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Ikea's Recent Commercial Doesn't Match Its Service Delivery
A well-aligned strategy serves as the building blocks of a company's products and services, and eventual growth. But that doesn't just mean that a company's marketing messaging or customer service must be consistent across channels; it also means that an organization's marketing must align to the actual products and service it delivers.
Ikea could learn a thing or two from this principle. Over the weekend, I traveled to the blue and yellow Mecca of pop-and-lock furniture in search of three stools for my kitchen island, after convincing my husband to finally sell our man-cave appropriate landscaping-theme stools left by our home's previous owners.
After finding the style I wanted online, I checked the store's inventory Saturday morning. Great, 10 in stock. I made my way to the store, and upon entering, I immediately steered clear of the cafeteria as the Swedish meatball beckoned (the news of the horse meat balls in Europe were still fresh in my mind).
After weaving my way through the maze of rattan chaise lounges and flowering plants, I finally came upon my bar stools. Great, I checked the names and inventory numbers and headed to the warehouse. Now here's where it gets interesting. I don't know if any of you've seen the most recent "You Got This" commercial where the husband and wife are shopping and they end up at the warehouse after winding through Ikea's showroom and the wife asks the husband, "You got this?" He tells her that he does and sends her off to the cafeteria for some Swedish equine balls (I kid). Immediately a friendly employee saddles up to him to inquire whether he needs help and the man asks, "You got this?" as the employee takes the couple's shopping list to find the packages in the warehouse while the man most likely joins his wife at the cafe.
I'll stop horsing around. So I recently saw that commercial and it's the reason why I traveled solo to buy and transport three bar stools by myself, as my husband was working. I told him that apparently Ikea must have undergone new hiring and training because the most recent television commercial ensures me that I'll have help in finding and transporting the boxes to my car.
I was wrong.
When I arrived at Ikea's distribution center, I couldn't find the boxes that contained my Henricksdal stools. I flagged down a sole employee after waiting behind three other customers with questions. He pointed me to the aisle across the vast warehouse that contained my boxes of stools, but didn't follow me to offer assistance. When I found the specific bin, the description on the boxes didn't match the description of the stool I wanted to buy. So I went in search of yet another employee who could help. This one reluctantly followed me to the bin after I described my dilemma and once there, he assured me that the boxes contained the right stools. When I asked where I could find a cart, he pointed in the direction and walked away! No, "I got this" from him either. So I heaved the three unwieldy boxes off the shelves by myself and onto my cart, then pushed the heavy cart to the check-out, through the parking lot, and lifted each one into my car's hatch with no employee assistance.
I'm not sure where the gap exists in this service-advertising disconnect. Maybe the creative agency behind Ikea's latest television commercials didn't speak to the executives in customer service, or maybe Ikea never followed through with the appropriate training to match the messaging in its latest advertising, but there's a lesson to be learned here. A company's service strategy must align to its creative before launching a campaign, or else it risks entering into deceptive or misleading advertising practices.


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SARASOTA, Fla. - Driving and noticing someone with a phone in their hand and their eyes off the road is very common, but now officials are hoping a texting ban will make people put the phone down and get their eyes back on the road.
"I hear stories of how kids were hit by other drivers and it just breaks my heart to see how their lives were changed by someone texting. A simple little text like 'I'm on my way' or 'I love you.' And, I just don't think that's right," said Sarasota resident Abby Ponce.
State lawmakers agree with Ponce. They've passed a texting ban that is set to take effect on October 1st. It gives law enforcement the power to issue tickets to those caught texting and driving. But the measure is a secondary offense which means drivers must first break another law before being cited.
"If we see that someone is texting and looking down we will be able to pull them over for a first offense which will be swerving or careless driving and the secondary offense would be the texting and driving," said Officer Linda DeNiro with the Sarasota Police Department.
Traffic Unit Officer Kevin Schafer says finding offenders will be easy and officers wont be giving out any breaks. "If I see somebody speeding and while they're speeding I see their fingers moving on the phone, I'm just going to assume their texting," added Schafer.
But that assumption is causing some concern among residents. "People shouldn't be texting and driving but how could you prove that I'm texting and driving," said Sarasota resident Steve Washington.
Officer Schafer says law enforcement will use their experience to make that determination. And in some case drivers will have to prove their case in court. In the mean time residents like Ponce support the efforts many say will help make our roadways safer.
"When you're in the car you should put you phone down. It can wait," Ponce added.
The fine for the texting and driving will range from a base ticket of $30 to 6 points on your divers license.

subset: commoncrawl


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I had rhinoplasty to remove a hump on the nose,straighten it out, and pick up the dip a little bit because it was hanging down. He also did a chin implant on me because he said I had a weak chin, I thought my chin was pretty but i hesitantly agreed to it. I am now 15 days post op & my nose is huge & more swollen on one side, my eyes look different & I have huge bags under my eyes. My nose is way fatter than it was & worst of all,my smile changed. The chin implant is hard & ruins my smile.
When will my nose swelling go down? When will it look skinny back? Will the chin forever feel rough and ruin my smile?
Doctor Answers 3
When will my nose swelling go down?
Post-operative swelling can give the appearance of asymmetry and irregularities. In general, 70% of the swelling is resolved after the first 3 months and the remainder goes down over time. It can take up to 18-24 months to see the final result of your surgery. There is also swelling from the chin implant which will need time to resolve. I would recommend giving it some time and see how you continue to heal. Your surgeon should be able to answer any questions in the meantime, as they know the details of your procedure. I hope this helps, and I wish you the best of luck.
Learn more: http://www.rhinoplastyspecialist.com/
Swollen nose and thick skin
It is very early in your recovery and it is normal for your nose and chin to feel swollen. It is also common for your smile to feel stiff after a rhinoplasty. All of this is within the normal post-operative course. Be patient, it will get better.
Learn more: http://drbustillo.com
15 days after rhinoplasty and chin implant
Please don't judge your result right now. Having a rhinoplasty and a chin implant is a lot of surgery in a small area of your face. This combination of procedures is commonly done and makes sense but during the first few weeks patients often experience what you are going through. The swelling and changed smile are probably temporary. I would make your concerns known to your surgeon. I'm sure he or she would be happy to discuss the recovery period with you.
You might also like...
These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.


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You might be surprised to learn that many college students are liberals. Once you stop hyperventilating, I'd like to introduce you to the College Liberal Meme, a well-known liberal who will explain the philosophies of her kind. Down with the 1%… of Starbucks' who don't serve breakfast sandwiches!
Jesus is, like, who my parents believe in. So lame.
Macs are great for… uh, the environment? Yeah, that's the ticket.
Next week, back to straight. But what a rollercoaster week it'll be!
Way to be contradictory, bee-otch!
Open Minded
Another translation: try pot.
Corporations, Pt. 2
Actually, that status was 5 paragraphs long.
Another 10 poetry critique factories shut down this year.
Geoffrey Golden is the Editor-In-Chief of The Devastator: The Quarterly Comedy Magazine For Humans! Background via.


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Get certified - Transform your world of work today
See all CSPO courses near ChicagoSee all CSPO courses within Illinois.
The Oobeya Group
Lowell Lindstrom
Date: 21-22 January, 2009
Location: Chicago, IL, United States of America
Regular Price: $1,350.00
This course was originally scheduled for December 16-17, 2008.
The Certified Scrum Product Owner course is a 2-day course introducing the concepts of agile business leadership using the Scrum methodology. Successful participants will become Certified Scrum Product Owners, a first step in the journey towards this more adaptive form of business leadership. This course is based on 23 years of industry experience, including nearly 10 years of experience in the role of Product Owner/Agile Customer and teaching/mentoring others in this role.
Prepare participants to effectively participate on projects using Scrum and to assume the Product Owner role.
Though each CSPO course varies depending on the instructor, all Certified Scrum Product Owner® courses focus on Scrum from a product owner's perspective. Graduates will receive the CSPO designation. All CSPO courses are taught by Certified Scrum Trainers.
Venue:Courtyard Chicago Downtown/River North30 East Hubbard StreetChicago, IL 60611 United States of Americahttp://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/chiwb-courtyard-chicago-downtown-river-north/Get Directions
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This course is designed for team members and managers involved in projects who may assume the Product Owner role. Typically the Product Owner is a product manager, business analyst, or business sponsor. In large organizations, it is recommended that Directors who oversee IT projects or functional areas also participate.


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At Port Mourant – New Jersey Arya Samaj hosting Berbice suicide forum
From left are Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Human Services Ministry, Patrick Findlay, Pandit Suresh Sugrim and Chief Probation Officer, Forbes Munroe
February 11, 2014
Written By Telesha Ramnarine
Religious leaders step up fight against suicide in Region 6
Religious leaders in Region 6 recently moved to stem the tide of persons taking their own lives in the region through an initiative that saw ...
Community rallies behind project of 'hope'
Some of the artistes on stage at the Vedic Cultural Centre at "An Evening of Hope 2" fundraiser. (Adit Kumar pix)
By Adit Kumar
The turnout two Saturdays ago to ...
Mandela has left us richer than anything money can buy
December 6, 2013 | By Admin
Mandela has left us richer than anything money can buy
Dear Editor,
The world has lost a great freedom fighter and statesman with the death ...
Arya Samaj Port Mourant empowerment centre moving ahead
Arya Samaj Port Mourant empowerment centre moving ahead
The vision of the Arya Samaj Humanitarian Mis-sion for reducing poverty and social problems affecting Berbicians is closer to ...
The New Jersey Arya Samaj Mandir, Inc., executed it's first Humanitarian Mission in Guyana, South America in July-August 2005. We worked with the Berbice Central Arya Samaj (Regional Branch of the Guyana Central Arya Samaj) in reaching out to the less fortunate children in orphanages in the County of Berbice, Guyana.
Such social and charitable works are the basic hallmarks of Hinduism and the Arya Samaj movement. Unlike the common ...
Our Mission
Mission Statement
The Humanitarian Mission of New Jersey Arya Samaj Mandir, Inc., is dedicated to helping children, seniors, victims of gender-based violence, and other individuals who are living in dire poverty.
Our aim is that each person will grow into a healthy, educated and self-reliant individual.
This possibility is accomplished thought the generosity of our contributors, sponsors and caregivers, by providing children and other individuals with program benefits and services ...


