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Saturday, January 23, 2016
The MilkyWay Cabarets annually Scifi Cabaret show
It is time for Scifi Con again and with that The MilkyWay Cabarets annually Scifi Cabaret show. And we want YOU to join us in this celebration of remembrance and support for the victims of Cancer. As a RFL benefit all proceeds will go directly to the charity and the shows were highly appreciated last year, a grand event for people from all over the grid to get together and get their galactic groove on.
This years Scifi Con will be held between the 18th and the 27th of March. (Friday till Sunday)
During this time we are planning to have 5 shows at the following times and days:
Opening day Friday 18th @ 2pm (Opening ceremonies at around noon that day)
Sunday the 20th @ Midnight
Wednesday the 23rd @ noon
Saturday the 26th @ noon
Sunday the 27th @ Midnight ( Closing party right after)
For these shows we have a couple of options on layout, depending on how many interested choreographers and guest performers we have.
We are looking at about 4 MWC acts and between 2-4 guest performers per show.
With the possibility to maby split the shows in 2 teams, 1 night team and one matinée team. (=8 MWC acts and 4-8 guest performers).
A general info meeting for the MWC crew is planned for the 24th of January and a first rehearsal on Feburay 21st. Plenty of time inbetween to get the work done and still have time to play:)
So if you are interested and available, as a dancer, choreographer, host/ess, emcee or Dj, please send Aelva an im or nc about what you want to be involved in and we will get this show on the road:)
Posted by Zhaza


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HACKENSACK, NJ - March 16, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Champions Oncology, Inc. (NASDAQ : CSBR) a company engaged in the development and sale of advanced technology solutions and products to personalize the development and use of oncology drugs, today announced plans for opening a new lab facility in Rockville, Maryland during the second quarter of its 2018 fiscal year. At current levels of business, the Company expects to realize a 10% reduction in lab costs.
Dr. Ronnie Morris, CEO stated, "Investment in this new lab facility represents an important strategic opportunity that will allow us to work more efficiently, provide space to further grow our business and enable significant cost saving opportunities. The opening of this facility will add to our capacity to grow the depth and breadth of our TumorBank and expand our pre-clinical and clinical drug development research. In line with our focus on operational excellence, in this new lab, we will have complete discretion to manage and operate the facility, including husbandry, to best support our business."
The new facility will include office, conference, lab and vivarium space. The vivarium space will be nearly double the current capacity.
About Champions Oncology
Champions Oncology, Inc. is engaged in the development of advanced technology solutions and services to personalize the development and use of oncology drugs. The company's technology platform is a novel approach to personalizing cancer care based upon the implantation of primary human tumors in immune-deficient mice to create TumorGrafts that preserve the biological characteristics of the original human tumor in order to determine the efficacy of a treatment regimen. The company uses this technology in conjunction with related services to offer solutions for two customer groups: Personalized Oncology Solutions, in which results help guide the development of personalized treatment plans, and Translational Oncology Solutions, in which pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies seeking personalized approaches to drug development can lower the cost and increase the speed of developing new drugs. For more information, please visit www.championsoncology.com.

subset: commoncrawl


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Cumbria Tourism Statement – weather events in Cumbria & The Lake District
Ian Stephens, Cumbria Tourism's Managing Director, said: ''Our thoughts are with all of the people and businesses across Cumbria affected by this weekend's weather events.
Many business across Cumbria and the Lake District are open as normal and with that in mind Cumbria Tourism has set up a helpline to provide visitors and businesses with up to date information, the Helpline Number is 01539 822222. Cumbria Tourism staff will be available to deal with enquiries in normal office hours (9.00am to 5.o0pm). For information outside those times please visit: www.golakes.co.ukk this site will be regularly updated.
Whilst the recovery phase is underway we would urge visitors planning on coming to the county to check with their accommodation providers regarding accessibility. Before travelling please check the latest roads information at www.bbc.co.uk/travel/cumbria/incidents/road for rail enquiries please visit www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/today.aspx or their train company website for the latest information.
For those businesses affected by flooding please visit: www.cumbria.gov.uk/emergencyplanning/supportingpages/floodingadvice.asp which provides a range of useful advice regarding clear up. Whether you've been flooded directly or are affected indirectly (for example through staff evacuations or your supply chain), download the following Business Continuity Checklist, which highlights things to think about and do immediately. Please also see the following Business Recovery Toolkit for more information to support your recovery www.cumbriagrowthhub.co.uk/news/article/december-floods
We are strongly urging the Government to allocate funds to enable Cumbria's £2.44 billion tourism industry to get back on its feet in the coming weeks and months. Cumbria Tourism has a great deal of experience in dealing with such crises and played a key role in coordinating business recovery after the 2005, 2009 Cumbria floods and the Foot and Mouth Outbreak in 2001.''
For more information or enqueries please contact the Cumbria Tourism Press Office on 01539 8222222 or email email@example.com


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Many hospital CME deadlines are approaching, and you may be scrambling to satisfy your annual CME requirements. If you don't complete your CME hours, you could get charged a fine. Don't panic, there are many resources available to earn CME credits. Two common tools used to fulfill last-minute CME credits come from AudioDigest and BoardVitals. We often get asked how these two compare, so we decided to lay out a comparison of the two CME options.
What is AudioDigest?
AudioDigest is a mobile audio medical education platform that publishes clinical lectures, which enables physicians to manage and complete their certifications and professional development requirements. In a nutshell, they're like audiobooks for CME credits. In order to receive CME credits, listeners must take a pre-test, review the audio and written content, and achieve a score of 80% or above on the post-test. They have multiple CME products such as Subscription Memberships, Clinical Compendia, Topical Collections, and Board Review in over 16 medical specialties.
Board Review Features:
- Earn up to 100 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™
- Available in 15 medical specialties
- Audio lectures available via mobile app, CDs, and MP3s
- Price: $199 – $4,998
- Complimentary gift card from Apple, Amazon, or Visa Reward Card up to $3000 with purchase
Who is AudioDigest ideal for?
This option is ideal if you prefer audio recordings to supplement your reading material and if you have a long commute to work or need something to listen to on a road trip. In addition, if you like to multitask, for example, by cooking and listening to audio at the same time, AudioDigest is probably a great program for you.
What is BoardVitals?
BoardVitals brings together content from major publishers, universities, and top healthcare professionals, creating the largest training ecosystem in medicine. Earning your CME credits with BoardVitals is easy and convenient by using online question banks you can access from anywhere, on your own time. It's similar to reviewing cases and answering multiple choice questions about that case to assess your knowledge on a particular topic or across your specialty.
With some of the question banks, it's possible for medical professionals to complete their requirements in less than a day. Clinicians will answer questions and credits are calculated after they have been submitted for grading. Physicians need to have an average score of over 70% in order for the credits to be redeemed. If a physician is below the 70% threshold, he or she may review the detailed explanations and evidence-based rationales and correct their answers.
- Earn up to 100 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ and MOC* credits (varies by specialty)
- Thousands of board-style cases and questions with evidence-based explanations for review
- Available in 31 medical specialties
- Review knowledge across specialty or focus on specific topics
- Up to 24-months access
- Available 24/7 by mobile, tablet, or desktop
- Price: $500 – $5450
- CME Pro Plus includes up to $3,000 on a complimentary Amazon gift card or Visa prepaid card
Is BoardVitals for you?
This platform is right for you if you're busy or constantly on the go and may only have enough time to answer 5-10 questions at a time. BoardVitals will also suit you if you tend to get bored easily with lectures and need something interactive to maintain focus. Furthermore, studying with BoardVitals is a great way to pass the time, for example, when you're commuting on public transportation.
BoardVitals now offers a tool that helps you make the most out of your CME allowance by offering the option to customize your own CME plan according to your budget. Simply enter your CME budget and the website will automatically calculate your subscription length and complimentary gift card amount. With this feature, you can enter a budget anywhere between $500 to $3,800 and meet your annual CME requirements.
Listening to audio recordings may be ideal for long commutes and road trips, but lacks the stickiness of interactive content. When reviewing for an exam or just assessing your knowledge, practice questions are the best way to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the topic. At the end of the day, everyone has their own preference when it comes to the way they earn CME credits.
We wish you good luck meeting your CME requirements!
Deciding which CME course is right for you? Use the CME activity finder tool below to find the online course that best fits your needs and will help you meet your CME requirements.
*MOC Approved credits available for the following specialties:
ABIM MOC points: Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Sleep Medicine, Hematology & Oncology, Hospital Medicine, Gastroenterology, Pulmonary Disease & Critical Care Medicine, and Sports Medicine
AAFP Prescribed Credits: Family Medicine.
ABPN SA MOC credits: Psychiatry, Child Psychiatry, and Neurology.
ABPath SAM MOC credits: Pathology.
ABS MOC Credits: General Surgery.
ABP MOC Credits: Pediatrics.
ABPM LLSA Credits: Preventive Medicine.
ABR SA-CME: Radiology.


