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Many believe that the number of rooms that a hotel has determines its success. Remember! It's definitely not just the size, capacity or number of rooms that determines the popularity and success of a hotel. So, now that Saudi Arabia is all set to have Abraj Kudai Hotel – the biggest hotel in the world, competed by 2017, its seems only justified to have a look at the top 10 largest and grandest hotel in the world that can sweep you off your feet.
After studying the services offered, hotel capacity, and a lot more about the most extravagant hotels in the world, we have compiled as comprehensive list of the 10 largest hotels in the world that can leave you baffled. And Las Vegas holds the record of having six of the largest hotels in the world. Yes, you heard that right – The Sin City, where partying is on from dawn to dusk, beats the rest of the world when it comes to housing the largest hotels.
Come with us on an enlightening journey that will make you witness some of the best in the industry. Before reading on, remember, our ranking is based on the number of rooms that these biggest hotels have on offer for the richest in the world. We invite you to hop on with us on this journey across the world as we go hunting for the most extravagantly luxurious and grand hotels across the world that can leave you gasping for more.
1. First World Hotel & Plaza [ book here ]
First World Hotel & Plaza, located at the Genting Highlands is a three star Malaysian hotel. It has the maximum number of guest rooms in the world. With its 7,352 rooms, this hotel has even made it to the Guinness World Record for being the largest hotel, with respect to having the maximum number of rooms. This hotel, since 2006, has housed about 3.5 million guests. Phew! Now, isn't that quite a number?
This hotel comprises of two towers and has a huge variety of rooms on offer for its visitors. It has around 3164 standard rooms. The deluxe rooms can be counted up to 2922. The hotel is not just limited to its deluxe room. Its class and status can be well assessed from the its 649 deluxe triple rooms or 480 superior deluxe rooms. Add on to this another 136 deluxe triple rooms, superior world club rooms that boast of some really exclusive interiors and room decor.
Interestingly, First World Hotel is first South East Asian hotel to have set up an e-kiosk for to facilitate super fast check-ins and check-outs. Adding on to this long list of super facilities provided by the hotel, it has recently got itself a brand new block, which not only has a 20th Century Fox World Theme Park but also a Snow World and Video Game Park for the entertainment of their guests.
To avail a basic package at the First World Hotel & Plaza one should be ready to shell out anything between 75MYR to 160 MYR for an Y5 Deluxe room. Remember, the rates are higher on weekends and holidays. For more details related to hotel room rates and packages you could visit its official website.
So, next time when you are planning a trip t Malaysia and have the moolah to spend, then don't forget to check into this hotel and enjoy a king-sized life for a day or two.
2. The Venetian &The Palazzo, Las Vegas [ book here ]
Situated at the Paradise's Las Vegas Strip, Nevada, The Venetian &Palazzo combined together makes it to being the second largest resort in the world. The hotel has a five diamond rating. What more, this happens to be the only all-suite property in the entire Strip area.
This combined complex comprising The Venetian, The Palazzo and Sands Expo Convection Center has around 3068 suites and 4049 rooms available for its visitors. The cost (per night) for these rooms ranges anything from $169 – $10,000.
The Venetian Resort Casino Hotel & The Palazzo combined together offers myriad options for shopping, entertainment and dining. Guess what? The visitors don't even need to step out to access various entertainment properties offered by this hotel.
The Venetian's design has been heavily inspired Venice. Designed by Kling Stubbins, the hotel even has gondolas and waterway paths to move around the hotel premise. This 36 stories high rise hotel operated by Las Vegas sands. This hotel which has used Venice as an inspiration has several replicas of famous Venetian architecture that can leave you mesmerised. Some these replicas include Lion of Venice Column, the Rialto Bridge, Palazzo Ducale and many more.
It even houses the Guggenheim Hermitage Museum within the resort. It has around 1,013 suites and even a wedding chapel.
Coming to Palazzo part, it's and all suite hotel. Most of its guest room measures around 720 square feet. It houses the famous Las Vegas Car Museum within its multi-storied restaurant – Dal Toro. It has some exotic automobiles like the Bugatti, Spyker, Saleen, and Koenigsegg on display. Coming to the shopping part, The Palazzo has some of the most upwardly mobile stores. Right from Jimmy Choo to Bvlgari, you name it and it has it. It even has New York's Barneys.
3. Izmailovo, Moscow [ book here ]
Moscow's Izmailovo hotel comprises of four hotels. And each hotel has 30 floors. The four sections called Alfa, Beta and Gamma-Delta when clubbed together has a total of 7500 rooms on offer. It was built during the 1980 Summer Olympics, and has a close proximity to many tourist destinations in Moscow.
This hotel has around 16 restaurants, bars, post offices and even banks at their guest's disposal. They even take care of museum, taxis and railway tickets.
4. MGM Grand Las Vegas Resort & Casino [ book here ]
Neatly tucked in at Las Vegas Strip, Nevada, The MGM Grand Las Vegas is humongous. Spread over 6.6 acres, this hotel has about 6,852 rooms. Its main building comprises of 30 floors. The entire property that houses night clubs, casinos and shops also boasts of five indoor swimming pools, rivers and even waterfalls. Well, if this isn't enough, then many would be surprised to hear that pedestrians in this hotel are allowed to move on to other neighbourhood casinos using overhead bridges and not via street level crossings.
Remember this hotel has the maximum number of guest rooms available for the visitors. Built in 1993, MGM grand boasts of being the most iconic hotel in Las Vegas and in the world. It has the reputation of having been the venue for innumerable boxing events, performances and concerts.
It also houses the Studio Walk, where the guests get a chance to try their hand in solving murder mysteries using an interactive platform. It also has the largest gaming section in Las Vegas. It measures around 172,500 square feet and has around 2500 gaming machines and 139 poker tables.
The slot machines installed at MGM Grand has multi-game machines, progressive slots and video pokers. The maximum payout made by these machines is $500,000.
When in MGM Grand you can bet also. They have about 24 43-inch plasma TVs installed for the betters. One can bet on a wide range of sports, right from soccer to football to MMA and boxing and more.
5. Disney's All-Star Resort [ book here ]
The Disney's All-Star resort belongs to the Value Resort Category of the Walt Disney chain of World Resorts. Situated in the southern part of the Walt Disney World Resort property in Orlando, can be segregated into three resort categories – Disney's All-star Sports Resort, Disney's All-Star Music Resort, and Disney's All-Star Movies Resort. Each resort interestingly has its own theme and decor to appeal to its guests.
Disney's All-Star Music Resort has around 1818 rooms. While the sport and movies resort have 1920 rooms reach. They add on to a total of 5658 rooms. A typical room in any of these resorts measure around 250 square feet and have two double beds, televisions, megaphones etc. The family suites of these resorts can accommodate around six individuals and have a crib facility too.
They have an intermission food court, singing spirits pool bar and even pizza delivery facility. Its Mickey's gift shop offers a whole range of Disney goodies and souvenirs.
Ten individual buildings comprise this resort. They have been clubbed into five pairs. Each pair has a separate musical theme say like Calypso, jazz, Broadway shows or country music etc.
6. The Wynn and Encore, Las Vegas [ book here ]
The Wynn and its sister hotel Encore, when clubbed together makes it to the top five largest hotels in the world. With Wynn having around 2714 suites and Encore having around 2,034 rooms, they together add on to a total of 4,748 guest rooms that are available to the guests on any given day.
The Wynn & Encore has been built in the Madalay Bay area of the Vegas Strip. They offer some of the most luxurious features to their guests but with a spin to indulge in. The Wynn offers a huge golf course to its guests. To book a room at the Wynn and Encore, one has to bear a minimum pocket pinch of $120. Of course, this is the lowest price, base on room standards, the prices vary.
This hotel property, also boasts of a Lake of Dreams, which a waterfall stretching across an area of about 3 acres.
Recently, the owner of the The Wynn and Encore property announced their mega expansion programme. This is a huge project with a humongous budget of $1.5 billion. According to this project, the owners are planning to set up the Wynn Paradise Park, a lagoon and add another 1000 rooms to the existing property. If all goes well then these new inclusions will become operational by 2020.
7. The Luxor, Las Vegas [ book here ]
The Luxor is yet another classy hotel property amidst the Nevada desert of Las Vegas. An offering of the MGM Resorts Group this hotel derives inspiration from mystical Egypt. Its decor, design and architecture reflect a complete Egyptian aura. The hotel even houses a replica of the Sphinx. The hotel has been named after the Egyptian City of Luxor.
The Luxor has around 4,400 rooms available for its guests. And to book a room in this three and a half star hotel, you should be ready to cough out at least a minimum of $40 to book a room there.
The Luxor, Las Vegas has a convention centre, swimming pools, spa and salons for the recreation of its guests. It even has a wedding chapel to facilitate destination weddings. The Luxor even has its own set of theatres and night clubs that have hosted several celebrity parties.
The star attraction of this hotel however, remains, the Luxor Sky Beam, the world's strongest light beam. Around 39 lamps of 7,000 watt have been used to create this mega beam of light which is also a landmark for aviators when it comes to navigation.
8. Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas [ book here ]
Well, here comes another surprise. The Madalay Bay resort happens to another Las Vegas hotel that has managed to make it to the list of the 10 largest hotels in the world. Like most of the Vegas hotels the original Mandalay bay Hotel later had a sister hotel built to increase its guest capacity. They together house around 4337 rooms. Rooms in Mandalay bay costs you around $77 a night, however, if you want to book a room at its sister concern – THEhotel, then you should be ready to spend a few more extra bucks, as it houses some of the most extravagant suits in the entire Las Vegas area.
The top three floor of Mandalay Bay are Penthouses meant to be used by guests. It also has a huge convection centre, which is supposed to be the biggest in the entire United States.
Other key attractions of this property are the Mandalay Beach and its Bay pool, which has a lazy river and even a waterfall. It also has the Mooreas, which happen to be European style pools that not only has private bars but also allows their female guests to get a bit adventures and go bathing topless.
Mandalay bay's Shark reef is another key highlights. It also houses innumerable shops, where you can unleash the shopaholic in you. And also it has number of restaurants where you can tickle you taste buds.
9. Ambassador City Jomtien, Thailand [ book here ]
Ambassador City is a humongous hotel in Pattaya, Thailand. Spread over 40 acres of land this hotel has an elaborate pool, which happens to be the largest in Asia. It has been segregated into four sections and each section has its own signature designing. The Ambassador is a four star hotel and would cost you around $38 or more per night, depending on your choice of room.
Ambassador City has one of the best sports centre. Not only is it fully equipped but also houses the most modern sport equipments. They also have trained instructors. They have about 6 squash courts, badminton courts and tennis facility. They also offer a fabulous water sports amenities. Right from jet skiing to banana boat splits they offer it all and more.
This hotel also has a well equipped business centre. They also have a huge shopping area that houses a market place, a mini mart, and more. They also offer babysitting services to their visitors apart from shuttle and taxi services.
10. Excalibur Hotel & Casino [ book here ]
The Excalibur happens to be the grandest hotel in Las Vegas. Named after the mythical sword of King Arthur, this hotel has managed to make it to the top ten. It comprises of 2 towers and has around 28 floors. The hotel has around 3981 rooms for its guests. Keeping in sync with its name, the hotel has some decorations/rooms interiors based on medieval themes.
Located at the Las Vegas Boulevard-Tropicana intersection, this hotel is linked to neighbourhood casinos by pedestrian bridges. Also a free tram service connects Excalibur with the sister properties of MGM Resorts.
Interestingly, the land where Excalibur stands today was the assigned site for Xanadu Resorts. But the project never materialised for various reasons. This property, which has been designed as a theme resort, is popular among casino operators.
This hotel housed a huge gaming area that has both table games and slot-machines. It has a pool area, fitness centre and a spa. It has two music areas – Octane Lounge & The Lounge, which comes alive during the weekends.
This hotel has three permanent shows to its credit. Namely, Thunder From Down Under, The Australian Bee Gees Show and Tournament of Kings are the three shows that keep the guests of Excalibur entertained.
Phew! Now that's quite an exhaustive list of the largest hotels in the world, with over thousand of rooms at your service. Seems like, without a map or guidance from the hotel staff, one for sure could get lost in their grand premise, isn't it?
Most of these hotels, have a story of their own, their own unique features that make them stand apart from the rest and guess that is what has made them make it to this exhaustive list of the most extravagantly large hotels. So, next time around if you decide to go globetrotting, then don't you forget to book a room at and spend a day or two in one of these hotels! But of course, do so if your pocket permits.


