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At GTC 2012 (GPU Technology Conference), NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsun Huang in his keynote speech introduced VGX technology to power cloud computing VDI (virtual desktop infrastructure).
NVIDIA VGX is based on NVIDIA's new Kepler GPU architecture that also powers the latest NVIDIA gaming GPUs like the Geforce GTX 680. VGX technology is primarily meant for enterprises who want to deliver remote desktop connections to GPU powered servers that reside in cloud computing data centers. VGX enables IT departments to deliver a virtualized desktop with the graphics and GPU computing performance of a PC or workstation to employees using any connected device. But NVIDIA also intends to use the VGX tech for their Geforce GRID cloud gaming technology.
In a demo, NVIDIA showed off an iPad running Citrix Receiver connected to the VGX virtual GPU and displayed a 3D simulation running in Autodesk Maya on Windows that ran in real time.
A second demo showed Grady Cofer (visual effects supervisor at Industrial Light & Magic) using a Macbook Air to remotely access the ILM render farm to make changes to scenes from The Avengers and Battleship in real-time.
Not only has NVIDIA revealed their Geforce GRID cloud gaming technology that provides OnLive's competitors in the cloud gaming arena with competitive tech, with NVIDIA VGX they also intend to provide Citrix and fellows with something that can take on OnLive Desktop. Especially for Citrix, OnLive Desktop is a thorn in the foot as they strugle to come up with a VDI product that can compete on a technical level with OnLive Desktop. Of course this doesn't mean that OnLive won't license and purchase the tech from NVIDIA when it fits their needs and I'm sure NVIDIA will be quite happy to sell it to them.
Apart from Citrix, NVIDIA is also working with VMware and Microsoft to deploy their VGX platform.
With the NVIDIA VGX platform in the data center, employees can now access a true cloud PC from any device -- thin client, laptop, tablet or smartphone -- regardless of its operating system, and enjoy a responsive experience for the full spectrum of applications previously only available on an office PC.
NVIDIA VGX enables knowledge workers for the first time to access a GPU-accelerated desktop similar to a traditional local PC. The platform's manageability options and ultra-low latency remote display capabilities extend this convenience to those using 3D design and simulation tools, which had previously been too intensive for a virtualized desktop.
Integrating the VGX platform into the corporate network also enables enterprise IT departments to address the complex challenges of BYOD -- employees bringing their own computing device to work. It delivers a remote desktop to these devices, providing users the same access they have on their desktop terminal. At the same time, it helps reduce overall IT spend, improve data security and minimize data center complexity.
"NVIDIA VGX represents a new era in desktop virtualization," said Jeff Brown, general manager of the Professional Solutions Group at NVIDIA. "It delivers an experience nearly indistinguishable from a full desktop while substantially lowering the cost of a virtualized PC."
The VGX platform addresses key challenges faced by global enterprises, which are under constant pressure both to control operating costs and to use IT as a competitive edge that allows their workforces to achieve greater productivity and deliver new products faster. Delivering virtualized desktops can also minimize the security risks inherent in sharing critical data and intellectual property with an increasingly internationalized workforce.
NVIDIA VGX is based on three key technology breakthroughs:
- NVIDIA VGX Boards. These are designed for hosting large numbers of users in an energy-efficient way. The first NVIDA VGX board is configured with four GPUs and 16 GB of memory, and fits into the industry-standard PCI Express interface in servers.
- NVIDIA VGX GPU Hypervisor. This software layer integrates into commercial hypervisors, such as the Citrix XenServer, enabling virtualization of the GPU.
- NVIDIA User Selectable Machines (USMs). This manageability option allows enterprises to configure the graphics capabilities delivered to individual users in the network, based on their demands. Capabilities range from true PC experiences available with the NVIDIA standard USM to enhanced professional 3D design and engineering experiences with NVIDIA Quadro or NVIDIA NVS GPUs.
The NVIDIA VGX platform enables up to 100 users to be served from a single server powered by one VGX board, dramatically improving user density on a single server compared with traditional virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) solutions. It sharply reduces such issues as latency, sluggish interaction and limited application support, all of which are associated with traditional VDI solutions.
With the NVIDIA VGX platform, IT departments can serve every user in the organization -- from knowledge workers to designers ---with true PC-like interactive desktops and applications.
NVIDIA VGX Boards
NVIDIA VGX boards are the world's first GPU boards designed for data centers. The initial NVIDIA VGX board features four GPUs, each with 192 NVIDIA CUDA architecture cores and 4 GB of frame buffer. Designed to be passively cooled, the board fits within existing server-based platforms.
The boards benefit from a range of advancements, including hardware virtualization, which enables many users who are running hosted virtual desktops to share a single GPU and enjoy a rich, interactive graphics experience; support for low-latency remote display, which greatly reduces the lag currently experienced by users; and, redesigned shader technology to deliver higher power efficiency.
Traditional VDI experience has been challenged by the long latencies associated with both the network and rendering, capturing, and encoding in the server. The new NVIDIA Kepler architecture addresses these delays with integrated, low-latency remote display capabilities. This performance greatly benefits professional clouds for workstation and business desktops by improving the user experience to a level where corporate-wide LAN and WAN deployments are finally possible. The Kepler GPU architecture also includes a high-performance H.264 encoder engine that's capable of encoding simultaneous streams with superior quality. This provides a giant leap forward in cloud server efficiency by offloading the CPU from encoding functions and allowing the encode function to scale with the number of GPUs in a server. Plus, the on-chip encoder can be fed in a single pass via low-latency capture.
Optimizing performance per watt demanded an entirely new approach to power management. Every hardware unit in Kepler is designed from the ground up to provide outstanding results, including the revolutionary new streaming multiprocessor, called "SMX". The result is an innovative, proven solution that delivers revolutionary performance per watt for the enterprise data center.
NVIDIA VGX GPU Hypervisor
The NVIDIA VGX GPU Hypervisor is a software layer that integrates into a commercial hypervisor, enabling access to virtualized GPU resources. This allows multiple users to share common hardware and ensure virtual machines running on a single server have protected access to critical resources. As a result, a single server can now economically support a higher density of users, while providing native graphics and GPU computing performance.
The NVIDIA VGX GPU Hypervisor - based on NVIDIA's new Kepler GPU architecture - and the NVIDIA driver enable the virtual machine to talk directly to a GPU. Creating, for the first time, a true PC experience in the cloud.
This new technology is being integrated by leading virtualization companies, such as Citrix, to add full hardware graphics acceleration to their full range of VDI products.
NVIDIA User Selectable Machines
NVIDIA USMs allow the NVIDIA VGX platform to deliver the advanced experience of professional GPUs to those requiring them across an enterprise. This enables IT departments to easily support multiple types of users from a single server.
USMs allow better utilization of hardware resources, with the flexibility to configure and deploy new users' desktops based on changing enterprise needs. This is particularly valuable for companies providing infrastructure as a service, as they can repurpose GPU-accelerated servers to meet changing demand throughout the day, week or season.
"Desktop virtualization is rapidly becoming mainstream for enterprises. By leveraging the NVIDIA VGX platform, combined with XenDesktop and HDX technologies, we are enabling enterprise customers to virtually deliver graphics-intensive apps beyond power users and designers. Now, they can also serve users who require only occasional access to graphics-intensive apps, which previously would have been cost-prohibitive. The combined virtual desktop solution for serving these users can be reduced by up to 80 percent, while enabling users to securely access GPU-accelerated apps from any device," said Sumit Dhawan, vice president and general manager of Receivers and Gateways at Citrix.
"NVIDIA virtualized GPU technology aligns with Cisco's vision of cloud and delivery of desktop and rich-media applications. GPU virtualization is the one major technology challenge that has been holding back deeper adoption of VDI in the enterprise. We believe NVIDIA's breakthrough will deliver the unique user experience and ease of management customers have been demanding," said David Yen, senior vice president and general manager of Data Center Business Group at Cisco.
"Virtual desktop environments can enable mobile workforces to perform tasks more efficiently. With HP VirtualSystem utilizing HP Blade Servers and the NVIDIA VGX platform, clients can easily deploy a simplified virtualized environment that quickly delivers the information or applications users need," said Chuck Smith, vice president of Worldwide Industry Standard Servers at HP.
The NVIDIA VGX platform, including new NVIDIA VGX boards, the NVIDIA VGX GPU Hypervisor and NVIDIA USMs, is planned to be available for deployment across the enterprise through NVIDIA's hardware OEM and VDI partners later this year. Additional information is available at www.nvidia.com/object/vdi-desktop-virtualization.html.


