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Artists can be eccentric, but the quirks of the Italian Renaissance master Piero di Cosimo were extreme. He refused to allow his rooms to be cleaned or his fig trees to be pruned, living more like a beast than a man, according to the Renaissance biographer Giorgio Vasari. He hated the sounds of coughing men, ringing bells and chanting friars, Vasari wrote.
Piero was a versatile artist, however. Painting mostly on panel in impeccable detail, he depicted religious subjects as well as mythological scenes. Many of his works remain in the churches for which they were painted in central Italy; others, made for prominent families in Renaissance Florence, are now in the permanent collections of American museums.
For centuries, Piero has been overshadowed by his more famous contemporaries, particularly Botticelli, Leonardo and Michelangelo. But next year the National Gallery of Art in Washington will present the first major Piero retrospective, opening on Feb. 1 and running through May 3. (The only other show devoted entirely to his work took place in 1938 at the Schaeffer Galleries in New York and included just seven paintings attributed to him.)
"He's an artist whose time has come," said Gretchen Hirschauer, associate curator of Italian and Spanish paintings at the National Gallery. Ms. Hirschauer has organized the exhibition with Dennis V. Geronimus, associate professor and chairman of Renaissance art history at New York University. The Uffizi will mount a version of the show in Florence next summer.
"But they've added about 15 paintings by his contemporaries and followers," Ms. Hirschauer said. "We wanted to focus specifically on the core of Piero's work, since he is still relatively unknown to the broader American public."
The National Gallery show will include about 40 paintings from American and European museums and Italian churches.
Ms. Hirschauer said that one reason she felt this was the moment for a Piero show was that more sophisticated shipping technology now makes it safer to move fragile art. There has also been more scholarship and research about Piero's life and work.
"When we first started talking about doing this show, we were going to focus only on his paintings in North American collections," Ms. Hirschauer said.
He is well represented in American museums, including the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford and the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota, Fla., along with more obvious institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the National Gallery.
"Some came into American collections by accident because they were attributed to other artists," Ms. Hirschauer said. Others were bought by patrons like Samuel H. Kress, who was interested in the broad sweep of Italian art and ended up giving three Piero paintings to the National Gallery.
In her first year as senior curator of the Madison Square Park Conservancy, Brooke Kamin Rapaport has been organizing exhibitions for the park that are meant to illustrate the vast array of outdoor sculptures being produced by artists today.
Her plans for the fall and winter include two shows by artists who work in markedly different styles and materials. The first, "Walks of Life," opens on Sept. 18 and will consist of three monumental bronzes by the sculptor Tony Cragg. Mr. Cragg, whose materials include stone, wood, aluminum, glass, bronze, plastic and even trash he finds on the street, has made new casts of three sculptures he created in 2008, 2012 and 2013, never before shown in the United States. One, "Mixed Feelings," is an 18-foot-tall abstract torque shape that makes it appear in motion. On close inspection, viewers will see facial profiles.
Soon after Mr. Cragg's show closes on Feb. 8, the west side of the park will be filled with 18 crystal balls resembling snow globes when the second show opens on Feb. 19. Created by the New York artist and landscape designer Paula Hayes, each will be perched on a fiberglass pedestal and filled with what Ms. Rapaport described as "the detritus of contemporary culture": used batteries, obsolete computer parts, vacuum tubes and shredded tires. Shimmering flakes made from pulverized CDs will coat the bottom and sides of each globe.
Made from industrial plastic, the globes will appear otherworldly. Ms. Hayes will place them at varying heights, so visitors of all heights can peer inside.
Despite the possibility of a lockout that would upend the Metropolitan Opera's big fall season, exhibitions at Gallery Met, in the south lobby of the opera house, are proceeding as planned.
To coincide with the new production of Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro," the artist Peter Saul is creating five large paintings — each about 6 feet by 5 feet — depicting such fantastical scenes as "Singing Sandwich" (bacon, lettuce and tomato, toasted); Mozart morphed into a duck; and a singing woman wearing a bright yellow wig and blue diamonds and set against a red sky.
"I was doing my best to conform to the opera theme," Mr. Saul said in a telephone interview. "But my knowledge of opera begins when I push the 'on' button in the morning for the classical radio station."
Dodie Kazanjian, director of Gallery Met, said she asked Mr. Saul to create the next show because of the way he melds strident palettes and cartoonish images with elements of Pop and Surrealism. "They are so vocal you can hear them," she said.
The show will be on view from Sept. 23 through Jan. 3. "Obviously, if the Met is closed, Gallery Met is closed, too," Ms. Kazanjian said. "But everyone remains hopeful that we can avoid a work stoppage, so we're moving forward."

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So, here's some good news I shd have shared earlier: Terry Pratchett, who's mainly known for writing the DiscWorld books, as of last week has now become Sir Terry. This makes him the first fantasy author to be knighted for writing fantasy. Wm Morris might have been knighted had he accepted the poet laureateship when Tennyson died (he refused, due to his contempt for Queen Victoria and all her minions). Edward Plunkett was already a baron (Lord Dunsany) before he began writing. Eddison had a good shot at eventually rising to a knighthood but retired early instead in order to devote his final years entirely to his work. Tolkien received a CBE (the honor one rank below a knighthood) and would probably have been knighted eventually, had he lived long enough.
Here's the link to Pratchett's post-ceremony interview (about ninety seconds), in which he not only wears a great hat but also points out how chuffed he is to receive this award for "services to literature" when he's known as a fantasy author. Given that he was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's a year or two ago, I'm glad they went ahead and gave him the award now, while he could still enjoy it.
As a longtime Pratchett fan ever since Richard West introduced me to THE COLOUR OF MAGIC and THE LIGHT FANTASTIC (the only two in the series available at the time), who's read all but five of Pratchett's books, this is happy news. Good for him.
So, who might be next? My money is on Philip Pullman, who has already been granted the CBE, though J. K. Rowling, who got the OBE, might get there first between her vast fortune, her charitable work, and Pullman's controversial stance on religion.
--John R.
The Political Desk State Level Offices
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CPI demands special probe into Bofors case
New Delhi: The CPI on Wednesday demanded a special probe into the Bofors case at the earliest, saying the Income Tax tribunal`s ruling had put the Congress leadership in the dock once again.
"Bofors is the first big political corruption case that rocked the country. The failure to find out and punish the guilty caused immense harm, and much larger corruption is continuing on gigantic scale," the party`s Central Secretariat said in a statement while demanding special investigation into Bofors case in an expeditious manner.
"This (closure of the case) should not have been allowed.
The case should be pursued," it said, adding that the exposure of Bofors case put the Congress leadership "once again in the dock".
Observing that the Income-tax Appellate Tribunal`s ruling showed that Win Chaddha and Ottavio Quattrocchi had received kickbacks and therefore directed to pay tax on it, the party said, "Now it is the turn of the CBI to reply why they could not unearth the truth, while the Income Tax tribunal could find it out."
"The way the case was closed and the frozen bank accounts of Quattrochi released raises many doubts. CPI raised objections on this issue then also," it said, adding, while Chaddha died, Quattrocchi was "allowed to go out from India and his accounts were cleared, thus allowing the guilty to escape from punishment".
In its ruling, the ITAT had said kickbacks of Rs 61 crore were paid to late Chaddha and Italian businessman Quattrocchi in the Howitzer gun deal and they are liable to pay tax in India on such income.
However, pressing for closure of the case against Quattrocchi, the CBI yesterday contended before a Delhi Court that there was "nothing new" in the ITAT order that would obstruct the withdrawal of the over two-decade-old criminal proceedings.


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Malcolm Gladwell's Advice For Young Journalists: Skip J-School
Time.com has a new Q&A with author and New Yorker essayist Malcolm Gladwell, as he promotes his latest book, a collection of New Yorker pieces entitled What the Dog Saw.
The last question, in which Gladwell offers advice to young journalists, caught our eye:
"Aspiring journalists should stop going to journalism programs and go to some other kind of grad school. If I was studying today, I would go get a master's in statistics, and maybe do a bunch of accounting courses and then write from that perspective. I think that's the way to survive. The role of the generalist is diminishing. Journalism has to get smarter."
Although journalism programs at graduate schools saw an increase in enrollment this year, we're sure there are a few people who would agree with Gladwell, maybe even including some recently laid off reporters with J-school degrees.
What do you think?
Author Malcolm Gladwell — Time.com
(Photo via Flickr)


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Forgotten Wars: Sudan's Periphery Smolders as Focus Turns to South Sudan
Since December, international attention and focus has shifted to
The report, "Forgotten Wars: Sudan's Periphery Smolders as Focus Turns to South Sudan," documents the continued violence and critical humanitarian needs of those displaced from and within Darfur, South Kordofan, and
The report recommends a robust effort to pursue comprehensive peace processes in both countries that include all stakeholders and addresses the core drivers of violence. The report warns, "a disconnected perspective on one country, one area, and one group—to the exclusion of others—cannot work. The unions, disunions, and shifting alliances reverberate through conflict areas throughout both countries and directly shape the struggle for control of the state on both sides."
Read the report.


