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Today's short rant is not on science, but rather on the process of science. This tweet by Erika Salomon really resonated with me. It is about working hours in academia. Erika calls for academics to call out when someone asks students (or colleagues for that matter) to work for unreasonable hours.
Consider this my pledge for support. Upfront, I apologize for some strong language in this post.
Academia is facing a serious problem with regard to working ethos. Sure, it is great if you love your job so much you are willing to put in more than 60, or even 80 hours per week. It is great is you love your job so much that you are willing to move abroad, dragging along your significant other, and tolerating a string of temporary contracts before you finally can settle somewhere.
It is not so great that this work ethos has become the standard. I have put in 60 to 80 hours per week for my PhD. It resulted in a pretty good thesis, with some nice, well cited (and replicated ;-)) papers. I did move abroad, and dragged along my significant other. It did land me a nice, permanent position, even with prospect of promotion. I am a really happy little camper.
But I cannot (and do not) put in 60 to 80 hours per week any more. Over the past five years, we (as a happy family of four) have struggled with cancer, anxiety, and depression, and the one thing this has taught me is that no job is worth sacrificing your personal well-being. Especially not an academic job. You, your significant other (if you have one in your life), and if you have them, your children are more important than anything else. Those hours you spend writing on your grant proposal in your attic office are hours you cannot play with your kids, and cannot enjoy taking a long walk with your wife (or husband). And although you take them for granted, they are not. Inge (my wife) was 30 when she felt a lump in her breast. Six weeks later she was in surgery, eight weeks later getting her first chemo to treat an aggressive, triple-negative breast cancer. Now, almost exactly five years after her first visit to the GP, her cancer is in full remission. Our kids were 3 and 1, respectively when all this happened. Only now, we are slowly getting back on track. This kind of sh*t really has a tendency of messing up your life and shifting your priorities, I can tell you.
So, even though I am only 36 (37 next week), and I am considered to be 'young'/'early career' scientist, who should be putting in a lot of time and work to secure these 'prestigious' personal grants, like the Dutch 'Vidi' or even a 'Vici', and publish work in the 'top-journals' to progress my career, really, f*ck that sh*t.
I am not wasting my time anymore on stuff that's only for 'helping my career'. I am doing this job because I am fascinated by what I study (yes, psi, amongst other things. Got a problem with that?), and I love teaching. Not for the sake of becoming a hotshot professor anymore. Would be nice along the line, but really, it's not worth it to sacrifice my sanity and precious time with my family for. It's the very least thing I can do for them, and especially for my wife, who moved all across Europe with me, leaving behind family and friends, and a job she loved, all for the sake of my career. It is just too sad that it took a family crisis for me to realize that.
Sadly, though, when it gets to putting in working hours in academia it's kind of a nuclear arms race. If I don't put in the time, someone else will, get out more papers, and thus secure the grants, and earn tenure/promotions/etc.
That has to change. The intense competition in this field is not normal. We have become addicted to prospect of publishing high-impact papers, for crying out loud! This is not very healthy, as indicated by the incidence of stress-related mental health problems many academics suffer from. I have seen too many people going down over the past years, burning themselves out, just to play the game. We have patted ourselves on the back for a while, believing that competition and focus on output made our field better, but it has become very painfully evident that this is not the case. Science is broken, but scientists as well.
The intense pressure that many young scientists feel permeates all aspects of life. Job security depends on the grants you get. The grants you'll get depend on your papers. As a PhD student, you do not know whether you'll get that postdoc. As a postdoc, your next international move is just another two years away. When finally landed that tenure-track position, it's up or out… You're financially dependent on your job performance, you have to compete with the smartest people in the world, so as long as you do not have the security of a permanent position, you're going to work your ass off.
However, I think that most scientists might find themselves in a similar position as myself: we were the clever kids in school. The clever students during our undergraduate studies. Our friends, families, and teachers saw great promise in us, starting from an early age on. I think that few people in my direct surroundings have imagined me growing up to be anything else than a university professor. For me, unconsciously this has become part of my identity. Professor was not my job description, but who I was. You can imagine that this results in some messed up perceptions of a healthy work-life balance. Moreover, academic rejections, disputes and failures feel like, no, are personal failures – if you do not get that grant, it means someone else is better than you. Did someone else fail to replicate your paper – that means a personal attack! I am sure I am not the only one for whom this is true. Only over the past two to three years I have learnt to let go, and accept that I am more than an academic, that 'academic' is just my job description. It's not who I am. It was (and is, and will be) quite a struggle, but for the better.
The combination of economic and personal insecurity makes academics so vulnerable for work related stress. We work harder than we should, and we will not easily speak up because we have created an awful system for ourselves that feeds upon our own vulnerabilities. It has to stop.
I cannot fix this, nor do I want to give my students the impression that things will change on the very short term. If we want to change the system, and stop it from exploiting our vulnerabilities, change has to occur on several levels. Policy makers need to stop thinking science can be evaluated on purely quantitative measures. Granting agencies need to stop funding people, and start funding ideas. Universities need to provide job security earlier on, and evaluate how an academic functions within the context of a department or school, rather than looking at how well someone has succeeded in establishing her or his own little fiefdom without burning out, which is the current practice.
However, these changes are slow. They will occur, though. We see them happening already. Many great people are already speaking out against the ridiculous competition in science, and against the ridiculous ideas about quantifying research quality. But it will take time. Besides, we need to change as well. As long as we are addicted to scoring our high impact papers things will not change.
So, if you're working on your PhD, and feeling worn out, here are some words from a young guy who sometimes feels quite a bit older than he is: research is awesome. But put it into perspective. In the grand scheme of things, that paper you are working on right now, late in the evening, is not so important. Maybeit gets read by a few hundred people. Maybe it gets some media attention, but people will forgot that in a few weeks anyway. And if you're really unlucky, in a couple of years, some smug replicators will try to replicate your study, fail, and your result ends up on the enormous heap op false positives in the literature. So, really, is the time you are spending on this paper right now worth it to not be with the people you love? Your paper will be there for you tomorrow morning, 9:00, when you get back to your desk. Trust me.
And is that course you need to teach bothering you because it gets in the way of your precious research? Think about it this way – your research has limited impact. Again – a couple of hundred people may read it, and knowing scientitsts, most of them will find it crap, anyway. But your teaching — I did a quick calculation, but since I started my academic career 15 years ago, I think I have taught over 3000 students in classes, supervised at least 100 bachelor theses, and over 50 master theses. Personally, I have enjoyed the many conversations I had with my students, helping them realize their potential, and seeing them grow and find their own way far and far more than any glowing comment I got on any of my papers. Talking about impact…
And that academic job? Well… several of my PhD-friends have not found an academic job, either. One of them has become a house painter. Last I heard from him was he is now happier than ever before in academia. Let that sink in for while.
Anyway, enough rambling. Time to act like my own age again, and not like grandpa. Folks, it was my pleasure, I'm going to check in on the kids, give them a nightly kiss, and then tuck in for the night. That paper I was going to write can wait until tomorrow 😉


