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Three Ideas For Sell A Columbus Home In A Heart Beat
The Top Three Columbus Real Estate Strategies Revealed- Get rid of A Columbus House Immediately
Selling a Columbus home is hardly ever a straightforward process. But it can be especially tough if you have to sell a Columbus home quickly. In this blog, we will consider several property selling strategies in Columbus that will make it easy for you to get a fast sale.
Tip #1: Maximize Your Appeal
To sell your Columbus home in the blink of an eye for the most cash…. stage your home. Buyers for the most part have a really hard time picturing how to harness the potential of their potentially "new" home…. Do not leave it up to them to have to "imagine" how they can use your home. You know which spaces are best for what type of activities. Paint them a picture with furnishings.
Start thinking about the "charm" of your property by putting yourself in the shoes of any buyer. What do they see when they pull up to the front of your house? What can you do to make your house look more appealing?
If you don't have time to clean up the inside of your home yourself, spend a few dollars and have a local Columbus , Ohio cleaner do it for you. Then, once it's cleaned, keep as many areas as possible off limits so that it stays neat and tidy. You may want to dine out until your house is sold!
If you don't have time to do the staging yourself, there are a good deal of local Columbus home staging companies on the market… just go to Google or yahoo and type " Columbus , Ohio property staging companies".
Point #2: Update
Before you read the tip… think about what we could mean with tip number two. Obviously, if you are going to be moving out of your residence you don't want to invest a lot of money in grand improvements, such as a kitchen remodel. But there are some more economical upgrades you can make that will increase the value of your Columbus , Ohio property and make it more enticing to potential cash buyers.
It helps to point out a few "inexpensive" upgrades you can make to get you thinking of things you can update- dishwasher, refrigerator, old washer and dryer, exterior paints. These things may cost you a couple hundred dollars but you are going to more than make up for it at closing. If you spend a little money on important updates you will earn that money back plus interest.
Sometimes even making the most inexpensive, impactful improvements or repairs is just unthinkable. If the work is more pricy than you can afford, feel free to call us at 888-509-6267 Ext 4 to get a fast-fair offer on your Columbus property, as-is.
We buy properties all over Ohio and have local Columbus partners that can come by and assess your home so we can get you a fast-fair as-is cash offer. The worst we can say is no…. so give us a try! Call us today and we will make you a fast-fair cash offer and we will do all of the work!
Tip #3: Don't Distract
Show qualified buyers the potential of your Columbus house not, and please don't take this the wrong way, but what have you allowed it to become. I'd wager your house probably doesn't look like it was pulled from a magazine.
Help build this impression by removing everything that personalizes your property, such as family pictures, personalized art, and any type of clutter.
Our company is not saying throw your belongings away. But… personalized possesions shrink the number of possible buyers in most cases. Keep your belongings, but it may be worthwhile to rent a storage unit until you sell your Columbus , Ohio property.
To get the most from each room, leave as much space uncluttered as possible. Just do not go overboard… You don't want the rooms empty, or too sparsely furnished because then it is just awkward.
To find a local Columbus storage space just Google " Columbus , Ohio storage units". I guarantee you'll find more than you know what to do with.
Home Selling Tips in Columbus : Summation: Columbus , Ohio home selling tips concluded
Tired. Done. Not wanting to spend anymore money on fixing up the house or paying real estate broker commissions. Call Glymph Properties today- we can get you a fair-fast all cash offer!
Glymph Properties buys Ohio homes like yours from people who need to sell their properties quickly.
Give us a call anytime 888-509-6267 Ext 4 or fill out the form here today- http://www.GPBuysHomes.com!|
We are very happy to help you discover answers to your hardest questions about the Columbus real estate market, so please feel free to call us at 888-509-6267 Ext 4 and chat with us at any time.
Fill out this form or give us a call anytime at 888-509-6267 Ext 4 for a Fair Cash Offer
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We are interested in buying properties within 50 miles of the following zip codes: [czipcodess].
Looking to find more extremely high ROI investment properties… visit our investor website or give us a ring anytime at 888-509-6267 Ext 3
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Check out our investment blog!
Trying to find a rent to own property… explore our rent-to-own website or give us a call anytime at 888-509-6267 Ext 5
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Selling a business is a lot like selling a home...except when it isn't
The scene is a familiar one on any number of cable television's housing programs: pensive home sellers listen intently as hosts and remodeling experts alike expound on the efforts necessary to prepare their property for market.
The advice isn't too far afield of what awaits a business owner preparing for a sale: it's important to be brutally honest about the current condition of the business, address potential trouble spots and make sure finances are in order.
Prospective buyers aren't going to be worried about the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, or the color of the paint in the master suite. Instead, they'll focus on matters such as determining the value of the business, any risks involved in its purchase and whether or not it is complying with the proper regulations.
Investing in the time and effort it takes to address these issues can help ensure the selling process is a smooth one that nets a higher final price. So let's borrow a page from the home-selling process and look at some of the steps you can take as part of the business-selling process.
Begin with the end in mind.
It's not just a habit of highly successful people; Stephen Covey's advice is something that home sellers consider at the very beginning of the sales process. After all, they're not just moving from somewhere: they're also moving to somewhere. So, where is it that you plan to move? What do you hope to achieve from the sale of your business? If the goal is to sell but remain with the company in a management capacity, you'll likely focus on a few different aspects than if you plan to retire. For example, you might be happier taking a percentage of annual revenue than maximizing a one-time payout.
Go with a pro.
Everyone thinks his or her house is special. There are a lot of memories there; a lot of hard work, too. But the fact of the matter is that those memories and that hard work don't matter to a prospective buyer. Cold, hard facts matter. Objectivity matters. Which is why having a business valuation may help identify the market value of your business. Like a residential real estate professional, a valuation professional will help you see beyond the rose-colored glasses of ownership to something much closer to reality.
Enhance your curb appeal.
I'm not talking about mowing the lawn, trimming the bushes or slapping on a fresh coat of paint. But just like those measures can make a house more appealing from a distance, selling your business requires a few steps to make sure prospective buyers don't drive right on by. One of the first things a prospective buyer will request is the financials. High-level, full-disclosure financial statements will make the impression the business is well run. One such step is a financial audit or review. Some businesses conduct annual compilations rather than incur the expense of a full audit or a review, but now's the time to incur that expense. (Depending on your business, an annual audit might be required, in which case you're a step ahead of the game.)
The audit isn't just for prospective buyers; it can help uncover any issues you should address whether or not there's a sale at all.
Referring to a due diligence checklist at this point is also a good idea. The checklist can help you gather up necessary documents and information, including internal management reports and memoranda, policy and procedures manuals, legal and regulatory compliance paperwork, and contracts and arrangements for supplies or services. This is comparable to homeowners having a home inspection conducted prior to placing their house on the market so that problems can be resolved before the buyer's home inspector discovers them. Visit rehmann.com/BWD to download a convenient due diligence checklist.
Be prepared to fall in love again.
It happens. Once all of this work is done, you might decide that the issues you've addressed, along with any changes you've made, have made the business more appealing to you again. Even if it turns out that you simply could not get the asking price you wanted, the aforementioned steps have likely left you in a better position than you were in at the beginning of the process and able to more confidently lead your business into the future, with you still at the helm.

subset: commoncrawl


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Weekday Vegetarian: Mujaddara with Spiced Yogurt
Photo: Kelly Rossiter
Sometimes the simplest recipes can be the most sublime. Combining just three kitchen staples of lentils, rice and onions with a dollop of spiced yogurt with lemon juice transported me to the Middle East. I made half of the recipe for our lunch today, and I was wishing I had made the whole thing. The recipe writer says the mujaddara improves with age, but I'd be hard pressed to keep it for long.
I was trying to analyze what I found so satisfying about this little dish. Partly it is the combination of textures with the chewiness of the rice, the softness of the lentils and the melting quality of the onions. Party it is the combination of the earthy flavour of the lentils with the sweet, almost turning to bitter fried onions. I admit fried onions are one of my favourite flavours as well as cooking aroma. The one thing that I was missing that would complete the Middle Eastern flavour was mint, but it was still delicious.
I reduced the cooking time of this a bit because I have a rice cooker so I did the rice and lentils at the same time, rather than successively, in the same pot. I've never actually tried to cook plain rice in the oven before, but apparently it works. Otherwise, this is about as simple as it gets. Cook three ingredients separately, join them together, top with yogurt and be transported yourself.
This recipe is from the website Food52.
Mujaddara with Spiced Yogurt
For the Mujaddara:
3/4 cups Puy lentils (aka French lentils, the tiny dark brown ones)
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 cup jasmine rice
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 cups onions (about 3 medium onions), halved and thinly sliced
For the yogurt:
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cumin (freshly ground, if possible)
1/2 teaspoon coriander (freshly ground)
1/2 teaspoon spicy paprika or aleppo pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
Juice and zest of half a lemon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Put lentils, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 4 cups water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer lentils until soft but not mushy, about 20 minutes. Drain lentils and set aside. Rinse pot.
3. Add rice, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 1/2 cups water to the pot, set over medium heat, and bring to a boil. When water begins to boil, cover pot, transfer to oven, and cook for 17 minutes until perfectly cooked. Remove from oven, uncover, and fluff with a fork. Set aside.
4. While rice cooks, set a wide, deep saute pan over medium-low heat and add butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil. When butter has mostly melted, add onions and toss to incorporate with butter and oil.
5. After 5 minutes, onions will have softened slightly and started to release their liquid. Raise heat to medium and cook 10 to 12 minutes more, until onions are very soft and browned. Add water by the tablespoon if pan gets too dry or if onions start to stick. When onions are well browned, add last tablespoon of olive oil and raise heat to high. Cook another 3 to 4 minutes, until bottom layer of onions has charred and crisped; try not to stir too much, or onions won't crisp up.
6. Combine rice, lentils, and most of the onions in large serving bowl and let sit for at least 15 minutes, to marry the flavors together. (Truth be told, this dish improves with age.) Taste, and add more onions if desired. Meanwhile, make the yogurt: mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.
7. If mujaddara has cooled significantly, reheat in a low oven or even in the microwave for a couple minutes. To serve, plate a big scoop of mujaddara and top with a dollop of yogurt.
More Middle Eastern Food
Middle Eastern Spinach and Meatball Soup


