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cloud services
JBM can look at your current infrastructure and determine what changes need to be made to get ready for the cloud. Most importantly, we will help you decide if cloud computing matches your business needs. The big question is should you pick an ON-PREMISE or a CLOUD-BASED SOLUTION. How about a hybrid cloud solution? We can draw up a virtualization plan tailored to your organization.
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Following the highly successful Self-Titled Slash album, from 2010, Slash hit the road with Myles Kennedy as lead vocalist. Kennedy certainly has the vocal chops to deliver a wide range of styles and subsequently was the perfect choice as vocalist. Also joining them on this outing was Bobby Schneck on Rhythm Guitar, Todd Kerns on Bass, Backing Vocals, and Lead Vocal on Doctor Alibi, and Brent Fitz on drums. Kerns and Fitz have remained with Slash and Kennedy through their subsequent albums and touring schedule, being dubbed as The Conspirators. It's certainly a solid lineup and as you listen to the performance, you get a sense of energy and cohesion that is usually reserved for bands that are at the apex of their careers. Yet, here, on an early outing, this is no garage band wannabe stadium headliner that was thrown together merely to capitalise on the success of the eponymous album and Slash's back catalogue. Of course, this album was recorded in front of a modest audience of 1,500 at Victoria Hall in Stoke-on-Trent in England. Nevertheless, you don't get a substandard performance and while it may sound different to that of a stadium-sized concert, the intimate location results in audible audience interaction that goes beyond the standard concert screaming and cheering as you can easily hear the audience singing along to many of the songs and chorus lines. It adds to the performance and the intimate feeling of being there vicariously.
While I obviously wasn't in attendance, I am fortunate enough to have the 3LP Green Vinyl edition that looks as amazing as it sounds. The records aren't your standard 180-gram releases; probably 140-gram, but this is never a negative aspect for 180-gram is more about marketing than quality. You can have a paper thin record and it can smoke a thick behemoth any day of the week if the mastering and pressing process was handled with respect.
The tri-fold gatefold is stunning and when you hold this record sleeve in your hand, you know exactly why you're a vinyl collector for no digital counterpart can ever be this immersive. iTunes LP tried, but the listeners didn't care, nor did the record labels or the artists; the end result is a feature that is no longer being supported. It's a missed opportunity, but if I were working for Apple or one of the record labels, I'm sure I'd sink countless millions into things like iTunes LP, whether it made financial sense or not. It's a shame though, that the dollar value must dictate what music lovers receive. Nevertheless, Slash's Made In Stoke 24/7/11 is one vinyl release you should own if you're a fan of the artist/band. The records themselves are quiet, flat, and well pressed and mastered. No, this is not going to sound as good as a highly produced studio album, but it certainly gives the feeling of a live performance better than many other live albums I own. For that aspect alone, I applaud this release and while I don't find myself gravitating to it on a regular basis, when I do, I thoroughly enjoy the experience and ponder if I should pick up the concert Blu-ray release to go along with it.
Interestingly, in my younger years, I used to love watching recorded live performances. As I've aged, however, I find myself less compelled to sit and watch, preferring to relax and listen. It's a strange dichotomy that I can't explain and perhaps I'll have to give some live performances a chance again to see if I can reinvigorate the interest in watching the performances. Perhaps I'll start with The Rolling Stones' From The Vault: No Security San Jose 1999 as the Stones have made the concert available on Apple Music. I don't know about you, dear reader, but I wish Slash and all other artists and record labels would offer this kind of value-added proposition. Of course, I'm not sure if I'd watch them all, but I know many people who would find significant value from such an inclusion. While I'd love to be able to at least rent Made In Stoke 24/7/11 from iTunes, unfortunately, the only Slash concert available to the Australian market, on iTunes, is the 2014 performance Live At The Roxy. Hey, you never know, I may just review that someday as well. Until then, let's get back to the review of Made In Stoke.
LP 1 – Side A
Been There Lately was a really strange song to commence the performance with. It was never the strongest song from Slash's Snakepit and it's therefore unexpected. That isn't to say that this live rendition isn't good as it's arguably better than the original, but there are many stronger songs from that era that I would have selected. Speed Parade would have been perfect as the opening song, in my opinion. Perhaps, even, Dime Store Rock would have been a better choice.
Nightrain is an absolute classic and a personal favourite. This live rendition doesn't shift far from the original, and that's a good thing, but it has its own personality and is thoroughly enjoyable. I have to say, Kennedy does a wonderful job, on vocals, with all the classic Guns N' Roses songs.
Ghost has a killer rhythm and is textbook Slash. Kennedy does a good job with the song that was originally recorded with Ian Astbury. While I can understand the unwillingness to open the live performance with Ghost, given it was the opening track for Slash's eponymous album, it would have been ideal and would have flowed perfectly into Nightrain. Although, Ghost also flows smoothly into the Snakepit original Mean Bone.
Mean Bone isn't a bad rock and roll track. It has a classic vibe to it but fails to stand out and subsequently doesn't offer much to write home about. Nevertheless, it works well for the live performance and is a value-added proposition for those of you that may have not been exposed to the Snakepit era.
Back From Cali is Kennedy's song and it's astonishingly good. While not intended to be, Back From Cali is the perfect song to close out side one, ensuring that the live performance is full of energy and the listener feels compelled to keep listening to a live performance that simply gets better as the show goes on.
LP 1 – Side B
Rocket Queen is a favourite of mine, but that could be said about all songs from the Appetite For Destruction era. They haven't aged and remain as relevant today as they were when recorded. A sign of good music? Yes, I believe so!
Civil War is an incredible song and the band performs it stunningly with Kennedy doing a solid job of interpreting the song for his vocal style, but as much as I enjoy Civil War, I would have much preferred to hear the band perform November Rain. Of course, Slash didn't co-write November Rain, as it was a Rose-only composition, and subsequently, it makes sense that it hasn't made an appearance. Although, that closing guitar riff is spectacular.
Nothing To Say is brilliant and Kennedy really nails this interpretation, resulting in a song that leaves me divided because I equally enjoy this rendition and the original version featuring M. Shadows on vocals. It's a great fast-riffed rock and roll tune. Yes, some may suggest that Slash's style is better suited to his core blues-based rock and roll riffs. While I wouldn't completely disagree with that point of view, the man is a legend and can certainly shred without issue.
LP 2 – Side A
Starlight is beyond belief good! It honestly leaves me speechless as it's nothing short of a masterpiece. Just sit back, turn the volume up, sing along, and enjoy. I know I do!
Promise is an incredible song and while Chris Cornell was the perfect choice for the original studio recording, Kennedy performs it perfectly, showing yet again just how talented he is as a vocalist. Yes, it could be argued that he is merely singing a variety of blues-based rock and roll songs and therefore the shift isn't that dramatic, but one must remember that the original songs were written with and for other vocalists and vocal styles. The result is Kennedy pays tribute to the original vocalists, makes the song his own, resulting in pure perfection. I dare say there are very few vocalists who could adapt to so many varied styles in a live performance and absolutely nail them all.
Doctor Alibi was a killer Lemmy Kilmister song and Kerns has covered it perfectly. Seriously, if Motörhead ever wanted to tour again, following the unfortunate passing of Kilmister, they should pick up the phone and call Kerns. No, he's not a Kilmister imitator, but his vocal prowess is most certainly appropriate for the Motörhead sound. Either way, Doctor Alibi is a killer rock and roll tune.
Speed Parade is your classic meat and potatoes rock and roll song. Full of attitude with a riff and rhythm that is addictive and appealing to the rock and roller within.
Watch This was lacklustre on the eponymous Slash album and I was a little worried about it being included in the live performance. However, the worry was largely unnecessary as the live performance adds a little grit to the instrumental that wasn't present on the studio recording. That said, it still isn't exceptional and is quite frankly nothing to write home about, but this rendition is, at the very least, a better interpretation of the original composition.
LP 2 – Side B
Beggars & Hangers On is one of the greatest songs Slash has ever written and recorded. I've always loved it. Eric Dover did a fantastic job with the original and as much as I enjoy Kennedy's vocal prowess, I really feel that Dover's is superior as the song just isn't quite as strong with Kennedy at the helm. That isn't to say he did a bad interpretation, it's awesome, it just isn't up to the same standard of the original and I wonder what Kerns would have sounded like performing this song as he nailed the gruffer vocal delivery on Doctor Alibi.
Patience is a truly lovely song and this is a beautiful rendition of the Guns N' Roses classic.
Godfather Solo flows perfectly from Patience and has arguably become a Slash trademark. Having performed it for years, I dare say there isn't another guitarist, in the world, that can express the song as elegantly as Slash does; on an electric guitar that is. Absolutely sensational! That said, I would suggest that Slash has become a little self-indulgent regarding the length of this solo. Certainly, he has earned the egotistical right to play that guitar for as long as he likes, I'm just wondering how captivated the fans remain throughout.
LP 3 – Side A
Sweet Child Of Mine is another seamless transition, especially if you listen to the album via CD or Apple Music. Unfortunately, if you've got the vinyl release, you're not going to notice this continuity. Nevertheless, Sweet Child Of Mine is exceptional and Kennedy can belt this classic out just as well as Rose has over the years. This is the type of song where Kennedy's unique vocal style really shines.
Slither is a favourite from the Velvet Revolver era and while I'll always associate this song with Scott Weiland, Kennedy pays homage to the original and makes it his own. Yes, I should stop comparing the efforts of Kennedy to the vocalists that came before him, as I'm not doing that for the other musicians, but the vocal element, as an instrument, is so pertinent in music that it is difficult to separate the memory in one's mind to the performance one is currently listening to. Perhaps that is why I dislike cover bands as I feel, despite their best efforts, they are subpar compared to the memory of the classic songs they sing. That said, I am the first to admit that not all covers and cover bands are bad, some can be better than the original, but it is the exception rather than the rule.
LP 3 – Side B
By The Sword is epic and Kennedy absolutely nails it.
Mr. Brownstone is one of my all-time favourite Guns N' Roses songs. The beat is tribal and the rhythm addictive. I love it!
Paradise City rounds out this live performance and while it would have been nice to see the album end with one of the songs from Slash's eponymous album, Paradise City is a showstopper and one of the very best songs ever written and recorded. That riff, those lyrics, and that rhythm are sensational. If you need a textbook example of a perfect rock and roll song, I dare say this is it. Without a doubt, Paradise City leaves me compelled to listen to Made In Stoke 24/7/11 again and stay within Slash's back catalogue.
Overall, Made In Stoke 24/7/11 is a sensational live performance that any fan of Slash and his musical cohorts should check out, if not own, as it is most certainly worth your time. Including music from Guns N' Roses, Slash's Snakepit, Velvet Revolver, and Slash's iconic eponymous release, longtime fans, such as myself, will undoubtedly find something to love about Made In Stoke 24/7/11.
Made In Stoke 24/7/11 is available to own on Vinyl, CD, and iTunes.
Click here to read other Slash reviews by Subjective Sounds.

