text:
Elvin Jones: The Complete Blue Note Elvin Jones Sessions
Although Mosaic's methods for rediscovering neglected artists have always been informed, this package of diverse material seems to be especially constructive in giving us a better picture of one of the jazz world's most innovative and important artists of the 20th century. While Jones had made a few of his own recordings as a leader during his tenure with the John Coltrane Quartet (most notably Elvin! for Riverside and Illumination! for Impulse), it wasn't until he broke rank with the saxophonist and signed a deal with Blue Note that the fine points of his own musical sensibilities would come to light. That's exactly where this 8-CD set comes into play, containing as an added bonus several albums that are just now making their first appearance on compact disc.
The late 1960s were a heady period in American history and by the time that Elvin Jones would be cutting his first trio session for Blue Note in 1968, founder Alfred Lion had already departed the scene and changes in the art department and with recording technology would usher in a new Blue Note period wrought with its own share of woes and grandeur. That Jones was able to prosper during what would prove to be a period of decline for Blue Note not only testifies to his resilience as an artist but also as a committed and passionate human being.
Puttin' It Together and The Ultimate Elvin Jones
Reuniting with bassist Jimmy Garrison, a pal from the Trane days, and adding the underrated Joe Farrell to a modest trio line-up, Jones' first two sessions for Blue Note in April and September of 1968 certainly take a daring stand in light of the fact that no one seems to be playing it safe and there's no attempt to develop a radio-friendly hit such as "The Sidewinder." This is bare bones stuff without the aid of a chording instrument and the intent is on fierce swinging with a lot of the load falling on Farrell, who actually never fails to impress with his incendiary tenor work (surprisingly very different from Coltrane's too!). By contrast, Farrell's flute tonality is mellow and dark and his fluid soprano voice is singular in its originality.
The Prime Element and Poly-Currents
March and September sessions from 1969 dispense with the trio format (while bassist Jimmy Garrison is spelled by Wilbur Little) in favor of added horns, although the practice of having no chording instrument on hand continues. The former set was actually not issued at the time, first appearing as part of a double album set in 1976. In addition to Farrell's arsenal of woodwinds, trumpeter Lee Morgan, tenor man George Coleman, and percussionists Candido Camero and Miovelito Valles make the scene. It's interesting to note that the added percussion seemed to be a taste favored over the course of the next few years. Considering that Jones could be considered a one-man percussion section in his own right, his aural preferences at the time must have called for the dense and multi-layered textures that characterize the work of this period. Morgan and Coleman seem to be inspired by the quality material, which includes Chick Corea's "Inner Space," Joe Farrell's "Champagne Baby," and Jones' own "Raynay" and "Dido Afrique." Farrell's alto flute statement on Jobim's "Once I Loved" also turns out to be a real keeper.
One of Jones' finest, if less renowned, sets from the end of the decade, Poly-Currents finds Morgan's trumpet spelled by the baritone saxophone of Pepper Adams. There's a clever balance of bop and "new thing" tendencies that marks all of the original compositions, especially "Mr. Jones," a somewhat well known tribute composed by Elvin's wife Keiko. The open-ended tunes and lengthy improvisations allow each performer a chance to stretch out at length and Jones contributes more than his share of dazzling moments.
Coalition and Genesis
A change of direction brings about the next phase of development as documented on these two sessions from 1970 and 1971 respectively. Farrell sits it out on Coalition with Frank Foster and George Coleman packing a strong two-tenor punch on four originals, another number finding Foster utilizing the seldom heard alto clarinet. The divergent styles work well, with Foster's "boss" horn strutting alongside the Lestorian strains of Coleman. Proving to be a bit more varied, Genesis brings Farrell back on board along with adding youngsters Gene Perla on bass and Dave Liebman on tenor and soprano saxophones. With Farrell, Foster, and Liebman wielding an arsenal of horns, the charts make the most of the extended tonal possibilities. Especially memorable, Farrell's alto flute murmurs and coos throughout the lovely "P.P. Phoenix." On a purely technical note, both of these sessions prove to be problematic from a sonic prospective, with Gene Perla's bass on the latter especially irksome due to being far too up-front in the mix.
Merry-Go-Round and Mr. Jones
These spunky albums from 1971 and 1972 unfortunately came about during a problematic time for jazz, with Blue Note just entering a period of decline marked by a dearth of riches. While multiple horns on the front line and added percussion were the norm, this would be the first time during his Blue Note tenure that Jones would add keyboards and guitar. Jan Hammer and Chick Corea would be along for the ride, and while the performances are generally all under five or six minutes, each one develops into a complete and genial statement. The compact quality of each piece seems to bring out Jones' most focused support, making each note and each beat count. Sound quality has also evened out at this point, giving great clarity to the sounds brought forth from each of Elvin's four limbs.
Live at the Lighthouse
With the next personnel change, Elvin fostered a working group of developing youngsters who were eager to stretch the boundaries and inspired by the company they kept. With Dave Liebman, Steve Grossman, and Gene Perla, Elvin's new ensemble would make their Blue Note debut via the live sessions from the Lighthouse that took place during September of 1972. Recorded on the day of Elvin's 45th birthday, the dozen performances collected on the last two discs of this boxed set give us a discerning look into the verve and creative maturity that was the norm for this group. Many of the tracks go on at extended lengths, particularly a 28-minute take on "The Children's Merry-Go-Round March," a great forum for Jones' cunning displays of technical brilliance. Clearly, Coltrane looms large in the minds of Liebman and Grossman, and quite possibly Jones is inspired by this, although on a less radical scale than what was happening in the Coltrane group right before the drummer's departure. As a minor point, it should be noted that although all of the music captured that evening is included herein, Mosaic has opted to leave out stage announcements and an audience rendition of "Happy Birthday," both of which appeared on the original release.
At This Point in Time
Another discographical web to be untangled, Jones' final sessions for Blue Note, from July of 1973, wouldn't originally appear until the 1976 double record set that brought us The Prime Element made its debut. Then, a few years ago the three remaining cuts that didn't appear on the vinyl album would be collected on a reissue CD. Now we have all of that material collected here in one place and considering the time period in which these recordings were made, the results are quite intense and startling. Percussionist and writer Omar Clay was responsible for overseeing the production work on this collection of lengthy and complex arrangements. With a three-horn front line, the large ensemble also includes Jan Hammer's electronic keyboards and the guitar of Cornell Dupree. This may be some of the most dramatic material to be found in the entire set, a testament again to Jones' inability to compromise his ideals while faced with what was by then a company bent on the dilution of the highest jazz sensibilities.
Per Mosaic's usual standards, this set comes housed in a 12 x 12 box with a 16-page booklet that serves as a precious companion via Dave Liebman's session-by-session commentary. Photos include those shot by Francis Wolff at the actual sessions and a few later shots from Gene Perla's own personal collection. Limited to only 5000 copies worldwide, this set is available solely through Mosaic Records; 35 Melrose Place; Stamford, CT 06902; (203) 327-7111. Check their website at www.mosaicrecords.com for more information or to place an order.
Disc 1:Reza, Sweet Little Maia, Keiko's Birthday March, Village Greene, Jay-Ree, For Heaven's Sake, Gingerbread Boy, In The Truth, What Is This?, Ascendant
Disc 2:Yesterdays, Sometimes Joie, We'll Be Together Again, Inner Space, Once I Loved (O Amor Em Paz), Raynay, Champagne Baby, Dido Afrique
Disc 3:Agenda, Agappe Love, Mr. Jones, Yes, Whew, Shinjitu, Yesterdays
Disc 4:5/4 Thing, Ural Stradania, Simone, P. P. Phoenix, For All The Other Times, Slumber, Three Card Molly, Cecilia Is Love, Who's Afraid
Collective Elvin Jones- drums; Joe Farrell- tenor sax, soprano sax, alto sax, flute, piccolo, English Horn; George Coleman- tenor saxophone; Frank Foster- tenor sax, alto clarinet, alto flute; David Liebman- tenor & soprano sax, flute; Steve Grossman- tenor & soprano sax; Pepper Adams- baritone sax; Lee Morgan- trumpet; Thad Jones- Flugelhorn; Jan Hammer- piano & electric piano; Chick Corea- piano; Yoshiaki Masuo- guitar; Cornell Dupree- guitar; Jimmy Garrison, Wilbur Little, Gene Perla- bass; Candido Camero, Don Alias, Patato Valdes- conga; Albert Duffy, Warren Smith- tympani; Frank Ippolito, Richie 'Pablo' Landrum, Omar Clay, Miovelito Valles- percussion
Title: The Complete Blue Note Elvin Jones Sessions | Year Released: 2000 | Record Label: Mosaic Records
About Elvin Jones
Elvin Jones CD/LP/Track Review C. Andrew Hovan Mosaic Records United States The Complete Blue Note Elvin Jones Sessions


Do rising NPAs reflect an ailing banking sector?
Non-performing assets (NPAs) reflect performance of banks. A high level of NPAs loans is indicative of a large number of loan defaults that affects the profitability and net worth of banks. Growth in NPAs necessitates larger provisions, thus reducing the overall profits and shareholders value.
Rising NPAs is a big concern for the Indian banking sector. According to Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Assocham), the net non-performing loans have risen by an average 26 percent in the second quarter of current fiscal as compared to corresponding period previous year. The net NPAs of India's largest private lender, ICICI stood at Rs.4,553.94 crore as on March 31, 2009 as compared to Rs. 3490 crore on March 31, 2008, an increase of nearly 30 percent. The situation in public sector banks is similar. Amidst rising NPAs, the banking regulator, RBI has directed the public sector banks to increase the provisioning requirements to 70% to provide a cushion against loan losses.
• Relaxed lending standards: Inappropriate personality-morale profile assessment of the prospective and current customers is one of the reasons for rising defaults on loans.
• Aggressive selling of unsecured loans: The increase in bad loans can also be attributed to aggressive unsecured lending by banks. Rise in non-performing loans in case of ICICI was due to change in its retail loan portfolio mix towards non-collateralised loans. The net non-performing loans in the collateralised retail portfolio were 1.59% of net collateralised retail loans and net non-performing loans in the non-collateralised retail portfolio (including overdraft financing against automobiles) were about 10.08% of net non-collateralised retail loans.
• Legal Issues: There have been instances when banks have extended loans to doubtful debtors. Loopholes in the legal system and insufficient internal control mechanisms have intensified this problem.
• Market failure: Another reason for the rise in NPAs is said to be the global financial meltdown and its impact on India.
- Sales of ATM cards in white.
- email accounts hack, gmail, yahoomail, hotmail etc.
- Android and iPhone Hack etc.
- Most of it, they helped me with the money transfer Western Union and I accompanied and confirmed the money. I've made them my permanent hackers and you too can enjoy their services.
You can contact them at: jartoyiyi@yahoo.com OR jartoyiyi@gmail.com for any hacking service and also strive to spread the good news about how they have helped you to merit publicity.
Is the Base Rate system really transparent?


