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This step is voluntary but will seriously enhance your chances of getting interest from other over 40s members on the site. Type a little about yourself, your pasttimes and upload some good photographs of yourself.
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States: Some Californians are agitating through the referendum process for a right that doesn't exist. How can it be when it requires others to give up their rights? Voters need to stop this foolishness.
Luddites never go away and their foolishness is on full display in the Golden State. On the November ballot is Proposition 37, which would require genetically modified food sold in California to carry a label saying so.
Its backers aren't asking for a skull and crossbones on the packaging, but they do demand "the right to know if our food has been genetically engineered."
They promise it "won't cost you a dime," but that's simply not true. An analysis by the state's Legislative Analyst's Office found that there will be "increased annual state costs from a few hundred thousand dollars to over $1 million to regulate the labeling of genetically engineered foods."
It also determined there will be additional, "but not likely significant, governmental costs to address violations under the measure." In reality, they will turn into significant expenses, as government programs always cost more than analysts project.
And those are just taxpayer costs. Northbridge Environmental Management Consultants says that "the most likely compliance scenarios carry very high price tags for California consumers."
How high? If the food industry substitutes other ingredients for GMO ingredients to avoid label changes, the group estimates midpoint costs of "roughly $350 to $400 per California household" per year.
Prop. 37 supporters argue that the labeling is a health issue. It's not. We're not aware of a single credible study that says GMO foods are less safe than non-GMO foods.
Nor are we aware of any legitimate right that requires someone to do the bidding of others, as in labeling, or government discrimination, which would happen if Prop. 37 becomes law.
These are things voters need to know. Unfortunately, they haven't been told any of this by those who are pushing this very bad regulation.

subset: commoncrawl


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Branch 2
The energy coalesced into something that resembled a fine glowing rain in the air. It settled across the field of carnagless death sitting just above everything as if attached by invisible strings.
The keeper placed his hand into the pocket of his robe and smiled removing a small wooden box. He carefully opened the lid and held it out in the palm of his hand.
The energy began to twist into a visiblly pulsing stream. Slowly at first, it stretched, then warped, then flowed towards the box. As it did so it pulled the scene before the keeper with it.
The sky above the battlefield began to go hazy in places. Then it, and everything else within this eerily silent, bloodless, scene began to shrink. The hazyness turned to blackness as the whole image was dragged into the fine line that followed the energy.
After only a few moments the keeper was standing in utter darkness. He closed the box and placed it back into his pocket before turning and vanishing.
Every good artists needed a muse. Be they a playwrite, a poet or a sculpter they all have one thing in common, inspiration. Pellius was the Muse of Half Formed Thought. He kept the archives in the library of the muses where tales ended without beginnings. Where scenes played out for no reason or a character was born simply to stand idle.
He walked the infinite corridors of the library, gazing at the equally infinite shelves that accompanied them. On each and every one where neat little rows of boxes. Each shelf held a card upon which was noted the owner, their age and the time and date of every thought.
Pellius stopped at one of the emptier shelves and picked up the card which sat neatly in a bracket at it's centre.
"Caleb Smith, Age Thirteen years, idea five hundred billion and two."
As the words left his mouth they appeared on the piece of paper before vanishing. He placed the box on the shelf which then dissappeared among the rows of packed up notions.
He scratched his head.
"Hmm I'm going to have to do something about this one ... thirteen years of age and his shelf is already a third full. If he carries on like this he'll never get anywhere. Another unfinished battle ... hasn't he realised that it's all over done?"
Resignedly the muse sighed and vanished.


