By following these simple steps you can make huge savings on domestic, European and long haul international flights in just minutes.
1) Set up 'price drop' email alerts on your desired routes – Go to Trip Advisor flight search. Just before you search for a flight look for the little tick box which says: "Get an alert when prices drop". Click this, enter your email and hit 'search'. From now on it will email you whenever there's been a significant price drop on that particular route. You can store up to 10 of these.
This is perfect if you know you want to make a trip to a specific destination at some point (for example if you have family or friends abroad) but aren't tied to a specific date and are happy to wait until the prices go down.
2) Taking a domestic or short haul flight? Take a look at this fantastic flight checking tool. It's called the 'Budget Airline Flight Checker'.
It compares flights on all the cheapest 'no frills' airlines (such as Ryan Air and Easyjet) for you on specific or open-ended dates. If you just fancy getting away somewhere, anywhere, you can even select the 'I'll go anywhere' option for the very best deals.
3) Going long haul? Make sure you check prices on more than one flight comparison website. I'm sure you've used flight comparison websites before, but some really are better than others.
It pays to check prices on at least 3 or 4 before of these if you want to find the best deals as prices vary according to the destination and time of year.
My top recommendations are currently ebookers, expedia, opodo and kayak.
You may also find it worth looking at: traveljungle, skycanner, lastminute.com.
Note: Kayak have a clever little price calendar that appears when you start entering your flight details which can help you identify the cheapest dates at a glance. This doesn't work on all routes and dates but can be a useful guide.
4) Check the prices flying out on different days – In the past flying midweek was often seen as the cheapest option but this is no longer a given and on long haul you need to check different combinations of days. Contrary to popular belief on some routes Saturday's will be cheapest – it all depends on the destination and time of year.
With that said for European and domestic flights 9 times out of 10 you'll still find travelling outside of the 'weekend zone' is cheapest – so Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays are best with some good deals to be picked up early on Fridays and on non bank holiday Mondays. Make sure you book as far in advance as possible as the best deals will be found on flights that still have plenty of seats available.
Note: You'll almost always pay more to get away during school holidays. Obviously if you've got a young family this will be unavoidable. However if can be flexible about when you fly, make sure you book your flights outside of half term breaks and school holidays. In some cases you'll pay as much as 50% – 60% less.
5) Get cashback on your flights – I've mentioned it several times before but if you haven't already signed up with Top Cash Back or Quidco do it right away. These sites give you cashback on virtually any product you can think of including a number of flight comparison websites, airlines, travel operators – even travel insurance.
Here's what to do. After you've found the best deal on step 3 or 4 log on to Top Cash Back or Quidco and see if the company are on there. (For example, lastminute.com, ebookers, expedia, opodo, Thomson, Ryan Air to name just a few are). If you find the one you're after click through to their site using the your unique cashback link. Some offer more than others but even if you only get 1% cashback that could be another £50 off a group of long haul tickets for the family.
6) Watch out for hidden charges – I normally recommend paying for flights on Credit Card because it offers you added payment protection should something go wrong (for example if flight operator goes into liquidation). However, some operators will levy an additional charge for paying on credit card and you'll get the best deals paying by debit card.
If you're doing a short hop with one of the big airlines like Easyjet or Ryan Air you should be pretty safe paying by debit card, but do use your common sense. Also make sure you read you're clear on extra charges airlines like to try and add on before checkout for luggage and insurance offers. If you're paying by credit card make sure you pay off your balance each month in full so you don't get hit by interest charges.
7) Use a card that offers airmiles on purchases – There are several credit cards that offer this facility (that's a whole article in itself!) On the whole AMEX cards will offer the best airmile deals here but shop around.
The interest rates in these will be significantly higher so it's doubly important to ensure you're able to pay off these cards in full each month.
If you enjoyed this article or if you've come across any money saving travel tips please leave a comment below.


Modern power plants are highly automated and customer meters can be remotely read, but the underground district energy network is still an information black hole. Vexve's intelligent valve solution, developed to meet the needs of power plants, now provides tools for optimizing the network, improving reliability and enhancing maintenance. The world's first underground smart valves have been successfully piloted at Fortum's district heating network in Espoo, Finland during 2018.
In cooperation with energy companies, Vexve the Finnish leading manufacturer of district energy valves has spent two years to explore the biggest challenges in the management and maintenance of energy distribution networks.
"Our study revealed that the same problems were highlighted, regardless of location or energy plant. At the center of the product development project, there were three clear needs that the new smart valve solution needed to solve: higher network reliability, better network optimization and improved maintenance," says Regional Sales Director Maria Kalli.
The challenging conditions of district energy networks brought special requirements for the development of a new product. Vexve's new smart valve solution operates underground without an external power supply and wirelessly transmits the information to a cloud service. The smart solution can also be retrofitted without any downtime, allowing the new technology to be utilized in existing district energy networks as well.
Although unplanned distribution disruptions due to network leakage are rare in Finland (2.4 times/ energy plant/ year), they are expensive because of the slow pace of locating leaks. Up to 90% of detected leaks come from outsiders. With an intelligent valve, the temperature, humidity and network pressure variations can be monitored continuously and leakage points linked to leak detection cables can be quickly located.
Continuous measurement and optimization of the network is important as conditions change constantly with fluctuations in the production and use of energy. Inefficiencies arise in the network for example when running with oversized backup resources in the absence of accurate measurement data from critical branches and network distribution points. Also, adverse changes in flow direction caused by network changes remain undetected without real-time measurements.
With Vexve's smart valve solution, changing network situations are detected in real-time so that network control can be optimally adjusted with accurate measurement data. Optimized network control can bring significant energy savings to energy companies.
Vexve DN 400 ball valves were used in the pilot with Fortum, but the intelligent solution is also suitable for valves of all sizes and also retrofits.
"Our new smart solution brings the long-anticipated renewal of traditional district energy networks much closer. During 2018 we have developed a technically functional and sustainable product. Our goal is to launch a solution that energy utilities can fully exploit in the coming year," Maria Kalli decides.


The Mickey Leland Papers & Collection Addendum. (Texas Southern University, 2015), "Defense Spending, Minority" (2015). The Mickey Leland Papers & Collection Addendum: Education, African Americans Repairs Education, African Amer. Racial Inequities (1989). Series 11: Speeches, Articles, Trips and Meetings 1985 - 1989. Series 11, Box 212, Folder 10342. Paper 1438.


On this episode, we speak to Aditi, whose parents traded India for Indiana. Aditi talks about growing up in the Midwest & her experience growing up American while being consistently exposed to Indian culture. We covered many topics during this conversation, such as cultural appropriation (please make sure to listen to the intro of the episode!), gradual growth in diversity in makeup, communal cultures and how wonderful and also overwhelming that can be, and much more. Aditi also talks about the cool work she is doing or will be doing in the near future! Take a listen! Below are links provided by Aditi related to what she touched on, as well as some additional awesomeness from her.
Also, here are two more links if anyone would like to read up more on both the trans community in India as a whole as well as India's first openly gay prince which Aditi touched on in the episode.


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Blue Cross' Loepp highest-paid nonprofit executive
Dan Loepp, president and CEO, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
The metro Detroit nonprofit led by the highest-paid CEO stands out not only for the amount it pays its CEO but also for its unique history as various kinds of nonprofit.
Dan Loepp, president and CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan for the past 12 years, was the highest-paid executive on Crain's list of top-paid nonprofit executives in 2015, following salary boosts the past several years.
He earned $9.03 million in total compensation, including $6.5 million in bonus/incentive compensation to recognize performance in 2014. Blue Cross had a net income gain of $295 million that year.
While his $1.54 million in base pay didn't change, his total compensation increased 21.6 percent in 2015.
Loepp's salary began increasing significantly even before Blue Cross Blue Shield's conversion from the state-legislated nonprofit insurer of last resort to a nonprofit mutual insurance company at the end of 2013.
As Crain's reported in March, Loepp's compensation rose from $3.86 million in 2012 to $6.67 million in 2013, $7.4 million in 2014, $9 million in 2015 and $10.9 million last year in 2016. That adds up to 182 percent growth in Loepp's compensation over the past five years.
Top-paid nonprofit executives
According to an analysis of data collected by Crain's, turnover and impending retirements among the top-paid nonprofit CEOs were a leading factor in big changes in compensation, from double-digit pay increases to drops in executive pay. Read the special report.
The 21 percent increase last year came despite Blue Cross netting $344.3 million in losses in 2015.
His incentive and performance-based compensation considers social mission goals related to delivering value to members, as well as operational performance, said Andrew Hetzel, Blue Cross vice president for corporate communications.
Blue Cross Blue Shield contracts with an independent compensation consultant to do compensation benchmarks of other Blues organizations of similar size and membership and for-profit peers, Hetzel said. For 2016, Blue Cross reported just under $26 billion in revenue. Total membership stood at 4.61 million in Michigan and 5.34 million nationwide.
"Over the last six years, Dan Loepp has led our $26 billion organization through a strong record of performance, despite the transformational changes impacting our industry," Hetzel said in a statement, noting the organization has seen six straight years of membership growth, navigated the rollout of the Affordable Care Act and changed its corporate structure.
Talent retention part of Blue Cross' compensation strategy. Given that it's nonprofit, the organization can't compensate with stock or options like publicly traded companies such as Aetna Inc., UnitedHealth Group Inc. and Humana Inc., he said.
"So how do we compete with an organization that does?"
The answer, Hetzel said, is by providing higher cash compensation to top leadership.
Unlike most nonprofits that secure tax-exempt, nonprofit status from the Internal Revenue Service, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is a nonprofit by state statute.
Before 1986, Blue Cross Blue Shield organizations were tax-exempt under the federal 501(c)(4) nonprofit designation as social welfare plans. The Tax Reform Act of 1986 revoked the federal exemption because the plans sold commercial-type insurance.
The Michigan organization has operated as a nonprofit under state law since 1980.
With its recent conversion to a nonprofit mutual health insurance company, Blue Cross Blue Shield now pays city and local property taxes, a 1.25-percent premiums tax instead of the 6 percent corporate income tax, and the federal taxes it had been paying.
That sets it apart from many nonprofits. Yet, like federally designated nonprofits, it has a mission, said Hetzel.
The insurer is in the business to deliver benefit to its membership through lower rates, rather than to provide dividends to ownership, Hetzel said.
"Being a nonprofit, by definition, means we put the resources to work to improve health care for our membership and keep it affordable."
Blue Cross also provides a public benefit in the form of required payments to the Michigan Health Endowment Fund which is focused on protecting vulnerable people in Michigan.
The law that converted Blue Cross to a nonprofit mutual health insurance company requires it to contribute $1.56 billion to the fund over 18 years. To date, it's paid $270 million, Hetzel said.
Turnover, retirements factor in big changes in nonprofit compensation
Dan and Amy Loepp to be honored by Detroit Goodfellows
Blue Cross CEO Dan Loepp, company PAC push Duggan re-election

