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Praised by press for her spellbinding and electrifying performances,violinist Chloé Kiffer claimed top prizes at multiple national and international competitions.
An early success lead Chloé to solo and orchestra engagements throughout Europe, Canada, North and South America, the Middle East, and Asia playing in some of the world's most prestigious concerts halls such as Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, Beethoven Hall in Bonn, Frankfurt Radio Symphony Hall. In October 2015 Chloé made her debut at Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium with Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto under baton of David Gilbert.
A native of France, Chloé graduated Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris at the age of 17. She went on to earn an Artist Diploma in Germany and postgraduates degrees at Manhattan School of Music as a student of Pinchas Zukerman and Patinka Kopec.
An enthusiastic chamber musician, Chloé is a frequent collaborator with artists such as Pavel Vernikov, Gustav Rivinius, Shmuel Ashkenasi, Joshua Epstein, Vladimir Mendelsohn, Timothy Eddy and the Emerson Strings Quartet.
A frequent guest performer and faculty at various festivals Chloé has been closely associated with Heifetz Institute serving there as faculty and Artist in Residence since 2015. Currently Ms. Kiffer is a teaching artist at both Bard University (precollege division) and Stony Brook University, where she is subsequently completing her Doctor of Musical Arts Degree.
Most recently Chloé has made a recording of Ravel Violin Sonatas on Steinway & Sons label, which is scheduled for a release in March 2018.
Mr. Baltacigil won the 2005 Young Concert Artists International Auditions. He was also awarded the Peter Jay Sharp Prize (which presented his New York recital debut in December 2005) and the Washington Performing Arts Society Prize (which presented his Washington, D.C., recital debut in April 2006). His other awards include first prize in concerto competitions in Istanbul and New York and the Allentown (Pennsylvania) Schadt String Competition
American violinist Adam Barnett-Hart has attracted worldwide attention for his sensitive musicianship and inspired artistic decisions. As the founding first violinist of the Escher String Quartet, he has performed in many of the most prestigious venues and festivals around the world including Alice Tully Hall and the 92nd Street Y in New York, the Kennedy Center, the Ravinia and Caramoor Festivals, the Wigmore Hall, the Louvre, and the Concertgebouw.
Award-winning violinist Aaron Boyd, a member of the acclaimed Escher String Quartet, enjoys a versatile career as soloist, chamber musician, orchestral leader, recording artist, lecturer, and teacher. Since making his New York recital debut in 1998, he has concertized throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. Formerly a member of the Escher String Quartet, he was a recipient of an Avery Fisher Career Grant and the Martin E. Segal prize from Lincoln Center, and was also awarded a Proclamation by the City of Pittsburgh for his musical accomplishments.
Associate principal viola of the Dallas Symphony since 1999, Ann Marie Brink is adjunct associate professor of viola at Southern Methodist University, adjunct professor of instrumental studies at the University of North Texas, and teaches at Wintergreen Summer Music Academy, Nellysford, Va.
Hailed by The New Yorker as a "superb young soloist," Nicholas Canellakis has become one of the most sought-after and innovative cellists of his generation, captivating audiences throughout the United States and abroad. In The New York Times his playing was praised as "impassioned ... the audience seduced by Mr. Canellakis's rich, alluring tone."
Legend is an understatement. Sit with master-of-all-trades Mino Cinélu in any café and more likely than not, a record will come on that he's played on. Sting, Miles Davis, Weather Report, Herbie Hancock, Peter Gabriel, Stevie Wonder, Lou Reed, Marcus Miller, Bonnie Raitt, Elton John, Pat Metheny, Taylor Dane, Branford Marsalis, and Cassandra Wilson are just a tiny selection of the international pop and jazz stars that Mino has worked with since the 80's.
With reviews such as "breathtaking…" (The Clarinet), "virtuosic tone and technique" (Tampa Bay Times), "exceptionally sensitive and introspective rendition" (The Clarinet), and "a most skillful artist" (Fanfare Magazine), Kimberly Cole Luevano continually establishes herself as a formidable soloist and chamber musician. Luevano joined the University of North Texas faculty in 2011 and served as a member of the clarinet faculty at the Interlochen Arts Camp from 2003 to 2012.
Mr. Curtis has been performing worldwide with Eddie Palmieri, Brian Lynch, Ralph Peterson, Christian Scott, Sean Jones, Orrin Evans, Albert Rivera, and others. He is the recent recipient of the 2016 Down Beat Rising Star Bassist on the Critics Poll.
Zakarias Grafilo joined the Alexander String Quartet in July 2002. Just prior to joining the ASQ, he served as Principal Second Violinist of the Pacific Symphony, and Concertmaster of the Stockton Symphony.
Tong-Il Han has performed with the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Cleveland Orchestra, Detroit Symphony, London Philharmonic, Halle Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic, Scottish National Orchestra, BBC Scottish Orchestra, London Mozart Players, Amsterdam Philharmonic, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Oslo Philharmonic, Monte Carlo Orchestra, Polish Radio National Orchestra, Budapest Radio Symphony Orchestra, and Russian National Symphony among others.
Nick Kendall's genre-bending trio, Time for Three, or TF3, creates new communities of audiences who otherwise might not participate in the performing arts. He has become a force for bringing people together through music, on stage and off. His work is based on the simple idea that the energy you exude greatly impacts the relationships that you build.
An early success lead Ms. Kiffer to solo and orchestra engagements throughout Europe, Canada, North and South America, the Middle East, and Asia playing in some of the world's most prestigious concert halls such as Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, Beethoven Hall in Bonn, Frankfurt Radio Symphony Hall, Opera House in Tel Aviv and Beijing National Center. In October 2015 Chloé made her debut at Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium with Tchaikovsky violin concerto. She has claimed top prizes at multiple national and international competitions.
Frederick Lifsitz studied violin in his native Boston with Marylou Churchill and at Indiana University with Paul Biss. As a member of the Alexander String Quartet he has performed throughout Europe and North America, appearing regularly at halls such as Amsterdam's Concertebouw and New York City's Lincoln Center.
Taiwanese-American violinist Richard Lin is the newly crowned Gold Medalist of the 10th Quadrennial International Violin Competition of Indianapolis which took place in September of 2018. In addition to the Gold Medal, Richard captured three Special Prizes for his performances of Milstein's Paganiniana in the Preliminaries, Kreisler's Tambourin chinois in the Classical Finals and Bruch's Scottish Fantasy in the Finals.
Mr. Menard has performed around the globe with ensembles led by Jeremy Pelt, Ben Allison, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Aaron Parks, Alix Ambroise, Le Boeuf Brothers, and many more.
Cellist Taeguk Mun, a prize winner of 2019 Tchaikovsky Competition was born in 1994 in South Korea, started studying the cello at the age of four with Young Rim Yang. He has been the first prize winner of various competitions, such as the Third Andre Navarra International Cello Competition and the International Competition for Young People in Oldenburg, Germany. He also won prizes at the Irving M. Klein International String Competition.
A leading soloist and chamber musician, Mr. Mutuzkin has performed with major orchestras in Italy, Spain, Norway, and England as well as throughout his native Russia. In 2012, he made his debut appearance in the United States when he performed in NYC's Lincoln Center in a flute quartet with members of the Metropolitan Opera. Maintaining an active performing and teaching career, Ivan is also the author of a book entitled "Experimental Flute in Twentieth Century Music" (based on examples of compositions for solo flute by foreign composers).
Praised by Strad magazine as having "lyricism that stood out...a silky tone and beautiful, supple lines," violist Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt has established herself as one of the most sought-after violists of her generation. In addition to appearances as soloist with the Tokyo Philharmonic, the Jacksonville Symphony, and the Sphinx Chamber Orchestra, she has performed in recitals and chamber-music concerts throughout the United States, Latin America, and Europe, including an acclaimed 2011 debut recital at London's Wigmore Hall, which was described in Strad as being "fleet and energetic...powerful and focused".
James Ryon has appeared as recitalist and soloist in the United States, South & Central America and the Middle East. He currently is Professor of Oboe at the University of North Texas College of Music and he serves as the Principal Oboist of the Baton Rouge Symphony. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees in music from the Juilliard School and has received performance fellowships at the Aspen, Berkshire, Blossom, Kneisel Hall and New College Music Festivals. His principal teachers are Robert Bloom and John Mack.
Cellist Sophie Shao, winner of the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant and top prizes at the Rostropovich and Tchaikovsky competitions, is a versatile and passionate artist whose performances the New York Times has noted as "eloquent, powerful" and the Washington Post called "deeply satisfying."
One of his generation's extraordinary talents, Scott Tixier has made a name for himself as a violinist-composer of wide ranging ambition, individuality and drive — "the future of jazz violin" in the words of Downbeat Magazine and "A remarkable improviser and a cunning jazz composer" in those of NPR.
A native of Northumberland, England, Sandy Wilson completed his graduate studies at the Royal Danish Conservatory in Copenhagen as a recipient of two Danish Government Scholarships and the Sophus Berendsen Award.
Katie is currently Principal Horn of both The Dallas Opera and the Dallas Chamber Symphony, and she also frequently plays as a substitute or extra horn with the Dallas Symphony and Fort Worth Symphony. Prior to becoming Principal Horn for the opera, she was Third Horn from 2014-2017.
Few artists have done more to both honor and reinvent the 2000-year history of the pipa than renowned soloist, vocalist and composer Min Xiao-Fen. An in-demand interpreter of traditional music before relocating to the United States, Min has forged a new path for her instrument in modern jazz, free improvisation, and contemporary classical music. The Village Voice lauded her as an artist who "has taken her ancient Chinese string instrument into the future."
Paul Yarbrough, violist, is a native of Clearwater, Florida, and a founding member of the Alexander String Quartet. Mr. Yarbrough's teachers have included Elaine Lee Richey, Lillian Fuchs, Raymond Page, and Sally Peck.
Glenn Zaleski is one of the most in-demand pianists on the New York City jazz scene. Originally from Boylston, MA, he has made a name for himself playing with the likes of Ravi Coltrane, Lage Lund, and Ari Hoenig. Glenn Zaleski has quickly become one of the most important pianists of his generation.