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The great hunt packs not rewarding the rss in full
Bought two of these packs 100 dollar size . One for my acct and one for my wife's both were fraudulent. To many missing pieces to be precise. For example mine was without the keystone soldierpine prayercandles and short on wood and food my wife's lacked similar items but both were missing some the same and some different items.
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Greetings Shadow-God15,
I am sorry that you have had an issue with the packs that were purchased. Please reach out to Customer Support through the in-game Settings menu or our website (go.wbgames.com/support) and they will be able to look into this further. You may want to check this post: https://community.wbgames.com/t5/Support/Customer-Service-Help/m-p/1819951#M5 as it gives details of the different ticket types and their responses e.g. a ticket raised as a "Bug Report" will be used to gather information to fix a bug, but players may not get individual replies.
If you have any further queries, please feel free to respond to this post with your ticket number.
Thank you for your patience.
Man I've honestly had lots of issues were I lost out from purchases and in game issues..... I've sent many I. To y'all through feedback and never received compensation. Today I was told that I never scrolled down far enough and should have been sending them through purchases and currency. I've spent close to 3 thousand American dollars on this game in the last four months and I'm to the point that I won't spend another penny on it untill I'm compensated for this one. I don't know what to do past this and I'm frustrated past looking for more routes to go through. I need wb to step up and help me out for a change. Love the game but this is just about it for
Me. I don't want to have to work to recover the money I spent with y'all that I already had to work for to spend in the first place help me help y'all.
Greetings Shadow-God15,
I am really sorry for the issues that you have had. It can be confusing choosing the correct category for the tickets to be sent, and frustrating when you find out it was sent to the wrong one. What was that ticket number? I know it is probably the last thing you want to do but, if you could please raise a ticket under purchases and reply with that ticket number, then our Support team will do everything in their power to help.
Thank you for your patience.
I proved my claim with screenshots yet they are trying to act like I'm some kind of fool and bought the wrong 100 dollar great hunt pack explaining why my items were missing we both know that y'all dont offer two 100 dollar packs that are the same name name but hold different items at the same time. This is dirty dirty dirty bs that I'm being treated like some idiot or liar when I'm the one that got screwed over by this. I've sent in screenshots as proof and I want my issue resolved. I know people that have been granted stuff by y'all for all diff kind of reasons due to the game but I got screwed on a purchase and I'm a liar apparently.
Like I said I'm well aware . I took pictures of the one I. Ought though before after and of inventory........ I've done this for about two weeks now after I purchased a pack and never received it . But Apple and my bank both caught it no thanks to wb. So since then I've taken sh of every purchase. So like I said above when is wb going to quit playin dumb trying to act like I made a mistake.
I've been told routes to take to stick it back to wb that's not what I want. I just want what's mine. FYI wb I'm not the only one y'all did this too on this pack . I'm in two kingdoms and people are raging over this. Why acre over your dedicated members who are making y'all stupid rich. Unless this is the endgame????
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subset: commoncrawl


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Pay level II
Employee does technical work in the performance of a variety of tasks. Work includes a variety of testing, sampling and analysis of various materials. Knowledge of chemistry and/or other services are required.
1) Takes a variety of samples and develops procedures and techniques for obtaining them.
2) Does a variety of testing/procedures and keeps records of experimental data.
3) Maintains, stocks, and handles laboratory supplies and equipment.
4) May provide tutoring assistance upon request of instructor.
5) May coordinate the activities of one or two other employees under direction of supervisor.
The statement above reflects the general duties considered necessary to describe the principle functions of the job and shall not be construed as a detailed description of all work requirements which may be inherent to the position.


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Ugly God is finally releasing his debut album Bumps & Bruises this summer. As the LP approaches its August 9 release date, The Booty Tape creator has shared the tracklist for the upcoming project.
"'Bumps & Bruises' official tracklist," he announced social media. "14 tracks. 2 features.. 8/9/19."
"Bumps & Bruises" official tracklist.
14 tracks. 2 features.. 8/9/19 pic.twitter.com/wZ7jnbiOcy
— Ugly God (@UglyGod) July 17, 2019
The Houston-bred rapper's first studio album will arrive more than three years after the release of his breakthrough single "Water." Takeoff and Wintertime are the only guests appearing on the LP.
Check out Ugly God's Bumps & Bruises cover art and tracklist below.
1. One Two
2. Jaguar
3. For Real
4. Back To Basics
6. What's Up?
7. Bumps & Bruises (Interlude)
8. Hold Up f. Takeoff
9. Right Now
10. Batman
11. History
12. Outer Space
13. Tell Me How You Feel f. Wintertime
14. Leave A Tip


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Privacy and Cape Cod charm define Shutterbug Cottage, located in peaceful Arch Cape overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Situated just west of Highway 101, the cottage is minutes from Cannon Beach and Manzanita, and only one block from the beach. Offered by Starfish Vacation Rentals, it includes fun amenities for all ages, making it an ideal getaway for families and small groups. 3-Night Minimum.
The cottage has a cozy beach house feel, but it comfortably sleeps eight to ten guests. Its three bedrooms downstairs and large bedroom upstairs meet nearly every sleeping arrangement you need. Adults usually take their pick between the king-sized bed in the master bedroom at one end of the house and the queen-sized bed in the room at the opposite end. Most kids choose to sleep in the big bedroom upstairs, which has three twin beds, one double bed, and a futon. For the littlest pirate or princess, there's a downstairs bedroom with a twin bed and all manner of games, books, and toys for younger kids. Two bathrooms downstairs (one with a shower and one with a shower and tub) and a washer/dryer make cleanliness easy, even at the beach.
The spacious kitchen with its ocean view makes meal preparation a pleasure. The wraparound deck along the west and south sides of the house takes you to a side yard where you can grill dinner on the gas BBQ or just enjoy watching the kids play. There's plenty to do indoors as well. The cottage has an upstairs great room with a satellite-equipped TV, an original record player with tons of classic vinyl records, and a kid's play area with toys, games, and puzzles for all ages. The living room downstairs—with its wood-burning fireplace and comfortable, overstuffed seating for everyone—provides another natural gathering spot.
From the cute décor to the clean, uncluttered feel throughout the house, Shutterbug Cottage reflects the unique appeal of Arch Cape. The beach here is lovely and never crowded, unless you count the wildlife! Guests have seen puffins, sea lions, seals, starfish, sand dollars, and more. Both inside and out, this cottage gives families and friends the perfect place to unwind, let loose, and reconnect.
11 years in business 503-297-4090Contact Manager calendar_today Availability


