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New Tech for Live Recording and Algorithmic Stabilization
We are passionate about anything in the cross section between video, live and metadata. If it also includes advanced math and APIs you got our attention. So if you share this geeky interest with us you need to read up on Imint Vidhance.
Live + Video + Metadata – So what?
Video consumption is growing at an exceptional rate, unfortunately most of it is really shitty stuff, hardly worth watching. The good news is that great video content can be really engaging. At the same time 'live' and 'near-live' video content simply because it's fresh and with an abundance of things to watch we forget very quickly. So, here you go, the perfect storm. Lots of video content, if you don't find it instantly it's forgotten, and a constant chase for attention from whoever produced it. That's when metadata, and, in this case, quality, kicks in. You want your live feeds to be of high quality and auto-tagged so your audience can find it immediately since it will be forgotten within a few hours.
Tech to watch – Imint?!
An old friend of ours, [link title="Steve Sharman" href="https://twitter.com/thesharmanator" target="_blank"]Steve Sharman[/link], sent me [link title="Techcrunch" href="https://techcrunch.com/2015/06/22/imints-vidhance-algorithms-could-soon-replace-live-video-producers/" target="_blank"]this link[/link] today, and even if we haven't had the chance to test the software (yet) it made me very enthustiastic. From what it looks you can auto correct live video, but not only that, you can also extract interesting objects and how they move. For us at Vidispine, that is super interesting metadata that we would tag and make available via our APIs. An object could be separated out based on motion and tagged whenever it appears. It would also be possible to do analysis on faces, the background and really anything in the video by combining multiple algorithms. Finally Vidispine could also live edit and conform the output stream based on rules and metadata.
Think I need to see if we can set up a meeting with the Imint guys 🙂
You can find their latest software release here.
Let us know what you think? How can this be used?


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The Rum Shack is coming to London on Glastonbury weekend!
Last week we reported the Rum Shack took to Twitter to tease that "a big announcement coming soon…" – well here it is:
Glastonbury's Rum Shack has just revealed that they will be coming to London for a special party – in association with Fox Fest – to raise money for Refugee Community Kitchen (founded by Glastonbury The Common's very own Steve Bedlam) and for Jimmy.
The event is set to take place on Friday 29 June at the Fox and Firkin.
On the menu:
Kwake Bass – regarded as one of the most exciting drummers in the UK. Regular collaborator with Kate Tempest, Sampha, Jehst and FACT Mag favourite. A solo drum/electronica set from an incredible musician (and South London stalwart).
More Like Trees – returning from an illustrious hiatus for a rare London show. Born of festival fields and raucous warehouse parties. A foot-stomping, heart-pounding fusion of drum n bass, folk and flamenco.
The Fedz – who lit up Rum Shack in 2017 with their slick, soulful sound that brings together musicians from UK and US from all races and backgrounds, working together for the common good. An anathema to the divisions in the world, sticking up a middle finger to the status quo.
Hosted by – NattySpeaks / MC Spee (Dreadzone) / Natty Campbell MC
Entry is by donation, so feel free to dig deep and help Glastonbury's The Common family raise funds for these important charities that do so much good work.

subset: commoncrawl


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Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch Visits Optimum Plastics
The Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch and the Chippewa County Economic Development Corporation (CCEDC) visited local manufacturers for business retention visits on June 5, 2015. CCEDC's President/CEO, Charlie Walker and the Lt. Governor visited Bloomer's Optimum Plastics for an executive lunch meeting to discuss business endeavors within the company's management team; following the luncheon the Lt. Governor was given a tour of the plant, and hosted a meet and greet session with Optimum's staff. Following the visit to Optimum, Walker and the Lt. Governor traveled to Chippewa Falls to meet at Advanced Laser Machining (ALM), an industry leading metal working company. The ALM executive team and other invited guests toured the facility and had a networking meeting with the Lt. Governor.
Business retention visits are confidential and used to gather information in an effort to gain a better understanding of Chippewa County business needs. This information provides the CCEDC team a snapshot of the strengths and weaknesses of the Chippewa County business environment, and allows CCEDC to set priorities for action that will help keep local businesses thriving and growing, thus strengthening the local economy. CCEDC conducts business retention visits as part of our Business Retention and Expansion program; during these visits CCEDC staff, board members, elected officials, and other invited guests meet with local business leaders to learn more about the business, identify any needs/issues they may be experiencing, and to form relationships. CCEDC was honored to have the Lt. Governor join us while visiting Optimum Plastics and ALM.
Article Provided by Chippewa County Economic Development Corporation


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It has been confirmed that Noel Gallagher has begun work on his second solo album, which has, according to his long-term associate Mark Coyle, captured the spirit of Oasis' debut, Definitely Maybe. Coyle, who co-produced the Oasis debut, told the NME that he has already heard demos from Gallagher's early recording sessions in New York.
'Noel's new album is fucking great,' Coyle enthused. 'It reminds me in some respects of the spirit of Definitely Maybe, because it's so obviously exciting. That boy is from a different planet, and even the fans won't believe how utterly amazing it is.'
Coyle told the NME that Gallagher has already written between fifty and sixty songs for the new album. 'He's not exactly struggling for an eleventh song to complete the album. It's pouring out of him and he's currently whittling it all down into an album. The new record will be seismic. It's so explosive that, on the day it comes out, Virgin Trains won't be able to cope with all the people trying to flee the chaos.' Perhaps Coyle, who has been friends with Gallagher since their days in the Inspiral Carpets' road crew in the 1990s, missed his calling as a PR man.
Coyle discussed his involvement in the twentieth anniversary remastered edition of Definitely Maybe (you know, the one that Liam Gallagher told you not to buy). Coyle spent six months sifting through demos and live recordings to come up with the stellar tracklisting of bonus material for the three-disc special edition.
As the next few years will be a boon of remastered material from the golden days of Britpop, Coyle is already keeping busy. Currently he is working on an expanded edition of former Shack singer Michael Head's 1997 album The Magical World Of The Strands, which Coyle produced. He is also planning to tour with his own band Tailgunner, which famously featured Noel Gallagher on drums. 'I've sacked Noel as our drummer,' Coyle joked. 'Okay, so really he's too busy.'
Noel Gallagher spoke to Rolling Stone about his solo album plans last December during his epic end-of-year tirade. He revealed that he already had enough material to start recording his record. At the time, he outlined his plans to spend 2014 in a studio, and even noted that he hoped to record in New York. When asked if his new album would be recorded under his High Flying Birds moniker, he joked, 'Probably…, it's such a fucking good name. I might change the Noel Gallagher bit — call it 'Paul McCartney's High Flying Birds' and see if I sell any more tickets in America.'


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tailorablenco: Our garments are hand drafted and cut for each...
Our garments are hand drafted and cut for each customer individually.
Have your bespoke experience with Tailorable in Hong Kong.
On the 24-25 September we will be in Hong Kong again for another trunk show. Hosted at Landmark together with E.Marinella. Make your appointment at firstname.lastname@example.com
via Tumblr http://ift.tt/1J33CUO


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I came across this blog on how to give good scientific talks. I'm up to the second post and I agree with almost all of it so far. Eliminating words on slides and using presenter notes is something I've recently started to do. It takes some more practice but I feel like people are indeed more engaged in the talk.
Quick links
An excellent article on managing collaborations
I came across this article on retraction watch. It offers some practical and concrete advice for setting up expectations and checks when beginning new collaborations. I'm filing it here for posterity – I'd like to implement many of the suggestions.
Quick link on organising projects
Felix Wichmann pointed me to this paper on organising project directories.
Some of the tips are a bit specific to bioinformatics / computer science, but one idea I really liked was to have a chronologically-organised electronic notebook for each project. This would sketch out analyses / experiments you tried, what worked, and what didn't. You could also "transcribe notes from conversations as well as email text into the lab notebook". This type of document makes way more sense to me than keeping a single general lab notebook for all the projects you're doing. Perhaps that helps you too, but notes about a specific project should all be accessible within the project directory. This idea would definitely complement some others that I've previously detailed on this blog.
It strikes me that ipython notebooks or R markdown documents are perfect formats for such a project notebook.
Guest post on Political Science Replication
I was invited to write a guest post for the blog Political Science Replication. For those who have been reading my blog for a while there's not much new there, but feel free to check it out.
Github for science
Quick post for a useful link: here's a guide to setting up your Github repository with a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) so that it's statically citable!


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So here's a little story…
When I was 2 I used to live in Italy. It always comes up as my 'fun fact' when I have to introduce myself to a big group of people that I don't know.
At the time I was completely fluent in Italian, I used to pop down to Mario's at the end of the road and pick up a loaf of schiacciata (salty bread) to devour back at our villa.
Now, however, despite studying GCSE italian as part of my degree, I am useless.
My boyfriend always laughs at me as I tried to impress him when we first met by telling him I could speak Italian. I got myself in a v sticky situation though when we ended up on holiday in the Cinque Terre two months later and he said 'go on then, you order the food'.
All I could say was 'ciao'. LOL
So when I saw this BEAUT top on Anthropologie's website, it felt only right to pair it with a pair of vintage tartan trousers and pose outside of a pizza shop. Unfortunately no pizza was ordered (this wasn't cause I'm in Italy lol, I just don't think I've quite got to that stage in my blogging career where I can pull off posing with a pizza slice like Isabella Thorsden).
Anthropologie are absolutely bossing it at the moment. Look at those beautiful Tretorn platform trainers too (anything to give me a bit more height)!
I hope you like the photos below, ciao bella!
Outfit details
Anthropologie Sol Angeles t-shirt £58*
Anthropologie Tretorn trainers £88*
Urban Outfitters urban renewal trousers £46
*features press samples, see disclaimer


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bombard(redirected from bombarder)
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Medical, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
bombard (one) with (something)
1. Literally, to attack one repeatedly, as with gunfire or explosives. The enemy army retreated after we bombarded them with grenades.
2. By extension, to subject one to something repeatedly. Quit bombarding me with pitches and let me set up in the batter's box! Don't bombard your brother with suggestions—his paper is due tomorrow, so he needs to commit to a topic and just write about it! Every time I come home for the holidays, my mom bombards me with questions about my personal life.
See also: bombard
bombard (one) with questions
To ask one a lot of questions, typically in quick succession. Every time I come home for the holidays, my mom bombards me with questions about my personal life.
bombard someone or something with something
to cast or shoot something at someone or something. (See also bombard someone with questions.) The boys bombarded their friends with snowballs. Gerald bombarded his friends with criticism.
See also: bombard
bombard someone with questions
Fig. to ask someone many questions, one after another. The press bombarded the president with questions. The company spokesperson was bombarded with leading questions.


