text:
Select City Pune Station Road Swargate Kothrud Wanowrie Baner Chakan Pimpri & Chinchwad
No Suturing, No Bleeding, No Pain
Highly Safe & Accurate
Get Back To Your Regular Routine in 1 day
Ideal For All Age Groups
Cashless Facility, All Insurances Covered
Don't Fear of Circumcision - Get Yourself Treated From Leading Circumcision Treatment Centre in Pune
Healing Hands Clinic - India's Preffered Destination for Circumcision Treatment in Pune
Best Circumcision Hospital in India As Per Google (4.9) ★★★★★
International recognized doctors
Topmost Referral Centre for Advance Circumcision Stapler
Dr Ashwin Porwal, Dr Paresh M Gandhi, Dr Deepak Kulkarni, Dr Chaitanya Shah, Dr Mayur Narayankar
Healing Hands Clinic, a leading treatment centre and pioneers in the field of proctology viz a speciality dealing with the care of anorectal diseases, Hernia Varicose veins and Circumcision by providing Novel and Advanced treatment techniques from all around the world to the fellow citizens in India.
Healing Hands Clinic is credited for performing a maximum number of Circumcision per month in Asia and was the first centre to introduce stapler procedures for Circumcision in India. With the motto of curing with care, Healing Hands has built a team that does nothing but proctology where all the Team members understand the pain of the patient. Healing Hands Clinic, due to its advanced and novel techniques has been able to bring down the recurrence rate for Circumcision to 0% compared to an industry standard of 10-15% which doesn't require any follow up post surgery.
Healing Hands Clinic Recently is a first in the class Proctology centre in India accredited by NABH ( National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers ) and Training centre for Proctology in India accredited and certified by MUHS. The flagship centre also has trained more than 100 Surgeons globally. It is recognised as a centre of excellence for training for Surgeons from Europe, Middle East, Asia.
What is Circumcision?
Circumcision is the removal of foreskin via surgery, the skin covering the tip of the penis. Circumcision is an ancient practice that has its origin in sacred rites. Today, many parents have their sons circumcised for religious or other reasons. It can be a matter of family tradition, personal hygiene, or preventive health care. Sometimes there's a medical need for circumcision, such as when the foreskin is too tight to be pulled back (retracted) over the glans. In other cases, like in certain parts of Africa, circumcision is recommended for older boys or men to reduce the risk of certain infections which can be sexually transmitted.
Painful Erection & Sexual Intercourse
Continuing Inflammation
Pain and Bleeding
Lack of Sensitivity
Swelling and Redness
What are the implications of Circumcision?
Circumcision if left untreated may cause further complications. It will lead to pain, inflammation, soreness, etc.
Treatment of Circumcision
Circumcision Stapler is a new generation disposable circumcision anastomat device. It has been recently introduced in India and works on the basis of an advanced circumcision technique.
Circumcision using the staplertechnique is extremely simple and safe. After cleaning the area, local anaesthesia is given. At times, just a local anaesthetic spray is also sufficient. During the procedure the plastic tube is placed over the glans penis to secure it. The extra foreskin is pulled over the plastic tube. The anastomat is then applied on the plastic tube over the foreskin, which strangulates the foreskin in a 360 degree round circular fashion. There is no bleeding, and because the nerve supply is cut off, there is no sensation of pain too. The extra foreskin which is on the tube above the anastomat is removed by making a clean cut on it.
Difference between Conventional and Stapler / Alisklamp Procedure
Stapler / Alisklamp
Pain High Low
Treatment Device Outdated Advanced
Stay at Hospital Long Short
Loss of Blood High Low
Stitches High No stitches
Recovery Slow Quick
Inflammation Yes No
Post-op care High Minimum
Follow Up Required Not required
Is it a bloodless procedure?
Yes, it's almost bloodless as it compresses the extra foreskin ( prepuce ) in 360 degrees. Due to this compression effect, all the blood vessels, including minor blood capillaries also get blocked. Consequently, there's no chance of bleeding during and after the procedure.
Why is it called a painless treatment?
Due to 360 degree compression, the sensations to the brain (carried by the nerve supply) gets blocked. Therefore, post operative pain is negligible.
How do no stitches work in this procedure?
Taking stitches is basically done to stop bleeding anywhere in the body. The device used in this method compresses the extra foreskin (prepuce). As a result of this compression the procedure is anyways bloodless. Therefore, we have eliminated the need for stitches.
Are thereany chances of infection?
The device remains there for a specific period, making it a closed wound method (not open to atmosphere) therefore preventing the bacteria from entering your blood stream. As a result, there are nearly no chances of infection. In other methods the wound is open to the atmosphere which allows the bacteria to enter your blood stream and can cause infection.
What are the chances of contracting HIV/HEPATITIS B infection?
NONE AT ALL! ONE DEVICE FOR ONE PATIENT. As it is a disposable device, a new device is used for everyone. This ensures that there are no chances of transmitting any Iatrogenic (procedure-induced) infections.
Will there be any scars?
Its virtually SCARLESS! The anastomatstrangles the extra foreskin in 360 degree which causes normal removal of the compressed foreskin, giving no surgical cuts and stitches, hence providing scarless results.
How often does the dressing need to be changed?
There is NO DRESSING at all! As it is a bloodless and closed wound procedure (not open to atmosphere) with no stiches, there is no requirement for dressing.
How often do I need to come for a follow-up?
Due to the anastomatthere is no dressing in this procedure, hence just a single follow up is required for the removal of the anastomat.
Is there any age limit for the circumcision with device?
Circumcision surgery is feasible for at any age as there are various sizes available with this device.
Spread across Pune City
Dhole Patil Road, Pune Station
Tilak Road, Swargate
Salunkhe Vihar Road, Wanowrie


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Vaccines and voting: New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum offered both on Election Day
Algernon D'Ammassa
LAS CRUCES – Visitors to the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum Tuesday could roll up a sleeve and mark a ballot in one trip Tuesday, as the museum's weekly COVID-19 vaccine event coincided with local elections on Nov. 2.
Since Oct. 19, the museum has offered free vaccinations and third doses on Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., in coordination with the New Mexico Department of Health.
That included Election Day, when the museum also served as voting location for consolidated elections in Doña Ana County, meaning registered voters could receive their correct local ballot and complete it at any of the 40 polling locations in the county.
On Tuesday, 116 people received inoculations at the museum, the health department said after the site had closed.
Voting locations were open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday.
More:Election Day is Tuesday. Here's what you need to know.
Shortly before 1 p.m., 140 ballots had been completed at the museum's voting location, which was set up in a conference rooms where voters checked in and received a freshly printed ballot for local election questions based on their address. Voters then completed the ballots by filling in ovals next to their selections and feeding the completed ballots into a machine that counted the ballot and confirmed receipt with an electronic ping.
"We had people lined up at the door at the beginning, and it's been steady all day," presiding judge Elizabeth Ortega said. "I can't believe the day's half over."
She had not observed anyone combining voting and vaccinations in a single trip.
Outside the conference room, three people lined up to check in for what they said were "boosters," or additional doses of COVID-19 vaccine following their primary courses of vaccine. Once checked in, the individuals were shown into the backstage area of the adjacent auditorium to receive their shots. A few people were observed sitting in theater seats in the auditorium while waiting the standard 15 minutes after receiving the shot in case of an adverse reaction.
"Voting and getting vaccinated against COVID-19 are two effective ways of making your voice heard," New Mexico Department of Health spokesman David Morgan said. "Together, the combination speaks volumes about the importance of both a healthy life and a healthy democracy."
Algernon D'Ammassa can be reached at 575-541-5451, adammassa@lcsun-news.com or @AlgernonWrites on Twitter.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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La rue de Brosse est une voie, ancienne, située dans le quartier Saint-Gervais du  de Paris.

Situation et accès
La rue de Brosse, qui a une longueur de  et une largeur de , est située dans le , quartier Saint-Gervais, commence au 90 du quai de l'Hôtel-de-Ville et finit au 1, place Saint-Gervais. Elle se trouve près de l'hôtel de ville et de l'église Saint-Gervais-Saint-Protais.

Les voies rencontrées par la rue de Brosse sont :
 rue François-Miron ;
 rue de l'Hôtel-de-Ville ;
 quai de l'Hôtel-de-Ville.

On accède à la place par les stations :
 Hôtel de Ville  et Pont Marie  ;
 La station de bus RATP Église Saint-Gervais, lignes  ;
 La station de Vélib' 4016, 3, rue de Lobau.

Origine du nom
Elle porte le nom de Salomon de Brosse dit Jacques de Brosse, architecte de l'église Saint-Gervais.

Historique
Elle est citée dans Le Dit des rues de Paris, de Guillot de Paris, sous le nom de « rue a Moines-de-Lonc-Pont ».

Elle tient son nom des moines de l'abbaye de Longpont, près de Soissons, qui avaient un hospice dans cette rue.

Cette rue a changé de nom au cours du temps : successivement « rue aux Moines-de-Longpont », puis « rue du Port-Saint-Gervais » et « rue du Longpont ».

Elle est citée sous le nom de « rue de Long pont » dans un manuscrit de 1636.

Une décision ministérielle du 13 thermidor an V () signée François de Neufchâteau fixe la largeur de cette voie publique à . Cette largeur est portée à , en vertu d'une ordonnance royale du .

Au , la « rue de Longpont », qui devint en 1838 « rue Jacques-de-Brosse », d'une longueur de , était située dans l'ancien , quartier de l'Hôtel-de-Ville et commençait aux 46-48, quai de la Grève et finissait au 14, rue du Monceau-Saint-Gervais (devenue rue François-Miron en 1838), et au 2, rue du Pourtour-Saint-Gervais.

Les numéros de la rue étaient noirs. Le dernier numéro impair était le  et le dernier numéro pair était le .

Elle prend par ordonnance du  le nom de « rue Jacques-de-Brosse ».
Extrait de la lettre ministérielle :

Par l'arrêté du , elle devient « rue de Brosse ».

Notes, sources et références

Annexes

Bibliographie
 .
 Félix et Louis Lazare, Dictionnaire administratif et historique des rues de Paris et de ses monuments.
 Jean de La Tynna, Dictionnaire topographique, étymologique et historique des rues de Paris, 1817.

Articles connexes
 Dénomination des voies de Paris
 Histoire de Paris
 Liste des anciens noms de voies de Paris

Rue dans le 4e arrondissement de Paris
Voie citée dans le Dit des rues de Paris
Voie citée dans rues de Paris en 1636
Voie de Paris se référant à un nom d'homme

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Paradiso (fino al 1929 Calprino; ) è un comune svizzero di 4999 abitanti del Cantone Ticino, nel distretto di Lugano.