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|This is a discussion on PLEASE more people play Omaha. Here's Why. within the online poker forums, in the Cash Games section; I would like to see Omaha have a boom the way Hold Em did a few years ago. There are some very compelling reasons to
PLEASE more people play Omaha. Here's Why.
I would like to see Omaha have a boom the way Hold Em did a few years ago. There are some very compelling reasons to play Omaha, especially my game of choice, Pot Limit Hi/Lo.
1. If you are a studious player who works to be a winning player, Omaha Hi/Lo is 50 to 100% more profitable with about half the variance or risk. For an explanation of why, check out the Hwang book or the Cappelletti book among many others.
2. If you are an action junkie, Omaha Hi/Lo is by far a better game for you. You see almost every flop pretty cheaply. With practically every hand you have an exciting draw for those who like fishing expeditions. More hands go to showdown. And even if you're a terrible player, you'll receive gratification by stumbling into a fair number of half-pot wins.
We need you in Omaha, especially the beginners. The learning curve ain't too bad, and we will be nice and friendly and very appreciative while you're learning the game. I notice that there's much less donkey talk and tapping on the glass in Omaha than in Hold Em.
Now I would ask and advise you to please not play pre-flop in Omaha like you do in Hold Em, especially the split pot game. It disrupts the game and it's not at all in your interest. Some experts debate about whether you should ever raise pre-flop in Omaha. Bluffing doesn't work as well because your opponents will almost always have hands with potential. Makes sense since one Omaha hand contains six two-card combinations. Besides, it's really not in your interest to be stealing small pots pre-flop. You want to build pots by inviting people in, then if you hit your hand milk it or play it big. The Hold Em-style aggressors stand out like a sore thumb. You'll have some fun but invariably get nailed.
What the heck am I doing? I'm inviting you in because I want more beginners, i.e. bad players in the game, yet I'm giving you a little advice about how not to totally suck. I must be crazy! Or maybe just a little too kind. But you are all CCers, and I want you all to do well (just not at my expense). So tell your friends about Omaha Hi/Lo and let's get this train rolling!
This is my landmark 500th post. Does this qualify me for the next level of tourneys or something? Anybody want some cake?
I tried playing PLO8 but its absolutely retardedly boring. Limp, see a flop, fold. Rinse & repeat. Players are so absolutely terrible at that game, that you just make strong 2 way hands & take their money. PLO8 is the furthest thing from an action game that there could possibly be. You have to have a hand that is in contention for both pots, and that doesn't happen super often. So you spend most of your time seeing flops & dumping hands, bluffing a few rare dry flops. I guess it could be okay playing heads up or super short handed, but the game makes me >_X.
An action game is like Stud 8, where its a limit game, so you can play for half, and there's tons of jamming in multi-way pots.
If I wanted to nut-camp all day, I'd play PLO8. But I don't want to nut camp, so I play NLHE 6-max, where I can raise/raise/raise/4-bet light/raise/raise/raise.
EDIT: I've included a nice post about how to play PLO8 by Steve Badger. He makes it pretty clear that PLO8 is not an action game.
i have played O b4 and have won huge pots very quickly..only to lose huge pots very quickly..the game is BRUTAL..i reccomend all Noobs stay away from this game..as i would avoid RAZZ like plague..all the O players will hate me for scaring off potential fish..but i cant help it..i got murdered @ every O table i have ever played..ANd that is NO FUN!!!...a game with alot more variance than i can handle..Best of luck to every1..Halifaxleafs
you're absolutely right - action play is not the right way to win at Omaha. But if you're a wild hold em player, you can be an even wilder Omaha player and see a lot more flops and showdowns. Not good play, but the kind of play I'm hoping to instill in my opponents.
Always go for the high is exactly the wrong advice. Pre-flop you're looking for hands with two-way potential, but a good low is what gives you the freedom to try for the high. I'd rather start with A236 than KKQQ. With your high pairs you could hit a set, which is usually worthless at a full table. But having good low potential allows you to take more draws for the high.
High hands are valuable because they can scoop if the board doesn't make a low, but the flop in Omaha changes so many things that you can't really rely too much on those pre-flop highs. Even AA doesn't have a whole lot of value.
Post-flop, I would rather have a good high draw than a low draw. If you have a naked A2 and plan on drawing all the way to the river to try to win half the pot, that is really bad play - but a lot of people do it. For one thing, your odds of making a low without getting counterfeited are only 50:50. Then there's always the possibility, especially in a multi-way pot, of getting quartered. Many reasons not to chase a low. But if you can hit your low with counterfeit protection, it gives you all kind of freedom to draw for the high as well.
That's my opinion.
Eh, I'm not a big Omaha fan. I've gone through fazes (hold em, then stud, then omaha), but hold em was my favorite by a fair amount. I play some HORSE at this point, because it combines the skills I've learned by playing all the different games, but given the choice of just one game, it's got to by hold em. Omaha just bothers me because too often can you be ahead without actually having a hand yet. I don't want to assume every flush possibility or straight possibility hit.
re: Poker & PLEASE more people play Omaha. Here's Why.
I didn't say I enjoyed Omaha the most or that it's the most fun. I play it simply because it's the most profitable, therefore the best use of my time.
Slugger, you're absolutely right, you can be ahead with no way to protect your hand and are often beat by drawing hands. That's all part of the equation. It's not uncommon for an Omaha player to fold the nut on the flop if it's a scary board with poor chances of your hand improving. In Omaha the draws can be huge. Straight draws can have 13, 16 or more outs. Add in flushes and fullhouses and there are situations where nearly half the deck will make your hand. It's different from Hold Em that way. In Hold Em, the made hand is usually favored. In Omaha the drawing hand is often favored, and what beginning players consider a bad beat may not be a bad beat at all.
I know there are a lot of successful Omaha players on CardsChat, but today we seem to be a group of naysayers. That's OK, though. It's better than preaching to the choir.
I am a winning Hold Em player. I can win as much or more in Omaha without the wild fluctuations. I would grant that correct play is somewhat boring and it's harder to be creative in Omaha. It's less about bluffs and aggression and more about hand selection and big draws. I'm drifting toward Omaha simply because online poker is like going to work for me, and I'm making better money with less fluctuation at Omaha. But if your thing is fun and Hold Em is more fun for you, then of course that's what you should play. Even when I played mainly HE, I liked to get a little variety though.
Peace and Bountiful Blessings,
I completely understand what you're saying Gary, and I think the main difference between us is why we're playing online poker. Like you said, for you, it's like going to work. For me, I am playing for enjoyment, and I'm a profitable hold em player, so even if I might be able to win a little more, I might as well stick with hold em.
running out of suckers are we ?
this post reinforces my belief that poker in inherently evil...a pyramid scheme where the experienced prey on the beginner....
capatilism at its worst
do you ever feel like a leech? taking money from stupid people to the benefit of some corporation...
ok i feel better now...had to get that out.
back to work theres more suckers out there to skin!
And if you're accusing me of being deceitful and manipulative, you're not a very good reader as my intentions are clearly stated and mixed with some humor. What are you even doing on a poker forum if your letter describes your feelings about poker?
But alas, I think you jest too. Or are you really the scurrilous scoundrel that lambastes me as you hurry back to skin more suckers yourself.
If you see any, just send them on over to the Omaha tables. That's all I ask.
I like Omaha hi/lo but there does seem to be way too many possiblities to me. If I were going to play a split pot game it would have to be stud hi/lo. I tend to like this game a little more. And still find many people come into the pot with any 3 cards.
"The Hold Em-style aggressors stand out like a sore thumb." Can you spot pocket aces a mile away too? lol
C9h, I read a lot of Steve Badger's pages, and wow - he blows Hwang out of the water. I think he contradicts himself at times. But the strategic stuff is top notch, including the differences between limit & PL.
ive tried omaha h/l not bad but plo8 no good way too slow for me but h/l good change of scenery and does make u think a hole lot more and i am sure that sometimes i stick out from what u call holdem aggressors but im learning cashed in a few of the sat, night games on players only
re: Poker & PLEASE more people play Omaha. Here's Why.
I use to play Omaha but got tired of people badmouthing my play. After reading this post I know that some of what they said was justified. You stated the Holdem approach doesn't work and that's exactly what I was doing. I may give it another chance after a little reading cause I did enjoy it for the most part. Maybe you could tell all your O8 buddies to keep the name calling to a minimum though...I'm very sensitive,sniff,sniff.
I sincerely wish to thank glworden for this thread and c9h13no3 and Divebitch for their contributions to it. Omaha is a game I was completely unfamiliar with until very recently and is one I am in a constant battle to grasp. I especially struggle with PLO8 which I feel like I should at least understand the basics of, as I am a more than competent Stud H/L player. Your posts and comments have helped a great deal and c9h13no3's link to the Steve Badger site was of incredible value.
Other than some posts and magazine articles on another forum (whose name adds up to four), this thread has helped me far more than the one book specific to Omaha that I have read so far.
Keep up the good work.
I DO want you to learn - just not right now at my table. There's a guy on here named TigerBob who is a good Omaha Player and he will let people sweat him.
Despite all the complex hand possibilities, correct actions in Omaha are pretty cut-and-dry - so I think of it as an easier game - and there aren't as many places for you to get creative. Position is important, but pushing with a bad hand in a pot steal might get you cracked. Those kinds of aggressive things that work in Holdem often backfire in Omaha. I want my opponent to be the Holdem guy who thinks his second nut flush might not be good but he can take down the pot with a check-raise. Omaha players like people who call big bets with second best hands.
Cappelletti explained it this way. In HoldEm, you want people to fear you. In Omaha you want them to love you.
I'm making it sound pretty boring, aren't I? Frankly, when I'm playing well, it is boring and profitable. But we need more wild players and calling stations who will see a lot more cards here than they do in HoldEm.
But really,thank you Gary and Dive for the encouragement and will start dabbling in it soon. Btw where do you two play FT,PS or other?
omaha is definately coming up, and people are becoming more familiar with it.
you make some very good points and i do like omaha. it's just i still need more pratice in HE, and it took me quite awhile to get were i'm at right now.
i do play a little horse and some of the omaha freerolls. so i guess i can try the micro games.
there's been a lot of pros who suggest playing other games in order to avoid becoming bored and allowing your game to suffer.
all it would be is allowing a little change and variance, what's so bad about that. hmmmmmmmmmmm makes you think.
thanks for bringing omaha to my attention - good luck on the felt.
re: Poker & PLEASE more people play Omaha. Here's Why.
I play OHL8 sometimes, but just hate the preflop raisers. I have heard that the preflop raise in OHL8 is the worst bet in poker. I tend to agree except for about 4 hands that I will raise on. I have been told that I am wrong about the preflop raise. Anyone else?
Especially if you're playing the low side of the hand, you want as many callers as possible. Get it down to heads up and you are by definition playing a game you can't win. IF you make your low and IF you don't get quartered, you'll only get back your own bets minus the rake.
And why raise on the high side, since no pre-flop hand is that big a favorite over any other? You need to see the flop to see how your hand shapes up. And if it does shape up, you want a multi-way pot. Again, the more people contributing, the better, especially since you're still likely to win only half.
You'll rarely scoop pre-flop in Omaha, so why try? Get it down to heads up and you limit your profit potential. You almost always want to be playing multi-way pots, so if you ARE raising pre-flop, it should be at a table where you expect a lot of callers to build the pot.
Glworden, you are so right with point no 2 in your original post. I have been watching Ivey and Hansen playing on Full Tilt and sometimes have to scrape my jaw off the floor at the money flying around that table. And it seems like any cards are good. They really must be action junkies!
P.S. Gary, I keep forgetting to say congrats on your 500th, a fine post it was.
Now, I've always equated low flop %s to a maniac or 2 at the table who keeps raising, so everyone folds. There's no way, especially in Omaha HL that any hand would be totally folded to the BB. Am I missing something?[quote]
Yes, that's a good possibility. Either that or a table full of tighter i.e. better players. Either way it's not the kind of table you want to play at, because in the first situation the maniac interferes with your ability to see flops and destroys the multi-ways, and in the second - you really don't want a table full of skilled players. This is more important in Omaha than in Hold Em, since skill is a bigger factor in Omaha. Badger makes this point really well in that link from cp. High flop percentages are more important in Omaha than Hold Em. In Hold Em it might just be passive players who are folding to every raise, and those players aren't too hard to beat. Omaha is a good game as long as there is a big skill disparity at the table. A table full of highly skilled players would be a terrible terrible grind.
[quote=Divebitch;1108343] I rarely raise pre-flop, but there are instances you should do it. In limit, you should always do it with a strong hand. In pot limit, with a strong hand, especially in late position, I never bet pot if several have called in front of me. I will however do a min-raise or a little more. This is NOT to push anyone out of the hand. Like Gary says, you want the multi-way pot, especially if your hand is far stronger for either the hi or the lo, but not both. Rather, I do it so that in the event I hit my flop, I can come out with a fat raise to either 1) push people out and take the pot down, or 2) build a bigger pot faster, if I see fit. If I don't hit any part of the flop, I can then get off the hand with no major loss. In EP, I'll only raise with a very premium hand. Not sure my advice is any good, but that is my level of comfort.
Excellent points. Although as far as early position raises with a premium hand, I'd be reluctant to do them at all unless I knew there were a lot of callers at the table, and I'd be very careful about sizing my raise. Unlike Hold Em, you don't want to take it down to early. Omaha is a big pot game and you want those premium hands to generate a big pot. Don't kill it with aggressive early raises. This is, like I said, why the crossover hold em players really stick out like a sore thumb. They bet too big early, are easily gratified that they win a lot of pots (Wahoo!), but they leave a lot of money on the table. I complain about them, but I should just calm down, because it's exactly who I want to be playing against, especially if they can't lay the hand down after the flop.
With PLO8, you're playing to scoop/quarter people (obviously). You're not playing to win 1 side of the pot or the other, you're playing to win both. I hate when people say "play for high first!" or "play for low first!". Its ridiculous. Play for both.
Raising preflop cuts down on the number of players postflop, which can often help your scooping/quartering chances. You can often quarter bad players with the nut low and top pair if the pot is heads up, but its pretty difficult to accomplish multi-way.
Additionally, raising preflop can often buy you position. The button should be limping with a wide range of hands preflop after a couple of other limps. But if you raise, you can often act last on all the later streets, which is a good thing.
And lastly, while the flop does change a lot in PLO8, some hands hit flops way better than others. A4KTr is a pretty speculative hand, and doesn't hit that many flops very hard. A23Kds, AA3Qds, or A2KQds on the other hand nails a ton of flops and you should be willing to push your preflop edge, even though it adds to your variance tremendously. Its much easier to play a big pot when you've raised preflop.
re: Poker & PLEASE more people play Omaha. Here's Why.
As2s3cKd (powerful low, good hi)
As3sKdQd (powerful hi, good low)
As2s3c4h (best low hand possible, only a barely decent hi, but you make that sacrifice)
AsKdQsJd (no low possible, but are you really gonna throw that away?)
Excellent point on the preflop raise. Usually don't give variance any thought, but guess the principle is that many small smart risks pay off in the longrun.
Players Only used to have a $1000 PL OHL8 freeroll every week. In fact, last week they had two tourneys, exactly the same, running at the same time. I don't see any more scheduled for this week. Anybody know if they have stopped running them?
My point in starting this thread was to invite people to Omaha Hi/Lo. Selfish reasons were we need a bigger player base with more recreational players, and that the action junkies might actually have more fun with all those cards out there. Altruistic reasons are that for those who want to work at it, it's a consistently more profitable game than hold em.
I wouldn't dare try playing omaha 2 years ago, didn't have a clue as to what it was. Now, I love playing it, if for no other reason than to have a break from hold'em. I play some horse and stud, but not so keen on them.
I will stick to the holdem games primarily and dabble in omaha, when feel the need to have a break from holdem.
re: Poker & PLEASE more people play Omaha. Here's Why.
OK so I decided to give this Omaha another whirl...just for a few hands of course. Went to FT and entered a game with only 1 player sitting at the table. Posted the bb and was dealt the hand. Boy I felt like the teacher just put a trigonometry test in front of me and I had been studying for the Algebra quiz. Then decided to dissect the four cards a little different this time. Maybe this is so basic that everyone already knows it but it seemed new to my brain. Looking at


