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Are you getting ready to buy a new home? According to CBSnews.com, well over 10 percent of all Americans with a mortgage - a record 5.4 million homeowners - were at least one month late or in foreclosure at the depths of the most recent housing crash. This post can help to keep avoid a similar fate.
In a previous post, I discussed the disadvantages of buying a house. In this post, I focus on ways to reduce the impact of four of those disadvantages -- the ones that are primarily related to income and expenses:
• The risk of foreclosure
• Increased monthly expenses
• Potentially significant start-up costs
• Less predictable expenses
Prepare for the Unexpected with InsuranceIdeally, you want to be confident that you can continue to make your mortgage payments for the life of the mortgage -- no matter what. What happens if you are "sick or hurt and can't work?" This is a double-edged sword of the worst kind. Just when you are hit with unanticipated medical expenses, you are potentially facing an unexpected decrease in your income. This could be devastating. Luckily, there is a way to help protect yourself against both edges of this sword --
Many employers provide at least partial coverage for routine medical, dental and pharmacy expenses, and "major medical" for the really big bills that would result, for example, from a hospital stay. If your coverage is not adequate, consider buying supplemental insurance. Similarly, many employers provide income continuation (disability) insurance for both temporary and permanent disabilities; this insurance provides income in the event you are disabled. Perhaps you'll get 100% of your income for a limited time, followed by reduced income for a longer period of time. Again, if your coverage is not adequate, consider buying additional coverage. Finally, if you have a family, you'll want to make sure the bills can still be paid even if the unthinkable happens. So, because the bills may continue even if you don't, you'll need life insurance.
Prepare for the Unexpected with an Emergency FundAn emergency fund is money set aside for, umm, emergencies. Though you have done your best to budget for anticipated expenses (see below), and insured yourself against the standard risks, stuff happens. What if you have a major uninsured or partially insured loss, or lose your job? Unfortunately, your mortgage payment will still be due. (Note: make sure you understand your insurance coverage. "Insured" rarely means 100% insured. For example, if your major medical coverage covers 80% of your hospital expenses, your share of a $25,000 hospital bill will be $5,000. )
An emergency fund of 6 months expenses, plus or minus, provides protection when there are unanticipated decreases in income or increases in expenses; it increases the chances that you will be able to continue to pay your bills, including your mortgage, even in those extraordinary circumstances. The number of months expenses funded generally ranges from 3 – 12 and depends on factors such as perceived risk of income interruptions, adequacy of insurance coverage, ease of finding new employment, etc. This money is typically kept in no or low-risk investments such as savings accounts, CDs, or money market funds.
An Effective Budgeting ProcessA very important key to reducing the risks of home ownership is getting your finances under control. In my view, the foundation for this control is a reliable, proven process of annual budgeting and monthly expense control. This is where you plan your savings, the amount by which your income exceeds your expenses. Ideally, you have been able to budget your expenses accurately and to live within that budget for at least the last two years, and as a result have saved enough to make a substantial down payment and cover your start-up costs. If not, now is the time to start.
A sound budgeting process reduces the risks listed at the top of this post in several ways.
- It puts you a better position to estimate how much your monthly expenses will increase in your new home. While some of your expenses in your new home will be new and unknown, others may remain unchanged. You will be able to predict the continuing expenses with conviction. For those that change, you will be able to make a reasonable estimate because you at least know what they used to be. Finally, your successful experience with the budgeting process will put you in a much better position to make reasonable estimates for those expenses that will be brand new.
- Similarly, budgeting experience will put you in a better position to estimate more accurately the costs you are likely to incur at start-up.
- While some housing expenses are "unpredictable," they are not completely unpredictable. You know you will have unexpected expenses, you just don't know when, why, or how much they will cost. The fact that you have a budget will at least alert you to the fact that you need to understand what the possibilities are, and encourage you to include an estimate for these items. For example, I generally include at least ½% to 1% of the value of the house per year for home maintenance. I know others who have experienced ongoing maintenance costs of up to 4%/year. If expenses are under budget one year, SAVE that money for the years when you will be over budget.
Reliable IncomeThe less reliable your income, the more you are at risk. A steady, reliable source of income for the life of the mortgage helps to counteract the unpredictability of some of the housing expenses. If your income is unreliable, it increases the chances that at some point your expenses will exceed your income, and your risk of foreclosure will increase. Income continuation and life insurance, discussed above, are two products that significantly increase the reliability of your income.
Beyond that, your risk is lowest if you have been consistently employed for at least the last two years – preferably with the same company. The reliability of your earned income may be the factor over which you have the least control. However, even there, in the long run, you exert at least some control by your choice of career, company, industry, location, etc. To the extent that you can, it will be to your financial advantage to choose positions, companies and industries that have the best prospects of long-term employment. To the extent that the reliability of your income is beyond your control, it is important that you recognize the risk, and take appropriate countermeasures elsewhere in your plans – e.g., by increasing the size of your emergency fund.
Protect Your House, Condo or Co-op Purchase by PlanningFor many of you, much of this probably seems incredibly pessimistic. However, 30 years is a long time. I think the chances are good that you will experience at least one of these misfortunes some time during the life of your mortgage; you need to be prepared.
Many people feel that a poor credit rating or FICO score is what is keeping them from owning a home; often, not having their finances under control is the real problem. Once your finances are under control, your credit rating and FICO score will naturally improve. From an income and expense perspective, having your finances under control allows you to a) accumulate a substantial amount for the down payment and start-up costs, and b) be as confident as possible that under virtually all reasonably predictable circumstances you will be able to pay your home mortgage – on time -- for the next 30 years. What's the point of buying a house if you end up losing it in foreclosure?
Preparing for the unexpected, and having a proven budgeting process and reliable source of income are the most important factors from an income and expense perspective in minimizing your risk of foreclosure, and maximizing your chances of becoming a successful homeowner.
Related Materials:Planning To Buy a House Calculator provides an interactive calculator to help when planning to buy a new home -- e.g., to help estimate the total cost of ownership, and determine what price you can afford.
100 Years of Housing Price History: perspective on historical real estate prices.
8 Signs You Should Not Buy a House from the Morningstar web-site.
Do You Need a Personal Strategic Plan?: They're often useful when you're considering a major change in your life -- such as buying a new home.
If you are new to budgeting, consider Quicken, Mint or one of the many other personal finance software packages as a way to get started.
For an even more comprehensive treatment, Making the Most of Your Money, one of My Favorite Personal Finance Books, has sections on insurance, budgeting, and buying a home.
The picture is from Public Domain Pictures.
Last updated 10/31/2020


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District of Sechelt Council is comprised of a Mayor and six Councillors, elected for four year terms.
Front Row: Councillor Janice Kuester, Mayor Darnelda Siegers, Councillor Brenda Rowe
For more information please review Council biographies.
The Acting Mayor will rotate each month. Please review the list of Acting Mayor appointments for more information.
Sechelt is an Electoral Area within the Sunshine Coast Regional District. As such, two members of Council are appointed as Area Directors to represent Sechelt on the Regional District Board, with Directors from the other seven Area of the lower Sunshine Coast. Two alternate Directors are also appointed. Please see the list of appointments from the 2018 Inaugural Meeting for details.
The public is welcome to attend Regular Council and Committee meetings. A question and answer period is included at the end of each meeting, to allow members of the audience to ask questions about issues discussed at the meeting.
The District of Sechelt will continue to conduct Council and Committee meetings by electronic communications, with in-person seating available in the Community Meeting Room.
Regular Council Meetings are held on the First and Third Wednesday of each month, in the Community Meeting Room on the first floor of the Sechelt Library Building (5797 Cowrie Street), at 7:00pm. Copies of Regular Council meeting agendas are posted on the Calendar section of this site on the Friday before the meeting date. The Council Meeting Order Paper is also posted District's notice board.
Committee of the Whole Meetings are scheduled on the Second and Fourth Wednesdays of each month, at 1:00pm in the Community Meeting Room and is chaired by the Acting Mayor. Committee of the Whole is comprised of all members of Council. Agenda items before Committee are debated and Recommendations are made for consideration by Council at the next Regular Council Meeting. The agenda and order paper posting practices for Committee Meetings are the same as those for Council Meetings.
Minutes of Council and Committee Meetings are available for review in the Sechelt Public Document Library. There are also digital audio recordings of Council proceedings available on our Council Audio Web Page.
Delegations - If members of the public wish to address Council or Committee on an issue, they may do so by making a request to appear as a delegation before Council. This request must be in writing using the Delegation Form (online submissions and faxes are permitted).

subset: commoncrawl


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We pick every product that we think you'll love the most. We may earn money from the links on this page.
As if you needed any more reasons to love this easy, versatile style.
By now, the term 'lob' (aka a long bob that can hit anywhere from your shoulder to your collarbone) is a part of your hair lingo. And you've probably noticed that many of your favorite stars are rocking one on the red carpet, yet it's a style that works for your low maintenance lifestyle, too. Maybe you've even yo-yo'd through some version of a lob over the years or purposely made it your go-to cut way before it became chic. The reason it's always on trend: "It helps answer the question: How do I style my hair? " says Jenny Cho, a celebrity stylist for Suave Professionals. "The lob is the style." Here are five super simple ways to transform this versatile cut while staying true to its easy, effortless vibe.
"The effect is polished yet effortless and still allows the line of the haircut to be seen," explains Marcus Francis, a celebrity stylist for Suave
Smooth strands (especially ends) and add shine after blow-drying or flat ironing with Suave Professionals Moroccan Infusion Styling Oil.
"Moving a large section of hair over to one side gives the illusion of fullness," explains Francis. To get volume and loose waves, wrap sections around the outside of a closed flat iron starting from midway on strands and working down. Then place one side behind your ear for a casually chic effect. The positioning of the part is crucial: "Use the arch of your brow as a guide of where you want to flip your hair over," says David Lopez, a celebrity stylist in New York City.
To give hair extra lift and movement, apply a volumizing primer to wet hair before grabbing your dryer. Try Bb. Foam Spray Blow Dry.
"When it comes to a lob, it's all about being playful and changing up the texture," says Cho, who loves to create an unstructured wave on her A-list clientele.
The secret to this sexy, undone style: a texturizing spray like Suave Professionals Sea Mineral Infusion Texturizing Sea Salt Spray. "It adds instant body and texture to hair," says Cho.
For this look, it's all about switching up the direction you blow-dry sections of hair—with some pieces curving toward the face and others away from your face. "It makes it look more natural, plus adds lift and movement to hair," says Lopez.
Use a lotion-like styling cream such as Ouai Finishing Créme to calm flyaways while polishing ends and adding a hint of shine.
Pull hair back from about two inches above your ear, then use a texturizing spray to enhance the shape of naturally wavy hair. For finer hair types: "To create natural-looking S-shaped waves, wrap each section of hair around the barrel of the curling iron or one side of a flat iron in a downward spiral while holding the tool vertically to your face without letting hair overlap as you wrap it," says Lopez.
Add a light all-over spray of Suave Professionals Luxe Style Infusion Plump Hold Hairspray to lock this style in place.