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In this privacy policy, we explain how we collect and use your personal information. This privacy policy applies to all personal information we process about you when you rent a yacht with us, purchase or use our services, visit our website, call us, e-mail us, use our app or otherwise interact with us.
Personal information
We may collect and process the following categories of personal information:
Name, passport number, and other identifying information. For example, we may record your name, title, gender, and date of birth, your nationality, country of residence and passport number.
Your contact details and personal account or registration details. Your contact details may include your address, telephone number, and email address. When you create a login or register for our service, we may also record your sign in details and other information you fill out on your account or registration form.
Information about your bookings and purchases. When you book a boating holiday with us, we process your booking information. This information may include details about your boat, prices and the date of your booking. Besides, we process information concerning your reservation (such as crew list and sailing license) and extra service you purchase (such as insurance or Transfer).
Information about your Sailing Holiday. When you travel with us, we process information about your journey. Such as your travel itinerary, (online) check-in, your (mobile) voucher, and your crew members. We may also record any of your specified needs and any additional assistance you require.
When we communicate with you. When you send us an email or chat with us online or via social media, we register your conversation with us. We also register your communication preferences. For example when you unsubscribe from one of our newsletters or when you choose to receive your booking related communication (such as confirmation, check-in notification, voucher, and changes in your Sailing Holiday) by other channels than email (such as WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger, Instagram or SMS). When you call us, our Service Centre will register your questions or complaints in our customer database. We may also record telephone calls for training purposes.
Information we collect when you use our website, app and other digital media
•When you visit our site or use our mobile app, we may register your IP address, browser type, operating system, referring website, web-browsing behavior, and app use. We also collect information via cookies and similar technologies when you visit our website or use our mobile app.
• We may receive an automatic notification when you open our emails or click on a link in such emails.
• With your permission, we may also obtain your location data.
Information concerning social media
Depending on your social network settings we may receive information from your social network provider. For example, when you sign in for our services using a social network account, we may receive your social network profile including your contact details, interests and contacts. For more information on the personal data that we collect from your social network provider and how to change your settings, please check the website and privacy policy of your social network provider (for example Facebook, Google+ and Instagram).
The information you choose to share with us
You may want to share information with us, for example when you share your interests and preferences with us, leave a comment for us on Facebook or review websites, fill out a customer survey or submit an entry for an online contest.
Sensitive information
Specific types of personal information we collect and use, such as data revealing racial or ethnic origin or data concerning health, can be considered 'special categories of personal data' under applicable data protection law.
We may be required to collect, use and share your categories of data with third parties for the purposes as described in this privacy policy (please see below). For example, to provide you with assistance or facilities during your sailing holiday, which is appropriate for your medical needs or your insurance during your sailing holidays.
How we collect your data
We collect the categories as mentioned earlier of personal data in the following ways:
We collect data you provide to us
When you book a sailing holiday with us, when you create an online account, contact our Service Centre, subscribe to receive our emails or mobile push notifications, register for one of our sailing holidays or participate in a promotional contest. When you use our website or mobile app, we collect information through cookies and similar technologies.
From partners
We receive your data from our booking partners and other companies connected with facilitating your travel arrangements. We accept your data from these parties to handle your bookings and to fulfill your travel arrangements and purchases. For example, when you book a yacht through a partner portal, we receive your identifying information and booking details from them.
Depending on your social network settings, we may receive information from your social network provider Please see 'The types of personal data we process' above.
Why do we use your data
Our primary objectives for which we use your personal information are:
1. To provide our online services and mobile app to you
For example, we use your name and Booking details when you check-in for your Sailing Holiday online or true the App. Some of our online services and our app use your location, for example, to show you the nearest gas station or Marina.
To facilitate your use of our services, we may analyze the data we collect when you use our digital media and combine it with information collected through cookies and related technologies. For example, to understand which digital channel (email, social media) or device (desktop, tablet or mobile) you prefer so that we can narrow our communication to that channel or medium.
2. To provide our services to you
To handle your reservation and to fulfill your Sailing Holiday arrangements and purchases, we need to process most of the information described above. For example, we need your name, passport number and other identifying information to issue your voucher and local papers to charter a yacht. To confirm your sailing holiday and to inform you about changes, we need your contact details. Moreover, to ensure that you receive the required care, we require your specified medical needs when required.
3. For statistical research
We use automatic tools to conduct statistical research into general trends regarding the use of our services, website, app and social media and the behavior and preferences of our customers and users.
To perform our research, we may use the personal data described above, including your sailing holiday data (such as date of booking, time of arrival, origin, destination, number and age of people from your crew list, type of Yacht, purchased extras and information about you (gender, zip code). We combine this data with data that we collect with cookies and similar technologies when you visit one of our websites or use our app. Moreover, we mix it with data collected by third-party providers using analytical or marketing cookies or similar technologies.
We only use aggregated data for our analysis and do not use your name or email address. Without your permission, we will not use sensitive data for this analytical research.
We use for example your sailing holiday booking data and the extras you select (Outboard engine, Insurance) to improve our services and provide more suitable proposals. For instance, if our analysis shows that sailors love to have an outboard with their dingy, we may include this more prominently in our offers for free. We furthermore use customer reviews to measure customer satisfaction so that we can improve our service for Sailing Holidays around the globe. Cookies and similar technologies we use to evaluate how our website visitors navigate our site, so we can make it easy to use.
We process your data for our legitimate interests to develop better services and offers for our customers and partners, to provide more active customer support and to improve the design and content of our websites and apps.
Right to protest
You have the right to protest, on grounds relating to your distinct situation, at any time for the processing of your data for statistical research.
We use your data to send you updates and special offers personalized to your interests for Sailing Holidays or extra services.
E-mail or by postal mail
When you book a sailing holiday, we will send you special personalized offers for Sailing Holiday related products and services in our Sailing Holidays booking relevant emails. For example, before your Sailing Holiday starts, we will send you an email with a packing list, briefing and crew list.
Updates and Special offers
You may also receive emails from us (unless you opt-out during the booking procedure) with updates and special offers tailored to your interest. For example, we send you personalized suggestions for your next Sailing Holiday or keep you informed on exciting boating destinations, and the latest news about Sailing Holidays. With your approval, we may also send you emails with special offers tailored to your interest from our partners. For example our partner like Marina's, Local restaurants, Insurance for you Sailing holiday.
We may also use other communication channels to send you personalized Advertisements and special offers, such as postal mail or, with your consent, social channels (for example Facebook Messenger, SMS, Instagram, webchat or WhatsApp).
Combine data
We use your contact details to communicate with you. To understand what is relevant to you, we use automatic tools to analyze your data. For this purpose, we may use the levels of personal data described above, including your sailing holiday booking data (such as date of start, date of check-out, destination, crew-list data), paid extras (outboard, transfer), information about you and the interests and preferences you shared with us (such as favorites list, preferred yachts, and favorite destinations). We combine this data with data that we collect with cookies and similar technologies when you visit our website or use our app. We merge it with data obtained by third-party providers using analytical or marketing cookies or related technologies. Without your permission, we will not use your sensitive data.
In our communication, we include personalized offers from our websites and our partners relating to our Sailing Holidays, Extra services and products. For example, we may include suggestions for our own paid extras (insurances, maps) or transfer services, insurances and other related services offered by third parties. These offers tailored to your interests. For example, we may send you (unless you opt-out during the booking procedure) an email after you return from your sailing trip with offers based on your sailing history to inspire you for your sailing holiday. With your permission, we may also share non-personalized information (Sailing destinations, travel date) with our partners so they can offer you with a relevant choice of Services, Yachts, Boat Trips during your trip. Tubber BV sends all communication, no contact details are shared with our partners for this purpose without your permission. More information on our partners and the products and services they offer is given when you subscribed and published on our websites.
We process your data as described in this paragraph for our legitimate interest and the interests of third parties to provide you with relevant updates and offers.
Opt-in and opt-out, unsubscribe and right to object. We only send you emails with updates and special offers if you did not opt-out during the sales procedure. You can unsubscribe from these emails with updates and special offers, any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in the email, by adjusting your communication preferences in your account (if available), or by contacting us (please see 'Your Rights' below). When you unsubscribe, you will still receive our booking and related service emails (such as your boat booking confirmation, voucher, password, service emails and review mail). You may object to the use of your data for direct marketing purposes anytime (please see below 'Your rights').
Other direct marketing purposes
This paragraph describes specific examples of our use of your data for other direct marketing purposes.
Marketing cookies
Our websites use marketing cookies which are typically placed by advertising networks. These networks are companies which act as intermediaries between Tubber and advertisers. These marketing cookies are amongst others used to show relevant, personalized advertisements or sailing holiday offers (based on your visit to and click behavior on our websites) when you visit those networks or connected websites. For example, when you visit our blog article about Greece, we will show you banners with specials from Greece.
Linked site behavior
If you log in to our website using your Tubber account or if you visit our websites via a link in an email, we will link your site behavior to your Sailing Holiday booking data in our database. We mainly use this data to exclude you from further advertising once you have booked a sailing holiday. For example, when you search for a yacht in Croatia on Tubber.com, marketing cookies will be used to show you relevant advertisement. When you reserve a yacht through one of our other websites or with one of our brands, we will stop displaying you further advertisements via marketing cookies based on your search behavior on our main website.
Abandoned cart in booking process.
When you break off your booking procedure on our website, we will send you a personalized email with a link to your booking procedure, so you can continue where you left off.
Custom audience targeting
We may participate in Facebook's Custom Audience program, which enables us to display personalized Advertisements on your timeline. With your consent, we may share your email address with Facebook to allow Facebook to determine if you have a Facebook account. To determine our audience, we may use your booking data from your Sailing Holiday. Learn more about how Facebook uses your data for this purpose and how you can control how information about you is used by Facebook to personalize the Advertisements you see. You can also check the Facebook privacy policy. We may also use similar programs from other social networks. You may withdraw your consent for participation in our Facebook Custom Audience program and similar programs by sending us an email (please see 'Your Rights' below) from the email address you are withdrawing consent for or block the advertisement on Facebook. You may also have provided consent for receiving personalized ads on your Facebook timeline or as part of your use of other social networks via our cookie policy.
To communicate with you
We use your contact details to communicate with you about our services or after sales, to answer your questions or to handle your complaints.
Legal basis, record keeping and to comply with statutory obligations
We collect, use and store your data to comply with the legal obligations we are subject to, if necessary for our legitimate interests or the interests of a third party or by your consent. We collect, store and use your data for internal business purposes, such as record keeping and to comply with our legal and fiscal obligations. We may be required by law to collect and share your identifying information and your booking and Sailing Holiday information with public authorities or governmental organizations for border control, immigration, entering the territory of a State, security or combatting terrorism.
If you refuse to provide personal data that we require for your sailing holiday or compliance with a legal obligation, we may not be able to provide your Sailing Holiday or services you have requested from us. For example, we may have to cancel your Sailing Holiday, or we may not be able to provide you with the extra services requested by you. If you provide incomplete or inaccurate information, we may be forced to deny you to leave the harbor with your boat.
You may withdraw your consent at any time by following the specific instructions concerning the processing for which you provided your consent. For example, by clicking the unsubscribe link in the email, adjusting your communication preferences in your account (if available) or by changing your smartphone settings (for mobile push notifications and location data).
When we process your data for our legitimate interests or the interests of a third party, we have balanced these interests against your legitimate interests. Where necessary we have taken appropriate measures to limit implications and prevent unwarranted harm to you. Our legitimate interests may, for example, include security and safety purposes or to provide better services and offers to you.
Disclosing or sharing data with third parties
We may disclose or share your data with our brands, Boat Owners, your travel agents, Yacht Insurance company, Transfer partners for the following purposes.
We use third parties to provide our services, such as IT suppliers, social network providers, marketing agencies, credit and charge card companies and anti-fraud screening service providers. All such third parties will be required to safeguard your data adequately and only process it following our instructions.
Research and direct marketing
We may share your data with group companies and third parties for statistical analysis and direct marketing.
To secure order and safety during Yacht Charter
To facilitate your Sailing Holiday bookings
To handle your reservations and to fulfill your travel arrangements and purchases, we must share your data with our brands, boat owners, transfer operators and other companies involved in facilitating your travel arrangements for you Sailing Holiday.
Third party websites and Apps
Our website and mobile app contain links to third-party websites. If you follow these links, you will exit our website or mobile app. This privacy policy does not apply to websites of third parties. Tubber cannot accept liability for the use of your data by these third parties. Your use of these websites is at your own risk.
Public authorities
We may also be required by law to collect and share your identifying information and your booking and Sailing Holiday travel information with public authorities or governmental organizations for border control, immigration, entering the territory of a State, security or combatting terrorism.
Security and retention
- Tubber will take appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your data against loss or unlawful use.
- Your data will be retained for as long as required for the purposes described in this privacy policy or in so far as such is necessary for compliance with statutory obligations and for solving any disputes.
Your data International
- Tubber may transfer your data to countries other than your country of residence (including countries outside the European Economic Area). This occurs in the course of providing your Sailing Holiday or because partners or service providers have operations in countries across the world. The laws of these countries may not afford the same level of protection to your data.
- We may also be required to disclose your data to foreign public or government authorities
- The transfer of personal data to countries other than your country of residence is often necessary to provide our services to you. In other cases, Tubber will ensure that adequate safeguards are in place to comply with the requirements for the international transfer of personal data under applicable privacy laws. For transfers of personal data outside the European Economic Area, Tubber may use Commission approved Standard Contractual Clauses as safeguards.
Laws in some other countries may require us to give border control organizations access to booking and Sailing Holiday Travel information. Therefore, any information we hold about you and your Sailing Holiday arrangements may be disclosed to the customs and immigration authorities of any country in your itinerary. Besides, laws in several countries require Tubber to collect your passport and associated information before travel to or from those countries. When needed, we will provide this information to the relevant customs and immigration authorities. We may also disclose your data to government authorities if applicable law requires disclosure.
Your rights
You may contact us (please see below) to exercise any of the rights you are granted under applicable data protection laws, which includes (1) the right to access your data, (2) to rectify them, (3) to erase them, (4) to restrict the processing of your data, (5) the right to data portability and (6) the right to object to processing.
Right to access
You may ask us whether or not we process any of your data and, if so, receive access to that data in the form of a copy.
Right to rectification
You have the right to have your data rectified in case of inaccuracy or incompleteness. Upon request, we will correct inaccurate personal data about you and, taking into account the purposes of the processing, complete, incomplete personal data, which may include the provision of a supplementary statement.
Right to erasure
You also have the right to have your data erased, which means the deletion of your data by us and, where possible, any other controller to whom your data has previously been made public by us. Erasure of your data only finds place in some instances, prescribed by law and listed under article 17 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This includes situations where your data are no longer necessary concerning the initial purposes for which they were processed as well as circumstances where they were processed unlawfully.
Right to the restriction of processing
You have the right to obtain the restriction of the processing of your data, which means that we suspend the processing of your data for a specified period. Circumstances which may give rise to this right include situations where the accuracy of your information was contested but some time is needed for us to verify the accuracy. This right does not prevent us from continue storing your data. We will inform you before the restriction is lifted.
Right to data portability
Your right to data portability entails that you may request us to provide you with your data in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format and to have such data transmitted directly to another controller, where technically feasible. Upon request and where this is technically feasible, we will send your data directly to the other controller.
Right to object
You also have the right to object to the processing of your data, which means you may request us to no longer process your data. This only applies in case the 'legitimate interests' ground (including profiling) constitutes the legal basis for processing.
- At any time and free of charge you can object to direct marketing purposes in case your data is processed for such purposes, which includes profiling purposes to the extent that it is related to such direct marketing. In case you apply this right, we will no longer process your data for such purposes.
- You may withdraw your consent at any time by following the specific instructions concerning the processing for which you provided your consent. For example, you may withdraw consent by clicking the unsubscribe link in the email, adjusting your communication preferences in your account (if available) or by changing your smartphone settings (for mobile push notifications and location data).
- For more information on how you can withdraw your consent for cookies and similar technologies we use when you visit our website or use our app, please check our cookie policy.
- There may be situations where we are entitled to deny or restrict your rights as described above. In any case, we will carefully assess whether such an exemption applies and inform you accordingly.
- We may, for example, deny your request for access when necessary to protect the rights and freedoms of other individuals or refuse to delete your data in case the processing of such data is essential for compliance with legal obligations. The right to data portability, for example, does not apply in case the personal data was not provided by you or if we process the data not by your consent or for the performance of a contract.
Exercise your rights
When you would like to exercise your rights concerning the processing of your rights concerning Sailing Holidays of Tubber B.V. all you have to do is send your request to the Tubber B.V. :
Tubber B.V.
Privacy Team
Viaductraat 3-8
9725 BG Groningen
The Netherlands
[email protected]
You can also contact us at if you have any questions, remarks or complaints concerning our privacy policy. However, if you have unresolved concerns, you also have the right to complain to the Dutch Data Protection Authority (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens) located in The Hague, The Netherlands

