text:
Walking in the woods, marvelling at a Picasso, trying on a real spacesuit – there are countless travel experiences right on our doorstep that don't cost a penny. There are also less obvious ways to cut the cost of a holiday or day out – as our list proves.
Here we pass on 50 tips about world-class museums and art galleries with free admission, free live music performances, free guided tours, free transport, free sporting challenges and good spots to wander.
With the half-term break starting today, most of our suggestions are family oriented. But the list is by no means exhaustive. For more ideas on how best to enjoy this country on a budget, see www.visitbritain.co.uk (click on "Things to See & Do", then "Things to do for people like me", then "budget travellers"). For London specifically, see www.visitlondon.com.
1 The Big Draw
Painting and drawing activities – most of which are free – at a thousand venues across Britain until the end of October. On Monday, the British Library in London is staging the free Big Picture Party, focusing on children's illustrated books. www.campaignfordrawing.org.
2 Guided city walking tours
These are provided gratis by some cities: Bath, for example, offers free two-hour general tours each day, and a Jane Austen audio tour that you can freely download on to an MP3 player; see www.visitbath.co.uk.
3 Conservation projects
BTCV runs one-day tasks all over Britain – planting trees and hedges, repairing dry-stone walls, creating footpaths etc. Anyone over 16 can help out – no experience required. See www.btcv.org.uk.
4 Autumn foliage
The colours are at their best right now and while admission to Westonbirt Arboretum, the country's best-known spot for leaf peeping, is £8 a head, there is no charge for visiting the Woodland Trust's forest and woodland. For sites near you, see www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/autumn.
5 Cost-free bus travel
If you are over 60 (or "eligible disabled"), you're entitled to free off-peak travel between 9.30am and 11pm weekdays and any time at weekends on local buses throughout England, Wales and Scotland; ask your local authority for a national bus pass and plan a trip: www.direct.gov.uk and www.transportscotland.gov.uk/concessionarytravel.
6 The British Museum
See the superb Egyptian mummies at London's most visited free attraction. Free half-term events and activities celebrate the museum's elephants. www.britishmuseum.org.
Find more London attractions.
7 The National Gallery
Recently rated Britain's best free attraction by users of the review website TripAdvisor, this London institution will run painting-inspired storytelling sessions and art workshops for children over half term, and on Sundays throughout the year. www.nationalgallery.org.uk.
8 The Royal Academy of Music in London offers free concerts, recitals and master-classes most days. Or take in jazz, folk and world music in the foyer of the National Theatre on the South Bank. Performances Monday to Saturday evenings and Saturday lunchtime. See www.ram.ac.uk and www.nationaltheatre.org.uk.
9 Diana Princess of Wales' Memorial Playground
On the northern side of Kensington Gardens in London, this was inspired by Peter Pan. Its pirate ship, beach, tepees and much else make it one of the most diverting playgrounds you will ever visit. www.royalparks.gov.uk.
10 Houses of Parliament
Watching debates, climbing Big Ben, taking a guided tour of the buildings — there's no charge for any of these activities, but you need to make arrangements in advance through your MP or a member of the House of Lords. www.parliament.uk.
11 Xscape, Milton Keynes
According to Visit Britain, this indoor sports and retail complex was Britain's most popular "free" attraction last year. In fact, you need to pay to participate in most activities, which include skiing and skydiving in an air tunnel, but they are fun to watch, and over half term there is free family entertainment. Details on www.xscape.co.uk.
12 National Football Museum, Preston
Tickets to watch Chelsea in a Premier League game cost from £35. Too steep? Then take the children to this free museum, which claims to hold the world's finest collection of footballing artefacts, including the match ball from the 1966 World Cup final. www.nationalfootballmuseum.com.
13 Maiden Castle, Dorset
This colossal Iron Age hill fort – the largest in Britain – is one of the many unmanned and free sites managed by English Heritage.
Download an audio tour of the site from www.english-heritage.org.uk.
14 Baconsthorpe Castle, Norfolk
The ruins of this 15th-century fortified manor house are another example of a thoroughly rewarding English Heritage site – again, there's an audio tour (see above).
15 Imperial War Museum North, Manchester
The permanent galleries of IWM North (and IWM London) are sure-fire hits with children. Until January, IWM North is offering a free exhibition on the First World War based on one of the irreverent Horrible Histories children's books: www.iwm.org.uk.
16 International Slavery Museum, Liverpool
This fascinating museum tells the story of transatlantic slavery. It occupies the same building on the Albert Dock as the Merseyside Maritime Museum (also free). See www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk.
17 Liverpool Biennial
This contemporary arts exhibition, which runs until November 30, is spread over a number of galleries and public spaces as part of Liverpool's European Capital of Culture 2008 calendar. Apart from the exhibition at Tate Liverpool, it's all free. See www.biennial.com.
18 Yorkshire Sculpture Park, near Wakefield
More than 50 sculptures (including bronzes by Henry Moore) are spread over 500 acres of 18th-century parkland – a great way to combine culture, exercise and fresh air for all the family. Admission is free; parking costs £4. See www.ysp.co.uk.
19 The Winter Garden, Sheffield
One of England's most visited free attractions — a vast temperate glasshouse in the centre of Sheffield, containing more than 2,500 plants from around the world. www.sheffield.gov.uk.
20 National Railway Museum, York
The world's largest railways museum is free (though parking is a whopping £7). Lots of educational activities over half term. www.nrm.org.uk.
21 The Big Pit National Coal Museum, Blaenafon
An excellent insight into coal miners' lives, with underground hard-hat tours (children must be more than a metre tall) with former miners. www.museumwales.ac.uk.
22 St Fagans National History Museum, near Cardiff
An open-air museum, with more than 40 historic buildings re-erected here in some 100 acres of parkland. Craftsmen demonstrate traditional skills, making it a great and educational day out for the family. www.museumwales.ac.uk.
23 Historic Scotland properties
Children under 16 are entitled to free entry into most of Historic Scotland's 77 fee-charging attractions, such as Edinburgh Castle, during October. www.historic-scotland.gov.uk.
24 Wild camping, Scotland
Avoid campsite fees (which can be as much as £30 a night) by pitching your tent out in the wild. Unlike in England and Wales, the practice is legal in Scotland. See www.mcofs.org.uk/assets/pdfs/wildcamping.pdf.
25 Hallowe'en, Londonderry, Northern Ireland
One of the biggest and most colourful Hallowe'en events anywhere in the British Isles is Londonderry's Hallowe'en Carnival and firework display next Friday (October 31). www.derrycity.gov.uk/halloween.
26 Modern Art Oxford
See pioneering exhibitions of contemporary art. On both Saturdays and Sundays of half term, between 2pm and 4pm, children are entertained with hands-on arts and crafts activities relating to the installation by Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller entitled The House of Books Has No Windows. www.modernartoxford.org.uk.
27 The White Cliffs of Dover
Walk the two miles of the cliff tops to South Foreland lighthouse, enjoying views, on a clear day, all the way to France. At the visitor's centre there are trail leaflets for children containing quiz questions relevant to the staging posts along the way. www.nationaltrust.org.uk.
28 The New Forest
Stroke free-roaming ponies on a ramble in the Hampshire countryside to Lyndhurst churchyard, where Alice Liddell, inspiration for Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, is buried. www.thenewforest.co.uk.
29 The Donkey Sanctuary
See hundreds of rescued donkeys living out their retirement in Sidmouth, Devon. It has a maze (a map costs £1; refunded if you don't open the envelope it comes in), a nature centre and, in half-term week, grooming and walking sessions with donkeys (£2). www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk.
30 Morwellham Quay
In this open-air museum near Tavistock in Devon you can wander around a Victorian sweet shop, an old miner's cottage and the home of a 19th-century gent. There is a charge (£8.50 for adults, £6 for children over five) to take part in other activities, including a train ride down a Cornish mine, a lesson in a Victorian school and, at half term, children's workshops. www.morwellham-quay.co.uk.
31 The Giant's Causeway
Wonder at these weird, polygonal basalt columns at Northern Ireland's top tourist attraction. The site is free but there is a £5 car parking charge. At the visitor centre pick up a free leaflet on the various rock formations. Have fun spotting shapes such as the giant's granny and the camel. www.giantscausewaycentre.com.
32 Lough Neagh Discovery Centre
Learn about Finn McCool, the legendary giant (of Causeway fame), at the museum here after a nature walk during which children can feed swans and ducks. www.oxfordisland.com.
33 Natural History Museum
Learn why dinosaurs became extinct and what an earthquake feels like and see the largest insect in the world (one-and-a-half foot long stick insect) at this London institution. Children can study fossils and animals under microscopes. On the weekends either side of half term, a visiting Charles Darwin character will explain evolution. www.nhm.ac.uk.
34 Science Museum
Have a go on hundreds of interactive exhibits spread over seven floors of a London building that's a quarter of a mile long. You can see an original working steam engine and the Apollo 10 command module, or watch a film at the IMAX cinema. During half term there are free shows for children, mainly aimed at those over five, including, on November 1 and 2, the Don't Try This at Home exhibition. www.sciencemuseum.org.uk.
35 Tate Modern
Visit the country's great cathedral to modern art based at a former power station in London with fabulous views across the Thames. Over half term (daily except Monday) there is a family programme of events with quizzes, jigsaws and games relating to art on display, plus drawing and collage sessions. www.tate.org.uk.
36 Mudchute Park and Farm
Picnic at a city farm in the shadow of Canary Wharf in London. Children can stroke and feed sheep, llamas, rabbits, chickens, donkeys and cows (bags of pellets cost 50p). www.mudchute.org.
37 Richmond Park
See some of the 600 free-roaming deer, wander among 500-year-old trees, listen out for screeching pairs of ring-necked parakeets, and enjoy a wonderful view towards St Paul's Cathedral. www.royalparks.org.uk.
38 The National Museum of Scotland
Meet the world's first cloned mammal, (the stuffed) Dolly the Sheep at the museum's Connect Gallery. Children can step into a Gemini spacesuit and enjoy a simulated drive around Edinburgh Castle in a Formula One racing car. www.nms.ac.uk/nationalmuseumhomepage.aspx.
39 Dolphin spotting
Watch bottle-nosed dolphins frolicking in the Moray Firth. The pod of about 160 dolphins can be seen, if you're lucky, from a spit of land next to Cromarty Lighthouse near Fortrose all year round. Occasionally seals, porpoises and minke whales also come for the salmon thrown up by the the unique tides here. The best time is two hours before low tide and at the changing of the tides. www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk.
40 Durham Cathedral
According to Bill Bryson this is the best cathedral on earth. At this, the final resting place of St Cuthbert (or cuddy as he is affectionately known locally), there is a free children's quiz and great opportunities for a half-term game of hide-and-seek. Climbing the tower for great views of the city costs £3 (£1.50 For children under 16). www.durhamcathedral.co.uk.
41Discovery Museum, Newcastle upon Tyne
See the 19th-century Turbinia, in its day the world's fastest ship. There is also a science maze gallery with interactive button-pressing gizmos for children, and a River Tyne water-play area. Look out for science shows with experiments conducted by Professor Brainstorm. www.twmuseums.org.uk.
42 Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds
An imaginative look at weapons old and new. Plenty for families, including falconry and horse shows, as well as real jousting with knights in armour doing combat in the tiltyard. www.royalarmouries.org.
43 Coventry Transport Museum
Experience in a Thrust ssc simulator what it is like to break the landspeed record (no children under 3ft 9in/1.15m) at the world's largest collection of British road transport vehicles. There are demonstrations of Victorian bicycles, staff in period costume, and a chance to learn the unlikely story of how some Sowe Valley sewage pipes near Coventry were used in the filming of The Italian Job. www.transport-museum.com.
44 Sherwood Forest Country Park
See the major oak – the tree in which Robin Hood hid while fleeing the Sheriff of Nottingham. It's a 10-minute walk from the visitor centre, where displays trace the roots of the Robin Hood myth through a series of mocked-up forest scenes. Spiky green outlaw feathered hats cost £1 in the gift shop. www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk.
45 Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre & Country Park
Go on a 90-minute walk of the site of the last battle of the Wars of the Roses and see the spot where Richard III is said to have died. There is an exhibition centre here, too (adults £6, children under 16s £3) where children can feel the weight of ancient weapons and dress up in medieval armour. www.bosworthbattlefield.com.
46 Southwold Pier
Take in the sea air, watch a Punch and Judy show and celebrity-spot (regular visitors include the writer Richard Curtis and the actress Juliet Stevenson) on the country's smartest pier. Farmers' markets are held in the summer. www.southwoldpier.co.uk.
47 World Museum, Liverpool
Mix your own tracks here in recording booths at The Beat Goes On exhibition about Liverpool music from the Beatles to the Zutons. There is also an aquarium with stingrays and a bug-house full of insects. This half term there are planetarium shows about the autumn night sky and solar system. www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk.
48 Antony Gormley's Another Place
See 100 cast-iron art installation figures stretching more than half a mile out to sea at Crosby Beach in Sefton. Made from casts of the artist's own body, the figures – all staring at the horizon – are a "poetic response to the individual and universal sentiments associated with emigration – sadness at leaving, but the hope of a new future in another place." If that's not your thing, head to the beach and build a few sandcastles instead. www.sefton.gov.uk.
49 Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow
Adults can enjoy masterpieces by Dali, van Gogh, Monet, Rembrandt and Picasso; for children there is a mini museum where they can try on animal feet and masks, compare their height against a giraffe's leg and see how many children it would take to balance the weight of a baby elephant. Elsewhere they come up against the heaviest bird and the largest crab and can handle bird wings, draw animals and, in the art gallery, learn how artists such as Constable used colour. www.glasgowmuseums.com.
50 Coed y Brenin Visitor Centre
At Wales' mountain bike centre you can cycle on all-weather, hand-built trails alongside world-class racers. Alternatively, you can take the family on some of the more gentle and scenic slopes with wonderful views of Snowdonia. www.forestry.gov.uk.


