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In an April 1995 memo, Bush invited his staff to come to his office to look at a painting. … The picture is a Western scene of a cowboy riding up a craggy hill, with two other riders following behind him. Bush told visitors—who often noted his resemblance to the rider in front—that it was called A Charge To Keep and that it was based on his favorite Methodist hymn of that title, written in the eighteenth century by Charles Wesley. As Bush noted in the memo, which he quoted in his autobiography of the same title: "I thought I would share with you a recent bit of Texas history which epitomizes our mission. When you come into my office, please take a look at the beautiful painting of a horseman determinedly charging up what appears to be a steep and rough trail. This is us. What adds complete life to the painting for me is the message of Charles Wesley that we serve One greater than ourselves." Bush identified with the lead rider, whom he took to be a kind of Christian cowboy, an embodiment of indomitable vigor, courage, and moral clarity.
He came to believe that the picture depicted the circuit-riders who spread Methodism across the Alleghenies in the nineteenth century. In other words, the cowboy who looked like Bush was a missionary of his own denomination.
Only that is not the title, message, or meaning of the painting. The artist, W.H.D. Koerner, executed it to illustrate a Western short story entitled "The Slipper Tongue," published in The Saturday Evening Post in 1916. The story is about a smooth-talking horse thief who is caught, and then escapes a lynch mob in the Sand Hills of Nebraska. The illustration depicts the thief fleeing his captors. In the magazine, the illustration bears the caption: "Had His Start Been Fifteen Minutes Longer He Would Not Have Been Caught."
The Slate article brings to mind the infamous quote from the 2004 NYTimes profile of Bush written by Ron Suskind with this iconic passage:
"We're an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality. And while you're studying that reality -- judiciously, as you will -- we'll act again, creating other new realities, which you can study too, and that's how things will sort out."
And this is the pathology that leads to the actions cataloged here.


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For the last 4 days there has been a sewage like smell coming from the area around the cooker in my kitchen.
It is very specific where it is strongest - which is the 1/2 inch gap between the (electric) oven and the (gas) hob. It is a strong smell similar to sewage/human waste. Near the floor there is not so bad a smell or above the hob but the kitchen is generally smelling bad. The only thing that reduces the smell is when i put the oven on for at least 10 mins.. it then seems to smell almost normal. Our upstairs toilet flushes down a pipe that is on the outside of the house passing the area where the cooker is, but that pipe looks fine.It's a complete mystery to me what it could be. I'm thinking if it was anything to do with actual sewers the smell would come through the kitchen sink - but that is fine. There is no problem anywhere else in the house; toilet/bath/sinks are all fine. As it is an integrated oven I am not able to just pull it out. Has anyone any idea what this could be or if not, who should i get round to investigate; a gas engineer, a plumber, ?

subset: commoncrawl


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"Everything appealed to us about the potential work," say Vogt and Friedman, "from Rosie's amazing personal story and her journey through very difficult times followed by a wonderful comeback – to the beautiful music that became her signature songs as an artist – to the fact that her roots are right here in Ohio and Kentucky. She faced many, many difficult times, some very heartbreaking, but she rose above it all and came out a winner. Her life is a lesson in overcoming obstacles and still being grateful, hopeful, and full of life."
Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical is the 22nd show The Human Race Theatre Company has produced for the Victoria Theatre Association's Broadway Series. It is an intimate two-actor play starring Ross as Rosemary Clooney and Scott Stoney as The Doctor, Friends and Family of Rosemary, and is directed by Kevin Moore.
For tickets call Ticket Center Stage at 937-228-3630, 888-228-3630, online at www.ticketcenterstage.com or visit the Box Office in person, located in the Wintergarden of the Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center.


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Waters Corporation and University of Maryland partner to create first-of-its-kind laboratory in Support of U.S. FDA Goals
MILFORD, Mass., May 21, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --Waters(R) Corporation (NYSE: WAT) and the University of Maryland announced today they have formed a groundbreaking partnership to establish the first facility in the world to train scientists from foreign governments and manufacturers on the state-of-the-art methods of analysis that will help them meet U.S. food safety standards. Set to open next year, the International Food Safety Training Laboratory (IFSTL) will be operated by the Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (JIFSAN), a collaboration between the University of Maryland and U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The United States imports more than $80 billion worth of food from 150 countries, resulting in about 15 percent of the total U.S. food supply. The IFSTL, located at the University of Maryland, College Park, will provide year-round science-based, hands-on training that supports the FDA's food safety goals. The IFSTL will be uniquely prepared to train scientists to detect both chemical and microbiological contaminants. Scientists have been seeking this kind of multifaceted training for years, and the IFSTL will fulfill this critical need.
Members of Congress applaud Waters efforts and leadership in the creation of the IFSTL, noting the importance of food safety issues.
"Food safety issues are vital in today's growing global marketplace. The creation of the International Food Safety Training Laboratory will help protect consumers. By training scientists here at home and abroad, we can work together towards a common goal of an internationally sound food safety testing system. I applaud Waters Corporation and am proud that a Massachusetts company is yet again leading the way in global scientific advances," said Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
"We must make every effort to ensure the safety of our food supply, and I applaud the establishment of the International Food Safety Training Laboratory at the University of Maryland," stated Congressman Steny Hoyer (D- Md.), House Majority Leader. "This innovative public/private partnership will help ensure that manufacturers throughout the world understand and implement known quality controls essential to assuring the food we put on the table is safe to eat."
"Waters Corporation's leadership to create the first-ever food safety training laboratory at the University of Maryland is a testament to their knowledge of and dedication to raising the level of food safety in America," said Congressman Richard E. Neal (D-Mass.), a senior member of the House Committee on Ways and Means. "Families in Massachusetts and across the country can feel more comfortable putting food on their tables knowing the International Food Safety Training Laboratory and other public-private partnerships are helping the government to ensure the foods we import from overseas are safe."
"Waters Corporation is committed to bridging the gap between governments and industry to ensure the best science and most innovative technologies are used to make our food safe," said Douglas A. Berthiaume, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Waters Corporation. "We are proud to join with the University of Maryland to create this laboratory that will bolster the capabilities of both the FDA and our global partners as we work together to improve food safety."
"The University of Maryland is very excited about this innovative partnership through the Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition," said President C. D. Mote, Jr. "This collaboration is a superb example of how the public and private sectors can maximize their impact by combining their strengths. The new programs have excellent potential for improving food safety internationally."
Waters is the driving force behind the creation of the IFSTL through a multi-year commitment to fund the laboratory's construction, provide analytical systems, and assist JIFSAN in designing training programs. JIFSAN will conduct laboratory trainings to give foreign and U.S. scientists from government and industry the ability to achieve these best food safety practices. In addition to providing direct support to scientists, this initiative will support the goals of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum to establish laboratory capacity building measures for the 22 member countries.
Waters is a trademark of Waters Corporation.
About Waters Corporation (www.waters.com)
Waters Corporation (NYSE: WAT) creates business advantages for laboratory-dependent organizations by delivering practical and sustainable innovation to enable significant advancements in such areas as healthcare delivery, environmental management, food safety, and water quality worldwide.
Pioneering a connected portfolio of separations science, laboratory information management, mass spectrometry and thermal analysis, Waters' technology breakthroughs and laboratory solutions provide an enduring platform for customer success.
With revenue of $1.5 billion in 2009 and 5,200 employees, Waters is driving scientific discovery and operational excellence for customers worldwide.
Waters, ACQUITY, UltraPerformance LC, ACQUITY UPLC, OBD, Viridis, Protein-Pak, PATROL, and UPLC are trademarks or registered trademarks of Waters Corporation.
About JIFSAN (http://jifsan.umd.edu)
Founded in 1996 by the University of Maryland and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, JIFSAN is a multidisciplinary research, education and outreach program. Its mission is to advance sound strategies that improve public health, food safety, applied nutrition and animal health using risk analysis principles. It has developed strong partnerships with government agencies, industry, academia and public interest groups. It has trained more than 2,500 food safety professionals from 27 countries.
SOURCE: Waters Corporation


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Other Stuff:
I've been needing more people interaction while here. I want to spend lots of time with my parents, so I find myself going out to the grocery store and interacting and seeing people there while picking things up for my parents.
I'm missing ferrets. I know that it's not a good thing for me to have a pet that only lasts 6–9 years. It breaks my heart too much. But I still miss playing with them.
I'm a bit dismayed that the Thunder and Lightning that happened earlier this week happened when I couldn't see it. Grump.
I'm sure there is more but I'm not coming up with it right now. Hopefully later.


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Easter Nail Art
A Festive Floral Manicure to Wear For Easter
There are plenty of new pastel polishes available for Spring, and what better time than Easter try a floral design that features these soft-hued shades? This daisy design gives you a pretty look for Spring, and it's a lot easier to create than it seems. After applying a base coat, paint your nails in a pastel green shade. I used two coats of L'Oréal Nail Colour in Pistachio Dream ($6 at drugstores). Next, using the tip of a pencil, dot on a white polish, such as CoverGirl Outlast Stay Brilliant Nail Gloss in Snow Storm ($6), to create the five petals of a daisy. After you've created the five dots, go back and use a pencil tip to dab on the yellow center of the flower. I used Chanel Le Vernis in Mimosa ($27). You can also use different pastel polishes, like L'Oréal Nail Colour in Pistachio Dream ($6 at drugstores), to form different-colored flowers, too. Not only does the random placement of flowers keep the look fresh, but it also makes it even easier to do.


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Three windows in each of the properties two bedrooms were replaced with new double glazing. Three 4/1 style 16mm units were draught proofed, roped and fitted with weights and new, high quality ironmongery installed.
In the second bedroom a further three windows were manufactured to the same spec and the six complete windows were then painted to a finish of the customer's choice.