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Please be advised that due to new regulatory requirements by Rockschool's certification body in the UK, Ofqual, all Rockschool reports will now be moderated in the UK before being released. This will result in a longer wait for both results and certificates.
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Welcome To my Investment Site
I would like to thank you for showing interest in our Account management program. In this site you will find general information about investing in the Forex Market and how you can participate throughout our program.Below you will find the most common questions and Answer about trading and how to start investing with us. On the right hand side of the screen you should find the link from our real Account results with the profit monthly stated. We trade with real money and NO DEMO Accounts.
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Good morning
I have just started my watch , it finishes at 7,45 then we start to board
our gear as this is last day of the tide. We have 130bxs hake aboard at the
moment. We have been fishing in same area all trip we have had no French or
Irish prawn trawlers wanting to work this area this trip.
We should be ashore in Newlyn tomorrow around 10-11am where we will be
landing our hake for Newlyn and Brixham fishmarkets for monday morning.
Reports at sea yesterday was that the hake prices were very poor so lets
hope this picks up again at the start of next week.


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About Me
- Piper
- I am a 33-year-old wife, sister, daughter, friend, law school graduate, CFer, lifelong student of public service, blog writer, patient, Sagittarius, reader, Top chef fan, double-lung transplant recipient (twice!), and dog owner living in Colorado's beautiful Mile High City. I love all things colorful, funny, inspiring, or needlessly sarcastic. I share my city with about 2,500,000 other remarkable people, share my disease with 70,000 other beautiful souls, share my life with some unbelievable family and friends, and share my apartment with one very handsome guy and one really fat mutt with a kick-butt personality. We make it work.
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Links/Blogs about CF and Transplant
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Nothing to Say (Except Everything)
I spent the day up at the hospital, where I had appointments with both the diabetes educator and the transplant team. Included in the madness was the normal litany of tests: blood work, chest x-ray, and PFTs. In other words, we were there from 10 am until 4:30, but wow, was it ever worth a little exhaustion. I got great advice from the very nice and very helpful diabetes educator, who had no qualms at all telling me that I need to be eating carbs and treating myself, well, like a CFer when it comes to planning my meals. She adjusted my insulin, gave me some great aides to help me get started on carb counting, and was generally very encouraging. She said an A1C of 5.1 (my number) was excellent and she explained how the prednisone can cause my sugars to peak in the early afternoon. She is going to review my log for the next few weeks and keep adjusting my scale until we find something that works to allow me to eat exactly what I need to eat to feel healthy and gain weight. Most of all, she was friendly and seemed intent on reassuring me that this whole diabetes thing is not going to be a huge obstacle to life after transplant. I knew that, of course, but it was great to hear it from a knowledgeable source.
There isn't much more to report -- other than it was exactly what it should have been.
I went from there on to the pulmonary part of the program. I got all the requisite testing done and then headed in to see one of the wonderful doctors on my team. She looked at my x-ray and declared it completely clear, listened to my chest and exclaimed over how good it sounded, pointed out the log that shows a steady improvement in my PFTs each week despite the rejection, and went over all my cultures and bronchs with me. She asked me if I was having any symptoms and I answered no to all of them, at which point she laughed and declared that "we can't argue with that." Long story short, she seemed thrilled with my exercise routine, happy with my lung progress, and optimistic about my continued success post-transplant. It seems like my lungs are doing exactly what they should do in their new home.
And she's right -- we can't argue with that.
On the way home I dropped my mom off in the West Village and decided to walk home to lower Manhattan/TriBeCa. It was hot enough that I had some serious salt on my skin by the time I reached my apartment, but the day was beautiful and the people watching in NYC is always worth a little extra time outside. So I wandered along for a couple of miles and ended up back with my Sammybear in our cozy little apartment, where I finished my book and promptly started a new one before settling into a nice nap and then joining my mom and sister for an amazing dinner. It was low-key and relaxing and I used my new carb counting scale to ensure that I could even have dessert.
Just a nice walk, some downtime, and dinner out to finish the day -- nothing more.
In other words, I really wasn't kidding when I said that I have very little to write about today. My health and my lungs are so "normal" and run of the mill that they hardly seem worthy of their own blog. My life, and my breath, are blissfully devoid of dramatic swings or crazy events that simply beg for public retelling. The scariest thing to happen to me today involved a cab driver and New York traffic. The most annoying healthcare-related issue I'm facing right now is a crowded waiting room or the fact that long days at the hospital make me cranky. And the only reason I'm not taking my dog on more walks is that his short little legs mean he can't keep up with my pace. Seriously.
There's nothing to say -- and that makes it quite possibly the best blog post I've ever written.
8 comments:
I was thinking about you today. I'm so glad you wrote about all the nothingness going on in your life. It makes me SO HAPPY! I'm still so impressed that you can BREATHE so deeply and carry on with life so gracefully. You are amazing. Keep on keepin' on!ReplyDelete
What a sweet day :) Glad all the dr. madness went well.ReplyDelete
LOVE IT! It's so nice to be in that uneventful phase! It's strange, but welcome...ReplyDelete
I, for one, love to hear about "normal" days. It gives hope that somewhere down the road that is what I can look forward to. So glad to hear you are doing well.ReplyDelete
Piper I am so happy for you! I especially love the part about your pups legs being too short to keep up with you. :D I am so excited to cross that threshold of "nothing to report".ReplyDelete
Great news, Piper! I love hearing that your dog is having a hard time keeping up with you. When Jim took me to lunch yesterday I was amazed at how fast he was walking!ReplyDelete
Piper - you are right, this is the very best blog entry you have written to date! Love that you are doing so well.ReplyDelete
yay! I'm so happy to hear all of this good news :)ReplyDelete


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I wrapped Hershey nuggets to match the paper for each box. The older children also got a pkg of gum. There are a couple different digital artists used on these boxes.
The first box here is an image from Whimsey Doodles called "Toadly".
This sweet little penguin is also from Whimsey Doodles.
This little cutie pie is also from Whimsey Doodles. Her name is Penelope.
Below is another Little cutie from Whimsey Doodles. Her name is Leah "Stuck on You".


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A Preliminary FTC Staff Report on "Protecting Consumer Privacy in an Era of Rapid Change: A Proposed Framework for Businesses and Policymakers"
I, as well as all of my friends, full support a Do Not Track System that is hard wired into the browser and reduces or eliminates on line tracking. I understand that this will greatly limit online marketeers and ad agencies from targeting me and monetizing my "eye" time but that is exactly the point. We care little for their ability to make money from our browsing interests and activity. This is nearly the same as the Do Not Call list which has been extremely successful. Stop the tracking please ! Art


