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The Mescalero Apache Tribal Gaming Commission is an independent gaming regulatory agency for the federally recognized sovereign government of the Mescalero Apache Tribe. The Commission reports directly to the Tribal Government and, therefore, has no reporting relationship to the Casino or its Management.
The Commission is established by Tribal Ordinance (Law) and has set the highest standards for integrity and honesty in how gaming activities are conducted.
Tribal Gaming Regulators take their responsibilities very seriously. They work very hard to ensure the integrity of Indian Gaming and that it is conducted honestly and fairly for the gaming public. They also work hard to ensure the safety and welfare of patrons and employees. We have an obligation to earn the trust and confidence of the gaming public and to protect tribal gaming operations from illegal activities or attempted infiltration by undesirable or criminal elements.
Background Investigations/Licensing
Processes applications and conducts background investigations on team members (gaming & non-gaming) and vendors.
Audit Department
Conducts compliance audits, investigates variances, reviews and approves proposed casino promotions, and helps develop policies & procedures and internal controls.
Compliance Department
Ensures that team members, patrons and casinos adhere and comply with internal controls, policies, procedures, regulations, & laws; monitors the gaming operation on the gaming floor; provides assistance with resolving gaming disputes, prevents cheating, fraud, and theft; conducts investigations regarding illegal acts or violations.
Surveillance Department
Monitors & records all activities & incidents on a 24/7 basis, tracks individuals and groups, tracks gameplay on the casino floor, reports violations to management, reports incidents & emergencies to gaming agents and/or security.
Responsible Gaming Program
Educates the public and team members about gambling responsibly, is a resource for those with a gambling problem, and provides training to team members. http://mescaleroresponsiblegaming.org/
Appointed by the Tribal President and confirmed by the Tribal Council. Currently five part-time Commissioners on the Board – all Tribal members. Main Functions are to determine the suitability of applicants for a gaming license, promulgate rules & regulations, and preside over hearings.
Who regulates Indian casinos?
- The National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) and the State of New Mexico recognize the sovereignty and independence of the Tribal Government and its authority to establish its own governmental regulatory agency commonly known as the Tribal Gaming Commission. The Tribal Gaming Commission is tasked with the responsibility of licensing and enforcement for compliance of all Federal, State and Tribal Gaming Laws and Regulations. The Tribal Gaming Commission has the recognized on site enforcement authority to enforce compliance with the regulatory requirements of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, the Tribal-State Compact, and the Tribal Gaming Ordinance and Regulations.
What are the responsibilities of the gaming commission?
- The Tribal Gaming Commission ensures the integrity of the games, protects the Tribal assets, and enforces compliance with regulations and laws by:
- Conducting background investigations on gaming employees
- Conducting background investigations on Vendors
- Auditing records and documents
- Conducting compliance reviews
- Testing of Gaming Machines
- Conducting continuous surveillance of gaming operation
- Conducting investigations of illegal acts or violations
- Promulgating rules and regulations
- Establishing Minimum Internal Control Standards
- Protecting the assets of the Tribe


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Bacterial foodborne and diarrheal disease national case surveillance annual report, 2004
Published Date:2007
Corporate Authors:
Description:Each year, EDEB summarizes surveillance results in multiple formats, including letters to state and territorial epidemiologists and public health laboratory directors, reports in the CDC publication Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), and publications in peer- reviewed scientific journals. More information about these documents is available at the end of this report in the following sections: Sources and Contacts for Bacterial Foodborne and Diarrheal Diseases, Publications by Foodborne and Diarrheal Diseases Branch, 2004, and CDC Internet Sites Relevant to Foodborne and Diarrheal Diseases. This report is the second in an annual series summarizing results from nationally notifiable bacterial foodborne and diarrheal diseases case surveillance systems. A description of the surveillance systems is included to explain the differences between these systems and why they sometimes have different case counts for the same disease entity (see the Data Sources and Background section of this report for more information). The specialized sentinel site surveillance system, FoodNet, provides complementary information for a range of foodborne infections of public health concern from 10 sites. FoodNet annual summaries are available at http://www.cdc.gov/foodnet/reports.htm. Looking forward, EDEB is actively involved in advancing the nation's surveillance for foodborne and diarrheal diseases. CDC-wide integrated surveillance systems are under construction, which may make national surveillance for many types of diseases more efficient. We are working to make more surveillance tools available to state and local public health personnel and more surveillance information available to public health workers, policy makers and the general public through combined reports and information available on the Internet. Suggested citation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Bacterial Foodborne and Diarrheal Disease National Case Surveillance. Annual Report, 2004. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2007.
Document Type:
Place as Subject:
Main Document Checksum:urn:sha256:3510d8f399c255be7a4b87542c52b03d0ac9ccfcbb552fa2c1779a30f5fc7d3b
Supporting Files:No Additional Files
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subset: commoncrawl


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The Garden-Elysée provides a great place for travelers to relax after a busy day. With Wi-Fi in designated areas available, you'll have no problems keeping connected.
With Paris Est Railway Station just 7km away and Paris–Le Bourget Airport only 20km away, transportation is very convenient. The closest major public transportation, Boissière Metro Station, is only 300m away. Many local tourist attractions including the Champs-élysées and Louvre Museum can easily be reached with a short drive.
This hotel makes a great place to kick back and relax after a long day of sightseeing.
According to our trusted guests, the facilities at this hotel are first-rate.


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Tuesday, March 02, 2010
Wordless Wednesday - New Beds!
11 comments:
I have the same wizard of oz throw on the wall, tucked up in my closet cause I dont' want it to get ruined. Luv the big boy bed with BUzz and woody we have the same side bed rail too.ReplyDelete
I especially like the princess bed, so pretty!ReplyDelete
Love that captains bed and her bedding. Of course, Bobo's bedding is great also what's better than Buzz and Woody protecting you at night.ReplyDelete
Great looking beds, don't you just love those captains drawers?ReplyDelete
great looking beds the princess one is my fav!!ReplyDelete
Happy WW!
Your kids have cute beds. I can't say I'm just as good at decorating. Have a wonderful Wednesday!ReplyDelete
Wow!! Those are great beds that your kids have. I love the first one. We had a bed like that with the bottom bed being in "drawers" for awhile.ReplyDelete
cute polka dot bedding!ReplyDelete
happy WW
love all the colors!!!!Happy WWReplyDelete
those are really cute! :)ReplyDelete
u may view mine here
Great looking rooms - I still love the bed in Princess' room, the polka dots are so pretty and I love the Wizard of Oz picture is wonderful!ReplyDelete
Of course, you know I adore the Disney bedding in Bobo's room! :-)


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Hello and welcome to the Women in Rail Yorkshire Regional Group!
The Women in Rail Yorkshire Regional Group (the WRY Group) was launched in 2016 to support and empower members of Women in Rail based in Yorkshire, provide them with a forum to develop their network locally and support them in their professional development, personal growth and confidence.
The WRY Group is led by Jennie Pitt (People Engagement and Corporate Responsibility Manager at LNER) and Amy Pressland (Head of Learning and Development at DB Cargo UK).
The Steering Committee is comprised of Clare Brint (Network Rail), Sarah Birtles (Network Rail), Caroline Littler (LNER), Anna Vinogradova (Northern), Gema Garcia (Clancy), Frances Rogalski (Network Rail), Helen Townend (Amey), Jackey Leaper (NCHSR), and Kathy Howarth (NCHSR).
All are volunteers, with full time day jobs, collectively representing a cross section of the railway industry in the Yorkshire region and are passionate about working with men, women and like-minded organisations in Yorkshire to support the diversity ambitions championed by Women in Rail.
To make sure you don't miss out on the wide range of activities organised by the WRY Group, register on the Contact Us page and join the Women in Rail community in Yorkshire. Membership is completely free and will give you access the local and national events organised by the team.
See you soon!
WR Yorkshire Team
Email: email@example.com
Jennie Pitt
Jennie is People Engagement & CR Manager at LNER. She is passionate about people and the impact that engagement and culture has on organisational success.
She joined LNER (previously Virgin East Coast) in September 2012 as a HR Business Partner and moved into her current role in January 2016. Prior to joining the rail industry, Jennie worked in HR for the Fire Service where she led the diversity and inclusion agenda.
She has always had a keen interest in organisational psychology and what makes people tick and alongside her career in HR, achieved her Masters in Psychotherapy in 2007. Jennie is passionate about creating a diverse workforce and is looking forward to working with colleagues across the industry in developing the Yorkshire regional cluster of the Women in Rail network.
Dr Amy Pressland
Dr Amy Pressland works for DB Cargo UK. She joined DBC UK in March 2016 as International HR Projects Manager and moved into her current role in June 2018. Amy was previously an academic at the University of East Anglia and specialised in gender and the sociology of work. Her first book was published by Palgrave Macmillan in 2017.


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November's leading indicators show a fresh short-term acceleration in the world economy beyond the 4% mark. This growth pace is well above potential (3.5%) and should lead to renewed inflation and validate the tougher stance on monetary policy across most developed markets.
Article also available in : English | français
November's leading indicators show a fresh short-term acceleration in the world economy beyond the 4% mark. This growth pace is well above potential (3.5%) and should lead to renewed inflation and validate the tougher stance on monetary policy across most developed markets. The economists' consensus is for a gradual normalization in yield curves in the G7 under the cautious leadership of central banks. Against this backdrop, our asset allocation remains resolutely offensive, but includes some selective plays reflecting the highest risks (overvalued markets) and our doubts on the likelihood of a soft landing for global monetary expansion.
It is worth remembering that the strong and synchronized growth we are witnessing worldwide is the result of a successful adjustment by emerging markets after large devaluations in 2014-2015 (external adjustment, then disinflation and interest rate cuts, recovery in consumer spending), Chinese banking stimulus in 2015, reasonable oil prices (US shale) and lastly, monetary abundance from Europe and Japan, which is spilling over into the rest of the world via capital outflows by their institutional investors. Yellen's Fed has admittedly implemented some faint-hearted monetary tightening, but capital inflows have fueled euphoria on US asset markets (equities, High Yield credit, real estate) to the extent that this has cancelled out the effects of key rate hikes on financial conditions. The strength of the global recovery automatically means a turnaround in all these factors.
