text: Balthazar said, February 18, 2019, 12:29:29 PMThe mmx artbook is a few years old, but covers up to Mmx8 and Irregular Hunter X. After that its Inafune sketches, then the last section is art gallery (havent started that yet). And yeah im still growing my Tmnt collection. Got a pretty dope glass cabinet with tmnt stucf, ill take pics tonight.Hey, that's pretty rad actually. Might have to grab that book myself since I'm playing the Legacy Collections.

subset: commoncrawl


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Dear Dr. Hershey,
My 12-year-old Labrador just tore her cruciate ligament. Should I have her undergo surgery to repair it at her age?
Dear Ashley,
In a young dog with a completely torn cruciate ligament, it is an easy decision to have the knee surgically repaired. In a geriatric animal, this decision becomes more complex.
It depends not only on the overall health of your dog. From a practical standpoint, when a patient is nearing her life expectancy, financial considerations come into play to a greater degree.
Let me start by giving you some information on the anatomy of the canine knee. There are two cruciate ligaments in the knee. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) helps stabilize the knee joint and is the one that most commonly tears in the dog.
There are different degrees of tear that can occur. Sometimes there is a partial tear in the ligament. In this situation, the dog experiences pain from the inflammation associated with the torn ligament, but the knee is often still stable.
When a full ACL tear occurs, veterinarians can tell because the tibia ("shin" bone) can be displaced forward. This is called a drawer sign. Dogs with a complete ACL tear have a knee joint that is not stable. Every time they step on that leg, the tibia shifts forward. This type of injury requires surgery to stabilize the joint.
A dog with a full ACL tear that is not surgically repaired will be lame on the injured leg for a long time, sometimes their whole life. Eventually scarring can occur around and inside the knee to help stabilize the joint, but it take years for that process to happen.
I have seen dogs with completely torn ACL ligaments that the owners have elected not to have surgically repaired. The lifestyle of these dogs dramatically changes. They can't go for long walks or runs anymore unless they are small enough or strong enough to pick up the injured leg when they run or tire out. Eventually, as scarring around the knee occurs, they will start to use the leg more, and it becomes more functional over time.
In young, healthy animals with a completely torn ACL, the very best thing is to have the leg surgically repaired. The goal of surgery is to stabilize the knee so the dog can go back to doing all of the things they (and you) like to do: running, going for walks, wrestling with other dogs, going on trips to the dog park, etc.
The reason that this choice becomes more complex in a geriatric animal is that there are all sorts of confounding factors that can impact your decision:
Overall health
If your pet is otherwise very healthy, then you may be more inclined to pursue surgery. If your pet has other disease processes going on, like internal organ disease or autoimmune disease, that will impact the decision about whether or not to proceed with surgery. Your pet may be a higher risk anesthetic candidate, and the life expectancy of your pet may be shorter.
Life expectancy
Labradors have a life expectancy of about 12–15 years of age. At 12 years of age, your dog may only live less than a year, or she may live another 3 years. In a large-breed dog, the type of surgery that is typically done to repair a torn ACL is either a technique called a TTA or a TPLO. In both of these techniques, a portion of the tibia is cut and "realigned" to change the angle of the knee and stabilize the abnormal movement that occurs after a complete ACL tear.
Dogs that undergo this technique are essentially recovering from a fracture repair. It takes two to three months to recover from this type of surgery, and in older dogs, it sometimes takes longer. This recovery time is a consideration in a geriatric animal.
Cost of the surgery
Depending on where the surgery is performed, a TTA or TPLO surgery is $3,500–$5,000. From a practical standpoint, it can sometimes be hard to justify that expense if you think your animal will only live another year or two.
If you don't proceed with surgery, you would want to make sure that your pet was comfortable and would keep her on pain medications — likely for the rest of her life. Most arthritis medications prescribed for dogs are $50–$90 a month, depending on the type of medication that is chosen, and often a "cocktail" of medications and joint supplements are given if the patient isn't experiencing enough pain relief with just one medication.
If you end up spending $100 a month on pain medication, you a third of the way to the cost of the surgery after a year of medication.
If you don't repair the knee, the injured leg is not very functional for a long period of time. That means that your dog will shift weight to the other limbs and the neck and back for support when walking. It is important to know that this puts a stress on the rest of the body.
I think it is helpful to look at the two extremes when it comes to the outcome after an ACL injury.
From a financial standpoint, one extreme is that you repair the knee and your pet dies from an unrelated illness six months later. In a geriatric animal, this is a possibility.
If you lost your dog six months after surgery, would you be upset that you spent $4,000 on surgery? Is this something that would put extreme pressure on your family financial situation?
The other extreme is that you could elect to not repair the knee and your pet ends up living another three years and will need to deal with an unstable, uncomfortable knee during that time.
Will you be kicking yourself because you didn't do the surgery?
Every patient and family situation is unique. There is not one right answer for the best way to proceed in this situation. Your veterinarian is a good resource for you and can support you in whichever path you choose.


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yesterday I didn't sleep well.. then a cat came in my dreams and eat all the mice.. poor mice.Quote:
Originally Posted by cherish
Printable View
yesterday I didn't sleep well.. then a cat came in my dreams and eat all the mice.. poor mice.Quote:
Originally Posted by cherish
Ah. Okay. :thumb: :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Sarevok
And what does "pulling someone's leg" mean?
I thought I already answered that... :ehh:Quote:
Originally Posted by cilu
// Anyways, gotta go guys! Ciao! :wave:
Very similar to the pull my finger gag and the atomic situp gag. Avoid it at all costs.Quote:
Originally Posted by cilu
Hurry up and wait!
I'm bored.
A "bored" is a cylindrical lock with the cylinder through the knob or lever. It is installed in a door having one hole through the thickness of the door and another in from the edge.
Sernyl has no effect when maleate is used as a substrate!Quote:
Originally Posted by cherish
Sciurus King needs to up the dosage... ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom Frohman
Drugs are only for people who can't handle insanity.Quote:
Originally Posted by gurleygirl
This, naturally, leads us to back to the luggage issue.
Je pense que chacun est dehors pour manger le cool whip.
Originally Posted by Tom Frohman
no more connectable ? or unable get packet ?
you repeat yourself, you are boringQuote:
Originally Posted by Tom Frohman
am so bored I can't sleep
If you are posting here, you are boring too.Quote:
Originally Posted by NoHero


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Prime Minister John Key and his predecessor Helen Clark said today the crisis in Iraq would be best addressed by establishing a political process.
Helen Clark, now the Chief of the United Nations Development Programme, joined criticism of the Iraq Government which had been accused of concentrating power in the hands of Shia to the exclusion of Sunnis and Kurds. Mr Key said there was a role for the Security Council.
The Iraq situation was one of the areas they discussed during a courtesy call Mr Key made to UN headquarters at the United Nations Development Programme in New York.
Ms Clark said her own staff in Iraq had been evacuated to Jordan.
Asked what the role of the UN should be, she said it would be to try to get some kind of political process going which engages the leaderships of the Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds.
"It's fair to say there has been a lot of comment that the Government in Iraq has not been as inclusive as it could have been, and therein lies a tale which has seen part of the population alienated.
"It's a country with these very distinct areas where different groups reside, and clearly this militant group has gone through the Sunni heartland.
"The question is 'is there a political solution capable of putting this back together?'
"I think from the international community there would be a strong desire to see Iraq stay as a single country within the boundaries we know today.
"A sectarian conflict which fuels a civil war is a very, very ugly thing which is why all pressure should be on for some kind of political accommodation."
Mr Key said the only long-term solution for Iraq was one where diplomacy was at play, and where the various factions could be accommodated.
"Without that, instability will reign for a very long period of time. And the Security Council can play a role in that. Diplomacy has got to be at the forefront."
Helen Clark was asked about her decision as prime minister not to join the coalition which invaded Iraq.
She said she always believed it was the right one, and said it was drawing a long bow to connect what happened in 2003 and what was happening today.
"I think what is happening today has a lot more to do with the style of governance in Iraq, and had it been more inclusive in recent years and not seen the alienation of significant minorities, it might be in a different space."
Mr Key is in New York to lobby for a seat on the Security Council against Spain and Turkey, a bid which Ms Clark began. She said she could not take sides in the election because she had to get on with them all.
Mr Key presented her with a basket of New Zealand food, including Snax, Marmite and Choysa tea.
Earlier today (NZT) Mr Key said New Zealand's only contribution to the growing crisis in Iraq would likely be humanitarian aid.
"I don't think it is at all likely that New Zealand would put boots on the ground there," he told New Zealand reporters after visiting the 9/11 memorial site.
It was a civil war between two religious groups, he said.
"We're not a country out there looking for a fight."
Any involvement by New Zealand was likely to take the form of humanitarian aid to be given to non-Government organisations for distribution.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was drawing up a proposal at present to canvas where aid could be given.
"But I don't see our involvement in Iraq being any greater than that."
He would discuss the fast unfolding situation with US President Barack Obama at their White House meeting at the end of the week, he said.
Mr Obama has ruled out taking part in a ground war in Iraq, but he has informed Congress the US is reportedly deployed up to 275 combat-ready military personnel to Baghdad to protect the US embassy there.
An aircraft carrier, USS George HW Bush, has been deployed to the Persian Gulf for possible support.
In an interview with Reuters he raised the possibility of sending in special forces to help to train Iraqi troops.
Mr Key ruled out any deployment of New Zealand's SAS to train.
Reports emerged at the weekend of mass killings of Iraqi troops by the al-Qaeda breakaway Islamic State of Iraq and The Levant (ISIS) which has gained control of north Iraq.
In fighting at a police station in Baquba, just 60km from Baghdad, 44 prisoners being held there were reportedly killed yesterday.
New Zealand took part in the invasion of Afghanistan following the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States.
But it did not support the invasion of Iraq. It was only after the UN Security Council passed a resolution lifting sanctions on Iraq that New Zealand contributed. It sent about 60 engineers to support British forces in southern Iraq in non-combat roles.
Mr Key said like any global issue, New Zealand would always look to the Security Council for its view and its sanction of what should happen.
"You can never say never, that in a world where the Security Council decides that Iraq needs support of some sort, engineers, whatever it might be, that could always be considered, but I think that is very unlikely."
Mr Key expected any involvement by New Zealand would be within Security Council sanctions, but would not be categorical.
"You always want to give yourself some flexibility, but I just think it's not a situation where we're likely to get asked to go and provide some support in an isolated group of small countries. I don't think that's the way Iraq will play out."
At the 9/11 memorial, Mr Key paused in silence for a few moments at the wreath given on behalf of New Zealand.
He walked around the two large sunken reflection pools where the Twin Towers once stood, and which carry the names of the 2977 people killed on September 11 in New York, at the Pentagon and on Flight 93.
He paused at the names of the two New Zealanders killed, Alan Beaven and John Lozowsky, and that of his former Merrill Lynch boss Michael Packer who had been giving a speech in the World Trade Centre when the planes struck.
Mr Key also took a tour of the 63rd floor of the One World Trade Center, a single 104-storeyed tower that has gone up next to the memorial park.
It has not yet been completed inside but is 60 per cent let.
It cost $4 billion to build.