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CHICAGO (June 18, 2013) – John Webb, of Packey Webb Ford in Downers Grove, was recently elected to become the 2013-2014 Chicago Automobile Trade Association (CATA) chairman and the 2014 Chicago Auto Show co-chairman. Webb will lead a board of 15 dealers and succeeds Kurt Schiele, who becomes chairman of the 2014 Chicago Auto Show.
Webb brings more than 30 years of automotive experience to the board and is extremely active in local charitable organizations. Packey Webb Ford actively supports Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), St. Francis High School, DuPage PADS and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago.
"Franchised, new-car dealers are a great example of the small businesses that form the backbone of the U.S. economy. We are vital to the communities in which we do business," said Webb. "The CATA brings our dealerships together to give us a collective voice as well as resources to help us run our businesses more effectively. I am honored to lead the organization as its chairman."
Additional board officer announcements include: Colin Wickstrom, Wickstrom Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep and Wickstrom Ford-Lincoln, association vice chairman; Mike McGrath, Jr., McGrath Lexus, McGrath Acura, McGrath Honda and McGrath Hyundai, association treasurer; John Hennessy, River View Ford, association secretary. David Sloan remains the association president and Chicago Auto Show general manager.
To download a high-resolution photo of the CATA Executive Board, please click the following link: http://www.cata.info/assets/1/7/2013-14_CATA_Executive_Board.jpg.
About The Chicago Automobile Trade Association
Founded in 1904, the Chicago Automobile Trade Association is the nation's oldest and largest metropolitan dealer organization. It is comprised of about 400 franchised new-car dealers and an additional 150 allied members. The group's dealer members employ about 19,000 people in the metropolitan area. The association has produced the world famous Chicago Auto Show since 1935. For more information please visit CATA.info.

subset: commoncrawl


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Ken Ryan puts 20,000 miles on his Ford Mustang every year. His wife is a teacher and only drives 1.5 miles to work each day, yet their car insurance isn't much different.
That is about to change.
The state of California is now allowing insurance companies to base their rates on how much you drive.
Local news from across Southern California
State Farm is jumping on that and is introducing its "Drive Safe and Save" program. The idea is to link car insurance rates directly to the mileage you drive.
"We ask the people what the actual mileage is on the car each renewal and then we're going to use that actual mileage to price the risks," said State Farm Insurance agent Walt Waggener.
The insurance company can also keep track of your miles through the OnStar program where the mileage is sent by satellite directly to the insurance company.
Right now insurance rates do include estimated mileage but this is much more detailed. The Drive Safe program from State Farm starts with a basic mileage rate of 19,000 miles. The insurance company then offers discounts every 500 miles that it drops under that.
"So if you are driving fewer and fewer miles, which many people are today with this economy, this can really mean a big savings," said Waggener.
Ken Ryan hopes to see that discount coming from his wife's Chevy Suburban.
"The first indications I got were that it was significant. So I'm going to look forward to that, keep my fingers crossed and hopefully see some credit on my bill," said Ryan.
Other insurance companies are expected to start offering similar programs.
The program does not cover motorcycles or motor homes.


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Well, it's official—the United States is the best country at a collection of regular sports and a whole bunch of random weirdo sports, as determined by an international competition staged every four years. America won both the gold (46) and overall (104) medal counts. These colors do not bleed, China. [Medal Count]
More from Deadspin


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Jay-Z's Equality State of Mind
Jay-Z has 99 problems, but gay marriage ain't one. In support of Obama's endorsement of same-sex marriage, the hip-hop star shares his views on why "it's OK to love who you love."
Mindy Kaling's on a Quest for Love
HBO may have Girls, but now Fox has Mindy! Check out the trailer for The Mindy Project, a brand-new show featuring Kaling as a successful doctor with an unraveling personal life.
What Shock Jock? Stern Goes Squeaky Clean
The FCC can breathe a sigh of relief. Despite warning the audience of his sure dismissal from the show, Howard Stern kept things family-friendly in his America's Got Talent judging debut. How do you like that, Baba Booey?
Trayvon on the Night of His Murder
Call it speaking from the grave in the digital age. Just-released 7-Eleven surveillance footage shows the teen buying Skittles and iced tea at the store before he was killed by neighborhood-watch volunteer George Zimmerman.
Obama Talks Same-Sex Marriage on The View
It's a marriage-equality blitz! President Obama became the hot topic of the day when he stopped by The View to discuss his same-sex-marriage endorsement.
Kids Weigh In on the Breastfeeding Debate
Following Time magazine's recent controversial cover, Newsweek & The Daily Beast found experts to weigh in on the image of a breastfeeding 3-year-old boy. And by experts, we mean kids. Watch their hilarious reactions to the cover.
Biden and Dubya Are BFFs
Joe Biden supported same-sex marriage first, but now President Obama is getting all of the glory. Watch as Biden expresses his frustrations with former President George Dubya Bush in this hilarious SNL sketch featuring Will Ferrell.
How to Out-Booker Cory Booker
Cory Booker might be able to shovel snow and rescue families from house fires, but there's still one thing left he can't do: be the Republican VP pick. Chris Christie and the Newark, N.J., mayor duke it out in this spoof—and for once, the New Jersey governor bests Booker.
Tyra Banks: Stop Anorexia in Modeling!
Little boys don't cry if they can't look like LeBron James, so why do little girls feel pressured to look like models? After penning an open letter in The Daily Beast, Banks discussed the pressure to be thin and praised Vogue for its efforts to eliminate eating disorders and underage models.
Donna Summer's 'Last Dance'
The queen of disco died Thursday at age 63. Summer shot to superstardom in the 1970s with her hits "Last Dance," "Hot Stuff," and "Bad Girls." Watch this vintage clip of the late singer performing her hit "Last Dance."


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Claire Danes Lifestyle
How Claire Danes Balances Her Busy, Healthy Life
With a new season of her binge-worthy TV show Homeland just weeks away and a baby boy less than a year old, actress Claire Danes still makes plenty of time for health and wellness. Here's how this award-winning Hollywood actress balances it all gracefully.
She eats healthy on the job: When asked about her diet, Claire says, "eating real food is [always] a good idea" — we agree with you on that one, Claire! And with all the tempting Southern comfort close to the set of Homeland, she still manages to keep her diet clean. She's known to frequent a small vegetarian restaurant in Charlotte, NC, where she was interviewed by GQ while eating a quinoa-kamut burger.
She doesn't overdo it: While Claire can often be seen out running — and chased by paparazzi — her longtime trainer Joe Dowdell says that says he doesn't urge Claire to exhaust herself with exercise, and says that three days of cardio each week is healthy. "You shouldn't go to extremes," says Joe.
She uses exercise to blow off steam: Claire told Vogue Magazine that after breaking up with her longtime boyfriend, she began to understand "the power of exercise." Her trainer and a consistent running routine helped Claire "stabilize her emotions and bring some equilibrium" to her busy life.
Keep reading to how Claire handled the attention after her pregnancy.
She keeps it simple: She hit the Golden Globes red carpet looking smoking hot (just weeks after giving birth to son Cyrus!), and everyone needed to know how she did it. On the red carpet, Claire explained to People that her "secrets" are "annoyingly obvious." She keeps her healthy strategy straightforward and credits "sleep, exercise, and good eating" to her success.
She has a sense of humor: With all the hype and attention around her svelte post-baby body, Claire made a funny onstage while accepting a SAG Award for Homeland. She started off her speech describing herself as "as a brand spankin' . . . or Spanx-ing new mom . . . " — we appreciate how Claire always keeps her cool under the media spotlight!


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With Halloween falling on a Friday (and slopping over onto Saturday, too, we'll bet), we figured you could use some party ideas this week, and a few more ideas for easy fall eats. So, over at www.charlotteobserver.com/food, you'll find these:
- Add some sophisticated takes on fall party drinks, including a shrub, a toddy, mulled wine and a soulful take on an apple cider punch. And some sophisticated cocktail talk, from the always sophisticated Stefan Huebner (Heist), Kevin Gavagan (Haunt Bar) and Gary Crunkleton (The Crunkleton, Chapel Hill).
- For the younger, more playful set, how about some Harry Potter-ish butter beer? This one is an online-exclusive, from a new book written by the founding editor of Buzzfeed.
- And for the final touches for your party, get the formulas for fake blood, dry ice and a few other Halloween party treats.
- Andrea Weigl talks Southern food with the always-interesting Sean Brock, on the occasion of his first book, out this fall, "Heritage." We've seen it and it's lovely, Sean. Really lovely. Even the Velveeta fudge.
- Sometimes you need this made for you. In my column, I looked at new products from Charlotteans, Bruce Julian's Bloody Mary Mix and Melanie Trippen's Cannizzaro Famiglia pasta sauces, and pondered what it takes to make people try the tough job of turning a recipe into a successful product. (If you're dying to do it, I also have information on a two-day course in Asheville next week.)
Still hungry? Try these:
Vermont Turkey Meatloaf With Sweet Potatoes
A buttery skillet version of pizza
A shortcut skillet cornbread
Orange-flavored marinated olives


