were the days when a couple of gold coins could buy you a whole evening's fun.
Fast forward 20 years, and we find ourselves two weeks into a family holiday in Europe. We're in Budapest – tracing our father's roots.
Already sick of the traditional galleries, fine art museums and other tourist traps, my brother and I take a chance on a tiny side note on the city map: the Budapest Pinball Museum.
Expectations were low – no one had mentioned it to us and even our Budapest relatives hadn't heard of it.
It turned out to be my single best experience of the trip.
In a leafy, sophisticated area on the Pest side of the city, the Flippermuzeum is less museum and more nostalgic paradise. In fact, the title "museum" is misleading. This is really just the world's best pinball parlour, the ultimate hands-on experience. As you step down from street level, a windowless dungeon has never been filled with more bright light.
For just $12, or half that for students, visitors can have unlimited fun playing the 115 pinball machines and 30 other old-school arcade games. The collection is enormous, and spans centuries and cultural eras. There are bagatelles (pinball predecessors) from the 19th century, and fully functioning, beautifully restored machines from the 1930s onwards.
Game names like Hayburners, Jalopy, Buckaroo, Flying Chariots, Roto Pool and Hi-Diver, depicting cowboy, horse-racing and billiards themes, evoke a different time and place. These are much simpler games than the modern machines, but with an enchanting beauty about them. As we come to the games of the '70s and '80s, the influence of rock and roll is evident, as well as TV and film, with classic games like Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Spiderman and Batman, and some of the most popular modern machines now being the The Simpsons and Family Guy. A history of pinball can be viewed as a history of pop culture – you know you've made it when you get your own machine.
We text Dad four words "Get down here now!" He's in heaven. He loves the two-player pinball soccer, where flippers on both ends allow players to shoot and score in their opponent's goal. But he can't go past his childhood favourite, the Kiss machine, which he promptly takes a photo next to with his tongue out Gene Simmons-style.
The museum's owner, Balazs Palfi, 44, shares the same nostalgia. He fell in love with pinball during the communist era, and his favourite machines are those from the '80s – what he refers to as the "golden age" for pinball. In particular, he has a soft spot for the Fathom machine. The museum opened in 2014, and is the product of seven years of collecting.
Sure, kids, geeks, gamers and pinball enthusiasts alike will be entranced, but anyone with an interest in aesthetic, cultural and even political history would love the place, too. Palfi has acquired the machines from all over: the US, France, Luxembourg, Germany, Portugal, many still bearing price lists in their original currencies.
This is the kind of culture sadly neglected in the mainstream museums. Even the most disinterested of the family, my Mum, marvels at the beauty of the machines. It's hard not to be awe-struck by the Hercules game, the biggest machine in the world, acquired in 2015 from the US and requiring 70 kilograms worth of packaging alone.
On top of what's involved in procuring the machines, there is a huge amount of work behind the scenes that goes into maintaining them. Palfi describes his technicians as "artists", responsible for fixing all manner of mechanical, electrical and aesthetic wear and tear. This attention to detail is part of what makes the Flippermuzeum such a fabulous attraction.
While Palfi says there is a strong pinball following in Budapest, most museum visitors come from abroad. In fact, he claims the museum is more than a drawcard for some overseas tourists – it's the number one reason for putting Budapest on their travel itinerary.
Rachel Visontay, 24, works in psychology research at UNSW.
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Trading up +0.09 (+0.22%) at 46.04. Chart shows that positive longer term is weakening. The market action could signal the start of a major trend change Weak Uptrend Very tight money management stops.
Trading up +16.93 (+1.46%) at 1218.79. Chart confirms that a strong uptrend is in place and that the market remains positive longer term. Strong Uptrend with money management stops. A triangle indicates the presence of a very strong trend that is being driven by strong forces and insiders.
Trading down -8.40 (-0.50%) at 1726.96. Chart shows the current downward trend is at a crossroads and has possibly ended. Look for choppy trading action in the nearterm Very Weak Downtrend with very tight stops.
Trading down -5.4 (-0.39%) at 1397.1. Chart continues positive longer term. Look for this market to remain firm. Strong Uptrend with money management stops. A triangle indicates the presence of a very strong trend that is being driven by strong forces and insiders.
Trading down -0.006 (-0.21%) at 2.726. Chart confirms that a short term counter trend move is underway. When this action is over look for the longer term negative trend to resume. Downtrend with money management stops.
Trading up +0.00185 (+0.08%) at 2.31695. Chart is showing some near term weakness. However, this market remains in the confines of a longer term Uptrend with tight money management stops.
Trading up +0.000090 (+0.03%) at 0.259675. Chart confirms that a strong downtrend is in place and that the market remains negative longer term. Strong Downtrend with money management stops. A triangle indicates the presence of a very strong trend that is being driven by strong forces and insiders.
Trading down -0.05 (-0.54%) at 9.17. Chart indicates a counter trend rally is underway The current up-trend could be changing and moving into a trading range Sidelines Mode.


Yeah, yeah, but do you still have the Guinness hat?
naking wrote: Yeah, yeah, but do you still have the Guinness hat?
hiya Phil, hope all's well.
Neerg wrote: hiya Phil, hope all's well.
Hey Neerg, yeah I'm OK. I think.
I'm gearing up for Destiny 2, GT Sport, Project Cars 2 and Star Wars Battlefront 2.
Good to hear, glad things are going ok.
I'm struggling to find gaming time at the moment. I thought the wife would get bored of finding me things to do every weekend after a year. Apparently not.
Well I just noticed that the 25th of January this year is my 10th anniversary in OAP.
But I am alive, just lol. But it's OK I'll self res.... Oh wait, bungie took that away. Like my precious Gjallarhorn.
Grats on the 10th anniversary dude!
If this were Destiny you'd have to buy DLC to unlock the last 10 years so you can carry on with the next.
Mulletino wrote: Grats on the 10th anniversary dude!
Oh the amount of money I've spent on both Destiny games lol.
Due to the psn name change I'm back as a variant of my original name.


Join the discussion on our forums! Come discuss Cornered Sentry over in our dedicated Cornered Sentry discussion topic.
Plays Cornered Sentry => Witching Hour be like "Where did that spider go?:o"
Having run the "Guarding the Shard" deck a ton, I found this card to be a liability more often than not. If you don't have Ravaging Ghoul or Whirlwind queued up right behind it (which effectively makes this a 3 or 5-mana card) you're taking an awful risk by giving your opponent three free beast minions. There's simply too many ways they can be used against you to justify a 2/6 taunt (off the top of my head, Hunters, Priests, Druids, and Pallys can buff, Warriors can turn them into a Frothing Berserker boost-machine, Locks can sacrifice them, etc). All in all, it's a mixed blessing at the best of times, and an active detriment at worst. You're probably better off swapping it out for another, more reliable 2-cost Taunt.
WHy does she say "clever girl" when she dies??? the raptor(s) are clever girls for killing her? Is she talking about herself being clever?
So the Raptors generated are Beasts, huh?
Yeah, don't play this against Hunter or Druid.
IN that case, follow with a Whirlwind, Ravaging Ghoul, or your angst.
This card is better than it seems, you can play this in turn three with Whirldwind to clear the raptor (and meybe some one drops) and you still have a 2/5 Taunt on your board, plus is a cheap card to clear the quest.
Death sound is "Clever girl"
I'm in love with her accent.
Meh. Sounds like someone spent 5 minutes learning a Russian accent from old Bond films.