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It might come as a shock to you, however together with a bit of hula hooping in your day by day routine will include some astonishing health advantages to not mention add somewhat enjoyable to an in any other case uninteresting train routine. It's a poor technique to lose body fats and a real time waster. Sustaining a healthy lifestyle could be a struggle, and the best routine seems to alter on a regular basis. Get the newest recommendations on weight-reduction plan, train and healthy living. Mengelola kegiatan kebugaran Anda, melacak berat badan Anda dan memonitor food regimen Anda menggunakan Samsung Galaxy dan Aksesoris perangkat.
4 keys to a healthy life. Other meals that include saturated fats include dairy products. Over weight persons are at excessive threat of diabetes, high blood pressure and coronary heart illness. Regular exercise is important for bodily fitness and good health. Health Hyperlink works with some PCNs to triage and refer folks to after-hours clinics or an on-call doctor for time-delicate healthcare needs.
Consuming these meals puts 40{ba601f4eef6dcf29d4bac3f598dd469f673e7fd3da074874c4f69300aea6539e} saturated fats into your body. Biomedical: all features of health, bodily and mental, developed inside the human physique as influenced by genetic make-up. I targeted on having a healthy, trim body that I used to be proud of and I celebrated every step in the precise course. Catechins belong to the antioxidant household and work to destroy free-radicals associated with inflicting deadly health situations such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
Ample sleep is a key part of a healthy lifestyle and might benefit your coronary heart, weight, mind, and more. Who're these combatants, and how can we enlist extra of our heroes – antioxidants – to enter the fray, so we are able to feel better and live an extended, healthier life? Samsung Kesehatan menyediakan fitur inti untuk menjaga tubuh Anda match dan sehat.
There's growing agreement within the medical community that mental factors reminiscent of stress considerably contribute to an absence of physical health, and there is a growing movement in mainstream science to fund research on this space. He adds that most individuals do not get enough of protecting meals and their weight-reduction plan is subsequently incomplete and outcomes ultimately in illness.


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0 people have signed
The Amazon Reef is a natural wonder that was discovered at the mouth of the Amazon River. This amazing reef system has formed deep under the muddy water of Amazon River, where no life was thought to be possible. Scientists have so far documented only about 5% of the reef and it is already under the threat of dangerous and destructive oil drilling activity.
The reef needs protection, it needs people, it needs YOU!
I'm happy for Greenpeace India and its representatives to contact me
© Greenpeace India


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Chef Thierry Rautureau set out to create one of the most luxurious, intoxicating, romantic scents of the century, using the art and experience he has as a world class French Chef.
Together, with French trained perfumer Molly Ray they have hand crafted a recipe that will transcend time.
The connection between our experiences with feasting and scent are both equally connected to memory. Both food and fragrance help us remember who we are.
Molly Ray is a highly skilled Seattle based fragrance designer. Molly trained and studied perfumery in prestigious Grasse, France the perfume capital of the world. She truly understands the science of scent.
She creates small batch, hand blended fragrance products in her studio using natural and raw materials for careful composition.
Her fragrance design will move your senses, evoke nostalgia and always take you on a journey.
As Molly says so beautifully, "Perfume was the first love of my life and remains my constant adventure. How thrilling it is to know that there will always be a new fragrance to discover and experience, both for myself and in designing for others."
A respected national figure in corporate sustainability it is only natural that Molly's blends source raw, gourmand, and sustainable materials. Always synthetic free and in tune with your natural body temperature. This truly is a scent blend with the most concern for the customer.
Rautureau truly defines French excellence. He moved to Seattle in 1989 and quickly gained prestige in the industry as the owner of Rover's Restaurant. He won the James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Pacific Northwest in 1998, and has been awarded the Chevalier de l'Ordre Du Mérite Agricole by the French government.
In 2010, Rautureau opened Luc, a French-American café. Being primarily local, seasonal and sustainable, Luc's food is heavily influenced by the French comfort food Rautureau grew up eating on his parents' farm. In 2013 Loulay, Seattle's glamorous French restaurant opened. Named for the town in which Rautureau debuted, Loulay sources local and has broad appeal.
As a chef he has now truly reinvented what defines forward movement in the culinary community. Crafting a scent that will heighten your experience of joy while dining and living.
Chef Rautureau has been featured in Time Magazine, Gourmet, Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, The Wine Spectator, Food Arts, New York Times, Fortune, and Business Week.
Quality should never be a compromise. Our products are made with a blend of notes made from sustainable ingredients perfect for any person. We believe that eco-friendly experiences are not only more pleasurable but promising for a brighter healthier world. From the Chef who helped lead the Strawless in Seattle campaign, Thierry's commitment to this world and the global future reflects in every thing he does, including this beautiful scent.
Our conscious luxury fragrance and product collection is a recipe of harmonious notes inspired by the finest market ingredients that quench your body and room with a burst of passionate zest for an unforgettable experience in taste, scent and joy.
We want you to be completely happy with your shopping experience from order to delivery. If you have questions about our products, delivery, or shipping, get in touch!


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A big thank you to the medical community for giving us a number of reasons to enjoy a glass of red wine, but now there's a new study regarding women and red wine that actually might arouse just as much interest among men as women.
As you know, there's all kinds of evidence that red wine appears to reduce heart disease, ward off food poisoning and even decrease inflammation in women with arthritis.
Now, comes word of a study on women that shows consuming a glass of red wine before dinner may help increase inflammation of a woman's libido as well as help her shed a few pounds. Talk about your win-win!
Ya gotta love the Italians for so many things, and not too surprisingly, it's an Italian study that did the hard research to see if red wine affected a woman's sex drive…something we all would've wagered on anyway, but thank you medical science!
I recently visited a new Texas winery producing what's said to be the healthiest wine available called Tannat. You can see more on my website Goodtaste.tv. While you're there, be sure to sign up for my newsletter. You might win a weekend for two at the Houstonian Hotel and free massages at Trellis Spa.


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Jazz fight but fall to Sixers in summer league
LAS VEGAS – A Utah Jazz staring lineup with an average age of 22, looked, well, young as they kicked off their Summer League debut.
Seven turnovers in the first quarter led to a six-point deficit in favor of the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Jazz ratcheted their defensive effort in quarters two and three but fell to the Sixers 74-70.
"We defended as well as we have," said Jazz head coach Quin Snyder, who sat across the court from the Jazz bench along with Jerry Sloan, Randy Rigby and Dennis Lindsey as assistant Brad Jones coached the team. "It's nice to see that in a game where there's a lot of other things that aren't going your way."
Despite flashes of great cohesiveness between guards Trey Burke and Dante Exum, punctuated by a first quarter alley-oop pass — the first of many "oohs" — the Jazz struggled from long range, finishing 3 for 30 from beyond the arc.
"I thought we got good looks," Snyder said. "I can't remember (seeing) what I'd consider a bad shot. They just didn't go in. That's when it's good to see us play defense."
The Jazz finished with eight steals and four blocked shots.
As much as the large Jazz fan base in attendance may have come to see the fresh Jazz faces, Rudy Gobert quickly reminded them he was still there — and 7-foot-1.
Gobert finished with two blocks, and his offense helped the Jazz to a lead in the third. Gobert finished with 11 points and nine rebounds. Though he did have five fouls — one a technical.
"He got animated when he blocked shots and his level picked up," Snyder said. " We just got to get him to keep that emotional intensity. But he made some really good plays."
Malcolm Thomas led the Jazz with 13 points. He also had eight rebounds.
Jordan McRae and Sean Kilpatrick led the Sixers with 20 points apiece.