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Decided to take the 24mm f1.4 out this weekend, and walking around Mariposa, took a few shots of the office building.
White Mesa Sinkhole
Standard, Canvas, Acrylic, Framed, Metal Prints and Greeting cards available at Fine Art America
Click on the photo(s) to open the Lightbox Viewer!
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Reclaimed Multicolor Gift Bowl Set
Regular price $69.79
Unit price per
The goodness of All in one Bowl!
This Mother's Day Go Local and Eco-Friendly with Nova Scotia's best Handmade Products in a Reclaimed Bowl. This Bowl includes:
Beezy Wrap (1 Beeswax Wrap Pouch) From Eagle Point Drive, Nova Scotia. 100% Biodegradable and Cotton Infused with Beeswax, Jojoba Oil and Tree Resin. Keep Your Food Fresh Longer.
Fundy Treasure Candle (3.5 oz - Sea Salt & Surf). Handmade by Fundy Treasures in Joggins, Nova Scotia. Made from 100% Soy Wax and Fine Fragrance Oils. Each candle contains a piece of Bay of Fundy tumbled agate.
KD Hunter Maple Product (0.25 ml Maple Syrup). A boutique brand of Pure Maple Syrup in Springhill, Ns.
Seafoam Lavender ( 0.24 oz Face Cream). Located on the Pastoral Shores of Nova Scotia's Northumberland Strait, Our commitment to you is making Natural Products that improve your Everyday Life.
Ron McCormick (Handmade Greeting card). An Outside Artist from Nova Scotia. Ron hopes you enjoy his art as much as he has enjoyed creating it.
Woolies ( Felted Goat Soap). Upperbrook Farm has been our haven since 1972. Hand-wrapped in 100% Pure Wool. ***(Out of Stock)*** We have equally another amazing bar from Groovy Goat Soap (70 g Seaside Salt Spa Bar) Located right on the Cabot Trail in beautiful Ingonish, Nova Scotia. this bar is made almost entirely with sea salt, offering a spa-like exfoliating experience, while goat milk and soothing oils keep skin feeling soft and moisturized.
Enjoy your Basket!


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This has to be the most amount of pictures I have EVER put in a blog post…… But who could resist with how many fantastic photos I was able to capture of this this family!! I have known Katie and her little family for a couple years now, and I was blessed to meet her Mom and brothers a couple of weeks ago. They had such a blast during their session! I am honored to have been chosen as their...Read More
As many of you know, I was able to travel to Punta Cana, Dominican Repulic last month to photograph a destination wedding. One of the bridesmaids decided to par take in a family session one of the beautiful evenings! I was so excited to spend more time capturing images around this lovely resort. I started by even going and hand picking out their outfits for them in their room. The boys were just sooo adorable and the family had a beautiful family dynamic about them. I can't wait to send this CD off with a few surprise goodies!! Thanks again, Nowak...Read More


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Head to Bristol (UK) this Friday to hear me question whether the bike is the ultimate tool for adventure, or just a passport to pain.
This Friday's event is the inaugural stop for the 'on-tour' version of Kendal Mountain Film Festival's massively popular Bike Night — an evening of films, talks and banter. My show is a look at some of the incredible places, from my year long pedal around Argentina and Chile in '96 to the last year's Ethiopia expedition that the bike has taken me, and the painful episodes that sometimes go hand in hand with such adventures.
But don't let that put you off. See you there.
Info and tickets: www.kendalmountaintour.com


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Favorite Links
We have compiled a useful list of our favorite links, if you would like to have your link placed here, please contact our webmaster.
U.S.E.F – United States Equestrian Federation, Inc. The national governing body for equestrian sport.
U.S.D.F – The United States Dressage Federation.
U.S.E.T – The United States Equestrian Team Foundation supports equestrian athletes, promotes international excellence, and builds for the future of equestrian sports.
U.S.H.J.A. – The United States Hunter Jumper Association provide educational resources that will benefit both members and horses and represent the interests of all levels of participants.
RLM Communications LLC – Full service advertising, web design, and marketing agency specializing in equestrian and outdoor recreational product companies. They deliver Sound Thinking and Solid Solutions without the heavy price tag.


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If you have just come across the Carnivore Diet then you might be wondering what foods you can actually eat whilst partaking in this glorious way of eating. It might seem obvious that meat is the answer and yes, you'd be right but you can also eat some dairy products.
BUT, this diet isn't set in concrete and there are varying ways of tackling it. For example, some people will only eat meat and no dairy. This is often because of an intolerance to dairy or they may be trying to lose weight and they think the dairy may be stalling them in some way. Some people will only eat beef and nothing else. This may be again because of an intolerance of some kind, say to chicken for instance, or it could be that beef is just more satisfying to them.
Here is a list of what you can eat on the Carnivore Diet.
Carnivore Diet Food List
Choose fatty cuts wherever possible. Avoid processed meats unless you know exactly what is in it.
- beef
- chicken
- pork
- lamb
- animal fat
- bone marrow
- bone broth
- fatty ground/minced meat
- offal
Unfortunately most meat these days is lean so you do need to add fat into your diet.
You can eat any type of fish or crustacean but try to go with fatty fish wherever possible. Here's some examples of fatty fish:
- salmon
- mackerel
- herring
- lake trout
- sardines
- tuna
- anchovies
- carp
- eel
- whitefish
- butterfish
- halibut
Some avoid dairy completely due to an intolerance or if they are trying to lose weight. For most that do eat dairy, they tend to keep it to a minimum.
- cream
- cheese
- raw milk (some choose to avoid milk)
- whole eggs
- some eat egg yolks only and will eat them raw
- some avoid eggs completely
Some people will use salt only whilst others avoid all seasonings.
- salt
- pepper
- herbs
- spices
A good amount of your fat should be coming from the animal products listed above so choose fatty cuts of meat wherever possible. When frying, grilling, broiling, barbecuing, roasting etc, use only animal fats. Here's some examples:
- Beef tallow
- Lard (pig fat)
- Suet
- Duck fat
- Chicken fat (schmaltz)
- Butter (some avoid butter if they have an intolerance to dairy)
- Beef dripping
We get offcuts of fat from our butcher and fry up pieces of fat to have with at least one meal per day. I found that my weight loss stalled and realised I wasn't getting enough fat. Once I started adding in more fat the weight started dropping off.
- water
- bone broth
- coffee or tea – avoided by many – if you are having any issues or you are trying to lose weight and it's not budging then give them up for a while to see if it helps
Carnivore Diet Meal Example
There is no requirement to eat 3 meals a day on the Carnivore Diet and in fact many people will only eat twice a day and some only once. So you may not need breakfast at all, or you may want to have breakfast at lunch instead and skip the lunchtime meal completely. The choice is yours. We personally only have two meals a day.
- Bacon
- Eggs
- Black Pudding
- Cup of bone broth – we leave the fat in the bone broth rather than skimming off the fat
- Minute steak, steak or fatty meat patties (eat till you are full)
- Steak – rib eye, porterhouse, scotch fillet
- If you can't afford a good steak then you can go with fatty ground beef made into meat patties


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I think we can do this by
for each family represented making a Family declaration page with the Album name in its title, and with a redirect to the album in question
on it make a list of names in the album (this will then make the album appear on those people's pages)
PS Could perhaps create a dynamic resource index, but need to think how best to assemble the cross references.
For more on individuals and families, and their genealogy, see Family Tree Index.
Click here for Site home page, Overview, and Cassirer, Cohen and Falk histories.


