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Thiamine mononitrate, disodium inosinate, pyridoxine hydrochloride.
Why are these hard-to-pronounce ingredients added to everything from a burger served in schools to veggie burgers in the frozen food aisle of the grocery store? We try to answer that on this edition of Tiny Desk Kitchen.
It turns out the answers are as varied as the ingredients. But as we yearn to know what's in our food and how it's made, these kinds of ingredients with unfamiliar names make people suspicious.
"For me, it's just a huge red flag," says Ryan Lonnett, a parent of children in Fairfax County, Va., schools. He's an advocate with the group Real Food For Kids.
When he looks at the ingredient list of the burger served in his kids' cafeteria, he says things like disodium inosinate stand out. "Since I don't know what it is, I'd rather not put it in my body," Lonnett says.
RFFK wants Fairfax County schools to phase out or reformulate processed foods such as a grilled cheese served in a bag, a jumbo turkey frank and a cheese quesadilla. The group also wants the county to purchase new kitchen equipment and begin preparing some foods from scratch.
"We now have 36 school [parent teacher associations] that have signed a resolution that encourages the county to make changes," says JoAnne Hammermaster, head of RFFK.
Making the transition is not as simple as it may sound. Listen to my story on Morning Edition to learn why.
Fairfax County Public Schools has decided to phase out the 26-ingredient burger. Penny McConnell, who directs the county's Office of Food and Nutrition Services, says she will replace it with an alternative frozen patty made of 100 percent beef. The change could come as soon as mid-April.
But McConnell says she doesn't have the kitchen equipment, the space or the labor force to return to scratch cooking in schools.
She says the pre-prepared foods made by manufacturers are healthful and help limit the risks of food-borne illness, since they prevent the chance of cross-contamination that comes with handling raw meat. "That product that comes from a manufacturer, it's gone through lab analysis and safety checks," McConnell says. "I know it's safe."
The debate about school food is a reflection of a wider cultural rethink about the way we eat.
"What I believe is that we're going back," says Ann Cooper, director of nutrition services for the Boulder Valley School District in Colorado. "If we want to be healthy and want our kids to be healthy, we've got to find our kitchens again."
She has actually brought scratch cooking back to her schools. And a lot of cities are inviting chefs into cafeterias and classrooms through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Chefs Move to Schools program, which encourages students to learn more about food and cooking. More than 3,300 schools and 3,400 chefs have joined the program, according to the USDA's Hans Bilger.
The Culinary Trust, one of the partners in the project, is offering grants to support the initiative.
This is MORNING EDITION from NPR News. Good morning. I'm David Greene.
You may have noticed that hamburgers have been making a lot of headlines lately, especially burgers served in schools. The controversy over lean, finely textured beef, or pink slime as critics call it, has led some schools to decide they'll get rid of burgers made with the filler. But that move does not resolve a bigger debate over the amount of processed foods kids are eating in their school cafeterias. NPR's Allison Aubrey reports.
ALLISON AUBREY, BYLINE: Months ago, long before pink slime hit the headlines, the burger served in Fairfax County, Virginia schools became the poster child of a campaign aimed at changing school lunches. JoAnne Hammermaster is a mom who's leading an advocacy group called Real Food for Kids.
JOANNE HAMMERMASTER: I look at that burger and all I see is that it looks very processed. It does not look like beef to me, so from my perspective it's not appetizing.
AUBREY: A dad who's working with this group, Ryan Lonnett, says this processed burger has a long list of ingredients on the label, more than 20. He doesn't even know what half of them are. Things like cyanacobalamin and disodium inosinate. And when he takes a bite...
RYAN LONNETT: The texture is just not real. It tastes very synthetic. And there's a lot of oil coming out when I push the fork down.
AUBREY: Lonnett says kids should eat food from farms not from factories.
HAMMERMASTER: We're not saying don't serve a hamburger, but serve a real hamburger. Serve something without more 25 ingredients, even a McDonald's hamburger has beef, salt and pepper.
AUBREY: Hammermaster and another mom, Jocelyn Hsu, say it's not just the burger that should be changed, but things like the jumbo turkey frank and this grilled cheese sandwich.
JOCELYN HSU: It's unappealing. It's in a plastic bag. It has this cheese product, which is squished out of the side. And, you know, for these two items, these two sandwiches, you really don't need much cooking equipment to make these fresh.
AUBREY: These parents convinced the Fairfax County School Board to pass a resolution authorizing an assessment of the county's school food program. Hsu says their goal is to see these processed foods phased out or reformulated. She says she wants children to eat foods without additives, extra sodium and preservatives.
HSU: I would like to see scratch cooking with foods that I would serve my family.
AUBREY: It may sound simple, but it's anything but. Penny McConnell, who directs the school food service in Fairfax County, says it would mean turning the clock back more than 30 years. She was running the program back then when they still baked cakes and made soups in school kitchens everyday.
PENNY MCCONNELL: We did not ask to get out of scratch cooking. We were told you would get out of it.
AUBREY: McConnell says America had just discovered a new way, an easier way, of putting food on the table.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Swanson announces new three-course frozen dinners, the most complete frozen meal ever put in a single package.
AUBREY: No need to slave over a hot stove all day. You could trust Swanson's to make dinner. It was modern, liberating and for schools, McConnell says, the new heat-'n-serve foods meant they could offer more variety and save money. They didn't have to maintain kitchens or the skilled labor force needed to cook. And now she says she would not want to go back.
MCCONNELL: How would you possibly have an entire gamut of choices like we do if you were doing everything from scratch, peeling potatoes?
AUBREY: Or hand-patting hamburger patties? McConnell says she's got more than 150,000 mouths to feed everyday. She needs to do it quickly and safely. If you introduce raw meat, you open the door to pathogens.
MCCONNELL: How would you ever risk dealing with raw beef?
AUBREY: When her patties come already prepared and frozen, she reheats them knowing the meat is sterile.
MCCONNELL: That product that comes from a manufacture has gone through lab analysis. It's gone through safety checks. I know that it is safe.
AUBREY: McConnell says she understands the complaints from the Real Food for Kids advocates. And she says she is serving lots of fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains. But she also points out that lot of kids are finicky and resist change.
MCCONNELL: We had a wonderful broccoli salad with raisins and cabbage. Bombed. So, you know, you keep trying it, but if they're not familiar with it, they're not going to select it.
AUBREY: McConnell says since kids like grilled cheese and hamburgers, she's going to keep serving them.
MCCONNELL: The important thing though is that the nutrients are there.
AUBREY: She says all of her meals meet or exceed federal nutrition guidelines. Now, she is working with processors to reduce additives. In fact, later this month she plans to switch to a frozen burger patty that contains just 100 percent beef. But she wants parents to know that a lot of additives are often just vitamins, nutrients and flavorings.
MCCONNELL: I think there's a lot of misinformation.
AUBREY: She says just because something is processed doesn't necessarily make it bad. And food scientists agree. We reached out to the country's premier cooking school, the Culinary Institute of America.
CHRIS LOSS: What processing means exactly is not entirely clear.
AUBREY: That's the Culinary Institute's Chris Loss. In addition to having a Ph.D. in food science, he's also an accomplished chef and loves teaching people about food.
LOSS: I say, I like to think of chefs as food processors in many ways. We turn food into something that is palatable and edible.
AUBREY: Think of bread. No one eat stalks of wheat, it's highly refined. Or...
The greatest example I use with my students is, taking a pure white sugar and turning it into caramel; you've totally manipulated the chemical composition of that ingredient.
Caramel color is one of the many ingredients in the burger that the Real Food for Kids parents don't like. Another suspicious sounding one is disodium inosinate. This is what dad Ryan Lonnett said about it.
LONNETT: It's just a huge red flag. Since I don't know what it is, I'd rather not put it in my body.
AUBREY: But culinary scientist Chris Loss says this ingredient has been used for centuries. In Japan it's an ingredient in a traditional broth.
LOSS: Exactly, a very sophisticated and thousand-year-old recipe. And it does wonderful things to that broth.
AUBREY: Originally made from fish or meat extracts, it's now made from a fermented vegetable starch. So it's not scary?
LOSS: Scary? No, not at all.
AUBREY: But Loss says we are in the midst of a big cultural, re-think about the way we eat. People want to know what's in their food, how it's prepared. And the debate about school food is a reflection of this.
Chef Ann Cooper runs the food service at the Boulder Valley School District in Colorado.
ANN COOPER: What I believe is we're going back to understanding that if we want to be healthy and we want our kids to be healthy, we have to find our kitchens again. And I see school food just coming along with that whole paradigm shift.
AUBREY: She's actually brought scratch-cooking back to her schools.
COOPER: This is a school kitchen, but this could be a hotel kitchen. We have two double-stack convection ovens, we have steamers, and...
AUBREY: Cooper has hired a bunch of culinarians who cook 3,000 meals a day in this kitchen. And on the menu this afternoon...
COOPER: I see hundreds and hundreds of pounds of spaghetti squash being steamed and will be sauteed with butter and garlic.
AUBREY: But it's taken almost four years to get this far. She's had to raise prices by about 40 cents per meal.
COOPER: And when you decide to make this change to fresh, whole products and more natural products, it means you have to do training.
AUBREY: Teach people to use knives properly, to handle meat safely, to chop vegetables, and scale-up recipes.
COOPER: Our job descriptions now includes cooking food, not reheating. We cook and we cut.
AUBREY: And Cooper says kids are buying school lunch.
COOPER: Our participation is up 7 percent this year over last year and 3.6 percent over before I came.
GREENE: The kids we talked to certainly noticed the changes.
PANO GARRY: I really like it.
IRA AH: They make it from scratch here.
AUBREY: Pano Garry and his classmate Ira Ah have both bought school lunch and say it's much better than it used to be.
AH: Ah, yes, much better.
AUBREY: From Somerville, Massachusetts to St. Paul, Minnesota lots of school districts are cooking more and adding fresh salad bars. But it doesn't mean that kids, including Patricia Valtierra, are going to give up on their favorite processed snacks.
PATRICIA VALTIERRA: I like Cheetos because of the flavors and spices.
AUBREY: And maybe - just like in our homes - there's a place for both.
Allison Aubrey, NPR News.
GREENE: And if you're curious to learn more about all those odd-sounding ingredients, you can watch Allison's Tiny Desk Kitchen video at NPR.org.
GREENE: You're listening to MORNING EDITION from NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


