Here at Maximo Marina in St. Pete, we have secure shower facilities available for our guests, in two easily accessible locations. Access is gained by using the code issued by reception on your arrival.
Downtown St. Pete and its Skyway Marina District along with downtown Gulfport have an array of retail outlets selling wine & beer, clothes, gifts, flowers, and more. Shopping malls feature approximately 50 retail shops, supermarkets, boutiques, banks, hairdressers, hardware, electronics, many restaurants and bars.
Enjoy some retail therapy as you meander through local sidewalk shops, beach shops, and area malls looking for trinkets, gifts or necessities!
There are an array of activities to participate in while visiting our marina in the Tampa and St. Pete area. From famed museums to thrilling theme parks, you're stay with Maximo Marina will provide you with a visit full of relaxation and excitement.
Everything from museums to beaches fill your days with activities all around the area. Water sports from kayaking, snorkeling to fishing allow you to explore the Gulf of Mexico and coastline. Museums, shopping and theme parks let you experience adventures by land.
Enjoy a day of deep-sea fishing without taking your vessel out of the slip by boarding one of the available fishing charters. Years of experience in the area combined with captains and crews who love what they do, provide you with a successful experience in catching what could either be your prized game fish and possibly the freshest dinner you'll ever have!
Race across the waters at top speeds with a speed boat tour and charter. Let the wind whisk you away as you fly across the waters of the Gulf. From the bow or your seat, you may catch sight of dolphins and other sea life playing and hanging out in these breathtaking waters.
If a speed boat doesn't cure your craving for an adrenaline rush, a Tampa theme park is sure to provide you with the exhilaration you seek. Head over to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay for a day trip and ride five (5) top rated coasters and numerous other rides that will entertain you for the day and have you coming back for more.
As a full-service boat and marina, a variety of business services are available to assist at the best marina in St. Petersburg to meet your distinctive needs. In addition to mail, phone, fax and wireless internet, you can access many other conveniences on-site or nearby.


Lady Burra Brewhouse is the first Microbrewery in Adelaide's CBD.
Lady Burra Brewhouse takes bookings up until 6.30pm every night except Friday nights. Call (08) 8410 7608 if you would like make a booking.
A deck extends out into the adjacent laneway looked over by a huge mural of "Lady Burra". "We're trying to create a bit of mystery behind her story," Miguel says.
The brewhouse is at the base of an office tower on the corner of Currie St and Topham Mall, and has been fitted out with a mix of raw timber (including beams from the Wallaroo jetty) and more industrial metal scaffolding.


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The Heritage Association of South Africa (HASA) has with growing concern been following reports from heritage preservationists and activists about the crisis unfolding at Museum Africa – in our opinion custodian of one of the finest and most valuable Africana collections in the world.
Simply put, it appears that the City of Johannesburg has failed at that most basic management requirement – skills retention and development.
As a generation of specialist curators have left the museum either through retirement, re-deployment or resignation – no arrangements have been made to ensure the transfer of what amounts to highly specialist skills to a new generation of curators and conservators. To be clear, graduate students – and let's be frank – black humanities graduates are leaving university with little prospect of finding employment in the heritage sector. One would think that the City of Johannesburg would proudly avail its cultural institutions to provide the necessary opportunities for these new job seekers.
We understand that by the end of this month, Museum Africa will effectively be operating without a Curator of Collections – a position which currently oversees photography, black material culture, valuable (and one of the world's largest) KhoiSan collections, costumes, furniture, architectural objects and drawings and ceramics. These collections will be closed and left inaccessible to the public in general and local and international researchers more specifically, until such time as the City appoints new staff members.
According to foreign and local visitors and tourists, as reported on TripAdvisor, Museum Africa is a stinker. The Nairobi National Museum gets more and better reviews than Museum Africa. Here we must be absolutely clear: such reports are due to no fault of the staff. When there are no funds for new exhibitions and when curators have to change light bulbs or have to climb on the roof to prevent further flooding of the historic collections – we know that management at the highest level is, well, not managing. When the city promotes Newtown as a "cultural precinct" and tourists diss your main attraction, alarm bells should be ringing.
Collections are at risk: without curators, the time consuming and ongoing process of cataloguing collections cannot be completed. This means that not only are collections left vulnerable when there is no one to oversee them – in particular at a museum that has experienced cases of theft in recent years, but equally worrying asset registers are left hopelessly incomplete and inadequate (which, if nothing else, transgresses government's own policy on asset management. We hope National Treasury and the Auditor-General take note).
Unless the City can pull a rabbit out of the hat by the end of January, researchers ranging across disciplines from architecture, town planning, engineering and more will not have access to archival material which means that even staff within the city will not be able to access important city records that are vital for urban research and planning. We know that these are the most used collections in the Museum and are important not only to the city's institutional memory but also feeds the wider knowledge economy as well.
We are sure that City leaders will respond to the immediate crisis and we welcome that wholeheartedly. However, it is also clear to us that a long-term solution is required – incidentally, at all the museums under the care of the City of Johannesburg there have been similar cases reported – to ensure that politicians and officials fully understand the significance, value and role of these collections, that they accept the daunting scale of the crisis and that they work in collaboration with the heritage community and the private sector to find the necessary solutions.
Johannesburg has a proud legacy – it was two decades ahead of the rest of the world when it presented art biennales that are still regarded as pivatol moments when African art truly went global. It has invested in new museums that celebrate the city's uncontested role in the struggle against apartheid, it has implemented progressive public art- and pro-heritage rates- policies that put other metros to shame. For this reason, we hope that the Mayor will visit all the city's museums and realise they're more than colonial and apartheid hangovers, they're our continent's jewels and deserve much better.
The Simon van der Stel Foundation, known today as Heritage Association of South Africa, was established in 1959 and is currently the largest and oldest non-governmental (NGO) organisation involved in heritage conservation.


