text:
Check-out Drinks x Community Vernissage
We gather around for another special edition of Checkout Drinks, this time in the midst of art from our fellow Factory members. Over 20 talented members will have artworks hanging throughout the First Floor Community Space for you to enjoy.
Come along and join us for an evening of great art and drinks to prepare you for the weekend.
Save the date in your Google Calendar
April 5, 2019
5:00 pm - 9:00 pm
1st Floor, Community Space, Factory Berlin Mitte,
Rheinsberger Straße 76/77, 1st Floor, Schönholz
Berlin, Berlin 10115 Germany
Member Event


text:
Another drum machine classic got sampled for this Boss DR550 MKii Drum Kit! The DR-550 Mk2 is a real workhorse. If you are into hardware drum machines, this one is easily worth up to $100 depending on the condition. As with many older hardware, you will run into limitations, like emitting an extra hum when used with the adaptor. Simply use a few AA batteries when you record – problem solved. Being able to run this solely on batteries, also makes this a very portable drum machine. Add an SP404 to your setup and make beats in nature!
All the limitations shouldn't concern you with this Boss DR550MKii Drum Kit however, because it captures the most interesting part of the machine: The Sounds! The DR550MKii has really good thick sounds. Basic, but punchy, these are great for music with heavier drums or to layer over other drum machines.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Courtesy of Wally S., Wally's Urban Market Garden, Saskatoon SK
My beds will soon be resting, due to Saskatoon's sub-zero winters, but if it were up to me I'd keep them going all year round. There is a widespread belief in "letting beds rest" after about 3 to 5 years of production. This notion has its roots in the English countryside, and in the practice there of using leys, which rebuild the soil's content of organic matter and restores the biological process. This approach works for a large acreage, but it's not practical in an urbanized/intensive context.
SPIN-scale farmers need to make full use of their land base, and they need to keep an open mind when it comes to keeping their soil healthy and productive. Several of my urban garden plots in Saskatoon have been cropped for a half century, or more, and I am still getting good production. Most serious home gardeners crop their garden continuously, adding manure or compost every year. And certain crops, such as legumes, help rebuild the soil, and they can be incorporated into a SPIN crop repertoire. Classic high-value crops like green beans, broad beans, and peas fall into this category.
When it comes to soil, letting beds rest is not always the best prescription. With proper selection of crops, and the addition of soil amendments, continuous production is entirely feasible. SPIN farmers need to work their judgment and common sense, as hard as their beds, and know which farming practices to hold onto and which ones to let go.


text:
bullshit, seo
SEO is using deodorant instead of washing.
Hi there! I'm Jan Kubr, mainly a Ruby/Ruby on Rails developer from Prague. See my professional summary or my LinkedIn profile. I write about Ruby and RoR at jan on ruby and here about everything else. If you want to know more, feel free to contact me via Flempo. Cheers.
Blog at WordPress.com.


text:
IntelMPI on Windows
Compiling with Intel compilers on Windows is a distinctive task from MacOS or Linux.
The Intel C, C++ and Fortran compilers masquerade as Visual Studio compilers, especially in their command line options.
The correct version of Visual Studio must be installed on Windows for Intel compilers to work.
For the Intel Fortran compiler on Windows, the build options one normally uses for Intel Fortran on MacOS and Linux do not work, and even error out the compiler.
For C and C++, one must use the
icl compiler (there is no
icc or
icpc on Windows) as if it were MSVC.
That can be perplexing at first for those not coming from the MSVC world.
The scientific computing world and most software engineering tasks not originating in the Microsoft domain use GCC-like compilers, which have completely different sets of compiler options.
You must have the Intel Parallel Studio with Cluster options installed for C/C++ and Fortran. Additionally, you must have the Intel MPI library installed to get the compiler wrappers necessary for most uses. CMake and Meson may not recognize Intel MPI without the Intel MPI compiler wrapppers. Then you will have the Intel MPI compiler wrappers.
Loading Intel compiler environment
It's important that you load the
compilervars.bat script to enable the Intel compilers for each session and NOT the psxevars.bat.
For convenience, make a batch script like
%userprofile%\intel.bat containing:
C:\"Program Files (x86)"\IntelSWTools\parallel_studio_xe_2019\compilers_and_libraries_2019\windows\bin\compilervars.bat intel64`
set FC=ifort
set CC=icl
set CXX=icl
Another distinctive feature of using MPI on Windows is that a username and password are required, even on a simple standalone laptop. Good security practices may include creating a separate unprivileged user account that is only used for MPI jobs. If this is suitable for your security environment, run MPI jobs in that other user account by from Command Prompt:
runas /user:mympiusername cmd
This opens a new Command Prompt window.
The environment variables are not passed to this new window, so you may need to run Intel
compilervars.bat again.
You can register the user credential into the Windows registry, if appropriate for your environment. If doing so, we would again urge to consider using a separate user account that's only used for MPI runs.
If you don't sign in, errors will be like:
Unable to manage jobs using credentials with a blank password. Please enter another account.
Intel MPI on Windows is only for Intel compiler
Unlike for Linux Intel MPI that may be used with:
gfortranout of the box
- PGI via
Windows Intel MPI is only for the Intel Fortran compiler and no other Fortran compiler at this time. For C/C++, WIndows Intel MPI supports Visual Studio and the Intel compilers only.
Intel 19.1 compiler MPI does not support
use mpi_f08 the Fortran 2008 bindings.
To keep compatibility with IntelMPI on Windows, at this time one would consider the legacy Fortran MPI interface:
use mpi
call mpi_init(ierr)
call mpi_finalize(ierr)
end program
The Fortran 77
include mpif.h should be avoided in current Fortran programs as it breaks the fundamental Fortran 90 paradigm of modularity.


text:
Google Adding its own ad blocker in Chrome
Google is planning to introduce an ad-blocking feature in the mobile and desktop versions of its popular Chrome web browser. According to reports from the Wall Street Journal, The search giant is working on an ad filter that would be built into its Chrome web browser, people familiar with the plans confirmed.
The ad-blocking feature, which could be switched on by default within Chrome, would filter out certain online ad types deemed to provide bad experiences for users as they move around the web.
Google made around £47 billion from online ads last year.
With the overwhelming majority of Google's income coming from advertising, ad-blocking is a problem for the company. The feature is understood to only block 'unacceptable' ads, rather than every single ad that appears.
In the U.S. Chrome has nearly 47.5% of the browser market across all platforms, according to online analytics provider StatCounter.
The idea is that if Google can tidy up the ads in Chrome, people won't feel the need to install an additional ad blocker.
Reports claimed that the plans could be announced and rolled out in weeks – or withdrawn entirely.


text:
Data returned from the Piano 'meterActive/meterExpired' callback event.
Sunday 12th July at 1.30pm and 3.30pm & Monday 13th July at 10.30am and 4.30pm
Under the sea, out on the farm and into the jungle, these terrific tales are woven together with live music, puppetry and a whole host of colourful characters from Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's best-loved titles: Tiddler, Monkey Puzzle, The Smartest Giant in Town and A Squash and a Squeeze. From the team behind Zog and Tabby McTat, funky moves, toe tapping tunes and giggles are guaranteed – a perfect treat for all ages!
"A delight from start to finish. A room of children laughing hysterically, all totally mesmerised by the action."
★★★★ Time Out
"Brings such joy to children and adults alike. The show was so captivating that no one wanted to miss a moment." ★★★★★ The Spy in the Stalls
Plus, join us an hour before the show for a free craft activity!


text:
The application form should be the easiest portion of the submission. You can find a fillable application form here.
Please let your qualifying relative know you are applying for this scholarship. If you aren't sure your relative is a union member, we suggest you ask them. If for some reason you cannot get that information, please call 808 537 3327 or email email@example.com and we'll make an effort to contact the ILWULocal142 and find out. You can also call their head office on Oahu at 808 949-4161.


text:
On December 19, the 2019 China Finance Summit was held in Beijing. This summit was co-organized by the China Industrial Development and Reform Commission affiliated to the China Development and Reform Commission, a financial media subsidiary of China News Agency. The theme is "The Power of Innovation". NG Zhang, the Chairman and CEO of Canaan, attended the forum as the sole corporate representative and delivered a keynote speech on "Connecting Everything with Computing and Integrating the World with Intelligence".
NG Zhang thought in the next decade, the industrial intelligent upgrade will move from social consensus to large-scale implementation. This is the combined force of changes in economic and technological forms in behind. From the perspective of technology, computing is the main axis that runs through the integration of various new technologies. At the same time, as technology evolves, computing faces different challenges. Most of the current networks are unstructured data, and structured processing of native data is required for machine learning. The challenge facing the current computing architecture is that it cannot fully meet the massive throughput required for machine learning. Transformation of computing architecture is imperative.
NG Zhang also believes that AI chips are quite different from traditional chips. Traditional chip vendors are isolated from upper-layer applications and do not assume responsibility for developing algorithms, applications, and solutions. The prominent feature of AI chip manufacturers is that the development of upper-layer applications requires a deep understanding of user scenarios. After algorithm design, data acquisition, algorithm training and deployment, and upper-layer application development, finally products and services can be formed.
As algorithms and scenarios become fixed, dedicated computing that meets specific computing power and power requirements will become the mainstream framework. NG Zhang also announced the design architecture of the second generation AI chip of Canaan. NG Zhang said that the new generation of Kanzhi K510 chip has been greatly optimized in algorithm and architecture. Compared with the first-generation chip, the K510's computing power will increase by 5-10 times, and it will be developed for 5G scenarios. It will be used for landing applications in intelligent driving, smart retail and other fields.


