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In early August, Timo Soini, the foreign minister of Finland, mounts a stage at the convention center in the town of Turku. The occasion is celebratory, marking the 20th anniversary of the formation of the Finns, the conservative party he heads, and his entrance into government for the first time following elections in April.
Soini is a big man, with the girth and mirth of a television sitcom dad and a gift for the colorful phrase. His speeches are usually easygoing affairs, loaded with crowd-pleasing mockery of Finland's participation in the bailout of Europe's weak southern economies. But on this occasion his imagery is stark. He describes his party's performance in the election as "a hard, diamondlike achievement" and likens the tough decisions he's since had to make as facing "the cosmic cold."
In the past 20 years, Soini has led the Finns from an insignificant also-ran to the country's second-largest party, now governing in coalition with two other conservative parties, including Prime Minister Juha Sipila's Centre Party. Soini has done so by being the voice of opposition. And yet, just three months after taking office, he's being forced to explain why Finland agreed to sign on to a new €86 billion ($96 billion) bailout for Greece.
When Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and his left-wing Syriza party forced a crisis in June by skipping payment on part of its country's debt, Finland was among the countries favoring the harshest response. Largely because of pressure from the Finns, Helsinki's official position going into the negotiations was that Athens should exit the currency union, at least temporarily.
When the talks instead looked likely to produce a new rescue package—Greece's third bailout in five years—Finnish media reported that the Finns were threatening to bring the government down. Soini denies that. "We decided to stay in government," he tells the assembled members of his party. "All the members of Parliament voted for the deal. But this doesn't mean we are happy with what's happening in Europe."
Allowing Greece to fail, he explains, would cost Finland from €3 billion to €4 billion (money it's already lent to Athens) and weaken Europe strategically. Sticking to his principles and bringing down the government would have opened the door for political rivals and reduced his ability to shape a rescue package that Finland couldn't block on its own. Soini characterizes his acquiescence as the inevitable result of the previous government's commitments, which—unlike his Greek counterparts—he feels honor bound to uphold. "We are not Syriza," he says. "And we won't be."
Like Syriza, however, Soini is learning that being in government means sometimes carrying out policies you oppose.
Soini founded the Finns in a typical Finnish fashion, with three other men in a sauna. He and his confederates had been members of the Finnish Rural Party, which went bankrupt and disbanded in 1995, and they believed there was space for a party representing the conservative working class.
Perussuomalaiset is the party's name in Finnish, and until 2011 its official English-language name was the True Finns. "That sounded much more right wing than we actually are," says Sampo Terho, the party's current leader in Parliament. "It sounded like there were false Finns and true Finns." Translated literally, the name means "basic Finns," but its significance is closer to "ordinary Joes."
Finland is a country of 5.4 million. Its political culture is based more on consensus than conflict, and its spectrum is narrow: Every party in Parliament is a staunch supporter of the welfare state. So its politicians differentiate themselves primarily in terms of cultural identity.
The Finns party is unabashedly populist. Its signature topics are immigration, family values, opposition to European authority, and identity issues such as eating meat, wearing fur, and driving big cars. In the European press, the Finns are often grouped with far-right parties such as the Italian Northern League or France's National Front, but the closest analogue may be the American Tea Party, with antipathy toward the European Union in place of objections to wasteful government spending. Its implicit promise is a return to a simpler time, when the economy was predictable and the culture was uniform.
Soini isn't considered by most Finns to be racist, but his party contains a vocal anti-immigrant wing, one that he seems reluctant or unable to contain. Members of the Finns include Teuvo Hakkarainen, a parliamentarian who once "joked" that Finland should exile Somali refugees and homosexuals to an archipelago in the Baltic, and Jussi Halla-aho, a member of the European Parliament who was found guilty of hate crimes in 2012 after blogging that the prophet Muhammad was a pedophile.
The roots of the Finns' success, however, are based around criticism of Brussels. In its first decade the party struggled to gain support. The turning point came in 2006, when Soini stood for president using the slogan "Where there is the EU, there is a problem." Soini lost the race, but he'd begun to change the national discourse—and to gather votes.
Before Soini's rise, Finland's approach to the EU was to lead by example, to bank political capital by being constructive and cooperative. It allied itself with other northern states and with Germany. The country's accession to the EU in 1995 was little debated. The euro was adopted without a referendum.
Economists had warned of the difficulties that joining the EU and currency union could cause, especially for the country's labor market and its uncompetitive agriculture sector. But the geopolitical argument that Finland was safest nested firmly in the West dominated the decision-making. "The thinking was, we want to be at the core of Europe," says Vesa Vihriala, managing director of ETLA, the Research Institute of the Finnish Economy. Criticism of Brussels was considered impolite.
That began to change as the Finns climbed in the polls and the European economy started to unravel. In 2009, Soini was elected to serve in the European Parliament. Later that year, Greece admitted that it had underreported its deficit and concealed its debt. By early 2010 the country had lost the confidence of the markets, forcing the rest of the euro zone to provide Greece with a €110 billion rescue package.
By the time Finland held its next parliamentary elections in April 2011, Ireland, too, had asked for assistance, Portugal was on the ropes, and Greece was headed toward a second bailout. Soini's EU-critical platform netted him 19 percent of the vote, making his party the country's third-largest. "Europe is suffering from the economic gangrene of insolvency," Soini wrote in an editorial in the Wall Street Journal shortly after the election. "Unless we amputate that which cannot be saved, we risk poisoning the whole body."
When the euro zone bailed out Greece for the second time the next year, Finland was the only country to ask for, and receive, a guarantee on its loans. Its finance minister, Jutta Urpilainen, a Social Democrat, insisted on €1 billion in collateral. "Soini changed the system," says Charly Salonius-Pasternak, a senior research fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs. "In Finnish politics, for something to shift so dramatically in half a decade is nearly impossible."
The starkest divide in Europe isn't between rich countries and poor countries or debtors and creditors, but between those who believe society works best when the rules are strictly followed and those who insist the context must be considered. "In Brussels, the countries that do not want to follow the rules always put it as, 'Of course, we want to follow the rules, but smartly, humanely,' " says Terho. "And then of course, 'How can you be opposed to being smart and humane?' "
In La Bella Figura: A Field Guide to the Italian Mind, the Italian journalist Beppe Severgnini describes how his countrymen approach traffic signals, waiting for the green at a dangerous intersection, but perhaps blowing past a red if it's at a crosswalk at an hour when no pedestrians are likely to be around. "We think it's an insult to our intelligence to comply with a regulation," he writes. "We want to decide whether a particular law applies to our specific case. In that place, at that time."
In Finland, such an approach borders on the unthinkable. "You wouldn't even consider jaywalking," says Salonius-Pasternak. "If you follow the rules and get screwed over by external circumstances, of course you should be helped; that's why we have the welfare state. But if you try to go around the rules and get in trouble because you got caught, you're not going to get a lot of sympathy. This is deeply ingrained in every Finn."
In Finland, Greece is widely viewed as receiving its justified comeuppance. After all, it broke the rules. "It's morally wrong that we should work our socks off here in order to pay the debts of other countries," Soini says.
Finland prides itself on honoring its debts and facing its greatest challenges on its own. Finland, its citizens like to point out, is the only country that repaid its World War I debt to the U.S. During World War II, Finland fought off a Soviet attack and then joined Nazi Germany in an assault on Leningrad. As part of the Paris Peace Treaty, it was required to pay crippling war reparations to Moscow. By the early 1950s, this, too, had been paid in full.
Soini, who converted to Catholicism in the 1980s, attributes the Finnish attitude toward debt to the country's Lutheran heritage. "It comes from an ardent Protestant, Max Weberian idea: Ora et sabora—pray and work," he says. "Even people who aren't religious, they are culturally Lutheran. They want to keep their rooms tidy. They want to appear at 6 o'clock if that's when you're supposed to be there. It would be horrendously impolite to be 15 or 20 minutes late. When I was in the European Parliament, I'd go for dinner, and if it was due to begin at 7 o'clock, there would not be a single soul there until 7:45. Outrageous! Only the Germans would be there. And the Dutch. Maybe."
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Finland is similar to Greece in one important way. As a member of the euro zone, it lacks control over its monetary policy. The country entered the global economic crisis with its finances in good shape. But its export-oriented economy took a serious hit as demand dried up in Europe and the U.S. In 2009, Finland's gross domestic product dropped 8.3 percent, and its economy has since received blow after blow: the collapse of Nokia; the drop in demand for paper, a key industry; the effect of Western sanctions and plummeting oil prices on the Russian economy.
When faced with an even deeper crisis in the 1990s, triggered by the fall of the Soviet Union, which by then had become an important trading partner, Finland was able to depreciate its currency to regain competitiveness. This time it has to take on the far more politically difficult task of an internal devaluation, lowering labor costs by cutting wages and other means.
But while voters in other countries have railed against austerity, the Finnish electorate embraced it, putting into government—along with the Finns—two conservative parties that had promised fiscal discipline. The only party to propose an increase in public spending, the Left Alliance, was roundly defeated. "The people of Finland think it's time to cut our expenses," says Olli Koski, chief economist at the Central Organization of Finnish Trade Unions. "They're afraid of too much debt."
Financial restraint, though, might be easier to accept in the abstract. The new government plans to reduce spending and raise taxes by €4 billion to €6 billion, and it asked the country's unions and employer federations to come up with a way to lower the unit cost of labor by 5 percent—most likely by extending working hours and cutting vacation days. The unions rejected this plan, and the government is working on new proposals. "I always decline to use the word austerity because it is so loaded," says Olli Rehn, the minister of economic affairs and a member of the Centre party. "We want to stabilize public finances. We have been on a path of very rapid indebtedness, and that's not sustainable for any country, especially a small country like Finland."
Like Tsipras in Greece, Soini has a new challenge: how to transform his insurgency into a responsible governing party, capable of navigating the competing pressures of its reactionary constituency and the realities of political office.
During the party congress in Turku, Soini's position as head goes unchallenged in leadership elections. But the membership expresses its displeasure by voting into the four-person chairmanship Sebastian Tynkkynen, the 26-year-old head of the party's youth wing, who jumped into the election three days earlier, campaigning on a platform of leaving the euro zone. "We should start the domino effect and be the first one," he says shortly after the election, vowing to challenge the direction the party is taking. And the loudest applause during the gathering goes not to Soini's careful defense of the Greek bailout, but to a combative speech by the Muhammad-bashing European Parliament member Halla-aho attacking the party's critics as "enemies of democracy."
At the end of the second day of the conference, Soini is tired and sweating, having sacrificed sleep to socialize. "You cannot start from the top of the hill," is how he puts it when asked how he was doing holding his party together. "You have to crawl. And the higher you get, the more slippery your route will be. That is why you must be very, very patient."
There is a growing consensus among Europe's political class that the currency union isn't sustainable in its present form. The choice is between cutting the deadweight—letting Greece go, to begin with—or somehow deepening economic integration: sharing debt burdens, instituting unionwide unemployment insurance, pooling finances. The decision to offer Greece a third bailout points to the real possibility of policy moving in that direction, especially if the euro zone were to experience another unexpected shock.
Putting those measures in place would require the EU to reopen its treaties with the unanimous consent of its members. Soini vows to block any modification of the treaties. But while Finland could try to persuade other northern countries to oppose the changes, it would be hard-pressed politically to stop them on its own, especially if Germany decided to deepen integration. As reluctant as the Finnish electorate may be to take on Greece's debt, few in the country believe that an exit from the euro zone—and the increased exposure to pressure from Russia—would have popular support.
Asked whether his countrymen's financial principles will win out over their security concerns, Soini smiles. "I'm sometimes very philosophical," he says. "I say, 'The horse has a bigger head.' He should be more worried about this than myself at this time."
I tell him I don't understand. "I know you don't," he says. "But this is the way I speak. If there is no clear yes-no answer, then my answer is a little bit cryptic."
He laughs. "My intention is not to be a great leader," he says. "I'm not a kind of Moses. Moses led the people to the Promised Land. I'm not like that. But I'm bloody enjoying rocking the boat."