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Mode: CTR
CTR is a good choice for a mode of operation when better, authenticated modes like GCM cannot be used.
Counter-mode encryption ("CTR mode") is a block cipher mode of operation that was introduced by Diffie and Hellman as early as 1979. CTR effectively converts a block cipher that encrypts a block at a time into a stream cipher that encrypts a byte at a time.
Perhaps unintuitively, in CTR mode, a block cipher is not used to directly encrypt the plaintext. Instead, an increasing counter of values is encrypted to produce a key stream. Conceptually, the block cipher is used to encrypt 0 (represented as a block-size of zeros), then used to encrypt 1, then 2, and so forth. To produce the ciphertext, the keystream is XORed with the plaintext.
The same keystream must never be reused to encrypt to different plaintexts. Accordingly, the counter does not actually start at 0; instead, the IV is used as a unique starting point. Because the IV does not have to be random, it is called a nonce.
CTR has a significant advantage over CBC in terms of performance because encryption and decryption can be parallelized. In CBC mode, one block must be encrypted before the next can be. But in CTR mode, the predictable counter values can be encrypted independent of each other enabling trivial parallelization. Unfortunately, this advantage can be lost in practice if a serialized Message Authentication Code (MAC) is used to prevent alteration of the ciphertext.
CTR mode is notoriously easy to alter and should not be used without a MAC under almost any circumstances.
CTR is Vulnerable to Alteration. (Warning): Unless a Message Authentication Code (MAC) is used, data encrypted by CTR can be easily modified by attackers.


Rhysand's Inner Circle Bundle Set - Comes with 4 candles and a 6" x 4" print!
This listing is for a set of all four Inner Circle candles and the 6" x 4" print. Please go to the individual listings for more information on each scent.
I was so happy with my candles, Rhysands Inner Circle! The smells were strong and lovely and I loved the labels they were so pretty!! I will definitely be buying more!


Winners and rankings have been announced for the insideARM 2017 Best Call Centers to Work For program!
After a rigorous months-long process, 29 companies made the cut, with winners in each of three categories: Small (15-49 employees), Mid-sized (50-149 employees) and Large (150+ employees).
We sincerely thank all of the firms that participated in the program this year. Click on a category below to expand it and view all of the honorees and rankings.
Interested in participating in the 2018 program? Click here to let us know.


A Girl's Place provides a great space for troop gatherings or group overnights. The space has two rooms available for rent (Solano and Napa) a fully equipped kitchen, three bathrooms, and patio. For overnights, renters must bring their own sleeping bags and pads.


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Embracing Dramatic Irony
One of the things I've been experimenting with in my Star Wars game is the use of dramatic irony. I use it to play up the tension in certain situations, and that also frees me up to just give some OOC knowledge to the players to make the game feel more cinematic and like a story consumed from the normal mediums you get your Star Wars fix through. Today I want to talk about how it works, and - if you're interested - what you need to do it in your own games.
Dramatic Irony?
To the best of my recollection from school, and research, Dramatic Irony is the term used when the characters in a work of fiction (play, show, book, etc) that the audience is that is relevant to a scene or conversation going on. It was used a lot by Shakespeare, and one of the classic examples is that we all know Romeo and Juliet are going to die from the beginning of the play, but the characters themselves don't and so the audience has a greater understanding of several key scenes where that plays out.
Now, in a RPG this is a bit trickier. Why? Because the PCs are the characters, but the players themselves are the audience. Oh wait, did I say trickier? I meant it's really easy.
The Character/Player Knowledge Divide
The trick to using Dramatic Irony is the trick to doing a lot of the more advanced narrative tricks blogs like this advise. You, and your players, have to be able to be trusted with keeping what they know and what their character knows separate. I mean, it does no good to tell a player that his brother is going to betray him if his character is suddenly going to glean that information or act out of character to provoke the information to come to them in character as well.
You need to trust your players to want the dramatic moment, and the fun that brings, more than they want to keep their character safe. If you can't do that - and there is nothing wrong with that style of game - then playing with dramatic irony isn't for you.
Hints, Foreshadowing, and Tip Offs
You have players you can trust, so what do you do? Give them a hint about what's coming up. Don't just tell them though, show them. Let them know that what you're about to tell/show them is not knowledge their character to know, but for them. Then, give them something. Show them a conversation of people conspiring against them. Let them hear a dialogue of enemies being dispatched. They don't have to know how it ties in yet, and it doesn't have to be long, they just have to know.
In my Star Wars game I did this by showing the players pictures of three characters. One of the three was Darth Vader. I then gave them a transcript for a conversation for the three characters. The end result is the players knew that an Inquisitor had been dispatched to hunt them down. They just didn't know when and where it would show up.
Once you've given the players a hint about what is going on, you can play with it. Think of Romeo and Juliet. We know they're going to die, so now the question is how. Do they die together? Do they die separately? Whenever one of them (usually Romeo) gets into a dangerous situation you have that question in the back of your mind wondering if this is the time he dies. Whenever they make moves to escape their family you know that in the end it is doomed to failure.
You can do this same thing with your PCs. If the player knows someone is after them, and they think someone is following them, you immediately have that tension ramp up. You don't want to play with them too long though. Don't tease them, but let the tension build. Then, when the time comes you can have an awesome moment when the character walks into something, but the player knows what it is and is also playing for the dramatic pay off.
In The End...
In the end, it's not going to work for every group, or every game. However, it is an awesome feeling when a player knows they're walking into a big dramatic moment and can help you set it up. The loss you may expect from not surprising the player is more than made up for by the pay off in character.
Give it a try sometime. Your group may like it. You may love it.
Labels: Advice, GM
Pixiedragon August 19, 2015 at 5:19 AM
Also known as: The game, The Metagame and The GM's evil mind tricks. Oh, did I mention I have a tendency to do this too? XD I approach it slightly differently though, as I've never heard of dramatic irony (or I did and I forgot) before. Metagaming is impossible to stop and since I had two players who were constantly metagaming and two who weren't, the two who were always had an edge over the players who didn't. So I added the metagaming to the game itself. Now it is still necessary to keep track of what the characters know and what the players know, but the players are aware that: 1) their metagame information might be incorrect or incomplete, 2) I'm expecting them to reach certain conclusion out of game, and 3) I'm really, really good at adding twists that upends EVERYTHING at the last moment. Sometimes, my players hate me, but they love the game.


The amount of information online is expanding daily: what do these changes mean for society? How does online information empower citizens and consumers? How does it challenge them? How can we predict the effect of new information technology on British society and its citizens? How are the working practices and traditions of academics and engineers inspired or challenged by the brave new information world?
Ben O'Loughlin will participate in a one-day closed conference bringing together Google employees, government officials, academics and journalists to reflect on the way the delivery of information is reshaping our world. The event is designed to launch innovative dialogue, ideas and collaborations working to understand our new, networked society.
The conference is convened by Prof. Sarah Oates, University of Glasgow, and Sarah Hunter of Google London.


