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November 2014
Monday morning. The first shift operator powers up the machine. Nothing moves, nothing happens. The machine is down and production stops – a nightmare! Quick action is of the essence. That's no problem if – before a critical situation arises – one has worked out appropriate strategies. Those who obtain information in advance and make suitable preparations are on the safe side.
Know-how is needed
Whenever machines comprise a system made up of hydraulics and drive technology, a service provider has to be familiar with all the technologies involved in order to quickly troubleshoot the defect. A widespread assumption is that hydraulics is a relatively "simple" technology. That can result in problems when they arise. It is to be kept in mind that improper repairs can endanger system survival, can result in damage, and can impact occupational safety. If the service provider does not adhere to the manufacturer's instructions for proper repairs – and circumvents legal requirements, then the machine's owner bears liability in case of damage or injury.
Quick, but sure
Whenever production has stopped, each and every minute counts. That is why the service partner not only needs to be available 24/7, but must also get to the site quickly. Identifying the problem is the one thing, but it is also important to know how quickly repairs can be made. Does the service team have spares in stock or can it obtain them quickly? How long will the repair take? Repairs within 24 hours, using only factory original spares, is something that only the parts manufacturer or authorized repair services can provide. Anyone who thinks this is expensive is often adding things up incorrectly because downtimes due to a shortage of parts, extended repair periods and even improper repairs increase the costs.
Quality pays off
A qualified repair service helps companies prevent machinery downtime. It is possible to predict component service life by using shift-based models. The components manufacturer has the most technical knowledge since it considers the experience values – based on the evaluation of all returns – in the analysis. Since, toward the end of the service life thus determined, the probability of failure rises, a good repair service can make an offer for preventive maintenance and repairs – at just the right time to keep the machine running. He knows exactly when repairing a component is less expensive and less time-consuming than purchasing a new one.
It is worthwhile in any case to ask, when a repair is made, whether new, factory original parts or properly functioning but usedparts are installed, for which there is no guarantee. The component manufacturer will work exclusively with brand-new equipment. And the user also benefits, at no cost, from technical advances built into the newer parts. This means that original factory replacements incorporate all the technology of a new part and are delivered with a new warranty. "Back to new" is what's needed.
In summary: The costs for maintenance and service have a considerable influence on firms' competitiveness. Anyone seeking service support and interested in achieving high machine availability should place his trust only in partners whose services are guaranteed.
Checklist for the selection of a service partner


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Ashland Gets New Ambulance
For some time, the Boone County town has tried to get its own ambulance to respond to emergencies.
"We've realized it would be a benefit to the community to have an ambulance down here for, like you said 10-15 years," said George Zimny of the Southern Boone Fire Protection Board.
Now, after many attempts, the board and a group of citizens are working with Columbia's University Hospital to make the dream a reality.
"We did a lot of feasibility studies to see if there was enough business there to support an ambulance, explained the hospital's Brenda Jensen. "But, in the long run, it's very apparent that, whether or not the business is there or not, it's a population that's not well served by the distance between the hospitals."
The issue is whether it takes too long to get to Ashland after 911 call.
"We had that incident a few weeks ago, where the person had collapsed at Casey's next door, and had to wait for the ambulance to come from Columbia," said Bridget Early of Namste Health Care. "It probably wasn't more than 15 minutes or so, but it seemed like an eternity."
The ambulance will be on call 24 hours a day in Ashland. City funds and independent fundraising will build or buy a new ambulance center. University Hospital will pay for the paramedic on call.
The ambulance may be ready as early as April, but, if the center's not ready, the Southern Boone Fire Department will house the ambulance.

subset: commoncrawl


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Hall, P. and Jones, Chris
|Google Scholar:
|Look up in Google Scholar
A method for robust nonparametric regression is discussed. A method for robust nonparametric regression is discussed. We consider kernel M-estimates of the regression function using Huber's ψ-function and extend results of Hardle and Gasser to the case of random designs. A practical adaptive procedure is proposed consisting of simultaneously minimising a cross-validatory criterion with respect to both the smoothing parameter and a robustness parameter occurring in the ψ-function. This method is shown to possess a theoretical asymptotic optimality property, while some simulated examples confirm that the approach is practicable.
|Item Type:
|Journal Item
|Copyright Holders:
|1990 Institute of Mathematical Statistics
|cross-validation; Huber's ψ function; kernel estimation; robust smoothing
|Academic Unit/School:
|Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) > Mathematics and Statistics
Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)
|Item ID:
|Depositing User:
|Sarah Frain
|Date Deposited:
|22 Mar 2011 11:33
|Last Modified:
|07 Dec 2018 09:52
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Red Starch (S-RSTAR)
What is the procedure for using Red Starch (S-RSTAR) on agar pates to detect microbial colonies that are known to produce alpha-amylase? What should positive results look like?
In plate tests, you should see a cleaning zone where microbial cultures grow. The Red Starch is depolymerised by alpha-amylase and will diffuse throughou...
Tue, 22 Mar, 2016 at 3:57 PM


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Stuttgart Success
The yearly LogiMAT fair for logistics and material handling was held on the 13-15th March. With our biggest stand so far during the years, the interest for our products exceeded our expectations. We anticipate a lot of exiting projects to come as a result of this. Some of the solutions we presented are found below.
Truck and Trolley
Our concept is unique on the market. We can guide you to a more flexible, ergonomic and cost efficient in-house material handling.Truck and Trolleys
Taxi Solution
This solution was launched at last year's LogiMAT and this year we noticed even larger interest.Taxi Solutions
Taxi Flex
The solution has been developed considering the needs for a lean adapted business. It has also proven successful for hospitals' laundry transports.Taxi Flex
Market Areas in Focus
As in-house material handling specialists we focus on our customers' business. We have created concept folders illustrating different market areas to further explain how our solutions can lead to increased efficiency.
Our concept folders describe Industry & Manufacturing, eCommerce & Order Picking, Health Care & Hospital, Automotive & Vehicle and Service & Support.


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The education scene in India and across the globe is undergoing a paradigm shift. The rapidly evolving technology and its integration with the education system have opened a plethora of opportunities for students to learn.
Students now can access the classes and learning material developed by anybody in the world through the internet and online courses. The digitalized instruction and e-learning modules are playing a significant role in the way students grasp, understand, and retain knowledge.


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TBC Bank
TBC Bank is one of the largest banks in Georgia, owning more than a third of retail marketing, servicing over 1.5 million customers through a network of 135 branches. It is the second largest lender and has 30% of the deposit market.
With an award-winning multi-channel distribution platform and the highest Net Promoter scores for it's customer experience, TBC Bank invited allen international to take the branch concept to the next level in terms of customer service delivery.
The new design reflects TBC Bank's welcoming, user-friendly and transparent approach to banking. The redesigned branches leverage the bank's strength in multi-channel banking and feature cutting-edge e-banking tools and technology.
The breakthrough design for the bank minimises physical and psychological barriers between the bank and its customers, thus creating a unique, customer-centric layout. The new concept was developed specifically for TBC Bank as a result of a comprehensive tailored study of the bank's existing branches and its clients' needs and aspirations.
Redefine the customer experience standards by encouraging engagement with products, services and advisors.
Clearly defined zones for retail, SME and STATUS (Affluent) Banking.
Clear, concise customer journeys with interactive touch-points through the branch.
Concept has been implemented in two of the bank's branches, two more to follow.
All future branches to be based on new concept.


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Published by Entangled Teen on May 8, 2012
Genres: Paranormal, YA
Format: Paperback from BEA 2012
Find the book: Amazon, Goodreads
Starting over sucks.
When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I'd pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring…. until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.
And then he opened his mouth.
Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something…unexpected happens.
The hot alien living next door marks me.
You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon's touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.
If I don't kill him first, that is.
I'm probably one of the last people to start the Lux series, and oh my, I understand crowning Jennifer Armentrout as the queen of YA sexy. Wow, that is a hot book, and yet totally clean.
I personally am not a big fan of Daemon. The bad boy with a jerk attitude just doesn't cut it for me. But the tension and passion between him and Katy? That I could go for. You don't have to like him to like that.
I really liked Katy. Not just because she's a blog blogger who loves books. She is strong and friendly. She might have to remind herself to show her backbone sometimes, but she does it really well. Her smartass sarcasm is also awesome. Very witty and realistic. Especially the agruments between her and Daemon, very entertaining.
Overall, I love the romance in this book. It is definitely the highlight, and the main reason I plan to read the next book. The plot was good too, with no obvious holes or issues, but it isn't the main attraction of the book. The characters and the hormones are the focus. In a very good way.
Related Posts
One Response to "Review: Obsidian"
I stumbled in this series, to be honest. Daemon had become an intolerable character for me. I'm glad you loved it, though. Katy speaks to a lot of us, doesn't she? But it drove me nuts when she lets Daemon get away from being a jerk. Lol.


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MLS is Clinically Validated
The direct result of nearly three decades of world-class research, and verified through in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies, MLS Laser Therapy has over twice the research and supporting clinical trials of any current first generation Class IV device.
The departments of Biology at both the University of Turin (Italy) and the University of Padova (Brazil), as well as the Department of Anatomy and the Orthopedic Clinic at the University of Padova have studied and verified the remarkable effectiveness of MLS Laser Therapy.
To read the full MLS Scientific Report, click here.