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subset: commoncrawl


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This is my third question here.
For the past two days, I have asked two questions here, both of which have a bearing on my current question. I have been working on deriving an equation relating $\sigma(n^2)$ to $\sigma(n)$, if $n$ is odd.
Now, to begin with, we know that $\sigma(n^2)$ is odd, but we can't really be sure about the residue of $\sigma(n^2)$ modulo $4$, even if I know (by my current considerations) that $\sigma(n)$ is incongruent to $2$ modulo $4$. [Edit: As of today [June 22 2012], I am no longer sure about $\sigma(n) \not\equiv 2 \pmod 4$! :-(] I tried tackling the various cases that need to be considered to cover this problem in its full generality, but I think this mammoth task is too complex for me. Hence, I decided to ask this third question:
Is there a specific equation relating $\sigma(n^2)$ to $\sigma(n)$, if $n$ is odd?
Since $n \mid n^2$ and $n < n^2$, all the divisors of $n$ also divide $n^2$. Thus, intuitively, I know that $\sigma(n)$ forms part of the sum that is $\sigma(n^2)$. In other words, I have:
$$\sigma(n^2) = \sigma(n) + \sum_{\substack{d \mid n^2 \\ n < d \le n^2}}{d}.$$
(I am not so sure about that second addend, though.) Furthermore, since $I(n) < I(n^2) < (I(n))^2$, where $I(x) = \frac{\sigma(x)}{x}$ is the abundancy index of the positive integer $x$, then $n\sigma(n) < \sigma(n^2) < (\sigma(n))^2$. So then, I have:
$$\sigma(n^2) = n\sigma(n) + A, \hspace{0.10in} (**)$$
$$\sigma(n^2) = (\sigma(n))^2 - B. \hspace{0.10in} (***)$$
My obvious question at this point is: Is it possible to express $A$ or $B$ in terms of $n$, without using $(**)$ and $(***)$?
Appreciate any feedback/replies on this. Thanks!


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Good morning Cardiff! BBC weather predicts another sunny cloud-free day today so make sure you grab five minutes when you can to enjoy the lovely weather.
In the meantime, here's a round up of the latest news and word on the blogosphere.
Tonight in the city, the Canton pact meeting will go ahead at 7pm at the Taff Housing Association on Cowbridge Road East. Find out more details on ourbobby.com.
Leaf Writers' Magazine – a new publication for new writers and student writers – will launch tonight at 7.30pm at Wales Millennium Centre. To mark the first issue guest speakers include author Jasper Fforde, and Carmarthenshire-based poet Simone Mansell Broome. Read all about it and buy the first issue here.
Election campaigning continues in the Welsh capital with Alistair Darling visiting Cardiff tomorrow to speak with Julie Morgan in Chai Café in Whitchurch at 11am before moving on to the Tesco House Call Centre on Maes-y-Coed Road. Kevin Brennan was out and about in Cardiff West yesterday, meeting Eddie Izzard among others, who was back in Wales to convince voters of Labour's fairness, says this BBC article.
In more election news the Lib Dems are under attack again for party employees masquerading as public sector workers – here Jenny Willott Lib Dem MP for Cardiff Central is pictured talking to the same 'police officer' as Welsh party leader Kirsty Williams.
Following a heated debate in Cardiff Central yesterday, another 'question time' style event will take place in the same constituency this Thursday. Organised by the Welsh Centre of International Affairs, the event will take place in the Temple of Peace at 7pm. Read more on yourCardiff here and this post on the second Cardiff North hustings in Llanishen Leisure Centre on Saturday.
On the blogs, The Joy Collective looks at the Kruger organised event at Cardiff Arts Institute on Thursday (with Bass Clef playing both here and at National Museum Cardiff earlier in the evening). More here.
A call for dancers in Cardiff to apply for a unique graduate scheme to develop connections in Wales has been posted on National Theatre Wales community website. A chance to work with Welsh Independent Dance, who we reviewed earlier this month, is on the cards. Read more here.
New life drawing session will be held at Milgi lounge every Thursday from 6.30pm – more here.
Here Claire Scantlebury explains why Ignite Cardiff will have a breather for summer this year.
Cardiff DIGs reports on the number of charity bags being stolen by rogue traders.
Pint of 45 blog reviews the 147 bar on City Road.
If you would like to share your news or an event with me, please write a comment below, or drop me an email, or send me a message on Twitter @GdnCardiff


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After multiple attempts over the past few years to book my favorite Electro producer ever since I was a teenager, I finally landed the chance! I had said last year that I would never do another event, but when an opportunity like this presented itself I ran with it. But I couldn't just bring in the Godfather of Electro by himself, I had to make it "The Electro and Turntablism showcase of WMC", so with my best impulsive decision making skills I started pulling triggers left and right resulting in Galaxy Music Gathering V "The OG Edition".
Anthony Rother is the "WOW!" of the lineup but I didn't stop there. I decided to bring in the most influential DJ Crew of All time: "The Invisibl Skratch Piklz" (Q-bert, Shortkut, D-Styles). The Invisibl Skratch Piklz are the "DAMN!" of the lineup, but then I needed some Miami Ghetto Bass loveliness in the mix, so I introduced the "WHOA!" of the lineup...none other than "JT Money" of the legendary Miami Bass group Poison Clan.
Of course I couldn't stop there still, and since I love exclusivity at my events I brought on-board Debonaire, which in my opinion is one of the nastiest Miami Bass and Electro producers of all time. The man is a fucking genius! Many more gems on the lineup all performing exclusively at Galaxy Music Gathering will be Soul Oddity, Code Rising, Wreck Vs. James Wolfe, and many more!
For me, Galaxy Music Gathering isn't about just throwing the biggest, baddest party of Miami Bass Week (although it's looking to be), but moreover, bringing together people under one roof who all connect through the love we all have for this specific style of music we call Electro. Anyone who has ever been to a Shady event during the Winter Music Conference will tell you they are all about good vibes, dope music, and bad ass dancers like Iphlow Crew; which is a group I have sponsored for many years now. With all of this combined, what you have is one hell of a memorable moment that only makes me appreciate all the time, hardwork, and hustle that goes into making this all come true!
Thursday March 23, 2017 will be a day in history. A once in a lifetime type of lineup, all under one roof at Studio 23 (247 23rd Street Miami Beach, FL 33139). Tickets are still available, but act fast because this event will sell out quickly for sure!
Spacemen Live @ Galaxy Music Gathering 03/24/10 from Nicholas Arvelo on Vimeo.
Written by: Alejandro Baez


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Chemical Awareness
Bloomington Public Schools' violence and substance abuse prevention and education program supports a safe and chemical-free school environment.
Chemical Awareness/Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program
District Coordinator
Program Goals
- Prevent the use of alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and other drugs by students and reduce violent behavior such as bullying, harassment, and family/relationship violence.
- Provide resources and education to parents, school staff, and students on chemical use concerns, and offer assistance on violence related issues.
- Review and enforce district chemical use policies and procedures.
- Support youth leadership and youth development initiatives, parent education and involvement, school staff professional development, violence prevention and chemical abuse services.
- Work with community agencies to reduce and prevent youth alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use and to reduce violent behaviors.
Chemical Awareness/Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program
Educational Services Center
1350 W. 106th Street Bloomington, MN 55431-4126
Main: 952-681-6505
District Coordinator
Andres Flores
Fax: 952-681-6519