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What's On: Archived
|2015-01-09 10:00:00 to 2015-01-09 11:30:0009Jan2015
Under Fives Friday: Ring in the NewFriday, January 9, 2015 - 10:00 to 11:30
Make something new from something old with the first Under Fives Friday of 2015. Create a colourful collage to welcome in the new year. Suitable for 2-5 year olds. Baby play area.Event Details »
|For Families
|2015-01-31 00:00:00 to 2015-05-03 23:00:0031Jan2015
Secular to Sacred: The Story of the Lacock CupSaturday, January 31, 2015 to Monday, May 4, 2015
A Spotlight Tour from the British MuseumEvent Details »
|2015-02-13 10:00:00 to 2015-02-13 11:30:0013Feb2015
Under Fives Friday: Kings & CastlesFriday, February 13, 2015 - 10:00 to 11:30
Kings & Castles – Join in the medieval fun and build a castle; then crown yourself king or queen.. Suitable for 2-5 year olds. Baby play area.
|For Families
|2015-02-14 00:00:00 to 2015-07-03 23:00:0014Feb2015
Slices of LifeSaturday, February 14, 2015 to Saturday, July 4, 2015
An exhibition by paper cutting artist Vanessa Stone.Event Details »
|2015-02-17 10:00:00 to 2015-02-17 16:00:0017Feb2015
Discovery Day: From Medieval to ModernTuesday, February 17, 2015 - 10:00 to 16:00
Create medieval-inspired images with artist Vanessa Stone using thoroughly modern and wonderfully fun sticky-backed plastic.Event Details »
|For Families
|2015-02-19 10:00:00 to 2015-02-19 16:00:0019Feb2015
Medieval Fight ClubThursday, February 19, 2015 - 10:00 to 16:00
Join us for a day of medieval martial arts madness with Albion Falconry, who will be delving into the world of medieval combat.Event Details »
|For Families
|2015-02-21 18:00:00 to 2015-02-21 20:00:0021Feb2015
The Salisbury Spoon: an evening with silversmith Steve WagerSaturday, February 21, 2015 - 18:00 to 20:00
Silversmith Steve Wager will be coming from his workshop in Hatton Garden to demonstrate his silversmithing skills.Event Details »
|2015-03-07 14:00:00 to 2015-03-07 16:00:0007Mar2015
Paper, Scissors, Stone! Paper Cutting Workshop with artist Vanessa StoneSaturday, March 7, 2015 - 14:00 to 16:00
Come to this two hour adult workshop and see how Vanessa makes her work, hear her talk about what inspires her and let her teach you the main techniques of paper cutting.Event Details »
|2015-03-10 19:30:0010Mar2015
The Lacock Cup: from fine dining to holy chaliceTuesday, March 10, 2015 - 19:30
A lecture by Naomi Speakman. This talk will look at the history of the Lacock Cup exploring its first role as a drinking vessel at the medieval table and the importance of cups and precious metal to medieval society.Event Details »
|2015-03-13 10:00:00 to 2015-03-13 11:30:0013Mar2015
Under Fives Friday: Easter Egg HuntFriday, March 13, 2015 - 10:00 to 11:30
Easter Egg hunt – Discover where in the museum mischievous Hob Nob has hidden the Easter eggs.. Suitable for 2-5 year olds. Baby play area
|For Families
|2015-03-25 18:30:0025Mar2015
Wine & History: Talk and Wine TastingWednesday, March 25, 2015 - 18:30
Talk by Mark Brandon and wine tasting in the King's Room to include six wines, cheese & biscuits. Fundraising Event.Event Details »
|2015-03-31 09:00:00 to 2015-03-31 15:00:0031Mar2015
Discovery Day: Inspiring TudorsTuesday, March 31, 2015 - 10:00 to 16:00
Discover the wonderful patterns and designs of Tudor decorations and clothes. Join artist Suzie Gutteridge for a day of drop-in craft activities, creating felt Tudor decorations fit for a king.Event Details »
|For Families
|2015-04-04 09:00:00 to 2015-04-04 15:00:0004Apr2015
Easter Eggstravaganza!Saturday, April 4, 2015 - 10:00 to 16:00
Join us for a day of eggstraordinary Easter family fun with 'Eggs on Legs' appearing with their very own chef and cracking jokes at 11am, 12pm and 2pm. Storytelling with Jo at 11.30am and 2pm.Event Details »
|For Families
|2015-04-07 09:00:00 to 2015-04-07 15:00:0007Apr2015
Discovery Day: Adventure in Tudor SalisburyTuesday, April 7, 2015 - 10:00 to 16:00
Travel back to Tudor Salisbury and discover the amazing stories of Elizabeth I and Sir Walter Raleigh with this day of craft activities and storytelling.Event Details »
|For Families
|2015-04-10 09:00:00 to 2015-04-10 10:30:0010Apr2015
Under Fives Friday: The Tudors are ComingFriday, April 10, 2015 - 10:00 to 11:30
Discover the amazing world of the Tudors in Salisbury. Suitable for 2-5 year olds. Baby play area. In the meetings room on the first floor (access by stairs only).Event Details »
|For Families
|2015-04-15 18:30:0015Apr2015
The Life and Death of the Flint AxeWednesday, April 15, 2015 - 19:30
A talk by James Dilley. The polished stone axe in British archaeology holds a very strong position in its understanding as a functioning tool and social marker.Event Details »
|2015-04-23 17:30:0023Apr2015
Stonehenge and the Romantic ImaginationThursday, April 23, 2015 - 18:30
A lecture by Professor Sam Smiles. In this talk, he will look at Turner's exploration of the landscape of Wiltshire, including Stonehenge, a monument which presented special challenges for landscape painters.Event Details »
|2015-04-25 09:00:00 to 2015-04-25 12:00:0025Apr2015
Make a Flint Axe WorkshopSaturday, April 25, 2015 - 10:00 to 13:00
Come and learn the art of making a Neolithic axe from flint knapper James Dilley, then have a go yourself!Event Details »
|2015-04-28 23:00:00 to 2015-06-16 23:00:0029Apr2015
Villages, Towns and Cities: the development of settlements in south WiltshireWednesday, April 29, 2015 to Wednesday, June 17, 2015
Wednesdays 29 April to 17 June 2015. Lectures start at 10.15am at the museum. Afternoon sessions at various locations in south Wiltshire (see below).
|2015-05-02 09:00:00 to 2015-05-02 15:00:0002May2015
Living History DaySaturday, May 2, 2015 - 10:00 to 16:00
Join us for a day of Living History in the company of the Ancient Wessex Network, who will be recreating the past on our back lawn!Event Details »
|For Families

