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Katoomba, Waterfalls snakes and Lizards, Wednesday 2 March.
1) View from near Govetts Leap Lookout.
2) Horseshoe Falls
3) Govetts Leap Falls with spray blown upwards.
4) Lizard on steps down to falls
Today's ride was 8 miles north west further into the Blue Mountains to Blackheath and various walks from Govetts Leap Lookout. The weather for the morning was hot humid and sunny getting to 28C.
The view from Govetts Leap Lookout is outstanding with cliffs falling away to extensive Rainforest and views of waterfalls.
My first walk was on a quite difficult track down and round to the Twin Falls Viewpoint. This gives views of the nearby Horseshoe falls where the water plummets down into mist and rainbows and the more distant Govetts Leap falls. I returned the way I came to Govetts Leap Lookout. I saw 3 people on the entire walk which took about 1 1/2 hours. Most people arrive in coaches at the main lookouts and then leave.
After returning to Govetts Leap Lookout I headed off in the other direction on an easier track to Govetts Leap Falls.
Near to the falls I stopped and beat a hasty retreat on spotting a large reptillian head on the steps. The way it was lying the legs were hidden and as can be seen from the photograh it looked like the front part of a large snake. When it moved the legs became visible and it was clearly a large lizard. The Visitor Centre Staff later identified it from the photo as a Blotched Bluetongue Lizard. It stayed on the steps for several minutes long enough to take several pictures from a distance. The photo is with zoom and digital enlargement.
After the Lizard moved off I continued down to the falls. The wind was picking up and blowing water upwards from the falls in a fine spray
As I rode back the weather was quickly changing and a thunderstorm gathered. I was about half way back when the first heavy spots started to fall and I took refuge in a bus shelter for 40 mins of torrential downpour including hail.
Cycling distance was 17.6 miles with 1233ft of climbing and riding time of 1hr 44mins.
Posted by Edwin at 10:12 AM EADT
Updated: Saturday, 23 April 2005 11:22 PM NZT
Katoomba,Wentworth Falls, Tuesday 1 March
1) Wentworth Falls
2) Queens Cascade
3) Empress Falls
4) Three Sisters
Today was a really good day with cloudless blue skies and temperatures getting to 26C. As with yesterday I used the bike to get to points of interest but much more of the day was spent walking up and down tracks than cycling.
My destination of the day was Wentworth Falls 5 miles east back down the highway. Most of the ride was on side roads avoiding the Great Western Highway.
Wentworth Falls is home to falls of that name and many other smaller falls cascading from the plateau to the remote valley below.
After parking the bike I started down the track to take in viewpoints of Wentworth falls and eventually down to the top of the falls where one track goes across using stepping stones. I took another track going up river alongside the Queens Cascade.
Back to the bike and a short ride on the road to the Conservation Hut Cafe for lunch. This has a terrace with great views over the Valley of the Waters.
In the afternoon I left the bike at the top and headed down a track with a long steep descent to the Empress Falls. A couple on the way up warned me of an aggressive baby snake on the track and that an adult might be near. Bearing in mind that the Blue Mountains has some of the worlds most poisonous snakes my descent was very careful and watchful but no snakes were encountered.
After returning to Katoomba I headed to Echo Point to take some pictures of the Three Sisters in the early evening light.
Cycling distance was 11.3 miles with 1145 ft of climbing and a ride time of 1hr 15mins
Posted by Edwin at 9:56 AM EADT
Updated: Thursday, 3 March 2005 10:42 AM EADT
Katoomba, Monday 28 February
1) Three Sisters from Echo Point
2) Three Sisters Walkway
3) Laura falls from Bidal Veil Viewpoint
4) Laura cascades
5) Katoomba falls from Skyway Cablecar
The day started cloudy and after yesterday's drizzle I was worried I might not see too much of the Blue Mountains. However the sky gradually cleared to end bright and sunny and 21C.
This first day I decided to concentrate on the many attractions near Katoomba but used the Bike to get around. The Blue Mountains are essentially a partly eroded high plateau. The great Western Road and all the towns along it are built along the central ridge. The land either side is wilderness with some rainforest and is designated National Park.
My first visit at the southern end of town was Echo Point where the cliffs fall away and there is a view of the famous 3 Sisters rock pinnacles. I found a path going round and then steeply down to a walkway going across to one of the rocks.
Next a ride along the Cliff Drive Road and after a stop for lunch at a cafe a walk to the Laura Cascades and a little further on a viewpoint above the Laura Falls. Then I walked further round the clifftop path to the Bridal Veil Viewpoint. As can be seen from the picture the water of the Laura Falls flows over the rock to one side like a bridal veil.
I then cycled back on the Cliff Drive Road to the Scenic World Centre. This has various means of getting down to the valley floor. I took the Sceniscender down and then a short walk in the rainforest at the base and up on the funicular railway. This is the steepest in the world at 48%. I then took the Skyway, a cable car which goes to the other side of the gorge and back with great views including the Katoomba Falls.
I rounded off the day with a visit to the Katoomba falls lookout.
Posted by Edwin at 2:27 PM EADT
Updated: Tuesday, 1 March 2005 5:10 PM EADT
Sydney to Katoomba, Sunday 27 February.
Today was time to move on the Blue Mountains west of Sydney where I will stay 5 nights at the main mountain town of Katoomba.
By previous arrangement I left the bike box and some other bits and pieces at the B&B. Sydney spreads out a long way to the west and I decided to get a train to Penrith on the edge of the western suburbs.
I had noticed on my previous train trips that only some of the underground train stations had lifts. When I caught the train at Martins Place yesterday I took the bike down an escalator. This was fine unloaded but would not be so easy with Panniers. After catching the ferry to Circular Quay I rode about a mile through relatively quiet Sunday morning City Streets to Town Hall Station which has lifts.
After an hours train ride I got off at the western suburb of Penrith and had lunch there. To avoid a section of freeway I turned off the Great Western Road soon after Penrith on a side road to Baxland. This climbed over a ridge with very steep gradients of 12 to 15% and a maximum of 22% up to 790ft.
After turning back onto the Great Western Road the route continued to climb gadually to 3100ft at Katoomba. The road was a fairly busy duel carriageway but did have a hard shoulder. The day was cloudy and at about 2500ft I entered the cloud layer with a light drizzle, hence the dearth of pictures today.
Distance for the day was 30.7 miles with 3835ft of climbing and a ride time of 4hrs 9mins
Sydney, Taronga Zoo, Saturday 26 February
1) Koalas
2) Kangaroos
3) Circular Quay at twilight
Today I decided that as I would be unlikely to see a lot of Australian wildlife in the wild I would visit the nearby Taronga Zoo. This is on the next headland east from the B&B and I decided to go by bike. To get there involved a convoluted 2.5 mile road route.
I went to see Wallabies, Kangaroos and Koalas as can be seen from the above pictures. One open air enclosure involved 2 entrance gates and then the public could walk on a path among the Wallabies.
After lunch at the Zoo I rode back to the B&B and then went on foot to the ferry to the Centre. I went on by train and then monorail to Darling Harbour adjacent to the City Centre to wander around and shop. I bought a T-shirt embroidered "Australia Downunder" which I thought was a nice link with the website.
After dinner a few more evening pictures of the Sidney Skyline
Sydney, Royal National Park, Friday 25 February.
1) "Have Bike will travel" a "must take" view of Sidney Harbour.
2) "Martins Place" CityRail underground station
3) Royal National Park
4) Cronulla Beach
Over the previous 2 days my bike had been locked up under the outside rear stairs of the B&B looking rather neglected. Today I decided to give it a ride taking it to the Royal National Park just to the south of Sydney.
I rode the few hundred yards to the ferry wharf and caught the ferry to Circular Quay. I then planned to take it by train to get through the urban area. To avoid a change of trains rather than going from Circular Quay Station I cycled about a mile to a Station called Martin's Place. I am not sure what Martin did to have a Train Station named after him but anyway I took a picture of it for him to add to Martins Beach in Greece and Martins Bay in New Zealand.
The trains are very bike friendly and bikes can be taken at any time although there is a charge during peak periods. Bikes can be put in any carriage entrance but I found it was more out of the way in the front or the rear of the train.
I took a train to Cronulla a Southeast suburb and a 40 minute train ride. Then a foot passenger ferry from a wharf just below the station across the estuary of the Hacking River to Bundeena, a small town surrounded by the National Park. This avoids the usual entrance which is via a busy metro route.The National Park is a huge nature reserve which continues south for 20 miles. I did an out and back ride to return via the ferry.
Apart from the different types of vegetation there are many similarities to the New Forest with a ferry crossing of an estuary from a big city. The landscape is fairly flat with low rolling hills. On the route I took there was a gradual climb over 5 miles to 500ft. There are no ponies but I did see a sign warning of "wildlife crossing next 3 Kilometres" This set me to wondering as to what sort of wildlife - poisonous snakes?
After returning on the ferry I took a look at Cronulla Beach the longest in Sydney and another good surfing beach and stopped there for some sunbathing. After returning to the City I did some cycling around the City Streets until I found an Internet Cafe and sorted out the Blog website. The text and pictures are sent up using my mobile device but due to a fault which developed in the code of the website some weeks ago I have to send the text and pictures separately and combine using the editing facility available which is much quicker and easier to do using a full sized computer.
Sydney, Bondi Beach, Thursday 24 February
1) Bondi Beach
2) Circular Quay
3) Opera House with the Moon rising
Today was going to be a serious rest day with a trip to Bondi Beach. Weather was ideal beach weather being sunny all day and getting to 29C.
The journey there was interesting with first a ferry to the City Centre at Circular Quay and then a train on Sydney's Cityrail System to Bondi Junction. The Circular Quay train station is right next to the ferries and trains are double Decker's. The system is partly underground and partly overground especially in the suburbs