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There are a handful of people whom I've never met in person, but talked to a lot over the years online, and who have influenced my thinking more than I could suspect in that time. Richard Veryard is one of those people. Even back when my blog "Into the Machine" was called "Blunkett is an Arse", Richard prompted me to think heavily about the role of power in society - everything from CCTV through to newspaper headlines and reasons for going to war.
Richard introduced me to Stafford Beer's concept of POSIWID (The Purpose Of the System Is What It Does) which trips off the tongue more easily and addictedly than you'd expect. Recently, he's focused his efforts on Enterprise Architecture ("#entarch") and Organisational Intelligence ("OI"), and I'm very much enjoying shamefully yanking ideas out of his OI Primer e-book.
I don't plug things very often on my blogs (and it's horrifically short notice) but I really do want to mention his 2 courses this week: on Business Architecture and Organisational Intelligence. I think there are still spaces left. And obviously as I've never actually met Richard, I'm not guaranteeing anything. But if you're interested in this post, or this blog, check em out. There's also an Org Intelligence group on LinkedIn for good discussion.
But it's more than just a shameless plug - and more than just a way of paying him back for the insight over the years. Fundamentally, his driving factor (IMHO) is around something which is not just lacking in many groups, but dangerously lacking across society. In fact, my whole last post on the PCC elections, nuclear subs and mythological engineering was about this lack.
In short, we lack systemic intelligence.
What does that really mean though? And more importantly, so what? Many smart people instinctively know that our most common modes of organisation lack an inherent "togetherness". I'm not saying anything new here.
But what we can learn from Richard - and from looking around us, and from taking a moment to think clearly - is how to move from just knowing there is a lack of systems-thinking, to doing something about it. To rejoining the things which are fragmented.
Departments are Inherently Silo Factories
In the public sector, the defragmenting process is bubbling under like the power behind the throne. It's why the Patchwork project makes sense to people. It's why everyone goes on and on about breaking down data silos. It's why joined-up government arose - but ultimately, its fall also highlights not how difficult it is, but how badly prepared we are for it.
Our pin-factory-style, categorical hierarchy mentality likes to divide work up into efficient processes. Many people claim this to be an "efficient" way to focus on a particular labour task - which it can be, to an extent. But this also leads directly to those data silos we mentioned earlier - because it's not the data which is inherently silo'd, but the labour itself. Once a person or a group becomes responsible for an organisational function, both the data and the importance that result from it become an asset - and assets are there to be protected, especially under competitive pressures.
The same effect is at play whether it's one person keeping their spreadsheet private, a department keeping its data in obscure formats, or a company slurping personal data on millions of customers. Data goes hand-in-hand with function, and divided data leads to divided functions.
The Road to Recovery is Balance
The first challenge in reconnecting these functions (and therefore departments, and data) within a system is to get out of the existing model. It's important to remember that an fragmented viewpoint is mutually exclusive to systems thinking. Systems thinking is not about the best way to get two existing units (departments, groups, people) to talk to each other, nor about opening everything up to the glorious light of transparency.
Systems thinking is about how the units depend on each other and what it makes sense for them to share in order to do their (otherwise standalone) job. Object-oriented coders Get This.
In other words, the underlying mental model for a more systemic form of organisation needs to shift to one of multiple contexts - firstly, the overall purpose of the entire organisation, and secondly, how the needs (data, assets, etc) of each unit within that organisation break up and overlap.
That is, there needs to be:
- Balance between the output of each unit within the organisation, and the organisation as a whole - no one unit should be seen as "more" important, in the same way that the brain is not "more important" than the stomach. The priority is that the organismisation acts as a whole.
- Balance between the "internal" and "external" roles of each unit, so that effort is not wasted on either information over- or under-provision. Each unit should have access to the information it needs to do its job. And yes, this changes over time. Get used to it.
Forwards, stupid workers!
"Architecting" this is not just a role for a head honcho or a business consultant. Ignore what well-paid people tell you. It's not even a bottom-up process.
The needs of units and the whole organisation change over time - technology relating to certain tasks changes, staff change, external factors mean new pressure, political goals shift. As a result, this process has to be infused into the whole of the organisation. It is a culture and a strategy on one level, but on another level it is also an individual choice.
The divided labour approach to work - ie. what you have in your head the moment you get to your desk in the morning - intrinsically ties together function with knowledge. "What do you need to be told in order to do you job?" - or from a more negative, jobsworthy viewpoint, "I can't do that because nobody has told me why or how."
Divided labour resists flexibility. And this is why joining everything together takes more than someone banging a gong or drafting a "data sharing" proposal - the rules themselves need to be flexible for flexible working to work.
But so often, the body of working knowledge we hold - and the reasons why we hold it and where we should apply it - are valued. They form a set of ideas centred on our job function that I call "Intellect" - in other words, a specialised definition that takes the immediate environment, and hardens it - formalises it. This means we can know if what we're doing is "right" or "wrong". And we can't be judged for not doing stuff that lies outside of that context. Nobody ever got fired for buying IBM.
Losing this "Intellect", this hard-wired context, is key to making our organisations smarter.
We need to become stupider.
|Photo: San Diego Shooter
The Dashboard Wisdom of Stupidity
Being stupid is not a weakness. I heartily wish that I had been more stupid in school, and wasn't so afraid to ask questions when I didn't fully understand something. Because when all the parameters around you are shifting, guess what? Nobody really understands anything. And even more so, nobody can predict what is happening to the people they're connected to.
Asking questions gives us feedback. One of the fascinating areas I looked into after reading Richard's book was the usefulness of dashboards - which are basically designed to answer that perennial question, "What's going on right now?"
Feedback is only useful if it's fast - fast enough to allow us to relate our actions to their consequences.
And immediate feedback is awesome because it gives us an answer before we've even had time to ask the question. A dashboard, an ever-present source of up-to-date information, assumes we are stupid - or, at least, could turn stupid at any moment. "Hey! Driver! Sooner or later, you're going to need this information, you know?"
And when you're sitting there, protecting your body of knowledge and your data in order to protect your job, hanging on to that "Intellect" you've carefully gathered doesn't make you "Intelligent". It makes you "Wrong".
Your Silo is My Silo
The world is changing at a much faster pace than we're ready for. No, scrap that. The world is change, and we don't like change. Everything we do is about controlling change. Our policies are direct descendants of the 17th century,and hence our mental models are struggling to keep up with the change going on - change that we've created, ironically. (Remember, pin factories didn't always exist.)
"Systems" intelligence and "Organisational" intelligence are misnomers, because people are individuals, not organisations - and organisations only really exist on paper and in law courts, and can't make me a cup of tea in the morning.
But individuals exist within organisations, within systems. There is little to differentiate the two except perhaps where we stand.
Accepting that we are part of a system is essential to realising that this "systemic" intelligence is also a part of us. It is an aggregative effect - a flow of cause and effect from person to person, and unit to unit. It is not a "culture" or a "programme" or any "Thing", because it is always a dynamicism that acts on every level.
Asking questions is key to opening up that flow - the flow of information and understanding between units, between silos, and between contexts. It breaks down the protection of Intellect. It is a form of empathic efficiency. It is flexibility.
It is necessary.
Want to know more? Richard's courses on Enterprise Architecture and Organisational Intelligence.


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Wyo. official pins Pavillion pollution complaints on greed
VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Wyoming's top oil and gas official yesterday said the people in Pavillion, Wyo., who have complained that drilling polluted their water are motivated by money. "I really believe greed is driving a lot of this," state Oil and Gas Supervisor Tom Doll told a meeting of fellow state regulators here. "I think they're just looking to be compensated."