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Vie Fitness & Spa is the leading provider of personal training in Ann Arbor. We have been providing our members with excellent personal fitness training to match their needs and physical capacity. We have spent years perfecting our training systems to help our members become leaner, healthier and stronger. Our studio is fully furnished. It has everything you need from mats to gym equipment. We also make sure that our facilities are clean and tidy.
We know every client has many considerations to make before enrolling in a program. This is why we offer very flexible options that can cater to your schedule and budget. Whatever fitness goals you have in mind, we can surely help you figure out an arrangement that will work for you. We guarantee that if you start regularly attending trainings that are optimized for you and focusing on your nutrition and health goals, you can become a better version of yourself in a matter of months.
[toc wrapping="right"]Investing in your health is a must because it saves you from facing debilitating illnesses as well as stressful issues such as paying expensive hospital bills. Our team of fitness trainers at Vie Fitness Studio & Spa believes that by investing on your body early, you get to enjoy a happier life especially during your senior years.
It pays to know the best ways to take care of your body such as eating the right foods, knowing what not to eat, and keeping a regular exercise regimen that includes both strength training and cardio. We are students of getting fit, and we are more than willing to share our knowledge with you.
We have been helping many members of our Ann Arbor community take care of themselves through our complete and well-planned training sessions for many years, and we want you to benefit from our offers as well. Availing of our holistic personal training in Ann Arbor will let you enjoy a number of benefits such as increased body and mind coordination, improved flexibility, toned muscles, healthy weight loss, improved blood circulation, stronger bones, and better cardiovascular health.
Providing premium fitness training programs has been our specialty for many years. With our training, background and experience, we can readily assist you with all your needs. Our staff has all the certifications from the ACSM as well as other duly recognized fitness authorities.
We are trained to handle any kind of situation, so you can feel more confident and assured of your safety while you work out at our studio. As part of our commitment to provide more helpful training programs each of our trainers undergo continued education allowing them to stay on top of the latest industry knowledge and developments.
Our staff is determined to provide you with the best personal training experience that money can buy. Our mission at Vie is to wow you from the very moment you enter our doors. In addition to offering a custom training experience we also have a knack for helping our members stay on their game by constantly providing tips, advice and solid support. Both instructors and training mentors will be here to help you from the very beginning until the moment you experience plateaus, and finally up until you achieve your objectives.
We promise to stand by you throughout your fitness journey.
Feel free to talk to our team if you have reservations about your course of training because of your age, physical condition or budget. Our staff will personally assist you in all your fitness-related concerns. We are here to serve you and make sure that you have the most enjoyable and fulfilling experience possible.
We know how nice it feels to work out in a place that is brightly lit, clean and well ventilated, so we do our best to offer just that in two easy to find Ann Arbor locations. Vie is a place where you can feel inspired, motivated, supported and challenged.
Vie Fitness Studio & Spa takes pride in our modern exercise equipment and our well-maintained studio. We regularly check our equipment to ensure our members' safety. Apart from our first-class facilities, we are very proud of our very active groups of health club clients.
When you choose one of our training fitness courses or private training sessions, you do not only get the best experience in getting physically fit, but also the chance to mingle with other health and fitness enthusiasts. Choosing Vie lets you grow and develop a stronger body within a family that truly cares for your well-being.
As much as we all want to achieve a fit body on our own, it is still highly recommendable to listen to experts who have already tried every possible approach. Hiring a personal trainer to help you with your objectives is far better than figuring things out on your own. It can be painstakingly hard to come up with your own personal fitness plan, as you would need to conduct your own research and try different things until you find something that works.
It is also equally hard to stay focused, especially when you get to a point where you feel like giving up. Because we are the top personal fitness experts in Ann Arbor, we promise to handle all the research work and planning for you. As we have been in this industry for quite some time now, we know which methods work best for different people. We carefully study your body type, health condition, age, and goals so we can come up with a tailor-made course of training.
Getting your training personalized will always be easy at our downtown health club. With our state of the art facilities, complete gym equipment, warm and friendly staff, motivated and highly trained instructors, and well-defined training programs, it will be far easier for you to reach your target body fitness level and weight.
Vie is the perfect place if you're looking for personal training, but we're also readily available for other parts of your fitness journey. That's why we offer over 100 fitness and cardio classes each week, as well as a spa where you can schedule a relaxing massage or a facial and body waxing.
Finish off your visit with a smoothie from our juice bar, or a visit to our fitness clothing and accessory boutique. No other facility in Ann Arbor can offer you the quality and variety that Vie can.
To find out more about how our personal training in Ann Arbor works or to know more about what we can offer, dial our phone number, and talk to one of our representatives or fill out our the contact form.


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PRESS DIGEST - Wall Street Journal - April 25
April 25 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories in the Wall Street Journal. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
- The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected a request from General Motors Co to limit the fallout from its ignition-switch defect. The court denied the auto maker's request to review a lower-court ruling that gave some victims' families the power to sue over defective ignition switches. http://on.wsj.com/2q0rtqi
- Express Scripts Holding Co said Monday it doesn't expect Anthem Inc its biggest customer, to extend a pharmacy-benefits management agreement slated to expire at the end of 2019. http://on.wsj.com/2q0dC3z
- Paint giant PPG Industries Inc on Monday raised its offer for Dutch rival Akzo Nobel NV to $26.4 billion, the U.S. firm's third takeover attempt in a two-month-long, unsolicited courtship. http://on.wsj.com/2q05Ru5
- Aerospace parts maker Arconic Inc on Monday delayed its much-anticipated annual meeting and tried to defuse a long-running spat with activist investor Elliott Management Corp that last week forced the company's chief executive to step down. http://on.wsj.com/2q00jjy
- Samsung Electronics Co Ltd said it would roll out two software updates for its new Galaxy S8 smartphone this week after users complained of red-tinted screens and patchy Wi-Fi connections. http://on.wsj.com/2q0lwty
(Compiled by Abinaya Vijayaraghavan in Bengaluru)


