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The Untamed Wild – a journey to Zambia
My First Safari Into The Untamed Wild
…and despite of innumerable safaris through Botswana and into Zimbabwe, Zambia had always infused me with awe and a tempting curiosity for its claim to fame to be the door into the REAL, deep Africa.
…and all I found were lovely, warm people, welcoming me at airports, airstrips and camps, and an abundance of happy, healthy, relaxed animals.
Elephant mothers who let us come very close to admire their babies, lionesses lying down in the shade of our vehicle, leopards twinkling at us from comfortable branches of huge old trees.
Big smiles and professional hosts awaited us at camps, people proud of their country and its natural beauties guided us. We travelled on sandy roads, cruised on the mighty Zambezi and reluctantly took flights knowing that while up in the air, we would miss out on landscapes and daily life scenes.
Luckily I was accompanied and guided by an almost 'local' Zambia lover and expert, my colleague Bettina.
We opted on a Best of List to share with you our most memorable moments of a fabulous journey through a country offering so many (un)tamed safari options. The choice was a tough one, the list could have been much longer ….
BEST SIGHTINGS – both South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi are beaming with wildlife, I have had the most rewarding night game drives ever, with lots of leopards, lions, civit, porcupine, genets.
South Luangwa:
Huge pride of lions, unfaced by us, 13 ladies with their youngsters
So many leopards in different positions on our day & night drives
Pack of 13 wild dogs
Lower Zambezi:
While travelling by boat from the most Eastern part of the park to the park entrance on the Western side we enjoyed hundreds of very happy elephants in the river and along the Zambian and Zimbabwean shores – I have never seen so many babies and youngsters with very relaxed mothers – must be a good life along this magic river.
BEST GUIDE – a difficult choice as most of the guides we met were outstanding ref their scientific wildlife knowledge, respect of animals, empathy with their clients – but we had to choose:
MANDA – Billimungwe Camp/The Bushcamp Company
Apart from his excellent guiding and his incredible knowledge about his country and national parks, nobody could ever fascinate us the way he did with poo, plants & prints – thanks to our brave Scout we even felt save while we were LION tracking, but found a BLACK MAMBA.
BEST FIREPLACE – as we think this very fine safari habit is in danger of extinction and the warm, romantic, orange glow is replaced by the blue light of laptops too many times already. We enjoyed a very nice conversation on comfy cushions after dinner at CHINZOMBO Camp with manager Mario & fellow guests exposed to the nightly sounds of the bush.
…and afterwards we sank into the BEST BED as the camp has installed the high tec, low consumption Evening Breeze cooling system around the bed.
BEST FOOD – this was impossible to decide, as anywhere we went we enjoyed fresh and tasty food, grown in the nearby areas, we are delighted to hear that the supplies for camps are grown and transported rather sustainably compared to other safari countries and local farmers profit directly from tourism.
Therefore the category MOST SURPRISING FOOD goes to KANYEMBA Lodge, where Zambian fruits and vegetables are turned into delicious Italian specialities thanks to the boss' cooking skills and culture, so we sampled home made banana gelato, porcini risotto, aubergine antipasti while the ellies munched away on the tropical gardens' trees next to us.
BEST Pool
And as we all know that inspection trips are exhausting, especially if the temperatures rise up to 40 degrees in November, we had to spoil ourselves in some private pools. We especially liked the feel and the views from
CHONGWE CAMPS's Honeymoon Suite overlooking the confluence of the Chongwe River and the Zambezi
We continue with being spoilt, our timing was obviously perfect, as we visited
SAUSAGE Tree Camp
where we were invited to join their Signature River Lunch – we were taken out into the middle of this gigantic river only to find a wonderful lunch buffet and a shady set table, legs in the cool water, the biggest handwash basin on earth, a true memorable experience and a unique emotional sensation – considering the huge crocs we had seen on our transfers and the hippo family stalking us – so the choice of
BEST SPECIAL EVENT was quite easy!
We close our blog on a fabulous trip with the most elegant event combined with wonderful views from the top of a hill –YES, I loved the hills and mountain ranges 'escarpments' coming from rather flat Botswana – over the plains of South Luangwa NP, garnished with a dramatic thunderstorm passing us
BEST SUNDOWNERS must go to CHICHELE
When I arrived in Maun a few years ago I didn't plan on getting involved in the tourism industry. Now 6 years and over a hundred camps later, I admit I changed my mind … Botswana infected me with the famous Safari Bug (as all safari goers know, there is no cure for it)!
Safari was a completely new terrain for me and my compassion towards safari tourists was, honestly spoken – really limited. What value would a safari provide, that a journey to a picturesque beach where people can relax in the sun while watching the waves in the ocean, couldn't? But life proved me wrong: I figured out quite quickly that safari is more than getting up REALLY early and sitting in a loud, open and sometimes VERY COLD vehicle. Safari is a passion, it is a life changing experience. And yes it has to offer much more than just lying in the sun getting a tan….
I can tell many stories I experienced during my time at Safari Destinations: being caught in a tree house in the delta (because of a hippo-grassing-blockade underneath), watching a puff adder attacking the wheels of our vehicle, escaping from charging elephants in reverse gear, nearly bumping into a hippo's bum on a night drive, watching an angry lion with his mouth wide open on a game walk, an elephant rubbing his skin on the canvas of my tent (lying inside begging that he doesn't lie down)… just to name a few of my adrenalin-powered moments on safari. But at the same time I also had many touching sightings: a wild dog den with month-old puppies learning how to hunt a vulture, a relaxed elephant shaking palm trees to get nuts from the treetops, a lioness grooming her cubs, a blacksmith lapwing hiding its chicks underneath its wings (at first you wonder why the bird has 6 feet..), a leopard lying on display in a tree just for you to get a beautiful photo, a Sitatunga antelope in the middle of the reeds watching us on a boat cruise and finally, the myriad colours of the most beautiful sunsets on earth.
Now I understand the safari tourists: it's not just about the adventure, it's being surrounded by unspoilt nature while watching beautiful animals in their homes. When you are on safari you start to acknowledge that there are still paradises out there, where time, status & performance don't count. It's more about being in harmony with yourself and nature and the wildlife.
I've been to 107 camps and have seen pretty much every corner of Botswana (and a bit of Zimbabwe). Personally, it doesn't matter if you have a private pool, a fancy 6 course dinner or if you get your cup of coffee delivered to your room in the morning. What makes a safari memorable is being in the wilderness, smelling the bush, listening to nature and absorbing it with open eyes.
Many people will never have the chance to experience such wonders while they are stuck in big cities with millions of people and no opportunity to see true beauty. It's up to those of us who are privileged enough to experience such wildernesses to tell people about them, encourage them to travel and keep them safe for the next generation.
"THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT SAFARI LIFE THAT MAKES YOU FORGET ALL YOUR SORROWS AND FEEL AS IF YOU HAD DRUNK HALF A BOTTLE OF CHAMPAGNE – BUBBLING OVER WITH HEARTFELT GRATITUDE FOR BEING ALIVE". Karen Blixen
Botswana – No Ebola & No Financial Risk for Hesitant Travellers
Here at Safari Destinations, we've been working with our suppliers to guarantee financially risk-free bookings for Botswana (with Zambia & Zimbabwe to follow) while Ebola remains in the headlines.
While we're confident Ebola will not reach Botswana, we understand travellers need extra reassurance. Together with the suppliers listed below, we're allowing cancellation FREE OF CHARGE should WHO (World Health Organisation) declare an outbreak in Botswana* – and we're confident you'll never need to take us up on the offer.
Despite the facts, we understand travellers are hesitant to book while travel insurance may not cover the full costs of cancellation due to an Ebola outbreak. We hope this offer provides the confidence to confirm travel at no financial risk, in the unlikely event that Ebola becomes a risk locally.
Geographically, Botswana is thousands of kilometres from affected countries. There are eleven different land borders with their own customs and border controls between Botswana and Liberia, Guinea & Sierra Leone (and travel would take weeks). There are also no direct flights to Botswana, as well as a travel ban on arrivals travelling from countries with an Ebola outbreak.
The WHO has declared Ebola outbreaks in Senegal and Nigeria over, and travellers arriving in Botswana by air from West Africa will need to transit in another country (ie. South Africa) where they would be subject to screening prior to boarding for Botswana. We're confident that geography, together with restrictions on travellers by air, make it highly implausible for Ebola to affect Botswana.
We're currently finalising the list of suppliers in Zambia & Zimbabwe who are also on board with this initiative. Suppliers in the list below who have camps in Zimbabwe and/or Zambia also, are extending the offer to include these countries of operation.