subset: commoncrawl


text:
NEW YORK – Ornette Coleman, a self-taught alto saxophone player who polarized the jazz world with his unconventional "free jazz" before coming to be regarded as an avant garde genius, died on Thursday morning in New York at the age of 85, according to his publicist.
Ken Weinstein confirmed the death but said he would not be issuing any further information. Media reports said the cause of death was cardiac arrest.
Coleman's motto for his music, often uttered before starting his performances, was "I'd like to go out in space tonight." He would then launch into music that broke the limits of conventional bars, keys, chord changes and harmony.
Coleman so divided jazz musicians, critics and fans that in his early years some musicians at jam sessions would leave the stage during his solos.
His fans labeled him the greatest jazz innovator since Louis Armstrong and Charlie Parker but he also was called crude and self-indulgent by skeptics — although many of them reversed their opinions over the years.
"I listened to Coleman high and I listened to him cold sober," trumpet player Roy Eldridge once told a jazz writer. "I even played with him. I think he's jiving, baby."
Coleman's outlaw approach involved what he called "harmolodics" — breaking away from traditional harmonic structure and "removing the caste system from music."
He found approval through the years and in 2007 was given a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and was an award presenter at the ceremony. He also won a Pulitzer Prize for Music, as well as a Grammy nomination, for the 2007 album "Sound Grammar" and in 2014 released "New Vocabulary."
Often working with trumpeter Don Cherry, Coleman recorded 40-plus albums.
"I wasn't so interested in being paid. I wanted to be heard," Coleman said in a 2009 interview with Esquire magazine. "That's why I'm broke."
Born in a poor, black neighborhood of Fort Worth, Texas, Coleman said he grew up "so po' we couldn't afford the 'o' and the 'r.'" At 14, he bought a cheap alto saxophone and mimicked radio melodies. He began playing in honky tonks and at 19 traveled the South, playing blues with a minstrel show.
He made his way to Los Angeles, where he began perfecting his free-form style. Coleman was inspired by the inventive bebop jazz performers of the time and also wove honky tonk, blues and dance music into his unconventional harmonies.
"I didn't know I was improvising," Coleman said. "I just thought that was the way you played music … I didn't think of a structure and what you could and couldn't do."
In 1958, Contemporary Records bought some of Coleman's compositions but studio musicians could not play them. Coleman himself was hired to record them, leading to his first album, "Something Else!"
He first played in New York a year later at the Five Spot nightclub. Composer Leonard Bernstein and John Lewis, founder of the Modern Jazz Quartet, were among his supporters.
Many critics, however, echoed the comments of a journalist who called Coleman's music "incoherent, ugly and sick, not only hybrid but meaningless."
Coleman was signed by Atlantic Records and made such albums as "The Shape of Jazz to Come" (1959), which Rolling Stone magazine ranked No. 248 on its list of 500 greatest albums, "This Is Our Music" (1960) and "Free Jazz" (1961). Sales were low and he was soon dropped by the label.
Coleman studied various musical forms and in 1972 released a symphony called "Skies of America." Another work was a 1977 album called "Dancing in Your Head" that featured a jam session recorded in Morocco with tribal musicians.
In the '70s he began working with electric guitarists and formed the band Prime Time, which incorporated rock-funk sounds.
Coleman married poet Jayne Cortez in 1954 and they divorced 10 years later. Their son, Denardo, was a drummer who began performing with his father at age 10 and managed his career in the 1980s.


