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Excellent value and great ports: MSC Splendida Cruise Review by dkayrenick
Overall Member Rating
Excellent value and great ports
Destination: Europe - Western Mediterranean
Embarkation: Barcelona
Time of year: We cruised the last week of September, so temperatures were warm enough to enjoy the pools and sunbathing while at port or at sea, but it wasn't too hot. I recommend this time of year-summer crowds are gone at the ports but it's still pleasant.
Embarkation: We boarded at the Barcelona port, and it was a breeze. The taxi dropped us off at the door with an hour to spare before final boarding. We were on the ship within ten minutes of arrival. No lines, and no hassle. We have found long lines at the earliest check-in time for Princess. On MSC, passengers arrive and depart at all seven ports, which spreads out the numbers of passengers boarding.
Reception-Quick,friendly responses More to our various questions. When we passed by throughout the cruise, I rarely saw a line.
Restaurants-The fine dining experience is a must on MSC as well as Princess. It was confusing the first night since La Reggia is on two different levels. I had requested a table for two, but instead we were seated at a table for nine, all Americans. I was annoyed because we were really crammed into a corner, with chairs touching, but the maitre d' said there was no other option. The atmosphere lightened up after we ordered bottles of wine. By the second dinner, we looked forward to seeing our table mates to find out what excursions they had participated in. All of our fellow diners had traveled extensively and we shared travel tips, wine recommendations, and our favorite destinations. Our first dinner consisted of a seafood salad served warm, and filled with fresh crab, shrimp, fish, celery, in an olive oil sauce. I'm still waxing poetic over the delicious smoked gouda risotto, and the perch sauteed with lemon, plus a Neapolitan dessert. All were well prepared, used high quality ingredients, and were professionally presented. We were pleased with all our food choices throughout the cruise, and with six courses, it was easy to satisfy any taste. The four year old at our table seemed to enjoy her selections off the kids' menu. Most of the time, the service was excellent, but sometimes we had a long wait for our wine orders. We had the first seating at 7, so we could enter on time. The 9:30 seating was delayed a couple of evenings if our service was slow.
Buffets-I recommend the International Buffet located near the stern. Their curries were delicious. The regular buffet stretches seemingly the length of the ship, with loads of breads, fruits, desserts, and a wide variety of choices. One side is Bora Bora, and the other side is Pago Pago. It was difficult to find the pasta station somewhere in the middle but only on one side. It had the best selection. It's a buffet, so the food wasn't as fresh and tasty as the fine dining.
There is a Santa Fe Tex Mex steak restaurant on deck 7 that charges extra. With the quality and choices of food in fine dining, we never bothered. Plus, southwestern food on the Mediterranean just would not be the same.
Room service for breakfast worked out great. It arrived right on time, and we enjoyed it on our private balcony, skipping the feeding frenzy at the buffet.
We ate lunch once in the Villa Verde restaurant. It was lackluster and the service was slow, but a breakfast we ate there was quite good. Villa Verde's windows and wider spaced tables give it a better ambiance than La Reggia.
There are several pools scattered from one end to the other plus an indoor/outdoor pool with a glass roof that slides open. Showers disguised as palm trees added a tropical feel. The adult pool at the stern was our favorite hangout. The pool mid-ship is the focus for all activities and music with a big screen broadcasting all activities. Every event was televised on a ship TV station, making it the most public place on the ship.
Bars and Lounges-17 bars and lounges offer plenty of choices for musicians and ambiance. Strangely, our favorite bars didn't open until six, whereas on the Princess cruises, you had service at the wine bar any time. MSC is the glitziest ship I've sailed on-lots of mirrors and lights and glass, very beautiful but distracting when navigating the stairs. A great opera singer and pianist performed near reception. Check your daily bulletin, which is provided in English, for all activities and times. Lounge servers and musicians were always pleasant and customer service oriented.
Entertainment-We attended a few shows with good dancing, singing, magicians, and acrobats. Dialogue was limited in the shows. Since the people on the cruise haled from mostly European countries, announcements were repeated in six languages, which grew tiresome, as did Bingo, unless you want to learn your numbers in five other languages. The quality of entertainment and activities was similar to Princess, but MSC lacks comedians.
Rooms- On the night with the roughest seas, I felt like a cork bobbing on the water; no rolling, and the boat shuddered a bit, but I slept well on the comfortable bed and bedding. We got a free upgrade to balcony room since 80% of the rooms have balconies. The balcony provided a private view of all the historic ports we visited. Sailing into these historic cities really adds to your appreciation of the ports visited.
Cleanliness-The rooms were cleaned twice a day with a turn down service. Throughout the ship, the glass and golden staircases gleamed, and the elevator mirrors were never smudged. We did get one towel bunny out of five nights on board.
Summary-This cruise is great for the price. It has the same add-ons as Princess including a daily service charge, and drink prices were similar. However the base price for the cruise is much lower. Our visit to off-the-beaten-path ports of Tunisia and Malta were highlights. I recommend this cruise if you want a short trip that's full of great excursions, and/or if you want to cruise in warm weather on smooth seas. Even with the add-ons it's a pleasant, inexpensive way to spend a week. Less
Published 12/12/12
Cabin review: 6
Port and Shore Excursions
La Valletta Walking Tour
Bardo Museum
Read Cruise Critic's MSC Splendida Review >>
Did not pay a lot, did not get...
I would advise not to waste an...
Adventure Filled Itinerary But...
A disappointment all around
Not all inclusive!
Some excellent staff
We Loved it!
Worst Cruise Ever
MSC Poesia
Sponsored Links


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Movies/Shows: The Rock, Dan Brown Movies, Red Cliff 1 and 2, Nolan Batman Movies and Tony Scott Movies. 24, Stargate, How I Met Your Mother, Spartacus, The Walking Dead, Hell on Wheels, and Giants games on TV.
Music: Classic Rock (can't go wrong with classic rock)
Food: I'm willing to try most anything at least once.
2) Internet
3) Friends
4) Family
5) Hiking trails
6) SF Giants games.
These six things do not apply in the event of the zombie apocalypse.

subset: commoncrawl


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XV20i Variable Speed
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As AJAX-enabled web sites continue to grow in popularity, the development community continues to try to solve the common problems of using AJAX. One big concern that used to require a lot of work is that of gracefully degrading your AJAX site for non-capable browsers. Thankfully, the ASP.NET MVC framework makes this an easy task.
Our demo site will have a "news" section where users can view the latest news, and subscribe to our newsletter. This functionality will be provided through AJAX calls. Our goal is to achieve this same functionality for non-ajax-enabled browsers without duplicating a lot of work.
If you've been playing around in ASP.NET MVC even a little, you likely have noticed how simple it is to use AJAX in your web app. Take for example creating a link to our "News List" page (which is actually in our demo app). To make a standard link that goes to the "News" controller and executes the "List" action would look something like this:
But what would we do if we wanted that link to use AJAX to pull the latest news and update a simple <div> on our page? All we would have to do is use the "Ajax.ActionLink" method, and supply an extra parameter that has the 'AJAX options' in there. Here's what that would look like:
Because one of our main goals is not to have to duplicate a lot of work, we want the same code to run for the user if he's using AJAX or not. The only part that has to change really is the "View" that gets sent back to the client. In order to accomplish this, we're going to use the "IsMvcAjaxRequest" method that comes in the System.Web.Mvc.Ajax namespace (in the AjaxExtensions class).