text:
The Art Experience, Inc. obtained its 501(c)(3) non-profit status in 2010 in order to provide art therapy and creative experiences in a safe, growth oriented environment to those who otherwise would be unable to afford these services and experiences. In addition we offer a variety of creative and personal insight creativity groups for children and adults.
Do you like this page?


text:
Career Center
Job Seekers, Welcome to AIA Career Center
Free resume review offer
Job seekers with a registered AIA Career Center account now have access to a FREE one-time resume evaluation. Sign in and visit your profile page to take advantage of this new service.
The job you tried to view is no longer active.
See similar jobs below or perform a new job search.
See similar jobs below or perform a new job search.
Sort By
95 'design OR principal OR higher OR education OR STATECODE:"TX"' Jobs
West Palm Beach, Florida
Gracia Stromberg
4 Weeks Ago
Mimar Ponte Mellor (dba) - Mimar Architects and Engineers, Inc.
2 Weeks Ago
West Palm Beach, Florida
Garcia Stromberg/GS4 Studios
4 Weeks Ago
Powered By


text:
This article also available in: Russian
Recently there was a release of new free to play game – Hook Wars: Run Pudge Run! on Android platform.
In this game player should survive the hook hunt in the endless runner. During game player collecting coins and coin patterns (30 unique). Also there are 5 heroes in game to unlock and 4 unique maps.
I've player this game for several hours and find it funny and challenging.
Developers are going to release new version on iOS soon.
You can download this game from google play store by link:


text:
Adding Cooling to a Hydronic System
A fair amount of our work is not really "geothermal". In this case, we are working with an existing boiler hydronic system converted to geothermal.
The initial conversion functioned, but had poor climate control. Heat wasn't all that adequate with the original staple up PEX spacing and there was no cooling option.
So, the plan is to work with fan convectors, and we'll get to that in a follow-up post.
But first we took the opportunity to fix the existing boiler room plumbing.
A couple of items were taken care of besides tidying up the years of fixes:
- constant differential pressure load pumps were installed to allow zoning flows to be controlled simply and effectively
- remote REHAU headers (not shown) are installed to allow the future fan convector installation (heating and cooling)
- makeup water done properly (pressure reducing valve, air separator, expansion tank, backflow preventor)
Now we have the proper foundation in which to move some heat and cool around the house.
Tags In
- Business (1)
- Controls (2)
- Design (3)
- District Energy System (1)
- Energy and Costs (2)
- Installation (5)
- Plumbing Schematic (1)
- Pond Loops (2)
- Residential (9)
- Service (3)


text:
If the university has reason to believe that a student may be in violation of the Policy on Academic Integrity and Misconduct, the university may initiate the processes set out below in the following order:
1. Where appropriate, a faculty member or associate faculty member, upon suspecting or determining that a student has contravened the Policy on Academic Integrity and Misconduct, will explore the matter. Faculty members or associate faculty must discuss the matter with the student within five business days of the matter being brought to their attention. If a resolution to the matter is found to the satisfaction of the faculty or associate faculty member including sanctions that is consistent with the interests of the university the matter will be closed. Written confirmation of the matter will be provided to the Dean by the faculty member or associate faculty member.
2. Should an informal resolution not be found, or not be appropriate, the matter will be referred to the head of the academic program (if applicable) and the director of the School who shall make such inquiries as necessary to determine whether a violation of this Policy has occurred and endeavour to find an informal resolution to the matter. The director must discuss the matter with the student and faculty member involved within five business days of the matter being brought to his/her attention.
3. Should an informal resolution not be found, or not be appropriate, the matter will be referred to the Dean who will immediately notify the Registrar. At this point, any changes to the student's academic records will be suspended pending resolution. The head of the academic unit must provide the student's name, student number, course in which the student is registered, the Instructor's name, a brief description of the offence, and what steps were taken to verify that the offence occurred. This report is maintained in a confidential file in the Registrar's Office pending final determination of the case.
4. The Dean shall provide the student with an opportunity to be heard in conjunction with the allegations against them. In some cases, the Dean may request an independent review by a third party, in which case the student is to be advised and provided with an estimate of the length of time this process will require, which will normally not exceed one month. Should the Dean determine that a violation of this policy has occurred, actions that may be taken include, but are not limited to:
A copy of the Dean's letter advising the student of the penalty is provided to the Registrar and placed in the student's file.
If the misconduct involved research funded in whole or in part by one of the national granting Councils or another funding agency and misconduct was found to have occurred, a copy of the Final Report will be transmitted to that Council or other funding agency by the VPA within 30 days of the conclusion of the inquiry/investigation. If an allegation is dismissed, as described under paragraph 4 above or otherwise determined to have been unfounded, and the Council or other funding agency is known to be aware or is likely to be aware of the allegation, the VPA will so inform the Council or other funding agency. In cases where it is the Council which initiates a request for inquiry/investigation, the VPA will provide the Council, whose funds are involved, with a comprehensive report of the process and findings.
5. The student shall have the right to appeal the decision of the Dean to the VPA. A request for an appeal must be made by the student, in writing, to the VPA within five business days of receiving the Dean's written decision.
6. The VPA shall request a meeting with the student, in a timely fashion. Notice of this meeting shall inform the student of the allegation of misconduct, include a summary of the allegation and state that the purpose of the meeting is to determine whether a formal investigation is warranted. The notice shall also inform the student of his or her right to be accompanied by any person of his/her choice at this or other future sessions related to a formal investigation.
The VPA may, at his/her sole discretion:
a) dismiss the allegation(s), in which case the decision of the VPA is final and not subject to further appeal by any party;
b) make a determination that a violation of this Policy has occurred. The decision of the VPA is final and not subject to further appeal. Actions that may be taken include, but are not limited to:
A copy of the VPA's letter advising the student of the penalty is provided to the Registrar and placed in the student's file.
c) strike an Investigative Committee.
7. Should the VPA refer the matter to an Investigative Committee, the committee will then consider the matter and may meet with the student.
8. The Investigative Committee will be comprised of one student at the same academic level (i.e., undergraduate or graduate) from programs other than that in which the student is enrolled, a core faculty member from the Faculty in which the student is not enrolled, and a staff member who is not a member of the Faculty. Members will be appointed by the VPA. The members will select a chair by majority vote.
9. The Investigative Committee shall determine its own procedure, having regard to its duty to act fairly toward the student. Students have the right to an opportunity to be heard in connection with the allegations against them. The Investigative Committee will determine whether it will hear from the student in person, in writing, or by some other means. If the Investigative Committee decides to meet with the student, the Investigative Committee will make a reasonable effort to notify the student in writing of the meeting no less than five business days before the meeting; a reasonable attempt will be made to arrange the meeting at the convenience of the student. The Investigative Committee shall have the power to deny the appeal, to allow the appeal and to set aside the decision of the Dean, or to vary the decision of the Dean, including by substituting any penalty for that imposed by the Dean. The Investigative Committee may impose a penalty greater or lesser than that imposed by the Dean, and has the authority to recommend the suspension or expulsion of the student.
10. Decisions of the Investigative Committee shall be final and not subject to further appeal except in cases where the decision of the Investigative Committee is to recommend the student be suspended or expelled from the university. Decisions of the Investigative Committee shall be given in timely fashion.
11. Should the Dean, VPA, or the Investigative Committee recommend to the President that the student be suspended or expelled, the President shall, prior to making a decision, provide the student an opportunity to be heard in a timely fashion. The President shall determine whether to hear from the student in person, in writing, or by some other means.
12. The student may appeal the decision of the President. If the student wishes to appeal that decision, he or she must submit a notice of appeal to the Secretary of the Board of Governors within five working days of receipt of the decision of the President. The appeal shall be considered by the Board of Governors' Appeals Committee, the decision of which is final and binding. Appeal procedures are outlined in the document entitled "Appeal Procedures for Decisions of the President to Suspend or Expel a Student."
Investigations and appeals are to be conducted in a timely manner without undue delay. The communication of decisions required above shall be initiated within two working days of the final decision being reached.
Notice required under these guidelines may be given by email to the student's RRU account, by email to an RRU staff or faculty account, or by mail/courier to the address on record with the Registrar's Office.
The Registrar's Office is the Office of Primary Responsibility for all files in such matters and will retain the official record of any investigations and actions taken.
The Registrar will oversee the implementation of disciplinary action that results from this process.
Grade Appeals Process [1] under Academic Regulation contains all the steps!
Previous revisions:
9 October 2013 [and 12 November 2014]
15 September 2010
21 November 2007
19 July 2000
[1] http://policies.royalroads.ca/academic-regulations/section-5-grade-appeal-process