text:
Bavaria, Bayern, Sc#2, VF Used, double-strike Thurn & Taxis 4-ring Cxl, *RARE*
Sold for:
Start Free Trial
or Sign In to see what it's worth.
- Sold Date:
- Source: eBay
~ MORE (Fixed-Price) German Stamps in My Store (on LEFT) ~
I am primarily a used book seller, but am beginning to break down a very extensive German State's accumulation/collection that was acquired over many years. Please check back for more German State issues.
Bavaria, Sc#2, VF Used on small piece, double-strike Thurn & Taxis 4-ring cancel, *RARE*
Sem Bavaria Spezialkatalog (2001 !!) lists a used Bavarian stamp with a Thurn & Taxis cancel at +300 Eu !!!
On 12 January 2015, 1 EUR = $1.19. With the SEM catalog value of +300 EU, this stamp would catalog at $357.00 !!!
Condition: HR; Appears sound; Nice margins. (see scans).
Shipped by USPS insured mail within the USA; eBay Global Shipping Program overseas..
My Ref = OGS#3702
Please study the photo(s) closely as it is the actual lot you are purchasing. We try our best to accurately describe each lot. Unless mentioned in "Condition," a horizontal line across the stamp is from the stock card.
Payment by PayPal ONLY within 5 days of sale.
"Sc" = Scott catalog; "Mi" = Michel catalog.
Thank you for looking and happy purchasing. We do q-u-i-c-k shipping !!! Please note that shipping is "at YOUR risk." We have NO responsibility for lost or stolen items.
If you have any problems with... read more

subset: commoncrawl


text:
long awaited videos...
Thursday, October 09, 2014
narrative: final gertrude animations
Labels: gertrude stein, narrative
1 comment:
We were requested by Emmy to come critique one of your narrative posts and I found your video for "A Centre In a Table" particularly memorable. Notwist was an incredibly appropriate choice. The slow eerie progression fits perfectly with the context and movement. I like that this feels handmade and a bit gritty ( in a great way ). The video for "A Table" has the same appeal in a more lighthearted manner. I love the way you utilized shadows and angles to display the text. I think the analogue approach is very effective. Really impressive work. :) This looks like it took a ridiculous amount of time!ReplyDelete
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
January 18 2013 Issue
CBP Warns of Refusal of Food from Foreign Food Facilities Not Registered with FDA
U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued Jan. 16 a message warning importers to ensure that the foreign food facilities from which they import food into the U.S. are registered with the Food and Drug Administration.
The 2002 Bioterrorism Act requires all domestic and foreign facilities that manufacture, process, pack or hold food, beverages, food ingredients, pet foods or dietary supplements for consumption in the United States to register as a food facility with the FDA. Section 102 of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act updated that law to require such registrations to be renewed between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31 of each even-numbered year. The initial renewal deadline was Dec. 31, 2012, but in light of various circumstances the FDA is exercising enforcement discretion for late-filed renewals through Jan. 31 (click here for more information). Nevertheless, facilities are encouraged to renew their registrations as early as possible.
The FDA may suspend the registration number of any facility that fails to comply, resulting in a prohibition on the importation, distribution or sale of food from the suspended facility. CBP adds that beginning Feb. 1 if a foreign food facility fails to renew its registration, food from that facility that is being imported or offered for import into the U.S. could be held at the port or refused upon arrival into the U.S.
The FDA is therefore encouraging import filers who file prior notices for food shipments to contact clients with high-volume food shipments, inquire about the FSMA registration renewal status of foreign manufacturing facilities associated with their shipments, and confirm any new registration numbers. CBP states that doing so could greatly mitigate any prior notice shipment delays related to registration on or after Feb. 1. In the event of an import prior notice ABI transaction rejection indicating that the transmitted registration is invalidated, filers should contact the individual submitting the information and request updated registration information for correction.
EPA Clarifies Requirements for Labeling Pesticide Products Intended for Export
The Environmental Protection Agency has issued a final rule revising its regulations on the labeling of pesticide products and devices intended solely for export. This rule requires those who transfer unregistered pesticide products between registered establishments operated by the same producer within the U.S. to be labeled with the statement "Not Registered for Use in the United States" if those products are intended solely for export at the time of such transfer. EPA notes that this is the identical labeling information already required before an unregistered pesticide product or device intended solely for export is in fact exported to another country. EPA believes this new requirement will result in safer and more appropriate handling and distribution of unregistered pesticide products and devices and will also help to prevent such goods intended solely for export from inadvertently entering the U.S. market. Compliance with this provision will be required as of Jan. 21, 2014.
Dates and Deadlines: C-TPAT, Exporting Basics, Tariff Classification
Following are highlights of regulatory effective dates and deadlines and federal agency meetings coming up in the next week.
Jan. 21 – deadline for comments on request to reorganize and expand FTZ 171 in Texas
Jan. 21 – deadline for comments on public interest issues in potential Section 337 investigation of electronic device cases
Jan. 22 – ST&R webinar on C-TPAT Conference
Jan. 22 – deadline for comments on applications on FTZs in Puerto Rico and Texas
Jan. 23 – ST&R webinar on basics of exporting
Jan. 24 – USDA meeting in preparation for Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems
Jan. 24 – ST&R webinar on tariff classification for 2013
Jan. 25 – effective date of closure of Whitetail, Mont., port of entry
Jan. 25 – deadline for comments on proposed extension of information collections associated with safety standards on garage door operators, CB base station antennas, children's sleepwear, electrically operated toys and children's articles, and walk-behind power lawn mowers
AD/CV Notices: Oil Country Tubular Goods, Preserved Mushrooms
Agency: International Trade Administration.
Commodity: Oil country tubular goods.
Country: China.
Nature of Notice: Rescission of administrative review of antidumping duty order for the period May 1, 2011, through April 30, 2012, based on the withdrawal of the requests for review.
Details: The ITA will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to assess AD duties on all appropriate entries at rates equal to the cash deposit or bonding rate of estimated AD duties required at the time of entry or withdrawal from warehouse for consumption.
Agency: International Trade Administration.
Commodity: Preserved mushrooms.
Country: China.
Nature of Notice: Preliminary rescission of new shipper review of antidumping duty order for the period Feb. 1, 2011, through Jan. 31, 2012, because Yingfeng Rare Fungus Corporation Ltd. did not satisfy the regulatory requirements for a new shipper review.
Expanded FTZ Activity Approved in Two Locations, New Texas Subzone Sought
The Foreign-Trade Zones Board has received an application from the City of El Paso, grantee of FTZ 68, requesting special-purpose subzone status for the Expeditors International of Washington Inc. facilities in El Paso, Texas. No authorization for production activity has been requested at this time. Comments on this application are due no later than Feb. 27.
The FTZ Board has also approved (a) the establishment of subzone 61L at the Coamo Property & Investments LLC facility in Coamo, Puerto Rico, and (b) the production under zone procedures of pile drivers and leads, boring machinery, foundation construction equipment, and related parts and sub-assemblies at the Bauer Manufacturing Inc. facility within FTZ 265 Site 1 in Conroe, Texas.
Potential IPR Probe of Bark Control Collars Evaluated for Public Interest Issues
The International Trade Commission is requesting comments no later than Jan. 28 on any public interest issues raised by a Section 337 intellectual property rights infringement complaint filed on behalf of Radio Systems Corporation against certain electronic bark control collars. Comments should address whether the issuance of exclusion orders and/or cease and desist orders pursuant to this complaint would affect the public health and welfare in the U.S., competitive conditions in the U.S. economy, the production of like or directly competitive articles in the U.S., or U.S. consumers. In particular, the ITC is interested in comments that:
- explain how the articles potentially subject to the orders are used in the U.S.;
- identify any public health, safety or welfare concerns in the U.S. relating to the potential orders;
- identify like or directly competitive articles that the complainant, its licensees or third parties make in the U.S. that could replace the subject articles if they were to be excluded;
- indicate whether the complainant, the complainant's licensees and/or third-party suppliers have the capacity to replace the volume of articles potentially subject to the requested orders within a commercially reasonable time; and
- explain how the requested orders would impact U.S. consumers.
DOT Notes Hazmat Special Permit Applications, Decisions, Delays in Processing
The Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has issued the following concerning exceptions from the Hazardous Materials Regulations.
- a list of applications for special permits for exceptions from the HMR, including for motor vehicles, rail freight, cargo vessels, cargo aircraft and passenger-carrying aircraft (comments due no later than Feb. 19)
- a list of applications to modify previously issued special permits; e.g., to provide for additional hazardous materials, packaging design changes, additional mode of transportation, etc. (comments due no later than Feb. 1)
- a list of actions taken on special permit applications, including modified, new and emergency permits granted or withdrawn and permits denied
- a list of special permit applications that have been in process for 180 days or more, including the reason(s) for delay and the expected completion date
Info Collections on FTZs, AD/CV Duty Relief, Cut Flowers, Fruit, Cattle Under Review
Comments on the proposed extension of the following information collections are being accepted through March 19.
FTZs. U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Application for Foreign-Trade Zone and/or Status Designation (CBP Forms 214, 214A, 214B and 214C) is used by companies that bring merchandise into an FTZ to register such admission and apply for the appropriate zone status. The Application for Foreign-Trade Zone Activity Permit (CBP Form 216) is used to request approval to manipulate, manufacture, exhibit or destroy merchandise in an FTZ.
AD/CV Duty Relief for Emergency Supplies. The International Trade Administration maintains procedures for written requests for permission to import supplies, such as food, clothing, and medical, surgical and construction equipment, for use in emergency relief work free of antidumping and countervailing duties. Such requests must include the AD and/or CV duty order case number, producer of the merchandise, detailed description of the merchandise, current Harmonized Tariff System number, price in the U.S., quantity, proposed date and port of entry, mode of transport, person for whose account the merchandise will be brought into the U.S., destination, use of the merchandise at the designated destination, and any additional information the person would like the ITA to consider.
Agricultural Imports. The Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service allows imports of the following products under the conditions specified.
- Cut flowers from countries with chrysanthemum white rust must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate or equivalent documentation with an additional declaration stating that the place of production as well as the consignment have been inspected and found free of Puccinia horiana. In addition, box labels must identify the registered production site.
- Shipments of litchi, longan, mango, mangosteen, pineapple and rambutan fruit from Thailand must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate with an additional declaration stating that the fruit has been treated with irradiation in Thailand in accordance with the regulations and, in the case of litchi, that the fruit has been inspected and found free of Peronophythora litchi. In addition, cartons in which litchi and longans are packed must be stamped to indicate that the fruit must not be imported into or distributed in Florida.
- To ensure that cattle imported from Mexico are free of bovine tuberculosis APHIS requires information collection activities such as the Application for Import or in Transit Permit (VS Form 17-129) and the Declaration of Importation (VS Form 17-29). In addition, cattle must be accompanied by a health certificate and the application for the import permit must list the specific locations of all premises that the cattle to be imported have been on. Lastly, the regulations require tickicidal dip certification and certification regarding the tuberculosis history of the herd of origin for cattle destined for export to the United States.
Foreign Regulatory Changes Could Affect Exports of Bicycles, Vehicles, Tires, Cables
According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the World Trade Organization has been notified of regulatory changes that may affect exports of specific products to the following countries. For information on how these restrictions may affect your business, contact ST&R.
Brazil – amended conformity assessment procedures for components for adult bicycles
Saudi Arabia – standards on motor vehicles, small craft, motorcycle tires and vehicle belt drives (comments due by March 11)
Thailand – July 30, 2013, effective date for standards on sheathed and non-sheathed cables for fixed wiring and general purposes, flexible cables, and copper and copper alloys for general electrical purposes
Thailand – proposed amended standard on portland cement and mandatory standards for medical nitrous oxide and oxygen (comments due by March 11)