subset: commoncrawl


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Mother's Day just around the corner (on Sunday, May 12), and a fantastic brunch is a wonderful way to celebrate. Whether you're in the Hamptons or on the North Fork, our East End restaurants are offering excellent brunches and special menus on Sunday, so check out all the great offerings below—or visit Dan's Best of the Best 2012—and treat your Mom to that perfect meal between breakfast and lunch on her special day.
Find a unique and memorable gift to go with your excellent brunch, check out our Mother's Day Gift Guide!
75 Main Restaurant and Lounge
75 Main Street, Southampton
Open seven days a week for breakfast, brunch and dinner, from 8 a.m. to midnight, this popular Southampton restaurant was named among the Top Ten Best Brunch Restaurants on Long Island by USA Today Travel's 10best.com. Their now famous brunch is served from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday–Friday and 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Call 631-283-7575 for reservations or visit 75main.com to see the menu.
Hampton Bays
258 East Montauk Highway, Hampton Bays
Enjoy Brunch in Hampton Bays every Sunday 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. with live New Orleans style jazz from Crazy Henry and Banjo Bob. This summer hotspot has two floors of airy seating areas, spectacular views, unique New American dishes by chef David Hersh and a children's play area to boot! Call 631-594-3868 for reservations or visit cowfishrestaurant.com.
East Hampton
100 Montauk Highway, East Hampton
Always casual and welcoming, this local favorite is one of East Hampton's most reliable brunch spots. Enjoy a bloody mary and eggs Benedict with mom at one of their outdoor tables, chat up the friendly staff and keep an eye out for frequent diner and legend Paul McCartney. Brunch from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday. Call 631-324-3939.
Navy Beach
16 Navy Road, Montauk
On Mother's Day weekend, lunch is served from noon and dinner from 5 p.m. Sample from this beachfront eatery's eclectic menu with seafood inspired from around the globe, including local catch ceviche, grilled Caesar, Yunnan ribs, edamame, Dungeness crab cake and so much more. Visit navybeach.com or call 631-668-6868 for reservations.
Gurney's Inn
290 Old Montauk Highway, Montauk
Mother's Day Brunch at this seaside favorite will feature an omelette station, cheese blintz and waffle station, spring salad selections, Chef's carving station, Hebrew National hot dog cart, hot brunch favorites and Gurney's famous Viennese table. All Moms receive a complimentary Mimosa. Served noon- 4 p.m. Call 631-668-2345 for reservations. Adults $34.95, kids $19.95.
360 East at Montauk Downs
50 South Fairview Avenue, Montauk
Brunch buffet featuring hot carving station, breakfast entrees, luncheon entrees, dessert table, children's' buffet and unlimited champagne, mimosas and bloody marys is available from 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on Mother's Day. Adults $37.95, children (12 and under) $17.95, plus tax and gratuity (no charge for children 4 years of age and younger). For more info or to make reservations, call 531-483-5025 or visit lessings.com.
Bobby Van's
2393 Montauk Highway, Bridgehampton
The former haunt of literary lions James Jones, John Knowles and Truman Capote, Bobby Van's has both indoor and outdoor dining options as well as fine food and libations. On Sunday, the kitchen is open from 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. for lunch and dinner. Call 631-537-0590 or visit bobbyvans.com for more details.
Osteria Salina
95 School Street, Bridgehampton
Brunch is served at this traditional Sicilian eatery every Sunday from 12-3:30 p.m. The spot boasts cuisine from Sicily's "Isola di Salina" in the heart of the Hamptons. The staff is warm and hospitality is a priority here. Call 631-613-6469 or visit osteriasalina.net for more information.
2468 Main Street, Bridgehampton
The esteemed Pierre Weber offers a special Mother's Day brunch menu on Sunday. From a healthy roster of organic smoothies and organic juices to soups, salads and appetizers, Pierre's has something to satisfy any hungry mom. The unique menu features numerous creative dishes and more than a dozen types of omelettes. Brunch is served Friday-Sunday,10 a.m-5 p.m. Call 631-537-5110 for reservations or visit pierresbridgehampton.com.
Sag Harbor
Muse in the Harbor
16 Main Street, Sag Harbor
Here you will find two menus on weekend mornings—The Lunch Side of Brunch and The Breakfast Side of Brunch. Chef Matthew Guiffrida's "Brunch in the Harbor" is a mix of classic and creative breakfast and lunch fare, served Saturday and Sunday, 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Call 631-899-4810 or visit museintheharbor.com for info and reservations.
Estia's Little Kitchen
1615 Bridgehampton Sag Harbor Turnpike, Sag Harbor
Listed among Dan's Best of the Best for breakfast in 2012, this eatery serves breakfast/lunch on Monday, Wednesday and Sunday 8 a.m.-3 p. m. Enjoy a menu influenced by the flavors of Mexico and items that are, on occasion, born through requests by regulars. The restaurant is quaint, cozy and features fish-themed work by local artists on the walls. Call 631-725-1045 or visit estiaslittlekitchen.com for info and reservations.
North Fork and Shelter Island
Orient by the Sea
40200 Main Road, Orient
Open seven days for lunch and dinner, there are several Mothers Day specials on the menu on Sunday, including grilled local produce and fresh caught fish. This North Fork eatery has been family owned and operated since 1979, so they understand the importance of mothers and will know how to treat yours. Call 631-323-2424 or visit orientbythesea.com for info and reservations.
La Maison Blanche
11 Stearns Point Road, Shelter Island
A winner for "Best French Cuisine" in Dan's Best of the Best for 2012, La Maison Blanche is an award-winning French Brasserie-style restaurant helmed by Executive Chef Charles Le Tous. The kitchen local organic ingredients and the menu features a variety of exciting dishes rarely seen anywhere else. Brunch selections include eggs Ecossaise, lamb burger, croque monsieur/madame and assiette du charcuterie, among others, and they boast a varied wine list from local and international vineyards. See maisonblanchehotel.com or call 631-749-1633.
North Fork Table & Inn
57225 Main Road, Southold
This restaurant's progressive American menu is focused on seasonally inspired fare, featuring local organic produce and fresh seafood. Bring mom for brunch and snack on some award-winning North Fork artisanal cheeses, open-faced veggie sandwiches or, just for fun, their "Not Your Mom's Macaroni & Cheese" with black truffle, gruyere cheese and smoked bacon. With that, why not try a bloody boar made with house-infused bacon vodka? Brunch is served 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Call 631-765-0177 or check out nofoti.com for the menu, reservations and more info.
Cooperage Inn
2218 Sound Avenue, Calverton
Winner of "Best Brunch" in Dan's Papers Best of the Best for many years, the Cooperage's Grand Country Brunch Buffet is served from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. every Sunday and features chef specials, fresh fruit, salads, eggs and various treats, such as the banana bread pudding, Belgian waffles and omelette station. Adults $26.95, kids ages 6-12; $18.95; ages 2-5 $9 (plus tax & gratuity). Includes complimentary bloody mary or mimosa. Call 631-727-8994 or visit cooperageinn.com for info and reservations.
Jedidiah Hawkins Inn
400 South Jamesport Avenue, Jamesport
Bring mom to this North Fork favorite with excellent food, grown and farmed on premises, and many distinct spaces to enjoy it. Eat brunch in the solarium and dine on creations by Executive Chef Lia Fallon, which pay tribute to the North Fork's agricultural bounty and acclaimed wines and microbrews. Served Saturday and Sunday, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., brunch at JHI features seafood fritters, Nofo eggs Benedict, quiche of the day, stuffed Belgium waffles and more. Visit jedediahhawkinsinn.com or call 631-722-2900 for more information.
17 East Main Street, Riverhead
Founded in 1896, this inveterate Riverhead restaurant and bar opened for business in the well-known J.J. Sullivan Hotel and continued to operate, even through the Prohibition era by imaginative use of secret doors and dumbwaiters. Free mimosas for all moms on Mother's Day! Take mom on a trip into the past and try a bison burger on the way. Tweed's is open seven days for lunch and dinner, from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Call 631-208-3151 for reservations or visit tweedsrestaurant.com.
The All Star
96 Main Road, Riverhead
For moms who like lots of fun, this restaurant, arcade and bowling alley is open 11a.m.-10 p.m on Sundays. The Stadium menu has great starters, sandwiches and desserts from renowned chef Keith Luce's kitchen. Check out theallstar.com or call 631-998-3565.
Roadhouse Pizza
1111 West Main Street, Riverhead
Special Roadhouse BBQ and clambake menus for large crowds and parties on Mother's Day. Keep things simple and delicious with some special pizza creations in the restaurant, or order in from the catering menu and have a Mother's Day brunch at home! Roadhouse does it all, from casual get-togethers, picnics and formal dining affairs. Call 631-208-9888 or click on roadhousepizza.com for more information.
Long Island Aquarium
431 East Main Street, Riverhead
This unique venue hosts a Mother's Day brunch in the Sea Star Ballroom with two seatings at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Create treasured memories with mom and sample from the delicious and diverse menu, then leave time to explore the aquarium. Children 3-12 and seniors 62+: $29.95 (or $24.95 for aquarium members), Adults: $34.95 ($29.95 for members) and free for children 2 and under (prices do not include tax). Reservations are required. Call 631-208-9200 or visit longislandaquarium.com.
Happy Mother's Day to all East End moms!