Suppliers offering cancellation free of charge:
• &Beyond
• Africa Albida
• African Anthology
• African Bush Camps
• Belmond
• Bush Ways Safaris & Lodges
• Desert & Delta
• Footsteps in Africa
• Great Plains
• Ker & Downey
• Kwando
• Machaba Camp
• Meno a Kwena
• Safari & Guide Services
• Sanctuary Retreats
• Uncharted Africa
• Under One Botswana Sky
• Wilderness Safaris
We're confident that the list of participating suppliers will get longer and we'll update you as more people get on board. We're also starting to work on similar initiatives for Zambia & Zimbabwe.
This offer does not negate the need for travel insurance and all travellers would be expected to submit claims to their insurance company in the first instance, should a claim be necessary. We would always advise that travellers choose the most comprehensive travel insurance policy possible, regardless of any perceived risk to travel plans.
For further reading, check out this article from the Washington Post, putting Ebola in perspective against the vast geographical size of Africa
*Terms & conditions apply. Please contact us for the specifics. Only the listed suppliers are currently offering cancellation free of charge, however as the list is updated, we will upload any amendments to our Agent's Corner.
An exciting afternoon game drive at POM POM Camp, Okavango Delta – Botswana
Pom Pom Camp, western Okavango Delta
Last weekend Jessica flew to Pom Pom for a quick 1 night stay to check out the lodge. Here is her feedback:
Pom Pom is only a short five minute drive from the airstrip. The large main area is really cool, which helps during the hot days. All the tents have a great view over the river and buffalos come very close. The rooms are fantastic. We loved the colors and especially the white curtains in the tents, which we have not seen before. The hot outdoor shower is really big and the water pressure is perfect. Coffee and tea is being served in the tents at wake up time, which makes it really nice to get up.
Activities/ Guiding:
Our guide Rex, very nice and friendly guide met us and took us on the evening game drive. Our plan was to find lions, we saw fresh lion tracks and followed them. We drove for about 38km trying to find this male lion and while doing that we saw lots of animals just to mention a few, impalas, red Lechwe, Kudus, wildebeest, Duiker, Giraffe, Tsessebe, buffalos, lots of birds. It was getting a bit late so we stopped for our sundowner drinks. As we set up the table we heard him roaring, so we jumped into the vehicle, left the drinks there, drove off and he was about 150 to 200 m behind us, lying there calling for his brother. What an amazing sight. Rex our guide was not willing to give up on the lion hunt which was great, so our long drive and hunt was paid off eventually. It was so wonderful to hear him roar just about 4m away from the vehicle. The brothers met and it was a phenomenal way to end the evening.
On our morning game drive it was time to find a leopard. Rex took us for a leopard hunt, we saw a lot of animals while on the hunt. We finally found the mother leopard with two cubs but we could only see the one cub, since the other one was hiding. That was just incredible, wonderful game drive. Back on time we dropped two clients at the airport and kept on going on a game drive for about 40 minutes before heading back to camp for brunch.
"People come to Chobe for the elephants, but I say this is one of the best places in Botswana to see giraffes" says James of Chobe Game Lodge. Whatever you want to call them, a tower, journey, aggregate or corps there's no doubting we're seeing plenty. 'I must've seen at least 180 on a game drive the other day, it was incredible. You'll often see more of them than the elephants."
I still vote that Chobe is the place of the Elephants. Eleven year old Emma sitting in the vehicle next to me agrees, so we put a bet on it, splitting our game drive into two camps. Emma and I sit on one side of the debate, scrambling to tally up elephants as her parents and James count off giraffe wherever they spot a head sticking out from behind trees.
Emma is a star at running our mini elephant census and she doesn't miss a trick. Breeding herd. Eight. At least. (we add one or two more, just in case we've under-counted by a few legs). Emma's parents up front are pointing at a giraffe behind a tree, but as we shift our focus to the tree line beyond it becomes two; then three, then four… This is the thing with giraffes, there's always more. Having all that height equals an impressive range of vision. Giraffes can spread out in the bush and effectively keep an eye out for predators. It seems there are always more on the horizon, slowly chewing leaves and adding themselves to the scorecard.
I won't admit it, but I'm feeling a slight sweat coming on. I whisper to Emma that we need a distraction as I spot more giraffes coming up on the left. "Oh WOW!' we exclaim, waving our arms for attention 'what's that on the RIGHT?! More ELEPHANTS maybe?" It doesn't work. Team giraffe are busy counting and suddenly they're in the mid twenties. This does not look good. I point feebly at a bush 'oh look, more elephants!' I say, substituting real sightings with fake ones. 'No wait!' Emma says stopping me, 'there really ARE elephants!" and sure enough, another breeding herd. Add twelve. Team elephant is closing the gap.
The afternoon seems to have passed in five minutes. We realise we've ignored the multitudes of impalas, waterbucks, buffaloes and, more importantly, the start of a sunset slowly melting across Chobe's over-filled floodplains. As numbers climb into the thirties on both sides, James calls a truce and suggests we make peace over G&Ts as white-faced ducks socialise next to us by the floodplains. It's a tense detente, but one that Emma and I finally agree is necessary to save team giraffe from embarrassment.
Later, I'm joining my aunt on her first ever game drive with Connie, one of the Chobe Angels. A few minutes in, we start with the basics. "This is an impala' says Connie 'you can tell the difference between the males and the females because the males have horns." It's easy to get blasé about impalas when you've been on a few game drives, but my aunt is captivated and Connie really eases her into the bush experience.
The pace builds quickly when we turn a corner and find a leopard chilling out in a tree, the blue of the Chobe River spread out behind him. I start telling my aunt how lucky we are when we drive on a little further and find a pride of nine lionesses strolling along the water's edge. My heart stops in my throat as a big male kudu walks right at them and the lionesses slink down in the grass. With less than two metres between predator and prey, a lioness springs up and the kudu's instinct to survive kicks in. He bolts off across the floodplains, throwing up bursts of water and sending birds shooting into the air. Lucky for the kudu, these girls are still young and haven't fine-tuned their hunting skills yet, despite putting on an impressive show.
When I begin telling my aunt how lucky we are again, two leopards in a tree appear and I suspect she thinks I'm having her on. One of the leopards has an impala up the tree and is busy snacking as the sky begins to grow dark.
We head back to Chobe Game Lodge in the fading light, excitedly going over the events of the afternoon when Connie delivers again, spotting five lion cubs sitting in the dust. Their mothers are gone, probably looking for dinner, as the young cubs watch us from only a metre away. We've already taken plenty of photos. This is one of those sightings better enjoyed without a camera and committed to memory instead, as the light runs out on the day.
Where to stay in Chobe
Chobe National Park is Botswana's busiest due to its ease of access from Victoria Falls and via Kasane Airport without requiring any onward charter flights. Where travellers stay in Chobe will seriously alter the kind of safari experience they receive, whether it's a town stay with park access for activities, within the park itself for a complete bush setting, or a river-based experience in the Caprivi Strip.
Properties in Kasane are typically bigger hotels booked on packages with a set amount of activities and meals, often excluding drinks. These are the most affordable options for exploring Chobe and activities are often out-sourced to third party operators with no guarantee you'll have the same guide each time. Most Kasane hotels are on the river with their own jetty for boat cruises, though neighbouring hotels share the same route, making them the busiest departure points for getting on the river. For game drives, guests drive approximately 20 minutes to Sedudu gate and queue for entry with vehicles from other hotels. The result is that game driving into the park from Kasane results in a busier game drive experience, shared with more vehicles but often at a much more favourable nightly rate.
Kasane Hotels: Chobe Safari Lodge, Mowana Safari Lodge, Chobe Marina Lodge, Chobe Bush Lodge. Smaller lodges in the area include Kubu Lodge, Chobe Bakwena, Chobe Chilwero and the Old House.
Staying inside the national park creates a much more relaxed safari experience as you can start your game drives earlier and drag them out later, all the while staying in bush (rather than town) surrounds. Being inside the park also means being the first on the roads looking for sightings in the mornings and the chance to pick up animal tracks on the road before they're covered over with tyre tracks from vehicles. Chobe Game Lodge is the only permanent lodge inside the park and the only place in Botswana where your boat cruise starts within the park, avoiding the boat traffic from Kasane. A mobile safari is another alternative for staying within Chobe National Park and experiencing the bush surrounds.
Chobe National Park: Chobe Game Lodge, Chobe Under Canvas and Mobile Safaris (ie. Letaka, Bush Ways)
Lodges on the Ngoma side of Chobe enjoy a bush setting (an hour from Kasane by road), elevated views over the Chobe floodplains and a short transit to the Ngoma gate for game drives. Although these lodges are outside the park, there are only three on this side of Chobe, meaning you avoid the queues at Sedudu Gate on the Kasane end of the park. Animals are often spotted directly from the lodges and short night drives are possible in the vicinity immediately around the lodges, due to their location outside the park. Lodges in this area operate their boat cruises from Kasane Town. Due to the distance involved, cruises are normally mid-morning (when the river is quieter) as part of a longer day trip through Chobe National Park.