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Library Journal
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
This book really is a blend of memoir (the author discusses his childhood and adolescence) and craft (there's a discussion of the tools of the trade as well). And why not take your writing lessons from a King? (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Library Journal
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
In 1981 King penned Danse Macabre, a thoughtful analysis of the horror genre. Now he is treating his vast readership to another glimpse into the intellect that spawns his astoundingly imaginative works. This volume, slim by King standards, manages to cover his life from early childhood through the aftermath of the 1999 accident that nearly killed him. Along the way, King touts the writing philosophies of William Strunk and Ernest Hemingway, advocates a healthy appetite for reading, expounds upon the subject of grammar, critiques a number of popular writers, and offers the reader a chance to try out his theories. But most important, we who climb aboard for this ride with the master spend a few pleasant hours under the impression that we know what it!s like to think like Stephen King. Recommended for anyone who wants to write and everyone who loves to read. [Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 6/1/00.]"Nancy McNicol, Hagaman Memorial Lib., East Haven, CT (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
School Library Journal
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Adult/High School-By the time King was 14, the scads of rejection slips he'd accumu-lated grew too heavy for the nail in the wall on which they were mounted. He replaced the nail with a spike and went on writing. This straight-up book inspires without being corny, and teens suspicious of adult rhap-sodies to perseverance will let down their guard and be put at ease by the book's gritty conversational tone. The first 100 pages are pure memoir-paeans to the horror movies and fanzines that captivated King as a child, the expected doses of misadventure (weeks of detention for distributing his own satirical zine at school; building an electromagnet that took out the electricity of half a street), and hard times. King writes just as passion-ately in the second half of the book, where the talk turns to his craft. He provides plenty of samples of awkward or awful writing and contrasts them with polished versions. Hand this title to reluctant readers and reluctant writers, sit back, and watch what happens.-Emily Lloyd, Fairfax County Public Library, VA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publishers Weekly
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
"No one ever asks [popular novelists] about the language," Amy Tan once opined to King. Here's the uber-popular novelist's response to that unasked question a three-part book whose parts don't hang together much better than those of the Frankenstein monster, but which, like the monster, exerts a potent fascination and embodies important lessons and truths. The book divides into memoir, writing class, memoir. Many readers will turn immediately to the final part, which deals with King's accident last year and its aftermath. This material is tightly controlled, as good and as true as anything King has written, an astonishing blend of anger, awe and black humor. Of Bryan Smith (who drove the van that crushed King) watching the horribly wounded writer, King writes, "Like his face, his voice is cheery, only mildly interested. He could be watching all this on TV...." King's fight for life, and then for the writing life, rivets attention and inflames admiration as does the love he expresses throughout for his wife, novelist Tabitha. The earlier section of memoir, which covers in episodic fashion the formation of King the Writer, is equally absorbing. Of particular note are a youthful encounter with a babysitter that armchair psychologists will seize upon to explain King's penchant for horror, and King's experiences as a sports reporter for the Lisbon, Maine, Weekly Express, where he learned and here passes on critical advice about writing tight. King's writing class 101, which occupies the chewy center of the book, provides valuable advice to novice scribesDalthough other than King's voice, idiosyncratic and flush with authority, much of what's here can be found in scores of other writing manuals. What's notable is what isn't here: King's express aim is to avoid "bullshit," and he manages to pare what the aspiring writer needs to know from idea to execution to sale to a few simple considerations and rules. For illustration, he draws upon his own work and that of others to show what's good prose and what's not, naming names (good dialogue: Elmore Leonard; bad dialogue: John Katzenbach). He offers some exercises as well. The real importance of this congenial, ramshackle book, however, lies neither in its autobiography nor in its pedagogy, but in its triumphant vindication of the popular writer, including the genre author, as a writer. King refuses to draw, and makes a strong case for the abolition of, the usual critical lines between Carver and Chandler, Greene and Grisham, DeLillo and Dickens. Given the intelligence and common sense of his approach, perhaps his books' many readers will join him in that refusal. 500,000 first printing. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.
King could write a phone book and make it not only a best-seller but also gripping reading. So expect his fiction-writing how-to to be a megahit that reaches plenty of readers besides wanna-be novelists. It is riveting, thanks to King's customary flair for the vernacular and conversational tone, and to the fact that he flanks his advice with two memoirs, the latter recalling his near-fatal 1999 stint as the victim of a bad driver. The first memoir, "C.V.," concentrates on his life as a writer, which began in childhood. It took some time to publish for money, but ever since Carrie garnered $400,000 for paperback rights, he has been the Stephen King. He loves to write, though he emphasizes it is far more work than play. Loving it is essential, though, and having a good "toolbox," full of vocabulary, grammar, and the usage and mechanics prescribed by Strunk and White's perdurable Elements of Style, is next most important. It is invaluable to read a lot, and the key to novel writing is following the story--not a plot that can be charted or outlined, but the developments natural for the characters, given the situation they are in. For himself, King says, good health and a good marriage have been crucial, never more so than during his recovery from the accident. Good advice and a good, ordinary life, relayed in spunky, vivid prose, are the prime ingredients of what must be considered not at all the usual writer's guide. --Ray Olson


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Broccoli raab with italian sausage
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March 05 2008
Achieving a AAA Rating
Credit derivatives originated in 1999, yet there are just over 10 credit derivative product companies (CDPCs). CDPCs have been described as highly rated, capital-efficient and successful managers of diverse and complicated risk, but why have so few made it to market?
CDPCs are AAA-rated companies whose sole purpose is to make a profit for their investors from the premiums received from selling credit protection. This credit protection is usually highly leveraged against the CDPC's assets, sometimes up to sixfold, making a AAA rating for a new company with obligations far in excess of its assets both essential to attract business and difficult to achieve. The road to market is long and hazardous and few arrive.
Established sponsors or parent companies create a CDPC and inject vast sums of capital to provide it with an attractive capital base. Further investment - enough to ensure that the CDPC obtains a AAA rating - comes from debt and capital investors. Once the CDPC is writing credit default swaps, the incoming credit protection premiums boost its reserves, especially since the CDPC can leverage itself by selling credit protection on low-risk reference entities for many times the CDPC's capital value. The capital is invested in highly rated securities, much as it would be in a synthetic collateralized debt obligation. The core CDPC strategy is 'buy to hold' - sell credit protection, but do not trade it. The strategy is intended to buffer the CDPC against market volatility and provide the rating agencies with modelling certainty in return for the AAA rating that drives the CDPC model. Credit default swap counterparties can obtain full regulatory capital relief and be confident that if a credit event occurs, their credit derivative contract will be honoured. However, the permitted levels of leverage mean that CDPC investors make a good return on their investments.
In 1999, when the idea of CDPCs was first devised, derivative product companies were not new. Entities dedicated to trading interest rate risk had existed since the early 1990s.
Primus Financial Products was the first credit derivative product company in the market, attaining its AAA rating in 2002 after three years of negotiation. After going public in 2004, Primus diversified from selling single-name, highly rated credit default swaps into non-investment grade credit default swaps and more complex credit derivative products.
In contrast, Athilon Structured Investment Advisers launched at a time of wide credit spreads in December 2004 and focused on selling protection on super senior tranches of collateralized debt obligation debt. This trend towards selling credit protection through more complex structured products was the result of growing market confidence in CDPCs, the CDPCs' increased expertise and the rating agencies' willingness to maintain a AAA rating.
CDPCs depend on their AAA rating and rating agencies understandably set strict criteria for a new entity with no trading history and liabilities in excess of its assets. In order to obtain a AAA rating, CDPCs must pass rigorous modelling, disclosure and risk framework tests.
A CDPC's principal selling point is its rating, in terms of both the debt it issues to fund its capital base and its counterparty rating when selling credit protection. The rating agencies are involved at many levels and much of their scrutiny during the structuring stage focuses on the CDPC's capital funding structure. CDPC sponsors must develop intricate capital models, business models, operational structures and infrastructure plans complying with stringent rating agency criteria - a lengthy and costly process involving planning, structural analysis and hard negotiation.
An obligation to provide transparent reporting is closely related to avoiding collateral posting requirements. Credit protection buyers want to ensure that they will be paid if a credit event occurs. The AAA rating ensures that the CDPC will not have to enter into credit support arrangements with its counterparty in order to support such potential obligations, as to do so would destroy the leverage provided by selling credit protection far in excess of the capital base, which is the element of the business model that makes CDPCs so attractive. CDPCs must justify their rating by maintaining market and counterparty confidence, offering investors and counterparties access to performance and trend information on their portfolio. If they do so, counterparties will be prepared to enter into credit default swaps with CDPCs without credit support.
Risk framework
Rating agencies seek evidence that the CDPC is independent of its sponsor, especially if the sponsor is an established institution. When analyzing the CDPC's infrastructure and the operative guidelines, rating agencies look for indications that the CDPC has sufficiently robust systems to handle portfolio management, manage exposure and carry out risk analysis. The CDPC must also be competent to manage the day-to-day operations of trade settlement, documentation, credit event mechanics and accounting. These infrastructure requirements may be more easily met if the CDPC has an institutional sponsor with sophisticated back-office expertise, but the rating agencies will be keen for such a relationship to be kept at arm's length.
Characteristics and risks
The key characteristics of a successful AAA CDPC structure are:
The key risk factors in a CDPC structure are:
The CDPC road to market is time consuming and costly. Rating agencies and the market require CDPCs to have at least a $100 million capital base. Setting up the trading and portfolio management infrastructure involves operational costs and complexities, as well as the lengthy rating agency approval process and legal and other third-party costs.
The future is uncertain. In the fallout of structured credit product downgrades, rating agencies may feel that they are suffering a confidence crisis and may react by scrutinizing CDPCs more closely. However, if spreads widen, market conditions may favour the creation of new CDPCs, several of which are in the pipeline.
For further information on this topic please contact Ed Parker or Melanie Barrow at Mayer Brown International LLP by telephone (+44 20 7248 4282) or by fax 44 20 7248 2009) or by email (email@example.com or firstname.lastname@example.com).
An earlier version of this update first appeared in Derivatives Week.
The materials contained on this website are for general information purposes only and are subject to the disclaimer.
ILO is a premium online legal update service for major companies and law firms worldwide. In-house corporate counsel and other users of legal services, as well as law firm partners, qualify for a free subscription.
Edmund Parker
Melanie Barrow