This product is currently on backorder and will ship in about 1 month.
STAYbowl® is a tip-free food dish for hedgehogs, guinea pigs, ferrets, rabbits, rats and other small pets. The Staybowl holds a 1/4 cup of food and helps save you money (no more wasted kibble!) by keeping food clean and off the cage floor. The dish is BPA free and designed with a smooth bottom that prevents food deposits and bacterial growth. Dishwasher safe.


Coming off the back of a strong and impressive win in their Round One clash with Blacktown Workers last week, Wests Magpies hoped to make it two from two against but couldn't quite get there, going down 36-4 to Asquith Magpies at Leichhardt Oval.
Play got off to a rough start for Wests Magpies with some early penalties and errors in attack resulting in Asquith's first try of the afternoon through Jake Beetson scoring under the posts. Asquith fullback Honeti Tuha was successful with his conversion, bringing the score to 6-0 after 8 minutes of play.
Hungry for more points, the visiting Magpies shifted left to Jordan Remfrey, who sprinted through the Wests defensive line towards the try line with Josh Daly trailing behind him. Daly tackled Remfrey just short of the line with the Asquith centre getting penalised for double movement handing the ball over to the homeside.
With two repeat sets under their belt, the Magpies marched towards the line lead by Josh Davis and Edward Carter, who's hit ups and running metres were impressive throughout the game.
Manaia Rudolph, found himself in trouble when he was carried out of the field of play. As a result, a scrum in favour of the visitors followed by a penalty set Asquith up for their next try. A overlap in defence sent Nicholas O'Meley over to score under the posts for another easy conversion for Tuha.
Wests had to step up their game in defence, and did so with the Minute Brothers, David and Avia leading the way, both making strong and relentless tackles. But the Magpies defence wasn't quite enough to hold out five-eighth Kurtis Preece who dived over the line from dummy half for Asquith's third try of the evening. Tuha added the extras, bring the score to 18-0 with 6 minutes remaining in the first half.
It wasn't long until the visitors added to the score board again with a controversial try awarded to Matt Place as the half time siren sounded, after the kick chasers appeared to be all off-side. Tuha's conversion sent Wests Magpies into the sheds scoreless, trailing 24-0.
A sloppy second half start from both side's saw a knock on from Asquith in their attempt to keep the ball within the field of play after being tackled into touch. The official's ruling gave Wests the chance to work their way towards their line, hopeful of points.
Wests set up a short side raid after quickly shifting left, finding the hands of Isaac Rabuatoka, who juggled the ball before scoring in the corner. Rudolph was unsuccessful in converting after the ball bounced off the posts, leaving the score 24-4.
Josh Daly gave away an unfortunate penalty after officials ruled a late tackle on kicker Blake Goodman. Asquith took a shot at goal, widening the margin by two more points.
It seemed that no matter how hard Wests worked for points, nothing seemed to give the desired results. Asquith scored their next try off the back of another Wests error with O'Meley diving over for his second of the afternoon, putting four more points on the score sheet.
Tempers were sent flying when Ahmad Ellaz, who had been impressively consistent throughout the game, found himself in a bit of strife after there was an incident in the tackle and officials sin-binning the second rower for 10 minutes.
The following play would see both teams run in to defend their own, stopping play once more. Official's gave both captains a warning and awarded Asquith another penalty.
Moments later, Asquith were awarded yet another penalty from in front with 11 minutes remaining, giving the visitors two more points over Wests.
A short kick off seemly disadvantaged the home team, until Asquith was penalised for catching the ball within the 10 metre boundary, giving Wests good position for the line. Another dropped ball from Wests sent Asquith downfield and with a quick play the visitors scored their final try through an unmarked Curtis Johnston leaving the full time score 36-4.
Western Suburbs Magpies have recorded an outstanding 48-10 win over the Warriors at Campbelltown Stadium last Sunday, leaving them to sit nicely at the top of the table after Round Two of the Canterbury Cup NSW.
Josh Reynolds, Wests Tigers major signing of last season was in the starting side for the Magpies, playing key roles in his side's attacking rampage, with the five-eight scoring two tries and setting up three others sending the Campbelltown Crowd ballistic.
The Magpies were the first to put points on the board through Watson Heleta after an early penalty was award to Brett Hodgson's men. The winger swiftly collected a grubber to score his first try of the afternoon with Tyson Gamble adding the extras soon after bringing the score to 6-nil after just 3 minutes of play.
Wests weren't able to hold onto the lead for long after the Warriors received a penalty in their first set. Fullback Patrick Herbert charged an unsuspecting Magpies defensive line, crashing over to score his team's only points of the first half. Chanel Harris-Tavita's successful conversion levelled the score.
Continuing the fashion of points after penalties, Wests scored again after being awarded a penalty for an offside Warrior's defender. A shift through the hands found an unmarked Bilal Maarbani who dived over the line untouched.
Tough defence from Kauri Aupouri-Puketapu, Josh Reynolds and Robbie Rochow set the standard for their side's next defence sets, minimising the Warriors metres and maintaining the lead.
A lack of discipline from the Warriors gave the Magpies a great amount of possession leading into the second quarter, seeing Maarbani diving over for his second of the afternoon, unlucky not to lead by more with Reynolds denied by officials moments later.
Reynolds would soon claim his first of the 2019 season backing up Joseph Ratuvakacereivalu who burst through his defence and got a shift pass away for the five-eighth to score under the posts, making an easy conversion for Gamble, bringing the score to 20-6.
A dropped ball from the Warriors would set up the Magpies next try with Soni Luke putting in a quick grubber for Joseph Ratuvakacereivalu, awarding the forward with his first four pointer of the season. Gamble added the extras from right in front, leaving the half time for 26-6.
Returning to the field, the Magpies continued their scoring blitz, this time through Sam McIntyre who collected his own kick after it bounced off Herbert, scooting past the fullback to score just left of the posts.
Back-to-back penalties awarded to the boys in Black and White sent them over for their seventh try of the afternoon with Heleta receiving a beautiful cut out pass courtesy of Josh Reynolds, widening the margin to 36-6.
A repeat set for the Warriors saw the visitors intercept the Magpies try streak, claiming their second and last try of the game with Setu Tu diving under his defence to bring the score to 36-10 with 26 minutes of play remaining.
Remaining relentless in attack, the Magpies were on the board again, this time thanks to Braden Robson who quickly dived out from dummy half to score. Gamble, once again, added the extras making it 42-10.
Smart attacking techniques and a bit of 'Magpie muscle' set up Reynolds for his team's final try of the afternoon with the experienced and deserving five-eighth claiming an individual try after a flawless kick-chase play. Gamble easily converted, bringing the full time score to 48-10.


A Google exec has come under fire after sending a now-deleted tweet to the GOP over the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who became the 114th justice of the US Supreme Court following a heated political battle.
Sounds like a similar answer to the one Google gave when Breitbart uncovered a video of Google executives who are absolutely beside themselves following Hillary Clinton's historic loss. In the video, co-founder Sergey Brin compares Trump supporters to fascists and extremists – arguing that like other extremists, Trump voters suffered from "boredom" which has, he claims, historically led to fascism and communism.
Was David Hogue's hateful opinion of an entire class of people — the GOP — fueled by Google's internal culture which despises conservatives?


Suissevale will be hosting a boating course again this summer.
The class will start at 8AM and is all-day. Lunch will be included.
Payment will be due on the day of the class.
Please be aware that this is the ONLY official web site for Suissevale. There appears to be a considerable amount of inaccurate and misleading information being dispersed within our community. Should you have any questions concerning what you see or hear we encourage you to contact our business office. We will respond with accurate information.
© Property Owner's Association of Suissevale Inc. all rights reserved. Property Owner's Association of Suissevale Inc., POASI and the POASI Logo are trademarks of the Property Owner's Association of Suissevale. Other company names and logos are for identification purposes and may be registered trademarks or trademarks of the respective companies.


Touchdown scored with 14 seconds left, Lindsey Lawrence (11) and the rest of the varsity cheer squad celebrate the Wildcats victory against Fort Zumwalt West, Aug. 24. "When the team won, we all started jumping up and down because we got to witness this insane touchdown," Lawrence said. "It was extremely awesome. We were all were proud that they pulled through. Being on cheer, I don't get to sit in the Catpound, but being able to look up and see all my friends getting excited for the games makes me that much more excited to be there." The Wildcats won, 24-20 after Tyler Kennedy, quarterback, passed to Avery Taggart, tight end, for a last minute touchdown.