Bondi junction is about 3 miles from the beach so I got a bus from there. The bus station is built on top of the underground rail station. This is what I would call an integrated Transport system.
Bondi beach was as I expected a long bay of golden sands with lifeguards and lots of sunbathers and surfers. The rest of the day was given over to serious rest, sunbathing and wandering the esplanade.
I returned to Circular Quay soon after sunset for the now obligatory nightime photo shoot.
Updated: Friday, 25 February 2005 8:52 PM EADT
Sydney, Wednesday 23 February.
1) View of Sydney Opera House on the ferry ride from the B&B
2) View from the Skytower
3) Darling Harbour from the Monorail
4) Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge
Today was a day for exploring the City Centre, mainly on foot but with the help of ferry and Monorail.
First there was the ferry trip from the B&B to the centre with great views of the Sydney Skyline. I then explored some of the streets heading in the direction of the Skytower which at nearly 1000 ft is the tallest in the Southern Hemisphere.
I spent some time on the observation deck before taking the stairs one level down to the cafe for lunch which was certainly a more novel location than on Wednesday Rides back home. While there I replied to an email from John Maxim with my mobile internet device sending him as an attachment a picture of the view from the Tower. That makes for a pretty instant postcard.
After descending the Tower I got on the Monorail which does a loop from the City centre to nearby Darling Harbour and areas to the west of the centre. Next it was a stroll through some nearby parks with a stop for some Sunbathing and on to the Botanical Gardens. In one park there is a big colony of bats hanging from the trees and screeching.
I made my way down to Macquaires Point the location for taking the classic picture of the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge in the same field of view.
Then a walk round the Bay still in the Park to the Opera House and a good look round. Then dinner at a Harbour Side Cafe and watch the sunset. Then more evening photographs of the City to round off a very full day.
The ferry ride back to the B&B is outstanding at night. The view of tightly packed lit skyscrapers are in the centre of the small bay where the ferries dock with the Opera House on one side and the Harbour Bridge on the other side
Christchurch to Sydney, Tuesday 22 February.
1) Flying over the Southern Alps
2) The Southern Alps
3) Clearing the West Coast
4) At Sydney Airport, City in distance
5) Night view of the City near Circular Quay
6) Night View of the City
7) Sydney Harbour Bridge
Today was a great day for photographic opportunity as can be seen from the pictures above. It was also a day for packing a lot in so it was just as well that with the time change it was a 26 hour day.
With the bike packed the previous day there were a few hours spare to look round Christchurch again and do a bit of shopping.
The taxi had been pe-booked by email 5 months ago to pick me up at 12.00 and take me to the Airport but they forgot but did turn up within minutes of a reminding phone call.
At the Airport one dampner on an otherwise great day was that the checkout lady required the bike to be put on the luggage scales. She then said the bike plus my other baggage exceeded the luggage allowance and there was an excess baggage charge of 170NZ$ or about 70 pounds. Most Airlines have a special allowance for bikes or don't bother weighing them. Moral of the story is avoid flying Quantas with a bike if possible.In our case we had to because they were part of the alliance of Airlines for the Round the World Ticket we used.
The flight over the Southern Alps was great for photography with skies clear apart from over the highest peaks near the West Coast.
The flight arrived in Sydney 10 minutes ahead of schedule and by the time I got to baggage reclaim luggage and bike were waiting for me.The bike had to be checked by customs/quarantine officers for any obnoxious soil or vegetable particles it might have picked up. This involved the box being opened and the bike checked. My other luggage was X-Rayed.
I had checked on some websites and as expected there was no problem getting the bike in a taxi with a number of Station Wagon Taxis available.
My accommodation for the next 5 nights in Sydney is a B&B called Cremorne Point Manor. This is on the north shore on the far side of the Harbour from the Centre but only a 10 minutes ferry ride to the Centre.
I got to the B&B about 6.15 but didn't want to leave the bike to the next day to sort out so got it out of the box and re-assembled.
I went a few minutes walk down the road to the ferry wharf to get the 8.15 ferry to the City. By this time it was twilight and the City's lights were coming on with a great view of the City Skyline the Opera House and Harbour Bridge.
The ferries run every 20 to 30 minutes and I had a great 10 minute ferry ride with views of the Opera House, City Skyscrapers and Harbour Bridge. When I got off I went into full photographic mode using railings and litter bins as objects to steady the camera for night shots. The moon was rising over the Opera House and scattered clouds above the City were lit up partly by moonlight and partly by the City's lights.
With all the time spent photographing and sightseeing the evening meal was a snack from the ferry terminal cafe/takeaway before another ferry ride back to the B&B.
Updated: Saturday, 26 February 2005 6:03 PM EADT
Akaroa to Christchurch, Monday 21 February
1) Cyclepath on the way into Christchurch
2) Home Lea B&B in Christchurch
Todays ride was almost a repeat in reverse of the ride out to Akaroa. However instead of riding up the main road to cross the big 1500ft pass at Hilltop I took a side road from Duvachelle to the Summit Road. 3 cars passed either way in 45 minutes of climbing. From Hilltop there was a long fast descent to Little River and an elevenses stop at a cafe
The rest of the ride was now flat and I had a Carrot Cake stop at a cafe at Taikapu near Lincoln.
Coming into Christchurch it was notable how cycle friendly it was with thought given to the cyclist in road design. There were long stretches of wide cyclepath with car parking on the left so there was no problem of cars parked on the bike lane.
I got to the B & B early at 4.00 to give plenty of time to box up the bike ready for my flight to Sydney tomorrow.
Distance for the ride was 50.9 miles with 2677ft of climb.Average grade was 8% and average speed 9.5 mph with riding time of 5 hours 14 mins
Updated: Monday, 21 February 2005 7:39 PM EADT
Akaroa, Dolphins Cruise, Sunday 20 February.
1) Leaving the Harbour
2) Dolphins swimming under the rear of the boat
Today was an off the bike rest day. With the weather still calm and sunny I decided on a morning boat cruise of Akaroa Harbour with a firm called Akaroa Dolphins. I booked this about 45 minutes before sailing and luckily they had room. As the name suggests one of the main objects of the 2 hour cruise is to spot Dolphins.
Akaroa harbour is an ideal area for the Hector Dolphin the smallest in the world together with Seals, Penguins and Cormorants.
Soon after we left the harbour the Skipper spotted some Dolphins which at several stages swam alongside and underneath the boat.
Later we spotted a penguin in the water. I know Peter will be especially interested in this as he was anxious to see one on the trip. The penguin was nervous of boats so we couldn't get very close. I got a picture with the zoom lens of my slide camera but not with the digital camera so a view will have to await the slide show.
We also saw Cormorants and seals on a trip which went beyond the harbour entrance.
The ships dog was called Hector, a scotty who went crazy when dolphins were spotted and also had a specially fitted lifejacket.
The afternoon was spent lazing around the town harbour and beach doing some sunbathing. Back to the biking tomorrow with a return ride to Christchurch.
Akaroa, Okains Bay Ride, Saturday 19 February
1) Okains Beach
2) Top of the very steep Long Hill Road
3) Appropiate road name near Okains Bay
Today was again bright blue skies and temperatures rising to 23C I decided to set off for a beach. This was not however going to be a lazing around sort of day as the chosen beach was on Okains bay on the Eastern side of the Peninsular with a 2000ft barrier to climb over to get there and then again to get back.
I decided not to take the super steep Long Bay Road I tackled yesterday (once was enough) so headed along the main road near the bay for 4 miles to Robinsons Bay and then up to the Summit Road on the Okains Bay Road. This was a much more sensible gradient with the bike computer reading between 6 and 12% as opposed to between 10 and 18% on Long Bay Road.
Again there were geat views as I climbed. I crossed the Summit road and headed on down at a steeper gradient followed by a long flat road to the village of Okains Bay and then the beach further on.
The beach is on a wide sheltered sandy bay which seemed popular with surfers. As the day went on more cars arrived which parked on the sand. When I left I visited a very good Maori Museum which is one of only a few houses in the village.
The return back up to the Summit Road was easy at first and then very steep with grades between 12 and 17%. I took the slightly longer route back along the Summit Road with great views and then to the top of Long Bay Road and a steep descent to the smell of brake rubber.
Distance for the day was 30.2 miles but with 4780ft of climb (nearly 3 times the climb of an average 50 mile club ride) Average grade for the day was 9% with an average speed of 8.2 and ride time of 3 hrs 36 mins.
Updated: Sunday, 20 February 2005 3:06 PM EADT
Akaroa - Summit Road, Friday 18 February.
1) Summit Road
2) Summit Road just before descending to Duvauchelle
Today's ride was without luggage doing a loop along the Summit Road which follows the ridges created by the old Volcano and then down to the harbour road and back to Akaroa. With a high moving in weather was wall to wall sunshine and temperatures of 24C.
I climbed out of Akaroa for a few miles on the main road and then turned onto the aptly named Long Bay Road. This was basically a pig of a climb. The road climbed from sea level to 2136 ft in 3 miles. The average gradient for the climb was 10% compared with an average of 6% on most climbs. There were many sections with grades of between 12 and 18% with a maximum of 20%
The reward was in the magnificent views of the harbour below and I had to stop frequently to take pictures (catch my breath!)
At the top the road turns and runs north along the summit ridge with views down to the harbour and the ridge on the far side of it. The Summit Road does a half circuit of the harbour far below. The road generally keeps its height but with ups and downs of about 300ft
There were views down to small bays on the eastern side of the peninsula. At one point as the route looped round Duvauchelle Peak views opened up of the far off ranges of the Southern Alps north of Christchurch.