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I am going on vacation to South Beach during the long Columbus day weekend. I love finding new restaurants and hidden gems. We are Willing to take cabs/public transit, price is not an issue and we're not big drinkers (a nice selection beer is a plus though) . I also appreciate cheap ethnic eats that only the locals know about. We love breakfast and most likely will have small snack like lunches (does Miami have street food/trucks?) and bigger dinners. We are also really into ice cream and dessert. Ideally, I would like to have a big wowie zowie blowout dinner on Saturday night. The one limitation is that my boyfriend doesn't eat pork or seafood without scales, so there would have to be things on the menu for him too.
Please let me know if there are any more details you need!


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This game was classified by the community with the following category scores - Violence=2/3, Sex=0/3, Mature Content=0/3. Micro Invasion is a shooter type game where you struggle to fend off waves of microscopic robot spiders injected into your brain to erase your memories and human instincts in order to turn humans into robotic slaves.1 player game with 10 player online score exchange.
Buy Xbox content on Xbox.com. Your Xbox 360 console will automatically download the content next time you turn it on and connect to Xbox Live.Learn More


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Afterglow Cosmetics
Location: U.S.
Member since 5/5/2009
- 1 total post
- 1 comment
Recent comments from Afterglow Cosmetics
Many brands currently on the market do a great job at addressing specific skin issues for different skin types. The are products out there for every skin type! The challenge is seeing through the advertising hype. When looking for a... READ COMMENT


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The Price of Eggs
Jan. 24, 2010
Egg Vivo Open Air Market showcases eggs ranging from Grade B to Fabergé. Egg whites slicken floors behind displays. Old yolk encrusts chipped fingernails of irritable vendors. There are eggs whose yolks one might spin into gold, lettered eggs with sapphire eyes which their mothers tell them to pawn should they ever get desperate. Most of the eggs can guess their own worth based on casual conversations they have overheard. The gold-yoked, lettered, sapphire-eyed eggs are worth an extra five grand, at least. Couples who remotely resemble these eggs cradle them, look admiringly at their credentials, shell out big bucks, take them home and make what they call miracles. Some brown-shelled, exotic eggs have chestnut and coffee bean eyes. Their mothers, who secretly speak dead languages with no words meaning desperation, don't know what to tell them. Â
Lindsey Loberg is a literacy instructor, amatuer ecologist, bicycle enthusiast, and Milwaukee native.


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Weston Red Stripe Quilt / Sham
Overview & Details
- Cotton chambray and cotton velvet patchwork quilt.
- Illuminated with metallic lurex stitching.
- Matching sham available separately.
- Richly hued, textural stripes bring pure luxury to the bed.
- Sham has back tie closures.
- Available in 3 colorways.
- 18" decorative sham is a solid velvet with the yarn-dyed stripe reverse.
- 16" x 24" sham echoes the quilt, reversing to a yarn-dyed stripe.
- Machine wash.
- Synthetic fill.
- Imported.
- Available exclusively at The Company Store®.
Striped in warm reds, cool blues, or soothing neutrals, our Weston Quilt presents a textural mix of cotton chambray and opulent velvet, masterfully quilted with tiny channel stitches, enhancing its rich dimension. Subtle bits of metallic stitching illuminate this brilliant quilt with just the right amount of sparkle. Available exclusively at The Company Store®.
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Q:Is there a twin XL bed skirt that would go with the red Weston Stripe?Asked on 8/23/2016 by greg from United States
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A:Hi Greg. The Classic Percale Collection carries bedskirts in the XLtwin size. Item number GP72. Thank you.Answered on 8/25/2016 by Anonymous
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text:
Raw materials used in industries are available through a growing number of developing arenas with new and better systems to replace ...
Raw materials used in industries are available through a growing number of developing arenas with new and better systems to replace oil-based, environmentally harmful plastic raw materials. By sticking with the same material manufacturers, you may be missing out on new developments made by other raw material suppliers. Consider broadening your vendor relationships to remain on the forefront of new discoveries.
More companies are providing basic materials through global exchanges that were not available in the past. A raw material business overseas may be able to supply your need for industrial raw materials in a more efficient manner, despite transportation issues and costs.
1. Consider a new line of environmentally friendly plastic raw materials
2. Build overseas relationships for obtaining raw materials for glass
3. Keep up with the trends by following industrial material reports regularly
Try updated versions of basic materialsEvery industry, including the raw material business, is looking for ways to limit the environmental impact their products have on the earth. At least check out the raw material pricing for the new products. You will find that some industrial material is still running higher, while other industrial raw materials can save you money.
Use a consultant to find raw material suppliers overseasRather than reaching out to unknown sources of raw materials used in industries, utilize the services of a global consultant who can pave the way for your trading opportunities. With contacts already in place and systems of delivery developed, a consultant can cut considerable lead-time off your global trading initiatives.
Know who is making the progress in your industry through online industrial material groupsYou can wait until you hear it on the news, but your competitors will already be on the bandwagon using the next generation of raw materials used in industries by that time. Stay in touch with the rapidly growing green material manufacturers and their emerging technologies.
- Get involved in at least one material manufacturers association to remain in the loop and on the edge of changes within the industry that will affect your business.


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Each year, FTA conducts oversight workshops across the country to help grantees broaden their understanding of the federal rules and regulations, as well as how to comply with FTA program requirements. These workshops are ideal for grantee staff and other transit professionals who have responsibility within their organization for developing FTA grant applications, managing federally funded projects and programs, planning and managing transit services, managing procurements, and overseeing financial matters.
- Learn more about Triennial Reviews
- Learn more about Procurement System Reviews (PSRs)
- Learn more about Financial Management Oversight
Information regarding workshops being held this year can be found through the links below:
FTA Region I
- Hartford, CT. November 1-2, 2016: Hilton Downtown Hartford
- Portsmouth, NH. December 6-7, 2016: Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside Hotel
FTA Region II
- New York, NY. November 9-10, 2016: Marriott New York Brooklyn Bridge
- Poughkeepsie, NY. November 21-22, 2016: Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel
FTA Region III
- Philadelphia, PA. October 23-24, 2016: Wyndham Philadelphia Historical District
- Richmond, VA. November 2-3, 2016: Richmond Crowne Plaza
FTA Region IV
- San Juan, PR. November 15-16, 2016: Caribe Hilton
- Atlanta, GA. December 5-6, 2016: Sheraton Atlanta
FTA Region V
- Columbus, OH. November 3-4, 2016: Sheraton Columbus Hotel at Capitol Square
- Chicago, IL. December 12-13, 2016: JW Marriott
FTA Region VI
- Fort Worth, TX. October 31 – November 1, 2016: Embassy Suites Fort Worth Downtown
- Fayetteville, AR. December 1-2, 2016: Hilton Garden Inn
FTA Region VII
- Kansas City, MO. December 5-6, 2016: Marriott Country Club Plaza
FTA Region VIII
FTA Region IX
- San Francisco, CA. December 12-13, 2016: Sheraton Fisherman's Wharf
- Los Angeles, CA. December 14-15, 2016: Sheraton Grand
FTA Region X
- Seattle, WA. October 31 – November 1, 2016: Motif Hotel Seattle
- Portland, OR. November 2-3, 2016: Crowne Plaza Portland
Updated: Tuesday, October 18, 2016