With an ordinary bath, the raja and tama components decrease and the sattva component increases by the same amount for a duration of three hours. However, with an oil bath, it lasts for up to four to five hours. On this day, people rise early to take an oil bath.
People decorate their doorsteps with buntings of mango leaves and red flowers. Red flowers are used to decorate doorways because red colour is supposed to indicate auspiciousness.
People host the 'mahashanti' puja on this day. It begins with the worship of Bramha, as he created the universe on this day. He is offered 'davna' (a type of fragrant plant) during the worship. Later, a sacrificial fire and offering of oblations through the fire are performed, and offerings are made to Brahma. By performing the 'shanti', people are said to be cleansed of all sins, no new sins are generated, lifespan and wealth are increased.
The 'gudi', which is considered as a 'Brahmadhwaj' (Brahma's flag) or a 'Vijayadhwaj' (victory flag) is hoisted in all homes on this day. A long bamboo shoot is covered with a green or yellow cloth adorned with brocade. Gaohi (a type of sweet), neem leaves, a twig of mango leaves and a garland or red flowers are tied to the shoot and it is covered with an inverted 'kalash'. On Gudi Padwa, the waves consisting of the fire principle (tej tattva) and the creative Prajapati waves are activated on a large scale. The Divine consciousness emanated during sunrise, absorbed at that time lasts longer. Hence people worship the Gudi within 5-10 minutes after sunrise.
The spot selected for hoisting the gudi is generally towards the right side of the home entrance, as the right side symbolises the active state of the soul. The area selected for hoisting the gudi is cleaned, a 'swastik' rangoli is drawn and haldi-kumkum (turmeric and vermilion) are offered at the centre of the swastik to denote auspiciousness. The gudi is raised high, as a victory flag should be, and the 'Shiva-Shakti' principle in the universe is invoked while raising it. This enables all the constituents of the Gudi to accept divine principles.
People worship the astrologer or priest and listen to the religious almanac and their respective horoscopes for the coming year on this day as it is an auspicious day and could bring a lot of luck.
Since neem has the highest ability to absorb prajapati frequencies, on this day it is partaken of as an offering. People distribute Prasad by mixing together leaves and buds of neem with soaked split gram lentil, honey, cumin seeds and a little asafoetida amidst the chanting of a mantra. A specific mixture of neem and jaggery, which is called 'bevu-bella' in Karnataka, is eaten on this day to symbolise that good and bad or joy and sorrow must be accepted together. 'Puran poli's is also made on this day.
On this day, many farmers and other people as well plough the soil or strike the earth. Subtle soil particles get charged with prajapati frequencies and their ability to germinate seeds increases manifold. 'Akshata' (consecrated rice) is sprinkled on farming tools and oxen amidst chanting of the mantra which is known to generate prajapati frequencies.
Gudi Padwa is celebrated as Ugai or Yugai in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. It is celebrated as Nau Roz in Kashmir, Baisakhi in Punjab, Cheti Chand among Sindhis, Naba Barsha in Bengal, Goru Bihu in Assam, Puthandu in Tamil Nadu and Vishu in Kerala.
Very well explained article Puja. Loved reading.


