We regularly get sent kids bikes to review at Cycle Sprog, but it's unusual to receive something completely different to everything that's come before. So as you can imagine, we were hugely excited when not one but two new bikes arrived that are very special indeed - the Black Mountain Pinto and the Skøg.
It's the first time we've had the chance to review a kids bike that not only converts from a balance bike into a pedal bike, but also grows with the rider as they get taller. It's certainly an interesting concept and probably posed many engineering headaches for the designers in getting it right.
We've had the Black Mountain Pinto and Skøg bikes at Cycle Sprog HQ for a few weeks now, and this is our first impressions review which will hopefully help you decided if these bikes are for you.
The Pinto and Skøg were the brain child of engineer and dad of two, Andy Lloyd, who decided to use his skills and initiative to solve an (expensive) problem faced by many parents - that children grow so quickly they need a balance bike plus several single gear pedal bikes in a period of just a few years.
The Black Mountain bikes come delivered in balance bike mode (unless you request otherwise when ordering), with a "power pack" that you attach when your child is ready to start pedalling. Later you can increase the frame size and decrease the gear ratio to make the bike suited for a taller rider.
This all sounds fabulous in theory, but we were keen to cast a beady eye over the bikes and find out how they work. And, let's not beat about the bush here - we were also keen to see if we thought they were worth the money. At £330 they're certainly not cheap, and we wanted to find out whether we thought we could recommend these bikes to our readers. Please note this is our initial review before the bikes have been ridden extensively. Now we're sending them out to two families who will use them through the various size modes and report back how they got on in a number of months time.
We'd seen images of the Black Mountain bikes before we'd got our hands on them, and because of their "growing" frame they looked very different in design to the 'traditional' child's bike that people have become accustomed to. We wondered whether there would be a weight penalty due to the additional bolts and the 'growing frame', but in reality they're actually very light.
I like the matt finish paintwork on these bikes and the contrasting decals. It's different to the glossy paint we see on most kids bikes and certainly gives them a distinct appearance. There are four paint colours to choose from – orange, green, purple and sky blue. I'd seen the blue on the Black Mountain website and decided it was my favourite, so was really pleased when the Skøg arrived in that colour.
The frame shape is definitely a talking point with its unusual design and fixings. The frame welds are comfortingly robust, and on first inspection everything certainly looked well thought out and put together.
All the components that adorn the frame have been sized for small riders, something Black Mountain have termed MY:SIZE (they like capitals and colons, as you'll soon learn).
The Pinto and Skøg – what's the difference between the bikes?
In terms of functionality of the bikes there is no difference at all between the Pinto and the Skøg – the only variations are in the sizing of the bike. The Pinto (the orange bike in this photo) has 14" wheels and is the smallest bike in the range. It's designed to replace a balance bike, plus a 12" and a 14" wheel pedal bike, targeting a starting age of about 2.5 years.
The Skøg (the pale blue bike in this picture) is a larger 16" wheel bike and is designed for slightly older and taller kids (aged 4 and a half and over) and is intended to replace a large balance bike, plus a 14" and a 16" wheel pedal bike. You don't actually have to use the balance bike mode, so if your child is already pedalling you can just use it to replace the two pedal bikes.
Two features of the balance bike mode worthy of note are the brakes and the low saddle position.
As feet are usually the main stopping mechanism for small children, many balance bikes don't have brakes. They add cost and complexity, so those that do fit them often only feature a rear brake to allow children to start to master braking before they move onto pedals.
As the Pinto and Skøg need front and rear brakes for the pedal bike mode you get them thrown in as a freebie at the balance bike stage. Your child doesn't need to use them from the outset, and it will be interesting to see if our reviewers bother with them or not. The brake levers are made by Tektro, a reputable brand, and the levers are micro adjustable that allows you to alter them to fit the size of your child's hand.
The other unusual feature of the Pinto and Skøg in balance bike mode is the way you adjust the saddle height. Usually on a kids bike you adjust the length of a seat post using a quick release lever or a bolt just above where the seat post enters the frame (at the top of the seat tube). However, in balance bike mode on the Pinto and Skøg it's different. The seat post sticks out from underneath the frame, and the adjustment is done at the bottom of the seat tube, using an Allen (hex) key.
This is to allow the saddle to drop lower than it would if the clamp was positioned at the top of the seat tube. Black Mountain are proud of this feature and have termed it GO:LOW.
This unusual way of adjusting the saddle is great to get it into a low position, but it does have a knock-on effect when your child starts to grow. GO:LOW requires the seat post to pass all the way through the seat tube to be fastened at the bottom. The photo above has it in the highest possible position, with the bottom of the seat tube hidden inside the clamp. The moment the seat post is raised above the clamp you can no longer tighten it. This isn't a problem if your child is going to be moving up quickly onto pedals, but if your child is either very tall or struggles with their coordination then you may find yourself frustrated.
However, when I mentioned this to Black Mountain, it appears they've already thought of this, and had a few solutions for me. Firstly, the way the saddle attaches to the seat post can be altered by rotating the clamp, so you get a couple of cm additional height.
If that doesn't give enough height, I've checked with Black Mountain and they say it should be OK in these cases to swap out the balance bike seat tube and replace it with the pedal bike seat tube with the crank and pedals removed. Because this seat tube has the fixing point at the top (shown on the right below) you can raise the saddle much higher.
Finally, if that still doesn't give enough height for your child, then Black Mountain can supply longer seat posts for you, with the following sizes available: 185mm (Pinto), 225mm (Skog), 250mm and 260mm.
When your child is old enough to start to pedal, you need to apply the "power pack" which consists of a longer seat tube (with the seat post clamp at the top and the crank at the bottom), a reinforced polymer belt drive and two pedals. The power pack comes in a cardboard box (no plastics here!) for storing away until required.
The process itself does require a certain amount of practical know-how. The manual suggests that if you are confident removing a wheel to fix a puncture then you're probably going to be OK. If not, you need to factor in paying your local bike shop to do the adjustment for you.
"First undo the seat-post clamp with the 4mm hex key, then remove the seat clamp from the Balance Bike Mode seat tube.
Using the 12mm spanner, loosen the nut on the left-hand side of the eccentric bolt and carefully remove the nut, eccentric bolt and eccentric washer from the frame. The frame will drop slightly when you do this – be careful not to trap your fingers. Keep the nut, eccentric bolt and eccentric washer in a safe place."
Now, if this fills you with dread and you've broken into a cold sweat, then this may not be the bike for you. If you're thinking "Aha – that's clever – they must be using an eccentric bolt to tighten the belt drive - can't wait to fiddle with that" then you're going to sail through the adjustments! Most people will be somewhere in between and if you follow the instruction manual you'll be OK.
I'd recommend you do the work whilst your Sprog isn't around, as it does take quite some time and you don't want an inquisitive child desperate to ride the bike getting in the way. At some points having two pairs of adult hands is useful, as is having extra eyes to read the instructions whilst you do them.
Black Mountain supply all the tools for the job, which is essentially a couple of hex keys and a bike spanner. They were sufficient for the job in hand, although keen bike mechanics will probably want to use their own. However, throughout the instructions you are told to tighten bolts to various Nm torque, which needs a torque wrench. This is another reason why this bike is likely to appeal to those parents who are happy to tinker with bikes and have the appropriate tools. You can tighten by hand, but be careful not to over tighten (as you do need to loosen again to move into the next size mode) or not tighten enough (as the bolts could become too loose and fall out).
I'm not particularly practical and Chris loves building and restoring bikes, so he did the majority of the assembly, whilst I took photos, made notes and read the manual. The only time I needed to intervene was when Chris was convinced the instructions were wrong, so I just followed them and it worked fine!!
There is a very clear instruction video available on the Black Mountain website which shows step by step what to do, but we found the booklet sufficient for Chris's needs. I'd watched the video separately in advance, which really helped me understand what we were doing at each stage.
The most difficult part was refitting the bolts into the frame after swapping the seat tubes – a bit of wiggling the frame around was needed to make them fit.