text:
ACCOMMODATION NEAR Benjamin Franklin Parkway
If you're looking to make a night of it and stay in town take a look at our favourite selection of hotels and accommodation convenient for the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
FEATURED: The Windsor Suites Philadelphia
Just a short 0.08 mile trip from the Benjamin Franklin Parkway at 1700 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, The Windsor Suites Philadelphia has rooms available from $119
Nearby Hotels
Embassy Suites Philadelphia - Center City
0.02 mi away at 1776 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
4 Star, Prices from $127
Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia
0.04 mi away at One Logan Square
5 Star, Prices from $249
The Windsor Suites Philadelphia
0.08 mi away at 1700 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
3 Star, Prices from $119
Sheraton Philadelphia Downtown Hotel
0.13 mi away at 201 North 17th Street
3 Star, Prices from $119
Sonesta Hotel Philadelphia
0.26 mi away at 1800 Market Street
3 Star, Prices from $159
Le Meridien Philadelphia
0.28 mi away at 1421 Arch Street
4 Star, Prices from $146
The Westin Philadelphia
0.32 mi away at 99 South 17 Street
4 Star, Prices from $129
Club Quarters in Philadelphia
0.39 mi away at 1628 Chestnut Street
3 Star, Prices from $89
Spread the word!
Keep up to date!
Straight to your inbox
Please note: The term Benjamin Franklin Parkway as well as all associated graphics, logos, and/or other tradermarks, tradenames or copyrights are the property of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and are used herein for factual descriptive purposes only. We are in no way associated with or authorized by the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and neither that entity nor any of its affiliates have licensed or endorsed us to sell tickets, goods and or services in conjunction with their events.


text:
Tech Resources For Your Teaching
Here is a brief video about how to use technology for assessment in districts with a BYOD policy in place. Share This:
email@example.com • November 8, 2015
Ownership of learning is an important part of engagement. Students who take ownership and pride in their learning will be more engaged in the process and walk away from their work having learned more. I try to impress upon my high school psychology students that anyone who visits our class (administrators) should be able to…
Continue Reading
email@example.com • November 5, 2015
Add-ons are a great resource to use in Google Drive. They open a host of options when using Google Apps. There are add-ons available for several of the different available apps. These include self grading add-ons for Google Forms like Flubaroo and Easy Bib for easing the task of citing your sources when writing a research…
email@example.com • November 4, 2015
The term "flipped classroom" is one of the biggest buzzwords in education today. A flipped classroom is defined as "a form of blended learning in which students learn content online by watching video lectures, usually at home, and homework is done in class" (Flipped classroom, n.d., para. 1). I like the concept of flipped classrooms,…
firstname.lastname@example.com • February 5, 2015


text:
Ja Rule
December 13, 2010 by Post Team
Ja Rule, (UKPA) – Rap star JA Rule faces up to two years in prison after pleading guilty to attempted criminal possession of a weapon.
The charge stems from July 2007 when police arrested her luxury sports car for speeding after a concert and Manhattan said they found a loaded semiautomatic pistol in a back door.
It's 250,000-plus chauffeured Maybach U.S. dollar also had a registration suspended and no insurance, police said.
The rapper said: "It's not a good day" and refused to discuss the case as he left the court in Manhattan.
Specifically, the rapper admitted to one count of attempting to have a loaded gun outside the home or workplace.
He was promised a prison sentence of two years. It is free until sentencing at a date yet to be determined. He is due in court on February 9 for an update.
Known for his gravelly voice and collaborations with artists like Ashanti and Jennifer Lopez, JA Rule was nominated for rap album 2002 Grammy Award with Pain Is Love.
Born Jeffrey Atkins, he also has also appeared in films including the 2001 film The Fast and the Furious 2003 and Scary Movie 3.
Copyright © 2010 the Press Association. All rights reserved.
Please feel free to send if you have any questions regarding this post , you can contact on
Disclaimer: The views expressed on this site are that of the authors and not necessarily that of U.S.S.POST.


text:
We recommend upgrading to the latest Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, or Firefox.
If you are using IE 9 or later, make sure you turn off "Compatibility View".
Handpicked brands for you
Oh what?! Team @bonzing is at it again with a new team edit: Bonzing in the Bay! Watch the video now by following the link in our instagram profile. #bonzing #sanfrancisco #shapers #artists


text:
keay family history
My father, Alexander William Keay of Brisbane Australia (DOB 10/08/1918)is the son of Alexander Keay (DOB 15/02/1887)from Tayport, Scotland. His wife was Jessie Smail McFarlane (DOB 09/12/1885) from Brisbane. They were married in Brisbane after he migrated here in 1911. His father,also Alexander Keay, was married to Isabella Brown, and had one other child, Margaret (?DOB 1890.
I would be interested to learn more of the family history in Scotland.
More Replies:
Re: keay family history
Jessica Keay 10/01/05
Re: Keay family history - Tayport, Fife


text:
A rare clip from the European cut of "Call Me Bwana," "The Stoning of Leslie Towne H."
Image posted by Scott_Marks
April 9, 2012
Forgotten your password?
© 2017 San Diego Reader
Desktop site
Join our newsletter list and enter to win a $25 gift card to The Broken Yolk Cafe!
Each subscription means another chance to win!