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Jazz & Indie "Movement" - Harvard Rocker
I'm not going to deny that there are more jazz musicians today looking to rock as source material either as covers (Mehldau) or their production values (Bad Plus), but I don't really know if it qualifies as a movement just now. Brad's trio is about as mainstream as it gets, (I mean that in a good way, not as a pejorative), it's always jazz, just sometimes they're playing a Radiohead tune.
I think The Bad Plus might fit that concept of jazz-indie rock fusion a little better, since their sonic aesthetic seems to be as much from the rock world as the jazz world, though I'm not sure if one group a movement makes. Or even two for that matter.
Add that to the idea that this is nothing new (jazz and rock have a long history together, dating back to the mid 60's). Even at the height of the neo-classic jazz movement of the 80's and 90's there were guys like John Zorn who were doing the same sort of thing (though perhaps without the effective promotion that Sony has lavished on TBP.
If anything, I think this supposed movement is more about marketing than music. The marketing (see picture for exhibit 1) people are always looking for ways to market jazz to new younger listeners, and are always looking for the next big thing.


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Bhaktivinoda Thakur has written this song "Dharma Pathe Thaki"The official Name for this song is "Baul Sangit Song 2". This song is taken from the book Baul Sangit. Bhaktivinod Thakur says that chant the Hare Krsna Mantra and always absorb your mind at the lotus feet of Lord Chaintanya Mahaprabhu. He advice's that other than Shri Krishna nobody is your true friend. He also says that be true and honest while executing your duties and constantly remember Govinda.
dharma-pathe thaki' koro jivana japana, bhai
hari-nam koro sada (ore o bhai) hari vina bandhu nai
je kono vyavasa dhori', jivana nirvaha kori',
bolo mukhe hari hari, ei matra bhiksa cai
gaurańga-carane majo, anya abhilasa-tyajo,
brajendra-nandane bhajo, tabe bodo sukha pai
ami cańda-baul-das, kori tava krpa asa,
janaiya abhilasa, nityananda-ajna gai
1) O my dear brothers! Just pass your lives by adhering to the proper path of religiosity. Constantly chant Hari-nama, O brothers, for other than Lord Hari you have no friend.
2) Accepting whatever livelihood that suits you, just live your life honestly. Fill your mouths with the constant chanting of "Hari! Hari!" — this is thee only alms I beg of you.
3) Remain absorbed in the lotus feet of Lord Gauranga, renounce all other ambitions, and worship Vrajendra-Nandan. If you would do this much, then I will experience great pleasure.
4) I am Chand Baul Das, and I wish only to receive your mercy. I have informed you of my desires, for I sing as I have been personally ordered by Lord Nityananda.


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This Popular New Purse Looks Awesome When Light Hits It
Posted at h in Fashion
This is a unique black purse that looks completely different when it's photographed with a flash.
(Top is without flash, bottom is with flash)
If you want a total eye catcher, this bag is for you.
The reviews on Amazon are nearly all 5/5 stars.


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This week (15-17 May) sees the return of the annual Museums at Night event, taking place at hundreds of heritage and arts venues across the country. From sleepovers to ghost tours, from concerts to moonlight walks, there is an opportunity to be entertained, educated and inspired after hours.
Almost all of the cities covered by Tourist Tracks have events over the weekend. In Bath, you can enjoy an evening of Georgian entertainment at the Holburne Museum, while in Brighton, you can spend a family evening Lost in the Toy Museum.
In Cambridge, expand your mind with an opportunity to ask the experts at the Whipple Museum of the History of Science. For something completely different in Cheltenham, tantalise your taste buds with an Indian Bake-Off at the Holst Birthplace Museum.
Experience the age of steam in Edinburgh with a look into a Retro Future at the National Museum of Scotland (hosted by Radio 1 DJ Vic Galloway). A short hop down the M8 to Glasgow provides a unique opportunity to go behind the scenes of the Tenement House, where you gain an insight into life in the city during the early 20th century.
On the outskirts of Hull, participate in a sophisticated soirée at Burton Constable Hall, featuring piano recitals, period dress, and otherwise secret rooms.
There is a multitude of options in London – the notorious Dino Snores for Grown-Ups sleepover at the Natural History Museum has long since sold out, unfortunately, but elsewhere you can 'break in' to the Bank of England after hours, or indulge in a candelight tour of Dr Johnson's House.
If music's your thing in Manchester, then the #Hooked on Music Silent Disco at the Museum of Science and Industry will be just the ticket, where you can search beneath the staves to uncover the science of music.
There are several events to choose from in Oxford, including Magic Museums at Night at the Ashmolean Museum, featuring magic shows, flamenco dancing, tarot reading, stargazing, Chinese astrology and more.
Finally, in York, there's an opportunity to DIG after Dark at the Jorvik DIG centre, where you can dig the pits to find clues that will help you complete an adventure.
Booking in advance is recommended wherever offered, since many events sell out ahead of time. To find out more, visit the Museums at Night website.
And if you're going to combine a walk in the city with one of the museum events, don't forget to download your Tourist Tracks MP3 walking tour before you set off!


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Michelin Force AM Tire - 29in
Select style & size:Select options
- Black, 29x2.25sale $31.33
- Black, 29x2.35sale $31.33
Tech Specs
Force AM Tire
Designed for the rigors of competitive enduro racing, the Michelin Force AM 29in Tire fulfills the needs of riders thrashing their tires across demanding terrain with hard-packed dirt littered with jarring rocks and roots. It's a bit faster rolling than many tires in the "all-mountain" category, making it ideally suited for running in the rear with a slightly more aggressive tire up front. The Trail Shield casing is ruggedly reinforced from sidewall slashes and abrasive punctures on notoriously technical trails, courtesy of its high-density protection layer.
Michelin's GumX3D compound strategically employs three rubber compounds for the best in fast-rolling efficiency, tread longevity, and tenacious cornering grip. As expected, the center features the hardest rubber compound for faster rolling and greater tread longevity. The rubber compounds get softer as you work towards the shoulder knobs for tons of cornering grip when you're laying into turns and carving around sweeping berms.
- All-mountain tire with fast-rolling tread pattern
- Trail Shield casing features high-density reinforcement
- GumX3D compound balances rolling speed with cornering grip
- Tubeless-ready for gaining bump compliance and traction
Take a 20% extra discount code from here coupon-code.info
Great deal on rubber
- Familiarity: I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions
I am never stoked on buying tires but these were a great bang for buck purchase in my humble opinion. Great traction and did I mention what a good price .?.
- Familiarity: I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions
These are actually pretty good. After wasting a few hours and 8oz / $15 worth of orange Seal, I finally figured out that Trek Bontrager "Tubeless Ready" wheels still need to be taped. Once I taped the rims, these tires were easy to install, and the combination of extra width, light weight, and lower pressure running tubeless really made a big difference in the ride and traction on my daughter's Trek Excalibur 8. These tires are a great deal, and worth a try.
bought to try out
- Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer
bought this for my daughters bike to start racing mtb. didn't want to spend a lot. have been really happy with how it's held up.
Funny - I'm doing the same thing...


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Three Generations - Same Business
The McKerr family business was established by (the late) George McKerr in the early 1930s. George, who was originally from Lurgan had returned home from America, where he had been working for Henry Ford building the Model T car. George's son, (the late) David McKerr worked in the shop alongside his father and took over the business in 1965. His wife Sandra, joined the business in 1966 and ably assisted David and worked alongside the other staff members in the shop, which at that time was located in High Street, Lurgan.
In 1989, the shop relocated to its present site in Union Street. Around this time, Stephen (David and Sandra's son) started to work in the shop during holiday periods and on Saturdays. Stephen joined the business officially after leaving school in 1998, representing the third generation of the McKerr family to work in the shop. Stephen worked alongside his father sharing the responsibilities of managing the shop until 2007 when following the death of his father, (David) Stephen took over the full managerial duties. Sandra remains a 'silent partner' in the business but officially retired from work in May 2013.
McKerr's shop has been in 2 different locations, had 5 different names and employed over 90 members of staff since its opening yet, our ethos has remained consistent; offering a friendly, warm and helpful service to the customer. The team of staff here at McKerr Home and Garden are here to help with any questions you may have and to ensure that our customers receive the best possible assistance when shopping with us. We hope our online shop will also provide you with an efficient and reliable service and therefore we will endeavour to dispatch your order within 24 hours, using either Royal Mail, Parcel Force, DPD or My Hermes.
About Our Products
McKerr Home & Garden Ltd sell a varied range of products, which include:
- Garden Machinery (Lawnmowers, Strimmers, Hedgecutters, Chainsaws, Polesaws etc)
- Garden Products (Chemicals, Irrigation, Planting, Seeds etc)
- Household Products (Cleaning, Pest Control, Laundry, Small Electrical Appliances etc)
- Hardware (Ironmongery, Fixings, Adhesives, Tools etc)
- Shooting (Guns, Ammunition, Accessories)
Services We Provide
McKerr Home & Garden Ltd provide a range of services to our customer:
- Lawnmower Repairs (Official Briggs & Stratton Service Centre, Global Garden Products 'GGP' Agent & Warranty, Electrolux Premier Service Dealer covering Warranty repairs for Flymo, McCulloch, Partner, Husqvarna and Johnsered Garden Products)
- Key Cutting Service (Cylinder & Mortice)
- Dulux Paint Mixing
- Gun Smithing Service
- Speciality Hire Products
Social Media
You can find McKerr Home & Garden Ltd on Facebook to keep up to date with promotions, competitions and offers. Go to https://www.facebook.com/MckerrHomeGarden


text: Connect with Us July 23 – Today's Featured Birds Warbler Calls Share on Facebook Pin from: Amelia Emery: "Great Blue Heron, Forest Grove, OR" from: Marcia White Bower: "A photo from Marcia" from: Peter Craven: "Flicker in the Coconino National Forest, Arizona." from: Amelia Emery: "Acorn Woodpecker, Forest Grove, OR" 3 Warbler Calls Fan Photos: Click "Next Page" below! Next Page Share on Facebook Pin Ad below post Recommended Warbler Calls Featured Photographer Series 3 Warbler Calls Fan Photos It's Feeding Time! Great Shots From You All, Caught Mid-Bite. Birds Caught In The Act… You'll Want To See These!