It took us just over an hour to do the conversion, but we were taking notes and photographs along the way. At the end I had a sense of achievement having adapted the bike, and I can imagine if you were doing this for your own child, rather than a review, it would be even more so.
As it does take quite a long time to make this adjustment, it is one aspect of the Pinto and Skøg that is a little bit restrictive. If you have a balance bike and buy a separate pedal bike, your child can have a play around with the pedal bike, get familiar with it, but continue to whizz around on their balance bike. If they decide pedalling is not for them you can put the pedal bike away for a while until they are ready. With the Pinto and Skøg you're faced with having to reverse the process to revert it back to balance bike mode. Too be honest, it only took about 10 minutes to reserve the process, but you probably won't want to be doing this too often!
The Pinto and the Skøg don't have a traditional bike chain – instead they use a polymer belt. Whilst a belt drive is fairly unusual, some motorcycle manufacturers have used them for years and the technology is proven on kids bikes with Early Rider bikes being keen advocates. A belt drive has the big advantage of being clean and low maintenance, so you don't need to worry about rusty chains or oily clothes – a quick wash every so often is all it needs. It's also light weight.
It's simple to install and you adjust the tension on the belt using the fascinatingly titled "eccentric screw", which I've learnt means that the axle of the screw is offset from the centre, so when you tighten it, it moves in an ellipse rather than a circle.
It's when your child starts to outgrow the first of the pedal bike modes that the Black Mountain bikes really come into their own, because you don't have to go out and buy a bigger bike. You just adjust the bike and, hey presto, they're on the next size up. If you've managed to do the conversion from balance bike to pedal bike mode, then the move to larger bike is much simpler and quicker, partly because you already know what you're doing.
Black Mountain have quite rightly given this the capitals and colon honour, calling it UP:SCALE. The frame extends in size by undoing the bolts and moving them into the spare holes in the frame. It does say in the instructions "Take Your Time" and trying to get both the bolts back in was definitely the most fiddly point of the assembly. A bit of jiggling the frame around is needed, as is patience in unscrewing the long bolt at the front which seems at first not to want to come out, but does eventually if you keep on turning your allen key and wind it out. We did notice a small amount of paint flaking off the frame around the various bolts, but this isn't visible once the bike is reassembled.
As well as growing the frame, you can also adjust the gearing to be more appropriate for a taller and stronger child. Again this is a nifty trick and aptly named IN:GEAR. It requires you to unscrew the 30 tooth gear sprocket to reveal a smaller 25 tooth one underneath.
In this mode your child should get many more months and even years out of the bike, without you having to invest in a new one.
Perhaps one of the most noticeable things about the Pinto and Skøg is that they look quite big for the size of the child they are aimed at. This is because the wheels are at least one size bigger than they'd normally start out on. With the Pinto, your 2.5 year old is starting out on 14" wheels, when most balance bikes have 12" wheels (and some 10" wheels).
It's worth pointing out that on their website Black Mountain list the bikes as being two sizes (so the Pinto is listed as being a 12"-14" bike). This DOES NOT mean you get two sets of wheels - it just refers to the fact that the bike is designed to replace these two sizes.
With the Skøg, the wheels are 16" (listed as being a 14"-16" bike), so your child is skipping the 14" wheel size.
Bigger wheels have many advantages, which is why lots of adults now ride 27.5" and 29" wheel mountain bikes, rather than the original 26" wheeled bikes. It's also why Islabikes have replaced their Beinn 26 Large with a 27.5" wheel version, and Scatto are making a 700c wheeled race bike for 6 year olds. Your child should be able to go faster and further with more stability on larger wheels, although we're going to be interested to see if there's any trade off in handling skills for younger riders trying to manoeuvre the larger wheels.
One thing to note is that the wheels on the Black Mountain bikes are not quick release, so you need to be carrying your hex key with you to get the wheel off if you have a puncture.
Whilst we're talking about the wheels it's worth noting that they seemed to run freely on their hubs (Black Mountain branded from Quando). The tyres are the standard Kenda Small Block 8's which you find on the majority of quality kids bikes. They're great for all sorts of surfaces, so your child will be fine on tarmac, grass and gravel.
We've taken some measurements ourselves, and they do tally with what's on the Black Mountain website, which is comforting.
Weight wise, when in pedal bike mode the bikes are very competitive with the other major players in the quality kids bike market. The balance bikes are slightly heavier than the very lightest balance bikes, as they come with brakes, growing frame mechanism and larger wheels, but they are still very lightweight.
It's worth commenting that sizing wise these bikes do come up on the slightly large side (unlike some kids bikes which woefully underestimate the height / age of children these days). The age guide is just that - a guide - so do make sure you measure your child carefully. There is a useful measuring tool on the Black Mountain website, which will help direct you to the correct sized bike for your child.
My first attempt at finding a reviewer for the larger Skøg failed, because our reviewer was far too small for the bike. She's 4 years and 4 months (the guidance says from 4 years 6 months) but was several cm off being able to get her feet on the ground with the saddle in the lowest position.
The minimum size for the Pinto means this isn't a balance bike for a very young child, or for a 2.5 year old with short legs.
We've shown the bikes to a few people, and their first reaction has always been that they look very different. As with many new ideas they do polarize option, with some adults loving them and others taking an instant dislike.
One thing I found when trying to carry the bikes to a suitable place to photograph them was that the frame shape makes it difficult to pick the bikes up by the top tube as there wasn't room for my hand. It was OK carrying them by the saddle, but the bikes lack a nice little handle you get on the back of some balance bike saddles.
This isn't too much of a problem if your child is going to be riding everywhere, but it might be worth getting some kind of balance bike strap to help carrying it if you've got weak fingers or end up having to carry long or steep distances when your Sprog decides that they've had enough.
There's plus's and minus's in terms of the maintenance of these bikes. The rubber belt drive means that you don't need to worry about lubing chains to avoid rust. However, this is partly offset by the need to keep an eye on the bolts in the growing frame, which you don't usually get on kids bikes. Every so often you just need to check these are still tightened properly. It's only a job of a few seconds but is important to do, along with the normal checks on brakes, tyre pressure etc. There's a handy check list in the manual to remind you which checks to do and at what frequency.
If you're paying £330 for a bike, you expect it to be well made, and we were impressed with the quality of the construction of these bikes. The two we were sent are demo bikes, so have had the frames adjusted between the different modes more times that you'd expect under normal usage. Apart from a tiny bit of flaked paint underneath the bolts (which doesn't show once the bolt is replaced), the only other sign of wear we could find was with the brake noodles. When taking the front wheel out of the Pinto, we noticed that the noodle had started to separate, thereby making it difficult for someone remove it from the noodle holder when trying to open up the brake calipers. Chris did a quick test to make sure it's not being caused by catching on the downtube, but this isn't the case, so we suspect this has been caused by the number of times the wheel has been removed and replaced during demonstrations.
Are the Black Mountain Pinto and Skøg worth the investment?
This is the million dollar question - or rather the £330 question, which is how much these bikes cost. Yes, it's quite an investment compared with other kids bikes up front, especially when being used as a balance bike. But when you start thinking about the longer term costs of having to buy various sized bikes it begins to look a lot more attractive. From an environmental viewpoint there's also big savings, as you're limiting the amount of raw materials used in production and reducing the waste caused when the bike comes to the end of its natural life.
It's worth thinking about sizing and what you'd be saving compared to buying individual bikes. With the Pinto, this has 14" wheels and is designed to replace a balance bike, plus a 12" and 14" wheel pedal bike.
In reality most people go from a balance bike to a 14" wheeler – the Pinto gives you the benefit of being able to fit pedals to a smaller bike so your child can start pedalling earlier. The combined cost of a Frog balance bike and 14" wheel bike is £375. With Islabikes it's £460.
The larger Skøg is replacing a 14" and 16" wheel bike – Frog's offerings come in at a combined total of £520 and Islabikes at £580. That's assuming your child doesn't use the balance bike mode. Obviously savings are greater if it means you don't have to buy a larger 14" wheel balance bike too.
