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We'll set out for Hollywood Studios to see how this summer's Frozen event impacts crowds, wait times, and what we can expect to accomplish during the day. For more specific text advice, see this forum thread: How Frozen Affects Your Day at Hollywood Studios (in short):
Rope Drop and Morning Touring:
As crowds accumulate:
This isn't particularly bad for Hollywood Studios, even if each line stretches back past the ticket booths by 8:30am. 8:15am is the ideal arrival time in order to be among the first people inside the Park. An 8:30am arrival means about a thousand people already inside the Park before you even scan your tickets.
As always, people tend to congregate in long lines in the center. Head down to uncovered Mickey Readers on the right or left to find shorter lines.
Studios continues to aim for its first guests to enter 15 minutes prior to official open.
It's 8:45am as we head toward the Sorcerer's Hat.
A couple of years ago, Disney did away with the Studios' opening show, instead allowing guests to freely walk toward the attraction of their choice upon open. Frozen brings back an opening show along with the internal ropes that accompany it.
Guests taking a right on Sunset Boulevard toward Tower of Terror and Rock 'n' Roller Coaster won't have an opportunity to see the show at the stage in front of the Hat.
But they're held anyway.
Guests headed toward Jedi Training signups should stay left while everyone headed to Toy Story Mania waits on the right.
Larger: https://i2.wp.com/easywdw.com/reports11/frozenlooms.jpg. The looming crowd just 10 minutes after we're let in at 8:53am. Several hundred more people will arrive before we're let through toward the attractions.
All for this lousy introduction. Check out the walk to Toy Story Mania with the crowd behind me at 4:22 and again at 6:40.
Larger: https://i2.wp.com/easywdw.com/reports11/stilllooming.jpg. 8:59am at Toy Story Mania.
And we're in a minute later.
With few FastPass+ returners this early, the queue moves fairly quickly.
And despite a few hundred people passing me on the march over, I'm back outside 20 minutes later at 9:20am.
More on Wandering Oaken's Trading Post/Funland later, but it's located here past Toy Story Mania. If you have kids and aren't headed to Sunset Boulevard for Rock 'n' Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror, you may want to head to the Toy Story characters across from Toy Story Mania after riding the attraction, followed by the Sofia the First meet and greet in Animation Courtyard before heading to Oaken's Funland. At Oaken's Funland you'll find ice skating ($10 per person for 30 minutes), photo opportunities, snacks, and an area where kids can make snowmen out of "real snow." We won't run into much of a line to get in later in the day, but it's much more crowded, particularly in the snow play area. Heading over early will result in less crowding.
As it stands, we're headed back the way we came to Rock 'n' Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror. Legacy FASTPASS machines are being removed property-wide and are already gone here at Toy Story.
The Sorcerers Hat characters continue meeting between 9am – 12:30pm and then again from 2pm – 3:15pm intermittently.
Pluto, Goofy, Chip, Dale, Stitch, Donald, and Daisy are who you can expect to see.
Sunset Boulevard.
Tower of Terror still posted at 10 minutes.
Arriving at Rock 'n' Roller Coaster at 9:26am, there's no posted wait, which usually indicates downtime.
Couple that with the fact Hollywood Studios isn't recommended and we're in for a bit of a wait here.
You may remember the Cheat Sheet Ideal Morning prior to Frozen arriving:
Ideal Morning Touring Plan:
- Use FastPass+ at Tower of Terror (9am – 10am), Toy Story Mania (10am – 11am), Star Tours (11am – 12pm)
- Ride Toy Story Mania: 8:55am – 9:10am
- Ride Rock 'n' Roller Coaster: 9:20am – 9:35am
- Ride Tower of Terror with FastPass+: 9:40am – 10:05am
- Ride Toy Story Mania with FastPass+: 10:15am – 10:35am
- See Voyage of the Little Mermaid: 10:45am – 11:10am
- Ride Star Tours with FastPass+: 11:20am – 11:40am
- Visit a FastPass+ kiosk and select The Great Movie Ride for after lunch.
- Have lunch: Studios Catering Co., Backlot Express, and ABC Commissary are nearby. Sci-Fi Dine-In and 50's Prime Time are nearby inexpensive table serve restaurants.
- Ride Great Movie Ride with FastPass+: 12:30pm – 1pm.
This allows you to ride Toy Story Mania, arguably the Park's most popular attraction and the second most popular ride resort-wide (to Mine Train), two times. If you prefer two rides on Rock 'n' Roller Coaster and/or Tower of Terror, it makes sense to head there first thing and rely on FastPass+ at Toy Story Mania later in the day. The main obstacle to touring the Studios is the tier system:
FastPass+ Priority:
Tier One (Choose One):
- Toy Story Mania
- Rock 'n' Roller Coaster
- Fantasmic
- The Great Movie Ride
- Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage
Guests may initially select one tier one attraction, which makes it a struggle to ride both Toy Story Mania and Rock 'n' Roller Coaster with a late arrival. Most guests want to select Toy Story Mania and ride Rock 'n' Roller Coaster standby early in the morning. Rock 'n' Roller Coaster offers a single rider line, though waits are usually in the 20 to 30 minute range due to the way the vehicles are loaded and it's impossible to gauge how many people are in line until the final loading area. Select Great Movie Ride as a 4th FP+ or ride after 6pm to minimize waits.
Tier 2 (Choose Two):
- Tower of Terror
- Voyage of the Little Mermaid
- Star Tours
- Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular
- Disney Jr. Live on Stage
- Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show
- American Idol Experience
- Muppet Vision 3D
Toy Story Mania has very limited availability on the day of and Rock 'n' Roller Coaster won't have much availability as a 4th FP+ option even if you select it right after using your initial three right around 11:15am, if it has any availability at all. So our options on Toy Story, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, and Tower of Terror are ride very early in the morning, very late at night, or with FastPass+.
Note that while it might seem like all attractions have FP+ availability on the signs inside the Park, Toy Story Mania is never actually listed.
It took 25 minutes to get into the pre-show area, which is about 10 minutes longer than it would if the Studios was recommended.
And 11 minutes until I'm back out front, for a total wait/ride time of 35 minutes, which is about 15 minutes longer than it should take. It didn't help that cast were letting in eight to ten FP+ users for every standby guest. But such is life on a non-recommended day and given the delay waiting for the Olaf welcome.
Tower of Terror is posted at 30 minutes at 10am.
Actual waits looked closer to 20 minutes, but we'll use FastPass+ to skip ahead.
Just 7 minutes later it's about time to board.
Tower of Terror took all of 14 minutes with FP+ from the time I got in line to the time I was looking at the on-ride photo. That's at least 5 minutes better than average due to the usually longer wait in the boiler room after the library pre-show.
Now with a 45-minute wait.
More congestion on Sunset Boulevard.
The 11am Frozen Processional Parade
Here at 10:25am, Hollywood Bouelevard is mostly lined with people for the 11am processional. Having stood here for hours on end waiting for the Star Wars Parade during Star Wars Weekends, I can attest to the fact that it's extremely hot and extremely annoying as late arrivers inevitably try to nudge you one way or another to "create space" that isn't there. The construction walls blocking 30% or more on one side don't help.
Unlike the Star Wars Parade, the Frozen Processional continues toward Star Tours in an official capacity. The circled areas are recommended viewing areas. The area circled on the left is right next to the Premium viewing area and affords a view of the stage.
At 10:55am, there is literally nobody waiting to see the Processional in this area, which is perfect because the short beige walls keep anyone from pushing in at the last minute – not that it will be a problem with zero people around.
The American Idol steps are another good choice and the roof provides some shade, though there is no view of the stage.
The side I'm on across from American Idol offers a bit better view. The screen above the stage is visible and it's a more direct view of the characters as they come toward us.
On the downside, you won't have an opportunity to see much of this 3-minute introduction that takes place on the stage in the middle of the show.
With the number of people following the Processional from the entrance to the stage, it's going to be difficult to see much of the stage anyway, particularly for shorter kids who are theoretically the target demographic. I've been part of this struggle for numerous Star Wars Weekends and my advice is to skip Hollywood Boulevard and see the Processional across from American Idol Experience, where you'll need to find spots around 10:55am instead of 10am and have a much more enjoyable experience. With few people in that area, it's much more likely the princesses will wave and smile at the kids, which may be worth more than an hour of agony and a short princess introduction in the distance anyway.
Disney is offering a "Frozen Summer Fun Premium Package" at a cost of $59 for adults and $34 for kids ages three to nine. A lot more information is available here. One of the three major components is reserved viewing for the Procession. This is the reserved viewing area at 10:25am, five minutes before Disney says guests are even eligible to pick up their "credential" for the day. There are about six rows of kids sitting in front and at least four rows of adults in back 35 minutes before the Procession even begins. Reserved viewing doesn't save much time and the view isn't much better than it would be a bit further down Hollywood Boulevard. And of course, we can turn the corner and have a clear view with virtually no wait necessary.
Check-in for the Package is here near Min & Bill's Dockside Diner.
A video of the Procession. At 10:35, Anna and Elsa even look excited to see me. You can just imagine how much more excited they would be if I were a small child with an Anna doll and an Elsa dress.
Back to Touring:
It'll be about 11:15am by the time the Procession passes the American Idol area. So far we've done:
- Toy Story Mania: 9:01am-9:17am
- Rock 'n' Roller Coaster: 9:24am-10:01am
- Tower of Terror with FP+: 10:03am-10:19am
- Frozen Procession: 10:20am-11:15am
It would have been intelligent to hit Star Tours after Tower of Terror and before the Procession because I ended up waiting there for 40 minutes with nobody else around. Above is a picture of the Great Movie Ride at 11:20am when the extended queue is already in use and posted waits are 30 minutes.