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First DC-3s ferried from Valdosta military base by Veterans Air. Valdosta. Not a common name. Valdosta. Why does it sound so familiar? Trip planning through Georgia, I see the name several times on a map. It rings a bell. But nothing comes to mind – until 20 miles north of Valdosta on 27 June thisRead more →
Unexpected connections and poignant moments mark two very different experiences on June's Veterans Air research trip. Visit Texas and Georgia with me.Read more →
Veterans Air Express. Proper procedures, safety emphasis and insistence on professionalism. That's an insight reinforced by DC-3 training ops documents. I know because DC-3 Chief Pilot Robert Chambers kept them and his son Bruce gave them to me!Read more →
In April 2015, my list of men who flew, crewed and managed my Dad's airline was 22. Today, it's 62 and includes three women! I've added 12 families to my own family along the way, shedding tears of joy and amazement. And I am indescribably motivated to find other 90-somethings (aka Nonagenarians) to share with the three I've already met. Photos of a small cadre of the men and women I seek are captured in this story. Come see if you recognize any of them!!!???Read more →
A new treasure…a photo of Robert C. Chambers standing with our first DC-3 in 1945 while she still looked like the government surplus Army C-47 she had been. And breaking news…Chambers was the DC-3 Chief Pilot with Veterans! Bet you didn't know that! I didn't before today. Come see.Read more →
I found the family of Veterans Air Express Robert C. Chambers this morning. Various research sources depicting his association with my Dad's air line pointed me toward the family. Come read the story.Read more →
In 1942 & '43 the Army Air Corps turned Thomas E. Cowart from a farm boy into an aircraft mechanic and later a flight engineer. He flew the world as part of an Air Transport group led by Captain Cooper Walker. And after the war, Walker encouraged Cowart to join him at Veterans Air Express and fly the world again. Thomas tells me his vivid-memory story. Come meet him.Read more →
Look who I found!! Two sons, Craig & Robert, of 1945 1st Officer Richard Broughton. And two original crew members, Edward Martz, navigator, living in NJ and Thomas Cowart, flight engineer, living in SC. They ALL flew multiple trips for the Veterans Air Express United Nations war relief contract to Prague, Warsaw and Athens. It's intriguing! And I am psyched!Read more →
An "experimental" DC-4. A high-energy group of hardworking ex-servicemen. A Veterans Air Express UNRRA contract for cargo flights behind the iron curtain. And Newark/Miami winter passenger flights. By mid-1946, the all-veterans organization was becoming recognized and starting to thrive.Read more →
My research project into Veterans Air Express 1945 history gets huge boost. My face-to-face meeting with 92-year old Jack Stettner, founding member & pilot, reveals great stories. And his Logbook contains my "missing" DC-3.Read more →


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Part variable/part fixed home loan
Make the most of both worlds
Westpac can offer you home loans which give you the option of combining a fixed rate home loan with a variable rate home loan. By choosing to combine fixed and variable loans you can take advantage of the flexibility offered by a variable rate loan and the certainty of repayments offered by a fixed rate loan.
What's the difference between fixed and variable?
Westpac variable rate home loans
With a variable rate home loan the interest rate can fluctuate; it can go both up and down and this can affect your repayments.
Variable rate home loans also tend to offer more flexibility, such as the ability to make unlimited extra repayments (so you'll be able to pay your loan off quicker). They also often offer features such as an offset facility (a linked Westpac Choice transaction account where every dollar you have in that account 'offsets' against your loan balance, reducing the interest you pay on your home loan by an equal amount).
Westpac fixed rate home loans
With a fixed rate home loan, you get the certainty of knowing what your repayments will be for a set period of time. With a Westpac Fixed Options Home Loan, for example, you can fix your interest rate for a term of 1 to 5 years. Fixing your interest rate means if interest rates go up, your repayments and interest charge will still stay the same. However if interest rates fall, you won't get the benefit of your repayments going down.
Fixed rate home loans offer repayment certainty but tend to be more restrictive. You can only make limited extra repayments and should you want to pay off the loan during the fixed period there could be break fees to pay.
Westpac combination home loans
By combining a fixed and a variable loan, you're combining both flexibility and certainty. Here's how it works:
- You choose how much of the combination loan you want to split between fixed and variable
- The fixed rate portion gives you certainty over your repayments – protecting you from interest rate fluctuations
- The variable rate portion gives you access to a range of flexible features such as the ability to make extra repayments so you can pay off your home loan sooner.


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We are experts with experience Home and abroad, offering Construction, Technical Site management, Fit-for-purpose Site and Accommodation Fit-up, Corporate Guest House Services, Haulage of goods, and Specialized procurement to a broad category of clients.
Our Solutions are cost-effective and technically innovative. We have a commitment to the efficiency and the quality of all services delivered.


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Striking wood designs, inspired by reclaimed hardwood.
With Architectural Remnants, the charm of timeworn hardwood is recreated in premium-quality laminate flooring. Each award-winning design is a unique interpretation of the reclaimed wood trend, with stylish colors and striking surface treatments that mimic hardwood.
- Color Name: Old Original Wood Brown
- Collection: Architectural Remnants
- Series: Woodland Reclaim
- Dimensions: 12mm x 3.54, 5.59, 7.64" x 47.83"
- Technology: Laminate Flooring
- Texture: Hand Scraped
- Carton Size: 22.28 square feet
- Finish: VisionGuard / G3 Wear Layer
- Edge Style: Pressed-Bevel Edges
- Install Methods: Lock & Fold
- Install On: On, Above or Below Grade
- Finish Warranty: 50 Year Residential/ 10 Year Commercial
- Manufacture: Armstrong


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2012 Tucson sunset by Joe Novelli.
Today was a major new year organization day being that I got the book out yesterday. Yeeeee! I did manage to do a lil shopping up in the foothills with Annie.
I also donated to my favorite online journal & now press, EOAGH. CLICK HERE to donate as well. 2012 will be a major year for this journal & Tim Peterson (Trace) is one of my favorite people, poets, & editors. Support!
Tomorrow I go to ride horses!--yes, yes, yes!


