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Oceania Cruises offers several "Signature Sailings," which include voyages exploring culinary, wine, music, health & wellness themes.
Oceania Cruises is renowned for offering an exceptional experience at an incredible value. Book early & save on our most popular itineraries.
There's still time! Take advantage of our limited availability offers, including our 2014 Winter voyages to the Caribbean and South Pacific.
Our ships cater to just 684 pampered guests on Regatta, Nautica and Insignia, and 1,250 privileged guests on Marina and Riviera.
As you travel from one destination to the next, you'll dine on the finest cuisine at sea, spend serene days filled with enriching entertainment and retire each evening to your richly appointed suite or stateroom.
Offering more than ever with no compromise in quality.
Oceania Cruises pioneered extensive overnight stays and late evening departures allowing guests to truly experience each destination to it's fullest.
Save up to 40% off à la carte prices when you purchase the Your World Collection or Unlimited Passport Collection value packages.
For even more in-depth exploration and discovery, we have created a special collection of extended land programs that is without equal.
Oceania Cruises painstakingly selects each world-class hotel for its superb location, ambiance, standards of service, cuisine and amenities.
Presented by Mary Hart
Our experts provide turn-key services that will help you select your perfect cruise, customize your air schedule, reserve pre- and post-land programs and help you plan your onboard experience.
Sign in or register for My Oceania.
From the "finest cuisine at sea" to port-intensive itineraries, our points of distinction are what makes us the best value in upscale cruising.
Being a member of the Oceania Cruises family allows you to enjoy the most generous rewards in premium cruising.
Announcing New & Exciting Rewards
Our valued past guests will enjoy exclusive events, special shore excursions and additional surprises.
Socialize with guests, comment on your favorite stories, posts, images and videos!
If you are already booked with us, please sign in to view and manage your current cruise reservation.
Receive maximum pre-cruise savings by purchasing shore excursions online as early as 180 days and up until 72 hours prior to your sail date.
Discover the hotels and land programs available on your voyage, purchase beverage packages and make your dining reservations.
Visit the Before You Go section to complete your guest registration, request air deviations and learn about insurance, visas and more.
Home > Find a Cruise > Transoceanic Voyages > North Atlantic Exploration > Excursions > Belfast > Oceania Exclusive - Spectacular Giants' Causeway
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À La Carte Excursions | General Information
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Oceania Exclusive Tour
For those travelers who prefer an added measure of intimacy and flexibility, we are pleased to offer our new Oceania Exclusive tours. With a minimum of 10 guests and a maximum capacity of just 16 guests, each tour benefits from a higher level of personal attention and the added flexibility and agility that come from traveling in a small group.
Oceania Exclusive tours are available for a specially selected number of tours in almost every port we visit, in every corner of the world.
Your tour commences with a picturesque drive via the inland route as you make your way to the Giant's Causeway. En route, a stop will be made to photograph Dunluce Castle which is poised atop a craggy cliff overlooking the fierce Atlantic Ocean. Built in the 14th Century, this castle which was once the site of an earlier fort, is today a National Monument. Continuing on, you will next visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Giants' Causeway. The Giants' Causeway is Northern Ireland's most famous landmark and has been an official UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986. Formed between 50 and 60 million years ago by an ancient volcanic eruption, the causeway takes its name from the legends of Finn MacCool and draws people from far and wide to this corner of north Antrim who come to marvel at its majesty and mystery. The unique rock formations have, for millions of years, stood as a natural rampart against the unbridled ferocity of the Atlantic storms and the rugged symmetry of the columns never fail to intrigue and inspire. To stroll the Giants Causeway is to journey back in time. Your imagination will travel along stepping stones that lead to either the creative turbulence of a bygone volcanic age, or into the myths and legends of the past. Enjoy an audio-visual presentation and Causeway exhibition before boarding the Causeway Coaster minibus which will bring you to the Causeway itself.
Following your visit at the Causeway, it's a drive along the Antrim Coast to Ballycastle where you will be treated to the world's most spectacular and unspoiled scenery. From the rugged cliffs of the coast to the magical beauty of the Glens, here is the best of what Northern Ireland has to offer. Discover the unrivalled seascape, towering cliffs, white sandy beaches and tranquil glens as you wind your way to Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge. Spanning a chasm 98 feet deep in places, its construction once consisted of a single rope hand rail and widely spaced slats which the fishermen would traverse across with salmon caught off the island. A brief photo stop will be made here for you to photograph this famous bridge.
From Ballycastle, you'll then make your way back to the pier in Belfast where your tour concludes.
Please note: This tour includes considerable walking over uneven surfaces and is not considered suitable for wheelchair guests or those guests with mobility concerns. Weather appropriate clothing and flat, comfortable walking shoes with a non-slip sole are required. Guests should be prepared for the possibility of rain. The order of sites visited may vary.
NOTICE: All Oceania Cruises shore excursion fares are listed per person, and are subject to change and availability. Some tours are capacity controlled and may be withdrawn at any time without prior notice. Tour departure times are subject to change so please reference your actual tour ticket for the correct departure time. Minor children under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a an adult parent or guardian on all shore excursions. While Oceania Cruises makes every effort to adhere to the specifics mentioned in each shore excursion description, circumstances may require otherwise. All shore excursion information contained on this website is subject to change without notice at Oceania Cruises' discretion. Oceania Cruises is not responsible or liable for typographical error, omissions or misprints.
*Click here to view complete terms and conditions associated with this special offer.
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©2014 Oceania Cruises, Inc. Ships' Registry: Marshall Islands. All Rights Reserved.


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|Where to donate to help Oklahoma tornado victims
|Monday, May 20, 2013 10:35 PM
As the death toll rises for the massive tornado that hit Moore, Oklahoma Monday afternoon, some well-known relief agencies are jumping into action. Here is a quick list of some of the agencies that are providing aid, and how you can help.
The Salvation Army
Here is a link to donate for the Salvation Army's tornado relief in Oklahoma
The Red Cross
Here is a link to donate to the Red Cross' tornado relief in Oklahoma
Or use your cell phone to donate: Support #OKwx efforts - give online @SalvationArmyUSA.org or text "STORM" to 80888 2 make $10 donation #tornado
|Last Updated on Monday, May 20, 2013 10:39 PM

subset: commoncrawl


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Washington Business Journal
Washington No. 6 on Network World's top tech towns
Higher-ed startup Quad Learning launches with $11 million from NEA, others
On Deck raises $42 million in VC
Maryland considers tripling film tax credit
Obama's proposed minimum wage hike could cost D.C. jobs
Best Buy founder Richard Schulze may scrap takeover plan
Wells Fargo finance chief says mortgage lending slowing
Fauquier County wineries fight new farm winery ordinance
Metro proposes land deal to lure FBI to Prince George's Co.
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority officials will vote Thursday on a proposal to use 78 acres the agency owns at its Greenbelt station to bolster efforts to have a new FBI headquarters built in Prince George's County.
Fairfax County to market itself in New England
The Boston office of Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications Inc. will help the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority's new marketing efforts in New England.
Hotel Monticello reopening as The Graham Georgetown
The Hotel Monticello in Georgetown, acquired by Florida-based Mast Capital in 2011, is scheduled to reopen in April as The Graham Georgetown.
One in 7 Washington households in the top 5 percent
New census figures released on Monday show that one in seven Washington-region households have incomes that put them in the top 5 percent in the nation.
D.C.'s Union Station featured at national rail summit
Amtrak's ambitious plan to turn D.C.'s Union Station into a world-class transportation hub captured the national spotlight Monday afternoon during a three-day conference on high-speed rail prospects.
Two D.C. pharmacies seek grocery-store status to sell beer
Two pharmacies on Connecticut Avenue in the District are trying to claim full-service grocery store status in order to get a Class B license to sell beer and wine.
Activist shareholder Frank Williams targeting MainStreet Bank
It looks like Fairfax-based MainStreet Bank is in for a fight.
Harris Teeter to open store on Wisconsin Ave. in Bethesda
Harris Teeter Inc. has signed a 20-year lease for a 50,000-square-foot store in Bethesda at 8300 Wisconsin Ave.
St. Regis Bar and lobby gets new look
The St. Regis Washington, D.C. has completely revamped its bar and lobby area to look like an old-school English club.
Maryland casino revenue drops in January
Maryland casino revenue decreased 2 percent in January, with Hollywood Casino Perryville figures continuing to slide.
Security upgrades at Hoover Building may liven up dull block
The General Services Administration is eyeing a long, drab but well traveled D.C. block for a series of pedestrian-friendly upgrades.
Old Ox Brewery, a family affair, to launch in Loudoun Co.
Loudoun County's newest brewery will be a family affair. Chris Burns and his wife, with his father Graham Burns and mother Mary, expect to launch Old Ox Brewery later this year from an Ashburn industrial space.
Lien released against Georgetown Cupcake
The D.C. tax office has released its lien against Georgetown Cupcake less than 24 hours after it filed over nearly $190,000 in unpaid sales taxes.
Prince George's Co. planning for $152M budget shortfall
Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker said the county is expecting a $152.2 million shortfall as officials plan the fiscal 2014 budget.
Two Georgetown grads launch angel network for Hoya alumni
Here's another sign that angel clubs are again picking up momentum: Meet Georgetown Alumni Angels, founded by Joshua Siegel and Andrew Romans.
In winning the FBI, Loudoun County could lose $6M a year
Loudoun County could wind up losing $6 million a year if it is unfortunate enough to win one of the region's most highly sought-after federal agencies.
Bowie candy shop owner named Food Network's 'Sweet Genius'
Food Network reality show "Sweet Genius" last week named Bowie resident Tamarra Thomas the winning contestant on the show, a competition where chefs battle it out to create desserts in timed challenges with surprise ingredients/
D.C. catering practices under review after club shooting
An investigation into a weekend shooting at a Northeast D.C. club has led authorities to probe a broader question: whether some establishments in the city are using catering companies to skirt liquor licensing laws and operate as bars under the District's radar.
Dulles International makes cut for good business travel services
The Travel Leaders Group ranks airports in Atlanta and Charlotte as the best for connecting flights, based on surveys with member travel agents.
D.C. getting an STK steakhouse geared toward women
STK, a steakhouse geared toward female customers, is opening its first restaurant in Washington.
Bethesda to get Roti Mediterranean Grill
Chicago-based Roti Mediterranean Grill continues its Washington expansion, opening a restaurant in Bethesda in March.
George Mason University project likely to snarl traffic
A construction project intended to reduce traffic congestion around George Mason University's Fairfax Campus has begun � and is likely to snarl traffic.
Hi: 80 °F | Lo: 65 °F


