text:
Freshwater Lakes
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Physical environment
- 3 Microbial communities
- 4 Microbial processes
- 5 Current Research
- 6 References
Freshwater lakes are bodies of still, unsalted water surrounded by land. They are usually found in low lying areas and are fed from streams, rivers and runoff from the surrounding area. Freshwater lakes provide a unique habitat for microbes because they differ from other aquatic habitats such as oceans and moving water. This habitat is home to a plethora of microbes such as Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Cyanobacteria, and Bacteroidetes. These microbes help sequester inorganic compounds, mineralize nitrogen, and decompose organic matter, as well as other important processes.
Physical environment
Freshwater lakes are formed in a variety of different ways and depending on how a lake was formed, it can affect the microbes that are able to live and survive. Common types of lakes are stream or river fed lakes, glacial lakes, which are created by melting glaciers, and artificial lakes, which can be formed by the addition of a dam from old mines or quarries which have filled in after use. Another more unique lake type is a subglacial lake, which is a lake permanently covered by ice such as in Antarctica. In addition to the formation affecting microbial composition, lake stratification can make a difference throughout a lake.
Environmental factors such as pH, dissolved oxygen, nutrient concentrations, and light availability are affected by lake stratification. Thermal differences are what cause a lake to stratify into a warm upper layer, the epilimnion, a lower cool layer, the thermocline, and the deepest coldest layer, the hypolimnion, due to cooler water having a higher density than warm water. These differences cause completely different habitats to exist throughout a lake. The epilimnion has the highest dissolved oxygen, and light availability, but is low on nutrients. Aerobic microbes are most abundant here. The thermocline has less oxygen and light, but more nutrients creating a habitat for facilitative anaerobes. The cold hypolimnion contains almost no oxygen or light, however, it contains abundant nutrients. Anaerobes thrive in these conditions, but because of their metabolisms, they are unable to take full advantage of the nutrients (Ndebele 2010).
River Fed
These lakes have their input and output from rivers. This differs then from other types of lakes because they can receive storm water run off from not only the surrounding area but from all the areas in the basin of the lake and feeding rivers.
A subglacial lake is one in which there is flowing water under a glacier, ice cap, or ice sheet. They are found is regions such as Antarctica which are constantly under the freezing point. Only certain types of unique bacteria are able to thrive in such environments. This is also the only type of lake which is known to exist in an extraterrestrial location. Jupiter's moon Europa's surface is entirely covered in an ice sheet, and it is believed to be one of the most likely locations for extraterrestrial life.
These include lakes formed from dams,man-dug, or mines and quarries.
Dammed lakes are fed by rainwater and inflow of a river, and drain from outflow from drains on the dam. Water quality testing is done often in this type of lake to insure the dam or other inputs are not polluting the water.
These lakes only receive water run off from the surrounding areas and precipitation. Lakes such as these are often built near roadways and other urban areas and have a higher about of pollutants than more natural lakes.
Old and abandoned mines and quarries often become lakes because most require the use of water control devices to keep ground water from seeping in. Lakes formed this way often have high amounts of contamination due to chemicals and machinery used in the harvesting process.
Many factors contribute to the chemical environment in which lake microbes live. These include the drainage basin, the amount of water flowing in and out of a lake, the concentrations of nutrients and dissolved oxygen, the pH, and any pollutants and sedimentation in a lake. The overall drainage basin will affect the amount of run off from other sources in the surrounding area, which will, in turn, affect the amount of nutrients available to microbes and will increase pollutants and sedimentation. The lake level, which is regulated by inflow and outflow of a lake, the pH and the dissolved oxygen content in a lake, will also determine what types of microbes can survive because each microbe has its own unique environmental conditions in which it can outcompete the competition (Paul 2008).
Stratified Lakes
Lake stratification also has an affect on chemical characteristics, and the redox reactions microbes are able to perform. In the epilimnion, the abundant oxygen and light allow for anaerobes to use oxygen as their terminal electron acceptor. Aerobic respiration is capable of producing the most amount energy. The thermocline and hypolimnion, have less oxygen and are forced to use anaerobic respiration when lacking oxygen. This includes reduction of sulfur and iron by microbes and does not produce a lot of energy.
Microbial communities
The microbial community in freshwater lakes is as diverse as any other ecosystem found on earth. These microbes have found a way to take advantage of the different resources provided from lake habitats oppose to terrestrial soil habitats microbes are usually thought to live. The main players are Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidestes. All of these different microbes contribute to important processes carried out in freshwater lakes.
This is the most abundant and commonly found group of microbes in freshwater lakes. Taxa include Rickettsia prowazekii, Coxiella burnetti, and Wolinella succinogenes. Proteobacteria is broken up into alpha-, beta-, delta-, and gammaproteobacteria, each with their own distinct characteristics (Yannarell 2009).
Alphaproteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria are mostly commonly found in marine habitats, but still can be found in freshwater water columns. They tend to be phototrophic and contribute to increasing the amount of dissolved oxygen in a lake. Taxa include Acetobacter and Acinetobacter for Alphaproteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria respectively.
Betaproteobacteria are most common of the proteobacteria in lakes. They consist of Chemolithotrophes and phototrophs, who in some places makes up 60% of the bacterioplankton. They also play an important role in nitrogen fixation and oxidation of ammonium (Wetzel 2000). Taxa include Alcaligenes and Nitrosomonas
Deltaproteobacteria tend to live in anaerobic conditions such as the bottom of lakes or in sediment and they commonly reduce sulfur as a source of energy. Taxa include Desulfovibrio and Geobacter.
Cyanobacteria are bacteria that carry out photosynthesis. They tend to be the dominant bacterial phototrophs in open parts of a lake and are important in the carbon cycle, but also the nitrogen cycle because some are capable of nitrogen fixation.
This microbe can be found in a wide range of aquatic conditions. They are decomposers of organic matter and tend to favor conditions with low concentrations of organic carbon because they can be outcompeted when carbon concentration rise.
This microbe is a commonly particle associated in bacterial communities. They are found at the bottom of lakes where they can degrade larger molecules.
Microbial processes
The two main microbial processes that occur in freshwater lake habitats are the nitrogen and carbon cycle. Both these cycles affect the lives of the macro flora and fauna which share this habitat.
Carbon cycle
The carbon cycle allows carbon to be recycled and reused throughout the biospheres and all living organisms. It is essential for new life. Bacteria help breakdown dead and decaying organic matter. During decomposition, these bacteria will release carbon dioxide if oxygen is present, or methane if it is not. While this diagram (fig. 1) shows the carbon cycle in marine habitats, the same is true in freshwater lakes but at a much smaller scale.
Nitrogen cycle
The Nitrogen cycle (fig. 2) is the process in which nitrogen is converted into different forms. The majority of nitrogen is found in the atmosphere where it is unusable by plants, but through the processes of microbes, such as nitrification and denitrification, it can be converted into a form plants can consume. Nitrification is performed by Nitrospira is the oxidation of ammonia into nitrate. Denitrification is performed by Flexibacter converts nitrate in to nitrogen gas. It is important to note that Nitrospira is a type of Betaproteobacteria, and Flexibacter is a type of Bacteroidetes (Krivtsov 2005).
Other processes
Another important process that is carried out in freshwater habitats is decomposition. Decomposition is the breaking down of organic matter into simpler forms. This is preformed by different types of microbes such as actinobacteria and results in the reduction of dead organic matter in the lake, and increased food sources for living flora and fauna. Without decomposition, lakes would be clouded with a layer of dead organic matter and there would be very little sunlight penetration for photosynthesis. Anaerobic respiration is one more important process that occurs in stratified freshwater lakes. This includes the reduction of iron, manganese, and sulfur, all which can affect the bio-availability of these micronutrients (Nealson 1994).
Current Research
Koschorreck et al.
In a study done in 2011 by Koschorreck et al., They looked at how adding whey to an acidic mine pit lake could induce oxygen depletion. They added whey into the water column or the lake and mixed it using a boat motor. By doing this they found it helped neutralize the acidity of the pit and allowed oxygen consumption. This allowed for a wider variety of biota, including microbes, to inhabitant these zones. Even though a small amount of oxygen was produced by primary producers, this still led to anoxic conditions.
Verleyen et al.
This study done in 2012 looked at polar lakes and how they responded to climate induced environmental changes. They looked at differences in pH, and concentrations of major nutrients between lakes. They found the variability could have been caused by lake origin and evolution, catchment areas, distance of lakes to ice sheets and presence of particular biota.
Esteban et al
This study done in 2012 looked at water columns of Priest Pot. It is a highly stratified lake and they found that dissolved oxygen content at changing depths was the main factor that determined which microbes lived where. Different microbes can utilize different niches because microbes do not all have the same enzymes and microbes can metabolize different substrates. They also looked at biological activity driven my microbes, and looked at the different species present throughout the water column and sediments.
Esteban, G., Finlay,B., and Clarke, K. 2012. "Priest Pot in the English Lake District: a showcase of microbial diversity". Freshwater Biology. 57: 321-330.
Koschorreck, M., Boehrer, B., Frieses, K., et al. 2011. "Oxygen depletion induced by adding whey to an enclosure in an acidic mine pit lake". Ecological Engineering. 37: 1983-89.
Krisvtsov, V., Sigee, D. 2005. "Importance of biological and adiotic factors for geochemical cycling in a freshwater eutrophic lake". Biogeochemistry. 74: 205-30.
Lindstrom, E., Agterveld, M., and Zwart, G. 2005. "Distribution of Typical Freshwater Bacterial Groups Is Associated with pH, Temperature, and Lake Water Retention Time". American Society for Microbiology. 71: 8201-06.
Ndebele, M., Mzime, R., Musil, C., Charles, F., et al. 2010. "A review of Phytoplankton dynamics in tropical African lakes". South African Journal of Science. 106: 13-18.
Nealson, K., Saffarini, D. 1994. "Iron and Manganese in Anaerobic Respiration: Environmental Significance, Physiology, and Regulation". Annual Review of Microbiology. 48: 311-43.
Paul, D., Hebert, N. 2008. "Chemical properties of lakes". Encyclopedia of Earth.
Verleyen, E., Hodgson, D., Gibson,J., Imura, S., et al. 2012. "Chemical limnology in coastal East Antarctic lakes: monitoring future climate change in centres of endemism and biodiversity" Antarcitic Science. 24: 23-33.
Wetzel, R. 2000. "Freshwater ecology: changes, requirements, and future demands". Limnology, 1: 3-9.
Yannarell, A., Kent, A. 2009. "Bacteria, Distribution and community Structure". University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Edited by Neal Phelps, a student of Angela Kent at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.


