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Obama rides into Clinton's heartland
Just days before a potentially decisive contest for the Democratic nomination, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama were engaged in a bruising bare-knuckle fight which can only benefit their Republican opponent, John McCain.
The Pennsylvania countryside passed in a blur for Mrs Clinton as she dashed around by car, plane and bus, trying to shore up her eroding lead in the polls. She asked voters to look beyond the "whoop-dee-do" speeches of her opponent as they vote tomorrow. And while Bill Clinton told people they would never have a better "changemaker," their daughter Chelsea worked the phones, trying to stop a haemorrhaging of party officials, known as superdelegates, to the Obama camp.
Mr Obama appeared more confident as he travelled by slow train deep into Mr Clinton's small-town heartland, the sort of places where he said people were "bitter" and where they "cling" to guns and religion in the face of economic adversity.
Despite his ill-chosen remarks, Mr Obama was enthusiastically received. With jacket off and sleeves rolled up, he waved to well-wishers from the back of a royal blue caboose. Crowds of all ages and races gathered in the sun-dappled afternoon.
The day's journey began in Philadelphia where, to the tunes of his latest celebrity supporter, Bruce Springsteen, an estimated 35,000 people gathered to hear Mr Obama speak. Such numbers are unheard of at primary season rallies. Despite setbacks on the campaign trail, Mr Obama's organisation has quietly registered voters, especially students, drawn to his message of change.
The candidates have been racing from one end of the country to the other for over a year, gathering support and raising money. But this was the first tour in a train, and even the conductor got into the spirit, telling Mr Obama that he could sound the train's whistle.
With a pull on the cord, he was headed for the state capital, Harrisburg, stopping along the way to make speeches. Where possible, the train slowed as the candidate waved to supporters. Relaxed as the journey was for Mr Obama, it was a nightmare for his secret service detail. They shadowed the train in a fleet of 4x4s and placed spotters with binoculars on tall buildings along the way.
At Lancaster train station, a group of Amish farmers and their families, who use horses and buggies to get around, listened impassively to Mr Obama. He accused Mrs Clinton of being in the grip of big business and playing Republican-style dirty politics. The Clinton campaign has adopted a "kitchen sink" strategy of throwing everything that comes to hand at Mr Obama, justifying it by saying that it is what the Republicans would do to him.
But rather than throw mud back, Mr Obama tried to persuade his listeners that he could offer a different leadership style. "I'm not interested in mimicking what the Republicans did to the Clintons over the past 20 years," he said in the glow of a setting sun. "I don't want to become them."
That was enough to persuade Dan Allgyer, a buggy maker and horse breeder. "He's got all the arguments and I believe he's authentic," he said. "The question is, can he get the people around him to make it happen?"
As he pulled the train's whistle before departing for the next stop, Mr Obama did not have the look of a man facing defeat, although the polls predict that Mrs Clinton will win Pennsylvania by up to 5 percentage points.


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At least 8 people were killed and 78 wounded in a roadside bomb that exploded in central Beirut on Friday, a security source said.
A Reuters witness saw at least one body at the scene and the security source confirmed two dead. It was not immediately clear if the explosion targetted any political figure in Lebanon's divided community. (Reuters)

subset: commoncrawl


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Seattle Genetics has had a bit of a dust-up today in the stock market, as investors have been seeking to make sense of a second case of a dangerous adverse event seen in a patient on the company's new lymphoma drug.
Shares of the company (NASDAQ: SGEN) dipped almost 6 percent early in the day, after Wall Street analyst Elliot Favus circulated a report about how a second case of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) has been diagnosed in a patient taking the company's flagship lymphoma drug. Favus, known for his bearish positions, didn't immediately respond to a request for a copy of his report.
Seattle Genetics stock regained much of its value as the day went on, but news on PML is bound to rattle nerves on Wall Street. That's because this condition is a rare, and sometimes deadly, brain infection that patients sometimes get when taking modern targeted biologic drugs like Biogen Idec's natalizumab (Tysabri), and Roche/Genentech's rituximab (Rituxan). The Tysabri case in particular made headlines, and prompted that drug to be temporarily withdrawn from the market, until scientists better understood the risks and benefits. Since Seattle Genetics' brentuximab vedotin (Adcetris) only arrived on the market in August, and Seattle Genetics depends heavily on it as its only marketed product, it's understandable why investors got jumpy.
The Seattle Genetics drug, for patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma and anaplastic large cell lymphoma, has shown impressive effectiveness in clinical trials. It provided significant tumor shrinkage in 75 percent of patients with relapsed forms of Hodgkin's disease in a clinical trial, and in about 86 percent of patients with anaplastic large-cell lymphoma. Researchers are still following patients to see how long those responses really do last, and to what extent they may help people live longer. The most common side effects found in clinical trials were a depletion in infection-fighting white blood cells, nerve damage in the fingers and toes, fatigue, nausea, and anemia.
CEO Clay Siegall offered a spirited defense of his product today when I reached him by phone. The PML association with Adcetris isn't new, he said, as the first page of the product's FDA approved prescribing information includes a warning about the condition. The warning says that a patient in clinical trials, who had received four prior chemotherapy regimens before getting Adcetris, died from PML.
Siegall did confirm that a more recent, second case of PML in an Adcetris patient has been diagnosed. That case was reported to the company, which shared with the information with the FDA. He wouldn't comment on the patient's condition, saying that it is company policy not to talk about individual patients.
To provide some context, Siegall notes that PML is part of the underlying disease that some patients have with lymphomas. In some cases, patients get multiple rounds of chemotherapy, which suppresses their immune systems, and makes them more vulnerable to opportunistic infections like PML. He cited a May 14, 2009 article in Blood, the hematology journal, which says that between 0.07% and 0.5% of patients with blood cancers are thought to have PML.
What made the Tysabri case different is that the drug is designed to treat multiple sclerosis, a disease which isn't normally associated with PML. Researchers now say that about 1 in 1,000 patients on Tysabri can expect to get PML. Even with that risk, the FDA has allowed the drug to stay on the market, because of the benefit it provides in reducing MS flare-ups.
Since the Seattle Genetics drug is still relatively new, it's too early to say what kind of PML incidence rate it may have over time. What is known so far is that there are two reported cases out of more than 2,000 patients who have gotten the drug in clinical trials and in the marketplace, Siegall says. He said the Favus report was incorrect, because it said there were two PML cases of out just 410 patients.
Siegall declined to say what an acceptable PML incidence rate might be. "We have been watching this from Day 1, and we will continue to watch it," Siegall says.
For what it's worth, I listened to the entire FDA advisory panel proceedings over the summer during which experts reviewed the drug's safety and effectiveness, and I don't recall PML being raised as a point of discussion. Siegall sounded a bit irritated about the PML case coming up in the marketplace the way it did today.
"Adcetris has been used in a lot of patients, and provided an amazing opportunity for patients to get strong anti-tumor activity against fatal diseases. The testimonials I hear from families, and doctors have been overwhelming and incredibly heartwarming. I'm thrilled with the impact Adcetris has had on patients," he says.
"As a public company CEO, I have to realize that there are some people who say things that are over-the-top positive, and some people who say things that are over-the-top negative, and incorrect. It happens," Siegall says. "People will throw mud. I have to live with this and keep my focus on treating patients with cancer."