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Current | Archives
Vacation Idea, November 2015
Friday Harbor House was included in the article, "20 Best Weekend Getaways from Seattle." Full article
Napa Valley Register, November 2015
Friday Harbor House was featured in the article, "Best Travel Stories From Our Readers." Full story
Seattle Gay News, October 2015
Friday Harbor House was featured in the article, "OUTBOUND: Bite of San Juan Islands, Friday Harbor Film Festival are two reasons for a NW island escape." Full article
San Juan Islander, July 2015
The article titled "New ownership for Friday Harbor Inn" informs readers about the new ownership change at Friday Harbor House. Full article
Thrillist Seattle, June 2015
The Bluff at Friday Harbor House was featured on Thrillist Seattle in the article, "The 10 Best Bars & Restaurants on the San Juan Islands." Full article
CRAVE magazine, April 2015
Friday Harbor House was included in the destination feature in CRAVE magazine, "Peerless in Seattle." Full article
The Daily Telegraph, April 2015
Friday Harbor House was mentioned in the article, "Whale watching at Friday Harbour on San Juan Island." Full article
TrazeeTravel.com, February 2015
A review of Friday Harbor House was featured on TrazeeTravel.com. Full article
425 magazine, Nov/Dec 2014
Friday Harbor House and The Bluff are highlighted in the article, "Hotel Restaurants. Don't have reservations. Make them". Full story
USAToday.com, September 2014
Friday Harbor House was included in the USAToday.com article, "10 most romantic coastal destinations". Full article
Happiness Is, September 2014
Friday Harbor House and The Bluff were featured in the blog post, "Our Anniversary Stay at Friday Harbor House on San Juan Island". Full article
SIP Northwest, July 2014
Friday Harbor House and The Bluff were highlighted in the article, "Drifters: Friday Harbor House". Full article
KOMO News, Seattle Refined, July 2014
Friday Harbor House and The Bluff were featured in the article, "Take a trip to Friday Harbor House". Full article
Examiner.com, June 2014
Executive Chef Aaron Rock's Lunch n' Learn series was highlighted in the Examiner.com article, "Summer in the San Juan Islands". Full article
AtHomeInLove.com, May 2014
The Bluff and the Friday Harbor House were a major highlight for this blogger's San Juan Island featured post. Full article. Full story
KCTS 9: Chef's Secrets, February 2014
On February 8, 2014 Executive Chef Aaron Rock was on the Chef's Secrets segment of KCTS Channel 9. Chef Rock unveiled his secrets for a perfectly prepared Roasted Garlic Stuffed Chicken with Mustard Cream Sauce. Full story
Seattle DINING!, December 2013
Executive Chef, Aaron Rock and The Bluff at the Friday Harbor House were featured in the Seattle DINING! December edition of their "Chef's Kitchen" column. Full story
BCC, June 2013
Friday Harbor House was featured on BBC.com's round up of America's best little beach towns. Full story
SIP Northwest, May 2013
SIP Northwest featured Executive Chef, Aaron Rock and Friday Harbor House in their cover story, "SIP Best of the Northwest: Travel 2013" Friday Harbor House was one of only three properties in Washington state to be included. Full story
Huffington Post, May 2013
The Huffington Post featured Executive Chef, Aaron Rock's creation, Mona's Madrona in the article, "10 Cocktails Containing Meat." Friday Harbor House and The Bluff were one of only 10 restaurants selected in the U.S., and the only restaurant in Washington state. Full story
Fox News Travel, April 2013
Fox News Travel named Friday Harbor House to their list of the Top 10 romantic getaways in Washington State. Full story.
Town & Country, April 2013
Town & Country magazine included The Friday Harbor House in the story entitled: Pack Mentality. Click here to view article.
Coastal Living, November 2012
Coastal Living magazine included The Bluff Restaurant and Terrace in the story, "The Savory San Juan Islands." Click here to view article.
CocoKelley.com, October 2012
The Friday Harbor House and the Bluff Restaurant were featured in the story, "Weekend Getaways: Friday Harbor House." Click here to view the article.
Gastrolust.com, October 2012
The Friday Harbor House and The Bluff Restaurant were featured in the story, "Passport to Pleasure: Feeling Good in Friday Harbor, San Juan Island." Click here to view the article.
Sunbreak.com, October 2012
LATimes.com, August 2012
LATimes.com featured the Friday Harbor House as the place to stay in the San Juan Islands in their travel segment on August 26, 2012. Click here to view the article.
SeriousEats.com, August 2012
SeriousEats.com featured the Friday Harbor House and The Bluff Restaurant in the story, "What to Eat in Friday Harbor on Washington's San Juan Island." Click here to view the article.
Harbors magazine, August 2012
Harbors magazine featured the Friday Harbor House in their summer 2012 issue. Click here to view the article.
Sacramento magazine, April 2012
Sacramento magazine included Lakedale in story "Pacific Northwest Wonder."
Northwest Travel magazine, Spring 2012
Northwest Travel magazine mentioned Friday Harbor House and The Bluff as a San Juan Island Lodging and Dining recommendation in story "The San Juan Islands: Create Your Own Island Adventure."
Wine Enthusiast, March 2012
Chef Kyle Nicholson of The Bluff Restaurant is quoted in an article featuring in Wine Enthusiast, a magazine that showcases the lodging, services, and--most of all--the superb wine/food offerings of the San Juans.
RestaurantManagement.com, February 2012
RestaurantManagement.com included Kyle Nicholson, The Bluff and Friday Harbor House in their story "Seasonal Strategies." The full article can be found here.
1,000 Places to See Before You Die, January 2012
Friday Harbor House was included in a new book, 1,000 Places to See Before You Die. The updated edition of the book by Patricia Schultz offers 200 new entries, 25 additional countries, and more than 500 full-color photographs. Schultz said she has been working on the revision since the original edition came out in 2003.
The San Juan Islands are included in the Whale-Watching section at number 899 and Friday Harbor House is included in Hotel, Resorts, Eco-Lodges and Inns section at number 900.
Seattle Dining! profiled Chef Kyle Nicholson of The Bluff Restaurant • Bar • Terrace in an article titled "Friday Harbor House: Maybe the best bluff ever." Complete article can be found here.
Spinach and Brussels Sprouts Salad with fresh Ricotta and Grilled Leek Vinaigrette here.
Destination I Do, Fall 2011
The San Juan Island, Orcas Island and Lopez Island comprise the San Juan Islands and we touch down on each of them to let off the other passengers. As our seaplane touches down at Friday Harbor Marina, we see fantastic Friday Harbor House perched at the top of a bluff. The Bluff Restaurant is the place to be: It's packed with locals. Sample Chef Kyle Nicholson's yummy farm-to-fork comfort food: crab cakes, caramelized short ribs and Columbia River Steel Head. As the sun sets, we head to our elegant eco-mod pad. A toasty fireplace, balcony view of the marina and a luxury lavender soak in the jetted tub await.
WHERE Seattle, October 2011
Chef Kyle Nicholson's October "Farm to Table: Island Style" cooking class was featured in WHERE Seattle's October issue here.
SeattleMet.com, September 30, 2011
Five Things to Do Out of Town This Weekend
Try a seven-course dinner or a run for a good cause. Wine and dine at the Winemaker Dinner with Covington Cellars and Two Vintners on Oct 2 at San Juan Island's Friday Harbor House. After the seven-course meal of Dungeness crab fritters, Shoal Bay oysters, seared duck breast, and paired wines, get 35 percent off the hotel's best available rate.
Forbes.com, August 18, 2011
5 "Endless Summer" Vacations for Labor Day Weekend and Beyond
5. San Juan Island, Washington
Although it's just three hours by car and ferry from Seattle, San Juan island feels much further away, and decades behind the modern fray. Spend the first half of the day shopping, spa-ing and socializing in lively Friday Harbor, and an hour later you're sipping chardonnay among the vines at peaceful San Juan Vineyards. Loll on the beach all day if it suits you, or sample one of the incredibly scenic hikes in Lime Kiln Point State Park, considered one of the best places in the world to see orcas from shore. For lunch, take a picnic to the Sculpture Garden, a 19-acre preserve showcasing zany modernist creations of stone and steel. Newly opened. Zip San Juan has 8 different ziplines that sail through a canopy of red cedar and across a dramatic landscape of lakes and wetlands. An easygoing all-in-one vacation retreat is the specialty of long-established resorts like Roche Harbor Resort and Friday Harbor House, which offer everything from golf to whale watching to sailing.
The Province, August 14, 2011
For as little as...
$295 US... stay overnight at Friday Harbor House in the San Juan Islands when you attend the Chinook Winemakers Dinner on Aug. 31. The six-course dinner is priced at $85 US each. The Harbor View guestrooms are regularly priced from $305 to $325 US.
Seattleite.com, August 2011
Seattleite.com profiled the fall Couples Kitchen Mixers at Friday Harbor House, featuring three culinary vacations organized around the theme, Farm to Table Island Style. The complete article can be found here.
Delta Sky, July 2011
Americana Summer
San Juan Islands: Slow and serene are watchwords here, on the rugged islands off the coast of Washington State.
For a livelier getaway, most people choose Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, where you can book a room at Rosario Resort & Spa or Friday Harbor House for easy access to everything from golf to cycling to sailing.
TravelAgeWest.com, July 19, 2011
Friday Harbor House: Surf, Turf or Zipi
Friday Harbor House, located on San Juan Island, is running a series of accommodation specials designed to encourage summer travel. Its Surf package includes a tour of the town's whale museum, a whale watching tour, $25 for use in the hotel's Bluff Restaurant and two Friday Harbor House tote bags. Rates start at $350 per night. The Turf package comes with a full-day rental for two mopeds, $25 restaurant credit and two tote bags (from $330). The Zip package includes a zipline tour adventure, $25 restaurant credit and two tote bags (from $340). After a day of fun, guests can wind down with authentic island cuisine in the Bluff, which is featuring a new summer menu with cuisine from local waters and farms.
Packages are valid through Sept. 29, 2011.
Seattle Met, July 2011
Foodie Getaways
Friday Harbor House Cooking Class
Chef Kyle Nicholson of the Bluff Restaurant kicks off a series of three didactic overnights on September 9. The curriculum: "farm to table, island style." For a complete lesson on what the avid mushroom hunter will impart about finding fungi, click here.
Wine Press Northwest, Summer 2011
The Ultimate Guide
San Juan Islands: Two fine reasons to visit the San Juans: Lopez Island Winery on Lopez and San Juan Vineyards in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. Restaurants with Northwest wine lists include Coho Restaurant and The Bluff at Friday harbor House in Friday Harbor.
Every Day with Rachael Ray, July 2011
A Pork-Filled Picnic! San Juan Island, WA
Friday Harbor House delivers luxe touches like soft sheets and jetted tubs, all on the water's edge overlooking the fireworks. Complete coverage can be found here.
Journal Newspapers, May 2, 2011
A bird's-eye view of Friday Harbor
Journalist Elizabeth Griffin covered Friday Harbor House and The Bluff Restaurant • Bar • Terrace in her article on Friday Harbor. Complete coverage can be found here.
Everett Herald, April 20, 2011
Friday Harbor House and chef offer weekend culinary classes
Get away to San Juan Island, learn a little about cooking and enjoy a relaxing weekend. Friday Harbor House offers a series of spring and fall culinary adventures with Chef Kyle Nicholson of The Bluff Restaurant. There are six mini-vacations, organized in two themed series: "Fresh Seafood: Everything from Head to Tail," and "Farm to Table: Island Style." Attend one class or any number of them. Each session begins with a Friday night stay at the resort, continental breakfast the following morning and a class from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Afterward, celebrate with wine and a lunch featuring ingredients and techniques learned.
USAToday.com, April 2011
Places to Stay in Friday Harbor, Washington
Located two blocks from the ferry terminal, the Friday Harbor House (fridayharborhouse.com) has 23 rooms overlooking the marina and spa treatments available to guests. All rooms include breakfast each morning, jetted tubs and gas fireplaces.
Daily Journal of Commerce, February 2011
Friday Harbor House
Friday Harbor House hired Michael Alexander as operations manager and Kyle Nicholson as chef of the boutique San Juan Island Inn and The Bluff Restaurant Bar Terrace. Alexander recently developed and managed The Portfolio Room, the fine dining restaurant of the Culinary Department at the Art Institute of Seattle. He has also instructed at FareStart and Edmonds Community College. Nicholson has 10 years experience in the culinary industry and recently managed a culinary program with Sur La Table in Salt Lake City.
Vancouver Sun, December 18, 2010
Holiday deal lets you dress like Santa and ski for free
Away for Xmas
San Juan Island's Friday Harbor House (www.fridayharborhouse.com) has a two-night Holiday Package for Dec. 24 and 25 with rates from $220 US per night, including continental breakfast, a bottle of sparkling wine and Christmas Eve dinner for two.
Smart Meetings, December 2010
Washington: An Evergreen Favorite
San Juans & Beyond
Another popular option is the Friday Harbor House (fridayharborhouse.com) on San Juan Island, with 1,00-plus sq.ft. of meeting space.
San Juan Journal, December 9, 2010
Friday Harbor House has a new operations manager and a new head chef
Michael Alexander, operations manager, is a certified hospitality educator. He developed, implemented and managed the featured fine dining restaurant at the Art Institute of Seattle's Culinary Department, while instructing various courses in culinary operations and management. Additionally, he has instructed at Farestart and Edmonds Community College, and was maitre d' and manager at the Salish Lodge & Spa in the early 1990s.
Kyle Nicholson, executive chef, relocated from Utah, where he had been fine-tuning his craft in Salt Lake City, Park City and Alta since 2003. He last managed a successful culinary program with Sur La Table in Salt Lake City.
Nicholson has ties to the Pacific Northwest, and earned degrees at The Evergreen State College in Olympia and Western Culinary Institute in Portland. Nicholson also has a background in business and sustainable agriculture, which ties into the local farm-to-table philosophy that is so prominent in the Northwest.
Western Living, October 2010
The Goods: Escape
San Juan Island - Where to Stay
The well-appointed Friday Harbor House (with two-person Jacuzzis in all 23 rooms) is your moderately more urbane option. Take your morning coffee on the expansive garden patio - as it's well positioned on the island's eastern shore, you get supreme sunrises over a necklace of distant, forested isles.
Beyond Seattle - Island Life
Visitors can opt to lodge downtown at one of Friday Harbor's many inviting hotels, like the hip Friday Harbor House.
Vancouver Magazine, August 26, 2010
Local Travel Guide: San Juan Island
Spokane Coeur d'Alene Living, June 2010
Washington State by Throos - San Juan Island
Splurge: A night at Friday Harbor House, dinner at The Bluff and a sailing lesson in the morning. Friday Harbor House sits perched on the bluff overlooking Friday Harbor and offers 26 rooms and suites. The décor is comfortable contemporary and the views from most rooms along the bluff are worth the price of admission. Given the size of the hotel, the service is personal and the hotel almost has the feel of an upscale bed and breakfast. Bonus: Since the Friday Harbor House is only three blocks from the ferry dock, you don't need to bring your car onto the ferry if the lines are horrifically long. Just inside the door of the Friday Harbor House, you'll find The Bluff. Chef Joseph Foriska brings his passion for local foods and sixteen years of experience on the islands into the kitchen to offer up a seasonal menu full of stories of the farms that produced what shows up on your plate. He knows where his food comes from and delights to showcase each island ingredient rather than hide them in intricate preparations. Try the Jones Family Farm Pulled Pork served on folded and sweet steamed buns or the Ginger Miso Braised Rockfish with creamy risotto and buttered "linguine" carrots.
Seattle Magazine, May 2010
Seattle's Great Escapes
The hottest new restaurant/bar in town is The Bluff, in the middle of Friday Harbor's busy waterfront scene. The menu delights from stem to stern, but local favorites include the braised short ribs and the Kobe beef burger. Small-plate and signature-drink deals abound during happy hour (4-6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday). Save room for dessert.
Make a night of your visit to The Bluff by booking a room upstairs in the urbane Friday Harbor House ($215-$360 per night). With views of the bustling marina below, the well-appointed rooms seem more like those in a high-rise hotel on the Vancouver waterfront than in an island inn.
Northwest Palate, May-June 2010
The Greening of San Juan Island
In Friday Harbor, diners can find a plethora of island foodstuffs at The Bluff at Friday Harbor House.
About.com, April 30, 2010
Gourmet "Glamping" in Washington
The term "glamping" is almost as annoying to me as "staycation" -- actually, possibly more so -- but the concept is one I can really get behind: all the pleasures of the great outdoors without sacrificing comfort or style. Last week, The New York Times brought news of combo adventure travel-gourmet cooking excurisions (which you already knew about since I wrote about it last year), but here's one better: learn to cook gourmet campfire cuisine, while sleeping outdoors in style in Washington's San Juan Islands. Head to Lakedale Resort on May 14-15 or September 24-25, 2010, where you'll check into a 225 square foot canvas cabin, which will be outfitted with s a queen bed with pillow-top bedding, a full-size sleeper sofa or two lounge chairs, pillows and a flannel duvet, a table and four chairs, one cordless lantern and bath linens. (Try to overlook that it's called a "glampsite".) Then, you'll gather around the fire for a cooking seminar with Chef Joseph Foriska of The Bluff Restaurant • Bar • Terrace at Friday Harbor House to learn to prepare such dishes as apple cider marinated chicken breast, corn skewers finished with a poblano compound butter, campfire baked beans and more. It ends with a "s'mores symposium", which promises to take this kid-favorite treat to a whole new level.
City Confidant, March 29, 2010
Gourmet Glamping in San Juan Islands: Luxury Camping with a Culinary Twist
Seattleites enjoy the outdoors. That's why we live in the Northwest. So if you love the open air, but camping isn't your thing, why not try "glamping" - aka glamorous camping? The Lakedale Resort in Three Lakes is offering a glamping weekend, May 14-15, that includes a two-night getaway in a canvas cabin and campfire cooking classes by Chef Joseph Foriska of The Bluff Restaurant • Bar • Terrace at Friday Harbor House. Take over a fort in one of Lakedale's 13 "glampsites," a custom-built, 225-square-foot canvas cabin that contains a queen bed with pillow-top bedding, a full-size sleeper sofa or two lounge chairs, pillows and a flannel duvet, a table and four chairs, one cordless lantern, and bath linens. We say WOW! Every glampsite also includes two Adirondack chairs, a picnic table, and a fire ring. Chef Joseph will teach you how to prepare a campfire feast of Westcott Bay Oysters, Apple Cider Marinated Chicken Breast, Marinated New York Strip Steak, Corn skewers, Fingerling Potatoes, Rosemary Salad, Island Green Salad, and Campfire Baked Beans. And, of course, no campfire dinner is complete without a s'mores symposium, where you will learn how to create the perfect s'more. Escape to the San Juan Islands with your significant other or a group of friends, and experience a fantastic getaway.
Wine Press Northwest, March 12, 2010
10 Great Things to do in Northwest Wine Country
#8. Glamping in the San Juans. Two properties in Friday Harbor, Wash., are taking glamorous camping to the nth degree by offering "gourmet glamping" on May 14-15. Lakedale Resort at Three Lakes and The Bluff Restaurant at Friday Harbor House are collaborating on two-night stays for Lakedale's well-appointed canvas cabins. When guests arrive, they get a bottle of Domaine Ste. Michelle sparkling wine, a chef's hat and apron and the opportunity to prepare a multi-course dinner, enjoyed around the campfire. On Saturday evening, couples meet at the campfire, get assembled into small groups, then are taught how to prepare a course for the dinner by The Bluff culinary team. For dessert, everyone will receive s'more training. If you miss this weekend, a second "camp" is Sept. 24-25.
CityConfidant.com, March 3, 2010
Take a romantic getaway to Friday Harbor for a Couples Kitchen Mixer hosted by Chef Joseph Foriska from Friday Harbor House. Class themes include, "I Second that Emulsion," the art of emulsifying - from homemade mayonnaise to hollandaise sauce, "Too Hot to Handle," the intimate details of the chili pepper and decoding the Scoville or hotness scale, and "It's a Wild World," an exploration of cultured foods and the world cultures that have created them. Package includes one-night stay, cooking class with lunch, and wine for two at The Bluff Restaurant • Bar • Terrace.
March 6-7, 13-14 and 20-21
425 Magazine, March-April 2010
"Camping - Roughing It = Glamping, And More Unique Experiences on San Juan Island"
Friday Harbor House has been undergoing some renovations and they want to show off. They have been running a lot of specials, so if a hotel stay with a great view of the ferries floating into dock is what you had in mind, make sure to check them out. In addition, the Bluff Restaurant not only has a new look, their menu is fresh, too.
San Juan Journal, February 23, 2010
The Bluff Restaurant • Bar • Terrace at Friday Harbor House has appointed Joseph Foriska as chef. "As a resident of the San Juan Islands for more than 15 years, Chef Foriska brings to the table a familiarity of the San Juan Island culinary community and strong relationships with local purveyors," Friday Harbor House GM Michael O'Dell said in a press release. "After working at some of the area's most renowned dining establishments, we feel honored to have him on board at The Bluff." From 2006-09, Foriska served as food and beverage purchasing manager at Roche Harbor Resort. During his tenure, the wine program at McMillin's Dining Room was consecutively awarded Wine Spectator's "Award of Excellence." Foriska previously owned and served as executive chef at Fleur de Lys, a French-inspired fine dining restaurant on San Juan Island. He has served as sous chef at Vinny's Restaurant and Duck Soup Inn.
TheProvince.com, February 21, 2010
"Work up an appetite for Cooking Class Getaways choices"
Have you a yearning to learn how to make hollandaise sauce or how much chili in a dish is yummy and how much is just nasty? These one night Cooking Class Getaways to the waterfront Friday Harbor House in the San Juan Islands may be your solution. Friday Harbor House's new chef, Joseph Foriska, has introduced the cooking series, Couples Kitchen Mixers. There are three mixers in March each with a different theme.
Seattle Magazine, January 2010
Olympics Guide: Enjoy the 2010 Winter Olympics without leaving Seattle
This nearby getaway would be sure to qualify for a medal if it were a competition. The "Go for the Gold" package includes a bottle of wine upon arrival, $20 to spend at The Bluff Restaurant • Bar • Terrace and a $100 gift certificate to Bison Galleries.
Other popular venues include Friday Harbor House on San Juan Island, with 1,000 square feet of meeting space.
Northwest Meetings + Events, Fall 2009
The Bluff Restaurant ? Bar ? Terrace has opened at Friday Harbor House, located on San Juan Island, Wash., and features fresh fare from local waters and farms.
ShowCase Magazine, Winter 2009
Two blocks from the ferry we arrive at Friday Harbor House. The architecture is contemporary yet distinctly Northwest, the luxurious little boutique hotel brings urban sophistication to the island. The Bluff Restaurant is located on the property, this sleek dining room has captivating views. Freshness and flavor define dining at the Friday Harbor House.
Travel Age West, October 19, 2009
The Bluff faces the postcard-perfect bay, and its refurbishment capitalizes on that magical setting. The designers wisely removed any obstacles between diners and the great outdoors, essentially creating a wall of windows between the indoors and out.
Seattle Times | Pacific Northwest Magazine, October 4, 2009
When it opened, the façade of Friday Harbor House seemed almost too avante garde for this sleepy former fishing village. But if Friday Harbor House was ahead of its time, the town seems to have caught up with it. This century, Friday Harbor has gained a number of new buildings; one of them, a swank new multiuse facility, bookends the small park adjacent to the inn. Friday Harbor House has changed, too, but only for the better. The sleek island getaway now includes a conference center and several new guest rooms, and a recent makeover has expanded its dining room.
Bridal Guide, September/October, 2009
The Friday Harbor House, an intimate inn with a much-lauded restaurant, sits on a bluff overlooking San Juan Island's marina. Each of the 23 guestrooms has a sitting area with a gas fireplace and a whirlpool tub; some have balconies.
The Wall Street Journal, July 31, 2009
Where to Stay - In Friday Harbor, try the Friday Harbor House (packages with breakfast from $299; fridayharborhouse.com).
The Daily Journal of Commerce, June 5, 2009
The Bluff Restaurant ? Bar ? Terrace opened in Friday Harbor. The restaurant overlooks the ferry landing with views of the San Juan Channel and marina.
American Express Blue Sky Traveler, August 2008
Mornings are crisp and cool, the trees are exploding with color - it's time to get in the car and take a long weekend to the San Juan Islands. Pick just one of these Pacific Northwest Isles, or do one a day. On San Juan, stay at the Friday Harbor House.
Seattle P-I, July 2008
Friday Harbor on San Juan Island is thriving with activity during vacation season. Arrive to the island using the Victoria Clipper, which operates daily service from downtown Seattle to Friday Harbor during the summer months. While on the island, enjoy the best view in town from the lawn at Friday Harbor House from its gorgeous hillside perch.
TravelandLeisure.com, Summer 2008
Friday Harbor House was voted as one of the top 20 summer getaways in the United States. Only 100 miles north of Seattle, you can walk two blocks from the ferry to the resort itself, where 23 modern guestrooms and suites have unique artwork, furniture, fireplaces, and oversize jetted tubs, and most have views of the harbor and pine-covered islands. Since the islands are one of the best whale-watching spots in the world, don't miss boating out to Harp Strait and marvel at breaching orcas and humpbacks frolicking with their calves.
PNW Local News, June 2008
The Lummi Arts Festival has several events that will take place to help San Juan residents connect with the original cultures of the islands and Friday Harbor House donated an exhibit of works by artists from the Lummi Nation and from Turtle Mountain Chippewa for the event on West and First streets. Some of the artwork includes intricate beadwork, carvings in wood and bone, leatherwork, and silverwork.
WELCOME TO FRIDAY HARBOR HOUSE
Relax, take in the panoramic views, grab craft cocktails and dinner at the restaurant, and enjoy your island getaway.