Spring Tea Tasting- Taste the new teas Our Tea Sommeliers have brought back from our Spring Tea Tour. Hear all the stories and see the pictures from the group while it is fresh.
Moon Festival Tasting- Join us for this traditional Chinese festival. Be part of our family in September for delicious Moon Cakes. These are special treat enjoyed this time of year, and enjoy our teas as you meet new and old friends.
Anniversary Tasting- Special Tea tastings, snacks and surprises that we put together just for you. We would not be here without you and want to share our appreciation. Celebrate with us on each December!
Toronto Tea Festival- Tao Tea Leaf is the Founder of Toronto's first Tea Festival. Taste new tea, see different cultural ceremonies, and visit different shops who love tea just like you. Everything tea the GTA has for your convenience. Grab your friends and we will see you there. For more information on the Festival visit the official website.
Please feel free to sign-up for our newsletter to receive more information and be informed of our next events at the bottom left hand corner of this page.


It's hard to believe it's been almost seven weeks since Mac Miller tragically died at age 26 from an alleged drug overdose.
But the rapper will be remembered forever by his fans and continues to live on in the hearts and memories of his family and friends.
His ex-girlfriend Ariana Grande recently remembered the good times she shared with the musician on social media, posting a touching, candid video of him getting ready to attend an Oscars party to her Instagram Story this week.
In the footage, Miller - who appears to be standing next to Grande's mother, Joan, and her grandmother, Nonna - gets his tuxedo jacket sleeve fixed, while standing in front of the TV watching an Elton John interview.
"I should've worn that for the night," the Dang! star says, referring to the legendary singer's burgundy coat, pink diamond-studded sunglasses, and colorful pendant.
Moments later, he turns towards his girlfriend and laughs as he realises she is recording him, before turning his head back to the TV.
Grande clearly decided to let the video speak for itself, choosing not to add a caption. She did, however, add a heart over her ex-lover's left arm.
On the night the video was taken, the former couple attended Madonna's private Oscars afterparty together.
The One Last Time songstress has posted several tributes to Miller since his sudden death on September 7. She first broke her silence the day after he passed away, posting a black-and-white image of him looking up at the camera, with no caption.
"I adored you from the day I met you when i was nineteen and I always will. I can't believe you aren't here anymore. I really can't wrap my head around it. We talked about this. so many times. I'm so mad, I'm so sad I don't know what to do. You were my dearest friend. for so long. above anything else. I'm so sorry I couldn't fix or take your pain away. I really wanted to. the kindest, sweetest soul with demons he never deserved. I hope you're okay now. Rest."
Her latest post comes a week after she split up with Pete Davidson. The pair allegedly called it a day after being together five months and becoming engaged after only a few weeks of dating.
An insider previously told People: "Ariana's been through a lot and emotionally things have been so up and down for her this year. "[The split has] been really hard for both of them. They're very unpredictable. It's over for now but in a few days it wouldn't be shocking to see them all over each other again."
In addition, another source allegedly spoke to Us Weekly about how Pete was feeling, saying: "He's sad. He's really sad about this split, and he only wishes the best for Ariana, but their relationship was really complicated with the passing of Mac Miller. It put a tremendous amount of strain on their relationship."
They continued: "Pete loved Ariana and wanted it to work, but they've both had such tragic events happen in their lives. And they are young... He's really broken up about it... He acts like he's doing OK, but his friends can tell he's beating himself up about the breakup."
Let's hope both Ariana and Pete can take some time out to heal.


Khan Academy announces the winners of LearnStorm, its first nationwide education challenge in India. LearnStorm was a free, six-week online learning challenge driven by teachers, for classes between Grade 3 and 12. LearnStorm helped students master core academic subjects and worked towards motivating classrooms and building student confidence.
LearnStorm saw a participation of over 1700 teachers and 20,000 students from 200 schools all over India.
The Grand Prize Winner of LearnStorm India 2018 is the R.N. Podar School, Mumbai. The school will be awarded the grand prize winner trophy and the students would receive winning certificates and exciting prizes. Khan Academy will also organise a special celebration for the students and teachers of R.N. Podar School.
10 schools were given the Keep Going! Keep Growing! Award for creating a motivating environment and embodying the spirit of teamwork, collaboration, and developing growth mindsets through LearnStorm. The winners of this award were a mix of schools as well as individual teachers. They win certificates for their students, the Keep Going! Keep Growing! Award trophy for the school, and special LearnStorm celebration packages.


text:
Couple arrested after threatening and torturing man for 72 hours
By Jessica Holly
MIAMI (WSVN) - Police said a man was taken, tied up and tortured for 72 hours by a couple in Miami.
"He was panicking. He was trying to get help," said a good Samaritan.
The good Samaritan recalled the moments when a man came running for help, his shirt covered in blood.
"He was very much traumatized," said the good Samaritan. "I didn't realize until afterwards that he was kidnapped."
The good Samaritan later learned that the man he helped had been through three days torture, according to police.
The crime took place in The Villages Apartment Homes on the 700 block of Northwest 69th Street.
According to the arrest report by Miami Police, a man was lured up to apartment 801 on Dec. 28, where he was held at gunpoint, chained and repeatedly threatened.
On Dec. 30, police said his captors, 56-year-old Occius Dorsainvil and 52-year-old Marie Dorsainvil, demanded the victim sign over his car in exchange for his release.
They went to where it was parked, a couple of blocks away, but before the deal was done, police said the pair forced the victim to drink a mixture of rum and bleach.
"I just saw two people by the vehicle," said the good Samaritan.
The good Samaritan didn't know what was going on, but was keeping an eye on the activity on his street, around 9 p.m.
"Somebody came out of the vehicle running towards me, and he looked like he was shot or stabbed, but it actually was just blood from the vomiting that occurred," said the good Samaritan.
The victim was taken to the hospital. Police arrested the Dorsainvils a week later.
They were charged with kidnapping, armed robbery and attempted murder. They remain in jail without bond.
Police need help in finding a man, they believe, may have important information about what happened.
If you have any information on this kidnapping, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


I asked the lady running the hotel breakfast room if it would be nuts to have rum for breakfast and she laughed and cheered me (with her own bit she was nippin on)! My kind of peeps. Life is too short to not have a damn drink when you exit the hell of the Belizian jungle. The pina colada I had the night we got out tore my stomach up. I was so used to just beans and rice and water. Good to know you can't just go back!
Anyhow - we roll out different people. At least I was. You begin to realize what you should (and shouldn't) leave home for. I used to be the gal who would tear out for a job with barely a minutes notice, but things are on the change...I missed Minka something terrible - but then met 2 dogs on the island we had to stop at on the way to Snake Island. They made my day with their funny dreads and their excited way they greeted every boat that roared by.
What a simple life the ranger led. Visitors come. Tell them about the islands. Day done. Holla.
The boat ride over to Snake Island was perfect - I made rum and cokes with fresh ginger and limes. Coconut rum, mind you. We swam with sharks. We saw loads of crazy colorful fish while snorkeling. We had a ball our last day. And, then it was over. Just like that.
Kylie went on to film this new show on Discovery Channel - Naked and Afraid. Her episode premieres July 28 so mega root for her (it's the season finale)! Dave the DP had just wrapped the new Robert Redford sailing movie he shot in Baja (ALL IS LOST - cannot wait til that comes out this summer)! And, we will wait and see what becomes of Mark and his footage of the shoot. Forgot to tell you - in all that freaking jungle...WE FOUND IT. It was an impossible discovery, but we did it.
Thing is - the jungle is a NIGHTMARE.
It's muggy (my hair never looked better); it's claustrophobic (like being buried alive); it's rife with danger (giant blades on almost every tree we'd scurry past); and it's giving up no tasty food like the ocean does (snake, anyone?). All that said, it's still pretty mesmerizing. All that green.
We'd be out shooting and I'd walk :30 seconds away from camp and feel like I was literally lost for good. No way back. No chance of picking someone out through the leaves of the trees. I think we were all ready to bolt by day 2. After hiking 7 miles in carrying these freakishly heavy backpacks and all our own food and gear, I'm stunned there wasn't a revolt. Like - WHERE THE F ARE THE PORTERS! None to be found, just a few guides wielding machetes, a park ranger and us alone with our sweat and thoughts. And beans and rice.
I had visions of campfires with delicious cauldrons of soups being simmered all day. Perhaps some late night moonshine. Not to happen. Once we got out of the truck and realized what was before us, we ditched all alcohol and non-essentials. Beans and rice it was.
Ky is a survival expert but even she wasn't prepped for the sheer and utter fatigue of it all. 5 river crossings, soft rocky ledges, everywhere you looked cloaked by millions of tons of green, ticks so tiny you were awash in 100 of them before you noticed even one of them.
The miz was intense. But, at least we laughed. We filmed. We saw the fabled peccary (wild jungle pigs) and got it on tape. But, still - we couldn't get out of there fast enough. Even the hot sauce couldn't make beans and rice edible for 3 meals a day. The peanut butter had long ran out. My bod craved a pina colada (anything cold really) something fierce. We were beyond dehydrated. And, you just wanted to crawl into your tent the minute sundown was on the horizon. Let the day end. Me and Ky laughed like animals til we fell asleep in shades of heat stroke.
What do you mean you don't want a cuba libre for breakfast?
What kind of film crew is this!
When my bud, Ky, first reached out, I was in my truck at my fave gas station in Manhattan Beach loading up with things to take across the border to Baja (on the run from the FLO remodel, I'm sure) - a border which I was departing for within moments. So, lets just say, I was already in an adventurous mood.
She wove a great tale: We're going to head down to tropical Belize, hack our way through a mega jungle (river baths, campfires, snake avoids) and attempt to locate a hidden stelae. Which is like the Rosetta Stone for the Mayans. We will film it all - she as co-host to Mark, an archeologist on the hunt for this treasure. Hmmm....sounds ripe enough for the likes of me. I was in. Tiny crew of 4, including the 2 hosts. Perfecto!
So - a month later - there we were - in all that messy green looking for a rock. I mean come on - it's 100,000 acres for the love! Next to impossible.
The Bladen Nature Reserve is a jungle that no tourist can enter - you have to be a legit entity looking for something important - with the skills (and permits) to back it up. Which we were amazingly enough.
But how we got to that green - well, that's another story. We had already been through lost car reservations, missing permits, our sweet guides family house burning down the night before we launched (Easter weekend, mind you), love affairs with Marie Sharp's hot sauce, no hot water or plumbing in hotels, restaurant deficits (and for me personally, about a jillion rum and cokes).
I've read about you. Dreamed about you. Plotted toward you.
And, then I got offered a free ticket to you.


