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Live Reviews
Monterey Notebook 2007, Part 2: Saturday
Rashied Ali Quintet: Judgment Day
4:10 p.m.The Night Club/Bill Berry Stage
Down at the teeming Night Club, the Rashied Ali Quintet has worked itself into a frenzy, the air pulsing with raw electric energy from Lawrence Clark's tenor saxophone. Condensing into a tunneling post-bop burn, the ensemble greases the skids for Josh Evans's ringing trumpet solo as a knot of young hepcats standing in the back of the room looks on and nods. The conflagration on stage soon spreads to ignite Greg Murphy's piano, which cuts through a maze of maddeningly fast notes like a laser beam.
Smiling, Ali drives the breakneck pace from his drum kit. But it seems to be less a matter of his pushing the band than of pulling them up to his natural pace. Lifting off into a solo of his own, Ali tempers the thunder with prodding, exploratory pauses, as if seeking to define the underlying structure of his titanic rhythms.
After a workout lasting the better part of half an hour, the band quickly calms things down for "You're Reading My Mind," a mysterious ballad by bassist Joris Teepe. Formed by layers of melancholy, Teepe's solo on this tune carries a tenderness that might have seemed impossible only minutes before.
"Judgment Day," another 30-minute epic, enters with a simple fanfare before launching into a hard 1960s-style thrust. Again the intensity rises to shattering levels, and the dynamite horn solos soon form a sort of force field around the Night Club stage, making everything outside seem almost irrelevant.
Food Glorious Food
6:30 p.m.The Fairgrounds
BRATS! scream the signs. FUNNEL CAKE! BBQ! DEEP FRIED!
Jazz may be good for the soul, but festival food isn't always good for the body. Sure, if you look a little closer, you can find some options that won't make your doctor scowla little salad, maybe some rice and vegetables. But pitted against SAUSAGES! WINGS! SOUL FOOD! GARLIC FRIES!... it's no contest. Why, there's even a booth selling smoked turkey legs, so you can walk around pretending to be Henry VIII.
It's remarkable how many of these same food vendors appear in exactly the same spot year after year, like the "freshly squeezed lemonade" or the "real Philly cheesesteaks." To say nothing of those evergreens in the food court next to the main gate, the bean pies and jambalaya and Kiwanis Club hot dogs. Let's face it, these are almost as much a part of the Monterey Jazz Festival experience as that trumpet-on-a-chair logo. Artists may come and go, trends emerge and die. But greasy, smoky, dripping temptation is eternal, and it always lies just a few steps away at Monterey.
Now if only I could get a cup of coffee in less than 20 minutes, I'd be a happy man...
Terence Blanchard: A Poignant "Tale"
8:00 p.m.The Arena
Two years after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, there is still an ongoing toll in the form of shattered lives, torn memories and lost homes. Trumpeter Terence Blanchard, a New Orleans resident, pays eloquent respect to the Katrina's many victims in A Tale of God's Will, released last month by Blue Note Records and now beautifully rendered on Arena stage. Backed by his own quintet and the 18-piece Monterey Jazz Festival Chamber Orchestra, Blanchard paints a spellbinding, tragic, but ultimately hopeful picture of loss and recovery.
Portions of the suite were originally composed for Spike Lee's visionary documentary "When the Levees Broke." Blanchard, a veteran of dozens of film scoring projects, draws on all of his prodigious skills in this evocative set of music. It is impossible to listen and not see the flooding, hear the cries for help, feel the crushing fear and destruction.
Blanchard's wracked trumpet solo in "Levees" carries power despite some microphone feedback problems. As the string section begins a sad, flowing elegy, an overhead video monitor intersperses close- ups of the musicians with images of the city underwater. Brice Winston, another Katrina evacuee, delivers a passionate, pained sax solo that becomes a gorgeous duo improvisation with Blanchard.
"Wading Through" evokes a slog across a watery landscape, encompassing both desperation and grim resolution. Pianist Fabian Almazan embroiders the haunting refrain with tender threads of confusion and yearning.
Aaron Parks' "Ashe" is a melancholy featre for trumpet and piano. Like a sad lullaby, it offers comfort despite a broken heart. As the music rises at the end like a triumphant phoenix, Blanchard crouches into his downward-cast horn, blaring at the floor as if urging a beaten man to rise once more to his feet.


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CCM Drama chair Richard Hess will spend the 2013-14 academic year at Kenyatta University in Nairobi, Kenya thanks to a Fulbright teaching and research grant.
Hess' official title is the A.B., Dolly, Ralph and Julia Cohen Chair of Drama at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM).
His first traveled to Nairobi in June of 2011 to create an original theatre piece with refugees from the Dadaab Refugee Camp and CCM Drama students.
Hess' research project, The Collapsible Space Between Us: Creating Artistic Identity through Theatre-Making in Kenya, grew from that and will allow him to work with actors as an acting teacher, on original devised theatre as a director, and in educating theatre-makers, actors who are story-tellers with strong identities interested in creating exciting physical theatre.
"In Kenya I met a group of multi-cultural, international, multi-language strangers who used the currency of theatre to open hearts, share identities, and give voice to the unspoken," Hess said.
"I encountered heroic bravery and tangible hope, and was surprised by the intense trust and humbling respect given to me so easily. The Africans made me feel valued as a teacher in a way I have never felt. I am eager to return."
Hess is one of approximately 1,100 U.S. faculty and professionals who will travel abroad through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program in 2013-2014.
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moreAiram Llewdroc, was born in the "theatre" of Oldchurch Hospital Romford and in her words," has been an aspiring actress ever since." She has worked in various fields and has had a variety of interesting occupations, from, Administrative work to working as a Waitress, with lots of fascinating "Stuff in-between." Her hobbies include Dressmaking, Reading, Globe Trotting, Entertaining, and Going Out and she also enjoys going to evening classes to expand her knowledge and meet people. She has a catholic taste in music (as in life) from ABBA & Andrea Bocelli to Rod Stewart & ZZ Top. And has overcome adversity, picking herself up dusting herself down and reinventing herself, when appropriate. Ariam is already a published poet in compilation publications. However, this is the first time due to its popularity that her poetry has been published as a collection in one book. less
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moreI've told My Friends about you, And that you do ER too, but never quite know how put it, when describing What You Do! Should it be Hairdresser To The Queen! Or ER! Queen's Hairdresser? I just Know not what to Say! So I tell them you're "My Hairdresser," And of course You do ER too. er Lizzie that is. Why Yes, You Do, Mine and ER's, And Probably give Tony One Too, On your day off that is. And I'm sure you get at lot of Satisfaction, From, doing us in different Ways. So I'm hoping you'll be able, to do My Mum too, One of these Days. It's nice to have You Do Me, We clicked right from the start, I'd just like to tell You, Ian, This comes straight, from my Heart. Happy Birthday Ian, Here's Wishing Loads Of Fun, Hope you like the Poem, And didn't mind the Pun!
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Tinted windows look sharp and are a huge boon to privacy. But how much is too much? What are the regulations concerning tinting the windows of a vehicle?
As a general guide, the windshield and front windows can only be lightly tinted, but rear windows can be virtually blacked out. But we asked MTO spokesperson Bob Nichols for the more specific official rules.
Nichols said the federal government regulates window tint levels on new vehicles under the Motor Vehicle Safety Act, which requires windshields and certain other windows on passenger cars to allow a minimum of 70 per cent of light to pass through the glass.