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A lovely durable tea towel made from
A lovely durable tea towel made from
4th Dec - Australia and New Zealand.
9th Dec - Africa, Asia, Carribbean, Central and South America, Far and Middle East.
10th Dec - Canada, Cyprus, Malta.
11th Dec - Greece, Eastern Europe (except Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia) and Turkey.
12th Dec - Czech Republic, Finland, Italy, Poland, Sweden, USA
16th Dec - Austria, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland.
18th Dec - Belgium, France, Ireland, Luxembourg.
For our main correspondence address, please contact:
8 Selkirk House,
Bingfield Street,
Were It All Began...
Once upon a time... in a small town called Yarm on Tees there was a family owned shop called Strickland and Holt. To this day it is no ordinary shop and is well worth a visit if you find yourself nearby. Passed down through the generations since 1854 this small department store has taken many forms - from a wine and spirit merchants to a chemist to the gift, toy and clothing shop it is today.
In 1974 Stephanie Holt and her husband Michael left London and returned to Yarm to to see what they might do with the family business. Strickland and Holt became the birthplace of Poppy (now called Palava). Poppy initially made children's bedding from prints designed by local artists and it wasn't long before Stephanie and Michael were selling to the prestigious department stores Harrods and John Lewis. The company branched out into clothing and continued to make collections until the year 2000.
What Happened Next?
It was not until 10 years later that the youngest of Stephanie and Michael's four children decided to bring Poppy back to life. Bryony moved back to the family shop and set to work.
Starting with children's designs, Bryony began to draw her own illustrated prints, taking inspiration from the storybooks she had read as a child, such as Milly Molly Mandy and the storybooks of Eve Garnett.
Soon, Bryony's friends were asking about dresses for themselves and before long, the womenswear collection took shape.
Today and going forward
'Poppy' became 'Palava' a few years ago and Bryony now heads up a little studio in London rather than Yorkshire, but apart from that, the spirit of this little family business still remains. Stephanie and Michael still help out at the Yorkshire warehouse and the beautiful prints are still what Palava is known for.
We make clothes for real women and children - who live, love and laugh. Real women with real bodies and real lives. Real women who forget their keys and who have that extra slice of cake with their tea. Real children who have muddy knees and wild imaginations. We celebrate living colourfully and creatively and we will always do our best to bring an extra bit of joy to your day through our clothing.
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Employment Law
- Course Delivery: On Demand
- Credit Hours: 5
- Credit Type: Life and Health, Property and Casualty
This course covers broad issues on Employment and Labor laws as it applies to Insurance Agencies. It covers issues on pre and post employment procedures, employee agent/agency staff/agency staff and employer/agency rights and interviewing strategies in order to avoid claims and suits. Further, it puts emphasis on real world issues related to the employment laws.
Course Objectives
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- Interviewing strategies.
- Understand the employer agency rights for requesting and disseminating employee references.
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- Americans with Disabilities Act and Family Medical Leave Act.
- Investigating effectively and within the law.
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Employment Law - Nevada Division of Insurance
- Name:
- Nevada Division of Insurance
- Phone:
- 775-687-4270
- Fax:
- 775-687-3937
- Website URL:
- http://doi.nv.gov/
- Email Address:
- firstname.lastname@example.com
- Address:
- 1818 E.College Parkway, Suite 103
- City:
- Carson City
- State:
- Zip:
- 89706
End of Course Instructions
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Perhaps more than any other asset, a home represents the center of a family's financial and emotional well being. Few events are more traumatic than its destruction. Hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, and wildfires grab most of the headlines for the damage they cause to homes, but day in day out, year after year, the humble water leak ranks among the worst threats. According to data from SNL and ISO, water caused $9.5 billion in annual homeowner policy property losses from 2007 to 2010 – approximately 24% of all homeowner property losses. A solid asset protection plan should guard against this prevalent foe.
In custom-built luxury homes, even a small water leak can cause a surprising amount of damage. We've seen $150,000 in damage caused in just 30 minutes. Second homes are particularly vulnerable, since the owners are less likely to be around when a leak occurs. In one case, a leak started on the top floor of a three-story vacation home and ran for weeks, essentially destroying half the home.
Homeowners insurance will typically cover the cost of repairs minus any deductible, but there's no recourse for the disruption caused by lengthy repairs. Construction after major damage often lasts six months or more. The family may be forced to live elsewhere, perhaps stretching commutes to work and school. Moreover, wealthy clients are likely to have valuable collections of art, antiques, or other precious objects that could be irreparably damaged by a leak.
Fortunately, unlike natural disasters, preventing costly damage from water leaks falls largely within the homeowner's control. Alarm systems now exist that can automatically detect leaks, shut off the water supply, and notify a central monitoring service.These systems can prevent or minimize up to 93% of the cost of water damage, according to an ACE study of damage sustained by affluent homeowners.
The trend towards finished basements with luxurious entertainment centers has increased vulnerability to another form of water damage: water backup from sewers and drains. With four of the top 20 most damaging storms since 1950 occurring in 2011, many families know all too well what can happen. They find themselves knee deep in a basement flood. For the homeowners we insure, the cost of repairs when the sump pump stops working due to a power outage averages $50,000. One of our clients recently suffered damages estimated at $350,000.
As with plumbing leaks, sewer and drain backups can be easily prevented or minimized. The key is to install a properly sized sump pump with backup power supplied by a dedicated battery or a stand-by generator that is connected to the breaker box and able to keep an array of critical home systems operating.
Considering the prevalence of costly water damage, investing in prevention systems makes good sense. Each system may cost a few thousand dollars to install, an amount often equivalent to the deductible on the policy. Therefore, by preventing just one loss, the homeowner breaks even financially and avoids the disruption of repairs. Most insurance companies offer a premium discount for such systems, since preventing damage benefits them, too.
No system is perfect, however, so homeowners should also check a few key aspects of coverage:
- Will the policy cover damage due to sewer and drain backup? Policies from carriers such as ACE that specialize in insuring high-net-worth clients will cover damage when water from heavy rain or melting snow overwhelms the drainage system and causes the sump pit to overflow. But most policies do not—unless a special endorsement has been added. And the endorsement may only cover losses up to $5,000.
- Will the policy provide unlimited loss of use in case the family must live elsewhere during extended repair work? The best policies have no limit on covering the additional cost of living elsewhere in comparable style. Most policies do not.
- Will the policy provide replacement cost for contents? Standard industry policies will apply depreciation to rugs, furniture and other contents of the home that have been damaged. But few people want to go out and buy a used couch after a loss. The best policies will compensate the owner for buying new replacements.
- Will the policy help cover the cost of installing an appropriate loss prevention device if a water loss occurs? The best policies will often provide this type of coverage to help prevent losses from recurring. Standard policies may not.


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Read the full story here Web Link
Town Square
Councilman Thorne blasts 'elitists' over efforts to block Staples Ranch, Stoneridge Drive projects
Original post made on Jul 11, 2007
Read the full story here Web Link
Comments (6)
a resident of Downtown
on Jul 11, 2007 at 6:40 pm
In typical republican form, Thorne resorts to name calling with the classic "elitist" word. I guess if you oppose suburban sprawl, that makes you an elitist. I guess if you care about good city planning and the environment, instead of simply "tax revenue for the city", that makes you an elitist. When you consider the cost of suburban sprawl (traffic, pollution, bad health, bad quality of life, etc.) the immediate gratification of tax revenue isn't so grand. The "tax revenue" lovers seem to completely lack a sense of what makes a good built environment and also show almost no foresight into the potential impacts such development bring about. Gee, why don't we build 12 Walmarts in Pleasanton, they bring revenue! It is also comforting to know that a sprawl loving republican Scott Haggerty is playing a role in this.
a resident of Vineyard Hills
on Jul 11, 2007 at 6:47 pm
Elitists? Has Thorne been watching too much Fox News?
a resident of Highland Oaks
on Jul 11, 2007 at 6:52 pm
Ray, what part of 'Pleasanton doesn't own that land' don't you get? Alameda County owns it. Alameda County is going to sell it. The only question is which City will be allowed to annex it. If the short-sighted NIMBY's in the Stoneridge neighborhood convince Alameda County to look elsewhere for a city who will allow the County to make the money they want to, how will that help you 'oppose sprawl?' You'll have the development, minus the parks, of course, and Livermore or Dublin will get the tax revenue. Can you say 'goodbye Pleasanton Library?'
a resident of Birdland
on Jul 11, 2007 at 6:54 pm
Down with Thorne! Yes on the "Greenbelt Initiative"! Let the revolution begin!
a resident of Downtown
on Jul 11, 2007 at 7:05 pm
I'm sick of hearing all this alarmist BS (like that coming from Thorne) about how bad things will be if they don't get the tax revenue. It is nothing but complete fear mongering. The City has plenty of forms of tax revenue and can increase the revenue without eating up valuable land for run-of-the-mill sprawl. Give me a break!
a resident of Amberwood/Wood Meadows
on Jul 11, 2007 at 7:20 pm
It seems to me that Mr. Morris still doesn't understand the point you were trying to make regarding Staples Ranch not being within Pleasanton City boundaries.
Mr. Morris,
The tax revenue issue is rather minor to me. Pleasanton cannot expect to pass laws governing land that is not owned by the city and come out with positive results. It would be an extreme shame if Pleasanton lost land within its sphere of influence because of such bad lawmaking.
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ASU Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This collection includes most of the ASU Theses and Dissertations from 2011 to present. ASU Theses and Dissertations are available in downloadable PDF format; however, a small percentage of items are under embargo. Information about the dissertations/theses includes degree information, committee members, an abstract, supporting data or media.
In addition to the electronic theses found in the ASU Digital Repository, ASU Theses and Dissertations can be found in the ASU Library Catalog.
Dissertations and Theses granted by Arizona State University are archived and made available through a joint effort of the ASU Graduate College and the ASU Libraries. For more information or questions about this collection contact or visit the Digital Repository ETD Library Guide or contact the ASU Graduate College at email@example.com.
- Santos, Veronica
- Artemiadis, Panagiotis
- 1 Arizona State University
- 1 Santello, Marco
- 1 Whitsell, Bryan
- 1 Public
- Human-Robot
- 1 Leader-Follower
- 1 Mechanical engineering
- 1 Robotics
- 1 impedance control
- 1 pHRI
- Reverse Fountain Cytoplasmic Streaming in Rhizopus Oryzae
- Diné Research Practices and Protocols: An Intersectional Paradigm Incorporating Indigenous Feminism, Critical Indigenous Research Methodologies and Diné Knowledge Systems
- Developing an Augmented Reality Solution for Mapping Underground Infrastructure
- Characterization of 2D Human Ankle Stiffness during Postural Balance and Walking for Robot-aided Ankle Rehabilitation
- Using Molecular, Cellular and Bioengineering Approaches Towards Understanding Muscle Stem Cell Biology
As robotic systems are used in increasingly diverse applications, the interaction of humans and robots has become an important area of research. In many of the applications of physical human robot interaction (pHRI), the robot and the human can be seen as cooperating to complete a task with some object of interest. Often these applications are in unstructured environments where many paths can accomplish the goal. This creates a need for the ability to communicate a preferred direction of motion between both participants in order to move in coordinated way. This communication method should be bidirectional to be able to …
- Contributors
- Whitsell, Bryan, Artemiadis, Panagiotis, Santello, Marco, et al.
- Created Date
- 2014


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The students in Mrs. April Duke's STEM class made pumpkin slime! Everyone enjoyed the activity.
NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY Southland Academy admits students of any race, color, nationality, sex, religion, or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. Southland Academy does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, nationality, sex, religion, or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletic programs, or any other program or policy.
Copyright © 2020 Southland Academy


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| 5.9°C Belfast
Rita Ora has signed up for the two Fifty Shades Of Grey sequels.
The Hot Right Now singer is playing Mia, the sister of raunchy billionaire Christian Grey, in the first film based on EL James' erotic trilogy, which is due out next year.
And The Sun has reported that she is officially on board for the two follow-ups.
However, Rita insisted her movie career won't get in the way of her music.
"Music is obviously my main focus in life," she said. "But the movie was planned for when I had time to focus on it."
Fifty Shades Of Grey stars Jamie Dornan as Christian and Dakota Johnson as Anastasia Steele, the young student he seduces.
It is due to be released in cinemas in February 2015.


