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Holiday Automotive Fleet and Commercial Trucks
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Three freshly-minted New Zealand KartSport champions spearhead the entry at the latest round of this year's Rotax Max Challenge New Zealand kart series in Hamilton over the weekend.
The round, at the KartSport Hamilton club's Agrisea Raceway opposite the city's international airport, is the third of six and comesjust under a month after KartSport New Zealand's annual National Sprint Championship title meeting in Blenheim where Mathew Kinsman and Ryan Urban from Auckland, and Marcus Armstrong from Christchurch, won 2014 New Zealand titles in their respective Rotax classes.
Not surprisingly, each driver has also played a leading role so far in this year's Rotax Max Challenge New Zealand series.
Kinsman currently tops the points standings in the Logitech Rotax Max Light class and Urban is in a similar position in both the Platinum Glass Rotax Max Heavy class and its Masters sub-category.
Defending Arai Rotax Junior title holder Armstrong, meanwhile, is back up to fourth in his class after breaking a chain in the Final at the first round in Palmerston North in February but storming back into 2014 title contention with a dominant class win at the second round at Rotorua in March.
This weekend's round has attracted a 70+ entry across the three Rotax classes with competitors and officials alike hoping for better - or rather drier - weather than they endured at Rotorua when that round was hit by the tail-end of Cyclone Lusi.
"It certainly was wet, " says series organiser Gavin Bright. "We got through the weekend OK but it was touch-and-go a couple of times."
In the Logitech 125cc Rotax Max Light class this weekend Mathew Kinsman can again expect plenty of competition from younger brother Daniel Kinsman, as well as their long-time rival Daniel Connor from Helensville, and locals Andy Schofield from Cambridge and Rhys Tinney from Hamilton.
Former National and reigning North Island class champion Zach Zaloum from Hastings is expected to again push Ryan Urban hard in Platinum Glass 125cc Rotax Max Heavy with Christchurch-based British ace Tiffany Chittenden set to be a factor as well, particularly in the Masters class reckoning where she is currently second to Urban
Arai Rotax Junior will also be close with the on-form Armstrong the favourite but still with points to make up on current series leader Trey Nairn from the Hawke's Bay, current runner-up Taylor Harte from the Bay of Plenty and third placed Jacob Cranston from Palmerston North.
There will be action at Agrisea Raceway on both days this weekend with qualifying and the first heats on Saturday and the remaining heat, Pre-Final and Final on Sunday.
This weekend's Rotax Max Challenge New Zealand round is the third of six with KartSport Bay of Plenty set to host the fourth at Fagan's Valley Raceway near Te Puke over the June 07-08 weekend.
Newly crowned National champions Mathew Kinsman (#30), Ryan Urban (#90) and Marcus Armstrong (#9) will be the drivers to watch at the third round of this year's Rotax Max Challenge New Zealand kart series in Hamilton this weekend. Photo credit: Fast Company/Graham Hughes
2014 New Zealand Rotax Max Challenge supported by Schwarzkopf Professional
Logitech 125cc Rotax Max Light
Points after Rnd 2 of 6 1. Mathew Kinsman 180 points; 2. Daniel Kinsman 172; 3. Daniel Connor 164; 4. Andy Schofield 153; 5. Reid Harker 152; 6. Andrew Hoare 151
Platinum Glass Rotax Max Heavy/Masters
Points after Rnd 2 of 6 1. Ryan Urban* 182 points; 2. Zach Zaloum 174; 3. Tiffany Chittenden* 165; 4. Aarron Cunningham* 159; 5. Shane Hodgson 158; 6. Ryan Bailey 156
* Masters
Arai Rotax Junior
Points after Rnd 2 of 6 1. Trey Nairn 166; 2. Taylor Harte 165; 3. Jacob Cranston 161; 4. Marcus Armstrong 157; 5. Michael McCulloch 157; 6. Caleb Cross 154
Calendar Rnd 1: Sun Feb 22-23 Manawatu Toyota Raceway Palmerston North
Rnd 2: Sat-Sun March 15-16 The Rock FM Raceway Rotorua
Rnd 3: Sat-Sun May 17-18 AgriSea Raceway Hamilton
Rnd 4: Sat-Sun June 07-08 Fagan's Valley Raceway Te Puke
Rnd 5: Sat-Sun August 16-17 Chemz Raceway Hastings
Rnd 6: Sat-Sun September 20-21 Strata Networks Raceway Auckland
Prepared by FAST COMPANY on behalf of KartSport New Zealand. To find out more about the 2014 Rotax Max Challenge New Zealand supported by Schwarzkopf Professional contact Ross MacKay on 021 677 919 or via e-mail at email@example.com

subset: commoncrawl


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Ladies and Gentlemen, may we present your 2016 Optima Ultimate Street Car Invitational Champion! The first 4-time champion ever, Danny Popp wins the 2016 Optima Ultimate Street Car Invitational, in his Raft Motorsports C5 Corvette Z06 on Forgeline GA3R wheels! We're always talking about how Forgeline's light weight, excellent fatigue strength, and high deflection stiffness contribute to racing victories; well today, we witnessed something new. During one of the road course sessions, Danny's ABS system failed, caused a rear brake lockup at 140mph, and resulted in a spin off-track, deep into the gravel trap. Without a tow hook, the safety crews struggled to get the car free. They eventually just wrapped the straps around the spokes of his GA3R wheels, yanked the car free, and allowed him to get back on track to very narrowly earn the win over second place finisher Ken Thwaits, in the Showtime Motorsports Mitsubishi EVO! Congrats, Danny and Ken!!
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Danny Popp Wins Third Consecutive Optima Ultimate Street Car Invitational Championship on Forgeline GA3R Wheels
Parked toMotorsports
byForgeline Motorsports
The first 4-time champion ever, Danny Popp, won the 2016 Optima Ultimate Street Car Invitational in his Raft Motorsports C5 Corvette Z06 on Forgeline GA3R wheels! Danny overcame a big setback, which saw the car pulled from the gravel trap by the spokes of one GA3R wheel! Congrats, Danny!!
Vehicle Info: 1998 Chevrolet Corvette Z06


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Words by Sean Moeller, Illustration by Johnnie Cluney, Recording engineered by Mike Gentry
The only records that were ever lying around the house when I was growing up were those that my quasi audiophile father had stuffed into a cupboard in our occasionally heated, rarely used rec room. It was wood paneled and shut off from the rest of the house, an addition that my grandparents put onto the farm house at some point in the 1970s and remained a remnant from that era, still does. The washer and dryer are out there and somehow it was a room - the only one, since the doors were always closed - where we needed mousetraps. You could tell when one took some poisoned bait and died behind the washing machine, as the stink got bad quickly. This is the room where dad has a monument to his former stereo-loving self. Since he was the only dad I knew growing up who even had a record player, I presumed that the 40-50 albums and his pile of 8-tracks was actually a sizable collection. He had a boxed set of the Beach Boys greatest hits, lots of 5th Dimension, The Association, The Carpenters (which was accrued when he married mom), a copy of Dylan's "John Wesley Harding" and then an assortment of albums that no one would ever admit to having, stuff that you can't even give away. It was interesting enough to me, as a kid, but I wonder why I wasted the time with much of the stuff that I did on those rainy afternoons when there was little else to do that we hadn't already done a million times. There wasn't a ton of stuff in the collection that I could have gravitated to for those times in middle school and high school when I was learning for the first time that the girls that I thought were great or that I wanted for girlfriends (whatever that meant back then) couldn't have felt any less the same way. It would have been nice if I could have had that resource, or if mom and dad could have pointed me out to that cupboard, ordered me turn the furnace on, let it heat up for 10-15 minutes and then listen to some record that had gotten them through these very same, universal, love-growing pains. It would have been such breezy and effective parenting, but that's not what happened. The record collection that my children will have at their disposal will give them ample choices for places and voices to turn to if they're seeking condolence or shelter from the raining and the pouring, or at that point when they're starting to figure out what they want to be, who they want to be. We'll be able to point them to albums like "Boyfriend" and "Girlfriend," both by the incredible, young Virginia Beach, Virginia, band We Are Trees, if they're caught up in these matters. They'll be able to slip into this damp coolness. They'll be able to howl off their sadness, getting right into this new feeling of floating through some amber sunset that makes everything feel a little bit better. You know that nothing's changing the realness of the disappointment or the fumbling, claustrophobic feeling that's getting your goat, but this makes things go down more easily. It's like how there are certain times when you comment to yourself or others around you how this beer - this very typical, unspecial beer - tastes SO good right now. It's the surroundings, the people, the coldness of the can or bottle, whatever the fuck it is, but this beer is BETTER. The way that James Nee spreads out this sense of cool, this calmness about his matters of love and the need to just get out of here, to drive around, to explore and more, all over these melodic pieces is that good beer. It's that beer on a good night, no matter what the reason is.