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AboutLeadershipAwarenessDirectoryJoinFAQfyi
I belong to a group of local Patient Advocates and we already have our own website. How will the GNA national directory affect my existing group?
Patient Advocacy organizations exist across the country and GNA plans to affiliate with each of them. In fact, GNA is already actively promoting the efforts of existing Patient Advocacy organizations across the country. These organizations will benefit significantly from GNA's mission which is to raise public awareness about the lifesaving benefits of Patient Advocacy while providing access to qualified help. But GNA will never infringe on the efforts and progress made by local and regional Patient Advocacy organizations. Our goal is to raise public awareness on a national level and elevate the entire profession.
I'm listed on another website directory. Why should I be listed with GNA?
The GNA directory is part of our national campaign to promote Patient Advocacy to the public and encourage engagement with Patient Advocacy professionals. The forthcoming GNA national directory promises to be an easy-to-use tool designed specifically for patients and loved ones who are in crisis and need help. The target audience for the national directory is the general public – not advocates. As a result, GNA will focus all resources on directing our message to the people who need advocacy services, Plus, GNA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation and Patient Advocates will not be charged in order to be published on GNA sites. Instead, GNA intends to fund the campaign and directory through philanthropic capital contributions without imposing any financial burden on practicing Patient Advocates.
Does GNA function as a governing body for Patient Advocates?
GNA does not and will not govern advocates. GNA recognizes that Patient Advocacy is a rapidly evolving profession with a handful of rulemaking, credentialing and governing authorities in place. GNA will require Patient Advocates who choose to be listed on GNA sites to have insurance and subscribe to established standards of practice and ethical guidelines but GNA will not govern or dictate any aspect of the profession.
Does GNA provide certification for Patient Advocates?
GNA does not certify, educate or train Patient Advocates. The GNA mission is to promote patient advocacy to the public and provide those in need with a fast connection to advocates capable of helping. GNA supports any and all credentialing and certification programs that enhance the ability of advocates to serve patients and families. GNA will recognize and highlight the credentials and certifications obtained by Patient Advocates but GNA is not and will not be a credentialing or certification body.
How does GNA fit in with other Patient Advocacy organizations and initiatives like APHA, NAHAC and PACB?
GNA has forged honest and forward-thinking relationships with Patient Advocacy leaders and influencers to ensure cohesion and cooperation for the benefit of patients and families. Think of GNA as a public-facing promotional arm for Patient Advocacy that supports the profession as a whole – without infringing on the hard work that has already been done. GNA founder L. Bradley Schwartz lost his limbs to a medical misdiagnosis and made it his personal mission to prevent medical tragedies caused by healthcare system failures. He served on the Board of Directors of PACB and NAHAC ensuring that GNA members will benefit from significant insight into the goals, accomplishments, abilities and aspirations of the organizations that make up the Patient Advocacy profession.
I belong to other national organizations that serve Patient Advocates. Why should I get involved with GNA?
The obvious response is "Why not?" There is really no reason for any advocate not to get involved. GNA's specific mission is to raise public awareness about the lifesaving benefits of Patient Advocacy and steer patients and families to qualified advocates who can improve care. GNA encourages all Patient Advocates to join, maintain and renew their memberships in the Patient Advocacy organizations that train, certify, educate and govern Patient Advocates.
I'm the owner of a business that provides Patient Advocacy Services. Can my business be listed with GNA?
GNA intends to highlight and promote the Patient Advocacy skills and services of those who serve patients and loved ones. To that end, GNA will publish the profiles of individual Patient Advocates. If an advocate works for a business that provides Patient Advocacy services, the individual advocate may be listed in the GNA national directory and designate their business affiliations. But GNA will not be promoting advocacy businesses or firms in the directory – just the Patient Advocates themselves.
Does GNA educate Patient Advocates or provide business services for Patient Advocates?
The simple answer is no. GNA will focus on its mission – to promote Patient Advocacy to the public and provide a way for patients and families to quickly connect with qualified advocates who can help. GNA is confident that existing organizations are doing an excellent job when it comes to training advocates and helping them run their businesses. GNA would not be possible if responsible educational and training programs were not already in place for Patient Advocates. As a result, GNA will focus solely on its mission and leave the training, education and credentialing to others.
What is the difference between the GNA city-sites and the GNANOW.org directory?
The GNA city-sites provide a way for GNA to rally Patient Advocates to join the GNA mission while, at the same time, providing local advocates with a way to connect with each other and promote their services to the communities they serve. The GNA goal of developing a robust national directory depends on the unification, involvement and support of practicing Patient Advocates everywhere.
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Home/US/History forgot the 1871 Los Angeles Chinese massacre, but we've all been shaped by its violence
History forgot the 1871 Los Angeles Chinese massacre, but we've all been shaped by its violence
On this day 150 years ago, a largely white mob of hundreds descended upon what's now downtown Los Angeles and indiscriminately began beating, shooting and hanging any Chinese person they saw.
The 1871 Los Angeles Chinese massacre resulted in the deaths of 18 Chinese men and is believed to be the most lethal example of racial violence ever recorded in the city. It was quickly and eagerly forgotten.
City leaders, embarrassed that the frontier town had made national headlines for violence and lawlessness, built up the police department and tried to restore the rule of law. Eight of the attackers were tried for the crimes but eventually released, and a small indemnity was paid to the Chinese government as an apology. Calle De Los Negros was bulldozed and redeveloped. The Chinese community was rebuilt in a different location.
A century and a half later, as Asian Americans are facing a surge in racial violence prompted by the pandemic, I'm thinking about the lessons never learned from this forgotten history.
The massacre was buried so deeply that even those with deep roots in Chinatown did not know it happened until generations later. Gay Yuen, who was born and raised in Los Angeles' Chinatown and even taught Chinese American history, didn't learn about it until she retired and joined the board of the Chinese American Museum.
The city's first Asian councilman, Michael Woo, whose family helped found Chinatown, learned about it nine years ago, in 2012, when he was asked to review a book on the massacre. There was no memorial until 2001, when a small plaque was installed. In the 150 years since, no relatives of survivors have come forward, and there are no eyewitness accounts.
But perhaps that's unsurprising. One measure of the success of a campaign of racial terror is the fearful silence that follows.
"This was an ethnic cleansing," said Gabriel Chin, a law professor at UC Davis who has studied anti-Chinese legislation. "And it was successful."
The Los Angeles massacre was just one part of a decades-long campaign of anti-Chinese violence and racism, and it wasn't even the most lethal: In Rock Springs, Md., in 1885, at least 28 Chinese miners were slaughtered by a group of white miners who blamed them for economic struggles.
Hong Di is lynched by the citizens of Colusa, Calif., on July 11, 1887.
(Fowzer & Samuels)
Beth Lew-Williams, a Harvard history professor and the author of the book "The Chinese Must Go," found that between 1885 and 1887 there were 86 killings of Chinese people and more than 168 forced or attempted evictions of Chinese communities. It's impossible to know the true scale of the violence, which went unchecked for nearly a half-century.
The massacres, forced evictions, and the constant threat of white violence against Chinese people helped pressure politicians into passing an entire system of laws excluding Asian Americans from doing business, owning land and competing for the same opportunities that white men wanted. Chinese Americans were demonized as dirty, disease-ridden, and deemed an existential economic threat. It was a half-century of racial violence that prompted the Chinese Exclusion Act and laid the groundwork for Japanese incarceration during World War II.
It's a history that feels uncomfortably familiar to us in 2021. The economic tensions may be different, but the stereotypes are the same. Asian Americans are still seen as perpetual foreigners and economic threats. And the violence is on the rise: The STOP AAPI Hate tracker has recorded more than 9,000 incidents of anti-Asian violence since the pandemic began in 2020. In Los Angeles County, anti-Asian hate crimes soared 76% last year.
It's hard to measure how a forgotten history has affected us without speculating.
In Los Angeles, there's a certain generation of Chinese Americans that grew up feeling distanced from their culture. Their parents raised them to speak perfect, accentless English, encouraged them to fit in and prevented them from learning Chinese for fear of racism. They were guided into professions in science, economics and medicine that they felt would be insulated from racial discrimination. They learned to keep their heads down and endure racism, because justice was not guaranteed. Did their parents remember the massacre?
The cultural distance of one generation was echoed and magnified in the next, and many Asian Americans today still have fraught relationships with their culture. Could this be counted as part of the massacre's legacy?
During my reporting in Chinatowns across the country, I've encountered tough, crusty old men and women with uniquely cynical world views and a belief that nothing is more important than survival and economic success. Are these attitudes in some way shaped by memories of violence and discrimination?
There are no definitive, comforting answers. The most enduring legacy of America's era of anti-Chinese violence is simply an absence of Chinese people and communities where they once were. A group of community leaders and Chinatown elders are partnering with the city of Los Angeles and the Chinese American Museum to create a proper memorial to the victims beyond the small plaque currently installed.
When the 1871 Chinese Massacre finally finds its place in history, I hope history will also include what happened after the violence.
The bodies of 17 dead Chinese men and boys lie in the Los Angeles jail yard on October 24, 1871.
(Security Pacific National Bank )
The Chinese community did not simply accept their fate. They demanded restitution and sued for damages, though unsuccessfully. At least 14 out of 15 total Chinese laundrymen in Los Angeles refused to pay their city business license fees the year after the massacre, in what may be the first example of Chinese American civil disobedience. According to accounts of the time, some Chinese Americans responded by taking even more pride in being Chinese, displaying their culture even more boldly despite the danger.
It took them 10 months, but the few Chinese Americans in Los Angeles at the time raised the $8,000 to pay for proper burial ceremonies — an unimaginable amount of money for a group of poor immigrants at the time.
They recruited a priest, built an altar at the site of the massacre, made offerings and burned incense. From there, they marched on foot to the city graveyard to lay the victims to rest.
Though the massacre was forgotten by history, on this the record is clear: the 18 men who died mattered very much to their fellow Chinese Americans in Los Angeles.
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Create your own Squash Club Leagues and Ladders and host them all here - FOR FREE!
It's easy and it's completely free. Just register as a user and you can then start to create your very own Squash Club Website to help you run your squash club's leagues and ladders.
Create a separate area on the site just for your squash club. Only members that you select will be able to view the league and ladder details etc.
Create accounts for all of your players, create your leagues and/or ladders.... and off you go! Alternatively, join an existing squash club - you can search for a club near where you live, and then send a request to join one of their leagues - click here.
View the "How it works" guide.
There's also a free mobile phone app available, that has the most common features available without the need to visit the website. This handy App allows users to login, enter their match results and check the latest results for any league division in their club. Users can easily and quickly access the contact details of fellow club members - and send emails, text messages or make a telephone call directly from the App without having to cut and paste these details from the website.
Click on either of the links below when viewing this page on your mobile phone to install the App from either the Google Play Store (for Android devices) or the App Store (for Apple products) - or Click Here to find out more. Click on either of the links below when viewing this page on your mobile phone to install the App from either the Google Play Store (for Android devices) or the App Store (for Apple products) - or Click Here to find out more.
Coming soon: Direct Integration with SquashLevels Players' match results can be automatically uploaded to SquashLevels. This enables players to track their 'Ranking' within the wider squash community. Find out more here.
Do you want your club to operate without adverts being displayed? Find out how here.


