text:
Agreement over Theatre Royal re-opening
The government has today signed an agreement with the owners of the Theatre Royal granting the government a lease over the premises for 40 years on a rental of £60,000 per annum with a rental reduction of 50% over the first 18 months after
commencement of the lease.
The management also grants the government the option to purchase the theatre at any time during the term of the lease for the basic purchase price of £1.3million.
"We sincerely appreciate the genuine eforts made by the owners of the Theatre Royal to reach an agreeement with the government. We believe this is a good and fair deal, both for the owners and for the people of Gibraltar who can now aspire to the restoration and re-opening of this historical monument as part of our cultural heritage," said culture minister Dr Bernard Linares.
The government says it is also pleased to announce that Ove Arup and Partners International have been appointed to develop and design proposals for the refurbishment of the theatre, through an open tender.
Construction on the final design is expected to start around May 2001 and the completion date is expected to be in the autumn of 2003. The first phase of the restoration works is estimated to cost £3.5 million, 40% of which will be drawn from available European Funds (Objective 2)., (10.11.00)
Remembrance Sunday
Remembrance Sunday will be observed on 12 November with a combined civilian/military ceremony at the Cross of Sacrifice at noon.
The Governor will lead the service and on his arrival will read the Bidding and this will be followed by the observance of the two minute silence, to be signalled by a salvo of guns.
The sounding of the Last Post, the laying of wreaths and a short non-denominational service will follow. The ceremony concludes with the sounding of reveille and the National Anthem. In line with the practice at the Cenotaph in London, all present are invited to join in singing the anthem. (10.11.00)
Poppy Day match is back!
The Gibraltar veterans football association jointly with the Royal Gibraltar regiment and with the approval of the Gibraltar football asssociation are reviving the Poppy Day football match. This takes place on Saturday at 6.15pm at the Victoria Stadium. The regiment's band will be performing.
This match used to be played a number of years ago between the GFA and the Combined Services, but it was done away with when the number of servicemen started to dwindle.
The new Poppy Day match originated as a millennium objective. It will now be played annually, all proceeeds to the Royal British Legion Fund.
Solomon Levy, estate agents, have provided the new Poppy Day Cup; Lewis Stagnetto Ltd will sponsor the event and W H Hoare (Sports) will provide the match ball for the game. (10.11.00)
Civil servants in pay row
Civil servants who staged strike action against the government recently are now bracing themselves for renewed differences with their employers, who have gone ahead to pay the new rates but without first agreeing the new rates with the unions.
The clerical association and the institute of professional managers are concerned that the new rates are to be implemented without prior agreement with them. They have called on their members not to be blinded by the prospect of receiving their pay arrears just before Christmas, arguing that the employer's move has been prompted in an effort "to sweeten the fact that you will never bridge the gap with the technical grades" - which was part of the recent dispute.
The government has reacted by saying that the new rates reflect what the unions have
confirmed as fully meeting the 'parity with Uk' claim. The pay directive, they add, includes assimilation of technical and clerical grades in common pay bands with the same minima and maxima as in the UK whilst retaining the existing Gibraltar progression scales. (09.11.00)
Cruise liner sails away
A cruise liner due in Gibraltar has sailed away to avoid the prospect of encountering problems with taxi drivers who are taking selective industrial action against the government and also against M H Bland, agents of the cruise ship concerned.
With the visit by Pacific Princess cancelled by P&O, the government says it will have "to consider all its options in the light of this growing negative impact on Gibraltar's cruise industry."
The taxi association are in dispute with the government over new transport regulations and with Bland over their application to license another 10 mini-coaches. (09.11.00)
Moroccans want fairer treatment
The Moroccan community association are not thrilled by recent changes introduced by the Gibraltar government in an effort to meet demands from the Moroccan residents to be treated equally to other residents. They see the government's changes as 'cosmetic'.
A spokesman told the Gibraltar Chronicle that the government has described its position as a 'civilised posture' to non-EU nationals who have been living and working in Gibraltar for many years on one to five year work permits, but the association claim that the issues are going nowhere.
"We believe that the just thing to do is to grant full residence rights, the lack of which is the cause of all our problems," they say.
And they add: "Gibraltar is our first home. We spend more time here than in our homeland, we contribute as any other citizen by way of social insurance and taxes. So why the unjustifiable difference in treatment. We wish to live as one and be accorded equal and fair treatment in Gibraltar." (09.11.00)
Govt confusing public opinion over Tireless, says opposition
The labour/liberal opposition says it is convinced that the Gibraltar government is confusing public opinion by pretending to take what appears to be a tough line in public against the repairs to HMS Tireless when in reality all they are doing is preparing the ground for the repairs to go ahead.
In a statement tonight, they add: The opposition view has been given credence by the fact that the Ministry of defence in London is quoted as saying that the Gibraltar government experts will not be granted access to the nuclear reactor compartment on HMS Tireless as this is not necessary.
They accuse the government of leaving the door open. "We predict that the Gibraltar government's experts will say that they do not need access to the reactor compartment which will allow Mr Caruana to say that there is no need to oppose the repairs as such access is not needed."
The opposition say they consider such a development as a blatant attempt to manipulate public opinion, and call on the government to "clearly and unequivocally" declare itself against the nuclear submarine being repaired in Gibraltar. (09.11.00)
No need for experts to inspect reactor, says MOD
The Ministry of defence in Gibraltar has reacted to a statement by the Gibraltar government, to the effect that it would oppose the repairs to HMS Tireless if its experts were not allowed to inspect the reactor, saying that there is no need for the Gibraltar experts to gain access to the reactor in order to determine the safety of the repair procedures. The government experts have been offered to see the reactor on film.
Following press comment that the Government's own inspectors had not been allowed to view the reactor, a Government statement said yesterday
that" should the experts consider such access to be necessary in order to give reliable advice to the government, and should any access requested in those circumstances be denied, the government will firmly oppose the carrying out of the repairs in Gibraltar."
The MOD statement would seem to indicate that the inspection is not necessary and , thus, the government threat is superfluous. (08.11.00)
Govt leaving door open to repairs, says opposition
In a statement this afternoon, the labour/liberal opposition say
that" the government appears to be wanting to give the impression that they oppose the repairs, when in reality they are leaving the door open to do the opposite."
They add that it is "completely absurd" that the Gibraltar government should be relying on press reports to reach the conclusion that its panel of experts have not had access to the nuclear compartment in their visit to the submarine.
On page 5 of the experts report to the government it says: "The panel was not permitted access to the submarine reactor compartment and has not yet inspected the berth facilities."
The opposition ask if the government has read the report.
The opposition reiterate their view that Tireless should not be repaired in Gibraltar, and add: The ambivalence and lack of clarity of the Gibraltar government, in sharp contrast, has not helped Gibraltar and may well have contributed to the present situation. The surest way to prevent Spanish visits or interference in what happens in Gibraltar is for the submarine to go away from here and the sooner this happens, the better it will be." (08.11.00)
Chief Minister should have supported popular view, says UN association
The United Nations Association of Gibraltar say that the chief minister should have united with the popular campaign against Tireless being repaired in Gibraltar.
Commenting on recent events, they condemn the way in which the British government have completely by-passed the Gibraltar government and feel strongly that the people of Gibraltar have been completely ignored regarding their call for Tireless to be removed from Gibraltar.
"After further analysis of the situation, we feel that if the chief minister would have come on board from day one and united with what is the popular view that Tireless should not be repaired in Gibraltar, then we would not be in yet another humiliating situation," says the association.
They add: We call upon the chief minister to not await any further degrading situations, and to unite with the people and to tell Britain to take Tireless back to the UK immediately. (08.11.00)
Base will be downgraded after repairs - says UK minister
Still on Tireless, the stricken nuclear submarine, UK junior defence minister John Spellar has told the House of Commons in London that the Gibraltar submarine berth will be downgraded after the repairs are over.
He said: The category Z berth in Gibraltar naval base has not been upgraded to a
category X berth. To undertake the specific repair to the reactor coolant system of HMS Tireless, the Z berth in Gibraltar has been enhanced to the standard necessary to obtain approval from the regulatory authority to undertake the repair.
"This included enhancing the management organisation in Gibraltar and providing the additional equipment needed for the repair," he added. "This equipment will be removed when the repair is completed. The temporary enhancement to the Z berth occupied by HMS Tireless does not involve structural work and there are no changes required to the existing emergency planning arrangements."
A Z berth is used only for recreation and operational visits whilst a Z berth is used for repairs to nuclear submarines. (08.11.00)
New chairman of Jewish Community
The Jewish Community in Gibraltar has a new chairman. He is lawyer James Levy, who now takes over the running of the influential Jewish community here.
He will be involved in educational and other matters as well as dealing with outside bodies, such as the Jewish world congress.
He said that relations with the predominantly Catholic community was good and that he wants to renew contacts with local Moroccan leaders with a view to ensuring that events elsewhere do not have a negative bearing here. "We are one big family in Gibraltar," he said.
He takes over from his brother Momy Levy, who now becomes his deputy. (08.11.00)
Operation Triangle: Man arrested
In line with their ongoing campaign against drug suppliers under operation Triangle, the Gibraltar police arrested a man for alleged possession with intent to supply approximately 15 grammes of amphetamine and 7 grammes of cannabis resin.
The drugs were seized in his residence and in his vehicle, claim the police. The search was carried out by drug squad officers with the assistance of the customs dog section. Items associated with the supply of drugs were also seized.
The man was charged and appeared in court this morning, his case being adjourned. (08.11.00)
Government threatens with opposing
Tireless repairs
Chief Minister Peter Caruana, humiliated by Britain over the visit of Spanish experts to HMS Tireless, has spoken for the first time about the possibility of his government opposing the repairs. He has also stated that he will not allow the Tireless presence in Gibraltar to be used as a Trojan Horse for Spain's ambitions to take-over the rock.