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A mother of three and grandmother of one was killed in an early morning car crash in North Side Friday (October 21).
43-year old Heather Moffitt- Gibson was the driver and only occupant of the land rover that went off Rum Point Road.
Heather Moffitt-Gibson of North Side was taken to Cayman Islands Hospital by ambulance where she was pronounced dead.
Police and emergency services responded to the single-vehicle accident on Rum Point Road at 3AM Friday. Her husband Bobby Gibson posted on Facebook.
"It is with heart-felt regret that I am informing friends and family of the tragic passing of Heather Moffitt-Gibson, my wife and mother of my children and grandchild. She was involved in a car accident early this morning. As a family, we are mourning her passing for she will be greatly missed. She was a great mother to our children Papie, Dylan and our baby girl Hannah and even better Grandmother to our Grandson Jaxon."
Friends and family immediately started sharing messages of love and support to the family.
Mrs. Moffitt-Gibson has a long family history in Grand Cayman dating back to the 1980's.
Mrs. Moffitt-Gibson was the only driver involved in the crash.
Police are asking anyone who might have information that can help with their investigation to call the traffic management unit, on 649-6254.


text: Prothane Urethane Coil Spring Mounting Seat Bushing Set for 1965-1973 Mustang & 1967-1973 Cougar.Urethane has a lower deflection rate than rubber allowing better handling. Plus, since it does not dry out with age, it lasts longer. Urethane bushings are not just for race cars, these work great on the street also.These are the bushings that the shaft goes through in the middle of the spring seat. Comes as 4 bushings, you use 2 per seat for a total of 4 per car. For the seat assembly with bushings installed:


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Allow the staff of Officiants with Florida Nuptials to provide you with a unique and personalized wedding ceremony or vow renewal to insure that your most important day is unforgettable in every detail.
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I am an ordained minister and have been doing weddings for many years. I have performed casual beach and private weddings, as well as very formal church weddings. I would love to be part of making your special day a celebration to remember.
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Dr. Jerry Kenneth Schwehm, a native of New Orleans, has conducted many personalized weddings over the past 15 years.
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Congratulations! Reverend Samantha McGovern is available to officiate your marriage at your choice of location in the Greater New Orleans Area. Please call for more information! (504) 214-0610 or email me at email@example.com.
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My goal is to help each couple plan and celebrate a wedding ceremony that will truly express the love and commitment that they share together.
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Reverend Tony is the officiate at the French Quarter Wedding Chapel. Combined, they have performed five thousand wedding ceremonies in New Orleans.


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I know, we are coming to the end of "cool and creamy" season. However, when I read that sales of smoothies have escalated in recent years, I couldn't pass up this newsworthy opportunity to share some fruit smoothie tidbits and recipes. Frankly, I will sit at my desk, wrapped up in a blanket (quite literally) spooning an ice cold beverage or dessert in the dead of winter. For some reason those cravings never seem to subside, even when my hands are colder than the food itself! So crank up the heat and enjoy …
First for the interesting news tidbits. Smoothie sales have risen to $2 billion (yes I said billion) per year, up 80% from 2002. There are now more than 4000 retail outlets pouring smoothies across America. It seems that the smoothie expansion has been fueled by their healthy image.
However, as I can vouch, those antioxidant boosted, ginseng punched beverages aren't always as healthy as they might sound. Many smoothie operators sneak sugar into the mix. One smoothie chain in my neck of the woods produces drinks that are so sickeningly sweet that both my husband and I felt ill for the entire day following. Don't let the healthy sounding pomegranate title fool you.
Of course, from a dairy-free perspective, milk, yogurt, ice cream, frozen yogurt, and sherbet are common bases in store bought smoothies. But trust me, they are not required!
The best smoothies are definitely homemade, at least in my opinion. Naturally sweetened with ripe fruit, there is no end to the possibilities. Also, since smoothies are ideal with frozen fruit, there is no worry about what fruit can be found in your local produce department. Just head to the frozen food aisle, or stock up in-season and flash freeze your favorite fruits for convenient smoothie creations anytime.
Today (unknowingly in honor of this news) I concocted a new favorite, the Mango Colada. It seems my tropical island cravings are already setting in. Would you like to know what was in it? Well let me tell you…
Mango Colada
- 1/2 cup plain rice milk (unsweetened almond milk works well too)
- 1 small ripe banana, fresh or sliced and frozen
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup frozen pineapple chunks
- 1/2 cup frozen mango chunks
- 1 heaping tablespoon unsweetened coconut (I ground mine up in a spice grinder before adding for more of an infused taste)
Blend the rice milk, banana, and pineapple until smooth. With the motor running, add the mango chunks through the shoot. Watch out for splattering. Add the coconut and give it one final blend until smooth. If it is too thick, just add some more rice milk. If you like it frostier, blend in some ice.
Here are some other fantastic vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, sugar-free, and otherwise-free smoothie recipes:
Awesome Almond Chocolate Shake – A Personal Addiction
Watermelon Strawberry Cooler – Light & Refreshing
Berry Delicious Smoothie – The Sneaky Smoothie
The Gold Standard – Antioxidant Indulgence
News Source: Newstarget
Photo Source: Wikimedia


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Opposition commanders last night said their troops had advanced to within three miles of Mazar-i-Sharif's huge Soviet-built airport - but admitted that they had been unable to take it. The Pentagon has hinted that the airport could be used in future by allied forces, currently stationed in neighbouring Uzbekistan.
Intense fighting around Mazar-i-Sharif has raged all week, according to opposition general Ustad Attah. Speaking from the frontline, he said: "On Wednesday evening, the Taliban tried to attack us six times in order to gain back the positions they lost to us three days ago, but they could not break through."
Reports from the battlefield offer a confusing picture. But it seems unlikely that Mazar-i-Sharif will fall in the next few days to a Northern Alliance advance, despite 12 days of American bombardment against Taliban positions.
The Taliban dismissed opposition reports of territorial gains as "totally wrong" and claimed they had launched a successful counter-offensive. Northern Alliance forces had fled in disarray, leaving behind the corpses of 25 soldiers and several wounded, the pro-Taliban Afghan Islamic Press Agency reported.
Mazar-i-Sharif was the last major Afghan city to fall to the Taliban in 1997 - and was then briefly recaptured by opposition forces. If the city falls, the opposition could be expected to recapture completely the northern provinces of Balkh, Samangan and Faryab. These are traditionally Uzbek areas, where the Pashtun Taliban are regarded as hated foreign invaders. The Northern Alliance might also be able to split the Taliban's army in two and prevent its tactical retreat to Kabul.
But most analysts believe that this is an optimistic scenario, and say the Taliban have so far demonstrated more resilience than the US and British-led coalition has given them credit for.
"They can blast away at Taliban targets for as long as they like," retired General Mirza Aslam Beg, a former Pakistan army chief-of-staff, said. "But ultimately they are going to have to engage on the ground. I don't think they'll get Bin Laden from the air."
American jets have wiped out the Taliban's airports, as well as military installations and fuel dumps. But the Taliban's 45,000-strong army, much of it made up of committed Arab and foreign fighters, is essentially intact. As is the Taliban's fleet of pick-up trucks, which their commanders will deploy ruthlessly in any future land battle.
Informed western sources in Pakistan say the Taliban still have nearly 1,000 pick-up trucks, allowing them to move as many as 6,000 fighters at a time. The pick-ups, smuggled in from the Gulf, are fitted with sophisticated communications equipment. They can move in battle formation at high speeds across the mountainous terrain.
"The Americans have not even brought the pick-ups into the equation," Lt Gen Talat Masood, a friend of Pakistan's military ruler General Pervez Musharraf and a former minister, said last night. "They might get a nasty surprise if they try to land [special forces] in Afghanistan."
Some observers last night suggested that the Taliban could still have MiG aircraft at their disposal. The Americans seem confident that the Taliban's small fleet of ageing Soviet jets has been wiped out during repeated offensives. There has, meanwhile, been little solid evidence so far of large-scale Taliban defections to the opposition.
Another problem US military planners face is that the continuing bombing campaign appears to have consolidated support for the Taliban in areas where they were previously weak. Reports suggest that the Taliban are now distributing arms to civilians in Kabul. In Jalalabad, which has suffered intense bombardment, anti-US sentiment is now rampant.


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The day before we left on our trip, my amazing husband surprised me by magically turning my phone into a hotspot so I could be fully connected in the woods. Pathetic (I know)... and oh so nice!
|Deep in the woods and bloggin away... Do you like my tent (ok fine it's a camper)?
I'll spare you the 350 photo album of family fun... but here are a few pictures that highlight a few of the things we did on our trip.
|My kids on the shore of Lake Michigan (Marissa and Donavon)
|The Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island
|This is what happens when we wait in line together too long. Ha!
|church on Mackinac Island (view from Governor's summer residence)
|We toured the Kilwin's Chocolate Factory! They gave us yummy samples and the cute little hat.
|My family (minus the photographer) - campfire near the beach.
|The happy campers with another year of memories that will last a lifetime!
In between campfires, playing in the sand, swimming, bike rides, long walks, sunsets and lots of smores... I have been working on some new products for my Teachers Notebook and Tpt stores and several freebies to post in the next few months.