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- Mobile site
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Wycombe rue missed tackles (From Bucks Free Press)
Send your news, photos and videos by texting bucksfreepress to 80360 or upload here
Harding: We're not a million miles away from them
4:00pm Thursday 16th January 2014 in Sport By Alan Feldberg
HIGH Wycombe RUFC's long unbeaten run hit a brick wall on Saturday when third-placed Thatcham overpowered them in a 46-27 victory at Kingsmead.
Wycombe had been on a six-game unbeaten run going into the match and their bid to make it seven got off to a flyer with a try inside five minutes.
However, a contentious Thatcham score soon afterwards rocked the hosts back on their heels and they weren't able to recover again despite another couple of tries from fly half Matt Wardle.
But despite the scoreline, player/coach Luke Harding insists it was a missed opportunity for his team.
He said: "We started off playing the best rugby we've played in the last two years, but they scored from a line-out even though there was a blatant knock-on and that didn't do us any favours.
"But it was a game of what ifs. They had to work very hard for that win and the score reflected very well on them.
"They were a little bit more physical than us, but skill wise I think we were the better team.
"We're not a million miles away from them, if not just about on a par. It's frustrating because if we'd won that game we'd have been right in the race for second.
"But we'll keep going, you never know what can happen."
Harding does admit however, that some familiar failings reared their head again in the match, with missed tackles contributing to three Thatcham tries.
He said: "I'm not going to name names, but some people got into bad habits again. We let three tries in through midfield when we just didn't make our tackles."
Comments are closed on this article.


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CATEGORIES Deals, Scripts, Movie Marketing, Movies, CinematicalNow that Wanted is ready to hit the big screen and early buzz has been positive, it should come as no surprise that Mark Millar's other film project has kicked into high gear. Comic Book Resources got the chance to speak with Millar about the upcoming feature film adaptation of his work when the conversation turned to the feature film version of his Icon series, Kick-Ass. Millar tells Resources, "The casting's all been done, and everything's all in line now with that. There's two big names attached, which I can't mention so we can get on the cover of 'Variety.' And now we've got everyone. The kids who show up at the end of issue #3 - we just cast the girl, and that was a really tricky one because we needed to find someone who could do martial arts stuff."
The story of Kick-Ass is a little different from your average tale of a caped crusader. Instead, Kick was told through flashbacks about a 15-year-old kid named Dave Lizewski. Dave is just a regular kid with no special powers or abilities, but he makes the incredibly dangerous decision to become a superhero. Early speculation has Matthew 'Layer Cake' Vaughn handling the script and directing duties, but so far nothing has been confirmed -- and Millar has kept quiet on that front.
So let the games begin: sound off below on who you think can fill Lizewski's homemade tights.


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Bill Burt
The Eagle-Tribune
---- — Do you believe, yet?
That old fashioned abstract quality from Boston Red Sox teams' past — doubt! — had crept in the discussions around the water coolers again. All of sudden the Tampa Bay Rays, albeit a gritty bunch, won a single game and New England immediately thought the very worst.
The 2013 Manager of the Year, John Farrell, is a bum and the Rays pitching staff is a rendition of the 2004 Red Sox (Pedro Martinez, Curt Schilling, Derek Lowe and Tim Wakefield).
Neither is true. What is true is the Red Sox have been the best team in baseball for nearly three months and they proved that again this past week, particularly last night.
Boston is headed to the American League Championship Series for the first time since 2008. The Sox won a 3-1 nail-biter over the Tampa Bay Rays last night at Tropicana Field in Game 4. The series went to Boston, 3-1.
The Red Sox finished with six hits, all singles. But they also finished with eight walks and two hit batsmen.
In baseball, we know that there is more to the game than a line score. There was a great at-bat by rookie Xander Bogaerts, which led to him scoring the tying run on a wild pitch. There was Dustin Pedroia's sacrifice fly in the ninth inning, with the bases-loaded (two walks and a hit batsman), which gave closer Koji Uehara a second run, which really felt like an extra six runs.
We act surprised, but we shouldn't be. This "beard" thing represents this kind of baseball ... whatever it takes.
If you weren't 100 percent all-in before last night, you'd better be now.
The other teams in the American League, Detroit and Oakland, were flying across the country while the Red Sox were slipping past the Rays.
The Red Sox return home to Boston where they receive another three days off, resting every boo boo, and setting up the next series, which starts at Fenway Park on Saturday, perfectly.
The numbers continue to stack up in the Red Sox favor.
They had 36 come-from-behind wins during the regular season and two in the ALDS. They also had 11 walkoff wins this year.
You want consistency? Boston longest losing streak all year was just three games.
Red Sox were tied with Rays for first in AL East on Aug. 24 before running away with the division from there.
How about this offense? When scoring five or more runs in a game this season, the Red Sox were 75-11.
The Sox were 78-5 when leading after seven innings.
At some point ... like, now! ... this team will get exactly what they deserve, which is applause.
Email Bill Burt at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The enthusiasm surrounding the start of Butch Jones' coaching tenure at Tennessee might not pack Neyland Stadium just yet.
Tennessee associate athletic director Chris Fuller said season ticket sales were at about 58,000 as of Wednesday morning. That represents a 2.8% decrease from last year, when about 59,700 had been sold at this point. Fuller says he still expects overall attendance to increase after it fell to its lowest level since 1979 last year.
Fuller remains optimistic that Tennessee's average attendance this season could reach 95,000, which would represent its highest total since 2010. Tennessee had an average attendance of 89,965 last year.
Fuller says slightly over 90,000 tickets have been purchased for Saturday's game with Austin Peay. Last year's home opener with Georgia State drew 87,821 fans.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
441 Murfreesboro Road Nashville, TN 37210
Telephone: 615.369.7222
Fax: 615.369.7329
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Expired Property Listing
This property is disabled.
Sunsational in Saugatuck
- bedrooms 3
- baths 2
- sleeps 9
- pool no
- hot tub no
- pets allowed yes
- type House
- community
rates (USD)
/ night
$ 1,450 - $ 2,100 / week
vacation rental description
Sunsational is nestled on a large shaded lot with huge fenced in back yard. And best of all it is walking distance to all town activities, the local marinas and even the community tennis courts. This is the perfect spot for vacation getaways during all four seasons. Sleeps 9-11 completely, with living room inflated mattress. Newly purchased and
currently being freshened, decorated and prepared for vacationers to build memories while enjoying all the Saugatuck and Douglas area has to offer.
The main floor offers open living room and dining room, ample kitchen, bright bedroom with private bathroom plus a powder room. The second floor has a huge bedroom with sleeping for 4 plus an additional bedroom and full
bathroom. If you enjoy spending time in the outdoors this is the spot for you. This delightful home offers a screen porch for lazy afternoons and back porch ideal for cookouts. Another nice addition is the large hot tub great for relaxing after a busy day at the beach. The large spacious fenced back yard is perfect for your children or even your four legged friends.
house rental amenities
3 Bedrooms (1 Queen, 1 Queen and 1 Twin, 2 Double)
Living Room (queen size blow up mattress for your use)
2 Full Bathrooms and 1 half Bathroom
Fully Equipped Kitchen
Cable TV / DVD
Central Air
Washer and Dryer
Gas Grill
Two porches with outdoor furniture
Baby Items
Pets permitted
Private Fenced Back yard
activities and attractions in Saugatuck Michigan
- ClearbrookGolf Club
- Ravines Golf Club
- Saugatuck Dune Rides
- Star of Saugatuck BoatTours
- Saugatuck Centerfor the Arts
- OxBow
- OvalBeach
- Lake Michigan
- Saugatuck Brewing Company
- Unique Shopping Boutiques
- Art Galleries & Studios
- Antique Shopping
- Saugatuck Film Festival
- Venetian Festival
- Fourth of July Fireworks/Boat Parade
vacation rental rates
Visa/MasterCard accepted
Personal Checks allowed if 30 days prior to check in date.


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Refund Policies
Tuition Refund Deadlines
The total tuition is considered fully earned by the University once scheduled classes have begun in any semester or summer session.
Students desiring to withdraw from the University must formally notify the University of their intention by executing an official withdrawal with the Office of the University Registrar.
Failure to attend the course after registering is not justification for elimination of charges.
Old Dominion University is now offering electronic refunds (eRefunds) for all refunds. It's fast, easy and the best way to get your money delivered directly to you. The optional program provides all students with the most direct and easiest way to receive their refund.
Special Situations
For classes of less than one semester/session in length, refunds will be granted only before the first meeting of the class. Administrative withdrawals, as in the case of classes canceled by the University or the case of academically suspended students, entitle the student to a full refund of tuition. For refund purposes, the beginning of a semester is defined as the opening day of classes as shown in the course schedule booklet and University Catalog.
For classes of less than one semester in length, refunds will be granted for classes officially dropped before the first class meeting. Students in this category must contact the Accounts Receivable Office at (757) 683-3030 (select option 2) in order for their refund to be processed.
Balance of Aid Refund Checks
The Office of Finance is the disbursing agent for financial aid funds. Financial aid funds are applied directly to student accounts when the funds are available. For credit balances due to the student, the funds will be returned to the student in the form of a check or e-Refund. Balance of aid checks are normally made payable to the student and mailed to the student's permanent address on file with the Registrar. Checks for balance of aid are typically released 5-7 business days after the credit balance is created. If the charges exceed the aid awarded, the student is held responsible for any remaining balance by the tuition deadline. Please refer to Using Financial Aid to Pay Your Account under Payment Options for important information about your financial aid.
Based on Veteran's Affairs (VA) requirements, recipients of Chapter 33 benefits will have their funds posted after the end of the 100% refund period.
Issuance of Tuition Refund Checks
If a student formally drops classes within the published refund period, the appropriate tuition refund (less any other outstanding debts owed to the University) will be authorized. Refund checks are made payable to the student and mailed to the student's permanent address approximately four to six weeks after the end of the drop/add period.
An overpayment on a student's account of $5 or less that is not created by a financial aid disbursement will not be refunded unless the student requests the refund from the Accounts Receivable office.
Replacement Checks
Checks that are lost, mutilated, or destroyed can be replaced. It usually takes 10 business days to have a replacement check issued.
You must submit a Stop Payment Request form.
Tuition Appeals
Old Dominion University will promptly refund tuition and/or cancel a financial charge from a student account provided the student meets the requirements of the University's policy on Tuition Appeals.