Originally, I didn't know about the "IsMvcAjaxRequest" method, so I had a code snippet here that showed how to make our own method by looking for the "__MVCASYNCPOST" form field. Due to a comment below, I've removed the code snippet that had the extension method here.
As was mentioned by Jonathan Carter (who's a Technical Evangelist for Microsoft), the MVC Beta already includes the extension method above. Now all we have to do is call the "IsMvcAjaxRequest" method. Example:
And then to use it in our ActionMethod, here's what we would do:
Notice that we don't have to duplicate any logic for getting the latest news. The only bit of custom logic that is needed is to determine which view to send. This can be done for form posts too (as you can see in the screen shots below or by downloading the project at the end of the article). Here's what the results of the above will look like for an AJAX enabled, and a non-AJAX enabled browser:
After clicking on the "view news" link with AJAX enabled:
If you notice the URLs in the second and third screen shots, you'll see that with AJAX disabled the browser simply navigated to where the link was pointing. Thus, a graceful degradation was achieved.
With little effort, we achieved an AJAX enabled ASP.NET MVC site, and cleanly/gracefully allowed non-AJAX users to enjoy the same benefits of our demo app. The project was written in Visual Studio 2008 SP1 with the ASP.NET MVC Beta 1 bits installed. Because the DLL's are bin-deployed, you should be able to download and run the project even if you don't have the MVC beta install. Check it out for yourself: SingingEels_MvcAjaxMashup.zip
Great article Tim!
"Quite likely, though, they will provide a method to detect an async post for the release."
The AjaxExtensions class includes an extension method for HttpRequestBase called IsMvcAjaxRequest.
That's excellent news! I'll update the article and the demo project.
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Tbilisi, Georgia, Feb.21
By Nana Kirtzkhalia - Trend:
Georgian President, Georgi Margvelashvili has expressed the hope that the armed confrontation in Kiev will be terminated and the parties will sit down at the negotiating table, he said in a speech to the Georgian Parliament on Feb.21.
The president's speech began with a call to the deputies to honour the memory of those killed in Ukraine by holding minute of silence, stressing that both Ukrainians and Georgians were killed at Maydan in Kiev.
"No government should use weapons against its own people," the present said.
"The situation in Ukraine continues to deteriorate. In each hour of the day there is information about new victims of the confrontation in the capital and regions in the media. We are shocked by what we saw. These are terrible shots. Neither government should use weapons against its own people. We hope that the Ukrainian president will take concise political steps towards dialogue and reconciliation," the president said.
Riots in Kiev resumed on February 18, the day of the Ukrainian parliament's meeting, during which the opposition demanded the restoration of the Constitution of 2004.
Radicals broke into a building in the centre of Kiev, burned tyres and threw stones at cars and police officers. The opposition used firearms for the first time, according to the police.
Some 77 people were killed and 577 injured as a result of the riots, according to the latest data.
Mass protests in Ukraine began on November 21, 2013, when the government announced the suspension of its preparation of the Association Agreement with the EU.
Translated by S.I.
Edited by S.M.


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Do-Over Vol 3 Great Weekend/ Noelle Scaggs - Let's do it Again/ Cherry Pie, 10" Vinyl
$ 15.00
Third in a series of The Do-Over's limited-edition 10" singles. 3-D package by Matt Goldman (MFG) featuring a red and blue acetate to decode the graphics on Side A & B alongside a custom printed inner sleeve and pressed on speckled purple vinyl. Limited to 1,000 copies.
Track Listing:
A1 Let's Do It Again (Over & Over)
A2 Let's Do It Again (Do It Yourself)
B1 Cherry Pie
B2 Cherry Pie (Instrumental)


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Time to dig out the black eyeliner and skin-tight leather pants and dust off your air guitar: Rock Week has arrived!
After the drama of the skate off last week, seven celebrities remain and all want to keep their position in the competition.
Getting the evening off to a head banging start was the cast of 'Rock of Ages' with a skill packed routine from the skating professionals with jumps, spins and lifts galore!
An energetic opening got the audience into the spirit of the evening with loud applause for everyone.
Matthew Wolfenden and Nina.
The video-tape shown before Matthews performance showed him getting angry at a lift which he was struggling with.
Skating can be a frustrating sport when the person is pushed and negative thoughts can hamper good training.
I enjoyed his performance this week and it had many highlights, but I don't think it was his best skate.
The Platter lift at the end was executed well and showed great strength but possibly going first in the line up added additional nerves?
He is lucky as he has a great partner in Nina who knows how to motivate and get the best out of each session and who compliments Matthews skating well. Hopefully the next weeks skate will step up once again.
Chemmy Alcott and Sean.
Chemmy is a strong and energetic skater, which I think stems from her time as a competitive skier.
She lacks the refinement needed to make her skating look smooth and effortless across the ice. She is holding herself better in the lifts, which is great, but the exits lack finesse.
Simple movements such as pointing toes and turning the foot out would make such a big difference.
It may seem finicky picking these things up, but this is where marks are lost and differences show between celebrities. It was a strong performance but with only a handful of weeks remaining, she needs to continue progressing.
Jennifer Ellison and Daniel.
I think Jennifer tried very hard to step up her game this week with pre-programme practice and also during the routine.
She seemed to be trying to get down into her knees and gain speed over the ice, which is the first time in the whole eight-week competition.
Her performance is never an issue and that was done very well and complimented the skating well. I think her mantra of 'going for it' should be stuck with as it was like a different person had stepped out.
Although still not the strongest skater in the competition, she looked more confident and it shone through.
Andy Whyment and Vicky.
Skating to a fab northern tune 'Don't Look Back in Anger' by Oasis brought out a different side to Andy this week.
Have to say thumbs up to his live set – he has a great voice - and also to using the guitar live at the beginning of the routine! I liked the relaxed approach to the routine this week and thought it suited him!
A few great lifts included and they all looked stable and confident. His basic skating is good and has strength running through it.
I think he deserved more than 19.0 for his score, as he is a much stronger skater than Jennifer. I loved that he argued back with Katarina – good for him!!! For me, Andy has made massive improvements and I hope he stays.
At this point I was wondering what the judges were looking at as the scoreboard flashed up and Jennifer was in second place?
I agree that this week she has improved but to be in front of Chemmy and Andy is wrong. In comparison she is weaker and relies on her partner to steer her across the ice. I was not feeling much love for the judges I have to admit!
Sam Nixon and Alexandra.
The Frog Lift returns and although completed without error it looked a little shaky! A supporting lift at the end was similar although he looked to be enjoying himself out on the ice! Matching Toe-Loop jumps looked well and Sam's had a confident on landing.
I have to say though that I didn't agree with the score of 22.0 (surprise, surprise!).
To see progression, I would like to see more difficult lifts with Alexandra higher off the ice.
Jorgie Porter and Matt.