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Find Our Latest Video Reviews on YouTube!
If you want to stay on top of all of our video reviews of the latest tech, be sure to check out and subscribe to the Gear Live YouTube channel, hosted by Andru Edwards! It's free!
Monday July 23, 2012 7:22 pm
Tweetbot for Mac alpha 3 now available
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, PC / Laptop, Software
Tapbots is iterating quickly on its Tweetbot for Mac alpha software. The original alpha was released just 13 days ago, and the second update (Alpha 3) is already available for download. Tweetbot for Mac alpha 3 addresses the new tweet window/hashtag popover bug that's been causing crashes, while alpha 2 addressed many more issues that were present in the initial release. You can find the full alpha 2 changelog after the break.
Tweetbot Alpha 2 Changes:
- Notifications for mentions, follows, retweets, favorites (10.8 only)
- Go to User (command-u)
- Option to open links in background (see preferences)
- Less intrusive tweet action overlay icons
- Double-click tweets in timeline now takes you to status detail
- Fixed some contextual menu issues in direct message conversations
- Fixed pull-to-refresh and scrolling to top issue when loading new results
- Tweetmarker will now set your timeline position on app startup always
- Fixed bugs and crashers related to composing tweets.
- Made large and huge fonts bigger
- Can swipe the empty space in a conversation to go back to previous view
- Can close image window with command-w (also space and esc)
- Menu shortcuts added to profile view: Command-d (direct message) and command-r (reply)
Latest Gear Live Videos
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Serious Beer: Black IPA
Seeking out the best in malty, hoppy refreshment.
Black IPAs are either a rising trend or already on their way out, depending on who you talk to. A few years ago they were nowhere to be found, now many breweries make a version. The novelty of black IPAs to the beer scene is highlighted by a total lack of agreement about what to call them—you may see them described as Cascadian Dark Ales or American Black Ales, and the American Brewer's Association pithily calls them American-Style India Black Ales. (ASIBAs? Yeah, that'll stick...)
Black IPAs get their color from the addition of roasted and dark malted barley—the same ingredients that color a stout or a porter. It's no surprise, then, that a black IPA borrows some of its flavors from these other styles as well.
We were looking for examples that showcased and balanced the hop flavors of an IPA with darker malt flavors like coffee and chocolate. We tasted a dozen of beers, all solid, and very diverse.
We've divided them up into two categories—heavier and intense, or lighter and more quaffable. There are many more black IPAs out there, and new releases popping up all the time. What's your favorite?
Serious Beer Ratings
5/5 Mindblowing; a new favorite
4/5 Awesome, stock up on this
3/5 Around average for the style
2/5 There are probably better options
1/5 No, thanks, I'll have water.
Seriously Rich Black IPAs
Southern Tier Iniquity, New York 9.0% ABV Iniquity is sinfully black, with a billowing coffee-colored head. Floral and honey aromas provide highlights to bold pine and citrus in the nose. The bitterness is front-loaded, fading to sweeter chocolate, caramel, and roasted flavors in the finish, livened up by mint and rye spiciness. This is an exceptionally balanced beer, fairly dry despite an oily and creamy body. Even with loads of hops and burnt flavors, there's no astringency, and the 9% ABV is subtle. 4.75/5
Uinta Crooked Line Labyrinth Black Ale, Utah 13.2% ABV Labyrinth is creamy and decadent, falling squarely into my dessert beer category. Sweet smells of toasted bread, raisins, and licorice join bittersweet chocolate, oak, and vanilla. Rich flavors linger, with lightly-roasted coffee and oak married with the chocolate, toasted bread and licorice from the aroma. The body is thick and syrupy, and keeps the sky-high ABV on the down low. This beer could hold its own with chocolate cake for dessert and might even let you skip the cake. 4.5/5
Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale, California 8.7% ABV The aroma is all pine and cinnamon, which is carried through to the flavor. I've promised myself I would never use the word 'bouquet' in a review, but without it I have a hard time describing the burst of floral, citrus, pine, and spicy hop flavors in Sublimely Self-Righteous. If you were blindfolded while drinking this, you'd have no hint that it was black until the finish, where burnt brown sugar and chocolate appear and distinguish this beer from a double IPA. 4.25/5
Uinta Dubhe, Utah 9.2% ABV Tongue coating, oily citrus and evergreen hops punch up mild and sweet dark chocolate and hickory flavors. Dubhe (pronounced doobee) is brewed with hemp seeds, which manifest in the sharp, peppery flavors in the finish. This is a solid beer, but the hemp flavor was divisive among our tasters. 3.75/5
Peak Organic Hop Noir, Maine 8.2% ABV Lychee and citrus in the aroma don't give many hints about the flavor. We tasted citrus pith, but an aggressive burnt character brings most of the bitterness. Uberdark chocolate, toffee, and coffee linger in a long finish. The aftertaste was made less pleasant by a faint, chalky astringency. 3/5
Seriously Smooth Black IPAs
Clipper City Heavy Seas Black Cannon, Maryland 7.25% ABV The nose is a perfume of floral hops. The flavor opens sour and dry, with lime, pine and caramel, while roasted, smoky flavors kick in on the finish. The smokiness and smooth, balanced dryness reminded us of a porter—I'll revisit this when the weather gets colder. 4/5
Deschutes Hop In the Dark, Oregon 6.9% ABV The flavor is well-balanced between warm toasted flavors and punchy orange and pine hops. The mouthfeel is excellent—a medium thick body, with carbonation dialed in for maximum creaminess. I could have more than one of these. 3.75/5
Tommyknocker Hopstrike, Colorado 7.0% ABV Rye whiskey spice in the flavor highlights brown bread, chocolate, coffee, and citrus. A hefty dose of toast and earthy, pine bitterness make the finish the strongest, most notable characteristic of the beer. 3.5/5
Widmer Brothers Pitch Black IPA, Oregon 6.5% ABV Floral and citrus aromas, caramel, and a mild nuttiness are the hallmarks of this subtle beer. Traditional roasted black malt flavors, like chocolate and coffee, are present, but take back seat to the hops. Pitch Black IPA is more IPA than black. 3.25/5
Otter Creek Black IPA, Vermont 6.0% ABV Smoky aromas race around neck and neck with pine and citrus, vanilla hiding underneath. There isn't a bitter wallop, the flavor is even-keeled and creamy, with vanilla and a hint of smokiness. Some tropical, oily citrus hops shine through the finish, but otherwise this is a lot like a porter. 3/5
Fish Brewing Company Swordfish, Washington 7.5% ABV Grapefruit and pine aromas, chocolate and roast feature heavily. This beer has a medium flavor intensity- but nothing too extreme. Chocolate and coffee in the flavor were dialed down, with lighter nutty and cocoa flavors more dominant. A mild brew. 3/5
21st Amendment Back In Black, California 6.8% ABV The sweet and oily hop resin flavors are nice, but there isn't enough malty sweetness here to back them up. The finish is interesting- pine needles and campfire smoke remind me very much of backpacking. The body is thin, and there's less carbonation than I'd like, knocking Back in Black down a notch. 2/5
All beers except Deschutes and Peak Organic were provided as samples for review.
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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I'm also the webmaster of another board (>5000 Users) and there is also a fixed chat date.AxelFoley wrote:Well, from another board I am a member of the Admin decides a date for a 'Chat Night' and sends out an email to all those who subscribes to them when the date is set, then when the date is coming closer he sends out reminders. This could be a good idea if enough people would be willing to participate in a chat session.
But it is moderated by a moderator because
a) I don't have the time
b) I don't like chatrooms


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Published On : Jul 10, 2012
Image Copyright : Mazda
Mazda MX 5 Kuro Special Edition 2012
One of the bestselling two-seater roadsters recently received yet another special edition in the UK. Dubbed the Mazda MX-5 Kuro Special Edition, the new addition to the already large MX-5 family brings along with it a handful of aesthetical changes both inside and out. The Kuro is available in both soft-top and hard-top flavors and both come with a different price-tag and slightly different features.


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Perfect CNY breakfast
>> Friday, February 15, 2008
I just had d 'puuurfect' Chinese New Year breakfast today :P 'Bah kua' ('long yoke' in Cantonese/ 'daging salai' in Malay/ bbq pork slices) with bread AND a cup of rich, 'creamy' Milo! Simply delightful! :P Gives me the CNY feel *yums!*
- Ruth


