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Traveling is more than pasttime for Gilbert novelist Ann Port.
Three of her four books reflect the sights and history she soaks up traveling Europe with husband Mike Port, a former general manager of the California Angels, first president of the Arizona Fall League in 1992, and former vice president of umpiring for Major League Baseball.
One book, "It's All In The Title," is even more personal in some ways: "It's a mystery about a female baseball executive and the choices she has to make.... It incorporates humorous stories from his life in the game along with two of my passions, European travel and good mysteries."
That book and her three other self-published novels — "The Bernini Quest," "A Fair Exchange," and "The Iznik Enigman" — are all available on amazon.com and at Changing Hands bookstore in Tempe. She now writes mysteries.
Port, who moved to Gilbert from Massachusetts in September, discussed her novels and approach to writing in a recent e-mail interview.
Question: When did you write your first mystery?
Answer: The first novel I wrote was actually the third book I published. I began "A Fair Exchange" in 1990. During my graduate studies I took a course in the history of Germany from 1914-1945 and another in the psychology of the German people during the Nazi era. I became fascinated, that so many of the ordinary German people were able to ignore the atrocities being committed around them.
In 1990, after reading an article about a series of high-flight experiments that took place in the Dachau concentration camp in 1942, I wrote the novel based on these tests with the premise that there had to be ethical individuals among Hitler's elite who opposed the party philosophy and attempted to do their part to help those who were suffering at the hands of the SS. After completing the book, I realized it lacked authenticity, so I traveled to Munich and Dachau to do on-site research....
I published two other books before "A Fair Exchange," primarily because I wanted to begin with "lighter" subject matter, but "A Fair Exchange" taught me that I couldn't write about a place I hadn't been or didn't know about. That began my passion for European travel....Over the years I've been teased about the extensive diaries I keep during these trips. I use the diaries to create settings for the books.
Q: Do you specialize in mysteries and if so, why? What attracted you to this genre?
A: I must confess, I don't read mysteries like the ones I write.I like mysteries on TV, particularly "Castle." The show has many twists and turns that keep me puzzled until the end. I've been told in letters and in reviews by readers on Amazon that my books are like that. They have those same twists and turns and once they begin reading, they "can't put it down," That is the greatest compliment I could receive.
Q: How has travel influenced your writing?
A: Travel has played a key role in all of my novels. Each book is set in a location I love. When writing "A Fair Exchange," I learned a writer should write about what she knows, so along with the research I do for each book, I spend time in the cities/countries where the books take place. I love Scotland/England. ...My next novel to be published later this year, "Without Reason," takes place in another favorite place, Perigord Noir in the Dordogne region of France. After that, I will publish "Promises Fulfilled", a mystery set in present-day Paris and Paris during the Nazi occupation. This story about a young woman's effort to recover art stolen from her grandmother during the occupation incorporates my passion for travel, my interest in Nazi Germany, and my love of art.
Q: Who is your favorite mystery writer and why?
A: Because I taught AP English for so many years, I'd have to say that most of my favorite authors are those I taught about. I am a Jane Austen fanatic. I've written an entire sequel to "Pride and Prejudice" in my head, though I'd never insult Austen by putting the novel on paper. I love the classics, from the "wordy" Austen to the terse, Hemingway. That said, I do read "modern" novels. I'm not a James Patterson fan, but I do like The Women's Murder Club series. I read James Rollins, Dan Brown, and Steve Berry. Though their plots are much more violent than the ones I write, they too incorporate history in their mysteries."
Q: What is the biggest challenge in writing mysteries?
A: Each time an author publishes, she learns a new lesson. When I published "It's All In The Title," my editor cut out over 15,000 words. I wanted to tell the reader everything I knew about the settings....The second challenge for me is to be sure that everything in the plot connects. Nothing introduced early in the novel can be left "hanging" at the end. Characters must be accounted for and developed so they're believable. ...Finally, keeping track of everything that goes on in 400 pages is difficult. I keep a pad beside me when I revise so I don't forget to add additional information when needed.
Q: Do you write each day and if so, how much time do you spend on it daily?
A: My usual pattern is to get up early and write for three to four hours while I'm fresh. I can usually finish a chapter in that time period. I do other things throughout the day. In the evening, I take what I've written that morning, read, revise, and add notes and additional thoughts.
Q: You mentioned having a fan base back East? Do you get many letters from readers?
A: Marketing a self-published novel is very difficult. Most of the book promotion is done by word of mouth. I am fortunate to have many fans who recommend the book to people they know who, in turn, recommend the novels to their friends. The process is slow, but with good reviews on Amazon for each book, and likes on my Facebook page, I am developing a fan base of individuals who "can't wait for the next book."
Q: Any advice for would-be novelists?
A: Don't give up on your dream to publish. With publishing on demand on such sites as CreateSpace, an Amazon company, self-publishing is affordable....I've chosen to stay with self-publishing because I have more control over the content, the time-schedule for publishing, and the creative process.


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Global: A Cessna 402 crashed in the Bahamas yesterday, killing all eight on board.
Continental: Unsuccessful Times Square bomber Faizal Shahzad was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Regional: The Major League Baseball postseason is about to begin, and there are zero Southern California teams in the playoffs. The only California team in the postseason is the San Francisco Giants.
Local: Melodic metal band Seven Minute Silence returns to Liam's Irish Pub in Colton this Friday night, October 8th.

subset: commoncrawl


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Inherently Funny
Denim jacket worn with jeans. See also Denim.
Added by Frank on December 4, 2007 | 7 people like this You Like This | Unlike
Up in Northern Ontario, we have a variation called the "Sudbury Tuxedo"- a ski-doo suit complete with helmet and boots.
Says Robyn on December 5, 2007
hah, dorks. You're on water. Why do you need a helmet?
Says Godzilla in a Helmet and Protective Padding on December 12, 2007
SKI-doo, not SEA-doo. SKI-doo as in SNOWMOBILE. Dork.
Says Robyn on December 13, 2007
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MAGNONE, Maria, 95, of Follansbee passed away Tuesday.
Visitation 3-7 p.m. Thursday at Greco-Hertnick Funeral Home, Weirton, WV. Mass 10 a.m. Friday at St. Joseph the Worker Roman Catholic Church.
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Quite a few of today's buzzwords don't mean anything definite either to the people who are listening or talking. If 'Application Lifecycle Management' (ALM) seems to you to fall into this group, though, I would argue it shouldn't. In fact, I bet I could get...
from Blog: IBM Software Community


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Thunder Valley Casino Resort offers ongoing text alerts through an auto-dialer system to consumers interested in receiving offers, property and amenity discounts, as well as events, promotions and information related to Thunder Valley. A message will be sent to your mobile device for verification.
Up to 8 messages per month. Message and Data Rates May Apply. Text HELP or TVCCLUB to 55678 for help. Text STOP or TVCCLUB to 55678 to cancel. You will be unsubscribed from our SMS text messaging service immediately. Once you have cancelled, you will not receive any additional messages unless you re-register. See terms of use faq below. You must have a two-way text-enabled phone with compatible carrier and plan. Compatible carriers include Alltel Wireless, AT&T, Boost Mobile, Cricket Wireless, MetroPCS, Nextel, Sprint, T-Mobile®, U.S. Cellular, Verizon Wireless, Virgin Mobile USA, Tier 2/3 Carrier Group and Associated Carrier Group. Text messaging is not available in all areas of the United States. Consent is NOT required to purchase goods or services.
To get help, contact 1-877-468-8777. You can request help or our contact information any time from your mobile device by texting HELP or TVCCLUB to 55678.
© Thunder Valley Casino Resort. If you think you have a gambling problem call (800) 522-4700.


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Community Turns Out Online for SNC During Nevada's Big Give
On Thursday, April 25th – during the 24-hour period of Nevada's Big Give – 81 members of the College's extended community participated in a major online effort that officially raised $61,296 in support of SNC. Their results gave the College the #1 position statewide for cumulative dollars raised among the 397 participating nonprofits stretching from Reno to Las Vegas to Elko.
President Lynn Gillette applauded the intense one-day effort, "The energy level and enthusiasm was absolutely outstanding – a testament to how the College is moving forward and the excitement that we all feel about what the College is accomplishing. We had donations from every sector: alumni, faculty, staff, parents, graduating seniors, members of our Board of Trustees, and a number of individuals in the community. Most significantly, contributions ranged from $10 to $20,000 – a testament to the importance of gifts of every size. Forty-three gifts were at the level of $10-$25 and that made all the difference in terms of our overall level of participation."
The day got off to a serious competitive start following a phone call from SNC Board of Trustees Member Bridge Stuart, who informed President Gillette that he would make challenge contribution of up to $20,000. Stuart knew the incredible power of a matching challenge. He was followed in quick succession by Board Vice-Chair Atam Lalchandani, who added to the challenge amount, and then President Gillette and Past President Ben Solomon and his wife Margaret created an additional challenge aimed at alumni, graduating seniors, parents, faculty, and staff.
Alumni and graduating seniors made an especially strong showing with a combined total of 32 gifts – approximately a third the total number of contributions. Graduating seniors logged in as a part of a special Senior Class "$19.69" effort – challenging them to give an amount recognizing the year of the College's founding, for the opportunity to see President Gillette dance the hula at the Luau two days prior to graduation.
Several donors made contributions outside of the online vehicle and although not included in the official tally of the Big Give – these boosted the final level of support to $62,896.
Nevada's Big Give was organized by NevadaGIVES, a nonprofit whose mission is to raise awareness of and increase charitable giving in Nevada. This was the second year for the Big Give; statewide $554,142 was raised from 4,482 individual donors during the 24-hour period.


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Do you think Dovi would be going to Yamaha, if given factory support from Honda? A good coat of paint makes any bit of scrap look new. Would you like to ride for a team who want you to ride for them or because your contract says so? Good luck Dovi clear out the drift wood.