subset: commoncrawl


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Floyd Mayweather Jr. knows his audience, there's no doubt.
Boxing's superstar arrived in South Africa on Wednesday wearing a T-shirt with a bright yellow map of Africa on the front. Below it, his TMT logo (that stands for The Money Team) was in the colors of the South African flag.
Mayweather told South African fans he had arrived in the "motherland." He even said he might fight there one day.
"Money" Mayweather swooped into Johannesburg for the start of a four-city visit to South Africa and first trip to the African continent, and was hustled by security through a packed airport terminal into a Rolls Royce. He sped off with no more than a few words, delivered on the run, to hundreds who had gathered to greet him. It didn't seem to disappoint that many of them.
Later, Mayweather was more generous with his time, speaking to reporters for around an hour about his future fight plans and this trip. (That is, part of the audience was reporters. Many fans had somehow infiltrated the news conference, beefy security and all, meaning there were fewer questions and more statements of Mayweather's greatness.)
James Dalton, a former South African rugby international, stood and thanked "Mr. Mayweather" for making the trip and honoring South Africa. Rugby players are a big deal in South Africa, but Mayweather apparently is bigger.
No surprise there, given that Mayweather earned a guaranteed $41.5 million in his last bout, a dominant majority decision over Canelo Alvarez that was the richest fight in the world and generated around $150 million in TV sales alone.
And with those kinds of figures, the 36-year-old, five-division world champion is in no rush to give in to Manny Pacquiao's pleas for a fight, he said.
"As far as my last fight with ... I can't even remember the guy's name. Canelo! They all the same to me," Mayweather said. "So, as far as my fight with Canelo, they said Floyd Mayweather's record could never be broken without the Pacquiao fight and as you have seen what we did, the fight done crazy numbers."
Mayweather also suggested Pacquiao's renewed desire to make their mega fight happen came out of desperation after the Filipino's back-to-back losses to Timothy Bradley and Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012, as well as his tax problems.
"I offered Manny Pacquiao the fight before," Mayweather said. "We didn't see eye to eye on terms. Years later we come back and I try and make the fight happen again. I offer him $40 million. He said he wanted 50-50. So we didn't make the fight happen.
"All of a sudden, he loses to Timothy Bradley, he loses to Marquez ... he has tax problems now. So, two losses and tax problems later, now he all of a sudden want to say: 'You know what? I'd do anything to make the fight happen,' when he's really saying: 'Floyd, can you help me solve my tax problems, get me out of debt?'"
Instead, Mayweather named Britain's Amir Khan as a possible opponent for his next fight, set for May 3 in Las Vegas. He said nothing was finalized but that he'd know within a week.
And it wasn't all business. Mayweather had a couple of good wisecracks saved up, too.
He said he didn't call himself "the greatest," because that was Muhammad Ali. Rather, he referred to himself as "TBE" -- the best ever. Asked how he would go about fighting Floyd Mayweather Jr., he replied, deadpan: "I wouldn't fight Floyd Mayweather."
Mayweather is due to also visit the cities of Bloemfontein, East London and Cape Town on his near week-long trip, which South Africa says will help "resuscitate" its struggling boxing code. And he gave South Africans a glimmer of hope of their own Mayweather mega fight.
"It's been a dream of mine to fight here," he said.
Information from The Associated Press is included in this report.


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IICE VODKA and its flavours (Green Apple and Orange) were awarded the Gold Medal by the prestigious Monde Selection International Quality Institute – Belgium in the year 2013.