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Home > Fitness > Ten Healthy Cooking Tips
Ten Healthy Cooking Tips
Fitness for mind and body.
Good nutrition is not just a matter of selecting the "right" foods to eat. It is also important to prepare these foods in ways that will maintain their nutritional benefits. Careful decisions about cooking techniques can have a profound effect on the nutrient content of the foods we prepare.
These cooking strategies and ingredient substitution ideas can help retain and, in some cases, improve, the nutritional value of your most popular dishes. They can also help you meet the American Institute for Cancer Research's recommendations for lower cancer risk and better overall health:
- Cut the salt in half in your favorite recipes. Most of the time this will not produce a noticeable taste change. Consider replacing part of the salt with an herb or spice, flavored vinegar, citrus juice or peel. Garlic or onion power (not garlic or onion salt) work well in meats, soups, and sauces. Make your own mix of garlic, onion, paprika, and parsley flakes. See also: Salt Sense
- Use veggie spray or non-stick pans for grilling or stir-frying.
- Choose methods of cooking that will retain flavor, color, and nutrients. Steam instead of boiling vegetables. Avoid cooking at high temperatures (except for quick stir-frying) and long cooking times. Both extended heat and liquid can destroy or leach out valuable nutrients.
- Add vegetables whenever possible to ensure your five-a-day intake. Experiment with more veggie variety in salads, try new vegetable mixes, include some shredded vegetables in casseroles, and add different vegetables to soups and stews. Use chopped red or yellow peppers to "pep" up the flavor. Try vegetable salsas and fruit chutneys as accompaniments to meat or poultry in place of heavy gravies or sauces.
- Try some lower-in-fat substitutes such as low fat cheese, salad dressing and evaporated skim milk. Try low cholesterol egg products. Use two egg whites instead of one whole egg to significantly reduce the fat and cholesterol content of some baked goods. See also: Defatting Your Recipes
- When you use oil, select olive or canola oil. Drain off visible fat while cooking, blot pan-fried foods on paper towels to absorb extra grease, and allow soups to chill before reheating and serving so that the fat can be skimmed off the top.
- Choose roasting, poaching or stir frying as frequent cooking methods. Keep open-flame grilling of meats to a minimum as this practice produces cancer-promoting compounds. Avoid eating charred food. Microwave cooking is a healthful way to cook vegetables because the short cooking time reduces nutrient losses and usually no added water or fat is needed.
- Reduce the fat in home baked goodies by substituting applesauce, pureed prunes, mashed bananas, or yogurt for up to half of the shortening. It works! Obviously prune puree would discolor a yellow cake but does well for chocolate cake and brownies. The end result is moist and fat content is reduced. See also: Fruit Puree Fat Replacement
- Substitute some whole grain products for all-purpose flour in your cooking. Try whole wheat flour, oatmeal or flax in bread and muffins, or add some bran or wheat germ to your meatloaf. Try using some soy flour in biscuits and breads.
- Try more fruit desserts (fresh, stewed, and cobblers) instead of cakes and cookies. Choose frozen yogurt, sherbet and sorbet instead of ice cream. Serve cake with fruit sauce instead of frosting or whipped cream.
Using sensible cooking methods, less fat, and adding more vegetables, fruits and whole grains to recipes are guaranteed winning techniques to set a better nutritional table. These steps can also help lower risk for chronic diseases such as cancer.
You may also find of interest...
Disclaimer: The material on this Web site is not intended to replace advice from your doctor or fitness professional. Please consult with your physician before beginning any fitness program or fat or weight reduction program. FitnessandFreebies.com takes no responsibility for individual results, or any claim made by a third party.


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Emily- a new meMature
I spent the day going on rides, eating food and flirting with men. I also found a place to sell my ring. It hurt, David did not text me at all. It seemed it was over and I didn't get it. Jeremy texted me about my day and I wanted to talk. I ignored his texts and went with my day.
I also decided to spend a second day at Disneyland. In the morning, I went to do a makeover. While the ladies were taking care of my nails, the hair stylist cut my hair. It became shoulder length and went from brown to red. The salon had a tattoo parlor next door so I got myself a tattoo of a rose next to my ankle. I used the money from the ring.
When I was walking from the Peter Pan ride, I got a text from Ikuto and Jeremy. I rolled my eyes and ran up to a guy playing Goofy. His help took a pic of us and I texted the pic to both guys. The message below the picture said: Never Better. I got two responses.
Ikuto: I should have known you would go to Disneyland.
Jeremy: You should have invited me! I love Goofy ;)
I smiled and continued to other rides and shopping. I bought Toy Story two toys for the boys, a nightlight for the babies into the nursery and pirate hats for Jess and Tyler. Maybe they could have a pirate wedding. I bet the boys would love it.
After watching the fireworks show, I started driving home. I was in better spirits. I still haven't heard from David and decided that my new look did not deserve him. If he wanted someone else, I didn't care. When I arrived home, it was about 3:00AM. I texted Jeremy in the car about coffee, if he wanted to get some in the morning that is. He texted me back agreeing: Same time, same place.
I walked into the house. The lights were off downstairs so I used my cells light to light my up the stairs. I tiptoed sat Jess's room into mine and closed the door.


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Villa in Gassin, St Tropez, Var, Provence Alpes Cote D'Azur, France - Peaceful Location, Glorious Garden And Views, Golf Vacation Paradise
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Top Traveller Review
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About the Owner
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A stunning house in beautiful gardens with a huge and unique pool. We had a fantastic holiday in this unique luxury property. It's close to the delights of St Tropez and Ramatuelle, the beaches of Pamplone and many great restaurants and yet is secluded in a peaceful secure private estate amongst vineyards.
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superb house, gardens and location
This is a terrific find. A wonderful house, very comfortable and well designed, stunning gardens and by far the most beautiful pool we've ever seen! The location could not be better, peaceful and cooler being a little higher up from the coast but 8 minutes from St Tropez and more crucially 10 minutes on the back road to the beaches of Pamplonne so you don't have to sit in the traffic of the coast road. It is sandwiched just between the pretty villages of Gassin and Ramatuelle, but up a private road so it is secluded, safe and peaceful.
From the Owner
"The location is just about perfect......surrounded by forest and vineyards. It is peaceful yet only a few minutes from the buzz and mayhem!"
Activity and Interests
Famous Pamplone beaches 4 miles. (ten minutes) drive. St Tropez beaches 4 miles. Beach restaurants all along the beaches including CLUB 55, La Voile Rouge, Nikki Beach, Les Graniers.
Nice airport 65 miles, 1.5hrs. Toulon airport 50 mins. La Mole private airport 20 mins. Car essential. Transport to and from airports can be arranged.
Gassin village 2 miles. Ramatuelle 3 miles. St Tropez 4 miles. Several provencal hilltop villages nearby. Cannes 1 hrs drive.
Further Details:
Good local shop in Gassin including bakery and foreign newspapers.
Large supermarket with excellent fresh fish and meat 1.5 miles (La Foux)
ST Tropez market on Tuesdays and Saturdays for fresh fruit and veg, local pottery,jewelry, clothes antiques... you name it! Best green grocery in the area is Laurent in Ramatuelle (next door village) Best fresh fruit and vegetable supermarket Is Grand Frais Cogolin.Fresh fish market every day in St Tropez. Funky or elegant men's and ladie's clothes in St Tropez. Societe Marseillaise de Credit bank in La Foux (supermarket). Various Banks including HSBC and currency exchange bureau in St Tropez. Favourite restauranrs include: Le Bellovisto and La Verdoyante in Gassin. Le Caprice des Deux, L'Auberge des Maures,Pan Dei (very elegant, exotic cocktails beautiful setting) in St Tropez. Clu 55, Nikki Beach, Cabane Bambou and L'Esquinade on Pamplone beach, Les Graniers and Golf Azur and La Bouillabaisse in St Tropez beaches.
Prices and Availability
Rental rates
|Rental Period
|Minimum Price
|Additional Nights
|Weekend Night
|Event Price
My Standard Rate
14 night minimum stay
for 14 nights
Additional pricing information
|No additional mandatory fees
|Refundable Damage Deposit
Booking Notes:
For bookings contact Sylvie on 00377 93504616. 25% Deposit at time of booking and balance due two months before rental commencement date.
Changeover Day:
Usual changeover day is Saturday but can be flexible. Arrival time not before 2pm.
Departure time 10am. Can be flexible according to circumstances.
Owner's Cancellation Policy
- 12
- Available
- 12
- Unavailable
From the Owner
"The greatest benefit of properties in this location is that you can access the beaches and St. Tropez by the "back" road and do not have to face the "nose to tail" situation on the coast road at certain times of day"
Property Type
- house
- Family
- Sports & Activities
- Tourist Attractions
- Air Conditioning ...
- Ceiling Fans
- Fireplace ...
- Hair Dryer
- Heating
- Internet
- Iron & Board
- Linens Provided
- Living Room ...
- Parking
- Telephone
- Towels Provided
- Tumble Dryer ...
- Washing Machine ...
- Coffee Maker ...
- Dishes & Utensils ...
- Dishwasher
- Freezer ...
- Kitchen ...
- Microwave
- Oven ...
- Refrigerator ...
- Hob ...
- Toaster
- Child's Highchair
- Dining ...
- Dining Area
- Books ...
- DVD Player
- Satellite / Cable ...
- Stereo
- Television
- Video Library
Pool / Spa
- Heated Pool
- Private Pool ...
- wheelchair accessible ...
Location Type
- beach
- near the sea
- rural
- village
- bay
- botanical garden
- churches
- cinemas
- forests
- marina
- museums
- naturist beach
- restaurants
- winery tours
Leisure Activities
- beachcombing
- horse riding
- paddle boating
- scenic drives
- walking
Local Services & Businesses
- ATM/bank
- fitness centre
- groceries
- hospital
- massage therapist
- medical services
Sports & Adventure Activities
- equestrian events
- golf
- jet skiing
- paragliding
- sailing
- diving
- snorkelling
- surfing
- swimming
- tennis
- water skiing
- wind-surfing
Floor Area
- 350 m²
- Bathroom 1 - Toilet, Bath with Shower, Bidet
- Bathroom 2 - Toilet, Bath with Shower, Shower Enclosure, Bidet
- Bathroom 3 - Toilet, Bath with Shower, Shower Enclosure, Bidet
- Bathroom 4 - Toilet, Bath with Shower, Shower Enclosure, Bidet
- Bathroom 5 - Toilet, Shower Enclosure, Bidet
- En suite to all bedrooms. 4 with bath and shower, 1 with shower, all with bidet and WC.
- 5 Bedrooms, Sleeps 10
- Bedroom 2 - 1 Large Double Bed
- Bedroom 1 - 1 Large Double Bed
- Bedroom 3 - 2 Single Bed
- Bedroom 5 - 2 Single Bed
- Bedroom 4 - 2 Single Bed
- Description of sleeping capacity: Sleeps 10 (5 Bedrooms) Notes on bedrooms: Bedroom 1 with antique large double four poster bed, air conditioning. Bedroom2 with double bed, bedroom 3 with twin beds,air conditioning Bedroom 4twin beds, air conditioning, bedroom 5 with twin beds and ceiling fan.
- Balcony ...
- Terrace ...
- Golf ...
- Garden ...
- Barbecue ...
- Tennis ...
- Self-catering
House Rules
- Max. occupancy: 10
- non smoking only ...
- pets not allowed
- children welcome ...
- Notes on accommodation: Spacious bedroom 1 on the first floor with air conditioning, antique furniture and dressing area. Bedrooms 2 and 3 and 4 on the ground floor, elegant and simple with open dressing area and air conditioning. The ground floor bedrooms are accessed by individual doors outside the main living area. Bedroom 5 in pool house with en suite bath and ceiling fan. Large living room, and study area(TV, DVD, WiFi, Music centre) with access to terrace seating and dining areas. Bedroom 5 in the pool house with ensuite shower. Opening on to outdoor dining area and pergola. Outside: Beautiful landscaped gardens in 7 acre grounds. Various outdoor dining areas. Barbecue in pool-house including dishwasher, ice maker and drinks fridge. Outdoor furniture seating 10 plus 6. Terrace outside living room with cane seating and dining area. Large private infinity pool approx 15x18m. Heating available. Private all weather tennis court. Utility Room: Washing machines, tumble dryer. Outdoor drying area. Cleaning / Towels / Linen / Maid service: Towels and linen included and changed once a week or as necessary. Nine hours cleaning per week included. More hours available at tenant's cost.