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Jen and I were driving home from Seattle and spotted this beauty near Mt. Vernon:
Just a minor dampness problem really, I could fix it myself but never seemed to have the time…
Took delivery of a 40' long cargo container this morning. We are building a new building for our Cidery but with all the permitting processes and such, we will not be ready for occupancy until fairly late this year. I want to start brewing sooner and one way to do this was to build another building. (State and Federal laws prohibit you from running a commercial alcohol operation from your house — it has to be a separate lockable structure)
I could have put up something like this very quickly but the cost with cement foundation is around $12K — I can buy a lot of apples for $12K.
Turns out, I could get a retired sea-box for $2,300 delivery included. Took about ten seconds to make that decision. I was able to visit the lot and pick out the one I wanted. These are 40*8*8 in size and will give me 320 sq. ft. of weather-tight lockable space.
I will be walling off the last 16 feet and insulate it for use as a fermentation room (need to keep the temperature regulated fairly well) and the rest of the place will be product and supply storage, yeast lab and work area.
When the Cidery is finished, everything will be moved out and this will then become our distillery — we cannot have the Cidery and the Distillery in the same building and I will be able to use the insulated space for product storage.
Here are some photos - click on them to see the full-size Image:
(Click for full-size Image)
(Click for full-size Image)
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Interesting bit of folklore from The Farmers Almanac
Tonight's full moon is called the Wolf Moon.
February's is the Snow Moon
Here is their description for their page that lists all of the names:
Full Moon names date back to Native Americans, of what is now the northern and eastern United States. The tribes kept track of the seasons by giving distinctive names to each recurring full Moon. Their names were applied to the entire month in which each occurred. There was some variation in the Moon names, but in general, the same ones were current throughout the Algonquin tribes from New England to Lake Superior. European settlers followed that custom and created some of their own names. Since the lunar month is only 29 days long on the average, the full Moon dates shift from year to year. Here is the Farmers Almanac's list of the full Moon names.
Some nice back-to-the land stuff — it is good to be aware of the cycles of nature as you go about your daily work. We need to remember that we live on a big planet that has a timetable of its own. The long-view and all that…
I had the camera out taking pictures of some non-Farm related things and our youngest goat Oreo came over to see what I was doing.
Oreo is a Cashmere Goat Wether (Wethers have been "fixed" when a few weeks old and do not display the billy traits of aggressiveness and odor).
Very smart and very cute…
Two photos so you can see what we are dealing with here…
This is the nice quiet little creek on our property. It dries up in summer and fall.
We live some miles outside the town of Maple Falls. Here is what the Waterfalls Northwest website has to say about it:
Maple Creek inconspicuously creeps through the woods and takes a small series of tumbles as it heads towards the Nooksack River. This is not an impressive waterfall, I'm actually surprised the town was named after this little thing. I have to wonder how many of the local residents are actually familiar with this little waterfall.
Whomever wrote that hasn't seen it like it was this afternoon. It was roaring!
If you have checked out our weather station, you will see that we are experiencing heavy rains — more than three inches in one day! What makes this especially "interesting" is that the ground is still frozen solid from the deep freezes of a few days ago so rainwater runoff is a lot higher.
The major river in this area — The Nooksack — is reaching flood stage.
Check out the current data here: NOOKSACK—AT DEMING
The highest recorded data was 8.68 ft and 14400 cfs recorded in 1958
(cfs is Cubic Feet per Second - that is a lot of water!)
Current data as of this post is 8.24 ft and 12685 cfs.
Check it out yourself:
You can now jump to our weather station (will open in a new browser window) by clicking on the "Weather in Maple Falls" link in the Site Navigation Links area to the right of your screen.
We have been having a few weeks of cold weather with temps down to the low teens drooping to single digits at night (very clear skys so this is from radiation cooling).
Yesterday, it started warming and we got a light rain. Temps were about 25 degrees so we woke up to this:
Walking to the road to get the newspaper was fun enough — I don't envy anyone trying to drive in this… Supposed to warm up later today so maybe this will all go away soon. (not holding my breath though). Our propane tank was just filled a few days ago, we have a couple cords of wood left and a full pantry so things are secure here.
Don't forget to check our own weather station here: Maple Falls Weather
Japan has fairly high tax rates on beer — 78 Yen or about 75 US Cents per can of beer.
The interesting thing is that the Japanese Government does not tax the amount of alcohol, they tax the amount of malt used in the beer. The ¥78 per can for all malt beer drops to ¥25 for a can of alcoholic beverage that contains no malt.
Brewers are rising to the challenge as reported at BeverageDaily.COM:
Asahi joins Japan's fake beer revolution
Asahi Breweries is to become the second brewer to start production of a malt and wheat free, "beer flavoured", alcoholic drink.
Asahi Breweries announced yesterday that it plans to have a beer flavored alcoholic drink on the market by the summer. The product will be exempt from Japan's malt-incremental system of beer taxation.
In Japan, ¥78 of tax is levied on a can of beer. But, beers which contain less than 67 percent malt fall under the category of "happoshu", taxed at ¥47 yen a can. Containing no malt or wheat they escape classification as either, and are taxed at ¥25 a can.
Sapporo Breweries was the first company to create an entirely malt free drink when they last year launched 'Draft One', which has had phenomenal success in the country. It took considerable a market share from happoshu beers, with sales having exceeded 18m cases.
The new "third category beers" are made from yellow peas. Sapporo claimed that they did not originally develop the drink in order to avoid higher taxes but rather to create a "lighter tasting beer".
In addition to the tax benefit, the yellow pea beer is about 15 per cent cheaper to produce than happoshu. It retails for about ¥100 yen per can, ¥20 less than happoshu. The appeal to consumers is both in the price and innovative concept – a more defined advance in beer style than merely reducing the proportion of malt.
And of course:
A review of alcohol taxes is expected to eventually bring the "type threes" into line with happoshu.
Insert obligatory Yellow Pea joke —>here<—
There is a case before the Supreme Count regarding Wineries being able to ship to customers in the United States. This is governed by the individual states and there are restrictions on who can get Wine (and Cider) shipped to them. The case is looking to remove this from state control and allow anyone in the USA to be able to visit a Winery (or Cidery) home page, place an order for a case and have that case shipped to them legally. Needless to say, this is something I'm following with interest. WA State allows for shipments as does California. The only states with full reciprocity are California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia — every other state either requires very special situations or flat-out prohibits shipment.
A website that explains this issue (and suggests what you can do to help) is FreeTheGrape
I was reading the excellent Vinography web site today and Alder had an interesting comment and a link to the full nasty story:
Who Wants to Keep You From Ordering Wine?
I've been reluctant to take up the issue of interstate wine shipping because a lot of other people more qualified than I have written about it and because the court is still in deliberations, or whatever they call it. However, to anyone interested in some of the legal battles surrounding this issue, Tom over at Fermentations has highlighted an important and frightening faction that has been at work in the lobbying against opening up direct shipping of alcohol. Take a look at his post "Wine & Hypocrisy…An Ugly Tale."
Following the link to Tom's story we read:
Wine & Hypocrisy…An Ugly Tale
Since the mid 1990s when the debate over direct shipping began, the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers Association (WSWA) has been the leading advocate to stop any and all direct shipping of wine to consumers. Whether in congress, in the media, in the halls of state legislatures or in the courts, it has been the WSWA that has been trying to stop direct shipping.
It's pretty obvious why they and their membership are against the ability for individuals to purchase wine direct from wineries: They lose money when such transactions occur. Every time I call a winery, bring up an internet site or respond to an offer by a catalog retailer to purchase a bottle of wine, that's a sale that bypasses the wholesaler. WSWA decided to fight early on.
When they decided that this would be the most important fight for the foreseeable future, they had to go out and get a heavy hitter: They got Juanita Duggan.
Tom then follows Ms. Duggan's career and looks at the political contributions her groups have given to various political figures to promote what causes. This article is a real eye-opener and it would be a good idea to visit the FreeTheGrape website to see what can be done. A simple letter to one's representative in Washington can have much greater effect than any online poll…
We are planning several products beyond our initial keg cider. These are Honey mixed with Cider to make Cyser, Mead (Honey by itself) and Melomel (Honey mixed with fruit - berries in our case). These will be a bit more alcohol (more like a wine than the Cider) and will be sold in bottles in 2006.
Yesterday, I was running errands in Bellingham and following up on a roadside sign I had seen, I had the pleasure to meet Jerry Guilmette, owner of Busy Bees.
(Click for full size image)
He runs several hundred hives and follows the seasons, starting with the California Almond crop and moving back home in June and July. I will be getting Nooksack Valley Blackberry and Raspberry honey from him as well as some other local vendors. I bought eight gallons of the Raspberry yesterday when I was visiting his facility and it is gorgeous stuff - I'll be using this batch to test different yeasts and production methods for our Cyser and Mead but several pints will be re-directed to culinary use. This stuff is good!
I have connected our weather station to the internet.
Current weather conditions can now be seen by going here Brown Snout Weather
Right now it presents a lot of data. I'll be working with the configuration files to pare that down to a useful amount and clean up the interface.
Additionally, I have 14 months of historical record that will be uploaded when I finish configuring the raw data from the other software.
I'll be updating the main page to include a link at the right.
Couple other things scheduled for development too…
Arrived home last evening. It was a good trip but it is wonderful to get back home again. Missed our critters…
We managed to come home with some cool toys.
Jen weaves and this store Robin and Russ was having a huge inventory reduction sale so we came home with a few bags of yarn…
(The images in this entry are all thumbnails - click on the image to see them full-sized)
I bought an Apple Coder Grinder and Press.
Here is the Conveyor - it takes a full 40-pound box of apples and moves them up to the grinder:
Here is the Grinder and the Press:
The top end of the Conveyor attaches to the Grinder at the top left of the Press. The Apple bits (called Pommace) fall down and go into a cheese-cloth bag resting on one of the white plastic boards. You fill it up to about 2" depth, fold the bag closed, lay another plastic board over the top and start again. This Press can take up to seven "cheeses" 22" by 22" in size. The previous owner was averaging about 500 gallons per day output.
The company that built this unit is still in business and parts for this are still available. Very cool!
I will be waiting a bit for the winter storms to subside and will take the truck down to California to pick it up. Things are coming together…
Jen and I have been in Central Valley California visiting with her family this Holiday season. We are planning to drive home tomorrow (January 2nd) and be back on our Farm Jan 4th if the passes cooperate.
Some great news — Jen's father knows a lot of people in this area and one of the people he works with on a regular basis was growing apples and selling sweet cider. Unfortunatly, the Odwalla e-Coli problems caused such a change in regulations and equipment requirements that he dropped out of the business a few years ago. He still had his apple grinder and press though and was looking for a good home for it. It now has one. I will be taking the truck down a bit later in the season to pick it up and we now have the backbone of our cider operation!
Santa was very generous this year!!!
Pictures will follow when we get back…


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Remedy as well as Remedy with regard to Panic attacks
When you're getting handled with regard to anxiousness problems, it is crucial that you should understand the type of remedy as well as about this. Usually, cognitive-behavioral treatment as well as publicity treatment are utilized — these people concentrate on conduct and not simply the actual fundamental mental problems in the previous. Behavior treatment to manage panic attacks usually consider a minimum of 5 as well as 20 every week periods.
To cope with panic attacks, cognitive-behavior treatment can be used — this particular targets ideas in addition to actions. These types of assist you to determine as well as problem your own damaging designs associated with considering and also the illogical values which can be fueling your own anxiousness amounts. Addititionally there is publicity treatment — by which you're requested in order to deal with your own worries inside a secure as well as controlled atmosphere. You're provided repetitive exposures for your person bring about, the truth is or even within creativity, and therefore you're progressively place in a much better placement to cope with the actual dreaded item or even scenario. Therefore, the actual panic attacks progressively reduce, because your own feeling associated with manage raises.
Presently there can also be treatment with regard to anxiousness problems — there are numerous medications which are recommended, such as antidepressants as well as benzodiazepines. Nevertheless, to create everything best, preferably behavior treatment ought to be coupled with medicine for top outcomes. Nevertheless, you should observe that occasionally medicine may cause unpleasant unwanted effects, so it's usually smart to investigation the actual medication, consider the advantages as well as dangers — this way, a person as well as your physician could make the best choice regarding regardless of whether medicine ought to be employed for your own panic attacks.
Occasionally medicine might just end up being required sometimes, possibly prior to the feasible period of the panic attack — such as prior to boarding a good plane, or even prior to creating a official demonstration at the office. Nevertheless, with regard to OCD as well as GAD, medicine more than a longer time of your time might be required.


