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Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe Investing on Martha's Vineyard
Martha's Vineyard [Wikipedia] is a Massachusetts island getaway known for its summery charm, affluence, and the famous political and cultural icons who spend time there. Actress Meg Ryan calls the island home. President Barack Obama vacations on the "Vineyard" regularly, as does the family of former President Bill Clinton.
Famous personalities like Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, and Jake Gyllenhaal have been spotted on the island. Celebrities love the location because of the privacy it affords them; wealthy locals have a healthy respect for their famous neighbors and rarely exploit them with unwelcome photo shoots or other paparazzi-like behavior.
Recently, many island dwellers and visitors became upset when leaders of the Aquinnah Wampanoag tribe announced their intention to construct a casino on the island. The leaders would like to turn an unfinished piece of tribal land into a bingo parlor/poker hall complete with electronic betting terminals, or EBTs. Critics say the new building would disrupt the tranquility and unique, ocean-side charm that Martha's Vineyard residents and visitors have always enjoyed.
Townspeople Fear Increased Crime
Julianne Vanderhoop, a local government figure in the area, recited a laundry list of her fears for what might happen if a casino were to set up shop on Martha's Vineyard, including "theft, vandalism, drugs, (and) alcohol." Interestingly, Vanderhoop is not only a representative of local government; she is also an Aquinas Wampanoag tribal member. It seems that not all tribal members on Martha's Vineyard are in favor of the proposed casino project.
A Way for Native Americans to Share Tourist Dollars
Even those who don't support the addition of a casino can understand why tribe members would want to build one. Local businessman thinks a casino on the Vineyard would be "an unfortunate way of making an income," yet he says he understands the tribe's desire for that income. At a vacation destination like Martha's Vineyard where tourist dollars fatten the local economy on a regular basis, it seems unfair that Native Americans who share the land wouldn't also be able to share some of that wealth.
Perks of a Vineyard Casino: Something New and Different
Tribal spokeswoman Cheryl Andrews-Maltais offers a different take on the situation. A casino, Andrews-Maltais says, would not be the major draw for tourists who visit the Massachusetts island, but it would provide residents and visitors with something new and different to do. Andrews-Maltais ticks off a short list of activities enjoyed by the inhabitants of the island: beaches, restaurants, movies. A casino would create one more place of leisure for visitors and residents to have fun, she says, and there's nothing wrong with that.
Massachusetts Governor Opposes Casino on Vineyard
Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick does not want to see a casino erected on the illustrious island. According to Patrick, a 1983 ruling in which the Wampanoag forfeited their rights to casino operation still applies today. In spite of the governor's lack of support, the tribe is pursuing the funding it needs to get the project started.
About the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe
Members of the Aquinnah Wampanoag tribe received federal recognition in 1987. The majority of them live on Massachusetts' mainland, while about one quarter live on the island. Some reside in their namesake island town of Aquinnah. Aquinnah is famous for its quiet environment, Gay Head clay cliffs, and a nude seaside bathing spot called the Jungle Beach.
Casino Profitability
Establishing a casino on Martha's Vineyard is a novel idea that admittedly has merit, but skeptics wonder how profitable the proposed tribal facility would actually be. The tribe has yet to release any projected financial data, and because Martha's Vineyard is seasonally popular, it's possible that a casino would struggle for customers during the parts of the year when tourists don't visit as much. The Vineyard's busiest time of year is the summer, when over . During the Vineyard's slow season, however, the total population amounts to less than 20,000.
Other Massachusetts Vacation Spots
Massachusetts boasts two other glorious waterfront vacation spots: Cape Cod and Nantucket. Summer visitors on the peninsula of Cape Cod enjoy swimming, fishing, and surfing in the ocean waters. The Cape is known for its beachfront beauty and breathtaking views. Artists, photographers, and musicians gravitate toward the area for its natural inspiration. At this time, no casinos operate on Cape Cod. The nearest gambling hall to Cape Cod is Connecticut's Foxwoods Resort in Ledyard, over 100 miles away. If the Wampanoag tribe opens a facility on Martha's Vineyard, however, residents of Cape Cod will find themselves much closer to gambling opportunity.
Nantucket is an island of about 10,000 people located south of Cape Cod. The population of this colony swells to about 50,000 during the summer. Artists regularly visit Nantucket to paint, photograph, and draw the island's gorgeous seascapes. Nantucket residents wishing to gamble could travel approximately three hours to get to Raynham-Taunton Greyhound Park in the Massachusetts town of Raynham or approximately four hours to get to Newport Grand Slots in Rhode Island. Indeed, a new casino on Martha's Vineyard would shorten gamblers' commute considerably.
At this point, residents of the Vineyard, Cape Cod, and Nantucket must travel many miles to access gambling of any sort. Because of this, the market for a casino in the area of Martha's Vineyard could be a promising one. If the Aquinnah Wampanoag are to be successful, however, they will have to get past the governor of Massachusetts and the skepticism of some Vineyard residents first. They will also have to come up with the $10 million they'd need to construct the casino. It's little more than a pipe dream at this time, but in a few years, the visitors and residents of Martha's Vineyard could have a new way to spend their hours of leisure: a tribal casino.