It's been a tough week for this couple as Jorgie kicked her heel into Matt;s face during the dress rehearsal. After a trip to hospital and stitches he was back on the ice like the professional he is! Eerie and creepy routine to "Bring Me To Life" was very well done with great interaction between the two.
The Neck Spin was completed without repetition of the previous days accident and was fast and strong. Jorgie's skating was much better than last week and she looked smoother across the ice.
Matt was very supportive of Jorgie and he had a great attitude towards what happened. I really enjoy watching this couple, so hopefully it will get even better next week.
Chico and Jodeyne Chico's confidence is growing week by week! The lifts were strong and had transitions, the skating was great and he performed it as well as a frustrated rock star can! I'm not sure that the blonde wig suited him but I really enjoyed the energetic performance! I can't wait to see him next week, as he is the dark horse of this competition….
Matt and Jorgie watch out! Skate Off.
In spite of his strong performance Chico found himself in the bottom two along with Sam. This surprised me, as Chico has been consistent all the way through.
Sam skated as well as the first time and smiled throughout! Chico attacked it with the usual gusto and energy and it was a cleaner performance.
Sam left the competition after Chico gained a full sweep of approval from the judges. Sad to see him leave, but out of the two skaters it was the right decision.
Hope the judges can sort their marking and comments out for next weeks show, otherwise I may lose my voice shouting at the TV! The Team Challenge is the main focus next week, where the celebrities can double their points on the leaderboard!!


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Dev - Sort these by name
Help, I need somebody...
Posted on February 28, 2010 at 18:50
Not just anybody, but 64digits! Well, go figure, I've finally felt the urge to get Adobe Flash Professional, and/or PS...
Anyways, I was just looking for suggestions on places to get these. I don't mind getting CS3 (or a lower version, but CS4 would be nice too) as long as I can find a cheap purchase. I'm not interested in spending $700. I know I can count on 64digits to help me out, right?
I've found places such as: Academic Superstore and Best Adobe, but I'm not too sure if there are better places, or if those places are trustworthy.
Dev - Er, any ideas how to make this work?
Related Posts
I had a cracked copy of CS3 on my computer until my brother got me Web Standard with his student discount. But yeah, if you plan to make a profit from these programs, then I recommend buying it.
If you want to practice in the meantime, then go ahead and pirate it. In my opinion Adobe's product trials fail, since 30 days is not enough to learn how to use their products. Many people who pirate Adobe's products end up buying them later anyways.
If you're just looking to play around with graphics there are free alternatives to Photoshop:
I've used all of these in varying degrees (including Photoshop) and they're all excellent. Don't feel like pirating Photoshop is your only option.
Kaz, you were the one who helped bring me out of my moralfaginess more than three years ago when you posted on my blog about my fascination with open source software. :P
Also, my brother got me Design Premium from his university, not Web Standard (as I have Photoshop and Illustrator on my desktop PC as well). I'm still using the cracked version on my laptop, as I haven't bothered dealing with why my license will not let me install CS3 on two computers (most likely the previous owner "forgot" to deactivate the license on his computer before selling it back to the uni).
On a more random note, my computer bluescreened as soon as I clicked "Post" the last time I edited this comment.


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We'll get rid of the gremlins, vows bus company
DELAYS, confusion and missing timetables have continued to plague Jersey's new bus service.
DELAYS, confusion and missing timetables have continued to plague Jersey's new bus service.
Since beginning its operation in the Island, CT Plus Jersey has encountered teething problems with passengers reporting late buses, varying arrival and departure times and complications with the technology designed to give bus users up-to-date information.
School buses have also been affected with late arrivals and confusion over the renumbered vehicles.
The company's website, www.libertybus.je, offers a journey planner that allows people to build a personalised timetable, but last night it was not available for use.
A spokesman for CT Plus Jersey said the company was working hard to resolve the problems.
'Some of the issues are due to the fact that the company didn't have access to the station until the 1st of January,' he said. 'With the best will in the world it is bound to happen, but I can assure you that the company is working very hard to sort these few gremlins out.'Subscribe to our Newsletter
Comments for: "We'll get rid of the gremlins, vows bus company"
Give you a chance
I am willing to give you a chance, I know you haven't had the easiest of starts and it looks as though you haven't got your workforce on your side so I'll not pass judgement yet and I hope others feel the same. However I have ntoiced that these buses do not appear to have a good enough lock to take the tight Jersye corners, hopefully some simple adjustments can be made that doesn't cost you a fortune...
Best of luck
As a true Bean it hurts me to say my sympathies to Guernsey, now we (Jersey) have C T Plus as our bus operator in the Island I now know the frustration passengers over there have felt for the last few months. We have only had C.T Plus for just over a week and the service to say the least is very poor. Our bus service is called Liberty bus, I think that means the operator is at liberty to run the service when they see fit, and we are at liberty to walk .
my favourite film and they're gonna ban them... just hope they get wet first.
Please can bus drivers remember that the buses are wider and the need to slow down when approaching a car coming the other way instead of expecting us to mount pavements in order to let you pass!
Tony B
How about the CAR slowing down? To state the obvoius you are smaller. The bus often has nowhere to go. But If a certain drinks manufacturer made buses, they wouldn't be Optaires.
That is the whole point, I do slow down, I have even stopped on a few occasions to let the bus go passed me, I only stopped and mounted pavement because i thought the bus was going to plow through me.
All i was asking is that, surely you know the bus is wider and as its anew vehicle, that the drivers should be a little safer in slowing too, because if an accident happened, the bus would be at fault due to being over my side of the road, just like with any other accident, if you are on the wrong side, its youre fault if you hit the on coming traffic.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Why did you not phase the changes in gradually? The No.1A is a shambles now, the 07.56 and 08.15 have been at least 15 mins late every morning, meaning they are now getting stuck in longer traffic on the Inner Road, making arrival in town even later. This is not good enough for people who have to use the bus. My daughter normally catches the 08.15 but has been late every day and lost half her lunch to make the time up, caught the earlier one today (13 minutes late) only just got in on time. My son caught the later one today, it picked him up at Le Rocquier School 08.37, it is due at bus station 08.40! What has gone wrong with this service?????????????
Tony B
To quote a Bowdelirised Military Expression. Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance. I rather think to much time was spent Planning on how cheap the service could be. As for 'Not for Profit'. If you don't make a profit, jow do you re -invest in your buissness, and how much tax will you pay? After all taxis paid on profit. But then the States are not prepared to tell you the taxpayers how YOUR money is spent.
Gremlins? ...I don't think the drivers will be impressed by that comment ;)
The staff at Connex knew this was going to happen, they tried desperately for over 3 months to speak with TTS but, as we all know, TTS refused to see them.
Now the public are paying the price for the incompetence of the Transport Minister and his team and, of course, the lack of organization of a very unprofessional bus company.
I'm not convinced that the old Connex bus drivers are completely innocent. Many of them seem to have forgotten how to be a bus driver...
It can hardly be called a service yet!I have been late for work every time I have caught the No 1 in the morning and this should not be happening.
The buses will not be big enough either when the season starts. Far less capacity for passengers.
Seamless changeover???! Explain Kevin Lewis please.