Although there is no set numerical limit to how dark the windows can be tinted, sections 73 and 74 of the Highway Traffic Act require that the surface of the windshield or any window of the vehicle cannot be coated with any colour spray or other colour coating that obstructs the driver's view of the roadway, or obscures the view from outside to the interior of the vehicle.
If a police officer feels it is too dark to clearly see the driver, they may issue a ticket.
The set fine is $110, but the Act allows for a maximum $500 fine for a window tinting violation. In 2011, there were more than 1,200 convictions for having the interior of a vehicle obscured by colour-coated windows.
Wheels columnist Eric Lai recently visited a vehicle auction where they had a police canine unit for sale. It had full dark tint in the rear to keep the dog cool, but no tint on front windows, so it was legal.
However, there was also an undercover police car, likely used for surveillance work, that had full dark tint on all front and rear windows, so you couldn't see anyone inside.
Although police aren't going to ticket themselves for over-tinted front windows, the new owner of that car is at risk of being cited.
Despite the fact that the police tinted it, the new owner is responsible for ensuring the vehicle is in compliance with the law, so a conviction would be possible.
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A collection of news and information related to Palliative Care (INACTIVE) published by this site and its partners.
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Commentary: 'Care' also includes the end of lifeStory | Mar 7, 2014 | 11:36 AMLet's shift the national healthcare conversation from insurance exchanges to some of the other important components of the Affordable Care Act (ACA): delivering affordable, high-quality care with improved patient satisfaction. While our first thoughts of...
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Letters: The case against assisted suicideStory | Nov 14, 2013Re "A chilling end-of-life case," Column, Nov. 6 Steve Lopez did not mention why assisted-suicide legislation failed three times in deep-blue California. A broad coalition of disability rights organizations, independent living groups, doctors and...
The many heroes among us deserve special thanks on ThanksgivingStory | Nov 21, 2013 | 2:30 AMNext week, I hope each of you will pause at your Thanksgiving table before burying your faces in assorted flavored carbs to ask each diner to name something or someone for which or for whom they are thankful this year. In addition to family, friends,...
The God Squad: Plenty to be thankful forStory | Nov 22, 2013 | 3:23 PMNext week, I hope each of you will pause at your Thanksgiving table, before burying your faces in assorted carbs, to ask your fellow diners to name something or someone they are thankful for this year. In addition to family, friends, America and pie, here...
Year's end a good time to consider end-of-life plansColumn | Dec 9, 2013 | 8:00 AMWould anyone like more pie? If you were neurologically devastated in an accident, would you want to forgo life-sustaining treatment? It wasn't exactly like that at our family's recent holiday dinner. But with our children home for a few days, we...


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> Chairman's Address
Chairman's Address at IndianOil's 54
Dear Shareowners of IndianOil,
On behalf of the Board of Directors of IndianOil, it is my pleasure to extend a very warm welcome to all of you to the 54th Annual General Meeting of your Corporation. Your continued support has been a major driver for us to deliver sustained performance and growth over the years. We are also thankful to you today for sparing your valuable time and being here to participate in this important Annual General Meeting. The notice for convening the meeting, the Directors' Report and the Annual Audited Accounts have been with you for some time, and with your permission, I take them as read.
Looking at the year 2011-12, the basic economic canvas in which the Corporation was operating came under strain. The path taken by various economic indicators during the year had repercussions on the business of your Corporation.
Global Economic Environment
The global economic environment continued to remain weak during the year 2012-13. In fact, the global economic growth slipped to 3.1 per cent in 2012 from 3.9 per cent in 2011. While the sovereign debt and unemployment problems continued in Europe, US and Japan witnessed mild acceleration in their growth. Growth rate in advanced economies on the whole, slipped from 1.7 per cent in 2011 to 1.2 per cent in 2012. A major setback to the global growth during the year was the broad based deceleration in the emerging economies group, which had hither-to been showing resistance to the slowdown. Growth in emerging economies slipped to 4.9 per cent in 2012 from 6.2 per cent in 2011. A weak external demand on one hand coupled with internal infrastructural bottlenecks and capacity constraints became overbearing for emerging economies, thus slackening their growth.
According to the IMF, while global growth is not expected to accelerate in the current year, however, it may see some consolidation. As per the latest update from IMF, world economic growth is projected to stay put at 3.1 percent in 2013, same as recorded in 2012. A major concern presently is the turmoil being faced by the Global Financial markets since late May 2013, owing to the over-reaction of the markets to the possible pull back of Quantitative easing by US Federal Reserve. Consequently, interest rates in the US have increased and US Dollar has appreciated sharply leading to flight of capital from emerging economies causing depreciation of their currencies. The experts believe that the present financial market turmoil may not prolong if the Governments tighten their belts in time to arrest the decline and slowdown in investments. In the medium and long term, however, consistent action on structural reforms across the globe remains critical for improvement of the global economic environment and restoring growth.
Indian Economic Scenario
For the Indian economy, the year was marked by slowing growth and concerns over macro-economic stability. GDP growth slipped to 5 per cent the lowest India has seen in over a decade. High oil, coal and gold imports coupled with decline in exports contributed significantly to the spiking of Current Account Deficit(CAD) from 4.2 per cent in 2011-12 to 6.7 per cent of GDP in Q3 of 2012-13. The year however closed with a CAD of 4.8 per cent of GDP through various abatement measures. The recent rampant depreciation of Rupee has further added to these concerns, especially on the CAD front.
The slowdown has largely been aggravated during the year on account of infrastructural bottlenecks, high interest rates, policy and procedure related hurdles coupled with delayed environmental and other administrative clearances. All this in the face of depressed global sentiments and already persisting poor investment climate within the country accentuated the problems. The only positive part of the year 2012-13 was that the inflation was largely restrained down to sub five percent , except for the food inflation.
The Q1 2013-14 GDP numbers have just been announced and they reflect that the growth has further slipped to 4.4 %. Although the difficulties of the last year do not seem to be abating, the Government believes that the growth should pickup considerably in Q3 and Q4 of 2013-14. The confidence of the Government is backed by the good monsoon that bodes well for the agricultural growth and a series of announcements made by the Government to improve the investment climate. Many of the experts endorse the optimism of the Government, yet the risks to the growth are extremely high.
It will take building of bi-partisan consensus amongst the political parties on certain reforms and structural issues if the growth is to accelerate at a fast pace. Further it requires Government's own determination to take necessary measures such as simplification of Government procedures, rules, policies and lessening of the role of Government in the matters of business and controls.
Oil and Gas Sector
The year 2012-13 was marked by high volatility in prices which fluctuated from US$ 88.6/bbl to US$ 125.6/bbl and clocked an average of US$ 110.1/bbl for the year as a whole, down by US$ 4.5/bbl in comparison to the average of 2011-12. However, price movements continued to be marked by volatility and prices fluctuated in a wide range from US$ 88.6/bbl to US$ 125.6/bbl during 2012-13. Indian Oil Companies importing over 75 per cent of their crude oil requirements however could not benefit from the lower prices due to the weakening of the Rupee by 11.9%. Most of the oil and gas analysts believe that the oil prices will range between US$ 100 and 105 in 2013. However recent developments in the Middle-East, first in Egypt and Libya and lately in Syria pose significant risks to oil prices stability.