text:
Older Entries
Project Journal
July 12, 2020
Hey Folks, So sorry it has been so long for another update. Life has been a roller read more
- Quick Update
June 14, 2020
Hey Folks Just a quick update. I have been meaning to provide a site update for read more
Sustainability Blog
October 26, 2019
read more
- BC Governement looks at banning one use plastics.
July 26, 2019
Please have your say and complete this short survey. The time isread more
- BC Governement looks at banning one use plastics.
Past Project Journal Entires
July 12, 2020
Hey Folks, So sorry it has been so long for another update. Life has been a roller read more
- Quick Update
June 14, 2020
Hey Folks Just a quick update. I have been meaning to provide a site update for read more
- Hot Water
May 25, 2020
Once again, I need to share my gratitude to another manufacturer that has seen the read more
Monthly Archives: June 2016
One to go – We have started framing the second floor
June 16, 2016
Top ↑
Well, today was a great day, as the first of the two beams that will support the second storey were installed. As hoped, I was able to do this task with 100% mechanical assist.
Alfie was able to lift the 350 lb beam over the front entrance/office, that will support the upper floor exterior east wall, close to the final location and then it was a simple matter of sliding it along the top plates.
The 320 lb beam that supports the north end of the floor trusses located over the living room was a bit more work. The biggest challenge was that the west end of this beam was to sit into a beam hanger that was to be nailed to the side of the 16″ deep lintel over the kitchen window. So it was not a simple 'slide' job like the first. This time I used Alfie, one of my wall jacks, and my neighbours hydraulic car jack. I also built a 'skateboard' to assist the effort using one the the FastCap Speed Skates I recently purchased.
As you will see in the video below, the process entailed sliding the beam through the kitchen window opening by supporting the east end with the skateboard and installing a rail along the side so the beam would not flop over. I then built a cage at the west end so again the beam would not flop over and raised one end into place using the wall jack and the other end the car jack. Once at right height, it was a simple matter to nail hanger into place to secure.
Would it have been faster to just lift in place with 3-4 guys? Absolutely, but it is hard to find labour for such a small task (beams would have taken well under an hour), and although there would be some assistance available in the neighbourhood, I really do not want to take a chance of someone hurting their back. My approach took longer but was safer, and a lot less stress. The rest of the beams are generally around the perimeter of the house, so can easily be lifted into place with Alfie, or if in the middle of the house, are quite small.
It feels great to have finished the first storey. Many, including myself, were not so sure I could do the framing by myself. But other than two minor partition walls to build around the stairs to the basement, and the garage walls that will both be raised later in the build, all of the first level framing is complete.
I should finish the installation of the beams this week and start on the floor truss layout next week. If all goes well, I should have the floor assembly wrapped up by the end of the month and start framing the second floor walls. Woo-Hoo!
Thanks for visiting!
This and That
June 5, 2016
Top ↑
While I comply with my medical team's instructions and have some down time after my latest cortisone shot, I thought I would address a few questions/comments/concerns that have been raised about my construction methods and build in general.
Q: Why don't you wear a construction apron for your hammer and other tools? You would be a lot more efficient.
A: Great and very true point – BUT, my back is under enough strain and I am doing everything possible to baby it during this extended building process. Around the waste aprons are actually very hard on your lower back and foolish for those with discs that are already bulging. I could wear a vest for the tools which would help as it distributes the weight much better across the whole upper body, but they are very hot, and I would rather take a small hit in efficiency and be more comfortable as a result. I am getting better at remembering to grab the appropriate tool as I move about the job-site and have it sitting close by when I need it.
Q: How did your dehumidifiers do and can you advise the make and model.
A: They have performed flawlessly except for the fact that they do use a lot of power (7A – less than commercial units but still a lot). When I had all three running, my power consumption per month was averaging 1100 – 1600 kWh or $160-$230/month (compared to <$50 for normal month). But this is a small price to pay to keep the basement dry. When I compared the output (amount of moisture removed from the air) under identical conditions (both units running at same time) between rental and my 'cheaper' unit, I was shocked to see my purchased consumer unit outperformed the industrial unit. In a period of about 14 hours, the rented KOMPACT model 10240KP-US removed around 4.5 Litres where the purchased Ecohouznd 33.1L Dehumidifier removed 7 litres of moisture from the air.
Q: Why did your basement get so wet since you had a tarp?
A: I still do not understand all the factors that played into my wet-up of the beams in the basement. Here is what I do know.
- A lot of moisture was present in the gravel drainage plane at the bottom of the excavation helping create a very high humidity in the basement (89% RH)
- The sap wood in engineered products absorbs moisture more readily than heart wood and also provides a better food source for fungi growth.
- The micro environment created between the tarp and the floor deck (tarp was between 12″ and 5′ above the deck) allowed an even high vapour pressure that contributed to condensation and frost on the underside of the tarp. This moisture then dripped back down to the deck and wetted up the floor sheathing further contributing to the basement moisture levels.
- I unfortunately had several reoccurring bulk moisture leaks (holes in tarp) at key locations that were directly wetting some of the beams. This moisture would then travel quickly down the length of the beam do to capillary action.
Recommendations for others – A tarp is still a great idea to keep bulk water off of the floor deck, but expediting the placement of the basement floor slab is also critical to cut off the large moisture source below the dwelling. If you do find yourself with fungi growth, I can heavily recommend the Concrobium Pro Mold Stain Remover to remove any stains that develop and the Mold Control to ensure fungi spore is eradicated and prevented in future during subsequent wetting events.
Q: What happens when you loose power, are you going to flood?
A: I could but not likely.
In many parts of the Lower Mainland, basements are built below the municipal storm sewer lines. For an example, my storm sewer connection is only a couple of feet below grade. All of these houses are consequently built with a collection sump (concrete tube that extends below grade to a point below the deepest floor slab of the dwelling). This sump collects, by means of the perimeter drain pipe, any below grade ground water (so generally should not be huge flows unless an underground stream or spring is present). The collected water is held in this sump until the height gets high enough to trigger a pumps float switch and then is pumped up generally to a shallow sump that gravity feeds into the storm sewer.
On my build, my installation of a very thick granular drainage plane below the structure means that I have close to 100 hours of buffer during a power outage before the water level would raise up high enough to impact the basement floor slab. Power outages this long are highly unusual in my region (we have never had one in the 17 years we have lived here).
I also plan to have a backup diesel generator for the dwelling (I am choosing diesel so that I can convert it to a duel fuel system that can also burn waste vegetable oil). This will provide backup power to the sump pumps when needed in extreme circumstances.
My foundation is also waterproofed to a much higher standard than 99% of residential buildings. Instead of 'damp-proofing', I have waterproofed my foundation utilizing a bag footing system sealed to under slab poly and a torch on membrane on the exterior of the foundation wall. In essence, I have built a boat. So even IF the water level rose high enough, it would unlikely ever be able to penetrate the sub grade building envelope.
Q: Why don't you hire people to help and get done faster.
A: I have addressed this question a few times before and the short answer is because it still does not pay. An unskilled labourer would cost me over $3200 per month and improve my efficiency by maybe 25% to 30% max. But my holding costs including financing, site utilities, rent, temp storage, property taxes, and insurance are only around $40K per year (some of these costs like insurance and taxes will be even higher once structure is complete). So it would cost me $3200 to save $1000 per month ($40K/12*30% increase in efficiency). The bigger picture is that I should save somewhere between $450K and $500K by doing almost all of the work myself (both bank and insurance company estimated build costs at close to $1M and I am budgeting well below $500K). At this point it is looking like it will take me an extra 2.25 years to complete compared to a standard build of 1 year that is common in our neighbourhood for most builders. So if I subtract 2.25 * my yearly holding costs of $40K from say $450K savings, I am still left with a $360K in expected savings. If instead, I looked at just framing entire tasks out to subs, my potential savings would be whittled down very quickly and my tress level would go through the roof as I struggled to find contractors willing to meet my build schema in terms of quality and building science best practices.
Of course, this level of savings is only possible if you possess the skills, stamina, and perseverance to do all of the required tasks yourself. I believe I do, but warn you that it is not for the feint of heart! You must possess a lot of stubbornness and patience to push through all of the setbacks and hurtles you will face during the process.
Q: When DO you expect to finish?
A: I get this question the most often. It is my strong belief that the construction will be complete enough for us to move in by this time in 2017. This means that most of the basement will still be unfinished (my shops and storage), and there will still be almost all of the landscaping to complete. But the above grade main living space will be complete and ready for occupancy. I would spend the summer and fall of 2017 starting the landscaping of the side and rear yards and then move into the basement for the winter of 2017/2018 before continuing with the extensive landscaping plans in the spring of 2018.
I have of course been misguided in my schedules many times before on this project, but I am convinced that the hardest part of the build is behind me and I am starting the tasks that I truly enjoy, have experience with, and quite frankly – are good at. This includes framing, and electrical/plumbing rough-in's. Because I do not dread these tasks, I should find that they proceed much faster as I am willing to put in the long days to see them through.
Q: Are you really doing EVERYTHING yourself?
A: Pretty much. At this point, the only tasks I plan to sub out are as follows:
- Drywall tape and filling because who really likes this task
- Installation of metal raised seam roofing
- Installation and commissioning of air source heat pump
- Installation of the 7 heaviest of the triple pane windows
- Pouring of basement walk-up stairs
- Fabrication of two storey metal post that will hold up the east end of the beam holding up the centre of the roof structure
- Possible stamped concrete driveway (still trying to decide what we will do re driveway – I want something a lot more permeable and with a lower embodied energy)
- Commissioning of possible photo voltaic panels
Tasks that I will hire labour to assist as needed:
- Lifting engineered beams into place (may be able to do most of the first storey with Alfie and my wall jacks and second storey with delivery crane).
- Any significant lifting activities of large objects during build
- Moving bulk materials (lumber, gravel, etc.)
- Any key activities that are just impossible to do with only two hands. Not sure yet if I will run into this situation.
Q: Where did you get that tarp???
A: The B.A.T. (Big Ass Tarp) is my design and fabricated by the very capable gents at Fraser Valley Tarp and Tie. It is a very light but strong poly based fabric. It acts a lot like a boat sail fabric. The latest iteration (B.A.T. 3.) was almost perfect. IF I was doing this again, I would change up the location of a few of the rope pockets and also ensure that all of the sewn seams were waterproofed with a applied liquid or the application of strips of tape over the seams.
Well this addresses the collection of comments I have so far. I encourage you to keep the questions coming.
Thanks for visiting.
Highs and Lows – all too typical with MY project.
June 3, 2016
Top ↑
As has been all too typical with MY build progress, the last month has been filled with exhilarating highs and soul crushing lows. But we do continue to make progress, albeit slower than hoped (we did not expect anything different – did we!).
So lets take you through some of my highs and lows on last month's journey as we have a lot to cover.
High#1: The new B.A.T. 3.0 Flies High – It was so awesome to feel protected from the elements once again. Even in good weather the new tarp provides an fantastic shaded work space that is bright and airy. Although there were some minor rigging issues at first including snapping off the a ½" Cast Eye Bolt (below shown), it was easily addressed and I could see the resilience of both the tarp fabric and my rigging system.
What is really cool is when birds regularly fly under the tarp and hang out. I have a pair of resident crows and also doves, that hang out most days. The crows have typically cleaned up any cat food left behind from Blackberry's treats, but are now getting a bit more brazen and giving me heck if no food is about.
Some other local residents looking for a hand out.
Low#1: The B.A.T. 3.0 leaks. – While I felt all smug standing under the new tarp during the first light rain, my attitude soon changed later in the day when the monsoon came. All of the sewn rope pockets leak through the needle holes as the volume of rain increases. Fortunately, with careful placement of buckets for the worst areas, the floor pretty much dries out within 8-12 hours after the rain stops. If this was a different time of year, I would have to take the tarp down and waterproof all of the sewn seams.
High#2: We have a Wall! – I felt a huge sense of accomplishment when the first wall was up. There were a lot of people who doubted my ability to frame by myself and some who thought it would be impossible to raise a 40 foot wall alone. But I had a plan, and although it was not executed in a perfect and pretty manner, it worked and the wall and me are no worse for the wear.
Low#2: Framing taking longer than hoped. At one point I dreamed I may be able to frame the entire first floor in a week. I had budgeted 1 month, but after starting thought I could expedite that considerable. Well, 1 month will be much closer. This is the end of week three and I still have a few more walls to raise before I can start on the second storey floor assembly.
Low#3: Tarp Damaged – The evening after I took the monsoon video above, I had the fortunate happenstance to return to the site about 45 minutes after I had left for the day and was shocked to see several hundred gallons of water pooling in the NE corner of the tarp. It was pouring rain again, and there clearly was not enough slope near the bottom of the tarp. I had originally planned to install drains at these crucial locations, but up till now had not seen any pooling tendencies. At this point the only thing I could do was slice the rope holding up that corner to let the water out before it torn everything apart.
The end result was some torn rope pockets near the corner, a small gash resulting when the tarp and all that water came smashing down to the garage floor catching one of the largest beams and tossing is aside like a 2×4, and a very wet northern ¼ of the house deck. But the tarp damage was minimal. I easily repaired the tarp, and the floor deck and all the stockpiled beams were dry by the next day. I was again very impressed with the strength of the tarp fabric. The old tarp would have just shredded under that weight.
The only real aggravation to this episode was that I wasted 2/3 of a day trying to rig the rope for this corner back into position. Because I had cut the rope, I now had a knot in the way of the pulley. I spent a lot of time re-locating where the knot would be so that when the rope was tensioned, the tarp would be in the right position. Fortunately, after wrestling with it for a few hours, I found an unused bundle of rope left over from the first B.A.T. and had it installed and the tarp properly tensioned 20 minutes later.
Low#4: Kitchen wall not square – I'd experienced a lot of difficulty getting the Durisol blocks both plumb and square at the tree jog at the NW corner of the house (suspect the footing was off). The end result was a foundation corner that was quite a bit out of square.
All the other corners of the foundation were quite good, but of course the worst corner was also to be where the kitchen is located. Kitchens are one area where you want as square and smooth walls as possible to mate up to kitchen cabinets and counter-tops.
As I framed the kitchen north wall interior extension of the exterior portion of the wall, I realized how out of square the wall was. There was going to be a good 3" + difference (as measured from the south wall of the house) between the west end of the wall and east end of the wall. I decided to just ensure that the wall was flat (used a string line from one end to the other and ensured all studs were touching the string line) and decided to live with the out of square. We would just have to scribe the counter-top to fit.
I then struggled for a couple of hours to build the interior wall. I had cut all of my studs at one time, but for some reason three were too long (something I discovered after most of the wall was nailed together). This was perplexing as when I measured the long studs, two were actually the right size. Turned out there was a defect in one of the plates where it had not been planed at the mill properly and was wider in those areas than supposed to be. Nothing a reciprocating saw could not take care of.
Soon after the wall was raised and nailed into its not square but straight extension of the wall it was extending. I started to clean up for the day and then realized I had screwed up big time. That portion of the wall was supposed to be 2×6 construction because it had a plumbing stack running through it for the upstairs master bathroom. Instead of leaving it for me to cleanup in the morning, I pried that wall off the floor and put it aside hoping I may be able to use it somewhere else in the dwelling (not likely as it had a non standard stud pattern and 3 king post for a beam).
I left for the day having only framed and raised a 9' exterior wall to the east of the science lab for my 9.75 hour effort. Can you say Poor!
High#3: Out of Square Addressed – I returned the next morning bound and determined to address the out of square nature of this kitchen corner. My issue was that the wall sits on a 6" tall concrete curb and the drywall extends down the inside face of that curb. So it would be impossible to just shift the wall on that curb outboard to make things line up and any adjustment would also mean the wall would miss the anchor bolts. Fortunately a good night's sleep provided a clearer mind. I could just shim the existing wall's studs to create the square corner. This was only a 5' wall with a limited number of studs. When I measured what was required, it worked out to a perfect combination of 1" shim on first, ¾" on second, ½" on third, and ¼" of forth stud. I will use plywood for the ¾" and ½" shims and just cut down 2×4's for the other two.
With the wall squared, I was able to quickly erect the 2×6 extension ensuring perfect alignment of square using a string line and my friend Pythagoras. The east kitchen wall followed and I now had a framed in space for the kitchen.
I am thrilled with the feel of the location and the window placement. I now also get a better sense of the living room size and fell a bit of relief. During original framing, it was feeling pretty small, but now that the kitchen space is defined, I can see that while cosy, the living room will be completely functional.
Well that's it. Sorry for the long post, but lots to cover and thought I would get it over with instead of trying to break up into a bunch of small posts. You will not see a lot of activity at site over next week. I had a second cortisone shot into the bursa of my shoulder this time. I can not do any work before Monday and then only light work for at least the week after that. Lets hope this is the final key to repairing the shoulder, but I still suspect I will either need surgery or will need to lean to live with restricted movement and lots of discomfort when I push past that restriction.
Thanks for visiting.
"If you're doing your best, you won't have any time to worry about failure." —H. Jackson Brown, Jr. Writer
"Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better." —Maya Angelou (1928-2014) Poet, Dancer, Producer, Playwright, Director, Author
"If you have a dream, don't just sit there. Gather courage to believe that you can succeed and leave no stone unturned to make it a reality." —Dr. Roopleen (born 1972) Dr Roopleen is a Motivational Counsellor, Speaker And Author.
"Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway." —Earl Nightingale (1921-1989) Entrepreneur, Motivational Author