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Hunting X-ray signals from the distant universe requires years of strenuous work, a lot of dedicated scientists and an experienced leader to head the scientific efforts. Astrophysicist Niel Brandt of the Pennsylvania State University is just that type of an academic guru who successfully led his team to create the most sensitive cosmological X-ray surveys of the universe. For this enormous effort he was recently honored with the 2016 Bruno Rossi Prize – a prestigious award given each year by the High Energy Astrophysics Division of the American Astronomical Society. In an interview with Astrowatch.net, Brandt talks about his outstanding career.
Astrowatch.net: How is it like to win the prestigious Bruno Rossi Prize?
Niel Brandt: I am thankful and happy to win the Rossi Prize. I consider this also an honor to my research group as well as my many collaborators. I have had great graduate students and postdoctoral researchers at Penn State working with me on the Chandra Deep Fields over the years. Many of them, after developing their skills via their Chandra Deep Fields research, have gone on to win professorial and permanent staff positions as well as distinguished fellowships and scholarships, becoming new leaders around the world in high-energy astrophysics.
Astrowatch.net: You've won many awards for scientific achievements like the National Science Foundation CAREER award or the Newton Lacy Pierce Prize in Astronomy. Is the Bruno Rossi Prize an another trophy on the shelf or does it mean something special for you?
Brandt: Well, I am grateful for all these awards and do not consider any of them just "another trophy on the shelf" - they each have their own unique aspects, and all of them have been most helpful in developing my research group and career.
The Rossi Prize, in particular, is given by true experts in my exact subject area of high-energy astrophysics. They understand thoroughly what is happening in the field and can assess the important results deeply and critically. This is borne out by the track records of the many amazing winners of the Rossi Prize in the past, and I just hope that I can keep up with them. For this reason, in particular, the Rossi Prize is special for me. It also recognizes, in my case, many years of effort and results - while some other prizes have a significant component of future potential, yet unrealized, being considered.
Astrowatch.net: You've been awarded for the creation of the most sensitive X-ray surveys of the extragalactic universe. How much challenging was this research?
Brandt: This research is very challenging, and it has required hard work over about 16 years to come as far as we have. Not only must one design and execute compelling X-ray observational programs, but then one must be able to use a wide range of multi-wavelength data to understand the nature of the detected X-ray sources. Then, with that understanding, there is another broader level where one must deduce what new the population of detected sources is telling us about supermassive black holes and galaxies in the distant universe.
To get further understanding of what we have learned from all this effort, please see (my) recent review article. While this is somewhat technical in places, a light reading of this should still clarify the main findings.
Astrowatch.net: Could you introduce your research team that was involved in the making of these surveys?
Brandt: Well, as mentioned earlier, I have had many great collaborators in my group. I believe my training of these people is even more important than the specific scientific findings.
Being able to work with Chandra's ACIS (Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer) team, especially in the early days after Chandra launched, was critical for letting all this stuff eventually happen.
|Niel Brandt giving a lecture about spinning black holes and the no-hair theorem during the NASA Science Workshop for Educators - "Black Holes: Gravity's Fatal Attraction" at the Penn State University on Aug. 6, 2009. Photo credit: Edward Bujak
Astrowatch.net: Is NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory an indispensable tool for astrophysicists?
Brandt: Absolutely - Chandra has several unique capabilities that are indispensable! Relevant to the X-ray surveys work, Chandra has sub-arcsec angular resolution which, for long exposures, can give it truly amazing sensitivity. The faintest X-ray sources we are detecting in the Chandra Deep Fields have count rates of about one count per ten days! (For some more details on the capabilities of Chandra relevant to surveys, please see the fifth page of this article).
Astrowatch.net: Do you think NASA should invest more funds in developing next-generation X-ray space observatories to advance our knowledge in astrophysics?
Brandt: Absolutely! From a broad perspective of the overall federal budget, NASA has done a superb job of using its limited funds to deliver many fantastic results. Considering the amount of my family's annual taxes that go to funding NASA, and NASA's X-ray missions in particular, I see that we have more than gotten our "money's worth" in terms of enriching my young children's lives and sparking their curiosity.
There are some highly compelling and credible X-ray mission concepts that should be executed to give fantastic new results. One is Athena, where ESA is leading but NASA has significant participation (e.g., http://arxiv.org/abs/1207.2745). Another, further off, is the X-ray Surveyor (e.g., http://arxiv.org/abs/1505.00814). These missions should each provide a major step beyond the Chandra Deep Fields, clarifying further how supermassive black holes grow and affect galaxies. Like Chandra, they will also be broadly capable observatories delivering great results on many other topics as well.
Astrowatch.net: Did you always know you wanted to be an astrophysicist?
Brandt: I've always loved science, though I had broad interests when I was younger. I decided firmly that I wanted to become a scientist in high school. In college I studied physics, and I originally had the idea of wanting to do particle physics. However, after some good early astronomy classes and doing astronomy research over my summer vacations, I was hooked! I've always approached astronomy from a physics perspective, and that's one reason why I like X-ray astronomy - it "feels" more like physics, in terms of the methods and overall approaches, than some other areas of astronomy. No magnitudes or other silly astronomy jargon for me!
Niel Brandt is the Verne M. Willaman Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the Pennsylvania State University. He earned a bachelor's degree in physics at the California Institute of Technology in 1992 and a doctoral degree in astronomy at Cambridge University in 1996. Brandt was a Smithsonian Postdoctoral Fellow at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics from 1996 to 1997. His previous honors include a Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship in 1996, an Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship in 1999, a National Science Foundation CAREER award in 2000, and the Newton Lacy Pierce Prize in Astronomy from the American Astronomical Society in 2004. Brandt was honored by Penn State in 2010 with the title of Distinguished Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics, and in 2014 with the title of Verne M. Willaman Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics. In 2016, he received the Bruno Rossi Prize for his leadership of the research effort that used NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory to detect X-ray signals from extreme sources at vast distances from Earth.
The Chandra ACIS team was crucial to create the most sensitive cosmological X-ray surveys of the universe. The principal investigator for the ACIS team is Gordon Garmire, Evan Pugh Professor Emeritus of Astronomy and Astrophysics at Penn State.


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I recently heard someone use the phrase "asymmetrical business relationship". He was talking about the relationship between The United Kingdom and its people and his opinion that the relationship between them wasn't balanced. He suggested that the British State take Brit's money in the form of taxes and doesn't give anything in return.
He's wrong of course. In any democratic state like the UK or Botswana, the people, like us, DO get things from the State.
We get policing, education, basic health care, roads and military protection. We pay for that in taxes, every one of us. Even those of us who don't pay income tax pay something in VAT whenever we buy something that isn't an essential for life. That's what they call the social contract. You and I agree to obey the law and pay our taxes and the State agrees to offer us the protection of the law and offer some basic facilities. I think that's fairly balanced, even though both sides fail occasionally. Many of us deliberately avoid taxes and the State often neglects some of its responsibilities but we both have the right to criticize the other until they honor their obligations. They can prosecute us and we can, in principle, vote against them at the elections. That's the democratic deal.
But it's not symmetrical. Each side has a different set of responsibilities and benefits. But it IS balanced even though balance is more complicated to explain and prove.
In any commercial dealing, whether it's buying bread, a cellphone, a car or a house both parties should walk away equally happy. Both party's level of contentment should be balanced. I walk away with a new shiny cellphone, feeling 8 out of 10 on the happiness scale. The store manager should also be feeling an 8 out of 10 happiness level. If one party is happier than the other then you know something has gone wrong. That wasn't a balanced deal.
That's how it should work in a free market. You and I, if we don't like the prices at Store A, can shop instead at Stores B, C, or D. We can move to a store that offers us a more balanced deal. We have that freedom, a freedom that some people and political movements have tried to take away from people in the past in other countries. Instead of allowing their people to take the decision, their States have intervened and set prices for consumer goods. The problem with this is simple. Every time it's been tried people have ended up either starving to death or overthrowing their government. Intervening in a balanced relationship is like introducing a mistress to a marriage, it unbalances everything.
Unlike many people on the radical political left I think most people are perfectly capable of seeing when they're not getting a service that balances their payment. They're also capable of recognizing that it's not just the material things that matter. We value emotional elements as well. In a restaurant, for instance, it's not just the temperature, quality and taste of the food we buy that matters. It's also the welcome, the attention and the friendliness of the waiters and management that add to our sense of value. That's why we choose to go to one of two superficially identical restaurants that both deliver identical quality food, the one with the happy staff that make us feel welcome.
That's fine in principle but does it work like this in practice? Not always.
The obvious situation when this doesn't work is when the consumers are poor, educationally disadvantaged and geographically remote, just like a significant proportion of our population. Such people don't often have choice, they often don't have two stores to choose from and, let's be frank, many disadvantaged people are so ground down by poverty that any assertiveness they might have once had has long since evaporated.
But the solution is not to abandon the system that works for the majority. The solution is to allow people to get themselves out of poverty by getting work and the only way to help them do that is to allow, perhaps even encourage, companies to get out there and offer them paid employment. The solution is to allow everyone access to the system that works for almost everyone who joins it.
The other problem we face is those organizations who either take themselves out of the free market or who were never in it. The monopolies. Monopolies don't have to care because nobody forces them to. Our power producer and water company can get away with delivering dreadful service because nobody is going to stop them. I don't mean the State, that's not their job. I mean that consumers can't move away from them because they all have a legally enforceable monopoly that protects them from the only thing that will improve their service: competition.
Some may argue that with only one power cable and only one water pipe entering our houses there can never be a competitor to BPC or WUC. Not true. Just because there's only one set of cables and pipes that doesn't mean there can't be more than one company pumping power and water into them. There's only one road from Gaborone to Francistown but that doesn't mean we have to use only one bus company. The infrastructure can be rented out, just like BTC rents out it's cabling infrastructure to the three cellphone companies. Power can be done in exactly the same way. Two or more companies pump power into the grid, we choose who to pay for it.
Maybe that will add a bit of balance to our lives? Maybe that'll encourage BPC not to be quite so monumentally monopolistic and arrogant?
Consumer Watchdog is a (fiercely) independent consumer rights and advocacy organisation campaigning on behalf of the consumers of Botswana, helping them to know their rights and to stand up against abuse. Contact us at email@example.com, call us on +267 3904582 or find us on Facebook by searching for Consumer Watchdog Botswana. Everything we do for the consumers of Botswana has always been and always will be entirely free.
Sunday, 22 April 2012
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How to contact CSG with IT issues ?
Here we have attached a printable PDF Guide on How to contact CSG regarding any IT issues, and lodging a Job Ticket Request.
This will also act as a guide to assist with determining the severity level of your issues.
Pre-purchasing Blocks of Hours ?
Buying hours in 10, 20, or 50 hour blocks provides you with the following benefits:
◊ 4 Hour response time to critical issues
◊ More competitive rates arrangements
◊ No support call out charges
◊ Detailed engineer's reports at the close of each call
Blocks of hours may be utilised for any of the services provided by Computer Service Group including Network Installation and Maintenance, Web Design and Implementation, Network Security Audits, Application Development and Application Training.
Do you have an effective Backup Service?
What is your potential risk and impact of a hotter, drier and stormier climate to your business?
Would your business know how to respond if it were threatened by an extreme weather event, such as the bushfires in Victoria in February 2009 or the flooding in Queensland in January 2011?
Even if your business is not directly threatened by an extreme weather event, would you understand the impact on your suppliers, customers, employees, services, resources and markets
On which your business critically depends?
Things you should consider
□ Are your Backup disks routinely stored off site in a secure location? Or are backed up to a cloud storage service?
□ Do you have backups of your critical data away from the office?
□ Is your offsite backup's automatic?
□ Can your system be fully operational within minutes of a disaster?
If no, contact us and we can discuss options to have you sleep well at night knowing your business data is safe.