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Galiano Island, BC
Carseat tied to the dodger for safety!
Natalie is quickly acquiring the necessary skills for the sailing life.
Natalie at the helm crossing Haro Strait. It's so nice to get a break from steering now that she's around. Rich and I just lounge around all day long. ;)
We left Friday Harbor after a few days and cleared Canadian customs at South Pender Island, BC. We spent two nights here and it was not easy to leave the beautiful view from the resort's hot tub especially since the temperatures have been in the 40s at night.
We began our trip with friends in Everett, WA and their two little girls. Justin and Rich sailed the boat up to Friday Harbor (and if hypothetically the boat were to have gone aground briefly in my absence at the helm I'm sure I would not be one to like mention that on a blog or even bring it up in discussions, I'm sure) and Iva and I brought the kids by ferry. We all reunited and had a blast hanging out in the sunshine and introducing the little girls to the one-eyed, overfed seal named Popeye who lives in the marina.


text: RECORD February 12, 2012 Something wicked is happening in El Solitario MC's roads. 3 Responses to "RECORD" Kristina February 12, 2012 >que intriga……. Reply ElSolitarioMC February 12, 2012 >uyuyuy… Reply MKSIM. February 13, 2012 >Can't wait to see the result ! Reply Leave a Reply Click here to cancel reply. Name (required) Email (will not be published) (required) Website Comment


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BVN : Analysis & Opinions
Year-End Recap For Gold StocksDecember 27, 2012For the gold miners, 2012 could be a year to forget, but 2013 could be a better year for the sector.
Gold and Silver Stocks, Including Eldorado Gold Corporation, ...November 28, 2012The Nasdaq remains relatively unchanged, the S&P 500 has climbed 0.1% and the Dow has moved up 0.2% after the morning's ...
Gold and Silver Stocks, Including Silver Wheaton Corp, Making ...November 14, 2012The Nasdaq has declined 0.4%, the S&P 500 is trading down 0.5% and the Dow has fallen 0.7% on a bad morning for the market. ...
The Gold Miners Start To ShineJune 18, 2012As gold prices continue to rise, gold miners could start to shine once again.
Peru Relies On Metals And ChinaApril 26, 2012Peru has an impressive P/E ratio and its stock has been performing well lately, but the country's success largely depends ...
Better Latin American Buys Than Argentina (YPF, ARGT, EPU, GXG, ...April 26, 2012Argentina's recent decision to nationalize its oil interests is a troubling precedent for the nation. However, there are ...
Finding Big Dividends In GoldDecember 5, 2011With gold prices remaining high, the gold mining sector could be an income seekers dream.
Peru's Big DecisionJune 3, 2011Investors fret as Peru prepares for a new president.
The Latin American FrontierMarch 23, 2011While Brazil and Mexico get all the investor attention in Latin America, some of the faster growing opportunities are beyond ...
The Frontier AwaitsMay 25, 2009Frontier market ETFs offer investors to participate in the "emerging nations of tomorrow."
Hedge Inflation With Gold ETFsJune 25, 2008Gold ETFs provide a refuge for investors. We examine top funds that focus on bullion, mining and futures contracts.
A Golden Hedge Against InflationMarch 28, 2008With inflation on the move, we hear gold is the answer, but which stocks should you choose? With USAGX the work is done for ...
Trading Center


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More New and Used
from Private Sellers
Note: Supplemental materials are not guaranteed with Rental or Used book purchases.
Collaborative School Reviews : How to Shape Schools from the Inside
ISBN13:by Freedman, Beverley A.; Di Cecco, Raffaella C.
Corwin Pr
Questions About This Book?
What version or edition is this?
This is the edition with a publication date of 4/16/2013.
What is included with this book?
- The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any CDs, lab manuals, study guides, etc.
- The eBook copy of this book is not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically only the book itself is included.
How do you know if improvement is really happening? Collaborative school reviews allow educators to examine a range of student achievement data as part of evidence-based decision making and provide suggestions for improvement back to the school and district. When it comes to the Common Core, they can also be used to ensure fidelity of quality and intent about curriculum. This resource: Describes the four key components of collaborative school reviews-design, planning, implementation, and securing accountability Walks district and school-based educators through the review process Includes look-fors, protocols, templates, and other ready-to-use resources to get you started


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Meet and Communicate with Fun Singles Near You on JDate
Register now to search thousands of members and post your FREE profile!
See who's on JDate:
I am a young woman who loves to have fun! I enjoy life and love learning about new things. I have a good sense of humor and am caring a...
YayaD095 is a 32yr-old single woman in Columbia, TennesseeView Profile


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The winners of New York University's 67th annual First Run Film Festival, which premieres the work of some of the country's top student films from the Kanbar Institute of Film and Television at the Tisch School of the Arts, were announced last night at a ceremony at the Cantor Film Center presided over by Mary Schmidt Campbell, dean of the Tisch School.
This year's Festival screened over 130 films, videos, multimedia, and animation projects. Six outstanding student films were singled out for the Kanbar Institute's top film prizes and over $50,000 in cash awards.
The winners of the Charles and Lucille King Family Foundation Awards for Excellence in Filmmaking are: 1st prize ($10,000) - Kim Spurlock (Graduate Division) for "Down in Number 5" and Stephen Neary (Undergraduate Division) for "Chicken Cowboy"; 2nd prize ($7,000) - Rashaad Ernesto Green (Graduate Division) for "Premature" and Andrew Simkiss (Undergraduate Division) for Sane Jules Blaine; 3rd prize ($5,000) - Carlo Mirabella-Davis (Graduate Division) for "Knife Point" and Razan Ghalayini (Undergraduate Division) for "Noor."
In addition, the winners of the King Award for Best Screenwriting ($3,000) are: Rashaad Ernesto Green (Graduate) for "Premature" and Stephen Neary (Undergraduate) for "Chicken Cowboy." The winners of the Wasserman Award for Best Directing ($2,000) are: Kim Spurlock (Graduate) for "Down in Number 5" and Stephen Neary (Undergraduate) for "Chicken Cowboy."
The winners join past recipients Spike Lee, Ang Lee, and Nancy Savoca, among many others. A panel of industry professionals selected the winning films from a group of 14 finalists.


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Redstate Has Become Bot Central — We Need A Moratorium
When HWSNBN had Bots crawling all across the internet spamming websites like Redstate, the management of this site placed a ban on all mention of HWSNBN for six months. What we have here is a unique Bot situation. We have the Pro-Bots crawling all over the internet promoting SWSNBN as a combination Joan of Arc, Ronald Reagan and Mother Teresa. At the same time we | Read More »


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According to research firm IHS, Sony's PlayStation 4 will "comfortably" outsell the Xbox One over the next four years. IHS head of games research Piers Harding-Rolls forecasts that, while both systems will be "neck and neck in terms of sales during the launch period, Sony's system will pull ahead significantly by the end of 2017. Harding-Rolls predicts 2.4 million PS4 unit sales by the end of 2013, and 2.2 million Xbox One sales.
"IHS expects existing geographical brand allegiance to continue with Xbox One outselling PS4 in North America, and PS4 outselling Xbox One across Europe combined."
Overall the analyst predicts 49 million PS4 sales by the end of 2017, compared to 38 million Xbox One sales.
"IHS believes that Sony's wider geographical brand allegiance – especially across continental Europe and Japan – will be decisive in allowing PS4 to outsell Xbox One on a global basis by the end of 2017," Harding-Rolls said. "We also believe that both Sony and Microsoft will continue to benefit from Nintendo's Wii U weak sales, with some past Wii users adopting the latest consoles instead of upgrading to Wii U."
Sony will launch the PS4 on Nov. 15 for a price of $400, while Microsoft will launch the Xbox One on Nov. 22, 2013 in 13 markets for $500.
Source: CVG


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I don't want this to be a debate about helmet laws. This is for people who are wearing a helmet, regardless of reason.
A couple weeks ago I did a 3-day charity ride and noticed that the majority (70%+) of riders had Giro helmets. Aside from looking pretty cool, Giro claims to have the most aerodynamic all-purpose helmets on the road while still providing good ventilation.
I'm riding in my $20 Schwinn helmet for really one reason: safety. I've had quite a few times where it's saved me from injury (mostly from tree branches lower than I thought).
Seeing so many people with $100-$200 helmets made me wonder: What about it makes it worth it? Sure, the pros use them, but they are also sponsored to use them. Are they actually effective in shaving off time on a ride?
Generally, I ride casusally, and giving myself shortcuts will only mean longer distances without any real effort gain. But, then again, I'd like to be able to say that I can easily handle 50 miles a day.
I'm getting off topic, so i'll repose my question: What difference, performance-wise, does a good helmet make?


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Stephen Starr Walks Softly, Carries Big Burger
Starr drops the price on Butcher & Singer burger to $5.95
Starr drops the price on Butcher & Singer burger to $5.95
The smack-talking burger joint re-re-re-launches
P.Y.T. challenges SquareBurger to a burger contest
The new burger joint takes a mini-break
What's new on the scene this weekend
Party promoter Tommy Up gets ready to open his burger and shake shop
Sometimes the early bird catches... crickets. We made our way over to the Piazza at 6pm sharp on Friday night to check out P.Y.T., party promoter Tommy Up's new lounge-with-burgers and were met with more soft than opening as workers...


