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eBECS Apps as a ServiceYou are here: >
eBECS Apps as a Service
Transform your paper-based and spreadsheet-driven processes by creating custom business applications with Microsoft PowerApps
New apps created and constantly evolved for a fixed monthly fee
With the versatile Microsoft PowerApps development platform, highly customised apps can be created to transform virtually any business function, improving operational efficiency and reducing costs. They can be integrated with existing corporate systems and used by employees, partners and customers on any desktop, laptop, tablet or mobile device.
Why choose the eBECS Apps-as-a-Service subscription service?
Often, businesses don't have the time or expertise to use PowerApps in-house or the budget to pay for external developers on a project-by-project basis. With our Apps-as-a-Service offering, we provide customers with ongoing access to highly experienced Microsoft consultants who will develop the business apps you need, using Microsoft PowerApps, for a fixed monthly fee. You'll gain a constant supply of new apps to drive innovation and efficiency improvements within your business, plus the ability to adapt your apps quickly, as your business needs change.
Proven app development expertise
eBECS customers who have used eBECS' proven app development services include a major national charity, a home maintenance organisation and a fitness services provider. All have saved time, reduced costs and increased customer service and engagement.
The key benefits of using eBECS Apps-as-a-Service
- Reduce the cost of custom apps, by eliminating the need for expensive bespoke software development
- Introduce new business apps for users more quickly, to gain faster return on investment
- Gain expert guidance from experienced Microsoft consultants, all year round
- Integrate data into processes from a variety of business systems, the web, sensors and social media
- Manage your budget more effectively with a predictable, fixed monthly subscription.
Who is the service for?
eBECS Apps-as-a-Service is designed specifically for organisations that use Microsoft business solutions, such as Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Microsoft Azure Cloud Services. Apps can be built to integrate data from any Microsoft system, as well as line-of business-applications, the web, sensors, remote devices and more. Customers will require a subscription to Microsoft PowerApps.
How does the eBECS Apps-as-a-Service work?
Initial consultation and planning
For an initial set-up fee of just £5,000, eBECS will meet with key personnel within your business to evaluate your current processes and discuss your requirements. We will introduce you to the capabilities of Microsoft PowerApps – if it is new to you – and work with you to start planning how to transform your business with new apps.
Ongoing app development
Depending on your level of subscription (between £5,000 and £20,000 a month), you will receive between five and twenty credits per month to 'spend' on new apps. A fairly simple new app can be delivered for just three credits while other more complex apps may require four or more credits. Credits can be rolled over for three months, giving you the opportunity to create whatever apps you need, over a period of time.
Improved business agility
As your business needs evolve, eBECS will also change or expand your existing apps for one or two credits per amendment. In this way, you can constantly adapt your processes to improve your competitiveness and business agility.
Find out more
Contact eBECS and request a meeting with one of our Microsoft PowerApps specialists specialists.
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Bar & Bat Mitzvah Planning and Management
For many clients, a Bar or Bat Mitzvah is the first large event they've hosted. There are so many decisions to be made and the event jigsaw puzzle needs to be assembled carefully. The event needs to reflect your value system, how you are raising your child(ren) as well as your budget. Come in for a complimentary initial conversation and let's see how we can help you.
What people are saying about us!
Ellen and her team planned and managed our daughter's bat mitzvah and did a superb job. They really listened to what we wanted and made it happen, with no hassle, no delay, no nonsense, but in a nice, calm and in control way which is what we hoped for when we hired her. By the way, Ellen was recommended to us by a good friend who is in the business (live music for events) and who used Ellen for her own kids' mitzvah a year ago or so. The event came off perfectly, and we got nothing but what seemed to be 100%++ sincere praise from friends and family of all ages on it. I won't exactly say Ellen underpromised, because she let us know it would be great which put our minds at ease, but she definitely overdelivered, which is saying something because she set a high bar to start with. You can't go wrong.
Personally Yours handled my daughter's Bat Mitzvah and the Friday night dinner. I can not say enough good things about Ellen, Teri and Robin. I didn't stress at all because I knew I was in good hands. Ellen was very responsive to all my e-mails in fact, she must work around the clock because they were answered the same day I sent them including those on the weekends. She re-negotiated all aspects of a contract that I had originally entered into where she felt I was at risk. Let's put it like this if I needed a divorce lawyer I would want someone like Ellen. She had my back the whole time and got the job done. If you are trying to plan a big event I would highly recommend Ellen, Teri, and Robin. They do not disappoint.
We had a wonderful weekend! Thanks to you and your team for all of your help. I wouldn't have changed a thing!
Thank you does not begin to express our appreciation for your professionalism and kindness throughout our entire bat mitzvah experience. We could not be any happier with how everything turned out. Both of our kids had the time of their lives! The room looked incredible and you had everything handled… I didn't have to worry about anything which was fortunate because I was somewhere lost on cloud 9 and couldn't have focused if I had needed to. You guys are the best. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Thank you so much for your help with our daughter's Bat Mitzvah celebration. The room looked fantastic. It was bright, colorful and upbeat; just what we were hoping for. The balloons and the tables look beautiful. We received so many compliments! The signage was great and since that place is tough to get in and out of, we think you really hit the nail on the head with all of that. Thanks so much for making sure everything was as it should be for our celebration. It was a special day for our family.
Well, our foreign guests just left and tomorrow, the rest of our out of towners will leave as well. I let the kids stay home today and ride the elevators at the Hyatt all day and stay with grandparents! We thank you, thank you, thank you. You are amazing before the event but on site, you are truly terrific. It was as if you were the director and kept everything running on schedule and smoothly. I don't know how you kept a smile on your face the whole time! My relatives said it was one of the best bar mitzvahs that they been to in many years. The flow of the night was fabulous and the room looked amazing. It was a great balance of wonderful looking decor but it never felt over the top. The entertainment you recommended was spot on. We had the right amount; neither too much nor too little. I need a little bit of a break before we start planning our next simcha…. But at least you now have it on your calendar so I know we've got you! Thanks again for everything!
I can't thank you enough for making my daughter's bat mitzvah such a joyful event on Saturday. Our guests raved about the food (how much fun it was, how unlike normal party food it was, etc.) and many commented on how lovely the service was. I am tremendously grateful to you for being so accommodating of all our needs, and for working so closely with me to make sure that we were happy. You really went out of your way, and I appreciate the extra effort! It was a magical evening for my daughter (and us), and you helped make it that way!
Thank you so much for helping to make this past weekend one of the best of my life. Our events went flawlessly and I wouldn't have changed a thing. Everything was impeccable, and all of your touches like the amazing sign-in book, piano music, herbs, signage, and overall looks of the rooms were fabulous! The food was better than I could have imagined. And, the added treat, was that you all made ME feel so special. And honored.
I loved working with you, getting to know you, and am so grateful for the wonderful day you helped me have. I had a blast last night and only wish I had more time to play games, dance, laugh and eat dessert!
I just wanted to take a moment to offer our heartfelt thanks to Team Ellen for everything you all did to make this weekend come off so well. The best thing I did as we worked to get this event going was to bring you all in! I benefited from your skills and talents from start to finish: from your insights on how to phrase and address invitations to the way in which you helped me remember to breathe when Ainsley was late for photographs. Thank you for everything, and please do not retire before I have to plan a wedding!
We also offer…
Additional Services
- Logo design
- Party favors of all kinds
- Cocktail napkins and other imprinted paper goods
- Kippot and benchers
- Sign in books, boards and more
- Hospitality bags
- DJs, bands and small musical combos
- Photo novelties
- Caricaturists
- Temporary tattoos
- Garment airbrushing
- Food novelties
- Fortune tellers
- Magicians
- …anything you can imagine