I took a byroad descending steeply to the bay near the village of Duvauchelle and then followed the main bay road back to Akaroa.
Only 26 miles ridden but 3950ft of climb (equal to twice the climbing on a standard 50 mile club ride back home) Average grade for the whole ride was 9%. Average speed was 8.5 mph with 3 hours riding time.
Posted by Edwin at 12:18 PM EADT
Akaroa, Thursday 17 February.
Akaroa Harbour with cloud trying and failing to spill over the surrounding 2000ft peaks
Today is the first of 4 clear days I have at Akaroa a small town on a bay of a large harbour/inlet which goes into the middle of the Banks Peninsular. The harbour was formed by the flooding of a former volcanic crater and is almost surrounded by 2000ft hills. The area is in considerable contrast to the great flat expanse of the Canterbury plains in all other directions.
Akaroa was originally settled by the French and has retained French street names but its current residents are very much English speaking New Zealanders. It is a pretty small quiet town though with a lot of tourists. There are a lot of choices for bike routes during my stay with some very scenic and hilly roads in the area.
Today is a proper off the bike rest day. I made use of the motels guest laundry facility, caught up on emails and wandered round the harbour. Weather was sunny with some cloud and temperatures getting up to 26C.
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Christchurch to Akaroa, Wednesday 16 February
1) View over Akaroa Harbour from the Hilltop Cafe at 1500ft.
2) La Rive Motel
I said goodbye to Martin who fly's to Sydney in the afternoon. I set off to stay 5 nights at Akaroa on the Banks Peninsula. This is a very hilly area to the east of Christchurch formed by volcanic action. The day was cloudy with sunny periods especially in the afternoon with temperatures up to 24C.
As with all main routes in and out of Christchurch the roads are very cycle friendly. There is the pavement and then parking bays for cars and then a wide cyclepath and then the carriageway.
I took the main route 75 to Akaroa . This is busy near Christchurch but then tails off to the level of a UK country B road. The notable feature in the morning was how flat it was. Despite skirting close to the edges of the Hills of the Banks Peninsula the road stayed pan flat with only 60 feet of climb in the 33 miles of climb to Little River.
I stopped for elevenses at a cafe near Motukarara And enjoyed a large Carrot Cake with cream. This was just about worked off as after Little River the road climbed steeply to 1500 ft. I stopped for lunch at the Hilltop Cafe with views down to Akaroa Bay.
After descending the road follows the Bay round with four 300ft climbs before Akaroa . My accommodation is at the La Rive Motel.
Distance was 50.4 miles with 2578 ft of climb. Average speed was 10.6 with riding time 4hrs 39mins
Christchurch Rest Day, Tuesday 15 February
Tram on New Regent Street in Christchurch
Today was a rest from cycling but not a rest as such as we packed a lot in. Martin fly's off tomorrow to Sydney and then Cairns. I stay in New Zealand for 5 more days before flying to Sydney to stay there and in the nearby Blue Mountains for 2 weeks.
In the morning Martin packed up his bike in the box which we had posted to the B & B from Auckland. I went down to the City Centre to pick up a package I had sent from the UK to the Christchurch main post office containing maps and guides for Australia and Singapore. I used the box collected to post home maps paperwork and guides for Chile and New Zealand to lighten the load.
In the afternoon we took a ride on the City's Trams visiting New Regent Street for lunch and then the Cathedral and Cathedral Square. We also visited the City's large botanical gardens with a stop at the cafe for drinks and Carrot Cake. We then caught the no 28 bus to visit the harbour at Littleton
After the evening meal I visited an Internet Cafe to update the websit
Lake Coleridge to Christchurch, Monday 14 February
Large sized Carrot Cake at Lunchstop
The day started with heavy rain and we delayed our start by half an hour to let this ease off. This was still only the second wet day in nearly 6 weeks of touring.
The rain eased off and stopped as we rode back down the valley of the Rakaia river. We re-joined the Inland Scenic Route 77. This was very enjoyable as the road slowly descended down a valley wth mountains to our left and our speed boosted further by a tailwind.
We stopped at a shop at Glentunnel for a snack for elevenses and then down to the plains to Darfield for lunch. I had a soup and a carrot cake. This was possibly the largest so far at about 3 times the measly portions served up in the UK for 3.50NZ$ or about one pound fifty. For one reason or another I had failed to get a carrot cake the previous 3 days so this adequately satisfied the cravings.
After lunch the waterproofs were required again as the clouds from a front coming in from the south massed. The road by now was pan flat and dead straight into Christchurch. We got away with light rain for the rest of the ride with the heavy downpour saving itself for evening.
For the evening meal we went to a pub/restaurant operating an all you can eat buffet for 19NZ$ or about 8 pounds for all courses. I was fairly restrained, only 2 main courses and 3 desserts.
Mileage for the day was 64.3 with 807ft of climb and 2066ft of descent. Average speed was 13.2 with 4hrs 47mins of riding time.
Staveley to Coleridge, Sunday 13 February
1)Viewpoint on track above Lake Coleridge
2)Martin on the road up the valley of the River Rakaia
Today's ride was quite short at 35 miles so we had a leisurely start. Catherine and Adrian showed us round the farm including the friendly goat, tame baby Deer and the calves they were rearing.
We headed north on the Inland scenic Route 77 which runs on a generally flat route parallel to the foothills of the Southern Alps. To our left rose the peaks of Mount Somers and Mount Hutt and to our right the great flat expanse of the Canterbury Plains.
The day was bright and clear with temperatures rising to 22C.
At midday we descended to the gorge of the Rakaia River with great views from the bridge over the river. The river generally flows in braids
across a wide valley but at this point narrows between rock walls.
We took a shortcut up an unmade road to climb back up away from the river with views of the azure blue river spreading across a wide valley on the Canterbury plain. We had been unable to find any cafes on the route so we stopped at the top for snacks from our bags
We were now headed inland up the valley of the Rakaia River into the depths of the Southern Alps towards Lake Coleridge. For the 12 miles up the valley we had a strong headwind but this did not detract from the magnificent scenery.
Lake Coleridge village is a small village situated about 400ft below the level of the Lake. We left our luggage at Lake Coleridge Lodge and headed on up the lake. This is accessed by a 3 mile long gravel road
with hairpin bends. As we climbed higher the views opened up below us of the azure blue river Rakaia with mountains rising up from the far side
of the valley.
We eventually reached a viewpoint looking out over the clear blue expanse of Lake Coleridge with snow capped peaks falling to its sides in the far distance.
We rode 38.1 miles with 2112 ft of climbing.
Updated: Thursday, 17 February 2005 9:58 AM EADT
A Ride to Middle Earth, Saturday 12 February.
1) Martin on the track to Middle Earth
2) View of the valley of the Rangitata River
3) Lunchstop
4) Mount Sunday (Edoras)
Today was one of the highlights of the trip with a ride up a dead-end road into the remote reaches of the Southern Alps. The ride was up to the spectacular braided valley of the River Rangitata and an isolated rock called Mount Sunday. This was the site of filming of parts of the Lord of the Ring films and the Castle of Edoras capital of the realm of Rohan.
After yesterdays rain the day dawned bright and sunny. We were treated to a slap up breakfast at Awaiti Farm Stay and Catherine kindly made us a packed lunch to keep us going in the remote areas of the Alps.
From Staveley we headed down the road towards Arundel! At the small village of Mount Somers we turned west up the valley of the Ashburton River. The road gradually climbed with about a car every 5 minutes.
The first 20 miles of the route from Staveley was tarred as far as the village of Hakatere (a house and 2 barns) The road then turned gravel climbing up to Lake Clearwater. The scenery became more dramatic and remote with only dry and barren mountains around us.
Eventually we came to a ridge above the valley of the Potts River flowing as a tributary into the massive expanse of the braided spreadout Rangitata River surrounded by high mountains and with snow capped peaks at the head of the valley. This viewpoint had to be our lunchstop.
We headed on down on the track and across the Potts River on a bridge. The track headed on down alongside the Rangitata to the rocky outcrop of Mount Sunday. We stopped nearby for pictures and apart from the track we could imagine ourselves in the depths of Middle Earth.
We retraced our route on the track. By the time we got back to the tarmac at Hakatere we had ridden 29 miles on gravel tracks. On the 12 mile ride from Hakatere to Mount Somers village we were passed by only 2 cars.
We returned to Awaiti Farm Stay to a barbecue meal cooked by our host Adrian. We were entertained by stories by Catherine's brother and a neighbour who called in.
Distance for the day was 68.8 miles with 2342ft of climb at an average speed of 9.6 mph and a riding time of 7 hours 2 mins
Updated: Tuesday, 15 February 2005 8:08 PM EADT
Ashburton to Staveley, Friday 11 February
A meal at Awaiti Farm Stay. (Picture taken the following day)
Today the weather front which brought rain to Invercargill yesterday caught up with us and brought rain to Ashburton.
Our days ride was 25 miles so we were in no rush. I had a lot to do to bring the website up to date and that took care of the morning followed by a leisurely lunch while we waited for the rain to ease off.
Eventually the rain eased from heavy to light and we set off. The ride was not especially interesting, the road being dead flat and the scenery invisible. The rain became heavier as we approached our overnight stay at Awaiti Farm Stay. Staveley is a small rural community on the Inland Scenic Route at the base of the Southern Alps and just underneath Mount Somers.
Awaiti Farm Stay was the highlight of the day and the best accommodation I have stayed at during the trip. We were made welcome as if family members and treated to hot drinks and cakes in the lounge. Our wet gear was put in the tumble dryer and we had a substantial meal with our hosts Adrian and Catherine and 4 other guests from Denmark.
We were entertained by Adrians efforts to get across to the one Dane who had limited English the workings of the farm with a mixture of English and sign language.
Updated: Thursday, 17 February 2005 10:03 AM EADT