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Back in the desert
It has been a couple months since I have been able to get out and shoot with weather and work always in the way. My son and I took out some .22's a 12 ga. and a .50 black powder this morning. Man WHAT A BLAST!!! Not really a range report except to say if its been a few for anyone get out and get it done!!! I did and its just made my trigger finger just a little more itchy!!:D
Don't ya just love the re-birth of spring?
Glad to hear you and your son had a good time!
IMHO, this was a great range report! http://i695.photobucket.com/albums/v...ons/cowboy.gif
Would love to see pics of that black powder though :)
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Gift Premium Subscription To pennyc
Join Date:03-20-2009
Last Activity:08-18-2010 5:48 PM
Posted in thread: Bushmaster on 03-25-2009 at 05:36 PM
Eugene Stoner designed the rifle to be fired with brass cased ammo. Steel cased ammo (Laquered,
Polymer coated, Zinc plated) CAN be used as an emergency expediant. You have about $1000
invested in you...
Posted in thread: Southern Belle on 03-22-2009 at 02:26 AM
thanks so much for the warm welcome. i'll be posting and reading up on things so i can
hopefully contribute to the community.
Posted in thread: Bushmaster on 03-22-2009 at 02:20 AM
it isn't the m-4. when i can get one in stock i plan to buy that one too. the one i have is
mx15. we went to academy tonight to look at rounds and we have 4 boxes of the winchester rounds
that was giv...
Posted in thread: Bushmaster on 03-21-2009 at 03:10 AM
it's chambered for .223every time we shoot any of our guns they are thouroghly cleaned. that
said though should the need ever arise that we would HAVE to shoot our AR for anything other
than recreatio...
Posted in thread: Bushmaster on 03-21-2009 at 02:47 AM
I'm fairly new to guns and especially ARs. i just bought a bushmaster for my hubby 2 weeks ago.
we love it. it's beautiful. the book says that you are supposed to only use winchester bullets.
Posted in thread: Southern Belle on 03-21-2009 at 02:31 AM
Well hi ya'll! My name is Penny (31) and I'm from cajun country. South Louisiana!I am a current
NRA member with my husband and have a conceal carry license. I carry a Bersa 380 (yeah i know
it's not t...


text:
What is the one thing youve done that has brought results for your hair?
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View Public Profile
Send a private message to SweetVintageCurls
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Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 10
Friday, March 22, 2013 at 12:20PM
Quit brushing my hair a year or 2 ago. I was CG for years in terms of no cones, no shampoo, no blow dryer, but I thought I didn't have time to finger detangle. I continued to (dry) brush my hair with my Denman to get the knots out before getting into the shower and co-washing (I had a deepseated belief that hair shouldn't be brushed wet, too). I don't remember why I finally started finger detangling. Maybe it was when my hair was falling out and I wanted to minimise that. Or maybe I couldn't find my brush
I had chronic split ends for over 20 years, even straight after a trim. Lately, I have none, even though all I trim is SSKs. None (except for a rare couple of splits today from some non-brush related damage that won't be repeated).
My hair finally got down to my waist this January, when it never used to grow past my armpits.
Tresemme Naturals Radiant Care is my boring but trustworthy fallback
Acid rinse (Dr Bronner's Shikakai) stripped my over-a-year-old indigo, and gave me split ends I haven't had since I gave up brushing
Hair analysis done - surprisingly, I'm normal on all 3 counts
Trying to balance babying my hair with my newfound PJism. Melbourne curly, CG since 2006
Last edited by SweetVintageCurls; 03-22-2013 at


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I had 2 c-sections and two very aggressive tummy tuck with lipo which the doctor removed 25 pounds of fat and skin around my waist 2 years ago, I still get swollen and get cramps and daily pelvic pain that sometimes is unbearable in my lower tummy. It gets worst if i sit for long periods. I Went to the doctor and he did ultrasound found out I have fibroids but they r to small to cause severe pain and swelling, he said it could be muscle adhesions, prescribed oxycodone and refered me to the gyno.
Should I Go to a Gyno or to my Plastic Surgeon Who Performed my Tummy Tuck 2 Years Ago?
Doctor Answers 7
Deep pelvic pain, See gyn
You should have a formal pelvic exam done by your gyn. A tummy tuck is all done above the muscle so no pelvic pain should occur from this procedure. If you dont get an answer then see your plastic surgeon.
Pelvic Pain Should Be Evaluated By A Gynecologist
Thank you for this challenging question. I believe your doctor was correct in referring you to a gynecologist. Pelvic pain and cramping are within the scope of practice of a gynecologist, and very unlikely to have been caused by abdominoplasty and liposuction.
Cramps and swelling related to Tummy Tuck?
The pelvic pain and cramps is unlikely to be related to the surgery. I would start with your OB doctor first.
You might also like...
Pelvic pain after tummy tuck
Your pelvic pain is unlikely related to your tummy tuck which is a more superficial procedure but still I would recommend you follow up with your primary care physician for an appropriate referral to the right specialist.
Learn more: http://www.hallakplasticsurgery.com/tummy-tuck-san-diego/
Tummy tuck or not, see your primary doctor for pelvic pain
It is reasonable to think about your tummy tuck when after you have pains, however pelvic pains can have very many causes, and your primary care physician is the best place to begin a work up to sort things out.
Learn more: http://www.peterejohnsonmd.com/tummy-tuck
Appopriate Referral
Your primary care physician is in the best position to refer you to the appropriate person, and the referral to your gynecologist makes sense. You can alway consult with your plastic surgeon after other conditions have been ruled out.
Learn more: http://www.drkrisreddy.com/west_palm_beach_tummy_tuck.html
Pelvic Pain and Appropriate Referral?
Thank you for the question.
I think your primary care physician is in the best position to advise you. Based on your description of daily pelvic pain, I think his referral to a gynecologist is appropriate. Evaluation by your gynecologist and/or any imaging that he/she performs will be helpful in ruling out the causes of pelvic pain. Once these causes of your symptoms have been evaluated/ruled out, follow up with your plastic surgeon if necessary.
Best wishes.
Learn more: http://www.poustiplasticsurgery.com/Procedures/Procedure_tummyTuck.htm
These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.


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New Music: Avicii — 'Speed' (Burn & Lotus F1 Team Mix)
Avicii is about to release his debut solo LP #TRUE, but he's still doing what DJs do best — mixing things up. Mr. Bergling dropped the new tune "Speed" as part of his collaboration with the Lotus F1 Team and Burn energy drink. Avicii premiered the track during #burnYard Budapest, a one-day event that showcases "a series of creative collisions from leading innovators in the fields of art, music and action sport" held in the Hungarian capital on June. 26.
10,000 free downloads of the track will be unlocked here on Monday, July 29, but it's first come, first served.
#TRUE is out on Sept. 17.


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Beach Babes
Posh tots, beachwear just got way haute-r with the incagirl collection. The brainchild of Miami Beach-based inca designer Stacy Josloff, the 2011 Cruise Collection features signature candy-colored tunics, shorts, tops and swimsuits that mimic their adult counterparts ($70 to $100). We chatted up Josloff and here's what she had to say about designing for mini fashionistas:
What was the inspiration behind incagirl? I felt that there was a missing element in the marketplace for fashionable resort wear for the mini set. I saw that all of my friends were starting to have children and eventually, I had two daughters of my own.
What kinds of pieces comprise the collection? Essentially, incagirl is comprised of a miniature version of our adult collection. Items range from string bikinis and embroidered tunics to sequin tank dresses. We shrink everything down and offer it in children's sizes.
Do you plan on creating children's pieces going forward? Absolutely! The clothes are too cute to ever stop.
You used to live in New York and now reside in Miami, how has this changed your design perspective? The weather and culture in Miami has definitely impacted the way I design. The swim and resort wear line is fitting here so I use more versatile fabrics that can be worn all year long. There is also definitely a lot more color incorporated into the line now that I live in Miami and pieces are more playful and vibrant.


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Home | More Videos | About Us | Contact | Subscribe | Donate
Water from an Ancient Well
Abdullah Ibrahim & Ekaya
Subscribe to Jazz on the Tube
July 22, 2011, Plaza de la Trinidad, Donosti, Spain
Recorded at the Festival de Jazz de San Sebastian, July 22, 2011, Plaza de la Trinidad, Donosti, Spain
Ekaya, the name of this ensemble, means "home"
Sadly, the 15 minute upload rule in place cut this performance a bit short.
Abdullah Ibrahim, piano
Cleave Guyton, alto sax, flute
Keith Loftis, tenor sax
Andrae Murchinson, trombone
Toni Kofi, baritone sax
Belden Bullock, bass
George Gray, drums
That's how we grow.
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text:
Skip to comments.French PM Speaks Mind On Iraq
Posted on 04/03/2003 5:49:50 PM PST by Scoop
French PM speaks mind on Iraq
French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, has said that the United States erred in going to war with Iraq "morally, politically and strategically". The criticism is unusually direct compared to the normally measured terms of diplomatic exchanges between allies.
Mr Raffarin stressed that France was not anti-American but said the friendship allowed for frankness.
He was speaking on the eve of Friday's summit in Paris of the foreign ministers of France, Russia and Germany - the three countries most vocal in their opposition to the war. We think that with this war we've gone beyond the law
"It should be said - there was an alternative to war," he declared.
France was on the side of peace and law, without being pacifist, Mr Raffarin said, "and we think that with this war we've gone beyond the law".
Mr Raffarin regretted the "extreme violence" of the war and said it was a grave political error to "make trouble" in the Middle East.
France was strongly opposed to military action without exhausting all other means of disarming Iraq, and led efforts at the UN Security Council to give the weapons inspectors more time.
The remarks by Mr Raffarin were the most direct since his foreign minister Dominique de Villepin argued the French stance to the Security Council last month - receiving rare applause.
The French foreign minister is then heading for a meeting at the Vatican with Pope John Paul and talks with the foreign minister of Italy, who backs the US decision to go to war.
LOL! Walk and chew gum alert!
Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin is just another "un-coalition" nut.
A 3-D GRAPH OF FRANCE's EMPTY CREDIBILITY AND ABSENT HONOR
Yep, that peaceful area didn't need its tranquility disrupted < / obvious sarcasm>
All the UN stuff was essentially beside the point. GHW Bush made the mistake of loading up all his forces, then letting the air out of the operation when the iron was hot. Whatever else Bush does, avoiding repeating GHW's mistakes is high on his priority list.
And I am not anti-france but in the same spirit of frendship I must say that you are all greedy scum. And that your greed has caused many lives to be lost needlessly.
Payback will be a b*tch.
But it was moral to sell Hussein a nuke plant.
What friendship??
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