text:
LADERA RANCH, CA – May 23, 2017 – G8 Capital (g8cap.com) announced today that it has recently closed on a new $34.5 million CMBS loan for the Alexandria Corporate Park in Alexandria, VA.
In December 2013, G8 Capital acquired non-performing first and second loans from a regional bank secured by a 271,000 square feet office flex/industrial property in Alexandria Virginia. After the borrower failed to perform, G8 eventually completed a foreclosure on the property in December 2015.
Throughout the process, G8 Capital was able to dramatically increase the assets value by securing a new 10-year GSA lease, including an approximately 60,000 square foot expansion. In addition, two new tenants were added for an additional 75,000 square feet, and bringing the total occupancy to 100%.
"G8 identified a tremendous opportunity to revive a troubled asset" said Evan Gentry, president and CEO of G8 Capital. "After much hard work by our team, we were able to stable the occupancy with top tier tenants. As we determined that this was an ideal asset to hold longer-term, we recapitalize the asset by securing a CMBS loan with favorable term."
CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) represented G8 Capital in the loan transaction and Benefit Street Partners provided the financing.
G8 Capital has managed more than 65 portfolio acquisitions, representing more than $800 million in residential/commercial loans and REO properties, primarily from large U.S. banks, regional banks and government agencies. G8 Capital's management team has collectively managed more than $10 billion in real estate-related transactions spanning several decades.
G8 Capital makes careful risk-adjusted investments, preserving the interest of investors, while striving to create significant capital appreciation through the careful restructuring, repositioning, intensive servicing and management of both residential and commercial assets.
For more information about G8 Capital, visit www.g8cap.com .
About G8 Capital G8 Capital ( www.g8cap.com ) is a prudent and disciplined investment firm focused on opportunity-based acquisitions of both residential and commercial real estate assets. G8 Capital acquires real estate and loan portfolios from financial institutions, government agencies and other sellers that are looking to get fair value and timely execution. Visit g8cap.com for more information.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The Thursday Small Group meets in the home of Tim and Christine Durrett. We begin by sharing a nourishing meal together as we catch up with how everyone's week is going. We then have discussion based study and then head home after closing in prayer.
To assist in our planning, please sign up to bring food at PerfectPotluck.com
User Name: thursday
Password: 1234


text:
A meeting this afternoon between Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and protesters from Occupy Denver accomplished little — with the mayor reiterating that they cannot camp overnight and protesters saying they want to have a 24-hour occupation.
Four protesters from the Occupy Denver movement who were elected to represent the movement met with Hancock after lunch in his office, which both sides say opened the lines of communication.
"We will honor their right to peacefully assemble and free speech." Hancock told reporters after the meeting. "We ask them to observe the laws of the City and County of Denver. … We ask them for their own well-being and safety to vacate the park after 11 p.m."
A city ordinance and state law prohibits camping in the parks near the Capitol and says that people are forbidden in the parks between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.
Hancock said the protesters are welcome to stay on the sidewalks outside of the park, as long as they are not camping there.


text:
September 2017
We were pleased to present our airports solutions on Stand C4 at FTE Global 2017, the 8th September 2017 at the Mandalay Resort, Las Vegas. It was a great opportunity to demonstrate how cloud technology will deliver next-generation speeds to systems deployment, and how global airports will benefit from our holistic approach to seamless airport integration.
Our integrated airport solutions deliver enhanced efficiency and a seamless airport experience around the world. Relied on by more than 170 global airports, airlines and ground handling teams of all sizes, ARINC Airport solutions feature biometrics and next-generation cloud technology to provide a collaborative approach to airport operational management.
FTE Global is the industry's leading Conference and Exhibition, and offers airlines, airports, government agencies, vendors, start-ups, terminal designers, architects, ground handlers, destination partners and various other travel industry stakeholders to define tomorrow's end-to-end passenger experience and performance strategies at every level. In 2017 FTE delivered even more insight from industry leaders, technology giants, disruptors, academia and start-ups, there will be an even greater variety of formats for education and networking, which will help to keep the event fresh and engaging.
We were joined by the air transport and travel industry's most forward-thinking vendors showcasing their latest products, services and concepts that have been designed to help airlines and airports improve the passenger experience, reduce costs, increase revenues and enhance operational efficiency both on the ground and on board aircraft.
Rockwell Collins' ARINC Airports solutions lead the way with innovation, integration and solutions to deliver enhanced collaborative opportunities for greater operational efficiency and improved passenger experience.
If you didn't get the opportunity to meet us at the event to discuss your airport requirements, please get in touch here.
Previous Airport News
Rockwell Collins Airports at the ACI-NA Annual Conference and Exhibition
September 2017
Rockwell Collins Airports were at this years' ACI-NA Annual Conference and Exhibition in Fort Worth, showcasing our range of airport systems to deliver enhanced efficiency, and allow airports and airline operators to deploy systems faster than ever.
Back to Rockwell Collins Airport News
{mcnotifications layout="default" option="com_content" tag="2" tag_params="f,b,e,t" tag="3" tag_params="f,b,e,t" item="auto" item_params="f,b,e,t"}


text:
Western Cape fruit farmers and rural communities are under tremendous socio-economic pressure due to the crippling drought, according to the deciduous fruit industry organisation, Hortgro. Hortgro is concerned about the unfounded and irresponsible statements made by politicians and uninformed social media users about agriculture and water-use. Agriculture in general, specifically the fruit industry, has made great progress with the efficient use of water-saving technologies.
Hortgro's Trade and Markets Manager, Jacques du Preez, said in a statement that the current season is a real challenge. "Harvest prospects are not rosy, showing several decreases in crop volumes that will put the export and local market under pressure. The latest crop estimates for mid to late plums, late nectarines, apples and pears are lower than last year. The figures do not tell the full story. We are in the midst of a drought cycle, so when the full potential of the industry is taken into account, harvest estimates are in some cases down by 25%."
Early stone fruit has benefited from the sporadic rainfall in October and November therefore many producers were slightly better off than what was initially expected. This advantage is now a thing of the past. The real challenge of water availability and fruit growth is expected during the summer and autumn period, when the largest volumes of fruit are ready for harvesting.
According to Du Preez most of the Western Cape's rural areas depend economically on the agricultural industry. The cutting off of the water supply to farmers may have a devastating socio-economic impact on the province.
He points out that there are more than 308 000 workers and their dependents on farms in the fruit industry – without taking into account all the other employment opportunities throughout the value chain. The biggest impact is on seasonal workers with an estimated 22 000 jobs that are affected. Several farmers practice 'mixed farming'. They grow a permanent fruit crop as well as annual vegetable crops. Due to water limitation these producers have not planted annual crops this season, opting to save water for their permanent crops which had further implications for job creation and also affected producers' income. Unemployment leads to urbanization, which puts further pressure on urban resources, says Du Preez.
The impact of the drought differs dramatically between regions and even between neighbouring farms. It is difficult to sketch a uniform picture of the fruit industry. "Some producers had the infrastructure and capacity to apply good drought strategies, but others – especially those dependent on national water schemes – are under enormous pressure."
Apart from the drought other extreme weather like hail, windstorms and severe sunburn has further pounded the fruit industry this season. Under severe drought stress, the flowering of trees (which for the coming season is already happening in the current season) is weaker and the flowers are also of poor quality with few cells and a short lifespan. A drought thus has a significant transfer effect that can put pressure on future production seasons. Fruit orchards are a high cost investment. It takes up to 5 years for an orchard to come into production. If trees survive a drought cycle, it takes years for trees to recover completely.
Western Cape fruit producers have been aware of water as a scarce resource for decades and have applied innovative production strategies to use water responsibly. For example, fruit farmers are the most diligent users of the FruitLook technology made available by the Western Cape Department of Agriculture. By using FruitLook and accessing satellite data farmers can pinpoint exactly when trees need irrigation.
The impact of the drought is not only financial, but also psychological – making the unfounded comments made in the media irresponsible, says Du Preez. Government legislation does not provide drought aid to fruit producers. The Land Bank does allow loans, but the administration and application process is complex and time consuming. There are interest groups working together to provide humanitarian aid in certain regions.
Fruit production drought strategies are:
Hortgro presented drought seminars in August (Western Cape) and September (Eastern Cape) where strategies for saving water were discussed with producers. Approximately 400 producers attended the seminars.
For more information contact Jacques: email@example.com
Visit: www.hortgro.co.za and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.