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Roland Maust, pastor of the Uniontown, Pa., Grace Brethren Church, received the Excellence in Broadcasting Award for 2012 Outstanding Radio Feature Story/Report Series from the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters.
Terry White, publisher of BMH Books and former executive director of the Brethren Missionary Herald Company, Winona Lake, Ind., was awarded an Ed.D. degree in Organizational Leadership on August 11. His dissertation was "An Analysis of the Relationship of Transformational Pastoral Leadership to the Seven Practices of Transformational Churches Among Grace Brethren Congregations."
Journeys to Significance, a book by Grace Brethren pastor Neil Cole, has been named by Outreach Magazine as one of their top resources of the year in the field of outreach, specifically under the category of leadership. Cole is the executive director of Church Multiplication Associates, the Grace Brethren church planting group in Southern California.
On the Move
Dennis Duncan has been named Director of Prison Education at Grace College, Winona Lake, Ind. He will provide leadership to the Adult Basic Education (ABE) program in the northern region of Indiana's prison system, a new initiative of the college.
Reid A. Firestone has been called as senior pastor of the Homerville, Ohio, Grace Brethren Church.
Paul Guay, long-time pastor of the Grace Brethren Church in Mabton, Wash., has retired due to health reasons. He and his wife, Jane, have relocated to Idaho.
After 25 years of service, Norman Gunsolley retired as administrator at Warsaw Christian School, Warsaw, Ind., which is affiliated with the Community Grace Brethren Church.
Shannon Horst is the senior pastor of Basore Road Grace Brethren Church in Dayton, Ohio.
Kevin Mincey is pastor of the Grace Brethren Church in Winchester, Va.
Brian Orme has been named editor of Outreach Magazine. He previously was on staff at Community Grace Brethren Church, West Milton, Ohio, for 11 years.
Chad Parker is the new director of Youth Ministries and Young Single Adults at Grace Church, the Grace Brethren congregation in Aiken, S.C. (Steve Taylor, pastor).
At Grace College and Theological Seminary, Winona Lake, Ind., five have joined the faculty. Ashley Holland, Ph.D., is assistant professor of mathematics in the Math and Science department. Brooke Kovac joins the faculty of the School of Behavioral Science. In the graduate counseling and interpersonal relations program, three new assistant professors in- clude: David Olges, Ph.D., (on-campus); Jenny Preffer, Ph.D.; and Rhonda Ladd, Ph.D. Preffer and Ladd will teach students online.
In Memoriam
Dr. R. Douglas Cassel, 78, of Hummelstown, Pa., died May 29. He volunteered as a surgeon in Central African Republic and recently wrote about the experience in the BMH book, On the Road to Bangui: Journeys of a Safari Surgeon.
W. Roland Felts, 88, of Warsaw, Ind., died June 14. He was a composer, arranger and keyboard artist with Rodeheaver Company, Winona Lake, Ind., taught at Grace College, and was organist at the Winona Lake, Ind., Grace Brethren Church.CH (COL) Burt Hatch, who served as a Grace Brethren chaplain in the U.S. Army from 1954 to 1973, died June 20.
Sheryl Joyce Hughes, 68, Fredericksburg, Tex., died June 9. Her husband, Thomas Hughes, a for- mer Grace Brethren pastor, survives.Beverly Jane Kent, 82, Winona Lake, Ind., died, July 16. She was the wife of Dr. Homer Kent Jr., a BMH author and professor emeritus and former president at Grace College and Theological Seminary.
Nancy Kay Miller, 74, of Roanoke, Va., died July 2, 2012. Her husband, Ralph Miller, a long-time Grace Brethren pastor, preceded her in death.
Phoebe O'Neal, widow of the late Dr. Glenn O'Neal, Grace Brethren pastor, author, and educator, died June 11 in Anaheim, Calif.
James M. Pearson, author of the popular BMH book, Minefields in the Marketplace, died July 10, 2012. He was a pastor in Fort Wayne, Ind.


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How to Take Over at a Facebook Takeover
There seems to be at least two or three every day, takeover events for new releases, cover reveals, or just to get together and share with new readers and other authors. There may be some who don't care to participate in these events, perhaps thinking them silly or a nuisance. Or perhaps they just don't understand what they truly accomplish. Is it a gimmick? Well, yeah. But there is nothing wrong with gimmicks if they help you accomplish your goal and no one is getting hurt. And in a Facebook Takeover, no one gets hurt while some lucky few get the opportunity to win some swag, a free book or two, or even gift cards. It's a way for an author to get his/her name out there to people who may not have ever heard of them before. Does it work? Yes! Sometimes better than others, but the results are always positive. After every event that I've been a part of, there has been an increase in Facebook likes at the Mess as well as a spike in sales that are a direct result of the takeover. The reward is enough that we'll keep doing them and recommending them to other authors.
However, in order for a takeover to be a success there are a few things that the girls and I think are necessary, for authors and readers alike. That's what I want to share with you today. I hope they help, because I want us all to succeed as we chase our dreams.
First, make sure the event is scheduled far enough in advance to build some excitement for it. Then, invite everyone you know who loves books. Authors should get their street teams involved, not only in the event but also in inviting people to the event. A good statistic to remember is that about ten percent of the total people invited to anything will actually show up. The higher the number of people invited, the more participants you will have.
Second, I think the one hosting the event needs to be active in the event and not just during their timeslot. It shows your interest in other authors, as well, and keeps the participation level high. After all, this is your party. Show up and get crazy with everyone. Furthermore, the other authors should try and pop in and out throughout the event as this gives people who are there to see a certain author a chance to interact with you. This may draw them back during your timeslot and help them get to know you better. The whole idea for participating in these events is exposure, so show up and participate. Let readers see you supporting other authors and they may see you in a different light, drawing them to at least visit your website.
Another thing for authors to do is be prepared. Before I participate in a takeover event, I have everything I am going to post already scripted out, ready for me to just cut and paste. This gives me a chance to check my spelling, punctuation, and word usage. You want to impress readers to give you a chance and if your post looks sloppily written with poor English and grammar, you're not driving them to you, but pushing them away. First impressions are important. Make sure you give a good one.
This also leaves you free to participate more in the comments with readers without going crazy or missing anything. It's the interaction that people will remember and you want to leave a fun, pleasant taste in their mouth and memory.
Furthermore, make several posts as opposed to continually posting in one long thread. You'll lose people if you stay in the comments. No one wants to scroll and scroll and scroll to find out where your games are or where you posted the last tantalizing teaser to you latest book. Give them several posts to look out, which also puts your name out there several times for them to scroll past and keep seeing. Remember, it's about exposure. They need to see your name several times to remember it.
Watch for lulls in the interaction, as well. If it seems like it's slowing down, throw another post up, ask a question, or start another game. Don't allow them to be sucked back into their newsfeeds. If you allow things to slow down, then something else can grab their attention and you've lost them. While you don't want to overstimulate them, you don't want the participants to grow bored, either. Keep the fun going and they'll stick around.
These are just a few things that we've found helps make a Facebook takeover event successful. I've met some fantastic people, readers and authors alike, through these events, and personally, I think they are well worth the time and effort it takes to participate or put one together. Be Prepared. Be Positive. And Be a Participator. You'll reap the rewards of your time and prizes long after the event is over.
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Until next time, keep chasing your fantasies!


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Police said on Sunday that 182 offences/ cases were dealt with as a result of road policing between January 1 and 30 this year, including 19 cases of illegal drug possession.
Road policing contributes to averting road accidents and in dealing with crime more generally, police said in an announcement.
In Cyprus, police have been implementing road policing since 2013 with the aim of dealing with crime more effectively through traffic patrols on the road network, the announcement added
According to the table made public on Sunday, road policing dealt with a total of 182 offences/ cases in the first 30 days of January.
There were five cases of illegal residents, 19 cases of drug possession, nine cases of illegal possession of weapons, three cases of possession of stolen property, four cases of a stolen vehicle, four cases of a wanted/missing person and 127 cases of warrants for fines. Another 11 cases were grouped as 'other offences'.
Read more


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WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Twitter may notify users whether they were exposed to content generated by a suspected Russian propaganda service, a company executive told U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday.
The social media company is "working to identify and inform individually" its users who saw tweets during the 2016 U.S. presidential election produced by accounts tied to the Kremlin-linked Internet Research Army, Carlos Monje, Twitter's director of public policy, told the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.
A Twitter spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment about plans to notify its users.
Facebook Inc in December created a portal where its users could learn whether they had liked or followed accounts created by the Internet Research Agency.
Both companies and Alphabet's YouTube appeared before the Senate committee on Wednesday to answer lawmaker questions about how their efforts to combat the use of their platforms by violent extremists, such as the Islamic State.
But the hearing often turned its focus to questions of Russian propaganda, a vexing issue for internet firms who spent most of the past year responding to a backlash that they did too little to deter Russians from using their services to anonymously spread divisive messages among Americans in the run-up to the 2016 U.S. elections.
U.S. intelligence agencies concluded Russia sought to interfere in the election through a variety of cyber-enabled means to sow political discord and help President Donald Trump win. Russia has repeatedly denied the allegations.
The three social media companies faced a wide array of questions related to how they police different varieties of content on their services, including extremist recruitment, gun sales, automated spam accounts, intentionally fake news stories and Russian propaganda.
Monje said Twitter had improved its ability to detect and remove "maliciously automated" accounts, and now challenged up to 4 million per week – up from 2 million per week last year.
Facebook's head of global policy, Monika Bickert, said the company was deploying a mix of technology and human review to "disrupt false news and help (users) connect with authentic news."
Most attempts to spread disinformation on Facebook were financially motivated, Bickert said.
The companies repeatedly touted increasing success in using algorithms and artificial intelligence to catch content not suitable for their services.
Juniper Downs, YouTube's director of public policy, said algorithms quickly catch and remove 98 percent of videos flagged for extremism. But the company still deploys some 10,000 human reviewers to monitor videos, Downs said.
Reporting by Dustin Volz; Editing by Nick Zieminski