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We offer personalized and professional services to all of our clients and are very energized that you've chosen Blushing Bride Hair and Makeup for your (more)
All natural, pure, safe and beneficial Swiss skin & bodycare products for the entire family! Men, women and children, teenagers and mature adults. (more)
Look and feel like a celebrity on your special day! Celebrities Salon specializes in elaborate and intricate updos! We are a full service salon and offer (more)


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Malibu Coconut Liqueur70cl / 21%
- In Stock
- Next-day delivery available
Malibu Coconut Liqueur Reviews
2 Customer Reviews
A wonderful drink but best mixed with ice and pineapple and drunk when the sun's going down.
only 21% Rum ? but the coconut is the best thing about it nice in the summer with a bit of limeade or coke and ice have a nice drink a not get to drunk at partys


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Agreements on Bosnia Signed: Croatia Restores Control over Its Territories. Peace Remains Highest Priority. Situation Still Volatile
United Nations efforts in the former Yugoslavia continued in an environment characterized by "vicious cycles of cease-fire violations, human rights infringements, physical destruction and death", Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali declared on 22 August
The Organization was carrying out a "multiplicity of mandated responsibilities" that spanned humanitarian, military and political tasks, he stated in his annual report (A/50/1) to the General Assembly.
The hallmarks of the crisis - unceasing conflicts, entrenched hostilities, violation of agreements and a "genuine lack of commitment and good faith" - gave the impression "either that not enough is being done to find a peaceful resolution or that fundamental questions and issues that divide the parties are insurmountable", Mr. Boutros-Ghali said.
For too long, he lamented, from the start of the Yugoslav military confrontation in 1991, "all efforts aimed at reaching a negotiated and peaceful solution to the conflicts and outstanding issues have been in vain". Nevertheless, the UN and its agencies were devoting the "highest priority to bringing peace to the region and alleviating the suffering brought about by the conflict", he stated.
Setbacks and
Mr. Boutros-Ghali's assessment reflected setbacks and disappointments that the UN and the international community had experienced in attempts to end the four-year-old Yugoslav crisis - the largest and most violent armed confrontation in Europe since the Second World War. His comments also underscored the volatility of the situation on the ground, especially in view of the dramatic events of July, August and September 1995.
Most notable among them: the Bosnian Serbs' forced takeover of the Srebrenica and Zepa "safe areas" in July; a major offensive by Croatia against its predominantly Serb-populated areas (the so-called Krajina region) in the beginning of August, forcing some 200,000 Croatian Serbs to flee the country; shelling by the Bosnian Serbs of the Sarajevo market on 28 August; massive retaliatory air strikes by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) against the Bosnian Serbs' military targets; and the 8 September Geneva statement and agreements on principles to negotiate an end to the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Geneva accords, particularly, were an "important milestone in the search for peace", the Foreign Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) - FRY - declared in a joint statement (A/50/419-S/1995/780). While not constituting an end to the tragedy in the Balkans, the principles contained many significant points that "govern the difficult negotiations to come", the Foreign Ministers stated.
The Joint Statement and Agreed Basic Principles were negotiated under the auspices of the Contact Group: France, Germany, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States.
On 14 September, the Bosnian Serb party signed the Framework for a Cessation of Hostilities within the Sarajevo Temporary Exclusion Zone.
In a follow-up to those accords, an agreement providing for free, fair and direct elections in Bosnia was reached by Bosnia, Croatia and the FRY on 26 September in New York.
Replace UNPROFOR?
"There may be credible prospects for a viable and lasting peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina if all parties are at last ready to forgo the military option", the Secretary-General stated (S/1995/804) on 18 September. However, if the current peace initiative did not succeed and more enforcement action was needed, the UN Protection Force (UNPROFOR) should be "replaced with a multinational force", he suggested.
As of 29 September, a UN spokesman announced, UN peace-keepers continued their work "to the extent they can", although operating only in parts of Bosnia which were controlled by the Bosnian-Croat Federation.
The peace initiative, led by the United States since the beginning of August, was currently aimed at securing a Bosnia-wide cease-fire, he stated. …


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May 24, 2016
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – March 17, 2011 –
The Tallahassee Sports Council, a division of Leon County Tourism Development, also known as Visit Tallahassee, is proud to announce that Leon County will be hosting the 2011 National Softball Association (NSA) Girls Fast Pitch World Series (B) July 18-23, 2011. This fast-pitch tournament will bring more than 120 youth girl softball teams to the area, equating to an estimated 2,700 visitors and over $2.5 million in economic impact during a traditionally slow season.
"NSA has a long-standing reputation of producing successful tournaments across the United States," said Lee Daniel, Executive Director of Visit Tallahassee. "We are very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to host such a prestigious and significant event here in Tallahassee."
Hugh Cantrell, President of NSA, said that the NSA has not hosted a world series in the Sunshine State for the past five years, and the Girls Fast Pitch teams and their families have been asking to play in Florida for a while.
"Tallahassee was selected to host the 2011 event based on its many appealing attributes – its family atmosphere, easy access for teams traveling from the southern states, and the support from the Tallahassee Sports Council," said Cantrell. "The players, parents and fans will enjoy visiting Tallahassee and all of its attractions."
For more information, contact Brian Hickey, Tallahassee Sports Council Director, at (850) 606-2313 or visit www.VisitTallahassee.com or www.PlayNSA.com .
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.


text:
Have Legal Questions? Ask a Lawyer Now.
Yes your help/answers were very helpful. I did give a positive rating
I purchase the subscription due to the excellent response I received from you. Thank U very much
Thank you very much also, Annie. Please allow me to try to assist you further.You generally cannot file for punitive damages--what you can do is file a motion to compel, which is a request to the judge to evaluate the information and the initial order, and force the other party to respond. Then, if the party fails to respond, you could then file a petition for contempt of court order and then request that the judge find them in contempt. The judge, solely at his discretion, can then choose to potentially admonish, fine, or even jail the other person for their lack of compliance with a court order. But you cannot seek punitive damages (those are damages meant to punish) as those are granted at the discretion of the judge.Good luck.
DISCLAIMER: Answers from Experts on JustAnswer are not substitutes for the advice of an attorney. JustAnswer is a public forum and questions and responses are not private or confidential or protected by the attorney-client privilege. The Expert above is not your attorney, and the response above is not legal advice. You should not read this response to propose specific action or address specific circumstances, but only to give you a sense of general principles of law that might affect the situation you describe. Application of these general principles to particular circumstances must be done by a lawyer who has spoken with you in confidence, learned all relevant information, and explored various options. Before acting on these general principles, you should hire a lawyer licensed to practice law in the jurisdiction to which your question pertains.
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Slide box
Microscope slide
Intro Lab
Slide box
Slide should be sorted by manufacturer. They have different labels and identification
Check lab notes for which slides to use. Only take one or two slides at a time, so there are enough for everyone.
In many slide boxes the slides we will use will be in the left-hand side of the box. The right-hand side often contains home-made slide that are not as good.
Please place slides back in the same area of the box that they came from.


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USD baseball team eager to turn the page
Despite rare losing season in 2011, Toreros picked to win WCC title
Season opener
Toreros at Sam Houston State
Friday: 4:30 p.m. at Huntsville, Texas
On the air: None
Five things to watch
• BYU can still stay at the Mission Valley Marriott when it comes to town. The Cougars will simply drive four miles west instead of east to games now that they've moved from the Mountain West to the WCC. "I love having a new team in the conference," said Hill. "Going to a new city, new ballpark. It just adds another dimension to the conference. It elevates the visibility, the prestige. Having BYU is tremendous for everybody. The commitment they have for athletics is at the highest level."
• The nine-team WCC features a 24-game schedule (a three-game series against each opponent) with the regular-season champ earning the conference's automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. Hill said a conference tournament featuring the top four regular-season finishers is planned for next year.
• Hill said the most notable thing in the WCC this season could be the pitching matchups between No. 1 starters. "I've never seen the Friday night pitching this good from top to bottom," said Hill. USF junior right-hander Kyle Zimmer (La Jolla High) is projected as a first-round draft pick. In addition to those on his own staff, Hill proceeded to list Portland's Kyle Kraus, Saint Mary's Martin Agosta, Pepperdine's Scott Frazier, LMU's Trevor Megill and Santa Clara's Tommy Nance as other notable talents. "There's between seven and nine guys throwing more than 90 mph," said Hill.
• USD opens the home schedule with a weekend tournament that includes Oregon State, Kansas State and UOP. The Toreros kick things off Friday, Feb. 24, with a doubleheader, meeting Kansas State at 10 a.m. and UOP at 2 p.m. at Cunningham Stadium.
• USD's final home game is May 13 against Loyola Marymount. Construction workers will take the field not long after the final out and begin work on USD's new $13 million stadium. Fowler Park is expected to be ready for the first pitch of 2013.
kirk kenney
It is as if USD baseball coach Rich Hill has been anticipating the question ever since the final out of the 2011 season.
How do you put the only losing season in 13 years at USD behind you?
Hill points to a bulletin board in the hallway leading to his office. Pinned to the board is a piece of paper with these words on it: "The past is but a prelude and the best is yet to come."
"What if we all had that attitude in life," said Hill. "All of the guilt and self-esteem issues and the mistakes that we've made, what if we looked at it as, 'Hey, man, this is just a prelude. Those were obstacles to what's coming next. The best is yet to come and it's right around the corner.' "
Last year's prelude — a season in which youth, injuries and one of the nation's most demanding schedules led to a 22-31 record — gives way to this year's promise.
USD opens the 2012 season with a three-game series this weekend at Sam Houston State. Although the Toreros are not included among any preseason Top 25 rankings, they are waiting in the wings. USD again has been selected as the team to beat in the West Coast Conference.
"The (WCC) coaches have had enough respect for our program to rank us preseason favorites five years in a row," said Hill. "That's a pretty astounding feat. I know it doesn't mean anything at the end of the day and you can't touch it, but to have that type of reputation and respect really says something about our staff, our players and our administration."


