text:
Alabama offensive line emerging as dominant unit in any style of offense
By Aaron Suttles Nov 6, 2018 7
When the dust settled on Alabama's nearly 600-yard performance Saturday night, it's understandable that you didn't notice why or how it happened.
Tua Tagovailoa galloped, Najee Harris dragged defenders and sprinted through holes, Damien Harris picked up tough yards, Jerry Jeudy juked guys to the ground and Irv Smith Jr. showed he's one of the best tight ends in the country.
What you likely didn't see, though, was an utterly dominant Alabama offensive line performance in the Crimson Tide's 29-0 win at LSU. It was so good that the coaching staff named all five starting linemen to its list of players of the week.
It's easy to get lost in the sheer numbers that Tagovailoa puts up on a weekly basis. It's fun to watch Jeudy dancing through defensive backfields. It takes more effort and a little work to appreciate the guys who make it all possible. With some simple film study, you'll see that all of that happens...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


I have known a couple of friends who were glued at the hip. They had the lack of foresight to start a business together. One of them had invested money in the business, while the other spent a lot of time sitting and managing the company. One day the inevitable happened: the first thought that the second had been robbing him. The second felt stabbed in the back by this, and it ended with the two bosom enemies hiring an independent arbitrator to walk through the business, hands on hips. They paid $8,000 a month. In the early 1990-s, that was worth more than it is now. The arbitrator offered a quasi-good-Samaritan solution, which was to pay some compensation and part as friends. Because there was no money left to continue the war, they had to agree on an amount for compensation.
One of the most intellectual magazines published an article about friendship, which is a no-less-difficult relationship than hate or love. Let's discuss the thesis.
It's believed that good friends are good for your health. They can improve your immunity, reduce blood pressure, slow dementia among the elderly, and even reduce your chance of dying at any given time… not to mention improve your creative impulse, if we aren't talking about friends playing dominoes or going to the bar.
But it turns out that friendships can be difficult, terrible, nerve-racking, and even… toxic.
It turns out that not all friendships are mutual. Some people flatter themselves with the thought that they're friendly with someone, while that other person has a quite different opinion. This often happens with famous people, who have millions of "close friends". A celebrity, whom you are sure is aware of your friendship, does not remember you. Or believes you are a random and obsessive acquaintance.
All of these phenomena take place on Facebook, which generates not only the illusion of friendship and other hoaxes, but also real friendships and enemies.
Real friendship (which we will temporarily assume is mutual here) is usually different as far as its fatal flaws are concerned.
This happens because, according article's author, you aren't in a hurry to answer the phone when friend X calls, because friends – faithful, reliable, interesting – may carry unpleasant feelings, as well. The depressed give depression, the overweight cause us to gain weight, and those that drink and smoke ensure that we drink and smoke more.
In regard to depression, I can agree (myself an eternal example, as I can appear jovial but my heart is a nightmare), and about the other… I have a friend who while we're eating will suggest about every 7 minutes, "Let's go smoke!" However, she never suggested that everyone smoke. Non-smokers can go out on the balcony to inhale the faint smoke and fresh ozone and stretch all their limbs, making this quasi-smoke-break more enjoyable and rewarding.
As for the other, you actually drink more (how else are you supposed to respond to his puzzled, "Dude…?"), but is it as important when you consider that meeting up offline today isn't as frequent? It isn't an easy task to become an alcoholic when you're only drinking once every 2-3 months.
All this is fairly obvious. But very soon I will tell you about something that was new to me, and I suspect you will find it unexpected, as well. Some friendships are worse than having an enemy. How is that possible? I will make some eye-opening statements about it later on.
By the way, if you can see big floaters in your eyes, or you see flashes or three moons, be considered, that all of them are your enemies, and they are worse than toxic friends. Don't put off making an appointment with Benjamin Eye Institute.


text:
Q: Create a dataframe with two columns (hour and minute) using a datetime index Hi all I have a list with Datetime indexes in it, with time interval 15 minutes (see screenshot)
I would like to create a dataframe with 2 columns only, the first with 'hour' and the second with 'minute' using this Datetime index.
The result I would like to be like this:
hour   minute

08     00

08     15
08     30 etc.

Is it possible?
thanks a lot!