text:
April 04, 2008
NEW YORK – California regulators have realized that manufacturers won't be able to make as many hydrogen-fueled cars by 2014 as regulators had once hoped, according to Forbes. The California Air Resources Board voted unanimously during the last week of March to scale back the ambitious automotive clean air rules it adopted five years ago. The board ruled that the six largest automakers operating in the state will collectively need to produce 7,500 zero-emissions vehicles by 2014 — 70 percent fewer than the 25,000 ZEVs it had mandated in 2003.
This is the fourth revision of California's clean air standards since the state instituted its first zero-emissions vehicle mandate in 1990.
The new ruling relieves pressure on automakers such as General Motors and Toyota, which have focused much of their clean vehicle programs on cars that rely on batteries to reduce fuel consumption and emissions.
Under the latest revision, the automakers will be able to substitute 58,000 plug-in hybrids to compensate for the reduction in zero-emissions vehicles. GM is designing its Volt plug-in electric, a car designed to run for 40 miles between charges on batteries, for 2010 introduction.
Toyota has sold 1.2 million hybrids like its Prius since 1997 and plans to roll out a limited number of plug-in versions of its hybrid to fleet users within two years.
As a result, only about four percent of the cars sold in California in 2014 will need to have zero-emissions designs.
GM has already sent 40 Equinoxes onto California roads, providing the cars to customers in two zip codes in Southern California with requisite hydrogen stations. As part of the California ruling, the Air Resources Board has 15 days to come up with initial suggestions for how to create a more extensive refueling infrastructure.
Despite reducing the number of ZEVs, the new rules will result in cleaner air. There will be a 7,000-ton reduction in smog-forming emissions, and 5,500 fewer tons of carbon dioxide emissions between 2012 and 2017, thanks to a greater number of greener vehicles, according to Forbes. And, automakers estimate that the clean technologies will cost them a collective $1 billion per year between 2012 and 2014, when the clean vehicles will go into production.
GM, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota, Honda, and Nissan will need to produce 58,000 plug-in hybrids and 7,500 zero-emissions vehicles, which can be powered either by batteries or hydrogen fuel cells. (Car makers selling fewer than 60,000 cars a year in California, which currently includes Mercedes, BMW, and VW, are exempt.)
[ Request more info about this product/service/company ]
Fill out the form below to request more info regarding the company/product/service featured in the story.
Determine the actual cost of owning and running a vehicle in your fleet. Compare vehicles by class and model.
Todd Ewing from Fleetmatics will answer your questions and challenges
Merchants Experts will answer your questions and challenges
The Ford Transit Connect is a van designed to meet the specific needs of small-business proprietors, taxi fleets, and commercial fleets of any size.
Read more
The Ford Transit Connect is a van designed to meet the specific needs of small-business proprietors, taxi fleets, and commercial fleets of any size.
Up Next
More From The World's Largest Fleet Publisher
Managing 10-50 company vehicles
Executive vehicle management
Managing public sector vehicles & equipment
The commercial truck industry's most in-depth information source
Global resource for limousine and bus transportation
Serving the bus and passenger rail industries for more than a century
Serving school transportation professionals in the U.S. and Canada
The number 1 resource for vocational truck fleets
© 2017 Automotive Fleet. All Rights Reserved.