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2020 Tour Dates
Nov 23-30 🍁
2021 Tour Dates
Mar 29-Apr 5 🌸
Nov 24-Dec 1 🍁
🌸 Blossom Season
🍁 Fall Colors
⭐ Guaranteed Trip
🍱 Almost Full!
Level 2 out of 5
Daily Distance: 30-80km
Daily Elevation: 100-800m
See FAQ for Route Levels
Premium Ryokan Hotels + Futon Japanese Beds + Public Hot-Spring Onsen Bath
Learn more about the ryokan experience
Hiroshima Prefecture
Ehime Prefecture
Shimanami Kaido
Tobishima Kaido
Dogo Onsen
+ $1,000 USD Single Supplement
+ $750 USD e-Bike Rental
The Setouchi Sea region of Japan is steeped in ancient and modern Japanese history. Some of the most unique aspects of Japanese culture and tradition live here, including the Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimage, the Shimanami Kaido, and the ancient Izumo Taisha Shrine.
Since time immemorial, this has been an area of immense historical and political importance. It is also home to the Japan's historical naval bases, which led to the tragic dropping of the first atomic bomb. Rebuilt upon a vision for a peaceful future, cities like Onomichi and Matsuyama couple their historic machinami (or townscape) with progressive modern culture. The small islands that pepper the sea between Ehime and Hiroshima have become home to some of the most beautiful cafes and bicycle vistas in the world. We'll explore many of these unique places by way of the Shimanami Kaido, Japan's much-loved bike route!
Traverse islands on roads and bridges built just for cycling. Relax at a historical seaside onsen. Watch the sun descend behind the mountains in the distance. Experience the Shimanami Kaido, a bright blue path of bike lanes and bridges built across the islands of the Setouchi Sea. Explore the mountains of Ehime, and the famous shrine in the water at Miyajima. Enjoy exquisite meals prepared just for you. We cannot wait for you to soak in the beauty of this often unexplored region!
Rob has built a cycling adventure which is truly authentic; riding on quiet, scenic roadways, challenging climbs, bountiful vistas and staying at unique country ryokans. Really gives you a feel for the pulse of the region. The support is great, the attention to detail is superb, and most of all his enthusiasm and joy comes through in every step. [Bespoke Tour 2019]
The biking-ryokan-onsen combination is fantastic, loved it! Both you guys were great company, and we enjoyed the cultural exchange dinner conversations. Learnt a lot more about Japan in this short trip than from other Jap holidays. The planning and organisation were professional, your eloquence with the language was impressive, and our bikes were a joy to ride. Hope to come again on another ride with BTJ in future! [Bespoke Tour 2018]
Bike Tour Japan was OUTSTANDING. The riding was incredible with beautiful Fall colors, quiet back roads and challenging climbs. The countryside is gorgeous and Rob knows how to end every day at the perfect ryokan with onsen baths and delicious food! Can't wait to do another tour in 2018! [Tour of the North Alps 2017]
Melanie and David
We have been on many cycling tours around the world and we can honestly say that this tour has been far more outstanding than any other tour we have been on in the past. Our tour guide was without question one of the most helpful, professional & friendly person one could ever meet !!!!! We highly recommend Bike Tour Japan! [Bespoke Tour 2019]
Cheryl and John
John and I loved our time with Bike Tour Japan. The guides, Rob, Michelle, and Michael were fun, full of information, history,geology and talents. They treated us to rides in beautiful cedar forests, vistas high above the countryside, and incredible food. Japan has many treasures in their culture and graciousness. Our trip couldn't have been better. We went in December and it was delightful. dress warmly and you will love it. The ryokans were extraordinary and their breakfasts and dinners elaborate and bountiful. We hope to go again and would highly recommend this guide group. We have been on many bike trips and this scores the highest. Cheryl and John [Valleys and Volcanoes 2018]
My husband and I have just returned from a most wonderful bike trip with Bike Tour Japan guides, Rob, Michele and Michael. We were fortunate to be there when the maples and their red, golds and oranges were on fire with color. Just beautiful!! We visited hidden magical shrines tucked away in the forest. After interesting and sometimes challenging rides we soaked in fabulous hot spring-fed baths and tucked ourselves into cozy futon beds on tatami mats in the lovely ryokans. Meals were a real adventure too as we sampled every imaginable and artistically displayed culinary delight the Japanese are famous for. We just so appreciate how professional and fun our guides were. We had a blast, lots of laughs and great camaraderie. We highly recommend this trip. [Valleys and Volcanoes 2018]
Bike Tour Japan was a fantastic experience for me and the group I rode with. Riding in Japan is incredible, and it's mountains are gorgeous but what really sets my trip aside from something I could have done myself was the excellent route selection, local knowledge, and help navigating traditional japanese culture along the way.
All the Japanese countryside is gorgeous but not all of it is great for bike riding. Thanks to Rob's experience from living and riding here we always had excellent routes planned, with the best places to stop and take pictures known, the best mid ride lunch stops.
Michaels experience living in Japan immersing himself in Japanese culture was also hugely helpful during our trip. He was hugely helpful being fluent in Japanese at all our locations , and I would urge anyone interested to talk to him about Japanese culture.
If you want to have great supported rides, in the gorgeous Japanese countryside guided by two great people, and enjoy some Japanese culture and the company and great knowledge of the area from two people have spent significant time there and lived in the country at a price far below what any competitor offers bike tour japan is for you. [The Japanese Alps 2017]
For me, when thinking about a bike trip, there are five features that contribute to how memorable and enjoyable the trip was: the routes, the hotels, the food, the bikes, and the guide. BTJ nailed each of these right on the head. [Bespoke Tour 2019]
I've been on many great cycling vacations, but my experience with Bike Tour Japan was easily the best of all of them. Rob and Michael were incredible hosts: hugely knowledgeable about the area, top-notch hospitality, and best of all, really fun to be around. The bike routes were extraordinary; each and every day on the Ashikaga training camp felt as picturesque as a National Geographic documentary, and I rode a wonderful mixture of challenging mountains, valleys, and descents. [Ashikaga Training Camp 2018]
James & Tallulah
Fast, professional, thorough and completely bespoke. Additionally, a thorough knowledge of bike touring in Japan coupled with native English language abilities make for a really easy group to deal with. Recommend [Tour of the North Alps 2016]
BikeTourJapan is an incredible tour company. Cycling is my passion and I travel all over the world to ride. Rob made Japan an amazing experience. His extensive knowledge of the local routes through the area made it so memorable. Rob's key strength is the his Japanese fluency yet being an American, understanding of his client's needs. Do not hesitate booking with BikeTourJapan! [Ashikaga Training Camp]
Bike Tour Japan was truly an epic adventure. I'm beyond grateful for the experience and eternally thankful to Rob and Michael for organizing and leading such an amazing trip. The roads, valleys, mountains, towns, cities, country sides, and people of Japan are all so wonderful. And the food! So much great food! Oh and the convenience stores are awesome! You've never been to a good convenience store until you've been to Japan. You could live out of a Lawson or 7-Eleven!
If you have the chance to go, you better not miss out. I can't wait to go back again someday soon. [The Japanese Alps 2017]
Had an amazing 5 day bike trip with Rob and Michelle. Would highly recommend for bikers of all levels. [Bespoke Tour 2018]
Amazing trip through the North Alps, which feel like a mix of Congo, Alps and Hawaiian volcanoes. We only saw a handful of Westerners the entire week and ate beautiful Japanese meals, soaked in amazing Onsen each night and stayed in great Ryokans throughout. The rides were challenging and amazing. From steep climbs up the highest peaks to incredible 20-mile runs down through huge valleys. These guys put together a perfect journey that was challenging and also provided lots of options for beautiful hiking. We climbed the highest volcano in Japan and even got in a round of golf on a rainy day! [Bespoke Tour 2018]
The tour and a vacation of a lifetime. Robert and company were the perfect hosts and organizers taking us to places and situations in the Japanese culture we would never been able to access ourselves. Riding the Japanese Alps at peak fall colors dazzled my retinas and burned into my brain an experience I will never forget. [Tour of the North Alps 2017]
We had a very amazing bike vacation in the Northern Alps of Japan. The scenery, Ryokans, Onsen were very beautiful and enjoyable. Both Rob and Michael did an excellent job finding these nice places to stay after great riding every day. It was an excellent cultural, culinary trip thanks to two amazing people. Thank you Rob and Michael. [Tour of the North Alps 2017]
BikeTourJapan brought my dream vacation into reality. Amazing rides matched with unforgettable scenery, endless photo opportunities. I got to experience beautiful countryside, amazing hot spring towns, friendly folks, great food, all one could ask for, and to be on a bike, the icing on the cake…..cant wait for my next trip, on a bike…..in Japan, thanks Robert !!!! [The Japanese Alps 2016] & [Bespoke Tour 2018]
We spent a fantastic weekend with our friends Rob and Michelle riding around the beautiful hills of Gunma this November. We both needed a break from working life in Tokyo and our trip with Bike Tour Japan proved to be a very welcome one.
Their planning of the trip was meticulous – Rob told me before how he enjoys the challenge of planning the perfect trip and now I really believe him! They had custom bikes ready for us, took care of planning all our routes, had a number of delicious meal options each day (both Japanese and alternatives), and gave us options each day so we could choose our adventure based on how we felt in the moment.
All of their planning allowed us to enjoy two days of carefree riding, without any of the stress we would have experienced had we attempted the trip by ourselves. In particular, they even organised for a bike with an detachable electric motor for my girlfriend who could use it on steeper climbs (but didn't need to in the end as she kicked all our butts without it!)
We are both novice riders and for anyone like ourselves thinking of going on a trip, I can't recommend Bike Tour Japan enough. We enjoyed it so much that we are both buying our first road bikes and dreaming of our next trips around Japan. Thank you Rob and Michelle for everything! [Bespoke Tour 2018]
Rob and Michael, I was just looking back over my photos of the Japan tour last year, great memories! Amazing riding, food and culture!! I can't wait to go back! You guys made it so easy too! I will be booking again, and hopefully have a few friends on board as well. Thanks again for making the trip so amazing! [The Japanese Alps 2017]

subset: commoncrawl


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Ego Eradicator opens the lungs, consolidates the magnetic field, and brings the brain hemispheres to a state of alertness.
Posture: This exercise can be done in Easy Pose or Rock Pose. Raise the arms up to a 60 degree angle. Keep the elbows straight and the shoulders down. Apply Neck Lock. Curl the fingertips on to the pads of the palms at the base of the fingers. Thumbs are stretched back, pointing towards each other.
Eyes: Eyes are closed.
Mental Focus: Focus above the head.
Breath: Breath of Fire
Time: Continue for 1 - 3 minutes.
To end: Inhale deeply and bring the arms overhead with the thumbtips touching. Open the fingers, exhale and relax the arms down.
There are variations of this exercise found in many different kriyas.
© 3HO. This kriya is courtesy of YB Teachings, LLC. Used with permission.


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ATTENTION Customers, All Partners and Employees: The Customer Support Portal (CSP) will be undergoing maintenance and unavailable on Saturday, November 7, 2020, from 11 am to 11 pm PST. Please read our blog for more information.
My www server is in DMZ, I have strict security policy that allow:
- web-browsing
- web-crawler
- ssl
- rss
- flash
I have application -default as a service.
Is it enought for indexing services like Google and any other?
Hello slv,
Looks like there is a server installed in dmz and you would like to know what apps or services should be allowed.
1 Based on what services the server offers accordingly the services and apps have to be configured to have access for the services from the server.
2 You can initially have apps "any" and services "any" if you want to know what kind of traffic is being requested. By this we can know what services and apps are being identified to be opened up appropriately.
3 Also with the existing setup you have certain apps and its default ports opened up. If you are seeing any drops in the traffic logs trying to reach the server then if that connections are legit then you know what more has to be opened up.
If we go to applipedia or the applications page on the firewall there are a lot of applications pertaining to google and it is best to search here to add the required apps to allow the required traffic.
That all I know, I expected answer from real configuration and community users experience.
Could someone share it?
With regards
Think there is no similar config for google and other, demand what you put in other, depend content on your server, depend on many things.
Best thing should be to change your policy with app any, service http, audit the flow for couple of minutes and based on logs, create an accurate policy.
Hope help
Never use apps alone for inbound connections to your DMZ Server, always use service ports for that. If you use apps only you will open a big hole in your firewall.
Maybe I misunderstood your question and your talking outbound from your DMZ Server.
Hi Gafrol
Could You explain me why I should use service ports insted of aplications. For me it's strange, ie: on port 80 we have more than 2000 aplications.
I'm using aplication because I prefer to protect my servers (by thread prevention) also PAN check traffic for inproper transmission.
Do I'm wrong?
As you sugested I changed settings in policy, now it's any/any as an aplication and services. Report made from yesterdays logs says:
As You can see there is a lot of unwanted aplications, I'd like to let them working:
- web-browsing
- flash
- ssl
- web-crawler
- ssh
- ftp
- ping
Rest of applications are unwanted for me.
How I should reconfigure my security policy?
Should I put this applicatios into apps and create my own services:
web-browsing (tcp/80, tcp/443)
webdav (tcp/443, tcp/80)
ssh (tcp/22)
ftp (tcp/21, what about data stream?)
ping (icmp)
and put them into services?
Help me please to properly configure my device
With Regards
I have another question for You - related to this problem. In dayly report I got:
Why they are blocked? I'm not using URL filtering in this security policy.
How to troubleshoot it?
In the service column of the rule instead of using service "any" change it to "application-default". That should help.
Click Accept as Solution to acknowledge that the answer to your question has been provided.
The button appears next to the replies on topics you've started. The member who gave the solution and all future visitors to this topic will appreciate it!
These simple actions take just seconds of your time, but go a long way in showing appreciation for community members and the Live Community as a whole!
The Live Community thanks you for your participation!