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The following is an excerpt from the upcoming investigation into the destruction of Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 in Ukraine. This reconstruction is based upon credible and verifiable news sources from around the planet…
Inside the cabin, the stewards and flight attendants were busy with meal service. The passengers were contented with in-flight entertainment. The flight so far has been routine, even mundane. There were still more than 8 hours remaining to Kuala Lumpur. The passengers were thinking of their final destination, making connections, seeing loved ones, business meetings and sleeping in their own beds again.
Far below, others are animated for war. Ten miles to the south of quiet little Hrabove a convoy of military vehicles rumbled through the town of Snizhne, one of them was recognized as a SA-11 surface to air BUK missile launcher. A June 29th post by the rebels bragged about being in possession of at least one captured BUK missile system after overrunning an airbase.
Local reports put the convoy in the town around lunchtime. Atop the tracked vehicle four missiles, each18 feet long, were unmistakable for a group of Associated Press journalists covering the war. A man in fatigues cautioned the journalists against filming before the convoy rumble west out of town. Dressed in desert camouflage, unlike the rebel soldiers green uniforms, he spoke with a distinctive Russian accent.
Movements of the missile launcher that day are confirmed in eyewitness statements, video and photographs. In November 2014 the Bellingcat Group of investigative journalists published a detailed inquiry of the vehicle and its movements. That report can be found at www.bellingcat.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Origin-of-the-Separatists-Buk-A-Bellingcat-Investigation1.pdf
The missile launcher and its crew, now near the town of Torez, as well as their command and control support were expectant of an enemy incursion. They were blinded by that perspective, which betrays a complete and criminal negligence at every level in the chain of command. If Russia, in fact, supplied the vehicle then the responsible authorities share substantial culpability for allowing trigger happy, irresponsible and ill-trained rebels such a dangerously sophisticated weapon.
Initially the crew filed a flight plan which would have taken them farther to the south at an altitude of 35,000 feet. Instead they were diverted north, ostensibly for thunder storms brewing to the south, and ordered to 33,000 feet for traffic. Slowing to 490 knots, MH-17 descended 2,000 feet.
In June, despite safety assurances, both British Airlines and Lufthansa decided against risking East Ukrainian airspace. Emirates suspended flights to Ukraine altogether, according to Reuters. As pointed out in a previous chapter the routine of war balanced against marketing and business concerns, it had become normal business practice for International airlines to fly over war zones simply to save money on fuel.
Ukraine was no different. Commercial airlines regularly flew over Iraq and Afghanistan during the wars there, comfortable that insurgent forces lacked the capability to threaten them. When the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull (pronounced: Ai-ya-fyatla-yoy-katl) erupted in 2010 disrupting air travel between North America and Europe and ground more than 100,000 flights, the cost to airlines and more than 6 million stranded passengers was in the tens of millions of Dollars. The costs to the bottom line are powerful drivers in the equation when left to airlines alone.
While indications are abundant and clear that the rebels assumed the incoming aircraft was a Ukrainian military transport there seems to have been a blatant disregard for protocols which would have allowed them to identify the plan as civilian. Visually it may have proved difficult, even with binoculars, to make a proper identification but the BUK system hardly relies on antiquated technology for identification. But while NATO member countries rely on the International Friend or Foe, IFF, the BUK radar has its own IFF system. According to HIS Jane's Missiles and Rockets editor Doug Richardson:
"Although it has it own Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) system, this is only able to establish whether the target being tracked is a friendly aircraft. It is the electronic equivalent of a sentry calling out "Who goes there?" If there is no reply, all you know is that it is not one of your own side's combat aircraft. It would not give you a warning that you were tracking an airliner."
The BUK's acquisition radar, deployed some thirty miles to the southwest in the village of Styla, allowed the rebel fighters to identify, track and target the aircraft. Whether they believed they were once again targeting a Ukrainian transport, or simply took advantage of a ready target remains unclear. Protocols, IFF, known civilian over flights, flight path, altitude, command structure and time on target removes the specter of the accidental and indicates at the very least negligence if not intention.
Once launched the fate of MH-17 was sealed. The system is highly accurate. According to Army-Technology.com, in association with Defense and Security Systems International the BUK Air Defense Missile System maintains a high kill rate at target:
A single missile can destroy tactical aircraft and helicopters with a probability between 0.9 and 0.95, while the kill probability against tactical ballistic missiles ranges between 0.6 and 0.7. The missile can operate continuously for one day with refueling and has a tear-down time of five minutes. The missile can destroy tactical ballistic missile within the range of 20km and can kill cruise missiles at 100m altitude and within the range of 20km. It has maximum target g-load of 10g and can destroy aerodynamic targets with a maximum speed of 830m/s flying at an altitude between 0.015km and 25km, and within 3km to 45km range. The missile system can operate in temperatures up to ± 50°C and wind speeds up to 30m/s. Its maximum operating altitude above sea level is 3,000m.
"A bird is flying to you," a spotter told a rebel commander for pro-Russian separatists in Horlivka 15 miles west of the crash sight. He is identified as Igor Bezlor, a mercurial man and a typical character to be found in any conflict who is all too ready to rationalize any moral and ethical transgression to war. In temperament and stature Bezlor reminds one of the late Serbian thug and warlord Zeljko "Arkan" Raznatovic. His features are pallid and severe, an obligatory cigarette ever present and a black cap that seems costume-like.
"Reconnaissance plane or a big one?" asks Bezlor, from his regional headquarters in nearby Gorlovka.
There is no indication from the rebels that they were firing at anything other than a single target. They are very clearly heard discussing the size of the aircraft. If, in fact, there was a shadowing aircraft below or near the 777 the Buk radar would have indicated, and the battery would have had the capability of hitting both. The rebel leaders in those recordings have never officially acknowledged nor denied their authenticity.
On the ground at around 1:20 that afternoon residents of Torez recalled hearing loud explosions. Rostislav Grishin, a 21-year-old prison guard remembered hearing "two powerful blasts in a row." The time must be viewed as subjective, though with a forward velocity and possibly one working engine, at least for a time, the descent would have been rapid; certainly faster than a simple freefall.
"First there was one, but then after a minute, a minute and a half, there was another discharge. I raised my head and within a minute I could see a plane falling through the clouds." The two powerful blasts Grishin heard were undoubtedly the nearby launch of the missile followed by the detonation as the missile found its intended target.
The launch would have been powerful and thundering, followed by the long tearing crrrraaacckkk as the missile streaked skyward. Smoke and dust from the launch would have consumed briefly the massive vehicle. The roar of the launch, as recalled by a number of witnesses, carried for several miles in the rolling hills around Torez and Snizhne.
The 9M317 missile required a radar lock to steer it to the target. It is an awesome weapon when launched, a solid fuel rocket with a total burn time of about 15 seconds that finds it target at speeds of up to Mach 3 four times faster than MH-17 was travelling. A rebel Operator steered the missile in flight until the missiles own onboard system locked onto the airliner. For the crew on MH-17 and the passengers there would have been no warning as the missile streaked skywards at better than 2000 feet per second.
"Malaysian one seven," instructs the ATC controller, "due traffic proceed direct Romeo November Delta."
"Romeo November Delta, Malaysian one seven," Mh-17 replied. The UTC time was 13:16:56. It was the last transmission from the aircraft.
The missile is designed to detonate within 65 feet of its target. From video and photos of the wreckage it is likely that the missile did not strike the aircraft directly. A direct impact wouldn't have been necessary. With a 154 pound high explosive fragmentation warhead an explosion anywhere near the aircraft would have been devastating. What is certain is that the explosion was instantly catastrophic to the 777.
The missile raced up at the aircraft, passing underneath MH-17's flight path from right to left at three times the speed of sound. Just below and behind where Captain Wan Amran sat the missile exploded with a blinding flash, probably within 20 to 40 feet of the aircraft and likely above the farm fields between the villages of Tymofiivka and Orlovo-Ivanivka. At the controls, opposite Wan Amran, Eugene Choo Jin Leong would have had no warning and no opportunity to react.
One hour and fifty-six minutes after takeoff Malaysian Airlines flight 17 disappeared from radar screens. It was 9:20am in Washington D.C.
Listen Saturday's from 11am-1pm to WC Turck, Brian Murray and guests on Chicago's real alternative media, AM1680, Q4 radio, streaming at www.que4.org.
WC Turck is an author, artist, playwright and talk radio host in Chicago. He has been called the most dangerous voice on the Left. He is currently working on a new book "Shoot Down: An unflinching look at the events leading up to the shooting down of Malaysia Air Flight 17." His first novel, "Broken" was recommended by NAMI for its treatment of PTSD. In 2006 he published "Everything for Love," a memoir of his experiences during the siege of Sarajevo. He wrote and produced two critically acclaimed plays, "Occupy my Heart" and "The People's Republic of Edward Snowden." He works with the homeless and foreclosure victims in Chicago. He partners in a weekly radio show dedicated to issues, society and politics with cohost, activist and artist Brian Murray For more information, past shows, videos and articles, visit www.revolutioandbeer.com
The Illinois Policy Institute (IPI) is a conservative think tank with offices in Chicago and Springfield, Illinois, and member of the State Policy Network. IPI is a member of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) as of 2011. IPI is also a member of ALEC's Health and Human Services Task Force and Education Task Force. Senior Budget and Tax Policy Analyst, Amanda Griffin-Johnson, presented model legislation (the "State Employee Health Savings Account Act") to the HHS task force at ALEC's 2011 annual meeting.[4] Collin Hitt, Director of Education Policy, is a private sector member of the Education Task Force representing IPI. He sponsored the "Local Government Transparency Act" at the ALEC 2011 States and Nation Policy Summit. In its 2006 annual report the Cato Institute states that it made a grant of $50,000 to the Illinois Policy Institute. The Cato Institute is a libertarian think tank founded by Charles G. Koch and funded by the Koch brothers.


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If there's one thing I've found out while running this website, it's that I don't have a career as a blogger considering how I criminally ignore updates here as compared to my own Facebook profile. I guess I enjoy micro-blogging a lot more. Anyway, new promise to update here a lot more.
To catch up, I've been quite busy since last November. I took part in Samsung's Short Film Competition and it led to my short film Clownish which was a far-cry from the horror films I've been doing since 2012 and a refreshing change of pace that I enjoyed. It screened at Dubai International Film Festival last year and I'm proud of how it turned out. But right after that, it was time to go back to the genre my heart belongs to – the supernatural thriller. And that's how Sleight was born.
The idea for Sleight came from my intent to shoot a short film set entirely in a radio station and with a radio host. Anyone who has seen my previous work knows that I'm a huge fan of contained films that take place in one location and I think a short film is the best medium to explore that challenge in. But unlike a house where there's a lot of room to move around, a radio broadcast room setting meant that the character will be on a chair in front of a microphone for almost the entire film. Which meant that the film would have to be entirely dialogue driven as well as very strong on story. At the same time, I didn't want to do a 'ghost' story. I've seen a bunch of short films online where it's all about a ghost who ends up haunting the radio station or is a caller. I had to find a more interesting take for this setting that hadn't been done before. And that's when magic came to mind. I've always been so fascinated by the idea of magic that it seemed to be a perfect fit to make a film about a pessimistic radio host who rants on his midnight show about how much he hates magicians and believes that they're scam artists. But that's just the set-up. What would be the best situation to put a character like that in? Have a man call on air who claims to be a magician. It's a setup ripe with conflict and potential for twists and turns and while I'm not going to spoil it for you, I wrote the script to mine that potential thoroughly.
The moment I was done with the screenplay, I was hellbent on casting a real life radio host playing a fictional radio host instead of an actor pretending to be one. And keeping that in mind, there was no other actor in my head better than the very talented Brent Black. I have been listening to his show The Ride Home on Virgin Radio 104.4 for years now and he had the right type of charisma and delivery that I needed for the character of Tom Bower. I was incredibly lucky that he signed on to act in the film after he read the script and enjoyed it. After that, I cannot stress enough how much a great cast and crew came together to make this film possible. We shot the film in one long day and I'm very proud that it's my best looking and sounding film yet.
Sleight had its world premiere at Middle East Film and Comic Con in April to a very excited crowd. Lots of great questions and it's clearly a film that plays well in a room. Since then, it had two more screenings in Dubai – one at BITS Pilani and one at Classic Rock Cafe. Both times, the audience loved the film and told me how much the film keeps you guessing. Which, for a writer/director, is the best compliment.
So what's next? Well, we made a couple of tweaks to the film to really perfect it and I sent it out to a few international film festivals that I respect. Festivals that program genre films like Sleight is and festivals that I'd do my best to attend if the film makes it there. But that also means the film can't be released online till the later part of the year. But there will always be more local screenings over the summer that I'll keep all of you updated about.
As always, you can follow the film at our Facebook page. Thanks for all the support!