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Pamper Yourself Trunk ShowJanuary 23rd, 2011 in blog
Lets face it....the holidays can be a bit exhausting and the winter weather can collapse a dome not to mention your spirits. That's why Otten Bros., JMS, and a few of our favorite friends decided to host a trunk show that's all about one of your favorite people....you! You won't ae to worry aout te weather because we'll e in te tropical greenhouse. It's so warm in there we can all pretend we're on an island getaway. Than goodness for immagination. Here's the skinny....
What: The Pamper Yourself Trunk Show, You Deserve It!
When: Saturday, January 29, 2011 from 9AM to 4 PM....Happy New Year!
Where: Otten Bros. Garden Center and Landscaping, 2350 West Wayzata Blvd, Long Lake MN 55356
Why: Because girls just want to have fun!
April from Country Cake Cupboard will be cooking up something special for lunch at a very special price just for show goers!
Hope to see you there!
posted in: blog, Trunk Show
Comments (15)
Every time you have this Fantastic event it's on my week end to work.
No Fair, No Fair (pouting, bottom lip stuck out, stomping my foot!)
Maybe you couls consider keeping it open a little longer- like to 6:00 pm for those who have to work.
Just a thought.
I hate missing it! Posted: 8:35 am on January 25th
HONEY....I'm gonna need the truck for a couple days.
Sue, I was the googalee blond with the silly grin on my face that asked for a picture with you.
Posted: 8:50 pm on January 21st
Take care,
Sue Posted: 6:15 am on January 11th
Great pic Lani!!
Kathy Posted: 7:29 pm on January 8th
This post drove me insane! I'll have to check out some of these links to see if they send to Canad-eh. ARG!!!
Buried in the deep dark igloo north, Donna
Posted: 12:45 pm on January 8th
Happy New Year! - Tami Posted: 10:24 am on January 8th
Happy New Year!!! Georgia Posted: 9:22 am on January 8th


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Here's a question - are you reading this post on my blog site, or through a feed (either via e-mail or in a reader)? I'm actually very curious, so please answer in the comments. Thanks! :)
Ok, if you don't have a blog, then you might want to skip this part because it probably won't mean much to you. On the other hand, this might be a very good time to start your own blog - you know you want to! Go ahead, I'll wait... Well, no I actually won't, but please come back and read the rest of this when your blog is up and running, ok? And leave me a comment so I can stop by and say 'hi' (and subscribe, of course!). I love meeting new bloggers!
What exactly is Feedburner and why should I use it?
Hopefully if you've already read Part 1 and Part 2, you can answer this question for yourself. But just in case, here's a (very) quick explanation.
Feedburner is just one of the many tools out there that allows you to make subscribing easier for your readers and to keep them coming back by helping turn them into subscribers. It also gives you access to information about your subscribers (and readers) so you can see where they're coming from, where they're going when they leave your site, and helps you give people a quick and easy way to keep up with your blog or site.
This all sounds great - so how do I sign up?
The place to start, of course, is at Feedburner.com. And all you need to get started is your blog or site's URL (web address). In this case, I'm going to use one that I created just for testing and demonstration purposes - at http://debsothersite.blogspot.com. And no, there's nothing there, so don't go off looking... It's just a quick blogger template that I threw together so I can test out various things without
ruining affecting this blog.
Ok, off we go. We have our URL all set and we're ready to get started. Type it into the box, and click the NEXT button. Feedburner will then search to find your site's feed. If it finds more than one, it will ask you to choose which you want to burn. In the case of the website that I entered, I ended up with two options:
You can see that each of these options include either the 'Atom' or 'RSS' that we've seen before. Basically, there is little difference between the two - they are just two different standards that have been created for feed syndication. In this case, I left the default option (Atom) chosen and hit the NEXT button.
In the next window, you can choose the title for your feed (doesn't have to be the same as your blog title, although it'll probably be less confusing for you later on if it is) and the actual URL of your feed. Remember back in Part 1 where we talked about knowing your feed URL? Well here is where you get to choose a portion of what your actual feed URL will be. Again, it's probably best to choose something easy that relates to your actual blog name or URL.
Note: If you don't already have an account registered with Feedburner, it will ask you to create one at the bottom of the above window. This is pretty painless - you just need to choose a username and password and enter your e-mail address. If you already have an account, but aren't logged in, the same window gives you an option to log in as well.
At this point, you have two choices - you can activate your feed, or you can cancel. Obviously if you cancel, you can ignore the rest of this post. But if you go ahead and choose 'Activate Feed', then Feedburner will burn your feed and then you should see this screen afterward:
Let's stop for a minute and look at what you've now got. Your new feed URL is shown in blue. And Feedburner has very helpfully set you up with some default settings for your feed - we'll get more into what those are all about in a little bit.
I've burned a feed, but now what?
When you click on the NEXT button, you are taken to your main user page. This page will show you all of the feeds that you have burned (you can burn as many feeds as you have blogs or sites), how many subscribers each feed has, and how many visitors have been to your site that day. Since this feed was just burned, it has no subscribers and no visit data has been collected yet. This is a good page to bookmark, so that you can come back and check your feeds later on.
Go ahead and click on the title of your new feed (this is the title that you chose earlier). Feedburner takes you to your 'Feed Stats Dashboard' page. This is where the magic happens - where you can see your subscriber and reader statistics, change your options and settings, sign up for feed advertising (if you're so inclined), or let the world know about your wonderful new site so they can all subscribe. :)
See the five tabs across the top? Right now the 'Analyze' tab is chosen by default. Normally you'll see information about your feed and your site. However, you won't see statistics for your own site right away - you have to set them up first.
I want to see statistics! You said I could see statistics! How do I see statistics?
Ok, ok. First of all, click on the left side of your dashboard (see above screen shot) where it says 'Site Stats'.
Then click where it says 'activate site stats now' in blue.
By default, the first four items on the list are checked - these are things that Feedburner will always track for you. You have the option to add other items as well - just click on each checkbox. If you're not sure what something is, you can click on the little 'i' icon (if you see one) for more information. This is also where you decide if you want Feedburner to just track information for your feed, or if you want to track site statistics too. If you check the box under 'For my site, track:', then you will need to add some html code to your site's layout, but don't worry - it's pretty simple and Feedburner helps you through it.
Note: It's always good to make sure that the 'Exclude visits from this computer' button is checked so that you're not skewing your site stats by the number of times you visit your own site. :)
Once you're done choosing options, click the SAVE button.
If you chose to track your site statistics, you are now prompted to choose your blogging platform in order to get the HTML code to put on your site. I can't speak for anything except Blogger at this point, but it should be fairly similar for any of the others, I would imagine.
When you choose your platform, Feedburner opens a window that walks you through exactly what to do with the HTML code - they do a really good job of explaining it, so I'm not going to duplicate efforts by going through it again here.
So I'm all set up - what do I do now?
This is where it really gets fun. Remember those 5 tabs at the top of your dashboard window? These are the different areas of Feedburner.
- ANALYZE is pretty self-explanatory - this is where all of the statistics that you've just set up will appear once Feedburner starts receiving information about your feed and your site. You'll see options down the left side of your screen where you can click to look at different types of information, under both 'Feed Stats' and 'Site Stats'.
- OPTIMIZE is where you can change your settings and configure how your feed is set up. There are a variety of services that you can choose from - I'll highlight a few of the ones that I like, but go ahead and try them out to see what works for you.
'BrowserFriendly' is a good way to make it easy for your readers to subscribe, by utilizing a 'one stop shop' kind of approach, so it doesn't matter what internet browser they're using. You can add a personal message to your newly subscribing readers here aswell, and you can choose which feed reader options to give your subscribers. It's probably best to give a lot of options, since you don't want to drive people away if you don't include their favorite reader to make it easy for them.
'FeedFlare' allows you to add options at the bottom of each post - and there are a ton of user developed scripts to add custom Flares as well (click on 'Browse the Catalog' to see them all). This is a good place to experiment and see what you like and what works well for your site and feed. You'll have to add HTML code to your site for this as well, but again - Feedburner walks you through it pretty well.
'Summary Burner' allows you to just publish a summary of each post instead of the whole thing - requiring your subscribers to actually click through to your site to read the actual post. Again, this gets fuzzy in terms of what you want to allow or not, but the option is there.
- PUBLICIZE is where you can set up e-mail subscriptions for your site and choose fun buttons or widgets for your site. You can even show off your subscriber total. Remember our friendly little orange RSS button? Here's where you can find one to put on your site to make it easy for readers to subscribe. Or if you don't like the orange button, there are other options as well. Feedburner walks you through adding the code to your site's template.
- MONETIZE is where you can sign up for Feedburner's ad network if you want to allow advertisements to be placed in your feed. I can't speak for how much earning potential there is by doing this - I've had one ad campaign for my feed and earned a whopping $0 from it. So decide for yourself... I do like that Feedburner allows you the option to review and choose whether you want any particular ad campaign - but there aren't always campaigns available either. I've only had the one so far and I've been signed up for several months. I'm not looking to earn money this way though - I did it more out of curiosity than anything else.
- TROUBLESHOOTIZE is (along with being a made-up word) Feedburner's help or support area. Look here for some general tips and tricks to try if you're having problems. It also contains the link to the Feedburner Forums where you can go for more involved help if you need to.
I know I went through this kind of fast and that there's a lot of things to take in and consider here. If you have any specific questions, feel free to leave them in the comments or e-mail them to me and I'll answer them as best as I can, either here or in a future post. I'm planning at least one more part to this series - to talk about the whole issue of full/partial feeds, so stay tuned (and subscribed!). Or if there are any other blogging/technical questions that you have - I'll try to answer if I can! Or at least point you in the direction of where to look for answers.
I'm going to leave you with one final tip, which is so blatantly obvious and practical that I think many people never consider it:
Don't forget to subscribe to your own feed!
Yep, you read that right. There are a lot of benefits to doing this - other than just boosting your subscriber count by one of course. :) You can see how your feed actually looks in a reader to see which of the options that you've chosen are ones you like or don't like. You can play around with different FeedFlares and other settings to see how you like them. And, you can see exactly when your posts are published to your feed - it doesn't happen immediately after you hit 'publish, but the time delay can vary. I've seen my posts appear in my reader very quickly after published sometimes, or even up to a half hour later. If you're subscribed to your feed, you know exactly when each post has been published.
For more information on using feeds, here are some good resources on Feedburner. If you know of anything that I missed, just let me know and I'll add it!
MamaBlogga's 5 Steps to Getting Started With Feedburner (this is what I used when I first started - it's a wonderful guide!). Also her related post, 7 Ways to Master Feedburner has some great information once you've gotten set up as well.