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Proposed changes to the New York City waterfront zoning regulations have led some development experts to fret that its level of detail and added regulations will be of little assistance — if any — to the city's anemic level of building battered by the current recession.
Most of the new regulations laid out in a 117-page Department of City Planning document change the way developers can build public space along the waterfront, with specific descriptions on how pathways, benches and plants should be arranged, as well as how much space should surround a building for aesthetic or safety reasons.
Critics say the new regulations, as presented, would in some cases reduce the footprint of buildings and add highly specific details that will make development more difficult.
The proposal will be discussed at a hearing of the City Planning Commission tomorrow morning.
Jerilyn Perine, former commissioner of Housing Preservation and Development and currently executive director at the research group Citizens Housing and Planning Council, said the new proposal is an important improvement over the current rules. However, its highly technical nature will be a burden to developers who must design public space in order to develop along the waterfront.
The revisions create a situation where private developers, who receive no bonuses for their public space development, have, "an overabundance of prescriptive requirements," Perine said in an e-mail. "The result could sadly be little development and a continued lack of public access to the waterfront."
The new waterfront text amendment was drafted by City Planning to simplify and update the design regulations first passed in 1993 that regulate development and access along the city's entire coastal regions.
In general, the proposal applies to new commercial and residential construction within medium- and high-density zoning districts. In lower density residential and manufacturing districts, it will apply to commercial and community facility developments. Many of the proposal's elements have been included in earlier developments, such as the Ikea store on the Brooklyn waterfront in Red Hook.
Some rules mandate social seating at a certain angle, and a certain amount of shading at certain times of the year.
Marcie Kesner, planning and development specialist with law firm Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel, said she had mixed feelings about the proposal.
"It is great the city has taken a look at this again. A lot of the changes will be helpful, but some may be overly detailed," she said.
After the hearing tomorrow, the proposal goes to a vote by City Planning which is expected for April, then the City Council has 50 days to consider the proposal, an agency spokesperson said.
Some architects, such as Stan Eckstut, principal with Ehrenkrantz Eckstut & Kuhn Architects, who developed the master plan for Battery Park City, praised the new rules, and did not find the details troubling.
"Buildings are only a means to make great public spaces," he said.
Perine from Citizens Housing and Planning Council said the complexity was part of a trend to increase government oversight that would be a burden on the city.
"There is this increasing specificity to zoning regulations which creates more and more challenges for the development community, which also creates more challenges" for enforcing those regulations, she said.

subset: commoncrawl


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HCI in a Box – mobile Datacentre
I built a mobile HCI system for my on-site presentations at the customers. You can read the hardware/software construction steps here:
So you could call this article Part 3
First of all, let's look at the requirements for this HCI System in a Box. The most important thing for me was that it is portable and quickly operational.
The customer and me simply don't have the time to set up a functional showcase in 15-20 minutes. Also I did not want to check every time whether all cables are there. So I thought, that it is a good idea, to built a portable system.…