Current and historical return on assets (ROA) values for Macro Bank (BMA) over the last 10 years. Return on assets can be defined as an indicator of how profitable a company is relative to its total assets. Calculated by dividing a company's operating earnings by its total assets. Macro Bank ROA for the three months ending September 30, 2018 was 5.08%.


Freehold, blue-chip bank investment with vacant offices upstairs & development potential.
The property is arranged over three floors, comprising a ground floor banking hall with basement storage and part first floor staff and ancillary accommodation and a self-contained part first and second floor office with separate access from the front.
The property benefits from corner frontage on both the High Street and Bolton Road.
The City of Manchester, with a catchment population of 2.5 million, is the regional capital of the North-West.
Walkden is a busy suburb some 5 miles north-west of the city centre.
McDonalds, KFC, and Boots. Banks such as Halifax and Lloyds TSB are represented in the centre and are soon to be joined by Santander.
There may be potential to convert the offices into residential accommodation subject to obtaining the relevant planning consents.


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Entertainment & Arts selected
Michael Jackson estate calls Leaving Neverland's Emmy Award a 'farce'
https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-49725926
Image copyright Channel 4
Image caption In Leaving Neverland, Wade Robson (pictured) says he was abused by Jackson in the 1990s
Michael Jackson's estate has called the decision to give Leaving Neverland the Emmy Award for best documentary a "complete farce".
Leaving Neverland, which first aired in March, focuses on two men who claim the pop superstar abused them as children.
"For a film that is a complete fiction to be honoured in a non-fiction Emmy category is a complete farce," the estate said in a statement.
It said there was "not one shred of proof" to support the show's claims.
Leaving Neverland earned a total of five nominations ahead of the weekend's Creative Arts Emmys, and it went on to win outstanding documentary or non-fiction special.
Image caption Director Dan Reed said his film had "launched many important conversations"
The controversial film, directed by Dan Reed, includes interviews with Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who were aged seven and 10 when the singer befriended them and their families.
When the Emmy nominations were first announced, Reed said the recognition meant a great deal to all involved.
"Since Leaving Neverland aired in March, it has launched many important conversations about child sexual abuse and the grooming that accompanies it," he said. "This was why James Safechuck and Wade Robson and their families spoke out, and why we made the documentary.
"We're delighted that the Academy has honoured that purpose."
Jackson estate attacks 'lurid' documentary
Jermaine Jackson: 'Michael is innocent'
Channel 4 rejects Jackson doc complaint
But after the win, the Jackson estate said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter: "Not one shred of proof supports this completely one-sided, so-called documentary which was made in secrecy and for which not one person outside of the two subjects and their families were interviewed."
After Leaving Neverland's premiere in January at the Sundance Film Festival, Jackson's estate called the project "a tabloid character assassination" and insisted it "isn't a documentary".
Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.
French Michael Jackson fans sue Leaving Neverland accusers
Meet the fans who are standing up for Michael Jackson
Leaving Neverland: Is Michael Jackson's legacy ruined?
Michael Jackson 'abused us hundreds of times'
Michael Jackson accuser: 'Michael chose me'
Michael Jackson estate sues HBO for $100m over Leaving Neverland film

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The current price of StorjCoin in US dollars is $0.07 USD. To compare it's value every 1 SJCX coin is worth 0.00001206000000 in BTC.
During the last 24 hours StorjCoin's price has changed 0.00% (or $0.00000000 USD) it reached a low of $0.07, and high of, $0.07. A total of 0 SJCX coins worth a total of $0 USD was traded in the previous day at crypto exchanges like Kucoin, and Binance.
StorjCoin's market cap is made up of 51,173,144 SJCX coins valued at $3,382,700 USD. That means StorjCoin makes up 0.00% of the entire cryptocurrency market capitalization of $10,847,097.87B!
Due to cryptocurrencies trading 24/7, that value/exchange rate will change constantly. To keep updated on the price, market cap, and trading information on StorjCoin just bookmark the Live StorjCoin Price page.
To embed real-time StorjCoin widget into your website copy the following code.


ANKARA (Reuters) - Fenerbahce, runners-up in the Turkish league last season, have parted company with coach Vitor Pereira a week after getting eliminated from the Champions League preliminaries by Monaco, NTV and other broadcasters said.
The former Porto and Olympiakos coach was leaving Fenerbahce a year after taking charge. Fenerbahce lost the domestic championship and cup to arch rivals Besiktas and Galatasaray respectively last season.
The 48-year-old Portuguese tactician had led Olympiakos to a Super League and Greek Cup double, and had won the Primeira Liga twice during a two-year stint as coach of Porto.


Home ⁄ Archive by Category "Attorney"
If you have established your law firm for more than a decade, the chances are that you may be struggling to adapt to the current trend of business digitalization. For your information, such a shift happens in all sectors, ranging from medical services, law firms, architecture, to manufacture. In the legal business, law firm digitalization is the next evolution of lawyer TV advertising. It has become a more complex entity that will require some time before you can be adept in the field.
However, our team has compiled three most efficient digital marketing strategies for law firms. We guarantee that if you follow the tips here, there will be minimum obstacles for your firm to reach more clients.
We can skip the discussion on web design as long as your web engineer follows the conventional standards. Your page must be user-friendly, efficient to navigate, and must have an intuitive user interface. As for the content, you must hire a capable writer that has the experience of copywriting and content-writing in the law field.
What is more important than those two steps above is finding web hosting for your law firm. You have to entrust your firm's page to a server that can maintain stability. If your firm is specialized in insurance disputes, litigation, mitigation, divorce, and employment, you can expect high traffic to your web. And during such a surge, having your site go down will decrease your reliability among your potential clients.
People want your firm to be close to them. And in social media, you can create a digital persona that can be the embodiment of your firm. To achieve it, you have to employ a social media manager. His or her job will be to generate content that are appealing and relevant to the latest issues. It will be better if the contents posted on your firm's social media are integrated with the articles published on your firm's official website.
Second, the job of the manager is to respond to all of the messages and inquiries coming from the followers of your firm's social media account. These days, Instagram and Twitter are the two most popular social media platforms. If you open an account there, you must expect high engagement.
Third, your social media manager must know how to make your social media activities contribute positively to your firm's searchability on the Internet, otherwise also known as Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
No one wants to visit a dead website. If you do not maintain the engagement of your leads, you can expect a decreasing pattern of visitor's traffic to your site. And if this situation occurs for a long time, getting back the trust and enthusiasm of your leads will be tremendously difficult. What will be etched on their minds is that your site is unresponsive, inactive, and poorly updated.