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The Shenandoah Valley
This is a short guide to help you understand and better explore the Shenandoah Valley ("the Valley") while you stay at one of our Bed and Breakfasts, Inns, Lodges or Cabins.
Additional information is available by region: North, Central or South as well as information about the towns, cities and countryside located in each region.
Explore the Southern Valley: Towns; Cities; and Countryside
Currier & Ives, Valley of the Shenandoah, c1864; Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress (http://www.loc.gov)
Get to Know the Shenandoah Valley
Enjoy your stay in the Shenandoah Valley by becoming more familiar with the history and people of the Shenandoah Valley.


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National championship programs require national championship fan bases.
National championship programs require national championship fan bases.
Every one of us who consider ourselves proud members of Sun Devil Nation wants ASU Football & Athletics to excel at the highest level and win championships. However, sometimes we feel unnecessarily powerless in advancing that cause because there is so much we can do as fans. If you want to help ASU in the arms race that is college athletics, read on.
The Sun Devil Club Young Professionals Group is an up and coming force in the effort to galvanize more support from like-minded fans. Members gain behind-the-scenes access to ASU Football along with joining a network of DieHard Fans who want to prove their support for their Devils.
The group is now recruiting members between 21-40 years old to advance ASU Athletics through philanthropy and collaborative engagement. Members are showing the kind of leadership by example that is integral to consistently successful Division 1 Football & Athletics programs.
The SDC YPG, for short, offers networking opportunities and several unique, fun, and engaging events year round, some of which include the annual Devils' Ball in May, an annual golf tournament, and big home-game tailgates.
The current president of the Sun Devil Club Young Professionals Group is two-time alumnus Nicole Almond Anderson '04, MNpS '09. Born and raised a Sun Devil, Almond Anderson was an active member on campus and a die-hard fan of ASU Athletics – even becoming ASU's Pac-12 Super Fan in 2012.
"In the years following graduation, I realized I missed the camaraderie of cheering in the student section and having access to networking events and meeting new Sun Devils," she said.
As an example of their access, the YPG had a VIP viewing tent arranged at last Saturday's Camp Tontozona scrimmage. This week they had a private tour of ASU's new football facilities. Periodically, Sun Devil Coaches will join their meetings to speak about progress and developments within the program.
We at DieHard consider opportunities like this to be part and parcel of being a Sun Devil. National championship programs require national championship fan bases.
As we list some of the benefits enjoyed by members of the Young Professionals Group, it's good to remember that Sun Devils like them are in it because of their the love and passion for our ASU. The perks are just the icing on the cake. Some examples:
• Behind-the-scenes access to Sun Devil Athletics, including tours and interaction with coaches and student-athletes
• Networking with YPG members at events, tailgates, and other social gatherings
• Two (2) tickets to the Coors Light Tailgate for all Sun Devil home football games with food and an open bar. For members who have given $300 or more in the previous fiscal year. Members can pay retroactively to reach the $300 minimum.
• One (1) ticket to the Devils' Ball in May, another all-inclusive event to celebrate the accomplishments of ASU Athletics. For members who have given just $75 or more prior to the Devils' Ball. Members can pay retroactively to reach the $75 minimum.
• Access to Sun Devil Club Gold Level benefits (based on the recruitment of new members)
• Direct access to the Sun Devil Club staff along with interactions with the Sun Devil Club Board
• ASU/YPG branded Adidas shirt
• Associated Sun Devil Club annual benefits, including priority points and 20% all purchases at Sparky's Stadium Shop
"After being invited to join the YPG and learning about the group's goals and initiatives to support Sun Devil athletes, I knew the group would be the right fit for me," said Almond Anderson. "Now over four years later, the group is stronger than ever with a dedicated alumni, fans, and the next generation of young philanthropists."
"Giving back as a volunteer and annual donor is important to me. ASU gave me so much as a student, this is my way to continue to help support my alma mater," she added.
So we have one simple question for YOU? Do you want to lead by example and prove your love and passion for Sun Devil Football & Athletics?
Then you're home.
Tax deductible membership dues are only $300 annually, or $25/month.
Email Keith Flyer if you believe in this cause and are able to do a little more as a fan. Keith will answer any questions you may have and hopefully bring you into this great organization.
Website: https://www.sundevilclub.com/sdc-young-professionals
Join their new FB Page today: https://www.facebook.com/sdcypg
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.


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Tutor profile: Amanda G.
Subject: Health and Medicine
You are a nurse currently working with a physician in an endoscopy suite within the hospital. During the upper endoscopy procedure, an endoscope (with light and camera) is inserted into the patient's gastrointestinal tract via the mouth. The physician observes the lining of the small intestine to look abnormal. He/she decides to take biopsies for microscopic evaluation. You are in charge of filling out the form to request a pathologist to examine the tissue. You quickly fill out the slip as "ilium biopsy" and move on because there are many cases yet to perform today. What did you do wrong?
You filled out the request slip as "ilium biopsy". While ilium is indeed a medical term, it describes a bone within the pelvis. You meant to write ileum, the last region of the small intestine. The two terms are pronounced the same, yet have different meanings. If the mistake was not caught by someone in the pathology lab, the wrong tests might be ordered to evaluate the tissue. This could hold up the results and unnecessarily cost the hospital and/or patient.
Subject: Biology
In an animal cell, which of the following statements correctly describes microvilli? a. Are part of the cytoskeleton b. Increase surface area for the absorption of nutrients c. Become the spindle fiber apparatus during cell division d. Beat rhythmically to propel substances over the surface of the cell e. Anchor the cytoskeleton to the cell membrane
The correct answer is b -- Certain cells, such as those found in the small intestine, have microscopic hair-like projections of the cell membrane that increase surface area for important cell functions such as absorption of nutrients from food. You may know someone with Crohn's Disease. This is a type of inflammatory bowel disease causing irritation and damage of the lining of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. When the small intestine is affected, malnutrition issues can occur.
Subject: Anatomy
1. The pyloric sphincter allows passage of digested material from the ______ to the ______. a. Mouth, esophagus b. Rectum, anus c. Ileum, cecum d. Stomach, duodenum e. Small intestine, large intestine
The correct answer is d -- The pyloric sphincter is the valve between the stomach and duodenum (first region of the small intestine) that allows passage of digested material. Once in the duodenum, bile secreted from the gallbladder mixes with material to help break down fats. You may have heard of an infant with projectile vomiting -- this can be due to narrowing of the pyloric sphincter, called pyloric stenosis. The stomach cannot fully empty, and the contents need somewhere to go, which in this case, is up and out via vomiting.
Contact tutor
needs and Amanda will reply soon.


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United Methodist Communications
Office of Public Information
April 25,2011
Nashville, Tenn.:On World Malaria Day, The United Methodist Church'sImagine No Malaria campaign is using technology to fight mosquitoes with the launch of a newmobile application that keeps mosquitoes away and also raises funds for the fight against malaria.
The new mobile app repels mosquitos using sound instead of spray. When used, the application emits three different high-pitched frequencies that serve as a deterrent for mosquitoes. Available for download on the Android platform at a cost of $.99, 70 percent of the proceeds benefit the fight against malaria in Africa. In addition, the app provides information about malaria, and a link to ImagineNoMalaria.org for those who wish to donate to the cause.
The Imagine No Malaria app was developed by Pico Brothers in conjunction with Ad Hope.
About Imagine No Malaria
Imagine No Malaria is an extraordinary ministry of the people of The United Methodist Church to eliminate death and suffering from malaria in Africa by 2015. With a goal of raising $75 million to improve health infrastructure and empower a sustainable victory over the disease, Imagine No Malaria is our opportunity to rethink how we reach beyond our church, opening doors to those who need it most. For more information, please visit us online at www.ImagineNoMalaria.org.
Media contact:
Diane Degnan
[email protected]
615-742-5406 (w)
615-483-1765 (c)


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Ooma Telo? It suffered the same fate as most home VoIP adapters: a lifetime chained to the home or office router, bound forever by a freedom-crushing Ethernet cable. But no. No more. The benevolent engineers at Ooma have decided to set the Telo free. Hello, Ooma Telo Air Wireless Adapter -- you're about to put VoIP in our kitchen.
Ooma's Voice over IP service and the Telo adapter itself are hardly new, but we couldn't resist giving the outfit's new VOIP liberating dongle a try. Read on for more.


text: High shear laboratory homogenizers are designed to process tough samples quickly and efficiently without compromising the sample. Faster homogenization times mean less chance of heat degradation to the sample. These homogenizer motors are available in hand held or stand mounted configurations with high speeds of up to 75,000 rpm. Homogenizers are a standard piece of equipment for any lab.