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Back to School at buildOn
From students serving their own communities in the U.S. to children and adults stepping into classrooms for the first time in seven of the economically poorest countries around the world—the phrase 'back to school" has many meanings at buildOn. Read about all the ways buildOn is making an impact this fall.Learn More
Jaques' Story: We Can Be Great Today Because We Can Serve
Jaques Brown is a senior at Gage Park High School in Chicago. Since first serving with buildOn in on MLK Day in 2018, Jaques has dedicated himself to serving his Chicago community. Read how his first experience serving his community continues to inspire him today.Learn More
Brandon Russell's Legacy of Education Continues In Haiti
Brandon Russell dedicated his life to teaching. When he passed away at the age of 27, his family was determined to allow Brandon's dream of educating children to go on. Now, there's a school in Lahatte/Aquin, Haiti, that will educate generations to come.Learn More
Making Change Happen: 36 Hours in Detroit with buildOn
Katherine Messier, the Executive Director of Mobile Beacon, participated in buildOn's 36 Hours immersion program in Detroit in May 2018. As part of 36 Hours, Katherine traveled to Detroit to meet and serve alongside buildOn students from Western International High School, and afterwards, she shared the following reflection with buildOn.Learn More
Members of the Movement: Anand Swaminathan from McKinsey & Co.
Anand Swaminathan, Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company in San Francisco, was a coach in buildOn's Partnership Program at Coliseum College Prep Academy in Oakland during the 2017-18 school year. Inspired by his Partnership Program experience with his buildOn student partner Taheerah, Anand shared the following story at the 2018 buildOn Bay Area Dinner in San Francisco.Learn More
Taheerah's Story: This is How We Break the Cycle
Taheerah McKinney, a buildOn student at Coliseum College Prep Academy in Oakland, participated in buildOn's Partnership Program during the 2017-18 school year. Taheerah recently shared how Anand Swaminathan, her coach in buildOn's Partnership Program and a Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company, impacted her life.Learn More
Building a School on Trek with buildOn
We don't build schools for communities. We build schools WITH communities. When our students and supporters go on Trek, they fully immerse in another culture and get their hands dirty making a global impact.Learn More
Lennasia's Story: Making a Difference with EY
Lennasia Dixon, a buildOn student at the Community Academy for Science and Health in Boston, recently shared how working with coaches from Ernst & Young in buildOn's Partnership Program helped her prepare for college.Learn More
Announcing the 2018 buildOn Community Impact Award Winners
Every year, we recognize one community partner in each of the our six U.S. cities with buildOn's Community Impact Award. These community partners have gone above and beyond in the name of service, and with their help, our students have been able to create lasting change. This year's Community Impact Award winners are…Learn More
Manny's Story: "I Love Giving Back"
Manny Salazar recently graduated from Mott Hall Bronx High School in the South Bronx. Since joining buildOn in ninth grade, Manny has dedicated himself to serving more than 425 hours with buildOn, including building a school in Nicaragua while on Trek. Manny will be attending college in the fall, and he recently shared his story with buildOn.Learn More


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DGH Character Education Assembly is this Friday, December 12th
Location: DGH Gym
Time: 2:15 p.m.
Do not forget that DGH's first Character Education Assembly of the year takes place this Friday. A number of activities will be taking place during the assembly:
• presentations regarding Character Education by Mrs. Arscott's/Ms. Horton's JK/SK class and Ms. Graham's grade 7 class,
• celebrating our soccer and cross-country teams' efforts this year,
• unveiling a number of banners that DGH teams have won in the past several years,
• a guest speaker talking about character, and
• perhaps Mr. Boudreault (Parent Council Co-Chair) and Mr. Parish being taped to the wall (if enough poinsettias were sold!).
Thanks go to Mrs. Arscott and Ms. Graham for organizing the assembly!


text:
Bad news first: The creative collaboration between Simon Hospitality Group and Titan Brands, Standard & Pour, has closed. The Anthem-area restaurant and bar opened in August 2016 and was named one of Las Vegas Weekly's Best New Restaurants of the Year. It was the last restaurant project the late chef Kerry Simon worked on.
Another significant loss of deliciousness: Gelato Messina shuttered at Downtown Summerlin. Its Australian parent company had previously closed its Ribs & Burgers outlet at the outdoor mall, too.
The good news: Lots of new stuff has arrived Downtown. In the spot formerly known as Glutton, 7th & Carson is up and running, thanks to Liam Dwyer (Light Group) and chef Gregg Fortunato (Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill, Inyo Asian Fusion). A few doors down, Mediterranean eatery Two Bald Brothers has opened where Zydeco Po-boys previously operated. And in the John E. Carson building a block away, the Donut Bar operators have taken over the former GrassRoots space with Smooth Eats, serving juices, smoothies, paninis and more.
Shake Shack will open its fourth location in Southern Nevada on July 12 at the District at Green Valley Ranch. In keeping with the company's community-minded mission, the Henderson Shack will donate 5 percent of sales from its Pie Oh My concrete dessert to Three Square food bank.
Major League Baseball All-Star Week is apparently a big deal for Metro Pizza, or maybe it's just a great excuse for experimental pizza enthusiast Chris Decker to get experimental with pizza. His Chicago Dog pie, with all-beef hot dogs, giardiniera, tomatoes and celery salt on a poppy seed crust, is available July 7-11 at the northwest, Green Valley, Tropicana and Decatur locations.


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In the late fall of 2011, on a weekday evening in central Toronto, as the crisp cold was settling in to lay the foundation for the dreary winter to follow, I trudged back home from my then day job as a case manager and counsellor with a non-profit organization that supported marginalized folk with health advocacy, holistic care, housing, and community support. Only this time, I had a little friend with me.
His name was Bubbles, a cute, adult tabby with a beautiful disposition and he was the first non-human to teach me a little something about love that crossed the species barrier and ultimately helped break down my hitherto obdurate anthropocentrism.
He was with us for only one week, but I think it's safe to say that he stole my heart during that relatively short period. The fact that I have to fight back tears each time I think about him has pushed me to accept that I fell head over heels in love with him.
And yes, I'm talking about a cat here.
Bubbles belonged to one of our clients in the organization I worked in. This client, like a lot of marginalized people, had to deal with the machinations of the criminal justice system and he requested us to take care of the cat while he was doing so. I volunteered because my soul mate, Susanne, and I were toying with the idea of getting a cat ourselves (we ultimately got two, and goodness are they two of the most awesome creatures on earth). I thought it would be fun to have Bubbles for a while, especially as my colleague said that it was likely we could actually adopt Bubbles since the client was thinking that he wasn't in a place to take care of another living thing.
So Bubbles joined Sus and me in the little one-bedroom apartment we had rented for a year in a somewhat rundown Regent Park high-rise. He stayed with us for a week.
Now if this was a mushy Hollywood movie or HBO show, it might have something special happen here. You know, some awesome life-changing experience that Bubbles was an inherent part of, but the truth is that the week Bubbles was with us was no different than any other week during the time we were in that neighborhood. I went to work. Sus went to grad school. We dealt with life and sustenance, while partaking in various daily activities, some for socializing, some for social justice, some for sanity. Bubbles just happened to be there in our small 1-bedroom apartment that week.
He ate the food we got him.
He bathed himself with that rough tongue he had.
He climbed on the counters.
He cuddled and purred.
He peed and took shits in his litter box (Sus even commented on how neat he was, partitioning his litter box so tidily and all).
One time I looked at him and said, "hey there, sweet little buddy" and, I swear, he looked at me and smiled.
I was beginning to get positively giddy at the thought of permanently adopting this awesome tabby.
And then the week ended and I was informed that the client still wanted the cat. Understandable. Except that now my heart was going to be shattered to pieces. I just didn't know it yet.
I took Bubbles back to our office. During the journey he meowed and meowed and I have no way of explaining exactly what happened to me during this journey. Every meow pierced me with an emotion I had never experienced before. My throat would tighten a fraction more. My spirit would sink a touch lower. My heart would crack a tad further.
I admonished myself, "Sri! It's a cat for crying out loud." I told myself. "You have known this dude for one week. Get over yourself you idiot. There is no way you could possibly have feelings for a cat like it's a human being!"
When we reached the office, it was late evening and no one was around. My colleague was to take him back the next day. I let him out of his carrier and sat with him for a little while. Just me and him in that small dingy office. Not because I had to, but because I wanted to. After settling down, he approached me once more, nuzzling me in that friendly yet gorgeously subtle way that only cats have mastered.
That was when I knew that I had to leave. If I didn't leave that very moment, I would have kidnapped him and quit my job. Maybe Sus, Bubbles and I would have checked out of the city so we would never be apart again.
But I couldn't do that. It wasn't my style.
Before leaving, I did look at Bubbles one last time and say (for the first time ever to a non-human):
"I love you little fella."
I thought I was saying it just for the heck of it. But I said it silently, so that no one would overhear by mistake and think I was crazy, despite the fact that no one was there. I think I did it because I realized the feeling was far truer and stronger than I was willing to accept. I said it scarcely believing that I said it myself ("Seriously dude…did you just profess your love for a freaking cat?" I admonished myself again after leaving.)
I came back home and I was somewhat upset, but not even in the slightest bit inconsolable or anything. Told Sus and a couple of friends that I was hurt at having to give back the cat. But that was it.
You just miss that little fella, I thought to myself, no big deal. So I buried it and didn't think about it for quite a while.
But try as I could, Bubbles never left my heart. God, that sounds corny, but I don't yet possess the writing skills to be able to say it in a more nuanced way. He just kind of remained there in the background.
Many months later, well after Sus and I adopted our own two little feline darlings, I found out that Bubbles ended up in an SPCA in some suburb of Toronto, Oakville I think. When my colleague informed me of the news, I expressed a little sadness but nothing more than anyone would express. I put it out of my mind.
I kept finding myself in a position of having to make a real effort to not think about Bubbles. But I always succeeded. For a couple of years Bubbles just lurked somewhere at the back of my mind, not really coming to the fore. Business as usual I figured.
Something happened to me however in those two years.
I found myself falling in love across species again. This time with Faiz and Rumi. Through the fun of occasionally irritating growing pains from kitten to cat. Through the naughtiness and goofiness of their existence. Through their remarkable innocence and purity of affection. Through seeing their souls and realizing that evil cannot and does not exist there, or in the souls of any other animal for that matter. Through understanding that humans aren't the fucking centre of the universe and that one doesn't have to choose between the liberation of humanity and the liberation of all other beings.
Hell of a cool journey right?
But it wasn't complete. I hadn't yet acknowledged a certain little fella. But that would change eventually.
What I would eventually find out was that Bubbles was the catalyst for it. I would also find out that my heart was and always would be broken, and that's ok. All those realizations happened about a month back, some time in Jan 2015.
By then, Sus and I had into a small 1-bedroom condo we bought (or rather have a 25 year mortgage for, thus actually owning an area covered by about three and a half bathroom tiles). Sus had a new laptop and, in the process of shifting the photographs from her previous computer to the new one, found a somewhat grainy picture of me and Bubbles. She showed it to me just as a little fun discovery.
And that's when all that stuff I buried came rushing back. The fact that he stole my heart. The fact that I was still in love with that cat. The fact that I missed him. The fact that I always would.
I cried. Literally broke down like a toddler. I cried when I saw the photograph. I cried when I spoke to Sus about it. I cried when I spoke to Sus and another friend about it. I cried when I sat on my own and thought about him. I have not stopped crying during the entire writing of this article.
You see, I don't know where Bubbles is.
Maybe he's with a loving family, living out the rest of his years in comfort and contentment.
Or maybe he's with a not-so-loving family, living out the rest of his years facing neglect and abuse.
Or maybe he's with a family that is loving but also has its problems, so he's getting a bit of both.
Or maybe he's dead, likely euthanized for space.
Or maybe he's free, out on the streets and parks, making friends (and enemies) with feral felines, living of the critters and birds he catches.
I don't know. And it kills me every time I think about.
But I do know this:
In some alternate universe, Bubbles is still with us, me and Sus, and our other two non-human loved ones, Faiz and Rumi, and our ever-growing community of human loved ones in Bangalore, Minneapolis, Toronto, and who knows where else (it's an alternate universe, so maybe we have loved ones in Havana, which would be awesome). Bubbles is part of this family, our community, in this alternate universe.
You will notice that I said this like I actually believe it. It's not said in jest. I actually do.
Yes, I know it sounds crazy, and hence by logic of inference, I sound crazy. It's ok. I don't actually know if there's some alternative universe where Bubbles is with us. I just believe it.
I often do that in order to bring comfort, continuity, and cyclical resurgence to loss. For instance, I don't need to necessarily know for sure whether or not the spirit of my dead brother is with me, hanging out with me, growing with me as I journey through this world. I love him and I miss him. Thus I believe he's still with me, even after more than a decade has passed since his departure from this world. I believe it with just as much fervor as I believe in evolution, emancipation, and equality.
I still can't quite place why I love and miss Bubbles to the point where it hurts. Partly I think it has to do with my dead brother. He was a lover of humanity, animals, nature, and peace, and I think my connection with Bubbles and subsequent non-human loved ones is a result of my brother teaching me something from beyond this world. Partly I think it has to do with the fact that my anthropocentrism never quite fit with my desire for freedom, equality, and sustainable living. Loving animals, falling in love with those who get close to you, is just so much more liberating for the soul. Partly I think it has to do with the fact that I have been prevented in some way or the other by the prevailing structures and institutions of the world around us from ever seeing Bubbles again. Love is particularly painful when you have to wait for your time on this earth to end in order to be able to see that human or non-human being you are in love with.
But it's all good. Really.
I'm glad I have this pain, because I'm also surrounded by love, human and non-human, across many oceans, and this pain just makes me realize how all the more precious it is. Bubbles stole my heart and taught me about love so effortlessly that I believe we're still hanging out in some alternate universe with us. You don't have to believe me, just hear the story, because it's not about me. It's about Bubbles, the awesome tabby who ushered in the sweet demise of my anthropocentrism.
[Visit Sriram's blog here and check out his recently published autobiographical novel about the 2002 Gujarat pogrom:Across the Sabarmati]