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Play as a Mage and select your initial skills with bonus cards. As you complete levels you can purchase new abilities to survive the waves of minions until you face the boss. Each level is randomly generated and enemies have several abilities of their own. Survive, don't survive...
Follow my step-by-step guide on installing, configuring and optimizing Deathroned in Linux with PlayOnLinux.
Note: This guide applies to the itch.io demo version of Deathroned. Other versions may require additional steps.
Tips & Specs:
To learn more about PlayOnLinux and Wine configuration, see the online manual: PlayOnLinux Explained
Mint 18.3 64-bit
PlayOnLinux: 4.2.12
Wine: 3.0
Wine Installation
Click Tools
Select "Manage Wine Versions"
Look for the Wine Version: 3.0
Select it
Click the arrow pointing to the right
Also click the 64-bit tab and download the 64-bit version of Wine 3.0
Click Next
Downloading Wine
Downloading Gecko
Wine 3.0 32-bit and 64-bit is installed and you can close this window
Download Deathroned for free:
PlayOnLinux Setup
Launch PlayOnLinux
Click install
Click "Install a non-listed program"
Select "Install a program in a new virtual drive"
Click Next
Name the virtual drive: deathroned
Click Next
Check all three options:
Click Next
- Use another version of Wine
- Configure Wine
- Install some libraries
Select Wine 3.0
Click Next
Select "64 bits windows installation"
Click Next
Wine Configuration
Applications Tab
Windows version: Windows 7
Click Apply
Libraries Tab
Manually enter each library
Select each library
- d3d10
- d3d10_1
- d3d10core
- d3d11
- dxgi
Click Edit
Select "Native (Windows)"
Click OK
Click Apply when each library is entered and edited
Graphics Tab
Check "Automatically capture the mouse in full-screen windows"
Click OK
PlayOnLinux Packages (DLLs, Libraries, Components)
Check the following:
Click Next
- POL_Install_corefonts
- POL_Install_d3dx9
- POL_Install_d3dx10
- POL_Install_dedx11
- POL_Install_physx
- POL_Install_tahoma
- POL_Install_vcrun2012
- POL_Install_vcrun2013
Note: All packages should download and install
Click Cancel
Extract the Deathroned game folder to the Program Files directory
Full path: /home/username/.PlayOnLinux/wineprefix/deathroned/drive_c/Program Files
Downloading/Installing Wine 3.14-staging
Go to: https://lutris.net/files/runners/
Click wine-staging-3.14-x86_64.tar.gz to download
Save to your Desktop
Open wine-staging-3.14-x86_64.tar.gz with your Archive Manager
Click Extract
Extract to the PlayOnLinux Wine directory
Full path: /home/username/.PlayOnLinux/wine/linux-amd64/
Download/Install DXVK
Go to: https://github.com/doitsujin/dxvk/releases
Download dxvk-0.92.tar.gz
Save to your Desktop
Extract DXVK 0.92
Open the extracted folder
Copy the dll files from x64
Past in the deathroned/Binaries/Win64 directory
Full path:
Code:/home/username/.PlayOnLinux/wineprefix/deathroned/drive_c/Program Files/deathroned/Binaries/Win64
Back to PlayOnLinux
Click Configure
PlayOnLinux Shortcut
General Tab
Click "Make a new shortcut from this virtual drive"
Select "deathroned.exe"
Click Next
Name the shortcut: Deathroned
Click Next
Select "I don't want to make another shortcut"
Click Next
Change Wine version
General Tab
Click the down-arrow and select Wine: staging-3.14-x86_64
Arguments: -D3D10
Display Tab
Video memory size: Enter the amount of memory your video card/chip uses
Close configure
Select Deathroned
Click Run
Note: Click debug to see errors and bugs
Deathroned may take 20 seconds to initially launch, so be patient
Since this is only an early release, there are some missing features like graphics/video options.
But it is an Unreal Engine 4 game and you can do some ajustments yourself.
Launch the game one time then exit
Go to the Deathroned WindowsEditor directory and open GameUserSettings.ini
Full Path:
Note: Remember to replace "username" with your Linux login nameCode:/home/username/.PlayOnLinux/wineprefix/deathroned/drive_c/users/username/Local Settings/Application Data/deathroned/Saved/Config/WindowsNoEditor/GameUserSettings.ini
After doing some research I found a bunch of commands that can help Deathroned run smoother in Wine
Copy/paste the following commands into GameUserSettings.ini
Should appear like thisCode:[/Script/Engine.GameUserSettings] bUseVSync=False ResolutionSizeX=1920 ResolutionSizeY=1080 LastUserConfirmedResolutionSizeX=1280 LastUserConfirmedResolutionSizeY=1024 WindowPosX=-1 WindowPosY=-1 bUseDesktopResolutionForFullscreen=False FullscreenMode=2 LastConfirmedFullscreenMode=2 Version=5 [ScalabilityGroups] sg.AntiAliasingQuality=1 sg.TextureQuality=1 sg.EffectsQuality=1 sg.ResolutionQuality=80 sg.ShadowQuality=1 sg.PostProcessQuality=1 r.MotionBlurQuality=1 r.BlurGBuffer=0 r.AmbientOcclusionLevels=1 r.AmbientOcclusionRadiusScale=1.7 r.DepthOfFieldQuality=1 r.RenderTargetPoolMin=300 r.LensFlareQuality=0 r.SceneColorFringeQuality=0 r.EyeAdaptationQuality=0 r.BloomQuality=1 r.FastBlurThreshold=0 r.Upscale.Quality=1 r.Tonemapper.GrainQuantization=0 r.TranslucencyLightingVolumeDim=24 r.RefractionQuality=0 r.SSR.Quality=0 r.SceneColorFormat=3 r.DetailMode=0 r.TranslucencyVolumeBlur=0 r.MaterialQualityLevel=0 r.Streaming.MipBias=2.5 r.MaxAnisotropy=0 r.Streaming.PoolSize=200 r.LightFunctionQuality=1 r.ShadowQuality=1 r.Shadow.CSM.MaxCascades=1 r.Shadow.MaxResolution=512 r.Shadow.RadiusThreshold=0.06 r.Shadow.DistanceScale=0.6 r.Shadow.CSM.TransitionScale=0 r.Gamma=1.000000
Click Save
Initially Deathroned was running in Direct X 11 mode and ran pretty slow on my GeForce GTX 1060.
So after adding the Quality settings and options to the GameUserSettings.ini I was able to play with a decent frame rate. Feel free to mess with the Quality settings to get better frame rates or visuals.
The lighting in-game is kinda bright and I tried to compensate with gamma command, but it didn't seem to take. Other than that, it ran fine, just have to wait a short time for the game to launch. For now its totally free, so give it a try...
Keyboard Controls:
WASD = Move
Shift = Short Sprint
Enter = Ok & Start
Q = Select spells with Mouse or WASD
Left Mouse = Fire
Right Mouse = Melee
Middle Mouse = Special
Gameplay Video:
Deathroned Guide
Discussion in 'Guides' started by booman, Nov 23, 2018.
Discussion in 'Guides' started by booman, Nov 23, 2018.
XenPorta © Jason Axelrod from 8WAYRUN.COM


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Olivier Manchon: Orchestre de Chambre Miniature, Vol. 1
French violinist Olivier Manchon crawls out from the indie shadows to remind the world that his brand of third stream music is downright awesome.
Olivier Manchon
Orchestre de Chambre Miniature, Vol. 1Label: Obliqsound
US Release Date: 2010-02-09
UK Release Date: 2010-02-15
Until recently, French violinist Olivier Manchon's main stake in the world of popular music was in his wife's band, Clare & the Reasons. Clare Muldaur is the star of that show, writing and singing quiet baby-doll songs that would wait for her husband's arrangements to come along and add character. Her brand of song is very much of this time, fitting neatly into the current indie scene. But Olivier Manchon's string-rooted chamber jazz is the kind of music with no expiration date. Outside the Reasons, he soars into the stratosphere of high art and has delivered what could go down as a musical highlight for 2010. Orchestre de Chambre Miniature, Vol. 1 really is that good.
This is not the first time Manchon has struck out on his own. In 2003, he quietly dropped the short and sweet self-released En Route…. Even if it did fly a little below radar, Manchon took what worked last time around and has expanded on it. This is true in a literal sense, since three of the eight new tracks initially appeared on his first album. Sure, the percussion is gone, but the sound of the ensemble, including saxophone, bass clarinet, clarinet, harmonica, viola, bass and cello, has deepened considerably. And just like a bed sheet with a 1000-thread count, Olivier Manchon and his gang present the seemingly intimidating as something exquisite.
Between these selections, Manchon can surprisingly be mournful or intense, traits considered to be essential in modern classical music. "Memories" and "Feline Leukemia" are solemn but never mope. A piece like "Thirds" ups the ante by using an accessible (and thereby memorable) melody against a harmonic backdrop that never fully resolves. It's the sort of stuff that composition students at Julliard or Eastman fantasize about. On the other side of the coin, "Just a Second" and "The Hanged Man" court modern jazz by honking the serenity awake with saxophone interruptions. Fortunately, it's far from being a rude head-on collision; the interweaving of delicately arranged strings and a skronking saxophone can be surprisingly compelling. But sometimes the jazz and classical combination is set to simmer, as on "Come Back", where neither style reaches a boiling point, though they come achingly close. Jean Sibelius's "Valse Triste" arrives at the end, serving as a piece of falling action in contrast to the nail-biting moments that preceded it. It feels a bit frivolous at first, but reminds us that this sort of musical hybrid does not survive on the somber and serious alone.
For all the cross-pollination of contemporary genres going on, Orchestre de Chambre Miniature, Vol. 1 is delightfully seamless. Within just 40 minutes, it gives the listener an almost perfect view of what third-stream music ought to be: classical modes, jazzy surprises, a vibrant ensemble, that elusive personal touch, and a composer who can pull it all off without blinking. It may not be acknowledged right away as such, but Olivier Manchon has created a masterpiece. One is left longing for the inevitable sequel.