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Chronic Pain
There are many factors associated with pain that persists, or chronic pain. It is often accompanied by feelings of fear, anxiety and frustration especially as there is often no easy answer as to why it hasn't gone away. We may move and hold ourselves in ways which may initially help ease the pain but then can put strain elsewhere and actually make it worse. The way we breathe plays a big part in this.
Faulty breathing habits can quite literally be a pain in the neck, or back, or shoulders, or jaw or anywhere else for that matter. Over-breathing alters our body chemistry, in other words the chemical 'soup' all our systems need to work well. It causes muscle tension, cramping, fatigue and over-use often accompanied by poor postures that add to the problem.
What Physio2Breathe can offer you
- How the way you breathe can cause muscle tension and pain
- How to restore natural gentle breathing using correct muscles and movements
- Advice on posture and movement to help strengthen the muscles and support joints
- How to relax the body for repair, rest and recovery to take place
- How to exercise and regain fitness
Capnography Testing - With a simple test we can look at whether your breathing is in balance. Over breathing can lower levels of carbon dioxide in our blood. This can contribute to our experience of pain by causing tight muscles and muscle spasms. It also affects the oxygen supply to every cell in our body.


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Imagine being a tenant-in-common – or TIC – owner and a consultant promises to "save your property." Before you know it, that consultant owns 90 percent of your property.
So what just happened? You've been hit by one of the predators flooding the TIC industry.
These predatory companies enter the picture like wolves stalking their prey, pr with the promise of turning around what is usually a distressed property. However, underneath the wolf's feigned promises of improved management, lies a sinister motive – the desire to acquire the property owned by TIC owners for pennies on the dollar.
Lacking a watchful shepherd, the trusting and inattentive owners sit idly by as the wolf drains reserve accounts and makes unnecessary and predatory loans. Having consumed all the property's resources, the wolf then finishes off its prey by proposing a plan that allows it to acquire part or all of the property's equity or even the property itself.
Changing times
Over the last six years, many TIC owners have been struggling to hold on to their properties. They have funded capital calls, they have changed asset managers, and they have held their breath for an improving economy. When TIC sponsors created the investment programs, they would regularly acquire the property and resell it to the TIC owners only a few days or weeks later for $1 million to $10 million more. Even in a thriving market, it is difficult to justify such an increase in such a short period, and it is nearly impossible for a property to recover from being buried in debt from day one.
Although the economy is now improving, many of these TIC owners remain in the same circumstances, with property values less than, or equal to, the balance of their loans, and with loan terms that are likely maturing on or before 2017. Predatory asset managers and consultants have entered the scene with business plans focused on owning these properties and squeezing out the owners entirely.
Many of the predators are the same companies that originally syndicated the properties to the TIC owners.
As certain sponsors and managers have struggled, many have "sold" their management portfolios to new asset managers. This often happens without approval of the TIC owners or lenders. So, one day, a TIC owner receives a letter from an unknown company saying, "I am your new asset manager," even though the Revenue Procedure requires that all TIC owners unanimously approve the engagement of a new asset manager.
Additionally, loan documents universally require lender approval for a change in asset management. These struggling sponsors, who are seeking to capitalize on their own demise, justify their actions through loopholes they drafted into their own documents. The failing sponsors will engage these new predatory asset managers as "sub-asset managers," which does not require lender or owner approval.
Alternatively, they will simply sell the company that is the asset manager to the new predatory third party. The TIC owners are then forced to work with a new manager that they never met, never approved and do not want. Nevertheless, because the owners are fatigued and not organized as a group, they fail to object and continue to hope for the best. If the TIC owners suspect that their sponsor or asset manager may be insolvent, it is critical for them to get ahead of the game, get professionals involved, and take action.
Upon assuming management, the new asset manager will tout its qualifications and provide assurances and rhetoric about how much better this new asset manager is going to be for the TIC owners. Nevertheless, the business plan of the predator is as follows:
• Take over a portfolio.
• Allow properties to fail through negligence, mismanagement and general lack of attention.
• Drain reserve accounts, make predatory loans, and sometimes even steal operating cash.
• Need for new capital arises, sometimes as a result of predator's actions or inactions.
• Provide new capital in exchange for a huge percentage of the property.
The manager simply blames the economy, the market, or any other number of factors for the property's decline. Not wanting to lose the property to foreclosure, and seeing no other alternative, the owners consent to the predator's plan.
Credibility counts
Of course, the majority of asset managers and consultants in the TIC industry are honorable, credible and have the best interest of the owners at heart. Unfortunately, there are also many who do not. Here are a few tips to identify a credible manager or consultant versus a predator:
• Don't engage anyone that attempts to obtain your engagement through fear.
• View skeptically consultants agreeing to waive fees in exchange for a large percentage of your property.
• A credible asset manager will welcome questions and will not be defensive in answering.
• Be suspicious of any asset manager that incorporates in their agreements the right of the asset manager to purchase interests rather than the other TIC owners.
• Seek an asset manager that will share all financial information on the property and also identities of the other TIC owners.
• Run from any asset manager who bullies owners on calls to accomplish their agenda.
• Be very conscious of double talk and vague answers to specific questions.
Time to act
What can the TIC owner do to protect an interest? First, recognize that a TIC structure under the Revenue Procedure should not create a passive investment. All TIC owners must approve all asset managers and all TIC owners must approve all leases. While TIC owners may have purchased their TIC interest hoping to be a passive investor, they must now become an active and involved owner. The TIC owner cannot rely on anyone else to look out for its best interest. TIC owners are entitled to answers, so ask questions. Don't tolerate being put off or ignored.
TIC owners need to read all of the information that is delivered by the asset manager. The financial statement should show what is going on with the property. Watch the reserve columns. If the property has substantial reserves one month and none the next month, there is a reason. If the owners don't clearly understand the reason, it may be that the asset manager has inappropriately utilized those funds. If the owners have any suspicions, investigate further. A good and honorable asset manager will not shy away from questions about the property or the property's performance. They will welcome active participation by the owners.
Owners should also coordinate among themselves. Ask the asset managers for contact information for fellow owners. Owners should coordinate on a regular basis, without the asset manager involved. Many owners have continuing relationships with the broker dealer and registered representatives that sold them the property. Through their knowledge and contacts in the industry and their history with the property, these brokers can be very valuable assets to the TIC owners. Ask for this help and involvement, particularly with respect to keeping apprised of what is going on in the industry.
Having the owners working together for the benefit of all is of critical importance in obtaining a good outcome.
Finally, if you have reason to suspect something is awry, seek professional guidance. There are a handful of good TIC owner group lawyers and consultants across the country who seek to aid TIC groups in working through challenging situations and defend against predators. The information communicated in this article is not intended to terrorize TIC owners or to imply that all is lost. However, all TIC owners should decide that it is time to become an active owner. Don't let a TIC owners' desire to own passively allow a TIC predator to devour the property.
Coni Rathbone is a real estate and business transactions lawyer in the Portland metro area who specializes in representing tenant-in-common (TIC) owner groups all over the country. Contact her at 503-968-8200 or email her at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Featuring classic prints, the Tamiami features wicking, sun-shielding fabric and a versatile look. Made for comfort, this classic is also incredibly functional for fishing or just enjoying the outdoors.
COOLING Mesh-lined back vents let in and out a cooling breeze in the hottest, muggiest weather.
SUBTLE UTILITY: A rod holder on the chest and plenty of low-profile pockets free up your hands.