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Whitecap Resources' successful executive team relies on specialized E&P software to streamline A&D, budgeting, and reserves — through 19 major acquisitions and 4 companies.
Home » Reserves & Economics » Whitecap Resources Customer Success Story
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The Things a Brother Knows
The Things a Brother Knows
Seventeen-year-old Levi Katznelson doesn't really know his older brother, Boaz, and he sure doesn't understand him. Three years ago, when he graduated from high school, Boaz decided to join the U.S. Marine Corps. Since then, he's been fighting overseas, growing increasingly withdrawn and distant each time he comes back to visit his family in suburban Boston. Now Boaz is back to stay, but Levi is not sure how he feels about that, or about his brother, or even about the war in which Boaz fought: "I'd say a prayer of thanks, if I were that sort of person, that my brother is returning from this war I don't believe in. This war I can't understand. This war for which nobody should have given up so much, and hurt so many people, and worried his mother down to a sack of bones."
Boaz is hailed by the entire town as a returning hero, of course, especially since he's unusual --- the kind of handsome, charismatic, successful guy from a middle-class background in a prosperous town who could have done anything after high school but chose to join the military instead. As Boaz's ex-girlfriend Christina said when he enlisted, "That's not what people like us do… People who have other opportunities. Who get into Ivy League schools. Who believe in…peace and diplomacy over bullying." Boaz might be both exceptional and heroic to outsiders, but Levi's relationship with him is hardly hero-worship. Although Levi looked up to Boaz, he remembers as many moments of disappointment and disillusion as of admiration and idolization.
Now that Boaz is back home, Levi's conflicting feelings grow ever harder to ignore. Can't Boaz see how much he hurt their mother when he failed to write letters from overseas? Can't he see how angry it makes their father when Boaz hides himself away for days and refuses to interact with the rest of the family during Shabbat dinner? Can't he tell how confused and lonely Levi is, how helpless Levi feels when Boaz shuts him out, when Boaz screams alone in his room at night and no one but Levi can hear? Desperate for answers, Levi starts snooping into Boaz's Web browsing history and spying on the cryptic notes and maps he has hung around his room. When Boaz abruptly leaves on a mysterious hiking journey, Levi is pretty sure he knows where Boaz has gone. He just doesn't know why.
Dana Reinhardt's new book is simultaneously a road trip novel (loosely defined, since so much of the traveling happens on foot), a novel of social commentary, and a love story of sorts. Most importantly, however, it's a story about how one son's decision fundamentally changes not only his own life but the lives of his entire family, often in ways unforeseeable and unexpected. In the course of this one summer, this single life-altering journey, Levi's impression and understanding of his brother change even more than it had when Boaz enlisted in the first place. What's more, Levi's own self-image matures with each stage of his literal and figurative journey, as he begins to define what sort of man he himself wants to become.
In THE THINGS A BROTHER KNOWS, Reinhardt cleverly and powerfully dispels many of the pre-conceptions her readers might have about soldiers, veterans, and war itself. Like Levi and the rest of his community, many may feel that the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are irrelevant, distant, things that happen to other people's brothers but not to the sons of privileged families from well-off suburbs. By the time they finish the book, however, they will almost certainly feel more connected to the experience of war and, perhaps just as critically, to the soldiers who fought, and continue to fight, for them.
Reviewed by Norah Piehl on September 14, 2010
The Things a Brother Knows
- Publication Date: September 14, 2010
- Genres: Fiction, Young Adult 17+
- Hardcover: 256 pages
- Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books


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5030 50th Street, Yellowknife, NWT
Date of Visit – April, 2017
I have never eaten any Ethiopian food before but when I told my wife I might have an opportunity to try out an Ethiopian restaurant while passing through Yellowknife recently, she insisted that I give it a try. Moreover, a friend of mine actually had a chance to visit Zehabesha a few weeks before me and gave the place such a great review I knew I couldn't pass on the opportunity…
The interior of the restaurant is fairly small, seating about 30 or so, and is quite plainly finished other than for a few objects of Ethiopian costume and ornaments hung here and there. The service was generally good, although the clearing away of tables was a little slow, but the sole waiter managed fairly well even though I arrived during the height of the lunch rush. He was pleasant and friendly, as well as quite happy to discuss the menu, and I learned from him that the name 'Zehabesha' means 'the people'.
The menu is not extensive and mainly features Ethiopian cuisine except for a couple of items such as Greek Salad, Caesar Salad, and a few other things. They also do a platter called the Mahiberawi Combination that includes a sampling of all the vegetarian and non-vegetarian Ethiopian dishes on offer. Traditionally, Ethiopian cuisine is eaten with the fingers and, though I was asked if I would like a knife and fork, I decided to go for the proper experience and declined.
For my meal, I chose Tibs, which is described on the menu as "Spicy pulled beef or goat fried with onion, pepper, rosemary, Jalapeno and Ethiopian butter". I opted for the goat and, despite the description, it was not 'pulled' meat, but rather good, meaty chunks of goat meat on the bone. With this selection, you can choose either rice of Injera (an Ethiopian bread), and it comes with a salad and one of two spice condiments on the side. The latter two are Mitimita and Awazie, and while I would have liked to have tried both, only the Mitmita was available that day. I chose Injera over the rice and it was a great choice for sopping up the very nice sauce that smothered the tender meat. The salad was basically a simple mix of lettuce, tomato and cucumber in a light vinaigrette and it made a nice light accompaniment to the heavier meat dish.
This is the Injera. It is basically made from a sourdough bread composed of Teff (a grassy seed grown in Eritrea and Ethiopia), and Barley, which is risen before being cooked on a clay platter or griddle. It has a spongy texture and it is very filling, especially as the one I was served would have been a good foot or so in diameter when unfolded. The basic idea is to tear off pieces and use this to scoop up bits of the main meal, then sop up any sauce. I liked the flavor and the texture very much.
Here is the Mitimita. The menu does not exactly list the ingredients but describes it as containing 'such spices as chili peppers, cardamom, clove, cinnamon, cumin, and ginger'. I think the blend they serve here would be great sprinkled on rice but I very much enjoyed dipping my meat filled bits of Injera into it just before popping it into my mouth. It was not especially hot, but rather sweetly aromatic and well-balanced.
Overall, I very much enjoyed my meal here, especially as it was a novel experience for me and I rate the place at a solid 4 out of 5.


text: Conference CenterThe center has a state of the art conference room that can seat 100. The center may be divided into two rooms to serve a smaller group. The conference rooms are equipped with over head projectors and speakers. Simply plug your laptop in to start your meeting.Computer LabWant to learn how the use a computer, access the internet, or simple do some research for a class, use the computer lab.The lab is equipped with 16 computers and a printer. Each computer has access to the internet.Indoor TrackYou can get your miles in without having to worry about the weather. Twelve times around in the comfort of a controlled environment equals one mile.Indoor Heated PoolThe center's pool is not only heated, but it is also "chlorine free". The pool uses a saline filtration system that makes using the pool a joy. Use it for water aerobics, lap swimming, pool parties, or just to relax after a tough workout.Fitness CenterNeed a workout to fine tune those muscles? We have a fitness center to meet the most demanding needs.The fitness center is equipped with the latest equipment for cardio or muscle toning. Watch TV while using the treadmill or partner with another member to reach your goal of a healthy body.Aerobics RoomThis room is equipped with a padded floor and mirrors to facilitate group activities such as, aerobics, yoga, Pilates, line dancing, etc.The center also has locker rooms that are equipped with showers and restroom facilities.Arts & Craft RoomAre you into ceramics. Well we can accommodate you. The arts & craft room is equipped with a kiln. In addition, the room is used for art classes, quilting, greeting card classes, and more.Game RoomWant to play a game of pool, foosball, table tennis, or an electronic game, then use the game room. It was especially designed for the young or the young at heart in mind.Wireless AccessFor the convenience of our members, the center provides free wireless access to the internet.