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Photo! Mike Epps Gives First Look At Newborn Daughter, Indiana Rose Epps
The actor and his wife Kyra Robinson Epps posted photos on Instagram.
Naomi Campbell has been making the rounds to promote the next season of The Face and during her visit with Power 105.1's The Breakfast Club, the iconic supermodel was rocking her 'fro and discussing her thoughts on plastic surgery, maintaining her amazing physique and why she's never starved herself to stay in the game.
"You know, I have Jamaican-Chinese heritage. I love my food. And no, I've never... I came [in the industry] with a group of ladies — Linda, Cindy, Christy, Tatjana, Stephanie, and that just was not [it]. We were friends, we loved each other and we loved to go eat with each other. That was not a part of that era," she said.
Campbell also admitted that she doesn't like working out hard-core to keep fit.
"I actually studied dance since I was 3 years old. And then I have to be honest for many, many years, I did nothing… I mean, I work out now. I do like yoga and Pilates but that's it. I'm not somebody who likes 'gym-gym.'"
As for whether she'd ever go under the knife to stay forever beautiful, Campbell said absolutely not, unless it was medically necessary.
"Listen, I have a scar. I had a scar on my upper right lip since I was 3 years old. And I mean, when I first came to New York, my agent said to me at the time we have to get that done and my mother said, 'No.' And I've never had it done. And makeup will cover it and that's the way it is," Campbell said. "I think if you want to get plastic surgery for yourself personally, that's up to you and do whatever makes you feel good. But to do it for a job? No."
"I personally don't want to go under the knife unless I really need to or unless it's like some surgical emergency," she added. "But that's just my opinion."
BET.com always gives you the latest fashion and beauty trends, tips and news. We are committed to bringing you the best of Black lifestyle and celebrity culture.
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(Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz)
The actor and his wife Kyra Robinson Epps posted photos on Instagram.
She's turning more than a few heads.


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If you have a dairy-free child, I'm sure you have had this concern: how to get enough calcium into dairy-free kids. It can be really daunting as we are constantly told to get calcium-rich dairy foods into our children every day. (If you'd like some more general tips on how to cope when your child is diagnosed with a food allergy or intolerance, you might find this post helpful too).
Calcium just isn't optional. While children are in their prime growing years, a deficit can lead to stunted growth, a condition called rickets and weak teeth. If you are concerned your child may have a lactose or cow's milk protein intolerance, it's crucial you talk to health professionals before taking them off milk and research the alternative sources of calcium you can use to nourish them. Here's a guide as to how much calcium your child needs.
Thankfully, it's not impossible to meet their daily calcium needs without milk and can be relatively easy. We were given lots of help by a brilliant paediatric dietitian who gave us a useful list of calcium-rich foods (this one is very similar). I focused on getting the richest sources of calcium onto the meal plan as often as possible. Vitamin D is also essential as, without a sufficient level, your child's body can't absorb the calcium they are getting so I'll mention that throughout.
So, here are some great sources of calcium and how to use them in easy, practical ways that children will actually eat. Please remember that, although I've learnt a lot from speaking to dietitians, I am not a health professional.
Calcium-rich foods for children
Alternative milks
If you have a fairly standard Western diet, milk probably features regularly, especially at breakfast. Alternative milks are easy to get hold of now but there are several things to think about even before you get to the taste, which can take some getting used to.
- Before a year old, babies who are not breast fed still need some formula. Talk to your doctor about dairy-free and ideally soy-free options (which can often be prescribed in the UK, saving you a shed-load of cash). They are not apparently brilliantly palatable but a good option if you are still at that stage.
- Unless you are sure your child doesn't have an allergy, avoid nut milks
- If your child's issue is cow's milk protein intolerance, switching to soy products en masse can trigger a similar reaction to milk so soy is not a great replacement although a useful occasional emergency back-up
- Not all alternative milks are fortified with calcium. You want one that is. We use Provitamel Oat drink which tastes like the milk left in your bowl after a bowl of muesli.
- If your child doesn't like the taste of the new milk, you could try adding a chocolate flavoured powder, similar to Nesquick. (Asda do a good generic version). These provide further supplementation. I wouldn't have chosen this route if I hadn't had a dairy-free child but it was a compromise I was willing to make if it meant Tintin would drink his milk!
Baked beans
Great for so many reasons. Fibre, protein and yes, calcium. You can get the low-sugar and low-salt version or consider making your own bean dishes in your slow cooker. Although I often don't soak beans for the slow cooker, I would for tiny children because it makes them more digestible.
Ready-brek (instant oats)
Ready-brek (or instant oats) is not only made with calcium-rich oats, it is also fortified with calcium and other goodies like iron.You can obviously make it as usual with your dairy-free milk substitute but what you may not have thought to do is to bake with it. I replace some or all of the flour in my Muffin Template recipe with Ready Brek and it works really well, although it absorbs more liquid than wheat flour so you may need to bump up the liquid content if you use all Ready-Brek.
Oats are, in general, a great source of calcium as well as fibre and some protein. I have been eating the Cranks Molasses Flapjack recipe below for a lifetime (thanks Mum!). Molasses are a superb source of calcium. I usually get them either at a healthfood shop or at Holland and Barrett. They taste a lot like black treacle so you can test the flapjack recipe with that to see what you think if getting the molasses will be a hassle.
Calcium rich oats and molasses flapjack with no dairy
- 140g / 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 3 tbsp golden (corn) syrup
- 3 tbsp molasses
- 250 g / 1 + 1/8 cups (dairy-free) margerine, such as Pure
- 700g / 1 +1/2 lbs rolled oats
- Melt the first 4 ingredients together in a large pan.
- Add the oats and stir in. It will look like you have too many oats but keep going!
- Press the mixture into a roasting pan or tray-bake tray of around 9 x 13''
- Bake for 30 minutes at 100C or 180F
- Cut the flapjack into squares while still warm in the pan and leave to cool
- Once cool, remove the flapjack from the pan and store for up to a week in an air-tight tin
Tinned mackerel, sardines or salmon
If my kids didn't like tinned mackerel, I'd probably cry. This is such an easy super-food to make. I just open a tin of mackerel in tomato sauce and pour it (cold) over hot pasta. The pasta warms it up enough to need no further heating. It's the easiest kids meal on earth (I gave another 9 super-easy and dairy-free meals for toddlers here). Jamie Oliver also makes a great smoked mackerel carbonara which we all love (sorry Jamie, but I use the tinned stuff). I skip the milk and parmesan and sometimes add an extra egg.
I don't buy sardines because I find them too scaly but my son likes them mashed on toast (so retro!) and I'm sure you could work tinned salmon into a pasta dish or mash it with mayonnaise as a baked potato filling, just as you would tuna. In fact, subbing salmon for tuna is a really easy step. Salmon is also a good source of Vitamin D which helps bodies absorb calcium.
Along with these canned fishes you also get the beneefit of brain-friendly fish oils so it's a win all round.
Chick peas (garbanzo beans)
Hummus is the easiest way to get chickpeas into kids although they can be thrown into many things. Bought hummus contains tahini, made from sesame seeds which is also a super-rich source of calcium. Go hummus!
I have often made a 5-minute hummus by blending a can of chickpeas with some garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and a dash of sesame oil to get that tahini taste without the trip to a health food shop but shop bought is also really good if you're past the age where salt is an issue.
If you fancy falafel, ready-made falafel and falafel mix are both now readily-available in bigger supermarkets.
You may wonder how to get cornmeal into tots and babies. Wonder no longer. It's super-easy with the recipe in this post.
I've mentioned hummus already but if your kids will eat halva, a Middle-Eastern sweet available in many different flavours, you're onto a winner. I can get the plain version in Sainsburys but a chocolate version is available. It is very high in sugar too so just be aware of that.
You can also make a tahini-based sauce to go with falafel (or salads in general) if you think your children will eat it. I over-dosed on the stuff in Israel and haven't touched it since but I certainly used to enjoy it.
Almonds, all other nuts and nut butters
If you are sure your child doesn't have a nut allergy (some are only intolerant to certain types so be cautious), nuts and nut butters can be a great calcium and protein sourced. Nut butters are best for tiny kids who might choke on
whole nuts. Almonds are the best for calcium but almond butter is expensive so consider making your own if you have a food processor. It's a cinch. Just put the nuts in with the blade attachment and a tablespoon of sunflower oil and put on your ear defenders. Consider adding a little honey for taste
Sunflower seeds/sunflower seed butters
Also a great source of calcium, these can be added to cereal for a lovely chewy crunch. Sunbutter is available in the UK although often in the free-from section rather than health foods as it's a good alternative to peanut butter for allergy-affected kids.
Because of the issues with soy which I mentioned in the discussion about milk, we didn't try tofu with Tintin. I believe you can make great smoothies with tofu but I haven't tried. However, my husband and I have really enjoyed the Leon tofu scramble. Unfortunately all my other tofu meals include cheese!
Oranges are a good calcium source but don't overdo it. especially in under 2s as they are very acidic and you'll end up with sore botties if you're not careful.
White bread and low-sugar breakfast cereals
I was horrified when our dietitian suggested white bread (I can't stand the stuff) but white flour is apparently fortified with calcium so, as part of the mix, it's a good option and your child may think it's a treat. Just bump up their fruit that day for the extra fibre. You could try the Eggy Bread with blueberry sauce in this post.
Breakfast cereals are also fortified – Shreddies and Weetabix are both good low-sugar, higher-fibre options for children. Oatibix would be even better!
Dark green vegetables like kale
I'll be honest, I struggle to get any dark greens into my boy but I have whizzed spinach into passata and then put it in Bolognese. However, the calcium in spinach isn't easily absorbed so kale and green cabbage are better if your children will eat them. I'm still waiting for that age!
My personal instinct is that my kids should get their nutrients from real food but, especially if you're struggling to adjust to a new eating regime or your child is getting over a prolonged period of infection, I think thee's a case for a high quality, real food supplement. This one has worked like magic on our two over the years. We don't use it all the time but buy it in if they've had a series of bugs or are off their food and looking peaky. It has a very obvious effect within a few days and includes calcium.
Apart from the sources of vitamin D mentioned, the best way to get it into your child's body is through sunshine. Give them 15 minutes without sun protection (ideally not around midday) every day and consider supplementing in the winter if you're in the UK. Remember, without vitamin D, you could shovel hummus into your child until it was coming out of their ears and they still wouldn't absorb the calcium so get out of the door for a walk or a play in the garden and feel the happy!