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Michele, Ellen, Nathan, Corinne, Marcus and Jennie are friends. All of them live in Chicago. They go out three nights a week, sometimes more. Each of them has had several jobs since college; Ellen is on her 17th, counting internships, since 1996. They don't own homes. They change apartments frequently. None of them are married, none have children. All of them are from 24 to 28 years old.
Thirty years ago, people like Michele, Ellen, Nathan, Corinne, Marcus and Jennie didn't exist, statistically speaking. Back then, the median age for an American woman to get married was 21. She had her first child at 22. Now it all takes longer. It's 25 for the wedding and 25 for baby. It appears to take young people longer to graduate from college, settle into careers and buy their first homes. What are they waiting for? Who are these permanent adolescents, these twentysomething Peter Pans? And why can't they grow up?
Everybody knows a few of them full-grown men and women who still live with their parents, who dress and talk and party as they did in their teens, hopping from job to job and date to date, having fun but seemingly going nowhere. Ten years ago, we might have called them Generation X, or slackers, but those labels don't quite fit anymore. This isn't just a trend, a temporary fad or a generational hiccup. This is a much larger phenomenon, of a different kind and a different order.
Social scientists are starting to realize that a permanent shift has taken place in the way we live our lives. In the past, people moved from childhood to adolescence and from adolescence to adulthood, but today there is a new, intermediate phase along the way. The years from 18 until 25 and even beyond have become a distinct and separate life stage, a strange, transitional never-never land between adolescence and adulthood in which people stall for a few extra years, putting off the iron cage of adult responsibility that constantly threatens to crash down on them. They're betwixt and between. You could call them twixters.
Where did the twixters come from? And what's taking them so long to get where they're going? Some of the sociologists, psychologists and demographers who study this new life stage see it as a good thing. The twixters aren't lazy, the argument goes, they're reaping the fruit of decades of American affluence and social liberation. This new period is a chance for young people to savor the pleasures of irresponsibility, search their souls and choose their life paths. But more historically and economically minded scholars see it differently. They are worried that twixters aren't growing up because they can't. Those researchers fear that whatever cultural machinery used to turn kids into grownups has broken down, that society no longer provides young people with the moral backbone and the financial wherewithal to take their rightful places in the adult world. Could growing up be harder than it used to be?
The sociologists, psychologists, economists and others who study this age group have many names for this new phase of life "youthhood," "adultescence" and they call people in their 20s "kidults" and "boomerang kids," none of which have quite stuck. Terri Apter, a psychologist at the University of Cambridge in England and the author of The Myth of Maturity, calls them "thresholders."
Apter became interested in the phenomenon in 1994, when she noticed her students struggling and flailing more than usual after college. Parents were baffled when their expensively educated, otherwise well-adjusted 23-year-old children wound up sobbing in their old bedrooms, paralyzed by indecision. "Legally, they're adults, but they're on the threshold, the doorway to adulthood, and they're not going through it," Apter says. The percentage of 26-year-olds living with their parents has nearly doubled since 1970, from 11% to 20%, according to Bob Schoeni, a professor of economics and public policy at the University of Michigan.
Jeffrey Arnett, a developmental psychologist at the University of Maryland, favors "emerging adulthood" to describe this new demographic group, and the term is the title of his new book on the subject. His theme is that the twixters are misunderstood. It's too easy to write them off as overgrown children, he argues. Rather, he suggests, they're doing important work to get themselves ready for adulthood. "This is the one time of their lives when they're not responsible for anyone else or to anyone else," Arnett says. "So they have this wonderful freedom to really focus on their own lives and work on becoming the kind of person they want to be." In his view, what looks like incessant, hedonistic play is the twixters' way of trying on jobs and partners and personalities and making sure that when they do settle down, they do it the right way, their way. It's not that they don't take adulthood seriously; they take it so seriously, they're spending years carefully choosing the right path into it.


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After reading the advice on here I figured I should try and work out whether my cervix is high or low... So I poked it for the first time ever (well, that felt weird!) I used my middle finger and had to put pretty much the whole finger in... So does that mean my cervix is high, or about average?
I've only inserted and removed my Mooncup a grand total of 3 times. The first time I didn't push it far enough and it was very uncomfortable at the entrance of my vagina. So the next few times I placed it further in. It was more comfortable (I could just about forget about it) but very difficult to remove. I probably trimmed the stem too much the first time around (whoops) and the cup was quite far inside. I just found it really difficult to reach, grip onto and break the seal. When I finally managed to remove it, it definitely hurt on the way out! I have read the advice to bear down and squeeze the cup to break the seal, so I will keep trying that, but I'm wondering if it might be easier if I could find a cup that's more suitable for my body.
I should point out that I have pretty tense vaginal muscles due to vulvodynia (a vulval pain condition). I am sexually active and do light exercise. I have never given birth. For these reasons I chose the smaller Mooncup (size B) and the diameter seems fine.
I have a moderate flow so I don't necessarily need a cup with a big volume. Just whatever is most comfortable and easy to insert and remove. I'm pretty sure I want to try something softer than the Mooncup so it's mostly size advice I need. I'd really appreciate any suggestions! Thanks in advance.


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Do you have an art related question?
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Church of Serbia – 15/4/19
His Holiness the Serbian Patriarch Irinej visited Orahovac, where he celebrated the Holy Liturgy in the church of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos on April 14, 2019.
A visit to Velika Hoca followed, where both the old and the young welcomed joyously their Patriarch accompanied by Bishop Teodosije, in the church-yard of the Holy Archdeacon Stefan. The girls in the costumes gave them lilac bouquets and offered bread and salt. The Patriarch addressed the gathering, expressing his joy at meeting them, and directed a word of encouragement.
The Patriarch then visited the Decani wine store and the wine store of the Petrovic family, after which he headed towards Zociste.