The emergence of bubbles (real estate, bonds), which threaten social stability, has already forced China to put the brakes on bank liquidity.
The consequences of this shockwave have rippled out across the entire Pacific Ring of Fire as we expected, with a contraction in the building sector in China, a decline in commodities prices (coal, iron ore, industrial metals), a shift in real estate bubbles in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the US West coast, and a hit on exports in Peru and Chile. A number of large emergings that seemed to be dragging themselves out of their rut in 2017 could be hit by another recessionary shock due to the drop in commodities prices (Brazil, Indonesia, South Africa). Oil will also act as a recessionary factor for developed countries in 2018 if prices remain above $60 as OPEC hopes.
Lastly, excessive monetary stimulus is almost spent out in Europe and Japan. In the euro area, the ECB is coming close to the issue share limits it set itself to avoid accusations of monetization of public debt. Tapering of the PSPP should come to an end in late 2018 in our view. In Japan, the BoJ's monetary artillery (qualitative and quantitative easing, negative interest rates and yield curve control) is running up against technical limitations (dryingup of JGB liquidity, lack of equity ETF), the virtual insolvency of regional banks (flat yield curve), the risk of bubbles (commercial real estate) and the likely return to positive core inflation. We expect the 10-year yield target to be raised from 0 to 0.15% in 1H, once US tax reform has been ratified. This will involve a fresh slowdown in JGB purchases by the issuing institution. Synchronized tapering by both the BoJ and the ECB should resteepen the yield curves in the euro area and Japan, with a knockon effect for the US 10-year yield, as the G3 bond markets are inter-connected.
In the US, the stimulus provided by tax reform is set to be drowned out by a rise in inflation, a soaring trade deficit, rate hikes from the Fed and the surge in the dollar. The rise in long-term rates triggered by tapering in Japan and Europe will dent valuations for both equities and real estate. The shock on long-term rates should only be temporary as domestic long-term investors (insurers and pension funds) have already changed their marginal inflows away from equities and into bonds (equity weighting target reached as a result of market rally), and the increase in mortgage rates will soon dry up the source of fixed-rate MBS issues. The combination of high rates and rising budget deficit will particularly accentuate the shortage of dollar-denominated liquidity across the rest of the world, which is already dented by Basel III, with the risk of triggering a short squeeze on emerging markets' external debt. This US policy mix profile harks back to the Reagan/Volcker era, after which the Third World debt crisis followed hot on the heels.
We maintain our overweight stance on risky assets via equities in the euro area, Japan and emerging Asia, along with European credit (IG and HY) and European peripheral debt, but maintain our underweight position on assets exposed to Chinese real estate risk and the dollar's rise (emerging debt, Latin-American equities, industrial metals).
Our currency positions (long USD vs. EUR, CHF, AUD) are a telling reflection of our view of a world where the dollar's exchange rate has superseded the VIX as the synthetic risk aversion indicator.
Raphaël Gallardo , January 2018
Article also available in : English | français
The recently theorised phenomenon of "disruption" is defined as a process whereby a product, a service or a solution disrupts the rules on an already established market. Technological progress, along with the globalisation of trade and demographic changes are now helping to (...)
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This article is not about the differences between British and American education systems (a comparison that should probably be reserved for a post of its very own). Rather, it is a look at the little things, things that breathe life into the everyday American high school, things that—to a British outsider—might seem a tad bizarre and/or unfamiliar.
Firstly, and this is true of American life in general, things are so much bigger in the average American high school. Actually, a better phrase might be more bombastic.
And things perhaps don't come more bombastic than high school marching bands, huge armies of instrumentalists who perform at various events throughout the school year. These bands are usually of considerable quality given that they are comprised entirely (excluding the conductor) of teenage students. And if it wasn't enough that they (as well as various other performance troupes) play before a dedicated demographic of family members, many will also perform at state level, while the very best get to compete at what Americans refer to as "nationals."
Of course, it's no good having highly dedicated performers if they don't have a venue in which to perform. Thankfully, American high schools don't disappoint in this regard; indeed, if you think that the seemingly massive auditoriums featured in American TV shows such as Glee are exaggerated, think again.
Moreover, high school basketball gymnasiums are also substantially bigger than anything you would see in Britain, and they host not just marching band performances, but cheerleading and Color Guard competitions, as well as basketball itself. These venues are particularly popular in the Midwest, where the state of Indiana boasts 12 of the 13 largest high school basketball gymnasiums in America.
Meanwhile, there is one aspect of American schools that isn't quite so big: school buses. Those same yellow vehicles you've probably seen in countless American movies are real—as real as the vast corridors of lockers that also feature in said films—and they're everywhere.
They're even utilized by some students on prom night. And nobody does prom night—a milestone that has evidently grown more popular in Britain over the last 10 years—quite like the Americans. Dressed to the nines, students attend the event (again, regularly featured in the movies) at the culmination of senior year, crowning the Prom King and Queen in the process. This event is similar in some respects to that other milestone known as homecoming, which welcomes back school alumni at the beginning of the school year, and which also sees much formal attire during the coronation of a king and queen.
Speaking of attire, it is a long-held belief among Brits that American school kids don't wear uniforms, attending class in jeans and button-ups. However, while this is still largely the case, in recent years a number of public schools around the country have begun adopting uniform policies in a seeming effort to improve conformity.
Of course, conformity is the name of the game early every morning, too, when many students join in the daily Pledge of Allegiance, an expression of loyalty to the United States. In high schools, never is this commitment to country more evident than in the classroom, most of which contain, in some capacity, an American flag. Indeed, for a British child enrolling in a U.S. high school, this—as well as all of the above—can make for a very confusing time.
What are some American high school customs that would seem entirely foreign to Brits? Tell us below:
See more:
College Life in the U.S.: Tips for Reducing Move-In Stress for British Parents
A Brit's Guide to High School Proms in America
What the U.S. Can Learn From British-Style Parenting


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[REVIEW] 2020 Toyota Prius Prime plug-in hybrid
When you think of hybrid vehicles, I would venture to say that the Toyota Prius is the first vehicle that comes to mind. It's actually rather unbelievable that the first-generation Prius made its debut over two decades ago, back in 1997.
In car technology years, that's ancient. But over the last 20 years, the Toyota Prius has become the quintessential hybrid vehicle even though it has given up its ground to other hybrids over the years, including those made by Toyota itself.
This eco warrior has been owned by anyone and everyone from celebrities, social media influencers, to taxi fleets. Almost all of the taxis in Vancouver, for example, are Prius or Prius V's.
While the previous generation Prius was really more of an evolution of the second-generation car it replaced, the current fourth-generation Prius (that has been with us since 2017) was truly a revolution.
While its styling was truly controversial, the biggest advance was in fuel economy, the main reason that target customers would be interested in hybrids in the first place. Fuel economy improved to a phenomenally low 4.5L /100 kms, brought on by a new, larger, and more efficient 1.8L four-cylinder engine.
Despite the improvements in fuel consumption, the fourth generation Prius was larger inside without being tremendously larger outside than before. Its aerodynamic but yet practical hatchback shape provides almost the same family-hauling space of most mid-sized sedans, and handling, interior quality, and noise levels were all improved.
Initially only available in certain USA states, Toyota also introduced the Prius Prime, a second-generation plug-in hybrid version of the Prius. This was designed for consumers tempted to buy a full electric vehicle, but yet aren't willing to jump in with both feet just yet due to the range anxiety.
Why get the Prius Prime over a regular Prius?
The answer is simple. If you don't need all-wheel-drive that is now offered on the standard Prius, can charge frequently to maximise the electric-only drive mode, the Prius Prime is the more compelling car.
Not only does the Prime give you the coveted "OK" sticker that allows you to drive in carpool lanes, but to my eyes, it's also a better-looking car out of the pair.
It's true that the first-gen Prius plug-in, introduced in 2012, was perhaps a bit of a half-hearted effort that promised some electric-only range. Even though I was generally positive on the car when I reviewed it a few years ago, it was expensive for what you go. I also noticed that the old Prius plug-in resorted to firing up its gas engine on more frequently than expected.
Clearly Toyota took notice due to its lower owner satisfaction surveys of the Prius Plug-in hybrid versus the regular Prius.
Now with its dedicated "Prime" moniker, Toyota has heard those EV-leaning buyers loud and clear.
The Prius Prime not only has a dedicated name and several styling differences, but it has the ability to stay in all-electric mode even at highway speeds. Thanks to an 8.8 kWh lithium-ion battery, the Prime has a claimed range of about 40 kilometers in all-electric mode. I found that I could eek out above this figure with careful driving.
What's new for 2020?
Interestingly enough, one of the major updates for 2020 was a fifth seating position for the Prius Prime. Before 2020, the Prime only came as a four seater, with the alleged explanation being that if the rear were to seat three across, the car would need to have more reinforcing material and its 3.3 kW charger would need to be move.
Nonetheless, this was enough of a concern for buyers that Toyota obviously found a way to make the centre-rear seat happen. 2020 models also receive two additional USB ports for the rear passengers.
The third biggest change for 2020 is standard Sirius XM and Apple CarPlay capability, as Toyota recently included on a few of their other models.
Other than that, the Prime remains pretty much unchanged from 2019 aside for a few colour trim differences for a more premium feel, as well as relocated seat heater buttons for easier usability.
What's it like to drive?
Toyota says that the reason why "Prime" was chosen was because the word represents "the best" or "at the top".
With this model being the best-equipped and most technologically advanced Prius in the model's two-decade global history, they felt that the name was a natural fit.
Plug-in hybrid vehicles have come such a long way in the last few years and the Prius Prime leads the charge. With the range being double than what it used to be, owners with frequent access to a charge point, or even a household outlet, will find that the price premium over the standard Prius will pay off rather quickly.
Keep the batteries charged and, as I did, you could feasibly run the Prius PHEV almost ever without having to fill up the fuel tank. I averaged an astounding 2.8L/100 kms in my week with the Prime due to relying largely on battery power for most of my commute.