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Time to upgrade your mattress?
With all the new mattresses available we suggest you research online. Start here by having a look at some of the best and highly rated mattresses available today!
Shop DreamCloud Mattress Deals
DreamCloud has emerged in recent years as one of the most popular hybrid mattresses on the market. This is considered to be a super-premium mattress, measuring 15", and combining a number of different elements to create something fairly unique.
In addition to the mattress itself, the company also offers bed frames and adjustable frames. You can find everything you need to purchase one of the most luxurious beds currently on the market.
There are several unique, compelling features to these mattresses that are worth keeping in mind.
Exceptional service is one of the best features to choosing a mattress from this company. Their mattresses are praised for offering fantastic value for what you pay, and everything comes with a lifetime warranty.
The benefits of good sleep are numerous. Many sleep experts and consumers alike believe DreamCloud offers one of the best ways to enjoy those benefits to their fullest. To be sure, this is one of the most appealing examples of memory foam mattresses you are going to find.
What Is A DreamCloud Mattress?
Simply put, the DreamCloud mattress is an example of the hybrid luxury mattresses that have become so popular in recent years. While these mattresses have traditionally cost thousands and thousands of dollars, as it is considerably more affordable. Yes, you will have to spend as much as $1100 for one of these mattresses. That doesn't even cover the bed frame, or adjustable frame, if you choose to purchase one. However, compare those prices to some of the top competitors.
Shifman and Sleep Number 18 are two examples of companies that put out similar products. Those mattresses can start in the $3000-dollar range, with Shifman mattresses typically going for more than six grand. The mattresses from those companies do not include trials as long as the one you'll get with DreamCloud.
Furthermore, it's one of the only hybrid mattress companies to offer a lifetime warranty on their products.
Taking A Long Look At The DreamCloud Mattress
In order to appreciate everything these mattresses have to offer, we need to consider the various materials that bring these mattresses to life. The mattress features eight balanced levels of memory foam comfort. The mattresses also feature a patented coil system. The hand-tufted cashmere covers are another element to keep in mind. The more you learn about this mattress, the easier it is to understand why they have become so popular with people looking for budget-friendly luxury mattresses.
The heat-treated cotton pads are another feature to these beds. These maintain the cooling sensation of the mattresses. The high-quality foam is then combined with the coil system we mentioned before. You will also want to pay attention to the soft, super-comfy Euro-top. These contouring pillows provide the body with supreme comfort. Latex is also utilized in the creation of the DreamCloud. The sidewalls are also intensely reinforced in the manufacturing process. This ensures a mattress with some of the best edge support to be found anywhere. No matter where you sleep on the bed, you are going to be getting the best rest possible.
What About The Lifetime Warranty?
The lifetime warranty seems to be as solid as any lifetime warranty you are going to find. These mattresses are noted and celebrated for being built to last. They can be a little expensive to clean and care for, if you want to do those things properly. Nonetheless, your mattress purchase will include one free cleaning. This is valued at approximately $300, and it kicks in after you've owned the mattress for at least one year. DreamCloud has been lauded by many for offering a legitimately useful service to their customers for free.
If you keep your mattress for more than five years, the company will recondition the mattress, restoring it to its former glory. The impressive part? DreamCloud will do this for absolutely no charge. They seem to be pretty committed to keeping their customers as DreamCloud enthusiasts for the foreseeable future. Taking advantage of these features, it seems reasonable that you will be able to enjoy the mattress for a very long time to come.
How Firm Are Mattresses?
When it comes to shopping for the best mattresses, firmness is naturally something you are going to keep in mind. You want something that is flexible in this arena, but you certainly also want something that will keep your particular needs in mind.
To that end, keep in mind that these mattresses are only constructed at the medium-firm level. This gives it a 6.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale. This is considered to be a luxury degree of firmness, and it is capable of meeting the needs of most people. Thankfully, DreamCloud offers a staggering 1-year trial of their mattress. In other words, if you aren't pleased, returning the mattress should not be a problem at all.
Pros And Cons
Let's summarize things with a quick overview of the pros and cons of DreamCloud mattresses. We've covered some of these items already, but a summary can give you a clear idea of whether or not this mattress is worth researching in greater detail:
- PRO: The price is quite simply fantastic. As we mentioned before, this is one of the most affordable luxury hybrid mattresses we have ever seen.
- PRO: The materials are some of the finest ever used to create a mattress. Check the reviews, and you will find a mattress that just about anyone can enjoy. A big part of that comes down to the materials they use.
- PRO: Remember that a hybrid mattress can mean getting the best of all worlds. It combines coils with memory foam to give you an impressive experience.
- PRO: The 1-year trial and lifetime warranty makes the prospect of at least trying out this mattress even more appealing.
- PRO: White glove services ensure your mattress will last for years to come.
- CON: At 15", this mattress might be a little bigger than what you are used to.
- CON: The lack of multiple firmness levels can be a little frustrating to some. Still, there is an excellent chance that you are going to fall in love with everything this product brings to the bedroom.
Here is some additional information on some competitors…
Nectar Sleep Mattress
A good night's sleep is the best thing in the world. No twists, no turns, only a comfortable, dreamy slumber. Everyone wants that, not many get that. There are a lot of reasons for not getting a good night's sleep. Stress and anxiety can be the underlying factors of a bad sleep. Too much exhaustion can also cause a bad sleep routine. However, much depends on the quality of mattress you're sleeping on. If it's too soft, you might get a sinking feeling, and it causes a major hindrance while turning in the night. If it's too hard, your back will take all the extra pressure and you'll get up in the morning with a back-ache. A good mattress has to be the best of both worlds.
If you're thinking of buying mattresses, make an informed decision. Below we present some pointers about the types of mattresses currently present in the market and the qualities they offer.
Nectar Sleep Mattress works on a simple enough premise – to give you the best sleep of your life. They promise a comfortable, dream-rich sleep, so you wake up in the morning rejuvenated and fresh, free of all pain and discomfort.
Have you ever felt a distinct lack of breath while sleeping? Even when nothing is wrong with your respiratory system? That may happen if extra pressure if applied on your back and it presses against your lungs, constricting them. A bad bed can cause that too.
Well, you can bid those discomforts goodbye. Nectar have taken the most advanced mattress and fabric technology and applied it to their products. Their mattresses offer coolness, comfort, and breathability. Their unique Tencel cover offers the above features. It also has the ability to absorb moisture.
Nectar Mattresses are also eco-friendly, without any harming ozone depleting materials, PBDEs, TDCPP, lead or mercury. Fascinating, right?
With Nectar mattresses you won't ever have to worry about waking up restlessly in the middle of the night, either from discomfort, or from too much heat. Sleep sound and sleep cool.
Nectar Mattresses offer a 365 night home trial so you can actually try out their features and see if they are as good as they claim they are. If you are unsatisfied, you get your money back. What's more, if you decide to buy the Nectar Mattress, it will be shipped to you at no extra cost whatsoever.
And if these are still not enough features for you to get convinced, Nectar offers a lifelong warranty. That's right. The Nectar Forever Warranty ensures your comfort life-long. In today's competitive and cut-throat world, no other company offers such a long warranty for any of its products.
Their King sized mattress is priced at $825. However, there is also a limited offer going on where they're offering $125 off and throw in 2 free pillows for good measure. Hurry before it's too late!
While not as immediately catchy as Nectar, Sleepovation is still a pretty good option. They literally took the phrase "cradling you to sleep" and imbibed it into their philosophy. It offers 700 small mattresses in one mattress. 700 soft, plush mattresses strung together to form a cohesive whole. They give a cradling effect, and support to your spine to give you a good night's sleep. They touch every inch of your body and give you a soothing effect overall.
The added layers ensure that every inch of your body is covered. They provide a vertebrae support unlike any other mattress, which is chiropractor approved. Additionally, the 700 layers ensure air channels for breathability and coolness.
Sleepovation mattresses have been endorsed by such athletes as Tom Laidlaw (former NHL star) and Ron Greschner.
Sleepovation mattresses' individual suspension ensures that your body weight is evenly distributed for maximum comfort. It follows the natural curve of your spine.
While not to the same extent as Nectar, Sleepovation also offers a sleep trial. They offer a 100 night sleep trial so you can be sure of all their features. Still a pretty neat deal, right?
Their warranty may not be life-long as compared to Nectar, but Sleepovation still boasts of a pretty solid 10 year warranty for its mattresses.
With the Queen sized mattress starting at $1349, this one is quite costly compared to the others.
While their website may not be as immediately appealing as the others on this list, PlushBeds more than make up for it with the features they offer.
They are the only mattress producing company that are GreenGuard Gold certified. Their mattresses are toxin-free and healthy. They don't contain any CFCs, Formaldehyde, Lead, Mercury, or PBDE Flame retardants. Made of pure, organic latex, PlushBeds mattresses are some of the most comfortable mattresses in the industry.
Additionally, they also provide adjustable bases and memory foams. The Reverie 5D Adjustable bed is especially one to check out. It boasts of a lift system, anti-snore feature (wouldn't you want that?) and 3 massage wave modes. This will definitely elevate your sleep experience to that of Kings.
Plush Beds also offers a 100 night trial, with a free of cost standard warranty. They also offer a 10 year extended warranty for $349.
Bear Mattresses
A 100 night trial seems to be a standard fare among mattress companies. Bear Mattress, too, offers similar conditions, along with free shipping.
They edge slightly ahead when it comes to the quality of their mattresses. While not as path breaking as 700 mattresses boasted by Sleepovation, Bear Mattresses are woven with Determined Infrared Yarn Technology. What this does is harness the natural energy your body provides and processes it to bring faster recovery and comfort.
Made of CertiPUR-US certified foams, their mattresses are environment friendly as well.
Their Queen sized mattress starts at $840.
Voila Mattresses
They are a hybrid. Yes, that's true. They incorporate memory foam, latex, and coils in their mattresses to bring you the best sleep and overall comfort. Sometimes simplicity is the best.
They have gel-infused memory foam, along with 768 count 5-zone pocket coils. With 12 layers, Voila Mattresses have something going on which the others in this list have not.
As is the norm, they also offer a free 100 night trial. There's however a slight catch. They request you to at least give their mattress a 30 day period before you decide to return it.
Their mattresses start at a price of $699 and go up to $1499.
We had a look at all these mattress providers and came to a conclusion. DreamCloud Mattress is currently the best in the market.