text:
This year's Oscar race has brought out the Nate Silver in everyone it seems. The newest of these is the Social Oscars where you can click on a category and see what the percentages are. Then there is Farsite Forecast which does the same thing. We have our own Nate Silver in Marshall Flores who is a math whiz and has been following the Oscars for over a decade – he knows what I know and that's the math don't cut it. Why you only need look at the Best Actress race to figure that out.
Also, this year is an unprecedented year all the way around. It was the first year that the Oscar ballots were sent in before the guilds announced. We'll find out if the guilds really do boss the Oscars around since the best director category left off the current Nate Silver favorite, Ben Affleck and Argo. True Oscar stats would note the history and the precedent for Argo winning Best Picture with only seven nominations (fifth in line) + no director nomination. If it happens it will be the first time ever in DGA/Academy history that their winner won Best Picture without a director nomination. It's never happened. Never. Yet we all know it's about to. That defies the stats. Of course, these guys aren't using historical record – they're using precursors – which seem to back up mob mentality and groupthink. And there they are probably right.
Then there is Gold Derby, which tracks the odds based on what their pundits are thinking. I have removed myself from Gold Derby as a pundit because I don't consider myself an expert on what will win. I am, however, an expert on what should. [crooked smiley]. Predicting the Oscars is, to me, the least interesting part of the Oscars. It's sort of like predicting whether it will rain on Saturday or whether the little mouse will pick door #1 or door #2. What interests me more is the why, not the what. I could say the same thing about the political elections. I don't care what people are going to pick. I care who's running for office.
The Vegas odds will tell you exactly what the Gold Derby odds are telling you. There is no difference because they are all drawing from the thought pool. The way things are going now, though, I wonder if there will ever be any surprises again. I don't think a movie like The Godfather I or II could run the gauntlet today and win. It couldn't overcome the giant guilds picking what they facebook-liked over a masterpiece. Nor nastiness we saw in this year's race. Can you imagine?
You got a predictions site of a statistics site for Oscars enter it in the comments below.
Sasha Stone has been around the Oscar scene since 1999. Almost everything on this website is her fault.
That's a lot of brouhaha that tells me very little. Like, how is Tommy Lee Jones the critics' least favorite? Pi is winning Screenplay, but Lincoln takes Editing over Argo? Pi wins three but not Score?
Is this the future of Oscar predicting — seeing how many people tweeted about JLaw?
"What interests me more is the why, not the what."
I COMPLETELY agree with this line. I too am intrigued by why certain films or certain people win, and wish the Academy revealed more about voting totals. And I completely agree with the line about the Godfather films not being able to "run the gauntlet" and win the preferential ballot. Spielberg himself said it best with: "Everybody loves winner, but nobody loves a WINNER." Onward we march to mediocrity!
"If it happens it will be the first time ever in DGA/Academy history that their winner won Best Picture without a director nomination."
Sasha, Daisy defied GREATER odds. It did not even get nominated for DGA. Argo got nominated for DGA and won. If Argo wins BP, that means Daisy made the bigger leap with less arsenal.
Daisy was the movie that won BP without even a DGA nod. Argo got the nod and win. The jump one has to make to BP is much SHORTER than with Daisy.
Sasha, Daisy defied GREATER odds. It did not even get nominated for DGA. Argo got nominated for DGA and won. If Argo wins BP, that means Daisy made the bigger leap with less arsenal.
You can look at it like that if you want but Daisy had the highest box office and the most nominations. Moreover, Beresford wasn't nominated for a Globe or a DGA so it wasn't a snub scenario. He also wasn't a famous Hollywood movie star. Big difference there. The narrative of this year's race is the perceived snub and that's only happened twice so far: Spielberg and Howard.
True, Sasha, but Golden Globes and BFCA had already turned in their ballots before the perceived snub was revealed. The only win Spielberg and Howard got for directing in those respective years was from the Kansas City Film Critics.
I don't see how a preferential ballot leads to mediocrity. Can someone please explain this to me?
Last year, if I'm not mistaken, was the first year of this and The Artist won. Outside of The Tree of Life (which would not have won under any system) The Artist was the best reviewed film of the year. I'm not a huge fan of it, but it was probably the best objective choice once The Tree of Life was removed from consideration.
After Zero Dark Thirty took a fall and then Argo won the majority of the critics awards. So, again, I don't see how it can be considered mediocre, objectively considered.
I can't imagine a film like The Godfather not winning Best Pic on the preferential ballot. Heck, maybe it would have lost to Cabaret, I don't know. But it's a great film, and I can't imagine 51% of the voters not putting it highly on their ballots.
In other news, Les Mis flops in France. It opened yesterday at #3 far behind Hotel Transylvania and Flight. Hotel grossed twice as much as Les Mis.
Les Mis is also doing even worse with critics than in the USA, it is currently sitting at 40% on the French equivalent of Rotten Tomatoes.
Like I said a few weeks back, the French are pissed that the film looks and sounds like a travesty of one of their greatest literary masterpieces.
I may be in the minority, but I think critics have stopped being the best indicator of a film's quality. And I'm not just talking the BFCA but the critics' prizes and the reviews of top critics in general. The Oscars are no better, and definitely worse on many occasions where politics trump merit. But there has been a bandwagon effect among the critics' associations for years now that makes their choices no more credible than many of the Academy's.
Anyone know when the politics started to really affect the Oscar season? I was just curious what was the last year when the voters truly voted for the best films without no outside influences.
Is there any way to have surprises again at the Oscars? With so many pre-Oscar awards, it's relatively easy to at least narrow down the 1 or 2 movies/actors, etc in each race. Due to the Affleck snub, Director this year is actually a complete toss-up. But other than that, I can't think of a category in the past 10+ years where I had absolutely no idea who to pick. I could always cross off 3 of the nominees. I guess the last time I had real trouble was the Supporting Actress race at the 2008 show. Swinton, Dee, Blanchett, and Ryan were all given a decent shot at winning.
No go on Farsite Forecast. Keeps timing out.
Will Social Oscars have a formula to allow co-leaders? Right now Chastain and Lawrence are at 27% in the critics actress poll. Riva at 8% in their fan voting. Just about right 😀
What will help Oscars nearly right away? have their nominations after the BAFTA nominees are posted, but BEFORE the BAFTA awards themselves. That way the UK can't influence our vote, as has been the case all too often.
All the people deriding Les Miserables' bad reviews seem to be forgetting that when the stage musical first came out, in 1985, its reviews were even worse. The Broadway show has stood the test of time despite negative reviews; the jury is still out on the movie.
Wrong. The movie is a pile of shit.
I'm sorry, but neither Argo nor Lincoln are masterpieces. Neither of them. They're both very good movies for different reasons, but in both cases their directors have turned in better work, and in both cases I walked away properly satisfied, though not blown away. There are only a handful of masterpieces in contention this year, but they aint the frontrunners, that's for sure.
In unrelated news, this year sucks so far for movies. I've only seen one good movie, Side Effects, and even that was just OK. Its just been one shitty action shoot em up after another, with a boring comedy or two thrown in there. Even the art house and independent titles have been lukewarm, like Roman Coppolla's Charlie Sheen crap and John Dies At The End. Its a bummer considering where we were at by now in 2012. We had already seen The Grey, Chronicle, Miss Bala, Haywire, Chico & Rita, Kill List and The Secret World Of Arrietty by this weekend. I've heard good things about NO and Lore, hopefully they help to turn things around, but I'm not liking the start of 2013 so far.
"I don't see how a preferential ballot leads to mediocrity. Can someone please explain this to me?"
I'll make a stab in the dark at this. Truly great films – revolutionary works that have something special to say or a unique way of saying it – are not ever embraced by the majority at the outset. What they might have is a cluster of passionate supporters who can maybe get them nominated.
When it comes down the the preferential voting system, these same supporters may have enjoyed more conventional (aka vanilla) films enough to put them in second or third position.
In the meantime, their own favorites may be polarizing enough so that other voting clusters (who may prefer convention) will push those films to the bottom of their ballots.
What you end up with is the vanillas with a fair size number of position 1's an 2's from primary supporters, but also a substantial number to 2's and 3's from the more visionary admirers who simply enjoyed the films for what they were.
Bingo – "Likeable" inevitably wins the vote and gets designated "best", which it is not, necessarily.
With a straight first thru the gate" vote, the polarizing work has a slightly better chance (Midnight Cowboy, for example).
I don't see how a preferential ballot leads to mediocrity. Can someone please explain this to me?
To win Best Picture, a film needs over 50% of the total vote. On first count, if no film has this, then the film in last place is eliminated, and all of its votes go to the film in second place on those ballots. This process is repeated until, as the number of films gets ever smaller and the percentages get ever higher, one film tops 50% and, thus, wins.
This will probably take the race down to the final two, unless there's one undeniable, far and away favourite (not even Argo is in that strong a position this year). Let's say that this final two will be Argo and Lincoln. All those films need to do is never be in last place in each round of counting. The film in ninth will be eliminated, then the film in eighth, then seventh etc. Argo and Lincoln could be in second-last and third-last place in every round and make it through to the final two.
Then, it'd be about which of those two films more voters placed higher on their ballots. It doesn't matter if that's Argo in 1st and Lincoln in 2nd or Argo in 8th and Lincoln in 9th – either way, it's the same result: that vote would go to Argo. In the end, the winner will be which of those two voters preferred, regardless of how many initially ranked it in first place on their ballots.
A divisive film might be in first place on exactly 49% of ballots and in last place on exactly 51% of ballots. This film could not win, as those other 51% of ballots would have eight films above it, one of which will end up in the final two, and which will claim those 51% of votes.
I hope this explains it.
Steve, I understand that concept. Maybe I am in confusion as to how the winner was selected before – was it straight #1 votes? Or was it a weighted ballot where, say, #1 got 5 points, #2 got 4 points and so forth.
I can see a straight vote for #1 might allow for a more polarizing (and therefore great) movie to win, especially if more traditional fare "splits the vote"
But if it was a weighted ballot, then polarizing films would have been disadvantaged as all of the last place rankings it would have received would have worked against it.
If you look at it logically, the preferential ballot is a compromise between the two.
I'd also love to see another BP nominee not released September through December. We're so used to it these days, but it's still crazy to think that Silence of the Lambs was a February release and it took home the top 4 awards. Saving Private Ryan was a June release, and won for Director. Braveheart was a May release and won Picture and Director.
Just for fun, here's an executive summary of what the '72 Oscar Race would have looked like if the internet and its predators had been around – the imaginary gauntlet through which The Godfather would have to pass.
BTW – this in NOT how I feel about these films, all of which I admire.
Deliverance: Unlikeable in that it doesn't make you feel good. Sodomizing hillbillies and that dislocated arm – really? Burt Reynolds looks better than he did in that nude spread and the unzipping of (young) Jon Voight overalls was cool, but nomination for best picture – highly unlikely.
Sounder: Black poverty porn directed by a white man. Might get a nomination, but would be put through the almighty wringer by all sides.
The Emigrants: Subtitled, strike one; it's thoughtfulness (strike 2)/great cinematography (strike 3) combo leads to "screensaver" accusations – banished to FLF
Cabaret: Kinda fun toe-tapper, but the female lead is REALLY going for that Oscar. The abortion, bisex-tango and revelations that everybody is screwing Max costs the Curtis/Borgnine vote. Unhappy ending, too. Nom'd but won't win.
The Godfather: Over-budget, inexperienced director. Italian-Americans claim slander, as do Sinatra's progeny. Everybody tries to figure out which producer they know recently lost a race horse. Brando – I couldn't understand what he said ten years ago and I still can't understand him now, even without the orange in his mouth. Over-produced opera, but it still wins.
Yeah, it wouldn't be pretty.
Going through some past Oscar years, here are some strong Best Picture winners I think *could* have conceivably lost a preferential ballot:
1969 – Midnight Cowboy (absolutely: not a typical Best Picture winner BY ANY MEANS; people I know thought Butch Cassidy had it in the bag, especially after the challenging/innovative/New Hollywood films Bonnie and Clyde + The Graduate lost the year before)
1971 – The French Connection
1972 – The Godfather (yup absolutely: to Cabaret, which took Best Director)
1974 – The Godfather Part II (I think this one could have won under both systems, but does anyone think it could have lost to Chinatown?)
1978 – The Deer Hunter (absolutely: big controversy + polarizing…probably would have gone to Coming Home)
1991 – The Silence of the Lambs (absolutely: polarizing + violent + significant controversy—watch Jodie Foster's press conference after she won Best Actress as it's brought to her attention that the film won Best Picture on the monitor; she TOTALLY cannot believe it)
1995 – Braveheart (possibly)
2006 – The Departed (not a strong winner at all, but certainly could have lost under current system)
2007 – No Country for Old Men
2009 – The Hurt Locker (though this WAS a preferential ballot, but without Avatar and the battle of the exes narrative, sadly this would lose….NOT a typical Best Picture winner by any means, but ENCOURAGING that that "typical" view has been expanded by such a winner)
I'm interested if anyone has any feelings of how the current system could have impacted former races. ***Could any films have won a preferential ballot that we might consider BETTER than the winners??? I'm sure there are some others I missed that could join the films I listed.
^^^ I should have indicated I absolutely DO NOT think Braveheart is a strong winner. Don't want to be misleading there…but I'm remembering the faces of the audience, particularly Meryl Streep's and Oprah's when it won. It possibly could have lost, especially if it was polarizing. But that Best Picture lineup was particularly awful. And Braveheart's the only won that sent screeners.
Also, I couldn't think of any years in the 80s where a winner could have lost under preferential OR another film could have won. I think it's generally agreed upon that that decade has many uninspired winners.
KT, I had to look up Braveheart's win after reading that. Meryl's pleasant surprise is one thing; the Winfreys' apparent disgust is another entirely! What was she rooting for? Opie? Or perhaps she knew about Mel Gibson before the rest of us.
^^I love how Oprah starts clapping her hands when she realizes she's being filmed.
also, i don't see why people are bitching abt braveheart. it was a very good film that won in a very strong year: babe, appollo 13, sense and sensibility, all very fine movies, though i don't know what the postman is. it's funny how there were more movies i liked that year with only 5 nominees than this year with 9.
Christophe: EXACTLY! That Oprah moment is priceless, even though you don't really see her face. I don't think people realize it now, but I've gotten the sense that Mel Gibson was once extremely well liked and well-regarded within the industry. Big names have said he was "the most beloved" actor and absolutely a pleasure to work with, as he does the job in few takes and immediately switches out of character when "cut" is sounded.
"Wrong. The movie is a pile of shit."
Well Josh, I won't say what I am really thinking here. Ha!
Farsite is a joke. A lot of graphics and 'models' and then they have DDL at 48%!!!!!
Josh, what I'm saying is that most people who don't like the movie would have said the same thing about the musical when it came out. In which case, it's not too surprising that they don't like the movie based on it.
I'm now firmly planted in camp Riva – I finally watched Amour today of all days, and what she did was unbelievable.
Not that it has anything to do with the French language, but what she did emotionally and physically reminded me of Marion Cotillard in La Vie en Rose.
Maybe this will help people understand and accept this all a little better. Preferential or not, film with most votes win. Is the most popular restaurant I.e. McDonalds the best? You could argue that 'more' people go it than your favorite Thai restaurant. Similarly, Is American Idol the best show on tv? More people watch it than any other show most weeks. Is the candidate with most votes best qualified to be president? Well sometimes yes, sometimes no. People vote different ways, with their dollars, eyeballs, time etc. More people will vote for one film than another. It's not rocket science. You may agree that the one that got the most votes is also your favorite but most likely you will not. You are different than other people who vote for all sorts of reasons. Insiders are by their very nature the LEAST objective voters you could possibly assemble!!!!!! They vote for their friends, for their studio, cause someone died, cause someone is due, cause they should have won two years ago when they didn't win because someone else won inappropriately cause they were due. Or they don't vote for someone getting a second Oscars or third or because they don't campaign or because they campaign too much. Or because they "heard" this performance is great but haven't actually seen it cause there are too many screeners. Or vote because they are a woman, or don't vote cause its gay. Or do vote cause they are black or don't vote because they are black. You get the point. Couple thousand people very biased people "vote" and they are counted. Simple math. People rarely agree in this world, especially about art. If they did, every critics group and award show would be awarding awards to the highest grossing movies cause the public would agree as well. Oscar does not equal best. Never has never will. Except on occasion. A broken Clock is still right twice a day. Stop fighting trying to make them pick the best movie. As the readers and commenter's on this Site alone prove, we ourselves don't agree on which one that is in the first place. Embrace the differences and then we really can embrace the tagline of this site and not mind! Now, don't we feel a lot better?
Daisy defied GREATER odds. It did not even get nominated for DGA. Argo got nominated for DGA and won. If Argo wins BP, that means Daisy made the bigger leap with less arsenal.
I feel it's relevant to point out that Driving Miss Daisy's source material was a hot property — a prestigious, award-winning play — including the Pulitzer. The film version had 2 high-profile stars/performances, and the subject matter — the relationship between a Southern Jew and a black man, — was pithy stuff at the time for the Academy to embrace. Beresford was snubbed alright, but, as an Australian he was not a Hollywood insider and there wasn't anything particularly stellar about his directorial of DMD.
I always find it kind of amazing when people don't give the director credit when a quiet film dominated by conversation and character development is extremely well done.
It takes a lot of talent to get the film's tone to flow from scene to scene, to decide how close to get in the shots, where to put the cameras so they are engaging rather than distracting, how to pace the film to keep it interesting and fresh throughout. Getting the right performances, getting the right line readings is even more important, and difficult, in a film like this.
Heck, Christopher Nolan could learn a lot from someone like Bruce Beresford.
"The way things are going now, though, I wonder if there will ever be any surprises again. I don't think a movie like The Godfather I or II could run the gauntlet today and win. It couldn't overcome the giant guilds picking what they facebook-liked over a masterpiece."
May I remind you of a little movie that could called Crash? I know you were on the losing end of that surprise, but it was a HUGE upset. The only true upset in the Picture race in a long time. Everyone and their mother thought BBM couldn't lose. It had the critics, the guilds, the precursors and then BAM. I can still see Jack Nicholson's mouth saying the word "Crash". Oh what a joy that was.