text: One of three Colby College students arrested on Easter is challenging bail conditions that bar him from possessing alcohol and require that he submit to searches and testing for alcohol use or possession.22-year-old Ozzy Ramirez is charged with assault and criminal trespassing for allegedly trying to interfere with efforts to assist a student who was ill after a dance on campus. Ramirez's attorney told the Morning Sentinel that the bail conditions violate his client's fourth amendment protections against unreasonable search and seizure. District Attorney Evert Fowle says the bail conditions are appropriate and that Ramirez' drinking helped get him into trouble.


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Read More
Buy a Hilton Grand Vacations Club membership and take advantage of a world-class ownership and save thousands of dollars on your purchase. Buying a Hilton timeshare will give you the ability to stay at hundreds of different locations around the world. Rather than being deeded to a single location, Hilton has its own point-based timeshare and an internal exchange program.
Buying a timeshare is going to be far cheaper than a week's stay at a hotel. When you stay in a hotel room, you pay a premium in order to live in the room for a few days. However, when you buy a timeshare, you pre-pay for a luxury getaway. Buyers on the resale market always save money by working directly with the owner. Plus the hotel is able to prepare for your arrival as they know when you are scheduled to vacation at their retreat.
When you buy Hilton timeshare, you receive more amenities than a standard resort or hotel. As an owner, you will have access to swimming pools, guest services and other amenities that you would only find at a Hilton. When you opt to purchase a Hilton timeshare membership, you will receive a larger living space than that of a typical hotel.
Many of Hilton's lager rooms are for sale for thousands of dollars less than the retail market. Why work with a resort salesman when you can save money from the convenience of home and work with a timeshare owner. If you are looking to save money further, you can cook your own meals in the full kitchen of your own Hilton suite. This is an excellent amenity when you are away on and you don't want to break the bank.
Whatever Hilton vacation you are looking for, if it is part of HGVC or RCI, BuyaTimeshare.com can find you a Hilton Time share to buy. If you're looking to buy Hilton Timeshares, place an offer on any advertisement. Our vast inventory is sure to give you a feel of what a Hilton Vacation is all about.
A Hilton vacation is exactly what life calls for in this hectic world. When you book a Hilton vacation you expect all the grand amenities, luxuries and pampering. Of course you want the timeshare to feature outdoor activities like hiking, golf, sandy beaches, snorkeling, scuba diving, sailing and nature tours. Zoo's, theme parks and shopping and fine dining are also important. Hilton guests enjoy shopping at world-class boutiques and nearby restaurants offer unsurpassed dinning by world renowned chefs. Discover the difference that poolside recreation will have on your vacations. Or hit the beaches with destinations set on the most popular beaches in the world.
When somebody mentions the Hilton name, the popular resorts located in Florida come to mind. Florida encompasses the tropical paradise of Marco Island, where The Charter Club of Marco Island is located. Or visit the Eagles Nest Beach Resort and choose from an abundant selection of outdoor activities. Charter a sailboat or enjoy some world-famous water sports. Sports enthusiasts enjoy the championship golf courses and tennis courts. BuyaTimeshare.com allows you to plan a trip with specialized tools on our website. Make your vacation plans easy by planning ahead.
Does skiing, golfing, bears, deer, wildlife and crystal clear lakes sound like a great vacation spot? Take a Hilton vacation in Whistler, British Columbia like millions of happy owners have. There are 2 Hilton vacations you can choose from in Canada, so if a Hilton Whistler vacation isn't for you, head over to Quebec and enjoy a relaxing mountain resort with all the outdoor activities with a backdrop of picturesque landscapes. A Quebec Hilton vacation destination is only two hours from Montreal where top ski destinations such as Mont Tremlant. Quebec is known for its French Canadian history, so explore the local culture and acquaint yourself with many beautiful traditions.
Buy a Hilton timeshare membership and take advantage of a world-class ownership and save thousands of dollars on your purchase. Buying a Hilton timeshare will give you the ability to stay at hundreds of different locations around the world. Rather than being deeded to a single location, Hilton has its own point-based timeshare and an internal exchange program.


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Definition of haiku
Examples of haiku in a Sentence
He has written many beautiful haiku.
Did You Know?
A haiku is an unrhymed Japanese poetic form that consists of 17 syllables arranged in three lines containing five, seven, and five syllables, respectively. A haiku expresses much and suggests more in the fewest possible words. The form gained distinction in the 17th century, when Basho, a Japanese poet considered the greatest practitioner of the form, elevated it to a highly refined art. It remains Japan's most popular poetic form. The Imagist poets (1912–30) and others have imitated the form in English and other languages.
Origin and Etymology of haiku
First Known Use: 1902
Other Literature Terms
HAIKU Defined for Kids
Definition of haiku for Students
: a Japanese poem or form of poetry without rhyme having three lines with the first and last lines having five syllables and the middle having seven
Learn More about haiku
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about haiku
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up haiku? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).


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|Message view
|« Date » · « Thread »
|« Date » · « Thread »
|"Stefan Guggisberg" <stefan.guggisb...@gmail.com>
|Re: How to configure nodetypes without code
|Fri, 23 Feb 2007 16:18:04 GMT
hi darren, On 2/23/07, Darren Hartford <email@example.com> wrote: > Hi all, > There is a list of nodetypes available here: > http://wiki.apache.org/jackrabbit/NodeTypeRegistry > > However, there does not seem to be any definition of those nodetypes, > nor how to apply them. the page you're refering to contains descriptions of some wellknown node types, the built-in node types defined by jsr 170, node types used by jackrabbit internally and some application specific node types. those node types are usually pre-installed, there's no need to 'deploy' them. > > There is 'knowledge' of nodetypes > http://jackrabbit.apache.org/doc/nodetype/index.html, but there are two > ways to define them (XML and CND), and no description of how to deploy > them (assumption is under /repository/nodetypes). the assumption is wrong ;-) you can either build node type definitions programmatically using jackrabbit api methods or define them in either xml or cnd format. you have to register your node type definitions programmatically, e.g. JackrabbitNodeTypeManager ntMgr = (JackrabbitNodeTypeManager) wsp.getNodeTypeManager(); ntMgr.registerNodeTypes(new FileInputStream("/foo/mytypes.cnd"), JackrabbitNodeTypeManager.TEXT_X_JCR_CND); > > There is an example in SVN under > /applications/test/repository/nodetypes, and that one is an XML > definition. > > Is XML nodetype configuration under /repository/nodetypes the > recommended, non-coded approach to add custom properties that could then > be searched on via xpath/sql? quite the contrary, manipulating those files directly is strictly discouraged! the only recommended approach unfortunately involves a minimal amount of coding, see above example. cheers stefan > > Thanky, > -D >
|View raw message


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Google AdWords Premium Course
Training Mode:
Google AdWords Premium course at ADMEC Multimedia Institute is a short term AdWords Pay Per Click (PPC) course specially designed by our experts to those who are interested in learning Google AdWords in short duration only.
The course is spread across 1 month duration. At ADMEC students will acquire skills in allied aspects of Google AdWords such as basic overview of AdWords, landing page & its importance, getting started with AdWords, keywords planning & researching, creating campaign & ad groups, exploring quality score, optimizing ads and keywords for performance, using display ads in remarketing campaigns, etc.
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Candidate must have good knowledge of computer basics and internet. Knowledge of website designing tools such as Photoshop, HTML, and CSS would be an added advantage.
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Chapter 4. Researching Keywords using Keywords Planner Tool
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Chapter 10. Using Display Ads in Remarketing Campaigns
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Why Join Us?:
Learning Methodology:
Our teaching methodology is utterly established. We issue various assignments and projects to our short term Google AdWords Premium course students too. You will be given a test paper, project, and practical test to complete at the institute after completion of your Google AdWords Premium Course.