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Royal Roads of Morelos and Puebla November 3
First Published
on Mexico Connect October 1, 2007
The Pre-Hispanic, the Colonial, the Royal Roads of Morelos and Puebla
By Julia Taylor © Julia Taylor 2007
Photos by Miguel Angel Cuevas © Miguel Angel Cuevas 2007
Step by step, all roads are formed by those who walk them. The roads of Mexico were first formed by native people walking from city to city. These roads – some paved – were used for conducting warfare, cultural interchange, and commerce. Later these same roads were trod by the heavy horses of the conquering Spaniards and the sandals of the missionaries. Still later, they were traveled by mestizo tradesmen and religious pilgrims. Today, these roads are known throughout Mexico as caminos reales, meaning "royal" or "official roads," sometimes translated as "the king's highways."
In Morelos, just as throughout the rest of Mexico, Augustinian, Franciscan, and Dominican missionaries built their convents near existing native populations to facilitate their conversion to Christianity. After the network of convents shifted into power, the routes that connected them were used for centuries by the friars and people, alike. Now, with the relatively recent construction of modern highways, the routes are being forgotten.
But something special is happening in Morelos because it is home to part of the last surviving network of convents in Mexico. In 1994, 14 sixteenth century convents (11 in Morelos and 3 in Puebla) were listed as World Heritage sites by UNESCO (The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization). This did a lot to ensure the survival of these convents as important cultural and architectural resources, but some essence of the network that makes them special as a whole is still being lost. This is because visitors reach the convents by car, traveling on highways that don't follow the original routes.
Miguel Ãngel Cuevas Olascoaga, a 35 year old resident of Morelos, aims to revive the network itself by re-opening the routes that tie it together for the people of Morelos and the world to enjoy. Cuevas has his bachelor's degree in architecture, his master's in conservation of cultural heritage monuments, and is currently pursuing his doctorate in architecture and urban design. His thesis in progress is on the design of cultural tourism routes. He hopes that twice a year, groups of people will be able to walk the king's highways from the slopes of Popocatepetl through northern Morelos, visiting the World Heritage convents as they go.
Of course, before he can do this, Cuevas has to know exactly where these royal roads are. As part of his research, he and a researcher from INAH (the Instituto Nacional de AntropologÃa e Historia, The National Institute of Anthropology and History) spent 9 days walking 242 kilometers (just over 150 miles), visiting all 14 convents and getting lost only twice. They took with them a compass, GPS, video camera, water, and maps. There are few places to stay along the route so, like the original pilgrims, they asked permission to sleep in the huerto (garden out back of the convent) or in the portal de los peregrinos (a covered area connected to the chapel, usually to the right of the main entrance, built to shelter pilgrims).
As they went, they identified the road construction to confirm that they had found the actual route. The original roads took three forms. The largest was the calzada, which was as wide as a modern road (8 to 10 meters). Calzadas were generally unpaved, but were occasionally paved with stones at the entrance of certain towns. They were used for the transport of people walking, domesticated animals, men on horseback, carts pulled by animals, and cattle. The middle sized roads are called caminos and were 3 or 4 meters wide and used by people walking or those on horseback. Less than half of these were paved with stones, with the pavement extending no farther than 10 kilometers from the town center. Finally, there were veredas, which were no wider than a meter and used by people on foot. Cuevas and his partner identified the paving techniques, looking for those that originated in the 16th century.
Despite the fact that people rarely use these routes to go from town to town anymore, they are still known as the royal roads. To get a general idea of where to start looking, they often asked the older locals, "¿Cuál es el camino real que llega a …?" ("Which is the king's highway to…?") The older people know the roads from the days before cars when they used to travel on horseback, transport their goods using mules, or walk to the next town.
In fact, every city of Mexico has its king's highways, hidden within its fabric. And every city of Mexico has its old men who remember these roads and can tell their stories. These royal roads have been built on, around, and in many cases, re-built for modern traffic, but they are still there because people still travel them, whether they realize it or not. Grandfathers still remember the days when people hired arrieros (muleteers) with their mules or donkeys to carry their harvested corn, beans, or grains from the field to market. Arrieros traveled the royal roads back and forth from town to town, kicking up dust in the dry season and getting coated in mud during the rainy season.
Imagine a Mexican town you know well. Where might the king's highway have started or ended? Imagine the men outside of town, resting near the road or playing cards or having cock fights in the shade of a tree. Imagine all the stories of adventures and misadventures, the busy daytime traffic, shuffling and clopping along, hurrying at dusk to get into a safe place. Imagine the lonely road at night, a worried family bringing a sick person to the biggest town in the region, with no flashlights – guided by the moon.
Grandpas still tell stories about events along the royal roads. They know who fought whom at the designating fighting spot or where the devil or La Llorona (the ghost of a crying woman) habitually appeared to drunks who traveled too often at night. The trees, rocks, and curves in the road are the big landmarks of the past, and today we pass by and know so little of them. Since the only way a road can die is if people stop traveling it, Cuevas' project will help to keep a small portion of these king's highways alive.
Cuevas' doctorate thesis won't tell stories of cock fights, and devil sightings, but it hopefully will help to open the royal roads connecting the World Heritage sites to visitors. The visitors will have to imagine the old days themselves or stop to ask a grandpa what he remembers. Cuevas' proposal is that twice a year, for two weeks each time, visitors would be able walk the caminos reales as part of a truly Mexican cultural experience.
He hopes that these road openings will be during Holy Week and in November in the days surrounding the Day of the Dead. Visitors will enjoy observing the preparations, festivals, and completion of these special celebrations with their accompanying sights, sounds, and smells, as well as the sun, views, and clean air of the countryside. He likes the idea that these holidays strike right at the heart of Morelos' complex history. The celebrations include elements from pre-Hispanic as well as Catholic traditions and are rooted in the very land that the route crosses.
He personally enjoys the contrast of the sights and smells of the countryside with those of small towns, particularly surrounding the Day of the Dead. As you enter a town you leave behind the smells of marigolds and other flowers, cattle or sheep, and grasses and begin to hear people's voices, smell the foods of the offerings, especially the bread, smell the copal burning as incense, etc.
He believes that the route should be enjoyed in groups, which can be organized with guides, first aid, and security support. You can attempt the route alone, but for that must have a map and compass as well as be able to speak Spanish and be prepared to handle any threats to your personal safety. If you would like to join a group and walk all or part of Morelos's royal roads, seeing the towns and countryside, learning about the architecture of the convents, and appreciating the local celebrations, Cuevas will be organizing some pilot walks during 2008 to test the feasibility of his idea. You must be in reasonable condition for walking and preferably be able to speak at least a little Spanish. You can contact him at the doctorate department of Architecture at the state university of Morelos. (postgrado de la facultad de arquitectura de la UAEM, coord_conservacion "at" hotmail.com).
The royal roads were first utilized by Mesoamerican cultures in central Mexico.Â
The royal roads – some paved – were first utilized by Mesoamerican cultures in central Mexico. During the founding of New Spain, they played a role in war strategy, and later were used by Franciscan, Augustinian and Dominican missionaries.
Today some roads are being lost, such as this portion in Yecapixtla, Morelos.
These roads were in use when mendicant friars began the process of evangelization and the founding or dedication of cities and towns. However today this road network is being lost to weeds or floods and water. This is the case of this road segment in Yecapixtla, Morelos.
16th century convent routes between Morelos and Puebla are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
UNESCO has listed 16th century convent routes between Morelos and Puebla as World Heritage Sites. However the original paths are being lost to ignorance and the paving of these roads.Â
In the distance, convent of Tochimilco in Puebla – known as "The Jewel" – can be seen.Â
Cuevas' doctoral research attempts to register and to conserve these roads, mainly through cultural activities. In the distance, the convent of Tochimilco in Puebla – known as "The Jewel" – can be seen. This vast landscape is incomparable.Â
The walk lasted nine days and covered some 243 kilometers (150 miles).Â
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————The walk lasted nine days and covered some 243 kilometers (150 miles), starting at 7 a.m. and breaking at 1 p.m. to eat. We took periodic 10-minute rest stops and brought only what was indispensable – a sleeping bag, tee shirt, pants and windbreaker, a cap, sun block, cereal bars, chocolate, dry fruit, a flashlight, GPS, flexometer, electrolyte solution and water. The backpack's total weight could be no more than 5 kilos (11 lbs). We slept in village inns and in the convents' pilgrims' portals, groves or indigenous chapels.Â
Some narrow trails are hardly visible.Â
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— Three types of roads have been identified – calzadas (roadways) – wide enough for people, carriages or men on horseback, the paths – used only for men on foot or horseback, and the narrow trails – hardly visible, like that in the photo.Â
"Don Goyo," the Popocatepetl volcanoÂ
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————"Don Goyo," as the Popocatepetl volcano is known, is a silent historical witness. However the older people who worked and walked these roads still remember the beautiful landscapes they saw when young.
Tepoztlan is a typical town.Â
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————Each town on slopes of the volcano and most cities in Mexico still have a part of their royal roads and the grandparents know their stories interwoven in space and time. Tepoztlan is a typical town where its older people have edited and published books on their history and traditions.
I invite all of you to join our group as we travel this vast region.Â
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————The vast landscapes are unforgettable. Our blood runs purer, our sense of smell is sharper, and breakfast is a bowl of tejocotes, a typical Mexican fruit named "Mexican cherries" by friar Antonio de Ciudad Real in the 17th century. Juicy wild Mexican pears are a delight to the palate. I invite all of you to join our group as we travel this extraordinary region of central Mexico.Â
Holy water in convent fontsÂ
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————People of the villages, especially the older ones, know magnificent legends that a visitor can enjoy if he or she strikes up a friendly conversation with them. The holy water in convent fonts is still an incentive of faith and hope for Mexicans.
Beginning in 2008, two activities are planned, the first in March.Â
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————Beginning in 2008, two activities are planned. The first walk to these 14 convents is scheduled from March 15 to the 31. Participants must be in good physical condition, as this season is quite warm.
The second is scheduled at the end of October, in conjunction with the Day of the Dead.Â
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————The second is scheduled at the end of October, in conjunction with the Day of the Dead, and the weather will be cold. This is an excellent opportunity to observe the preparations and celebrations, the offerings, and the entire color mosaic of color and tradition.Â
The experience is unforgettable.Â
——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–If you want, in addition to the scenery you can enjoy direct contact with the people – their cordiality and gastronomy. It is hard to forget the scent of copal incense, of bread baked in firewood ovens, of tamales, gorditas, and the traditional chocolate champurrado or the cafe de olla, typical of the area.Â
Join us to experience the other Mexico and the roads our ancestors traveled.Â
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————Â Join us to experience the other Mexico and the roads our ancestors traveled.
For further reading:
UNESCO – Earliest 16th-Century Monasteries on the Slopes of Popocatepetl


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By Giles Fallowfield
Production in Champagne could increase by as much as 70 million bottles from the next (2007) harvest. L'Institut National de l'Appellation d'Origine (INAO) has decided to allow the maximum permitted yield in the appellation to rise from 13,000 to 15,500 kilos per hectare.
However, the extra volume above 13,000kg/ha, of up to 2,500kg/ha, will not be given the appellation, and will be held in tank by the growers in individual reserves - L'instant Volume Complmentaire Individuel (VCI) - as an insurance against future bad harvests when production is hit by disease, frost or hail.
INAO has not given a blanket approval for higher yields in Champagne and the new arrangements are effectively an experiment which will run over the next five harvests. INAO will decide at the point of harvest, as it does now, at what level yields will be set and, if more than 13,000kg/ha is to be allowed, at what level up to the new maximum of 15,500kg/ha.
The growers will be allowed to build up their stocks to 8,000kg/ha, equivalent to just over half a harvest or around 218 million bottles.
INAO's decision has generally been warmly welcomed by the growers in Champagne. Patrick le Brun, prsident du Syndicat Gnral des Vignerons (SGV), the main growers' union, said the decision had come as a result of the hard work put in by the SGV and the Fdration des Cooperatives. It certainly appears that the growers have gained most; in the French press it was described as an early Christmas present for them from INAO.
Those who own Grand Cru vineyards, which attract the highest grape prices (just over 5 per kilo in 2006) stand to
gain up to a further 12,500/ha for their production on top of the 65,000/ha that they are already paid for the current maximum yield.
INAO's decision falls short of meeting the major houses' desire for an increase in yields across the appellation whenever the volume and quality is available in an effort to meet the rising demand for their brands. However, Yves Bnard, president of the Union des Maisons de Champagne (UMC) told Harpers: The houses are happy with the INAO decision, even if the coming two years will be dedicated to increasing the "vins bloqus" close to 8,000 kg/ha. After that, depending of the economic situation, it will be possible to look at a yield above 13,000 kg/ha. If the quality is there, of course.'