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In addition to stringent standards governing natural gas operations, there are federal, state and local government regulations that address oil and gas drilling and environmental protection for Pennsylvanians.
These rules cover all aspects of the process, including well permitting, well materials and construction, air emissions, wildlife protection, safe disposition of used hydraulic fracturing fluids, water testing, chemical recordkeeping and reporting.
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
Commonwealth of Pennsvylvania
25 Pennsylvania Code - Oil & Gas Regulations
Chapter 78 - Oil and Gas Wells
Chapter 79 - Oil and Gas Conservation
Chapter 91 - Pollution Prevention - See 91.33-35
Chapter 105 - Dam Safety and Waterway Management
Pennsylvania Law - Oil and Gas
PA ACT 214 - Coal and Gas Resource Coordination Law
PA ACT 223 - Oil and Gas Act
PA ACT 359 - Oil and Gas Conservation Law
PA ACT 394 - Clean Streams Law
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) oversees regulations governing oil and natural gas drilling in order to protect the environment and citizens of Pennsylvania. The DEP continually monitors and inspects drilling sites and follows-up on potential violations. The department has even doubled the number of oil and gas inspectors in the last year and opened offices in gas-drilling areas. Additionally, in an effort to create transparency, the department created awebsite to track all oil and gas well production information from conventional shallow wells and newer Marcellus Shale wells, as well as data on the waste each operation produces.
Safe Drinking Water Act
Questions have arisen regarding the regulation of hydraulic fracturing under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). The SDWA was enacted in 1974 to ensure that water supply systems serving the public met appropriate health standards, and was specifically designed to establish a federal-state partnership to "protect drinking water from contamination by the underground injection of waste," through the "Underground Injection Control (UIC)" program. UIC systems place, or "inject" waste fluids underground for storage or disposal. And since hydraulic fracturing fluids are not "waste", but rather used to aid in oil and natural gas production, they were never included under the act. Therefore, the fracturing fluids were not "exempted" from the SDWA nor were they considered a "loophole" as some accounts convey.
To clarify the usage of hydraulic fracturing fluids, Congress included language in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 making it clear once and for all that underground injection fluids or propping agents were excluded from the SDWA.
Read more:
Federal Statutes Regulate Every Step of the Hydraulic Fracturing Process


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CEO and founding partner of THREAD and Director of Visual Arts for the non-profit THREAD for ART, Rhonda Howard is a nationally-recognized arts professional and business entrepreneur with over fifteen years of experience in the art and design field.
As a former art museum curator, Howard has held important positions at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington D.C., the university art museum at the University of Southern California and most recently at Seattle's contemporary art museum — the University of Washington's Henry Art Gallery. She has taught art history, painting seminars, business, and professional development classes at the UW, USC and Artist Trust and published a number of books including Shifting Ground: Transformed Views of the American Landscape, Fashion is Art, and LAVA 2002: Contemporary Art in Seattle. Howard speaks regularly to professional associations on a variety of subjects including art, design and entrepreneurial issues and sits on panels, advisory boards, and juries for prestigious organizations around the country.
Capitalizing on her BS in Business Administration, BA in Art History, and MA in Art History and Museum Studies, as well as her experience in the non-profit and corporate sectors, Howard has successfully merged her art and business skills to benefit THREAD's clients. She has directed hundreds of projects with diverse teams as small as 2 and as large as 114, budgets from $500 to several millions, vendors who deal in cryogenic sperm banks and vacuum-formed plastic, and subjects ranging from aerospace to children.
As Chief Innovation Officer and Director of Design for Thread, Rebecca Richards leads and oversees all creative efforts within the design arm of Thread.
Her first decade in the industry brought awards from Graphis, Print, The Black Book AR100, the American Association of Museums, the Seattle Show, and others.
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As Co-founder of Thread for Art, Richards' responsibilities include designing and self-publishing museum calibre publications. Publications to date include Lava 2002: Contemporary Art in Seattle, Robert Yoder: Abfall, and Fashion is Art, all of which have received national and/or international design accolades.
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The Orson Awards is an episode from the third season of Garfield and Friends.
Orson hosts an award show.
The 32nd annual Orson Awards are opening up and everyone is looking forward to it, except for Wade, who does not want to attend out of fear of winning and needing to give a speech as well as losing and being humiliated. Orson rushes to the show and runs into his brothers who threaten him to give them an award.
Orson arrives and presents the first category: Best chicken/rooster in a supporting role. Roy believes he is going to win, only for Booker and Sheldon to win in a tie. Wade tries to go to the award ceremony only to find that Orson's brothers will be attending. Bo wins the award for best barnyard art design, which he comments on winning last year. The next award is the final one and desperate to win, Roy takes over as the host disguising himself as Orson and leaving him tied up while he goes to present the award in his name. The final category is for the best performance by a character on the show. Roy, after finding out Wade is the real winner, announces himself as the winner. Orson's brothers proceed to attack Roy while they still believe it is Orson due to his disguise and chase him out. The real Orson returns and announces that Wade won and that he could not be there until Wade reveals himself to accept the award. Wade then gives a long acceptance speech.
Main Characters
Major Characters
Minor Characters
- Announcer (voiced by Frank Welker)
- Farm animals
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Greenwich Lions bring technology to eye screenings
GREENWICH — One by one, the 25 preschoolers entered the dark booth at the Selma Maisel Nursery School at Temple Sholom.
Inside, Sarah Gleeson, a member of the Greenwich Lions Club, sat holding a small machine that looked like an old Polaroid camera.
Gleeson, a former teacher, asked each child to focus, without blinking, on the red, orange and blue dots on the screen at the end of the machine as they flashed in a kaleidoscope of patterns. Seconds later, the machine produced a detailed photo printout with assessments of the child's eyes across seven factors that included myopia, astigmatism and gaze symmetry.
"We're the canaries in the coal mine," said Alan Gunzburg, a member of the Greenwich Lions Club and coordinator for Kids Sight. "If there's an issue, we're here to chirp it out."
The Lions Club initiative "Kids Sight" started two years ago. In partnership with the Greenwich Department of Health and Board of Education, the program provides free eye screenings to young students.
The screenings also can identify potential issues like near-sightedness, far-sightedness or a lazy eye and recommend whether a child should see an optometrist or ophthalmologist.
Gunzburg, who is legally blind, said the screenings are better than the traditional eye chart tests that school nurses typically conduct because they only take seconds per child, allowing 80 children to be screened in two hours. In addition, children do not need to know their letters or be verbal to be screened.
"It's meaningful, it's instant and it helps them learn," said Gleeson. "This is my passion."
David Cohen, director of the Selma Maisel Nursery School, said he invited the Lions to Temple Sholom to ensure vision problems are not impairing his student's education.
"As children are learning, there are certain things that get in their way and we want to knock out all barriers," said Cohen. The Lions "are a great partner to help us do so."
Earlier this year, the Lions Club screened first graders at New Lebanon, Julian Curtiss and Hamilton Avenue schools.
Vision difficulties, both he and Gunzburg said, could be a further impediment to students' academic success. Next year, the Lions Club will provide screenings at all of Greenwich's public elementary schools and the public preschool.
"I believe what we are doing ... is attacking the achievement gap," said Gunzburg.
The initiative is funded through Greenwich Lions Club fundraisers.
Some 12 to 15 percent of children screened are recommended to visit an eye doctor, Gunzburg said. Middle and working class families are the least likely to go to an eye doctor, so if the child's family cannot afford a visit to the eye doctor or needed glasses, the Lions Club will pay for it, he said.
Members of the Lions Club have even benefited from the screenings.
Two years ago on Gleeson's 49th birthday, she chose to have her eyes screened for fun. Her results sent her to the eye doctor and two weeks ago, she had a cataract removed from her right eye.
"I didn't know I wasn't seeing," she said. "I did the screening and now I have a clean bill of health."
firstname.lastname@example.com; @emiliemunson