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Angler Lands ShareLunker 526 from Lake Austin, Texas
OutdoorHub 01.30.12
Lake Austin gave up the third Toyota ShareLunker of the season to Austin angler Brett Ketchum January 29.
The 13.0-pound bass is the thirteenth ShareLunker to come from the urban lake. Ketchum caught the fish on a jerkbait in 10 feet of 56-degree water while fishing in an Austin Bass Club of the Deaf tournament. He won big bass and placed second overall.
"She was a very good fighter," Ketchum said. "Once she jumped, I noticed she was big, but I kept fighting her, and when she got close and I saw her I thought, 'Oh, it's big!' I was nervous because I saw only one treble hook in her, and I knew I could lose her in a second. But I stayed calm, let her fight until she was tired, then reeled her close to the boat. My partner Sammy Oates, Jr., netted her beautifully. He and my son Braden were shaking when I bought her in."
Ketchum said he had always dreamed of catching a ShareLunker. "My time has come," he said. "It was an amazing day."
Anyone legally catching a 13-pound or bigger largemouth bass from Texas waters, public or private, between October 1 and April 30 may submit the fish to the Toyota ShareLunker program by calling program manager David Campbell at (903) 681-0550 or paging him at (888) 784-0600 and leaving a phone number including area code. Fish will be picked up by TPWD personnel within 12 hours.
ShareLunker entries are used in a selective breeding program at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center (TFFC) in Athens. Some of the offspring from these fish are stocked back into the water body from which they were caught. Other ShareLunker offspring are stocked in public waters around the state in an attempt to increase the overall size and growth rate of largemouth bass in Texas.
Anglers entering fish into the Toyota ShareLunker program receive a free replica of their fish, a certificate and ShareLunker clothing and are recognized at a banquet at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens.
For complete information and rules of the ShareLunker program, tips on caring for big bass, a list of official Toyota ShareLunker weigh and holding stations and a recap of last year's season, see www.tpwd.state.tx.us/sharelunker. The site also includes a searchable database of all fish entered into the program along with pictures where available.
Information on current catches, including short videos of interviews with anglers when available, is posted on www.facebook.com/sharelunkerprogram.
The Toyota ShareLunker Program is made possible by a grant to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation from Gulf States Toyota. Toyota is a long-time supporter of the Foundation and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, providing major funding for a wide variety of education, fish, parks and wildlife projects


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Exhibition Images
Exhibition Images
"Our most enthusiastic purpose will be to reveal the richness of the art created in our United States, to stimulate our native artists and afford them inspiration."–Duncan Phillips, 1921
The Phillips Collection has celebrated American art and artists since it opened to the public in 1921 as America's first museum dedicated to modern art. From the outset, museum founder Duncan Phillips intended that this gallery in the nation's capital was to be a champion for the country's artists. He devoted his life to finding, fostering, and collecting the very best of American art, particularly the work of living artists guided by their individual visions, rather than by popular trends. Over the course of 50 years Phillips built a world-class collection of nearly 2,000 pieces of modern art of which 1,400 were American, most of them acquired while the artists were alive and actively exhibiting.
Phillips's commitment propelled The Phillips Collection to become a leader in American art, with a collection of works that are deeply personal, yet connected to the great traditions of past and present. The nearly 120 artists featured here are those he singled out as important standard-bearers for the modern spirit, whose work reflects the changing nature of American art in the 20th century. Phillips was determined to lift American art out of obscurity, while also advocating for a creativity that expressed the country's demographic and ethnic diversity. It was this "fusion of various sensitivities" and "unification of differences," as Phillips described it, which was to be celebrated as the defining character of the nation's art.
Made in the USA is the most comprehensive on-site installation of the Phillips's American collection ever undertaken; it follows the success of a major touring exhibition of 100 of the museum's American masterworks. From 2010 to 2013, that exhibition traveled to Italy, Spain, and Japan, then to Nashville, Fort Worth, and Tampa, and was seen by more than 300,000 people. This expanded version of that exhibition fills our galleries as never before, presenting a thematic journey that reveals the breadth of America's modernist vision, beginning with the great heroes of American art of the late 19th century, whose work set the course for modern art in the United States, and concluding with a grand display of the Abstract Expressionists, whose new visual language turned American art into a global force. More than a list of names tracing a standardized history, the collection presents the rich diversity and multiplicity of voices assembled by Phillips, who relied on his eye for good work, distinctive talent, and great promise.
The exhibition is organized by The Phillips Collection.
American Firsts at the Phillips
Duncan Phillips was among the courageous few who advocated passionately for those artists who made something original and American out of the modernist spirit. Since opening in 1921, The Phillips Collection has brought hundreds of these artists to the attention of the American public achieving numerous firsts in the process:
First Works to Enter a Museum
Milton Avery, Winter Riders (1929), acquired 1929
David Burliuk, Farm at Bear Mountain (1925), acquired 1929
James Ormsbee Chapin, Emmett Marvin, Farmer (1925), acquired 1926
Preston Dickinson, Along the River (undated) and Winter, Harlem River (undated), acquired 1923
Arthur G. Dove, Golden Storm (1925) and Waterfall (1925), acquired 1926
Lee Gatch, Highlanders (1933), acquired 1941
Sam Gilliam, Red Petals (1967), acquired 1967
John D. Graham, Blue Bay and Interior (1926), Blue Bay (1927), Iron Horse (1927), and Mysteria 2 (1927), acquired 1927
Stefan Hirsch, Farmyard (1923), Mill Town (c. 1925), and New York, Lower Manhattan (1921), acquired 1925
Jacob Kainen, Street Corner (1941), acquired 1942
John Kane, Across the Strip (1929), acquired 1930
Morris Kantor, Union Square (1928), acquired 1930
Bernard Karfiol, Boy (undated), acquired 1925
Karl Knaths, Geranium in Night Window (1922), acquired 1926
Jacob Lawrence, The Migration Series (1940–41), odd panels acquired 1942
Man Ray, The Black Tray (1914), acquired 1927
Peppino Mangravite, Political Exiles (c. 1928), acquired 1928
Grandma Moses, Cambridge Valley (1942), acquired 1942
Kenneth Noland, Inside (1950), acquired 1951
Georgia O'Keeffe, My Shanty, Lake George (1922) and Pattern of Leaves (1923), acquired 1926
Alfonso Ossorio, Five Brothers (1950), acquired 1951
Charles Sheeler, Skyscrapers (1922), acquired 1926
John Sloan, Clown Making Up (1910), acquired 1919
Niles Spencer, Gray Buildings (1925), acquired 1925
Rufino Tamayo, Mandolins and Pineapples (1930), acquired 1930
Max Weber, High Noon (1925), acquired 1925
James Lesesne Wells, Journey to Egypt (1931), acquired 1931
First One-Person Museum Exhibition
Milton Avery, 1943
Preston Dickinson, 1931
Richard Diebenkorn (East Coast), 1961
Lee Gatch, 1946
Sam Gilliam, 1967
John D. Graham, 1929
Bernard Karfiol, 1925
Karl Knaths, 1930
Jacob Lawrence, 1942
Ernest Lawson, 1925
George Luks, 1926
John Marin, 1929
Jerome Myers, 1926
Joseph Solman, 1949
Theodoros Stamos, 1950
Maurice Sterne, 1926
Augustus Vincent Tack, 1924
Bradley Walker Tomlin, 1955
Harold Weston, 1930
First One-Person Museum Exhibition in Washington, DC
Sam Francis, 1958
Walt Kuhn, 1932
First Museum Retrospective
Arthur G. Dove, 1937
Marsden Hartley, 1943
First Museum Exhibition
Robert Gates, 1932
George Luks, 1926
Joseph Solman, 1949
Become the Curator
Museum founder Duncan Phillips believed that "the really good things of all ages and all periods can be brought together in one room with such a delightful result that we recognize the universality of art and the special affinities of artists."
In this spirit, we invite you to design your own exhibition of American art through uCurate at The Phillips Collection. Choose some of your favorite paintings and sculpture from Made in the USA, select just the right wall color, arrange the works to your liking, and submit your creation for a chance to win prizes.
Want to show off your masterpiece? Save and post your gallery to social media using #myamericanart
uCurate is also available at the museum in our interactive gallery.
NEW! uCurate is now also available as a FREE app for Apple and Android devices.
Furnishings provided by
All American Experience
Park Hyatt Washington, boasting the spirit of American history and tradition with its design and furnishings, invites guests to explore a renowned collection of handcrafted American art with a stay in the hotel's exclusive Made in the USA Suite, available through August 31 only a few blocks from The Phillips Collection.
Your stay in the suite, which features reproductions of masterworks from the exhibition and American items from the museum shop, includes tickets to the exhibition and a subscription to The Phillips Collection magazine.
- Deluxe accomodations at Kimpton's Hotel Madera
- Two tickets to Made in the USA
- Welcome gift of artist's sketch pad, pencils, and a mini-puzzle of a work from the exhibition
- Two Bittersweet Meditation cocktails inspired by Mark Rothko at Firefly
Package is based on availability and bookable until August 31, 2014. Rates start at $199.
For more information and booking, check the Hotel Madera Website or call 1-800-KIMPTON with rate code PHILCO
Exhibition Sponsorship
Exhibition Sponsorship
Presented by Altria Group Inc.
Generous support is provided by The Mr. and Mrs. Raymond J. Horowitz Foundation for the Arts.
Brought to you by the Made in the USA Committee: The Lichtenberg Family Foundation and Linda Lichtenberg Kaplan, B. Thomas Mansbach, Dr. and Mrs. Ronald A. Paul, and Dina and George Perry


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SITA s.r.l. has developed new SITAIR system for air and surface disinfection. Beside our usual industrial line we add smaller units: MQSmini!
S.I.T.A. Srl (Societa' Italiana Trattamento Acque), is a company with 35 years of experience in the manufacturing of UV DISINFECTION units and stainless steel filter hosuings. Since 1982 SITAUV for all Your needs.
SITA s.r.l. has developed new SITAIR system for air and surface disinfection. Beside our usual industrial line we add smaller units: MQSmini!
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S.I.T.A. has obtained NVI approval according to regulation concerning disinfection of intake water to and waste water from aquaculture premises.