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Cam Newton is known for his ability to hammer defenses with hard running and precise passes down the field. His performance is fueled by his relentless off-season preparation and disciplined approach to eating. He avoids fried foods, processed sugar, alcohol and anything else that could hinder his training and performance.
This focus and attention to detail in his preparation are propelling Newton to a likely NFL MVP Award this season, and they have powered the Carolina Panthers to a 14-0 record thus far.
Through the video above, we learn that when Newton indulges in a cheat meal, he takes it just as seriously as everything else. Do not get in this man's way when he sets foot in Cold Stone Creamery.
Guys, can you give our man some marshmallows?
RELATED: See Why Cam Newton Should Stop Trying to Freestyle Rap
Photo Credit: Getty Images // Thinkstock


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Today is the "State of Play" Day.
Within a few hours, 1 PM Pacific Time, 8 PM GMT, you'll be watching another PlayStation broadcast on the big news on the way.
PlayStation has promised surprises and revelations to everyone who watches and if you are interested in accompanying live streaming, you can do so here, through this page.
The State of Play will last 20 minutes, long enough to surprise everyone who wants to know more about the future of PlayStation.
Twitch: Playstation
The Last of Us: Part 2 has been confirmed by Naughty Dog for the State of Play and PlayStation Japan seems to have confirmed the arrival of a demo of MediEvil, which may be announced during the broadcast.
Warner Bros. Montréal has also begun to promote a new game of Batman and Activision has confirmed that it will reveal more of the new Call of Duty: Modern Warfare campaign in late September, something that could be done today at "State of Play".
Besides, Shuhei Yoshida from PlayStation suggested the presence of Wattam in the State of Play-where a new trailer and launch date can be unveiled for the new game of the creator of Katamari Damacy. Yoshida, Keita Takahashi, and Annapurna Interactive seem to share a secret that will be revealed shortly.