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Life Saving venture - Public Access Defibrillator for King's Lynn
Life Saving venture - Public Access Defibrillator The Rotary Club of Kings Lynn and friend aim to raise £200.00 to buy a Public Access Defibrillator (PAD) for Kings Lynn Your help would be appreciated
If you wish to donate https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/kldefib
To provide something that everyone hopes will never be needed, may sound slightly crazy, but having a defibrilator situated just where it is needed, when it is needed can save lives.
The Rotary Club of King's Lynn together with friends, aim to raise £2000 to purchase a public access defibrillator (PAD) for King's Lynn.
Many towns and villages in Norfolk already benefit from having access to this vital lifesaving piece of equipment.
A PAD works automatically and is designed to be used by anybody in an emergency before the emergency services can arrive on the scene. It can provide CPR as quickly as possible after a heart attack and can save lives.
To fund this, the idea of a sponsored cycle ride sprang from a challange in 2016 when Rotarian Andy Holford and two friends cycled 150 miles coast to coast from Whitehaven to Tynemouth, raising £900 for "End Polio Now" .
This new venture to cycle around the boundary of Norfolk - some 220 miles in 4 days is, in itself, a challenge for those accompanying Andy, there may not be so many hills, but despite some serious training over the past six months they are not such experienced cyclists as Andy and Wally.
The ride starts on 22nd June at the Rathskeller, on the South Quay, King's Lynn and ends there on 25th June-2017.
At various stages along the way, other cyclists will be joining in, all with the idea of raising as much money as possible and Andy openly invites anyone wishing to join in or to sponsor the event to contact him on 07799 890700 / email: firstname.lastname@example.com or to pop into Geoffrey Collings, Estate Agents Office.
To sponsor an individual or the team on line please log on https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/kldefib.


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To All SDBA Affiliates:
We are pleased to inform you that the Singapore Dragon Boat Association will be conducting the SDBA Helm Accreditation Scheme 2012 from 13th to 14th October 2012.
The application form is attached in this post for your immediate action.
Having accepted to this Scheme, applicants are required to attend a two day series of lecture, written test, practice helm and test on water.
The purpose of this Scheme is not to train helms. The training of helms is the responsibility of the individual affiliate, club or organization.
Prior to attending the workshop of this scheme, each new helm would have the following:
All accepted candidates will be informed of the purpose, overview and the workings of the Accreditation Scheme before the workshop begins.
Please note that the class is only able to accommodate up to a maximum of 20 persons and it will be on a first come first serve basis. The closing date is on Monday, 1st October 2012 at 12.00 pm.
Thank you.


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Every program that you've made seth has had some sort of scripting environment. I thought that it would help to add one to this program as well pref in C++ .
I have this page http://www.2advanced.com/flashindex.htm and it's coded in flash. Now if I could dload the flash page and check the size of it, I could possibly see if there was a change within the macromedia flash page. Same thing with java (not javascript) programs.
I also have this page at www.geocities.com/jneal92/welcome.html. Now the regular guy might think that if he just puts that link in then it will check for both the goto.html bar and the vote bar but it wont. However if I wrote a little spider program that would look for and follow <frame SRC="goto.html"> then I could just add that one page and let the spider do the rest of the work for me.
Anyway, just some suggestions that might make this program even more powerful than it is even though it's pretty good as it is now.


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Review: Ledger Nano S Hardware Bitcoin Wallet
I will start this review honestly. I am a fan of bitcoin but I don't really work with bitcoin, never really charged anyone in bitcoin and only once paid in bitcoin. I literally have 43 dollars in a CoinBase account, not including the 5 dollars I transferred to my ledger Hardware bitcoin wallet.
While not a frequent user of bitcoin, I am however interested in it, I have tried a few times to sink money into it, and while most people are scared by how volatile the bitcoin markets are, I am scared of being hacked or something and losing all my hard earned coin. So when I found out about Ledger I said why not try it out.
Having a hardware wallet ads a huge layer of security, without your hardware, there is no way to transfer out or in any currency. The Ledger Nano S has built into it the same chip technology that your passport and credit card uses. Now you might be wondering, what if the device goes bad, or you lose it. Don't worry you have a backup phrase that will restore your hard earned cryptocurrency to a new device. By the way, it can store over 40 different currencies.
Setting up the Leger Nano S was a bit complicated. You have to connect it to a computer, create a pin, and then verify the passphrase. Maybe it's my bad eyes but it took me nearly 30 minutes to get it set up. But hey in order to protect your hard on digital cash you need to do what you need to do.
The Leger Nano S has a tamper-proof chip, so if it's ever compromised you'd know even if it was put back together perfectly.
The Ledger Live Software which is needed to set up and use the device on the mac is a beautiful piece of software. You install the apps for the currency you use via the Ledger Live software, it's really simple to do.
The ledger app shows you everything you need to know about your accounts, and it's
Feel free to send me some bitcoin! Just kidding. But that is what the app looks like.
Overall the Ledger Nano S is a pretty cool device. I actually like it and will definitely start using bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
I love my Ledger Nano S, and I think you will too and for the $99.99 price
For more info and to get yours visit: https://www.ledger.com/products/ledger-nano-s


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October Lawn Jobs
October is the last month you can guarantee to be able to cut the grass. Growth has slowed down dramatically though this month, so you can usually get away with taking the mower out once a month. Avoid cutting your lawn too short though.
This is also the last month you will be able to tidy the edges and long grass around trees and shrubs, so take out the edging shears and do it or it will look awful by next spring.
Hedges in September
If you did not get around to any major cutting back of hedges there is still time to do it this month. Put any small branches through an electric chipper to turn them into a useful mulch. Put any thicker branches on one side to season and dry out. If you try to burn them this year they will be too full of sap to burn well.
Put the chippings into a spare corner, under a bush or somewhere. They need to START rotting down for 6 months before you can use them as mulch. If you use them straight away they take nitrogen out of the soil as they decay.
Roses in September
In October your roses will be on their last legs, you'll have a few flowers, but it is too early to cut them back for the winter.
Soft fruit in October
You will still have raspberries developing until the end of October. Make sure the blackbirds and starlings can't get to them by covering them with netting.
Check any blackcurrant or redcurrant canes you stuck in the ground, though they take a bit longer to develop proper roots.
October Vegetable Jobs
Your tomatoes will be there, but not ripening. If nights below 50C, 410F threaten then pull off the green tomatoes before the frost gets to them. You can use them to make chutney, or leave them in a cool drawer and they will continue to ripen slowly.
Weed and tidy the vegetable garden.
Compost any waste from the vegetable garden
Shrubs – October Jobs
Make sure any cuttings you planted are still damp.
Annuals – October Jobs
Tidy up the annual beds or leave them for the birds and hedgehogs, whichever you prefer. Compost anything except weeds
General October Garden Jobs
Plant any tulips or daffodils you did not plant in September.
Get the grass rake out every weekend and rake up any leaves that have fallen.
Put the leaves in a separate compost bin to rot down over the next 2 or 3 years.
Turn your compost heap over. Toss it with a garden fork into an adjacent, empty compost bin. This makes sure it is well aerated and will continue to rot down over the winter. It will need tossing again in January.
Saw up more firewood on dry days. Using a bow saw to do this is a great way to keep warm and enjoy the peace of autumn days.
September left-over jobs not done yet, check here
What garden jobs will need to be done in November and December? Sneak preview here