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1) Bryan Cranston got a BrBa Tattoo on the last day of shooting.
He said, "Every once in a while I catch a glimpse of it and I see that logo from 'Breaking Bad' and it makes me smile."
2) RJ Mitte does have cerebral palsy, but not as severe as Walter Junior; he had to learn how to use crutches.
3) SaveWalterWhite.com is a real site
4) The Throwing Pizza scene took only one take! Amazing!
5) Bob Odenkirk aka Saul Goodman didn't read the script of the final episode, he only read his parts and threw the rest of the script in the trash. He didn't wanna spoil it for himself.
6) Bogdan, the "F- you and your eyebrows" guy is the real chemistry genious! He was a chemist before he started acting.
7) John Cusack and Matthew Broderick were considered for Walter White. (we're glad it didn't happen).
8) Meth is actually rock candy!
9) Bryan Cranston cried for 15 minutes after filming Jane's death scene. He said that it was really hard for him to film that.
10) Aaron Paul's Jesse Pinkman was supposed to be killed off in the first season but because of his amazing performance they decided to keep him. Thank God!


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Tag: romance
Posted on July 24, 2015
An American Girl in Paris
Anna is a Georgia girl, looking forward to her senior year of high school. She loves her family, best friend, and job–and the prospect of what could be with a coworker has her excited for what the next… Read More
Updated on June 12, 2015
On Keeping a Diary
I recently saw a Tumblr post (yes, friends–I am officially on Tumblr!) asking readers about their diary writing habits. I'm inspired to respond. For most of my life, I've been a compulsive journaler. The habit started when I… Read More


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Knops Kickstarter promo
Knops Kickstarter promo
This is a presentation for one of the coolest gadgets we ever saw.
Start-up company Knops, situated in the notorious Adam Tower invented
"The volume adjustable earplug".
It will oly be a matter of time before they conquer the world with this "gotta-have" earplug !
Cast: July Janssen, Nadeche de Zwart, Rico Passies, Christiano Freire
Director: SKG
Producer: Isa B
Light: Paul Hagedoorn
Make up: Lotte Concepts


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- Province of B.C. and the BC Gaming Funds
- BC Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch - Direct Access (Charitable)
- Human Resources and Social Development Canada
- Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) - Whistler2020
- Arts, Culture & Heritage Associations
- 2010 Legacies Now - Creative Communities
- Arts Partners in Organizational Development
- British Columbia Arts Council
- British Columbia Historical Federation - News Journal
- British Columbia Museums Association- Museum Assistance Program (MAP)
- Canadian Museums Association
- Canadian Heritage Information Network (CHIN)
- Canadian Heritage - Cultural Spaces Canada
- Canadian Heritage - Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations
- Creative Cities Network
- Industry Canada - Canada's Digital Collections
- Virtual Museum of Canada - Community Memories Program
- BDO Dunwoody
- Community Foundation of Whistler
- Great Games and Toys
- Nesters Market
- Roger's Chocolates
- Whistler Blackcomb Foundation
- Whistler Printing
- Maury Young Arts Centre
- Pique Newsmagazine
- Tourism Whistler
- Village Host Program
- Arts Whistler
- Whistler Black Bear Project - Michael Allen
- Whistler Chamber of Commerce
- Whistler Community Services Society
- Whistler Naturalists Society
- Alta Lake School
- L'Ecole Passerelle
- Myrtle Philip Community School
- Spring Creek Elementary School
- Whistler Secondary
Visit the other cultural institutions in the Sea-to-Sky Corridor:
2009 Cultural Capital of Canada designation for Whistler
Whistler Museum is proud to be a part of this community legacy program.
The Cultural Capital of Canada designation is awarded for merit, as determined by the quality of a proposed project and earlier achievements by the candidate community that demonstrates an ongoing commitment to the arts and culture. The program's objective is to promote the arts and culture in Canadian municipalities through recognition of excellence and support for special activities that celebrate the arts and culture and integrate them into overall community planning. Designation as a Cultural Capital of Canada enables a recipient community to invest more in arts and culture, increase and improve cultural services, and strengthen connections with other communities through shared cultural experiences.
The Resort Municipality of Whistler recognizes the role that arts and culture play in a community committed to sustainable principles: in enhancing citizens' quality of life, ensuring economic development, partnering between cultural organizations, First Nations people and citizens involved in cultural celebrations. As a recipient community of the Cultural Capital of Canada designation in 2009 will allow those who live and visit Whistler to share enriching cultural experiences as Whistler ramps up to its role as Host Resort of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
"Whistler is thrilled and honoured to be named a Cultural Capital of Canada for 2009," said Whistler's Mayor, Ken Melamed. "Though a young community, Whistler is enjoying building its cultural identity. This designation and the funding for our program – Celebration 2020 – strengthens the cultural aspects of our sustainability commitments. It also signifies the importance of arts, culture, and heritage in Whistler and in Canada, as we prepare to welcome the world in 2010 and beyond."


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Christina Applegate, the 38-year-old Samantha Who? star who is also a breast cancer survivor, is pregnant with her fiancé Martyn Lenoble's child!
Christina Applegate and her fiancé, a Dutch bass player Martyn Lenoble, 41, are expecting their first child, the actress' rep confirmed the happy news to People today.
Applegate has been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008. She recovered with the help of Lenoble after undergoing a double mastectomy.The two got engaged this past Valentine's Day after two years of dating. It will be the second marriage for both when the wedding goes ahead.
Congrats to Applegate and Lenoble!


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4 Tips for Disarming a Toddler Tantrum
You can always spot a parent of a toddler — they have a slightly scared look on their face, they're always on their toes, and they seem nervous. Why? Because toddlers could go off at any moment. You swore your child would never, but they always do. Trust me.
Tantrums are not easy for parents to deal with, and it can make us all feel like we're totally failing, but it comes with the territory of parenting a 2- to 4-year-old kid. According to the Mayo Clinic, tantrums are a normal, healthy part of childhood — a combination of a child wanting to express what they want but not having the correct vocabulary to express it. It explodes into a very loud, embarrassing moment for parents, made worse when it happens in public.
{ MORE: Forget Time-Out, Time-In Is the New Discipline Strategy to Try }
The toddler tantrum is as mysterious and complicated as a bomb, but just like a real bomb expert knows, there are ways to disarm it before it blows up. You never seem to know when or how it's going to set off, but if your child is nearing the toddler phase, you'll inevitably experience the toddler blow up.
Here are some tricks and tips for disarming the tantrum before it blows up in your face.
1. Be prepared at any moment.
When it comes to getting out of toddler tantrum situation, being prepared is key! Stock your purse up with distraction methods like crayons and cookies, and pull them out when your child is acting like a tantrum may blow. Getting rid of the potential for a tantrum before it happens can help keep everyone sane, and it's always easier to get out of the situation before it turns into a full-blown spaz-out.
Know your child's trigger points. Do they get crankier when they're tired? When they're hungry? When there are crowds? Once you figure those out, use distractions to keep the tantrums at bay.
2. Approach with caution.
Have you heard the phrase "you can't fight fire with fire"? Well, the same is true when you talk about toddler tantrums; you can't disarm if you're going to bring a bomb as well. Sure, your first instinct may be to yell and argue, but there is truth in the other popular phrase "kill it with kindness."
And that's what you should do.
Approach the tantrum with sweetness and being overly kind, but not giving in, and you'll change their mood while keeping your cool as well.
{ MORE: Can You Really Train Your Kids to be Quiet? This Dad Says Yes - Anytime, Anywhere! }
3. Give choices.
The illusion of choice can go a long way in allowing your toddler to get what they want and for you to get what you want as well — peace! Instead of giving demands or ultimatums to your child, offer choices, even if they don't seem important to you. Does your child want white milk or chocolate milk? Do they want to walk this way or that way?
You can even subtly sway them to the right choice by making it easier to choose the right option: "You put your shoes on and come with me to the grocery store, or you can refuse, and we'll stay home and clean." Your child won't ever choose the cleaning option (but if they're testing you and do, make it the most annoying cleaning day ever).
4. Ignore it.
If you're a new parent and you believe your child would never in a million years act like the kid you saw who was losing their cool because their mom said they couldn't have the Sofia the First bubble bath they desperately wanted, you're wrong.
Why? Because toddlers spaz out about things, and it's going to happen to you in private and maybe even in public. Yes, it's deadly embarrassing, but it's a part of toddlerhood that is going to happen as your child figures out the world isn't totally about them. So, when it happens to you, you can choose to ignore it and just move about your business as if they were not screaming bloody murder.
It won't last forever and, sure, you may get some stares from fellow shoppers, but if you give in to your toddler's request, you're setting a precedence for them that if they act that way, they'll get their way. And you don't want that.
{ MORE: Another Kid Acting Up? Here's What To Do When Your Friend's Child Misbehaves }
What are your tips for disarming a toddler tantrum? Share in the comments!Read More


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Bundi releases visuals for his summer anthem "3210"
Following on from the huge hit 'Driving A Benz' Bundi drops his latest banger '3210'.
This has been doing the rounds for about a month now and its dangerous. A throwback theme pivoting around an awesome hook 'I am oldskool like a 3210'. This is a another huge record from one of the hardest Mcs in London.
Produced by Jimmy James Beats, who delivers an effortless heavy laden slice of sinister hard hitting hiphop. The bass line moves through the beat like a mac truck, sounding violent and hypnotic.
Bundi shines brightly and rides the beat with classic oldskool references of life growing up in London town. Taking us back to a time long before Whatsapp, when it was 40p to ride the bus, this is a nostalgic trip down memory lane. Unlike most nostalgic tracks though, Bundi flips the script and keeps it raw and rugged. Hard hitting lyricism from a hard hitting Mc who really knows the streets and can paint a cinematic picture with his words.