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A NUCLEUS BORN OF NECESSITY
It is pretty safe to say that nothing has gone the way the 76ers organization had envisioned after it made the trade for Andrew Bynum in the summer. Back then, the bright outlook brought talk of division titles, a possible conference championship appearance and perhaps a team that would be a contender in those areas for quite some years.
The knee injuries Bynum has suffered through since before training camp have, of course, kept him from stepping on the court with his new team and has buried all those preseason hopes deep in fans' minds.
Without Bynum, the hole in the middle of the floor for the Sixers seems to be growing wider and wider, as there has been practically no inside presence for the team in the first quarter of the season. But a foundation of sorts seems to have been erected during the 7-footer's absence.
For his three seasons as the head coach of the Sixers, Doug Collins has been looking for a leader to lean on - someone who can be the voice for him so his isn't the only one voice players hear during good times and especially bad. As much as that leader is born from strong play on the floor, he also would bring an overall work ethic, which includes working in the weight room, spending extra time fixing flaws in his game and carrying out the plans set forth by Collins.
As deflating as Bynum's absence has been, the emergence of three players - Jrue Holiday, Thaddeus Young and Evan Turner - has not only helped this year's team to stay above .500 but also has supplanted solid pieces with which to build, whether it be with Bynum or someone else.
The three youngsters have been the most solid players for the team in the early part of this season and, more important, they have shown the leadership qualities Collins cherishes. And as Young is the oldest at 24, they all could be here for quite some time.
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"The one thing that we're trying to do here, the really, really top-flight teams in this league have a core group of like three guys who you build your team around," Collins said. "And now you take those three and you build the pieces [around them]. It's interesting, as we started the season we thought that Jrue would be one of those pieces and Andrew Bynum was going to be one piece. Who was going to emerge as that third guy? Our three guys now are Jrue, Evan and Thad. So it's a different way of trying to put the pieces together and it's not an easy switch to have to make as a coach. You just try to keep finding the right guys to be out there and hopefully find some consistency. That's the thing with us right now, the unfamiliarity with each other and that leads to inconsistency."
For much of the last decade the organization has been consistent - consistently mediocre. The NBA and its salary cap make it almost impossible to turn consistent mediocrity into a steady level of success.
But the Sixers, with their new ownership, made bold moves during the offseason, which included trading Andre Iguodala and freeing up $16 million by amnestying Elton Brand. As I've said before, they swung for the fences in acquiring Bynum, and so far it has been a whiff. But if Bynum doesn't play, the team most certainly will not sign him for any time past this season, thus freeing up his $16 million. Nick Young ($6 million), Dorell Wright ($4.1 million), Royal Ivey and Damien Wilkins ($1.2 million each) can all come off the books after this season, too, so there still is light in the tunnel for the organization.
And most of that light is coming from Holiday, Turner and Young. Last week when the Boston Celtics were in town, I asked coach Doc Rivers about Holiday and what is the key reason he has become what Rivers called "an All-Star player."
"His shot has set him free," Rivers said. "He's getting to the basket but he's making that shot, now. What I love is that he's a tough kid, he competes every night. He's stronger, a really good player, an All-Star player."
Another league official pulled me aside at a game: "Do the Sixers realize what a special player they have in Holiday?" he said. "That kid is special now and is going to be really special."
Turner's rise hasn't been as quick as fans would have liked, but he has been steady and appears ready to keep ascending. He has a confidence that rubs off on teammates and a likability that pulls a locker room together. And Young, perhaps the nicest and smartest of all the players, is that one kid whom a coach is always leaning because he does what he is asked.
Holiday and Young will be here for years to come, barring a trade, as they both signed long contracts. Holiday has 4 more years after this at about $41 million, while Young has 2 more and a player option for a third worth about $9 million a year. Turner will make $6 million next season and has a qualifying offer of $8.7 million the next.
That's your new foundation, though not the one envisioned before the season started. If you are looking for a bright spot amid the Bynum knee mystery, there it is.
On Twitter: @BobCooney76
Blog: philly.com/Sixerville
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Federal spending has increased from $3.6 trillion dollars to $4.4 trillion dollars since Republicans gained control over both chambers of Congress in 2014. Some may try to defend congressional Republicans by pointing out that for two years the Republican Congress had to negotiate spending deals with President Obama. But federal spending has increased by 7.5 percent, or over $300 billion dollars, since Donald Trump become President.
A big beneficiary of the Republican spending spree is the military-industrial complex. Republicans have increased the "defense" budget by eight percent in the past two years. President Trump and congressional Republicans claim the increases are necessary because sequestration "decimated" the military. But Congress, with the Obama administration's full cooperation and support, suspended sequestration every year but one, so the planned cuts never went into full effect. Congress and Obama also "supplemented" the official military budget with generous appropriations for the Pentagon's off-budget Overseas Contingency Operations fund. Spending on militarism increased by as much as $600 billion dollars over the amounts allowed for under sequestration.
President Trump has proposed reducing the projected military budget for fiscal year 2020 to $700 billion dollars. This would be a mere two percent cut, yet the usual voices are already crying that this tiny reduction would endanger our security. If history is any guide, the military-industrial complex's congressional allies and high-priced lobbyists will be able to defeat the president's proposed reductions and convince President Trump to further increase the military budget.
We suffer from too much bipartisanship when it comes to the welfare-warfare state. This bipartisanship has resulted in a national debt that is rapidly approaching $30 trillion dollars. This will inevitably lead to a major economic crisis. The way to avoid this crisis is to replace the bipartisan welfare-warfare consensus with a new consensus in favor of limited government, peace, free markets in all areas including currency, and auditing then ending the Fed.