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Arrow (The CW) - Series Premiere: Synopsis and Review
'Arrow', based on characters appearing in comic books and graphic novels published by DC Comics, is about a playboy, converted to a superhero murdering machine by spending five years on a deserted island after a shipwreck. The main character, Oliver Queen, is portrayed by Stephen Amell ('Justice for Natalee Holloway'). 'Arrow' airs on The CW Wednesdays at 8/7c.
'Arrow' starts with a man, doing some nice parkour on the rocks, followed by an epic shot with a bow and arrow creating a fireball explosion. For 5 years this man has been stranded on an island, the name of which translates into 'purgatory'. After his parkour fireball exercise, the man, called Oliver Queen, is found by a coincidentally passing ship.
Oliver tells the viewer in a voice over how he was stranded on the island after a shipwreck that killed everyone on board but him, and how his sole purpose was to survive. To accomplish this, he has formed himself into more than a man. He is a survival machine. And now, he can go home, to confront those who have ruined 'his city'.
Back home in Starling City, Oliver's mother Moira (Susanna Thompson, 'Once and Again') and sister Thea (Willa Holland, 'The O.C.') await him. Oliver learns that his mother has been remarried, and he struggles visibly with this discovery.
In a series of flashbacks, we see the ship Oliver was on and how the disaster went down. One minute there was a storm and Oliver was in bed with a girl named Sarah, the next the entire ship rolled over and Oliver was floating in the ocean. His father and a crew member got him into a lifeboat, but he struggled to get out and find Sarah, who was still in the boat. His father did everything to keep Oliver alive, going as far as shooting both the crewmember and himself to make sure Oliver got all the supplies they had.
Sarah's sister Laurel (Katie Cassidy, 'Gossip Girl') is Oliver's former girlfriend. As it turns out, Oliver and Laurel were together when he took Sarah with him on the ship. Oliver goes to her, apologizing for being with her sister while he was her boyfriend, but she has no intention of forgiving him. She tells him she couldn't be angry at her because she was dead, and she couldn't grieve over her death because she died screwing Laurels boyfriend. She makes it clear what she thinks about the situation when she says: "It should've been you."
Tommy (Colin Donnell, 'Pan Am'), Oliver's best friend, takes Oliver into the city to catch up on everything he missed. As they walk to their car, a van drives up to them and two men with masks shoot them with tranquilizer darts and they collapse. As Oliver wakes up, one of the masked men asks him if his father survived the accident. He tortures Oliver to make him answer, but Oliver has released his cuffs and fights the men off. I do wonder; where on the island did he learn how to do that? Was he taken hostage by the local animals, perhaps?
One of the masked men runs away, so Oliver follows him in his epic 'parkour meets Tarzan' mode. He catches the man and he breaks the man's back so nobody will find out he is now some sort of superman. When he is back home, he tells two detectives about what happened. He tells them that a man in a green hood came in and fought off the robbers. Tommy was unconscious and doesn't remember any of it, so the detectives have no choice but to believe him.
Moira wants Oliver to have someone to watch over him, so they hire John 'Dig' Diggle (David Ramsey, 'Dexter') to take care of him. Obviously, Oliver doesn't need him, and so he simply steps out of the car Dig is driving and disappears. Oliver goes to his father's abandoned factory and sets up his home base there.
Oliver reveals his first target: Hunt, who has once again just been acquitted for a crime. Interestingly, Laurel happens to be one of the attorneys working on the case.
As Hunt is walking to his car in a garage, Oliver shoots his henchmen and pulls Hunt from the car and tells him to transfer $40.000.000 to an anonymous bank account by 10 p.m. the next evening. Back in his office, Hunt tells the police about what happened. He informs the detectives they will have to come back before 10 p.m. that night to catch Oliver..
Oliver can't escape from going to his coming home party that night, but he keeps a close eye on the clock. As luck would have it, Oliver's party is across the street from Hunt's building, where policemen are gearing up.
Oliver then bumps into Laurel, and they go somewhere quiet where she apologizes for wishing he was the one who died. During their conversation, the clock strikes ten and Hunt hasn't transferred the money. Oliver tells Laurel to stay away from him, or he's going to hurt her again. He tries to pretend to be the same party boy he used to be so she won't get near him.
As Oliver walks away from the party hall to go across the street to Hunt's office, Dig intercepts him and tells him to go back to the party. Oliver is able to overpower him, and even though there are police forces everywhere, he makes his way into Hunt's office, with his hood on, by shooting half the officers and Hunt's men with his arrows. Before he can get to Hunt however, he has to take on Hunt's new bodyguard, and he's proving to be a really good fighter. The policemen that were waiting outside the building get a call from Hunt that Oliver is inside, and they storm into the building.
Oliver only just overpowers the bodyguard when the police come in. He jumps out of the window, using a line he put up there before entering Hunt's office to be able to escape to his party location across the street. The police see him going there, and they drop by the party. Oliver is back there again, and a standoff between him and the detective in charge shows that Sarah and Laurel are his daughters, and the detective is angry at Oliver for not saving his daughter. Tommy seems to suspect something, knowing that Oliver was the one who asked to have his party at that location.
Back at Hunt's office, we learn that 40 million dollars has been taken out of his account, untraceably. It turns out there is some device on one of the arrows Oliver shot into the wall of Hunter's office that transfers the money wirelessly. Laurel and her coworkers are getting calls from their clients, the ones that had sued Hunt but lost, because magically, a lot of money has been added to their bank accounts.
'Arrow' was everything I expected it to be. It has action, a lot of chasing scenes, mysteries, betrayal, drama and love stories. It's not always believable, especially when it comes to the things Oliver learned on the island. For instance; when his mother wakes him his first reaction is to pin her down to the ground. Now, I know that this can be normal for soldiers, for example, who just came back from a warzone, but when you've been on a deserted island I can't imagine you'd learn this. After all; who would you be pinning to the ground? It would be more believable if he acted as if she was a wild animal. However, it doesn't annoy me that much, or at least not as much as it could have. Although that is probably because they don't put emphasis on how and where he learned these things, but more on what he is going to do with them.
This first episode primarily revolved around Oliver coming back to the mainland and his family, although he does 'handle' one 'case'. However, I suspect the following episodes will be more about the people Oliver wants to take on. As for his motives; it's not very clear yet why exactly he is doing what he is doing. The only thing that is hinted on is that his father might have asked him to, although that isn't clear. So this is another thing that needs to be revealed in the following episodes. And then there is what seems to be a conspiracy against Oliver, with people abducting him and trying to get information from him. It's safe to say that there are a lot of interesting episodes still to come.
'Arrow' airs on The CW on Wednesdays at 8/7c.
What do you think of 'Arrow'?
- The CW - Ratings, Cancellations and Renewals 2012-13
How are 'Arrow' and other The CW shows doing in the ratings? Will you favorite show be renewed or won't it return for another season?
- Upcoming Drama TV Series: Fall 2012
This Hub includes synopses, previews and reviews of the new Upcoming Drama TV Series that premiere in Fall 2012. ABC's 'Last Resort', FOX's 'The Mob Doctor' and CBS's 'Elementary' are among the listed shows.
It was a good concept, but the lousy dialogue was too off putting, and the "Dark Knight" tone made it unoriginal. I would like to see them do another pilot before watching this show again.
When he pinned down his mother, I thought the same as you. But then I thought that perhaps he wasn't stranded on a *deserted* island after all - maybe there were others that he had to defend himself against.
I think it adds to the mystery because you don't actually know what happened on the island, all we know is what he is telling us (which may be false).