Geografia fisica

Paradiso sorge ai piedi del monte San Salvatore (912 m s.l.m.) e si affaccia sul Lago di Lugano.

Storia

Fino a oltre la metà del XIX secolo la popolazione del comune viveva principalmente di agricoltura e pesca; era anche diffusa la coltivazione del baco da seta. Con l'inaugurazione, avvenuta nel 1882, della ferrovia del Gottardo si aprirono nuove prospettive, principalmente attraverso lo sfruttamento del turismo: in quest'ottica, nel 1890 venne inaugurata la funicolare Monte San Salvatore, ancora oggi una delle principali attrazioni turistiche della regione. .

Nel 1929 fu deciso il cambiamento di nome da Calprino a Paradiso: .

Monumenti e luoghi d'interesse

 Oratorio della Beata Vergine alla Geretta, attestato dal XVI secolo;
 Castello Cattaneo.

Società

Evoluzione demografica
L'evoluzione demografica è riportata nella seguente tabella:

Geografia antropica
Pur essendo amministrativamente separato da Lugano, Paradiso ne è  e completamente compreso nel suo territorio, eccettuata la riva del lago.

Economia
L'industria turistica e di intrattenimento, nelle sue varie forme, rappresenta una delle principali attività economiche presente nel comune. . Negli ultimi anni a Paradiso sono stati avviati numerosi cantieri edili, volti a modernizzarne l'architettura.

Infrastrutture e trasporti

Il comune è servito dalla stazione di Lugano-Paradiso posta sulla ferrovia del Gottardo. Tuttavia, essendo considerata una stazione di minore importanza, vi fermano solo i treni della Rete celere del Canton Ticino (linea S10) che collegano Bellinzona e tutto il Sopraceneri al Ticino Meridionale e alla Lombardia (servizio TiLo).

Paradiso è anche servito dal servizio di bus urbani dei Trasporti Pubblici Luganesi che la collegano con il centro e la stazione di Lugano e con il quartiere Castagnola-Cassarate-Ruvigliana, e dai bus autopostali. La funicolare Monte San Salvatore collega il comune con la vetta del monte.

Amministrazione
Ogni famiglia originaria del luogo fa parte del cosiddetto comune patriziale e ha la responsabilità della manutenzione di ogni bene ricadente all'interno dei confini del comune.

Note

Bibliografia
 Virgilio Gilardoni, Il Romanico. Catalogo dei monumenti nella Repubblica e Cantone del Ticino, La Vesconta, Casagrande S.A., Bellinzona 1967, 256, 474.
 AA.VV., Guida d'arte della Svizzera italiana, Edizioni Casagrande, Bellinzona 2007, 241-242.

Altri progetti

Collegamenti esterni


As I noted in my previous post using the free default Blogger iPad application produced by Google can be done but has severe limitations. Thankfully I'm now sitting at the very same table using a different 3rd party application (which I will describe in a moment) that makes Blogger on the iPad a joy to use. In fact, I may just end up using this app more than my laptop for future posts. This isn't the only Blogger iPad application, I'm sure. But, it comes to the top of the list when you search the App Store at Apple. Let me dive in deeper on this.
The app I selected is called BlogTouch Pro (version 2.6.5) by Alexandru Denca. I had downloaded the free version initially but found immediately that the feature/functionality was so much greater than the Google tool that I just ended up buying it for only $4.99.
The first thing I noticed was the full editor feature set that was sorely lacking in the Google tool. I mentioned in my previous article that the smaller font size in the Google editor was driving my eyes crazy and made it mostly unusable for an iPad Mini (a larger iPad would probably be ok). Well, right away I altered this post's font size and now have a very comfortable screen to view and type on. I really like that the editor also fills the entire window with a very clean look.
The editor gives you the features you need to highlight, change font colors, use bold and italics, strikeout, super-subscripts and more. Of course, the standard paragraph formatting is available as well as image and video inserts which I'll cover next. Hyperlinking is also very easy if you want a valuable external link. However, if you're an expert on HTML you're really in luck because you can switch to HTML view and add any customizations to a post - awesome option!
Using the image uploader is a dream compared to the Google tool. You get full control of the image to resize, justify and set the picture properties. Here is the example of this post being written from a picture I just took from my iPhone. I used a small utility to scale the photo down a bit and crop it (just as I would on my laptop). Then, I just pressed the image icon to insert it from my photo gallery on the iPad.
After using this tool for a while I started to wonder about internet connectively while working. This iPad is Wifi only so it doesn't have a 4G option - what does this mean to editing and saving posts? Good news is that BlogTouch Pro has a Save Local feature that allows you to work in remote settings and not having to worry about connectivity - a great feature! You are given the option to save Locally, in Draft mode or to Publish. Draft and publish post to Blogger.
I had no issues with multiple Google accounts - Blogtouch Pro can switch between them and the associated blogs so you can keep track of all your work. There are a few things that are not quite user friendly - such as having to manually hit the small refresh icon in the lower left to see the blog posts appear (you get a bit startled not seeing your posts when you switch).
All in all I have found this to be an excellent iPad application for Blogger. I cannot say if there are limits or bugs to large images or complex posts since I haven't used it for very long. But, I've attempted a number of test posts without problems (other than my own learning curve). Frankly, you could really use this app to be a great notetaking complement since you can adjust fonts, pictures and posts the way you want and just use a private blog for the notebook.
I will try it - I will try anything. The Google blogger app is perhaps the worst product Google has ever released and I use a lot of their products. Thanks for this article - i too use a mini ipad and found font size bearable but what was unbearable was the edit previous posts functions didnt seem to work (original ipad mini & IOS 8) .
It is definitely worth the price. I actually find that BlogTouch Pro is a fantastic small word processor on iOS besides Blogger. It has local saving and great features. Enjoy!
I just downloaded this, after reading your review. Hope it's worth the money.
I was using POSTS but it seems it's being discontinued. BLOGSY also seems to be having some lil issues.
BLOGGER official app is just damn horrible.
I can't work out how to delete a post or how to edit a post after it published. Can you provide advice?
Are you asking in general or specifically for the BlogTouch Pro application on iOS?
I use blogtouch pro as well and love it. However, I have to go to a PC and get on blogger if I need to fix a layout. I hate Ipad pro no loner supports blogger but I do what I can do and BlogTouch Pro is worth the money. I love it for posting.


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« Forgotten Friday Flick – "Bachelor Party"
Feminists Rejoice! Xander Cage Returns! (Movie Review) »
Lost In London: A Comedic Odyssey Matched With Experimentation
January 20th, 2017 by Aaron Neuwirth
On January 19th, I was able to attend the screening of the first film to be shot live and broadcast simultaneously into theaters in England and the U.S. While one would expect an experience like this to be the brain child of some indie filmmaker making his name, a new, unexpected Cloverfield movie, or some found footage experience coming out of Blumhouse Productions, it actually came from the mind of Woody Harrelson. Lost in London is the result of an idea Harrelson had for a film, following an actual experience he had in London back in 2002. As the film opens, we are told "too much of this is true" and are then off and running on a unique odyssey shot in one take, with one camera.
The concept is certainly novel and makes me curious about what other ideas Harrelson has for a possible future behind the camera. Clearly he's done more than just openly muse about being an actor and what it means to both perform and consider what it is to be someone who can make people laugh or challenge their emotions through drama. As Lost in London was also written, produced and directed by Harrelson, he is clearly the man taking on the entire burden of such an ambitious project. But was it a burden? There is a level of stress no doubt associated with the planning of a film like this, but in terms of having creative freedom and a clear vision, well there must be a level of satisfaction to have gotten out of this.
Harrelson brings up his concerns about working as a performer early on, which sets up the thematic questions of the film. Starting off at the conclusion of a play starring Woody (to which I'll refer to the film's version of his character as) has been starring in on London's West End, we then movie with him and a friend, as they walk through the narrow confines of the theater and discusses why people like him. It is made clear he respects the dramatic art form, but also wonders whether it is more beneficial just to make people have a good time watching something. This sets the stage for the rest of the story, which feels inspired by both Victoria, the terrific 2015 German thriller shot in one 138-minute take, and Woody Allen's Melinda and Melinda, a film featuring the same lead character in a comedic story and a dramatic one.
As Woody shares his concerns and also speaks to another dueling construct – cinema versus theater, we also see what will be a constant limitation of this experimental film's staging – natural lighting. This is dialogue-heavy film and a lot of it essentially takes place in shadow. While it would be too much to comment on whether or not everyone's microphone worked properly at all times, a film like this certainly requires careful calculation in regards to cinematography.
Director of Photography Nigel Willoughby and his camera operator certainly deserve a load of credit for pulling off this feat (and without any sort of Nascar-level disaster that would have surely made this into a bigger and more infamous event), but a film like this shows how important lighting can be. Especially for a film taking place in the middle of the night, in dark clubs and in the streets, Lost in London constantly finds us losing images to latch onto, as Woody interacts with many people in silhouette. This doesn't break the film (if anything it stresses the difficulty of pulling off the gimmick), but it does hurt getting more of a chance to notice the little nuances.
Aside from this, on a technical level, there is plenty to admire. The film ends up lasting around 95-minutes without credits and the camera never stops. As stated in the Q&A with Woody and the cast & crew, following the screening, there was only one major missed cue where an actor took a few extra seconds to return to a scene. This meant having to riff a bit, until things righted themselves, but it was not even noticeable. More notable were the directorial decisions in regards to the moves to different locations. This is a film that ends up in over 20 different places and Woody travels by both foot and various vehicles to move from place to place.
No doubt this meant having plenty of crew and cast members rushing around to different spots and setting the stage for the different types of scenes that played out. Notably, there is only one major scene that doesn't involve Woody and it is handled well as far as watching the camera cleverly switch perspectives and move down a staircase, only to travel back up it and get back to what Woody is up to. Credit also goes to the little tricks required to keep the reality of this film intact. Given the obstacles and limitations of a project like this, Lost in London is not the flashiest of films, but it does have its charms.
Speaking of which, while I haven't discussed much of the story, I will say it is involving enough, even if it is a bit long. Presented mostly in real time, for obvious reasons, the film focuses on Woody having a wild night in London, following a fight with his wife Laura. Woody ends up going off on his own and meeting a variety of people, including his best friend Owen Wilson. Through all of this, Woody plays a passive character going through a lighthearted existential crisis, with occasional fits of frustration. It is pretty basic stuff, but for a guy largely known as a likable hippie with some considerable acting talent (for the record, his work in Kingpin is just as strong as True Detective or The Messenger), this is a fun way to see him mix theater and cinema into one prolonged performance.
All of that in mind, Harrelson's screenplay is nothing transcendent. I can admire what he is trying to do, especially since he had to tie this narrative to a real-time format, but the execution of the themes presented sometimes come off a bit shallow, while the comedy can sometimes be a bit too dry. There are some moments of drama that are affecting, but not enough to suggest the film needed to be as long as it is. Unsurprisingly, when Wilson shows up, the film gets a burst of energy thanks to his comedic rhythms and the natural camaraderie seen between real life friends. Sadly, we only get so much of these two (and a good dose of easy, but still humorous Hollywood-related humor).
It's that zaniness this film really could have used more of. While I can understand that Harrelson really wanted to tell a specific story that combined comedy and drama, such an outrageous idea for presenting a film could have really benefited from more craziness. Things do build up to that point when the film gets to the events involving a taxicab that actually occurred, but the staging of that sequence made it difficult to get the full effect. Yes, it's hard for a cameraman to capture all of the elements required in one shot, but given how important certain aspects of the story should be, it becomes one of the obstacles that Lost in London doesn't quite get over.
All the good spirits and proactive work that went into Lost in London is certainly admirable. Harrelson's interest in making features is also intriguing (the Q&A once again shows just how much more interested in actors are in talking about things other than acting, such as filmmaking). I wish the film was actually broader, given its constraints, but I no doubt recognize the challenge involved in such a project for a first time director. Lost in London certainly delivers on its promise and without incident. One just has to wonder if any future attempts will really challenge the art form in even more significant ways, or at least figure out a better way to handle lighting.
Written by: Aaron Neuwirth on January 20, 2017.
Aaron Neuwirth
Writer/Reviewer, Film Lover, Podcaster, Gamer, Comic Reader, Disc Golfer & a Lefty. There are too many films, TV, books, etc. for me to list as favorites, but I can assure that the amount film knowledge within my noggin is ridiculous, though I am always open to learning more. You can follow me on Twitter @AaronsPS4, see what else I am up to at TheCodeIsZeek.com & check out my podcast, Out Now with Aaron and Abe, on iTunes.
Tags: Fathom Events, Lost in London, Owen Wilson, Willie Nelson, Woody Harrelson.
This entry is filed under Aaron Neuwirth, Events, Movie Reviews . You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0 . You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.