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Idyllically perched on a rocky peninsula high above the sea, Taormina has been the most popular tourist destination in Sicily for hundreds of years, a town which commands spectacular views across the bay of Giardini Naxos and the monstrous volcano that dominates the landscape behind. Beautifully restored medieval buildings, breath-taking views around every corner and a giddy network of winding streets strewn with shops, bars and restaurants makes it a great place for a stroll around, with an authentic Italian atmosphere. Taormina is also home to a Teatro Greco, a 3rd century Greek theatre beautifully framing the bay and smoking Mount Etna that acts as a natural backdrop to the stage.
Mount Etna currently standing at 3,323m (10,902ft) above sea level is Europe's highest and most active volcano and by far the biggest dominating attraction in Eastern Sicily. Mount Etna is a must visit if you are visiting nearby places such as Taormina. Head to Etna Sud for the option to walk around some of the older craters on foot or take an exciting cable car ride to 2,900m for a 2-4 hour round trip to the summit crater.
Tip: Some of the craters require a short steep walk to reach them so a good pair of shoes will be required to be able to climb the incline due to volcanic sands and loose lava rocks. It is also highly advised not to venture on the main craters without a qualified guide due to the volcanoes sporadic activity.
One of Sicily's most famous historical sites is without a doubt the Valley of the Temples, a UNESCO archaeological park consisting of eight temples (and various other remains) built between 510 BC and 430 BC. Typically Greek in style temples of Hera, Heracles, Olympian Zeus and other Greek gods can be found in the complex that makes for a great day out if you are around Agrigento. If you are visiting during the summer make sure you bring sun screen, head protection from the sun and plenty of water. It can get extremely hot during the day and the complex offers little or no shade from the sun.
Another of Sicily's most famous archaeological wonders lies in Piazza Armerina. Some of the world's best preserved mosaics can be seen at the famous Villa Romana del Casale, estimated to of been built in the middle of the 4th Century as a hunting lodge by a Roman patrician. This small Roman villa complex is one of the most luxurious of its kind and has some of the most extensive Roman mosaics, the finest still intact in the Roman world. It is especially noteworthy for the richness and quality of the mosaics which decorate almost every room in the villa.
The bustling city of Palermo, the regional capital of Sicily, is an exotic jumble of Arab-Norman and Baroque architectural splendours. Visiting this chaotic city is still somewhat of an adventure, you won't find many restaurants with menu translated for tourists and you'll have trouble finding anyone who speaks communicable English. Explore the city's narrow labyrinthine back streets and discover its vibrant markets whose Arabic origins are still evident today. The city also has some fine palaces and a stunning 12th Century Normal Cathedral. You can even walk around some parts of the old town centre that have remained untouched since they were bombed during the war.
Catania is Sicily's second largest city, sat on the Eastern side of the island beneath the shadows of Mount Etna. This vibrant city is full of baroque splendours and a wide range of cultural offerings that have been sculptured from its turbulent history. In 1669 Catania was covered in lava from Mount Etna and then in 1693 an earthquake shook the city down to its foundations. Most of the old town was rebuilt, and as ever resourceful was rebuilt using lava, therefore Catania is describe as being a rather dull and grey city. The city is best explored by foot with many historic sights to be seen and buildings from various era's in Sicily's past, including Greek, Roman and Arab architecture. The city's main Piazza is a nice spot and the Duomo is worth a visit. Although the current building dates to the early 1700's, some of its eleventh century parts still remain.
Without a doubt this is one city you won't want to miss in Sicily. Without visiting would be like missing an essential part of the island. This city has an incredible amount of archaeological sites and some great architectural buildings. The best archaeological site to visit is situated in the northwest of town, home to a staggering number of well-preserved Greek (and Roman) remains. The main attraction is undoubtedly the Greek theatre that dates back at least until the 5th Century BC. There are also the famous Catacombs of San Giovanni. Running for kilometres under the city these catacombs were excavated for the most part between 315 and 360 AD, and remained in use until the end of the 5th century.
Another highlight of Syracuse is Ortigia. This small island peninsula is packed with over 2,500 years of history. Although enjoyable to visit during the day the island comes to life at night when people can be seen wandering the small alleys and side streets and socializing in the Piazza del Duomo a delightful pedestrian square in the heart of the island. Its historical highlight is the famous fountain of youth (La Fonte Aretusa).
The Sicilian experience would not be complete without a trip to the Aeolian Islands. Although typically most tourists take day trips to the islands it is also possible to stay a couple of nights and hop from one to the other. These small islands are unspoiled and steeped in history, myth and legends and some have spectacular beaches to relax on.
Vulcano, typically the first stop for the ferry (from Milazzo) offers yellow sulphurous baths and volcanic craters while its neighbouring island of Lípari is the largest and most populated. Its pumice beach has the only white sand in the archipelago. The island of Salina is the highest and the greenest and is topped by two symmetrical volcanoes. Stromboli is one of the most exciting islands to visit. Its two small villages are separated by burning lava flows and if you visit at night you might be lucky enough to witness Stomboli's volcano in action!
The smallest and most visited is Panarea, a lush vegetated island that acts as a refuge to wealthy tourists and luxury yachts during the summer months. Filicudi and Alicudi are two of the less visited islands but they are a paradise for divers and marine-life enthusiasts.
Located in North West Sicily; Trapani is one of the most romantic places in Sicily. Previously known as Drepanon this coastal fishing town is booming mainly due to its budget airline connections with Europe. Characterised by long stretches of coast and coastal plains most people that visit Trapani head for its luscious white sandy beaches. But its city centre is full of lavish monuments, palaces and a beautiful countryside that begs to be explored.
Located on Sicily's north coast this sleepy fishing village is one of the Mediterranean's undiscovered gems. This medieval town is well known for its beautiful beaches, with long stretches of golden sand and shallow warm waters ideal for families. The town also boasts a wealth of historical and cultural landmarks, a rustic fishermen's quarter and a medieval old town, making it one of the most fascinating beach resorts in Sicily. Spend time wandering around the old town's narrow streets and explore its picturesque piazzas. Visit La Rocca the town's biggest natural attraction and hear all about its Greek myths and legends and visit the remains of the ancient Temple of Diana.
Sicily has a mild climate that makes it an attractive destination for much of the year. Spring brings wild flowers comfortable climates while during high summer (July, August) temperatures really do soar much higher than mainland Italy. Winter in Sicily is mild and temperatures can stay in the mid to high twenties during the day to produce a Sicilian "Indian Summer" although average temperatures sit normally between 13 – 18 degrees Celsius I between December and February. If you are lucky you can still enjoy a refreshing swim in the sea even in November.
Flying: Sicily has three main airports, Palermo in the north, Catania in the south and Trapani in the west. International flights will often have an interchange at Milan, Rome or Naples and often flying into Palermo or Catania while low-cost budget airlines from Europe fly into Trapani.
Driving/Ferry: As an island, Sicily is well linked via sea to mainland Italy. If you are arriving by car from the main land you can take a ferry from Genoa in the north to Palermo (20 hours) or from Villa San Giovanni in Calabria across the strait to Messina in eastern Sicily (45 minutes approx.) There are also ferry connections from Livorno and Civitavecchia in Rome.
Train: Depending on where you start your journey in Italy the train journey to Sicily can take anywhere from 12 to 15 hours (Milan or Venice) or 9 to 12 hours (Rome or Naples). All trains from the mainland arrive at the port of Villa San Giovanni or Reggio Calabria and from there the trains roll onto enormous barges for the 1-hour crossing to Messina. Trains either stop at Messina Centrale or continue on to Palermo, Catania, or Syracuse.
Bus: There are various coach companies that operate routes from major European cities via Milan, Rome and Naples to Palermo, Catania or Syracuse.
One of the most flexible and easiest ways to get around the island is by car. Sicily has very good autostradas (toll roads) between the main cities and it is relatively inexpensive to use these. To visit remote villages and towns you'll sometimes find yourself going along a country lane. These are the bona-fide scenic routes, with roads sometimes just steps away from the shore. Cars can be hired from the airports although if you visit during the summer and over Ferragosto (an Italian bank holiday) expect high car rental prices.
There are regular train services that run between the main cities in Sicily however it is not advisable to use trains to visit smaller towns as they make stops at every town along the way and are considerably slower than the inter-city trains. Buses are becoming the other travel means of choice in Sicily. Fares are generally less than train tickets and are even cheaper when a round trip ticket is bought.