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Apply for a Community TAB Sports Grant to go towards your sporting club! Community TAB is providing grants to regional and metropolitan sporting clubs in WA to further our support of the WA sport and recreation industry.
Since February 2015 Community TAB has been matching what is raised at every major country race day for local community organisations.anc_Link1
Every year the TAB invests a portion of sports wagering turnover back into community sports through the Sports Wagering Account with the Department of Sport and Recreationanc_Link2
The TAB allocated new funding to not-for-profit groups making a real difference in our community. Three organisations have been selected as major partners, however partnerships are being created with a community organisation within all the areas throughout WA.anc_Link3
Community TAB supports WA in many different industries including racing, sport, not-for-profit organisations and West Australian events that showcase home-grown talent like the Telstra Perth Fashion Festival.anc_Link1
At Racing and Wagering WA, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is about conducting our business ethically and describes the way a business takes into account the financial, environmental and social impacts of decisions and actions it is involved in.anc_Link2
Community TAB provides many volunteering opportunities to RWWA employees through partnerships.Staff Volunteering Opportunities


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Kohl's Reports 30% Energy Savings Through LEED Volume Program
Kohl's Reports 30% Energy Savings Through LEED Volume Program
The U.S. Green Building Council's streamlined LEED certification for large groups of existing buildings graduated from pilot phase to official status this week after five years in development, and some of its early adopters are already reporting strong energy and water savings from the program.
The USGBC announced the formal launch of the LEED Volume Certification program covering the operations and maintenance of existing buildings (known in green building shorthand as LEED-EBOM Volume Certification) at the Building Owners and Managers Association's International Conference in Washington, D.C.
Volume certification enables companies, commercial real estate firms, schools and others with a portfolio of non-residential property to expedite green building certification for 25 or more structures. The process reduces paperwork, costs and the time involved to apply and be reviewed for green building certification under the USGBC's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards.
The volume program, whose pilot stage began in 2006, has two tracks. One covers from-the-ground-up construction, major renovations and commercial interiors. Companies that choose this path first seek pre-approval of a design prototype. After it is obtained, firms can pursue volume certification for projects built according to the pre-certified prototype.
The second track is for existing properties of any age that are run in conformance to a pre-certified set of standards for operations and maintenance. It's not necessary for the sites to share identical physical features. The prototype for this path is a framework for using the same policies, operational practices, measurement tools and documentation methods across a portfolio.
The track for design and construction volume certification got underway first. By the time it emerged from its pilot and was officially launched at Greenbuild last November, several companies had obtained pre-approval of prototypes or achieved volume certification for their first batch of buildings. Early adopters include Citi, Kohl's, Marriott, PNC Financial Services Group, Starbucks, Starwood and Wells Fargo. Economies of scale offered by the volume program prompted Best Buy to give LEED another look and include green building certification in its sustainability strategy, the company said in a testimonial.
Early participants in the LEED-EBOM Volume Certification program include Cushman & Wakefield. The company joined the pilot in 2008 and was the first commercial real estate firm to attain LEED certification under the standard with 18 properties achieving certification in January 2010. The majority of buildings certified in the program average a 30 percent reduction in water usage over the LEED baseline and 51 percent waste diversion of ongoing consumables, the company found.
In May last year, real estate investment advisor Bentall Kennedy had 28 commercial buildings certified under the LEED-EBOM volume program. At the time, it was the largest group of existing buildings to earn volume certification. Then in April this year, Bentall Kennedy received certification for another 17 buildings. The company says that as a result of the volume program for existing buildings, it's seeing an average of 33 percent greater portfolio energy efficiency than the national average and portfolio water savings that average 34 percent.
Kohl's, which is participating in both tracks of the volume program, has 144 LEED certified stores; 41 percent are existing buildings. Overall, about 13 percent of the retailer's stores are LEED certified. On average, the certified properties are 32 percent more energy efficient than baseline stores, use 50 percent less water for irrigation and see savings of as much as 30 percent in general water consumption with use of in-store plumbing fixtures that are designed to conserve water, the company said in a case study of its program participation. Kohl's also found that certification reviews under the volume process take about a third of the time the company had "previously allocated for a one-off certification."
About 20 companies and universities are participating in the volume certification program. As of February, more than 500 properties received LEED ratings through the program. As of Monday, that number had grown to more than 625 projects, the USGBC said.
Image CC licensed by Flickr user tombdmot.


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- 14 updates
Plastic surgery rules rethink
A major review is being launched into cosmetic surgery in Britain following the PIP breast implant scandal. Author, NHS medical director, Sir Bruce Keogh says too many people are unaware that such procedures can have lifelong implications.
Live updates
Cosmetic surgery review will address 'grubby practice'
Sir Bruce Keogh said the review into cosmetic surgery should be complete by the end of the year. Keogh told BBC Breakfast the review will address the "cacophony of concern" about "grubby practice" that was inflicting some parts of the industry.
How do we crack down on cosmetic surgery cowboys?
Radical clean-up planned for cosmetic surgery
A major review into cosmetic surgery is being launched in light of the PIP scandal. Daybreak speaks to inquiry author Sir Bruce Keogh.
Cosmetic surgery review launched after PiP scare
A major review into cosmetic surgery is being launched in light of the PIP scandal. Daybreak's Tiffany Royce reports.
- ITV Report
Cosmetic surgery review launched after PiP scare
Major clean up of 'grubby' cosmetic surgery clinics
NHS medical director Sir Bruce Keogh has promised to clean up the "grubby areas" of an industry that he says does not give patients enough protection, according to The Times.
He said that though there were some very good clinics his inquiry would raise hard questions for the whole industry.
He told the newspaper: "You can be a commercial operation that's well run but are you an ethical operation? Is your practice... driven purely by financial considerations?"
Nearly 750 women have PiP implants removed on NHS
- Nearly 750 women have PiP implants removed on NHS - 490 of whom had their PIP implants put in at private clinics.
- 4,349 scans have been done.
- 490 women have decided to have their implants removed on the NHS.
PiPs 'not a major health risk'
The NHS Medical Directors expert group said in June that the gel materials used inside the implants are not toxic or carcinogenic.
However it warned that PIP implants are twice as likely to rupture as other brands.
The group, led by NHS medical director Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, found that after 10 years the PIP implants have a 15% to 30% chance of rupturing.
Other breast implant brands have a 10% to 14% rupture rate in the same timeframe.
The implants also contain the chemical compound siloxane which is chemically similar to silicone and is found in many consumer products including hair and skin products and antiperspirants and deodorants.
But the experts said the chemical does not present a health risk.
Tough rules to stop rogue cosmetic surgery clinics
NHS medical director Sir Bruce Keogh, who will lead the inquiry into cosmetic surgery, will recommend tighter rules in several key areas;
- Making it routine practice for surgeons to register all devices - from breast implants to hip replacements - on a detailed register that could be used to detect trends and trace individual patients.
- Requiring clinics to join a scheme, similar to that run by the travel industry, that would offer patients protection if a company went bust.
- tightening the rules on anti-ageing dermal fillers, which require only basic safety checks and can legally be injected by anyone.
- Introducing minimum training requirements for surgeons carrying out cosmetic procedures.
Cosmetic surgery views sought after breast implant scare
An expert panel, including PIP campaigner Catherine Kydd, former medical director of Bupa Andrew Vallance-Owen and editor of Marie Claire magazine Trish Halpin, will gather evidence before making recommendations to the Government next March.
Members of the public are also being asked to share their experiences of cosmetic surgery and views on issues including the safety of products used in such procedures, care during and after treatment, and how much advice is given to those considering surgery.
The review comes as a ComRes survey of 1,762 people showed that only half take the qualifications of a practitioner into consideration - 54% for surgery and 50% for non-surgical procedures.
Two thirds of those questioned, 67% for surgery and 66% for non-surgical procedures, said cost is a factor for them when deciding whether to have surgery.
Latest ITV News reports
How do we crack down on cosmetic surgery cowboys?
The official review into cosmetic practices should mean the PIP scandal should never happen again. But the industry has a lot of work to do.
Cosmetic surgery review launched after PiP scare
A major review into cosmetic surgery is being launched in light of the PIP scandal.


text: In 2018, Russia will host the FIFA World Cup for the first time. The championship is scheduled in 11 cities of Russia. The matches will be held in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan, Volgograd, Sochi, Rostov-on-Don, Kaliningrad, Samara, Yekaterinburg, and Saransk. St. Petersburg has prepared a large-scale cultural program for this event.


text:
From: Jim Hendler <firstname.lastname@example.com> Subject: Re: Primer review, part 1 Introduction, Orientation sections Date: Mon, 21 Jan 2008 11:43:06 -0500 > I would prefer Turtle (which has at least some status) to Manchester > Syntax and/or OWL XML - let's at least add Turtle - it's easily > mappable to RDF/XML but more readable - Hmm. Actually, as far as I can tell, Turtle is not mappable to RDF/XML because Turtle is supposed to allow writing down arbitrary RDF graphs, but RDF/XMl cannot. See http://www.w3.org/TR/rdf-syntax-grammar/#section-Serialising for more information. I was looking for the mapping from Turtle to RDF graphs or RDF triples and couldn't find one. There is certainly no mapping in the team submission. peter > and it does have a recognized > document behind it now as well as history of use in W3C SWA > documents. The Manchester syntax appears to be defined as the > research results of a project called "Co-ode" which seems not to have > any sort of imprimitur -- I would prefer we use Formal syntax, RDF/ > XML and Turtle if we're going to use more than one. > -JHReceived on Tuesday, 22 January 2008 14:55:50 UTC
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.3.1 : Tuesday, 6 January 2015 21:42:02 UTC


text:
Confident coordinates in downtown DC
If you ask any Washingtonian the neighborhood to check out at the moment? They'll point you in our direction. Our hotel is situated on one of DC's many distinguished circles, at an intersection of important NW streets (14th Street and Massachusetts and Vermont avenues). By day and by night, the 14th Street corridor lures visitors and locals alike to its bustling shops, galleries, bars, restaurants, and concert venues that pervade a neighborhood marked by a rich history and stunning architecture. Alternatively, head five blocks in the other direction to access all the treasures found in City Center DC, including a brand-new hub of high-end shops that seemingly transports guests to New York's glamorous Fifth Avenue retail zone. Our highly walkable coordinates also grant easy access to nearby Dupont and Logan circles, U Street, the Convention Center, and the White House. And if you care to explore even further, there's a Metro station just a 10-minute walk from our front door, putting the entire capital city at your fingertips.
White House
If there's one house you've come to see in this city, it's likely that impressively large, white one on Pennsylvania Avenue, which we happen to call our neighbor.
National Mall
You can't come to DC without dedicating some serious time to exploring the stunning National Mall, dotted with iconic memorials and sleek, marble monuments.
Convention Center
The Walter E. Washington Convention Center proves a happening hub of passion and productivity, and it's just a 10 minute walk from our front door.