Toyota says that the Prius Prime takes 2.5 hours to recharge at 240 volts, and can be charged overnight at the standard 120 volt in around 5-6 hours with the provided travel charging cord. There is no Level 3 high speed DC charging capability on the Prime since the Level 2 240v charging speed is quick enough already.
With its EV Auto Mode, Hybrid Mode, and EV-only modes, the Prime allows owners to juggle its power sources remarkably efficiently. Plant the throttle pedal and the revs do rise. However, the torque of the electric motor means you don't need to bury your foot to get off the mark.
Toyota has admitted that the hybrid CVT drive is not the most pleasant way to get about if you need to move quickly. Therefore, they've addressed the problem with a meatier motor (with 71 hp and 120 lb ft of torque) and denser battery, as well as more noise insulation.
The battery deserves its own mention as it is twice as powerful as before while only being 50 per cent heavier and only two-thirds bulkier.
As a result of these improvements, the engine noise from the 1.8 litre, 121 horsepower, Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine is rarely intrusive. It's a subtle improvement, but a worthwhile one. The CVT provides ultra-tall cruising ratios which the Prius Prime can tolerate due to its low aerodynamic drag.
Toyota claims that the Prius' engine boasts the best thermal efficiency of any mass-produced engine anywhere in the world thanks to a new exhaust gas recirculation system and incremental improvements made on combustion, heat management and friction reduction.
The Prius's remodeled lighter and smaller transaxle, which houses the electric motors and transmission, has helped the engineers reduce its length by 59mm, meaning that the auxiliary 12 volt battery can now be housed in the engine compartment instead of the cargo area.
Despite the ability to run in EV-only mode even at highway speeds up to 135 km/hr, there are limitations to the electric motor's oomph. You'll find the internal combustion engine firing up seamlessly to fill in should you need to make a passing maneuver.
But the brilliance of the Prius is that it never truly forgets about electric propulsion. It goes right on storing energy from its regenerative braking system and downhill coasting, ready to deploy as soon as you move away from the next traffic light.
Understandably then, the Prius Prime is best suited to around-town driving where starts and stops are frequent. Like other Priuses, the high-geared, super-fast steering makes city parking and traffic-dodging a clinch in town.
Given that Toyota has shifted over 1.5 million Priuses worldwide, clearly they know what they're doing. The Prius prime's ride is comfortable but firm and handling still a bit reluctant perhaps due to the eco-friendly low rolling resistance tires. However, the crucial low-speed urban ride is nicely dampened, and Toyota's latest efforts with its regenerative braking is commendable.
Still, this is not a driver's car by a long shot, nor does it purport to be.
Toyota's Safety Sense technology is included, including automatic emergency braking, automatic high beams, active cruise control, and blindspot warning.
What about the styling?
While it may come as no surprise that the Prius is slipperier than before, it may be surprising to many that the Prius shares the same 0.25 ultra-low drag coefficient as a Tesla Model S.
The Prius' appearance is said to benefit from an unusually young design team and a concerted effort to "inject ego" into what remains a largely familiar silhouette.
Compared to the third-generation Prius, its longer and slightly wide, but yet lower, with an overall height descended by around 20mm and the driver's hip point sunk by a full 59 mm. The resulting drop in centre of gravity compliments the 60 per cent gain in torsional rigidity provided by a more extensive use of high-strength steel and additional body reinforcement.
Compared to the regular Prius, the Prime stands out with unique quad-LED projector headlights and LED foglamps, as well as lighter carbon-fibre composite tailgate with "dual-wave" rear glass. Due to the curved window, there is no rear wiper.
This unique rear tailgate also houses a different LED taillamp design which encompasses the entire width of the car.
What about the interior?
Toyota doesn't skim on its equipment when it comes to the Prius' interior. While the instrumentation may be slightly unconventional, it checks all of the boxes as far as usability.
There is a colourful heads-up display, the requisite digital speedometer, and a much improved colour multi-function trip computer housed in a wide instrument pod spanning the centre of the dash. The two main trip computer screens provide usage monitors which provide enough readouts to satisfy even the most discerning efficiency geeks.
My well spec'ed out Prime also came with a JBL premium sound system, GPS satellite navigation, as well as a wireless Qi-compatible phone charger.
The large Tesla-like portrait touchscreen is nice to look at, but the user interface seems very much ported over from the standard landscape-orientated Toyota infotainment system.
The learning curve is a little bit steep initially, as it takes a while to sort out the split screens and the various information that can be displayed. Arguably, the screen resolution could also be a bit higher and the graphics a bit more premium in feel.
On longer journeys, I found the front seats comfortable, but a little flat. In the rear, leg room is generous, although head room is still limited for larger adults as a consequence of the aerodynamic descending roofline above you and the battery and fuel tank packaged below.
Assuming that your head isn't bothered by the roofline, you'll feel well provided for in the back, with USB and 12V power outlets available between the front seats, and good-sized bottle holders in the doors.
The Prius Prime's trunk a good size, having swollen to 343 litres below the window line. It offers space nearly on a par with its conventional hatchback rivals. Thanks to the tailgate, the cargo area is both wide and long and swallows bulky items particularly easily, although it's shallower than you might expect.
Final thoughts
With its manufacturer-estimated 1,035 kilometer total driving range and 40-kilometer EV range, the Prius prime raises the efficiency bar even more.
The interior doesn't feel as cheap as before, and the odd touches that remain make it quirky enough to have some character.
All in-all, the Prius Prime is practical, yet durable and reliable enough to serve as a daily driver for years to come.
Despite the new additional standard features, the 2020 Prius Prime starts at $32,990, same MSRP as the 2019 model. The 2020 Prius Prime Upgrade package starts at $34,990 ($455 less than the 2019 model).
My 2020 Prius Prime Technology test vehicle starts at $37,990 ($580 less than the 2019 model).
[REVIEW] 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 Duramax Diesel
Since its conception in the early 1900s, the pickup truck has evolved from a purely utilitarian purpose to a blend of style and substance. Manufacturers have adjusted to consumer and industrial needs and desires over the year, adapting the basic design from niche market to mass appeal.
The North American pick-up truck market has always been a hotly contested segment, with the Ford F-150 juggernaut ruling by a large margin.
In Canada, the Ford F-Series and Dodge Ram pickups are the top 2 best-selling vehicles respectively in 2019. The former has been the best-selling vehicle in Canada for 10 years on the go. It was only back in 2008 where the Honda Civic took the top spot.
The current demand for these go-anywhere do almost anything vehicles isn't going away anytime soon and arguably, due to consumer adoption in powertrains and vehicle technology, the next 5-10 years of its evolution should be more interesting than the last 20 years.
More efficient engine choices
While "diesel" may be a bit of a faux pas in the passenger car segment after the infamous VW Dieselgate scandal, diesel pick-up trucks are more popular than ever.
These days, aside from the honking large displacement V8 diesel ¾ ton pick-up trucks, the Big Three domestic manufacturers all offer a lighter-duty 3.0L diesel option in a fullsize ½ ton pick-up truck.
These smaller displacement six-cylinder turbocharged diesel engines offer consumers the ability to have their cake and eat it too. They can enjoy the utility and towing capability afforded by a full-sized quad cab pick-up truck but with family car fuel efficiency.
Fashionably late but worth the wait
The new flint, MI-built all-aluminum light duty diesel engine is a testament to modern day engineering progress.
Designed by GM's centre for diesel expertise in Torino, Italy, the one thing that separates the GM engine from the competition is that this is the only completely new light-duty diesel in the segment.
With 277 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque, the 3.0-litre inline-six cylinder turbo engine is worth the wait. 95 per cent of that torque is available at just 1,250 rpms thanks to the latest turbocharger technology.
Moreover, 460 lb-ft is the same amount of twist produced by another GM engine with more than twice the displacement, the 6.2L gasoline V8 that is also available with either the Sierra or Silverado.
Save for flooring the throttle at a stop, there is virtually no turbo lag. With a little bit of brake-torquing, 0-100 km/hr runs can be accomplished in roughly 8.7 seconds.
Compared to the V6 diesel engines from Ford and Dodge, the new Duramax's inline-six architecture is naturally balanced, making it a smoother operator. This new engine debunks diesels' growly image, with added smoothness and refinement achieved in part through common-rail direct fuel injection at 36,250 psi (2,500 bar) with an engine-driven twin piston pump.
This wizardry sends fuel to solenoid-activated injectors with nine-hole nozzles that stabilize combustion, resulting in a reduction of the clattering noise typically associated with diesel engines.
Indeed, this is the first time that the inline-six architecture has been combined with turbocharging in a GM fullsized pick-up truck. Unlike a V6, there is no need for balancing shafts as the engine operates only two camshafts and their associated valvetrain components, balancing primary and secondary forces.
Paired with GM's 10L80 10-speed automatic gearbox, the Duramax is rated to pull a respectable 9,300 lbs pounds (4,218 kg). The flat torque curve means more pulling power for longer periods of time, always a good thing if you happen to be using your truck like it is intended.
Numbers aside, how does it drive in the real world?
Smooth, responsive, big. Those are the three words that come to mind as to how the Sierra Duramax feels on the road.
Like other GM trucks, there are several selectable engine/powertrain modes (Sport, Touring, Off-Road, and Tow/ Haul). Each of these deliver a unique feel, changing shift points, traction control settings, throttle response, and more. There is a good amount of adjustability between the modes, altering the personality of the truck depending on your needs or preference.
If you tow, the Sierra Duramax has a party trick up its sleeve as being the only light-duty diesel pick-up truck in the segment that uses its turbocharger to provide a healthy dose of back pressure, acting as an automatic exhaust brake of sorts.
While there is no dedicated exhaust brake button as with the bigger HD turbodiesel GM trucks), the 3.0-litre Duramax fully integrates this feature into its Tow/Haul mode, allowing the Sierra to hold its gear, keeping a constant engine rpm when towing a trailer downhill so as to not have to ride the vehicle's or trailer's brakes.
While we're on the subject of towing, GM also offers a clever Invisible Trailer accessory camera which stitches together images from two cameras to make it seem as if you can see through your trailer on the infotainment screen. Perhaps in the future I will have an opportunity to see first hand how well it works.
