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With the Easing of Some U.S. Restrictions, Top Cuban Musicians and Artists are Bringing Their Talents North
(continued from page 2)
A hometown band playing to a hometown crowd, right?
Try a Japanese salsa band, fronted by a kimono-wearing woman who goes by a single stage name, Nora, and filled out by five Japanese sidemen and a backup singer. Nora's kimono is black with long, jagged flashes of gray; the obi that binds her waist is magenta; her singing, though, is a purely energetic homage to Cuba and its place in the world's cultural firmament.
"My dream is to sing in Cuba," she tells the cheering, clapping crowd. "I love Cuba maybe more than Japan--everybody dancing in the street. Sabor!!"
The presence of Nora and her band, Estrella de Japon, in the Cuban capital is just one of many signs of the exploding popularity of Cuban music and other cultural manifestations, from the Yoruba-inspired mysticism of Afro-Cuban artist Manuel Mendive to the unblinkingly sharp social vision of movies made by the late filmmaker Tomás Gutierrez Alea.
Taken in total, Cuban culture is a powerful export product, a talent-driven commodity that defines the rich complexity of Cuba, projecting a compelling image of the island in a way that cigars and rum do not. Better than a billboard or a travel brochure, Cuban culture, with music in the vanguard, is also the perfect advertisement for a battered and embattled country that now relies more on tourist dollars than sugar exports.
"Music is a product, like tobacco, like rum," says Rudolfo Remus "Fito" Laureiro, 34, manager of one of Cuba's oldest jazz bands, AfroCuba. "It has to be nurtured. It has to be promoted. And it has to be listened to."
While Europe, Latin America and the rest of the world have experienced an uninterrupted and unfettered enjoyment of the fruits of Cuban culture, the United States has been a late arrival to the feast, thanks to the almost four-decade-old embargo on trade with Cuba and the undying political emnity aimed at Fidel Castro.
But in an unintended bit of political irony, the Cuban Democracy Act, a 1992 law aimed at tightening the embargo and undermining Castro's rule with a blast of American culture, contains a clause promoting a greater degree of cultural exchange between the two countries, creating a modest opening into the world's biggest entertainment market.
The result: a steady northbound stream of Cuban artists, actors, musicians, academicians and writers, fueling an American appetite for unblended and undiluted Cuban talent, be it the classic skills of Jose Manuel Carreño, who is dancing with the American Ballet Theater, or the traditional sounds of the veteran musicians showcased on the Grammy-winning Buena Vista Social Club album.
A recently announced initiative by the Clinton administration promises further cultural exchange, raising hopes for an even bigger flow of artists between the two countries. In March, there was a southward counterflow: about 35 American musicians, including Jimmy Buffett, Joan Osborne and the Indigo Girls, traveled to Havana for a week of collaboration with Cuban musicians such as legendary jazz pianist Jesus "Cucko" Valdes and a concert at the Karl Marx, a cultural engagement arranged by the Cuban Music Institute and a California nonprofit group called Music Bridges.
While the unsophisticated tend to toss off this growing American lust for Cuban culture to mere faddishness or the demographic inevitability of the country's burgeoning Latin population, several larger truths are at work here. Cuban culture, with music at the forefront, has been a traditional font of creative influence for all of Latin America, the Caribbean and the entire rim of the Gulf of Mexico.
"The mother of the salsa movement is Cuban," says Cesar Pedroso, pianist and co-founder of Los Van Van, Cuba's most popular dance band. "At its roots, salsa is Cuban music."
When Americans groove to Cuban music, they are rediscovering an important influence on their own musical heritage, according to John Storm Roberts's seminal work, The Latin Tinge. Cuban musicians populated the birthplace of jazz, New Orleans, as that oh-so-American art form hit the cradle; jazz and ragtime legends such as Jelly Roll Morton, W. C. Handy and Louis Armstrong either traveled to Cuba or jammed with Cuban musicians and gave credit to the importance of what Morton called "the Latin tinge" to jazz, meaning Cuban rhythms like the habanera.
While most Americans can easily point to The Mambo King, Perez Prado, fewer are familiar with the contributions of such Cuban musicians as Alberto Socarras, credited with cutting the first flute solo on a jazz recording in 1928, or congolero Chano Pozo, who helped Dizzy Gillespie fuse bop and the Afro-Cuban beat. The Cuban musical pulse can also be detected in rock, Western swing and standards from the American songbook.
Before the revolution, Cuba was America's closest Latin American trading partner--hard evidence of traditional ties on almost every level, a connection tainted by a history of American dominance of Cuban economic and political affairs.
"We have a lot more in common with the United States than we do, say, South America or the Eastern Europeans," says Mirta Yanez, a writer and editor of Cubana, a collection of short stories by contemporary female Cuban writers.
Some say America has run up a cultural deficit to Cuba.
"We gave you great music so you could have jazz; you gave us baseball, Coca-Cola and hamburgers--but, hey, you do what you can," says Ana Radelat, a noted Cuban-born journalist who writes extensively about the island. "Take rum-and-Coke--that drink is a symbol of the cultural exchange."
On the Cuban side of the current cultural equation, there has been an understated but remarkable policy shift that has allowed Cuban artists an unprecedented commercial autonomy, an ability to live abroad for extended periods and travel to and from the island relatively unfettered. This has been an immediate boon to Cuban musicians, actors, artists and filmmakers, working in art forms that have enjoyed the greatest artistic leeway in Cuba; Cuban writers, working in a more restrictive environment, have lagged behind.
Cuban officials say this shift is a perfectly natural development, born of the dire circumstances that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union, Cuba's primary economic patron, and the resulting inability of Cuba's government to be the all-powerful patron of the arts it had been since the revolution. After four decades of pushing young talent through formal schooling for music, dance, film and other art forms, Cuba found itself with a surfeit of artists and a shortage of creative outlets to provide them.
"Cuba is full of artists and is overflowing with talent," says Octavio Cortazar, a filmmaker and director general of UNEAC, the Cuban union of writers and artists. "We had a world where we had trade with the socialist countries, and that world disappeared. It was necessary to transform ourselves. I can't think of making a film with a Soviet producer anymore; I must find another way to get my work done."
Once there was only the state. Now, there's the color of money--Cuban artists, particularly top-flight musicians such as Manuel Gonzalez "Manolin" Hernandez, a doctor-turned-singer popularly known as El Medico de la Salsa, are able to cut their own record and concert deals and pocket the dollars they earn touring and recording.
"They have bank accounts abroad, they have representatives abroad, they have agents, they have business cards," says Hugo Cancio, 34, a Miami-based promoter who has pushed the appearance of Cuban musicians in the heart of south Florida's ardently anti-Castro Cuban-American community, enduring death threats, protests and a firebombing at a club. "Cuban artists act like artists all over the world now."
That's a marked contrast to the experience of Cancio's father, Miguel, the only living member of the popular 1960s-era band, Los Zafiros, a doo-wop group that has been described as Cuba's answer to The Platters. Cancio filmed a critically acclaimed movie about his father's band, Zafiros, Locura Azul (Blue Madness), using Cuban actors and crew. At the height of the group's success, the state held all the strings, setting up tours outside of Cuba and pocketing the proceeds and the royalties from records cut at the state-owned recording studio. Cancio's father was paid a monthly salary in Cuban pesos.
Today, the Cuban government is willing to piece off some of its action, promoting joint ventures with its recording company, EGREM, based in Miramar, and running two booking agencies for promoters interested in Cuban artists. But Bernt Dollmann, a German producer scouting Cuban talent for BMG, Warner Brothers, Stella Music and other international recording giants, says EGREM isn't geared up for the competitive rigors of the worldwide music industry. His clients, hungry for fresh talent to pump into slumping music categories such as jazz and classical, are looking to bypass EGREM and establish a direct relationship with Cuban artists.
"Cuba has such a potential of musicians and such a potential of creative people--more than any other place in the world," says Dollmann, who also warns that some Cuban musicians have been exploited by unscrupulous agents and record companies.
Hugo Cancio says the vast majority of Cuban artists also try to bypass the state, learning to love a new commercial term--freelance. If you want to book Delgado, for example, you have to call his agent in Spain, where he lives most of the time; if you want Valdes, a collaborator with Dizzy Gillespie, and his Grammy-nominated Afro-Cuban jazz group Irakere, you have to dial their agent in Miami.
But some bureaucratic control rods still prevent American Cubamania from going thermonuclear. Cuban artists can still touch the "third rail" of government displeasure, says Cancio, as La Charanga Habanera, a band of young Cuban musicians that was once touted as the restless voice of the current generation, discovered shortly before Cancio brought the group to Miami in the spring of 1998.
These hard-driving musicians were banned from performing for six months for two reasons--one expected, the other not. The unsurprising reason: lyrics comparing Castro to a rotten mango that refuses to fall from the tree, says Cancio. But in an Elvis-and-Ed Sullivan moment, Cuban cultural officials expressed an equal amount of pique about the raunchy sexual gyrations of singer Michel Marquez at a 1997 World Festival of Youth concert in Havana. Since its Miami appearance, the group has split up, the bulk of the members forming a new band, La Charanga Forever.
Even more troublesome for Cuban musicians and artists are restrictions on the American side of the equation. Until recently, the U.S. State Department allowed only a few Cuban musicians to travel to America; American bureaucrats are still notoriously slow about providing visas and work permits for Cuban artists.
The embargo bars American record companies from contracting directly with Cuban musicians or Cuba's government-run recording studio, says Jimmy Durchslag, head of Bembe Records, the northern California label that is home to a Grammy-nominated album by Irakere. To get Cuban music into the American market, wily producers must use recordings made for other markets, such as Europe and South America, or create a bit of fiction to satisfy the bureaucrats, routing their work through foreign subsidiaries or other cut-outs.
Cuban artists are also barred from making a profit while touring America, out of fear that the money will prop up Castro's regime. And to prove they are in America for cultural and not commercial reasons, Cuban artists must put on workshops to satisfy the embargo's restrictions.
Yet, the Cuban artist still shows up in America in hopes of making a name in the Big Show, sporting an optimism that the restrictions of today will one day disappear.
"Whoever is successful in America is successful around the world," says Los Van Van's Pedroso. "It's the maximum."
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NetWellness is a global, community service providing quality, unbiased health information from our partner university faculty. NetWellness is commercial-free and does not accept advertising.
Friday, September 22, 2017
Healthy Weight Center
Why Aren't I Losing More Weight?
How do those people on "The Biggest Loser" lose so much weight so fast?
I went to one of those residential diet and exercise places once, very similar to "The Biggest Loser" except it wasn`t a contest, where they make you exercise 8 hours/day and they control what you eat. They served all food in the dining room and they gave out the portions so I couldn`t have been eating the wrong things or the wrong amount. I worked as hard as I could and followed all the rules perfectly and I only lost 17 lbs in 8 weeks.
I went on a medical VLCD once too, only 400 calories per day, plus 35 minutes of exercise 5x per week, plus 2x/week behavior modification groups and 1x/wk doctor checkups and meetings with a dietitian. Other people in my group lost 70 or 80 lbs in 26 weeks and I only lost 35. Then when I started the re-feeding part, which was 800 calories/day, I started gaining it back (on 800 calories/day!) and eventually gained 100 lbs on the diet they told me to follow, ending up 65 lbs more than when I started. The doctor and the dietitian and the behavior modification person all accused me of "cheating" and of "lying" when I said I wasn`t cheating, but I wasn`t!
How do these people do that? I never eat sweets or soft drinks, never have, wasn`t allowed to as a child either because I was already fat, I don`t cook with butter or fats, I don`t drink alcohol, I don`t even buy the stuff. I was a strict health food vegetarian for 17 years and everybody said vegetarians don`t get fat but I was fat then too.
What is wrong with me? They keep testing my thyroid and telling me it is normal so I just need to eat less and exercise more.
I can certainly understand your frustration with all of your weight loss efforts, but it would be hard for me to determine why you do not lose weight based on the information you have provided. How tall are you and how much do you weigh? Have you had your resting metabolic rate (RMR) determined? What is your age and gender?
Generally, the shorter a person is the lower his/her RMR which is the number of calories needed to maintain his/her current weight if one does no activity. Men typically have more muscle mass than women and so need more calories to maintain the muscles. Height and weight are used to determine body mass index (BMI) which is a mathematical formula that is used to predict percent body fat, an indicator of potential health problems related to excess weight.
You have certainly tried a number of different diets, but none of them were plans you could maintain for the rest of your life. If your doctor cannot identify a medical reason for your lack of long-term weight loss success, don't give up. The key to losing weight and keeping it off is to change the habits that have led to your excess weight.
I would encourage you to meet with a registered dietitian (RD) to evaluate your current eating plan. If your doctor is unable to recommend a dietitian in your area, you can find one by calling your local hospital or go online to the American Dietetic Association (ADA) web site (http://www.eatright.org/). ADA will be able to direct you to an RD in private practice close by.
Before your visit, keep a food journal including everything you eat and drink for at least 3 days (2 week days and 1 week-end day). Be sure to note the time of each meal and snack as well as the amount of each food. Working on small changes to the diet you normally eat will be easier and should allow you to enjoy weight loss that you can maintain.
If possible, have your RMR determined. Many RDs provide this service. From your previous attempts, I would expect that your RMR is low meaning you do not need many calories to maintain your weight. Knowing your RMR will also allow you to set a realistic weight loss goal - both short-term and long-term.
Of course, do not forget to include exercise. You have done some rigorous exercising in the past, but it does not sound like this is realistic for the long haul. If your doctor agrees, begin walking. Pedometers are helpful in monitoring how much you walk. Try a pedometer for a week and average the steps you take on a daily basis. Then multiply your steps by 1.2 (a 20% increase) and try to increase to that number of steps. When you are comfortable with the changes you are making with your diet and you are exercising regularly, you might consider working with a trainer who can help you balance your exercising to include aerobic exercise, stretching and resistance training.
Ignore the weight losses you see on television. The contestants are hand-picked for these shows. You need to work with your body in a way that helps you improve your health.
To Your Health,
Shirley A Kindrick, PhD
Former Team Leader of Comprehensive Weight Management
College of Medicine
The Ohio State University