Paying it Forward: RSG!'s Tai Babilonia - Ready, Set, Gold!
The cameras were rolling when world champion and two-time Olympic figure skater Tai Babilonia visited Patrick Henry MS last week as part of the Ready, Set, Gold! program.
To view the story that aired on KABC- TV Channel 7 click on the link below.


JFK Tutoring and Testing Center is an affordable and convenient tutoring centers in Florida.
Fashion Focus Hair Academy is top Beauty School in Sarasota, Florida and all of South West Florida.
In-home or in-center tutoring by trained and certified educators at a reasonable cost.
Alpha School of Massage provides Massage Therapy services in and around Jacksonville, FL.
Florida Metropolitan University is now Everest University. Please visit our new website.
Met Lively Barbering graduate, Greg Picinic. Greg now owns Livin In The Cut Barbershop. 850.391.
of Education as a nationally recognized accrediting agency. ACCSCT is a Commission that is recognized by the Federal Department of Education.


Every detail in the Global 6000 aircraft cabin has been carefully designed to bring the smoothest, experience expected from a business jet. This jet offers the best combination of speed, range, field performance and ride quality.
The advanced wing design provides with a smooth flight. The Global 6000 is also very quiet, thanks tosoundproofing materials.
The passengers can stay connected at all times, with the fastest available in-flight internet connectivity worldwide.


Check out the new instructional video on YouTube, "How to Tie The MiteyCray fly", links in the bio!
We've had a few people mention that they'd like to see more videos. So! Here's one about stretching 😃 . Here I'm doing an easy hip flexor stretch that will help relieve tightness and discomfort. If your job/daily activities require you to sit for extended periods of time, I highly recommend that you make this stretch a priority. It will pay off if you're diligent! 🙌 . Key notes and breakdown: . -Forward knee at 90° angle -Naval is drawn in towards your spine -Glute is engaged -Leaning slightly forward till stretch is felt -Hold for 30 seconds (allows enough time for brain to receive signals telling it to allow the muscles to relax - less than 30 seconds will be an injustice to the stretch!) . .
All of these charming little pieces, and many more, can be found in our upcoming book! It's called Crafting Cute: Polymer Clay the Kawaii Way and it features 50 quick and easy projects that anyone can do. It comes out on October 15th, but you can pre-order it now! Links in bio.


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Home All These Worlds are Yours
All These Worlds are Yours
The Scientific Search for Alien Life
Jon Willis
Science - general
Where would you look for alien life? An astronomer and science popularizer explains the basics of astrobiology to outline five plausible scenarios for finding extraterrestrials
Long before space travel was possible, the idea of life beyond Earth transfixed humans. In this fascinating book, astronomer Jon Willis explores the science of astrobiology and the possibility of locating other life in our own galaxy.
Describing the most recent discoveries by space exploration missions, including the Kepler space telescope, the Mars Curiosity rover, and the New Horizons probe, Willis asks readers to imagine—and choose among—five scenarios for finding life. He encourages us to wonder whether life might exist within Mars's subsoil ice. He reveals the vital possibilities on the water-ice moons Europa and Enceladus. He views Saturn's moon Titan through the lens of our own planet's ancient past. And, he even looks beyond our solar system, investigating the top candidates for a "second Earth" in a myriad of exoplanets and imagining the case of a radio signal arriving from deep space. Covering the most up-to-date research, this accessibly written book provides readers with the basic knowledge necessary to decide where they would look for alien life.
An active researcher in the fields of cosmology and the evolution of galaxies, Jon Willis is associate professor of astronomy at the University of Victoria in British Columbia, where he teaches a popular course on astrobiology.
John Gribbin Mary Gribbin
The Hidden Life of Trees
Peter Godfrey-Smith
The Infinite Monkey Cage - How to Build a Universe
Robin Ince Brian Cox
The Road to Reality
Roger Penrose


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| Marathon 21-inning win helps Penn complete first conference sweep since 2017
Marathon 21-inning win helps Penn complete first conference sweep since 2017
Baseball's first game against Dartmouth was the longest in Ivy League history
By Jackson Joffe 04/07/19 8:55pm
Junior right fielder Peter Matt set an NCAA record with 12 at-bats in the 21-inning marathon game Saturday.
Credit: Eliud Vargas
Penn baseball made history in a number of different ways this weekend.
After lighting up the scoreboard against Saint Joseph's earlier in the week, the Quakers tallied 49 runs in a three-game series sweep over Dartmouth. The Red and Blue took home their first conference series sweep since 2017 and have now won six of their past seven games by an average margin of 9.5 runs.
"We've been playing really hard as of late, and I think this sweep gives us something to show for it," coach John Yurkow said.
The wins move the Quakers (17-8, 6-3 Ivy) into second place in the Ivy League — just a half game behind Harvard — while also giving them momentum heading into their series with the other half of the League.
Penn baseball turns attention back to Ivy play after blowout win over St. Joe's
Extended three-day weekend series sees Penn baseball pick up two wins over Brown
Penn kicked off the weekend with a lengthy, record-setting marathon that saw the Quakers rack up 30 hits, the most in program history. They notched the first run of the game when freshman left fielder Craig Larsen doubled and sent junior second baseman Chris Adams home.
The Big Green, however, were resilient, and both teams traded punches until the eighth inning, when Penn took a 10-6 lead thanks to Larsen's two-out grand slam. Dartmouth wound up tying the game in the bottom of the eighth and forced extra innings.
"It's funny because the scoreboard [at Dartmouth] only goes up to 11 innings, so after a while, we lost track of what inning it was," Yurkow said.
Both teams scored three runs in the 13th before going seven innings without a run. Finally, in the 21st inning of play, Penn outscored Dartmouth, 8-2, thanks to some clutch hitting from junior right fielder Peter Matt, senior first baseman Sean Phelan, and Larsen.
"This was a crazy start to our weekend, and both teams scored a bunch of runs," Yurkow said. "We didn't really play good defense and walked a good amount of guys, but we hung in there and broke back with a big 21st inning."
The game marked a number of records for both sides. It was the longest game in Ivy League history and the 11th game in NCAA history to last for 20 or more innings. The teams' combined 206 plate appearances and 176 at-bats also marked NCAA records. Penn's 92 at-bats and Matt and Larsen's 12 at-bats each are the most in college baseball history.
"When you're in the game, you're just trying to score runs, but after the stats started coming in afterwards, the history we made started to sink in," Yurkow said. "Penn baseball is over 150 years old, and the fact that we were able to do the things we did and come out with a win is something I don't think I'll forget."
In addition, Larsen made use of his 12 opportunities by hitting for the cycle. In the 13th inning — after already hitting a double, triple, and home run — he dropped a bunt and reached base safely to complete the first Penn cycle in 19 years.
After competing with Penn for over six hours the previous day, Dartmouth had no answer for the Red and Blue on Sunday.
In the first matchup of the doubleheader, Penn slowly mounted a 3-1 lead through six innings, thanks in part to a home run by Larsen. In the top of the seventh, the Quakers exploded with five runs, and they tacked on five more in the ninth inning to cap off a 13-1 win. Junior pitcher Mitchell Holcomb pitched a complete game and limited Dartmouth to just three hits in 27 at-bats, while the Quakers stayed hot by recording 17 hits.
Just a few hours later, Penn completed the sweep in a 15-3 rout. Senior catcher Matt O'Neill and Matt each tallied three hits, three runs and two RBIs to get Penn out to a 15-0 lead. Dartmouth scored three times in the ninth, but it wasn't enough to overcome a 15-run deficit. Junior pitcher Christian Scafidi fanned seven batters and shut out Dartmouth over eight innings to pick up the win.
"When we travel, we can't take as many people, and after we had a 21-inning game on Saturday, we were worried about our pitching," Yurkow said. "But we had two great performances from Mitchell and Christian that were really big in netting us two wins."
The Red and Blue will look to carry their offensive efficiency into the second half of conference play. They will face Monmouth on Wednesday before traveling to Princeton next weekend to face the Tigers.


