text: On Mon, 3 Mar 2003, Raymond Wood wrote: > On Mon, Mar 03, 2003 at 09:50:17AM -0500, Edward M. Corrado remarked: > > This is not really Library-specific, but I thought someone > > here may have some good suggestions. I'm looking for a > > [Free/OSS] simple helpdesk/support tracking program. It seems > > all the ones I want have way too many features. We only have 2 > > support people that need to be able to administer the > > requests. My only other "hope" is for a way that users can > > submit problems by a web form. > > > > Ed C. > > A couple that I came across (but have not tried): > jitterbug - A cgi-bin tool for problem reporting and tracking > request-tracker - Request Tracker, a GPL'd Trouble Ticket System > > Request-tracker looks very full featured, but people rave about > it (there are apparently installation 'issues' with Redhat, so > just use Debian and you'll be fine :) Issues? There appears to be lots of them, at least with RedHat 8.0 as I have found by trying to install it this afternoon. However, to be fair to RedHat, I think many of the issues involve getting mod_perl to work with Apache 2.x and not necessarily with RedHat. I might try to install a downgraded Apache to see if I can get it to work (however, that may open another whole can of worms with the other apps I have running on the machine I want to install this on . While I have nothing against Debian (besides not having run it since something like version 0.96), I don't have a free machine to install it on at this point. The hangup I have right now is trying to build (or install via -MCPAN) libapreq (in order to install Apache::Cookie among other things) I get a "Can't locate Apache/MyConfig.pm in @INC..." error. From my little bit of research this is because mod_perl doesn't play nicely with Apache 2.x yet. If anyone knows this not to be true and has successfully installed libapreq on Redhat 8.0 running Apache 2.x and can tell me how, I'd interested in knowing how -- otherwise I'm giving up on trying Request Tracker on this configuration for now. Ed C. > > For more options try a search on http://freshmeat.net/ > > HTH, > Raymond > > > ------------------------------------------------------- > This sf.net email is sponsored by:ThinkGeek > Welcome to geek heaven. > http://thinkgeek.com/sf > _______________________________________________ > > > oss4lib-discuss@... > > > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/oss4lib-discuss > see also http://oss4lib.org/ >


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Watch these videos where celebrity chefs teach you how to cook the best turkey.
Cleveland police released this video of the fatal police shooting of Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old boy holding a toy gun.
After a big meal of turkey and potatoes, why not have one of Amazon's great Black Friday deals for dessert?
Takeshi Kitano returns to his roots with this bloody Yakuza tale about a small crew trying to keep two rival syndicates from engaging in all-out war.
After Leslie gives an embarrassing drunken interview, she and her campaign team pull out all the stops to prevent it from being aired.
Jim tries to head off a career disaster for Dwight while in Florida and Andy learns Erin's not returning to Scranton.
All hail the real King Kong. We're paying tribute to the most infamous primate in gaming with a gallery of some of the finest Donkey Kong art the Internet has to offer.
Natasha Yi may be the hottest Showcase model on The Price is Right ever. But we'll let you decide with the 20 Hottest Photos of her we could find. Come on down.
Go from the Civil war to Mars with John Carter, get haunted by Silent House, freak out at the idea of adulthood with Friends with Kids and go vigilante with Seeking Justice.
The UFC's lightweight division is more crowded with talent than ever before, which should make 2012 quite an interesting year to sort things out at the top.
Former UFC fighter Brian Foster has a spot in Bellator's Season 6 welterweight tournament and says that he plans on letting people know he isn't going anwywhere.
In what could be the UFC's biggest – literally – card ever, another heavyweight bout has been added to the docket at UFC 146. Cain Velasquez and Frank Mir meet in a title eliminator fight.
Here is the greatest thing available on Netflix Streaming. . . for you to poop on!
Strikeforce heavyweight Antonio Silva will make his UFC debut in May against Season 10 winner of "The Ultimate Fighter" Roy Nelson at UFC 146 in Las Vegas.
Okay, let's preface this one by saying all these woman are exceptionally talented and deserve to be the acclaimed artists they are. They also happen to be extremely hot. These are essentially the two forces that make up the ultimate indie music babe, and it's time we declare our crushes.
On the heels of the latest incarnation of TUF, "The Ultimate Fighter LIVE," which debuts Friday at 9 p.m. Eastern on FX, HeavyMMA looks back at the 10 best fighters to come out of the UFC's reality competition.
A lightweight fight between Carlo Prater and TJ Grant has been added to the UFC's May 15 card in Fairfax, Va., on Fuel TV.
A lightweight bout between Kamal Shalorus and Rafael Dos Anjos has been booked for the UFC's May 15 return to Virginia on Fuel TV.

subset: commoncrawl


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Greensmith to Deploy Aqueous, Lithium-Ion and Flow Batteries for Grid Storage
As the energy storage market develops and shakes out, it's worth keeping an eye on Greensmith. The startup is a software developer and system integrator that has attracted investment, personnel and a growing roster of turnkey energy storage projects.[read more]
|More coming soon...
"David, one resource I'd like to add to your list is Mike Berners-Lee's excellent book, How Bad Are Bananas? The Carbon Footprint of Everything, which is guaranteed to deliver at least one shock to every reader's carbon awareness. Some examples:A paper bag has two to four times the carbon footprint of an equivalent plastic bagA single red rose (non-seasonal) has the same climate impact as ten ..."
"The EIA correctly points out the benefits of tracking because it increases output in the late daytime hours. Unfortunately, their simulation seems to be well off the mark in terms of showing how the energy is distributed throughout the day. The data below comes from a monitored solar array at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute where there is a tracking array next to a fixed array. ..."
" "The best currency we can think of is dollars per capacity-adjusted kilowatt. Let's just call it a "capacity-adjusted kilowatt.""There are obviously a bunch of other factors that affect the lifetime cost of energy like the expected life of the plant (~60 years for nuclear vs ~25 for ..."
"Hops, California's electricity mix is currently made up of about twice as much fossil energy (coal and gas) as renewables and nuclear combined. Between 5-10% of stored energy is wasted, so it's dirtier, by a similar proportion, than using electricity as it's generated."
Scott Edward Anderson is a consultant, blogger, and media commentator who blogs at The Green Skeptic. More »
Christine Hertzog is a consultant, author, and a professional explainer focused on Smart Grid. More »
Elias Hinckley is a strategic advisor on energy finance and energy policy to investors, energy companies and governments More »
Gary Hunt Gary is an Executive-in-Residence at Deloitte Investments with extensive experience in the energy & utility industries. More »
Jesse Jenkins is a graduate student and researcher at MIT with expertise in energy technology, policy, and innovation. More »
Kelly Klima is a Research Scientist at the Department of Engineering and Public Policy of Carnegie Mellon University. More »
Jim Pierobon helps trade associations/NGOs, government agencies and companies communicate about cleaner energy solutions. More »
Geoffrey Styles is Managing Director of GSW Strategy Group, LLC and an award-winning blogger. More »
The Energy Collective
- Rod Adams
- Scott Edward Anderson
- a b
- Charles Barton
- Barry Brook
- Steven Cohen
- Dick DeBlasio
- Senator Pete Domenici
- Simon Donner
- Big Gav
- Michael Giberson
- Kirsty Gogan
- James Greenberger
- Lou Grinzo
- Tyler Hamilton
- Christine Hertzog
- David Hone
- Gary Hunt
- Jesse Jenkins
- Sonita Lontoh
- Rebecca Lutzy
- Jesse Parent
- Jim Pierobon
- Vicky Portwain
- Willem Post
- Tom Raftery
- Joseph Romm
- Robert Stavins
- Robert Stowe
- Geoffrey Styles
- Alex Trembath
- Gernot Wagner


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Reach tens of thousands of people instantly by advertising with Ekklesia. Find out more
The Church of England has called for greater investment in public health programmes aimed at teenagers, in a submission to UK advertising regulating bodies.
As the federal government in the USA considers comprehensive reform of the health care system, faith groups, civic organisations and labour unions are mobilising for change. They want to see an end to the massive health divisions.
Would you like to support cancer research UK? Why not enter the Adidas Women's 5k Challenge fun run?
When people hear the word 'health' they think immediately of medical matters, says Juan Michel. But health is also an issue of clean drinking water, nutritious food, a safe work environment and essential care accessible at the community level - not least in a time of flu panics.
While the impact of flu viruses and the issues surrounding them is making life increasingly difficult in Mexico, churches in the USA are seeking to respond rationally and with care to a situation where panic can be a major part of the problem.
Patients' and hospital groups have expressed anger that a nurse who exposed serious mistreatment of elderly hospital patients has been struck off the medical register for misconduct.
Chaplaincy teams in the National Health Service are good value and bring added benefits and resources to clinical treatment, say health specialists responding to a call to stop their official funding.
The National Secular Society wants to end taxpayer funding for chaplaincy in the NHS. Matt Wardman subjects the figures to scrutiny, and is left with a lot of questions.
It can be hard to quantify the benefit of having chaplains, says Mark Vernon. Their work is not amenable to a cost-benefit analysis. But that does not mean it has no value or effect, just that it has to be assessed in human rather than statistical terms.