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‹ Countries
Last Updated: July 31, 2013 (Notes)
full report
While serving as a major transit point for oil and LNG from the Persian Gulf to Europe, Egypt is the largest non-OPEC oil producer in Africa and the second largest dry natural gas producer on the continent.
Egypt is the largest oil producer in Africa that is not a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), and the second largest natural gas producer on the
continent, following Algeria. Egypt plays a vital role in international energy markets through the operation of the Suez Canal and Suez-Mediterranean (SUMED) Pipeline. The Suez Canal is an important transit route for oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments traveling northbound from the Persian Gulf to Europe and North America and southbound shipments from North Africa and countries along the Mediterranean Sea to Asia. The SUMED Pipeline is the only alternative route nearby to transport crude oil from the Red Sea
to the Mediterranean if ships were unable to navigate through the Suez Canal. Fees
collected from operation of these two transit points are significant sources of revenue for the Egyptian government.
In Africa, Egypt has the third largest population, after Nigeria and Ethiopia, and the second
highest gross domestic production (GDP), in purchasing power parity at current international prices, after South Africa, according to the latest 2011 statistics from the World
Bank. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) indicates that after the Egyptian revolution in 2011 the country experienced capital outflows and a sharp drop in tourism revenue and foreign direct investment. Annual GDP growth in Egypt dropped to 1.8 percent in 2011 from 5.1 percent in 2010.
Despite this slower growth, oil and gas production and operations largely have been unaffected, although some foreign companies have withdrawn nonessential foreign staff as
a precautionary measure because of uncertainty in the country. In addition, shipments of oil and LNG through the Suez Canal have been unaffected, as the Egyptian army continues to guard the Canal.
The most visible effect of the 2011 revolution and the recent unrest on Egypt's energy sector has been a series of attacks on the Arab Gas Pipeline, which prior to the revolution had transported natural gas to Jordan and Israel. Gas exports to both countries were significantly reduced in 2011. In 2012, natural gas exports to Israel were halted, according
to the Arab Oil and Gas Journal. In addition, growing domestic demand for oil and gas amid
stagnant production has led to energy shortages, contributing to continued protests and
sporadic unrest in the country.
Key oil and natural gas infrastructure in Egypt
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, IHS Edin
Total primary energy consumption
Almost all of Egypt's 3.6 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) of energy consumption in 2010 was met by oil (41 percent) and natural gas (46 percent), with the remainder from renewable energy sources (traditional biomass, hydro, wind, and solar) and coal. Oil's share of the energy consumption mix is mostly used in the transportation sector, but with the increased use of compressed natural gas (CNG) in vehicles, the share of natural gas in the transportation sector is likely to grow.
Egypt's total primary energy consumption grew by an annual average of 5 percent from 2000 to 2010, most of which was oil and natural gas. Egypt is the largest oil and natural gas consumer in Africa, accounting for almost a quarter of total oil consumption in Africa in 2012 and almost half of total dry natural gas consumption in 2011. The rapid growth of oil and gas consumption has been driven by increased industrial output, economic growth, energy- intensive gas and oil extraction projects, population growth, and an increase in private and commercial vehicle sales.
Fuel subsidies have contributed to oil consumption growth. Oil producers in Egypt are required to sell their crude oil to the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC) at a price below the world market price, and EGPC then sells the crude to its refineries on the global market, according to the 2013 African Economic Outlook. Because Egypt's diesel consumption is twice the level of gasoline consumption, the country must import diesel to satisfy local demand. According to Foreign Reports, EGPC sells diesel locally at retail for 59 cents per gallon, but it pays about $2.80 per gallon wholesale for imports by the tanker-load.
Egypt's FY 2012/2013 budget proposed a $12 billion reduction in petroleum products subsidies and the government has taken steps toward energy subsidy reform, but subsidy reduction is a politically sensitive issue that has proven difficult to fully implement. In November 2012, the subsidy on high-grade 95-octane gasoline was eliminated, but savings may be negligible because consumers could shift to the subsidized 92-octane
gasoline, according to the 2013 African Economic Outlook. According to the IMF, in early 2013 the government increased fuel prices for the industrial sector and electricity tariffs as part of the first phase of planned energy subsidy reforms.
One of Egypt's challenges is to satisfy increasing domestic demand for oil amid falling domestic production. In recent years, oil output has experienced moderate increases from new production at smaller fields, but oil production is expected to decline steadily.
According to the Oil & Gas Journal's (OGJ) January 1, 2013 estimate, Egypt's proven crude oil reserves are 4.4 billion barrels, an increase from the 2010 reserve estimate of 3.7 billion barrels, with new oil discoveries boosting oil reserves in recent years. According to the Arab Oil and Gas Journal, several new oil discoveries have been made every year since 2008, with 16 in 2011, 16 in 2010, 11 in 2009, and 17 in 2008. Many of these oil discoveries were the result of exploration conducted by the U.S.-based Apache in Egypt's Western Desert.
Egypt's oil production comes from the Gulf of Suez, Nile Delta, Western Desert, Eastern Desert, Sinai, and the Mediterranean Sea. Most of Egypt's production is derived from relatively small fields that are connected to larger regional production systems. Overall production is in decline, particularly from the older fields in the Gulf of Suez and Nile Delta. However, declines have been partially offset by small new finds, particularly in the Western Desert and offshore area. In addition, the use of enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques at mature fields has eased production declines.
After Egypt's production peak of more than 900,000 bbl/d in the mid-1990s, output began to decline as oil fields matured. However, natural gas liquids (NGL) output has increased over the past decade as a result of expanding natural gas production and has offset some of the declines in other liquids production, such as crude oil. In 2012, Egypt's total oil production averaged around 720,000 bbl/d, of which approximately 555,000 bbl/d was crude oil including lease condensate, almost 170,000 bbl/d was NGL, with refinery processing loss accounting for the difference.
One of Egypt's challenges is to satisfy increasing domestic demand for oil amid falling domestic production. Total oil consumption grew by an annual average of 3 percent over that past decade to 755,000 bbl/d in 2012. Egypt's oil consumption has outpaced production since 2010.
Sector organization
The EGPC is the state entity charged with managing upstream activities including infrastructure, licensing, and production. EGPC owns and operates much of the country's refining capacity. International oil companies (IOCs) play a significant role in Egypt's upstream sector on a production-sharing basis with EGPC. In addition to the EGPC, other important regulatory companies in the energy sector are the Egyptian Mineral Resource Authority (EMRA), Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS), the Egyptian Petrochemicals Holding Company (ECHEM), and Ganoub El Wadi Petroleum Holding Company (GANOPE).
EGPC holds shares in operations through joint ventures (JVs) with foreign companies, according to Business Monitor International Ltd. (BMI), while IOCs dominate Egypt's upstream oil sector. BP, Eni, BG, and Apache are the major oil and gas players in Egypt, with the first three primarily invested offshore and Apache in the onshore Western Desert, according to IHS CERA. There are also several small and mid-sized companies participating in Egypt's oil and gas exploration and production.
Crude oil exports
Egypt exported around 100,000 bbl/d of crude oil including lease condensate in 2012. Most of Egypt's exports were sent to India (46 percent), the United States (32 percent), and Italy (17 percent) in 2012. EIA data show that the United States imported 31,000 bbl/d of crude oil from Egypt in 2012; an increase compared to previous years as U.S. crude imports from Egypt averaged less than 6,000 bbl/d in the past five years.
Egypt's main oil grades are Suez, Belayim, and Western Desert. The Suez Blend comes from declining offshore fields in the Gulf of Suez, operated by The Gulf of Suez Petroleum Co. (Gupco), a JV between BP and EGPC, according to the Energy Intelligence Group. The Belayim Blend is sourced from aging oil fields in the Gulf of Suez that are operated by the Belayim Petroleum Co. (Petrobel), a JV between Eni and EGPC. Most of the Suez and Belayim Blend crudes are refined domestically, with only a small volume of these grades destined for exports. Both blends are usually sold at a discount to the Brent contract because of their relatively high sulfur content.
The Western Desert Blend is a light, relatively sweet grade crude with a high wax content that is sourced from oil fields in the Western Desert, and in recent years output has increased because of small new finds and the application of EOR techniques to fields in
the Western Desert region. The main producer in the area is Khalda Petroleum Co., a JV between Apache and EGPC. Agiba (JV between Eni and EGPC) and Bapetco (JV between Shell and EGPC) also hold assets that feed the Western Desert Blend, according to the Energy Intelligence Group. Similar to the other two blends, much of the Western Desert Blend is refined domestically, and the remainder is sold to international markets.
Refined oil products
Egypt has the largest refinery capacity in Africa and holds 23 percent of the continent's total refinery capacity. Egypt's nine refineries mostly run domestically produced crude oil, and refined products are largely sold to local markets.
Egypt has the largest refinery capacity in Africa, with a total crude distillation capacity of 726, 250 bbl/d or 23 percent of Africa's total refinery capacity. The nine refineries mostly run domestically produced crude oil and are operated by subsidiaries of EGPC. The last increase in refinery capacity occurred in 2001 when the 100,000-bbl/d Sidi Kerir refinery came online, according to the Arab Oil and Gas Journal.
Egypt's refinery capacity is planned to increase in 2015 when a new 96,000-bbl/d refinery next to the Mostorod refinery in Cairo begins operations. Construction on the facility began in 2012 and it is being developed by the Egyptian Refining Corporation (ERC), a public- private partnership financed by Citadel Capitol and its co-investors, along with EGPC. According to ERC, petroleum products refined at this facility will be sold to EGPC under a 25-year offtake agreement at international prices. A second refinery project that has made much less progress is a proposed 300,000-bbl/d refinery. EGPC signed a memorandum of understanding with a Chinese consortium in May 2010 to develop this facility, according to the Arab Oil and Gas Journal.
Table 1. Egypt crude oil refineries
Refinery operator
Nameplate capacity (barrels per day)
El-Nasr Petroleum Co.
El Suez
Cairo Petroleum Refining Co.
Mostorod (Cairo)
Alexandria Petroleum Co.
Alexandria (El-Mex)
Middle East Oil Refinery
Alexandria (Sidi Kerir)
Ameriya Petroleum Refining Co.
Suez Petroleum Processing Co.
Assiut Petroleum Refining Co.
Source: Oil & Gas Journal
Natural gas
Natural gas exports have declined since 2009 because of increasing Egyptian consumption and flat production. Promising natural gas discoveries may revive production in the next few years as new fields come onstream.
According to OGJ estimates as of January 1, 2013, Egypt's proven natural gas reserves registered at around 77Tcf, an increase from the 2010 estimate of 58.5 Tcf and the third highest in Africa, after Nigeria and Algeria. New discoveries in the deepwater Mediterranean Sea and Nile Delta, along with some finds in the Western Desert, have led to the increase in proven reserves. There were 16 natural gas discoveries in 2009, 10 in 2010, and 7 in 2011, according to the Arab Oil and Gas Journal. The majority of Egypt's natural gas reserves and production is located in the Mediterranean Sea and Nile Delta.
Egypt's natural gas production is used to satisfy rising domestic demand, exports through the Arab Gas Pipeline, and LNG exports. In 2011, Egypt produced roughly 2.2 Tcf of dry natural gas, of which 1.8 Tcf was domestically consumed and 0.4 Tcf was exported. Egypt supplies natural gas mostly to European and Asian markets, although exports are competing with rising domestic demand, particularly in Egypt's power generation sector.
Egypt's natural gas consumption has increased by an annual average of 11 percent from 2001 to 2011. Natural gas production rapidly increased for most of that time period as well, but after 2009 natural gas production began to fall because of a decline in output from offshore gas fields. Egypt's natural gas exports have also fallen. The government may start to import natural gas for the first time, to satisfy rising domestic demand and continue to export natural gas to global markets.
Much of the natural gas consumed in Egypt is used to fuel electric power plants. The government is encouraging households, businesses, and the industrial sector to consider natural gas as a substitute for petroleum and coal. In January 2008, the World Bank approved loans for the Natural Gas Connections Project, which aims to switch consumption of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to natural gas through investment in new connections and to further expand natural gas use in densely populated, low income areas. The share of natural gas consumed in the transportation sector also has been rising since the development of compressed natural gas (CNG) infrastructure and vehicles.
The Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS) oversees the development, production, and marketing of natural gas. EGAS is also responsible for organizing international exploration bid rounds and awarding gas exploration licenses. EGAS and/or EGPC participate in JVs with IOCs to develop and operate gas fields. The Egyptian Natural Gas Company (GASCO) operates many of the gas processing plants.
Foreign companies operating in Egypt's gas sector must direct all or a portion of their current production to the domestic market, and the government has demanded that new discoveries be earmarked for the domestic market. Major foreign players in Egypt's upstream natural gas sector include Eni, BG Group, BP, Shell, and Apache. BG Group produces about 40 percent of Egypt's natural gas production, mainly from the offshore Nile Delta, according to IHS CERA. The vast majority of BG's output is used to supply the domestic market. Another major producer, BP, is planning to increase output through its recent discoveries in the Gulf of Suez and the Mediterranean Sea.
Natural gas exports
Egypt exports natural gas via pipeline and in the form of liquefied natural gas. Pipeline natural gas exports have been substantially cut because of sabotage attacks on the Arab Gas Pipeline. Egypt's LNG exports have also declined as exports compete with the growing domestic demand. Most of Egypt's LNG is exported to Asian and European markets.
Dry natural gas exports, which began in 2003, had been rising rapidly, with the completion of the first stage of the Arab Gas Pipeline (AGP) linking Egypt to Jordan and the startup of LNG production in 2004. However, after 2006 exports began to level off, and in 2012 natural gas exports fell to 256 Bcf, less than half of the peak export volume of 647 Bcf in 2009. In 2011 and 2012, gas exports through the AGP were disrupted by repeated sabotage attacks and the amounts sent to Jordan and Israel were substantially curtailed. Growing domestic demand, stagnant domestic production, and attacks and technical problems at the AGP have all contributed to reduced Egyptian exports of pipeline gas and LNG after 2009.