Ngoma Gate: Ngoma Safari Lodge, Muchenje Safari Lodge and Chobe Elephant Camp.
Staying in the Caprivi is all about experiencing the Chobe River by boat. To stay in the Caprivi, you'll need to check-in to Namibia even though you'll share the water with boats from Botswana. There are three options: lodges on Impalila Island, houseboats and Chobe Savanna Lodge. Lodges on Impalila Island are very close to Kasane, meaning that there's no advantage location-wise for beating Kasane's sunset cruise fleet. Lodges here are in a prime position for fishing, being close to the rapids and also for birding with quite a few small heronries around the island. Houseboats moor at various positions on the river opposite Chobe National Park, and benefit from less surrounding boat traffic. The houseboats use smaller boats for cruising guests up and down on the Chobe River. There are smaller houseboats with four to five cabins as well as the larger Zambezi Queen. The Zambezi Queen is quite large, running on set departures, meaning guests stay with the same group for the duration of the two or three night cruises. Chobe Savanna Lodge is situated across from Puku Flats in Chobe National Park from where buffalo, elephants, giraffes and hippos are often spotted directly from the lodge. Savanna also enjoys the benefit of a more exclusive river experience being located further into the park.
Caprivi Strip: Pride of the Zambezi, Ichobezi, Zambezi Queen, Chobe Savanna Lodge, Impalila Island Lodge, Ichingo River Lodge.
Have you ever heard of the GRUFFALO?
Last year Lorraine and I started a tradition of our two families going on safari together. This year our annual family safari took us to Hwange. Travelling with kids is an adventure. Seeing nature through their eyes makes you realize how wonderful our planet really is. Did you know that a wildebeest looks a bit like a Gruffalo. For all ignorant people out there, "The Gruffalo" is one of the best-loved children's books ever. "A gruffalo? What's a gruffalo?"
"A gruffalo! Why, didn't you know? He has terrible tusks, and terrible claws, and terrible teeth in his terrible jaws."
And so begins the story of a quick-witted mouse as he encounters a host of predators who seem to think he might make a tasty treat. As he ventures deeper into the deep dark wood, stumbling across a hungry fox, a not-so-wise owl, and a slimy snake, spinning ever-extraordinary yarns about the scary, scaly gruffalo, he quickly realises that the hungry beast he has been talking of isn't imaginary after all.
On Safari with the Gruffalo:
Three bush babies strolled through the Hwange vlei,
they saw some Lions lying in their way,
snoozing and dreaming of roasted Gruffalo on a spit,
the Bush Babies turned around and away they slid…
Our days in Hwange were filled with extraordinary gamedrives. Living in Botswana also means that our children grow up being spoilt safari-goers, but Hwange can easily compete. Especially the south-east of Hwange offered outstanding game viewing (Davisons, Bomani, Camelthorn and Little Makalolo). It never got boring, the kids loved every moment of it. Hwange in combination with Victoria Falls and Chobe is a great destination for a family safari!
Suku's feedback on her recent Zambia educational
The Safari Destinations educationals are famous! Every year we organize numerous individual trips. For many years we have successfully organized Botswana educationals for groups, this year we were proud to celebrate a premiere, we ran our first Post-Indaba Educational to ZAMBIA.
Suku was the lucky winner and guided a group of five enthusiastic agents. All had been to Southern Africa many times before, some had been on educational to Zambia, for some it was their first time to visit the Lower Zambezi and South Luangwa National Parks.
The group travelled from Livingstone to Lusaka, they stayed at Tongabezi Lodge, Sausage Tree Camp, Chiawa Camp, Chongwe River Camp, Nkwali Camp, Chindeni Bush Camp, Chichele Presidential Lodge, Mchenja Bush Camp and Chinzombo Camp.
Suku shares the highlights of her trip with us:
Chiawa for the best guiding experience during her trip:
My best guide was Daniel from Chiawa – he had a great sense of humour, knowledgeable and caring! His guiding was top class; he knew the bush in and out and had the most interesting stories to tell about the Lower Zambezi! There was never a dull moment with Daniel – he kept us entertained the entire time…
Chindeni for the most memorable moment during her trip:
My highlight was the special sundowner that they set up for us on the banks of the Luangwa river; in full view of the stunning Chindeni Hills. Hippos graced us with their presence whilst we bade farewell (with a drink in hand) yet to another wonderful sunset in the Luangwa valley!
Sausage Tree for the best food experience – lunch served in the mighty Zambezi River!
Jason the owner of Sausage Tree and his team hosted us to the most amazing lunch; set up in the middle of the Zambezi River! The setting in the water was stunning, the food was fresh and the drinks ice cold and refreshing – and the service was top notch…….I felt like royalty! This was the highlight of my entire trip!
Hightailing it to Hwange
"Come quietly and sit down' our guide Nick said, moving over to the dinner table laid out by Somalisa Camp's small pool. Kay and I negotiated the steps down to the deck carefully by the dim light of hurricane lanterns, trying not to fall on our faces or make any sudden movements. We were sitting down to dinner with an unusual guest, a big elephant bull who had come to drink out of the pool, trying his best to drain the water dry. He faced us head-on, something that would make you twitch in the bush, especially as he was only four metres away. He disregarded us, plunged his trunk into the water, slurped up the liquid and threw it down his throat. The noise was incredible. "It sounds like a really big toilet flushing" said Johnny, our host and camp manager. "They don't drink out of the waterhole?" Kay asked. "They like the clean water,' said Nick 'they prefer the waterhole for mud baths."
As we chatted over starters and broke bread, the bull moved off and another came to drink, then another. Somewhere through the main course, a breeding herd gathered around opposite us, with a very small elephant calf. We gawked at the noise of 10 toilets flushing in succession as the little calf tried to find water with its trunk. "It's amazing how blasé you get' said Kay 'we're just sitting here, having dinner and a chat." She was right. If one of the bulls didn't like us, it wouldn't have taken much for him to do something about it from the other side of the pool, but they were calm and Nick was used to this behaviour. It had almost become Somalisa Camp's guaranteed dinner-time entertainment.
Kay & I had come to Hwange during green season, a time when game viewing is far more challenging and so we were expecting game sightings to be few and far between. Luck was on side, however and on the first morning game drive into Hwange National Park we found a pack of twelve wild dogs moving along the roadside, sniffing bushes and trying to pick up the scent of something to chase for breakfast. We followed them for at least ten minutes as they scoured both sides of the road for a scent before disappearing into the thick brush. Later that day, driving with Nick from Hwange Main Camp we spotted huge amounts of plains game, zebra taking dust baths in the afternoon light, big herds of buffalo spread out across the plains and a big sable bull whose elongated horns curved all the way back to his shoulders.
As the sky started turning orange and pink just before sundowners, we found two big male lions and three lionesses stretched out over termite mounds with full, round bellies and a buffalo kill hidden in the bushes. "It's interesting about these male lions' Nick said 'this one, Cecil with the big black mane is about eleven years old. One of the lion researchers around here thinks he has the biggest skull on record. He got kicked out of his territory by a younger male and was living on the periphery for ages. Then he teamed up with this other male Jericho who's now nine and they took this area off a younger lion. It's not often you see that. Normally once they get kicked out, they're out. And now they have these three young girls here. They can't be older than five. They're all quite full with buffalo, but it looks as if one of them might be pregnant."
The next morning the lions were still right where we left them and had begun slinking over to a nearby waterhole to drink. In the background a black-backed jackal was chewing pieces of meat off an elephant carcass as the vultures watched. We moved over to another waterhole and Nick was distracted by movement on the water. "What's going on here?' he said 'I've never seen this before." Sitting on the water were two Egyptian geese, determined to drown another goose by swooping on his head and forcing him underwater. The goose would then swim under water and pop up about ten metres away as his bullies scanned the water looking for him. As soon as he surfaced, the two geese would be on him again in a blaze of feathers and fury. We watched the attack, holding our breath as each attempted drowning was followed by an underwater swim and a quick breath of air before the geese were back on the trail. Suddenly it seemed a lifetime since we'd seen our half-drowned goose. We checked the surface of the water, scanning for a sign of life. Nothing. More time passed and we started to believe the goose had drowned as the other two geese started honking out cackles and flapping their wings in victory. Just as we started lamenting the goose's demise, a little figure popped up on the side of the waterhole. He'd swam at least thirty metres underwater in a final attempt at escape. He was soggy, but undetected and alive.