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Tuesday, January 25, 2011
10th Street Preschool Silent Auction
Every year, the school has a big party for the parents of the students - where they raise money for the school's scholarship drive (which allows kids whose parents cannot afford preschool to attend 10th Street) - how wonderful is that!
I'd never been asked to do something like this before and I was more than honored to donate my services to the silent auction!
My brand packaging finally arrived (see below), so I wrapped up one of my gift certificates in the chocolate box, tied a ribbon around it and attempted to make a flower out of the bow (re: bow - it's the thought that counts - right?)
Smrithi - I hope the auction is a huge success... Thanks for thinking of me!
14 comments:
- AnonymousJanuary 25, 2011 at 9:50 AM
Hey Karen,ReplyDelete
Love the packaging and colors, beautifully done and who doesn't love chocolate :) and I hope the auction is a huge success!
Love ya,
- AnonymousJanuary 25, 2011 at 10:14 AM
Beautiful and inviting ..I wish you the best Karen!!ReplyDelete
What's not to love about this exquisite packaging!? This color combination is the best - we actually use it a lot at the bakery when decorating cupcakes (chocolate frosting with blue decorations:) They sell like hotcakes. Also, your website is AWESOME!!! What is the music you have playing?
- AnonymousJanuary 25, 2011 at 12:01 PM
OMG, the packaging looks great! Love the color choices, KK!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJanuary 25, 2011 at 12:24 PM
you rock girl!miss you, DaveReplyDelete
- AnonymousJanuary 25, 2011 at 1:40 PM
Dayhmn girl, your doing the damn thang!!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJanuary 25, 2011 at 5:38 PM
- AnonymousJanuary 25, 2011 at 6:17 PM
very nice kk, simple but yet beautiful! & been meaning to tell you I love your logo.ReplyDelete
xo lisette
- AnonymousJanuary 25, 2011 at 9:37 PM
I simply love your photos. You have a very unique eye.
Love, Aunt Jean
- AnonymousJanuary 26, 2011 at 10:46 AM
Look at you, you pro! Love the Depth of Field!ReplyDelete
Hi Linda! Thank you. Chocolate and blue are definitely a favorite color combination of mine.ReplyDelete
Hey Missy - thanks!
Jessica! Thank you...
Dave! You did it! Yay...thanks Dave - miss you too!
Thanks Michelle!
Lisette! I'm so glad you stopped by AND had time to comment. Woman didn't you just have an 8lb baby? Why aren't you resting... LOL Thanks for the comment
Thank you Aunt Jean.
Hey Matty - that's the 100mm 2.8L - love, love, love that lens... Thanks!
Thanks Lor Lor - I can only imagine how great those cupcakes must taste! The music on my website changes throughout, but on the home page is "Leavers Dance" by The Veils.ReplyDelete
Can't wait to see your bakery!
- AnonymousJanuary 27, 2011 at 11:28 AM
Hey KKReplyDelete
Love the color combo, and just the word chocolate,I can relate. I thought the bow was the best I've seen yet(smile).
What a worthy cause, I wish the 10th sch. the best and also to Smrithi.
Love Mommy
Beautiful images Karen!!ReplyDelete
Hi there - If you want to leave a comment:
#1 - Type your comment below
#2 - Where it says "Comment as" - choose "Anonymous" - at the bottom of the drop down list (unless you have a blogger profile already).
#3 - Click "Post Comment"
#4 - Click "Finish"
That's it!
Oh - If you decide to post as "Anonymous" - don't forget to sign your name.
Thanks for taking the time...KK


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The world's largest retailer Wal-Mart recently partnered with Wild Oats brand to sell organic foods at non-organic prices. The company will be offering a range of pantry staples from Wild Oats priced at least 25% cheaper than other national organic brands and inline with conventional food items. This deal can help Wal-Mart take advantage of soaring demand for organic products in the U.S. as well as revive its stumbling grocery business. The retailer will be launching 100 Wild Oats products ranging from salsa to pasta in 2,000 of its stores in the next few months and will add the brand to its remaining stores at a later stage.
Although organic food is a small market, it has grown faster than the overall food industry over the past four years. Americans have shown great affinity for these products, despite their premium prices, and they are likely to appreciate the idea of cheaper organic food. This can help Wal-Mart drive greater store traffic and improve its grocery business, which has delivered negative comparable sales over the past four quarters. Grocery sales account for more than 50% of Wal-Mart's revenues, making it the largest product category for the company.
The organic food space isn't as developed as the non-organic food industry. Raw material production is low and the supply chain is underdeveloped, which result in higher prices for organic products. Wal-Mart is looking to bring these prices down with long-term purchase agreements with farmers and suppliers, and optimization of the supply chain. This way, the company will be able to offer organic foods at reasonable prices without putting pressure on its margins.
Our price estimate for Wal-Mart stands at $78, which is slightly ahead of the market price.
See our complete analysis for Wal-Mart
The Deal Can Help Wal-Mart's Slipping Grocery Sales
The U.S. retail industry has struggled over the past one year due to weak consumer confidence arising from higher taxes and slow job growth. Even Wal-Mart's grocery business has felt the impact of a weak macroeconomic environment, which is otherwise resilient to unfavorable economic headwinds. With consumers spending cautiously even on their basic necessities, Wal-Mart has turned its attention to the niche market of organic foods.
With improving lifestyles and growing desire for fitness, U.S. consumers have become extremely health-conscious. Every year, a greater number of people switch to food made from natural ingredients. Back in 2003, about 13% of Americans consumed organic food, which increased to almost 25% in 2013. The organic food market grew by a healthy 10.2% in 2012 to $29 billion, while it stood at just $8 billion 10 years earlier. Within the market, packaged organic food sales doubled to $12 billion in 2013 over this time frame, whereas the overall packaged food market grew by just 25% to $360 billion. Given the rising consumer interest in organic products and the huge addressable market, we believe that the organic food industry will continue to grow at a robust pace.
Considering Wal-Mart's sheer size, its cheaper organic products and the popularity of Wild Oats, we believe that the retailer will be able to acquire a sizable share of this market. As of 2012, about half of Wal-Mart's customers shopped for organic foods and an internal survey suggested that about 91% of the retailer's customers will shop for such products if prices of organic foods are inline with non-organic foods. Given that Wal-Mart serves close to 100 million customers every week, the Wild Oats deal can garner attention of more than 90 million shoppers. This can have a positive impact on the company's grocery sales, which contribute more than half to its overall revenues. Moreover, shoppers will easily recognize the Wild Oats brand as it was once the second largest organic food brand in the U.S. and even operated its own stores.
Why Are Groceries So Important For Wal-Mart?
Consumer spending on groceries can be classified as non-discretionary and is therefore less correlated to macroeconomic factors. During the recession of 2008-2009, consumer spending on food and beverages remained more or less stable, according to economic data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Also, groceries are a big market segment, accounting for annual sales of over $560 billion. This is a favorable product category for retailers because customers who tend to visit a store to buy groceries are 10 times as likely to visit a pharmacy or a general retail store. This improves cross sell and increases the customer's overall basket size, which has a positive impact on the retailer's sales. For example, at Target, which does not have a full-line grocery, stores with a partial-line of groceries in them had higher overall sales than stores without groceries. This is the reason why Wal-Mart has been focusing on increasing the share of groceries in its overall business.
How Can Wal-Mart Help Develop The Organic Food Space?
The organic food space is highly inefficient at present due to a big difference in demand and supply. According to Clarkson Grain, a licensed grain dealer, U.S. farmers produce around six million bushels of organic soybeans every year, while the current demand requires as much as 20 million bushels. While cost of growing organic grains isn't necessarily more than growing regular grains, organic soybeans are being sold at twice the price of regular soybeans due to supply shortage.
We believe that the Wal-Mart-Wild Oats deal is a crucial step towards the development of this industry, which can encourage suppliers to ramp up organic food production and bring prices down. The amount of land dedicated for organic farming has increased over the past few years, which is likely to continue in the future. To procure organic goods at lower prices, Wal-Mart is entering long-term purchase agreements with farmers and suppliers. It is also looking to consolidate middleman to further eliminate unnecessary costs. These steps will allow Wal-Mart to address its customers' longing for organic food while abiding by its EDLP strategy.
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One view, Dalrymple notes, is that the radicalisation of a small minority of the Muslim young of Brussels (the European city with the highest proportion of Muslims)
was brought about not from the influence of their immigrant parents, or by the religious institutions in their country of origin (mainly Morocco), but by the preaching of members of the Muslim Brotherhood on the one hand, and of Wahhabi or Salafist missionaries on the other.
Dalrymple explains the difference between the two strains.
- Muslim Brotherhood: new-Left, or Gramscian, wing of Islamism. Claims (at least for public consumption) an 'interpretive' reading of the Koran. Even has a feminist wing
- Wahhabists: old-Left, or Stalinist, flank of Islamism. Cleaves to literalism. Obligation for women to wear the veil incontestable