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These are services all offered by vegans, including web designers, caterers, office admin, photographers, plus other miscellaneous services. Several of these companies specialise in vegan work and many offer discounts to other vegan businesses.
website & internet
Digitalis Website Design
Website design, updates and marketing from the makers of the Vegan Village.
Imaner Consultants
Website design services, including e-commerce, maintenance, and consultancy.
Co-operative offering illustration, graphic design and web design.
Pixel Punch Web & Print Design
Freelance web and graphic designer.
Spirit Quest
Internet development including hosting.
Mobile Web Expert
Specialises in mobile-friendly website designs and apps.
Earth Internet
Eco-friendly hosting and web design.
Taylor McKenzie Design Consultants Ltd
Graphic design, including web design.
The Ethical Graphic Design Company Ltd
Including leaflets, brochures, annual reports and adverts.
The Green IT Company Ltd
Consultancy service, advises on 'greening' your workplace and reducing your carbon footprint. Also offer IT support and web design.
Vegan caterers & cookery courses
Fairfoods Catering
Vegan catering service in Mid Devon. Cookery demonstrations also available.
Fat City Catering
Vegan caterers in Notts. Happy to travel. Homemade food with an emphasis on fresh, organic wholefoods and raw foods.
Green Garden Café
Vegan catering service in Coventry, with delivery to Coventry, Warwickshire and the surrounding areas. Catering for events, also special occasion cakes.
Harem Nights
Middle Eastern catering for special events and corporate hospitality. Also Arabian and Moroccan themed events with all-vegan catering. Vegan birthday and wedding cakes made to order.
Our Lizzy
Vegan cookery courses and demonstrations, based in Malvern.
Vegan catering service in the London area, with free deliveries possible for events whether at home (e.g. functions/parties), at the workplace (e.g. business meetings/seminars/conferences), or at other event/function venues.
Something Fishy
Mobile, 100% vegan, 'fish' 'n' chip shop. Available for hire for private events. Run by volunteers to raise funds for campaigns.
Veggies Catering Campaign
Manufacturers of frozen vegan organic burgers and sosages, plus vegan catering for events.
Wholefood Harmony
Vegan wholefood/macrobiotic cookery workshops in London.
Office admin & support
Jackson & Jackson Accountants Ltd
Chartered Accountants based in London, offering accounts, taxation and business advisory and support services to a wide range of charities, Not for Profit organisations, and Community Interest Companies. Owned by vegans.
Lingocode Translation Services
German to English freelance translator specialising in IT, Technology, Business and Finance. Also specialising in ethical and animal rights translations on a pro bono or cost reduced basis.
MAD Promotions
Public relations, specialising in working for products and companies that 'make a difference'.
PYA Languages
Spanish, Italian and French lessons and translation services.
photographers & video
Aurora Imaging
Commercial photography and design partnership based in Pembrokeshire, West Wales.
Graham Hilling
Photographer specialising in photos for webzines and bands.
GreenEye Wildlife Photography
Workshops, prints and canvases, wildlife books and calendars from vegan photographer Iain Green.
Man-kind Images
Stock photo library with 750 images, covering wildlife, green technology, farmed animals and a variety of animal welfare issues.
Shirlaine Forrest Photography
Freelance digital photographer specialising in music, fashion and portrait photography.
Small Screen Video
Corporate videos, commercials, video/DVD/cine transfers and duplication. Also showreel editing for actors, presenters, models and dancers.
Wendy Pye - Photography
Vegan photographer covering the South East and South Coast. Offers commercial services.
MISCELLANEOUS services
David Straitjacket
Escapologist, sword swallower and sideshow artist, available for events.
Energy company supplying homes and businesses across Britain with green energy. (The Vegan Village receives £25 every time a new customer signs up to Ecotricity via our website.)
Environmental Management Solutions Ltd
Environmental services including asbestos surveys and management, Contaminated Land Investigations and Energy Performance Certificates.
Ethical Investors Group (Chris Deacon)
Ethical, socially responsible and environmental investment (contact Chris Deacon in the Plymouth office).
Kinder Cultured Ltd
Architectural and planning services for healthy building design.
Mr Be
Brett Jackson, acrobatic clown and mime artist for cabaret, street, festival, circus and film.
NAIS (Neutering Animals in Sefton)
A not-for-profit organisation who offer people on low incomes affordable neutering for their pets, including transport to and from the vets.
Plumb Solar
Solar thermal systems installation and repairs on domestic and commercial buildings in the East Midlands.
Precious Pet
Dog walking and petsitting service in East London.
South-side Movers
Domestic removals business based in Edinburgh, local or long distance.
Sunrise Screenprint
T-shirt printers. Range of designs ready for wholesale or retail, or have your own design or logo printed. Organic cotton and hemp t-shirts available.
Sally Novello
Children's entertainment for events, includes face painting, puppets, magic and mini disco.
Tamar Lettings
Vegan-owned lettings agency in East Sussex, covering Seaford, Newhaven, Peacehaven, Brighton and Hove.
Warwick Castles
Bouncy castles to hire!
Vegan Lettings
Specialist vegan-run company with properties to let in Wales.
Vegan business guides
Vegan Business Connection
The VBC is run by Veggies and lists vegan businesses in the UK. If you run a vegan business, you can apply online for a listing.
The Vegan Research Panel
The Vegan Research Panel website summarises the available market research on vegans, and publishes vegan demographics.


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Add a simple Java app to a Multi-Target Application
You will learn
- Where to add your Java codebase
- How to edit an application before running and deploying it
In SAP Web IDE, navigate to the Development perspective and expand the Workspace folder.
Find your Java application in the file tree.
Now, you need to right click (or use CTRL + Click) on your project folder
java_web_ide to open a contextual menu.
Select New > Java Module
Now that you have opened the Java Module template selection wizard, you can scroll down to select Simple Web Application from the list of tiles.
You should see a description of what this template will add below the highlighted tile.
Click Next.
Now name your Java module
cf_web_app, and click Next.
Keep the default values and click Finish.
You should have a new file tree structure.
Click any of the folders with a + symbol to expand them.
When selecting your module, there was a menu of available tiles to choose from like some of those shown in the picture below.


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The 63rd Cannes Film Festival drew to a close last night with the annual awards ceremony. Tim Burton's jury managed to navigate what many considered to be a pretty sub-standard crop of competition films to pick this year's winners.
Palme d'Or
Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives
Grand Prix
Of Gods and Men
Best Director
Mathieu Amalric, On Tour
Jury Prize
A Screaming Man
Best Actor
Javier Bardem, Biutiful
Elio Germano, Our Life
Best Actress
Juliette Binoche, Certified Copy
Best Screenplay
Chang-Dong Lee, Poetry
Camera d'Or
Michael Rowe, Ano Bisiesto
Un Certain Regard
Hahaha, Sangsoo Hong
Un Certain Regards Jury Prize
October, Daniel and Diego Vega