Voyage of the Little Mermaid's actual wait is around 45 minutes as a full show's worth of people are already inside waiting.
Returning to Toy Story Mania with FP+ at 11:28am. My window was 10:30am-11:30am so it would be easy to head over after the Procession.
A 55-minute wait looks to be about accurate.
And back out front 16 minutes later.
Wandering Oaken's Trading Post and Funland
Located in between Toy Story Mania and Backlot Tour, Wandering Oaken's has two entrances both with extended queues outside. On recommended days, there shouldn't be much of a wait to enter either in the afternoon. On opening day, waits to get into the Funland were 2+ hours.
Those uninterested in Frozen can skip both areas. This is the store portion:
Frozen continues to print money for Disney. Your mileage may vary, but they had everything in stock from Elsa dresses to reversible plush last Thursday.
Funland right next door.
Waits to get into Funland vary – if it's more than 20 minutes you probably want to try again later.
With the ice rink in the next room, it's at least well air-conditioned as long as the line doesn't start outside.
There isn't necessarily a whole lot to Funland.
Kids have an opportunity to build a snowman.
There may be a bit of a wait here as "snow" is replenished from the ice skating rink.
There's a refreshment stand.
With the same cupcakes as most quick services.
Ice skating is $10 for 30 minutes and includes skates, socks, and a helmet (all required or interestingly, you can bring your own).
A brief ice skating demonstration.
Before enjoying kids skating for the first time eating it out on the ice.
About 15 people at a time are let out onto the ice with the help of the two ice skaters from the demonstration.
A couple magical shots are setup inside with short lines. It doesn't look like there's much to the background, but Frozen characters are added digitally to make them a little more interesting.
Another is located across from Voyage of the Little Mermaid/One Man's Dream.
And another across from Wandering Oaken's.
And another to the right of Backlot Tour.
And another on Hollywood Boulevard.
Frozen Sing-Along
Located in the Premier Theater, For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration is currently scheduled at 12:30pm, 1:30pm, 2:30pm, 3:30pm, 5:00pm, 6:00pm and 7:00pm daily.
("Free") Tickets to each specific show are distributed near the theater from Park open through the final show (or whenever they run out, which they probably won't).
Guests have the option of choosing which show they would like to attend in addition to the number of tickets. If you'd like to attend more than one, you'll either need to get in line numerous times or have someone else in your party wait in line and then request their desired time. I picked up two tickets at 12:30pm and they still had 1:30pm available in addition to stacks of tickets for every other time. Acquiring tickets is not a major priority. Plan to pick them up when it's convenient – in my case in between walking from Toy Story Mania to Star Tours.
It's 12:35pm and FP+ for Toy Story Mania, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, and Tower of Terror are either gone or severely limited in supply. The others should still have plentiful availability and we'll be picking up a 4th FP+ for Great Movie Ride and a 5th FP+ for Voyage of the Little Mermaid before the day is done without incident.
Continuing with the modified Cheat Sheet Ideal Morning, it's time to use FastPass+ at Star Tours. I originally set my window for 11:50am – 12:50pm and it's 12:35pm with a 50 minute wait.
Surprisingly, the line actually stretched outside into the extended queue and looked to be at least 40 minutes long.
With FP+ I got in line at 12:38pm and was back out front at 1pm.
That's about five minutes longer than average.
60 minutes.
Having used my initial three FP+ selections, I'm now eligible to select a 4th FP+ at an in-park kiosk:
FastPass+ Kiosks:
- Main tip board near the end of Hollywood Boulevard in front of the Sorcerer's Hat
- To the right of the Muppet Vision 3D entrance
- Tower of Terror's old FASTPASS machines to the left of the attraction entrance
- Toy Story Mania's old FASTPASS machines to the right of the attraction entrance
- There are usually Cast Members behind Mickey's Sorcerer's Hat with iPads that can help
In this case, we're closest to Muppet Vision just around the corner.
After waiting in line just under ten minutes, I've selected The Great Movie Ride with a return time less than 10 minutes in the future. Once I use Great Movie Ride's FP+ or the window expires, I would be eligible to select another FP+ attraction based on availability.
Backlot Express, located in between Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular and Star Tours, is a kinda-decent-enough quick service at the Studios, bolstered by air-conditioned seating and self-serve soda machines, which means free refills. The single queue for about a half dozen registers tends to speed things up. Despite what appears to be a lot of people, it was just eight minutes between the time I got in line and had food and a drink at a table outside. All air-conditioned tables inside were occupied.
The same Frozen treats are available at most quick services, including Backlot.
This Pressed Turkey Club – Turkey, Bacon, Swiss, Roasted Red Pepper, Arugula and Multigrain Bread served with Carrot Sticks or French Fries – $10.49 was pretty lousy.
A couple slices of limp bacon, few slices of cheap lunch meat, and melted swiss along with the accompaniments.
Studio Catering Co. sandwiches are better and more diverse. This does the trick and doesn't appear to be a gut bomb that will take years off our lives, but it's bland and forgettable too.
After lounging around for 30 minutes it's time to get going at 1:49pm. My Great Movie Ride FP+ was originally for 1:20pm-2:20pm, which means I'm not going to be able to get over there and see the 2:30pm Frozen Sing-Along, which people are already getting in line for. I whipped out the My Disney Experience app to change the FP+ time to later in the day. Despite "getting better," virtually nothing My Disney Experience goes to plan and this situation is no different. You'll notice that I have a FP+ for "Unknown Experience." Nonetheless, it knows what I'm talking about and selecting 2:20pm-3:20pm will change the FP+ time for Great Movie Ride.
I also had the option of changing the FP+ to another attraction at the Studios without returning to a kiosk.
Frozen Sing-Along
The return line for the Frozen Sing-Along is in the same area as ticket pickup. Premium Package users have been waiting out in the sun longer than most other people.
Anyone who has attended a Star Wars Weekends' Premier Theater show will recognize this line at 2:10pm. Fortunately, Disney set up numerous umbrellas to help shield guests from the sun. The return time for each Sing-Along is between 40 and 10 minutes before the start of the show. I recommend arriving toward the beginning of that window.
You'll be able to wait under cover where it's dry and cooler and be able to find better seats once it's showtime.
The theater is nicely air-conditioned and comfortable. I managed to score seats just about two feet away from the Premium Package users, who are seated in the first four-or-so rows in the center section.
Surprisingly, I thoroughly enjoyed the Sing-Along, which is a funny and endearing stage show. Note that Elsa only appears for about five minutes at the end. Anna is on stage for around seven minutes and Kristoff is around for about the same amount of time.
Back to Touring
Muppet Vision's queue actually spills outside with an extended queue ready to go. Thanks FastPass+!
At 3:20pm, it's time to use The Great Movie Ride FP+ with a 30-minute standby wait.
We're gonna need a bigger boat.
Back outside 28 minutes later at 3:49pm to a 35-minute posted wait.
Earlier in the day, there should be a dozen or more cast members with iPads to help guests set up their FP+ selections. They've since headed elsewhere.
So we head a few steps away to where the wait time board used to hang to set up a 5th FP+.
At 3:56pm I was able to grab Voyage of the Little Mermaid for 4:05pm to 5:05pm.
So that's that. What I did:
- Toy Story Mania: 9:01am-9:17am
- Rock 'n' Roller Coaster: 9:24am-10:01am
- Tower of Terror with FP+: 10:03am-10:19am
- Frozen Procession: 10:20am-11:15am
- Toy Story Mania with FP+: 11:25am-11:41am
- Wandering Oaken's Trading Post and Funland: 11:43am-12:24pm
- Picked up Frozen Sing-Along Tickets
- Star Tours with FP+: 12:36pm-12:59pm
- Acquired Great Movie Ride FP+: 1pm-1:10pm
- Lunch at Backlot Express: 1:15pm-1:48pm
- Frozen Sing-Along: 2:05pm-3pm
- Great Movie Ride with FP+: 3:20pm-3:50pm
- Acquired Voyage of the Little Mermaid FP+: 3:51pm-3:53pm
Evening Attraction Closures:
To accommodate fireworks' fallout, the following attractions close early:
- Great Movie Ride: 8pm
- Toy Story Mania: 8pm
- Walt Disney: One Man's Dream: 8:30pm
Coolest Summer Ever Dance Party
Beginning daily at 5:30pm, this is another of the various dance parties, which give kids an opportunity to interact with the costumed characters in a low key setting without set lines.
Goofy, Donald, Mickey, and company dance with guests prior to the fireworks beginning. Visit closer to 5:30pm to avoid the fireworks crowds which will begin to form by 7:30pm.
Frozen Fireworks Spectacular
The Frozen Fireworks Spectacular begins at 9:45pm through August 16th and then at 9:15pm from August 17th – September 1st with the exception of August 23rd when the festivities are not scheduled to accommodate the Unleash the Villains event. If you're trying to see Fantasmic on the same date, seeing the second Fantasmic will be much easier. If you see the first show, you'll exit about 15 minutes before the fireworks begin. Thousands upon thousands of people will have already set up position, in addition to all the people exiting Fantasmic.
If you must see the first Fantasmic and also want to see the fireworks, exit on the far left as you look back at the exit. This will spit you out right around the entrance where there will be a bit more room to maneuver. It's unlikely you'll get anywhere close to Hollywood Boulevard if you exit with 7,500+ people after the show at the main exit in back.
Like with the Star Wars Weekends Premium viewing, the location in the same spot as the Procession is good for the stage show, but lousy for the fireworks because the stage and hat block so much of the show from the close vantage point.
All in all, the Frozen festivities shouldn't disrupt your day at the Studios much. If you have no interest, it will only serve to pull thousands of people away from the other attractions. If you do, seeing the Processional is easy from the American Idol Experience area. Getting tickets to one or more Sing-Alongs is easy. Lines should be short or nonexistent for Oaken's Funland and Trading Post in the afternoon on recommended days. See the Dance Party earlier to avoid the fireworks crowd. The fireworks can be a bit of a hassle to see – arrive early and hang back a bit to avoid congestion.