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Beef Pot Roast in Crock Pot / Slow Cooker
This is my first roast in a crock pot, I didn't get to try this as I don't eat red meat but the family enjoyed the beef and so did our dinner guest. I...
beef, +beef broth, +celery, +black pepper, +vegetable oil, +onions, +flour, +salt
Beef Pot Roast (In Pot, Oven or Slow Cooker) Another One!
Yes, I know, lots of pot roast recipes here, but I tell you this is my all time favorite. Even better then the ones that you dump all of the pre packaged...
beef, +carrot, +celery, +basil, +flour, +beef bouillon granules, +potato, +vegetable oil, +onions, +salt, +worcestershire sauce
Crock Pot Pot Roast Of Beef Recipe
beef, +potato, +carrot, +onions, +salt, +beef consomme
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Easy Crock Pot Pot Roast
This makes a nice dinner to come home to, you can use from a 3-pound to a 5-pound roast for this recipe, don't add any extra salt to this recipe, the seasonings...
beef, +au jus mix, +baby carrot, +black pepper, +cayenne, +garlic, +italian dressing, +onions, +potato, +tomato juice
Crock Pot Honey-Mustard BBQ Short Ribs or Pot Roast
This is so easy to put together, and great served with cooked noodles. I have many crock pot recipes that I have collected over the years, and this is...
beef, +water, +cornstarch, +dijon mustard, +garlic, +barbecue sauce, +honey, +salt
Beef Cabbage Pot Roast Recipe
This was a corned beef recipe I got from Taste of Home but it turns out there was no corned beef at the store and I'm too lazy to stop off to another store...
beef, +cabbage, +apple juice, +carrot, +brown sugar, +cloves, +mustard, +onions, +potato
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Easy crock pot roast Prep:1m
beef, +soup mix, +onion soup mix
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Crock Pot Peppercorn and Onion Pot Roast
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These are the mother day cards I made this year... needless to say with graduation and open house I am a bit behind in posting these. This first one I seen over at split coast stampers. I could not find any kind of template or tutorial on how to make it over there, so I thought I would make my own. So, just so you know this is not my original idea and do not claim it as mine. To be honest if there is an original template out there, I do not know who gets credit for it, but this one I made on my own by just viewing the other's in the gallery. If you would like your own template that I made you can find it if you click on the title post. That should take you to the flower pot template with the instructions on how I made mine. I did use a fiskars border punch long the pot rim to add a little decorative touch. So if you download my template and make a card, please give me credit for it. You can size it too to make a smaller pot if you like too! I think this turned out super cute and found out later that my mom at first couldn't figure out how to "open it"... LOL... I didn't think she wouldn't know to just pull on the flowers, so one might all "pull up" on the back side! :O)
This picture is what the card looks like once you pull the sentiment piece out of the pot.
These are the other cards I made:
Since when I make cards, I pretty much ALWAYS use my own idea and design. So I have decided to go to my printship program and everytime I make a card I am going to make a sketch for that card to post too. I figure there are a lot of people that use these and love to have a base to start their idea out with. So, today I made these two sketches to post with my two cards. So keep coming back because I will try to post a card sketch every week. I think I will look at my lo's too and do some layout ones also! I have never done this before, but found it to be easy so why not? Hope these sketches help some of you out. I also would love to have the credit if you use one with a link back to my blog as well as seeing your card from the sketch too!!
thanks for stopping by today!
June 3, 2009
Mother Day Cards
Posted by Nina at 2:10 PM
Labels: card making, card sketches, cards, handmade cards, sketches
4 comments:
- Nilla said...
Wow, lovely cards, the top one, the pot is stunning! Well done! Hugs Nilla
- June 3, 2009 at 7:48 PM
- Curt in Indy said...
You are one talented girl, you know that??? Your sketches are some of the best I've seen anywhere, and for you to create the flower pot card on your own just looking at pictures just amazes me! I bow to your talent!!! Best, Curt
- June 3, 2009 at 11:55 PM
- Anonymous said...
I LOVE THAT FLOWER POT CARD!! Awesome! And how funny with the sketches!But yours are a bit more sofisticated than mine!Love them!
- June 4, 2009 at 7:53 PM
- Leigh Anne said...
LOVE the flower pot card!
hehe that you mom didn't figure it out :) those are the most invloved sketches I've seen, ou even have the bows :) and butterflies
- June 6, 2009 at 12:00 AM
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Suite 1700
Baltimore, MD 21202
Professional Experience
Spencer Levy is Chairman of Americas Research for CBRE and Senior Economic Advisor for CBRE. He plays an integral role in the development and implementation of the global research strategy and business plan. A CBRE veteran of more than 10 years, Spencer had previously served as Executive Managing Director in the company's Capital Markets division.
Mr. Levy oversees the analytical activities of the CBRE research community within the Americas region and is responsible for the management of hundreds of professionals who are focused on producing market-leading insight and interpretative analysis on the latest real estate trends. Mr. Levy supports CBRE executives in their decision-making by providing insight into the impact of market trends related to strategic business planning, and analyst call preparation.
He serves as principal external spokesperson on real estate issues in the Americas region and has considerable media experience, providing market commentary for many national television, newspaper and internet outlets.
Mr. Levy joined CBRE in 2007 to lead the U.S. Eastern Division of the Capital Markets platform. Since then, he has assumed positions of increasing responsibility. As a part of senior management for the Capital Markets platform, Mr. Levy provided leadership for several areas in the United States and Latin America. Mr. Levy provided additional oversight of Retail, Auction and Investment Banking in the United States. He also directly serves a number of major clients.
Mr. Levy is a frequent speaker before industry groups, including NAIOP, ICSC, ULI and CREW. In 2010, he won CBRE's Gary J. Beban Teamwork Award, which acknowledges professionals who take a multi-disciplinary approach to client service. Mr. Levy currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women.
Prior to joining CBRE, he was a principal at Stifel Nicolaus (formerly Legg Mason Capital Markets), a leading investment bank serving the real estate industry, where he played a significant role in M&A, IPO and private capital-raising activities. Before that, he served as assistant general counsel at the Witkoff Group and was an attorney at Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson and Jones Day Reavis & Pogue.
Mr. Levy resides in Owings Mill, Md. with his wife and three children. He is a graduate of Cornell University and Harvard Law School.
Professional Affiliations / Accreditations
- CBRE's Americas Strategy Group
- CBRE Global Leadership Council
- CBRE's Gary J.Beban Teamwork Award (2010)
- Trammel Crow Master Builder Award for Excellence in Leadership (2015)
- CoreNet Luminary Award for Excellence in Public Speaking (2016)
- Frequent speaker before industry groups, including CoreNet, NAIOP, ICSC, MBA, ULI and CREW
- Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women, Board of Directors
- Harvard Law School
- Juris Doctor Cornell University
- The ILR School
- Bachelor's Degree in Labor and Industrial Relations


text:
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With the unemployment rate among post 9/11 veterans exceeding 12 percent, American Legion National Commander Fang A. Wong welcomed a recent recommendation from an influential board that the Department of Defense make it easier to certify troops for civilian careers based on their military skills and training.
"The American Legion has long championed this issue," Wong said. "It makes no sense for someone who serves as an air traffic controller, a combat medic, military police officer or any of the hundreds of other diverse jobs offered by our armed forces to be told that they don't have the credentials to be performing in these fields in civilian society. We have a magnificent military because of these people. We can all benefit from their skills. Let's remove any unnecessary barriers."
The Defense Business Board, a Pentagon advisory group, recently recommended that the military help provide troops with civilian licensing and certification while they obtain their military training. The American Legion has been making similar recommendations for more than 15 years. In 1996, Legion officials met with the Department of Labor to discuss the issue, which led to numerous policy proposals and resolutions passed by The American Legion. Most recently, at its 2010 National Convention in Milwaukee, American Legion delegates unanimously passed a resolution that called on DoD to "ensure that servicemembers be trained, tested, evaluated and obtain any licensure or certification that may be required in the local civilian workforce…"
Moreover, The American Legion helped craft and introduce bills currently being considered by Congress. The Veterans Skills Work Act (S. 2239 and H.R. 4155) would streamline the credentialing process for servicemembers by removing some of the bureaucracies and allowing military training to become the equivalent of federal licensing and certification processes.
"Congress should swiftly pass the Veterans Skills Work Act," Wong added. "But more must be done on the local level as well. Shouldn't a military professor who taught English at Annapolis or West Point be certified to teach at your local public high school? The business community – both small and large – can greatly benefit from the skills, experience and work ethic that these military veterans have to offer. They have successfully defended us from our enemies. Let's defend them from bureaucratic red tape."


text:
$msg = ""; $myaddress = "sacha" + "@" + "sachachua.com"; $page = "2007.01.06.php"; $page_title = "2007.01.06"; $page_updated = "2007-01-0610:32:3910:32:39+0800"; $maintainer = "sacha" + "@" + "sachachua.com"; require_once "include/calendar.php"; require_once "include/planner-include.php"; require_once "include/header.inc.php"; ?>
Headlines for Saturday:
If I listen to the quiet stirrings of my heart, to the restlessness that prevents me from spending days here like days there, I find the things I can't take with me: the way my mother feels, fragile and strong, when I give her a hug; the glee and tension that underlie my father's stories; the lightness of my cat as she bounces up, her weight as she settles in; the laughter and sorrow of friends over the things we do not write; the people who have known me forever.
All these I have missed and will miss again. But seeing them, at least I can try not to miss them while I'm here.
Random Emacs symbol: gnus-article-strip-all-blank-lines - Command: Strip all blank lines.
There are lots of positive things to focus on. =)
I just have to have faith that if I keep learning and keep moving, I'll somehow get it all together in time...
And that'll feel good, for sure.
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You think that of all people, Simon and I would be able to find some way to talk for free (or as nearly free as possible). He's a telecoms geek who regularly talks to an outsourcing company based in the Philippines. I'm a social computing geek who occasionally talked to my mom while I was in Canada. But we can't seem to get things to work, and the unreliability of my Net access is starting to get to me.
I miss him. I find myself with stories to share, but unable to tell them because of the time difference and communication difficulties. He doesn't blog, so I don't know what's going on over there. E-mail gets buried under the mess of our inboxes.
Would it be better to stop fighting the limitations of technology, and even savor the distance? I bought a complete set of beautiful, evocative cards: a series of traditional Filipino silhouettes. Maybe we can even celebrate the distance. It will be something to remember, for sure.
My worlds are split, and I can't live well if I keep feeling mis-placed. I need to learn how to make the most of my time wherever I am, and not think of what is outside my reach...
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One of the little joys of being home is spending time with my cat, whom no one else loves, but stays in our house (despite my cat's furniture-scratching) because my mother loves me.
She comes when I call her, even though I'm not the one feeding her. She tries hard to pretend that she isn't following me around: she walks just a little bit ahead, but turns around, confused, if I change paths. She jumps into my bed at night and curls up beside or on top of me. Cats being clean creatures, if she needs to be let out to use the kitty litter, she pats and meows to wake me up.
She's scrawny, but she has a certain something about her - a quiet, intelligent, but tentative air. Elegance.
One of the reasons why I'm looking forward to finishing my thesis is so that I can move into a pet-friendly apartment and bring her in. So much effort for a stray cat of no fancy pedigree! But she is my cat, and like the fox and the Little Prince, I am both tamer and tamed.
Random Emacs symbol: mail-extr-disable-voodoo - Variable: *If it is a regexp, names matching it will never be modified.