text:
NITYR tablets are tasteless and come in very small¹ and convenient 2 mg, 5 mg, and 10 mg tablets. These tablets can be converted to a suspension for administration to a younger child unable to swallow tablets via oral syringe, or they can be crushed and added to applesauce. The suspension can be stored at room temperature for 24 hours before use. The following instructions will help your patients learn the process of administering NITYR tablets to their child:
Administering NITYR to infants
Administration using an oral syringe
Greater convenience in mind
Preparing a suspension of NITYR requires less than 1 minute of active preparation and administration time, and can be prepared on the go. This diagram will help you explain the process to your patients.
Administration using Applesauce
Crush one NITYR tablet using two spoons (a tablet crusher is available from the NITYR Patient Support Program for free).
Add all the crushed tablet powder to one full teaspoon of applesauce in a clean glass or bowl.
If giving more than one tablet, repeat the process above, adding the powder to the same applesauce.
Mix well in a bowl or glass.
Feed the mixture to the child using a teaspoon.
To make sure you give the child all the medicine, add another full teaspoon of applesauce to the same glass or bowl and stir. Again, feed the mixture to the child.
- Use the NITYR-applesauce mixture within 2 hours of preparation.
For more information on administering NITYR using an oral syringe, or with applesauce see the full instructions for use or or refer to the prescribing information.
NITYR Three-Week Free Trial2
If you or your patients believe that NITYR may offer greater convenience then they can try NITYR for free. The NITYR Three-Week Free Trial will help your patients decide if NITYR is right for them.
NITYR is bioequivalent3 to Orfadin* which means that it has the same efficacy, safety and side effects as your patient's current nitisinone. During the Free Trial your patients will still receive their Orfadin medication as usual, and because NITYR is bioequivalent to Orfadin, patients can move back to Orfadin at any time during the Free Trial if they wish.
1 Data on file NIT/03/18 2 Free trial offer: Subject to terms and conditions and eligibility criteria. Patients can try NITYR for three weeks for free as long as their doctor prescribes it. Subject to terms and conditions, eligibility criteria, and to other federal and state law. 3 Data on file NIT/02/17


text:
Building Maintenance Services And What They Do For Businesses
If you're a business owner, and you're operating in a large building, it can be difficult to keep track of everything. Not only do you have to worry about keeping your employees in line, but you also have to worry about maintaining your property. With so many responsibilities it wouldn't hurt to have a little help. This is why many business owners opt to use a Building Maintenance Service. Let's take a look at what these maintenance services do and why you just might need their help.
Building maintenance services perform a wide variety of tasks. For instance, these businesses perform janitorial work for various companies. Janitorial work involves the general cleaning duties that can keep an office looking well put together and intact. These services will arrive at your property every day, or a couple of times a week, and will take out the trash, vacuum, clean spills and bathrooms, and so forth.
You can also count on a Building Maintenance Service to perform more complicated tasks as well. Instead of spills, you may have a few structural problems that need some attention. A great example of this would involve problems with your lighting and electricity. If something goes wrong, and your lighting or cooling and heating system isn't working, a maintenance service can come and take a look at it. Instead of fixing it yourself, or hiring an outside contractor, a maintenance service can hopefully have the problem solved in no time.
Speaking of time, as a busy business owner, you likely don't have much free time on your hands. The success of your business relies on your full attention. Your business can't afford you tending to your employees and also maintaining the building at the same time. Instead, consider outsourcing this task to a maintenance service like ETNA Prestige Technologies. They can deal with the big and small issues surrounding the property itself, and you can worry about running your business.
As you can see, building maintenance services can play a vital role in the success of a business. Not only do they work on the small things, like maintaining bathrooms and the office area, but they can focus on large tasks as well. This gives you time to focus on the more important aspects of your business. Watch Videos!