As the row with Britain continues, the government here says it has noticed press reports suggesting that the Gibraltar government's panel of experts have been denied access to the reactor compartment. "Should the experts consider such access to be necessary in order to give reliable advice to the government, and should any access requested in those circumstances be denied, the government will firmly oppose the carrying out of the repairs in Gibraltar," said a
statement today from the chief
minister's office.
The government here wants Britain to reply to a letter sent by the Spanish foreign minister Josep Pique to foreign secretary Robin Cook requesting Spanish involvement in the running of the military base at Gibraltar, and to reject such a proposal. This introduces into the Tireless issue a political dimension, it says, in addition to the public health dimension.
It is inexplicable that Britain does not reply to Sr Pique's letter, says the Gibraltar government.
Further "the surreptitious execution" of the visit by the Spanish experts "amounted to a deception of the Government of Gibraltar", the
statement adds. (07.11.00)
Spanish experts will not return unless they can have access to reactor
The Spanish nuclear experts , who visited the stricken submarine last week, say they will not return unless they are given access to the nuclear reactor, reports the Spanish daily El Pais today.
In the first place, Britain vetoed who could visit the Tireless last Friday, restricting this to independent persons. Secondly, it has made clear that restricted areas in the submarine, including the reactor, are out of the question.
The Spanish experts, who belong to Spain's nuclear safety council, have also expressed an interest to inspect the completed repairs before the reactor is switched on again.
The Tireless limped into Gibraltar last May after having developed a leak in its coolant system, which the Ministry of Defence at first thought was a 2mm crack on a weld. Later, after closer inspection, it was concluded that the fault was more serious than at first thought. This will require a new repair procedure being put in place, the MOD estimating that the repair works are not anticipated to take place before the end of March next year. (07.11.00)
Health authority hires Spanish radiologist
The row concerning the dismissal of the consultant radiologist Dr Rassa has taken a new twist, with the labour/liberal opposition saying today that the health authority has hired a Spanish radiologist and that his analysis of the results of x-rays need to be translated from Spanish into English.
The opposition says that if a medical practitioner requests a translation, this may need to be carried out by the nursing or administrative staff of the health authority, placing on them an unfair burden.
"In addition, this is potentially a dangerous situation because translations in medical technical terms are not the normal everyday translations from one language to another, and it can lead to mistakes in diagnosis which ultimately adversely affect a patient," the opposition point out.
It is ridiculous, they add, that only last week the government considered in its
wisdom that applicants for ward clerks require a GCSE in the English language and now a consultant radiologist does not.
"We strongly believe that if anything goes wrong it is the minister that carries the political responsibility," says the opposition,
pointing out that if Dr Rassa had not been dismissed so precipitously, the minister would not have found himself in this situation today. (07.11.00)
Gibraltar's Chief Minister
humiliated by Great Britain
Joe Garcia analyses the dramatic and damaging
events for Gibraltar
The chief minister Peter Caruana has been ridiculed and humiliated over the extraordinary events concerning the visit of Spanish experts to HMS Tireless. He has been made to look a fool by the Foreign Office, the Ministry of Defence and the Convent, to the extent that his
credibility as chief minister is now being questioned.
As he himself put it: "By 4pm this afternoon (Friday) the visit had already taken place, without the knowledge of and in the face of
opposition by the Gibraltar Government who learned of it when local workers phoned in to report that it was in progress."
Nothing could be more undignified, more detrimental to the standing of the chief minister of Gibraltar.
For six days he battled it out with the British Government, through the Governor, through lengthy correspondence and by even telephoning ministers in UK, including a desperate call to the defence secretary Geoff Hoon at 10.30pm on the night before the visit took place.
This damaging and dramatic episode has revealed:
THAT for 3 weeks Mr Caruana tried in vain to be given a copy of the letter sent to foreign secretary Robin Cook by his Spanish counterpart Sr Pique, making overtures about Spanish involvement in the Gibraltar military base.
THAT Mr Caruana's insistence that the visit of the Spaniards did not take place, unless any ideas of joint control of the base were clearly rejected by Britain, fell on deaf ears.
THAT for 6 days Mr Caruana tried to stop the visit taking place.
THAT on Thursday morning, as the crisis deepened, Mr Caruana telephoned Foreign Office minister Keith Vaz who, to Mr Caruana's surprise, said he was unaware of the Spanish nuclear safety council having said that they had neither the expertise nor the wish to visit Tireless.
THAT Mr Caruana forthwith sent a 14-page letter, by fax to the minister's private office, which made no impact whatsoever.
THAT as Mr Caruana held "loud and tense" talks with the Governor David Durie trying to stop the visit, "the visit had in fact already been agreed and the events and exchanges of the last 6 days a complete charade", to quote the Gibraltar government press release.
THAT there is now a major rift between Gibraltar and London, with Mr Durie diplomatically putting it as "clearly a difference of perception between the two governments." He has promised to do all he can "to reduce these differences."
What is clear is that Mr Caruana has been taken for a ride. While he was being told one thing, London was moving in a different direction. The Governor finally told Mr Caruana that it had been agreed that the Spanish experts would visit Gibraltar. Mr Caruana quickly released a copy of the letter he had sent to Mr Vaz and said he would oppose the visit taking place. What he did not know then was that the visit was already in motion. It was too late.
A detailed press statement due after lunch setting out the government's opposition to the visit was never released when, thanks to a dockyard worker, the chief minister's office got to know that the visit was, in fact, already in progress. A new press statement was drafted - and this was released late on Friday evening.
While all this was happening in Gibraltar, in Madrid the news of the visit was buzzing all afternoon.
In fact, the MOD in London issued a statement saying that "the visit will shortly be taking place." This was at 15.48pm - just 12 minutes before the visit was set in motion. In Gibraltar, the same press release was not issued by British Forces until 5.30pm - later than late.
Someone or other will now tell Mr Caruana how sorry they are for having ignored him and that it will not happen again. Last August, the MOD in London said they were going ahead with the repairs to Tireless, and when Mr Caruana complained, he was told: Sorry old chap, we know we acted wrongly.
The chief minister may have finally learnt his lesson.
He was right when he told the Foreign Office that his government viewed it as "inexplicable" that the British government should still not have replied to Sr Pique's letter demanding joint say or control over the naval base.
The Gibraltar Government, he added "cannot remain idle in the face of the risk that the Spanish Government, or the Spanish press, may seek to present the presence of Spanish nuclear experts as some sort of political triumph in the context of their wider position over Gibraltar."
The Spanish press has been referring to the "nervousness" of the chief minister and that he had said that the visit could be seen in Spain as "the first inroad into the sovereignty of Gibraltar for over 300 years."
Mr Caruana cannot, on the one hand, accept that Tireless be repaired in Gibraltar, and then, complain about the negative consequences for Gibraltar derived from it.
He has warned Britain that his government cannot remain idle. Gibraltar awaits to see what he intends to do.
Buses Confrontation
A confrontation is due on Thursday as Calypso Tours, part of M H Bland, apply for licences for ten of its buses, imported in strange circumstances.
The taxi association has confirmed "that it is preparing substantial objections to the application by Calypso tours for the extension of the number of buses that it is able to operate."
The association has been on selective industrial action against M H Bland since its importation in May 2000 of ten unlicensed Toyota Coaster buses.
Apart from the selective action, which has included targeting cruise liners for which M H Bland are agents, the association says it has made a complaint to the police, having been referred to the Attorney General, for the investigation of the importation of the said buses.
The police have been provided with statements from several members of the committee of the taxi association and are presently investigating the issues arising.
The taxi association says it understands that "the investigation is being conducted with particular regard to the provisions of Part IX of the Criminal Offences Ordinance, namely corruption of public office."
Spanish military may be next to visit Tireless
Gib experts treated like Spaniards and not allowed to inspect reactor
The Gibraltar government nuclear experts have been treated like Spaniards and not allowed to inspect the Tireless reactor, the Ministry of Defence have confirmed.
It follows therefore that the safety reports by the Government's experts are not based on an independent assessment but purely and simply on what the MOD has told them, which is the same as what the MOD has now been telling the Spanish technicians.
This raises further questions about the validity of the experts safety reports and the Gibraltar government's acceptance of everything it is told.
The initial safety report turned out to be flawed because it was based on inaccurate assessment of the problem by the MOD. Equally so, their latest
report is based on what the MOD has told them. There is no guarantee that the MOD will not get it wrong again.
What is lamentable is that, after the last sojourn here by the experts, it was said that they had visited the submarine. That was being economical with the truth. What was NOT said was that they had not inspected the problem-plagued reactor compartment.
Says the MOD: "It has always been understood that neither the Spanish nor Gibraltarian experts would be allowed access to the reactor department."
If the Gibraltar government knew, why did they keep quiet about it and give the public a misleading impression?
Of course, the MOD is perfectly entitled to decide who can and who cannot be allowed
into the secret areas of the submarine. They cannot be criticised in this respect.
The two technicians from the Spanish nuclear safety council visited Tireless on Friday with the prior knowledge that they would not be allowed into the reactor compartment. They had earlier stated that they knew nothing about nuclear
submarines and showed no enthusiasm to pay a visit to Tireless. However, they came under pressure from
the Spanish government to do so, to provide a perception of all being well to allay mounting Spanish concern about the submarine.
"What is important is that we have successfully gained access to the submarine, and the door now being open, it will be difficult for Britain to close it,"
said council sources, who now expect more visits to follow. They also want to be present during the testing of the repairs prior to the reactor being switched on, when a radiation leak could ensue if everything has not gone well.
Not only that, but given the lack of knowledge of the Spanish civilian technicians of nuclear submarines, the point is already being made that future visits should include Spanish military personnel.