However…… there is a BUT with this. If you have two children close enough in age to both want to be using the bike at the same time, you're going to struggle. You'll miss the benefits of being able to pass down the balance bike to the younger child, because the older one is still using it in pedal mode. You may find yourself having to buy a second bike anyway.
As the Pinto and Skøg are so new and will be getting used for longer timescales than a traditional kids bike, it is hard to know what's going to happen to resale values on the second hand market. However, one thing to note is that the 3 year warranty is "transferable" meaning that if you sell the bike on within the first 3 years (or buy one second hand) the warranty is valid for the new owner.
The longer term resale values will depend on how robust the bikes prove to be. Both Frog Bikes and Islabikes have excellent resale values, and come with a 5 year frame and forks warranty. These bikes have been around long enough to prove their durability and are now well known for generally lasting well beyond this. With Black Mountain the new UP:SCALE growing frame technology means there's an added variable to consider. However, I have been very impressed with the way the company are taking on feedback, so if you did encounter any problems I'd recommend making immediate contact with them so they can sort things out.
It's worth saying the frames look very robust and have been tested strenuously by adult riders, so they're obviously aiming to make a bike that lasts a long time, but time will ultimately be the judge of this.
Who would suit the Pinto and Skøg bikes?
If you are scared witless by even the most basic of bike maintenance then these bikes probably aren't for you, unless you're happy to pay your local bike shop to do the upgrades for you. Those with two or more children close in age also need to consider whether they'll need to double up on purchases, at which point these bikes stop being quite so cost effective.
At the current time you can only buy the Pinto and Skøg direct from Black Mountain. If you're passing their HQ in the Welsh Black Mountains you can arrange to call in for a test ride or to pick up your bike too.
Both the Pinto and Skøg cost £329.99 with a £10 standard UK delivery charge. Other charges apply for EU, World Wide, specified and next day delivery dates.
Disclosures: Cycle Sprog were loaned the Pinto and Skog by Black Mountain Bikes for the purpose of this review. We were not paid to write this review, and all opinions are our own. We do however belong to various affiliate schemes, which means that if you make a purchase after clicking on some of the links on this site we may get a commission payment. This doesn't affect what you pay, but does helps us to keep the website running, so we really appreciate you using our links. Thank you!
If you'd rather support us in another way, then you can always buy us a coffee to keep us going to our next article. Thanks!


Godfather of soul James Brown performs with Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Billy Vera, Joe Cocker and Robert Palmer in this live concert. Lively interviews with all the stars kick off the evening, and then it's time for the artists to hit the stage with classics such as "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag," "In the Midnight Hour," "I Feel Good" and "Out of Sight." All the guests join Brown for the rousing encore, "Living in America."


After graduating with a BA (Hons) in IT and Public Relations, David built his own IT consultancy, delivering custom software to both the public and private sectors.
With a passion for tech and the entrepreneurial startup scene, David launched Subscription Radar to provide news and resources on the rising trend of subscription boxes. Since joining the Jellyfish Connect team in 2017, David has brought both his technical experience and his subscription box knowledge and insights into the development of uOpen, Jellyfish Connect's existing new subscription box marketplace.
When away from the office, David enjoys the ongoing pursuit of work/life balance with fitness, family camping trips and the current life hacking craze, with meditation and ice plunge pools being the latest experiment.


For those upgrading from MLB 14 The Show to MLB 15 The Show on Sony's PlayStation Vita, I thought I would share a few of the gotchas I experienced so you can avoid them. First off, I had the digital version of MLB 14 The Show on my Vita on the largest memory card available. However, thanks mostly to the wonderful monthly PlayStation Plus freebies, space is still at an extreme premium. With that in mind, and the stated promise of MLB 15 The Show being able to continue an existing Franchise or Road to the Show experience from MLB 14 The Show, I decided to delete MLB 14 The Show before downloading MLB 15 The Show directly from the PlayStation Store. I felt safe in this maneuver because I used the Upload to Cloud feature in MLB 14 The Show, which allowed me to continue where I left off in the mode I play on a daily basis, Road to the Show, on either the PlayStation 4 (PS4) or Vita.
Unfortunately, MLB 15 The Show is looking for the local save file, not the cloud save file. Panicking for just a moment, I exhaled and quickly gathered my wits, deciding I had to re-download MLB 14 The Show (deleting some other games off the memory card first, of course, to make room). After the usual glacial download completed, I opened up the cloud save, then made sure I created a local save. I then opened up MLB 15 The Show, it saw my existing Road to the Show experience, and I was finally in business on the new version. I assume this same process needs to be followed on the PS4 side of the equation, but I have yet to upgrade that copy of the game. Frankly, I've played 98% of my games on the Vita for pure convenience. It's a better audio-visual experience on the PS4, of course, but the pick up and play nature of the handheld in deference to my busy adult life wins out.
As I discussed in an older blog post on the previous iteration of Armchair Arcade, I considered MLB 14 The Show one of the best action RPGs (role-playing games) of all time when playing its Road to the Show mode. Since that blog post, I've played countless more games, more seasons, and leveled up (a new character) to new heights, raising my already exceedingly high opinion of the game even further. Amazingly, the more I play, the more new stuff I uncover. It's really a stunning programming achievement with phenomenal depth.
Having only played MLB 15 The Show for a day, my initial impressions of the upgrade are mixed. I like the low cost of entry, just $20 (you can even buy a mostly empty box on Amazon, but it's still a digital only release, i.e., no physical media), and the background music seems far less oppressive. Having only the Vita version so far, I have mixed feelings on the rest of the audio-visual changes.
MLB 15 The Show for the PlayStation Vita is just a box with a digital download voucher in its retail release.
While blissfully the game seems to load things faster (keeping in mind the Vita version already loaded faster than the PS4 version), the menus seem a bit more garish and show info in a bit more consolidated of a manner, which sometimes means you get more info than before, but also means you often get less, which I really don't like. The old menu system and info displays I thought were quite effective and could have only used minor tweaks, not complete overhauls.
There's also extensive use of italics. While normally not an issue, it's not especially attractive on the small screen, and that, combined with other "bold" font choices, make things a bit hard to read and/or overly jagged at times.
I was also hoping that the Vita version would have the three man commentary from the PS4 version finally, but it's still mostly just the one guy calling the game with occasional interjection from the other guy. There's also a delay now when your batter steps up to the batter's box before the commentary starts. I'm an aggressive batter and find that I'm often swinging away just about when the commentary finally starts, creating a new tangent. In any case, it seems there are few, if any, real functional advantages over the previous version (e.g., no automatic, just manual, instant replays).
I also have mixed feelings on the updated graphics. In some places, like the occasional player animation, I notice some improvements in smoothness, but for the most part, from the overall look to the occasional stutter, it's either more or the same or even possibly a bit worse/something to get used to (e.g., camera movement is a bit different).
In any case, I suspect I'll still be playing the game on an almost daily basis, and may even break down and get the PS4 version for the best possible experience, however rarely I'll get to play it on there. I hope that over time I get used to the changes on the Vita version so it once again becomes second nature and a comfortable, familiar experience. We'll see.


Dear ES/PE community member, see below an abundant list of great academic opportunities: 25 calls for papers for conferences and workshops (some are fully or partially funded), 8 doctoral fellowships, 6 postdoctoral positions, 3 job openings, 3 summer schools (fully or partly funded), 3 awards, 2 research grants — in various areas of economic sociology, political economy, and related fields, with March 5 — 31 deadlines. Share this post with your colleagues and students. Good luck!
> Doctoral Fellowships at the Max Planck Sciences Po Center on Coping with Instability in Market Societies, Sciences Po (Paris, France). Research topics should be situated in economic sociology, political economy, or economic or political history. DL: March 15. Recommended.
> CfA: "Historical perspectives on neoliberalism: Political Economy and Social history since 1970" PhD seminar, Max Planck Sciences Po Center on Coping with Instability in Market Societies (Sciences Po, Paris), May 16-18, 2018. No participation fees; travel and accommodation costs will be covered. DL: March 15. Recommended.