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The National Register boundary for the Knauss, Heinrich, House follows the 15.39-acre parcel of land defined by East Main Street to the west and adjacent developed land parcels to the north, east, and south. The entire boundary covers one tax parcel, #K9-3-46A.
The boundary for the Knauss, Heinrich, House encompasses the entire tax parcel. This lot has historically and functionally been associated with the house since its construction in 1777 and is the remnant of the original 200-acre farm. The boundary includes the house and later bam. All other building resources once associated with the farm have been demolished.


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Search Constraints
You searched for: Subject Topographic maps Remove constraint Subject: Topographic maps Subject Elevation Remove constraint Subject: Elevation Place Puerto Rico Remove constraint Place: Puerto Rico Place Alaska Remove constraint Place: Alaska Place Connecticut Remove constraint Place: Connecticut Data type Raster Remove constraint Data type: Raster
Search Results
1. Color North America Shaded Relief: 1-Kilometer Resolution
1993. USGS National Center for EROS. The North America Shaded Relief data were derived from the GTOPO30 elevation data. GTOPO30 is a global digital elevation model (DEM) with a horizon... National Atlas of the United States.
2. Topographic and Bathymetric Shaded Relief of North America
2005. National Atlas of the United States. The Topographic and Bathymetric Shaded Relief of North America map layer shows depth and elevation ranges using colors, with relief enhanced by sha... National Atlas of the United States.


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Our friends, the Rathers, remembered I collect Caldecott books and gave us this book to celebrate June's arrival. We love it! It's called The Lion & the Mouse and it's the most recent Caldecott award recipient. It's by Jerry Pinkney and it tells the story of the famous fable. But. Because it's wordless, the illustrations do all the story-telling. (Although, thankfully, there's recap of the fable in the end notes. Very helpful for those of us who couldn't remember how it went.)
This book is beautiful. It's a perfect one for a slow afternoon — when you can take the time to let your kids explore the illustrations and think of what the story might be.


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A Girl's Guide to Home Skills
A Girl's Guide to Home Skills will take you through the areas of a home, offering checklists, scheduling charts, and detailed instructional home lessons to teach your daughter the necessary skills for housekeeping and making a home-sweet-home. A range of activities are included; most are appropriate for younger elementary-aged girls, with some activities more appropriate for younger/older girls.
Contains the following sections:
All color-coded for easy reference, too!
- Cozy, Inviting Kitchens
- Lovely Living Rooms
- Genuine Hospitality
- Provident Pantries
- Comfortable & Tidy Bedrooms
- Sparkling Clean Bathrooms
- Organized Closets
- Tidy Yards & Porches
Each of the sections are divided into instructions for Daily, Weekly, Monthly and Seasonal tasks and ideas. The book is filled with captivating and beautiful vintage drawings throughout as well.
A few of the practical skills learned within the pages of this resource include how to: make cleaning solutions, plan a menu, make an accent pillow cover, prepare an emergency kit, acquire the virtue of hospitality, beautify the bedroom, and organize any closet in the house.
Though Mrs. Greene is the primary author and editor of this volume, she hasn't done the work alone. She has brought in the wisdom of other contributing authors, among whom are Rebekah Wilson, Jan Drexler, Patsy Norwood, and her own Aunt Sophie and Grandmother Foster.
About the Author
Martha Greene is the founder of Marmee Dear & Company, and lives with her family on seven beautiful acres in South Carolina, where they own and operate a family retreat center. In addition to A Girl's Guide to Home Skills she is also the author of The Treasury of Vintage Homekeeping Skills, The Young Man's Handybook, and Marmee's Kitchen Primer.
We encourage our readers to consult not only this volume, but our entire Homemaking section, where other books for training young ladies in these skills may be found, among which are Our 24 Family Ways by Clay Clarkson and The Life-Giving Home by Sally Clarkson.


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BEIJING (Reuters) - Property investment in China picked up in November, in contrast to other key data where growth weakened sharply, though soft home sales and land purchases pointed to a dim outlook for the sector amid a slowing broader economy.
Real estate investment, which mainly focuses on the residential sector but includes commercial and office space, rose 9.3 percent in November from a year earlier, accelerating from 7.7 percent in October, according to Reuters calculations based on data released by National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Friday.
Also on Friday, China reported retail sales grew at their weakest pace since 2003 and industrial output rose the least in nearly three years in November.
For the first 11 months, property investment increased 9.7 percent from the year-earlier period, the same percentage as in January-October. In the previous months, the percentage increase had dropped for three months.
The upbeat headline number for November was largely buoyed by more construction starts. Measured by floor area, such starts surged 21.7 percent from a year earlier, up from 14.7 percent in October, according to Reuters calculations.
"After busy land acquisition under high leverage early this year, developers now are rushing to launch new construction and kick off presales in hopes to collect cash as quick as possible as financing pressure mounts," said Nie Wen, economist at Hwabao Trust in Shanghai.
In China, the sales process usually begins soon after construction starts, and historically most apartments are sold before they are completed.
However, after strong growth in 2016 and 2017, sales have been subdued this year, on the back of tighter controls to cool property prices.
As worries about the economy increase, potential home buyers tend to grow more cautious about spending.
In November, property sales by floor area, a major indicator of demand, fell 5.1 percent from a year earlier, compared with October's 3.1 percent drop. In the first 11 months, property sales by area rose 1.4 percent from a year earlier, official data showed.
Analysts predict the softer sales will constrain price growth in coming months, dampening developers' appetite for front-loading construction.
In another sign of cooling sentiment, China's land market has been less vigorous in the second half of 2018, with land sale premiums narrowing and failed auctions surging, suggesting developers have turned more cautious as liquidity condition deteriorates.
Failed land auctions in China's 300 cities totaled 618 cases by the end of November, according to state-run China News Service, more than double 2017's number.
Funds raised by China's real estate developers in the first 11 months grew 7.6 percent from the same period a year earlier, compared with 7.7 percent in January-October, the NBS data showed.
Some property companies, such as Evergrande Group 3333.HK and Times China Holdings 1233.HK, recently sold bonds at double-digit yield, underlining the rising financing they face.
A Reuters poll this week showed property investment would slow to 4 percent in 2019, while housing sales are expected to fall 5 percent amid slowing economic activity and tough financing conditions for smaller developers.
The softening in the housing market adds to the rising headwinds facing the world's second-largest economy, which is trying to ward off a sharp slowdown amid a bitter trade war with the United States.
Most economists expect China's local governments to relax restrictions on buyers in 2019 as their revenue from real property market shrinks.
Household loans, mostly mortgages, increased to 656 billion yuan in November from 563.6 billion yuan in October, central bank data showed on Tuesday.
Reporting by Min Zhang, Lusha Zhang and Ryan Woo; Editing by Richard Borsuk
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.


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Sewer line repairs involves various activities that are related with blockages of pipes used in draining away of the waste material. Normally, it is not an easy task and therefore requires a competent plumber who has a wide knowledge in dealing with the repairs. The problems resulting from a damaged or rather blocked sewers are very vital to the environment and the health of all human beings. There are a number of instance when one is required to fix a sewer line repair. Bellows shows some of these instances when the sewer repair is needful to the environment or home compound.
Extreme weather damages. Effect of weather can be one of the contributing factor that can cause an individual to require a sewer line repair. Such conditions involve wind and tornadoes. Other effects may such which are related with natural calamities like the earthquakes which cause pipes to shift. This lead to the leakage of pipes making them to burst out.
Homeowners damage. Sewer lines can be tampered with during house renovation hence leading to issues with the systems. Also, when carrying out landscaping works, there can be appoint where people interfere with such situations causing sewer line to break. This instances should be avoided where possible and especially to people who have a knowledge of where the sewer line is passing through. Whenever such circumstances are encountered, it is necessary to seek the help of a professional plumber or a plumbing company which specializes with such issues in the given area.
Worn out pipes. pipes get to worn out due to the effect of corrosion cause by the rust. This can cause leakages in the sewer systems. Hence there is a need for one to consult the relevant person to come and make the possible repairs to prevent bad odor that can be encountered as a w result of sewer blockages and leakages. To ensure this problem is effectively met, it is good to ensure new pipes are used while rectifying the mess. It will also give a guarantee of a wide durability of time before such an occurrence is encountered.
Tree roots. Another major cause of sewer repair is the effect due to the tree roots. Sewer that are located close to the trees are likely to be affected by such issues. This is because the roots start to find their ways close to the sewers hence wrapping their roots to the sewer pipes cause severe damage. As a result of a long period of this wrapping, there is a breakage of the pipe which require more work to be done to eradicate the cause. The most way to avoid such instances is look for another alternative where the sewer can pass through. Other people can try to divert from such areas where trees are located. It is thus necessary to take key note on such issue to avoid much cost that one can incur by having to repairs such works. Sewer lines should also be noted by all people to avoid making such minor mess in future.