As for the refining sector, the negative economic sentiment and deepening concerns about global growth have been casting downward pressures on refining margins. There has been weakening of demand in developed markets but the emerging economies are expected to continue with robust growth in demand for petroleum products albeit at a lower rate than in the past years. The Indian petroleum products consumption remained at 4.9 per cent during 2012-13, marginally lower than 5 per cent recorded in 2011-12. However, there was deceleration in consumption growth in major transportation fuels category. HSD growth declined to 6.8 per cent from 7.8 per cent in 2011-12. MS growth was also marginally lower at 5 per cent vis-a-vis 5.6 per cent in previous year. ATF, recorded negative growth of 4.8 per cent in 2012-13 compared to a robust growth of 9 per cent in 2011-12, largely because of closure of one of the airlines, optimization resorted by others and general spurt in airline fares due to a host of reasons. LPG growth too declined from 7.1 per cent in 2011-12 to 1.6 per cent in 2012-13. A series of steps such as limiting subsidized LPG cylinders, small but steady increase in prices of HSD every month, coupled with deregulation of Bulk HSD prices etc. may have affected the growth; however the trend is largely symptomatic of general decline in the economy. Consumption of petroleum products however is expected to return to healthy levels in the long run, unmatched by most economies. This augers well for Indian oil & gas companies that are deeply entrenched in the Indian petro products market.
On the supply side, the domestic crude oil production saw a marginal fall from 38.09 MMT in 2011-12 to 37.86 MMT in 2012-13. The refinery throughput (production) and crude oil imports, remained largely unaffected.
Gas including LNG is expected to play a key role in the economy. However, the absence of a global gas market means significant divergence in regional gas prices. While in the US Natural gas prices (Henry-Hub) fell to an average of US$ 2.8/mmbtu in 2012 from US$ 4.0/mmbtu in 2011, Europe & Asia continued to suffer high gas prices ranging from US$ 11.5/mmbtu to US$ 16.6/mmbtu, with Asia bearing the higher prices. High prices have also adversely affected the affordability of Asian LNG buyers. From a long term perspective, the sector witnessed positive developments such as gas discoveries in East Africa, steady progress on the unconventional hydrocarbons production front and boom in the global LNG sector. All these developments have opened up new vistas for the global energy sector and point towards strong growth of the hydrocarbons sector. The domestic gas production in India was 40.7 bcm in 2012-13 compared to 47.5 bcm in 2011-12. Imported LNG at 14.8 bcm bridged the gap. With the significant discoveries made in East Africa and Canada reaching out to Asian markets including India, the supply side should look much more robust for the Indian gas demand. Right policy and pricing can unleash latent gas demand that can trigger the overall economic growth.
Operational Performance
In spite of the challenges brought out above, your Corporation delivered robust performance. It recorded the highest turnover of Rs. 414,909 crore up by 11 per cent on year-on-year basis. At 88th position in the Global 'Fortune' 500 list, your Corporation was the only Indian company in the top 100 list. Your Corporation's Net Profit rose to Rs. 5005 crore, registering a growth of 26.6 per cent over the previous year. Capacity utilization of the refineries at 54.56 MMT exceeded 100 per cent for sixth consecutive year in a row, distillate yield improved to a record 78.1 per cent and energy efficiency levels of the refineries recorded the best MBN of 56.3 during the year. Domestic product sales scaled to a level of 68.76 MMT. 1910 new retail outlets were set up during the year taking the total number of outlets to 22372 including over 5000 Kisan Seva Kendras, the exclusive presentation of your Corporation to the rural markets. Over 1600 retail outlets were automated during the year, taking the total automated outlets to 4377. Very soon we propose to automate all the outlets in 50 large cities. This again will be another unique offering of your Corporation to assure supply of quality and quantity of products through its outlets. The Pipelines Division of your Corporation moved highest ever throughput of 28.09 MMT of petroleum products, besides 47.40 MMT of crude oil. The petrochemicals segment recorded highest ever total (domestic plus exports) sales of 1.9 MMT and established itself as the second largest petrochemicals player in the country. The E&P segment is also shaping well and has earned small but first ever revenue from its Niobrara Shale assets in the US and Carabobo asset in Venezuela.
Strategy, Initiatives and Prospects
While, your Corporation fully recognizes the constraints and difficulties the Indian market is facing, it is also fully aware of the resplendent opportunities that the Indian oil and gas sector presents. The Indian petroleum products market is amongst the fastest growing markets in the world. India is projected as one of the front-runners of incremental global oil & energy demand over the long term. As India's flagship Petroleum Company, your Corporation's strategy is three-pronged, focus on expansion, raise the efficiency bar of the existing and new ventures, deepen and widen its presence in expanding Gas and Petrochemicals businesses, besides establishing a healthy portfolio in the upstream E&P segment. In this context, I am pleased to share with you that your Corporation has planned a well-laid out investment programme for the XII Plan period, envisaging projects worth over Rs. 56,000 crore across the energy value chain.
In the refining segment, continuous upgradation and expansion of the refineries to meet the changing product demand pattern and environmental norms is taking place. Another major initiative under consideration is to set-up a new state of the art grass-root refinery in a coastal location with world scale capacity having high complexity to cash on the opportunity to process cheaper crudes. The 15 MMTPA refinery project at Paradip, Orissa, presently under construction is slated for commissioning by the close of the current fiscal. It will also be a state of art refinery that will raise the overall performance indicators of the Corporation, including processing of high sulphur, heavy and high TAN crude oil to tap the opportunities presented by cheaper crude varieties.
Crude oil forms the single largest cost head for your Corporation. International crude oil prices continue to be high and volatile. Your Corporation is however, focussing on minimizing the costs in all areas under its control and choice. Besides improving its ability to source cheaper crude oils, the endeavours so far have resulted in processing 53.3 per cent in 2012-13 over 49.2 per cent in 2011-12 of high sulphur crude and further enlarging the crude basket to include high TAN and heavy crudes with API as low as 210. Presently, the share of opportunity crudes (Heavy & High TAN) is over 13 per cent and includes processing of Maya crude and heavy Rajasthan crude. This is targeted to be doubled to over 26 per cent once Paradip Refinery is operational. Supply chain optimization is seen as another area for achieving significant cost reductions. The commissioning of Integrated Crude Oil Handling Facilities at Paradip is one such step. This facility has enabled us to receive the entire crude oil requirement of Barauni, Haldia, Bongaingaon Refineries and the upcoming Paradip Refinery through Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) and thereby tap significant cost reduction.
Marketing & Distribution
Your Corporation is the established market leader in the downstream petroleum sector of the country. While the market size is set to increase, the competition levels in the market are also expected to rise. As a dominant marketer, while we have deep strengths through our existing network and presence in all markets, we are also very seriously mindful of the challenges that may seep in with the opening up of the markets. We believe it will only make us more efficient and competitive.
Technological solutions such as automation of infrastructure, loyalty building programmes, GPS enabled vehicle tracking systems, modernization of all dispensing units, improving Retail Visual Identities of retail outlets, imparting quality training to dealers and pump attendants, Infrastructure rationalization and retail network expansion in key demand and upcoming growth areas will continue to be the focus.
LPG is another market, which is set to witness fundamental changes on account of introduction of capping on subsidized cylinders, Aadhaar based direct benefit transfer scheme and consumer portability etc. The direct benefit transfer scheme launched in 20 districts has been a big success and plans are afoot to extend this to 35 more districts by September 2013. Bringing LPG transportation from road movement to pipeline network is another area of cost and product efficiency. Towards this end, presently, our Paradip‐Haldia‐Durgapur LPG pipeline and Ennore-Trichy-Madurai LPG pipeline projects are under implementation. A number of customer friendly initiatives have been taken in the recent months to make it more transparent and customer centric with the help of IT enabled solutions such as Transparency Portal, Web Based Indsoft and Emergency Service Care, etc.