text:
Dario Compagnone and Francesco Baldini, "Sensors"
English | ISBN: 3319096168 | 2015 | 492 pages | PDF | 20 MB
English | ISBN: 3319096168 | 2015 | 492 pages | PDF | 20 MB
This book contains a selection of papers presented at the Second National Conference on held in Rome 19-21 February 2014. The conference highlighted state-of-the-art results from both theoretical and applied research in the field of sensors and related technologies. This book presents material in an interdisciplinary approach, covering many aspects of the disciplines related to sensors, including physics, chemistry, materials science, biology and applications.
Buy Premium To Support Me & Get Resumable Support & Max Speed
Links are Interchangeable - No Password
Mirror Links


text:
|updated March 28, 2017
Staff of the School of Rehabilitation Therapy
|Ms. Erika Beresford-Kroeger, On-line Programs Manager
|Mr. Adrian Conway, Secretarial Assistant
|Ms. Sharon David, Research Grants & Financial Officer
|Ms. Kayla Desloges, Professional Programs Assistant
|Mr. Paul Doutre, Data Analyst and Information Technology Administrator
|Ms. Kathy Grant, Graduate Assistant, Physical Therapy Program
|Ms. Laurie Kerr, Graduate Assistant, Occupational Therapy Program
|Ms. Teresa Long, Clinical Education Assistant for OT and PT Programs
|Ms. Martina McAllister, Emerging Programs Assistant
|Ms. Lisa McKee, Financial Manager
|Ms. Cheryl Power, Financial Assistant
|Ms. Svetlana Rytchkova, Data Analyst and IT Administrator
|Ms. Sandra Turcotte, Departmental Administrative Manager
Staff of the Physical Therapy Clinic at Queen's
|Mr. Graeme Leverette, BAH(Kin), MScPT, Registered Physiotherapist / Clinic Manager
|Ms. Tara Archibald, BSc, MScPT, Registered Physiotherapist
|Ms. Maureen Kane, Physiotherapy Aide/Receptionist
|Ms. Sharon Kane, Physiotherapy Aide/Receptionist
|Ms. Alison MacDonald, BScH(Life Sciences), MScPT, Registered Physiotherapist
|Mr. Chad McClintock, MScPT, BScH(Kin), Registered Physiotherapist
|Mr. Mathew McFarlane, Registered Massage Therapist
|Mr. Justin F. Turner B.A.(Hons.) D.Ch Registered Chiropodist


text:
DVD training on GarageBand
Product Code 43491
Retail Price
Sale Price!
Buy Today and Save $6.00 (17% from Retail)
Ships free on most orders over 99.95
Click for Details
Click Here For Shipping Options
Musician and Apple expert Tony Wallace guides you through GarageBand's powerful feature set using 24 tutorial videos and ASKVideo's easy to use interface and DVD menus. Great for GarageBand 1 and 2 users, the tutorial is designed to get you up and running quickly while making learning the program a pleasure with ultra-high video quality.
Apple GarageBand 2 is an easy, fast and fun way to start making your own music. This tutorial will guide you through GarageBand's powerful, intuitive features.
Those new to GarageBand will be up and running quickly with topics such as Getting Started, Preferences, File Management, Window, Tracks, Regions, Loop Browser, and Recording and Editing. Power users will benefit from the chapters on Compression, Distortion/Overdrive, Amp Simulation, Bitcrusher, Equalization, Filter/Wah, Modulation Effects, Vocal Transformer, Delay/Echo, and Reverb.
There also more than 700 free AppleLoops included on the DVD from companies such as AMG, Bandmateloops, Beat Monkey Music, Big Fish Audio, Drums On Demand, SessionLoops, Submersible Music, VRSound and Zero-G!
0 0
- 28 Videos
- Extremely high quality tutorial videos
- Easy to use interface
- Great for users of GarageBand 1 and 2.
- Includes over 700 free AppleLoops!
- Mac OSX compatible
- Requires computer with DVD-Rom Drive
System Compatibility:
- MAC: OS X Version 10.2 or higher, Power Mac G4 867 MHz, 256 MB RAM, Sound Card. This product includes QuickTime 7.x Mac/PC which is required for video playback. This DVD-Rom works on a computer equipped with a DVD-Rom drive. Minimum screen resolution 1024 x 768.
Related Products
Audio Technica ATH-M50x Black
Product Code
Description$149.00 Add to cart
Professional Monitor Headphones
Akg K240 MkII
Product Code
Description$129.00 Add to cart
Dynamic Semi-open Pro Headphones
Peavey PV215 EQ
Product Code
Description$99.99 Add to cart
Dual 15 Band 1/3 Octave Graphic EQ
8th Street Music $25 Gift Certificate
Product Code
Description$25.00 Add to cart
Gift Certificate (may be purchased in multiple amounts)


text:
Stock Graphic >> Web Element - Mother helping son to water 281963 by Grey Coast Media @ CreativeMarket
File Size: 330.8 MB; Dimensions: 1920 x 1080 px.
Video preview: https://www.flickr.com/photos/greycoastmedia/16623256442/
Young mother and son having fun watering the garden with hose. Water spraying on them
Buy Now ~ $12
Mother helping son to water
by Grey Coast Media
Keywords: son, water, garden, mother, hose, jet, boy, spray, child, mom, sprayer, pour, splash, family, kid, outdoor, stream, grass, video, footage.


text:
Think you are ready to write the final chapter of your Balkan backpacking tour? Have you reached the southernmost point on Croatia's coast, or even ventured further to explore Montenegro's Adriatic hot spots? Disillusioned by the crowds, the honking cars spewing fumes into your face as you walk through sweltering concrete streets just to get a glimpse of the translucent turquoise sea? Don't give up! Keep going south, all the way south, to the last spot of the Adriatic that still has some inkling of hope to be saved from mass tourism's destructive gaze.
Hop on a bus from any city in Montenegro and go to Ulcinj.
When you get there, take a taxi and tell the driver you want to go to Ada Bojana, or find your way to the main road and start hitchhiking 15km south. Either way, you are in for an interesting journey. Taxi drivers will share nostalgic stories and lure you in with common myths and mysteries of the region's past. Hitchhiking let's you experience a slower travel so that you can taste locally grown produce, homemade olive oil and an endless variety of olives and cheeses. After all, you'll need some food to take with you because the place you are going has no stores. In the summer season you'll find an overpriced market on the campgrounds, and a small kiosk at the entrance. Otherwise, you're on your own.
Wait, what is Ada Bojana and why is it so special?
If you are coming from the Croatian coast, with its dozens of stunning islands and trash-free beaches, Ada Bojana might seem like a dump, a forgotten wasteland of nostalgia for the good old times in Yugoslavia's golden years. You won't find 5-star accommodation, potable water or predictable wi-fi. You won't find spick-and-span beaches, bug-free bathrooms or the hottest names in the electronic dance scene.
You will find amazing sunsets, spontaneous beach parties warmed by bonfires till the sun rises, charming bungalows that serve as historic monuments to better times under socialism, a spacious sandy beach that beckons you to set up tent and sleep out under the stars, a lot of fish and a lot of fishermen who know how to cook it right!
Ada Bojana is an island, but not a big one.
With only a 3km–long beach, it's easy to traverse and fun to explore. But don't get lost! There are rumors of roaming wild boars and cows in the island's preserved forest. Only 1/3 of it is managed by the hotel enterprise; the rest is wild and open, waiting for nude adventurers to stroll down its beach and soak in the healing benefits of its mineral-rich sand.
However, if you're not used to being naked, it's okay. Just go past the designated nude area and you are free to roam. Creative types will be inspired by the endless supply of random washed up debris that serves as building blocks for unique art installations. Social butterflies and avid story collectors will easily happen upon captivating histories of locals and tourists alike.
A world within itself, Ada Bojana is a community of nudists, locals, foreigners, hotel workers, fishermen and women, tourist entrepreneurs, kite surfers, daydreamers, weekenders, squatters, restaurant connoisseurs, musicians, city folk, fathers, mothers, grandpa's and grandma's, Albanians, Montenegrins, Catholics, Muslims, Christians, Atheists, gay, straight and 'just curious' promiscuous searchers.
No matter who you are, you can find your peace on Ada Bojana.
It's not perfect, nor does it pretend to be. Its shores are constantly changing with each wave and river flow. The wind uproots the stale boredom of conformity and routine everyday around 2pm, as the kite surfers come out and fill the horizon with colorful flying sails.
Washed up sea artifacts and wooden scraps are made into ad-hoc shelters from the unrelenting summer sun. If you stay through the high-season hype in July and August through September, or come with the early birds in May and June, you will marvel and the tranquil rhythm of nature's tempo. Warning! It's not easy to leave Ada Bojana.
You might find a new love, new hobbies or friends, but you will most definitely find peace of mind and memories that remind you of how we can live harmoniously, healthily and creatively.
And please, if you go, pick up your trash!


text:
Let's have a look at the consonant c. If it precedes –a, -o, -u, it is pronounced [k] as in calme (calm), curiosité (curiosity), cousin (cousin). The only exception is second (second).
Whereas, if it precedes –e, -i, it is pronounced [s] as in ici (here) and ceinture (belt). In order to keep the sound [s] before –a, -o, -u, the consonant c takes the cedilla as in français (French), leçon (lesson), reçu (receipt).
The groups ch and sch are pronounced [ʃ] as in chercher (to search), but in some cases their pronunciation is [k] as in orchestre (orchestra).
Now let's pass to the consonant g. When it is followed by –a, -o, -u, its pronunciation is [g] as in gourmand (greedy), while g + -e, -i, is pronounced [ʒ] as in sage (wise).
Let's go on with the group ll. When it is preceded by –i, its pronunciation is [ij], as in fille (girl). The exceptions are ville (city), tranquille (quiet) and mille (a thousand) that keep the sound [il].
The consonant p is silent when it is followed by -t, as in sept (seven), whereas, as in English, the group ph is pronounced [f].
Now let's have a look at s. In general its pronunciation is [s], but if it is between two vowels or before –b or –v, it is pronounced [z]. Compare: soir (evening) and ruse (cunning).
The last two consonants we will consider are t and x. The pronunciation of t is quite easy, you just have to know that, in some cases, when it is followed by –i its pronunciation is [s], as in émotion (emotion), spatiale (spatial) démocratie (democracy), but you keep the sound [t] in amitié (friendship) and garantie (guarantee). The pronunciation of x is a little more difficult. Generally speaking it is pronounced [ks] as in prétexte (pretext). When it is preceded by –e its pronunciation is [gz] as in exercice (exercise), but sometimes it is pronounced [z] as in dixième (tenth) and sixième (sixth).
Last but not least, remember that the consonants d, p, s, t in word-final position are generally silent: you can easily remember this group of consonants thinking about the word DEPOSIT, that contains them all.