> CfA: "Doing Research with Social Network Analysis: Tools, Theories and Applications" summer school for researchers and students, Thuke Centre for Business Network Analysis at the University of Greenwich (London, UK), 13-15 June, 2018. Fee includes breakfasts and lunches.


Built to support your mobile workforce at the warehouse or in the field, the CipherLab CP45 series mobile computers deliver an optimal combination of anywhere mobility and real-time data communication into a rugged PDA form factor. Handy yet feature-packed, the CP45 series accelerates productivity and boosts efficiency wherever you need it.
Laser, Win Mobile 65, WIFI, Bluetooth, 28 Numeric Key, BLACK, Includes 2 Batteries, Charging Cradle, Stylus, Communication Cable, 1 Year Warranty. Interface Cables And Charging Cradle Sold Separately.


text:
Five injured in bomb explosion in Kailali
Kailali–Five people were injured in the explosion of an improvised explosive device in a local hotel at Chatakpur of Dhangadhi Sub Metropolitan City in Kailali district on Thursday evening, said the police.
The IED was detonated by a person who was seeping tea at that hotel (Nilam Hotel) at that time according to the police preliminary investigation, said Dakshya Kumar Basnet, spokesperson for the district police office, Kailali, adding that the IED might have been packed in a lunchbox.
The explosion took place at around 6:45 pm. The injured identified as Keshab Raj Pandey, the hotel owner, Ram Singh of Bajhang district, Laxman Serela, Mobin Khan and Jitendra Yadav were rushed to Metro Hospital, and out of them, Pandey and Ram Singh are reported to be in serious condition, said Basnet.
A Chinese pistol was also recovered from the incident site, and further investigations were on, said Superintendent of Police Ramesh Thapa.
ODF not a successful intervention in Jhapa

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


What does spiritual development or mediumship devolopment mean to you? How will it enrich your soul and your life? When you start developing mediumship in all its forms of messages from our loved ones, healing and inspired speaking, then you will start to feel a change inside you. The way you look at life and all its challenges will change. You will find the inner light in your soul, and you will find the nearness of your guides and loves ones.


text:
 The View from Hell: The Empirical Nature of "Meaning"
 archived 21 Aug 2014 17:12:24 UTC
{{cite web | title = The View from Hell: The Empirical Nature of "Meaning" | url = http://theviewfromhell.blogspot.de/2011/03/empirical-nature-of-meaning.html | date = 2014-08-21 | archiveurl = http://archive.today/TxLXc | archivedate = 2014-08-21 }}
A body of research suggests that the subjective experience of "meaning" is a response to one's becoming aware of negative wellbeing.
Put another way, the phenomenon of meaning is reducible to a psychological response to suffering - suffering that cannot, for some reason, be remedied in the outside, extrapsychological world.
Studies have reported for years that parents report less happiness than those without children. However, some studies have shown an allegedly counterbalancing feature: parents report that their lives are more "meaningful" than do non-parents. So parents trade off happiness for meaning; seems rational.
That's not the whole picture, though. An ultra-recent study finds that meaningfulness is a function not just of parenthood, but of how much parenthood sucks. "Parents who had the high costs of children in mind were much more likely to say that they enjoyed spending time with their children, and they also anticipated spending more leisure time with their kids," say the study authors. While children used to have economic value - used to be a "good deal," we might say - parents had no need of a subjective sense of the meaningfulness of parenting. "As the value of children has diminished, and the costs have escalated, the belief that parenthood is emotionally rewarding has gained currency. In that sense, the myth of parental joy is a modern psychological phenomenon," say the study authors.
This same phenomenon is at work regarding hazing and group membership. The more suffering one endures in becoming part of a group, the more one subjectively values the group - whether it's an American street gang or a Japanese university. Suffering is a quantifiable predictor of the subjective experience of meaning.
Similarly, having a crappy life (low SES) is a good predictor of religiosity. Religion is a technology that allows suffering people in a very shitty, unfair situation to continue living and producing children - in the interest of nature, but against their own interests.
The Book of Job is an example of this technology. It demonstrates a way to respond to the uncompensated sufferings of life: love God (the system) even more. Find "meaning." Even the author of Job is disingenuous, though; he posits a little reward at the end for the ever-loyal, meaning-finding Job. As Ted Chiang shows in his story "Hell is the Absence of God" (and says explicitly in his story notes),
It seems to me that the Book of Job lacks the courage of its convictions: If the author were really committed to the idea tha virtue isn't always rewarded, shouldn't the book have ended with Job still bereft of everything?
The Book of Job is not logical or consistent; instead, it demonstrates a fitness-promoting response to unrecompensable suffering, and on another level, promises that this response will be ultimately rewarded on a non-psychological level. Therefore, I think the Book of Job is evil on two levels: trying to get people to engage in an irrational psychological response to allow them to ignore unfairness, and at the same time promising them that this defense mechanism will allow them to get compensated in the manner they really care about at a later time. It's like the con artist who preys on victims of his previous cons, promising to get their money back.
My predictions from this meaning-as-quantifiable-response-to-suffering theory:
Women who experience horrific body changes from pregnancy will report finding more meaning in childrearing than those whose bodies are less affected.
Women whose husbands leave them shortly after the birth of a baby will report more finding more meaning in childrearing than matched controls whose husbands do not leave them.
This need not be limited to personal suffering of the parents. Parents whose children suffer major birth defects or illness will report more meaning in childrearing and the child's life than matched controls of healthy children.
A sudden drop in SES will be a good predictor of the adoption of evangelical Christianity.
Labels: antinatalism, children, meaning, rationality, suffering
Riley March 5, 2011 at 10:17 PM
People also tend to perceive difficulty in decision making as a sign of importance.
http://marketing.wharton.upenn.edu/documents/research/Decision_Quicksand.pdf
Chuck G. March 6, 2011 at 6:42 AM
Regarding the book of Job: I've been in three separate classes now wherein the professor or TA mentioned that there was once an alternate version of Job floating around in which the eponymous main character gets nothing at the end save for being left alone with his festering boils and ruined estate. God doesn't even give him a pat on the back for trying to figure things out - he just leaves. Of course, that kind of honesty doesn't sell, so the *real* book of Job didn't make it into the final cut.
It's too bad that this alternate version of Job, the one that didn't make it into the Tanakh, is probably the only honest take on monotheism that there ever was. If anyone dives deeply enough down the spiritual rabbit hole, the only thing they get in the end is crushing surrender, the absolute and final end of all hope, period. Disillusionment is the only gift one should ever expect from God. Thus I think it's interesting that, at the end of the alternate version, Job still retains his faith. Why, aside from the faith of the author sneaking in, should he still believe in God?
Absent a translated reading copy of the text, I can only speculate as to what exactly Job's retention of faith in the alternate version looks like - it seems wholly implausible that it would be the kind of faith one sees being sold like a drug at the tax-exempt megachurches that hawk drive-thru salvation. I imagine Job would feel something like the Zen master who finally woke up one day and burned all his scriptures and cursed the day he heard the Buddha's name, after wasting decades trying to square the spiritual circle. Your enlightenment may come, that is for sure, but it won't be the cheap dopamine perma-fix you thought it would be. Happiness is a high, but Truth is Truth. And the handmaidens of Truth are disenchantment, disillusionment, and death-awareness.
I say that for the truly faithful, God must be seen as nothing other than a yawning void in place of an answer, an untouchable mystery which for no reason at all churns out gasping life, then drowns it in final eternity. This is not the God that anyone would ever go looking for, but the ones who look, who *actually* look instead of just trying to trap their cognitive dissonance in yet another layer of spiritual nonsense, will find this one. Only seek this God if, like Job, you have absolutely no other choice - if you're not ready to throw your entire terror management apparatus out the window, with all the suffering and despair that entails, you're better off at the megachurch.
Modern Man March 6, 2011 at 12:33 PM
Peter Zapffe wrote a wonderful essay about the Book of Job, which you can find translated into English here:
http://sirocco.blogsome.com/2006/03/20/an-accusation-of-timeless-dimensions/
I've never read the Book of Job, myself, so I don't know if Zapffe's version holds up to scrutiny, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
-MM
CM March 6, 2011 at 7:47 PM
I think what you are talking about has to do with justification of effort. In fact, that's exactly what's happening with the parents from the study and members of groups where hazing is practiced.
imaginarynums March 6, 2011 at 7:51 PM
Modern Man: You should read it!