Similar initiatives have been taken for other product lines as well.
Your Corporation has the largest crude and product pipeline network in the country, which is a major source of strength as it facilitates cost-effective and environment friendly transportation. Today, as the Corporation gears up to process more and more of heavier crudes, the pipelines will have to cater to carrying these heavier crudes. Towards this end, the Corporation has set up a crude blending facility in Vadinar during the year and is augmenting the capacity of two of its major pipelines to carry higher viscosity crude.
Natural gas pipelines are increasingly emerging as a new opportunity for the Corporation. At present, gas pipelines capacity in the country is low at 400 mmscmd, with major infrastructure confined to the North & Western part of the country. Having built its strong hold in the petroleum pipelines, it is aiming to establish a significant position in the national natural gas grid. Your Corporation in consortium with GSPL, BPCL and HPCL, is participating in setting up three gas pipelines from West and East to North.
Your Corporation is now the second largest player in the domestic petrochemical market. It recorded a growth of 23.9 per cent in domestic sales and reached the highest ever level of 1.8 MMT during the year. Petrochemical exports reached a new milestone of 108.6 TMT, recording a growth of 42.5 percent. Five new grades of Poly-ethylene/Polypropylene were developed in-house for niche application segments to deliver higher value proposition to customers.
The low per capita consumption of petrochemicals in the country coupled with the robust growth in consumption makes petrochemicals business ripe with opportunities. Your Corporation has sizeable investment plans in the Petrochemicals space. A major thrust is to enter the import substitution market. The Corporation's Butadiene Extraction Unit and Butene -1 project at Panipat are under steady progress. The Corporation is also setting up country's first Styrene Butadiene Rubber (SBR) unit in Panipat, which has reached advanced stages of implementation.
In the market for polymers, thrust is to enter niche & specialized markets. This requires significant R&D and product development efforts by the way of identifying potential molecules and streams. Your Corporation has set up necessary capabilities towards this end to derive higher value through development of various new grades and niche products.
Your Corporation's gas business has been growing steadily and awaits moving on to the next level as the country presents huge opportunities in the gas segment. During the year, your Corporation's gas sales grew by 6.2 percent, reaching 1.83 MMT. Your Corporation envisages building its presence along the entire value chain of gas business in the country. Work in regard to the upcoming LNG import terminal at Ennore is progressing steadily. In addition to cross-country gas pipelines, another focus area of your Corporation is City Gas Distribution (CGD). The Corporation has adopted a consortium approach and is partnering with other players to build CGD networks across the geographical areas identified by PNGRB, the regulatory authority. Recently your Corporation's consortium with Adani Gas has been given Letter of Authorisation for CGD in Allahabad & Chandigarh.
Exploration & Production
The global E&P prospects have revitalized over the last few years with opening up of new geographies with huge resources. Your Corporation's E&P portfolio consists of 13 domestic and 10 overseas blocks. During the year, discoveries were reported in 2 overseas and 1 domestic well. In one of our operated domestic blocks, drilling of 1st exploratory well commenced and in the other operated block, interpretation of the acquired 3D seismic data is in progress to identify drilling locations. Further, during the year, your Corporation acquired 10 per cent working interest in producing shale oil condensate asset in USA along with Oil India Ltd. (OIL). It is the first unconventional hydrocarbon asset with production at a small level. Production was also recorded in the Carabobo Project-1 in Venezuela, with spudding of two producing wells. Looking ahead, your Corporation is scouting for suitable investment opportunities across the globe and with the experience gained and in-house capabilities developed so far, the Corporation is on much firmer ground to seize appropriate opportunities.
Alternative Energy
Your Corporation is focussed on developing quality green alternatives that not only substantially reduces dependence on fossil fuels but are also affordable and accessible by the majority of the population. Towards this end, your Corporation has successfully commissioned five wind energy generators in Andhra Pradesh, during the year taking its total wind power capacity to 48.3 MW. IndianOil's 5-MW solar photovoltaic plant in Rajasthan, which was commissioned last year is also delivering expected results.
Research & Development
Your Corporation places significant thrust on knowledge and research based growth. The year 2012-13 was quite successful for the Corporation's R&D Centre with 120 new formulations resulting in 43 OEM approvals including approval for a diesel engine oil, marine oil and transformer oil from reputed customers. A record number of 52 patent applications were filed during the year, while eight patents were granted. The Centre has stepped into petrochemicals, solar energy and bio-energy based research projects as well. During the year, the Centre commissioned India's first integrated lignocellulosic biomass to ethanol pilot plant with the technological support from National Renewable Energy Laboratory of USA. Another breakthrough was achieved with the successful demonstration trial of co-processing of Jatropha oil along with diesel feed in DHDT unit of Corporation's subsidiary CPCL's refinery. This process by using the existing refinery infrastructure presents much better opportunities in comparison to the biodiesel trans-esterification plant options.
Sustainable Development
Your Corporation understands that sustainability and economic well-being go hand in hand. The ecological footprints of the Corporation are being constantly assessed. Eco-footprinting exercise was completed at 48 locations and energy audit was carried out in 28 locations. As a responsible Corporate citizen, your Corporation has documented its sustainable initiatives in the Business Responsibility Report, which is an integral section of the Annual Report.
Corporate Social Responsibility
Caring for the community has always been a cornerstone of your Corporation's operations and the Corporation has always tried to align its interests with national priorities. Your Corporation believes that inclusive growth can only be attained by developing symbiotic relationship between business and society. We remain committed to fulfil our responsibilities towards the community and the nation. Our flagship health initiative, Sachal Swasthya Sewa – mobile medical service, has proved to be a resounding success, catering to the primary medical needs of the rural poor in Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The expansion of the Cancer Hospital of the Tata Medical Centre, by addition of 250 beds to cater to the population in the eastern part of India was also one major initiative taken by your Corporation. Your Corporation is keen on continuing with initiatives that are aligned to the needs of the society and resonate with the Vision and CSR policy.
Human Resource
For your Corporation, human resource is its biggest asset. It is the people in an organization that make it different, performing and profitable. Assisting the human capital of IndianOil realise its full potential and harness that towards Corporation's objectives is a philosophy that we cherish. A number of initiatives such as introduction of Leadership Centres, multi-rater feedback mechanism and employee engagement surveys etc. have enhanced and strengthened the resolve of IOCians to achieve their goals in the midst of challenges and this collective resolve of the IOCians makes us proud as an organization. Thanks again to our workforce, the industrial relations climate remained healthy and committed towards achieving high performance.
Corporate Governance
Maintaining highest standards of Corporate Governance has always been a priority for your Corporation. Our belief in ethics, transparency and dedication towards Vision and Values have stood us in good stead. A well-defined policy framework comprising Code of Conduct for Directors & Senior Management, for prevention of Insider Trading, Enterprise Risk Management, Integrity Pact, Whistle Blower Policy and Conduct, Discipline and Appeal Rules for employees has helped us effectively implement our Corporate Governance practices. In recognition of its unparalleled dedication towards maintaining its integrity and ethos, your Corporation has been recently adjudged as the winner of Excellence in Corporate Governance by The Institute of Company Secretaries of India and has also been conferred the Gold Trophy of the SCOPE Meritorious Award for Corporate Governance.