A: #sample data
L = [pd.Index([x]) for x in pd.date_range('2022-12-23 08:30', freq='15Min', periods=5)]
print (L)
[DatetimeIndex(['2022-12-23 08:30:00'], dtype='datetime64[ns]', freq=None),
 DatetimeIndex(['2022-12-23 08:45:00'], dtype='datetime64[ns]', freq=None),
 DatetimeIndex(['2022-12-23 09:00:00'], dtype='datetime64[ns]', freq=None),
 DatetimeIndex(['2022-12-23 09:15:00'], dtype='datetime64[ns]', freq=None),
 DatetimeIndex(['2022-12-23 09:30:00'], dtype='datetime64[ns]', freq=None)]

Use list comprehension for tuples for minutes and hours with flattening:
df = pd.DataFrame([(y.hour, y.minute) for x in L for y in x], columns=['hour','minute'])
print (df)
   hour  minute
0     8      30
1     8      45
2     9       0
3     9      15
4     9      30

Or:
idx = pd.Index([y for x in L for y in x])
print (idx)
DatetimeIndex(['2022-12-23 08:30:00', '2022-12-23 08:45:00',
               '2022-12-23 09:00:00', '2022-12-23 09:15:00',
               '2022-12-23 09:30:00'],
              dtype='datetime64[ns]', freq=None)

df = pd.DataFrame({'hour':idx.hour, 'minute':idx.minute})
print (df)
   hour  minute
0     8      30
1     8      45
2     9       0
3     9      15
4     9      30

If always one element index values is possible select first value by indexing:
df = pd.DataFrame([(x[0].hour, x[0].minute) for x in L], columns=['hour','minute'])
print (df)
   hour  minute
0     8      30
1     8      45
2     9       0
3     9      15
4     9      30

Or:
idx = pd.Index([x[0] for x in L])
print (idx)
DatetimeIndex(['2022-12-23 08:30:00', '2022-12-23 08:45:00',
               '2022-12-23 09:00:00', '2022-12-23 09:15:00',
               '2022-12-23 09:30:00'],
              dtype='datetime64[ns]', freq=None)

df = pd.DataFrame({'hour':idx.hour, 'minute':idx.minute})
print (df)
   hour  minute
0     8      30
1     8      45
2     9       0
3     9      15
4     9      30

A: If you have your column you can create them using:
df['hour'] = df['timestamp'].apply(lambda x: x.hour)
df['minute'] = df['timestamp'].apply(lambda x: x.minute)

Or without lambda:
df['hour'] = df['timestamp'].dt.hour
df['minute'] = df['timestamp'].dt.minute

For example:
import pandas as pd
import datetime
x = [datetime.datetime.now() + datetime.timedelta(seconds=i*900) for i in range(10)]
df = pd.DataFrame(x, columns=['timestamp'])
df['hour'] = df['timestamp'].apply(lambda x: x.hour)
df['minute'] = df['timestamp'].apply(lambda x: x.minute)

result:
                   timestamp  hour  minute
0 2023-01-11 12:08:31.045411    12       8
1 2023-01-11 12:23:31.045411    12      23
2 2023-01-11 12:38:31.045411    12      38
3 2023-01-11 12:53:31.045411    12      53
4 2023-01-11 13:08:31.045411    13       8
5 2023-01-11 13:23:31.045411    13      23
6 2023-01-11 13:38:31.045411    13      38
7 2023-01-11 13:53:31.045411    13      53
8 2023-01-11 14:08:31.045411    14       8
9 2023-01-11 14:23:31.045411    14      23