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Expand All
SDOH-6.2 Proportion of persons eligible to participate in elections, who are registered, and report voting in the most recent November election
About the Data
Description of the data source, numerator, denominator, survey questions, and other relevant details about the national estimate.
Number of registered voters who reported voting in the November election
Number of registered voters
From the Current Population Survey:
In recent years, voter-participation data were derived from replies to the following questions. Voting age citizens were asked:
"In any election some people are not able to vote because they are sick or busy, or have some other reason, and others do not want to vote. Did (this person) vote in the election held on November (date varies)?"
Respondents were classified as either "voted" or "did not vote." In most tables, this "did not vote" category includes those who reported "did not vote" or "do not know," as well as noncitizens and non-respondents. The data on registration were obtained by asking the following question to those who reported they "did not vote":
"Was (this person) registered to vote in the November (date varies) election?"
It was assumed that those who reported voting were also registered. Therefore, the total registered population was derived by combining the number of people who voted with the number of non-voters who reported being registered.
Voting and Registration data have been collected biennially in the November Current Population Survey (CPS) since 1964. The statistics presented are based on replies to survey inquiries about whether individuals were registered and/or voted in specific national elections. For the purpose of these estimates, election types are considered to be either Congressional (e.g. 2002, 2006, etc.) or Presidential (e.g. 2004, 2008, etc.).
People who are not United States citizens are not eligible to vote. The voting-age population also includes a considerable number of people who cannot register to vote despite meeting citizen and age requirements. Some people are not permitted to vote because they have been committed to the penal system, mental hospitals, or other institutions, or because they fail to meet state and local resident requirements for various reasons. The eligibility to register is governed by state laws – legalities that differ from one another in many respects.
Registration is the act of qualifying to vote by formally enrolling on an official list of voters. People who have moved to another election district must take steps to have their names placed on the voting rolls in their new place of residence. The state of North Dakota has no formal registration requirement – voters merely present themselves at the polling place on election day with proof that they are of age and have met the appropriate residence requirements. Therefore, in North Dakota, people who are citizens and of voting age (and who meet the residence requirement), are automatically considered registered.
Over the years, changes have been made to the Voting and Registration supplement. The only constant is that in all iterations of the survey a separate question has been included regarding both voting and registration. In some years (1982, '84, '86, '90) these were the only questions asked. In other years, additional questions were included. For example, in 1984, respondents were asked a total of six questions, two of which concerned the time of day that a respondent voted. Similarly, in 1988 respondents were asked if they had registered for that election specifically.
The Voting and Registration supplement has remained relatively consistent since 1996. In that year, respondents were asked specifically whether or not they registered to vote after January 1st, 1995. This allowed analysts to directly assess the influence of the National Voter Registration Act (or The Motor Voter Act). In 2004, the Census Bureau stopped asking specifically about this date, but the supplement continues to gather information on whether respondents were registered to vote and by what means this registration occurred.
Revision History
Any change to the objective text, baseline, target, target-setting method or data source since the Healthy People 2020 launch.


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Casino Roulette
Have you ever played roulette? There are many people who wish they had, but were afraid to do so, because it is said to be complicated. Are you one of them? Do not worry! Now you can learn the simple rules of this classic game thanks to "Casino Roulette".
"Casino Roulette" really stands out due to its neat layout and transparent rules. You don't have to be an experienced player to enjoy this game. Accompanied by relaxing music you are going to feel like playing in a land based casino.
Game rules
- Select a chip and place your favorite bet
- Bets on BLACK/RED, LOWER/HIGHER 18, ODD EVEN pay 2:1
- Bets on DOZENS: 1-12, 13-24, 25-36, HORIZONTAL COLUMNS pay 3:1
- Bets on 6 numbers pay 6:1
- Bets on 4 numbers pay 9:1
- Bets on 3 numbers pay 12:1
- Bets on 2 numbers pay 18:1
- Bets on 1 number pay 36:1
- Press shortly the Cancel Bet button to cancel the last bet
- Press and hold the Cancel Bet button for a while to cancel all bets


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Talk:Furban legend
From WikiFur, the furry encyclopedia.
Is it really necessary to have umpteen million separate entries like this when a list in Furspeech might be a better idea? Kiranlightpaw 21:26, 8 Nov 2005 (UTC)
- It would be a good idea, if it where a few words,... But the list alone of words i haven't enter yet in the database is 11 pages longs,... and that would make the Furspeech entry longer that most entries combined. 184.108.40.206 22:34, 8 Nov 2005 (UTC)
- Across the page?. Why not?. Some of the definitions are quite... dry in information and length, and it would help to have a guide below the word to showcase additional entries. =) 126.96.36.199 00:23, 9 Nov 2005 (UTC)
- Examples: Wikipedia:Template:Stardock and Wikipedia:Template:Major programming languages. It would be good to see more of these sort of "collection/topic" templates, as they are useful when exploring related articles. --GreenReaper(talk) 05:32, 9 Nov 2005 (UTC)
- Like with Nofur, I concur a merging or a list of furspeech words, as mentioned. Spaz Kitty 19:55, 9 July 2006 (UTC)