None of the 'teething problems' are down to the workforce being on side. The timetables are very complicated. This has nothing to do with the drivers. The info screens are still not working, nothing to do with the drivers. Website not running properly, nothing to do with the drivers. Routes have been changed, nothing to do with the drivers. Routes have been combined without allowing enough time to drive them, nothing to do with the drivers. Some of the buses are wider, nothing to do with the drivers. Is anyone seeing a pattern here?
Tony B
Those who do the planing are safe in thier little offices. The Public face of the company, and those that are the target of the complaints, the Driver's. The ones with least control over the situation.
Net - but they are certainly not helping themselves at the moment....
As a daily bus user I have noticed a deterioration in the attitudes of bus drivers which at best is ignorant at worst bordering on rude.
On the route yesterday the bus driver stopped the bus stood up and asked the passengers " yesterday did the bus turn left here, or carry straight on...? "..........!!!!!!!!
Coming out of the terminus the other day, the driver kept stuttering the bus ( don't know the correct terminology) as if he could not drive it.....
Buses are repeatedly late - I don't see to many drastic changes to the timetable to effect to this extent.
As all seats where taken yesterday the driver would not let any more passengers on, saying there will be another bus along in a minute....is there not standing capacity....?
While I appreciate they may not be happy at the moment, I feel they are using the current situation to make it appear worse than it actually is....
Thus alienating the public further...if indeed that is possible...!,
The answer to your complaint is very simple,Nio....
The new company have not given drivers any training!
Not difficult when you think about it, is it ?
In today's world, image is everything and substance and quality do not matter.
CT Plus portray a silky smooth image, but as for the substance and quality...........
Ah of course...there in be the answer..."Training"...that be all and end all simple word to solve all problems.
Because they need trained in being polite and courteous or even just acknowledge you are there...dont they....?
They need training in customer service. The best i get out of the drivers on my route this week is a grunt at best. Dont they..?
They need training to drive the same route the bus has been going for the past 8 years....Dont they..?
They need training to err drive a bus.....Dont they..?
Sorry dont buy it at all - they are making a difficult situation worse. They know very well what they are doing and with the excpetion of the few drivers and family members on here public opinion is not with them.
i am a paying customer and the service I am getting from drivers at the moment is simply not good enough.
And to balance it, I have had the pleasure of being served by some excellent drivers in the past few years. Havent seen any of these on my route for a while though.
Are you serious, do they need to be trained that a cetain amount of passengers are allowed to stand on a bus?
Doesn't holding / passing a test for a PSV Omnibus licence require the driver to know and uphold certain standards? Does it not require them to know about the licenced capacity of vehicles?
Come on!!!!!!!! there's even a sticker on the bus stating how many seated and standing passengers are allowed. Are you seriously saying that PSV licenced drivers, newly qulified or otherwise need training to read a sticker and count to 50 something!!!!!!!!
Personally I wouldn't want to drive a bus full of passengers if I hadn't made myself aware of the route before hand. This doesn't stack up as lack of training.
If it's true that 90+% of connex staff transferred I cannot understand some of the stories we're all hearing. The only plausible explanation is sabotage.
Nio, your comments are very amusing. How long before you start shouting at a bus driver, telling him that YOU pay his wages,and he should damn well smile ?
When you buy your extremely overpriced sandwich and coffee at lunchtime, do you get a nice little smile ?
I hope so, your the customer, you pay their wages.
Incidentally, the person who make your coffee has to be trained to use the machine. Yes, TRAINED to make a coffee....
Don't blame the drivers for this situation, 'unhappiness' does not make buses change route without warning, nor does it make them arrive 40-50 minutes late!
Poor planning is at the root of the so-called "teething problems", not the fact that CT Plus had no access to the station until the 1st of January.
If CT Plus are having difficulty getting their show on the road, it's because they didn't do the necessary groundwork.
So, before they go on, I suggest the company sorts out the individuals who failed to avoid the avoidable.
1) The Gremlin who combined two routes and subtracted minutes from the route plan instead of adding them. Thus ensuring that buses arrive well after the scheduled time.
There is no need to be inside the bus station to build a bus schedule. What is needed is to get out there from start to end of each route at different times of day.
2) The Gremlin whose job it was to ensure that all bus users were provided with the necessary information.
There is no need to be inside the bus station to do that. What is needed is to take steps to get information to the public.
3) The Gremlin who carried out the feasibility study of bus-route times during normal traffic and peak-time traffic. Extra time should have been allowed for peak times when traffic slows down to a crawl.
If CT Plus hasn't noticed, the buses run along the same roads as normal traffic and share the same traffic lights. There is no need to be inside the bus station to see that!
Please tell me how many of Connex's old routes used different timings to cater for differing traffic loads at certain times of day?
Their timetables are still online and at a quick glance it seems all routes use the same timings at all times of day?
If that's the case and they were so punctual compared to liberty bus, did connex plan them all for peak traffic and then just drive the bus more slowly at off peak times?
Or would this be why my friend in St Ouen had to complain to Connex regulary as the early weekday bus to town often went past her stop over 5 minutes ahead of schedule?
Please tell us Henry you seem to be an expert in all this.
Henry - I am not blaming the bus drivers. I am saying they are taking advantage of the situation to make it look worse....
Not bad this evening , only 15 mins late....when a member of the public approached a driver to ask if he knew what was happening he simply looked at her and walked off..... You can imagine the comments in a que of over 20 people....!
In fact spend some time in the bus station and listen to the comments from the paying public ( your customers ) they recognise the transition was not the best. But to a person they are very critical of the bus drivers current attitude, Who in the space of two weeks appear to have forgotten how to drive a bus and the basics of customer service.
There is faults on all sides here, but I object to the drivers who are trying to manipulate the situation to their own ends.
And that is not all drivers , I have friends who are drivers that are delighted at the changes and horrified at the current reaction from some.
Listen to the public feedback.....
We are not talking about Connex now, they have gone.
This is a new company, there is no excuse for not doing the groundwork and being ready to takeover.
@ Henry
You seem very good at debating until you lose, at which point you resemble a small child with fingers in ears saying "I can't hear you"
Why don't you just admit that Connex did not set their timetable to allow for differing traffic loads?
How can anyone debate matters with someone who starts with a comment like that?
I don't expect people to just nod in agreement, but when people get silly, or rude, or drift off topic, I move on...because that is a sign they are no longer capable of following the basic etiquette of discussion.
What you fail to understand is that I am simply putting forward my opinion of CT Plus as a company...and it's not a good one.
Good companies do the necessary groundwork and are always ready to provide their services efficiently even under the worst conditions.
Good groundwork, attention to detail, quality and service to customers bring good results...CT Plus has failed on all points.
Upper-management would also do well to attend courses in Employee Relations. They might learn an amazing new concept (I am being facetious) called "Job Satisfaction" and the influence it has on worker performance.
What's more, the highly unprofessional trait of laying the blame on the drivers instead of where it should really fall is counterproductive to say the least.
I think you have misunderstood, I don't work for the bus company, I don't even work in the transport sector. I'm just rather interested in Indusrtrial Relations and Human Resource Management.
As you advised I took a look at the feedback, and if your driver friends are delighted at the changes then they certainly don't work for CT Plus Jersey.
What I did find however, is the people who work at the bus station and drive the buses are working in a situation of 'Complete Organization Collapse'.