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Galvanized – Galvanized (Self-Released)Wednesday, 8th August 2018
Recently discovering this quartet opening for Havok in Providence, Galvanized are a local outfit from Rhode Island. Based on a brief conversation with bassist/back up vocalist Armando Yambao, the core of the group has been together for quite a few years, but with the development of second guitarist Rob Peck finally shifting into a different gear for recording and live show purposes. As this self-titled five song EP showcases a sound that embraces a thrash meets metalcore stance, alluring through diversity while also alerting the listener to possible signs of strength and weakness at this early stage of development.
After a few passes, it's evident that Galvanized grew up in the 90's and 2000's period of heavy music development where American acts like Pantera, Trivium, Lamb of God, and Shadows Fall ruled the landscape across the live circuit – but also give a bit of a nod to thrash forefathers like Metallica and Megadeth. You don't often get the chance to hear bands stretch into longer instrumental sequences where the bass solo comes before the lead guitar break – but that's exactly what you'll get in the neck whipping, groove-oriented effort "Spawning a Legend". Kyle Doyle and Rob Peck unleash a flurry of licks and riff tricks, joining the tribal march with drummer Josh Card during personal favorite "The Uprising". The normal rough and tumble growls and screams Kyle employs work quite well to add more aggression to the music. But if there's one significant area that needs more coaching/training, it's when he decides to go for the clean melodies during songs like "Reform and Reprogram" and "Thoughts of Resonance" – as he sounds a tad out of tune and more like an emo singer stretching through voice changing adolescence than a potent, convincing force of nature.
Do not fear the metalcore tag, as Galvanized put solid effort into creating individual songs with proper hooks and transitions, and do not rely on 'breakdown' mechanics. An act definitely to watch as they write, record, and perform more, they have great tools and ability that can translate into another young New England metal force.