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Key things you need to know aboutDr. Clancy:
Dr. Clancy's Experience
Research training, expertise and qualifications
Dr. Clancy's Care Philosophy
Dr. Clancy's Specialties
- Ophthalmology
Procedures Dr. Clancy Performs
- Cataract Removal Surgery
- Contact Lens Fitting Services
- See all 14 procedures
Conditions Dr. Clancy Treats
- Age-Related Macular Degeneration
- Allergic Conjunctivitis
- See all 78 conditions
More About Dr. Clancy's Background
Hospital Quality
The right hospital is as important as the right doctor
- Valley Hospital
- 223 N Van Dien Ave
- Ridgewood, NJ 07450
9 Facts About Hospital Quality
Patients' risk of dying during a hospital stay for heart bypass surgery could be 87.4% lower, on average, at a hospital rated 5 stars compared to a hospital rated 1 star for that procedure. Choosing the right hospital is critical to your health. View Slideshow
Patient Satisfaction
Patients' feedback on their experience with Dr. Clancy
Likelihood of recommending Dr. Clancy to family and friends is 4.4 out of 5 5 1 22
See More Survey Results
8 Facts About Patient Satisfaction Surveys
Patient satisfaction surveys provide a standardized way of reporting about healthcare experiences. But there can be more than meets the eye when reviewing scores. Here's what you should know
Appointments & Offices
Check insurance plans, locations and make an appointment
Accepting new patients?
- Yes
- Patrick T Clancy MD PA
- Patrick T Clancy MD PA
- 44 Godwin Ave Ste 101
- Midland Park, NJ 07432
- (201) 447-5454
- Directions
- Patrick T Clancy MD PA
- 800 Wyckoff Ave Ste 103
- Wyckoff, NJ 07481
- (201) 447-5454
- Directions
7 Tips to Prepare for Your Appointment
The key to a successful appointment is communication. To get the most out of your visit, prepare ahead of time so you can lead the conversation with your doctor. These 7 tips will get you ready
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JUN 05, 2014 - Variety
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When the success of Netflix in original programming is cited, two of its series come to mind: "House of Cards" and "Orange is the New Black." But in the absence of any stats measuring how many viewers are watching these shows, there's some other numbers to consider regarding which series is Netflix's main attraction. Research... Read more »
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December 5, 2013
10 Best Gift Haulers For Your Christmas Deliveries (Part 2)
This post is a continuation of the list of the ten best vehicles, according to Top Speed, for hauling around your Christmas gifts.
Part 1 involved 7th through 10th. This list is 6th to 1st, with some surprising vehicles named. Enjoy!
A Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT becomes the 6th place car. This one will let you plow through drifts with a higher ground clearance than the previous wagons. It has AWD so you can find the perfect mall parking spot even if the lot is still snow covered. In addition, the 6.4-liter HEMI V-8 with 470 hp and a 0-60 time of 4.6 seconds doesn't hurt.
Fifth place goes to a sports car, not really, but a sports car name. A Porsche Macan Turbo offers a large cargo area in a compact sized car. The smaller exterior size will let you fit into those tight parking places and possibly get you a little closer to the front door at the mall. It has a 3.6 Twin Turbo V-6 with 400 hp and a seven-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission and AWD. It may not be as quick as other Porsches, but the 0-60 in 4.6 seconds and a top speed of 164 is nothing to sneeze at.
A Volvo V60 Polestar makes the 4th place cut, but it won't be available until June 2014. However, you can get one for next year's shopping excursions. It will have a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six with 350 hp. The 0-60 time is 4.9 seconds and the AWD will keep it gripping the road in any weather. As far as carrying your presents, the rear seat folds down for some extra cargo space.
Third on the list is a BMW X5 xDrive35d. This one is a 3.0-liter turbo diesel with 255 hp. It also has AWD and the interior noise levels are quite low to make your trip to the mall more enjoyable. The high torque produced from the diesel engine allows you to tow almost anything, like maybe a trailer full of presents and gadgets you just purchased.
Second place does go to a real sports car this time. A Porsche Panamera Turbo S. Even though it is a car, the rear 60/40 seats fold down for extra room to carry all those gifts home from the mall. A 4.8-liter V-8 with 570 hp and a top speed of 192 lets you get away from the mall quickly, making the stress of shopping a bit more pleasant.
Now for the number one gift hauling, present packing, mall finding vehicle in the list. A Mercedes G63 AMG 6×6. This vehicle is a monster. Not only is it huge, but it has the power to chew up any other vehicle in its class. It is powered by a 5.5-liter twin turbo V-8 pushing 536 hp. It has an extended cab and a pickup bed for hauling and carrying whatever is needed. It has three axles and six wheels with 37-inch tires mounted on them. With this beast you can go over the hills and through the woods to the mall, grandma's house or anywhere else you might want to go. Take short cuts even if there is no road. Nevertheless, with its massive size, it still turns an impressive 0-60 time of 7.8 seconds.
There you have it, the top ten. While some may disagree, each one does have a special something to help with the stress of the Christmas shopping season. Even if it is just owning one.
Image Credit: TopSpeed.com


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Chicago HotelsIf you're traveling to the Windy City any time soon, be forewarned: Chicago has an amazing selection of hotels, period. From five-star luxury establishments to two-star budget hotels, you can find a room for just about any budget under the sun. However, Chicago hotel rooms tend to be pricy, so if you are on a limited budget you'll need to know where to look to find a good room for under $200 a night. With a little effort, you can find cheap hotels in Chicago, though -- so don't worry.
Five-Star Hotels in Chicago
Hotels that are rated as five-star hotels offer the best service, the best amenities and the best accommodations in the city. Chicago is loaded with these premium hotels. Some of the five-star Chicago hotels that you can choose from include the Park Hyatt Chicago located at 800 N. Michigan Avenue (with an average room price of about $565) and the Conrad Chicago located at 521 North Rush Street at Michigan (with an average room price of about $358).
The room rate for the Park Hyatt is well worth the investment if you are looking for a little luxury and pampering. The on-site services that this Chicago hotel offers include wardrobe storage, local car service, laundry and dry cleaning service, currency exchange, 24-hour room service, a business center, complimentary tea or coffee, complimentary shoe shines, complimentary pressing service for two items, on-site designer boutiques, full service concierge and computer support services. In addition to all of these amenities, you will also have access to the Internet, beautiful rooms and spectacular views.
The Conrad Chicago is another hotel that is worth the extra cash. Here you can expect 42-inch plasma flat screen TVs, an iPod alarm clock, two dual line phones with voicemail, an electronic safe, luxury bathrooms with deep soaking tubs and a separate shower, 500 thread count Pratesi linens, a Hi-fi Bose 321 entertainment system and complimentary internet access. You will also receive nightly turndown service, overnight laundry and dry cleaning, pressing service, access to an on-site restaurant, a fitness center, 24-hour business center, meeting rooms and amazing views of Lake Michigan.
Four-Star Hotels in Chicago
Four-star hotels offer great service, great amenities and great accommodations; however, they are typically a little less expensive than five-star hotels. In Chicago, you will have several four-star hotels at your disposal. Your first option is the Sofitel Chicago Water Tower. This 415-room hotel is ideal for singles looking to mingle and or couples searching for a romantic base of operations in Chicago. The average room price is about $327. Your second choice is the Hotel Monaco. Located at 225 N. Wabash, this four star hotel is one of Chicago's most "pet friendly" hotels. Room prices here are generally over $300.
Budget Hotels in Chicago
If you can't afford $300 to $600 a night on a hotel room, Chicago has several budget hotels that will help you stay within your budget. Planning an affordable Chicago vacation begins with finding a cheap hotel. Your first option is the Renaissance Chicago O'Hare Suites Hotel. With rooms starting at $109 a night, this is a real Chicago bargain. Location is the best feature of this hotel. It is close to the L, close to O'Hare International Airport, close to many Fortune 500 businesses and close to several key Chicago attractions. This hotel also offers family rooms, a fitness center, a pool, a hot tub, a complimentary newspaper, a business center, on-site dining, in-room broadband service and a mini-bar.
Another option is the Best Western River North Hotel. Rooms here start at $109 per night. The best feature of this hotel is their free parking, which is worth $25. This hotel also offers a swimming pool, a photocopy center, a cocktail lounge, video tapes, a health club, high-speed internet and complimentary newspapers, coffee and tea.
Chicago B & B's
If you want an authentic and intimate Chicago experience, consider staying at a local B & B instead of staying at a hotel. There are several B & B's located in and around the Chicagoland area. Your first option is the Windy City Sailing, Inc. This B & B is right on the water. Spend your vacation in Chicago on a private yacht. For $550 a night you will receive a 2 hour morning sailing tour of Lake Michigan, a continental breakfast, a feather bed, bath robes, AC/Heat, TV/DVD, wet bar and unbeatable views of the lake.
Your second option is on land, and it's the Benedictine Bed and Breakfast. Rooms go for $145 a night. With your room price you will get AC, bath robes, DVD/CD players, fridge, hair dryer, TV, data ports, a private entrance and a full breakfast.
Chicago hotels are known for their unique styles, convenient locations, amazing amenities and unparalleled comfort. When planning your Chicago travel, you will want to select a hotel room that offers the amenities that you want, that are priced within your budget and most importantly, are located close to the sites and attractions that you are interested in. Come to Chicago and see what all the talk is about!


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|Why Did AA Stop Flying Those Ex. Reno Air MD-90's posted Tue Jul 18 2006 05:11:48 by Usair320
|Why Did PIA Stop Direct Flights To USA? posted Sat Apr 8 2006 19:49:31 by PK786
|Why Did NW Stop Using The DC-10-40 posted Tue Feb 7 2006 03:02:04 by Flywithjohn
|Why Did BA Stop Serving Pittsburgh? posted Wed Oct 12 2005 20:25:01 by Wrighbrothers
|Why Did Concorde Stop Flying? posted Fri Sep 9 2005 00:15:20 by HT1000
|CO IAH-SRQ. Why Did They Stop? posted Mon Aug 22 2005 08:15:11 by Ikramerica
|Why Did Eagle Stop Flying LAX-PSP posted Mon May 9 2005 23:32:42 by RampRat74
|Why Did Boeing Stop The MD's After Merge? posted Wed Sep 1 2004 15:39:17 by BoeingPride800
|Why did AF stop flying into LCY from CDG? posted Sun Feb 1 2004 12:05:12 by Applepie81
|Why Did SouthWest Stop Des Monie Service? posted Sat Oct 4 2003 04:43:57 by Hockey55dude