According to various Internet sources, one in particular, the drivers do not know their shift times from one day to the next, they are driving buses which are unsuitable for Jersey's winding roads and sharp corners and, moreover, they have been given bus-run times which are impossible to keep to even in low-traffic conditions...some by up to 20 minutes below the required time.
So, how on earth can the buses be expected to arrive on time in the rush hour?
Furthermore, the people in upper-management positions at CT Plus are trying to blame the drivers and workers for their own lack of organization skills, thus damaging an already difficult worker-employer relationship even further.
The Transport Department has failed the people of Jersey, what should have been a seamless transfer has turned out to be a catalogue of avoidable mistakes.
Henry, "when people get silly, or rude, or drift off topic" You are very good at doing that yourself on other threads.
The basic etiquette of discussion would be to respond to direct questions such as "Why don't you just admit that Connex did not set their timetable to allow for differing traffic loads?" instead of avoiding the question and changing the subject.
But anyway,
Your opinion of CT Plus is not a good one. Personally, I haven't decided, they have barely started and I will not jump to conclusions without some evidence.
I can say that they are doing much better than Connex did when they took over. Do you consider Connex to be a better company? At least this time we have busses running and no demands to the States for more money to actually run the full service agreed rarther than just half of it.
Or don't you remember when Connex took over? As you say Good companies do the necessary groundwork, and Connex did all those years ago and realised how they could rip off taxpayers. We are still left with that legacy, as is clearly apparent.
What's more, it is highly ignorant to assume that the drivers are all completely faultless and none of them have used this situation to their advantage. It is foolish to deny that the staff do not share at least part of the problem.
Re: "Why don't you just admit that Connex did not set their timetable to allow for differing traffic loads?" instead of avoiding the question and changing the subject."
The answer is simple:
I do/did not work for Connex, therefore, I do/did not have access to their timetables...in other words, I have no way of knowing.
Unlike me, you have such access, perhaps you work for TTS or CT Plus...which would explain your ardent campaign against the drivers.
Nonetheless, when a good company takes over a business, it always has a Plan of Improved Operating Procedures set-up-and-ready-to-go.
Such procedures are set up in accordance with a systematic body of evidence-based knowledge derived from research and operating-procedure evaluation.
The chaos we are witnessing at present is either the result of a not-very-well-thought-out preparation plan -- which was doomed to failure from the start -- or, no preparation plan at all.
By the way, if the points I mentioned earlier are insufficient evidence as to whether CT Plus is a good company or not (and let's not mention the current situation in Guernsey and the UK), then perhaps the fact that more than 10 buses were cancelled yesterday will be a deciding factor...the management cannot blame the drivers for that 'extraction' from the service!
A good company would have had a team of experts working day and night to eliminate the risk of such "teething problems" (more like major dental surgery).
A good company would have ensured an acceptable level of service for Jersey's bus users from the start...hitches can be overlooked major cock-ups cannot.
Your route might be exactly the same, however, as I said earlier, the drivers and workers at the bus station are working in a situation of "Complete Organization Collapse"...not to mention under hostile management, that seems to thrive on conflict.
This kind of stress takes a toll on performance as well as on physical and emotional health. CT Plus can't expect its employees to perform well if an appropriate relationship hasn't been established.
No company can expect a positive response from employees who are presented with work demands and pressures that are not matched by support from the company.
Additionally, there are also new, inexperienced drivers on the routes, new difficult-to-handle buses and slower ticket machines...which hold the buses up considerably when there are long queues of people waiting to pay the driver.
And, although your route seems unchanged, it doesn't mean the company hasn't tinkered with the run in one way or another in an attempt to cut costs.
CT Plus is slicing and dicing everything in order to increase their profits. They are not worried about you being late for work, they are here to make and take money.
Henry, have you ever thought of becoming a politician. You're ability to cloud the issue and avoid the question is of a very high standard:-)
I told you that Connex timetables are still online so please do not pretend you cannot see them to compare. You seem very good at research and providing all sorts of inside information so it's simply not plausible that cannot compare connex timetables.
Nio's route has not changed, he has confirmed it is exactly the same as before. Yet you say "And, although your route seems unchanged, it doesn't mean the company hasn't tinkered with the run in one way or another in an attempt to cut costs."
Please explain what "tinkering" could have occurred that is completely invisible to a regular passenger on the route?
Henry, You still failed to answer Propaganda's question. You claim you don't have the information, but Porpaganda gave it to you in the post above.
"Their timetables are still online and at a quick glance it seems all routes use the same timings at all times of day"
I don't work for TTS or CT Plus, but I don't like people holding other people to ransom over something stupid, and convincing a few that its about something else.
A company is only as good as the people that work for it.
So, if the company is bad, then at least some of the staff must be bad as well.
Finally, we agree on something, that some drivers are bad, and this is affecting the company's performance.
I didn't have to look far for an answer to your question regarding "tinkering with the timetables", I found it at post 10:
"The decisions to run the 15 down to les marais, and to combine school buses into the work schedule of the full time drivers are ludicrous, and NOTHING to do with the drivers.
Delays are inevitable if a driver is expected to run to a timetable which is impossible to achieve.
These decisions are an attempt at MASSIVE cost cutting by the new company. A transparent attempt at mercenary profiteering. All at the cost of the jersey public and company employees."
Obviously, that wasn't the case with Connex timetables.
I say "obviously" but I suppose nothing is obvious to people who refuse to see that the drivers and bus station staff are working in a situation of Complete Organization Collapse!
@ Nio. Straight from the horses mouth. The routes that do not appear to have been changed HAVE been 'tinkered' with behind the scenes. Although the route times are exactly the same, under previous management the drivers were allocated 20 mins extra between routes to allow for any delays and to allow them to load passengers at least 5 mins before their departure time. Now they have 5 mins from their scheduled arrival time until their next route departs, this means if the buses experience ANY delays they are then late for their next route, this coupled with unrealistic travelling times on some routes does have a knock on effect with other routes. Happy that yours is running on time Nio, but at the moment yours is the exception NOT the rule.
The drivers are NOT trying to make it worse, one route in particular is always late because they used to have 2 hours to drive it now less than 1 & half hours. The drivers DONT always know which way to go because the time table isn't clear and routes keep being altered, check one of the routes to St. John you will see what I mean, and I would be cheesed off too if I were them. Not only have all their terms and conditions been changed and not for the better despite what Deputy Lewis says but they are also having to deal with complaints that really do have nothing to do with them on top of driving for stupidly dangerous hours again goes against what TTS said about safety. Before you say I can't know this for sure it is provable.
All i can go on is my route and what I am hearing from other passngers.
I have no doubt that things could have been transitioned better between Connex / TTS & CT+.
However - on my route it is exactly the same as it has been for the past 8/9 years. No changes to route at all.
The bus has been late every day this week - every day !!! 10 to 15 mins the norm- the drivers(some of the same ones from 2 weeks before) all of a sudden have forgotten the route, forgotten how to drive a bus, forgotten basic manners, forgotten customer service, forgotten we are the customers. And in some instances damn right rude...
How is this TTS Connex or CT+ problem...