Hajrul Yahud Bhasma cures kidney or urethral stones, urinary discomfort and burning sensation. Kidney stones are a result of unhealthy diet, sedentary lifestyle and improper cleansing of the body. Hajrul Yahud Bhasma is made from herbal combination which can dissolve the stones gradually. It gives you immediate relief from urinary discomfort. It is a highly potent medicine with no side effects. Hajrul Yahud Bhasma helps detoxify your system, reduces abdominal pain and burning sensation and removes kidney stones without surgery.


Poker to become an Olympic Sport?
PokerStars Vs Full Tilt Poker, Heads up for Rollz!
1 Million Dollars! A Heads Up Story.
The Poker Player's Dream, or should that read, Nightmare?
Want To One-On-One Skype With Antonius, Dwan?
Viktor Blom wins another Isildur Challenge!


text:
Young JonBenet Ramsey is murdered
Six-year-old JonBenet Ramsey is killed in her Boulder, Colorado, home. John and Patsy Ramsey, her parents, called police at 5:52 the following morning to report that their daughter was missing. Although police found a ransom note demanding $118,000, the money would never be necessary, because JonBenet's body was found under a blanket in the basement that afternoon. The crime soon became a national sensation.
JonBenet, who had been beaten and strangled, was found with tape over her mouth and her hands tied together with a cord. There were also some signs of sexual assault. However, Boulder detectives did a poor job of preserving the evidence and actually allowed John Ramsey to disrupt the crime scene by removing his daughter's body from the basement.
With no signs of an intruder, suspicion quickly fell on JonBenet's parents.The ransom note seemed suspicious to authorities. Not only did the strangely specific amount of the ransom–$118,000–match the exact amount of John Ramsey's bonus from his employer, the paper that the ransom note had been written onpaper found in the Ramsey home. The note also seemed to be unusually wordy.
For the curious public, the fact that John and Patsy Ramsey failed to cooperate with the investigation fueled speculation about their guilt. In addition, JonBenet's active participation in beauty pageants, which required her to wear heavy makeup and sophisticated clothing, was widely considered to be inappropriate.
The investigation into JonBenet's murder continued for more than two years. But in October 1999, the grand jury hearing evidence in the case was finally dismissed with no recommendation for filing charges. In 2006 former schoolteacher John Mark Karr was arrested after confessing to the murder; however, Karr's DNA did not match samples found on JonBenet's body and he was released.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/young-jonbenet-ramsey-is-murdered
Layne Hall is born; will become oldest licensed driver in United States
On this day in 1880, Layne Hall is born in Mississippi. Some records indicate that he was actually born in 1884; either way, when he died in November 1990, Hall was the oldest licensed driver in the United States. In 1916, Hall moved north to Silvercreek, New York, just west of ...read more
Bing Crosby introduces "White Christmas" to the world
"White Christmas," written by the formidable composer and lyricist Irving Berlin receives its world premiere on this day in 1941 on Bing Crosby's weekly NBC radio program, The Kraft Music Hall. It went on to become one of the most commercially successful singles of all time, and ...read more
Christ is born?
Although most Christians celebrate December 25 as the birthday of Jesus Christ, few in the first two Christian centuries claimed any knowledge of the exact day or year in which he was born. The oldest existing record of a Christmas celebration is found in a Roman almanac that ...read more
The Christmas Truce
Just after midnight on Christmas morning, the majority of German troops engaged in World War I cease firing their guns and artillery and commence to sing Christmas carols. At certain points along the eastern and western fronts, the soldiers of Russia, France, and Britain even ...read more
Katie Hnida is first woman to play in Division I football game
On this day in 2002, the University of New Mexico junior place-kicker Katie Hnida attempts to kick an extra point in a game against UCLA in the Las Vegas Bowl. Though her kick was blocked by UCLA, Hnida became the first woman to play in a Division I football game. Hnida was the ...read more
John Wesley Hardin kills over a card game
Angered over a card game dispute, 16-year-old John Wesley Hardin reveals a singular lack of Christmas spirit by shooting James Bradley dead in the street. Although less famous than Billy the Kid, Jesse James, or Wyatt Earp, John Wesley Hardin is believed to hold the gunslinger's ...read more
To Kill a Mockingbird debuts
On this day in 1962, To Kill a Mockingbird, a film based on the 1960 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name by Harper Lee, opens in theaters. The Great Depression-era story of racial injustice and the loss of childhood innocence is told from the perspective of a young ...read more
Gorbachev resigns as president of the USSR
Mikhail Gorbachev announces that he is resigning as president of the Soviet Union. In truth, there was not much of a Soviet Union from which to resign—just four days earlier, 11 of the former Soviet republics had established the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), ...read more
Washington crosses the Delaware
During the American Revolution, Patriot General George Washington crosses the Delaware River with 5,400 troops, hoping to surprise a Hessian force celebrating Christmas at their winter quarters in Trenton, New Jersey. The unconventional attack came after several months of ...read more


I love new things, new colors, warmer weather and no more snow! Due to my love of the changing season I also love to make warm weather dresses. Thank goodness we're celebrating Spring with this tour and SALE!
We're highlighting two lovely dress patterns in our repertoire. Don't forget to enter the GIVEAWAY at the end of this post sponsored by 5oo4 and Sly Fox Fabrics! You won't regret it!
Also, because we love you we've got some awesome FREE spring cut files new on the site. Get 'em HERE!
I don't always love to wear dresses, but when I do…I wear the Virginia. It can be both sporty and beautiful depending on my mood. I can pair it with sneakers, heels, or flip-flops.
The Women's Virginia Tank & Maxi is a PDF sewing pattern, not a finished product. This pattern can be made as a dress or as separates.
excellent recovery! In addition, the skirt may be made with woven fabric.
Measurements are based on 55-60" knit fabric width and in yards.
Fortunately Sly Fox Fabric has you covered!
This dress pattern is a real addiction! My girls love it so so much.
Some of them like to dress up and some of them don't. I love the GIrls' Virginia Tank & Maxi because the options help me please more of my girls! My six-year-olds love to pick out their own fabric and demand that I make them something. One will want a maxi dress and the other will want a knee length skirt with a separate tank!
Those are your highlighted patterns for today!
Sly Fox Fabrics and 5 out of 4 Patterns have come together to giveaway one awesome prize this week.
Simply use the Rafflecopter widget below.
It's that simple! One winner will be chosen Monday April 15!
I can't thank you enough for this opportunity and I really hope I did it right due to battling the flu thanks to hubby and my world is upside down right now.