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


She had called me over in the afternoon to help organize the dining table arrangements. Back straight, head held high and determined, I walked swiftly towards Relena's office to continue what I dubbed my mission. To my dismay, the double doors were closed and her secretary stopped me.
"Ms. Relena's meeting with the chef is running a little late. She has given me a note to tell you that it will take only a few more minutes." Frustrated and weary, I nodded moving back to wait. Standing idly staring around the huge waiting room, a large, manila envelope caught my eye.
"May I take a look at this?" I asked the secretary, pointing to the envelope. Normally, I wouldn't go into other people's business, but when I saw the hospital's address, I became extremely curious.
"Um… I'm not sure if I have authorization to give these documents to you." She placed a nervous hand over the envelope.
"I am Relena Peacecraft's fiancé." I reasoned, eyebrows narrowing a bit. I tried to give her my best threatening glare, which didn't require much effort on my part and she wilted. She thought a bit, fidgeting fretfully under my attention before giving in and sliding the envelope closer to me.
"Just please don't get me in trouble." I grunted in response and snatched the papers quickly. My eyes scanned the pages contained in the envelope. They were test results on my child; reports on any abnormalities, diseases, even DNA scans.
I had to read one catching line over again before I putting the papers back in their rightful place.
My hands were shaking and I wasn't sure if they were trembling from anger, shock or something else, but I had to sit down and take a deep breathe for a moment.
Oh god… could this be? When I regained my composure, I walked off, back to my room. I think I have some re-planning to do.
There was a soft knock on my door before Relena opened it and stuck her head in.
"Anou.. Heero-chan. Are you going to come to dinner? The food is getting cold."
"Aa. Eat without me." I answered her curtly, still typing on my laptop.
"Oh, alright." She said it slowly and I didn't miss the disappointment in her voice. "I'll have someone bring in food for you then." She nervously cleared her throat before inviting herself to fully enter my room. "The secretary told me you came to my office earlier. Why did you leave? I thought we had a meeting to talk about the wedding plans."
"Iie. It doesn't matter anymore. Your food is getting cold. You should go now." Through the corner of my eye, I saw her tense slightly. My curt words had hurt her sensitive feelings but I didn't really care anymore. She didn't deserve my sympathy anymore.
"Hidoi…" her whisper fought against the sounds of my keyboard. "We're almost husband and wife, Heero. How can you say things so cruelly to me? Why do you keep treating me like this? Why do you hate me so much?" Then she asked me the big question. "What's wrong, Heero?"
I paused typing for a moment, almost not believing everything. Things like this just don't happen, except, perhaps on TV.
"What's wrong?" I repeated her question to myself. Nodding my head to indicate a stack of papers I had just found through the hospital's databases (I'm always grateful for my hacking skills). "That's what's wrong." Nervously, she came over to look at the information printed on the papers.
Licking her lips in an uneasy manner, she read it. "Do you know what it says?" I asked while her eyes scanned the information. She didn't reply and her face was turning into a ghastly pallor.
"It says… that you do not have my child."
She was noticeably trembling now, her shoulders shaking and hands gripping on the sheets of paper almost ripping them. "I read the DNA patterns. I read everything about that child of yours. Nothing matches with me." I explained. Doctor J had taught me many things about myself. At first I thought he was just wasting my time and brain cells, but I was eternally grateful to him now. After reading the reports from Relena's office, I did my own exploring through the hospital records. She seemed dazed, staring at the papers without really seeing it. I decided to make it more simply for her to understand.
"I'm not the father, Relena."
For a minute, she stood there stock-still and I wondered if she had even heard me. Then, suddenly, her small frame shook slightly as she began crying and she hugged the rumpled papers to her chest like she wanted to hide the truth. Her elegant head was bowed down so I couldn't see what was written on her face, but something occurred to me.
"You already knew this." It was a statement more than a question. I couldn't tell if she was nodding or if her head was just bobbing with her sobs. Urgently, I held her, grasping her arms tightly, ignoring her small cry of pain. "You know all of this already, don't you?" At first, she didn't answer, just kept on crying and I wanted to shake her and force the answer from her, but she was weak and with child.
"Yes…" she finally rasped, "I knew from the start." Her affirmation was shocking and when I let go of her in surprise, she collapsed onto her knees, still sobbing her soul out.
All this time… I couldn't believe it. All these months, I'd been played a fool. Her cries of sadness turned to pain and it brought me back to the present predicament. She was clutching her stomach as if the child was hurting her.
Even then, I had to help her up and lie on my bed. Before I could let go, she grabbed my sleeve and wouldn't let go. "I'm so sorry, Heero. I never meant for things to be like this." Her grip slacked when another pang of pain went through her body. I'm supposed to be emotionless, ever since J trained me, but I must have a weak spot inside somewhere because I couldn't just leave her like this.
"Sh…" I touched her swelling belly. The emotional stress was upsetting the child and it was taking things out on the helpless mother. I continued to sooth until her sobs slowed down to random sniffles and I finally demanded the truth. "Explain to me, from the start." I asked of her.
She stared at me, eyes wide and afraid, but she nodded, knowing she owed me at least an explanation. "Wufei used to be my body guard when you turned down the offer." She informed me, looking away when I frowned. What did Wufei have anything to do with and of this? "He was very nice, intelligent, and respected me. We became very close friends since he was always around me, close enough to just sit in my bedroom at night and talk of our secrets and things like that," a slight blush contrasted her wet cheeks. "My advisors didn't like it because they thought it might cause a scandal and decided to get me a new body guard and Wufei was transferred to your branch of the Preventers." She paused or a moment before adding, "You should know that Wufei was truly in love with Duo, since a long time ago during the war."