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Privacy Policy and Disclaimer - Privacy Statement:
Skye Group P/L T/A Sunseeker Australia, www.sunseekerswim.com.au recognize the importance of maintaining your privacy. Our policy is explained below.
The type of information we collect from you
The type of personal information that we collect from you will depend on how you use our website www.sunseekerswim.com.au, but you can be certain that the information we receive about you will be treated as strictly confidential.
We do not collect or use any personal information on visitors to our website, through the use of "cookies" , software or hardware techniques. The information we do collect is related to the number of hits our site receives and the domains from which this site is accessed. This is purely for statistical purposes.
If you log onto the website we will record the following information:
- Your server address
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- The date and time of your visit to our site
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This information is used for statistical and web site development purposes only.
Why we collect information
If you have opted to register on our website www.sunseekerswim.com.au as a regular shopper, we collect your name, address, phone number and email for delivery purposes. Logging in as a regular shopper/user will make shopping faster and easier. This information is encrypted by a Thwate SSL Certificate and remains private and confidential.
Joining Our Newsletter
If you have opted to join our newsletter on our website www.sunseekerswim.com.au you will receive emails about special offers, sales, discounts and news. If at any time you no longer wish to receive emails or communications from us, please notify us by email firstname.lastname@example.com and we will remove you from our Sunseeker Australia Customer List for website www.sunseekerswim.com.au
The circumstances under which we disclose information about you
It is our policy not to sell or pass on any personal information that you may have provided to us unless we have your express consent to do so. An exception to this is where Skye Group may be required by law to disclose certain information.
Online Store Security
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Dairy Donations: Finding a Home for Excess Milk
Written onFebruary 14 , 2019
The Vermont Milk Commission recently released a report of recommendations for advancing supply management in the dairy industry.
As the Commission report details, enacting a particular supply management plan designed to resolve the problem of "unabated growth" in milk production is a complicated task and a radical departure from previous national policy. It stems from a simple goal - to stop creating too much milk. Milk can be "extra" in a few ways. Milk isn't just milk, it's the building block of different products - there's milk to drink, yogurt, cheese, butter, powdered milk . . . each receives a different price, and sometimes when you've separated the milk into, for example, butterfat and skim milk you might have a place to sell the butter but not the skim. Or sometimes there's too much milk period, and there's no point in even beginning to process it. If there's much too much milk in the system (a situation we've recently found ourselves in) then we may see milk dumping. The name basically says it all - you discard the milk that has no economically viable place to go. It's a sign people often point of how far out of balance our dairy system has become, with production incentivized beyond what the market can bear.
While we ask ourselves how to build a balanced market, that raises the question of what can be done with extra milk, because the truth is that milk runs out of economically viable markets long before it runs out of people interested in drinking it.
According to John Sayles, CEO of the Vermont Foodbank,"Milk is something we can always distribute very quickly and there's a big demand."
Carrie Calvert, Managing Director of Ag Government Relations at the national group Feeding America, noted of the Farm Bill that they were working on ". . . connecting the extra milk produced with the millions of food insecure Americans who need it."
Redistributing extra milk to people who have difficulty accessing nutritious food is one way to make at least incremental improvements against both a milk supply imbalance and hunger. However, it's not as straightforward as, say, Kelloggs' redistributing an overrun of cereal. When a cereal manufacturer ends up with too much cereal that's an end product, already processed into its edible form, it's probably packaged, and it's pretty shelf stable - not to mention lightweight and easy to transport. The milk to go on that cereal, on the other hand, has a long way to go between a raw product in a bulk tank and something ready for primetime - it needs pasteurizing, packaging, it needs refrigerated transport, and (depending on how it's processed) it needs to move quickly before it spoils.
The first issue, then, is choosing a point on the milk's trip from cow to consumer for intervention.
The simplest option in this situation is something the government already does - offering incentives to purchase milk, and other dairy products, at retail. Benefits through SNAP or the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program both are examples of this approach. They increase demand for milk without changing anything about how it reaches the marketplace. The private donations market sometimes mimics this approach, such as with the Great American Milk drive which solicits individual donations to go towards vouchers for milk purchases at participating retail stores.
This tool indirectly avoids the dreaded milk dumping, by raising overall demand for milk. The milk on retail shelves was not in danger of going from bulk tank to manure pit, but raising demand does reduce the gap between demand and supply. In a highly simplified version of this tool, we can imagine government subsidies for milk purchases pushing demand up enough to match oversupply by making milk so cheap we, the consumers, would be foolish not to buy it. You can quickly see where supply management might become an important part of the equation, because if milk sellers see demand for retail milk going up thanks to government help, they will begin producing more milk, and the imbalance gets worse, not better.
Taking a half step back on the supply chain, we could still drive up demand for milk but do it a little before that milk hits retail shelves. The USDA does this when it supports milk purchasing for school lunches, breakfasts, and childcare centers - and the Special Milk program ensures that milk reaches all children in schools, not just those participating in school lunch or school breakfast programs. In Vermont, the Agency of Agriculture offers grants for schools to purchase milk coolers. Schools are not the highest paying market for farmers, although this market may be high impact as it sets up food preferences for the next generation of consumers, and schools are a critical part of the safety net ensuring that children have access to nutritious food. Controversially, the USDA recently lifted their restrictions on flavored milk, while still requiring that all milk be low fat. The prohibited whole milk is the most profitable for dairy farmers, and some argue that it is questionable nutritional logic to disallow whole milk as "unhealthy" while at the same time embracing flavored milks.
Stepping even further back on the chain, another important food program that uses milk is TEFAP, or The Emergency Food Assistance Program. Through TEFAP, the USDA purchases commodities, pays for processing and packaging, and distributes to agencies in each state who can then redistribute the food to those who need it most. Milk is one of the commodities purchased. Recently, USDA used the TEFAP system to make milk purchases as part of trade mitigation to offset the effect of retaliatory tariffs. Vermont could not accept any of this milk for donation, however, because the rules required taking full tractor trailer loads and redistributing to TEFAP-eligible households only, within a short window of time. John Sayles of the Vermont Foodbank explains that we could not move that high quantity of milk through the required distribution system quickly enough. (According to this 2/17/2019 report from NPR, Vermont isn't the only place to question how to handle these shipments).
One answer to the problem of a highly perishable product is to process it into something more shelf stable. In the past, the U.S. has purchased dairy to turn into dry powdered milk, butter, and cheddar cheese as a way of creating a price floor for dairy. This strategy becomes one of the more complicated options, requiring the government to purchase dairy (and to know the right amount to purchase to stabilize price but not drive over production up even further), process it, store it, then find a way to distribute it back to people who need it. This Planet Money podcast does an excellent job of walking through how that process has gone awry in the past.
There's another option, and this one gets more directly at what we do with excess milk when it has no market - we can make it easier for the milk handlers to create their own partnerships for donation. Milk handlers are the businesses and cooperatives that pool farmers' milk and get it to market, and they're part of a strictly regulated pricing system called the Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO). Even dumping milk requires permissions from the FMMO administrator. Through new Milk Donation Program provisions in the 2018 Farm Bill these handlers can apply to have the federal government reimburse them for the price difference between Class I milk and the lowest class price, which is the value assigned to donated milk. This means they can meet obligations to farmers while also filling gaps in the food safety net.
Carrie Calvert, of Feeding America, notes "We expect the funding support provided in the farm bill will significantly help increase our dairy donations and our ability to provide nutritious milk to millions of people facing hunger."
Kicking donations over from the government to the private sector doesn't solve all complications. Jed Davis, Director of Sustainability at Cabot Creamery Cooperative, has looked at this issue. Cabot is no stranger to donating its product to any number of causes. Finding a way to get excess raw milk processed and donated when the market finds itself highly out of balance is a trickier subject. Cabot has tried in the past to locate bottlers to take extra milk, but couldn't find any with capacity - other regions have more options in that regard, but the processing capacity in New England is tight. Davis doesn't think scrambling to deal with a momentary glut is the best strategy in any event. Now, he is thinking along the lines of how to partner with other organizations to make a regular schedule for processing milk designated to go into the donation stream and not into the normal marketplace. He points to the network of farmers, food banks, and processors being built in Pennsylvania through Philabundance as an example that it's possible to find these types of mutually beneficial systems.
None of these pathways is a long term solution for all that is harming today's regional dairies. Nonetheless, each of them offer ways to take small steps forward and each bring us closer to at least avoiding the worst case scenario of over supply - perfectly good milk getting dumped because we don't have a place for it.
For a lot more discussion of commodity milk, check out the Northern Tier Dairy Summit being hosted by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture April 1-2, 2019, at Jay Peak Resort.


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Analyze. Realize. Sustain.
Our approach
Project flow
Our projects
Projects map
We analyze
We analyze the development potential of various communities and regions in Africa. Therefore we use results which have been obtained by our members during their theses and student projects at Technical University of Munich. This process ensures innovative solutions, which are individually applied in projects for the different communities we work with.
Student Project
During a student project of TUM, three interdisciplinary teams worked on energy-related concepts for the rural community of St. Rupert Mayer in Zimbabwe.
Based on acquired data and intensive communication with stakeholders of the community, the students developed innovative solutions on combining the supply of energy, water and food as well as including the local community.
Hassan Zaheer
"How does the solar power generation correlate with energy policies in Africa?"
Meriem Askri
"How could the power system in Africa be improved through energy system modeling?"
Ayodeji Okunlola
"Which potential do decentralized energy systems have in improving electricity supply and creating jobs in Africa?"
Osamudiame Evbuomwan
"Which market potential do wind power based decentralized energy systems have?"
Michael Mayr
"What is the technical and economical feasibility of Do-It-Yourself wind turbines in Zimbabwe?"
Christopher Schulze
"How to acquire data for designing decentralized Energy-Water-Food systems in Zimbabwe through geographic information systems and ground measurements?"
Oluwaseun Salu
"What are the most feasible crops in rural Zimbabwe depending on their water demand?"
Shtefi Mladenovska
"Which role does gender play in the perception and adaptation to climate change in Zimbabwe?"
Student Project
In the summer semester, 15 students from various faculties of TUM developed a detailed concept design for the implementation of an Energy-Water-Food system in the rural community of St. Rupert Mayer in Zimbabwe.
This student project included the design of a biogas plant, solar-water systems and a business concept for the Energy-Water-Food system, whose work was based on existing results and a research trip to the community.
Hajer Ben Charrada
"What is the situation of technology-related entrepreneurship in Zimbabwe?"
Sissi Bazan
"How to identify the optimal design of a decentralized Energy-Water-Food system for the rural village of Kpori, Ghana, through modeling?"
Student Project
During a student project of TUM, three interdisciplinary teams work on energy-related concepts for the rural community of Nsutam in Ghana.
Based on acquired data and intensive communication with stakeholders of the community, the students develop innovative solutions on combining the supply of energy, water and food as well as including the local community. During this project, the TUM students cooperate with students and researchers of TUM's partner university KNUST in Kumasi, Ghana.
After subsequent analyses through master theses, the concepts shall be implemented by us.
Julius Hildebrand
"How to design a micro-grid for smart power supply of decentralized Energy-Water-Food systems in rural Africa?"
Stefan Oberleitner
"How to design and model a biogas generation system in rural Africa with variable bio-waste inputs from agriculture?"
Catalina Corral
"How to quantify and model the maximum availability of ground water for decentralized Energy-Water-Food systems in rural Africa?"
Florian Schroll
"What is the optimal agricultural production for an decentralized Energy-Water-Food system in rural Zimbabwe?"
Marius Werani
"What are the financial and ecological benefits of food products from decentralized Energy-Water-Food systems in rural Africa?"
Tobias Trenkle
"How does the financing strategy of decentralized Energy-Water-Food systems in rural Africa influence the project setup?"
Robin Bierganz
"What are the decision making criteria of social impact investors for projects in Africa?"
Simon Kaufmann
"Which entrepreneurial leadership practices are working best for startups in Africa? "
We realize
After a profound analysis of the community, we design an individualized system, establish the required structures, raise the necessary funds and implement the system together with the community.
TU eMpower Africa e.V. registered as non-profit organization
Since October 12, 2018, we are legally accepted as non-profit organization. So, everything is set to raise money for the projects we already prepared.
Fundraising & Implementation of decentralized Energy-Water-Food system in St. Rupert Mayer, Zimbabwe
Based on the analysis of the last two years, we developed a concept for a decentralized Energy-Water-Food system in St. Rupert Mayer in Zimbabwe. The community with its 250 inhabitants, two schools and a hospital has been partnering with us for several years. The concept includes technical, social and economical aspects like the optimal sizing of hardware components, sustainable ownership structures, salaries for management, technical operation and farming, as well as revenue schemes through crop sales.
Now we are ready to raise the required funds for hardware and salaries. Therefore, during the Interdisciplinary Project of the TUM Entrepreneurship Research Institute, business students will develop and carry out a fundraising concept with a focus on crowdfunding.
When the funds will be raised, we will implement the hardware together with manufacturers and the community of St. Rupert Mayer, conduct our developed training concepts and support the operation of the system until we are convinced it works without us.
We sustain
The sustainability of the projects can only be ensured through the involvement of local people. Hence, we provide self-designed trainings for the community and support the operation of the system on technical and social levels. In addition, we link the projects with local stakeholder including universities and spread the word on scientific conferences to create a global network.
Renewable Energy Workshop in St. Rupert Mayer, Zimbabwe
Three of our members developed a one-week workshop which explains various renewable energy technologies in a very applied way to pupils.
The people of St. Rupert Mayer High School showed strong interest which let to great learning effects.
Afterwards, this teaching workshop was presented on various occasions, including the RERIS 2018 in Lesotho.
TUM Summer School "Development by Innovation"
We supported the 1st TUM Summer School on Energy, Water and Food Technologies in Africa in October 2017. 25 students of various study programs from TUM and African universities have been selected out of 600 applications.
During the first week, TUM scientists taught methods regarding energy, water and food and their utilization in Africa. Throughout the second week, interdisciplinary teams developed concepts for decentralized Energy- Water-Food systems for five different locations in Africa by applying the learned methods.
The winning team could present their concept at RERIS 2018 in Lesotho.
EU-Africa Renewable Energy Research & Innovation Symposium (RERIS) 2018 in Lesotho
We got the chance to present our work to an international scientific audience at RERIS 2018 in Lesotho with three oral presentations and four posters. It was a great opportunity to spread the word and extend our international network.
Training concept for local operators of Energy-Water-Food systems
During a student project of TUM, an interdisciplinary team of six students from the faculties of education, engineering, management and life science develop a vocational training concept that provides the required knowledge for the operation of decentralized Energy-Water-Food systems.
Throughout the concept development, the TUM students cooperate with high school students, teachers and other stakeholders from the rural community of St. Rupert Mayer. We plan to implement there such a system in 2019 and apply the teaching concept for the best graduates of St. Rupert Mayer High School, who will run the system on the long term.