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Golden Oldies #7: The Gang That Terrorized the 1990s East Coast Rave Scene
And the Article That Led to its Demise
(In 1998, Details magazine asked me to write an article about B.T.S., a Brooklyn-based gang of thieves and drug dealers terrorizing the East Coast rave scene. DEA agent Scott Seeley-Hacker read the article and infiltrated the group. Federal prosecutors used my story as a blueprint to successfully prosecute leaders of the gang, who went to prison. This story originally appeared in the December, 1998 issue of Details.)
Up until the moment the gang leader broke off our conversation in mid sentence and dashed across the club to pull a knife on a bouncer, the interview was going swimmingly. For weeks, I'd been on the trail of the notorious gang known as B.T.S., a.k.a. Born to Scheme, a.k.a. Brooklyn Terror Squad, a.k.a. Beat the System, the one-hundred strong crew that has wreaked mayhem at raves up and down the East Coast. "Violence has become a major problem on the scene because of B.T. S.," reports one raver, a small-time Ecstasy dealer who says she has been robbed by the gang so many times that she knows some members by name. "A lot of older ravers won't go to parties anymore because B.T.S. has taken over. They've ruined it for everyone."
I first saw B.T. S. in action at Back to the Future, a midsize rave held in July at the Manhattan club Down Time. The event's promoter had left a plea on the recording ravers had to call for the location of the party: "Please, everyone bring a positive vibe. Come to dance, come to listen to phat beats, come to meet some people. Don't come to rob people and feud n' fight and all that bullshit."
Naturally, B.T.S. ignored it. They hid in the shadows, but the gang members were easy to spot. Unlike the dopey-looking ravers stumbling about in a daze, the B.T.S. crew were sharp-eyed, dressed like label-conscious street kids. A couple of hours past midnight, just outside the jungle room, they staged a fake brawl. As the larger members pretended to take swings at each other, the smaller ones crept up behind distracted partygoers and picked their pockets or snatched their gold chains and beepers before crouching low and disappearing down the back stairs. In one corner, a messed-up raver waved a hundred-dollar bill in the air trying to attract the attention of a drug dealer and make a buy. Two B.T.S. toughs jumped him from behind. Moments later, on the first floor, another callow night crawler clutched his head and cried out to his friends, "I got beat! I got beat! They robbed me!"
When the club finally emptied out in the wee hours of the morning, the signs of B.T.S.'s handiwork were obvious: The dance floor was littered with items from purses and backpacks the gang had stolen and dumped such as driver's licenses, photos, lipstick, and mascara.
A week later, I managed to hook up with a duo of fresh-faced B.T. S. foot soldiers from Gerritsen Beach — Skil One, Dope Star, and Seat — who promised to introduce me to the top dogs who run the gang. The one I wanted to meet most was a shadowy figure called Chameleon, reputed to be the mastermind behind the entire operation. Skil One and company told me he'd probably be at a party B.T.S. was throwing that weekend at Planet 28, a cramped, low-key hole-in-the-wall on the edge of Manhattan's garment district.
As I walk into the gloomy club, its walls covered with panels of the gang's graffiti, my stomach is gripped with a mix of anticipation and fear. Everybody who is anybody in the B.T.S. ranks — at least those who aren't in jail — are here, slapping each other on the back, showing off tattoos and knife wounds, and dancing furiously to thundering techno.
The unexpectedly upbeat vibe is greatly enhanced by the copious amounts of Ecstasy and strong green acid the gang members are popping, as well as the ketamine and crystal methamphetamine they're snorting off the backs of their hands. The closest thing to a disturbance is a small, ferocious-looking "dust bunny" from New Jersey stumbling around, offering blow jobs in exchange for bumps of K.
In the corner, next to the bar, Era, a stocky B.T. S. old-timer with blond hair and blue eyes, tells me that at least a few of the stories I've heard about B.T.S. have been blown out of proportion. Yes, they sell hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of fake drugs. Yes, they beat up and rob "candy ravers," naive, colorfully dressed partiers tripping on Ecstasy. But no, they don't sell the bogus E that killed twenty-year-old college student Jason Williamson at a rave in April. "You'd think we were murderers," another B.T.S. member scoffs, "but all we do is rob people."
Around four in the morning, a compact, hard-muscled twenty-seven-year-old in a white fishing hat, an expensive-looking crewneck, and jeans with a hairbrush sticking out of the back pocket enters with his girlfriend, an exotic dancer who looks like a young Ellen Barkin. He's immediately surrounded by fellow gang members rushing to greet him. A few moments later, he struts up to me with his entourage. "You're the guy from Details, aren't you?" he says. "I hear you want to talk to me."
Chameleon doesn't deny his gang's exploits — he's in a mood to brag. He tells me he earned his nickname by changing outfits as many as six times a night. "I'll go to a club or a rave wearing something nice and flashy — like a loose-fitting Sergio Tacchini warm-up suit and a matching hat. I'll sell a couple pills of E and K, until I spot somebody else selling, and I'll jack them for their money and their drugs, y'know what I'm saying. Then I'll go into one of the back rooms and I'll change."
"Underneath the sweat suit, I might be wearing a pair of jeans and a polo shirt. I'll take my hat off and let my hair down or tie it up in a ponytail. I'll go back out on the dance floor and sell the drugs I just stole. After an hour or two, I'll rob somebody else and go to the bathroom and change again. Under the jeans, I'll be wearing a nice pair of shorts or something. Under the shirt, I'll have a tank top. I'll also put on a different hat. I store the spare clothes in a tote bag, then hand it to a member of my crew, who gives me my other tote bag with a new outfit in it."
Afterward, Chameleon and his boys rent a suite at a fancy hotel and party away some of the loot.
Lately, though, he says, he's been trying to stay in the background. "I send out my younger kids with some money, and they buy drugs to find out who's selling what," he says. "Then they come back and my second string goes out — twenty, thirty, forty deep. The younger kids go around the room pointing out the drug dealers and we just go in — wham! wham! wham! — through the whole party. We'll grab somebody, five guys hold him, one guy goes into his pockets and takes everything, and we disperse back into the crowd. It takes about two seconds. We occasionally get resistance — then twelve B.T.S. members dive in. Some kids try to run, but there's really no escape."
In the middle of our interview, out of the corner of his eye, Chameleon spots a Planet 28 bouncer trying to shake down Era. Chameleon's face goes cold. And in a second he's across the room, with his butterfly knife pressed against the bouncer's throat. The bouncer backs off, reluctantly removing his hands from around Era's neck.
Moments later the bouncer is back, with a half dozen other security guards. The insults fly back and forth — "punk motherfucker," "pussy boy"! — and the confrontation escalates into death threats. Just when it seems an all-out brawl is about to break out, a shout goes up among B.T.S.: "Everybody out. We're gone." The standoff continues outside on the sidewalk, where the club's manager holds back his bouncers and begs B.T.S. to leave.
Later that night, at a nearby after-hours party, Chameleon looks sick — not surprising, given his 24/7 hedonism. (In fact, a few hours from now, he'll check himself into a hospital and be diagnosed with walking pneumonia.) "We're not as bad as we used to be," he says between hacking coughs, trying to downplay the incident at Planet 28. "We're not grabbing everybody like we used to. We're tired of the bad vibes."
UNTIL RECENTLY, gang violence has been more closely associated with the braggadocio and street litanies of hip-hop than the smiles and utopian mood of the rave scene. But just as the Hell's Angels went to love-ins to prey on '60s hippies, just as Woodstock gave way to Altamont, today's blissed-out teenagers make attractive targets for a pack of predators like B.T.S. Ecstasy's empathy-inducing effects are great in theory — but only if the person you're sharing your soul with isn't looking to knock you upside the head and jack your backpack.
"The rave scene today is largely made up of young, middle-class kids from good families with money," explains Chameleon, who told me he makes hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. "These kids are spending a hundred dollars a night on drugs. A pill costs twenty-five, bags of crystal twenty. You get a rave with six thousand people and there's a lot of money to be made — a fucking ton of money
"And it's my money," he adds with an evil grin.
Though ravers like to portray B.T.S. as a group of parasitic latecomers, the New York rave scene first took root not among downtown trendies or suburban hedonists, but shirtless street kids from New York's outer boroughs. Frankie Bones, the DJ who originally brought rave culture from the U.K to America with his early-'90s Brooklyn Storm Raves, traces the roots of B.T.S. back to rowdy Brooklyn street gangs like the Kings Highway Boys, the Avenue U Boys, and the Bay Boys. "The older neighborhood gangs used to come to my early parties looking for trouble," he remembers. "B.T.S. comes from that same Brooklyn mold."
"The New York rave scene has always been about hardcore Brooklyn," concurs Fly, another B.T.S. member. "That's how shit goes down in this city. These people come from New Jersey and Connecticut and think it's all about peace and love. They don't know what they're stepping into in New York."
In many ways, B.T.S. has less in common with traditional street gangs like the Bloods and the Crips than with British "love thugs," the soccer hooligans who took over Ecstasy dealing at raves in the U.K. in the early '90s. B.T.S. has no rites of initiation — new members don't get beaten in and can leave without fear of retaliation. They're not tied to a specific ethnic group or neighborhood — the gang is a veritable Benetton ad of Asians, blacks, Latinos, Italians, and Irish, with members in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. And there's no formal set of rules, other than one that forbids screwing over fellow members. At the end of the night, the crew don't pool their loot; everyone keeps what he's scammed for himself, though they all chip in to bail out members who get arrested.
Seemingly, the only requirement for joining B.T. S. is a talent for crime. "You have to have a skill to join," explains Chameleon. "Like a good head for scheming. Or be a good runner — someone who doesn't get nailed by security Or a good con artist like a young kid who buys the drugs and says to the dealer 'Yo, can you hook me up? Can I get your phone number?' Then when he gets the number, he calls him and goes to his apartment and kicks the fucking door in and takes everything."
Recently, the gang has begun exporting its mayhem all over the East Coast — they've hit raves in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and all the way down to Florida. In September, fifty B.T.S. members flew down to the 16,000 person Zen Festival rave near Tampa, where they sold enough bogus drugs to walk away with about $4,000 each.
In April of 1997, they invaded a rave at the Washington, D.C. Armory. "Will you Brooklyn kids please stop fighting?" the promoter pleaded on the microphone. "Will B.T. S. please stop robbing people?" The answer was no. "We wrecked shop," boasts the aptly named Kaos, a beefy B.T.S. enforcer with close-cropped dark hair. "I even had cops robbing kids for me! I swore I was a promoter and pointed out all the drug dealers [and said they'd stolen my money]. The cops were taking their money and giving it to me."
In June, they turned the Funky Monkey party at Manhattan's Roseland Ballroom into "B.T.S. central," as one raver put it. The scene was more like a British soccer match than a rave. Sporadic fights finally culminated in a massive free-for-all on the dance floor. The B.T.S. dealers were so brazen, they peddled their wares in full view of security guards, who were apparently too scared to intervene. "B.T.S. basically acted as house dealers," recalls one of the featured DJs, Odi of Digital Konfusion. "They totally controlled the party." Their greed was so boundless that they sold drugs to the same people they later robbed. Even little, barrette-wearing raver girls were battered mercilessly
But assaulting and robbing ravers may not be the worst crime B.T.S. has committed: Friends of Virginia Tech student Jason Williamson think the crew is also guilty of murder. Williamson attended the April Foolz II rave at Mount Airy Lodge, a holiday resort in the Poconos, earlier this year. It was a suffocating crush of nearly nine thousand bodies packed together like psychedelic sardines — a perfect setting for B.T.S. to conduct business.
In the hardcore room, Williamson befriended a group of kids from Brooklyn. One of them gave him a free Ecstasy pill, according to Sean Choudry and his girlfriend Carla Ringquist, Virginia Tech friends of Williamson's who were with him that night. After swallowing the bogus Ecstasy — which a nurse later told Ringquist was actually a mix of drugs that included a horse tranquilizer — Williamson ran outside, where he collapsed on the ground and had a seizure. At four in the morning, after medics tried to stabilize his condition, he was rushed to the Pocono Medical Center, where he lapsed into a coma. "All of his organs exploded inside of his body," says Ringquist, who described the doctors' bandaging her friend from head to toe like a mummy. Early Monday, Williamson's parents, who had rushed to their son's bedside from Virginia Beach, gave doctors permission to pull the plug on his life-support system.
Choudry and Ringquist say they saw half a dozen other ravers in the medical center's intensive care unit. "There was some indication that at least a couple of those ravers took the same drug," says Sgt. Donald Fernbach of the Pennsylvania State Police. "But I did not find any evidence of an individual specifically intending to poison another person to death. If we had, we would have conducted a homicide investigation."
"Jason was a newcomer to the scene who thought everybody could be trusted," Choudry says. "B.T.S. are murderers. They knew the pill was bad."
"That's an absolute lie," replies Chameleon. "We're not looking to kill anybody, we're just after the money and the drugs."
As of now, the New York City Police Department isn't even keeping tabs on B.T. S. "At this point," says a public information officer," we don't have anything on them."
"USING THE TERM 'GANG' about B.T.S. is a bit misleading," says Frankie Bones. "It's much more loose-knit." The group started out in the early '90s as a neighborhood graffiti crew, a bunch of friends who hung around a homemade recording studio in the basement of a travel agency in Brighton Beach, a shabby seaside resort that's the Russian mob's home-away-from-home. The original members were a Vietnamese immigrant named Soak; his right-hand boy, E.S.; the owner of the studio, Kaos; E.S.'s little brother Era; and Miss Melody, the only female founder. Originally, B.T.S. stood for Bomb the Subway, and initiates are still expected to tag walls and compile black books of their illustrations. Later, B.T.S. stood for Born to Survive, when several of the members were homeless.
The godfather of the gang was Soak. B.T.S. members told me he's now finishing up a two-year jail term for robbing $20,000 from the safe of a Chinese restaurant in Brooklyn; when he completes his sentence, the government will try to deport him back to his homeland. "Soak always held everything together," remembers Mr. Lover, a B.T.S. veteran who looks tougher than his small stature might suggest, thanks to a broken nose. "Things are falling apart a little bit, now that he's not around. It was easier two or three years ago, when the younger kids were younger. Now they're getting older and they have their own minds."
In 1992, Miss Melody, an exotic-looking Italian-Irish-black-Cherokee woman from Sheepshead Bay, took the crew to check out one of Frankie Bones Storm Raves. "There were no kids robbing each other back then," recalls E.S. without a trace of irony. "It was all about dancing and having a good time." Miss Melody agrees: "There were no ulterior motives. Now every raver wants to be a drug dealer."
As the rave scene grew, the crew hit on the idea of selling fake drugs to gullible suburban kids. One weekend, Mr. Lover remembers, he and Soak hit a rave in Connecticut with hundreds of packs of breath mints that looked exactly like some green-speckled Ecstasy that was going around at the time. They sold out — at twenty dollars a mint.
"Before I found the mints," says Mr. Lover, "me and Soak used to sit in his basement and spray-paint hundreds of white tablets."
Another time, he recalls fondly, he and Soak went to Boston with eighty bags of Epsom salt which they sold as crystal meth, and two hundred niacin tablets which they passed off as Ecstasy. Not one of the customers complained. Instead, says Mr. Lover, they kept coming back for more, pestering him for his beeper number. At the end of the night, he found himself in the bathroom surrounded by a bunch of pretty girls as he cut up huge rails of Epsom salt. "I was telling girls 'Bring your friends over.' I was sniffing with them — I didn't give a fuck."
Another favorite scam is selling incense as "Red Rock opium" — a con that has worked so well that kids come in from out of state to buy a "drug" that B.T S. made up. Mr. Lover sometimes travels to parties in Connecticut, where he charges $1,200 for a pound, $400 for a quarter, and $150 for an ounce. "When they find out I have 'Red Rock,' the stupid motherfuckers fight with each other over whose house I should go back to. 'Come to my house. No, come back to my place.' Even the people who figure out it's fake still buy from me because they know they can double their money by selling it to some other stupid raver."
"I USED TO BE CRAZY," Chameleon tells me. We're in the basement of a downtown club, where the gang leader is dealing hits of genuine Ecstasy to baggy-trousered beat fanatics. "I got shot twice and stabbed twice. I had my index finger sliced off by a big black guy with a machete who was trying to rob me buying pot." But the charismatic gang leader wasn't always a criminal.
At the age of eleven, he ran away from his comfortable home in Queens to Florida, where he learned to ride horses from his grandfather, a professional jockey, but his racing career came to an abrupt end at the age of nineteen when a horse fell on his upper back during a race at Belmont Racetrack. Temporarily paralyzed from the neck down, he had to wear a steel cage on his head for six months, with four bolts screwed into his skull.
Chameleon was an avid club-crawler both before and after his accident, and one night at the Limelight nightclub in Manhattan, revved up on cocaine, he came up with a novel idea for a new career. "I realized the amount of money I could make selling drugs at raves. So I got a group of kids together and I showed them how to create fake drugs. Why should I spend money on E's when I can go to Duane Reade, stick fifty Chlor-Trimeton tablets in my pocket, and go sell them?"
His new line of work was so profitable that soon he was able to move into real drugs. At the time, the scene at the Limelight was controlled by techno promoter Lord Michael Caruso. In order to ensure that Chameleon and his boys didn't disrupt business, Caruso struck a deal to buy up Chameleon's complete supply of Ecstasy — usually the popular brand known as "half moons" — at fifteen dollars per hit. He then gave the pills to his runners, who broke them in two and sold "half moons" for thirty dollars apiece.
Chameleon observed Lord Michael's operation closely and soon began to imitate his most lucrative crimes. Just as Caruso ripped off drug dealers he became friendly with, Chameleon would screw over rave kids who trusted him. "I'd befriend them to get into their apartments," he recalls, " and I'd tie them up with their phone cord, take all their shit, and leave them sitting there." Dealers also made perfect targets because they have large amounts of cash on hand and are afraid of the police: "I'm one of the ones that climbs through their windows at six in the morning, ties them up, and takes their safes. The most I earned for one job was $125,000, when I climbed up a drug dealer's fire escape."
Chameleon first met members of B.T.S. through mutual friends two years ago at a dance club called Vinyl. He sweet-talked himself into the gang's good graces, throwing sex-and-drug parties for the members at fancy Manhattan hotels. "Chameleon spent a lot of money on those parties," says Miss Melody "We were all ordering filet mignon and champagne on room service."
CHAMELEON IS SOMETHING of a controversial figure within B.T.S. He didn't grow up in the gang like most of the other key members, and he's from middle-class Queens rather than blue-collar Brooklyn. He claims he is the leader of B.T S. now that Soak is in prison, but other members say Era — a six-two, Irish-Italian member, whom I see wearing khakis and a white shirt after coming from his day job on Wall Street — is the acting don and that Chameleon is only the boss of the Long Island branch. "Chameleon is a crazy cowboy who thinks he controls everything," says Miss Melody "Sure, he represents B.T.S., and he's always there to help us up when there's trouble. But he's only been down with us for two years. He's older than the rest of us."
Melody's roommate Griz, who calls Chameleon "B.T Wannabe Prez," says that the usurper "wants to dominate us. But B.T.S. is like a tight friendship or a family. Everyone is equal."
"Chameleon is dogging my shadow," complains E.S., angry to hear that Chameleon told me he's in charge. "Chameleon is like a brother — but B.T.S. is my crew."
The gang faces another problem that's even larger than their leadership struggle: They may have cooked the golden goose. "The rave scene has diminished alarmingly in the last two years because of us," admits Chameleon. "Kids are afraid to come out. That's why we're trying to boost the scene back up again by selling real drugs."
Other B.T.S. members are even trying to go legit. By day, E.S. and Geo sell stocks, cold-calling potential customers from a Wall Street office. They may be switching careers just in time: The DEA is currently widening its investigation into New York nightlife, and agents have already picked up Chameleon for questioning. But he says he isn't scared. "What happened to Lord Michael is not going to happen to me, because I'm mobile while he was in one club controlling dealers who kickback to me," he says. "Every night of the week I'm in a different place. That's the trick — to stay mobile and never carry large amounts of drugs personally."
Digital Konfusion's DJ Odi, who frequently plays B.TS. parties, says he can't believe it but he's nostalgic for the reign of Lord Michael — who conned and later ratted on both his enemies and his friends. (He became the star witness in the government's unsuccessful attempt to jail the owner of the Limelight, Peter Gatien, on racketeering and conspiracy charges.) At least then, Odi says, blood wasn't all over the dance floor. "Back in the days of the Limelight, dealers didn't step on each other's toes," he remembers. "There was a hierarchy and a structure. With the disintegration of the club scene and the disintegration of the rave scene, there hasn't been anyone with the authority to police the situation.
"That's how a group of wild-ass kids like B.T. S. can take over."
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Station Square Environmental Improvement Scheme
Station Square Environmental Improvement Scheme
The Station Square Environmental Improvement scheme revitalises this key gateway and arrival point for visitors to Northern Ireland's most popular resort. The improvements ensure visitors receive a very positive first impression of Portrush as a modern, inviting, vibrant and dynamic resort.
97% of respondents said they liked Station Square in a public perceptions survey conducted during September 2012. The full survey is available at the following link:(Station Square Public Perceptions Research 2012).
Station Square sets a high design standard for Portrush with natural materials predominating throughout. The scheme also complements the richness and heritage of the neighbouring listed Victorian railway terminus and the Town Hall.
Station Square therefore provides a warm welcome for everyone and encouraging more frequent return trips with visitors staying longer each time and thereby increasing economic activity within the resort and the borough.
The scheme, completed in June 2012, was designed by The Paul Hogarth Company. Following comprehensive public consultation at the design phase and a full open tendering process, Council selected F.P. McCann Ltd. as the main contractor. The scheme subsequently met all its key targets including completion and budget.
The Department for Social Development provided £1,000,000 plus contingency funding towards the capital cost and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board contributed a further £250,000 in matchfunding. Coleraine Borough Council contributed £750,000.
Council is grateful to its funding partners for their ongoing support through the effective delivery of the Portrush Regeneration Strategy.
Station Square is designed in four sections with an appropriate nautical theme running throughout:
- Upper Station Square - immediately adjacent to the Victorian listed railway terminus building, the open uncluttered space provides a quiet reflective area within the busy resort. The simplicity respects the adjacent listed building but is sufficiently flexible to accommodate modest sized street entertainment and events.
- Barry's access – this is one of the most heavily used footways in the resort and fully complements and facilitates the generations old Barrys Amusements attraction. Barrys is synonymous with Portrush and is now more closely integrated and accessible benefitting from the high quality access points and materials used for the public realm works.
- Amphitheatre – the recent survey highlighted this is the most popular area within the scheme. Whether it's the sail-like canopy the wonderful 'mackerel' mosaic by international artist Orla Kaminska, the quirky coloured lighting scheme or the unique wood seating arrangements but the amphitheatre is particularly attractive for young families. The amphitheatre is a wonderful location for more formal entertainment and capable of accommodating several hundred visitors. The permanent staging area has access to electric, water and broadband.
- The Prow – this area provides an excellent elevated vista over the West Bay, the harbour and onto to Donegal. The second most popular area in Station Square, the Prow encourages visitors to linger longer.
Lighting is a key design feature of the scheme adding another dimen'sion to the unique ambience of Station Square. The resort, and particularly the residents, also greatly benefit from Council keeping the low-energy lighting glowing through the winter months adding a welcome bright and vibrant heart to the town throughout the year.
A series of computer controlled lighting programme change colour, rhythm and pace on a series of 15 minute cycles.
The effect is to maintain visitor interest in the obvious quirkiness which is the essence of Station Square. Like Portrush overall, it's a fun place to be.
Contact Us
If you would like further information, please contact us at Regeneration Team.
028 2764 9492
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Last week, I returned from InfoComm. It was the usual manic event, with the usual results. 39,000 people crowded the aisles to see products and services from over 400 suppliers. Many, many of us took the opportunity to rub elbows with our peers from around the world, increasing the sale of beer and soft drinks radically in the always overpriced Orlando restaurants.
One change, however, was welcome. For the first time I took home no printed literature. I have complained for years about the ridiculous tendency of trade shows to send you home with expensively printed color literature that sits in the corner of the office, still in its expensively printed tradeshow bag, which is never read. This year, instead, the QR code had definitely taken root everywhere, coupled with inexpensive scanning systems that use smart phones. In fact, unlike the days of the magstripe, codes could be scanned without your permission by some enterprising young booth person who would run up, scan you, and run on to the next person before you even had a chance to ask what company they were from. In fact, as I roamed the show interviewing exhibitors and attendees, (along with my intrepid assistant Leah McCann), I actually saw instances of people running around and scanning people in booths that were not their own. I began to refer to them as "pirate scanners."
As an AV person who for many years has been heavily involved in the trade show market, this brings up (with some new emphasis) a subject that I have been thinking and writing about for many years. And that is the subject of the commercial invasion of privacy.
In the old days, we picked up literature. We placed it in our expensively printed throw away tradeshow literature bag (which was a huge expenditure for the company that provided them, as along with the bags they had to pay a premium fee to the trade show promoter for the privilege of passing them out). But this meant that we were selective about the literature that we picked up, as we would have to carry it all day. OK, maybe some of it was shoved into our bag by "pirate tradeshow literature distributors" as we were standing in an aisle talking. But most of it, we picked up voluntarily, which meant we may have actually read some of it.
Contrast this with today.
The convenience of a tradeshow badge with an optically scannable code is undeniable. But let me point out some of the negatives that we have felt over the last few years as these technologies took over from traditional methods of information distribution at trade shows.
It's just too easy.
Realistically, I didn't see anybody saying, "No, you may not scan my badge." And yet, if you think about it, we now say yes to people whose literature we would have refused under the old circumstances. Is that bad? Depends on how much email you want to get, and how many webinars you want to be invited to.
It's the gift that keeps on giving.
Unlike picking up literature at a "old style" tradeshow, these scans put you on a list, which is often hard to get taken off of. I tried with several vendors after last year, and the most common answer that I got was, "Oh that was a list from a tradeshow — I'm not even sure who is handling that."
Author's note: In this instance, I was very proud to be working with rAVe [Publications] at the show. rAVe has led our industry in the promotion of easy opt-in standards and policies, and their staff has always displayed great consciousness of how the lists that they gather are used. -JRR
Tradeshow Overshare
OK, I opted in when I allowed my badge to be scanned. But often, I expected that this transaction would be similar to an "old style" tradeshow transaction, where they would simply send me information about the product I expressed an interest in. But most of them don't maintain good segregation of these lists, meaning you are sent copious numbers of emails about products that you were not interested in, from which you have to sort out the information you wanted.
Taking It Personally
But it's not just the email — it's the fact that the email contains tags and links that take you to the information, allowing you to acquire a cookie in the process that continues to personalize your web experience no matter where you go. In fact, no sooner did I sign up for InfoComm than I began to notice that no matter where I went on the web I was seeing banner ads about the show and its sponsors. They continue now even though the show is over. One of them is from a distributor that I use regularly, which won't go away and takes up my screen real estate with a teaser ad about a product I have no interest in. Sure, I could dump their cookies and make it stop, but often those cookies are very difficult to identify, and simply clearing them all would stop the action for things that I opted into.
In fact, one of the things that these lists do is enable a lot of junk to get around my spam filter, because it has been personalized enough to look original and fool the filter.
Now, there are a lot of methods for dealing with electronic distribution of information and the information overload that it causes. the best that I know of are:
- Be careful about the amount of information that you give during your sign-up for a tradeshow. For all of the shows that I attend other than InfoComm (where I have enough of a general professional interest to be broadly subscribed), I usually create a separate email alias that I can later dump if I am getting too much input to my email in basket or my web browser.
- Subscribe to a good general news digest site (rAVe, of course, comes to mind) that bring you the important information all in one place, rather than subscribing to individual sites and manufacturers which would get you that information many many times.
- And, just as a tip, in addition to email aliases for specific shows, maintain separate professional and personal online identities. Your professional contacts are interested in you professionally, but you don't necessarily want them to see the photos from the last bachelor or bachelorette party you attended.
For many years, I wondered about the future of the tradeshow, and how the electronic distribution of information would affect it. Many people expected the demise of the large commercial show due to the easy availability of this information. It is obvious the tradeshow planners have done well in planning how to implement information technology, and to survive the digital storm. I don't see trade shows going away.
But the technologies we have talked about this month are only the beginning. I have been part of several experiments that will take this technology to the next level, in ways that many people don't understand. Stay tuned for next month, when I will speak with a couple of real experts about how the latest in AV, scanning, and biometrics will affect the future of the tradeshow and of our professional communications.