Pipeline exports
The AGP originates in Egypt and connects to Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. In 2008, a pipeline was built from the starting point in al-Arish in Egypt to Ashkelon in Israel and runs
underwater. The AGP had been sabotaged on over a dozen occasions between 2011 and 2012, which resulted in gas supply disruptions to recipient countries. Israel and Jordan were most affected by supply cut-offs because they were most dependent on Egypt's gas. In April 2012, Egyptian state-owned oil and gas companies announced that they were terminating their agreement to supply gas to Israel. Total exports via the AGP dropped to 19 Bcf in 2012, of which the majority was sent to Jordan, with a smaller amount delivered to Israel before exports were terminated. This level is a substantial decrease from the gas volumes transported prior to the revolution, which totaled 193 Bcf in 2010.
Liquefied natural gas (LNG)
Egypt has two LNG plants that include a total of three LNG trains, with combined capacity of around 610 Bcf per year (or 12.7 million tons per year). The Spanish-Egyptian Gas Company (Segas) LNG plant in Damietta started production in late-2004 and has one train with a capacity of 264 Bcf per year. There were plans to add a second train, but the project was delayed after the government enacted a two-year moratorium on new gas export deals in 2008. The moratorium was put in place to remedy growing local demand for natural gas. The second 346-Bcf-per-year LNG plant was developed by Egyptian LNG (ELNG) and started production in 2005. It has two trains and is located in Idku near Alexandria.
Egypt's LNG exports have been cut in half over the past five years, from 496 Bcf in 2008 to 237 Bcf in 2012, according to BP Statistical Review. LNG exports are expected to decline further in 2013 because increased domestic demand has diverted additional natural gas supply to the local market. The Segas LNG plant in Damietta was recently forced to shut down operations due to the lack of natural gas to feed the facility. The company operating the facility, Union Fenosa Gas, is working with the Egyptian government to restore gas flows to Segas, according to the Energy Intelligence Group. The Idku plant, which is fed gas from the BP-operated West Delta Deep Marine (WDDM) offshore concession, is running below capacity. If the government diverts a greater portion from WDDM to the local market, this could compromise operations at Idku as well.
In 2012, most of Egypt's LNG was exported to Asia (53 percent), with Japan being the primary destination, followed by South Korea and India, with smaller volumes sent to China and Taiwan, according to FACTS Global Energy and BP 2013 Statistical Review. Europe was the second-largest regional destination and absorbed 39 percent of Egypt's total LNG exports in 2012. France, Spain, Turkey, Portugal, and Italy were the recipients in that region.
Europe previously had been the leading export destination for Egypt's LNG, but European LNG imports from Egypt dropped by about a quarter in 2012 compared with the previous year. This drop reflects the overall decrease of total European LNG imports in 2012 and increased competition for LNG on the global market. Egypt's LNG accounted for 4 percent of Europe's total LNG imports in 2012, according to FACTS Global Energy estimates.
Table 2. Egypt's pipeline and liquefied natural gas exports (billion cubic feet)
LNG exports
Total exports
Source: BP Statistical Review, 2009-2013; 2012 pipeline export is from Cedigaz
Suez Canal/SUMED Pipeline
The Suez Canal and SUMED Pipeline are strategic routes for Persian Gulf oil and gas shipments to Europe and North America. Closure of the Suez Canal and SUMED Pipeline would add an estimated 2,700 miles of transit from Saudi Arabia to the United States around the Cape of Good Hope via tanker.
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal is located in Egypt and connects the Red Sea and Gulf of Suez with the Mediterranean Sea. In 2012, oil (both crude oil and refined products) and LNG accounted for 24 and 5 percent of total Suez cargoes, measured by cargo tonnage, respectively. The Canal is unable to handle Ultra Large Crude Carriers (ULCC) and fully laden Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCC) class crude oil tankers. The Suezmax was the largest ship capable of navigating through the Canal until 2010 when the Suez Canal Authority extended the depth to 66 feet to allow over 60 percent of all tankers to use the Canal, according to the Suez Canal Authority.
Table 3. Tanker type, tonnage, and capacity
Tanker type
Deadweight tons
Approximate capacity (barrels)
60,000 - 100,000
440,000 - 730,000
80,000 - 120,000
850,000 - 880,000
120,000 - 200,000
880,000 - 1,500,000
200 000 - 320 000
1 500 000 - 2 350 000
Source: Clarksons
SUMED Pipeline
The 200-mile long SUMED Pipeline, or Suez-Mediterranean Pipeline, provides an alternative to the Suez Canal for vessels and cargos too large to transit through the Canal (fully laden VLCCs and larger). The crude oil flows through two parallel pipelines that are 42-inches in diameter, with a total pipeline capacity of around 2.35 million bbl/d. Oil flows north through Egypt and is carried from the Ain Sukhna terminal along the Red Sea coast to its end point at the Sidi Kerir terminal on the Mediterranean. SUMED is owned by the Arab Petroleum Pipeline Co., a joint venture between the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC), Saudi Aramco, Abu Dhabi's National Oil Company (ADNOC), and Kuwaiti companies.
The SUMED Pipeline is the only alternative route nearby to transport crude oil from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean if ships were unable to navigate through the Suez Canal. Closure of the Suez Canal and the SUMED Pipeline would necessitate diverting oil tankers around the southern tip of Africa, the Cape of Good Hope, adding approximately 2,700 miles to transit from Saudi Arabia to the United States, increasing both costs and shipping time, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), shipping around Africa would add 15 days of transit to Europe and 8-10 days to the United States.
Fully laden VLCCs transiting toward the Suez Canal also use the SUMED Pipeline for lightering. Lightering occurs when a vessel needs to reduce its weight and draft by offloading cargo in order to enter a restrictive waterway, such as a canal. The Suez Canal is not deep enough for a fully laden VLCC and, therefore, a portion of the crude is offloaded at the SUMED Pipeline at the Ain Sukhna terminal. The now partially laden VLCC goes through the Suez Canal and picks up the portion of its crude at the other end of the pipeline at Sidi Kerir terminal.
Crude oil and refined product flows
The revolution in Egypt that started in 2011 did not have any noticeable effect on oil transit flows through the Suez Canal. In 2012, about 2.97 million bbl/d of total oil transited in both directions. This is the highest amount ever shipped through the Suez Canal and made up about 7 percent of total seaborne traded oil.
In 2012, about 2.97 million bbl/d of total oil (crude oil and refined products) transited the Suez Canal in both directions. This is the highest amount ever shipped through the Canal and made up about 7 percent of total seaborne traded oil. The majority of the oil was sent northbound (1.66 million bbl/d) toward European and North American markets, and the remainder was sent southbound (1.32 million bbl/d) mainly toward Asian markets. Southbound oil flows increased by around 540,000 bbl/d in 2012 compared to the previous year mainly because of the restart of oil production in Libya in 2012 following the civil war. Southbound oil flows from Libya through Suez quadrupled in 2012.
Egypt's 2011 revolution did not have any noticeable effect on oil transit flows through the Suez Canal. Over the past few years, oil flows through the Canal have increased and have recovered from previous lower levels caused by the global economic downturn. Total traffic through the canal fell in 2009 and total oil flows dropped to 1.84 million bbl/d, its lowest level in recent years. The decrease in oil flows during that time period reflects the collapse in world oil market demand that began in the fourth quarter of 2008, followed by OPEC production cuts (primarily from the Persian Gulf), which caused a sharp fall in regional oil trade starting in early 2009.
In 2012, around 1.54 million bbl/d of crude oil was transported through the SUMED pipeline. Although SUMED crude flows decreased in 2012 over the previous year, total crude oil transited northbound from Suez and SUMED combined increased to 2.44 million bbl/d in 2012 from 2.20 million bbl/d in 2011.
Table 4. Suez Canal and SUMED Pipeline hydrocarbon annual flows (million barrels per day)
Suez northbound flows
Crude oil
Refined products
Total oil
LNG (Tcf per year)
Suez southbound flows
Crude Oil
Refined Products
Total Oil
Suez total
Sumed pipeline flows
Note: Totals may not exactly match corresponding values as a result of independent rounding. Source: Suez Canal Authority (with EIA conversions) and EIA analysis based on APEX Tanker Data
LNG flows through the Suez Canal in both directions were 1.5 trillion cubic feet in 2012, accounting for around 13 percent of total LNG traded worldwide.
LNG flows through the Suez Canal in both directions were 1.5 trillion cubic feet in 2012, accounting for around 13 percent of total LNG traded worldwide. Southbound LNG transit mostly originates in Algeria and Egypt and is largely destined for Asian markets, while northbound transit is mostly from Qatar, largely destined for European markets. The rapid growth in LNG flows through the Suez Canal represents the startup of multiple LNG trains in Qatar in 2009-2010. However, total LNG flows through the Suez Canal in both directions fell to 1.5 Tcf in 2012, down from its peak of 2.06 Tcf in 2011. The year-over-year decrease reflects the fall in northbound LNG flows and is consistent with LNG import data for the United States and Europe, which show that total LNG imports into both areas decreased, particularly from Qatar. U.S. LNG imports from Qatar fell by around 63 percent in 2012 compared with the previous year. The changes reflect growing domestic supply in the United States, a decrease in LNG demand in some European countries, and strong competition for LNG in the global market. In addition, northbound LNG flows were also curtailed because of less LNG exports from Yemen because of sabotage attacks on a gas pipeline. As a result, total Suez LNG flows as a percentage of total LNG traded worldwide fell to 13 percent in 2012, compared with 18 percent in 2012.
As a result of Egypt's growing domestic energy demand, the government plans to increase the amount of power generated from renewable sources, particularly wind and solar, and is fostering nuclear power development.
The Egyptian household electrification rate in 2009 was approximately 99.6 percent, according to the latest estimates from the International Energy Agency (IEA). Although the country has one of the highest electrification rates in Africa, approximately 300,000 people still lack access to electricity, mainly in rural areas.
Egypt's total electricity net generation was around 138.7 billion KWh in 2010: 124.3 billion KWh (90 percent) of which was from fossil-fueled electric, 12.9 billion KWh from hydro, and 1.5 billion KWh from wind. Electricity consumption has grown by an average of 7 percent annually between 2000 and 2010. Most of Egypt's power demand growth comes from the industrial sector. Ageing infrastructure and rising demand have led to intermittent blackouts.
Egyptian electricity consumption is increasing much faster than capacity expansions, and the government is planning to invest heavily in the power sector over the next decade, while also seeking financing from external sources. The private sector, international organizations, and renewable energy funds such as the World Bank's Clean Technology Fund have all provided investment in the sector. Under existing plans, Egypt hopes to produce 12-20 percent of its electricity from renewable energy by 2020 while also developing a nuclear power industry, according to IHS CERA.
Hydroelectric power
According to Egypt's New and Renewable Energy Authority (NREA), hydropower is Egypt's third largest energy source after natural gas and oil. In 2010, Egypt generated around 12.9 billion KWh of hydroelectric power, almost all of which came from the Aswan High Dam and the Aswan Reservoir Dams. However, much of the Nile's hydropower potential has already been exploited, and NREA has actively pursued other types of renewable projects, primarily
solar and wind power, to diversify the country's energy mix.
Other Renewable Sources
Egypt's first solar-thermal power plant is located in Kuraymat, just south of Cairo and has the capacity to generate 140 megawatt (MW) of solar-thermal energy. The plant was connected to the national grid in June 2011, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The plant uses concentrated solar power (CSP) with back-up natural gas-fired generators. The World Bank and the Japan International Cooperation Agency helped to finance the construction of the solar-thermal plant.
According to NREA, some of the world's best wind power resources are located in Egypt, especially in the areas of the Gulf of Suez and West and East Nile Valley. In 2010, Egypt generated 1.5 billion KWh of power from wind, mainly from the Zafarana and Hurghada wind farms. Egypt's largest non-hydro renewable project is the Zafarana wind farm located on the Gulf of Suez West Coast, along the Red Sea coastline. The farm houses a number of wind projects that were developed in several stages and financed in cooperation with development banks from Germany, Denmark, Spain, and Japan. The government plans to expand wind capacity over the coming years as part of a plan to increase wind's share of electricity generation to 12 percent.
Egypt is also working on developing nuclear power as an energy source. It has a relatively small nuclear research reactor at Inshas in the Nile Delta that began operation in 1997. Egypt plans to build a 1,000-MW nuclear power station at El Dabaa, which is open to international participation and expected to become operational by 2019. Bidding for the development of this plant was supposed to have started in early 2011; however, controversy over land ownership has stalled construction plans indefinitely.
International grid connections
Work has been completed on the interconnection of Egypt's electric transmission grid with other countries in the region. Egypt completed a link to Jordan in 1998, which was expanded to connect Syria, Lebanon, and Turkey. Egypt had previous built a connection to Libya's national grid in 1998.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Power Grid project plans to link Egypt to the GCC through Saudi Arabia. The link is expected to be complete by 2015, but this may be delayed because of political and technical difficulties, according to IHS CERA. This project will indirectly expand each country's electricity capacity by pulling from each other's supplies at different peak hours. Longer-term plans call for broader interconnections that would include North Africa, the Middle East, and Europe.
Data presented in the text are the most recent available as of July 31, 2013.
Data are EIA estimates unless otherwise noted.
Africa Oil and Gas Monitor (Newsbase Afroil)
APEX Tanker Data
Arab Oil and Gas Journal
BP Statistical Review, 2009 - 2013
Business Monitor International
Cedigaz Insights
Daily News Egypt
Egyptian New and Renewable Energy Authority (NREA)
Energy Intelligence Group
Eurasia Group
FACTS Global Energy
Global Trade Atlas
IHS Edin
IHS World Markets Energy
International Energy Agency (IEA
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Middle East Economic Survey (MEES)
Oil and Gas Journal
OPEC Annual Statistical Bulletin
Petroleum Economist
Petroleum Intelligence Weekly
PFC Energy
Suez Canal Authority
World Bank