text: Duncan Coutts <duncan.coutts at worc.ox.ac.uk> wrote: > The question is what should we do about it, if anything? A certain > amount of machine dependent behaviour would seem to be useful. Even > machine-dependent Int it's not in the H98 standard, implementations > would want to add it as an efficiency extension and then we're back to > the same place because one machine-dependent type infects all types. > I think defining a platform-independent core would be useful, not only from an engineering perspective. Having the semantics defined for the bulk of the language is better than having none or an unnecessarily complex one. If you then really want to, you can always instantiate the semantics to the platform you're using, adding Int and friends, but not delving down into the MachineInfo -> realm, which no implementation is going to use, anyway: I've yet to see a Haskell implementation that allows one program to be run across multiple processors of e.g. different bitsizes, and if it existed, it'd most likely limit any sane use to that platform-independent core. Thinking about GPU's, different FPE exception models and all that punk, I guess we'd have CReal as platform-independent, IEEEFloat/IEEEDouble as platform-independent-as-long-as-you-don't-blow-them-up, and Float/Double as not even necessarily providing IEEE semantics. -- (c) this sig last receiving data processing entity. Inspect headers for copyright history. All rights reserved. Copying, hiring, renting, performance and/or quoting of this signature prohibited.


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$2.00 Sale: $1.79
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My DD first concert was Big Time Rush. Her reactions were priceless and the journaling is the story of how we passed one of the singers in the hall but didn't realize it was him until he was on stage!! With all the makeup he didn't look like himself!
$4.99 $3.99
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KENYA/ A Path to the Future: Professional Training for the Youth of Kibera Slum in Nairobi
From www.avsi-usa.org
Kibera, Nairobi
Thanks to a generous grant from the W. O´Neil Foundation and the hard work of AVSI-USA's partners on the ground, 90 youth from Africa's largest urban slum successfully completed professional courses in tailoring, electrical installation, and cosmetology at the St. Kizito Vocational Training Institute (VTI) in Kibera, Nairobi.
The students now belong to an alumni base of over 1,481 students who have benefitted from training at St. Kizito VTI in Kibera. Students at St. Kizito VTI receive both the interpersonal and technical skill sets that they desperately need for becoming protagonists in their local community's economy and to improve their families' well-being.
The Kibera slum, home to some 800,000 people, is close to Nairobi's industrial center where nearly 50% of the local population is unemployed. In the slum itself, 50% of the population is under the age of 15. Dealing with extreme poverty, malnutrition and limited access to education, the chance to attend a technical school and receive a skill set that can help them escape the throes of poverty is invaluable.
St. Kizito VTI has been responding to the needs of disadvantaged youth in Nairobi since the early 1990s when then Archbishop Cardinal Maurice Otunga requested that AVSI intervene with a concrete proposal for the city's urban youth.
St. Kitzito VTI is unique. Drawing from the social teachings of the Catholic Church, the school staff educates their students to a greater awareness of the innate positivity of life and helps them return to life in Kibera with a new sense of dignity and inherent self worth, a valuable commodity in the slums.
In 2010, AVSI set out to build a new center for the residents of Kibera in the slum itself on land owned by the local non-profit Watoto Wa Lwanga (WWL). With funding from private and public donors both in Kenya and abroad, a new facility with 7 workshops was built and equipped. AVSI worked with partners at the original St. Kizito Institute and the Companionship of Works Associations (CoWA), which links together local businesses, to recruit and train 13 instructors. Since it is one of the only vocational training centers located in the slum, students are able to avoid the stigma attached to being from the slum the and easily attend classes.
During the grant period students were encouraged take responsibility for their own education and career paths. Each student met with staff members at the beginning of their coursework in August to discuss their interests and the skill sets in highest demand by the labor market in the Nairobi area. Throughout their course work students were offered additional career guidance and counselling. During those meetings, they gained a better understanding of the work environment in Nairobi. Proper work etiquette, like punctuality, was addressed and students were put in contact with local entrepreneurs in order to build their professional network.


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Riley Fritz, daughter of Kelly Fritz of Lehighton and Justin Fritz of Nesquehoning, donated 11 inches of her hair to Locks of Love, a nonprofit organization that
provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children under age 21, suffering from long-term medical hair loss. Riley is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Paul of Nesquehoning, Beth
Lesniak of Whitehall, and Mr. and Mrs. John Fritz of Mondovi, Wisc. She is in second-grade at
Mahoning Elementary School.


text:
By: Alexandra DeCandia Edited By: Timshawn Luh Monarch butterflies are an iconic American species. Found in all 50 states, these orange-and-black backyard visitors delight children with their delicacy and grace. They pass through our gardens each year, participants in an annual, multi-generational migration among the farthest undertaken by an insect species. Travelling south from Canada … Continue reading
Category Archives: Environmental
Tree Troubles
By: Julia Zeh The Eastern Hemlock (not the poisonous plant commonly known by the legend of the death of Socrates) is a large evergreen tree known for its economic, aesthetic, and ecosystem-related values. The tree is majestic, a staple on the east coast of the US and parts of Canada, and is the state tree … Continue reading
Sunscreens: A culprit in widespread coral bleaching?
By: Julia Zeh When you put on sunscreen at the beach and then jump in the water, have you ever seen what looks like an oil slick appear in the water behind you? It turns out that sunscreen is not really all that waterproof, and it tends to come off when you go into the … Continue reading
White-Nose Syndrome Proves Resilient as Little Brown Bats Face Further Declines
By Alexandra DeCandia The situation may be worse than we anticipated for the little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus). In a harrowing new study published by University of Illinois researchers earlier this week, it appears that the fungus Pseudogymnoascus (Geomyces) destructans (the cause of White-Nose Syndrome or WNS in bats) is even more resilient than previously … Continue reading


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New York -- Google. Inc. may be close to signing a lease for its first-ever freestanding retail store in the United States, according to Crain's New York Business. The site is located in New York City's SoHo area, at 131 Greene Street, and is just a block away from an Apple store.
The search giant reportedly wants to open brick-and-mortar stores to showcase its various gadgets, ranging from the Nexus line of smartphones and tablets to the Chromebook Pixel laptop. The company is also getting ready to go public with its Google Glass eyewear and smartwatches.


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Apr 23 2008
Peregrines hatching at Gulf Tower
Pictures are worth a thousand words.
Here are two snapshots from the Gulf Tower peregrine nest on Tuesday afternoon April 22, thanks to Jamie Sehrer and Joanna Steward.
In the first you can see the two chicks who hatched on April 20 and two eggs still waiting to hatch. The baby birds are so tiny and weak they can barely hold their heads above the eggs. In the second picture, Tasha2 arrives to feed them.
The chicks cannot regulate their body temperature yet so Tasha will brood them for about 7-8 days. A brooding mother bird looks a lot like she's incubating. The purpose is the same - to keep the babies warm.
17 Responses to "Peregrines hatching at Gulf Tower"
# Libby Strizzion 23 Apr 2008 at 8:17 am
Thanks, Kate. I'd been hoping to see a baby, but every time I went to the site, all you could see was the mother, still brooding her eggs & chicks. They're so cute. It'll be neat when the one hatch at the Cath. of Learning site, with its streaming video. then we can really see them. Libby
# joe lawloron 23 Apr 2008 at 12:36 pm
wow being waiting for the eggs to hatch great job to all for info and pictures. thanks kate to you big time got eveyone at work in on this
# Jamie Sehreron 23 Apr 2008 at 2:09 pm
I can't wait to see the last 2 egg hatch. It will be great to see these little guys grow up!
# Barbara C. Simonon 23 Apr 2008 at 2:12 pm
What a thrill. Thanks a million. Barb Simon
# John A. Burkeon 25 Apr 2008 at 11:23 am
Marvelous stuff. But, where is the male parent? Do any fotos show him bringing any food?
John A. Burke
Pictures of the male peregrine: The camera at Gulf Tower site is old and does not do motion detection so we have to rely on viewers like you to capture snapshots. (Right-click on the image and choose Save As.) That leaves it up for grabs as to which bird we see and how many snapshots we get. We may have some snapshots of him and not realize it.
Also, individual birds handle their family life differently. The new male at Pitt is very involved in incubation whereas the male at Gulf is not. However, the Gulf Tower male probably perches nearby. He might even be perched on the camera.
# Carol Sisakon 27 Apr 2008 at 5:18 pm
Are the other two eggs in trouble? It has been several days since the first two hatched.
Peregrine eggs normally hatch within a day or two of each other. The fact that the remaining two eggs have not hatched means they probably won't.
I haven't been able to see them when Tasha is not covering them, so I am assuming there are still two unhatched. In a few days Tasha will give up on them and move them away from the chicks.
# JoAnneon 29 Apr 2008 at 8:10 am
So glad I found your blog…am compelled to watch these birds every day, several times a day, and was becoming concerned because I never see them feeding the chicks! I did observe Tasha 2 carrying away a dead chick in her beak several days ago. Anyone else see that? And I also saw the "incubation switch " with Dorothy and Erie. That was a bit confusing, as I hadn't known that they shared that duty. Thanks for all this new info!
Actually you probably saw Tasha take away an egg shell – at least I hope so. The inside of the shell is white and is confusing on camera when the chicks are so small and white too.
# JoAnneon 29 Apr 2008 at 8:54 am
So sorry…it was clearly a big chick. I saw a definite head, eye, beak wings, etc. She held it by the nape of the neck and was "caught" by the camera half-way between the other chick/eggs and the edge of the platform. It's head was twisted to her left and it looked dead (limp, bedraggled, not as plumped up as the other chick I see). I was amazed that I had been able to catch this at the right moment that this occurred. Are there any permanent recordings of that webcam that can be accessed?
I don't think there are any permanent records from the Gulf camera. The best way to know how many chicks there are is to see them. We'll just have to wait and see.
Meanwhile, there's good news in this: Tasha moved the chicks from the scrape they were originally born in (on the right) to the one on the left where she is today. Perhaps you saw her transporting a chick to the new location.
# Amyon 29 Apr 2008 at 11:48 am
JoAnne, I have a shot from the webcam yesterday that shows one chick clearly, and another white object just behind Tasha2 that I think is too large to be an empty shell, plus the two unhatched eggs. I'm hoping you did catch her in the process of moving her little ones.
# JoAnneon 29 Apr 2008 at 3:58 pm
Wow! That really is good news! Who knew they moved them like mother cats do? Perhaps, just like kittens do, baby birds become limp when held by the nape of the neck. I think it was a lucky moment to have logged on (is this the right terminology?) to have caught this activity! Thanks for the info.
# JoAnneon 29 Apr 2008 at 4:51 pm
Wait a minute—after thinking about what you said about Tasha2 moving the chicks, that seemed like a logical explanation, and especially when Amy reported what she has seen about the two eggs and one definite chick and another (possible) chick just behind Tashe2. However, if what I saw was her moving the chicks, how did the eggs show up in the new site? Have I misunderstood the sequence of events, or something?
I'm confused. Perhaps we just have to wait, as you said, until we can visually confirm the number of viable chicks.
# Amy Fon 30 Apr 2008 at 7:38 am
As of this morning, both chicks are definitely still there – and wow, have they grown in 5 days!
# John A. Burkeon 30 Apr 2008 at 12:51 pm
Whoa! Good shot, Amy F.