subset: commoncrawl


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Archive of feature stories - March 2011
Bali Process Ministerial Conference
30 March 2011
The Bali Process Ministerial Conference took a major step towards tackling people smuggling by agreeing to a regional cooperation framework.
Minister's joint media release
Visit to Papua New Guinea
29 March 2011
Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs, Richard Marles, visits an eye care clinic at Port Moresby General Hospital in Papua New Guinea accompanied by Australian High Commissioner Ian Kemish, and his wife Roxanne Martens.
More about Papua New Guinea
Media release: Australia reinforces commitment to a better Bougainville
Visit to New Zealand
26 March 2011
Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd visited Christchurch for biannual talks with his New Zealand counterpart, Foreign Minister Murray McCully, and to visit areas of Christchurch affected by the February earthquake.
Media release: Christchurch and Queensland rising above disaster
Press conference: 25 March 2010
Joint press conference: 26 March 2010
Photo: Reading with year 2 students at St Michael's and All Angels Anglican Church and School in Christchurch
Through Australian eyes
24 March 2011
On 23 March Foreign Minister Rudd launched the photographic exhibition, Through Australian Eyes, which recognises the significant contribution of Australian civilians working in Afghanistan
Mr Rudd paid tribute to 28 staff from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and AusAID.
Photographic exhibition recognises Australian civilian work in Afghanistan
Photo: Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd and Afghan Minister of Mines Wahidullah Shahrani attend the opening of the photographic exhibition "Through Australian Eyes".
Australian expertise to assist after natural disasters and conflict
22 March 2011
Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd, said the establishment of the Australian Civilian Corps will see a select group of civilian specialists deployed to assist countries recovering and rebuilding after devastation.
Australian Civilian Corps - AusAID
Photo: Officials from AusAID, DFAT, the ADF, and a Queensland Search and Rescue Team coordinate Australia's response to the 2009 Padang earthquake.
Credit: Australian Defence Force.
Ministerial Meeting with EU Trade Commissioner
17 March 2011
At the Australia-EU Ministerial Meeting on Trade held in Sydney, Trade Minister Craig Emerson and European Union Trade Commissioner Karel de Gucht agreed that finalising the Doha Round of global trade liberalisation was a top priority for both Australia and the EU.
Media release: Ministerial Meeting on Trade with European Trade Commissioner De Gucht
Australian consular relief team in Japan
15 March 2011
An Australian-led consular relief team has visited evacuation centres in the earthquake and tsunami devastated regions around Sendai in northern Japan. It was the first foreign Government relief team into the region. They are working with Canadian, UK, NZ and US consular officials to locate and identify foreign nationals in the evacuation centres.
Smartraveller: Japan travel advice
Trade in services Australia
15 March 2011
A comprehensive statistical publication on services trade between Australia and our major partners, this publication draws on data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organization and other sources.
Media release: China becomes Australia's largest services export market
Publication: Trade in services Australia 2009-10
Visit to Tunisia
11 March 2011
Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd said the Gaddafi regime's attacks on its own people are causing acute hardship both inside Libya and for those who have fled to neighbouring Tunisia and Egypt.
Media release: Further assistance for victims of Gaddafi's violence
Visit to French Polynesia
10 March 2011
Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs Richard Marles made his first visit to French Polynesia on 8 and 9 March.
Mr Marles met senior political figures including President Gaston Tong Sang and French High Commissioner, Mr Richard Didier.
- Media release: Visit to French Polynesia
- Photo gallery: French Polynesia, March 2011
Austrade assistance for disaster-affected exporters
10 March 2011
Austrade will assist businesses whose exports and international investment activities had been affected by Australia's recent natural disasters.
Small to medium-sized enterprises whose exports or international investment activities have been affected by natural disaster should contact Austrade on 13 28 78.
100th anniversary of International Women's Day
8 March 2011
Leaders from the Asia-Pacific region and DFAT representatives attended the Advance Women's Leadership Summit in Sydney to mark the centenary of International Women's Day. Many Asia-Pacific delegates were nominated as inspiring women leaders in business, education, science and technology and the media, and received support from the Australian Government to attend the summit.
Visit to Israel
6 March 2011
Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Prime Minister's Office on 6 March. Photo by Mati Millstein.
- Transcript: Press conference, Jerusalem, 6 March 2011
- Photo gallery: Visit to Israel, March 2011
Foreign Minister's visit to Afghanistan
4 March 2011
Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd met with the Deputy Governor of Uruzgan Khoday Rahim Khan during a visit to Afghanistan on 2 March 2011.
- Media release: Progress being made in Afghanistan
- Photo gallery: Visit to Afghanistan, March 2011
Trade at a Glance 2010
3 March 2011
Trade at a Glance 2010 is a concise summary of Australia's trade performance.
It features information about Australian exports, imports, investment abroad and foreign investment in Australia.
It also highlights Australia's key trading partners and the Government's trade policy.
Graduate applications now open
2 March 2011
Applications for the Department's 2012 graduate programs will be accepted from 24 February - 18 March 2011.


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On paper and on first site this hole looks very benign, during normal play conditions quite a few players have a hard time remembering the specifics of this hole after the round. The tee shot is shaped by three fairway bunkers and the landing area is fairly wide, leaving an approach shot between 165 to 155 yards to the green. The players who have length as an asset can challenge the bunker on the right and leave themselves with just a wedge shot into the green.
This hole completely changes when we install tournament conditions, just a slight increase of green speeds make a world of difference on this hole. The green has a Seth Raynor style hogback that routes it way through the green, creating three separate tiers. If you are on the correct tier the player will have an excellent opportunity for a birdie, the wrong tier increases the odds of a three putt and makes par a good score. If a player challenges the back left pin position then a bunker behind the green comes into play and makes par almost impossible.
"Eunoe" has had the distinction of the highest scoring average in relationship to par during our last 3 Indiana Major events. Unfortunately, a high number of very good players walk off this green shaking their head at what just happened to their round.
Hole #6 was recently featured by Athlon Sports in their article "18 Holes to Play in 2015"Tags: Athlon Sports, Eunoe, golf, Purgatory


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For the first time in his political career, Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) joined conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh on Wednesday to discuss the immigration reform bill currently being debated in the U.S. Senate.
"Sir, you're the real deal. You're fearless. You're a freshman. You're acting like you've been there three terms," Limbaugh said.
"As you know, a lot of Americans are fed up. They're fed up with Democrats and they're fed up with Republicans. They're fed up with politicians in Washington who don't stand for anything," the Texas senator responded.
"And it's how we've gotten in this mess. It's how we've gotten $17 trillion in debt, and if we keep doing business as usual, it's how we're gonna pass yet another amnesty bill that doesn't fix the problem. And I think Americans are really fed up with that and we need to stand up and stop it," Sen. Cruz added.
The radio host then asked Sen. Cruz to explain to the audience why certain politicians and pundits are referring to the immigration reform bill as "amnesty."
"This Gang of Eight bill is a disaster," Sen. Cruz explained. "What the Gang of Eight bill does is it grants legalization now. It takes everyone who's here illegally and says, 'You're legal,' and then just like in 1986 it promises, 'sometime in the future, trust us, wink-wink, we'll secure the border.'"
"I don't think the American people are that foolish. You know, fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. If this bill is enacted, it will make the problem worse. If this bill is enacted, in another decade or two we're going be back here not with 11 million, but with 20 million or 30 million people here illegally.
"This is a broken system. I think what Americans want is fix the problem, stop playing political games, actually secure the border and make a legal immigration system that works," he added.
The two continued, discussing everything from the possible impact the bill may have on the national deficit, to the so-called Washington "consultant class" and its support for the bill, to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's curious wish to see the bill passed before July 4th.
You can hear it all here:
Follow Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) on Twitter
(H/T: Daily Rushbo). Featured image AP photo.


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Bayesian Survival Analysis to Model Plant Resistance and Tolerance to Virus Diseases
MetadadesMostra el registre complet de l'element
Autor/aLázaro, Elena; Armero, Carmen; Rubio, Luis
Cita bibliográficaLázaro, E., Armero, C. & Rubio, L. (2017). Bayesian Survival Analysis to Model Plant Resistance and Tolerance to Virus Diseases. In: Argiento R., Lanzarone E., Antoniano Villalobos I., Mattei A. (eds) Bayesian Statistics in Action. BAYSM 2016. Proceedings in Mathematics & Statistics, vol 194. 173-181.
Viruses constitute a major threat to large-scale production of crops worldwide producing important economical losses and undermining sustainability. We evaluated a new plant variety for resistance and tolerance to a specific virus through a comparison with other well-known varieties. The study is based on two independent Bayesian accelerated failure time models which assess resistance and tolerance survival times. Information concerning plant genotype and virus biotype were considered as baseline covariates and error terms were assumed to follow a modified standard Gumbel distribution. Frequentist approach to these models was also considered in order to compare the results of the study from both statistical methodologies.


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Wii Fit Trainer cosplayed by Hayley Elise, photographed by What A Big Camera. [via]
It's that time of the week when we post a mixed bag of intriguing costumes we've spotted recently. Some of it's new; some of it isn't; all of it is worth highlighting.
Are you a cosplayer or photographer who would like to be featured on Gamma Squad? Upload your photos to our Flickr group to be considered.
Onward to the gallery:
Jun, the Swan (Gatchaman) cosplay photographed by Roger Chang.
Nyan Cat photographed by theno2fan. Submitted via the Gamma Squad Flickr Group.
Wolverine photographed by David Ngo (DTJAAAAM)
Star Sapphire photographed by Chris Harvey / Shutterstock.
DJ Ruby Rhod (The Fifth Element) and flight attendants photographed by flexgraph.
Amber and Babydoll (Sucker Punch) photographed by Matthew Mendoza.
Alice: Madness Returns cosplayer photographed by travaganza.
Captain Jack Sparrow (Pirates of the Caribbean) photographed by Genia Baida.
"Darth Maui" photographed by Greyloch. Submitted via the Gamma Squad Flickr Group.


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Product Type: All Products, Hair care, Hair care/Organic Powders
Tax included.
Shipping calculated at checkout.
Organic Neutral Powder does not stain or colour the hair unlike its sister herb Natural Henna. It's a conditioning agent that makes hair shiny and thick. It contains a yellow color molecule that brightens blonde hair and lifts grey hair while nourishing and leaving a deep healthy shine.NeutralHenna's beauty isthat it joins with the hair shaft to strengthen it,and it has long been utilized by Indian ladies to strengthen their hair.
Manufactured & Marketed By: Khadi Natural Healthcare
Product's Country of Origin: India


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The purpose of the Oregon Cannabis Association PAC (OCA PAC) is to educate and elect a majority of candidates who will work to support a fair and responsibly regulated cannabis business community at the Oregon State Capitol. Each election cycle the OCA PAC interviews key statewide and legislative candidates and issues endorsements. We then promote those endorsements to our membership and provide campaign supports in the form of in-kind strategy support, message training as well as direct contributions to campaigns.
2020 Endorsements
Ballots are due by 8pm on November 3rd. Every vote counts!
Oregon Statewide
Sen. Shemia Fagan Secretary of State
Tobias Read State Treasurer
Oregon House of Representatives
Candidate Cal Mukumoto (HD) 9
Rep. Julie Fahey (HD) 14
Rep. Paul Evans (HD) 20
Rep. Brad Witt (HD) 31
Rep. Ken Helm (HD) 34
Candidate Debbie Boothe-Schmidt (HD) 32
Rep. Rachel Prusak (HD) 37
Rep. Andrea Salinas (HD) 38
Re. Rob Nosse (HD) 42
Rep. Anna Williams (HD) 52
Candidate Jason Kropff (HD) 54
Oregon State Senate
Candidate Melissa Cribbins (SD) 5
Rep. Chris Gorsek (SD) 25
Portland City Races
Sarah Iannarone Mayor
Commissioner Chloe Eudaly City Council
Deschutes County
Phil Chang Commissioner


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Along the side of the Church of Mary Immaculate in Rathmines, there's a shortcut through the block between Mountpleasant Avenue and Rathmines Road. It's not a huge time-saving, but when you're walking towards town from Mountpleasant, it feels diagonal in the right direction, the copper pipes are quite nice, and the changing widths between the streets and through the passageway is more interesting than a straight footpath.
At the rear of the church, the sacristy is located up a few steps, and there's a niche along the side. It's framed by a blind portico, the pediment stepping back around the small block and the engaged columns terminating in a chunky double base. Within the glazed niche, there's a marble bust of Mary and Jesus, with the usual strange effect of ending at a level that leads me to imagine them both encased in concrete beneath. (Presumably, the sculptor had higher hopes for the cop-on of people passing by.)
It's the niche itself that I really enjoy – not for religious reasons, but in the same way as neighbourhood saints in Italy are a nice surprise when you turn a corner, a little devotional display case within the public realm. At a basic level, I just like display boxes, from Victorian museums to Joseph Cornell to the taxi rank Jesus, and this one is at once screening and pinpointing the sacristy. The church is dedicated to Mary and the Catholic standard of 'ad Jesum per Mariam' (to Jesus through Mary) is there as if a statement of intent.