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This week we thought we would share another video from Spanish winemaker Juan de la Barreda's visit to Elkhart. This one is on the Amigos wine made by Torre de Barreda: Torre de Barreda's Amigos Wine Until next week, Cheers
Spanish Winemaker Juan de la Barreda's Visit
/ Carl Tiedemann / Life, Wine
I was very pleased a number of months ago when I received an email from our friend Juan de la Barreda of Torre de Barreda wines in Spain, about visiting us in Elkhart again. Juan visited us for the first time in August 2014 on one of his sales trips to the United States. Some […]Amigos, Barreda Winery, Chef Javier Mendez, Chef John Bulger, Chef Tony Nafrady, Corral de Almaguer, Glenwood Cellars, Javier's Bistro, Juan Barreda, Panofino, Spanish wine, Tapastrie, Temper Grille, Tempranillo


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JJC HS-A Leather Soft Camera Hand Grip Strap for Nikon Canon Olympus Sony DSLR
Click to enlarge
The hand strap helps control and support the camera, and helps prevent it from falling to the ground.
This Hand Strap includes a camera body plate adapter that threads into the tripod mount on the camera body.
The adapter includes a tripod thread of its own. This attachment method allows the hand strap to be mounted on camera bodies with and without battery/vertical/portrait grips.
In addition, the body plate allows one side of a neck strap to be attached. Since the hand strap utilizes one of the neck strap attachment points, this feature allows both straps to be attached simultaneously.
When attached to a full-size pro body such as D700, there is only a small amount of excess attachment strap length - it works great. When attached to a smaller body such as a Canon 50D, there is far more excess strap. In this case, the excess strap wraps back around the hand strap and hook & loop attaches to the other side. Good solution again.
It will greatly improve your stability and accuracy. Extra comfort and security, designed to fit any hand size, the grip screws into your tripod mounting.
Greatly improve your stability and accuracy
Extra comfort and security
Designed to fit any hand size
The grip screws into your tripod mounting
The hand strap helps control and support the camera, and helps prevent it from falling to the ground.
Compatible to:
Canon EOS 1000D, 500D, 450D, 400D, 50D, 40D, 30D,20D, 10D, D60, D30, 300D, 350D, 5D, 7D, 5D MARK II 1D MARK III, 1DS MARK III
Nikon D3, D3x, D700, D300S, D300, D100, D200, D1, D2x... D90, D80, D70s,D70,D60, D50,D40X, D40, D500
Sony A100, A200, A300, A350, A550, A700, A850, A900
Pentax k100d, k10d, k20d, k200d, K-M, K-X, K-7
Fuji S2, S3, S5 PRO
Olympus E620, E520, E510,E500, E460, E450, E420, E410, E400, E300, E330, E1, E3, E30
Panasonic Fz20,Fz30, Fz50,LC-1, L10,G1, GH1
Sony A900 A850 A700 A550 A350 A300 A200 A100.. And more.. DSLR SLR DC digital camera
Material :echtes Leder
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|One Years Warranty
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Breaking out
Led by long-time philanthropists Khaled and Olfat Juffali, a small circle of Saudi families is breaking with tradition to forge a new model for Gulf giving
Led by long-time philanthropists Khaled and Olfat Juffali, a small circle of Saudi families is breaking with tradition to forge a new model for Gulf giving
Juffali is outlining the thinking behind Shefa Fund, the Saudi Arabia-based giving circle he cofounded in 2013 with his wife, Olfat, backed by a cohort of close friends. Working hand-in-glove with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, its goal is to channel money so it has the greatest long-term impact on pressing global health issues. "Giving is easy," explains Olfat Juffali, "but giving well is an art."
"There are many people our age who want to give, but don't know how or where to direct their money" In four short years, Shefa has parlayed its members' financial clout – and the Gates Foundation's expertise – into more than $9m worth of grants, helping to bankroll the fight against diseases ranging from polio, to malaria and meningitis A. Having exhausted its first tranche of funding, a second round of fundraising is planned for this year, with a target goal of $20m. "There are many people our age who want to give, but don't know how or where to direct their money," says Olfat. "They like the Shefa story, and they like what we're doing – they're keen to support it. Like us, they want to learn how best to give."
Giving circles are not a new trend. Born in the US, they exist around the world, ranging in size from informal supper clubs to large-scale nonprofits with annual fees and minimum donation requirements. Givers chip in with money, swap ideas, strategies and successes, and determine together which nonprofits to support. But in the GCC, where philanthropy is still dominated by individual, often opaque, foundations, Shefa Fund represents a bold streak of innovation.
The fund grew out of an off-the-cuff remark to Olfat, who was mulling the launch of her own charity, focusing on health and education. An advisor suggested she could instead fold her funding into the Gates Foundation, the world's largest philanthropic organisation, to deploy through its hive of programmes and partners. It was an idea that led to a lunch with Bill Gates in Saudi Arabia – hosted by the Juffalis and attended by a handful of their friends – and one that ended with a clutch of pledges and a newly inked blueprint for giving.
"We made the decision that day to put our hands with the Gates Foundation and go with them on this journey," says Olfat. "We were impressed."
What followed has been almost a crash course in strategic philanthropy: giving that thinks big, has a clear goal, and delivers an outsized benefit for the dollars invested. Most big-ticket philanthropists struggle up a learning curve, with the wastage and poor investments that go with it. Shefa members, buoyed by trips into the field and exposure to global health experts, have fast-tracked theirs.
"We see first-hand the impact our money is making, and that's a huge encouragement for all of us. It brings our philanthropy to life"Today, using pooled funds, the 19-person group doles out grants to catalysing projects in healthcare shortlisted by the Gates Foundation. The headline idea is to offset the market failure affecting poor consumers of healthcare, by deploying money on their behalf to open up access to drugs and treatment. Done right, the Juffalis hope it will better the lives of millions of people across the Middle East and Africa.
"It's eye opening: the more you learn – especially during the trips – the more you want to help," says Khaled. He recalls watching a line of children outside a free health clinic in Tanzania, queuing patiently in the heat for vaccinations their families could not otherwise afford. "We see first-hand the impact our money is making, and that's a huge encouragement for all of us. It brings our philanthropy to life."
Among its grants, Shefa Fund has given $3.3m to the global fight to eradicate polio, $2.5m towards eliminating meningitis A, a disease which – before the rollout of a cheap vaccine in 2011 – erupted in regular epidemics in Africa, and invested $2.4m in ending the ravages of neglected tropical diseases. Its grants have reached some 16 million people in 15 countries – "a phenomenal number," says Olfat – ranging from the Central African Republic and Sudan, to neighbouring Arab states Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen.
In 2014, the group made its first award to a project in Saudi Arabia: a $1.2m push to sharpen the diagnosis and treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis. A parasitic disease transmitted by tiny sandflies, leishmaniasis is not fatal, but its disfiguring lesions cause untold misery. The condition stalks the Middle East, affecting thousands each year, but rarely makes it on to the radar of aid donors. Shefa Fund's grant – funding research at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine – has now turbocharged the response. The end goal is to wipe out leishmaniasis in Saudi Arabia. The tools developed can then be used to attack the disease in the wider region, where conflict and mass displacement has sped its spread.
"Being able to eliminate leishmaniasis here; that would be something incredible. It would truly be an example of using money to the greatest effect," says Olfat.
In the GCC, Shefa Fund is an outlier. Its model blends the best of Islamic generosity with outside expertise, encouraging proactive – not impulsive – philanthropy. Members, by virtue of collective action, are constantly learning. Still, when pitched against more status-seeking ways of giving, it's not an easy sell.
"In our part of the world, everyone wants to do his or her own thing: start an NGO or foundation. They want to put their name to something," explains Khaled. "Shefa Fund is a change in the methodology of giving. But, as private philanthropists, we should be agile."
This also means reapproaching the Islamic tenet that counsels discretion in charity, to 'give with the right, but don't let the left hand know.' "Giving is seen as a private matter, which makes it difficult to share ideas and collaborate," he adds.
In this, the Juffalis have led from the front. They have championed the fund within their own influential network, hosting dinners and then "very elegantly bombarding" friends with evidence of its impact. The Gates Foundation name has also served as a calling card, helping to combat any rumblings about how money may be channelled by global NGOs. Both, says Olfat, are keen to see the vehicle duplicated elsewhere in the GCC, and to swell Shefa's donor base among the next generation.
"All our children come along on field trips with us; it's very important to us to pass that along. It's a learning journey for whole family," she explains. It's an added bonus that Shefa Fund's model plays well among data-hungry millennials. "That's a big change within the younger generation: whether statistically, or geographically, they want to see the numbers, and know the money is being used as it should be," she says.
"This is the future: teaching young people around the world how to give well, and how to collaborate and learn from each other"Another portend of change is the growing spotlight on philanthropy among Gulf governments. In Saudi Arabia, the trade bloc's wealthiest state, the national economic plan calls for the nonprofit sector to generate 5 per cent of GDP by 2030. In an era of plunging public spending, philanthropy is taking on a heightened role – and one that may demand a radical rethink of how money is allocated and tracked.
The Juffalis are doing their part to spark change. In 2014, the couple invested in an experiential philanthropy programme at Northeastern University, US. The course, which sees students make dollar grants to nonprofits, aims to expose pupils to the complexities behind crafting and funding strategies for effective social change. Now, orchestrated by the Juffalis, a version of it is being taught in Riyadh's Prince Sultan University, to school young Saudis in the art of strategic philanthropy. If all goes well, they hope to see it roll out in universities across the country: the art of effective giving, woven into Saudi's national curriculum.
"Philanthropy does not distinguish by race, religion or region, it all goes under one banner," says Khaled. "This is the future: teaching young people around the world how to give well, and how to collaborate and learn from each other."