Towing capacity with the light duty Duramax diesel is 9,100 pounds and payload is 2,240 pounds. The Sierra is certainly as much a workhorse as it can be a daily driver.
The healthy power and smart gearing from the 10-speed transmission means good fuel economy too. I averaged around 11.8L/100 kms in mixed highway and city driving, very respectable for a full-sized four door pick-up truck.
Whether or not it has a diesel engine, the Sierra's ride quality and handling remains good. The cabin is quiet with fewer vibrations through the wheel and pedal than the F-150 and even the Ram.
Although it doesn't ride as cushy as the Ram, the GMC Sierra (and its Silverado counterpart) steer and handle sharper than the F-1500 and Ram 1500. The GM's choice of aluminum for diesel engine means that the GM trucks aren't penalized by nose-heavy weight. Therefore, the ride quality isn't any better or worse than its gasoline equivalents.
Like other GM trucks, the Sierra offers a fantastic "Auto" setting for its four wheel drive electronic transfer case. This setting allows the computer to automatically distribute torque to the front axle by anticipating the need for traction. For the rainy Pacific Northwest with alternating high and low traction road surfaces, this leave-it-and-forget-it mode is truly a godsend.
What about the rest of the truck?
My Sierra Duramax 1500 test unit was a Crew Cab model in Elevation trim with four-wheel-drive and the short box. Painted in the optional Satin Steel Metallic paint, it was particularly fetching.
The Elevation edition is mostly a styling package based on a mid-level SLE trim level. The idea behind this trim level is to keep the truck's price affordable while still being able to offer consumers a fair amount of included equipment.
Accordingly, you won't find things such as the optional CarbonPro carbon fibre bed or fancy the MultiPro tailgate. What you will find though, is a monochromatic appearance package with blacked-out body trim and wheels to give the vehicle a nice brash look. There are trim-specified blacked-out 20-inch wheels, black exterior accents, a blacked out grille surround insert, tow hooks, and side window trim.
The Elevation package also adds a 10-way driver's seat with power lumbar support, heated front seats and steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, a trailer package, an auto locking rear differential, and rear wheelwell liners.
My truck was also equipped with the Preferred package adding an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 120-volt AC power outlet, Bose premium sound system, and a much improved HD Rear Vision back-up camera. While a 15 viewpoint 360 surround view camera system is available on the Sierra, it wasn't available on this trim level.
The Driver Alert Package 1 also added in Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Front and Rear Park Assist sensors, Lane Change Alert, and a Blindspot warning system.
This latest generation GM pick-up truck brings with it a revised interior. Thankfully, the off-centre steering wheel position has now been rectified. Other positives include large clear controls and switches that have high quality tactile feedback, comfortable front seats, plenty of cubby storage spaces, and GM's excellent 4G LTE in-car WiFi hotspot.
There really isn't much to complain about. However, the misses include some cheap-to-the-touch dark and shiny plastics around the cabin, surprisingly in areas that are touched frequently such as the upper dashboard and glovebox, as well as some areas of the centre console. The overall dashboard design is functional, but not particularly fancy.
Final thoughts
Truck buyers in Canada have dramatically transformed in the past few years and manufacturers have been adapting by offering more permutations and combinations to their mid-sized and full-sized trucks.
Times they are a-changing as diesel engines used to be strictly the domain of heavy-duty pick-up trucks. Today, GMC is on a roll when it comes to its light-duty trucks. With the belated introduction of the Sierra 1500 light duty diesel pickup truck, the decisions for consumers are more plentiful than ever.
The company tells me that the Duramax diesel model is intended to slot between the 355 horsepower 5.3-litre gasoline-powered V8 and the 6.2-litre V8 choices. Since the diesel option and the 6.2-litre V8 essential cost the same, it really comes down to full economy savings as the diesel is far and away the most efficient engine offered in any GMC Sierra pick-up.
For those who use intend on using their Sierra as a daily driver, drive long distances on a regular basis, or need some occasional towing capability, the GMC Sierra 1500 Duramax diesel is a refined alternative and a welcome addition to the marketplace.
[REVIEW] 2020 MINI Cooper S: 60 Year Edition
Congratulations MINI, you've made it to your 60th birthday.
Considering that Volkswagen Beetle has been officially retired and the modern day Fiat Cinquecento has been cancelled for 2020, this is a commendable accomplishment for a small retro modern car.
It being such a milestone, MINI decided that this anniversary couldn't pass without a glitzy limited edition. As such, the celebration is being done with a tried and true formula, a good old special edition.
MINI also achieved a new feat late last year, having rolled out its 10 millionth car since 1959 when Sir Alec Issigonis revolutionized the automotive world with his classic Mini design. Naturally, the 10 millionth unit was built as a 60 Year Special Edition.
Logos and more…
Think of the 60 Year Special Edition as a posh limited edition MINI, available only as a MINI 3 Door and MINI 5 Door.
My test vehicle was fitted with an eight-speed automatic gearbox (sorry no manuals for the special edition), the British Racing Green IV paint job, and a premium brown leather interior combination.
The latter is an exclusive hide, called "MINI Yours Leather Lounge 60 Years" only available in the exclusive "Dark Cacao" colour.
The combination looked particularly fetching, particularly with the contrast stitching and piping designed to match the British Racing Green paintwork.
If you don't fancy the deep and rich British Racing Green featured paint colour, you must be crazy. Nonetheless, being the democratic company that they are, MINI has also made other body finishes available.
These include Midnight Black metallic, Moonwalk Grey Metallic, Melting Silver metallic, and MINI Yours Lapisluxury Blue non-metallic.
Regardless of whatever paint colour you choose for the body, the MINI 60 Years Edition also adds a paint finish in Pepper White or Black for the roof and exterior mirror caps.
Hood stripes with specific 60 Years livery and cool looking exclusive 17-inch two-tone alloy wheels finish off the distinctive look of the edition cars.
But wait there's more…
MINI Canada really doesn't want you to forget that this is no ordinary MINI. The product planning and marketing departments have really gone to town here, fitting the special edition 60 Years logo not only on the left-hand hood stripe but also on the fenders by the turn signals, the door sill plates, the front headrests, and the steering wheel.
An LED puddle lamps even projects the logo onto the ground when the driver's door is open.
On the more practical side, Edition cars also feature LED headlamps, white turn signals, and the fantastic looking LED taillamps in the British Union Jack design.
To justify its dearer sticker price (by $6,900 CAD), many of the option boxes have been ticked as standard equipment.
Thus, what are normally optional extras, such as the LED lighting package and ambient lighting, are already included, as is the uprated 8.8-inch BMW Group's iDrive touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth, GPS satellite navigation, and wireless Apple CarPlay connectivity.
You'll also find other niceties like selectable Driving Modes, a high definition rearview camera, front and rear parking sensors, and rain sensing wipers.
What hasn't changed
Thankfully, the unique properties that have kept this small British car popular worldwide haven't been changed with this celebratory edition.
As with other Cooper S models, this includes the creative use of interior space and the go-kart like driving experience.
Although not a new model, thanks to BMW's efforts, MINI has managed to keep much of the original Cooper's spirit intact.
It might be bigger and heavier, but one drive behind the wheel will put a smile on the face of almost any cynic.
The combination of a taut and well-tuned chassis, plus the Cooper S's 2.0-litre TwinPower Turbo direct-injection four-cylinder engine with 189 horsepower, keeps the driving experience entertaining. 0-100 km/hr flashes by in only 6.7 seconds and the handling is delightfully darty and entertaining.
The car absolutely loves corners and the 207 lb-ft of torque at a low 1,350 rpm allows one to squirt out of corners with aplomb once you're past the apex.
Personally, I'd take usable low-down and mid-range torque any day over high-revving theatrics.
Sure, the steering feel could be a little less rubbery, the ride from the 17 inch wheels is certainly not cushy, and I wish that the pops and bangs of the exhaust overrun were a little louder, more consistent, and more frequent.
But all in all, the 60 year Special Edition Cooper S has an enticing sparkle its character that matches well with its deep and rich British Racing Green colour.
Final thoughts
At its core, the 2020 Cooper S is already an absolute gem of a driver's car. The surprisingly muscular and mature nature of the engine and gearbox package makes day-to-day driving a breeze.
Sure, if you're looking for a razor-sharp hot hatch, something like the Cooper S JCW may be more up your alley. Even in its Sport Mode, the Cooper S isn't tuned to shift quite as crisply as one of MINI's six-speed manuals either.
However, despite the 60 Year Anniversary Edition MINI Cooper S being a paint-and-sticker aesthetic package, its limited run status may just be another brilliant excuse for the ultimate MINI enthusiast to have his or her cake and eat it too at the next weekend car meet.
[REVIEW] 2020 Nissan Sentra SR
Nissan's baby sedan has grown up.
Originally launched in 1982 as Nissan's subcompact car, the originally Sentra was the most fuel-efficient gasoline powered car at the time. Largely owing to this appeal, the Sentra quickly became a success to the tune of the best-selling import in the U.S.
38 years later, the Sentra is now in its 8th generation and no longer Nissan's subcompact car (leave that for the Nissan Versa). With big-car levels of room and sporty driving dynamics, the compact class is one of the fiercest in Canada, dominated by the Honda Civic, the Toyota Corolla, and even the Hyundai Elantra.
So what room does this leave for Nissan? According to them, it boils down to a premium-car experience, styling, and substance.
Let's take a look at how Nissan's all-new compact sedan has grown up to be arguably the most handsome car in its class on sale today.
If looks could kill
The only thing that's not new for 2020 is the name of the car. Nissan's engineers have literally redesigned it from the ground up.
Unfortunately, the Canadian media launch coincided with the rise of COVID19 cases globally and Nissan Canada made the correct call to cancel the national press event so as to support social distancing and to prevent the pandemic from spreading within the country.
Kudos to Nissan Canada's PR and on-ground team in offering a limited number of vehicles for auto journalists to test drive after a strict COVID19 cleaning protocol was established and observed. If anything it made the new Sentra stand out even more, purely on its merits.