Although the Spanish were given an extensive briefing at the base here, which lasted 4 hours, the actual visit to the submarine is being described as almost "touristic", as all they were allowed to see were
non-restricted areas. The visit to Tireless by the Gibraltar Government's experts has equally been "touristic".
Gibraltar Liberal Party elected full members of Liberal International
Garcia Vice President of Liberal International
The Liberal Party of Gibraltar has been admitted as a full, voting member of Liberal International, at a Congress held in Canada, and Party Leader Dr Joseph Garcia is now a Vice President of the organisation. There were over three hundred delegates from fifty three countries in the Congress.
This is the first time that a Gibraltarian political party has been admitted as a full voting member of an international organisation political body at a senior level, and is good news both for the Liberal Party and for Gibraltar as a whole. The Liberal Party of Gibraltar has been attending Liberal International events since 1996, participating in four different Congresses in the Netherlands (1996), Britain (1997), Belgium (1999) and Canada (2000). Attaining full membership is a long process, which starts as a participating guest, then as an observer member and finally a full member. The party has been allocated five votes.
The admission of Gibraltar as a full member came about unanimously and to a roar of applause from the many delegates in the room. It was first approved earlier this year by the Bureau of Liberal International, then by the Executive Committee in Ottawa and finally by the plenary. Both Dr Garcia and Mr Linares were present in the Executive Committee, being a part of it, and the Liberal Leader gave an address in support of the application.
There are now over thirty Liberal parties involved in government all over the world, some of them alone and others through alliances and coalitions with other parties. The Congress in Ottawa was addressed by the Prime Minister of
Canada, the Prime Minister of Andorra and the Prime Minister of Belgium, among others, as well as by a European
Commissioner and the Director General of the World Trade Organisation. There were government Ministers, Members of Parliament and Members of the European Parliament from many countries present.
In addition, Dr Garcia and Mr Linares were also given a private tour of the Canadian House of Commons and the Senate in Parliament Hill. It was particularly interesting because the Congress took place in the first week of the Canadian General Elections, and this gave the event a very high media profile when the Prime Minister came to address the delegates. The Liberal Prize for Freedom, which is awarded at every Congress, was presented to the Pakistani lawyer Asma Jahangir who is well known for defending the rights of women in her country.
Dr Garcia and Mr Linares took the opportunity offered by the Congress to explain the Gibraltar position to as many politicians from around the world as possible. The theme of the Congress was "World Trade in the new
For a political party from Gibraltar to obtain international recognition is a both an honour and a historic event. This means that we are now treated on a par with political parties from all around the globe which helps to put Gibraltar on the map and promote our unique identity. This can only be positive for everyone.
The Web
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4 best techniques to lose weight
Are you fed up of carrying extra pounds all the time? Don't worry here are the 4 best techniques to help you lose weight:
Make time to exercise
It's essential if you're planning to lose weight and keep it off. You can begin by choosing exercises that you can see yourself doing and enjoying. Choosing an exercise that you enjoy will require less motivation to do it every day. Try out aerobics, Zumba or just hit the gym depending on what you like to do.
Make an eating plan
It's crucial to keep a check on what you eat every day. If you stick to your unhealthy habits of eating junk food and fast food take away, you won't be able to lose weight quickly or even at all. It's always recommended to eat healthy, but making a diet plan can be time consuming. Therefore, check out the 3 week diet Brian Flatt pdf without worrying about what to eat every day.
Get enough sleep
Let your body get enough rest to recover from your days activities and also to maintain plenty of energy for you to function the next day. Getting enough rest makes you less prone to overeating throughout your day and less likely to experience injury during your physical activities.
Be patient
Patience is the key to losing weight, give yourself time and appreciate yourself more often. Remind yourself that losing weight in a healthier and safe way requires time and motivation.

subset: commoncrawl


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Subtle Sensor
Posted by theSubtleSensor (Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom) on 4 March 2011 in Abstract & Conceptual.
Oh my! Its been almost a year since I posted on here! I was right in the middle of a study on architecture in Barcelona and then i dropped right off the map.
I've half a mind to continue the study (even just as an excuse to get the pictures edited) but right now I am posting an image from my latest personal project.
The idea is to find descriptive, evocative phrases within song lyrics and use them to generate an image.
This one is from a song called Nurse by Tool, which is a whimsical portrayal of a patient in a (mental?) hospital who is falling in love with his nurse (and her access to drugs) and believes that she, too, is falling for him.The particular lyrics that inspire this image are:
"Say hello to all the apples on the ground, they were once in your eyes but you cried them out while sleeping".
The image also used lyrics from other sections of the song to inform the narrative, an example being:
"She's fallen hard for me, I can see it in her eyes; she acts just like a nurse with all the other guys".
Anyways, enough rambling. I hope you like it! It may be a while before anything else goes up as work keeps gtting in the way of play! You can keep an eye on what I'm shooting in my workdays by following my other AM3 photblog: http://subtlesensor.aminus3.com/
I'm not really postimg much on here these days. I only intend to post my personal projects or experimental work as this is what I need feedback on - so please do leave a constructive comment or a star rating.
These days I post more regularly to the blog on my website, so skate on over there to see what I've been up to recently: Freelance Photographer in Newcastle upon Tyne | Subtle Sensor Photography
You can find my fashion and portrait work here: Subtle Sensor on Model Mayhem
Thanks for dropping by!
Leah Kay from Fort Collins, United States
4 Mar 2011 6:37am
philedmond from Angers, France
4 Mar 2011 7:54am
Stefan from Thiersee, Austria
4 Mar 2011 12:28pm
rem_la from Villiers, France
4 Mar 2011 7:27pm
DarkElf from Perth, Australia
4 Mar 2011 11:15pm
Jason Kravitz from Brussels, Belgium
5 Mar 2011 4:25pm
Céline from New York City, United States
7 Mar 2011 9:10am
Ahmad from Isfahan, Iran
12 Jun 2011 6:08am
pedro alexandre from loures, Portugal
30 Oct 2011 1:43am
@pedro alexandre: Thanks! The full lyrics to the song reveal that the song is written by a psychiatric patient who is in love with his nurse - so I'm glad I managed to convey that sentiment! =D)
Canon EOS 5D Mark II


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Orchard soil health
of you who read chapter three of The
Holistic Orchard
with me this week
will probably feel like you were drinking from a fire hose. The
took me days to digest and I suspect I'll be trying out Phillips'
techniques for the next several years. Feel free to comment about
other parts of the chapter (of which there were many), but I want to
focus my post on soil health this week.
The Weekend Homesteader is full of projects that make a difference, but don't break the bank.
Want to be notified when new comments are posted on this page? Click on the RSS button after you add a comment to subscribe to the comment feed, or simply check the box beside "email replies to me" while writing your comment.
Do most vegetables prefer fungal or bacterial soils?
You talk about making fungus-friendly compost. Assuming your soil fertility is good, could you get the same effect through chop-and-drop?
Comment by Wed Oct 17 13:39:09 2012—
very interesting, I will have to make sure my tree's are well mulched then. Wonder if it works for Lilacs also?
Comment by Wed Oct 17 13:59:45 2012—
An unmulched tree sort of looks naked to us these days. Not sure about the Lilacs, I guess it would depend on how much dynamic accumulation occurred.
Comment by Wed Oct 17 14:10:10 2012—
BeninMA --- Each vegetable is a little different in terms of the fungi to bacteria ratio they prefer. You'd have to do a bit of legwork to find out anything beyond what I mentioned in the linked post --- unfortunately, that's all I know.
Chop and drop will definitely help you veer toward fungally dominated soil. You'll still need to feed most fruits and vegetables something to bring up nitrogen levels, but it's a great start.
Irma --- Mark accidentally logged in as me when he commented above. I'd definitely recommend mulch around lilacs --- all woody perennials except nitrogen-fixers are going to enjoy that.
Comment by Wed Oct 17 14:54:13 2012—
Go all out on the gypsum. Do it to everything you got. It's some of the best stuff I ever used. It doesn't just break up hard soils and boots calcium, but does much much more. It's beneficial to vegetables, flowers, and fruits. Be very liberal also. It doesn't burn at all. Also you can used it often.
Comment by Wed Oct 17 18:26:35 2012—
I loved the root growth vs top growth part. I never paid much attention until after reading this chapter a little earlier in the year.
Comment by Wed Oct 17 20:08:09 2012—
I was about to give up on mulching all my fruit and nut trees and mowing/weedeating instead... but this week I've started kill mulching around the trees again after reading so far. As for all the chemistry - I'm going to have to read that again after I get a soil test done. I'm wondering if the standard state of VA extension soil test is what you used? Seems like the author uses special labs?
Comment by Wed Oct 17 20:19:00 2012—
I have to admit that all of those numbers all at once did rather get my brain in a whirl; I'll have to let them soak in a few days and re-read this post a time or two to really get my head wrapped around the point of the numbers.
On the other hand, the stuff about the feeder roots and when it's best to apply compost really got me excited! I just can't wait until I actually have this book in hand to read myself!
Comment by Wed Oct 17 21:08:00 2012—
I read this and my eyes started glazing over... And my first thought was " huh.?" So I just went back to look at the puppy.
Comment by Wed Oct 17 22:02:44 2012—
Marco --- Well, I suspect that like any soil amendment, you don't want to go all out without knowing from a soil test that gypsum is what your soil wants. From my understanding of the way it works, it causes magnesium to get washed away, which is good for my soil, but could be terrible for someone who has low magnesium levels! I'm definitely going to give it a try, though, and am thrilled to hear that your soils were perked up by the addition.
Brian -- Me too! I'm still trying to decide if I can buck conventional wisdom and spread compost in the fall or if that's just too scary for me.