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Zak Boukerrou, True North's Strategy and Communications Placement, is taking three months out of his PHD in Biochemistry to work alongside us on brand and communication projects. Here he begins to explore why this is so important for the future of science.
Science has been key to advancing our quality of life, from great technological advancements through to treating human diseases; it has played a vital role in the human existence. Hence why communicating the impact science has to the general public is essential to its progress. Whether that's alerting people to the threats of climate change or inspiring future generations to follow a career, effective and engaging communications is vital in any new discovery or development.
The value of communication in science is not a new idea. During 19th century there was a big drive to make science more accessible and popular to the public. The Royal Institute in London was founded in 1799 not only to provide a collective platform to pursue new discoveries but to educate the British public through a series of lectures. It was where Humphry Davy showcased laughing gas to the delirium of the audience who tried it. And where, in 1825 they had the idea to target their lectures during term time holidays to make it accessible to younger audiences. Henceforth, the famous annual Christmas Lecture, merging science and entertainment, which made it engaging, inspiring and most importantly informative. The value of which captivated the BBC who have been broadcasting the event since 1966.
Public engagement remains as vital as ever today with an added emphasis on social and ethical issues. The British Science Festival takes place every year for four days; showcasing events ranging from the discussion of core science to exploring the role it plays in society through theatre performances, having previously been a platform to announce major scientific discoveries. There are also opportunities to get the general public to contribute to scientific research. Mobile apps such as the Great Brain Experiment, created at the University College London, allows the public to contribute to neurological research through a series of mini-games gauging mental health and agility.
There are also initiatives in order to encourage more young people to take up STEM subjects post 16 years. From the late 1980s to 2004, the number of students taking up STEM subjects post 16 years fell greatly but has since been rising. Yet there is still more to be done to convince young people that science is a viable career path and programs such as Your Life and STEMNET are helping to do just that.
In spite of all this, public engagement is still seen as more of a side-project or a hobby rather than an integral part of science. This is due to a greater focus for scientists to 'publish or perish' and engaging with the public is seen as unrewarding financially. Wellcome Trust, much like previous examples is trying to change this, and has recently begun providing financial support to public engagement projects.
Engaging the public to science is important in influencing government policy, with regards to our health, environment, and inspiring a new generation of scientists. Without getting the general public onside, the understanding of the key role science can play will get lost and with it, its potential benefits.


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|Bowdoin College
|Colby College
WATERVILLE, Maine — Ethan Schlager scored 19 points and the Colby College men's basketball team held off a late Bowdoin College rally to pull out an 89-84 victory in the non-conference game between the rivals Saturday.
The Mules improve to 6-1 overall and will host Bates College next Saturday at 3 p.m. Bowdoin, ranked 22nd in the D3hoops.com national poll, also is 6-1 overall. The two teams will play their NESCAC game on Saturday, Jan. 20, at 3 p.m. in Brunswick.
By the numbers
* Schlager was 7-for-13 from the field and added five rebounds. The Mules were 13-for-32 from 3-point range, while the Polar Bears managed just a 4-of-18 effort.
* First-year guards Matt Hanna and Wallace Tucker both had 15 points for Colby. Tucker had the best game of his young career with 6-for-10 shooting, 3-for-5 from long range, six rebounds, five assists, and three steals. Hanna also was 3-for-5 from 3-point range.
* Sam Jefferson finished with 10 points for the Mules, while Dean Weiner had a fine all-around game with six points, five rebounds, and game-highs in assists (5) and blocked shots (5). Alex Dorion came off the bench with 3-for-4 shooting from behind the arc for nine points and Steven Daley had seven points.
* Bowdoin forward Hugh O'Neil led all scorers with 22 and led the way in rebounds with 15. He was 10-for-13 from the field and finished with seven offensive rebounds.
* David Reynolds came off the bench for the Polar Bears with 16 points on 6-for-10 shooting. Jack Simonds added 14 points and Jack Bors finished with 13.
* Bowdoin guards Zavier Rucker and Stephen Ferraro also played well. Rucker had eight points, seven rebounds, and three assists. Ferraro sparked Bowdoin's late rally and had eight points and three assists.
Game highlights
* Bowdoin scored the opening basket of the game, but the Mules scored the next 12 points to take early control of the game.
* The Polar Bears twice fought back from 10-point deficits in the first half to cut the margin to 41-40 at halftime. Schlager and O'Neil both had 12 points for their respective teams.
* Bowdoin took its second lead of the game when Simonds hit a layup for a 44-43 margin with 18:32 to play. After the Mules went ahead again, the Polar Bears had their last lead of the game at 60-59 on a bucket by Bors with 9:23 remaining.
* Colby appeared to be in control when Tucker hit two 3-point shots and Jefferson added one for an 81-70 lead with 5:20 remaining. The Mules still led by 11 at 85-74 when Hanna sank two free throws with 4:07 to play.
* Ferraro sparked Bowdoin's comeback with a quick 3-point play and some aggressive drives to the basket in the final four minutes. Simonds hit two free throws with 1:56 remaining and O'Neil scored inside to cut Colby's lead to 85-84 with 1:09 remaining.
* The Mules received two big free throws from Tyler Williams with 25 seconds remaining for an 87-84 lead. After a missed shot by Bowdoin, Tucker scored off an assist from Weiner on a long inbounds pass started by Schlager.


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Shades Of Pink Striped Linen Napkin
Each gradient stripe in this Shades of Pink napkin adds a layer of dimension, creating a 'trompe l'ceil'.
This printed collection is based on emphasising the brushed texture that has become a signature part of Summerill & Bishop linens.
Wash at up to 60 degrees on a regular cycle (avoid "eco" or longer cycles).
Never soak for longer than 10 minutes and avoid using Vanish and other whitening products.
Tumble dry at 70 degrees for a soft effect, and 90 degrees for a more crushed finish.
We don't recommend ironing the full cloth in order to keep the linen's lovely crumpled texture intact, but we do like to iron the edges to give it a sharper edge.
50cm x 50cm
The Story
Printed on 100% linen, these napkins are the perfect addition to your 'trompe l'ceil' tablecloth.


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LITTLE chuckles rather than the big laughs you keep waiting for are what you get in "Cold Souls," a mildly funny metaphysical comedy about a famous actor who takes desperate measures to deliver a stage performance in "Uncle Vanya."
This famous actor is the wonderful Paul Giamatti, whose variety of roles — he's been in everything from "Big Momma's House" to "John Adams" to "Sideways" — ensures he can't spoof his on-screen persona the way the titular character did in "Being John Malkovich."
Sophie Barthes reportedly wrote "Cold Souls" for Woody Allen, and you can see that, as well as why Allen turned it down. The Woodman has parodied his public image in far funnier movies; in the best of them, he knows how to milk a gimmick in a way that sometimes eludes Barthes.
"Giamatti" is so daunted by his new stage role that he takes himself to Roosevelt Island, where an outfit he's read about in the New Yorker offers to lighten his neuroses by sucking out his soul — which he's abashed to learn resembles a chickpea — and putting it in cold storage.
David Strathairn is amusing as the crackpot doctor running the soul-storage company, who later offers to temporarily rent Giamatti the soul of what he falsely claims is a Russian poet.
This results in a very over-the-top rehearsal — not to mention marital complications — so Giamatti returns to reclaim his own soul.
Only it's nowhere to be found, not even at the storage facility in New Jersey Strathairn uses to avoid sales tax.
A trafficker (Dina Korzun) has smuggled it back to Russia, where it's been implanted in the soap-
opera-star wife of a mobster. The couple believes it was actually sucked from Al Pacino, one of several Americans on a wish list that did not include Giamatti.
Allen at his peak probably would have brought this premise in at well under 90 minutes; Barthes lets it drag on for more than 100, including far too many pretentious "atmospheric" shots actually made in St. Petersburg.
Worse, Barthes squanders the talents of Emily Watson as Giamatti's confused wife, and Lauren Ambrose as Strathairn's brusque assistant.
Giamatti tries very hard to put over "Cold Souls" — some of his reaction shots are priceless — but it's going to leave some people, well, cold.
COLD SOULS Pseudo-Woody. Running time: 101 minutes. Rated PG-13 (nudity, brief profanity). At the Lincoln Plaza and the Sunshine.


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A prominent molecular biologist at the University of Chicago has resigned after a university recommendation that he be fired for violating the school's sexual misconduct policy. His resignation comes amid calls for universities to be more transparent about sexual harassment in their science departments, where women account for only one-quarter of senior faculty jobs.
The professor, Jason Lieb, 43, made unwelcome sexual advances to several female graduate students at an off-campus retreat of the molecular biosciences division, according to a university investigation letter obtained by The New York Times, and engaged in sexual activity with a student who was "incapacitated due to alcohol and therefore could not consent."
Dr. Lieb stepped down last month before any action was taken.
Amy Harmon for The New York Times


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I spoke to Kwarasey but he gives many excuses – Kwesi Appiah
Black Stars Coach Kwesi Appiah has revealed convincing Adam Kwarasey back to the national team but goalkeeper keeps providing excuses for his absence.
The Valerenger goalkeeper has been out of the Black Stars for a long while citing different reason for his unavailability.
Coach Kwesi Appiah is giving opportunities to several players as he continues with his rebuilding process at the national team.
He indicated he has tried inviting the former Rosenburg goalkeeper but he provides excuses for his absence.
"There's no single call up I don't consider, with Adam Kwarasey I talked to him and asked Richard Kingston to take it up from there but getting to time to do the call ups , he gives excuses.
"No player should feel bigger than Ghana, Ghana is bigger than any player, " Appiah stated.
Adam Kwarasey represented Ghana at the Africa Cup of nations in 2012 as well as at the FIFA World Cup in 2014.
Meanwhile, there are reports suggesting the player has fallen out with the handlers of the national team.
Maritzburg United goalkeeper Richard Ofori has now been trusted with the nub=mber one position by Richard Kingston, the Black Stars goalkeeper's trainer.