text:
Enjoy a 10% discount. Use code UNIMTBIKE at checkout.
How To Use Our Promotion CODE ? Please copy it and paste after you View Cart.
NOTE: When you want to place the order, make sure beforehand REGISTER so that you can see your order status and tracking number of emails we send. Please use a valid email, so we can reply to your email.
When it comes to bikes, we are the experts. We have Singapore biggest range of bikes. We carry all the major bike brands, including Trek, Cannondale, GT, Merida, Silverback, Reid and over 250 more bicycle brands. We have the best bikes for Men, Women and Kids, we have something for everyone. We have everything including Mountain Bikes, Road Bikes, BMX, Vintage Bikes, Womens Bikes and Kids' bikes. if your bicycle needs servicing, bring it in and our bicycle mechanics will repair your bike so it works like new. Our bicycle experts are here to help and love all types of bikes. Universal Mountain Bike pride ourselves on having the best price on bikes and bike accessories.
Free, tracked Singapore delivery on orders over $100.
We offer free, tracked Singapore delivery on orders over $100, with delivery starting from $1.99 for orders below this value. There are surcharges for international deliveries, off-shore deliveries and some areas of the Singapore. We also have a selection of premium shipping options available including timed slots, Saturday delivery and Collect .
All of our bicycles are fully built by our experienced and certified mechanics prior to delivery; all you will need to do is turn the handlebars and fit some pedals. Bicycles are shipped from a different warehouse to other items and so may arrive in advance of any other items you have ordered.
We offer a 365 day returns period for all items. Items must be returned unused and in their original packaging. Postage labels and collection services are available at a small cost for all items - including bicycles. Please read our full returns before returning items.
General Information
Road bikes are probably the most highly-refined cycling machines you can find. So it's impressive that Orbea found room to dramatically improve their Orca OMR. The frame is 20% lighter (250g lighter than the previous), 24% stiffer, more comfortable, and rides better. It's also 150g lighter than the OMP version.
Orbea started by refining their production methods. The frame utilizes OMR, Orbea Monocoque Race, carbon, but how they set up the material for the mold has changed. They've stopped using bladders and started using EPS foam. Better, more consistent compaction, for a stiffer bike, and less weight, as the frame no longer has the bladders inside. They then optimized their lay-up, working to move materials around and shifting shapes so there's more material and bigger shapes where you need stiffness, and less where you don't. They also reduced the number of aluminum inserts necessary for the frame, another weight reduction tactic.
Bottom Bracket BB86
Brake Calipers Shimano Dura-Ace 9000
Cassette Shimano Dura-Ace 9000, 11-28
Chain Shimano HG900
Crankset Shimano Dura-Ace 9000, 50/34
Fork OMR Carbon, 1 1/8"-1.5"
Frame Material Carbon OMR
Front Derailleur Shimano Dura-Ace 9000
Handlebar FSA K-Force Compact
Headset FSA 1-1/8 - 1-1/2"
Pedals Not Included
Rear Derailleur Shimano Dura-Ace 9000
Saddle Prologo Scratch2 Tirox
Seatpost FSA K-Force Light, 27.2mm
Shifters / Levers Shimano Dura-Ace 9000
Stem FSA OS-99 CSI
Tires Vittoria Open Corsa, 700x23c
Wheel - Front Vision Metron 40 Carbon Clincher
Wheel - Rear Vision Metron 40 Carbon Clincher


text:
Because I can.
Think of all the countries in the world who do not have a democratic voting system. The women who fought for us girls to have the chance to place an X in the box. The change we could make to our lives, if we all used our voice.
In the last election, the Tories won in my constituency by 5000 votes. But 16000 people didn't vote. Think of how different it could be if those 16000 made the effort to engage with the election. (Check yours here)
It's true that this year, not one party has won me over whole-heartedly. Perhaps it's silly to think they would. Every party has something I can agree with, and something I can't. But after reading up on manifestos, deciding which policies are important to me and my future as a young woman living in Britain, I have made my decision.
Tonight after work, I will march into my Polling Station, make my mark, and know that I have helped towards the reshaping of our country. Regardless of what the result may be in my constituency, I placed my vote. Something which I will never take my granted.


text:
The Warlock of Firetop Mountain is a digital re-imagining of the classic adventure gamebook written by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone. Tin Man Games is bringing it closer towards its tabletop role-playing game roots, complete with a rich interactive 3D map, collectable digital miniatures, an updated combat system and the ability to explore Firetop Mountain with multiple characters. This is our first step towards our grand vision for the Fighting Fantasy universe and we want YOU to be part of it.
The game will be available first for PC, Mac, and Linux on Steam and DRM-Free. It will also be coming to smart phones and tablets late 2016.
Why do we want to digitally re-imagine The Warlock of Firetop Mountain? We love the original book-style adventures and with our pedigree of developing over 30 digital gamebook apps, we know just how much further we can take it in the digital space.
Six (6) new artworks from Russ Nicholson, the original illustrator of The Warlock of Firetop Mountain.
Three (3) new adventurers available. Vignor Firestorm, Haldar Eriksson, Ophelia Lapwing will be added to the 'Orc Guard' tier and above ($50 AUD / $36 USD / £23 GBP / €32 EUR).
The Warlock of Firetop Mountain digitised in our original engine. For this stretch goal, we will be making a black and white version, featuring our traditional dice combat (don't worry, the current game will have an option for dice combat too!). This will be available to the 'Rock Grub' tier and above ($20 AUD / $14 USD / £9 GBP/ €13 EUR).
Russ Nicholson's art will be colourized!
We're going to be working closely with the crew at Battlebards, creators of downloadable fantasy audio and tools for tabletop RPGs, to help bring Firetop Mountain to life. Reaching this stretch goal means we have even more options to add individual music tracks and sound effects to the various locations within Zagor's stronghold.
English narrative recording of all the story text within The Warlock of Firetop Mountain. We'll be working with Jacek Tuschewski, audio director and sound designer on League of Geeks' recent hit Armello!
All the stories within The Warlock of Firetop Mountain will be translated into French, Italian, German and Spanish.
In 1982, Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone, co-founders of Games Workshop and the first distributors for Dungeons and Dragons in Europe, wrote the first Fighting Fantasy gamebook - The Warlock of Firetop Mountain. In a time when videogaming and the RPG industry were in their infancy, the adventure gamebook allowed wannabe adventurers to journey to other worlds, engage with evil forces and decide the fate of themselves and the quest they were set upon.
With the success of The Warlock of Firetop Mountain came a whole series of Fighting Fantasy adventures, over 50 of them with supporting novels and tabletop role-playing systems. Tin Man Games has already developed and released 8 of the original books as digital gamebook apps.
The Warlock of Firetop Mountain is nearing the end of pre-production. This means that the story, tech, and design have been finished and we have a detailed plan for the rest of development. We need to implement the remainder of the artistic elements for the game itself, prepare sound and music, and finish design of the user interface. Should the Kickstarter exceed our initial goal, we will be looking to localise to several languages.
We've signed a deal with Otherworld Miniatures in the UK to use their range of pewter figurines in The Warlock of Firetop Mountain.
To replicate the handmade look and feel, we first 3D scan the figurines into the computer and then digitally paint them to replicate a similar style to physical miniature painting.
For the more unique denizens of Firetop Mountain, such as Zagor above, or for hero characters or creatures that do not have pewter figurines, we will be modelling and texturing these from scratch.
Deep in the caverns beneath Firetop Mountain lies an untold wealth of treasure, guarded by a powerful Warlock – or so the rumour goes. Several adventurers like yourself have set off for Firetop Mountain in search of the Warlock's hoard. None has ever returned. Do you dare follow them?
Wait... that's just one adventure. How about we try something different?
Furious at the cowardice of your Orcish lackeys, you, the Orc Chieftain, decide to take matters into your own hands. You will single-handedly infiltrate Firetop Mountain and drive out those foolish dwarves. And you will do it for the glory of almighty Zagor!
Or how about this?
Combat has always played a big part in the Fighting Fantasy series. We have developed a new combat system, known internally as GridBluff, where both you and your opponent move or attack simultaneously. Enemies use different attack patterns and you must anticipate their moves whilst positioning yourself for the fatal blow.
For old-school Fighting Fantasy fans, we will also be including the option to use the standard dice rolling mechanics as found in the original books.
Following the release of Warlock, we plan on expanding our reach in Allansia and will be adapting a number of classic Fighting Fantasy titles such as Deathtrap Dungeon, the trap-filled and monster-infested labyrinth of Fang where many heroes compete in the Trial of Champions, followed by Citadel of Chaos and City of Thieves.
We also want give players the opportunity to take digital miniatures from one story into another and further expand those locations. What would happen if Throm the Barbarian from Deathtrap Dungeon turned up in Firetop Mountain or Bigleg the Dwarf from The Forest of Doom decided to enter the Trial of Champions?
Tin Man Games was founded in 2008 and released their first title, Gamebook Adventures 1: An Assassin in Orlandes, in March 2010.
A strong release schedule followed and in 2012, Tin Man announced they were working with Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson to produce titles from the Fighting Fantasy series. Eight FF adaptations have since been developed using the original Gamebook Adventures Engine, including The Forest of Doom, House of Hell, Starship Traveller and Caverns of the Snow Witch.
To date, Tin Man Games has released over 30 digital gamebooks across Steam, Humble, the App Store, Google Play and the Amazon Appstore. These also include licensed titles based on Judge Dredd, Ryan North's To Be or Not To Be, Gary Chalk's Gun Dogs, Zach Weinersmith's Trial of the Clone and Matt Youngmark's Choose-o-matic series.
Fighting Fantasy is a trademark owned by Steve Jackson & Ian Livingstone © 1982, 2002, 2010, 2015. All rights reserved.
Risks and challenges
With multiple projects under our belt, Tin Man Games is familiar with all of these elements, and has a talented team with plenty of prior experience (over 30 games on 5 different platforms at last count!). This background means that we understand the pressures of releasing a game on schedule and within budget.
However, making great games is tricky. It requires a balance of programming, art, design and writing, as well as requiring business management skills like production, budgeting and accountancy.
We estimate an April release for The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, but as with all game development, this may change. We intend to keep to this date, but at the same time, we want to be honest with you. We'll use our Kickstarter updates to keep you informed, and ideally, everything should run as planned!Learn about accountability on Kickstarter
Funding period
- (31 days)


text:
We all have mystery relatives and ancestors we may never know. For Edwin Curtis the desire to find his roots and meet his biological mother was an important journey to take – one he regrets he took so long to set out on. Despite the wait, Ed successfully discovered her story and made meaningful connections to his roots and family. Here is his story.
My name is Ed Curtis, but when I was born in 1946 I was named Lauriston Edwin Peaselee. When I was 13 months old, Lula Brann, my biological mother, put me up for adoption. She was all alone at that time and just couldn't care for me. So she put me in the hands of somebody that could, and I was brought up as Ed Curtis.
By 1973 I felt it was time to finally meet my biological mother. My adopted mother put me in touch with a woman who knew Lula. I said to her, "I have four children. I'm ready now. I had a wonderful life with the family that adopted me, but I would love to meet my mother."
She said, "Well, she passed away two weeks ago."
I had waited all that time to find out she had just died. It broke my heart.
My adopted father had once told me that a traveling preacher came through the town, got Lula pregnant, and moved on. Instead of having a child out of wedlock, a man by the name of Peaselee stepped up to the plate and married her.
I guess Lula and Peaselee's marriage didn't last, because I did some genealogy research and learned she later married a man named Pinkham. I knew he was buried in Steuben, Maine. I still didn't know where she was buried, but on a hunch I went to Steuben and checked out the cemetery, and sure enough, next to Pinkham's stone, somebody had been leaving flowers on an unmarked grave. I learned it was indeed her grave. Later I had a headstone made for her.
I found out that person who left flowers on Lula's grave was her nephew, my cousin. I went to his house and met him and talked about Lula. I learned that I was her only child. Then his girlfriend said to him, "You've got an album somewhere. Don't you have a picture of her you can show him?" It was the day before my 68th birthday and the very first time I ever saw a picture of my biological mother.
Later my four children came and we held a service for her. My oldest daughter, who I can see from the photo looks just Lula, did the eulogy. I just hope that somehow my mother Lula knows we did all this, tracing my roots, and finding her grave and the service.
Remember: When you are ready to write your memoirs or family history I'm available to help you. Contact me for a free consultation.