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This year is a huge milestone for Formwerks. We are proud to have created some of the most notable architecture throughout Vancouver's west side. We have built more single-family houses than anyone in Vancouver's history and we believe that's worth celebrating! On this #ThrowBackThursday we're sharing two of our stand-apart projects and we look forward to sharing more with you – enjoy!
This iconic photography studio is a place of fond memories especially for those who grew up here. Class portrait sessions brought nights full of laughter and nostalgia for many. What was originally an ordinary, 10,000 square foot commercial building became a Vancouver landmark through an extensive reimagination in the early 1990s.
The building stands as unique on the block due to its characteristic articulated street architecture, metal canopy, and decorative cornice details. Back then it stood out, but even more so now as the Mount Pleasant neighbourhood has changed so dramatically, welcoming a mix of modern mixed-use and light industrial buildings.
The charming residence is situated in First Shaughnessy, distinguishable by its French country style and adorned with a welcoming curved entry archway. Built in 2003, this classic home is a cheerful example of architecture rooted in tradition. Shaughnessy may be lined with rather formal estates, but this home's inviting yellow hue and divided light wood windows add a level of charming detail that make it warmly appealing and approachable.
Who wouldn't want to live here?
Receive our quarterly newsletter with project updates, news, and recent features by signing up here.


text: 1-to-1 COACHING We offer 1 to 1 coaching in both football and cricket with our fully qualified coaches, who also play semi professionally. Sessions look at improving players technical ability, skills, game understanding and confidence to help take their performances to the next level through our highly detailed sessions.Sessions will be planned to work around what your child wants to work on to help improve their game. We have worked with several players over the years and have helped many players push into local teams and also sign contracts with professional clubs. Our Prices are as follows:45 Minute 1-1 Session = £20.0060 Minute 1-1 Session = £25.0090 Minute 1-1 Session = £35.00To enquire about 1 to 1 coaching please fill in the form below and we will be in touch! Name Contact Number Email Message SEND


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Laughing With You podcast – Episode 11Written by Emily on April 17, 2012 – 7:42 pm -
Moving out and on is the theme in this ep featuring filmmaker/DJ Rachel Lichtman, national touring comedian Ryan Singer and Billy Joel. We're lying about the last person. Listen anyway!
Posted in • The LWY Podcast | 1 Comment »


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Viewport settings
This page of the application settings dialog contains options related to the interactive viewports of the OVITO.
- Coordinate system orientation
OVITO can restrict the viewport camera rotation such that the selected Cartesian coordinate axis always points upward. Default: z-axis.
- Restrict camera rotation to keep major axis pointing upward
This option constrains the camera's orientation to prevent the camera from turning upside down.
Color scheme
This option selects between the default dark viewport background and a white background.


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August 6, 2008, - 8:48 pm
More Midweek Box Office: One of Year's Best Movies, Insipid Chick Flick
By Debbie Schlussel
Earlier in the day, I posted my review of "Pineapple Express." Forgot that two other movies are debuting at theaters, today:
* "Bottle Shock": This is ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES OF THE YEAR, definitely in my top five, thus far. Based on a great true story, it is patriotic, pro-American, anti-French, funny, and good all-around. It reminds us of what makes America great and what we need a lot more of at this time–our can-do spirit.
Set during our nation's Bicentennial in 1976, Alan Rickman–the raging anti-Israel fanatic (thanks to reader Facts of Life for that tip)–plays a Brit expat in France, looking for a way to get respect in Paris and customers into his wine shop and academy. With help from an American expat (Dennis Farina), he comes up with the idea of a blind taste test–American wines from Napa Valley versus French wines.
Rickman travels to the Napa Valley and meets with several vintners to taste their wines. They think he's a snob, but soon discover that he's fair and has taken a liking to some of their wines.
The movie focuses on the characters of Chateau Montelena, a Napa Valley winery in debt and barely surviving. It is the dream of Jim Barrett (Bill Pullman), a lawyer who leaves a thriving law firm where he is partner to struggle and realize his dream of producing fine American wine. His hot, loser son, Bo (Chris Pine) is more than he appears, but is a hustler when we see him at the beginning of the movie. Then, there is Gustavo, the Mexican winery-hand, who has developed his own wine on the side, and Sam (Rachael Fox), the gorgeous summer intern, who is the object of desire of both Gustavo and Bo.
Best dialogue in the movie, is when Bo and his father are talking about Bo's lifestyle. Bo can't remember the name of a woman he slept with the night before:
Bo: I slept with a person, not a name.
Jim (his dad): It's 1976. Woodstock was seven years ago.
Other great line, from Alan Rickman, as the British Frenchman:
Why don't I like you? It's because you think I'm an a–hole. And I'm really not. It's just that I'm British and you're not.
And finally, this line, when the Americans win the blind French wine tasting competition:
We have shattered the myth of the invincible French wine.
You don't have to know anything about wine–I don't–to love this movie. And you will learn a lot. The title, "Bottle Shock", is what happens to wine when it rolls around in the cargo section of a plane. That's elemental to a portion of the movie that shows part of what makes America great.
I cannot say enough great things about this charming, proud-to-be-American movie. I laughed and cheered. You will, too. GO SEE IT!!!!
* "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2": Oy, this is like "Sex & The City" lite for teen girls. Gag. There is only one White man in this movie, and has a bad father. But maybe White men should be happy, since every other guy in this movie is basically a girlie-man tool-ette.
While the first installment of this movie was somewhat charming–but mostly annoying (and promoted the idea of a teen girl practically raping her counselor at soccer camp), this sequel is insipid and even more annoying.
The movie has more crying, whining, pouting, shouting, screaming, and drama than five decades of SoapNet. Make it stop. Please.
We now find the four homely 17-year-old girls–who had a pair of pants that miraculously fit all of them perfectly–are older and in college. The Peurto Rican one (America Ferrera from "Ugly Betty") is a clumsy drama costumer, who lucks out and gets the leading role in a summer Shakespeare play in Vermont. The goth one (Amber Tamblyn) is forever angry and pouty over her Korean boyfriend and the unprotected sex they had.
The only decent-looking one–the blonde–is on a summer archeology dig with unrealistic, moderate Muslims in Turkey, but leaves to meet the grandmother whose letters were hidden from her. And the Greek one learns to draw at summer art school, and goes back and forth between relationships with a nude Black model and her Greek true love who got married because he made someone pregnant.
Yup, you really want your girls to see this movie, right?
Insipid, stupid, pointless, and bad for young girls. If this is grrrlpower, I'm glad I've long been an adult.


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John Gruber, quoting Paul Thurrott
On iOS 5:
Best features were literally copied from other mobile platforms.
One could argue that these are purposefully antagonistic ways of saying these things. Or, perhaps better said, purposefully belittling.
I can see why, from a tech pundit's point of view, that "literally copied" is meant to have a punitive sting. However, these "copied" features are a big win for Apple. The iPhone has been in the lead in so many competitive areas (app store, ease of use, ecosystem integration, best "under finger" experience etc). However, some consumers have been hesitant to choose iPhone because of a specific advantage of a competitor.
For example, some people consider BBM the key feature of a BlackBerry. As of iOS 5, the "iOS doesn't have it" argument is gone. The only thing left is what iPhone does better. Same with notifications and Android, which Jonathan Geller thinks Apple did better than Android.
Buyers now have all the reasons to choose the iPhone that they had before – AND they have no reason to buy any competitor.
About the only gripe left is Flash, but mostly from Mossberg.