text:
1955 Chevrolet Bel-Air Hardtop
Vehicle Summary
Stock Number:7036
Mileage1,023 unknown true
Vin Number:VC55L028892
Contact Sales (909) firstname.lastname@example.com
Loan Calculator
|Loan Amount
|Interest Rate
|Down Payment
Monthly Payment
Vehicle Detail
This Beautiful Chevrolet Bel Air is a Frame-Off Restoration. Featuring a Replaced 350 V-8 Engine with only 1,023 Miles! 3 Speed Automatic 350 Turbo Transmission, Cam Installed, Power Steering, Power Brakes, and Power Locks. Front Disc/Rear Drum Brakes, Steering Wheel Tilt, Car Alarm Installed, Vintage Air Conditioning, AM/FM Radio, Newly Upholstered Interior, New Carpeting, Vinyl Bench Seating, Dual Flowmaster Exhaust, Aluminum Racing Wheels!
True Miles are Unknown
Stock #7036
Makes: SOLD!!.

subset: commoncrawl


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Here's the question you should ask as you prepare any marketing piece that will be seen by a customer or prospect: Why should they care?
If you can't easily and quickly answer this, STOP.
Consider: What are you saying (or planning to say) to make them care?
If you're not saying anything that will resonate with what they want to accomplish or achieve, or improve upon, or resolve a problem they are facing – or the old need, want, fear or desire motivators — it's time to re-think your message.
As a product or service marketer, you have an objective: to increase sales leads, to present your company as an innovator or thought leader, to alert them to a special offer to buy, etc. But, effective marketing today is NOT about your company. It's about your customers.
Think you can't get beyond the standard no-meaning descriptors, like, "we've provided high quality products for 30 years?" Think again. It's just not that hard, regardless of how old the product line may be, or how seemingly banal the point of the communication.
Attack the Problem
1. As a very first step, we conduct what we call our 'Insight Phase' in which we talk with both customers (satisfied and less so) and prospects to pick their brains about the company, what's important to them, and why they buy. This can be done in-depth with as few as 4-6 contacts, all the way up through a formal research format involving dozens of contacts. While an online survey tool is useful, we believe there is no substitute for a live conversation.
2. With target input in hand (and used to generate more probing questions), we help our clients think beyond the typical marketing-speak by holding an internal messaging brainstorm. Gather up a cross-section of staff. Include R&D, HR, sales, management, the lot. Plan a two hour session and generate a dozen or so questions for the group (you can modify some of the same questions you used with customers). Think of questions beyond the obvious (who we are, what we sell, what make us different/better, although many companies don't even have good answers to these basics!).
A telling way to start the discussion is to ask the group to give their current company 'elevator' speeches. There are likely to be good tidbits from several that can be culled for later use.
Other questions to take the group beyond the basics:
- What are some of the issues sales reps face when selling the company's product or service? Reps will likely be vocal about this, which then leads to deeper discussion of what the company should be emphasizing in its marketing messages.
- What are customers buying beyond our product or service – what are they really buying? This should open up a torrent of commentary (and will make the group think!). Examples of answers we've gotten include "trust," "we know they'll bend over backwards for us," "we're confident in the end result."
- Define the terms used to describe your company, product or service. Many companies say they are leaders. So ask, what does being a leader in our industry really mean to our customers?
- Ask the group for examples of your company's key successes. Often these can be turned into meaningful points that can be effectively expressed through various marketing tools.
The answers from both groups – customers and staff – should give you a rich source of new reasons why your target should care about your product or service.
Use them and the ROI of your next marketing piece will improve in multiple ways: You're being real with your audience; you're being specific; and, you might just open the door to having some fun with your message.