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|TI News
|Subscribe TI News Archive
TI News: An information service from the Office of Travel & Tourism Industries (OTTI)
November 30, 2012
September 2012 U.S.-International Air Passenger Traffic Was 14.3 Million, Up 6 Percent
September Year-to-Date Total U.S.-International Air Traffic Up Eight Percent
Performance metrics reported are:
Summary of January through September 2012:
International air traffic to/from the United States (1) totaled 135.7 million passengers from January through September 2012, an eight percent increase over the first nine months of 2011.
U.S. citizen air travel (61.1 million) increased four percent and comprised 45 percent of all air traffic. Foreign national (non-U.S. citizen) air travelers (74.6 million) increased by 10 percent, increasing share of the total market from 54 to 55 percent.
U.S. airlines carried 73.3 million passengers, up five percent, however their share dropped one percentage point to 54 percent. Foreign flags carried 62.3 million passengers, up 11 percent from January-September 2011, with their share increasing to 46 percent.
September air traffic was up six percent from September 2011, disclosing slower growth.
International is the total of overseas, Canada and Mexico regions, as follows:
Overseas air traffic accounted for 101.9 million passengers, 75 percent of all international air traffic for year-to-date.
U.S. citizen travel (46.7 million) increased five percent and comprised 46 percent of all overseas air traffic. Foreign national air travelers (55.2 million) increased by 10 percent, increasing market share to 54 percent, a one percentage point increase in share between 2011 and 2012.
U.S. airlines carried 52.9 million passengers, up six percent, and their share decreased from 53 to 52 percent. Foreign flags carried 49.0 million passengers, up 10 percent from the first nine months of 2011. Their traffic share increased to 48 percent.
Total air traffic to/from overseas regions for the year performed as follows:
North American markets (Canada and Mexico) accounted for 25 percent of U.S. international air traffic flows.
U.S.-Canada air traffic accounted for 18.8 million passengers, 14 percent of all international traffic, and was up seven percent year-to-date.
U.S. citizen travel (5.1 million) increased five percent and comprised only 27 percent of air traffic in the market. Canadian and other foreign national citizen air travelers (13.7 million) increased by eight percent with their market share resulting at 73 percent.
U.S. flags carried 8.8 million passengers, up two percent, and their share dropped from 49 to 47 percent. Foreign flags carried 10.0 million passengers, up 12 percent increasing their share to 53 percent.
U.S. - Mexico air traffic accounted for 14.9 million passengers, 11 percent of all U.S. - international traffic, and was up six percent.
U.S. citizen travel (9.2 million) increased three percent and comprised 62 percent of all air traffic. Foreign national air travelers (5.7 million) increased by 13 percent increasing their market share to 38 percent.
U.S. flags carried 11.7 million passengers, up two percent from last year, and their share dropped from 82 to 78 percent. Foreign flags carried 3.2 million passengers, up 28 percent increasing share to 22 percent.
Top 10 Foreign Airports (Passenger Traffic to/from U.S.) September 2012 YTD:
Top 10 U.S. Airports (Passenger Traffic to/from Foreign Airports) September 2012 YTD:
Top 10 Airlines Serving U.S. International Non-Stop Markets September 2012 YTD:
* United Airlines and Continental merged operations on March 7th
In the near future OTTI will publish the September 2012 U.S. Citizen Outbound report, which contains total monthly travel (all modes) to Canada and Mexico.
A description of OTTI's program based on DHS APIS/ "I-92" data: http://tinet.ita.doc.gov/research/programs/i92/index.html includes subscription prices for detailed country and port level reports which are available in Excel and Adobe. See actual report: http://tinet.ita.doc.gov/research/programs/i92/2006_I92_Air_Travel_Statistics.pdf
U.S. Department of Commerce
(1) This reflects non-stop air-only data. A portion of the non-stop passenger traffic to Europe will not 'visit' Europe, but will connect through one of Europe's airline hubs (LHR, AMS, FRA, CDG, MAD, etc.) to Africa and the Middle East. The adjustment to these regions, reflecting visitation (1+ nights), occurs after year-end data is compiled.
(2) Numbers for U.S. carriers slightly exceed what has been reported by Airlines for America (A4A). A4A reports mainline numbers for most of their member carriers. A4A classifies Canadian air travel as 'Domestic.' The DHS-I92/APIS data includes all carriers with international service to/from the U.S. including regional carriers, both affiliated and non-affiliated, and general aviation. The I-92/APIS however is not inclusive of Pacific inter-port or other 'beyond' traffic.


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Most Kids Not Getting Second Dose of Flu Vaccine
According to the CDC, kids between the ages of 6 months and 8 years that haven't ever received a flu vaccine are supposed to get two doses their first time around, and these doses should be given a month (or more) apart. The problem is that most kids haven't been getting their second dose… According to a new study published in the journal Pediatrics, only 29% of kids between the ages of six months and two years got their second dose of the trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV) during the 2003-2004 flu season. And the compliance rate was even worse for 2 to 8 year olds, with just 12% of kids getting their second dose. The whole point of the second dose is that it helps to elicit the antibody response, and thus both doses should be given before the onset of flu season. If your kids got a flu shot for the first time this fall, and they fall between the ages of six months and eight year old, then be sure to get them in for that second shot — it's not too late (yet).
[Source: CNN/Health]
Comments (scroll down to add your own):
I got flu shots for my kids the first time and was told to get the second shot. But then when I called to verify getting the second shot, they are now out of the flu shots. They hope to get more in December. Which means I have to remember to call back and set up another appt. They won't make appts until they have the shots. No wonder people miss getting the second shot for their kids.Comment by vw bug — Nov 14th 2006 @ 8:49 pm
That's actually a great point, and I haven't seen it addressed anywhere… If there's barely enough vaccine to get the first shot, what hope is there of getting the second round?Comment by dad — Nov 16th 2006 @ 7:43 am
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.


text: You may be familiar with the unforgivable life-altering fraud that is Ronald the Deer. Sarah is a teen viewer in OHIO who vouches for his authenticity. She writes: "...Ronald is indeed, not fake. We went to high school together oh so many years ago. He was so sweet and funny. I always had so much fun hanging out with him. He even took me to a sweethearts dance. That's just the type of guy he was!"


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Watch the entire first episode of Jimmy Fallon's new show 'Guys With Kids'
Did you miss last night's premiere of NBC's new comedy Guys With Kids, starring Anthony Anderson, Zach Cregger, Jesse Bradford, Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Tempestt Bledsoe and executive produced by Jimmy Fallon? You did? Well, fear not. The first episode of the show, which features a trio of 30-something-year-old fathers attempting not to be the worst parents ever, is right below. You're welcome. Check it out and tell us what youRead more


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Peakbagger extraordinaire meets the A.T. March 21, 2010Posted by Jenny in hiking, peakbagging.
Tags: Appalachian Trail, Mt. Shuckstack, NC fire towers, peakbagging, Peter J. Barr, thru-hiking
1 comment so far
I've only hiked with Peter J. Barr one time. But that was quite a time. He was one of the five participants on the famous Woolly Tops expedition. On that outing, he maintained an admirable calm and good humor while clawing his way through rhododendron thickets, wading down flooded streams, and even while suffering a temporarily dislocated shoulder as he lunged his way up to a rock ledge.
Peter starts thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail tomorrow. You can follow his adventures here. I think of his thru-hike as a kind of "deluxe" thru-hike—that's my word, not his. He's actually planning on doing some side trips to various peaks in the northeast, in particular the New England Hundred Highest, with possibly a couple of Adirondack 5000 footers thrown in. In some cases he'll be able to do short bushwhacks off the A.T. to get an extra peak (for instance, for Mt. Mendon in Vermont, which is near the A.T. as it approaches Killington). In other cases he'll have to either rent a car or get a ride to points a bit further away (for Boundary, White Cap, and Cupsuptic Snow in Maine: closest A.T. point is around the Crockers and the Bigelows). If he goes for Marcy and Algonquin in the Adirondacks, that means a pretty long car ride (closest A.T. point looks to be, actually, also around Killington).
And he is going to attempt this without sacrificing the bottom-line thru-hiker standard: to do every foot of the A.T.!
If anyone can do it, Peter can do it. He already has a ridiculously impressive list of peakbagger accomplishments. He's done the 6000 footers of the south, but not only that, he's done the 5000 footers, which I'm not sure anyone else has accomplished. That involves an awful lot of bushwhacking. And he's done the 900 miles of trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Peter is also very active in preserving the North Carolina fire towers and in getting people to enjoy them—and he's published a book on the subject. In keeping with that interest, he is making the preservation of the tower on Mt. Shuckstack in the Smokies a goal that will be furthered by his thru-hike. He's asking that people consider donating $21.78 toward that cause, or one cent for every mile of the A.T. You can do that through a click on his website.
Best of luck to you, Peter. You're embarking on a great adventure!


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Recipe of the Day: Bistek
Bistek is the Pinoy version of beef steak. It's a different recipe from the "known" beef steak recipes from other countries. The Pinoy version of "beef steak" has more sauce (soy sauce) with either lemon or calamansi.
This is one of my favorite viands. Actually it's my TOP favorite. A week won't pass without it on our menu. A very easy but flavorful dish which is best serve with rice. LOTS of rice!
1/2 kilo beef (sirloin), sliced thinly
1 pc red onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup calamansi juice
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
ground pepper
cooking oil
caramelized onion rings (white onion), 1/4-inch thickness
- Marinate the beef in soy sauce, calamansi juice and ground pepper for AT LEAST an hour.
- Heat the cooking oil in a pan.
- Fry the marinated beef (save the marinade for later).
- Add and sauté the chopped garlic and red onions.
- Add the marinade and oyster sauce. Bring to a boil.
- Transfer to a serving plate top with caramelized onion rings. And as mentioned earlier, this is BEST served with LOTS of rice. Haha!
Get a printable copy of the recipe here: bistek-recipe
Let me know if you have tried it. 🙂


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February 27, 2014 -- Professor Adam Winkler recently published an op-ed in the Los Angeles Times concerning gun control laws in California. In the piece, he proposes that open carry may be the best way to minimize the number of guns on the streets of California.
To read the op-ed, click here.
Professor Winkler also commented on potential Supreme Court gun control cases in a Washington Times article.
To read the entire Washington Times article, click here.
Professor Winkler further discussed concealed-carry issues in a U-T San Diego article, which can be found here.