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Water – The elixir of life. It is the ever-present element to which all living beings find themselves inextricably bound. As human beings, our dependency on its life-giving qualities far outstrip even our need for food. Our reliance on it for our bodily sustenance, as well as in the many other functions it serves in our daily lives, for cooking, bathing, washing clothes, cleaning, irrigating our crops, etc., makes water an invaluable resource.
So, the obvious ill effects of polluting drinking water, might seem like a common sense thing to most thinking people. However, from what we can observe of the travesty unfolding in Flint, Michigan currently getting major news coverage, this obvious reality seems to be lost on the modern industrial entities. What is further alarming, and should perhaps be the bigger "story", is how widespread such cases of mass poisoning, just by way of our drinking water, actually are.
Despite the, perhaps justified, outrage expressed by Flint residents decrying the recklessness of the state's Governor specifically, for creating the conditions which resulted in lead poisoning by drinking water, it may be useful to present some broader considerations. How does a city's local water source become so polluted that it can not support the life of its residents? If the water in the local environment is so polluted as to render it unsafe, what implications does that have on other environmental elements, like the air and soil? How many of these pollutants are we all exposed to from all of these factors in this industrial society? If these factors have such adverse effects on human life, what of the countless other living things within the ecosystem?
We will attempt to briefly address some of those considerations here. The Flint river, a major body of water that could perhaps be considered the obvious source of water for the city's residents, hasn't been used as such in decades. Consequently, the city's water source was changed to divert water from Lake Huron by way of Detroit's water system. Why this was originally done may stem from what ironically is being blamed as the poison in the drinking water today; lead. Lead poisoning has been at the center of all the outrage coming from the city's residents. During the 1930s to 1980s, Flint was a city in which car manufacturing was its mainstay economic industry. In fact, much of the city's development and employment was attributed to factories, battery plants and other offshoots of the booming auto industry, particularly GM (General Motors), to which Flint was home. Consequently, as with most industrial factories then and now, the chemical waste that was produced from the various industries, was highly toxic and of course found its way into the Flint River. During that era, the key material in manufacturing everything from paint, to cars, and car fuel, as a specialization in GM's effort to maximize its market share, was lead.
There are environmental laws, listed in the Toxic Substances Control Act and enforced by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), that were meant to ensure that such poisonous substances don't make it into the ground water, rivers, air, soil etc. or at least in environmentally "negligible" amounts, should this occur. This act was instituted with the protection of human lives as it's ultimate goal. However, there seems to be some very serious misunderstanding as to what exactly is "negligible" and how that should be determined relative to the fragility of life. Many of the laws as listed, only came into being as a reaction to some gravely adverse health conditions, brought on by what the corresponding industry has hailed as a "breakthrough discovery" or even as a "Gift of God" according to one GM representative. Lead, was one such substance but let's not forget another "Holy Grail" material, asbestos, not to mention the many others we can still find in everyday household products from cosmetics and cleansers to water bottles and air fresheners. Their effects, like many of the other chemicals born out of the frenzied race to make the next "new" thing and dominate market shares, only left us wishing we had looked before we lept.
The Flint River, over the decades, hasn't been seen as a viable water source because of the known accumulation of these "negligible" toxins. So when it had to resume its role as the city's primary water source, due to the city's fiscal challenges with paying Detroit for a share in its municipal water supply, sourced from Lake Huron; both local and federal governmental agencies looked into the safety of the river's water for consumption. The primary issue that was discovered was that the water had very high levels of Chloride but no other contaminants were mentioned as significant impediments to its usage. Federal water safety experts recommended the addition of another chemical agent that would neutralize the corrosive effects of basically salty water on iron main pipes with lead service lines. This recommendation was summarily ignored and the results are as we've seen. Incidentally, this corrosiveness also happened to be a reason GM, that still has some manufacturing facilities in Flint, was given special accommodations to have their water pumped from a different source, because the Flint water was damaging car parts.
Meanwhile what about the effects on the living people? Cases of lead poisoning have left many families, both children and adults showing early signs of poisoning. They have had aching and brittle bones, a variety of skin rashes and scaliness, as well as hair-loss, to name a few. These are merely the early symptoms, as more severe effects can take up to 5 years to be fully assessed, according to some sources. The most critically affected by lead poisoning however, are the children because lead attaches to the bone and tooth structure and in developing children can do irreparable damage; not to mention the impact to their neurological development and organ systems. Clearly residents of this mostly black and impoverished city will be dealing with the implications of this man-made disaster indefinitely. To add insult to injury, residents still continue to be billed for the toxic water, with threats of losing their children if they don't comply. If the bill is not paid and the government turns off the water, then the home is without running water. According to Michigan law, if this home has children and does not have running water it is considered neglect and the child protective service will be called in to remove the children from that household. The irony is that the reason most are not paying for the water is because they can not safely use it specifically considering the safety of the children and lead's known detrimental effect on them. Reportedly, all of the city's almost 9000 children under the age of six should be considered already exposed. So who is neglectful here?
Nonetheless, these events have led to an outpouring of support in the form of national attention and condemnation of the city's leadership. Many have donated supplies of bottled water as well as monetarily, to assist the already disadvantaged majority of the city's residents in the face of this crisis. The lead does not appear to come from the river itself, despite the decades of runoff from GM and other factories dumping lead byproducts, etc. into the river. The problem seems to have arisen from something rather unexpected; road salt, according to Virginia Tech professor Marc Edwards. The chloride from the salt is corroding the near hundred year old city pipes releasing the iron and lead into the drinking water as it makes its way to the faucet or household spigot.
Yes, road salt! It seems the further we move away from the simple goal of harmonizing with the natural world, the more problems we create for ourselves. To keep the city's byways, streets and highways passable in the harsh snowy winters of the region, city and state road services have had to increasingly salt streets over the decades. The increased salting of the roads leaves the runoff of that salt to find its way into the local water tributaries, ultimately increasing the sodium and chloride content of groundwater, major waterways, and ultimately reservoirs that are now the source of Flint's drinking water. This is true however, of many north and northeastern urban and suburban cities in this country. States are experiencing increasingly severe winters in addition to urban sprawl, in which more roadways are set down to accommodate more traffic to new housing developments etc., which necessitates more road salting in winter storms.
Interestingly, the EPA does not consider sodium and chloride as water contaminants. These naturally occurring compounds that make up ordinary table salt, are largely considered under their effect on taste, for chloride, and to some degree a health threat, for sodium, because of its potentially adverse affect on blood pressure, the heart, and kidneys, in higher concentrations. But, what about chloride's highly corrosive properties? The implication is that many other cities could be faced with similar issues, as most if not all, in comparable climatic regions, distribute their water through a tangle of decades old pipelines and have indicated similar rises in their water's chloride content over recent years. This alone should give us pause and be grounds for a serious reassessment of how we live in this modern industrial complex.
To add to that, there are other more nefarious practices that manufacturing and industrial corporations engage in, some we've heard about and many others we never will. These are practices that continue despite the already dangerous nature of the industries in themselves, as their manufacturing processes represent another bend in the labyrinth of society's blind wandering away from nature. Typically, we get wind of these underhanded waste management shortcuts only after they have severely threatened some community's population. We can recall a number of examples just in the last few years in which thousands of people were affected. For instance, in West Virginia where "coal is king", one corporation's chemical storage tank spewed 10,000 gallons of deadly toxins into the Elk River that feeds the water supply of approximately 300,000 residents living in the state's capital of Charleston and the surrounding areas. Residents were tentatively assured of the water's safety, and told that, "It's their decision" whether to drink it or not, but that there could not be 100% assurance of no adverse effects.
Also, who can forget the months-long oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico or the Fukushima nuclear plant meltdown, not to mention the controversy around fracking (the practice of releasing the natural gas from deep within the earth using a pressurised water, sand and chemical mixture.) The pollution of underground water sources and the households that rely on them for everyday use is alarming. These instances are just a few among what might be rather common occurrences just here in the United States, far less in the numerous other industrialized territories of the world, in hot pursuit of the leading industrial countries.
The real danger in the world has apparently always fell at the feet of humanity's ambition. So the modern society has thrown all caution to the wind in pursuit of it; no matter the long term cost. We consider the amenities that facilitate our modern lifestyle a mark of achievement. Yet, indigenous cultures who have lived harmoniously with this planet, tread very carefully in this respect. Their goal is not necessarily comfort and convenience, but survival. The question of survival and how this is approached might be arguable. Some might suggest modernity as a way this can be done. However, we don't have to be very bright to see that the way in which the modern world is approaching this, doesn't appear to have the preservation of life as a goal but more as an afterthought. From man's origins, if indeed ways of surviving dared to include modernization as a viable option, then humanity would have aborted itself on the steps of our fledgling moments as a species, and flushed our collective destiny down the drain.


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Three-times champion jockey Frankie Dettori is to join Clare Balding and the Channel 4 Racing team for Royal Ascot and the rest of the Flat season.
"I'm thrilled to be joining the Channel 4 Racing presentation team for the Flat season and look forward to starting work next week at Royal Ascot – the racecourse that catapulted my career back in September 1996 when I won all seven races." – Frankie Dettori
Gok Wan will also lead Channel 4's Royal Ascot fashion coverage with guests including Philip Treacy. The network will air 30 hours of live coverage across Royal Ascot including all 30 races live on Channel 4.
Channel 4 say they continue to develop their coverage and commitment to Royal Ascot with a range of major investments in their coverage of one of the world's greatest racing festivals – including the signing of three-times Champion Jockey Frankie Dettori, who will join the Channel 4 Racing team for the duration of the five-day Royal meeting and on a continuing basis across the Flat season.
Dettori, who has ridden 47 winners at Royal Ascot and famously rode all seven winners at Ascot in 1996, will join Clare Balding, Nick Luck and the rest of the presenting team on The Morning Line and live afternoon racing throughout the week – combining this with his retained jockey role for Sheikh Joaan al Thani. The new partnership with Channel 4 will also see Frankie be part of the presenting team at a range of other meetings across the Flat season.
"I've been talking to Channel 4 about this opportunity for a while as I have always enjoyed their racing coverage and I am delighted to be able to give viewers an insight into the great thrill of our sport." – Frankie Dettori


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So we're moving. Windows are being fitting, kitchen is being designed. I can finally unbox my Christmas Kenwood. Problem is cooking has been hard. I've deviated from the Super Saturday list, so shameful. Everything has needed to be easy this week. I'm also away this weekend. Sorry.
Tonight we had fish and chips but I wanted something extra. There are four things I love in food terms – cheese being the first which you might know by now. The others are salt, mayo and garlic. Yes I know the salt one is terrible but I can't help it, it goes on everything I eat. However not many recipes exist with salt as the main ingredient so garlic mayo it is. Or Aioli to be precise.
3 egg yolks
4 garlic cloves
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper
150ml extra virgin olive oil
mustard powder (optional)
saffron (optional)
Now this recipe couldn't be easier. It puts all the easy recipes so far to shame.
1. Blend egg yolks, garlic, lemon and salt&pepper in a food processor
2. Pour in the oil in a steady stream while still blending until thick and creamy
3. Serve with baguettes (or chips.)
And that's it, you can add the mustard and/or saffron to vary the flavour if you like. I guess you could add other herbs or spices to it as well for different effects. I'm not sure how long this would keep though but definitely a fridge dweller.
Tagged: aioli, Cheese, cooking, dinner, fish and chips, food, garlic, mayo, moving house, mustard powder, salt


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It was too much for me to sort out. I needed help. Lucky for me, I was referred to Carmina Perez. I signed up for one of her intro classes on Blogging. The next thing you know I have an operational blog.
One of her Carmina's tidbits was to set up Google alerts on yourself so you can get a read on where in cyberspace you and your blog are appearing. Yes, we've all googled other people. If you weren't aware you can set up alerts on subjects of interest, yourself included! I am a good student so I listened.
Yesterday's alert still has me smiling. Turns out I was selected as one of , drumroll please,
The path to reinvention is paved with a lot of bumps. Then there are the days when a road sign appears directly in front of you, that reminder that you are headed in the right direction. Thank You WE Magazine for my signpost! I am honored and grateful to be included on this list of fabulous women bloggers!