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What Is Ballet Play?
The program is designed to introduce the basics of classical ballet and inspire the love of dance through imagination and creative movement to 3 - 5 year olds. Children will be guided through play based movement activities that will encourage the development of musicality, spatial awareness, and basic motor skills. Students will also become familiar with class etiquette, the structure of a classical ballet class and be provided with an overall strong foundation for future study in dance technique.
Class Location
We look forward to seeing the joy of dance come to life in the heart of St Albans, with the Ballet Play program being launched at the newly refurbished St Albans Community Centre (STACC).
Program Time:
- Friday Sessions: 2.15pm - 2.45pm
- Free Trial Lesson for all new students, bookings essential.
- Classes run alongside school term.
- Flexible enrolment options.
What are my transport/parking options for getting to and from the event?
Onsite free parking, close to bus stop and walking distance from St Albans Train Station.
How can I contact the organiser with any questions?
email:email@example.com or call: 0400 443 106
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BalletPlay.StAlbans/


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We've all gone through the frustration of misplacing key rings, usually at the very worst moment to lose your keys. Well, the good news is, not only do Stress Keychains equal portable fun, they make it much easier to find your keys. Bright, eye-popping, or squishy, we've got lots of stress reliever keychains even fidget keychains that are fun to squeeze, fidget with, and keep by your side. If you're interested in the classics, check out key rings that come in a variety of shapes, colors and sizes, all of which can be imprinted with your company logo, school name, and more. When it comes to sending a brand message, Promotional Keychains from Supreme Products are always a good choice. We can also produce custom made products. Give your client something to relieve their stress and also remember you by at the same time. Sometimes word of mouth isn't enough. Keys are hard to keep track of sometimes. In this category we've got stress items. Fun keychains will add some flare and style to your keys and to your day. These branded Stress Ball Key Chains are a great way to spread your message by combining two super usable promotional items — the key chain/stress ball combo will clinch a win for your brand. Imprint them with your unique corporate logo and get the marketing ball rolling. Rack 'em up and knock 'em down with a whole table full of stress ball key chains. We're here to help, so please email us your question to firstname.lastname@example.com or call our sales team on 0451 500 824


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Micronations.wiki costs £160 per year to keep online.
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make a contribution so that Microwiki may continue to survive and thrive. Thank you!
Category:Defunct Indonesian micronations
Defunct Indonesian micronations.
Pages in category "Defunct Indonesian micronations"
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text:
How about this for an editorial snack: The Southampton Social Club (SSC) is not just a nightclub. While my prior perception of the Elm Street locale centered around its ability to create a Hamptons nightlife scene, a recent visit revealed that they have also set the bar high for a welcoming, fine dining experience.
Walking into the Southampton Village locale on a warm July evening, my family and I immediately bee lined for a table out back. We were pleased to find that the Social Club's grounds are like a well-manicured Hamptons backyard. Casual, functional and dotted with hydrangea.
The dining scene is inviting, lest I forget to mention that the Social Club is not a "club" in the sense that it's exclusive. The $30 prix fixe, with its abundant menu, is key to squashing any misconceptions the name may give. (It's available until 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and all evening Sunday through Thursday.)
We started with some drinks – my dad was pleased to see that his no nonsense Guinness was not only on tap, a rarity in these parts, but topped off with the Social Club's dual "S" logo written in foam. "Experience from years of pouring," explained the bartender. Can I be so lucky to return on St. Patrick's Day and find a shamrock on top of mine? I went with the Whispering Angel Rose, a light French rendition of the classic wine.
We stalled on ordering, content to sip, soak in the scenery and chat with Chef Scott Kampf. A "transplant local," he talked to us about his time on "Iron Chef" with Bobby Flay, his culinary relationship with the New York Giants – he caters their tailgates! – and his charitable work with the Breast Center at Southampton Hospital.
Chef Kampf started us off with a smorgasbord of eight appetizers, which includes most of the menu's options. The Social Club offers an appetizer platter and a dessert platter – which we sampled later – for tables of four and up, as a part of its regular dining options.
The emphasis at the Social Club is on healthy foods – a quick glance at the menu reveals light but flavorful dishes, local and organic ingredients.
Among my favorites: The Edamame & Chickpea Hummus, which is made with roasted garlic & citrus with kalamata olives. And, get this, there is no added oil in the hummus. The only juices are from the chickpeas. Hemp flatbread is the vehicle to transfer this into your mouth, making the appetizer decidedly vegan. But fear not, readers who have a negative epicurean perception of "vegan:" Flavor is not compromised.
After the hummus, I moved on to the SSC Lobster Rolls – a lobster salad sandwiched in between two halves of a toasted croissant. If a lobster crawled into a French patisserie, I don't think he would have any other choice than to beg the baker to steam him up and throw him onto a croissant. That's how good this dish is – savory, light, buttery, flaky.
Then, there was the Jumbo Lump Crab Cake, which gained my sister's 'I-go-to-school-in-Baltimore-so-I-know-about-crabs' seal of approval. It paired well with the Burrata Caprese – thick cuts of local heirloom tomatoes and a puffy, creamy Burrata cheese. Made from mozzarella and, yes, cream, it's flown in fresh from the motherland (Italia).
In short, the appetizer platter is the perfect introduction to a Hamptons evening: a complement to drinks and girl talk, a meal before grabbing a movie, a stop after getting off of the train…
For an entrée, I went with the Sautéed Lobster Capellini with grilled artichoke hearts in a caviar chive lobster broth. Though the pasta-to-lobster ratio was a little less than what I would have wanted, the sauce was very light. A definite perk, as I needed to save room for the dessert, after all.
My sister went with the Charred Vegetable Napoleon, which I happily sampled, as she turned her back on more than one occasion. It's made with layers of grilled summer squash, zucchini, chanterelle mushrooms, eggplant and tomato, and it's served with organic red quinoa and heirloom tomato reduction.
No meal would be complete without dessert, and Chef Kampf brought out a platter of four of his creations: white chocolate mousse, Junior's deconstructed cheesecake, coconut crème brulee and a Tatewich, a chocolate chip ice cream sandwich. Without going into detail on how decadent and utterly delicious each one of these desserts are, suffice it to say that the Tate's creation was my favorite. French vanilla ice cream between my favorite cookie (with chocolate fudge and caramel crème). So simple, yet so genius.
Southampton Social Club, 256 Elm Street, Southampton. 631-287-1400, www.southamptonsocialclub.com.


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Boehner Pressures Obama on Cliff's 'Plan B'
The White House said it would veto the current plan offered by House GOP leaders to raise tax rates only on income above $1 million, while House Speaker John Boehner tried to build momentum for the proposal. Tim Hanrahan has details on The News Hub. Photo: AP.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... the ... we're positioned to say ... we've got a few days ... of the fact that they haven't taken yet ... it's ... this puzzle ... tomorrow the House passed what does it ... to make permanent ... tax relief for nearly every American ... ninety nine point eight one percent of the American people ... that the present whatever decision of May ... a call on ... Senate Democrats to pass the bill ... or ... they can be responsible for the largest tax increase in American history ... oh ... I was present Obama fall By spaghetti Jonah Bain at duking it out of the taxes and spending ... will discuss back and mall right here right now on the New Saab good afternoon and welcome I'm Simon Constable ... Forster Jones Tim Hanrahan now joins us from the Bureau in Washington DC way has the story ... aam ... Sam thanks for being map ... aam sounds like ... a sign ... I thought these two are getting close of two Ashley summoning until now this looks like ... they could be an island in past tells what's going on ... the stress I've been way more recently we were to give these guys are inching toward a deal the body language seemed better ... than the last few days things seem to ... have slowed down again ... Obama made this offer to instead of saying ... let's raise taxes on everything from over twenty thousand ... he's now saying look all compromise move up to four thousand ... the speaker Bayer for his part is that okay I'm to back away from my ... no higher tax rates for anyone pledge ... at all said it will offer higher tax rates for people making over two million dollars ... which means that most American households would indeed ... not see a tax rise again and hear ... a case of that still six hundred thousand dollars difference ... between the two of a bus and and dig in now and and and so that you know ... put up sandbags and and ... and just Lopes often each other ... well really hasn't been there's been a very brief press conference today was that was the metal is actually fifty two seconds or so ... didn't take questions really one up there to make the point that ... from his point of view he thinks that what we do what he calls plan B which has said it ... was keeping current tax rates in place for everyone making under billion dollars ... of that tax rates over a billion dollars fill up ... this'll preserve tax cuts ... for all Americans are also Americans ... and we will go over the fiscal cliff in the year is trying to put pressure on Obama by trying to paint Obama as the guy would be ... in effect raising taxes if you can go along with a plan ... obviously Obama Democrats ... don't see it that way often not well Paul Ryan sang the planned Vietnam meets the criteria of not not raising taxes is like an app ... that this can help right that's gonna help that so the rally the Republican troops around that that the sale was that a deal to ... it helps traders negotiate ... negotiating position are also more generally ... you know takes a softer one for Republicans on ... I'm in a long standing pledge to do not want to raise taxes for anyone ... of you rich for everyone in between ... the rioters those a budget hawk in an arson very well known Republican because his vice presidential run ... um so that was helpful for banner whats interesting is ... a lot of a concerted anti tax groups ... are coming out today given the recommendations ... some like the club for growth are saying look even plan B ... in those only over million dollars that's a tax rise ... as to her ... view of the American economy and small businesses and so forth ... others like Grover Norquist's but a statement saying ... you know ... Arsenal won taxes go up because that's our position ... but in this case plan B is intact ... and mobile apps of bacon out for me deal ... thank you Brian much demand on all the Wall Street on the wall mount the vs day ... don't come ...