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For immediate release
Bonnie McDonald
Preservation Alliance of Minnesota
Britta Bloomberg
Minnesota Historical Society
State Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit Signed into Law by Governor Tim Pawlenty Through Jobs Stimulus Bill
Minnesota joins 30 other states in catalyzing job-creation through preservation projects
On April 1 Governor Tim Pawlenty signed into law the Minnesota Jobs Stimulus Bill, a diverse array of tax incentives to stimulate job growth in Minnesota. The bill is estimated to create between 12,000 and 20,000 jobs across the state.
A significant feature of the bill is the State Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit, an incentive to stimulate green job growth, increase local tax base, and revitalize urban and main street communities through reinvestment in historic properties. This provision is estimated to create between 1,500 and 3,000 construction jobs annually if Minnesota is consistent with other state programs.
Minnesota's state historic preservation tax credit will allow a state income tax credit equal to 20 percent of the cost of rehabilitating a qualifying historic property. The program mirrors the federal rehabilitation tax credit, a provision that has been in place since 1976. Projects are eligible to claim the state credit if they are allowed the federal credit, a program which requires properties to be listed in the National Register of Historic Preservation to qualify. Minnesota currently has 1,600 listings in the National Register representing almost 7,000 individual properties. Projects must be income-producing to use the credit, therefore, homesteaded residential projects are not eligible. Our law also creates innovation in the tax credit market by allowing a developer to choose either a certificated, refundable credit or a grant, which will stimulate nonprofit use of the incentive, and also can be used against the insurance premium tax widening the investor pool. Click here to link to the Jobs Stimulus bill language.
The state historic tax credit program encourages private investment in underutilized historic properties in both urban and rural Minnesota, generating jobs and stimulating local and state economic development. Thirty other states—including Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota, Missouri, and Kansas—have similar programs that were incentivizing Minnesota investors to develop in those states. By signing the uncapped state historic rehabilitation tax credit into law today, Governor Pawlenty ensured a competitive advantage for Minnesota in our region.
Historic rehabilitation creates more jobs because it is inherently labor-intensive instead of material intensive. At a time when unemployment among members of the construction trades is at a high level, this measure provides good-paying jobs in areas where employment is desperately needed. Approximately 60-70% of rehabilitation construction costs are labor resulting in thousands of good-paying construction jobs created around the nation through historic rehab projects. In Rhode Island, direct construction employment generated by rehab credit projects was 5,334 over two years. A total of 6,871 jobs and $60 million in tax revenue were created in the first four years of Missouri's tax credit. In Missouri, the cost of the tax credit was recouped in payroll taxes alone. A March, 2010, study by Rutgers University report found that the federal tax credit program stimulated $85 billion in rehabilitation activity nationally and 1.8 million new jobs over the program's 36-year lifetime.
State historic tax credits create more jobs per dollar output than either manufacturing or new construction. Realtor and economist Donovan Rypkema recently estimated the potential for job creation in Minnesota based on his study of the highly-successful Missouri state historic preservation tax credit. Rypkema, presenting to the Minnesota Chapter of the Construction Specifications Institute, reported that historic rehab projects in our state would create 5.7 more jobs per $1 million in output than manufacturing, 4 more jobs than road construction, and 2 more jobs than new construction.
Research demonstrating the economic impact of state historic preservation tax credit programs shows compelling evidence that such programs more than pay their own way. A 2009 report by the Abell Foundation found that Maryland's state historic tax credit has returned $8.53 in revenue for each dollar of the state's tax credit investment and has generated $1.74 billion in total economic activity. Between one-third and one-half of that revenue was returned to the state in payroll and sales taxes prior to the state's issuance of tax credits. Missouri's data shows $1.373 billion in total economic activity in the 11 years of their state rehab tax credit, or a four-to-one return on investment to the citizens of Missouri. Research suggesting that similar results could be expected in Minnesota has been compiled by the University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs.
"Today is a banner day for the construction, design, and preservation industries in Minnesota," said Bonnie McDonald, executive director of the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota. "With the tax credit in place, we will put skilled people back to work, promote green jobs through the sustainable practice of historic preservation, and reinvest in assets that are truly unique to our communities."
The Preservation Alliance of Minnesota and the Minnesota Historical Society have led a broad coalition of local government, business, and community organizations in promoting the state historic rehabilitation tax credit since 2000 when the legislation was first introduced. In 2009, the Alliance and the Minnesota Historical Society joined the Building Jobs Coalition, a diverse group of contractors, building trades, architects, engineers, economic developers, and public officials committed to investment in Minnesota's design and building industry through strategic legislation and public policy. The historic rehabilitation tax credit was a key provision of the legislative agenda brought to legislators by the Coalition in 2009 and 2010 to put the design and construction industry back to work.
The Alliance, the Society, and the Building Jobs Coalition thank Governor Tim Pawlenty for signing this catalyzing incentive into law. We also want to recognize the significant leadership that led to this bill's passage from Senators Tom Bakk and Jim Metzen, Representative Ann Lenczewski, Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, and Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller. The state historic tax credit will be coordinated through the Minnesota State Historic Preservation Office, which will issue application materials in the near future.
About the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota
The Preservation Alliance of Minnesota (PAM) is the only statewide, private, nonprofit organization advocating for the preservation of Minnesota's historic resources. The Alliance was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 1981 by Minnesota citizens concerned about the future of the state's architectural and cultural landmarks. The Alliance has grown into a network representing thousands of voices across the state. Beyond our membership, we collaborate and partner with other organizations and agencies from the national to the local level. www.mnpreservation.org
About the Minnesota Historical Society
The Minnesota Historical Society is a non-profit educational and cultural institution established in 1849. Its essence is to help illuminate the past as a way to shed light on the future. The Society collects, preserves and tells the story of Minnesota's past through museum exhibits, libraries and collections, historic sites, educational programs and book publishing. www.mnhs.org


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Peter Espeut | Social and economic sickness
One of the first things you learn as a development scientist is that if it was easy, it would have been done already! By now we know that dealing with the cancer of crime in a sick society like Jamaica is not a simple matter.
Why do I say that Jamaica is a sick society? By any measure, Jamaica is one of the most unequal countries in the world, which is one type of social and economic sickness. In the 1990s, Professor Carl Stone provided data to show that Jamaica had the 11th-largest gap between the rich and the poor in the world, and the largest rate at which that gap was widening (see Stone's Democracy and Clientelism in Jamaica).
The situation has not much changed. And what is worse, we largely consider this gross inequality to be normal - the way things are. And our sensibilities and consciences are numbed in the process. Some of us have a personal and vested interest in things remaining the way they are.
When it comes to paying taxes, in 2010, it was the poor of Jamaica that - proportionately - bore the greater share of the burden by paying close to one-fifth of their income in both direct and indirect taxes, while the rich paid only one-third of their income in taxes. And with taxation policy shifting to more indirect taxation, the poor now pay - proportionally - even more.
There is no other sector wherein Jamaica's social sickness is more pervasive than Jamaica's education system. Schools (primary and secondary) owned and operated by the Government offer a much lower quality of education than those owned and operated by churches and trusts. Statistically speaking, starting one's educational career in a government primary school means low levels of literacy and qualifications attained. Jamaica's education system reproduces a profoundly unequal class system.
For social scientists, the high crime rate (especially murders) in this sick society is not surprising. Were it to be low, that would be surprising! There is a component of social protest in crime and dysfunctional behaviour in extremely unequal societies like ours.
I believe that those who loudly ask the Government to announce an anti-crime plan wish that crime would be reduced while other things remain the same, so that they could continue their lives in relative comfort and privilege. It is not possible to reduce the incidence of crime while leaving Jamaica's sick society intact.
This is why shortly after Jamaica's first zone of special operations (ZOSO) was declared in September 2017, I said in my column of September 22: "The slogan describing the strategy to be employed in the zones of special operations (ZOSOs) was 'Clear, Hold, Build'. ... What is supposed to make ZOSO different is the 'Build' component, where social interventions are to be put in place to convert the crime-ridden, potholey, garbage-strewn ghetto areas with zinc fences and pit toilets, where the theft of electricity and water is common, and where illiteracy and unemployment are high among the residents, into a place of choice for Jamaicans to live, work, raise families, and do business."
I wrote then that this was certainly a step in the right direction, but that the skills needed to first plan and then implement 'Build' were not resident in the Ministry of National Security. It would take a team of sociologists, anthropologists, and social psychologists to assess the particular problems in each ZOSO, and then another team of human and community development scientists to design and implement the interventions.
And it is not possible to have an island of development (ZOSO) in a sea of underdevelopment. It is all of Jamaica that needs to be built.
To me, it appears that the concept of ZOSO is unworkable, and has - so far - failed.
If we want peace, we need to build justice. First, we have to cure and rehabilitate our sick society.
- Peter Espeut is a development scientist. Email feedback to email@example.com.