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Curvaceous cutie Kim Kardashian said last night that she and her Super Bowl-bound beau have been keeping in low-key during their stay in Miami.
"Whenever my boyfriend Reggie and I are in Miami, it's always about partying and having a good time," she said Thursday night during the party for her new perfume at Sephora.
"We love everything about Miami -- shopping, the beach, the people. But not this week. We have been chilling and laying low.We have to be prepared."
The reality TV starlet and NFL star boyfriend, Reggie Bush, are staying at Fontainebleau but said they're passing up Prime 112 and late-night hot spot LIV in favor of resting up for the big game Sunday.
"I'm part of a team this week," Kardashian said. "Got to stay focused. No matter who wins, Sunday night is when the real partying starts."
The "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" star debuted her new fragrance last night and said it's been a labor of love.
"I worked very hard on my perfume," she said. "I definitely tortured the people at the lab because I wanted to re-do it til I got it just right. Everything from the design of the bottle to exactly what the perfume would smell like I had a part in it.
"I hope girls where this perfume for years," she said.


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Property Insurance Subro Claims
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Our SecondChanceSubrosm program can breathe new life into dead files by putting them through a rigorous audit designed to reveal hidden subrogation opportunities.
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Our Subrogation Law Library is available at no cost to clients as well. Need a legal form, or statute, or case to enhance your recovery efforts? Chances are good we have it in the library or can get it quickly.
Our philosophy is simple. If you are our client, our job is to help you recover more subrogation dollars – and that holds true on files that you have not or do not plan to send to us. That is why we offer our clients free answers to subrogation questions on any file.


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Please drop any $ you can into the Tip Jar to help pets at Black Cat Rescue. Every penny helps! Thanks!
NOTE:Thursday Dec. 29th, 2016 #NipClub will be open for dancing, drinks and short order food and fun. The official pawty for this week will be on SATURDAY night. SEE BELOW for details! Don't Miss it!!!
|#NipClub Manager @TheNascarKitty and his darling @DCKitty welcome you to our gala
Black and White New Years Eve Ball. All the fun of #NipClub with the elegance of a royal ball.
From @RealFakeGator the 2017 Nipclub calendar HERE
We're moving our weekly pawty to Saturday Evening Dec. 31st from 8pm until 3 am EST. While our European and Asian friends will already be enjoying 2017, we hope they can join us as we count down to new years in each of the United States time zones. It's a pawty you wont want to miss!!!
NEW YEARS EVE is a big deal for us here at #NipClub. It's an excuse to pawty harder than ever, and given our reputation for extreme pawtying that's HUGE!! This year we're decking out our ballroom in elegant Black and White decor, and many of our guests will wear their best Black and White Formalwear. (Of course at #NipClub you own fur, feathers, fins,etc are always in vogue too). So make plans to attend, and if you need help with that great outfit, just contact @RealFakeGator and his team at #NipClubOutfitters and they'll set you up.
#NipClub Co-Managers @RealFakeGator and @TinyPearlCat
take time out from their IT duties to welcome wish you a
Happy New Year as well.
Please drop any $ you can into the Tip Jar to help the pets at Black Cat Rescue
Every penny helps! Thanks!
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Learn more about Black Cat Rescue HERE
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Learn more about Black Cat Rescue HERE


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Pfeiffer women's soccer head coach Robyn Horner announced the 2018 schedule this afternoon. The 17-game slate features seven home games and 10 on the road.
The action kicks off with a trip to Philadelphia with matches at Swarthmore (Aug. 31) and Widener (Sept. 1). On the weekend of Sept. 7-9, the Falcons will host a tournament with Wesleyan, Rowan and Emory that will see the Falcons take on Wesleyan on Sept. 9. After a pair of road games, the Falcons will welcome Southern Virginia to Misenheimer on Sept. 19.
Pfeiffer's homecoming game will take place on Sept. 29 against Methodist at 1 p.m. A season ago, Pfeiffer defeated the Monarchs 3-1 to record the program's 240th win. In mid-October, the Falcons will host three straight matches with Averett, Meredith and Regent playing at NE Lefko Field. In total, five of Pfeiffer's last six games will come in The Village. The regular season wraps up on Oct. 24 with a home match against Brevard.
The Falcons went 8-8 in 2017, the fifth time in the past six years that the Falcons finished .500 or above. Team MVP Kaley Hyatt returns for her junior season in goal. After two years with the Falcons, Hyatt sits in sixth place in program history with 160 career saves and fourth place with a 1.33 goals against average.
Also returning for the Falcons is the goal-scoring duo of Cayci Eaton and Maddie Capel. The pair combined for 20 of Pfeiffer's 45 goals in their freshman season and look to build upon their rookie campaigns. Gabby Bosak and Meredith Manson were also standouts in their first year with the Falcons and rising junior Hailey Metzger will be relied upon to continue her stellar play.
Click here to view the entire schedule.


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Our Dental Team
Dr Tariq Drabu, managing director of Langley Dental Group Ltd, is one of the youngest dentists to graduate in the UK at the age of 21. Dr Tariq Drabu worked in hospital dentistry for several years before heading to Saudi Arabia, where he worked in Taif and Riyadh.
On returning to the UK, Dr Tariq Drabu was awarded with his Fellowship in Dental Surgery, which he obtained at the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh. In 1998, he opened Langley Dental Practice where he is now the managing director.
Today Langley Dental Group Ltd is one of the most popular dental practices in Manchester, headed by Dr Tariq Drabu supported by a knowledgeable and experienced dental team.
The team consists of five dentists and seven dental nurses. In day to day operational management Dr Tariq Drabu is supported by Matthew Hodkinson, who is the clinical director. Matthew Hodkinson has worked in various practices throughout the Northwest and offers over twenty years' experience in the industry. The senior team are dedication to patient care and consist of Sharon Partridge the Practice Manager, and Kristy Miller the Senior Receptionist.
Dr Tariq Drabu is involved in training and feels that it isimportant to assist with the education and development of trainees. Many of the nurses at the practice have undertaken post graduate qualifications and continue their education to ensure patients using this practice get the highest level of care at all times.
The dental team all focus on three main areas from high quality patient care to superior service to ongoing training, always adhering to the governing rules set out by the General Dental Council. These include the "Standards for Dental Professionals" and the "Lifelong Learning" rules. More information on the governing rules can be found at www.gdc-uk.org.
Dr Tariq Drabu ensures that the team provides the highest quality care to all patients visiting the practice. The team understand that each patient is unique and therefore work together to provide each patient with the care they need, always providing the best possible service and making each patient relaxed and comfortable.
Through a solid work ethic, a high level of patient care, superior service and a convenient practice location, the Langley Dental Group welcomes new patients on a daily basis, the majority of whom register through word of mouth. All the members of Dr Tariq Drabu's team work to achieve these high standards and ensure that the practice has an excellent reputation at all times.
The Langley Dental Group, headed by Dr Tariq Drabu along with his fantastic support team provide patients with a modern surgery with four dental chairs in an ideal location in North Manchester.
Dr Tariq Drabu and his team provide a host of services which range from daily dental care to teeth whitening, bridges, dentures, dental implants and more.
When Dr Tariq Drabu purchased the Langley Dental Practice it was a small two chair practice, which serviced around 1,500 patients. Since then Dr Tariq Drabu with the assistance of his qualified team have built the practice into one of the most popular choices in the Northern Manchester area.
Due to the high demand for their services, the practice had a six month refurbishment in 2005 to ensure that they could keep up with the growing demand for their services. Dr Tariq Drabu spent over £350,000 in the renovation to ensure his team could continue to provide outstanding service to their patients on a daily basis. The new practice was so impressive that it was featured on television and in local and national press.
The Langley Dental Practice, under the direction of Dr Tariq Drabu is a registered practice with Care Quality Commission, who regulate all primary dental care services in the UK, both NHS and private.
Tariq Drabu BDS FDSRCSEd PGDip (OMFS)
Director Langley Dental Group Limited
GDC Reg No. 61705
Dental Degree obtained from University of Manchester UK
Matthew Hodkinson BDS
Dentist and Clinical Director
GDC Reg No. 71113
Dental Degree obtained from University of London UK
Selina Din BDS BSc
GDC Reg No. 209924
Dental Degree obtained from University of Manchester UK
Shahjahaan Ahmed BDS
GDC Reg No. 191549
Dental Degree obtained from University of Liverpool UK
Anbar Iqbal
GDC Reg No. 278352
Degree obtained from University of Sheffield UK
Kristy Miller
Senior Receptionist
Sharon Partridge
Practice Manager
GDC Reg No. 194348
UK Registered qualification
Kerry Oliver
Senior Dental Nurse
GDC Reg No. 127447
UK Registered qualification
Nicola Anson
Registered Dental Nurse
GDC Reg No. 214853
UK Registered qualification
Kimberley Eyres
Registered Dental Nurse
GDC Reg No. 195208
UK Registered qualification
Leanne Warrington
Registered Dental Nurse
GDC Reg No. 143639
UK Registered qualification
Sarah Gorman
Registered Dental Nurse and Receptionist
GDC Reg No. 243473
UK Registered qualification
Chelsea Lazenbury
Registered Dental Nurse
GDC Reg No. 256653
UK Registered qualification
Zulaikhah Shariff
Registered Dental Nurse
Kosar Karim