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Qualified specialists, innovative technology, and microscopic accuracy – with these ideas in mind, Meravita produces personalised vitamins in its Estonian laboratory. The company takes into account the specificities and needs of its customers depending on their lifestyle and health conditions.
"We create conceptions and products that help people to remain healthy," Swen Uusjärv, Meravita's director, says, introducing the company's activities. "Today we are focused on natural products that can help people stay healthy and active for a longer time. If the person has a need to visit a doctor, then he is actually ill already. Instead of dealing with the consequences, it is more reasonable to prevent the disease and to ensure that the immune system is strong enough, the organs are working, and that there is a healthy mind in a healthy body."
Uusjärv explains that ensuring that people would feel good, and maintain strong health and vitality is important for Meravita. One of the company's major objectives is to produce personalised vitamins and minerals, according to each customer's personal needs so that they could improve and support their health.
"We have realised that most of the people understand the world of vitamins wrong. It is thought that a course of vitamins needs to be done occasionally. However, we need some of the vitamins and minerals on a daily basis," Uusjärv explains. That is why Meravita produces unique vitamins and minerals for each customer in order to cover the deficiencies resulting from their lifestyle and eating habits. "At the moment, we don't focus on treating humans; we do not focus on so-called courses either. Through our products we focus on supporting peoples' health and well-being all year round," Uusjärv adds.
Microscopic accuracy
In order to understand which vitamins and minerals the customer needs, clients are asked to fill in a questionnaire sheet consisting of 34 questions. With this questionnaire, the particularities of the customer's body are mapped. "That way we get an adequate picture of the customer's health indicators and eating habits and on that basis we determine the appropriate set of vitamins, micro- and macro elements," Uusjärv says. Then, based on the customer's completed questionnaire, a recipe is drawn up, according to which the capsules of minerals, both fat- and water-soluble vitamins are prepared. The capsules are placed in blisters, which are packaged and then sent to the customer.
"Our client managers deal with every customer individually with the aim to provide personalised support and, if necessary, specialist advice for the selection of products and their integration into the customer's diet," Uusjärv specifies.
In manufacturing products, Meravita uses natural raw materials with a higher level of quality that have been selected carefully and are GMO-, gluten- and preservative-free. "There is no such thing as "cheap and high-quality". When buying in starting materials, we choose the products with higher quality, which is why our product prices are a little bit higher than the average price level," Uusjärv notes.
"The need for our services has resulted from the increasingly more intense social and physical environment. People are pressured by competition on daily basis, which results in stress and wrong eating behaviour that systemically violates the person's own health," Uusjärv describes and adds that the company's mission is to raise people's awareness. "Peoples' health should be nurtured and supported and adding dietary supplements, such as vitamins and minerals into peoples' daily intake helps to compensate for their often monotonous diet. I see that there is such a great need, but the awareness hasn't followed. Through our actions, we are trying to bring this knowledge home," Uusjärv explains. "A customer group, who is coming along without philosophy, is quietly emerging."
Innovative technology
Meravita was founded in 2012 but its development began in 2010, when it started to build the first prototypes for the factory. "The main problem at that moment was that there were no devices for making unique vitamins," Uusjärv recalls. The main challenge that became evident for the Estonian scientists involved in the project was the assembling of various robots and setting them up to standard equipment.
The laboratory was finished in 2014 and the first personalised vitamins reached customers in 2015. As of September 2016, the firm's laboratory equipment was ready for producing personalised minerals.
A professional team with various academic backgrounds has participated in the preparation of the product, including biochemists, biologists, nutritionists, pharmacists, and food and genetic engineers.
"Launching such a company was very, very difficult," Uusjärv notes and adds that the whole system was built so that the company would comply with the classification of a drug manufacturer.
"Today, the company is engaged in making food supplements based on plant extracts but we are planning to produce drugs soon," Uusjärv says. He adds that it is only natural, since there is a thin line between producing drug and food supplements.
Meravita's product development and laboratory are both located in Estonia. Uusjärv says that it is favourable to test their business model in Estonia. In doing so, he confirms that they plan to start exporting very soon, with plans to enter the Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, and Finnish markets.
"Right now we are in a phase where we plan to improve our manufacturing capacity," Uusjärv says and adds that in order to do so, they must first of all invest in product development.
The company is open to any cooperation offers. "Our aim is to find new partners and markets, broaden the raw materials and new technical solutions circle," Uusjärv lists. He adds that of course they are open to new innovative ideas that fit with their ideas – summed up – everything that will help keeping people healthy.


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In case you're wondering about the name, the elucidation is here. The name Downloaderforpc.com basically recognizes the Google Android Apps for PC, which suggests all applications which are available on the Google Play Store, this site will give you those applications to your PC. Along these lines, basically, it implies Android Apps for PC or Apps for PC-as it seemed to be.