In part two of my interview with iconoclastic Los Angeles art writer and gallerist Mat Gleason, we talk about art schools, MFAs, philosophy, Catholic school, Nietzsche, Goldman Sachs, capitalism, mercantilism, consistency, selling out vs. sneaking in, loyalties, art about art, artist's statements, Nicole Panter, CalArts, the cost of transparency, Art World Boot Camp, Tower Records, President Reagan and The Jesus and Mary Chain.
I appreciated that one. I still owe 1300. in student loans and I'm just about dead. I remember that class where we were to write our artist statements. It was probably the most important class if you were going to be anything. I remember being mortified, screaming that I was not taking theatre. I see that it has not changed.
No, it hasn't changed. If anything, it's worse now.


text:
Home Concerts and casetas - ICF Canoe World Championships Pau 2017
Concerts and casetas - ICF Canoe World Championships Pau 2017
All days long our Casetas will feed you with top quality of food and local drinks!
SAN MARCO: For the third straight year, San Marco will provide their legendary home-made cooking: pizza, pasta and burger. Traditional ice cream and crepe in the afternoons. Fresh and traditional Italian products for an amazing experience. Pronto SAN MARCO!!
Pau Canoe Club: Our lovely volunteer team of Pau Canoë-Kayak Club Universitaire will welcome you to their Casetas and their refreshment bar. This year on the menu, you've got hot & cold traditional tapas with a huge range of local beers.
Le Bistrot de la Mère Michette: Home-made French specialities: foie gras, seafood, fresh fish and meat will be served all days. Come and enjoy the flavour of south-western food.
San Fermin: This is a typical Spanish specialty: a huge range of tapas (home made Serrano ham, tortilla, chippirones, rabas, chistorra, patatas bravas, squid, pinchitos, paté basque, cheese). South-western burger with fries and fresh beverage (sangria) will be served
Aygo: L'Aygo, the restaurant on water, will propose a full range of traditional food like smoked salmon as well as the famous pig and duck delicacies. Homemade burger with fries, crepes and fresh beverage will be served.
Jurançon wine cellar: Gan Jurançon wine cellar is the most visited wine shop in Aquitaine, first producer of Jurançon and Béarn AOC, will propose:
- A large range of sweet, dry, red and rosé wines (bottle to take away)
- Single glasses of wine sold too
A friendly staff will welcome you during the competition and talk about these typical and local wines.
Pau Canoe Club:
The PCK Buvette welcomes you in a southwestern atmosphere. Breakfast, sweets, ice-creams and our slate-aperitif will be on the menu, not to mention local organic beer! All to be enjoyed in our lounge area!
"EL CHUPACABRA"(Cazaux Food Truck):
Mexican street food asGuacamole – Cheese & Chorizo Quesadillas (gluten free) – Beef & Vegetarian Burrito
-Chicken Panadillas - Bowls (rice with many other options) – chocolate Desserts - Fresh Smoothies & fruit juices…for all tastes!
On Thursday 28th, Friday 29th and Saturday 30th September, come and attend the free music shows!
Thursday 28th September:
Thérapie Taxi
With its French lyrics, the band "Therapie TAXI" appears to be a bitter and perhaps, disillusioned reflection of youth and its time, yet burning with desire. Having featured on the French pop stage with a few bizarre and disturbing singles, "Therapie TAXI" is shaking up the French acoustic music by eyeing for electro and punk rock beats. "Therapie TAXI" ultimately is like its own self—an encounter between three guys and a girl who are determined to share some story, with upright male/female duets and lively tunes, in other words: a shock therapy!
The duo Polo & Pan was born in 2012 following the stellar encounter between Polocorp and Peter Pan. The result of their getaways across the globe is their album Caravelle (named after a Portuguese sailing ship) that shapes the journey of two music lovers who, like many others before, wanted to unite the pleasure of dance music and the flavor of upbeat and timeless pop music. By adding their melodious French touch, a sweet and youthful uniqueness while penning their lyrics along with bold percussion beats, Polo & Pan have managed to load an entire band of people on board their ship!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_om0W6xzQd8
Friday 29th and Saturday 30th September
Walakbout Sound System
Perched on his vintage-styled Estafette van, wandering DJ Tony. S revives the original idea of mobile and independent sound systems before the onslaught of roads and people. With two "Tours de France en 45 Tours" (Tours of France with 45 rpm records") and a trip to Scandinavia under his belt, i.e. covering over 18,600 miles (30.000kms), this activist from Marseille lays the speakers of his Walkabout Sound System to transform every surface of asphalt into a dance floor!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdGteKKNCSs
Radio Elvis
The Radio Elvis band is aspiring to emerge as the French-loving and literature-inspired rock performers. After two EPs, they released their first album "les Conquêtes" (Conquests). Their guitars are rich in power, melodies and punch. After Higelin, Bashung, Thiéfaine, Noir Désir, Dominique A, François and the Atlas Mountain, we have Radio Elvis whose modern-day French rock exhibits the best of guitar sounds, energy, French language, and the boldest dreams to go beyond conventions and one's comfort zone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdmsBLgg2RQ
Naïve New Beaters
French group Naive New Beaters'third album "A la folie" (madly) offers heaps of pop tracks filled with shades of disco, electro, hip-hop and even rock. You'd find here the intoxicating and explosive new-disco number "Heal Tomorrow" intensified by the powerful yet delicate voice of Izia. "A la folie" sounds like a compilation of the mighty musical models embodied by its members having multiple hats. This album transports you to a land far, far away. Go, get lost in this 'madness'!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxVVNm35rJE
Saturday 30th September
Flavia Coelho
Brazilian artist Flavia Coelho's intense third album "Sonho Real" hits like a thunderbolt and longs to survive. She unveils her own self and unfolds her soul. Every track seems to take us on a journey. The tunes are upbeat, peppy with a fine blend of subtlety where you'd find flavours of forro with a dash of ragga, the spirit of ska strokes and the casualness of reggae-dub. Give it a listen ASAP!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5krJKZHPSYo
Féfé
"Mauve" is a complete album of a rather mature Féfé where he shares his story, his travel experiences, his hopes, embracing all colours of life, all shades of the music that resembles him—French by language, and "afro-universal" in terms of rhythm. Today, Féfé explores the entire sound spectrum that he has been developing ever since the Saïan Super Crew era. Unfailingly going back to his roots, Féfé adds an essential African touch to his collection of songs that already beam with influences of soul, rock, Caribbean and French music.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWcuYmMWf3k


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Durga McBroom is an American singer who has performed backing vocals for Pink Floyd and is a member of the house music band Blue Pearl, best known for their hit single "Naked in the Rain". She works as an actress, dancer, and singer in the United States and internationally.

Career
After working as an actress (most notably playing "Heels" in the 1983 blockbuster Flashdance), dancer, and singer, McBroom and her sister Lorelei McBroom worked with Pink Floyd as backing vocalists. She went on to have a long stint with them, being the only backing vocalist to appear consistently on all of their shows starting from the November 1987 concert at Omni Arena of A Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour up to the final concert of The Division Bell Tour in October 1994. She also performed on their appearance at the 1990 Knebworth festival and has provided vocals for the Pink Floyd live albums Delicate Sound of Thunder, and Pulse, and the Pink Floyd studio albums The Division Bell, and The Endless River, as well as David Gilmour's 2001 solo tour.

Blue Pearl
Around 1989, McBroom formed the band Blue Pearl with record producer Youth, singing, playing some keyboards and co-writing all of their material. As part of Blue Pearl, she had several hit songs in the early 1990s, including "Naked in the Rain" (UK #4 in July 1990), "Little Brother" (UK #31 in October 1990), and a cover version of Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill", all taken from the album Naked, released in 1990 on the Big Life label. Subsequent singles included "(Can You) Feel the Passion" (UK #14 in January 1992) Can You Feel The Passion had better success in the United States, hitting No. 1 on both Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play chart and the UK Dance Chart.