text:
I began to see the climate crisis as a symptom of a deeper problem within the human psyche – specifically with the worldview of individualism and disconnection that lies at the root of our industrial system.
In 2011, we organized a global event called the iMatter March, in which youth from over 200 communities in 45 countries marched in their streets to make their voices heard on climate change. We marched to let our communities know that this issue is about our future, and we refuse to sit idly by as our survival is threatened. Around this time, I also became involved in a federal lawsuit against the US government, for violating the public trust doctrine and allowing our atmosphere to be degraded and put out of balance.
The lawsuit ended up being defeated by a group of wealthy lobbyists from the fossil fuel industry, who "intervened" in the case and convinced the judge to side with them. I took it as a sign that they felt threatened enough by this group of kids that they devoted time and money to fighting us. But it was difficult not to be discouraged by the power of money, and the role corporations play in making decisions that affect our future.
I kept speaking and traveling throughout my adolescence. And after a few intense experiences in my later teens that opened me up to the deeper cultural roots of climate change, my message started shifting. I began to see the climate crisis as a symptom of a deeper problem within the human psyche – specifically with the worldview of individualism and disconnection that lies at the root of our industrial system.
As I started thinking and speaking about this broader problem, and the massive cultural shift that will be required to move through this transition, I also started feeling overwhelmed by the scale of this crisis, and burnt out after years of endless speeches and events. And so, I left for college, a small liberal arts university in BC, Canada. I disconnected from the activism, and plunged into the world of classes and friends and hiking in the old growth forest that surrounded the campus.
I ended up dropping out of that school after my second year, driven partly by the clearcut logging of the forest I had come to know and love. And after a period of deep depression, and feeling unsure of where to go from there, I began to come back to life. And this year, I am finally re-emerging into the world of climate activism. Beyond the work I'm doing for iMatter, I'm also working on launching a new project called Circle of Fire, which aims to articulate the story of the transition of our time, and turn the emerging vision of regeneration into a strategic model of change.
Through all of this, the one thing that is clearest to me is that we are living in a time of great transition, and that young people will be the ones who witness and shape this shift more than anyone else. As such, I feel deeply excited about the work iMatter is doing in activating young people to engage in the climate movement in their local communities. This is the kind of action that will truly change the world, by bringing youth into the conversation and working with our leaders to bring about the transition to a sustainable future.
I used to end many of my speeches by saying that young people are more than just "the future" or the "leaders of tomorrow". We're here now, our voices matter, and we demand to be taken seriously.
So I invite you to join us.
So let's go, let's work together to create a sustainable future.
Alec has keynoted hundreds of conferences and events throughout his teenage life. Here is a selection of a few of his speeches:
Common Sense for a New Generation
TEDxSan Diego, December 2011
We Will Be Impossible to Ignore
Bioneers, October 2010
The Sickness Underlying the Climate Crisis
Powershift Rocky Mountain, March 2012
We Need a Revolution
TEDxSanta Barbara, October 2010
Our Movements United for Change
OccupyLA, October 2011
Youth in Motion
Institute of the Golden Gate, April 2009
Urgency in Our Activism
TEDxRedmond, November 2010
We Must Change the Dream in the North to Save the Planet
Pachamama Alliance, November 2011
What We Need is Common Sense
AREday, August 2011
Youth in Motion
Institute of the Golden Gate, April 2009


text:
Results 1 to 5 of 5
Thread: find record with composite PK
11-12-09, 09:06 #1Registered User
- Join Date
- Aug 2009
- Posts
- 7
Unanswered: find record with composite PK
Hi. I am trying to move to a particular record on a form where the form has a composite PK.
The PK is made of 3 fields: ModuleID, Precedence and RecordTypeID
I have always used docmd.findrecord before but I can't see how to do this with a composite PK.
Any suggestions?
11-12-09, 12:15 #2Registered User
- Join Date
- Oct 2009
- Posts
- 340
hmmm...you say the form has the composite PK ?? ie and unbound control? does that mean it does not exist in a table??
if it doesn't exist in a table - then - you can't find it because there is nothing to be found
or maybe you just mis-typed....not sure....
11-12-09, 12:38 #3Registered User
- Join Date
- Aug 2009
- Posts
- 7
Of course, I meant that the view on which the form is based has a composite PK.
And I want to call the find command from another form just to add a bit of extra info.
11-12-09, 14:43 #4Moderator
Provided Answers: 15Code:
- Join Date
- Mar 2009
- Posts
- 5,442
Dim rst As Recordset Dim strCriteria As String Set rst = Me.RecordsetClone StrCriteria = "ModuleID = " & <ModuleID> & " AND Precedence = " & <Precedence> & "AND RecordTypeID = " & <RecordTypeId> rst.FindFirst strCriteria If rst.NoMatch Then MsgBox "Record not found" Else Me.Bookmark = rst.Bookmark End If rst.CloseHave a nice day!
11-13-09, 00:14 #5Moderator
- Join Date
- Dec 2004
- Location
- Madison, WI
- Posts
- 3,928
I might create a unbound field on the form (called FKey) and for the controlsource = [Field1]+[Field2]+[Field3]
Then I'd also have a 'search' type combobox which has the fields again combined into 1 field in the query for the recordsource.
Then in the Afterupdate event of the combobox, do my find against the FKey field.
docmd.findrecord me!MyComboboxNameExpert Database Programming
MSAccess since 1.0, SQL Server since 6.5, Visual Basic (5.0, 6.0)