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Technical force
As one of the mainly participator which making the technical standard in sports & landscape artificial grass fields at domestically and internationally, Bellinturf possesses a R&D team with more than 200 experienced staffs, owns more than 40 authorized patents. Bellinturf has developed a lot of advanced products and worked out many technical difficulties for artificial grass, meanwhile, As a FIFA-licensed manufacturer, Bellinturf has been installing FIFA certified football turf pitch throughout Europe, Asia, America, Africa and so on.
Advanced equipment
Company Principle
Bellinturf always adhering to high quality principle, focusing on quality management, With strict basic management and regular staff training, to improve all the staff management ability and skill levels. Bellinturf will always improving the quality management systems constantly. Bellinturf will go farther!
Company Certification
Bellinturf was awarded "safe building advanced Unit" of Qingdao city in 2009.
Bellinturf was awarded "start up business star Enterprise" of Qingdao city in 2010.
Bellinturf got ISO9001:2008 certificate and achieved FIFA 2 star Labosport test reports in 2011
Bellinturf got ISO14001:2004 certificate in 2012, meanwhile, Bellinturf artificial grass were adopted by the London Olympic Games with the great success.
Bellinturf was regarded as "National high and new technology Enterprise"、"National innovation Enterprise"and obtained FIFA 2 star Filed Certificate in 2013.
Bellinturf successfully gained the certificate of "Enterprise innovation center" and "Enterprise technology center" of Qingdao City in 2014.
Bellinturf successfully passed re-test of National high and new technology Enterprise, and obtained NSCC Certification in 2015.
Bellinturf finished installation of National football base-----National North Youth Football Training Center in May 2016 year. At the same year, Bellinturf became titled sponsor of National Youth Football League in July, achieved CCTV and other media attention and reports.
Bellinturf successfully passed the certification of "Famous brand in Shandong province" in December.


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A number of the most lucrative jobs on the UK market in the present day are in the know-how sector. Less than three years ago, GeekWire started a database to track the staggering number of out-of-town tech companies establishing engineering centers in Seattle, and since that point, the record has doubled in size. International Business Machine Company (IBM), American expertise and consulting corporation.
Some consultants in expertise regulation say the companies might even see the refusal as a matter of protecting their public picture. Along with its hospitals and related businesses, the Company also own and operate sixty four licensed home care agencies and 31 licensed hospice businesses, situated primarily in markets the place the Company also function a hospital.
With their current suppliers each of those prospects spends, on common, $15 million on merchandise and customer support per yr. We have created a slideshow that includes several of the BIZZpage customers participating in this yr's Tech Provides Again. Ford was the primary firm to identify CES, as a chance to showcase merchandise and ideas and to gather enter and feedback from youthful shoppers, when they first got here to CES back in 2007.
Makes use of their own direct sales group, investing 15{b2b24e116bdcd3c589f2b1ea2dacde58c3df2e3ff80d15b4450a20fafbbbc922} of turnover on workers concerned in gross sales and 5{b2b24e116bdcd3c589f2b1ea2dacde58c3df2e3ff80d15b4450a20fafbbbc922} on advertising. At this level, many technology companies feel that if they simply add value to the customer, they can usually offset the above negative elements.
With loads of autonomy and freedom in the workplace, Symphony workers take pleasure in figuring out every contribution is key to reaching the company-vast objective of delivering secure communication platforms to the worldwide marketplace. Too often, once an organization's technology is able to be licensed, determining how you can assist the technology turns into an afterthought.


text: We've been working with the folks over at PF Chang's for years and specifically with their global division. Global operates in 21 countries with over 70 locations. It's been wonderful and a creative pleasure to push the boundaries when creating new and diverse content for each international market – here's a few recent menus. Looking forward to another great year working with this terrific team.


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Algaida Holiday Villas and Apartments for rent. Luxury self catering properties specially selected for you
If you're looking for a holiday villa or apartment to rent in Algaida, then the team at Balearic Villas have all the local knowledge, and fantastic properties, you could ever need. They will carefully select your luxury villa to perfectly match your holiday requirements.
Holiday houses and apartments found
Results for villas for rent in Algaida - Mallorca, Balearic Islands | RSS
Algaida Holiday Villas and Apartments for rent. Luxury self catering properties specially selected for you
If you want to discover a piece of authentic Mallorca, Algaida is unquestionably worth a visit.
This small town is home to cobbled winding streets, filled with local restaurants and bars, as well as a picturesque church in the heart of the town square. There are many museums and attractions around the outskirts of the town, and as a result, the main streets are largely unspoilt by tourism. If you want to visit a destination filled with local culture and heritage, Algaida is the perfect place.
Balearic Villas is proud to present a number of villas in Algaida, ideal for enjoying a self-catered holiday in this peaceful inland municipality. Palma de Mallorca is a short drive away, allowing you to be in the heart of the action around nightlife, restaurants and tourist attractions quickly and with ease. However, when you want to slow it down a notch and truly explore the heritage that has shaped this island, a stay in a holiday villa in Algaida is the ideal starting point.
What to do in Algaida
During your stay in a villa in Algaida, there are plenty of attractions to enjoy, including the little-known Ca'n Gordiola.
This small glass museum has numerous works of glass art on display, and even offers visitors a chance to watch glass being blown here. After a morning spent taking in this incredible practice, it's not uncommon for tourists to stop off and enjoy a light lunch in some of the prominent restaurants in the area, including Es 4 Vents.
Hiking and cycling along Puig de Randa is immensely popular, and easily done with a stay in a villa in Algaida. Puig de Randa is a large mountain, towering 540m above Algaida. Aside from the nature and wildlife found along the walks up here, including Mallorcan flora and fauna, Puig de Randa is also home to three sanctuaries. Oratori de Nostra Senyora de Gracia and Santuari de Sant Honorat can be visited during the ascent, until finally the magnificent Santuari de Cura can be found at the top. This heritage sight provides astonishing views, and because it is set further away from the main tourist attractions, it often isn't as busy, giving you plenty of time to enjoy it at your own pace.
Relax in self-catered accommodation in Algaida
There is plenty of hiking and beautiful nature to discover, and with the beach just a short drive away in Palma, it's easy to have the best of both worlds thanks to our villas in Mallorca.
Whether you're looking for a quiet spot for a family holiday, a romantic getaway for two or even to holiday as a group away from the crowds, Algaida is a great destination whatever you fancy. On your next holiday in Algaida, make sure you relax and take your time to discover everything there is to enjoy here with a private villa. Enjoy authentic Mallorcan cuisine in local restaurants, visit the museums and disused windmills and generally take life here at your own pace. With a self-catering holiday villa in Mallorca, you're free to come and go as you please and to enjoy everything on offer in this romantic, authentic holiday town.
Additional Resources
Booking assistance
Gemma Marr
Need Help Booking?
Local Offices
Office address: Via Pollentia 3B , 07460, Pollença, Mallorca
Business hours:
Business Hours: Monday-Friday
Submission of applications: 9:00 to 15:00.
Payment and collection: 9:00 to 15:00.
NOTICE: Please contact the house manager on arrival
Discover our Islands
Each gorgeous island has its distinct
character, charm – click for discover
our Destinations


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Day of Service - San Diego, California
Date added: 16 Jun 2011
On June 15, IBM volunteers partner with GRID Alternatives to install solar panels in homes for low income families in San Diego, California and throughout the west coast. The effort is part of the company's Centennial Day of Service where more than 300,000 IBMers around the globe have volunteered more than 2.5 million hours of service to communities worldwide.
Download hi-res version (image/jpeg, 2 MB)


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Detroit Up beat Jazz and funk band NOMO have announced a US tour to promote their new album 'New Tones', which hits shelves in May.
NOMO - New Tones – Tracklisting
1. Nu Tones
2. Hand and Mouth
3. Fourth Ward
4. Reasons
5. New Song
6. Divisions
7. We Do We Go
8. One To One
9. If You Want
10. Book of Right On
11. Sarvodaya
Joining the group on tour is detroit producer Warren Defever (His Name Is Alive) who was charged with capturing the band's live energy, and he shaped the sounds for maximum impact.
NOMU start touring in April, with Warren joining the tour in Cambridge, MA on May 15th.
NOMO U.S. Tour Dates
FRI 04/28: Bowling Green, OH @ Howard's Club H
TUE 05/09: Lansing, MI @ Mac's Bar
WED 05/10: Grand Rapids, MI @ Calvin College Fine Arts Center
THU 05/11: Kalamazoo, MI @ Rocket Star Cafe
FRI 05/12: Chicago, IL @ Sonotheque
SAT 05/13: Ann Arbor, MI @ Blind Pig
*His Name Is Alive joins tour
MON 05/15: Cambridge, MA @ T.T. The Bear's
TUE 05/16: New York, NY @ The Mercury Lounge
WED 05/17: Hoboken, NJ @ Maxwell's
THU 05/18: Pittsburgh, PA @ Garfield Artworks
FRI 05/19: Philadelphia, PA @ World Cafe Live
SAT 05/20: Baltimore, MD @ Gspot
MON 05/22: Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506
THU 05/25: New Orleans, LA @ The Republic
SAT 05/27: Dallas, TX @ The Cavern
TUE 05/30: San Diego, CA @ The Casbah
WED 05/31: Los Angeles, CA @ Spaceland
THU 06/01: San Francisco, CA @ Bottom Of The Hill
SUN 06/04: Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
New Tones is out through Ubiquity records on May 9th.