subset: commoncrawl


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Editor's note: This story has been updated since it was originally posted on Aug. 9 to add information about more West Nile virus found in the county.
ADDISON COUNTY — Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus has been detected in a mosquito pool collected on Aug. 1 from the Whiting area in southern Addison County, the Vermont Department of Health reported on Friday.
BURLINGTON — Four mosquito pools from the Whiting area in Addison County have tested positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) virus and one pool tested positive for West Nile virus.
No human cases of EEE have been confirmed in Vermont, and the last human case of West Nile Virus in was in 2003. The state traps and tests mosquitoes, and tests people and horses that have symptoms consistent with the virus. Both viruses are spread by the bite of an infected mosquito.
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Australia's Jason Day held his nerve to win the WGC Accenture Match Play Championship on Sunday after Victor Dubuisson threatened to pull off a truly astounding victory at Dove Mountain.
Day finally prevailed on the 23rd hole of an epic final that saw Dubuisson produce two extraordinary recovery shots to keep the contest alive.
Dubuisson conceded the first two holes of the final to Day and although he got back on level terms by the fourth, the Frenchman bogeyed four of the next five to fall three down at the turn.
The gap was still three with just six holes remaining only for Dubuisson to reduce his deficit with a birdie on the 13th and then keep the match alive with another on the 17th after Day had missed his birdie attempt to seal victory.
And when Day three-putted the 18th from 65 feet, Dubuisson saved par from a greenside bunker to keep his hopes alive of winning a WGC title at the first attempt.
The real drama was yet to come as Dubuisson seemingly wasted all his hard work when his approach to the first extra hole bounded through the green and came to rest in a seemingly unplayable lie underneath a cactus.
However, the 23-year-old somehow conjured a pitch onto the green and to within four feet of the hole, from where he holed for par after Day had saved his from a greenside bunker.
Day showed little emotion at Dubuisson's remarkable escape, but the 26-year-old was left smiling and shaking his head in disbelief as his opponent repeated the trick on the second play-off hole.
After pulling his approach to the par-four ninth into more desert bushes, Dubuisson casually pitched out and calmly holed from seven feet for par after Day had missed his birdie attempt.
US Ryder Cup captain Tom Watson wrote on Twitter: "Two of the greatest up-and/downs I have ever seen Victor!!!" and Gary Player added: "This is simply fantastic stuff!! @Vdubush is Houdini."
The next two holes were halved before Day finally sealed victory with a birdie on the fifth extra hole after an excellent pitch to three feet.
Dubuisson had the consolation of taking £545,000 for second place which, coupled with his earnings for winning the Turkish Airlines Open last season, means he is set for a Ryder Cup debut at Gleneagles in September.
In the third/fourth place play-off, Els birdied the 18th to force extra holes, only for Fowler to make his own birdie on the first extra hole to take third.