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Cook BooksA community with an ever-expanding universe of recipes and essential resources.
(Available in English or Chinese)
Take your Thermomix ® cooking to the next level with this inspiring collection of more than 60 recipes from Thermomix ® consultants and users. We ensure Daily Asian Cooking is an essential companion for any enthusiastic Thermomix ® cook. More than just a cookbook, Daily Asian Cooking is a comprehensive guide to discover new ways ad endless possibilities of using your Thermomix ® as you whip up quick and simple snacks, or embark on complex multi-part culinary dishes.
(Available in English or Chinese)
A compilation of nearly 180 delicious Thermomix® recipes, the Basic cookbook is complimentary with every Thermomix® TM5 purchase.
This hardcover cook book includes essential Thermomix® recipes, tips and hints to get you started with your Thermomix® TM5 immediately.
From basics such as cooking rice, eggs and pasta, to preparing bakes such as bread, pizza dough, soups, pies, tarts, cookies, cakes, ice-creams and other desserts, the TM5 Basic Cookbook gets you and your family to start having fun cooking sumptuous dishes together.
Additionally, the TM5 Basic Cookbook also include information that will guide you to make the most of your Thermomix® and tips for converting conventional recipes for your Thermomix®.
Vorwerk products are characterised by their high quality, and our production sites throughout the Vorwerk Group apply the same high standards worldwide.


text: Gastronomad: Kube Nablusia Serbia 00 hours 14 minutes Actor: Director: Genre: Gastronomad Release: Language: English Share: Synopsis Five migrant women wanting to get work experience by cooking food from their home countries. Video & Photo 1 videos 1 photos Write a comment Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment *Name * Email * Website


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Article content
Being Judy Garland wasn't easy for Judy Garland.
Likewise, when Garland died of an overdose in June 1969, if you were gay it was even more difficult to be alive.
Those truths collide in a fabulous new show that premiered Wednesday at London Fringe, Judy: Stonewalled!, presented by a missing link theatre company and performed at APK.
This a compelling Fringe show that will keep the audience engaged from the moment the lights come up until they fade.
This fictional show is inspired by true events: Garland's untimely death six days before the Stonewall riots, a series of violent demonstrations by the gay community at the Stonewall Inn in New York City's Greenwich Village, which many consider launched the gay liberation movement.
The show, written by Londoner Denise Hay with Rick Kish, transforms APK into a seedy gay bar where a tribute to Judy Garland is being held.
Director Kish uses APK to full effect, planting his actors at the bar and at tables overlooking the audience.
Kish also performs wonderfully as the emcee, wearing false eyelashes and heavy make-up in a splashy tuxedo reminiscent of the emcee of the Kit Kat Klub in the musical Cabaret.
In the role of Garland is Natalie Howard-Grant, who is perfection on stage, her every nuance breathing Garland back to life. If you're going to portray Judy Garland, you better be able to sing and act equally and Howard-Grant does not disappoint.
At times her voice reminds us of Garland, if only for the raw emotion. But add the physicality and, well, it's good to see you again, Judy, if only for 75 minutes more.
The show delivers the songs that remind one of Garland: Come Rain or Come Shine, The Man That Got Away (from A Star Is Born), and, of course, Somewhere Over the Rainbow from The Wizard of Oz.
There is a song in this show that will bring tears to the eyes of the audience, a reworking of a Garland and Barbra Streisand duet, a blend of Get Happy and Happy Days Are Here Again, that made some in the audience cry.
Another compelling performance is delivered by Michael Bergeron as the fearless drag queen Tiki.
Meanwhile, Martha Zimmerman fooled more than one member of the audience as the transexual Brad.
Mark Medeiros plays Steve, who is possibly straight but likely not — a nervous, yet handsome young man and a former athlete who could leave the bar if offended by the passes from Tiki and Christopher (John White), a lonely gay man frustrated with his life. He doesn't leave the bar.
At the start, Tiki and Christopher each had moments where the acting felt a little off, but it didn't last, suggesting it was just opening night nerves. Otherwise, they were great.
The audience soon begins to feel for the characters but the tension of being gay in a straight world, of impending conflict and hurt is never far from any moment.
This is a show that should not be missed — well performed, directed and crafted.
- - -
What: Judy: Stonewalled!, by Denise Hay with Rick Kish, presented by a missing link theatre company.
Where: APK, 347 Clarence St.
When: 7 p.m. Thursday through June 14.
Tickets: $10.
tap here to see other videos from our team.


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Late Post ALERT!!! LOL...I have been EXTREMELY busy...to the nth level. We have an upcoming bazaar at World Trade Center from the 19th to 21st (please be there!!! and YES we are giving away worth of Php6000.00. Click HERE for mechanics) and of course it is Philippine Fashion Week season and I am just so HAPPY that we are getting slammed with orders and hoping to see our shoes from our Fashionista clients!!! Speaking of Fashion Week season, I have been attending MEGA and PRIVE's Style Series and their 2nd installment is ANDROGYNY featuring Jeffrey Rogador and Renan Pacson. We were thrilled to be there knowing it would be a night with friends, cocktails and most importantly it would be FASHION's NIGHT OUT!!!
(L-R) Mega Mag Fashion Editor Patrick Galang with Renan Pacson and Jeffrey Rogador. Celebrated Fashio Designer of the evening.
good friend Juan Abiba with JP Singson
with menswear designer Herbert Custodio...can't wait to see his show this PhFW. Menswear would be the finale show!!!
loving my accessories, especially mi spiked rings....they are new.
(L-R) Yen of MOgul, Robbie Carmona and Juan


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Heinkel He 51
Designed in secret under the guise of being a civil transport, the He 51 was revealed to Europe in 1935 as the first fighter plane of the newly formed Luftwaffe. Although of moderate performance, the plane formed the backbone of the early German air force, and in 1936 was sent with German units to support the Nationalists in the Spanish Civil War. As its weaknesses were revealed by the I-15 and more advanced fighters, the He 51 began serving in the dive-bombing and close support roles. By the beginning of WWII, the He 51 was a second-line aircraft, and served mostly as a trainer.
The He 51 has a crew of one. It could be fitted with a 13.2-gallon drop tank to increase range from 354 miles to 460 miles. As the plane changed roles, it was fitted with external bomb racks for six 22-lb. bombs. The He 51 burns 28 gallons of aviation fuel per hour at routine usage. A full load of fuel and ammo costs $18.80 (+$2.64 for the drop tank).
Heinkel He 51B-1
Subassemblies: Light Fighter chassis +3; Recon Fighter wings with Biplane option +2; 3 fixed wheels +0.
Powertrain: 559-kW HP gasoline engine with 559-kW prop and 44-gallon fuel tank [Body].
Occ.: 1 XCS Body
Cargo: 10 Body
Armor F RL B T U
Body: 2/2C 2/2C 2/2C 2/2C 2/2C
Wings: 2/2C 2/2C 2/2C 2/2C 2/2C
Wheels: 2/3 2/3 2/3 2/3 2/3
2xAircraft LMG/7.92 mm MG 17 [Body:F] (500 rounds each).*
Body: Medium radio transmitter and receiver, 13.2 gallon drop tank. Wings: Six 22-lb. of hardpoints.
Size: 28'x36'x11' Payload: 0.48 tons Lwt.: 2.09 tons
Volume: 144 Maint.: 82 hours Cost: $5,965
HT: 7. HPs: 50 Body, 100 each Wing, 5 each Wheel.
aSpeed: 205 aAccel: 7 aDecel: 17 aMR: 4.5 aSR: 1
Stall Speed: 52 mph. Take-Off Run 208 yards. Landing Run 270 yards.
gSpeed: 262 gAccel: 13 gDecel: 10 gMR: 0.5 gSR: 2
Ground Pressure: Very High. 1/8 Off-Road Speed.
Design Notes:
Historical wing area was 293 sf. A 45-gallon main tank and 15-gallon drop tank were purchased; the historical capacities are shown. The weight, cost and HPs of the wings were doubled to increase design weight. The design Empty weight was within 1 lb. of the historical. The design uses a "modern" aerial propeller, but performance calculations are closer to historical using 2.5x thrust of an old prop, so aSpeed and aAccel were calculated in this way. aSpeed was reduced a further 6 mph to the historical. Design loaded weight was within 5% of the historical. All performance calculations were based on historical values for wing area and loaded weight.
The He 49a, -b, and -c were all prototypes leading up to the -d, which was then designated the He 51. Work on the He 49 series progressed from 1932 to 1935.
The He 51A-1 (1935) was the initial production model. 150 built. The -B was a single floatplane conversion.
The He 51B-2 was a floatplane version. 46 built.
The He 51C was the dedicated ground attack version with bomb racks. 79 built for the Spanish Nationalists and 21 for German coastal defense.
From the Aerodrome for GURPS
© 2008 by Jim Antonicic