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- A tarchive that contains not only the diffs required for bash-1.14.2 (and later?) to compile under A/UX, but also a precompiled version that was created under A/UX 3.1.1.
- A collection of diffs and patches to compile emacs version 19.19 thru 19.22 under A/UX. Contributed byPaul Traina (firstname.lastname@example.com) and Dennis Govoni (firstname.lastname@example.com).
emacs 19.28
- Port of emacs 19.28 for A/UX 3.1(.1).
- Patches from Phillip P. Porch for emacs 19.7 for A/UX.
gcc 2.5.7 (binaries)
- The 2.5.7 version of GNU C compiler (gcc) for A/UX, ported by John Coolidge @ Apple. This is the already compiled binaries for use under A/UX 3.0.x|3.1.
- The "original" version of the 'specs' file for gcc-2.5.7 had a slight bug in it, such that __STDC__ was still defined even if '-traditional' was used. This 'fix' corrects that problem. The above distribution already has this fix in there, but if yours doesn't, then please rename this file 'specs' and copy it over to .../lib/gcc/aux/2.5.7.
gcc-2.6.3 binaries for A/UX
- Complete binary package of gcc 2.6.3 for A/UX. It requires that it be installed in /usr/local/Gnu for it to work. Based on the work done by John Coolidge.
gcc 2.7.2 binaries for A/UX
- Complete binary package of gcc 2.7.2 for A/UX. It requires that it be installed in /usr/local/Gnu for it to work. Based on the work done by John Coolidge.
gcc 2.7.2 diffs for A/UX
- Diffs required to get gcc 2.7.2 to compile, run and work under A/UX. You need gcc to compile gcc, so snag one of the binaries if you want to recompile it.
gdb 4.12
- Binary executable of gdb (v4.12) for A/UX. Kudos to John Coolidge.
gsb 4.12 A/UX source
- Full source distribution of gdb 4.12 for A/UX.
gdb 4.12 diffs
- Diffs (patches) to apply to the original source of gdb 4.12 to allow you to compile and run it under A/UX.
- Ported by John Coolidge, the full g++ package for use with gcc.
- Binary release of GNUplot v3.5 for A/UX. Works _very_ nicely and is good to have around! Kudos to Eric Rosen for providing this!
- The binaries, diffs and sources for GNUtar v1.11.2 for A/UX. From Dennis Govoni (email@example.com).
- Tar archive of the GNU zip compression package. Includes all binaries and man pages for A/UX. Needed to decompression '*.gz' files.
grep v2.0
- Precompiled binary of GNUgrep v2.0 for A/UX.
make 3.74
- Complete source and executable binary for GNUmake-3.74 for A/UX. Many packages require/expect either GNUmake or Berkmake.
make 3.74
malloc library
- Ported GNUmalloc library for A/UX.
- Port of GNUman for A/UX... I don't use it, but you may find it useful.
- A directory containing the source, binaries and diffs for the mtools package, which provide DOS floppy disk access utilities.
- "Latest" version of the 'tcsh' shell, ported for A/UX
- The precompiled binaries for Tex. Has a README file to help is setting it up. Provided by Peter Epsen (email@example.com)
- Precompiled binaries of texinfo v3.1 for A/UX. Provided by Phillip Porch (firstname.lastname@example.com)
- Small patch to allow you to compile texinfo 3.1 under A/UX. In case you want to do it yourself :)
xemacs 19.11 patch file
- If you like, you can use these patches to compiled xemacs-19.11 yourself.
Copyright 1994-2018 Unix Guru Universe


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Character and Influence
John, though often cruel and treacherous, was an excellent administrator, much concerned with rendering justice among his subjects. The basic cause of his conflicts with the barons was not that he was an innovator in trying to wield an absolute royal power, but that in so doing he ignored and contravened the traditional feudal relationship between the crown and the nobility. The modern hostile picture of John is primarily the work of subsequent chroniclers, mainly Roger of Wendover and Matthew of Paris.
Sections in this article:
- Introduction
- Early Life
- Under Richard I
- Reign
- Character and Influence
- Bibliography
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2022, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: British and Irish History: Biographies


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Don't You Understand Me?
The STORY:
Nick figured that Heather was just another one of those prospects that had to run through every objection she could think of before making a decision. For the past 15 minutes, he had been doing nothing else and he was, he admitted to himself, gradually losing his patience.
"So just what is it that you want me to hear?" responded Heather.
"Well, it looks as if the picture I'm trying to paint for you isn't what you want to see. If it isn't, how do I clear things up for you?"
"That's simple, Nick. You tell me that spending this amount of money is an investment, and I have to say that the amount you've mentioned is way out of range of what I've heard from others who have sat right there in that chair."
"In light of our reputation for service, can you foresee a time when you'll need service?"
"I have to say it, Nick...that's about the sixth time I've said something and you just don't hear the message. I tell you that your product is high-priced compared to what others sell it for, and you start telling me about my people yelling for service. I hear them Nick, but I don't hear you."
"I was just trying to make the point that while others can sell you the product, can you see them, in the future when we both know service will be needed, servicing it?"
"Let me hear it from you Nick, if I buy from the competition, will you come and fix it later? Either I pay them for service or I pay you, what's the difference. Sounds like I save some money up front, and then get you to service it - music to my ears."
"How do you know that we'll provide servicing to someone who didn't buy from us? It would appear to me that if I had to see client X who bought from me, or client Y who did not, I'd keep client X in view."
"Tell you what, Nick," said Heather with a grimace on her face, "I'm going with the competition. Hear me?"
The RESULT:
Heather is frustrated with Nick to such an extent that she has made the decision never to buy anything from Nick. From Nick's point of view, he's got a prospect who is just coming up with the standard, run-of-the-mill objections and enjoys playing hard-to-get.
What do you think would have happened if Nick had simply said to Heather, "I don't think you understand me," and waited for a response?
She most likely would have responded that she didn't, and further she would have come back and said that Nick didn't understand her.
At that point Nick could have said, "What do you want to do about this sorry state?"
Either Heather would have ended it and left, thereby saving Nick from wasting time, or she would have reopened the possibility of a sale happening.
Instead, Nick assumed Heather was just coming up with objectives that he needed to overcome in order for him to do his job.
Wasn't his job to understand Heather and allow her to come to a buying decision? Or was his job to continue to misunderstand her and finally drive her from the store without any chance of her buying from his company?
You can choose to understand what a prospect is saying or ignore the message. What is easier to do than ask, "I kind of get the feeling that you are talking about X and I'm talking about Y. How do you feel about it?"
At best, the prospect will say she understands what you are saying perfectly and keep going. Great, that's what you want.
However, if you get the other response, that's your alarm bell to let you know that the two of you are not communicating. Now you need to restart your communication channels so that you both understand where you are both going.
"Don't know where I lost your message. If it wouldn't be a problem, could we start back at the beginning again? Go ahead."
Either the prospect will think you are nuts and leave, though the chance of this happening is minimal, or the prospect will feel that you are one of the only people she has talked to that really wants to understand her needs. This feeling alone will do more to make the sale than anything else you do.
Most of us are absolutely convinced that everything we say is crystal clear and that no one could ever misunderstand a single world - now did you read that has "word" or "world?"
No one is better qualified than our former and current clients to share the benefits and advantages of Sandler Training. Read more details about our new Referral Challenge for 2017 or call 732-767-5351 for details.
Unless you have more new opportunities than you know what to do with, you are faced with: "Do I continue to do what I have been doing...and get the same results?" or "Am I ready to make changes ?"
If you answered the second question with a "YES", you deserve to learn how you can change yours and your Sales Team beliefs, behaviors, and techniques to find greater success in your business.
"I believe most of our experience with customer service reps is mediocre. And we can easily recall our best and worst customer service representative experiences. "
Cal Thomas, VP of Sales, Shulman & Associates/ Sandler Training