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Speeches & Floor Statements
Opening Statement: Colleges Should Be More Accountable For Students Not Repaying Loans
Posted on January 30, 2018
Before we begin, I want to express my concern about the large number of senior positions in the Department of Education that have not been confirmed by the Senate even though this committee first approved their nominations in some cases as long as three and a half months ago.
For a while, the responsibility for this delay could be shared with the Administration, which was slow to make nominations. But not anymore.
The responsibility lies solely with the Democratic minority which is insisting on taking most of one week to confirm each nominee, knowing that there is not that much time for nominations on the Senate floor.
One year after President Trump took office, only the following four positions at the U.S. Department of Education have been confirmed and are on the job:
- The Secretary of Education
- The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
- The Assistant Secretary for Legislation and Congressional Affairs
- The Chief Financial Officer
This committee has approved four nominees that are awaiting a floor vote:
- Carlos Muniz, General Counsel, nominated June 6, 2017, was passed out of committee October 18, 2017.
- Kenneth Marcus, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, nominated on October 30, 2017, was passed out of committee January 18, 2018.
- Jim Blew, Assistant Secretary for Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development, was first nominated September 28, 2017, and was first passed out of committee December 13, 2017.
- Mitchell Zais, Deputy Secretary, nominated October 5, 2017, and was passed out of committee December 13, 2017.
Since everyone knows that the Senate majority will confirm these four nominees, and the American people expect the president to be able to have enough administrators in place to be accountable for the federal activities in 6000 colleges and 100,000 public schools, my hope is that the minority will quickly allow the Senate to approve these nominees.
This is not only happening at the Department of Education. There are 103 nominations on the Executive Calendar awaiting consideration by the Senate. This does not include judicial nominations.
To put this in perspective, on November 21, 2013, when Democrats thought the confirmation backlog was dire enough to use the nuclear option to break the Senate rules, there were 76 nominations on the Executive Calendar.
Today we are looking at another important focus of our reauthorization of the Higher Education Act: accountability – whether students are earning degrees worth their time and money.
An important part of that accountability is to find ways to make sure students are not borrowing more money than they will be able to pay back.
Today, when students do not make payments on their loans, colleges are held somewhat accountable under the current cohort default rate measure.
I believe Congress should consider new accountability measures that are more effective at holding all individual programs at all colleges and universities accountable for the ability of their students to pay back their loans.
There is a lot of discussion over federal student loan debt.
While the amount spent on federal aid each year is high – about $120 billion, which includes $28 billion in grants and $92 billion in loans, the average debt per undergraduate student is relativity low.
At one of our previous hearings, Dr. Susan Dynarski, testified: "In the United States, typical undergraduate debt is less than $10,000 for those who don't complete a four-year degree and about $30,000 for those who do. What's exceptional about the United States is therefore not student borrowing but a rigid, archaic repayment system that unnecessarily plunges millions into financial distress."
Historically, most student loans have been repaid and taxpayers recover most of the money.
However, there are some worrisome signs as we look ahead.
Here is what the student loan repayment picture looks like today:
There are two groups of borrowers repaying student loans: nearly half—46 percent – who are repaying on their student loans and a little more than half – 54 percent – who are in default or are not making payments on time.
Of the more than half who are not repaying their student loans on time, 21 percent of borrowers are in default, meaning they have not made a payment in over nine months.
The current method of holding colleges accountable for students making their student loan payments is based on the cohort default rate – the 21 percent in default.
There are another 33 percent of all borrowers who are not making payments on time. These borrowers are not taken into account in the current cohort default rate measure -- about two-thirds of these borrowers are not making payments because of economic hardship and one out of three are at least five days late on making a payment for a variety of reasons.
The taxpayer should be concerned not just about the 21 percent in default, but also about the 33 percent who are not making payments on time.
Of the half who are making payments, nearly two-thirds of them are in the income-based repayment program.
The income-based repayment program is a safety net for low-income borrowers enacted by Congress in 2007. It sets a cap on monthly student loan payments. If the loan is not repaid after 20-25 years at this capped payment rate, the loan is forgiven.
Today, a portion of these borrowers, while considered in good standing, have a student loan payment of zero, because their income is too low.
What was designed as a temporary safety net has become the standard where students expect their debt to be forgiven after a certain amount of time.
This may be good for the student, but it is not so good for the taxpayer.
We will not know the impact of so many borrowers being in this program for another decade, when the first set of borrowers begin to have their debt forgiven.
Since the last bipartisan reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, the federal government has become the provider of all loans for students.
I did not agree with making the federal government the bank for student loans, but now that we are the bank, we must do what a bank does, which is protect its shareholders. In this case, the shareholder is the American taxpayer.
When a commercial bank makes a loan, it underwrites the loan or checks the credit of the borrower to determine whether the borrower is able to pay the loan back.
In the case of student loans, there is no underwriting or credit check – students borrow roughly $100 billion each year in individual loans that can go as high as $12,500 for an undergraduate and as high as the cost of tuition for graduate students.
And as we have just discussed, students may pay their loan back based on income and if they are not able to pay it all back within 20-25 years, the loan may be forgiven.
I do not want to turn roughly $100 billion in loans into grants, so we need effective ways to protect the taxpayer as well as the student.
As we continue our work on reauthorizing the Higher Education Act, I want to look at how we hold all schools – public, private, and for-profit – accountable when students borrow too much money and are not prepared to pay those loans back.
One way to do that is to provide students with more data on the cost of college and what their likely earnings would be in the curriculum or program they choose.
Another way would be to remove barriers and encourage schools to counsel students about the amount of money they can afford to borrow.
Another is to look at ways to hold the schools themselves more accountable.
There are several proposals by members of this committee, other Members of Congress, and outside organizations that reflect the interest in holding colleges and universities accountable for students repaying their loans.
One is a proposal from Senators Hatch and Shaheen, which proposed fixing the cohort default rate system to instead look at the percentage of students who fail to pay down at least $1 of their principal loan balance within three years.
The House Committee on Education and the Workforce and Chairwomen Foxx took an approach similar to Hatch-Shaheen, which required college programs to have at least 45 percent of borrowers in "positive repayment status."
Another proposal by the Hamilton Project suggests creating a cohort repayment rate, not to be confused with cohort default rate, to look at the percentage of federal student loan dollars that have been repaid in the five years after borrowers leave school.
It would be possible to apply this at the program level as well. Evaluating individual programs rather than applying a blanket sanction to a college that has both excellent and failing programs would help inform students' choices and spend federal money more responsibly.
Using student loan repayment rates in an appropriate way to measure accountability for all programs at all of our 6,000 colleges and universities would be, in my view, a step in the right direction.
To be clear – we want to ensure students are getting a quality education and that they are not borrowing more than they can afford to pay back to the taxpayers who are making the loan.
This hearing, and our continued conversations, is one of our key five areas we need to address in our reauthorization of the Higher Education Act this spring.
Just as we released white papers in 2015 on accreditation, risk sharing and consumer information, my staff plans to release a staff white paper later this week intended to continue this thoughtful discussion on what it entails to have a robust accountability system.


text:
Painting Giveaway Winner…
The winner of the painting giveaway is: Lisa Bryson!!
Lisa, please check your inbox for my e-mail and let me know which of the 7 paintings you would like to have.
David and I had so much fun with this little giveaway and, if God is willing, I hope we'll be able to do another one next year! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such sweet comments, everyone!!
Tags: giveaway


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12-13-2016 09:45 PM - last edited on 12-13-2016 10:29 PM by RogersCilio
What, if any, methods are available to access voice mail for Rogers Wireless Home Phone when you are away from the wireless home phone - for example when travelling in Canada and you do not bring the Wireless Home Phone device with you.
1. Is there an on-line voice mail service for the Wireless Home Phone like there is for the regular Home Phone service?
2. Can Wireless Home Phone voice mail be accessed by calling the Wireless Home Phone number (or a toll-free number) from another phone?
3. Is there any way to be notified of voice mails on the Wireless Home Phone service - perhaps by an email or text message to another phone number?
12-18-2016 01:20 PM - edited 12-18-2016 02:25 PM
Hello, @Zaphod64 & @pitu1, thank you for joining the Rogers Community Forums!
@Zaphod64 - At this moment the solution is to call your phone number, upon reaching the voicemail press # and you shall be able to access your voicemail box after entering the password.
@pitu1 - Have you made any changes to your Wireless home phone plan? You can press and hold 1 on the handset or dial *98 and follow the system prompts to set up the voicemail. If not able to set it up,
please send us a private message at @CommunityHelps. Our private messaging system is explained in this blog.
The CommunityHelps Team
05-02-2017 01:47 PM - last edited on 05-02-2017 02:32 PM by RogersTony
Tried to set up the voice mail on my Wireless Home Phone and it seems the "Home & Away Voice Mail" is not available on the wireless home phone.......is that correct???
Hello @BLB2,
Welcome to the Community Forums! 🙂
The Home & Away Voicemail service is a really great feature I used it a lot when I had the Rogers Home Phone service so I understand why you would want to extend this feature to your Wireless Home Phone.
At the moment this feature is only available on the Rogers Home Phone service. In the meantime in order to setup and access your Voicemail please follow the steps outlined above by either holding down the #1 button on your number pad of the phone or pressing *98 and follow the prompts.
08-24-2018 07:38 PM - last edited on 08-24-2018 07:50 PM by RogersAli
Wireless Home Phone - Voicemail via Email
I recently switched from Rogers Home Phone to Rogers Wireless Home Phone. Before I switched, I made sure to ask the rep that all the features would be exactly the same. I specifically asked about the voicemail to email feature and was assured that it would be available.
Fast forward to now, after the change and the port and everything, and the wireless home phone shows up as if it is just another mobile number on my share everything plan. There is no option on the web interface to configure a destination email address for the voicemails.
I'm 99% sure I know the answer, but just to be sure: wireless home phone does not have the voicemail to email option, does it?
Hey @ready2leave,
Welcome to the Rogers Community Forums 🙂
I know how handy voicemail to Email feature can be. At this time, the wireless home phone does not include this feature. To learn more about available features, please visit this page.
Hope this helps.
@ready2leave Although it appears that the feature set that was described to you when you asked specifically about the availability of this feature is not there for sure, personally, I would escalate a concern via the Report a Concern on the MyRogers page if you were told directly to your direct question that it was available. Doesn't mean you will get it, but possibly you can make a case for consideration for the misrepresentation of the truth of your future services.
This is why the CRTC directs us as consumers to know what we need and to specifically ask what we are getting and not getting in order that we can be educated consumers.
Just my opinion - this is holding them accountable for what they tell us.