Other activities
She provided backing vocals to the song "Don't Wait That Long" featured on the James album Seven released in 1992. She also sang a duet on "Mother Dawn" with  Billy Idol for his Cyberpunk album, a self-penned song that was originally released as a Blue Pearl single. In addition, she sang backing vocals on several other songs on Cyberpunk, including a featured performance on "Heroin".

In addition to her music career, McBroom performed as an actress in the movies Flashdance, The Rosebud Beach Hotel, the episode "Lullabye" of the TV show Hunter (with Gary Sinise), and several other less notable appearances. She also appears in many videos, including "California Girls", "Yankee Rose" and "Just a Gigolo" for David Lee Roth; "Would I Lie To You" for Eurythmics; "Day In, Day Out" for David Bowie and "When I Think of You" for Janet Jackson.

In April 2010, she started to work with the Argentinian band "The End Pink Floyd" show in Buenos Aires, including some appearances with Guy Pratt and Jon Carin. In October 2011, McBroom joined her sister Lorelei to sing "The Great Gig in the Sky" in Anaheim, California with the Australian Pink Floyd Show. 2017 saw her reunite with Gary Wallis, Scott Page, and Claudia Fontaine in several Italian shows.

She tours the world singing with various bands (Shpongle Live / May 3–4, 2019). She also recorded a second Blue Pearl album with Youth.

February 2020 saw her return to the big screen in the controversial film Sammy-Gate, premiering in the Netherlands at IFFR (Rotterdam). She and her sister Lorelei are also featured on Steve Hackett's album At the Edge of Light, being featured on the chart-topping single "Underground Railroad", as well as on the single "Wingbeats" from his subsequent album,"Surrender Of Silence". A single written with Graziano Regoli and Vittorio De Scalzi (New Trolls) called "American Big Top" came out in June 2020 on Supa Qween Records, a fiery protest song reflective of the times. Another album, Black Floyd, was recorded with her sister Lorelei (co-produced by Dave Kerzner), and released in July 2020 as The McBroom Sisters. It includes some cover songs as well as original material.

Personal life
McBroom was married to Mark Hudson from May 10, 2008, until his death on July 5, 2015.

See also
Pink Floyd live backing musicians

References

External links

Living people
20th-century African-American women singers
20th-century American actresses
20th-century American musicians
20th-century American women singers
20th-century American singers
21st-century African-American women singers
21st-century American actresses
21st-century American musicians
21st-century American women singers
21st-century American singers
Actresses from Los Angeles
African-American actresses
African-American songwriters
American film actresses
American house musicians
American keyboardists
American rock singers
American techno musicians
American women songwriters
Big Life artists
Singers from Los Angeles
Songwriters from California
Year of birth missing (living people)


The Rose floor standing headboard makes sitting up in bed easy and relaxing. The headboard securly fits onto the divan base and has an overall height from the floor to the top of the headboard of 54'' (135cm) as standard.
Looks nice but have to take off to change zip lock combo.


Feed your soul with stimulating libations and artful edibles created by some of central Arkansas' finest chefs and restaurants when Wildwood Park for the Arts hosts its 19th Annual Wine & Food FEASTival from 6:30 – 9 pm on Friday, April 21, 2017. The event is held throughout the Park's Lucy Lockett Cabe Festival Theatre complex at 20919 Denny Road in west Little Rock. Chaired by Vivian & David Norman, FEASTival supports the Park's programs, including the Wildwood Academy of Music & the Arts (WAMA).
With support from Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits, more than 100 wines and several spirits will be available for tasting and pairing with a feast of portions from local restaurateurs. Diamond Bear Brewing and Stone's Throw Brewing will join the party for sampling beers crafted in central Arkansas.
Participating restaurants include: Bistro in Bryant, Blue Cake Company, Bonefish Grill, Boulevard Bread Company, Bravo! Cucina Italiana, Capital Hotel, Chenal Country Club, Cocoa Belle Chocolates, Lulu's Latin Rotisserie & Grill, Nothing Bundt Cakes, SO Restaurant & Bar, Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe, and Trio's Restaurant.
Dizzy 7 will perform live dance music throughout the evening, and Arkansas Circus Arts will provide additional entertainment. A cork pull, raffle, and silent auction will round out the evening's activities.
Parking is available inside the gates at Wildwood Park, and Mercedes-Benz of Little Rock will provide express service from Denny Road parking to the doors of Cabe Festival Theatre.
Tickets are $65 per person until 11:59 pm on Monday, April 17, tickets are $75 at midnight April 18th – April 21st. Tickets and more information are available at www.wildwoodpark.org and through Wildwood's box office (20919 Denny Road, Little Rock) on weekdays through the evening of the FEASTival. To purchase by phone, contact Wildwood Park for the Arts at (501) 821-7275.
Exciting Dracula Production & Partnership!


Cover of first manga volume, with spines from remaining four volumes (Sankei editions).
Queen Millennia (Japanese: 新竹取物語 1000年女王, Hepburn: Shin Taketori Monogatari: Sennen Joō, lit. "The New Tale of the Bamboo Cutter: Millennium Queen") is a manga series by Leiji Matsumoto which was serialized from 28 January 1980 through 11 May 1983 in both the Sankei Shimbun and Nishinippon Sports newspapers. The manga series was adapted into a 42-episode anime television series by Toei Dōga and broadcast on the Fuji TV network from 16 April 1981 through 25 March 1982. An anime film was released on 13 March 1982 shortly before the TV series ended.
The anime series was combined by Harmony Gold and Carl Macek with episodes from the 1978 Matsumoto series, Space Pirate Captain Harlock, and shown from 1985 to 1986 in the United States as the 65-episode Captain Harlock and the Queen of a Thousand Years. The series was broadcast in Germany on Tele 5 during 1992 and on Mangas in France in 2004.
The series takes place in the (then) futuristic year 1999. Professor Amamori discovers a 10th planet in the Earth's solar system, which he names La-Metal, while at his observatory in Tokyo. Its diameter is 9 times that of Earth. Amamori notes the planet has a highly eccentric orbit and, as it emerges behind the distant Pluto, Amamori realizes that La-Metal is on a collision course with Earth. He calculates that the planet will impact Earth on 9 September 1999, at 9 o'clock, 9 minutes and 9 seconds.
It turns out that La-Metal orbits the Solar System every 1,000 years, but only this time it is fated to come dangerously close to Earth. While damage to the giant ice-covered La-Metal would be minimal, Earth would be destroyed by the planet's massive gravitational pull. La-Metal is inhabited by a subterranean humanoid species ruled by a mysterious Holy Queen, Larela. She plans to abduct a large number of humans before the destruction of Earth, and enslave them with the help of her operatives already on Earth. These operatives are led by Promethium II, a woman known as a Millennial Queen who goes by the Earth name, Yukino Yayoi. She has been living on Earth for almost 1,000 years, like many such Millennial Queens before her, with the intention of establishing a colony for her home planet.
Promethium, who comes to care for her Earthling foster parents and friends, begins to question the La-Metalians' plans. As Yayoi, she begins working for Professor Amamori and decides to offer her help when Amamori discovers that La-Metal heading for Earth. The professor's young nephew Hajime, whose parents are killed while designing a spaceship to help a small group of humans escape from Earth, also joins their fight to save the planet.
They are soon confronted by a sabotage campaign initiated by a group of La-Metal generals against Earth. As the two planets come closer to colliding, Yukino finds out that a black hole is to blame for La-Metal's orbital deviation. A desperate plan is undertaken to destroy the black hole and save both their worlds.
Every 1000 years, a woman called a Millennial Queen is sent from the planet La-Metal to secretly rule over the Earth and lead an underground organization that secretly controls the entire planet. Promethium, known to Earthlings as Yukino Yayoi, is the current Millennial Queen. Some early movie promotional material identified her as Promethium II, and indicated that she was the daughter of the Queen Promethium of the Machine Empire of Galaxy Express 999 (another of Matsumoto's works). This idea (and the suffix, II) was later dropped, however, and Millennial Queen Promethium/Yayoi was considered to be the person who would eventually become the Machine Queen (see Maetel Legend).
While shown with rounder eyes in the anime television series, she is shown with almond-shaped eyes in both the manga and the anime film and looks just like Maetel from Galaxy Express 999.
In the anime television series and manga, Yayoi lives on the second floor of a ramen shop run by an older couple who have adopted her as their daughter. She has a tiger-striped cat.
In the anime film, in addition to being Professor Amamori's private secretary, she also teaches at a school and lives in a high-class apartment.
Hajime is the main character in the manga and is in junior high school. He looks just like the character Tetsurō Hoshino from Galaxy Express 999, only wearing a gakuran. He has a keen interest in space, and is somewhat infatuated with Yayoi. While he doesn't get good grades in school, he is a very honest and kind person. At first he wants revenge on the people who are responsible for his parents' deaths, but he decides it is fruitless to hold a grudge and abandons that plan.
In the anime film, he is introduced as a student of Yayoi. In order to protect the Earth from La-Metal's troops, he uses a Zero from a museum.
In the anime television series, he tries to act as a peacemaker between La-Metal and the people of Earth, and tries to work out a compromise between them. In the end, he tries to help people escape from the approaching La-Metal by using a helicopter.
In the manga, he receives a cybernetic implant which increases his intelligence and allows him to fly space ships extremely well.
Professor Amamori is the head scientist at the Tsukuba Observatory. He is Hajime's uncle, though Hajime's father is his younger brother in the TV series and his older brother in the film. He became Hajime's guardian after his parents were both killed in an explosion. Amamori discovered the 10th planet, La-Metal, and determined it would collide with the Earth. At first, he had plenty of hair, but the discovery caused him to begin losing hair (though in the TV series, he keeps all his hair).
Larela is the Holy Queen and absolute ruler of planet La-Metal. She appears in the film as a small girl with glowing body and eyes, and energy halos at her head and feet. She is cold-hearted, and it is her plan allow Earth to be destroyed when her planet passes it for its final time.
The manga was originally serialized in from 28 January 1980 through 11 May 1983 in both the Sankei Shimbun and Nishinippon Sports newspapers. There have been multiple releases in book form. A planned ten volume B5-sized gekigaban set released under Sankei Shuppan's "Wakuwaku Comics" label had the first 10 pages of each volume in color, and an appendix with cel images from the TV series and interviews with Matsumoto and the creators of the TV series. The series was only published through volume 5, however.
A shinsōban series of five volumes was released by Sankei Shuppan. Each volume had approximately 200 pages. Shogakukan released the series in both B6-sized hardcover and bunkoban formats under the shorter Queen Millennia (1000年女王, Sennen no Joō) title. They also released the series in two volumes under their "My First Wideban" label, marketed to convenience stores.
A two volume novelization by Kaeko Iguchi and Leiji Matsumoto was released by Sankei Shuppan under their "Junior Shōsetsu" label.
Light novel adaptations were written by Keisuke Fujikawa, who also wrote many of the teleplays for the anime television series as well as the screenplay for the anime film adaptation. A film adaptation was also written. They were published by Shueisha under their Cobalt label.
Bunka Publishing Bureau published a three volume "Pocket Mates" light novel series by Ken Wakasaki.
Film comics based on the anime television series were released by Sankei Shuppan under their "Wakuwaku" label.
The Queen Millennia anime television series aired on the Fuji TV network from 16 April 1981 through 25 March 1982 in the 7:00pm to 7:30pm time slot. It replaced Galaxy Express 999 in that time slot, and was replaced by Patalliro! at the end of its run. The series was animated by Toei Dōga. The series was originally scheduled to have 52 episodes, but due to having lower ratings than the previous Galaxy Express 999, the series was completed with only 42 episodes.
Queen Millennia had music composed and arranged by Ryōdō Uzaki and Tomoyuki Asakawa. The opening theme song, Cosmos Dream (コスモス・ドリーム, Kosumosu Dorīmu), was sung by Masaki Takanashi. The ending theme song, Excellent Legend (まほろば伝説, Mahoroba Densetsu), was sung by Manami Ishikawa. Both songs had lyrics by Yoko Aki, were composed by Ryudo Uzaki, and were arranged by Motoki Funayama.
Ishikawa was selected from 1,898 applicants to work with Takanashi on the image song Love Is Flying on Wings (愛は翼に乗って, Ai wa Tsubasa ni Notte). The song was performed by the Queen Millennia Grand Orchestra and arranged by Nozomi Aoki. A second image song, Message from Space (星空のメッセージ, Hoshizora no Messēji), was sung by Keiko Han and Slapstick, and was arranged by Motoki Funayama. The lyrics for both image songs were written by Yōko Aki and composed by Ryudō Uzaki.
The 1982 film serves as a retelling of the anime series. The 1999 setting is designed as more futuristic in appearance than in the TV series. in addition, the film provides an alternate ending to the story leaving no room for the events of the Maetel Legend OVA. The music score for the film was written and performed by Kitaro, while the end-credits music was sung by American singer Dara Sedaka.
The 2001 OVA Maetel Legend serves as a prelude to Galaxy Express 999. It is clearly established that Maetel is the daughter of Yayoi and that Yayoi becomes the Queen Promethium of the Mechanized Empire.
^ The series was never broadcast in the United States on its own, but was combined with Space Pirate Captain Harlock and aired as Captain Harlock and the Queen of a Thousand Years.
^ a b "New Shows of Spring Preview: Queen Millennia (春の新番組プレビュー 新竹取物語1000年女王, Haru no Shinbangumi Purebyū: Shin Taketori Monogatari Sennen Joō)". Animage (in Japanese). Tokuma Shoten. 33: 54–55. March 1981.
^ "テレビ篇" [Television Works]. 1998 Animage Pocket Data Notes (in Japanese). Tokyo, Japan: Tokuma Shoten. March 1998. p. 31.
^ a b c "Queen Millennia (1000年女王, Sennen Joō)". Animage (in Japanese). Tokuma Shoten. 46: 42–45. April 1982.
^ Patten, Fred (2004). "Japan + Animation = Japanimation! Part 2". Watching Anime, Reading Manga: 25 Years of Essays and Reviews. Berkeley, California: Stone Bridge Press. p. 256. ISBN 1-880656-92-2.
^ Ledoux, Trish; Ranney, Doug (December 1995). "Animated Television Series". The Complete Anime Guide. Issaquah, Washington: Tiger Mountain Press. pp. 31–32. ISBN 0-9649542-3-0.
^ "Die Königin der tausend Jahre" (in German). Wunschliste.de. 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-04-19. Retrieved 2009-04-29.
^ McCarthy, Helen (2006). "Female Villains". 500 Manga Heroes & Villains. Hauppauge, New York: Chrysalis Book Group. p. 258. ISBN 978-0-7641-3201-8.
^ Tatsugawa, Mike; Vergel, Teresa, eds. (July 1992). "Queen Millennia". The Anime Reference Guide. Volume 1 Issue 2. San Francisco, California: The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation. pp. 72–78.
^ a b Queen Millennium (新竹取物語1000年女王, Shin Taketori Monogatari: Sennen Joō) (in Japanese). 3 (Gekigaban (劇画版) ed.). Tokyo, Japan: Sankei Shuppan. April 1982. pp. 122–123.
^ Queen Millennium (新竹取物語1000年女王, Shin Taketori Monogatari: Sennen Joō) (in Japanese). 4 (Gekigaban (劇画版) ed.). Tokyo, Japan: Sankei Shuppan. 1982. p. 125.
This page was last edited on 10 December 2018, at 22:47 (UTC).