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Grilled Wild Salmon w/ Asian Mustard Glaze:
6 wild Alaska salmon fillets, 6 ounces each, bone and skin removed
1/2 teaspoon sea salt and black pepper
3 tablespoons sesame olive oil
1/3 cup dry mustard powder
1/2 cup honey
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon tamari
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 cup of brown mustard
½ cup of orange juice
1 teaspoon of ground ginger
2 teaspoon chopped parsley
Prepare a charcoal grill.
When charcoal is hot and has a coat of ash, spread around the coals to create an even heat source.
Season the salmon filets with salt on both sides.
Place the fish on the grill and cover with either the grill lid or a stainless steel bowl. Grill for approximately 8–10 minutes without turning.
Meanwhile, mix the oil, mustard powder, brown mustard, honey, water, soy sauce, orange juice, ginger, and parsley and tamari to a thick glaze. During the last 3–4 minutes, brush fish with the glaze.
Turn filets on the grill and replace cover until salmon is finished cooking.
Serve each piece with a simple green salad or seasonal grilled vegetables for a delicious meal.
Serves 6
Herbed Brown Rice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 cup instant brown rice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1¼ cups water
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
In a large nonstick saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil. Sauté the onion and garlic until the garlic is lightly browned, 2-3 minutes. Add the rice, salt, marjoram, and water; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, 5 minutes. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley and pepper. Let stand 5 minutes.
Makes 6 Servings
Chef Challenge, on August 30, 2018, from 6-9pm at Ft. Whiting in Alabama and on September 13 from 6-9pm at Sanders Beach in Florida is Feeding the Gulf Coast's annual fundraiser to raise awareness for those struggling with hunger along the Central Gulf Coast. Every year, this event marks the beginning of September as Hunger Action Month. Chef Challenge guests will enjoy tastings of dishes from local chefs and restaurants, live entertainment by Roman Street, a vast silent auction, and complimentary beer and wine. Guest will vote on their favorite dishes and a winner will be named!
Click here for the Facebook event page.


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I am grateful to have friends of all ages. Last week Devin, my teenaged friend, asked me to attend a "Battle of the Bands" at Seminole Ridge High School.
I have known Devin for three years. During that time, he has learned to play guitar, drums and bass. There was a brief time when I knew more about guitar than he did. That time has come and gone.
Devin has played his guitar for me in our quiet times together, but I had never heard him play with a band, or seen him on a stage. "Buddha's Sister" is the name of Devin's band. They play old-school blues, along with some reggae. It is amazing to meet modern kids who idolize Jimi Hendrix and Robert Johnson more than Lady Gaga and Katy Perry! Not that there is anything wrong with Gaga or Perry. It is just gratifying to know that there is a generation after mine to carry on loving the guitar gods of yesteryear.
Now it is time for me to confess that I am a bit of a closet "Gleek." That's right, I watch Glee on Hulu faithfully each week. As I took my seat in the school auditorium, I couldn't help but wonder how this real-life presentation of teen musicality would compare with what we see each week on Glee.
Four bands were competing for a grand prize of recording time in a local studio. Each band played two originals, and one cover. Each band had its own style, and its own problems. Immediately one big difference was clear between what we see on Glee and what we see on real school stages. Vocals are tough! Part of that was mic problems; each band struggled with cables and mixing. Part of it, I suspect, was nervousness combined with the changing voices of teenage boys.
Two of the bands were metals acts. They both had charisma, talent, and weak vocals. Then there was Buddha's Sister, which is a bluesy, hippie sort of band, and Ticket to a Blimp, a Blink-182/Green Day-sounding sort of band.
It was clear to me that the judges would be choosing between Buddha's Sister and Ticket to a Blimp for the grand prize; but which band would they choose? Would they be impressed that the three guys in Buddha's Sister exchanged instruments with each song, and clearly had the best vocals? Would they be swayed with Ticket to a Blimp's cover song "Under the Sea" from "The Little Mermaid," complete with dancing sea creatures and a ukulele? Would they grasp the depth of Buddha's Sister's sophisticated bass lead? Did it matter that Ticket to a Blimp was the only band with more than one vocalist? All loyalties to Devin aside, I was glad I was not on the judge's panel that night!
In the end, Ticket to a Blimp beat Buddha's Sister by only one point. For Devin and his band, it was still a personal win. Really, it was a win for all the musicians and their families. In a time when school programs are slashed, it was heartening to see the number of people who came out on a Thursday night at $5 a head to see these four bands. I wonder if the popularity of Glee, High School Musical and shows like The Sing Off might be helping to support local musicians in our schools and communities.
My biggest lasting impression from this event, besides the fact that my boy Devin rocks, was how well the four bands worked together. Even though they were in competition with each other, they supported each other. Each band member was willing to help with set up and tear down, lending cables and fixing microphones. Each band member seemed more concerned with making sure everyone had a great time, rather than worrying about who was going to win.
This made me reflect about the complexity of creative competition. On one hand, each band wanted to win. Rather than sabotaging their competition, they helped each other, perhaps because the music was more important than the competition. Personal best was more important than best in show.
I thought of the Rider Waite Smith Five of Wands. It's a complex card. I always ask new tarot students what they see in it. Some students see people fighting. Others see people building something.
If we break down the Five of Wands into its element and number, we see passion, creativity, and even anger in the fire of the Wands. The five speaks of the discomfort that can come from growth, and pushing past one's boundaries.
Five of Wands
Dancing each to our own rhythm
We work to build the temple
No art forms without struggle
No creation process is simple
When love and anger align
Caught in passion and torn
Conflict and chaos circle
In the pains of something being born
They called it a "Battle of the Bands," and it was a battle. It was also a time for everyone to work together to build something great, just as it is in the Five of Wands.


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Introduction: Solar Power From LED
I've always wondered why the Arduino programs shuts off when I take pictures of my LED projects with flash. With a little investigation I learned that LEDs, in and of itself, are photodiodes, and with the high intensity brightness form the flash generates electricity that overloads the Arduino.
This projects is a demonstration and project on how to use a simple light emitting diode (LED) as a solar cell.
Step 1: BoM
- LED(s)
- Multimeter
- Light source
- [Optional] Breadboard (for single LED's)
Step 2: Connecting the LED to the Multimeter
Connect all the anodes (positive, rounded edge) of the LED together by plugging all of them into the red rail on the breadboard for a solderless solution. Then, connect all the cathodes (negative, flat edge) of the LED together by plugging them into the blue rail on the breadboard. Pretty simple, eh!
Step 3: Let There Be Power!!!
Connect a red male-to-male jumper wire on one of the pins on the red rail, and a black male-to-male jumper wire on one of the pins on the blue rail. Now, turn on your multimeter to the "2V DC" setting and touch the red probe with the red jumper wire and black probe with the black jumper wire.
The LED needs to be very close to the light source since it's relatively weak when it gets to the LED (in comparison with a DSLR's flash). The closer it is to the light source the higher the voltage levels. Of course, it is expected that the values fluctuates, but it's still power from LEDs!!!
Step 4: LEDs in Series
Connecting the same LEDs in series on the breadboard, I was able to harness 0.110 V !!!
Participated in the
MacGyver Challenge
Participated in the
Makerspace Contest 2017
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11 Comments
i'm wondering if also could work with few RGB Led(s), can an RGB do the same ? less ? or better? did you investigated about ? thank you for sharing ;)
I don't know if an RGB one would be more effective, but I think that a RED led could produce more power, I read it somewhere but I have not tested it.
I think that if you use a RED Led it can produce more power. I read that somewhere.
if 10 LEDs can produce 0.11v, then abiut 273 LEDs would be required to power one LED. That's some nice efficiency.
would larger leds work better
When trying too capture energy from some system it is common to measure the power ( power is energy per unit time ).
Many experimenters measure the voltage their systems produce. Voltage is nice, but it is not power.
To measure electric power ( and thus energy ) You need to measure both current and voltage at the same time.
Put a resistor across the voltage source with a current meter in series with it. Then measure the voltage and current at the same time ( you need 2 meters ). Let us know the power you get ( in volts * amps = watts ).
The results will depend on the resistor chosen.
Cool stuff! Indeed...
I will improve this idea in the future! Thank you, dude!
This is good to know! Fun fact: LEDs can also be used to detect specific wavelengths and colors of light. This quality has been used to measure aerosol levels in the atmosphere.
Wow! That's why they are also use in the color detector?
Well, you need a lot of LED's to generate electricity!