Thinking about Wufei loving Duo made me frown even more of course. I never knew about it until he began working at the office with Duo and I. All throughout the war, he never really showed much interest in Duo. Then again, I hadn't really shown my affections either.
She gave a heavy sigh and still avoided looking at me, playing with the hem of her gown. "We were both dejected since you and Duo were so involved with each other that neither Wufei nor I had a chance. He'd come over for dinners and we'd talk about everything, how both of our love lives seemed to pathetic." She seemed lost in thought staring at her pregnant belly before speaking up again. "One night, while we spoke about our miserable love lives, we just… took comfort in each other instead. For one night, we were desperate enough to let our love and desires be substituted because we were that hopeless…that desperate."
I replayed Relena's explanation before placing a cautious hand on her stomach. Like a mathematical equation, something clicked. It made me a bit sick to ask, but I just had to. "This is Wufei's child, isn't it?" It was a rhetorical question, but she gave a miserable look and nodded.
"Does he..." I was hesitant to ask since this was beginning to get out of hand and not my business. "…Does he know?" I was shocked when she shook her head.
"I don't want him to know." She replied softly. "He'd be so mortified. He's good friend and I didn't want this for him. You know his sense of justice and honor. He'd want to marry me. But I didn't want him for a husband and we'd both be miserable if we married each other." So you couldn't do this to Wufei, but you did this to me instead. I clenched my jaw tightly in fury. "And," Relena finished, "I didn't want to marry him. I didn't want to spend the rest of my life with someone I didn't love." So you forced this on me. How could you do this to me?! Put me into the very predicament you didn't want to be in. My teeth made a loud grinding sound against each other. Hearing it, she grew slightly fearful and reached for a pillow, hugging it like it could protect her.
"He doesn't know this is his child," she bit her lip looking very nervous. "But I was desperate and afraid, after all, what would the people think of this horrible scandal. So I came up with a plan to make this pregnancy an advantage. I didn't inform him that I was pregnant because it wasn't important in our plan. He would never have to know. I convinced him to help me with this idea since it would benefit the both of us. He would get Duo either way and I would get you. I was just perhaps two weeks pregnant when you and I…" She even flushed unable to say the words.
"It was easy to convince Wufei. Once I said the plan would give us both our loves, he readily agreed. He gave me the tools; the powder to drug your drink, food, everything." So that's why I was so knocked out that night! I swallowed a ferocious growl in the back of my throat. Everything made so much sense now!
"And then you told me it was my child, knowing fully well that it wasn't. But you knew that I'd believe you and come to you because I'd feel responsible." I continued the story for her as the picture became clearer with each passing second. "And while I left to be with you, Wufei stepped in to console Duo and have them fall in love. That was your plan?"
It seemed like quite a plan. I almost couldn't believe she'd come up with something this devious. It nearly worked if I hadn't been lucky enough to come across the envelope. She had almost gotten away with it, and no one would have ever known.
She nodded guiltily as I finished. "I only did this because I loved you." She whispered quietly. Not wanting to be near her, I stood up away from the bed to look out the window. "You don't understand how much I care for you, Heero! I loved you so much and it hurt so much to see you with someone else!" I know the feeling. I felt like a hot knife was gutting me when I saw Duo with Wufei.
Still, she had NO right to do this! I was angry and upset but I wasn't going to hurt her. I may have threatened her in the past, but everyone knows that I'd never hurt her because it'd be lowly of me. She was a woman and she was an idolized leader and one who kept our hard earned peace.
"What did Duo have that I couldn't give you? I love you as much, if not more than Duo did!" Never, I growled inside. If you loved me, you would have wanted me to be happy. "Wufei and I, we both loved someone so strongly that we were desperate enough to do this. Because Love makes everyone foolish and hopeless." Even though I wouldn't have done it if I were in her place, I understood what she was trying to say.
Wufei, I frowned. How could he have been so stupid to agree to this plan? I know we've had a rough past between the two of us, but I couldn't believe that he'd betrayed me in such a way! It was so unlike him, against his values and honor. But… was he that desperate for Duo's love? Was Relena desperate? I didn't even think she was capable of doing things like this. I didn't think Wufei could either, but people do ridiculous, regrettable, stupid things for love. I suppose it's understandable… kind of. I'm not saying that I forgive them; I just understand their justification.
I took a moment to stare at the moon lit ground before sighing and turning to face Relena's anxious face.
She nodded, not arguing nor protesting because she knew she was defeated. I didn't owe her anything. I had no obligations to her anymore. She was responsible for her own folly actions and I was no longer a crutch to help her stand with dignity.
"I'm very sorry, Heero. Please don't hate me. I only did this out of love." She apologized again in a quiet voice, unlike her usual, proud, noble tone. Her excuse was exceptionally lousy and so was her apology.
I suppose in time, that I will probably forgive her, but obviously, not now.
"You know I can't forgive you easily. I don't." I saw her wince at my genuine, harsh words. "But I hope things will work out for you later." Always a gentleman, ne?
And with that, I began to pack my things with Relena watching on sadly without a single protest.