text:
Search Party: Why the TBS Hit Is the Crime Series Millennials (for Better or Worse) Need
**Spoilers Ahead**
Search Party has the dubious distinction of being a series that's true colors don't show right away. In fact, it really isn't until the second season that the series shows its true ethos, primarily because it performs the impossible feat of turning the debut season's idea on its head while still retaining its identity. What's more, the show actually lacerates the culture it depicts, offering us characters that become increasingly more deplorable—and even criminal in their actions—yet also avoiding the pitfall of being cynical by being all-too nuanced and self-aware in its presentation and commentary. Not too shabby for a show that's concept would seem out of place for the YA section at your local library.
From afar, one might mistake Search Party's idea of having something of a gimmick to it, especially if judging the first season alone. (If you don't want the ending of the first season to be ruined, then don't read a single thing about the second!) Following a group of 20-something New Yorkers who bring it upon themselves to find a missing classmate would seem like a clear attempt at modernizing the Nancy Drew mystery series for the smartphone age. The advertising suggests this as well, with the bright colors, character renderings that are cheekily modeled off of traditional teen-mystery novels, and the throwback titles (promos for the first season referred to it as "The Curious Case of the Lost Soul"). Still, it doesn't take too long to delve into Search Party and realize that the programmatic formatting is just a hook and that there is something far more intelligent going on.
Created by Michael Showalter, Sarah-Violet Bliss, and Charles Roger, the series definitely comes with a pedigree. While Showalter has been an active and recognizable voice in American comedy for over two decades now (he was a professor of Bliss and Roger's at NYU), the other two seem to have added more to the show's vision. One would only have to look at a previous project of theirs to ascertain this: the 2014 film Fort Tilden (which Bliss and Roger share writing and directing credits on).
Fort Tilden was a hilarious hipster sendup about a duo of over-privileged, post-collegiate white girls and their comedy-of-errors-sparked day trip to ascertain drugs and sex, which proved to be a critical success. Also, seeing that Fort Tilden practically felt like an episode of Broad City dipped in strychnine, perhaps it was inevitable that their brand of hipster lamentation would make its way to the small screen. Thankfully, this also gave them the means to construct a more complex narrative.
As stated before, Search Party is a show that is nothing if not deceptive. While, at first, the show's aesthetic and values might seem to be aligned with the demographic of its characters (i.e., 23-30-year-old trust-fund New York City transplants)—what with its contemporary look, coffee-shop dialogues, and theme song supplied by electronic pop duo Purity Ring—Bliss and Roger also make jabs at how superficial they feel these characters are. In the first episode alone, when protagonist Dory (Alia Shawkat) alerts her boyfriend Drew (John Reynolds) and friends Elliot (John Early) and Portia (Meredith Hagner) that she's become aware that an old college-mate of theirs has gone missing, the response she receives from the rest of the crew is less than enthusiastic. Turns out her compatriots barely remember her, and they hardly share any concern about her safety. Still, Dory is determined to find Chantal and becomes preoccupied with finding clues that lead to her whereabouts.
This might make one think that Dory would be the altruistic voice-of-reason for the gang, but once again, Search Party avoids such a predictable trajectory. Dory gets so caught up with trying to find Chantal that she lets her imagination get the best of her. Once she teams up with Private Detective Keith Powell, she finds their partnership exciting and begins an affair with him. But then, she discovers that Chantal's parents did not hire him to locate their daughter.
In the finale of Season 1, Dory deduces that Chantal has become involved with a dangerous cult of which Keith works as an agent. So she goes to Montreal where Chantal has been hiding out. She and Drew confront Keith here, and the two end up killing him as they feel he was a threat. It's an unexpectedly dark turn for the series to take—especially as it has the framework of a half-hour sitcom—but it comes to an even more shocking revelation.
Upon finally meeting with Chantal, we discover that the primary reason for why she dropped off the grid was a bad break-up; she was not involved with a cult nor in any grave danger. Sentence by sentence, Chantal's breakdown makes it clear that Dory's rousing detective case was heavily built on fantasy. And as for Keith…
Yeah, she just fucking murdered him.
It's a conclusion that I doubt anyone could have seen coming, and Search Party jumps into its second season using this twist to really shake-up its framework. Dory, Drew, Elliot, and Portia decide to hide Keith's body rather than contact the authorities before they make their way back to New York. The rest of the season involves the crew trying to stay one step ahead of the police and cover their tracks. So yes, in a way, the second season is an inverse of the first—with the gang being suspects rather than sleuths—but it still retains the pace and energy of its forbear.
What does become clearer is how amoral the four protagonists go about their lives, perhaps in light of just getting away with murder. Elliot, the token homosexual, had been written as an egotistical flamboyant who was often full of shit in his life stories (namely, lying about almost dying from cancer at a young age). But we see him even more prudish in the second season, especially as he's received a book deal to write a memoir on his dishonest life.
Drew, having broken up with Dory in light of discovering that she cheated on him, finds himself more frustrated at work than ever—especially as he's not likely to be getting a Shanghai venture that he's been pining for, which leads him to commit some pretty horrible things with a co-worker. Even Portia, the bubbly blonde whose the closest thing the show has to an "endearing" character, finds herself breaking her rules when she confronts her mother and decries to disown her (a character we had seen give her tough love the previous season).
Of course, the most skillfully depicted transformation in the second season is that of Dory's. While visibly on edge knowing that her actions caused Keith to die, the character is on one hand sympathetic. She's tortured for sure, and she even admits the murder to at least one outsider (who doesn't believe her). The filmmakers give us a nice dream sequence in the penultimate episode where we really get to see how visceral her guilt becomes. Still, she doesn't really do anything redeemable in light of this—last season she was fixated on helping someone; here, she's only concerned with herself. She is confronted by an ex-wife of Keith's—and eventually the police—and she lies to them consistently about her knowledge regarding his disappearance/death.
At the end of the season, the gang discovers that a neighbor of Drew's, Abby, has found out the truth about Keith when she heard them discussing it through the apartment's paper-thin walls. Abby blackmails the group, threatening to give a tape-recorded admission from them to the police unless they give her $60 thousand.
Struggling to find the funds, Dory confronts Abby upon the Staten Island Ferry with a phone that holds evidence of a sexual-harassment scandal that a politician Abby's been working for is behind. Abby takes it but berates Dory for once again putting someone else's wellbeing before her own, calling her and her friends superficial and horrible people. Here, Dory's frustrations and guilt seem to compound, and she pushes Dory overboard, assumedly killing her.
It wouldn't be a stretch to call Search Party a direct descendent of Breaking Bad. Just as we saw Walter White change from a milquetoast family man to an irredeemable monster, Search Party has given us not one but four characters that seem to be going in a similarly damning directions. Also, like Breaking Bad, there's plenty of hints in Search Party that the characters always had the propensity to commit heinous acts; it just takes the right amount of anger and spontaneity for them to really act on them.
The season closes with Dory getting arrested, so it's anyone's guess as to where next season will go (is it too much to think that she'll share a cell with Piper Chapman?). But one thing is for certain: Search Party's evisceration of millennial banality is only getting started.
See also: Riverdale: How Setting Saved the Story and Stole the Show
Peter Foy is an avid reader and movie buff, constantly in need to engage his already massive pop-culture lexicon.
Discount: First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones
Book-Inspired Cocktails: "Gamblin' Jack"
A Quick-Start Guide: How Do I Know If Tiger King Is For Me?
By Steve Erickson
Is Tiger King for me? I'm glad you asked! Watching Netflix's Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness is a decision everyone must make for him/herself. There is no hard scientific data to determine when you're ready to let Tiger King happen to you, so that's why I put this quick-start guide together. My hope is…
You Review, Season 2
By Doreen Sheridan
I remember when I was younger and firmly convinced that any media adaptation of a novel must always be inferior to its source material. In recent years, I've been gladly disabused of this notion and nowhere more intriguingly so than with the second season of You on Netflix, based loosely on Caroline Kepnes' sophomore novel,…
Why Prodigal Son is a Must-Watch Show
By Allison Brennan
A year ago, I saw the trailer for Prodigal Son, a new series on FOX, and loved the premise: the son of a serial killer becomes a profiler while battling his own demons and missing memories. It was one of those ideas I wish I'd thought of. But as we all know, great ideas can…
Let's be very clear here: Joe Goldberg is a bad guy. It doesn't matter that he's really good-looking, as played by Penn Badgley in what one could say is the natural evolution of his career from playing part-time creeper Dan Humphrey on Gossip Girl, another show adapted from a popular book series. Full disclosure: I…


text:
A Trail of Feathers
by Tracey Damron
A true story about one woman's journey of love, death, murder, political power, deception, the supernatural, and consciousness. Tracey Damron was born into a life of privilege, a life that seemed destined to continue on its path when she married Steve Nunn, the son of a former governor of Kentucky. What follows, however is something quite a bit different than what she expected. Thrust into a world of love, death, murder, political power, and deception, she watches as five men she loves die. In the end, the only way to survive- and thrive- is to turn inward and gather strength from within. A mesmerizing tale that is as uplifting as it is unsettling, this autobiographical journey from shell- shocked socialite to spiritually enlightened shaman is almost too incredible to believe- yet it is entirely true. Guided by the recurring appearance of real- life feathers, she is able to see a different path for herself-and is strong enough to follow it. Damron's fearlessness in opening up the details of her past and the contents of the diary she kept is an extraordinary look behind the scenes of a very public family. Exposing the core of the American Dream gone septic as it demonstrates how to transcend circumstances to attain a greater, more loving spiritual abundance, her profoundly moving story will open your heart to the orders of your life's possibilities. Tracey L. Damron was married to Kentucky politians Supreme Court Justice Will T. Scott and convicted murder ex-state representative Steve Nunn, the son of Kentucky legend and former governor Louie B. Nunn. Through these experiences of death, Tracey has come to realize that it doesn't take a near-death experience to see the Light. Death has served her as a teacher, opening Tracey to the Light during her life journey.
Publisher CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (Jul. 24th, 2013) Edition Unknown
Categories Shamanism
Limited Preview for 'A Trail of Feathers' provided by Archive.org
A preview for 'A Trail of Feathers' is unavailable.


text:
NCC Hosts 80th Edition of Telecom Consumer Parliament in Abuja
The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, earlier today hosted a broad spectrum of telecom consumers, operators and an array of other stakeholders for the 80th Edition of the Telecom Consumer Parliament (TCP) at the Shehu Musa Yar'Adua Centre, Abuja.
Prof. Umar Danbatta, NCC's Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, represented by Mr. Sunday Dare, Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, NCC, recalled the basis for the institutionalization of the TCP of NCC's consumer-centric stance, which the declaration of 2017 as Year of the Nigerian Telecom Consumer has come to underscore.
Danbatta Receives CEO of the Year 2016 Award from TELL Magazine
The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Professor Umar Danbatta, last night received the CEO OF THE YEAR 2016 Award at the maiden edition of TELL Awards for Excellence. The Award was presented at an impressive dinner organised by TELL Magazine in honour of the recipients at the Civic Centre, Lagos.
Danbatta who dedicated the Award to the staff of the Nigerian Communications Commission said the Award will spur him and the staff of the Commission to work even more towards the fulfilment of the Commission's mandate of ensuring the delivery of world-class telecommunications services to the people of Nigeria.
Ojobo: Data is a Central Resource to Building Digital Economy
Tony Ojobo, Director Public Affairs at the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has said the significance of data availability through robust broadband is a key resource to the building of a digital economy.
Ojobo declared in a keynote address he delivered extemporaneously at a critical segment of the just concluded DIGITAL PayEXPO in Lagos tagged DATA FIESTA.
Danbatta Advocates Responsible and Ethical Use of Social Media
The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, has called on all Nigerians "to take advantage of the social media platforms to exchange information and participate in the political, social and economic processes of our country in ways that promote peace and enable us to build a more united and prosperous nation".
Danbatta stated this today in Lagos through Tony Ojobo, NCC's Director of Public Affairs, who represented him at the maiden edition of CKN News Annual Public Lecture titled: The Role of the Social Media in the Socio-Economic and Political Development of Nigeria.
NCC at ICT and Finance Conference
The Executive Vice Chairman of Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Professor Umar Garba Danbatta, says ICTs and telecommunications have been great enablers of financial transactions and the connections between ICTs and financing with relation to tourism and the culture industry is amazing and can be seen in many ways.
Joda, Ex-Chairman of NCC Board of Commissioners Wins The ZIK PRIZE 2016
NCC At The Digital Africa Conference and Exhibition
YABATECH Hosts Consumer Conversation
Danbatta Speaks on Broadband Development at the Broadband Summit 2017