De --- It's definitely much easier to read the chemistry part once you have a soil test in hand. I actually used UMass Amherst because I wanted to test for heavy metals once in the farm's life, just in case. You might enjoy reading my post about soil testing labs and comparing the cheaper options to our extension service. There are special labs that focus more on biology of the soil, but they tend to be very expensive and I'm not sure whether I believe all of their claims, so I've steered clear so far.
Ikwig --- Yeah, this part definitely needed digestion!
Comment by Thu Oct 18 08:40:57 2012—
I wouldn't over do it but I have started adding it to anything I transplant now. Another awesome use is on lawns that end at roads with heavy winter salt use tend to get burned from the salt. If you use gypsum on the lawn heavily for the first 15' nearest the road it will remedy the problem.
Comment by Thu Oct 18 22:15:38 2012—
Marco --- (Your subject line made me smile, again. )
I read up a bit on gypsum after responding to your comment, and I could see how it would be hard to overdo it. The application rates are extremely high, 1,000 to 2,000 pounds per acre! And it sounds like you're totally right about the salts too. I sent Mark to the feed store after some, but they're having to order it for us. Once it comes in, we're definitely going to try some soon.
Comment by Fri Oct 19 07:29:48 2012—
I know I'm almost 3 months behind, but I only recently had this book given to me and am getting through it now.
Although we have access to some of the materials Phillips uses to keep his soil fungally-dominated, we will need to scrounge to get it in the volume he uses.
One thing we do have access to is coffee grounds, given to us by a local coffee establishment. I'm not sure whether that would be better for the fungus in the soil (for orchards) or the bacteria (for gardens). Is there any way for me to determine this for coffee grounds - or any other compost inputs we run across? I want to make sure I apply my amendments in the places that they're most beneficial if possible.
Comment by Tue Jan 8 08:36:17 2013—
Jono --- I was just flipping back through this chapter last night, actually. Although it can be a little more complex, I recommend looking at the C:N of a mulch to see whether it fits in the vegetable garden or around the woody perennials. I explain this in more depth in Weekend Homesteader: May, but the short version is that a low C:N, like you find in coffee grounds, is best around vegetables or in a compost pile. A higher C:N promotes fungi and makes a good mulch around fruit trees.
Comment by Tue Jan 8 09:29:04 2013—
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Fashion is not about utility. An accessory is merely a piece of iconography used to express individual identity
5 Books Every Fashion Student Needs to Read
For every serious fashion student, reading material is everything. Expanding your knowledge on practices in fashion design, retail, advertising and more is key to gaining a full understanding of the course you're doing.
Over the past twenty years, fashion and the study of it have evolved beyond all recognition, so that it can be difficult to know which area you'd like to specialise in and where to begin looking for research. Luckily there are a number of fantastic resources out there, written by experts in the industry. In fact, whittling the list down to just five is a tricky task. These are our top picks to get aspiring fashion students and those hoping to break into a fashion career after uni off the ground:
The End of Fashion: How Marketing Changed the Clothing Business Forever by Teri Agins
Written by a once fashion reporter at the Wall Street Journal, The End of Fashion gives an overarching overview of how fashion and the marketing around it came to be today. It focuses on how conglomerates such as LVMH surprised the fashion world by overcoming design, using marketing instead, and the resulting impact this had on the industry.
Fashion Promotion in Practice by Jon Cope & Dennis Maloney
As a recently released title, Fashion Promotion in Practice gives an in depth overview using case studies that are contemporary and still relevant of fashion promotion, the good, bad and the ugly. Issues such as democratization of the catwalk and the way that fashion brands are endorsed by celebrities and magazines sit alongside insight into how and why certain promotional activities are undertaken.
Fashion (Oxford History of Art) by Christopher Breward
Exploring the relationship between fashion and film, fashion as a business, the ever-glam world of Vogue and the undercurrent of advertising, this book is an all-encompassing look at fashion over a 150 year period.
The Fashion Designer Survival Guide: Start and Run Your Own Fashion Business by Mary Gehlhar
Switching the focus to students with a focus on fashion design, this is the only guide you will need to follow to learn how to get your own fashion label started up and becoming successful from the ground up, right from the business plan to runway shows. Advice in the guide is gathered from Mary's own knowledge of working with hundreds of designers including Zac Posen and Rebecca Taylor, and from fashion luminaries themselves including Diane von Furstenberg, Tommy Hilfiger and Donna Karan.
The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger
And because, even if you're a fashion student, we don't expect you to have your nose buried in research all the time – kick off the stilettos and have a bit of fun with the iconic The Devil Wears Prada. A partly-realistic view of what it's really like to work for a high fashion magazine in an entry-level position.


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Provides distribution maps to Flora of the Czech Republic. Early volumes were in Czech, later volumes in English. Volumes 1-3 have gone out of print.
Publisher: Botanical Institute of Czech Academy of Sciences
Forthcoming volumes in this series will be added to this page as soon as we become aware of them.
Please contact email@example.com about setting up a standing order, or if you would like to be notified when we add new volumes.


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Tuesday, November 1, 2016
These circuses that sweep Through the Landscape
1 comment:
- TAR said...
Hi Priya, loved your post, came upon it by chance. I wanted to thank you for doing such a beautiful cover for my book. Almost every person I have talked to has told me how eye-catching it is and how polished it looks. I've just shared your blog post on my FB page, because I'm so delighted that the beetle is on your wall! :-) Tejaswini
- January 21, 2017 at 7:27 PM
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2012 Chevrolet Sonic LTZ: Seat Heater Confirmation
November 27, 2012
My family and I spent Thanksgiving weekend running around in our 2012 Chevrolet Sonic LTZ. Along the way I was able to confirm a couple of things about the seats.
As JDP pointed out recently, the seat heaters work great, but it takes three presses of the button to get the relay to trip and shut them off again. It's very like having a one-way bulb screwed into a three-way socket. The effect is consistent and repeatable, too, which makes me think that our alert readers are right about it having something to do with the programming (or lack thereof) of the control module in our Sonic's replacement seats.
Because of the special nature of our situation, I'm convinced that this isn't likely to be a widespread Sonic issue and it's certainly no hazard of the faulty circuit variety. It can wait until the next time we need service.
On the seat smell front, I am pleased to report these new buckets are not stinking up the place; I detected nothing, in fact. But at one point my wife -- who is a neutral observer that isn't aware of this car's seat saga -- did scrunch up her nose a bit and say that she smelled something funny.
This is a scenario I've encountered before, and I trotted out my standard response: it was the dog.
Kobe, our Labrador puppy, is currently shedding something fierce, and he rode in the car a couple of times before my wife did. It's possible that she picked up a faint whiff of something else, but it's pretty safe to say the scent situation in here is much, much closer to normal than it has been in the past. Especially after I vacuumed out the dog hair.
Dan Edmunds, Director of Vehicle Testing @ 15,678 miles


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Hey, don't knock the C6 vette. It's a really impressive little sports car. Personally, I'm leaning more toward a Lotus Elise or maybe an older BMW M3. :-)-Ty
Quote from: BigTex on April 14, 2005, 01:58:45 PMI will purchase the coveted "My Little Pony Show Stable".Dude, I don't even want to ask on that one. A friend of mine bought a Saab convertible with her signing bonus when she graduated from LS and came straight over to my house after picking it up. I got in the car and started lecturing her on what a waste of money it was....after about ten minutes of driving I started pondering law school.
I will purchase the coveted "My Little Pony Show Stable".
Quote from: Brave on April 14, 2005, 09:51:37 AMa big wallet.damnit, no one laughed at my joke....
a big wallet.


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There are plenty of discounts out there for the brave men and women who have served our country. Veterans, retirees, and active military members can receive discounts on products services ranging from clothing and retail goods to travel and electronics. After diligent research, I've collected over 100 discounts applicable for military members and veterans. I will also go through which discounts and codes you can use while shopping online.
If you, or someone you know, has served or currently is serving in the military, you can make use of these discounts to save money on everyday and special purchases.
In This Guide
- Signing Up for Military Discounts Online
- Wireless & Internet Military Discounts
- Military Discounts on Entertainment
- Military Discounts on Electronics
- Military Discount Hotels
- Military Discount Flights and Travel
- Military Discount Car Rentals
- Military Discounts on Clothing
- Military Discounts for Home Goods and Services
- Military Discounts for Health & Beauty
Signing Up for Military Discounts Online
Before you shop online, sign up and verify your military ID with ID.me for easy discounts. ID.me is a website where all military personnel, retirees, veterans, dependents, and spouses can verify their military status online using either military documentation, a military email, a USAA membership, or form DD214.
Once you verify your military status with ID.me, you'll receive a digital ID card called Troop ID. Then, when you go to checkout on certain websites, you'll see a TroopID verification option. Click on Troop ID and sign into your ID.me account to easily verify your military status and receive a discount.
The process is super easy and it's free to sign up for an account. You can sign up with ID.me here.
Wireless & Internet Military Discounts
Various cell phone and Internet companies offer special deals for military and veterans. Check out Military Discounts on Cellular Phone Plans on Military.com for more info. For a more in-depth look at cell phones, you can use our tool to compare cell phone plans.
Tired of High Phone Bills? Calculate Your Savings!Save Now
In-person, Phone, and Online Discounts
1. Verizon Wireless and Fios TV/Internet
If you're in the military or a veteran of the military, Verizon military discount for wireless provides 15 percent off monthly payments for most of the best cell phone plans. You can verify your service here using various options listed on their site within the FAQs. You can also save $120 annually when you enroll as a new Verizon FIOS TV/Internet member if you are a Veterans Advantage member.