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Chicago, Chicago
Was it Mitch Williams on MLB Network who last night suggested that if Jerry Reinsdorf and Kenny Williams were smart they'd choose as Ozzie Guillen's successor, former Cubs' great (and jilted would-be Wrigley skipper) Ryne Sandberg?
It would be a brilliant stroke in terms of stealing some of the Cubby fan base, but it comes up against two realities. The Cubs themselves will probably be looking at Ryno again (and everybody else) this winter after the unhappy realization that Mike Quade is a great guy and a great baseball man but not a long-term Cub manager. Meanwhile, Sandberg – judging by his prominent in-dugout role in Spring Training and September – would appear to be Charlie Manuel's heir apparent in Philly if he wants to wait that long.
He might. The Cubs have to be looking closely at the FenwayPocalypse – the tendency to panic in Boston is decades old and burns below the surface of recent success. It is just the kind of place to run either Tito Francona and/or Theo Epstein out of town and either or both to say ok. As the great Boston sportscaster Clark Booth told me 25 years ago, you have to remember that the fan mindset is simply this: if the Sox win today, it's only because losing tomorrow will hurt MORE.
Lastly I'm not so confident about Ozzie Guillen in Miami. He is the perfect Marlins manager – for the fans. For an owner who found Joe Girardi too filter-free? Every night could be fireworks night in the new ballpark.
10 Comments
They could let Guillen tweet his calls to the dugout. Or let the fans tweet their calls to Guillen. Neither option could go wrong. (definition of wrong wholly subjective)
Reinsdorf would be my hero forever if he would take Tony LaRussa away from the Cardinals.
Tito Francona run out of Boston? Poor Tito what did he do? I think you are speaking of Terry!
Terry's nickname is Tito…
I agree about Guillen having a hard time with the Marlins' owner– if he fired Girardi for speaking his mind (and he was Manager Of The Year) what's going to happen with Ozzie and his mouth? The front office of the Marlins thinks they can succeed on the lowest of payrolls and when anybody gets out of line (Logan Morrison for instance) they show who is boss. But what a shame it would be if Boston fired Francona, the only Red Sox manager in the past 90+ years with 2 championships. I think Joey Cora deserves to be the White Sox manager– or some team's manager. Willie Randolph also deserves another shot– talk about un-classy firings.
Thank GOD you're posting again! With my Red Sox in the toilet, I look to you for words of wisdom and inspiration. You were gone far too long. I know that your 'other job' takes many hours, but I've missed your take on all things baseball.
As a White Sox Fan…This would be pure freaking GOLD! Do it Jerry! Ryno, Ryno, Ryno!!! Good Baseball man, screwed over by Hendry and the Fuzzy's.
How about Ozzie Osbourne? Talk about fireworks!
The Dodgers passed on Mike Scioscia as manager. So he went to Orange County and the Angels. … The rest is history. Ryne Sandberg to the White Sox? Can history repeat itself?
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My sweet
{I mean, BIG boy}
turned 4 over the weekend!
And, boy did we celebrate!
Friends, family...and a yummy cake -
it just doesn't get much better than that! :)
My son has a thing for
Paper Airplanes!
He loves them...
and every Sunday,
before church service,
my husband has to make him one!
So, I couldn't think
of a more fitting
big boy birthday theme!
It honestly doesn't get
more budget friendly than
paper plane decor, either:
The Wreath
{painted initial with hot glued paper plane}
Happy Birthday Banner
{hand drawn letters and "zipping" planes on card stock}
Paper Airplane Banner
{hanging off the favor table, simply taped paper planes to twine - also had them hanging on the mantel and several other spots throughout the house}
Craft Table
{Paper plane centerpieces made with floral wire, a few cans, styrofoam and some fabric. I balled up coffee filters to cover foam - thought it looked like clouds. I also had a paper "table cloth" where I drew "zipping" planes and scattered mini paper planes like confetti.}
4 Year Photos + Mini Zipping Plane=
Cute Decor, for sure!
Add in some coordinating
streamers and balloons...
and we were set!
Then there was the
Our "In-Flight" Dinner
{Included Baked Potato Soup, Cauliflower Clouds & Broccoli Tree Tops, Mile High Sammies, Mixed Nuts and a Pretzel Control Tower}
Dessert, of course!
{Cloud 9 Parfaits, Oreo Pops, Fruit Skewers and Marshmallow Treat Wings}
And, The Cake!
{Lemon Confetti Cake filled with Fresh Blueberry Preserves and topped with Marshmallow Buttercream. I finished it off with Buttercream "Zippy's," White Paper Planes and Lime Ribbon.}
Craft Time:
{making and decorating paper planes}
Then, each kiddo got to "Test Fly"
their plane through the hula hoop!
Baggage Claim Favor Table
{Included "candy clouds" - white cotton candy, paper plane making tools, stickers and aviator sunglasses. I put them in a simple white paper bag and drew the "zipping" plane on with a sharpie.}
The only thing I forgot to photograph were the invitations, but I simply printed the wording on the back of colorful scrapbook paper and folded it into a plane before placing in the envelope! Turned out adorable!
My sweet baby Mason James had an absolute ball!
And, that just makes my heart smile!
A perfect day it was, indeed!


text: Recording working hours in H2020 Clear rules are defined concerning the time recording for employees involved in H2020 project work. Working hours must be documented for personnel costs which are to be claimed. This is not compulsory for people who work 100% on the project, but we recommend it. Minimum specifications on recording working hours: Name of the contractor according to the Grant Agreement (University of St.Gallen, Institute XYZ) Full name of the employee Project title in accordance with the EU Grant Agreement Internal project account number Interval for recording man hours (usually monthly) Hours worked on the project - these must be reliably provable Name and signature of a superior (project owner) Comparison with other projects It should be possible to reconsiliate the registered time with other projects that the employees concerned are working on. As a result, you can show that no more than 100% of the working hours are charged. Forms To record the time, we recommend to use the EU form, also accepted by the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI). Final report To make it easier to draw up the final report, we recommend allocating the hours to the different work packages. Hourly rate The hourly rate in H2020 projects will be calculated the same throughout the University by using the 1'720 average productive annual hours recommended by the EU.


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China Bankrolls Ukraine to Substitute Gas With Coal
27 Dec, 2012, 08:24 GMT
KYIV, Ukraine, December 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
The state oil and gas company Naftogaz signed the USD 3.656 billion credit agreement with the state-owned China Development Bank to finance the program of substituting natural gas with locally produced coal. The program is aimed at improving Ukraine's energy security and alleviating dependence on foreign natural gas.
The contract, guaranteed by the Ukrainian government, stipulates implementation of four separate investment projects, which are to transfer national thermal energy production facilities to using coal-water fuel, and build five coal gasification plants.
If successful the project will allow the replacement of about four billion cubic meters of natural gas with coal, create 2,020 jobs, help Ukraine save an average of USD 1.5 billion annually and stimulate the production of 10 million tons of domestic coal per year. In addition, Ukraine will receive modern technology, upgrade infrastructure as well as create a strong market for domestic coal producers.
Previously, Ukraine expressed its interest in the Chinese technology of coal gasification and coal-water fuel production. Nowadays, "coal gasification offers one of the most versatile and clean ways to convert coal into electricity, hydrogen and other valuable energy products," said George Muntean, the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, as quoted by sciencedaily.com. Coal gasification does not involve burning coal; the rock is broken down using high temperature and pressure instead. This technology allows for easier extraction of carbon dioxide from a gas stream.
Another option for Ukraine is to use coal-water slurry fuel, sometimes referred to as coal-in-water or CWS, instead of oil and gas at heating and power stations. The fuel is a mixture of coal and water. The use of CWS allows the reduction of emissions in the atmosphere by 20 to 35 percent. Reportedly, such fuel is explosion-proof. Moreover, the price of CWS may be 30 to 70 percent lower than that of oil or gas due to the geographical locations of oil and gas fields.
Increasing energy production from coal aligns with Ukraine's goals to strengthen its energy independence. According to the State Program on Energy Efficiency 2010-2015, Ukraine will reduce domestic energy consumption by increasing energy efficiency, developing domestic gas reserves, introducing green energy production technology, and diversifying gas import.
SOURCE Worldwide News Ukraine


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Providence, RI: Meat and Cheese Boards at La Laiterie
A weekly profile on a favorite New England dish.
Like I said last time I visited Farmstead, I went in for cheese, and got cheese—and a bunch of other stuff.
But this time, it was on the other side of the cheese shop's wall at La Laiterie, the adjacent bistro that chef/owners Matt and Kate Jennings opened as a kitchen/wine bar extension of their Wayland Square fromagerie. Of course the cheese plates they serve are fabulous, but so are the charcuterie boards and the tasty housemade accessories that come with them.
This is one iteration of the three-way cheese board ($16). Pick any three of the half-dozen cheeses on offer that day, which the menu helpfully profiles. From right to left:
- Buttery-smooth rhubarb confiture.
- Lake's Edge, a bloomy-rind goat's milk round from Blue Ledge Farm in Vermont. Its semi-dry core is bordered and bisected with a grey-blue vein that melts into the creamier, oozier edge.
- Candied nuts (almonds, pistachios, and walnuts): The not-too-sweet honey lacquer helps the rosemary-herb mixture stick. They're downright addictive, and for sale next door in the shop and online. Consider yourself warned.
- Aged Taleggio: All the decadence and funky kick of the younger version but with a firmer feel and a nuttier finish.
- Local honey: Good enough to eat by the spoonful—which I did when the cheese was all gone.
- Bayley Hazen Blue: This Jasper Hill Farm blue sees a lot of play on local cheese plates, but it's well-deserved. Its slightly dry, crumbly body sets it apart from many other blues and it has a subtler, more complex sweetness.
The charcuterie program follows the same structure as the cheese side, allowing you to choose any three ($18) or five ($28) of that's day's in-house-made terrines, pâtés, rillettes, sausages, and cured fish selection. Clockwise, from top left:
- Pickled mustard seeds: So fun to crunch and pop as you eat.
- Pork sausage: An all-around mellow link that was faintly sweet, not too porky, and plenty juicy. Went perfect with the Baboo's Mustard (bottom right corner).
- Bluefish gravalx: Meatier, slightly chewier (in a good way), and definitely blue-fishy, this was an awesome change of pace from the usual salmon.
- Chicken rillettes: Leaner poultry often gets the shaft when it comes to charcuterie plates, but this rich-tasting coarse chicken mousse more than held its own with the pork products.
- Pickled onions: Zingy, with just enough crunch.
- Baboo's Mustard: This stuff gets me in trouble. Last time I was at Farmstead, I walked out with three jars. Spicy, sweet, and a little gooey. One of those condiments that makes pretty much anything better. Thanks, Matt's grandma (it's her recipe).
- Pickled beets and asparagus: From the house giardiniera supply.
- Apple mostarda: Crisp-tender slices with more of those crunchy mustard seeds.
- Cornichons: Snappy and sweet.
La Laiterie
188 Wayland Avenue, Providence, RI 02906 (map) 401-274-7177; farmsteadinc.com/lalaiterie
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