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Organized Tourism? Sobremesa in Japan II/
Never say never.
I had sworn off all forms of organized tourism. I refused to be part of the ugly masses, nor would I picture myself mingling among flowered shirt-wearing, fanny-pack carrying tourists who stick out like a sore thumb and act loud when abroad. These stereotypical Westerners don't know -don't try- how to survive in another place, removed from their comfort zone, and resort to familiar, recognizable places like Starbucks or McDonald's around the world, missing out on the local food culture in an attempt to remain close to what they know. Then they claim they have traveled.
When I worked with Americans abroad in Barcelona, I always made sure to introduce the nuances of the local coffee culture; one can know a lot about a place and its people based on the habits that surround their caffeine consumption. How unfortunate, to miss out on the subtle significance of why you just can't order a café con leche after a meal, or why you don't order coffee to go in Spain; that's just not done, as coffee is meant for relaxation, it's a break from work and not fuel to keep working. If you stick to Starbucks, just because it's familiar, you would never know the difference.
Nevertheless, sometimes it's not easy to penetrate into the local culture of a foreign place, either because it's just too foreign, or because, like Barcelona, the tourism industry is so overbearing that many neighborhoods in the city are designed entirely to cater to the tourists who crave the familiar (Starbucks), or a stereotypical version of local color (the souvenir shops on the Ramblas selling Mexican sombreros!). Hence my softening up to the idea of guided travel...
In late 2014, I was invited by Accent International to Istanbul for a few days, to meet my colleagues from the Mediterranean Politics, Food & Culture program I now teach yearly for University of California Education Abroad Program. Thrilled at the opportunity to get to know such an exciting city, in a rich culture, new to me and different from any I had ever visited, I knew however that I wouldn't be able to stay long enough to scratch the surface, and that was a bit frustrating. Somehow I found out about Culinary Backstreets, a small endeavor then, whose food-focused city walks were not quite as widespread around the globe then as they are now. Their mission, centered on the human aspect behind the food, spoke right to me:
"there [are] countless stories of a city's foodways that needed to be told. We wanted to focus on a more traditional side of urban culinary life – the workings of simple family-run restaurants, the masters passing their craft on to an apprentice, the banter of regulars gathered around an open table, the rhythm of a life committed to meatballs and nothing else. We were enthralled by all of the tiny epics we encountered while eating our way through the city and set out to share as many of them as we could. From the start, we vowed to go slow and collect these stories one-by-one, giving equal measure to the culinary side as the human element of the story."
I signed up for a tour on one of my two free days in Istanbul, still quite wary as to what this first-ever venture into organized tourism would bring. Would I be dragged down the streets caught in a crowd, led by a megaphone-toting guide holding up an American flag? Happily, that's not at all how it turned out.
I joined our guide Ipek with a very small group (there were 6 of us in all) early on an extremely rainy fall morning, for a full day packed with eating and stories. We started out with a colorful, traditional Turkish breakfast spread Ipek pulled out of her backpack in a beautiful old train station. What better way to introduce ourselves to each other, fellow walker-foodies, than around the table.
For the following several hours, we ate our way through the winding streets of Istanbul. Ipek took us to places I never would have been able to find on my own: not just the right spice shop within the market, but also small, hidden, hole-in-the-wall, family-run restaurants, tons of street food joints (the fact that they were included on the tour validated them as "safe to eat", including those mussels I probably wouldn't have dared to try on my own), and even craftsmens' workshops tucked away in secret city corners. Ipek escorted us up some very old-looking, winding stairs, to find the best views of the city, with food purchased from a nearby generations-old family-run bakery. We devoured our way through the day, and I came home feeling I had gained a knowledge of a place and culture I could never have done in one day exploring on my own. It inspired me to cook and eat more Turkish food, and in fact I later put together some lovely Turkish cuisine workshops at the schools I regularly teach at in the Bay Area. The walking tour also shifted my strong opinions about organized travel.
My absolutely positive experience with the Culinary Backstreets walk in Istanbul surely played a role in my decision to start Sobremesa Culinary Tours. I now understand why people resort to organized travel, and believe that sometimes it's great to have a local guide you through an unknown city. Because food is a perfect gateway into a culture, what better way to offer a foreigner access to a new place than by offering some insider knowledge of its food culture? Culinary Backstreets and I share a belief in "honest tourism"; in fact, I recently started a conversation with them for possible future collaborations, stay tuned!
Three years after my Istanbul culinary walk, as we were planning our Japan itinerary, I felt daunted and somewhat anxious about only being able to spend 3 days in massive Tokyo. I remembered the Culinary Backstreets experience and, lo and behold, by now they are already in Tokyo, too! We signed up for a tour with them on our first full day in the city (but only after an early morning visit to Tsukiji market, which was at the very top of my Tokyo list).
We met up with our guide Noam at Shibuya station, one of the most bustling areas of an already extremely bustling city. Noam was easy enough to spot without holding up a sign (or flag), thanks not only to the fact that he towered above the locals, but also to the detailed instructions and photo we were emailed upon signup. The group was limited to six, i.e., no megaphone needed: only my family of four and one other couple. Another young woman tagged along as an apprentice, an aspiring tour guide herself, and she turned out to be the only non-Californian in the group, including Noam, who had been living in Japan for over a decade, but was touched by the fact that we live in the city where he went to school.
Without too much ado, Noam aimed to get us to the eating as soon as possible. Our first stop was a sushi joint in Shibuya station's depachika. A depachika is a department store basement (which is literally what the name means), where the best local food halls are. In Japan, life evolves in and around the stations, and that's where you can find the best food (remember Jiro? He is in a station, too; we didn't eat there but did track the place down in Ginza station to snap a photo). This was a surprise to me, as it's so unlike my native Buenos Aires, where big stations make for neighborhoods you would much rather avoid.
My first experience of a depachika had been a few days prior, when I stumbled on the one in Kyoto station, where I almost had a nervous breakdown due to the overwhelming excitement of so much good food on offer. I was with Olivia, and I had to drag her back up the escalator, find Israel and Bruno, who were waiting in a loooong line for the bus to one of the temples, and drag them all back down to see it with their own eyes. The array was stellar. The food on display was similar to the one in Shibuya: dozens and dozens of stalls, mostly organized by genre: produce, fresh fish, sushi and sashimi, prepared foods (my family members have a weakness for the tempura stalls; who can resist deep fried?), bento, pickles galore, vegetable and seaweed-based side dishes, Japanese sweets, tea, and a long etc. Sampling was often part of the experience, and we were only too happy to comply.
Noam took us to a corner small sushi restaurant, a side business run by the same fishmongers from the market. We were each instantly -they had clearly been expecting us- served miso soup and a platter with a generous selection of nigiri ("squeezed") sushi: lean tuna, boiled octopus, scallop, and a long eel cut in half and prepared two ways, with sesame and wasabi. When I asked Noam about natto, which I had not been able to try yet (the cooks at the ryokan I had stayed at the first few days in Japan probably thought Westerners don't do that kind of thing), he didn't hesitate, and ordered a natto maki or roll for me to try, even though it wasn't a part of our set menu. Natto, in case you don't know, is fermented soybeans. Its appearance is a total turn off to some, because it's sticky, stringy, even slimy. It also happens to stink. A lot. Nevertheless, I am such a weirdo that when I know something is good for me it automatically tastes good to me, and I had heard a lot about the nutritional benefits of natto. Bruno and I (Israel and Olivia didn't dare try it) got hooked on its umami flavor, and shared several more natto maki throughout the trip. In fact, I have even found a sushi place close to my house in Berkeley that makes natto maki; it's nutritious, and also inexpensive compared to fish.
Before we departed, the sushi master sculpted an array of adorable, tiny, real sushi, an exact replica of everything we had just eaten, special for Olivia, the tiny one in the group. In Japan she got so much attention, just for being a child (and a beautiful one, at that!); whenever we were wandering around in a shop, the shopkeepers would come up and offer her a token, something small, just as if to say, I see you, I acknowledge your presence.
We took a tour of the depachika, while Noam pointed out the highlights. There was of course some sampling involved, including kastera (sponge cake, brought to Japan by the Portuguese, just like tempura) and Japanese tea. With our bellies already pleasantly full, we boarded a local train to Kichijoji, where we spent the rest of the tour, a neighborhood we never would have visited if not for Culinary Backstreets. In order for us to be able to interpret it, Noam described it Tokyo's equivalent of Berkeley to SF, due to its youthful, artistic and counter-cultural reputation.
I won't enumerate all the places we visited on our 6-hour foodie tour (not just because I don't want to reveal CB's secrets), but there were definitely some highlights for me. My favorite was without a doubt Soybean Farm, a miso shop and restaurant where we got to taste 9 varieties of miso, and then choose our favorite (or a combination thereof, which my experimental son gladly went for) to have a soup made out of it. (I felt proud of myself for having chosen the same miso the guide later did, a nettle miso, of which I bought some to bring home with me; they say it's great for allergies.)
The story of the shop's owner as told to us touched my heart, as an illustration of authentic Japanese culture. As it goes in Japan, the miso business had been in his family for four generations; his father and grandfather before him had been miso producers. But he wasn't so keen on it, and wanted something different for himself, so he became a miso sommelier, and started gathering miso from all over Japan and experimenting with recipes. The shop and restaurant in Kichijoji serves some of these recipes; our group got to taste a miso cheesecake and a pork marinated in red wine and red miso. The master has taken to combining different varieties of miso with wines in many recipes; their fermented flavors pair well. The miso-master himself was not there to greet us because he was at his weekly ballroom dancing class when we went, but we ran into him -impossible to miss, in his elegant ballroom attire- on our way out, and Noam stopped to introduce us.
Throughout the day we visited many shops, bars and restaurants, and sampled foods as varied as fugu (the infamous pufferfish, banned throughout the Edo era) and a warm sake simmered with fugu fish fin; takoyaki (octopus fritters, Bruno's favorite of the day), handmade sembe (rice crackers made with mochi rice, dried and then baked, coated, and baked again) in a factory/shop that has been run by the same couple for 60 years (at 85, they are still working there every day); a popular local yakitori joint; taiyaki (a fish-shaped waffle filled with sweet red bean paste; tai is sea bream, but its name is also related to good luck). Our final stop was a funky izakaya, a Japanese pub, which I would probably call the tapas equivalent of Japan. We drank shochu paired with some small plates such as cut up tomato and cucumber, pork intestine (I didn't go for that one, though they say it's very healthy!) or my favorite: grilled bitter melon, super digestive after all that eating.
Just as valuable as the sites we visited on the tour was our guide's graciousness and generosity, in addition to his in-depth knowledge and ability to mediate between the local and the foreign. He accompanied everyone to the station at the end of the day, and then took extra time to walk the four of us to a shop he had mentioned and I expressed interest in, staying to translate for me. Every time we transitioned between sites, he made sure to call the next stop to remind them to expect us, so they were always ready for us and no time was wasted -saving more time for the long stretches we chose to spend sharing sobremesa over shochu or yakitori.
I can only aspire to be as gracious with my upcoming Boutique Basque and Boutique Barcelona guests! My older self now realizes that organized travel is both possible and desirable. I hope the guests of Sobremesa Culinary Tours will feel well received and empowered by the knowledge we will share with them, and, with our guidance, less daunted to leave their comfort zone and venture into new cultures. Isn't it pretty to think that there is such a thing as honest tourism?


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Protected natural areas are a significant tourism resource in many countries, including Norway, Sweden, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The provision of tourism facilities in such areas is increasing but this is not without controversy. Tensions have arisen in some areas where international ...
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Inside the Track #10
Inside the Track #10
We are truly honored to present our first video series featuring the outstanding indie mixing engineer David Wrench, revisiting the acclaimed single "Charlemagne" by Blossoms. In this exclusive "Inside the Track", the welsh acid house guru walks you through his production methods and mixing techniques in the box.
David Wrench is a Welsh musician and studio producer/sound engineer from Anglesey, Wales As he began his musical carreer in the late 80's, he was bitten by the crazy beats of acid house and was wholly inspired by dance music.


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Traders Want Incentives for Being Tax Compliant
Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) is asking the government to give tax incentives to compliant individuals and businesses.
Members say it will eliminate or, at least, minimize tax evasion by unregistered and non-compliant members.
Statistics show only two percent of 75 percent informal sector businesses contribute to Ghana's tax revenue
Traders are worried a few tax compliant businesses are, as a result, over-burdened with huge tax obligations.
"What is happening is that those of us paying regularly are those most targeted because the tax net is not wide open. We want them to devise some specific incentives that will go to the taxpayer those who are doing well rather than we being punished", GUTA President, Dr Joseph Obeng, says.
He believes some incentives through tax rebates and tax holidays can make a difference.
"So what we seek is that we can be given tax rebates, and sometimes those of us who are choking financially may be due to inactivity of their business for specific times can be given some tax holidays so we should reach a point that they can offset some of our indebtedness," he adds.
Dr Obeng revealed some businesses are compelled to under-declare their taxes because often tax assessments of those complying are increased by 100 or sometimes 200 folds unreasonably subsequently.
"As soon as you pay more tax the following year they increase the tax assessment by 100 or 200 folds. That is so punitive for us. They are disincentives. It makes people under-declare their taxes".
Tax collection in the informal sector presents challenges to the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).
Officials of the GRA have described as too low Ghana's tax revenue to Gross Domestic Product which stands at 16.7 percent as against the sub-regional target of between 20 to 25 percent.
Industry players attribute the situation to Ghana's low tax compliance.
"The tax compliance is very low that is why we are in the situation.The potential taxpayers and those paying are less than 25 percent of the expected taxpayers. All the taxes we get basically walk to us. So by going out there and reaching out to the taxpayers, we will be able to improve the tax compliance system," said Commissioner-General, Emmanuel Kofi Nti.
He tells Luv Biz talks about steps to capture small and medium taxpayers into GRA database and improve voluntary tax compliance are on-going.
He acknowledges collecting taxes from the informal sector is a challenge which the authority is working to deal with it.
A lot of the economic activities take place in the central business districts of Accra and Kumasi, and Mr. Nti believes tax collection must function naturally in these areas.
It is, therefore, strengthening its taxpayer offices in the regions.
"So we want to deepen our relationship with them so that one-by-one we know those who are not paying their taxes and those transacting their business there. There are situations where people change their locations but as for these two areas they hardly change their location", he added.
Source: Luv FM


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Wet here today at Bushcraft but the crew are busy with activities: knife craft camouflage , games and tribe performances. We are fuelled on a mountain of pancakes and Rice Krispie goo with the Bushcraft challenge to follow before heading home.Fantastic response from all who slept I the shelters on both nights and all who are learning to work together despite being tired!! A great big shout out for the Y10 whose efforts have been immense.
Well done all!