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Article content
TORONTO • A lawyer for Conrad Black told an Ontario Securities Commission hearing on Friday that an OSC lawsuit against the former media baron was both a waste of "time and resources."
Mr. Black was not present for the preliminary hearing, which is part of a lawsuit that is seeking to have him and two other former Hollinger Inc. executives barred from serving as officers of Ontario companies and trading in securities.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
OSC lawsuit against Conrad Black a waste of 'time and resources', lawyer says Back to video
Mr. Black's lawyer, Peter Howard of Stikeman Elliot, said he was contemplating a motion for a stay in the case.
"A hearing would be lengthy and expensive," he said.
Mr. Black, the former head of the third-largest newspaper chain in the world, is alleged by the OSC to have lined his pockets with shareholder money during his time at the company in a scheme that involved undisclosed payments. Former executives John Boultbee and Peter Atkinson are also named in the OSC suit.
Mr. Black has previously said he considers the charges against him settled already, given an agreement reached between him and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. That agreement prevents Mr. Black from acting as the director of a public company in the U.S.
But lawyers for the OSC said on Friday that they would seek to reach a similar agreement barring Mr. Black from serving on Ontario public companies and preventing him from trading in securities.
Mr. Black's lawyer countered that Mr. Black had already agreed to such restrictions in a previous undertaking, and that an order from the Ontario Securities Commission was unnecessary.
The next hearing is expected to take place on Oct. 21.


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Hospice Care
Dedicated to profoundly changing the way our community experiences life-threatening illness, grief and loss– one family at a time.
Our vision is of a community in which people-in-transition and those who love and support them have access to proper palliative care and support, when they need it, wherever they need it and whoever they are.
The End of life journey begins and ends with love. From our first encounter we humbly honor the unique physical, psychosocial, emotional, and spiritual needs of each person. With courage and truth we graciously give our highest level of courtesy, gallantry and service to patients, their families and caregivers, visitors and to each other.
Learn more about our unique Music Therapy program here.
Why Mission Hospice
Access a member of the Mission Hospice staff 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Not just physical care, Mission offers counseling and social support to help you and your family with psychological, emotional, and spiritual issues.
You decide, we work with you and your doctor to fulfill the level of care you desire.
Mission Hospice is CHAP Accredited. CHAP Accreditation demonstrates that Mission Healthcare meets the industry's highest nationally recognized standards. Rigorous evaluation by CHAP focuses on structure and function, quality of services and products, human and financial resources and long term viability.
Have questions? Talk with a Mission Hospice staff member now.
Call 855-848-5433


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I'm looking for TWO people to take on reccing for spn_themes. Basically it's a commitment to create about six themed rec lists a year. You're assigned specific dates ahead of time so you know exactly when to be ready and when to post.
It's a lot of fun but it does require that you, you know, read fic in the SPN and/or CW RPS fandoms.
And if YOU are interested (YAY!) comment with your email and I'll send you more details. You then can decide if you're up for it or not. Comments are screened.
Sounds good? Awesome!


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Newark's Honor Roll
West Orange teen receives armful of national arts & culture awards for Newark Museum Explorers program
Published November 14, 2017 | Newswire
Seventeen-year-old Samantha Joseph of West Orange visited Washington, D.C. last week to receive an award from all three federal arts and culture agencies—the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)—on behalf of the Newark Museum Explorers Program.
The program was recognized for its effectiveness in promoting learning and life skills in young people by engaging them through creative youth development programs.
The after-school program received the 2017 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award, the nation's highest honor for these programs. The award recognizes the country's best creative youth development programs for using engagement in the arts and the humanities to generate a wide range of positive outcomes, such as increases in academic achievement, graduation rates, and college enrollment.
The awardees—chosen from a pool of 350 nominations and 50 finalists—were also recognized for improving literacy and language abilities, communication and performance skills, and cultural awareness.
First presented in 1998, the 2017 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award were presented through a partnership between the agencies, in cooperation with the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA).
"These 12 creative youth development programs represent the best of the best," said Pam Breaux, president and chief executive officer of the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies. "They are living proof of the power of the arts and the humanities to build the skills young people need to succeed in school and in life."
The Explorers Program is a three-year, year-round experience that serves 30-35 students in grades 10-12 each year. Explorers participate in a variety of learning activities including small group instruction, student-led projects involving different aspects of running a museum, workshops on an array of art topics, field trips, personalized college guidance, "life skills" workshops focusing on themes ranging from etiquette to financial literacy, and mentoring relationships with Newark Museum staff and other professionals representing a wide range of fields.
Over the past several years, 100 percent of Explorers have graduated high school and gone on to attend four-year colleges or universities. Recent Explorer graduates are attending institutions that include Wellesley College, Penn State University, Rutgers University, Parsons School of Design, Lehigh University, Cornell University and American University. In the Class of 2017, two Explorers received full scholarships: Arif Uddin will be majoring in Engineering Science at NJIT and Inique Bristol will be majoring in Computer Science at Rutgers University.
Joseph was selected as the youth speaker for the NAHYP award, and in her speech she reflected on her experiences as an Explorer. "This program has brought me so many different opportunities that I wouldn't have had the opportunity to experience if I had not taken a chance and applied. The Newark Museum is a place that welcomes every person. The diversity that I've experienced walking through the galleries and working in different areas of the Museum has opened me up so much," she said.
In addition to the national recognition bestowed by receipt of the prestigious award, the Explorers Program will also receive $10,000 to support its programming and engage more young people from the community.
"The Newark Museum has long been a national leader in arts education, and we are committed to using our resources and renowned art and science collections to improve the lives of the people we serve," Steven Kern, Director and CEO of the Newark Museum, said. "Since its inception in 1995, the Explorers Program has provided Newark area high school students with a range of experiences that give them valuable skills that will aid them in college and beyond."
Contribute to BrickCityLive.com! We're looking for opinion and explanatory contributors, and are calling all thinkers, scholars and practitioners to share your point of view or expertise on a topic or event of importance to Newarkers. We're accepting 600- to 1,000-word op-eds for possible publication on, so send your work to firstname.lastname@example.com for consideration.
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Local media talent get in formation for launch of Newark Radio Co-op
You need to install and activate the WooCommerce Shop Plugin to display WooCommerce Products


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Don't like ads? Help support the Mercs by becoming a Supporter or Auxiliary Member today!
Official Members also get to use the forum ad-free - so kit up and join us!
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Sunday, September 8, 2013
The Heart of Your Story
Knowing what made it your story, the story you wanted and needed to tell, meant you'd say "no" to any pressure to change those elements.
But only them - and this was equally important. Anything else is fair game. No matter where the feedback or suggestion comes from, if it makes the story better, you do it. As a result of Joni's class, for example, I realized I had two characters in my novel who served the same purpose, story-wise. I loved both. But the story didn't need both. Making them into a single character helped everything else in the novel work better.
So we worked on discerning the difference between the essential, the heart of the story, and everything else. Sometimes it's obvious. Other times, it isn't. Our egos tend to blur the lines of distinction and tell us "everything" we've written is essential. Most of the time, our egos are wrong.
Now, as I'm promoting my first novel and preparing my second manuscript for the rounds and rounds of editing that precede publication, it strikes me the practice Joni taught us about finding the heart of our stories is also tremendously useful for other aspects of our work as authors. Not just the construction of the story itself, but also how we market and promote our work, connect with readers, and participate in the community of authors.
If we focus on what is essential about ourselves as writers, we can let the rest go. Follow all the suggestions and feedback we get, as long as they don't compromise the heart of who we are as writers. We can give our own writerly selves the same care we give our stories: protect the heart.
It's probably a good lesson for life, too. Learn what is essential, stay true to the heart of who you are as a human being. Be willing to let go of everything else. Let the ego step aside. Move forward from the heart of our own stories.
Elizabeth Fountain is the author of An Alien's Guide to World Domination, available from BURST Books and on Amazon. Her second novel, You, Jane, will be published in spring 2014 and is about learning how to write our own happy endings.
Author blog: Point No Point
Author Facebook page: Elizabeth Fountain, Author
7 comments:
- linda_rettstatt said...
Great post. I had the experience once of submitting a book for consideration. An editor for the publishing house replied to my query by stating she loved my story, but had a few suggestions. She proceeded to change the entire story line--the characters professions, their motivations, etc. She effectively removed the heart of the story I had to tell. She said if I made those changes, she would likely contract the story. I declined the offer, pointing out that if I made those changes, it was no longer my story but hers. We have to know where to stand firm out of respect for our work and when we can afford to make changes that only improve rather than take away from the story.
- September 8, 2013 at 2:19 AM
- Julie Eberhart Painter said...
So true, Linda. I belong to a critique that can get off course this way. Too many cooks spoil the broth. They tend to make the sory sound liketheir own.
The reader will trust the writer if the writer stays true to his or her theme, heart, focus.
- September 8, 2013 at 9:25 AM
- Liz Fountain said...
Linda, I admire your decision to hold on to your story, even with the lure of a book contract tempting you. And Julie, I love the idea of trust between the reader and writer. Well said!
- September 8, 2013 at 2:32 PM
Unfortunately, with some editors you don't have the option to decline their suggestions. That's when you can sleep at night trying to figure how to maintain the core essential and meet the editors request. Leads to a ton of conflict.
- September 8, 2013 at 2:49 PM
- Liz Fountain said...
Big Mike, that sounds like one of the most difficult dilemmas a writer might face. Other than ulcers and insomnia, any ideas of how to work through it?
- September 8, 2013 at 9:46 PM
- Jude Johnson said...
Good information to remember, Liz. Thanks for a great post.
- September 14, 2013 at 11:59 AM
- Liz Fountain said...
Thank you, Jude!
- September 17, 2013 at 12:34 AM