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The Graco Fast Action Travel System, Jacqueline is the only travel system with a one-second fold! This lightweight stroller not only features a new one-second, single-step fold, it also has a multi-position reclining stroller seat that lies flat, and an extra-large storage basket. And, the travel system includes the SnugRide® infant car seat, one of America's #1 selling infant car seats.
Stroller Features
SnugRide® Infant Car Seat Features


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3 Gorgeous Twists On The Classic Smoky Eye
Prenatal Care Timeline: What to Expect
Stop Checking Your Hair Length
The Top 4 Bob Haircuts (And How to Style Them)
21 Levels of Zombie Killing Fun! Balloons Vs Zombies 2
Top 5 Tips For Healthy Hair Growth
The Best Wedding Dresses For Your Body Type
An Eggscellent Breakfast: Roasted Poblano Pepper Quiche
DIY Toys: Upcycled Sand or Water Scoop for Summer
Malia Obama Receives a Car for Her Sweet 16
14 Hot and Trendy Short and Medium Hairstyles
21 Anectdotes That Will Restore Your Faith In Celebrities
2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Visits Jay Leno's Garage
Lupita Nyong'o Shares Her Beauty Tips
Blue Ivy Debuts Her Cute New Hair
The Shallow Reason 'LeAnn & Eddie' is Filmed in a Rented Mansion
Pretty Girls, Ugly Faces: Hottie to Nottie in 5 Secs Flat
Huge Famitsu Spread for Hyrule Warriors
A Bare Feet Boho Wedding You'll Love
The New Stand-Alone Space Hulk Game Shakes Things Up
Robin Williams Will Be Memorialized in World of Warcraft
Rare Celebrity Audition Tapes Before They Were Famous
Swordsman Review: A Competent & Engaging Adventure
Robot Flash Mob Mimics Swarms and Cells in Nature
Look No Further For Perfect Nude Nail Color
You Won't Believe The Sea Creatures Living in This Abandoned Building
10 Best Scenic Views on Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way
44 Stunning Art Studios That Will Inspire You
Who Did Gisele Bundchen Nominate for the Ice Bucket Challenge?
How To Pack For A Week In A Carry On


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Mystery Surrounding Pop Icon's Sudden Death
As California investigators search for answers in the mysterious death of pop icon, Michael Jackson -- pain management experts say anyone, celebrities included, can easily and quickly become sucked into a dangerous cycle of using and sometimes over using prescription drugs.
39-year old Plano computer technician, Corey Goode uses the prescription drug, Vicadin to ease the pain of a slew of old football injuries. He says he follows all the rules, but sees how someone might get out of control. "You just hear the horror stories", says Goode who adds that he has faith that his doctors will monitor his use of the narcotic pain killler.
More: Jackson's Mysterious Medical History
More: Signs of Prescription drug overuse
More: Top 10 Thrilling Jackson Moments
It's still unclear if it was a deadly mix of prescription drugs that took the life of the pop star, but a former attorney for Jackson says he was "over medicated" and feared the singer could be headed for danger. Some reports indicate Jackson was taking a potent narcotic, Demerol for dancing injuries and may have also been taking drugs for anxiety.
President and CEO of American Pain and Wellness, Dr. Johnny White, says he sees it all time, people who quickly get caught up in a dangerous cycle of popping too many pills. "When people take these medications then they sometimes start adding other things that the doctor doesn't know about and it can have bad effects", says White.
If Jackson's sudden death is linked to a fatal prescription drug cocktail he wouldn't be the first celebrity to fall prey. Actor Heath Ledger overdosed on a mix of prescription pills, as did Texas native, Anna Nicole Smith. Experts say a celebrity death can often be a wake up call for others taking similar medications. "When these things happen we take a step back", says Dr. Shiv Sharma, a professor at UT Southwestern in Dallas. "This shows there can be adverse effects if these medications aren't taken properly".Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times


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Welcome at DEMCON
DEMCON is a high-end supplier of technology and dedicated as a company to the development and production of mechatronic applications. Focus areas are high-tech systems and medical devices.
- development
- production
- OEM activities
- participation
Mechatronics involves the integration of several disciplines (including mechanics, electronics, informatics, control engineering, physics, optics, materials science and sensor technology).


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reset design options.
Satish and fellow Swiftlers:
So I just installed a the Swift premium theme-- this is a new site, so I have 0 content on there. I wanted to see what the new layouts, etc are. However I get a warning on on doing a save without any changes really. The warning received is:
Warning: Division by zero in /hermes/web05/b9/moo.discoveringserendipi/discSerendipity/gastronomy/wp-content/themes/swift/lib/admin/create-styles.php on line 37
Warning: Division by zero in /hermes/web05/b9/moo.discoveringserendipi/discSerendipity/gastronomy/wp-content/themes/swift/lib/admin/create-styles.php on line 53
Furthermore, the page appears all wacky: http://www.discovering-serendipity.com/gastronomy/
Any ideas?
Worked, thanks Satish! Any reason that happened?
OK, I'm having major problems here. I tried to install the update but said swift already existed. So I renamed the swift folder and tried again. This time worked but I got the "division by zero" errors mentioned in this thread. Also noticed my logo was gone and layout was all screwed up. So I deleted the update and returned to the original swift by renaming it back to "swift". This solved nothing and my site was still all screwed up. So I found this thread and followed the instructions and reset the design options. Now my site is even worse screwed up....all modifications gone-- colors, logos, etc etc.
Here's the site:
It should look like this site:
Honestly, I really think you need to go back to the old way of updates where the update created a new theme folder with new name instead of naming every update "swift." I never had problems with the old system but it seems every time I have to delete the swift folder in order to install a new update I get all kinds of problems that takes hours to resolve.
How do I fix the current problem with the least amount of work?
Last edited by gdaniels99; 05-10-2012 at 12:06 AM. Reason: added link to site
I recommended reset to Lasith because it was a new site
1. Switch to 6.0.9 on http://thenewworld.us
2. Import design options from http://lostworlds.org/
3. follow this
OK, so I tried installing 6.1.4 on another website ( http://travelingaround.com ) and once again it completely screwed up the entire site. First I renamed the "swift" folder then I uploaded 6.1.4 and activated it. when I viewed my website the homepage was completely screwed up and the logo was missing from the header, etc. I then decided to upload 6.1.5 (after once again renaming the "swift" folder) and the site is still screwed up. I then went into the swift options page and clicked "save" and the page got even more screwed up.
Here are the error messages I get on the swift options page:
Warning: Division by zero in /home/lostworl/public_html/travelingaround.com/wp-content/themes/swift/lib/admin/create-styles.php on line 37
Warning: Division by zero in /home/lostworl/public_html/travelingaround.com/wp-content/themes/swift/lib/admin/create-styles.php on line 53
I did get my previous site ( http://thenewworld.us ) fixed and reverted back to 6.0.9. Not sure if I'm going to risk upgrading back to 6.1 until you come up with an easier upgrade process.
Last edited by gdaniels99; 05-10-2012 at 02:47 AM.
follow this procedure if you are upgrading from 6.0.[1-9] to 6.1.0+
What a mess trying to upgrade has made. I followed all the instructions with no success. Having to re-build it all.