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Food marketing is very powerful, and as such, many people believe that a breakfast of Special K is a pretty healthy choice, and may help you to lose weight. This is not my point of view at all, and I've been looking at the nutritional content of Special K and am surprised by what I have found. I was once told never to eat anything that you see advertised on television – I think this is sound advice!
For a start, Special K contains an extremely small amount of fibre per serving – 0.75g which is about the same amount as 1.5 slices of white bread. It is also devoid of calcium, magnesium and zinc. And it may be low in fat, but it is also low in protein, which means that the cereal is mainly carbohydrate which can quickly be digested into sugars. Personally, I can't see how a breakfast of Special K would keep you feeling full for longer than an hour or so! And it's not just Special K that's the culprit here, many other breakfast cereals are similar.
A much better bet is a breakfast based on oats. Oats are rich in fibre and minerals, and will keep you feeling fuller for longer. If you add some nuts or seeds to your oat-based breakfast (or choose a good quality muesli), this will add even more nutritional value. And remember, this kind of breakfast may have more calories than a bowl of Special K, but that's because Special K contains very little substance and may have you reaching for a snack come 10am. And it's often best to ignore the calorie content of food, because constantly choosing low calorie options can sometimes direct you to unhealthy 'diet' foods which just leave you feeling hungry and unsatisfied.
If you'd like any advice about what makes a good breakfast, do drop me a line.


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One of the less enjoyable aspects of importing goods into Australia is dealing with Australian customs clearance. Procedures are strict and highly regulated, so you need to do everything impeccably to ensure fast clearance and correct tariff assessment.
If you have a thorough understanding of applicable duties, permits, prohibited goods, and quarantine regulations, then clearance can be quick and convenient. However, the alternative is delay, frustration and possible penalties for non-compliance.
Here's a Brief Guide to Australian Customs Clearance
Any goods entering Australia have to be declared to the authorities so that duties can be assessed.
Though as a company you don't need to hold an import licence, you may need to obtain a permit to facilitate clearance of cargo. This depends on the nature and value of the goods you're importing.
Once you've determined your goods are allowed into Australia and you've obtained any necessary permits, you have to consider any relevant customs restrictions.
You need to declare your cargo to the Australian Customs Service and have your goods logged into their database. In order to complete the necessary Import Declaration or Informal Clearance Documents, you need to provide documents such as an air waybill or bill of lading, invoices and items such as packing lists and related insurance documents.
The authorities will use these to determine any necessary customs duties, GST, or other charges you may need to pay. If you wish to access the GST deferral scheme, you'll need to register for GST purposes and hold an Australian Business Number (ABN).
Be Smart – Use a Freight Forwarder
Dealing with the authorities can be a cumbersome and time consuming affair so it's best to leave it in the hands of professional freight forwarders. Their in-depth knowledge of customs clearance procedures and a solid working relationship (including an online database link) with the necessary departments means fast processing.
Meanwhile a thorough knowledge of Australian customs concessions mean you make no excess duty payments.
The result is that you focus on your core business tasks confident that your customs affairs are in good hands.
For all your Australian customs clearance needs in Melbourne, contact IATA accredited cargo agent Atlas Forwarding on (03) 93355225.


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PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – Former champion Frank Bensel of Jupiter birdied the first extra hole Wednesday to win his second round match in the 51st annual PGA Match Play Championship at The PGA Golf Club.
Bensel, 45, an assistant professional at The Breakers in Palm Beach and at Century Country Club in Purchase, N.Y., ousted Alex Weir of Scottsville, N.Y., an assistant at the Kahkwa Club in Erie, Pa.
"I won the 18th hole to pull even and then hit 3-iron and sand wedge to the green at the (par-4) 12th hole," where the playoff started, Bensel said. "Then I made an eight-foot putt for the win," leaving Weir looking at his six-foot par putt.
DAY 1 RECAP: Two-time defending champion Sowards advances
"I feel fortunate," added Bensel, the 2004 Match Play champion. "We both played pretty well. The (Dye) course was tougher today in the wind than it was yesterday." Bensel had five birdies and three bogeys, including concessions.
Bob Sowards of Dublin, Ohio, the only other past champion to make it through the first round Tuesday, also advanced, 4 and 3 over Matthew McAdow of Woodmere, N.Y. Sowards won this event in 2005 and the last two years.
In third-round action Thursday morning, Bensel plays David Carich of Noblesville, Ind., and Sowards faces fellow Ohioan Gary Robison of Canton. If both Bensel and Sowards win, they will meet in the quarterfinals Thursday afternoon.
Semifinals and finals are scheduled Friday with the champion earning $4,000, the runnerup $2,500, from the $27,000 purse.
PGA Match Play Championship
Dye Course, 7,000 yards, par 72
Second-round results:
J.C. Anderson, O'Fallon, Mo., def. Mike Martin, New Haven, Conn., 1-up.
Ryan Kalista, Old Greenwich, Conn., won by concession.
Kyle Baehler, Scarsdale, N.Y., def. Paul Barnsley, Orange, Conn.,1-up.
Rob McClellan, Butler, Pa., def. Joe Gothmann, Tarrytown, N.Y., 1-up.
Ed Kirby, Wakefield, R.I., def. Mark Faulkner, Marion, Ill., 4 and 3.
Tim Puetz, Jupiter, Fla., def. Patrick Massi, Greenwich, Conn., 5 and 4.
Peter Kampmann, Riverside, Conn., def. Michael O'Connor, Erie, Pa., 3 and 2.
Dwayne Randall, Clymer, N.Y., def. Joe Kern, Vero Beach, Fla., 3 and 2.
Charles Meola, Mamaroneck, N.Y., def. Ben Polland, Manhasset, N.Y., 2 and 1.
Mark Summerville, Jupiter, Fla., def. Mitchell Camp, Aurora, Ohio, 1-up.
Patrick Steffes, Milwaukee, Wis., def. Gary Trivisonno, Aurora, Ohio, 22 holes.
Jake Pleczkowski, Siasconset, Mass., def. Shawn Warren, Cape Elizabeth, Maine, 4 and 2.
Bob Sowards, Dublin, Ohio, def. Matthew McAdow, Woodmere, N.Y., 4 and 3.
Gary Robison, Canton, Ohio, def. Brian Keiser, Orlando, Fla., 5 and 4.
Frank Bensel, Jupiter, Fla., def. Alex Weir, Scottsville, N.Y., 19 holes.
David Carich, Noblesville, Ind., def. Jaysen Hansen, Ottawa Hills, Ohio, 2-up.


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Department of Commerce and Management Studies
FAROOK College
P.O. Farook College, Kozhikode,
Kerala, IndiaWebsite:www.farookcollege.ac.in
"AGNOSCO 2011", an inter-collegiate management meet, scheduled to be held on 3rd March 2011, organized by the Department of Commerce and Management Studies at the college campus. The following events are awaiting your students.
● "BUSINDO" – Business Quiz
● "NEGOTIO DE PLANO" – Business Plan
● "XPERIA" – Case Study
Please contact the following persons for registration purpose. Last date for registration is 2nd March 2011.
Mohammed Nishad: +919995090815 (Faculty coordinator)
ANAS.N.P : +919895031161 (Student coordinator)
Fazil Saifudhin: +919895273174 (Student coordiantor)
We request your kind attention and participation for the program. Thank you.
Rules for the participants:-
"BUSINDO" –Business Quiz 1st prize: Rs 3000/-
2nd prize: Rs 2000/-
■ Prelims: Written quiz testing business knowledge
■ Registration fee: Rs 100/- per team
■ After elimination final teams will compete in direct onstage quiz show
■ One team per college
■ Two participants per team
For further clarification on "BUSINDO" contact Anas.N.P : +919895031161
2nd prize: Rs 2000/-
■ Registration fee: Rs 100/- per team
■ 7 min presentation and 5 min judges and audience interaction
■ Innovative concepts
■ Inviting under graduate and post graduate students to participate in this event
■ Participants required to bring laptop and PowerPoint presentation(in CD/ pen drive)
■ One team per college
■ Two participants per team
For further clarification on "NEGOTIO DE PLANO" contact Fazil: +919895273174
2nd prize: Rs 1000/-
■ Registration fee: Rs 50/- per individual
■ Prelims: written quiz on HR, Finance and Marketing
■ 7 min presentation and 5 min judges and audience interaction
■ Individual participation
■ Maximum of 3 participants per college
For further clarification on "XPERIA" contact Ismail Jasil: +919496810310