The Board of Directors would like to place on record its deep appreciation of the valuable services and dedicated efforts made by the IndianOil family in achieving the various milestones during the year 2012-13. The Board also wishes to thank the Government of India, particularly the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, and the various State Governments, Regulatory and Statutory authorities for their guidance and support.
The Board is also thankful to the Corporation's customers, bankers, investors, consultants, technology licensors, contractors, dealers, supplier and vendors for their continued support. The Board wishes to place on record its appreciation for the commendable performance and significant contributions made by Shri Anees Noorani, Smt. Sushama Nath, Dr. Indu Sahani, Professor Gautam Barua, Shri Michael Bastian, Shri N K Poddar and Shri Sudhir Bhargava during their tenure on the Board. The Board would also like to pay tribute to Prof. V.K.Bhalla who passed away on 6th August 2013 and acknowledge the significant contribution made by Prof. Bhalla during his tenure on the Board.
Thank You
Jai Hind
I now move the Annual Accounts for adoption.
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Bad blisters are enough to keep even the most determined runners from hitting the pavement for a while. Here's the need-to-know on how to prevent, treat, and even pop those pesky suckers—the safe way.
Everyone knows runners are a little, well, different. So it's no surprise they have a language all their own. Read on to learn the difference between a PR and a BQ, and just what the heck a fartlek is!
What's the key to staying injury-free? Running coach Jason Fitzgerald breaks down why strength training is so important for runners, the best exercises, and how to fit a resistance routine into a busy schedule.
To stretch or not to stretch? How? And for how long? Read on to get to the bottom of the most common stretching myths.
Injuries are no fun, but they can be managed with the right tips. In this episode of the Greatist Podcast, Dr. Eugene "Bo" Babenko joins us to talk about how to treat the most common sports injuries.
What's a W.O.D., where's "the box," and who is Uncle Rhabdo? We connected with fitness experts and CrossFit athletes alike to see what this exercise phenomenon is all about.
Are you a runner? Yes. Have you been injured? Probably. Learn about the most common running injuries and how to help stop them in their tracks (or trails).


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As we create more programming to address the issues of contemporary art and its preservation, we are incredibly grateful to our supporters. Should you be interested in making a donation to INCCA-NA, please see below. With your donation, we look forward to growing and continuing to build our network of artists, curators, conservators, collectors and educators that are focused on contemporary art conservation.
Contributions to INCCA-NA may be made by check payable to the The International Network for the Conservation of Contemporary Art – North America. INCCA-NA is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and all donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Please write "Donation" on the notes line of the check, and mail to:
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« FireFox | Main | Increasing Insecurity in Mac »
November 21, 2006
Norton Anti-Virus
Since I am a computer illiterate, my brother usually will update all these things for me, and I will just happily use my PC for the year (Windows only lasts a year with me, for some reason...) And ever since I got myself a PowerBook, I've never had to do all those things, until my brother graduated and he passed me his Dell PC. Then the problems arose.
After using my computer for 1 year, Norton told me to update my registration, since it's expired. It took me about 2 months before I got down to continue my subscription, because I doubted the use of it at all. After using the computer for a month, I almost killed my computer because it kept bugging me to continue my subscription. It was surprisingly irritating that it almost became a bug by itself.
Other than Norton (ironically), there were so many pop-ups in many sites that I visited that I have never encountered before - apparently Norton built a firewall of some sort that will block pop-ups. Also, it has built such a strong and secured firewall that I kept getting asked if I really wanted to read a file, or to download a file, in case there's bugs or hackers on the move.
I was amazed that the internet that we use are pretty messed up nowadays (forgive my ignorance, since I'm a Mac user and I'm computer illiterate); there are many pop-ups, irritating advertisements, automatically download-able files when you enter a site, etc. There is no way that you can call this secure. We have come to a point in time where a system, or a firewall, is necessary to protect our privacy.
I felt safe using my computer with Norton, but at the same time cynical. Did people invent these firewalls to overcome those problems, or did they invent these problems to invent the firewalls for us to purchase?
Posted by kalbindo at November 21, 2006 11:14 PM


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Creator terry (Eye Toldyoosso) on January 31, 2013
got the book, dvd and post cards in the post today,,in Ireland
thanks so much cant wait to read the book first then watch the dvd
Creator Cath Bruzzone on January 14, 2013
Thanks for the invite to the launch on 26th, Tom. I will try and come but can I also bring my partner (not a backer!)? Glad it's all come together so well and looking forward to my copy of the book and seeing the film at last.
Creator addedlovely on December 3, 2012
Hi Tom, got your lovely parcel in the post this morning! Thanks a lot!
Creator Tom Allen on December 3, 2012
@Ecociclista: The film is indeed available as a download from janapar.com!
@Andrew: I've just published an update will all of this information :)
@Doug: The surveys are just for those who asked for the DVD. I'll be sending out surveys about the book rewards in January!
Creator Douglas Hazell on December 3, 2012
Hi Tom
Looking at the update, is the Survey just for those that have asked for the DVD? I haven't got one yet but I did just order the paperback. Looking forward to being able to read it!
Creator Andrew Whittle on December 2, 2012
Hi Tom, Just wondering if all the DVD's have been shipped out, looking forward to receiving mine. Any further updates on the progress of your book?.
Creator Ecociclista on November 19, 2012
Hi Tom. Greetings from Costa Rica, Central America. The Vimeo video sure makes one look forward to the movie. Please make sure to make the movie available on an electronically downloadable format such as iTunes; for the viewing benefit of those of us on the other side of the world. Meanwhile I'll be looking forward to the electronic version of the book.
Creator Tom Allen on November 9, 2012
I'm so glad to have made the target - thank you!
@Hans: I'm certainly looking into making stills available in another format, possibly online. Good idea!
Creator Hans van der Veeke on November 6, 2012
Hi Tom,
Thanks for the answers. Instead of photo's in the book, you could maybe post a few online for each chapter.
And I read a lot of cycling books and most of the time write a review. I always like to keep track of where people are, plotted on a (small) map. If it isn't in the book 8 usually take out an atlas to follow the route. I hope you decide for the maps.
And I am eagerly looking forward to the book and the film!
Creator Martin De on November 6, 2012
Just 20 quid to go. all the best Tom!
Creator James Leitch on November 5, 2012
so close to your goal, you must be delighted. No pressure honest ! :-)
Creator Tom Allen on November 5, 2012
@Sarita: The book has been on an interesting journey itself, not least through this Kickstarter campaign, so you can fully expect a write-up on the blog!
Creator Sarita Mehra on November 5, 2012
Hiya Tom!
Quite a few questions answered I would have asked myself. I think an online FAQ is a great idea, by the way. And as of writing, 5,269 already! Fantastic!
Here's a potential question for you: When this process is finished, will you be posting on your blog about this whole experience? From before Kickstarter, through to holding that first copy?
Creator Tom Allen on November 4, 2012
Thanks for the questions so far - some good contenders for a FAQ! Here are a few brief responses to some of the more straightforward ones:
@Anders: It's possible I'll put a budget in the appendix. But I also want to keep the book decluttered and focussed on storytelling. It looks like there might well be space for an online FAQ to go with the whole project/
@Christian: We've planned out a schedule for the whole process, and have already got conservative time and cost estimates from the people involved and a printing house. As long as nothing takes longer than expected, we should be on track for a January delivery of the finished book. We've cleared schedules for a month after, too, in case we run over.