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Vision One are delighted to have sponsored the UK Public Sector Communication Awards 2017 last week
Last Wednesday Directors Tony Lewis and Victoria Wood attended the UK PSCA at the Montcalm Marble Arch, London and they had a fantastic time.
The UK Public Sector Communications Awards celebrated and rewarded excellent communication strategies and campaigns, teams and individuals in local and national government, emergency services and not-for-profit bodies from across the UK.
Since inception, Vision One have been working closely with Public Sector organisations and the marketing agencies that support them (see Social Market Research services)- so we thought it would be good to give something back by supporting these communication awards in it's fifth year.
So a big congratulations to all the winners from the event, it was a great evening.
For more information on Vision One and how we can help you please contact us today.


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I can't find organic, vegan, gluten-free, and allergy-friendly crackers nor a recipe that pertained to my taste buds! So I dove head first and created this delicious yet simple recipe. Now that I know how easy baking delicious crackers is, I'll never buy an overpriced box again. You can toss in dried fruit or nuts or play with different spices. The flavor combinations truly are endless!
- 1 1/2 Cups flax meal
- 1/2 Cup warm water
- 1/4 Cup organic gluten-free tamari sauce
- 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic flakes
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a medium-sized mixing bowl add all of your ingredients.
- Lay a piece of parchment paper on your baking sheet and add your cracker mix on top. Top with a piece of wax paper and roll flat until your mixture is 1/8 inch thick. Score your crackers (I used a pizza cutter).
- Pop in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until darkened. Break apart your cracker pieces (they'll come apart easily).
- They're delicious on their own, dipped into creamy homemade ranch dressing (2 allergy-friendly alternate recipes), or your favorite dip!
Enjoy eating whole!
You may freeze leftovers in a freezer bag & eat them as-needed!


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Heading back up the bustling Church Street from the church of Mary in Mulhuddart, there is an interesting holy well. Firstly it is situated right on the side of the busy road and has a stone roof built over it which dates back to the eighteenth century. There is both a front and rear entrance. Like most holy wells, this was once probably a sacred spring for our ancient ancestors. With the coming of the new religion to our shores many of the sacred sites were Christianised, usually by associating them with a saint and changing festival/feast days to Christian ones, Christmas is probably the best known example of this.
The well at Mulhuddart became popular during Norman times and is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. During the eighteenth Century huge crowds are said to have gathered here on the 8th of September (Lady's Day), the feast of the birth of the Virgin Mary, seeking a cure for whatever ailment they suffered from. It would seem that King Henry VI set up an order initially called the Order of the Guild of the Blessed Virgin Mary and provided them with a sum of money for the upkeep of Marian shrines in the area, but in particular for the upkeep of Our Lady's Well. It was this order that erected a small 'u'-shaped wall as an enclosure around the well and planted a number of trees to create the impression of a grove. After Henrys death the order seemed to disappear.
After this the well and presumably the church came under the care of the nuns of Grace Dieu. The Grace Dieu nuns were an order of Augustinian canonesses dedicated to God, the Holy Trinity and Saint Mary founded by Rohese de Verdon in 1241. Whilst this order did not last long in England, they managed to survive a little longer in Ireland. They capped stone roof with a chimney like stone front & rear is inscribed with various prayers to the Virgin and a small niche and an incised cross above.
The well is kept in quite good condition, considering its close proximity to the adjacent busy road; unfortunately upon examining the interior of the well it would seem that the water source has become stagnant. Considering the many housing estates and industrial complexes in the surrounding area it is quite possible that over recent years the source has been damaged.
For more of my images, why not visit my Website,or follow me on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.


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This year, leading up to our annual Menu of Menus® issue, Kaitlin Steinberg counts down her 100 favorite dishes as she eats her way through Houston. She'll compile a collection of the dishes she thinks are the most awesome, most creative and, of course, most delicious in town. It's a list of personal favorites, things she thinks any visitor or Houstonian ought to try at least once and dishes that seem particularly indicative of the ever-changing Houston foodscape.
Well, friends, we've done it. We've made it through 50 of my 100 favorite dishes. And you know what that means ... you can't quit reading just yet, because there are 50 more to go!
Just kidding. I mean, yes, there are 50 more to go, but I think finding and writing about (and you reading about) 50 dishes is reason to celebrate. And in the spirit of celebration, I give you: The Petite Sweets Chocolate Chip Cookie and Custard Sandwich, the entirety of which I ate in one sitting while writing this because I was so excited.
Petite Sweets is known for its custard and macarons, but, I learned recently, neither the custard nor the gelato is made in-house. No matter, though. Pair that custard with some of the shop's homemade cookies, cupcakes, macarons or whoopie pies, and you've got yourself a real treat.
I've been hitting up Petite Sweets a lot lately in lieu of my usual sugary hangout, House of Pies, which is ever-so-slowly rebuilding after a fire in November. Petite Sweets has a totally different vibe, though, and I'm finding it a fine place to exceed my recommended daily caloric intake.
My obsession started with the macarons -- one in every color of the rainbow and nearly every sweet flavor imaginable. Then I moved on to the custard sundaes, but since it's been so chilly lately I've found a cup of frozen cream to be a bit much. Now I'm onto the cookie ice cream sandwiches, and I think I've found the perfect melding of macarons and custard to satisfy all of my cravings.
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The cookies are baked fresh daily, and you can choose from a variety of flavors (recently I think I saw some gooey-looking molasses cookies) and either chocolate or vanilla custard in the middle. The sandwiches are all pre-made and waiting for you to pluck them out of the freezer.
They're better than the average ice cream sandwich because A. The cookies are crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside, and B. CUSTARD. The custard center -- a swirl of chocolate and vanilla -- is so creamy and dreamy it almost tastes like there's a layer of frozen caramel or whipped cream between the cookie and the frozen filling.
So next time you're looking to celebrate a small victory, head on over to Petite Sweets for a big ol' cookie sandwich.
The list so far: No. 50: Black Pepper Beer Lobster at Hai Cang Seafood Restaurant No. 51: Red Dragon Roll at Michiru Sushi No. 52: Fried Bananas Foster at Custom Confections No. 53: Bánh Canh Hue at Simply Pho No. 54: Kimchi Koagie at Koagie Hots No. 55: The Juicy Lucy Burger at Lowbrow No. 56: Eggplant Fries at Batanga No. 57: Macarons at Ganache Dessert Bar No. 58: Grilled Cheese at The Golden Grill No. 59: Baklava French Toast at Harry's Restaurant & Cafe No. 60: Patata e Funghi Pizza at Pizaro's No. 61: Old Fashioned Frito Pie at Armadillo Palace No. 62: Korean Spiced Brisket Plate at Revival Market No. 63: Bánh Mì at Les Givral's Sandwich and Cafe No. 64: Squirrel Master Burger at Cottonwood No. 65: Shorty Mac at H-Town StrEATS No. 66: Enchiladas de Mole at La Guadalupana No. 67: Bad Ass Hambur-Torta at Pistolero's No. 68: Green "Hurry Curry" at Nit Noi No. 69: Dozen Raw Oysters at Pappas Seafood No 70: Banana Split at Cloud 10 Creamery No. 71: Lazy Lane Frites at Brasserie 19 No. 72: Chicken Pot Pie at Kenny & Ziggy's No. 73: Chili Cheese Mac from Jus' Mac No. 74: Taco al Pastor at Taco Keto No. 75: 'Date With a Pig' at Sparrow Bar + Cookshop No. 76: The Heights Burger at Gratifi No. 77: Lamb Lollipops at Américas No. 78: Mortadella Sandwich at 13 Celsius No. 79: Carnissima Pizza at Coppa Osteria No. 80: The Marie Laveau Sandwich at Sandy Witch No. 81: Catfish and Grits at The Breakfast Klub No. 82: Grilled Ahi Tuna at St. John's Fire No. 83: Lobster Roll at Maine-ly Sandwiches No. 84: Greek Burger at Hubcap Grill No. 85: Pork Tamales at Irma's No. 86: Ham, Egg & Cheese Crepe at Melange Creperie No. 87: Crab Daddy Bao at Fat Bao No. 88: Sesame Soft Balls at Golden Dim Sum No. 89: Porchetta e Fagioli at Giacomo's Cibo e Vino No. 90: Uncle Daryl's Cake at The Chocolate Bar No. 91: Lobster Cake Benedict at Sorrel Urban Bistro No. 92: Homeroom at Bernie's Burger Bus No. 93: Vuelve a la Vida Soup at Connie's Seafood No. 94: Foie Gras Mac & Cheese at BRC Gastropub No. 95: Sweet Potato Gnocchi at Brooklyn Athletic Club No. 96: Chicken and Waffles at Adair Kitchen No. 97: Soft Pretzel from Mongoose Versus Cobra No. 98: Bulgogi Tacos with Kimchi at Chi'Lantro No. 99: Almond Croissant at Phoenicia No. 100: Bangkok Fries at Boheme


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I was recently interviewed for a Feeney Fellowship, following a proposal I made in response to a call for applicants. The Fellowship awards two bursaries a year of up to £3000 to Birmingham based arts practitioners to, as outlined on their website, 'broaden their expertise and develop their careers…the proposal should allow exposure to new, outside influences…rather than simply giving the applicant time to develop a new body of work'.
My proposal was centred on an interest I've had for some time in developing some sculptural ceramics based on my interest in the urban environment, and in particular based on the recent lorry and vehicle paintings. The idea of the trucks as 'vessels' or containers seemed to naturally lend itself to this idea and, for the proposal at least, seemed like a good opportunity to potentially extend my practise and skills. I know plenty of ceramicists whose work I admire, and have very much been a part in fostering my interest in this art form, who were happy to support me in my endeavours with their knowledge and expertise, and, most importantly, their kilns (!).
Anyway, this is all a bit circumspect as, following my interview, I was unsuccessful in the end, and did not receive a bursary. For the interview I had to give a brief presentation in support of my proposal. I decided it would be a different approach to develop and present a sketchbook of possible design ideas, and so during the time I have been signed off work I spent a few days working on this. I made nearly eighty studies over thirty pages, which I enjoyed a great deal: making initial drawings from my son's toy trucks and then developing ideas about different surface treatments using paint and collage. As I said, it's all a bit circumspect now, but I thought it might be nice to share some of these in this post.
Road Mending Machine Teapot!
My good friend, Marian, who acted as a referee, was very disappointed I was turned down and wondered if her reference had not been, in her words, 'sophisticated enough'. I am certain that this would not have been the case, but rather more likely to be the lack of sophistication in my ideas that would have been the problem. I think also that it may be that it looked, and probably correctly, like I would be producing a whole new body of work, rather than extending my existing practise. I will never know….Still, despite this I do think some of the designs have potential to be carried further, and maybe, without the pressure the Fellowship would have undoubtedly brought, I could attempt something in clay yet in the New Year.