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Regular Club Meetings
AKC Sanctioned Events
Annual Specialty
Breeder Referral
Westie Club History
This club is the result of a merger of two clubs. The first group, known as the West Highland White Terrier Club of Illinois, disbanded after two specialty shows in 1948 and then reactivated in May 1962 with Mrs. Mary Kay Fischer as president. The second group, the Land of Lincoln West Highland White Terrier Club incorporated in the same area in October, 1967, led by Peggy Haas as President. After the memberships approved the merger and a name change, the West Highland White Terrier Club of Northern Illinois, was incorporated in May, 1968. Al Fischer was president and Peggy Haas was vice-president. Dorothy Hardcastle, designed our club's logo and newsletter the "Highlights". The West Highland White Terrier Club of Northern, Illinois held its first specialty show on June 3, 1973, and hosted the National Roving Specialty in June 1972, June 1992 and June 2003.
(Historical Information provided by: Daphne Gentry and the WHWTCA 2000 yearbook.)
Copyright ©2015 West Highland White Terrier Club of Northern Illinois | All Rights Reserved


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LA Reserve Residences, Dubai, UAE (3D animation)
La Reserve Residences - A unique residential project in Dubai Healthcare city. >>>
The Tulip tower by Foster + Partners, London, UK
Foster + Partners have unveiled details of their latest proposed tower for the City of London. "The Tulip" seeks to become a "new public cultural attraction" sitting adjacent to The Gherkin: one of Foster's and London's most iconic structures. The 305-meter-high, bud-like scheme, named after its nature-inspired form, will offer an education facility operated by building owners J. Safra Group. The program, with 20,000 free places per year for London's state school children, will feature "unparalleled vantage point to view London from a height of around 300 meters." >>>


A Turkish-Australian community project commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings in 2015 has produced the Seeds Of Friendship sculpture.
It honours the strong and close relationship between Australia and Turkey.
The former Premier, the Honourable Ted Baillieu and a former Minister for Veterans' Affairs, the Honourable Hugh Delahunty were instrumental in securing funding and support for this project.
Pictured with the former Minister for Veterans Affairs, Hugh Delahunty and the Hon Bruce Atkinson in Kings Domain at the unveiling.


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Pet Project: Are There Personality Differences Between Cat and Dog Lovers?
Cat lovers and dog lovers may have more differences than just the type of pet they prefer, according to new research from Denise Guastello, PhD, of Carroll University. The findings, which were presented at the annual Association for Psychological Science meeting, suggest that there are both personality and intelligence differences between the two types of animal lovers.
After surveying 600 college students, researchers determined that dog lovers tend to be more outgoing and extroverted; cat lovers are more inclined to be open-minded, sensitive, and introverted. Dog people prefer following rules closely, while cat people preferred being expedient to being a rule-follower.
"One explanation for these personality differences could be due to each owner's choice of environment," said Guastello. "It makes sense that a dog person is going to be more lively because they're going to want to be out there, outside, talking to people, bringing their dog. Whereas, if you're more introverted and sensitive, maybe you're more at home reading a book, and your cat doesn't need to go outside for a walk."
Beyond personality, though, cat lovers scored higher on intelligence tests than their dog-owning counterparts.
Furthermore, fewer people identified as cat fans. Just 11% of the surveyed group chose cats as their pet of choice, while 60% of those surveyed preferred dogs. The remaining members of the survey group either responded that they liked both animals equally or they didn't identify with either type of pet. Though this study focused on college students, a 2010 study of more than 4,500 people came to similar conclusions.
Guastello believes this study's results could be used to improve pet therapy, helping to create better owner-pet matches.
cats, dogs, extroverts, introverts, personallity
Practice, Research
Extroverts Vs. Introverts: New Study Examines their Perceived Value in the Workplace
A recent study by researchers from UCLA's Anderson School of Management suggests that although extroverts are initially held in higher esteem in the workplace, self-described neurotics and those who are socially withdrawn tend to gain respect over time while their outwardly confident co-workers lose status. As time passes, neurotics tend to exceed expectations and are perceived as hard workers, while extroverts are seen to coast—and this is the case even if the two groups make similar contributions. In a recent New York Times article, lead author Corinne Bendersky describes her findings and suggests that the patterns she found reflect the value of creating low expectations.
Bendersky's study included two parts. In the first part, graduate students completed a survey about their own personalities and how they viewed others in their work groups. Initially, the more confident students were perceived as being stronger contributors. But when the survey was repeated ten weeks later, the perception of the introverts had improved, while the extroverts lost status.
In the second part of the study, students were presented with a hypothetical situation: a co-worker named John was assigned to help them finish a project. John was described to half of the students as neurotic and to the other half as extroverted. As predicted, students initially expected that extroverted John would be a more effective contributor. Next, some students were told that even though he was busy, John had agreed to work late; others were told that John was too busy and had to leave early. In both cases, students were less critical of neurotic John's contributions, while extroverted John was seen as disappointing—even when he was generous with his time.
The findings may also suggest that people perceive the values of personality and contribution differently. Extroverted personalities are overvalued but their contributions can be undervalued; introverted personalities tend not to be valued, but their contributions are sometimes overvalued—they seem to be given the benefit of the doubt.
What are the implications of this research for hiring managers and team leaders? In a recent interview with Forbes magazine, Bendersky cautions against hiring too many extroverts. "The core of an extroverted personality is to be attention-seeking," she says. "It turns out they just keep talking, they don't listen very well, and they're not very receptive to other people's input. They don't contribute as much as people think they will."
What do you think? What combinations of personality traits make up the most effective teams where you work? PAR wants to hear from you, so leave a comment and join the conversation!
extroverts, introverts, workplace personality


Wisdombreeze is a blog that welcome you with the Embrace of Holy Spirit that will instantly direct you to the Gate of Zion...a lead to all your Dwellings, a Holy Mountain with the Undiluted Word of God. A home for the Uncommon people of God that are cloth with Divine Rod of Strength and Honour to Actualize their God's given Potentials, Dreams and Destiny. Here we eat the Word of God Raw, we Motivate through the Word, yes, we counsel with the Unstoppable Force and Divine Direction of God's Word.