text:
Type Announcement
Subject OTHERS
Description Corporate Guarantee
The Board of Directors of Dominant Enterprise Berhad ('DOMINAN') wishes to announce that a Corporate Guarantee of RM5,000,000 (Ringgit Malaysia : Five Million Only) in favour of Hong Leong Bank Berhad ("HLBB") to guarantee HLBB for the additional Banking Facilities granted to DOMINAN's wholly-owned subsidiary, Combi Trading Sdn. Bhd., had been executed.
This Announcement is dated 14 January 2016


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Families flocked with their children to water parks Wednesday as a mass of hot air hovering over deserts in the southwest pushed temperatures throughout Northern California to new records, prompting heat and air quality advisories with more of the same forecast for Thursday.
Jaime Mohl was among dozens of parents who hauled their kids to Concord's Meadow Homes Spray Park just after it opened at noon on Wednesday. Concord reached triple digits by early-afternoon, and after moving to Walnut Creek from San Francisco just last week, Mohl confessed to being a bit of a "wimp" about the hotter weather. But she enjoyed watching her 1-year-old daughter, Olivia, dance in the water spray.
"She likes it!" Mohl said.
National Weather Service meteorologist Scott Rowe in Monterey said a high-pressure system from hot air over deserts in Arizona and Nevada has kept the fog off much of the California coast, raising temperatures across the state.
By Wednesday afternoon, temperatures already were in the low 100s in Livermore and Concord, in the 90s in San Jose, Oakland and the East Bay and North Bay suburbs, and in the mid-80s in downtown San Francisco, Rowe said. Beaches from Monterey to Santa Cruz were in the 70s.
Temperatures peaked at 105 degrees in Vallejo and 104 degrees in Livermore, Concord and Gilroy, said National Weather Service meteorologist Ryan Walbrun.
Walbrun said nearly a dozen daily heat records were tied or broken across the Bay Area and Monterey County, including 101 degrees in Santa Rosa (100 in 1967), 98 degrees in San Jose (96 in 1989), 97 degrees in Redwood City (95 in 1994), 95 degrees at Moffett Field in Mountain View (88 in 1989), 94 degrees at San Francisco International Airport (85 in 1995), 94 degrees at Oakland International Airport (88 in 1951) and 90 degrees in downtown Oakland (88 in 1951).
"Obviously a hot day across the Bay Area," Walbrun said.
The sizzling forecast prompted the weather service to issue a heat advisory for much of the Bay Area, with the exception of coastal areas of San Francisco and places close to the Bay shoreline, including Oakland, though the peak of heat will be felt in those places, too.
The heat advisory is in effect from 11 a.m. Wednesday through 8 p.m. Thursday for the Santa Clara Valley, including San Jose, as well as the East Bay interior valleys, the East Bay hills and the Diablo Range, and the Santa Cruz Mountains.
"We're just getting a very warm air mass above the surface that's going to allow the temperatures inland to warm up rapidly," said National Weather Service meteorologist Roger Gass.
Some relief is expected to begin by Friday, with temperatures dropping between five and 10 degrees across much of the region, and more normal high temperatures by the weekend will be around the 80s inland, with 60s and 70s on the coast, Gass said.
But that relief won't help Thursday.
"Temperatures are going to approach or potentially exceed 105 in East Bay locations such as Livermore and Concord," Gass said.
The advisory reminds people to try to limit outdoor activity during the hottest times of the day and check on elderly people, especially if they don't have access to air conditioning. The weather service also said people should drink plenty of fluids and not leave pets or children in cars.
"People can get heat illnesses from these types of temperatures if they don't adequately protect themselves," Gass said.
In the South Bay, the Valley Transportation Authority is trying to make it easier for people seeking relief from the heat by offering free rides to cooling centers along VTA routes. VTA is offering the service on its buses or light rail trains from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday. Passengers should tell the bus driver or fare inspector that they are on their way to a cooling center, and they will be able to ride for free.
Places to cool off can be found all over the Bay Area in libraries, malls and recreation or senior centers, as cities and counties try to help locals beat the heat.
In addition to the uncomfortable heat, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District warned that the weather is causing unhealthy air quality, issuing its second straight Spare the Air day alert Wednesday.
The air district said concentrations of ozone or "smog" will make air quality in the South Bay and East Bay unhealthy for sensitive people such as those with asthma Wednesday and Thursday and urged residents to limit outdoor activity and take public transit or carpool wherever possible to help improve air quality.
Moffett Field can be seen through a layer of haze blanketing much of the Bay Area in a view from Fremont, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2019. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has issued a second straight Spare the Air day alert for today. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)
Contra Costa Health Services also issued an advisory Wednesday urging people to stay indoors and take refuge in indoor malls, community centers and other air-conditioned spaces.
"Many schools are starting this week, stay safe and follow our health advice. Avoid strenuous exercise or outdoor work during peak hours," Dr. Rohan Radhakrishna, Contra Costa County Deputy Health Officer, said in a written statement. "Wear appropriate clothing and drink more water than you think you need."
At San Jose's Plaza de Cesar Chavez, Pedro and Gabriella Zuñiga were with their 6-year-old, Crystal, enjoying some pineapple and tamarind paletas, a Mexican-style ice pop. They had come hoping Crystal could jump through the water fountains that shoot up from the paved plaza but had to wait: A worker was patching up a chipped tile, so the fountains were shut down temporarily.
"Normally we go to the park to get some fresh air" when it's hot out, Pedro said.
While the Bay Area is catching its share of heat now, climate data shows that July 2019 was the hottest month on record for global average temperatures ever, surpassing July 2016 by a slim margin.
The Copernicus Climate Change Service said July was about 0.04 degrees celsius warmer than July 2016 and was about 0.56 degrees celsius above average temperatures.
The greater Bay Area, meanwhile, avoided any major heat events in July and stuck pretty close to historical averages, according to Gass.
San Jose was about a half a degree Fahrenheit cooler than average, and overnights were about average, while in Oakland the highest temperatures were about 3 degrees higher than average, with overnight lows about 2 and a half degrees colder than average.
"As a whole, July was a pretty typical July for the greater San Francisco Bay Area," Gass said.
For Esmeralda Kenney, 40, who works at a bank near in downtown San Jose, the Plaza de Cesar Chavez was just right for a lunch break in spite of the heat.
"There's a breeze going today, so I don't feel it as much," Kenney said as she listened to music, chatted with friends on social media and played games on her phone. "Life's hectic. This is a moment of peace for me."
Pacific Gas & Electric said a heat-related outage in Danville that began around 4:30 p.m., affecting 3,578 customers at its peak before dropping to 2,608 customers as of 5:45 p.m. and 634 customers as of 6:05 p.m.
At 5:20 p.m., about 500 Morgan Hill customers lost power, with PG&E spokeswoman Karly Hernandez saying in a statement that "[w]hile the cause is still under investigation, it appears the outage may be heat related."
Staff writers Jason Green and George Kelly contributed to this report.
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Tsunami Aid - A Concert of Hope
Various - January 15, 2005 - Geetarz 251 - DVD-R1
Geetarz Comments:
This two hour music and celebrity driven telethon was held on January 15, 2005
to aid the survivors of the deadly Tsunami that struck southeast asia. Aired live without commerical
interruption on the NBC network and all its sister channels, this worthy effort raised an initial
amount of 18.3 million dollars. Hosted by the grating Jay Leno (who, as one reviewer has noted,
should simply move on to that career as a door-to-door salesman for which he is so eminently
qualified), the event also featured musical performances by Madonna, Sheryl Crow, Diana Ross,
Stevie Wonder, Maroon 5, Norah Jones, Sarah McLachlan, Annie Lennox, Lenny Kravitz, John Mayer,
Eric Clapton, Roger Waters, Kenny Chesney, Gloria Estefan, and Elton John, among others. DVD
authored with full motion and sound menus, directly from the live broadcast (DigiSat) to PC.