You can get 15 percent off of your monthly bill with AT&T military discount if you are considered active duty military, reserves, national guard, veterans, or a spouse of an active duty and/or deceased service personnel. Use their Active Duty Enroll option on their site to begin online enrollment if you are an active duty member. Otherwise, you'll need to verify with either a military ID or Defense or Department of Defense sponsorship card at your local store and show the specific code for your military status provided on the AT&T website.
3. Sprint
Sprint military discount provides active duty, reserves, and veterans of the U.S. government an undisclosed discount. Just fill out the verification form on their page to receive a discount code and see what you can get.
4. Century Link Internet Service
Century Link will give armed forces members a discounted price-per-month on up to 40 Mbps for a year when you bundle with a home phone.
5. Speed Connect Internet Service
Speed Connect military discount includes the Connect-A-Hero Program. If you have served in the U.S. Military, you are eligible for a discount on your Internet service.
For more information about the internet service providers in your area, head over here.
Military Discounts on Entertainment
You may be able to receive a military discount on amusement parks, movies, museums, and more. Don't forget to look into season passes, ask about blackout dates, and check out more deals on the best amusement park military discounts from Military.com. You can also check out the best ticket sites for exclusive deals and promotions.
In-person Discounts
6. Six Flags
According to their website, most military bases offer discounted Six Flags admission tickets at their MWR/ITR offices. You can also get a 20 percent off Six Flags military discount on a General Admission ticket at Six Flags Guest Services with a valid military ID.
7. Legoland
All military personnel on active duty can get one single-day free admission ticket to the Florida Legoland with a Military ID in person at the ticket booth. If you buy online, you can also get a 25 percent off Legoland military discount plus a second day free. If you're looking into California Legoland, active military members receive 10 percent off admission tickets at the ticket booth with a valid ID. California Legoland also provides discounted packages for military families online. Just fill out the military verification form on the website to verify your eligibility.
8. Disneyland
The Disneyland military discount includes 3-Day or 4-Day park hopper tickets for all active and retired military members. Check the website for details on specific offers and admission rates. Also, check out Disney Discount For Military Families at Military.com for more info.
Always make sure to carry your military identification.
9. Modern Museum of Art
The Modern Museum of Art in New York City offer free admission for active military members and their families. Just show your ID when you purchase a ticket at the door.
10. Museum Of Contemporary Art San Diego
If you have a military ID, you can get free admission to the Museum of Contemporary Art in San Diego. Just show your ID upon entry.
11. Anheuser-Busch Parks
Active duty service members and up to three dependents can receive free admission to any Anheuser-Busch park once a year, according to San Diego Metro. Just show your proof of service at the ticket booth.
12. Shades of Green Resort and Attraction Tickets
Shades of Green is an Armed Forces Recreation Center and resort in Central Florida that partners with Walt Disney. This center is built to provide rest and relaxation to military members and family members. You can also buy discounted admission tickets for Walt Disney World, SeaWorld, Universal Studios Orlando and more through Shades of Green's ticket office.
13. Knott's Berry Farm
The Knott's Berry Farm in California offers military service member discounts on admission tickets. Just show your military ID at the ticket booth or register with ID.me to buy in advance online. The Knott's Berry Farm is also offering a season pass with no blackout dates that pays for itself in just two visits.
14. Henry Doorly Zoo
The Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha offers a discounted yearly membership for $72 a year (including family members) and discount prices on tickets for active military and their family all year. The Henry Doorly Zoo military discount prices are listed on their website.
15. Busch Gardens
If you are an active duty military, activated or drilling reservist, or National Guardsman, you can get one free admission ticket to Busch Gardens every year along with 3 separate tickets for dependents. Verify your ID with TroopID on the Busch Gardens website before you buy tickets to get your discount.
Las Vegas Entertainment Discounts
Look through Just For Military for more military discounts of Las Vegas Entertainment.
Military Tee Times
You can save up to 15 percent at over 6,000 courses across the U.S. with a Military Tee Times membership, 35 of which are in Las Vegas. Sign up on their website to become a member.
Chris Angel Tickets
Receive 25 percent off of a Chris Angel performance a The Luxor Hotel with a military ID.
Terry Fader Tickets
Terry Fader offers a 40 percent off military discount to his show with a military ID, according to Just For Military.
Cirque Du Soleil
Receive a whopping 35 percent off when you go see a Cirque Du Soleil show in Las Vegas with a valid military ID.
Military Discounts on Electronics
Electronics are expensive, but you may be able to save with a special military rate. Here are some solid military discounts on electronics. You can look into the best online electronics stores as well.
Online Discounts and In-store Discounts
16. Dell
The Dell military discount offers exclusive coupons for military members various times throughout the year. For example, they are currently offering a coupon for 15 percent off on various Dell computers and tablets when you verify with TroopID online. Present your coupon at online checkout.
17. Microsoft
The Microsoft military discount works for current, former, and retired members and family members of the US Military, National Guard, and Reserves. You can receive a special discount on one product per order online if you check the military box and click "start shopping".
18. Apple
The Apple military discount includes Apple's own Military Purchase Program. You can order computers and the Apple Care Protection Plan for a discounted price online if you are a current, former, or retired member or family member of the US Military, National Guard, or Reserves. Just accept the terms on their website to access the program or show your ID in-store.
19. Best Buy
Best Buy military discount provides a 10 percent off to military and veterans with valid ID at participating locations. You should call you local store to check before you go to buy.
Military Discount Hotels
If you're looking for a discount when paying in person, always make sure to carry your military identification. This way, no one will be able to question your status. Otherwise, you'll have to verify your military ID online. You should also check out the best hotel booking site to learn what site offers the greatest value and best deals.
In-Person Discounts
20. Best Western
Save 10 percent or more with the Best Western discount for active military personnel and military veterans. Just make sure to let them know when you book and bring along your military identification.
21. Hyatt
The Hyatt offers discounts to military personnel who can provide a military ID upon check-in. They don't specify how much of a discount they offer, however, so make sure to ask before you purchase a room. Veterans are not listed on their site, but I would ask to make sure.
22. Marriott
Marriott also offers military discounts for active duty military members. They do not, however, offer discounts for veterans. Check the Marriot website to see if you qualify for an active duty discount upon arrival with a military ID.
23. Days Inn
If you are a member of Veteran's Advantage and are considered active military or a military veteran, you can receive up to 20 percent off at participating Days Inn Hotels. Those eligible for discounts include military, air force, national guard and reserve members, veterans, and their families. The discount can be applied over the phone or via a special website link from Veteran's Advantage.
Online and In-Person Discounts
24. Hilton Hotels
All Hilton Hotels, including the Hilton, Embassy Suites, DoubleTree, and Homewood Suites give military discounts to active duty or retired military if you show your ID upon check-in. They even have their own Hilton military discount portal for booking online.
25. Red Roof Inn
Military personnel and veteran servicemen and women can save 15 percent when they book with Red Roof Inn. They say to type in the code 606732 when booking online to get your discount. Check the Red Roof website for details and bring your ID along.
26. Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean offers up to 20 percent off for any active and retired military member. When you book with Militarycruisedeals.com you can get an even better deal than booking with Royal Caribbean directly.
27. La Quinta Inn & Suites
La Quinta Inn & Suites has a Military Initiative with military rewards. If you're a part of a military family, La Quinta guarantees 12% off of the best available rates. You can be a current military service member, a veteran, or an immediate family member of a military service member or veteran. You can also receive free nights and more. Check the La Quinta website for details and make sure to bring your ID. You can filter your reservation for a military discount online.
28. Choice Hotels
Choice Hotels website offers guaranteed discounts for military travelers on over 2,700 participating properties. Definitely look through the Choice Hotel military discount website to see the perks you can receive.
29. HotelPlanner
Save between 10 and 15 percent on your stay using the Hotel Planner military discount on the Hotel Planner website. You must present a valid form of ID upon check-in.
Las Vegas Hotel Discounts
You should always inquire about a military discount when you're staying in Las Vegas. Look through Military Discounts Central for more options on fantastic hotels.
Aria Resort and Casino, Bally's, and the Bellagio
Aria Resort and Casino, Bally's, and the Bellagio all offer a 10 percent discount to military personnel who can provide a military ID upon check-in.
Caesar's Palace
Caesar's Palace even offers military ID verification online via ID.me. They will give you a 10 percent discount once you're verified.
Military Discount Flights and Travel
Certain airlines do not advertise their military discounts on their website, so you may have to dig a little deeper. Here are some fantastic military discount opportunities on flights and travel. You should also look into our comparisons of the best time to book flights is.
Discounts Over The Phone
30. Jet Blue Airlines
Jet Blue Airlines offers a 5 percent military discount for military members of Veterans Advantage. You can get discounts on 84 destinations in 24 states and 12 countries. Call 1-800-538-2583 and give them your Veterans Advantage member ID to apply your discount.
31. Southwest Airlines
Call 1-800-I-FLY-SWA to receive a discount from Southwest as an active duty military member. They do not specify any discount on their website, but customer service will let you know which flights are available with a special military rate. Veterans are not typically included but family members of active duty military are.
32. American Airlines
The American Airlines military discount is similar to Southwest with discounts on certain flights. Call their customer service line at 1-800-433-7300 to see what they can do for you and your family as an active military member.
33. Delta Airlines
The Delta military discount isn't detailed on their website either, but they do provide discounts for active duty service members. You'll need to call 1-800-221-1212 to see which flights your discount applies to.
Online or In-person Discount
34. Military Travel Center
Use the Military Travel Center to book your travel reservations for exclusive military discounts on flight and travel. The site has saved military members, retirees and veterans over $4.5 million to date.
35. One Travel
Booking with the One Travel website provides an instant $10 off on military flights. See the site for details.