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Sony Corporation announced that its digital cinema projection system completed the full range of compliance tests for the specifications required by Digital Cinema Initiatives, LLC ("DCI"), a joint venture of six Hollywood major studios* and in March 2011, it created the industry's first DCI Specification compliant system which combines a projector and cinema server.
Sony's digital cinema projection system is comprised of a projector that can project ultra-high-resolution 4K video (8.85 million pixels, more than four times that of full HD) and a cinema server that can store and transfer video content to the projector. Sony was accredited with the DCI Specification for its complete system, "Integrated Projection System".
The DCI Specification defines the standard specification for digital films and projectors, in particular it emphasizes movie content protection security.
The DCI Specification prescribes the data file format called "Digital Cinema Package" ("DCP"), which includes encryption for digital movie content. DCP file can be distributed by satellite or delivered to theaters on a hard disc drive (HDD). The cryptographic key is also separately delivered to theaters. The DCP file is decrypted with the cryptographic key by the cinema server, and screened by the projector. The DCP is embedded with an electric watermark (forensic mark) to prevent illegal recording of projected content. Security measures such as an anti-tamper function are also incorporated in the projection system to prevent DCP files from being stolen, eliminating the possibility of pirated production.
The DCI compliance test for Sony's system was conducted by Keio University's (Japan) Research Institute for Digital Media and Content , which is authorized by DCI to conduct compliance testing. The compliance test consists of two parts including the procedural test to confirm if the devices work in accordance with the DCI Specification, and the design evaluation to examine if their security designs meet the requirements of the DCI Specification.
Through the completion of the test, Sony's "Integrated Projection System" was certified by DCI as the industry's first working system that is compliant with the DCI Specification.
Sony's 4K digital cinema projection systems have been widely accepted around the world, as Sony has signed agreements to digitize many major theater chains, including Regal Entertainment Group theatres and AMC Entertainment Inc., which are two of North America's largest theater circuits; National Amusements Inc., which operates theaters in the US., U.K., and Latin America; VUE Entertainment, which operates movie screens in Europe; and TOHO Cinemas Inc., which is the largest theater chain in Japan. Sony's cumulative projector shipments were 6500 units as of December 2010 and is estimated to reach 7900 units by the end of March 2011.


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2B dies a lot. For Nier: Automata's fetish-maid-android-samurai, death is just another occupational hazard of waging an endless war on bulbous robots that stole Earth from a seemingly exiled human race. She's ready and willing to blow herself up to see the job done because she's done it before. She has a black box, a record of her experiences, that will be uploaded back to the android home base so she can slide into a brand new body and keep on going. And when dying is part of your daily routine, what's one more death? At the end of Automata we get a concise, surprising answer: One more death might be the only thing that matters, in 2B's life and in the game.
The banality of endless resurrection does at least seem to be traumatic for 2B when it's occasionally disrupted. While she's more than willing to blow herself up to off a couple of red-eyed robots at the beginning of Automata, she seems disturbed by the fact that her companion, 9S, has to explode along with her, only his death comes before his most recent memories can be uploaded. When she meets him later in the android base orbiting a desiccated earth, she still seems rattled even though 9S is walking, talking, and ready to rejoin the fight. So he doesn't remember fighting a couple of building-sized robots with buzzsaw arms? What's one more death if he is, for the most part, fine?
But 2B is disturbed by the loss of 9S' waking time. When she meets him again, she's flustered and awkward, not sure how to behave after realizing he doesn't remember the very real intimacy they shared when self-destructing. At the same time, her tone is knowingly formal; she's clearly done this dance before. Her experience is different—more painful, more tedious given the discomfort of her circumstances—but ultimately the same as 9S'. There's no miracle to observe, just a job to do because there's nothing that special about the fact that they were conscious, then not, then conscious again. For them, death just stops meaning anything. It's brushing your teeth before bed. It's stopping at the same coffee shop every day and not learning the barista's name.
The permanence of death and its implications on life sit at the heart of Automata's obsession with classical existentialist philosophy, something it wears on its sleeve even beyond 2B's Hamlet-sourced name. After she and 9S are reunited, they go into a desert where she has to ferret out an enclave of robots who "don't feel anything," at least according to YoRHa, the organization running this android military operation. When you find them, the clanky little cylinders with their glowing eyes are pantomiming humanity at its biological basic. They're rutting, fighting, even rocking a ramshackle cradle to try and sooth an imaginary baby to sleep, all before they start begging the androids not to kill them. After that, 2B finds a village of robot pacifists. Their leader is named after mathematician and theologian Blaise Pascal, and a robotic Jean Paul Sartre lives in his village.
Automata pummels you with this sort of iconography, but it eventually becomes clearer that while the game seems to be about what it means to be alive, it's actually about what makes mortality, the threat of real permanent death, precious. Unlike 2B, the robots are ultimately mortal. They may only get the opportunity to mimic people, stuck in the shapes they were built in, but they can still end. It drives them to change, to try and be something new. This is how we get harlequin robots keeping an old theme park running and monarchistic robots that get frustrated when their designated baby-king doesn't grow up. They fail constantly, but they also strive to be more than what they already are because they know they can end. They're trying to evolve, which is ultimately all anyone's doing when they get out of bed in the morning.
As Nier finally winds down to its conclusion, it comes out that part of 2B's function is to ensure 9S keeps dying and coming back with only part of his memories intact because he has repeatedly discovered a horrible truth: Humanity has been dead for ages and so have the aliens that built the robots. What's more, the androids and the robots aren't demonstrably different at a basic level. 2B has been fighting for nothing in a world that never changes, denied the opportunity to actually have a life defined by the tangible threat of it all being taken away. If you play through to the game's true ending, though, she and 9S finally get a chance to free themselves from their horrific version of a Dharmic wheel and have a life that matters.
During this conclusion—one of 26, ranging from temporary breaks between chapters to gags where walking away from a simple fight stops the story dead in its tracks—2B is guaranteed to live. The Pods, tiny AI companions that follow 2B and 9S, save their lives and give them a chance at a war-free life on whatever's left of Earth. The final challenge of the game has you blasting your way through the credits as a tiny ship, shooting away hostile data that's trying to prevent the heroes from being reborn into that life.
It's almost impossible to succeed without other ships swooping in to help. While there isn't actually another person controlling that ship on the other end of your internet connection, each of these allies carries the profile of another Nier player. Their network handle displays above the android blasting alongside you and, like other inactive android bodies you see throughout the game, they're indistinguishable from each other beyond that name. But the sense of togetherness in this final battle, when every shot brings you closer to another chance for 9S and 2B, is intense. It's yet another moment where the game seems to be shouting about how life, even if it's artificial, matters.
These barely identified helpers represent so much more than just a fleeting feeling of communion in a dramatic story turn. After all the credits have rolled, after you're safe knowing that 2B and 9S get to live, after all the goofy robots and the deserts and the moose living among ruined skyscrapers have faded away into the background, Nier: Automata lets you make one last choice. It asks you if you're willing to delete your game. The moment isn't dramatic. There isn't a choral swell in the soundtrack or a spectacular light show, like during the climactic shoot out. There's simple narration, in the voice of one of the Pods, and plain text on screen not dissimilar to every other menu you've used. Nier just wants to know if you're willing to give up dozens of hours of play—all the optional vignettes you chased, the weapons you collected, your access to the many corners of this tale and its almost empty Earth—in order to help someone else finish the game.
That choice is everything in Nier: Automata. This is the one death that matters, the death that gives both the story and its heroes the definition they deserve. In giving up your life built in the game, suddenly the player gets to share the existential plight of these characters. Automata is asking you to decide for yourself what the purpose of your time has been. Is the point to get every item, to see a "100%" marker, to have some kind of digital trophy sitting in an electronic box in perpetuity? Or is it recognizing that everything is impermanent, that your time with the story, like all of your time sparking, is limited and precious?
Nier: Automata doesn't pass a value judgment on whatever choice you make. The game repeatedly stresses that there's no hidden reward for sacrificing yourself, and no one else will know definitively that you chose to make the sacrifice. But in giving you the choice at all, Nier is elevated from a clever and earnest meditation on existentialism to a deeply personal exploration of what it means to have little time being anything at all. 2B and 9S get to have a life after you make that choice, and you'll never get to see any of it; there's no server waiting to back up their memories, no pointless war to wage, no traumatic need to forcefully perpetuate that war forever. They get to go on, your time ends, and it's all worth it.