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Book Review
Lewis J. Perelman
William Morrow and Co., 1992, 368 pages, $23.00, ISBN 0-688-11286-2
School's Out: Hyperlearning, The New Technology, and the End of Education
"This book is not about education. It is about an economic transformation that is being driven by an implacable technological revolution. It is not about saving schools, or improving schools, or reforming schools, or even reinventing schools --- it's about removing altogether the increasingly costly barrier schooling poses to economic and social progress." - From the preface of School's Out
Lewis J. Perelman
William Morrow and Co., 1992, 368 pages, $23.00, ISBN 0-688-11286-2
If Marshall McLuhan were alive in 1993, he'd find Lewis J. Perelman's new book an intriguing read. With a keen eye for the liberating effects of educational technology, Perelman puts forth a thesis that schools as we currently know them have outlived their usefulness. In the author's words, "This imminent hyperlearning world, where learning and expertise are diffused everywhere and where people of any age may be engaged in learning anytime, makes the infrastructure of 'schooling' irrelevant and even obstructive."
In truth, to say that Perelman, "puts forth a thesis," is to understate the forcefulness with which he conveys his ideas and prescriptive recommendations. School's Out is a book that is purposefully contentious. With a boldness rarely seen in the genteel writings of "educational reformers," Perelman minces few words in articulating his rather radical educational stance.
The opening chapters of the book examine how in this information age knowledge and learning are the very substance of all economic activity. In a previous age our country minded the land for its wealth. But in the very near future we'll be "mining minds" for wealth. "Because knowledge is the steel of the modern economy --- the essential commodity all else depends on --- learning has become the strategically central enterprise for national economic strength that steelmaking was to the industrial age. As a result, the nations that stop trying to 'reform' their education and training institutions and choose instead to totally replace them with a brand-new, high-tech learning system will be the world's economic powerhouse through the twenty-first century."
Perelman draws interesting analogies between the emergence of new technologies in the industrial age and the emergence of technologies in the information age. Just as the telegraph and the railroad rapidly made the Pony Express totally useless, so too are new learning technologies making industrial age schools outmoded and counterproductive.
The concept of productivity looms large in much of Perelman's analysis. More than a few times in the book he makes mention of the fact that the United States spends over $400 billion per year on education. Judging from the results we're getting, is this money being spent wisely and prudently, he asks. Might there not be a better way to achieve more learning at a lower price?
As many thinkers have done in the past, Perelman has come up with a catch-word, "hyperlearning," to summarize his ideas and point of view. In the second chapter of the book he gives a credible explanation of what he means by hyperlearning: "Hyperlearning is a categorical step --- the proverbial 'quantum leap' --- beyond 'artificial intelligence,' beyond broadband telecommunications, beyond information processing, beyond biotechnology. Rather, hyperlearning represents the fusion of these technological threads. HL is weaving into the fabric of a new industrial base for a new kind of world economy."
To his credit, Perelman doesn't hark on the concept of hyperlearning in every chapter of the book. In the early chapters of the book he defines this core concept, but doesn't indulge excessively in "concept-trumpeting."
Neither does he hyperventilate about hypermedia, virtual reality, and other mega-dollar educational solutions that seem to have grabbed the attention of much of the educational technology establishment. Although, to be sure, in a few passages in the book he does wax poetic about the future capabilities of these technologies.
Debunking Historical Myths About Schools and Learning
One of the most persuasive chapters of the book is chapter seven, which step by step debunks ten of the most common myths about schools and learning. These myths include the myth that: people learn best in schools; school is preparation for working in the real world; the teacher is the fountain, while the student is the bowl; academic achievement is an accurate indication of learning taking place; you have to learn to walk before you learn to run; education is different from training; some people are smarter than others; facts are more important than skills; learning is a solitary experience; and, schooling is good for socialization.
These ten myths have a powerful hold on our minds. Understanding that these myths might not be true involves acknowledging that our own schooling was not the meaningful, positive, uplifting experience it was made out to be. Yes, it might have been hollow. Yes, it might have been boring. Yes, there might be a completely different way of cultivating young minds.
Self-Directed Learners
One of the hallmarks of the new learning, or hyperlearning, is that learners take active control of the learning process. When important knowledge needs to be learned quickly, people don't wait around for schools to teach it to them. They teach themselves or find people who can guide them through the process of teaching themselves.
Nowhere has this self-directed learning blossomed so much as in the personal computer field itself. "Of the more than sixty million Americans who learned how to use personal computers since 1980, most learned from vendors, books, other users, and the computers themselves, not in schools." Perhaps the best model for future learning establishments should be user group electronic bulletin boards (BBS's) rather than a little red schoolhouses.
Leaders of the New Learning
A person with such radical ideas about education necessarily needs to point to current examples of the types of learning environments he or she thinks serves as commendable models. Perelman dutifully carries out this duty by citing various private sector educational projects including Christopher Whittle's Edison Project, and Education Alternatives, Inc., the for-profit schooling corporation based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Whittle project is still in the earlier research and planning stage, but Education Alternatives has had noted successes in Minnesota as well as in Miami, Florida.
On a smaller scale, Perelman points to the inspiring work of Al Rogers, founder and director of the FrEdMail Foundation. With his nationwide network of intercommunicating Apple II computers, Rogers has pioneered the exchange of electronic-format writings by students and teachers. Perelman quotes Rogers as saying that electronic mail is one of the most practical vehicles for learning writing skills, since, "...electronic text may be the last frontier for written discourse in the age of information."
A Few Comments About the Typography of the Book
Book reviews very rarely comment upon the typography of a book. And for good reason. The form and presentation of the book is far less important than the content.
Yet this book is so attractively layed out that it seems only appropriate to say a few words about typography. The font used in the body of the book appears to be Minion, or a close relative of Minion. The letters of this font are rounded in a gentle and soothing style, somewhat reminiscent of Palatino.
Given the sharp and pointed nature of the content of the book, the rounded, curved lettering provides for a soothing delivery of the ideas. In perfect honesty, this reader would not have had the patience or staying power to reach the end of the book had it been printed in a plain-vanilla Times font. The ideas expressed may well have been less palatable, too, had the font size been smaller or the inter-line leading been reduced.
Some Remarks About the Footnotes and Bibliographic References in the Book
Complete and thorough footnoting places Perelman's thinking within the context of other contemporary commentators. Surprisingly, the footnoted references are predominantly to writings in business periodicals rather than education periodicals. Frequent footnotes are made to articles in Business Week, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, The Washington Post, and Harvard Business Review. But the footnoted references also point to respected education-centered periodicals such as Educational Researcher, Phi Delta Kappan, and Education Week.
References to books include citations to James Burke's insightful Connections (the companion book to the PBS series by the same name), Howard Gardner's 1991 book The Unschooled Mind, and Edward B. Fiske's 1991 book Smart Schools, Smart Kids: Why Do Some Schools Work?, as well as two recent books that strongly criticize the SAT exam: James Crouse and Dale Trusheim's 1988 book The Case Against the SAT, and David Owen's 1985 book, None of the Above.
One of the contemporary thinkers who's ideas appear to have influenced Perelman strongly is George Gilder. Two books by Gilder are cited in the footnotes: Microcosm: The Quantum Revolution in Economics and Technology, Simon & Schuster, 1989, and, Life After Television, Whittle Direct Books, 1990.
Readers interested in examining Perelman's earlier writings might find his 1985 book: The Learning Enterprise: Adult Learning, Human Capital, and Economic Development, worth examining.
Anyone who has spent time thinking about how the learning process could be streamlined may find echoes of their own thoughts in the pages School's Out. Perelman has written a thoughtful book, albeit one that is sure to ignite a storm of controversy in the educational establishment.
Graduate schools of education would do well to add this book to their list of required readings. Naturally, they should so do with due haste --- before their very existence is abolished.
Phil Shapiro
Internet: firstname.lastname@example.com
Return to book review menu.


text: Hey frnds read this info "There is a remote code execution vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 2000-based, Windows XP-based, and Windows Server 2003-based systems,. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of an affected system remotely. an attacker could exploit this vulnerability over RPC without authentication and could run arbitrary code. If an exploit attempt fails, this could also lead to a crash in Svchost.exe. If the crash in Svchost.exe occurs, the Server service will be affected. The Server service provides file, print, and named pipe sharing over the network. The vulnerability is caused by the Server service, which does not correctly handle specially crafted RPC requests." Today mostly viruses using this to exploit in to system, Microsoft has released security bulletin MS08-067. To view the complete security bulletin, visit following Microsoft Web site http://www.microsoft.com/protect/computer/updates/bulletins/200810.mspx So can any body provides me this exploit code or some more info on this exploit code. Thanks in advance


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You can file a Petition for Divorce yourself and act as your own attorney. However, we do not provide any forms. We are not attorneys; therefore, any instructions we give could be considered practicing law without a license.
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The time frames for completion of divorce vary by case. The shortest time frame is 61 days.
All pleadings to be filed in the District Courts can be filed in the District Clerk's Office, located in the Wise County Courthouse at:101 N Trinity StreetSuite 102P.O. Box 308Decatur, TX 76234
This information may be obtained on the Forms page (Request for Issuance of Employers Order for Withhold (PDF)).
You must contact the Court Coordinator for the 271st District Court at 940-627-3200 or County Court at Law Number 2 at 940-683-0268 to obtain a setting.


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Today it was "back to school" for our mechanics, as they were given a special training in how to load a container. Our mechanics will now load containers following the CTU Code of Practice for Packing of Cargo Transport Units.
The aim of the course is for the participants to learn how they can load a container and make the container ready for transport in a responsible and safe manner. It is important for our staff involved in the packing, securely sealing, handling transport and processing of cargo to be aware of the procedures to enhance security, in accordance with national legislations and international agreements.
During the course, all kinds of different aspects of loading a container were discussed. Such as the applicable legislations, inspecting a container, sizes and loading capacities for different kinds of containers (such as 20ft or 40ft). Aside of that, making calculations is part of getting a container ready. For example calculating the joint centre of gravity and door security are necessary in order to transport the container safely, to make sure the weight in the container is distributed evenly throughout the transport. By doing so, while loading you are taking into account the different kinds of forces which are working on the container in transverse and longitudinal directions.
After the theoretical part, it was time to put the theory into practise by loading a container. Our mechanics carefully calculated the load and different forces on the container, before placing the machine into the container. Next, the machine was tightly secured to the container. After carefully checking if the machine was loaded properly, the container was ready to hit the road.