@Russ: Yes, there will! Lots of readers are going paperless - especially those on the road. Though I'm not yet sure whether it will coincide exactly with the physical book.
@James: The film was its director's vision of my journey; the book will be my own telling of those experiences. There will be some crossover, but this has always existed as a standalone book. (I imagine it'll be best to see the film first, as it's a heavily-abridged rendition!)
@Bikerin: I used a Sony A1E and external mic for filming, and a Nikon D50 with Sigma 10-20mm and Nikon 50mm f/1.8 lenses for stills. I also carried a variety of cheap plastic tripods which always fell apart!
@Mike (and Hans): There won't be any photos in this edition of the book. I made that decision because I really want the story to be the focus of it, and as a writer it's my job to withhold enough detail that the reader can experience the journey in their own way. I feel that photographs somehow ruin the magic of that imaginary experience, being such stark and obvious records (mine were, anyway) - like that feeling you get when you watch a film adaptation of a book you read and it doesn't quite look like you imagined. Hope that makes sense!
@Hans: Maps - possibly. I don't want measurements and routes to obfuscate the human experience, which is what the journey is all about, so it'll have to be done carefully. This is the reason we eventually left maps out of the film. Again, I think there's space for some sort of 'online extras' area for bits and pieces like this. Pages - probably around the 300 mark.
Thank you! Do keep the questions coming!
Creator Anders Lolk Westhoff on November 4, 2012
Will the book contain a budget over your trip? Always fun to see how touring-cyclists finance their trip and make it all work out economically.
Creator Christian Benke on November 4, 2012
You want to get a printed edition ready until January - Isn't 1-2 months a bit short to finalize the manuscript, proofread, make final changes, copyediting, typesetting and printing?
Creator Russ McCoy on November 4, 2012
FAQ: Will there be an eBook available?
Creator James Leitch on November 4, 2012
Tom, will the book represent the film or the actual journey?.
Creator Bikerin on November 4, 2012
I would like to know what photo and film equipment do you use?
Creator Hans van der Veeke on November 4, 2012
Btw. I would love to help out with proofreading in which I have some experience gathered during the Vance Integral Edition project.
Creator Mike McEnnerney on November 4, 2012
Hi Tom, Congratulations on being well on the way to reaching your goal - my wife and I are really looking forward to the book and DVD. We're pleased to be able to help you in reaching your target. My FAQ would be, as a professional photographer and touring cyclist, are you going to have lots of photos in your book and will they be in colour - or does this add too much to the production costs!!
Creator Hans van der Veeke on November 4, 2012
Questionnaire that pop up:
How many pages will the boek have?
Will it contain maps?
Will it contain color photo's?
Creator Tom Allen on November 1, 2012
@Matt: Thank you!
Creator Matt Hobley on November 1, 2012
Really pleased this is progressing so well... will post on the blog today.
Creator Tom Allen on October 31, 2012
@Sarita: Thank you! So pleased with the early progress!
@Gareth: Cheers for sharing this, much appreciated!
Creator Gareth Alunovich Griffiths on October 31, 2012
Looking good Tom, its only been up a few hours and nearly 1/6th there! Have shared this on our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sirocco-Overland/161256027233509) so hopefully others will follow.
Creator Sarita Mehra on October 31, 2012
All the best Tom! Really can't wait to see you reach your goal here!
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I'll send you one of 50 limited-edition hardback copies of the finished book, personalised and signed, with your name and a thank-you in the printed acknowledgements of this and also the paperback edition. You'll also get a signed DVD of the accompanying film, a set of high-quality postcards featuring stills from the journey, and a full-colour A3 poster of the cover-art before Christmas.Estimated delivery:Ships within the UK only
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As above, but the "international-shipping" version! I'll send you one of 50 limited-edition hardback copies of the finished book, personalised and signed, with your name and a thank-you in the printed acknowledgements of this and also the paperback edition. You'll also get a signed DVD of the accompanying film, a set of high-quality postcards featuring stills from the journey, and a full-colour A3 poster of the cover-art.Estimated delivery:
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As well as a signed hardcover and DVD for you, I will travel to your location in the UK or Ireland and host a special one-off screening and Q&A of the feature-film for you; your friends and family; or your club, society or organisation. I'll also make DVDs and books available at the event.Estimated delivery:
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I will cycle and wild-camp the full distance to your door, wherever in the UK or Ireland you may live (and whatever the weather), bringing the story directly to you in person. You'll get a one-off specially-designed hardback version of the book, a copy of the DVD, and I'll host a special one-off screening and Q&A of the feature-film for you; your friends and family; or your club, society or organisation. I'll also make DVDs and books available at the event.Estimated delivery:
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Andy Warhol x Dom Perignon Tributeby: Josh Spear
I'll definitely be grabbing some of these limited edition Dom Perignon Andy Warhol champagne bottles when they're out in the USA. So gorgeous. Jean has more shots.
Inspired by Warhol's unconventional representation of icons, and the playful use of codes and colour in his work, Dom Pérignon commissioned the Design Laboratory at Central Saint Martin's School of Art & Design to reinterpret its timeless bottle. The result is a unique collection of three bottles, each with its distinct label in red, blue or yellow, paying homage to Warhol's iconic colour games.
The Veuve Clicquot Recipe: 2 Parts Familyby: Jamie Starr
To briefly recap our progress with the Veuve Clicquot recipe this week, we added one part design on Tuesday, one part ambiance on Wednesday, and one part expertise on Thursday. Today, there's one last ingredient to add, and we're going to be pouring a little bit more of this one into the mix than usual. The reason the recipe calls for two parts family is that the Veuve Clicquot family is the glue that holds the rest of the dish together.
The strength of the VC family not only serves to keep the internal workings of the brand humming along, but it's also a strong, effective, and natural customer draw — I think it's the authenticity people perceive when they feel a strong sense of family associated with a brand. It was certainly what made me feel relaxed, welcomed, and inspired during my days in France — a refreshing, tradition-bound experience amongst the hoards of Johnny-come-lately brands out there these days.
And as a special bonus today, I've put together this photo/video montage of my Veuve Clicquot experience. In all honesty, it was inspired by my new, adopted family. I hope you all enjoy watching. (I recommend viewing the montage in high quality on youtube )
And what "family" post would be complete with out a few family photos? You'll find several after the jump"¦
The Veuve Clicquot Recipe: 1 Part Expertiseby: Jamie Starr
Moving right along with the Veuve Clicquot Recipe I've been slowly but surely completing for you this week… Since we've successfully added one part each of design and ambiance, we're going to go ahead and fold-in one part expertise today. Successful businesses invariably depend on exceptional people, and VC is no exception, its tradition of expertise having been laid into place by Madame Clicquot. At the ripe age of 27, she took over the family business of wine making from her late husband, Francois Clicquot. The Madame began what what must be considered one of the most impressive careers of the era, both pioneering within her industry, and setting an important example for other aspiring female entrepreneurs. Through brilliant ingenuity of her own, she revolutionized how champagne was made and mass produced when she invented the process of riddling in 1816. She went on to leave her legacy to people whom she trusted, and the brand grew so that when she died in 1866, she was the richest woman in Europe.