36. Greyhound
If you are in the military or retired from the military, you can receive a 10 percent military discount or a veterans discount on your Greyhound bus trip. If you want to apply the discount online, you'll need to be a Veterans Advantage member with a member card for proof of service. Otherwise, you can ask for a discount with your military ID in person.
37. The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass
If you are in any branch of the military or if you have immediate family in the coast guard, marines, army, navy, National Guard or U.S. Reserves, you can get a free pass to various national parks and federal recreational lands. The free pass covers any Fish and Wildlife services and National Parks with entry fees, Bureau of Land Management, and Bureau of reclamation sites. Just provide your military ID in person upon entry.
38. Amtrak
If you are an active duty military member with a military ID or an immediate family member of one, you can get 10 percent off on the lowest available fare on most Amtrak trains. If you book online, just set the Fare Finder to "military" for each passenger to apply the discount. Make sure to show your ID when you buy in person.
39. Armed Forces Vacation Club
The Armed Forces Vacation Club gives out free memberships for discounted resort stays to US military members, retirees, DoD civilians, and US military veterans. You can get a full week resort stay for just $349 for the entire week. With the Armed Forces Vacation Club, you'll get to choose from over 200,000 resorts in over 100 countries to stay with. Join on their website.
Military Discount Car Rentals
It's easy to get a military discount on your car rental. Always bring your ID and call ahead to make sure your car rental company of choice will honor a discount. Also, read through our best car rental company list for reviews on the best car rentals.
In-person and Phone Discounts
40. Hertz Rental Car
With the Hertz military discount, active duty military can get a discounted rate on your rental, space available upgrades, and a complimentary membership to Hertz Gold Plus Rewards. In order to receive these perks, you'll need to book your rental car with your military CDP.
41. Avis Rental Car
With the Avis military discount, you'll receive free Collision/LDW insurance coverage, no additional or underage driver fees, free unlimited mileage, and highly competitive rates. Call 1-800-633-3469 for more info. or to reserve a car.
42. National Car Rental
National provides discounted rates for Department of Defense travelers on official business with authorized travel orders, according to their website. You will receive no additional driver fees, no underage driver fees (The minimum age is 18 years old), and a Loss Damage Waiver (LDW).
Online Discounts
43. Enterprise Rental Car
If you are a member of Veterans Advantage and an active military member of the Army, Navy or Air Force, a veteran, a National Guard Member, a Reserve member, or a military family member, you can receive an Enterprise military discount at certain rental locations. Make sure to type in your Enterprise corporate discount code from Veterans Advantage when you reserve online or call to reserve a car.
44. Alamo Rental Car
Alamo offers veterans, military members, and family members a discount military rate on car rentals. If you're reserving online, you can use the contract ID code "GOVRNR" to receive a discount.
45. Thrifty.com
Go to Thrifty's website to get a military discount on your car rental. They don't specify a percentage, but they do offer extremely competitive rates for military personnel. Check the website for details.
Military Discounts on Clothing
Did you know you can even receive a military discount when purchasing clothes? Most stores offer at least 10 percent off at least on certain days, but you should always ask or call ahead. There may even be a way to save online. You should also look for the best price comparison site when shopping online to save money.
In-store Discounts
46. Hot Topic
Hot Topic offers 10 percent off at participating locations. Call ahead or ask when you check out with you valid military ID.
47. Champs Sports
Champs Sports offers 20 percent off all in-store purchases with a valid military ID.
48. Finish Line
The Finish Line military discount will give 20 percent off to anyone with a military ID only at select locations. Call your local shoe store to make sure.
49. Banana Republic
Get 10 percent off in-store on the first of every month at any Banana Republic by showing your military ID.
50. American Eagle Outfitters
American Eagle will also give those with a valid military ID a 10 percent discount. Just ask at the register.
51. Charlotte Russe
Receive a 10 percent discount when shopping in-store with your military ID.
52. Tommy Hilfiger
Tommy Hilfiger gives military members 10 percent off with a valid military ID.
53. Eddie Bauer
Save 10-15 percent on Eddie Bauer apparel with a valid military ID. You can get the discount applied on the phone as well, but not online.
Online Discounts
54. Carhart
Carhart offers online and in-store discounts for active duty, veterans, retirees, military spouses and military family members. They give 10 percent off. Just verify with TroopID when purchasing online or show your ID in-store.
55. Under Armour
Under Armour offers online and in-store military discounts to active duty, retirees, veterans, military spouses, and military family members. Receive 10 percent off on their website by verifying your military ID with I.D.me. You can also show your military ID in-store.
56. Nike
Nike also offers military discounts for active, veteran, retired, and reservist US Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard personnel. They will give you 10 percent off of your purchase. If you're shopping online, just verify your military ID card on SheerID and you'll receive a promo code for your purchase. If you make an account with Nike, you can also receive free shipping on every order. If you're shopping in-store, just bring your ID.
57. Columbia Sportswear
Columbia Sportswear gives military members, veterans, military spouses, and military dependents a 15 percent discount on all online orders. You'll need to use your Troop ID to verify your military status. Then, your discount will be automatically added to your purchases. You don't even have to worry about a code. You can also show your military ID card in-store for a discount.
Military Discounts for Home Goods and Services
Home services and home goods stores can be heavy on your wallet, but a military discount for your heroic service can help. Here are some great discounts on home goods and home services.
In-store Discounts
58. Pottery Barn
Pottery Barn gives 15 percent off on home products in-store only for all active and retired military personnel and their families. Just show your proof of service ID at the cash register to apply your discount.
59. William-Sonoma
William-Sonoma also offers 15 percent off to all active and retired military personnel and their families when you shop in-store. Just show your identification card at checkout.
60. ADT Home Security
You can save up to $915 on ADT Home Security if you are a military member or retiree with an active Veterans Advantage membership. For more information about home security, you can check out our evaluation of ADT's Prices & Packages.
61. Michael's Arts and Crafts
Michael's Arts and Crafts provides 15 percent off to military, veterans, spouses and family. This special offer is in-store only.
62. Home Depot
Home Depot military discount offers 10 percent off on up to $500 at every U.S. location. Discounts go to active duty personnel, reserves, retired or disabled veterans and their immediate families with a valid military ID. All other military veterans can get a 10 percent discount on Memorial Day, The Fourth of July, Labor Day, and Veterans Day. Make sure to ask, however, because some stores give year-round veteran discounts as well.
63. Lowe's
Lowe's military discount also gives 10 percent off to current members in armed services, retired veterans and VA recipients, and immediate family. Similar to Home Depot, Lowe's honors all veterans on Memorial Day, The Fourth of July, Labor Day, and Veterans Day. Check the website for details and make sure to bring your military identification card.
64. Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart is not currently offering a military discount, but they do hire disabled veterans. You can always call your local store ahead of time to see if they do.
65. Sears
Sears military discount goes to veterans and active military members at participating stores. This discount is in-store only with a valid ID.
Online Discounts
66. Yankee Candle
All active and retired military members will receive 10 percent off military discounts in-store and online purchases when shopping with Yankee Candle. To receive this special offer online, you'll need to email your order confirmation to email@example.com. Call 1-877- 803-6890 with any questions. Otherwise, just present your identification card at checkout.
Military Discounts for Health & Beauty
There are even military discounts and veterans discounts for health and beauty products and services. For example, if you want to join the local gym, chances are there's a discounted option for military in your area. You should also take a look at our comparisons on the best online perfume store and best online vitamin store.
In-store Discounts
67. Sally's Beauty Supply
Get a free Sally's Beauty Supply membership card with your military ID in-store only. The membership card will get you 15 percent off on all purchases in the future.
68. Gold's Gym
If you can prove you are eligible with a military ID, Gold's Gym will allow you to enroll for cheaper than normal at just $49.95. They will also give you 20 percent off of your monthly payments.
YMCA partners with the Armed Services YMCA and Department of Defense to provide free admission memberships and child daycare services to military families that qualify.
Online Discounts
GNC offers online discounts to Veteran's Advantage members who are active duty military, veterans, National Guard, reserve members, and their families. You'll get 15 percent off and free shipping for any order above $49 when you order using Veteran's Advantage.
71. CVS Pharmacy
If you are a Veteran's Advantage member, you can get 20 percent off on CVS products online on CVS.com when you make a purchase. You can also receive free shipping if your order weighs up to 10 pounds.
72. AC Contact Lenses
AC Contact Lenses offers discounts to active military personnel, reserves, and veterans. Just type in the coupon code MILITARY to receive your discount when you order online. If you have a coupon code from Veteran's Advantage, you can also enter it upon check-out. See the site for details. Show you ID for in-store purchases.
Military Discounts on Food and Drinks
Franchises usually have varying policies on military discounts; keep that in mind. It may not be the same everywhere you go. As a result, you should always ask about military discounts and veteran discounts when you pay for your food or coffee.
In-Person Discounts
IHOP provides 20 percent off of your meal for military members and veterans, according to MilitaryandVeteransDiscount.com. Just show your ID when you go to pay.
74. Dairy Queen
Dairy Queen offers 10 percent off to military members and veterans depending on your location. Make sure to bring and ID.
75. Wendy's
Wendy's has partnered with Veteran's Advantage to create savings for military members and veterans. If you're a member of Veteran's Advantage you can get free coupons for different meals and drinks via your email or mobile Wendy's app. Check out the Wendy's on the Veteran's Advantage website for details.
76. Denny's
Certain Denny's give out 10 percent off military discounts to customers who can show proof of service. Just ask your server when you dine in.
77. Burger King
You can also receive 10 percent off at Burger King with a valid military Id at participating locations.
78. Chipotle
Chipotle offers various discounts to military members. Just show you valid military ID at checkout.
79. Ci-Ci's
Ci-Ci's military discount also varies depending on location. Show your ID at the counter.