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Gore the pure
Nobel laureate Al Gore is unlikely to run again. His ideas are catching on, but people still don't want to pay for them
THE last eco-warrior to win the Nobel peace prize, Wangari Maathai (a tree-planting conservationist who won in 2004), was barely known outside her native Kenya. Al Gore is a flashier shade of green. His trophy cabinet is already bulging—the Nobel medal will have to jostle for space with an Oscar and an Emmy, all won this year. His political career has probably attracted more attention than that of any other living non-president. Billions watched the drama of Bush v Gore unfold in 2000. So last week's announcement in Norway has naturally ignited speculation that Mr Gore will mount another bid for the White House.
Don't hold your breath. As Mr Gore well knows, running for president is not much fun. You have to make small talk with thousands of people you don't know. You are attacked often, viciously and sometimes unfairly. And you have to forgo that comforting extra scoop of ice-cream. Why would Mr Gore re-subject himself to such an ordeal? Currently, as the prophet of the planet's most fashionable cause—preventing climate change—he is showered with adulation wherever he goes. The more the world recoils from George Bush, the more it embraces the man he beat (or didn't, if you believe some diehard Gorephiles). Mr Gore advocated tackling global warming and staying out of Iraq before either cause was popular in America. Foreigners love him. So do Democrats.
But were he to heed the 200,000 petitioners who have signed up at www.draftgore.com, he would lose his saintly aura. He would have to raise money and trash his opponents again (it was he who first attacked Michael Dukakis for freeing violent jailbirds for the weekend). His tendency to over-dramatise the likely consequences of climate change—will the oceans rise by two feet or 20?—would be ruthlessly pilloried. Worst of all, he would probably lose again. A Gallup poll taken after the Nobel announcement found that if he ran for the Democratic nomination, Hillary Clinton would thrash him by 30 points and Barack Obama would pip him by five. Only 48% of Democrats said they wanted him to run—six points less than seven months ago. Mr Gore has repeatedly, though not absolutely definitively, said he is not planning to run, and did so quite firmly again this week. The chances must now be remote that he will change his mind.
Far more likely is that Mr Gore will carry on as before, agitating from outside the political system for America to emit less carbon. He may succeed. The Senate will soon consider a bill, co-sponsored by Mr Gore's former running mate, Joe Lieberman, to set up a cap-and-trade system for greenhouse-gas emissions. Similar proposals are working their way through the House of Representatives. If both arms of Congress present Mr Bush with a cap-and-trade bill, he may well sign it. If none of this happens before next year's election, it will probably do so afterwards.
Turning up the heat
Public opinion is shifting. The proportion of Americans who say they worry "a great deal" about global warming has risen from 28% to 41% in the past four years. Over the same period, the proportion favouring "immediate, drastic action" to protect the environment has risen from 23% to 38%. How much of this is due to Mr Gore is impossible to say. Others crunched the numbers (including the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, with which he shared the Nobel). Hurricane Katrina, some reckon, did more than Mr Gore to make Americans fear global warming. (Illogically, since one storm proves nothing.) And Mr Gore's political past sometimes hinders his message. Granted, many Americans take him more seriously because he used to be vice-president. But others dismiss him because he was part of an administration that often twisted the truth. Nearly half of Republicans think the environment is in good shape; only 9% of Democrats agree.
Despite all these caveats, Mr Gore has surely helped to pave the way for American action against climate change. American voters are hardly demanding such action—only 2% say that climate change is one of the most important issues they will take into account when voting next year. But all the main Democratic candidates favour a cap-and-trade system. They also favour auctioning the emissions permits rather than giving them away. Mr Obama uses religious language to make the case, arguing that "we are not acting as good stewards of God's earth." On the Republican side, John McCain has long pushed for cap-and-trade. His main rivals have not so far felt pressed by their Republican electorate to say much about it. But whoever clinches the nomination will be forced to take a stance.
Besides Mr Gore, however, no plausible candidate of either party favours a carbon tax, the most efficient way to tackle emissions. (Chris Dodd, a Democrat, does, but he surely won't win.) Voters prefer solutions that are either cheap or that they think will be paid for by someone else. A poll for the New Scientist magazine in June tried to quantify this, with sobering results. Only half of Americans would favour rules to force power companies to emit less if that raised their monthly electricity bill from $85 (the average in 2005) to $155 (an estimate of the hike needed to lower American emissions by 5% by 2020). And only 37% could stomach a tax that raised petrol (gasoline) prices to $4 a gallon. That would be an unprecedented hardship for Americans but barely half what the stuff now costs in Britain.
This is why Mr Gore talks more bluntly now than he ever did on the campaign trail, and why no serious presidential contender echoes him. You cannot win the White House by telling Americans that they must pay more to drive, or by telling Midwestern coalminers that their industry must clean up or die. But if candidates do not prepare America for the cost of tackling climate change, the next president will have no mandate to impose it. Now that's an inconvenient truth.
This article appeared in the United States section of the print edition under the headline "Gore the pure"
From the October 20th 2007 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contentsExplore the edition
More from United States
What Carmel, Indiana, can teach America about urbanism
Growth is popular, if it is well planned
How to spot a swing voter
The average swing voter this year is a young Hispanic male without a college education
What to expect from the new SCOTUS term
Rulings on gay rights, affirmative action and elections will make some Americans very cross


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Qualifying to be a "Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist" is an impressive achievement regardless of one's age, but now a Pakistani boy named Shafay Thobani can boast having checked it off his to-do list at the tender age of 8, the Daily Mail and the UK's Sun newspaper are reporting.
According to Shafay's personal website -- likely managed by adults, as it makes heavy use of the phrase "the child" to describe his training and accomplishments -- he started working with computers when he was just 4 years old.
At the age of 7, Shafay started training to pass the exams necessary to become a Microsoft expert. Doing so meant 13 months on a strict schedule that involved attending school from 7:30 in the morning to 1:30 in the afternoon, followed by computer classes at his father's office from 2:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Becasue Shafay's father is Shah Thobani, the CEO of Thobson Technologies in Karachi, the boy had access to a 1,000 square foot training space featuring three desktops, switches, routers and laptops.
Despite all those hours of work, Shafay's father and the staff who trained him didn't lose track of that fact that the boy is only 8. There was a dedicated area for chess, darts and arcade games.
All that rigorous studying appears to have paid off though, with Shafay reportedly achieving a score of 91 percent.
"I feel like the luckiest parent because at the end of each day I only ever receive very positive feedback from Shafay's teachers," Shah Thobani was quoted as saying in the Sun. "Every year I give Shafay a new challenge to try and encourage him."
The Daily Mail reiterated the claim made on Shafay's website that he is now the youngest person to qualify as a Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist. However, the website Pro Pakistani claims that young people achieving Microsoft certification and asserting themselves as the youngest to have done so is something of a trend in Pakistan. The site reported having reached out to Microsoft and getting word back that the company no longer tracks the ages of those who achieve certification.
In 2008, a 9-year-old girl from India achieved certification and reports surfaced that she was the youngest. Another girl who was from Pakistan -- and sadly passed away in January at the age of 16 -- had been certified in 2005 when she was 9 years old.
New record or not, Shafay notes on his website that his life dreams include helping the poor people of his country, and meeting Bill Gates. He is also open to being hired as a consultant.


text: 3rd Grade has had a great start to November! We began the month preparing for SMA's annual Spirit Run which will take place on 11/19. Mrs. Bonakdar stopped by our classroom to explain how students will set individual goals on how many laps they can run. Family and friends will sponsor them. Money raised will be used… Read more »


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BBQ Sauce Fat Toad Farm Style
½ large onion, chopped
½ head garlic, minced
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp salt
1 heaping tsp sweet or smoked paprika
½ tsp cumin
1 tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp red chili flakes or cayenne
½ can (3 oz.) tomato paste
½ cup ketchup
1 cup cider vinegar (or to taste)
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup Fat Toad Farm Cinnamon Caramel
1. In small saucepan, sauté onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and spices in oil.
2. Add tomato paste, ketchup, vinegars, and Worcestershire sauce.
3. Take off heat. Cool for 5 minutes.
4. While still warm, stir in caramel.
5. Fire up the grill. We enjoy this bbq sauce on ribs, chicken, or pizza


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Swiatek stuns Halep as Nadal rolls into French Open quarterfinals
Iga Swiatek from Poland yesterday fulfilled the rites of passage as the debutante by dethroning the top seeded Simona Halep of Romania 6/1, 6/2 in an outstanding display of power and precision at the French Open in Philippe Chatrier Stadium. In the men's event, Rafael Nadal halted the march of another rising youngster when he rolled past America's Sebastian Korda 6/1, 6/1, 6/2 in one hour and 55 minutes. It was Nadal's 100th match victory at Roland Garros and 279th at Grand Slams.
The 19-year old Swiatek dominated play from the outset as she ran the world number number player all over the court with powerful drives. The first set ended 6/1 in a jiffy. Halep lost her serve in the opening game of the second set while her opponent consolidated for 2-0. The Romanian battled to survive four break points in the third game. Any hope of resurgence was promptly checked when Swiatek held serve to lead 3-1.
The fifth game was the battle of the contest. Halep took the first point with a drop shot but quickly found herself down 15-40. She committed her third double fault but cancelled the break threat. She hit a shot into the net post for sixth break point and lost the game when her next shot also landed in that same barrier.
Swiatek conceded the first point on her serve in the fifth game. At 40-30, Swiatek slipped but Halep hit the next shot down the middle and her opponent hit an aggressive backhand shot that Halep missed. Although Halep mad an ace on route to taking the seventh game, the youngster served out the set 6-2 for the match.
She was a finalist at the 2017 Australian Open Junior event that she won at the 2018 French Open. She had won seven titles on the ITF Circuit.
Nadal served first in the opening set and reached 40-30 game point. He paused before serving because of the wind that threw up clay dust. A forehand winner by Korda brought game to deuce. Nadal saved two more break threats before winning the 9-minute game for 1-0. Korda conceded the next game for 2-0. Nadal extended the lead 3-0 and after a second break of Korda's serve, he held for 5-0. He was taken to deuce before winning the set 6-1 after 37 minutes of play.
The American won his service game in the second set while Nadal took six consecutive games for 6-1.
There was a glimmer of hope for Korda when he broke Nadal's serve in the opening game of the third set and held his serve to lead 2-0. However, the 12-time champion in Rolland Garros took the next six games to win the set and match.