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Thursday marked one month since we got off the plane in France. It was incredibly difficult to say goodbye to everyone I love back home, but at the same time it is exciting to start a new adventure in an incredible city.
Less than a week after arriving in Paris, I started pastry school. The first few days in class were spent with orientations, kitchen tours, getting our tools and uniforms (which include a stylish hair net/bonnet as well as shoes which look like they're from the 80′s).
This year there are 27 international students in the Anglophone pastry program (and about the same number in the cuisine program). Each of the programs were split into two groups (Pastry Anglo A for me, with 13 other students). My classmates come from a variety of countries: the US, Canada, Taiwan, Germany, Belgium, Israel, Brazil, Kuwait and Thailand. Since the program doesn't require any prior industry experience, I was surprised to find that a lot of the students have previous experience working in bakeries, restaurants or have previous culinary or pastry schooling – a little intimidating from someone who hasn't really baked anywhere outside their own kitchen. Our chef is amazing – he has so much experience and knowledge, is so helpful and hilarious. I constantly find myself cracking up at his jokes.
Our days consist mostly of time in the kitchen, with hands on experience. However, we also have classes covering theory, French language, wine (with tastings and dessert pairings to come) and art classes. Our schedule varies on a daily and weekly basis. We alternate having kitchen time in the mornings at 8:00am or in the afternoons starting at 2:00pm. The other half of the day is usually filled with theory classes, French, etc. Sometimes we have half days. Lunch is served for free at the school, but is really disappointing. At first I found it really surprising that the food served at a culinary school is so terrible, but I later learned that the lunch services are subcontracted out to a third party (no Ferrandi student would make vegetables so mushy and tasteless!). Other than these subpar lunches, everything at school has been fantastic so far. I have been fascinated by everything we've learned and can't remember the last time I took notes so eagerly on a topic I am so passionate about.
Sample weekly schedule:
The program is called the Intensive Professional Program in French Pastry and it definitely seems intensive thus far. Most days are hectic and busy, with us often leaving the kitchens an hour later than scheduled and making it to the cafeteria with only minutes before they close. The standards for our work are high. Our work is constantly criticized and sometimes (part-seriously, part-jokingly) called "disgusting" – there is no sugar coating here, so to speak. But we're told not to take the criticisms personally, learn from them and improve our work. It is clear why this program yields such well-trained professionals, and why the employment rate for graduates of Ferrandi is so high (97%). Despite classes being occasionally overwhelming, I absolutely love every part of it so far. I don't remember the last time I was able to wake up each morning and go do something I'm passionate about for the entire day… over and over again. There have been a few times when I was standing in the lab, rolling out dough and I was struck with the realization of how lucky I am to be in pastry school. It's hard to believe that had I not found the courage to take this leap, I would been dragging myself through yet another stressful, unfullfilling busy season of auditing right now. Hopefully that's a sign that I made the right decision in coming here!
So you're probably wondering what we've learned in the first few weeks of class. We started with tarts, working with pâte sucrée and pâte à foncer.
pâte à foncer - a basic shortcrust dough which has a sturdy texture, retains its shape well when baked
pâte sucrée – a sweet dough, more crumbly and soft than pâte à fonder, puffs out when baked
We worked with some traditional French recipes as well as some contemporary ones, such as the famous vanilla bean and coffee tart recipes developed by Pierre Hermé. We learned proper techniques for rolling the dough, lining the tart ring and pinching the edges. When I realized on the first day in the kitchen that all the tarts would be baked not in a tart pan but in a ring (with no bottom!) I was sure that the dough would just fall right out through the bottom. However, no major tart casualties ensued.
Tarte aux Pommes // Flan Parisienne // Tarte au Citron, Tarte Orange // Tarte au Chocolate // Tarte Dacquoise // Coffee Tart
We then moved on to working with puff pastry dough. I had never made my own puff pastry before, so I found the process really interesting. We made both traditional and inverse puff pastry dough, with the butter either on the inside our outside of your dough respectively. We learned the techniques for folding, turning and relaxing the puff pastry dough and came away with these delicious treats:
Tart Bands // Pithivier // Palmiers // Mille-feuille Traditionnel
The above photos are just a sample of all the things we've made at pastry school so far. Essentially, I come home each day with boxes filled with baking. My biggest concern so far is finding people to give away all these sweets too. Everyone from our neighbours, the owners of the small restaurant we live above and homeless people in our neighbourhood have all been helping us polish off the past month's baking. So… if you're in the Paris area, you should definitely say hi and take some sweets off my hands!
18 comments on The Beginning at Ferrandi
Hi Genia! I'm glad to come across your blog while doing some research on Ferrandi's pastry program. Looks like it has been great since the program started for you. I'm planning to apply for Feb 2015 intake. Just wondering whether you can share more about the application process and housing in Paris. Hope to hear from you!
Thanks Genia! I know exactly what you mean by looking at online photos of apartments. Since the day i made up my mind to apply for a place at Ferrandi, i have been doing some research on housing. Living space in Paris is really small and expensive but i really can't pay more than 500 EUR / month. Sharing with another student might help to lower the cost…i hope.
Not sure if you know Gail Ho but i came across her blog too and i think she's in the same intake with you at Ferrandi. Looking forward to your upcoming posts and thank you for your email. I will certainly contact if i need more insider information from you. Thanks again for being so approachable. BTW, love your sugar cookies!
I'm also considering applying to Ferrandi. I would love to hear about it through their students. Can you tell me more about your experiences so far? Also how hard it was to find an apartment? I have so many questions!!! And I'm quite excited to hear more about your stay!
I hope to hear from you soon and share more about your experiences and insights about the prorams!
Thank you! Yes, please do send me a quick email! Reading your updates makes me more excited to join the program!
Hi Genia…….I am planning on applying for the Feb 2015 intake…….someone told me that the course is very basic, is that correct??……seeing your pictures doesnt seem so …….. and does one have to be really good at French???……shall wait for your reply on my email….Thanks a ton
Hi Genia,
Thanks for all the information, really appreciate you taking the time to respond to queries. I have been accepted into the Pastry course starting September 2015. I have no prior experience, and all my learning is through experimenting at home. While I have been dabbling in pastry, I have recently taken to cuisine, and have realized that I would like to learn more. I was wondering, would Ferrandi allow me to switch to the Cuisine course if I ask them? And is there anything specific I should tell them with regard to this? Have you come across a case like this? I still have some time, so I was hoping that if I enquired soon enough, they may have a vacancy. I'd really appreciate any advice you have to offer.
Thank you!
i am thinking of applying to ferrandi for the feb intake and have a million questions, worries, fears…. ..along with excitement…. could i email you .. if possible?
Hi Genia,
I've been so much research on the best culinary schools in Europe and I believe that Ferrandi is great. I read your experience and the comments of prospective students and I have a few questions.
I'm applying for the February 2016 intake in French Cuisine (I know that you're studying French Pastry) and I want to know how the application process really is and how long do they take to give an answer back? Also, finding a place to live is a big concern for me. How did you find an apartment and is does the rent has to be paid upfront or is it monthly? Regarding the daily schedule for the classes: are the classes from monday to friday? how many hours a day?
I apologize if I asked too many questions but since you're there, i would love if you could help me with my transition.
Thank you so much and you can reach me through my email: email@example.com.
I hope you're enjoying your time there and best of luck.
Nick Duenas.
Hello Genia, Fun,
I am using this old thread with an hope that either of you managed to make through Ferrandi. I'm planning to apply for Sept 2016 intake. Just wondering whether you can share your experience. Hope to hear from you!