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Tag Archives: flying
All Over O'ahu
When I wasn't lounging around on the beach (which I admittedly did a lot of during my time in Hawaii) or celebrating Christmas with Ashleigh and Nick, I made an effort to go out and see some of the local tourist attractions. However, given that my sisters boyfriend was in the navy, I felt as though one of the most important places to visit in my days of tourist sightseeing was Pearl Harbour. It was approximately a half hour drive from Waikiki, and while Nick did have a car, he used it to actually drive to work at Pearl Harbour. He was out underway on the submarine on the day that I had set aside to head out there to visit, but luckily there were plenty of bus services that stopped right outside the museum and visitor centre.
Anchor sculpture in the courtyard at Pearl Harbour.
While Pearl Harbour is actually the military base for the US Navy in Hawaii, there is still a decent portion of the compound that is a museum dedicated to tourism and visitors. Upon entering you are given an audio guide to listen to as you walk through the museum exhibits and displays, and the cool, collected voice of Jamie Lee Curtis guides you through the compound and narrates some of the history of Pearl Harbour. I knew the basic facts about the bombing of Pearl Harbour in 1941, when Japan attacked the US and spurred their direct involvement into WWII, but it was always a fascinating yet harrowing learning experience to delve deeper into the history and the more personal accounts of the horrors that went down. Much like the Vietnam War Museum in Saigon, I couldn't help but feel quite overwhelmed by some of the stuff I learned during the walkthrough, but I pushed on through the unpleasantness. It was a strange juxtaposition, to be taking in such sadness and long-standing national grief, all while being surrounded by an environment that is the peak definition of idyllic (in my opinion, at least).
View of the Waterfront Memorial from the USS Bowfin.
As part of the tour, you were also given the opportunity to board and go inside one of the submarines that was docked in Pearl Harbour, the USS Bowfin, which was originally launched on the one year anniversary of the bombing and was nicknamed the "Pearl Harbour Avenger". People with claustrophobia were warned against going inside, and once you were inside, the reason was obvious. Low ceilings and narrow walkways, exposed pipes and metal all around you… I could only imagine that the term 'personal space' would lose all meaning once one of these submarines was full with a crew of sailors and plunging deep into the ocean.
Flag atop the moored USS Bowfin.
Inside the submarine.
All the inner workings of the submarine were on display for visitors to examine.
However, the biggest point of interest in any visit to Pearl Harbour was undoubtedly the USS Arizona Memorial. It feels somehow wrong to call it a tourist attraction or sight, but I guess for all intents and purposes, that's what it had become. The memorial was built around the sunken hull of the USS Arizona, a boat that was destroyed during the bombing in 1941. The pristine white structure was designed in such a way that it floats above the wreckage of the hull without actually touching it, as though the architecture itself represents the respect that the morbid site deserves. It can only be reached by boat, which also accommodates for the limited space within the memorial and eliminates any potential for overcrowding. After waiting in line for the passenger boat that would ferry us across, my group of fellow tourists unloaded from the boat and solemnly marched into the beautiful white structure.
A shrine at the far end of the memorial, with a list of all the names of all those killed on the USS Arizona.
View of the memorials flag from the inside, through one of the windows in the roof.
Perhaps the most interesting and unique thing about the USS Arizona Memorial is what has been dubbed the "tears of the Arizona". An oil slick that is the result of a leakage from the sunken battleship can be seen on the surface, a small yet perpetual phenomenon that struck me as a fitting aquatic equivalent to the eternal flames that burn at so many war memorial all over the world. I know that an oil slick is technically really bad for the environment, but it was on such a small scale compared to some of the worse disasters in history, and as the oil floated on the surface of the water and glistened into a rainbow mixture in the sunlight, it actually looked kind of beautiful. And I couldn't help but appreciate that small piece of beauty that was born out of something so tragic and horrific as the events that transpired in Pearl Harbour all those years ago.
One of the few parts of the wreckage of the USS Arizona that protrudes from the water, next to where the tears of the Arizona trickle to the surface.
Other than Pearl Harbour, I wasn't sure what else there was to do in Hawaii or on O'ahu (the name of the island that Honolulu is on), other than spend a lot of time at the beach. And, well, I'm not going to lie – as much as I love travelling, seeing new places, meeting new people and experiencing new sensations, I had been doing it for a long while now. So on the days when the weather was good, I actually made going down to the beach and enjoying the sunshine my number one priority. I did walk around some of the shops and browse through some of the touristy trips that you could take to the other islands, but none of them were really day trips that you could do spontaneously, which is the way I had been doing pretty much everything lately. So I just cut my losses and happily camped out on the beach with a book most days.
There was one other place that Ashleigh really wanted to take me to, and that was the North Shore. As you can probably guess, it was the northern coast of the island, and one that was far less populated by your typical tourists and holidaying families. The beaches up there were well known by surfing communities though, and if you picked the right time of the year there was optimal swells that apparently made for terrific surfing – but I'm not going to pretend I actually know anything about surfing, so that's all I'll say about that.
On a day when Nick didn't have to work, the three of us all piled into the car and took the drive up to the North Shore. I have to admit, everything about the island was beautiful. If it wasn't the white sandy beaches and the blue ocean, it was the lush green fields and the mountains looming in the horizon, cloaked in thick, beautiful white clouds.
The beach at the North Shore.
When we arrived at the North Shore, the weather had taken a turn for the worse. Ashleigh told me that the weather can often be really different on opposite sides of the island, due to all the mountains in the centre of the island, and the different sea currents and tides coming at the shore in their different directions. Waikiki and been warm and sunny, yet up north the sunlight had flitted away behind the cloud cover, and it even started to sprinkle with rain. We'd brought our towels and swimwear, but after finding a park and stumbling down onto the beach, one look at the powerful swell and crashing waves assured us that there was no way we would be going into the water. I mean, I love a bit of rough surf every now and then, but this was something completely different. Watching those waves made me fairly confident that a broken bone would be the best case scenario.
Still, we sat on the beach and watched the waves for a while, munching on the snacks we'd brought and just admiring the power of the sea. Afterwards we drove back to Waikiki a different way, one that took us closer to the mountains. Nick pointed out a few of his favourite ones to hike – having grown up in a small town in upstate New York, he was definitely a naturally outdoorsy type. He talked about them with such enthusiasm, and it was a shame that between the Christmas obligations and his work schedule, there hadn't ever really been a convenient time to go up there with him. He and Ashleigh both seemed pretty happy together though. They hadn't been together that long, but I probably would have put money on him still being around if there was ever a return trip to visit my sister in Hawaii, so I settled for putting those hikes in my future plans.
There were a few culinary highlights in Honolulu, too. Ashleigh and Nick took me to their favourite sushi restaurant, a place in Waikiki called Doraku.
"Look, just- we're ordering for you, okay? Trust me," she had said as we'd walked in. I'm pretty open minded when it comes to food anyway (tarantulas, anyone?), so I rolled with it and let her order me a dragon roll, which was absolutely as amazing as they had assured me it would be, and we topped it all off with deep-fried brownie for dessert. On another night when Nick was at work, Ashleigh and I had drinks and dinner at the Cheesecake Factory, where we only ate half of our mains to safe room for dessert, because you best believe there is no way I am going to a place called the Cheesecake Factory and not eating cake. And it was, of course, absolutely worth it.
I also went out with Ashleigh and Nick once, to a club where they were regulars and where many of their friends congregated for nights out. The clubs was okay, but there were a few dramas with Ashleigh's ID (she forgot it), and the music wasn't really the kind of stuff I could listen to for too long before starting to get a little bored and/or over it (it was a kinda of EDM that I wasn't really a fan of, though I can't articulate the differences between them for the life of me). It was nice to see all the aspects of my sisters new life in Hawaii, but we called it a night not too shortly after that.
And of course, my exploration of a new city wouldn't be complete without me checking out the gay scene. As fate would have it, one of the most popular gay bars in Honolulu was actually in my sisters old street, where I had helped her move from on my first day in Hawaii. Luckily, she hadn't moved that far away, and on a couple of evenings where not much had been going on back at home, I had wandered down to Waikiki for a drink at Bacchus. It was a tiny gay bar on the enclosed roof terrace, and you had to walk up a few flights of stairs to get there. I had been chatting to a guy from LA on one of the gay apps, who had escaped to Hawaii for Christmas, so we ended up meeting there and having a few two-for-one drinks and chatting a bit more. He told me how he wasn't a huge fan of Christmas – something about a relatively dysfunctional family – and so some years he just escaped here for some alone time. I was actually quite surprised at how many people came to Hawaii for Christmas. I felt like I was an exception, because the only reason I was here was that I was actually visiting family, not escaping from them, yet there were lots of families who seemed to come here and spend the holiday period here in Waikiki. It seemed odd at first, but then I realised that having Christmas on the beach was a novelty for most Americans that, as an Australian, I just didn't find that out of the ordinary.
Rainbow after a sun shower in Waikiki.
My sisters apartment had a decent view, but it wasn't straddling Waikiki beach. I ended up crashing in my new friends hotel room that night, and in the morning got to wake up to the stunning views of the aqua blue water and the gentle sound of waves rolling into the shore. In that moment, I completely understood the desire to run away, forget the stress and craziness that comes with the holiday period, and put it all in the back of your mind while sipping a cocktail by the beach.
View of Waikiki from my new friends hotel room the following morning.
After a lovely 10 days of rest and relaxation, the moment that felt like it was never going to come had finally arrived: my final flight home. It was an early morning flight, and while I had tried to assure Ashleigh that she didn't need to accompany me to the airport, she still awoke without complaint when my alarm went off. Nick had been at work overnight, so I had already said my final goodbyes to him, but together Ashleigh and I wandered through the deserted streets of Waikiki in the early morning and waited for the bus. We laughed and made jokes, and tried not to get too emotional. I knew she'd been working like a maniac at her two jobs to stay afloat, and life had thrown a few curveballs that are (speaking from experience myself) usually a little tougher when you don't have the usual support network of your family. So I think being there was a much-needed dose of family love for her. For both of us, really, except I would be seeing much more of my family very soon.
So once we got to the airport, we got off the bus and Ashleigh walked with me over to the check-in desks.
"It was so lovely to have you here, little bro," she said with a smile and pulled me in for one long, final hug. "I love you so much!"
"I love you too, Ash."
"Well, I guess I'll see you… well, I'll see you when I see you! Have a good flight!"
I checked by bags in, and then waved goodbye as I entered the departures gate. It was hard to believe that with one final flight, this epic journey of mine was coming to an end.
Posted in Hawaii, Honolulu, North America, United States of America	| Tagged airport, audio tour, Bacchus, battleship, beach, boat, bus, cheesecake factory, christmas, doraku, drink, family, flying, gay bar, Hawaii, hiking, Honolulu, island, memorial, mountain, museum, navy, north shore, O'ahu, oil slick, pearl harbour, relaxation, Sightseeing, submarine, surf, surfing, tears of the Arizona, tour, tourist, traveller, USS Arizona, USS Bowfin, Waikiki, war memorial	| Leave a reply
For someone who had done as much traveling as I had done in the past 8 months, I had done remarkably little flying. I'd caught countless trains and plenty of buses, but planes had only really been my choice of transit when there was almost no other option, like getting to Italy from Spain without taking 3 days to do so, or crossing the Atlantic Ocean. But when I'd been planning my trip across the Southwest while still in Austin, Aaron had advised me that flying in and out of Las Vegas was usually pretty cheap, considering it was a hot spot destination for domestic tourism. At the time of booking the flight I wouldn't quite know it, but I would be very relieved that I wasn't getting another bus onwards from Las Vegas. There was another particular reason for choosing to fly instead of travelling via road, other than the cheaper cost of flights – my eventual flight out of the mainland US would be from Los Angeles, and geographically that was the most logical city to drive to from Las Vegas. But there was no way that my visit to California would be complete without a visit to San Francisco, so I decided that I would fly further north first, and then travel down the coast to LA at some point during my final weeks in the US.
Another reason that I preferred other methods of travel to flying was that they were usually more interesting than flying. While I'd enjoyed most of the overland travel I had done, with the ability to see different places and meeting interesting people, all of my experiences with flying had been either uneventful or just downright traumatic. And I know it's somewhere between an obvious cliché and an offensive stereotype, but I have to say it – if you have a male flight attendant than there is probably like a 90% chance he is going to be gay. Fabricated statistics aside, this had been my experience, at least, on the handful of flights that I had been on, and so far it had not made my journeys anymore interesting. But my flight to San Francisco was different…
After watching the funky new safety procedure video that Virgin America had just released and staying in my assigned seat for take off, I noticed that there there was a row of three seats that were completely empty. When the seatbelt sign was finally turned off, I gathered my belongings, quickly smiled at the woman I was sitting next to so that I didn't look totally rude, and shuffled across the aisle and down a row to set up camp in the empty seats. Sure, the flight couldn't have been much longer than 45 minutes, but extra space was extra space and I'll take small wins wherever I can find them.
There was also something else that I had noticed during the takeoff procedure, and that was the flight attendant. He was tall and cute, and every time he passed me down the aisle we ended up making eye contact and exchanging some kind of semi-awkward smile. It was totally flirty, and I'd be lying if I said I hadn't had similar experiences with other flight attendants before, so while it was a bit of harmless fun, I didn't think too much of it. As entertaining as the thought of joining the 'Mile High' club was, I sat back to enjoy my short journey and let him get on with his job. Although given the nature of his job – serving passengers like myself – it wasn't too long before we interacted again. Once we were in the air, the drinks trolley was whipped out and wheeled down the aisle, and of course when it got to me I was face to face with my flight attendant crush.
"Hey, how's it going? Can I get you anything?" he said with a friendly smile.
"Hey… um, sorry, but do these drinks cost extra?" I was aware that when you were flying with the cheaper, discount airlines, you often had to pay for the little extras.
"It's only the alcohol that costa extra," he said, and then be smiled at me again. "But it's okay, what would you like?" He flashed me a very subtle wink, and I could feel myself blushing.
"Oh, no, it's okay, don't worry. I'll just have a Coke."
"No really, it's fine", he said again, still smiling at me. "Coke? Coke and…?"
I have no idea why, but he had me fidgeting and blushing like a schoolgirl. "Um… bourbon?" I said coyly. He just kept grinning at me, and sneakily handed me one of the those tiny bottle of Jack Daniels.
"Thank you," I said as I mixed the bourbon with the cola, and he assured me it was his pleasure, before continuing his way down the plane.
He visited me a few times again throughout the flight. The next time he returned with more bourbon – sneaking another 4 miniature bottle of Jack Daniels back and dropping them in the seat next to me – and the second time he had a handful of packets of salty snacks. I couldn't believe it was happening – I mean, it's not like we were shacking up in the toilets or anything, but to be honest free food and booze is an equally direct way to winning my heart. After all the other passengers had been served, he came down and sat in one of the spare seats that I had scored for myself in the beginning of the flight.
"Hey," he said as he slipped out of the aisle, and I had to do my best to keep the stupid, giddy grinning to a minimum. I felt like I was in some kind of cheesy romantic comedy – does this kind of thing even happen in real life?
"Hey! Thank you so much for the drinks and the food," I said. "You didn't have to do that."
"Ah, it's not a problem. We have heaps back there, no one will ever know" he said with a smile and a wink. "I'm Andrew, by the way."
"Nice to meet you, Andrew. I'm Robert." We chatted for a little bit, just introducing ourselves some more and getting know each other. Andrew had only recently started working as a flight attendant and was currently living in Las Vegas. He was on this flight to San Francisco, but he would be travelling one step further to San Diego from there before his shift was done. I told him that it was my first time in San Francisco.
"It's a great city. I used to live there."
"Yeah, I'm really excited to check it out." We were both aware that we didn't have a lot of time before Andrew would have to start getting ready for the plane to land. "So like… I don't know, I feel like… do you wanna exchange numbers, or something?" It felt a little weird, knowing that I probably wouldn't be seeing him again, but it felt like the normal thing to do in that kind of situation.
"Well, yeah. I actually…" he trailed off as he fished around in his pocket and pulled out a napkin, where he had already written his name, phone number and email address.
"Oh cool! Here, let me write down mine." I scrawled my details out on a piece of paper to give to him.
"So are you meeting anyone when you land?" Andrew asked me.
"Actually… you know, I'm not. I don't have anyone waiting for me."
"I've got a little break before I need to head to the plane and get ready for the next flight. Send me a text once we're on the ground, maybe I can meet you."
"Sure thing," I said, and then said goodbye as he hopped up to continue with his duties.
Welcome to SFO!
After disembarking and picking up my luggage, I met Andrew down in the arrivals terminal. We chatted some more, and when I explained my accomodation situation to him, he helped me find the shuttle bus service that could drive me to wherever I was going in the San Francisco area for only $20, and then sat and waited with me until the shuttle was full with passengers and ready to get moving.
"Well, it was lovely to meet you," I said to him and he helped load my bags into the bus.
"Likewise. It's too bad we didn't have a little more time to hang out."
"Yeah, oh well. But keep in touch. There's always next time, and we both travel a lot – you never know where in the world we might end up," I said with a final smile.
"True," he said as he returned the grin, and gave me a final hug before sending me on my way.
We kept in touch, but despite him travelling to and from California pretty regularly with his work, I never ended up meeting Andrew again before leaving the US. But it was still a very memorable way to meet someone, and it's those fun stories and quirky tales that you can look back on with fondness, knowing that you simply just opened yourself up to possibility and lived in the moment.
Posted in California, Las Vegas, Nevada, North America, San Francisco, United States of America	| Tagged airport, alcohol, America, California, drink, flight attendant, flirt, flying, food, free, gay, Las Vegas, mile high, plane, San Francisco, shuttle, Travel, USA, Virgin America	| 2 Replies
Rail and Sail: Dublin Bound
Posted on May 14, 2014 by Tiny Tino
And so I found myself getting up at some ungodly hour of the morning (by my standards, at least) with not nearly enough sleep (even by my standards, which really says something) to get back to Euston train station. I was heading across the Irish sea, and while I had originally thought it would be easy to get a cheap flight across, I soon learned that with Ryanair the baggage I would be carrying would double the price of the ticket to the point that it simply wasn't worth it – especially not after the traumatic experience I had had trying to fly with them last time. During my scouring the internet for travel options I discovered a deal called the 'Rail and Sail' offered by Irish Ferries, which was a package deal that included a train ticket from London to Holyhead, a small port town in Wales, and a ticket for the ferry from Holyhead to Dublin. It was roughly 4 hours on the train and 6 hours on the ferry, as opposed to a flight from London that took an hour at most, but I had heard so many complaints about getting to the various airports in and around London – as well as the endless Ryanair horror stories – that I decided that trying to organise a flight for such a short distance was just not worth the hassle. I was in no rush, so I was more than happy to take a full day out to make the trip. It was cheaper than the flight, there were no extra baggage costs or restrictions, and I rather enjoyed the last trip I had made via ferry, so I thought it would be something nice to do again.
In the end it was the train ride that proved to be a little hair-raising. At one point the tracks travelled along the ground at such an angle that I could feel the slight pull of gravity dragging me towards the window. It was a brief terrifying moment, but other than that the ride went along smoothly and without much other excitement. When we finally arrived at Holyhead, the passengers disembarked and headed down the platform and towards the ferry port. I think it was almost a unanimous migration – aside from the ferry port there didn't really seem to be much other reason to visit a town like Holyhead. I know that a lot of people said that same thing about Ancona, but at least I knew that in Italy there was sunshine and beaches to be found – the coast of Wales was as gloomy as I would ever have imagined it that morning, and in no way did I feel compelled to hang around, even if I'd had the choice. When I'd booked the ticket it had said that there was a bit of a wait between the arrival of my train and the departure of the ferry, but in reality it was just enough time to wait in the long queue with the rest of the mob, have my ticket and baggage checked, and board the vessel that would carry me across the Irish Sea.
The boat was similar to the one I had caught from Helsinki to Stockholm, except this time it was a shorter trip so I didn't have a cabin, or any kind of personal quarters. The ship did have a huge variety of rooms and activities though, including a bar, restaurants, duty free shops, games rooms and theatres for the kids, as well as plenty of lounging spaces to sit around and enjoy the views of the open seas. To get in the mood for my arrival on the Emerald Isle, I tucked into a hot steak and Guinness pie from one of the cafeterias, and after a quick walk around to see the rest of the ship, I curled up on one of the lounges in the main area and tried to doze off and have a nap, given that I was running on very little sleep due to my late last night out in London. There were a lot of families travelling that day though, with some particularly noisy children, so in the end I really only managed to shut my eyes and rest my physical body. The mind would have to endure until Dublin, although being able to stretch out and have my own personal space to relax in was definitely a highlight of travelling via ferry rather than a plane. The Rail and Sail option was an experience a thousand times better than anything I would likely have received from Ryanair, and if you have the time to take the day trip and are travelling between Ireland and Great Britain then I would definitely recommend it.
When the ship finally pulled into port early that evening, I gathered my things and made my way off the ship to collect my checked baggage. When I got to immigration, I was a little confused as to where to go. There were basic directions to the exits, but rather than queues and individual gates and passport checks, everyone just seemed to be walking through a main gate with very little resistance. I assumed it was just for returning EU citizens, so I approached one of the desks to the side.
"Hi," I said to them as I set my bag down.
"Hello there! Well, what can do for yer?" one of the two gentleman said to me with a friendly smile.
"Ahh… Is this where you stamp my passport?" I'd never seen security personnel being so relaxed around the new arrivals – welcome to Ireland, I suppose?
"Why, do yer need one?" The other man said.
"Um… I think… ah, I probably do?" I held up my Australian passport, seriously confused at this point.
"Oooh, yes! Yes." Obviously they had just assumed I was another Irishman returning home. "Alright, here we go," they said as they briefly checked my passport before stamping it and handing it back. I was a little dumbfounded as I walked out of the terminal and over to the bus stop. I'd thought the security at Southend airport in London had been pretty lax, but Dublin Port had well and truly usurped that title. I chuckled to myself, realising that all I'd heard about the carefree Irish nature was turning out to be remarkably, incredibly accurate.
The bus into the main city of Dublin was rather uneventful, but the whole time I was still riddled with anxiety. During my last days in London I had been searching for Couchsurfing hosts in Dublin – I had been living at Giles' for so long that I'd all but forgotten the very real need to search for accommodation, or the very 'flying by the seat of my pants' style in which I had been doing it. Unfortunately, all my searching had come up with nothing, but in my desperate hanging on for a potential, miraculous breakthrough, I had put off booking any hostels either. Eventually I alighted from the bus in the centre of the city, and hacked into some free wifi at the bus station to search for a nearby hostel. There was one around the corner, so I lugged myself over there and was overjoyed to learn that they had some availability. I enquired about the room prices, and the helpful guy at the front desk told me everything I needed to know.
"But I'm gonna give you a little bit of a discount," he said with a little smile, without even lifting his eyes away from his computer screen to look at me. "Our little secret." I was genuinely stunned – was he flirting with me? He didn't seem like he was flirting with me? Not even a cheeky wink. But hey, I wasn't going to argue with a price reduction. He gave me my key and directed me to the stairs towards my room, and I don't think I even saw him again during my stay at the hostel, but it turns out his little gesture would be the first of a few rather unexpected surprises during my time in Dublin.
Posted in Dublin, England, Europe, Great Britain, Holyhead, Ireland, London, Wales	| Tagged accommodation, backpacker, bus, charm, Couchsurfing, Dublin, England, Euston, ferry, flying, gay, Holyhead, hostel, immigration, Ireland, Irish ferries, London, passport, port, queue, rail and sail, recommend, relaxed, ryanair, stamp, surprise, tourist, train, traveller, Wales	| 2 Replies