text:
MADISON — An electrical fire from a space heater destroyed a model mobile home on Preble Avenue Thursday morning.
Homeowner Tornia Bowring, 43, said she was moving back into the trailer for the winter with many of her belongings still in boxes and turned on an electric heater to warm up the home.
She said he she left to take a friend to the supermarket and got a call on her cellphone that her home was on fire.
"There was no heat — all we could heat with was electric. There was no furnace," Bowring said.
Madison Fire Chief Roger Lightbody Sr. later confirmed that a malfunction in the heater was the apparent cause the fire. He said there was no need for the Office of State Fire Marshal to investigate.
Lightbody said the home was destroyed, even though there is a fire hydrant nearby and that he and other Madison firefighters were at the station three minutes away when the fire call came in. Lightbody said the hydrant is the last one on the Preble Avenue water line, where the urban zone of downtown Madison turns into a rural one.
"The building and everything in it is 100 percent gone," Lightbody said. "It was already all ablaze and it was caved in in the middle when we got here."
There were no injuries reported. No one was home when the fire started just after noon. There were no pets inside.
Preble Avenue was closed to traffic in both directions for about 90 minutes.
Bowring said she was uninsured and all her belongings in the trailer were lost.
She said she has been through a fire before and will make the best of it.
"I'll probably go to a friend's house; I won't be on the street and neither will the kids," she said of her grown children and grandchild. "My friends will help me."
Bowring's daughter, Kyla, 21, who watched the fire with her two-year-old daughter, said some of her belongings, including toys for her daughter, and items belonging to her aunt also were inside the home.
Doug Harlow — 612-2367[email protected]Twitter: @Doug_Harlow
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text: SUNDANCE REVIEW: Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same 12:04 PM PST 2/5/2011 by Justin Lowe FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME A hilarious date movie for couples of all orientations. TWITTER PARK CITY -- (Park City at Midnight) Tongue firmly in cheek, Madeleine Olnek's lesbian sci-fi comedy lovingly spoofs the black-and-white B-movies of yesteryear, complete with low-grade special effects, stiff acting and government paranoia. Sure to become a staple of festival midnight-movie programs, it should also live long and prosper on DVD and late-night TV. Jane (Lisa Haas) is a lonely greeting-store clerk with even less going on in her dating life than in the often-deserted shop. She fills the void with an active imagination involving spaceships and aliens, although her therapist is pretty sure that visitors from beyond earth aren't trying to contact her client -- but she couldn't be more wrong. On the planet Zots, somewhere in the neighborhood of Saturn, nosy bureaucrats recognizable to any species in the universe are hustling Zotsians off-planet, convinced that their abundance of romantic emotions is damaging the world's ozone layer. Banished to earth to overcome their "big feelings" by having their hearts broken by fickle earthlings, they'll be allowed to return once they cease to pose a threat. Dressed in curve-hugging jumpsuits with upright, conical collars framing their bald heads, the female Zotsians don't attract so much as a backward glance after landing in Brooklyn, where Jane catches the eye of Zoinx (Susan Ziegler), a typically expressionless alien lesbian. Willing to overlook their differences, Lisa and Zoinx are soon dating, a development that draws the scrutiny of a couple of black-suited government agents (Dennis Davis, Alex Karpovsky), charged with disrupting earthling-alien relationships. Meanwhile Zylar (Jackie Monahan), liberated from her homeworld's expectations, is turning into a dating machine, hitting on every available woman. But her fellow traveler Barr (Cynthia Kaplan) feels heartbroken, since she has no interest in New Yorkers and only wants to be with Zylar. Writer-director Olnek, an veteran playwright, stage director and short filmmaker debuting her first feature, deftly parodies the myriad tropes of low budget sci-fi with obvious glee, from the alien's monotonal speech to wobbly camera-handling and cheesy special effects. Performances are aces all around, considering the low marks that need to be hit. The portrayal of lesbian dating situations will resonate with singles of all persuasions, as the film nails earthlings' obsessions with both romance and extraterrestrials. Venue: Sundance Film Festival, Park City at Midnight Production company: Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same LLC Cast: Lisa Haas, Susan Ziegler, Jackie Monahan, Cynthia Kaplan, Dennis Davis, Alex Karpovsky, Rae C. Wright Director-screenwriter: Madeleine Olnek Producers: Madeleine Olnek, Laura Terruso Director of photography: Nat Bouman Production designers: Rebecca Conroy, Bryan Heyboer Music: Clay Drinko Costume designer: Linda Gui Editor: Curtis Grout No rating, 75 minutes FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME Justin Lowe email@example.com @thr


text:
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- Pertaining to, or involving, fetichism.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective Dated form of
Sorry, no etymologies found.
You're know there are movies out there that are far more violent than Mel Gibson's the SAWs, the HOSTELs, the Tarantino's..., but still you feel the childish need to call Gibson's appraoch to violence "fetichistic"...
Mel Gibson to Direct Leonardo DiCaprio in Untitled Viking Movie – Collider.com
The use of blood and the sacrifice of little children, as well as other fetichistic practices, have been charged against some of the secret religious sects of modern Russia.
The Child and Childhood in Folk-Thought Studies of the Activities and Influences of the Child Among Primitive Peoples, Their Analogues and Survivals in the Civilization of To-Day
Among all the vagaries of the fetichistic school of concealing-colorationists none is more amusing than the belief that the coloration of the adult skimmer is ever, under any conditions, of a concealing quality.
Amparito held by a fetichistic Catholicism, conditioned by her situation in life, and mixed with a lot of heterodox and contradictory ideas, but she didn't give any thought to that.
There is a smack of the stone ages, of primeval lake-dwellings, about these shelters on the deserted shore; two or three large fetichistic stones stand near their entrance; wickerwork objects of dark meaning strew the ground; a few stakes emerge, hard by, out of the placid and oozy waters.
The people are fetichistic, amulet-loving, rather than devout.
All kinds of fetichistic sentiments are also met with even in childhood.
The fetichistic tendencies of adults are also in many instances directed towards children.
In other cases of fetichism which I have had under observation, the abnormal fetichistic tendency went much further back.
Masochistic, sadistic, fetichistic excitations of all kinds are met with, and sexual inclination towards animals is by no means rare.


text:
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Platypus Original Soundtrack Album REMASTERED
Disc 1
The full-length remastered original soundtrack from the cult Claymation shoot-em-up game "Platypus", originally for PC, PSP and XBox 360. Amazing electronic tracks, invoking the 8-bit computers of old. "Platypus" Graphics (c) GMJ Licensing Ltd.
- Album description
Back in the mists of time, there were legendary Commodore 64 composers such as Rob Hubbard, Martin Galway, Ben Daglish, Jonathan Dunn, Matt Gray, Fred Gray, and more. They somehow crammed masterpieces into three voices.
10 years after their heyday, fans who loved the music in their youth began to pay tribute to it by remixing it. Eventually, there was an official album: "Back in Time". It was a success, so more followed.
5 years after that, the remixes themselves have become retro enough, and treasured by various video game industry types and general retro fans. There are concerts and nightclub events such as "Back in Time Live".
So, Idigicon (in the zen form of George Bray) came looking for some retro goodness for their new Claymation shoot 'em up by Anthony Flack called "Platypus". To plunder classic CD tracks was the mission: giving a double retro fix to a new generation!
Anyway, we were delighted to oblige and have great fun matching tracks up to levels, having a quite chuckle that a whole new legion of youngsters would be enjoying this music on its own merits and having their own goosepimple moments. I mean, how many other games give you a 7 minutes orchestral opus just for the options screen? Because the music already existed, it meant we could just stuff top-quality music into the game as if there was no tomorrow.
The game was released for download on the PC with short versions of the tunes (this album has the complete versions taken direct from the original masters, except "Sanxion 2001" which is as good as we can get it since it was never released on CD). The CD version had full-length tracks.
The track listing was slightly changed for the Playstation PSP version of the game: the original Level 3 music and the original Baddie music were replaced, but can now be restored for digital release along with the PSP/XBox tracks.
Unfortunately these tracks did not make it to the iPhone version of the game, more's the pity.
Later on, we also contributed other tracks to the other claymation games such as Platypus II and Nux (OSTs coming soon!)
Artists featured on this include Gareth "Tonka" Dolloway, Chris Abbott, Alistair "Boz" Bowness, Puffy64, Tomas Danko and Darren Izzard. Composers featured include Martin Galway (Title tune, Level 1, Level 3 PSP), Rob Hubbard (Level 2, High Score, Options), Matt Gray (Level 4), Fred Gray (Level Select, Baddie tune II PSP), Ben Daglish (Baddie tune 1) and Jon Dunn (Level 3 PC).
Thanks to Steve for helping out with the cover art!
- Album notes
Album Stats
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Paradise Lost
Philip Pullman (Author) John Milton (Author)
Backorder (temporarily out of stock)
DescriptionParadise Lost is the great epic poem of the English language, a tale of immense drama and excitement, of rebellion and treachery, of innocence pitted against corruption, in which God and Satan fight a bitter battle for control of mankind's destiny. The struggle ranges across heaven, hell, and earth, as Satan and his band of rebel angels conspire against God. At the center of the conflict are Adam and Eve, motivated by all too human temptations, but whose ultimate downfall is unyielding love.
This marvelous edition boasts an introduction by one of Milton's most famous modern admirers, the best-selling novelist Philip Pullman. Indeed, Pullman not only provides a general introduction, but also introduces each of the twelve books of the poem. In these commentaries, Pullman illuminates the power of the poem and its achievement as a story, suggests how we should read it today, and describes its influence on him and his acclaimed trilogy His Dark Materials, which takes its title from a line in the poem. His observations offer a tribute that is both personal and insightful, and his enthusiasm for Milton's language, skill, and supreme gifts as a storyteller is infectious. He encourages readers above all to experience the poem for themselves, and surrender to its enchantment.
Pullman's tremendous admiration and passion for Paradise Lost will attract a whole new generation of readers to this classic of English literature. An ideal gift, the book is beautifully produced, printed in two colors throughout, illustrated with the twelve engravings from the first illustrated edition published in 1688, with ribbon marker.
Product Details
$19.95 $18.35
Oxford University Press, USA
Publish Date
December 01, 2008
6.1 X 0.7 X 9.1 inches | 1.5 pounds
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About the Author
Philip Pullman is the author of numerous children's books, and most famously the trilogy His Dark Materials, popular with both children and adults. His Dark Materials has been adapted for the stage and performed at the National Theatre, London in 2003 and 2004. The first part of the trilogy, The Golden Compass, was released as a film in 2007 starring Daniel Craig and Nicole Kidman.