Luckily, my Veuve Clicquot experience last week included meeting and learning from Madame Clicquot's contemporaries. While the guys pictured above are by no means the only experts within the Veuve Clicquot organization, they sure stuck out in my mind. After the jump, I'll introduce you to them in turn, starting from the left and working right…
The Veuve Clicquot Recipe: 1 Part Ambianceby: Jamie Starr
Now that we've mixed 1 part design into the bowl, we're going to move onto the second ingredient — let's add one part ambiance. Just the second ingredient in the four-ingredient recipe, it was the most eye-opening component of my Veuve Clicquot experience last week. My choosing of "ambiance" as a vital ingredient in the overall recipe that is the Veuve Clicquot brand was predicated on the idea that a luxury Champagne brand must act the part — it must not conduct business in a vacuum. The incredible flavors that emerge from the bottle don't appear out of thin air — they are created and caused by the process, by nature, by people. In this rather photo-heavy post, I hope I can at least skim the surface of the ambiance within and surrounding the Veuve Clicquot brand as I experienced it. After the jump are just some of the sights and circumstances that epitomize the yellow label.
The Veuve Clicquot Recipe: 1 Part Designby: Jamie Starr
Today I'm going to highlight the first ingredient in the four part Veuve Clicquot Recipe that I promised you yesterday: 1 part design. It became clear to me during my time in France that design plays a central role in the Veuve Clicquot brand. Through collaborations with some of the world's foremost luxury brands and designers, it has been successful in parlaying it's famous and storied heritage into a modern brand with modern appeal. During that process, it rings true that the history of Veuve Clicquot is never lost in one of their many modern updates — rather, its authenticity has been artfully preserved.
While there are many more examples of how VC has tapped the talents of some of the worlds most astute designers to keep the brand constantly updated and relevant (case in point, it's collaborations with Christophe Pillet), I've chosen to feature four of my favorite projects in this post…
Veuve Clicquot Vertical Limit by Porsche Design (photos above). With a limited production of twelve units and a staggering cost of 120,000 Euros, the Vertical Limit is not your ordinary champagne cooler. Its design aesthetic is unmistakably Porsche Design, with those cool, clean metallic lines and warm back-lit interior. Veuve Clicquot's contribution inside is even more impressive… a collection of twelve vintages; twelve perfect marriages of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. When one of the lucky owners decides to vacate one of the spots in the Vertical Limit, she can fill the empty spot with another one of her favorite vintages. The year of birth of a given vintage is printed on the end of each individual door on a metallic placard. For lack of a better description, this thing's "baller."
My other 3 design picks are after the jump…
Veuve Clicquot: My Podium Picksby: Jamie Starr
As a bonus to the Veuve Clicquot "recipe" which I will be assembling for you all this week, I thought I'd also offer up a bit of instant gratification — good form for a Monday, I figure. During my time with VC, the other bloggers and I had plenty of opportunities to try plenty of different kinds of champagne. I found myself battling with the dichotomy of objectively great champagne (the stuff that's known to be great) and subjectively great champagne (the stuff I liked regardless of its reputation) — a philosophical debacle of monumental proportions, right? At times, it was a bit overwhelmed (coming to mind immediately is the dizzy feeling I had at the luncheon we had at the Verzy Mansion right after our first morning tasting event with master Oenologist Cyril Brun)… but when in Reims, one must make the most of each flute of champagne laid in front of them, right?
After the jump are my three favorites, in no particular order. For each, I've included a link to explanations by the experts at Veuve Clicquot, as well my various (humble) musings…
The Veuve Clicquot Recipe: A Miniseriesby: Jamie Starr
Last week, a perfect storm of luck, timing, karmic repayment, and a unforeseen hiccup in Josh's schedule had me whisking off to Paris on an Open Skies flight to join some other bloggers as guests of Veuve Clicquot (think bold yellow label). In the past few years I've been noticing a stronger presence of Veuve Clicquot in the states — I think this is probably due to a combination of my own personal maturation, taking a notice in their various thoughtful forays into the world of design, and an increased marketing outreach on VC's part. From a branding standpoint, I always thought that VC "got it," and was doing a nice job reaching out to the U.S. market, but I was excited to get behind the curtain to see what that wonderful wizard was all about on a more nuts-and-bolts level.
In the States, we tend to treat champagne ("bubbly") as a celebratory mechanism — our approach is decidedly habitual and formulaic, drawing cues from holidays like New Years and pop culture icons Jay-Z and 50-Cent (who drink lots of bubbly in the 'cluh' and show us in their videos just how that process works). A romantic portrayal of champagne? Sure, why not? But champagne has different significance in France. In its homeland, champagne is an integral component of French society, its heritage, and frankly, its style. Indeed, what I came to find out during my week with Veuve Clicquot is that, to the French, champagne is a way of life deeply rooted in tradition, rich soil, and most of all, family.
Some of these press trips can be nightmarish — following PR people around like puppy dogs for days on end, as a corporate agenda is shoved down your throat — and in which something (a certain advertorial something) is invariably expected of you in the end. This trip was of the more natural ilk — the nice people at Veuve Clicquot simply wanted us to experience their brand and their culture, and by adopting us into their family (literally), they created a truly enriching setting whereby I became inspired to share my experience with you all. Our aim as contributors on Joshspear.com is to continue the tradition upon which Josh founded the blog: to write about things we like — things that inspire us. Well make no mistake, my experience in France with Veuve Clicquot inspired me deeply.
Over the course of this week, I will endeavor to provide you, the readers, with the Veuve Clicquot recipe. I hope you will enjoy the ingredients on their own, and as a harmonious whole. But just remember, as with haute French cuisine, there are nuanced ingredients which can only be discovered through first hand experience — I will hold these 'special' ingredients in my mind and in my heart, with a hope that someday you will discover them for yourselves.
So, here's a simple list of the ingredients in the Veuve Clicquot recipe. If you want to know how they all come together, stay tuned this week!
- 1 part design (Tuesday)
- 1 part ambiance (Wednesday)
- 1 part expertise (Thursday)
- 2 parts family (Friday)
Mix together for a little over 200 years, and enjoy.
Photos courtesy of Xavier Lavictoire


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HandyAmerican.com has professional residential and commercial roofing contractors, general contractors and other service professionals located in or serving almost everywhere across the US including large cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Philadelphia, San Antonio, Dallas, San Jose, Jacksonville, Indianapolis, Columbus and even smaller cities like Bolder, Green Bay, Cambridge and Springfield. No matter the nature or extent of your home roof repair or business roof restoration project, HandyAmerican.com has you covered.
Roof restoration is quite an investment and not one you should take lightly. It's astonishing that many people do plenty of research before they buy a plasma TV but they won't put forth the same effort when hiring a roofing contractor to replace their roof which typically costs ten times as much if not more.
The age of your roof will have a lot to do with the type roof services you require. Typically, roof shingles last about 20-25 years, so if you have a roof thats only a few years old, roof repair using new roofing materials is probably your best option since the roof will most likely still last a very long time. However if your roof is in the 15-25 year range you may have to take a closer look at it to determine if you should go ahead and replace it. At some point roof repair becomes a losing proposition because of the required maintenance that will be needed as your roof continues to age. The amount of time you have left at your current residence should also factor into whether you have the roof shingles repaired, or a totally new roof installed.
If you've already determined that you need new installation roof services, it is time to start looking for a roofing contractor. One of the first things we recommend you do is to develop a list of about five roofing contractors that youd like to have provide a roofing proposal on roof repair or to replace your roof. Your job will be to screen and weed out any roofing contractors that could potentially cause problems for you or that have poor reputations in the roof repair industry.