text:
Google is the most trusted source for UK company information according to Edelman's 2011 Trust Barometer.
Basically, a search engine that applies no editorial filter to its results – as far as I am aware – is more trusted than the BBC and all of our quality papers.
For me this is further proof – if it were needed – that public relations has undergone a fundamental shift from a broadcast model (taking a client's message to the media) to a conversational model (creating compelling conversations that encourage participation and action).
Ironically, the humble press release's cause has probably been strengthened though its role has completely changed. No longer is it the genus of a story, the means to get quality coverage, its primary remit now is to get the Google juice flowing, to push a story up the page rankings.
This means however that the forum or channel for that story becomes secondary. What on-line publication or channel carries the story is less important to its Google ranking. We all think that coverage in the FT, The Sun or The Economist will have the most amount of impact for a client, but in actuality, a lesser known website with better search rankings is likely to be of more benefit.
This change in audience trust and perception also means that PROs of a certain age need forget a lot of what they know, or at least realise that they need to know more. Media relations is still massively important, but it's a composite skill that needs to sit alongside experience of and excellence in community management, influencer engagement, above the line marketing, branding and creative design, promotions and sponsorships and other broader marcomms skills.
I've said it before (and often) that PR has the chance to become the central hub of the broader marketing mix. We have the opportunity to become the creative lead for clients from which hang all other marketing activities. Considering PR is often the last in line when budgets are allocated, this presents a significant opportunity to broaden our experiences and skill sets and really take public relations into a new position of leadership not to mention revenues.
As the trust results show, the public is slowly warming to companies and individuals. Some industries have a lot of work to do (bankers, I'm looking at you) but by and large, trust is returning. Old skool PR does not speak to this new environment. Times are changing, so should we.
For more information on Edelman's 2011 Trust Barometer please take a look here – http://bit.ly/hI1Qxw.


text:
Kitchen & Bakery.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Pork stuffed Round Zucchinis - Gluten Free.
As you must have seen these past few days, fall is definitely here. It's not the season we prefer for sure, but it has one good point for food(ie) lovers: Fall is the period when you can enjoy great fruits and vegetables like figs, pears, dates, squashes, chestnuts, ... It's also the right time to start cooking comfort food again. And that's exactly what we did today with this new recipe. It's actually a combo of comfort food and Italian ingredients - have we ever told you about our shared obsession with parmesan cheese and fresh basil ? Well, now you know ! Hope you'll enjoy it !
for 6 servings - or 3, for hungry people
- 6 round zucchinis
- 400g ground pork
- 5 shallots, diced
- a handful of dried raisins
- a handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped
- 1 tb grated parmesan cheese
- pepper & salt
- olive oil to brown the shallots and to coat the round zucchinis
Preheat the oven at 300°C
1) Pre-cook the round zucchinis in boiling water for 10min. They must remain firm. Remove from heat and plunge them into icing water.
2) Meanwhile, brown the diced shallots in olive oil in a frying pan.
3) Cut the top of the round zucchinis, remove the flesh -don't forget the flesh of the zucchini tops as well. Wipe if necessary.
4) Dice the flesh of the zucchinis, it will be part of the stuffing.
5) Incorporate all the ingredients of the stuffing together. Season.
6) Stuff the round zucchinis. Coat generously with olive oil and put in the oven for 30 to 40minutes. Lower the heat if they begin to burn. Drizzle the round zucchinis with their juice every 10 minutes - every 5 minutes is even better actually because the most often you do it, the tastier and tender they will be.
Serve hot with mashed potatoes or rice.
Publié par KandB. à l'adresse 9:34 PM No comments:
Libellés : Meat, Vegetables
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Honeyed Pears and Goat Cheese Tartlets.
Today was our 4-hand cooking day, the first in a veeerryyy long time. Since we're greedy and since we haven't posted any sweet recipes in a while, we're going to start with dessert. We came up with this great and easy fall recipe and let us tell you this, honey and goat cheese = perfect combination. Well it's not a big secret but most of the time you'll find this combination in savory recipes but we wanted to innovate! And the good thing about this recipe is that you can try it with any fruits you like.
4 tartlets
For the pie crust
-200gr fresh goat cheese
-1 tbsp sugar
-5 pears
-1 tbsp honey
-1 tbsp whipping cream
-cinnamon, cloves
1) Bake the crusts in a 425F oven for 20 minutes.
2) In a large bowl, mix 200gr goat cheese, 1 tbsp sugar and 1 tbsp whipping cream. Stir until you get a light and homogeneous mixture. Store in the fridge while you cook the pears.
3) Cut 5 big pears into a bowl. Coat the bottom of a frying pan with butter and add the pears.
4) Add the spices (cinnamon and cloves) and 1 tbsp honey. Cook for about 10 minutes and let the pears cool down at room temperature for 15 minutes.
5) Fill the tartlet crusts with the goat cheese cream and top with the pears.
Publié par KandB. à l'adresse 8:30 PM No comments:
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Eggplant Cannelloni - Gluten Free.
We're finally and truly back. Eventually !
Summer has kept us really busy; I spent several weeks in Thailand visiting my family with my boyfriend; then Kama and I went to London aka the city we cherish so much. Time went by and without realizing it, it was time to come back to the old routine. The one point that makes me (and Kama won't disagree) enjoy the routine is that we have time to cook and blog. To be honest, I haven't really cooked during summer and I've actually missed it so it's high time we spent hours in the kitchen.
One more thing about summer. I've finally found the reason of my health issues. I'm gluten intolerant. Yeay ! I was suspecting gluten to be the cause of the issues for a long time now but after all it's not terrible news because I enjoy cooking gluten free recipes. It makes me learn more about food, nutrition, and health. Besides it arouses my cooking imagination, and this can only be beneficial for the blog.
Now let's talk about this new recipe.
I love quinoa and I was looking for a new way to eat it when this idea came up. I love cannelloni but I didn't want to eat wheat flour, the fridge was full of veggies, so I decided to choose some veggies and make a recipe out of it. The result is quite tasty and autumnal and it's a good way of recreating cannelloni or lasagna (indeed you can make this recipe lasagna style by layering the quinoa stuffing and the eggplant slices)
Here I'm giving you an example of quinoa stuffing recipe but you can substitute the veggies in it according to your taste.
for 4 servings
- 200g grain quinoa, cooked
- 1 1/2 eggplant
- 150g Portobello/Paris mushrooms
- 3 celery branches, without leaves
- 400g peeled and diced tomatoes with juice (I use canned tomatoes)
- 2 shallots
- 2 garlic gloves
- olive oil
- pe- 1 tp fenel grains pper and salt
- emmental cheese (as you like)
1) Cook the quinoa. Meanwhile, dice the shallots and garlic gloves. Cut in thin strips the mushrooms and finely dice the celery branches.
2) In a frying pan, heat some olive oil. Brown the shallots and the garlic gloves for 5 minutes. Add the celery. Stir. When the celery comes gloden, add the mushrooms. Stir.
3) When the mushrooms turn golden, incorporate the tomatoes and their juice. Season with pepper, salt, and fenel grains. Cover and cook low heat for 15-20min (the preparation must look like a pasta sauce).
4) Add the quinoa. Stir and remove from heat.
5) Slice the eggplants in length, coat with olive oil and grill. When done, remove from heat.
6) In a pan, stuff the eggplants slices and shape rolls like cannelloni. Top with grated emmental cheese and bake until the cheese is golden.
7) Serve immediately.
Publié par KandB. à l'adresse 3:44 PM No comments:
Libellés : Vegetables, Veggie
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Tuna Calzones.
We're back!!!
It's been a while but we were both really busy dealing with holidays, summer, sun, sea ... But as you can see this recipe is summer-related. Tuna and vegetables are everything you'll need for the hot days. This Calzone recipe is super easy to make and pretty light despite the pizza crust!
make 2 calzones
- pizza dough - click here for the recipe-
- 1 can of canned tuna
- 1 leek
-1 bell pepper
- 1 zucchini
-1 tomato
- 1 carrot
- salt, pepper
- powdered garlic
- 1 egg yolk
1) Dice 1 leek, 1 bell pepper. Shred 1 carrot and 1 zucchini. Put all these ingredients in a saucepan and add the seasonings -salt, pepper and powdered garlic, you can also add spices or herbs-.
2) Mix the vegetables and cook them over medium heat until all the water evaporates.
3)Preheat oven to 425F.
4) Spread the dough into a circle on a floured surface. On one half of the circle, add the vegetables, the tuna and sprinkle one half of a diced tomato.
5) Cover the filling with the other half of the crust and seal the edges together. Brush the calzone with an egg yolk and put it in a 400 degrees oven for 20-30 minutes.
Enjoy. K
Publié par KandB. à l'adresse 9:41 PM No comments:
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Red Bell Pepper, Goat Cheese, and Arugula Mini Quiches - Gluten Free.
Usually, I never make nor eat quiches. But I couldn't resist give a try to these ones.
This recipe is adapted from Réinventez vos tartes salées, sucrées by Catherine Kluger, Marabout ed. (in French).
Ingredients :
Make 6 mini quiches or a large one + 2 mini quiches
for the dough
- 200g rice flour
- a pinch of salt
- 90g cold butter, diced
- 2cl water
- 1 whipped egg (add another one if the dough is too floury)
for the filling
- 2 large red bell peppers
- 150g goatcheese log
- 50g raw almonds
- 60g arugula
- 15ml balsamic vinegar
- 25ml olive oil
- 2 garlic gloves
- some basil leaves
- 15cl rice milk
- 2 eggs
- 5cl whipping cream
- 15g cornstarch
- salt & pepper
for the dough
Preheat the oven at 220°C
1) Sift together the flour and salt;
2) Add the butter dices and crumble the mixture;
3) Incorporate the whipped egg and the water and mix with your fingers/blender until getting a homogenous dough;
4) Fridge the dough for an hour;
5) Dust the dough as needed and roll it out. Fit it to the moulds. Prick the dough with a fork. Allow the dough to rest for another hour.
6) Line the moulds with parchment paper and add pie weights on top. Bake for about 25min until the crust is golden but not overcooked. Remove from the oven.
for the filling
1) Slice the red bell peppers and put then on a grill for about 15 to 20 min until you can remove the peel easily (you can also bake them for 25-30min to remove the peel, I just like the first option best);
2) Mix half of the red bell peppers slices with the raw almonds, the balsamic vinegar, the olive oil, the garlic glove until getting a homogenous pesto;
3) Mix together the eggs with the rice milk and the whipping cream. Incorporate the cornstarch. Season;
4) Fill the mini quiches with dices of goatcheese, the rest of the red bell peppers, and some arugula and basil leaves. Pour the dairy mixture (appareil à quiche in French) on that and bake for 35-40 minutes at 200°C (depending on the size of the quiches, large ones will require 55 minutes to an hour);
5) Serve either cold or hot, as an appetizer or with salad as side.
Publié par KandB. à l'adresse 10:44 PM No comments:
Libellés : Appetizers, Pies, Veggie
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Shares of daily deals website Groupon jumped as much as 50 percent in the company's initial public offering Friday. The stock started trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the ticker symbol "GRPN."
On Thursday, Groupon priced its highly anticipated IPO at $20 a share, above the expected range of $16 to $18 a share. Groupon had considered pricing its IPO as high as $22 a share earlier in the day, according to people familiar with the matter.
The company's shares ended 30 percent higher in Friday's trading to close at $26.11.
The offering was met with strong demand: The Groupon IPO raised the number of shares in the offering by 5 million to 35 million.
At the $20 offering price, the Chicago-based company now carries a valuation north of $12.5 billion and raised approximately $700 million in proceeds — a figure which could grow if underwriters exercise their option to sell more shares in the overallotment.
Shares have since fallen back to about 30 percent above the offering price.
Groupon Chief Financial Officer Jason Child told CNBC Friday the company has "plenty of room" for growth and that the dollar amount of the IPO is "pretty sizable and right for our business."
With a quarter million merchants worldwide and revenue per purchasing customer increasing, "We feel as long as our merchants and customers are happy, as they appear to be, we'll be in good shape."
Analysts at Greencrest Capital, a private company research firm, expect pent up demand to help drive the stock higher on Friday and say the demand could be strong enough to support several days of positive performance thanks to an "imbalance between supply of — and demand for — shares to the social media commerce sectors."
Whether the company can sustain the momentum remains a major question. Analysts and investors have raised concerns over the company's long-term viability, thanks in part to slowing revenue growth and the volume of competitors in the daily deals space.
The Groupon IPO has been widely anticipated, particularly given the blockbuster valuations for being tossed around and the encouraging debuts of business-networking site LinkedIn and music site Pandora Media.
Margo D. Beller contributed to this report.