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Fishing!
Sarah Stonich
A hilarious saga of fishing, family, and three generations of tough, independent women—the first in a trilogy
First published in 2015 under a pseudonym, this first installment in a trilogy filled with hilarity and heartbreak unspools with the gentle wit and irresistible charm that readers of Sarah Stonich have come to expect. Fishing! eases us into unsuspected depths as it approaches the essential question . . . when should life be steered by the heart, not the rules?
You'll wish you could spend an afternoon fishing with RayAnne, but diving into this witty, charming novel is the next best thing.
Sarah Pekkanen, author of Things You Won't Say
Literature, Literature, Minnesota and the Upper Midwest, 2020 Spring
Having fled the testosterone-soaked world of professional sport fishing, thirty-something RayAnne Dahl is navigating a new job as a consultant for the first all-women talk show about fishing on public television (or, as one viewer's husband puts it, "Oprah in a boat"). After the host bails, RayAnne lands in front of the camera and out of her depth at the helm of the show. Is she up for the challenge? Meanwhile, her family proves as high-maintenance as her fixer-upper house and her clingy rescue dog. Her dad, star of the one-season Big Rick's Bass Bonanza, is on his sixth wife and falling off the wagon and into RayAnne's career path; her mother, a new-age aging coach for the menopausal rich, provides endless unwanted advice; and her beloved grandmother Dot—whose advice RayAnne needs—is far away and far from well.
But as RayAnne says, "I'm a woman, I fish. Deal with it." And just when things seem to be coming together—the show is an unlikely hit; she receives the admiration of a handsome sponsor (out of bounds as he is, but definitely in the wings); ungainly house and dog are finally in hand—RayAnne's world suddenly threatens to capsize, and she's faced with a gut-wrenching situation and a heartbreaking decision.
First published in 2015 under a pseudonym, this first installment in a trilogy filled with hilarity and heartbreak unspools with the gentle wit and irresistible charm that readers of Sarah Stonich have come to expect. Fishing!eases us into unsuspected depths as it approaches the essential question . . . when should life be steered by the heart, not the rules?
328 pages, 5 1/2 x 8 1/4, March 2020
Sarah Stonich is the best-selling author of These Granite Islands, which has been translated into seven languages and shortlisted for France's Grand Prix des Lectrices de Elle; the critically acclaimed novel The Ice Chorus; and a memoir, Shelter: Off the Grid in the Mostly Magnetic North. Her novel-in-stories, Vacationland, is the first book in her Northern Trilogy, followed by Laurentian Divide, winner of the Minnesota Book Award for Fiction. She lives in Minneapolis.
A lighthearted, comedic novel for women that isn't all about landing a man (fishing pun intended).
Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune
Poignant and honest, funny and wise . . . a novel to cherish. Populated with authentic and engaging characters, written with style and ease, this novel taught me that happiness can be found down unexpected paths, and that the meaning of life exists in the simplest of things. I loved every moment I spent with this delightfully witty, refreshingly progressive read.
Marissa Stapley, author of Mating for Life
A compelling and deftly crafted novel from beginning to end.
Told in spot-on, often hilarious dialogue that brings these nice people to lively, lovely life.
Recommended for readers who appreciate female characters, family drama, an absorbing sense of place, and, of course, fishing.
The real gem of this novel is its honest depiction of family dynamics. Fishing! shows the reader that dysfunction doesn't necessarily equate with misery; it is possible not only to accept, but also enjoy one's family, warts and all.
Available in March 2020
Shelter Off the Grid in the Mostly Magnetic North A northwoods exploration of family, immigration, and connection to the land
Vacationland From the best-selling author of These Granite Islands, a novel of stories intersecting at a broken-down fishing resort in the north woods of Minnesota
These Granite Islands A Novel An engrossing, suspenseful novel about hidden love—set on the Iron Range
Let's Go Fishing! Fish Tales from the North Woods An illustrated compendium of the lore and legacy of fishing in the northland
Laurentian Divide A Novel Poignant portrayals of life on the edge in northern Minnesota border country—now in paper
Once in a Blue Moon Lodge A Novel The long-awaited sequel to Lorna Landvik's best-selling Patty Jane's House of Curl: a story brimming with life, humor, and hope
Best to Laugh A Novel Minnesota funny girl takes Hollywood by storm in inimitable Lorna Landvik style
Chronicles of a Radical Hag (with Recipes) A Novel A bittersweet, seriously funny novel of a life, a small town, and a key to our troubled times traced through a newspaper columnist's half-century of taking in, and taking on, the world