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This is a discussion on Hey Ya'll.... Check This Out within the General Firearm Discussion forums, part of the Related Topics category; From what my Gunsmith told me, just the M1 will START at $500.. & only go up if the rifling is good. which it is. ...
From what my Gunsmith told me, just the M1 will START at $500.. & only go up if the rifling is good. which it is.
I just stripped em all down, & the M1 was made 11/1944.
The SKS def saw sub-tropic temperatures.. Judging from deep pitting under the stock.. & also has the early 60's style rear sight.
Yeah it comes out to $90 apiece for the long guns, & $200 for the DW..
you got all those for $500??!!!!!!
nice find!
Georg BüchnerWo die Notwehr aufhört, fängt der Mord an
(Murder begins where self-defense ends)
All those for five hundred bucks! Talk about being in the right place at the right time. Sweeeeeeeet!
Great pics of the arsenal too. I do have at least one in your find, a Universal Arms .30 M1 carbine.
"A Smith & Wesson always beats 4 aces!"
The Man Prayer. "Im a man, I can change, if I have to.....I guess!" ~ Red Green
Oh wow... Want!
WARNING: This post may contain material offensive to those who lack wit, humor, common sense and/or supporting factual or anecdotal evidence. All statements and assertions contained herein may be subject to literary devices not limited to: irony, metaphor, allusion and dripping sarcasm.
Dude, you win. Seriously.
Nice finds, and look like quality pieces. If you bought them as an opportunity to make some money you've done so, but if I had found that deal they wouldn't make it out of my safe. :)
"...whoever has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one." (Luke 22:36)
Christianity and Self Defense from a Biblical Perspective
Shipped down from where?
Don't believe what you hear and only half of what you see!
-Tony Soprano
"To my mind it is wholly irresponsible to go into the world incapable of preventing violence, injury, crime, and death. How feeble is the mindset to accept defenselessness. How unnatural. How cheap. How cowardly. How pathetic." Ted Nugent
Nice! You're a lucky guy...head out and buy a lottery ticket!
Last edited by RETSUPT99; April 25th, 2010 at 05:56 PM.
Proverbs 27:12 says: The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.
Certified Glock Armorer
NRA Life Member
That was either a little old lady with a deceased hubby, or a PO'd ex getting rid some firearms. Either way nice catch!
Right place at the right time I'd say.
I want to know what caliber gun you had in your hand when you made the purchase??!!
Freedom doesn't come free. It is bought and paid for by the lives and blood of our men and women in uniform.
USAF Retired
NRA Life Member
That is an excellent deal.
It dosent get much better than that.
You have 3 guns there that are worth at least that...
Universal Background Checks...the next step towards registration and confiscation.
AR. CHL Instr. 07/02 FFL
Like custom guns and stuff? Check this out...


text:
- 500 Mbps networking speeds from any electrical outlet
- High performance Gigabit Ethernet port
- Seamlessly stream HD videos, play games online, and download media files
Some manufacturers place restrictions on how details of their products may be communicated.
Best $120 ever! 05/11/2013
This review is from: TRENDnet TPL-401E Powerline 500 AV Adapter Up to 500Mbps
This is by far the best investment I have ever made. I took a chance on these considering I have never used this type of technology before. Before I plugged these in, I was using Wireless on my laptop and I was getting 30Mbps down when I can take my laptop and plug it directly into my modem and receive 50Mbps down. Once I had these working, I ran a speed test and I was now getting 50Mbps down through the powerline. AMAZING!
One of the Ethernet cables that came with one of the adapters didn't work as it was not transferring data. I unplugged it and plugged in one of my own Ethernet cables and it worked immediately. Not a big deal.
Other Thoughts:
Be sure to buy 2 of these. I know previous buyers have only bought 1 by mistake. Additionally, I wish they would better test the Ethernet cables they provide to you. If I didn't have another cable to test with, it would of been a pain to go find one because I refuse to buy overpriced Ethernet cables from retail stores.
5 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes / No Thanks for the valuable feedback you provided!


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Learning self-defense gives you confidence when you're traveling in strange places or insulting another state's official bird. Don't give a hoot with this Groupon.
The Deal
- $33 for 10 tae kwon do classes and a uniform (a $175 value) with registration (a $45 value; a $220 total value)
Best US Tae Kwon Do Academy Martial Arts Center
With more than 2,000 years of history behind it, tae kwon do merges traits of karate and kung fu into a form of combat often characterized by its white uniforms, powerful strikes, and devastating kicks. Although Master Michael Han of Best US Tae Kwon Do Academy Martial Arts Center trains his students how to execute these moves, he believes tae kwon do is ultimately predicated on the desire for peace. To that end, he fosters a community that promotes self-discipline, respect, and confidence.
In addition to traditional tae kwon do, Master Han teaches classes in two other Korean combat styles: hap ki do and tang soo do. The former is characterized by its strong joint locks and use of weapons such as staffs, nunchucks, and barbed insults; in the latter, practitioners dole out self-defense techniques with empty hands and bare feet.
Customer Reviews
159 East Foothill Boulevard
Arcadia, CA 91006
+16263588899Get Directions


text:
The Office of Faculty Development offers several physician leadership development programs. The programs range from one session opportunities to 10-month programs. We also offer leadership programs tailored to specific groups.
In 2016 a program was developed called the Chief Leadership Academy (CLA). This program will be an 8 month long program with participants selected by their department chairs. For those of you in this program you have been given access to the CLA hub to view the powerpoints and videos of the sessions.
Click here to go to the CLA hub.
In 2008 the Physician Leadership Academy was formed as a 10-month long program where physicians work together in an interdisciplinary cohort. The program has graduated over 100 physicians. Click here to see our 2015 graduates and their topics of study.
For more information contact Sandra DeHart at email@example.com or 540-581-0317.


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Maths graduate Jon Taylor could have been a successful actuary or accountant by now. Leaving York University with a 2:1, he would have had a warm welcome from many financial institutions.
But he was appalled at the prospect of a conventional and boring career: "The idea of the Milk Round [large firms interviewing final-year undergraduates] horrified me. People applying for those jobs usually saw the work itself as not very interesting. But because it paid well, they saw it as an end in itself. I wanted to feel passionate about what I did."
So, instead of becoming an employee, he set his own parameters outside the main employment infrastructure. In the nine or so years since he graduated, he has spent a lot of time in France, become fluent in French, set up and run an organic farm for five years (supplying vegetable boxes to up to 60 families a week), learnt carpentry (including constructing timber-framed buildings) and done temporary and part-time jobs to pay the bills. He does not claim unemployment benefit and fills in a tax return each year.
Managing his money is one of the hardest aspects of his life - and he has very little to spend on going to the pub, clothes and other things seen as important by most twenty- and thirtysomethings. Last year, for instance, he earned less than £5,000 - but spent a month in the US, six months in France, went to various festivals and spent several weeks walking.
He has his own tactics for sustaining his lifestyle - keeping costs down, being flexible, and exchanging his knowledge and labour for bed and board.
So when travelling abroad, he has often worked on other people's organic farms and, in return, been accepted into their family and environment. Or he takes the van he bought for £100 and sleeps in that. "My quality of life is much higher in France than in England," he says. "The community is so much more important there. France is much more decentralised. It is easier to shop in markets there. The cost of living is much lower. Living in a van is much easier because so many people take to the roads for their holidays, anyway. I wasn't treated as such a weirdo there."
Landscape architecture graduate Jo Barker has also set her own work agenda since graduating from what is now Manchester Metropolitan University in the late 80s. Like Jon, she emphasises the need for passion in her working life: "I tend to do things that I feel strongly about unless I need the money. Then I'll do a lot of things to catch up. Passion is a very important word."
She has had a range of jobs and has, periodically, worked as an employee. Her experience includes working with community groups (particularly on landscape and art projects), running an organic farm, organising environmental courses for children, teaching permaculture, winning a community work fellowship to Indonesia (where she was involved in making solar cookers) and arranging communications courses for adults.
For Jo, too, money is also in very short supply - but she often manages to find inventive ways to do things. For example, she managed to go to the Glastonbury Festival this year by running candle-making workshops at the event. She, her husband and small daughter are planning to use up some of their capital this winter - from the sale of a house bought cheaply several years ago - to fly to Hawaii, where they will live cheaply and go on self-development courses. Like Jon, she does not claim unemployment benefit - feeling that she could be sucked into the system and find it more difficult to be entrepreneurial.
Dealing with money is one of the hardest issues for people living alternative lifestyles. Jo does worry about pensions and contributes to a plan when she has some spare money. But she says: "Our culture is going to change so much that we don't know what will happen. I feel that if I spend time learning to grow vegetables and be self-sufficient, that could be more helpful than a pension. The financial world seems uncertain and constantly changing. I've been in the depths of poverty and know how bad it can get. When you are really desperate, you find quite creative ways of coping."
She built up her knowledge of edible plants, for instance, when she had very little money to buy food.
Jon worries a bit more about having "no money in the bank and no pension" the older he gets. But he is also sceptical about these financial vehicles: "Pensions are based on a fear that things are going to get worse. Living a life of change promotes your trust in the universe."
Both Jon and Jo have had repeated experiences of doors opening for them unexpectedly - particularly when they were in difficulties.
Taylor - who currently works one day a week delivering vegetables and spends most of the rest of his time designing and constructing a wood cabin - is going on a free 10-day timber-building course in France this month, funded by EU grants to bring together skilled carpenters from across the world.
At a recent meeting of 200 English carpenters, he was the only one who could afford the time off for the course.
Living this type of alternative lifestyle is probably much harder than it sounds. Both Jo and Jon are well-educated, with a broad range of skills, a desire to keep on learning, a strong network of friends and contacts, attractive personalities, marked communications strengths, the ability to manage on low budgets, self-confidence, self-motivation and a sense of direction.
A particular challenge is dealing with times of low morale. Most workers can overcome those depressing Monday mornings, for instance, because they are with lots of other people in a formal workplace where they will be forced to keep on track. But solitary workers have no such structures to fall back on.
Taylor had to dig himself out of a short period of looking into the void a few months ago after he had been working in paid employment for a few weeks to pay his van insurance and then wondered what to do and where to go next. But he had enough experience and self-control to pick himself up in a few days.
Should Jo, Jon and people like them worry about the future? Will they be able to continue earning enough to keep going in their 60s and older?
"Employers are going to get much more tolerant," says Sam Mercer of the Employers Forum on Age. "It will depend on the sector but, increasingly, employers are going to focus on the ability of people to do a particular job."
But the IT sector could be a long time in changing, says Louise Smith of JM recruitment consultants: "Whether it is a buyer's or a seller's market has a strong effect. Two or three years ago, employers were prepared to be a lot more creative and flexible. Now, unless people have the exact background and experience employers are looking for, they may as well forget it."
Theo Blackwell of the Work Foundation says that flexible working will become more common - but believes many employers will remain cautious and conservative: "Employers don't like the idea of absences on your CV. But I characterise people who have opted out of the labour market as entrepreneurs in their own right. Just like any self-employed person, they have to have a valuable skill to survive."
But, for themselves, Jo and Jon do not have a conventional view of their own futures. "My vision is to be a part of a community," says Jo, who is exploring setting up a small, self-sufficient group somewhere. Jon, who would like to spend more of his time in France, says: "More and more, I am taking things as they come and trusting that opportunities will continually arise - as they always have."