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What are the main differences between speaker types?
- Cabinet speakers can be wall-mounted or freestanding, and tend to have a sturdy, box-type profile that can either be furniture-quality or of a more robust/industrial design. They come in a wide range of wattage ratings, and are often ideally suited to outputting background music or speech across smaller, more contained areas.
- Ceiling speakers are physically fitted (usually recessed/flush mounted) into the ceiling itself, allowing you to maximise usable floor area and hide any untidy wiring in cavity spaces. They can be fitted to almost any home or workplace environment, with certain models specifically designed for use under outdoor eaves, or in damp/humid environments like bathrooms and saunas.
- Hanging speakers also help maximise floor space, but tend to be much easier to install via brackets that require minimal work on existing walls and ceilings. Larger or more heavy-duty versions can also be attached to rigging and stanchions for covering wider areas.
- Portable speakers for speech and music are an ideal solution when you need quick and easy transfer between sites, and often boast a higher IP rating for better protection against moisture and dust in a range of environments.
- Wireless speaker systems
- TV and home theatre setups
- Hi-Fi systems and sound bars
- PA and intercom systems
- Headphones, headsets and telephones
Whether youre looking to install a ceiling-mounted music/intercom network for home, school or office use, or a full horn-based public address system for larger auditoriums and stadia, youll find a selection of robust and reliable components in stock here.
... อ่านเพิ่มเติม


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Taxes are the largest single part of the retail price of beer, accounting for roughly 40 percent of what consumers pay at the register, according to the sounds-awfully-fun-to-work-at Beer Institute.
The Tax Foundation mapped variations in state-level taxes on the sudsy stuff, which shows that Wyoming taxes beer the least, just 2 cents per gallon, while Tennessee has the highest tax at $1.29 per gallon.
The tax rules can get complicated, with some states applying different levies depending on the strength of the beer, the location of the brewery, and the size of the container.
Federal taxes create another layer of complexity, adding taxes that vary by the size of the brewery and the level of total production.


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Simple ingredients :
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 large)
1 large egg
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips or more :)
Simple steps :
1. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Mix mashed bananas, egg, melted butter and milk in another bowl.
2. Stir banana mixture into dry ingredients just until blended. Do not mix too hard or overmix.
3. Stir in chocolate chips.
4. Put the batter into the cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Pre heat oven to 350°F and bake the muffins for about 25 minutes. Transfer muffins to rack to cool.


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ThingLink's Twitter Card: Update
When Twitter launched Twitter Cards last year, ThingLink was the first interactive image solution approved by Twitter. Thanks to you, we've expanded the possibilities for engagement on Twitter beyond even their expectations.
While Twitter continues to evolve and refine the Twitter Card program, the Player Card that enables ThingLink is being scaled back to focus on video and audio solutions only. As a result, ThingLink will transition to an interim Twitter Card.
Here's how it works: When you post a ThingLink image to Twitter, viewers on desktop and mobile devices will see the image with icons indicating interactivity just like before. Those icons will no longer be interactive inside Twitter. A click on the image, title or the URL provided with the tweet will lead the viewer to the interactive image on the user's channel at ThingLink.com.
Because a majority of viewers on Twitter click back to ThingLink anyway, we think this solution will advantage both viewers and brands sharing ThingLink images on Twitter.
The current Twitter Player Card will remain active until September 30 after which all ThingLink users will transition to the interim Twitter Card.
For more visual information, check our slideshare presentation about this transition.
In the coming months we will be working with Twitter to enable a new Twitter Card type that enables interactive functionality on Twitter and delivers a consistent performance on both web and mobile devices.
Twitter is also requesting feedback from ThingLink about the kinds of Card experiences our publishers want to see inside the Twitter channel. Please send us your feedback on how you would like ThingLink images to perform inside Twitter.
In the meanwhile, if you have any questions about ThingLink and Twitter, please contact our COO Cyril Barrow.