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Muskingum College commencement speaker Reverend Dr. Thomas K. Tewell presents ideas For Such a Time as This . . .
MAY 10, 2004 - At Muskingum College's 159th Commencement held May 8th, 330 students received their undergraduate degrees and heard Muskingum College graduate Reverend Dr. Thomas K. Tewell deliver the commencement address titled For Such A Time As This . . . Reverend Tewell is senior pastor at The Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York, New York.
Reverend Tewell graduated from Muskingum in 1970 and received his master of divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1973. Today, he serves the seminary as a Trustee, as well as a member of its Academic Affairs, Financial Affairs and Personnel Committees. Reverend Tewell earned his doctor of ministry from Drew Theological Seminary in 1986. Muskingum College granted him an honorary doctor of humane letters in 1995, and in 2002 he was awarded the Distinguished Service Award, the highest honor Muskingum College can bestow on an alumnus.
He became senior pastor of The Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in 1994 and, in that role, has been asked to lead seminars on preaching for pastors at theological seminars and to preach at conferences and in congregations across the United States.
Muskingum College President Anne C. Steele welcomed the graduating class and said, "As you leave Muskingum, you take with you a cornerstone that will serve you well and provide a foundation for your life."
Reverend Tewell's commencement address focused on the need for the graduates to understand that they are entering a complex and sometimes troubled world where not only their skills, but their good spirits are badly needed. He said, "This is a very special time for you, just as it is for the world. You are called today to make a difference, at such a time as this. You go out into a world that is starving for leadership and decency. Everything that has been given to you is a gift that you must use wisely."
After the address, Muskingum College Board of Trustees Chairman Harold W. Burlingame presented a resolution recognizing Reverend Tewell's life contributions.
Ryan J. Donaghy '04 was chosen by her fellow students to represent the graduating class.
The charge to the graduating class was presented by Associate Professor of Speech Communication Eugene L. Alesandrini.
The baccalaureate service was held at 10:00 a.m. Muskingum College alumnus Dr. Brockton Jeffrey Hefflin delivered the sermon, titled Reflections on Adventurous Living. He said, "The key to an adventurous life is to pursue your passions by being prepared and willing to accept challenges. Always discipline yourself to expand your faculties and your knowledge. Relative to the vast majority of the people in the rest of the world, you have much, but that gift comes with responsibilities."
A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and a 1984 Muskingum alumnus, Dr. Hefflin has distinguished himself as a leader in the area of public health policy and as an international citizen.
From 1991 to 1993, Dr. Hefflin served as a Medical Officer at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and, since 1995, as a Medical Officer in the Center for Devices and Radiological Health at the United States Food and Drug Administration. In these professional roles, his work focused on the field of medical epidemiology. He participated in formulating national policies to monitor community health and to prevent or control the distribution of disease.
At commencement, the college conferred upon Dr. Hefflin an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree, in recognition of his lifetime of work.
Anthony Lorenz '04 read the scripture for baccalaureate.
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How many years in a row has a top-seeded team "gotten rusty" and lost (or barely beaten) a team it should be able to beat?
This year, it was patently obvious just how bad the first round bye is for teams - the two top-seeded NFC teams won close games (Chicago in overtime), the two top-seeded AFC teams lost.
Last year, Chicago and Indy lost at home in the second round, but a #1 (Seattle) got to the SuperBowl.
The year before, Pittsburgh needed overtime (and a missed Jets FG at the end of regulation) to escape (with a 15-1 regular season record). The Patriots and the NFC teams did blow out their Wild Card weekend visitors, however.
The year before that, the Patriots needed a late field goal to beat Tennessee, and the Colts upset the Chiefs; in the NFC the Rams, at home, went to a second overtime and lost, and the Eagles had to go to overtime to win.
And on and on...
That's my opinion. Your thoughts?
But I don't know how to implement it. My preference would be to make the playoffs for the eight division champs only. But "Wild Card" weekend is a big money maker, so that will never happen. I guess the NFL will need to further dilute its playoffs (a la NBA/NHL) and add four more playoff teams. I still think that with only a sixteen game season, that the regular season would still mean something in football, unlike the nearly-meaningless 82-game warmup in the NBA that, prior to recent expanion, only eliminated a handful of teams from the playoffs.


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Settle singer John Newman has a double chance of picking up a coveted Brit Award in 2014.
The chart-topper will be going up against big names, including David Bowie and Jake Bugg, for the title of best British Male Solo Artist.
His smash hit 'Love Me Again' has also picked up a nomination in the best British Single category.
Winners will be announced at the Brits ceremony, to be held on February 19.


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Charles Lee Johnson
BERLIN — Charles Lee Johnson, 89, died Monday, May 6, 2013, at Atlantic General Hospital in Berlin. Born in Virginia, he was the son of the late Charles L. Johnson and Margaret Lewis.
Mr. Johnson was preceded in death by his wife, Margaret Lewis; two brothers, Evan S. Johnson and David B. Johnson; and a sister, Margaret Zeimer. He is survived by his daughter, Martha Ann Johnson.
A graveside service was held Thursday, May 9, at Taylorville Cemetery in Taylorville. The Rev. Dr. Olin Shockley officiated.
s of condolence may be sent to the family online at www.burbagefuneralhome.com.
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This is a 180gr heavy weight vinyl.
Also available as CD / Digital
A1. ValolleA2. Ystäväni NosferatuA3. Kuoleman tappajan kuolemaA4. Hämärän hevosetA5. VälisoittoB1. Valloittajan lauluB2. Juokse sinä hummaB3. PaperthinB4. MirjamB5. Silmät
Recorded in 2011 on Kemiö Island, in Turku, Tampere and Stockholm, Lau Naus long-awaited third LP, Valohiukkanen, is to be released on 12th November 2012 by Fonal Records. An articulate work of delicate beauty featuring nine new Lau Nau originals and one cover version, it is adorned by an array of instrumentation, and enhanced by the integration of rhythm and percussion - a thing rarely heard on Lau Nau albums. Although its safe to say the mood is still firmly rooted in the shadowy side of life, we are occasionally taken to a disco - yet that too sounds as if it may have been organized by Death. Tonally and texturally rich and immersive, the new record includes contributions from Pekko Käppi on jouhikko, Jaakko Tolvi on drums, Antti Tolvi on bass and alto clarinet, Kristian Holmgren on guitar, synths and percussion and Matti Bye on grand piano and celesta. The cover photographs were taken by renowned Finnish photographer Susanna Majuri, as part of her Imaginary Homeland series.
Format: LP 180grTotal lenght: 38 minutesCatalogue Number: FR-88LPReleased: 12.11.2012
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LakesTrivia brain teasers have some element of trivia in them, but they are not just pure trivia questions.
Joe and Anthony were discussing lakes. Joe says that Lake Superior is the largest lake in the world. Anthony says that Lake Baikal is the largest lake in the world. Who is right?
AnswerBoth can be right because they are not being specific enough. Lake Superior is the largest in the sense of how many square miles it covers. Lake Baikal is the largest in the sense of how deep it is, holding more water than Lake Superior.
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Wild boar saga ends as beast found dead near Chippenham
3:53pm Thursday 24th January 2013
By Julie Armstrong
3:53pm Thursday 24th January 2013
By Julie Armstrong
A wild boar spotted several times around Chippenham this month has been found dead where it was hit by a car.
An accidental collision with the boar on the A420 on Thursday night happened after David Beard, 50, had been celebrating his birthday at the Neeld Arms Inn, Grittleton.
He was being driven home to Chippenham when the boar ran out into the road.
The accident happened near the Allington Farm Shop at 10.45pm and was reported to police on Friday.
Mr Beard suffered a broken nose when the airbag activated.
He said: "There was nothing there at all and the next thing I knew it was just standing there, it was quite huge."
He and the driver were unable to find the boar in the dark but went looking for it yesterday after the snow cleared and found it's body.
"Poor thing lying in a ditch, it's very sad," he said.
"It is about five feet long and two feet tall. It did an awful lot of damage to the car.
"It was a really good day and then that - what a way to end it."
Earlier this month dog walker Paul Gardner, of Brook Street, Chippenham, said he came across a wild boar between Sheldon School and Chippenham Football Club.
He said: "It started charging towards me and I screamed like a girl."
Mr Gardner's scare came after several sightings the week before.
Police received calls saying a wild boar was on the loose on the A420 and one was spotted near the Allington Farm Shop.
© Copyright 2001-2017 Newsquest Media Group


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'Drag Race' winner Raja had to keep a poker face for 8 months, but now she welcomes the papa, paparazzi
RuPaul's Drag Race crossed the finish line this week, and the best woman won. Sutan Amrull, better known as Raja Gemini, kept her eye on the prize since the first episode and ended up being crowned the next drag superstar.
This 6-foot-3 Los Angelo, who is part Dutch and part Indonesian, is no stranger to reality television, having appeared on America's Next Top Model as the show's principal make-up artist and serving as Adam Lambert's face painter for his tour. In short, Raja knows glam and glitter on the road.
After winning a close race, Raj was crowned the winner and rose early the day after to chat about his experience on the show.
— Jerry Nunn
Dallas Voice: How do you feel now that the experience is over? Raja Gemini: I don't think it has really hit me. I have been keeping the secret since August, even from my parents. I didn't even talk to my mom about it. She seems to have known, though. She said, "A mother always knows…"
Do you think the judges were fair? I think for the most part the judges were fair. I think Delta Work should have stayed longer. I don't think they really understood her humor.
Did you have a favorite celebrity judge? There were a few of them. I couldn't believe that my season had two of my greatest idols: Vanessa Williams and Jody Watley. Jody Watley was a style icon for me since I was a boy in junior high. I wanted to wear giant earrings when I saw her. For her to be there as one of the judges, and Vanessa Williams as well, was a really huge deal for me.
How old were you when you first did drag? Experimenting with it, probably about 15. I have been doing drag all of my life. I was that kid that played dress up all the time, wearing different sheets and dishtowels. I made costumes. I was really getting into it by 16 years old.
People are saying you were friends with RuPaul before the show. People have made a lot more [out of it] than it really is. I have been a makeup artist for a very long time and have crossed paths with a lot of people. Ru at one point lived in L.A. and was a big fan of the L.A. drag scene. She went to all of the shows and I would see her quite often. We weren't friends where we would call each other up and talk about boy, financial or family problems — we were just aware of each other's presence. That's inevitable when you work within an industry. I wouldn't even say that Ru and I were acquaintances.
Where did you learn makeup? I was actually an art student and went to University of Orange County in California. I tried to be a student and hated it. I decided to be a makeup artist and then a female impersonator!
What are your plans for the prize money? Actually, I am going to spend it wisely. I am going to pay off all of my bills No. 1, and clean my plate. I will be able to focus on working now. I will be elaborating and creating a brand, if you will.
Some of the money must go back into your act and the latest outfit. You know, it really does. It is very true when they say, "You have to spend money to make money." Drag is expensive. But it doesn't have to be. I am a pretty frugal drag queen and I love a bargain. I am definitely a thrift shopper. I love going to flea markets. It doesn't always have to be that expensive.
Do you regret fighting with Shangela on the show? No, I love it. I love watching Drag Race and love, love, love watching Untucked as well. That's my favorite thing! I watch it with all of my friends. We totally laugh and cackled at everything Shangela says. She is brilliant and super smart. She is a really great person. She has a bright future ahead of her.
So you don't have beef with anyone on the show then? Not at all, not that I can think of…
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition April 29, 2011.