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When the day calls for an extra dose of inspiration, reach for this sturdy ceramic mug to fill up as your to-go cup! Bearing a design sure to uplift with each sip, the travel mug features a sturdy handle and spill-proof lid -- along with a matching gift box perfect for trinkets, or for spreading cheer with a loved one.
- Ceramic & plastic
- Includes matching gift box
- Dishwasher safe, top rack
- Do not microwave
- 17 oz
- 7" H x 3.5" diameter (17.7 x 8.8 cm)
Gift box: 7.5" H x 4.5" L x 4.5" W (19 x 11.4 x 11.4 cm)
- Imported
Customer Reviews
Very nice travel mug with fabulous designs. Good quality for the price.
I love this mug! I use it at my desk at work. Makes me smile evertime I look at it!!!
I recently bought eight different designs of the travel mugs, to gift as thank-you, birthday and Christmas presents. Generously sized to hold 17 oz, the handles are assuredly at the top (contrary to a few reviews), just as pictured. The colors and designs on the mugs are vibrant, clean and clear. The "solid sturdy" weight of each mug is impressive. They are each beautiful and delightful. Being dishwasher safe is a plus (the only plastic involved is the plastic threading on the edge of the lid, which acts as the seal. Each mug comes packed inside its own matching gift box. The people i've given them to, so far, have been absolutely delighted, with both the travel mug.. and.. the box! i've just ordered four more to give as Christmas thank-you's.


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Grow Here – Support to help you and your business succeed
The Innovation Centre attracts, selects and develops high potential new ventures with real prospects of growing and creating jobs in technology and knowledge based sectors on the Mid North Coast.
The Innovation Centre has a focus on development of all business types, including the development of new technology companies.
The best business incubators are not just about square metres and flexible office space, rather they are all about selecting high potential companies and then working to help those companies, and the people behind them, achieve their potential.
The Innovation Centre provides focused support to assist start-ups with:
- Business Planning
- Mentoring
- Affordable office space
- Networking
- Funding
On-site business support and management
The Innovation Centre has an on-site Coordinator to manage the Centre and to proactively assist tenant businesses to grow their business.
Anchor Tenants
The Centre has an Anchor Tenant who provides the following services:
Reception service, acts as the first point of contact for enquiries.
- Provide photocopying services (at cost).
- Provide general management, administrative and secretarial services.
- Provide support for tenants, including the reporting and rectification of defects.
- Provide a Board Room booking service in cooperation with CHEC staff.


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Become a Member
As an exclusive members club our members are, and always will be, our top priority. We offer a range of Individual Membership and Corporate Membership options to suit everyone from the beginner to the seasoned golfer, for the regular to the occasional player. Our fees are competitive and reflect the excellent facilities and services we have to offer. Without a doubt, our golf club is a year-round course and as such, during the winter months when lots of other local courses are closed or on mats or temporary greens, we remain open and endeavour to play on regular tees and greens.
At our club, we very carefully consider our fee structure and with this, we know that we are the best value around. We have not increased our full membership fees this year to reflect this. Other similar clubs in the area are more expensive but our aim is to allow quality year-round golf at an affordable price. We also think you will like our modern approach to the dress code at the club.
Just phone 0117 9696968 Option 3 or visit the Club Office and speak to Linda.


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Monitoring and Messaging
The shriek alone cannot heal the sustained wound by itself and, likewise, the alarm signaling only by means of sound or light, no matter how spectacular, will not solve the burglary problem. Especially, that you may be away from home or another site protected by alarm system during the burglary. Moreover, in the alarm system there may occur a trouble or another event which is so important for you that you want to be informed about it. This is why the advanced burglary and panic alarm systems are equipped with mechanisms and devices designed for monitoring and messaging. The monitoring and messaging functions are effected via the telephone line. The idea of telephone monitoring consists in corresponding signals being sent by the alarm control panel to the monitoring station, i.e. the receiving unit. As a rule, the monitoring services are offered by security agencies, where the information collected by the monitoring station is analyzed in online mode and, if necessary, decision on intervention is taken. The messaging function is effected by the alarm control panel by means of voice messages played back by speech synthesizers, or text messages sent in a suitable format to the pager or, as the SMS messages, to the cellular phone. Thus the owner of the alarm system, or any person authorized by him, can be informed in real time about alarms or other selected events in the protected premises.


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"Yep you need to pull yourself together and help your sister." These were among the words spoken by the Triple Zero Ambulance operator to Rikki Schmidt, the sister of Canberra mother Tara Costigan when she called the emergency line as Ms Costigan lay dying after her former partner, Marcus Rappel, had struck her with an axe.
Without confirming that an ambulance was on the way, and after learning from Ms Schmidt that Ms Costigan had been hit in the neck with an axe, the operator asked the distressed Ms Schmidt a series of questions including: "How did it happen?", "What injuries does she have?", "Can you describe it [the neck wound] in more detail, please?"
The telephone call was recorded and played in court and on the ABC news last night (full transcript below). While Rappel has pleaded guilty to the murder, he was back in court yesterday because he is disputing aspects of the prosecution's case.
Ms Schmidt and other members of the Costigan family discussed the events of that terrible afternoon on ABC 7.30 last night.
RiotACT contacted the Emergency Services Agency and Minister for Emergency Services Simon Corbell to ask them about the telephone call and its aftermath, the protocols operators are required to use in dealing with calls and the training they receive.
The ESA told ABC radio this morning: "Out of respect to the Costigan family and the ongoing court case it would not be appropriate to discuss further".
Mr Corbell responded with the following statement:
"The ACT Ambulance Service responds to approximately 37,000 "000" telephone calls each year and all calls are taken very seriously.
The ACT Ambulance Service begins the dispatch process almost immediately while keeping the caller on the line to answer questions about the emergency.
Call-takers must ask a series of questions to establish the most appropriate response, and answers to these questions enable the call-taker to provide more detailed pre-arrival advice to the dispatched intensive care paramedics.
The common misconception is that the person taking the call also dispatches the ambulance and coordinates other resources. This is not the case. While the call taker continues to ask questions a dispatcher can see the case and dispatch the closest available ambulance.
While the call taker continues gathering information and the dispatcher is sending an ambulance, other staff in the communications centre are coordinating with and contacting other agencies including ACT Fire & Rescue and ACT Policing.
The ACT Ambulance Service provides a valuable service to the community, and 97% of "000" calls are answered within 10 seconds. The ACT Ambulance Service also has the fastest response times in Australia."
After Ms Schmidt was transferred to Ambulance emergency, the operator initially asked: "What address?"
Ms Schmidt responded: "38 of 12 Duggan Street. My sister has been hit in the neck with an axe."
The call continued:
Operator: "I need your phone number."
Ms Schmidt: "I don't have time, my sister's been hit in the neck with an axe!"
Operator: "How did it happen?"
Ms Schmidt: "Oh, just, can you please hurry up! My sister's been …"
Operator: "We are hurrying. This is all part of the process that everyone has to go through when they call us. Can you please explain to me how it happened."
Ms Schmidt: "My sister's ex-boyfriend [inaudible] came with an axe."
Operator: "What injuries does she have?"
Ms Schmidt: "She's got a massive wound on her neck."
Operator: "OK can you describe it in more detail, please?"
Ms Schmidt: "No, I don't. She's hardly breathing. Hurry up!"
Operator: "Yep you need to pull yourself together and help your sister."
Ms Schmidt: "[Inaudible] … But why did he do this?"
Tara Costigan was dead before the ambulance arrived.
If you are concerned about your own or another family being at risk of domestic violence, please contact the National Family Violence counselling service on 1800 737 732.