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I'm just taking a short breaking from working through the line edits for Amy Green, Bridesmaid Blitz which will be out in October. The timing's pretty tight so I'm trying to devote as many hours to them as I possibly can, day and night.
Line edits come after the structural edit (sometimes there can be more than one of these if the editor has encountered lots of things they'd like to see changed or worked through) and accompanying author's re-write. It's when the editor (or sometimes a different editor) goes through each line of the book, making notes and suggesting changes; some small, like changing a word or adding a line, some bigger, like moving a scene, or checking a character's motivation rings true.
It's a vital part of your book's progression from manuscript to finished bound book, and it's important to put everything you can into it. By the end of the editing process you should a/ know every chapter practically off by heart and b/ be ready to let your work go, knowing you've done all you can to make it the best book possible.
And yes, you can get more than a little sick of your own book by the end of things, that's kind of normal. It drives you on to write the next book and start the whole process all over again. Like childbirth, you forget the hard bits and keep writing regardless.
There are several issues that are reoccurring throughout my Amy Green book, which is now in its fifth draft. The main one is my 'beats' or lack of. 'Beats' are (and I'm quoting a book on editing here by Renni Browne and Dave King) bits of action interspersed through a scene, such as a character walking to a window or removing his glasses and rubbing his eyes – the literary equivalent of what is know as theatre as 'stage business'.'
So there you have it – 'beats'. Bits that spice up the dialogue, and often, make sense of what's happening when characters are talking.
My problem – this is book 3 in the series. I now know my characters so well that the action unfolds right in front of my eyes. But I have to keep remembering that my readers don't know my characters the way I do. They may need some nudges in the right direction. They won't know Amy is staring at her feet and mumbling unless I say or show she is.
But too many 'beats' and the dialogue starts to sound stilted and unnatural. It's a difficult balance.
'Beats' – good word, isn't it? Better get back to the line edit – it won't wait!
Yours in writing,
Sarah X


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Battling Burnout and Its Consequences
How can we tackle the increasing incidence of physician stress, anxiety, and depression?
Stress, anxiety, and depression. As a radiologist, you may have suffered one of these conditions, or watched a colleague suffer — perhaps silently.
Overall physician burnout has climbed a whopping 10 percent in three years, with 50 percent of radiologists surveyed in the 2016 Medscape Physician Lifestyle Report reporting feelings of burnout. Why are burnout and related concerns increasing rather than decreasing in the specialty? What can we do to address these troubling issues, both individually and on a broader scale?
How Did We Get Here?
According to Peter S. Moskowitz, MD, executive director of the Center for Professional and Personal Renewal in Palo Alto, Calif., problems like stress and burnout have become embedded in the culture of medicine. "It's been a significant and increasing problem for several decades," he says. Moskowitz, who is now both a certified career transition and life coach and a radiologist and clinical professor emeritus at Stanford University, has coached over 400 physicians individually since 1998, including more than 40 diagnostic radiologists.
Stress, and its more dire counterpart, burnout, can lead to a variety of larger problems, including depression, anxiety, and chronic fatigue. The need to halt this trend is clear based on a recent article in Stat News, linking the crisis to physician suicide: "Suicide among medical students and doctors has been a largely unacknowledged phenomenon for decades, obscured by secrecy and shame."
Likewise, Claire E. Bender, MD, from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., says that mental health issues like depression are considered taboo in the workplace, acknowledging that some physicians will be afraid to bring the topic up to their leadership or colleagues. Moskowitz agrees that few physicians will speak up, thinking it may jeopardize their careers: "Many won't even admit in a survey when they're depressed because it may come back to haunt them by limiting career advancement."
Why are so many medical students, physicians, and (in particular) radiologists suffering in silence? Moskowitz blames increased clinical service demands and pressure to perform, rising student debt from medical school, and poorly developed self-care habits. An article from RSNA News also notes administrative duties, long work hours, and increased computer data entry as contributing factors. But there are tangible steps we can take to improve individual mental health in imagers.
What Can You Do?
Here are a couple of ways you can take action to manage your own stress and its consequences, like burnout and depression:
Practice Self-Care: Take care of yourself by eating well, sleeping, and exercising, says Moskowitz. Plus, avoid using negative habits to cope, such as over-eating, using alcohol, or gambling. "Take work-life balance seriously," Moskowitz recommends, "and find someone to hold you accountable. Balance is hard to reach in isolation."
Reach Out: Bender emphasizes the importance of being on the lookout for symptoms among your colleagues, too. "Keep an eye out for changes in their appearance or signs of fatigue. Often, people wear their depression and anxiety on their sleeve," she says. If you notice something is not right with one of your colleagues, speak up and offer to sit down and talk one-on-one. Bender recommends, "People want to talk and you have to give them that opportunity to do so." She also notes that it's important to get HR or an expert involved if need be.
Seek Professional Help: If you feel like you're spinning out of control, seek professional help. Talk to a therapist if you feel uncomfortable bringing it up with colleagues or your boss. With the incidence of physician suicide tragically increasing, Moskowitz says it's essential for leaders and administration to provide confidential mental health resources to physicians seeking help — however, not all hospitals or practices do. That's why he also believes there institutional changes that need to occur as well to fully tackle the root causes of these problems.
What Can We Do Together?
What institutional changes should we be thinking about implementing as a community? Here are a few ideas for where we might start:
Create Physician Wellness Communities: Moskowitz suggests that we form programming on a local level. This might include getting physicians together in small groups to talk in confidence about the problems they're facing within the department or hospital. Bender says that at the Mayo Clinic, these small group discussions are already occurring. The radiology department funds lunches where Bender and her colleagues discuss the culture of stress and how to resolve it. "People need to understand the need for this and find resources to start these local discussions," Bender explains.
Start a Steering Committee: Moskowitz also suggests the creation of a steering community of leaders from the ACR, RSNA, academic radiology, and other stakeholders to talk about how they can begin to think about a broader culture change to ease workforce challenges and support the health and wellness of all radiologists. In his Radiology op-ed, Moskowitz writes that this steering committee should hold a national symposium, create official policy statements, and evaluate and recommend methods for improvement.
Provide Grants for Research: In the end, Moskowitz believes we need to fund academic grants to research burnout and depression in radiology so we can address them in a strategic, evidence-based way. "The fact that we've published about how the incidence is rising isn't enough," Moskowitz says. "We need to be more proactive and more engaged in finding solutions."
By Alyssa Martino, freelance writer for the ACR Bulletin


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At the current count as I write, eleven men have now contacted Cheshire police to report sexual abuse committed against them by Barry Bennell and/or other paedophile abusers from the world of professional football. Everyone who understands the dynamics of these cases fully expects the reports to keep coming. Once the seal has been broken, the lid will rarely go back on the jar.
When I was around 11 to 13, I played in a kids football team which in one respect was very, very different to Whitehill FC or Crewe Alexandra Juniors, where Bennell first met Andy Woodward, David White and other boys he abused. They were a hugely talented group, some of whom who would go on to play for top professional clubs and even the national team. We were abject rubbish. Really. If the circumstances were different I could tell you some hilarious stories about our incompetent blunders. Right now I don't feel like laughing.
We did, however, share one significant detail. As with them, our coach was a serial and prolific child abuser. [Read more…]


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One of a kind art to decorate your life!
We manufacture and design wedding canvas guest books and we can be found online at slap-art.com.
At Slap-Art.com, you'll find everything from canvases, wall arts, vinyl decals, bumper stickers, and vinyl skins. We have over 20+ years experience in the printing and sign business. We have customers located in all regions of the world. The customers that we support are looking for high quality products to decorate their homes, vehicles, or accessories. Our knowledgeable staff can assist you with technical or creative support with any of our products that we offer. In addition to our stock items, we can help you design a custom size, shape, or print for any of your printing needs.