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Jump to navigation
The latest international news, analysis and features on the HIV epidemic from Avert. Share your views and expertise with your peers in the comments box below the articles.
Whether you've had unprotected sex or it's just that time of year again, here are our top 5 reasons why you should test for HIV again.
Self-testers are able to perform HIV tests and interpret the results as accurately as healthcare workers, a new evidence review has found.


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Porter's analysis works on tabulating the five forces and analyzing the impact on M&S.
Threat of New Entrants (Barriers to Entry)
Retailing market has high entry barrier as the capital investments are huge to enter the market and to achieve cost efficiencies and economies of scale that retailers like M&S has would be very difficult to achieve for a new player. The case of peers is different, however M&S popularity and focus on quality ware would make competition fight hard for breaking M&S loyal customers. Also matching the channel efficiency by M&S would be difficult for new entrants. Keeping peers at bay would be difficult as although M&S has quality products advantage, competitors are offering discounts and price offering that woo away many of the potential customers.
Threat of Substitute Products
M&S requires continuous innovation to keep brand position strong and to remain distinctive to meet the demands of its customer base. The clothing business is beset with substitutes – it is very easy to copy designs and get similar design at much reduced cost elsewhere. The food business is already under attack by the big stores – Tesco, Sainsbury and ASDA which have a similar range of products. M&S private label product line still offers some distinction. Going forward M&S focus on its food line is expected to offer clear advantage over the competitors (ivory research, 2016).
Bargaining Power of Buyers
Customer's bargaining power is significant. Customer's price sensitivity can force the hand of the retailer. Customer has very low switching costs and has many alternatives available. M&S needs to build up its loyalty and offer its customers unmatched value and conveniences that are difficult to match. M&S is also vulnerable to negative shifts in customer perception in UK. Any move towards disloyalty towards British products is likely to have significant effects on overall company outlook. M&S competitors are also focusing on customer relationships so M&S needs to be vigilant and protect its turf. According to Euromonitor M&S had 40% value share in departmental stores. High share in this segment makes M&S vulnerable as well as in 2016 stock surplus in apparel and footwear because of unseasonable conditions led to value decline.
Bargaining Power of Suppliers
In late twentieth century M&S suppliers were primarily British, but competitive pressures forced M&S to outsource and reduce its costs weakening the power of suppliers. Focus on private label also gives M&S power over external suppliers. Further switching costs for M&S suppliers, especially since M&S depends on outsourced suppliers, are quite low.
Intensity of Competitive Rivalry
Competition is strong for the retail sector from other supermarket chains for its home wear, clothing and fashion products as well as for food products. The competition is further growing in online segment where users are choosing click and collect to have a pseudo in-store shopping experience at reduced costs than in-store shopping. M&S has been able to build up its online sales with percentage of online in total retail sales growing steadily YoY. Loyalty membership cards can help stem this trend but the same strategy can also be followed by other supermarket chains. As per Euromonitor M&S is currently benefitting from highly personalized Sparks loyalty program. The focus has shifted to older female customers and everyday low pricing than discounting. The low cost strategy has resulted in decline in sales of clothing business. Also M&S has announced plans to open new "simply food" outlets, which have upmarket positioning.


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With an ever-expanding list of gear that needs to come on our off-road adventures, the need to increase our cargo area quickly became a priority. Lengthy trips into remote areas require that we be self sufficient, including carrying extra fuel, water, tools and a full-sized spare tire.
Inside the vehicle things are already crammed, so we needed to go up. BajaRack was the first company that came to mind when we sought out to get a roof top rack.
We had been introduced to BajaRack back in 2008 when they first made their big splash with the FJ Cruiser rack. Since then, BajaRack has been expanding their product line and offerings to include systems for Land Cruisers, 4Runners, Land Rovers, Jeeps and even universal baskets.
The Toyota FJ Cruiser BajaRack Story
One of our favorite vehicles is Tom Severins FZJ80 Toyota Land Cruiser that happens to be outfitted with a BajaRack. Tom runs his rig day in and day out with a loaded rack, as it is the flagship vehicle at Badlands Off-Road Adventures. Hes tracked thousands of miles with it, and even after running it for over three years it still looks and functions flawlessly.
This made our decision to contact BajaRack even easier when time came to get our very own project FZJ80 Toyota Land Cruiser outfitted.
We had two options for our Land Cruiser: a long or short rack. We opted for the short rack since our vehicle has a sunroof and we still wanted to be able to use it. We also learned that the short rack and sunroof combo allows for easy access to the front of the BajaRack for loading/unloading.
Some of the features of the BajaRack short rack for the 80 series Toyota Land Cruiser are as follows:
BajaRack BR-TYLC80-64
One-piece solid construction
Frame: 1" (25.4 mm) and 3/4" (19.05 mm) Steel tubing
Aerodynamic - aluminum wind deflector with clear finish for easy clean up and extra protection
Top Wind Deflector: .062" (1.57 mm) 5050-H32 Aluminum
Bottom Wind deflector: .062" (1.57 mm) 5050-H32 Aluminum
Finish: Zinc primer with satin black powder coating
Rack weight: 52 lbs. (23.58 Kg)
Weight Capacity: 600 lbs. (272 kg)
Measurements: 48" (1219.2 mm) Wide x 64" (1625.60 mm) Long x 6" (152.4 mm) tall
Mounting method: Roof rail mounts (6 total)
We took possession of our BajaRack short rack within a week of ordering it. Since the companys warehouse is in San Diego County, we were able to pick it up at their facility in San Marcos, CA. The folks at BajaRack were very helpful with the entire process and delivered a well-built product that is as rugged as the land it comes fromBaja.
The installation of the BajaRack short rack is very straightforward. The only tools needed are 1/2-inch SAE wrench, ratchet and socket. An Allen key is also used for the finishing bolts on the rail clamps. The entire job took less than one hour.
Here is an overview of what goes into mounting the BajaRack mount on your off-road vehicle.
There is a school of thought out there that roof racks only add a higher center of gravity or loss in fuel economy. All we can say to this is that the roof top rack is a solution for carrying cargo on adventure trips, and that trumps the downside.
In our case, we didnt notice any excessive roll, annoying wind noise or big loss in MPG. What we did get was a lot of compliments from people we met on the trial regarding how cool our BajaRack looks.
As with any extra cargo load, you just need to adjust your driving style. No Mario Andretti driving and good sense will keep you safe and moving. If body roll is of concern, a good suspension system is key to carrying heavy loads. The Old Man Emu Nitro Sport shock absorbers we installed earlier work great at controlling body roll and extra weight.
Read the related Old Man Emu article here
We are extremely pleased with our BajaRack and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a quality cargo roof rack. It not only looks great but functions just as well. We have driven over 1,000 miles both on and off-road, loaded and unloaded and are confident this was the best solution for our 4WD.
Next time you find yourself looking for more room for cargo, look no further than BajaRack.


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Changes to Chain of Responsibility
Changes affecting every party in the Transport Supply Chain take effect on October 1, 2018
To see what PNQ is doing click here
Pioneer North Queensland, Est. 1995, is a leading producer of quarry, sand, concrete, bitumen and asphalt products for the building and construction industry, in the far North Queensland area.
We manufacture quality products, backed by our technical teams and provide an extensive logistics network to deliver on time. PNQ provide the materials that keep our community growing
Pioneer North Queensland Pty Ltd is a leading producer of quarry, sand, concrete, bitumen and asphalt products for the building industry, in the Cairns area.
Our team is committed to our customers. We provide quality products and services, all the time, every time.
We have 6 main operations in the North Queensland region, including quarries, concrete plants, asphalt plants, spray sealing and transport division. All of which adhere to stringent quality, safety and environmental standards.
PNQ has the technical expertise, personnel and equipment to complete any project of any size.
Pioneer is living the green
View the Healthy Waterways Report
Responding to COVID-19
Chain of Responsibility
Roadtek Visit PNQ Concrete Cairns
Head Office
Lot 5, Maconachie Street
Woree QLD 4870
Admin/Head Office Phone: 07 4047 8300
Concrete (Woree) Phone: 07 4047 8360
Fax: 07 4047 8311
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Insomnia is especially common among procrastinators, possibly because they worry about what they still need to do. more...
April 3 , 1860 : The Pony Express made its first run. more...
Learn something new every day
More Info... by email
An infrared gas detector uses infrared (IR) radiation to detect the presence of gases in the atmosphere. Every gas has its own IR footprint. That means that it absorbs light of a specific IR frequency or wavelength, a property that makes it identifiable when using the appropriate detector.
Gas detectors, in general, indicate the existence of specific gases in the surrounding area and measure their concentrations. They are used mainly in detecting dangerous gas leaks and concentrations that exceed safe limits, and when this is the case, they trigger some kind of alarm. A certain type, the infrared gas detector, uses infrared radiation to identify the presence of potential hazards in the nearby environment.
The main components of the infrared gas detector are the following a source of IR radiation, which can be a regular incandescent light, also known as the transmitter; IR sensors or receivers; selective spectral filters that are placed in front of the sensors; and a measurement chamber where the gas sample is being diffused. The space between the transmitter and the receiver is the optical path. The beam of light must travel through this space in order for the system to make a measurement.
In simple terms, the light source will emit light that covers a small region of the infrared spectrum, and the gas inside the measurement chamber will absorb a specific frequency or wavelength characteristic to its molecular structure. The absorbed wavelength is unique to each compound, and this property is used to identify it. The amount of the absorbed radiation is a direct measure of the gas concentration inside the chamber.
There are two main variations of the conventional infrared gas detector. In the first one, the system uses two beams of the same wavelength in the IR region of the electromagnetic spectrum that derive from the same source. One is used as a reference beam, and the other passes through the gas volume. Both beams will travel along different optical paths and — after the beams have been received by the sensors — the system will make the necessary analysis.
In the second variation, the system uses two beams of different wavelengths. These beams travel alternately along the same optical path. Both variations of infrared gas detectors have their advantages and disadvantages, depending on the user's needs.
The infrared gas detector in its simplest form is designed to detect a single gas. More complicated multi-gas detectors are also available. The detected gases might be toxic, such as carbon monoxide, or even flammable, such as methane or propane.
One of our editors will review your suggestion and make changes if warranted. Note that depending on the number of suggestions we receive, this can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Thank you for helping to improve wiseGEEK!