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Beans, Okra Fight the Texas Heat
Photo by Carol Ann Sayle
Larry said, "Just don't look at 'em!" But gazing out the kitchen door, I could see them anyway. The newest crop of haricot vert green beans, leaves dark in the hot sun. The darkness preceding death, perhaps. They'd had irrigation water, but what can stand out in the middle of the field and take this horridly hot afternoon sun? Not much.
Near evening, 95 degrees, I ventured out to turn water off of some crops and on for some crops, but I couldn't bring myself to look at the beans. Seeing the young okra, with its limbs hanging straight down, and its leaves shading its stalks was enough of a downer. Tomorrow, I promised the okra--which apparently had gone deaf with the heat, for it made no reply--tomorrow you'll get the water, and a nice straw mulch. To the eye, however, even with those remedies, tomorrow afternoon the okra will look just as sad.
Although the okra and the other crops look ravaged in this record-breaking-June heat, each morning tells the real story.
Water has to be rationed here. Our shallow bottom-land well is able to dole out moisture to only a tenth of the crops each day. Then through the night the well pump keeps working, transferring water from the aquifer to the rain-water tank where we bank it for use the next day. The tank holds 2,500 gallons of water, and that and the results of the day's continuing slow recharge is all we have for the crops' daily thirst.
Although the okra and the other crops look ravaged in this record-breaking-June heat (100 to 107 degrees daily the past few weeks and no rain for the last two months), each morning tells the real story. If the plants are desperate for water, dying even, their leaves will still be touching the ground, but if there is any ground water, it will rise during the night, and the roots, then the stems, will take it up and transport it through the leaves (plumping them upward in the process) and unfortunately transpire it into the atmosphere. This is the natural cycle of course, and the atmosphere is supposed to reciprocate by returning moisture to the soil through rain...
Somehow that part of the bargain is withheld. It seems it will be "afternoon" for months now... And to my moaning, Larry replies, "We may as well look towards fall." Always optimistic about the future, he's sure we'll get rain then.


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Vinayaka Geleyara Balaga could have been a very good innovative
experiment if it would have been a first attempt to create the ambience,
lifestyle and mood of 1980s.
Something similar was tried in the Tamil film industry three years ago by a group of film enthusiasts who had no connection with the film industry and Subramanyapuram created waves and is still regarded as a trendsetter.
Subramanyapuram was made with unknown artists, but the film`s authentic presentation of lifestyle of people in Madurai in the 1980s and the performances of the artists were the high point of the movie.
Maharashtra`s Ganesha festival has become quite popular in Karnataka too and it is celebrated for three days in small localities, while big cities celebrations run for more than even a month.
It is interesting to see how celebration has become a competitive element for various organisers and how some times undesirable elements try to garner attention defeating the purpose. Nagendra Prasad has dug deep into this aspect to show how festivities unite people and bring some entertainment quotient to the poor and middle-class families.
Though Vinayaka Geleyara Balaga has borrowed the plot from a Tamil film, it is based on an incident that occurred in Prakash Nagar, a Bangalore suburb in the mid 1980s.
Lyricist-turned-director Nagendra Prasad has really done a great job in creating a right ambience for the film. He has also ensured a neat performances from artist, and good music and fantastic camera work to capture some fantastic visuals for the songs and fights for the film.
The film ends up as a total entertainer with pleasing visuals, music and catchy dialogues. VGB is certainly the best of Nagendra Prasad`s four directorial ventures so far.
But it is not a completely flawless film. The first half of the film surprises you with a refreshing and near authentic presentation, the director loses grip in the middle of second half where lot of unnecessary commercial elements have been given prominence.
But the film returns on the track in the end with a powerful climax and an excellent good devotional song about Lord Ganesha. The love element intertwined with the story starts off on an interesting note, but somehow it drags in the second half when the story takes several twists and turns.
Five friends, who live in Prakash Nagar, have been organising the Ganesha festival for past two years. Thier leader is Viji who is in love with a neighbourhood girl.
A dreaded don in the locality is advised by a local politician to organise a big Ganesha festival in the locality to earn some popularity, which would enable him to contest in the corporation election.
His goons warn Viji and his friends to stop making arrangements, but Viji and company convinces the don to let them go ahead with the preparations by telling him that if they won`t do it for the third time, it would invite the wrath of the god.
Vijaya Raghavendra sleep walks in his role. He is very good in both emotional and comedy sequences. Meghana Gaonkar is aptly cast for the role. She looks gorgeous in the songs.
Naveen Krishna has done a very good job, but it is veterans Rangayaan Raghu and Shobharaj who steal the show. Gurudatt shines as the don.
Safety Prakash`s steady camera work is a major attraction of the film. Hari Krishna composes three fantastic songs including the much popular Yaarivali Hudugi and the devotional number Vakrathunda.
Malavalli Sai Krishna has penned funny and catchy dialogues.
Vinayaka Geleyara Balaga is a thoroughly enjoyable fare.


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Canada bans air cargo from Yemen
Germany grounds Yemeni air travel, U.K bans toner in carry-on
Canada has banned all air cargo originating from Yemen in the wake of last week's discovery of explosive material on flights bound for the United States.
The ban was not instituted based on intelligence specific to Canada, said Transport Minister Chuck Strahl. It is instead an interim measure to keep people safe while the government decides what further steps might be necessary, he said.
Earlier Monday, Germany suspended all passenger flights from Yemen until further notice. It had previously banned all cargo flights from the country after it was determined that one of the packages was routed to London through the UPS hub in Cologne.
Britain has banned all unaccompanied freight packages from Yemen and Somalia, and barred all passengers from transporting toner cartridges larger than 500 grams in their carry-on luggage as of Monday night.
Air security tightened
Officials on both sides of the Atlantic say they're reviewing air cargo security. In many countries, including Canada, air cargo is often not screened as rigorously as passengers and luggage.
"If they can send explosives through air cargo, they can do a tremendous amount of damage to planes, material and even to people," said Peter St. John, an aviation security expert in Winnipeg.
One of the two bombs mailed from Yemen did travel on a passenger plane. The Canadian government says about 75 per cent of commercial cargo in the country is transported in aircrafts that also transport passengers.
Earlier Monday, a team of U.S. investigators headed to Yemen to help search for suspects in the mail bomb plot.
British Prime Minister David Cameron says the powerful bombs, which contained industrial-grade explosives and were hidden in packed computer printers, may have been aimed at bringing down the planes.
The Yemen-based group al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has been linked to the bomb plot because of the explosive pentaerythritol tetranitrate, or PETN, which was used by the group in the bombing attempt last Christmas Day of a Detroit-bound airliner.
The two devices contained 300 grams and 400 grams, respectively, of the highly explosive material, enough for a "significant" explosion, a German official said Monday.
U.S. authorities also had intelligence that Yemeni al-Qaeda was planning this operation, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss matters of intelligence.
Two suspects sought
There are two main suspects in last week's incident.
The first is Saudi-born Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri, a bomb-making expert for al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, who is wanted for making the device in the attempted Christmas Day bombing.
London's the Sun newspaper reports the other main suspect is Anwar al-Awlaki, a U.S.-born member of the same al-Qaeda group.
The tip that led to thwarting the bomb plot came from a leading al-Qaeda militant in Yemen who surrendered to Saudi Arabia last month, officials said Monday.
Officials said Jabir al-Fayfi, a Saudi militant who had joined al-Qaeda in Yemen, told Saudi officials about the plan. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.
With files from The Associated Press


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Val Kilmer + Harmony Korine + roller rink + motivational speaking….if that doesn't get your cinematic nether regions wet, then we don't know what to tell you. But there is perhaps no pairing more inspired or more insane heading to cinemas this year than the actor and director on their upcoming segment in the omnibus project "The Fourth Dimension." And with a trailer now landing for the movie, we have our first look at their collaboration. And yeah, it looks amazing.
Not much is known plot-wise about the short, except what we just told you, but last fall it was revealed that the filmmakers involved in the project — which also includes Alexey Fedorchenko and Jan Kwiecinski — had to adhere to bunch of random Dogme-style rules that included stuff like: This film must be the best film you have ever made; This film has to have real life and You cannot fail. You can read more of the random guidelines here.
Either way, we're stoked. "The Fourth Dimension" will premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival next month and this might be the best thing Kilmer has done in forever. Watch below. [THR]
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Likky Pie
Or Leeky Pie. A very old traditional Cornish recipe and I took as a reference my old 1920s recipe book.
"wash, clean and chop about half-dozen good sized leeks" Well that was easy to understand and do!
"put in a pan and cover with boiling water, drain in a colander; then put a layer in a pie dish, then some fat bacon, very finely sliced. Then another layer of leek and bacon until dish is full"
Well that was pretty easy to understand. The thinly sliced leeks needed blanching and then draining to remove the moisture. But the fatty bacon was another matter. I have mentioned before our flavourless watery [13%] bacon. So - I am sorry to say I plumped for Pancetta! [Sainsbury's cubetti]
"salt to taste, sufficient milk to cover. Boil for half an hour on the top of stove"
I did not salt each layer as the pancetta would do its work, just plenty of freshly ground pepper and some sea salt flakes on the top. I also pressed the leeks and cubetti firmly down as I did not want the crust to sink later on. Our forebears would have used full cream raw milk, of course. I used semi skimmed and hoped for the best, with a knob of butter for luck!!!! see photos on my blog.
I placed the filled pie dish in the oven instead of on the top of my "stove", covered with tin foil for the said half an hour but added another 15 mins as it would take longer to come to the boil. Then put it back again, uncovered for another 10 mins. [after taking it out, I left it to cool a bit before adding the crust].
Meanwhile I made the crust, immediately before using to cover the pie. Never store or keep suet pastry. Use immediately.
"Cover with a good suet pastry". Suet pastry is little used these days but it is very easy. Just half Atora [I used vegetable] to Self Raising Flour [I used 6 oz flour and 3 oz suet] for this pie] and some salt. As suet is such a heavy fat, always use SR Flour when making suet crust. Bind the mix with about 4 fl oz very cold water. Gently knead, then roll out. Not too thinly. Cover the pie, making sure you do not grease or press the edge as you have to lift off the crust before the end of the baking.
No timings or temperatures are given. Suet pastry was so commonly used everyone would know how long it took in their own ovens!! I preheated the oven to 210 then after the first 10 mins turned it down to 180 deg C.
"ten minutes before ready for the table, beat up 2 eggs and a spoonful of cream, remove the pastry and lay the beaten eggs over the cooked leeks. Replace the pastry and put back in the oven for ten minutes". If there is any liquid remaining in the leeks before you do this, I think you need to drain it off first. Which I did. See photos.
I baked the Leeky Pie for 35 mins then took it out and carefully, with a slice, lifted the crust off, forking through gently and pouring off most of the remaining milk, [not much] then pouring over the beaten eggs and cream. Replaced the suet crust lid and baked for a further 10 mins. But I lifted the crust off for a peek and it needed another 5 mins. I cooled for 15 mins before cutting through. It looked good! It tasted good too! The suet crust was not as heavy as I had anticipated either. That could easily be replaced by Rough Puff Pastry.
I wonder why this dish had died out? Until I started my research I had not heard of it.