We headed back to Somalisa Camp to pack our bags and move on to another part of Hwange. As we wandered around the main camp gossiping about the morning's sightings, I was distracted by movement out the corner of my eye. Across the plain near the tree line, impala were scattering. I pointed and yelled gibberish, trying to get everyone's attention while trying to figure out what I was seeing. "Um, lion…" I shouted on impulse, watching something straw-coloured fifty metres away chasing the antelope. "No, cheetah!" said Nick as we watched the chase becoming un-successful, the impala running faster as the cheetah slowed, panting with fatigue. Nick ran for the vehicle and brought it around as the cheetah retreated to the tree line. We were going to try and catch up with her in our last ten minutes in camp. We drove the tracks and scanned the grass. We knew the cheetah had been right where we were only moments ago. We drove forward & back, looking for leaves or grasses moving. "At this time of year, all she has to do is lie down and you'd never know she was here" said Kay. True enough, she'd disappeared for good, probably hiding no more than twenty metres from us, but in the thick shrub, we didn't have a chance. This was why searching for game in green season held an exciting element of the unknown. You just never knew what was hiding in the long grass.
Getting to Hwange
Hwange is surprisingly close to Victoria Falls and accessible by tar all the way up to Hwange Main Camp. Road transfers from Victoria Falls town will get you to the lodges on their own private concessions bordering the park in approximately 2 ½ hrs. Flights from Victoria Falls will get you to camps within the park in 45 – 55 minutes. Due to Hwange's close proximity to Victoria Falls, the park is a logical extension to any Botswana itinerary finishing in Victoria Falls and can be very cost-effective as compared to a delta fly-in.
Where to visit in Hwange
Like the parks in Botswana, there are no fences around Hwange National Park, meaning game can move freely between the park and the lodges on small private concessions outside the park. The terrain in the north of the park around Sinamatella features a lot of hills, granite kopjes and deep valleys, whereas Hwange Main Camp is characterised by open grassland surrounded by acacia woodland. The landscape further south towards the Linkwasha concession changes again, with more Molokwane Palm trees and open pans. The diversity of the park makes it easy to combine two separate camps in two separate areas and achieve a varied safari experience.
Lodges/Camps outside Hwange: While these properties are not technically in the park, they experience good numbers of game moving through in the dry season and some have very productive waterholes and resident populations of game that can be reliably sighted. Most of the camps offer game drives on their own private concessions with the option to game drive inside Hwange National Park as well. We recommend pre-paying park fees to provide clients with the option of both.
Camps inside Hwange: Staying inside the park provides a more intense bush experience and removes the necessity of checking in at park gates before and after game drives. The camps inside Hwange National Park have small private concessions around them, enabling more relaxed sundowners without a rush back to camp before park closing times. Some of these camps can also offer short night drives, something which is not permitted inside national parks in Botswana.
What to combine it with: Hwange is very much a dry land game viewing destination. The park roads are easy-going and very well sign-posted making it a great introduction to a safari before continuing to Botswana. Hwange National Park works very well combined with a houseboat experience or Chobe Savanna Lodge in the Caprivi (opposite Chobe National Park) for a dry land and water contrast before continuing to the dry land game viewing of the Khwai Community Area or Moremi Game Reserve.
Pre-Packaged Options: Check out our 8 Night Elephant Paths itineraries combining Hwange, Victoria Falls and Chobe or extend to a 10 Night Elephant Paths package with a fly-in to the Okavango Delta. All packages can be downloaded from our Agent's Corner.
Our visit to the Jao Concession in the Okavango Delta
In November Muriel and I had the opportunity to explore the camps in the Jao Concession, we visited Tubu, Little Tubu, Jao, Jacana and the new Pelo Camp. I am happy to share our experience with you:
Kwetsani: Spectacular setting over the lagoon, very 'high and elevated camp' everything is about views, large public deck, many different, intimate corners and tasteful spaces for the clients to withdraw and enjoy the scenery.
Units: due to their height they almost appear as 'tree houses', they will be enlarged and refurbished in the coming weeks, then the camp will be certainly my favorite of the classic collection in Jao.
Management: very passionate, open minded, outgoing, and certainly top service orientated camp manager, Charmaine.
Pelo Camp (pronounce PILU for all Setswana ignorants amongst us, as otherwise it sounds like kidney and not like heart, which is the shape of the island it is on).
New camp only open in high (=dry) season, very romantic, hidden in the thick bush on the island, pure water bases, the only activity is mokoro, so it will make a perfect last to relax in some horizontal safari (the birds' concert is outstandingly entertaining) and concentrate on the small stuff.
The fire place with the bar is the central meeting point, elevated above the lagoon it offers views combined with a warm camp atmosphere.
The public area is a small tent with a terrace, true to the modest style, no big furniture but cushions to lounge.
The dining area is in another small tent, just enough to make clients feels safe without taking the camping feel away.
Units: from the outside it could be just a notch above mobile safari, they almost hide their luxurious interior (top comfy beds, perfect illumination, desk), which gives the camp the charisma of cozy, tented, intimate. Only outside bucket shower (in the cold winter months of June/July people should be informed/warned).
Food: great brunch, a variety a light and tasteful salads, beef sausages, cold pasta, cooked breakfast, fruit and cheeses. Dinner consisted of a veggie soup, excellent Impala stew, veggies and again salad, very pleasant.
Activities: mokoro, the nicest cruise I have ever done for over 2 hrs, safe, hippo free, and in a very lovely surrounding, apart from birder's paradise, with hundreds of lechwe and elephant herds at our sights, we even spotted some shy Sitatunga.
Apart from mokoro, the manager takes clients to his very special Delta Pool for a refreshing swim and pick nick on the sand banks. Also catch+release fishing is possible.
Camp Jao: Just stunning, the jewel of the concession for the pampered, the Balinese palace in the Delta. All emphasis on luxury, spa, food, wine tasting, a perfect end or relaxing start to a safari, I could certainly stay for 5 days in this camp. The whole camp is highly elevated in beautiful old trees, as if the camp was a colony of tree houses connected by swaying boardwalks.
Apart from the spa, there is a proper gym, yoga mats and pilates balls, and a wine tasting parlour, as the unusual features.
Units: the best feature (vs its sisters in luxury Kings Pool/Vumbura Plains) is the shape of the rooms, as they are not deep but long, so from any point of the unit the views over the lagoon can be enjoyed, they are airy and full of light, which takes the weight off the massive wooden furniture and gives it a noble and highly elegant feel.
The public areas are impressive, two pools, one family one adults only plunge pool bordering with the Delta, large shady sitting areas on a 10 m tall deck. The impressive fireplace with unique Balinese drums builds the center of the camp with incredible views over the lagoon and its wildlife, e.g. Lechwe hunting Lions.
Kay's visit to Chiefs Camp
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Foam Latex Appliance Grave Rot Zombie Kit
- Description
Product Quality
Image Accuracy
Foam Latex Zombie Costume Mask
Hollywood quality special effects rotting zombie Halloween costume mask.
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- Full instructions included.
Apply with spirit gum, this is not included. We also recommend the use of spirit gum remover to remove your mask.
Please note that horns may be unattached through packaging, just reapply to mask with spirit gum.
The following video shows how easy it is to wear a foam latex prosthetic
Click to see video
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Orders placed before 3pm Adelaide time are guaranteed same day postage on business days Monday to Friday. Express post ( $12.95 per order or FREE for orders over $100) will be delivered in 1-3 business days within Australia depending on your location. To check if your postcode is within Australia Posts overnight delivery network click here. For information on International Shipping click here.
- Returns
Party cancelled? Wrong size? Costume made you look silly? If you're not 100% satisfied with your purchase you are more than welcome to return your items for a refund or exchange. Please note that some restrictions do apply. Please follow the instructions and complete the Returns Form which was sent with your order. To download a new Returns Form click here. To find out how to quickly get your order back to us and for our full no fuss returns policy click here.

subset: commoncrawl


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The French Room Map
1321 Commerce St. (S. Akard St.)
214-742-8200 | Make Restaurant Reservations | Menu
Find The French Room with this handy map to the restaurant. If you don't see a pop-up, click on the map's green arrow to get driving directions to and from The French Room.
Sign up to receive the 2016 edition of GAYOT's Annual Restaurant Issue, which will feature the Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S. and more.


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Timothy Leitner accused of snatching woman's purse in Publix parking lot
Okeechobee man arrested on robbery, theft charges
An Okeechobee man is accused of snatching a woman's purse in the parking lot of a Publix grocery store.
Okeechobee County Sheriff's Office deputies said Timothy Leitner was arrested Tuesday on charges of robbery by sudden snatching and grand theft.
Deputies said Leitner told the 77-year-old victim she had dropped something behind her, and when she turned to look back, he reached into her vehicle and snatched her purse.
Leitner ran into a waiting car that drove off, but witnesses gave deputies a description of the getaway car. Deputies eventually found the car and arrested Leitner.