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This week, I have been in deep sorrow.
I have been staring directly at the gaps inside me. Gaps of what was stolen from by years of abuse.
I will write into those spaces and say what I am missing. Write to my heart that smashed up.
I have always chosen not to believe in innocence.
This is a defence mechanism. If I don't believe in innocence, then I cannot see how young I was when is was snatched from me.
Innocence makes that I was a child. Innocence means I never lead the bastards on.
God, innocence could even mean that my body belong to me. That maybe my body is and was precious.
No, I wrap myself up in the cloak of I was a slut, I wanted pain, I enjoy degradation. I wanted to be nothing but men made me.
I was never innocence – I was sick, I was evil, I was a whore – but I could never be innocent.
If I was innocent, then what was happening was wrong.
I thought sex was love. I thought to prove that love it had to hurt me bad.
That was the lesson my stepdad told me over and over. He shown as he placed hard-core porn in front of me.
He said –
"Sex is pain, I will try to not hurt you bad. But let me have you, coz I love so much."
As my cunt know pain, as slow terror went in me – I felt his love. And I said nothing to no-one.
As I torture by johns in many and varied ways, I keep searching desperately for love.
I close out so much bad, by choosing only short moments of what I formed into love.
Moments when they spoke to me, not to order me around, not to swear at, not top speak of ways of murdering me. No speaking as if I was a human – asking my interests, saying I was pretty. Speaking not fucking.
It never lasted longer than moments, but I had to clasp those words to my heart. They were never true, they were always a sick game – but one I survived my hell was choosing to take them at their word.
Moments when I held without violent sex, where my hair was stroked, where massage was plain massage without searching to finger me. Moments where I sit without undressing, without any sex – just sit as it was a normal boyfriend.
God, how sad it that. I was living with so much sadistic sex on such a regular basis – that I thought those brief pauses before going back to being tortured were signs of love.
I was desperate for love – so I acted like I didn't care.
I never understand how give out love if or when I have sex.
I find very easy to give love to friends, but with sex enters love goes.
There is always a part of me that disrespect any person who has sex with me, and then wants love and affection.
I hate to know this, but I see them as weak – and I am afraid I may manipulate them.
Of course, I know this comes from a deep self-hatred.
But self-hate was planted into me by men fucking till my soul died.
I thought I was a whore, thought my whole body was polluted. That when a good person had sex with me, that I would poison them.
I felt my rage as I had sex with good people. I never hurt no-one, but my fear how much I wanted to inflict pain or to control them. I never did anything bad – but always I stop myself by becoming a robot.
The robot I was when I prostituted. Then I could fake good sex, fake I felt love, fake that I felt anything. Then it was ok, if I fake it well that I made it look like I understood love.
When I had just made myself have even more self-hate.
The worse thing of prostitution, is that you lose the ability to dream.
How can dream when do not know how long you will be alive.
How can you dream when all you are is a things to give men fuck-dreams, give men dreams of torture, give men dreams of flesh to profit from – in that world don't dream.
Dreams kill whores – for dreams makes them see the unreachable, hope and real love.
Whores are made a fantasy, but they are not allowed to fantasised. Hell, they may fantasised of murdering pimps, managers, johns and even those who walked on by.
They may fantasied that no man should ever pay for sex. That there is world we could have, where no man can profiteer from the selling women and girls.
A world where men don't think sex is masturbating into a living body, but about communication, real love and many times without sex.
Sex should be not the goal, but a bonus from knowing another human being.
That is a dream, whore are refused access to.
I am so upset now, this is yet another beginning.
Just know the real damage of prostitution is that rips out parts of the essence of the whore.
She can and will, if she is lucky enough to exit, gain a better and often fulfilled life.
But there is always a deep hole inside of all that was stolen and smashed to pieces – it can never be repaired.


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Woodland Heights Civic Association land use liaison Sharon Greiff sent out an e-mail yesterday letting the neighborhood know that Houston City Council approved the minimum lot size petition for the south side of the 400 block of Omar (that's between Helen and Florence). The petition was spearheaded by WHCA president Adrian Reed and his wife Carla.
This means that lots on that block can no longer be subdivided below a minimum that represents the 75th percentile of lots on that block.
"This now puts our neighborhood at the 55% mark for the number of blocks that have minimum lot size protection," wrote Greiff.
She also added that if any Woodland Heights residents (or any residents on the Heights. Greiff isn't picky about who she'll help preserve the historic nature of their neighborhood.) want to know more about minimum lot size and minimum setback protection she can be contacted at email@example.com or 713-868-1579.
"If you are interested in protecting your block please send me an email," she wrote. "I do all the paperwork for you – you just need to get signatures."


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Ben's Country Music Show is a two-hour weekly radio show featuring the best in country music, roots Americana and bluegrass which is broadcast on stations across the UK each week. The show began in May 2008 and in 2018 will celebrate its 10th anniversary. Each week Ben Atkinson presents the show from his studio in the beautiful cathedral city of Lincoln in the East Midlands.
Each week the show features the latest music from the USA and UK, mixed in with country classics and live sessions. Ben brings you the latest news from Nashville, This Week in Country Music and both the Billboard country album and airplay charts.
Ben's Country Music Show began life on 103 The Eye, a community radio station serving Melton Mowbray and the Vale of Belvoir and the first in the UK to be awarded a five-year licence by the government. To that end, it is the oldest community radio station in the UK. For the first couple of years, Ben presented the show live each week, sometimes with a guest presenter and often with a full country band squeezed into the tiny studio…. it was always great fun! After moving to Lincoln to study Media Production at the city's University, Ben set up his own studio at home and the show expanded to be broadcast on a series of other community stations across the Midlands, many of which it is still featured on to this day.
Interviews and live sessions have always played an important part in Ben's Country Music Show and Ben has been lucky enough to interview a broad cross-section of artists from the USA and the UK, including the late Lynn Anderson, Charlie McCoy, Gretchen Peters, Bob Cheevers, The Shires, Ward Thomas, John Montague, Gary Quinn and Charlie Landsborough. Many of these artists have become firm friends of the show and returned to co-present or play live on numerous occasions. You can hear a selection of these interviews at any time, right here on the site.
Over the year's Ben's Country Music Show has been broadcast on a range of unique and exciting stations, including a stint on the UK's country music station, Chris Country. Currently, the show airs on 103 The Eye, where it all began, County Linx Radio and Rasen Radio in Lincolnshire, Hermitage FM in North West Leicestershire and Wey Valley Radio in Hampshire. In addition, the show is also broadcast on Sunshine Radio UK, an online country music station. You can find out more about all of these stations and when the show is broadcast on the on-air page of this website.
As we look forward celebrating the show's 10th anniversary in 2018 it's a great opportunity to look back on all that has taken place in the last decade. When the show began in 2008 the UK country music scene was a very different place – there was no C2C Festival, no major UK country acts like The Shires or Ward Thomas and country was very rarely featured on mainstream radio outside the BBC. In the year's that followed Ben's Country Music show has grown to become one of the most prominent specialist music shows on independent radio in the UK with a growing number of listeners both in the UK and internationally.
About Ben
Ben Atkinson has been presenting on UK radio for over ten years. His presenting career began on 103 The Eye in Melton Mowbray, the first community radio station to be awarded a five-year licence by the UK government. Ben learnt his craft at the University of Lincoln, graduating with a first class BA(Hons) in Media Production and an MA in Digital Media and has been awarded by the institution for his Outstanding Contribution to the Lincoln School of Film and Media.
His training and experience within the creative industries is widespread and includes being an alumnus of the prestigious BBC Production Talent Pool, a six-month sabbatical studying and teaching at the Minnesota State University Moorhead in the USA, founding and managing a student radio station, Brayford Radio, and several years at the helm of his own design company, Tall Lime.
Ben's interest in country music began as a child, discovering the music collection of his parents and grandparents. Over the years he has written extensively about the genre, focusing his research on the changing British attitude to country between the 1960's and the present day. He has been a member of the Country Music Association of America (CMA) since 2014.


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The Wine Saver Stainless Steel is the premium edition of the original Wine Saver. The vacuum pump extracts the air from an opened bottle and reseals it with a reusable rubber stopper. Place the reusable stopper in the bottle and extract the air from the bottle using the Wine Saver pump. A "click" sound from within the pump tells you when you have reached the optimum vacuum level. The vacuum slows down the oxidation process which makes it possible to enjoy your wine again on a later date.
|Dimensions (wxdxh)::
|70 x 36 x 128 mm / 2.76 x 1.42 x 5.04 Inch
|0,21 kg / 0.46 lbs
|Stainless Steel, Plastic
|Country of origin:
|The Netherlands


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Jacksonville Inks Defensive Back Rodney Hall Jr.
JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville Sharks announced today that they have signed Second Team All-NAL defensive back Rodney Hall Jr. (6'1, 193) for his third year of arena football and first with the Sharks.
Prior to signing with the Sharks Hall spent his last two seasons with the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks. Last season, Hall played in 15 games for Lehigh Valley leading the team in tackles (49.5) and pass breakups (12). Hall also recorded three interceptions and two forced fumbles. In 2017, Hall helped the Steelhawks to a 9-1 record and a NAL Playoff birth. That season Hall played in all 10 games leading the team in tackles (44.5) and interceptions (7). In addition, Hall finished the year with nine pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. The National Arena League awarded Hall Second Team All-NAL honors. In 2016, Hall played for the Philadelphia Yellow Jackets of the American Indoor Football League. He played in two games and made five interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns.
During his college career, he played for Benedict College where he played Defensive Back. During his time at Benedict College, he recorded 30 tackles, two interceptions, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. Hall is from Philadelphia, PA and attended Overbrook High School.
About the Jacksonville Sharks
The Jacksonville Sharks are members of the National Arena League (NAL). The 2017 NAL Champions and ArenaBowl XXIV Champions and play all home games at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena. Sharks Nation Memberships for the 2019 season are now available. Shark Nation Memberships start as low as $75. To become a Shark Nation member or for more information please call (904) 621-0700. Follow the Sharks on facebook at facebook.com/jaxsharks and on Twitter and Instagram @jaxsharks, as well as the Attack Dance Team at facebook.com/sharkattackdance and Chum at facebook.com/chumsharks.