text:
Design Hotels Unveils New "Made by Originals" Website
Hotel & Resort July 18, 2011
Design Hotels launched a new website, Made by Originals (www.MadeByOriginals.com), that pays tribute to the "Originals -- the driving forces and creative spirits behind its member hotels." The online magazine takes readers into the worlds of these "Originals." Image galleries, films and stories reveal the inspirations that led them to create their one-of-a-kind hotel concepts.
Individuals featured include hoteliers, architects, designers and other artists, who together make up the Design Hotels creative community. Sir Terence Conran, for example, transformed a neighborhood of East London with his Boundary hotel, now a hub for lovers of art, design and good food.
Blurring the boundaries between art, design and lifestyle, Carlos Couturier and Moises Micha believe that going local is the best way to penetrate a neighborhood. These Mexican entrepreneurs integrate the surroundings and local traditions into each of their projects, thus increasing the connection and intimacy between the neighborhood and guests. After expressing their deep affection for Mexico, they have moved on to new ground in New York City and, inspired by the rough Chelsea neighborhood, created Hôtel Americano, opening in September 2011.
For those looking for insider tips from Singapore to Berlin, the travel guides section includes recommendations from the "Originals" on the hot places to visit in their home cities. For example, Loh Lik Peng, who's behind Singapore's New Majestic Hotel and Wanderlust, recommends the live music venue TAB, the art space Tyler Print Institute and the restaurant Wild Rocket. For more information, visit www.MadeByOriginals.com.
For more Hotel & Resort News
You may use your Facebook account to add a comment, subject to Facebook's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Your Facebook information, including your name, photo & any other personal data you make public on Facebook will appear with your comment, and may be used on TravelPulse.com. Click here to learn more.LOAD FACEBOOK COMMENTS


text:
Voxofon application enables users to make payable and free calls as well send text messages (free and payable) to any destination.
To use the Voxofon service, you have to open the Voxofon app, dial destination number and hit Call. Or you can choose a contact and perform a call.
We have three calling methods:
-Local access
1. The Local access calls use minutes from your plan, you are billed from your carrier for this call plus the Voxofon rate, in most of the cases the local numbers will be included on your mobile plan.
2. The WiFi calls only use internet data, plus the Voxofon credit.
3. The callbacks only Voxofon credit and a small amount of data to establish the call, but is more expensive, your mobile plan minutes are not used.
Using any of these methods does not require destination users to have Voxofon application as they will receive your calls on their phone numbers directly.
The rates start from 1 cent per minute and depend on the destination, calling method and the recipient's provider.
1 credit = 1 US cent.
Please take a look at our rates here: http://www.voxofon.com/rates/
FREE calls and messsages:
Calls and messages are free among verified Voxofn users. Both parties need to have application installed on their smartphones.
By verified users we mean that phone numbers have been verified in our system.
Once your number is verified you can make free calls to any other other verified Voxofon user, they will receive your call within Voxofon application, therefore should be logged in when you make a call.
Your device needs to be connected to internet (WiFi, 3G or other connection) to be able to use Voxofon application.


text:
June 2019 Editor's Viewpoint: Smart Manufacturing Helps Advance Electric Vehicles
The auto industry is going through a quiet renaissance of sorts. Demand for electric vehicles (EVs) is higher than ever before. According to the Edison Electric Institute, EV policies helped the United States pass 1 million total sales in 2018. Sales are projected to represent more than half of all global, light-duty vehicles sales by 2040. One reason is the reduced cost of electric batteries — one third the cost of an EV.
Another reason is that automakers continue to announce a wider range of vehicles to drivers, as well as more and better options. These factors plus lower prices will certainly generate more consumer interest.
And then there's social consciousness. Transportation is the country's largest source of emissions, according to Forbes, and EVs are a key technology to decarbonize this sector and help address climate change concerns. Driving on electricity emits 54% fewer CO2 emissions per mile than the average new gasoline car, based on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) national electricity generation data. This appeals to drivers looking to help the environment.
This rise of electric vehicles is creating an urgency and incentive for automotive firms to build a Connected Enterprise — to automate systems now to keep up with demand, expand their business and reach a key part of the Industry 4.0 (smart manufacturing) strategy. The entire enterprise needs to be connected. You'll learn more about it in this issue of The Journal. Until next time….
Theresa Houck
Executive Editor
The Journal From Rockwell Automation and Our PartnerNetwork™
The Journal From Rockwell Automation and Our PartnerNetwork™ is published by Putman Media, Inc.


text:
Circuit City to Carry Velocity Micro Products
The custom PC and workstation manufacturer Velocity Micro announced Tuesday that their newest line of notebook and desktop computers will debut at some Circuit City locations in July.
"We're very excited to join forces with Circuit City to offer PC users a new destination for high performance computers. Velocity Micro strives to provide mainstream value with boutique sensibilities: meticulous handcraftsmanship, enthusiast performance, and first-to-market launch technology," Velocity Micro president and CEO Randy Copeland said in a release.
The Velocity Micro products offered will include the NoteMagix X20 and X25 notebook computers, both of which feature Intel Core 2 Duo processors. Both of those computers will sell for less than $2000, Copeland wrote in a blog post on the company's Web site.


text:
As one of the major foreign contributors to the United States, Japan has been an integral part of the development of the American economy. And with more Japanese companies eager to invest in the U.S. market, many look to the first Japanese investors who ventured into this then-untapped market.
Established in Mooresville, North Carolina in 1988, NGK Ceramics USA manufactures ceramic substrates that reduce toxic emissions from automotive engines. In the three decades since, the company has gone through 15 expansions and now employs 900 people.
"I was one of the first people here when we opened. Our first three years alone were spent fixing the plant and getting it ready for operation. Now, we're the largest manufacturing employers here," NGK Ceramics USA President Stephen Dailey said.
Among the company's major milestones as it marks its 30th anniversary was the production of its 300 millionth ceramic substrate.
"The growth and journey that NGK Ceramics has experienced in North Carolina is really astounding. We initially chose this location because of its strategic fit with our operations and now I can proudly say that it was a key factor in our success," Dailey said.
As one of the first Japanese companies to locate in the region, NGK Ceramics has also played a role in attracting other Japanese investors to the area.
"It's important for us to spread the word about the advantages this state has to offer. We have a close relationship with the community here and we're appreciative of their help in our growth as a company. In return, we want to be ambassadors for them," Dailey said.
Meanwhile in Duncan, South Carolina, AFL produces fiber optic cables and related products and associated equipment for telecommunication giants like AT&T. Founded in 1984, the company generates more than $1 billion annually and provides over 900 jobs for the state.
Looking forward to its 35th anniversary in 2019, AFL reflects on its growth in Upstate South Carolina.
"This location was ideal for our business because of the talented workforce available and the proximity of other fiber optic companies. There was also a projected growth in the Southeast region. All of these factors pointed to South Carolina as a good area for investment," AFL President and CEO Jody Gallagher said.
Since then, the company has opened five locations in the Duncan region and emerged an industry leader in the telecommunication, energy, and enterprise sectors.
While the company's business alone has a large impact in the region, AFL strives to give back to the community in various ways. Winning the South Carolina Ambassador for Economic Development in 2015, the company is dedicated to their corporate social responsibility efforts.
"We have a robust community outreach program. For example, AFL provides grants and sponsorships to educational institutions with STEM programs. Providing aid for workforce development is very important for us," Gallagher said.
AFL's large presence in South Carolina has also influenced Japanese companies such as Kobelco, to locate in the area.
"We've talked to a few Japanese companies who wanted to know more about our experience working here. We also interact with a lot of Japanese companies who are already here," said Satoru Ogawa, Vice Chairman of AFL and Japan-America Association of South Carolina.
"We want the Japanese community here to grow along with the region and we're happy to contribute any way we can," he said.