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View, Share Breaking News Photos On WPBF.com's u local:
Copyright 2013 by WPBF.com All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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About IAmCanadian27
- Birthday 09/11/1989
Contact Methods
- AIM Niedernut27
- Website URL http://
- Yahoo HockeyCanada27
Profile Information
- Location Montreal
- Interests Anything hockey related, being with my friends, music, movies
IAmCanadian27 started following Derek21
Derek21 started following IAmCanadian27
I just got in from the game. It was awesome to be there since the atmosphere is always great to begin with, but especially when all the Habs fans stood and applauded Marty. It was good of them to show some appreciation of an amazing goaltender and hometown boy. Pretty cool to see a part of history.
I'll be there tonight! GO DEVILS!!!
Who's got the flu?!?
IAmCanadian27 replied to Pepperkorn's topic in Off-TopicI never bother getting the flu shot. They never get the right strain and anyway, I'd rather get it and fight off and strengthen my immune system naturally. I've rarely gotten it anyway. Last time was like two years ago and I spent a few days in bed. I can't remember when I've gotten it before then. I'm just getting over a cold my dad gave me when I went home to visit. What a nice welcome home gift. But thankfully other than that, I've only had one or two other little colds. PK, I can't believe your daughter is already six! I remember seeing you when you were pregnant with her! Crazy how times flies.
NHL Skills Competition/Youngstars Game Thread
IAmCanadian27 replied to nmigliore's topic in HellI'll be there tonight! I'm excited to see how Zach does in the fastest skater competition and what moves he pulls during that shootout elimination competition.
Out of hospital
IAmCanadian27 replied to Jimmy Leeds's topic in Off-TopicI know what you mean. My mom's an ICU nurse so I grew up hearing detailed stories about patients with blood and pus coming out of every orifice, bed sores so deep you could fit your whole hand inside, etc. while eating dinner. It's pretty hard to phase me. But anway- Leeds, it's good to see that they were able to reattach and that you are healing well. I hope you have a full recovery!
I don't think it is Martin, looks nothing like him. It looks more like Vrana to me? I can't figure out the Brangelina one either. You can see the guy in the background of the Simpsons photo and it looks a little like White to me there, but I'm not sure. Eaglejelly, your little girl is too cute! Awww
westcoastdevfan Jr. has arrived!
IAmCanadian27 replied to westcoastdevfan's topic in Off-TopicCongrats! Welcome to the world, newest Devils fan!
Thanks sammyk!
official NHL 3rd jersey thread.
IAmCanadian27 replied to handofdoom's topic in HellThe Coyotes one makes me think of the Greyhound bus logo.
Happy Birthday Peperkorn
IAmCanadian27 replied to Devilish34's topic in Off-TopicHappy Belated Birthday PK! Hope it was a good one!
Thanks brodeurrocks and PK! Legal drinking age in all of Canada now, woo hoo!
Nope, not usually. I think they have one or two sort of special events with an open practice, but I can't imagine they'd coincide with your trip.
Yeah, I've been through customs at Trudeau. I think they just had me fill out a little form on the plane and then go through customs at the airport. It was easy. They actually asked me less questions than when I've driven across the border.
Montreal! I've been to several games here and I've always had the best time, even if the Devils weren't playing. Definitely recommended to any hockey fan!


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Callis Self 10-Round Drafts, 2003-15
Here's my complete list of self 10-round Drafts, dating back to 2003. I like to think I've gotten better over time. Through the end of June 2015, I had picked 32 big leaguers (indicated in boldface), not including Luke Hochevar (whom I failed to sign in 2005). My blog post about my 2014 selections is here.
|2015 Hypothetical Draft (Brewers picks)
|Player, Pos, School
|Real Life
|1st (No. 15)
|Jon Harris, rhp, Missouri State
|Tor, 1st
|Supp. 1st
|Donnie Dewees, of, North Florida
|ChC, 2nd
|Michael Matuella, rhp, Duke
|Tex, 3rd
|Trey Cabbage, 3b, HS/Tennessee
|Min, 4th
|Demi Orimolye, of, HS/Canada
|Mil, 4th
|Blake Hickman, rhp, Iowa
|CWS, 7th
|Steven Duggar, of, Clemson
|SF, 6th
|Jaret Hellinger, lhp, HS/Georgia
|Atl, 20th
|Travis Maezes, 3b, Michigan
|KC, 13th
|Austin Byler, 1b, Nevada
|Ari, 11th
|Cole Bauml, of, Northern Kentucky
|Det, 10th
|Note: Supplemental first-rounder was 40th overall choice.
|2014 Hypothetical Draft (Rockies picks)
|Player, Pos, School
|Real Life
|1st (No. 8)
|Kyle Freeland, lhp, Evansville
|Col, 1st
|Supp. 1st
|Forrest Wall, 2b, HS/Florida
|Col, supp. 1st
|Sean Reid-Foley, rhp, HS/Florida
|Tor, 2nd
|Jakson Reetz, c, HS/Nebraska
|Was, 3rd
|Trace Loehr, ss, HS/Oregon
|Oak, 6th
|John Curtiss, rhp, Texas
|Min, 6th
|Greg Allen, of, San Diego State
|Cle, 6th
|Trenton Kemp, of, HS/California
|Bos, 15th
|Dean Deetz, rhp, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M JC
|Hou, 11th
|A.J. Vanegas, rhp, Stanford
|LAD, 11th
|Richard Prigatano, of, Long Beach State
|Col, 11th
|Note: Supplemental first-rounder was 35th overall choice.
The Top 100 Financial Report, 2015 Edition
If you want scouting reports and videos for the most talented players in the Minor Leagues, check out MLBPipeline.com's just-released Top 100 Prospects list. If you want to know what it cost to sign those prospects, you've come to the right place.
The Top 100 Financial Report is back for the second straight year (the 2014 edition can be found here.)
The 2015 Top 100 Prospects received a total of $222,453,430 in bonuses. Cubs outfielder Jorge Soler and Orioles right-hander Dylan Bundy got Major League contracts — which no longer can be given to drafted or foreign amateurs under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement — that included an additional $26,225,000 in guarantees. That brings the total to $248,678,430, an average of nearly $2.5 million per prospect and just slightly less than the Dodgers' record payroll of $257,283,410 last year.
Seventy-two of the prospects landed seven-figure bonuses, while 10 of them topped $5 million in guarantees. Below are the financial highlights from the Top 100, including some recognition for the agents who orchestrated the biggest deals and the scouts who stretched their teams' dollars the furthest:
The Five Highest Guarantees
1. Cubs OF Jorge Soler, No. 22 on the Top 100 ($6 million bonus, $30 million guarantee). If he had waited another three days to sign in 2012, the Cuban defector would have been subject to the current CBA and unable to receive a big league contract. Soler already has collected $10 million and can void the final three years and $12 million on his deal if he's arbitration-eligible. Agency: Praver Shapiro Sports Management.
Close-But-Not-Quite-Top-100 Prospects To Watch
We released the MLBPipeline.com Top 100 Prospects list on Friday, and as always, there wasn't enough room to include everyone I like. With that in mind, I've listed below (alphabetically) 20 more prospects who have caught my eye, some of whom made my personal Top 100 but couldn't crack the official list once I combined my choices with Jonathan Mayo's and we got feedback from industry sources.
A year ago, I identified 15 prospects as the Cream Of The Not-Quite-Top-100 Crop. That group included Phillies shortstop J.P. Crawford, Reds outfielder Jesse Winker, who have soared all the way to Nos. 21 and 26 on the current Top 100.
Ozhaino Albies, ss, Braves. A younger version of Jose Peraza — with a stronger arm that would enhance his chances of staying at shortstop if Andrelton Simmons weren't in Atlanta — who hit .364/.446/.444 when he made his U.S. debut at age 17 last year.
Garin Cecchini, 3b/of, Red Sox. He's blocked in Boston and uncharacteristically struggled at times in 2014, but he's still one of the best pure hitters in the Minors.
Michael Feliz, rhp, Astros. He's a work in progress but it's hard not to like his combination of a mid-90s fastball, power breaking ball, promising changeup and sturdy build. (more…)
The AFL Not-Quite-Top-25 Team
The talent in the Arizona Fall League was better than usual this year — and it's usually pretty good. As a result, we increased the MLBPipeline.com AFL Top Prospects list from 20 to 25.
That still wasn't enough to include all of the intriguing players I saw in 2 1/2 weeks in Arizona, however. So I've put together the team below of the best prospects who couldn't crack our Top 25 (Jonathan Mayo also breaks down his favorite AFL extras at his blog here):
Peter O'Brien, c/1b, Diamondbacks (Salt River)
He was one of the most dangerous power hitters in the AFL, finishing third with five homers, and also has a strong arm. I'd like O'Brien more if he didn't swing and miss so much and didn't look so rough defensively at catcher and first base.
Patrick Kivlehan, 1b, Mariners (Surprise)
I like Dan Vogelbach's (Cubs/Mesa) bat and approach, but the baserunning and defense were such negatives that I'm going with Kivlehan here. The former Rutgers defensive back topped the AFL with 22 RBIs, has enticing raw power and fits better at first base than third base. So does fellow Mariners slugging prospect D.J. Peterson.