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Window Replacement Contractor Chicago
When you're in the market for a window replacement contractor Chicago, why check the websites of any potential companies you might hire? It's recommended that you look elsewhere online for reviews and testimonials, and of course a website doesn't always tell you everything you need to know about a potential company. However, they can be invaluable tools when it comes to making your decisions about the contractor you hire.
Tips To Choose Window Replacement Contractor Chicago
Consider a few simple points about checking the website of any potential window replacement contractor Chicago, what you can learn from their site, and why the site is important in your decision making process.
1. A good website may reflect their success in the industry.
When a company is successful and gets lots of repeat business, they are then able to take their profits and build their client base through marketing tools like websites. If they aren't very successful they won't have the means to do this. A good website may reflect their success in the industry and this is a good sign!
Look for a site that seems professionally built and composed, with elements that are easy to read and pages that are easy to navigate. A site that looks like it was put together by an amateur is not a good reflection of the success of a company.
2. Before-and-after pictures can be very useful to potential customers.
Along with testimonials, a good website from a window replacement contractor Chicago will include before-and-after photos of their work. These pictures can help you to see the quality they offer and can also demonstrate how different types of windows can improve the look of your home or business. You may not have thought about bay windows in your living room but those photos can show how they open up a space. Larger windows can also improve a home's overall value. These types of pictures should be found easily on a website of any window contractor or company.
3. You need to get questions answered.
Are they licensed and insured? Do they travel to your local area? Do they offer free estimates and inspections? Do they offer other services such as remodeling or deck installation? A good website can answer all these questions for you before you even pick up the phone. This is another reason to check out the site of any potential contractor before you make a decision.
Call The Window Replacement Contractor Chicago Company
Contact us today to request a free estimate or to ask us any questions you may have. You may call us at (708) 204-2446, or visit https://bestwindows.net/ for more information about window replacement contractor Chicago.


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Typological Features Template for Runyankore Rukiga
by Allen Asiimwe and Justus Turamyomwe
|Phonological Features
|In the following fields you describe the phonological inventory o [your language]
|Vowel inventory
| Runyankore-Rukiga has a typical five-vowel system. That is (i,u,e,a,o,u). It has two high vowels /i/ and /u/, /e/ and /o/ as middle vowels, /a/ is the low vowel, /i/ and /e/ are front vowels while /u/ and /o/ are the back vowels.
The high vowels /i/ and /u/ do not appear in word initial positions, while the low vowel /a/ is always the word final vowel in finite verbs which is deleted when a suffix is added. Runyankore-Rukiga also has a number of diphthongs, and these include; ai ei, oi,ia like in the following examples: ei- eizooba (son), eishomero (school), eirwariro (hospital) ai- omushaija (man), kuhaisa(to have food ready), owaitu (at our home) oi- okuboigora (to bark), kutoija ( to give offerings in church), ia- okunia (to deficate), kuniagiira ( to make funny noise).
|Vowel harmony
|Vowel harmony in Akan operates according to a tongue root system. Usually, nominal and verbal prefixes agree in ATR value with the vowels in the verb or noun stem.
|Consonant inventory
|In this field you describe the consonants of [your language]
|In this field you indicate if [your language] is a tone language and which tones are used; does [your language] have lexical tone?
|Syllable Structure
|In this field you indicate the basic syllable structures of [your language].
|Morpho-syntactic Features
|In the following fields you describe some of the basic morpho-syntactic parameters of [your language]
|morphological classification (1)
|[Runyankore-Rukiga is an agglutinating language, characterized by a complex verbal system.
|morphological classification (2)
|Linguists have distinguished between head- and dependent-marking languages. Semitic languages are head marking languages; it is the head of the noun phrases that needs to have a special form when followed by a dependent noun; in the Germanic languages it is the head of the verb phrase that expresses person-number features of its subject. Grammatical dependencies on the other hand are in some of the Germanic languages expressed on the dependent noun phrases in form of case. [Your language] might be both, head- and dependent-marking, depending on the category of speech and or the type of feature expressed. This is what you can describe in this field.
|Nominal Phrases
|A noun phrase is headed by a noun. If the noun is modified the modifier follows the noun. However, in some circumstances, the determiner may precede the noun it modifies. For example in the case of quantifiers when modifying a noun where the quantifier precedes the Noun e.g. buri mukazi(see type craft for proper annotation
|syntactic structure
Noun+Demo Adjective+pure adjective/appositive+quatifier+verbal adjective+Relativiser+Emphatic
|Noun + Adjective + Relativiser + Emphatic
|nominal modification
|The nominal modifiers are demonstratives, adjectives, possessives, relative clauses, appositives.
|nominal specification
deixis is marked by proximal, medial and distal.Deixis or reference is represented by affixes which vary depending on the noun class. The language also has demonstratives, numerals, quantifiers and determiners. The definite determiners are expressed by the initial vowel while the indefinite determiners are not marked.
|It is expressed by affixes which vary according to the noun class prefix. therefore the possessives are comprised of the class prefix and the possessive marker.
|pronominal system
|The language has free pronoun forms e.g emphatics, relative pronouns and self standing pronouns such as nyowe, itwe, iwe, imwe, we, bo and many more, which vary according to the noun class. The language also has bound pronouns which are expressed as object infixes as well as subject prefixes. All these are marked for number
|Verbal Phrases
|In the following fields serve for the description of some of the basic morpho-syntactic properties of verbal constituents
|word order
|Runyankore-Rukiga, like all other Bantu languages, the basic word order is SVO, however, it exhibits flexibility. Grammatical subjects can be extraposed, demoted or dropped, while the object can be left dislocated or promoted.
|Tense and aspect are morphologically marked. All tenses are marked apart from the habitual tense. Tense/aspect markers can either precede or follow the verb root, and they are not necessarily distinct. For Instance -ire marks the yesterday tense and the perfective aspect e.g. n-zin-ire (I danced (yesterday)). -ire also marks the stative aspect e.g. n-dwa-ire (I am sick).
|infinitival forms
|The infinitive marker is -ku-. e.g. o-ku-zin-a (to dance), o-ku-ry-a (to eat), o-ku-reeb-a (to see), o-kw-iruk-a (to run).
|verbal constructions
|In this field you indicate if [your language] has ditransitive constructions, serial verb constructions or complex verb forms composed of several verbs. Does your language have so called light verbs, perhaps only used to indicate a certain tense or aspect?
|In this field you indicate if [your language[ makes use of prepositions or postpositions. Does your language have spatial nouns? Does your language use adpositions or particles to indicate grammatical relations between the verb and a nominal argument?
|In this field you describe complementation strategies. Does [your language] make use of complementizers?
|Special Properties of [your language]
|In this field you should mention properties of [your language] which did not fit into any of the other categories mentioned in this template
|Short Bibliography


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Department Head/Leadership Team Meeting Minutes – November 12, 2013
Leadership Team/Department Heads Meeting
Nancy called the meeting to order at 11:25am.
–Nancy mentioned that Marcus is out for the week at a convention in Detroit. Nancy is acting principal for the week.
I. Schedule Changes for Spring
–Nancy said the counselors would accept changes for spring for those students who are not making it or who would like to move up to honors, etc. These changes will have to come from the department heads. The counseling office needs the names of students for the changes by November 22nd. These changes are teacher initiated only. No student requests will be honored.
–Josephine requests that the students know that their names will be on the lists.
–Nancy said the November 22nd deadline is firm. The counselors will need the time to get this done prior to Winter Break.
II. Final Exam Schedule
–Nancy said that the schedule distributed was not what the group agreed on last year. Nancy has contacted Marcus to see if we can move the exams up one day and begin on Monday.
III. Miscellaneous
–Lisa mentioned shadowing has begun on Tuesdays and school tours are on Fridays.
–Bettie explained the shadowing process. The Galileo students have their teachers sign a form the host student circulates to his or her teachers. The host students meet their guests in the Main Office at 7:50am. Shadowing is either a half-day or a whole day, always on Tuesdays. We try to match up our students with students visiting from their former middle schools if possible. We are open to the visitors selecting a student at Galileo that they know to shadow with.
–Today was the first day and it seemed to go well. The students seemed happy, both the hosts and the visitors.
–The shadowing will continue during November, December and January until the enrollment deadline.
–Kathleen mentioned the 70+ Newcomers who have enrolled. Many of them cannot respond to their names. Kathleen mentioned Plan E, which allows these students to earn fewer credits to graduate if they come in at the age of 15.
–Nancy mentioned the CTE audit on Thursday this week. They will be looking at the academies and pathways mostly. The auditors will be looking at equipment that is on the inventory last year from CTE.
Meeting adjourned at 11:35am.