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Councilman Herb Wesson with young helper cutting the ribbon at Arthur Ashe Tennis Center
Councilmember Herb Wesson led the community celebration attended by over 300 tennis enthusiasts marking the reopening of the Arthur Ashe Tennis Center at Rancho Cienega Sports Center following a major $500,000 renovation.
In attendance were representatives from the Department of Recreation and Parks, the West Adams Neighborhood Council, and the members of Rancho Tennis Club, who paid tribute to Councilmember Wesson for his leadership in finding the resources to renovate the facility.
"This is a great day for an important sports facility in our community," said Councilmember Wesson. "When the stakeholders told me what it would take to renovate this facility, I promised that we would get it done. We were able to find the funds and we got the job done. This is a great example of a successful partnership with the community."
The facility was closed for months while work moved forward. Improvements included resurfacing the concrete, installing new lighting and new netting, new wind screens, and repainting the surface blue and green, the colors of the U.S. Tennis Association. The funding was provided through state Proposition 40, and Community Development Block Grants.
"We want our community sports facilities to be first rate, and that's exactly what the Arthur Ashe Tennis Center is today," said Wesson.


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Keeping Up with the Innovators: A Look at Recent Entries on the PIPELINE Wire
With the PIPELINE 2013 conference taking place this week, we are enjoying access to valuable insights and lessons learned from the conference speakers and sponsors. Here are a couple of recent articles worth a read:
Posted on the PIPELINE 2013 Wire, Innovation Insights: A Q&A with PIPELINE Speaker Pascal Finette, is a sneak peek into what the director of the Office of the Chair at Mozilla will share in his PIPELINE breakout session. Pascal, a believer in the open-innovation paradigm, explains how "innovation in its most elemental form is a funnel process." He then goes on to share how Mozilla embraced this philosophy as it started out to "do the impossible" and take on Microsoft. Read the full interview to learn more about Pascal's perspective on the tangible steps product developers can take to effectively use innovation to drive meaningful change that can increase market share.
Another insightful read on the Wire this week is titled, A New Frontier for the Learning Organization ‒‒ Better Innovation by Understanding the Big Picture. Chad McAllister, founder of Product Innovation Educators, shares five actions organizations can take to advance their learning about innovation. Read the complete article to find out why it is important for businesses to become learning organizations and start looking at effective ways to address root causes rather than chase issues.
Later this week, the Wire will feature interviews with keynote speaker Frans Johansson, innovation author and founder/CEO of the Medici Group, and Product Pulse will feature Terry Mandel, founder of a startup that is demonstrating innovation that can change the world with its dedication to improving access to affordable and effective biomedical innovation in the developing world.
Stay tuned to Product Pulse for more from PIPELINE speakers and other innovation experts and product development leaders.


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Gold-thickness-dependent Schottky barrier height for charge transfer in metal-assisted chemical etching of silicon
© Zuo et al.; licensee Springer. 2013
Received: 4 March 2013
Accepted: 16 April 2013
Published: 26 April 2013
Large-area, vertically aligned silicon nanowires with a uniform diameter along the height direction were fabricated by combining in situ-formed anodic aluminum oxide template and metal-assisted chemical etching. The etching rate of the Si catalyzed using a thick Au mesh is much faster than that catalyzed using a thin one, which is suggested to be induced by the charge transport process. The thick Au mesh in contact with the Si produces a low Au/Si Schottky barrier height, facilitating the injection of electronic holes from the Au to the Si, thus resulting in a high etching rate.
Silicon nanowires (SiNWs) have attracted significant research interest because of their unique properties and potential applications as building blocks for advanced electronic devices [1, 2], biological and chemical sensors [2–4], and optoelectronic devices [5] as well as photovoltaic devices [2, 6, 7]. Metal-assisted chemical etching has attracted increasing attention in the recent years because of its simplicity and low cost coupled with its excellent control ability on the structural and electrical parameters of the resulting SiNWs [8–13]. In metal-assisted chemical etching, the formation rate of SiNWs, i.e., the etching rate of Si substrate, is controlled by the mass transfer process of the reagent, including the by-product, and by the charge transfer process during the Si etching [13, 14].
The crystallographic orientation and the doping properties of the Si substrate, the type and the structure of a noble metal, the component and the concentration of the etching solution, temperature, illumination, and so on were reported to have a substantial effect on the etching rate [11, 12, 14–17]. In the present study, the thickness of the Au catalyst film, which is a new control dimension, was found to affect the etching rate of Si during the fabrication of SiNWs by a method that combines the anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template and the metal-assisted chemical etching. The aforementioned method results in the formation of large-area, vertically aligned SiNW arrays with a uniform diameter along the height direction. Furthermore, the method shows better control on the diameter, spacing, and density of SiNW arrays.
Results and discussion
Structure of the patterned Si substrate
Structure of the SiNW arrays
Effect of Au mesh thickness on the etching rate
Mechanism for difference in the etching rate
The charge transfer between the Si and the Au would be heavily affected by the Au/Si Schottky barrier height (see Figure 7b). It has been reported that the size of the metal has an important effect on the surface band bending of Si [13, 14]. The Schottky barrier height of the semiconductor/metal contact is said to increase with the decrease of the feature size of the metal [13, 21, 22]. Based on the results and discussions above, the thickness of the Au mesh, and not the lateral size, can be suggested as the factor that determines the Au/Si Schottky barrier height, considering the continuous property of the Au mesh. The barrier height ΦB decreases with the increase of the thickness of the Au mesh. Therefore, electronic holes can be easily injected from the thick Au mesh into the Si substrate underneath the Au because of the reduced barrier height compared with that of the thin Au mesh, thus, resulting in a high etching rate.
According to the model of charge transfer through the Schottky barrier, ideally, the Fermi energy level determined by the doping type and doping level of the Si substrate and the work function of the noble metal will determine the surface band bending of Si, thus affecting the hole injection from the noble metal to the Si and, furthermore, affecting the etching rate. In fact, n-doped Si was found to be etched faster than p-doped Si [17, 23], and the etching rate decreases with increasing dopant concentration for both n- and p-doped Si [11, 17, 24]. Meanwhile, Li et al. reported that the etching rate showed only small variation for a Au-coated p+, p−, and n+ Si substrate and a Pt-coated Si was etched faster compared with a Au-coated Si [25]. Obviously, abovementioned experiment results cannot be accounted for only by the charge transfer through an ideal Schottky barrier. A rigorous model should consider the full process of charge transfer including the generation of holes, diffusion in the metal, going through the Schottky barrier, as well as diffusion in the Si substrate, which involved the catalytic activity of the noble metal for oxidant (affecting the generation rate of holes), the surface state of Si, the diffusion of holes from the etching front to off-metal areas or to the sidewall of the formed structure (especially in a heavily doped Si, resulting in the formation of a porous structure), etc. [14, 17]. However, this has not been done so far, and it needs to be further explored.
Metal-assisted chemical etching of Si allows fabricating large-area SiNWs with predetermined doping type and doping level. By utilizing the AAO template, the diameter, spacing, and areal density of nanowires can be further controlled through optimizing the anodizing conditions. Moreover, the SiNWs fabricated by this method are well-discrete and vertically aligned, which is critical for subsequent coating of other layers in device fabrication. Therefore, this technique is very promising for device fabrication based on SiNW array, for instance, SiNW radial p-n junction solar cells [6].
In conclusion, combining the AAO template and the metal-assisted chemical etching process results in large-area, vertically aligned SiNWs with a uniform diameter along the height direction. The thickness of the Au film was found to affect the etching rate of Si, which might be caused primarily by the charge transfer process. A thick Au mesh that comes in contact with Si reduces the Au/Si Schottky barrier height, which facilitates the injection of electronic holes from the Au mesh into the Si, thereby resulting in a high etching rate of Si. This method provides a simple and low-cost approach to the control of the doping type, doping level, diameter, spacing, areal density of SiNW arrays, etc. Well-discrete and vertically aligned SiNW array fabricated by this method is very promising for device applications based on SiNW arrays.
This work is partly supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under grant nos. 61106011 and 51172109 and the Anhui Province Natural Science Foundation under grant no. 1308085QF109.
Authors' Affiliations
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This article is published under license to BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.