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I was 6-years old when I got my first BB gun, a .22 Hornet rifle at 10, and a shotgun at 13. Then it was all up hill from there. I now have handguns and carbines. Guns just grow on people.
I think this thread should be a "sticky"
Many parents who may not be members or even sign up can read this thread and get some good advice.
I had bb guns at 6 and at 10 I went shooting clays with my dad got an over under 20ga when I was 11 and a 12 when I was 12 when I was 12 when I was 13 a 10/22 and a mosin 91/30.
My mom was not a gun person and didn't want me to have guns but they have become a very big part of my life.
So I think its important to start kids out young.
I was raised in a "Gun Free" home (actually something of a commune). I was self-taught as far as gun safety and it could have been disastrous. I remember getting my first gun, a Marlin Model 60, from an friend at work. I brought it up into the hills with a friend of mine and I fired it, then operated the bolt and there was an unfired round in the chamber. I had no clue about semi-auto. I was firing into a hillside 50 yards away and (understandably) could not see the bullet having any effect. I was as ignorant as mud about guns. Not too long after that I took the Hunter safety course and got my hunting license, but more importantly I got an education on gun safety.
I'm a 4h adviser for shooting sports we start kids at 8yrs old enough to understand responsibility and yes there are different maturity levels but we usually know by the time we get through the safety and range commands and range edicate usually couple of meetings which is one month then we start them on the bench. If you don't have any kids yet this is time to introduce your girl friend to shooting sports and get her familiar with fire arms and educate her the proper way and not by the way of hear say. good luck be patient and dot hurry it.
My son turns 9 in april, the wife and i have decided that we are going to buy him his first BB gun. Then an adult like safety course and the do's and dont's of bb gun usage will follow. He listens pretty well so i have no doubt that he will listen to me and treat the gun seriously. I will be watching him like a hawk until he prooves to me that he is safe and responsible with it. I remember being his age and getting my first BB gun, i knew how dangerous they could be and used caution and common sense everyday.. I did learn about bb ricochets the hard way though,whenever a bb slaps you upside your cheek you learn not to stand so close to your target, lol
Semper paratus.....virtute et armis
I took her to the range again yesterday and even though she didnt want to shoot she had fun what makes me even more happy is when we got back to my place i went on the computer to check my email and as always she took over but she was looking up pink guns she has now told me she wants a pink tourus .22 pistol and in my head i was like yes! I want her to get it and i want her to get a more powerful gun for protection as she is so small 4ft 7inches and 75lbs but she is super pretty and that makes me worry cause in my mind that makes her an easy target. I already got her mase spray. I want to get her a good taser too as she is only 18 goin on 19.


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Should You Start Saving Now to Buy a Home?
A place to live doesn't come cheap, especially if you want to set yourself up in or near a popular urban area. (Translation: You'll spend some serious dollar bills.) It can be one of the biggest expenses in your life. Go after what you want, but think ahead about how much you'll need to... read more


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Showing Results: Most Recent
This review is from: ASUS X200MA-DS02 Notebook Intel Celeron N2815 (1.86GHz) 4GB Memory 500GB HDD Intel HD Graphics 11.6" Windows 8.1
Pros: Small, light, 5 hr battery life, bright screen, Win8 performance is OK, runs Ubuntu 14.04 quite well. Cheap enough you won't have a meltdown if it gets lost or stolen.
Cons: Battery is not user removable, so what do you do in 2-3 years when it gets weak? The reason for only 2 stars: Mine had an awful keyboard, which is the reason I returned it. Unless I hit the keys carefully, and exactly in the center, I would get a tactile click but there would be no actual keypress! Some keys ('n' was one) I could press on the edge or the corner 10 times, get a tactile and audible click every time, but nothing actually happened. This made using the keyboard almost impossible. Hopefully this was an unusual defect and not just the way they all are. On the positive side of that negative issue, Newegg was great about the return.
Other Thoughts: Are we supposed to throw it out when the battery gets old? Can it be easily replaced if you disassemble the unit? I have not researched this. If the keyboard had been usable, this would have been the Netbook Deal of the Year. Now a couple weeks after my return, it's on sale again at an even lower price: should I try again?READ FULL REVIEW
This review is from: ASUS X200MA-DS02 Notebook Intel Celeron N2815 (1.86GHz) 4GB Memory 500GB HDD Intel HD Graphics 11.6" Windows 8.1
Pros: + Bluetooth 4.0 is included. That was not obvious from the listing. So I am ordering a BT mouse. No need to tie up a USB port with a mouse dongle.
+ WiFi is dual band. I'm writing this review connected to 5 GHz.
Cons: The detailed description extols the virtues of the touchscreen version of this machine but that is not what you are buying here. This is the X200MA-DS02 and it does NOT have a touchscreen. A touchscreen on a netbook is not important to me, but it's annoying that there is such a glaring error in the product listing.
Other Thoughts: I tried to figure out which version of this machine has the touchscreen and which does not. I found just more confusion. A listing at A____ even listed this machine as having an Apple processor! Every reference to an X200 at Asus has a touchscreen. The label on the bottom of the case has "X200M" as the model number, and "X200MA-DS02" on the serial number label, so it does match the number in the description. So I am very confused. Can anyone clarify this?READ FULL REVIEW
This review is from: ASUS X200MA-DS02 Notebook Intel Celeron N2815 (1.86GHz) 4GB Memory 500GB HDD Intel HD Graphics 11.6" Windows 8.1
Pros: +Big enough and not too small.
+1366x768 is good resolution in this 11.6" screen size.
+HDMI out drives a large 1920x1080 display fine.
+WiFi includes 5 GHz, a pleasant surprise
+Decent performance with WIndows 8.1, though I haven't done much on it yet.
+Keyboard and touch pad are pretty good.
Cons: -Battery is not removable.
-Screen color gamut saturation is not great, but there are adjustments. For $250 it's good enough.
-Playing a 1080p mp4 video on an external 1920x1080 monitor while also driving the netbook screen loads both cores to about 100%
Other Thoughts: *Just had this a couple of days but I may order another.
*For $250, running Ubuntu, this seems way more useful than a Chromebook. For price/performance this seems incredible.
*Plan to install Ubuntu 14.04 as dual boot, which I am hoping has pretty zippy performance.
*Don't know about battery life. Will test more and add another review.
*Should be a perfectly fine family notebook - all we need is browsing, video (Prime and Youtube), access to Google docs, LibreOffice. Why pay more? I don't intend to edit video on this!