text: Nathan Bell wrote: > On Sun, Oct 5, 2008 at 3:01 PM, Xavier Gnata <email@example.com> wrote: > >> I have installed an ubuntu 8.10 within a kvm image. >> The goal is to write an as simple as possible procedure to compile >> scipy on this distribution. >> I would like to be able to compile scipy only after having installed >> some packages. No tricks. >> > > Hi Xavier, I think this is a great idea. I have sold other people on > numpy/scipy, but myriad BLAS/LAPACK/fortran combinations makes the > installation process unpleasant for new users. > > same here :( >> I have one issue: >> scipy/sparse/linalg/dsolve/umfpack/umfpack.i:192: Error: Unable to >> find 'umfpack.h' >> I have installed libsuitesparse-dev providing /usr/include/suitesparse/umfpack.h >> Of course, I can solve this with a symlink but it is very ugly. >> It looks like there is something to fix in scipy auto-detection >> because this "usr/include/suitesparse/umfpack.h" should be detected >> and used. >> > > The "right" way to do this is to put a [umfpack] section in site.cfg > http://projects.scipy.org/pipermail/scipy-dev/2007-April/006910.html > > Ideally, auto-detection would always include knowledge about where the > major distributions put these files. Keep in mind that scipy's > support for UMFPACK is deprecated in 0.7 and has been moved to a > scikit. > > Well I would like to have the feedback of the developers on the best way to fix the auto-detection. site.cfg should not be needed here. >> Once again, my goal is to end up with something like: >> 1) apt-get install "the correct list of packages" >> 2) compile/install scipy svn *wthout any extra config*. >> 3) you have a nice scipy installed and you can even check that using >> scipy.test() (ok ok it is an svn version so if you get some errors >> please report them ;)) >> >> > > For 2) you can either improve the auto-detection (I don't know how > myself) or simply not use UMFPACK. The danger is that someone might > already have libsuitesparse-dev installed, so fixing the > auto-detection is probably a better approach. > > Anyway, I'm eager to see this information become available. Do you > plan to provide instructions for both 32-bit and 64-bit versions? In > 8.04 I believe there were some differences in the availability of BLAS > libraries between the two. > > I do not need umfpack but my goal is to perform a scipy installation with all the libs users could need. I should be the same for 32 and 64 using 8.10 but I have to check that (with kvm it should be easy) My plan is to provide an installation procedure *without an hand compiled ATLAS*. Ubuntu is going to release 8.10 end of october. It would be nice to have a standard way to compile the svn on this "intrepid ibex". Of course, the simplest way to having something working is apt-get install python-scipy. The drawback with these nice packages it that you cannot ask for patch or test a new feature. If someone wants to write a procedure to compile a full optimized scipy using ATLAS on 8.10 , he's really welcome :) Xavier


text:
Ask Mac Questions and Get Answers from Experts ASAP
Its a retina model so no hard drive
any really
macbook retina so no hard drive
just going through set up and not getting anywhere as detailed above
firmware password XXXXX is set to off
its has a SSD drive
sorry meant no DVD drive
as I set up the computer and follow thru screens when I get to choose installation I choose OSX, recovery says locked, and when I put in my details for the app store they are rejected and cannot proceed
does that make sense
a lock comes up on the screen and a white box but cannot click to enter any info
grey screen, lock symbol with white box underneath with arrow on right
i inputted my password XXXXX it pops up to show the recovery disc then we go through the process as above
but still stuck and still shows recovery HD locked
shows physical hard drive
Okay, Are you able to erase/partition the physical drive?
Select your startup disk from the list on the left (usually Macintosh HD), and then click the Erase tab.From the Format pop-up menu, select Mac OS Extended (Journaled), type a name for your disk (usually Macintosh HD), and then click Erase.After the disk has been erased, choose Disk Utility > Quit Disk Utility.If you're not connected to the Internet, choose a network from the Wi-Fi menu in the right corner of the menu bar (in the top-right corner of the screen).Select Reinstall Mac OS X, click Continue, and then follow the instructions.Once the re-install is complete, you will be asked to create a new user.
when erase partitions seperately can erase
when try to erase apple ssd it says disk erase failed couldnt unmount disk
sadly when I do all the suggesttions you ask, link to wifi etc and then go to disk installer get page entitled developer preview, asks to check and verify computers eligibility, then developer preview page, then developer preview page with disk choice to install but recovery HD is saying locked and the rest I have identified before and cant progress
why is the recovery disk showing grey and locked out ??
thats a new page so maybe thats the answer, the laptop was used by an IT programmer so maybe explains the test version of OSX
its downloading the mini recovery volume but looks like will take 34 mins
so may have to pick this up later
think you have solved it though, thanks for your help and guidance