AFL Prospects To Watch
If you're not ready for the baseball season to end after the World Series, the Arizona Fall League is a godsend. Many of the game's top prospects continue to play through mid-November in Arizona, which made identifying which AFLers I'm looking forward to seeing the most a difficult task because I was limited to just one position player and one pitcher.
So I've decided to expand on my choices of Twins outfielder Byron Buxton and White Sox right-hander Francellis Montas, and pick an entire team of AFL players worth watching:
Justin O'Conner, c, Rays (Peoria)
O'Conner has a cannon arm and promising power potential as well. In a light AFL year for backstops, slugging Peter O'Brien (Diamondbacks/Salt River) also stands out but probably won't stick behind the plate for the long term.
Josh Bell, 1b, Pirates (Scottsdale)
How are the Pirates going to sort out their outfield logjam? One way is to see if Bell can handle first base. Mesa is loaded at first base with Matt Olson (Athletics) and Dan Vogelbach (Cubs), Nos. 2 and 4 on the MLBPipeline.com First Base Top 10.
Bickford Will Attend CC Of Southern Nevada
Phil Bickford, a former first-round pick projected to go very early in the 2015 First-Year Player Draft, will attend the Community College of Southern Nevada next spring, according to a source familiar with the situation.
After starring in the Cape Cod League this summer, Bickford left Cal State Fullerton after one season to make himself eligible for next year's Draft. Had he returned to the Titans, he would have had to wait until after his junior season in 2016 to turn pro.
Combining The Cape Lists
I've spent the last two weeks ranking the top 10 pitching prospects and the top 10 hitting prospects in the Cape Cod League. The most prestigious summer collegiate circuit has produced more than 1,000 big leaguers — including more than 200 who have been active this year — and 13 first-round picks in the 2014 First-Year Player Draft. It's a terrific destination to see many of the stars of tomorrow today.
I pushed my word counts to give detailed scouting reports of those 20 players, but my notebook is full of much more information. So I'm going to present an overall Cape Top 30 list here, combining the arms and bats. If a player was covered in one of the two Top 10s, I'll let you click the links above to check out his details. If he's new on this list, I'll provide a quick report.
All of the players below are eligible for the 2015 Draft, with the exception of Garrett Williams (No. 19).
1. Walker Buehler, rhp, Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox (Vanderbilt, Jr. in 2015).
2. Phil Bickford, rhp, Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox (CC of Southern Nevada, So.).
3. Ian Happ, of, Harwich Mariners (Cincinnati, Jr.).
Bonus Team USA Prospects: Nos. 11-20
Give me prospects to rank, and I can't stop myself from providing extras. I spent the last couple of weeks doing that for the 10 farm systems I handled when we updated MLBPipeline.com's Prospect Watch, and I'm back at it with the U.S. collegiate national team.
As I mentioned in my story where I listed Team USA's 10 best prospects, the team annually features several of college baseball's brightest stars. The 2013 squad produced 10 first-round picks in the 2014 First-Year Player Draft, led by Carlos Rodon (White Sox, No. 3 overall) and Kyle Schwarber (Cubs, No. 4), and should have at least two more next June in Louisiana State shortstop Alex Bregman and Texas Christian right-hander Riley Ferrell. This year's team probably won't produce 12 first-rounders, but it still had several intriguing prospects and there wasn't room for all of them in the Top 10. So here are 10 more:
11. Jake Lemoine, rhp (Houston, Jr. in 2015). Scouts liked his body (6-foot-5, 220 pounds), his delivery and the way he pitched off his 89-94 mph sinker. Lemoine's slider and changeup can be average offerings, giving him a chance to start in the Major Leagues.
Bonus Rangers Prospects: Nos. 21-25
In the 10th and final installment of my Bonus Prospects series, I give you the Rangers. Texas has a lot of high-risk/high-reward prospects in its system, epitomized and headlined by third baseman Joey Gallo, and its Top 20 Prospects list already was strong before it acquired right-handers Jake Thompson and Corey Knebel from the Tigers for Joakim Soria shortly before the July 31 trade deadline. So not only do the Rangers have one of the better Top 20s around, they also have one of the more intriguing 21-25 lists as well.
To see MLBPipeline.com's Top 20 lists for every organization, as well as our overall Top 100 and Top 10s by position, visit Prospect Watch.
21. Roman Mendez, rhp. One of three prospects acquired in the Jarrod Saltalamacchia trade with the Red Sox in July 2010, Mendez missed most of 2013 with a stress fracture in his elbow but has emerged as a solid contributor in Texas' big league bullpen this year. He chews up bats with his 91-96 mph sinker and has late-inning upside if he can continue to hone his power breaking ball and his splitter. (more…)
Bonus Giants Prospects: Nos. 21-25
Much like our Cardinals Top 20, MLBPipeline.com's Giants Top 20 Prospects list needed more updating even after we overhauled all of the Prospect Watch lists at the end of July. Actually, before we revamped them all, because San Francisco traded Edwin Escobar and Heath Hembree to the Red Sox for Jake Peavy the day before all of the new Top 20s went live.
Right-hander Joan Gregorio and lefty Michael Kickham replaced Escobar and Hembree on our Giants list. Ten days later, Joe Panik lost his rookie/prospect eligibility and outfielder Gary Brown joined the Top 20.
San Francisco doesn't have a deep farm system, so adding Gregorio, Kickham and Brown depleted our Giants Nos. 21-25 prospects. However, that won't stop me from continuing my blog series of bonus prospects for each of the ten Top 20s I wrote up:
21. Cody Hall, rhp. He didn't play baseball in his final two seasons of high school and had a modest collge career at Baton Rouge (La.) CC and Southern before signing for $2,500 as a 19th-round college senior in 2011. Thanks to a 95-98 mph fastball and a mid-80s slider, Hall has averaged more than a strikeout per inning at every one of his Minor League stops, and his control has improved significantly the last two years. (more…)


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im looking at getting a bike stand to work on the bike. and thought it cant be that hard to make, and if i thought it its probably been done by a bunch of people already. so if you made your own stand...
1) where did you get your material
2) about what did it cost
3) what tools did you have to use to construct it (mainly specialty tools)
4) how long did it take to set up to be usable
5) what materials did you end up using (parts list)
6) do you have any photos of the build and/or the finished product
7) what would you do different if you were building a new one


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David Manners, components editor
…It was news that 450mm may be delayed to 2023 which is pretty much like saying it may never happen. And that's exactly what one CEO is saying.
Steve Bush, technology editor
There are a couple of things that caught my eye in the story about Kia's hybrid car power-train (pictured). The first is that Kia is trying Pb-carbon batteries, and the second is that it has an electric supercharger – combined with an exhaust turbo-generator these can give all the power and efficiency advantages of a turbo-charger without any of the lag.
Finding a battery that will accept and deliver charge fast enough at all temperatures for such a hybrid, without it weighing a tonne or costing the earth is difficult. It will be interesting to see if Pb-carbon is the battery to do it, and whether having Pb in the solution will prove too 'old fashioned' against some form of Li battery.
Sue Proud, production editor
This one raised a smile – a potentially useful app if you're in New Orleans for Mardi Gras, but also, I think, something that could catch on in remote parts of Britain where tourists may be at a loss as to where to relieve themselves – a phone app that tells you where the nearest private house is whose occupants will let you use their bathroom. And no doubt 'entrepeeneurs' will charge whatever the market can take.
Alun Williams, web editor
An Android-based MOOC run by the University of Reading. I'm already signed up for one MOOC and there's plenty more I would like to do, such as this one. You are spoilt for choice… So much to learn, so little time available!
What caught your eye this week? Let us know on twitter using the hashtag #EWconvo


text:
Editors' Note: The "Download Now" link directs you to the iTunes App Store, where you must continue the download process. You must have iTunes installed in order to open the link, and you must have an active iTunes account to download the application. This download may not be available in some countries.
Publisher's Description+
What's new in this version:
-Updated time label to flash when there are less than 10 seconds to win.


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text: I have seen that many of people are facing issues with the internal microphone of there laptops in the Windows 7 operating system. Most of the microphone problems appears when the laptops operating system is upgraded to the Windows 7 operating system from some other operating system. I think i have possibly found fix for internal microphone issue in Windows 7 operating system.