text:
Ochsendorf -- Engelhardt
Kelsey Marie Ochsendorf and Patrick Ryan Engelhardt, both of Marietta, Ga., are engaged to be married June 24 at Wai'oli Church in Hanalei, Hawaii. Ochsendorf is the daughter of Kevin and Karen Ochsendorf of Willmar. She is a 2003 graduate of Wil...
Kelsey Ochsendorf and Patrick Engelhardt
By WCT Newsroom
Kelsey Marie Ochsendorf and Patrick Ryan Engelhardt, both of Marietta, Ga., are engaged to be married June 24 at Wai'oli Church in Hanalei, Hawaii.
Ochsendorf is the daughter of Kevin and Karen Ochsendorf of Willmar.
She is a 2003 graduate of Willmar Senior High School, a 2007 graduate of Minnesota State University in Moorhead with a degree in biology, and is studying for a master's degree in public health from Walden University in Minneapolis. She is employed by Diver's Supply in Marietta as a sales representative and is an intern at the Metro Atlanta Red Cross.
Engelhardt is the son of Tom and Meikel Engelhardt of Bismarck, N.D.
He is a 2001 graduate of St. Mary's Catholic High School in Bismarck and a 2006 graduate of North Dakota State University in Fargo with a degree in dietetics. Engelhardt served seven years in the North Dakota National Guard and three years of active duty as a medical operations officer, with one tour of duty in Iraq. He is studying at Life University in Marietta for a doctor of chiropractic degree.
Related Topics: ENGAGEMENTS


Kenwood Plc offer a comprehensive range of woodworm treatment services.
We do not normally charge to inspect the property in most parts of London and to provide a report / quotation.
Kenwood Plc have published a handbook "The Guide to the Identification of Insect Infestation and Fungal Decay" which is an authoritative guide used by Chartered Building Surveyors, Valuers and Home Inspectors, undertaking property inspections. Kenwood Plc's range of timber treatment services, includes effective measures for the control of all commonly found wood boring beetles and can be used to control existing infestations and prevent further attack.
Where woodworm treatment is required, our product range includes water based, low odour preservatives which in many instances, require properties to be vacated for only short periods of time. Full details are provided for each specific project, following a site inspection and risk assessment by our Surveyor. The most common method used by Kenwood Plc for woodworm treatment to timber floors, involves exposing the timbers by lifting floorboards in a parallel manner to gain access to the sub floor void.
The joists, wall plates, bearers, sub floor timbers and the underside of the floorboards are then treated using Kenwood insecticidal timber preservative. Kenwood Insecticide is specially formulated for deep penetration into the timbers, in order to ensure eradication of existing woodworm infestations and future protection of the timbers. Treatments are completed by our own skilled operatives and most woodworm treatments are completed within one day.
Our woodworm products have been granted a one hour re-entry status, therefore the treated property can be re-occupied once the timbers are dry (minimum of one hour afterwards).
Attacks sapwood of softwoods and hardwoods. Infestations appear as round holes approximately 2mm in diameter. Sound timbers can be effectively treated using Kenwood insecticide, which eradicates existing infestations and provides future protection to the timbers.
Superficially looks similar to Common furniture beetle, with holes approximately 2mm, but only attacks the sapwood of wide-pored hardwoods such as oak, elm and obeche. Normally only found in items of recently imported hardwoods. Often found in plywood where the obeche core is attacked.
Damage looks like large furniture beetle, with holes around 3mm, often with extensive tunnelling. Can create significant damage. Affected timbers are virtually always hardwoods, with some decay, commonly affecting oak. Deathwatch beetle will also attack softwoods if in contact with hardwood. Embedded timbers are particularly susceptible. Periodic re-treatment may be required due to large dimension timbers and some timber replacement is often required.
House Longhorn Beetle is a significant pest and attacks the sapwood of softwoods, especially within roof voids and loft areas. Tunnelling can cause significant internal damage to timber, when extensive tunnelling action of larvae can cause complete disintegration of sapwood, whilst leaving a thin outer surface of timber. This type of infestation often results in the need for replacement of affected timbers.
Infestation is identified by appearance of large (6-8mm) truly 'oval' holes, sometimes with ragged edges. Treatment of active infestations is applied by means of a deep penetration preservative paste which provides deep penetration into the timber members to effectively control and eradicate beetle attack. This type of infestation is limited to regional areas, predominantly in the South West of London and Surrey, although may be found elsewhere is lesser numbers.
Kenwood Plc carry out a wide range of treatments for the eradication and control of all commonly found wood boring insects. Following inspection by our Surveyor, we will provide a report of our findings and a quotation for treatments if found necessary.
Our timber treatments are guaranteed for up to 20 years, depending on the type of infestation and the proposed treatments. Full details of the guarantees available will be provided with the report following the inspection and assessment.
To arrange an inspection, please 'book a survey' online or call a member of our team to discuss your requirements.


the company signs a contract with Safaricom and is then configured on the system and issued with a unique number called the 'business number'. On meeting the requirements. 27/04/2007 .WHAT IS PAY BILL This is a service that allows registered M-PESA users to pay bills through their mobile line Companies that wish to accept payment via M-PESA need to first open a business account with M-PESA. This is the number that the customer enters into the M-PESA menu when paying for their bills. Money paid to a specific company is held in their M-PESA business account and they can withdraw it through a web request to Safaricom as stipulated on their contract.
ABC123456789 Enter amount 3250 Enter PIN Pay bill 600600 Account ABC123456789 Ks3250 OK Back **** X-DP200 confirmed Ks3250 sent to MTV KENYA for account ABC123456789 on 29/6/08 at 2.CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE Enter business no.26 PM New balance Ks1750 27/04/2007 . 600600 Enter account no.
BUSINESS EXPERINCE • Each Pay Bill client will have a unique business number • Each Pay Bill client will operate 3 different MPESA accounts • Utility account – this reflects all customer payments • Charges paid account – this indicates amounts owed to Safaricom 27/04/2007 • M-PESA account – this is the interface .
Sample of web based utility a/c The business can monitor amounts deposited on line and can also have this report in either PDF or Excel • 27/04/2007 .
Sample of utility a/c report The business can generate reports in PDF or export them in an excel format • The business can engage a third party to automate the process and come up with an end to end solution • 27/04/2007 .
150 X-EP309 Confirmed. on 12/11/09 at 5:34 AM Ksh100 received from Maina Ben 254717708488. on 12/11/09 at 5:24 AM Ksh100 received from Jackie Sanders 254716608430. Account Number TEST New Utility balance is Ksh2. Account Number 123ABC 11-12-09 8:35New Utility balance is Ksh3.950 2519 10-22-2009 8:29:00 2519AM 27/04/2007 .Sample of Business Terminal The business can also generate reports from a modem and export them in a csv format • From Phone Number Time Content X-EP311 Confirmed.
FLOAT TRANSFER The Business will identify two or more Operators who will be responsible for transfer of float from the utility account to the M-PESA account The 1st operator creates the transaction The 2nd operator confirms the transaction The request will then be visible to Safaricom Safaricom will initiate an EFT to the business's registered bank account within 48 hours Minimum EFT amount Ks. 50.000 27/04/2007 .
BENEFITS Customer convenience Higher revenues Real time collections – records updated in seconds Cost reduction – Reduced staff & other admin costs Better resource utilization Low cash risk 27/04/2007 .
ISSUES TO CONSIDER Integration of M-PESA into the current payment processes Associated costs of integration Tariff– who pays? Authority and responsibility relationships 27/04/2007 .
REGISTRATION PROCEDURE Complete the following forms 1. Pay bill Utility Application Form Attach the following documents (where applicable certified copies): – – – – – – – – Brief company Profile Certificate of Incorporation or equivalent Memorandum and articles of association or equivalent The most current annual returns PIN Certificate VAT Certificate Resolution by directors to use M-PESA or equivalent Form CR12. current to 1 month 27/04/2007 .


Reduced. Only a couple of sizes left. Satanic Ram with inverted pentagram design on Cherry wood double flared plug. Laser engraving by 'Vile8 Custom Plugs'. Price is per item (not pairs) These are high quality plugs.