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Happy New Year 2015! What an exciting time to be alive! As I have listened to the Lord these past weeks about what is ahead for the Church and how to position ourselves with His prophetic promises, I feel I have heard so many interesting things to share. I can just tell you this – it's going to be an incredible time of shifting, fulfillment, victory and turnaround for us all!
15 is a Biblical number tied to celebration and rest after a victory or harvest. The Feasts of Tabernacles, Unleavened Bread and Purim, all happen on the fifteenth day of the month. It is the Hebraic calendar year 5775 which is a double portion number… a double portion of grace and favor to see fulfillment, completion and finishing!
The Great Turn Around!
One of the main Scriptures for this turn around year of double portion deliverance and victory is found in Esther 9. We know of the decree of death and destruction released by Haman against the Jews authorizing the people of the land to kill them and take their possessions on the 13th day of the 12th month of Adar. But Esther wrote a new decree, in the king's name and sealed it with the king's ring, that the Jews had a right to defend themselves and kill those who were trying to kill them.(Photo "For Such a Time as This" by Donna Smallenberg via elijahshopper.com)
This carried over into the 14th day when they finished destroying those against them. On the 15th day they had a feast, a celebration of joy, that God had delivered them from their oppressors. This is that day! It was a time of turn around! The turn started in the 13th year, continued through 2014 and we will see great fulfillment in 2015! Some need to write a new decree over your life for the upcoming season of time. God is mobilizing angels to see the things we decree come to pass!
2015 A Year of Divine Reversals!
I heard the Lord say that this would be "A Year of Divine Reversals." As a matter of fact, in Esther 9:1 when it speaks of the decree of Haman it says of that day "that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them, though it was turned to the contrary that the Jews had rule over them that hated them.
I was surprised to find that the word "turned" in this verse is the Hebrew word haphak is the Strong's number 2015!! It means to overturn, to change, to overthrow, to turn around, to transform, to be reversed! This will be a year of Divine Reversal!
As a matter of fact, I heard the Lord say this would be a Boomerang Year! As we know, a boomerang gets thrown out and then returns to the one that threw it. God is going to cause every curse and every assignment from Hell to be turned right back upon the head of our spiritual enemy!Haman built gallows to hang the Jews, but he ended up being hanged on his own gallows! It wasn't only Haman who was destroyed, but also his 10 sons so they couldn't come back again to retaliate! (Photo via Wikipedia)
God is boomeranging the curses of Hell right back on the enemy. In the Message translation Esther 9:25 reads "But when Queen Esther intervened with the king, he gave written orders that the evil scheme that Haman had worked out should boomerang back on his own head!"
God is turning the curse to a blessing for us, because He loves us! (Deuteronomy 23:5). God is also bringing divine reversals in situations that experienced a downturn. He is bringing a reversal of fortunes, a reversal out of death into life, a reversal out of sickness and pain into healing and wholeness.
Marriages on the verge of divorce can experience divine reversal and a renewal of love and hope for the future. Even in the United States of America, God has determined to bring some significant divine reversals back to a place of righteousness and justice.
So get ready for your divine reversals! Make a list to see what needs to be reversed and returned to you. 2015 will be your turn around year!


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Saturday, December 23, 2006
Moved to WordPress
Hi, everyone! I've moved to WordPress with a little help from my friend :) Please update your link to www.jakartadailyphoto.com Some pictures are still not showing up correctly and I'm fixing that as I go along. Hope to see you all in my new place!
Friday, December 22, 2006
Mother's Day
Mom, I love going to the beach...I love playing with sand...I love you, Mom. It's Mother's Day here today.Cheers to all mothers around the world! :)
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
indonesians love snacking. and one of the most favorite snack would be crackers. there are many types of them. sweet, salty, spicy.. as long as they're crunchy. the picture above shows a small kinds of crackers sold in the traditional markets.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Teh Sosro Crates
as posted before, teh botol sosro or sosro's bottle tea is the most favorite tea in town. i recently passed a distributor of this bottle tea and couldn't help but take pictures of the empty crates, ready to be filled and distribute.
Monday, December 18, 2006
these days, we're more familiar with keyboards and monitor screen than typewriter and a piece of paper. typewriter is pretty much old school now and more like antiques compare to computers.
that's why i could not help but take pictures when i found the displays of typewriters being sold in the flea market near one of the traditional markets in south of jakarta. they look well maintained, right?
that's why i could not help but take pictures when i found the displays of typewriters being sold in the flea market near one of the traditional markets in south of jakarta. they look well maintained, right?
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Cloudy Day
now that the rainy season has come, dark clouds are always hanging over jakarta. though the sun is covered by the clouds, the hot temp is still unbearable cuz just before it pours, the humidity caused a 'sticky' day =)
pardon me on the quality of the pic, i took it with my camera phone.
pardon me on the quality of the pic, i took it with my camera phone.
Friday, December 15, 2006
How to plant a Mangrove
continuing my previous post.. do you wonder how to plant a mangrove? well, considering that the plant lives in a swamp. few weeks ago, i get to see it firsthand. the guy in the picture above was planting one, as part of community program. he just stick the plant inside the swamp and tied it to a stick of bamboo that was previously planted on the site. so that the plant will be able to grow despite of the high tides. pretty interesting, eh?
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Mangrove Swamp
in jakarta, coastal zone is located in the northern part. however, due to the rapid development within the city, it affects the natural balance causing a quite serious erosion along the coast. one of the effort to overcome this issue is to preserve habitats for mangrove trees. mangrove lives in a swamp as pictured above. mangroves provide significant value in the coastal zone as a buffer against erosion, storm surge and tsunamis. more and more awareness on this significant contribution of mangrove is being implemented to help the erosion in the coastal zone of jakarta. hopefully, it helps.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
The shop is called Bread 'n Breakfast, located in Kemang. I find those stripes interesting, especially with that tree on the foreground :)


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Jon Neimeister is an artist-cultist that runs you through his wicked world of art, step by step. His diligence of re-drawing from scratch his sketches is a very good tip on how to improve and iterate on your ideas.
All in all, a great video for concept artists looking for some advice. Jon's narration is in depth, yet to the point. Bow down to the Old Ones, mortals.
Check out the video and than let us know what you think in the comments below.
About the Author Arthur De Martino
The google wearing super hero know as "Wasp Eye Lad" has a secret identity: Arthur De Martino, a quiet Brazilian man who loves Digital Art a bit too much.


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This strange image by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres instantly grabbed my attention, one recent day during a quick tour of the lovely museum at the Rhode Island School of Design, in Providence. John Smith, the director, told me that his curators had nabbed the picture for a song a little while back, after it went unsold at an auction. (So much for the wisdom of collectors.) The little canvas is a study for "Christ Offering Saint Peter the Keys to Paradise", a major altarpiece commissioned in 1817 for a church in Rome. The study includes hands and faces from different characters in the final picture, each painted with the canvas turned 90 degrees, so as to interfere less with viewing the other details. Of course, the result is a wonderful modernist assemblage that has an almost Surrealist flavor. So maybe what I've really got here is an Old Master discard being used – by me, the museum visitor – as a modern objet trouvé. This might not have won the out-loud approval of Ingres, the avid Academician, but I think his eyes would have understood.
For a full visual survey of past Daily Pics visit blakegopnik.com/archive.


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When spring training broke camp, the Pirates decided to promote Victor Black aggressively to the Double-A level, despite just 6.2 innings in high-A. Black, Pittsburgh's first round supplemental pick in the 2009 draft, had only compiled 71.2 innings over parts of three seasons since getting drafted. Several injuries, including a shoulder and bicep injury, halted the prospect's development.
"At first I was concerned when he got here at the start of the year because he really hadn't earned it because of the injuries," Altoona Curve's pitching coach Jeff Johnson said. "But once I saw him pitch and stuff — he certainly belongs here, if not higher. The stuff is really good."
Black was moved into the bullpen during the 2011 season and quickly learned how to adapt to the role of a reliever. He was eased into working out of the 'pen on three days rest, then two, to get him comfortable to be able to pitch on back-to-back outings and the irregular schedule that relievers go through.
Since joining Altoona, Black has been very impressive. The right-hander has posted a 1.23 ERA over 36 appearances. He's waked 21 batters while striking out 57 over 44.0 innings. The Amarillo, Texas native has been used in the late innings for the Curve notching seven saves in the process.
"I feel like I've done well," Black said. "Fitting in wasn't the thing I was worried about. I felt like I could compete here and do well once I got back on track and healthy. As far as the team, that coming in was my biggest deal. I got to be able to help out a team as much as I want to get back on track for myself. When you take that focus off, and you go to the team route with it, you start doing much better because the focus is off yourself. Overall it's been an unbelievable experience. I've been blessed."
Staying healthy is going to be key for Black's progress through the system. Black has a violent delivery which raises concerns about future arm issues. The 23-year-old will be Rule 5 eligible this offseason, so continuing his success this year could put him on the fast track to the Major Leagues. Black is already at a career-high 44.0 innings, but said his arm is feeling the best it has in years when he pitched at Dallas Baptist, where was the DBU ace during his Junior year.
The experience at this level is helping Black develop into an intriguing late inning reliever in the future for the Pirates. He has shown the ability to stay calm on the mound even if he runs into trouble. Over his last 10 appearances, Black has allowed just one earned run over 12.0 frames with 16 punchouts and a .154 opposing average against. That's coming off an even more impressive month of June where he tossed 10 scoreless innings holding the opposing teams to just five hits while striking out 13.
Black has seen his velocity back in the high-90's now that he's fully healthy. He was throwing 92-94 during the 2011 season, then saw the velocity jump over the off-season, hitting 98 MPH during the Fall Instructional Leagues. What's been key for Black's success this season has been his wipe out pitch — his slider.
"He's learned how to throw a slider that can strike people out, which is big," Johnson said. "I'm very happy with his ability to come back from sub par at-bats. He'll walk a guy on four pitches straight, then get a double-play ball or he'll go 2-0 on three hitters in a row, but he can throw that strike 2-0. There's no panic. A lot of guys will get behind in the count and start to panic, try to make a perfect pitch. He doesn't do that. That's a great sign."
One thing Black needs to focus on is his control. He can get a little wild at times, and that's led to a high walk rate this year. He's walked 21 batters in 44 innings this year, including 10 in 21 innings over the last two months.
"The other thing we try to work on is strike one," Johnson said. "If he gets strike one, his stuff is so good he will dominate hitters. That's really where we're headed now. How consistent can you be on the first pitch…He's 96-98 about every time out. His stuff is really unique. It's hard to see. It's really fast. His breaking ball is a put away."