If you can't be bothered with boring plain text, this is a good place to brush up on bible knowledge.
And this is particularly relevant.
Chip March 6, 2011 at 9:30 PM
Not that it's relevant, but I think the King James translation of The Book of Job is possibly the greatest piece of literature in the English language. The existence of an apocryphal version seems plausible, but even if no such text existed, it would be tempting to speculate. The "happy" ending feels false, and in a curious way -- like the epilogue in the film Taxi Driver, or for that matter, Observe and Report.
metamorphhh March 7, 2011 at 10:46 AM
It's also interesting that many scholars consider Job to be the oldest book of the bible. Satan seems to be God's official prosecutor and right-hand man. The happy ending does seem tacked on, even more so when considered in the philosophical context of Ecclesiastes, whose message boils down to 'life sucks, then you die, so you probably ought to go ahead and worship God...just in case'.
Antony May 18, 2013 at 5:22 PM
Daniel Gilbert's book Stumbling on Happiness explores some of the same topics. One interesting concept in the book is the intensity trigger. Quoting the author, "Failed marriages and lost jobs are the kinds of large-scale assaults on our happiness that trigger our psychological defenses, but these defenses are not triggered by broken pencils, stubbed toes, or slow elevators. […] The paradoxical consequence of this fact is that it is sometimes more difficult to achieve a positive view of a bad experience than of a very bad experience." The example used to support this is the experiment in which two groups of students were initiated into a club with electric shocks of different intensity. The group that experienced greater pain, reported liking the club better.
A related concept is the inescapability trigger, which posits that we are more likely to develop positive images of situations, things, and experiences that we cannot escape. "Inescapable, inevitable, and irrevocable circumstances trigger the psychological immune system, but as with the intensity of suffering, people do not always recognize that this will happen." To prove the point, the author cites an experiment in which photography students were offered the option to choose one photo that they keep at the end of the course. But one group was told their choice was irrevocable while the other was given several days during which they could change their minds. The students who were stuck with their choice reported higher satisfaction with their choice. Yet, most people fail to predict this outcome because they value freedom of choice over commitment.


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Home » Black Fire Innovation debuts at UNLV Tech Park
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Black Fire Innovation debuts at UNLV Tech Park
The Black Fire Innovation facility has the ability to research and innovate e-sports concepts.
KEYWORDS Casino Industry News / Casino Software / casino technology / gaming solutions / Las Vegas gaming & casinos
Research and innovation in Southern Nevada took a major step forward last month with the opening of the first building at the UNLV Harry Reid Research & Technology Park in Las Vegas.
Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak, former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and a host of federal, state, and local officials joined leadership from Gardner Company, UNLV, and Caesars Entertainment to formally mark the completion of a building that will serve as a catalyst to unite business, stimulate research, and advance economic development efforts in Southern Nevada, according to press materials.
"The economic and academic benefits of the research park are strong," said Governor Sisolak. "Black Fire Innovation will create opportunities for collaboration between industry and academia that simply aren't possible on many college campuses today."
The four-story, 111,000-square-foot innovation building is the first project completed by Gardner Company as part of a master-planned development envisioned by UNLV, the UNLV Research Foundation, and Gardner for the tech park.
"Gardner Company is immensely proud to commemorate the completion of Building One in the UNLV Tech Park," said Dan Stewart, partner and vice president of development at Gardner Company. "A campus of this magnitude will foster collaboration and innovation across businesses, UNLV students, innovators and entrepreneurs and will greatly help shape the research and innovation landscape here in Las Vegas and beyond."
The centerpiece of the debut building is Black Fire Innovation, which brings UNLV and Caesars Entertainment together in one space to advance current trends in hospitality and gaming technology. Black Fire is a technology hub where new gaming and hospitality concepts will be created and tested in a 43,000-square-foot innovation space that includes elements of mock hotel rooms, a casino floor and sportsbook, an e-sports studio, and virtual reality facilities.
"Black Fire Innovation, and the research park more broadly, exemplify the positive impact that can occur when the university and business community come together with a common goal," said Zachary Miles, UNLV associate vice president for economic development and executive director of the UNLV Research Foundation.
Through partnerships like Black Fire Innovation, the tech park serves as a proving ground for new ideas that will expand Southern Nevada's leadership role in hospitality and gaming. It's also attracting the world's leading technology companies, who want to have a presence in the region and partner with industry leaders from Caesars Entertainment and UNLV.
"Collaborating in partnership with UNLV, one of the nation's top gaming research institutions, is the perfect recipe for success," said Caesars Entertainment CEO Tony Rodio. "Black Fire Innovation is unprecedented, bringing together top researchers and industry experts in a unique and dynamic environment that enables emerging student talent, technology partners and the community to work together."
Black Fire Innovation sponsors include: Nutanix, LG, Aruba/ HPE, Interblock, Panasonic, Peerless-AV, Respawn, Allied Communications, Intel, Palo Alto Networks, Toto, Zoom, Breadwear, Losant, Minervaworks, and DreamlandXR.
Black Fire Innovation technology hub -- UNLV and CAESARS ENTERTAINMENT
The Innovation Group teams up with Innovation Analytics at NIGA
Student and startup finalist pitch business moguls at G2E Innovation Incubator
Joseph Bernardi named poker manager at Black Oak Casino Resort


When I sit down for a game of Magic, I usually already know whether I'm about to win or to lose. This is not because I'm an incredibly good or bad player (I am, in fact, incredibly average)1. It's because of the metagame.
With an estimated player base of 20 million, Magic: The Gathering is the most popular trading card game in the world. Playing Magic requires careful evaluation and good strategy. If you don't know anything about Magic, but want to inject a little knowledge from left field into your business strategy, "Business Magic" is for you.
Knowing what to expect is a very useful skill. It helps to temper your expectations and prepare yourself for when you're about to win big.
Magic is not a simple game by any means of the imagination. Most tournament formats are puzzles with thousands of moving pieces.
The number of cards that could be in play at any moment is staggering. But, as in most things, the number of things that actually do happen is very limited. There is a structure to them.
Broadly speaking, there are three archetypes: aggro, combo and control. For all its inherent chaos, Magic has always been very good about maintaining a Rock-Scissors-Paper approach to balance: Historically, combo beats aggro, aggro beats control and control beats combo.
Business Magic Lesson #8: It is almost impossible to position yourself in a way that always wins.
Trying to understand complex decision-making through Rock-Paper-Scissors is not applied apophenia. Instead, it is indicative of games reflecting key truths about human interaction. In this case, that every decision has an advantage and a disadvantage. Of course, in Rock-Paper-Scissors, the pros and cons of every decision are perfectly weighted in order to create a sense of balance.
Real life has no such luxury, and neither does Magic.
Force of Will. Illustration: Terese Nielsen.
Force of Will is a card that exemplifies the relation between the archetypes. It is most commonly used as a tool for control to stop combo. Countering a spell, meaning nullifying it in its entirety, at the steep cost of one life and an additional card, is never a pleasant measure to take. But for control decks, it's often a necessary early stopgap measure to ensure you get to the late game, where you can exercise a more systematic control. Aggro decks, meanwhile, rightly balk at including a card that demands a lot and, by definition, does nothing productive.
This Rock-Paper-Scissors configuration is called the metagame, and it is in a constant state of flux. Some times might favor aggressive strategies, others might provide the right tool to establish a crushingly dominant control archetype. Hybrid strategies might pop up, depending on the diversity of the metagame. After all, hardly any business strategy will ever be equivalent to "all Rock, all the time".
The more complicated the environment gets, the more important it becomes to correctly assess where you stand in the metagame. Which challenges can you handily beat? What challenge can upend your entire situation? Assessing your position within this set of interactions can help you shift into a position that is better overall.