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Palit GeForce GTX 670 JetStream review -
The GeForce GTX 670 review galore has started. In this review we'll look at a very nice offering from Palit, a factory overclocked, custom cooled, custom designed PCB GeForce GTX 670. This product has all factors right.
The GeForce GTX 670 is the little brother of the GTX 680 and comes, well how to put it ... slightly castrated. NVIDIA disabled a couple of shader processors and designed a more cost effective and smaller PCB.
The card itself is still quite beefy in terms of performance though, which you'll understand once we sift through the specifications. The GK104 GPU based graphics card has one SM/SMX cluster disabled. This gives the GK104 GPU 1344 CUDA cores to work with, with in total 112 texture and 32 raster operating units.
The card itself is still quite beefy in terms of performance though, which you'll understand once we sift through the specifications. The GK104 GPU based graphics card has one SM/SMX cluster disabled. This gives the GK104 GPU 1344 CUDA cores to work with, with 112 texture and 32 raster operating units in total.
The graphics card also has slightly slower clock frequencies than big poppa GTX 680, with a reference baseclock speed of 915 MHz. However the GTX 670 comes with a Boost clock which is set at 980 MHz -- not far off from the GTX 680 at all.
Palit however released the JetStream version which comes pre-overclocked at 1006 MHz on the baseclock and an impressive 1084 MHz on the boost clock. More interestingly, the boost clock during our test sessions was actually closer to 1200 MHz most of the time (!).
To give the card enough framebuffer to work with, the cards are equipped with 2048 GDDR5 on a 256-bits wide bus. Palit clocks this memory at 6108 MHz (6008 = reference clock).
With a slightly increased TDP at roughly 180 Watts the card won't draw too much power either. With that said you have the more important variables in your mindset, have a peek at the product after which we dive right into the review, next page please.
In this review we check out the 2GB version of the Palit GeForce GTX 950. The GTX 950 is the entry-level to mainstream graphics card in the Maxwell range of GPUs from Nvidia. Palit offers it in a Stor...
Palit GeForce GTX 980 Ti Super Jetstream Review
In this review we benchmark the new Palit GeForce GTX 980 Super Jetstream, a product that will command and conquer as it offers massive game rendering performance at 100% quiet nose levels. Hey and it...
Palit GeForce GTX 960 Super JetStream review
In this review we check out the Palit GeForce GTX 960 Super JetStream. This product is in the top 3 of best GTX 960 cards as it is performing the fastest, it is the most silent one, and it has just go...
Palit GeForce GTX 980 Super Jetstream review
We review one of the fastest GeForce GTX 980 cards from Palit, the Super Jetstream edition. It comes all customized, has an improved Jetstream series cooler and runs factory tweaked at clock frequenci...


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2002 Mercedes-Benz C320 Reviews
2002 Mercedes-Benz C320 Reviews and Owner Comments
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2002 Mercedes-Benz C320 (5 Reviews)
awesome car use to have a mercedes c240, compared to the c240 the c320 has a good balance of power where as the c240 felt under powered. so far this car has been good to me no major problems so far at 98k. the only thing i wish was better on this car was the head unit which looks very dated and the exhaust which is too quite. of course now my goal is to get the c32 amg which has a great increase in hp about 130 to 150 hp more
My experience with MB has been a roller coaster. I bought the car with high mileage. I keep it serviced. Here are the problems I have had with the car. My passenger door handle broke from the inside. The passenger seat motor has a shortage. It works when it wants to work. My air conditioner on the passenger side does not blow out through the vents, it blow out on the floor. My engine light came on..I needed a new EGR or ERG value and pipe...It was clogged..never been replaced before and the person b4 me didnt maintain the car well.
My costs have been far less than they were when I drove my Astro van and the ride is much better! While some may complain about the cost of repairs, I have had my oil topped off a few times by dealerships when the oil light came on while driving long distances. MB people are very courteous! I have probably spent about 3-400 yr total average for the 5+ years I have had this car (that includes oil changes and new tires). I would rather drive an old MB than any Chevy or Ford! I have even bought older ones for my kids to drive because of their reliability (including their fender benders!!)
Love this Wagon!! Lot's of power and a great ride
I bought my C320 in 2007 with 42K on it. Good records on service history. I do my own work which I believe everyone should with the prices these dealers charge. It really is not hard, and you will save tons of $$$. There are many great sources for help and instruction on-line that are very useful. My problems have been: Shade for back window stopped working. I live in NM and it stopped working in the up position so I have not worried about it. The clicking caused by the broken actuator arm, a very common problem, clicks 5 times when the car is started. I can live with that. I also had the seat module go out , which drained the battery, another common problem. That one cost me $800 at the dealer. That's when I got serious about doing this stuff for myself. I love this car on long road trips. very comfortable and believe it or not, if the cruise control is set at 65, I have gotten upwards of 32mpg on numerous trips between Central California, North Central Washington and Souther New Mexico.


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Heather Kelly, suspect in Atlantis gas station theft, arrested
Woman admits to stealing cash from register while clerk is away
A Fort Pierce woman accused of stealing more than $200 from an Atlantis gas station moments before escaping from the clerk's clutches in an incident that was caught on camera has been arrested.
Atlantis police said Heather Kelly, 25, was arrested after a traffic stop on Interstate 95 in Martin County on Tuesday.
IMAGES: Who Got Arrested In South Florida?
Police said the Florida Highway Patrol stopped Kelly for speeding. She was arrested on an outstanding warrant from another Florida county.
Kelly now faces a robbery charge in connection with Monday's theft at the Chevron station on Lantana Road.
Surveillance video shows a woman slip through an opening at the counter window, open the register and grab some cash. When the clerk returns from the bathroom, he tries to grab her, but he falls during the struggle. The woman's flip-flop fell off as she tried to get away.
Police said Kelly admitted to being the woman who committed the crime. She was being held at the Martin County Jail.
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Hiram College buys James A. Garfield home
HIRAM, Ohio - A northeast Ohio college once led by James A. Garfield has purchased the nearby home of the 19th century U.S. president for $200,000.
Hiram College will allow the current resident to live there as long as she wants.
The Akron Beacon Journal reports that Hiram president Tom Chema says the house fits well with campus work to memorialize President Garfield's public service.
The college will try to raise about $300,000 for eventual renovations to the home built in 1860.
Garfield studied at Hiram's forerunner institution. Later he taught Greek and Latin at Hiram and became its principal, the equivalent of president.
He left Hiram in 1861 to lead Civil War volunteers recruited from the Hiram area.