text: FloodScan provides daily maps of flooding from 1992 to the present based on satellite remote sensing technology. The FloodScan system processes data gathered by space-borne microwave sensors, monitoring all land areas for flooding in clear and cloudy conditions from day and night satellite passes. When the system detects flooding, it derives flooded fraction at lower-resolution microwave data scales and applies a physical downscaling technique to produce higher-resolution flood maps. FloodScan is more likely to detect larger and longer lasting flood events (e.g., large river floods) than smaller and shorter duration events (e.g., flash floods).


text:
To better utilize the Stick Up Camera indoors, I want the Stick Up cam to enable motion detection/recording when the Ring Alarm is in Away/Armed mode.
1) The ability to turn on and off "arming" sounds and/or add a third mode (home...away...night). We have "home" set to arm immediatly right now so we can arm it and the sound doesnt wake anyone sleeping, however, when we leave and the kids are home sleeping, we cannot arm from the panel and need to do it remotly.
2) Integration with Smart Things...I want to be able to have lights turn on in the event of an alarm, things turn off for smoke/CO alarms etc.
Hmm, something sounds a bit off here @jst . Mind giving our support team a call at 800-656-1918 as something doesn't seem right..
Would be nice.
1. Numbers are next to the buttons. Would be nice to have the numbers on the buttons or, at least, have the buttons be rimmed in a different color or actually a different color than white.
2. Home and Away icons are nearly identical and kind of small. Would be nice to have very different icons that are more clearly visible.
3. The voice is very low and hard to hear. Would be nice to have it louder.
4. Sticky back cradle would prevent more screws in walls.
Motion Sensors:
1. The sticky strips really do take off paint and what looks like the top layer of drywall. It's really light, seems as if 3M removables would work.
2. It is difficult to find the right place for these. Would be nice to use removables here as well. We ended up moving these around several times before finally affixing them to the wall with screws. Lots of excess holes and patchwork.
Base Station:
1. The power cord has a notch but the ethernet cable does not. Ended up having to order a flat cable because a regular round one did not work when placing on a wall.
1. Would be nice to have more detailed instructions along with an insert that shows the details of the Keypad to put up next on the wall so everyone can learn. Still confused about bypassing sensors on the keypad itself (easy on the app) and need to look that up.
I would love to use a door sensor for my mailbox so I can get an alert when the mail has been delivered. The current sensor does reach with the use of the range extender included with the alarm kit and alerts occur when I test the two parts of the sensor inside the mailbox. It even works if I have the wider side (has the battery) mounted to the mailbox, but the smaller magnetic side is not mounted. As soon as I attach the magnetic side to the metal mailbox the sensor quits working. It would be great to include a specific sensor for mailboxes or a simple kit to allow it to work when mounted on metal.
Thanks in advance for considering this,
I would love if the alarm had an option to automatically unlock my deadbolt when arming away mode because I'm about to walk out the door.
With multiple kepads/locks, a front door keypad could be linked to the front lock and the back door keypad linked to the back door lock.
Base Station:
I know I've got more, which I will add to this post as I remember them (assuming it lets me edit perpetually, and not just for a few hours/days like some platforms).


text: 4 Best Waterproof Headphones For The Summer 5 Replies Here we are, in a couple of days it will be officially SUMMER! If you are heading to the sea or a lake what is better than laying on a beach listening to your favourite music? Using a pair of waterproof headphones will make you more relaxed, no worries if they get wet with water,… Read More »


text:
World's Best Scrub Bars!
Irena Domaradzki, founder of Nutt So Ruff was born in Cleveland, OH to the parents of European immigrants. She learned from a young age to work hard but always to help people in whatever way she could. In an attempt to cure her ongoing skin care problems, she perfected an exfoliation technique that has gone on to help countless others. She began giving her beauty bars out to others in need and seeing the impact that it made began production of what many people call the World's Best Scrub Bars!
Irena had years of troubled skin and frustration of trying other products that simply irritated her skin. Determined to find a solution, she began experimenting until she found the perfect mix. She began usage on her own skin with amazing results. She was determined to use natural based products as much as possible believing nature would be the road to beauty. Her theory proved right after she started the grueling process of obtaining a U.S. Patent and was finally awarded one two years later. As satisfied users began to grow in number, she realized it was time that all women could uncover their beautiful skin. This is what brought her to develop and manufacture the first Nutt So Ruff scrub bar.
Irena feels very rewarded knowing that so many people will not have to endure and suffer as she had for years. As the company grows into national distribution, she always felt it was important that each bar still be hand-made and crafted right in her home state of Ohio. Today, each Nutt So Ruff scrub bar the company makes is hand-crafted and still carefully ground, weighed and poured. As more and more users discover this simple and effective way to look beautiful at an affordable price, the future looks bright for skin care and Nutt So Ruff. She still devotes a lot of her time educating the public on the benefits of exfoliation as well as how often one should exfoliate based on your skin type.
Find out more about this amazing product line at www.nuttsoruff.com


text:
NewTek is pleased to announce the availability of LightWave 3D® 2019.1.1, a maintenance update to the production-proven graphics and animation package that refines the artist's workflow to make creation of complex, photo-real animation and imagery faster and more efficient. LightWave™ 2019.1.1 provides additional stability enhancements for both some long-standing LightWave features and some of the new features of 2019.1.
The LightWave 2019.1.1 update is a free download for registered users of LightWave 2019. For a limited time, registered users of earlier versions of LightWave can upgrade to LightWave 2019.1.1 for US$395. See details below.
Availability & Pricing
LightWave 3D 2019.1.1 for Windows and Mac OS is available now for USMSRP $995.
Registered owners of any previous version of LightWave 3D (LightWave 2018 and earlier) can upgrade to LightWave 2019.1.1 for US$395, through August 16, 2019. LightWave owners who are eligible for special pricing under the terms of a previous purchase will need to contact LightWave Customer Services directly for their purchase arrangements.
Log In to Your Account to Purchase and Download the Update
International pricing may vary.
Educational pricing is also available. Visit www.lightwave3d.com/buy-lightwave/ to purchase or to locate an authorized LightWave reseller.
Get the details at the LightWave 3D blog: LightWave 3D® 2019.1.1 is Available Now (Corrected)
Discussion Thread


text:
111 comments found.
Can you tell me logo font name?
Please use our support center getting support, comments only for pre-sale questions.
Thank you for co-operation! Regards
are we still supporting this template.. i notice you direct everyone to your ticket system for questions.
even simple questions as to what font was used for logo?
hi. how can i change the text on the navigation menu? (about us, services…)
Does this template support multi language?
Hello, i would like to know if the form is multilanguage for the field control ? thx for your answer
Hi. I purchased this theme but it gives a server error when I try go to your support page so I hope you can help me here. Under "recent works" on the home page, I'm trying to take away the scroll functionality so that it just has static images. I want to add in approx 10 images but need them all to be visible at the same time. Thanks in advance.
Hello Team, seems its 1 week your support is not active, I have a problem with the theme, when i share my website link in facebook, then i see this text in the facebook description. "MetCreative's new theme Cacoon is better than any other previous theme!" even if i share any of my page, then its showing the same text apart from the description from my website. Whats wrong with this ?
I have purchased the theme. Won't upload. It says missing style sheet however that was just in the wrong folder and has since been moved. I was informed there is an "index.php" file missing completely and that's why I can't upload. I've spent hours working on this. Please help with finding out where this index.php file is!
Hello Team, we have a problem, our contact site with google maps gives an error – Oops! Something went wrong. – Where can we paste our google maps api key??? THANKS
Hello there, i would like to add percent sign % with values in the middle of the "circle chart skill", Please do you have some suggestion about this problem ? i have searched in .js files but noway. Thx regards phil
Hi there,
Sorry for late response.
We are going to regeneration. We will support to lastest php and wordpress version (with other requirement features) for all themes in 1 month.
Have a nice day
Hello. I have a problem with contact map. there is a "For developer purpose only" on it
Hi there,
Sorry for late response.
We are going to regeneration. We will support to lastest php and wordpress version (with other requirement features) for all themes in 1 month.
Have a nice day