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Aqua Like water logo
Task: to design a logo for a company selling purified bottled tap water.
A factory worker, the lean and the fat, all buy the tasty filtered water produced by Aqua Like.
The logo is purified to the max, it contains nothing but purity. The customer clearly understands: Aqua Like is great water.
art director
project manager
- Rundgang typeface
Made in 4 days


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Putin never goes on state visits unless major things are happening.
This week has seen a full ceremonial 21-gun salute for President Vladimir Putin in the capital, an audience with the king and crown prince.
President Putin has made a rare but much publicized visit to Saudi Arabia – his first in 12 years – accompanied by a sizable delegation of trade, security and defense officials. Bilateral deals worth more than $2 bn (£1.6 bn) and more than 20 agreements have been announced.
The Saudis have also invited Russia to participate in the ongoing international investigation into the 14 September drone and missile attacks on Saudi oil facilities.
Defense discussions have included the possible purchase and future deployment of Russia's formidable S-400 air defence missile system, which would be something of a diplomatic blow to Washington.
Bilateral trade deals between Riyadh and Moscow have been accelerating since a June 2018 agreement and recent co-operation to restrain global oil supplies to keep prices buoyant.
Announcements by RDIF, Russia's Direct Investment Fund, to coincide with President Putin's visit include:
A deal with Saudi state oil company Saudi Aramco to acquire a 30% Saudi share in Novomet, a Russian oil equipment supplier
A $600m deal for Saudi Arabia to invest in Russian aircraft leasing business
Possible co-operation between Russia's Gazprom and Saudi firms on natural gas.
Why are ties growing?
Put bluntly, the Saudis no longer trust the US and the West as much as they used to. but recent events in the Middle East have triggered a major rethink in Saudi court circles.
The first big shock came with the Arab Spring protests of 2011. The Saudis – and other Gulf Arab monarchies – were appalled at the speed with which the West dumped its long-time ally, President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt.
By contrast, they couldn't help noticing that Moscow stood by its beleaguered Middle East partner, Syria's President Bashar Al-Assad.
The next shock came with President Barack Obama's support for the Iran nuclear deal in 2015, which left the Saudis feeling deeply uncomfortable. They suspected, rightly, that the Obama White House was losing interest in the region.
When the newly elected President Donald Trump chose Riyadh for his first overseas presidential visit in 2017 the Saudis were ecstatic. Relations with Washington appeared back on track and billions of dollars' worth of deals were announced.
But then came the murder by Saudi government agents of the Saudi journalist Jamal Kashoggi in October 2018 which resulted in massive condemnation in the world's free press.
Suspicious of his involvement, Western leaders started to give Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman a wide berth, at least in public. At the G20 summit in Buenos Aires the following month he was largely shunned.
By contrast, President Putin high-fived him.
Although President Trump has lobbied in favour of good relations with the Saudi leadership, Saudi officials are still dismayed by his unpredictable and quixotic approach to the region.
Eight years on from the outbreak of the Syrian civil war and Russia has successfully helped save Assad's regime, showcasing its latest military hardware while simultaneously establishing a strategic foothold in the region.
America under President Trump despite rushing extra troops to shore up Saudi Arabia's air defenses after the equipment it had sold the Saudis failed to prevent the catastrophic attack on 14 September.(twenty-five Irani drones and missiles were used in the attack of Saudi oil facilities — which took out 5.7 million barrels per day of crude.)
Bottom line: the Saudis and their Gulf Arab allies are looking to diversify their partnerships away from a heavy dependence on the West.
This is to hedge against any future upsets, be they incoming missile attacks they blame on Iran (which could in future risk killing Russian technicians) or diplomatic upsets like the Kashoggi incident.
What's next?
All of this needs to be seen in perspective.
Saudi Arabia's prime security partner has been, and continues to be, the United States. This dates back to 1945 when President Roosevelt met Saudi King Abdulaziz onboard a US warship.
Over the ensuing years the Saudis guaranteed to keep the oil flowing, America promised them a security umbrella. That pact, while somewhat frayed at the edges, remains.
The US military has substantial bases in all six Gulf Arab countries. The nuclear-capable US Navy's 5th Fleet, headquartered in Bahrain, remains the most potent navy in the region. When Mr Trump came to Riyadh, more than $300 bn worth of deals were announced; when Putin came this week, it was $2 bn.
But there is no question that the tectonic plates of alliances in the Middle East are shifting and diversifying. Expect to see more visits by Russian and Chinese delegates to Riyadh.
America still has a prime seat at the Saudi table, but there are rather more guests sitting round it now.
BBC (adapted)


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Anne Doody
Anne's background includes significant experience in both the government and Catholic education systems in Victoria. After working in a variety of leadership positions across both the curriculum and student management arms in secondary schools, Anne moved to system level roles - firstly in the Hume Government Region and then at Catholic Education Ballarat.
Anne focuses on building the capacity of teachers and school leaders to deliver quality learning and leadership in their particular contexts. Anne is driven by her beliefs that:
- all students can learn
- all teachers can deliver quality learning to students through reflecting on their practice and continually learning from and for their students
- all leaders can develop their skills through reflection, inviting feedback and maintaining curiosity
She has worked as a facilitator and coach with leaders, staffs, teams and individuals, focussing on reflective practice, evidence to challenge or confirm perception, and a quest for continual improvement.
Anne holds a Bachelor of Arts, Diploma of Education, Graduate Diploma in School Librarianship and Masters in Education. She is an Accredited Coach with Growth Coaching International, has completed a Solution Focused Business Professional Certificate with the University of Wisconsin and has recently completed training as an Accredited Practitioner of the GENOS Emotional Intelligence Survey psychometric tool.
Anne has attended numerous ACEL and GCI/CSE workshops and national conferences. Recently she has blended her knowledge and passion for coaching with her passion for school librarianship presenting workshops at state and local levels encouraging these school professionals to join their colleagues in rigorous self-reflections on practice and action for 'even better'. Anne's article, titled 'Self-reflection, evaluation and inviting feedback in school libraries', which highlighted the use of GCI's model as a tool to enhance library practice, has been published in the FYI journal for the School Library Association of Victoria.