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An easement is a right over another persons land for a specific purpose. One example of a common easement is for carriageway. A carriageway easement is an old term for what is generally a driveway. Most commonly these easements prevent one lot from being landlocked with no access to a road. An easement will always burden one lot and benefit another. In the case of a carriageway, the easement will burden the lot it is over, but benefit the lot that it allows access to.
Generally, an easement has the following attributes:
- There is a dominant and a servient party.
- An easement "accommodates" the dominant party.
- The dominant and servient parties are different people.
Positive and Negative Easement
An easement can either be positive or negative. This refers to the act required where the easement is constituted.
A positive easement, like an easement for carriageway, permits another to enter the property, which would normally be considered a violation (trespass) or nuisance in the absence of the easement.
A negative easement is a right to receive something (such as easement of light or support) without interference from another party. Many negative easements relate to views, light or water. For example a negative easement may restrict a person from building too high, or from changing the course of a river.
Types of Easements According to Purpose
In general, an easement is granted only for a specific purpose:
- 1. Right-of-way easement (easement of way).
This may refer to where one or more blocks have the right to use a defined strip of land for ingress and egress or the right of carriageway that allows vehicles to pass through the property.
- 2. An easement for services.
This is an easement that allows the use of a defined strip of property to convey essential services to a community of people such as electrical, gas, water, or telephone lines.
- Easements of support (pertaining to excavations).
Normally this refers to easement reserved for certain activities that will require excavation works such as the establishment of drainage pipelines, natural gas lines power, telephone lines and other municipal services.
- Easements of "light and air".
These easements may restrict the construction of walls or buildings in favour of another parties access to light and air.
- Rights pertaining to artificial waterways and sewerage.
This type of easement deals with rights and restrictions for waterways, canals or sewerage.
Other notable characteristics of Easements
- Easements must be disclosed when the property burdened with the easement is sold. Easements are usually outlined on the certificate of title to inform buyers of the burden.
- The use and enjoyment of the servient estate (the estate burdened by the easement) is restricted by the easement. The estate may be prevented from doing a great deal of things that they would otherwise be able to do.
- An easement will generally only survive whilst its purpose is necessary, though action will be required to remove an easement.
- A landowner granting the easement may be compensated at the time the easement is created. This can be included in the agreement between the parties.
Legal Advice
McNamara Law can assist you in the creation, removal or modification of an easement. McNamara Law can also assist in the enforcement of your rights as either a dominant or servient party to an easement.
Contact us on 1300 574 974 or email us at [email protected]


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The Hamburg based World Future Council (WFC) responded to the public consultation on a reform of the structure of the EU banking sector.
Key messages of the WFC response in brief:
● The separation of banking activities cannot efficiently cope with severe problems like high leverage and excessive risk taking. It can only flank and should not neglect effective measures such as debt brakes for the financial sector, a preventive testing of financial innovations (finance TÜV) and a scalable financial transaction tax to slow down systemically risky volatility.
● There is neither evidence nor plausibility that the reduction of intra-group subsidies through separating deposits from trading activities will lead to shrinkage of the financial sector. Banks refinance themselves primarily, if not solely, through lending activities within the financial sector. Pro-cyclical and opaque credit intermediation chains and overly complex financial innovations make appropriate risk premiums impossible.
● Possible shifts to non-bank finance must not serve as an excuse for weak bank regulation but rather be integrated within an overall approach. This is exactly the purpose of debt brakes for the financial sector, a finance TÜV and a scalable financial transaction tax.
● In view of the limited impact of ring-fencing or separating banking activities as such, full ownership separation such as in the Glass Steagall Act of 1933 is the clearest approach.
Please find the complete response >>>here.


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Dad who cares for son must sell home or face jail over £21k carer's allowance benefit blunder
Almost 70,000 people have been overpaid carer's allowance by up to £50,000 due to "systemic failures or gross incompetence"
A DAD who looks after his mentally ill son has had to sell his home to pay back the £20,900 in carer's allowance he wrongly received.
This is despite the fact that the cost to the taxpayer of these overpayments is only around £110.
It was revealed last month that almost 70,000 people have been overpaid carer's allowance by up to £50,000 following "systemic failures or gross incompetence".
The average overpayment this year is just over £1,400 and ministers are now desperately trying to claw back these payments.
Those who can't face a £5,000 fine or prosecution.
George Henderson, 59, from Leyland in Lancashire is one such person who has been hit by this crackdown.
Can carer's allowance affect your other benefits?
CARER'S allowance can affect the other benefits that both you and the person you care for get. Here's how:
The person you care for will no longer be entitled to:
- A severe disability premium paid with their benefits
- An extra amount for severe disability paid with pension credit, if they get one
- Reduced council tax - but contact their local council to find out if this affects them
As the caerer, the Government says your benefits may also be reduced but that it's more likely your payments will go up or stay the same.
Carer's allowance does not contribute towards the benefit cap - the limit on the total amount of benefits that most people aged 16 to 64 can get - so you could get extra cash if you claim.
If you get working tax credit or child tax credit, you must contact the tax credits office to tell them about your carer's allowance claim.
According to the BBC, he has been forced by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to sell his home to repay overpaid carer's allowance plus fines.
If he doesn't do so by February 14 2019, he faces seven months in jail.
George told the broadcaster: "As far as I was concerned, I never done anything wrong. I don't owe the DWP a penny."
The BBC reports that the issue dates back to a "mistake" George made when he first applied for carer's allowance to look after his 37-year-old son John, who is also a heroin addict.
George wrongly ticked a box saying he was unemployed, when in fact he was earning about £120 a week as a self-employed taxi driver.
Under carer's allowance, you can get paid £64.60 a week if you care for someone at least 35 hours a week and they get certain benefits.
To get the benefit, you must earn no more than £120 a week after tax and expenses.
Other benefits you could apply for if you're eligible for carer's allowance
HERE'S a list of other benefits you can apply for if you can claim carer's allowance:
- Support from your local council
- A council tax reduction
- Income support if you're on a low income
- Income-based employment and support allowance if you cannot work because of a medical condition or disability
- Pension credit if you're over working age
But for more than six years, the BBC reports that the DWP didn't notice that John was paying tax returns as well as receiving carer's allowance.
However, if George didn't claim carer's allowance, he says his son would have got disability allowance of £64.30 a week.
This means George was only claiming an additional 30p a week - or £109.20 over a seven-year period.
In August this year, George was found guilty of fraud at Preston Crown Court, fined, given a 32-week suspended sentence and electronically tagged, according to the BBC.
More on money
More than 400,000 entitled to an extra £3,000 a year in carer's allowance - are you missing out?
It comes after we revealed that millions of households are missing out on £10billion worth of benefits every year.
Meanwhile one disabled mum receiving carer's allowance said she "can't survive" after going on to Universal Credit and has lost hundreds of pounds.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online Money team? Email us at firstname.lastname@example.com or call 0207 78 24516. Don't forget to join the Sun Money's Facebook group for the latest bargains and money-saving advice.