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Kelly, Cards beat Kershaw, halt LA's road win streak
Bottom of order, 'pen, infielders play key roles; Beltran, Adams homer
ST. LOUIS -- Behind a spark from the bottom of the batting order, a late-inning burst of power and assistance from an active infield, the Cardinals squashed the Dodgers' string of 15 straight road wins with a 5-1 victory on Tuesday night.
With 41,770 fans at Busch Stadium for the second game of the four-game series, the Cardinals matched their season high with four double plays turned. The twin killings backed Joe Kelly as he pitched into the sixth and then preserved a win for the newest member of the rotation.
The Cardinals needed the win to keep pace with the Pirates, who still hold a two-game division lead.
"He's the best lefty in the game," Carlos Beltran said of Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw. "To be able to go out there and win against him is always encouraging. We've been scuffling, so it's good to even the series."
Eighth-inning homers by Beltran and Matt Adams cushioned what was a one-run lead, though it was the maneuvering that the Cardinals' pitching staff did with runners on base earlier in the night that set the foundation.
The Dodgers' leadoff hitter reached base in four of the six innings Kelly started. In the first and fourth, Kelly answered with immediate double plays. In between, a double play erased a one-out walk in the third.
"Especially with guys on, I tried to go sinkers down," Kelly said. "If they made contact, most of the time it will be on the ground."
No double play would be more critical, though, than the one turned behind reliever Seth Maness in the sixth. After helping the Cardinals tack on two against Kershaw in the previous inning, Kelly started the sixth in trouble. A leadoff double and RBI single from Adrian Gonzalez shaved the deficit to one. Two more singles loaded the bases.
That brought manager Mike Matheny out of the dugout and Maness in from the bullpen. Already the league's relief leader in double plays induced, Maness upped his season total to a dozen with A.J. Ellis' inning-ending one.
"He's got a knack for it and continues to come up big in big situations," Matheny said. "His track record shows he's always been a strike-thrower. Now double plays, did we know that's what we were getting? No. But he's just been able to pull that off for us."
Those 12 double plays have come in just 39 1/3 innings for Maness, who has allowed only four of 32 inherited runners to score.
"A lot of the credit goes to the defense making the plays behind me," Maness said. "They're not easy double plays to roll, but in big-time situations, they're rolling it and making it look easy."
Maness' reputation is getting around. In a recent conversation with Matheny, Beltran referred to the rookie reliever as "the ground-ball guy." And added Kelly: "If he doesn't get a double play, our team is like, 'What just happened?'"
It marked the fourth time this season that the Cardinals have turned four double plays. The club's season total of 134 is tops in the Majors.
Three other Cardinals relievers held the lead, which was padded with a three-run eighth. Beltran, who had last homered on June 30, went deep with a solo shot to give him the 11th 20-homer season of his career. With his third pinch-hit homer of the season, Adams tacked on two more insurance runs.
An inning earlier, catcher Tony Cruz had helped snuff out a potential game-tying rally by throwing out Juan Uribe as he tried to advance to third on a sacrifice bunt with no outs.
All of the Cardinals' meaningful activity against Kershaw came within a four-batter span in the fifth. Locked in a scoreless duel with Kelly, Kershaw flinched by allowing a one-out double to Jon Jay. Cruz followed with a run-scoring single up the middle. The RBI was Cruz's sixth in six starts since Yadier Molina was placed on the disabled list. He has seven hits in that same stretch.
"He's not trying to step up and be a version of Yadier Molina," Matheny said. "He's just doing his thing, and he's doing a nice job of it."
Pete Kozma's double -- his third in five career at-bats against Kershaw -- moved Cruz to third. And with Cruz taking an aggressive lead and running on contact, Kelly's subsequent groundout to second was enough to have him score without a play.
"I didn't want to strike out there," Kelly said. "I just wanted to put something in play. Luckily I got the barrel on a curveball just to put it in play and Cruz got a good jump."
Kershaw, who pitched one more inning, has lost both of his starts against the Cardinals this year. His ERA is still an NL-best 1.91.
"It's just one of those nights [where] they were doing what they've been doing all year," Kershaw said. "[They] got some big hits with runners in scoring position, I left some pitches up, and they made me pay."
Kelly furthered his case for long-term inclusion in the rotation with another strong start. Before giving up a sixth-inning run, he extended his scoreless innings streak to 20. It stands as the longest by a St. Louis pitcher this season. Kelly has given up just two runs over his last four starts (23 innings), seemingly ending any debate about who fits best in the fifth rotation spot.
The Cardinals have now won four of Kelly's last five starts.
"[The Dodgers] are a really good team, obviously," Kelly said. "Kershaw is a stud. Everyone knows that. But to have a good all-around win like that is awesome. You have to give huge credit to Maness and what the bullpen has been doing. They've been lights out."


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Asked by:
high memory use when windows update is being used
Hello i have a problem with my laptop witch has 4 gig of ram .
After doing a clean boot i opened windows update it downloads 28 updates and i restart computer . I then go back to windows update and it says the update client needs to be updated so i let it and once the windows update page reopens and starts to check for updates i start to get a problem . It starts to use all the ram and does not update . I have left it going for many hours but still it does not work . I also had a problem with a update just before it asked me to update the update client . The update for Aug 2019 malicous software update did not seem to work and i had to restart the computer if was after i restarted it it asked me to update the update client and i get problems .
Why is this happening . And why does microsoft not have the dates of the updates so i can load then 1 at a time by the date they where released and why does it ask me to update to fucking windows 10 I WILL NOT UPDATE IF IT COST ME MONEY . THIS LAPTOP COMES WITH WINDOWS INSTALLED AND I CAN NOT SEE WHY I HAVE TO BUY A NEW FUCKING OP JUST BECAUSE MICROSOFT CHOSE TO NOT SUPPORT IT MY LAPTOP WAS DESIGNED FOR WIN 7 NOT WIN 10.Wednesday, October 2, 2019 9:24 PM
All replies
Hi beaver25au1.
Maybe you could consider increasing your laptop's RAM, if possible: I would recommend having at least 8 GB of RAM to execute Windows 7 smoothly.
In Windows 7 you can select only a small set of updates (even only one) and install them in small batches when running Windows Update. If you've reset your notebook to factory settings (I cannot understand what you mean when you say "clean boot"), you can just download the latest cumulative update for Windows 7 to be sure that your system is updated. If you decide to run Windows Update after refreshing your installation, you have to wait for a considerable amount of time, due to the number of necessary updates to be downloaded and installed.
As you know, Windows 10 is approaching its end of life, therefore Microsoft is suggesting users to move to a newer, more modern Windows version: that's why you see the message suggesting you to upgrade or move to Windows 10.
Luigi Bruno
Thursday, October 3, 2019 3:46 PM
- Edited by Luigi BrunoMVP Tuesday, October 8, 2019 6:54 AM
- Proposed as answer by charlotte_tangMicrosoft contingent staff Thursday, October 17, 2019 2:09 AM
Letting a pc run for hours w/o any progress only can damage pc & pc OS,its called an Open loop effect..Stop if after 8-10 minutes restart pc try again..Update Client should be windowsupdateagent-7.6-x86
Get thru Microsoft.com Also,in cmd type: services.msc in msc,scroll to Win installer,double click,set to Auto start,start service next,Win modules do same,any other set as disable,should at least set to Manual, .NET is needed also,this must be enabled in windows components/add remove L.sub menu..Thursday, October 3, 2019 11:31 PM
Just want to confirm the current situations.
Please feel free to let us know if you need further assistance.
Best Regards,
Charlotte Tang
Please remember to mark the replies as answers if they help.
If you have feedback for TechNet Subscriber Support, contact email@example.com, October 8, 2019 1:50 AM


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Have any of you had difficulty dating again after your first love? If so, let me know in the comments; I'd love to hear your stories.
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We're certainly not alone these days when it comes to watching our home go from good investment to bad. It could be worse - our home is worth about the same as what we purchased it for nine years ago, not including the improvements we put into it. And we are fortunately in a position where we at least know we won't have to put money on the table to walk away from this home. We will be able to sell it and have some change jingling around in our pockets as we walk away. For that, we are grateful. And the reality is, it has been our shelter for the past 9 years and investment aside, that same shelter would have easily cost more than $100,000 if we had rented. So really, we're way ahead of the game if you think of it that way.
Physically, we've put a lot into this house. And continue to do so as we are preparing to move forward and onward to something else. That's probably the hardest investment to ignore. We've come to terms with losing what we would normally expect from a financial investment and we've come to believe that our emotional investment will never pay dividends here, but the physical investment that we have put into this home is a bitter pill to swallow. We could have done so many other things with that energy, and we could have earned those sore muscles and bumps and bruises in a much more rewarding manner. Even worse is that it's an investment that has to continue - even harder than before - so that we can cut our losses on both the financial and emotional investments we have. The unfinished projects have to be finished - and finished quickly - if we hope to list the home for sale in the narrow window of time that will bring us the most buyers. And the return on that physical investment will literally be handed over to the new owners.
We hope. Please let there be new owners.