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The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin Audio Book CD
In what is considered to be one of the best autobiographies written in colonial America, Benjamin Franklin portrays a fascinating picture of life in prerevolutionary Philadelphia. In his own words, Franklin describes his life as a printer, inventor, scientist, and politician.
Franklin and Winston by Jon Meacham AudioBook CD
The most complete portrait ever drawn of the complex emotional connection between two of history's towering leaders Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill were the greatest leaders of "the Greatest Generation." In Franklin and Winston, Jon Meacham explores the fascinating relationship between the two men who piloted the free world to victory in World War II. It was a crucial friendship, and a un...
Brotherhood of Warriors by Aaron Cohen AudioBook CD
Combining the behind-enemy-lines suspense of Black Hawk Down with the first-person intensity of Jarhead, this is the heart-pounding story of a young American who became one of the most elite counterterrorism commandos in the world.
Resistance by Agnes Humbert Audio Book Mp3-CD
A real-life Suite Francaise, this riveting diary by a key female member of the French Resistance in World War II is translated into English for the first time.
The Last Fighting Tommy by Harry Patch Audio Book CD
Poignant and fascinating memoir from the last surviving veteran of the trenches.
Dreams from My Father by President Barack Obama AudioBook CD
The son of a black African father and a white American mother, Obama was only 2 years old when his father walked out on the family. Many years later, Obama receives a phone call from Nairobi: his father is dead. This news inspires an emotional odyssey for Obama, determined to learn truth of his father's life and reconcile his divided inheritance.
Amazing Grace by Eric Metaxas Audio Book Mp3-CD
Amazing Grace tells the story of the remarkable life of the British abolitionist William Wilberforce (1759-1833). This accessible biography-released simultaneously with the feature-length film of the same name-chronicles Wilberforce's extraordinary role as a human rights activist, cultural reformer, and member of Parliament.
Unlikely Allies by Joel Richard Paul AudioBook Mp3-CD
Unlikely Allies, a bold reinterpretation of the struggle for independence, is the gripping true story of how three men used espionage, betrayal, and sexual deception to help win the American Revolution.
Muqtada by Patrick Cockburn Audio Book CD
From one of the bravest and most experienced correspondents in the Middle East, this is the first biography of the formidable Shiite resistance leader destined to shape the future of post-occupation Iraq. Unabridged. 8 CDs.
Theodore Rex by Edmund Morris AudioBook CD
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Highlights of Namibia and Botswana - Self Drive Safari
Introduction: 21 day Self Drive Safari - Accommodated
Experience the highlights of Namibia and Botswana on this 21-day self-drive tour. As the tour starts and ends in Windhoek, you will not need an "open-jaw" flight ticket, as well as no expensive one-way fee for the rental car, making this a very economical way to explore the highlights of both countries. Walk on the massive sand dunes of Sossusvlei, feel the ocean breeze in Swakopmund and see fascinating game in the world famous Etosha National Park. Drive through the picturesque Caprivi Strip to cross the border into Botswana. Cruise on the Chobe River and watch elephants, hippos, crocodiles and buffalo on the river bank. After a short visit to the thundering Victoria Falls, you drive via Nata, past the Makgadigadi Salt Pans to Maun. Enjoy breath-taking views of the inland delta while on a two day fly-in safari to the Okavango Delta. You will return to Maun, cross the border back to Namibia to spend a last night in the Kalahari.
The basics
|How much:
|from ZAR 61 600 (see exact price info)
|Single client:
|ZAR 19 300 (see exact price info)
|How long:
|21 days
|This is an accommodated tour
|Start point:
|Windhoek, Namibia
|End point:
|Windhoek, Namibia
|As indicated below
|Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe
Itinerary l Highlights of Namibia and Botswana l Self-Drive Safari
Day 1 | Windhoek, Namibia
Distance approx. 50 km; driving time approx. 1 h
Upon arrival at Windhoek International Airport, you pick up your rental car and make your way to Montebello Guesthouse. Once you have checked in, you can relax after the long flight or start exploring Windhoek. There are plenty of things to discover; the National Gallery (local artists), Botanic Garden (good for walks) and local restaurants for sampling Namibian cuisine. You will stay at Montebello Guesthouse for the night.
Day 2 | Windhoek, Namibia – Sesriem, Namibia
You leave Namibia's capital and drive in a south-westerly direction, via Rehoboth and the Remhoogte Pass. This pass will take you from Namibia's central plateau down to the Namib Desert. Today's destination is Sesriem, the closest entrance to the massive dunes of Sossusvlei. You check in at Desert Camp and if there is time, you can take a drive into the Namib-Naukluft National Park to see the astonishing play of light and shadow during sunset. You will overnight at the Desert Camp where you have the choice of either self-catering (order a braai pack with salads and meats to grill on an open fire) or eat at the Sossusvlei Lodge. (Accommodation can also be booked on a half-board basis, if you wish.) Order your breakfast for tomorrow to be packed, so you can picnic at the dunes.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3 | Sossusvlei, Namibia
The gate to the park opens at sunrise and you can drive into the Namib-Naukluft National Park to see the Sossusvlei, a large, white salt and clay pan in the middle of some of the highest dunes in the world. Park your vehicle and test your endurance by walking up one of these gigantic dunes. If 'Big Daddy' is overwhelmingly high, then perhaps Dune 45 will be the right one for you. Brace yourself for unforgettable views when you reach the top of the dune. Overlooking the ever-moving dune landscape is breath-taking. Other options for the day include visiting Sesriem Canyon (where you can also hike in the dry season), having lunch at Sossusvlei Lodge, quad biking and nature walks. Booking required. You will spend another night in the tented chalets of Desert Camp.
No meals
Day 4-5 | Sossusvlei, Namibia – Swakopmund, Namibia
Distance day 4: approx. 350 km; driving time approx. 5-6 h
Today you will set off on a long drive on gravel roads towards the coastal town called Swakopmund. (Stop at tiny Solitaire on your way to try the delicious apple pie.) Swakopmund's German colonial origins are noticeable in the architecture, cuisine and even the language – see the old court house and station building and enjoy an apfelstrudel and tea. The town also offers many activities, most based on the adventure into the Namib Desert – desert tours to see the 'Little 5', quad biking, dune boarding, camel rides and skydiving as well as boat trips to see dolphins, seals and seabirds. You will spend two nights at Cornerstone Guesthouse, situated within walking distance of the city centre and the beach. They can also book tours and daytrips. Taste Namibian cuisine or try the fresh seafood.
Meals: Breakfast (day 5)
Day 6 | Swakopmund, Namibia – Ugab Valley, Namibia
Distance approx. 400 km; driving time approx. 5-6h
After breakfast, you leave the Atlantic coast and drive via Hentiesbaai inland. Past Brandberg, the highest mountain range in Namibia at 2480 m, you will drive in the direction of Khorixas. Along the way you can stop at the famous "White Lady" rock engravings. Your goal for the day is the Ugab terraces, a picturesque valley with impressive high plateaus. Explore the fascinating landscape on well indicated footpaths and visit the remarkable Vingerklip, a remarkable rock formation that resembles a finger. You will spend the night at Vingerklip Lodge.
Meals: Breakfast | Dinner
Day 7 | Ugab Valley, Namibia – Etosha National Park, Namibia
Distance approx. 200 km; driving time approx. 2-3h (excl. game drives)
After a leisurely breakfast, you will make your way to the famous Etosha National Park. You will enter Etosha at the Anderson Gate. The national park was proclaimed a game reserve in 1907, to conserve the wildlife and to protect the animals within the area and encompasses the 5,000 km² Etosha salt pan. In the summer months (December to February) it is best to see the 340 bird species of the park, but the dry winter months are ideal to see animals when they flock to the water points.
Animals that live in Etosha include giraffe, oryx, huge herds of elephants, lion, rhino, leopard, cheetah and the usual suspects – zebra, impala and wildebeest. To see nocturnal animals, book a night game drive with park ranger (optional). You will overnight at Okaukuejo Camp and have supper at the restaurant (own account). Spend some time at the floodlit waterhole in the camp to see animals drinking after dark.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 8 | Etosha National Park, Namibia
Driving time depends on choice of route
The early morning hours are one of the best times of the to see animals as they go about their daily routine, so venturing into the park as the sun rises is recommendable. You will be driving along the vast salt pan, the bottom of a great inland lake that has dried up long ago. There are several waterholes along the south side of the pans, attracting animals in the dry season. Drive to Rietfontein, Goas or Sueda to observe animals that come to drink. Stop for lunch in Halali or Namutoni but make sure you are at the Von Lindequist Gate by sunset. Mushara Bush Camp, your lodge for tonight, is just 10 km from this gate. You will stay in luxury tents and have a 3-course supper at the lodge's fireplace.