Robert Frost once wrote, "You can't get too much winter in the winter." While its shorter days, colder temps and beautiful snow falls put a smile on the faces of some, others would disagree with the famed poet about winter. To them, the season makes them eat more, sleep more and generally feel down in the dumps. They can't wait for it to be over and for spring to arrive.
If that sounds like you, you might be suffering from more than just cabin fever. Known by its more medical term, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), it is categorized by the National Institutes of Mental Health as a medical condition that really does just last through the winter.
SAD is thought to be caused by the lack of sunlight from shorter days that lowers the serotonin or "feel good" hormones in your body and raises your melatonin levels, which causes you to feel more tired. According to Yale University's Winter Depression Research Clinic, other symptoms of SAD include carb cravings, difficulty waking up in the morning, reduced work productivity, and withdrawal from social contacts. Those who live in northern and colder climates or who have a family history of depression may also be at a greater risk of suffering from SAD.
The good news is that there are treatments available to help turn the blues around, including daily physical activity, which raises your endorphins and counteracts the signs of depression. So if you can bundle up and get outside, do it, even if it's just for 15 minutes a day.
Or you can bring the light inside. Sitting in front of a light box with 10,000 lux for 30 to 45 minutes in the morning mimics outside light and can reduce your SAD symptoms. You can also obtain a light box through your medical insurance plan or online, starting at $35. Unfortunately, light boxes might not work for everyone and counseling and anti-depression medications such as sertraline or bupropion might be necessary.
If your idea of dealing with winter blues is pulling the covers over your head and hiding from the world until the snow melts and spring thaws, think again. This is the best time to be more social and make plans with your friends and family, even if it's just going for a walk together, going shopping or sharing a dinner and a movie.
Most importantly, having a positive outlook can help to reduce your symptoms. You can do this by keeping a gratitude journal or creating a vision board that provides a visual of your dreams and goals for the year. Having something to look forward to can help you to get through the winter blues.
The even better news about seasonal affective disorder is that once spring does start, your symptoms will typically start to wane and SAD patients begin to feel better.
The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction believes in good health for everyone, regardless of the season. If you or someone you know is in need of breast reconstruction, contact them at NaturalBreastReconstruction.com or toll-free at 866-374-2627.


When you are surrounded by thousands of people, all in vibrant, sometimes shocking, colour it becomes difficult to stick out from the crowd. The J&B Met is frequented by a broad demographic of Cape Town�s population who generally have one thing in common: money. The who�s who of South Africa gets dressed to the nines to show themselves off to a public eager to consume. So what better place to advertise your company than at the heart of where it was all happening this past Saturday.
Many big companies advertised using shadenetting, which is a form of HDPE or PVC material that provides shade, but also a large surface on which to display your companies colours and logo. It was used not only so that clients and employees could find their own demarcated areas, but also to build brand awareness in a commercially vibrant area.
Printed Shadenet Solutions offer a wide range of shade cloth printing specifications that can be tailored to suit your business branding needs. The printed Shade cloth can be used at outdoor events like the Met, or sports events like rugby and cricket matches as well as on construction sites for perimeter fences and scaffolding tower wraps.
The possibilities with Printed Shadnet Solutions shade cloth are vast and when used creatively take advantage of free advertising space, and high visibility areas to provide branding solutions at an affordable price. Printed Shade Solutions use HDPE instead of the traditional PVC because it is stronger, doesn�t rot and is actually more affordable.
HDPE was impossible to print on to because it had an oily substrate that inks could not adhere to. Printed Shade Solutions fixed this problem by inventing a special ink that could stick to the surface of the material.
If you are interested in using Printed Shade Solutions shade cloth then check out the website (www.shadesolutions.co.za) for more information, images, news as well as contact and ordering information. If it worked as event branding at the J&B Met it can work at your events too.


text:
The Twin Geeks
James Bond Retrospective: The Spy Who Loved Me
Posted on October 2, 2019 by Brogan
Before this film, Roger Moore's Bond films felt different from the typical Bond formula. There were definitely evil master minds and all the staples were there, but Live and Let Die (1973) and The Man With the Golden Gun (1974) both tried to revamp the appeal of the series while emphasizing the comedic and action aspects. Everything became a bit more pronounced and the film's central gimmick was the glue. The films stopped any pretense of sophistication and instead chose to go for cheap satisfaction. Lower than the lowest of Connery films.
The Spy Who Loved Me is Roger Moore's best outing as Bond. We're going to look at why, but when we do we should remember that this film still has many shortcomings that these Moore films don't want to address. It is both a miracle and a curse that this film is as good as it is.
I'm going to stop talking grand speech here, let's go ahead and get into it. I'm excited today, because nobody does it better:
The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
Moore's smugness was never so deserved.
This film is very, very basic. Yet, I think what's special about it is how effortless it feels to capture the eye. Before this film you would hear that the Bond films had big budgets and were huge events, and maybe it's just me in 2019, but this is the first Bond film that felt like a real action movie. The budget really shows in this film in the best ways possible. It's fun, colorful, and exciting. With Connery films you kind of had to squint your eyes to have a modern appreciation for their action, but here any person could enjoy this film in pacing or spectacle.
And despite the plot being so formulaic, it never overstays its welcome.
Bond is in Austria when he's urgently summoned by M to return home and investigate missing submarine missiles. Yet, British missiles aren't the only ones missing. Female KGB agent Major Anya Amasova- codenamed XXX (subtle stuff guys) is summoned by her superior to investigate the disappearance of Soviet missiles. She finds out her lover was killed in Austria (yeah spoiler, murderer was Bond) and she vows vengeance.
The villain behind it all is some billionaire named Karl Stromberg. He plans to build some underwater utopia called Rapt- I mean Atlantis. He sends his henchmen, a short fat guy named Sandor and a tall man with steel teeth named… Jaws (played by Richard Kiel) to go to Egypt and murder the guy with a microfilm that could lead governments to him.
See? This movie looks cool. There's a sphinx, a tall guy, a green light. This is art.
Bond and XXX are in Egypt looking for the microfilm, Bond murders Sandor and has a coy flirtation with XXX to get the microfilm as they fight Jaws. They escape and XXX keeps the microfilm. KGB and MI6 decide to pool their resources together because they realize they're on the same team and assign XXX and Bond to take down Stromburg.
Bond and XXX go to Sardinia to see Stromburg, and on the way they fight Jaws and decide they want to have sex. Bond poses as a marine biologist and XXX his wife to get a look inside Stromburg's ocean obsessed headquarters. They confirm he's got a new tanker called the Liparis and in the car they're attacked by everything Stromburg can throw at them, including Jaws again. Using their submarine car (we'll talk about that later) they look at Atlantis and confirm Stromburg is the guy behind everything. XXX also finds out Bond was behind her lover's death, and she says after the mission is completed she will kill him.
Bond and XXX board an American submarine being abducted into the Liparis. There, Stromburg has revealed his full plan: British and Soviet subs are going to send missiles to Moscow and New York City, respectively. Stromburg kidnaps XXX and takes her to Atlantis. Bond escapes and rescues every single prisoner and takes over the ship, saving the world by having the missiles hit the subs. Bond goes to Atlantis to save XXX, fights Jaws one last time, murders Stromburg, and saves XXX.
XXX pulls out a gun as the two are escaping, but decides she shouldn't kill Bond and they have sex again. Secretly, Jaws survives and is found swimming away.
This film was both widely acclaimed and harshly criticized. On one hand it's a very entertaining movie, on the other this film is drastically different than the Ian Fleming novel, more so than any of the film adaptations before it. I've talked before about how these films were sort of devolving from the novel franchise's visions, but this film's only connection to the original story are the movie henchmen bearing a strong physical resemblance to the descriptions of the henchmen in the novel.
This scene is a good reversal of expectations, we think the guy is the devilish secret agent. But nope, we are wrong and that guy is gonna die in like five minutes.
Bond had become a cultural icon, and so with every film Fleming's image of Bond (which was already quite different from the start) would lose some of its edge and distinction. Moore's Bond is a super hero, and unlike Connery his only true character demerit is his libido. In Live and Let Die, the character was that clean for contrast to his surroundings, In Man With the Golden Gun he was morally great so Scaramanga could be equally evil. This film is a normal Bond film, but it retains this clean Moore depiction.
This was also directed by Lewis Gilbert, who had previously directed Connery's You Only Live Twice (1967). This isn't much of a surprise, that film was pretty exciting. It also helps that Gilbert downplayed some of the more wild aspects of the previous films. Here, the crazy camp is reserved for the gadgets and the bad guys. The normal cast is way less eager to over act and Moore feels really comfortable in the role now.
And lastly, this is the first time we can really see how a Bond works without SPECTRE or Blofeld. There's always rich psychopaths with secret fortresses, but this is the first time in a long time we look at Bond's espionage as distinctly British and an element of the Cold War. KGB agents are the new mysterious menace, though even the producers know they shouldn't be as demonized.
Wow, sharks are such a great villain gimmick. They're so menacing, just casually swimming in their tank away from you.
The opening theme is an absolute banger by Carly Simon. Both having sexual innuendo and a sort of commentary on Bond's prevalence in action films, it's big and fun but also light and catchy. It's better as a song to enjoy than as an actual companion to the film, but the lyrics of the song remain with you as you watch the film and that really helps the audience appreciate Bond and his chemistry with XXX.
I think this Bond girl, Anya Amasova is much stronger than the last few girls. The women paired with Moore before this were very passive and offered little variety or depth. At worst, they were annoying like Mary Goodnight. XXX has a lesser version of the From Russia With Love (1963) angle of being both the femme fatale and the heroic sidekick. Though XXX has less depth, the chemistry between the actress Barbara Bach and Moore is fantastic and she has enough of a backbone and her own competence to merit appreciation.
Kiel's Jaws also deserves high praise. I think Jaws is without a doubt the best henchman in the Bond series. The reason primarily being that he has a tangible threat to Bond and he sticks around to become an ongoing presence. Other henchman from the start to this point of the series might have had funny gimmicks or a physical threat to Bond, but Jaws is the real villain to Bond here. He has less of a plan, but his plan is to murder Bond. That's very effective for an audience, and Kiel's own charisma and figure leads really well to how he was framed and made him very likable even as a bad guy.
It's hard to capture in text how well the action was performed in contrast to previous entries, but I think the secret is to look at each individual moment and contrast it with prior analogs. The ski chase has been done before, but here Moore's close ups are really the only green screen and the rest is just great stunt work. Car chases have more speed and impact. These Moore films had been building in quality, but here every moment never overstays its welcome or makes you question the work as a whole. The gadgets aren't some silly gimmick that saves Bond right when he's about to die. Instead, the Lotus Esprit submarine car is really cool and exciting to see and is used for more than just its initial purpose.
This car chase is also the most realistic of all car chases: traffic is annoying.
What's Bad?
Stromburg is a bad villain, as is the underwater base idea. The underwater base was actually present in almost all versions of the script, which is a bad sign because the original script for this film was Anthony Burgess', who tried to write a satirical take on the Bond franchise after disliking what the films did to the novels. Yes, that means they threw out everything that was ridiculous and stupid about the script but kept the underwater city. The actor as well seems to not know how much malice, anger, or satisfaction he's supposed to have in a given delivery. As a Bond villain, you need to have conviction in your performance. It all rides on your charisma and how you play it.
The locations also seem a little less special this time around. Perhaps the rest of the focus was in everything around it, but the only time the location really feels special is Egypt, and even then it only feels that way when Bond kills the bald henchman and when they're all in the pyramids. Because pyramids are Egyptian.
Oh, near the end of the film when all the prisoners are trying to save the ship there's this one guy that's constant comic relief. He's annoying. The worst part is during a moment when the camera actually zooms in on him and he gulps.
Next thing up is Star Wars (1977). No seriously, after Star Wars came out the producers shifted their priorities to the closest thing to science fiction Bond's got: a big ol' moon base. It will be simultaneously the high and the low for the franchise. It's not a good movie high, it'll just make a bunch of money then the franchise will revel in mediocrity for like a decade.
What I Drank
I drank XXX's drink order in Egypt: Bacardi on the rocks. It got the job done.
James BondJames Bond Retrospectiveroger moorethe Spy who Loved Me1 comment
Itsy Bitsy: Come for the Giant Spider, Stay for the Family Trauma
Fantastic Fest 2019: The Platform
One thought on "James Bond Retrospective: The Spy Who Loved Me"
Pingback: James Bond Retrospective: Moonraker – The Twin Geeks
The Twin Geekscast 5… on Underwater: Murky and Dark Ali…
The Twin Geekscast 5… on The Mandalorian: The Mandalori…
The Twin Geekscast 5… on The Graduate: Symbolism in…
The Mandalorian: The… on The Last Jedi: The Power of…
The Mandalorian: The… on Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalk…
The Twin Geeks Twitter