text:
I'm going to start today's article with a challenge. Log into your Facebook account and look at your friends, focusing specifically on cousins and siblings. You've done that right. Now ask yourself, how many of those Facebook friends are under the age of 18? This is the age that a person can acquire an email address, a necessary requirement when opening a Facebook account? Again, ask how many of these Facebook friends had a Facebook account, and by association an email address, when they were under the age of 18?
I say 18 because when Facebook started, that was the minimum age that you needed to be open an account on the social network. Facebook has since relaxed this age to 13, but there is still an elephant in the room that needs to be addressed.
If we look at the way that social media is developing, where it is becoming more news and media content focused rather than a platform where you post a picture of your dinner and your cat, is our youth being opened up to a world where their innocence is being taken away from them prematurely?
I am not talking about sexual promiscuity here. The bottom line is that there is content on the internet that is just not fit for young children to see. And all you need is an angsty teenager who doesn't care about anybody else except themselves to share the content that I am referring to with eyes that are not fit to see it.
This leads me to the focus of today's post, is social media harming the minds of our youth?
No damage done here
There are obviously two different camps here. One camp that says that social media enriches the lives of our youth, and one that says it damages. Let's present a case for both sides of the argument.
I recently read an article on khn.org which argues the enrichment case.
The article points out that the negative effects of social media on young people's mental health are well-documented by researchers and the press.
However, the article adds that some academics and therapists are proposing a counterintuitive view; they have found that social media may also help improve mental health by boosting self-esteem and providing a source of emotional support. These benefits have attracted too little attention from journalists and parents, they say.
Yes, social media is contributing to a new era of adolescent (and adult) social stress, but when we accept that it is here to stay, we can also see it as a new opportunity for connection and mindfulness according to an online advice column published by the University of California-Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center.
Speaking to khn.org, Amy Gonzales, an Assistant Professor who studies social media and health at Indiana University's Media School said that we need to think about social media as not being absolutely good or bad. "We need to think about how to come up with appropriate uses of this stuff," said Gonzales.
A safe harbour
Being a teenager is not easy. It is a time in a person's life where they are faced with the increased pressures and responsibilities of becoming an adult while yearning for the carefree days of being a child. In many of these cases, teenagers look for a place of interaction where they will not be judged.
In research published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, Gonzales found that college students who viewed their own Facebook profiles enjoyed a boost in self-esteem afterwards.
The khn article adds that by curating their online personas to reflect their best traits (choosing flattering pictures and sharing exciting experiences) users remember what they like best about themselves.
Matthew Oransky, an assistant professor of adolescent psychiatry at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City and a practising therapist, told khn that many of his patients find social connections online they could not find elsewhere. This is particularly true of marginalized teens, such as kids in foster homes and LGBT adolescents.
"I've seen some of the really big positives, which is that kids who are isolated can find a community," Oransky told khn. "They're often first able to come out to online friends." In a 2013 survey, 50% of LGBT youth reported having at least one close friend they knew only from online interactions.
The dark side of the force
So, as we can see, there is a very strong argument for the advantages of social media being a force of good. However, there is a darker side to social media that we cannot ignore.
Bullying is a scourge to humanity which has been around since one person became physically, emotionally or mentally stronger than the person next to them. But while confronting and dealing with a bully is hard, yet possible, in person, it becomes an almost impossible task when it happens over social media.
An article on the telegraph.co.uk points out that there are children in the world who would be happy if social media networks did not exist. The article points out that schoolchildren would be happy if social media did not exist as more than half have experienced abuse or had their confidence knocked by websites, a study has found.
Social media detoxing
Speaking to the Telegraph, Charlotte Robertson, co-founder of Digital Awareness UK, which carried out the research, said that teenagers were following the example of celebrities who had made social media detox a "cool" thing to do, citing the Kardashians and Ed Sheeran as examples.
"Young people are starting to acknowledge that this isn't helping and is starting to impact their health and well-being in ways that they hadn't recognized before," she said.
The article adds that a total of 57% of youth said they had received abusive comments online, 56% admitted to being on the edge of addiction, and 52% said social media makes them feel less confident about how they look or how interesting their life is.
The article points out that while more than 60% of youth believed friends showed a fake version of themselves on social media, 85% of youth questioned denied they were guilty of cyberbullying themselves.
In my opinion, the line is very thin. Do we want our kids to become reclusive and not have any friends? No. And we cannot deny that social media is the way the youth is forming meaningful friendships.
However, this doesn't mean we stand back and let cyberbullying happen. It is our duty as parents to protect our children. If your child wants to have a Facebook account at 13, it is all good and well. However, you as a parent, need to enforce your right to monitor and control the content they consume on this platform just as you control the movies they watch based on age restriction.
This debate is bigger than the trust debate that comes with wanting to control content. They will hate you now but thank you when they are older and able to realise that you were not a dictator, but rather a protector.
Social media is a force for good if we allow it to be, but it can also be a dark force if we allow it to be. The fate of this debate is in your hands.


text:
The Passenger Transport Executive Group (pteg) has taken on a wider role and renamed itself the Urban Transport Group.
pteg represented the six English Passenger Transport Executives and their successor bodies in the West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Tyneside and West Midlands areas.
Transport for London has recently joined the group and now the UTG has seven full members, as well as three associate members (Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, Bristol and the West of England Authorities, and Nottingham City Council).
The UTG's key roles are: making the case for urban transport; acting as the nation's premier professional network for public sector urban transport professionals; and providing leadership by addressing longer-term challenges. The group will also widen its focus to include strategic highways, active travel, and freight and logistics.
It is chaired by Transport for Greater Manchester Chief Executive Dr Jon Lamonte.


text:
Welcome to the UK
Walking Forum
Walking Forum
Main Boards
Merrell Moab
Pages: [
Topic: Merrell Moab (Read 1108 times)
Lancashire lad
New Member
Posts: 5
Merrell Moab
07:18:48, 17/10/19 »
I went into Cotswolds last week to buy some Moab shoes after reading all the great reviews, tried a pair of tens, walked around in them in the store and as recommended by the sales guy who apparently wears the same footwear to work and back every day I decided on a pair half a size bigger, which were delivered yesterday.
Couldnt wait to try them out so I went for a five-six mile walk along Saint Annes sea front and into Blackpool.
All the way through the walk I could feel the impact of the payment through the soles of the shoes which I never encounter with my other cheaper boots.
When I got home the soles of my feet were aching.
So Im sitting here thinking about buying some gel inserts, then again why should I when I just shelled out just short of a hundred quid for the shoes.
Not sure if Cotswolds will take them back or exchange them for something else now that I have worn them.
Has anyone else come up against this kind of situation.
Last Edit: 07:21:58, 17/10/19 by Lancashire lad
Veteran Member
Posts: 1413
Re: Merrell Moab
Reply #1 on:
07:37:52, 17/10/19 »
Interesting, it just shows you never can tell. We've standardised on Moabs for years now precisely because of the very good cushioning (and quite wide toeboxes, European brands are often too narrow for British feet). I did some long days earlier this year, the longest ~27 miles with its fair share of hard surfaces and tracks and my feet felt fine at the end.
What about your footbeds?. The supplied ones are generally pretty crap, I use Superfeet Trailblazers that keep the heel in its properly cupped shape and add a bit of extra underfoot cushioning too .
If the flexibility of your previous footwear differs significantly either way from the Moabs, the foot-tiredness may just be your feet adjusting to the change.
Backpacking in Britain
Full Member
Posts: 129
Re: Merrell Moab
Reply #2 on:
07:57:22, 17/10/19 »
As vghikers said, if you are used to a boot with a rigid sole then softer shoes can take a bit of getting used to. It is annoying having to fork out for inserts but a lot of people find them essential. Manufacturers only provide the most basic and leave it to you to get the insert that suits you best. Moabs are well regarded and a lot of people wear them as their daily shoe on pavements and hard surfaces.
Lancashire lad
New Member
Posts: 5
Re: Merrell Moab
Reply #3 on:
08:11:52, 17/10/19 »
The footbeds are as you put it rubbish, I bought these specifically for a planned trip along the west highland way next year, as from what I can gather is for the most part a long track, I would have stuck with my regular leather boots but if for some reason they get wet inside which believe me is a regular occurrence, they would have been difficult to dry out overnight whilst camping.
Whereas the gortex moab would probably be easier to dry out if I stick some newspaper or whatever up the inside of them.
My intention is to get used to wearing them and park them up till spring.
Thanks for your feedback I will have a hunt around for some insoles.
Veteran Member
Posts: 4756
Re: Merrell Moab
Reply #4 on:
09:42:58, 17/10/19 »
I learned long ago that to keep my feet in comfortable mode, especially if walking a long way, I needed inserts. The choices as I came to understand it is between inserts for cushioning (e.g. Sorbothane's) and inserts for support (e.g. Superfeet) and I've bought both. My preference is to use my Sorbothanes for hiking and the Superfeet for running. I could use them the other way around but from trial and error that is what my feet like best.
I also carry the original boot inserts with me bacuse I get to the point sometimes, again on a long hike, where my feet and the Sorbothanes are just too hot together so I chop and change improve my situation. I often take the Sorbothanes out and put the original inserts back in for a while, this creates a bit more space in the boots which for me can ease discomfort. Sometimes I do this because my feet feel swollen from the effort of the day, not by much but enough to know that I need a bit of toe wiggle room for a while.
I personally also prefer to hike with soles that are more flexible and I know that there is a school of thought that suggests that some people prefer to hike in trainers, expecially off road trainers. I could be persuaded to do this, sounds a good idea (without a rucksack) but I hesitate to do it because I'm just not sure how my feet would cope over days knowing that I have a 48L rucksack on my back.
Veteran Member
Posts: 1024
Re: Merrell Moab
Reply #5 on:
14:11:38, 17/10/19 »
If replacement insoles do not resolve the issue with your Merrell Moabs have a look at these Oboz nubuck leather/fabric combination shoes and boots at only £60 a pair plus £3.95 delivery. There are plenty of info/reviews on the web and videos on YouTube.
I'm not sure where you could visit to try some on as availability in the UK seems to be very limited. Magic Mountain offer free returns (returns form and a Royal Mail Freepost label included in every order) so there's no risk in ordering some to try and as long as you don't remove any tags and don't go outside in them there shouldn't be a problem returning them for a full refund.
I own both the Sawtooth Mid B-Dry Boots and Sawtooth Low B-Dry Shoes and have had no underfoot impact problems, no leaks and can confirm that the build quality is excellent and compared to most other manufacturers both include exceptionally good factory fitted insoles.
Sr. Member
Posts: 294
Re: Merrell Moab
Reply #6 on:
14:53:17, 17/10/19 »
+1 for Oboz. I also use Merrell Moabs with no problem and have not changed the insole.
It's all uphill from here.
Sr. Member
Posts: 332
Re: Merrell Moab
Reply #7 on:
15:35:24, 17/10/19 »
I've found moabs to be uncomfortable too. When I tried them on I was like, "wow, so comfy",
But after using them a bit I realised they kill my feet and the toe box isn't anywhere near as generous as its made out to be. The heel is way too bulky, High and hard which means your posture is put out from the height and the heel hits the ground too soon in each step. I did think about persevering, but actually other boots and shoes haven't felt this bad. Maybe they're better for bigger, heavier people or people with feet which are wide throughout?
I dunno.
Veteran Member
Posts: 1783
Re: Merrell Moab
Reply #8 on:
18:30:30, 17/10/19 »
I have Moab boots and found them very comfortable from the outset. I didnt find the soles too thin.
Full Member
Posts: 129
Re: Merrell Moab
Reply #9 on:
20:02:50, 17/10/19 »
I have a pair of the Oboz lows and find them more comfortable than Moabs although I'm happy wearing either. Oboz are a little wider and have thicker soles.
Lancashire lad
New Member
Posts: 5
Re: Merrell Moab
Reply #10 on:
21:38:12, 17/10/19 »
Thanks to everyone for your responses today much food for thought, I will get some slightly thicker insoles for the moabs, and check out the other options. Theres no doubt the moabs are a good shoe, I think the problem may be more to do with the shape of the sole, or my walking posture.
I had a good look at my old boots today which also have vibram soles on them but a slightly different design to the Merrells, the tread on those leather boots is hardly showing any signs of wear apart from the back of the heel area which is pretty much worn away.
My heels do tend to hit the deck well before the rest of my foot.
Anyway onward and gradually upward Ill get fixed up with some inserts and try them out on a B+ walk with my local group Sunday
Sr. Member
Posts: 378
Re: Merrell Moab
Reply #11 on:
21:55:09, 19/10/19 »
I have those Oboz Sawtooth low B-dry as well and they are great, I hardly feel any stones or terrain underneath when wearing them, they are really comfortable.
Last Edit: 21:59:47, 19/10/19 by nesty
Sr. Member
Posts: 332
Re: Merrell Moab
Reply #12 on:
23:56:43, 19/10/19 »
It's not the end of the world to feel what's beneath your feet! It helps with proprioception. It's not like we're talking wafer thin soles here, they're still quite thick hiking soles
Pages: [
Walking Forum
Main Boards
Merrell Moab
Please join us (its free).
Simple Machines
Free Forums
Page created in 0.224 seconds with 17 queries.