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The capacity crowd assembled at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées on the evening of May 29, 1913, was expecting something big. They had every reason to: The Ballets Russes was launching its latest creation.
The newest theater in Paris had hosted its first concert only eight weeks before, but it had already established a reputation for fashion and daring.
Its gutsy founder, journalist and impresario Gabriel Astruc, had scored a coup when he landed the 1913 season of the Ballets Russes, which had wowed Parisians since 1908 with increasingly ambitious and scintillating works that combined Europe's most imaginative young dancers, composers, choreographers and artists. Under the direction of flamboyant Russian impresario Sergei Diaghilev, it was arguably the most influential performing-arts ensemble in the world.
That's why, despite the double-price tickets for the evening's performance, bohemian rabble rousers mingled with the tuxedo-clad swells in the audience.
The lights dimmed. Conductor Pierre Monteux raised his baton. And everyone heard an otherworldly melody, played by a solo bassoon at the very top of its range. It signaled the start of the strangest ballet anyone had ever seen.
Things got stranger when the dancers appeared. No tutus or pointe shoes for this ensemble: they were dressed in primitive, baggy, vaguely Slavic costumes. And the choreography – flat and turned-in feet, repetitive stomping, endless circles – seemed to mock the very foundations of ballet.
The uproar commenced immediately. Some claimed trouble began when the two factions in the audience tussled with each other. Others said everyone was united in their hatred of what they saw. Shouts, hisses and whistles threatened to drown out the orchestra, though the show went on. Patrons hurled insults and scuffles broke out. The police were called. And Western culture was never the same.
The brouhaha even made headlines across the Atlantic. "Parisians Hiss New Ballet," screamed the headline in the New York Times.
In many ways, it has never stopped. "The Rite of Spring," one century after its premiere, is universally acknowledged as a tipping point when the old, for better or worse, gave way to the new. In Southern California and many other parts of the world, celebrations throughout 2013 commemorate and analyze a ballet that, even after 100 years, retains the stark and visceral modernism that it engendered.
Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center, hosting the Joffrey Ballet's groundbreaking "Rite" reconstruction. 7:30 p.m. Feb. 1-2, 2 p.m. Feb. 3. $34-$125. Los Angeles Music Center, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. 213-972-7211 or musiccenter.org.
"Stravinsky and L.A. Dance" illustrates Stravinsky's influence on dance in Los Angeles. Feb. 1-17. Free. Stern Grand Hall, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. 213-972-0711 or musiccenter.org.
Pianists Norman Weston and Kirill Gliadovsky play "Rite of Spring" at Saddleback College. 7 p.m. Feb. 4-5. $7-$10. McKinney Theatre, 28000 Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo. 949-582-4656 or saddleback.edu/arts.
At UC Irvine, "Visions of the Rite of Spring" includes "The Sacre Project" and "Dance Visions 2013." 7 and 9 p.m. Feb. 20-23, 1 and 3 p.m. Feb. 23-24. $11-$20. 714-824-2787 or arts.uci.edu/tickets.
The Long Beach Symphony performs "Rite." 8 p.m. March 9. $20-$89. Long Beach Performing Arts Center. 562-436-3203 or lbso.org.
John Mauceri presents "Music in the Life of a Great City, Rite of Spring at 100." 8 p.m. June 1. $25-$70. Valley Performing Arts Center, Cal State Northridge. 818-677-3000 or valleyperformingartscenter.org.
The Pacific Symphony winds up its season with "Rite of Spring Turns 100." 8 p.m. June 6-8. $25-$185. Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. 714-755-5799 or pacificsymphony.org.
Contact the writer: 714-796-7979 or email@example.com


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Liquidity below average To add value, we feature a technical view of conditions from monthly chart views. Simplistically, we recommend longer-term investors stay on the right side of the 12 month simple moving average. When prices are above the moving average, stay long, and when below remain in cash or short. Some more interested in a fundamental approach may not care so much about technical issues preferring instead to buy when prices are perceived as low and sell for other reasons when high; but, this is not our approach. Premium members to the ETF Digest receive added signals when markets become extended such as DeMark triggers to exit overbought/oversold conditions.


text:
Death Notices: December 27, 2009
• Teresa Lynn Ludwig, 40, Rifle, died Dec. 20, 2008, at her home.
Cremation has taken place. Services are at 1 p.m. today, at Rifle Funeral Home.
Mrs. Ludwig was a cashier.
Survivors include her husband, Bryan Del; two sons, Christopher and Stephen; three daughters, Elizabeth, Katelyn and Angela; her mother, Zina Flagg; one brother, Walter Pierrets; and three grandchildren.
• Margaret A. Mullen, 100, Grand Junction, died Dec. 25, 2008, at Mantey Heights.
Services will be at a later date.
Mrs. Mullen was a registered nurse.
Survivors include one son, John Mullen of Florissant, Mo.; two daughters, Mary Sue Bonds of Grand Junction and Dorothy Hampton of Walden; 11 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and three great-great- grandchildren.
• Angelica "Ann" Todd, 94, Paonia, died Dec. 25, 2008, at the Paonia Care Center.
Services will be 10 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 30, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, and burial will be at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Paonia.
Survivors include two sons Allen Todd of Paonia and Terry Todd of Hotchkiss; three daughters, Mary Bailey of Orangeville, Utah, Clara Twerdahl of San Jose, Calif., and Carolyn Mackenzie of Paonia; a brother, Tommy Ungaro of Paonia; and three sisters, Madeline Pierce and Mary Ungaro, both of Grand Junction, and Rosie Payne of Paonia; 11 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.


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BLACKBURN'S Linden House Care Home is set to almost double in size if councillors approve a major extension on Thursday.
Owner Krista Khistria wants to turn the 20-plus year old premises in Shadsworth into a complex with 22 specialist dementia care beds.
Currently the home on Delph has 34 bedrooms for elderly patients and other adults with specialist care needs.
On Thursday, Blackburn with Darwen council planning committee will consider an application to extend the single-story building with a second single storey building. with external and internal improvements. This will create a 58 bedroom home with 36 care beds and 22 specialist dementia care beds. with additional toilets, and a new reception, staff and lounge area.
All the new rooms with be en-suite.
The plan would also improve the outdoor space for resident use.
The current seven car park spaces would be increased to 12 under the scheme.
Two neighbours on Shadsworth Road have objected to the plan, one couple claiming it would overlook their property and block sunlight and the other objector concerned about the stability of a tree in the home's grounds.
A report to councillors by planning officer Alastair Phillips said: "The overall objective of the extensions and alterations is to improve the quality of care and facilities for residents."
He recommends approval with conditions on landscaping and materials.
Mr Khistria's agent Ray Fish said: "We are happy with the recommendations.
"We are hopeful the scheme will be approved by the committee."