Some players are almost pathologically incapable of playing aggressively (I'm probably one of them), gravitating more towards control roles. Others might feel more at home playing combo. Forcing these players into roles they aren't comfortable in will not always lead to better results, although they might be better positioned on paper.
In practice, your current position in the metagame probably represents your assessment of your core strengths. In this case, shifting it by too much might actually worsen your results. Instead, you should try championing change which positions you better without uprooting everything you've already accomplished.
Let's say you're playing a Combo deck. The current metagame falls along the following dataset – a lot of Rock/Combo, a little less Paper/Control and almost no Scissors/Paper. For the sake of clarity, let's also assume all draws are re-rolled.
In this case, your current strategy, Combo, is an unmitigated disaster, offering you a 20% chance of winning against the field. The clear best strategy would be Control at 83%. It also represents a very radical shift which you might find impossible to implement. Adopting a hybrid strategy, however – half Combo, half Control – would already give you above-average odds at 56%.
Find out where you stand. Focus on your strengths and gradually shift towards a position that is favorable in the metagame.
Whenever I can take the time, you can find me at Magic: the Gathering tournaments all over Europe. "Business Magic" is a four-part series. Find all installments in our archive.
1 My latest notable tournament results, a 52nd place out of 216 players in Prague and a 58th place out of 82 players in Flensburg, back me up on my mediocrity.
2 Of course, Rock-Paper-Scissors has very narrow limits of usefulness as an economic model. In addition to the competency problem outlined above, there is also the fact that it there exists a stable solution – complete randomization – which, independent of opponent input, always provides a 50% chance of winning.
"Closure #3: Stuff Matters" is out now!
It's just a fancy explanation of rock paper scissors. What's the point?
If youre so good, how come youve never won anything?


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← Rosie's #Bookreview Team #RBRT The Old Man At The End Of The World by @AKSilversmith #Apocalypse
Rosie's #Bookreview Team #RBRT The Bridge Of The Golden Wood by @KarlBeckstrand Kids #BusinessBook →
Rosie's #Bookreview Team #RBRT The Silent Kookaburra by @LizaPerrat #Thriller #TuesdayBookBlog
Posted on April 25, 2017 by Rosie Amber
Today's team review is from E. L. Lindley, she blogs at http://lindleyreviews.blogspot.co.uk/
E.L. has been reading The Silent Kookaburra by Liza Perrat
The Silent Kookaburra by Liza Perrat is a hauntingly poignant story, set in small town Australia primarily in 1973 and told through the voice of eleven year old Tanya Randall. Perrat does not shy away from dark subject matter such as paedophilia, mental illness and bereavement but she offsets the horror with her lyrical, almost poetic writing.
From the opening page, Perrat evokes in her reader an uneasy ominous tension as the middle-aged Tanya is going through her grandmother's things and finds a newspaper clipping from January 26th 1973. As Tanya's memories are invoked, we are left in no doubt that this date was catastrophic for the family and this foreshadowing hangs over the rest of the novel.
One of the most effective aspects of the novel is the way that eleven year old Tanya relates her childhood through her own innocent eyes whilst the reader has a more knowing perspective. Consequently the story takes on an added dimension as the reader has more idea of what is actually happening than the young narrator. We read with a sense of dread, knowing what is about to unfold as she is unable to process what she is telling us.
This sense of tension is increased as Perrat sets events to a backdrop of unbearable heat which heightens the emotions of the characters adding to the reader's sense of foreboding. There are also constant references to Australia's history and the idea that everything is built on the blood of convicts which leaves it tainted. Tanya and her parents and grandmother live in Gumtree Cottage which Nanna Purvis believes is cursed as a result of being built by convicts, "built on blood money". It's also significant that January 26th which becomes so fateful for the family is Australia Day which marks the anniversary of convict ships arriving in Sydney.
The power of this novel comes from Perrat's skill at characterisation. Tanya is heartbreakingly real – a vulnerable, lonely girl, bullied and called "Ten-ton Tanya" by the other kids. She's caught in the vicious cycle of comfort eating and then hating herself for being overweight. As the reader helplessly watches Tanya teetering on the brink of disaster it's almost too much to bear.
The fact that the novel is set in 1973 highlights the way the world has changed and, despite the dark undertones, anyone who survived the 70s will find much humour in the realistic depiction. For example the casual use of Valium which is handed around like Smarties and the nips of Sherry given to children for medicinal purposes. Not to mention a diet which basically consists of biscuits and sugar.
A product of her time is Nanna Purvis, a hilariously irreverent character. Her malapropisms such as calling her varicose veins "very cows veins" and the no-nonsense often course way she views the world made me laugh uncontrollably. My favourite line is when she dismisses Tanya's nemesis and chief bully Stacy Mornon with, "Wasn't her head too big for her mother's fanny?" Typical of her time, Nanna Purvis is racist, casually referring to an Italian family as "dirty eyeties," this reflects the tensions that were rife as Australia became more multi-cultural.
Perrat uses her novel to tackle some very serious issues, most notably paedophilia. I found it particularly affecting how she uses Tanya's perspective to emphasise the complexities of grooming. Tanya is singled out because she is vulnerable and the paedophile exploits her vulnerabilities to manipulate her whilst successfully inserting himself into her family. I think Perrat does a great job of portraying the pervasive nature of child abuse and the reasons why it so often goes unreported.
The novel also explores mental illness in the shape of Tanya's mother, Eleanor. At a time when very little was understood about mental health and treatment was limited, Eleanor's manic depression is worsened by grief and Perrat describes her descent into madness in a vivid and believable way. We also see how mental illness effects the whole family as Tanya's entire childhood is defined by her mother's black moods which hang over the house making her feel like "The Invisible Girl."
Tanya's childhood is a real childhood rather than the imagined, idealised ones that are often depicted in fiction. Children are brutally cruel and the bullying and name calling is relentless. Tanya has no control over her life whatsoever and is at the mercy of her parents' actions and behaviour. Her only friend is Angela Moretti who is also ostracised because she is Italian.
The novel ends as it began with the middle-aged Tanya bringing the reader up to date with her life. The ending for me was a complete sucker punch as Perrat lulled me into believing that she had opted for the fairytale finale only to deliver a final blow that left me reeling.
The Silent Kookaburra is a novel that I can't recommend highly enough. It's an intelligent portrayal of real life with all its flaws that will leave you thinking long after you've finished reading it.
All eleven-year-old Tanya Randall wants is a happy family. But Mum does nothing besides housework, Dad's always down the pub and Nanna Purvis moans at everyone except her dog. Then Shelley arrives –– the miracle baby who fuses the Randall family in love for their little gumnut blossom.
Tanya's life gets even better when she meets an uncle she didn't know she had. He tells her she's beautiful and could be a model. Her family refuses to talk about him. But that's okay, it's their little secret.
Then one blistering summer day tragedy strikes, and the surrounding mystery and suspicion tear apart this fragile family web.
Embracing the social changes of 1970s Australia, against a backdrop of native fauna and flora, The Silent Kookaburra is a haunting exploration of the blessings, curses and tyranny of memory.
Unsettling psychological suspense blending the intensity of Wally Lamb with the atmosphere of Peter James, this story will get under your skin.
Liza grew up in Wollongong, Australia, where she worked as a general nurse and midwife for fifteen years.
When she met her French husband on a Bangkok bus, she moved to France, where she has been living with her husband and three children for twenty years. She works part-time as a French-English medical translator, and as a novelist.
Several of her short stories have won awards, notably the Writers Bureau annual competition of 2004 and her stories have been published widely in anthologies and small press magazines. Her articles on French culture and tradition have been published in international magazines such as France Magazine and France Today.
Spirit of Lost Angels is the first in the historical "The Bone Angel" series set against a backdrop of rural France during the French Revolution. The second in the series, Wolfsangel, set during the WWII German Occupation of France, was published in October, 2013. The third in the series, Blood Rose Angel, set during the 14th century Black Plague years was published in November, 2015.
The Silent Kookaburra, a dark psychological suspense novel set in 1970s Australia, was published in November, 2016.
Friends, Family and Other Strangers From Downunder is a collection of 14 humorous, horrific and entertaining short stories set in Australia, for readers everywhere.