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You've read numerous reports of First and Business class cabins offering wide comfortable seats, multi-course meals and pampering hostesses on a multitude of airlines (not to mention an unusually high number of Qantas trippies) over this holiday season. In this current economic climate when corporations are starting to downgrade the travel entitlements of their executives, it's a matter of time before one has to sink back to reality, recalibrate those soft focused images of air travel in exchange for a glimpse of Y class travel that average Joes like me 'put up' with on every trip.
I hereby present to you the latest report of my trip Down Under, where I finally got out of my comfort zone to check out a carrier that I have not flown with for ages. It has taken me a long time to get this report out and fit for viewing due to work commitments, the recent loss of a relative, and a mental block that didn't seem to go away. With sheer determination, I finally managed to get this out, and hopefully bring you on a journey to savour the 'pleasures' of flying with shallow pockets. So off we go…*shudder*
Many who have flown with leading carriers know the level of service what airlines are capable of if they set their minds to it, or what is understandably undo-able due to operational constraints. It becomes immediately noticeable when an airline drops the ball for reasons within its control.
As competition amongst airlines become increasingly intense, few airlines have dared to venture beyond ambiguous marketing taglines that are ever so prevalent nowadays. Only the brave ones have gone on to proclaim the superiority of their product with superlatives such as "greatest" ,"best"... the likes of "The World's Favorite Airline" come to mind. The outcome of such marketing spiel is that expectations rise sky high to unrealistic levels that it can sometimes become detrimental to the airline. Yet there are few airlines that actually get away with it. These are airlines that have consistently offered a good overall product that is backed by testimonies from loyal customers and the industry.
When Qantas decided to call themselves "The world's most experienced airline" to celebrate their 88 years in existence, I was intrigued and expectations ran high. With 88 years of uninterrupted flying under their belt, I naturally assumed that they have, through the years, developed an unbeatable product that satisfies the needs and comfort of the most discerning of passengers. It was with this lingering thought that I found myself surfing Qantas.com late one evening, hungry for an opportunity to test the authenticity of their latest spiel.
Where I am from, Qantas is regarded as a reliable, well-established airline, but seldom equated with great service - decent-average service at best, nothing more. It's perhaps because we Asians have been spoilt by the sheer number of premium airlines serving our turf that offer internationally renowned service both on the ground and in the air. Ask what Qantas means to us and you would invariably receive a tongue in cheek reply that they deliver "Quick And Nasty, Typical Australian Service". Even more recently, Qantas has been synonymous with cabin decompression, mid-air ordeals, and the mile high club with Ralph Fiennes.
Confirmation and payment for my ticket over the airline's website was a quick and easy affair until I realized that all the conveniences of modern day cyberspace transactions ended there. In an era where even movie theaters offer you seat selection on their websites, Qantas' online infrastructure is, for lack of a better word, archaic and fails to meet the needs of its international customers. It appears that despite having been in existence for close to a century, Qantas hasn't quite learned how to leverage on the wonderful capabilities of the internet; and neither has it understood the fact that there are many customers who like the option of reserving a specific seat prior instead of being offered 'leftovers' at the check-in counter. Online seat selection, seat changes, check-in or early check-in options on Qantas' home base in SYD were noticeably absent. These are services that I have come to expect from leading international carriers since the advent of advanced reservations systems! I was also sorely disappointed when Qantas' reservation system decided to separate my traveling companion and me by assigning us middle seats at different ends of the aircraft.
I discovered, through a few kind souls from another popular forum, that changes to one's pre-assigned seat is actually possible. Just call Qantas' customer service hotline and keep your fingers crossed that the agent at the other end of the line doesn't fool you with a windowless window seat. Alternatively, for travelers who are intent on knowing what seats are available for selection, access to this information can be through a non-Qantas website that is linked to Sabre. It sounds complicated, and it is. That is one too many steps just to snag a preferred seat. Compared to what other international carriers like CX, SQ, NW (and I'm sure many others) have been offering its YCL customers for years, Qantas is sadly light years behind.
Seeing how my first brush with the airline didn't go the way I expected, I decided that a change in mindset was necessary. Without any preconceived expectations in mind, I embarked on a journey to discover what the "world's most experienced airline".
It was 7.30pm when I arrived at Changi terminal 1. There was no mistaking that the year-end holiday season was here. Christmas usually comes early to Singapore, and Changi was no different. The airport had been decked in full Christmas splendour since November. There's something about Changi's festive decorations this time round that feels out of the norm. It is as if the previous Hari Raya (traditional Malay festival) decorations have been recycled for Christmas. There's a certain gaudiness that is usually associated with Malay and Indian festivals, and a far cry from the classy simplicity of previous years.
Even the streaming fairy lights on the control tower looks tacky - resembling a lighted lollipop of sorts. Perhaps the theme for this year's decorations aims to accentuate Singapore's multi-cultural heritage.
Terminal 1, home to more than 60 foreign airlines, was packed with holiday-makers taking time off from the accumulated stress of the past year and foreign labor returning home with their hard earned fortune. One immediately senses that an Air India flight is checking in its passengers nearby just by observing the steady flow of Indian men pushing trolleys loaded with enough home appliances and electronic gadgets to fill an aircraft.
Qantas hubs out of this terminal and check in for their flights to London, Frankfurt, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth was already in full swing when I arrived. It is evident that despite the current economic crisis, many Singaporeans are, like me, determined to end the year with a short getaway. Australia has proven itself to be a popular holiday destination over the years, and it shows. Queues of at least 10 souls deep had formed at every single one of Qantas' 20 counters tonight, and almost 8 out of every 10 passenger in line appeared to be a Singaporean heading somewhere Down Under. As ticket prices are significantly cheaper than any Singapore Airlines flight to Australia, Qantas is often the choice carrier for any self-paid trip.
The queues moved at a snail's pace and it was almost 20 minutes before I was finally served.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. Where are you traveling to?"
"That's alright…QF82 to Sydney. Is the flight full tonight?"
"Very" said the agent, her eyes never once leaving the screen. She wasn't in the mood for small talk, so I left her to handle my check-in formalities, turning instead to listen in on the problems the standby passenger was trying to resolve at the next counter.
I had chosen QF82 to begin my journey with Qantas primarily because it is operated by the airline's newer A333 aircraft, and this being a one-stop SIN-SYD via ADL meant more time spent onboard; which to any aviation enthusiast is always a good thing. The likelihood of this flight being full was slimmer, or so I thought…for I had erroneously based it on the assumptions that most passengers would have preferred the faster, direct service that arrives in SYD much earlier, and that ADL hasn't quite grown in status as a holiday destination amongst Singaporeans compared to other Australian cities. What I had failed to take into consideration was that QF82 is a code-share flight with 9W and AF and it was the holiday season. That basically meant that any hopes of an empty flight were dashed. I wasn't particularly concerned this evening, I had already secured my window and aisle through Qantas' "complex" seat selection system weeks in advance, fortunately.
Changi Terminal 1 was last refurbished in 1995, and is already looking drab and retro compared to its glistening new and recently renovated sister terminals adjacent to it. This terminal is getting a much-needed upgrade at long last, and come 2011, it will sport a new look and tropical feel with more entertainment and retail choices. As much as I look forward to the promise of a complete facelift and state of the art facilities, the nostalgic side of me is reluctant to let go of the sights and sounds of the terminal that I grew up with and come to love. I will surely miss the multi-storey fountain in the departure hall, or the cascading waterfall where so many family photos were taken in front of just before our flights. The 'old' terminal 1 will forever have a place in my heart…
Little has changed despite the many minor renovations the terminal has had over the last 30 years. The duty free area looks exactly the way it was when I first set foot into Changi as a young boy.
The boarded wall is the first signs of on-going renovations. Unlike other airports in the world, construction work is well hidden and away from public eye, and disruptions to the flow of traffic and the comfort of passengers are never compromised. It's little wonder that upgrading work will have to be carried out in 106 clearly defined phases. Such consideration for passengers is what makes Changi so different from others. There will be no exposed ceilings with dangling wires and lights to mar the surrounding aesthetic; neither will there be misleading signages like the ones I encountered at a certain airport in Europe. I love Changi and sincerely hope that the corporatized entity that will manage the airport come July will continue with the great work that the current team has done.
I had 2 full hours to kill before my flight departed for SYD, and until terminal 3 becomes as old as terminal 2, no visit to Changi would be complete without a trip to Singapore's latest pride and joy.
From padi fields to garden city…the border separating the new and the old terminals.
…and the only Hard Rock Café in Singapore…
The colouring station…something for the young ones to take home and remember Singapore by
For nature lovers...and perhaps the only airport in the world with a butterfly garden?
Changi tries hard to be everything to everyone, and they've succeeded in doing just that. Traveling through this airport is an experience in itself, a respite for even the most jaded traveler. It is true that Changi does not have the grand panoramic tarmac views that KUL or HKG offer, but to everyone else who do not soil their pants at the sight of a 747 or A380, Changi is the closest thing to heaven.
Little touches such as this free gadget charger mean a lot to passengers who may have inadvertently had their mobile or camera charger checked in…
Traveling on an airline that doesn't offer PTVs? Catch a recent release before your flight!
Alas, Changi is still not quite perfect. A leaking ceiling in a brand new terminal… or thoughtful touches for those inclined to experience Singapore's tropical showers?
I was back at gate C1 where VH-QPD was patiently waiting to take me to SYD. I couldn't help but feel that the Q in Qantas also meant "Queues"… long queues snaking some 25 meters had formed outside the gate, waiting to clear security. While it would be unfair for me to blame Qantas for the queue here, I do hold them responsible for the lack of queue management earlier at the check-in counters, where far too many passengers were hogging the counters bargaining over excess baggage charges and missing reservations when they could have been brought aside to have their issues sorted out by the Qantas representatives on duty – as any experienced airline would have done. Seeing no point in joining the queue, I decided to drop by the open air cactus garden cum pub cum smoking area cum viewing gallery for my nicotine fix before my 11 hour hop to Sydney.
I finally made it into the aerobridge some 10min before departure. I don't say this very often of non-SQ stewardesses, but "WOW", those Qantas crew do look stunning in their new Peter Morrissey "Wirriyarra" uniform! And were my eyes playing tricks on me? Whoever said Qantas cabins were staffed by tired grannies and whip wielding prison matrons was in for a surprise – for this flight at least… Standing by the door giving everyone a warm Australian welcome was a dignified senior looking male Customer Service Manager (CSM) with a strong German accent and a young, gorgeous lady of Caucasian-Asian descent. "Hellooo and welcome aboard Mr. Ner-nnn!!" the CSM greeted as he glanced at my boarding pass. It's comical how Caucasians are never able to pronounce my surname correctly even though those very syllables appear in the English language, but hey, I was already impressed that he was addressing everyone by their names! "Do you know your way around? Straight ahead and turn right to 49J, you can't miss it"