text:
Book Now
Stay in Rome for 4 nights or longer and take advantage of our Exclusive Discount 18%.
This offer is Exclusive and available only on our Website.
The Long Stay Besafe rate is prepaid at the moment of booking and non cancelable, but at no extra charge it includes an insurance in case of travel cancellation due to unforseen events, which can cover up to 100% of the refund (see details > AIG Travel Insurance ENG ) as well as on road assistance, health care during your stay, luggage refund, cash advance in case of theft and additional guarantees.
Travel with your loved ones with care, sheltered from unpleasant surprises or events.
Book now to receive a map of the city at your check-in, included with your rate!
The Hotel Rimini Rome is located a short distance from the Main Entrance of Rome's Termini station, perfect for any activity due to its proximity with all public transportation, Metro, Buses and trains clearly.
Get A Special Value Reservation with BESAFE Rate!
To request availability, contact us at email@example.com


text:
|Audi Namrock SUV Rendering
Kommentare :
Let me say that I really enjoy your work and I hope one day I could sketch like this. Which program do you use?AntwortenLöschenAntworten
Thank you very much for the comment, Charles ! Much appreciated. I use Faber Polychromos or Prismacolor pencils for analog sketching and for digital renderings i only use photoshop. Just keep practicing. it gets better and better. feel free to mail me sketches if you want some critique ! have a nice day !Löschen
Abonnieren Kommentare zum Post ( Atom )


text:
Domino Bunk Bed - All White
The Domino Bunk in Stunning All White finish is an attractive piece in any child's bedroom. Unique to this product is the additional shelving along the back of each bunk to give that much needed additional storage space. In addition, each ladder rung has a luminous green strip that lights up in the dark.
Due to Bunk Bed Safety Regulations, only the Premier or Platinum Mattresses are suitable for use on the upper bunk.
- 199cm L X 137cm D X 161cm H
- Accepts 2 Standard UK Single Mattresses (90cm x 190cm)
There are no reviews yet.


text:
Hi - This set of cards is made with the retired "Crayon Kids" set from Stampin' Up! I made it to give to the director of a play called "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten." Seemed like the images went well with a kindergarten theme! The colors are bright and cheery. :)
Thanks for looking,


text:
GetOrchard Questions & Answers
When buying any iPhone from orchard, does the phone come with the accessories (charging cable, charging block, earbuds ) or does it just come with the phone itself?1 Answer
asked byon 4/17/17
More questions about GetOrcharddo you take walkins? do you have any XR available How quickly will I get results and what is cost to unlock a Samsung galaxy J2 Are the phones easy to start up? Meaning creating my own Icoulds How long does it take to ship? Hi, my I phone 6 is broken, it just stopped working suddenly during the night. Do they also buy phones which are not running anymore ? Thx When you order a used phone from Orchard, does it come with the charger, cable and other accessories? I would like to inquire about the warranty and what happens if the phone has performance problems when you receive it ? Is the one year extended warranty worth it? My question is how do I deal with the following on my iPhone 4s I bought from Orchard in March 2017? :Takes info for the Calendar that shows up on my iPad but not on the phone :Will no longer play sound, as in CBC radio, memos, etc, yet still rings upon a call or timer :After 100% charge and only email and text use shuts off in less than 3 hours Cosmetically, I'm more concerned about the screen having any scratches or dead pixels than I am about minor scuffs and scratches on the back/body of the phone, since I'll have a cover on it. I'm confused by: Good, Very Good, Like New. What exactly do these assure in terms of screen quality?
Have a question aboutPost Review


text:
Well, damn. Gregg is officially hanging it up. Don't have any insight or wise parting words for Electric City Weblog, except to say that if Greg hadn't opted for a career in law, he would have made one helluva journalist.
What Greg did with ECW was truly awesome – highlighting some of the good, the bad, and the screwy in our community, and providing an outlet for voices that aren't heard enough in the Great Falls media outlets.
Greg, your blogging was very much appreciated – and I'm glad that we have become friends IRL, and look forward to bumping into you at various eateries around Great Falls!


text:
PICTORIAL PARADE No. 28
From Film
- Year
- NFU Picture/Sheet No.
- Length
B&W, 10 minutes, 35mm 902 ft.
Film Censor's Certificate No. U9273 (8 October 1954)
Release Date: 15.10.54
Cat. Refs. 1956 p.31; 1957 p.35; 1958 p.30; 1962 p.32.
- Viewing copies
VHS Video- R.V. 228
16mm film- W3589/16PP28
35mm film- W4361/18
VHS Video (Preview Tape)- BITC 206
Full Description
HOUSING NAPIER 476 ft The group housing scheme, new ideas in house design, and household appliances shown at Napier Ideal Homes Exhibition.
RAILWAYS - CHANGING ENGINES 393 ft Railway engines change during the years, with electrification of some lines, and diesel and diesel-electric engines taking over both shunting and main line running, giving more economical operation.
User Description
- Please add your own description below
- Categories


text:
AIA gives 3 Bay Area projects Honor Awards
The saw-toothed Ford Assembly Building in Richmond and the lava-walled sculpture garden atop the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art have exactly one thing in common: national recognition from the American Institute of Architects.
The two buildings are among just 10 recipients of a 2011 Institute Honor Award in Architecture, the most coveted award for work by a U.S. architect. Indeed, our local heroes are rubbing figurative shoulders with the likes of the New Acropolis Museum in Greece by Bernard Tschumi, and Steven Holl's multipronged "horizontal skyscraper" in Shenzhen, China.
Jurors, who sorted through more than 350 submissions, toasted the restoration of the vast Ford plant for how the waterfront structure from 1931 was returned to life with tough grace for Orton Development by Marcy Wong Donn Logan Architects of Berkeley. The sculpture garden, conceived by Jensen & Macy Architects and Jensen Architects working with landscape architects CMG, won praise from the jury as "a model of how we can enrich the urban fabric" and a creation at once immersed in, yet apart from, the surrounding city.
A San Francisco project also nabbed one of 11 Honor Awards for interior design: Washington Square Park Dental's office, by Montalba Architects. And the oft-lauded Walter Hood of Oakland's Hood Design has another reason to take a bow - the AIA presented him with an Institute Honor for Collaborative Achievement.
There's even a local angle in terms of this year's AIA presidency. The post is occupied by Clark Manus of the San Francisco firm Heller Manus Architects.
The gig already has taken Manus to Japan and Toronto, along with monthly trips to Washington, D.C. In May he'll oversee the annual conference in New Orleans. The theme this year? The need for ecologically sensitive design at a regional scale.
This bucks the tide of a world where, increasingly, small-mindedness is the rule. But Manus says it's the duty of architects to think in holistic terms: "The suburbs are not a long-term model of sustainability."
I know it's only January, but here's my nomination for Bay Area history book of the year: "Port City: The History and Transformation of the Port of San Francisco, 1848-2010."
As the title indicates, this self-published tome from San Francisco Architectural Heritage offers more than eye candy and break-bulk (non-containerized goods) nostalgia. Author Michael R. Corbett devotes one chapter to engineering and another to the state agency that controlled the port until 1969. We also learn of such ill-conceived schemes as a 1948 proposal to demolish the Ferry Building and erect a cluster of modern towers in its stead.
The tale includes recent successes, such as the inviting restoration of Piers 1 1/2-5 and the Exploratorium's forthcoming move to Pier 15. But the book also confronts the challenge of bringing the waterfront back to life amid economic and cultural restraints. As Port Director Monique Moyer writes in her foreword, "In an active political environment, it is a daunting task" to balance the competing interests that often weigh in on even the slightest proposed change.
"Port City" retails for $65 and is available at Book Passage in the Ferry Building and Corte Madera, and at Heritage's website, www.sfheritage.org.
Finally, a few heads-up on the spring lecture season.
This one's sure to be good: Craig Dykers will speak March 14 at the California College of the Arts' San Francisco campus. He's a co-founder of the firm Snøhetta and, who knows, maybe he'll have some images of the new wing that Snøhetta is designing for SFMOMA.
Across the bay, UC Berkeley's College of Environmental Design will host a talk March 4 at the Oakland Museum of California by Teddy Cruz, one of the most influential socially conscious architects based outside the Bay Area.
The college also has a strong on-campus lecture series now through April. Of particular note? Chicago's Jeanne Gang, one of the few architects I know who talks in regular sentences, even when describing such works as the 82-story Aqua her firm Studio Gang recently completed near Lake Michigan.
For a full list of Berkeley lectures go to sfg.ly/gGQd7b.