Liza is a co-founder and member of Triskele Books, an independent writers' collective with a commitment to quality and a strong sense of place, and also reviews books for Bookmuse.
Goodreads | AmazonUK | AmazonUS | Twitter
Posted in Book reviews, books, Rosie's Book Review Team	| Tagged Australian Fiction, Australian history, Australian Thriller, books about abuse, bullying children, Dark Family Drama set in 1970s Australia, Dark psychological suspense, E.L. Lindley, If you enjoyed The Dry by Jane Harper try The Silent Kookaburra by Liza Perrat, Liza Perrat, mental abuse, Novel set in 1973, Physical abuse, social changes in Australia, The Silent Kookaburra, The Silent Kookaburra by Liza Perrat, Wollongong
14 thoughts on "Rosie's #Bookreview Team #RBRT The Silent Kookaburra by @LizaPerrat #Thriller #TuesdayBookBlog"
shelleywilson72
Brilliant review 🙂
Thanks Shelley, it's such a good book it made it easy for me 😀
Yes, this is a brilliant review, but am I brave enough to read it? I have a feeling it will leave more than a few scars if you do step between the pages…
I'm reading another book by Liza Perrat now – Blood Rose Angel, 14th C history. Yep, she can write great histfic, too!!!
I am brave enough, so I will be checking out this author…
I can't wait to read your review of the new one, T 😀
Strangely Jen although there's lots of dark subject matter covered, the book is also funny and uplifting – I can't recommend it enough and I know all of Rosie's other reviewers who have read it loved it as well 😀
A great review and a fabulous book. Thanks, E.L. and Terry, I'm looking forward to your review. A great writer.
Thanks Olga, I know you loved this book as well and like you I can't wait to read Terry's review of Liza's new one 😀
I can't wait to read this book. Thanks for the great review!
You'll love it, PJ 😀
👍🙏
This is the second great review of this book I've read, so I guess it's time to add it to my TBR!
You'll love it, Noelle. I think a few of us in Rosie's team have reviewed it and we all loved it 😀


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Now displaying: August, 2020
Episode 194: Navigating a Global Pandemic in the Group Travel Industry, with Kate Scopetti 0
Kate Scopetti is living a full life revolving around a passion for travel, plus an exceptional ability to develop super creative and truly unique experiences, naturally led to the creation of the categorically successful Mid Atlantic Receptive Services, (MARS) and its subsidiaries: Go Performing, Go Student Tours, Go Sports Tours, and SoccerTours.net.
Destination on the Left is joined by Kate Scopetti, President and owner of MARS & Companies (Mid-Atlantic Receptive Services). On our podcast, Kate joins us to talk about the group travel industry, the work her organization is doing to prepare for recovery, and why collaborations are more important than ever. She explains her philosophy of "opening our minds to where the opportunities lie," and talks about how that philosophy is applied in her own businesses.
Kate's background and her journey into the travel and tourism industry
The evolution of MARS & Companies since its inception
What MARS & Companies is doing to prepare for recovery after the pandemic
How MARS & Companies transformed into a true wholesaler
How Kate has used creativity to help MARS stand out from the crowd
The different strains of collaboration in the group travel industry
Why collaboration is more important than ever in the group travel industry
Kate's philosophy of "opening our minds to where the opportunities lie," and how that philosophy is applied in her own businesses
How the group travel industry has been affected by the global pandemic
MARS & Companies
Kate Scopetti is the President and owner of MARS & Companies (Mid Atlantic Receptive Services). With a full life revolving around a passion for travel, Kate has developed an exceptional ability to craft extremely creative and truly unique experiences that led to the formation of MARS and its subsidiaries. On our podcast, Kate joins us to talk about the group travel industry, the work her organization is doing to prepare for recovery, and why collaborations are more important than ever. She explains her philosophy of "opening our minds to where the opportunities lie," and talks about how that philosophy is applied in her own businesses.
Transforming into a True Wholesaler
MARS & Companies initially started as a receptive company in the Mid Atlantic Region. They developed a substantial following in the DC area as the go-to experts for tour operators and other agents in the area. They worked collaboratively with this regional network of tourism professionals to connect different types of clients with different types of products throughout the year. And from there, they transformed into a true wholesaler. MARS & Companies now offer products around the world, and they still have a significant amount of clients that were with them from the beginning.
Creativity in the Group Travel industry
Collaboration has enabled Kate to build a powerful foundation and client base, but the use of creativity really helped MARS & Companies stand out from the pack. Kate and her team use creativity to build unique, custom strategies for their clients based on the specific needs and goals of each one. As a wholesaler, they can help their clients grow by expanding their product offerings without adding a significant amount of labor. Using creativity during these difficult times is only going to yield new solutions that will become part of your product line when things pick up again. As we make our way out of this pandemic, that is important to remember.
Website: www.takeafuntrip.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-scopetti-5126b516/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/mid-atlantic-receptive-services/about/
https://www.facebook.com/MidAtlanticReceptiveServices
https://www.facebook.com/GoPerforming
https://www.facebook.com/GoStudentTours
https://www.facebook.com/SoccerTours.net
Twitter: @takeafuntrip
Episode 193: Content Strategy at Starved Rock Lodge, with Kathy Casstevens 0
Kathy Casstevens is the Marketing Director at Starved Rock Lodge. She is also a photographer, tourism professional, and lover of nature. Kathy launched GnatTravel a year ago to promote travel in a different way. She is also the chair of the LaSalle County Tourism coalition.
Destination on the Left is joined by Kathy Casstevens, the Marketing Director at Starved Rock Lodge. During our conversation, Kathy shares her journey into destination marketing and talks about how she has used creativity and collaboration to market Starved Rock Lodge on a shoestring budget. She provides a bunch of tips and insider hacks for marketing that will drive results at any destination, and she walks us through the content strategy that helped bring over two million visitors through Starved Rock last year.
Kathy's journey into destination marketing with Starved Rock Lodge
How Kathy has used creativity and collaboration to highlight Starved Rock's unique features and make it stand out from the crowd
How Kathy leverages digital photography to drive visitor traffic at Starved Rock
Different platforms Kathy is using to share Starved Rock's massive digital photo library
Systems and processes Kathy has in place to manage her content strategy
How Kathy has been communicating with the press during lockdown
Different collaborations that have helped Starved Rock Lodge grow its visitor base
Starved Rock Lodge
Kathy Casstevens is the Marketing Director at Starved Rock Lodge in Utica, IL. She joins Destination on the left to share her journey into destination marketing and talk about how she has used creativity and collaboration to market Starved Rock Lodge on a shoestring budget. During our conversation, Kathy provides a bunch of tips and insider hacks for marketing that will drive results at any destination. She walks us through the content strategy that helped bring over two million visitors through Starved Rock last year, and she discusses some of the exciting projects on the horizon that aim to generate even more traffic next year.
What Makes You Unique?
Starved Rock Lodge is nestled in the heart of Starved Rock State Park in North-Central Illinois. It is such a unique place because it completely disrupts the rolling meadows and cornfields with 18 glacier-cut canyons, seasonal waterfalls, and unbelievable views. The actual lodge sits atop an 80 ft bluff overlooking Starved Rock on the Illinois River. And as you can imagine, there is a lot of material to work with in designing a marketing campaign that sets Starved Rock apart from the pack. Last year, they had over two million visitors come through their destination, and as travel and tourism start to pick back up, they plan to do more. Photography is one of the primary tools Kathy will use to accomplish that goal.
Build Your Content Library
When Kathy started working at Starved Rock Lodge, they literally had ONE digital photo. Now, they have a digital library of hundreds of thousands. With such an unusual landscape in an unsuspecting geographic area, being able to show prospective travelers what makes it unique is vital to their marketing efforts. Over the years, Kathy has expanded the range of platforms Starved Rock uses to promote it's massive digital photo library, and she is able to reach a significantly greater audience through apps like tik tok, Instagram, and a handful of others. Staying organized is a challenge in and of itself, but if you can build a massive content library of your own, there is so much you can do with it at any given time.