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Does it ever happen to you, the you of you who have the luxury of owning more than one bicycle, that one when picks up a flat (even after you fix it), you just put that bike aside for a some time, quarantining it to prevent the bad mojo of repeat flats from getting you? I did this with the Ogre and for the past few days I've been riding the Brompton.
My commute is about 8 miles each way and it's not flat. The Brompton has two speeds. It's not exactly speedy, but I don't mind. I really love this bike and I really love commuting on it, even though there are bikes far better suited to that purpose. Two winters ago, that is to say, the winter before this past winter, I commute solely on the Brompton for about two months. I did this because we had moved into an apartment while the house was being fixed up and I didn't want to drag the Cross Check up the flight of stairs and I also didn't want to further begrime the was-whiteish-once carpet that covered the living room floors with a bike exposed to the ravages of winter weather. Prior to those months, I had ridden the Brompton to work a few times, but it very much wasn't my preferred whip. I faintly remembering struggling on the climbs up the hill and thinking 'well, this is silly and this is far more laborious than it needs to be. I'll use this bike for other things, but not this.' But then I used it only for commuting for two months and that's when things changed.
You do something enough and you get used it. I think that time made me a much stronger bicycle rider, literally and figuratively. And I think more importantly, it made me a much better bicycle rider. Not like technically or anything, but temperamentally. Patience and perseverance, I've found, to be of much greater benefit to a bike commuter than power or agility, especially in a place that's a real mixed bag as far as cycling is concerned. It's better than a lot of places, but worse than a lot of places and the set-up puts you in a lot of situations where there's potential conflict and the transportation culture here is, how would you say, not always the most convivial. I think bike commuting teaches you a lot of things about yourself (if you want to learn them) and I think bike commuting on the Brompton taught me more than I would have learned otherwise. Maybe that's a silly thing to say, but I think it's a silly thing that I believe.
Some other things:
-Gear Prudence on training for a century (and Chasing Mailboxes with even more because MG is the best)
-Me in Greater Greater Washington begging college students not to abandon their bikes. As a longtime university employee, I can aver that this does in fact happen (I would estimate that a good 30% of the bikes parked outside at any time are in some phase of being abandoned. Maybe this is why I was so harsh about cutting locks on bikes left unmoved for a week in an earlier GP.)
-Some advice in Washingtonian on how not to be an obnoxious cyclist. I'm unclear why they asked me. "Odds are you've done something dickish, too." is meant to be read in a karmic sense, not as an immediate response to "People aren't there specifically to antagonize you" in case you were wondering.
Those are pretty much all of the things. Except for this other thing:
I'm probably going to be scaling back the postings over summer. I don't know how many times I'm going to be able to write during the week (I have decided to occupy my time with attempt 4 or 5 at grad school because they don't make gum that I can chew to stave off what is clearly some time of weird chemical dependency), but I'll try. Or at least I'll try to try. Maybe two posts a week? I think I might be able to do that.
And as always, thank you for even wasting a scintilla of your time reading this. That you ever do makes me ever so grateful.


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Developmental Language Delay or Disorder
A developmental (childhood) language disorder is defined as the abnormal acquisition, comprehension, or use of spoken or written language. Language disorders are generally classified according to the major components of the linguistic system: semantics, morphology, syntax and pragmatics.
Impairments in semantics can take the form of reduced vocabulary, restricted semantic categories, word retrieval deficits, poor word association skills and difficulty with figurative language forms such as idioms, metaphors and humour.
Deficits in morphology manifest as difficulties with inflectional markers such as plurals, past tense, auxiliary verbs, possessives, etc.
Syntax involves the rules governing the order and combination of words in the construction of well formed sentences. Syntactic deficits are characterized by problems with simple and complex sentence types such as negatives, interrogatives, passives, and relative clauses as well as occasional word order difficulties.
Pragmatics involves the rules governing the use of language in a social context. Pragmatic impairments can include a reduced repertoire of communicative intentions, turn taking difficulties in conversation, a trouble repairing messages that are not understood by the listener and difficulty with narrative discourse, such as telling a story.
Children can have receptive language impairments, expressive language impairments or both. Some children will catch up to their peers but many continue to have difficulty and the gap between their skill level and that of their peers may increase as they get older.
Aphasia - Acquired Language Disorder
Aphasia is a disorder caused by brain damage that results in impairment in the comprehension and expression of language. The primary cause of aphasia is stroke. Other etiologies include brain tumours and head trauma. Aphasia is associated with damage to the language centre of the brain
The brain regains some of its speech, language and motor functions as part of the natural recovery process. It is believed that the greatest amount of this spontaneous recovery occurs during the first few months after the brain injury. However, changes many be seen in individuals a year or longer. Several factors will influence the degree of spontaneous recovery and the ultimate prognosis. These include the size, location and etiology of the brain lesion; type and severity of the initial aphasia (specifically comprehension); age at onset; and overall health of the individual. The overall goal of aphasia therapy is to improve the person�s communication skills to the highest degree possible within the constraints of the neurological damage.
Speech Solutions is a team of registered Speech-Language Pathologists with over 15 years of practice. Our SLPs have diverse clinical experiences ranging from the assessment and treatment of preschool and school-aged children, adolescents and adults with speech, language, voice and swallowing disorders, including accent modification therapy. Furthermore, we do not have a waitlist so you will never need to wait for an assessment or treatment.
In order to better serve our clients we offer extended weekday and weekend hours, Monday through Sunday. As a result, we provide treatment sessions outside of school and work hours which reduces any potential disruption to your busy schedule.
All assessment and treatment sessions are provided within the comfort of our client's home, school or daycare at no additional cost.


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A formal commencement exercise is held annually at the end of the spring semester at Navarro College. This exercise is for students who are completing requirements during that spring semester, who have completed requirements during the preceding summer or fall semesters, or who will complete the course(s) required for graduation during the next summer term with no more than six (6) credit hours to fulfill all degree requirements.
To participate in the commencement exercise, the student must submit an application for graduation to the Office of Admissions and Records no later than the date published in the college calendar. The application is located on the Navarro College webpage at www.navarrocollege.edu/apply/commencement /graduation.
Students may graduate under the catalog and programs in effect at the time of their initial enrollment as long as they have had continuous enrollment. Missing one fall or spring semester constitutes a break in enrollment and students will be required to adhere to the catalog and programs in effect at the time of their re-enrollment. Students also have the choice of graduating under the catalog and programs in effect at the time of graduation. Students must choose one or the other and may not combine rules or programs from two or more catalogs.
Under certain conditions, Navarro College guarantees that its associate degrees transfer to other colleges and universities and that occupational degrees and/or certificates help prepare students for employment in business, industry, and service occupations.
Navarro College guarantees that the courses taken as requirements toward a degree in a transfer plan will be accepted by all state-supported colleges and universities in Texas provided the following conditions are met:
A. To be eligible for the guarantee, the student must file with the Registrar's Office a written degree plan, signed by the Executive Dean of Academic Studies, prior to or commensurate with the first semester of enrollment at Navarro College which includes the following:
- The name of the institution to which the student plans to transfer.
- The Associate's and Bachelor's degrees and major the student plans to pursue.
- The date of the catalog of the receiving institution used to prepare the plan.
- The date the plan was prepared and the advisor's signature.
- The date transfer is anticipated, assuming continuous enrollment, within five years.
- The courses that will be taken at Navarro College.
B. The transfer degree plan will be prepared for the student in accordance with the Navarro College advising system, using the catalog of the institution to which the student intends to transfer. The courses in the degree plan for the proposed major must be identified by the receiving institution as transferable and applicable toward a specific major as of the 1992 fall semester or later. Only college-level courses with Community College Academic Course Guide Manual approved numbers are included in this guarantee.
C. NOTE: Students may be required to take prerequisite courses which may or may not transfer in certain major areas. These courses will be noted for the student on the transfer degree plan. Such courses are not eligible for this guarantee. For a course to be guaranteed, the student must have earned a grade acceptable to the receiving institution.
D. The receiving institution determines the following:
- Total number of credits accepted for transfer.
- Grades required.
- Relevant grade point average.
- Duration of transferability of grades.
The above information can be found in the catalog of the receiving institution. To obtain a copy, students should contact the college or university to which he/she will be transferring. Copies of most four-year college catalogs are available for the student to review in the Navarro College Counseling Center.
If all of the above conditions are met and a course or courses are not accepted by the receiving institution in transfer, the student must notify the Executive Dean of Academic Studies at Navarro College within ten (10) days of notice of transfer credit denial so the "Transfer Dispute Resolution" process can be initiated. If the course denial is not resolved, Navarro College will allow the student to take up to 12 credit hours of alternate courses tuition-free that are acceptable to the receiving institution within one year from the granting of the Associate Degree from Navarro College. Even though the tuition is free, the graduate is responsible for payment of any fees, books, or other course-related expenses associated with the alternate course or courses.
Navarro College guarantees the graduate will have the job skills for entry-level employment in the occupational field for which he/she has been trained. If the employer decides these skills are lacking after completing the program, Navarro College will provide additional skill training, tuition-free. To receive this guarantee, the following conditions must be met:
A. The student must have earned the Associate of Applied Science Degree or Certificate beginning fall 1992 or thereafter in a technical, vocational, or occupational program identified in the College's General Catalog.
B. The student must have completed the Applied Science Degree or Certificate program, with a minimum of 75 percent of credit earned at Navarro College within a five-year time span.
C. The student must have filed a degree plan, signed by the Executive Dean of Business, Professional, and Technical Education, with the Registrar's Office prior to or commensurate with the end of the first semester of enrollment at Navarro College.
D. The student must be employed full-time within 12 months after graduation in an occupation directly related to the specific program completed at Navarro College as certified by the Executive Dean of Business, Professional and Technical Education.
E. The employer must certify in writing that the student lacks the entry-level job skills identified as such by Navarro College as program exit competencies and must specify the areas of deficiency within 90 days of initial employment. For a course to be guaranteed, the student must have earned a grade of C or better.
F. The employer, graduate, Executive Dean of Business, Professional and Technical Education, and appropriate faculty will develop a written educational plan for retraining.
G. Retraining will be limited to 12 credit hours related to the identified skill deficiency and to those classes regularly scheduled during the period covered by the retraining plan.
H. All retraining must be completed within a calendar year from the time the educational plan is agreed upon.
I. The graduate and/or employer are responsible for the cost of books, fees, insurance, uniforms, and other course-related expenses.
J. This guarantee does not imply that the graduate will pass any licensing or qualifying examination for a particular career.
After receiving a student transcript from a general academic teaching institution under Education Code 61.833(c), Navarro College shall review the transcript and, if determined the student has earned the credits required to receive an associate degree, the college may award the student the degree.
To be eligible, the student must:
A. be enrolled in a general academic teaching institution;
B. have transferred to the institution or previously attended Navarro College;
C. have earned at least 25% of credit hours of coursework successfully completed at Navarro College; and
D. have earned a cumulative total of at least 66 credit hours for coursework successfully completed.
Date Issued: January 22, 2015
Revised: February 28, 2017