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View from above: Harry Potter expansion
We took a chopper ride over the Harry Potter World expansion to get a glimpse of the attraction's progress. It is set to open this summer.
In case your sweet tooth gets the best of you, cool off at Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour and grab a scoop of one of its unique flavors.
In this train station, you can leave the Muggle world and enter the Wizard World if you pass through the wall to platform 9 3/4
The Hogwart's Express will be parked in King's Cross Station in London, which is located inside Universal Studios. From there, you can travel to Hogsmeade Station located inside Universal's Island of Adventure.
Enter Gringotts bank, which is pictured on the far right, and walk through the grand marble lobby where you can see goblins hard at work. Then you can take a journey through passageways that lead deep underground as you climb aboard Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts. You'll even encounter Harry, Ron and Hermione along the way.
All aboard! Hop on Hogwart's Express.
The tripple-decker "Knight Bus" will sit in the London park area of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Plenty of shops will be available. Stop by Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions to pick up your wizardwear, or scoot over to Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment to grab wizarding essentials like telescopes, binoculars, compasses and more.
Need a ride? Stop by Black Carp Taxi Services
When you visit, don't forget to stop by the Leaky Cauldron. You can fill up on traditional British food including cottage pie, fish and chips and bangers and mash. You'll be able to wash this all down with a frothy Butterbeer.
If you plan on being a good wizard, you'll need your supplies. Scribbulus will take care of all your wizard school supplies, including feather quills, ink and inkwells, bookmarks, journals, parchment paper, seals, stationary sets and postcards.
Borgin and Burkes is a located in Knockturn Ally and the shelves are stocked with dark and sinister items like masks, skulls and costume replicas.
Dung Bombs are freshly delivered from the Weasley boys.
During your trip to Diagon Alley, be sure to grab your wand at Ollivanders. The shop has wands stacked to the ceiling, just like the movies.
Stop in Sugarplum's Sweets Shop for magical treats like Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands and Pumpkin Pasties.
Weasley's Petrifying Products will carry magical jokes and toys inspired by the books and films.
If you enjoy a good game of Quidditch, stop by Quality Quidditch Supplies. You can purchase sweaters, brooms, Golden Snitches, Bludger bats, Quaffles and more.


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Green powers Prairie View A&M past Texas Southern, 38-11
Trey Green ran for two touchdowns and threw for a third as Prairie View A&M ran away from Southwestern Conference rival Texas Southern, 38-11 in the season opener for both teams Saturday night.
The victory made Willie Simmons a winner in his debut as head coach of Prairie View A&M.
Green ran 80 yards for his first score in the opening minutes of the game and the Panthers held a 10-3 lead at halftime. Green scored from the 2 early in the third quarter and Johnta Hebert added an 11-yard run for a score to give Prairie View a 24-3 lead after three quarters.
After Green threw 11 yards to Nick Pitre for a 7-yard score to make it 31-3, Averion Hurts got Texas Southern into the end zone with a 5-yard toss to Larry Clark III.
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I woke up with my head rising and falling slowly. I blinked, confused, until I remembered what happened last night. I blushed but didn't move. Caleb was still asleep and I didn't want to wake him up. The Benadryl had helped me get to sleep quickly and I didn't have any nightmares. I shut my eyes again and reflected on my father's death.
We had been at my grandmother's funeral. Everyone was gone but me and him. My mom had gone to oversee the luncheon after. She didn't have a close relationship with her mother-in-law because we lived in different countries.
My father held my hand tightly as he stood by the freshly dug grave. He was crying a lot and I was trying to make him feel better.
"I'm sorry, cel mic," he said and I looked up at him.
"Sorry for what, tată?"
"I-I know I promised," he said and let go of my head. From his sweater pocket, he pulled out a syringe and my heart dropped. "I-I have to, cel mic."
"No," I said, grabbing his hand again. "No, tată! It'll be okay! We'll go back home and watch your funny movies! I'll make you chocolate chip pancakes! I'll read you your favorite book. Please!"
He smiled at me, his lips trembling. "It will be okay, cel mic. When I am done, we will go and eat until our bellies burst."
He got on his knees and wrapped his arms around me. I hugged him tightly, trying not to cry.
"Please," I whimpered. "I'll do anything. You can ground me. I'll be a good girl."
"Oh, Mirela," he said. "You don't need to be grounded! And you've always been a good girl! It's just one more time, okay? I hurt too much, baby. This will make it better."
I gripped him tighter. "I can help!"
He kissed my forehead. "It will be okay."
I watched in dismay as he put the needle in his arm. He winced a little and pushed down on the syringe. He closed his eyes, gasping a little, until the stuff inside was gone. I sniffled and he smiled at me.
"Come. Let's go eat."
He held my hand and walked with me back to the church. He slipped the syringe back in his pocket. My mother was outside, waiting anxiously for us. One look at my father and she knew what he had done. He kissed her with a reassuring smile and we went in. While he talked with family members, I wrapped my arms around her waist.
"I'm scared, Mommy," I whispered.
"Shh," she whispered. "It will be okay."
Halfway through the luncheon, my father got pale. He had to sit down and my mom hurried to get him some water. He started to sweat even though it was freezing in the church. I gulped. Something was very wrong. They thought it was grief until he passed out. Someone called an ambulance and they rushed him to a room, trying to flush his veins.
They were too late. My mom and I had ten minutes with him. He tried to encourage me to not be a business woman. He know how much I loved running around with my fake camera. I promised him I'd do what I love but, in my mind, I promised myself that I would do what he had desired and become a business woman.
The flat line sounded and I sobbed into my mom's chest.
"Mirela?" I opened my eyes. Caleb was rubbing my arm; I didn't realize I had fallen back asleep. "Stop crying. It's just a nightmare."
"Sorry," I whispered. "What time is it?"
"A little after seven."
"Thank you for staying with me," I said, embarrassed.
"Of course. Do you want to grab an early breakfast? There's an IHOP not far away."
"I'm not hungry," I murmured.
"I know you're not but you have to eat something."
I sighed. "Okay."
I sat up and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. Caleb sat up, too, and stretched, his back cracking.
"I'll wait for you out in the kitchen," he said and closed the bedroom door behind him.
I frowned. Why had he stayed with me during the night? I was still clothed and I didn't recall him touching me.... Could he really have been genuinely concerned for me? I remembered him crying for me. Should I ask him or just leave it be?
I sighed and stood, going into my closet. My head was starting to hurt and I didn't want to think about it. I changed into all black, feeling like I had just lost my father all over again. Though I was only seven at the time, I could remember everything that happened in terrible detail.
Caleb was on his phone when I walked out.
"Yeah, I'll bring her by if she wants to," he was saying, his back to me. He sighed. "I highly doubt it, Lu. Are you sure about this? We can ask, I guess. ... All right." He turned and saw me. "She's up. I'll see you soon."
"Everything okay?" I asked as he led the way to his car after I locked the house.
"Yeah," he said. "We finally heard from the insurance company. They're going to replace the green screen."
"That's great!" I said and he nodded with a small smile.
"Luther wants you to come by after we eat. He also wants to do a shoot of just you."
"Why just me?" I asked.
He waited until we were seated to answer me. He rubbed the back of his neck.
"He didn't say but, if he agrees with me, it's because you're beautiful."
I stared at him and waited. I waited for the smirk, the inner dick to come out. He just stared at me, though, waiting for my answer.
"Uh... okay, I guess. I don't really have any plans."
"Great," he said with a smile.
I stuck with just some sausage and eggs, not feeling like a big breakfast. He ordered his and we sat in silence for a while.
"I got an email from Carol," I said quietly and he nodded.
"I did, too," he said and smiled again. "I'm so glad he's fitting in well. She says that I can visit on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays."
"When do you go up to take pictures of the property?"
"We were going to do it today and tomorrow but there's rain in the forecast. We're hoping for next weekend instead."
"Why not during the week?" I asked, thanking the waitress when she brought our food over.
"Because she's too busy," he said. "We want her to be in most of the shots since she's the reason that place exists to begin with." He sighed. "Are you sure you can do this shoot?"
"Yeah," I said quickly. "I think it'll be good, too. Get my mind off of...." I cleared my throat. "Is your dad still mad at you?"
He rolled his eyes and nodded. "I don't care, though. Tom is more important."
"Why did he try to rob you?"
He sighed. "Probably to pay for his next score. I know it doesn't look like much, but those dressing rooms have a lot of valuable things in them."
I nodded and sighed heavily. I hated drugs. I hated what they did to the users and their families. It wasn't fair. I wish Caleb's father wasn't so terrible to him. I wish I could have done more for my father....
"You ready?" Caleb asked, jerking me from my thoughts.
"Yeah," I said and finished my water. "Thanks for breakfast."
"Of course," he said with a strange smile.