text:
We used to save up all the crusts and ends of loaves to take to the park at the weekend and feed to the ducks. A fond memory, but it doesn't happen any more – mainly because of the rat problem which has meant that park keepers leave notices requesting that visitors don't feed bread to the ducks. The fact that the girls are now well into their teens / twenties probably has something to with it as well!
So now one of our top ways to use those leftover bread / bun leftovers is for bread pudding.
Here are two very different sorts of 'bread pudding'…
Bread & Butter Pudding
A traditional desert – layers of bread with butter and jam set in a vanilla custard.
A fun way to use up those last bits of jam in the pots – or ring the changes with marmalade instead.
Holly loves it cold for breakfast too, with lots of dried fruit suspended in the rich custard.
This is based on Delia Smith's recipe – vary it by adding more mild / less cream if you'd like a lighter custard – or a few drops of vanilla essence into the custard (or almond essence, especially if you're using apricot jam). Make it in a well buttered rectangular / oval lesagne type dish approx 18 x 23cm (7 x 9″). I always try to remember to get the butter out of the fridge the day before so it's good and soft for spreading. Serves 4 – 6.
8 slices of bread from a small loaf – or equivalent. (Cut off crusts if they're too crusty – make into breadcrumbs instead & mix with grated cheese and herbs to use as an alternative topping for fish pie or macaroni cheese.)
10 g (1/2 oz) whole candied lemon or orange peel, finely chopped – omit if you don't like it.
50g (2oz) currants / sultanas / raisins
275ml (10 floz) Whole milk (use reduced fat for a lighter custard)
60 ml (21.4fl oz) double cream
50 g (2oz) golden caster sugar (or any caster sugar!)
grated zest of 1/2 lemon – don't grate down to the white pith as this is really bitter
3 large eggs
Whole nutmeg / vanilla / almond essence.
Soft butter for greasing the dish and buttering the bread
Jam for spreading onto the bread (or marmelade for a sharper flavour)
Preheat oven t gas 4, 350F, 180C.
Spread butter and jam over the bread slices, right to the edges.
Cut bread slices into quarters and arrange one slightly overlapping layer over the base of the dish. Sprinkle over candied peel and dried fruit. Cover with another layer of bread and dried fruit.
Mix eggs in a big, wide jug or bowl. Whisk in cream, sugar, milk and flavourings. Pour over the bread & grate some fresh nutmeg over the top.
Bake in the centre of the preheated oven for 30 – 40 minutes.
Remove and leave for 5 minutes before serving with thick cream.
– Try using different sorts of bread, jams, dried fruits…
– Try substituting one egg for 2 extra yolks or some of the milk for more cream to make it richer. This is real comfort food – make it simple and it's easily digested too, so good if you're feeling a little fragile.
Bread Pudding is quite different – mosit, heavy, spicy and with a decidedly winter feel.
A traditional way to use up leftover stale bread (as opposed to fresh leftover bread, which is better for the recipe above), which is broken into pieces then soaked in milk to soften it. Brandy, sherry or similar can be used to re-hydrate currants, sultanas and other dried fruit – and it's good served with a brandy cream for tea, or cut into small pieces for a spicy treat to waken the taste buds & provide some hearty comfort food at breakfast. This recipe is again based on Delia Smith's. Try with different combinations of dried fruit, glace cherries…
Serves around 6. Use a baking tin similar to a deep flapjack tin 15.5cm x 20cm x 4.5cm deep. (6 1/4″ x 8″ x 1 3/4″). Line the tin with parchment paper, or butter it well.
225 g (8 oz) Stale brown or white bread, crusts removed. You can also use stale buns, hot cross buns, or similar.
2 teaspoons ground mixed spice.
Whole Nutmeg
110g (4 oz) Sultanas
25g (1 oz) currants
25g (1oz) raisins
50g (2oz) candied peel, chopped
3 Tbs brandy or sherry or orange juice
275ml (10 floz) milk
50g (2 oz) butter, melted – plus extra for greasing
75g (30z) soft dark brown sugar
1 large egg, beaten
grated zest of 1/2 orange
grated zest of 1 lemon
1Tbs demerara sugar
Place dried fruit and candied peel into a bowl with the brandy. Leave to marinade.
Break bread 1 cm pieces and place in a separate, large bowl. Pour the milk over, stir and leave to absorb for about half an hour by which time the bread should be well soaked.
Preheat the oven to gas 4, 350F, 180C. Make sure there is a shelf in the centre. Line tin.
Beat eggs with a fork. Mix in melted butter, sugar, mixed spice and add to marinated fruits. Add oragne and lemon zest. Add soaked bread and mix gently all together.
Spread into the baking dish. Sprinkle with demerara sugar and freshly grate some nutmeg over the top – not too much!
Bake on the centre shelf of the over for around 1 1/4 hours. If serving as a desert, eat hot with brandy cream (whisk some brandy and sugar into double cream until thick and gloopy).
History of bread puddings – our ancestors throughout the ages have been inventive in an effort not to waste food. There is evidence that the Romans made a type of bread pudding with milk, fat and sugar – although they didn't use eggs to make a custard, so it would have been denser than the recipe above. Ancient Egyptians reportedly made Om Ali, an Egyptian version, from bread, milk / cream and raisins.
These days, regional varieties are still made all over the world – Shahi Tukra is an Indian dish made from bread, ghee, sugar, saffron, rosewater and almonds. I'd love to hear of other variations still being used today –


text:
Pelikan M805 Stresemann Anthracite, M805 18K Fine, inked with Diamine Tulip/
A statement of understatement. The big boy Stresemann has become to my mind the new classic Pelikan model. I think it is the silver coloured rather than gold trim that makes it so attractive. I have read comments on social media saying that Pelikan should make a version in the M1000 size, I agree it was be great and I would buy one even though I find that size too big for me.
A silver trimmed pen needs a single tone silver coloured nib.
Another of Diamine flower series inks. The squat bottle is deep enough to allow filling of this plunger filled pen.
The fine nib does nothing for this bright red ink. Living in a sub-tropical climate I have never seen a red tulip in real life but this ink colour seems true to the flowers on the label.


text:
My Boy ZiZ Style!
Just two days after I sent all the pictures of my Dog to our wonderfyl ZiZ manufacturer they sent back a fantastic collection of images of watches all with my Marley on them.
The only problem was that a few of the pictures I sent were not of good enough quality to use, but even with the ones they could use I got to choose from 21 different watch styles.
Here's what they sent me, let me know your favourite on our Facebook page here:


text:
Wall-Street: How could the lack of maturity of the Romanian financial system and the poor financial education of the public affect the private pensions system here?
John Ashcroft: The provision of private pensions in countries with relatively immature financial markets and systems, such as Romania, will always be more problematic than elsewhere, as the risks from investing in domestic markets are greater and more intense (and hence costly) regulation and supervision is appropriate.
There is a difficult balance to be struck in public policy between allowing pension institutions to invest more abroad, where deeper and more mature markets can be accessed, and using private pension capital as a means to build and strengthen domestic markets. Unless public policymakers are willing to allow extensive use of a wide range of domestic foreign markets the long term returns to the beneficiaries of private pensions are likely to be constrained.
Poor financial education may also be a constraint (and indeed is an issue for all pension systems, not just the Romanian system). Policyholders (plan members) throughout the world are notoriously poor at understanding risk, and often unduly risk averse.
There is an imperative on pension policymakers and providers to look after their longer term interests and achieve a better balance of risk and reward than the members might choose left to their own devices. Otherwise investment choices could be made that still further reduce long term rewards (or alternatively as is found in the UK lea to excessive risk), and hence security in retirement.
Wall-Street: Is the multi-pillar World Bank scheme for private pensions tailored for the CEE economies / Romania, or is it even suitable? Please explain.
John Ashcroft: The World Bank model was clearly designed for countries, such as those in CEE, with immature financial markets and pension systems that are either unsustainable or do not offer decent replacement rates in retirement. This would appear to be applicable to Romania.
I see nothing wrong with the model in principle. But, the way it has been implemented varies greatly and may have resulted in it becoming less suitable in some cases.
In particular, the concept of building a second pillar which substitutes for or substantively augments the unfunded first pillar, requires that substantial funds are accumulated in the second pillar and are invested to obtain good long term returns.
You will know better than I whether this is the case in Romania. But, even where the system has not been optimized for this purpose, simply putting the second pillar in place is a good first step – subsequent revisions can progressively improve its effectiveness.
Wall-Street: What is the cultural influence on private pensions systems, in the CEE region and in countries like Romania?
John Ashcroft: There is a poorly developed culture of private savings for retirement in the CEE countries arising from a, no longer sustainable, assumption that the State will always provide (a phenomenen not totally absent from the UK either). There is inevitably also limited trust in financial institutions. The regulation and supervision of private pensions needs to take these factors into account.
Wall-Street: What could be (significantly) improved in such a multi-pillar World Bank model, to make it more efficient for its participants?
The main priority for improving the way the World Bank model is implemented is progressively to increase contribution rates and relax those investment and rate of return restrictions that can interfere with the optimization of the risk return trade-off.
Wall-Street: The financial crisis did not bypass Romania. As an anti-crisis measure, this year the authorities from Bucharest decided to freeze 2nd pillar contributions at 2% of employees' gross income, instead of increasing to 2.5%, as stated by the pension reform law. What are your comments on such a decision, on long term perspective?
John Ashcroft: I could not comment directly in the Romanian case, not knowing what other public policy imperatives are in play, but a general observation would be that the financial crisis has impacted all forms of retirement provision including the sustainability of the first pillar.
It is likely to be a false economy to divert funds away from the second pillar that can play an important part in longer term retirement security and financial stability. I would also note that even 2.5% is well below the level generally accepted as necessary to produce a meaningful income in retirement. .
Wall-Street: In this 'frenzy' created by the financial crisis there are also voices saying that pension funds should "guarantee pensions" – i.e. guarantee annual returns above inflation, to protect participants, and that this inflation guarantee should be imposed by law. Would this really be in the benefit of the participants (is it form this point of view a costs problem)? Is this kind of guarantee common or even existent in any private pensions system similar to the Romanian one?
John Ashcroft: Guarantees are not unknown in other pension systems, although only a few systems guarantee more than the nominal balance, and there have been notable examples (e.g Hungary) of countries moving away from guarantees.
The problem with guarantees is that they require extensive reserves and hence drive conservatism in investment at the expense of long term returns. They may also impact upon competition in the market.
The sort of guarantee referred to above is likely to be self-defeating, with most beneficiaries receiving less pension than otherwise.
Wall-Street: When the 2nd pillar was launched in Romania in 2007-2008, the value of the premiums was the lowest among CEE countries. Is the current level enough or even feasible for the pension companies to be able to invest?
John Ashcroft: So long as enough people are paying premiums, pension companies should still be able to invest effectively. But, the low level of premiums does mean that the ultimate pension benefit will be very low, and indeed that it may prove infeasible to provide life annuities to members when they retire.
Wall-Street: Could inflation guarantee be considered an absolute return provision? How common is absolute return guarantee imposed by law in DC private pensions systems?
John Ashcroft : Inflation guarantees are virtually unknown in DC systems because they are so expensive to make. Guarantees are required in the UK DB (not DC) system and have, it has been estimated added 70-80% of the cost of providing a pension compared with a system (such as in the Netherlands) where inflation indexing is an aspiration.
In a DC system, where the employer cannot be obliged to make up the difference, the guarantee is effectively provided by the policyholders who would pay heavily for the security they are buying. Indeed, the position could be even worse than in the UK, unless the Romanian Government follows the UK example of issuing index-linked government securities to enable pension companies to hedge the risk.
Wall-Street: What is the best strategy to balance the risk-return tradeoff in this hostile financial environment not only for pension companies, but for any other (institutional) investor?
John Ashcroft: This is a very difficult question, as just about all asset classes have moved negatively. For those of us not possessing a crystal ball, my sense is that the best (or least bad) approach is to maintain a well diversified portfolio, and to avoid selling at what is, hopefully, the bottom of the market.
Photo: Cafe PR Hungary
Te-ar putea interesa si:


text:
St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel
Housed in one of the city's most iconic buildings, the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel London provides a five-star backdrop for your stay in King's Cross. The historic hotel, originally designed by famed architect George Gilbert Scott, first opened its doors as the Midland Grand in 1873. From our striking Grand Staircase to our awe-inspiring lobby.
Housed in an iconic building, the elegant venues can set the stage for a truly magnificent wedding. The historic hotel venue showcases 10 wedding reception spaces totalling over 11,980 square feet. Benefit from ample natural light, indoor-outdoor venue space and terrific audiovisual technology.