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Top Authority was one of the first rap groups from Flint, Michigan and among the earliest of the underground Midwest rap scene to release a nationally recognized album. Bootleg, a member of the slightly later Flint group The Dayton Family, told Murderdog magazine, "We grew up together, same hood. We'd be together every day. That's family." He lists them as leading lights in Flint music…
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Constantin, the head of the family, numbering a dozen or so members, in a rented wooden barrack few weeks after their illegally put self-made shacks where demolished due to sell of the lend to developer. Sep 2014, Gdańsk, Poland.
Husband and wife, Constantin and Eva, and their son-in-law Pardelian head home after collecting scrap metal. Eva's leg hurts, so Constantin pulls her in the trolley. Sep 2014, Gdańsk, Poland.
Constantin cleans his new room while his daughter Lina waits to move in. The family rented four rooms in the house of old Polish man. Oct 2014, Gdańsk, Poland.
Maria moves into the kitchen as the family moves. She jokes that her blonde daughter is Polish baby whom she kidnapped. Oct 2014, Gdańsk, Poland.
Constantin visits in a hospital his oldest daughter Eva who gave birth to her fifth child, a boy named Efanuc. Oct 2014, Gdańsk, Poland.
Ion works with Polish workers during one of under-the-table jobs that Romany get occasionally. Although citizens of Romania are allowed to work in Poland, Romany rarely have the documents they need to do the work legally. Mar 2015, Gdańsk, Poland.
After the family was kicked out of the house by its drinking and troublemaking owner, they moved into tents. May 2015, Gdańsk, Poland.
A wedding ceremony for Tuca, Constantin and Eva's youngest daughter, took place in a Gypsy shantytown in Wrocław. The family couldn't arrange the party in the tents they live in. Jul 2015, Wrocław, Poland.
Eva puts her youngest son Efanuc to sleep in a tent she lives in with her family. Sep 2015, Gdańsk, Poland.
Due to rapidly coming Autumn Constantin inspects abandoned house, considering whether the family can squat there. It will be too cold soon to camp in tents. Oct 2015, Gdańsk, Poland.
Constantin inspects abandoned house, thinking that his family could potentially squat in it. Oct 2015, Gdańsk, Poland.
Pardelian carries a carpet he found into an old arbour on the ground of former allotment where the family settled down. Meanwhile, football fans head to a nearby match. Nov 2015, Gdańsk, Poland.
Pardelian makes the hole for a chimney in the roof of their arbour. The football stadium is seen in the background. Nov 2015, Gdańsk, Poland.
Eva stokes a newly made stove, while Constantin makes a small door to it, in the arbour where the family recently moved. Nov 2015, Gdańsk, Poland.
Constantin and his son Constantin junior bought diesel generator and make light in their arbour. Dec 2015, Gdańsk, Poland.
Eva holds her son Efanuc and watches Pardelian set up a TV that he got from NGO, in their newly built hut next to her parent's arbour. Jan 2016, Gdańsk, Poland.
Five months after wedding Tuca celebrates her 18th birthday in her parents arbour. Dec 2015, Gdańsk, Poland.
Constantin's mother called "Mami" watches her granddaughter Eva and her great-grandson Efanuc. Jan 2016, Gdańsk, Poland.
Broken window in the Romani hut the day after a late night assault by a group of football fans. May 2016, Gdańsk, Poland.
Romani pack their bags the day after being assaulted the night before by football fans after a match. May 2016, Gdańsk, Poland.
Police officers came to take Romany testimony the day after they were assaulted by a group of football fans. The family, afraid to stay in their temporary homes, decided to move to Wrocław's Gypsy shantytown. May 2016, Gdańsk, Poland.
This is a story of Romani family that left Romania in the early 1990. and settled down in Poland, where they believed their living conditions would be better.
At the time, neither Romania nor Poland were members of European Union. The family, like many other Romanian Gypsies, was deported. Within a few years, they had returned to Poland.
For most of the time they've been in Poland, the family lived in Wrocław. It has one of the largest Romanian Roma communities in Poland. But after few years they decided to move to Gdańsk.
I met the family in summer of 2014, just few weeks after their shacks, built by hand at the wasteland in Gdańsk were demolished by city authorities. The ground had been sold to developer and needed to be cleared. After they spent a few weeks in tents, hidden in bushes, the family managed to rent a single room and a caravan. Here, they packed more than a dozen family members.
The room was in a small wooden house, with very basic conditions. They had to pay rent of 50 PLN, which adds up to 1500 PLN a month. This is a cost of rent of two rooms flat.
To earn money for the rent, and living expenses, family members used to collect scrap metal and waste paper; do jobs on the black market; or beg for money on the streets.
They also got help from NGOs and volunteers who managed to find another house for the family to rent. It was an old house, whose owner still lived in it. But, he agreed to rent four rooms for just 40 PLN a day. Although there was no running water, the family was happy to move to real house. And they developed a friendship with the owner. They helped him a lot to clean, cook and wash himself because he was infirm.
During this time, 22-year-old Eva gave birth to her fifth child. But the reprieve didn't last long. The owner was an alcoholic and became abusive when drunk. Finally, he turned them out and the family was homeless again.
Again they lived in tents, hidden from view. But Eva was worried about her three young sons. If police found the family squatting in tents, the boys could be taken to orphanage like Eva's two older daughters had been a few years before. Sometimes they would move into a Basic hostel or an illegal Romani shantytown in Wrocław. There, more than 60 people lived in self-made huts in simple, modest conditions with poor sanitation and crumbling infrastructure. In the shantytown, place the family organized a wedding for Eva's younger sister Tuca. They couldn't celebrate the wedding party in tents.
But, autumn was coming and it is too cold then to camp, so they began searching for a flat for rent or, at least, an old abandoned house to squat in. But no Polish landlord was eager to rent a flat to Gypsies. When I called to ask for rent, one owner told me that he would only rent to a Polish family.
Finally they found old arbour on the grounds of former piece of land. It was an area where Polish vagrants used to live or hide from police. The owners greeted the Romani family warmly and allowed them to stay there. Because one arbour was not big enough for whole family they built two other huts nearby. The family spent autumn, winter and spring there. But, the area was just next to a road leading to the football stadium.
And in May of 2016, a group of football fans going for a match started to insult the Romani and threaten them. They promised to come back after the match and burn down Romani huts. The family asked a Polish friend to call the police. But no police patrol was sent. And, as promised, drunken football fans came back during night and started to throw stones and bottles. The family escaped to nearby forest.
The next day police officers came to take Romani family to take testimony and promised to patrol the area. But, the family was worried to stay there longer. They decided to leave the huts and split up. Some family members moved to Wrocław's Gypsy shantytown again where at least they could feel safe from a mob. Others stayed in Gdańsk still looking for a flat or small house for rent. Their abandoned shacks were burnt to the ground.
Text and photographs by Przemysław Kozłowski / TESTIGO Documentary


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When it's hot in August in Bologna I think gelato. So what better way to cool down than to try all the best gelaterie in the city. It's a hard job but someone has to do it.
Now if you really want to become an expert, Bologna has a Gelato University started by Carpigiani (an ice cream/gelato machine factory). That's right homework could be eating gelato.
The school is outside the city of Bologna in Anzola Dell 'Emilia and offers a four week course on how to make gelato with hands on practice. Students come from around the world to learn the secret of great gelato making. If you are looking for another ways to eat gelato here is a recipe for gelato pie, a way to serve gelato at home after a summer meal alfresco.
I've made a google map, see below…so if you find yourself in Bologna you can try my favorites. -christine