text:
Leek and Chickpea Soup
Member recipe by AngieW123
ServingsServes 4
Another quick and easy recipe using chickpea flour (which may also be known as gram flour or garbanzo flour) to make a thick and creamy soup base.
This recipe has been submitted by the Good Food community. Sign in or create a My Good Food account to upload your own recipe creations. Please note that all recipes will be moderated but they are not tested in the Good Food kitchen.
Save to My Good Food
- 1 leek, finely sliced
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 2 vegetable stock cubes
- 1 ltr (4 cups) of water
- 1/2 cup gram flour
- 1/2 cup water to mix
- 1 cup/large can cooked chick peas
- Heat olive oil in large wok until rippling. Add leeks and fry for 5 minutes, stirring regularly until soft.
- Add 1 litre (4 cups) of water and vegetable stock cubes, and bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer.
- In the meantime, prepare flour base: pour 1/2 cup of water into a bowl, and sift the gram flour into the water (the sifting is important otherwise you will end up with small floury lumps in your soup). Whisk well until blended and thick.
- Remove leek soup from heat and add gram flour mixture, stirring constantly until smooth. Add chick peas, and return to heat. Bring back to the boil slowly, and then simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.


text:
- This event has passed.
Atlantic – To The Source
January 22, 2019 @ 9:00 pm - 10:00 pm EST
Event Navigation
Hiwyn the Archmage requires your help to venture deep into Despise to search the derelict study of Mallus Luzar the Necromancer!
*This event will take place in Felucca. Please take all necessary precautions.


text:
Know more about this business than we do? Cool! Please submit any corrections or missing details you may have.Help us make it right
Be the first SILive.com user to add photos or videos of Smart Toys
Smart Toys is located at 200 5th Ave in New York and has been in the business of Toys And Games since 2011.
Smart Toys is located at 200 5th Ave, New York, NY. This location is in the Midtown South Central neighborhood..
Smart Toys serves New York, NY and is located in the 10010 ZIP code.


text:
The Kiddos Weigh In...
This was originally posted on thewingedpen.com blog where I'm a contributing member:
Today I've teamed up with my eldest daughter, Sylvia , because it's her 11thbirthday. And anyone who knows me knows if it's your birthday (or any holiday) you're getting a book from me.
In her earlier days, Sylvia was an easy girl to buy books for. She loved whatever I picked out. Now…. Well, it's much more difficult. I seriously think it's easier to buy her clothes than it is to pick out a book that she'll actually read.
Sylvia nods her head vigorously here.
So, I've decided to interview her and find out what she looks for in a book and how she decides what to read. And because we did this interview at home, one of her sisters, Surjee (9), joined in the conversation.
I'll give her a chance to describe the books I've selected for her in her own words:
Surjee jumping in straight away: Boring.
Sylvia: Boooring! I don't care. I just act like, "oh wow", but I never read it. Then when you say, "I read this when I was your age," I'm like "Yeah right, I'm not reading it now."
How do you choose a book at the library or bookstore?
Surjee: I judge a book by its cover.
Sylvia: Yes, the cover is important, but it's mostly the colors I look at.
Surjee: Like Falling In, boring. I mean come on—it's boots. I never read past the 1st page.
Sylvia: Be glad you didn't. It didn't get any better. I read 3 pages.
So what makes you want to read a book?
Sylvia: If a lot of people have read it.
Surjee: If my friends like it.
Sylvia: The size of the words—if it's too big it looks like a baby book, if it's too little it just looks like you have to read the whole thing and it'll take forever.
Surjee: I'll only read it if it's medium-sized words AND thickness.
Sylvia: And the last 3 pages better be interesting or I don't read them. I'm just like, "Oh, I finished reading this."
But if you're in the bookstore or the library, how do you know you want to get that book?
Sylvia: I read the 1st page.
Surjee: Sometimes the 1st chapter.
Sylvia: It has to be funny. That's most important. But also colorful, but not like pink. Not many kids like pink. And it should have an interesting title. Something cool like Dork Diaries because it sounds funny.
What about KARMA KHULLAR'S MUSTACHE? Is that a good title? (that's my book btw…)
Sylvia: It sounds okaaaay…. Mustaches are getting old. People will be like that's so two years ago. Maybe Karma Khullar's Instagram Account might be better.
Would you read a book your:
Teacher suggested: NO! (both girls in unison)
Mom suggested: NO! (both girls in unison)
Sylvia: The only thing you suggested that was good was Wonder.
Surjee: Harry Potter is the only book I liked you told me to read.
Yia yia suggested: Depends
Aunts suggested:
Sylvia: Might be weird because our cousins like some weird books… I would just look at the cover and decide. Usually if I don't like it I just read while they're there and then hide it on bookshelf like I did when Auntie Erica gave me Anne of Green Gables.
I'm going to email this blog post to the family I hope you know…
What's your advice to adults buying books for a kid?
Sylvia: -The cover should match the personality of the kids.
-Read the 1st page- shouldn't sound too formal. Diaries are more interesting.
-What's going to happen must not be like these fairies are on a mission to find something.
-It can be outrageous or real, as long as it's funny and interesting.
Surjee: Stick to graphic novels only.
You girls have definitely given me a lot to think about. I'm not sure you've really made my shopping any easier, but my take aways from this are:
- Before you buy a "classic" (Sylvia deems this any book you read as a kid and are trying to get your own child to read), ask yourself: Have I reread the book in the last 2 years? (you might be surprised how much of the book you didn't really remember or even like any more.)
- The best sellers list is an excellent benchmark, but not the books with awards—those are liken to teacher/parent chosen books. Yes, New York Times Bestseller is MUCH more meaningful to your reader than a Caldecott Medal or Printz Award or a Newbery.
- Get the child in your life a gift card from the bookstore and save yourself the stress!
Sylvia is flawless and can be found reading Dork Diaries when not taking selfies or eating tacos or taking selfies while eating tacos.
Surjee never leaves home without her wand. When she's not reading or watching Harry Potter she can be found reading Amulet or Zita the Spacegirl.
Kristi, their mom, endures the tireless mission of putting good books into their hands.