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by GoZags.com
SPOKANE, Wash. – Two Pacific-12 Conference members, two Big 10 Conference schools, and the Preseason Women's National Invitational Tournament (WNIT) highlight the 2013-14 Gonzaga University women's basketball non-conference slate, as released by Bulldog head coach Kelly Graves Monday.
"We have put together another challenging schedule," explained Graves, who begins his 14th year at the helm in 2013-14. "Our goal each year is to play as tough a schedule as we can to ready us for conference play; this year is no exception. We have a great team, so we want to play the best."
The Bulldogs begin the new season participating in the Preseason Women's National Invitational Tournament (WNIT) for the first time in school history.
"I think the WNIT will be one of the best tournaments in women's basketball this season," stated Graves. "This will be an early season test for us, to see how good we are."
The Zags are guaranteed to play at least three games and open the tournament hosting the University of Idaho –one of 10 schools participating that made the NCAA Tournament a season ago – Friday, Nov. 8.
Depending on the outcome of its opening game, GU will then either play the University of Tennessee-Martin or Georgia State University, Sunday, Nov. 10. Tennessee-Martin returns two players who ended the 2012-13 campaign in the top 10 for scoring. Jasmine Newsome (22.6 points per game) and Heather Butler (22.4 points per game) led the Skyhawks to an NCAA Tournament berth. Georgia State finished last year with a 13-16 overall mark and a 5-13 record in the Sun Belt Conference.
The semifinals for the WNIT will be Wednesday, Nov. 14 and the championship is set for Sunday, Nov. 17. Teams that lose in the first two rounds will play consolation games on the second weekend, Nov. 15-16. The championship game will be televised live on the CBS Sports Network.
After completion of the Preseason WNIT, Gonzaga will host four-straight games.
The Bulldogs open the multi-game homestand with Eastern Washington University on Wednesday, Nov. 20. Gonzaga then hosts Patriot League member Colgate University, Saturday, Nov. 30, followed by Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference member and first-time opponent Fairfield University, Monday, Dec. 2. The stretch closes with Big Sky Conference school Portland State University Friday, Dec. 6.
It is then a tough stretch to close out non-conference for the Zags and they hit the road for four of their final five games.
Big 10 Conference institutions Ohio State University and the University of Wisconsin start the final non-conference journey for GU. The Bulldogs will play at Ohio State for the first time in school history Sunday, Dec. 8 and play at Wisconsin, also for the first time in school history, Tuesday, Dec. 10.
Gonzaga heads to California to battle Pacific-12 Conference powerhouse Stanford University, Saturday, Dec. 14. The Cardinal reached the Sweet Sixteen a season ago.
The Bulldogs then return home to host UC Riverside, Monday, Dec. 16 before driving to Pullman, Wash., for a matchup with Pac-12 member Washington State University, Saturday, Dec. 21.
"The later portion of our schedule allows us a real chance to test ourselves," explained Graves. "College basketball on the road can be tough, so we are going to need great leadership from our seniors."
West Coast Conference Tournament Most Valuable Player Haiden Palmer, West Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year Jazmine Redmon and steady reserve Stephanie Golden make up the senior class for the Zags. The seniors are three of the 11 returnees for Gonzaga in 2013-14.
Women's basketball season tickets are currently on sale for $85. Fans looking to purchase tickets can do so online at www.GoZags.com/tickets or in person at the GU Ticket Office Monday-Friday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. For questions about purchasing season tickets call 509-313-6000 or email at email@example.com. You can also follow the ticket office on twitter at www.twitter.com/GonzagaTix.
2013-14 Gonzaga University Women's Basketball Non-Conference Schedule
8 – Idaho (Preseason WNIT), 6 p.m.; 10 – Georgia State/Tennessee-Martin (Preseason WNIT), TBA*; 14 – TBA (Preseason WNIT), TBA; 17 – TBA (Preseason WNIT), TBA; 20 – Eastern Washington, 6 p.m.; 30 – Colgate, TBA.
2 – Fairfield, 6 p.m.; 6 – Portland State, 6 p.m.; 8 – at Ohio State, TBA; 10 – at Wisconsin, TBA; 14 – at Stanford, TBA; 16 - UC Riverside, 6 p.m.; 21 – at Washington State, TBA.
*Gonzaga will host the second round WNIT game if it defeats Idaho in the first round.


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York, PA - Brandon Booth lay on the ground.
Not in a cot or on an air mattress. No, Booth rested his 60-year-old bones on hard Adams County dirt this weekend.
Anything less would be farb.
Farbity is something Booth, a travel agent from New Market, Md., has worked for many years to overcome. In the re-enactor world, you're either hardcore or farb. For a hardcore, like Booth, farb means poser. The guys whose haversacks are white instead of brown. The ones who bring coolers and gas grills to camp.
"It comes from, 'Far be it for me to tell you it's not authentic,'" he explained Saturday. He'd pitched camp in a field near Gettysburg on Thursday in time for the 149th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg.
Near his makeshift home, hundreds of tourists traipsed along over ruts and horse dung, snapping pictures of him or buying funnel cakes and bottles of water. Men in blue and gray uniforms mingled with women melting under massive hoop skirts. A band played songs like "Buffalo Gals." A-Frame tents housed men with bushy sideburns pretending to be old timey reporters or surgeons.
One-hundred-forty-nine years ago, the average Confederate infantryman -- the part Booth had come to play -- wouldn't sleep in one of the big white tents, he said.
Booth, a member of the 37th Virginia out of Winchester, used his rifle as a tent post. He tied a piece of fabric to it about waist high, spread some blankets on the ground and built a small cook fire.
When the day's festivities drew to a close, Booth slept under the canopy, fried salt-cured bacon in a skillet and shared Old Crow Kentucky bourbon from his canteen with other hardcores whose faces have become as familiar as the conflict they emulate.
By the way, Old Crow? Not farb, Booth said. They started making it in the 1830s.
"It's like any hobby," he said. Sweat poured down his cheeks, bracketing his handlebar mustache. In the 10 a.m. heat on a day that would reach 100 degrees, he wore long underwear beneath his gray cotton pants and vest. "Sooner or later you want it to be as real as you can make it."
Reenacting began for Booth about 15 years ago. He and his son, Merritt, pretended to soldiers for an event in New Jersey.
"We were farb," he said.
Merritt Booth saw the re-enactment-hardened veterans, the guys who know what kinds of seams and fabrics and buttons are completely genuine, and decided he and his dad were destined to be hardcore.
They joined a hardcore regiment and started buying things. Authentic things. Their comrades helped them learn which scabbard had how many fasteners, how large of a square of cloth a mill actually produced in the 1860s. A friend from Mississippi made Brandon his gray tunic. He looked ruefully at the intricate gold-colored buttons.
"They're Mississippi buttons," he said. "I haven't gotten around to getting Virginia buttons."
He reached into his blanket and pulled out a pack of Pall Malls.
Are Pall Malls farb?
"Well," he said, laughing, "I'll allow myself that." He pointed at a long stem pipe. "I should be smoking with that, but I figure, when in Rome."
In those days, Brandon said, the two made dozens of events. Merritt is now in his 30s, so he makes fewer shows. Brandon says he'll only make about six shows this summer.
The 11 a.m. show on Saturday was a re-enactment of the Battle of Hunterstown. In front of hundreds of people on bleachers, men and women pretended to be cavalry on horseback. The turned their muskets skyward and fired them. They yelled and charged at one another, pointing their swords and bayonets. Before they crashed into one another, they stopped, circled around began another charge.
A century and a half ago, the actual battle killed 80 to 100 men.
Brandon sat among the spectators.
Brandon said he's happy sleeping on the ground. But he doesn't play soldier just to pretend and live outdoors and drink whiskey from a metal cup. Well, he does like it, but Brandon says all re-enactors take on the gig for "the moment."
The moment could be anything. It could be waking early one morning and watching men get ready for war beside the smoke of a campfire. It could come after a long hard march. Brandon remembers once being drenched to the skin with his comrades, and when he looked at them all marching up a hill, it happened.
"The moment," he said. "It's when you feel like for a moment that it's real. That this must have been what it was like."
The hell you can't
Saturday at Gettysburg was Jason Hartle's first Civil War re-enactment. The 36-year-old from McSherrystown was a member of the Georgia 63rd infantry regiment and wore an authentic-looking Confederate soldier uniform.
One piece, however, was an anachronism -- the electric wheel chair.
Hartle has cerebral palsy. One day he noticed one of his neighbors, 63-year-old Jim Sungy, preparing for a re-enactment event. Hartle told Sungy he wished he could participate, but he doubted he could because of the chair.
"I said, 'The hell you can't,'" Sungy said.
So he helped Hartle join. On Saturday, the two wandered around outside the bleachers as part of the re-enactment's living history exhibits.
"I like it," Hartle said. "I like being involved."
Hartle said he hopes to encourage other handicapped people to become involved in battle re-enactments.
"I get a lot of people asking me, 'Are you hot?'" he said.
Heat of battle
Temperatures for the re-enactment of the Battle of Gettysburg reached about 100 degrees Saturday.
Kim Bloom of Hanover was one of several emergency-management technicians manning the first aid tent. On Saturday, the job meant keeping people cool.
"It hasn't been too bad," she said. Inside the first aid tent, people drank fluids from paper cups and pressed cold rags to their foreheads and necks.
Bloom has been working at the event for the past 15 years. During big events -- like next year's 150th anniversary, for example -- the large crowds are the complicating factor.
This year, it was nature. After the 11 a.m. show, Bloom's face matched her red T-shirt as she talked over portable radio with other EMTs about "transporting people."
Heat victims could enter an air conditioned tent or an air conditioned trailer. When that wasn't good enough, the emergency employees had designated several nearby buildings as places to take heat-struck re-enactors and their guests.
She wouldn't say how many people had needed care on Saturday.
"It's been moderate," she said.