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Burton on the Bay
July 4-10, 2002
Inspissation: A Meditation on Maryland Summer
Back to My Roots
But though an old man,
I am but a young gardener.
Thomas Jefferson: Letter to Charles Wilson Peale, Aug. 4, 1811
Tom, I know how you feel even though I scored a first this year, which Ill tell you about in a moment. Im an old man, but as a gardener I have come to realize Im young. How times have changed; more accurately, how gardening has changed.
Its not that Im really new to gardening. Heck, as a country boy in New England, I practically grew up with squash, potatoes and lima beans as my playmates.
Boy with a Hoe
It was Weed this, weed that; hoe here, hoe there; water this, water that; spray this, spray that; and get all the weeds while its hot, or youll be pulling them again tomorrow.
That was during the Great Depression. Back then, a garden played a major role in how the Burtons lived. At our household the budget was tight. In summer, the success of a garden had much to do with what was put on the table.
It was pretty much the same in the remainder of the year, as mother sent me to the cool cellar to get Mason jars of canned tomatoes, beets, pepper and cucumber relishes, corn, beans, cabbage, rhubarb. You name it: If it came from the garden, it could be preserved for winter except such perishables as radishes and lettuce.
At Grandmas farm a few miles away, where I was a frequent visitor, the garden was even more important. Not only was it a major source for what went on the table, it was depended upon for income.
Grandma was a widow, had been since I was six, and her garden was also her money source for paint, the dentist, church, clothes, medicine, house, outbuilding and fence repairs, taxes and other things that couldnt be grown in the rich New England soil.
So whether I was home or spending a day or more at Grandmas, much of each summer found me not at a ball field or skinny-dipping in a pond. No sir, I was in the garden, hoe in hand and in the heat of day because it was hammered into me that only a withering sun kills uprooted weeds.
Only when I marched off to the SeaBees in World War II was I able to kiss good-bye the gardens at Grandmas and home with the vow that never again would my hands have calluses from a hoe. Even Navy boot camp would be a picnic compared with garden pursuits. Or so I thought.
An Old Mans Garden
But like many farm-raised boys, once an adult Id dabble in vegetable gardening every so often though not seriously. My efforts were primarily to taste a truly fresh tomato or head of cabbage or, best of all, the greens from fledgling beets, so rare in markets, though not in my memory.
Steamed with melted butter and salt and pepper, nothing save lobster, lamb and shad roe can top fresh, tender and young beet greens for table fare. They put to shame kale, dandelions and other leafy vegetables.
Several years ago, Tom, I decided it was time to have a garden of some sort every year. I had retired from the Sun, could make my own work and travel schedule, and Id noticed what fresh tomatoes and even green peppers cost in the supermarket, where they were so deficient in taste.
So, Tom, Im back at vegetable gardening though you might not call it that. My garden consists of six huge pots on the north side of the house where the sun can get by all the trees Ive grown.
Amidst the flower garden on the east side of the house up here on the shores of Stoney Creek in North County, I found room to plant four more tomato plants and two peppers. At the front of the house, I put in a pepper plant where it could get what morning sun manages to filter through the maples that I always promise myself to tap for sap but never have.
That pepper plant, I discovered to my dismay after I brought it home, was called Super Cayenne II, but I figured the long and thin red peppers would serve decorative purposes. I dont like anything hotter than a radish from a garden, but I have a friend, Alan Doelp, who hails from West Texas. Chili and peppers are never hot enough for him, so Ill put him to the test.
There have been other surprises. Of the two peppers I planted in pots alongside the tomatoes on the north side of the house is one Im curious about. It is already producing, but the peppers are beige, almost white. Though tasty, they dont have the snappy taste of the standard green bell pepper.
A Late First
Tom, things have changed much since I was a boy into serious gardening. Like you, I feel young at it. For instance, theres one tomato plant robust and healthy, but the produce when ripe is a pale orange.
In New England, it was considered quite an accomplishment to have a single ripe tomato in the garden by the Fourth of July, but darned if this plant didnt produce three vine-ripened tomatoes by Fathers Day. I gave one to Chio, a neighbor, and she tells me theyre of a variety with low acid for those whose allergies cant take the traditional juicy big red brands.
So, Ive had my first-ever home-grown tomatoes before the Fourth, but I miss the rich flavor of Big Boys, New Yorkers and the like.
Garden Surprise
Then I have an even more mysterious tomato plant flourishing in some ways and not in others. It, like the Super Cayenne II, came by mistake in my haste to grab the healthiest looking plants before other early gardeners one busy late April Saturday morning at the Farm Market on Dorsey Road in Glen Burnie.
When I got it home, the little plastic sign stuck into its soil read Pineapple Tomatillo. Ive never heard of it, nor has anyone I asked. I called the market, only to get no help. I dont see the species mentioned in my garden books. Maybe a reader can satisfy my curiosity.
Matured, the leaves are not tomato-shaped but more rounded. There have been many blossoms and all have turned somewhat into cockle shell-shaped hollow balls. I examine them daily and have yet to see any development toward a tomato. So what do I have: a tomato shaped like a pineapple or a pineapple shaped like a tomato? Or something resembling neither? All I know is I have a robust, high and wide plant the biggest of all Im raising and not a single clue of what to expect.
In my rebirth at gardening, Ive found other changes, Tom. When I was a kid, you fertilized tomatoes with a generous handful of fertilizer, and that was it. From then on, the plant was on its own. Now they have stuff like Miracle-Gro, a fertilizer mixed with water and sprinkled heavily on the plant every couple of weeks. Heck, when I do that, I sit back and witness a growth spurt and more blossoms and presumably more produce. Am I cheating?
Im learning and re-learning all the time, Tom, and though there are some mysteries in this years effort, Im a happy camper, what with my first tomatoes almost three weeks before the Fourth of July and many a home-grown pepper already in salads.
Tom, when your most productive days were spent writing the Declaration of Independence and running this country for eight years, you had no time for gardening. You had to play catch-up later, and Im in the same box. For me and you, you can take the boy off the farm, but not the farm out of the boy.
Copyright 2002
Bay Weekly


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One of the most memorable and exciting moments of your life could be when you arrive at your wedding venue to finally get married to the love of your life. So when this moment comes, why not make sure everything about it is perfect, including your choice of transportation?
If you're not sure how to achieve this but you know you're not interested in a standard car or taxi dropping you off to get married, have a look at some of our ideas to find inspiration.
Old-fashioned vintage
When we say vintage, we're definitely not talking about being driven to your wedding in a friend's car they've since the nineties. Many specialist companies let you hire beautifully restored and maintained cars from the early 20th century, all of which are absolutely perfect for weddings. You could opt for a tiny car just big enough for the happy couple, or a classic stretch limo to accommodate the entire family!
Classic iconic vehicles
If your taste is for something a little more modern but the idea of a contemporary car doesn't appeal, you could take inspiration from some of the most iconic vehicles of the last few decades. Volkswagen camper vans are extremely popular wedding vehicles, as they're universally loved and perfect for a more relaxed theme. Smaller classics like the Beetle and the Mini are also top choices, or you could even go for the opposite in terms of scale and hire a classic London bus for your wedding!
Horse-drawn coach
Another popular wedding tradition that goes back many decades, this option does away with motorised vehicles altogether and goes back to a simpler time. For a real classic look, you might go for white horses pulling a decorated carriage to bring the bride to the venue or take the happy couple away towards their honeymoon. What could be more romantic?
Novelty themed vehicles
There really is no limit other than your imagination if you decide to opt for something extra-creative. Perhaps your wedding has a consistent theme that you want to stick with, or perhaps you just have a mutual love for a particular film or TV show and you want to make an iconic vehicle part of your special day. We've seen a number of famous vehicles appearing as wedding cars, including references to Herbie, Only Fools and Horses, Starsky and Hutch, The A Team, Wallace and Gromit, Transformers, Ghostbusters… the list really does go on.


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Please Log in to benefit from special discounts for members.
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Let us help you discover your inner chef at a Paloma Restaurant with rich buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner including organic varieties, or serve you the freshest seafood while dining at Ada Restaurant or at traditional Turkish Safran Restaurant, or enjoy the teste of Far East at Lotus Restaurant with spectacular view of the Mediterranean.
From interactive dining experiences to the finest cuisine in Turkey we serve you with eight restaurants at Oceana.
We offer a savory selection of menus with satisfaction of each palate.
Complement with our organic wine and exclusive wine lists and imaginative cocktails prepared by our bartenders or sample a range of local flavors with Raki tastings in our Piano lounge.
The breakfast, lunch and dinner buffet is prepared with style at Paloma Restaurant ranging from freshly squeezed orange juice, fruits to appetizing hot meals and organic varieties enjoy your meal at elegantly furnished restaurant and surrounding terrace
Breakfast: 07:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Late Breakfast: 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Lunch: 12:30 p.m. to 14:30 p.m.
Dinner: 18:30 p.m. to 21:00 p.m.
Safran dining room is a delight for all of your senses! Turkish music and its traditional Turkish menu adds to the ambience of ottoman.
Open certain days of the week between 18:30 pm and 21:00 pm.
With an inspiring sea view terrace, created on the idea that friendships flourish with a well-prepared, creative fish and Turkish meze varieties
Traditionally a humble place, with simple casual menu, good beer TV's and a lively atmosphere, a good sports bar is an oasis of casual fandom, free of pretensions and full of camaraderie and congenial competition. Watch your favorite game after while making new friends while playing billiards.
Allow our Chef Chen Yoo to prepare savoy creations to satisfy your taste with masterful sushi rolls and classic Far East cuisine
Share a delicious fare with your party and enjoy a variety of delicious meal overlooking at Mediterranean.
Fresh daily cakes, deserts and cookies served with coffee and tee between 12:00 pm and 17:00 pm.
For information and reservation
+90 850 440 00 00
PALOMA Oceana Resort
Ilıca Mahallesi 1. Sokak 07330 Kumköy, Side - Manavgat / Antalya / Turkey
+90 242 756 06 06
+90 242 756 06 20
Dear guest,
If you subscribe to our newsletter, you will receive regular emails about news, special offers and other topics regarding anything PALOMA.
If at any point you wish to unsubscribe from your newsletter, you can do so by clicking the provided unsubscribe link in the newsletter emails.
We do not share our subscribers' personal information with third parties.