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So, STAR WARS!
First, I'm just going to say a category, give a grade for the category, and then some further explanation. Both the grade and the further explanation will be in separate buttons so you have to click to see what you want and I will limit main plot spoilers as much as possible even after clicking (NOTE: If you're reading this in email, the buttons may not hide anything).
Nearly everyone in the movie acted phenomenally, but Carrie Fisher acted so badly that it immediately dragged me out of the movie. I'm searching my brain for a single scene where she acted at a base level of ability you'd expect any actor to be able to act at and I can't think of one.
Person to Person Action:
The action was solid, the melee weapon fighting was good and the blaster work was also cool. I didn't have a problem with a single thing. I went into the movie hoping for Raid level fighting though and it's definitely not that. Still, I thought it was probably the best person to person fighting that we've had in any of the Star Wars movies.
Vehicle Action:
Whether it's the stuff in the Millennium Falcon or the X-Wings, Tie Fighters, Star Destroyers, and Turrets facing off against each other, everything was resoundingly solid. It was busy without being overwhelming. You could follow the content of the scenes in ways you absolutely couldn't in the Prequels. There were a couple things they did that seemed a little inconsistent within my understanding of the way these vehicles work in the universe, but I'll go more in-depth with that in my spoiler review.
New Characters:
I loved all the new characters. They were organic and sincere. I may love every single one of them more than the characters of the original trilogy. For every thing I like about the characters in the original trilogy, there was always something that made me go, "aw, really?". There's practically none of that with the new characters. BB8 is the best droid. Rey is fantastic. Kylo Ren is way more authentic and interesting than I thought he would be. Finn was fantastic and even Poe Dameron was stellar.
Character Relationships:
The relationships between the characters were fantastic. Again, organic and believable with only Leia being a weak leak (and not in the way she was written, but in the way it was executed).
The dialogue was serviceable. I wouldn't normally comment on dialogue that didn't distract from the plot or wasn't fantastic, but the prequels had such terrible dialogue that I felt compelled to. It's fine.
The plot did what it was aiming for, but it definitely was a revisiting of plots from previous episodes in a lot of different ways. There were change ups and overall it was executed excellently, but if you sit back and are just looking at the plot, there are some obvious questions that are raised.
Practical Effects:
There were no rubbery creatures and each and every practical effect looked real, I imagine through a combination of digital effects with practical effects. It was the most beautiful representation of science fiction I've ever seen.
Digital Effects:
Most of the effects were seamless. I've heard several people complain about one series of scenes early in Act II of the movie but I didn't have any trouble with that visually (although I did have another issue with it). In general, you did not notice the digital effects which is what makes them so effective. There was only one bad example, and that was the character of Snoak played Andy Serkis. I won't give away his appearance, but it's been known for a while that it would be a Motion Captured character. I'm not sure why they went this route for him. It was unnecessary and a combination of practical and digital effects I think would have served this particular character in the role he played in this movie better.
Overall Visuals:
If the sound had been on mute the entire time, this movie would have been worth watching for the visuals alone. You felt like you were in another galaxy on different planets. One of the most visually beautiful movies I've ever seen right up there with Hero. And I only saw it in a Standard 2D Theater. I can only imagine what it would be like to see it on 70mm IMAX or even the other IMAX version a lot of theaters have. Pittsburgh has the other IMAX version of the film so if I can manage to afford it in the next few weeks, I will be going to see it in IMAX. I think it's worth it to see it in IMAX. As far as 3D goes, a lot of the 2D scenes had some serious depth to them, so I can only imagine how they'll look in 3D. I think it's a worthwhile experience for at least one of the times you go to see it.
There were many things included as a nod to previous episodes and they nearly universally took me out of the movie. Some of them were cute, some of them were even appropriate at the time within the context of the movie, but I hope that we got most of them out of the way for this first film and that they won't continue in the next. If I hear, "I've got a bad feeling about this" one more time I think I might rage-quit Star Wars for good. As I mentioned in the plot section, the overall plot feels a lot like a mishmash of previous episodes, but I didn't think of this as a bad thing. I thought it was an effective way to revisit and set the stage for the future. The classic Star Wars score when it was there was superb as always and the film feels like Star Wars. This is Star Wars, finally, after 30 years.
Levels of Cheese:
Remarkably low
If you haven't seen the anti-cheese edits of the Prequels, then you haven't seen the best versions of those movies. If I were to make an anti-cheese edit of this movie, I can only think of one specific instance that I would change which is the same issue I mentioned in the Digital Effects category above that I'll talk more about in the Spoiler Review. Also, Rey's attachment to the planet Jakku I probably would have downplayed. It was the only thing I felt made her character at all weak, although that's not necessarily a bad thing, but it was a bit frustrating for as long as it stuck around. Jakku is the planet that we meet Rey on and I don't think the movie a good job of showing us why she would want to stay there.
How Much Did the Trailers Reveal?
D — Too much
The trailers weren't Terminator Genesys levels of spoiler or even Avengers levels (two films that I will probably never forgive for ruining), but if you've seen the trailers, and if you've seen the trailers more than a couple times, there is a lot that they reveal. If I could reset this year and NOT watch the trailers, I would have preferred that route.
I wonder if the average moviegoer has some level of selective amnesia about trailer scenes. I know that for myself personally, each scene of a trailer gets checked off as I'm watching the film and there are scenes from all three acts of the film in every trailer that debuted this year. That means as a tense scene is happening my brain is going, "Well this other thing still hasn't happened yet so that character is perfectly alright or it will probably play out like so . . ."
For Star Wars, this was completely unnecessary. If they could have just not shown anything from Act III I would have been happy. Give us Act I and II. There's enough there to make good trailers without going into what they did. Worst part of the my movie-going experience today and made many things feel very predictable and telegraphed.
I wonder if the average moviegoer has some level of selective amnesia about trailer scenes. I know that for myself personally, each scene of a trailer gets checked off as I'm watching the film and there are scenes from all three acts of the film in every trailer that debuted this year. That means as a tense scene is happening my brain is going, "Well this other thing still hasn't happened yet so that character is perfectly alright or it will probably play out like so . . ."
For Star Wars, this was completely unnecessary. If they could have just not shown anything from Act III I would have been happy. Give us Act I and II. There's enough there to make good trailers without going into what they did. Worst part of the my movie-going experience today and made many things feel very predictable and telegraphed.
How Did It Function as a Reboot/Refresh?
At the end of the day, no matter any of the nitpickery things I can say about it or how I felt about a particular actress's acting, this movie perfectly refreshed the franchise. It has never been set up better than it is at this moment. I'm even more excited for Episode VIII (which is only A YEAR AND A HALF AWAY) than I was for Episode VII.
I'm guessing my review so far hasn't swung your opinion one way or the other. If you were the type that wants to see Star Wars, you've probably already seen it. I will say that if you're waiting for the crowds to thin, you're going to risk some rather large spoilers and it's going to be a while before they thin. I know many of my friends have sworn off social media until they see it, and more people than I've ever heard of are planning on seeing it on a SUNDAY (and it will probably beat the all-time highest Sunday box office records in the same way it's annihilating other box office records).
In terms of a little more general judgements, The Force Awakens is incalculably better than the prequel trilogy is. It suffers from none of the drawbacks of those films and improves on the special effects. I think it compares favorably to the original trilogy and that many people younger than me will like it more than the original trilogy while many people older than me will place it as their 3rd or 4th favorite.
For me, it doesn't have the legendary untouchable status that the original trilogy does, but it is about as good of a save for the franchise as could be imagined. I probably like it more than the original trilogy, but I don't love it as much as the original trilogy. I cannot wait to see where it goes from here.
Overall, Episode VII: The Force Awakens was thoroughly entertaining, thoroughly enjoyable, and thoroughly Star Wars.
What do you think? Have you seen Star Wars yet? Was this format for the review helpful in avoiding spoilers? Let me know what you think below, and stay tuned for my Spoiler Review.
(I'll delete any comments that intentionally spoil the movie, but no guarantee I will have seen it between when they are posted and when you look at them, so if you're concerned, stay out of the comments until you've seen the movie).


