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Top five off-peak destinations for summer 2013
Summer is one of the busiest travel times of the year in a lot of places—with a few exceptions. It's low season in many tropical locales, winter-sports meccas, and destinations on the other side of the hemisphere. And low season, of course, equates to a high chance of money-saving travel deals. We compared peak and off-peak pricing in a variety of destinations to bring you the most exciting and affordable low-season options for your 2013 summer vacation. Here are SmarterTravel's top five picks for off-peak travel this summer.
South Africa
Find the "big five"—elephant, rhinoceros, lion, buffalo, and leopard—on safari in South Africa. And find the best deals when you go during the winter low season. "Winter" in this case corresponds with the North American summer: The country sees cooler, less humid weather from June through September. South Africa's winter is a fantastic time to go on safari, as many animals are especially easy to spot during this season.
One of the best ways to put together a wildlife-watching trip is to purchase a package. And those seeking safari packages in South Africa will find much more palatable prices during low-season months. Gate 1 Travel, for example, offers a 10-night Classic South Africa package, including tours of Kruger National Park Game Reserve and Cape Town, for as little as $1,799 in July and August. The price jumps as high as $2,649 in January, February, and March.
We also spotted severely discounted rates at some of Cape Town's most famous and luxurious hotels. Nightly prices at Mount Nelson Hotel start at 3,730 ZAR (about $400 according to XE.com). In comparison, in January, we found weekday nightly prices starting at 6,575 ZAR (about $706). That's a jump in seasonal prices of more than 50%. 2inn1 Kensington, the number-one Cape Town hotel on TripAdvisor, also offers much lower rates during low season—roughly 20% lower. Nightly prices for a standard room jump from 1,450 ZAR (about $155) from May through August to 1,850 ZAR (about $198) from September through April.
Costa Rica
We love Costa Rica during summer. Sure, it can get a little rainy. May through June is, after all, part of the "green season," which means that you might experience some drizzles and humidity. But with cheaper accommodations, activities, and flights to the country, coupled with less crowds, it's a smart time to visit. (If you're planning to drive, keep in mind that roads can get somewhat muddy and difficult to pass during this time of year.)
Here's a great example: You can find very affordable flights from the U.S. to Costa Rica on Frontier Airlines, but only during summer. The airline operates seasonal service to San Jose through mid-August. We spotted fares for nonstop flights from Denver to San Jose in July for as little as $470 round-trip. This is cheaper than fares from Denver in November, which, according to Kayak, jump $100 or more in early December and necessitate one or more connections.
You'll find even more affordable flight options with new routes to Costa Rica—more routes, of course, means more competitive prices. JetBlue's new service from Ft. Lauderdale to San Jose begins in June. Delta just added fresh year-round flights from Los Angeles to San Jose, as did United, which started service from Chicago to San Jose in April.
St. Lucia
Dreaming of lush, tropical St. Lucia? Go this summer. Low-season deals, from cheap flights to discounted packages, are as plentiful as palm trees on the lovely island. One reason you can get to St. Lucia for less this season: tons of new airline routes. Increased service includes JetBlue flights out of New York's JFK, new summer service on Delta out of Atlanta, and new Saturday nonstop service from Newark on United starting this July.
St. Lucia's visitors' bureau is also touting savings of up to 40% on summer stays. According to Nerdin St. Rose, Vice President of Marketing and Sales for the St. Lucia Tourist Board, "St. Lucia's summertime savings will attract vacationers of all ages. From family vacations to couples on their honeymoon, our romance and family-friendly offerings make St. Lucia the perfect getaway." Noteworthy offers include a free night at a beachside resort, a 10% low-season discount on apartment-rental rates, and up to half off summer prices and free breakfast at Bay Gardens properties.
Salt Lake City
Summer is high season in some sections of Utah, especially in national parks like Bryce Canyon and Zion. So to get the best deals this summer, head to spots in Utah that, during colder seasons, are inundated with crowds of winter-sports enthusiasts—like Salt Lake City. Although the city is a top destination for ski buffs, it also offers a wealth of fun in the summer sun. Salt Lake City was recently named the Best U.S. Hiking City by National Geographic. And the city's mayor Ralph Becker has declared 2013 the "Year of the Bike," initiating a series of cycling-themed events and activities to celebrate the new, local bike-share program.
And then there are the deals. This summer, a host of hotels in Salt Lake City are offering limited-time summer bargains; these include nightly rates at Salt Lake Marriott Downtown at City Creek from $93, compared to rates starting at $209 in December, and prices from $199 at The Grand America Hotel, compared to rates starting at $247 in November.
You'll also find lots of money-saving discounts on local activities during low season, from 30% off on massages to discounts on dining.
Baja California
Despite a sizzling restaurant scene, world-class vineyards, an abundance of wildlife, and heavenly beaches, the number of travelers visiting Baja California has declined in recent years. This may come as little surprise if you've heard about the high levels of crime taking place in parts of Mexico. But it's still safe to go to many destinations south of the border. There are no U.S. travel warnings in effect for parts of Baja, including popular destinations Cabo San Lucas and La Paz.
Given the unfortunately dwindling demand for Mexico accommodations and tours, vacationers can take advantage of especially affordable low-season travel deals this summer. One terrific and (usually) affordable way to visit Baja? Set sail. This August, luxury cruise line Oceana Cruises' Regatta is embarking on a 21-day Panama Canal sailing from San Francisco to New York, stopping in Cabo San Lucas (and other Mexico ports) on the way. This high-end cruise typically isn't cheap: Standard rates for an inside cabin start at $12,598 per person. But travelers who book the low-season summer sailing can take advantage of cut-rate prices, plus prepaid gratuities, a free Internet package, a $500 shipboard credit, and free airfare. The discounted price comes to $4,299 per passenger, which equals about $205 per person, per night for meals, accommodations, entertainment, unlimited alcoholic beverages, and airfare—a fabulous price for a luxury vacation.
Seeking something cheaper? Go for an all-inclusive priced at low-season rates, like Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Resort & Spa, which slashes rates by up to 50% between April and July.
SmarterTravel.com features expert travel advice and unbiased coverage of travel deals.


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If you've never been to the yearly gathering of True Believers in San Francisco, no worries. Ars Technica will be at Macworld Conference & Expo 2007, so you won't miss a thing—except maybe a lot of rain and people defecating in the streets. But for everything related to the Mac and the iPod, too, the Infinite Loop journal will have pictures, specifications, interviews, and plenty of overly-saturated commentary.
Pre-Macworld coverage leading up to the Keynote on Tuesday will include both reports from the around the web and on the ground in San Francisco. The covered banners will likely be going up at Moscone Center over the weekend, and Monday will be when the media get their badges and start drinking excessively. Early Tuesday morning, expect to see the people who waited all night for a chance at the Keynote and maybe a crappy poster as schwag.
The Keynote itself will be on the front page.
The rest of Tuesday will be all about Apple Computer. Besides pushing through mobs of pheromone-spewing attendees to get a hold of an iPod phone (assuming it exists), expect the latest on hardware and software upgrades, as well as many pics of Time Machine eye-candy in Leopard. Third-party developers will also be in the loop during the week. In addition to the the usual suspects like Microsoft, Adobe, and Intuit—how the hell hard is it to make a UB of an accounting program?—expect reports on Mac gaming and anything related to the iPod that is shiny and bright. That would be pretty much everything.
This will be the fifth year I've had the privilege of covering Macworld for Ars, and this year Jacqui will also be there to do actual reporting and makes sure I don't do anything embarrassing. To that end, if there are any embarrassing questions you want asked, now is the time.
FYI, "When is Apple going to FTFF?" will be on a t-shirt I'm wearing.

subset: commoncrawl


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J.C. Penney getting rid of hundreds of sales, cutting everyday prices instead
NEW YORK (AP) -- J.C. Penney is permanently marking down all of its merchandise by at least 40 percent so shoppers will no longer have to wait for a sale to get the lowest prices in its stores.
NEW YORK (AP) -- J.C. Penney is permanently marking down all of its merchandise by at least 40 percent so shoppers will no longer have to wait for a sale to get the lowest prices in its stores.
Penney said today that it is getting rid of the hundreds of sales it offers each year in favor of a simpler approach to pricing. On Feb. 1, the retailer is rolling out a three-tiered strategy that offers "Every Day" low pricing daily, "Monthly Value" discounts on select merchandise each month and clearance deals called "Best Price" during the first and the third Friday of each month when many shoppers get paid.
The plan is similar to Wal-Mart Store Inc.'s iconic everyday low pricing strategy except that Penney's goal isn't to undercut competitors. Instead, Penney aims to take the guesswork out of shopping in its stores by offering customers fewer sales and more predictable pricing.
Penney's plan comes at a time when stores are struggling to wean shoppers off the profit-busting bargains that they have come to expect in the weak economy. The move is risky because shoppers who love to bargain-hunt may be turned off by the absence of sales.
"The big question on investors' minds will be how customers will react to a single price point versus a perceived discount under the old strategy," says Citi Investment Research analyst Deborah L. Weinswig.
Here's how Penney's pricing will be different:
- Sale prices become everyday prices. The company will use sales data from last year to slash prices on all merchandise at least 40 percent or lower than the previous year's prices. So, a woman's St. John's Bay blouse regularly priced at $14.99 could have the "Every Day" price of $7.
- Fewer sales. The retailer will pick items to go on sale each month for a "Monthly Value." For instance, in February, it might be jewelry for Valentine's Day and in December it could be Christmas decorations. Items that don't sell well would go on clearance and be tagged "Best Price," signaling to customers that's the cheapest price.
- New tags. The retailer used to pile stickers on price tags to indicate each time an item was marked down. But now each time an item gets a new price, it gets a new tag too. A red tag indicates an "Every Day" price, a white tag a "Monthly Value" and a blue tag a "Best Price."
- Simpler pricing. Penney will use whole figures when pricing items. In other words, you won't see jeans with a price tag of $19.99, but rather $20.
- New advertising. There will be an ad that shows shoppers screaming "No" to discounts as they look in their mailboxes, a pile of coupons and big sales signs. A 96-page colorful catalog that highlights "Monthly Value" items will be mailed each month to 14 million customers, along with other promotional efforts.
The new strategy, unveiled at Penney's investor meeting on Wednesday, comes as the retailer tries to turn around its business. Heavy discounting has hurt department stores like Penney. The group generates an average of about $200 per square foot, less than half the $550 or $600 stores like Victoria's Secret and Lululemon generate per square foot, according to John Bemis, head of Jones Lang LaSalle Inc.'s retail leasing team.
Penney has been a laggard even among department stores as its core middle-class customers have been among the hardest hit by the weak economy. It's also failed to attract a younger, hip customer despite its efforts to add brands Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen teen clothing collection. And its stores are described by some in the industry as "boring."
For the first nine months of fiscal 2011, Penney's revenue at stores opened at least a year - an indicator of a retailer's health - rose 0.9 percent, while competitors like Macy's Inc. rose 5.4 percent, and Kohl's was up 1.1 percent. Penney posted a loss in the third quarter and cut its fourth-quarter earnings outlook after a disappointing holiday season when it had to heavily discount to attract consumers. Penney's gross profit margin has shrunk for six straight quarters.
The pricing strategy caps months of speculation about what Penney's future might look like under the leadership of Ron Johnson, a former Target Corp executive and the mastermind behind the success at Apple Inc. stores who became Penney's CEO in November.
Johnson, who joined the company's board in August, has begun to put his stamp on the retailer. Penney announced in December it will have homemaker doyenne Martha Stewart develop mini-shops starting next year. And Johnson has tapped former colleagues at Apple and Target to join him at Penney.
Johnson and his management team have a big task ahead of them in making the new pricing strategy appeal to shoppers. For years, Penney, like many other stores, has artificially propped up ticketed prices even as costs have come down slightly over the past decade. The intent: to make it look like shoppers are getting great discounts.
Penney has been an especially big promoter. Last year, the company, which offered 590 sales events last year, had about 72 percent of its revenue come from merchandise that was discounted by 50 percent or more.
That's more than double the industry average. According to an estimate by management consultant firm A.T. Kearney, a typical retailer sells between 40 and 45 percent of its inventory at a promotional price, up from 15 to 20 percent 10 years ago.
The increased discounting has been a vicious cycle that only feeds into shoppers' insatiable appetite for bigger and better discounts. In fact, whereas it took 38 percent off to get shoppers to buy 10 years ago, it now takes discounts of 60 percent, Penney says.
At Penney, the regular price on an item that costs $10 to make rose 43 percent, from $28 in 2002 to $40 in 2011. But because of all of its sales and other promotions, what it actually ended up selling for rose only 15 cents, from $15.80 to $15.95 during that same period.
Charles Grom, a retail analyst at J.P. Morgan, said it will be difficult to change shoppers' buying habits. Macy's, for example, cut back on coupons a few years ago, only being forced to ramp it back up after seeing sales suffer.
"Shopper fatigue has been building for several years with the advent of the Internet and the ability for shoppers to compare prices," he said. "If (Johnson) can try to pull this off, it will be impressive. But it's hard for retailers to change the image of the company. He has a lot of wood to chop."


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Bring the Festive Delight with Diwali Gifts 2022
Diwali, the festival of lights, is one of the most loved and celebrated occasions in India. It is also known as 'Deepavali' and marks the victory of good over evil. It is celebrated with diyas, crackers, sweets, decorations and lights. This year Diwali will be celebrated on 24th October 2022.
The mythological story which runs behind festival of Deepavali is the return of Lord Rama with his brother Laxman and Sita after an exile of 14 years. The festival is celebrated to honor their return after such a long time. People usually offer their sincere prayers on the occasion. This year Lakshmi Puja Muhurta will be 17.57 to 19:53 where families and friends can get together for customary prayers.
Online Gifts For Diwali Delivered With Absolute Ease By FNP
Set the festive mood on and send beautiful gifts for Diwali online to your friends, families, and relatives. Our online portal has compiled a wide variety of gifts that are thoughtfully packed and dispatched to the destination of your choice with absolute ease. The gorgeous gift wrapping tends to be the absolute show stealer for most of our customers which are why they come back for more and more Diwali gifts online.
Our online portal has showcased both traditional and non-traditional gift items so that our customers have the freedom to choose gifts depending on their likes and dislikes. Our online portal features a wide variety of sweets, chocolates, gift hampers and combos that turn out to be the best token of gifts to express gratitude and affection towards your loved ones. For last minute Diwali gifts delivery, the online portal brings to you same day delivery option which allows you to send gifts with our express delivery services.
Shop for Ethnic Diwali Apparels and Crackers from Our Online Portal
Customers who are thinking about buying different things for Diwali can now effortlessly make the desired purchase through our appealing Diwali online shopping offers. The online store is providing wonderful discounts on personalised gifts, chocolates, dry fruits, indoor plants and other such items.
Choicest Selection of Religious Diwali Gifts and Sweets for Diwali Delivered at Your Doorstep
Diwali Celebration in India is incomplete without sending gifts for Diwali for beloved and to ensure that you don't run short of gift options, therefore, our online portal along with gift experts have worked hard to ensure that you have the best choice of gifts to your loved ones on the occasion. Diwali sweets such as Kaju Katli, Motichoor Laddoos, Rasgullas, Milk Cake, Soan Papdi and other Diwali Mithai make great gift options for your loved ones. All the Diwali sweets are freshly packed and delivered in the most pristine condition to the destination of your choice. Our gifts are not only attractive to look but will truly win your heart too.
For both corporate gifting and otherwise the online portal has displayed a range of religious Diwali gifting options too. You can shop for Lakshmi Ganesha idols, Diwali pooja thalis to maintain the traditionalism of the occasion. You can complement these religious idols with an exciting set of candles, Diwali Diyas and Chaturbhuj Door Soans which makes exciting gift options for families, relatives, and friends.
Don't forget to check out our amazing collection of Diwali gift hampers and sweets which will be an equally amazing gift options for your loved ones. You can shop for Diwali gift hampers consisting of chocolates, sweets and dry fruits which will surely delight your loved ones this festive occasion and will also help you to tie a stronger bond with the one you love. If you are worried about the price, fret not, we have gifts available in the different price range so that you can choose the best fit for your loved ones.
Amazing Diwali Gifts Ideas - FNP
|Gifts Type
|Diwali Gift Items
|Gifts By Relation
|Diwali Sweets
|Gulab Jamun, Motichoor Laddoo, Kaju Katli, Soan Papdi, Barfi etc.
|Diwali Gifts for Family
|Diwali Decorative Items
|Earthen Diyas, Scented Candles, Decorative Lamps, Buddha Idols, Good Luck Plants
|Diwali Gifts for Kids
|Diwali Pooja Items
|Diwali Pooja Thali, Ganesha & Lakshmi Idols, Roses, lilies etc.
|Diwali Gifts for Him
|Diwali Gifts
|Chocolates, Crackers, Flower Bouquets, Personalised Gifts, Photo Frames, Soft Toys etc.
|Diwali Gifts for Her
Shop for Special Diwali gift hampers for your loved one and deliver it the same day
People who are looking for traditional Indian gifts can shop for the idols of the Indian Gods and Goddesses to be delivered to the destination of your choice. The gifts turn out to be the best form of gifts on the occasion of Deepawali along with dry fruits and special sweets to make the occasion more memorable for your loved ones.
For people living far away from their relatives have the option of sending personalized gift items that are both thoughtful and will bring in nostalgia and will overwhelm them with joy. So, it is best to shop from our special category of personalized gifting option such as personalized cushions, coffee mugs, photo frames and bottle lamps to bring back the memories of the occasion.
Online Diwali Gifts Delivery to both national and international destinations
The tiny tots will be completely thrilled with the set of cupcakes ranging from 'Ferrero Rocher Cupcakes' to 'Triple Chocolate Cupcake' and even 'Chocolate Squared Cupcakes' which will truly delight your taste buds and will make the celebration more memorable. These cupcakes are freshly baked and turn out to be the best desserts for kids on the festival of Deepavali.
To heighten the festivity of the occasion, the online portal brings to you special decorative Diwali Thali's that turns out to be the best for offering prayers to the Gods and Goddesses. You can complement the thalis with traditional Indian sweets to be delivered as a perfect Diwali gift to your loved ones. The thalis are reasonably priced so that it can fit easily in their budget. Check out the buy sweets online section to buy ladoos, gulab jamuns, kaju katlis, milk barfis and more for your loved ones.
There was a time when sending gifts from international countries was simply impossible but with the help of the technological advancement and an up gradation of logistics, it has become easier for people to express their warm wishes with gifts for their loved ones. You can send Diwali gifts to India from USA, UK, and UAE amongst others with absolute ease. All the online Diwali gifts are thoroughly checked and then dispatched to the recipient to avoid any commotion at the last minute. The portal comes with a strong quality assurance to win the trust of the customers which makes it a reputed brand name in the industry.
We deliver Gifts to India & Worldwide. We deliver gifts to more than 350+ cities, with our strong and trustworthy delivery network you can send Diwali Gifts to Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Pune and much more to list down. FNP ensures that you always share happiness and joy of every occasion and festival to your loved ones without any boundaries of distance, with FNP you can also Send Diwali gifts to UAE, USA, UK, Australia and many other countries with instant delivery service and be a part of every happy moment with your dearest one.
Important 4 Festivals Around Diwali 2022
The festival of Diwali is one of the most widely celebrated festivals of the Indian subcontinent. But with our brethren scattered all over the world, whether it is the UK, USA, Australia or Dubai, UAE, no country tends to elude the charm of the enthralling festivity that boasts of the essence of light and joyous celebrations that bless the aura with the cheerful brightness of happiness. Unlike other Indian festivals, the course of the festival of Diwali is not bound to a singular day, but it is celebrated in entirety within a congregation of days that add to the celebration of the festival thereby enhancing its appeal. This year, Diwali marks its celebration on the 14th of November and with the aid of FNP, the most preferred online gifting platform, you can access a wide range of Diwali accessories as well as special goodies, in a hassle-free way, thereby enticing your dear ones, even on the special festivals that encompass the festivity of Diwali.
|23rd October 2022
|The festivity of Dhanteras marks the first day of the festival of Diwali. On this very occasion, Goddess Laxmi is worshiped, in order to be graced by wealth and prosperity, and it is mandatory to make a purchase of metal on this day, hence gold and silver coins along with jewelry invite the interest of the populous.
|Narak Chaturdashi
|24th October 2022
|The occasion of Narak Chaturdashi celebrates the victory of Lord Krishna over the demon Narakasura. People embark on the rituals of worshipping the deities on this very day, grace their eyes with 'Kajal' which is considered to be a shield against an evil glance and partake in the feasting of delectable savories.
|Laxmi Puja
|24th October 2022
|The festival of Diwali itself celebrates the occasion of Laxmi Puja. With Lord Ganesha and Goddess Laxmi being worshiped, households are graced with Diyas, candles, and Diwali door hangings. Firecrackers are burst and loved ones visit each other on this pious occasion, granting each other with the best of wishes from their side.
|Bhai Dooj
|26th October 2022
|On the fifth day of Diwali, Bhai Dooj celebrates the bonding that exists between a brother and a sister. On this day, a sister graces the forehead of their brother with a 'Tikka', who in turn pledge to forever protect them and grant them with an assortment of Bhai Dooj gifts. Even if a brother can't pay a visit to his sister this Bhai Dooj, our company makes sure that his offerings surely will, that he can opt for and even customize, with prospects that privilege him to personalize it!
On the joyous occasion of Diwali, our company allows you to send Diwali offerings to your loved ones, not only in India but you are also privileged to send Diwali gifts to UK, USA, Dubai et al, for we believe that distances should never act as a hindrance when it comes to transcending happiness, and work in the direction to give our beliefs a shape, thereby granting you with the possibility to spread the word of love.
Interesting Reads from our Blog
How to make Diwali Safe for Pets
While everyone enjoys Deepawali, our pets do not like this festival! The noise of the crackers, the air pollution........... Read More...
How to celebrate Diwali in Memory of your Loved One
The second half of 2022 was majorly spent dealing with the second wave of the COVID pandemic........... Read More...
How to Make your Home pollution free during Diwali
Every year on Diwali, we go all out and celebrate with great splendours, zest and zeal. On one side ..... Read More...


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I would like to introduce you all to Edith in this post. Edith is 10 years old and has a diagnosis of PDA. She lives in Sheffield, UK with her Mum, Dad, younger sister Betty and dogs Rambo and Vera. Edith has been out of school and recovering at home since November 2016. Years of mismanagement of her PDA had led to total school refusal. Edith now wants to return to school and she and her parents are currently battling the LEA for a suitable school placement for her. Funding has so far been refused but the family are appealing the decision. The family have set up a Facebook group for parents in Sheffield who are in a similar position. You can apply to join the group here.
Edith has to be one of the most insightful and self-aware children with PDA that I've ever had the pleasure of meeting and getting to know. She's a bright, kind, articulate and funny girl who has to date raised over £1000 for the PDA Society and you can visit her page here.
This post has been transcribed from a recorded informal interview that she and I had at my house. It's written in the style it was spoken as I didn't want to edit it so that perhaps it flowed better because I feared it would lose that realism and honesty. Edith has kindly taken part in this interview to help others better understand PDA and how it might impact on their own children. In this post you will be given the rare insight from the perspective of a child with PDA rather than the usual adults perspective, which is helpful, but it's all from memory. Edith is living it right now – this is her childhood right now………
Edith wearing her Blue Peter badges. Her silver badge was earned partly for her fundraising
My parts of the interview are in bold and Edith's responses are in italics. Edith has chosen all the images.
How has the time you've had out of school helped you? Well I'm a lot calmer and I've had time to kinda recover from all the stress and anxiety that I had at school and all of the demands. So time to like recover and calm down (smiles)
How has learning about PDA helped you? It's helped me understand myself a bit more and made me more self-aware.
And does that self-awareness then help when you get anxious? Yeah.
Can you describe what a meltdown feels like and do you know when they are coming? Well sometimes I know when they are coming and sometimes it just happens and I'm not that aware that it's going to happen.
What do you do when you have a meltdown? Well I find it hard to calm myself down and I get really angry and I've kinda like stopped getting physical and now I just really shout more when I get angry.
So you've learnt to have a more productive meltdown by not being so physical ? Yeah.
What can people do to help you when you have a meltdown? First off some space to calm down, then texting to find out the problem in a non direct way and then a hug when I'm up for it.
So do you think that your relationships, like with Mum and Dad, are better now you're not at school? Yeah.
When you feel anxious what does it feel like? Well I definitely get more tense. I clench my fists and my jaw goes all tense and it's like stress and also I sometimes feel a bit sad as well during it.
What sort of strategies at home do you use or Mum and Dad use? When I've got something coming up I normally just need to know what's going to happen so my parents explain it to me and I have to know everything about what's going to happen. I need to know what's going to happen so they explain it to me and like I normally get really anxious so I'll have a hug with Mum or Dad and then afterwardsI normally just feel really good about it and that I did it and then I just watch TV until bedtime. Down time is really good.
When you are feeling really avoidant and you're not doing anything do you avoid all the fun things as well? Yeah.
Does that piss you off? Yeah it annoys me. I'm like I want to do it but I can't do it. I get like this weird feeling in my tummy that's a bit like a tummy ache and I'm like I want to do, oh I can't do it anymore because I said I'm doing it.
It's ironic because doing things you enjoy would actually help reduce anxiety. Yeah.
It's quite funny that we can't. Honestly there are some days I don't get dressed and I just sit on the sofa and watch television and I do nothing all day. Yeah I always have those days.
And I think it's important when we explain PDA to people and we say we avoid demands and everyone goes "oh, I avoid demands" or "I do that" because they avoid all the boring crap. Yeah.
But everyone does that, even us. That's normal. No one wants to go to the dentist and will put it off and avoid it. No one wants to do the weekly shop.
No one wants to pay a bill they can't afford but people need to understand that yes we avoid those things like everyone else but we avoid all the good stuff too and that's when it gets sad. Yeah, I do that you know.
It's not fair – we shouldn't have to miss out. Yeah it's sad.
Now you have a diagnosis of PDA do you feel happy about it? Yeah, because it explains why I've been feeling like this.
So do you think a diagnosis is important? Definitely, because it may not be the thing you want to hear but it helps you to understand yourself a bit more….
I just have to say this – this is spectacular. Honestly……wow!
My 'favourite' topic is praise – do you like praise? Not particularly no. It makes me feel awkward like should I say thank you, do I even want to. Yeah it makes me feel all awkward.
It's a very odd thing. Yeah
I've tried to put a finger on what it is about praise that is so….. Weird?
I think a part of it is if I say "oh really well done Edith!" I'm kind of implying a demand that you've got to do it again and do it just as well or even better. Yeah.
Or it could be that we just find that kind of direct compliment too kind of in your face…a bit too… It's disturbing.
What do you say when someone says "oh really well done". Err….(laughs)
And then I want to go and hide under a rock! (Edith laughs)
I think people should just say "cheers" or something like that. Or a thumbs up.
Yeah and I don't like it when people clap. Oh no. It's like, number one it's another type of praise and number two it's too loud. It gets in your ears.
So your last school, what was it that you found that was a problem and what were they doing that was wrong? I enjoy maths and English and all of that, it's just the way it's taught to be honest and also the environment and all of that. It's really noisy and busy. It's got about 525 children in that school. Don't expect me to go there.
So too big and the way they taught? Yeah, and very demanding.
So did they use more typical ASD strategies like rewards? They didn't really do anything like that which was good because I don't like them.
So were you like in a typical class and did you have any support? Not really. Well they did when I got my diagnosis. They did start to do a bit extra like they got a little tent so that if I needed timeout I could go into the tent in the stock cupboard! (We both laugh together)
Lovely! I know!
Let's put Edith in the cupboard! (Laughs) And also like because it's a stock cupboard it's where people store things so teachers go in all the time to get stuff. Keep popping in and out. I'm trying to have private time.
That's crazy! The whole of point of timeout is that you have space and time alone. Yeah…..(we both laugh) but when I started refusing to go. They did have a thing in the hive where all you did was sit around all day and got bored out of your mind and people came in who had like different things so you had this group that was so demanding as well. It was like "right we are going to do this today" and I was like no. So it didn't fully help.
Do you have problems making and keeping friends? Oh yeah I've always had problems with like friendships. Yeah I always…..I remember this particular big argument with me and my best friend and we just having a laugh and she jumped in a big puddle that she was not allowed to because there were cones around it and I said you look like you've wet yourself several times and she didn't like that too much so she hit me so then we got into a massive argument, everyone was crowding around and we were just screaming at each other and then we just went off and like…to be honest I don't really stop because with friends you think you can have a laugh and they won't mind but when they actually do mind you think that they might just be a bit sarcastic or you're not sure when they kidding or when they're not because my friends are quite good at being liars. So yeah that then caused like trouble because I then misread what she was saying, which caused trouble. I've always had trouble with friends. Always had arguments. I remember this birthday party…..oh it went awful. It was my 9th birthday party and I invited some of my friends and I threw like a crazy string can at my friend and it hit his arm and I told another friend to piss off and I just got so stressed and I regretted it like so much but they all forgave me and like it was kind of like quite good.
Well it's good that they understood. Yeah my friends are understanding. They are silly but they can be understanding.
So do you think that what happened at your birthday party was it because the whole big party thing was just too much? Yeah. My 10th birthday party was amazing! We went to this nice pretty make up/hair and nails salon and we got our hair, makeup and nails done and it was just me and my best friend and then we just went to a restaurant with my grandparents, my parents, her and my sister Betty and then she stayed for a sleepover and it was like perfect. I didn't have a single part where I wanted to have timeout and it was really good.
So smaller is better? Yeah definitely. A smaller group of friends is really good but then if you feel guilty about not inviting everyone then just invite them round for tea another day – they'll forgive you about leaving someone out.
I don't know, when I was a kid there was never that that rule that you had to invite the whole class so you just invited the people you liked. (we laugh). I think we should go back to that personally because I wouldn't want to have a party with 30+ people. Oh no. No thank you. I don't want that. You always seem to have a kid in your class that you don't like or even 5!
People say "oh it's unfair" but I say that the dislike will be mutual so then you won't get invited to their party either so then it's fair. Yeah and if you did get invited then just turn them down! (laughs) you know, it'll be fine.
Okay I chose this photo! This is the cake Edith made all by herself for our interview/lunch 💜
You were saying how you felt guilty after you threw the can at your friend, do you say sorry to people or just leave it? Yeah I say sorry. Sometimes I just say "soz" so that it's not that much of a demand because soz is quicker and you can just get away.
That counts. Yeah exactly. It's got the "s" and the "o" in it! (laughs)
Do you feel empathy? Yeah I do. Can't show it all the time but feel it. People show it differently.
Do you pick up on people's feelings too, like their moods? Yeah sometimes. I feel bad sometimes.
As we've said you are out of school at the moment so what kind of things do you fill your day with? Erm sometimes I draw. Mainly because I'm out of school there's nothing to do so I normally just sit around watching TV all day – so boring. Oh I've seen that one already….oh and that one….and that one too!
You should try doing it for 30 plus years! (Edith laughs) You've seen everything! There ain't nothing that's been made you haven't seen at least 8 times! (Edith laughs)
Can you see yourself going back to school? Yeah. I can just imagine myself with friends at lunchtime and having a laugh. Inviting them to my house for tea. I really want that. I'm sad that they've said no.
Mum and dad are working on that. Yeah (smiles)
Where do see Edith in say 10 years? I'm hoping that I'll be at university or something like that or already an illustrator. I really want to be an illustrator when I'm older.
So you want to be an illustrator so do you see yourself working for yourself and being your own boss? Yeah definitely. Yeah no ones going to boss me around! (laughs)
I'd like to see them try! I know!
If they do, can I watch? (Edith laughs and nods)
Can you tell me about your new fundraising ideas? At my old school they are having a Summer Fair on Sunday and I'm going to have my own stall there and I'm going to sell a lot of things so I've got different event cards so like thank you cards and happy birthday cards and bracelets and things like that. All that I've made. I'm going to sell all of them and whatever is left over I'll put on my page if there is anything left over. My mum has made some things and so have I.
Some of the lovely items that Edith made for me and like the ones she'll be selling to raise funds for the PDA Society
So that's it guys – I think you'll all agree that Edith has achieved something very special here and will help more people than she thinks. I won't praise her too much but I just want to say that I learn from you Edith while you learn from me and a BIG THUMBS UP! 👍 Oh and the cake was DEVINE! 😋


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it seems like I didn't make a friend of Fairfax columnist Karl du Fresne at the EPMU's Journalism Matters conference last weekend in Wellington. Karl's written a column that appeared today in both the Press (Christchurch) and the Dominion Post (Wellington) Politics threaten media progress – Perspectives in which he criticises me for arguing that objectivity in journalism is dead and for declaring my socialist politics. You can read a previous post on market journalism and objectivity to see where I'm coming from.
I stand by what I said – that the point of journalism is to change the world, not just report it. I've written a letter to the editor in response to Karl's column and here's the text:
Letter to the editor
The Press
16 August 2007
I'd like to quickly respond to Karl du Fresne's piece about the Journalism Matters conference in Wellington last weekend (The Press 16 August). The idea that journalism is more about changing the world than merely reporting it is not something new that has recently become entrenched in journalism schools. If readers care to look beyond the rhetoric it becomes clear that the news media has played this role for more than 200 years.
The original press in Britain, Europe and North America was a highly partisan operation. Newspapers took a stand on issues and attempted to influence their readers. The press was influential in changing public opinion about slavery for example. The French and American revolutions were also stirred by the press of the day. Radicals were keen to have their own press in order to inform and mobilise supporters.
If Karl thinks that this has ever disappeared from the news media he's wrong. William Hearst and Joseph Pulitizer both used their newspapers to push the United States into a war with Mexico in the late 19th centuries. The American press was a propaganda tool used to great effect to generate public sympathy for the allies' cause in both world wars this century.
The news media took sides during the Cold War, the Korean War and the Vietnam conflict too. Today, Rupert Murdoch is proud of the role his newspapers and television networks played in building public support for the US invasion of Iraq in 2003.
In a nutshell, the freedom of the press is now, and always has been, the freedom of the news owners to push their own views. On the other side of the ledger, some of the best journalism has also led to galvanised public opinion and, yes, world-moving change. The BBC's Michael Burk reported famine in Africa and mad it clear that he was angry and upset about what he'd seen. This mobilised huge relief efforts that no doubt saved thousands of lives. The exposure of thalidomide in the UK in the late 1960s led to that drug being taken off the market as a treatment for morning sickness. John Pilger's crusading work over many years is another example of what I describe as the journalism of engagement.
Objectivity as a principle of journalism is no longer the holy grail. The fact that some journalism educators are prepared to say so and to put such ideas in front of their students is just a recognition of this idea. In the respected Columbia Journalism Review, Brent Cunningham has written a thoughtful piece called "Rethinking Objectivity". He makes the point that often it is an excuse for lazy journalism and that it forces reporters to rely on official sources. He also argues that it allows the news agenda to be captured by the "spin doctors".
Finally, I would commend George Orwell's famous essay "Why I write", in which he argues for an engaged and partisan journalism that tackles the difficult political issues of the day. He was writing at the close of World War Two, but if you read between the lines, the sentiments expressed echo down the years. I come not to praise objectivity, but to bury it.
Martin Hirst,
AUT, Auckland


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Each widget can be configured to show a mix of content, including:
* Time
* Weather
* Calendar
* News (RSS/Atom feeds and Google News)
There are two widget sizes available: The standard 4×1 and the large 4×3.
All the widgets are semi-transparent, with a nice smoked glass look. The paid version will allow you to change the tint and transparency of the widgets as you wish.
1) I can't find the widgets. Can you help?
The widgets don't show up in the app-drawer. Instead, they can be found in the widget-drawer. On some devices widgets can be added by tapping and holding on an empty space on the home screen.
3) How do I change the settings for a widget?
By default the widgets has two hotspots in the upper and lower left corner. If you tab the upper left corner of the widget, the setting screen for that widget will open. If you tab the lower left corner, the widget will refresh itself. You can change the hotspots to do something else in the settings screen, but I recommend keeping one of the corners assigned to open the settings.
4) The new version broke my old widgets. What do I do?
Glass Widgets recently received a large update from version 2.4.0 to 3.x.
As part of the update, the previous widgets (Clock, Calendar, News) was
replaced with just two configurable widgets, a small 4×1 widget and a large
4×3 widget. Unfortunately this also broke the old widgets, and you'll need to
remove then from you home screen and then add new ones instead. If you run into
problems I recommend uninstalling any old versions of Glass Widgets and
re-installing the new version from scratch. If you find that the new version
just doesn't work for you, or you prefer the old one, I've uploaded that
version to the Play Store under the name 'Glass Widgets Classic.'
What's New
– Improved handling of date fields (less fragile in the face of doze-mode and other stuff designed to limit background processes)
– Improved calendar picker
– Fixed a bug in the calendar widget that caused it to randomly show a 'no calendar events' message
– Settings will no longer open automatically when starting a widget with a default configuration (clock, calendar, news)
– Small visual tweaks to the widgets
Additional information
Glass Widgets
500,000+ downloads
Nicolai Buch-Andersen


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Technical Waterproofing (Pty) Ltd
Waterproofing Service
We are the leading company in South Africa when it comes to waterproofing. We can do all types waterproofing including torch on waterproofing, damp proofing and acrylic waterproofing. Our team of professionals provides services throughout South Africa. They offer a range of waterproofing services using high quality products and highly trained personnel.
Business Name:
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About Johannesburg
Johannesburg ( joh-HAN-iss-burg, US also -HAHN-, Afrikaans: [juəˈɦanəsbœrχ]; Zulu and Xhosa: eGoli [ɛˈɡɔːli]), colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, or "The City of Gold", is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a megacity, and is one of the 100 largest urban areas in the world. According to Demographia, the Johannesburg-Pretoria urban area (combined because of strong transport links that make commuting feasible) is the 26th-largest in the world, with 14,167,000 inhabitants. It is the provincial capital and largest city of Gauteng, which is the wealthiest province in South Africa. Johannesburg is the seat of the Constitutional Court, the highest court in South Africa. Most of the major South African companies and banks have their head offices in Johannesburg.
Neighborhoods in Johannesburg, Gauteng
Atholl, Auckland Park, Belgravia, Bellevue, Berea, Bezuidenhout Valley, Birdhaven, Birnam, Bramley, City Deep, City and Suburban, City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality, City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality, Crown City, Denver
Things to do in Johannesburg, Gauteng
Our Newest Profiles


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In the 19th minute St. John's men's soccer forward Sean Sepe clutched his head and looked to the sky as if the world was coming to an end.
Sepe just missed an easy goal directly in front the frame. With no defenders around, it was just him and the West Virginia University goalkeeper, Lee Johnston. All he had to do was kick the ball pass Johnston on the right side and the Johnnies would have taken the lead.
"I thought I had it, I was so close," Sepe said. "It was very disappointing."
Johnston defended Sepe well and deflected the ball just enough for it to carry wide. But a few plays later in the 24th minute Sepe found himself in the same position after teammate Jimmy Mulligan connected a pass inside the box. Sepe, who scored the winning goal in the Red Storm's last game, slipped through three defenders and this time kicked the ball just pass Johnston for the score.
"The goalie didn't rotate back to his position and I put it in there," Sepe said. "I was mad at myself that I didn't score the first one. I was like 'I'm definitely getting one this game.'"
And one would be all the No. 12 ranked Red Storm needed as Sepe's goal gave the Johnnies a 1-0 win over the Mountaineers on September 15. The victory is the Johnnies' fourth consecutive win, moving the season record to 5-1-0.
Although the final score doesn't show it, it wasn't a quiet match between these former conference rivals. Both teams had ample chances to net goals.
West Virginia led St. John's in shots on goal, 12-11, while the Red Storm led in corner kicks, 10-5. But defense was the deciding factor as the Johnnies' goalkeeper Rafael Diaz came up with five saves to record St. John's third straight shutout.
"We know that if we get a shutout that we are going to win, so it really motivates us," Diaz said about the team's defense.
The victory also ends the Johnnies' four-game homestand and the team will start a three-game road trip, beginning with new conference rival Creighton University on September 21.
St. John's is undefeated (5-0) this year at home, but the team's only loss came on a road game against the University of Virginia. The Red Storm is looking forward to the road trip to prove they can compete everywhere.
"The last time we went to Virginia we didn't play well at all," Sepe said. "We got played off the field. So I guess it's personal for everyone."


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UPDATE, June 4: Readers were right; this mystery Buick from the Far East is actually the Chinese Buick LaCrosse!
DETROIT — Is this the first Chinese car to make an appearance on American roadways? Could be. Spotted near GM's headquarters here, the car is clearly a Buick. And though we couldn't immediately ID it more specifically from the foreign-language branding on the trunk lid, we think it's the Buick Park Avenue, recently introduced at the Shanghai auto show as a new model for the Chinese market.
Park Avenue is an Australia-based, rear-drive luxury sedan specially designed for—and to be built in—China. From the look of this thing, it could easily fit in as an appealing addition the Buick lineup in the U.S. But reports indicate that the possibility of importing the car to the States is low: GM planners feel they don't need another low-mileage luxury sedan in the lineup, while Buick dealers worry that the Park would steal sales from their popular Lucerne. —Jim Dunne
More From Popular Mechanics
Chinese Buick Park Avenue spied near GM HQ in Detroit


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The Guardian | In a submission to the UN in May, the Pentagon said that no more than eight youths, aged 13 to 17 at time of capture, were held at Guantánamo Bay. But a prisoner list released in 2006 in response to US freedom of information act litigation names 21 inmates under 18 when they arrived. A separate defence department admission brings the total to 22. Testimonies collected by the charity Reprieve, which represents 30 inmates at Guantánamo, indicate the actual number is much higher.
Guantánamo's child prisoners came from all over the world: they were Afghan, Yemeni, Saudi, Russian, Uighuri, and Canadian. Five of them are still there. They are: Mohammed el Gharani, aged 14-15 when he was seized while praying in a Karachi mosque; Hassan bin Attash, aged 16-17 when seized in Pakistan, and rendered to Jordan where he endured 16 months of torture before being transferred; Faris Muslim Al Ansari, an Afghan-Yemeni who was 17 when captured; Mohamed Jawad, an Afghan who was 17 when seized and faces trial by military commission; and Omar Khadr.
Saudi citizen Yasser Talal Al Zahrani, 17 when captured, joined a prison-wide hunger strike in 2005. He was found dead in his cell in June 2006 after apparently killing himself.


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Rush to the stage
three hours early.
just to see those lights.
the extra-ordinary orgasm of sound.
Cannot wait for them to start
"closer to the heart"
feel the release of your stress
"Aboard the Thailand Express"
Geddy Lee takes up the bass
not but ten feet from your face.
The essence and presence
of the one Neil Peart
with this music how can the world feel hurt?
The sweet music flies by
"Tears that fall from eyes that only cry?"
A sight only this show can provide your eyes
"Follow men's eyes as they look to the skies"
The last killer rift from Alex Lifeson
and this wonderful spectacle is done.


text:
City of Santa Ana, Downtown Orange County Advisory: City Manager Submits Resignation
SANTA ANA, CA (January 31, 2013) – The Santa Ana City Council has agreed to accept the resignation of its City Manager, effective Friday, February 1, 2013. Pending finalization of an agreement to that effect, Mr. Paul Walters will continue to serve the City as a Law Enforcement Liaison, functioning in the role of a Police Commissioner with the specific duties to be determined by the City's Police Chief and City Manager.
"Mr. Walters has served this City very well for many, many years" said Mayor Miguel Pulido, "and we are particularly appreciative of his leadership to the City and community during his tenure as City Manager. Mr. Walters worked closely with the City Council in handling some difficult financial issues and we are grateful for his service.
"Selection of a permanent City Manager will be a top priority of the Council in the near future," added Mayor Pulido, "as our prime objective will be to continue our leadership in developing goals and strategies for the Council and the staff to accomplish together. The Council appreciates the hard work of all of its employees, and is confident that together we will continue to make the best interests of the City our top priority."
For full details, view this message on the web.


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Colorescience offers a wide range of mineral-based skincare and cosmetic products. The formulas in the Colorescience line are devoid of artificial fillers, including talc, dyes and perfumes, which are commonly seen in many cosmetic and skincare products today. The founder of the company, Diane Ranger, was the original inventor of mineral makeup and coined the phrase in 1977.
ColoreScience makeup is the brainchild of a mineral-based skin care and cosmetic manufacturer prefers utilizing natural ingredients as opposed to artificial fillers, perfumes and dyes. When it comes to skin care, natural products and mineral powders and makeup that contain zinc are the best for skin protection against damage caused by over exposure to UV rays.
Today, our skin is barraged with a variety of environmental pollutants, exhaust, and for some of us, overexposure to harsh sunlight. Each of these creates free radicals, which are, at their most basic definition, damaged skin cells. These free radicals wreak havoc inside the body, damaging and destroying otherwise healthy cells throughout the body, including those found in your skin. The results? Wrinkles, lines, age spots, skin blemishes, and hyperpigmentation, just to name a few.
ColoreScience makeup relies on mineral components, creating mineral-based cosmetics and skin care products that provide the most benefit of its ingredients. Artificial fillers merely serve to inhibit the effectiveness of such minerals. One of the benefits of using ColorScience is that it can be used on all skin types, even those with sensitive skin, including those diagnosed with skin conditions such as dermatitis, eczema, rosacea, and psoriasis. Even if you have acne, you can use ColoreScience skin care products without worrying about excessive oiliness or skin irritation.
ColoreScience makeup utilizes many natural ingredients found in nature including beta-carotene, zinc, oats, rice peptides and vitamins A and D, powerful antioxidants, as well as amino acids, bioactive calcium and other trace minerals that soothe, condition, protect, and replenish the skin.
When it comes to products you put on your face, choose natural over synthetic whenever possible. ColoreScience makeup provides a wide range of products and cosmetics and that provide healthy benefits to your skin, every time you use them
Today, Ranger has found a way to incorporate minerals into many types of skincare products. Colorescience is available through high end spas and can also be purchased online.
Mineral makeup is a large and growing trend in the cosmetic industry right now, leading some companies to create lower quality products for the sake of turning a profit. Consumers should use caution when shopping for mineral-based cosmetics to ensure the products they select are free of the unhealthy fillers that block the effectiveness of the minerals.
Colorescience skincare products are broken down to address specific skin issues, including problem skin, sensitive skin, and skin that is prone to redness or discoloration. The skincare lines incorporate cleansers, primers, sun protection, and foundation that can camouflage problems as it treats them. Face enhancement products include a broad spectrum of cosmetics. Many formulas come with sun protection up to SPF 50 to help prevent future damage while it treats current issues
Wonderful experience -- the seller had this product on my doorstep the morning after I placed the order! I couldn't believe it. The product was cheaper than if I'd bought it in any store and it was SO convenient. I will definitely purchase high-end skin care products from this seller again. Highest recommendation! Thanks so much.
Loved the service and the product was in great shape when it arrived. It got to my home before the due schedule and I received free samples as well. It was the least expensive of other vendors selling the same product. Even the samples were of great quality.


text:
I ran a workshop on Collaboration, Creativity & Consensus for User Experience Design at dConstruct last week. I had lots of fun and learned a lot as well – I know, it makes me sound as though I was a participant, not running the show! Funny how that works! (Hopefully the people who came along also had fun and learned stuff, then we're all happy! I think they did.)
Finding good ways to collaborate and to work with a multi-disciplinary team is something that is very important to me. It makes the work much more fun and gives so much more insight.
I was really interested in the short discussion we had in our workshop about the importance of fun in project work. There was more or less a consensus amongst us that fun was more than just, well, fun. It was also really important in motivating the team to stay engaged with the project and to do great work, and to be involved. And lots more reasons. I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on if and if so why fun is important in project work.
We did three exercises throughout the course of the day including a brainstorming session with a difference (brainstorming that actually works and doesn't deserve the bad reputation that bad brainstorming has given it!), a round of design consequences (which we've talked about here before), and a run through the KJ Method (whilst channeling Jared Spool).
Something that became clearer to me than ever is the importance of actually *doing* these exercises in order to learn them, and how incredibly hardwired our brains can be to doing things the way we're used to.
This was never more evident than when we did the brainstorming exercise. I gave some pretty simple instructions to the groups before letting them loose on the brainstorming activity. Admittedly, they were probably fairly different instructions to what everyone was used to when it came to brainstorming, but what followed was pretty extraordinary.
Rather than following these simple instructions, three of the four groups did their own thing, which turned out to be more or less the same thing – rather than using the techniques we'd discussed which are designed to open out the idea generation process, they each proceeded to 'lock down' the process by creating a list of things that the device (oh, ok, it was an iPhone!) could do and not do. There was this driving need to 'lock down' the environment in which the ideas could be generated. This is not particularly conducive to productive brainstorming!
As it happened, what this meant was that I had to go around to each group and suggest to them that, just for fun, they gave the rules we'd discussed a go – and when they did, the creativity and ideas started flowing! It was a real insight not only into the power of brainstorming well, but also into our own natural desire to get a handle on things, to keep things tight, even when this is potentially detrimental to the activity we're trying to undertake. I'm pretty sure with out actually seeing this in action, experiencing it for yourself, the lesson is nowhere near as powerful!
There were some really challenging questions raised during the workshop, some of which I'm sure I don't know the answer to yet (if there is one!). A lot of these were related to how we can bring these kinds of collaborative and creative activities into a workplace that doesn't naturally embrace them – or worse, where these kinds of activities are looked on as 'not real work', or where people pride themselves on working independently.
This can definitely be a tough situation, and I guess my first tip would be to try to make sure you work in a place where collaborative and creative work is embraced! This is going to work for everyone though, so some of the tips that I offer include:
- Be brave. Those people who think that collaborative and fun activities are childs play and don't contribute meaningfully to 'proper work' often have a talent for making you feel a little silly for suggesting these activities. Don't let this put you off – press on regardless and have confidence in your techniques!
- Be methodical. It is actually pretty easy to waste time on these kinds of activities… this is probably why lots of people are pretty cynical about them – they've had their time wasted before. Make sure you know WHY you are doing this activity, and WHAT you're going to get out of it. If it has a clear purpose and outcome then it is more likely to be successful and people are more likely to give it a go.
- Be prepared. These activities don't run themselves and most of them require some time, effort and careful thinking to ensure that they are well prepared and run smoothly. Don't expect to just 'wing it' in these sessions. Don't risk wasting people's time. Make sure you know what you're going to do. If you haven't done it before, consider running a pilot run through before the 'live' workshop. Have your shit together.
- Let your work speak for itself. The absolute best thing you can do is to run a highly productive and fun workshop in your organisation and to let the work speak for itself. People enjoy themselves in these sessions – if they feel like they're getting good results, then they're even happier. Word will spread and resistance should gradually die down. If it doesn't… change jobs! :)
Thanks to everyone who participated in the workshop! With any luck I'll get a chance to do some more of these in the near future – they're lots of fun and give you some really great tools for bringing your team and maybe even your organisation together around a project.


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MyTetra is personal manager for information accumulation.
It is powerful program for data memorization and structuring notes.
Infinite ramify tree for notes group
Arbitrary sorted notes at his branch
Arbitrary sorted branches at parent branch
Copy/Paste for notes and branches
Clickable tags
Customizable trash for recovery lost data
WYSIWYG editor
Notes encryption by RC5-32/12/16 + PBKDF2
Synchronization over any cloud storage system
or version control system (i.e. Git on GitHub.com)
History navigation
This requires: qt4
Maintained by: Andrey Maraev
Keywords: notebook,notes,organization
ChangeLog: mytetra
Download SlackBuild:
mytetra.tar.gz.asc (FAQ)
(the SlackBuild does not include the source)
|Individual Files:
| doinst.sh
| mytetra-gcc4.7.patch
| mytetra.SlackBuild
| mytetra.info
| slack-desc
© 2006-2023 SlackBuilds.org Project. All rights reserved.
Slackware® is a registered trademark of Patrick Volkerding
Linux® is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds


text:
The 42nd Annual Atalaya Arts and Crafts Festival
Courtney Martin | 29 Aug 2017
Huntington Beach State Park is one of the Grand Strand's most beautiful and historic coastal parks. Originally owned by aristocrat Archer Huntington and his sculptor wife Anna Hyatt Huntington, the area was leased to the state in 1960 for use as a state park, and it was made aNational Historic Landmark in 1984. Since then, Huntington Beach State Park has become well-known for its quiet and picturesque sandy beaches, bird population, and of course, its lovely castle, Atalaya.
Atalaya was the winter home of Archer and Anna Huntington, and it was designed by Archer,who was heavily influenced by architectural styles from the Spanish Andalusian coastal region. The castle was built in 1931 and still stands today. It consists of 30 rooms and a beautiful courtyard, where many bridal portraits are presently often staged.
This fall, don't miss out on the opportunity to experience Atalaya in a different way- at The 42nd Annual Atalaya Arts and Crafts Festival from September 22-24, 2017. The festival will feature more than 100 of the finest artisans around, who will be showcasing their own aesthetically-pleasing creations with the backdrop of the park's natural beauty. Not only does the festival offer up a priceless, up-close and personal glimpse into the skill and inventiveness of these talented artists, but guests will also be able to enjoy live musical performances inside the castle's courtyard from some of the area's best musicians. The festival takes place within the walls of Atalaya, offering a truly extraordinary experience for locals and touristsalike. Along with the art and musical displays, guests can visit the food court, where culinary offerings will include seafood, barbecue, and other tasty delights.
Come out to Huntington Beach State Park and Atalaya Castle from September 22-24 and celebrate the natural beauty of this area of the Grand Strand. Friday's events will take place from noon until 6 pm, with Saturday's schedule going from 10 am to 6 pm. Sunday's exhibits will begin at 10 am and end at 5 pm.
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Mail Today, the tabloid daily from the India Today group, reports today on Ravindra Kishore Sinha, the Patna businessman worth Rs 3,000 crore who is about to gain entry into India's most exclusive club, the Rajya Sabha, courtesy the BJP.
Sinha, who runs a security firm called SIS, has declared his net assets at Rs 564 crore, while his spouse has declared Rs 230 crore.
"A self-made man, the 62-year-old leader started his career as a trainee journalist with The Searchlight and Pradeep (now defunct) dailies in Patna in 1971. He quit his job in 1974.
"In the course of his job, he was assigned to cover the Bangladesh war, where he came in contact with some army men who inspired him to set up his maiden entrepreneurial venture, SIS, for the ex-servicemen.
"With a paltry sum of Rs 250, Sinha launched his business and went on to script the proverbial rags-to-riches tale with his sharp business acumen."
For the record, The Searchlight, which was launched by a group of luminaries led by Syed Hasan Imam, built its reputation as an "anti-colonial newspaper".
Its first editor was a Muslim, Syed Haidar Husain, and its rolls later boasted of such stellar names as T.J.S. George, who later founded Asiaweek magazine in Hong Kong.
The paper was published from 1918 to 1986, before it was subsumed by the Birla-owned Hindustan Times. India's first President, Dr Rajendra Prasad, was a founder-director of The Searchlight.
Photograph: courtesy Mail Today
Read the full report: India's richest MP
Also read: Forbes can now name India's second richest woman


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Halos, auras, flashes of light, pins and needles running down your arms, the sudden scent of sulfur—many symptoms of a migraine have vaguely mystical qualities, and experts remain puzzled by the debilitating headaches' cause. Researchers at Harvard University, however, have come at least one step closer to figuring out why women are twice as likely to suffer from chronic migraines as men. The brain of a female migraineur looks so unlike the brain of a male migraineur, asserts Harvard scientist Nasim Maleki, that we should think of migraines in men and women as "different diseases altogether."
Maleki is known for looking at pain and motor regions in the brain, which are known to be unusually excitable in migraine sufferers. In one notable study published in the journal Brain last year, she and her colleagues exposed male and female migraineurs to painful heat on the backs of their hands while imaging their brains with functional MRI. She found that the women had a greater response in areas of the brain associated with emotional processing, such as the amygdala, than did the men. Furthermore, she found that in these women, the posterior insula and the precuneus—areas of the brain responsible for motor processing, pain perception and visuospatial imagery—were significantly thicker and more connected to each other than in male migraineurs or in those without migraines.
In Maleki's most recent work, presented in June at the International Headache Congress, her team imaged the brains of migraineurs and healthy people between the ages of 20 and 65, and it made a discovery that she characterizes as "very, very weird." In women with chronic migraines, the posterior insula does not seem to thin with age, as it does for everyone else, including male migraineurs and people who do not have migraines. The region starts thick and stays thick.
We don't know yet whether the thickening of the insula is something the brain is doing to protect itself or something that worsens women's migraines, Maleki says. Yet the evidence is mounting that when it comes to migraines, men's and women's brains are structurally and functionally different. For treatment, that knowledge could make a huge impact: not only should researchers be better about testing potential migraine drugs on men and women separately, Maleki says, but they may be able to design new treatments based on these brain differences—giving both sexes a better chance at relief.
Migraine Looks Different in Women and Men
3:1 - Ratio of the prevalence of migraines in women to men in a one-year period.
During a migraine:
- Women experience more intense emotional responses to pain.
- Men are more sensitive to heat, such as from a hot cup of coffee or a steamy shower.
Top Migraine Triggers
- Overuse of painkillers
Processed, fermented, pickled or marinated foods
Chocolate, nuts, peanut butter and dairy products
Foods containing tyramine: red wine, aged cheese, smoked fish, chicken livers
Fruits and vegetables: avocadoes, bananas, citrus fruits, onions
Meats containing nitrates: bacon, hot dogs, salami, cured meats
- Changes in hormones, such as menstruation
- Atypical sleep patterns


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A few weeks ago, we asked folks to give us their best holiday wine tip. We'll be featuring (and expanding upon) a few this week.
Nathan T. says: "My tip? Drink what you like and don't worry about all the "RULES" – in fact, break the rules and drink a nice big red with your Christmas turkey!"
Yes! Sometimes (actually, quite often) it's good to break the rules. To be honest, they shouldn't even be considered rules, simply suggestions. When you think of wine rules, don't think of them as meant to restrict you, only to guide you in a direction that may make your taste buds happy. That said, sometimes it's a good idea to think (drink) outside the box. One of my most memorable matches was at a small little restaurant in Genoa, Italy, when my husband and I missed our train to Nice and wandered around trying to find somewhere for a late dinner. The sommelier (who had actually spent some time at a restaurant in Savannah, Georgia!) recommended an Italian Sauvignon Blanc with our thinly sliced steak. We took his suggestion, and it was one of the best parings I can remember.
A couple of traditional "rules" that you can adhere to or disregard include:
– Drink white wine before red – while this often makes sense, due to the fact that some white wine won't taste as great if you are drinking it after a heavy red, sometimes a white wine can taste even better and more refreshing when consumed after red. Particularly if you are serving a salad or light course at the end of the meal. Or even as an after-dinner drink – no need to serve an even heavier wine, instead try a light white that will refresh the palate.
– White wine with fish, red wine with meat – as I mentioned above, one of my favorite pairings was a white wine with red meat. It was 6 years ago and I still remember my taste buds being so pleased! Though meat may overpower a white or red wine may over power some fish and make it taste slightly metallic, If you are enjoying both, knock yourself out!
What other "rules" do you like or dislike?


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Posted by Editor on 08/11/01
Canada Cup Final - Sun Peaks, BC
The elite categories are underway, with Geoff Kabush (Kona) coming from the back of the field at the start to a 30 second solo lead after the riders completed their short opening lap (4 kilometres). Andreas Hestler (Rocky Mountain) is chasing, followed by Peter Wedge (Kona), Chad Miles (Roach) and Canada Cup leader Mat Toulouse (Ford-Devinci) a further 20 seconds back.
A group of four are leading the Junior expert men's race - Jeremy Trudel, Canada Cup leader Frederic Bussieres, Julien Fillion and Andrew Cartwright. They have a gap of 30 seconds on chasers. Kiara Bisaro (Trek-Smith) has a small lead on women's overall series leader Marie-Helene Premont (Oryx), with Trish Sinclair (Ford-Devinci) third, at 50 seconds. Claire Townsend (Oryx) is fourth at 1 minute. Both the junior men and elite women are starting the first of 4 laps after a 4 kilometre opening loop.
Saturn Cycling Classic
Jonathan Vaughters has been attacking and only Chris Horner could stay with him. Mike Barry, Burke Swindlehurst and Chris Wherry are chasing two and a half minutes back. The leaders are only 5 kilometres from the top of the final pass - Hoosiers Pass. After that the riders have a 20 kilometre descent to the finish in Breckenridge.
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