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WordPress Maintenance Services – Enhanced Security, Technical Updates, Backup & Hack Removal
If your website is built on WordPress and you are constantly having trouble maintaining your site then get in touch with us. At VOOFA Marketing, our team of WordPress developer and technical assistants are ready to tuneup your website at a minimum monthly cost. Check our plans HERE.
Your website security is important, especially with eCommerce (WooCommerce) being a key player with WordPress based sites. Proper maintenance for WordPress based website is crucial and if not updated on time can break your site. Where WordPress being one of the most popular content management system with 47% market share online offering thousands of templates, plugins, widgets and extensions, it is prone to hack and loopholes. This is a common factor with any content management system that is being used at such a large scale widely across the world. (more…)


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Governments get clued in to 'customer' care
Governments are stealing a page from private enterprise and are viewing citizens as customers. A new survey found the results are stronger e-government initiatives worldwide.
A new report from Accenture Ltd. indicates a global shift in e-government strategies, as countries move from viewing online services merely as cost-reduction tools and regard them more as a way to improve relationships with citizens.
According to the fourth annual report published by Bermuda-based consultancy Accenture, 93% of the e-government officials polled ranked improving citizen satisfaction a top priority. Eighty-three percent of respondents cited customer demands for new and better services as a driver, and 77% are attempting to meet government performance targets. Whereas in the past, cost reduction was a primary driver of many e-government projects, this year slightly more than half listed savings as a major motivation.
Accenture surveyed 140 e-government project managers from 22 different countries in North America, Europe and Asia. Overall, Accenture said that e-government efforts improved by 8% this year in terms of performance, adoption and vision. Accenture researchers rate e-government success after posing as citizens in each country.
One of the major trends tracked by Vivienne Jupp, managing partner in Accenture's global e-government services group, was a shift toward treating citizens more like customers. In fact, Jupp said, government agencies are referring to users as "customers" nearly twice as often as they did one year ago. Many projects also have more of a CRM look and feel, she said.
"Much as with CRM, governments need to identify the right services for the right customers to have projects succeed," Jupp said. "This means understanding customers by using the information you already have about them to define what to deliver in terms of services."
Other key findings in the report include:
--E-government projects mature through a series of plateaus. Many start with simple plans and get bogged down until managers take a closer look at executing them. Projects often take a number of years to move forward.
--Increasing user adoption must become a priority for governments. It takes a number of years to break through a barrier of roughly 10% usage, typically three to four years. Governments need to do more to improve uptake, including adopting non-traditional government practices, like marketing or reaching out to try to better understand customers, Accenture found.
--Governments need new goals to drive different behavior in providing e-government services. Current targets have centered on the availability of information online, and success had been measured by the number of services available. Long-term strategy should focus increasingly on customer satisfaction and usage.
Accenture also ranked each of the 22 countries in the survey on the sophistication of their online services. The researchers used methodology that tracked how individual governments leveraged CRM practices, and they measured the level of "maturity" of e-government services based on performance and ease-of-use.
For the third year in a row, Canada claimed the title for overall e-government maturity based on a forward-thinking customer service vision, internal measurement of program success, and integration across government agencies. Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, the U.K, the U.S. and Singapore all ranked just one level below Canada.
What are your impressions of e-government initiatives? Share them with your colleagues.
California county finds CRM vendors low on functionality, high on price


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St Pius X College Chatswood has a proud tradition of providing high-quality Catholic education. Founded in 1937, St Pius X College is a Catholic school in the Edmund Rice tradition for boys in Years 5 to 12. The College has 1,140 students enrolled and is centrally located in the heart of Chatswood on Sydney's north shore.
The College is contemporary in its approach to teaching and learning and has implemented a range of practices and programs which are underpinned by current research into boys' education. The goal is to develop students, of diverse abilities and talents, into independent thinkers and collaborative workers; to be creative and curious; and to have a balanced approach to life. The College promotes the pursuit of knowledge, a love of learning and a commitment to personal excellence in a community that is alive with learning and activity. Highly regarded for its academic excellence, the College is consistently ranked as a leading school in NSW. The College offers a balanced and challenging academic, spiritual, extra and co-curricular program including: learning enrichment, languages, performing arts, sport and outdoor education, immersions and MindMatters – an integrated student wellbeing program now in its 10th year at the College.
At St Pius X every boy is valued and respected. Catholic values are at the very heart of St Pius X and Religious Education is at the core of everything that transpires at the College. The core values and beliefs of Faith, Excellence, Opportunity and Respect, as embedded in the Edmund Rice Education Australia Touchstones, provide the foundation for the boys' success today.
Principal: Mr John Couani
35 Anderson Street,
Chatswood, NSW, 2067
(02) 9411 4733


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>> make none! 'x == none >> to none! 42 == none
None! datatype
Table of Contents
1. Abstract
none! datatype represents a value that does not belong to any other datatype. It is analogous to nil or nothing in other programming languages.
None! is a member of the following typesets:
2. Creation
None values can be created using literal syntax, or at runtime using a
make constructor, or a
to conversion.
3. Literal syntax
The predefined word
none or the serialized syntax:
4. Testing values
none? to check if a value is of the
none! datatype.
>> none? 1 == false >> none? true == false >> none? none == true
type? to return the datatype of a given value.
>> type? none == none!
5. Predefined words
5.1. Functions


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is committed to building a firm of distinct and lasting value to both our community of investors and limited partners as well as the entrepreneurs we ultimately finance. Our principals have participated as entrepreneurs and investors in the earliest stages of many product categories that now represent significant businesses within the healthcare sector of the global economy.
It is these many different skills and experiences resident on the De Novo team that we bring to entrepreneurs and their management teams. We seek to complement and leverage one another's skills while working together with them to develop their ideas and products into companies that address unmet clinical needs.
We believe that our unique capabilities, track record, and expertise as innovators and operating executives in medical technology is unmatched within the venture community.