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As is usual in the summer months, my gaming has been a tad slow, (people are busy, on holiday, or working long hours), though a few of us have been able to work on a set of DBx rules for our Kallistra 10mm figures, which are coming on nicely & with a few more playtests & input from our other gaming chums, should be finished soon.
I thought I'd post about our damp week in Scotland - we had a pleasant enough time, staying near Dunbar, just south of Edinburgh, the only downside was that it rained. Pretty much all the time! Though it could have been worse, as there was flooding the week after we left. And it was that week in which those riots were on in London & other places too. Disgraceful behaviour I thought, which deserved a much more harsh response from the police & others, but hey - lets not get into that on here eh!
So, Scotland - a pleasant place to go, friendly people all round, and the food & beer was good & not too expensive either overall, which is worth noting in these difficult economic times. Which, however difficult things are, does not excuse rioting!! There, I've gone there again, I must stop that. Worth noting too that there was no such trouble in Scotland, as far as I know.
Here's a picture of a 25pdr, which for some reason was overlooking the bay at Dunbar. I don't know why it was there, but it was in good condition and my boys wondered if we could take it home on our tow bar. It would look good in our front garden I think.
An older artillery piece in a rare dry time at Edinburgh Castle, a marvelous place to visit. Whilst Mrs Peeler plans where to go next, Peeler Jnr keeps an eye on the nearby cafe ... as always, thinking of his next meal. Or snack. Or in between snacks snack. There are some good Regimental Museums here, which are well worth a look.
Good old General Haig, a much maligned fellow these days, looking very up for it.
There was a pretty good waxworks display of various events, this one caught our attention -
.. as Mrs P's late Father was called Alexander Stewart! It did make us chuckle as he'd probably quite like to wear that get up himself. And he'd probably claim some sort of ancestorship too, knowing him!
I can't quite recall if this next one was in the Castle or the nearby 'Edinburgh Dungeons', which were really good, but Peeler Jnr, being dressed in black, curled up in a dark corner & pretty much nearly killed me off as I turned the corner whereupon he unravelled himself and gave out a scary zombie like screech. It was a good job I wasn't armed, or he'd have been history on a reflex, I can tell you.
As you do, we went for a drive out over the countryside, and came across this - which looks like an entrance to an underground area. I presume it was something to do with drainage or perhaps an underground reservoir, or maybe a basement as in a recent dire Danny Dyer film I've seen.
Whichever it was, it was locked, and as we pondered it, the mist began to roll on in. We made our excuses & left swiftly, before anything bad could happen.
So there it is, not too many photos taken really, due to the poor weather. Did I mention it rained all damned week? I think I did. It's raining as I post this up, hopefully the weather will improve for this coming weekend, as it's the nearby Pickering War Weekend - large hurrahs, it's always a good do & seems to kickstart our autumnal wargaming period.


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A wonderful way to understand and appreciate a culture is by getting to know the way food is prepared and served. Great civilizations create grand cuisines where every dish is a reflection of how a people and a place (a nation and its country) spawn and sustain their togetherness in the act of enjoying a meal.
"Do not underestimate the dish by calling it just food. The blessed thing is an entire civilization in itself!" said Abdülhak Şinasi Hisar, a Turkish Novelist.
For those who travel to engage in culinary pursuits and for the ordinary tourist, the Turkish Cuisine is worthy of exploration. The variety of dishes that make up the cuisine, the ways they all come together in feast-like meals, and the evident intricacy of the craft offer enough material for life-long study and enjoyment. It is not easy to discern a basic element or a single dominant feature, like the Italian pasta or the French sauce. Whether in a humble home, at a famous restaurant, or at dinner in a Bey's mansion, familiar patterns of this rich and diverse cuisine are always present. It is a rare art which satisfies the senses while reconfirming the higher order of society, community and culture.
What makes Turkish Cuisine glorious?
Turkish cuisine has the privilege of being at the crossroads of the Near East and the Mediterranean, resulting in a long and complex history of Turkish migration from the steppes of Central Asia (where they mingled with the Chinese) to Europe (where their influence was felt all the way to Vienna).
Such unique characteristics and extensive history have bestowed upon Turkish cuisine a rich selection of dishes all of which can be prepared and combined with others to create meals of almost infinite variety, but always in a non-arbitrary way. This led to a cuisine that is open to improvisation through development of regional styles, while retaining its deep structure, as all great works of art do.
Anyone who visits Turkey or has a meal in a Turkish home, regardless of the success of the particular cook, is sure to notice the uniqueness of the cuisine.
A survey of the types of dishes according to their ingredients may be helpful to explain the basic structure of Turkish cuisine. All dishes can be conveniently categorized into grain-based, grilled meats, vegetables, seafood, desserts and beverages. For Turkish people, the setting is as important as the food itself. Therefore, food-related places need to be considered, as well as the dining protocol.
Adapted from Turkey.Home


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I love this stitch, its simple and neat but looks like its taken more effort. What's not to like.
So, where do we start?
Well, we actually start with the thread. You need to use a thread that has multiple strands to it, because you sew between those strands. Embroidery thread, or floss, will be perfect.
So you've got your thread, and now you need to make a reasonably small stitch.
There's no hard and fast rule as to the size of your stitches but if you're not sure then do a few practice runs to decide what you want. Sometimes the right stitch size will change from project to project, so don't worry about it too much. It's not a make or break situation, thankfully!
Once you've got your first stitch, take the needle and bring it up through the fabric and through the middle of your first stitch so that needle and thread literally "split" the stitch.
Then all you need to do is to bring your needle down through the fabric as if you were sewing a second "normal" stitch.
And then you simply go back to the first step of bringing the needle up through the fabric and your newly made stitch.
After that it's simply a case of repeating these two steps – make a stitch, "split" the stitch and so on until you have completed your line of sewing and you have a beautiful set of split stitches. Ta da!


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The reader might just ask: what was Mr. Ganesh's latest feuilleton about? The staff at The Financial Times photo archive, could only find a 1967 Getty photo, that looked like a relic from the 'Swinging Sixties': recall Antonioni's Blowup? A very young David Hemmings, camera in hand, cavorts with two giggly bikini clad models? That would have been part of a photo essay, that might have appeared in Look magazine. Life would have carefully staged a shoot of a 'Happening' produced by Allen Kaprow. And the model wouldn't have looked so much like Raquel Welsh in One Million Years B.C., circa 1966!
'The New Prurience' is that like '50 is the new 40′? it kind of reeks of Helen Gurley Brown's Cosmo Magazine, circa 1965, after her Best Seller 'Sex and the Single Girl', which was a Madison Ave. reply to Betty Friedan's 1963 Feminist tract The Feminine Mystique?
Though Mr. Ganesh festoons his essay with references from Philip Larkin: Read his 'Required Writing: Miscellaneous Pieces 1955-1982' to find out that Larkin thought Charlie Parker a psychotic, who was destroying 'Jazz'! 'The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P.' by Adelle Waldman, and reactionary lush Michel Houellebecq as pioneer: the Françoise Sagan, not the Sartre, of 21st Century French literary decadence?
Mr. Ganesh manufactures his own political opportunities, for naming and shaming the amorphous enemies of respectable bourgeois existence, those nihilists like Russel Brand. Except that he now preaches sobriety as a way of life, not to speak of respect for others.
American Writer


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Every single person that you meet is either a source of business for you or a source of referral business for you. That being said, no matter which category he or she falls into, we can agree that every single person that you meet becomes a lead. Furthermore, as you meet more people and spend more time prospecting, you will naturally see your lead conversion increase — that is, as long as you have the right practices and tools in place.
To help me break down the best practices around lead conversion, I brought in our Metrix Head Coach, Julie Youngblood. Julie has coached over 100 Metrix clients and has helped each of them establish the proper lead conversion systems and practices. She has listed her top four best practices below:
- Practice your scripts every day. You must practice your scripts for 30 minutes each day, Monday through Friday. Julie recommends to start with one script at a time and master each one. Pick a script that you want to focus on over the next 30 days and read it aloud as fast as you can every single day. Challenge yourself to see how many times you can read the script in your 30-minute window — maybe even set a goal for yourself. If you set a goal to read the script 20 times in 30-minutes, that is 400 times that you will read the script. Note: this exercise should be done on your own. Julie believes that if you can hear it, see it, say it, you will be set up for success!
- Role-play your scripts with other agents. For 30-minutes, twice per week Julie suggests partnering up with another real estate agent to practice your script. Practicing your script with another agent is key, as he or she will be able to give you the best and real-life objections that he or she has heard before. This role-play will help prepare you for when you put your scripts into action! This can be done in-person or over the phone,
- Secret to lead conversion: consistent follow up. It is vital that you have an effective system in place for following up and that you USE it. Upon receiving a lead, especially within the first few days, you should know the exact steps that you need to take to successfully convert the lead. Once you have established a system, follow it and track it for efficiency.
- Julie's script that works every time. Right before you hang up the phone, ask "Out of curiosity, if you had a real estate question, who would you call?". If the person on the other line says, "I don't know, I don't have anybody", then you can say, "Well, I would love to be your resource! What is your best email address?". This is helpful in building your database from cold calls