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As mentioned earlier in my first post of Xiamen, we were supposed to switch hotels after the first night. The second hotel, without a doubt, was much better than the one we stayed in. The next morning, we went for breakfast, packed and took a cab to the next hotel.
Couldn't resist taking the picture of giant sneakers!
The hotel that we were going to was called Wyndham Hotel Xiamen, which is also ranked #2 by TripAdvisor. Once we entered the lobby, it felt like we were in a different world altogether. The majestic chandeliers were so grand and sparkly, the floors so smooth and shiny, and the area so spacious! Luxurious, definitely luxurious.
Grand chandelier in the lobby
Spiral staircase
While Saucer was performing the necessary check in procedures, I couldn't help but be awed by my surroundings.
Spacious reception area
witch at Wyndham Hotel
Soon, our room was ready and we were given a key card. Look, even the lift lobby was so classy!
Lift lobby at 15th floor
We were given a twin bed room, but each bed was wide enough for 2 persons! It was larger than the standard size single bed, but just slightly smaller than a queen bed. Best of all? The bed was super comfy and the pillows were made from down. Heavenly! 🙂
The large twin beds
Study desk by the window
The room had a floor to ceiling window which opened to a glorious view of the river!
View of the room
Coffee and tea making facilities
Each day, two bottles of complimentary water were given.
Complimentary drinking water
The bathroom was spacious, with a cubicle for shower and a cubicle for toilet.
Basin in the washroom
The shower head was huge with strong water pressure – exactly what a good shower is made of. 🙂
Huge shower head
Toilet bowl in a separate cubicle
But what I love most of the wash room is the bath tub! I actually spent a lot of my time in the tub having a bubble bath! Exceptionally delightful especially after working out in the gym. 🙂
Every morning, we woke up to the amazing view of the river.
Morning view from the room
And every evening, we were treated to a beautiful sunset, all from the comfort of our room. The island opposite of the river is called Gulangyu, which is synonymous to Xiamen's pride. It's an island that we visited a few days later, together with my friends from Beijing. 🙂
Sunset from our room
Needless to say, our experience in Wyndham Hotel had been nothing short of fabulous. Well, when the room rate is about RMB1,000+ per night, some expectations are bound to be there, no?
Wyndham Hotel Xiamen
For more information of the hotel, check out this website: http://www.wyndham.com/hotels/XMNHT/main.wnt


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Get an overview of this hotelEco-friendly hotel with restaurant and indoor pool
Popular property highlights
Situated in Dorval, this eco-friendly hotel is 3 mi (4.8 km) from Golf Dorval and within 6 mi (10 km) of CAE and Bombardier Aerospace. Saint Joseph's Oratory and Concordia University are also within 9 mi (15 km).
Hotel Features
Along with a restaurant, this smoke-free hotel has an indoor pool and a fitness center. Additionally, a bar/lounge, a coffee shop/café, and a snack bar/deli are onsite.
Room Amenities
All 279 rooms feature comforts like pillowtop beds and premium bedding, while conveniences include refrigerators and coffee makers. WiFi and wired Internet are standard, as are LCD TVs with satellite channels.Information missing or incorrect? Tell us!Opens in a new window
Montreal Airport Marriott In-Terminal Hotel
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
In addition to an indoor pool, Montreal Airport Marriott In-Terminal Hotel provides a spa tub and a fitness center. Dining options at the hotel include a restaurant, a coffee shop/café, and a snack bar/deli. A bar/lounge is on site where guests can unwind with a drink. Public areas are equipped with wireless Internet access (surcharge).
This 4-star property offers access to a 24-hour business center, limo/town car service, and meeting rooms. Event facilities measuring 14386 square feet (1337 square meters) include conference space. This eco-friendly hotel also offers spa services, multilingual staff, and gift shops/newsstands. Onsite parking is available (surcharge).
Montreal Airport Marriott In-Terminal Hotel is a smoke-free property.
- Conference space size (meters) - 1337
- Number of meeting rooms - 20
- Total number of rooms - 279
- ATM/banking
- 24-hour front desk
- Number of floors - 6
- Concierge services
- Conference space
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Elevator/lift
- Express check-in
- Express check-out
- Fitness facilities
- Gift shops or newsstand
- WiFi (surcharge)
- Limo or Town Car service available
- Spa treatment room(s)
- Meeting rooms 20
- Multilingual staff
- Porter/bellhop
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- 24-hour business center
- Snack bar/deli
- Self parking (surcharge)
- Smoke-free property
- Number of buildings/towers - 1
- Spa tub
- Indoor pool
- Bar/lounge
- Breakfast available (surcharge)
- Coffee shop or café
- Television in common areas
- Wedding services
- Laundry facilities
- Valet parking (surcharge)
- Restaurant
- Conference space size (feet) - 14386
- Spa services on site
Family Friendly Amenities
- Family Hotel
- Indoor pool
- Snack bar/deli
- Laundry facilities
- Refrigerator
- Cribs/infant beds (complimentary)
Available in all rooms: Wireless internet access ( CAD 15.90 per night ), Wireless internet access ( CAD 15.95 per day )
Available in some public areas: Wireless internet access ( CAD 15.90 per night )
Self parking (surcharge), Valet parking (surcharge)
Room Amenities
- Connecting/adjoining rooms available
- Free cribs/infant beds
- Premium TV channels
- Premium bedding
- Hypo-allergenic bedding available
- Air conditioning
- In-room climate control (air conditioning)
- Refrigerator
- Coffee/tea maker
- Daily housekeeping
- Private bathroom
- Free toiletries
- Hair dryer
- Shower only
- Iron/ironing board
- Desk
- In-room safe (laptop compatible)
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Satellite TV service
- WiFi (surcharge)
- Wired Internet access (surcharge)
- Room service (limited hours)
- Rollaway/extra beds (surcharge)
- Down comforter
- Pillowtop mattress
Where to Eat
Buffet breakfasts are available for a surcharge and are served each morning between 6:30 AM and 11 AM.
Bijou Resto Bar - This restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Illy Espressamente - Onsite café. Open daily.
Room service (during limited hours) is available.
Nearby Things to Do
An indoor pool and a spa tub are on site. Other recreational amenities include a fitness center.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
- Downhill skiing nearby
- Cross-country skiing nearby
- Snowboarding nearby
- Snowshoeing nearby
- Rafting nearby
- Sailing nearby
- Mountain biking nearby
- Bicycle rentals nearby
- Hiking/biking trails nearby
- Golfing nearby
- Golf lessons available nearby
Spa Services
- Body treatments
- Facial treatments
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please note them at check-out when you book your room.
- Accessible bathroom
- In-room accessibility
Hotel Policies
Check-in time starts at 3 PM
Minimum check-in age is 18
Check-out time is noon
Payment types
Children and extra beds
- Children are welcome.
- Rollaway/extra beds are available for CAD 20 per night.
- Free cribs (infant beds)!
- Pets not allowed (service animals welcome)
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy.
Optional extras
- Fee for buffet breakfast: CAD 20 per person (approximately)
- Fee for in-room wireless Internet: CAD 15.90 per night (rates may vary)
- Fee for in-room wired Internet: CAD 15.95 per day (rates may vary)
- Fee for wireless Internet in public areas: CAD 15.90 per night (rates may vary)
- Self parking fee: CAD 25.00 per night
- Valet parking fee: CAD 30.00 per day
- Rollaway bed fee: CAD 20 per night
Hotel Name
- Marriott Hotel Airport Montreal
- Marriott Hotel Montreal Airport
- Montreal Airport Marriott
- Montreal Airport Marriott Hotel
- Montreal Marriott Hotel
- Montreal Marriott Hotel Airport
- Montreal Airport Marriott In-Terminal Hotel Dorval
- Montreal Airport Marriott In-Terminal Hotel
- Montreal Airport Marriott In-Terminal Dorval
- Montreal Airport Marriott In-Terminal
We should mention
The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation.


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seahorse wrote:The main hindrance which crops up for me time and again is dullness and drowsiness in meditation.
I'm a full time worker in a very intense job, helping people in crisis and managing emergency situations.
Much of my time is spent either at work, traveling to and from work, recovering from work, and getting my preparation done for work. In addition to this I run a household on my own, and support my parents (who live nearby) and my elderly neighbours who are in the late stages of their lives. I carry out voluntary work too. I love all of this and am grateful for the opportunity to serve.
However, it often means that when I come to meditate, within 20 or 30 minutes I'm totally knackered and starting to nod off. It's been like this for years now. I've tried caffeine, which wigs me out. I've tried altering my meditation schedule, but I still seem to be tired all the time. I've tried sleeping more at night and simply getting more rest, but I don't have that luxury of time very often. I'm in my early 30s and am caught in a fast paced environment of technology and heavy adrenal demands.
I guess I need to accept that this is just how life is for me at the moment. My question is, is is really possible to make any genuine progress in meditation when more often than not, it's just 20-30 minutes a day, normally ending in a snooze? I don't feel like I've developed much ability to concentrate the mind in Samadhi.
I've booked a short weekend retreat for in a few weeks time but I just wonder whether any good (in terms of concentration) which comes from that may be lost when I get straight back into my regular life. I could really do with some practical tips if anyone has them.
Whaddya reckon? How do you deal with drowsiness or heavy lifestyle demands as a layperson?
seahorse wrote:Fastest response ever! Hello Cittasanto.
After all the jobs and whatnot are done, I'd say between 30 and 45 minutes a day, which I try to spend reading Suttas and meditating. But I keep accidentally wasting the opportunity by crashing!
seahorse wrote:guess how much time I have to relax and do nothing or meditate!
Completely agree with you there, cittasanto.Cittasanto wrote:making & spending time for ones own benefit is the most important thing you can do. you should be a friend to yourself first...
marc108 wrote:you could try walking or standing meditation, its unlikely you'll nod off doing that. nodding off after 30 mins of meditation is a good indicator, imo, that you're deeply fatigued. i think if your busy work schedule is interfering with your meditation theres no shame in putting off whatever volunteer work you are able to and having a little more free time, especially if you plan to use it doing skillful things like sitting or studying the Suttas.
if you have health insurance it would be wise for you to go to the doctor. get a checkup and some basic bloodwork. also vitamin D, iron, methylmalonic acid.
you could try taking a multivitamin & 1-2g of fishoil every day as well.
alan... wrote: i'll also add that getting lots of sleep helps. as does meditating when you are very much refreshed. not after work or when you feel sleepy or worn out. ...
Yana wrote:Hi Seahorse,
When you feel fresh meditate.
When you feel tired meditate.
Return to "General Theravāda Meditation"
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"Finding Braddock's True Gold" Is Oct. 4
Sept. 26, 2008
News Highlights
- Free family festival to be held at Oak Hill Manor.
- Enjoy free food, tour and guest speakers.
- Oak Hill Manor is one of the oldest homes in Fairfax County.
More Information
Braddock District Supervisor Sharon Bulova invites the public to "Finding Braddock's True Gold," a free family festival at Oak Hill Manor, 4716 Wakefield Chapel Road, Annandale, on Saturday, Oct. 4, noon-5 p.m. Oak Hill Manor is one of the oldest homes in Fairfax County.
Oak Hill Manor, a privately owned 18th century Georgian-style home, was saved as part of a historic easement in 2004. Guests will be able to tour the Oak Hill grounds; participate in children's activities, including games and a treasure hunt; meet former Oak Hill residents; learn from speakers on the history and architecture of Oak Hill and Fairfax County; and enjoy free refreshments and music on the lawn.
Free shuttle service will be provided from the parking lot at the Nancy Sprague Technology Center, 4414 Holborn Ave. For more information, call the Braddock District office at 703-425-9300, TTY 711.
Fairfax County Office of Public Affairs
12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 551
Fairfax, VA 22035-0065
Contact: Merni Fitzgerald, Director of Public Affairs
703-324-3187, TTY 711, Fax 703-324-2010
Media Pager: 703-324-NEWS (6397)
Fairfax County is committed to
nondiscrimination on the basis of disability in all county programs,
services and activities. To request this information in an alternate
format, call the Office of Public Affairs at 703-324-3187, TTY 711.