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Sheldon Parsons (1866- 1943)
While a successful artist living in New York City during the early 1900s, Sheldon Parsons painted the portraits of such important American figures as President McKinley and Susan B. Anthony. But the death of his wife and a severe case of tuberculosis drove him west with his young daughter, Sara, in 1913. Doctors suggested New Mexico, and that year Parsons became one of Santa Fe's first resident artists. Inspired by the color and light of his new home, Parsons turned his Barbizon and Impressionist training to the raw and endless landscape. He masterfully recorded the unique character of the Santa Fe neighborhoods and nearby Pueblos, as well as the expanse of the desert and mountains.
The impact of the dry, pure air and bare landscape was sufficiently strong to change Parsons' entire style. Parsons gave up portraiture and never again returned to figure painting. His entire focus became the skies, mountains and soft, pliable adobe architecture of Northern New Mexico. He rendered the contours of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains with a soft brush and nearly pastel earth tones. The only intrusions into this scheme were the extreme, sharp tones of red and yellow needed to capture New Mexico in October.
Parsons quickly became a major force in the burgeoning Santa Fe art scene. When the New Mexico Museum of Fine Art was constructed in 1917, Parsons became its first director. He regularly showed his work in the nearby Palace of the Governors galleries alongside that of the many fine artists who spent time in Santa Fe.
Parsons' career spanned an era. He was born in the same year as Irving Couse, a charter member of the Taos Society of Artists, one year after the end of the Civil War. At his death in September of 1943, abstract expressionism was just beginning in New York City. Through most of these decades Parsons' style however remained placid, serene, settled and calm, just as he had found the landscape when he first reached New Mexico.


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By Heidi Tattrie Rushton
Edith Steffens of Hubley, N.S., has had a lifelong interest in antique cars that started in childhood as she watched her father work as an auto mechanic.
Over the years, she's owned several antique cars herself, including a 1941 Chevrolet four-door and a 1968 Plymouth Barracuda Fastback.
Currently, Steffens and her husband, Jim, own a 1967 Ford Mustang convertible, a 1967 Ford Galaxie 500 two-door hardtop, a 1948 Prefect (an English Ford) and her grandfather's 1929 McLaughlin Buick.
She says it's impossible to pick a favourite, as they are all special for different reasons.
The Galaxie has taken her and Jim across Canada twice as part of a group adventure with other antique car hobbyists called the Canadian Coast to Coast tour.
She says the trips had many memorable moments.
"One highlight was in California, coming home from the 2010 Coast to Coast when we drove the Galaxie through one of the giant redwoods," she says.
"On that same trip, we stopped in Americus, Georgia, at a campground and learned that former U.S.
President Jimmy Carter would be speaking in Plains the next day.
Carter and his wife drove up in their "presidential limousine", a Ford F-250 heavy-duty truck!"
'Courting car'
The Mustang took them across the country one time in 2000, but it also holds a more sentimental place in her heart as the couple met through their shared love of antique automobiles.
"The Mustang convertible is special because it was the car my husband Jim had when I met him and I jokingly call it our courting car," she laughs. "Jim actually sold the Mustang, but four years later bought it back, so he's the third and fifth owner of the car."
The Buick has a long family history for her and was part of her initial introduction to antique vehicles.
"My grandfather bought a 1929 McLaughlin Buick new in 1929. He had owned several cars previously but only kept each a year or so. He didn't like them and wanted a Buick," she explains.
"The Buick was $2,000, as opposed to the others' $500, so he agonized a long time about selling some stocks which had done well for him.
Eventually, he sold the stocks and bought the car in the summer of 1929." In October of that year, the stock market crashed.
"He won the gamble. He wouldn't have had the money anyway, but now he had the car. He drove that car until he stopped driving in his eighties."
Steffens and her husband find a lot of enjoyment from spending time with others who share their hobby as members of the Halifax Antique Car Club.
"We have met so many interesting, varied, and friendly people and are constantly amazed at how small the world really is," she says.
"We enjoy going on runs with car club members, a day trip to an interesting part of the province, perhaps.
We have enjoyed several weekend tours with the New Brunswick Antique Auto Club through Maine, Nova Scotia and P.E.I., and of course the Coast to Coast adventures." 'You've got to enjoy them' Blaine Aucoin, of Reserve Mines in Cape Breton, agrees with getting antique cars out for drives regularly.
He owns a 1963 Ford Fairlane 500 sports coupe, a 1988 Ford Mustang convertible and two Ford Tudor Sedans, one from 1932 and one from 1933, and gets them all on the road as much as possible.
"I like to drive them," he says.
"I don't believe in trailering them around. If you're going to have them, you've got to enjoy them."
Aucoin has had an interest in antique cars since he was a boy.
He bought his first vehicle at the age of 15, a 1954 Chevrolet Station Wagon.
Four years later, in 1979, he was one of the five original members - and the youngest - of the Cape Breton Antique and Custom Car Club.
Fixing up old cars is a passion of Aucoin's and, after working on a vehicle, he becomes attached to it.
"I love them too much, I can't get rid of what I've got," he chuckles. "The car really becomes part of you."
Aucoin does most of the bodywork and paint himself.
He says that he likes to add his own little touches to vehicles as he works on them, such as the 1933 Tudor, which will look like an old car from the outside but will be a hot rod inside.
What he can't do himself, he has friends who can.
Being an antique auto lover has meant he's built up a community of car lovers who are happy to pitch in and work together on each other's vehicles.
"You get pretty close to them, building cars," he says. "They become good friends."
While fixing up cars is his favourite pass time, he also loves getting a chance to go to car shows and share his love of antique cars with other collectors and the general public, especially when he gets to give a young car fanatic the thrill of a lifetime.
"I went to a car show one time and the parent had a couple of kids there looking at the car, so I let them sit in it, and the look on their faces? They were just amazed," Aucoin says.
"When you see someone that loves your car, it's a good feeling.
When a young kid is just amazed looking at your old car, that's the best part of it."
- Buy only what you can afford and do most of the work yourself - repairs and paint jobs, in particular, can get very expensive. An original car that is good and solid may be a better option than one that is totally restored.
- Connect with a local car club. The knowledge, friendship, and adventures available with a group of like-minded people enhance the experience immensely.
- The final tip from Steffens is both practical (preventing the gaskets from drying out) and fun: "The main thing is to drive them," she says. "Dad always said that cars were meant to be driven."


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You can also order this book, and order or download all of our Reports, Responses and Gases, from the Publications pages of this website, or find out who is involved on the Green House People page. Please also see who is supporting us on the page about our Advisory Group or check out our influences at Find Out More.


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About Marjorie L. Hoover
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Five years after the collapse of Lehman Bros. and the beginning of the worst U.S. financial crisis since the Great Depression, we look at 10 of the key players and where they are now.
Richard Fuld
Fuld's nickname was the "Gorilla" on Wall Street because of his competitiveness, joining Lehman Brothers in 1969 and rising through the ranks to become CEO and chairman. Fuld became CEO in 1994 until the firm filed for bankruptcy in 2008, at which point he was hauled in front of Congress to explain his role in the financial meltdown of the economy. Fuld has since kept a low profile, opening an advisory firm Matrix Advisory in Midtown Manhattan and has been consulting quietly, according to news reports and SEC filings.
Erin Callan
Callan was considered one of the most powerful women on Wall Street when she was appointed CFO of Lehman in September 2007 after rising up the ranks. She was stripped of the CFO title just six months later after the firm reported massive second-quarter losses the following year and had to raise more $6 billion in capital. Three months later the firm filed bankruptcy. Callan briefly joined Credit Suisse as a managing director but left by the end of December 2009.
James "Jimmy" Cayne
The former chairman and chief executive officer of Bear Stearns Cos. blamed market forces and loss of confidence in his firm for its collapse in early 2008. The failure of Bear Stearns proved to be an early warning of the instability in financial markets that played out later in the year. Cayne has continued to pursue his passion for bridge, and remains a nationally ranked player.
Anton Valukas
The bankruptcy examiner of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. wrote a 2,200 page report on the bankruptcy of Lehman which helped inform the debate over financial reforms in Congress. He remains chairman of Jenner & Block, a Chicago law firm.
John Thain
Thain was CEO of Merrill Lynch and oversaw its sale to Bank of America in Sept. 2008 as the financial crisis deepened. He came in for criticism over lavish office decorations and billions of dollars in bonus payments made to Merrill employees late in 2008. He briefly worked for the combined Bank of America Merrill Lynch firm, before being forced out by Ken Lewis. Thain has since become CEO of CIT Group
Angelo Mozilo
The founder and former CEO of Countrywide Financial Corporation became the face of the subprime mortgage crisis, famous for seeking lenient regulation by providing special terms to elected "friends of Angelo." Countrywide was bought by Bank of America early in 2008 as problems mounted in its lending operations. He ultimately settled securities fraud cases with the Federal government by agreeing to pay a fine of $67.5 million.
Ken Lewis
The former Bank of America chairman and CEO is noted for the disastrous purchases of Countrywide and Merrill Lynch, which lead to massive losses for the bank and multi-billion dollar bailouts by the government. Lewis retired at the end of 2009 and was replaced by current CEO Brian Moynihan. Bank of America agreed lasted year to pay $2.4 billion to settle claims stemming from the Merrill Lynch acquisition.
Henry Paulson
Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson was the architect of the TARP program which bailed out Wall Street's biggest banks. He is considered by some the most important person at the height of the financial crisis, memorable for his quick, aggressive response as the economy was on the brink of collapse. Others see him as a Wall Street player engineering the salvation of his peers with federal bailout funds. Paulson, with Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and then New York Fed President Tim Geithner, convinced then President George W. Bush and Congress to approve TARP, in the days after the Lehman collapse, though not before some of Wall Street's most volatile trading days ever.
Tim Geithner
Geithner played a key role in the financial crisis as New York Fed President and was involved in critical decisions involving bailing out banks, allowing the collapse of Lehman Brothers and the sale of Bear Stearns. Geithner went onto become Treasury Secretary under President Obama, serving almost five years in the post, before leaving to become head of the Council of Foreign Relations in New York.
Jamie Dimon
The CEO of J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. was considered to be running the most stable firm during the financial crisis and at the urging of the government, bought Bear Stearns in a fire sale as the firm was failing in early 2008. Dimon has been highly critical of regulations brought by the government subsequent to the crisis to crack down on risk on Wall Street and has been quoted saying his firm had a "fortress balance sheet." More recently J.P. Morgan