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Theme Song: I bless the rain down in Africa/ Gonna take some time to do the things we never had!
Disclaimer: I haven't updated my blog very diligently lately. I have had a story that the internet is already crowded enough and who cares about these updates if they are longer than an IG post? We also have been sharing content from #TeamCorker over here and it felt more important to crowd the internet with more meaningful words, than my silly sweat tales.
This recent trip to South Africa has changed that for me, for many reasons. Being on the other side of the world, meeting new people from all over the world – some who spoke english and many who did not – reminded me that there is indeed a great big globe of colourful, beautiful people. And we've all got a story to share. I will (unapologetically) share mine with you and I hope you do too! Subscribe here for updates from The Corker Co or here for the upcoming Stephy Reports.
Now — IRONMAN SOUTH AFRICA!
The seed for this race was planted by my good buddy Rachel McBride during the final 1000m of a January 10km swim set. She was committing to big-point races en route to the Big Island and I was easily convinced being such a naive, rookie pro. Everything sounds like a great idea …in January!
But here is what actually happened leading into this start line:
+ a rained-out LA training camp// a mentally-tough Kona training camp (chasing sunshine!)// more hours than i'd like to admit riding and running inside – which didn't leave me feeling overly confident about hour6 onward on race day// a solid bout of "i'm not good enough for this; i'm too fat; i think i'd rather stay in bed" #reallife// a change of plans for Rachel which meant she wouldn't be racing.
GAH! Do I still go? Is it worth it? Surely I don't have the fitness but more importantly: do I even have the mental guts to finish an IM? A month out, I had 3 days completely off and was under Coaches orders to nail a few key workouts or we were pulling the pin. Because: there is always another day he tells me, another start line…some day….
And that killed me. I'm deathly allergic to "somedays". I could get injured, life circumstances could change and I wasn't prepared to wait for another day or another year.
So with a proper taper week in Cape Town before hand (I don't do too well in the IM buzz pre-race, so prefer to stay outta dodge), we headed over to Port Elizabeth on Thursday. Coach Jazzy sent me a text that simply read: "at peace?" My response: "Yep!" And with that, it was time to jump into the buzz head first. My first pro meeting was definitely legit — a room of some seriously stacked talent (that I only know from the internet, let's be honest!) with more Euro rules than us North Americans are used to.
Speaking of talent – the one thing everyone in the room did have in common was a group of sponsors that stood behind them. Many with logos across their chests, I'd be so remiss to not start this post with gratitude:
+ for Kebby, Hailey and the girls at Coeur Sports. You will see their beautiful product on heaps of athletes — yet what you might not know is that this is a female led, US-made, huge-hearted crew! These gals have brought over 140 ladies together for TeamCoeur2017 and I'm so grateful to be flying the Coeur flag this season. (The other kicker is that their product is seriously comfortable and fit for dare I say…a queen!)
+ for SMITH, who sponsor only the best — the top of the podiums, the winners. I've been so fortunate to be apart of SMITH for several years and sporting their newest aero helmets and every pair of sunglasses I can possibly find. I'm so grateful they took a chance on me, even if I don't fit the #winner criteria. Their newest chromapop everything actually will have you seeing the world thru rose-tinted glasses.
+ for my local favorites – the Canadian-founded velofix. You may see trucks on road and I get to see these guys in the community, on their bikes, super committed to partnering with brands who will make it easier for more people in this world to ride bikes. Undeniably, as a female, I'm reallyreally stoked when the big red truck pulls up to take care of…everything, where ever I am racing. #sametimeridemore
+ speaking of Canadian, for the rad athlete team behind Cervelo. Like SMITH, who took a flying freakin' chance on me so early on. Their local YVR crew is awesome and I'm super honoured to be on my 3rd cervelo stead!
+ for endless canisters of Nuun. I had nuun on the airplane, nuun for breakfast, nuun at the pool, nuun on race morning. And like every other brand, the people of the product make the nuun experience really special. #hydrateordie!
+ and lastly and never ever least, for B78 Coaching and my main man Jasper Blake. Of course, you can hire a coach to write you a program or you can work with a coach to change your relationship with winning/ losing/ suffering/ celebrating. Most of all, I'm grateful for Jazzy's impeccable commitment to creating simple and highly effective programs for life – mind, body, spirit — and somehow, we keep crossing the line faster;)
So the question is: should you purchase/ use these brands/ products/ services? Yes! Not only because they are the best, yet because in a world with so many options, they are committed to bring their best and supporting us all in the human race to finish lines!
Speaking of finish lines, here is how my race went down:
SWIM | We walked onto the beach to an African Drum circle which might have been the coolest! I lined up right at the front, determined to get on someone's feet. The gun went off and we ran into the water — I think I lost the run into the water, but did find a group…only to be quickly dropped and swimming solo. Such a #rookiemistake! I ended up swimming the entire permitter of the ocean, with kayaks pushing me back on course. When I ran into transition there were 2 bikes left racked; so I wasn't last but barely.
*Spoiler: my greatest fear of taking my pro card was finishing last. Would that be just awful? An embarrassment? Who wants to support a loser?*
BIKE | I jump on my bike and immediately realize that this pro field means pretty quiet roads. No one was around! I settled into my numbers and thought I'd take the first loop conservatively and see what was happening on the second loop. That I did. We had a stellar head wind coming back into town and the loop meant I could see where the rest of the girls were at. I also knew that going too hard for me on the bike was not setting myself up to run. When I started the second loop, I broke it into 10km chucks — I was going to fuel every 10km and stay really focused 10km at a time. It worked — like 9x10km efforts on the trainer! Mikey and I have done these — I can do this. Overall, I think I rode very conservatively and that was what was needed for my mental game.
RUN | This might be the most unique way to run 42.2km — 4×10.5km figure eight style loops — meaning 2.5km out/ 2.5km back in/ 2.5km out the other direction — up a hill/ down a hill – 2.5km back in….FOUR TIMES! As the day went on the loops got progressively more congested. It was awesome to be a witness to the men's race and of course, watch the women running around me in circles as well. If my confidence was going to be tested, it was going to be on the back half of the marathon and despite it being an early season race, I'm proud of holding myself together as best as I could for that last 15km. (Kudos to Jenny Fletcher who just wouldn't let me catch up!)
On Sunday, I was the last pro to finish. Unfortunately, there was a significant group of gals who dropped out for various reasons – so I guess you can say I was the last pro who didn't drop out! (I've got nothing but respect – I know these ladies wanna get to Kona!) Regardless, IM South Africa was a new pb (10:04) for me and the marathon that tells me there is still room to improve — I crossed the line absolutely elated!
Here is what I know to be true:
+ I'd rather be the last pro than the first amateur. (And I'm so glad I didn't wait for someday to experience this!)
+ I'm SO passionate about women showing up to the races! Only 20% of the amateur race was female and less than 20 female pros finished. The spread may be large, yet the only way to bridge the gaps is: by showing up! #hightides #riseallships
+ I may never be the fastest, skinniest, fiercest woman on the course — and I may be last — yet I will never ever give up. If this isn't a lesson for IM and for some other chapter in my life, I'm so grateful for it all. It will never be lost on me that failed goals keep me hungry and big goals keep me motivated; I'm grateful that I've become unattached to results in a way that I can be proud of really showing up with my biggest heart + sponsors who are really awesome human beings, first and foremost. (Because after all: isn't this simply a human experience wrapped in spandex?!)
The Road to (Challenge) Roth is on the other side of recovery…
[Next post: the tourist report of Cape Town/ Port Elizabeth because IM South Africa just might be a bucket list kinda race — a trip of a lifetime for you to consider in 2018!]


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Teach your baby the sign for the word elephant in baby sign language with the following description and video.
Form the hand into the signed letter B. Touch the fingertips to the noise. Move the hand down and out in the motion of a long trunk.
Beyer, Monica. 2006. Baby talk: A guide to using basic sign language to communicate with your baby. New York: Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin.


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Scientists have seen evidence for a colossal flood under Antarctica that drained six billion tonnes of water, quite possibly straight to the ocean.
The group's upper estimate is 6.4 cubic km - very nearly as much as is stored in Scotland's famous Loch Ness.
A team of University of Texas researchers recently discovered a swamplike system of water under an Antarctic glacier the size of New Mexico


text: March 24, 2010 Rainy Days and Mondays (49/365 year 3) Project 365 // Day 49, year 3 This picture just doesn't do justice to how craptastic the weather was on Monday. But I was able to take it from the warmth and dryness of my dining room. Share this:TwitterFacebookEmailPrintLike this:Like Loading... Related


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Last night I made the journey to Aberdeen to see the new Bond film. It was a stressful trip for a few reasons.
Firstly I was gatecrashing a girls' night out. Jessie (wife) had organised the evening a little while ago with a couple of her friends from antenatal days. When she told me on Monday evening, I reacted in a typically childish way.
"Oh right, ok then." I said with more than a hint of disappointment in my voice.
"What's wrong? Am I not allowed to go and have a nice time with my friends?"
"No, no, of course you are," I continued sadly. "It's just that I… I really wanted to see it too. It would have been nice to go together."
If you prick me, do I not bleed?
"Well, why don't you come too? We could get your mum to babysit."
Victory. But, considering it a little further I began to wonder if, for the sake of winning a very minor marital battle, I'd sacrificed too much. Could I really sit at the end of a row while the girls simpered over Daniel Craig and still properly enjoy the explosions and fighting?
The other issue was that: I really hate the cinema. In fact, the last time I'd been into town to the flicks had been to see Casino Royale in 2006.
I struggle with all the people, the cramped seats, the over-priced sweeties, the smell of popcorn, too many people having an obviously good time, people coughing on me, people getting up to go to the loo every three minutes, the rustling of chocolate wrappers, oh yes, and all the people.
Still, I got through it and the film was highly entertaining, as you would expect. The girls didn't seem to mind me tagging along (although they probably had to tone-down their conversation about Daniel Craig's torso in the car on the way home,) and I left thinking it had been good to see Bond on the big screen again.
The film did lift my mood, but there was a problem. Earlier in the day I had endured yet another NR in the Winter Alliance. My Alliance season has been utterly dismal so far. I've NR'd more times than I've posted a score and I'm becoming thoroughly demoralised with my game.
As I sat through the thrilling scenes of violence, seduction, death and destruction, I couldn't stop thinking about my golf. In the opening sequence of Skyfall, (I'm not spoiling it because I'd already seen it in a trailer,) Bond chases a baddie, both on motorbikes, over the rooftops of Istanbul. At one point, they're flying down opposite buildings along metre wide strips. It looked incredibly perilous and unsteady: just like my game.
Yes, my rounds of golf at the moment are similar to Bond's crazy ridge-ride: They're completely on a knife-edge and one bad movement can lead to complete disaster and destruction.
Even when I'm seemingly playing well I'm actually clinging on precariously, like a climber to the North Face of the Eiger. To the untrained eye, I might be making pars and even the occasional birdie, but internally I'm living in fear, fully aware that total collapse is possible on each and every shot.
It's with the driver that most of my rounds have gone west in the Alliance this year. I'll manage to keep prodding it down into reasonably playable spots for 10 or 12 holes, but it won't be going straight and I won't be sure if it's heading left or right.
Then the self-doubt will get to me properly and I'll lash one wildly into the gorse or out-of-bounds. That one bad shot is all it takes. I'll be totally unravelled after it, and all shreds of self-confidence will be gone. I'll then spray a few more into the thick rough or trees, onto the beach or into housing estates before I admit the game is up and ask my playing partner to write those two horrible letters on my scorecard.
It doesn't help that my playing partner in the last three Alliances, the man who writes those letters, has been Tartan Tour No. 1 Greig Hutcheon. Compared to my three NR's, he's fired: four-under, six-under and another four-under. He's 14-under-par for those rounds and I reckon, if I'd kept playing rather than waving the white flag, I'd be, roughly, 60 shots worse.
To be honest, I've been living a vicarious golfing life in the Alliance over the last month. Back at Banchory GC on Wednesday evenings, people now don't even bother to ask how I got on. Frankly, there's no point. So I just relay how good Greig was and enjoy his success second-hand.
But, just like Bond, I believe in resurrection and I'm confident I can haul myself back from the abyss. I'm going to play a few holes this afternoon and try to salvage what's left from the wreckage.
Maybe I need to go and watch some feel-good, rom-com at the cinema so I can relate my golf game to something warm, fuzzy and cuddly. I'll see what the girls are doing next week.