Methods for testing main and interaction effects in possibly high-dimensional parametric or nonparametric repeated measures in factorial designs. The observations of the subjects are assumed to be multivariate normal if using the parametric test. The nonparametric version tests with regard to nonparametric relative effects (based on pseudo-ranks). It is possible to use up to 2 whole- and 3 subplot factors.


ONE BOOK ONE CHICAGO has selected award-winning Maria Finitzo / Kartemquin's "In the Game" doc about a Latino girls' soccer team at Brighton Park high school for inclusion in the citywide program.
To mark the occasion, the Chicago Public Library is hosting a free, public screening and panel discussion with education leaders Monday, Oct. 5 at the Harold Washington Library.
Starting thereafter, "In the Game" will tour city library branches as part of One Book One Chicago through April 2015. The program's central theme is "Chicago, The City that Gives," and the book is Thomas Dyja's "The Third Coast.
Screenings will start Oct. 1 the Brighton Park branch, followed by McKinley Park, Altgeld, Vodak East Side, Portage Cragin and Archer Heights branches throughout October and November. See the schedule here.
CHICAGO-FILMED "ALTERED" a twisted thriller written and directed by Kely McClung ("Blood Ties") of Media Arts International Film Corporation in Gary, scored nine top nominations at the recent Action On Film International Film Festival.
The story is about a young female undercover cop who encounters characters in Chicago's sometimes terrifying underground club scene when she's thrust into the hunt for a brutal, seemingly supernatural serial killer.
POLITICAL DRAMA "DISCIPLES" from Onnie and Irami Osei–Frimpong of Another Chance Productions, about the peculiar place religious institutions play in American politics, screens Saturday, Sept. 19 at the Oak Park International Film Festival.
The pilot for a potential series is set in a Des Moines Protestant church and features its senior staff.
"There is a large segment of the population that will talk to their pastor, rabbi or Imam before they inform the police, their lawyer or doctor," says producer Irami Osei-Frimpong.
"Disciples" also tells stories with dramatic stakes similar to those in legal, medical and crime series, but ours is set in a church," he adds.
At the Oak Park Library, 834 Lake St., free and open to all.
ROM COM "STOCK OPTIONS," written and directed by Mark Harris of 1555 Filmworks, will have its world premiere at the International Black Film Festival in Nashville, Oct. 1-4.
The story is about a famous print model who takes home a down-on-his luck stockbroker in gratitude after he rescues her from a robbery attempt. Upon cleaning him up, sparks fly and she questions her current relationship.
Starring Atonique Smith ("Notorious"), Tasha Smith ("Empire"), Aaron D. Spears, ("Being Mary Jane") Amin Joseph ("Dope"); EPs, Brett Dismuke, Harris who directed; producers David Eubanks, Keith Neal, Eric Tomosunas and James Watson.


Your favorite lager never had it so good. Pint glasses are an essential part of any well-curated home kitchen, bar, or man cave - and ours are no exception. This set of 4 classically conical Pint Glasses is emblazoned with playful phrases sure to make any Steaklover smile. Fill them with whatever: soda, water, juice, or, of course, beer. There's no better way to complement your favorite steak. Dishwasher safe.
A festive blue crab adorns these pint glasses and makes them the perfect addition to your summer table! Set of 4 pint glasses.
This is a Fantasy Football Pint Glass Set of 4.
Give a toast to the whole world by raising this glass! This set of four (4) 16oz pint glasses is covered with toasts in multiple languages.
For sophisticated look, try these beautiful pint glasses with cast pewter rope edge medallions. They are sure to be a hit at your dining table! Set of 4 pint glasses.
Celebrate summer's freshest catch! These pint glasses are decorated with delightful cast pewter medallions of a crab caught in a net. Set of 4 pint glasses.


I've run long for the past few months, but I can't help but feel it's taken a toll on the speed I can comfortably run over a middle-distance race. Now, with a number of short races (5k, 7k and 10k) just round the corner, I need to boost my speed – and fast.
The first week after the Paris Marathon was full of unstructured, easy, recovery runs. It surprised me quite how much the race seemed to take out of my legs. In fact, the first long run a week after the race, I got through the first mile and wondered how exactly I was going to struggle through the remaining miles. Fortunately, it got easier from that point and I decided it was still time to take it easy.
Hill work. The Blenheim 7k takes in some not insubstantial hills, which are generally considered challenging at the best of times. So, my longer Sunday runs are including some hill repeats – not just including some hills, but running each hill around three times in quick succession to build strength and recovery.
Progression runs. I introduced these in the final weeks of the marathon training – they basically work on the principle of pushing for speed towards the end of the run, so you're used to running on tired legs – and they seemed to work well. However, I need to get the speed of these final miles up. If I'm to run my target 10k time this year (36 minutes), I'll need to run 5:45–6:00 miles towards the end of these runs.
So, while I don't have a formal training schedule drawn out (and perhaps I will do, once we're past the immediate races), I have a strategy for the balance of running I want to achieve. That's the plan, anyway.


My wife and I spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out what to name our prospective baby. This process started quite sometime before we even started trying for one.
In the beginning, we thought that we needed to include references to our family backgrounds. I'm part Irish and she's part Spanish. We mulled over family names and even religious beliefs. Naming a kid is a lot harder than it looks.
Things like "will he be teased at school because of his name" came up. Or, "every generation has included such and such middle name", so do we stick with tradition or break from it.
And the closer we came to the birth the more we revised our original picks for names. It was almost like we had to go through a process of figuring out what was important from our past, what would the name mean as a legacy, and who in our lives mattered most to us.
In the end, we realized that a name is not just a link to the past but also a link to the present. What mattered to us more turned out to be the present, especially those relationships with people we admire and trust. So, in the end, we wanted to immortalize those people as part of our child's name.
Our son's name includes the names of two of our closest friends because we believe that they are good role models for our son and we wish him to look up to them whenever he ponders how he got his name.
I would love to hear stories from readers about how they chose the names for their children. Please use the comments section below to share your story.


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NMI and Scheidt & Bachmann Expand Payments Choice for Parking Operators
NMI has successfully completed a payments integration project with Scheidt & Bachmann, one of Europe's foremost parking equipment manufacturers
"Scheidt & Bachmann is making great strides in the UK parking market, and we look forward to welcoming their customers to NMI and empowering the next era of payments for operators as consumer demands increasingly shift," said Warren Birchley, Director of Account Management at NMI.
SCHAUMBURG, ILL.
NMI, a leading full commerce enablement technology company, and Scheidt & Bachmann, a global mobility solution provider, have strengthened their partnership by integrating a new payment solution for parking pay stations across the UK.
With travel picking up, so have transactions associated with tolls, tickets and parking meters. This partnership will enable more seamless and dependable payment capabilities to parking station operators by giving them more choices of terminals and banks, easy integration and the ability to accept contactless payments, which are becoming increasingly preferred by consumers.
"Scheidt & Bachmann is making great strides in the UK parking market, and we look forward to welcoming their customers to NMI and empowering the next era of payments for operators as consumer demands increasingly shift," said Warren Birchley, Director of Account Management at NMI. "NMI's technology is making adding cashless payments to unattended terminals fast and simple, and we're excited to bring these capabilities to operators across the UK."
The integration, carried out by NMI's development team, brings NMI's leading payment gateway to Scheidt & Bachmann customers across the UK. With NMI maintaining bank certifications with all major UK acquirers for the Ingenico payment devices used by Scheidt & Bachmann, parking operators and city authorities will be given further choice and flexibility through this partnership and no longer be limited to a specific acquirer.
"We are delighted that NMI has completed this integration work and joins our roster of leading payment gateway partners," said Alan Grix, Managing Director at Scheidt & Bachmann. "This partnership allows us to give greater choice and flexibility in payments to our growing number of parking customers and deliver consistency and customer satisfaction in the constantly evolving world of payments."
To learn more about how NMI's technology is supporting unattended payments for partners such as Scheidt & Bachmann, visit https://www.nmi.com/ or connect with the NMI team at booth #P024 at the Parkex conference in Birmingham, UK from June 14-16.
About NMI
NMI is a leading global payment enablement platform, processing more than $195 billion in payments annually. We enable payments for over 3,300 partners and over 267,000 merchants around the world and across the entire commerce ecosystem: online, in-app, mobile, in-store, unattended and whatever's next. We're constantly innovating in order to power the next era of payments, building in the latest technology so ISVs, ISOs, banks and fintech innovators can focus on what they do best. NMI has offices in the US and UK and serves global customers.
About Scheidt & Bachmann
Scheidt & Bachmann is one of the world market leaders in innovative system solutions for mobile living. With our products, we support numerous transport systems and thus keep millions of people on the move worldwide. We encounter digital solutions from Scheidt & Bachmann almost every day: in the car park, at the petrol station, in local public transport or when travelling by train. Since its foundation in 1872, Scheidt & Bachmann has developed from a mechanical engineering company to a globally active system provider and today counts service management, hosting, software-as-a-service or database management to his core competencies. Today the Scheidt & Bachmann group still is a family business with more than 3,000 employees worldwide. Scheidt & Bachmann counts system development, system integration, service management, hosting and software-as-a-service to its core competencies.