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LMP Voyager
Inspiring the next generation and changing the future of music education
The London Mozart has been committed to providing a platform for sharing the creative arts with schools and communities for over 25 years. LMP Voyager is our education and community hub which allows music to inspire, educate & enrich communities through an extensive programme of work across the UK.
LMP Voyager leads the way in outreach, education & diversity to transform cultural opportunities available to schools and local communities
Schools & Education
As one of the original pioneers of orchestral outreach work, LMP takes music into schools, inspiring youngsters through workshops, concerts and creative projects.
The LMP work with all school levels, from Primary to Secondary schools and also in special schools across the country.
Community Projects
We play a vital role in cultural engagement and participation throughout London. Our projects reach out into the heart of the many different communities, taking music to people who can no longer visit the concert hall, to entertain and inspire creativity in participants, regardless of their disability or age.
Sponsor a Community or Education Project
LMP leads the way in outreach, education and diversity programmes. LMP Voyager addresses the decline in musical provision in schools and takes exciting music projects to underprivileged communities, to nurture the young musicians of tomorrow and make transformational cultural change to local communities.


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1227-1229 N REMINGTON ST Well managed and well maintained, modern style one and a half story, recently built. All showings must be approved by the seller to set up. Must sellas a package with remaining units as a package discount. All currently leased with strong rent history. Deep & level yard. Split bedroom design with main level completely open, gas heat & hot water, oak cabinets, pantry and lots of storage.
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Courtesy of: Terry Crocker, ReeceNichols Centralia
Copyright © 2019 Columbia Board of REALTORS®. All rights reserved. All information provided by the listing agent/broker is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified.


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Second mistrial declared in Adkison kidnapping, assault case
CHILLICOTHE - A judge declared a mistrial, for the second time, Friday in the case against accused kidnapper Brian Adkison.
Adkison is the man accused of kidnapping his ex-girlfriend in Columbia in June 2013. Court documents said Adkison picked her up while she was walking her dog in 2013 and that she then jumped out of the truck while he was driving. Documents also said he picked her up and put her back in the truck when she then found a screwdriver and stabbed him in the neck.
The events that unfolded crossed into multiple Missouri counties. Adkison faced charges in several, but Friday's mistrial is for charges in Caldwell County only. A judge previously declared a mistrial for Adkison in February for the same charges.
Adkison was accused of kidnapping, domestic assault and violation of a protection order in Caldwell County. The case was moved to Livingston County on a change of venue.
The trial began Wednesday morning. His next trial is scheduled for August 10 at 9 a.m.
In January, Adkison's trial in Boone County was also declared a mistrial on two of three counts including burglary, rape and deviate sexual assault.
A full time-line of Adkison's criminal charges can be found here.


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These are my July Scrapbook Layouts for Cocoa Daisy. This kit is called Firefly and it really captured the sense of a fun and whimsical summer.
The cut files this month included a fun cloud shape, which I layered on top of each other in blues and rainbow dots too.
These chipboard pieces from Pinkfresh Studios were a favorite item again this month.
DITL Sunshine // I love the stamps in the DITL kit this month. Tons of fun speech bubbles with cute sayings. I stamped a bunch here in flamingo pink and raised them up with pop dots.
I hope you love these kits as much as I do. Head over to Cocoa Daisy to check out the kits and to customize your own add-on with fun pieces from the BYOAO section too!


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So delicate and refreshing. I love the smell and the way it warms me with its beautiful blossom aroma
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Can't start the day without a beautiful cup of this Tea. The tea bag turns my morning tea into a very stylish and delicious experience. I think I'm going to officially give up coffee!


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Proposed Action Plan Outlined For Northants County Council In Response To Second Section 114 Notice
|Author: Joni Ager
|Published: 2nd August 2018 10:10
The county council says £60m to £70m of savings will be required this financial year in order to achieve a balanced budget.
A proposed action plan outlining a series of measures to address Northamptonshire County Council's severe financial crisis is due to be discussed at a special Full Council meeting next week (Thursday).
The action plan has been drawn up in response to the issuing of a second Section 114 notice last month (July) by the council's director of finance and follows a meeting yesterday (Wednesday) where councillors discussed priority areas of spend.
The measures include a number of steps required to significantly reduce spending as part of the authority's budget recovery plan, including:
Extended controls on spending, including approval for all spend over £1,000 and a new approval process for spending in adult and children's services
Radical service reductions and efficiencies in areas across the council including:
- Children's Services – looking at factors for high spending on high numbers of referrals and high numbers in the care system.
- Adult Services – examining learning difficulties, fees and charges and NHS contributions
- Road Maintenance and Transport including home to school transport.
- Property rationalisation
- LGSS and Business Support
- Waste management
- Culture
- Capital Programme and its funding
- Staff redundancy programme
Introduction of a strategic co-ordinating group to centralise decision-making in line with the council's agreed spending priorities
Introduction of a transformation task force to identify cost reductions in line with the council's priorities
The county council says £60m to £70m of savings will be required this financial year in order to achieve a balanced budget.
County council leader Cllr Matt Golby said: "Unfortunately there are going to be some very difficult decisions ahead for Northamptonshire as we work hard to bring our spending under control while doing our very best to protect services for the most vulnerable in our communities.
"This action plan outlines the approach we are going to take, which includes rigorous controls on spending, recruitment and contracts. These decisions will be made based on the core spending priorities discussed by Full Council yesterday.
"These are incredibly challenging times for the council but I am committed to ensuring we deliver those core services within the money we have available."
The Full Council meeting will take place on Thursday 9th August 2018 at 10.30am.
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But no cuts to bonuses, or cuts to costly consultants, or any mention of redundancy packages?
No doubt all be explained in the next press release.
You need to log in before you can do that! It's only a quick registration process to join the AMA network and completely free.


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So I finished my exams yesterday, I wanted a new bloglayout for ages, but I never had time to do that. So I made a new layout, hope you like it. Then I decided to relax a bit, watch a few episodes of Once upon a time, but I forgot about the challenge. My oldest untried... Well I've got like 40 untrieds, but my oldest? I'm not sure..
And I chose for block your green. This nail polish was one of three limited edition nail polishes for the 2012 Olympic Games in London. So its an untried I own since June. This are 3 coats.


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Taking their attack to the next level, the energy and production of their newest full-length Iconic Nightmare elevates WARTORN's powerful songwriting and execution to new levels, surging with nine crushing anthems in barely twenty-five minutes. Southern Lord will drop Iconic Nightmare on CD this January 21st in the UK and EU; diehards of Wolfbrigade, From Ashes Rise, Tragedy and the like should not pass this one by.
Stay tuned for upcoming WARTORN live assaults and more news in the weeks ahead.
Iconic Nightmare Track Listing:
1. The Iconic Nightmare
2. Unfinished Blueprint
3. Permanent Blackout
4. No Sanctuary No Salvation
5. Six Feet Under
6. Knee Deep In Blood
7. All Flags Still Burn
8. Betrayal
9. Burial Ground


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Jon Stewart tore CNBC a new one on this. It was hillarious, but it was also sad, cause it was true. All those Financial analysts on the news are just full of it.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Daily Show on CNBC
Posted by Shade at Friday, March 06, 2009 DiggIt! Del.icio.us
Labels: CNBC, Daily Show, Jon Stewart
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text: In the life of the Continuum we have waited for over a year for the promised 2.2 update to roll out. Now that it did I wish I still had 2.1 installed. Here are some issues I have been experiencing since 2.2.2 was put onto my device: 1.) frequent freezing and crashing- It has become a daily routine for me to have to pull out my battery to reboot because my phone keeps freezing. A new thing is that when a running application isn't responding my phone vibrates constantly which eventually leads to the freezing up. 2.) disappearing SMS messages- It has been frequently reported that Continuum users are missing text messages because they are only popping up in the ticker, but not in the notification bar or messaging application its self. 3.) other small bugs: - after answering a phone call the phone continues to vibrate as if I haven't answered it yet, causing a buzzing noise on the other end of the call - virtual keyboard locks up occasionally preventing me from typing certain letters or no letters at all - decrease in battery life by a few hours -constant lagging and sluggishness while navigating from menu to menu In other words, Samsung we appreciate you finally updating this device but there are major bugs that need to be fixed for this device to be nearly flawless like it once was. I now cannot wait til my phone upgrade in June. Rated :rating03:


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Big Bud
Feminized Marijuana Seeds | hybrid | THC 15-20% | Extremely high yield
Bulk Seed Bank
5/5 (2)
|Seed Type:
|Northern Lights #1 x Skunk #1
Product Details
|Flowering Time
|6 - 8 weeks
|Indica / Sativa
|Seed Type
|extra large
|Growth Area
|THC Level
|15 - 20 %
|Northern Lights #1 x Skunk #1
Big Bud
Bulk Seed Bank
Bigger Bud has always been famous as a cannabis strain with staggering yields. Her superior Indica pedigree was carefully refined and steadily improved over many years and has now been perfected for release as an all-female seed strain! The first clone-only Bigger Bud was a sturdy Afghanica infused with Skunk genes - a hybrid possessing amazing vigour and unexpected, record-breaking production. Resin production is prolific, even on the inner surfaces of flower clusters, making for a powerful physical stone that´s brightened by the high of Skunk´s Sativa ancestors. As with the regular version, enormous production remains the central feature of feminised Bigger Bud. On both small and large plants, flower clusters are huge, sparkling, and wonderfully solid.
Date Added: 02 January, 2018
by Ryan C.
of 5 stars!
Looking so healthy and big when its growing. Awesome!
Date Added: 17 January, 2018
by Gabby L.
of 5 stars!
This strain is killer very tight hard buds crystals everywhere took 4 cutting and the cutting are taller then the mother in 5 weeks time 1 week veg time nice strain...