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June 15, 2005, - 8:05 pm
Dear Abu Moskowitz . . . .
By Debbie Schlussel
A special, occasional e-mail message to , a/k/a Abu Moskowitz, Detroit's ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) Special Agent In Charge – who is more cozy with terrorists, illegal aliens, and their lawyers, than he is with his agents that are supposed to be catching them. In the heart of Islamic America, where there are Islamic terror cells galore, Abu Moskowitz is sidling up to HAMAS/Hezbollah supporters, and shutting down investigations into them, instead focusing on child pornography and sex tourism.
From: Debbie Schlussel
To: Moskowitz, Brian email@example.com
Sent: Wednesday, June 15, 2005 5:04 PM
Subject: Nice Picture, Brian . . . .
That is a "charming" photo of you hosting FBI award revokee and "former" PFLP terrorist and his jihadist clan in American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC)- Michigan's Spring 2005 newsletter. Among the others I've identified in the photo is lawyer for Islamic terrorists and illegal aliens, Nabih Ayad. It certainly explains a lot of your policies that have resulted in many of your agents wondering why you've pretty much shut down investigations into Mr. Hamad's community.
Tags: Abu Moskowitz, ADC, America, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, Debbie Schlussel, Detroit, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Hamas, Hizballah, Imad Hamad, lawyer, Michigan, Nabih Ayad, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Special Agent, terrorist


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Medical on Tuesday: Wolves close in on Championship record deal - report
By Joe Nelson
Wolves are set to break the Championship transfer record with the signing of Anderson Talisca, according to a report.
The Mirror transfer news blog (9.54am) on Tuesday claimed that the newly-rich Midlands club will pay £20million to land the Benfica playmaker.
It is said that the Brazilian is set to have a medical on Tuesday after the deal was finalised between Benfica president Luis Felipe Vieira and super agent Jorge Mendes at Wolves' opening league game at Rotherham on Saturday.
The capture of Talisca will be regarded as a huge statement by Wolves as the deal is in line to demolish the top second-tier fee.
The current Championship record is the £12million Aston Villa spent last week to sign Ross McCormack from Fulham.
Click below for exclusive transfer news
Talisca can play as a secondary striker, in the number 10 role and even as a central midfielder.
He has scored 20 goals in 78 Benfica appearances, occupying primarily a deeper role for the Portuguese giants. The 22-year-old was integral to Benfica's campaign last-term as they lifted the Primeira Liga trophy.
The Brazil Under-23 international moved to Benfica in 2014 for £3.4million from Brazilian side Bahia, and has experience in the Champions League.
The Daily Star suggested that Liverpool were also said to be interested in the playmaker's services, so the capture of his services would be a huge statement of intent by Walter Zenga and his side.
In more Wolves news: Fans react on Twitter following the rumour that this former player could be on his way back to Molineux.


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Miraculous Switch-Pitcher Pat Venditte Debuts For The A's
Baseball's only switch-pitcher continues his long journey to the major leagues.
Pat Venditte arrived at Athletics spring training just like every other player looking for a chance to crack the major leagues. Except no other player showed up with a six-fingered mitt. After languishing in the Yankees farm system for the past seven years, Venditte is hoping a less formal, more west coast mentality will help him crack the majors as baseball's first switch-pitcher. In his spring debut yesterday, Venditte was lights out, inducing a groundout from the right side of the mound and then striking out a batter from the left.
First, from the right:
And then from the left:
In an interview with Maxim back in December, Venditte explained how his pitch repertoire changed from both sides of the plate:
Left-handed, I throw a fastball, slider and changeup, pretty much all sidearm. And then right-handed, I mix in some different looks. I throw the same three pitches sidearm, and I also mix in a fastball over the top as well as a curveball. That's where I've found success.
Venditte is famous for spurring the MLB to create a rule that mandates a pitcher announce which side of the plate he's going to pitch from before the batter steps into the box. This avoids the infinite loop that Venditte helped create in 2008, when he squared off against a switch-hitter.


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[i feel that this title should be a movie similar to 'national lampoon's christmas vacation'. if you have the privilege of knowing the harrsions, you'll understand that this is not a far fetched idea.]
^^blurry, but i just couldn't pass it up. thanks for the pictures, syd!^^
After the Christmas festivities had slowed in Grace, we packed up and crashed in Preston for the night. Where, Lady was spoiled even more. When we arrived, sadly, Aunt Haylee was having surgery (insert sad face here). While we waited, D. wasted no time putting to use the new ping pong table the household recieved for Christmas. Even Abby played, and took it rather seriously too (like father like daughter)!
Later, Aunt Haylee arrived in one piece (so to speak), we exchanged presents, attempted to play card games, ate (too much! again!), and watched a movie. Lady was in heaven, as were we.
Why I managed to get next to no pictures, I'm not sure. So, I'll post what few I do have.
^^lady has formed an attachment to horses (or 'neighs') in the last week. the fascination started about the day before christmas eve, so too late for santa to get the memo. luckily, grandma had this one at their house. she was in heaven...it goes without saying that grandma and grandpa are suckers for miss abby; and now we have the horse here. lucky us.^^
^^haylee's birthday is new years day. she is graduating as a registered nurse in april (yay for her! she's awesome!), so long before she was scheduled for surgery, we bought her birthday present - to give her extra practice before entering the workforce. it was especially ironic she opened it that day. being the cruel sister i am, i laughed. and laughed.^^
^^do you know my mom? if you do, you know just how...frugal (?) she is. pistachios being one of her very favorite things, this gift from abby was much appreciated.^^
^^because a principal can never have too many ties, right?^^
^^abby was re gifted a porcelain doll made for me by my great-aunt. i'd say she loves it just as much as i did. oh, and so many dress-up clothes! we just couldn't wait to try them on, apparently.^^


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I actually wrote a post yesterday. It was somewhat political, a brief screed against the current anti-immigrant climate in this country, and a suggestion that we need to be more generous in our support of others in the world. But you don't see it here because it felt half-baked to me. I took it down after about ten minutes.
It was the imprecision that bothered me, a sense that I was inviting controversy yet not quite saying what I wanted to say. Then, later in the day, as if by magic, I stumbled across this passage in Gary Thorpe's book "Caught in Fading Light: Mountain Lions, Zen Masters, and Wild Nature":
Many Zen teachers have cautioned their students against any dependence on words, either written or spoken. They have likened words to thorns and briars, and compared having an idle conversation to taking a walk through wild thistles and entangling vines. At the very least, we are told, we should give careful attention to what we say. This should be true at all times, but particularly so when we purport to speak the dharma, the real truth of things. When we speak to others with the intention of relaying or explaining Buddhist truths, we soon learn just how may traps and snares there are, and we learn the clever ways in which they can lie in wait, ready to spring upon us at the first sign of unsteadiness or hesitation. That we can be ambushed by our own words is one of the great lessons of Buddhism, and it is a lesson we learn constantly.
(Photo: Shadows on an old synagogue, Lower East Side, Dec. 2007)


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Fuliang Ancient City
The Fuliang Ancient City is located over 8 kilometers away from the urban center of Jingdezhen, originally constructed in the Tang Dynasty and was added to over the course of the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties. The city has been systematically divided into 8 quadrants basing on the Chinese Eight Diagrams theory, with a city wall that spans 20 kilometers and stands at over 1.5 meters high. The ancient city is renowned for its porcelain tea-culture and used to be greatly admired by several celebrated scholars in Chinese history.
The Fuliang Ancient City is home to some of China's original Song Dynasty pagoda – Red Pagoda, as well as being the home to a truly spectacular old city gate; indeed ancient town has been referred to as a haven of ancient Chinese culture and constructions, with porcelain and ceramic artifacts of high value and rarity.
Fuliang County Hall
Today in Fuliang Ancient City there is still a county hall of Qing Dynasty, which is the most foremost county hall in regions south of the Yangtze River, making it especially popular among tourists. The hall has stood there for 170 years with its 64,495 square meters structure keeping original; inside the hall, ancient trees tower to the sky and official robes, official sedan, implements of punishment, the Eighteen Arms of Kungfu and some other objects modeling in old style are displayed to tourists, and the passageways of the hall still possess their original character giving visitors the sense that they have stepped back in time. Tourists visiting the ancient town are sure to gain a deep understanding of ancient feudal Chinese court.
Due to its significant position jointing Anhui Province, Zhejiang Province and Jiangxi Province, Fuliang Ancient City is the perfect way to cap off any visit to ancient China with its culture, porcelain and famous tea!
Top attractions in Jingdezhen
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"Laughing contributes toward wellbeing"
"Katamari Damacy is funny."
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The Royal Smithfield Club has agreed that the Duke of Norfolk Competition will be hosted by the English Winter Fair this year. This prestigious award has not been held for a number of years and breed societies are invited to put forward a purebred Team of Three to represent their breed. The team can come from either the English Winter Fair pedigree classes or the National Pedigree Calf Show.
This year the English Winter Fair is on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 November, with the Duke of Norfolk Award being competed for at around 12noon on Sunday.
The National Pedigree Calf Show has been reduced to one day so exhibitors can arrive either on Friday 15 or early on Saturday 16, and will be able to leave around 4pm on Saturday.
The Society had a strong turnout of Longhorns at the English Winter Fair last year and would like to consolidate that presence by having more cattle forward this year as well as having a presence with a small stand 'manned' by the Secretary and Council members. Please consider entering your prime cattle and your calves for this excellent event. Entry forms will be available soon and more information can be found on the English Winter Fair website.
© Copyright 2012 The Longhorn Cattle SocietyEast Lodge, Stoneleigh Park, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, CV8 2LH