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Note: This item is more than eight years old. Please take the publication date into consideration for any date references.
Print – Plain Text – Permalink
News Release
Media Contact: TPWD News, firstname.lastname@example.com, 512-389-8030
Feb. 20, 2009
EnCana Donation Funds School Service-Learning, Aquatic Habitat Restoration, Game Warden Training
AUSTIN, Texas — A $486,000 donation by natural gas producer EnCana Corporation to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation will fund a new grant program to get high school students out into natural settings for service-oriented learning projects, control of giant salvinia and other invasive plants choking Toledo Bend reservoir in East Texas, and much-needed facilities for the new Texas Game Warden Training Center.
"We're proud and pleased to be able to support these important education, conservation and training efforts, as they're right in line with our company philosophy," said Paul Sander, EnCana vice president, at a recent TPW Commission meeting.
The donation is one of the largest for Texas conservation work in recent years. It will fund three separate efforts:
- Create the Healthy Habitats Program, a new partnership between TPWD and the Texas Center for Service-Learning, providing grants to enable schools and communities to identify conservation needs and develop projects to address them;
- Support a native aquatic habitat restoration program at North Toledo Bend Wildlife Management Area; and
- Support foundation efforts to raise funding for new facilities at the Texas Game Warden Training Center in Hamilton County.
"At present, EnCana is one of the largest corporate conservation partners of the Foundation and Department," said Dick Davis, TPW Foundation executive director. "We have been impressed with the company's commitment to conservation in other parts of North America and extremely pleased the company has now chosen Texas as a beneficiary of its generosity. EnCana's Texas-based staff has been very engaged during the development of this partnership and we look forward to exploring additional ways to accomplish conservation together in the future."
Part of the donation will benefit North Toledo Bend Wildlife Management Area on the northern shore of Toledo Bend Reservoir in Shelby County near the Texas-Louisiana border. The WMA is managed by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department on land owned by the Sabine River Authority, providing settings for research and public hunting, fishing and boating. The WMA includes a wetland maintained by an earthen levee which is important to provide wildlife habitat and is also popular for public hunters, boaters and anglers. The wetland is connected with a type of bottomland hardwood ecosystem that is critically important for wildlife but which has largely disappeared in Texas.
Like many East Texas lakes, the WMA wetland is plagued by exotic invasive water weeds like salivinia and water hyacinth, which block boater and angler access and crowd or shade out native plants more beneficial to fish and wildlife. Invasive plants now cover more than 95 percent of the 550-acre wetland. The donation will fund two electric pumps that can each move 4,500 gallons of water per minute. This will allow biologists to draw down water levels to expose and kill invasive plants and help encourage beneficial natives.
"This donation will dramatically increase our ability to grow native aquatic plants that would benefit wintering waterfowl, shore birds and wading birds," said Bill Adams, TPWD's Pineywoods ecosystem project leader, who oversees eight WMAs in the region. "It will also allow us to reduce the number of acres needing herbicide application due to an infestation of giant salvinia. This plant out-competes native plants for sunlight and nutrients and creates an ecological desert for migrating, wetland-dependent species."
The donation will also fund a new Healthy Habitats service-learning program that will provide grants to schools across Texas. The program envisions high school students partnering with communities and TPWD staff and other experts to identify conservation needs and work together to come up with solutions. The students will address priorities in the Texas Wildlife Action Plan, a blueprint to "keep common species common" and avoid more species from becoming threatened and endangered.
The Healthy Habitats project builds on an existing partnership between TPWD and the Texas Center for Service-Learning, a statewide initiative of the Texas Education Agency and the Region 14 Education Service Center. The donation will support efforts to integrate community service with academic learning, and assist students, teachers, administrators, and communities with training, technical assistance, and resources. Later this year, the center will begin seeking grant proposals, with information and application forms to be posted online.
The donation will also be used to expand facilities at the new Texas Game Warden Training Center, which was moved to donated land in Hamilton County after it outgrew old, cramped facilities in Austin. The donation could help build a new building or be used to support the broader fundraising campaign, seeking to raise millions of dollars.
The donated site currently has seven dormitories, a former cafeteria now used as a combination classroom-dining facility, and an infirmary connected with small offices. Three FEMA trailer houses moved to the site are currently used as administrative offices. Phase I of an ambitious expansion plan is currently getting underway, putting in utility infrastructure and preparing the site for a new administration building, classroom building, armory, gymnasium and other facilities.
The training center typically runs one academy per year, training approximately 50 new game warden cadets each time. It will also provide ongoing inservice and field training for existing game wardens. The ultimate goal is a world-class facility that can handle enhanced training covering the expanding role of Texas game wardens for many decades to come.
Since 1991, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation has been the official non-profit partner of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. By bringing together companies, corporations, communities and individuals, the foundation has raised more than $60 million benefiting a wide variety of projects.
EnCana is one of North America's largest independent natural gas producers. The company has a long history of supporting conservation and education causes. For the past two years EnCana has been on both the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and the North American Index. Inclusion in these groups demonstrates high environmental, social and business standards.
About EnCana Oil & Gas (USA)
EnCana Corporation, one of North America's leading independent natural gas companies, operates in the United States (U.S.) under its subsidiary, EnCana Oil & Gas (USA) Inc. (EnCana) and coordinates its operations from its U.S. headquarters in Denver, Colo. EnCana has operations in Colorado, Louisiana, Texas and Wyoming.
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A 13-YEAR-OLD boy was punched and slapped by a group of three men as he walked down a quiet street in Grays.
The teenager claims he was attacked between 6pm and 7pm in Belmont Road on Monday, January 20 but he did not require medical attention.
Police have issued an e-fit of a man they wish to speak to in connection with the attack as they attempt to establish a motive.
All three men drove off in a Black BMW with tinted rear windows.
DI Anne Cameron, the senior investigating officer, said: "We want to establish a motive behind this assault and so need to identify and speak with this man as a matter of priority.
"As well as wanting a name of the man shown in the efit, we are also keen to hear from anyone who saw three black men on Belmont Road or at Grays Beach last Monday evening."
The man in the efit is described as black, is in his late 20s and was wearing dark jeans and a black woolly hat while his accomplices are of similar description.
Anyone with information in connection with this assault is urged to contact detectives at Colchester's Major Investigation Team on 101, email them on firstname.lastname@example.com or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.