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Gladiator® 48" (121.9) Shelf
Solid Shelving
Model #: GAWA48SFZW
White - GAWA48SFZW
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- Holds up to 50 lbs.
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The Gladiator® 48" (121.9 cm) Steel Shelf features a durable solid steel surface and a new eye-catching Everest White finish for design versatility anywhere in your home or garage.
Product LiteratureWarranty Installation Instruction
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Can be easily hung and repositioned on any Gladiator® Wall System when storage needs change. No tools are necessary to reposition.
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This month's challenge theme is "Create a Little Sunshine." You can make it sunny and bright or calm and beachy, just show us your creations!
The cute whale and fish are from Surf & Turf set and the clouds are from Cut Loose set by Paper Smooches. They are colored with Distress Markers with an water brush on watercolor paper.
The patterned paper is from Beach Paradise 6x6 Paper Pack by Echo Park. I also stamped Hero Arts/Studio Calico Chevron on the card base for a little interest.
That's it for now. Don't forget to link up your sunshiny creations here for a chance to win 50 Emporium Dollars to use in the Inspiration Emporium Store! Or you can use discount code wonderland to receive 10% off on your entire purchase! =)
cardstock: (Rustic White, kraft) Papertrey Ink, (white watercolor) Strathmore Artist Papers
clear stamp: Paper Smooches
rubber stamp: (Chevron background) Hero Arts/Studio Calico
patterned paper: Echo Park
dye ink: (Classic Kraft) Papertrey Ink
archival ink: (Jet Black) Ranger Industries
coloring medium: (Distress Markers) Ranger Industries
fiber: (burlap string) May Arts
accent: (yellow button) Papertrey Ink
other: (foam tape) 3M, (white gel pen) Uni-ball Signo
card size: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"


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By Matt Smolsky
This year, Valentine's Day falls on a Thursday, and what better surprise than to whisk your sweetie off on February 14 to some romantic location for a long weekend. Here are five destinations perfect for quiet romance you'll both enjoy.
This year, Valentine's Day falls on a Thursday, and what better surprise than to whisk your sweetie off on February 14 to some romantic location for a long weekend. Here are five destinations perfect for quiet romance you'll both enjoy.
Paris. The City of Love -- while this would be considered a major trip, just imagine the impression you'd make when you show your Valentine two tickets to Paris, one of the most romantic cities in the world. The good news is February is considered the off season in Paris, so you should be able to find some bargains (just be sure to use the money you save on a Paris vacation rental overlooking the Seine or Eiffel Tower).
Montreal. If Paris is out of reach this year, then try the next closest alternative. Montreal is the most European city in North America, with an abundance of history and charm. You'll find romantic cafes and bistros on nearly every corner. Even though it's February, the French Canadians know how to have fun in the winter--you'll find a lot of things to do, from ice skating to horse drawn carriages to skiing on Mont Royal to the Cirque de Soleil. Of course, there's a wide variety of Montreal vacation rentals to choose from.
Marco Island, Florida. Looking for something a bit warmer? Try Marco Island rentals, where you'll find the average daily temperature in February is a balmy 78 degrees. You can enjoy a fire on the beach for two, romantic strolls by the ocean, or enjoy a sunset cruise. There are also plenty of restaurants for fine dining, but be sure to do some research before you go and make reservations.
Savannah. If you're looking for old-world romance, Savannah offers plenty of vacation rentals and lots of opportunities for quiet candlelit dinners, sunset watching on Tybee Island, a riverboat cruise and some hand-holding on a haunted mansion tour.
Lake Tahoe. If you're both outdoorsy, consider a Lake Tahoe vacation rental for just the two of you. Tahoe offers a wealth of outdoor activities and is well-known for being one of the best ski areas in the world. Once you've had your fill of the slopes, there'll be plenty of shopping and dining opportunities, as well as wine and beer tasting, art galleries, gondola rides and even casinos nearby in Nevada.
If traveling to one of these destinations isn't in your budget, think about what's close to you, then check out PerfectPlaces.com to find the perfectly romantic Valentine's Day vacation rental for you and your loved one.


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The set of Dog Bookends will add a fun decorative accent to a book collection. Each silver bookend forms half of an adorable floppy eared spaniel that is bound to appeal to any dog lover. Secure your books whilst creating a fun feature in your living space, office or bedroom.
Dimensions: Front: H: 20cm x W: 15.5cm x D: 12cm. Back: H: 18.5cm x W: 13cm x D: 12cm
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252 opinioni tra le quali 2 opinioni consultabili dei viaggiatori Pierre & Vacances *
* Le riviste consultabili sul sito sono unicamente quelle raccolte da P&V. Per leggere la totalità delle riviste, riportatevi sul sito di Tripadvisor.
We were staying with family in Pierre and Vacances in Les Coches. Very poor services, no ski in- ski out as declared. No sun on this side of mountains, limited number of restaurants and cafes, no swimming pool/saunas
Great apartment, comfortable and spacious but a little dusty with some hairs on the bedding. Location great too with parking very easy and close by. This was our second visit here and we will definitely return.
The Rami is super convenient for the slopes, as long as you can ski a red. Comfortable, practical and good value. The walk to the village is about 10 minutes downhill and slightly more back up. Great location for accessing the ski area as it seems fairly quiet even in peak season down in Les Coches.
Lovely relaxed resort with nice local restaurants and smashing views whether you are skiing or not. Accommodation is of sufficient quality that you can stay inside and relax rather than having to be out all day.
Comfy apartment and friendly, helpful staff. Good location to explore ski area and easy to ski back to in afternoons. Bakery service reliable and handy. Very quiet resort, but good if you just want to chill. Clean and had dishwasher, which they provided 5 tablets for. Initial problems were sorted out quickly and we were relocated into a different apartment. Fab views from balcony.


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Hi – another scam alert you need to keep an eye out for. I received an email today with the subject: Fraud Alert: Unauthorised iTunes Payment – I received another titled: Unauthorised Appstore Purchase and another Unauthorised iTunes Purchase – to a completely separate email account today too.
As with all scam emails, there are tell tale signs that it should not be trusted. If Apple's reports are correct, then it appears some A-List celebrities such as Jennifer Lawrence, Ariana Grande and others, may have fallen for exactly this type of scam. Continue reading


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Everyone will agree that Sylvester Stallone looks good for his age. The 62 year old mega-star recently graced the silver screen again in Rambo IV and the latest Rocky movie looking as muscular as ever. Sylvester was recently caught in Australia with HGH Shots in his possession which led many people to believe that his streamlined physique and smooth, non-aging skin didn't just come from good genes.
In a recent interview with NBC Stallone made it clear that HGH injections do not deserve a bad rap. HGH is in no way, shape, or form a steroid. He stated that taking HGH can help you to become less exhausted after strenuous workouts, give you more energy, and make you feel more youthful. These things are important if you are getting older but still want to maintain your physique. He made no apologies for using HGH and said that in order for it to work for you, you must stick to a regular workout routine and take care of your body.
Sytropin, a brand of HGH, is available for sale to anyone who would like to try it. As we age our pituitary glands quit producing as much HGH naturally. This results in graying hair, increased body fat, sagging skin, and less energy. People can increase the production of HGH in their bodies by taking Sytropin. There are no side effects, it isn't dangerous, and is a fantastic aid for the purpose of losing weight and gaining muscle. It is a great benefit to people who are getting older and want to stay in shape.


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What No One Knows About Businesses
The Benefits of Real Estate Appraisals If you are thinking of buying your own home, the excitement that you feel may be great, as you know that this is a huge step forward and a huge achievement in your life. However, one might be worried about spending too much for a piece of property which is not worth the price, as he or she might not know the exact market value of a piece of property by just looking at it. The good news is that these people need worry no more when they are able to find reputable professionals who offer real estate appraisals. One who is able to find the best company that offers property appraisals, then, will surely be able to gain a lot of truly wonderful benefits. Deciding to have a piece of real estate appraised is certainly something that will be beneficial to you in a lot of wonderful ways, one of which is the fact that when you do so, you can be sure that you will not waste any money on the property you are considering. If you are hesitant about buying a piece of real estate, this might be because you are not sure if the price being asked is truly what such a piece of property deserves. One will be glad to know, then, that he or she does not have to worry about this when a professional who is skilled and experienced in real estate appraisals is hired. Hiring a professional for real estate appraisal is also something that you should do because when you do so, you can be sure that you will be able to learn some very valuable tips on how to increase your investment. One might wish to have his or her home renovated, but not know what kind of renovation will get the best returns and make the home much more valuable. If you want to ensure that your home is renovated in a way that will increase your investment, then, it is a good idea for you to listen to the advice of a professional who is skilled in real estate appraisals.
On Claims: My Experience Explained
One who is facing a divorce can also benefit when he or she hires a professional who is trained to do real estate appraisals. One might wish to come to amicable and fair terms with his or her ex-spouse, which is why knowing how much a house is worth will help a great deal.
On Claims: My Thoughts Explained
Finding a skillful and experienced professional who offers real estate appraisals, then, is definitely something that you should do because when you do so, you can be sure that you will be able to gain a lot of truly wonderful benefits.


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I discovered Frenchy & the Punk quite by accident at the 2014 Steampunk World's Fair. I watched their Sunday afternoon concert and couldn't believe how amazing they were and wondered why I hadn't heard of them before that day. I bought their CD "Hey Hey Cabaret" at their merch stand and listened to it almost every day for a month thereafter. I've found that a nice way to relive an event such as the SPWF is to purchase some of the music that I listened to (and it supports the artists also).
Their music as described on their website:
Imagine Siouxsie Sioux and Dee Dee Ramone had a duo that was inspired by Django Reinhardt, Edith Piaf, Toulouse Lautrec and Deepak Chopra, this is what it might sound like. One part Dresden Dolls, Sonny and Cher and one part White Stripes. A pixie spirited flexitarian band of tree hugging, gothic, folky, Steam Punks by way of Paris and New York. Doused in red wine, kale and granola, raised on punk rock and ballet, eclectic and uplifting… fun with a capital F!
Scott Heland (The Punk)
Photos from Steampunk World's Fair 2015 performance.