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Help us add an Approach Camera!
We are only running this fundraiser for one month.
Our babies have fledged, anesthetist and are going to be moving on soon, but their branching and learning to fly reminds us how much we would like to have a better view of the entire tree.
Go to the new approach cam page to find out more details, and please donate to help us make this happen for the next season. This will give us the opportunity to get new and different views of our eagles.
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Recently researchers established the linearly related link between gum disease and hypertension.
High blood pressure is a complex disease that affects almost 45% of the population worldwide. Some previous observations suggest that one of the factors that could be involved in blood pressure elevation is gum disease, known as periodontitis.
To assess the link between gum disease and hypertension, researchers from the UK analyzed patients' data of 81 studies from 26 countries and assess the odds of high blood pressure in patients with moderate to severe gum disease. The results were published in the journal of the European Society of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research.
Researchers observed a higher probability of high blood pressure in people who had gum disease. The likelihood of having high blood pressure was linearly related to the severity of periodontitis. People with more severe gum disease had greater chances of also being hypertensive. Severe periodontitis was associated with a 49% risk increase.
The study found that patients with periodontitis had a higher average blood pressure than patients without the disease. Systolic blood pressure was higher on average 4.5 mmHg and diastolic on 2 mmHg. These differences are considered significant, as just a 5mmHg blood pressure rise could be linked to a 25% higher probability of having a heart attack or stroke.
The possible link between gum disease and hypertension could be explained by the reaction of the body to the most common periodontitis bacteria, Porphyromonas gingivalis, which is associated with an inflammatory reaction, including blood vessels. Other factors that could play a role include genetic factors, smoking, and obesity.
"Hypertension could be the driver of heart attack and stroke in patients with periodontitis," said senior author Professor Francesco D'Aiuto of UCL Eastman Dental Institute, UK. "Previous research suggests a connection between periodontitis and hypertension and that dental treatment might improve blood pressure, but to date the findings are inconclusive."
Five out of 12 reviewed studies showed that blood pressure was reduced after the treatment of periodontitis, including people with a healthy blood pressure level. However, the evidence is not conclusive as blood pressure was not the primary outcome.
Further studies are needed to assess how the treatment of periodontitis affects the link between gum disease and hypertension.
Written by Anna Otvodenko
Muñoz Aguilera, E., Suvan, J., Buti, J., Czesnikiewicz-Guzik, M., Barbosa Ribeiro, A., Orlandi, M., Guzik, T., Hingorani, A., Nart, J. and D'Aiuto, F. (2019). Periodontitis is associated with hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Cardiovascular Research.
EurekAlert!. (2019). Gum disease linked with higher risk of hypertension. [online] Available at: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-09/esoc-gdl092019.php [Accessed 30 Sep. 2019].


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Home Security Camera Systems are no longer the privilege of the rich. Thousands of Aucklanders use home security camera setups to deter burglars and keep an eye on the place when they're away.
By the way if you want a good laugh check out this link and see whether you think this guy could be be the world's stupidest burglar caught on home CCTV?
Get answers to your questions about home security cameras.
• To make burglars think twice.
• To make us sleep easier at night.
• To stop 'home invasion', walk-in burglaries in the daytime. These are unfortunately on the increase right across Auckland. (Alarms are useless because they're not on when we're at home.)
• To catch door to door scam artists. (They often pretend to be tree-fellers in our neighborhood).
• To help keep an eye on our toddler. Sometimes it's great to glance at a screen and confirm she's where we think she is!
• So we can check in when we're away. (No unauthorised parties at our house!)
• So we can check contractors actually came round when they said they did.
Auckland Security Cameras Ltd
PO Box 32293 Devonport
Auckland 0744
Phone (09) 551 7716
Quality installation of security cameras Auckland wide, including the North Shore, Waitakere, Manukau, Takapuna, Glenfield, East Coast Bays, Beachaven, Birkdale, Birkenhead, Albany, Northcote, Devonport, Auckland Central, East Auckland, Pakuranga, Howick, Botany, Glendowie, St Heliers, Newmarket, Mt Eden, Epsom, Ponsonby, Grey Lynn, Remuera, Mt Albert, Mt Roskill, Onehunga, Henderson, Te Atatu, West Harbour, Mangere, Otahuhu, Papatoetoe, Otara, Airport Oaks, Penrose.
Return from Home Security Camera Systems to the Auckland Security Cameras home page


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If you want to expose and punish past acts of workplace sexual harassment and predation, there's nothing more effective than journalists talking to women about their experiences with an alleged abuser, verifying their claims, and publishing them. This humiliates the perpetrator, badly damaging or destroying his reputation, and in many cases scuttling his career. And the bad press (especially when combined with numerous other stories) may also serve to deter future bad behavior on the part of other powerful men.
Both considerations — retribution over the past, deterrence for the future — are playing a decisive role in driving the stories that have taken down a slew of men in recent weeks and that threaten to take down many, many more in the days, weeks, and months ahead.
But that doesn't mean that it's enough for reformers to rely on the informal deterrence that follows from the threat of bad press. Some abusers aren't famous enough to justify a splashy news story. Then there's the possibility that the sheer volume of claims will eventually rob them of their ability to influence opinion about the perpetrators.
That's why reform needs to take a different, less ostentatious form. Want to protect people against predators in the workplace? Make sure every company in America has a department of human resources.
Readers with experience in the corporate world will likely find the suggestion laughably banal. That's because it was way back in the 1990s that most corporations first tasked HR departments with overseeing sexual harassment claims. This doesn't mean that sexual manipulation and predation doesn't still take place in the corporate sector. But it does mean that in most cases its victims have an established institutional means of reporting the behavior to an ostensibly neutral, bureaucratic entity tasked with solving interpersonal problems and avoiding lawsuits.
Are departments of human resources perfect solutions to the problem of workplace sexual misconduct? Of course not. But victims are indisputably better off with them than without them.
That's certainly the impression one gets from reading the sordid tales of sexual harassment at media companies — especially upstart ones. As Laura McGann notes in her Vox story about the allegedly inappropriate sexual behavior of The New York Times' Glenn Thrush during his time working at Politico, "there was no conventional HR office" at one of the most influential news outlets covering the nation's capital. McGann goes on to explain that it wasn't until 2016 that "a VP of human resources position was created" at Politico.
The absence of an HR department has also played a significant part in stories about Leon Wieseltier's alleged pattern of appalling behavior toward female staffers at The New Republic. When Seyward Darby mildly objected to Wieseltier sending her a file titled "foreskin," his response was to proclaim sarcastically, "Oh, report me to HR!" But of course that was impossible, because as former TNR editor Franklin Foer recently explained in an interview, the magazine had no such office: "There was this sense that it was too poor to afford one."
TNR in that era certainly was starved for cash. But then again, judgments about exactly what a magazine that perennially loses money can afford to spend its limited resources on are always a question of priorities — and clearly the decision-makers at the magazine (Wieseltier and then-owner Marty Peretz) preferred to run the place like their personal fiefdom, with no bureaucratic oversight or enforcement of workplace norms at all.
Obviously the same was true at Harvey Weinstein's movie production companies, which he owned and ran however he saw fit, without constraint, and in the hotel rooms where Louis C.K. would strip naked and masturbate in front of female comedians.
The pattern is clear: When a certain kind of sexually insatiable and entitled man is given something close to absolute power, he will abuse it — and the women (and sometimes men) around him — for the sake of his own gratification.
No one who studies human history or the political philosophy behind the American system of government, with its multiple overlapping forms of oversight and checks on power, should be surprised. What the Constitution does for the country is roughly equivalent to what HR departments do for the workplace — serve as an institutional structure to constrain, disperse, and limit power.
Play by established rules that apply equally to all employees, treat colleagues with dignity and respect, and refrain from manipulating them into trading sexual favors for advancement or protection — those are the minimum requirements for a non-toxic workplace. And HR departments can do more than any other single thing to ensure that those minimum requirements are upheld.


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The San Francisco 49ers defensive end Ray McDonald has been arrested, jailed and bailed on domestic violence charges, California police said on Sunday.
The Sacramento Bee reported that police were called to a birthday party being held for McDonald, who turns 30 on Tuesday. The newspaper and NBC Bay Area, which first reported the news, also reported a police source as saying that the alleged victim, McDonald's fiancée, was 10 weeks pregnant.
If McDonald is found guilty, that could lead to a tougher penalty than the new six-game ban for a first offence that was announced by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Thursday.
In a letter to NFL team owners, Goodell announced increased punishments for players convicted of domestic violence. The commissioner acted in the wake of controversy over a two-game ban given to the Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice, who did not contest a charge of aggravated assault in a February incident involving his then fiancée.
Under the new guidelines, employees of the league who violate its domestic violence policy will be suspended without pay for six games; second offences will lead to lifetime bans, which will be subject to appeal.
First offences, however, could lead to longer bans if employees have prior convictions, if weapons are involved or if the offence was against a pregnant woman or was carried out in the presence of a child.
McDonald was released from jail after posting bail, a Santa Clara County sheriff's sergeant told the Associated Press.
In a statement, the 49ers general manager, Trent Baalke, said: "The 49ers organization is aware of the recent reports regarding Ray McDonald and we take such matters seriously. As we continue to gather the facts, we will reserve further comment."
Rice's ban, which was accompanied by a fine of an "additional game check", was contrasted in the media to tougher penalties handed out to players breaking the league's substance abuse policy. On Wednesday last week, the Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon was banned for a year for using marijuana.
On Friday, the 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith was banned by the NFL for nine games, for violating the league's substance abuse and personal conduct policies.
It was also reported on Sunday that McDonald, a third-round draft pick in 2007 and a regular starter, was arrested in 2010 for driving under the influence.
The San Francisco Chronicle sports reporter Anne Killion wrote that McDonald's arrest was the 10th of a 49ers player since the beginning of 2012, the most for any team in the NFL. The figure was taken from the San Diego Union-Tribune's NFL Arrests Database.
"Something is wrong within the 49ers culture right now," wrote Killion. "The team wants to be viewed as one of the league's elite but leading the league in arrests is not, I assume, what it has in mind."