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" Address: 19 North Bridge / Edinburgh / EH1 1SD / Scotland "
I recently returned to Edinburgh for a couple of nights and ended up staying in the Barceló Carlton.
~ Location ~
The Carlton is a 4 star rated hotel located on North Bridge Street in Edinburgh. It is a massive, grand looking hotel which cant be missed! It is located a few minutes walk away from the main shopping district (Princess Street) and Waverley train station. There are bus stops located near the hotel and the Royal Mile is just a stones throw away. Although you can drive to the hotel (it has a car park) unless you like driving through busy city centre roads I wouldn't really recommend it!
~ The Room ~
After checking in to my room, in the very impressive looking hotel reception, I made my way to my room. I wasn't directed which way to go which I thought it would have been a nice (I always find myself easily getting lost!). However, I found my room easily enough as it was very close to the lifts.
The room itself had a massive corridor which was very dim and gloomy. This opened up in to a reasonable sized room which was luckily a lot lighter. The room had all the basics including a fridge, a desk and small table with a couple of tub chairs and at a first glance over seemed pleasant enough. The bathroom was large with a bath and shower. However, it was on closer inspection and just staying in the room that I began to notice all the little things that weren't quite right.
The room was very warm and the air conditioning was obviously not working. Instead the room had been given two fans (not exactly the same as air con). However, when I trailed through the room looking for plugs I could only find one! All of their 'normal' fixtures and fittings had been placed in special plugs which were covered up so you couldn't unplug them. I plugged in one of the fans and it didn't work and when I plugged the other one in I discovered I wouldn't be able to choose the setting of the fan. It seemed to have been set to level three (the highest) and was very noisy so I didn't bother with it for very long.
I was in what I presume would be a twin room as it was two single beds, though I was in the room on my own. However, the two single beds were pushed together. If you were given this as a double you would be annoyed as its not a double bed and if you shared the room as twin you would probably not like to be sleeping quite so close to the other person. Although the bedding was fine, the top cover (I'm not sure what they are called!). which covered the bottom half of the bed on both sides were really tatty with lots of rips and snags.
The bathroom had lots of dark black hairs on various different surfaces. This could easily have been the cleaners but even so it wasn't very nice and made me wonder how well things were cleaned. On closer inspection the shower curtain smelt and the tap had a lot of brown dried gunk around its base. The freebie smellies given with the room were a bit rubbish and I wasn't given a small bottle of hair conditioner, just a shower gel and shampoo, which I think should almost be a given in a 4 star hotel (or maybe I'm just being picky?).
I'd say that everything in the room (but not the bathroom as that felt slightly more modern) was just beginning to look a little tired and dated and just needed a refresh and a proper look at. Simple things like a random shelf being left under the desk, the hair dryer stand being broken could easily be fixed. Where as looking at updating the old TV to a flat screen and providing more channels, fixing the air con and improving the bedding could probably easily be done with a little investment, making the room actually feel like a 4 star room.
Just to note on the cleaning of the room while I was there. As I already mentioned I was a bit dubious of it after seeing the bathroom (and also an opinion card was left for me on the bed that had already half been filled in kind of proves a lack of attention to detail). When I came back to my room on my second night it must have been just before 5pm, I found that the room still hadn't been cleaned. I was thinking of going out to look at the shops in Edinburgh and set about getting changed. However, no longer had I kicked off my shoes then there was a knock on the door which I presumed was the cleaner (I had noticed one in the corridor before getting in to my room). I couldn't even get to the door before she had opened it herself (this annoyed me as I think she knew I was in there and she shouldn't really just be letting herself in - what if I had have been half way through getting changed?). She said she wanted to clean my room which I said was fine but I wanted to get changed first so I asked if she could wait to clean for a couple of minutes. She just stared blankly at me and repeated that she needed to clean. She basically didn't speak English and after a few minutes of trying to explain to her I wanted 5 minutes and then she could clean she had to go and find someone else to translate what I had said to her. This really annoyed me because not only should she really have understood the words come back in 5 minutes (she's likely to come across it a few times cleaning in a hotel) this was all over cleaning which should have really have been done before 5pm!
~ Food glorious food ~
There are two options for eating in the hotel. There is the Bridge Bar and the Bridge Restaurant.
~ The Bridge Restaurant ~
If dinner is included with your stay then this is where you eat. It is open to all guests and I presume also non guests. It is located next to the Bridge Bar but since this bar during my stay was quite quiet this wasn't an issue. The menu in the restaurant is fairly small and there isn't a massive choice. This is fine if you wanted to eat here for a couple of nights but if you had booked yourself in for a week with your dinner included then the likelihood is that you would get bored with the lack of choice. If your dinner isn't included then you will probably find the restaurant quite expensive (even if it is included there were a few meals that included supplements you needed to pay). Starters vary from £5.00 to £6.00, mains from £14.00 to £25.00 and desserts £5.00 - £7.00.
An example of a meal you could have in the restaurant:
Goats cheese and cranberry cheesecake with a beetroot syrup £5.95
Grilled fillet of sea bass with pak choi and sweet peppers drizzled with a sesame and ginger dressing £14.50
Chocolate Brownie Brule £5.25
I had a couple of meals in the restaurant and it was nice. However, I did feel it was over priced and for the amount you were paying, not very filling. The service in the restaurant was good and everything was served in a timely manner, I didn't feel rushed but nor did it feel really slow (which can often happen when you eat on your own). After you place your order you are served a bread roll I was disappointed that these were part baked rolls, surely in a 4 star hotel it wouldn't be difficult to source some fresh bread. In fairness I'm a fan of part baked rolls and they are nice if you get a fresh one but ones that have cooled down are chewy and hard. However, if my other half had been with me, he really wouldn't have been impressed as he really dislikes part baked rolls.
I had the meal mentioned above and although I loved the cheesecake starter (it was very goats cheesy, something that's often not present in food with goats cheese in it!) I think that was the best bit of the meal. The sea bass was nice but it wasn't good enough for the price as the sauce was lacking flavour and there just wasn't enough of it. I did wonder if this might be the case when I ordered it but I refused to pay nearly £4.00 for a side of fries. The dessert should have been heavenly as it mixes my two favourite desserts and although it was tasty it really wasn't anything special.
If you stay in the hotel and cant be bothered looking for somewhere to eat then I would say try the restaurant as it is ok and the staff in there are friendly but don't expect anything too much from it. Also remember to book as although the restaurant was never full when I went to eat there I was always asked if I had booked and on one occasion had to wait about half and hour before I could be seated.
~ The Bridge Bar ~
I chose to eat here on the second night wanting to avoid the formality of the restaurant. The bar itself is quite nice but is, like most hotel bars, hideously over priced, with a pint of Carlsberg and a small bottle of Magners each costing well over £3.00. The food in the bar is quite simple consisting of sandwiches, jacket potatoes and a selection of more substantial meals such as curry, pizzas and burgers. Sandwiches and the like cost around £9.00. Main meals cost around the £15.00 mark. However, I ordered a meal from a promotional menu which was slightly cheaper with a range of 'basic' pub style (though nothing to get excited about) main meals for £11.00. I opted for some simple fish and chips as I wanted something quick and filling.
I felt that by choosing to eat in the bar that I was putting the bar staff out, even though it wasn't particularly busy. For example; my cutlery was just placed on a napkin in front of me rather than being placed to my side. Maybe I'm being picky but for the prices in the bar and the fact that it's a 4 star hotel I was expecting a bit better. The fish and chips were presented nicely (though without any tartar sauce!) but that was about the only good thing about it. The chips were undercooked, there weren't many of them and around half had weird dark brown bits on them. The fish tasted and looked just like it had came out of box in the freezer. Frankly I could have done a better job at home.
With the main leaving me less than satisfied I opted for a pudding as one of my favourites was on the menu: Chocolate Brownie. This cost just short of £7.00 so I thought it might be something special. I can safely say it was not. Again the food looked nice there was a reasonable square of brownie with a small scoop of ice cream on top, garnished with a strawberry and mint leaf and drizzled with white chocolate sauce and then sprinkled with icing sugar. My first annoyance with the pudding came with the strawberry as it wasn't even one strawberry, in fact it wasn't even a half. I had two small slices of strawberry! When you pay that much for a dessert I think they can afford to give you at least half a strawberry, especially at this time of year when they are in season and cheap as chips! The brownie itself was really hard and I had to use both the fork and spoon to be able to break in to it. Although it tasted good, I was glad I had the ice cream to give it some moisture.
All in all the bar left me completely unsatisfied. It was a complete rip off and I would only recommend it for a drink if you really don't want to leave the hotel. However, your so close to lots of other bars that you would have to be pretty lazy to not want to leave. Put it this way: To avoid the prices I ran through the pouring rain without an umbrella to a pub that's less than a minute away with a much better atmosphere (there are plenty of pubs a couple of minutes away that have live music) and the prices are much more reasonable
~ And so to bed ~
I'm afraid to say that over the three nights I stayed in the Carlton I didn't have the best nights sleep. I was so tired on the third night that I had a few pints in a short space of time to make sure I would get to sleep and sleep through the night.
The bed itself was fairly comfy though it had that dip on the end, which you get with a lot of hotel beds, where everyone has sat to watch the TV. I ended up trying to sleep sideways. However, because the room was a double made up of two single beds, they were two different heights so it wasn't the most comfortable way to sleep.
I also unfortunately had a room that faced the street and this at first caused me a bit of a dilemma. The room itself was ridiculously warm and although the window wasn't open much it did let in a nice breeze. However, the noise from the traffic outside was quite loud (especially since I'm used to very quiet nights out in the countryside). The problem was solved for me as when I tried to shut the window, I couldn't. I don't know whether it just wouldn't shut or if it was me just being a bit dumb but I just dealt with it as the breeze was nice and since the windows weren't double glazed I presumed shutting it wouldn't make that much difference.