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Robert W. Hooker
Since joining the Times in 1971, Rob has held a number of posts, including county government reporter, state capital correspondent, political editor, state editor, business editor and metro editor. In 2001 he became a deputy managing editor. He supervises the work of journalists in bureaus spread over four counties and is the news department's principal recruiter.
Rob was born in New Haven, Conn., and grew up in Chapel Hill, N.C. He earned a bachelor's degree in history in 1969 from Davidson College, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and editor of the student newspaper. He received a master's degree in history from Vanderbilt University in 1971, with a thesis on race relations and the Mississippi news media.
As a reporter and editor, Rob has been involved in a number of big projects: an investigation of Pinellas County government that helped send three county commissioners and two city attorneys to jail; a series on smuggling and public corruption that was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize in local reporting; an investigation of guardianship that led to statewide reform; and a series on the University of Florida football program that helped topple the head coach.
Rob was the principal editor on a series by Lucy Morgan and Jack Reed on the Pasco County sheriff's office that won a Pulitzer for investigative reporting in 1985. He also led a metro staff whose stories about big tobacco, riots in St. Petersburg and a local pastor who corrupted a national ministers organization were each Pulitzer finalists. The UF football stories earned first prizes from the Education Writers of America and the Associated Press Sports Editors.
In 1984, he researched and wrote a history of the Times on its 100th anniversary, and on its 125th anniversary he co-edited a book about the paper and Tampa Bay.
Rob, wife Ellen and their son, Matt, live in St. Petersburg.
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"Jersey Boys" is in the middle of a 3-week run at Benedum Center! The mark of a theatrical presentation is whether you would want to see it again!
"Jersey Boys" is like "Phantom of the Opera" or "Lion King" – you are eager to return again and again. Almost every guest that was enjoying dinner before last weeks performance had already seen it in New York, Las Vegas, San Francisco or on it's last trip to Pittsburgh!
There is no better way get to the theater than on our complimentary limousine that will be waiting for you after the show to whisk you back to our restaurant. Our free parking and limousine service after a great dinner really makes a theater night special and memorable!
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TransportiCA will be covering Prof. Ethan Elkind's 25 January talk at UCLA's Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies. The lecture, titled "The Past and Future of LA's Metro Rail," will cover Metro Rail's recent history and its likely future with the passage of Measure M, Los Angeles County's transportation tax and master plan to build out a comprehensive transit network.
Professor Elkind is also the Director of the Climate Program at UC Berkeley's Center for Law, Energy & the Environment, and leads the Climate Change and Business Research Initiative on behalf of the UC Berkeley and UCLA Schools of Law.
Elkind is also the inaugural author selected for TransportiCA's Book Club (July 2016). His monumental publication Railtown can be purchased with a 30% discount at UC Press - please use the code "15W5487."
For more event information and to register, please visit the Lewis Center's event page.


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I have a confession to make: we do not have a Christmas tree. In fact, of the nine Christmases my husband and I have been together, we have not once gotten a tree. Every year there is a different reason not to get a tree (we're moving, we're going to be out of town, the decorations are in the storage unit across town and I'd rather be baking cookies, etc.).
In the back of my mind I've always thought that once we had kids we'd have a tree. Well, it's baby's first Christmas, and we didn't get a tree!
This year's excuse, besides being incredibly busy and not having a place to put a tree, is that we're spending the night Christmas Eve at Grandma and Grandpa's house and they have a tree. In fact, Frances and I drove out into the woods to help them get the tree a week ago. All the presents are already under the tree at their house. So really, it would be duplicitous to have a tree at home too.
When the guilt sets in, I tell myself she's too young to appreciate it any way. As if she doesn't have an obsession over lights and wouldn't stare at them for hours! The one year she can't walk over to it and pull off all the ornaments, we don't have a tree!
I think instead of being guilty, I'll claim that it's greener to skip the Christmas tree. There's one more tree still growing in the local forest, or one less tree trucked in from Oregon. Next year, Franci, I promise we'll have a tree. (Just don't hold me to it!)
This is my holiday guilt confession, what's yours? Not engaging in Elf on the Shelf? Not baking any cookies? Not buying everything on their list to Santa? Or maybe you've decided to skip the Santa charade all together? Dish!


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Contacting our service Providers
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The Handmaid's Tale won Outstanding Drama Series at the 69th Primetime Emmys Sunday night. Hulu's dystopian series became the first drama series to win for its first season since Homeland in 2012 and the first series win for a streaming service ever (Netflix must be so mad right now). It won five Emmys during the show and eight altogether (three, including Guest Actress for Alexis Bledel, were awarded at the Creative Arts Emmys).
It joins the pantheon of shows that can call themselves "the best" and have the hardware to back up the claim, including Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, The Sopranos, Lost, ER, Law & Order and The West Wing. In honor of The Handmaid's Tale's historic win, let's look back at all the other series who have shared the honor, from 1970 through today, in the video above.