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Tom Brake MP was honoured to be one of the speakers at the Centre for Turkish Studies (CEFTUS) 4th Anniversary Gala at the London Marriott Grosvenor Hotel, last Wednesday in front of 600 distinguished guests coming from both the UK and Turkey, as well as a large spectrum of politicians from all the parties.
The Gala celebrated the success so far of CEFTUS' work and aimed to raise funds for future projects. Since 2011, the organisation has been able to create opportunities for a vibrant analysis and discussion of Turkish issues.
Guests from the parliaments of the UK and Turkey, London councillors, academics, journalists, businesspeople and representatives of the community, all gathered to talk about CEFTUS' role in strengthening the significant political relationship between the Britain and Turkey.
Tom commented:
"It was an honour to speak on behalf of the Liberal Democrats to guests ranging from the Director of CEFTUS, Ibrahim Dogus, to members of the UK and Turkish parliaments. Our relationship with Turkey is clearly an important one, not just because of their contribution to the UK's culture and economy, but also because Turkey serves as a historic bridge between Europe and the Middle East. Our relationship with Turkey is especially crucial now as they have taken in more than 2 million refugees from the Syrian conflict. They are setting Europe a real humanitarian example. "
The Turkish, Kurdish, and Cypriot Community Achievement Awards 2015 were also announced following the speeches.
For other parliamentarians' support messages, award winners, and information on the event, visit www.ceftus.org.


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BOSTON – Monday, December 17, 2012 – The Patrick-Murray Administration and the City of Boston today launched the kickoff of the Commonwealth Connect smart phone application -developed originally for use in the City of Boston by Mayor Menino's Office of New Urban Mechanics. The expanded App allows residents to report quality of life problems, such as graffiti and potholes, directly to the appropriate local government for resolution. Secretary of Administration and Finance Jay Gonzalez joined local officials at City Hall to announce details about this new application, available to thirty-five participating municipalities.
"Engaged citizens make neighborhoods healthy, municipalities vibrant, and states strong," said Governor Deval Patrick. "Commonwealth Connect holds the promise of helping our residents deepen their engagement in their communities and build new connections with their local governments."
"As a Commonwealth, it is in our shared interest to provide communities with tools and resources to implement or improve regional services," said Lieutenant Governor Murray. "Commonwealth Connect is an innovative opportunity to collaborate, regionalize and help maintain local services that will be delivered more effectively and efficiently."
Funded by the Community Innovation Challenge Grant Program, the Commonwealth Connect app was inspired by the success of Citizens Connect, a mobile app launched in 2009 by Mayor Menino's Office of New Urban Mechanics. Today, 20 percent of all quality of life requests the City of Boston receives from its residents comes from Citizens Connect, resulting in more than 35,000 improvements in Boston neighborhoods. To use Commonwealth Connect, residents with smart phones will simply download the app and launch it. They will snap a photo of the problem, note its location and submit it; the corresponding participating municipality will receive the request. The residents then get a tracking number for their case and can see when their issue is resolved.
"I am a strong believer that government is here to help people," Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino said. "Through the success of Citizens Connect app, we have seen technology empower our residents, improve our neighborhoods, and help us deliver services that are not only more efficient but also more engaging."
The City of Boston is able to share Commonwealth Connect with other communities through funding from the Community Innovation Challenge grant program. Launched in the FY12 budget and administered by the Executive Office for Administration & Finance, this program invests in innovations that have the potential to lower costs and improve critical services through regionalization, new uses of technology, and improved management practices. In the first round of this program, 100 applications were received from 285 cities & towns, and 27 grants for a total of $4 million were awarded. 138 communities are participating in the 27 projects.
"The Patrick-Murray Administration is committed to providing key resources and tools to support our cities and towns in managing through this fiscal crisis and beyond," said Secretary of Administration and Finance Jay Gonzalez. "Through regionalization of services, we are creating innovative opportunities for neighboring communities to build partnerships to deliver local services more effectively and efficiently."
Commonwealth Connect works seamlessly across participating municipalities. Residents can report issues using the same app in any of the 35 municipalities. In addition to a mobile app, participating municipalities, if interested, will also be provided with a web-based app that can be used on desktop computers and a work order management system to handle the requests. Through the grant, these products will all be provided to each municipality for three years for free. The app is expected to launch by the spring of 2013.
"In the last five years, the opportunities for government to engage citizens have radically changed, fueled by a revolution in consumer electronics, social media, and smart phones," Boston Chief Information Officer Bill Oates said. "Commonwealth Connect is the next generation for these tools – an app that is not limited by municipal boundaries but one that is as dynamic as our residents."
Participating municipalities include Ayer, Barnstable, Braintree, Brookfield, Chicopee, Clarksburg, Easton, Everett, Fall River, Fitchburg, Framingham, Halifax, Haverhill, Holliston, Lexington, Malden, Medway, Melrose, Middleborough, Nantucket, New Bedford, Newton, North Adams, Northampton, Orange, Revere, Somerville, Taunton, Wakefield, Watertown, West Boylston, Westborough, Whitman, and Woburn. Fifty-eight municipalities applied to be part of the program; these municipalities were selected in this round based on geography and the strength of their applications.
Commonwealth Connect is being developed in partnership between the City of Boston & SeeClickFix. Based in New Haven, CT, SeeClickFix is one of the pioneers of apps and services that allow residents to act on issues they see in their neighborhoods.
In the FY12 budget, Governor Patrick proposed the development of the CIC grant program to encourage and incentivize regionalization and other innovative efficiency initiatives. The CIC grant program was supported by the Legislature, providing $4 million for regionalization and other initiatives that will improve the effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery of local services. An additional $2.25 million in funding for the program was provided in the FY13 budget. Applications for the second round of this program, due November 30th, 2012, are currently under review and recipients will be announced in January 2013. In the second round of this program, 118 applications were received from 287 cities & towns. Commonwealth Connect is a project of the Mayor's Office of New Urban Mechanics: Mayor Menino's Office of New Urban Mechanics focuses on piloting transformative services that leverage civic engagement and new technology.


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Welcome to Charming Old Denver!
This is a website for those of us who love the charm, ambience, convenience and, well...
The VIBE of Central Denver!
I'm Jennifer Allan and I've lived in Charming Old Denver since 1994 and have sold real estate throughout the urban core since 1996. While I've always been a fan of the city, it took getting out of town for a few years to truly appreciate what a fantastic place we call home here in Denver. We have it all here...a thriving economy, a vibrant night-life, diverse shopping opportunities...all the amenities you expect from a big city.
But Denver is… special. You feel it as soon as you drive into town or exit your airplane. Denver-ites are friendly, healthy, educated, tolerant and darned interesting to talk to.
We give directions using the words "North," "South," "East" and "West" instead of "Left" or "Right" because our spectacular Rocky Mountains are always in view.
We have four distinct seasons, yet rarely suffer from extreme temperatures. Yes, it snows, but our 300+ days of sunshine and relatively mild winters keep the snow from accumulating and getting dirty. If there's snow on the ground, it's usually fresh and white!
Whether you're already a Charming Old Denver homeowner or would like to be someday, thank you for allowing me to share my beloved city with you.
All my best,


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