80. Del-Taco
Get up to 50 percent off at Del-Taco with a valid military ID.
Las Vegas Restaurant Military Discounts
Check out Military Discounts Central for more restaurant military discounts in Las Vegas.
Texas De Brazil
Texas De Brazil will give a 20 percent military discount for your whole table if you show one valid military ID.
Hard Rock Cafe Las Vegas
The Hard Rock Cafe in Las Vegas will give 10 percent off with a valid military ID.
Dal Toro
Get 15 percent off on food and drinks with a valid military ID at Dal Toro. You will also receive free admission to the car museum if you want.
Retail Military Discounts
Certain retail stores offer military discounts for active duty military and retirees. Always bring your ID and call ahead to make sure. You may have to verify your ID online with TroopID via ID.me for online shopping.
In-store discounts
81. Boscov's
Get 15 percent off in-store at Boscov's if you have a valid military ID to show.
82. Payless Shoes
Save 10 percent at Payless Shoes when you show your valid military ID at checkout.
83. DSW Shoes
DSW is known to provide Veterans discounts and discounts for current and retired military on Veterans Day. They'll give you 10 percent off.
84. Rack Room Shoes
Every Tuesday, Rack Room Shoes offers 10 percent off military discounts to military personnel with valid military ID and their families. They also offer this discount on Veterans Day, Memorial Day, and The Fourth of July.
85. The Guitar Center
The Guitar Center military discount is not currently in effect, but they sometimes offer 10 percent off throughout the year. Give them a call at 866-498-7882 for more information.
Online Discounts
86. Overstock.com
You can get a free Club O membership with Overstock.com for being an active duty, retired, or reserve military member. Just verify your ID with TroopID on their website. With a membership, you'll get 5 percent cash back and free shipping on every purchase as well as extra rewards for certain products.
87. Oakley Sunglasses
Oakley military discount provides direct pricing via their website for military and veterans. Just verify your ID on their site first.
88. Gargoyles Performance Eyewear
Gargoyles military discount can be accessed by filling out the form on their website. All branches of the military and veterans are eligible for special prices on performance eyewear.
Miscellaneous Military Discounts
There are some military discounts that just cannot be categorized. Here's a list of the best miscellaneous military discounts and veteran discounts.
In-store and Phone Discounts
89. Harley Davidson
Harley Davidson graciously provides a military finance program for a motorcycle, free shipping on clothing and accessories, and discounted admission to the Hardley Davidson museum for military members. Active duty, deployed military members, and veterans have access to these perks.
90. BikeBandits
Bike Bandits offers 10 percent off on motorcycle parts and accessories to all military members with a valid ID upon. Call customer service at 1-888-339-3888 to get your discount applied.
91. Advanced Auto Parts
Advanced Auto Parts offer 10 percent off regularly priced items in-store to military members with proof of service.
92. Geico
Geico gives former and active military members up to 15 percent off of their total insurance premiums. They also give out discounts for emergency deployment.
93. Allstate
Allstate provides a $250 credit to all U.S. military personnel toward a rental appraisal.
94. New York Martial Arts
New York Martial Arts military discount gives a 15 percent discount on all group classes for active and retired military members. Just make sure to provide a valid ID when you register for your martial arts class.
95. Cabela's
Cabela's military discount includes 5 percent off for any active of retired military, active reservists and VA recipients. The discount is for all branches of the military including Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and the National Guard. Just show your military ID for proof of service at checkout in-store.
Online Discounts
96. GM Military Discount
Go to the GM Military Discount website to see how much savings you can get on a brand new GM car. Get a quote with a GM military discount on their website and save hundreds or even thousands of dollars on a new Chevrolet, Buick, or GMC.
The GOVX military discount is a membership in which you receive discounts on all brands and products sold on the GovX website. GOVX sells everything from concert, travel and event tickets to clothing, gear and more. Join today for exclusive deals.
98. Sittercity
Sittercity is a website for childcare, pet care, senior care, and more that provides discounts on monthly membership to military members paid for by the Department of Defense.
99. Pro Flowers
Pro Flowers offers a military discount for flower delivery on their website. Check it out to see how much you can save.
100. TaxSlayer.com
Taxslayer will do your taxes for 50 percent off with a military discount online. You'll have to enter your military EIN number from your W-2 form to see if you qualify.
Other Military Discount Resources
If you're looking for more military discounts, sift through these databases and informational military websites to see if you can get a discount on products and services from stores and companies not listed here.
If this article helped you better understand how to receive a military and veteran discounts online and in your area, please share it with your friends and family. You can subscribe to the MoneySavingPro Blog and follow us on Pinterest and Facebook for more guides.


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Review: Incipio NGP for iPad mini
Company: Incipio
Website: www.Myincipio.com
Model: NGP
Price: $25
Compatible: iPad mini
Incipio's NGP line has become one of the best soft shell options for Apple devices, so it's no surprise that the company has released an iPad mini version at $25 -- $10 less than the iPad 2 version we last reviewed. Other than the shape and size, Incipio has made few changes to the single-piece case, apart from the absence of screen film. Incipio is currently listing black, purple, and translucent grey versions on its website.
NGP stands for Next Generation Polymer, referring to the kind of semi-rigid TPU-like material it is made from. Unlike rubber, the case is rather sturdy, though it does have some give. Unlike many flexible shells, it does not accidentally pull away from the sides of the screen with a light touch; once it's wrapped around the body of the iPad mini, it stays in place until you want it to come off. We found the openings along the edges to be just shy of off-center. They're not far enough to obscure access to the ports or block the speakers, though. The case protects the Sleep/Wake and volume buttons too, although you must apply some extra pressure to press them. This isn't terribly surprising considering NGP shipped before the iPad mini itself, but it could be improved. Additionally, although there's no screen coverage, the case forms a small raised lip around the perimeter of the bezel. It isn't uncomfortable when holding the iPad mini, and provides a little protection if the mini drops on its face to the floor.
We continue to like the way NGP looks, feels, and fits around the iPad mini's body. It's smooth without being slippery, and protective without being bulky. The lack of screen film is a bit of a drawback, but the price seems right to us for the smaller case. Considered in the context of its iPod touch and iPad predecessors, it's priced like the iPod touch case was, and cheaper than the iPad case, but lacks the screen film they both included. As such, it's missing something that we'd really like to see in the package, but earns our strong general recommendation given the nice design and value that are there.
Updated November 15, 2013: Incipio has launched an updated version of NGP for iPad mini with Retina display. Essentially the same as the original, this one adds a hole on the back for the new tablet's second microphone.
Editors' Note: iLounge only reviews products in "final" form, but many companies now change their offerings - sometimes several times - after our reviews have been published. This iLounge article provides more information on this practice, known as revving.


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Oi Frog!
Are you sitting comfortably? Are you ready to laugh? As this hilarious rhyme shows, every creature has its special place to sit. Cats sit on mats. Hares sit on chairs. Mules sit on stools. Gofers sit on sofas. There's just one problem. Frog does not want to sit on a log! This super-silly rhyme is written by Kes Gray (author of the Daisy books), and it has pictures by a brilliant artist who has won the Roald Dahl Funny Prize. Proof that magical things can happen when two great talents join forces. Sit anywhere you like, as long as you read this book!
- Nominated for the Kate Greenaway Medal 2015
- A hilarious rhyme with Jim Fields's cheeky artwork
- Written by the creator of the best-loved Daisy books
- "An absolute treat" – Daily Mail


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We often use vague catchall words to describe careers in gaming: developer, designer, producer. But the talents and pursuits of the games industry are far more diverse than the clumsy terminology might lead you to believe. What's Your Line? is an interview series designed to demystify the people who make their living in games.
Professional gaming competitions—also known as e-sports—are big business, or so I'm told. The industry's public-relations reps insist that with attendance growing, social networks spreading awareness online, and big corporate sponsors showing interest, the e-sports scene is at a tipping point—ready to transform from a niche concern to a mainstream phenomenon. Of course they say that. And it may prove true. The thing about a tipping point is that it's hard to see it until after the tip. If you were watching this broadcast of the Super Bowl in 1978, would you have predicted that the NFL championship would one day become a de facto national holiday?
E-sports faces major challenges, though, like fragmentation across a handful of leagues and the general public's relative unfamiliarity with the rules. The games played by the pros range from twitchy first-person shooters like Halo to intense, complex real-time strategy games like StarCraft II. But if e-sports does break through, there's a good chance that Marcus "djWHEAT" Graham will be part of the surge. He has been broadcasting live from gaming competitions for 13 years and has become one of the field's most venerated voices. He took a break from a recent gig to speak to The Gameological Society about his start, his storytelling approach, and an online community that's more welcoming that you might imagine.
The Gameological Society: What's the career path to becoming a video game play-by-play commentator? Were you always the guy watching over your buddy's shoulder, commentating on the action?
Marcus "djWHEAT" Graham: Actually, I was a player first. Growing up, I would say probably late high school to my early college years is where a lot of my PC gaming took form. I was playing a lot with friends, and of course with the dawn of the internet, we could play with people from other universities.
I traveled around the United States with [a pro gaming] team, just trying to win competitions and having a good time. It was actually around that time when I was sitting there reflecting on life and going, "Hey, it's probably a good idea that I grow up a little bit. And I need to get a job." I just didn't want to give up gaming. I was doing a lot of coaching at the time, and I just stumbled upon commentary when I would record audio files of myself speaking to the team, explaining to them what I did and didn't like about their play. One of my own teammates came to me and said, "Hey, you know, Marcus, I think you should try to do this live. Maybe there's something there."
So we tried it. Eight people enjoyed the hell out of it. Of course, eight people doesn't really turn it into a career path, but I just kept doing it and I just loved doing it. After doing that for two years, just out of sheer love for the game, that's when I started getting invited to places like China and Korea to commentate at major competitions. I was just so stubborn that I didn't want to give up easily.