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Welcome to The Piggyback Rider! The perfect website where you can get child carriers.
For parents, it is always a struggle to carry their children all day long, especially when they're getting bigger and heavier. It is even hard just thinking about how to take them on trips while putting everything in the car. From constantly needing new clothes to the occasional broken garage door that requires an emergency Tucson garage door repair. We ask ourselves, how? How will we carry them all day when we go to amusement parks, go hiking or just in our travels? Fortunately, Piggyback Rider is the answer for your problems!
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Northern Plains Indian shirt could wrap up $30,000
THOMASTON, Maine — Thomaston Place Auction Galleries is presenting an array of fine art and historical treasures at its Spring Feature Auction May 31-June 1, featuring Native American beaded buckskin artifacts, notable paintings and sculptures, a collection of items from Brooke Astor's Maine estate, plus estate jewelry, early silver, rare documents, clocks and antique furniture.
Featured among the museum quality examples of Native American craftsmanship will be
an 1850-1880 Northern Plains Indian Hidatsa buckskin shirt from the Dakotas with quill and seed bead decoration, fringe and buffalo hair tassels ($20,000-$30,000). A pair of circa 1880 Northern Plains Indians Lakota Sioux buckskin leggings with seed bead geometric decoration and fringe ($5,000-$7,000) and a circa 1890 Lakota Sioux deerskin beaded pipe bag ($2,000-$3,000), among other examples, will also be presented.
The sale also offers fine examples of Native American carved items, pottery, basketry, jewelry and textiles. Five lots containing important Native American related photogravures by Edward Sheriff Curtis (WA/CA/WI, 1868-1952) will also be offered.
Among the European art offerings are a white marble sculpture by Pasquale Romanelli (Italy, 1812-1887) depicting the goddess Aphrodite with dove and snake ($10,000-$15,000).
Among the many pieces of fine American and Continental furniture will be a George III diminutive walnut, serpentine front bachelor's chest with ball feet ($4,000-$6,000), Hepplewhite Period huntboard form butler's desk ($4,000-$5,000), a Russian painted three-drawer chest dated 1851 ($1,800-$2,400) and a Port Clyde, Maine 19th century pine workbench with original gray paint and breadboard ends ($1,500-$2,000).
The sale will also present 39 lots of items from the Maine cottage of the late philanthropist, socialite and writer Brooke Astor, such as several autograph collections, rare books and maps and fine paintings and sculptures.
The auction will begin at 11 a.m. on both sale days. A complete, full-color catalog, with detailed descriptions and photographs can be viewed at www.thomastonauction.com. In addition to live bidding in the auction hall, Thomaston Place accepts bids via absentee, telephone and on the Internet (www.invaluable.com, www.auctionzip.com, and www.liveauctioneers.com). Call 207-354-8141 for more information, or to reserve seats in the Thomaston auction hall.