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Elegance and Professionalism
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Click to edit
Click to edit
Blue City Construction Corp.
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We have earned strong recognition for undertaking all sorts of big and small projects, fostering innovation, embracing emerging technologies and making a difference for our clients, employees, community and environment. We helping you in making your vision come true.
We are full services company covering all your residential, commercial and industrial construction needs and solutions like roofing, waterproofing, concrete, brick pointing, interior and exterior façade repairs, violation removal, sidewalk shed and scaffolding. We specialize in all aspects of construction, remodeling, restoration, repair and installations work. We believe in promoting safety of life so all of our work conform OSHA standards.
We committed to deliver top quality and affordable construction services with unparalleled efficiency and dedication. Integrity, reliability, professionalism and quality are the true strength Blue City Construction Corp. We strive towards better and improved services through innovative technologies to meet your building needs
¿?Why Choose Us?
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Blue City Construction Corp, NY based company specialists in Commercial, Residential and Industrial construction, Remodeling and Renovations projects. Our passion is to provide better life, that enables us to put all of our efforts helping you and your house become a better acquainted.
We are highly experience and skilled exterior remodeling contractors offering expert services for all kind of exterior work. We proud to serve for all exterior renovation needs of residential, commercial and industrial projects with fast, effective and dynamic fostered approach. Improve the function & value of your property with quality exterior renovation.
Specialist Roofing Contractors in NYC, get expert solutions to your tricky roofing problems and keeps your roof in excellent condition. We work with latest technologies, resources and skills provide one stop solution from roofing design to installation and roof repair. Also contact us for roof waterproofing, skylights, gutters and leader pipes installation.
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Whether you looking for Leak detection wall / slab, Underground leaks / basement waterproofing or Negative/Positive Side Waterproofing services, we are the best choice for general construction services in Brooklyn NY to home owners, commercial and industrial building needs. Get your job done right and secure you investment with Tetra Construction.
Want to transform the look of your space with Interior Remodeling? Blue City Construction Corp. NYC is the right option because we believe only professional touch can make the difference when you renovate existing space with better design. Give cohesive look to your space that truly represents your unique taste. We specialize in all phases of interior renovations.
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We are well recognized name in New York Construction Contractors worked with leading owners, engineers, architects and builders providing full coordination from design to build. We equipped with state-of-art technologies and project management skills provide quick assessment of construction costs, scope and work schedules to insure successful on time and within budget delivery of projects.
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Our inspiration
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UnexpectedUnexpected death takes you by surprise and makes you rethink everything.Of course it makes you sad and teared up as well.My aunt,passed away on the 26th December,coincidentally,it was my brother's Syafiq's birthday as well.She passed away around 5 am in the morning.It was very unexpected.
She's my mum's eldest sister whom I call mak chak.She went on my family vacation to Cameron Highlands back in April and I always remember that great time we had.Sometimes it's weird but at times,during the 3 day tahlil we had at her house,I feel like she's still around and I can hear her voice but I know it was just nostalgia on my behalf.
It made think about my life.How I should be thankful and grateful of it.Appreciate the people around me more.Get rid of petty things,always make amends and many more.Life is too short.There's so many things I want to do with it.I don't want to waste it away because you never know when it might be your last day.
Below is a picture of a sunflower which I took from my aunt's garden.She love to garden and sunflowers is one of her favorite flower.So now whenever I look at it,I'll remember her.:)


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No. While the majority of our clients are referred by their neurologist, primary care physician, or current rehabilitation team, it is not necessary to have a prescription or a referral in order to participate in our program. We do require a medical release form signed by your primary care physician in order to be considered. Please read Do you require anything from me in order to start? for more information.
Many of our clients do have a written referral or prescription from their physician to our program as well as a written referral from their physical therapist. These documents are also useful for reimbursement from your insurance provider.


text: Subscribe to our newsletter This thingy has to be empti pwieshh Sep 6, 2015 Awesome Humans - Issue #2 Revue "Awesome Humans" is a weekly curated newsletter highlighting content at the intersection of becoming Grant Gochnauer: Awesome Humans September 6 · Issue #2 · View online Awesome Humans is about becoming the best you can be in a world of exponential change: Leadership, Technology, Entrepreneurship, Personal Growth, Health, Disruption, and the Future. "Awesome Humans" is a weekly curated newsletter highlighting content at the intersection of becoming extraordinary individuals, building extraordinary teams, and the future. *New Reader? Or if you love what you read: Share This: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook Being an Awesome Human Science Says the Internet Is Turning Us into Shallow Thinkers. Here's Why That's a Problem magazine.good.stfi.re – Share Over the last twenty years or so, there has been a lot of hemming and hawing about whether the internet makes us stupid, or whether it makes us smarter. In many ways, it seems the answer is both. For digital natives, instant gratification frequently wins out over critical evaluation of sources. JOHN GARDNER - EDUCATION AND EXCELLENCE www.pbs.stfi.re – Share John Gardner writes in a very powerful essay on the value of investing in your own self renewal, lifelong learning, and breaking out of the prisons we create for ourselves to create purpose and meaning. We can't write off the danger of complacency, growing rigidity, imprisonment by our own comfortable habits and opinions. Look around you. How many people whom you know well – people even younger than yourselves –are already trapped in fixed attitudes and habits. A famous French writer said "There are people whose clocks stop at a certain point in their lives." Take 10 minutes to read this essay - you won't regret it. Being a Healthy Human Modifiable Risk Factors For Alzheimer's www.longevityreporter.stfi.re – Share After a wide analysis of evidence, researchers have come up with a number of factors that appear to have the strongest influence on the development of Alzheimer's disease. Algorithms Predict Schizophrenia with 100% Accuracy www.psychologytoday.stfi.re – Share New algorithms can predict future psychosis with 100% accuracy by detecting disjointed thoughts in speech. Human Builders How to Manage Scale, and Operate in Scaling Organizations medium.stfi.re – Share Why companies are different during periods of intense scaling, and how to operate well during growth. Vodori has recently been highly focused on rebuilding the organization from inside out focused on scalability, sustainability, purpose, autonomy, and mastery. Human Systems are amazingly complex and yet simple in many ways. Hit me up if you ever want to talk about scaling organizations. We're still learning but have some pretty great experiences worth sharing. (Find me at the locations at the bottom of this newsletter) Rethinking Work mobile.nytimes.stfi.re – Share We all strive to create meaning in our lives. When you think about your job, your work, does this fulfill the desire to create meaning? Workplaces that offered employees work that was challenging, engaging and meaningful, and over which they had some discretion, were more profitable than workplaces that treated employees as cogs in a production machine. We should not lose sight of the aspiration to make work the kind of activity people embrace, rather than the kind of activity they shun. How can we do this? By giving employees more of a say in how they do their jobs. By making sure we offer them opportunities to learn and grow. And by encouraging them to suggest improvements to the work process and listening to what they say. Responsive Delivery: Effective Practices for Digital First Organizations medium.stfi.re – Share Digital first organizations are creating experiences that are addressing an unprecedented amount of design challenges across a rapidly changing set of platforms and channels. This increasing degree of uncertainty requires that these organizations develop a responsive delivery approach to foster collaboration between marketing and its technology partners. The modern digital enterprise is a place where the customer experience calls for greater integration of organizational capabilities, from content to creative to software. As leaders we must determine how to reduce the silos between these groups to improve the rate of learning for the entire organization. Future Humans Self-healing technology one step closer after scientists produce aircraft wings which fix themselves www.independent.stfi.re – Share Is this the first step to self-healing robots from Terminator? :) Even the researchers involved in the project describe it as "verging on science fiction". A team of British scientists has produced aircraft wings that can fix themselves after being damaged, suggesting that self-healing technology will soon become commonplace. How Close Are We To Nuclear Fusion? www.forbes.stfi.re – Share Dive into the 3 leading candidates for creating sustainable nuclear fusion allowing humans to harness the energy of the sun. Naysayers love to claim that nuclear fusion is always decades away — and always will be — but the reality is we've moved ever closer to the breakeven point and solved a large number of technical challenges over the past twenty years. Nuclear fusion, if we ever achieve it on a large scale, will usher in a new era for humanity: one where energy conservation is a thing of the past, as the fuel for our heart's desires will literally be without limits. The Fermi Paradox waitbutwhy.stfi.re – Share Scientists estimate that there are over 100,000 intelligent alien civilizations in our galaxy—but we never see evidence of anyone. Here are 13 reasons why - Some of the reasons may be hard to believe! It's crazy to sit back and reflect on the possibilities. One More Thing 2015 Google Ranking Factors: 260+ Facts & Myths northcutt.stfi.re – Share There's a lot of information floating around these days about what makes a site rank higher in Google's free, organic listings. Through this team's research, they've found the majority of this advice to be either partially wrong or completely wrong. The advice and products stemming from that information are often dangerous. And finally, the accurate "factors" remaining often aren't factors that Google considers at all, but tactics and indirect correlation. Despite all that, we actually know a lot for certain about the way Google ranks websites. Real SEO knowledge doesn't come from a random blogger, forum, or magic "get rich quick" scheme. The most trustworthy SEO knowledge only comes from three sources. Find Me Twitter | LinkedIn | Vodori Did you enjoy this issue? If you don't want these updates anymore, please unsubscribe here If you were forwarded this newsletter and you like it, you can subscribe here Powered by Revue Share Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Subscribe to our newsletter This thingy has to be empti pwieshh