Pinterest now has a button for direct app downloads. Here's why.
Apple has long been called a "walled garden," with a closely connected hardware/software ecosystem. It's why, without hacking your phone, you can only get apps from the App Store. And this model has paid off well for the company–Apple gets a 30% cut of every app they sell.
Now, Apple has entered into a partnership with Pinterest, in which their apps will be downloadable directly through the Pinterest on iPhones and iPads. And by "downloadable," I don't mean some link redirects iOS users from the Pinterest app to the App Store app. I mean, you tap "Install" on a Pinterest board, and the app installs right onto your iPhone. Every bit of friction is gone. The experience is as seamless as Apple's own marketplace, even though, technically, pinterest is really just downloading the app from Apple's servers full of Apple-approved apps.
As of July of last year, Apple had an estimated 1.2 million apps in their App Store. Think about that figure. You want a new tipping app. Okay. Here's a pile of a million apps. Good luck finding it in the pile.
What I've heard from app developers is that if you aren't in one of Apple's top-selling apps, and if you aren't an Editor's Choice, you more or less don't exist. That's not just bad for developers; it's bad for Apple. It severely limits the scope of their inventory. This is like your average 7/11 trying to sell all of Walmart's inventory. And neither Google or App Store search boxes are doing anything to solve it.
That may sound like marketing mumbo jumbo, but it's not. "Discovery" is happening inside Facebook and Twitter's integrated app ads, which offer App Store links in your news feeds. One game developer called these ads "the worst secret in the industry," given how immediately successful they'd been right out of the gate when they launched last year.
If you think about it, that isn't so crazy. Most ads we see on the web aren't immediately actionable. There's that pair of shoes you like from Zappos, targeting you on Facebook? Click that banner ad, and you're still in for several steps to make that purchase. Facebook's App Ads work largely because one tap can take you to the App Store to make a one-tap purchase.
According to the NYT, Pinterest isn't making any money off of their App Pins today. In other words, Pinterest doesn't appear to be getting a cut of Apple's 30% they make off of every app. That means Pinterest is giving Apple advertisements that they're not profiting from, and it's hard to imagine that arrangement as sustainable, or maybe more importantly, viral. If Apple really wants widespread integration of their App Store, why not give out a 5% cut? Why not give every developer the impetus to promote other apps and make them downloadable with a tap? At scale, it could solve Apple's discovery problem. Everywhere you went, you'd remember: Another app is waiting.