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Is licensed in Social Education from the Universidad de Vic, in Social and Cultural Anthropology from the Universidad de Barcelona and has a master's degree in Social Criticism Psychology from the Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona. Her professional activities have occurred mainly in the field of interculturalism and migration, the constructions of identity, the mechanisms and devices of social exclusion and forms of activism and social participation, through direct rehabilitative interventions, as from the management and administration of associative organizations or through scientific research from the qualitative paradigm oriented to social transformation. Currently combines her main job at RUIDO Photo as coordinator and fundraiser with the teachings and research in the Faculty of Education at the Universidad de Barcelona.
National Geographic Grant: The Backway
Participatory Workshops
Illustrated archive of hate - Media
Mission, vision and values
What is RUIDO?
Financial transparency
What is RUIDO?
balance report
What is RUIDO?
Workshop of Critical Image Analysis
Workshops Diputació de Barcelona
Workshop's educational strategy
Illustrated Archive of Hate
10 years of RUIDO Photo
Illustrated Archive of Hate: A Street Installation


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Joint Managing Director
Head of Private Client Dispute Resolution Practice
Head of Construction and Arbitration Practice
LL.B (Summa Cum Laude)
Advocate and Solicitor, Singapore
International Arbitration, Commercial Practice, Construction Practice, Criminal Practice, Matrimonial Practice, Medical Practice
"Wilbur is the sword and shield that you want on your side when the going gets tough."
Wilbur's wide practice includes commercial and construction litigation and arbitration. He also handles a range of criminal and matrimonial matters. Wilbur's clients consist of individuals and large corporations, including foreign listed company with annual turnover of approximately USD$1 billion. In terms of international arbitration, Wilbur had acted as the lead counsel for high quantum construction disputes, with complex issues involving conflict of laws and choice of rules governing arbitration.
Wilbur teaches Construction Law at the Singapore Management University's School of Law as an Adjunct Faculty. He had also been invited to give talks and seminars on a wide range of topics including but not limited to Employment, Private Wealth, Matrimonial, Civil Litigation, Criminal Litigation, and Islamic Law matters. Wilbur's seminars are attended by both practising lawyers and the general public.
He is one of the youngest lawyers in Singapore to be selected as a finalist for the prestigious ALB's South East Asia Young Lawyer of the Year Award in 2016.
Wilbur is also the youngest lawyer in Singapore to be selected for the Asia's "40 under 40 lawyers" list published by ALB in 2017. The coveted list showcases the top 40 outstanding lawyers in Asia under the age of 40, based on their deals and disputes handled, as well as accolades from peers and clients. In particular, Wilbur was lauded for his "remarkable strategies" and "sound guidance" that help clients save on legal costs.
In addition to the above, Wilbur was appointed as a committee member to the Law Reform Committee - Building and Construction Law Subcommittee in 2018. The role of the committee is to examine how the laws governing the industry could be reformed, taking into account the latest developments.
Shortly after having graduated amongst the top in his law school with Highest Honours, Summa Cum Laude (First Class Honours), Wilbur commenced his practice at a Singapore Big Four law firm. He was heavily involved in arbitration, litigation, and construction adjudication during his years in the firm.
Wilbur also takes an interest in medical related cases. Under his stewardship, our firm has been nominated as the finalist for the Medical and Heathcare Law Firm of the Year in the ALB's South East Asia Law Awards 2019.
Wilbur sits as a committee member in the Law Society's Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, Advocacy Committee, Criminal Legal Aid Scheme Committee, and Small Firms Committee. He is presently on the panel of solicitors for both the Legal Aid Bureau and Criminal Legal Aid Scheme. Wilbur is also on the lead lawyer panel for CLAS, a panel consisting of experienced practitioners in criminal law. Concurrently, Wilbur is an associate member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and the Singapore Institute of Arbitrators.
For his contributions, Wilbur was honoured as one of the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme Top Volunteers of the Year in 2019. The award was presented by the president of the Law Society of Singapore.
Wilbur graduated amongst the top in his law school, obtaining the highest honours, summa cum laude (First Class Honours). Besides being placed on the Dean's List for four consecutive years, Wilbur's stellar academic performance also bagged him awards including but not limited to the Michael Hwang Prize for the Top Student in International Arbitration, the Top Student for Property Law, and the Top Student for Ethics and Social Responsibility. He had also represented his law school in the prestigious International Commercial Court Mediation Competition held in Paris, further reinforcing his belief in the effectiveness of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.
"Mr Lim is a lawyer whom even lawyers go to when they require representation."
"Wilbur is a lawyer who listens attentively. He provides remarkable strategies, works on time, and is always available to discuss. His sound guidance also helps us save on legal costs. Further, Wilbur conveys his advice in a simple and logical manner..."
"With a wealth of experience in his field, he was quick-witted and helped us tremendously to the success of our case. Our company is very grateful to have such a top-notch lawyer..."
"Mr. Lim handled my appeal to the High Court efficiently and promptly. My ex-husband's appeal was dismissed by the High Court eventually..."
"Wilbur's sincere advice, quick preparation of legal documents and speedy responses even after working hours, together with his concern for my well being, have managed to resolve the years of issues that I had with my business partners..."