You are taking advantage of a bad situation and trying to make it appear 10 times worse.
QED Nio, nail on the head, bang to rights.
The same route, no changes, the same drivers and it appears they are all now suffering from amnesia!
Over to you Net!
Not making it worse Nio, your route may be the same, but many aren't. The drivers are being told to drive different routes everyday. Many drivers are new and yes there are some who could do with being more customer friendly ( as in any business) but not all are like that. But let's make it clear the way the shifts work drivers are doing other runs before and after yours so as there is now no time allowed between runs if there is a delay b4 the driver gets to you,obviously it will have a knock on effect. Also if you had been listening to complaints about things out of your control and were driving for too many hours without a break do you not think you may be a little grumpy too. Cut them some slack please.
Net - I repeat on my route there are no changes...it is the same route. Same time table, same traffic.
What I have noticed on here from the drivers posting and their friends, is they wish to highlight all the mistakes the new company has made....however make no comment (you make a brief reference) to the sudden change in attitude and general customer service from the drivers, who seem to have forgotten more in 2 weeks than I will in a life time.
You may feel you have been dealt a bad lot, but your actions are effecting working people trying to get to work on time, school kids getting to school.....OAPs etc etc...
I suggest there was an agenda to make the incoming company look particularly bad and magnify any situation....however the general public appears to have rumbled you....and now any sympathy there may have been is gone.
Imagine if instead despite the changeover challenges you where perceived as a caring lot wanting to help Joe Public....,all backfired methinks....!
Sorry one last thing....driving stupidly dangerous hours as you state...is not one of the "select few" drivers main gripes that OT will now be curtailed to safe standards thus doing away with their inflated salaries....? Now I'm confused...!
Tony B
The stuttering is the result of using a cheap ZX auto box designed for a truck. It's one of the reasons our company didn't go with Optaire. The only answer is kick in more revs, but where do you go when the vehicle acelerates?
Tony B
Propoganda, yes! No company in UK would be allowed to use a new type of vehicle or let drivers on new routes without, paid type training or route familirisation. The normal drill for new routes is those intially allocated to it get a paid day to route learn, then anyone else who wants to learn travels on the bus. Each driver has to make a signed declaration that 1. They are trained on the vehicle type 2. They are fully conversant with the route and any hazards pertaining. It is a legal Transport Commisioner requirment in the UK. If you do not drive a type or route in six months, you must undergo refreshing training.
When you say yes! are you answering my question that asked "do they need to be trained that standing passengers are allowed on the bus"?
Tony B
Standing passengers are not nessacarairly allowed on a bus. If the vehilce is being used primarily for those under the age of 14 all must have a seat. Also be aware that no standing passengers are allowed on the stairs or upper deck of a double deck vehicle. The Driver is responsible for the vehicle being correctly loaded under all conditions.
So you see the Driver does have to be trained.
i have no problem with new service,but i think you have a problem with the drivers, after giving them a smart new uniform and giving a new image to the company but they have gone back to there old uniform the infernal( HI-VIS YELLOW JACKETS)
Is this just a protest vote or lack of pride, either way i think i think you have wasted your money and is this the first try to to dominate the company liked they did Connex
Just to let you know David the drivers HAVE to wear hi-viz Jackets health and safety dictate
Completely agree with comment number 8, nothing to do with the drivers.
The decisions to run the 15 down to les marais, and to combine school buses into the work schedule of the full time drivers are ludicrous, and NOTHING to do with the drivers.
Delays are inevitable if a driver is expected to run too a timetable which is impossible to achieve.
These decisions are an attempt at MASSIVE cost cutting by the new company. A transparent attempt at mercenary profiteering. All at the cost of the jersey public and company employees.
Quite right ILOut. You get what you pay for, and Deputy Lewis in his wisdom?? chose an inferior service and this is exactly what we have now been lumbered with.
There is far more to this than meets the eye, and my sympathy lies with the drivers.
Think twice buy local, I see the libertytbus time table has been printed in the U.K. !!!! Surely local printers could have managed a small booklet, or were they not asked....
The No.2 bus is full to capacity every morning - standing room only. This was the same with Connex. £1.20 to stand every day?
Please can someone tell me why the No 15 bus was seen travelling along St Clement's coast road when it is supposed to be going towards the airport??????
Cause it now combines with the 18 and takes longer
Why blame the old Connex drivers, have none of you noticed how many are left from the old workforce, many new drivers have been taken on instead of the previous reliable staff, this was not a seamless transfer, MANY OF THESE NEW DRIVERS HAVE NEVER DRIVEN A BUS BEFORE!!!! They do not know the routes the ticket systems or even the vehicles! The reason drivers are wearing connex gear is that they have not been supplied with the C T Plus uniform, this company are a small UK company who cut corners and will make the Jersey public transport passengers very unhappy for a long time to come. Transport minister and TTS-----shame on you. Talk to the drivers!!! They are not afraid to tell you the truth, also talk to the cleaners,mechanics etc, the Jersey bus service is not a happy place.
Tony B
God help the acident rate then. The first six months I was driving the garage manager said to me, the only thing we ask is no acidents. We don't care if your late or call up as many times as you like for help, just be safe. It takes a good six months before any new driver starts to get confident.
Every time you take a wing mirror off it costs about £400, and if like UK Bus companies are not insured but bonded, they self insure. The Insurance excess for our garage is £500,000 on any incident.
They must have driven a bus or coach to pass the test?
Did the JMT and Connex never ever take anyone on train them up and put them in a bus?
How do you get experience of driving buses without driving them?
As for the routes and tickets systems it seems from comments above that the seasoned drivers are also struggling with this?
Same old same old, we heard all this nonsense when connex won the tender from the JMT and now we're hearing it against CT+.
Connex were'nt that great, didn't they used to abandon children at the roadside when it snowed?
Tony B
You msy have passed a driving test at some stage. But your insurance premium would have been higher the less experience you had.
I'd suggest that you sit in a bus and try it some time. They are totally diffrent from a car. To start with, and it has been a bone of contention for a long time, all training is done on an unladen vehicle. Put 50 people on , roughly 2 1/2 tons weight, the braking carecteristics change dramatically. Bloody scary the first time you drive one fully loaded. The test only means that the Examiner thinks there is a reasonable chance you won't kill someone if your on your own. The learning experience in service is steep. That is why most companies send a new driver out with a mentor for a couple of weeks. Any good comapny will stress Saftey First, Saftey Second and then think about Saftey!
A very sensible solution to unknown routes for drivers and impossible timetables would be to revert to the previous timetable, there was nothing wrong with the Connex timings and routes. Why on earth fashion these new routes is beyond me. BRING BACK CONNEX!!! PLEASE!
A better service through the St Clements inner road is all I want. I'm not asking for much. The 18 doesn't exist anymore and the 1A's schedule and route isn't so good now...and especially when the driver tries to take a short cut up Green Road, only to be told a school kid needs dropped off at Plat Douet School, so has to turn back up the coast road at Victor Hugo to go the route he should have gone in the first place!