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Today (Saturday 1/24/09) is The BRAD BLOG's 5th anniversary! Five years?! Until last Tuesday, I might have said, "feels more like 50!" But with a certain lead-like weight beginning to lift, for some strange reason, as the past week wore on, I'll just say: "Wow! Has it been five years already?!"
My thanks to so many of you who have supported this site and the work we've done, in so many different ways, over these many years. I'd say it's been "my pleasure," but that may be overstating just how grueling these last many years have been.
So I'll leave it to you old timers (and new timers, alike) to let us know in comments either a) what brought you here originally, b) why you kept coming back for more, c) what your favorite/least favorite story/article was/is (feel free to share links if you like) or d) all of the above as you see fit.
Seeing as how the appropriate fifth anniversary gift is supposed to be wood, and how cash money is made from paper, which is made from wood, we would be more than delighted if you felt like leaving an anniversary gift after a particularly difficult year here. If you're really in the mood to be generous, we still have signed DVD copies of the award-winning documentaries Murder, Spies & Voting Lies and Uncounted (both featuring yours truly), which will be happy to send ya in return for donations of $50 or above (details here).
But don't let the lack of a wooden gift in these troubled times keep you from commenting and sharing your thoughts, as that is always (well, mostly) gift enough. Thank you all for everything. Here's to 5 more! (If I can make it!)