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Grande Villas at World Tour House Rental Photos and Description
House, 4 Bedrooms, 3 Baths, (Sleeps 8 MAX)
This is the destination for your ultimate vacation! Come spend some time in our spacious, 6 year old, 2000 square foot home located in the heart of Myrtle Beach. This 4 bedroom/ 3 full bath home has been fully furnished with all BRAND NEW High End Quality furniture, mattresses, Bedding, Linens and all the utensils to make this your home, away from home.
There are 2 beach chairs for you to use.
If you have small children and are in need of a Pack-N-Play, Stroller or High Chair we have these for you!
All you have to do is Enjoy, Golf, Go To The Beach or Just Relax.You can swim in the extra large community pool or maybe play some tennis.
Sit out, on the back patio and watch the golfers play by on the 7th hole of the Lakes course. Arrowhead Golf Course has three 9 hole courses; The Lakes, The Waterways (plays along the Inter Coastal Waterway), and The Cypress Course. Within a five mile radius there is the famous World Tour Golf Links, Myrtle Beach National, The Legends, The Bell Terre, The Wizard, and The Man-O-War golf courses. If you would like a golf vacation- Myrtle Beach is the golf capital of the world!
If your interested in a family vacation - Myrtle Beach is the family friendly vacation destination! Our house is Conveniently located off of route 501 just over the bridge crossing the Inter Coastal Waterway, only a 3 miles to the BEAUTIFUL WHITE SANDY BEACHES.
I also have a car pass for you and your passengers to enter Myrtle Beach State Park, it is the best place to go to the BEACH. No hi rise resorts with no place to sit - this is wide open beach with a life guard, showers, bathrooms, fishing pier and a small store!
There is so much to do! You will be minutes from the Coastal Grand Mall, Tanger Outlets, Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville, Hard Rock Cafe, Freestyle Music Park, Broadway At The Beach, Barefoot Landing, Fantasy Harbor, Myrtle Waves, Nascar Go-Carts, Target, Wal-Mart, Costco, Lowes, Home Depot, Supermarkets, Aquarium, Miniature Golf, Cal Ripkins Baseball Fields and Restaurants including: P.F. Changs, Carabbas, Outback Steak House, Rio's Brazilian Steak House, Olive Garden, Hard Rock Cafe and so many more! You'll also have easy access to the greatest live theaters in the world - The House Of Blues, Dixie Stampede, Carolina Oprey, The NEW Pirates Cove, Legends and The Alabama Theater are all only a few miles away. The Cal Ripkens Experience Ball Park is only a couple of miles away!
If you are flying into Myrtle Beach, you will be less than five minutes from Myrtle Beach Airport.
What are you waiting for? Plan your ultimate vacation now! Whether it's golf you are interested in or a fun filled family vacation- Myrtle Beach has something for everyone!!!
PLEASE CHECK OUT ALL MY LISTING @ http://www.vrbo.com/my/163a623e-f009-4b3f-80b8-57a13a903d00
IF YOUR DATES ARE WITH IN 4 MONTHS or MORE = 1/3 is due at time of booking, The other 2/3 are spread out accordingly!
IF YOUR DATES ARE WITH IN 4 MONTHS OR LESS = 1/2 of total is due at time of booking, The other 1/2 is due 30 days before your dates!
IF YOUR DATES ARE LESS THAN 30 DAYS = payment is due in full!
- Suitability:
- Minimum Age Limit for Renters
- children welcome
- pets not allowed
- smoking allowed
About MITCH
Mitch and Liz have been married for 26 years and have 2 daughters. We live in Massachusetts and have been vacationing in Myrtle Beach since our girls were young. We love the outdoors and we are adventerous people. We love to entertain and travel with our families. We both work very hard and appreciate nice things. We set up our house in Myrtle Beach for ourselves. We take pride in keeping things nice. We would hope that people would respect what we have worked so hard for.
MITCH purchased this house in 2007
Why MITCH chose Grande Villas at World Tour
Myrtle Beach has so much to offer for a vacation. There is something for every member of the family. The beach is incredible and the water is always warm. There are limitless restaurants and great entertainment in the evenings. There are over 150 golf courses that are each one of a kind and provide some of the most scenic areas of the Myrtle Beach area. Our house is in a quiet residential area on a dead end street. However, it is centrally located and provides quick and easy access to all of the major attractions.
What makes this house unique
When we stay at our house in Myrtle Beach, we enjoy watching the golfers from our back patio. We are minutes to all outlet stores for shopping and other major shopping areas. The beach is always the hightlight of our day. We either walk the beach in the early morning or pack a lunch and spend the day surfing in the waves.


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2013 Cervelo R3 Road Bike:
The R3 features BBright™ and the same exclusive second generation Squoval™ tube shapes as our R5, to combine all the benefits of a stiff and light bicycle with the strength and comfort needed to win on the cobbles of the roughest roads in Europe. Built on the lessons learned at Project California, its renowned comfort comes from using ultra-thin seat stays along with an optimized 1 3/8"steerer tube. Stiff, light and comfortable, this bike provides the responsiveness and the confidence needed when descending, cornering, racing for the win, or just sheer pleasure during your Sunday ride.
Choose a currency below to display product prices in the selected currency.


text: ESPN Feed: cal http://assets.espn.go.com/i/tvlistings/tv_espn_original.gif ESPN en-us 10 ESPN Inc. http://espn.go.com/ Copyright 2010 ESPN Inc. With the overall Cal-Hi Sports Athlete of the Year being a junior, a senior of the year also had to be chosen among this year's best. We also have fiv...]]> July 14, 2012 10:16:08 PDT We have honorees listed for the five CIF divisions plus one for each year in school. Since the overall athlete of the year is a freshman, a senior of ...]]> July 12, 2012 23:18:21 PDT Mitty is best for girls sports for the ninth time while other honorees include La Costa Canyon (D2), Campolindo (D3), Serra of Gardena (D4) and St. Ma...]]> July 11, 2012 09:17:00 PDT Gabrielino's Acosta getting accustomed to throwing no-hitters. He threw his third of the season last week and is close to tying a state record. Bat...]]> April 27, 2012 18:44:48 PDT Haley Lukas, a Class of 2014 defender from Pleasanton, Calif., has verbally committed to California, her family has confirmed to ESPNHS. Lukas is a...]]> April 20, 2012 18:38:37 PDT Each week, ESPNHS highlights the multi-goal scorers from the U.S. Soccer Development Academy. Here are the top offensive performances from the week...]]> February 01, 2012 18:58:00 PST RELATED LINKS: ESPNHS Recruiting Central | Class of 2012 Division I Commitments Derek Carver, a Class of 2012 goalkeeper from Boise, Idaho, has ver...]]> January 20, 2012 19:26:41 PST For the Seattle Sounders under-15/16 team of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, the best offense has been a good defense. Since losing 2-1 to Nor...]]> December 07, 2011 06:53:35 PST RELATED LINKS: ESPNHS Recruiting Central | Class of 2012 Division I Commitments Kody Wakasa, a Class of 2012 defender from Hillsborough, Calif., ha...]]> November 14, 2011 19:04:35 PST RELATED LINKS: ESPNHS Recruiting Central | Class of 2012 Division I Commitments Quentin Anson, a Class of 2012 forward prospect from California, ve...]]> November 14, 2011 08:32:59 PST The ECNL schedule features more than 120 games this weekend, including teams from six of the eight conferences. As the weather turns colder, many of t...]]> October 27, 2011 05:00:39 PDT It doesn't take much to realize the importance of this weekend's ECNL matches between Michigan Hawks and Eclipse Select. At the U18 level, it's a b...]]> October 20, 2011 07:02:58 PDT It's clear where the power brokers are in the Mountain West Conference. In all five ECNL age groups, either Real Colorado or Colorado Rush sits in ...]]> September 28, 2011 19:54:12 PDT RELATED LINKS: Recent Verbals | Class of 2012 Division I Verbals | Commitment Stories Edwin Luna, a midfield/forward prospect from San Jose, Calif....]]> September 14, 2011 22:08:45 PDT Nathan Smith and Michael Amick, two of the top Class of 2013 prospects, have committed to UCLA, according to sources in California. Smith, a defend...]]> July 07, 2011 08:09:12 PDT


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"this was the perfect card to send to our family and friends for my mom's surprise birthday! it was playful yet elegant at the same time"
"After I reviewed my custom card multiple times, I still misspelled several words. The designer caught it in the review, fixed it and sent me an updated print to review before putting in my order! She even called to make sure I saw her changes she made. So glad that they include the free designer review within their custom cards! Well worth every penny spent. Our party invites are beautiful!"
"I was so blown away at the ease of creating such a cute invite. The process was quick and I have to say that when I received the box in the mail, they made it feel as thou I was receiving a gift. Packaging was beautiful and thoughtful. I could not have been any more pleased with the product. Well done tinyprints, well done. I will use again and I will tell my friends."
"I loved this invite from the second I saw it and it came just as I expected. The colors are great and the paper quality did not disappoint.."
"I was amazed at how easy it was to edit the text to fit our particular event. The paper quality was beyond my expectations in density and weight. Our guests commented on the fun and originality of the invitations!"