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Gerard Darel
Emile Jumper, Camel
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Add some luxury to your knitwear collection with this Emile Jumper from Gerard Darel. Crafted from pure merino wool for optimum comfort, the style boats a beautiful bold leopard print and a flattering v-neck. Wear over a lace cami with slim fit trousers. Finish your look with sleek heels for trendy, smart casual look.


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New research, led by the University of Southampton, has demonstrated that a nanoscale device, called a memristor, could be used to power artificial systems that can mimic the human brain.
Artificial neural networks (ANNs) exhibit learning abilities and can perform tasks which are difficult for conventional computing systems, such as pattern recognition, on-line learning and classification. Practical ANN implementations are currently hampered by the lack of efficient hardware synapses; a key component that every ANN requires in large numbers.
In the study, published in Nature Communications, the Southampton research team experimentally demonstrated an ANN that used memristor synapses supporting sophisticated learning rules in order to carry out reversible learning of noisy input data.
Memristors are electrical components that limit or regulate the flow of electrical current in a circuit and can remember the amount of charge that was flowing through it and retain the data, even when the power is turned off.
Lead author Dr Alex Serb, from Electronics and Computer Science at the University of Southampton, said: "If we want to build artificial systems that can mimic the brain in function and power we need to use hundreds of billions, perhaps even trillions of artificial synapses, many of which must be able to implement learning rules of varying degrees of complexity. Whilst currently available electronic components can certainly be pieced together to create such synapses, the required power and area efficiency benchmarks will be extremely difficult to meet -if even possible at all- without designing new and bespoke 'synapse components'.
"Memristors offer a possible route towards that end by supporting many fundamental features of learning synapses (memory storage, on-line learning, computationally powerful learning rule implementation, two-terminal structure) in extremely compact volumes and at exceptionally low energy costs. If artificial brains are ever going to become reality, therefore, memristive synapses have to succeed."
Acting like synapses in the brain, the metal-oxide memristor array was capable of learning and re-learning input patterns in an unsupervised manner within a probabilistic winner-take-all (WTA) network. This is extremely useful for enabling low-power embedded processors (needed for the Internet of Things) that can process in real-time big data without any prior knowledge of the data.
Co-author Dr Themis Prodromakis, Reader in Nanoelectronics and EPSRC Fellow in Electronics and Computer Science at the University of Southampton, said: "The uptake of any new technology is typically hampered by the lack of practical demonstrators that showcase the technology's benefits in practical applications. Our work establishes such a technological paradigm shift, proving that nanoscale memristors can indeed be used to formulate in-silico neural circuits for processing big-data in real-time; a key challenge of modern society.
"We have shown that such hardware platforms can independently adapt to its environment without any human intervention and are very resilient in processing even noisy data in real-time reliably. This new type of hardware could find a diverse range of applications in pervasive sensing technologies to fuel real-time monitoring in harsh or inaccessible environments; a highly desirable capability for enabling the Internet of Things vision."
Learn more: First demonstration of brain-inspired device to power artificial systems
A research group of the UPV/EHU-University of the Basque Country has made progress in obtaining bio-oils and raw materials from biomass using its patented reactor
The UPV/EHU's Catalytic Processes for Waste Valorisation research group is working on various lines of research relating to renewable energies, one of which corresponds to the obtaining of bio-oils or synthetic petroleum using biomass. In a paper recently published in the scientific journal Fuel, the researchers have proposed using artificial neural networks to determine the heating power of each type of biomass using its composition as it is a highly irregular material.
Biomass is one of the main sources of energy and heat in the field of renewable energy production: it is any type of non-fossil organic matter, such as living plants, timber, agricultural and livestock waste, wastewater, solid urban organic waste, etc. The three most developed technologies for obtaining energy from biomass are as follows: pyrolysis (decomposition by heating in the absence of oxygen), gasification (reaction with air, oxygen or a blend of both and conversion into gas) and combustion (decomposition through heating with oxygen). The effectiveness and emission levels of these three processes change depending on the composition of the biomass as well as its properties, the experimental conditions and equipment used.
In collaboration with researchers at the University of Sao Carlos in Brazil and within the framework of a European project, members of the UPV/EHU's Catalytic Processes for Waste Valorisation research group analysed the process to set up a refinery to obtain bio-oils or synthetic petroleum using biomass. Since "afterwards, using the bio-oil produced it is possible to obtain the same products that are obtained from petroleum; hydrogen as well as any other compound," explained Martin Olazar, project leader and professor of the Department of Chemical Engineering. The reactor developed and patented by this research group, the conical spouted bed reactor, is highly suited to this process because it is suitable for handling irregular, sticky materials —biomass is a highly irregular material and difficult to handle using conventional technologies—.
Artificial neural networks to determine gross calorific value
In the design of the process to obtain bio-oils using biomass, certain variables need to be determined: the temperature that needs to be achieved, how this temperature is to be achieved, how much fuel (in this case how much biomass) needs to be burnt, etc. The gross calorific value is a key parameter in determining all these data: it is the heat (energy) that is released when a certain quantity of fuel is completely burnt. This parameter is essential in the analysis, design and improvement in biomass pyrolysis, gasification and combustion systems. The correlations existing in the literature give highly variable results depending on each type of biomass and its properties. So the researchers in the group are proposing that artificial neural networks be used to calculate this; they have proven empirically that the system gives very good results and they have reported on them in a paper recently published in the scientific journal Fuel.