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Photos: Spring
Beauty of Spring
Frosty Morning
Rainbow kite flyin'
pretty kite flying View Photo »
Vermont Pond
Bailey Pond Road, Marshfield Vermont, in Spring 2006 View Photo »
small jack in the pulpit growing wild View Photo »
Mushrooms on old logging trail
cluster of mushrooms growing on old wood View Photo »
Double lady slipper
two white lady slipper flowers growing side by side along wooded trail View Photo »
Wet Walk
After a flash flood View Photo »
Golden Daffodil
a closer look at a daffodil View Photo »
Spring Blossom
A closer look of trees blooming in my yard with vivid color. View Photo »
Crocus Quartet
First crocuses in early March to open. View Photo »
Sign of Spring
Forsythia blooming in my back yard urged me to take out my camera & "click away". View Photo »
Spring in Connecticut
crocus in the garden View Photo »
Fishing Boats
windy day on the beach at East Preston, England View Photo »
Clouds over Lake Wiess View Photo »
Heavenly Clouds
These clouds were taken from my house on top a hill in east TN View Photo »
Snow in April
an unexpected April snowfall in N. E. Ohio View Photo »
Nantucket Morning
Taken on misty morning at Nantucket Harbor View Photo »
Snowy Forsythia
an early April snow storm covered this forsythia in my back yard View Photo »
Green Green Everywhere
vivid new greenery, reflected in a pond. View Photo »
Red Reflection
house on waterfront, in early May. northern NJ. View Photo »
Spring on Sports
Reflection of the spring sky on the hoop View Photo »


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Have you visited Dr. William Bast? Rate you experience below.
Urologists in Hanover, PA
Dr. William Bast specializes in urology in Hanover, Pennsylvania.
Dr. William Bast has been compared 198 times. Details of Dr. Bast's 43 years experience as an MD, his 2 hospital affiliations and education at University of Pittsburgh are available on your free doctor report.
Dr. William Bast has an average rating of 3 stars (out of 5) with a rating of Good based on 2 reviews.
Have you visited Dr. William Bast? Rate you experience below.
Dr. William Bast has been identified as specializing in Urology.
He is certified in Urology.
A hospital affiliation covers any doctor who has an affiliation, association or admitting privilege with a hospital. A doctor's particular affiliation to a specific hospital can translate to the overall quality of that provider.
Dr. Bast is affiliated with 2 hospitals:
Dr. Bast attended medical school at University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and graduated in 1972 having 43 years experience.
While there is no proven correlation between the quality of one's educational institution and the quality of one's professional competence, it is often an indicator. Medical schools have various levels of selectivity (some are harder to get into than others), and both the quality of their clinical training and level of research are measured. Additional medical training in both residency and fellowships and the facilities they are conducted at also provide a history of the doctors' level of training and experience.
Patients may also know Dr. William Bast MD as:
113 Westminster Rd, Suite 102 Reisterstown, MD 21136
195 Stock St, Suite 206 Hanover, PA 17331
Are you Dr. William Bast?
Update your information


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Home Search
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Real Estate Blog
Stay up to date on the latest real-estate news, trends and interesting local stories with Sumbry's Real Estate Blog
Welcome to Sumbry Estates At Keller Williams Realty – Palmdale, California A home is not a home because of its room dimensions or the color of the walls. It is about how you feel when you walk through the front door. The way you can instantly envision your life unfolding there. Homes represent our kingdom. Let us help you find the right castle. Contact us today to find out more about us and to see how one of our experienced home consultants can assist you.
We utilize the newest available technology in order to find our clients the perfect home
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These sweet mini mailboxes were one of the fun Valentines crafts that we had on display for our feature on Fresh Living on Monday. They are perfect for Valentines day and any other day. 🙂 I plan on using them year round to leave little love notes and little surprises for my kids. It will be fun for them to leave little notes and thank yous for each other as well.
All you need for to make these darling mailboxes are:
-A mini mailbox of some sort. I found mine in the dollar section of Target a while ago. I have seen some really cute ones at Hobby Lobby.
-Fun scrapbook paper. I wanted to use something that wasn't really Valentiney so that I could use them all the time.
-A monogram or other supplies to add your childs name.
-Mod Podge
First, I traced and cut my paper to fit on my mailbox and each of the lids. The tricky part was cutting around the flag. I just kind- of measured where the flag would go and made a little notch. It doesn't have to be perfect, the flag will cover some of it. 🙂
Next, I used Mod Podge to stick my paper onto my mailbox and used Mod Podge on the areas with paper as well. Last, I added a cute little digi- scrapped tag with my little ones beautiful faces and names on it. I Mod Podged that on too. I added some ribbon on one of the lids and I was done.
I made a boy one for my Blake and a girl one for my Kylie. I really love how they turned out.
For some really adorable little notes to put in your little ones mailbox, check out Brookes 'Love Mail'. They would make absolutely perfect 'mail' for these sweet mini mailboxes.
You can also do some fabulous things with the flags on the mailboxes. For my girl one, I added a pretty little flower to make it extra girly. 🙂
Happy Valentine crafting everyone!
♥♥♥ Jen
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That is SO cute! What a great idea! I may have to try my hand at this for my girls!
Thanks for sharing!
Tanya Says: January 20, 2011 at 10:09 am
Oh my goodness, I just walked in the door with one of these cute mailboxes from Target's dollar section. I had the same idea too!! Great minds think alike, I guess 😉 Yours are super cute!!
[…] {Mini Mailboxes for Your Little Valentines} […]
These are adorable! I just saw the white ones at the target dollar spot today, so I need to run back over there and scoop them up for my two favorite little people! 🙂
Aw, how cute! I wonder how many valentines I would get if I put one of these on my desk? 😀
For the last couple of years I've been doing the shoebox thing with my grand kid. Wow this is so much cuter! Thanks for posting. Great idea!!!
You are so creative! Spotting store-bought items that you can then customize and personalize is a real skill.
These valentine's mailboxes are adorable. I love the paper you chose. I made some last year for Valentine's Day.
Darlene Says: January 21, 2011 at 10:48 am
Would love to see more of your crafty ideas.
I got one of those mailboxes to do something similar, but was going to return it since the lid didn't hinge. Eh, I think you just changed my mind with that flower on the flag. Too darn cute! THanks!
Great idea, thanks!! I got some of these mailboxes too, but I didn't know how we'd decorate that slick tin, besides sharpies. I like the paper idea alot!
Jan Says: February 9, 2011 at 6:48 am
I love these! I am going to make one for each one of my kids today! I will post on my blog when I am done. thewallinfamily.blogspot.com
Question, Did you modpodge on the top of the paper to or just between the paper and the mailbox? I am not great with modpodge :/
Have you seen these mailboxes around anywhere lately? I need some and can't find them anywhere!
thanks! emily


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July 23, 2015 -- Kafila, posted at Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal -- We are shocked that the European Union institutions and European leaders are imposing on the people of Greece a further program of austerity that will severely undermine the living conditions of women and men and plunge them into a deep crisis of deprivation. This hits Greek women particularly hard as they will have to provide the safety net of last resort through intensified work of taking care of their families, friends and communities.
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June 8, 2015 -- Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal -- The June 7, 2015, general election in Turkey saw the radical left People's Democratic Party (HDP) win almost 13% of the vote and around 80 parliamentary seats.
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Ian Birchall on John Riddell's 'To the masses': Essential resource on communism's early years
To The Masses: Proceedings of the Third Congress of the Communist International, 1921
edited and translated by John Riddell
Brill, Leiden & Boston, 2015
1299 pages, €399.00
April 12, 2015 -- Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal -- The following review by British socialist historian Ian Birchall introduces a major addition to our knowledge of the revolutionary movement of Lenin's time: John Riddell's To the Masses: Proceedings of the Third Congress of the Communist International, 1921. Birchall's review is scheduled for publication in Revolutionary History, a journal with 43 published volumes.
The review is published here with kind permission of Revolutionary History and Ian Birchall. Riddell's latest volume, available only in Brill's library format at the moment, will be published in a popular, more inexpensive edition by Haymarket Books in February 2016.
For more on the Communist International, click HERE. Click for more by or about John Riddell.
* * *
Review by Ian Birchall
1915: When socialist women united against WWI
Clara Zetkin.
100 years ago: The first international socialist conference against World War I
By John Riddell
March 28, 2015 -- Johnriddell.wordpress.com, posted at Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal with permission -- Eight months into World War I, socialist women united across the battle lines in adopting the first international socialist appeal to stop the war.
Their statement, translated below, ended, "Down with capitalism, which sacrifices untold millions to the wealth and power of the propertied! Down with the war! Forward to socialism!"
The 29 conference delegates came from Russia, Poland, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, the Netherlands, France and Britain. They met March 26-28, 1915, in the People's House of Bern in neutral Switzerland.
Women and the technological revolution
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Revolutionary roots of women's suffrage: Finland 1906 — an International Women's Day tribute
By Eric Blanc
March 4, 2015 -- This article was first published at Johnriddell.wordpress.com, submitted to Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal by the author -- In 1906, Finland became the world's first country to grant full female suffrage.[1] This watershed achievement for women was won by Finnish socialists during the revolutionary upheaval that swept the Czarist empire to which Finland belonged.