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Snuggle bubble
by Anna Wand
Phone Cases
Protect your iPhone with a one-piece, impact resistant, flexible plastic hard case featuring an extremely slim profile. Simply snap the case onto your iPhone for solid protection and direct access to all device features.
Cute momiji doll underwater and smothered in fun bubbles of water :)
- 15Promote


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Charity Technology Conference 2014: Top tweets
27 Nov 2014
The ninth successful year of the Charity Technology Conference, organised by Civil Society Media, took...
Sorry for interrupting, but there is something we need to tell you...
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At a time when many organisations are looking at budgets and considering reducing staff numbers great care needs to be taken when those considered participate in the local government pension scheme, says David Davison.
Improved benefits apply to individuals who lose their job as a result of the pursuit of 'operational efficiencies' and these enhancements need to be paid for by the employer as a one-off 'strain on fund' cost.
These payments are often missed as part of the planning for redundancy costs which can result in organisations getting a nasty surprise, as often they can be for tens of thousands of pounds, frequently dwarfing other costs.
Local Giving Pension Scheme (LGPS) has well publicised practices and employers should speak to their local contact to ascertain the likely costs in advance of making any restructuring decisions.
David Davison is a director of Spence & Partners Actuaries and Dalriada Trustees
[Cancel] | Reply to:
27 Nov 2014
The ninth successful year of the Charity Technology Conference, organised by Civil Society Media, took...
4 Nov 2014
Kirsty Weakley thinks the backlash to the Samaritans' web application is unfair and worries it might...
4 Nov 2014
As bonfire night approaches, John Tate is cautious about the pace of the new developments setting the...
21 Nov 2014
Our weekly round-up of outlandish and interesting information collected from the corners of the charity...
20 Nov 2014
Tesse Akpeki has some top tips for trustees on how not to become dependent on one member of staff.
10 Nov 2014
The charity sector needs to "get off the back foot", says Caroline Slocock, editor Making Good: the Future...
12 Feb 2015
9 Mar 2015
21 Apr 2015
8 Oct 2015


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Green / Sustainable hotels – searching for the ideal Green / Sustainable hotel never been easier with our comprehensive online hotel directory. Take a look at our great range and compare room rates of Green / Sustainable Chennai hotels. All you have to do is:
Search for Green / Sustainable hotels in Chennai Choose the perfect Chennai Green / Sustainable hotel and view room rates, hotel description, customer reviews and quality photos. Securely book your Chennai Green / Sustainable hotel room online today! Receive email confirmation for your online booking and hotel reservation details.
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November 27, 2014
RICHMOND, Calif. (AP) - Investigators say Chevron firefighters responding to a small California refinery leak last summer may have accidentally punctured a main pipeline before a massive blaze.
A section of the Richmond refinery erupted in flames on Aug. 6 and sent a cloud of gas and black smoke over residential areas. Thousands of people sought medical treatment.
The San Francisco Chronicle says a metallurgical report showed the 40-year-old pipe was already weakened by the heavy sulfur content of the crude oil being pumped through it.
The investigation has also found that the pipe appears to have been punctured from the outside.
Investigators are examining firefighter tools to determine if they accidentally damaged the line while tearing away insulation.
Copyright 2014 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Click Here to access the online Public Inspection File
Viewers with disabilities can get assistance accessing this station's FCC Public Inspection File by contacting the station with the information listed below. Questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of the FCC's online public file system should be directed to the FCC at 888-225-5322, 888-835-5322 (TTY), or email@example.com.


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619 Woodfield Rd
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Tel: (770)888-6705
Fideles Christian School's mission is to equip and assist families in the Christian discipleship of their children.
Fideles Christian School will endeavor by working in partnership with families, to provide a comprehensive program for the Christian preparation of their children's life mission as disciples of Christ, in, beyond, or apart from higher education.
School Overview
|School Type
|School with Special Program Emphasis
|Religious Affiliation
|Grades Offered
|Grades Kindergarten - 12
Student Body
|Total Students
|129 students
|Student Body Type
|% Students of Color
State avg.: 22%
|Students by Grade
Academics and Faculty
|Total Classroom Teachers
|14 teachers
|Student : Teacher Ratio
National avg.: 13:1
Nearby Schools:
All Schools | High Schools | Elementary Schools | Preschools | Public Schools
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- School Location Miles Students Grades
Cumming Pinecrest Academy Inc
955 Peachtree Parkway
Cumming, GA, 30041
(770)888-4477(Roman Catholic)1.4 mi | 823 students | Gr. PK-12
CummingThe Goddard School
5416 Bethelview Rd
Cumming, GA, 30040
(678)455-5151Daycare / Preschool2.2 mi | 11 students | Gr. K-1
CummingCarrington Academy Windermere
4410 Front Nine Dr
Cumming, GA, 30041
(770)888-8011Daycare / Preschool2.2 mi | 31 students | Gr. K-1
CummingMontessori Kids Academy
3036 Old Atlanta Road
Cumming, GA, 30041
(678)208-0774Montessori School2.9 mi | n/a students | Gr. PK-5
SuwaneeFriendship Christian School
3160 Old Atlanta Road
Suwanee, GA, 30024
(678)845-0418(Christian)3.3 mi | 107 students | Gr. NS-12
School Reviews
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Updated October 26, 2014
What do you do when you are dissatisfied with your local public schools? Homeschool your children? Send them to private school? Let's look at your options.
Your religion matters to you. You want your child to attend a school which will combine academics and religious education. Here is an overview of what is available together with some links to denominational web sites.
Add things up and you'll quickly find the answer- math is crucial both in academics and the real world. By following these strategies and following personal training programs, students can uncover their weaknesses and conquer math.
More ArticlesPaying For It, Opinion, Running a Private School, Getting into Private School, Pre-elementary


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Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire have arrived!
Check BNN and Bulbanews for up-to-date Pokémon news and discuss it on the forums or in our IRC channel.
Talk:Pokémon Pocket Monsters
From Bulbapedia, the community-driven Pokémon encyclopedia.
The controversy section makes little sense, on Clefairy's part. It appeared nude? It's always nude. Lovely Rose 02:37, 27 September 2009 (UTC)
In wake of the Pokémon Adventures/Magical Pokémon Journey moves, should this be moved to "Pokémon Pocket Monsters" (the Chuang Yi title)? (and, likewise, Pocket Monsters RS/Pokémon Ruby-Sapphire. As far as I know PMDP hasn't been translated yet so that stays put no matter what.) ZestyCactus 00:13, 11 November 2009 (UTC)


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Startup Wants You to Capture the World in 3-D
Mantis Vision is developing 3-D scanning technology that could end up in lots of tablets.
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Be the first to know as we launch in new countries and markets around the globe.
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IT Editor, Web & Social Media
As MIT Technology Review's IT editor for Web and social media, I cover a wide variety of startups and write gadget reviews out of our San Francisco office. I'm curious about tech innovation, and I'm always on the lookout for the next big thing. Before arriving at MIT Technology Review in early 2012, I spent five years as a technology reporter at the Associated Press, covering companies including Apple, Amazon, and eBay, and penning reviews. I've also worked as a freelancer, covering both technology and crime for the New York Times.
I grew up mostly in Palo Alto, California, where companies like Hewlett-Packard and Google were simply a part of everyday life. But I didn't discover my love for tech coverage until 2003. That's when I accidentally discovered a major security lapse in Palo Alto Unified School District's wireless network, which allowed anyone with Wi-Fi to view sensitive student information, including psychological profiles identified with full names. When not hard at work on a TR story, I can be found riding around the Bay Area on my road bike or my Vespa.
Mantis Vision is developing 3-D scanning technology that could end up in lots of tablets.
Researchers are developing technology that can adjust an image on a display so you can see it clearly without corrective lenses.
Cortana, Microsoft's virtual assistant for smartphones, will soon be able to control some home-automation gadgets.
Amazon CTO Werner Vogels on how cloud computing is changing.
The Fire Phone's Firefly feature could make visual search easier, better, and more popular.
Could heat-tracking be the key to interacting with wearable computers?
I want a self-driving car, but it needs different levels of independence depending on the situation.
If a device could capture every moment in life for your easy recall later, would you want it to? There are plenty of things I'd rather forget.
Keeping some devices off the Internet may be the best way to secure the Internet of things.
It's a way to connect all different kinds of items, says Intel's Genevieve Bell.