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Home › Forums › Campfire › Hiking Partners / Group Trip Announcements › Emigrant Wilderness July 4-7
@lorenmauchLocale: CA-Central Valley
I'm planning a backpacking trip during the 4th of July holiday and I'm looking for hiking partners. Maybe make a new friend and find someone to hike with on a regular basis. I am an experienced hiker with gear to share. Climb on!
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Farewell To Arms, Hello To RecoveryTim Smart
Two years ago, the people of southeastern Connecticut were nervously confronting the end of the cold war. There was talk from Washington of shuttering the Groton nuclear submarine base, eliminating 4,500 jobs. At nearby Electric Boat, the General Dynamics Corp. unit that builds the subs, executives wearily planned to slash employment. Residents of an area that relies on the military for 70% of its payroll spoke of pulling up stakes and moving to the Sunbelt.
But Groton dodged the bullet. Not only did the sub base stay open, but the Navy may transfer 3,500 more jobs to town. And the Mashantucket Pequot Indians built a casino complex that employs more than 9,000. The result: The region has added 6,000 service jobs, far offsetting the 800 it lost in manufacturing, and the area's unemployment rate is just 5.3%, vs. 6.1% nationwide.
Groton's recovery is being replicated in a lot of towns where the Pentagon once provided the meal ticket. A robust U.S. recovery that has added 2 million new workers this year is handily offsetting the loss of hundreds of thousands of defense-related jobs. And the economy is finding new work in new industries for those displaced by the shrinking defense business. "Despite all the doomsaying, the economy appears to have absorbed the cuts very well," says Bernard Weinstein of the Center for Economic Development at the University of North Texas.
FIGHTING BACK. Certainly, defense cutbacks have taken a toll. The Defense Budget Project, a Washington think tank, estimates that 1.1 million private-sector jobs have been lost since 1987, with an additional 600,000 more by 1998. "The cutbacks have been severe and involved a lot of pretty good, well-paying jobs," says Yolanda K. Kodrzycki, a senior economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. More could be coming: The Clinton Administration is mulling the cancellation or delay of such new programs as the F-22 fighter and the Osprey helicopter.
But with the exception of Southern California, where an expected 30,000 more defense workers will get pink slips this year, a majority of the states most dependent on defense are doing relatively well. In Massachusetts, the boom in mutual funds has helped lift employment in Boston's mutual-fund and money-management sector by 10%. The Washington (D.C.) suburbs, home to thousands of defense-related workers, are seeing unemployment rates of just above 3%--half the national average. For one, Electronic Data Systems Corp. is "aggressively seeking people," according to a spokesman who expects heavy business from Pentagon outsourcing of payroll and other data services.
SHIFTING GEARS. In some cases, it is defense contractors themselves that have created jobs by shifting into commercial activities or selling overseas. Martin Marietta Corp.'s missile manufacturing complex in Orlando has shed roughly 10,000 jobs since the late 1980s. But it is aggressively courting foreign business, which now accounts for 50% of revenues, up from 5% five years ago. Harris Corp., a Melbourne (Fla.) defense electronics firm, has moved 1,500 of its Electronic Systems Sector's 8,000 employees into nondefense work. Its latest win: A $100 million contract to provide communications links for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.
The job rebound involves more than defense conversion, though. In states such as Florida, diverse economies are creating employment in a host of industries. AT&T, for instance, employs more than 800 people at a silicon chip plant outside Orlando and is transferring new workers from out of state. Overall, says Barnett Banks Inc. economist John Godfrey, Central Florida should lose about 2,000 defense jobs a year, over the next six years. But the regional economy created 28,000 jobs last year alone.
St. Louis, too, has bounced back quickly from the defense meltdown. Home to McDonnell Douglas Corp., builder of F-15 and F/A-18 fighter jets, the area suffered in late 1990 and early 1991 as "Mac" laid off 10,000 workers in six months. By January, 1991, the unemployment rate had soared to 7.6%.
And today? Unemployment is a paltry 4.8%. A study by the St. Louis County Economic Council found that by 1992, two-thirds of those laid off by McDonnell had found work, with nearly half in the same pay range. One big provider of new jobs: the auto industry, with Chrysler Corp. starting up a second plant next year and General Motors Corp. reopening a plant to make vans.
DEEP CUTS. Even in Connecticut, which has not rebounded so quickly, the unemployment rate has fallen to 5.1% since peaking at 7.5% in 1992. Exports of nonmilitary goods have increased by $3 billion in the past four years--roughly the same amount by which defense contracts have fallen in the state.
Connecticut is seeing an upsurge in employment in drug research and manufacturing as well as production of high-tech industrial instruments. Drugmaker Miles Inc. built a $130 million research center in West Haven two years ago and is expanding steadily. Pfizer Inc. has boosted its research workforce in Groton by 40% since 1989. Even Electric Boat is hiring a few people in design and engineering as it begins work on a new class of attack submarines. "The Connecticut economy has shown quite an ability to rebound in ways that aren't always predictable," says state economic research director Jeffrey Blodgett.
Even in battered California, things aren't all bad. John Oldenburg's story illustrates that. For seven years, he worked as an engineer at General Dynamics' San Diego-based Convair division, helping design and test Centaur rockets. But a future in the aerospace business seemed highly uncertain. "Every week I was going to another friend's good-bye luncheon," Oldenburg recalls. So last July, Oldenburg followed a fellow aerospace engineer to Aldila Inc., a maker of high-tech golfing gear. Now, instead of rockets, Oldenburg designs graphite shafts.
Good news in defense, of course, is relative. The long-term picture for California, Connecticut, and other states where military contracts are part of the economic fabric is one of continued downsizing. Many of the deepest cuts could come in a few years, as existing programs end production runs and new ones are mothballed. Defense workers can only hope the economy will keep surprising people with its vigor--and yield more jobs at good wages.


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Hyde New Homes (hydenewhomes.co.uk) has just launched 38 shared-ownership properties at the New Capital Quay development in Greenwich. Another 50 will be launched over the coming 12 months.
© Alamy
Sitting on the south bank of the Thames with the river on three sides, New Capital Quay is a series of curvy blocks arranged around entrance courtyards. Many have a private timber-decked balcony or terrace. One-bedroom apartments start at £64,750 for a 25 per cent share (full market value £259,000) and two-bedroom properties start at £81,250 for a 25 per cent share (£325,000). There are also some larger, three-bedroom flats.
"It is a brilliant site with such a good location for commuting to work and for social life," says Asha Agarwal, sales manager at Hyde.
The development includes shops, with a branch of Waitrose set to open this summer, a series of public squares and gardens, and the site is a three-minute walk to the Cutty Sark DLR station, in Zone 2, with direct links to Canary Wharf. Overground services from Greenwich take 12 minutes to Cannon Street. A slower, but infinitely more enjoyable transport option is to board a Thames Clipper boat to Canary Wharf or the Southbank.
Greenwich: a fantastic location
Greenwich is a fantastic location in its own right with much more to offer than good looks and lashings of historic buildings. It has the eponymous Royal Park, a great high street full of independent and chain stores, loads of riverside pubs, notably The Trafalgar Tavern, and restaurants, a theatre, nightlife in the form of the newly opened Studio 338 in north Greenwich, and the 02 centre.
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Plenty of entertainment
For a slightly edgier experience New Capital Quay is also within walking distance of Deptford, a major regeneration zone where students from nearby Goldsmiths and the University of Greenwich mingle with young artists and families at the Deptford Project, which has exhibitions, film screenings and a great café. Deptford has its own market, as well as art galleries including Bearspace and venues such as The Albany for music and theatre.
But shared ownership is all about affordability. "To buy in this area on the open market you would need a very, very large deposit," points out Agarwal. "For new-build properties lenders require a 20 per cent deposit which, for a one-bedroom open-market flat here would be £51,800. "For shared ownership, 10 per cent deposit would be £6,475."
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The scheme is open to first-time buyers living or working in Greenwich, Lewisham, Southwark, Bexley or Bromley. Applicants must have a household income under £66,000 for the one- and two-bedroom flats.
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25 Things That Are Hilariously Similar To Other Things, #19 May Be A Glitch In The Matrix.
It's time to open your mind and suspend disbelief, because this post is all about showing you things you'd never thought you'd see. For example, you might think that there's no way a pair of puppies could ever look like a pair of croissants.
You would, of course, be wrong.
Don't believe it? Check out the list below, which includes 25 things that look like other things. The likenesses are so uncanny, you might have to do a double take. #17 is just eerie.
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Market towns are the stars in the latest instalment of Homes & Property's guide to the 50 best commuter locations within an hour of London, and they represent an excellent investment.
A recent report by Lloyds Bank found the typical price of a property in a market town was £25,000 above the national average.
What it costs: average homes in this affluent town stand at £779,844, up 40 per cent in two years, says Savills.
Top schools: Goldfield Infants' and Nursery School gets an "outstanding" Ofsted report. Tring School (seniors) is rated "good" by the watchdog.
The commute: 35 minutes to Euston. An annual season ticket costs £3,988. Tring station is a mile outside the town, so it may mean a walk or short drive.
Who would it suit? Those who want convenient countryside. From the top of Ivinghoe Beacon or at College Lake nature reserve, it is hard to imagine London's so close. Tring has plenty of great pubs, with The Bell and The Anchor recommended, and a full range of restaurants, plus the Tring outpost of the Natural History Museum.
Two-bedroom period cottages in the centre of town cost about £350,000. "It's very much a traditional market town, with a lot of independent shops," says Alex Goode of estate agents Brown & Merry. "It's busy, but not too busy."
And the downsides? This is prime commuter belt territory, with prices to match. It will feel quiet after London. And for buyers looking for larger family houses, most of the stock is Eighties or Nineties-built. Not imaginative.
What it costs: the average Cranbrook property costs £460,436, up 15 per cent in the last two years. Expect to pay about £485,000 for a house and £314,000 for a flat, says Savills.
Top schools: Cranbrook School, with an Ofsted "outstanding" rating, is one of the top state schools in Britain.
The commute: drive the five miles to Staplehurst for Charing Cross trains taking from an hour and two minutes. An annual season ticket costs £4,772.
Who would it suit? Those who want a smart little market town in the beautiful High Weald. Rupert Newcomb, manager of Jackson-Stops & Staff, says buyers like Cranbrook's historic feel and pretty, weatherboarded buildings.
There's post-war housing on the fringes, but 16th- and 17th-century homes in Cranbrook, too. A three-bedroom terrace house around the high street will cost from about £450,000, while a detached four-bedroom house will be about £625,000.
And the downsides? If your little darling doesn't get a place at Cranbrook you are in trouble because the other state secondary in town, High Weald Academy, "requires improvement" according to Ofsted. And although Cranbrook has a couple of pubs, the high street has suffered from competition from internet and out-of-town retailers — there is not as much life in Cranbrook as there used to be.
What it costs: average property price is £362,222, up 26.9 per cent in two years, with houses almost £412,000 and flats about £211,000, says Savills.
Top schools: St Joseph's Catholic Primary School and The Hertfordshire & Essex High School and Science College both get "outstanding" Ofsted reports. The Bishop's Stortford High School is rated "good".
The commute: from 38 minutes to Liverpool Street. An annual season ticket costs £5,000.
Who would it suit? Those after value for money. Bishop's Stortford is a splendid-looking little town, about equidistant between London and Cambridge, surrounded by lovely countryside. The schools are good, you get plenty of bang for your buck, and the commute is a breeze. What's not to love?
And the downsides? Some homes in town suffer flightpath noise from Stansted. Expect some slightly faceless estate homes as well as pricier period houses close to the station. The shops are useful rather than exciting.
What it costs: average price is £473,424, up five per cent in two years — about £591,000 for a house and £239,000 for a flat, says Savills.
Top schools: Grayswood CofE Aided Primary School is Ofsted "outstanding". Most of the town's other primaries are rated "good", as is Woolmer Hill, for seniors.
The commute: trains to Waterloo take from 49 minutes. An annual season ticket costs £4,732.
Who would it suit? With prices spiralling in "prime" Surrey, many buyers are leapfrogging Guildford and the Surrey Hills for Haslemere, on the edge of the South Downs. Its location on the A3 makes it handy for the coast and the capital, and now that the Hindhead Tunnel is in operation the local roads are far less gridlocked.
The pretty high street has some lovely boutiques, jewellers and a toy shop, and Haslemere has a good mix of traditional period houses in the town centre, with larger Thirties homes towards the outskirts, and some smashing pubs in the villages around the town.
And the downside? The waiting list for spaces at the station car park.
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