text: BUSINESS Comcast feels strategically complete 6:33 AM PST 12/7/2009 by Georg Szalai , AP FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME Top execs promise NBC Uni management long leash NEW YORK -- "I feel that we have now achieved the position I would like the company to have," Comcast chairman and CEO Brian Roberts said here Monday in discussing the benefits of the deal to acquire 51% of NBC Universal.Speaking during the crowded opening session of the 37th annual UBS Global Media & Communications Conference, he said he has often gotten the question if he feels strategically complete, and now he does."As Comcast, we're looking to evolve" to be at the center of the continued quest by consumers to get content whenever and wherever they want, Roberts explained his belief in the benefits of owning both content and distribution assets. A 4G wireless network rollout via Clearwire, in which Comcast and other distributors have a stake, is also helping the firm's positioning in the changing media world, Roberts argued.Comcast COO Steve Burke, who joined his boss and CFO Michael Angelakis on the UBS stage, confirmed what long-time Comcast watchers had predicted, namely that the Philadelphia-based company will take a decentralized approach to managing the content company. "We are not going to run NBC Universal," he said. NBC Uni CEO Jeff Zucker and his team will.Roberts also lauded many of the brand and other managers at NBC Uni as strong executives that have "impressed" him. Asked about the NBC network, Burke said Comcast never considered selling it as it is "integral" to the NBC Uni business, which cross-promotes networks, for example. Also, the network business may improve in the future amid increasing talk of retransmission fee payments. Plus, while NBC currently is the fourth-ranked network, such rankings tend to be cyclical, so there is room for upside, he added.It would be "very simplistic" to suggest that NBC could be turned into a cable network under Comcast's leadership, Burke said when pressed on one rumor surrounding his firm's plans for the network. "The broadcast model broadly defined...is a model that works well (and) that we hopefully can make work better."Burke and Roberts added that the firm doesn't plan to sell or otherwise get rid of the NBC affiliated TV stations, which add to local and public trust and ensure reach. "It's hard to imagine a network without its stations," Burke said.Asked about the Universal studio and its recent weakness, Burke said the film business is always an up-and-down business, and Universal is hopefully on the up-swing after recent changes led by studio boss Ron Meyer. Meanwhile, the DVD market has been under pressure longer-term, but Comcast's VOD and other offers could be "helpful" here, Burke said.Roberts on Monday emphasized that "we still love the cable business" amid investor concerns that the big NBC Uni content play could be interpreted as a snub of Comcast's traditional business. "This (deal) will give us a chance to grow better in both." Plus, "content absolutely can benefit distribution" thanks to "expanded on-demand content and more," Roberts added. Burke echoed his belief in the benefits of owning content and distribution, arguing they simply depend on managing things well.He also once again predicted many opportunities to try new offers and business models once Comcast owns a majority of NBC Uni. Out of 100 things, "20 or 30 will work" and have the potential to make a real impact, Burke said.Roberts once again lauded NBC Uni's broad and diversified portfolio of assets, but highlighted that the cable networks are clearly the crown jewel. Not only is advertising at a low and is likely to rise from here, but they also have two predictable revenue streams, he said.The worst-performing NBC Universal channel makes more money than three Comcast networks combined, according to Roberts, who predicted that NBC Sports guru Dick Ebersol can add production value and more to Golf Channel, for example.Roberts also pointed out what he argued is an under-appreciated element of the NBC Uni deal -- the fact that Comcast got a $7.25 billion valuation on its own cable networks, for which the firm never got credit from investors, CFO Michael Angelakis argued here Monday. UBS media and entertainment head banker Aryeh Bourkoff introduced Roberts by saying he first met him about 15 years ago when Comcast had only 3 million cable subscribers.Bourkoff called him "incredibly ambitious," "personable," "focused" and "very disciplined." The UBS gathering is the longest-running media investor conference on Wall Street. Robert Wolf, chairman and CEO of UBS Americas, said in his welcome remarks Monday that with recent deals, such as Comcast-NBC Uni and Disney's play for Marvel, the industry has kicked off what is already the third-largest media deal wave since the 1980s, and more is likely to come. He also lauded this year's conference agenda for having its strongest CEO lineup ever.Zucker will close the first day of the UBS gathering with an appearance Monday afternoon. Add before Roberts saying he still loves the cable biz: Roberts on Monday also said that thanks to the deal's advantageous structure, Comcast will only spend about $5 billion on a net basis to get51% in NBC Uni and then gets 50% of the potential value upside. FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME Georg Szalai firstname.lastname@example.com georgszalai AP firstname.lastname@example.com @thr


text:
Mortgage insurer Radian Group (RDN) swung to a first-quarter net loss of $169.2 million, or $1.28 per share, as the company felt the sting from losses on changing derivative values and other structured finance instruments.
The 1Q net loss compares to a net profit of $103 million, or 77 cents a share, for the prior-year quarter.
Still, the firm experienced some successes, writing $6.5 billion in new mortgage insurance business for the period ended March 31. It also moved to a lower 20.6-to-1 risk-to-capital ratio position after entering into a reinsurance contract with insurer Assured Guaranty.
Radian entered into the Assured Guaranty reinsurance contract, spreading its risk, thereby lifting the firm's statutory capital by $94 million.
After the transaction, Radian's risk-to-capital ratio fell below the 21.5-to-5 ratio reported in December.
Delinquent mortgages insured by the firm also declined. The company's set aside for mortgage insurance losses declined from $333.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2011 and $414 million in the year-ago period to $234.7 million in the first quarter. The total number of delinquent loans fell by 7% from the fourth quarter and 12% from the year-ago period.
Total mortgage insurance claims also declined from $365.2 million a year ago to $218.2 million in 1Q.
Radian, which is required to meet the capital ratio guidelines of numerous state insurance regulators, noted it has received six state-specific waivers on risk capital requirements, allowing it to operate in some of those states undeterred.
In addition, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac gave Radian permission in 1Q to write new business in risk-based capital states where waivers have yet to be obtained.


text:
Windfleece overall, Tilhi Soft Blue
25.98 € 64.95 €
This wind- and waterproof baby fleece overall is availale in cute colors for mid-season warmth.
This cute fleece overall keeps your baby warm in mid-season weather. The outfit is made from breathable, wind- and waterproof fleece. Two long zippers at the front make dressing your baby easy and the sleeves and legs can be rolled up or down to cover hands and feet. Available in a variety of cute colors, this is the perfect outfit for outings in the pram!