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Wikipedia Revisionism by Israeli Pressure Groups
Readers may have caught Juan Cole's piece on the lies of the Israel pressure group, CAMERA (Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America), sliming a CNN reporter.
CAMERA (Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America) is not in fact an organization devoted to fairness in journalism. … Its members also mounted a covert and conspiratorial attempt to edit all Wikipedia articles to slant them toward a rightwing Zionist perspective, and they were banned from Wikipedia when the plot was outed. The organization occasionally succeeds in correcting errors, but only in the same way that a fanatical Khomeinist would easily be able to find and correct errors in US journalism about the Islamic Republic of Iran. It isn´t that ideologues want fairness– they want to impose their blindered narrative on everyone else.
Here's an example of a creative Wikipedia revision for the glory of the holy state of Israel, obtained by Veterans Today.
In this case, presenting Israel as a fellow victim of the 911 evil-doers, history is spun so that Israel is a new victim of the World Islamic Mission of Global Conquest. Five Israeli deaths are added in the 17 July, 2010 revision below. What's good for this fundamentalist, militaristic state is good for America.
One wonders why Bangladesh, for instance, doesn't speak quite so loudly in the American political culture.
In view of Israel's wanton disregard for international law, human rights and facts, one concerned about these matters must ask: What is Israel up to now? What are they planning?
– Strike against Lebanon
– Gaza
– Expelling all Arabs from the West Bank?
Click on graphic below.
Short URL: http://www.veteranstoday.com/?p=41468
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New Travel Articles
Southern Adirondacks, NY
By GoNOMAD
48 hours in Old Forge, Big Moose Lake, Inlet, Racquette Lake and North Creek
Wild horses and lots of gators on La Chua Trail in Northern Florida
As a college student in Gainesville, Florida, I never made it to Paynes Prairie. The first time I really became cognizant of the sheer size of the savanna was when it was on fire. I had just returned to Gainesville after two and a half years living abroad and it slowly seeped into my overwhelmed consciousness that there was a permanent haze enveloping everything.
I started to notice the acrid smell of smoke and bits of ash: a blazing wildfire was consuming the prairie. The city was so hot at that time that if you left the air conditioning off for the afternoon, the doorknobs would be hot to the touch.
Eventually, the flames were quelled and years passed before I thought of the place again. This time, it was in the Gainesville Photography Club when I noticed a disproportionate number of exquisite shots were coming from the same spot.
Little Trail on the Big Prairie
It would not be a stretch to describe the 21,000 acre Paynes Prairie State Preserve as the Everglades of North Florida. With this analogy in mind, La Chua is its Anhinga Trail.
Inconspicuously tucked away in the northern entrance, it is not part of the main state park, which comes as a surprise for such an extraordinary wildlife viewing area. The Gainesville-Hawthorne multiuse trail links up directly with the trail head making it a dream for outdoor enthusiasts. Each visit is a new adventure as the park is teeming with wildlife in all seasons including wild Florida Cracker horses and American alligators.
Cycling through Gainesville, the first rays of dawn break the horizon as I connect with the Hawthorne Trail. The trail is shaded by the huge arches of tree branches and lined with the beautiful fronds of saw palms.
Fog rises from the forest floor and the aroma of dewy foliage wafts through the air.
Golden beams of light shine through the leaves of oak trees festooned with Spanish moss. Cardinals hop from branch to branch and in the bushes, some wild turkeys skulk away.
White tailed deer and rabbits pause to glance at the cyclists as they ride past barely concerned about their presence.
Hiking La Chua Trail
At the entrance stands a concrete train trestle which used to be part of the Florida Southern Railroad. It now serves as a kind of gate, its mouth yawning open into another world which hearkens back to a bygone era.
"The Great Alachua Savanna" which William Bartram wrote about it in 1774 in his flourished style bordering on fantasy, has been left more or less intact. On one side a vast expanse of grassland peppered with wildflowers unfolds. Here, wild Florida Cracker horses and their foals can be seen grazing.
On the other side of the trail is the black marsh where dozens of enormous alligators laze on the shore or prowl about.
This is the location of the Alachua Sink which is a mysterious "drain" that, when plugged, turns the entire prairie into a lake. Herons stand fishing next to the drain as water is audibly slurped into a subterranean void. Moorhens glide past the purple pickerel weeds and egrets stand elegantly among the pale yellow lotus blossoms.
An alligator the length of a pickup truck drags his enormous body across the muddy trail to the water's edge. When he gets to the other side, he raises his head to the sky, expands a huge flap of skin beneath his jowl and lets out a spine-tingling "GROAR"...repeated multiple times ju st in case you weren't sufficiently terrified. Nearby, a yearling alligator with its stripes struts across the path as well, seemingly unaware of its diminutive size.
I hear two voices approaching: my husband, Noah, and our friend, Chris. We greet each other and drink some water as the sun is starting to get unbearably hot already at 8:30 am.
The sole of one of my shoes came loose in the mud and is now flapping around like a flip flop, attached only by the toe. Noah hands me a plastic grocery bag which I use to tie around the entire shoe to hold the sole in place. Amazingly, this trick actually works and we continue on toward the observation platform at the end of the trail.
We walk right next to gargantuan lotus blossoms and get ankle-deep in mud before finally completing the three mile trail. After taking in some of the panoramic view of the prairie and resting for a spell, we turn
back to head home.
This winter I'll be looking out for the roseate spoonbills, whooping cranes and other migratory birds. Perhaps I'll even join some of the free ranger tours, making up for all those years I didn't know about the many wonders of Paynes Prairie and La Chua Trail.
Map of the trail in Gainesville, FL
Nicole Gilbo is driven by an intense curiosity and she hopes to bring a deeper understanding of our humanity through travel and stories. She lives in Gainesville FL, and has been to 22 countries around the world and enjoys hiking and cycling. Read her blog.
Read more stories about Florida on GoNOMAD
Save time at US Customs with the Global Entry Pass
Apply for this speedy membership, it takes time but it is worth it!
A few years ago I returned to the United States from my first trip to Europe. I touched down in Philadelphia after a ten-hour flight, in desire of only sleep and a change of clothes. What I got was an insanely long line to customs, waiting among a mass of Americans similarly jetlagged and only wanting to get home.
So when I read about Global Entry, a program that allows for speedy re-entrance into the United States for pre-approved and low-risk travelers, I immediatly felt the appeal of this time-saving deal.
How simple is Global Entry? According to the offical website, people with the program simply "proceed to Global Entry kiosks, present their machine-readable passport or U.S. permanent resident card, place their fingertips on the scanner for fingerprint verification, and make a customs declaration. The kiosk issues the traveler a transaction receipt and directs the traveler to baggage claim and the exit."
Global Entry is as simple as visiting a kiosk! No massive lines, no process of questioning, just a quick show of documents, declaration of goods, and identity verification. But getting to the point of being able to actually USE the kiosks is a classic bureaucratic maze...GoNOMAD Editor Max Hartshorne has already tried and been turned down when he tried to get a walk-in appointment at Newark Airport. You have to make an appointment and it's not available at every US airport, so perhaps it's best to try to time the interview on the day you're departing on a trip.
It might seem strange that a process such as this is available this day and age, when airport security is tighter than ever, so it comes as no surprise that qualifying for Global Entry requires a "rigorous background check and interview" process. However, if you travel in and out of the United States often, it is may be more than worth it.
Who is Eligible for Global Entry? All United States citizens are eligible, as well as lawful permanent residents, Mexican nationals, Dutch and South Korean Citizens. Canadian citizens are also eligible for Global Entry benefits if they are members of the NEXUS program, which is expedited border clearance through the United States and Canadian borders.
If you meet any of these requirements and can prove that you are an honest person (no fraud, no criminal record) of low-risk - you're in!
Costs and Application
To apply for the Global Entry program you must pay an application fee of $100. To apply, all you have to do is complete an online application, and if you get approved through the online application, you will then get an interview with a US Customs officer.
While the Global Entry program will get you through customs quicker, aquiring an interview can take weeks. Tens of thousands of applications are sent in each month, which can extend the line for interviews exponentially. Still, all you have to do is wait- you will skip those lines eventuallly.
The most obvious benefit is time- you will save a lot of time you would otherwise spend waiting in line at customs by using Global Entry. You also are saved the hastle of filling out paperwork as well as questioning.