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David Hart
''A Bird For Thanatos'' - Poem by David Hart
''A Bird For Thanatos'' - by David Hart
Confect not that nest for mate and brood! O ebony vestured
inhabitant of air and ground.
Anon ye rest, quasi-supine on bladed verdant sheet.
Requiescat in pace! Requiescat in pace!
Wafted by Thanatos' immutable call, so ye shall rest.
Forever rest silent and still little black bird, ne'er to skuttle
for and extirpate errant creatures vermiculate. Wellaway dear dark
denizen of sky and earth.
Heaven alas wields its' aspergillum of gentle crystaline drops
now upon you-Thanatos' irenic catch. Ne'er to descant from dawn til dusk through fastigated beak.
Upon me now a lauwine of gloom implodes my soul. Requiescat in pace!
Requiescat in pace!
Kowtow do I to the now still indicia of the reaper's jeremiad-summer winds eftsoons, quietly strum a lakh of minimalist monochromatic monodies through trees' indolent pliant branches.
Ywis, nevermore those mercurial fulgurations in Njortr's realms, no more honeymooning in topiaries, unmewed from raptorial paladine pursuits - forever.
Requiescat in pace! Requiescat in pace!
David Hart USA 2000
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HACKETTSTOWN, NJ (CBS) – Police in northern New Jersey say they're searching for a man accused of exposing himself to children at a local pool.
On July 2nd, multiple people reported a man following children who were wearing goggles and swimming underwater at the Hackettstown Community Pool. The man would then expose his genitals to the kids underwater.
When confronted by staff, the man reportedly left the pool on foot immediately.
Police say the suspect is a white male between 5'8" and 5'10" and 190 to 210 lbs. He has blond/gray hair and a pale complexion and stated his name was "Billy."
Anyone with information is asked to contact DSG. John Amey or Det. Aaron Perkins of the Hackettstown Police Department at (908) 852-3302.
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Verdict of Twitter on Vicky Donor
Vicky Donor absolutely Spermicilious! Says Twitter user in India
Verdict of Twitter on Vicky Donor. First of all it is very tough to write a verdict of a movie based on the tweets about a movie on Friday but Vicky Donor trend is a unique case in terms of trending on Twitter.
Vicky Donor is not backed by a great marketing plan and a team to execute the plan in the first weekends. The film is made on an extremely tight budget and as per our observation the "Vicky Donor" trend is natural on Twitter in India. It is appearing in top five trends in all the six regions of India. When we say it is natural we mean that a whole set of marketing team is not sitting and creating conversations on Twitter or the whole star cast of the movie is helping to create the trend.
Movie reviewers have not reviewed this movie because of its low profile except big publishing houses. If it would have been a with a big star and marketing budget then everyone would have written about the movie. Now many reviews by the critics will appear but it doesn't matter.
The movie is produced by John Abraham but he has kept very low profile and he has not allowed himself to affect the marketing of movie. We should really give the credit to John Abraham as the actor has not even used his Tweeter account to market the movie. John has worked very hard on making a good product and he has hit the bull's eye as per Tweeter.
Tweeter verdict on Vicky Donor:
1. Tweeter users have loved Vicky Donor. Vicky Donor is a must watch.
2. A controversial subject at-least for Indian culture has been dealt in Vicky Donor with a great sense of Comedy, romance,script, music and acting. Vicky Donor is a great product. Tweeter Users in India says Vicky Donor must watch this weekend.
3. As per few Tweets Vicky Donoris a pulsating comedy in the first half and slows down in the second still Vicky Donor is a great watch.
4. Three characters has been praised with full heart by Tweeter users in Vicky Donor.
-Vicky played bu Ayushmaan Khurrana as a protagonist in Vicky Donor.
- Doctor- Played by Anu Kappor. Charcter of Anu Kappor in Vicky Donor is hilarious.
5. Two movies have been release today that is Vicky Donor and Hate Story. Vicky Donor has certainly out class Hate story. It is not easy to release a movie when IPL is going on and then create a curiosity on Tweeter without any marketing budget. Vicky Donor has managed to do both and Vicky Donor is a winner.
6. We have not seen a single Tweet which has tweeted any bad aspect of Vicky Donor. Vicky Donor has been able to entertain viewers in all aspect and has made them happy.
7. At last we will say that Vicky Donor is a perfect entertainer, dealt with a lots of sensibility by director Shoojit Sarcar. Vicky Donor at last left viewers with lots of happiness and a social message.
8. Congratulation to John Abraham to produce Vicky Donor.
Interesting aspect:
Controversial subject of Vicky Donor and tag line " I am a sperm donor" got a lots of help from other trends on Twitter in India today.
Four other trending hash-tags -Abhishek Manu Singhvi, #ASM, #420 and Vibrator has helped a lot to create conversations among Twitter users. The two hashtags were trending on Twitter because of a recent controversy in which a congress spokes person is Linked.
The nature of the controversy in which Abhishek Manu Singvi is linked allowed Twitter users to connect it with Vicky Donor. I will also say that Vicky Donor has been extremely lucky but luck favored those who really worked hard and deserve it.
It is an extreme of sweet irony that Vicky Donor is promoted by other controversies on the Twitter today.
We will leave you with few extraordinary and Funny Twitter.
You can believe our analysis of Tweets on Vicky Donor hash tags and this movie is worth spending money. Enjoy your weekends with absolutely spermilicious Vicky Donor.
If you have liked this Post please Share it. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.