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Louis The Child is near and dear to my heart. I discovered them in the most unlikely way possible, talking to my office manager's aunt one summer afternoon. While my coworkers were wrapping up their morning tasks before lunch, she mentioned how her son's best friend is Louis The Child's Freddy Kennett. I had no idea who Louis or Freddy were, so I began researching these peculiar characters.
In 2012, Robby Hauldren and Kennett formed the pair when bonding at New Trier High School's DJ Club. They grew up in Northfield, Ill. which means we're practically neighbors #FamousByAssociation. Most seniors are concerned with how they are going to ask the hot girl in their math class to prom.
Meanwhile, Louis The Child had bigger fish to fry; 18-year-old Kennett was masterminding "Closer" with The Chainsmokers, and Taylor Swift endorsed their tune "It's Strange" in her 'New Songs That Will Make Your Life Awesome' list.
Needless to say, I am not astonished by the magical melodic poetry Louis The Child recreated with "Fire." Blonde bombshell Evalyn debuts her soft yet impactful voice that has enough fire to "run this empire higher." The LA-based artist sings the chorus with such conviction, ultimately reminding me of Halsey's vocals in the hit "Castle."
Evalyn ends "Fire" with one last promise, "If I go down in flames, the smoke will spell my name." Consider this Evalyn and Louis The Child's golden ticket to a Netflix original series soundtrack.


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Cabinet Refacing Services for Ladera Ranch, CA Homeowners
If you're looking for a great cabinet refacing company serving Ladera Ranch, Cabinet Wholesalers are the professionals you can count on to get the job done right. We also makeover kitchens all over Southern California! Cabinet refacing allows you to get the look of a new kitchen without having to remove your old kitchen cabinets. Instead of completely replacing your entire kitchen cabinet set, we'll only replace your cabinet doors and drawers, and add new veneer to the front on your cabinets.
With our Signature Cabinet Refacing you'll get:
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Learn more about Cabinet Wholesalers and cabinet refacing services we provide in Ladera Ranch and all over Southern California by calling 714-693-1111, or stopping by our showroom to talk to a kitchen remodeling pro.


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Help keep Surrey extreme energy free free
You can help keep Surrey free of fracking and unconventional oil and gas extraction technologies.
The Government has given extreme energy extraction its blessing and is taking steps to make it easier for companies to set up drilling operations – initially to test drill, finally to frack. In fact, they give very generous tax breaks to extraction companies.
You can write to your MP and ask what their position is on extreme fuel technologies. Also ask then if they fully understand the risks of extreme fuel extraction. This website makes it very easy to find out who your MP is and write to them: http://www.theyworkforyou.com/
Licenses and permits
In order to explore for, or extract, oil, companies need a number of different licenses and permissions. These are subject to public consultation so you can read the applications and have your say at each stage.
The Government Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) issues licences to explore for oil – and then to extract it – to companies. You can write to DECC to ask if any licences has been issued for your area. HERE is the link for DECC.
Before drilling can commence the company must obtain planning permission from the local minerals planning authority – in our case, this is Surrey County Council. The County Council will consult the Parish and District or Borough Councisl where drilling will take place, as well as other bodies including the Environment Agency. The Planning Officers will will read through the application documents submitted by the company and advise the Councillors on the Planning Committee, who will decide whether or not to grant planning permission and what conditions to impose.
The planning guidance that Planning Officers and Councillors rely on for their decision-making have not been adjusted to take account of extreme extraction technologies in detail. While some Councils may take into account 'material considerations' such as groundwater or air pollution, many do not. In addition, there is NO legal requirement as yet for an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
The Environment Agency also has a role in regulating extreme energy technology. All onshore oil and gas drilling will require environmental permits from the Environment Agency, depending on the methods used and the geology of the site.
All oil and gas exploration involving drilling a borehole or involving any kind of well stimulation will need a mining waste permit. This will cover the management of wastes which may include drill cuttings, spent drill muds and drill fluids, flowback fluids, waste gases and any wastes left underground.
Another permit will be required if large quantities of gas are to be flared and for groundwater activities depending on the local hydrology. Oil and gas drilling is also likely to require a permit for managing naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) wastes, for example flowback water, sediments and scales.
Write to the Environment Agency HERE, voicing your concerns about extreme fuel extraction and to find out about and comment on applications for permits.
In order to drill, companies also need permission from the Health and Safety Executive.
Once all these permissions are in place, DECC will then issue a drilling licence.
Use your voice
You can also help by being you. Your voice counts – speak out against extreme energy and help raise awareness of the risks in your community.
Our LINKS page will take you to many websites and Facebook pages of ordinary people who have got together to fight fracking and other forms of extreme energy in their community. Visit often to be updated on their efforts and successes.
Write to your local paper and tell them what your concerns are.
Befriend community protection groups
Many of the areas affected by shale gas drilling have a website or at least a Facebook page. Get involved, join the debate and post any questions you may have.
Raise people's awareness and encourage people to get involved with public meetings, protests and events such as anti-fracking concerts, rambles or cycle rallies. And if drilling is taking place near you, consider peaceful direct action.
Get up a petition
Fracking affects everyone in the community as well as communities miles away. A petition is a good way of amassing voices of opposition. Local residents, businesses, farmers, golf-courses, sports and youth clubs or Churches all have a stake in a clean, safe living space. Gather as many signatures as you can and hand them to:
Your local Council
Your MP
The Prime Minister
Your local paper


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83 percent of Italians back the 2026 Winter Games. Olympic expert Giacomo Margutti believes that Milano stands a good chance of taking home the bidding thanks to the strong public support and the city's unique European identity.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and its Evaluation Commission are currently hard at work trying to decide which of the final two locations are best suited to host the 2026 Winter Olympics. With both finalists Milan-Cortina and Stockholm-Åre having financial support from their governments, the race seems to be tied. But the Italians seem far more enthusiastic.
"Milan has grown a lot in the last couple of years and is Italy's only true European city. They are used to hosting huge events like international fashion weeks and are more than prepared for it", says veteran Olympic freelance journalist Giacomo Margutti. He has covered six olympic games, both summer and winter, and has a very confident feeling about Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo being the host of the 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. "So far I have only seen positive reactions from the Italians", Margutti says.
Public support is a key factor influencing the IOC's decision of host country. In that aspect, Milan stands a bigger chance of taking home the bid. According to a recent poll, public support for hosting the Winter Olympics in Italy is as high as 83 percent. In the possible host city, Milan, as many as 87 percent are in favour. The Swedes seem far more pessimistic, only reaching 55 percent of public support nationwide.
Nonetheless, Giacomo Margutti points out that the central and southern parts of the country show little interest in any type of winter sports. "In the majority of the country it is all about football, football and more football. I would say around 90 percent of the Italians don't really know that there is a bid on the 2026 Winter Olympics", he says and laughs.
Davide Valente is a student of educational science at the University of Rome "Foro Italico". He agrees that few of his friends and classmates, including himself, are interested in winter sports at all. However, he thinks that if they were asked what they thought about hosting the Olympics, they would be surprisingly positive. "It could be a great opportunity for Italy and the Italian movement of sports. The Olympic Games is known to create many jobs and boost the economy. It is also a way to show that Italy is a great state that can organise an enormous event for the entire world", Davide Valente says with two classmates nodding along behind him.
Show me the money
Last fall the Italian government presented a draft budget plan with a budget deficit way higher than what agreed upon within the EU. Ever since the country's economic future has been widely questioned, predicting that it might be on the path of a new crisis. This does, in no way, seem to be stopping the Italian government from showing full support to the possible future Winter Olympic Games with €415 million. Private investors will also be a key to financing the games. "The two northern regions of Lombardy and Veneto are the richest in the country, so the economical aspect seems to be less of a concern", says Margutti.
The IOC have recently launched a new reform package under the name Agenda 2020. It aims to change the reputation of the Olympics, showing that you can host low budget and sustainable games. Meeting the Agenda 2020 goals should not be too big of a challenge in Italy or in Sweden according to Giacomo Margutti. "A lot of the stuff is already there. No need to build that much, just enlarge already existing venues. It really is a close call between the two candidates", he says.