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On Monday, we took a look at a report from the US Department of Energy, produced by its Electricity Advisory Committee. That report paints a grim picture of the future of the grid that exists today, but it was accompanied by two additional analyses that focused on the technologies that may significantly alter both the grid and its future. One of those focused on the potential role that energy storage can play as the grid evolves, and evaluates a number of technologies that are either on or near the market.
Most of the presentation of stored power has focused on its role in smoothing over the variability in renewable power sources like solar and wind. But storage can also solve a variety of problems in the existing grid. The rise in demand that comes during peak hours (and due to interruption of existing supplies) generally requires plants that can ramp up very quickly, which basically means natural gas turbines. Using storage could act as a bridge to allow other types of generating capacity that take longer to ramp up to step in.
Storage can also play a role in frequency regulation, which helps smooth over minor fluctuations and keep the grid's alternating current following an even curve. Beacon Power, which initially pitched its flywheel technology as a storage medium, is now selling it for this sort of frequency smoothing. A reasonably distributed storage capacity could also help work around grid congestion. So, even if you're not interested in renewable power sources, there are plenty reasons to be interested in power storage.
Moving beyond water
Given that, it's no surprise that grid-level storage actually dates back to 1929 in the US, when the first pumped-water plant opened. These facilities combine a standard hydroelectric facility with a pump that runs when electric supply exceeds demand. The excess power pumps water uphill into a reservoir, where it can be harnessed when power supplies drop. All told, pumped hydro now has the capacity to supply about three percent of a typical day on the US grid. So, grid-level storage isn't a possibility; it's a reality.
Expanding that capacity, however, is a different matter. Appropriate reservoir sites are getting fewer and further between, as is the supply of fresh water. There are some interesting alternatives. The Netherlands is apparently considering a scheme in which a hollow artificial island will be placed in the ocean; water is pumped out when power supplies are high, and let back in via turbines when they drop. Still, the number of potential sites is likely to limit the ultimate capacity here.
Beyond that, the only other technology that's been demonstrated on the market is compressed air storage, which we looked at in detail recently. These plants, however, require a fair bit of planning, and the only other one that's in the works is in Iowa. This is not something that's going to be a major force in the very near future.
But the report argues that battery power already represents an enormous storage resource; it's just not currently on the grid. There are roughly $3 billion lead batteries sold a year, and that market is growing by eight percent annually. Lithium is catching up fast, though; it's already at $1 billion, but growing somewhere above 50 percent a year. Powering rechargeable batteries for things like data center backup power supplies and electric vehicles is estimated to already account for 1.5 percent of the total utility power consumption in the US.
All of that capacity has been put in place without resorting to the more elaborate technologies, such as chemical flow and molten sodium-sulfur batteries, that are being tested for large-scale facilities. These batteries use less-toxic components and don't have a much longer usable lifetime than consumer-grade tech. Facilities relying on them are in the works: because of congestion in the transmission lines between the Texas wind power sources and its population centers, American Electric Power is deploying a five megawatt sodium-sulfur battery facility, and plans on building a terawatt of storage capacity in the next decade.
Aligning interests
One of the key themes of the Electricity Advisory Committee's reports is that regulatory and financial interests are really difficult to line up when it comes to electric power. These issues appear to be even more problematic when it comes to storage, at least in part because the regulatory framework doesn't exist at all. Clearly, the report calls for some decisions to be made on the national level about precisely how power storage fits in with the larger issues in the national grid.
Financially, storage is a challenge because it's a bit of a mix of transmission and generation resources. Exactly who pays for using its capacity, and under which circumstances, isn't clear. There are also some serious challenges involved in the economics, as there are a number of mismatched incentives. On the most basic level, not all utilities currently charge their customers different rates for peak and off-peak power. Without a price differential of this sort, the use of storage to lower the peak requirements only exists at the utility level, as they're the ones who activate their most expensive generating equipment during that time. Until that changes, there's no incentives for the actual owners of most of the distributed battery capacity to get involved.
Even if they are on board, figuring out precisely what makes the most economic sense can be challenging. For example, a data center obviously has an incentive to keep its battery capacity fully charged at all time. The utility, in contrast, would love to skim a tiny fraction off that instead of activating an otherwise idle generating plant. In return, they could offer the data center slightly lower rates for their power use at this time. Good luck trying to figure out how to price that.
The impending arrival of plugin hybrids
A lot of people are counting on the impending arrival of plugin hybrids to be a real game-changer when it comes to distributed power storage. The first generation of these vehicles, like the Chevy Volt are expected to be on the market within the next two years, and numbers should rise gradually from there. But the report suggests that their arrival is probably going to be gradual, with significant numbers only being in place a decade from now.
There are also a number of reasons that they won't necessarily revolutionize the storage game overnight. The report mentions one simple issue: although there are 250 million cars on the road, there are less than 50 million garages for them, so many are unlikely to be available on the grid at any given moment. Charging them will obviously put new strains on the already fragile grid (although utilities are already considering how to compensate for that), and managing their capacity will require a far smarter grid than the one we currently possess. Finally, there's a basic timing issue involved: the cars are going to be needed for a commute home, which typically happens at the tail end of peak usage hours. That means a lot of the battery capacity provided by these vehicles is going to be off-limits when it's needed.
Getting ready to store
Obviously, the report's authors recommend that the regulatory framework be put in place that will allow storage to start taking a larger role in the grid. It also suggests that the economic issues may need some unusual models for things to make sense. For example, it considers that third-party ownership of a plug-in hybrid's batteries may be needed to have their storage capacity make economic sense, a model that resembles the one being promoted by some electric car initiatives.
But they also recognize that those sorts of things may take years, and utilities will be needing to deploy storage sooner than that (indeed, they already are). So it argues that the Department of Energy is going to need the budgetary resources to fund pilot projects to determine how the different technologies and management systems work in the field. That way, by the time the regulatory issues are sorted out, the utilities will know which of the options it makes sense to deploy.


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Orinoco Tribune | March 18, 2019.
Uploaded by TeleSUR English Published on Mar 18, 2019.
After a group of military deserters from Venezuela denounced the abandonment by the Colombian authorities, the right wing Venezuelan politicians and the Agency for Refugees of the United Nations (UNHCR), the supposed "ambassador" appointed by the deputy Juan Guaidó in Colombia, Humberto Calderón Berti, spoke about it.Through a statement, Calderón Berti caught up with the statements and claims of the troops and said their problems will be addressed. He even stressed that these "have been given temporary assistance consisting of accommodations and food.""This Monday, March 18, a multidisciplinary meeting will be held with national and local authorities (from Colombia), as well as with the Embassy of Venezuela (that means him), to advance in the search for a definitive solution for the needs of these young soldiers and their families", details the letter.
The Venezuelan defector in question, let's remember, told the media of the neighboring country that they were given a maximum period of four days to exit from the facility they have been using in the border area, specifically in Cúcuta. They also stressed that in exchange they were offered 350 thousand Colombian pesos (US$ 112), a mattress and bed-sheets for each one."We are adrift, we do not have the support of anyone. We want Juan Guaidó to come face-to-face", said the Venezuelan Army's second sergeant Luis González Hernández, who served as spokesperson for the group. SOURCE
The Venezuelan military and police personnel who had transferred their loyalties to the "interim president" in February and had crossed the border into Cucuta, Colombia, were being hosted in hotels there at the expense of the insurgency and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. Several of these defectors were accompanied by their families. Some days ago they were evicted from the hotels because according to some sources, no funds were forthcoming to continue paying for their accommodation. The complaint by some of the deserters is that they have been used by the "interim president" who has ruined their lives. Others express a continuing willingness to support the coup.
Meanwhile the Colombian Government, in agreement with the "Interim Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela," has devised a plan to integrate these persons into the civilian life of Colombia. A translation of the the official communication on this matter from the Colombian National Unit for Disaster Risk Management is presented below.
"You must go. Leave in 3 days. Here are 350 thousand pesos and a mat for each one,"
this is what they said today to the Venezuelan military deserters in Cucuta.
They no longer have any use. The time of your scene is over. The curtain goes down."
this is what they said today to the Venezuelan military deserters in Cucuta.
They no longer have any use. The time of your scene is over. The curtain goes down."
" Deben irse. Salgan en 3 días. Hay 350 mil pesos y una colchoneta para cada uno", esto es lo que les dicen hoy a los desertores militares venezolanos en Cúcuta. Ya no les sirven. El tiempo de su escena ha concluido. Baja el telón. @madeleintlSUR @PortellateleSUR— Patricia Villegas Marin (@pvillegas_tlSUR) March 16, 2019
Meanwhile the Colombian Government, in agreement with the "Interim Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela," has devised a plan to integrate these persons into the civilian life of Colombia. A translation of the the official communication on this matter from the Colombian National Unit for Disaster Risk Management is presented below.
Unidad National para la Gestion de Riesgo de Desastres
Disaster Risk Management in Colombia
Sistema Nacional de Gestion del Riesgo de Desastres.
Colombia establishes service plan for ex-servicemen and ex-Venezuelan policemen who are in the national territory.
The Government of Colombia, through a memorandum of understanding with the Interim Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, established a scheme for addressing former members of the Venezuelan Armed Forces and Police located in the Colombian territory, in order that they can develop a life as civilians and in complete normality while the conditions in their native country allow them to return to exercise their functions in the public force.
In this regard, from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as a representative of the Government of Colombia headed by Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo and the Ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Colombia, Humberto Calderón Berti, a memorandum was signed, where they will coordinate inter-institutional way, between the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management, Chancellery, the Ministry of National Defense, Migration Colombia, the National Service of Learning -SENA-, the Ministry of Education and other entities considered necessary, the actions for the attention
Thus, under this memorandum, the Colombian National Government will determine the beneficiaries based on the information collated with Migración Colombia, which will include its family nuclei, this with the purpose of determining the total number of people who are under these conditions in the country.
Later and after the process of validation and updating of the information, the former members of the Military and Police Forces of Venezuela who are in Colombia and who meet the conditions set forth in the memorandum will have access to the PEP, a support for basic assistance, training. Appropriate efforts will be made to find quotas in the education system for minors who require it.
Under this line, the basic care actions will be coordinated with the support of the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management.
Also, through the National Service of Learning, SENA, complementary training will be done according to the institutional offer in each region.
Migration Colombia, for its part, will issue a work permit for up to two years, which will authorize them and them families to be able to exercise a remunerated work activity that allows them to maintain and support them while they remain in Colombia.
Finally, from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs inter-institutional efforts will be made to include infants in the education system depending on the quotas in each of the regions.
It is important to clarify that because of the quality and training of former members of the Armed Forces and Police of Venezuela and for reasons of national security for Colombia, they require special attention, which also indicates that these people cannot exercise military functions, nor police or security or defense, they cannot carry their weapons or wear their uniforms, and after benefiting from the benefits implemented by the Government of Colombia they will assume the status of civilians. SOURCE


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Botany for Gardeners - ONLINE
Rocky Mountain Gardening Required Course Group I
This class provides an overview of basic plant biology, including structure, development, transpiration, photosynthesis and plant chemistry.
Students will gain essential knowledge for acquiring high-level pruning skills, for designing gardens based on specific plant requirements of the Rocky Mountain region, and for understanding interactions between plants and their microenvironments.
Required Text- Botany for Gardeners by Brian Capon, found online or in most book stores.
This session will be streamed live online through Vimeo. Details on how to join the class will be emailed the day before the program.
Price: $255, $213 member
Instructor: Sheridan Samano