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12 Budget Tips from first timers in Seoul Korea
Travelling to Korea for the first time last year was a dream come true for me and my wife. It was an experience that we will never forget. So good that we already booked our next flight to Korea December this year to experience Snow!
Many of us think that we need loads of money to travel in Korea. That is not entirely true because you can travel Korea on a budget. On our 2015 trip, we spent a total of P22649.82 including airfare, and accommodation (but excluding shopping and souvenirs) per pax for 6 days. On our second trip to Korea (winter of 2016), we only spent P23116.42 all-in including the usual like airfare, accommodation plus skiiing, DMZ tour and Trick Eye museum. For me, this figure is just ok. It's not that high, but not that low either. This figure can definitely be lowered by following the tips I listed below. Just note that some of the items listed below are things we have done and would have done if given the chance again just to lower our expenses.
Read on for the tips!
If you don't have a S. Korean VISA yet, check our guide here!
For travel guides to South Korea, Check out our 2015 6D5N S. Korea Itinerary and Expenses here! and our 2016 7D6N Winter trip here!
Looking for budget friendly accommodations in Korea? Check out my review of Zaza Backpackers Hostel here and Hotel Maui here! For more recommendations, check this post or search for hotels here.
1. Airfare
Based on my observation these past few months, the airline that offers the cheapest rate from Manila to Incheon is Air Asia especially during promos. On our trip last September, we got round trip tickets at 7203 all-in (base fare at 5638 plus seat reservation fee, processing fee, baggage allowance) per pax. But on our future second trip, I booked a round trip flight at 5560 all-in (base fare 4340) cheaper than our first flight. However, they don't have direct flights to Busan. So if Busan is part of your Itinerary, then you can try Cebu Pacific if they have promos. In any case, you can just go by train from Seoul to Busan 🙂
2. Accommodations
No need to book a posh Hotel in Korea unless you really want to. But for budget travelers like us, a Hostel is fine (read our review of Zaza Backpacker's Hostel here and our review of Hotel Maui here). We initially planned to book in Airbnb (a much cheaper alternative) but since it was the height of the Mers-cov disease in Korea, we opted not to (better safe than sorry). Of course, there are other options like couch surfing, house-sitting, staying in relatives (if you have one in the host country) or staying at Hostel dorms (Check out Kimchee Guesthouse. You can stay in a dorm room for as low as 10k won a night) but it all depends on your comfort level. For us, we wanted a little bit of privacy so we booked a private room with own toilet and bath.
TIP: You would need a multi-voltage travel adapter in Korea as their outlet has two round holes. Instead of buying one, you can just borrow one from your hotel/hostel. More details here.
For a list of top recommended accommodations in Seoul by travelers, check this post or search and compare prices here for more hotels/hostels in Hotels combined.
3. Get discount coupons
Before your flight to Korea, make sure that you've printed some of the promotions and discount coupons they offer to foreign nationals. Below are some of the links where you can print out these coupons. On our last trip we used discount coupons on entrance fees to Korean Folk Village and Petite France. We also didn't pay any rental fee on the pocket wifi. Here are some of the links. Enjoy!
TIP: In Myeongdong, there are lots of stores that gives you freebies by just entering their establishment! So even if you are just window shopping, you can take a basket with a freebie in it.
4. Get T-Money or Seoul City Pass Plus
The T-Money is a transportation card used to pay for fares in subways, taxis, buses and even at convenience stores. When using T-money, the public transportation fare is 100 won cheaper than when paying in cash. The card costs 4000 won but you can refund the remaining balance for a fee of 500 won.
If you're going to take the Seoul City Tour bus to go Palace Hopping and Lotte World, then you must get the Seoul City Pass Plus card to avail some discounts. Its use is similar to the T-Money card, but offers discounts on some select attractions in Seoul. The card costs 3000 won.
More info between the two cards and others here:
TIP: In Seoul, you usually don't need a taxi. All places are accessible by train and bus but be prepared to walk a little bit. Wear comfortable shoes.
More TIP: If going to/from Incheon airport to downtown Seoul and you're taking the Airport Railroad Express, a good option for budget travellers (and not in a bit of a hurry) is to take the all-stop train. The all stop train only cost 4250 won while the express train cost 14800 won. The time difference is not that much also as the all stop train travels at 56 minutes while the express is 43 minutes.
5. Sharing is caring
If you're travelling with someone, especially someone close to you and you're in a really tight budget, then consider sharing food between yourselves. Some dishes in Korea are good for two. Just check that some restaurants/eateries in Korea don't allow food sharing but most of them allow this.
For budget conscious travelers, it's also a good idea to bring some food with you in Korea like breads or canned goods. But of course, don't bring a lot as you have to enjoy their food too.
Also check if your hostel has free breakfast even if it's just bread or coffee. You can ask them if you can take some with you outside especially if you are touring early in the morning and have no time to eat in the hostel.
6. Food is cheaper in non-touristy areas
Myeongdong is a tourist hub so prices of food there cost higher than other areas. If budget is a concern, walk a little bit away from the tourist spots and check if there are small eateries or street food there where locals eat. We found that university areas like Hongdae is cheaper and areas where there are less tourist spots like Dongmyo. We ate a big bowl of noodles (good for 2-3 persons) for just 3500 won and 5 pcs steamed dumplings for just 2500 won in Dongmyo area.
You can check our Seoul Food Trip here.
Our review of Meat-ing BBQ Buffet restaurant in Hongdae here.
7. Palace hopping
If you will be going Palace hopping i.e. going to Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung (including Huwon Secret Garden), Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung, and Jongmyo then it's better to get the Integrated pass that costs 10000 won as opposed to buying the tickets individually which will cost you a total of 14000 won.
We didn't avail this since we only went to Gyeongbokgung Palace.
Click here for more details regarding the Integrated Pass.
Also read, Top 10 Things to do in Seoul.
8. Go Museum Hopping or anywhere Free
There are several museums in Korea that not only are awesome but have free admission like the National Museum of Korea and War Memorial of Korea. Trust me, it's enlightening.
Other than museums, you can also go to places where it's awesome and definitely free! For example, on our last trip to Korea, we went to Haneul Park, Bongeunsa/Jogyesa temple, Bukchon Hanok Village and Dongmyo Park. All Free of entrance!
9. Try the Hanbok dress for free!
There are spots in Seoul where you can fit Korea's traditional costume for free. In our case, we tried it in the vicinity of Gwanghwamun square.
Some other places to try it for free:
If you want to go around Seoul wearing Hanbok or do some photoshoots, then you have to rent one for a fee. Check out the links below. They offer affordable Hanbok rentals.
Bukchon Oneday Hanbok Rental Experience
Hanbok Experience in Myeongdong
10. Tips on shopping
You can find cheap clothes at Dongdaemun and Namdaemun market. We scored some tees there for 2000 won only. Women's accessories and fashionable clothes at Ewha and Sinchon area. There are also cheap accessories and cosmetics in Myeongdong and in subways.
For electronics, you can try Yongsan Electronics Market though we didn't go there.
Lotte Mart is great for buying grocery items and food souvenirs. Lots of buy 1 get 1 chocolates 😀
Update: Dongmyo market is a must for budget conscious shoppers. There's a flea market and some shops that sells brand new items as well. For example, we bought a pair of brand new Winter shoes for just 20k won or PHP850, gloves for 1k won and a winter jacket for 7k won.
TIP: if you're a guy like me and you are with your wife or girlfriend, always look for a chair or a coffee shop. Yes, shopping may take a while… hang in there my friend.
11. The map is your best friend.
It's a pain in the ass to get lost much more so to your wallets. So it's always better if you bring a map with you or download an offline map (like 'Subway Korea') or just get connected to an online navigator app.
12. Buy some KRW here in the Philippines.
It's better to be prepared. BDO has some good PHP-KRW rates but I think you have to be an account holder and exchange it in your branch of account (that's what they told us and that's what we did).
But don't change your entire travel fund to KRW, buy some USD too.
Update: Forget buying USD. PHP is so weak these times against the dollar, so just bring KRW or PHP. If you need to exchange your PHP to KRW or vice versa in Korea, you can check out KEB bank or I think any banks there. Just check if they change it. We also saw money changers in Myeongdong that changes PHP to KRW.
That's it! Hope this helps you in any way. You can also ask in the comments section if you have any questions and I will try to answer it.
- South Korea DIY Trip: 6D 5N Itinerary and Expenses
- South Korea Winter Trip 7D 6N Itinerary and Expenses
- 12 Budget Tips from first timers in Seoul, Korea
- Top 10 Things to do in Seoul
- Hotel Maui DDM – New Hip Budget Hotel in Seoul
- Budget Hostel in Korea – Zaza Backpackers
- Top Seoul accommodations as recommended by travelers
- Hangang River Ferry Cruise / Yeouido Park
- Korean Folk Village; Tradition, Nature and Fun
- N Seoul Tower; A Thoughtful View of Korea
- Ewha Womans University / Sinchon / Hongdae
- Nami Island; Walking in Nature's Art
- Petite France
- Haneul Park; From wasteland to Heaven on Earth
- Temple Hopping in Seoul; Jogyesa – Bongeunsa
- Trick Eye Museum and other quirky places
- DMZ Half Day Tour
- Bukchon Hanok Village – Past Meets Present
- Meat-Ing Cheap BBQ Buffet Hongdae Korea
- Seoul Food Trip / Two Two Chicken
- Seoul Food Trip Part 2 – Winter Edition


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"Free the Press" - U.S. Embassy Pays Tribute to World Press Freedom Day
U.S. Embassy, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea:Tuesday, May 3rd marks World Press Freedom Day. On this day, we honor journalists who defend democratic ideals through their commitment to discovering and telling the truth. In doing so, we also pay tribute to journalism itself, a profession that is essential to good governance and the functioning of democracy.
Journalism is targeted to limit and control the free flow of information and ideas. Censorship gives power; it allows the truth to be masked, it propagates false narratives that play to self-serving interests, and allows the truth to be distorted.
At a time when the supply of information seems unlimited and overwhelming, journalists and journalism are being challenged like never before. It seems contradictory, but it makes a perverse kind of sense. The free flow of information is threatened while not only the messenger but also the message is targeted. In some places, restrictive press-laws are on the rise; media control and manipulation is becoming the norm rather than the exception. Yet, the free flow of information is the enemy of tyranny.
The free flow of information is not only being restricted, but versions of reality are being manufactured and dispensed as though it were news. There is a global epidemic of misinformation and propaganda. This is not an information war, but a war on truth -- on the very idea that there is a reality that can be verified. The goal is not so much to make people accept a distorted version of the truth, but to make people question whether there is any truth at all.
Free, unfettered, and uncensored access to information is essential for defending democracy. The remedy for misinformation is often just more information. The American Founders believed that freedom and free access to information were inextricably linked. They understood that a free press was the foundation of other freedoms.
The U.S. president, Thomas Jefferson said that a nation could never be ignorant and free. Almost 250 years ago, he wrote in the Declaration of Independence that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed. You can't agree to anything without the free access to information upon which that consent is based. Information is the lifeblood of freedom and the ability to make informed choices for ourselves, our communities, and our nations.
Freedom of expression is one of the United States' core values and one which we continue to defend both at home and overseas. It is a fundamental freedom enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. And we believe that all governments have a commitment to uphold this fundamental freedom, which encompasses press freedom.
Restrictions on journalists often run counter to freedom of expression. Journalists and other members of the media, such as editors and publishers, should be able to freely investigate, research, publish, and disseminate news, information, and opinions both online and off line.
We believe that governments are responsible for protecting journalists from physical harm and intimidation, and when journalists are the victims of crimes, governments are responsible for investigating those crimes and bringing the perpetrators to justice. When the press is censored or self-censors due to intimidation, society suffers.
This year, the U.S. State Department launched its fifth annual "Free the Press" campaign on April 25. The campaign concludes on World Press Freedom Day but we must always remember the valuable contributions and professional commitment journalists make each and every day to defend our democratic ideals.


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Temple Of The Dog
Chris Cornell's Bandmates Pay Tribute To Their "Dark Knight" & "Brother"
"Thank you for the incredible outpouring of kindness and love."
Police Report Reveals Details Of Chris Cornell's Final Hours
Including a disturbing conversation with his wife Vicky.
Watch Temple Of The Dog Perform Unreleased Track 'Missing' Live
Originally written in the early '90s.
Temple Of The Dog Could Record A New Album & Extend Their Reunion Tour Beyond The US
"It depends on how much fun we have with it, and how much people get out of it."
Pearl Jam, Soundgarden Supergroup Temple Of The Dog Announce Reunion & First Ever Tour
The '90s grunge supergroup are eager to finally tour their 1991 album, a quarter of a century later.
Chris Cornell Weighs In To The Temple Of The Dog Master Tape Battle
Chris Cornell has weighed into an ongoing legal battle between A&M Records and a Seattle studio owner over possession of the master tapes from the recording sessions of his grunge supergroup, Temple of the Dog's self-titled album. Said tapes are currently the centrepiece of a lawsuit put forth by the record company against Raj Parashar,
Watch Grunge Royalty Re-Team For Mad Season & Temple Of The Dog Reunions
Current members of Soundgarden, Pearl Jam and Alice In Chains, and a former member of Guns N' Roses have teamed up for a huge Seattle concert titled Sonic Evolution, the fourth annual concert organised by the Seattle Symphony in celebration of Seattle's musical history. What's more, footage of the musicians reviving tracks by Mad Season
Watch Pearl Jam & Soundgarden Reform Supergroup Temple Of The Dog
90s grunge supergroup Temple Of The Dog, comprised of members from Pearl Jam and Soundgarden, reunited for the first time in three years over the weekend as part of Neil Young's annual Bridge School Benefit acoustic concert. Rolling Stone reports the reunion came at the end of Pearl Jam's set, when PJ frontman Eddie Vedder