A glitzy press event was clearly not necessary to highlight the Sentra's bold new look. This thing's a stunner!
With its broad shoulder line giving it a wider-looking stance, V-motion corporate grille and even a two-tone floating roof, the 2020 Nissan Sentra draws inspiration from its big brothers, the Altima and the Maxima.
Riding on an all new and improved platform, the Sentra sports slim upswept LED headlamps, defined bumper corners, and a sharp looking rear bumper. Compared to the previous generation, this new car is about two inches lower and two inches wider .
From its side profile and especially when judging the Sentra's C-pillar, there are more Altima cues there with its sleek, fastback-like roof profile as part of its radical design.
Gone are the slab sides, replaced by defined character lines that run through the doors, quarter panels, and fenders.
Out back, there are slim taillights with an all-new unique shape, and the rear bumper has an integrated (purely cosmetic) rear diffuser.
Under the hood, there is a new, more powerful engine that boost fuel economy. A redesigned interior includes more luxury, more standard technology and more driver-assistance features. More on that later.
Safety and Driver Assistance Systems
Nissan's high level of standard safety equipment jives well with the "Sentra" name which was originally created for Nissan by Ira Bachrach of Namelab.
The word "Sentra" sounds like "sentry" and "central" which is supposed to evoke images of safety. Right from the start, Nissan had wanted consumers to understand that despite its compact dimensions, the Sentra was safe.
Nissan's Safety Shield 360, a suite of six driver-assistance features, is now standard on the Sentra, just like the other Nissan sedans.
These six features include blind-spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, high beam assist, rear cross traffic alert, and rear automatic braking.
These compliment the Sentra's standard 10 airbags and even an alert to remind drivers to check the back seat for children when exiting the vehicle.
I was frankly shocked to see the inclusion of a comprehensive tire pressure monitoring system on my test vehicle, with individual tire pressure readouts versus the generic cheaper ABS wheel speed sensor type system which only tells you that a random tire is low on air.
Interior and Infotainment
The 2020 Sentra has a vastly improved interior when compared to the outgoing car. Gone is the rental-fleet vehicle feel. With greater overall passenger space, there are high-quality materials and details including contract stitching and satin-chrome aluminum accents.
While beating a Honda Civic on driving dynamics along is a tall order, beating it on interior design and quality is far easier. Nissan said that much attention was paid to engineer in premium car levels of smoothness on things such as the dials and switches.
I particularly like the circular HVAC vents, which reminded me of those found in the latest Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
The faux carbon fibre print helps to add some interesting texture to the centre console and window switch areas and Nissan's excellent NASA-inspired Zero Gravity seats also make their appearance.
They can be outfitted as standard cloth or heated leather depending on the trim level selected. I particularly liked the sporty-looking orange accents throughout the interior on my SR trimmed model. SR Premium models get gorgeous-looking quilted leather seats with contrast stitching.
As expected, a heated steering wheel is also available. What's less expected are the soft-touch surfaces on the dash and door panels, lending an air of quality lacking in many cars in this category.
Infotainment and connectivity-wise, the well-equipped SR trim includes the optional floating 8.0-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. SR Premium models are also equipped with Nissan's Intelligent Around View 360 degree monitor.
Unusual for its class, this system is highly customizable, with the ability to add widgets to a customized Home screen menu.
If I had a couple of niggles it would be that there are a couple of signs of cost cutting in the trunk area. You'll need to watch your grocery bags as the gooseneck hinges can crunch your load when the cargo area is fully.
Moreover, it would also be nice to have an interior trunk lid handle to pull the trunk lid shut, especially in foul whether when the exterior of the car is dirty, or at least for the next few months, to avoid errand COVID19 germs.
How does it drive?
The Sentra now features a new 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder engine rated at 149 horsepower and 145 lb-ft of torque. This more fuel-efficient engine offers increases of 20 per cent and 16 per cent respectively over the previous generation's 1.8-litre engine.
A new independent rear suspension matched to a McPherson strut front suspension offers much improved driving dynamics. The SR's ride is firm but compliant despite its low-profile tires.
Nissan has also upgraded the electric power system for a more responsive dual-pinion rack with standard Nissan Intelligent Trace Control technology.
Intelligent Trace Control is a comfort feature that uses Electronic Stability Control data to automatically and smoothly applies small amounts of braking to individual wheels to correct the vehicle trajectory to match the driver's commands. The system can also engage when exiting a corner.
For example, if the vehicle starts understeering due to accelerating too quickly out of a curve, Trace Control will smoothly brake the inside wheels to help gently bring the Sentra back to the steered path. The amount of braking is small and does not affect the vehicle speed appreciably, but aids cornering by correcting the speed and/or adding yaw when needed
While I never pushed the Sentra anywhere close enough to experience the system, I can report its effectiveness in Infiniti vehicles.
Like almost every other compact sedan around, the 2020 Sentra continues to use a CVT. While I wasn't a less than enthusiastic fan of the previous generation Sentra's CVT, this latest generation unit is well-tuned and much smoother.
I liked that the transmission emulates a conventional automatic gearbox when you stomp on the throttle pedal, with a number of "fake" stepped gearshifts felt before it holds the revs steady like a typical CVT. This helps to take away the typical droney nature of most CVTs.
I almost missed the Sport mode, toggled via an unmarked button on the shifter. This increases the throttle responses and makes the CVT opt for maximum engine rpms and power sooner. Interestingly, it can even "rev-match" when it downshifts in certain conditions.
Of course, the Sentra's CVT only has 149 horsepower to work with, but this Is enough to motivate it to the middle of the pack 8.1 seconds as far as 0-100 km/hr times are concerned in this class.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the 2020 Nissan Sentra is a much-improved choice, especially if best-in-class exterior styling, interior quality, and value for money are top priorities for you.
While the new Sentra is a little more expensive than before, its overall desirability has shot up dramatically. You might even find it unexpectedly fun-to-drive.
[REVIEW] 2020 Chevy Bolt EV
When Chevy revealed a completely new electric vehicle as a concept car at the 2015 Detroit Motor Show, there was tremendous excitement.
Looking like a cross between a BMW i3 and a Chevy Sonic hatchback, the Bolt joined the 2016 Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid to showcase GM's renewed focus on electric vehicles.
The Bolt was particularly appealing as it promised to be the first mainstream affordable electric vehicle that offered enough range to rival a much more expensive Tesla Model S.
Initially launched with over a 380 km range battery as standard equipment, the Bolt had significantly more range than its closest competitor, the BMW i3, which only had a sub 200 km max range.
Improved range and more for 2020
At its production launch for the 2017 mode year, the Bolt largely delivered on the promises that GM made with the concept Bolt.
At a time when most affordable EVs struggled to go even 160 kms on a charge, the Bolt EV was a revolution.
Fittingly, Chevrolet decided to show off the car at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show instead of a traditional auto show. The name was renamed to "Bolt EV" so as to separate it from the "Volt".
Nonetheless, that confusion remains today due to the similar names. Still, Chevy applied a lot of the learnings it gathered from the experience of Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid owners and applied it to the Bolt EV.
For 2020, Chevy's engineers have tinkered with the Bolt's battery chemistry by changing the ratio of manganese, lithium, cobalt, and nickel, to eek out about an additional 33+ km of extra range.
These updates to the energy density of the 288 cells have increased the capacity of the under floor lithium-ion battery pack from 60.0 kWh to 66.0 kWh. This now puts the Bolt EV's total estimated range of about 416 kms to be slightly more than the Hyundai Kona Electric and the entry-level Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus.
Aside from the additional range for 2020, the only additional changes include two new exterior colours, and upgraded hardware for the Rear Vision Camera and Surround Vision camera systems. My press vehicle tester was equipped in the new Oasis Blue paint job, but a new Cayenne Orange Metallic colour is also available at additional charge.
Vehicle Interior Highlights
With lots of light thanks to huge windows all around, the Bolt has an airy interior. The low, flat floor allows for a comfortable seating position even in the rear, and there is a decent 17 cubic feet of cargo space despite the compact size of the car.
Although it is made from a combination of lightweight materials, including aluminium, magnesium, carbon fibre and woven mesh, the Bolt's interior is more functional and techie versus luxury.
The two-toned dashboard design is interesting and helps to break up the grey bits of plastic that look a bit cheap and cheerful.
A floating instrument panel and multi-purpose connected centre console have a compartment large enough to stow an iPad, and the pixelized flecked plastic white trim befits the ethos of the Bolt and gives it added personality. I suspect that most buyers who chose the Bolt over the Tesla Model 3 or BMW i3 probably won't care too much about the hard plastics.
The LG-supplied large LCD display screens are crisp and clear in their presentation of key driver information, and the large 10.2 inch colour infotainment touchscreen with "flip-board" operation is impressive.
My higher end "Premier" trim also included the infotainment package with a Bose premium 7-speaker system with subwoofer, wireless device charging, and two USB charging-only ports for the rear passengers.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality worked seamlessly, and there is a built-in WiFi Hotspot with available 4G LTE data, much like other GM vehicles.
While I was impressed by the multitude of electric vehicle display screens, energy coaches, and available customizations, I was also perplexed by the Bolt's lack of a simple "remaining percentage of battery capacity left" readout.
Hard as I tried to find it, the only place that seemed to indicate this was in the Bolt's smartphone app. Otherwise, one must contend with the Bolt's "fuel" gauge and range-to-empty readout.
Speaking of smartphones, the Bolt also comes with standard KeyPass smartphone entry/start operation as standard equipment.
While I have heard some people complaining about the seats being a bit firm and lacking in support up front, I found them reasonably comfortable albeit lacking in lateral support.
Heated at the front and rear on my Premier trim Bolt, the car's seating positions are rather upright like an SUV.
Additional Tech Highlights
My Premier trim Bolt EV was also fitted with a plethora of active safety systems as part of the Driver Confidence Package II. This included blindspot monitoring, automatic emergency braking, lane keeping assist with departure warning, forward collision alert, front pedestrian braking, rear cross traffic alert, and rear park assist.
This package also added the IntelliBeam automatic high beam assist to the standard LED headlamp system.