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As with the original D2X, the D2xs featuring a 12.4 megapixel CMOS sensor, and offers five frames per second shooting plus the ability to shoot even faster - up to eight frames per second - by switching to a lower resolution 6.8 megapixel mode. This high-speed burst mode operates by reading only from the center of the imager, which means that to get the higher speed, the focal length crop changes from the regular 1.5x of a DX sensor, to 2.0x. Probably the most significant changes in the D2Xs' functionality relativeto its predecessor are in this area. Where the D2X relied on red markings in the viewfinder to indicate the smaller cropped area, the D2Xs indicates the area by shading everything that is cropped out of the image, leaving the uncropped portion of the image somewhat brighter. This method seems like it should be much more intuitive, making it easier to frame cropped images quickly - although the shading can be disabled should the user desire. Another improvement related to the cropped mode is a change to the metering system - both matrix and center-weighted metering now adjust to work solely within the cropped area when in that mode.
The D2Xs uses the same Multi-Cam2000 AF sensor found in the D2H and D2X, offering 11-point focusing with nine cross-type sensors (only nine of these points are available in the high-speed cropped mode, but all nine are the cross-type sensors). The LCD display used in the D2Xs has been changed to the one used in the D200, which offers a 170-degree wide viewing angle and is said to have been factory calibrated for consistent color. A new EN-EL4a battery refreshes the original EN-EL4, and offers 2500 mAh - good for roughly 3,500 shots.
Other updates include a black and white image mode (Raw files shot in this mode can have the color restored if needed), in-camera image cropping of any image type in playback mode, the ability to save and load camera settings (great if you share a pool of cameras between photographers), a "Recent Settings" menu as seen in the D200 (which allows you to quickly recall settings you changed recently to adjust them without digging through the menu system), more ISO sensitivity settings (although the overall range is unchanged) including an Auto setting, a new menu color scheme, and increased burst depth. You can also now select the duration of focus lock when using focus tracking, load multiple custom tone curves into the camera, and select the desired shutter speed when using the automatic ISO sensitivity setting. Image authentication is possible using a separately available solution consisting of both hardware (a USB key) / and software, so as to ensure the software hasn't been hacked. The D2Xs will also be compatible with Nikon's upcoming Capture NX software, as well as a remote control package dubbed "Camera Control Pro".
The Nikon D2xs should be available in late June, with an estimated street price of $4699.95 - about 6% cheaper than the original D2X model when it shipped (for $4999.95) a little over a year ago.
Full specifications courtesy of Nikon, along with an introductory document, product photos, and the official press release follow below.
Major features
MELVILLE, NY, JUNE 1, 2006 – Nikon® (www.nikondigital.com), the world leader in photography, today introduced the new D2XS™ professional digital SLR camera, incorporating an impressive range of refinements that improve overall camera performance and enhance the user experience. The D2XS shares many performance and design innovations with the current and highly successful D2X camera, including the 12.4 million pixel DX format CMOS image sensor that renders images with high resolution and sharp detail, necessary for demanding professional assignments. The D2XS also hosts a range of upgraded features that make operation significantly more responsive – including refined viewfinder performance that makes for easier composition when shooting in Nikon's exclusive High-Speed Crop mode, a new 2.5 inch LCD with a 170-degree wide viewing angle, individually calibrated at the factory to ensure consistent color fidelity, significantly increased battery life and a wide range of firmware enhancements.
With its numerous refinements, the D2XS is truly equipped to meet the widely varied demands of today's professional photographers who strive to create photographs that push the boundaries of what's possible. Not only does the camera successfully combine high resolution, speed and quality, but it also incorporates exclusive technologies that enable unfettered creativity. Options such as the WT-2A Wi-Fi transmitter achieves full wireless remote camera control and transmission, while the revolutionary i-TTL Speedlight technology included in the D2XS ensures radical new possibilities in creative lighting.
" Increasingly, professional photographers have chosen the D2X as their primary workhorse camera due to its remarkable performance and versatility, making it Nikon's best selling professional digital SLR camera. With the introduction of the D2XS, Nikon has built upon the proven performance of its predecessor and added new technologies and refined features that will offer professionals an enhanced overall experience," said Edward Fasano, general manager for Marketing, SLR Systems Products, Nikon Inc. "The D2XS is poised to become the next Nikon DSLR of choice among professional photographers."
Versatility Refined Many of the capabilities that made the D2X such a success have been retained. The D2XS is capable of capturing 12.4 megapixel JPEG or RAW (NEF) images at a rate of up to 5 frames per second in continuous shooting mode, and maintains a rapid start-up time, the world's shortest shutter release time lag of just 37ms, as well as a viewfinder blackout time of just 105 milliseconds. The D2XS also inherits the popular High-Speed Crop mode that uses a specific central area of the sensor to capture 6.8 megapixel resolution images at an incredible rate of up to 8 frames per second. A newly developed viewfinder in the D2XS automatically superimposes a mask over the cropped area within the viewfinder while in the High-Speed Crop mode, for easier and more confident composition.
The D2XS features Nikon's acclaimed Mutli-CAM2000 high-speed AF system, with eleven autofocus sensors – nine of which are cross-type and placed in the rule of thirds layout. The D2XS offers improved subject acquisition and tracking capabilities as well as a new option for controlling the duration of Lock-On™ focus tracking, making it easier to adjust for shooting different types of scenes and action.
New Image Rendering and Menu Options With a combination of powerful image-processing technologies and Nikon's exclusive 1,005 pixel 3D-Color Matrix Metering II, the D2XS makes it possible to capture beautiful 12.4-megapixel images that meet and exceed professional photographers' needs for larger files that are rich in detail, color and smooth tonal range. The D2XS has also been refined so demanding photographers can take advantage of Nikon's 3D-Color Matrix Metering II even in the High-speed Crop mode. Professional photographers will appreciate the ability to select Adobe RGB in any of the three color modes – making it possible to work with a wider range of colors to match highly diverse assignments and workflow environments, while ideally complementing the NEF file. In-camera creative possibilities are extended even further through the addition of a new Black & White (sRGB) color mode. Photographers shooting in RAW (NEF) will have the ability to shoot in black and white and still retain the color information in the RAW image data, allowing them to easily reverse a black and white image to color using Nikon's new Capture NX software.
RAW and JPEG images taken using the D2XS can be trimmed within the camera to produce images of reduced display sizes ranging from 640 x 480 to 2,560 x 1,920 pixels. The resulting smaller files can help improve workflow efficiency by eliminating the time required to download and perform software editing within a computer.
New ISO sensitivity options offer greater convenience to photographers who work under constantly changing lighting conditions such as weddings. A new Auto ISO feature allows photographers to maintain a specific shutter speed while letting the camera automatically select an appropriate ISO setting, within a predefined range of sensitivities, based on the existing lighting conditions. This feature helps achieve optimum exposure while freeing the photographer to concentrate on composition. ISO sensitivity can also be manually set between ISO-equivalent 100 and 800 in increments of 1/3 EV, or boosted using HI-0.3, HI-0.5, HI-0.7, HI-1 or HI-2 settings when high sensitivity is a priority. The 3 settings between 800 and HI-1 are newly added to give the D2XS finer control over sensitivity.
Refined Ergonomics and Design The D2XS body is consistent with the exterior styling of the D2-series, adopted from a design created by famed industrial designer, Giorgetto Giugiaro*. The body is proportionate and well balanced, with a well designed interface that is intuitive and seamless.
The D2XS improves upon its predecessor's energy efficient design, and when combined with the newly developed high-energy EN-EL4a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, the camera boasts an unprecedented 3,800** shots per charge. Nikon's highly sophisticated, real-time battery Fuel Gauge system in the D2XS allows photographers to determine the precise level of remaining charge, number of shots taken per charge and the overall life of the battery – all at the touch of a button.
A new 2.5-inch, 235,000 dot LCD monitor in the D2XS allows a 170-degree wide viewing angle, and is individually calibrated at the factory to ensure consistent color fidelity. The D2XS also features a new color scheme for menu displays.
Expanded Software Options The D2XS features a unique Image Authentication feature that, when used with Nikon's new Image Authentication Software, marks the authentication of an image captured by the camera and can determine whether or not it has been altered since capture. Image data is a critical link in the "chain of evidence" for verifying image authenticity, and D2XS's hardware and software-based image authentication solution allows easy, secure authentication of images for a wide range of requirements. The software enables verification of JPEGS, TIFF and NEF (RAW) images taken with the Nikon D2XS.
A new remote control software called Camera Control Pro is also available for the D2XS, enabling unprecedented remote control operation of many camera functions from a personal computer. Camera Control Pro software is the next generation of camera control software, previously bundled with Nikon's Capture 4 software, and features substantial advanced features that offer limitless creativity to photographers who need to control their camera remotely. Camera Control Pro can control the D2XS remotely tethering a high-speed USB cable or optional WT-2a wireless transmitter.
The D2XS is also compatible with Nikon's soon-to-be-released Capture NX™ software – a highly versatile yet elegantly simple photo editing solution that provides easy, yet powerful and visually intuitive image-editing and enhancement tools. With Capture NX, photographers will be able to tap into the full potential of D2XS's RAW (NEF) files, while also apply powerful photo image processing and editing tools to JPEG and TIFF files.
The D2XS will be available from Nikon authorized retailers in late June for an estimated street price of $4699.95***. For more information, please visit www.nikondigital.com
About Nikon Nikon, At the Heart of the Image™. Nikon Inc. is the world leader in digital imaging, precision optics and photo imaging technology and is globally recognized for setting new standards in product design and performance for its award-winning consumer and professional photographic equipment. Nikon Inc. distributes the Nikon Total Imaging System of consumer and professional digital SLR cameras, Nikkor optics, Speedlights and System Accessories; Nikon COOLPIX® compact digital cameras; COOLSCAN® digital film scanners; 35mm film SLR cameras; Nikon software products and Nikon sports and recreational optics. At the heart of every Nikon camera is Nikon's Exclusive Feature System, making it easy for anyone to take amazing digital pictures. Through the Nikon Spirit Initiative™, the company, plays an active role in supporting aspiring and advanced photographers through a variety of philanthropic organizations, educational programs, events and workshops. For more information, dial (800) NIKON-US or visit www.nikonusa.com, which links all levels of photographers to the web's most comprehensive photo learning and sharing communities.
*GIUGIARO ** Based on Nikon test conditions ***Estimated selling prices listed are only an estimate. Actual prices are set by dealers and are subject to change at any time.