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Intel Iris Pro 5200 Graphics Review: Core i7-4950HQ Testedby Anand Lal Shimpi on June 1, 2013 10:01 AM EST
Tomb Raider (2013)
The simply titled Tomb Raider is the latest entry in the Tomb Raider franchise, making a clean break from past titles in plot, gameplay, and technology. Tomb Raider games have traditionally been technical marvels and the 2013 iteration is no different. iGPUs aren't going to have quite enough power to use its marquee feature – DirectCompute accelerated hair physics (TressFX) – however even without it the game still looks quite good at its lower settings, while providing a challenge for our iGPUs.
Once again, at 1366 x 768 the gap between 650M and Iris Pro 5200 is at its smallest. Here NVIDIA holds a 15% advantage over the 55W Iris Pro.
Increase the resolution and image quality and the gap widens considerably. Again the problem here appears to be AA impacting Iris Pro much more than the 650M.
177 Comments
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8steve8 - Saturday, June 01, 2013 - linkGreat work intel, and great review anand.
As a fan of low power and small form factor high performance pcs, I'm excited about the 4770R.
my question is how do we get a system with 4770R ?
will it be in an NUC, if so, when/info?
will there be mini-itx motherboards with it soldered on? Reply
bill5 - Saturday, June 01, 2013 - linkAnand, would you say the lack of major performance improvement due to crystalwell bodes ill for Xbox one?
The idea is ESRAM could make the 1.2 TF Xbox One GPU "punch above it's weight" with more efficiency due to the 32MB of low latency cache (ALU's will stall less waiting on data). However these results dont really show that for Haswell (the compute results that scale perfectly with ALU's for example).
Here note I'm distinguishing between the cache as bandwidth saver, I think we can all agree it will serve that purpose- and as actual performance enhancer. I'm interested in the latter for Xbox One. Reply
Kevin G - Saturday, June 01, 2013 - linkA couple of quotes and comments from the article:
"If Crystalwell demand is lower than expected, Intel still has a lot of quad-core GT3 Haswell die that it can sell and vice versa."
Intel is handicapping demand for GT3e parts by not shipping them in socketed form. I'd love to upgrade my i7-2600k system to a 4770K+GT3e+TSX setup. Seriously Intel, ship that part and take my money.
"The Crystalwell enabled graphics driver can choose to keep certain things out of the eDRAM. The frame buffer isn't stored in eDRAM for example."
WTF?!? The eDRAM would be the ideal place to store various frequently used buffers. Having 128 MB of memory leaves plenty of room for streaming in textures as need be. The only reason not to hold the full frame buffer is if Intel has an aggressive tile based rendering design and only a tile is stored there. I suspect that Intel's driver team will change this in the future.
"An Ultrabook SKU with Crystalwell would make a ton of sense, but given where Ultrabooks are headed (price-wise) I'm not sure Intel could get any takers."
I bet Apple would ship a GT3e based part in the MacBook Air form factor. They'd do something like lower the GPU clocks to prevent it from melting but they want it. It wouldn't surprise me if Apple managed to negotiate a custom part from Intel again.
Ultimatley I'm pleased with GT3e. On the desktop I can see the GPU being used for OpenCL tasks like physics while my Radeon 7970 handles the rest of the graphics load. Or for anything else, I'd like GT3e for the massive L4 cache. Reply
tipoo - Saturday, June 01, 2013 - link"Ultimatley I'm pleased with GT3e. On the desktop I can see the GPU being used for OpenCL tasks like physics while my Radeon 7970 handles the rest of the graphics load. Or for anything else, I'd like GT3e for the massive L4 cache."
I'd love that to work, but what developer would include that functionality for that niche setup? Reply
Kevin G - Saturday, June 01, 2013 - linkOpenCL is supposed to be flexible enough that you can mix execution targets. This also includes the possibility of OpenCL drivers for CPU's in addition to those that use GPU's. At the very least, it'd be nice for a game or application to manually select the OpenCL target in some config file. Reply
Egg - Saturday, June 01, 2013 - linkI'm only a noob high school junior, but aren't frame buffers tossed after display? What would be the point of storing a frame buffer? You don't reuse the data in it at all. As far as I know, frame buffer != unpacked textures.
Also, aren't most modern fully programmable GPUs not tile based at all?
Also, wasn't it mentioned that K-series parts don't have TSX? Reply
Kevin G - Saturday, June 01, 2013 - linkThe z-buffer in particular is written and often read. Deferred rendering also blends multiple buffers together and at 128 MB in size, a deferred render can keep several in that memory. AA algorithms also perform read/writes on the buffer. At some point, I do see Intel moving the various buffers into the 128 MB of eDRAM as drivers mature. In fairness, this change may not be universal to all games and dependent on things like resolution.
Then again, it could be a true cache for the GPU. This would mean that the drivers do not explicitly store the frame buffers there but can could be stored there based upon prefetching of data. Intel's caching hierarchy is a bit weird as the CPU's L3 cache can also be used as a L4 cache for the GPU under HD2000/2500/3000/4000 parts. Presumably the eDRAM would be a L5 cache under the Sandy Bridge/Ivy Bridge schema. The eDRAM has been described as a victim cache though for GPU operations it would make sense to prefetch large amounts of data (textures, buffers). It'd be nice to get some clarification on this with Haswell.
PowerVR is still tile based. Previous Intel integrated solutions were also tile base though they dropped that with the HD line (and I can't remember if the GMA line was tile based as well).
And you are correct that the K series don't have TSX, hence why I'd like a 4770K with GT3e and TSX. Also I forgot to throw in VT-d since that too is arbitrarily disabled in the K series. Reply
IntelUser2000 - Sunday, June 02, 2013 - linkKevin G: Intel dropped the Tile-based rendering in the GMA 3 series generation back in 2006. Although, their Tile rendering was different from PowerVR's. Reply
Egg - Sunday, June 02, 2013 - linkFair points - I was being a bit myopic and only thought about buffers persisting across frames, neglecting the fact that buffers often need to be reused within the process of rendering a single frame! Can you explain how the CPU's L3 cache is an L4 cache for the GPU? Does the GPU have its own L3 cache already?
Also I don't know whether PowerVR's architecture is considered fully programmable yet. I know they have OpenCL capabilities, but reading http://www.anandtech.com/show/6112/qualcomms-quadc... I'm getting a vague feeling that it isn't as complete as GCN or Kepler, feature wise. Reply
IntelUser2000 - Tuesday, June 04, 2013 - linkGen 7, the Ivy Bridge generation, has its own L3 cache. So you have the LLC(which is L3 for the CPU), and its own L3. Haswell is Gen 7.5. Reply


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The Kent County Fund for the Arts recently announced that the Mid-Atlantic Wine & Food Festival is expanding into a statewide event, and proceeds from events slated for March 7-10 in Kent County will benefit the fund. Tickets are now on sale.
"We are so pleased to be invited to join this impressive event as it expands into Kent County," said Rosemary Twilley, committee chair for the Kent County Fund for the Arts. "This effort will advance the arts in Kent County to a statewide audience, provide unique events for our supporters to attend, as well as help us raise money for the arts in Kent County."
Events include a Winemakers Dinner at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, March 7, at the home of Dr. Bill and Susan Johnston in Dover. La Place d'Etoile (Place of the Star) will feature fine European cuisine in the historic Annie Jump Cannon House. The event will include an elegant combination of operatic music, visual art and local history. Five visiting and regional chefs will each prepare a course paired with wines by visiting winemakers. Limited number of tickets available at $250 per person.
Master Chefs: Up Close and Personal, 6:30 p.m., Friday, March 8, at Harrington Raceway & Casino's Gold Ball Room will include seven past contestants from Chef Gordon Ramsay's "MasterChef" Fox television show preparing bites of food. Tickets are $75 per person. A very limited number of tickets will also be sold at $125 per person for a VIP Preview Reception starting at 5:30 p.m. in Bonz Restaurant at Harrington Raceway & Casino.
A dinner, James Beard House Revisited with Jay Caputo, will be held at 7 p.m., Saturday, March 9, at Foxden Farm, Dover. This seven-course dinner, prepared by James Beard Best Chef Award nominee Jay Caputo, will replicate the meal he's preparing for guests of the James Beard House in New York City March 7. This once-in-a-lifetime dining opportunity is hosted by Beth and the Hon. Myron Steele, chief justice of the Delaware Supreme Court. Limited number of tickets available at $375 per person.
The Bourbon & Bacon event will take place at 5:30 p.m., March 9, at Triad Farms, Dover. It's the perfect pairing of pork and potent potables, as small-batch bourbons are poured and paired with delectable parts of the pig. A bourbon expert will lead guests on a tasting journey to uncover some of America's finest bourbons. Tickets are $50 per person.
Amateurs and professionals will compete to create the perfect bloody mary at the Brunch & Bloody Mary Throwdown at 11 a.m., Sunday, March 10, at Noble's Pond, Dover. Attendees will vote, and in the final round, the amateur and the pro will face off in a final battle. Prosecco, an Italian sparkling wine, will also be served. Area restaurants will provide tasty brunch foods. Tickets are $50 per person.
In its second year, the Mid-Atlantic Wine & Food Festival features chefs, winemakers, brewers and distillers from around the world and throughout the region for four days of epicurean adventures in venues that extend throughout Delaware. The event benefits nine major arts organizations in Delaware including the Kent County Fund for the Arts. Tickets may be purchased at www.midatlanticwineandfood.com.
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Ginger !
Ginger is currently rocking a 2001 PT Cruiser 2.4L DOHC turbo motor with a stock 31th neon automatic trans. Ginger has gone through several motors before the decision to swap in a known good, rebuilt motor was installed. The Current motor was only refreshed with King race rod and main bearings. Srt-4 Stock turbo setup is what is forcing air down this girls throat, and the brains of the operation is a stock computer with a AEM F/IC piggy back system. With tuning still needing to be finished on Ginger, there is no horsepower and torque numbers, but cant wait to see what numbers can be squeezed out of her!


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PROFESSOR John Kay, the eminent economist, spoke eloquently for more than an hour at Glasgow University on the economics of Scottish independence and at the end came to an unexpected but surely wise conclusion.
It's not really about economics at all. "This is much more of an emotional issue than an economic issue," he said. "The economic issues are not that big a deal. Anyone who casts their vote on economic grounds exaggerates the importance of economics."
The Edinburgh-born, LSE and Oxford academic, a former member of Alex Salmond's council of economic advisers, used his lecture to address the intriguing finding in the Scottish Social Attitudes Survey a couple of years ago that suggested Scots would back independence by a healthy majority if they believed it would make them £500 better off and reject it out of hand if they thought they would end up £500 poorer.
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He was canny enough at the outset to dampen his audience's hopes of a getting a definitive answer on that.
The closest he came was to suggest that £500 either way was at the "outer limits" of what independence would mean for our pockets. In other words leaving the UK would, initially at least, not make much difference. Recalling the American revolutionaries' cry of "Give me liberty or give me death!" he noted drily: "'Give me liberty or give me £500!' does not have the same appeal."
Prof Kay's analysis goes like this. An independent Scotland would face considerable economic challenges, though they would not be insurmountable and should not be over-played.
The most pressing would be the issue of the currency. His belief that an independent Scotland would most likely have to adopt a new currency, given the restrictive economic strings that would be attached to any deal with the UK Treasury to keep sterling, was widely reported this week. However, while a Scottish currency would present "difficulties and large costs" those issues, he stressed, "should not be exaggerated".
In the longer term, creating an economic environment conducive to business success on the world stage would be the biggest challenge for an independent Scotland. Prof Kay argued that Scotland has the potential to forge a competitive advantage in a range of sectors, including food and drink, finance, tourism, life sciences and energy services (though he is deeply sceptical about a renewables-fuelled bonanza). However, we'd need to develop a more entrepreneurial climate to take full advantage.
Prof Kay is impressively dispassionate. Having concluded that independence is primarily an emotional issue, he gave no clues about where his own feelings pulled him. He did, though, seem very unimpressed with the current debate.
Pro-independence campaigners, he said, need to "get beyond vague aspirational statements of a rather ludicrous kind". Talking of the need for powers to tackle poverty was not the same as identifying specific policies that could tackle poverty, he warned. Issuing wish-lists and making promises while avoiding tough choices on tax, spending and debt placed people in "cloud cuckoo land". His verdict? "The advantage (of independence) is less that it avoids hard choices but more that it forces one to make them."
His lecture at the university's grand Bute Hall on Thursday evening was well attended. Just not by the politicians and campaigners for whom it should have been required listening. Instead they were about 500 yards away, round the corner at the student union, paying too much attention to the final stages of a mock referendum with a pitifully low turn-out of 12%.
Student leaders have been praised for arranging the mock referendum. But for me a greater debt of thanks is due to Dr Phillips O'Brien who arranged for Mr Kay to speak as part of the ongoing Glasgow Global Security Network lecture series.