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I am a member of a few facebook blog groups but I've never seen one that is solely for wordpress users so I decided to create one just for us.
The group is called WordPress Fashion and Beauty Community so if you blog on wordpress about Fashion or Beauty then go and join the Group. The idea is that it is a forum for us all to have a chat and post links to our recent posts, make new friends and get new followers.
There is a blog and twitter directory so that you can post links to your blog and tell us your twitter username so that you can get new followers.
Here is a link to the group, go join 🙂


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Exciting news for users in explosion hazardous areas: the second generation of the Laser Methane mini (Model SA3C32A, Gen 2) will be launched in June 2016. It will come ATEX approved and with a green laser. The improved laser allows inspections in bright outdoor environments to a distance up to 100 ft. (30 meters). Did you know that the measurement works even through glass?
Read more
Download ATEX certificate


text: Aweome Infographics Archive 24 Jul 2012 PART 1: 20 GORGEOUS EXAMPLES OF SOCIAL MEDIA BASED INFOGRAPHICS By Semhal Nasreddin Inspiration 0 Comment Tweet Today's article is all about infographics. We have compiled 20 gorgeous and informative social media based infographics. They include Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram infographics… Enjoy 🙂 Read More


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COSTA MESA, CA – The Cypress College women's soccer team (5-3-3, 3-1-2 OEC) picked up a much needed 2-0 win on the road over the Orange Coast College Pirates (3-5-2, 2-4 OEC) on Friday afternoon. The Chargers now sit in the third slot of the OEC standings.
Cypress dominated the first half, scoring each of their two goals in the first 45 minutes of game action. Freshman defender Jordan Barber opened the scoring in the 32nd minute, sending a ball past Pirates' keeper, Cindy Suarez, to take a 1-0 lead. Freshman forward Audree Campos found the back of the net for a fifth time this season on a beautiful pass from Kelly Lopez in the 41st minute.
Orange Coast would challenge the Cypress defense in the second half, getting of 4 shots and earning 4 corner kicks in the half. However, sophomore keeper Tabatha Macedo came up with 3 big saves, earning her fifth clean sheet of the season.
Women's soccer will return to Orange Empire Conference action against the Santa Ana Dons at home on Tuesday, October 2. Game is scheduled for 3:00 pm.
Stay connected with the Chargers through social media. Follow Cypress College Athletics on Twitter @CypressChargers. Check in with the Chargers on Facebook/CypressChargers and on Instagram @CypressChargers.


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Spring Developer Advocate Josh Long will provide a walking tour of all of the Spring projects, including: Spring, Spring MVC, Spring Data, Spring Batch, Spring Integration, Spring Security, Spring Social, and more. Josh introduces how to get started building modern day Spring applications while introducing the concepts behind them. In the lessons, Josh guides viewers through a look at the Spring stack and the features designed to support relational data access, NoSQL and big-data access, batch processing, integration and messaging, REST services, mobile clients, OAuth-secured, connected web applications, service provider APIs, and more!
About the Author:
Josh Long is the Spring developer advocate, an editor on the Java queue for InfoQ.com, and author. Josh has spoken at many different industry conferences internationally including TheServerSide Java Symposium, SpringOne, OSCON, JavaZone, Devoxx, Java2Days and many others. When he's not hacking on code for SpringSource, he can be found at the local Java User Group or at the local coffee shop. Josh likes solutions that push the boundaries of the technologies that enable them. His interests include scalability, BPM, grid processing, mobile computing and so-called "smart" systems. He blogs at blog.springsource.orgor joshlong.com.RESTful Web APIs with Spring LiveLessons
Spring Developer Advocate Josh Long demonstrates how to write REST services and how to manage, secure and consume them using Spring Boot.


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Jeremy Zalacca - Director of Athletic Communications
BRISTOL, TENN. -- The Pfeiffer women's golf team traveled to Bristol, Tennessee to compete in the two-day King University Invitational on Monday and Tuesday. The Falcons placed 7th in a tournament comprised entirely of Division II programs.
Continuing a stellar career, senior Meghan Holbrooks followed up last week's tournament victory with a third-place finish today. Holbrooks posted a 75 in round one and a 76 in round two for a final score of 151. Holbrooks was just two shots out of second place and five shots out of first.
Olivia Templeton tied for 20th with a score of 163. However, the rest of the Falcons struggled with the par-71 course. Jessica May, Caroline Rea and Karie Shields rounded out Pfeiffer's top five golfers.
Carson-Newman won the tournament with a team score of 616. Elizabeth England claimed first place with her two-day total of 146.
The Falcons return to action on October 9 when they compete at the Patsy Rendleman Invitational. That tournament will be Pfeiffer's final tournament of the fall season.


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Azure File Sync
Azure File Sync
Files are an important resource in a company. For workstations rarely connected to the local network, these files are stored locally.
It is therefore important to ensure that these files are synchronized on an enterprise server or in the cloud. All protocols offered by Windows Server (SMB, NFS et FTPS) are available in Azure File Sync.
Several prerequisites are necessary to set up Azure File Sync :
- Create Azure storage account
- Create a file share in Azure
- have a Windows Server instance
Before implementing the solution, it's important to check the availability of the functionality.
Availability Azure File Sync
Create account storage
From the Azure portal (Azure.microsoft.com), click on All services then Storage account.
A new window appears, click on Add.
Enter the name of the storage account, if valid select the Azure region. Then select the desired redundancy. Create or select ressource groups and click to Create button.
Create file sharing
Azure file sharing requires the prior creation of a storage account. From the Azure portal, click on All Resources then on the storage account previously created.
In the center panel, click Files.
Click File Share in the center panel.
Enter the name of the share and the quota in GB.
Sharing is now created
Deployment of Azure File Sync
In order to be able to deploy Azure File Sync, it is necessary to perform some operations in the Azure portal. From the Azure portal, click Create a ressource and then search azure File Sync. Click Create on the central panel.
Enter the desired name and the resource group to be used. Click to Create for lauch creation
Azure File Sync is now correctly configured.
Click to Getting started to see the operations to be performed.
Register your servers
You need install Windows Management Framework 5.1 and AzureRM PowerShell on the server where agent will be installed. You can download Windows Management Framework 5.1 on this web page.
When it's installed, you can execute the command PowerShell for install AZureRM PowerShell Module.
- Install-Module PowerShellGet -Force
- Install-Module -Name AzureRM -AllowClobber
In the Getting Started, click to the Download the sync agent link for download the agent.
Launch the agent file on the server then in the welcome window, click Next.
Validate the following windows then proceed to install the agent.
Click Finish at the end of the installation. A window appears to verify that the agent is up to date.
Click Sign in to register the server. Enter the Azure identifiers in the window that appears.
Use the drop-down lists to select Azure Subscription, Resource Group and Storage Sync Service. Click to Register to validate operation.
Create a synchronization group
From the Azure portal, click on All Resources then on the File sync service previously created.
In the center panel, click Sync group.
Enter the name of the storage group and select the storage account. From the drop-down list, select Azure file sharing. Click to create to lauch creation
Click on the previously created Sync group. An endpoints server must be added. To do this click on Add server Endpoint in the central panel. Select the desired server Registered then in the Path field enter the path of the directory containing the data. Click to create to lauch creation.
Files and folders in the directory are replicated in Azure. Depending on the quantity of Data, this operation can be more or less long. If you return to the created share, the files are present.
Click Connect for instructions to connecting a network drive.
you can run the command to connect the network drive


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It's secure. It's scalable. It's stable. But better than all those… It saves you money!
How does it work? We begin with an assessment of your current in-house IT solutions to determine what is working well for you and what will give you a better outcome if moved to the cloud. Then, once we have made our recommendations, we will migrate those aspects of the business that will gain the most benefit up to the cloud. Without causing disruption to your current daily workflow. But maybe you are one of those business owners who is looking for a unique cloud configuration…
Are you looking for support for private (you own the infrastructure), public (available to the public), or hybrid (some of public, some of private)? Maybe you don't know what cloud solution will work best… Not a problem! That's what we do…every day.
It's time to call 1300 INVOTEC or send an email to firstname.lastname@example.com'll take care of your IT so well that you'll never have to think about it!
Why are you waiting? Today the information superhighway goes straight up to the cloud! And for good reason… The cloud is more safe and stable than ever before and provides HUGE advantages for those businesses that are looking to scale, synchronize, collaborate, or expand. So, let's get you started with a cloud assessment. Discover what the cloud can do for your business!