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Ugh… Ever since I got past AR Tier 11, I just can't seem to get any more Lift.
It's strange. I've been trying ever so hard to raid other keeps, but that doesn't seem to change anything.
What's strange is that you haven't done anything to strengthen your defensive map.
You can't just focus on offense. You need to prepare for your foes' attacks as well by placing structures on your defensive map and assigning a defensive team.
B-but Alfonse! Don't all the strategists say the best defense is a good offense?
That's more of an adage than a strategy. When it comes to Aether Keeps, it's just as important to get your defensive map in good shape.
When to Work on Defense
Once you reach AR Tier 11, you will lose Lift if you fail to defend your keep. When your AR Tier is around 10 or so, you should look to work on your defensive structures and team so that you can successfully defend your Aether Keep and be able to defeat as many members of your opponent's raiding party as you can. One key part of this strategy will be to keep on top of strengthening your Fortress (D) to ensure that it doesn't have a much lower level than your opponent's Fortress (O).
Try Auto Setup First!
Auto Setup will let you try several arrangements for your defenses, so take advantage of it while you're still getting used to how the structures work and where to best position them. When you feel like you've got the hang of it, try customizing the placement of structures to step up your defending strategy.
Additionally, Auto Setup will place bonus structures automatically, which can help when planning layouts that include these structures.
Build a Defensive Team!
You can have up to four allies in your defensive team when you're starting out, but after increasing your AR Tier, you can have up to six allies (at a cost of 300 Aether Stones per ally). Don't hesitate to include your strongest allies and any Heroes who are currently designated as bonus characters. You can also lock your defensive team so that they will always go into battle using skills and Sacred Seals oriented toward your Aether Raids strategy. Please note that if your AR Tier falls to 18 or lower after you've increased the capacity of your defensive team to six allies, the capacity of the team will then be reduced to five.