I noticed that the only 3 female FAs amongst the male dominated crew on this flight looked anything but Australian, or Caucasian. None of them looked a day more than 30! Waiting quietly at the back of the Y cabin was another 20 something beauty. I can only describe her look as Central-Asian with a hint of Indian parentage. For Singaporean members reading this, think Wendy Jacobs with blond hair. I'm never good with names, but for the sake of this report, I shall call her "Wendy".
Wendy stood quietly by the aisle, giving passengers a hint of a smile that could have easily been missed, and watched the crowd settle into their seats, occasionally moving aside to let passengers through. Unlike their Asian counterparts, helping passengers store their hand carry is not part of a Qantas crew's duties, it seems.
There are no puke-inducing technicolour seats onboard Qantas' A333, but relaxing and pleasing hues of blue and grey that are probably inspired by some aboriginal art form. I love how you know you are on an Australian carrier when you fly Qantas…from Kangaroos on their tails, Australian wines and produce to go with your meals, aboriginal prints on their uniform to crew from diverse multi-cultural backgrounds reflecting the country's relatively open migrant policies. It is a far cry from the 70s, when Qantas was perceived as a predominantly 'white' airline, where a non-white cabin crew was a rarity, and cabin wall-papers depicted Captain Cook's ship landing on Australian soil or western advancements in air navigation.
Cabin view from my seat (some taken under better lighting conditions on the second leg of this flight)
Push back was 15 min behind schedule, but we are told that we would make up for lost time en route. The usual safety video came on the individual PTVs.
As if to hint that Qantas' safety video isn't as detailed and informative as it should be, the airline complements their video with live demonstration on how to use the life vest, seat belt, oxygen masks and the locations of the emergency exit on this particular aircraft. I found this interesting but pointless. Qantas' safety video in fact sufficiently succinct, informative and quite classy. Have the recent experiences with mid-air incidents led Qantas to realize that passengers don't always heed the safety videos and that live demonstrations are a more effective means of getting safety messages across?
With the safety video completed, Wendy and the rest of the crew went about ensuring that tray tables secured, seat belts fastened and all seat were in the upright position. But despite numerous combs through the cabin, many seats in the obvious reclined position were left ignored. I guess if passengers didn't mind having the seats in front of them reclined into their space, and possibly obstruct their evacuation in the case of an emergency, then Qantas deems it unnecessary to insist that passengers followed safety instructions.
Post take off, and that's when the real Qantas inflight experience begins.
Amenity kits and menus were distributed. Knitted socks, eye masks, toothbrush set come in a neat little pouch that you can sling over your neck. These are definitely items to add to my airline memorabilia collection back home, and come in handy as Qantas only provides liquid hand soap in their YCL lavatories.
Headphones with a Change for Good envelop enclosed. This seems to be a common feature among One World carriers. I've found these onboard BA and CX as well.
Qantas' inflight publications and AVOD entertainment consol.
A fluffy pillow, which is unfortunately a little too large and space consuming for Qantas' narrow slim-line seats.
Qantas is one of the few carriers that still hands out menu in economy, raising them to the same league as a handful of premium Asian and Middle Eastern carriers. Small bottles of Evian (yes branded H20 typically reserved for F and J passengers on some airlines) were handed out to passengers prior to the meal service. These thirst quenchers are much appreciated on overnight flights, when moving around the darkened cabin to get a drink can be a hassle. However, it led me to wonder if this meant that there would be no water runs in between the 2 meal services on this 6 hr flight!
A useful journey planner for the SIN-ADL sector lets you know when the crew isn't providing the service they are supposed to on your flight I've not seen anything like this on other carriers' menus - it's a brilliant idea!
SUPPER – Singapore to Australia
Coleslaw Salad
Wok Fried Chicken in Kung Po Sauce with Egg Noodles and Asian Greens
Malay Style Lamb Curry with Steamed Rice and Garlic Beans
Gula Melaka – Sago in Brown Sugar
Coffee or Tea
# Fresh fruit will be served throughout your flight #
Qantas offers an 'interesting' choice of meals out of Singapore. I am not complaining that only Asian cuisine is served, but it does come as a surprise because judging from the profile of passengers on this flight, half were Westerners followed by a significant number of Indians (due to its code share with 9W).
The new service ware introduced in conjunction with the launch of Qantas' A380 service.
There was nothing exciting about Qantas' economy class meals, except for the Gula Melaka dessert. While not exotic by Asian standards, it is an acquired taste that not many non-Asians would appreciate…
Designed by Marc Newson – the creator of Qantas' latest cabin and ground products. Design and practicality is everything and Qantas understands this.
Here's a closer look at Qantas' brand new service ware. A little retro, but sleek nonetheless…
The Qantas logo features prominently on its meal tray, and is unique to Qantas. I like it a lot.
A simple yet practical design that holds the bowls and casseroles snugly in its place…and the red - unmistakably Qantas…
The large number of Indian passengers on this flight invariably meant that an equally large number of special meals had been ordered. Wendy, realizing that a young Indian couple's vegetarian meal request was not uplifted out of Singapore says that she will check if there are any vegetarian meals left. Norman (I think that's his name), a young male FA serving my side of the cabin returned moments later, apologized for the lapse and went on to explain, in a manner that I thought only gentle Asian stewardesses are capable of. I was impressed that he never once doubted (as many airline crew would openly show) the couple's insistence that they had made a special meal request with their travel agent out of Mumbai, and went on to cite possible scenarios (without any finger pointing) what could have caused this little hiccup. I ended up being more than satisfied with his explanation even though it did not concern me at all! Now, as much as I love my SQ, I've never seen any Singapore Girl/Boy deal with and explained similar situations with such genuine concern and finesse.
I was curious if Norman and Wendy would leave the matter as that and forget all about the two hungry passengers, but they didn't. They returned, moments later, with warm towels presumably for the couple to "clean up" before serving them with what looked like a vegetarian meal from business class. That, to me, was going beyond expectations that Asian airlines are famous for. Unfortunately, Norman and Wendy's gestures were not appreciated as the couple continued to grumble, poking and picking at their business class meal with suspicion.
The rest of the flight was as uneventful as any Y class flight usually is, as cabin lights were dimmed and crew retreated into the galley, appearing only once to offer bananas and water to anyone that was awake.
"Call me Bubbles, everyone doezz…" Another side-splitting episode of Little Britain
Is that Pauline Hansen on a flight from ASIA??!!
Orange Juice, Fresh Fruit Salad, Hazelnut Danish, Shortbread Biscuit, Coffee or Tea
Unscented warm towels were handed out and a cold breakfast were served as the first glimpse of daylight emitted into the cabin a little more than an hour prior to descent into ADL.
Breakfast was a refreshing change from the boring muffin, roll and yoghurt that I've come to expect on Qantas' only competitor on the SIN-ADL route.
Qantas' A333 sporting the new generation design features from Airbus – lighted mirrors, one-touch temperature control taps et al. But what struck me was foul smell of a toilet that had not been cleaned for the past 6 hours, and the fact that there were no moisturizers, shavers or mouthwash to help one freshen up before arrival. The last time I was in an aircraft toilet that smelled this foul was on an Olympic Airways flight just after take-off from Athens!!
Cursory checks to ensure that the cabin was secured for arrival into ADL were made. Once again, the crew failed to notice that some passengers still had their seats reclined; neither did they insist that a sleeping toddler did not remain lying across 2 seats for landing…
It was early in the morning and there is really nothing much to do at Adelaide's new airport except wait out the next one hour for QF82 to continue its trek to SYD. All I can say is that ADL is a nice, quiet airport to be in. Nothing fancy, nothing exciting…just the occasional Virgin Blue, and SQ, MH morning arrivals whizzing by.
Our VH-QPD being prepared for the final leg to SYD
The same set of crew welcomed us on this flight, making this probably one of the longer flights the A333 crew has to operate on. They were noticeably less chirpy as fatigue set in, but I had no complaints about their service. With a load factor of just over 30% (including domestic passengers joining the flight from ADL), passengers were requested to remain in their allocated seats (due to aircraft trim) for the take-off, and it was free seating thereafter.
Flying over Adelaide…
I found myself an empty seat once the aircraft had leveled off and entertained myself with Qantas' alternative program selection…
It appears that Qantas doesn't institute any form of censorship on their inflight programming and the end result is a program like this – nudity, dicks galore, gory scenes of a dick enlargement operation and what do you know, a glimpse of my London based colleague walking on the streets of Piccadilly totally unaware that she had just appeared in an adult documentary about dicks!!
Another very interesting sight caught my attention….
…This Boeing 767 safety card placed in my seat pocket (apparently by mistake). I began to wonder if the safety cards of other aircraft types were also arbitrarily placed on this A333 flight, and felt at this juncture that Qantas was perhaps getting a bit too lax for comfort in the passenger safety department…
A light snack was served, making this my 3rd meal on this flight! The only other occasion when I had more meals on a flight than this was when I flew SQ from SIN to ORD via AMS back in 2002! I simply love airline food, and it doesn't get any better than this!
Very tasty passionfruit biscuits which are available for sale at SYD airport.
Qantas paper cups come in a number of colors… just how many different colors are there?
Arriving in Sydney more than 11 hours since my departure from Singapore the night before, I must admit that this flight managed to change my impression of Qantas. The relatively young set of crew provided the level of service that I would usually only associate Asian carriers with. While not exactly outgoing and chatty by Australian standards, they were polite and attentive (but not to the same level of friendliness their Asian competitors are renowned for).
This is my 4th visit to Sydney and I still can't get enough of this wonderful city. The beautiful waterfronts, the majestic Opera House, fresh seafood, Bondi Beach, Blue Mountain, the caves and friendly Aussie blokes easily made for beautiful photos regardless of your photography skills…
Darling Harbor on a Sunday afternoon…
...and in the evening
The grand ol'dame by day and night…after catching a play in one of the theatres…
Do not miss this summer's hit musical – Priscilla, Queen of the Desert playing at the Lyric Theatre. It's hilarious, tacky, gay and touching all at once. Did I also mention that with the strong Singapore dollar, it's now cheaper to watch musicals in Australia?!
The QVB and its imposing Romanesque architecture.
Sydney Tower – don't bother if you are afraid of heights and claustrophobic elevators…
A day at the Rocks – great for last minute souvenir hunting and great bargains
I have no idea what these road signs mean…
Traveling Aussie style...in blistering 35deg C heat on an non-airconditioned bus
Bondi Beach, where only the body beautiful are welcomed…
Last but certainly not least, you can't go wrong with Australian seafood and meat! It wasn't surprising that I added another stone to my weight after a few days…
This mate says it all…2 thumbs up for Sydney!
Sydney ranks as my second favorite Australian city after Melbourne. However, the city has changed much in recent years. I couldn't help feeling that Sydney (and Australia in general) is fast becoming the external wing of China and Southeast Asia. The number of Asians living and working within the confines of this city was mind boggling, and there were moments during this trip when I had to remind myself that I was really in Australia, not China. Having said that, Sydney has maintained its charm, and remains a favorite holiday destination for many.
I caught this Australia Tourism ad on my last night in Sydney just before the screening of the movie "Australia" (huge let down I must say). It appropriately sums up my feelings and thoughts on this trip…
"Sometimes we have to get lost to find ourselves….sometimes we have to go walkabout"…. It says so much without showing too much, a stark contrast to those "Uniquely Singapore", "Malaysia Truly Asia" ads we get here that basically tries way too hard to cram a 20 page brochure into 60 seconds of air time.
9 days in Sydney flew by and it was sadly time to head back to Singapore, to return to the humdrum of corporate life, 12hour days in the office, deadlines…
We left what is arguably one of the most conveniently located, reasonably priced and comfortable hotel that I've managed to find on Zuji in years, on the regular airport shuttle, with its luggage container in tow…