text:
Specialist mortgage advice
Large Mortgage Loans
Mortgages Over £2 Million
Large Bridging Loans
Professional Mortgages
Offshore Mortgages
First Time Buyer Mortgages
£400,000 Mortgages
Mortgages Over £500,000
Private Bank Mortgages
Celebrity Mortgages
Multi Currency Mortgages
Later Life Borrowing
Million Plus Mortgages
Offset Mortgages
Mortgages in Guernsey
Overseas Mortgages
£1,000,000 Mortgages
Large Buy-to-Let Mortgages
Portfolio Mortgages
Buy to Let Remortgage
Residential Remortgage
Commercial Remortgage
Property Development Finance
Mortgage Quote
Mortgage Market News
Press Releases largemortgageloans.com & PMS
largemortgageloans.com & PMS
PMS is delighted to announce the launch of its new partnership with specialist broker largemortgageloans.com to deliver a large loan referral service for PMS members.
largemortgageloans.com specialises in mortgages of between £500,000 and £50 million and has expertise and experience in creating tailored solutions for brokers and their clients. The referral facility will be available immediately via the new PMS website, www.trustpms.com
Martin Reynolds, Development Director PMS, comments "We are all aware that the financial services world is changing at a rapid pace and we all need to explore all avenues open to fully meeting the needs of our clients. This new bespoke service provided by PMS and largemortgageloans.com will truly offer a previously unavailable source of funding to the general broker marketplace."
Paul Welch, Managing Director of largemortgageloans.com, adds "With the high street lenders making sweeping cuts to their product ranges and criteria, even treating bonuses differently, brokers may be finding it hard to place large mortgage loans at the moment, with a resulting loss in revenue. That's where largemortgageloans.com aims to help PMS brokers and their clients."
Note to Editors:
Contact PMS Development Director – Martin Reynolds – 07762 057019
Contact largemortgageloans.com Managing Director – Paul Welch – 020 7519 4900 or paul.welch@largemortgageloans.com
largemortgageloans.com
was the first mortgage broker in the UK to specialise in arranging large mortgages
is placing a steady stream of large mortgages, even in the current lending environment
has expertise and experience in creating a tailored solution for brokers and their clients
caters for foreign nationals, British expats, UK residents earning in foreign currencies and 'non-domiciled' UK residents
helps find the right foreign currency mortgage for those who are prepared to consider more risk
never forgets whose client it is – the broker's – and guarantees not to cross-sell any other products
Details for brokers: www.largemortgageloans.com/pms
pms® is the registered trademark of Bankhall Investment Management Limited a company registered in England and Wales with Company No. 2052824 and registered office at The Southmark Building, 3 Barrington Road, Altrincham, Cheshire WA14 1GY, PMS and Premier Mortgage Service are trading styles of Point One Limited and other members of the Bankhall Group. Point One Limited is a company registered in England and Wales with Company No. 4293924 and registered office as above. Point One Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bankhall Investment Associates Limited a company registered in England and Wales with Company No. 2785381 and registered office as above. Bankhall Investment Associates Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority under number
FOR INTERMEDIARY USE ONLY. If you are not an intermediary, please contact your intermediary for advice.
This Month's Top Fixed Rate
Initial rate: 1.35%
Period: 2 years
Rate will revert to a variable rate, currently 4.99% thereafter
The overall cost for comparison is 4.46%
Get This Rate
This Month's Top Variable Rate
Some of this month's top interest rates are listed above; the actual rate will depend on your circumstances. Please note that this information does not contain all the details you need to choose a mortgage, ask one of our advisers for a personalised key facts illustration on 020 7519 4900. The rate displayed may become out of date at short notice.
Latest Articles/News
At largemortgageloans.com one of the things we are most proud of is our net…
Latest/Related News
Another month, another decision from the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to…
On Friday 14th June 2019, largemortgageloans.com was thrilled to be crowned…
Could a retirement mortgage help you stay in YOUR home?…
LML Brochure
Download our brochure to find out more about Largemortgageloans.com and what we can offer
Subscribe now, to hear from us on the latest mortgage market news, products and services.
"Thank you for your email and good explanations. I am grateful for your good…"
Read More IS
"I can't think of any way to improve it – the service provided b…"
Read More JG
Read More CS
"First class in every aspect. My team were thoroughly excellent…"
Read More PM
Email: info@largemortgageloans.com
Guernsey Office
YOUR HOME OR PROPERTY MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON A MORTGAGE OR ANY OTHER DEBT SECURED ON IT
Changes in the exchange rate may increase the sterling equivalent of your debt.
You may have to pay an early repayment charge to your existing lender if you remortgage.
largemortgageloans.com is a trading name of Largemortgageloans.com Ltd, Aegon House, London, E14 9QD which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. We are entered on the Financial Services Register No 302228 which can be viewed here: www.fca.org.uk/register/. The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate some aspects of buy to let mortgages, overseas mortgages and tax advice. Help and advice in regards to mortgages is available at www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk
Largemortgageloans.com Limited is registered with the Guernsey Financial Services Commission, reference number: 2269418, as a Non-Regulated Financial Services Business.
The guidance and/or advice contained within the website is subject to the UK regulatory regime and is therefore primarily targeted at customers in the UK. Calls may be recorded for training and monitoring.
Largemortgageloans.com Ltd Registered in England and Wales No: 5070990 Registered Address: Aegon House, Ground Floor Suite, 13 Lanark Square, London, E14 9QD. 2005-2019. All rights reserved.
This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. For more information read our cookie policy.
our team now
Click to edit text
£500,000 Plus Mortgages


Small wonder Premier Kathleen Wynne is in Israel this week.
That's where I'd want to be if my so-called Climate Change Action Plan was leaked to the Globe and Mail Monday.
This is madness, Venezuela here we come.


My front page Header and Description appear different on post-pages and page-pages. No sure when this happened but in the last 30 hours most likely.
The issue can be seen at http://KidLit.org which I was transferring content to, when I noticed it.
I got this css from someone (sorry can't recall who, my profile doesn't seem to have the post) and put it in the Custom CSS section of Graphene's Appearance options. It had been working fine as far as I know. I just tried making changes to the child style in the editor to see if they were conflicting but they don't seem to be overriding the css below.
I've tried disabling plugins, nothing changed.
Any thoughts? Anyone had this before?
Well I made some changes to the URL I mentioned above, so its not relevant anymore. Sorry about that.
which has the same issue.
Header looks same on front page and on other pages as well here. Clear your browser cache and try again.


The `-Wsurprising' option can help find bugs involving expression evaluation or in the way DO loops with non-integral iteration variables are handled. Cases found by this option might indicate a difference of interpretation between the author of the code involved, and a standard-conforming compiler such as g77. Such a difference might produce actual bugs.
In any case, changing the code to explicitly do what the programmer might have expected it to do, so g77 and other compilers are more likely to follow the programmer's expectations, might be worthwhile, especially if such changes make the program work better.