I am so frustrated with the 15/18 service - so far it has always been late - I get the 17.01 to Bel Royal (as the 16.41 doesn't go on the Inner Road - the most bizzare change as that route was always full before)and have to pick my child up by 5.30 - I now can't rely on the buses on these days as last time it was 25 minutes late leaving - NOT GOOD ENOUGH! The drivers have no idea where they are going, I asked the driver of the 16.41 which route he was taking (as the bus had a rolling sign stating it was going along the inner raod) but he didn't know, I couldn't take the chance so had to wait for the next (late) bus. It turns out, on that day anyway, the 16.41 DID go on the inner road. How are we, the passengers, supposed to know if the dirvers dont?
I have complained twice about this and much as the woman I spoke to understood my frustration, so far nothing has changed.
I do hope CT plus get this all sorted soon as I can't afford to pay for parking everyday, and cycling (which I do most days now)is not a long term solution either.
a fed up commuter
Last night 10th January, the 19.31 bus was very late, it arrived to collect passengers around 19.45. It was bus service starting from the Liberation Station so it should have been on time without the ongoing lateness of Le Marais buses.
We were told it was because there was no bus available. What kind of operation are you running?? This is not a "teething" problem but just totally ridiculous and unacceptable.
The drivers are also washing their hands of any problems blaming the company, when they are part of the company! Whatever changes have they done to the timetables, the drivers are still making a point of being late, inconsiderate and difficult too.
You get on the bus and say where you are going. Pass money, get change. Get ticket and sit down. Get off at location. How friendly does the driver need to be? I don't want a chat or become friends with them! I am not fussed about the driver. Same in a taxi, I don't want a chat with them, just a lift.
I occasionally get the bus. So far with new service it has left when it said it was leaving and took me where I needed to go without an issue.
People just need to accept there is a change over and some teething issues.
I have noted the buses (drivers) seem to be struggling judging the width of these smaller buses for some reason.
Noticed the seating is tight and they aren't going to take as many people as the old ones.
Would be nice if the non stop route to the airport went all the way to gorey. Properly link east to west.
Just give it more time, stop whinging about hi viz vests, where the timetable is printed. Typical jersey moaning.
C Le Verdic
'Would be nice if the non stop route to the airport went all the way to gorey'
Yes, that should be fun. If it really is 'non stop'!
Have the bus routes changed dramatically? Are these all new drivers, unfamiliar with the published routes? Or are they the same malcontents who complained about the loss of their over-time pay, having engineered excessive working hours to line their pockets at the expense of safety?
Does anyone think they might be trying to give the new operator a bad reputation, so that Connex will magically reappear and take over again - restoring their old pay wheezes, of course?
They probably believe in pixies as well.
@cancer yes some of the routes have changed but as I said b4 there is no extra time built into each run anymore which allowed of any delays encountered therefore many are running late. Not all the drivers are new but many are. All staff were to transfer over (as stated in the tender docs) this did not happen. In fact some of the drivers who have been there for years full-time have been reduced to part-time hours again against the terms and conditions of tender. As far as safety goes the drivers are now actually behind the wheel for longer than ever before meaning less rest time and therefore more fatigue issues. TTS reduced the weekly hours but increased the daily ones so how does that balance with health and safety. and just so you know, the drivers don't have to give the new company a bad reputation, they are doing that all by themselves. Just look at Guernsey and UK.
The following was taken from 'This is Guernsey' press 27-12-2012
"A 'SHOCKING' rate of decline in the number of bus passengers, with a fall every month this year, needs to be a wake-up call to turn the service around, the Bus Users Group has said.
Group co-ordinator Fergus Dunlop said 2013 would be 'make-or-break' for operator CT Plus, which took over in April.
Latest figures released by the Environment Department showed that there were approaching 80,000 fewer journeys between 1 January and 31 November compared to the same period last year..."
These figures prove that CT Plus have had a very negative effect on Guernsey's bus-using public.
A large number of Guernsey's commuters have stopped using the buses and the bus drivers are, once again, threatening strike action due to impossible work conditions and excessively long hours behind the wheel.
Jersey's problems will be even greater as this inadequate and unreliable service pushes commuters back into their cars.
Commuting will become an even bigger nightmare as more and more cars take to the roads during peak hours......this has already started!
And, more cars means more pollution...where is the Environment Minister in all of this?Are we to understand that the environment and health of the people of Jersey are of no importance when it comes to the profit targets of CT Plus?
Try telling the whole story - the fall represents about 5% on 2011 figures, yes just 5%, and can be at least partially explained by the difficulties CT experienced at the time of the takeover when they jumped in at short notice to save the service. The Guernsey Press headline was to say the least misleading but there again they were quoting the chairman of the strangely named BUG or bus users group who number less than a full bus load but have an opinion on everything bus related. Give CT a chance, the alternative might be a lot of worn out shoe leather!
Watcher, here is the whole story (27-12-2012) regarding the 'figures' from Guernsey:
"Latest figures released by the Environment Department showed that there were approaching 80,000 fewer journeys between 1 January and 31 November compared to the same period last year.
There were 1,416,936 passengers this year, while 1,495,478 used the service in 2011.
This includes declines of 8.7% and 5.9% for October and November compared to the same time last year."
You may think that declines of 8.7% and 5.9% for October and November look good, however, Guernsey's Environment Department and Bus Users Group disagree.
Furthermore, you seem to believe that a similar fiasco in Jersey will result in worn out shoe leather...you are far from right.
Jersey's out-of-towners cannot walk to work and, seeing as they must reach their workplaces on time, they will jump straight back into their cars...it is already happening.
And, more cars on the roads means more pollution and, of course, more pollution-related illnesses...so, where is the Health Minister in all this?
InsideLooking Out@
Some good points, Henry. But, POLLUTION ?
Give us a break !
We live on a rock in the sea, beaten and blown by the wind.


text:
Head coach Lyn Jones says London Welsh have learnt their lessons from a heavy defeat to Harlequins earlier in the season and will be more than a match for the champions in Oxford on Sunday.
The Exiles face a tough task going into the game on the back of a defeat at home to London Wasps last weekend, while Quins beat London Irish 26-15 at Twickenham in the Big Game 5.
Jones' men lost 40-3 at the Stoop at the start of the season, but have since won four Premiership outings and collected four bonus points.
"We've taken on board a lot of lessons from our first game against Harlequins. We have progressed and developed as a side and have made great improvements in our discipline and our kicking game," said Jones.
"We are aware they are a very confident side and are top of the League at the moment, we are disappointed after last week and are keen to make amends."
Full back Ollie Lindsay-Hague has been rewarded for his part in the Harlequins' A League final win with a first Premiership start of the season at London Welsh on Sunday.
Lindsay-Hague scored twice as Quins beat Saracens Storm to lift the first silverware of the season before Christmas and replaces Mike Brown in the number 15 shirt, having last appeared in the starting top-flight line-up in March 2011.
Fit-again centre pairing Jordan Tuner-Hall and George Lowe come in to give Tom Casson and Matt Hopper a much needed rest, while Sam Smith comes in for Ugo Monye on the left wing.
Second row Charlie Matthews replaces Olly Kohn, with Tom Guest starting at blindside flanker ahead of Maurie Fa'asavalu.