text:
Settlement Geography
- LAST MODIFIED: 30 November 2015
- DOI: 10.1093/obo/9780199874002-0120
- LAST MODIFIED: 30 November 2015
- DOI: 10.1093/obo/9780199874002-0120
The classification of settlement geography as a separate subfield in the discipline has become less clear over time, its foci and objectives increasingly debated even among its own practitioners. At the broadest level, it can be defined as the branch of human geography concerned with the description and analysis of cultural landscapes produced through the human occupation of distinctive regions and locales. From the later decades of the 19th century until the early 1970s, settlement geography occupied a rather well-defined niche within the field and a number of its scholars rose to preeminence in the discipline, much of their attention focused on rural places and the search for historical and social meaning embodied in material culture complexes associated with the settlement of such places. German, French, and British scholarship emphasized the spatial organization and morphology of rural villages and other settlement features such as dwellings, fields, and parcels, including the historical origins and development of these forms and features; Indian settlement geography research during this period addressed similar themes. North American settlement geographers focused much of their effort during this era on describing and delimiting patterns in the rural landscape, emphasizing in-depth analysis of the built environment in order to uncover larger "cultural" processes (such as cultural diffusion) at work in the production of these landscapes. The qualitative revolution of the late 1960s and the postmodern/humanistic "cultural turn" of the 1980s has produced newer generations of geographers who pose different questions about the nature of settlements and their cultural landscapes, especially questions relating to issues of race, gender, and power. This newer scholarship de-emphasizes the rural and the folk and instead focuses much of its attention on the social production of space, especially in urban settings. A dominant theme in such research is the analysis of the morphology and nature of settlements as it relates to issues of planning and the social geography of both rural and urban environments employing newer spatial technologies such as GIS, as well as post-structural methodologies and formulations. Accordingly, studies falling under the umbrella of what might be called settlement geography today engage a wide variety of subject matter and employ a variety of research methodologies; this sets contemporary settlement geography apart from more "traditional" rural settlement geographies that dominate so much of the subfield's earlier literature. Given this traditional-contemporary dichotomy and the breadth of the field, especially since the "cultural turn," this bibliography focuses primarily on the themes (historical, cultural, and rural) with which "traditional" settlement geography was concerned and the expansive literature associated with this period.
General Overviews
The majority of comprehensive introductions to the field appeared in the 1960s, the peak output years for "conventional" rural settlement geography scholarship. This is hardly surprising, given the late-20th-century paradigm shift in human geography and the resulting decline in the number of such studies. Although now dated, they nevertheless remain useful overviews with regard to research foci and methodologies. Kohn 1954 provides the broadest overview of the nature and substance of the field during a time when it was acknowledged as a vibrant subfield in the discipline. Schwarz 1966 is technically a textbook, but its early chapters provide the most comprehensive historiography of the vast German-language settlement geography literature. Likewise, although a textbook, the first two chapters of Mandal 2001 offer the best summary of the substantial settlement geography scholarship produced by Indian researchers. The internal debate among American scholars with regard to the proper subject matter with which settlement geography should be concerned is illustrated in the exchange between Kirk Stone and Terry Jordan (see Stone 1965, and Jordan 1966).
Jordan, Terry G. "On the Nature of Settlement Geography." Professional Geographer 18.1 (1966): 26–28.
DOI: 10.1111/j.0033-0124.1966.00026.xE-mail Citation »
A critique of the core foci and goals with which settlement geography ought to be concerned as suggested by Stone 1965. Borrowing heavily from themes antecedent in European (especially German) scholarship, the author argues that the study of the "form of the cultural landscape" (p. 27), centered on the empirical analysis of the built environment, distinguishes settlement geography from other branches of the discipline.
Kohn, Clyde F. "Settlement Geography." In American Geography: Inventory and Prospect. Edited by Preston E. James and Clarence F. Jones, 124–141. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 1954.
Although now dated, this is still a useful and rather comprehensive summary of the field's subject matter and central themes. Provides a thorough review of American scholarship in the field up to the time of its writing.
Mandal, R. B. Introduction to Rural Settlement. New Delhi: Concept, 2001.
This book is relatively unknown to western scholars, but its first two chapters provide perhaps the most recent and complete overview of the scope, foci, and principles of rural settlement geography that exists in English today. Most examples of major themes are drawn from Indian and Asian cultural landscapes.
Schwarz, Gabriele. Allgemeine Siedlungsgeographie. Berlin: Walter De Gruyter, 1966.
A classic treatise from one of the field's preeminent German scholars of the 20th century. Encyclopedic in scope and meticulous in its attention to detail, it ranks as one of the most complete assessments ever written of the world's settlement landscapes. Organized with respect to rural, "partly urban, partly rural," and urban landscapes, the focus of attention is the morphological and functional character of human settlements.
Sharma, R. C. "An Appraisal of Settlement Geography with Reference to India." Professional Geographer 21.3 (1969): 158–162.
DOI: 10.1111/j.0033-0124.1969.00158.xE-mail Citation »
A comprehensive accounting of the contributions of Indian scholars to the field, emphasizing major research themes and concentrations. At the same time, provides a fine, general assessment of the state of the field at the time it was written.
Stone, Kirk H. "The Development of a Focus for the Geography of Settlement." Economic Geography 41.4 (1965): 346–355.
DOI: 10.2307/141945E-mail Citation »
An early effort to formally define the subfield by one of its most prolific practitioners. Somewhat controversial due to the author's suggestion that settlement geography ought to be rather narrowly defined as the description and analysis of structures that are erected in the process of occupying an area; but it is nevertheless useful if only for its extensive literature review of the subject.
Users without a subscription are not able to see the full content on this page. Please subscribe or login.
How to Subscribe
Oxford Bibliographies Online is available by subscription and perpetual access to institutions. For more information or to contact an Oxford Sales Representative click here.
- Activity Space
- Actor Network Theory (ANT)
- Age, Geographies of
- Agricultural Geography
- Animal Geographies
- Anthropocene and Geography, The
- Anthropogenic Climate Change
- Applied Geography
- Arctic Climatology
- Art and Geography
- Assemblage
- Atmospheric Composition and Structure
- Automobility
- Aviation Meteorology
- Behavioral Geography
- Belonging
- Biodiversity Conservation
- Biodiversity Gradients
- Biogeography
- Biogeomorphology and Zoogeomorphology
- Biometric Technologies
- Biopedoturbation
- Body, Geographies of the
- Borders and Boundaries
- Brownfields
- Carbon Cycle
- Cartography
- Cartography, History of
- Children and Childhood, Geographies of
- Citizenship
- Climate Literacy and Education
- Climatology
- Communication
- Community Mapping
- Commuting
- Complexity
- Conservation Biogeography
- Consumption, Geographies of
- Crime, Geography of
- Cultural Ecology and Human Ecology
- Cultural Geography
- Cultural Landscape
- CyberGIS
- Cyberspace, Geography of
- Desertification
- Developing World
- Development, Regional
- Development Theory
- Disability, Geography of
- Disease, Geography of
- Drones, Geography of
- Drugs, Geography of
- Economic Geography
- Economic Historical Geography
- Edge Cities and Urban Sprawl
- Education (K-12), Geography
- El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO)
- Elderly, Geography and the
- Electoral Geography
- Energy, Geographies of
- Energy, Renewable
- Energy Resources and Use
- Environment and Development
- Environmental Justice
- Ethics, Geography and
- Ethnicity
- Ethnography
- Everyday Life, Geography and
- Feminist Geography
- Fieldwork
- Film, Geography and
- Finance, Geography of
- Financial Geographies of Debt and Crisis
- Fluvial Geomorphology
- Folk Culture and Geography
- Gender and Geography
- Gentrification
- Geographic Information Science
- Geographic Methods: Archival Research
- Geographic Methods: Discourse Analysis
- Geographic Methods: Interviews
- Geographic Methods: Life Writing Analysis
- Geographic Methods: Visual Analysis
- Geographic Thought (US)
- Geographic Vulnerability to Climate Change
- Geographies of Affect
- Geographies of Education
- Geographies of Resilience
- Geography and Class
- Geography of Biofuels
- Geography of Food
- Geography of Hunger and Famine
- Geography of Industrialization
- Geography of Public Policy
- Geography of Resources
- Geopolitics
- Geopolitics, Energy and
- GIS applications in Human Geography
- GIS, Historical
- GIS, History of
- GIS, Space-Time
- Glacial and Periglacial Geomorphology
- Glaciers, Geography of
- Globalization
- Health Care, Geography of
- Historical Geography
- History, Environmental
- Homelessness
- Humanistic Geography
- Human-Landscape Interactions
- Hurricanes
- Hydrology
- Identity and Place
- Immigration and Immigrants
- Informal Economy
- Innovation, Geography of
- Intelligence, Geographical
- Justice, Geography of
- Knowledge, Geography of
- Labor, Geography of
- Land Use and Cover Change
- Landscape Interpretation
- Literature, Geography and
- Location Theory
- Marine Biogeography
- Marine Conservation and Fisheries Management
- Media Geography
- Medical Geography
- Migration
- Migration, International Student
- Military Geography
- Moonsoons, Geography of
- Mountain Geography
- Music, Sound, and Auditory Culture, Geographies of
- Nations and Nationalism
- Natural Hazards and Risk
- Nature-Society Theory
- Neogeography
- New Urbanism
- Non-representational Theory
- Nutrition Transition, The
- Oceans
- Orientalism and Geography
- Participatory Action Research
- Peace, Geographies of
- Phenology and Climate
- Photographic and Video Methods in Geography
- Physical Geography
- Place
- Polar Geography
- Policy Mobilities
- Political Ecology
- Political Geography
- Popular Culture, Geography and
- Population Geography
- Ports and Maritime Trade
- Postmodernism and Poststructuralism
- Producer Services
- Psychogeography
- Public Participation GIS, Participatory GIS, and Participa...
- Qualitative GIS
- Qualitative Methods
- Quantitative Methods in Human Geography
- Race and Racism
- Religion, Geographies of
- Retail Trade, Geography of
- Rural Geography
- Science and Technology Studies (STS) in Geography
- Sea-Level Research, Quaternary
- Segregation, Ethnic and Racial
- Service Industries, Geography of
- Settlement Geography
- Sexuality, Geography of
- Slope Processes
- Social Justice
- Soils, Diversity of
- Sonic Methods in Geography
- Spatial Analysis
- Spatial Autocorrelation
- Sports, Geography of
- Sustainability Science
- Sustainable Agriculture
- Synoptic Climatology
- Technological Change, Geography of
- Telecommunications
- Teleconnections, Atmospheric
- Territory and Territoriality
- Terrorism, Geography of
- The Climate Security Nexus
- The Voluntary Sector and Geography
- Time, Geographies of
- Time Geography
- Time-Space Compression
- Tourism Geography
- Transnational Corporations
- Urban Geography
- Urban Heritage
- Urban Historical Geography
- Urban Meteorology and Climatology
- Urban Planning and Geography
- Urban Political Ecology
- Vulnerability, Risk, and Hazards
- Vulnerability to Climate Change
- Water
- Weather and Climate Damage Studies
- Wetlands
- Whiteness, Geographies of
- Wine, Geography of
- World Cities
- Young People's Geography


text:
Luss Advent Fair
The Loch Lomond Arms will host the annual Luss Charity Advent Fair in aid of St Georges Ethiopia on November 11 from 11am - 7pm. A host of talented craft and art producers will fill the Inchconnachan and Sutherland function space at the hotel showcasing a wide range of gifts and homewares.
The Regal Storytellers will host storytelling sessions for children during the day alongside a children's craft area, setup by the children and PTA of Luss Primary School. Helensburgh Flowers are holding Christmas wreath making classes and fine Scottish Christmas trees will be available for pre-order.
Festive food and drinks will be available throughout the day, with a hog roast from 5pm.
Father Christmas will switch on the Luss Christmas lights at 5pm lighting up Luss General Store and the Loch Lomond Arms Hotel in brilliant, sparkling splendour!
Father Christmas will retire to his grotto after the lights have been switched on and will be greeting children there until 7pm.
Luss Advent Fair is held in aid of St Georges' Ethiopia, a charity school set up by Sir Malcolm and Lady Colquhoun of Luss to provide free education to some of the poorest children in Ethiopia, living in Gondar Province. The majority of the students are orphans and would otherwise receive no education at all.