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Senior players not to retire now:Team India
Adelaide:Miffed with reports that its senior players were contemplating retirement after failing in the Test series loss to Australia, the Indian team management today rejected the speculation as "baseless" and refused to answer queries on the matter.
India were whitewashed 0-4 in the Test series that concluded today and the senior batting trio of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman were heavily criticised for their poor show. Their flopshow, in fact, led to speculation that the three could bow out after the series. But the team management rubbished the rumours.
"The team management categorically denies this. Reports about senior players retiring are baseless," said team manager G S Walia in the post-match press conference today. Walia refused to answer questions on the matter, saying that there was simply no truth in the reports.
India`s stand-in skipper Virender Sehwag, who addressed the media after the match, also rejected reports of senior players` retirement. "Some reports have said that senior players will retire after this series. No such thing has happened and this is a decision that they will take," said the dashing opener, who is himself under immense pressure after an unimpressive show in the series. These are rumours created by the media," he added.
Earlier there were reports that the 39-year-old Dravid, one of the game`s greatest batsmen, had told some of his teammates that he had decided to hang his boots. Dravid, like most other Indian batsmen, had a poor run in the four-Test series. He made 194 runs at an average of 24.25 in this series.
Dravid has already announced his retirement from one-day cricket and Twenty20.
The elegant right hander, nicknamed `The Wall` for his dour defence, is the second highest run getter in Test history with 13,288 runs, behind only Tendulkar who has 15,470 runs. He has 36 Test centuries with a highest score of 270 and an average of 52.31.
Dravid has also taken more catches (210) than anyone else in Test history during his 164 Test matches since he made his debut against England at Lord`s in 1996. He captained India from December 2005 to August 2007.
There is also a question mark over Laxman who too had a miserable run against Australia in the current series but There was no word yet about his future plans.
The iconic Tendulkar is another player under tremendous pressure. The right-hander, whose career has spanned over two decades so far, has 99 international hundreds to his credit but the wait for the 100th one has been rather prolonged with his last century coming almost a year back.


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Morality Tales - BioWare Versus The Issues
I've been playing lots of Mass Effect recently, because as a leading games critic it's essential I stay ahead of the curve and keep my finger on the pulse. A mere nine months after buying it on 360 and then never playing it, and then blagging a PC version only three months after its second release, I'm on the case.
It would probably be controversial to say that BioWare's three most recent RPGs, Knights of the Old Republic, Jade Empire, and Mass Effect, are all exactly the same game in a different setting. Because Mass Effect's setting is quite similar to KotOR's. But what's rather fortunate is that they change the combat style in each, so there's always something unique to complain about on a forum. What's also important to note is that they're all three flipping ace, and I love them. They just… they just tend to do this one really silly thing.
One thing I really want to do is go and sit down with Dr and Dr BioWare, and be having a regular chat, probably asking questions about Dragon Age or something journalistic like that, and then suddenly in the middle of it all I'd shout, "MY SISTER WANTS TO GET AN ABORTION! WHAT SHOULD SHE DO?"
When they look scared and ask what I'm talking about, I'd only offer them the very slightest pieces of information about the situation, probably saying that the unborn baby might have some sort of horrible disability and she doesn't want it to be born to suffer, but her husband is currently away at sea and unreachable (because it's happening in the past or in space or somewhere where radio signals don't work) and won't be able to have his say. I'd only give them two possible answers, and their stuttering, unprepared response would decide the fate of this unfortunate foetus. And then I'd ask them about how the Sonic license first caught their attention.
I'm not sure, but I don't know if RPGs are quite the place to try and resolve the most controversial and devisive subjects of our day. Well no, that's not true at all. They could be, but perhaps in a setting slightly more dignifiied than as a result of overhearing a conversation on a street, and then immediately being given life or death decisions to make for complete strangers.
It just happened to me in Mass Effect. I'm back in Space City One (I don't pay much attention to names – if you ask me, I'll tell you what all the companion characters are called in my head) and trundling about the confusing bridges, popping in to see people who need to know about the contents of crates on distant planets, and I pass an arguing couple. Being a paragon of virtue (seriously, you should see my Paragon status. I haven't quite matched my immediately being a glowy angel like in KoTOR, but my goodness-o-meter is almost full) I of course stop and ask them what's up. Oddly they don't tell me to fuck off, but rather immediately adopt me into their family and confidence, and explain the skeletal nature of their dilemma. They're brother and sister-in-law, and her kid might have some illness. But she's heard on the news that the treatment for it is potentially dangerous, and doesn't want to risk losing her child treating him for a disease he might not have. Her husband just died, and the brother says she's acting out of grief, and that she should just take the treatment.
So we've got ourselves a cipher for the MMR debate. You find out the stats, and the chances of having the illness are reasonably high, and the chances of the treatment causing problems are 1 in 300. But she's heard this news story, and she says what if her kid is the 1 in 300? DECIDE THE CHILD'S FATE!
So, as anyone with a modicum of scientific reason knows, there's no evidence that the MMR vaccine causes harm. Utterly none. But that's hard to keep relevant when you're a mother of a baby, and you have to make this decision without any expertise of your own about whether the evidence is correct and there's definitely no chance of your kid getting autism… Good grief, this suddenly got a bit heavy. Which would somewhat be my point. This is a completely inappropriate subject to appear in this jokey, silly post. And it's far too big of a subject to decide on the bridge of a scifi game for a couple of strangers, before I carry on looking for that last bloody Keeper to scan that I cannot find anywhere despite combing the entire place three times.
I really love that BioWare include these tough choices, but I wish they'd include them in a slightly more dignified way. I wish they'd be part of a larger story, a continued struggle of conscience where decisions are made based on multiple conversations, varying expert and inexpert opinion, and a wealth of emotional and emotive situations. I want to be forced to contend my scientific reason against the irrational emotions of those in the throws of a situation. I want to wrestle with the toughest subjects, with data and passion from people on all sides trying to sway me to their way of thinking. I think, in these fleshed out circumstances, an RPG could be the most remarkable place for getting to grips with matters like abortion and euthanasia. I think because they're the sorts of subjects it's completely pointless to talk about in the pub, because it inevitably descends into people entrenching themselves in their currently held position and then hurling stones at the other side, that the RPG would be a space in which the emphasis of thought and consideration would be squarely on you.
Bizarrely, I told the bridge couple that it was her child, and her choice, and as a consequence he had the emotional breakthrough of recognising his motivations were not as pure as he had claimed, but rather because he wanted to hold onto this last piece of his brother. But that's not what I think! I would have gone through the statistics of the situation with her, had her talk with doctors, and encouraged her to go with the scientific odds. But I was given two choices and one cop-out. Side with her, side with him, or leave them to it. Really, I think the right answer in that situation should have been to leave them to it, but dammit I'm playing a videogame and I'm going to see what the consequences of my choosing would be. I'm interested that I went against type and chose her. But that was because the situation was so peculiarly binary that I was really deciding: who has a right to make a choice about a baby, the mother or the uncle. Well, the mother then. That I want to clobber people who ignore science and risk their children's health because of reading idiots misreporting facts in newspapers was suddenly irrelevant. And more, that I think that wasn't challenged by the situation. In the end, the encounter oddly cheapened a serious topic.
It is great that BioWare aspire beyond most other developers when creating their games, and I love that the worlds are rich enough to have space for recognising universal subjects. Occasionally it works – the woman who had transfered her love for her dead husband onto her missing droid in KotOR was especially splendid, but mostly because it played out as a quest, rather than a conversation, and the situation was remarkably complex. You could force the droid to stay with her, leaving her in a perpetually futile relationship and the droid trapped against what he knew was best for his master, but her apparently happy. You could free the droid, and in doing so force her to face her grief, potentially destroying her. You could even kill the droid, and then go back to her and tell her it was still alive and she should keep looking for it. Muah ha ha! But it was a droid, and unique to a science fiction world, and it gave you space to discuss and explore the subject. It wasn't a morally ambiguous situation on which you're forced to flick a giant fate-deciding switch before you can quicksave, which unfortunately is the more typical.
I can't wait for Dragon Age. But I do rather fear I'll be wandering through some remote village, searching for the missing mystic rune of Grogglefanaar, when a local baker's wife will ask me to decide whether she should allow her sickly husband to die against her doctor's wishes.


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Questions tagged [lost-cities]
Lost Cities (2-player, 30 minutes) is a card game where players compete to launch the most profitable explorations by playing colored cards in ascending order.
2 questions
973 views
Is there a traditional card game with similar rules to "Lost Cities"?
It's often pointed out that the excellent Reiner Knizia card game, Lost Cities, could be played with a standard deck of cards if there were one extra suit. Thinking about the simplicity and elegance ...
6k views
What are good strategies for deciding which expeditions to start in Lost Cities?
I've been enjoying playing Lost Cities a great deal, but find it very difficult to decide what to do over the first few turns — in particular deciding things like: How long is it worth waiting to see ...