text:
Ready, willing & happy to serve... Francis Brennan
A TV star and national treasure, Francis Brennan is first and foremost a hotel man - and a busy one at that. Here, Graham Clifford spends an exhausting day with Ireland's most energetic host. Photography by Don MacMonagle
I hear him before I see him. It's early morning at the Park Hotel in Kenmare and while bleary-eyed guests shuffle into the lobby, Francis Brennan is ready to pounce. "Well good morning, where are you off to today?" he asks an American couple in his trademark high-pitch.
"The Ring of Kerry," they answer, and Francis is off at breakneck speed. "Right, well don't go the way they tell you to in the travel books, you know clockwise, because if you do you'll meet all the tour coaches coming the other way. What you need to do is head for Killarney and travel around that way and you'll have clear road in front of you. Now do you have your brolly, where is your car parked, is everything OK with the room?" He wraps his guests in cotton wool and they lap it up.
It's just a few hours since Francis left the five-star hotel to head home to his house in the direction of nearby Sneem, but at 8.10am he's returned for another energy-packed day. "I think it was nearly 11pm by the time I got out of here last night. I got into the bed at 1.50pm. I never turn the light out until I hear the news on Radio 1 at 2 o'clock. I jumped out of bed at 7.20am for another day," he tells me as we take a seat in the cocktail lounge.
With his new book Count Your Blessings on the bookshelves since yesterday, a hectic promotional schedule in the diary and various other media gigs in the pipeline, the Dubliner, who turned 62 last Friday, could be forgiven for stepping back from his role as hotelier-in-chief. However, it seems relaxing is an alien concept for Francis.
"My father worked as a grocer from nine in the morning to nine at night so I think it's in the blood. I have boundless energy, always have, so I pack as much as I can into every day," he explains of his childhood in Stepaside, as he flicks through the file of reservations for the day.
Already he's said good morning to Val and Gerry in the kitchen. On wash-up duties - Val on crockery, Gerry on pots and pans - he tells me these are the 'most important' people in any hotel, "without their hard work everything else would grind to a halt."
And as he meanders through the Victorian hotel checking every flower on display is blooming, every glass table free of smudges and every piece of antique furniture gleaming, he greets his staff and I try to keep up. There's the breakfast chef, the porter, the waiting team and the cleaners - everyone enjoying their brief morning chat with the dynamo that keeps the Park Hotel in rude health.
"The staff are everything, look after them and we'll be alright," he says over his shoulder as he bounces up a staircase.
Since 1980 when he first arrived in the Park Hotel as manager - after first leasing the hotel he would buy it from a Swiss consortium six years later - Francis has worked tirelessly to make the business a resounding success. I ask if he feels, in a way, he's married to it?
"Oh I am of course. Being a hotelier is like having a vocation. A priest gives his life up to join the priesthood and I give my life up to the hotel business."
But what of the sacrifices? "Yes they are many," he says. "I never partied when I was younger because I never had the time. I was always working with my father and then worked morning, noon and night in hotels all over the place. I've sacrificed many of the normal things that other people have, like becoming a father. I never came close to getting married and I've never lived with anybody. I had relationships in college but nothing serious and nothing since."
People were surprised when Francis publicly stated, in an interview last weekend, that he was not gay, as many had supposed. He also disclosed that he saw himself as asexual. "Sex doesn't interest me at all," he told the Sunday Independent.
"I've no secrets," he says today. "You can come to my house and open every drawer and I'm happy within that. Now listen, I wouldn't be easy to live with. My father always used to say when I was 15, 16, 17: 'If you get the girlfriend, bring her home and I'll tell her all about you and she'll be gone, she'll run a mile.' And maybe that's the way life was meant to be, that she would be gone. If I got married in my 20s and lived the way I live, my wife would be gone - and she'd be absolutely right because I'd never be there."
Could he ever imagine getting married? "No way. Who'd have me? Never. I couldn't imagine sharing my house with anybody, it would drive me mad. I know where the scissors is, where the needle and thread are, and that's always in the same place."
Francis insists that he doesn't dwell on his single status. "If I died in the morning I could say I had an amazing life. I have the greatest of friends all over the world and will always keep in touch with them and, of course, I have a hugely supportive family including my 93-year-old mother."
Almost on cue his brother John, who co-hosted RTÉ's At Your Service programme with Francis for six seasons, pops out from behind the reception desk and wishes me good morning before darting out the front entrance.
In January, John - the youngest of the five Brennan siblings - who owns the luxurious Dromquinna Manor hotel and glamping location nearby, announced he was to quit the popular TV programme citing 'increased commitments' as the reason for his decision.
But Francis tells me there was more to it than that for the father-of-two. "He didn't like the fame, he found that very difficult. You know people roaring and shouting at you at airports wanting pictures and so on. It was never his way. It all came to a head last Christmas. He was on his way back home from Dublin with his wife and she wanted candles so they called into Home Store + More in Cork. He opened his car door to get out and his wife said: 'Ah listen, you don't come in because if you do we'll be an hour whereas if I go it will be 10 minutes.' After that he said: 'That's it, I'm gone from the TV."'
He adds: "John did 88 weddings at Dromquinna this year so he would have had very little time to dedicate to At Your Service. It means I was twice as busy during filming this year but got through it."
Back to business and Francis shows me the day's reservation requirements. One guest has a dog , one couple want to speak to Stephanie, the gardener, about a particular plant outside, then others desire a north-facing room. There's a 50th wedding anniversary dinner to be arranged and a gang of cyclists need their wet clothes dried in the boiler room. All in a day's work for the ever-ready 'Mr Brennan', as staff address him. I ask if he ever makes use of the 'Deluxe Destination Spa' called SÁMAS at the hotel? "No never, I think it's important to keep a slight professional distance with the staff. It just makes things run smoother so I've never popped in for a facial or anything."
But it's his connection with and respect for his staff which has led to employees staying with Francis for decades. "Every year I organise a staff holiday when we close between the end of November and the Christmas period. This year we're heading for Copenhagen, 53 of us! We don't have service charges here in the Park so some guests feel they should leave something here for the staff when they check out. So they might give a few Euro and we put it all into a staff account and at the end of the year I double it personally so we can afford the trip. Over the years we've been everywhere - to Las Vegas, Egypt, Lisbon, Barcelona, Seville, Rome, Malta, Tunisia, Sicily, the Canaries and lots of other places. Sure it's great craic and an important way to keep up morale."
Even in more difficult years for the hotel Francis maintained the staff trip. "One year we went to Ashford in Wicklow. We hired 12 self-catering houses, bought our provisions in Tesco, brought the staff to see Diana Ross and then on another night Joe Dolan in the Royal in Bray, skiing in Kilternan and to top it all off we got tickets for the Toy Show for all the staff."
For the last 32 years he's also spent five days in September each year in Lourdes helping adults with special needs on the annual Kerry Diocesan Pilgrimage. "I work in the kitchen when there making sure those with specific diets get the right meals. Its hard work and I'm on my feet a lot which is difficult with my bad leg," he says of a club foot that required major surgery as a child. Not that it stops him darting about. Once guests have checked out and received the Francis treatment as they depart, he gets to work on correspondence, telling me: "I'd be 'up the wazoo', with the amount of things I have to do and people I have to contact. Then as the afternoon progresses people start checking in and the process starts all over again."
He pops into the busy kitchen where head chef James Coffey is preparing for dinner later in the day. "We chat about the menu and food ordering, are we getting the lobsters at the best price and so on. James runs a great kitchen and crucially is very good to his team," says Francis.
We meet an American couple on the second floor and Francis makes sure they have everything they need. With the news that he's dipped his toe into the world of media in the States I wonder if, in the coming years, tourists from across the pond will instantly recognise the colourful hotelier. "Ah look, ye in the press are divils! People are really putting the cart before the horse here. It's true that I've recorded a two-and-a-half minute demo on wedding tips at the request of an agent over there but nothing is set in stone - the press have me in LA already," Francis says.
But later over tea in the restaurant, Francis, who has a holiday home in Florida, admits that should a US TV show come calling the impact on his life could be enormous. "Supposing America beckoned… it would mean a lifestyle change. If one wanted to go there and I accepted an offer it would change things. I couldn't be in America and running the hotel here at the same time obviously. As time goes on, I will pull back a little from the hotel anyway for health purposes - I can't be on my feet the whole time. My doctor told me that three years ago. It would be hard to slow down. But if the media things take off, that would fill that gap."
In the mid-afternoon, between showers, we take a stroll outside and mid-sentence Francis trails off. He's spotted something. Sun rays expose red rosehip fruit and he's clearly excited by his discovery. "Will you look at these, I've never seen them looking better. Now what I'll do is make rosehip syrup out of these."
I wonder where he could possibly find the time - between now and December 5 Francis has a staggering 39 public and media appearances to do. "I know, I'm always on the go," Francis says. "And it's all made harder by the fact I'm based down here in Kenmare, so I have to travel for nearly every engagement." And on top of all that, he's heading to Spain next week to take part in the Camino de Santiago. "I won't walk it all now, no way, but I'll do a bit every day for a week. I'm doing it for the Cappagh Hospital Foundation which has always been so good to me. I spent a lot of time there when younger and had my last operation when I was 11. I've no ankle on my right so effectively my leg and foot fuse. If I overdo it or step on a rogue pebble the pain can be excruciating and my doctor keeps telling me I have to slow down." The words aren't out of his mouth and he's leaped up to greet another travelling soul at the reception desk. I'm half-exhausted just looking at him.
I engage a local staff member about the recent All-Ireland football final and Kerry's no-show. The two of us mourn the loss and when Francis returns I ask if he watched the final? "No, no, no, I'd be too busy for that and I wouldn't have any interest," he tells me, neither overjoyed by his native county's glory or saddened by his adopted county's loss. "If one of the Kerry players walked in here now I wouldn't recognise him - expect Colm Cooper. I was on a flight to Dublin from Farranfore a few years ago and came across him, he's the only one I'd know."
As afternoon gives way to evening in Kenmare, Francis changes mode. "As it approaches dinner time I mingle with the guests and chat with the pianist to make sure all is well. The waiting staff go mad if I lift a cup so I let them do their work and check all the guests are relaxed and happy. Occasionally I'll give an after-dinner talk about the history of the hotel if requested. I don't need to be asked twice." He scans the dining room to make sure every fork is straight, every table perfectly laid and every light-bulb shining brightly - nothing is left to chance. I ask Francis if, given his obsessive attention to detail in the Park Hotel, the media work has been something of an unwanted intrusion over the last decade.
"Not at all. Look, we had a difficult period here during the downturn just like everyone else. Our business fell by 50pc for a period and we had fixed costs to cover so that was a testing time. But there is a God and he's very good to me and he gave me a TV show when the recession came, it did our business no harm and boosted the profile of the hotel incredibly."
Dinner over, some guests linger before most head to the luxury of their four-poster beds. Francis checks, then re-checks that the day ahead is in hand and puts on his coat to leave - the hands on the clock approach 11. He''ll head home to warm his hands on his Aga and catch a bit of TV and radio before hitting the hay. "I look forward to listening to Alf McCarthy on the radio before bed, he plays such wonderful music."
In a few hours he'll be back, bouncing with energy. As he departs he tells me: "My father used to say if you enlist you have to soldier, that's the way I live my life. Goodnight now, by the way which way are you driving home?"
Francis on….
Famous guests
"Over the years we've had a lot of well-known names here at the Park Hotel including Woody Allen and John Travolta, who has actually stayed a number of times with his family, and Irish actors such as Colin Farrell. Various Taoisigh over the years and foreign politicians such as Mario Draghi. When a famous guest stays we keep it quiet until well after they've left and there are many names we don't reveal at all."
Being an Uncle
"In many ways I feel like a second father to my nephew Adam and niece Ruth who are my brother John's children. They are great young people and they'll often ring me up to ask for advice or get some help. I feel really blessed to have them in my life."
Preparing to shoot At Your Service
"I never prepare for a shoot. I know the production team have already run through screen tests so I literally show up early, wait until it's my time to walk into a guest house or hotel and totally ignore the cameras. I want everything to be natural including that first meeting and I think that style works well. If it's rehearsed it wouldn't look right."
Christmas morning
"I work every year and get into the hotel just after 7am armed with batteries and screwdrivers because, without fail, there will be children here who have the toy of their dreams but not the means to make it work. That's where I come in."
His favourite place
"I have an apartment in Majorca which I try to get to when I can. There is no grass to cut there, no wall needs painting, everything is looked after. So I can totally relax, slow down and put my feet up. It's my get-away place but because of my schedule I probably don't use it as much as I'd like."
Weekend Magazine


text:
Spirit of Greater Madison (SGM) Trustees shall act as voting members of the Board of Trustees with full authority and the responsibility to assist in managing the business affairs of SGM, including, but not limited to, implementing policies, procedures, contracts and investments related to the operation of SGM. Also assists with the monitoring of SGM's financial health, programs and overall performance. Provides the GMCVB with resources to meet the needs of those SGM serves.
David Sanks, Chair
Sanks Communications
Joel Weitz, Vice Chair
Vitense Golfland
Deb Archer
Jonathan Bogatay
North Central Group
Bill Haight
Magna Publications
Steve Kraus
Madison Gas & Electric - retired
Nick Topitzes
Rob Zache
Central Place Real Estate


text:
Since i haven't posted a "Fashion Friday OOTD" in ages i wanted to share my look of the day.
I have been loving my striped basic knit top from Asos lately the monochrome colours are so versatile i teamed my Berry Lace Kimono from Oasis for a tiny pop of colour and some black basic skinny jeans from Temt these jeans are my most favourite jeans ever they fit my petite legs perfectly this season i have been so loving my Berry boots from Rivers they where a steal for only $15 and they make me look a little taller i added some vintage silver rings too.
Berry Lace Kimono - Oasis
Black Skinny Jeans - Temt
Berry Boots - Rivers
Rings - Vintage shops in Sydney
Handbag - Asos
I hope you enjoyed today's fashion ootd


text:
I would like to recommend an excellent book, "Atlas Shrugged" written by Ayn Rand in 1957. At that time the political landscape was very different, with communism in a position of larger power. Ayn Rand escaped the Soviet Union and fleed to the USA, this historical background makes the setting of the novel more understandable..
The book is a dark depiction of a world in crisis, where the USA is slipping into a communism-like state. Companies are being taken over by the government or run by a sort of government controlled corporate puppet regime. The book is about the contrast between need and ability, and the right of ownership of property and your own intellect. It is about those willing to live in or unable to revolt against such a system, and about those that are trying to revolt. It is about the contrast between those that produce and those that loot. It is a philosophical thriller, with many discussions on politics, market economics and the role of the state.
If you ask me to name the proudest distinction of Americans, I would choose- because it contains all the others- the fact that they were the people who created the phrase to make money. No other language or nation had ever used these words before; men had always thought of wealth as a static quantity- to be seized, begged, inherited, shared, looted or obtained as a favor. Americans were the first to understand that wealth has to be created.
(Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged, 1957)
[Atlas Shrugged] [Ayn Rand] [Book] Share on Facebook


text:
GraphicRiver Stainless Metal 6027568
GraphicRiver Stainless Metal 6027568
Texture \ Metal
Pattern \ Steel \ Haired \ Painted \ Scratched \ Texture \ Structure \ Spot
Texture - Stainless Metal 6027568 by lacoste1090 @ GraphicRiver
Texture \ Metal
Graphics Files Included: JPG Image ; Layered: No ; Minimum Adobe CS Version: CS ; Pixel Dimensions: 5000x3400 ; Tileable: No .
stainless steel texture ,scratched surface that is great for gaming, animation and rear backgrounds, texture size 5000×3400. Format file: only JPG image
rust; Car.
Keywords: background, brushed, carbon, corrosion, damaged, dark, design, dirty, gray, grunge, metal, old, paint, painted, pattern, pattern steel, red-haired, scratched, scratches, spot, structure, texture.
Download Link