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Route 202 Corridor
US 202 Corridor Master Plan
The US Route 202 (US 202) corridor stretches from New Castle, DE to Bangor, ME. The proposed study area is a six mile stretch of this corridor – from the City of Wilmington line to the Delaware/Pennsylvania State Line. The study area also includes the area at the southwest edge of US 202 that borders the City of Wilmington and the Brandywine Creek. This is a highly valuable and heavily commercialized stretch of roadway that mixes retail, restaurants, residential areas, office complexes and recreational and institutional uses.
The objective of the US 202 corridor Master Plan is to follow up on the results of the US 202 Market Assessment performed in 2017. The assessment proposed the development of a corridor master plan to recommend physical improvements and governmental policies regarding transportation and land use. This study will provide a 20-year vision that identifies cohesive land use and transportation strategies to ensure that Concord Pike will continue to be a safe, accessible, and economically thriving place for all.
View our US 202 Analysis to learn more about the many opportunities and challenges associated with this project.
The Wilmington Area Planning Council (WILMAPCO) is responsible for administering the Master Plan development project, which was started in Spring 2018. The Project Management Committee (PMC) will collaborate on developing the US 202 Corridor Master Plan, and will include WILMAPCO, the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT), and the New Castle County Department of Land Use.
View the US 202 Corridor Master Plan webpage.
Also, in order to gain a greater understanding of the concerns of those who live, work, or pass through the Concord Pike (US 202) Corridor, an interactive Wiki Map has been created. Feedback will be used to develop recommendations that meet the needs of those in the corridor. Share your experience, please visit http://wikimapping.com/wi…/US-202-Corridor-Master-Plan.html…


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Nina MK, Ph.D.
September 1 is almost upon us. In Russia, it is the beginning of the school year for schools and universities, for every age and level. While children are enjoying the last week of the long summer vacation, teachers are gearing up for the new challenges. Reading about the new methodologies and approaches, learning about our colleagues' innovations is a good way to boost up one's professional readiness. Recently I have read a British review of the two teaching methodologies, MASTERY and MINDSET*. Mastery it seems evoked interest and attracted attention because this is the name for the approach widely used in China in teaching mathematics, with very good results. According to the description, rather than dividing the pupils into groups by their level and aptitude, the new material is continuously presented to the whole class. ALL the children perform the same exercises to the best of their abilities and then recycle, retell and revise the new topics many times thus ensuring that absolutely every child imbibes the necessary data. Once the students and the teachers feel confident that the theme is well studied, they go on to the next one. Frankly, it sounds a lot like what is routinely done in my country in ALL subjects. Through their primary and middle school, children are not divided into groups or levels. They get the same "packages" of new knowledge on a daily basis. The continuation however is different. Teachers have to follow quite a rigorous plan; so many or so few hours are devoted to one theme. A test is done then, with the usual Gaussian curve showing in the results: approximately half of the students get good and satisfactory marks, about one-fourth receive excellent marks and about one-fourth fail. Naturally there are occasions when absolutely everybody manages to pass the test and a few instances when most everybody fails. What does a good teacher do? If everybody passes, there is a small pocket of time which may be used for in-depth studies, revision or even relaxation. If everybody fails, a really bad teacher would go forward with the plan and leave the pupils to struggle with the difficult topic themselves or with the help of a private tutor. A really good conscientious teacher would find a way to modify the plan so that the theme can be studied again and the test re-done. After all, if most everybody in your class fails a test, it is not their fault. You are the one who taught them, right?
MINDSET approach presupposes taking into account each individual's intellectual abilities and an intuitive way of teaching. Let the students try to grasp the main ideas or develop the main concepts and make their own conclusions. It is quite clear that not every child can do that, so the results may be quite disastrous. Yet occasionally this approach brings is good results and helps teachers identify the strongest and the weakest children.
Reading even one methodological review before the new academic year starts is enough for us adults to perk up and to stimulate our thoughts and ideas flow. Now we are facing the eternal problem, that of pupils returning after their summer break with their brains often free of any knowledge that we imparted to them during the previous school year. What can we do to ensure that they do something, how do we help them to remember their English? One of the answers is, advise the parents to send their children to a language course or camp if possible. The choice is great. Not everybody can afford it, alas. A lot can be done at home even if none of the parents can speak any foreign language. A niece of mine told me how she worked at her language skills, without any prompting from the adults. She watches an episode from her favourite TV show in English with sun-titles first. If she cannot understand a sentence, she clicks Pause, checks the unfamiliar words in a dictionary, then proceeds. After she is done with the whole episode, she watches it with subtitles off and listens carefully to the way people talk. She clicks Pause at times to repeat what they said. I was much impressed by this method of summer exercise!
Contrary to popular opinion, children do read. I would say that the activity itself changed greatly, so we do not always recognize it for what it is. Reading used to mean books, literature. In this sense, many children, especially adolescents, do not read much. One of the reasons is that the things they are interested in are not in any curriculum, which is really good. If, say, "The Three Musketeers" by the French writer Alexander Dumas was included into a school program I would never have read it as a teenager. Why? Because everything that is included into the school list of literature is boring by definition (at least in an adolescent mind). Is it really possible to nurture the love of reading by making "War and Peace" a compulsory book to be read by sixteen-year-olds? I doubt it. Today's teens read reference books and encyclopedias, they surf the web and leaf through magazines. And they do have their own special interests. They may diligently search the internet for any new Manga installment or download, translate and even learn by heart the lyrics of a popular song. Surprising though it may seem, it is also reading, vocabulary enrichment work.
Lots of parents do not realize that a child needs encouragement, attention and caring about what they are doing. We can find a way to tactfully advise them, and help maintain their offspring's interest to our subject even through the summer vacation.
Happy new school year, colleagues!


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Tips For Fixing Plumbing Problems
Everyone has a plumbing problem every now and then. If you've got plumbing, it's simply unavoidable! But not everyone has the money to call out a plumber for every single drip and problem. So what can you do if you have plumbing problems, but don't have a lot of money? There are a few tips and tricks you can use that are simple, and you probably have the supplies already around your house.
The first thing to note is that the internet is a wealth of information. If you're having a plumbing problem, any kind of leak or drip or clog, you can always go to your preferred search engine, be it Yahoo, Bing, or Google, and type the problem into the search bar. That will return a veritable wealth of information, and many of these websites you find will be able to give you step by step instructions on how to repair your plumbing problem.
The second thing to keep in mind is that plungers aren't only for toilets! Many people forget that they have a plunger when their sink gets clogged up, but you don't have to. While plunging the sink drain might not fix the problem, it's a low cost solution that may work out exactly how you need. So you might as well go at your clogged drain with your plunger and see what happens.
If you have a constant leak or drip, this often comes from pipes not being tightened properly. This is also an easy fix. You'll need a wrench of the right size, but if you have a pipe wrench or a crescent wrench, you can adjust those to the size you need. Then simply tighten up the pipes as tight as you can, and then try to go one tighter. That way, you can be assured that your pipe fittings are as tight as they possibly can be, and they're much less likely to drip.
Another thing you can do is ask your local hardware store employees. The local hardware store will have employees that are no doubt knowledgeable on a number of different situations, including plumbing problems. You can simply describe the problem to them, and they can suggest a tool that might be able to fix it.
Lastly, if you have an especially troublesome clog in your drain, you may have to snake. A snake is a tool that's essentially a long steel cable with a drill bit on the end. You simply shove the cable down into your drain, and spin it around. In this way, it catches up the clogged hair and gunk that's stuck in your drain, and you can pull it out with the cable. It's a messy job, but if you can do it without having to pay a plumber, that means you can save money!
And that's it! These may seem like simple, easy solutions, and they are. Yet many people freak out and don't know what to do when presented with plumbing problems. Now you don't have to be one of those people.
If you need help make sure you call us!


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My name requires a lot of spelling aloud, multiple times. Often, on the phone, there is first a pause, and then "Could you spell that?" Not once, but two or three times. It is understandable; it is not a familiar name here in the west.
It is not the name of my birth; my Australian parents had more conventional taste. I received this name when I was ordained as a nun, and chose to legally change it to my one and only name. Not all ordained western Buddhists choose to do that, they often retain their birth name for legal or business purposes, and go by their ordained name at the Temple or perhaps more generally. This seemed too complicated to me: 2 names on my voicemail, people knowing me in one guise and not the other. Driver's license, passport holding a name I no longer relate to. Buddhism is a method to cut through dualistic thinking - I certainly didn't want to be dealing with two different 'me's. Of course, for old friends who feel uncomfortable with the transition, or perhaps have not yet met me as a nun, I am happy to go by the old nomenclatures. Although, to be honest, I no longer have the same sense of belonging to that name or nicknames. I am someone else.
Today I accidentally found a girl in Tibet with my name. A site with grade after grade of school children, photographed on a magnificent, treeless plateau, each with names that have in the last decade become familiar to me. And one with my name, an orphan, 12 years old.
I looked at her unsmiling face, the blue jeans and sweat shirt a contrast to the traditional garment on top. How disparate our live are, how little our experiences will have had in common. And yet we share a name that for her is traditional, and for me is a constant source of explanation. We are joined, in a sense, by a short string of letters that has crossed a cultural divide.
I was compelled to sponsor her. To offer some of the benefits I have accrued with a family and education and life without true lack, despite my sometime complaints. The landscape she stands in is extraordinarily powerful, its vastness touched my heart, even in that solitary snapshot. A hard place to live, I imagine.So Kunzang Drolma and I have connected, even if only in a peripheral way. Yet cause and effect will always play out, and somehow this moment is a resolution of the past and a forecast of the future. I have no idea what that will be, I am simply grateful to have the chance to offer her a little something, and hopefully make a difference in her life.