Gameological: Who is your audience? Are you talking to people who are already hardcore fans of the games, or are you trying to make the events on screen accessible for a broader audience?
djWHEAT: There's a very, very important mixture that has to happen, because for years, my audience has been the very dedicated and hardcore individuals who are very much aware of what's going on. But of course it is very important for me that all of our content is accessible to new people.
We don't have the luxury of having someone in our ear, or a giant database of stats.
You're going to hear me say this a lot—and I'm a big, big advocate for this in the professional gaming world—and that is education. And when I say "education," I mean it is important for me as a commentator to not assume that every single person who's tuned in knows what's going on or knows the name of every unit. Even though a more hardcore crowd may not particularly like that style of commentary, it's very inviting to anyone who wants to sit down and go, "Oh, this is something I've never seen before."
Also, it's a lot of storytelling. We get the ability to say, "This person has a rivalry with this person, and the last three times they've met, they haven't been able to reconcile." Instantly, whether you know something about the game or not, you can create these sort of human-interest rivalries and stories behind it all.
Gameological: I picture a sportscaster watching film and doing research on the players' backstories. What's your prep-work for a match look like?
djWHEAT: Pretty much the same thing. We watch players' styles. Some players are very aggressive; some players are very defensive. Some players like to be a little bit more unorthodox and show off. You learn all of these things. We don't have the luxury of having someone in our ear, or a giant database of stats, so a lot of this is stuff that we have to collect on our own. For me, my biggest and best stats database is the one in my head. I've been casting now for going on 13 years, and I have the added benefit—because I have been involved in gaming for so long—that I can tell you that in 2002, the World Cyber Games Counter-Strike champion was M19 from Russia.
Gameological: How big of a phenomenon is it right now?
djWHEAT: Right now, I'm looking at about 5,000 people that are ready to get in and cheer for their favorite player in this competition. This whole event will probably see 50,000 to 70,000 people go through the doors over the course of the weekend. That's a live event.
But honestly, the real audience is online, where my audience basically can be anyone who has access to the internet. Our daily shows receive anywhere from—depending on the content and the size of the show—anywhere from 5,000 to 20,000 people viewing the program live. And then we do rebroadcasts for the European audience, and we have available, so any given show any given week, we're reaching an audience of 100,000 or more unique people. That continues to grow.
The demographic is typically anywhere from as young as 13 and as old as 50. That's one of the reasons I think we're seeing pretty epic growth of gaming right now on the professional level, because a lot of people that grew up with gaming in college are now salaried employees that have money to spend, and they still love games, so what do they do? They seek out these competitions, or maybe buy a pay-per-view to watch their favorite player. Or maybe they buy a season pass to an online gaming league.
Gameological: This generational thing is interesting to me. I'll admit, I was talking to someone about this interview and they said, "Wait, 'e-sports'? That's a thing?" They weren't even aware of it. And I said, yeah, I'm a little skeptical of it, too. But I guess as we grow up, there's going to be a demand for these things that people didn't even conceive of 20 years ago.
If you watch a master of the craft play Quake, you're almost seeing a dancer.
djWHEAT: Yeah, I think you're absolutely right. Again it comes back a lot to the exposure, as well. If I go back to the years of about 2004 or 2005, when there wasn't online video streaming, there wasn't Twitter, there wasn't Facebook—the social-network phenomenon hadn't really hit the internet—as far as exposure went, it almost had to be a word-of-mouth sort of engagement. Now that's all changing once I can tweet to my followers and suddenly have the audience of 50,000 people tuning in to a match.
Gameological: You're a multi-sport guy within the e-sports world. You broadcast a number of different games. I think of Al Michaels—he can broadcast any sport but his bread and butter is football. Do you have a bread-and-butter game?
djWHEAT: I would say my two bread-and-butter games are the Quake series, which is pretty much what I grew up on, and then as of late, StarCraft has certainly been added to my résumé of bread-and-butter games.
Gameological: Those games have been around for a long time. So what is it that give them such longevity, over any number of other similar games?
djWHEAT: Honestly, I think it has to do with these games all having the ability to translate skills into something that is very easy to see. If I watch an unexperienced player sit down and play Quake, I will be watching another video game. If I watch a master of the craft play Quake, you're almost seeing a dancer who is able to bust out these insanely ridiculous moves. You're seeing a whole side of the game that you just wouldn't see, even if you as a player sit down and play.
It's no different than asking "How do these guys jump so high?" or "How are they dunking that?" People sit there in awe of what these athletes are prepared to do. It's a similar thing [in e-sports]. If your game is not able to truly have that deeper skill level to it that people can watch and go, "This guy is so much better than me that I'm blown away," then you're automatically not going to be a contender in this field. We've looked at the best games, like Quake, StarCraft, Counter-Strike. These games are enjoyable to play for anyone, but if you are the best of the best, then you are able to play the game in a way that puts other people in awe.
Gameological: Do play styles change over time? Do people play StarCraft differently than they did five years ago?
djWHEAT: Absolutely. It's funny because we were just talking about that, comparing some of the players and games that took place a year ago at this event, and it's night and day.
Gameological: Really? Just one year?
djWHEAT: One year, yeah. Because you have to understand that first off, there's the mechanic side to it, how well can you control your keyboard and mouse. And then the other side of it is, there's a meta-game. It's "What is the popular unit?" "How are people reacting to this?" Maybe one guy is developing a strategy that no one's quite figured out how to beat yet, and so he saves it. Then he comes to an event, and he unleashes it on everyone, and everyone's like, "Oh my gosh, look at this new stuff that he's doing." And then what happens is suddenly, someone else takes that strategy and that becomes a larger part of the meta-game. So, yes, there's constantly evolution in the way that players play. From one tournament to the next, you will never see the same game twice, ever.
Gameological: So what event are you at right now?
djWHEAT: I'm at the Major League Gaming Winter Championships in Columbus, Ohio.
Gameological: Set the stage for me. Who should we be watching, and what are we watching for?
The Koreans had players who were more popular than movie stars.
djWHEAT: One of the major storylines that exists in StarCraft in general is the storyline of the foreigners versus the Koreans. The Koreans had a very—I mean they just had a cultural phenomenon with the original StarCraft. They had players who were more popular than movie stars. It was a part of their society. The StarCraft players were having to be bussed around in tinted windows and vans because of how popular the game actually was. As a result, they created this really, really interesting ecosystem that just fueled the competitive spirit over there and created this army of super-gamers. That has transcended to StarCraft II.
With the global appeal of the game, however, this constant storyline exists of, "Will the foreigners finally be able to best the Koreans?" It's happened before, but it's still pretty common consensus that the Koreans are the best players in the game right now.
Gameological: Say someone reads this interview and wants to check e-sports out. Where do they go to get a primer and get into it?
djWHEAT: One of the best places that people can go is Twitch. TwitchTV is the way that most of our professional gamers are able to interact with their audience and showcase what they're playing and their own play styles.
Are you familiar with skateboarding? One of the interesting things about skateboarding is when it first started, before the X Games, before people started to identify skateboarding as this actual professional sport, the skateboarders had no name for themselves. The Tony Hawks didn't necessarily have an outlet. But what these guys would do is create skate videos, and that's how a lot of these guys got popular—by their skate videos getting popular. This was all done before the dawn of internet technology. People then started really getting acclimated to them because they were like, "I love this guy and the way he skates." Twitch is like a live skate video all the time for these players.
You're also learning something from the interactive element, which is the chat—the other audience [members]. If you come in, and you say, "Oh I've never seen this strategy before, what is he doing?" Then suddenly you've got this very involved, interactive audience who are like, "Let me tell you, he's doing this special 16 Gateway build." And then you ask, "Can you explain to me what '16 Gateway' means?" "Yeah, it means when you build this building at this Supply." "Well, what is Supply?"
Gameological: It sounds like the spirit is very welcoming, and there's not really a "Go away, noob" type of response.
djWHEAT: Very much, yes. The interactive element of Twitch and of the competitive gaming scene has absolutely been a thriving factor in getting more people involved. I can't tell you how many girlfriends I see at these events who will say, "I knew nothing about this, and it was watching the players that got me into it. I still don't know the names to all the units, but that MarineKingPrime is so cute, and I love it when he wins." That's the type of fandom that we're starting to see that we did not see even three years ago.


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Views From a North American Passage
8 states, 5 provinces, and 7500 miles traveled as one photographer aims to escape the rhythm of daily life
*words and photography by Cristian Ordoñez
In June 2016, I started a road trip from Toronto to the west coast with the intention of experiencing a variety of locations while detaching from the rhythm of daily life—but mostly I just wanted to go back to the mountains and enjoy the Pacific Ocean again.
During three weeks on the road I drove for more than 7,500 miles, passing through Ontario, Michigan, Iowa, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and back to Ontario. Sometimes it's hard to explain how you lose the perception of time while on such a trip, but while driving for so long, one tends to get into a unique repetitive mode.
On the road the landscape changes fast, sometimes faster than you realize, and every place surprises for its unique environments, culture, and differences. The energy and connection you create is never an expected, and your own way of reacting impacts the decisions you make and how you look at the land.
I use photography to document my response to the places I encounter. With a neutral view, the idea of belonging and memory has always been in my work. I search for details that connect to memories and to find new perspectives through places, geography, and time. Using film, I allow myself to slow down, observe, and learn. Sometimes this process feels like meditation, and here, being in the outdoors helped me to connect even more to what inspired this trip in the first place.
Cristian Ordóñez a Chilean-born, Toronto-based photographer and designer with a special interest in shooting medium format film. See more of his work here, and follow him on Instagram