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K-EARTH 101 is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, and for the past 10 years on the station, Gary Bryan and Lisa Stanley have been hosting the morning show! This morning we're taking a moment to thank all our listeners and friends for tuning in each and every morning by counting down the top ten songs about friends!
10. "Ebony & Ivory" – [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Paul McCartney[/lastfm] and [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Stevie Wonder[/lastfm]
Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder take this duet about the keys on a piano to another level about harmony among different races in this 1982 No.1 hit.
9. "Stand By Me" — [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Ben E. King[/lastfm]
Shortly after leaving The Drifters, Ben E. King recorded this hit, which was also featured in the Rob Reiner movie of the same name about the friendship of four young boys.
8. "You're My Best Friend" — [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Queen[/lastfm]
A lovely ode to best friends all around the world off of Queen's 1979 live album Live Killers.
7. "With A Little Help From My Friends" — [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Joe Cocker [/lastfm]
Originally recorded by The Beatles, Joe Cocker made this hit famous with his cover, which was famously used in the title opening of The Wonder Years.
6. "I'll Be There" — [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Jackson 5 [/lastfm]
The Jackson 5 made this original 1970 hit famous with their a Capella version about a former couple wanting to give their love a second chance.
5. "Why Can't We Be Friends?" — [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]War[/lastfm]
Off their 7th studio album, War asks the simple question of why can't we all just be friends?
4. "Lean On Me" — [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Bill Withers[/lastfm]
His first and only number one hit, Bill Withers wrote this song after moving to Los Angeles and found himself missing the strong sense of community of his hometown.
3. "You've Got A Friend" — [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Carole King[/lastfm]
Carole King and James Taylor made this song famous and regularly sing the tune together.
2. "Thank You For Being A Friend" –[lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Andrew Gold [/lastfm]
Andrew Gold's 1978 single about friends was most famously used as the theme songs for the sitcom The Golden Girls.
1. "That's What Friends Are For" — [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Dionne Warwick[/lastfm], [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Elton John[/lastfm], Stevie Wonder and [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Gladys Knight[/lastfm]
Four superstar friends banded together to record the 1985 charity single "That's What Friends Are For" in order to raise awareness and money for the American Foundation For AIDS Research. Dionne and friends also won the Grammy for Best Pop Performance by A Duo Or Group With Vocal and Song Of The Year, and we're glad to have friends like them around!


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I am completely new to android and i want to root my device. i'm a bit worried about that because i don't know anything about rooting
what do i need to know to root my lg g2?
i read a lot about TWRP and ADB on forums. what are these things?
what are the risks of rooting?
i heard that when you root your device the IR blaster will not work anymore. is this true?
thank you for answering my questions. I'm so confused


text: Filmed in the summer of 2009, Altered Focus: Burma follows three film makers and skateboarders as they travel across Yangon and Mandalay. There are some interesting interactions with the locals and even some rad skaters there. Sit back and take in this 19-minute video. Produced by Alex Pasquini and James Holman.


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GLENDALE — The 'Big Man on Campus' finally arrived at University of Phoenix Stadium Monday.
Guard Jonathan Cooper was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft, but before Monday he was one of just three top-10 picks that had yet to sign and get into camp.
Rookies are normally under a microscope anyway but even more so when they arrive a few days late due to contract negotiations.
"It was actually very difficult, anticipation, it kills me. Just you know, start questioning will I be able to get right back in and plug back in? It's going to be tough," said Cooper after his first full day of training camp with the team. "Am I conditioning myself and pushing myself enough while I'm here at home? What are the rest of the guys thinking about me?
"All that kind of stuff was really mentally taxing, but I came back and I have been surprising myself and hopefully surprising some others."
Cooper's four-year deal is reportedly worth $14.55 million and is fully guaranteed with offset language. That's a hefty contract for a lineman that has yet to prove himself at the highest level.
Monday, the 6-foot-2, 300-pound lineman was asked if the amount of money he'll be making has really hit him yet.
"Honestly no, or at least not yet," said Cooper. "Right now I'm just focused on get your plays down and don't make mistakes. And once again it comes back to try to prove people right and not let people down so I can't really focus on the glitz and glamor aspect of it until I show them that I earned this and that I belong here."
Cooper impressed many with his answers in Monday's media availability, just like he impressed his coach and teammates by passing the fitness test with all eyes on him.
The 23-year-old's signing bonus is also reportedly worth just under $9 million. A favorite question of first-round rookies is, "What's the first thing you'll spend some of that money on?"
Cooper had a very realistic, down-to-earth answer.
"Probably renting my apartment," he said. "That'll be my first purchase. I've gotta have somewhere to live."
Cooper also reiterated on more than one occasion Monday afternoon that he's here to prove he belongs and knows that there is no shortage of pressure on players in his position.
"Just being drafted that high no matter what position, I feel that you feel immense pressure," said Cooper. "I know I put a lot of pressure on myself and I want to succeed. And I know there's a bunch of people dependent on me from the people who drafted me, to my family to my former teammates."
Cooper said during OTAs that it was important to be present and learn the playbook. He didn't even know he had the option not to show up for offseason workouts, which is why it surprised some that he was tardy when camp officially got underway last week.
Regardless of what he said during OTAs and putting aside showing up late this week, he said all the right things during his first day on the job.
"I really put a lot of pressure on myself and sometimes it's more than I need to but I want to succeed. I'm a competitor," said the former Tar Heel. "I mean I feel like I have to succeed and sometimes you get a little nervous and a little concerned, like will I live up to the hype and all these people are expecting so much.
"I really have to sometimes tone that back and focus on my craft, continue to get better and not allow the negative thoughts to creep in."
"A Game We Won't Forget" - A song parody by Jarrett Carlen
Friday November 17
A song about Blaine Gabbert to the tune of Mighty Mighty Bosstones' "Impression That I Get"
Darren Urban, writer for azcardinals.com
Friday November 17
Darren Urban discusses Larry Fitzgerald's contract extension and the news that Blaine Gabbert will s
11-17-17 The Sports Kabob with Jarrett Carlen
Friday November 17
Topics include Justice League, NL MVP + People's Sexiest Man Alive. It's sports news skewered.
Bickley Blast
Friday November 17
Larry Fitzgerald signs a 1 year deal to stay with the Cards.
Steve Wyche, NFL Network analyst
Friday November 17
Steve Wyche says that the Larry Fitzgerald extension is good news. Wyche also says that Blaine Gabbe


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Politicians whose political power is based on providing transfer payments (transferring money from taxpayers to tax receivers) to their constituents.
Government-employee unions who see additional revenue as an opportunity to press for enhanced wages and benefits.
Wealthy and superwealthy political dilettantes who see new taxes as a way to compel others to fund programs that are a part of their vision for society.
At the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association we are often asked for a list of those politicians who oppose Proposition 13. Politicians are usually too wily to come right out and say they oppose Proposition 13. They can read polls and they know that the tax-limiting measure is still overwhelmingly popular with average Californians.
Often a politician will phrase their opposition to Proposition 13 indirectly. For example, they will say they support it, but that the two-thirds vote for tax increases — one of its most important protections — should be changed in the name of democratic fairness. Others may say they back Proposition 13 but it's not fair that some owners of similar homes pay different amounts. On questioning, taxpayers usually find that these politicians' idea of fairness is to raise everyone's taxes to the same higher level. Usually office holders will describe their proposed changes to Proposition 13 as mere "tweaking" when, in fact, their actual goal is to gut it. These are the same folks who can be heard to say, "I hate to raise taxes, but…"
Taxpayers find the best way to gauge a lawmaker's levels of commitment to Proposition 13 and the well-being of taxpayers is to ignore what they say and look at their voting record.
Annually, HJTA evaluates legislators' voting records and publishes the Legislative Report Card. The latest Report Card is available by clicking here. Those lawmakers not receiving at least a "B" rating are unworthy of the taxpayers' confidence. Those receiving a "B," but not an "A," are on the edge and should be carefully watched and encouraged to take more taxpayer-friendly positions on the issues.
An additional tool for evaluating lawmakers is to see who is introducing anti-taxpayer legislation. For a look at the most dangerous bills currently in the Legislature click here.
While most government workers may be dedicated, the unions that represent them are interested in only one thing: More money for their members.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, California has the highest paid public employees in the nation. Still, it is never enough as far as the union leaders are concerned. For this reason, taxpayers find that these public-employee unions are usually in the forefront in promoting new taxes and damaging modifications to Proposition 13.
In 2004 it was these government unions that put Proposition 56 on the ballot. Proposition 56 would have reduced Proposition 13's requirement that new state taxes receive a two-thirds vote of the Legislature for approval.
Fortunately for taxpayers and the economy of California, in a hard-fought campaign taxpayers defeated Proposition 56 at the polls.
One of the standout unions in the effort to undermine taxpayer protections has been the California Teachers Association (CTA). Twice in a recent two-year period the union collected signatures in an effort to qualify ballot measures to increase property taxes, although each time, for various reasons, they failed to submit the signatures they gathered.
Then CTA president, Barbara Kerr, was quoted as calling taxpayers who oppose new levies, "cheap." To government-employee union leaders, taxpayers are a limitless source of money.
Union efforts are now under way to make higher sales tax rates permanent and to do away with Proposition 13's requirement of a two-thirds vote of the Legislature to approve new or higher state taxes.
Wealthy and superwealthy political dilettantes have become a real menace to taxpayers in recent years. These public policy "dabblers," whose only expertise is their checkbook, use the initiative process to try to force others to pay for implementing their expensive vision for society.
Right now, the two most prominent political dilettantes are the wealthy actor/director Rob "Meathead" Reiner and the superwealthy Reed Hastings, whose company Netflix rents DVDs over the Internet.
In many ways it is the dilettantes who pose the most severe threat to taxpayers because they swaddle their tax increase schemes with rhetoric about how their efforts are all for the children — or other sympathetic cause. They do their best to put those who have reservations about opening their wallets for programs of doubtful value, in a position of appearing to be anti-children — or whatever else in on the agenda. In this way the backers of these new taxes suppress meaningful debate while their bulging wallets buy the misleading advertising that carries the day.
Rob Reiner began by putting Proposition 10, a tobacco tax, on the ballot in 1998. The money was to go to programs for youngsters. Because smokers are about as popular as lepers were in the Middle Ages, the measure passed. Although the measure has provided billions of dollars for programs for children, Reiner was not satisfied with that. First he joined forces with the CTA in an effort to place on the ballot an increase in property taxes.
When drafting defects in the property tax increase initiative forced Reiner and the CTA to fold their efforts, Reiner decided that he would pursue his own initiative to provide universal preschool to be paid for by higher income taxes. Unfortunately for taxpayers, he used his position as Chairman of the First Five Commission, established by the Proposition 10 tax, to oversee the spending of 23 million taxpayers' dollars on advertising to promote the preschool concept while his signature gatherers for his new initiative — Proposition 82 — were at work.
After studying Proposition 82, the Reason Foundation estimated that only a limited number of new students would be enrolled at a cost to taxpayers of $109,000 for each new preschool student.
Taxpayers put up a vigorous campaign against Proposition 82 and, fortunately, voters saw through the charade and voted it down.
Like Reiner, superwealthy Reed Hastings and his checkbook entered politics in the late 1990s. He began by gathering signatures for an initiative measure to force the state to spend more money on charter schools. When he had nearly enough signatures to qualify for the ballot, the Legislature got the message and increased funding as Hastings desired.
While this may have been good for charter schools, it also emboldened Hastings to believe that he could use the same process to make it easier to increase property taxes for school bonds. In 2000, he and a handful of sympathizers spent over $60 million to do away with the two-thirds vote for local school bonds that had protected taxpayers for 121 years. An expensive and misleading campaign that talked about accountability and never once mentioned higher taxes succeeded in passing Proposition 39. The result has been tens of billions of dollars in new bonds, the cost of which is borne exclusively by property owners.
But Hastings was not through with taxpayers. In 2006, he qualified something he called the "Classroom Learning and Accountability Act," a first-time-ever statewide property tax, for the ballot as Proposition 88. It would have raised half-a-billion dollars by charging every parcel of property $50 to start. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell is on record favoring the establishment of a state property tax and increasing it by $50 every four years.
If passed, Hastings and his friends would have paid another $50 on their mansions and the couple struggling to buy a starter home would pay the same amount. Fortunately, a huge nonpartisan coalition led by taxpayers overwhelmed Proposition 88 with a 77 percent "no" vote.
Hastings continues to be a nuisance to taxpayers. In April 2009 he donated over $250,000 to a committee set up to support the May 19 special election propositions, which included Proposition 1A, a $16 billion tax increase. Fortunately, here too the taxpayers prevailed with a limited-budget campaign.
For a list of billionaire political dilettantes who helped pass Proposition 39 — raising property taxes on average homeowners by billions of dollars — click here.


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Perry Campus Center - Common Grounds
Let's Go JaCee! Meet in Common Grounds to view the Miss America Pageant and cheer on our very own Jacee Pilkington, Miss Nebraska. She is competing for the crown and representing the State of Nebraska and DOANE!

Arrive at 5:30 p.m. to get the best seat in the house. Choose your own top 10, final runners up and Miss America for a Grand Prize! Snacks provided.


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Inventing Shadows
In my spare time recently, I caught a few of the episodes of The Voice, which has just been shown in this part of the world, even though it was live in the States about four months ago. Runner-up Dia Frampton was very cute and really made an impression on everyone who saw her with her soulful voice. This is her own composition, Inventing Shadows, and it's very catchy. I hope you enjoy it, and take time to sing along. I do. sad that she didn't win the competition but Javier Colon, the winner was a damn fine vocalist too. Tough call.
Labels: Dia Frampton


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Don't miss out on a lower price on this hotel
Get an overview of this hotel4-star hotel, walk to Tower of Apponale
Popular property highlights
Located in the heart of Riva del Garda, this hotel is steps from Catena Square, Tower of Apponale, and La Rocca. Ponale Hydroelectric Power Plant and Riva del Garda Museo Civico are also within 5 minutes.
Hotel Features
This hotel features a restaurant, an outdoor pool, and a bar/lounge. Free buffet breakfast and free WiFi in public areas are also provided. Other amenities include a steam room, a rooftop terrace, and self parking.
Room Amenities
All 59 rooms offer free WiFi and free wired Internet, plus 24-hour room service and LCD TVs with satellite channels. Guests will also find refrigerators, hair dryers, and safes.Information missing or incorrect? Tell us!Opens in a new window
Hotel Europa Sky Pool & Panorama
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
In addition to an outdoor pool, Hotel Europa Sky Pool & Panorama provides a steam room and complimentary bicycles. The hotel offers a restaurant. A bar/lounge is on site where guests can unwind with a drink. Guests can enjoy a complimentary breakfast each morning. A computer station is located on site and wireless Internet access is complimentary.
Event facilities measuring 20 square feet (2 square meters) include conference space. This business-friendly hotel also offers a rooftop terrace, tour/ticket assistance, and complimentary newspapers in the lobby. Parking is available onsite for a surcharge.
- Bar/lounge
- Elevator/lift
- Rooftop terrace
- Free breakfast
- Conference space
- Tours/ticket assistance
- Restaurant
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Free WiFi
- Self parking (surcharge)
- Pool sun loungers
- Steam room
- Outdoor pool
- Computer station
- Outdoor seasonal pool
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Conference space size (meters) - 2
- Luggage storage
- Conference space size (feet) - 20
- Pool umbrellas
- Total number of rooms - 59
- One meeting room
- Number of floors - 4
- Number of buildings/towers - 2
- Free newspapers in lobby
Family Friendly Amenities
- Family Hotel
- Outdoor pool
- Free Wi-Fi
- Refrigerator
- Cribs/infant beds (complimentary)
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi , Free wired Internet
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Self parking (surcharge)
Room Amenities
- Air conditioning
- Refrigerator
- Daily housekeeping
- Private bathroom
- Free toiletries
- Hair dryer
- Shower/tub combination
- In-room safe
- Desk
- Satellite TV service
- Free WiFi
- Free wired Internet
- Room service (24 hours)
- Free cribs/infant beds
- Connecting/adjoining rooms available
Where to Eat
A complimentary buffet breakfast is served each morning between 7:30 AM and 10:00 AM.
Hotel Europa Sky Pool & Panorama has a restaurant on site.
24-hour room service is available.
Nearby Things to Do
Recreational amenities at the hotel include an outdoor pool, a steam room, and complimentary bicycles.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
- Free bicycles on site
- Horse riding/rental on site
Hotel Policies
Check-in time starts at 2 PM
Check-in time ends at 9:30 AM
Minimum check-in age is 16
Check-out time is 10 AM
Payment types
Children and extra beds
- Children are welcome.
- Rollaway/extra beds are not available.
- Free cribs (infant beds)!
- Pets allowed for an extra charge of EUR 10 per pet, per night
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy.
- A tax is imposed by the city: EUR 1.30 per person, per night. This tax does not apply to children under 14 years of age.
Optional extras
- Self parking fee: EUR 15 per night
- Pet fee: EUR 10 per pet, per night
Hotel Name
- Europa Riva del Garda
- Hotel Europa Riva del Garda
- Hotel Europa Sky Pool Panorama Riva del Garda
- Hotel Europa Sky Pool Panorama
- Europa Sky Pool Panorama Riva del Garda
- Europa Sky Pool Panorama
We should mention
All guests, including children, must be present at check-in and show their government-issued photo ID card or passport. Cash transactions at this property cannot exceed EUR 2999.99, due to national regulations. For further details, please contact the property using information in the booking confirmation. 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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"There has to be some changes made," said outgoing 50th ward Alderman Bernard Stone.
It was a remarkable declaration from Chicago's longest serving alderman.
But change is coming soon to Chicago's City Council, backed by Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel who says there is no reason to have 19 City Council committees at a cost of nearly $5 million a year.
Over the years, aldermen like Stone have awarded friends and supporters with jobs on Council Committees.
And those employees rewarded him with campaign contributions.
50th Ward resident Joseph Chakchay, according to city records, works for the Buildings Committee. Chakchay and his family have given $4,075 to Stone since 2000.
"I never solicit any member of my committee to contribute," Stone said. "But if they voluntarily contribute, I never refused it."
Alderman Stone's not the only one who hasn't refused employee contributions. 40th Ward Alderman Pat O'Connor, chairman of the Traffic Control Committee has four city employees who have contributed between $3,000 and $9,000 since 1999. Art Davis, O'Connor's aide, has, according to state campaign disclosure records, given over $9,000 to the alderman since 1999. In the last four years, clerk Mary Ellen Lee has donated $3,675. O'Connor says those contributions are as American as apple pie.
"If I work for someone I believe in and I want to contribute towards that success of that individual and what they do, I think it's American," O'Connor said.
Not all aldermen think it is proper however.
"It's a conflict, I think, to have somebody give you money and in turn you supervise them," said 12th Ward Alderman George Cardenas. "I just think it sends the wrong message." 5th Ward Alderman Leslie Hairston concurred.
The old maxim was to contribute 2% of your salary back to the ward that employed you, according to former alderman and current UIC Professor Dick Simpson.
"There's no firm rule now," Simpson said about the donations. "They contribute to the good health of the alderman still being powerful."
33rd Ward Alderman Dick Mell heads the Rules and Ethics Committee.
A member of his staff, Terry Toner, has given $1,900 to Mell's ward in the past few years. Those are normal contribution numbers enough, but what is troubling is Toner's address – in Oak Park, according to the Illinois Board of Elections. Chicago residency, unlike the 2% rule, continues to hold firm as a requirement of city employment.
The 33rd Ward treasurer Mary Hahne said she is sure Toner lives within city limits and not in the suburbs. Toner, on recent sick leave, did not return our calls. Hahne also works for Mell's Legislative Reference Bureau. When asked what she does for the committee, she said by phone, to make sure the alderman's appointments are set and answering the phone. Since 2000, she's donated around $6,800 to the 33rd Ward. Alderman Mell was on vacation and unavailable for comment.
Today there are 19 committees but questions remain about the number and the effectiveness. Last Tuesday, both the Aviation Committee meeting and the Budget and Government Operations meeting lasted less than five minutes each.
"[Short meetings] happen from time to time but every once in a while, periodically, there are some big deals going on," 27th Ward Alderman Walter Burnett said. An issue now being looked at is a reassessment of the number of the committees, though not necessarily a look at who gets hired.
Still it's a start say some aldermen. Even Berny Stone agrees the council doesn't need 19 committees.
"Hell no," Stone said.


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Training services in the field of fitness that combines boxing techniques and drumming techniques
Business in West Hills, CA
Business in West Hills, CA


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Dunn celebrating birthday
MOUNT PLEASANT — Ruth Dunn of Mount Pleasant will celebrate her 90th birthday Sunday.
Mrs. Dunn has three children: Doyle Dunn and wife Patty of Mount Pleasant; Deanna Northcott and husband Jay of Mayhill, N.M.; and the late Doc Dunn, whose wife Cindy is of Libertyville.
Mrs. Dunn also has 11 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.
Cards can be sent to Mrs. Dunn at Park Place LTCU, 401 S. Van Buren St., Mount Pleasant 52641.


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ATLANTA — When does the All-Star break finish for the Mets?
Ben Sheets, change the sheets, the sheet is about to hit the fan. However you want to view it, the Mets' season has clearly reached another critical juncture with yesterday's 6-1 loss at Turner Field that completed a Braves three-game sweep.
"This is not the end of the world," Johan Santana said after the Mets lost for the fifth time in six games and fell 6 1/2 games behind the Nationals in the NL East. "We've got to continue playing and hoping at some point we rebound back and win a couple of series and get back to where we used to be."
Sheets, in his first major league start since July 19, 2010, allowed two hits over six shutout innings, but that was only part of the Mets' problem.
Santana (6-6) lasted only five innings and allowed six earned runs on eight hits with three strikeouts and two walks for his second straight bomb. Nine days earlier against the Cubs he allowed three homers and seven earned runs over 4 2/3 innings.
It all crumbled for Santana in the fifth yesterday. After Michael Bourn's RBI double gave the Braves a 1-0 lead, pitching coach Dan Warthen was ejected for giving plate umpire C.B. Bucknor an earful during a mound visit. Terry Collins then interceded and managed to stay in the game, a day after he was ejected for arguing a call.
Warthen said the "discrepancies" in strike zones was his biggest beef.
"I thought it was a much wider strike zone for Mr. Sheets," Warthen said. "I thought Santana made some good pitches both on [Paul] Janish and Bourn where they were strikes for the other team and not for us."
Catcher Josh Thole said Santana threw a backdoor slider to Janish that should have been strike three — the Braves shortstop ultimately walked — and a backdoor sinker that should have been strike three to Bourn before he doubled.
"It changed the course of the game," Thole said. "We've got to lock it in. It goes both ways. I think the guy behind the plate has to do the same."
The Mets' anger with Bucknor began Saturday, when he blew a call at first base, calling out Jordany Valdespin on an infield grounder.
After yesterday's argument ended, the Braves broke the game open with a sacrifice fly and three straight hits, including Freddie Freeman's three-run homer that put the Mets in a 6-0 hole. As Santana left the field following the final out, he complained to Bucknor, but the umpire signaled for him to stop.
"It's tough when you have a game like this when you know one pitch can be the difference in the game," Santana said. "But I didn't question anything. I was doing my job and it was too bad a couple of pitches changed the whole ballgame."
The Mets (46-43) fell to three games above .500. It is the fifth time since May 24 they have fallen to that level. In each of the previous four instances, they have rallied with winning streaks of at least three games. An important three-game series in Washington beginning tomorrow night awaits the Mets.
Collins said there is no reason to give his team a pep talk.
"They were told before this series started where they were," Collins said. "They are a little down in the dumps at the moment and you can hardly blame them, so we've got to start grinding it out in Washington."


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Tanya A. – Nov. 16, 2015
A magical experience of nature and animals on a great boat with fantastic staff! The other guests were also wonderful people. Worth every penny!
5 Days – Monday to Friday – Northern Galapagos
This Galapagos tour will take you from the central islands to the impressive island of Genovesa. We will see all 3 species of boobies, the two endemic pinnipeds, the Galapagos fur seal and the Galapagos sea lions. Before crossing the equator, meet the world´s only tropical penguin. We finish in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, the capital of the Galapagos Province, with a visit to Galapagos name givers, the Galapagos giant tortoises.
In 5 days, you can see 11 of the BIG15.
Price from: $ 3,388 pp.
5 Days – Saturday to Wednesday – Eastern Galapagos
The trip starts in San Cristobal, home of the 3 species of boobies. Then we see all 3 species of iguanas in a single day, on Santa Fe and Plaza Island. In Santa Cruz we learn about the conservation project, and spend an afternoon with the tortoises in the wild. But the cherry on top is Española, home to boobies, hawks, sea lions, pelicans the most colourful marine iguanas, endemic mockingbirds and lava lizards and the only tropical breeding albatross.
Visible: 11 of the BIG15.
Price from: $ 3,388 pp
6 Days – Wednesday to Monday – Western Galapagos
This is the longest of the simple itineraries of Santa Cruz II. Therefor two of the top four islands where assigned to this itinerary: North Seymour and Fernandina. Two full days of exploration: only here you can find two flightless marine birds, Galapagos penguin and flightless cormorant. The journey includes sea lions and fur seals, Hawks and flamingos and the Charles Darwin Research Station. Finish your expedition in Floreana Island, with Post Office Bay.
Prepare to tick-off 12 of the Big15.
Price from: $ 4,235 pp
5 Days – 4 nights Northern Islands, Monday to Friday
Join us as we discover the glorious white beach of Las Bachas, Santiago Island (Buccaneer Cove and Puerto Egas), Rabida, Bartolome Island, and the sunken crater of Genovesa Island, Galapagos' best natural aviary. End the trip on a high note watching Galapagos giant tortoises stroll through their natural habitat in the highlands of Santa Cruz Island before heading to the airport at Baltra
7 Days – 6 nights Eastern Islands, Friday to Thursday
Starting and ending in Baltra, takes us to the oldest islands in the Archipelago. We visit the sea lions of Mosquera Islet before heading to see the red-footed boobies in San Cristobal. Meet the endemic land iguanas of Santa Fe, observe the colours of South Plaza, and stop in at the world-famous Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz, before heading on to top-rated Española and North Seymour, with an in-between stop at Eden Islet.
5 Days – 4 nights Western Islands, Thursday to Monday
Our journey begins at Dragon Hill on Santa Cruz Island, home to Galapagos land iguanas. The next day is spent at Isabela Island and Fernandina Island, the pristine jewel of the national park. From there, we are on to the world-famous Charles Darwin Research Station and its captive tortoise breeding program. Floreana Island's Post Office Bay and Punta Cormorant round off the trip with insights into human presence on the islands.
The Galapagos Islands. You've dreamt of it for a lifetime, a place where history has been made. For centuries, home to pirates and whalers, but mostly to highly unusual fauna, inspiration for Darwin's theory as presented in On the Origin of Species. And one of the few places on Earth where the wildlife shows no fear of humans.
If you're looking for wildlife, the Galapagos Archipelago is a one-of-a-kind destination. Here, visitors travel back in time as they experience life before man, walking alongside hulking giant tortoises, ever-curious sea lion pups and dynamic volcanic landscapes. Tourists are drawn to this secluded utopia by the enormous variety of life that the islands hold. However, the islands also cover an immense distance, in fact over 138,000 Km2 (53,300 mi2), astounding visitors from every part of the World.
The Galapagos Islands rank among the world's most extraordinary wildlife destinations. Although everywhere in the world is 'unique', the islands are that much more unique than other places due to the archipelago's isolation over millennia. Here, species have evolved amid the stark volcanic landscapes into new and apparently strange forms that exist nowhere else on the planet. Not only that, the creatures one encounters are fearless of humans. It's a truly magical place. The Islands were named after the giant Galapagos tortoises that looked similar to the galapago Spanish saddle to the first explorers in the 16th century. The archipelago began to emerge above a volcanic hotspot in the Pacific Ocean six million years ago.
This alluring ecosystem is located 1,000 kilometres (600 miles) off the coast of Ecuador and boasts a world record of titles and management categories: the islands are Ecuador's first National Park; a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site; its Galapagos Marine Reserve is the second largest in the world; a Biosphere Reserve and a Whale Sanctuary.
In 1835, the young English naturalist Charles Darwin visited the Galapagos. His experiences and collections in this "living laboratory" later inspired his writings on natural selection and ground-breaking theory of evolution. In large part, the Islands remain as Darwin would have seen them nearly 180 years ago.
Many people dream about going on a cruise. For some this may not have been a plan at all, but when considering a journey to one of the world´s most beautiful places, doing it the right way may lead you to analyse what a cruise is all about.
Cruising on our Santa Cruz II Galapagos small ship is a fantastic opportunity to experience this but with a long list of relevant advantages. As a company, we have decades of experience in providing expedition cruises in this extraordinary National Park. We know the best sites on the best islands, and the best combination of these. We know where the best wildlife is, the best views and how to get planned for the best way to visit these.
Our Galapagos tours give you a unique opportunity to visit these islands, the Galapagos Islands emerged only a few million years ago from the bowels of the submarine plates. Born of fire, these young islands received only very few species- those who could endure a lengthy trip across over a thousand kilometres of open sea. Some flew, some swam and many where washed off by pure chance on floating vegetation rafts. In the young archipelago, genetic isolation produced new species. Galapagos has among the highest degrees of endemism in the world- species not found anywhere else in the planet. The absence of large terrestrial predators has contributed to one of the most astonishing features of Galapagos behaviour: the absence of fear.
You don´t have to be a nature enthusiast to enjoy fully a Galapagos experience. Jaw dropping volcanic landscapes, turquoise blue calm waters, lush highlands and beaches that range from jet black, green, golden, crimson red to pristine white sand. No island resembles to previous, nor are its inhabitants the same. Galapagos is the right destination for couples, families, single travellers of all ages. Families can enjoy special activities and kid friendly meals at kid friendly times upon request.
Santa Cruz II has five spacious decks, but cabins start at the horizon deck, two decks above engines, generators or props. This way no cabin is immediately above or next to these noise producing elements of the vessel. Guests board/disembark at sea level, in a safe but swift procedure. The expedition leader divides into small groups, based on language, interest, desire to be more active or take things at a more relaxed pace. While most vessels operate with a single guide for 16 guests, Santa Cruz II has an average of 11 guests per guide. Not only are our groups smaller and divided by affinity, but we share the national park visiting sites with no other vessel. On shore, when visiting more demanding trails, our expedition leader provides, if necessary, shorter hikes. For those who don´t feel like snorkelling, we are one of the very few ships that offer glass bottom boat rides. You are not deprived from experiencing the amazing under-water unique Galapagos wildlife.
Back on board, the Santa Cruz II ensures great service with a Passenger/staff ratio of 1.5; for every 3 guests, we have two crew members. The ship counts with experienced international accredited marine officers, in addition of a hotel manager, a purser, an expedition leader, adding to 60 crew members. We also have a permanent medical doctor on board. Our guests perceive her as a living insurance policy: should a medical emergency arise, remember Galapagos is a remote archipelago with remote islands. Some sites may be up to 150 nautical miles away from the nearest hospital or airport.
Choose from one of the two four-night itineraries, or the longer 5 night itinerary with two full days in the western realm of young volcanoes and the richest waters of Galapagos. If you are considering Galapagos because the unique wildlife, look at the BIG15 list of species and choose the best itinerary. If you are really keen on this list, take the eastern and western itineraries so you can complete a full 15 of the BIG 15 top species.
You can make it a romantic trip, a family trip or go with a group of friends. Whoever you travel with, you will be sure to have a memorable trip with lots of fantastic memories to take away with you.
Explore the Archipelago alongside our impassioned experts! We offer the greatest cruise vessels of all Galapagos Island cruises. Find our special offers and accompany us on our Galapagos adventures.
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Drivers from outside the European Union can no longer simply swap their licenses for UK versions thanks to the government clamping down on regulation loopholes.
Previously, non-EU drivers could simply exchange their license at a DVLA office without proving their driving abilities on UK roads. Currently, EU driving licence holders do not require a British driving licence, but those rules do not apply to drivers outside of Europe.
However, arrangements are in place with 15 countries, including Australia, Canada and South Africa, which allow drivers to exchange their licences for a British one.
Any driver in the world could then theoretically exchange a licence with one of the "approved" countries, and then exchange that licence for a British one.
The problem occurs, therefore, when the British Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency cannot be sure that a driver has met the appropriate driving standards before exchanging their licence.
"While the government believes certain countries are comparable with the UK, many are not," said Paul Watters of the AA. "Some countries will have very different standards of driving behaviour and traffic levels, as well as driver ability. Some drivers may need extra training to be able to cope with British motorways, for example."


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Often referred to as automated irrigation systems, Hozelock automatic watering products can help you keep on top of your gardening, even in your absence!
Regularly used by people with large and expansive gardens, and certainly a huge time and effort saver for people with reduced mobility, Hozelock automatic watering products mean your garden always gets the irrigation it needs, in all the right places without you having to carry a watering can around.
A huge and expansive range, Hozelock Automatic Watering equipment features everything from flowerbed and lawn sprinklers, to micro irrigation systems for greenhouses. Operated either from the tap by you, or by timed systems also available as part of the range, once installed these systems can look after your garden hydration with only the odd check-up from you needed.
Right down to durable hoses required by such a system, Hozelock covers it all and is the first choice of many gardeners due to robust and reliable designs. And of course it can all be found at Swell UK at the very best prices. The majority of the range is stocked in our state of the art warehouse too, which means orders placed before 3pm weekdays are despatched immediately with Next Working Day Delivery options too!


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You were at QPR when they lost to Oxford United in the 1986 Milk Cup final. What do you recall from that day at Wembley?
What? No, I can't remember that (laughs).
I was actually injured and sat just behind the bench.
It was a hell of a day for Oxford and I can remember it really well.
The fans were absolutely brilliant and the performance from the team that day was first-class.
It was a disappointing day for QPR, but a wonderful one for Oxford.
I got injured a few weeks before and I knew I was going to be out for the season, so I was able to get my head around it.
I was delighted we got to the cup final, but disappointed for QPR that we didn't win it. Now though, I'm delighted Oxford did.
Who was the best manager you played under and why?
That's an easy one – it's Terry Venables.
His man-management skills were very good and his coaching methods were way beyond that period.
The success he had abroad when he went to Barcelona just showed what a good manager and coach he was.
We were a second division side and we got to the FA Cup final under him, qualifying for Europe.
You are your own person, but you take something from everyone you worked under.
A good coach takes ideas from other good coaches and moulds them into how you want it. I learned a lot under him.
What is the single most important attribute for a manager to have?
To be a winner. If you're a winner you pull everyone with you and you're successful.
I want winners around me – simple as that.
You appear a calm and relaxed coach and we all know Mickey Lewis and Andy Melville are nice guys.
But do you think you need somebody with the opposite personality trait in a coaching set-up, like when you had Martin Kuhl as your No 2 at Wycombe?
Mickey and Mel are good blokes and I've not seen them lose it, but you don't always have to do that.
If you talk to people they listen. If you shout at people they switch off.
I do have my moments.
Martin Kuhl was excellent and we had a very good relationship. We still have. He's a friend of mine, he's an outstanding coach and we had some success together.
But the modern player and coach are slightly different to maybe 15 or 20 years ago.
You say I look calm, but swans look calm and underneath the water they're paddling like hell.
I like to come across as being calm and relaxed because you can put that across to the players.
If they see you as being tense and uptight then they become tense and uptight.
You can't play that way and I want them to play in a composed manner.
Do you believe the squad with the best quality players will always get promoted?
No, because there's more to it than just quality players.
If you have good players it gives you a chance.
If you've got players who have a bond and are organised you also have a chance.
There are different ways to gain promotion and you also need a bit of luck.
What is the key to building a promotion-winning squad?
Having winners.