Eleanor Marx and the dawn of socialist feminism
Eleanor Marx: A Life
By Rachel Holmes
Bloomsbury 2014, £25
Review by Alex Miller
February 2, 2015 – Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal -- This new and very well-written biography tells the story of the life of Eleanor Marx (known to her family and friends as "Tussy"). Tussy was the third and youngest daughter of Karl and Jenny Marx.
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The story of Tussy's adult life is less well known, and Rachel Holmes seeks to right this, with the first full-length biography of Tussy since the 1970s.
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"We can say that Kurdish women led the Rojava revolution. Women have a part in every decision taken in Rojava. The colour of the Rojava revolution is the colour of women."
[For more on the struggle of the Kurdish people, click HERE.]
Özgür Amed interviewed by Dylan Murphy
January 17, 2015 – Links international Journal of Socialist Renewal -- The following interview was conducted in partnership between the Rojava Report. Özgür Amed is a journalist, columnist, teacher and activist from Diyarbakir, where he gives courses on cinema and works with local civil society organisations as a project coordinator.
He writes regular editorials for the newspapers Ozgur Gundem and Ozgur Politika, contributes to various journals, assists foreign journalists working in Kurdistan and provides analysis of the region to foreign media outlets. He also conducts research on the Kurdish movement and its author of a book of humour, Works of Kurdology (Kürdocul İşler). He can be reached at email@example.com
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More from Raj Patel.
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Produced/edited by Jeffry Zavala, videography by Grace Alfar, Jeff Zavala and Ellie Main.
An Austin Indymedia Production, http://Austin.Indymedia.org.
The Rojava revolution's radical democracy
[For more on the struggle of the Kurdish people, click HERE.]
November 10, 2014 -- Tenk, posted at Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal -- Saleh Muslim Mohamed (pictured), co-president of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) representing the independent communities of Rojava (Syrian Kurdistan) and its armed wings, the People's Defence Units (YPG) and Women's Defence Units (YPJ), visited the Netherlands. Muslim spoke about the fight of Rojava against the Islamic State (ISIS) and the development of democratic autonomy during the Rojava revolution. Jonas Staal interviewed him afterwards.
Rojava's autonomous cantons: What a revolution looks like
"A YPJ fighter (right) next to a very similar picture of a female fighter in the Spanish revolution in the 1930s. The comparison is apt. The presence of such a high proportion of female front line fighters is evidence of a profound social transformation that has been happening in liberated Rojava and within the Kurdish revolutionary movement."
By Tony Iltis
November 1, 2014 -- Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal -- On November 1, protests were held worldwide in solidarity with Kobanê. Protests took place in most countries on every continent. Even in Afghanistan, protests were organised in six cities by left-wing anti-occupation groups.
After withstanding more than six weeks of intense siege by the terrorist group that calls itself "Islamic State" (IS), Kobanê (also called Kobani), a small majority-Kurdish town on the Syrian side of the border with Turkey, has become one of the most well-known places on the planet.
The defenders of Kobanê mostly belong to the Syrian-Kurdish militias, the Peoples Defence Units (YPG) and Womens Defence Units (YPJ). The YPG has both male and female fighters. The YPJ is, as its name suggests, all female. Despite having held three cantons in Rojava as liberated zones since July 2012, until recently these militias were as obscure as Kobanê itself.
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Malalai Joya: 'Fiery salutations to the brave women of Kobane'
[For more on the struggle of the Kurdish people, click HERE.]
By Malalai Joya, Afghanistan
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Heroines of Kobane,
I deeply support your inspiring resistance against the criminals of ISIS and humbly learn from your patriotism and pride. You are the unconquerable pinnacle of honour and courage. You have turned to symbols of humanity and freedom-fighting by your unrelenting fight against these ignorant criminals.
Socialist Alliance: Solidarity with Rojava revolution! West prefers IS killers to humane, pro-woman, democratic revolution
"At least a third of the defence forces of Rojava are female. They are in the frontlines and in the command. Many women have perished after resisting heroically to the end. Such examples by women are demolishing social taboos and challenging feudal, patriarchal values in society. Rojava has also mounted a big ongoing campaign against domestic violence."
* * *
[For more on the struggle of the Kurdish people, click HERE.]
Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal -- This resolution was adopted by the Australian Socialist Alliance National Council on October 4, 2014. Below that is the text of a leaflet being distributed by Socialist Alliance members at solidarity mobilisations in Australia.
* * *
1. Socialists have always supported the legitimate national aspirations of the Kurdish people, left divided by the colonial powers at the end of World War I between four countries.
India: Eyewitness account, images of Kolkata's huge movement for gender justice
More on India. For more on feminism click HERE.
Story by Kasturi, photos by Ronny Sen (more photos HERE and HERE)
September 24, 2014 -- Kafila.org, submitted to Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal by the author -- One of the slogans churned out of the womb of turbulent Paris in the May days of 1968 was "Don't trust anyone over 30". The student uprising of May '68 with its audacity and exaggeration might have failed. But the mahamichhil (grand rally) called by students which took command over the heart and pulse of Kolkata on September 20 was a literal, vivid, living embodiment of this slogan.
India: 100,000 marchers in Kolkata say: 'Hok kolorob' (Let there be uproar!)
More on India. For more on feminism click HERE.
By Tithi Bhattacharya
October 1, 2014 -- ZNet, submitted to Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal by the author -- On September 20, 100,000 people marched in Kolkata [formerly Calcutta], India, against police violence and for gender justice. I have known the city all my life and have not known of a demonstration of that size since the 1960s.
The march was against a massive police crack-down on a peaceful student protest on Jadavpur University campus, one of the leading universities in the state. The students were sitting-in at their vice-chancellor's office, refusing to let him go, until he promised an independent enquiry commission into a case of sexual assault on campus. Their rallying cry was hok kolorob, or let there be uproar.
The sheer size of the march, 100,000 people, ought to force us to remember that the people of Kolkata, the capital city of the state of West Bengal, had just voted in a shiny new government after 34 years of entrenched Stalinist rule steeped in corruption and violence.
Marxism and feminism: Was Marx a 'class determinist'?
Marx on Gender and the Family: A Critical StudyBy Heather A. BrownHaymarket Books, 2013232 pp.
Review by Barry Healy
September 1, 2014 – Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal -- For the most part the Marxist movement has a had a troubled relationship with the women's liberation movement. While some Marxists (such as those organised in Australia's Socialist Alliance) have no problem with feminism, others have choked on the thought of a rebellious movement that does not fit neatly into their paradigm of a workers-led revolution.
Kavita Krishnan: Re-imagining India
For more on India, click HERE.
By Kavita Krishnan
August 21, 2014 -- Outlook, posted at Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal with the author's permission -- We revolutionaries, who seek to transform society, spend a lot of time re-imagining the world we live in. That does not mean we live in a fool's paradise. It means that we dream dreams that can be achieved.
We don't wish on a star. Our wishes, we know, won't be granted by any gods. The beauty of our dreams lies in the fact that they're made up of human imagination and human will, and can be shaped and brought to life by human will.
When our imaginations are cramped, our realities too are likely to be the same. When an idea comes to life in our imagination, it is the first step towards bringing it to life in our real world.
The other thing about our dreams is that we aren't solitary dreamers. We don't dream our dreams isolated from others. Our dreams are not a private indulgence or a private solace. These dreams are born in the collective minds of fellow fighters. We dream together, as we fight struggles together. And when others are able to see and share our dreams, the dreams acquire a life beyond our own personal lives.
Kurds mobilise to fight 'Islamic State' over vast front
Kurdish YPG fighters, Rojava.
By Dave Holmes
August 12, 2014 – Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal/Green Left Weekly --The Kurdish people are facing an unprecedented challenge. Across a vast swathe of northern Syria and Iraq, the region's Kurds are locked in a desperate and heroic struggle with the genocidal forces of the so-called Islamic State (IS). Fighting is raging from Aleppo and Kobane in Syria to Mosul and Kirkuk in Iraq — and all points in between. (The "front" is enormous: for example, the direct distance from Aleppo to Kirkuk is over 650 kilometres.)
United States: ISO conference backs red-green alliances, rethinks feminism
There were 1450 registered participants at the Socialism 2014 conference. Photo by Peter Boyle.
By Peter Boyle, Chicago
July 15, 2014 -- Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal, an earlier, shorter version of this article appeared in Green Left Weekly -- New red-green electoral alliances, a turn to ecosocialism and a deepening of the US International Socialist Organization's rethink on feminism were key features of its well-attended Socialism 2014 conference held June 26-29 in Chicago.
The gap between rich and poor in the US is large and growing. It has sparked a popular campaign for a minimum wage of US$15 an hour for low-paid workers, and in defence of jobs of teachers and other social service providers.
A growing number of trade union leaders are running as part of left and independent election tickets, just as many endorsed the successful Seattle's council campaign of socialist Kshama Sawant.
International assessments and rethinks


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