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From the A Discovery of Witches panel on July 19, 2018, 1:00-2:00 pm, Ballroom 20
Some lucky fans at San Diego Comic Con got their first glimpse of the cast and some US distribution news in today's panel which was held in Ballroom 20, one of Comic Con's larger venues which holds upwards of 4,000 people.
Some audience members and super fans lined up at 5:30 am for front row seats. It was worth it to hear Deborah Harkness, historian and author, talk about the inspiration for her All Souls Trilogy and to witness the clear affinity the cast members have for each other. On the panel were the author of A Discovery of Witches, Deborah Harkness; one of the producers from Bad Wolf TV, Lachlan MacKinnon; actor Teresa Palmer (Diana Bishop), Alex Kingston (Sarah Bishop), Valarie Pettiford (Emily Mather), and Owen Teale (Peter Knox).
First, the news US and Canadian fans have been awaiting. A Discovery of Witches will air on streaming platforms Sundance Now and Shudder, presumably in September or later to line up with Sky One's release date on September 14, 2018.
As the moderator introduced the panelists, the trailer and clips from A Discovery of Witches were shown so their work would really introduce them to the audience. Audience members saw the trailer and then Deborah Harkness told us she was inspired to write the book(s) on a rainy September trip to Puerta Vallarta when she walked into a shop and was surrounded by books about vampires. Days later she had the makings for her first novel. For a time, she focused on the books and the day after returning from a book tour had a message from Julie Gardner of Bad Wolf to discuss making the first book into a television show. Deb was all onboard.
To introduce Teresa Palmer (and Matthew Goode who was not present due to working on a current project in Ireland), we were treated to another clip of Diana and Matthew Clairmont in the Bodleian Library when Matthew witnessed Diana using just a tiny bit of magic to get a book off a high shelf. Then Teresa Palmer told us much she loved the character of Diana Bishop, read the books and the script and hit it off with Matthew Goode immediately.
We saw an additional clip of Alex Kingston and Valarie Pettiford as Sarah Bishop and Emily Mather from a scene at Bishop House where we see the aunt and niece dynamic when Diana calls her aunts with news about a mysterious book, Ashmole 782, and her reluctance to further examine the magic associated with it. It was a joy to see Valarie and Alex's rapport on stage!
Last but not least, we saw a clip of Owen Teale as Peter Knox interrogating the witch who witnessed Diana Bishop's recall of Ashmole 782 in the Bodleian Library. Owen Teale launched into a defense of his character as basically a good guy who just wants to save his species, the witches, destroying the vampires would be a bonus. Shortly after Owen was introduced, Teresa Palmer pulled out Ashmole 782 which was so beautifully crafted. Valarie Pettiford gave a huge shout out to the set designers.
During the panel we were treated to insights into the All Souls world in which love is love as long as it's not between species (witches, vampires, or daemons) unless you're more tolerant like Emily Mather. The forbidden love between witch Diana Bishop and vampire Matthew Clairmont is central to this story but in a world where Diana, an untrained yet powerful witch, is clearly in danger, she decides to trust the vampire who protects her.
For live tweets of the panel, on twitter visit @allsoulspod and @rtidwell730.
Many thanks to Jenny Christensen for sharing her experience at SDCC and who wrote this for us.
Jenny C. is older than Diana Bishop but younger than Matthew Clairmont. She currently calls Richmond, Virginia, home. Jenny started in this funny fandom world with Outlander with a full on OMG moment when she saw Graham McTavish the first time at her first Comic Con in 2014. She's looking forward to All Souls Con in Philadelphia next month. Jenny C resides in Richmond, VA, with her husband and four children. She is a proud veteran of the US Navy, Duke alumna, and currently a stay at home parent who volunteers A LOT and is rarely at home.
On Twitter and on Instagram, Jenny can be found at @jennyc_va.
Follow me on twitter @eeebailey and @threeifbyspace
Don't forget to subscribe to Three if by Space and like us on Facebook so you never miss a post!
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Jersey Shore Blue Claws
2 Stadium Way Lakewood
FirstEnergy Park, a state-of-the-art facility, opened in 2001 when the BlueClaws came to Lakewood. The park features 6,588 reserve seats, 17 luxury suites, two party decks, three picnic areas, and a full, new, 1,859-square foot video scoreboard.
The BlueClaws been the Jersey Shore's top stop for affordable, family entertainment here at the Jersey Shore - a responsibility we don't take lightly - and we thank you for your support since 2001. Over the years, fans have seen some very special moments and some very special players. For example:
- Two Phillies legends, Ryan Howard (2002) and Cole Hamels (2003) both played here. We retired both of their numbers as well, with Howard's #29 being retired in 2010 and Hamels' #19 being retired in 2014.
- We have won three South Atlantic League Championships - 2006, 2009, and 2010 - and played for another in 2016, falling in the Championship Series to Rome.
- Through 2016, we have drawn over 6.7 million fans to FirstEnergy Park - and we look forward to reaching the 7-million fan plateau sometime in 2017.
Through the 2016 season, 70 of our former players have gone From The Shore, to the Show, with Roman Quinn, a 2013 BlueClaw speedster, making his big league debut this year. This part of our history, which you can view here, is something we're very proud of and can't wait to see the next wave of Phillies and big leaguers that came through FirstEnergy Park.
If you missed it, maybe the biggest news to come out of the 2016 season was our new lease - we've extended our lease with the township and we'll be here through at least 2055! We can't wait!
We would like to thank the entire Township Committee and Lakewood Development Corporation for their help and support in the success of the BlueClaws. And of course, we also want to thank the entire Phillies organization. Without their support, the BlueClaws would not be where we are today!
For those that have discovered the BlueClaws for the first time, welcome. It is our goal to make your complete experience as enjoyable, entertaining, and family-friendly as possible. We're proud of our three picnic areas, party decks, expanded Kids Zone, 360-degree concourse, and so much more.
The BlueClaws have the best fans in Minor League baseball, and we will continue to make FirstEnergy Park a fun and exciting place to visit. We are anxious to offer you the best entertainment and the most enjoyable experience you can possibly imagine. We look forward to seeing you at FirstEnergy Park all summer long!


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4 digital files with a Pandastic theme. Pandastic is a cute cheery digital paper collection perfect for cards, scrapbooking, photo albums, printables, gift wrapping, unique shop tags, planners, and so much more!
This is INSTANT and DIGITAL DOWNLOAD
These are digital files, no physical item will be sent.
👉 Once your payment is confirmed, files will be delivered electronically. After purchasing, you'll see a VIEW YOUR FILES link, which will take you to the download page. Here, you can download all the files associated with your order.
Once your order is placed, you will receive the following files:
- 3 PNG files of images or digial stamps
- 1 PDF printable background paper design
✔The illustrations you will receive will be provided is much
higher quality than what you see in preview images.
Pandastic Card Kit
This item is a download. Item will not be shipped. You may print as many times as you wish for your personal crafts.You may make items to sell, according to my store policies.
DUE TO THIS BEING A DIGITAL PRODUCT THERE WILL BE NO RETURNS. If any problem will occur dont hesitate to contact me and I'll be happy to fix it.
***Please be sure to have the correct software for opening and using these file types***
Products are for personal and commercial use. Credit to Erin Reed Makes is not a requirement, but I am appreciative if you choose to do so.


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Remember when we were all dying to know who Cartman's father was? Somehow, I ended up with this sound clip in my collection:
Well, since I'm on the nostalgia train, why don't I just link the episode from South Park Studios for your viewing and remembering pleasure. Sit back, watch, and remember when the world was a simpler place back in the late 1990s.


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Today we'd like to introduce you to Ruben Cielak.
Ruben, let's start with your story. We'd love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My story starts with my family's experience as immigrants. My grandparents left Eastern Europe before the Second World War. As Jewish immigrants, they landed on Mexico's coast with very little money and worked hard to provide for their family and make a name for themselves. They passed on this work ethic to my father, who built a steel manufacturing plant in Mexico City and worked hard until his old age. Seeing my father's dedication to his craft, I watched my father create his own path and provide a good life for me and my 3 brothers. I like to think that I inherited this knack for business and his work ethic as well as the vision to create value in society.
My father decided to send me and my brother off to San Diego when I was 17 because he felt there was a better future here in the States. Without much English or way around America, I naturally gravitated towards looking for business opportunities all the time. I began working in a factory that manufactured buffers for tire rims. I used the knowledge I gained from the factory to see how a business was organized – from employees to inventory, to customer invoices.
From that business, I moved to Los Angeles, where I saw a larger market and I decided to get my real estate license selling residential properties. While I did not sell homes for very long, I met an important figure in the garment industry who manufactured sewing machine parts. Through him, I found my next project in selling sewing machine parts and built an extensive client list in an industry where business was booming during the 1980s.
Pretty soon, my clients in the garment district began asking for other products which I did not supply at the time. These included ballasts, light bulbs, and electric supplies for their factories. As luck would have it, my supplier had a brother who supplied electric parts for factories, so I began buying wholesale and selling his products as well. I quickly realized that my profit margin was much bigger in electric supplies and it opened my eyes to a larger opportunity.
I realized I could sell these parts not only to industrial factories but also to office buildings, hospitals and apartment buildings. As more orders began piling up, I hired more salespeople. Many of them had experience in selling both electric/lighting products as well as service/repairs of signage. They talked about signage extensively and I felt a natural progression to begin servicing the LA area for fixing the hundreds of illuminated signs. I bought a fleet of trucks and hired technicians. Eventually, the next evolution of my company was in manufacturing the signage that we were repairing.
Today, after 30+ years in business, we manufacture and install signs nationwide through a large network of subcontractors for major chain accounts.
Has it been a smooth road?
I think no business is a smooth road. The important part is how you learn from those setbacks and navigate around them. When you start something on your own, no one is as invested as you are in the business. It has always been difficult to source good talent and to have them help you grow a company and commit to having some skin in the game.
I have had good employees and I have had bad employees. I've always found there is a business in my industry through the ups and downs of the economies but none of that matters if you do not have talented people working with you. And sometimes, the biggest struggle is keeping the good employees and having to replace them.
So let's switch gears a bit and go into the Tako Tyko Signs & Lighting story. Tell us more about the business.
We manufacture, repair, and install electric signs nationwide. We have an extensive list of clients from franchise chains, real estate properties, banks, hotels, hospitals, schools, office buildings, shopping centers, retail stores, and restaurants. We are known for upholding our reputation for excellent customer service and delivering an excellent product that exceeds our client's expectations.
I am proud of leaving my mark in Los Angeles. Wherever I go in the city, I get to take a tour of my gallery. It makes me proud anytime a client greets me and is satisfied with the work our company has done.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
With the evolution of LED lighting, our imagination can run wild with new projects. Before we were limited by neon and fluorescent, because the fixtures were large, they often broke during shipping and handling and needed more maintenance.
Now, LED has made it easier to fit within the frame of the sign as well as to ship, install, and maintain the lifecycle of the product.
Contact Info:
- Address: 5010 Venice Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90019
- Website: www.takotyko.com
- Phone: 800-731-6012
- Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
- Instagram: @takotyko
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/takotykosignandlighting
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/tako-tyko-signs-and-lighting-los-angeles
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it's how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
1 Comment
Great story!