Meals: Breakfast | Dinner
Day 9-10 | Etosha Area, Namibia – Caprivi Strip, Namibia
Distance approx. 650 km; driving time approx. 7-8h
Enjoy a delicious breakfast with freshly baked bread prepared by the lodge's expert chefs, before heading to your next destination. Today's journey takes you via Tsumeb and Rundu into the Caprivi Strip. For decades this area was unsafe due to a war, so it has retained a wild, remote feel accentuated by the lush vegetation and sub-tropical climate. This area has over 400 bird species, four of the 'Big Five' (no rhino), baobabs, forests, swamps and savannah. River Dance Lodge is situated on the banks of the Kavango River, the green vegetation almost an oasis after the arid regions you have travelled through. The following day you can go on a boat trip or explore the Mahango Area of Bwabwata National Park (only possible with a 4×4 vehicle or on a guided tour), in the flood plains of the Okavango River basin. You can also visit a local village (optional) to learn more about the local culture and way of life. Enjoy an ice-cold drink while sitting on the large deck and watch the sunset over the river. You will overnight for two nights in a bungalow with a veranda overlooking the river at River Dance Lodge.
Meals: Breakfast | Dinner
Day 11-12 | Caprivi Strip, Namibia – Chobe National Park, Botswana
Distance approx. 450 km; driving time approx. 5-6 h
Today you will continue east through the Caprivi Strip. You will come upon goats wandering across the roads, women and children selling fruit along the way and many villages with makeshift stalls. Once you have crossed the border into Botswana, you will check in at Chobe Bakwena Lodge, situated close to Kasane just outside the Chobe National Park. Your package includes two scheduled game activities daily (game drive or river cruise) as well as the national park entrance fees. With more than 40,000 elephants, the Chobe National Park is probably the park with the highest density of elephants in Africa. During the river cruise you will most likely see buffalos, crocodiles, hippos and elephants as well as other animals that come to the river to drink. You spend two nights at Chobe Bakwena Lodge.
Meals: Breakfast | Dinner | 2 x Scheduled activities
Day 13-14 | Chobe National Park, Botswana – Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Transfer Chobe Bakwena Lodge – Batonka Guest Lodge; driving time approx. 2h
The next morning you will join another guided game drive in the Chobe National Park. The high 4×4 vehicle is the perfect vantage point for good photos of animals such as lion, hippos, kudus, elephant, reedbuck, buffalo and water birds. The park has 350 bird species – look for the African fish eagle and Pel's fishing owl. After your game drive you will be picked up at Chobe Bakwena Lodge and transferred to Victoria Falls, while your rental car remains at Chobe Bakwena Lodge. You will spend two nights at Batonka Guesthouse a short taxi ride away from the falls, the largest curtain of water in the world. You will visit the 1,708 m wide Victoria Falls, also known as 'Mosi oa Tunya' – 'smoke that thunders'. You can visit the falls on a guided tour or on your own, go for a walk in the town, join a sunset cruise along the Zambezi River or book a 'flight of angels' to view the falls from the air. There are also more adventurous activities, such as bungee jumping, river rafting or the historic bridge walk to choose from. You will overnight at Batonka Guest Lodge.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 15 | Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe – Nata, Botswana
Transfer Batonka Guest Lodge – Kasane; driving time approx. 2h
In the morning you will again be picked up at Batonka Guest Lodge in Victoria Falls and taken over the border to Kasane in Botswana. Upon your arrival you will get back into your rental vehicle and make your way to Nata. Your destination for the day is the Nata Lodge, a good base for bird watching trips to the Nata Bird Sanctuary, Sua and Ntwetwe Pans (all are only accessible with a 4×4 vehicle or on a guided tour – book at the lodge). The pans are famous for surreal rock formations, ancient baobabs and have viewing decks to see flocks of flamingos. During the winter season (June to August) these pans are dry. Alternatively, you can relax at the pool or the open bar restaurant and enjoy watching the helmeted guinea fowl, crested francolin, yellow hornbill, pied and arrow-marked babblers, glossy starling, Meyer's parrot and paradise whydah, which have made this their home. You will overnight at Nata Lodge.
Meals: Breakfast | Dinner
Day 16 | Nata, Botswana – Maun, Botswana
Distance approx. 300 km; driving time approx. 4-5h
Today's route will take you past Gweta, one of the gateway to the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans which belong to the largest salt pans in the world, before you get to Maun. The rapidly growing frontier town is the base of many air charter companies operating into the Delta. It has not lost all of its old town charm, as many locals still graze their cattle in the area. You will overnight at the Thamalakane River Lodge on the banks of the Thamalakane River about 20 km from Maun. You can either relax at the lodge's pool or drive to explore the town of Maun. Have supper (own account) at the lodge's restaurant or in Maun.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 17-18 | Maun, Botswana – Okavango Delta, Botswana
After a leisurely breakfast, you drive to the airport, where you park your car and board a light aircraft. Your next destination can only be reached by air or boat as it lies in the heart of the huge Okavango delta. Enjoy the view over this watery mass and let this unique land take your breath away as you fly across the delta to your camp. You will spend the next two nights in luxury tents at Pom Pom Camp, located on an island within the splendid Okavango Delta. Due to its remote location, you will get an intimate safari experience unlike no other in the world.
You go on mokoro excursions to glide on the crystal-clear water of the narrow channels in a wooden canoe, explore the wilderness on foot or join a game drive in a 4×4 safari vehicle. The variety of animals includes elephant, bushbuck, tsessebe, reedbuck, red lechwe, leopard, zebra, buffalo, hippo, lion, spotted hyena and giraffe. Both nights will be spent at the Pom Pom Camp. All activities in the Okavango Delta are included in your package.
Meals: Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner | 2 scheduled activities daily
Day 19 | Okavango Delta, Botswana – Maun, Botswana – Ghanzi Area, Botswana
Distance approx. 300 km; driving time approx. 4h
After breakfast in the delta, you will fly back to Maun. This gives you the opportunity to see the delta in the early morning light – a spider web of shiny waterways. You will pick up your car from Maun airport and on well-tarred roads make your way west to Ghanzi. There you have the chance to visit a Bushman Craft Shop or just relax at the pool at Thakadu Bush Camp. The Camp Restaurant offers a variety of game meat specialities.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 20 | Ghanzi Area, Botswana – Kalahari, Namibia
Distance approx. 450 km; driving time approx. 5-6h
After breakfast you will continue west and cross the border into Namibia. Your last overnight on this tour is the Eningu Clayhouse Lodge. You can explore the surrounding area on foot or just cool off in the pool of this unique lodge. An art exhibit (stone sculptures) of Dörte Berner on the neighbouring farm is well worth a visit. A scrumptious meal in the evening brings the day to a close.
Meals: Breakfast | Dinner
Day 21 | Kalahari, Namibia – Windhoek airport, Namibia
Distance approx. 70 km; driving time approx. 1-2h
After a hearty breakfast and another activity (if time permits) you return to Windhoek. You drop off your rental car at the airport and board your flight back home where you will arrive with a lot of good memories and new impressions.
Meals: Breakfast
- Self-drive tour according to the itinerary
- 20 nights' accommodation in guesthouses, chalets, bungalows and lodges as indicated in the itinerary (or similar)
- Meals as indicated in the itinerary
- 2 scheduled game activities, national park fees, all soft drinks and local alcoholic drinks at Chobe Bakwena Lodge and Pom Pom Camp
- Return transfer Kasane – Victoria Falls
- Return flight Maun – Okavango Delta
- All safari activities at Pom Pom Camp
- Flights (international and domestic)
- Rental car (please contact us for a quote)
- Fuel
- Meals not indicated in the itinerary
- Beverages (alcohol and soft drinks)
- Possible toll- and crossing border fees
- National park fees
- Optional activities
- Visa, tips, personal expenses, travel insurance, etc.


text:
The ICC World Cup 2019 slated to be held in the United Kingdom from 30 May to 14 July 2019.
India will open their 2019 World Cup campaign against South Africa on 5 June and square off against arch-rivals Pakistan on 16 June.
Interestingly, ICC, in their various marquee events, have started with an Indo-Pak fixture in the past – which is almost always a full house. It happened in the 2015 World Cup in Australia (at Adelaide) and the 2017 Champions Trophy in UK (in Birmingham). The 2019 World Cup will be an exception in this regard.