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Sapromyza lineatus är en tvåvingeart som beskrevs av Samuel Wendell Williston  1896. Sapromyza lineatus ingår i släktet Sapromyza och familjen lövflugor. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

Lövflugor
lineatus

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Services in: Actions Against The Police
Use Of Taser Guns By The Police
Malicious Prosecution Compensation
Police Complaints Procedure
Public Inquests
If you or a loved one has suffered due to police misconduct, our expert lawyers could help you get the answers and the compensation you deserve.
Our dedicated team of solicitors have extensive experience bringing claims against almost every major police force in England and Wales. We could help you if you have been the victim of:
Wrongful arrest or false imprisonment
Police negligence
Excessive force or assault – including the use of Taser guns
We have an excellent track record in this area of law. Some examples of our past actions include:
Many high profile challenges to police policy and activities
Particular experience in representing protestors, such as animal welfare and environmental campaigners
Acting for the families of individuals who have died whilst in detention at a police station or prison – to establish the truth and if appropriate, obtain compensation
Bringing claims against the police for assault or excessive force
Acting for victims of rape or sexual assault in claims arising out of flawed investigations
If you believe you've been unfairly treated by the police, or by other detaining authorities, we have the expertise and experience to help bring your case to justice. Call us today on 0800 028 1943 – or fill out our online form and we'll call you back.
Excellent track record in police claims
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Actions Against The Police - More Information
Who Can Make A Claim?
Anyone who believes they have been subjected to police misconduct may be able to bring legal action against the police. You can also bring a claim on someone else's behalf if they are unable to – for example if they:
Are a child
Lack mental capacity to instruct solicitors
You can also bring a claim on behalf of a loved one who has died if an inquest finds that the police or other authority was responsible for their death. For more information on how we can represent you at inquest, please visit our Inquests page.
How Long Do I Have To Make A Claim?
There are strict time limits in place when bringing a claim, so we always recommend getting in touch with our experts sooner rather than later.
You have 6 years to make a claim for wrongful arrest or false imprisonment. However, you only have 3 years if you are making a personal injury claim.
If you are making a complaint against the police, you only have one year.
There are some exceptions that may apply, for example:
If you are claiming on behalf of a child
If you are bringing a claim on behalf of someone without the mental capacity to bring their own claim
If you are thinking about making a claim against the police or another authority, we urge you to get in touch with us as soon as possible so we can advise you on the best action.
What's The Process For Making A Claim?
First of all you'll speak to one of our friendly team on the phone. You can talk to us about your situation and we'll assess whether or not we can help you.
If we're able to take your claim forward, we'll get started right away. Our expert team will look into your case in detail, compiling evidence to make sure your case is as strong as possible. Where appropriate – for example in the case of personal injury – we'll obtain expert medical opinion to support your claim and show the impact on your life.
Bringing a claim against the police may involve first filing a police complaint. If this is the case, we'll be able to advise you through the process. You can find out more about how these complaints are dealt with on our Police Complaints Procedure page.
Once we have everything we need, we'll attempt to settle your claim. Most cases settle out of court and that is always our preferred option, but if this isn't possible, we will support you through the trial and help you with any court appearance.
What Is The IPCC?
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is an independent body set up to deal with complaints against the police. Anyone can make a complaint to the IPCC but they tend to only investigate the most serious claims - usually those involving severe injury or death.
Complaints not dealt with by the IPCC should be referred to the Professional Standards Department within the relevant police force so that the conduct of the police officer/s involved can be properly investigated. However, this is often not the case, and we often find examples of both the IPCC and the Professional Standards Department not properly applying the police complaints procedure.
This means although the correct structures are in place for people to file a complaint against the police, this doesn't guarantee every complaint the attention it deserves.
For this reason we advise having the experts on your side.
Read more about our expertise in handling the Police Complaints Procedure.
What funding is available?
When we first take on your case will discuss funding options with you. Legal aid is available to bring claims against the police, provided you meet the financial eligibility criteria. If you don't qualify for legal aid, we can offer conditional fee agreements (No Win No Fee*), fixed fee, or other funding arrangements depending on your circumstances.
We've helped clients to claim against almost every major police force in the country. Our specialist lawyers have the experience and expertise to make sure your case gets the attention it deserves.
We have a proven track record of success in high profile cases and frequently challenge police policy and activities. Fiona McGhie on our team worked with Cerebra to update their guidelines on the arrest and detention of disabled children. We also work closely with the charity INQUEST to push for more transparency around deaths in police custody and other state detention.
We are listed as a leading firm in the area of Actions Against the Police by the premier legal guides the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners. As well as our own specialist knowledge, as a full-service law firm we can draw on the expertise of colleagues from all areas of law where appropriate to ensure your case is dealt with as comprehensively as possible.
We promise to keep you informed throughout your case, avoiding legal jargon and explaining everything to you in plain English. However your case progresses, we'll do everything we can to protect your best interests and take the determined action required to achieve a positive resolution for you and your family.
I feel like I've taken on the world and beaten it, not just for me but for everyone else."
Mrs R, Client
Trial Collapses After Police Lose Evidence
Compensation Recovered After Human Rights Act breach
We helped a woman get compensation after police lost vital video evidence relating to her case, causing her trial to collapse.
Our client came to the police after leaving an abusive relationship. She gave a video statement as evidence, but when this was lost she had to do another one a few months later.
The Crown Prosecution Service decided that the case should not go to trial because of differences in the two statements and the woman lost her chance of justice.
"Losing this vital evidence was an inexcusable error. It amounted to a breach of our client's human rights as well as a breach of the state's duty to effectively investigate when a credible allegation of rape is made." - Fiona McGhie, Associate
"Nothing can change my situation but I hope that improvements are made to protect video evidence by police forces across the country. I wouldn't want any other victim or vulnerable witness to go through the same horrific ordeal as me." - Client
Read More Client Stories
Can I Make A Claim Against The Police?
If you have been the victim of police misconduct, you may be able to make a claim against the police. Our expert lawyers could help you if you have been:
Assaulted or harassed by a police officer
Detained unnecessarily or without explanation
Mistreated in custody
Arrested or prosecuted wrongfully
We can also help you bring a claim on behalf of a loved one who has died after contact with the police. Our dedicated team has particular experience bringing claims on behalf of the families of those who have died in custody or shortly after release. For more details please visit our Inquests page.
There are strict time limits in place for making a claim against the police. Some of these include:
6 years for false imprisonment or assault (from the date the detainment started or the assault happened)
However, this is reduced to only:
3 years if claiming for personal injury
If you are making a police complaint, you have only one year, unless you can show good reason why it was not possible to make the complaint within that time frame.
Whatever the circumstances of your case, it's best to speak to one of the team as soon as possible, so we can discuss your options with you.
Call today on 0800 028 1943 – or fill out our online form and we'll call you back.
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Can I Make A Complaint To The IPCC?
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is an independent body set up to deal with complaints about police conduct. Making a complaint can help you get an explanation about what happened and ensure the right action is taken against the police officer, or officers, concerned.
Making a complaint can also pave the way for bringing a compensation claim. An investigation can uncover important evidence that then forms the foundation of any legal action.
Our team has extensive experience of the police complaints system. We could help you:
Make a complaint to the IPCC
Make a complaint alongside a compensation claim
Appeal the outcome of a complaint
The IPCC deals with a huge volume of complaints and will usually only investigate the most serious ones, often those involving serious injury or death. Even if your case is considered, the complaints system is notoriously complex and can be very frustrating for those unused to navigating the process.
Moreover, we often find cases of the IPCC not properly applying the police complaints procedure, meaning it can be difficult to make sure your case is investigated if you don't have legal support.
Our specialist police lawyers have the expertise and experience to make sure you build the strongest case possible. Whether you'd like to make a police complaint, or if you've already made a complaint and are thinking about next steps, we can support you through the process.
Contact the team today on 0800 028 1943 or fill out our online form and we'll call you back. Alternatively, visit our page on Police Complaints to find out more.
Why Choose Irwin Mitchell?
We've brought cases against almost every major police force in the country and have the experience and expertise needed to get you the justice you deserve.
Our lawyers are genuinely passionate about pursuing justice and improving practice in the criminal justice system. We are actively involved in many charities working in this area and frequently provide advice on guidelines and procedure. Fiona McGhie worked with the neurological children's charity Cerebra to update their guide for parents regarding the arrest and detention of disabled children.