Another great benefit of the Global Entry program is that you are given access to expedited entry benefits in other countries as well. Global Entry may not only save you time entering the United States- but countries you travel to abroad.
These counties include Mexico, Japan, Australa and New Zealand. Japan, Australia, and New Zealand all have similar programs to Global Entry, which allows for members of Global Entry to more easily access these countries benefit programs.
Your Global Entry membership can also be used as a secondary form of ID. It works as an identification document at places such as federal courts and even the DMV. It is, of course, proof of your citizenship, as well as proof of low-risk citizenship.
In Conclusion
If you're a frequent traveler, your Global Entry membership will save you a lot of time and trouble, and will benefit you in more than only the United States. Your membership in the Global Entry program is valid for five years, is simple to aquire and simple to use. For the frequent traveler, the Global Entry Program is definitely something to consider.
More information on the Global Entry Program.
Read about the TSA Precheck, a similar way to speed things up for domestic travel in the US.
Stephanie DiCarlo is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts and has a Bachelor's degree in English and History, as well as a specialization in creative writing. She also writes for the young adult literature magazine Ultimate YA and she likes to travel and eat good food. You can follow her on Twitter at @ccioSteph
Read more stories about air travel on GoNOMAD
Celebrating the French Heritage in North America
"Le canard, le saumon, et le couchon
Ont donne leur vies
Pour provider mon bon petit dejeuner
Au Chateau Frontenac."
"The duck, the salmon, and the pig
Have given their lives
To provide my lovely breakfast
At the Chateau Frontenac."
Just two days in Quebec, and I'm writing poetry in French, celebrating my lovely breakfast of duck pate, lox, bacon, and sausage, with some lovely strawberry jam [confiture] from a confiturerie [jam maker] on the Ile D'Orleans.
You see I'm building my word power by eating delicious food.
There are more than one million reasons to visit Quebec, but the first one has to be the food. Why? Well because they're French, and the French have always had it hands down over the English in preparing and serving food.
I'm ensconced at the Fairmont Chateau Frontenac for four days for the Le Fete de Nouvelle France (the New France Festival) and Quebec City Tourism, and it was an invitation that I would never pass up in a million years.
The Chateau Frontenac, a masterpiece of the Gilded age, built by the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1893, towers over the historic walled city like a stately colossus. It is the most photographed hotel in the world.
New York architect Bruce Price incorporated Medieval and Renaissance features in his design to blend with the architecture of the Old City, founded in 1608.
Churchill and Roosevelt met here with Canadian Prime Minister MacKenzie King to plan strategy during World War II. Albert Hitchcock filmed a movie here, (I Confess, 1953) in which the hotel was a central feature. Princess Grace of Monaco and Queen Elizabeth II both visited here, as did Sarah Bernhardt and Errol Flynn.
Charles Lindberg famously landed his airplane on the nearby Plains of Abraham and strode into the hotel to deliver medicine to his friend Floyd Bennett, who was suffering from pneumonia.
At the Chateau Frontenac, I had a chance to really kick back and enjoy the most splendid destination in North America.
The hotel has just had a throrough renovation to brighten it up without affecting its historic character. They have enlarged the luxurious spa, the fitness center and the pool area, replaced carpeting wallpaper and room decor, and improved their facilites for meetings and conferences.
Before long, I was inspired to venture outside with Quebec's best guide, Sharon Frenette!
All the historical and cultural sights are a short walk away. There's the Upper City and the Citadel up on the cliffs, where the one percenters -- the nobility and the clergy -- lived back in the day.
The riffraff like you and me lived down below by the port in the Lower City.
In the Upper City, you can see the park of Joan of Arc, the Parliament Building, and the Plains of Abraham, where General James Wolfe marshalled his troops on that fateful morning in 1759 when the British took the city and put an end to French rule in North America.
Quebec has been beseiged many times in its long history, but General Wolfe was the only one who ever took it. Legend has it that he saw some women climbing down the cliffs, to wash clothes in the river.
The next morning, Wolfe had his men scamper up the same way. By the time the French general, the Marquis de Montcalm, got his forces ready, the English had already had their tea and were ready to fight.
In the brief engagement that followed, both generals were killed, but the British took the city and Quebec became, in theory, part of the British Empire, but take my word for it, they're still French.
The battlefield is a park now, where they hold an enormous music festival in the summer.
The port of Quebec and the historic Lower City can be reached by a tram car, the funicular, or by the stairs, which are quite numerous, but good for you.
The Lower City is a delightful warren of cobblestone streets, art galleries, shops, cafes, museums, hotels and restaurants, with historic murals and street musicians to enhance the experience.
You can amble along the docks of the port city and take a ferry ride and view the city from the St. Lawrence River, as the first settlers did. And then there's the splendid Cathedral de Notre Dame.
Millions of tourists come from all over the world to experience Quebec City, because it is a truly unique destination, a European walled city in North America, and the people of Quebec have worked hard to preserve the city's historic character.
There are a lot of visitors, especially when the cruise ships dock there, but the city manages them well, and maintains a relaxed, unhurried atmosphere.
The whole city is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and I had a wonderful time taking in the sights, sampling the superb cuisine, riding the funicular, and learning about the city's history.
Quebec was founded by Samuel de Champlain in 1608, but Jacques Cartier wintered over there back in 1545. It was once the capital of New France, a trading network that covered two-thirds of North America.
The best time to go, for my money, is during the New France Festival in early August, when people dress up in period costumes and there are all kinds of presentations and reenactments to give visitors a sense of what life was like in Quebec in the 1600s.
Many Quebecois are decked out in period costumes: lots of beruffled aristocrats in waistcoats and knee breeches and their ladies in elaborate gowns and coiffures, and soldiers and trappers and blacksmiths and Native Americans and bourgeois like me.
I was fitted out for a costume, which was tremendous fun, because some of the tourists wanted to take a photo with me!
My costume had a lot of bling -- ruffles and satin and gold lace -- but it was blue, to distinguish it from the burgundy outfits worn by the nobility.
So I was "new money," but hey, I'll take it. New money is better than no money at all.
We attended one of the splendid banquets held nightly on the Quai de Pionniers, where we enjoyed five sumptuous courses paired with sprightly local wines. With sprightly dancing girls performing in between.
Foie gras poêlé [pan-seared foie gras], purée de topinambours [Jerusalem artichokes], grenadins de veau [veal grenadin], champignons sauvage [wild mushrooms], crème mascarpone aux petits fruits de saison -- now that's what I call building your word power!
Montreal is a true bilingual city where menus and signage are in English and French. In Quebec, the primary language is French, and people here place great importance on preserving their historic heritage. The New France Festival and the Carnaval de Quebec held in winter are part of what keeps Quebec French.
I had the opportunity of dicussing this subject with Stephan Parent, the executive director of the New France Festival.
He explained that the educational component of the festival has to be combined with performance art, and music, and reenactments, and family history, to create a combined effect to recreate the city's heritage.
In other words, the history of New France is packaged in pageantry with a parade and fireworks and costumes to stimulate the imagination.
This year, the theme was to "Celebrate our Builders," and there were many historical interpreters to tell the stories of the people who came to the new world for so many different reasons: soldiers, trappers, nuns and monks.
Presenters also brought to life the stories of the "Filles de Roi," the women who came here on a royal ticket to take their chances with the men of Quebec. Let the record show, most of them ended up in happy marriages.
When you go to Quebec City, as you must, be sure to leave time to tour the Ile D'Orleans, an island on the St. Lawrence River known as the "Garden of Quebec."
The island, which is about 20 miles long and five miles wide, is reached by a bridge from the mainland, and the road that runs around the perimeter is dotted by little villages with farms and artisan studios and art galleries.
Here we toured a confitururie, a 17th-century manor house, a vineyard, and a farm that grows black currants used to make wine, and sweets, and a delicious liqueur known as creme de cassis.
At the confitururie, Tigido, we met Vincent Paris, the confiturier, and sampled some jams made from the luscious berries that abound on the island.
The strawberry jam was a triumph in its own right, but we also tried strawberry with lavender and my favorite, strawberry with basil.
At the Manoir Mauvide-Genest, we were transported back to the household of a wealthy doctor in the colony in the 1600s, and all the housewares and artifacts and costumes, as well as the architecture and decorations of the house itself, really gave a vivid impression of what life was like in the early years of the settlement.