© CEFA Richmond South, 2017. All Rights Reserved.
You may also call (604) 275 2332 for more information or for the arrangement of a private tour.
CEFA's South Richmond preschool opened its doors to the community and its families in March 2010.
Our Richmond preschool boasts a large, natural outdoor play space, a parent room, gross motor room, six large classrooms allowing for lots of natural light, and an art room fit for Picasso himself!
At CEFA Richmond South we offer a safe and caring environment with attention to individual child development to children from the ages of ten months to five years.
We pride ourselves on attention to detail, which includes excellent program standards, staff, and events, and most importantly on the close bonds we share with our families.
CEFA Richmond South is honoured to be awarded the "Best Education in Richmond" for three consecutive years! Thank you to the community for all of your support.


text:
- South Carolina (1)
Dark Family Saga Shines Light on Icelandic Culture
Maybe it's an heirloom from her Icelandic ancestors, maybe a coping mechanism handed down by her mother, or perhaps it's her own personality quirk - however it began, darkness and solitude seem to follow Freya like a plague. She spends her days shuffling along New York's dingy streets, moving from her sparse basement apartment to her job in a subtarranean darkroom. Occasionally, there's a boyfriend. More often, there's not. Although her family's mostly gone, she's not completely alone in the world - an invitation to attend her grandmother's 100th birthday, complete with an airline ticket, are a forceful reminder of that. The only problem with taking the trip is that it means facing the past. Something Freya tries not to do. Ever.
The Tricking of Freya, a debut novel by Christina Sunley, begins with Freya's journey back to the formative land of her youth. It's a physical trip, true, but mostly an emotional one as she revisits memories of her long-suffering mother, her doting grandma Sigga and, especially, her unpredictable aunt, Birdie. Journeying to visit them means literally stepping into the past, walking on land settled by Freya's Icelandic ancestors. Sigga's home in Winnipeg becomes the schoolhouse where Freya learns all her mother has not taught her - how to make ponnukokur, how to form difficult Icelandic words into coherent sentences, and how to recite her famous grandfather's poetry from memory. Each summer, Freya returns to this ethereal world so far removed from her usual existence that it seems to be made of magic. Guided by the passionate Birdie, who becomes Freya's bright, colorful tutor in all things traditionally Icelandic, she spends her months in Canada just trying to keep up with her vivacious aunt. It's only too late - far too late - that she recognizes Birdie's mania for what it really is. Freya realizes only belatedly that outing the secrets her family fights to keep hidden might be the only way to bring herself out of her own personal darkness.
I'm pretty big on family sagas, especially those with fun, multi-cultural characters a la Adriana Trigiani, Maeve Binchy, etc. I thought Sunley might provide an Icelandic equivalent. Not so much. The Tricking of Freya tells a denser, darker, more literary story. Some characters (Sigga, Stefan) imbue the Icelandic angle with warmth, but mostly it comes off as a cold, dark, isolating heritage. Complex and beautiful, to be sure - just in an icy, otherworldly sort of way. Although the novel's well-crafted, it struggles to be as readable as a Trigiani or Binchy book. I'm not saying it's not worth the attempt, only that it requires a fair amount of slogging.
What makes the book unique, of course, is the light Sunley shows on a culture that has been left unexplored in recent fiction. The author's obviously proud of her homeland and heritage, and that comes through strongly in the novel. While I enjoyed my glimpse at Iceland, Sunley doesn't convince me to stay for a closer look. I shied away from the frosty tone of the book, longing for more richness, more warmth, more satisfaction from the story. The Tricking of Freya is an impressive debut, just not what I expected and not really the kind of family saga I usually enjoy. I'm of hearty stock (English and Welsh), but maybe not quite enough for an extended stay in Iceland.