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It's not easy being a one-store independent pet retailer these days.
Not only does one have to compete with the likes of Petco and PetSmart, but also a growing number of regional pet chains, Walmart and Target, the Costco, BJ's and Sam's Club membership warehouses, and online powerhouses Amazon and Chewy.com. Plus, traditional supermarkets are stepping up their game in pet food. In January, Acme Markets, for example, began stocking the one-time pet shop exclusive Blue Buffalo brand.
"Everybody is trying to get a piece of the pie," says Melissa Debus, general manager of Pets in the City STL, a one-unit shop in St. Louis specializing in food, treats, toys and supplements for dogs, cats, small animals and chickens.
In addition to Petco and PetSmart, smaller chains and franchises keep "creeping in," she says, including Bentley's Pet Stuff, Pet Supplies Plus and Petsway. "It is definitely something we keep at the forefront of our minds. We're not the only option."
To counterattack, Pets in the City STL focuses on keeping favorites in stock and stepping up its game on product knowledge.
"I like to have my employees research a common illness or situation that customers come in and ask about, as well as products we have on the shelf that people may not be super familiar with," says Debus. "Then we do a little presentation and everybody learns about it. That has been a really big thing."
Independents are also setting themselves apart with home delivery; stocking unusual livestock; offering services like grooming, boarding and birthday parties; putting unique and superior quality foods, treats and other items—often from local vendors—on their shelves; and teaming with local shelters to offer pet adoption days.
"Adoption days are one of the best things an independent store can do to connect with its community," says Pete Cooper, vice president of sales and marketing at Southeast Pet, an Austell, Ga.-based wholesaler/distributor that services independent pet stores throughout the Southeast.
That is what Wolf & Lion Pet Supplies on Lombard Street in San Francisco is doing. It has teamed with several Bay Area pet rescues, including Rocket Dog Pet Rescue, Cooper's Dream and Dynamic Duo Dog Rescue & Transport. The 7,000 square-foot store's management encourages the charities to use its 2,000 square-foot backroom space, and once held a major event in its parking lot with tents and a live band to promote animal adoption. More than 60 dogs found new homes that day.
"I really recommend everyone work with shelters to hold pet adoptions," says John Headley, co-owner of Wolf & Lion. "It makes for a very loyal customer. When we hold an adoption event, anyone who adopts a pet gets 20 percent off their entire purchase. It is a nice way to set them up, get them in the door and talk to them. It has been a really big hit for us."
With a location on pedestrian-friendly W. Pico Blvd. in the Mid City section of Los Angeles, Hound Dog + Cat Food and Supply also uses animal adoption to draw in customers. "We have a lot of foot traffic and walk-ins, so I'll put a sign out on the sidewalk that says 'Puppies for Adoption' and people come in," says owner Karena Martin.
She is currently working with the Love Leo Rescue. After customers fill out an application, Love Leo officials do a home check before allowing the animals to be adopted out.
"I've had people travel here to come and see the puppies," Martin says. "The rescue is pretty big in L.A. and has a lot of followers on social media."
Animal Kingdoms
While most new-breed independents concentrate on food and supplies, pet shops that sell a complete assortment of animals are still an industry mainstay.
"The secret to our success is pretty simple," says Bruce Watts, owner of Whiteway Pet Shop in Elizabeth, N.J. "I'm an old-fashioned store with lots of animals. I'd like to think that after my 43 years in the business that I have a lot more knowledge than a kid at PetSmart who has only been there for six weeks."
Whiteway sells a veritable Noah's Ark of puppies, kittens, fish, rabbits, ferrets, reptiles, small mammals and birds, which are particularly strong sellers in his predominantly Central American neighborhood.
"I sell a lot of birdseed because of the demographics," Watts says. "Dog food I don't really bother too much with because I don't have the space—and I can't compete on price. You learn what you can't compete on," he says.
Down South, Ed's Pet World has been a fixture in the Birmingham, Ala., suburb of Homewood since 1974.
"I sell the more exotic stuff," says Seth Cosby, owner and son of the founder. "I've got about 60 fish tanks in here, all 55-gallon and up. We do a lot of fish business. I sell the more oddball fish, not your bread-and-butter fish, like neons."
Ed's also does a big business in unusual small animals—creatures like baby hedgehogs, chinchillas and sugar gliders. "Hedgehogs are very popular and easy to maintain," Cosby says.
To further cushion his business, Cosby has added a Star Wars department.
"I'm a huge Star Wars fan, so I took a little bit of the store and now sell Star Wars toys and memorabilia, as well as items from Marvel, DC Comics and Funko," he says.
This draws a different customer base to the store, which then cross-shops for pets.
"It is really hard to compete against the big guys," Cosby laments. "Twice a year, they do their 'dollar a gallon' fish tank sale. Thing is, I can go there and buy a 10-gallon tank and still pay less than I pay through my distributor, which is sad. Actually it is just horrible!"
Meet the Retailers
This month's cover story included valuable input from several single-store pet specialty retailers from across the country. Here is a round-up of the participants and their keys to success:
Whiteway Pet Shop
Elizabeth, N.J.
With roots dating back to 1926, Whiteway Pet Shop is a New Jersey institution—an old-fashioned downtown pet shop selling a wide variety of creatures including puppies, kittens, fish, reptiles, birds, rabbits, small mammals and ferrets in its 2,000 square-foot space.
Bruce Watts, owner and grandson of the founder, notes that his nearest competitor is a Petland Discounts six blocks away. He has watched his Elizabeth Avenue neighborhood transition over the years, from predominantly Italian to largely Central American today.
"The people I dealt with 10 or 15 years ago have moved out, but now come back because there is nothing out there for them as far as a real store with animals and knowledge," he says.
Likewise, many Central American consumers enjoy tropical birds, so Whiteway's bird business is booming. "I sell a lot of birdseed because of the demographics," he says.
Pets in the City STL
St. Louis, Mo.
The only thing rivaling Pets in the City STL's product selection is the store itself.
"We've got a rather unusual spot for a business," says Melissa Debus, general manager.
Located on the ground floor of The Saum Building, a luxury apartment building that was a swanky hotel back in the 1920s, Pets in the City STL is housed in what was the grand ballroom—a 2,000 square-foot space with marble floors, a giant chandelier and ornate crown molding. Plus, the cheap rent enables the store to offer competitive prices.
Pets in the City STL was founded in 2004, when the owner researched holistic diets to cure her ailing dog, which had been given a death sentence by the vet. The dog recovered. She did her MBA thesis on it, and that led to Pets in the City STL.
"We primarily focus on dogs and cats, with some small mammals," Debus says. "We don't sell animals, but we do work with a local rescue group and foster cats, and usually have two to four here at a time."
Ed's Pet World
Homewood, Ala.
Ed's Pet World is the only shop in the world where one can pick up a live mouse for a pet snake, an R2-D2 for a Star Wars collection, book a children's birthday party and say hello to Gertrude, a 54-year-old giant tortoise.
"Gertrude carouses around the store and is popular with the shoppers," says Seth Cosby, owner of the 2,500 square-foot, 43-year-old shop. "We also have a couple of big Amazon parrots that we've had for 30-plus years, along with Big Al, a Caiman we've had for 14. He's very nice."
To carve out its niche, Ed's also does aquarium and pond maintenance, as well as the children's birthday parties.
"We bring eight to 10 different reptiles out to the child's house, explain to the kids about the animals, what they do, what they eat, and they get to touch and play with them," Cosby says. The children are then given a coupon for a free goldfish. "There is then the chance that we can sell them a bowl, food, dechlorinator, etc.," he says.
Ed's also does a booming business in feeder animals. "I go through a ton of mice and rats," Cosby says. "Here in Birmingham, I'm the last guy that sells live food still; everybody else has gone over to frozen."
Hound Dog + Cat Food and Supply
Los Angeles
In late October 2017 Hound Dog + Cat downsized to a 1,320 square-foot space from 2,100 square feet, and business is booming.
"I didn't need all the space that I had," says owner Karena Martin. "Our old space had some challenges—it was in a plaza. Now we have a storefront on the street with a lot more visibility and foot traffic."
To reduce costs, Martin, her husband Josh Dragotta and their artist friend Mike Hamel made all of their store fixtures. Shelving and gondolas are made from wood, and the scrap wood was used to make additional fixtures to house dog beds.
The store specializes in smaller brands, including Champion and Fromm. "I am real particular about where the ingredients are sourced, who is making the food, if it is family-owned and what is hot in the market," Martin says.
The emphasis is on dog, cats, small animals—and chickens.
"I have a really big backyard chicken following, so I sell a lot of chicken supplies," Martin says. "Chickens are getting really popular out here. It is the move to urban farming. You can have fresh organic eggs, because I only sell organic chicken supplies."
Wolf & Lion Pet Supplies
San Francisco
With a storefront painted Golden Gate orange, Wolf & Lion Pet Supplies easily fits into San Francisco's eclectic vibe. Opened in July 2014, the 7,000 square-foot store stocks a wide variety of hard-to-find premium brands, including Champion, Orijen, Acana, Fromm, NutraSource, plus a wide variety of raw foods.
"Carry the foods that you believe in and that you like, and teach your employees to actually have an opinion on them," says co-owner John Headley. "Then people will listen."
There is a loyalty program, but little advertising. "I don't think advertising is helpful with only one store," Headley says, noting that he has been approached to advertise on TV, radio and in The Chronicle. "The reach of all of those outlets is too far," he says. "I don't want to be paying for advertising in San Jose or even South San Francisco because no one is going to drive from there up to here."
Wolf & Lion created an app called Wolf & Lion Snap to allow online shopping. That has proven very popular in tech-savvy San Francisco. Uber Rush is used for delivery. "We have managed to have a $5.00 flat rate and guarantee delivery within an hour," Headley says.
Delivery in a Snap
Bo Nelson, president of WholesalePet.com, a Richmond, Va.-based online wholesaler that exclusively services independent pet stores and represents 350 manufacturers, says one-unit stores can compete against the big chains by placing a greater emphasis on services.
"One trend I have seen over the last couple of years is that a lot of independent stores are adding services—grooming, dog sitting, dog walking—even if it is outside the store. They are also doing delivery," he says.
Count Wolf & Lion as one such retailer. The store offers 1,000 of its best-selling products through an app called Wolf & Lion Snap.
"We use Stripe as a payment processor and then we use Uber Rush to deliver throughout the city," says Headley. "A lot of our customers use it quite frequently. Mileage-wise, San Francisco is quite small, so it makes it very viable for us to do home delivery."
Hound Dog + Cat also delivers. "We do free local delivery, and if you are outside of three miles, we'll charge a few bucks," says Martin. "I deliver it myself. I've got people set up on recurring accounts where month-to-month their food will just show up on their doorstep."
Many of those products are hard-to-find brands that one cannot pick up at PetSmart, Petco or Ralphs.
"I'm really particular about the brands that I will bring on, so I do a lot of research and try to find smaller food companies, not the big corporate," says Martin. "I like to work with companies that are very supportive of independent pet stores. For instance, Champion and Fromm have both pulled off of Chewy.com because PetSmart bought it. That makes us very happy."
Pet shops are also working closely with their wholesalers to find unique products.
"Independents need to get niche products," says Nelson. "You can either order from hundreds of different niche vendors on your own, or you can come to a place like WholesalePet, where we've aggregated all the vendors servicing independent pet stores on one website. Our value proposition to the independent retailer is to set your store apart and make it different from the chains and even the other independents in your area that depend on the same distributor."
Likewise, Southeast Pet also carefully curates its offerings.
"We try to bring independents products that wouldn't be in Petco or PetSmart," Cooper says. "If it is online, we try to make it so the MAP pricing is such that they can compete. We have some products that we know we are not going to sell a lot of, but it helps our customers differentiate themselves, and therefore it is worth it to us."
Since independent pet shops are small businesses, they should align themselves with small manufacturers, suggests Headley. "Retailers should go direct and find smaller companies that have more unique treats," he says. "Trade shows are where you find them. You can find some really nice products that are just not available elsewhere."
Down at the Dog Wash
Independents are also growing by turning to grooming and other services. Pets in the City STL, for example, offers grooming services along with a do-it-yourself wash.
"It is pretty popular and really helps the bottom line," says Debus. "People enjoy not having to trudge their pets into their own bathtub. We provide everything they need and clean up after them. They don't have to worry about hair clogging their drain and cleaning up the bathroom floor and walls. It is just a lot simpler for them."
Cooper is witnessing an increasing number of independents stepping up their offering of services.
"Many of our customers that are successful, that are opening up a third, fourth or fifth store, have some kind of draw, whether that be daycare, boarding, grooming or a dog wash," he says.
Cooper notes that when it comes down to it, customers are just looking for more ways to spend time with their pets. "The independents that are successful are also those that provide a destination—a place for people to bring their pets. Some consumers go to their local pet store everyday and just hang out there with their dog, or stop by to just say hello or get a treat. People like to bring their dog places and I think that is the real key that retailers can use to win the fight against the internet." PB


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