During the first two nights of my stay I was woken up throughout the night by various different things. Outside when the traffic stopped quite late at night, the drunks began and after a couple of hours the traffic would begin again with bin men, lorries and buses. Inside being near the lift meant there were a few times I was woken up by inconsiderate people returning to their rooms but worryingly one night someone tried to get in to my room. Although I had put the extra lock on the door being on my own it really freaked me out.
At the end of the day no matter how tatty bits and pieces are a hotel is ultimately there to give you a decent night sleep. This hotel couldnt even do that.
~ Breakfast ~
Breakfast is served in the restaurant and is a self serve buffet. You are initially given a table and at some stage someone will come round to offer coffee. The breakfast itself was...interesting. The choice available was the usual, hot food (bacon, egg etc), pastries, bread, cereals, juices and fruit. The fruit selection I found a little strange with lots of prunes and oranges. I did try some of the melon they had but it was over ripe and was just tasteless and mushy. The juice they served was warm and I couldn't understand why it wasn't just kept in a fridge. The pastries were nice enough but were very crusty and I do wonder if they were part-baked pastries (if you can get those or something similar?) rather than being freshly baked. The hot food was pretty disgusting. I'm not a huge fan of breakfast served in a buffet style anyway as I don't think it ever really tastes very nice. However, the only part of the hot selection I liked was the grilled tomato. The bacon was extremely chewy and the sausage was almost inedible. There also didn't seem to be enough staff around at breakfast as items often ran out and took a little while to be replaced.
All in all I wouldnt recommend breakfast and with McDonalds and other places open for breakfast nearby I would opt for going to those instead.
~ Other facilities and info ~
The hotel does have a health spa and leisure centre. This was not something I visited but I believe the pool and gym were free to guests of the hotel (though I found no literature in the room to 100% confirm this.) Health spa treatment prices varied and although perhaps a little expensive didn't seem too over priced.
They cater for business meetings and events, short golfing holidays and weddings
Price: The prices for the hotel do seem to vary quite a lot and obviously depend on the time of year and how far in advance you book. The prices for a double guest room seem to be between £100 - £150 per night but I just searched the Barceló website today for a room in exactly a months time in August and got the following result for a double guest room:
Room only: £260.00
Inc. Breakfast: £284.00
Inc Breakfast and Dinner: £324.00
Website: http://www.barcelo-hotels.co.uk/hotels/scotland/barcelo-edinburgh-carlton-hotel/
Address: 19 North Bridge Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1SD
~ Overall ~
As you can probably tell I'm not this hotels biggest fan and I probably wouldn't recommend it. The hotel is good for its location and although I didn't use it I liked the fact it had a swimming pool. I think it might be more enjoyable if you stay in a more expensive room, which might be kitted out a bit better or make sure you get a room that's away from the road so you can sleep. However, I just feel that the hotel is not at all worth the price and its 4 star rating is not at all justified judging by my stay (in fact I would love to see the room/rooms that were judged at that standard).
(Sorry this has been a bit of a monster review but I hope it has been helpful!)
We booked into this hotel in May this year for a little break to Edinburgh. I wanted something near the castel and close to town so this Hotel seemed ideal, it's just round the corner from the royale mile. They catered for familes in large family rooms so this was the Hotel i chose. Was I wrong to choose this Hotel... errr yeah! Nightmare!
The Hotel itself looks grand, charming with a lovely reception. We were located in a room quite high up, the decor was dated. Thick long velvet curtains that were very old and smelly. The beds were not great but comfortable. Very dated television and generally the room was in need of a refurbishment. The hotel is a 4 star but in my views it's definitely at the low end scale of 4, bordering on a 3 star. It has 189 rooms and has a leisure club/health spa.
Anyway the fun began at 2 am in the morning of our first night, we were awoke buy the very noisy fire alarms. We had to trail down this old spiral stair case at the back of the Hotel and i had 3 children with me 2 of which were asleep. So i had to carry my 1 year old and my husband carried the 5 year old. Anyway once we got the all clear to go back into the Hotel, low and behold we were awoke an hour later by the fire alarm. So off we went trailing down all the stairs to the back of the Hotel. I was in my PJ's and there was heaps of nightclubbers passing by us laughing. God i wish i hole swallowed us up there and then.
The next night the same thing happened re the fire alarms, obviously they had some issues with this alarm but I wasn't getting up out of my bed with 3 children for another false alarm. It was a complete joke. We laugh about it now but it certainly wasn't funny at the time.
So overall we had a very unpleasant few nights at the Carlton, not relaxing at all!! Very stressful with 3 kids and those stairs as you can imagine.
It is so worth complaining though as I wrote them a letter explaining about our break and how unpleasant the whole ordeal was. We were given a free weekend break which i gave to my Mum and Dad as a treat. They loved it and were apparently in a 'posh' room compared to our dated one. HUH...
You always take a gamble when booking a hotel online in a city you are not familiar with. I spent last weekend in Edinburgh for my first time and booked this hotel a few months before going. As you would expect there were both good and bad points.
Good Points:
The location has got to be the best thing about the hotel. It is situated on North Bridge, a stones throw from the Royal Mile, closer to the Castle end than the Palace end. We spent a lot of our time walking up and down the Royal Mile and going on tours just off it. It is the main tourist area, so the hotel is perfectly located for it.
Price was also quite good. We paid £250.00 for a Friday, Saturday and Sunday night, which I think was quite good for a weekend and for the standard of hotel that we were looking for. The Carlton is apparently a four star hotel and it was at least £120.00 cheaper than any other similar starred hotel in Edinburgh for that weekend when I was looking to book.
We arrived early in the morning and were able to leave our bags at the hotel while we went off around the sites. This was great as we did not have to lug them round with us. We were also able to leave our bags at the hotel when we checked out as our flight was in the evening.
Some of the things in the room were quite useful, such as the trouser press, iron and welcome book.
The concierge guy Mike, was very enthusiastic and very helpful. He advised us what tours were best and where to go and what to do. he was smiley and friendly and seemed as though he genuinely wanted to help - thanks Mike!
Bad things:
There is no way that this hotel is four star, I am sorry. A four star hotel for me should be damn near perfect, a little bit short of a five star. So I (perhaps unwisely) expect the rooms to be finished to a very high standard at the very least. When we got to our room, it was facing onto the street, which was busy and noisy and instead of a double bed we had two singles pushed together - not what we wanted for our first anniversary! So we asked to be moved to a double room in a quieter part of the hotel. Thankfully, this was done quickly, although the porter looked as if we had disturbed his sleep, as he was none too pleased.
Our new room, although having a double bed, was still a bit basic. Some of the decor was dated and peeling and we had a big old television. The website claimed to have satelitte and cable tv, but we only had 9 channels.
The bathroom was ok, but when the maids were making up our room, they did not replace the showerg gel and shampoo - ok, I know it is only a little thing, but it was supposedly a four star hotel.
Our air conditioning knob was missing, so we could not control the temperature in the room. As we had already moved room once, we did not want to change rooms, but wondered if something could be done. The porter (a different one this time) came to the room and he suggested either (a) opening a window if we were hot, or (b) turning on the radiator if we were cold. The window one did not really work, as they only opened a tiny amount as we were on the fifth floor. So he gave us a big loud electric fan to blow the hot air around the room. Not ideal.
We were asked if we wanted a newspaper in the morning. I though that this would be complimentary, but we were charged for them. Only a small thing, but any other 4 star hotel I had stayed in had given complimentary papers.
With the exception of Mike (see above) the staff were pretty sour and unhelpful, as if when we asked for coffee at breakfast we were greatly putting them out, even though I think it was their job. Or when asking for a fresh egg for the breakfast buffet, we were told tha the chef was very busy.
As hotel guests we had use of the leisure centre. It was not all that good, as it seemed dirty and had puddles of old water everywhere. A good clean would have been helpful.
Perhaps in hindsight, a more romantic and not business hotel should have been booked, but the location of the Carlton was excellent
This hotel is situated on North Bridge in Edinburgh, equidistant from both the Royal Mile and Princes Street, the main shopping street in the city. Reaching the castle takes about 5 minutes on foot and Holyrood Palace and the Scottish Parliament are about the same distance in the opposite direction. It is clearly therefore in a fantastic location - in fact, it could not be more perfectly situated if you are a tourist, coming to Edinburgh for the tourist attractions.
The hotel itself is what you might expect from a city centre hotel. The staff are friendly at the reception and the rooms are clean, airy and spacious. The staff are happy to help at all times and the housekeeping team are non-intrusive and will happily return to your room later if you are just on your way out and need just a few more minutes.
The bar is very well stocked and will stay open as long as residents are in the bar area. The bar staff are helpful and were willing to make me cocktails that were not on the menu - and they were made with a high level of skill. The restaurant is on the same level as the bar and the food is of a high standard. Breakfast is served buffet style with waiting staff helping out where necessary. Dinner is always very nice and indeed local people from Edinburgh were eating in the restaurant every night that I was there so it must have a good reputation.
I would recommend this hotel to anyone coming to Edinburgh. It is easily accessible by train (the station is a few hundred metres away) and there is a valet service for cars from the front door. Once at the hotel, getting around the city could not be easier. As I said above, some of the main attractions are within walking distance and others can be accessed either by walking a little further or by catching one of the many buses stopping near the hotel or indeed by catching a cab from the rank outside the front of the hotel. I would stay here again.
The Barceló Edinburgh Carlton Hotel is on the Royal Mile, just minutes from the world-famous Princes Street.


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