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Servings: 1
- This soup is best eaten right when it is done, since the tortellini will soak up all the broth if left too long.
- 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lb dry tortellini, any kind of filling
- 6 x Italian sausages, mild is best
- 4 can of beef broth full strength (like Swanson's)
- 4 can of water
- 1 bn fresh spinach, minced
- 1 x Spanish onion, minced (red)
- 2 x tomatoes, minced
- 2 x or possibly 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 bn fresh basil, minced
- 5 x or possibly 6 med zucchini, sliced salt and pepper parmesan cheese to garnish
- In a large stockpot heat the extra virgin olive oil. Cut the Italian sausage in slices, this iseasiest if the sausage is partially frzn. Brown the Italian sausage for about4 min. Then add in the onion, garlic, tomatoes and basil and brown for anotherminute. Add in the beef broth and the water, the zucchini and the spinach. Add in salt and pepper. Bring this to a boil. When the soup comes to a boil add in the tortellini and boil till the pasta is al dente. Garnish with parmesan cheese.
Add the recipe to which day?
Adding to Planner


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This month, we have been busy running Skillz Street, a girls-targeted intervention. The program combines Fair Play soccer with activities designed to teach about HIV and encourage assertiveness, efficacy, and relationship-building. Whereas we deliver our core curriculum during school hours, Skillz Street takes place after school. I have been working with Phindi (Assistant Site Coordinator), Tumi (Master Coach), and 9 of our female coaches to run the program—a group of incredible women.
The program involves 10 sessions, usually taking place over the course of 5 weeks. Since we need to finish the program by September 30th (the end of the school quarter), we've been working 2-3 times a week, simultaneously in two separate high schools. On Mondays and Tuesdays, we work in Emshukantambo High School and on Wednesdays and Thursdays, we work in Thaba-Jabula High School. We have also integrated 2 Friday sessions that combine the girls from both schools.
We had a hard time recruiting girls to the program initially. Despite having met numerous times with the principals of both schools, handed out consent forms, and made announcements during morning assemblies, we only had 21 girls show up for our first day at Emshukantambo. We continued our recruiting efforts, however, and managed to bump our numbers up to about 65 at Emshu and 70 at TJ.
Most sessions follow a similar schedule. We begin with "Opening Circle," where the coaches make a huge circle with all the girls and run different energizers to get them excited. We usually attract the attention of the entire student body since our coaches are so good at running energizers. We then move into "Team Time," a period of about 10 minutes when coaches informally meet with about 10 girls that have been assigned to their teams during the first session.
We devote about 30 minutes to an activity set out in the curriculum. Several activities center on "street albums," booklets given to each girl for writing and drawing. During the "Community Mapping" activity, girls draw a map of their communities. They discuss their maps with their teams, considering why some areas feel unsafe and what they can do to avoid these areas. During the "Supporting 11" activity, girls make a list of specific supporters they have in life and come up with examples of times they would go to these individuals for support.
After the activity, we run Fair Play soccer games for about 30 minutes. I have mostly been in charge of the Fair Play so far, which is a lot of fun. Many of the girls have never had an opportunity to play soccer before. We create teams of players and supporters, switching them half-way through. The coaches lead the supporters in all kinds of chants and cheers. The energy is incredible. Fair Play soccer gives girls a chance to make their own rules, without the use of referees. I centered my thesis research on the concept of Fair Play, so it's been very interesting to see more instances of its implementation. My favorite rule that girls suggest is for both teams to celebrate a goal, meaning that every single person pretty much goes crazy when the ball goes in the net. We end our sessions with a "Closing Circle" and "Closing Team Time." We also provide all girls with a snack before they go home. The program runs from about 2:30pm to 4:00pm. Our coaches and staff always de-brief at the end of the day.
Tumi, Phindi, and I have been spending almost all of our time on Skillz Street this month (especially since it takes place virtually every day), and it has been exciting to see how the program has progressed since we began on September 5th. Things never go exactly as expected, but we have adjusted to circumstances well. I love having the chance to get to know our coaches better and watch them in action. We almost never end on time, usually because coaches and girls will break into song during closing circle and start dancing together. What a wonderful way to end a day.
Coach Brown leads girls in a closing song
Supporters rush the field after a goal is scored
Closing team time


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Brian Smith has been an Explore customer for a long time! He first travelled with us back in 1982 – a year after we launched – and took his most recent tour just over a month ago. In that time he's been on 26 adventures to many countries including Burma, Cuba, North Korea, South Korea and Azerbaijan. He recently visited the office and we had the chance to have a chat with him about his experiences with Explore.
What was the first tour you did with Explore? What were the highlights/most memorable moments of that tour?
It was Jordan in 1982. It stands out in my mind because of all the historic sites which are of great interest to me, Jerash being the most important I think. There's also all the links to Lawrence of Arabia, plus Aqaba and the sites in the mountains and deserts. It's definitely stayed in my memory since then!
How did your second tour compare to your first experience?
It was a few years later, in 1987, and was just as good! I went to India on what was the Great Indian Rail Tour. One of the things which sticks in my memory on that tour was how strict it all was on hygiene! The tour was just as fantastic as the first one I did with Explore.
What was the most recent tour you travelled on? What were your highlights?
I've just got back from Ancient Macedonia which visits Macedonia, Greece and Bulgaria. There were so many stand-outs on that trip. Rila Monastery and Bigorski Monastery both come to mind, as do the ancient site of Philippi, the Greek island of Thassos and Lake Ohrid. We also got to take a day trip into Albania which was a nice chance to have a quick stop in a country I first visited long ago.
Which of the many tours you've travelled on has been your favourite?
The trips are all so different and individual it's hard to compare them to each other and pick some favourites but I'll try! Well I went to Burma first time round back in 1993 and that definitely stands out for me. Libya was wonderful as were the parks and mountains of western USA, and a couple of years ago I visited the Golden Triangle in Russia. I loved North Korea and also the tour I did which covered Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. Then there's Cuba and India – I'm naming all of them like I said I would!
Do you have any plans for your next adventure?
Yes! I'm planning to go to India again in February or March time. I had a tour booked earlier in 2013 but had to cancel it as I broke my wrist so I'm really looking forward to finally getting to go on it!
Where would you like us to offer as a destination that we don't currently?
I'd love it if you added Tajikistan. Though I think the infrastructure in the country negates that at the moment. (Note: we had a quick check with the team responsible for creating all our new tours and they said that, sometime in 2014, we may just launch a tour to Tajikistan!)
With so many options how do you go about choosing your next tour?
There are still so many places I'd like to go to; some I've been to before and want to see more of, some there's unfinished business – like the India tour I had to cancel - and sometimes it's a whole new country I want to visit! I have a list of places I want to experience – sometimes it's a country and sometimes certain places in a country – and I'm basically working my way down the list. I find a tour which goes where I want to go and sees what I want to see and just go for it! I'm making my way through the list at a good pace – it's getting quite short now! I'd say Taiwan and Japan are at the top of the list right now.
How do you do your research?
As I said, I know where I want to go and what I want to see so I use the brochure to find a tour to match up to my interests – I'm not really wired for the internet! I love that having the brochure is like holding the world in my hands and I can relax and flick through it. When it arrives I get excited and I also love sharing it with friends – people are always asking to borrow my brochure and then inevitably ordering their own!
Have you noticed any differences in travelling with Explore over the years?
I think the expectations of other customers and therefore the standards of accommodation have gone up, but, essentially, an Explore tour now is the same as an Explore tour when I started travelling with you. The ethos hasn't changed at all. I think that travellers now are more sophisticated and their demands have gone up. I also like that there seems to be more sites visited now than before and the use of local leaders is an excellent departure from the traditions of Explore of old!
Best thing about travelling with Explore? What is it that makes you keep coming back?
I like that I know what I'm getting and I know that it's very good. The quality and quantity of holidays offered is incomparable – all the ingredients which make up Explore add up to a great holiday. I also like that Explore are very transparent – what you see in the brochure is what you get, there are no hidden charges and sometimes there are a few extras thrown in that you don't expect! Aside from that I like the flexibility on tour – there's usually time built in to do your own thing every now and then, plus of course the regular traveller discount doesn't hurt!
We're proud of our great Tour Leaders, are there any who stand out in your mind as particularly impressive?
Honestly, all of them have been very impressive. All of them without exception. Obviously I have clicked more personality wise with some than others but that's life – they're still all brilliant at what they do. I really don't recall one bad leader. They're all articulate, kind, understanding, intellectual and cultural – my kind of person! Explore Tour Leaders are great in every respect.
Any advice for people trying to decide whether an Explore holiday is for them?
I'd say that if you're unsure, ring up and speak to someone in the office – they're all very helpful. Someone in the office has probably done the tour you're thinking of or the customer service team can make recommendations based on your interests. That is also key – know yourself, know your limits and pick something that relates to your interests – make sure it's not too easy and not too difficult and just go for it!