text:
1998 Russian financial crisis
The Russian financial crisis (also called "Ruble crisis" or the "Russian Flu") hit Russia on 17 August 1998. It resulted in the Russian government and the Russian Central Bank devaluing the ruble and defaulting on its debt.
- 1 Background and course of events
- 2 Crisis and effects
- 3 Recovery
- 4 Effects on countries in the world
- 5 See also
- 6 References
- 7 External links
Background and course of events[edit]
Declining productivity, an artificially high fixed exchange rate between the ruble and foreign currencies to avoid public turmoil, and a chronic fiscal deficit were the reasons that led to the crisis. The economic cost of the first war in Chechnya, estimated at $5.5 billion (not including the rebuilding of the ruined Chechen economy), also contributed to the crisis. In the first half of 1997, the Russian economy showed some signs of improvement. However, soon after this, the problems began to gradually intensify.
Two external shocks, the Asian financial crisis that had begun in 1997 and the following declines in demand for (and thus price of) crude oil and nonferrous metals, severely impacted Russian foreign exchange reserves.[1] When the East Asian financial crisis broke out in 1997, prices for Russia's two most valuable sources of capital flows, energy and metals, plummeted. Given Russia's fragile economy, the rapid decline in the value of those two capital sources resulted in an economic chaos in the country where GDP per capita fell, unemployment soared, and global investors liquidated their Russian assets.[2]
A political crisis came to a head in March when Russian president Boris Yeltsin suddenly dismissed Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin and his entire cabinet on 23 March 1998.[3] Yeltsin named Energy Minister Sergei Kiriyenko, then 35 years old, as acting prime minister.
By May 18, government bond yields had swelled to 47%. With inflation at about 10 percent, Russian banks would normally have taken the government paper at such high rates. Lack of confidence in the government's ability to repay the bonds and restricted liquidity, however, did not permit this. As depositors and investors became increasingly cautious of risk, these commercial banks and firms had less cash to keep them afloat. The federal government's initiative to collect more taxes in cash lowered banks' and firms' liquidity.
On 29 May 1998, Yeltsin appointed Boris Fyodorov as Head of the State Tax Service. The growth of internal loans could only be provided at the expense of the inflow of foreign speculative capital, which was attracted by very high interest rates.
The government formed and advertised an anti-crisis plan, requested assistance from the West, and began bankruptcy processes against three companies with large debts from back taxes. Kiriyenko met with foreign investors to reassure them. Yeltsin made nightly appearances on Russian television, calling the nation's financial elite to a meeting at the Kremlin where he urged them to invest in Russia. In June the Russian Central Bank defended the ruble, losing $5 billion in reserves.
In an effort to prop up the currency and stem the flight of capital, in June 1998 Kiriyenko hiked GKO interest rates to 150%. The situation was worsened by irregular internal debt payments. Despite government efforts, the debts on wages continued to grow, especially in the remote regions. By the end of 1997, the situation with the tax receipts was very tense, and it had a negative effect on the financing of major budget items (pensions, communal utilities, transportation etc.).
A $22.6 billion International Monetary Fund and World Bank financial package was approved on 13 July 1998 to support reforms and stabilize the Russian market by swapping out an enormous volume of the quickly maturing GKO short-term bills into long-term Eurobonds. This had started to be implemented with some success[citation needed] by 24 July 1998, yet the Russian government decided to keep the exchange rate of the ruble within a narrow band. Although many economists, including Andrei Illarionov and George Soros, urged the government to abandon its support of the ruble.
On 12 May 1998, coal miners went on strike over unpaid wages, blocking the Trans-Siberian Railway. By 1 August 1998 there were approximately $12.5 billion in debt owed to Russian workers. On 14 August 1998 the exchange rate of the Russian ruble to the US dollar was still 6.29. Despite the bailout, July 1998 monthly interest payments on Russia's debt rose to a figure 40 percent higher than its monthly tax collections.
Additionally, on 15 July 1998, the State Duma dominated by left-wing parties refused to adopt most of the government anti-crisis plan so that the government was forced to rely on presidential decrees. On 29 July Yeltsin interrupted his vacation in Valdai Hills region and flew to Moscow, prompting fears of a Cabinet reshuffle, but he only replaced Federal Security Service Chief Nikolay Kovalyov with Vladimir Putin.
At the time, Russia employed a "floating peg" policy toward the ruble, meaning that the Central Bank decided that at any given time the ruble-to-dollar (or RUR/USD) exchange rate would stay within a particular range. If the ruble threatened to devalue outside of that range (or "band"), the Central Bank would intervene by spending foreign reserves to buy rubles. For instance, during the year prior before the crisis, the Central Bank aimed to maintain a band of 5.3 to 7.1 RUR/USD, meaning that it would buy rubles if the market exchange rate threatened to exceed 7.1 rubles per dollar. Similarly, it would sell rubles if the market exchange rate threatened to drop below 5.3.
The inability of the Russian government to implement a coherent set of economic reforms led to a severe erosion in investor confidence and a chain reaction that can be likened to a run on the Central Bank. Investors fled the market by selling rubles and Russian assets (such as securities), which also put downward pressure on the ruble. This forced the Central Bank to spend its foreign reserves to defend Russia's currency, which in turn further eroded investor confidence and undermined the ruble. It is estimated that between 1 October 1997 and 17 August 1998, the Central Bank expended approximately $27 billion of its U.S. dollar reserves to maintain the floating peg.
It was later revealed that about $5 billion of the international loans provided by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund were stolen upon the funds' arrival in Russia on the eve of the meltdown.[4][5]
On 13 August 1998, the Russian stock, bond, and currency markets collapsed as a result of fears from investors that the government would devalue the ruble, default on domestic debt, or both. Annual yields on the ruble denominated bonds were more than 200 percent. The stock market had to be closed for 35 minutes as prices plummeted. When this happened, it was down 65 percent with a small number of shares actually traded. From January to August 1998 the stock market had lost more than 75 percent of its value, 39 percent in the month of May alone.[6]
Crisis and effects[edit]
On 17 August 1998, the Russian government devalued the ruble, defaulted on domestic debt, and declared a moratorium on payment to foreign creditors.[7] On that day the Russian government and the Central Bank of Russia issued a "Joint Statement" announcing, in essence, that:[8]
- the ruble/dollar trading band would expand from 5.3–7.1 RUR/USD to 6.0–9.5 RUR/USD;
- Russia's ruble-denominated debt would be restructured in a manner to be announced at a later date; and, to prevent mass Russian bank default,
- a temporary 90-day moratorium would be imposed on the payment of some bank obligations, including certain debts and forward currency contracts.[9]
On 17 August 1998 the government declared in the Joint Statement of the Government of the Russian Federation and the Central Bank of the Russian Federation that the state securities (GKOs and OFZs), with due dates through 31 December 1999, would be transformed into new securities. The terms of the GKO/OFZ restructuring were also determined in the following acts:
- Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation №1007 of 25 August 1998
- Decree of the President of the Russian Federation №888 of 25 August 1998
- Decree №1787-р of 12 December 1998 on novation of state securities
- Federal Law on Top-Priority Measures in the Field of Budget and Tax Policy[10]
GKO bondholders made few attempts to pursue litigation in domestic courts.[11]
At the same time, in addition to widening the currency band, authorities also announced that they intended to allow the RUR/USD rate to move more freely within the wider band.
At the time, the Moscow Interbank Currency Exchange (or "MICEX") set a daily "official" exchange rate through a series of interactive auctions based on written bids submitted by buyers and sellers. When the buy and sell prices matched, this "fixed" or "settled" the official MICEX exchange rate, which would then be published by Reuters. The MICEX rate was (and is) commonly used by banks and currency dealers worldwide as the reference exchange rate for transactions involving the Russian ruble and foreign currencies.
From 17 to 25 August 1998, the ruble steadily depreciated on the MICEX, moving from 6.43 to 7.86 RUR/USD. On 26 August 1998, the Central Bank terminated ruble-dollar trading on the MICEX, and the MICEX did not fix a ruble-dollar rate that day.
On 2 September 1998 the Central Bank of the Russian Federation decided to abandon the "floating peg" policy and float the ruble freely. By 21 September 1998 the exchange rate had reached 21 rubles for one US dollar, meaning it had lost two thirds of its value of less than a month earlier.
On 28 September 1998 Boris Fyodorov was discharged from the position of the Head of the State Tax Service.
The moratorium imposed by the Joint Statement expired on 15 November 1998, and the Russian government and Central Bank did not renew it.
Russian inflation in 1998 reached 84 percent and welfare costs grew considerably. Many banks, including Inkombank, Oneximbank and Tokobank, were closed down as a result of the crisis. The salaries of miners alone were to consume $919 million, more than one percent of the federal budget. By August 1998, the government had paid $4 billion to settle miners' strikes. Prices for almost all Russian food items had gone up by almost 100%, while imports had quadrupled in price.
Many citizens were stocking up for bad times and throughout the country shop shelves were being emptied, leaving a shortage of even the most basic items, such as vegetable oil, sugar, matches or washing powder. The crisis reduced demand for food and lowered food consumption, because substantial depreciation of the ruble significantly raised domestic prices for food products. The crisis also increased social tension. The middle class that was already forming by that time had some hope for stability.
The confidence of crisis prevention crumbled as millions of people lost their life savings due to banks closing. On 7 October 1998, demonstrations were held in many cities: around 100,000 took to the streets in Moscow, In Vladivostok 4,000, in Krasnoyarsk 3,000 and in Yekaterinburg 6,000. Defence Minister Igor Sergeyev cancelled his scheduled visit to Greece in the first week of October 1998, in order to be at hand should matters get out of control. Select military units were placed in a state of readiness. On 20 October 1998, President Boris Yeltsin also signed a presidential decree banning "mass protests" in Moscow between the hours of 10 pm and 7 a.m.and limiting them to a maximum of five days.
As the crisis deepened, regional governors had been introducing emergency measures: In Krasnoyarsk Krai in Siberia, governor Aleksandr Lebed, had signed a resolution to hold down prices "using administrative methods", a television report said. The authorities in the far eastern city of Vladivostok had banned deliveries of food to areas beyond the port city, and there had been talks of introducing rationing there. In Russia's Kaliningrad enclave on the Baltic, the governor announced a suspension of tax payments to the federal authorities.
Regional budgets also suffered from the 1998 crisis. Spending[specify] declined from 18.2% of the GDP in 1997 to 14.8% of the GDP.[citation needed] Spending on the economy (by 1.5% of the GDP) and social expenditures (by 1.6% of the GDP) were reduced especially heavily. The expenditures continued to decline in the following period. They[specify] dropped another 1% of the GDP in 1999 to 13.8% of the GDP, and to 10.8% of the GDP in the first quarter of 2000. One of the main factors in the reduction was the decline in subsidies for housing and municipal services, from 3.5% to 2.7% of the GDP.[citation needed]
The main effect of the crisis on Russian agricultural policy has been a dramatic drop in federal subsidies to the sector, about 80 percent in real terms compared with 1997, though subsidies from regional budgets fell less.[12]
Political fallout[edit]
The financial collapse resulted in a political crisis as Yeltsin, with his domestic support evaporating, had to contend with an emboldened opposition in the parliament. A week later, on 23 August 1998, Yeltsin fired Kiriyenko and declared his intention of returning Chernomyrdin to office as the country slipped deeper into economic turmoil.[13] Powerful business interests, fearing another round of reforms that might cause leading enterprises to fail, welcomed Kiriyenko's fall, as did the Communists.
Yeltsin, who began to lose his hold on power as his health deteriorated, wanted Chernomyrdin back; in a televised address to the nation, Yeltsin said that "heavyweights" such as Chernomyrdin, who was ousted as prime minister in March 1998 for failing to vigorously promote economic reforms, were needed to stem the nation's financial collapse. Yeltsin also suggested that Chernomyrdin would be named his successor as president when Yeltsin's term expired in 2000. But the legislature refused to give its approval. After the Duma rejected Chernomyrdin's candidacy twice, Yeltsin, his power clearly on the wane, backed down. Instead, he nominated Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov, who on 11 September 1998 was approved by the State Duma by an overwhelming majority.
Primakov's appointment restored political stability, because he was seen as a compromise candidate able to heal the rifts between Russia's quarreling interest groups. There was popular enthusiasm for Primakov as well. Primakov promised to make the payment of wage and pension his government's first priority, and invited members of the leading parliamentary factions into his Cabinet.
Communists and the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia staged a nationwide strike on 7 October 1998 and called on President Yeltsin to resign. On 9 October 1998, Russia, which was also suffering from a bad harvest, appealed for international humanitarian aid, including food.
Russia bounced back from the August 1998 financial crash with surprising speed. Much of the reason for the recovery is that world oil prices rapidly rose during 1999–2000 (just as falling energy prices on the world market helped to deepen Russia's financial troubles), so that Russia ran a large trade surplus in 1999 and 2000. Another reason is that domestic industries, such as food processing, had benefited from the devaluation, which caused a steep increase in the prices of imported goods.[14][15]
Also, since Russia's economy was operating to such a large extent on barter and other non-monetary instruments of exchange, the financial collapse had far less of an impact on many producers than it would had the economy been dependent on a banking system. Finally, the economy had been helped by an infusion of cash. As enterprises were able to pay off debts in back wages and taxes, in turn consumer demand for goods and services produced by the Russian industry began to rise.
For the first time in many years, in 2000 unemployment fell as enterprises added workers. Since the 1998 crisis, the Russian government has managed to keep social and political pressures under control, and this has played a vital role in bringing about the current recovery.[dubious ]
Effects on countries in the world[edit]
|This section does not cite any references or sources. (November 2013)
The financial crisis spread panic throughout the world financial system.
Baltic states[edit]
The Russian crisis affected Baltic countries more than expected. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania sank into recession. Figures for 1999 showed a heavy decline in exports from these countries to Russia, in addition to a significant decline in growth rates of these economies. Food and beverage as well as processing industries as a whole suffered the most.
Overall, economic activity slowed down substantially in the immediate aftermath of the Russian crisis, with output growth falling from about 8.5 percent in 1998 to 3.4 percent in 1999. Both exports and imports contracted substantially, resulting in a drop in the current account deficit from a 6.1 percent GDP in 1998 to 2.2 percent in 1999. Externally, exports to Russia, which accounted for more than 60 percent of total exports, fell during the second half of 1998 by 10 percent.
Demand for Belarusian products was weak through 1999, showing signs of recovery only during the final quarter, with the revival of economic activity in Russia. Also, in the first quarter of 1999, compared to 1998, except for investments, all budget expenditures were smaller. The biggest cuts were made in national security (a 1.9 GDP, compared to 2.5 percent in the first quarter of 1998) and social policy (1.5 and 2.4 percent of GDP, respectively) where expenditures were lowered almost by one third.
The Russian crisis was a hard blow to the Kazakh economy. Kazakhstan lost its pricing competitiveness and its exports were in shambles. On the other hand, cheap Russian goods were flowing into the country, essentially killing domestic industries. There was huge pressure on the tenge, the Kazakh currency, and Kazakhstan's balance of payments worsened. However, the NBK continued to maintain the value of the tenge. In fact, they had spent close to a billion dollars to maintain the level of tenge. Their foreign exchange reserves halved.
Moldova received an IMF special mission advising the government on how to cope with the effects of the Russian crisis. At that time Russia bought 85% of Moldova's wine and brandy, as well as most of its canned goods and tobacco. After the ruble crashed, most Russian importers put deals with Moldova on hold. Moldovan president Petru Lucinschi was quoted as saying that the Russian crisis had cost Moldova as much as five per cent of its GDP. The country's parliament was discussing a programme aimed at reducing imports and searching for new markets outside Russia.
The crisis cost the Ukraine a lot as well: the Hryvnia devaluated by 60%, domestic prices increased by 20%, and the National Bank of Ukraine lost 40% of its gross reserves.
United States[edit]
The U.S. stock market, following a decade of rapid and accelerating increases, began to slip in early August 1998, amid fears about Asia and Russia. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 984 points, or 11.5%, in 3 days at the end of August, to a level 19% below its July peak. This more than erased the year's market gains. The U.S. stock market remained depressed until October, when a series of interest rate reductions by the Federal Reserve propelled it back upward.[16]
In the central Asian state, the government banned free unlicensed sales of food, most of which is imported from Russia, as a preventative measure against prices rising and subsequent panic.
See also[edit]
- Long-Term Capital Management, hedge fund sunk in the wake of the Russian crisis
- GKO-OFZ, Russian government bonds
Contemporaneous financial crises:
- ^ Russian Federation: International Reserves and Foreign Currency Liquidity, IMF, 25 June 2012
- ^ Russian Financial Crisis of 1998: An Economic Investigation, International Journal of Applied Econometrics and Quantitative Studies Vol. 1-4 ,2004.
- ^ "Online NewsHour: Russia Shake Up- March 23, 1998". Pbs.org. Archived from the original on 9 November 2010. Retrieved 3 November 2010.
- ^ "Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty". Rferl.org. 27 June 2002. Archived from the original on 26 May 2011. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
- ^ "Foreign Loans Diverted in Monster Money Laundering". Worldbank.org. Archived from the original on 7 November 2010. Retrieved 3 November 2010.
- ^ A Case Study of a Currency Crisis: The Russian Default of 1998
- ^ http://research.stlouisfed.org/publications/review/02/11/ChiodoOwyang.pdf
- ^ "Joint Statement by the Government of the Russian Federation and the Central Bank of the Russian Federation On the Exchange Rate Policy", August 17, 1998.
- ^ STATEMENT of the Government of the Russian Federation and the Central Bank of the Russian Federation 17 August 1998
- ^ Federal Law No 192-ФЗ of 12 December 1998 on Top-Priority Measures in the Field of Budget and Tax Policy.
- ^ e.g. Federal Commercial (Arbitrazh) Court of Moscow District [FASMO] No КГ-А40/172-00 of 1 February 2000.
- ^ Web Archives: View Archived Page. Ers.usda.gov. Retrieved on 2013-10-23.
- ^ "Online NewsHour: Russia's Crisis – September 17, 1998". Pbs.org. Archived from the original on 8 November 2010. Retrieved 3 November 2010.
- ^ Stiglitz, Joseph (9 April 2003). "The ruin of Russia". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 21 April 2010.
- ^ "CIA – The World Factbook – Russia". Cia.gov. Archived from the original on 14 May 2011. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
- ^ David M. Kotz, "Russia's Financial Crisis: The Failure of Neoliberalism?", University of Massachusetts, 1998
External links[edit]
- The Crisis in Russia: Some Initial Observations by Brian Henry and James Nixon, Economic Outlook, Vol. 23, No. 1, November 1998 (subscription required).
- An Analysis of Russia's 1998 Meltdown: Fundamentals and Market Signals by Homi Kharas, Brian Pinto and Sergei Ulatov, Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, #1, 2001 (subscription required).
- Lessons from the Russian Crisis of 1998 and Recovery by Brian Pinto, Evsey Gurvich, and Sergei Ulatov, The World Bank, February 2004.
- Why Did the Ruble Collapse in August 1998? by Padma Desai, The American Economic Review Vol. 90, No. 2, 2000 (subscription required).
- The Bank of Russia and the 1998 Rouble Crisis by William Tompson. In Vladimir Tikhomirov (ed.), Anatomy of the 1998 Russian Crisis (Melbourne: CERC, 1999).
- A Case Study of a Currency Crisis: The Russian Default of 1998 by Abbigail J. Chiodo and Michael T. Owyang.
- Chronology of the Russian Financial Crisis 1998 by Clifford Chance.
- Lessons of the Russian Crisis for Transition Economies by Yegor Gaidar, Finance and Development, Vol. 36, No. 2 (June 1999).
- Welfare Impacts of the 1998 Financial Crisis in Russia and the Response of the Public Safety Net by Michael Lokshin and Martin Ravallion, The Economics of Transition 8 (2), July 2000 (subscription required).
- Overview of Structural Reforms in Russia after 1998 Financial Crisis by S.A. Vasiliev, International Monetary Fund, 16 February 2000.
- International investors, contagion and the Russian crisis by Alexei Medvedev, BOFIT #6, 2001.
- Financial crisis in the Russian Federation by Thierry D. Buchs, Economics of Transition 7 (3), 1999 (subscription required).
- The Russian Default by Saul Estrin, Business Strategy Review 9 (3), September 1998 (subscription required).
- Russia's Tax Crisis: Explaining Falling Revenues in a Transitional Economy by Daniel Treisman, Economics & Politics 11 (2), July 1999 (subscription required).
- 1999 IMF World Economic Outlook, Interim Assessment, Ch. II: The Crisis in Emerging Markets, International Monetary Fund, December 1999.
- Russia and the IMF by Nigel Gould-Davies and Ngaire Woods, International Affairs 7 (1), January 1999 (subscription required).
- Lessons from the Russian Meltdown: The Economics of Soft Legal Constraints by Enrico Perotti, International Finance 5 (3), 2002 (subscription required).
- Russia's Silent Middle Class, by Carol Clark, CNN, September 1998