text:
KAREN: If you were a book, what would your blurb be?
MAE: A unique web of history, mystery and folklore.
KAREN: Every writer has a distinctive 'voice'- what would be your voice's tagline?
MAE: Painting pictures with words.
KAREN: Do you have a favorite book on writing? If so, which one and why?
MAE: Honestly, it's been years since I've read a craft book, so I'm unable to think of one off the top of my head. I do have Stephen King's On Writing on my bookshelf and hope to read it one day soon, but haven't been able to find the time yet. The books I refer to frequently are more for research than writing technique. Books on specific periods in history and numerous books on myth and folklore.
KAREN: Tell us about your new release. What's it about?
MAE: The book I'm currently touring is TWELFTH SUN…the story of an older woman/younger man and a treasure hunt. I had a few reviewers say it reminded them of the board game Clue because of the assortment of secondary characters and the mystery element. In a nutshell:
Reagan Cassidy is just trying to do her uncle a favor when she agrees to meet his friend, a marine archaeologist, and a bid on a journal that once belonged to a passenger aboard the doomed nineteenth century schooner, Twelfth Sun. What she didn't count on was finding a man ten years her junior with a cocky attitude, a PhD, and a way of shattering her reservations.
Dr. Elijah Cross thought it would be a simple matter to authenticate the journal for his friend Gavin Cassidy, but finds himself sucked into an elaborate scavenger hunt along with Gavin's sexy niece, Reagan, and several oddball competitors. As the guest of Eric Sothern, a reclusive billionaire no one has ever seen, Elijah and the others are invited to lodge for a week at Sothern's lavish seaside mansion.
He finds it hard to concentrate on marine artifacts with the alluring Reagan occupying his mind, a series of cryptic riddles to solve, and a saboteur intent on claiming the journal even if it means playing dirty to win. When the clues take a strangely personal turn and a series of mishaps occur, he
TWELFTH SUN was the equivalent of a writer's playground for me. It allowed me to combine multiple story elements I love and weave them into a tale of escapist fun, including a smattering of nautical myths, superstition and folklore.
KAREN: What kind of character archetypes do you tend to favor for your stories? What archetype is your hero and heroine in this story?
MAE: I've always had a fondness for the noble, tortured hero, although that isn't the case in TWELFTH SUN. Elijah Cross is a hot, young brainy professor and Reagan Cassidy is the uptight older business woman who has to get over her reservations about an affair with a younger man.
KAREN: What do you look for in a publisher? Any tips for Pub Shopping?
MAE: Reputation is paramount, and of course, a good match for genre. I check reviews, read what other authors have to say, and study guidelines and terms.
KAREN: Query Letters. Love 'em or Hate 'em? Any tips on writing them?
MAE: I hate queries, but they're a necessary evil. As far as writing them, I haven't done many. I was offered a contract with my first submission and have remained with that publisher. I am, however, branching out and doing some indie titles as well, becoming a hybrid author in the process.
KAREN: After that grilling, how about an easy one. LOL What's next? Any works in progress?
LOL! You did have some tough questions ☺
MAE: I just released a short novella, called SOLSTICE ISLAND, available on Amazon for $.99. It's a romantic adventure revolving around the search for a mythical sea beast. My heroine hires a sexy charter boat captain to help her track down a creature known as the Sea Goliath—it's the same creature believed to be responsible for the disappearance of his parents ten years earlier, when he was just a child.
I'll also be releasing a full-length romantic mystery in June called ECLIPSE LAKE. That one is set in a sleepy resort town where the discovery of skeletal remains reopens a fifteen-year-old missing person's case. My hero—now a successful businessman with a criminal past—becomes the prime suspect and my heroine gets tangled up in the resulting web of buried secrets.
KAREN: Is there anything else you'd like to tell the readers?
MAE: I'd like to thank you for having me here, Karen, and for showcasing TWELFTH SUN. I'm always delighted to connect with readers and other authors. Information on all of my releases and WIPs can be found on my blog From the Pen of Mae Clair.
Also, for anyone who enjoys folklore and urban legends, I do a weekly feature every Monday called Mythical Monday that takes a look at a creature or tale from myth. Some recent posts included a look at the Ghost Ship of Loch Aw, the Snallygaster, Springheel Jack and Elephant Graveyards. I welcome new readers! ☺
The hunky young PhD knows all about seduction, but what does he know about love?
Reagan Cassidy is settled in her life. She has a thriving interior design firm, an upscale condo, two cats, and a goldfish. As a favor to her uncle, she agrees to team up with his marine archeologist friend to validate and retrieve a nineteenth-century journal, reputedly that of a passenger aboard the doomed schooner Twelfth Sun. Finding a hunky twenty-five-year-old coming out of the shower in her hotel room wasn't part of the deal, but it's hard to complain…
Dr. Elijah Cross is cocky and he knows it. He enjoys trading barbs with the lovely Reagan. Barbs, and some innuendo. He can tell she'd rather get back home to her business than stick around for the extended treasure hunt they've been talked into, but he's fine with the situation. At least, until the "clues" start getting personal.
Reagan finds Dr. Gorgeous is as skilled in matters of the heart as he is behind the lectern. Throw in a series of clues which mean more to Elijah than he'll explain, several odd-ball competitors out to win the journal, a saboteur, and a lavish seaside mansion, and Reagan has enough trouble keeping her head straight, let alone her heart.
WARNING: Younger man, older woman, nautical riddles and romance.
Buy Links –
Giveaway Info –
Author is giving away 3 ebooks of Weathering Rock
Code - a Rafflecopter giveaway
By Mae Clair
Reagan glanced at her watch. She'd dragged herself from bed hours before any civilized person should be up, for the sole purpose of meeting Elijah Cross. The marine archeologist was already ten minutes late--not a brilliant way to begin a working relationship. She'd learned through firsthand experience many of her uncle's friends were as unreliable as they were eccentric. Foolishly, she had hoped Dr. Cross wouldn't fall into the same category.
Resigned to passing the time, she added hot water to her tea. From the corner of her eye she spied movement at the door of the cafe. A man stepped inside, shaking rain from his jacket. The door banged shut behind him, ensnaring her full attention. He wore a battered black fedora and worn jeans with scuffed dock shoes. There was something oddly familiar about him. He turned slightly and she caught his profile, realizing he was the man from room ten. Self-conscious, she looked away, hoping to sink through the floor. He spoke briefly with the hostess and then headed in her direction.
She tensed. What were the odds of encountering him now when she was scheduled to meet Dr. Cross, a highly-respected and, no doubt critical, academic? How would it look to her uncle's friend if he walked in on a conversation revolving around naked men and the color of her undergarments?
Chagrined, she bowed her head over her teacup. Her hair spilled forward, concealing her face behind curtains of red-gold. With any luck he'd go away. With any luck, he'd leave her alone.
Reagan raised her head fully convinced mischievous imps had tracked her to Shipwright Landing and were even now performing rituals of bad luck. "Hi." She pressed her lips together. "I don't mean to be rude, but I'm expecting someone."
"Yeah, I know." He grinned. "You're Reagan Cassidy."
She blinked. She'd given the hostess her name only because she was expecting Dr. Cross and neither had any idea what the other looked like. She certainly hadn't expected the woman to share her name with any longhaired Lothario who asked for it. "The hostess told you."
He nodded. Removing his hat by the crown, he dropped it on the table. "Some storm." He shrugged out of his jacket and hooked it over the back of the nearest chair. "Good thing it'll be over soon."
Reagan watched flabbergasted as he sat across from her and picked up a menu. "Excuse me." Her voice rose sharply, edged like a knife. "I didn't invite you to sit. I told you I'm expecting someone."
"Yeah, I know." He flashed that same irritating grin. "I'm Elijah Cross."
Mae Clair opened a Pandora's Box of characters when she was a child and never looked back. Her father, an artist who tinkered with writing, encouraged her to create make-believe worlds by spinning tales of far-off places on summer nights beneath the stars. She snagged the tail of a comet, hitched a ride, and discovered her writer's Muse on the journey.
Mae loves creating character-driven fiction in settings that vary from contemporary to mythical. Wherever her pen takes her, she flavors her stories with conflict, romance and elements of mystery. Married to her high school sweetheart, she lives in Pennsylvania and is passionate about writing, old photographs, a good Maine lobster tail and cats.
Discover more about Mae on her website and blog at www.MaeClair.com
Mae loves creating character-driven fiction in settings that vary from contemporary to mythical. Wherever her pen takes her, she flavors her stories with conflict, romance and elements of mystery. Married to her high school sweetheart, she lives in Pennsylvania and is passionate about writing, old photographs, a good Maine lobster tail and cats.
Discover more about Mae on her website and blog at www.MaeClair.com
Twitter (@MaeClair1)
Facebook Author Page
Lyrical Press Author Page
Amazon Author Page
Link to tour - http://wp.me/p3SVfE-fo


text:
The pattern for this corset is the "ref P" style from Atelier Sylphe. I made only a couple of alterations to the pattern by taking it in at the waist and hips but as it turned out I didn't take it in enough at the waist.
The corset is made out of two layers, one in white heavy weight cotton and the other in blue cotton twill. Would have loved to make this out of blue silk satin, like my favorite extant corset from this period (from The Corset: Fashioning the Body exhibit), but I wasn't able to buy that locally so it didn't happen. I knew the corset might not fit, as I didn't make a mock-up, so I was entirely happy with this less expensive material. The boning materials include flat steel and large cable ties.
The flossing in the front was inspired by this corset from the Kyoto Costume Institute.
I'm definitely going to make another version of this corset sometime in the future since it's such a nice pattern and I want a gown from this period as well, but I don't see that happening anytime soon. Next time I probably wont do contrasting stitching, though, as all less than perfect stitching will be less obvious that way! ;) Also, I really want to use spiral steel as boning material next time since I believe it would accommodate the curves of the corset better than the flat steel that doesn't cup the breasts in a rounded way but sort of flattens and pushes them up here, if you can understand what I mean.