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We invite you to get involved and to help strengthen our local economy by being a part of this dynamic group.
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N. Ireland To Increase Problem Gambling Awareness In Schools January 12, 2023 Mike Ashley
by Mike Ashley Last updated Jan 12, 2023
The new resource includes five lessons discussing the dangers surrounding gambling
It is targeted at Key Stage 3 students aged 11 to 14 years old
Among the topics covered are in-game features, such as loot boxes
Northern Ireland's Council for the Curriculum, Examinations & Assessment (CCEA) has put together lessons about gambling and gaming, intended for students aged 11 to 14 years old.
The topics covered in the lessons include scratch cards, sports wagering, and video game betting. The new lessons aim to educate young students about the dangers associated with gambling and gaming.
Gambling Awareness Resource for Students
The new gambling and gaming awareness resource was designed to help educators in delivering the Learning for Life and Work (LLW): Personal Development curriculum for Key Stage 3 learners.
The resource includes five lessons, the first of which discusses how leisure activities can affect one's wellbeing. The subsequent lessons delve into gambling, the risks it poses, and the methods gambling companies employ to entice people to gamble.
Video game features with gambling-like characteristics, such as loot boxes and skins, are among the key topics covered.
Loot boxes have attracted controversy in recent years as many consider the in-game feature to be a form of gambling. They work like mystery treasure chests that can be purchased using real money. However, the players are clueless about what's inside the box until they open it. Virtual items contained in the mystery box could include special weapons, skins, and costumes that can be used to enhance gameplay.
Earlier this year, a report from the Norwegian Consumer Council (NCC) stated that loot boxes are "exploitative" as they manipulate players into spending massive sums of money on them. The report was backed by 18 European consumer groups. Recent studies also link loot boxes to problem gambling.
The CCEA lessons will enable students to know whether they are involved in activities that are considered gambling. They will also be better informed about the techniques used by gambling firms to keep them playing, such as free bets and other promotional materials and messages.
Students Need to be Educated about Gambling Risks
Certain schools in Northern Ireland have already been using a gambling education program launched by the Gambling With Lives charity in 2021. One of those schools is Dundonald High School. Laura Haggan, a teacher at Dundonald High, said educating students about gambling addiction had been overlooked for several years as institutions were more focused on addiction surrounding drugs and alcohol.
Ms. Haggan said promoting gambling awareness is necessary, especially in Northern Ireland which has one of the highest gambling participation rates in the UK.