We also work closely with the charity INQUEST and have represented many families at inquest after their loved ones have died in police custody, or soon after. These cases that have provided landmark changes in the way vulnerable people are treated by the police and other authorities, such as social services.
Some of these include:
Investigating the circumstances of a young man's detention in police custody who died shortly after being released
Investigating the role of South Yorkshire police in the death of Steven Budziszewski, an alcohol-dependant man who died in custody after the police failed to call a doctor
Representing the family of Lloyd Butler who died in police custody – the inquest found his death could have been prevented if he had been taken to hospital as per police policy
We also successfully secured compensation for a woman whose rape trial collapsed when police lost her evidence.
Whatever the circumstances of your case, we're here to help. We are listed as a leading UK firm in this area of law by the expert legal guides Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500, and our team has the expertise you need to help you make a successful claim.
Call us today on 0800 028 1943 – or use our online enquiry form and we'll get back to you.
Related Information – Actions Against The Police
Business Crime – We can help if you or your company are the subject of an investigation	Read More
Criminal Injuries Compensation Authorities – Find out more about claiming from CICA	Read More
Malicious Prosecution – If you've been subject to malicious prosecution we could help you make a claim	Read More
Court of Protection – We can help you manage your loved one's affairs if they no longer have mental capacity	Read More
* To make a No Win No Fee claim, you need to enter a No Win No Fee agreement that's linked to a suitable insurance policy. We'll explain this in more detail before we start your claim.
We're always proud to be recognised for the work we do for our clients and have been named as a leading firm in the latest legal guides - which provide information and recommendations about lawyers and law firms in the UK.
Courteous and professional
The team is helpful, courteous and professional and provides clear and concise advice."
Legal 500, 2020
Highly effective and committed police lawyers."
We truly value and appreciate the feedback we receive from our clients, as we look to improve the services we offer on an ongoing basis.
Excellent support with complex…
We received excellent support and assistance from Polly Sweeney with our complex legal battle to obtain education provision for our child. From day one Polly was a complete professional, always very responsive...
Judicial review...
Professional, informative and good client support from day one.
Worked thoroughly on all points raised from first instructions.
Can not thank them enough for helping me to achieve an amazing outcome for my autistic son...
There when we needed them
They were there when we needed them for advice and action on a Care Issue and Respite provision for a young Adult. Polly Sweeney and her staff are very professional, very through and easy to talk to. We found an approachable, supportive…
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Stranger Things Season 2 is Coming …Sooner
The first promo information for the next season of the Netflix hit Stranger Things has hit online and one of the best things that fans can expect is that they will be getting their fix sooner than they thought.
Some doors can't be closed. #StrangerThings2 arrives on October 27. pic.twitter.com/NALL5HQalg
— Stranger Things (@Stranger_Things) July 11, 2017
According to the promo art released for the upcoming season the of the Netflix series, Stranger Things will air its second season on October 27, 2017. Initially, the first trailer for the second season that aired during the Super Bowl has the series 9 episode run to begin on Halloween. The new release date means that fans of the hit series will be able to start bingeing and speculating on the third season sooner than expected.
Netflix released an official synopsis of the second season;
"It's 1984 and the citizens of Hawkins, Indiana are still reeling from the horrors of the demagorgon and the secrets of Hawkins Lab. Will Byers has been rescued from the Upside Down but a bigger, sinister entity still threatens those who survived."
Are you looking forward to the second season of Stranger Things? Let me know your thoughts, theories and predictions in the comments below.
Follow me on Twitter @superpoweredfan.
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#WeDecide: Direct vs. Representative Democracy: Who Should Make the Decisions?
May 07, 2019 • by Orsolya Reich, LibertiesEU
While all of us should have a say in the collective decisions that deeply affect our lives, many of us would rather spend time with family instead of educating ourselves on VAT thresholds and shipping regulations.
As we have pointed out in the fourth part of this series, some believe that direct democracy is the only genuine form of democracy. When we give power to representatives to make decisions for us, we make a compromise – a compromise between our ideals and practical reality. We would want to make all those decisions that affect us, it is just that we do not have the necessary resources. Someone needs to bake our bread, repair our broken washing machines, build roads, heal broken bones and so on – if we all tried to make an informed decision on all issues that require a collective decision, we would all starve to death. Or, at the very least, our washing machines would never get repaired. Thus, in order to save time (and money – large-scale referenda are quite expensive to hold!) and have the opportunity to go about our business, we just delegate some of our decision-making power to representatives.
Some of those who share this view also believe that while it was probably a good idea in earlier times to pay a few thousand people to make collective decisions in our names, this is no longer the case. At this current point of technological development, information is easy to get, and holding referenda is much cheaper than before. In Europe almost everyone has easy access to the Internet, we just have to develop a secure enough online platforms and everyone could vote from home or through smartphones. Thus, it is time to get rid of the old compromise, take our power back and make those collective decisions directly.
But is that really the case? Is representative democracy just a sad but necessary compromise we need (or needed) to make in the name of efficiency? Is direct democracy the real form of democracy?
Remember, democracy is short for saying "the system that is worthy of our moral support". On the one hand, it seems that representative democracies work pretty well: they are reasonably efficient in solving problems, and since most people most of the time accept the decisions made by the representatives, they also tend to be quite stable. They not only work well but are also worthy of our moral support – they publicly treat all people as equals and everyone's interest matter. On the other hand, however, in the very same representative democracies trust in democratic institutions is getting eroded, turnout is declining and policy making is getting increasingly detached from ordinary people and their preferences. Some remedy is surely need to be found. But from the fact that the current problems of representative democracies need to be remedied it does not follow that we should get rid of representation. Representation is not a sad but necessary compromise.
While all of us should have a say in the collective decisions that deeply affect the background conditions of our lives, many of us prefer to spend our free time with our family instead of educating ourselves on all sorts of matters regarding optimal VAT thresholds for shipping regulations. Many of us would deeply regret having to spend even 10 minutes every evening with logging into the central referenda platform and clicking on the best-looking legislative options. Saying that those of us who do not want to do this are slackers and we do not deserve for our views be taken into account is not a particularly good argument. After all, spending your free time with family (or with almost anything else) over studying shipping regulations is a legitimate preference. It is a fully legitimate desire to want to pay other people to study shipping regulations and take into account your value system and interest when making a decision on how to regulate while you tend your beloveds' needs. If we got rid of representation, we would deny the legitimacy of this and similar fully legitimate desires.
In addition, a pure direct democracy itself would have a number of shortcomings, not lesser than the ones representative democracy suffers from. First, when it comes to referenda, the number of options you can put on a ballot is limited. There is no forum to look for policy decisions that are acceptable for all. Second, since citizens do not have a constituency, they are not accountable to take into account everyone's needs, and if we decided everything through referenda the chances of falling into a tyranny of majority would be very high.
But this does not mean that we should not have direct democracy at all. The problems of representative democracy are real. People should regain trust in democracy and they should see that there concerns are important to the decision makers. Direct and representative democracy should complement each other.
A pessimistic reader may say here that we are suggesting to mix two systems that we have just shown to be flawed. But this is not the case. You will not have good bread if you have flour or yeast only. But if you have both (and some other ingredients), you may.
Pure direct democracy and pure representative democracy will not make a good democracy. But if you mix them and add a bit of free media and a healthy civil society, chances are that you will have exactly what you need.
We are interested in your thoughts. Do you think that we should have more direct democracy in Europe? If so, what are the issues we should decide by referenda and why? Leave a comment under our Facebook post and discuss your thoughts with us and your fellow readers. And remember to come back next week to read the final part of the WeDecide series. It will be about the EU.
WeDecide
How did this story make you feel?
Liberties Publishes Briefings to Advise New Commission
December 02, 2019 • by Israel Butler, LibertiesEU
Liberties has prepared a series of one-page briefings for the new EU Commission to summarise important civil liberties issues: what the problems are, why they matter to the EU, and what we think the EU can do to solve them.
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The Best We've Got: Speechbag - Episode 1
November 13, 2019 • by LibertiesEU
Dogs are great, but they are not more important to our democratic way of life than, well, democracy. But the groups that help maintain our democracy are under attack — even in Germany. Dogs are not impressed, and neither are we.
Thank you for caring about rights and liberties in Europe.
Your support empowers us.
Leave us your e-mail address, and we'll keep you updated on our campaigns!
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