Obviously the first place to start your search for professional roofing contractors is with friends, relatives, neighbors and acquaintances that have recently had roof repair work done. It's important to note here though that just because you received a personal reference from someone doesn't mean that the contractor shouldnt be screened. This is the big mistake a lot of folks make and they end up paying for it dearly in the long run... they hire a contractor to do really expensive work just because someone they know referred them. Don't make that same mistake... Sure put personal referrals and those with contractor insurance at the top of the list, but do your due diligence and screen them with the rest of your contractors. The probability of hiring a good roofing contractor are greatly increased by doing this.
If you're having trouble finding referrals or references to complete your list of potential roof restoration contractors you can always turn to the major roofing materials suppliers in your area and ask them for some referrals or recommendations as well. Suppliers often have a good idea of who provides a lot of roof services, since they get to see which roofing contractors pay on time and how often they purchase roofing materials and sometimes they even get to know which roof restoration professional has a good reputation in the industry and which ones don't.
You can do the same with general contractors and building inspectors. These professionals can be outstanding resources for you as they work with roof repair contractors on a fairly consistent basis. You may find that some of these professionals are reluctant to share information with you good or bad about the roofing contractors you're considering and that's typically due to a professional courtesy. To get the information you want on professional roofing contractors, you may need to "sweeten the pot" a bit by offering a free lunch, a free round of golf or may be a free cold beer after a long day of work. The point is these professionals work with roofing contractors all the time and believe it or not, they know who the good roofing contractors are and who the bad ones are as well. General contractors, building inspectors and roof restoration suppliers are all great sources of information if you can get them to open up...
To complete your list of potential specialty roofing candidates I strongly recommend you seek one with contractor insurance. And consider searching the Handy American directory for a dependable and honest contractor in your area.
Once you've developed a list of about five roofing contractors what you want to do is weed out all the bad apples and screen them so that you can give yourself the best chance to hire a good and competent specialty roofing contractor that knows his craft and will do the roof restoration job right the first time.
Let's get the obvious stuff out of the way first. Aside from having contractor insurance, you want to make sure your roofing contractors have permanent places of business and that they have a regular telephone number. Check to make sure he is licensed or bonded. Requirements vary from state to state but it's always a better idea to hire a roofing contractor with contractor insurance. One that is licensed and bonded because it gives you some options if you have future problems with your roof services. Say it starts to leak or something...
You can check to see if the roofing contractor is licensed by doing a search in Google for "state license board your state" and just replace "Your state" with the actual name of your state. To kill two birds with one stone, call the office to find out if the professional roofing contractor is licensed. To find out whether or not he is an honest contractor, ask if recent complaints have been lodged against him. The state licensing board is one of the first places people go to complain about bad experiences with contractors and that's another reason to go with a licensed specialty roofing contractor.
There are plenty of projects around the house that you can use less skilled contractors for but roof services isnt one of them. A roof is very expensive to replace so you want to make sure you find the best professional roofing contractor for the new roof installation or roof repair job. To do that you'll need to start digging some more for reviews or data on what type of successful roofing work the roof restoration contractor is known for before you request a roofing proposal.
One of the first places to check to determine if the roofer is an honest contractor is the Better Business Bureau at www.bbb.org. Basically what you're looking for are any complaints involving the roofing contractors on your list.
Any roofing contractor can get angry customers at one point or another so it's important to note that just because a contractor has a complaint or two doesn't mean that they are not an honest contractor or reliable roof restoration professional. Something else you'll want to look at closely is how disputes and disagreements are resolved by the contractors on your list. Do they work with their clients to find a resolution? By the same token you probably want to stay away from any roofing contractors that have several unresolved complaints or several recent complaints as it could be a sign of a contractor in financial trouble.
Once you're done pre-screening your list of potential roofing contractors, you can move forward by having the contractors that are left provide a roofing proposal on your roofing project. Hopefully you have at least two but preferably three roof restoration candidates left so you can have a few different bids to look at and compare. Along with their roofing proposal let the professional roofing candidates know that you'll need to see proof of Workers Compensation and contractor insurance if they are selected for roof services. It is absolutely necessary for the roofer you hire to have current contractor insurance in the event that a roofer get's injured while working on your roof. If the roof repair contractor does not have insurance, you could be held liable and that's obviously a headache you do not want. When you decide upon a roofing contractor, you'll want to ask your roofer for his contractor insurance agents contact information so you can ask for a certificate of insurance to verify that all insurance is current. Avoid roofing contractors who say you don't need contractor insurance or that says your homeowners insurance will cover the work.
If you are going with a larger roof restoration company it's possible that the person that comes out to do the roofing proposal will be a sales person rather than a roofing contractor. It's important to note that sales people often over promise on what the actual roofers will be able to deliver. Good professional roofing contractors will get on your roof to inspect the condition of the roofing materials as well as the decking, ventilation and flashing. For a detailed look at what flashing is and how it works check out: Extreme How To - Roof Flashing. The more you know about roofs and how they work the better you'll be able to discern a good roofing contractor from a bad one.
The National Roofing Contractors Association also provides a couple of really useful forms that you can use to pre-qualify your list of contractors and also to give yourself a good idea of what kinds of questions you should be asking as well as give yourself a great idea of what to look for. The first form is a pdf that you can print up and use to compile information about the potential roofing contractor. If you're a little uneasy about interviewing professional roofing candidates you can also use this National Roofing Contractors Association form a guide during your interview. You can download it here. The National Roofing Contractors Association also provides a printable pdf that you can use to compare a couple of contractors so you can see a side by side comparison of your best roofing contractor prospects. You can download and print it here. Alternatively you can also download and print our contractor comparison form by clicking here. A roofing proposal from a good roofing contractor will specify in great detail what roof repair problems currently exist in your roof and how they will be addressed. When you walk away from an interview with a roofing contractor you should feel more educated about the decision you have to make because part of the job of a good roofing contractor is to educate and inform their potential clients on all the options possible for their budget. The roofing proposal should answer any questions you have about the roof restoration project. If it doesn't than those questions need to be addressed prior to proceeding.
One of the best things you can do to improve your chances of hiring a good professional roofing contractor is to speak to the references provided by the roofer and also to any of your personal friends or acquaintances who referred you to a specific roof services provider. If you're unsure of what to ask, check out our free form which outlines which questions to ask by going to: contractor reference checklist. Below are some questions you may want to consider asking:
Again use the forms linked to above to help you compile all of the information you've gathered to help you make a better, more informed decision. Your goal at the beginning of this process should be to end up with two to three qualified roofing contractors that will bid on your roofing project and make it hard for you to make a decision. If you're having a hard time making a decision at this point because you have multiple roofers that appear to be well qualified and you have some great looking roofing proposal options then you're exactly in the position you want to be in.
Signing a contract with your roofing contractor of choice is the best way to avoid any misunderstanding down the line. While it is impossible to cover all the minutiae and nuances of a professional roofing contract here, below are some points you may want to cover in your roof services contact.
A new roof is a considerable investment and not something you should take lightly. Qualifying and screening roofing contractors will give you a much better chance of finding the most reliable and honest contractor possible. And hiring a good roofing contractor who will do the roof restoration job right the first time.
This article outlines how to select the right contractor, what to avoid, getting quotes, the contract, payment arrangement, and much more. Please take the time To read through our hiring tips and download the useful forms available to help make the selection process easier.
Post your roofing project online and receive free estimates from local, top-rated contractors. Posting your project is fast, free and easy to use. Most consumers receive responses to their posting within an hour.