For those with teenage drivers in the family, GM also offers Teen Driver Technology, an available built-in PIN code restricted system that helps to coach them even when you're not there. It lets parents set a speed alert, a volume limit, and more.
For example, parents can enable a "Buckle to Drive" feature or mute the audio until front-seat occupants are buckled up. There is even an in-vehicle report card to track (and hopefully motivate improvements) the young driver's performance.
Vehicle Driving Highlights
It's not just on paper that the Bolt seems like a great vehicle. Until my review vehicle, I hadn't spent any time in it, but could easily see why GM had big hopes for the Bolt.
In the three years since the Bolt has made its debut though, the electric vehicle landscape has changed dramatically with the notable arrival of the Hyundai Kona EV, the Kia Niro EV, the longer-range Nissan Leaf Plus, and the Tesla Model 3. Even more EVs are coming later this year.
Like the earlier versions of the Bolt, EV, the 2020 model still delivers smooth, linear acceleration off the line from its healthy 200 hp electric motor which also produces 266 lb-ft of torque. This results in a 0-100 km/hr time of 6.6 seconds.
While not necessarily unique to the Bolt, it is always a bit of a novelty to be able to drive an EV with just one pedal, speeding up and slowing down using only the accelerator pedal and allowing the regen to capture some of the kinetic energy while slowing down the vehicle.
Carried over from other GM hybrid vehicles, the Bolt also features a novel "regen on demand" feature which allows one to pull on the steering wheel mounted paddle to invoke a more aggressive level of regeneration. One can literally slow down the Bolt to a complete stop by just using the paddle.
Although the big battery allows Bolt owners to enjoy some great range between charges, it takes a long time to charge it back up. In my test on a Level 2 240-volt home charger, it can take almost 10 hours to charge from empty. Most drivers won't need to wait that long if they top up the battery in between trips throughout the day.
An optional DC fast-charging capability, as fitted to my test vehicle, allowed about 140 km of extra range with just 30 minutes of charging at a compatible Level 3 DC fast charging station.
On the road, the Bolt's large greenhouse makes driving a joy. Drivers can enjoy improved confidence also due to the upgraded second generation digital rearview mirror. Unlike Jaguar Land Rover's equivalent product, GM's also allows one to tweak the level of zoom and even adjust the image up or down.
As previously mentioned, the tailgate mounted cameras have been upgraded with a higher resolution unit, as have the cameras for the surround-view camera system.
A high pressure heated camera washer system ensures that the rear facing cameras can be cleaned at any time, even in inclement weather conditions.
Final Thoughts
All-in-all, I enjoyed my time with the Bolt EV. It's not just an excellent EV, but a great car all around. It's just too bad that aside from the initial buzz during launch, Chevy hasn't really managed to get its model name out there very well.
The instant torque makes the Bolt EV fun to drive and its low centre of gravity afforded by the battery pack aids in its good handling and confidence on twisty roads. Although the ride can be a bit choppy on rougher roads, interior is a bit noisy and the unusual 7-shaped gear selector pattern is initially tricky, the Bolt continues to be a sharp EV.
Those minor complaints aside, if you've ever thought about going electric, the Bolt is a great alternative especially if you are turned off by the hype from Tesla fanboys.
If you want an EV with great numbers and a reasonable price, don't forget the Bolt.
[REVIEW] 2020 Cadillac XT5 Sport
When one thinks of Cadillac and SUVs, the company's first major entry into the SUV market, the Escalade, probably comes to mind.
Introduced for the 1999 model year in response to competition from the Mercedes-Benz M-Class, Lexus LX, and Lincoln Navigator, the Escalade has been a resounding success for the Cadillac brand.
Over two decades later, the Escalade is still trucking along. However, no longer is the Escalade the company's only SUV. Indeed, Cadillac has expanded the range significantly in order to satisfy the different niches that consumers are now demanding.
The Cadillac XT5, a relative newcomer to the brand's sable of vehicle, is now its best-selling model in the automaker's portfolio.
What is it?
As the CT6 demonstrates, Cadillac can build some brilliant-driving vehicles. The XT5 is part of parent company GM's $12 billion dollar plan to revamp the Cadillac brand around the world.
Built on Cadillac's new flexible architecture for SUVs, which also underpins the XT4 and XT6, the XT5 is designed to compete with the likes of the BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class.
Styling wise, the XT5's styling is unmistakably Cadillac, unmistakably American luxury. For those of you who know your Cadillac SUVs, the XT5 replaced the quirky-looking SRX in Cadillac's range from a few years ago.
Originally launched in 2017, the 2020 XT5 has just undergone a refresh gaining a new turbocharged engine, slightly massaged styling, updated trim hierarchy, and new tech features.
Compared to previous model years, the 2020 model receives restyled bumpers, new wheel designs ranging from 18 to 20 inches, standard LED headlights, restyled LED taillights with new graphics, and a newly designed front grille with different mesh textures depending on the trim level.
The new base engine is a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine also found in the XT4. Producing 237 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, this engine complements the XT5's naturally aspirated 3.6-litre V6. The four cylinder engine is fitted with a twin-scroll turbocharged and a unique three-step sliding camshaft to help the engine optimize performance across the rev band.
My XT5 test vehicle was fitted with the carried-over 3.6 litre 310 horsepower V6 which produces 271 lb-ft of torque. Like the 2.0, this engine also features direct injection, camshaft phasing, cylinder deactivation, and auto start/stop to optimize efficiency.
Additional Creature Comfort, Colours, Tech and Safety features for 2020
With so many options and choices available to consumers when it comes to shopping a midsized luxury SUV, Cadillac hopes that the sum of all its parts ticks the boxes. For 2020, Cadillac has introduced a variety of updates designed to make its best-selling SUV even more appealing.
In addition to the ubiquitous addition of new colour palettes for the cabin, a new centre console design now offers even more storage.
However, the big change for 2020 is the update to the infotainment system. The latest Cadillac User Experience (C.U.E.) interface continues to handle infotainment, with inputs made by Caddy's next-gen rotary controller. Drivers are now able to use the controller to "jog" for more intuitive inputs.
Connectivity features also include Apple CarPlay 6 and Android Auto 7 capability, Cadillac Connected Apps and Cadillac 4G LTE with an available Wi-Fi hotspot (includes 3GB/three-month data trial).
The updated system and associated user interface is a huge improvement over the old CUE system. A much more intuitive interface combined with snappy performance makes it as good as the best systems out there. One of the biggest improvements for me personally is the ditching of the old capacitive volume touch bar in favour of a trusty and accurate volume knob.
The biggest change in the new instrument cluster, aside for a rearrangement of information, is the way the driver can now cycle through the available drive modes and engage all-wheel drive.
In the past, the All-wheel-drive menu was a bit confusing in that it was separate from the Mode menu. For 2020, it is integrated in with the vehicle's four available drive modes: Tour (2WD), AWD, Sport (AWD) and Off Road (AWD), coherent with the rest of Cadillac's line-up of SUVs.
There are also more standard safety features including forward collision alert with low-speed automatic braking, Intellibeam automatic high-beam lighting and pedestrian detection for front and rear.
The 2020 options list also gets fleshed out with newly available night vision, improved versions of the automaker's HD Rear Vision rearview mirror and HD Surround Vision camera systems and more.
Further tech updates include:
• One-touch phone pairing with Near Field Communication
• The wireless phone charging now supporting up to 15-watts of charging, the addition of USB-C ports
• Enhanced Automatic Parking Assist with Braking
• Rear Pedestrian Alert system
There are plenty of bins for stashing smaller items, and an easy-to-fold rear seat allows the Caddy to easily transform to a cargo king.
How does it drive?
With a heads-up display, clear forward visibility, and excellent side and rearward visibility afforded by the combination of the excellent digital rearview camera and large side mirrors, the XT5 is easy to drive and composed on the road.
My test vehicle was specified out in the Sport trim, equipped with the 3.6L V6 with 310 hp and 271 lb-ft of torque connected to a 9-speed automatic gearbox. The Sport trim comes standard with the V6 whereas the lower Premium and Premium Luxury trim lines come with the new 2.0-litre turbo four.
In addition to the standard equipment V6 on the new Sport trim, this line also features adaptive dampers and a new Sport All-Wheel-Drive system with a torque-vectoring, twin-clutch rear differential which is said to improve power delivery and stability while cornering.
The up-level V6 delivers power in a linear and smooth manner. However when compared to the available torque at lower revs offered by some of the XT5's competitors' turbocharged engines, it can occasionally feel a bit lethargic. In fact, Caddy's smaller 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder may actually feel more responsive in daily driving, so be sure to test drive both variants before making a purchase.
Despite its similar looks to the SRX, the XT5 rides and handles far better thanks to being 300 lbs lighter and with a two inch longer wheelbase. The continuously variable damping system and strut/multilink suspension help the XT5 to feel relatively light and wieldy.
Can we say that the XT5 is fun to drive? Probably not. The Caddy is not quite in the same realm as the competition from Germany such as the Porsche Macan, BMW X3 M40i or Audi SQ5. But for normal day-to-day use, there is little reason to complain. That's perhaps as backhanded a compliment as you can give to a crossover.
When confronted with a twisty road, the XT5 can certainly tackle it with confidence. But if it's hairs on the back of your neck excitement you're looking for, you may be a little disappointed. For example, the Cadillac's steering is accurate with sell weighted responses, but I wish that it had a bit more substantial feedback.
Body roll is well-controlled and the vehicle always feels planted and substantial. Long highway stints are easily gobbled up in large chunks thanks to the impressively quiet and well-isolated cabin.
A V Sport version of the XT5 would likely spice things up a little, but with Cadillac's large number of other models in the works right now, don't hold your breath.
Final Thoughts
Modest improvements to the already well-packaged Cadillac XT5 make an already good vehicle even better.
While it doesn't carry a similar degree of prestige and presence as its big brother Escalade, the XT5 should still appeal to a large group of buyers who are looking for American luxury in their crossover recipe.
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Kill Paris takes music production to a new level with the incorporation of botany (plant science) and the Midi Sprout with single "Two Minds" featuring Tim Moyo.
This new technology literally harnesses the noise of plants and interprets them into audio signals. WHAT YEAR IS THIS!? This technology is fascinating and makes me love the single even more.
The new Monstercat debut is both melodic and heavy. The vocals compliment the synths and bass so nicely. I hope this isn't the last we hear Kill Paris using the Midi Sprout!
Check it out for yourself here:


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In the next two days for tourists from the Russian Federation 93 flights
In the next two days for tourists from the Russian Federation 93 flights will take off for Egypt, Maiya Lomidze reported the executive director of association of tour operators. It also reminded that speech about emergency evacuation does not go, tourists are taken out in a planned order according to the tickets acquired earlier, broadcasts "RIA Novosti news agency".
On November 6 Russia suspended an aircraft service with Egypt before clarification of the reasons of a plane crash on Sinai where 224 persons were lost. The president of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin charged to provide return from Egypt all Russian tourists.
According to Rosturizm, in resorts of the Arab republic there are about 80 thousand citizens of the Russian Federation.


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As if a Decorator's Notebook free delivery day isn't exciting enough in its own right, the reason behind this one is extra special. That's because, after three years of hard graft building our little brand, Decorator's Notebook has been chosen for the Small Biz 100 as one of the most promising small businesses in the whole of the UK! It's all part of the Small Business Saturday Campaign to encourage shoppers to support independent businesses in the run up to Christmas and recognise the achievements of the hardworking entrepreneurs behind them. We are so proud to be part of it.
So, what are you waiting for? The clock is ticking and you have until midnight tonight (Tuesday 18th October, GMT) to get some Christmas shopping under your belt with FREE DELIVERY on all orders to UK mainland addresses using code "SmallBiz100". Go, go, go! WAIT!!!!
Before you go, please, please share the main image from this post with your social networks so as many people as possible can enjoy this discount and give a boost to our enterprise. Or if it's easier, hop over to the Decorator's Notebook page on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and share from there. Thank you and happy shopping!
Here are just a few ideas from our latest collection to inspire you…
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In news that will disappoint Kanye West and thrill PETA, the Armani Group has decided to cease using animal fur in its products, including pieces from Giorgio Armani, Emporio Armani, Armani Privé, AJ Armani Jeans, AX | Armani Exchange and home brand Armani Casa. The Italian fashion house released a statement announcing that all its garments will be fur-free starting with Fall 2016.
Thanks to technological advances, it's no longer necessary to use animal fur, Giorgio Armani reveals. "Technological progress made over the years allows us to have valid alternatives at our disposition that render the use of cruel practices unnecessary as regards animals," the designer said in a statement. "Pursuing the positive process undertaken long ago, my company is now taking a major step ahead, reflecting our attention to the critical issues of protecting and caring for the environment and animals."
Armani joins a small but growing group of designers who have sworn off the use of fur including Hugo Boss, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren. Hopefully, Armani's pledge inspires change across the fashion industry.


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Casablanca is the economic capital of Morocco, not its cultural capital. It has wide boulevards, huge construction projects along the coast, and a cosmopolitan attitude. If you want ambiance, go to Marakesh or Fez. Nevertheless, it has the biggest airport in the country, so if you're arriving to Morocco by plane, chances are you'll be passing through. You can hit up the main sites in a lazy day, I recommend taking taxis–the petit ones are cheap and everywhere.
La Sqala is a great place to eat on a nice day–it occupies a fortress-surrounded courtyard at the edge of the Old Medina. Pictured is the fish tagine. Their mint tea is (like every other place you'll ever have it in Morocco) excellent.
Casablanca has two medinas–old towns-turned-marketplaces. The Old Medina looked like the place to go for knock-off purses and crap–maybe there was nicer stuff to be discovered there, but I was in and out in 5 minutes– put off by how dirty and dark it was–and the violent fight between 2 young men that spilled out of a store. I high-tailed it to the Quartier des Habous, which was chock full of real Moroccan stuff–tea and olives, leather work and pointy shoes, lanterns and wrought iron, robes and custom suit-tailors. The streets were clean and wide. It was peaceful there. As I decided amongst the slippers, I was offered a shot-glass of mint tea. Again, excellent.
By: Sarah Landau


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Pommery Fig Meaux Mustard, packaged in an attractive stoneware crock, is a delicious slightly sweet grainy mustard which brings out the figs' unique flavor. Ideal with chicken, pork and duck or with foie gras on toast. Serve with cheese, dip pretzels, slather on a sandwich, use it for sauces, vinaigrettes and more.
A rustic mustard, pleasant on the palate, the origin of Pommery Meaux mustard is lost in the mists of time. In antiquity Meaux mustard was prepared exclusively by the religious orders and known and prized by gourmets and epicures. In 1760 a dignitary of the chapter of Meaux passed onto MJB Pommery the secret of the original mustard that since 1632 had enjoyed the envied privilege of appearing officially at the royal table. Net Wt 3.5oz


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For Your Young Artist!
Let your child's creative juices flow as they put brush to paper with the functional Artist Easel with Paper. With an adjustable dry-erase board and chalkboard, two convenient storage trays, a paper roll, and three painting cups, your budding artist will be busy for hours! Get ready for some really great masterpieces!
Shipping: FREE


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Top 10 Best Free Cancer Treatment Offering Hospitals in India
Here is the list of Top 10 Best Free Cancer Treatment Offering Hospitals in India. Many poor cancer patients are suffering for treatment cost and day to day life earning. These kind of Free Cancer Treatment Offering Hospitals are really blessing for those people. Some hospital offer free treatment, other offers high quality service and diagnosis at subsides rates.
Free room, free food and medicines, various discounts for treatment also offered by many hospitals in India. Apart from this, cancer awareness camps, free cancer detection camps and referral service offered by many centers. There are many Regional Cancer Centers, presently approved and funded by the central government offers free cancer treatment. Top 10 Best Free Cancer Treatment Offering Hospitals in India
List of 10 Best Hospitals for Free Cancer Treatment in India
Adyar Cancer institute, Chennai
Delhi State Cancer Institute (DSCI)
Sri Shankara Cancer Hospital and Research Centre
Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai
Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Bangalore
Regional Cancer Centre, Thiruvananthapuram
Cancer Care Foundation of India, Mumbai
Dharamshila Hospital and Research (DHRC)
ICS Cancer Detection Centre, Mumbai
The Gujarat Cancer & Research Institute
1. Adyar Cancer institute, Chennai
This is a well known cancer specialty hospital situated in the city of Chennai. It is founded by Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy on June 18, 1954 on the land donated by Mr. S. K. Puniyakoti Mudaliar. According to WHO this is Top Ranking Centre in the country. Asia's first unit of cobalt-60 Teletherapy unit (radiation therapy machine) is here which was gifted by Atomic Energy, Canada.
The institute first started department of Nuclear Medical Oncology, Paediatric oncology, linear accelerator, Blood Component Therapy, hyperthermia treatment, ND-YAG Surgical Laser, Intra-operative Electron Therapy, RapidArc treatment etc. The Institute has 423 beds, of which 297 are free and Generally, 66% of them get free or subsidized treatment.
2. Delhi State Cancer Institute (DSCI)
Delhi State Cancer Institute (DSCI) made as an autonomous institution by the Government of NCT of Delhi. They provide comprehensive management facility using advanced techniques for all patients suffering from cancers. This is an autonomous institution as a Society under Societies Registration Act XXI. This Institute is providing absolutely free facilities to all the cancer patients attending in the General OPD. The Private Ward facilities for various categories has been added recently and will be charged as per cost.
Facilities Available
- Latest generation 128-Slice CT Scanner with RT Simulation
- Fully digital X-Ray unit with digital fluoroscopy
- Complete Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS)
- Three state-of-the-art Linear Accelerators with latest IGRT & IMRT facilities
- Chemotherapy facilities with all the prescribed medicines
- High Dose Rate Brachytherapy system
- Most advanced surgical facilities
- Intra-operative radiotherapy, Nuclear Medicine set up
- Alternative Medicine (Naturopathy, ISM & Yoga)
3. Sri Shankara Cancer Hospital and Research Centre
This is a well known hospital with 320 beds spaciously laid-out with all amenities, 31 beds are dedicated for free treatment. They also conduct Free cancer detection camp program time to time. The hospital built in the campus of Shankara Math in Bangalore with a built-up area of 3,50,000 sq.ft, over 9 floors.
This is totally a not-for-profit organization and they depend on donations and contributions from donors, well-wishers, corporates, NRIs, service organizations and other charitable trusts for the hospital maintenance. The hospital focus on cure and prevention of cancer. Sri Shankara Cancer Hospital and Research Center equipped with all modern facilities for cancer treatments.
Facilities Available
- Diagnostic Services Department ( CT scan/PET scan/1.5 tesla MRI etc)
- Radiation Oncology (High-end Linear Accelerator, simulator, brachytherapy, Radiation Physics, CT Simulator etc)
- Surgical Oncology with 8 well-equipped Operation Theatres
- Laser Surgical Unit, 30-bedded ICU with latest monitoring facilities
- Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
- Pediatric Oncology, Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit
- Physiotherapy, Rehabilitation & Speech Therapy
- Preventive and Community Oncology Department
- Clinical Oncology and Molecular Research
4. Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai
Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai is a well known hospital in India which is situated in Parel, Mumbai. It is a specialist cancer treatment and research centre for Advanced Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer. Tata Memorial Hospital Offers Free Online Opinion To Cancer Patients. Tata Memorial hospital is a pioneer in research for cancer. It provides primary care to the patients as well as free care to 70% of patients.
This is currently free of cost and are available to the patient between 3 – 7 days at the most. The hospital have branches:- TMH – Mumbai, ACTREC – Navi Mumbai, CCE – Mumbai, HBCHRC – Vishakhapatnam, HBCH – Sangrur, Punjab. Around 60 per cent of patients seeking primary care are treated free of charge.
5. Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Bangalore
Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology is a well known cancer care hospital in Bangalore. This is a famous Regional Cancer Center founded by the Government of India. KMIO is recognized as a Charitable Institute by the Endowment Department of Karnataka. The drugs sold by Kidwai are 40 to 60% cheaper than in the markets. It is one of the best cancer hospitals in India.
Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology Named after Rafi Ahmed Kidwai, the then Governor of Bombay, it was founded on 26 June 1973. The hospital offers free services to poor cancer patients. Poor patients are financially assisted by various schemes like Free drugs from the Institute, Karnataka Chief Minister's Medical Relief fund, Poor Patients Welfare Fund, children Welfare Fund, Kidwai Cancer Drug Foundation etc.
6. Regional Cancer Centre, Thiruvananthapuram
RCC is the well-known centre in Kerala for cancer treatment and research works. It is established in 1981 under the Government of India and offers excellent treatment for life threatening cancers from patients in Kerala and nearby areas of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. RCC offering management for all cancer types.
Adults with curable cancers receive free treatment here. The hospital offer free chemotherapy and advanced diagnostic facilities like CT scan, isotope scanning etc for children (chemotherapy given free irrespective of family income) and less affluent members. Nearly 60% patients receive free treatment and another 29 percent in the middle income group receive treatment at subsidized rates.
The hospital located in Thiruvanathapuram, Kerala. They also give importance for economic assistance for poor patients. All treatment facilities you will get from here in an affordable cost than other private sector organisations. There are also facilities for regular chemotherapy, cryostat, blood gas analyzer, tissue culture facility etc.
Facilities Available
- Haematology clinic, lymphoreticular clinic
- clinics for treatment of cancers of soft tissue, bone, head and neck, breast etc
- Special clinics are also available for cancers of CNS, gynaec/urinary, chest, gastro etc.
- special pediatric oncology and thyroid wing too.
- Linear accelerator, treatment planning with computer
- Computerised remote after loading system
- micro selection, thexatron 780 C, fibre optic endoscope
- auto analyser and blood cell counter
7. Cancer Care Foundation of India, Mumbai
Cancer Care Foundation of India, Mumbai is a well known registered medical NGO and non-profit Charitable Organization. This is made to provide standard health care at no cost. This is also called Cancer Aid & Research Foundation. This Indian Charitable Organization offers various aid to patients via charity sale.
They also offers facilities like rehabilitation, screening of cancer films and celebrates various health days for public awareness. The hospital organize periodical cancer detection camps and providing free counseling to cancer patients and their family members.
They conduct 6 point tobacco control programm. Cancer Care Foundation of India, Mumbai Conducting cancer research activities and studies with J.J. Group of hospitals, Mumbai and Royal Marsden Hospital, London. Patients will get free Ambulances service in and around Mumbai and Thane. The hospital Providing medical help and financial support, rent free accommodation, return railway fare, supplies medicines for free of cost etc.
8. Dharamshila Hospital and Research (DHRC)
Dharamshila Hospital is the North India′s Largest Cancer Hospital with 300 beds. They provides free consultations, diagnosis and treatment facilities to patients below poverty line. India′s first cancer hospital accredited by National Accreditation Board. The hospital offers highly subsidised treatment to low income groups, spending around Rs 2-3 crore.
The hospital has latest and most powerful tools of technology and have organised 237 cancer awareness campaigns for the public and conducts screening of short films and distributes pamphlets, booklets and posters. The Hospital organised 151 free cancer detection camps and free cancer screening months every year.
9. ICS Cancer Detection Centre, Mumbai
The Indian Cancer Society was founded in Mumbai in 1951 by the renowned oncologist Dr. DJ Jussawala. They offers high quality-low cost cancer screening facilities. Their Awareness group of trained volunteers conducts free Cancer Awareness programs. Free Mobile Cancer Screening also conducted by Philanthropic individuals and organizations for people living in the slums of Delhi.
The center offers complete comprehensive cancer check up service at a very nominal cost to poor and middle class people. Information about Cancer Insurance Policy offered for Clients and this helping them to avail the benefits of the policy at a very nominal cost. The center work with the objective of Early Diagnosis of Cancer, since cancer can be cured if diagnosed and treated at an early stage. They also refer clients for further investigation.
10. The Gujarat Cancer & Research Institute
Gujarat Cancer Research Institute established in 1972 and this is a state owned cancer research institute in Gujarat. This is one of the 25 government funded Regional Cancer Centres in India established in 1972.
X- ray, mammography (to detect breast cancer) and ultrasonography are performed at cheaper rates in this hospital. They are looking at strategies to manage the costs related to cancer prevention, early detection of cancer, evidence-based treatment strategies, access to affordable cancer management and supportive care to meet patient needs.


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mark1963 wrote:I have been researching Trust's after some excellent threads on this site and I am very excited. It appears that most contacts, courts etc are in fact Trust's. But are they all?
I do have a couple of questions.
1. If we are in court as Trustee's (we are in fact beneficiaries, but they fooled us) and are always guilty, then why do Judges have discretion. Is it only discretion of the sentence - what about being found not guilty?
If you stand as the "defendant" then you are a trustee of the court, entrusted to provide remedy to correct the matter. If you do not, then you are in breach of trust to the beneficiary, and the public intervenes to enforce remedy. The plaintiff will be the beneficiary. The Trust Document is the actual claim that establishes the court.
If you counterclaim, establishing your standing with respect to the first court and with respect to the matter at hand, and make claim against the other party (the original plaintiff) with some cause of action(s), then you entrust the original plaintiff (now called the "counter-defendant" before your court) to provide remedy and you are the beneficiary (now called the "counter-plaintiff") of that remedy. Your counterclaim would act as the Trust Document that reverses the roles and establishes your court on top of his.
If your claim (the counterclaim) is a challenge to jurisdiction of the first court / claim, then the first plaintiff is entrusted to present a proof of claim that you are subject to his "Law" (the claim / trust document) that he has presented to the court.
But, to successfully counterclaim and challenge jurisdiction, it is necessary to correctly establish your standing - a standing that is not implicitly subject to the original plaintiff's claim. This can be done be stating that you are "one of the people", and be careful not to state you are standing in any subject role such as "citizen", "res-ident", "tax-payer", "driver", "a-lien" etc, and if these terms are continued to be used, to object to their use until the other party has presented a proof of claim that you have indeed voluntarily taken on such a standing in that created role. - You may have taken on such a standing from your actions, your words, or indeed your in-actions or silence (the latter two under certain circumstances, and may be corrected leaving).
Bill Thornton explains how you'd go about doing this in his audio seminars and his supporting material such as in Procedures.
See Foundation for a starting point and the Example of establishing a "court of record" ( - a court proceeding according to the common law, in contrast to a Nisi Prius Court).
( Some good foundational material on Ohio Law Notes too: People vs Citizen | Common vs Statutory | Law and Equity )
In summary; a court is a form of a trust:
A man comes along and makes a claim, the claim acts as a Trust Document that creates the court (when other satisfactory elements are in place; magistrate, recorder etc. present on a noticed and agreed date, even if agreement is by silence and failure to object or counterpropose a date). The man takes on the standing of "plaintiff" before the court. The "plaintiff" is the beneficiary of the court. He may have other standings with respect to the matter being claimed, but is a "plainfiff" w.r.t. the court itself. The one who he makes a claim against is the "defendant" before the court. The one who he makes a claim against may also have other standings with respect to the matter being claimed, but is a "defendant" w.r.t. the court itself. The "defendant" is the "subject" of the court (the "subject" of the Trust as made in the claim). - The claim is the "Law" being introduced into and establishing the court.
In their courts, the chap on the bench may also be the plaintiff. This clearly is NOT a "court of record". A court of record is a court proceeding according to the common law. But the way the trust comes about is the same.
You, as one of the people, have the power to change it into a court of record. Don't bother asking on the nature of the court, just establish the court you wish straight after establishing your standing. This can be done in the first sentence written or spoken before the court.
The one who stands as "defendant" is entrusted (in trust of the court) to provide a solution to the beneficiary
By making counterclaim, the counter-claim establishes a counter-trust. The original defendant of the first court becomes the "counter-plaintiff" before the court - the beneficiary of the second claim (the counterclaim). The man who was the original plaintiff become the "counter-defendant" before the court - the trustee of your claim and the subject of the court.
By counterclaiming (correctly), the man who stands as the "counter-defendant" is entrusted (in trust of that second court on top of the first) to provide a solution to the beneficiary.
For a counterclaim example that won in court at common law (a court of record), done by Bill Thornton, see Action at Law -- Example. (More information available in Procedure and by studying his audio seminars as linked to above.)
2. Are dejure and defacto in any way relevant?
It becomes de-jure from your acquiescence; failure to object or counterclaim. Then you accept it. So no matter if it starts de-facto, it may become de-jure by your acquiescence. - Think estoppel and private correspondence, - all private correspondence start de-facto, but may establish agreement de-jure by various means, including tacit acceptance, silent acquiescence, estoppel and other means.
3. What about Jury trials - they cannot be equity courts - can they?
Depending on the nature of the court, if it is a "court of record" or not, the Jury may be the tribunal (as in a court of record), or may just be advisory. Know the nature of the court, and your standing as made in the claim / counterclaim. That would be the first line of a well written claim / counterclaim.
...this was just a rough overview.
( Registration - the process of entrusting a right or property | Fundamentals of Trusts | A brief overview of creating your own Trust at law subject to no other )
edit: moved in this forum ( i know you would have posted it here if you could have) rev/k


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Lightning Gets Yuna Costume in Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII
posted on by Lynzee Loveridge
The North American YouTube channel for Square Enix began streaming a new costume video for Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII on Friday. In the video, Lightning wears Yuna's costume from Final Fantasy X. The costume works as a double promotion. Square Enix is also releasing Final Fantasy X|X-2 HD Remaster for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita in Japan, the United States, and Europe this winter.
Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII will ship in Japan on November 21. The game will arrive in the United States on February 11, 2014, and then in Europe on February 14, 2014. Players who pre-order the game in North America and Europe will be able to unlock Cloud's uniform, bangle, and buster sword as equipment for Lightning.
The game will represent the final chapter in Lightning's story. The game centers around a 13-day countdown until the end of the world, and players must save humanity within 13 days and 13 nights.