At the Cassis Monna et Filles, we learned the many wonderful uses of the black currants they grow there.
Founded by Bernard Monna in 1971, and now run by his daughters Anne and Catherine, the farm is known around the world for its award-winning wines, liqueurs and syrups.
We met with Anne and Bernard, who described their plans for a major renovation of their farm and restaurant.
We also visited Vignoble de L'Isle de Bacchus, one of the many vineyards that take advantage of the 'micro-climate' on the Isle d'Orleans, which was originally named the Island of Bacchus because of the grapes that were already growing there when the first French settlers arrived.
Manager Jackie Gilbert explained that the mists of the St. Lawrence River protect the hillside vineyards from abrupt changes in temperature and allow for a longer growing season. She said the island's northern climate also allows them to produce ice wine, which is made from grapes that are frozen whille still on the vine.
On the final evening of our stay in Quebec, we dined with M. Parent at the Frontenac's Champlain Restaurant, and were dazzled by a magnificent seven-course dinner created by Chef Stephane Modat, building our word power still more. Can you say canard avec asperge et navets puree?
M. Parent said next year's festival may emphasize Quebec's status as a port city, and perhaps stage a reenactment of the siege of Quebec in 1690 when the city was attacked by a fleet commanded by Governor William Phipps of Massachusetts.
When Phipps sent envoys to ask for his surrender. the Count de Frontenac famously declared, "I have no response for your general except from the mouths of my cannon," and he drove off the British fleet with a well-aimed cannonade.
I must say, as a Boston boy, I found my own reception much more congenial.
While the New France Festival is great fun, Quebec is a wonderful place to visit any time of year. They have festivals all the time, so many that the city is known as "La Ville Festive."
And besides the Chateau Frontenac, Quebec has more than 12,000 places to stay, ranging from luxury hotels like the Auberge Saint-Antoine and the Art Nouveau Clarendon to small family-operated inns.
For further information, visit websites for
Quebec City
Province of Quebec
New France Festival
Stephen Hartshorne is the Associate Editor of GoNOMAD.com. He writes a blog called Armchair Travel about books he finds at flea markets and tag sales. Read more stories by Stephen Hartshorne on GoNOMAD
Steve's Clumsy Videos
Pourquoi Pas, a band from Ontario, rocks the New France Festival in Quebec:
Watch the video
Newport, VT: A City on the Verge
As a summer's day came to a close and the sun began to sink over Lake Memphremagog, the captain's voice came over the loudspeaker aboard the Northern Star, a small cruise boat that takes evening cruises on this big lake separating Vermont and Canada.
"We're just about to cross the border into Canada," he said, noting the floating markers across the lake. "But we
won't be needing our passports because we're not going much farther."
At each side of the lake the border was marked by clear cut trees, a clean ribbon denoting our national border.
If we had kept traveling north another 20 miles we would have been in a thriving tourist city, Magog, in Quebec.
Newport Vermont has ambitions to be as vibrant and to draw almost as many tourists as Magog, and today, six decrepit buildings await the wrecking ball as a plan envisioned by local business leader Bill Stenger plays out.
EB5 Funding is the Key
The plan is modeled after the successful funding of $200 million for a water park, ice rink, and three new lodging buildings at nearby Jay Peak Resort using the EB5 program. This federal program allows foreigners to invest in certain qualifying job-creating projects in the US in exchange for green cards for them and their families to live in the US.
Locally, there is a mix of skepticism and excitement for Stenger's idea of tearing down the big chunk of Main Street and replacing it with a five-story mix of swank retail shops and apartments. The small town of 5000 residents has seen and heard plenty of talk over the years.
But Stenger's vision for Newport goes further. For example, who ever thought to have a supermarket's ugly dumpster and parking area face a scenic lake? He wants to raze the market and build a hotel, conference center and marina to make the lakefront the city's jewel.
Today in Newport, even though millions have been spent lakeside on a city building and a bike trail as well as the new Northeast Kingdom Tasting Center, there are stubborn locals who balk at the idea of turning the sleepy town into someplace exciting. But as Stemple grinds on and meets deadlines locals and transplants alike are beginning to believe that someday Newport can become a popular tourist destination.
Northeast Kingdom Tasting Center
One exciting project that's already been built in a unique partnership is the Northeast Kingdom Tasting Center, in a former two-story department store downtown. The old store was converted into a thriving restaurant and a selection of stalls offering tastes of Vermont-grown produce, meats, wines and other local products.
Inside the high ceilinged tasting area, friendly vendors share samples of their cheeses,
maple syrup products and charcuterie. There is also a bakery that relocated from the condemned houses across the street. The Brown Dog Bistro is the anchor restaurant on the main floor, and here we tasted some of the local meats and beers while hearing about the exciting plans afoot with new owners in nearby Burke Mountain and the ongoing developments at Jay Peak.
"Trains used to bring people here from Boston back in the day," said Rob Hodgkins, Director of Resort Sales at Jay Peak. "Newport was definitely on the tourist map, and it can get that way again."
Winter Fun
Every winter locals make use of the big lake when it freezes. Besides a colony of ice-fishing shacks, they plow a path for miles of ice skating and some people travel all the way to Canada!
Just outside of Newport, past a collection of rusting snow cats is Kingdom Brewing, where Jenn Cook and her husband Brian brew beer using a geothermal system and a wood burning furnace. Jenn is one of only two female brewers in Vermont, and Brian is the tinkerer who built their 15 barrel system next to their farm, where they raise angus beef cattle.
A highlight of their herd's day is when Brian loads up a bucket full of spent mash that makes the cows run for their feeding station. They LOVE the mash with its sweet liquid, non-alcoholic
by-products of the beer making process.
Visitors flock to the brewery's cozy tasting room for the newest brews and they like to watch the angus slurping up their hoppy feed.
It's all a part of the Kingdom Brewing Experience!
In this part of Vermont, local beers are revered, said Cook. For instance, when the Hill Farmland Brewery releases one of their rare brews, fans follow the trucks just to get a taste.
At Kingdom Brewing, Jenn makes one beer using maple sap instead of water. She also experiments with different tastes, like using spruce tips in place of hops. We tried their pumpkin Imperial IPA and a 16% alcohol drink they make called The Taste of the Kingdom, which is aged in oak barrels. Delicious!
Clyde River Paddling
There are a lot of fun things to do in this part of Vermont, thanks to the gorgeous green surroundings and abundant natural attractions.
A highlight for us was a leisurely paddle down the Clyde River in rented kayaks. For only $18 each, we were suited up with kayaks, life jackets and given a ride ten miles up river.
There we joined a legion of others who meandered down the winding river, enjoying the natural beauty and a nice steady water flow. Contact Clyde River Recreation at 802-895-4400 in West Charleston VT.
Vermont Reindeer Farm
We drove the scenic farm roads, stopping at farmstands and looking at bric-a-brac on our way to the state's only reindeer farm, operated by a former school teacher, Pauline Broe, who really knows how to create attractions that kids enjoy.
A tour of her small farm starts with various animals like donkeys and ducks in a small pen and then goes into the barn for some hands-on patting of goats, bunnies, and other animals.
There is a nature trail that is easy to navigate with kids and of course, the star attractions--Comet and Prancer and Blixen. These rescued reindeer, who come from all over the country, have soft velvet antlers and the same face as a cow. They are a treat to see up close. Once they lived in Disneyland in California, and now they live in a more suitable climate in Newport. Find out more about visiting the reindeer at the Vermont Reindeer Farm, 3108 Chilafoux Rd West Charleston. 802-754-9583.
Vermont, more than any other eastern state, is prouder of its farmers than just about anyone else. There are many young farmers making a good living in the Green Mountain State, and to the locals they are the rock stars!
Visiting farms brings you close to their products and they love sharing their stories. Not all farms want visitors from the flatlands, but if you call ahead, you can often set up a family visit.
Butterworks Farm
In Westfield, outside of Newport, is one of the state's oldest organic farms, that began producing cheeses, cream and yogurt in 1979.
They don't use any antibiotics or hormones, relying on the natural, nutrient rich soils and grass to sustain their cows.
Jack and Christine Lazor and their family have a herd of happy Jersey cows.
They're probably so happy because they get to graze a beautiful new swath of green grass every week, while their owners move the fences to move to greener pastures to feed their ravenous appetites.
During the winter, they live in a solar barn where fresh bedding is added twice a day from November to May so they don't have to go outside into the cold. During the summer they spend most of their time munching all of that abundant Vermont grass and timothy.
You'll find Butterwork's products such as their yogurt in stores like Whole Foods.
Berry Creek Farm