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An adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin has a strong message for state governments: stop competing for blockchain dominance.
As China, Russia, the U.S. and other countries around the globe seek to distinguish themselves in the way they regulate their approach to blockchain and cryptocurrencies, Herman Klimenko said that global superpowers should unite to create a coalition centered on blockchain technology.
Instead of competing at the highest level, Klimenko argues that state leaders should use their authority to work together to create the optimal playing field on which global coders and companies can compete.
Speaking with CoinDesk through a translator, the man who was appointed adviser to the Russian President in late 2015 further explained his position:
As template for how such state-supported blockchain coalition members might be organized Klimenko pointed to the recently created Russian Association of Blockchain and Cryptocurrency (RACIB).
Klimenko helped found RACIB as part of his role as chairman of the board for Russia's Institute for Internet Development and, under the leadership of media entrepreneur Arseniy Sheltsin, the blockchain association is now divided into four areas of focus.
These include cryptocurrencies, ICOs, blockchain as a platform and "international calculation" – a focus area that hones in on how the technology might impact global relations. Here, participants have the opportunity to take part in public-private partnerships to build pilots around a number of potential use cases in both the government and corporate sectors.
While each of the four areas has a manager who oversees project coordination, Klimenko said the positions are more of a formality. Instead, he argues the 1,100 members who are currently registered don't "need physical management in the traditional sense."
"In this association, most of what we need from our members is their skills in different directions," said Klimenko. "We don't have any membership fees, we don't need them, we don't need much in terms of traditional management."
Consortia wars
If the structure of RACIB sounds familiar, that's because in one way, there's nothing really all that new about it. But that doesn't mean the application of the structure at the state government-level might not result in tangible differences.
While it was individuals who largely helped the first blockchain – bitcoin – reach its current level of adoption, other applications of blockchain have largely depended on consortia of companies organizing around a wide-range of industries. From financial services firms to insurance companies to IT consultancies, it seems most industries have come together to launch blockchain consortia projects in pursuit of increasing efficiency.
But what distinguishes Klimenko's call for multilateral government collaboration on blockchain is the scale of the work, and what such a scale might eventually mean.
The distributed nature of blockchain means it relies largely on the network effects created by having as many people as possible participating – the more people or groups that use a blockchain, the more inefficiencies can be removed from a system and the more robust that system is.
Klimenko positioned the creation of an intergovernmental blockchain group as the removal of the final silo that could be inhibiting the potential benefits of blockchain.
"The competition is not between governments, but between programmers," he said.
As an example of how such inefficiences might be removed by government cooperation, he pointed to the nascent blockchain field of "telemedecine" or as Klimenko prefers to call it, "digital medicine."
While local reports about the association have largely focused on how it might use the initial coin offering (ICO) funding model as a way to fund internet-enabled medical services, Kilmenko said the research is actually much broader. By standardizing the way government regulators track pharmaceuticals he said new efficiencies could be revealed.
"If we take the medical data and scan the image from different parts of the world, from Russia, or USA, or China, or a different country, the data is actually the same, it is universal," he said.
China concerns
But it may already be too late for Klimenko's vision of cooperative efforts among governments.
In the past month alone, Russia's central bank has indicated it could take a more restrictive stance on cryptocurrency, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has released a report stating ICO tokens may be securities and China has taken the particularly drastic step of stating that ICO tokens are illegal and forcing the closure of bitcoin exchanges.
But as opposed to an outright ban – or other solutions that create silos instead of dismantle them – Kilmenko remains committed to a more nuanced, technology-driven approach.
"It's very clear the risk of cryptocurrencies and ICOs. And it's also clear there are methods existing to reduce those risks," he said. Klimenko is joined in this vision for a more unified global approach by RACIB director, Sheltsin, who is also the CEO of Russian news site, The Runet.
In conversation with CoinDesk, Sheltsin said part of RACIB's "main goal" is to help organize "concerted activity related to distribution of blockchain technology in [the] Russian Federation and beyond its borders."
He concluded:
Image via Michael del Castillo for CoinDesk
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#boaredintheusa Cocktails in London
May 25, 2018
Third time's a charm. This year's cocktail extravaganza was hashtagged (as always) with a tip of the hat to the Clash. (See #londonculling and #rockthecasbar entries.)
From our base at the Mondrian London, we headed out to the shard for lunch.
The food at Aquashard is remarkably good. Fuel up!
After lunch, it was off to the Alchemist. Espresso was in the cards since it was early yet.
Next we paid a visit to our friend Alessandro (and delivered greetings personally from Jacques Bezuidenhout) at Duke's hotel bar. Simply put, Duke's somehow makes the best martinis in the world. Better to only have one.
Plans called for a visit to the Ritz bar, but we ran into a shoe-ware issue (someone had on trainers that cost as much as a car). So fuck the Ritz. We will be back never.
No worries, the Connaught Bar manned by Micheal was incredibly great. We sat at the bar. Somehow the Connaught became our home away from home with two visits the next day during much fun was had.
We paid a visit to Gerry's Wines and Spirits to amass a treasure trove of Amer Picon and some very old Cuban rum. Graham and insta-graham were a blast. Gin tasting occurred.
Then it was time for prophylactic ramen at Bone Daddies. Great ramen with a rock and roll vibe. Beer seemed like a good idea.
Bar Swift was our next target. Without a reservation we shlepped downstairs. After a round, our waitress took pity on us and gave us a great round booth. Then we got into the George T Stagg 2016. Wise?? Of course it was wise.
Next up was a visit to one of our all around favorites, the American Bar at the Savoy. Our barman on point at the establishment did what he could to find us some Catoctin Creek rye to use in the Red Lips Rye. He had 24 hours. Sadly, his attempt was unsuccessful, but he did put in a real effort.
We always seem to get stuck at the American Bar for 2 or 3 rounds, after which we head downstairs and transfer our tab to the Beaufort. Two of our party bowed out after the American Bar visit around 10:30.
It was left for the remaining cocktail enthusiasts to pull all of the weight. Down to the Beaufort we went. Frankly we were not impressed with this visit. Though we love the bar and past visits have been fun (if not expensive as hell), there seem to be too many Russians around for comfort these days.
Back home to the Dandelyan it was. We made it in time for fernet and a last call that seems to have involved two CR#2's and six Liberals. These things happen!
So, after all this we somehow ended up opening a bottle of champagne at 2am on the balcony. That was a bad idea.
You would figure that we had learned our lesson, but we had not. The next afternoon after some ramen (medicinal this time) at Monohon ramen we walked over to the Zetter Townhouse for some hair of the dog.
Which naturally led us back to the Connaught Bar to see Michael again before our fancy night out.
We leave you with a recipe for a Coburg Collins
50 ml London dry gin (no 3)
20 ml lemon
15 ml simple syrup
10 ml fino sherry
2 dashes celery bitters
top up with soda water over big ice.
May 11, 2017
When iteration one's hashtag is #londonculling where do you go from there? Obviously #rockthecasBAR!
This time we fueled up before our London cocktail adventure. And we even paid.
Then it was off through the crowded streets of London to Dukes Hotel. If you are in the mood for a Bond-inspired super high octane cocktail on the martini spectrum, Dukes is the place. We were explicitly warned to have ONE (in all caps even) by a professional! Thanks for the warning Jacques, you were right.
We walked the few blocks up to the Ritz for round two. We were almost let into the casino to do some gambling (which was not the plan). A corrected trajectory put us through the front door to Rivoli. It was Negroni time.
The beautiful clear ice was branded in the Savoy style. Everyone is copying everyone else in London.
Time for a cab to Clerkenwell, hailed by a snarky doorman. Back to…wait for it…the Zetter Townhouse to see the dead cat. This is our regular London haunt and we were immediately recognized at the door.
Sticking with the gin, we decided on a Zetter Gimlet made with some infusion or other (I believe a kind of tea). It was delicious. The cat joined in.
While waiting for companion three to arrive from across London at rush hour we started feeling parched, so we ordered a round of 20th Century, some pistachios, and some jerky sausage.
Twentieth Century
10 ml lemon juice
10 ml creme de cacao
20 ml cocci americano
40 ml dry gin (jensens)
stir. strain. express lemon peel. small lemon garnish.
Ramen is always helpful the day after too many cocktails, but we were just getting started. Prophylactic ramen is now a thing. Monohon ramen is just as great as we thought it would be. Super authentic and delicious.
As NPS is writing this and feeling rather surprisingly good in the morning, I suppose that the prophylactic ramen did its job. Unfiltered sake was not really what the doctor ordered, but we had it anyway.
A short walk to Callooh-Callay was when our kung fu set in. We walked right past the waiting people, made a joke with the doorman about being tweeners, and immediately sat down at the crowded bar. We were served by either Carrie or Mary. Callooh-Callay is a raucous place where quiet conversation is not in the cards.
Either Carrie of Mary suggested a Hanky Panky. We're always up for that.
Feeling like talking to each other again, we cabbed it over to the Savoy to visit the Beaufort. We are sad that the Beaufort has changed its menu. They now feature some kind of cartoon menu that seems very Disney. NPS does not approve.
We ordered a Silver Bullet and a Never Ending Story (or two) even though the waiter tried not to let us.
By this time our phone use capabilities were waning and hashtags were slipping into gobbleddygook. We cabbed back to home base at Mondrian Sea Containers, missing a train in the meantime.
Dandelyon was packed of course, so we used our magic to waltz right in and rearrange the furniture. Alex was behind the bar and one year older. Complimentary bubbly arrived which put us in the mood for a French 75.
This somehow made Fernet happen and then it was off to bed. Meanwhile, the guest experience fairies delivered a bottle of champagne while were were out and left it with a personal note. Nice touch!
#londonculling, #rockthecasBAR, what's next??
Blue is the new Red at the Zetter in London
May 3, 2017
It may be a gray day in London, but it's blue in room 503 at the Zetter hotel.
And that's a good thing, because blue is the new red. Loyal readers may recall room 503 used to be red. A complete makeover has occurred making the room cozier and even more modern seeming.
But what's best is that room 503 was waiting for us when we arrived at 10:15 in the morning after a flight across the pond (about more which see this Delta Does Business posting). So nice to be recognized and taken care of properly. Wonder why the Zetter is better? Well, that's one reason. Thanks Fabian.
About the only thing that has not changed is the bathroom which remains nice but small and does feature a tub/shower combo thingy. Tell no one.
The best feature of room 503 is the bank of windows overlooking London. You can see both the gerkin and the shard from bed.
So all is well at the Zetter. Now we must now manage to stay up all day somehow. Sleep is for the weak.
Lunch at St John is an excellent option.
As always the Tate is a great place to while away some time. This trip, NPS discovered an entirely new wing?!
A sushi dinner at Sosharu was passable. Sosharu is trying to make sushi appealing too close to a train station. Skip it.
Fortunately, a cocktail or two at the Zetter Townhouse was in order. Funny how every time NPS shows up here we have to teach them to make a Liberal all over again. At least they still have the Amer Picon on hand. Back bar fernet with Guy was something that happened.
Also of note during our Zetter time in London:
Dinner at Texture (not as impressive as it should have been).
Brunch at Chiltern Firehouse
A visit to the Artesian bar at the Langham (after tea was ditched in favor of cocktails).
The British Museum
Cocktails at the Aemrican Bar in the Savoy.
A Spinning Jenny is presented on its own little pedestal. Spinning Jenny
45 ml bombay sapphire
15 ml cocchi americano
10 ml pear eau de vie (williams)
15 ml Yerba Mate
15 ml grenadine
Stir. Fizz. Collins rocks. Pedestal.
A new blue five showerheads for the Zetter.
April 16, 2016
Well it seemed like a good idea at the time.
How many fabulous cocktails bars can you visit in 12 or so hours (without rushing)? Who will be left standing (or wobbling) at the end of the day? And most importantly, who will be culled?
We began at the Hutong restaurant at the Shard. The view was fantastic, the food was good, and the company was superb, but the most ridiculous part was the urinals (with a view over the city).
Our supposedly quick tube ride over to the Savoy was thwarted by British public transportation ridiculousness. Tried to buy three day cards on the underground. One was printed, my card was charged for three and a cryptic error message that was entirely unhelpful was displayed. After 15 minutes trying to solve the problem and get a supervisor to give us a refund, we decided the process was not worth completing. So you owe me 24 pounds London underground!
The best part? We used the tickets once.
We started at the American Bar in the Savoy which has a fancy new menu as of January. As always, the drinks were as pretty as they were delicious.
savoy american
The best drink we had was no longer on the menu—the wingspan. A recipe can be found in this NPS entry.
We had attempted to head down to the Beaufort bar around 4:15 until we discovered that it was not open until 5. That left us time for a wingspan. Then we had our bill transferred down.
The beaufort has an entirely different jibe.
The Pan American Highway
20 ml bacardi 8
15 ml zacapa 23
15 ml diplomatico
10 ml amer picon
2.5 ml fernet branca menta
10 ml roasted coffee maple syrup
3 dashes chocolate bitters
Stir down. Strain. Serve in coupe with an interesting piece of ice.
A few light snacks of gruyere and foie gras were not quite satisfying us at this point. So it was off to find some light dinner.
We ended up at Blind as a Pig where our very cute waitress was happy to play along with our silly shenanigans. Emergency clothes pins were distributed.
We did some napkin art as follows, which seemed entirely clever at the time.
Sated with mac and cheese, fish and chips, and other finger food, and protected by our large supply of emergency clothes pins, we were off.
Next up was the posh Connaught Bar. Connaught is run by Sardinians, who would dearly like to have some fun but who are not really sure whether they are allowed to.
We introduced the Connaught to the Liberal.
Then it was midnight and time for the great cull. What happened? Everybody dropped out but NPS! Lol. I believe it might have been wiser to stop myself.
Instead, it was off to visit the Dandelyon Bar at the Mondrian again. By now it seems that we know everybody, but it was a special treat when Iain Griffiths was in the house. Iain helps Mr Lyan create new properties. The planet is small.
Finally, all energy was gone and it was up the lift to crash. Candles on the porch were a special touch.
London Cocktails of the Posh Past
May 15, 2015
The American Bar and the Beaufort Bar at the Savoy have some serious cocktail history. We finally visited.
The Silver Bullet
50 ml Sipsmith gin
25 ml lemon juice
25 ml Kummel
Stir. Serve up.
Oh, and the plumbing in the gents at the Savoy is a complete UK riot.
Then there was The Bar at the Dorchester where we had Harry's cocktail. Simply fantastic.
Dinner across the hall at the grill was not good at all. Skip it.
We ended with the Liberal.
Anyway much fun. Rolling blackouts. The usual. Hard to get up to catch the plane home.


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Find trends and outlooks, education and more on financing rural America from Farm Credit Services of America.
Farm Credit Services of America Staff |
Jun 12, 2014 |
The Business of Agriculture,
Wheat: $6.35 to $7.65 per bushel, down 30 cents on each end due to larger expected carryout, higher global production and recent declines in futures prices.
Corn: Slower than normal start to growing season is offset by favorable early season crop and weather conditions. Aggregated crop conditions in Corn Belt states better than any time since 2007. Projected yields remain at 165.3 bushels per acre, with projected range of $3.85 to $4.55 per bushel.
Soybeans: $9.75 to $11.75 per bushel, unchanged from May.
Soybean meal and oil: $355 to $395 per short ton, unchanged from May.
Beef: Slower pace of steer and heifer slaughter in second quarter lowers production forecast.
Pork: Increased second quarter slaughter increases production forecast.
Broiler: Production forecast lowered as pace of expansion slows. Prices up for 2014 under tighter supply forecast.
Eggs: Production is up with strong table egg prices expected to support increased production.
Dairy: No change from May milk production forecast. Higher prices for cheese due to strong demand and for butter due to tight supplies. All milk price is forecast at $22.90 to $23.30 per cwt for 2014 and $19.75 to $20.75 per cwt for 2015.
Source: World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimates, June 11, 2014.
Full report: http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/wasde/wasde-06-11-2014.pdf
farm prices,
soybean meal and oil,
May 13, 2022 |
The Business of Agriculture
USDA has released its May World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report.
Jul 16, 2019 |
Crop Insurance
With planting finally ended, producers now face a waiting game, with crop progress well behind normal and weather not entirely cooperating.
Nov 13, 2018 |
Crop Insurance
Your FCSAmerica insurance team explains some of the common scenarios and is ready to guide you through the claims process when quality is an issue.
Contact us if you have questions or need more information. Fill out the form, or connect with your local office using the Office Locator.
FCSAmerica serves farmers, ranchers, agribusinesses and rural residents in Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming. For inquiries outside this geography, use the Farm Credit Association Locator to contact your local office.


text:
Its not often we see an Australian designed / built Halvorsen in NZ waters, they are the darlings of Sydney Harbour. Its even rarer to see an ex WW II one.
Northern Star was built in 1944 by Lars Halvorsen & Sons for the Royal Australian Air Force as a air-sea rescue boat.
She measures 38'x10'x4'. Current power is from a 306hp Volvo TAMD61A diesel that gets her along at 12>13 knots.
Her owner has had her for 45 years and she is now 4sale on tme – a few rot issues to her plywood stern area and fore deck but I'm sure easily fixed. Rather a smart boat for the current price ($20+k)
Anyone know how she came to be in NZ ?