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PHILADELPHIA Ś The game hasnÆt changed. Neither has Jameer NelsonÆs approach to it.
Less than a week removed from his 31st birthday, Nelson is having to adjust his game in order to stay at the top of it. ThatÆs why the Chester High graduate, in his ninth season with Orlando, plays with a chip on his shoulder ģ and knicks everywhere else.
ōIÆm smarter and IÆm using my knowledge more,ö said Nelson, whose left forearm injury kept him from a homecoming game Monday night against the 76ers. ōI still feel like IÆm quick and strong. I never was a high jumper in this league. In terms of my quickness, my speed, my strength, itÆs all there. ItÆs different. ItÆs knowing where my sweet spots are. ItÆs knowing where to shoot, when to pass.ö
NelsonÆs commitment to his offseason workouts has allowed him to stay among the league leaders in minutes and assists, even as occasional injuries have slowed him down.
None of that has discouraged Nelson, the under-recruited kid who earned national player of the year status at Saint JosephÆs University. Nelson has one year remaining on his contract with the Magic, one of the leagueÆs worst teams this season, with seven rookie or second-year players on their roster.
ōItÆs going to be what itÆs going to be,ö Nelson said of his contract situation. ōYou play the game to win and within winning, everyone is successful. Some guys get paid more than others and, at the end of the day, if youÆre winning and youÆre viewed as a winner, youÆre rewarded.ö
* * *
Less than a week ago, Andrew Bynum received joint lubrication injections to lessen the wear on his knees. Monday, he said he still doesnÆt know when heÆll practice or debut for the Sixers.
However, Bynum said thereÆs no reason to believe he wonÆt be ready by the end of this month.
The injured center said he still feels pain when heÆs ōjumping, (doing) lateral stuff, defensive slides, getting low. ItÆs almost like a range issue, like a range-of-motion issue.ö
* * *
Sixers guard Jason Richardson is seeking a third opinion on his left knee, which has kept him from seven consecutive games.
Richardson, whoÆs back with the team, visited a physician in Vail, Colo., last week for a second opinion. The first came from the team physician, Jack McPhilemy.
ōHeÆs out. HeÆs getting a third opinion on his knee,ö Sixers coach Doug Collins said. ōHeÆs probably going to be out for a while.ö
* * *
ThereÆs no regret or ill will on Nik VucevicÆs end.
Vucevic, the former first-round pick of the Sixers, hasnÆt been back here since the August trade that brought Bynum to town and sent the second-year center south.
ōOrlando really wanted me more than Philly,ö Vucevic said. ōPhilly wanted the best big man, and heÆs hurt. When he gets back, heÆll help them a lot. ģ LetÆs just look at it that way.ö
HereÆs another way to look at it: Vucevic is averaging 12.1 points and 11.3 rebounds per game. HeÆs third in the league with 26 double-doubles and second with 530 total rebounds.
ōNot just because of the trade, but I knew I could do better than I did my first year,ö said Vucevic, who had 5.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game a year ago for the Sixers. ōI knew I was capable of that. I just wanted to get a chance to prove that and show people.ö
HeÆll have a chance to do that on a grand stage later this month, when he takes part in the rookie-sophomore game thatÆs part of NBA All-Star weekend in Houston.