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Stages of a Lawsuit
Insurance companies want to settle claims for as little money as possible, and do not have your best interests in mind. Chanfrau & Chanfrau, serving Daytona Beach, FL, and Palm Coast, will investigate your case before filing a civil complaint on your behalf. We take clients on a contingency fee basis. If we represent you, we expect to win.Read More
Common Questions
Our attorneys have successfully represented personal injury victims for more than 30 years. We understand the questions people have when they are considering a personal injury lawsuit, and we offer potential clients a free consultation and initial case evaluation by one of our lawyers.Read More
Construction Accidents
There is a high rate of injury in the construction industry, and an on-the-job accident can sometimes result in substantial or even permanent loss of wages for a construction worker. If negligence or faulty equipment contributes to an incident that harms you, a personal injury lawsuit can help.Read More
Child Injuries
Child injuries and fatalities are most commonly caused by automobile accidents, bike accidents, and drownings, particularly in private pools. A child can also be harmed by a defective product, commonly a toy or playground equipment. In some tragic cases, a child is the victim of abuse.Read More
Wrongful Death
There is no way to put a price on the loss of a beloved family member, and facing an accidental death is especially difficult. Over the years, our Daytona Beach firm has helped numerous families with wrongful death cases and although the financial compensation cannot bring a loved one back, it can help with expenses.Read More
Shaken Baby Syndrome
Statistics from the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome show that nearly 1,400 babies are treated for shaken baby syndrome each year, and 25-30% percent die from their injuries. This form of child abuse is a crime, and should be criminally prosecuted as well as pursued in a civil complaint.Read More
Sexual Child Abuse
Our Daytona Beach firm has handled dozens of cases of sexual child abuse, pursuing caregivers, family members, and serial predators - anyone who has physically and emotionally damaged a child with this devastating form of abuse. This type of injury is difficult to treat, and the effects can be long-lasting.Read More
Nursing Home Negligence
State and federal laws mandate certain standards of care for the elderly residents of nursing homes. Unfortunately, these laws are violated everyday, and instead of compassionate, professional care, many nursing home patients suffer abuse and neglect at the hands of their caregivers.Read More
Medical Malpractice
We trust doctors, hospital personnel, and pharmacists with our health and the health of our families, but in some cases, the these professionals result in serious harm. An alarming number of injuries and deaths that occur in a hospital setting can be attributed to doctor and hospital staff error.Read More
DeLand Personal Injury Attorney
A personal injury attorney at Chanfrau & Chanfrau law firm can represent you if you have been injured due to a third party's fault or negligence, seeking fair compensation for damages including medical bills, loss of wages, pain and suffering, and more.Read More
Port Orange Injury Lawyer
Personal injury cases can range from auto to construction accidents and can cause grievous bodily injury, as well as pain and suffering. The team at Chanfrau & Chanfrau law firm can help seek the compensation you need and deserve to start rebuilding your life.Read More
Palm Coast Injury Attorney
Auto accidents and other incidents affect residents of Palm Coast far too often. Our attorneys have been serving the community for decades and strive to not only hold negligent parties responsible but also make the area safer. Chanfrau & Chanfrau can help you begin healing.Read More
Flagler Beach Injury Attorney
Our attorneys can assist residents and visitors alike in the Flagler Beach area. Common personal injury cases include car accidents, truck accidents, slip and falls, and dog bites. Trust your case to a dedicated team whose roots extend into the local legal community for generations.Read More
Bunnell Injury Lawyer
Our legal team is proud to serve Bunnell and surrounding communities. Whether you need help for an auto accident or have been harmed at the hands of a medical professional, allow our attorneys to focus on paperwork and other legal action while you and your family begin recovering.Read More


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Honour one another
"Be devoted to one another in love. Honour one another above yourselves." Romans 12:10, NIV These, and similar verses, sum up the culture of 'team' that we've been building in our worship team at Family Church. It's not about the job we're doing but who we're doing it with and who we're doing it for.


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When it comes to planning out the holiday season, there are just some years where heading someplace tropical is extremely appealing. Trading in Christmas trees for palm trees and snow for sand can be super satisfying, and we want to help you make your holiday getaway dreams into reality. It's one thing to consider heading to a tropical locale to celebrate, it's a whole other thing to settle on the where.
Holidays in Curacao? Yes! Here's Why
Which is where we come in. Let us explain in five easy points exactly why the Caribbean island of Curacao is the ideal where for your holiday getaway needs.
Explore Curacao Resort Deals >>
Very Few Visitors During Thanksgiving
While traveling in the U.S., for example, is extremely pricey and crowded during Thanksgiving time-frame, it is usually a steal of a deal to get down to the Caribbean. Generally speaking, Curacao is light on visitors throughout November, yet the island is experiencing delightful weather coming out of the rainy season. November is a fabulous time to visit, you'll feel as though you have the island all to yourselves.
In general, Curacao is a much more off-the-beaten-track destination than most other islands in the Caribbean. What that means for you and your loved ones is that you won't be stuck with a kitschy, tourist-focused environment. Curacao doesn't pander to visitors, but rather offers to share its true spirit with whoever visits. Since the island doesn't spend a ton of time or resources marketing itself to tourists, it remains relatively uncrowded year-round. Take your time planning well in advance, or book your ticket and jet-off last minute, either way, you'll have an incredible holiday experience on Curacao.
RELATED: Beautiful Beaches and Six Other Reasons to Visit Curacao
Blend of Activities
What we've noticed over the years is that Curacao's array of activities makes it extra appealing to vacationers, especially those with a group. If some of your group wants to swim and play in the sea all day, every day, they can, but if dad and grandpa want to go peruse a museum or two instead, they can. The foodies in your group will be in heaven at the floating market and in the capital, Willemstad. Adrenaline junkies will be satiated with scuba diving, and mountain biking. You can spend your days at the spa refreshing your mind, body, and spirit if you feel so inclined. Whatever you, or anyone else in your group, wishes to do, it can all be done.
Easy to Relax or Not
A holiday vacation means something different to everyone. For some, it means relaxing pool or beachside, the majority of the time. Others wish for more of a blend between action and relaxation, which is what Curacao does best. You can easily switch from a restorative beach lounging day to a sailing adventure across the open sea in search of a nearby abandoned tiny island. Or, spend the first half of your day snorkeling just off the shore of your resort, and the second half dining and drinking gazing down upon the ocean from above.
RELATED: Colorful Curacao Offers Culture, History, and Utter Relaxation
Plenty of Space to Be Traditional
Many families, groups, and couples who visit during the holidays still wish to celebrate in traditional ways. For example, those who visit over Christmas may wish to set up a small tree, open gifts, share sweet treats, etc. That is all possible as long as you stay at a resort such as Santa Barbara Beach & Golf Resort, where the rooms are spacious and the hotel staff are able to accommodate just about anything!
This holiday season, leave it all behind, stress, busy schedule, material goods, and jet over to Curacao for an unforgettable vacation. Spend your days strolling the beach, watching stunning sunsets, and being as active or inactive as your heart desires. Have the island mostly to yourselves, and savor the cheer of the season from one of the most idyllic places on Earth.