text:
UNITEE at the 1st EU-Australia Leadership Forum
Giovanni Collot, Communications Manager at UNITEE and Editor in Chief of The New European magazine, was selected to participate from the 2nd until to the 5th of June in the Emerging Leaders' Forum (ELF) in Sydney, Australia. The project, financed by the European Commission and by the Australian government, has brought together young and energetic professionals, MPs, academics and policy makers from both Australia and Europe to engage in discussions around the future of the EU-Australia relationship.
At the end of the four-days Forum, the Emerging Leaders have presented their proposals on a series of issues of potential cooperation between the EU and Australia, ranging from migration to foreign affairs up to research and innovation, to the Senior Leaders, among whom Her Excellency Julie Bishop, Australia's Foreign Minister. Particular relevance was given to trade, the role of business in fostering the bilateral relationship, and the democratic values shared by the countries.
The Emerging Leader's Forum is part of the EU-Australia Leadership Forum (EUALF), a unique project in the EU's suite of public diplomacy actions which demonstrates a shared commitment to the already strong bilateral relationship. The Forum was launched in September 2016, during an official meeting in Brussels between Federica Mogherini, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and Julie Bishop, Australia's Minister of Foreign Affairs. The Forum's overall objective is to broaden and deepen the existing ties and in so doing, help shape the vision for the partnership, based on the future EU-Australia Framework Agreement and forthcoming EU-Australia Free Trade Agreement.


text:
Section 4.2.1 of Part 1 of the 19991217 draft refers to the "<schema> element" and the "<include> element." Most people reading the spec will know that of course "<schema>" is not a complete schema element but only the start-tag serving as one of the element's delimiters, but some won't know this, and it will confuse them. I've used "<>" in intra-office e-mail to show that, for example, I'm referring to a foo element and not an actual foo. However, the Courier font used for the words "schema" and "include" in the WD make it clear what is being discussed, and a normative spec should not add to the common confusion among beginners between elements and tags. Bob DuCharme www.snee.com/bob <bob@ snee.com> "The elements be kind to thee, and make thy spirits all of comfort!" Anthony and Cleopatra, III iiReceived on Friday, 4 February 2000 11:37:32 UTC
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.3.1 : Wednesday, 7 January 2015 14:49:52 UTC


text:
Day 425: Monserrate
Monserrate is a mountain on the edge of Bogota that holds a church and beautiful panorama views of the city below. We unknowingly went on a Sunday (our sense of what day it is has been long gone) and despite the little bit of rain we still had to navigate our way around the many pilgrims that had made the climb, or rode the tramway or funicular (like we did) to the top. By the time we made it into the church, a mass was well underway. We checked out the chapel in the back, made our way back down the mountain and headed towards the Botero Museum before calling it a day.
Apparently – according to Wikipedia, The people of Bogota believe, if a dating couple visits Monserrate, the relationship will be cursed and will not last. Andrew assures me that this does not apply to us. "We are so beyond dating."
"What are we then?" I asked, curious and all about putting him on the spot and blogging all. about. it.
"We are in love." He responded. And I rolled my eyes.
Back down in the heart of Bogota, we decided to duck into the Botero Museum on our way back to our guesthouse. I'm pretty sure this was the first time we were able to walk into an art museum on this trip and not have to pay an outrageous fee. We didn't have to pay at all! A free art museum! Point for Bogota – and Botero!
From the courtyard of Museo Botero, we could see Monserrate and the church atop. Usually pilgrims make it a point to go up for dusk, but I thought the view of the mountain at dusk was pretty from below! As we made our way back to our guesthouse before it became too dark (and perhaps a little too dangerous to walk around with my camera) we stopped to watch a street performance that was suuuper popular with everyone else. It was a bit hard to follow, but they seemed to be a big hit with the locals. For part of their performance they were singing in Spanish, judging by the amount of laughs, it must have been pretty hilarious. Practicing my newly acquired Spanish in Colombia is not the easiest thing. The dialect or accent is getting harder and harder to understand the more north we travel.


text:
It's called 'Bruce Forsyth's Double-your-Ham', and it's brilliant. You just squeeze a couple of drops of the solution onto your Christmas ham using the supplied pipette, and within 30 minutes the ham will increase in size by 100%.
|It's Ham-tastic!
For people who don't like ham, you can also buy Brucie's 'Halve your ham', which basically involves the chinsome octogenarian coming round your house and eating half of your ham.
I admit it, I'm talking rubbish again. He only eats about 40% of it then he gets full and wanders off to present Strictly, so the product is shit. I'm thinking of reporting them to Trading Standards actually.
Although, when you think about it, it does mean that if you keep using the product your ham will technically last forever, albeit in eternally diminishing quantity, because he'll never take all of it. Hmm. I have some strange dreams. If indeed it was a dream.
Once, as a child I dreamed I was unhappy because I'd spent all my Christmas money on myrrh and didn't know what to do.
Chocolate, please
Anyway, I think I can safely ascribe my extraordinary mental state lately to a lack of chocolate. It's now been over three weeks without, apart from a tiny one each day from my Advent Calendar, obviously, and it's starting to take its toll.
For a start, I wish the calendar actually contained nice chocolate rather than manky Maltesers – and even then, just the chocolate without the crunchy, malty centre; you don't even get the mini bag of Maltesers until Christmas Eve!
I had to change my dessert selection at my team's Christmas Lunch from Yule Log (which looked really nice and rich) to the Christmas Pudding, which was far too light and cakey with a distinct shortage of fruit, nuts and alcohol as set-menu Christmas Puddings very often are.
A large box of Hotel Chocolat chocs – possibly the finest chocolates commercially available at the moment and certainly the most varied and interesting – arrived in the office and I couldn't have any. Bah humbug! (Humbugs not containing any chocolate and hence permissible, of course)
And there was only one style of biscuit in the selection tin that didn't have chocolate, and in normal circumstances it would have been my last choice. The plain Viennese sandwich – who chooses that for fucks sake?!?
When it was really cold last week I wasn't even able to go to Paul and have their excellent hot chocolate – man, it's been tough, I tells ya. Hopefully Bono will put out a charity single alerting people to plight of those who have voluntarily given up chocolate for Advent.
I even had to pass up the chance to drink a chocolate stout the other night - admittedly in the Market Porter where there were about a dozen other beers to choose from, but my hackles were already rankled by the preponderance of fairweather drinkers whose great numbers have rendered pubs horrendously crowded! Maybe landlords are using some kind of Forsyth-endorsed 'Double your punters' product?
OK, I'll stop complaining now anyway. It's been a good test of my willpower, and just about challenging enough to feel like an achievement. Go Me! And my wife!
There's only a few days to go, and when we get back after Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve I'll be up for an Augustus Gloop-style feast.
A very chocolatey Christmas to all Ben Viveur readers too, I might add.
I'm determined to make my first Christmas as a married man as chocolatey as possible – after all, we deserve it, and if Brucie brings out a 'Double your Yule Log' product I'll buy it. Twice.


text:
Wally and Gaylyn Murdoch would like to welcome you to Darfield Motel. We aim to make your stay enjoyable & relaxing. We enjoy catching up with people and being part of their travel journey.
We offer a great range of comfortable studio, family and access units. Included in your room rates are wifi, parking, laundry, 6 sky channels and DVD library. We have an outdoor area with a BBQ.
There are various restaurants, bars, cafes and gift shops within walking distances.


text:
Salaried GP Role, Luton
- Recruiter
- Prospect Health
- Location
- Luton
- Salary
- Up to £95000 per annum + Indemnity Cover
- Posted
- 27 Jun 2019
- Closes
- 27 Jul 2019
- Ref
- Contact
- GP Support
- Function
- Salaried GP
- Hours
- Full Time
- Contract Type
- Permanent
Salaried GP, Luton, 4-10 Sessions, Up to £95,000 FTE
Please read on as we are recruiting for a Salaried GP job in Luton to join a well-established and growing group of practices tailoring their delivery of excellent primary care services to changes within general practice.
The practice is looking for a motivated and ambitious GP to join a friendly and highly knowledgeable practice team and help maintain the group's successful track record of delivering high quality patient care.
You will enjoy working with a manageable workload and be provided with a great opportunity to develop professionally and clinically through ongoing training and development.
Key Information
* 4-10 Sessions Available
* Looking for a GP who wants to help drive the services that the surgery can offer and enjoys seeing the outcomes of their work
* Supporting the delivery of QOF and enhanced services
* Manageable workload
* Flexible working patterns
* Modern spacious practice with on site parking
* £9500 per session
* Indemnity costs covered
* NHS Pension Enrolment
* Extensive clinical and clerical support in place
* 6 weeks Annual Leave and 1 week CPD support
* Emis Web
* Key roles available in leading practice development, flexible working
* Full reimbursed DBS
* Reduced administration burden through a range of centralised support functions
* Being part of a network of general practitioners
* Offering extensive career development opportunities to meet your career aspirations
* Employee assistance programme
* Optional salary-sacrifice childcare vouchers
* Optional salary-sacrifice car & bike scheme
* Optional retail discount card
* Must be a Registered GP with the GMC; possess the right to work in the UK, included on NHS performers list.
What Happens Next?
If you would like to find out more please click the 'Apply' button. This will send a notification to the consultant looking after this vacancy who will get in touch at a suitable time to share further details on this opportunity.
Any communication will be in complete confidence, without obligation and we will NOT send your details to any practice unless you give us your permission, so there is nothing to lose in finding out more!
If you wish to contact us about this opportunity and other suitable positions please call Dave within the General Practice Division on 01423 850421.
Looking for a different challenge? Click here for more General Practice Jobs


text:
State & Local Documents
Welcome to the State and Local Documents Taskforce (SLDTF) wiki!
The State and Local Documents Task Force (SLDTF) of the Government Documents Round Table provides a forum for librarians and others working with, or interested in, state and local government information. The Task Force focuses attention on the problems and concerns of documents librarian and others, offering an opportunity for discussion and exchange of ideas and news in the field of state, regional, and local information. The Task Force provides a means for initiation and supporting bibliographic control, guidelines and special programs and for increasing the availability, management and use of state and local information.
Please see the State & Local Documents Taskforce Website for more information on current members, meeting minutes etc.
Annual Meeting Schedules
View the 2008 schedule on the wiki.
Midwinter Meeting Schedules
View the SLDTF Midwinter Agenda 2009
Strategic Plan
State and Local Documents Strategic Plan (DRAFT)
Draft Minutes
You can view draft minutes at:
Approved Minutes
You can view draft minutes at: