text:
Gosh, and here I thought 350,000 dead Union soldiers (the majority of them white), and trillions of dollars spent on social welfare programs was atonement enough.
The author of this resolution is one Steve Cohen, a congress-critter from Tennessee who represents a district in Memphis. I have read the text of this travesty of a resolution, and the most maddening part is the second paragraph. Here it is:
Whereas slavery in America resembled no other form of involuntary servitude known in history, as Africans were captured and sold at auction like inanimate objects or animals;Come again? Slavery in America resembled no other form of involuntary servitude known in HISTORY? I must admit that I am a bit confused. Is Cohen saying that the United States is the only country in history to practice slavery, or is he saying that the form of slavery practiced in the United States was more cruel and brutal than that practiced by any other country or civilization in history? In either case, Cohen is dead wrong. I expect to hear ignorant crap like this from my middle school students, but not from a U.S. congressman.
Slavery is, unfortunately, one of the oldest institutions known to man, and is, unfortunately, still practiced and accepted in some areas of the world today - ironically, mostly in Africa. Slavery was practiced by almost every ancient civilization, including the Mesopotamians, the Egyptians, the Greeks, the Romans, and the Arabs. The prospect of the slavery of ancient Egypt is particularly amusing since Congressman Cohen is Jewish. Has he ever studied the story of Moses and the Hebrews?
I would love for Congressman Cohen to explain exactly how the slavery practiced in the United States was somehow unique in comparison to all the other instances of the slavery practiced since time immemorial. Heck, if you were an African slave heading to the New World, you WANTED to end up in the United States! Where you didn't want to go was to the sugar plantations of the Caribbean or Brazil. Slaves in those places were treated much more harshly by their owners, and the conditions there were horrible, due to climate and tropical diseases. In fact, of all the millions of African slaves brought across the Atlantic Ocean, only about 5% of them were brought to the English colonies that would later become the United States. This is because American slaves were healthy enough to survive and procreate. Slaves in the Caribbean and South America died in such great numbers, that new slaves had to be continually shipped in to replace the horrendous losses.
And now, the usual disclaimer: my description of the relatively benign treatment of American slaves is by no means a defense of the use of slaves in this country or any other at any time. I point out this treatment of American slaves in order to rebut Congressman Cohen's asinine assertion that slaves in the United States were treated in especially horrible ways.
Like I always tell my students: There is nothing unique about the fact that the United States practiced slavery; that had been happening throughout the world and throughout history. What is unique about the United States is that we were one of the first countries to work to end slavery and eventually outlaw it. What more must our country do for the apologies and hand-wringing to finally end?
For a much more in-depth focus on this topic, I highly suggest you read Michael Medved's essay, Six Inconvenient Truths About the U.S. and Slavery. Read it and learn.
Good Day to You, Sir


text:
Voting over social security with uncertain lifetimes
Paper number: 99/21
Paper date: June 1999
Year: 1999
Paper Category: Discussion Paper
Philippe De Donder
GREMAQ, Universit de Toulouse I, France
Jean Hindriks
University of Exeter, UK
This paper examines the intragenerational redistribution aspect of social security. The level of social security is determined by majority voting between individuals who differ (ex-ante) in their earning ability and life expectancy. Given incentive effects, the voting equilibrium depends on balancing the redistributive gains that social security provides to a majority against the efficiency costs of distorting economic behaviour. The impact of alternative benefit structures on the equilibrium level of social security is analysed. It is shown that the conventional wisdom stating that "tightening the link" between benefits and contributions will reduce the distortionary effect of social security does not survive the introduction of political economy considerations. We also show that the introduction of means-testing does not necessarily lead to a decrease in the size of social security. The impact on the equilibrium level of social security of a correlation between productivity and the probability of receiving benefits is also analysed.
JEL Classification Nos: D72, D78, H55
Keywords: Social security, public pensions, majority voting
Corresponding Author: Jean Hindriks, School of Business and Economics, University of Exeter, Streatham Court, Rennes Drive, Exeter, EX4 4PU, UK, tel: (44) 1392 263237, fax (44) 1392 263242, email: firstname.lastname@example.com
An earlier version of this paper entitled "The Political Support for Means-Tested Social Security" has been presented at the "International Conference on Institutional and Financial Incentives for Social Security" held at CORE in December 1998. We would like to thank participants at this conference, at the 1999 CORE-FRANCQUI Summer School in Political Economy and at the "Axiomatic Resource Allocation Theory Conference" (Namur, July 1999) for their comments and encouragement.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The Duval County School Board approved 34 principal and district-level administrator appointments recommended by Superintendent Nikolai Vitti who said the moves will help develop educators experienced in raising student achievement.
"This is tweaking and refining, not an overhaul," Vitti told the Times-Union after the nearly four-hour board meeting Monday night in which some board members asked for an explanation of the personnel moves.
The board approved the assignments including bringing in Anthony Anderson from the Palm Beach School District, where he served as a principal, to be a middle school region chief. It also approved the promotion of region chief Addison Davis to chief of schools.
Much of the discussion focused on the principal appointments, and their future role in student achievement.
Vitti decided to recommend appointments prior to Friday's release of Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test results, which showed that Duval County students performed better in science than a year ago, but had mixed scores in reading and math skills. Duval improved in six of the 14 accountability categories. However, it remains below the Florida average in some areas, the FCAT results showed.
Those mixed results after the first year of his administration which saw curriculum, personnel and budget changes, Vitti said, show "this is a marathon, this is not a sprint and we have a lot of work to do."
The principal changes along with restructuring the role of the region chiefs, Vitti said, ultimately will lead to improved student achievement. Next year, each region chief will supervise fewer principals. The goal is to strengthen the alignment between the region chief and curriculum team.
"We do not have a bench in Duval County Public Schools. The hardest thing to do is to make, select principal changes when there are few people on that bench …We need to develop leaders at the school level," said Vitti, adding he is open to getting feedback from the community about what they want in a leader of their school.
Board member Paula Wright asked Vitti to explain the principal changes at Ed White and Ribault high schools.
Christopher Jackson, now principal at Ed White, will become Ribault principal. New hire Eric Paul will become Ed White principal. Edward Robinson, now Ribault principal will become principal of the state Department of Juvenile Justice programs in the school district. The changes take effect July 1.
Paul most recently was vice president of curriculum and instruction for Charter Schools USA. Before that Paul was an area director of accountability in the Palm Beach School District, where he also had served as a principal.
Wright said she was concerned about stability. Jackson has been at Ed White two years, while Robinson has been Ribault High's principal two years.
"Is it possible you could have given these principals additional support since they have already been in the building and they have established relationships?" asked Wright, also asking whether leaving each principal at their current schools another year would allow them to be in the best position to take the school forward.
Vitti replied that he was taking a long-term approach to the schools and making the best fit for a principal's skills and talent. After the meeting, he told the Times-Union that Jackson wanted to go to Ribault.
And it was a matter of putting principals where they were needed most. That included the previous moves of making Evan Daniels the principal of Andrew Jackson High School, and Vincent Hall the principal at Raines High School, Vitti said
"I think I have three of my very best high school principals in my most fragile schools," Vitti said.
As part of Vitti's organizational changes for 2014-15, the region chiefs will get the new title of assistant superintendent to align the title with workplace standards. Their title will change but not their salaries.
Another change is concentrating the role of chief of schools to focus on school leadership and leadership development, he told the board.
In another personnel matter, Duval Teachers United urged the School Board to reject a budget proposal by Vitti that would result in 65 of the district's 239 security guards likely losing their positions.
Ruby George, union executive vice president, said the cuts would affect student learning because the security guards now make sure the children and employees are safe.
"They were essential this year. They will be essential next year," George said.
The district is hammering out its 2014-15 budget. It's going to be tight, Vitti said during a Tuesday board workshop.
Saying she was uncomfortable cutting security guards, Wright called on the board — both Monday night and again during Tuesday's workshop — to re-evaluate the budget items that it has previously approved to see if they are necessary or if there is something that could be changed to find money.
"If we have to RIF, [have a reduction in force] we have to make certain every initiative, every project, every item is on the table and we don't have any sacred cows," Wright said.
Board member Jason Fischer said Tuesday although he doesn't want anyone to lose their job, he wasn't in favor of "rehashing, restarting the budget process" at this point.
Teresa Stepzinski: (904) 359-4075


text:
Hot on the heels of critically acclaimed original releases by The Crystal Method, LCD Soundsystem and Aesop Rock, DJ/producer A-Trak joins forces with Nike to launch his debut record Running Man: Nike+ Original Run as the next release for the Nike+ Original Run Series. The Montreal native produced this 45-minute composition specifically for runners, gradually building from a warm-up period, incorporating an extended middle section that finds a pavement-pounding groove, and ending with a downtempo closure for cooling down. A highlight from the beginning segment, "Say Whoa," will serve as A-Trak's inaugural artist single, offered exclusively by Nike Sport Music. The mix also features a show-stopping appearance by recently hyped Fool's Gold signee Kid Cudi.
The original mix is part of the run-up to The Nike+ Human Race, the world's largest one-day running event. On August 31, 2008, an expected one million runners in 25 cities across the globe will partake in a 10k that combines the power of running and music through sport and also gives participants the chance to run for a cause and support charities who have a positive impact on the world. At 45 minutes long, Running Man: Nike+ Original Run is ideal background music for runners looking to mix things up while training for the event.
The fourth installment of the Nike+ Original Run series, A-Trak's Running Man: Nike+ Original Run is available exclusively in the Nike Sport Music section of the iTunes Store.
***In celebration of the release we are happy to offer the opportunity to win an exclusive pair of dunks designed by A-Trak, at the Nike ID studio. Check out a video of that here. We've got one pair to give away, and three download cards for a copy of Running Man as consolation prizes. Because the shoe will be custom made, prize time will be 4-6 weeks. In order to win the shoes, please sign up for our newsletter here, we will then be choosing somebody out of our database.***
Head to the jump to see full album image, pictures of A-Trak's session at the ID studio and, of course, a full preview of the exclusive dunks.


text:
In "Octi Gone", the Girls' party dresses looked more like girlier versions of their normal dresses.
After Professor Utonium tried to put the leg back on, Bubbles said he'd got the leg in backwards, but it wasn't as it was first received, until Bubbles switched the leg right round.
In some shots, the flower on the Professor switches form his left side to his right side.
After the Professor puts the leg back on Octi, it suddenly smiled. Is Octi an alive toy?
As Mojo ate the slice of the banana cream pie, look in the shot when the catering man warns about the pie. It's back to a whole new pie.
"Octi-Gone" - When Bubbles is on the phone, she has Octi with her, but in the next shot, it disappeared.
The Mayor has some indications on being a pickle addict because Ms. Bellum has given the Mayor a pickle patch.
Buttercup said in "Octi-Gone" that she hates her party dress, but in "Slumbering with the Enemy," she, Blossom, and Bubbles were wearing all types of clothes along with Mojo.
Wouldn't something else have happened to the Girls after they were freed, despite the fact that voodoo dolls cause something to happen to whoever they are dolls of, depending on what the cause is?
When the Girls were in the trench coat, Bubbles was wearing a fake moustache, but after Fred discovers Buttercup and scares the Girls, her moustache just disappears out of thin air.
At the end of the episode, the Narrator says that the newspapers said, "It's Rare to See a Medium So Well Done," but the headline shown really said, "That Well Done."
Bubbles: Mojo, you get outta there, you're nothing but a big party pooper.
Bubbles: WHO IS THIS?!?!
Mojo Jojo: I told you, I'm holding Octi for a 1,000 gallons of Chemical X.
Bubbles: Oh, really, now? (Professor begs her to carry on) So can you describe him for me?
Bubbles: It's gotta be Buttercup, who else could it be? (Blossom winks, Bubbles gasped) Not Blossom, it couldn't be her, or COULD IT?!
Bubbles: (Crying) OH, HO, HO! Octi, I'm gonna find out WHOEVER DID THIS TO DO AND THEY WILL PAY!!!
Narrator: The city of Townsville, where all the who's who of the city's most fru-fru are preparing for the big to-do at the home of Townsville's very own Professor U.
Narrator: And the Mayor was let back into Townsville faster than you could say, "open sesame."
Mayor: Open sesa -
Powerpuff Girls: Here you go, Mayor.
Mayor: Shoot!
Mayor: You were right, Ms. Bellum. The pickle patch is great! Especially on cold turkey sandwiches.
Ms. Bellum: Oh, Mayor.
Buttercup: Wait! Wait! Wait! Let me get this straight. You asked a psychic for decisions on municipal issues?
Mayor: No, no, of course not. That would be silly. I got advice from a dead relative.
Madame Argentina: Please sit. I have been expecting you.
Mayor: Wow! You are good!
Narrator: Oh, no! It's the Mayor of Townsville -- the one person who should have read the newspaper today, but didn't.
Narrator: The city of Townsville, where it's a petty world out there and petty crime is at an all-time high. Which leads us to the question of who, who could be picking the pockets of the unsuspecting citizens of Townsville?
Madame Argentina: Why, me, of course.
Narrator: Who said that?
Madame Argentina: Down here. (Waves hand)
Narrator: And with that, the Girls were off... faster than you could say "Professor Utonium."
Mayor: Professor Uton -
Powerpuff Girls: We're here, Mayor!
Mayor: Well, I'll be. I couldn't finish saying it.
Narrator: Regardless of how the Mayor handles his civic duties, the Girls still had a job to do. And with that, they were off... faster than you could say "bad television."
Mayor: Bad televi -
Powerpuff Girls: Later, Mayor!
Mayor: Darn it!
Blossom: Look what I found!
Bubbles & Buttercup: What is it?
Blossom: A tarot card. Girls, this is worse than we imagined.
Bubbles: Whatever do you mean, Blossom?
Blossom: Not only are we dealing with a petty criminal, we're dealing with... a tarot-ist!
(The Girls are about to start an attempt to capture Madame Argentina)
Blossom: You ready, Buttercup?
Buttercup: Check.
Blossom: Ready, Bubbles?
Bubbles: Ready. (Clears her throat, in a deeper voice) Ready.
Blossom: Great. Let's put Operation Over-Medium into action.
Narrator: But when Fred stuck his head in the pocket, he didn't find a wallet, nor did he find jewelry. He found a Buttercup!
Blossom: Look! There she is!
Bubbles: And she's got dolls of us!
Buttercup: And a box of pins!
Blossom: What in the world would she want those things for?
Narrator: And with the first poke of the pin, the Girls quickly got the point.
Narrator: And the newspapers this day read, "Powerpuffs Powerless to Pinch Pocket-Picking Pin-Pushing Predictor!" Will the Girls ever escape this literal cliffhanger? Will the Mayor ever get back into Townsville? Will Madame Argentina ever share her gumdrops?
Narrator: For these are but a few of Townsville's citizens who've been robbed by this elusive and rather vertically-challenged psychic, which is why the newspapers this day read, "Small Medium at Large!"
Madame Argentina: I am sensing presence of a dead relative.
Mayor: Yes! Yes, I do have dead relatives!
Madame Argentina: A dead…aunt?
Mayor: Yes! Yes! I have one of those! Uncanny.
Madame Argentina: Yes! It is your dead aunt coming through. Aunt... buh... cuh... duh... fuh... Ger...
Mayor: Gertrude? My dead Aunt Gertrude?
Madame Argentina: That's the one.
Mayor: She wants to speak to me? (Speaking upward) How you doing, Gert?
Blossom: And you've been locked out since Wednesday? But, Mayor, it's Saturday. Why did you wait so long to call?
Mayor: My cell phone calling plan has free weekend minutes.
Narrator: And the newspapers read this day... "It's Rare to See a Medium So Well Done."
(Mayor gasps)
Ms. Bellum: Mayor, we're done gasping.
Madame Argentina: A good medium never reveals her secrets.
Mayor: I thought that was a musician.
Madame Argentina: Whatever. $10, please.
Narrator: And as Madame Argentina plied her false fortunes, the goose got down.
Fred: Is that a feather joke?
Blossom: Mmm-mmm! I sure love barbecue goose!
Buttercup: Yeah! Me, too!
Bubbles: Save the neck for me!
Bubbles: (Singing) D'oh! In my tailbone!
Madame Argentina: Would you like your palms read?
Bubbles: Oh, no, thanks. I like them the color they are.
Buttercup: Bubbles! Put down that stupid octopus and help us with this stupid octopus!
Madame Argentina: Oh, good day, kind sir. I've been expecting you.
Bubbles: (In a tall uniform) Wow, she is good.
Blossom: (From inside coat) Shhh!
Bubbles: (Whispering) Sorry.
Since "See Me, Feel Me, Gnomey" was supposed to air in the 4th season, this can be considered the series finale (besides "The Powerpuff Girls Rule").
First episode to be directed by Chris Savino.
This is the second time Mojo becomes a party pooper, the first time it happened was in "Slumbering with the Enemy."
An alternate title for "I See a Funny Cartoon in Your Future" is "Don't Scrye for Me Argentina."
Second episode with "Octi" in its title, the first one was "Octi Evil."
Villain(s): Madame Argentina, Fred the Duck, & Mojo Jojo.
The man who freed the Powerpuff Girls is a caricature of Chris Battle, a model designer for the show.
Running Gag: Somebody buys something, they give the cashier the exact amount of money they were asked for, then they say, "Keep the change."
The storytelling style of "I See a Funny Cartoon in Your Future" is based on the series, The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show. There was also no music in that episode, which is also similar to the "Rocky & Bullwinkle" layout.
Aired as a 5th season episode in other countries.
Jimmy Durante
In "Octi-Gone" there is a guy laughing at the party who may resemble to the comedian Jimmy Durante, with his big nose.
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Bubbles and The Mayor fighting over Octi in "Octi-Gone" and both yelling: "Mine!", may be a reference to a scene in "The Empire Strikes Back" when Yoda and R2D2 fight over a torch.
Don't Scrye for Me Argentina: Title
"Don't Scrye for Me, Argentina" is a spoof off of the title of the song, "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina."
Episode Title: Octi Gone
This is a title pun/reference to the shape, octagon.
Narrator: The dolls were quickly put up for auction on eBay.
Reference to eBay; a huge Internet auction site.
Jay Warden: Appearance
The warden at the end of this ep is a white-moustachioed, bespectacled man, wearing a naval uniform that looks a bit like that worn by Cap'n Crunch; on his hat is a large J, and he wears a name badge that tags him as the Jay Warden. This is a reference to Jay Ward, a producer for Rocky & Bullwinkle.


text:
Urban Corner Café
Breakfast or Lunch for Two is $20, plus Coffee or Tea (Valued Up To $40)
- About
- Fine Print
- Menu
the offer
Treat you and a friend to the most important meal of the day at Urban Corner Café
Breakfast or lunch for two plus drinks is $20 (valued up to $40)
Take your pick of meal each and unwind with a regular coffee or tea each
Brekkie highlights include French toast with bacon; Spanish omelette with chorizo, onion and spinach; classic eggs benny plus heaps more
Lunch goes something like the steak sanga with seeded mustard; urban lot burger with bacon, beetroot, fried egg, pineapple, lettuce and more; chicken wrap with bacon lettuce and cheese – oh and did we mention they all come with chips!
Click through to the 'Menu' tab above and see their full list of hearty meals
Treat your hunger Tuesday to Sunday from 7:00am - how's that for a pre-work pick me up?
How do you want to start your day? Sitting in the corner of your kitchen with an average slice of toast, or sitting at Urban Corner Café with the ultimate brekkie and drink deal? Yeah, us too!
From bacon and eggs, to super satisfying burgers, flavoursome risottos and everybody's favourite - the parmigiana, there's really something for everyone. Whether you're an early riser or prefer to take it slow with a lazy lunch, today's deal is sure to brighten up your week!
What We Like
A fresh cuppa coffee will go perfectly with their warm and friendly customer service
Combine two vouchers for the a table of four
Check out the 'Fine Print' tab to see all terms and conditions that apply to this offer
The Fine Print
Offer expires on 09 September 2016
We strongly encourage bookings to be made by 26 August 2016. Bookings after this date cannot be guaranteed. If there are no available bookings after 26 August 2016, simply contact our Customer Support Team before 09 September 2016 and you will be entitled to a full credit back to your account
Bookings are essential and subject to availability
Available Tuesday to Sunday 7:00am-3:00pm. Closed Mondays
Voucher valid for two people and must be used in one visit
Valid for dine-in only
Members can purchase one voucher for themselves and five vouchers as gifts for different recipients
A maximum of two vouchers may be used per table, booking or group (maximum of four people dining)
Excludes the big breakfast, fish and chips, salt and pepper squid and grilled barramundi
24-hour cancellation policy applies, non-attendance and late cancellation voids voucher
Not valid in conjunction with any other offer and not redeemable for cash
Redemption instructions can be found on your voucher
Urban eggs
Eggs, toast, bacon, roast tomato and hash browns
Brekkie wrap
Fried eggs, hash browns, tomato, cheese and bacon with BBQ sauce
Bacon and egg roll
French toast with bacon
Eggs Benedict
Soft poached eggs with ham, bacon, spinach or salmon
Spanish - chorizo, onion and spinach
Aussie - ham, cheese and tomato
Vego - Spinach, tomato, cheese and capsicum
Beef burger
Patty, lettuce, tomato, cheese, onion and sauce
Steak sanga
With lettuce, tomato, onion and seeded mustard
Chicken burger
With avocado, bacon, cheese, lettuce, tomato and pineapple
Urban lot
Patty, lettuce, tomato, cheese, onion, bacon, beetroot, fried egg, pineapple and sauce
Chicken wrap
With lettuce, bacon, cheese and sauce
Chicken parmi
With chips and salad
Chicken schnitzel
With chips and salad
Prawn risotto
Fettuccine carbonara
Chicken risotto
Expand Help
+Can I form a business partnership with Ouffer?
We're always happy to hear from business-owners, or people who believe a business (of any kind) would benefit from our hugely powerful marketing platform, or from others interested in forming a business partnership of any kind, from all over the world.
In order to enquire about getting a business featured on Ouffer, please send an email to email@example.com, with the following details...
- Business Name
- Location
- Website
- Contact Phone
- Best Time to Call
- Catalogue (if applicable)
- Product(s) (if applicable)
For other proposed business partnerships, please email us at firstname.lastname@example.com with some more information about your proposition below and we will be sure to get back to you very soon.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+Can I work at Ouffer?
Ouffer is always looking to add new talented people to our fantastic team! Please check our Jobs page for any current vacancies. Alternatively, just send your CV/Resume to email@example.com along with a brief cover letter and we will be sure to get back to you in due course.
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+Can I use a voucher after it has expired?
Voucher redemption is at the discretion of the business providing the service or product. Most businesses tend to enforce the validity terms of the voucher and often are not able to extend past the validity date. We always prefer if our members can use their voucher at any time, but unfortunately, redemption after expiry is purely at the discretion of the business.
Please note, many businesses book out prior to the voucher expiry - we suggest making a booking at least four weeks prior to the end of the validity period (and if you're trying to get a booking for a popular time, like a weekend, the booking should be made as soon as possible. The earlier you book, the more likely it is that you will get your preferred booking time!)
It is very rare for Ouffer to issue a refund in cases where the voucher has expired. Most offers have a redemption period of at least 3 months, which is usually plenty of time for all purchasers to use their voucher. In any case - the expiry date of each offer is clearly stated in the "Fine Print" section of the offer page, and it is the responsibility of the purchaser to ensure that they have availed of the offer before this date!
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+How can I resolve an issue with a past/present offer?
Please note that Ouffer is the medium through which businesses feature their services, and cannot be held responsible for the services provided by such businesses. If you have a complaint about a featured business or the service that they have provided, the first step should be to contact the business directly. They may be able to take steps to resolve the situation, which will usually be similar to steps taken when dealing with any customer complaint.
You will be able to find contact details for the featured business on the offer-page. Other conditions (such as the expiry date) can be found in the "Company" section of the offer-page.
Alternatively, you can ask the Ouffer Customer Experience Team and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Please note, it is really important whenever making a refund request to provide very detailed and accurate information - if any information provided is false, we will not be able to provide a refund to you.
We always provide a credit or refund when a business is no longer operating and you have a valid voucher. You can find our Refund Policy at http://experiences.ouffer.com/refund-policy-adma for further information.
If you would like a refund for any other reason, please let us know via email to email@example.com. Our support team will always do their best to assist.
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+How can I resolve an issue with a product I purchased?
If you've purchased a product that you redeemed directly with a vendor, the first step is to try to contact them - their details should be on the voucher.
If you the vendor isn't getting back to you, or if you've purchased a product that was shipped directly to you without the need to redeem your voucher, please let us know exactly what the difficulties you have are by email to email@example.com and we'll do our best to help!
We are only able to offer refunds in cases where items are faulty, damaged or incorrectly advertised.
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+How can I unsubscribe from receiving your emails?
If you would like to unsubscribe from receiving emails from Ouffer in future, please go to My Account and then click on My Subscriptions.
On that page you can choose exactly what emails you want (you can even choose to receive an email once a week, instead of every day) or you can unsubscribe from all our emails in just a few quick clicks!
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+How do I buy an offer?
Firstly, make sure you are signed up!
Then, after logging in - click 'Buy Now' towards the top-right of the offer page. On the next page, you will be asked to confirm the quantity of vouchers that you wish to purchase (if you're using credits to purchase, this is where you can select how much credit you want to use).
If you're buying a product, you may also be required to provide your Postal Address, or your choice of redemption location. Always make sure you enter the correct address for delivery.
Once you've done all that, you can then go ahead and click "Complete My Order" towards the bottom of the page. The number of credits selected (if any) will be deducted from the cost of the voucher, and the corresponding number of credits removed from your account.
Follow the on-screen instructions from here - you can pay via a registered PayPal account, or using your credit/debit card.
As always, if you you have any questions at all, please don't hesitate to contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+How do I locate my voucher?
After you buy a voucher, you'll get an email with a link to download (and print) your voucher. Unfortunately, some mail servers automatically transfer our emails to your 'junk' mail box.
(If you haven't been getting our emails, it's also a good idea to make sure that you added us as a 'safe sender' to make sure our emails aren't going to your junk box!)
But, you can also actually log into your account and print the vouchers off whenever you like! Here's how:
- Sign into the site,
- Hover over "My Account" at the top-middle of the screen.
- Choose "My Ouffers" from the drop-down menu.
- Choose "All" towards the top-right corner of the screen.
- Click "View/Print" next to the voucher you need to view/print.
Instructions on how to redeem the voucher will be contained on the voucher itself.
Things to keep in mind:
Lots of our members have more than one email address – if you log into your account and you can't find your voucher, you may have used a different email address to purchase – for example your work email or your personal email address. Try all the email addresses you have and if you still can't find it, let us know.
If you used PayPal to purchase, what happens is that a new account will be created using your PayPal email address. If your login email for PayPal and Ouffer are the same then there won't be any problems, but if you use a different address for PayPal, a new Ouffer account with that PayPal email will be created. Your voucher will be placed in that account.
If you purchased a voucher and it isn't showing up, the next step is to check your credit card statement (on-line if you have access!). If there is a charge there, please send an email right away to Ouffer so the team can investigate it for you. Please include as much detail as possible to help us assist you as quick as we can.
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+How do I refer a friend?
In order to refer a friend to Ouffer, you just need to…
First log in to Ouffer! After logging in, in the top corner of the page, there is a link which says "Invite Friends, get $5". You will then be taken to a page that provides personal "referral link". You can copy and paste this link into an email to all of your family and friends (or even use the Facebook and Twitter sharing buttons). If any of your friends sign up to Ouffer, we'll give you $5 credit as soon as they make their first purchase.
If you have any questions about referring friends, please email us at email@example.com.
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+I've booked my travel dates with the hotel - am I able to change them?
Most of our hotel partners allow one change of date, however, that will depend on the hotel's cancellation policy (and how far away your booking is). If your booking is for tomorrow, it is unlikely you will be able to change your travel date, however, if your booking is six months away, most hotels will accommodate a change of date. Some hotels may charge a small administrative fee for any chances (at their own discretion).
We're more than happy to assist where we can, but any date requests need to be made with the hotel directly.
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+I bought a gift voucher, how do I find it?
At the end of the offer, we will send a link to download the gift voucher – exactly like a normal voucher. You can send the voucher as a PDF to the lucky recipient, or you can print it off and combine I with a card if you prefer!
To find your gift vouchers you just need to log on to Ouffer and then click on the "My Account" link, which appears once you have signed in, and select My Ouffers.
Once you've logged in you will notice several tabs, 'Active', 'Used', 'Offered', 'Expired' and 'All' If you click on Offered you'll be able to see any gift vouchers you've bought!
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+I bought an offer - what do I do now?
You will find instructions on how to redeem the offer on the voucher itself. Depending on the offer you've purchased, you may need to contact the featured business to make a booking - contact details will be provided on the voucher. You may also find them in the "Fine Print" or "Company" section on the offer page, along with any other conditions relevant to that particular offer.
Your redemption code is the code printed at the top of your voucher - in almost all cases, you will need to give this code when redeeming the offer you have purchased - this is so that our partners can verify that the voucher is valid and provide you with the service advertised.
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+I can't use my voucher any more - can I give it to someone else?
Yes, your vouchers should be fully transferable (unless the terms of a specific offer state otherwise). So long as you haven't used part of your voucher, you can give it to a friend or family member. If you've had part of a treatment or service, you aren't able to give the voucher away though.
If a voucher has expired, it unfortunately can't be used by anyone.
Whenever you buy a voucher which needs a booking, always be sure to book well in advance of the expiry - the earlier the better. Just to make sure no one misses out, most vouchers will need to be booked between two and four weeks before their expiry.
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+Is Ouffer a secure site?
Ouffer is fully secured by Verisign, the highest level of security a website can have. All financial details are passed directly on to our merchant processor, so not even our staff have access to any credit card details.
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+I want to speak to someone, who do I contact?
If you need our help for any reason, please don't hesitate to contact us at email@example.com so one of our Melbourne and Sydney based team can help you!
In order for us address your issue as quickly as possible, please try to include the following (where possible):
- The email address you have registered your account with
- Your voucher/redemption code
- The name of the service-provider/business for which you purchased your voucher
The above information will enable us to provide you with a much quicker response!
We like to try to reply to any enquiry as quickly as possible. Our support team are based in Sydney and Melbourne, working between 9.00am and 8.00pm AEST. If your contact us outside those hours, it may take us a bit longer to reply.
In the event that you have attempted to contact us and you haven't got a reply after 2 business day, it's possible that your email didn't make it through to us for some reason - we will never not reply to an email.
If this happens, please try to send another email from a different email address to firstname.lastname@example.com.
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+My Password isn't working - What can I do?
If your password doesn't work, you can get a new one by clicking on the "Forgot Password" link underneath the login box.
You should get an automated email sent to you – if that doesn't work, it probably means your email account may be blocking our emails! First thing to do is to check your junk mail box and there should be an email in there. If there is, please add us as a safe sender.
If you can't find an email from us, just send us a quick email to firstname.lastname@example.com and our team will be able to help out and create a new password for you!
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+What does the 'Mark as Used' Button do?
The 'Mark as Used' button allows you to move your used vouchers to the Used section. That way, you can check exactly what vouchers have yet to be used.
It's pretty handy when you've bought a few vouchers for one place but don't use them all at once. You can check your used vouchers by clicking on USED Vouchers and also, if you click Mark as Used by mistake, you can bring the voucher back by clicking on Mark as New – good as new!
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+What is credit, and how do I use it?
If you are using credits for your entire purchase, you won't need to enter any credit card details - you can just ignore the box.
If you are using credit for part of the purchase, you will need to use a credit card to 'top up' the purchase. For example, if you have $15 credit stored up, and you are buying something that costs $100, you would just need to pay the $85 top-up amount from your credit card or PayPal account.
Your credits will expire 365 days after they have been granted, although this doesn't apply to specific promotions which state otherwise.
Your credit is personal to you, so you can't give it away - but you can buy a voucher for someone as a gift using your credit.
If you look at your bank statement right after a purchase, you may notice more than one charge on there (usually, there will be the full amount and the amount less the credit on your statement).
That is an unfortunate requirement of the banks – we haven't really charged you twice! The charge you noticed for the full amount is what banks call a 'pre-authorisation'. Ouffer doesn't actually charge anything until after the deal closes – the pre-authorisation is just a hold on those funds.
When our system goes to charge you, it will see that you are using credit and will adjust the cost accordingly. The original 'pre-authorisation' will 'drop off' within one to five business days (depending on which bank you're with).
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+Why have I been charged twice?
If there are two charges on your statement, it is most likely that the first is a 'pre-authorisation', rather than an actual charge. The 'pre-authorisation' will be removed by your bank between one to five business days (depending on which bank you use for your credit card).
If you noticed that you actually bought more vouchers than you intended, please contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com immediately. So long as Ouffer is told promptly, we can usually credit or refund the mistakenly bought vouchers (but that will depend on how quickly we've been notified and if any bank or administration fees have been incurred).
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+Who can I contact for help?
If you need assistance and can't find an answer on this page, you can find a link to our Contact Us Form below.
If the Contact Us form isn't working, you can get in touch with us at email@example.com - but, if you can, please use the Contact Us Form - this will help us better understand what you need so we can get back to you quicker!
While we do whatever we can to get back to you as quick as we can, please allow between 1-2 working days for a reply.
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
Daily Inspirations


text:
The Atlantic's business site, Quartz, has named Laura Scaglione senior sales director of Quartz Live, its events division. Scaglione comes to the site from The Wall Street Journal, where she served as global sales director for WSJ Executive Conferences and All Things Digital.
"As we grow the Quartz brand across platforms, we look for talented people at the cross section of experience and entrepreneurialism and Laura fits that bill," said Jay Lauf, Quartz's senior VP and group publisher, in a statement.
Scaglione's appointment is effective immediately.


text:
A Stable Covering Set-Based Leader Election Algorithm (SCLEA) for Mobile Adhoc Distributed Systems
Leader election process is known as the task of selecting a particular node or a process to be a unique leader of the distributed system. Many algorithms were proposed for leader election in classical, wired distributed systems. However, with the advent of wireless communication technology, the domain of distributed computing becomes much wide, and the concept of leader election in such environments has been changed due to the dynamic topology resulted from nodes' mobility. The existing classical leader election algorithms do not adapt well in mobile ad hoc environments. In this paper, the authors propose a new leader election algorithm that is conscious about nodes' mobility and the dynamic topology of ad hoc networks.


text:
CUMMING, Ga. — A man crashed into a truck and tried to flee the scene as the authorities were on their way, according to a Forsyth County Sheriff's incident report.
On June 26, deputies were dispatched to the intersection of Bethelview Road and Bethwicke Drive after a 2000 Plymouth Neon struck a 1988 Ford E-350 box truck.
While on their way, deputies were told the suspect left the scene.
A witness to the crash followed the suspect in her car as the suspect ran on foot south on Bethelview Road.
She said she stopped her car to take a picture of him and he asked her for a ride.
Then, he kept running toward Aaron Sosebee Road and into the Huntington subdivision.
He went inside a home off Chestwick Place, which was the suspect's father's home.
Deputies were able to handcuff the suspect at the home.
Nicholas Dowdell, 24, was charged with three traffic offences and taken to Forsyth County Detention Center.


text:
Kim Kardashian's Got A Baby In Her Bag
Man, having money's the best. It can buy you nice clothes, new bags, and also if you decide on a whim you'd like to own one, a child. Plus, you never ever have to think twice about adding avocado to your sandwich!
In a photo that I initially thought was Photoshopped (my eyes don't work after 4PM), Kim Kardashian totes around her little nephew Mason Disick. Kim explained "Mason was playing by my feet at dinner in Bora Bora and crawled into the back of my bag, so I took him over to show Kourt! How funny!?"
This photo is essentially the polar opposite of a photo that circulated yesterday of Jeremy Piven waltzing about with his trio of Emmys in a stroller:
Evidently, those photos were snapped at an Emmy promo shoot Jeremy was involved in, though we prefer to think the Entourage star genuinely thinks his awards are babies. Bath time at his house must be so fun!


text:
I received this as a gift when I purchased my first home. I am unsure of the price, but regardless I would tell people to invest in this.
I am not really a coffee snob, I prefer speed over quality, so if I am honest it spent the first few months as an ornament. With its sleeks chrome design is certainly is pleasing on the eye. Even more importantly it is very compact and doesn't take up much room.
I haven't had this long, but it seems to be very sturdy and reliable.
However, after having used this, I will never go back to instant coffee again. The results are incredible, as rich and delicious as if prepared by a real barista.
This really is easy to use, and much quicker than I was anticipating and it even comes with a measure to ensure you get the best results. The instructions manual couldn't be easier to follow.
The main downsides to this product are the noise (far too loud for 6am in the morning), and how long it takes to clean all of the different components.
We were kindly given this coffee machine as a wedding present and I can't deny, it is a beautiful looking machine and we often get compliments. It's fairly compact too so doesn't take up much work space. However if you're making more than coffee for yourself then you need to take orders in advance. It's just a bit of an effort really. You want it to work like a commercial machine because it looks like a mini version of one, but of course that's not possible. It makes good coffee and froths milk well but it's messy and then time consuming to clean. If you want coffee on the run then you may be better off with a capsual type machine. If you don't want to compromise on flavour and finish though, this machine does the job well if you're willing to put in the extra time and effort to maintain it.
My husband and I are both coffee enthusiasts, although I'd say he's fussier than I am(!). He'd hankered after a coffee machine for a long time, but I'd felt our kitchen was just too tiny to sacrifice the work surface space. Cometh the extension, cometh the coffee machine!
After wanting a coffee machine for ages, we'd had plenty of time to do our research. We were pleased that they had started to come down in price and felt that the dualit espressivo was an affordable option. Also important to me was the look of the thing, I didn't want an ugly beast of a machine glowering at me from the corner of the kitchen, however well it made coffee. I liked the simple style and gentle cream colour of the espressivo. Another important factor in the decision was that the espressivo can use your choice of ground coffee, or coffee bags ("pods") if your prefer to avoid the messiness of grounds.
So, what's the coffee like? It's really, really good! Espressos or black coffees come out with a lovely thick crema, cappuccinos and hot chocolate are also delicious. It's important to make sure the water tank is filled above the minimum level, as if the water is too low the coffee has a slightly scorched taste. However, I expect that accidentally running the coffee maker with insufficient water is bad for it anyway, so maybe it's useful to have a reminder not to do it! If you do forget to check that there's enough water the machine runs very noisily, so that acts as another reminder to quickly top up.
Of course, a major factor in what comes out is what you put in. We really like the freedom to experiment with different varieies of coffee. There are three choices of filter: one cup loose grounds, two cup loose grounds (or one double espresso) or coffee pod. The machine comes with a handy portion scoop that also acts as a tamper.
We find the machine very easy to use. Flick on and allow a few seconds to warm up, run a little hot water through the empty filter, fill the filter with your choice of grounds and run the water through for a delicious cup of coffee. You run the coffee straight through to the cup or cups - standard mugs are fine but extra tall ones won't fit. There is an option to warm cups on the top plate first. The frothy milk function is easy to use too, just warm up, steam the milk (this takes a couple of minutes), wipe the nozzle and shoot a bit more steam through to flush it out. The whole process takes no longer than it would to watch someone do it for you in a coffee shop. Having said that, I don't often bother with frothy milk unless I have a friend over, I usually just zap half a cup of milk in the microwave then add the coffee on top.
We have really hammered this machine, it's worked hard and is still going strong more than two years on. It's got "stuck" occasionally, but it's been a simple matter of clearing out old coffee bits to get it running smoothly again. It still looks great, too. There is a little wear to the paintwork around the base plate, but nothing noticeable. It has saved us a fortune in cafe coffee (although we still go to coffee shops sometimes!), and the coffee it makes tastes great.
I've had my Espressivo for a year now, having got it last Christmas, along with a nice burr grinder. In my job, coffee is a bit of a necessity, and so I have acquired a taste for a nice cup. Coffee at home is a labour of love. If you want good coffee, do not expect it to be quick or easy - adjust your expectations please. Coffee is something people spend their lives trying to perfect, like wine making for example. What I would say is that if what you're producing is not what you hoped, then you're doing it wrong, not the machine. Check out a website like coffeegeeks, or read a good book to learn more on making your own coffee.
Dualit have an excellent reputation for quality and durability, which seems to be well deserved. This item has a one year guarantee. Dualit also have an excellent market for spare parts and repairs, so this is not something that will just be chucked out if something goes wrong out of guarantee.
So, on to the specifics. It comes in a large sturdy box, very well packaged. Inside is the machine itself, as well as the 1.5L completely removable water tank (easy cleaning), handle/arm, three different sockets (for ESE pod, single shot, or double shot), cover for milk frother, plastic tamper, coffee measurer, and cleaning kit. It has a UK three pin plug, with a good long black cable. The stainless steel with chrome finish make it a beautiful object to have on your kitchen counter - you won't be wanting to put this away between uses!
When you switch it on you'll hear the self priming 15 bar pressure pump kick in, which is fairly loud. This may be a concern if you'll be using it while your loved one/kids/flatmates/gran are in bed asleep, but it isn't for me. It only actually makes noise when it's switched on, making coffee, or frothing milk. You'll want to leave it on for a little while to let the cup warming area on top do it's job - I turn it on then have my shower, so that when I get out it's perfect. It does actually work within under two minutes if you're in a hurry, but for good coffee, you shouldn't be!
Regarding coffee, so much is dependent on the beans, roast, grinding, water, milk, and most importantly knowledge of the user, that it's difficult to judge the machine in this way. What I can say is that it generates enough pressure to get a good crema, and I can make lovely coffee using it. I mostly drink americanos, but I have done capuccinos, macchiatos and lattes, as well as of course espressos. The milk frother works well, though it also takes some learning and practice to get good with it. It makes a lovely rich hot chocolate for those winter evenings.
Afterwards you will need to empty the handle, wipe the machine, possibly empty the drip tray (depending on how much spillage there was), and wipe down the machine's front (depending on how anal you are!). If you used the milk frother then you need to wipe it down too. That's not really more than a minute's work.
To make nice coffees at home with this you will also need a metal milk jug with a clip on thermometer. I would also recommend a water filter, good kettle, and of course some nice fresh roast beans and a burr grinder. You could also use ESE pods (a standard sized 'teabag' like sachet of coffee) that are produced by a number of different companies, and take a bit of the effort and mess out of the equation, but they can never taste as good.
In my year of owning this machine, I have only had one slight problem with it, and this was my fault, when I let it run dry, causing an airlock (which the machine fixed itself). So all in all a great machine.
Coffee coffee coffee!
I love coffee so the thought of getting a proper coffee machine was very exciting to me, and my sister who also adored coffee. We both are pretty bad and buy a lot of coffee when we were out and about from all the big coffee houses like costa and starbucks, however this becomes very expensive at £3 a pop and instant coffee just doesn't taste as good. So we though a little home coffee machine would actally save us money and I believe in the long run it will.
The reason I went with Dualit is because my sister went on and on at me about it being the brand the major coffee house use but I don't know if it this is true but I checked them out and I really like the style and the size they also seemed quite reasonably priced. I got it from Amazon as the had the best price at the time which was £135 and everytime I went on the Dualit website it kept saying out of stock, so Amazon it was.
I decide to get the chrome finish many because it was cheeper but also because it fits in with the kitchien better. It was smaller then I thought it would be but this means it doesn't take up a lot of room and can fit in easialy in a small kitchien, howeer it also means not all mugs fit under it, so you have to use a smaller mugs.
The machine is really easy to use you turn it on (the switch is on the front so no fidderling around) wait 40 seconds for it to warm up and away you go. Basically all you have to do is measure your coffee with the hady spoon provide lock the handle in then turn the dial to the left and coffee comes out. The removble water tank is located at the back and can hold up to 1.5L. Once you have decided ether you are having one shot or two shots of coffee you turn the dail back to the centre, then pour milk into a jug, place the nozzle in it and turn the dail to the right and the froath nozzle does the rest. The nozzle is detachable if you don't want to use and so it can be cleaned easily. You can use thermometer if you want but don't have to and once the milk is froathed you turn the dail back centre pour you milk into your coffee, turn machine of and hey presto your very own coffee made all by yourself!
It is easy to clean and it has a detachable drip tray so you don't make a mess. The drip trey has an indicator which is red so you know when it is full. It really is very simple to use and for the money I think it is a very good machine and looks very proffentional. You can choose whatever type of espresso coffee you want to use and what brand you want (if you buy the espresso coffee from costa or starbucks it taste just like their own drinks). I probably spend about £3 on a 230g bag which will last for about a week and a half.
I think the only real criticism I have is after about 4 months the dail has become quite stiff making it harder to use, this does worry me as I don't know if it will get worse but the machine is used at least three times a day but other than that the machine is of high quality and I would recomend it.
The spec information provided below is what the Dualit website lists:
* Self-priming 15 BAR pressure pump
* 40 second warm-up time
* Thermobloc (water heating on demand) water heating system for instant hot water and constant steam
* 1.5L removable water tank
* Easy-froth nozzle for the perfect cappuccino foam
* Cast aluminium and stainless steel body
* Extra cup height clearance for mugs
* Large cup/mug warming plate
* Pop-up 'drip tray full' indicator
* Three coffee options: single serve, dual serve and ESE pod
* Accessory holder to keep pod and froth nozzle to hand
This review is also on ciao :)
I adore a good cup of coffee, and this machine makes a beautiful creamy full flavoured cup to my satisfaction. I can reccommend this machine without a doubt. There are a few factors you should consider when buying such a machine and I will explain, but none of them alter the fact that I can now make my own "proper coffee" at home. Bliss. This machine is stylish, robust, and I think well made. To have such a piece of equipment in your kitchen you must understand that it has to be looked after. Cleaning is important, also descale as required. The making of the coffee is an art, and you will get better the more you try. It is a little time consuming and fiddly but the end result is well worth it. The tricky bit I had to come to terms with is the importance of priming the machine to get the equipment hot enough so your coffee is at a good temperature, but you can do it, and the satisfaction is great. Did I mention the smell?? The smell is amazing, enjoy.
Yes I know this is seem expensive for a cup of coffee but I feel over the years I have purchased lots of cheap coffee makers and I wish I had bought this one first.
Firstly it looks fantastic and is easy to clean.
It only makes one or two cups at a time so if your looking to make a pot of coffee this isnt for you.
You can use ground coffee or pods and both make a great cup. The pods can be expensive normally around £5-6 for 18 pods but you can buy cheaper own brands eg waitrose.
Im no technical expert and I found the instructions very easy to use.
I have read reviews before that it doesnt produce a 'hot' cup of coffee, however the instructions do advise to prime the machine to ensure all the parts are at the right temperature and also to filter through some hot water to ensure your cup is warmed before you even start to make the coffee which at first seems a faff but now its just part of the process.
The steamer is really quick and easy to use, as previous machines I owned, the coffee would go cold by the time you eventually got the milk right!
Despite being a champion coffee drinker, I didn't get myself a "proper" coffee machine until last year. I decided that £160 was a great investment considering my average monthly Costa tab runs to about £80 - even with the cost of buying coffee and milk, I figured I'd get my money back in no time.
I chose the Dualit because its beautiful (undeniably) - it does look gorgeous on the work surface, and anyone who comes round seems to say "ooh, I wish I had one of those" - which subconciously as consumers is EXACTLY what you want to hear.
The downside of that is that the visitor's next words are invariably "make me a coffee!"... and because you're still high on being the object of envy, you have no alternative than to adopt a fixed smile as you spend 15 minutes making two tiny cups, inwardly swearing at the further 15 minutes of cleaning the machine will need later on.
In fairness, it makes very good coffee - not at the level of proper bean-to-cup machines like they use in coffee shops, but a pretty close second - especially if you use really high quality ingredients. But it's quite tricky to use, and took me around twenty cups to get to anything like decent espresso (that was a wired evening!). Once you've got the hang of it, it's still quite a fiddly drawn out process to get to the finished product, and the cleaning is a real nightmare (although I have never used any coffee machine that isn't a pain to clean).
Consequently, it now only EVER gets used when people come round, and my Costa bill is exactly the same as it was before! Quite why I ever thought drinking better coffee at home would prevent me from stopping off for a relaxing cuppa when I'm out is beyond me now.
Buy it if you need to keep up with the Jones', but for me, not money well spent.
Have you seen the press lately saying that coffee is good at keeping Alzheimers at bay? Well I'm 57 so I'm glad that means that I no longer need to worry about drinking too much coffee. Now what was I writing about? Oh yes.
I bought one of these four months ago to replace a broken Krups machine. I bought it in a little Kitchen shop called Steamer Trading in Alfriston in East Sussex. The village is worth a visit if you are in the area.
I read a few reviews and went in to see them. They had an offer on which helped ( a lot). I went for the cream coloured one. It's got a thick quality enamel-like cream coating and it's made of metal so it's quite sturdy, though not too heavy. The side are sheet metal with a nice cream painted coating. The drip tray feels like thick plastic with a removable pressed stainless steel top.
The buttons appear to be placed in a cast metal section. My Krups machine was all plastic so this felt much more of a quality item.
There is a warming plate on the top, which I don't use, with a couple of chromed accessory hangers down the sides, which I don't use. The warming plate is either metal or a thick plastic, I'm not sure which, and is coated grey with dimples to stop it scratching.
The knobs and buttons are plenty large enough with big easy to read writing and icons. They seem to be of pretty good quality. The big centre knob rotates very smoothly and feels as if it is rubber mounted.
It looks good next to the Aga :->
The coffee holder feels plenty sturdy enough with a couple of removable filters. These snap into the holder and are held quite tightly by friction. I think they are deliberately slightly off-round to give them grip. You need to prise them out with a fingernail, which could be a problem if you've got no nails from having bitten them off after too many espressos!
There's a steamer nozzle for Capuccinos and such like, which I don't use as I like espressos. Turn the big knob left for Espressos, right for others.
The left button and light is for on/off. The right button is for hot water or steam through the nozzle. The light is 'on' for not-ready, 'off' for ready to dispense. Personally I find that the wrong way round but I quickly got use to it. I don't know what I'll do if the bulb blows.
There's a water container on the back. removeable, with a hinged lid. The capacity is plenty for me for 4 to 5 big espressos, and mine are about half a tea-cup in size. It slides down from vertically above, with a couple of lugs for guidance that slide in rails down the back of the container. As it has to lift vertically upwards you cannot place this machine underneath anything, at least one machine's height above it must be clear. For me this means I have to move the machine forward to refill the water tank. It's unlikely you'd ever properly empty the tank by making espressos and I don't like to leave water in the tank if I don't use it for a few days. So it has to come off regularly.
The little rubber device that connects the tank to the machine looks a little lightweight, but no more so than on my Krups machine- and that was the only bit that didn't fail on my Krups machine. Sometimes the tank doesn't sit right down onto the machine so the machine starts up dry. You can soon tell, as it sounds 'dry'. Switch off quickly and press the tank down a little more firmly. Is he ever going to talk about the coffee I hear you asking.
The manual is a little gem. It tells you about coffee. There are two types of beans don't you know. I didn't. Now I look on the packet. One type has shedloads of caffeine and the other doesn't. I go for the latter, but I've just realised I'll have to find out just exactly what it is in coffee that delays Alzheimers (in mice). It also tells you how to put the coffee in the dispenser and to rotate the tamping down device after tamping down to add a polished surface to the grains. That's the sort of detail you need. My Krups manual gave me a phone number in Slovakia to phone if it broke. Needless to say it was disconnected.
I make my coffee like this, having learned how the machine likes to operate; Firstly fill the coffee holder two thirds full, tamp down and rotate the tamper for a smooth surface. I find it is too strong and ruins the taste, for me, if it is too full. Assuming the tank contains water, I place a cup under the water outlet (coffee not in place yet) and half fill the cup with hot water. You could use the hot plate but I'm not that organised. This is important because this machine does not push boiling water or steam through your coffee (unlike my Krups), which ruins the taste. It's hot enough to make you yelp, but only hot, not scalding. It's meant to be this way. You need a warm cup.
Only then place the coffee holder and switch on. Then you realise this machine is different. The pump stops and starts a couple of times before it pushes hot water through. It sounds dead professional but I've no idea what it is doing. It works though. The espresso is, well, black, with a creamy topping that makes all the difference. The temperature is just right for immediate drinking. I use Waitrose own brand Espresso or similar, depending on where there's an offer on. I buy a few short dated packs and freeze it. And I always look forward to it. I never once got a single cup out of my Krups that was as good as the worst that comes out of this machine.
Oh, and it's got rubber feet to stop it moving around and I use it to annoy the neighbours if they wake me up by coming in late. I'll let you figure out how. There's no point in having an espresso machine if the neighbours don't konw you've got it, is there?
It comes with an adaptor for pods but I don't buy them. Too much packaging.
I believe these people are best known for their toasters.
Added Sept 2010. I've been using the machine for over a year now. Half a dozen espressos a week. It is till still going strong. No signs of corrosion or failure of the finish or parts. I've tried grinding beans and several other brands of espresso coffee but the Waitrose own brand is still my favourite.
November 2011. Still going strong. No problems.
Dimensions: Height 13 inches, Width: 9 inches Depth: 11 inches.
Clearance needed from worksurface to any obstruction above: 2 foot 2 inches, to allow the water contain to be lifted off vertically.
I've had my Dualit coffee machine for nearly a year now and I love it. It's stylish, makes 'proper' coffee and at a good price too.
It comes with a filter to give you the option of using pods if you don't want to mess around with ground coffee or filters for making single or double espressos. The top has a stainless steel plate where you can keep all your cups which warms up to keep your cups warm!
The best part though I think is the coffee machine steam arm. I work in a coffee shop and I hate those coffee machines that you can buy which automatically froth the milk. With the dualit you can froth the milk as much or as little as you like for cappucinos, lattes, hot chocolates, whatever. Youn can also change it to plain hot water to make a cup of tea.
Plus it looks VERY stylish on the work top in cream and chrome!
Designed for the coffee enthusiast, the Espressivo delivers the ultimate cup every time, with each component crafted to ensure a deliciously rich flavour / From the 15 bar pump delivering the optimum pressure needed to create a perfect crema, to the Thermobloc water heating system providing instant hot water and on demand, Dualit have thought of everything / Even the er nozzle frothing up milk into fluffy foam for your cappuccino is easy to use, with the minimum of fuss and mess / Not only is the Espressivo sturdy and durable, working hard to make you the ideal cup of coffee, it packs an equal punch in the style stakes with all the design attributes you would expect from Dualit / Sleek curves, tactile materials, chunky dials and a compact size make a winning combination / Short name: Dualit 84202