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ʽʽHi, I'm Benjamin Nunn – critic, gourmand and author of Ben Viveur. I like to eat and drink. And cook. And write.
You might have read me in an in-flight magazine, or a beer publication, but here on my own blog I'm liberated from the editorial shackles of others so anything goes.
I deal with real food and drink in the real world, aiming to create recipes that taste awesome, but which can be created by mere mortals without the need for tons of specialist equipment and a doctorate in food science. Likewise, I tend to review relaxed establishments that you might visit on a whim without having to sell your first-born, rather than hugely expensive restaurants and style bars in the middle of nowhere with a velvet rope barrier, a stringent dress code and a six-month waiting list!
There's plenty of robust opinion, commentary on the world of food and drink, and lots of swearing, so look away now if you're easily offended.
Otherwise, tuck your bib in, fill your glass and turbo-charge your tastebuds. We're going for a ride... Ben Appetit!
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
No more paltry poultry
In Britain we eat more than a pound per person per week, but the vast majority is consumed as a staple commodity, without pride or pleasure. It's the 'sliced white' of the meat industry, for sure.
We're happy eating it in nugget, tikka or Coronation form, but are we maybe doing a disservice to the humble chicken by passing it off as a mere canvas for more interesting things? I like a Chicken Jalfrezi and I'll happily polish off a giant plate of buffalo wings. But, let's be honest, none of these are really about the chicken, are they?
A nicely roasted free-range chicken can be a thing of beauty for sure, but we hardly ever eat it these days. Sadly, we're far more likely to be stopping off at Chicken Cottage at 2AM for cheap battery chicken scraps, where the lack of underlying flavour is concealed by swathes of fat and a secret blend of herbs and spices. It's depressing; probably more so if you're a chicken!
Friday, January 8, 2016
Libertarian rantings
Top of the list is the lowering of the 'recommended drinking limits', which were already impractically low, to the point where no amount of alcohol is now considered safe, and neither men nor women should regularly consume more than 14 units a week. One glass of wine or a pint of weak beer per day, basically.
Government guidelines. The very phrase makes me reach for a glass. And as usual, the science backing it up is pretty dubious when you actually scrutinise it.
Monday, January 4, 2016
BV's best beers of 2015
Or maybe it's just because it was a year with lots crammed into it, like a bulging Temporal Christmas Stocking. Perhaps with crudely-wrapped action figures all poking out the sides and distorting the very fabric of time?
I got to visit 12 new countries during the 12 months. That was pretty cool. And I finally ate in the House of Commons' Members Dining Room, and invented the Pimms Lagerita.
So, yes, it's been quite a year, but the backdrop to any sort of existence is, of course, beer, and this is the time when I traditionally tell you all what the best ones were. Well, the best new beers I sampled during the year, obviously. I seldom retread.


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defense, like charity, used to begin at home
We might have enjoyed a golden age, but instead we have been condemned by small, stupid, and evil minds to bear the burden of a new, unspecific [hot and] cold war all over the world.
When the soviet regimes collapsed, as this excellent Craig S. Smith report in today's NYTimes sadly reminds us, we fumbled an extraordinary opportunity of a kind and on a scale never before offered to a civilization.
After the fall of the Berlin Wall, as Soviet troops withdrew from Eastern Europe and America began to talk about closing bases in Germany, Europe looked as if it might become the big, peaceful, postmodern federation that European Union architects had long dreamed of: a humanist club where conflicts at home and abroad would be resolved by talking everything to death instead of killing.I have to add that the U.S. missed the even larger possibility fifteen years ago of helping all the people of the Russian federation to become full partners in that "humanist club" and to share in the security, prosperity and culture of a flourishing and vibrant civilization. It could have created a system which would offer to the greater world community a selfless beneficence and opportunities for indigenous development on a scale unimagined and certainly unprecedented. The most enlightened expectation and happiest consequence would have been seeing the character of the dominant culture itself peacefully re-shaped by the rich diversity of the peoples of a thriving globe.
Then the Balkans blew up and the United States military stepped in to stop a war that Europe seemed incapable of facing. That frustrated Russia, which supported Serbia in the war, but Russia could not offer much help because it was still impotent and staggering from the collapse of its Soviet empire.
Now Russia is rich with oil and gas and its military spending is soaring.
Instead, we got George H. W. Bush, William Jefferson Clinton and George W. Bush. We also got the incompetence and malignancy of Russian leadership, too many small-minded men and women in all European governments, some incredibly inept, even vile, leaders in Eastern and Southeastern Europe, and powerless or indifferent populations almost everywhere. But it was up to America to lose the game.
And we did it big.
So far we've avoided nuclear annihilation, but we got a rogue Russia and a rogue U.S., a fake "war on terror", a religious war, a new economic imperialism battling its opponents all over the world, a renewed arms race and a "missile shield" (along with their truly prohibitive costs which empty every nation's social treasury), a cultural war, and finally, and almost certainly most fatally for us all, the predicted death of the planet itself, all remedies neglected or spurned because of the distractions of our other fratricidal frailties.
The Times article is ostensively about a specific U.S. program, but the first paragraphs tell us as much about what I've called "small, stupid, and evil minds" as it does about this administration's European "missile defense shield" program.
Much of Europe is arguing over a Washington proposal to plant in Poland fewer than a dozen antimissile missiles that might not work, to guard against an Iranian threat that may not exist.But the entire system is in fact a big, very costly joke.
The main party in Polands governing coalition is inclined to accept the deal, and the countrys president, Lech Kaczynski, known in Europe for his fierce conservatism and nationalist talk, has been invited to the White House in July to talk things over with President Bush.
The Czech Republics fragile government coalition, meanwhile, has agreed to negotiate placement of high-powered American tracking radar on its soil despite widespread local opposition. The radar, now in the Marshall Islands, would help guide the antimissile missiles from Poland to hit and destroy their fast-moving targets in outer space.
The European missile shield would be part of an integrated system that is already taking shape in California and Alaska, where the United States expects to deploy 30 long-range interceptors to guard against missile attack by the end of 2008.
Washington says the Eastern European system could act in time to protect most of Europe and all of the United States and even much of Russia from a nuclear attack by Iran, that is, if Iran ever developed or obtained nuclear weapons and rockets with a range long enough to reach those targets, as well as a desire to fire them. They dont have those armaments now, but they might by 2015, the Bush administration says.
The 10 interceptor missiles that Washington is proposing to put in Poland could hardly stop Russias hundreds of intercontinental ballistic missiles in the event of all-out war.Is insanity or calculation? For over six years, on almost everything they've done, the Bushies have absolutely confounded my ability to decide.
The American antimissile missiles will be placed too close to Russia to be of use against ICBMs fired from anywhere west of the Ural Mountains. If they work, though, the antimissile missiles in Alaska and California could stop a Russian ICBM fired in Americas direction from east of the Urals. The fact is that in tests the antimissile missiles dont work much of the time, and when they do it is under controlled circumstances that are far from typical in an actual attack.
[image of detail from early 17th-century Flemish map of Ostend defense ramparts from search.com]