Meeting every arriving shuttle bus at the international terminal's curbside was a customer service staff whose primary job is to welcome passengers to the airport and answer any queries passengers may have or giving directions. As many passengers instinctively know where the entrance to the departure hall is or are usually too busy unloading their luggage to pay any attention to her, her job inadvertently becomes an easy and insignificant one that involved merely running from one arriving vehicle to another to greet passengers as they stepped out of it. While I fully appreciate Macquarie's attempt to personalize the welcome, her enthusiasm could have been better placed inside the terminal directing people to their respective check in rows.
There doesn't appear to be any way to avoid the queues when traveling Y on Qantas. Getting in line behind almost 50 other Y class passengers bound for various QF destinations, I was surprised how dingy Qantas' home base looked. The lack of lighting above this portion of the departure hall made the whole experience gloomy - as if to serve as a precursor to the flight that I was about to board. I've never found Australian airports particularly impressive compared to the massive structures that are seen throughout Asia, and SYD airport, under the fine management of Macquarie Airports is in dire need of an upgrade and expansion.
With just 8 counters opened, the speed at which the queue moved was surprisingly fast. I received my boarding pass just 30 minutes after joining the queue and was informed that my flight would be completely full all the way to Singapore, and less so out of Singapore to Frankfurt when I hinted at the possibility of getting a seat in the less crowded section of the aircraft. Maybe I should seriously consider flying less popular airlines next time… but alas, the thought of flying a 5 star value carrier wannabe immediately sends shivers down my spine.
Having heard so much about the open-air viewing gallery that Sydney's terminal 1 offers, I insisted on trooping up (to the chagrin of my travel companion) to where the smell of jet fuel and screaming engines never fail to get me high. The view that awaited me was without any doubt extremely rewarding – especially since I grew up peering through tinted glass viewing galleries that shrunk in size with every major renovation.
There was sense of déjà vu at Sydney's Terminal 1. Like Changi's terminal 1, it is also going through major renovation works. However, that again is where the similarity ends. While Changi tries not to ruin the surprise that awaits you after renovation works are completed, Sydney is proud to show you, in all its glory, the renovation works that are taking place around you. Clearing Sydney's infamous security lines and walking through the sterile area is akin to taking a tour of a busy construction site. There are just so many things to see and hear and side-step that there's really no need for movie theatres or entertainment complexes at this airport, NOT.
Macquarie's masterplan for Terminal 1 reveals that it will add 7,300 square metres to the departures level to provide world class passenger facilities including centralised processing, new retail, food and beverage outlets, and passenger waiting areas under its on going upgrading plans for Terminal 1.
The duty free mall that you have no choice but to pass through to get to your gate
An exorbitantly priced sandwich and yoghurt
This terminal has just enough facilities to keep passengers who prefer to arrive at the airport just in time to catch their flight occupied. But if you are like me, and have 3 solid hours to kill, you might have to linger on the limited internet kiosks a little longer, spend more time selecting over priced souvenirs, or slowly savour an equally over-priced sandwich. If that still doesn't take all of the 3 hours, one can check out the insipid views of the tarmac. For spotters, terminal 1 is a paradise. For everyone else, I would have to recommend giving yourself just an hour to discover this terminal - for there's really not many things one can do here, even if the sights and sounds of a construction site intrigues you. So while Changi touts itself as an experience, Sydney endeavors to be merely an airport that gets you to point B.
Unsightly views of the on-going airport upgrading work
Qantas new and improved livery – love the stylised 'roo
CX to Hong Kong at a nearby gate
Larger passenger waiting areas will certainly be a welcome relief for travelers in the near future, and hopefully by then, the airport operators will know better than to allocate a 50 seat gate to a fully loaded B744.
In line with good industry practice, Qantas accords priority boarding for its premium passengers as well as families traveling with children. All others will have to wait for their row numbers to be called to ensure minimal congestion in the cabin. This apparently, only happens on paper. What the world's most experienced airline fails to comprehend is that boarding by rows only happens when it is enforced and followed through. We were all informed of the plan to board by rows. However, when no further announcements made after that, those who heeded the original boarding instructions soon realized that they had been suckered, as everyone else had already flocked to the entrance to the aerobridge.
Sure enough, boarding was a disorderly affair and continued way past the official departure time.
There were no "Wirriyarra" clad stewardesses to welcome passengers on QF5, and I found that to be a good thing. None of the grannies serving today's flight would have looked good in them anyway. Perhaps well aware of how unflattering the one piece dress would look on their plus-sized figures, everyone donned Qantas' simpler white-top-black-pants uniform this evening. In contrast to my A333 flight the week before, this flight was staffed by probably Qantas' most senior crew, with everyone not looking a day younger than 50, confirming earlier rumors that young good looking crew are not common on this airline.
Only 2 females served in economy today, with the rest of the male crew being an equally senior bunch. Many in this forum argue that service delivery by your typical grannies and grandpas far surpasses that of their younger, inexperienced counterparts. But like many travelers in Asia, I hold on to the perception that younger crew tend to be more energetic, willing to please, and inadvertently provide better service overall compared to their jaded, "I'm here for your safety, not kiss your axx because I have already spent the last 3 decades doing that" seniors. It would be interesting to find out if my beliefs are correct on this very flight...
Push back was 40 minutes behind schedule due, and from what I observed, it was largely due to the slow boarding process. QF5 was destined for Frankfurt, so inflight announcements were naturally made in both English and German. The latter announcements were by a senior looking lady with a little German flag on her name tag. There were also a number of crew with Italian and French flags on their tags. As Australia is predominantly an immigrant society, I would assume that many of them are native speakers of the language, and not crew that are specially trained in them .
Due to a longer than expected ATC clearance, the crew made full use of the extra time on the ground to distribute menus and disembarkation cards. Qantas' caterers had evidently mixed the SYD-SIN-FRA and FRA-SIN-SYD sectors menu together, so depending on your luck, you would either receive a menu for the outbound sector, or like my seat mate, an inbound menu.
Yawn... what holding us up??
Hot towels and bottled water were also handed out before the usual safety demonstrations, and like my previous flight, it is no longer a requirement to keep your seatbacks fully upright for take off and landing.
No amenity kits given on this flight... only for overnight flights I presume
We were soon off the ground when the steep ascent resulted in an expected 'shower' from the overhead air vents pelting down on an entire ow of passengers seated in the forward economy cabin! Improvised shelter made out of blankets and pillows quickly propped up, making for a rather comical sight. The crew seemed equally amused, as they remained strapped in their seats, smiling and quietly looking away to avoid eye contact with the shocked, half-soaked passengers. "Ah... it's no big deal...we've seen this a thousand times" they must have thought to themselves. Once the seat belt signs were extinguished, the crew nonchalantly got off their seats, retrieved a stack of paper towels from the galley, passed them out the affected passengers without a word and went on their duties.
It's been a long time since I last saw such first generation air-vents on a B747. These are completely absent on the airline I usually fly with
A search on the internet would probably tell you that VH-OJB is one of the older 744s in Qantas' fleet, and is in a high density J/Y configuration. On the onset, the cabin looked clean and well maintained, but as the flight wore on, problems with headrests getting dislodged from the backrest when attempting to adjust them started surfacing. These were merely met with a shrug when assistance from the crew was sought.
You can tell if a steward or stewardess is having a good day just be looking at his/her face as they walk down the aisle, and the German speaking stewardess obviously still loves her job. Her face lighted up with a smile whenever she made eye contact with passengers. For everyone else crewing this flight, even forced smiles were few and far between.
Mesclun Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette
Chicken in a Spinach and Basil Sauce with Sweet
Lamb Provencal with Herbed Risoni and Green Beans
Cheese, Crackers and Chocolate
Coffee Tea
Ice Cream
Relax & Unwind
Cadbury Hot Chocolate or Organic Peppermint Tea
*Fresh fruit will be served throughout your flight
Dinner was substantial, and I particularly enjoyed Qantas' "Relax and Unwind" service. How does one resist a nice hot chocolate with marshmallows, served in a nifty looking paper cup? Needless to say, I have become quite addicted to this beverage... ever since my return, I have found myself making pit stops every morning at the nearby Coffee Bean for this rich milky drink before heading into the office.
I was expecting fresh fruits to be handed out sometime during the flight, but unlike my inbound flight, the aisles were unusually silent. To be fair, I never bothered checking to see if they were available from the galley preferring instead to check out the IFE on offer; but I do not recall seeing anyone having fruit throughout the flight.
Empty aisle as everyone settles in, waiting for the next meal service...
The last row of economy can get a little bright and distracting – not great for a snooze
It's times like these that I begin to miss the carrier that I fly regularly on, where service is predictable and one is comforted by the thought that the crew will somehow appear with a tray of water or juice just as you are beginning to feel thirsty.
Then again, I was glad that this set of crew didn't prowl the cabin too often due to the fact that a grouchy plus-size granny serving my side of the cabin had hips that were wider than the width of Qantas' economy class aisle. And whenever she hobbled (yes, literally, as if suffering from arthritis) down the aisle, her hips would 'slam' (not gently brush, mind you) into shoulders at both sides of the aisle. I managed to dodge her soft hips on a number of occasions, but unless I had eyes at the back of my head, it was impossible to do likewise whenever she came from the back. It was also not very pleasant to be jolted out of dreamland as she wandered up or down those aisles.
Now, I wouldn't even dare suggest that Qantas hires its crew based on the same strict physical yardsticks as their Asian counterparts - I would like that to remain as the Asian airlines' competitive advantage. With all due respect to plus-size granny, but it would have been nice if Qantas can ensure that their crew do not outgrow the width of the aisles that they have to serve in. For shallow Hals, such sights aren't aesthetically pleasing, and in the name of safety, these crew can make or break a successful aircraft evacuation – trying picturing this...
Aircraft makes an emergency landing, everyone survives but fire is fast spreading onboard. Passengers scramble for the nearest unobstructed exit. Plus size granny appears, painfully hobbling towards the exit. Desperate passengers have no way of getting past her as she 'clogs' the aisles with her hips and end up clammouring 'over' her instead...
You get my drift...
Seasonal Melon Salad with Fruit Juice
Penne Pasta with Roast Vegetables in a Basil and Parmesan Sauce
Coffee Tea
Qantas serves a proper hot second meal prior to arrival in Singapore, unlike the world's favorite airline that merely serves a cold sandwich in a bag on the same route. It's things like this that make me see Qantas in a different light. The airline is clearly aware of who its real competitor on this route is and has taken the effort to match them in hardware and product.[Edited 2009-01-17 21:41:58]
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Home > Television > T > Tarzan
Miguel A Nunez
Sarah Wayne Callies
Travis Fimmel
Mitch Pileggi
All Cast & Crew >>
Summary:Drama which updates the adaptation of the legend of Tarzan. Twenty years ago, a plane carrying John Clayton and his parents crashed in the African jungle, killing the elder Claytons and leaving John to fend for himself. Only to be known as Tarzan, he is captured by his uncle Richard Clayton, head of Greystoke Industries and brought back to his childhood home, New York City. When a routine crime brings New York Detective Jane Porter into his life, they are immediately transfixed by one another. A bond based on mutual curiousity soon begins to deepen between the two, and Tarzan begins to help Jane solve cases with his intuitive abilities.


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