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I wish you all were here right now, which might get crowded and I haven't nearly enough dip, but I cannot BEGIN to tell you how idiotic the dogs are being and I wish you could just see it. There is an orange cat positively strolling--strolling! Like she's on the Champs-Elysees, taking her sweet time--across my yard. She hasn't an orange care in the world.
In the meantime, the dogs have leaped out of their bodies. Their skeletons are hovering up angrily near the window. They have each written an op-ed piece for the New York Times. Tallulah's article: Kat in Yurd SUK. Edsel's article: Yaah, it do.
In the meantime, they are mentioning, "WOOF!woofwoofwoofwoofwoof! grrrrrWOOF! we mean it! woooooof!"
I went outside to capture no-concern cat on film, but she wouldn't come near me. Please skrinch your eyes as much as possible. This is like one of those pictures with the dots, where if you stared long enough and ignored your entire family, eventually an image would pop up.
I think I have mentioned before that for me, and image NEVER popped up. Not once. Ever. I think those dot pictures are a scam. "Oh! I see it now!" No you don't. Faker.
Anyway. It's funny, is what it is. The cat seems to know that all that barking will amount to nothing so she will continue to roll in our grass. Edsel has had seven strokes while I've written this.
Speaking of my pets, yesterday was relaxing. Even though I give everyone Frontline each month, which does not mean we sit around watching Chris Hansen a lot. Wait. That's Dateline, not Frontline, isn't it? Whatever. Even though I give them Frontline, which when you own four pets is approximately $36,000 a month, THIS month they are all still itching. A lot. It's disturbing to be trying to sleep with thump thump thump thump thump going on next to you all night. It's like I've gone to bed with windup chattering teeth, which let's face it, sometimes I do.
You don't even WANNA know the things I'm up to, over here.
So I called the beleaguered vet, who was nice enough to call me back and not force me to bring anyone in, because hi, she makes $36,00 a month on my Frontline alone. Anyway, she told me I had to "wash everything that CAN be washed, give each pet a Capstar, vacuum every single surface your animals lie on (read: each inch of my well-appointed home), then go back and revacuum, because the vibration of the vacuum will cause flea eggs to hatch."
Which, ugh.
Girl, you don't wanna know. Do you have any idea how LONG that took? And how exhausting that was? Am so over these animals. Oh, and a Capstar is this pill they take where all the fleas die immediately. It's kind of exciting. It was like the Civil War over here yesterday, with all the death and destruction. Unfortunately, Melanie went into labor and I had to step over the dying fleas to get Dr. Mead to come help.
See what I did, there? I referenced Gone with the Wind. Surprise!
Oh! And speaking of books, you all (other than that killjoy Mary) thought reading The ridiculous Thorn Birds was an excellent idea. The Thorn Birds. Oh, I crack myself up. I wonder if I can find my romper and Adidas tennis shoes, which is what I was probably wearing LAST time I read The Thorn Birds?
So read it now, or read it at the last minute. We will meet here the Sunday AFTER Labor Day to discuss. Whenever that is. I guess I should look it up.
One last thing before I go stroll the Champs-Elysees. Of all my animals, who do you think was hardest to pill? Who? Who do you think? Was it blind-ass Iris? That teensy innocent kitten? YES! I put the pills in canned food, and the dogs and Lily were all, Ooo! num num num num num. A can! Yes. They literally said, "num num num num num." But Iris? "Oooo! Can fud! And pill! Eyeriss eat can fud. You can haff pill."
THREE TIMES I had to give her glops of food before she ate it. And yes, I know they make pill pockets. I didn't HAVE any. IT WAS KIND OF A BUSY DAY. All right?
Oh! And how annoying am I, because didn't I say I was leaving? There is an article about me in the local paper today and I am WORLD FAMOUS now. June's blog. Home of the world-famous June. Just when I become a household name, I change my name to Dimebag Wasabi.


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Tap to Read ➤
What to Pack in Your Picnic Basket
Sheetal Mandora
The only way you can enjoy a relaxed and romantic picnic with someone if you've properly packet the basket. Here are some helpful pointers on what should you be putting in that basket.
An elegant and well-planned picnic is appropriate for a romantic setting. While our personal lives can sometimes be put on hold due to our busy lives, spending meaningful time with someone special is also important.
When you can't possibly think of doing anything for the weekend, but still wish to spend an inexpensive, yet quality time with your sweetheart, you can plan an affordable picnic for two.
Selecting the Spot
First things first―location. Of course, depending on where you prefer to take your date, you will need to brainstorm through some choices. Ideas on planning the menu and packing the basket will begin as soon as you finalize a spot.
Your choices are:
➽ The beach (find a quiet, secluded spot)
➽ The mountains (talk to the park ranger for safe spots)
➽ The park (somewhere secluded, but safe)
➽ Outdoor garden theater (ideally in the night)
➽ Your backyard (decorate with romantic lights and candles)
➽ In front of your fireplace
Planning the Menu
Now to make this picnic extra-special, although each picnic date
be special and innovative to keep the romance alive, you might want to do more than just tossing in some sandwiches and juices.
➽ Decide what's going to be on the menu. There are many picnic food ideas you can choose from, all you need to do is select what you both enjoy eating the most.
➽ Next on the list is, the refreshing beverages. Depending on what time of the day you have planned the picnic, consider packing champagne, sparkling wine, some summer drinks, or fresh fruit juices.
➽ Last, but certainly not the least for planning the menu, add some creative flare to the picnic basket. Your partner is going to be counting on you to make the date something he/she will always remember. So, think outside the context of sandwiches and salads, and go one step further to plan the menu.
Packing the Basket
On the day of your date, there are some guidelines or instructions you need to follow as you start packing. Turn unbelievably romantic picnics into reality; she'll love you for it.
Hint #1:
Select the basket, bag, or wicker hamper to place your food and beverages in. Make sure it is substantial than placing the food inside the grocery bags.
Hint #2:
Depending on what you will be eating and drinking on the picnic, glasses, utensils, and cutlery is a must. Along with cotton napkins, grab some paper towels as well.
Hint #3:
Don't forget the condiments. Add small bottles of mustard, mayonnaise, and chili sauce in the basket. Or, pour all it in a small plastic squeeze bottles to save space.
Hint #4:
Pack a small cooler to keep your beverages in. An extra bag to carry, but really worth it. Your aim is to make the entire picnic to be perfect, don't forget the tiny elements.
Hint #5:
Now for the miscellaneous items, also a must need for picnics. You will need insect repellents, hand sanitizer, some trash bags, and baby wipes. Place the items in another bag and your basket is ready.
Contents of the Basket
➽ 1 insulated corduroy cooler bag
➽ 1 insulated corduroy wine duffel bag
➽ 1 fleece blanket
➽ 1 cutting board
➽ 1 cheese knife with wood handle
➽ 1 stainless steel corkscrew
➽ 2 wine glasses
➽ 2 food containers
➽ 2 porcelain plates
➽ 2 sets of stainless steel utensils
➽ 4 cotton napkins
➽ Stainless steel salt and pepper shakers
Organizing a picnic is not just a way to spend some time together, but also to enjoy each others' company and make the relationship that much stronger. The idea may seem small, but it certainly brings two people closer than ever.
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Silk Fan Veils
- Item #: 2087
- Condition: New
Silk Fan Veils are the Showcase of your Grand Entry as you walk into the room.
They light up the room with your Radiance with shinning Silk material.
You get 1 Pair (2 Fan Veils)
Material: Silk
Color multicolor as shown.
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Would your research benefit from the involvement of hundreds or even thousands of volunteers? We are currently seeking proposals for biomedical projects to be developed as part of the Zooniverse.org platform.
Zooniverse is the world's largest and most successful online platform for crowd-sourced research; we currently have over 1.5 million registered volunteers working in collaboration with professional researchers on more than 40 research projects across a range of disciplines, from astronomy to biology.
You can see examples of our current biomedical projects at Zooniverse.org. These include "Microscopy Masters", where citizen scientists classify cryo-electron microscopy images to advance understanding of protein and virus structure, and "Worm Watch Lab", which aims to improve understanding of the relationship between genes and behaviour.
Using our unique Project Builder tool you can now build your own Zooniverse project. If your project requires tools that don't yet exist on the Zooniverse platform, please propose your project using the form below. We are particularly interested in developing projects that extend the functionality our platform.
Successful projects will be selected from responses to this call, and will be developed and hosted by the Zooniverse team in close collaboration with the applicants. Project proposals are expected to clearly describe the research question addressed and intended research outputs. Those writing proposals should review the existing range of Zooniverse projects.
- Alignment with biomedical research (long-term aim of research is to improve human health outcomes).
- Merit and usefulness of the data expected to result from the project.
- Novelty of the problem; projects which require extending the capability of the Zooniverse platform or serve as case studies for crowdsourcing in new areas are encouraged.