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Behind The Boards: Meet Bubbling Chicago Producer OzOnTheTrack
alanna November 1, 2022 0
The magic behind the boards is a super important piece to the puzzle when it comes to any record, and bubbling Chicago native OzOnTheTrack is definitely pushing the culture forward with his sonic ear and skill. Raised in a musically rich city, the rising creative always had a knack for production, songwriting, and engineering — so it comes to no surprise that he'd eventually develop a household name in the music business.
With an interest sparked for production in his childhood, OzOnTheTrack got his start in the 8th grade by monitoring the sound system at his church. He eventually received FL Studios as a gift so he could perfect his newfound skill and it was clearly the perfect choice. Between navigating himself through the software, surfing through YouTube, and sparks of inspiration from watching creatives like Kanye West, Timbaland, Southside and others, he stayed consistent with his passion.
He officially began to shape his hobby into a full-time career at the end of his teenage years, celebrating his first notable placement with Ravyn Lenae in 2015. He also partnered with Chicago-based production company ATS (At The Studio) around this time, and his pace picked up hastily. Fast-forward to 2022, OzOnTheTrack has built a stellar discography that has only been in expansion day by day. He began to lay placements for a plethora of Chicago artists and beyond, like G Herbo, Lil Durk, Queen Key, and others — with his work ethic speaking for itself.
Most recently, supporters and newcomers can spot his tag on G Herbo's Survivors Remorse album, with tracks like "Shordie", "No Guts No Glory", & "4 Minutes of Hell, Pt. 6" and a hand full of others. The album entered the Billboard 200 in the Top 10, going to show the magic OzOnTheTrack brings to the table. Be sure to check out his discography here.
© 2022, alanna. All rights reserved.
POSTED IN » Main Stream, Music, Up & Coming
About the author: alanna View all posts by alanna
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The Big Frederick Gaming Convention (or BFGcon for short) is an annual geeky convention in Frederick, MD that includes Board Games, Magic the Gathering, Tabletop RPGs, Miniature War Gaming, Entertainment, Panels and much, much more.‡ This is the area's only full-fledged con where all types of gamers are welcomed, tournaments and events take place, and where we create a full experience for the attendees instead of just an open space for gaming. In our first year, we chatted with some friends explaining what we wanted, one remarked: "Oh, you want to bring GenCon to Frederick!". Yes, that probably sums it up fairly well. We were amazed (and thrilled) that we got over 450 attendees at our 1st BFGcon in 2018, so we are already working hard on 2019, and have booked three times the amount of space we had last year to make it possible! Make sure you browse around the website to see all the great activities and entertainment that we are planning to bring you in 2019! And don't hesitate to reach out to us!