text:
Lemnos, Greece
Shouf, Lebanon
High Atlas, Morocco
Dehesas and Montados, Spain & Portugal
Menorca, Spain
Biodiversity Knowledge and Monitoring
Influencing Policy
Roads Less Travelled
#MedStoryPrize
eBook & 2019 Shortlist
#MedFoodHeroes
Cook Sustainably
Dehesas and Montados Producers
High Atlas Producers
Lemnos Producers
Menorca Producers
Shouf Producers
Share A Dish Night
FREE MedFoodHeroes CookBook
Meet the Winner of 2019 Rooted Everyday #MedStoryPrize
Oct 1, 2019 | #MedStoryPrize, Press Releases
Sophia Sifaki from Greece is the winner of the first Mediterranean environmental-themed short story prize with her story The Treasure.
Sifaki's story The Treasure spins an enchanting conservation tale in which a young doctor arrives on the small Greek island of Lemnos ready to serve the colourful population, having been charged by her benefactor to discover the hidden treasure of the island.
As part of her prize Sifaki will travel and stay on the Greek Island of Lemnos, one of the Rooted Everyday campaign eco-sites. She'll be given a guided tour and opportunity to write further on the conservation and cultural heritage issues of the Island and be presented with the competition trophy.
Winning writer Sophia Sifaki has worked in linguistics and innovative translation technology for almost three decades. After becoming aware of the threat to the centennial forest of Dionysos she joined the 'Yades' movement and participated in local elections. She has previously been published in a collect of women's short stories called Time For Coffee (Lychnos 2007) and Yades (2018). Her poem Belladonna was awarded the 1st place in the 13th Panhellenic Poetry Competition organized by Ideopnoon.
Sifaki said: "Through the competition I became aware of the Rooted Everyday campaign and it became immediately obvious to me that its goals are close to my heart and my efforts to protect nature in the Mediterranean. I immediately felt that I should pick up my pen and write."
The Runner Up was Jose Ruiz Rosa from Spain with Plant Wisdom, a story told from the perspective of a thousand-year-old tree witnessing man's destruction and its plea for science, love and wisdom to save them.
Shortlisted stories to receive a Highly Commended award from the judges were Gone by Maria Dalamitrou (Greece), The Shepherd by Abdelhakim Barnous (Morocco), and Rulfo by Ana Catarina Milhazes (Portugal).
Novelist Amy Beeson, Chair of Judges said; "The competition was created to give a platform for writers who are passionate about the environment and cultural heritage as part of the Rooted Everyday campaign. The writers have created characters that enable us as readers directly to engage with the hidden wonders of Mediterranean and the environmental challenges ahead."
The winning five stories can be enjoyed in a free eBook which will be available to download on the website from 8 October 2019. All shortlisted stories will be available to read on the website from 15 October 2019.
Eating an Organic Mediterranean Diet Helps Fight Disease
For years nutritionists have extolled the virtues of a Mediterranean diet, now environmental NGOs like WWF are calling for us to improve our health and the environment by following the Med. The #MedFoodHeroes campaign from 15-27 June coordinated by @RootedEveryday celebrates the rich cuisine the Mediterranean has to offer and the benefits to people and planet when we buy from small sustainable producers.
Meet #MedFoodHeroes Ambassador: Marinos Skolarikos
Marinos studied Greek Culture at the Hellenic Open University, attended Folklore courses at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and has completed a series of seminars in History, Philosophy, Journalism and New Media.
Meet #MedFoodHero Ambassador: Nikos Mastropavlos
Nikos Mastropavlos is a journalist, cultural scientist, and the publisher of www.eudemonia.gr which focusses on the culture of everyday life in Greece - especially food, travel and the arts.
Meet #MedFoodHero Ambassador: Renato Álvarez
Renato Álvarez was born into a "neo-rural" family who were trailblazers of organic farming in Andalusia. They were also members of the first social movements and associations dedicated to the production and organic food. Since he was little he was involved in agriculture until he decided to study Environmental Sciences at the Pablo de Olavide University (Seville).
Meet #MedFoodHero Ambassador: Fábio Bernadino
Fábio Bernardino is a Chef, the CEO of Travel & Flavours, a teacher, gastronomic consultant, trainer and event organizer; a young Chef whose excellence opened the doors to major Portuguese hotels and restaurants, like the Pestana Hotéis & Resorts group or the Heritage Lisboa Hotels, where he left his mark of professionalism and rigour. With a great passion for cooking, and especially for pastry, he started his career at the age of 14, when he attended the Professional Cooking and Pastry Course of the Lisbon Hotel and Tourism School.
Meet #MedFoodHero Ambassador: Alfredo Sendim
Alfredo Cunhal Sendim was born in Porto and spent his childhood between Lisbon (the city), Montemor-o-Novo (the countryside) and Ferragudo (the sea). Studied veterinary and zoo technical. In 1990 he moved to the Monte of Herdade do Freixo do Meio, a territory where, step by step, he has been developing a structural project in the agricultural and social field.
Meet #MedFoodHeroes Ambassador: Sahar Elhallak
Nine years ago, Sahar left her home in California and landed in Morocco in a quest to find herself. While she started a new life in Marrakech, she found some challenges to find restaurants that catered to vegetarians like herself. Since she always enjoyed hosting dinner parties and food-related fundraising events, she started cooking for friends which grew into welcoming people into her beautifully restored hundred-year-old house, for unique culinary experiences.
Meet #MedFoodHeroes Ambassador: Najat Kaanache
Born to Moroccan parents in a small town near San Sebastian in Spain, Najat Kaanache has been cooking at home since childhood. Now based between the US, Mexico and Morocco. She now creates magic in the kitchen as the owner and chef of the beautiful restaurant Nur in the ancient medina of Fez, named World's Best Moroccan Restaurant in 2017, 2018 and 2019. She also opened CÚS (a Moroccan bistro in the heart of Mexico City) and Nacho Mama (a funky Mexican cantina in the medina of Fez).
Meet #MedFoodHeroes Ambassador: Driss Mellal
Driss Mellal was born in a small town in the south of Morocco, near the beautiful Dades valley. His love for cooking started at the age of 20, when he was in art school in southern France. He missed Moroccan food and flavours and so started cooking and experimenting himself. After graduating from art school, he didn't work in the arts as planned, but instead went to culinary school. "I finally got to combine my art background with new cooking skills, and it became the start of a new life for me," Driss says.
Sheep to Combat Climate Change
Asociación Trashumancia y Naturaleza collaborated with the city council of Madrid to organise the annual Fiesta de la Trashumancia Madrid 2019 (Transhumance Festival)—which saw 1800 sheep and 200 goats pass through the centre of Spain's capital city. The event, now in its 26th year, was successful in creating awareness on the importance of maintaining this ancestral practice of which Spain is a global example and that is a very valuable tool in the fight against climate change and rural depopulation, among other benefits.
#MedFoodHeroes Ambassadors
Overarching Initiatives
Join Rooted Everyday Today
Rooted Everyday is hosted by Green Hosting, 100% wind powered web hosting.
Rooted Everyday is funded by the MAVA Foundation.


Industry exhibitions and conferences are a prime opportunity to get a firsthand sense of what is on our customers' minds. And after three days at the European Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva, Switzerland, it's clear that the big topic on private and corporate aircraft operators' minds is connectivity.
When will high-speed airborne internet connectivity be available globally?
While I don't have control over the exact timing of when Ka-band connectivity (the connectivity type in question) will be first used by a paying customer, my answer is "Very soon." We've already validated Inmarsat's technology in our laboratories. And it's even been installed and successfully used (meaning people on the aircraft were talking on FaceTime, watching Netflix, etc., while airborne) on a business jet that will be delivered by an aircraft maker this year. Probably not the precise answer some are looking for, but I assure you, it's tantalizingly close.
Will the high-speed Ka-band connectivity be just like what I have at home?
The answer to this question really depends on what people have at home. While there's no question that Ka will provide the fastest connectivity option for operators to date, some homes have internet download speeds of 1.5 Mbps or even less, while others have well over 10 Mbps. An individual aircraft's connection ultimately depends upon the package an operator selects, Ka speeds will allow up to 15 Mbps, fast enough to handle just about every demand, with a little left over.
The Bottom line? Airborne Ka-band connectivity will be fast, it will be global, and it will change cabins and flight decks forever.
But if those are two questions that I heard frequently at EBACE, there really are two more that owner/operators should be asking when they think about high-speed global connectivity.
How can I best manage data use at 41,000 feet?
The right service provider will help operators understand the best methods for managing data use. A great example is application updates that happen automatically in the background on your laptop or smartphones. Perhaps flying over the Atlantic Ocean is not the best time for those updates to occur. Look for providers who offer solutions that allow them to take control of the data being used onboard their aircraft.
What if I have an issue with my service? How can I ask for help?
If an issue arises at any point of the end-to-end connectivity solution, look for a provider who can help you address the issue efficiently and with the least amount of impact to your flight operations. Most essential to troubleshooting issues is working closely with your service provider to take advantage of their technical expertise. This could mean a video chat, a phone call with technical support or a live visit from a field service technician.
Dave Poltorak is vice president and general manager, Information Management Services for Business Aviation at Rockwell Collins, which includes ARINCDirect℠ Cabin Connectivity.
P.S. Rockwell Collins had a busy spring in the business aviation marketplace. In April we announced that Zetta Jet selected us to offer JX connectivity across its entire fleet of aircraft. Last week we made news with new ADS-B -driven airspace modernization packages for Pro Line 21™-equipped King Air aircraft. We also announced certification of Rockwell Collins' FANS 1/A solution for Dassault 50EX aircraft. And at EBACE we announced our Venue™ cabin management system was chosen for Bombardier's Global 5000/6000 aircraft, and we introduced HD upgrades for Gulfstream cabins and the first upgrade from our legacy CES cabin entertainment system to Venue.


When I was a little girl I remember vividly circling things in the Argos catalogue that I wanted to have in my home when I grew up. This was back in the day when I didn't realise how expensive being an adult is and when I still had dreams I would ever own my own house. The good ol' days.
Since then I dreamed of my own furniture, living in student houses and minging shared houses. I remember being so proud when I bought my first set of shelves but thats about all I could muster, till the day I got my own house, about 4 years ago. I say got, I still rent, but it was unfurnished and I could decorate it how I see fit.
Since then I've spent years, I'd like to say saving up, but in reality I've bought a vast majority of my furniture on credit cards and then ended up paying it back. But though I've bought the basics, I've always had on my furniture wishlist; an armchair. I eyed one in Ikea for about two years but other necessities always came up like food and paying rent.
Then a couple of weeks ago I decided that I was going to treat myself to my very own armchair. I have a desk in my room and I tend not to sit at it because the chair is wooden and not very comfy. So I end up blogging from my bed, which usually ends up in me napping. So I felt an armchair would be a great motivational tool. Which in fairness, it has. I actually get excited for times I can sit at my desk and pretend I'm Carrie Bradshaw.
I've been told because it has no arms, its not technically and armchair but I found it on the armchair section of Very, so in my eyes, its an armchair.
Its beautiful and its my most favourite thing I've ever owned.