The two teams:
London Welsh: 15. Tom Arscott, 14. Dan Caprice, 13. Seb Jewell, 12. Sonny Parker, 11. Nick Scott, 10. Gordon Ross, 9. Rob Lewis, 1. Frank Montanella, 2. Neil Briggs, 3. Paulica Ion, 4. Jonathon Mills ©, 5. Kirill Kulemin*, 6. Ed Jackson, 7. Michael Hills, 8. Adam Balding.
Replacements: 16. Greg Bateman, 17. Tom Bristow, 18. James Tideswell, 19. Matt Corker, 20. Alfie To'oala, 21. Tyson Keates, 22. Alex Davies, 23. Tom Voyce.
Harlequins: 15. Ollie Lindsay-Hague, 14. Tom Williams, 13. George Lowe, 12. Jordan Turner-Hall, 11. Sam Smith, 10. Nick Evans, 9. Danny Care; , 1. Joe Marler, 2. Joe Gray, 3. James Johnston, 4. Charlie Matthews, 5. George Robson, 6. Tom Guest, 7. Chris Robshaw (C), 8. Nick Easter.
Replacements: 16. Rob Buchanan, 17. Mark Lambert, 18. Will Collier, 19. Sam Twomey, 20. Luke Wallace, 21. Karl Dickson, 22. Ben Botica, 23. Matt Hopper.


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Last edited by Tommy Got Hacked; 04-24-2010 at 03:19 PM.
I hope Beth wins. I really dislike McCool. Plus she should just stick to the Flawless/LayCool Gimmick thing.
Watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect Film.
It's McCool's first PPV match with Beth, so I think they should leave thew title change for a month or two. They can easily have Vickie & Layla get involved and then bar them from ringside during the next PPV match.
''What the fuck am I doing here?''
It'd be cool for the Lay-Cool regime to get even more awesome, while Beth is trying to claw her way to the title again, but I don't see McCool winning, especially not after what happened on this past SmackDown.
The Mickie Storyline got stale after Rumble and now Phoneix is awesome for it and maybe Phoenix should win and WWE can form a new Divas Tag Team titles for LayCool to win


text:
Principal Bill Wiesbrook: Letter to the editor
August 29, 2012
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In the May 15, 2012 edition of the Central Times, there were several places where the reader may be led to believe that the PSAE results for NCHS impact the funding that our school receives. This is not true.
In the editorial, page 15, 3rd paragraph from the end, it says "If students keep 'this test won't matter attitude' not trying can cut school funding and drastically change our lives at Central". Again, this is simply not accurate. There is no funding for NCHS based on the PSAE scores.
Students should certainly do their best, and put forth a sincere effort on the PSAE test. Students' individual scores are reported and shown on their transcript. When a student applies to college, the college admissions office will certainly look at these results. It is also important for our school to determine in which academic areas we are doing well, and in which areas we may need to improve. For these two reasons, students should apply themselves and put forth a sincere effort to demonstrate their understanding and mastery on the PSAE exam.
I do not want our school community to feel that the motivation for a quality performance on the PSAE exams is associated with money. It is not. I believe that everyone at NCHS should do their best. There are many folks who regret not doing their best at some point in their past. I have yet to meet someone who says "I shouldn't have done my best" at a task, and on this designated date in April, all of our students should give a sincere effort to demonstrate your abilities on the PSAE test.


text:
Stardust/Release Build Plan/Ramp Down
< Stardust | Release Build Plan(Redirected from Stardust/Project Plan/Ramp Down)
This is the ramp down plan for project Stardust applicable for the 1.0 (Kepler) release and later.
- API signature frozen
- API behaviour frozen with the exception of changes needed to fix potential P1 or P2 bugs
- No new features that would result in major GUI changes after M6
- Feature freeze. Changes beyond M7 will only be done to:
- fix important and/or low risk bugs
- perform changes or fix issues regarding release or IP policies (such as release numbers, license headers, provider names, etc.)
- Changes to the documentation are generally permitted regardless of these rules.
- Criteria as for M7
- Additionally after RC1: Another committer from the project must review and vote +1 using Bugzilla


text:
- Contents
Isotope Geochemistry Laboratories
Academic Staff Member
Prof. M. J. Bickle / Dr. A Galy / Dr A. Piotrowski
Dr Hazel Chapman tel: 33405
S. Wing, Ground Floor: Room S19/21 tel: 33445
S. Wing, 4th Floor : Rooms S405 – 410 tel: 33445 and S417 tel:33404
Isotope analyses and geochemical projects within the laboratories are authorised by Prof. Mike Bickle, who will liaise with Dr Albert Galy and Dr Alex Piotrowski. Use of the laboratories under supervision is available to those who have well-formulated research projects consistent with the isotope geochemistry laboratories' capabilities. Sampling is critical to any isotopic geochemical project, so it is essential to plan any project well in advance.
There are many opportunities, and indeed encouragement is given, for involvement in technical developments of micro-chemical methods and mass-spectrometer maintenance. Training takes place through close interaction with other researchers so a minimum of 3-6 months is usually necessary to undertake a project and obtain a useful level of proficiency. As chemical separations use strong acids, all safety protocols must be followed. See Hazel for assistance following 'use of laboratory' process and any necessary chemical hazard risk assessments.
Ocean Geochemistry and Palaeoceanography Laboratories
Academic Staff Member
Senior Research Associate
S. Wing, 4th Floor
Rooms 416-418
Tel.: 33403
Varian Vista Axial ICP-AES
Finnigan Element XR
Sample preparation lab
As part of the Godwin Laboratory for Palaeoclimate Research, the laboratories are exceptionally well-equipped for trace metal ratio determinations in foraminifera and other marine samples. This type of analytical work requires enormous attention to detail in order to achieve good results, and a high level of manual dexterity is a positive advantage.
Use of the laboratories is authorised by Professor Harry Elderfield and they available to those who have well-formulated research projects consistent with the laboratories' analytical capabilities. Success in this analytical area requires a high level of skill and dedication and, because routine assistance is not available and training takes place through close interaction with other researchers, a minimum of 6 to 12 months is usually necessary to undertake a sensible project and obtain a useful level of competence.
The procedures used involve toxic and hazardous materials, and therefore close assistance and supervision is necessary at some stages in the preparative techniques.
All users must sign a Use of Laboratories form. A risk assessment is required covering all the chemicals used and processes performed.
Geochronology and Terrestrial Geochemistry Laboratories
Academic Staff Member
S. Wing – 4th Floor - Room 415
Tel: 33468
This lab contains fume cupboards, an oven, analytical balance, furnace, desicators, hotplates, DI water system, glassware, various sample preparation devices and tools that may be lent out for short term use on their projects. This laboratory provides facilities for standard chemical procedures. Use of the laboratory is authorised by Professor Mike Bickle who must be consulted in advance of any use of the laboratory.
All users of Chemistry facilities must sign a Use of Laboratories form and a risk assessment that includes all the chemicals to be used in the process performed. Many chemicals are toxic or hazardous and advice on potential dangers and recommended operating procedures must be sought before work is commenced. HF is often used in this lab so users must know about the risks involved, even if they are not using it themselves.
The laboratory must be left clean and tidy as it is often busy.
Information on Carbonate Staining with Alizarin red S and potassium ferricyanide