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By Tiffany Pelt - email
LUBBOCK, TX (KCBD) – From Lubbock to Amarillo in length and from the Hub City to the New Mexico border in width – that's how much oil is covering the Gulf Coast. One local environmental expert believes this could be the worst and most devastating oil spill in our nation's history.
Texas Tech University's Environmental and Human Health Director Ronald Kendall was at the Exxon-Valdez oil spill. He said even after 20 years has passed and $3 billion spent to clean it up, the oil is still there.
Kendall said with massive amounts of oil dumping into the Gulf with no technology to stop it, this oil spill is worse than the Exxon Valdez spill. "This is going to be more complicated, more challenging, and more devastating," he said.
The Gulf Coast is home to sea turtles, thousands of birds, and is the breeding ground for Tuna and several other species. "You've got hundreds of species at risk here and a very vibrant ecosystem on Earth and for our nation, and this is the most important time of the year .This is when everything is reproducing, so it couldn't have come at a worst time," said Kendall.
One third of the nation's sea food supply also comes from the Gulf Coast area and the Louisiana shoreline. Billions of dollars have already been lost in the sea food industry with effects reaching all the way to Lubbock. "We're going to be probably more stressed for sea food availability, and I wouldn't be surprised to see oil prices to continue to rise as this crisis grows," said Kendall.
Kendall also said the upcoming Hurricane season could bring the oil to the Texas coast. "As hurricanes form and push perhaps to Texas coast we could see this, and we have such a beautiful productive coast it will have serious consequences for our economy," he said.
British Petroleum has already accepted responsibility for the spill and will face the challenge of restoring the Gulf Coast ecosystem to what it was before the contamination.
Kendall said if the oil starts to reach the Texas Coast, he will take a team to gather samples of specimen and organisms to compare before and after when clean up begins.
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In addition to printing and viewing your local deals vouchers, you can now easily
manage your location, free subscriptions and credit card details.
Secure access to My Account requires a password. If you have not yet created a Travelzoo password, we will ask you to go ahead and set one up.
For £259 per person, stay in a 19th-century Florentine building in the heart of Florence. This offer from Citrus Holidays is 38% cheaper than usual, with a gallery visit and wine tasting thrown in too.
Here's what you get:
Depart on select dates in January and February, 2013. It's an extra £40 per person to depart from Manchester.
Checked baggage is not included and is an additional £35 per person. Transfers aren't included but there's an hourly train from Pisa airport to Florence. From Florence airport, there's a shuttle bus to Santa Maria Novella Railway Station, which is 100 metres from the hotel.
The Hotel Embassy is also close to the historic city centre. It has vaulted ceilings and a marble lobby floor, as well as a small bar, a fitness centre with a sauna and a restaurant serving Tuscan cuisine.


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Can a ground-breaking environment change the way you think about business challenges and opportunities by showing you possibilities you've barely imagined? It can, and it's the Deloitte Greenhouse™.
Many business leaders today are looking to quickly get up to speed on what analytics and innovative techniques can really do in practice, not as grand theories. That's where the Deloitte Greenhouse comes in.
In some Deloitte Greenhouse sessions, you will learn how to use analytics to solve pressing business challenges, uncover hidden opportunities and bring data alive in ways you didn't know were possible. In others, you will uncover surprising solutions to complex issues through leading-edge facilitation and collaborative exercises.
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The Highly Immersive Visual Environment helps organizations visualize data, identify pressing business issues, accelerate problem resolution, uncover hidden opportunities and explore the art of the possible.
Innovation sessions use collaborative and disruptive facilitation techniques to transform the way organizations approach their complex problems.
In very targeted, focused sessions, newly-appointed CFOs learn how to manage their time, talent and relationships as they transition to a new organization/role.
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The pressure is on. Globalized competition, information overload, more stringent risk and compliance requirements — all of which are putting organizations to the test and making them look towards innovative solutions and data analytics to gain insight and enhance performance. That's where the Deloitte Greenhouse comes in — an edge you need to thrive under pressure.
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DACC offers adult education
National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week is Sept. 23-27. Nationally, economic and demographic changes are dramatically increasing the need for adult education, literacy and English as a Second Language programs.
To address the scope and diversity of need for adult education and literacy skills by both individuals and employers requires a strategy involving a variety of providers. Danville Area Community College offers GED Review, English as a Second Language, Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and the Reader's Route and Tutoring program.
Millions of Illinoisans lack the literacy skills and/or educational credentials they need to obtain good jobs and to function well in our increasingly complex society.
Immigrants have come to this country seeking a higher quality of life, yet many of them do not have the English literacy skills to enable them to meet social, educational and work demands.
There is a direct correlation between higher literacy levels and higher income, numbers of weeks worked, children's success in school and individual and family health.
DACC is a proud adult education and literacy provider, and we are thankful to the partners who help make this possible: Our teachers, our administration, the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB), local agencies and employers, and our many volunteers.
As we go into this week, please remember how important education is to the economic and generational growth of our community.
Laura Williams
Director of Adult Education
Danville Area Community College


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Motorhome crash driver too ill to attend court
The German driver of a motorhome that collided with a group of youngsters in Beer in July was too ill to attend Exeter Magistrates Court on Monday.
Arnold Kasserra has been charged with two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving in Common Lane in Beer.
The 67 year old is accused of causing serious injury to two young women when his Fiat Advantage camper van struck them.
Magistrates in Exeter were told the defendant and his wife were not fit enough to travel from their home in Germany to attend the hearing which was adjourned until the end of September.
Mr Kasserra was granted bail.


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After hearing appeals from high schools about where their football teams are slotted in the new football playoffs, the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association football committee granted seven appeals out of 10 that were requested, according to a report in the Boston Herald.
The appeals for Arlington Catholic, Pope John, Matignon, Boston Latih, Diman, Mashpee and Maryland were approved.
Bay State Conference rivals Walpole and Norwood would be headed for the Division 3 Southwest, where they would be competing with North Quincy, North Attleboro, Oliver Ames, Hingham, Milford, Stoughton, Norwood, Walpole, Hopkinton, Milton, Medfield, Bishop Feehan.
Dedham would be in Division 4 with Bishop Stang, Coyle-Cassidy, Canton, Dennis-Yarmouth, Middleboro, Westwood, Foxborough, Apponequet, Hanover, Holliston, Norton, Scituate, Wareham and Medway.
Tell us what you think of the new proposed alignment? How would Walpole stack up against their new opponents?


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The Broncos didn't win a game without both FS Brian Dawkins and CB Andre Goodman in the lineup, and we hear the lack of experience that Denver was left with limited the defense's ability to make adjustments. The veteran know-how carried by the experienced defensive backs allows the secondary to better communicate before the snap and make changes on the fly, according to a source close to the team. "We're basically calling out some of the things that are actually happening because we all watch film and we all see different things," Dawkins said. "When that is happening, the game has already slowed down, and it slows down that much more for you as a defense. Hopefully we'll get back to that communication, and those young guys will see exactly what I'm talking about right now." Dawkins, Goodman and fellow starters CB Champ Bailey and SS Renaldo Hill, combine for 46 years of experience, which is irreplaceable to a young, struggling team. Having those four veterans healthy also allows Nate Jones to shift from safety to corner, his natural position.