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Through the Ages: A New story of Civilization is the newest version of a civilisation building game from Vlaada Chvátil. This is a game in which you get to control a people from the time of antiquities, help them discover science, industry, culture and war as you guide them into the future.
Through the Ages (TtA) pits 2 -4 players against each other as they try to mould their civilisation into a world conquering society. This is not a Dudes on a Map game where you have to crush your enemies into the ground. This is a more sophisticated game in which the winner is determined by the most cultured civilisation. Of course, you can burn down their libraries and theatres which will set your enemies back a bit.
For the TL;DR version click here.
Opening the box
Specs on the box:
- 2-4 players
- 120+ minutes (more like 180+)
- Ages 14+
CGE has done a wonderful Job on the insert. Everything fits perfectly, there's even space for sleeved cards! I love the transparent cubes but I do wish the player mats were dual layered because the cubes tend to slide around if your board is bumped.
Another nice touch is artwork on the reverse of the player boards. Unnecessary but I like it. Also there are packing instructions on in the manual. If I had a gripe it would be that you need to separate cards for games at different player counts. The numbers you need to read are tiny and I frequently play with different player counts so sorting through the cards can become a chore.
All the cards use the same size sleeves:
In TtA you are responsible for guiding your small tribe of cave men into a world spanning civilisation living in the golden age of technology. You won't tell that from looking at the game though. It actually feels a bit abstracted from what is really going on. You would expect map and tokens or models for armies and cities etc. There's none of that in TtA.
The rulebook is very easy to read and does a superb job of explaining how the mechanics tie into the theme. It's all very fitting and has a flow to it that just makes sense. I find myself drawing parallels to real life constantly.
Setup seems like it's a lot but it really isn't, because the insert works so well, it's quite easy. The hardest part is having each player lay out all their starting cubes on their player boards. There's quite a few and often people want to have them exactly laid out on their boards.
For the rest of it, you just shuffle the decks of cards, lay out all the boards and place the player pieces on them.
Turn sequence
The very first turn of the game is a seeding phase so I'm going to skip that and just touch on a normal turn sequence.
To start your turn you may play a political action. This involves interacting with the other players. You could propose a pact or trade agreement, you could attack them or you could seed an event which will impact all players at a later stage in the game.
These events are interesting; you need to remember which ones you have seeded because they all impact the game differently. Some have criteria like the Refugees event can have the weakest (military strength) player lose people from his country and they flee to the strongest player. If you seeded this event then you had better make sure you're not the weakest player!
Some are universally good or bad for everyone. A lot of them are newly discovered lands which you have to send your armies off to colonise, giving you some immediate benefit but also a long term benefit. However you lose military strength, what if you send too many units and the next player attacks you before you can recruit more troops?
Civil Actions
The "central" board of the game is the card Row. This represents time flowing and technology advancing as it goes by. Cards travel down the board from right to left, starting off expensive and getting cheaper until they eventually fall off the board.
This is also the game clock, as the decks of cards that feed the board runs out the game moves from ancient times through to new times. As time advances things get more expensive, population is spread thinner and older technology becomes obsolete. When the last age (modern times) ends the game is over.
You will need to spend 3 of your precious actions (you start with 4) to purchase a card on the far right of the board, 2 for the centre and 1 for the left. These cards can be once off actions gaining you resources or culture or they can be technologies that you can develop.
To develop a technology, you will need to spend an action and science. This represents the efforts that your scientists went through to invent the fighter jet or computer. Science is gained by putting your population into labs, making them scientists.
You need to spend resources, and an action, to move your people into labs (to make science), temples/libraries/theatres (to produce culture) you can train them to become pilots/cavalry/infantry (generates military strength). To get these resources you need to send people into your mines.
To get more people you need to spend food. In order to get food you need to send people to farm.
I think you see where I'm going with this. You will never have enough of each of your resources. To increase your production of any of your resources you will need to spend the resources you do have to produce more in a future turn. It's all about future planning and the future is always changing so you need to be adaptable.
Military actions
You also get military actions which are used to train military units and make aggressions/declare war. They also determine how many military cards you draw each turn which give you political actions for the politics phase.
You might be wondering how you get more military and civil actions, just like any other resource you need to research the appropriate tech. A code of Laws will give you civil actions while a monument to your military strength will give you military bonuses. The type of government that you have will also give you different amounts of actions. You can also elect leaders for your people, Ghandi who will give you culture won't allow you to be aggressive at all. In return he makes it more difficult for anyone to attack you too.
Scoring is a continuous process. Just like your resources you generate culture every turn, whomever has the most at the end of the game wins.
It's a delicate balancing act of buying cards now and husbanding your resources so that you can use them later. Wait too long and the old cards in your hand are obsolete and you will need to discard them. Add to that you can appoint leaders to your civilisation which will guide how they grow and what they are good at so you need to play to their strengths. However, they don't live forever and eventually will need to be replaced.
It's important to note that there isn't enough of each technology for all of the players. If you miss something, then it's gone and you must go without. Deciding when to grab the expensive cards is critical to getting ahead or denying other players exactly what they need.
All of this adds up to a game that is dead easy to play but difficult to master. You're constantly forward planning while dealing with current needs and crises. There even a mechanism for corruption of your populace so you can't just stockpile resources and must play as efficiently as you can.
This means that games can go long. Very long. Expect an hour per player if you are playing with new player or anyone with an inclination towards AP. It is possible to get your play time to around 30 minutes per player but don't expect it too often. That being said, I love this game and cannot recommend it enough.
Can I play this at a Braai?
Depends if you are doing one of those slow roasts or smoking something that will run on a timer. I personally wouldn't as the game requires a lot of attention which can leave you feeling a bit burned out. You meat will probably end up that way too.


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EU electricity reform calls end to coal subsidies
[BRUSSELS] European Union member states and the European Parliament agreed Wednesday to reform the bloc's electricity market, including a call to end coal subsidies by 2025.
The reform, clinched after marathon talks, broadly aims to develop a more transparent and competitive market as the European Commission, the EU's executive arm, continues opening up national energy markets.
Austria, which holds the EU's six-month rotating presidency, announced the end to the coal subsidies in Wednesday's political agreement that still requires formal approval.
"Member states can, after strict examination by the European Commission, distribute state aid but only until 2025," Austria said in a statement, referring to existing coal-fired power plants.
The subsidies, designed to compensate electricity producers who maintained higher capacity to meet peaks in demand, had stirred debate over the role of coal in the bloc.
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The reforms introduce a new limit for powerplants eligible to receive the subsidies known as capacity mechanisms: subsidies to generation capacity emitting 550 grammes of CO2 per kilowatt hour or more will be phased out.
Krisjanis Karins, the MEP who pushed for the legislation, said negotiators finally overcame sticking points on several issues including coal-linked subsidies.
"Our ambition is to get away from heavy state subsidies and instead let the market do the job of supplying industries and households with affordable and secure energy inside the EU," Mr Karins said in a statement.
The Latvian politician said the reform will lead to lower electricity prices, greater consumer choice for energy suppliers, and stronger incentives for new technology.
Miguel Arias Canete, the European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy, said the deal puts the "EU in the lead in terms of rules to accelerate and facilitate the clean energy transition."
It comes after other EU moves toward cleaner energy this week and after international talks in Poland aimed at breathing new life into the 2015 Paris climate agreement.
Monique Goyens, who heads the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC), said "overall this is a good deal for consumers".
For example, consumers will find it easier to understand bills and they will be able to switch to new suppliers within 24 hours rather than in weeks, Goyens added.
The European Parliament and the member states still have to formally approve the deal.
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Preliminary statistics from Net Application show that Internet Explorer is losing more ground in the internet browser battle. It's not really surprising as Firefox, Safari and Chrome are all gaining popularity.
Internet Explorer usage dropped from 71.27 percent in October to 68.15 percent in December. Firefox went up to 21.34 percent, up 1.37 percent from 19.97 percent in October. Safari market share moved from 6.57 to 7.93 percent and Google Chrome from 0.74 to 1.04 percent. Opera did not move though, staying at 0.71 percent.
Net Applications does warn that the results may be skewed by the decrease in workplace use of computers. Still, there was a definite drop in IE market share. One thing that might have fueled this drop is an increase in Mac OS X and iPhone usage, both of which spark increases in Safari usage. Also, with Google discouraging use of IE market share will only continue to go down, as it has for years.
[via PCWorld]