text:
Today I am particularly distressed by a phone conversation I came away from upset and confused and just plain depressed by what I heard.
It wasn't anything new, I have heard this from ministers and lay members alike for quite some time now. But it is beginning to wear on me. This constant vitriol about all the "evil" in the "ministry".
I mean sure there is wrong thinking in the ministry, they are after all human beings. But should that be our focus? Is it our responsibility to run out and tell every member that we can find of a ministers group that we believe is teaching harmful doctrine about how evil he is?
Isn't that kind of thinking causing division? Is that kind of negative teaching to brethren showing love for them or is it just spreading more confusion and division.
I know people who do not even know if they are converted sometimes, they never seem to know what to do about their own lives but they seem to see what to do for their brethren very clearly.
They read James 5:20 and they figure that if they go out and "save" a brother from sin they will cover their own sins, instead of working on their own sins.
I mean Christ tells us not to worry about a brothers sin until we take sin out of our own life so we can see more clearly.
These people are always on the attack, criticizing ministers and attacking the beliefs of others. they act like Christian Attack Dog's, and the problem is they really seem to think that this is what God wants them to do. Is it? As I said I am confused.
How do we lay down our lives for our brethren? Do we do that by attacking what they believe that we deem is wrong or do we do that by the way we ourselves live?
Our God is a God of balance and I cannot and frankly refuse to believe that we should take up such a negative role as to always be on the attack against our brethren.
As I say I am confused. Paul said:
(Php 4:8) Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
So how do we think on these things if we are forever on the attack. How do we balance the various things that the word tells us;
think on these things….
judge not lest you be judged………..
Why do you judge another man's servant….
If you see a brother sin….
covers a multitude of sins……..
bear ye one another's burdens
bear your own burden
take the beam out of your own eye first….
Where is the balance, brethren?
I know that the body of Christ has suffered a terrible apostasy. So that many have been lost and the body of Christ has been scattered. This has caused us to be very conscious of things that are being preached that are wrong. So what does Christ want us to do about that?
Too many of us are spending way to much of our time talking and thinking about all these "evils" that are being perpetuated within the body of Christ. We are quick to assign motives to these men who are perpetuating these "so called" evils. And we spend way too much of our time spreading our thoughts about these things to members of the body of Christ but who are not in our "congregation of the body of Christ".
I know that there are many of our groups that teach that if a person is not part of that group that they should not speak with that person. I am sure you are aware that I do not hold with that teaching. Yet Mr. Armstrong taught that and it is a legitimate way to protect the flock in your charge from being taught what you believe to be false doctrine.
When we call on a ministers flock and try to teach them that they should leave his flock because we don't agree with his teaching are we not spreading division from that ministers viewpoint? Is this act in agreement with the Government of God?
Should we consider that these brethren are in fact another man's servants? He is responsible for them not us and that God will judge His servant that it is not our place to do so? Frankly I do not know. And it upsets me that I do not know.
It's just that lately it is almost all I hear about. A constant stream of negative thought regarding the ministry in general and a few leaders in particular. It is not that these comments are necessarily wrong in my thinking. But the focus is so negative that it does not ring of God to me. Is this really what God wants us to do? If so why?
Should we not be focused on the congregation that we choose to fellowship with and the ministers whom we have accepted to lead us? In this age of the church where God has allowed his people to be scattered into many different fellowships and under many different leaders. Should we not consider those with whom we do not fellowship to be under God and the responsibility to place His people where He wants them and to train and correct the leaders in each of these scattered congregations and/or groups as He will?
Are we showing love by scattering His people further? I mean IS HE RESPONSIBLE FOR PLACING HIS PEOPLE WHERE HE WANTS THEM? IF NOT HOW DO WE KNOW THAT?
Mat_12:30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.Mat_26:31 Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.
We are not one fellowship anymore, we may be one church, but within that church there now resides many governmental organizations. Is it right in God's eyes that we take it upon ourselves to attack fellowships that obviously have the spirit of God by the doctrine taught. Yet have errors as well. Are there any groups out there where NO ERRORS have crept in. I can't say that there are in reality.
Brethren this post is me thinking out loud. I have not decided what is the correct position and I am open to your thoughts and posts regarding what is said here today.
What I am saying is that the feeling of negativism I get in many in the church today does not ring true to me. It is distressing, confusing, it divides and causes disagreement and strife all through the body of christ. I do not believe this to be of God. Yet I do not know what god would really want us to do regarding the subject.
1Co_3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
There is a lot of discussion about how we must fellowship with the brethren and that is true. Yet how many brethren could you fellowship with. If you are in a large group that forbids you to fellowship outside there group do you not have plenty of people to fellowship with inside the group? Just how many more could you fellowship with anyway.
And is it called fellowship when there is argument and strife in the conversation. this should not be and I still do not have a handle on what should be taught on the matter.
Think about it for a minute. Look into what Christ is telling us to do in the ERA of His church:
Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
I don't hear him saying anything about going out and trying to take members away from other ministers. He wants us to concentrate on Him and getting closer to Him if we do He will show us what He wants us to do.
He is the one that is working with His ministry. As in Ezk34 and Jer 23. They are His servants and He will judge them. I don't see it as our prerogative to do so.
I'm just saying……………………
I am adding this to the bottom of the original post to clear up a possible misinterpretation. If you have read this site at all you will know that I do not pull punches when it comes to describing what I think some in the ministry are doing wrong, things that I find harmful to the brethren in their care. It is our responsibility to point out error wherever we find it. But some use a ministers error to attack a brother. As if that brother were committing a sin for being a member of that congregation. that is just wrong people. Pointing out errors is one thing judging and condemning others because of the false teaching of their ministers is crossing a line.
Never ever use a Frontal Attack when trying to help a brother. All that does is close down their minds to any chance to learn the truth. Asking questions is ok showing doubt about something might be in line. BUT the word tells use to treat with a brother as if he is greater than we are.
Php_2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
Always we are to treat them with love and patience being soft and gentle with them.
Just thought that I should elaborate a bit before the comments get started. heh heh


text:
The largest gay pride parade in Ukraine's history saw thousands of people marching alongside politicians and diplomats in the capital, Kiev on Sunday.
In 2015, protestors at the same event threw flares and injured police officers, according to Reuters. This year, Kyiv Pride Director Ruslana Panukhnyk told the Washington Blade that several Pride participants were attacked by "far right groups" (see page 2). The parade itself was peaceful though as participants were flanked by police, protecting them from the few hundred protestors, and the parade's organizers were grateful.
"We are satisfied with the cooperation with the police. There were some small incidents, but no injuries," Ruslana Panukhnyk, one of the organizers of the marchsaid. "The most important [thing] for us is human rights."
Panukhnyk said over 8,000 people attended the parade, surpassing last year's attendance of around 5,000.


text:
If you are dreaming of an oceanfront view for your next Caribbean beach getaway, plan a trip to the island of Bermuda. Bermuda's pink sand beaches, warm turquoise waters and crystal caves will make your vacation dreams come true all year round. However, before you head out to explore Bermuda's 181 islands, here are a few financial things to keep in mind.
Bermuda Accepts the US Dollar
Although the Bermudian Dollar is the official currency of Bermuda, there is no need to exchange your US Dollars once you arrive on the island. Since the Bermudian Dollar is on par with the US Dollar, you can use both currencies interchangeably. Other currencies, including Euros, British Pounds, and the Canadian Dollar, are not accepted.
Although there are plenty of ATMs in Bermuda, ATMs only dispense Bermudian Dollars. You can find ATMs at the airport, banks, gas stations, markets, drug stores and more. ATMs generally charge a 3% fee per transaction.
Tipping and Taxes in Bermuda
When you're planning a trip to Bermuda, keep in mind that hotels charge a 9.75% government tax. Most hotels also add a 10% service charge for tipping. Always check your bill to avoid over-tipping, unless the service was just that good!
The general rule of thumb for tipping in Bermuda is between 10-15%. Taxi drivers expect to get a 15% tip and restaurants charge a 15% service fee. Gas station attendants generally expect less than $5 USD or $5 BMD.
Since these fees can quickly add up, account for these costs when planning out your budget.
No Car Rentals
Did you know that you can't rent a car in Bermuda?
Instead, rent a scooter, moped or pedal bike. Before you take your motorized vehicle out for a spin, make sure you know the kind of fuel that you'll need. Depending on the engine, you may have to buy "mixed" fuel which is a mixture of gasoline and oil or unleaded gasoline.
For more budget tips and information on how much a trip to Bermuda costs, check out the 3-day Bermuda spending budget breakdown.
Have any financial advice on traveling in Bermuda? Share with us in the comments below!


text:
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Weather Forecasts
I'm not a big weather follower. I could care less about the weather usually. If it's going to rain it's going to rain, no sense in stressing about it. But occasionally I will go to weather.com. I don't particularly like the 7 day forecasts, I am just used to 5 day. I can believe those. But what I really find amusing is that they have Golf forecasts.. Like the weather is different if you are golfing. "Ah, its going to be hot out tomorrow, but wait, let me see if it's going to be hot if I am golfing...Nope, gonna be great on the golf course." They have a pet forecast too. I was pretty intrigued by that one. You enter info about your dog, how big it is, if it's overweight, if it's old or not and then the zip code and it will tell you how happy your dog will be that day and what's the best time to walk them. Retarded if you ask me. People are idiots.
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Brena Baja Holidays
Holidays to Brena Baja revolve around the great outdoors, and with the region's rolling hills and meadows, it's no surprise.
Sleepy Brena Baja
Brena Baja is one of La Palma's best-kept secrets. Most holidaymakers head straight for nearby Santa Cruz de La Palma and Los Cancajos, so this eastern town has seen little evidence of tourism. Hotels are few and far between, and there's not a neon-lit bar strip in sight.
Rural setting
Brena Baja's hilly surroundings are great for walking and hiking in this part of the Canary Islands – forest trails weave their way between tall pines and spiky cacti. If you don't fancy putting in the legwork, rent a quad or mountain bike for the day, or saddle up and explore the area on horseback.
Seaside towns
It's only a five-minute drive to the coast, where volcanic stretches of sand and lively tapas bars are easy to come by. The waters around Playa de los Cancajos are great for diving. Meanwhile the capital, Santa Cruz de La Palma, offers Renaissance churches, pavement cafés and antique stores at every turn.
At a glance
Hike through emerald green countryside
Get lost in Santa Cruz de La Palma's crooked backstreets
Try water skiing at Playa de los Cancajos