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Welcome to the Noosa region, with its beautiful beaches, lush green hinterland, stunning coastal national park, pristine river, cosmopolitan lifestyle and lively calendar of events – it all adds up to an unforgettable holiday escape. With an inspiring dining scene and year-round warm and sunny climate, Noosa is the ideal place to kick back and escape from it all!
The official Tourism Noosa website provides the easiest and most comprehensive way to plan your next holiday in the Noosa region, with up-to-date information, tips and deals on a range of accommodation, tours, events, dining options, retail and much more. Our online booking system on this site is ready with hot deals and great properties and tours for you to book now!
The Noosa Blog
From burlesque to ballet at Noosa Long Weekend
Warming up our wintry nights this week is the Noosa Long Weekend Festival, a favourite for lovers of music, cabaret, theatre, dance, food, comedy, literature, history and visual art. They say there's something for everyone and with more than 200 international, national and Sunshine Coast performers in Noosa for some mid-year fun in the sun (and performing), and more than 80 events over 10 days, you would be hard-pressed not to find something that appeals.
From Cats to cocktails, prawns to politics, teddy bears to tea, burlesque to ballet, Fleetwood Mac to free heritage walks and Phantom to photography, the program really has it covered.
Opening night last Friday was, as usual, a hoot, with the Queensland premiere of Forbidden Broadway Greatest Hits – Volume One. I'm not usually a big fan of musicals, so a show that toasts and roasts the best of them could have gone either way for me. It was great fun as the four fantastic performers parodied everything from Liza Minnelli to Mamma Mia, Les Miserables and Gerschwin ... I loved hearing what the Cats performer's next role is ... (insert howl here!)
We're half-way through the 10-day festival which finishes this Sunday 27 July with the Festival Wrap Party at Outrigger Little Hastings Street Resort and Spa – four hours of festival highlights and live music for $25. Catch the free shuttle bus leaving The J car park every 15 minutes from 11.30am-4.30pm.
There's still plenty more to see and do including Supper Club with Rhonda Burchmore at Berardo's Restaurant; Ali McGregor's show Alchemy on Saturday night; the risque burlesque Diabolique at Noosa Arts Theatre on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights; Prawnissimo Promenade progressive lunch at Sunshine Beach; forums with political and media commentators; and Queensland Youth Orchestra 2 at Bicentennail Hall on Saturday.
Sing along to your favourite Fleetwood Mac songs as popular festival performer and ambassador Catherine Alcorn (pictured) brings her show Go Your Own Way to The J Theatre on Thursday 24 July - it's a comical celebration of the life and success of "the other woman" in Fleetwood Mac, Christine McVie. CLICK HERE for a sneak peek at the show.
The free Heritage Walks in various villages in the Noosa region are popular each year - still to come are walks through the historical town of Eumundi (Thursday 24 July), Cooran (Friday 25 July), Cooroy (Saturday 26 July) and Kin Kin (Sunday 27 July) – all in the Noosa hinterland.
A bonus for anyone who's attended any festival events is the Up The Lazy River promotion – just present your performance ticket and receive great discounts or bonuses at participating restaurants along Gympie Tce, Noosaville, and soak up the gorgeous river views. Also make sure you try at least one of the six Cocktail Capers created especially for the festival by some of our favourite Hastings Street venues - my favourite so far is 10 Hastings Street Cafe's Hang 10 cocktail!
The festival has also added a splash of colour with the gorgeous Hastings Street tree lit with special red festival lighting, and a fabulous street parade that kicked everything off last Friday, featuring the 22-piece Unusual Suspects who also entertained the opening night crowd with their Balkan Gypsy music.
And for some great candid shots of festival performers from the past 13 years, make sure you see the retrospective photographic exhibition from long-time festival photographer Barry Alsop from Eyes Wide Open Images – free in the foyer of The J Noosa, 10am-4pm every day.
For the full program or to purchase tickets to Noosa Long Weekend Festival events, please see noosalongweekend.com.au
Noosa: A blogger's paradise
Some were regular visitors to Noosa, some hadn't been here for some time, and for others, it was their first time to Noosa.
From food, cocktails and accommodation to Noosa National Park walks, shopping, spa treatments, cooking classes, beach yoga, sunsets and breakfast right on Noosa Main Beach (pictured), one thing they seem to have in common – they all loved their trip to Noosa!
Here are links to just a few of their stories and photos that having been lighting up the blogosphere...
Styling You: Sunshine Coast Top Things to do.
Baby Mac: Great Day in Noosa.
Mr and Mrs Romance: The Ultimate Winter Getaway and Romance Recharge.
Noosa's biggest fan
The Noosa Festival of Surfing earlier this year brought back great memories for New Zealander Leigh Vercoe who is quite possibly Noosa's biggest fan. Leigh (pictured) and her family, including her three children aged 10, 2½ and eight months are regular visitors to Noosa, and we caught up with her on a recent holiday to find out just why she loves Noosa so much.
What first enticed you to visit the Noosa region?
I first came to Noosa three years ago to visit friends who were here for the Noosa Festival of Surfing. I had always holidayed on the Gold Coast before that but I've never been back there since! I was hooked on Noosa from the get-go.
This is my second trip back to Noosa since then – I holiday here as much as possible. We even lived in Noosa for 6 months before we had to go back to New Zealand to sell our home but we hope to move back to Noosa soon.
What made you fall in love with Noosa?
The great service that you receive everywhere is incredibly refreshing – people seem so happy in their jobs.
The Noosa Festival of Surfing is also a big drawcard for me – I love catching the Noosa Ferry to Hastings Street when the festival is on. The atmosphere is unreal!
Do you ever explore the Noosa Hinterland?
We have gone on several day trips around the hinterland and it's a beautiful region – so close to everything but you still feel like you are a million miles away.
Where is your favourite place to stay in Noosa?
We're staying in a holiday home this time but I also love staying at Coral Beach Resort in Noosaville – it's fantastic and so central to the river, restaurants and shops which is great for the whole family.
What are you favourite Noosa spots?
There are so many! I love the Noosa Marina Markets on a Sunday morning. In terms of dining, my favourites for brunch and great smoothies are Café Vin Cino at Noosa Marina as well as Raw Energy along Gympie Terrace, Noosaville. For larger meals you will most likely find me at Noosa Heads Surf Life Saving Club, Bistro C or the Rump House Restaurant at Noosa Marina.
What else do you enjoy in Noosa?
We're going to visit Australia Zoo and are heading to Aussie World – the kids can't wait!
I log into the Noosa surf cams when I'm back home to see everyone out on the beach and in the glistening water – and it's only 8.30am! It always makes me wish I was back in Noosa.


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Discover the secrets of Japanese cuisine with Reiko Hashimoto (From This Is Local London)
Report news now! Text pictures & video to 80360, starting message with WITNESS then leave a space
Discover the secrets of Japanese cuisine with Reiko Hashimoto from her Wimbledon kitchen
12:00am Monday 26th August 2013 in News By Lauren May, Chief Reporter
Japanese cuisine has seen something of a revolution over the last decade but long before Yo Sushi and Wasabi got in on the action, one woman in Wimbledon was quietly leading the charge from her own kitchen.
Reiko Hashimoto grew up in a traditional Japanese family where food was at the heart of the home and set up Hashi cooking ten years ago after moving to London.
With cookery courses ranging from beginner to gourmet and classes in sushi to canapés and dumplings there is something for any Far Eastern food fanatic to enjoy.
I joined her sushi and sashimi class in Wimbledon Park alongside just seven participants.
Sashimi spread of blue fin tuna, butter fish, sea bass and salmon.
Reiko enthusiastically took us through the basics, teaching the fine art of making sushi rice and rolling into delicious, maki and nigiri.
She said: "Japanese food is still regarded as quite an expensive cuisine and it is expensive if you eat out.
"So I think a lot people would like to try it and cook it themselves."
Reiko then took us through how to make Japanese omelette and miso soup before showing us how to carefully prepare sashimi during the four hour class.
By the end we managed to roll enough sushi for a small army and sat down to a feast of sashimi, all manner of sushi rolls, sake and miso soup.
She said: "Sushi is a dish people can have a go at by looking in a book, but I think it's always good to witness how it's done.
"French or Italian is Western cooking so people are used to it but most people have no idea how to cook Japanese food.
"If I wanted to learn French cooking I would want to learn from a French person, and you can talk more about the cultural background of the food which can be very interesting."
Green tea ice cream
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Based on Alan Parker's 1980 Oscar-winning film and the American TV series of the same name, Fame follows a group of students from New York's School for the Performing Arts through the highs, lows, friendships, romances and hard work necessary in their quest for success.
Runar Borge's original stage production, newly directed and re-staged by Karen Bruce, has been freshened up with a new set, new costumes and a brand new cast led by Ian Watkins (aka 'H' from Steps and seen on TV earlier this year in Celebrity Big Brother) and Two Pints of Lager's Natalie Casey as acting students, and love interests, Nick Piazza and Serena Katz.
Watkins and Casey's fellow principals in the 30-strong cast include: George Maguire (as Joe Vegas), Natalie Kennedy (Carmen Diaz), Desi Valentine (Tyrone Jackson), Fem Belling (Mabel Washington), Danielle Cato (Iris Kelly), Matthew Thomas (Schlomo Metzenbaum), Kevin McGuire (Goodman King), Natalie Hope (Grace Lamb), Jacqui Dubois (Miss Sherman) and Emma Francis (Miss Bell).
TO SCROLL THROUGH ALL OF THE FAME 1st NIGHT PHOTOS,
For 1st Night Photos, our Whatsonstage.com photographer Dan Wooller was on hand for the curtain call at the Shaftesbury Theatre and for the post-show party at the Langley Bar along with the cast and other first night guests including Caprice, Tony Blackburn, Melinda Messenger, Janie Dee and Any Dream Will Do's Chris Barton.
Fame first opened in the West End at the Cambridge Theatre in 1995, when it was nominated for two Laurence Olivier Awards for Best New Musical and Best Choreography. It returned in 1998 for a run at the Prince of Wales Theatre. The musical's last West End run began in October 2000 at the Victoria Palace (its second outing at that venue, where it also played in 1997) before transferring back to the Cambridge in September 2001 and then in 2002 to the Aldwych where it closed last April to make way for Dirty Dancing (See News, 24 Feb 2006). Its new West End season is produced by Stage Entertainment.
-by Terri Paddock