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KVMR would not exist without the volunteers who put their time, energy and hearts into this radio station. We'd love for you to get involved too!
Here are some examples of things we may need help with:
• Help out at KVMR events: setup, security, cleanup, admissions, etc.
• KVMR Outreach: volunteer to staff the KVMR outreach booth at lots of different KVMR and other Community Events...chat with the public, sign up new members, help raise general awareness about KVMR.
• Hang posters for KVMR events in our various listening areas, including Grass Valley, Nevada City, Brunswick Basin, Auburn, Truckee, Roseville, Sac, and more!
• General office support: reception, mailings, data entry, typing public service announcements, etc.
• Answering phones for membership drive (fund drives occur 3 times per year)
• Dump/Recycling runs
• ...and So Much More!!!
If you have special skills (graphics, carpentry, event production, marketing, fundraising...what else?!) that you'd like to share with us, please let us know. We might just be looking for someone who does just that!
If you're interested, email firstname.lastname@example.com, or call (530) 265-9073 x213 and ask for Edy Cassell or Shauna McKenna, Volunteer Director.
To volunteer for KVMR's Celtic Festival click here.
Here are some of our illustrious volunteers:


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Good Thursday morning ...
1 big thing: Trump's greatest fear
President's Trump's M.O. is to project confidence in every setting: Even in small groups, he's loath to reveal even a tincture of self-doubt.
On North Korea, though, there have been private moments when his breezy talking of "winning" has evaporated and confidants found him almost awestruck by the enormity of what he's confronting.
- This isn't just a big real estate deal or even a blustery trade standoff: The stakes are infinitely beyond anything he's dealt with, and Trump knows it.
- The closest the president has come to being privately rattled has been when the rhetoric with North Korea got hot last year, and the world braced for the worst.
A lot of the other potential crises Trump faces — turmoil in the Middle East and a trade war with China — seem abstract and distant to him, inside sources tell Jonathan Swan and me.
- But the way he's discussed North Korea and the threat of nuclear war suggests to sources who've discussed the subject with him that this threat is more vivid and real to him.
- Nobody has given us a convincing theory why — perhaps it's him growing up as a child of the 1950s. But he registers the North Korean threat viscerally in a way he doesn't seem to register any other threat.
Why it matters: Now, Trump is trying to defuse one of the world's greatest risks, with a partner — "Little Rocket Man" — who looked ready to deal, but now suddenly sounds like he's returning to brinksmanship.
2. The Year of Mueller: Appointed 1 year ago today
President Trump, in a statement one year ago today, reacting to the appointment of former FBI Director Robert S. Mueller as special counsel in the Russia inquiry:
- "I look forward to this matter concluding quickly."
- N.Y. Times, 1 year ago: "Trump was notified only after [Deputy Attorney General Rob] Rosenstein signed the order, when the White House counsel, Donald F. McGahn II, walked into the Oval Office around 5:35 p.m. to tell him. Mr. Trump reacted calmly but defiantly, ... saying he wanted to 'fight back.'"
- "He quickly summoned his top advisers, most of whom recommended that he adopt a conciliatory stance. But his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who had pushed Mr. Trump to fire [FBI Director James] Comey, urged the president to counterattack."
Original code name for the investigation, back in 2016, via N.Y. Times (2-col. lead story: "How F.B.I. Embarked, With Strictest Secrecy, On Trump Team's Trail"):
- Crossfire Hurricane.
Today's key news: Rudy Giuliani, a lawyers for Trump, says Mueller indicated in a meeting with Trump legal team a few weeks ago that a sitting president cannot be indicted under past legal opinions issued by the Justice Department.
- Why it matters, via WashPost: "The special counsel's conclusion signals that it would be left to Congress to address any finding of wrongdoing by Trump."
P.S. USA Today lead story: "Trump formally disclosed [yesterday] that he paid his attorney [Michael Cohen a range of $100,000 to $250,000] as reimbursements for expenses — which included a $130,000 payoff to ... Stormy Daniels."
- For history: The Senate Intelligence Committee "backed U.S. intelligence agencies' finding that Moscow tried to boost Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign by hacking and spreading misinformation, a bipartisan conclusion that breaks with a House panel's position." (WSJ)
Go deeper ... Mueller's year: 10 moments that mattered, by Axios' Haley Britzky.
3. Trump's former SecState warns of "crisis of ethics"
Rex Tillerson, former Exxon CEO and first Secretary of State for President Trump, didn't mention Trump by name while addressing graduating cadets at Virginia Military Institute yesterday, but he didn't have to:
- "If we do not as Americans confront the crisis of ethics and integrity in our society and among our leaders in both the public and private sector — and regrettably at times even the nonprofit sector — then American democracy as we know it is entering its twilight years."
- "If our leaders seek to conceal the truth, or we as people become accepting of alternative realities that are no longer grounded in facts, then we as American citizens are on a pathway to relinquishing our freedom."
- Tillerson added that "America's future [should] be fact-based — not based on wishful thinking, not hoped-for outcomes made in shallow promises."
N.Y. Times Quote of the Day ... Tillerson: "When we as people, a free people, go wobbly on the truth even on what may seem the most trivial matters, we go wobbly on America."
5. Dems 2018
Shot ... AP: "Primary election season is still young, but the liberal wing of the Democratic Party is already celebrating."
- "Democratic primary voters have chosen decidedly liberal candidates in several closely watched congressional primary elections, a sign that the left is driving much of Democrats' enthusiasm and may be winning the tug of war with moderates over the direction of the party."
Chaser ... Third Way, the center-left think tank: "You have to ignore lots of examples to conclude the far left is winning the supposed 'Dem civil war.'"
- "The truth is that moderates, progressives, and Blue Dogs have all won primaries [Tuesday] night & over the past few months. Dems need all wings of the party to win."
6. Dems 2020
"Yes, Democrats have a non-Trump message" — E.J. Dionne column in WashPost, based on 2020 hopefuls' speeches at this week's Center for American Progress's Ideas Conference:
- "[Y]ou could hear behind many of Tuesday's speeches echoes of John F. Kennedy's 1960 slogan, 'Let's get America moving again.' The idea was that Trump and the GOP are ignoring the problems most voters care about, or are making them worse."
7. China investing in Silicon Valley to bring tech home
A surge in "China-focused accelerators — which support, mentor and invest in early-stage startups — is part of a larger wave of Chinese investment in Silicon Valley," Reuters' Koh Gui Qing and Salvador Rodriguez report:
- "At least 11 such programs have been created in the San Francisco Bay Area since 2013, according to ... Crunchbase."
- "Some work directly with Chinese governments, which provide funding. Reuters interviews with the incubators showed that many were focused on bringing U.S. startups to China."
- Why it matters: "For U.S. government officials wary of China's growing high-tech clout, the accelerator boom reaffirms fears that U.S. technological know-how is being transferred to China through investments, joint ventures or licensing agreements."
8. Steven Brill: My generation rigged America for ourselves
TIME magazine's new cover story is an adaptation of a forthcoming book by Steven Brill, "Tailspin: The People and Forces Behind America's Fifty-Year Fall — and Those Fighting to Reverse It," out May 29:
- "From matters small … to large, it is clear that the country has gone into a tailspin over the last half-century, when John F. Kennedy's New Frontier was about seizing the future, not trying to survive the present."
- "[M]any of the most talented, driven Americans used what makes America great — the First Amendment, due process, financial and legal ingenuity, free markets and free trade, meritocracy, even democracy itself — to chase the American Dream. And they won it, for themselves."
- "Then, in a way unprecedented in history, they were able to consolidate their winnings, outsmart and co-opt the forces that might have reined them in, and pull up the ladder so more could not share in their success or challenge their primacy."
- Why it matters: The result is a "new, divided America" between the protected and the unprotected.
9. First look: Facebook arms race for future elections
Facebook today will announce a partnership with the Atlantic Council aimed at helping deter manipulation of the platform during elections around the world:
- "Experts from their Digital Forensic Research Lab will work closely with our security, policy and product teams to get Facebook real-time insights ... on emerging threats and disinformation campaigns."
- The plan is to focus on specific geographic areas, "monitoring for misinformation and foreign interference and also working to help educate citizens."
Why it matters, from Axios' Sara Fischer: About 87% of Facebook's user base is outside the U.S., so the opportunity for election manipulation around the world is massive. And platform manipulation in those countries can be even harder to manage, because of language and cultural barriers.
- Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg made a point during his call with reporters in April and to lawmakers during his congressional hearings to emphasize the fact that Facebook sees election integrity as a global effort.
- Elections ahead: Mexico, July 1 ... Pakistan, July 15 ... Brazil, Oct. 7 ... U.S., Nov. 6.
10. 1 food thing
"Salt shakers, once ubiquitous at fancy restaurants, have vanished. That's deliberate, say top chefs," Bloomberg's Kate Krader reports:
- "The No. 1 reason salt shakers are gone is the [cheap] quality of the product they held: fine, iodized salt that costs about $1 a pound at supermarkets and delivers a harsh blast of saline that can blemish the food."
- "As chefs have gained in fame, they want to be the ones adding it."
- Tables are too crowded.
- And it's not a good look: "Some chefs favor salt grinders, but that utilitarian aesthetic doesn't work for every dining room. Others offer photogenic little bowls with flakes of pricey salt ... Those get expensive, since the salt has to be replaced for each new set of guests. They also get stolen."