text:
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We offer a free initial consultation
We provide a professional but friendly all round service to our clients, assisting them through the maze of tax and statutory compliance issues. Our approach is to offer a reliable but cost effective service.
Our services include:
The firm was setup in 2007 by its principal Jonathan Goodman, who is a qualified Chartered Accountant with over 20 years of practical experience in both accountancy and tax across a broad range of personal tax clients and corporate industries. Jonathan has continually worked in general practice having spent over 10 years working in two top 15 accountancy practices.
The core values of the firm are to offer
a personal yet professional service to all our clients and to
respond to correspondence, emails and calls as promptly as
Contact: Jonathan Goodman FCA
Tel: 020 8343 1258 or 07899 985543


text:
Suits you, sir
With budgets under scrutiny, companies are looking for events that offer better value for money – in terms of the spectacle itself and the payback. As a result, bespoke events, based on clients' mutual interests, are rising in popularity, says
As financial directors across the land wince at the cost of their company's Christmas jollies, January is probably a prudent time to evaluate the purpose – and payback – of corporate hospitality. For however sophisticated marketers become in terms of relationship marketing initiatives, loyalty schemes, client segmentation and the like, at the core of any successful and sustainable business relationship lies personal chemistry. Quite simply, people who get on well together, work well together. But the crucial question is: can chemistry be cultivated? And if so, how? Moreover, given the large sums of money often involved, does it pay to lay on lavish events, or are there more cost-effective ways to do good business?
Sue Martineau, managing director of The Ultimate Event Company, believes corporate events can be split into two. "There are the traditional packages that can be bought off the shelf from a calendar of events. Tennis at Wimbledon, rugby internationals at Twickenham, a box at Manchester United Football Club – they all have a similar format. Clients arrive, are served drinks then a meal, given grandstand seats and drink champagne throughout, then off they go. But frankly, this way of doing business is on the decline because it's so costly. It's as much as £1,000 a person on finals day for a Wimbledon package."
Justify the need
Clearly, a great deal of new business needs to be generated to justify that kind of expense. Martineau continues: "When you consider that for that kind of money you could fly them to a chateau in France instead, it's clear why clients are looking at alternatives. We're finding tailored events are increasingly popular; our clients are entertaining their clients in a way that reflects their mutual interests."
So what kind of corporate events are especially sought after? "We might arrange a weekend of skiing for clients who enjoy winter sports, or a five-day trip to Sun City for those who love gambling," says Martineau. "Or for a mixed group, we might take over a country house for a few days – arrange clay pigeon shooting, quad biking, horse riding. The point is to create something different, but appropriate."
The advantage here is not just a better use of funds, from a time-management point of view it pays dividends too. Capturing a client over a longer period means more time to bond, develop a relationship and, above all, do business. "Per head, the most expensive event we put together is a Golf Open event for a US risk insurance company," Martineau continues. "We handle the whole thing – we fly them in, then, as soon as their feet hit England, whisk them off to the Open. They stay for five days, attending the Open for a couple of those. They are indulged throughout; they have a housekeeper and chef and get to play their own golf too. It costs between £4,000 and £5,000 a head, which sounds a lot, but the point is, it works. Our client has its clients' attention for nearly a week, and the amount of business that gets done is phenomenal. Yet, despite its profit focus, people fight to get on the trip."
And perhaps therein lies the secret of success : places are coveted and the event is one that is bound to be remembered.
Making your mark
Ursula Benson, group account director at the River Communications Group, would agree. When she and her colleagues were deciding how to entertain their clients this Christmas, the "wow" factor was key. "From an almost endless choice of venues and entertainment, the 'bespoke' hospitality playing field was vast," she recalls. "So it was important to us to be able to personalise the event to create a genuine night to remember. We asked our clients for input, and in the end, opted for the Kensington Roof Gardens.
"With the pink flamingos, a matching ice sculpture dispensing vodka, roulette, live music, a dedicated VIP lounge and food that was far from just a mere afterthought by the venue, we put on something spectacular, at a similar cost per head to a standard day out at Henley or Wimbledon. The side-entertainment alleviated the problem of clients waiting around to talk to their respective account handlers, while River-branded invitations and illuminated standalone posters raised awareness and appreciation of the agency. So while it's difficult to measure the precise effects of such a venture in terms of profits, the sheer feelgood factor ensured those attending would not forget the party in a hurry."
New name for old
Carlson Marketing Group director Ken Aston has strong views on the subject. "Even the phrase 'corporate hospitality' is misleading," he argues. "It's a throwback to the late Eighties and early Nineties, when it seemed you could buy business more easily – a favour for a favour, so to speak. I like to think that we've moved beyond that. Clients have to justify themselves and their expenditure more. Personal guilt plays a part too in preventing mindless extravagance."
Discussing how entertaining has moved on since the Eighties, Aston says: "Back then, there were three basic reasons for entertaining a client: as an incentive or bribe; as a thank you; or as an attempt to get closer to clients without any particular focus on a piece of business. In the past it was so easy to accept invitations that clients used to joke about how many they turned down. But that's no longer the case. Today there is a search for business value. We encourage our clients to be accountable and to set clear objectives as to why a specific event is the right choice."
So why this change? "It reflects a belief that you have to invest in relationships," says Aston. "And we're not just talking about money, but time and energy spent getting to know your client. For example, I recently organised a trip to a second-division football game, as I shared a passion for the team with my client. The tickets weren't expensive, but it meant much more to him than, say, a lavish trip to the Grand Prix in Monaco. And now that we've established we're fellow supporters, our bond runs that much deeper."
According to research published by the Incentive Travel and Meetings Association, trends in corporate events and the incentive travel industry are shifting. "Successful agencies are those that anticipate the different industry sectors' communications needs and can offer the appropriate solutions."
There's another change too: hospitality events used to be organised by suppliers for clients, but now guests lists include suppliers because companies have recognised the importance of supply chain relationships.
Phil Rushfirth, head of quantitative research at Nunwood Consulting, helped co-ordinate the kind of event that typifies this new way of thinking. After identifying that senior market research professionals had no opportunity in their usual working environment to discuss current issues, best practice and solutions to common problems, Nunwood held a one-day client forum last November.
Time out
"The aim was to bring together senior researchers to discuss topics that they themselves had proposed," explains Rushfirth. "Nunwood's role was to act as host, and our aim was pretty altruistic. There were eight delegates from a number of blue-chip organisations, including senior in-house researchers from ARG Equation (GUS), Cheshire Building Society, Hallmark, Reckitt Benckiser, Standard Life and Yorkshire Water. It was a great success. They all said how refreshing it was to get the opportunity to learn from other people in a small group. The Market Research Society does organise an annual conference, but it's on a huge scale and clients often feel 'talked at'. What they seemed to enjoy about our forum was the interactivity. And for us it was an opportunity to be part of that process. We found it a constructive way of working as it was less overt, more consultative and people could be more honest. The benefit was professional rather than personal – it was about learning, being forward-thinking, which is more our scene, frankly. Doing business on the golf course isn't how our clients operate any more."
Acclaim managing director Simon Hambley agrees. "We have been organising more events which, although they could be termed corporate hospitality, are designed to build stronger relationships with customers.
Show you care
"I believe that there is no better way to tell customers just how valued they are than by creating face-to-face experiences; then we can present a product, listen to their feedback and share an experience. In this regard, definitions of corporate hospitality, incentives or conferences are not as clean-cut as they used to be. Specialist knowledge is required to plan events that aren't just about showing off, but demonstrate that you listen, understand and react to individual needs."
And Aston adds: "It's no longer acceptable to go along on a pure 'jolly'. A conference will have a full set of talks and presentations attached, even if there is a two-day stay in a posh hotel. Budget and creativity are important, but business objectives and payback are the forces that drive us, and this isn't solely driven by the taxman. Decision makers have to identify benefits. I'd even go so far as to say we need a new phrase for corporate hospitality; a phrase that evokes relationship marketing and reflects the discipline's segmentation, information gathering and targeting skills."