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28 November, 2014
New Kit Only At Mystical Scraps- Skullin Christmas
Posted by Magik at 12:04
No comments:
Labels: exclusive, Mystical Scraps, ptu, scrap kit
18 November, 2014
Former PTU- Santa Baby kit Now Updated & FTU
I really hope you enjoy this kit
& have fun creating with it. =)
Posted by Magik at 10:00
10 comments:
15 November, 2014
Former Store Collab Kit Now FTU
Like all my other FTU kits,
this kit is for Personal Use only,
so please no ripping it to make new kits.
Also, please don't share this kit.
It's so much nicer to point people to my blog
for the kit & it keeps you out of trouble. ;)
I really hope you enjoy this kit
& have fun with it. =)
You can download the kit here:
Comments & thank you are always appreciated.
It inspires me to offer more freebies for you. =)
As always, I enjoy seeing your creations with my kits.
You can send them to me at:
(remove the brackets in my email.)
Posted by Magik at 21:24
8 comments:
14 November, 2014
New Kits In Stores
This a soft & beautiful Christmas kit,
perfect for getting you in the Holiday mood.
This kit is filled with 15 papers,
75 unique elements & 6 frames in light minty blues,
peaches, light tan with a touch of holiday green. =)
The other kit is Sugarplum Winter:
Sugarplum Winter is a fun & gorgeous holiday kit
for some beautiful & stunning Winter
& Christmas tags.
This tagger kit is filled with 15 papers.
85 unique elements & 6 frames
in gorgeous purples, lavender,
light pinks, purplish blue & touch
of holiday green.
You can find them both at either Mystical Scraps or
Pics For Design. ;)
I enjoy seeing your creations with my kits.
You can send them to me at:
(remove the brackets in my email.)
Posted by Magik at 22:32
No comments:
05 November, 2014
PTU- Winter Cuddles
Posted by Magik at 09:59
No comments:
Labels: Alex Prihodko, ptu tut, Tasha's Playground
04 November, 2014
PTU- Christmas Warmth
I hope you enjoyed trying this tutorial. =)
You can send me your results at
(remove the brackets in my email).
Posted by Magik at 21:41
No comments:
Labels: Alex Prihodko, PFD, ptu tut
Hot Cocoa- Thrifty Scraps Exclusive
Posted by Magik at 17:02
No comments:
Labels: ptu, scrap kit, Thrifty Scraps exclusive
35% Off sale!
All through November, my kits are 35% off
at both Thrifty Scraps & Mystical Scraps.
Now is a great time to stock up & save. ;)
Have a great month! =)
Posted by Magik at 16:57
No comments:
Labels: Mystical Scraps, promo, sale, Thrifty Scraps
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Groundsworks at the Fire Service's new £45m Training Centre outside Cookstown are expected to start next month, according to Mid Ulster Sinn Féin MLA Michelle O'Neill.
The party's northern leader had written to the Department of Health for an update on the progress on the new centre.
Welcoming the news that the construction phase would commence before the end of January, Ms O'Neill said: " When I was Health Minister I was keen to ensure that this project progressed and became a reality.
"This development will be good for Mid Ulster, for local business and potential jobs. It brings a major public service into the heart of this constituency and I believe will lead to further development of other public services and business in the Cookstown area and across Mid Ulster."
"Sinn Fein placed the Desertcreat project as a priority piece of work and it is good to see that this will start to take shape over the next period of time. This is the second significant public sector development in Mid Ulster in the past two years having already seen Rivers Agency relocated to the nearby Loughry Campus", said Ms O'Neill.


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This is the story of how what was once just a fantasy for humans is now no more than the bus of the sky.
Air travel is a little younger than the car, so we should be able to compare their progress. But a car could be described as a cart with an unupgraded horse. A plane gives humans wings able to cover swamps, mountains and seas like they are straight flat roads.
We should be more impressed with how far aviation has come since that day in December 1903, considering you can now book a non-stop flight from Sydney to Houston and arrive only an hour after you leave on the same day (time zones can be tricky)!
As consumers, our story of flight began in 1914 with the creation of the world's first commercial flight. It was from St Petersburg to Tampa in Florida, USA and would take almost a day by road, half that by rail and about two hours by boat. The flight took 23 minutes to cover the 34 kilometres across the bay. A ticket cost $5 and there was only the pilot and one passenger.
Fast forward a 100 years and 8 million passengers take to the sky every day on board over 100 000 flights around the world.
The number of flights in the sky over South Africa during the "evening rush" via Flight Radar
Early flights were cold, noisy, bumpy and by modern standards not that safe. In 2018 you can expect to have over 6 million safe trips for every fatality. 2011 was the safest year with 11 million passengers arriving safely for every fatality. That would be the equivalent of every South African travelling over Easter break and only five people not making it home. By comparison; 510 South Africans died on SA roads over Easter 2018.
Commercial air travel did not only see planes takes off, the credit card owes its popularity to the airlines that first issued air travel cards in the 1930s using the same process as they do today.
Air travel was exciting in the same way a circus act is; you love to watch it but you might think twice to try it yourself. That may seem crazy given the safety record mentioned above but, with rail and ship transport the norm, the aircraft presented an almost impossible improvement to what people knew.
To illustrate, consider the Elon Musk's SpaceX's vision of a rocket to get you anywhere on the planet in just 30 minutes. Amazing right, but would you be willing to book your next trip on one?
Despite the apprehension, aircraft improvements during the First and Second World Wars, and the multitude of pilots that were needed, allowed for the heyday of air travel in the 50s.
Propeller engines gave way to the jet engine and companies such as Boeing owned the skies.
National airlines were a source of pride and South Africa Airways remains one of the top 30 oldest with the oldest being the Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij (Crown Airline Company) better know as KLM. It was created in 1919, just five years after the first commercial flight. SAA is the 23rd oldest. It formed in 1934.
Overseas holidays became a thing with many more Americans now able to fly anywhere in the US and the world. France was a favourite destination and remains to this day the most visited country in the world with over 80 million visitors per year. South Africa saw almost 9 million international visitors.
The benefits of tourism are great and as an industry every country should do more to encourage it. There are significant benefits to tourism, economic activity is the obvious one, but tourism fosters understanding between places in ways an article can't. Matt Harding in his visits and silly dances around the globe showed that we are all far more alike than different and that almost everyone wants to leave a world that is going to be better for their children.
The flip side to that though is that international travel has a way of standardising things. You can can land at any airport in the world and you know what you can expect to find. Hotel groups, restaurants and tourist attractions around the world conform to best practices. In that respect it is a driver of progress but some may argue that it also dilutes the unique culture and possibly the reason for the undertaking the trip in the first place.
One aspect that is evident is that, no matter where you go, a primary consideration is mobile access, specifically data. You are either searching for the nearest Wifi hotspot or ensuring you have a local sim before you leave the airport.
Getting to your destination in the past was a significant part of the journey itself. We should bear in mind though that it was not that long ago when getting around the world in 80 days seemed like a mission impossible, whereas now anyone could do it in about 48 hours.
A long flight in the past was broken up into many legs and, more recently, flights would be routed via major hubs to both maximise efficiency and shorten the distance between final destinations.
Aircraft and, moreover, their engines have seen the rise in non-stop flights from the 14-hour limits to a new 19-hour flight that they will begin later this year between Singapore and New York using an Airbus A350-900.
If you are going to be sitting on a plane that long you will need a lot to make you comfortable and keep you occupied. Thankfully the new aircraft by Boeing and Airbus allows for business class benefits in economy with those in business and first class now enjoying full flat beds and even showers on some airlines.
Richard Branson tells of how it was easier to buy new aircraft with screens in every seat when he tried to raise the finance to simply add them to his existing fleet. You now not only have a screen; you have a full entertainment suite with movies, TV shows, music, games and even podcasts.
For some airlines, you can see what entertainment is available for your flight via an app and it will even remember how far you got watching a movie if you did not manage to finish it.
For aircraft, without screens, you need only use your own phone or tablet and log onto the aircraft Wifi and enjoy the movies that way.
The check-in process too is becoming more automated with online check-ins followed up with automated bag check-ins. Immigration control is moving to digital biometric checks which would speed up the queues when leaving and entering countries.
Airport services are getting better with access to transport and internal transfers via moving walkways and even autonomous rail links. Your phone may soon also be your guide inside the city size complexes getting you to your gate on time after a bit of shopping of course.
The future may include new aircraft designs, but don't expect it soon. And you may hear about supersonic travel returning, but the cost and effort to reduce the flying time is unlikely to compare with simply booking a business class flight and taking a little longer to arrive relaxed and refreshed.
Flying electric vehicles may be a thing, but they would focus on travel within cities. The Hyperloop and high-speed rail may compliment short haul flights which are some of the most congested already anyway. But for the long haul trips for the foreseeable future our skies will be filled the aircraft shapes we have come to know in the last decades but with a lot more high tech to reduce the world to a global village.


text: Marcus Lemonis is not just an inventor and television personality, he is also a successful businessman that speaks on the topics of successful entrepreneurship. In this video, Lemonis discusses the value of people, process, and product to your business. Overseeing more than 100 different businesses while running a $4 billion dollar company says a thing or two about this star of CNBC's 'The Profit.'


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Have you ever watched a TV show and had absolutely NO idea what happened? Yeah, that was pretty much my experience watching last night's boring episode of Real Housewives of Atlanta. So, Phaedra hosted a dedication for Ayden and I don't know what all that pomp and circumstance was about, but it was very cute. Sheree, at the behest of Bravo, tried to force Damon to propose to her daughter, and Kim and Cynthia had the meekest, tamest showdown in RHOA history. Where's NeNe when you need her! So, let's get this recap started!
Things begin with Phaedra running around the church, planning Ayden's dedication. Phaedra's white jeans are distracting me, I hate white jeans. I initially thought it was a baptism and became alarmed, because Bravo's track record with christenings is not so hot. Bravo certainly likes to use children's religious ceremonies to create drama, doesn't it? Anyway, this was a dedication. And it involves the baby being carried on a floating sled thing called a palanquin, surrounded by other children in white, who are ringing bells. Or, maybe that's just Phaedra's take on the situation. By the way, did anyone think Phaedra's pastor was Bobby Brown for a second?!