At Berry Creek Farm, the star is definitely the organic vegetables. For 22 years Rosemary and Gerard Croizet have led Vermont's organic revolution and now have a retail store with gorgeous veggies for visitors and a CSA for local residents who want a weekly bag of goodness they can pick up.
Gerard was born in France, where he met Rosemary, and he has the taciturn yet friendly demeanor of a man with a lot of work ahead of him. It's a busy place--because farming is a whole lot of work!
Berry Creek's farm store here offers homemade jams, maple syrup, honey, salad dressings, hanging baskets and of course a large selection of organic produce. You can tour the farm and see where each of their delicious veggies comes from!
Find out more about visiting Newport at their website, Discover Newport.
Find our more about vacations all around Vermont at VermontVacation.com.
For information about Vermont's Northeast Kingdom, visit www.travelthekingdom.com
Max Hartshorne is the editor of GoNOMAD, which is published in South Deerfield MA. He writes a daily blog called Readuponit. Read more of his stories at his author page on GoNOMAD.
Read more stories about Vermont:
Coos County, NH: Ride the Wilds
Coos is at the very tip of the state, 90 miles north of the interstate, where the roads are hilly and the scenery can be breathtaking.
"Ride the Wilds" personifies the new optimism in the North Country. The paper mills closed. The furniture manufacturers laid everyone off. The hardscabble New Englanders needed a redo.
So they took their best asset, the beauty of the nature around them, encouraged and supported each other's new outdoor businesses, created jobs, and are riding the wild right out of this recession. And guess what? It's working!
Bear Rock Adventures
You the traveler and adventurer benefit from the growing number of fun and family friendly activities that are now available in this most northern of New Hampshire's counties. We started our Ride the Wild experience high on a hill in Colebrook at Bear Rock Adventures. A converted barn housing clean and new ATVs sits beside the trailhead to 1000 miles of riding –- the largest ATV park in the country.
You can go for an hour ride or you can go and go and go... These two or six seat vehicles are loads of fun to drive yourself or you can l
et a competent guide drive you.
I enjoyed being driven by our guide Casey Hibbard. While bumping and splashing through woods and fields she shared stories of the area, the possible renovation of Dixville Notch Resort which we could see through our mud splattered windshield.
She even drove us into town where we filled up with diesel fuel. Due to a smart change in state law you can now drive ATVs on the local roads to get gas, lunch, go to your hotel, or onto other trails.
I asked Casey if the 1000 mile trail was restricted to ATVs. "Oh no!" she said "the trails are open to all. Hikers, mountain bikers, cross country skiers, snowmobilers, horseback riders. Kids as young as 12 can drive the ATVs.
"And grandparents enjoy going for the ride too especially the sunset tour when you can often see a moose" she said. Another ATV driver told me he saw a bear swimming across the river during his trail ride. I was glad Casey knew the way back. Rates start at $150 for 1/2 day.
Rafting the Rapid River
Our next wild ride took us whitewater rafting on the Rapid River, the steepest river in Maine. A sleepy looking group of us assembled In Errol, NH. Soon we would be at full wide awake attention! Jim Cochran, founder of ELC Rafting, put us on his bus for a pleasant ride into Maine to our launching site called "Pond in the River." We climbed into inflatable rubber rafts and sevenpeople per raft (owner Jim was our boat guide).
A leisurely half-hour paddle followed. "Where is the whitewater?" I asked Jim."Just wait."
And suddenly, even oddly, the silence changed to the sound of cascading water as the pond (a lake really) gave way to a roaring river. We hurtled down past boulders with water splashing onto our faces and Jim yelling "pull right" and "pull left" and "do not to fall overboard" and other orders I barely heard over the increasing cacophony of quickening water.
We came to a calmer section and we all congratulated each other on our teamwork. The next set of rapids called Devil's Hopyard, proved even more challenging.
Here we learned many rafts flip over. We hung on but we did go over a boulder with a big splash and get stuck behind it spinning wildly until all of us, pulling together, popped out of the eddy with a jolt. What fun!
During our lunch break most of us took a swim in the cascading water (all wearing life jackets). It really was not a swim, more like a roller coaster ride. And most surprisingly the water was comfortable, almost warm. Because the headwaters to the Rapid River comes from a shallow sunshine absorbing lake the water temperature was very comfortable.
Returning Every Year
Andrea and her two sons from West Virginia shared my boat. Every year they return to the North Country for a summer adventure. This was their second trip with ELC Rafting. At some point we crossed back into New Hampshire and our Rapid River spilled into scenic Lake Umbagog. We climbed into waiting pontoon boats for an hour-long trip across the lake.
I was tired from all the paddling and glad for the rest. I sat next to Andrea a dental assistant from Rhode Island. Her husband and their four children still looked eager for more. "How did you pick this trip?" I asked her. "I have always been afraid of rapids and whitewater," she said. "And the kids wanted to do it."
"Did you enjoy it?" "Oh yes, we'll be back next summer." Our pontoon pulled into dock as a black lab leaped 20 feet off the pier in pursuit of a flying stick. A short walk from the pier brought us to our
waiting cars. Perfect. www.maine-rafting.com
Our Cabin with a View
We settled in for the night at the Cabins at Lopstick, Pittsburg. The peculiar name comes from what is left when someone has logged a bunch of trees, and just one tree remains...the lopstick.
Our cabin, nestled high on a hill overlooking the First Connecticut Lake, gave us that New Hampshire back woods feel but with all the creature comforts.
Over a glass of wine on our deck we congratulated ourselves on making reservations as all 58 cabins were sold out, which is a common occurence we learned.Our cabin had three bedrooms, a full kitchen, an outside grill, and two full baths.
The beds were comfortable; everything was very clean. Management offers kayak and canoe rentals. Canada is just nine miles up the road.
The place to eat in Pittsburg is Murphy's Steakhouse. On our way to dinner we saw a sign by the side of the road, "Do Not Stop to Watch Moose." In front of and in back of the sign 20 cars parked, with us it made 21. At the woods edge, grazing and ignoring all the people, stood a pair of magnificent moose. These moose were our second moose sighting in two days!
An old farmhouse was tastefully converted into Murphy's Steakhouse. We sat in the former living room. While enjoying our gourmet meal (much more than steaks are offered) the owner, Georgie Lyons, stopped by to chat.
We could tell Georgie enjoyed her work. "It is like a dinner party every night," she said. While talking with her I got the feeling we were in a special place in the North Country where time slowed down and people relished time to talk and listen to each other.
I got the same feeling walking the next morning into "Le Rendez-vous Bakery," in Colebrook and meeting Verlaine Daeron. Verlaine and her husband Marc Ounis, from Paris, France no less, own and operate this
authentic French Cafe.
A few years ago on a trip back to Paris Verlaine and Marc found they were denied entry back to the US by the Immigration Bureau.
As beloved members of the Colebrook community outraged citizens besieged their Congressmen to "let our French friends back!" It worked. The Rendez-vous is a unique treasure for locals and for travelers to discover.
Fly Fishing on the Connecticut River
Perhaps my last but favorite "Ride the Wild" North Country adventure was fly fishing. We met Bill Barnhardt of Lopstick Outfitters , a ruggedly handsome licensed New Hampshire Guide, back at the Lopstick Cabin headquarters. He outfitted us with waders and special nonslip waterproof boots. In order to get our one-day NH fishing license we had pay $15 and answer a government questionnaire (hair color, DOB, weight, eye color etc. - do the fish care and what happened to "live free or die")?
Off we went on a sun dappled summer day in Bills comfortable truck to fish the headwaters of the Connecticut River. The secret spot Bill chose we found full of other fly fishermen. "No problem," Bill said and off we went to another, more secluded location known to our local expert.
That is only one reason we were glad we had a professional guide. He picked the right type of wet flies, he held our hand to make sure we did not fall as we walked across the Connecticut River several times (it was only 10 yards wide), he taught us how to p
roperly cast and he told us of his adventures as a fishing guide in Patagonia, Chile.
Under Bill's tutelage we both caught some beautiful rainbow trout which we promptly released. Bill knows his fly fishing and is a delight to spend time with, especially if you're holding a fish rod.
Getting to Northern New Hampshire
The beautiful and uncrowded interstate 91 goes as far north as Littleton, NH, and from there it's all two-lane winding roads. It's 90 miles to Colebrook and about 20 more miles to the Canadian border. There are few large stores up here, so plan ahead. To find out more about this beautiful and mostly undiscovered Coos County, visit NewHampshireGrand.com.
The Cabins at Lopstick and Lopstick Outfitters
45 Stewart Young Rd, Daniel Webster Hwy, Pittsburg, NH 03592
(603) 538-6659
Jack Dunphy right, rides bikes, kayaks and runs a property management business in Greenfield MA. His most recent project is the Orange Innovation Center, where an old mill is being transformed for the 21st century. Read more stories by Jack Dunphy on GoNOMAD:
Big Bear Lake, CA: Sunny All the time
Lewiston, Maine: The Exciting Center of the Pine Tree State
Read more stories about New Hampshire on GoNOMAD
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