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Piers Morgan absolutely rips apart Wenger and Arsenal star after Liverpool game
Piers Morgan did not hide his frustration at all following Saturday's 3-1 defeat to top four rivals Liverpool.
The Gunners went into the affair 13 points behind league leaders Chelsea, knowing victory was required to maintain any faint hopes of staying in the title race.
However, yet another slow start from Arsenal in a big game saw Roberto Firmino put the home side ahead after only nine minutes of action.
And following the 3-1 defeat at Anfield, Piers Morgan, who has never been afraid to call for Arsene Wenegr's exit, slammed the manager and Granit Xhaka on Twitter.
Here were his tweets….
Game over.
What's Wenger's excuse going to to be today?
1) Referee
2) Players were 'tired'
3) Lack of 'mental strength'
4) The pitch
5) Me
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 4, 2017
Xhaka was a disgrace there.
Gutless waste of money. #afc
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 4, 2017
'I'm ready to go to the next level' – Wenger before the game.
Good, go manage Sutton then.
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 4, 2017
Just GO, for God's sake. #WengerOUT
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 4, 2017


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In the last few articles we looked at how redundancies needlessly increase the size of specifications. Another thing that affects the length of specifications is writing style. Even though CSI's mantra, "Clear, concise, correct, complete", suggests specifications should contain only the essence of requirements, commercial guide specifications and office master specifications alike tend to use words that aren't necessary.
In 1949, Ben John Small wrote an article titled "The Case for the Streamlined Specification." In it, he uses anecdote and logic to explain why terse writing is superior to verbose. He also cites previous works that show that streamlined writing is nothing new, but has been advocated as far back as 1896.
In his opening remarks, Small said, "Streamlining is not and never has been considered a panacea or short cut in the writing of good specifications. If one can write a thorough and competent specification using the long form one can streamline that same specification without the slightest adulteration, yet reduce its bulk by one-third or more." Briefly, streamlining is the removal of all words that are not essential to understanding the specifications.


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About Face
Mountain Life
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Six years after founding an organic cosmetics company in Telluride, Colo., former supermodel Sunny Griffin can hardly believe her luck. Her skin-care line, Astara, is winning accolades from Hollywood to Manhattan. The upscale retail chain Sephora carries her products, and spas around the world are pampering guests with Astara natural moisturizers and facials. If the economy picks up, Griffin expects to break $2 million in revenues this year. "I'm so blessed that I can run an international business from Telluride, she says. Then Griffin leans across her desk and adds matter-of-factly, "You know, I was flat broke when I moved here. Nearly penniless.
It's a surprising admission, not just for its brutal honesty, but because it seems so improbable for a woman who was the Christy Turlington of her day. Three decades ago, Griffin was, perhaps, the hottest model in the world. Her image graced the pages of Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and Redbook. She was the face of Avon, Virginia Slims and Clairol. In 1966, Griffin was the subject of a New York Times article that pointed out, with raised eyebrows, that she earned the same amount—$100,000—as the president of the United States. When her modeling days ended in 1980, Griffin worked as a health and beauty consultant on Good Morning America and as an Avon spokeswoman. In the early 1990s, Griffin and her husband, a builder, sank their money into Los Angeles real estate, and Griffin expected to sail into her 60s in comfort. But fame and fortune, like youthful beauty, can be fleeting.
Griffin and her husband "lost everything when the real estate market crashed shortly after they bought in. Looking for a fresh start, they scraped together a down payment and moved to Telluride in 1995. Griffin, an expert skier, had fallen for Telluride during a visit in the late 1980s. And after years in L.A. and Manhattan, she longed for slope time.
Griffin first learned to ski at the late age of 30 during a 1969 visit to Aspen, where she ran into pal Suzy Chaffee, an Olympic skier and fellow Ford model. When Griffin told "Suzy Chapstick she planned to take ski lessons, Chaffee insisted on teaching her. "I was hooked, says Griffin, who soon found herself taking ski trips from her Manhattan home to Vermont. In 1974, she bought a condo in Sun Valley, Idaho. Skiing was in her blood, which made Telluride an easy choice of venue for her new life.
Griffin hoped her husband would find work in the mountain town of movie stars and CEOs. Their business ambitions and their marriage didn't work out. In 1999, they divorced. Alone and broke, Griffin knew she had to rebuild her life. "I can't stand it when people say, 'I don't know what to do.' I'll tell you what to do: Get to work.
Founding a skin-care company was a logical move for a former model, and Telluride's climate made her decision that much easier. Like many newcomers to the Rocky Mountain West, Griffin quickly realized that while high-altitude living soothes the soul, it ravages the skin. After several weeks in the sun, low humidity and wind, Griffin felt as if her face would crack. Having used innumerable products during her modeling career, Griffin—a health nut—knew she wanted her cosmetics to be organic. So, with few assets other than her name and good credit, Griffin took on $130,000 in credit-card debt to launch Astara in 1997. She was 57. She borrowed another $50,000 against her home. "I put everything I owned at risk, she says. With no budget to hire a public relations firm and not even a sales team in place, Griffin hit the road. She drove to spas in Aspen, Vail and Beaver Creek. She worked her modeling-industry contacts and stormed Manhattan fashion magazine offices, where young editors said, "Sunny who? Then Griffin got her big break. The fashion editor at the New York Times flew to Telluride to do a story on the former supermodel's reinvention as a natural cosmetics entrepreneur. The story—a full-page piece on "the birth of a cult cosmetic—floored Griffin. The phone rang immediately as spas from Singapore to New Orleans ordered products. It hasn't stopped ringing.
Now 63, an age at which a woman with her résumé could be excused for relaxing, Griffin is just getting revved. "Sunny is such a great natural athlete, says Chaffee, still a close friend. "She's got energy coming out of her ears. But more than that, she has a real balance of brains and beauty.
Revenues have grown steadily and are now "well over a million dollars, though Griffin declines to be more specific. She works with the company's product developer to find organic plants, extracts and ingredients that enhance the skin, then contracts with laboratories that mix the products, which are then bottled and shipped to Griffin's two-story warehouse in a tiny business park on the outskirts of Telluride. Even though her company has grown to seven full-time and five part-time employees, Griffin still works long hours and handles many of the most tedious tasks. When she recently decided to sell a shoe-box-sized gift kit with a variety of Astara's skin-care products, she assembled and folded nearly all of the 5,000 boxes herself. When a shipment of the kits is due, Griffin rents a movie, orders takeout and assembles boxes long into the night. "I'm a champion box folder, she laughs.
Detecting a male aversion to beauty products from a visitor, she notes that "men looove our products. She says Mel Gibson and Liam Neeson have Astara's signature little blue bottles on their nightstands, as well as female celebs such as Liv Tyler and Lauren Bacall. "It's brilliant, British comedian Tracy Ullman gushed in a voicemail message after receiving a box of moisturizers from Griffin's daughter, a Hollywood casting director.
A raw-food junkie and juicer, Griffin reasons that if raw veggies are good for the body, raw moisturizers must be good for the face. Astara's raw ingredients, such as aloe vera, wild yam and evening primrose, are never heated above 103 degrees, which preserves their enzymes, she says.
Griffin, a woman of immense vitality who confesses she moves at "mach speed, is elated to be busier than ever. Her only regret is having too little time to ski. Last season, she got in just nine days because of her hectic schedule. "My goal is to master the bumps, she says.
Her favorite Telluride trail is Bushwacker, which is half moguls, half groomed. "I can duck into the bumps for six turns, then get the hell out before I kill myself.
More than just a ski retreat, however, Griffin says Telluride has the advantages of a small town, combined with the arts and culture of a big city. When the Joffrey Ballet made its summer home in Telluride in 2001, Griffin took classes with some of the troupe's top dancers. "You can't do that in Manhattan. She also enjoys Telluride's egalitarian vibe. "I like the fact that the guy next to you in yoga class could be a jillionaire or a ski bum.
Plus, Telluride allows Griffin the opportunity to strut the runway once again. The town holds an annual AIDS benefit where locals model fashion from Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Bill Blass and dozens of others. Griffin is always a crowd pleaser. Indeed, at a trim five-foot-eight, she can still swivel heads when she hits the town with her fiancé. They plan to marry—when they find time. Work hard and play hard: Griffin can't imagine living any other way, or in a more beautiful place. "I wake up every day, look out my window and say, 'Thank God I moved here.'


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