(Readalikes: Hmm ... I can't think of any. Can you?)
If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG-13 for language and sexual content
To the FTC, with love: I received this book from the generous folks at Picador. Thanks!
Labels:B Grade Books,Bipolar Disorder,Christina Sunley,Iceland,Literary Fiction,Mental Illness,PG 13-rated Books
Anonymous 07 April, 2010 09:08
Susan, you wrote a lovely review of this book. I read it so slowly. It did kind of bog down, but not really for me. Just as I would think it was going to, I would get to another passage that was beautiful. Definitely a book to take your time with. Fascinating country.
Shelley 07 April, 2010 16:04
I have had my eye on this one. Your review should help me go into it with appropriate expectations. I won't expect anything too warm and fuzzy!
Hannah Stoneham 08 April, 2010 08:07
Sounds like a jolly interesting book and a window onto a culture that has been neglected in western literature. i am feling frosty just reading your review!
Happy Thursday
vvb32 reads 27 April, 2010 10:26
i think i'm drawn to this because it is not the norm warm type of novel. i plan on adding it to my scandinavia challenge. thanks for the review.


text:
Home Archive March 2007
Eric Kraus
is the Managing Director of Anyatta Capital, the investment advisor to the Nikitsky Russia/ CIS Opportunities Fund. For over a decade he has been analysing investment opportunities in Russia. He writes a monthly newsletter Truth and Beauty (… and Russian Finance) available in pdf format at www.nikitskyfund.com.
You have been called many things over the years, but recently someone described you as a "Putin apologist"?
Hogwash! I am not an apologist for anyone. I am an outright and enthusiastic Putin fan. Russia has become home to me, and I am frankly grateful to President Putin for the transformation of Russian life under his watch. I believe that history will count him amongst those very few men who proved to be, quite literally, the saviours of their countries.
When Putin became Prime minister the jibe about Russia, 'Ivory Coast with nukes' was commonplace. How have things progressed?
Seven Years later and it is another country. Russia has found its voice on the global stage, and demands respect, if not love. After a dirty war, Chechnya has been pacified and no longer threatens to plunge Russia into civil war – I have nothing good to say about the Kadyrov faction now in place, except that who but one Chechen warlord faction could have beaten back the Islamists? The Russian economy is well on its way to doubling in size; at more than $300 bn, Russian reserves are the world's third largest after Japan and China. Incomes have increased dramatically, with an explosion of the middle class, and the percentage of the population living below the poverty threshold has decreased from about 35% in 1999 to 15% today. President Putin has made bringing this last 15% into the fold one of the major priorities for the end of his presidency.
Russia is widely criticised for its lack of democracy. Your view?
For Russians the word "Democracy" is associated with the worst excesses of the Yeltsin years. While there can be no debate that some form of democracy is optimal for rich countries, empirically none of the developing countries which have enjoyed the fastest, sustained growth in overall well-being – first Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia; now Vietnam, China and Russia - were particularly democratic, at least during the initial phases of their transformation. Russia is relatively democratic for a country at its level of economic development; perhaps, in a decade or so, it will be no less so than the European Union.
What about Russia's poor image abroad?
Russia's attempts to project a positive image abroad could be most charitably described as "pathetic". It would be helpful if the Russian administration could clarify its attitude towards the West. Either take the Chinese approach and inform the Western powers that their opinions are strictly their own problem, or alternately, make a concerted and especially a sustained effort at managing the spin, consistently and coherently. The middle ground is simply not tenable.
These opinions and remarks are taken from T&B of 12 February 2007.
Eric Kraus may be contacted at :
Kraus@runbox.com