The world's coral reefs are increasingly being threatened, mostly because of human activities.
A group of environmental organizations released a report on the issue in February. The "Reefs at Risk Revisited" report used new information and improved satellite mapping systems to study the world's coral reefs. For the first time, it also considered the effect of climate change on these threatened sea organisms.
Jane Lubchenco is administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA. She says the problem is serious.
JANE LUBCHENCO: "Approximately 75 percent of the world's coral reefs are currently threatened by a combination of local and global pressures."
Lubchenco says the threat to coral reefs will continue to increase unless something is done to save them.
JANE LUBCHENCO: "If the current trend persists, the projections in this report tell us that 20 years from now, roughly half the reefs globally will experience thermal stress sufficient to induce severe bleaching in most years. Within the next 50 years this percentage is expected to grow more than 95 percent."
Nancy Knowlton is with the Smithsonian Institution. She says the threat to coral reefs could have a major effect on sea life.
NANCY KNOWLTON: "It's been estimated that about one - at least one quarter, maybe as much as one third, of all species that live in the ocean live associated with coral reefs. So perhaps it is not too surprising that even more recently an analysis was done that suggests that one third of all coral species are actually at risk of extinction. This makes corals the most endangered animal on the planet, even more endangered than frogs."
Millions of species of sea life depend on coral reefs for their survival. This makes them an important source of food for millions of people around the world.
Coral reefs also protect coastlines from storms and flooding. And, they provide economic security for many countries.
LAURETTA BURKE: "Tourism is an important economic contributor in over 95 countries and territories around the world. It contributes over 20 percent of GDP in over 20 countries."
Lauretta Burke is with the World Resources Institute. She was one of the lead writers of the report. She says more than 275-million people are dependent on the resources from coral reefs, mostly in Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean.
The report noted overfishing and climate change as two of the most serious threats to the world's oceans. It said higher acidity levels caused by carbon dioxide emissions are also a problem. Other threats include the use of explosives for fishing, as well as the run-off of toxic materials and other pollution.
LAURETTA BURKE: "Overfishing is the most widespread threat affecting about 55 percent of the world's reefs. The threat is particularly high in Southeast Asia. Watershed based pollution and coastal development affect roughly a quarter of the world's reefs."
Burke says while the reefs around Australia are the best preserved, those in Southeast Asia are the most threatened. Ninety percent of them are at risk, largely because of overfishing.
The report says coral reefs are critically important. It says better management practices and policies must be established to reduce the threats to these valuable ecosystems. I'm Christopher Cruise.


This is a new exciting opportunity to join our engineering clients growing team. They work across a range of sectors from automotive and aerospace, to medical and petrochemical, they work with and trusted by some of the world's most prominent companies. They are looking for a proactive PA to provide administrative support to a busy Managing Director and free him up to concentrate on "value added" activities.


If you want to create in your office or homeelegant and original interior, look for Roman blinds. They not only will be a highlight in the design of the room, but also be able to protect him from drafts, heat, create the desired lighting level.
Roman blinds are a canvas, whichIt is set to the window opening and closes it securely. A special mechanism is used to raise them. Fabric itself thus distributed to the horizontal portions which are arranged at regular intervals, and sections for imparting stable form rigid rods are used.
When the curtains are raised through the mechanism of theirsection are formed, the material forms a very elegant horizontal folds. The lower portion curtains retains a predetermined shape. Therefore, if the wind blows, the product will not fly - the special weighting ensure its stable position.
By the principle of raising and lowering the curtains resembletraditional shutters. To achieve this goal through the rings located on the backside of the product, the cords are passed. Then, they are discharged laterally. One has only to pull the cord in the right direction, and the blind will start to move in the corresponding direction.
Custom-made Roman blinds allowto create the most fashionable interiors. Today popular minimalism, in which the premises are made easy and convenient. The roman blinds are no frills and lush folds that allows you to fully comply with the requirements stated above. This style uses special recognition, which is why products are installed in offices, living rooms, expensive restaurants and other facilities.
With the help of Roman blinds can be implementedalmost any style. Originally, they were intended for the arrangement of minimalist interiors, they can be used effectively to complement the retro, modern and other styles.
Decorating can produce forged orlacy eaves, causing the Roman shades will have a different look. They can be in harmony with tulle and drapes. Correctly choosing the fabric and colors, you can achieve an excellent combination created the ensemble.
One of the advantages of Roman blinds is theirhigh practicality. Often they can help out when the use of classical curtains unnecessarily or inappropriately. An example is the glazed balconies, kitchen and narrow deep openings.
For the manufacture of Roman blinds are oftenused thick fabrics that passed a special impregnation. As a result, the product effectively repel heat and are a real escape from the summer heat. In addition, these blinds allow you to adjust the amount of entering the room, the sun's rays - a wide range of fabrics from delicate and transparent to very dense.
As can be seen, Roman blinds have many advantages. If you want to create original and exclusive interiors, why not use them?


In the 1939 film classic, "The Wizard of Oz," Dorothy exclaims, "Lions, and tigers, and bears! Oh my!" Perhaps she also meant some of the flowers she saw blooming along the Yellow Brick Road. The majestic appearance of the lion and other creatures inspired the names of several noteworthy flowers, many of which grow worldwide today.
The lion's magnificent mane prompted the naming of the double flowering daffodil "White Lion" (Narcissus). In the words of the American Meadows website, "Note how the petals are still, and standing out proudly from the lush yellow center. Like a proud lion with a beautiful yellow mane. Big and beautiful." This spring blooming perennial enjoys full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil. It grows to heights of around 16 inches.
Similarly inspired in name is the Amaryllis "Red Lion" (Hippeastrum), which is native to Chile and Peru, and is a member of the Amaryllidaceae family. It is a hardy, semi-evergreen plant that grows to heights of about 1 1/2 feet. It exhibits dark green leaves and big, red, bell-shaped blooms that flower about 2 to 3 months after planting. Red lion is a popular holiday plant. Outdoors, it prefers full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil, but it also makes an ideal container plant.
"Lion's Ear" or wild dagga (Leonotis leonurus) is a fast-growing shrub native to South Africa where it is widespread in the grasslands. It usually grows to a height of about 10 feet. Its Latin name derives from the resemblance of the corolla to the fuzzy ears of a lion. Long, narrow leaves complement the bright orange flowers (sometimes apricot or white) that bloom in clusters in the fall. The flowers produce an abundance of nectar, attracting birds, bees and butterflies. Lion's ear prefers well-drained, loamy soil and ample water in the summer. In keeping with its jungle image, lion's ear provides a traditional remedy for snake bite, among other health conditions from fever to dysentery, according to the PlantzAfrica website.
"Dandelion" (Taraxacum officinale) is of French origin. It is a corruption of the French, "dents de lion" which means "lion's teeth," alluding to the jagged leaves of this floral weed. There are about 100 species of dandelions growing worldwide. With its yellow flowers and bright green leaves, the dandelion is clearly a member of the sunflower family. It is a favorite edible as well as medicinal flower. The hardy dandelion contains potassium, sodium, calcium, phosphorus, iron and vitamins A, B, C and D, according to the website, A Woman's View. Dandelions grow in speedy abundance from deeply entrenched taproots, with no cross-fertilization required.


text:
Q: Upgrade FFmpeg using Git I want to verify if my FFMpeg version is not updated.
Here's the output upon running this command: ffmpeg -version
ffmpeg version git-2013-04-05-9a8f1e7 Copyright (c) 2000-2013 the FFmpeg developers
  built on Apr  5 2013 18:38:36 with gcc 4.6 (Ubuntu/Linaro 4.6.3-1ubuntu5)
  configuration: --enable-gpl --enable-libass --enable-libfaac --enable-libfdk-aac --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libopencore-amrnb --enable-libopencore-amrwb --enable-libspeex --enable-librtmp --enable-libtheora --enable-libvorbis --enable-libvpx --enable-libx264 --enable-nonfree --enable-version3

I am not super familiar when FFmpeg is compiled and installed via Git.
I just followed the Ubuntu Compilation Guide by FFmpeg.
And how do I verify if it is not the latest?
PS: The remote is: git://source.ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg.git

A: It says pretty much everything in your image. Your FFmpeg is of Git build. Its version is git-2013-04-05-9a8f1e7. The rest all you can also read and understand yourself.
You can update yourself either from the FFmpeg official download or Git download.
Also, FYI, currently the stable/major release is 2.1.
From FFmpeg documentation:

Approximately every 3 months the FFmpeg project makes a new major release. Between major releases point releases will appear that add important bug fixes but no new features. Note that these releases are intended for distributors and system integrators.

Also for the current sub-version

2.1.3 was released on 2014-01-15. It is the latest stable FFmpeg release from the 2.1 release branch, which was cut from master on 2013-10-28

A: The guide you mentioned, How to Compile FFmpeg on Ubuntu, has a dedicated section explaining how to update, but...

*

*The server hosting the guide is currently down. See the Google Cache version for now.

*This answer is for reference only, but you should follow the guide instead if possible since it may have updated since this answer was written (this is more for you readers in the future).

*I modified the instructions slightly to avoid issues with yasm.

Updating FFmpeg
Development of FFmpeg is active and an occasional update can give you new features and bug fixes. First, remove (or move) the old files and then update the dependencies:
rm -rf ~/ffmpeg_build ~/bin/{ffmpeg,ffprobe,ffserver,x264}
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get -y install autoconf automake build-essential git libass-dev libgpac-dev \
  libsdl1.2-dev libtheora-dev libtool libva-dev libvdpau-dev libvorbis-dev libx11-dev \
  libxext-dev libxfixes-dev pkg-config texi2html zlib1g-dev
export "PATH=$PATH:$HOME/bin"

Note: Server users can omit: libsdl1.2-dev libva-dev libvdpau-dev libx11-dev libxext-dev libxfixes-dev.
x264
cd ~/ffmpeg_sources/x264
make distclean
git pull
./configure --prefix="$HOME/ffmpeg_build" --bindir="$HOME/bin" --enable-static
make
make install
make distclean

fdk-aac
cd ~/ffmpeg_sources/fdk-aac
make distclean
git pull
autoreconf -fiv
./configure --prefix="$HOME/ffmpeg_build" --disable-shared
make
make install
make distclean

libvpx
cd ~/ffmpeg_sources/libvpx
make clean
git pull
./configure --prefix="$HOME/ffmpeg_build" --disable-examples
make
make install
make clean

ffmpeg
cd ~/ffmpeg_sources/ffmpeg
make distclean
git pull
PKG_CONFIG_PATH="$HOME/ffmpeg_build/lib/pkgconfig"
export PKG_CONFIG_PATH
./configure --prefix="$HOME/ffmpeg_build" \
  --extra-cflags="-I$HOME/ffmpeg_build/include" --extra-ldflags="-L$HOME/ffmpeg_build/lib" \
  --bindir="$HOME/bin" --extra-libs="-ldl" --enable-gpl --enable-libass --enable-libfdk-aac \
  --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libopus --enable-libtheora --enable-libvorbis --enable-libvpx \
  --enable-libx264 --enable-nonfree --enable-x11grab
make
make install
make distclean
hash -r
. ~/.profile

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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← Here Are The 79 Songs That Could Win An Oscar!
For Your Consideration #10: Guardians of the Galaxy (dir by James Gunn) →
For Your Consideration #9: Under the Skin (dir by Jonathan Glazer)
Under the Skin is one of the most brilliantly divisive films of the year. To some, it's a pretentious mess, a collection of seemingly random scenes and obscure themes. To me, however, it is one of the most haunting films that I've ever seen. It's a film that's full of mysteries and questions, one that often demands that we supply our own answers. It's one of the best films of the year and anyone who disagrees needs to rewatch it.
From the opening scene, Under the Skin is a dream of dark and disturbing things.
In Scotland, a silent motorcyclist (Jeremy McWilliams) finds a young woman's dead body lying on the side of the road. He picks up the body and puts it in the back of a van. Inside the van, a naked woman (played by Scarlett Johansson) takes the dead woman's clothes. As soon becomes apparent, both the motorcyclist and the woman are not human. They're aliens and they've come to Earth on a mission that is deliberately left obscure. Though they never speak to each other, the motorcyclist always seems to be nearby.
The woman drives the van across Scotland. She stops men in the street and, after asking for directions, then attempts to coerce them into her van. (What makes these scenes especially effective is that the majority of them actually feature Johansson talking to nonactors who just happened to be nearby when she drove up.) The woman smiles and flirts and has little trouble convincing the majority of the men she meets to get into the van with her.
She drives them to an isolated building where the men follow her inside. As they step into a pitch black room, both the woman and her latest man start to undress. The naked man starts to walk towards the woman and is so hypnotized by the sight of her that he doesn't even realize that the floor has become liquified and he's sinking. As Johansson watches coldly, each man eventually vanishes, leaving behind only his empty skin.
(Warning: The two scenes below are definitely NSFW. Watch with caution.)
Detached from her surroundings, the woman can only watch as real human beings go about their lives. When she sees a man unsuccessfully try to save a drowning couple on the beach, she reacts by striking the man on the head with a rock. She drags the man away, leaving the couple's terrified toddler on the beach. When the motorcyclist later visits the beach, he too ignores the child. (Perhaps no scene left me more disturbed and inspired more nightmares than this one.)
It's only when the woman picks up a man with a severe facial disfigurement (a poignant performance from a nonactor named Adam Pearson) that she finally starts to show some emotion. The man is as much of an outsider as she is, with the main difference being that he can't hide who he really is under a disguise. The woman feels sorry for him and this sudden shock of empathy causes her to reconsider her mission.
However, even as the woman attempts to flee to the Scottish highlands, the motorcyclist is never far behind. And, unfortunately, neither are real humans…
Under the Skin is pure cinema, a collection of scenes that alternate between being naturalistic and surreal, disturbingly serious and darkly humorous. Perhaps appropriately for a film about appearances, Under the Skin is a movie that is full of haunting images, the type that, 8 months after first being seen, remain vivid in your mind. It's up to the viewers to decide what those images mean.
(For all of the discussion that I've seen online about what Under the Skin is truly about, it seems pretty obvious to me that the main message of the film is that guys are so led by their penis that they'll even allow themselves to sink into a liquid void if there's a chance they might get laid beforehand.)
Under the Skin has been a player (albeit a minor one) in the precursors leading up the Oscars. A few of the braver critical groups have nominated it for best picture and have also honored Scarlett Johansson for her wonderful work as an outsider who is both slowly discovering what it means to be human while also dealing with the reality that, try as she might, she will never truly belong in this world. However, with all that in mind, Under the Skin is probably too divisive and unique a film to ever truly appeal to the Academy.
But that's okay.
Under the Skin is also a film that we'll still be discussing years from now.
This entry was posted in Film, Film Review and tagged Adam Pearson, Dave Acton, David Acton, fim, For Your Consideration, Jeremy McWilliams, Jessica Mance, Joe Szula, Jonathan Glazer, Krystof Hadek, Lisa Marie Bowman, Michael Moreland, movie, Paul Brannigan, review, Scarlett Johannson, Under the Skin. Bookmark the permalink.
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text:
DRAW IN 60
GUESS IN 21
TRIVIALOGY
How to Play!
Welcome to my board game Top 10 1980s games: the decade that saw me struggle through high school, enjoy college, then get my first proper job. I played some card games, plus some Scrabble and Chess, with my mum. Then some D&D and Games Workshop stuff at high school. And then moved on. But unbeknownst to me there were actually some pretty good board games out there.
So while 'the cult of the new' gets all the headlines, I thought it time to give some love to some in-print gems that deserve a place on your shelves. Many of these gems have been borrowed from repeatedly since. And I'd argue some are yet to be bettered in their genre: with many holding strong in the BGG Top 1000. So as these games reach middle age, maybe skip that overblown Kickstarter you've been eyeing and give a classic a chance.
I used a BGG search to get the list, so some may have slipped through the cracks. And deliberately left out war games, Games Workshop and Steve Jackson Games as they have very specific audiences. I also left out both Merchant of Venus and HeroQuest for similar reasons. While I left out the original Arkham Horror because it was unrecognisable from recent versions. The games on this list are varied, but have a good chance of appealing to various types of modern gamer.
Board game Top 10: 1980s games
10. Werewolf
(1986, 3+ players, 60 mins)
More an activity than a game? Well, I'm including it here. I'm not a fan, but it is very clever. This is a group participation game, involving outing players as potential werewolves (via often heated group discussion) and killing them off. There's acting, lying, and manipulation. Great for parties in the right groups. And now in about a thousand flavours to suit all tastes.
9. Wizard
(1984, 3-6 players, 45 mins)
I've never quite understood the point of Wizard – but I love it. For me, this is contract whist with a very small twist on the rules. And the versions I've seen don't have particularly nice cards (one has some of the worst fantasy art you'll see). I'd rather just play contract whist with a normal deck of cards. But if this will draw players in, go for it! A great game.
8. 1830: Railways & Robber Barons
(1986, 2-7 players, 3-6 hours)
The popularity of the Ticket to Ride series has ensured train games are a key part of the board game landscape. And the 18xx series has done the same thing for more serious gamers. With 1830 the highest rated on BGG. It's a deep, long route building and economic game devoid of luck. Build your network, invest in shares and make the most profit.
7. Die Macher
(1986, 3-5 players, 4+ hours)
If you'd told Die Macher's designers their four-hour German election sim would become a 30+ year sleeper hit, I doubt they'd have believed you. But it is an utterly compelling political game. The hours fly by as alliances rise and fall, and you can see far enough forward to plan for game-changing policy and media changes. It really is quite special.
6. Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective
This is a co-operative narrative game, where together you attempt to solve a mystery. It's a choose-your-own-adventure game on steroids, with a large mapping showing numbered locations. Piece together the clues, leading to new locations, and solve the crime. Early versions were a little wonky, but it is still being supported with new scenarios today.
The Top 5: Eighties games for all the family
5. Scotland Yard
Once again you're trying to catch a murderer on the streets of London. But this time, one of you is the villain. One player moves secretly (writing down their moves) around the map, while the rest work together to corner and capture them. It's a common find in UK charity shops and well worth a look – especially if it includes the 'Mr X' baseball cap!
4. Labyrinth
This is another mass market release with solid gamer credentials. Yes, it's a family game and there's a fairly large luck element involved. But planning your routes around the ever-changing maze in this spatial puzzle can be genuinely tricky. Don't let the cartoony visuals fool you – this can be a thinky and frustrating experience for even hardened gamers.
3. Survive: Escape from Atlantis
Another with strong charity shop potential, Survive was a Parker/Waddingtons staple for years. It has enjoyed a recent reprint, but I don't think the game has ever been perfected. Despite that, it is fun enough to carry it off. Desperately try to get your Atlanteans to the edge of the board. Before your opponents feed them to sharks. Wholesome family fun…
2. Take it Easy
This clever little abstract game sees players trying to connect pipelines to score points. The trick is that all players are using exactly the same pieces, in the same order – but arranging them how they like. Players pretty much immediately diverge and it ends up as a fascinating puzzle of a game.
1. Can't Stop
This is one of my few all-time Top 20 regulars. Mechanically, it is an incredibly simple abstract dice game. But in practice it is a brilliant filler game and great for all ages – it's even educational. Can't Stop is all about probabilities. How long will you keep pushing your luck, while risking losing all your progress? It simply creates a great atmosphere.
I'll come back with a 1990s list, where the competition for places will be a lot stronger! But with the exception of Werewolf (not my kind of game), there's nothing on this list I wouldn't happily sit down and play today.
Originally posted at Punch Board Media
Before You Play: Darwin's Journey – Two-Player Playthrough & Review
Cardboarding with Carla: Getting Past Design Blocks with Fertessa Alyse
MHGG #215: Never Been Done
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text:
I Am A Writer Series – Writing Tips From Author Lars D. H. Hedbor
Q&A With Author Lars D. H. Hedbor
Want to know what other writers think? Check out our I Am A Writer Series where we ask writers to share tips, experiences, and thoughts about what matters to them.
When you begin to write a story, do you know how it's going to end?
As a novelist of the American Revolution, I always know how events will unfold around my characters, but I rarely start out knowing how their individual stories will develop, much less conclude. I am sometimes struck by the fact that every character I write has been dead for centuries, and their stories are all that remain… which inspires me to tell their stories to the absolute best of my abilities. I sometimes yield to the urge to remind my readers of this inescapable fact, as when I closed The Break, a story told around the framework of letters between two friends separated by the American rebellion, with a final letter informing one of the other's passing.
Do you ever show your writing-in-progress to friends and family, or do you prefer to wait until it has been polished and perfected?
I send my works in progress out to a few literary friends and family members nightly, and incorporate their feedback into my work. Their responses motivate me, and keep me on track to finish telling my story. I also like to share my work early with subject matter experts. For example, when I finished writing The Light, a story of the Quakers during the Revolution, I asked an historian at the Betsy Ross Museum for feedback, and she was able to point out several places where I could make the story both more compelling and truer to the experience of the people she knew best.
Who is your favourite author of all time? Do you try to emulate him/her in your writing?
I have literally read everything Robert Heinlein ever published. He wrote in a completely different genre, of course, but he was a master of creating characters who lived and breathed, and was dedicated to getting the facts right. Both of these are traits that I work hard to emulate. The highest praise I've ever received was from an historian who told me that The Prize–set firmly within his area of expertise–contained nothing that could not have happened exactly as I described.
Did you always want to be a writer or did you fall into the profession?
As a schoolboy, I expected that I would be a writer. However, as an adult, I found a profession in the technical trades, writing computer code and selling software. It was only after a particularly rough patch in my life that I turned back to writing, and tried my hand for the first time at writing something as long form as a novel. I was published within a couple of years, and I've never turned back.
What has been the biggest challenge you've faced while writing?
I want to transport my readers to the era of the American War of Independence, and so I dig as deeply as I can to get the details of daily life right. Sometimes I find a lucky record of the information I want, such as the extended anthropological survey I discovered of the Tuscarora tribe of the Iroquois nation, written very near the time when my novel The Smoke was set. In that case, too, since I had a character who was viewing the culture from the outside, it was natural to work in a lot of that material as though he was the one observing it.
Lars D. H. Hedbor is an amateur historian, linguist, brewer, fiddler, astronomer, and baker. Professionally, he is a technologist, marketer, writer, and father. His love of history drives him to share the excitement of understanding the events of long ago, and how those events touch us still today.
Do you try to emulate your favourite authors in your writing?
Editorial2019-02-22T21:08:54-05:00
About the Author: Editorial
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We're All Just People Trying to Help Other People
Here's hoping that this touching article foreshadows a larger movement toward fullfilling Jesus' teachings to us. From the San Francisco Chronicle today.... Helping the homeless: City's unique volunteer program is growing into a genuine civic movement
Kevin Fagan, Chronicle Staff Writer , Monday, March 21, 2005
Amme Hill had never talked to a homeless person before, never helped out at a soup kitchen. She's a busy yoga instructor in San Francisco. Even though her heart went out to desperate people she saw on the street, she never found an opportunity to turn her compassion into action.
So when she responded to a mass mailing and showed up at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in February for a city-sponsored gathering of hundreds of people to help the homeless, she didn't know if she'd feel repulsed, inspired, scared or sad.
That didn't last long. By the end of the day, the mystery was gone -- replaced by a new understanding for those unfortunates she used to stroll past, and by a fiery optimism that their plight can be eased.
"They're just people, like the rest of us," Hill, 31, said several days later, a tone of marvel still in her voice. "What really hit me the most is how such a lot of people were so sad, so alone. And what surprised me the most was how obvious the whole problem was, and how to fix it. Give them a place to live and counseling to get over the drug problem or whatever, and you've got it."
Meet the face of Mayor Gavin Newsom's new citizen army of volunteers -- the only one of its kind in the nation devoted to tackling homelessness.
What began in October as a 200-person corps of virtually all city employees who answered the mayor's request to pitch in on their own time has evolved over six months into the makings of a genuine civic movement, drawing not just on government staff but also nonprofit social services agencies as well as real estate agents, teachers, lawyers, carpenters and other ordinary folk.
The monthly gathering is called Project Homeless Connect, and the idea is to have citizen volunteers gather for a day to help city counselors, welfare and housing specialists sign up homeless people for services that can get them off the street.
The third Connect gathering, held Feb. 17, drew 575 volunteers -- and what excited organizers as much as anything was that one-quarter of them were not city workers, as in the past, but ordinary people who vowed to bring friends with them to the next gathering.
Many say this is the first time they've ever seen the city create a means for them to help in a significant hands-on way. And, like Hill, they say they have long felt a pent-up longing to do something after watching homelessness in San Francisco metastasize into the nation's most visible crisis with street people.
"As I look around the country, I have seen nothing like this anywhere," said Philip Mangano, President Bush's point man on homelessness. Some cities, such as Boston, muster citizens once a year to work on homeless issues, he said -- but enlisting them once every month or so hasn't happened before.
Word of the periodic gatherings is spreading around the country through social worker networks. Dozens of organizations from cities including New York, Denver, Indianapolis, Nashville and Los Angeles have called Newsom's office to see if they can copy the technique.
"Everybody in the country is looking around for what works, and what's going on in San Francisco is very unique and exciting," said Becky Kanis, director of innovations for Common Ground of New York, one of the nation's premier providers of supportive housing for the homeless. "I am going to bring city commissioners and people from other nonprofits with me to come look at the Connect project, see how we can do that here."
The Connect project has been an awakening experience for both the people helping out and for homeless people themselves.
"I'd always just bitched and moaned about walking over the homeless every day when I went out for lunch, but then I heard about this Connect thing," said real estate agent and lifelong San Francisco resident Ali Tejada. "I told myself, 'OK, why not?' "
What she found when she showed up last month at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium -- which had been turned into a giant MASH-like service center for Project Homeless Connect -- was a roomful of eager volunteers and 200 homeless people lined up outside waiting for the doors to open.
"Some (of the homeless) smelled so bad, were in wheelchairs, were really messed up, but I actually got to talk to them for the first time, and I realized, 'Hey, these are real people with real problems,' " said Tejada, 50. "It was a little daunting at first. But they felt so respected by us shaking their hands, calling them by their names, actually remembering their names, that I began to really respect them, too."
She spent six hours escorting homeless men and women to food lines and booths of social workers who signed them up for drug rehab, shelter, housing or counseling for welfare or jobs. By the end, her opinion of the drug addicts, alcoholics, prostitutes, out-of-work carpenters and other hard-luck cases she talked to went from disgust to compassion, she said.
"The minute I got home, I took a shower because I didn't want the homeless smell all over me -- but the next thing I did was go to our closet and clean out absolutely everything we didn't need. The next day I dropped it all off at St. Anthony's, a big Hefty bag full."
That's just the sort of thing Newsom and his organizers hoped would happen.
"There is such a hungry appetite to contribute, but people didn't know how to help," Newsom said at the February gathering. "They wrote checks, or they helped out on a holiday at a church -- which are good things -- but this is face-to-face, totally real and intensified."
Michael Simpson, 41, came to the auditorium that day after shivering all night on Market Street under a thin blanket. He'd heard on the street that something special was going on, and tears rolled down his grubby face as he sat with hands around a coffee cup.
"My wife died in 1998, and I went off the deep end," he said quietly. "I need housing, food, counseling, everything." He looked up as a passing volunteer patted his shoulder.
"I can't believe these people don't treat me like crap," he said. "Maybe those people who walk by me every day aren't such jerks after all."
The sheer size of San Francisco's homeless population -- at least 6,248 in this winter's city-run count -- combined with budget cutbacks make it imperative that the city get as creative as it can, said Newsom's Deputy Chief of Staff Alex Tourk, who runs the Connect program.
So it was only natural to begin enlisting ordinary people to help, he said.
"I think what's really gotten people engaged is that we're not just dictating to them what to do," said Tourk. "We're listening to feedback, strengthening what works and throwing out what doesn't work."
The three Connect operations since October have housed or sheltered 140 people, more than half of them in permanent housing, enrolled 116 in intensive drug rehabilitation or mental health programs, and signed up 282 up for welfare. A total 2,352 homeless people were interviewed by the volunteers, and those who didn't get housing or rehab got sessions with psychiatric counselors, medical doctors or job advisers. Most also got food or clothing.
The next Connect, on March 28, will be a planning session only for volunteers, and the one after that on April 21 will be another rollout of services for the homeless. Tourk intends to continue that formula of alternating planning sessions one month with hands-on help the next, and his goal is to add new services each time.
For instance, organizers plan to have 100 hotel rooms to hand out in the April Connect. They also want to have 100 doctors on hand, about four times the number in February.
The statistics mean less to the volunteers than the thrill of putting their hearts into action.
"It was an incredibly powerful experience," said Brian Hughes, general manager of the stylish Argent Hotel, who went for his first Connect last month. "It confirmed some of my preconceptions about why people were on the streets -- mental illness, drugs, poverty -- but I was amazed at how there was never a moment that I felt hostility or fear."
In his crisp, blue suit and silver cuff links, Hughes looks like the last sort of man who would want to shake hands with junkies who slept in the street so long the grime won't wash off in a day. But he says he liked it so much he's taking his friends with him this month.
"I've heard some people calling this thing a populist movement, and that sure fits for me," he said. "We're all just people trying to help other people."
Even Phil Smith, who runs the Salvation Army's Harbor Light drug rehab center in San Francisco, came away with a new sense of purpose. Like many Connect volunteers who work at nonprofit social agencies, he is well familiar with the problems of poverty but said he'd never felt invited to pitch in by the city before. At least not in a way that wasn't contractual.
"I wanted to get a feel for it first, to see if it was worthwhile," he said. "I found it amazing. I'm going back, and this time I'll take some of my staff -- and some residents (in the Salvation Army's program) too, if they want. Think of what an incredible thing that would be for their self-esteem, helping people with the same kinds of problems they had."
Kendra Stewardson knows about that. An Army door gunner in the Vietnam War, Stewardson became a transgender woman in the early 1970s and eked out a living as a carpenter until quitting to care for her ailing mother for the past decade. Her mother died last year -- and suddenly, with no income, the 54-year-old found herself on the street.
Volunteers found Stewardson sleeping on the sidewalk during December's Connect, and by February she was living in a hotel -- and working as a volunteer on that month's muster.
"I can't believe I'm doing this," she said during the Feb. 17 session at the auditorium as she steered a line of homeless people to the welfare intake table. "For a transgender person like me to get help so fast, instead of just another dead end, really says something."
Some longtime advocates for the homeless remain skeptical, though.
"The question I always hear after one of these Connect things is, 'What is the follow-through for these people who get contacted?' " said Sister Bernie Galvin, head of Religious Witness With Homeless People. "I wonder, because clearly there is not enough housing or services in this city. So how many are really getting helped?"
She also is concerned that shelter beds set aside for Connect mean that other homeless people are left outside at night.
Newsom responds by saying the critics should appreciate that 140 homeless people have been moved inside through the initiative, and give it more time to work. As for the shelter beds, he pointed out that there are about 100 vacancies every night in the city's shelters.
"If anyone has any criticism about what we're doing, I just tell them, 'Come on down to the next Project Homeless Connect,' " Newsom said. "See what we're doing. Give us your advice, right on the spot. Be part of the solution."
Posted by Deborah White at Monday, March 21, 2005
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Norwegian Cruise Line orders new cruise ship with option for second
Norwegian Cruise Line announced today that it has reached an agreement with MEYER WERFT GMBH of Germany to build a new cruise vessel, for delivery in October 2015, with the option for a second ship for delivery in spring 2017. The new ship, at 163,000 gross tons and approximately 4,200 passenger berths, will be larger than the Company's Breakaway class ships currently under construction at MEYER WERFT and incorporate many of those vessels' unique design elements and innovations. With the project name "Breakaway Plus," this new vessel will be the largest in Norwegian's fleet.
The ship's contract price is approximately euro 700 million and the Company has export credit financing in place which was arranged and underwritten by KfW IPEX-Bank GmbH of Germany.
"Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway have garnered significant attention in the marketplace with their innovative design, rich stateroom mix and world-class amenities. Building on that momentum, along with MEYER WERFT's expertise and efficiency in the design and construction process, we are extending the excitement and anticipation with a new, larger edition Breakaway Plus class ship to further distinguish the Norwegian brand," said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line's chief executive officer. "This new order further solidifies our commitment to continued innovation in terms of the guest experience and will incorporate technical and environmental advances as well."
MEYER WERFT, based in Papenburg, Germany, is currently building Norwegian's two new 146,600 gross ton, 4,000-passenger Breakaway class vessels: Norwegian Breakaway, scheduled for delivery in late April 2013, and Norwegian Getaway, scheduled for delivery in mid-January 2014. Prior to the Breakaway class ships, MEYER WERFT built Norwegian's four Jewel-class ships – Norwegian Gem delivered in 2007, Norwegian Pearl and Norwegian Jade delivered in 2006, and Norwegian Jewel delivered in 2005. This new vessel on order, along with the option for the second ship, will be the tenth and eleventh that the Company will build with MEYER WERFT.
"We are pleased that Norwegian Cruise Line has decided to expand and enlarge its exciting Breakaway class at MEYER WERFT," said Bernard Meyer, managing partner of MEYER WERFT. "Our companies have a long history together and we appreciate Norwegian Cruise Line's continued commitment to MEYER WERFT."
Norwegian Cruise Line pioneered the concept of Freestyle Cruising and currently offers guests the freedom and flexibility to enjoy their cruise vacation on their own terms, including multiple dining venues, relaxed attire, a variety of accommodations and world-class entertainment. The Company took Freestyle Cruising to the next level with the introduction of Norwegian Epic in June 2010 and is continuing to innovate with the launch of "New York's Ship" Norwegian Breakaway in late April 2013. The company has revealed the ship's groundbreaking design, including The Waterfront and 678 Ocean Place; a wide range of indoor and outdoor venues on three dynamic decks that will create a whole new complex at sea that enhances guests' connection with the ocean.
Norwegian Breakaway's entertainment will include three Broadway shows: five-time Tony nominated ROCK OF AGES; the dance sensation BURN THE FLOOR; and CIRQUE DREAMS & DINNER JUNGLE FANTASY. The famed comedy troupe The Second City, Howl at the Moon dueling pianos, and New York's own Slam Allen will also perform on the vessel. Celebrity Chef and Food Network star Geoffrey Zakarian will also debut his first restaurant at sea on Norwegian Breakaway: Ocean Blue by Geoffrey Zakarian. The top decks of Norwegian Breakaway will feature the first Aqua Park at sea with five full-size water slides, including twin Free Fall slides, the first ever at sea, and a three-story sports complex that includes the largest ropes course at sea, a nine-hole miniature golf course, basketball court, rock climbing wall and more.
Norwegian Breakaway will also feature a rich mix of stateroom options including The Haven by Norwegian, comprised of 42 Suites at the top of the ship in an exclusive, private key-card enclave and 22 additional Suites located throughout the ship. The innovative Studios are designed and priced for solo travelers. Other accommodations include Oceanview and Balcony staterooms, and Mini-Suites; along with Spa Balcony, Mini-Suites and Suites in close proximity to the spa.
Categories Cruise News, Newsworthy Tags Couples, Family, new ships, Norwegian Cruise Line Post navigation
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