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Free Farmers Market at Mesa College
December 3, 2019 |
San Diego Mesa College will partner with Feeding San Diego and host "The Stand: Farmer's Market" at noon, Thursday, December 12, 2019. The Stand: Farmers Market will offer students and members of the Mesa College community access to free fresh produce.
The Stand will also be accepting donations of nonperishable food items, gently-used professional or business casual clothing, or unopened hygiene products. Monetary donations can be made online via PayPal or Amazon Wish List on The Stand homepage. Checks can be made out to and sent to The San Diego Mesa College Foundation at 7250 Mesa College Drive, Room A-111 (please include "The Stand" in the memo).
For information, visit The Stand or contact the Student Success & Equity Office at 619-388-5940.
San Diego Mesa College is at 7250 Mesa College Drive, San Diego.


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this is a discussion within the Saints Community Forum; Monday night can't get here soon for fans of the New Orleans Saints because in some ways, it almost feels like the offseason in the Big Easy once again. By the time the Monday night game against the San Francisco ...
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Monday night can't get here soon for fans of the New Orleans Saints because in some ways, it almost feels like the offseason in the Big Easy once again.
By the time the Monday night game against the San Francisco 49ers rolls around, the Saints will have been off close to a week and a half. One might wonder about the long layoff causing them to get lackadaisical or maybe even a bit over confident thinking they deserve this lofty position. Well, they're right. They do deserve the lofty position of playing the first game of the season and then virtually getting an extra bye week.
But my instincts tell me they don't feel that way. Coach Sean Payton, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, and Drew Brees are not going to let this team think they are better than anyone and that they should ever take any game lightly. That includes a team that just got destroyed 31-6 in week one to a Seattle Seahawks team that wasn't really expected to do much of anything this year.
With that in mind, it seemed like the appropriate time to have a back and forth with the San Francisco 49ers Examiner, Samuel Lam. We put our heads together and thought we'd ask one another five questions each about the upcoming nationally televised game between the former NFC West foes. Here you will find my questions to him and his responses while I'll also provide a link to his article showcasing my answers to his questions.
Danny Cox: Against Seattle, the 49ers came out and just totally dropped the ball in every way imaginable in a lopsided loss. Sure it was only the first game of the season, but this is a team that came in being talked up by every sports writer round...what went wrong?
Samuel Lam: The team was only a few successfully executed plays away to scoring two or three early touchdowns on the Seahawks. They were that close to taking the momentum right from the beginning. The offense hasn't been known for being too defined and on Sunday we saw just that. The team played well enough early on to take the lead but they just couldn't finish.
On defense, had the defensive backs not bit on some pump fakes, the big scores wouldn't have occurred. The team isn't so far off where they aren't a good team, but it's the little mistakes that put the team in the big hole.
DC: Alex Smith was kept on this season with renewed faith in him from coach Mike Singletary and the rest of the 49ers' coaching staff. Do you believe that was the right move and is Smith the quarterback of the future for this team?
SL: The move had to be made because the team had invested so much in him. Not giving Smith the chance to have another year with the same playbook would not only hurt Smith's effectiveness, but also hurt the team's image. The team had to give Smith that chance to start the season as the quarterback.
He can be the team's future all depending on how he performs this year. He has the talent to do so, but it all depends on how well he can execute on the field. He hasn't had a dominant game with the Jimmy Raye offense just yet, so I'm not so sure how much potential he has just yet.
DC: How important is it to make sure that San Francisco doesn't just start out 0-2, but that they don't lose on national television? Can they rebound if they do end up in a two-loss hole?
SL: An 0-2 start, no matter on what level, is going to be hard in football. The 49ers have a tough stretch to start the season and if they can't find their identity early, then it will be hard for them to climb out of the hole. There have been teams that have started 0-2 and have ended up going to the playoffs. In the weak NFC West, that possibility is not out there. However, the 49ers are not that good of a team just yet to overcome an 0-2 deficit with ease. A loss on Monday can really hurt the team.
DC: In what ways can Patrick Willis and the 49ers defense stop the Saints' offense if they go back to their high-scoring and pass-happy methods of last season?
SL: When the 49ers played the Saints a couple seasons ago, the 49ers stayed close for most of the game. What they were able to do was to not only hold on to the ball, but also add some pressure on Drew Brees. That's what the 49ers have to to do on Monday. Adding pressure with blitzes on Brees should force the passing game to change up a little. If Brees is given time in the pocket, the 49ers secondary will have a hard time.
One of the best assets of the 49ers team is their ability to hit hard. The Saints have to be aware of the ballhawking 49ers. Like the last time the 49ers were on Monday Night Football, the secondary's hard hits could cause a lot of turnovers.
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Samuel Lam was honest about the Saints being too powerful to stop. But come on.....we win by only one touchdown?
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We live in the age of your-way-right-away. People expect individualistic whims and demands to be fulfilled immediately. More often then not, that potential problem is solved by giving people everything they could possibly want — and much more — up front as part of the deal.
On the one hand, it makes some sense: Who's going to complain about getting something, even if they're not going to use it? Why quibble with the extras? At the same time, some subtle issues: Doing this kind of thing is inelegant. It can really take a toll on a system's performance. There are significant, if non-obvious, expenses involved. This is, of course, as true for cars as for PCs.
A common belief among those at this site is that simpler and more straightforward solutions are better. If there are some compromises involved, favoring the car itself over the features works out better. The tendency to burden new vehicles with every imaginable gimmick to satiate some marketing type's clueless demands is a blight on the era.
And so pauljones speaks with a dignified, if slightly weary, voice of reason on what really matters in the face of yet another Porsche crossover:
At this point, I just don't care what automotive manufacturer makes what. All I ask is three things:
1) Make me something beautiful. Mind-numbingly beautiful. I don't care if it comes at the cost of some nth degree of performance. I just want something that makes me smile every single time I look at it. Why? Because beautiful. I want to see cars designed by inspired people whose goal is to inspire others with their designs.
2) Give me the option to leave the bullshit off. I don't need a push-button start. I don't need quadruple-zone air-conditioning. I don't need butt warmers or automated seat vibrators. I also don't need navigation, automatic headlights, rain-sensing windshield wipers, lane-change assist, and all that other crap. It's fine if you want the car to be available with all of that and thus design it in, but make it available without all that crap, too. I'd like to actually be able to afford the car, and the only likely way I'll be able to do so is to leave of the crap that I not only don't want, but also can't afford.
3) Make it sound nice. With real sounds. No speakers or crap. Just good, solid engine sound. Do it right, and you can keep the radio.
Honestly, if all that came in this package, color me interested. I don't care what people think of the CUV niche. As long as it meets the above standards, I'm good. Which is probably while I'll never again be satisfied with a modern car.
Photo Credit: jongalloway