Update 6/04/18: Jack has been adopted!
Photos above: Jack in training at the Green Dogs Unleashed 'Out and About' training class where the fosters bring the dogs to navigate in stores, around the general public and to learn new sign commands. Jack did great and his new foster mommy Shari is helping Jack to become the best deaf dog he can be.
Deaf rocker dog Jack waiting with the DDR transport vehicle to meet his new foster mom Shari.


The 4 day Inca Trail prices to Machu Picchu depends in large part on your style of travel. For most travelers this trip is difficult to do cheaply and as you have read the way you choose how to go to Machu Picchu greatly influences the cost of this trip.
From this moment the rest of the article shows the 4 day Inca trail prices classified by category, they contain a brief description of my style of travel and tips that will help you plan the trip.
If after seeing how much it costs to travel to Machu Picchu you feel that your travel style is similar then you will have a very clear idea of the total cost. On the other hand, your travel style may be different and you prefer to stay in cheaper hotels, travel just one day or eat at cheaper restaurants. This is completely valid, I remind you that this article is just to give you an idea of what it costs to travel to Machu Picchu in the end will depend entirely on you as you make the planning of your trip.
Note: The seasons go from January 1st to December 31st. Children must present a copy of the passport.
You can add 1 day if you wish to your 4-day trek, that is, make a 5-day excursion in total. This 5th day is free, although most of the walkers are dedicated to visit Machu Picchu for the second time. Adding an additional 5th day is free and can be added at the time of booking or later, at any time. For that day you can choose our prayers with payment or reserve them on your own.
Both in Cusco and in Machu Picchu you will find hotels for all tastes and budgets. In this occasion the expense that here contemplates 2 nights in Cusco and one night in Aguas Calientes. The price is for private rooms. If you're looking to save money you do not need to stay in Aguas Calientes, you can take the train early in the morning, get to Machu Picchu and return by train in the afternoon. It is a bit hasty and tired to do this but it will save you a hotel night. It should be noted that the town of Aguas Calientes is quite small and very touristy so the prices can be more expensive than you would find in Cusco. For 2 nights the cost is $ 103 Lodging.
Normally I like to eat in street stalls or small restaurants near the markets but this time it was not quite so, on my trip to Machu Picchu I ate mainly in established restaurants and even some of them quite tourist.
This does not mean they are bad but I was aware that I was paying a high price for food.
In Cusco you have more opportunity to find different restaurants with varied prices but in Aguas Calientes this does not happen. As I mentioned at the beginning, the town is quite touristy and most restaurants are expensive. I have to say that I never complained about the taste or quality of a meal, although they were somewhat expensive the food was delicious.
In this article I will not delve into the subject of Peruvian gastronomy, which is delicious, I only show you what I spent on food so you have an idea of how much it costs to travel to Machu Picchu.
As an additional tip for your trip to Machu Picchu, it is forbidden to enter the ruins with food, you are only allowed to enter with a bottle of water, so if you were planning to bring food to eat inside, it will not be possible. You can leave your backpack in some lockers at the entrance and eat there, which is what many do, or you can choose to eat at the restaurant that is there. So, your expenses for 2 days in Machu Picchu will be $ 135 for food and drink.
This is perhaps the most comfortable but not entirely cheap option to make your trip to Machu Picchu. If you want to reduce your transportation costs but still experience all the options you can make a combination of transportation. For example, you can take the Alternative Path to get to Aguas Calientes, but take the train back, so you can also enjoy the scenery. You can get to Machu Picchu on the bus from Aguas Calientes but walk down the stairs. In total, the price of transportation in Machu Picchu is $ 355.