Website: https://www.starvedrocklodge.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathy-casstevens-4789497/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/starved-rock-lodge-and-conference-center/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/starvedrocklodge
@StarvedRockLdge
@kcstarvedrock
Episode 192: Supporting the Tourism Industry from Lockdown to Reopening, with Rachel Laber Pulvino 0
Rachel Laber Pulvino is a Rochester native who has the privilege of promoting her hometown on a daily basis as the Director of Public Relations and Communications for Visit Rochester. In this role, Rachel is regularly reaching out to regional, national, and international media to share Rochester's story, and help media and visitors alike discover the activities and attractions that make Rochester an ideal destination. Raised in Rochester, Rachel attended SUNY Geneseo, where she earned a B.A. in Communication and continued on to the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University for graduate school, where she earned an M.S. in Public Relations. Rachel is an active member of the Public Relations Society of America, Rochester Chapter, currently serving on the board, while also volunteering on the programming and PRism award committees. Rachel also volunteers her time for the SUNY Geneseo Alumni Association Board of Directors as well as Big Brothers Big Sisters Greater Rochester. Rachel is a proud resident of the City of Rochester where she resides with her husband, Rich Pulvino. When she's not playing tour guide to visiting travel writers on the weekend, you can find Rachel visiting wineries in the Finger Lakes, at arts and cultural performance, or at Wegmans.
Destination on the Left is joined by Rachel Laber, the Director of Market Communications and Public Relations for Visit Rochester. She joins Destination on the Left again to talk about what the Visit Rochester team is doing to support their tourism industry partners through the pandemic. Rachel originally appeared on Episode #57, where we talked about driving tourism in Rochester, NY through creativity and collaboration. She is here to expand on that and talk about the different programs and response measures her team has taken over the past four months.
How Visit Rochester pivoted to help the community respond to the pandemic
The development of Visit Rochester's digital content strategy for the local market
The ROC acronym and how Visit Rochester has used it to navigate the pandemic
How Visit Rochester began to create new programs after learning that the pandemic was going to be a long-fought battle
What Visit Rochester did to help local businesses in the community thrive during the reopening phase
How the ROC Ready Promise is providing a sense of safety to visitors in the reopening phase
The creation and execution of Visit Rochester's Rediscover Rochester campaign
A Lifeline for the Community
Rachel Laber is the Director of Market Communications and Public Relations for Visit Rochester. She joins Destination on the Left again to talk about what the Visit Rochester team is doing to support their tourism industry partners through the pandemic. Rachel originally appeared on Episode #57, where we talked about driving tourism in Rochester, NY through creativity and collaboration. She is here to expand on that and talk about the different programs and response measures her team has taken over the past four months. From the initial lockdown to the reopening phase, Visit Rochester has remained nimble throughout. This is a look into the challenges they faced during quarantine, and how they overcame them to continue supporting the industry.
Visit Rochester's Massive Pivot
When the stay-at-home order first went into effect back in March, Rachel and her team had to act swiftly. They began meeting and ideating daily to try and plan for what might be coming down the pipeline, and fight or flight took over. Instead of burying their heads in the sand, Rachel and her team approached the problem as realists, identifying what challenges were on the horizon, and what they could do to support their stakeholders at that moment. Visit Rochester pivoted right away, and within 24 hours, they shifted their efforts from marketing Rochester to outsiders to speaking directly to their local audience.
Visit Rochester dedicated itself to promoting local businesses. They helped organize and roll out virtual events that their attraction partners were putting together. And ultimately, they became a conduit of information. Rachel and her team were fiercely on top of all developments in government regulation and response, and they made sure their partners were informed so they could plan their next moves accordingly. It inspired a powerful digital content strategy that is still driving traffic for all of their partners today, and it took the organization's creative and collaborative function to an entirely new level.
Launch of Rediscover Rochester campaign: http://www.visitrochester.com/rochester-rising/
Website: http://www.visitrochester.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachellaber/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/visitrochester/
Facebook: Facebook.com/VisitRochester
@rachellaber
@VisitRochester
Episode 191: Building the Botanical Brand in Ottawa, IL, with Curt Bedei 0
Curt Bedei is the Executive Director for the Ottawa Visitors Center in Ottawa, Illinois. He was hired in 2011 as the Graphics Design Manager to handle the botanical brand management. Since then, Curt has worked his way up, earning a certificate in Not For Profit management. In 2015, he had the opportunity to take on his current role. Curt sits on many boards and committees related to tourism, such as the Heritage Corridor CVB, LaSalle County Tourism Coalition, the Looking For Lincoln/ Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area, and the Ottawa History and Scouting Heritage Museum. Curt has always lived in the Ottawa Area, and he loves history and traveling so this seemed like a natural fit.
Destination on the Left is joined by Curt Bedei, the Executive Director for the Ottawa Visitors Center in Ottawa, IL. On our podcast, Curt shares his journey into travel and tourism and talks about the creativity and collaborative efforts OVC has made to help their destination thrive. Learn about Ottawa's community-driven approach branding, and find out how they are responding to the difficult challenges brought forth by 2020.
Curt's journey into travel and tourism in Ottawa, IL
Curt's advice to anyone who is graduating or just getting into travel and tourism during these difficult times
How the OVC has been able to make Ottawa, IL stand out from the crowd
How Curt and his team have used creativity and collaboration to help tourism thrive in Ottawa
What Curt and his team did to develop the botanical brand for Ottawa, IL
How Curt and his team engaged the city and community in their rebranding process
How the OVC has responded to the new challenges posed by 2020
What Curt's team is doing to drive traffic to the outdoor attractions when a lot of other stuff is closed
New projects in the works at OVC for 2020 and 2021
Ottawa Visitors Center
Curt Bedei is the Executive Director for the Ottawa Visitors Center in Ottawa, Illinois. During his conversation with host Nicole Mahoney, Curt explains how Ottawa lives out its botanical brand. He talks about the discovery process for identifying what truly makes Ottawa stand out from the pack. And as a community, they have focused on developing an experience to live out the brand promise. Curt joins Destination on the Left to talk about how the Ottawa community has responded to the difficult challenges of 2020. He also dives into the regional collaboration that brought a national television program to their destination, which is still paying dividends today.
Stay the Path
Like many of the guests on Destination on the Left, Curt sort of stumbled into tourism. However, he quickly discovered that it was his calling, and since 2015, he hasn't looked back. Curt has had an inspirational career as the Executive Director. But before he ever started climbing the ranks, Curt had no idea where he would end up. He was a graduate of the Great Recession; a position similar to what many budding travel and tourism professionals are facing today. But because of that, Curt is no stranger to difficult times in this industry. He stresses the importance of staying your path and pushing forward no matter what because you can't plan for the opportunities that this industry will bring. You just have to be ready to capitalize on them when they arise and let nothing else get in your way.
Rebranding Ottawa
Curt's relentless determination is one of the main reasons the Ottawa Visitors Center has experienced such great success since he took the helm. When he joined the team at the Ottawa Visitors Center, they were looking to rebrand in order to stand out from the crowd and lift the community up. Curt and his team used creativity and collaboration to make that happen. They came up with the botanical brand in 2012, which focused heavily on developing gardens, art, and culture in the community. They revitalized the downtown area and did everything in their power to create a greater sense of pride in the community. This was all accomplished in collaboration with the city and the community itself—and the high level of support that was generated through this focus on engagement produced astonishing results.
Website: www.pickusottawail.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/curt-bedei-nfpc-a5973915/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/ottawa-visitors-center-inc/about/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OttawaVisitorsCenter/
LinkedIn: https://twitter.com/pickusottawail
LIVE EVENT: The Ottawa Visitors Center is hosting a virtual experience with Abraham Lincoln on August 12th at 7 pm. The live, online performance will combine period music with conversation and narrative by President Lincoln, using Lincoln's own words, while illuminating Lincoln's use of communication as a personal and political tool. This engaging show features Lincoln impersonator George Buss, and Illinois folk musician and folklorist Chris Vallillo. The performance will be followed by a Q & A with Buss and Vallillo. More information can be found on their website.