text:
Dispatch from Monteverde
'Pura vida' on a mission: Monteverde recovers from Tropical Storm Nate
One community's story of Tropical Storm Nate: landslides, fear and resilience
Bike rides with Paul Smith – and other dangerous pursuits
The day I rode my bicycle to see the president
Monteverde: You can get there from here, but you'll need some pura vida
Marshall Cobb April 23, 2017 April 23, 2017
This Monteverde path requires no map. The journey to the famed forest town, however, is another story. (Andrés Madrigal / The Tico Times)
We're pleased to introduce a new column from Monteverde resident Marshall Cobb, who will share commentary on this unique and storied community northwest of San José. Eager to a visit to this lush, green tourist draw? Read more on Monteverde in our Travel section.
"Excuse me. Could you tell us how much further it is to the Monteverde Reserve?"
I stopped my stroll along the dirt road and leaned down to try and see the driver. It was one of the ubiquitous Daihatsu rental cars optimistically advertised as full-sized with four-wheel drive.
I smiled past the lady in the passenger seat, who looked nervous, and accidentally locked eyes with the man behind the wheel, who looked frazzled. A bead of sweat trickled down his temple and he tried, and failed, to avoid flinching in response to the kicks that the two small children tethered into oversized car seats in the second row were delivering to the back of his seat.
I'd been this exact guy about five years ago on our first trip to Monteverde. It's a long, hard drive, particularly with your entire family and related luggage squeezed into less space than is typically provided by a mini-fridge. His eyes spoke panic, so I tried to keep my response short and simple.
"A little more than three more kilometers that way." I pointed in the same direction he was already headed down the bumpy dirt road.
Read also: Monteverde dazzles – wet, wild, lush and teeming with life
The driver leaned towards me so that his head was just beneath his wife's chin. "That can't be right. We passed a sign about three kilometers ago that said it was only three more kilometers."
I'd also been there and done exactly that. "You passed through the town of Guacimal on the way here?"
The woman, fighting for space, looked past her husband's head at the directions in her lap. "Yes. And when we got back to the paved part of the road we veered right. That's where we saw the sign."
I knew the sign. We had often giggled about it and some of the other signage in the neighboring countryside, which, depending on your route, indicates that Monteverde is getting further away as you draw closer.
Sometimes three kilometers are not what they seem. (Courtesy of Marshall Cobb)
"I understand. The sign is wrong. You're about three kilometers from the entrance."
"Why wouldn't they fix the sign? Isn't this the biggest tourist attraction in the area?
He had a good point, but he wasn't grasping the situation. Pura vida, as I've come to find out over the last couple of years, means that you should be happy the sign is pointing the right direction. The fact that somebody might have mixed up which sign should go where from a distance standpoint wasn't really material.
I wanted to say that all the locals know where the Reserve is and, like cat skeletons up trees, permanently lost tourists don't exist. It was all going to work out. I didn't say any of this but instead took the advice of comedian Bill Burr, treating the situation like you'd treat a large, nervous rescue dog: slow, calm words and no sudden moves.
"Yes, that's correct. Just keep driving the direction you're going. Once you cross the bridge stay to the left and you'll see more signs–"
The driver grabbed the directions from his wife. "What bridge? I don't see a bridge!"
Recommended: Dealing with climate change in Costa Rica's treasured Monteverde cloud forest
The lady, equally tired and cranky but also taking the rescue dog approach, gently pushed him back to his side of the car and took back the now crumpled piece of paper, which she extended out her window towards me
"Can you please just show us where we are?"
I winced as a large tourist bus full of grey-haired, well-heeled tourists honked at the stopped car and blew by on the wrong side of the dirt road. The honk made the kids stop screaming and kicking, at least for a second. Locals often jokingly refer to the posh tour buses as the "five thousand year buses" due to the collective age of those therein.
I bent down and looked at the map. I'd seen a lot of horrible, completely not-to-scale maps produced by the hostels and hotels in the area, but this one looked homemade (criollo, as we now say in our family).
(Courtesy of Marshall Cobb)
She noticed my hesitation and smiled. "I did some research and put this together."
In the background, the ever-antsy husband rolled his eyes.
I took one end of the piece of paper and tried to figure out her map. It mostly made sense, and I pointed to a spot at the beginning edge of what is called Monteverde. "You're about here."
She frowned. "I don't understand. I thought we'd been driving through Monteverde for a while already." She pointed to a spot further back on the map. "See, this is our hotel. And our hotel is in Monteverde.
This could have gone a variety of directions. I could've said that once the Quakers, who settled here in the 1950s and named their purchase Monteverde, leased a large portion of their land in the 1970s to help create what is now the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve. Eventually local businesses started cashing in on the tourism angle and hotels and restaurants that weren't particularly close to the Reserve and had nothing to do with conservation proudly announced that they were located in Monteverde.
Further, as I learned from Lucille "Lucky" Guindon (one of those early Quaker settlers), the Costa Rican government got in on the act and eventually named the entire district Monte Verde (though why they made it two words remains an unsolved mystery).
I could've said all of that, but the driver likely would have resorted to violence. Instead, I smiled and said, "Your hotel is actually in a small town called Cerro Plano. I know it's confusing but all you have to do is drive about three more kilometers that way." I again pointed the same direction they were already headed.
Read more: Resisting climate change feather by feather in Monteverde
He wasn't going for it and again tried to hog the map. "We're going to have dinner tonight at this nice restaurant with gardens. They said they're in Monteverde but it's before our hotel — close to the sign that said three kilometers until the Reserve."
"That's actually Santa Elena," I finished for him. "That's the name of the larger town you first entered when you got back to the paved road."
He looked with disgust at their homemade map. "So that's not Monteverde?"
I gently pushed away from their car, smiling as I went. "Yes, at the end of the day it's all now Monteverde."
No one looked happy, and the kids began bickering in earnest. The man grumbled under his breath and put the car back in gear, grinding it a bit, like a lot of other folks who aren't used to a stick shift.
She smiled at me and then turned as best she could to address the children. "If you don't behave we won't go to the Quaker Cheese factory for the tour and ice cream later on."
I watched them drive off, fighting the impulse to let them know that the Quakers had sold the cheese factory to a Mexican company several years back, and the new owners had eliminated the tours — though you can still buy ice cream.
I continued my morning walk back towards our house, which is tucked away in the woods in the hamlet of Cerro Plano. Our move here was an unexpected development that evolved out of what was supposed to be a one-year sabbatical. I had been just like that driver: Type-A, rules-oriented, demanding.
Pura vida has not completely changed me, but I suspect the walking and the reduced stress level may gift me a few years I would otherwise not have seen — unless I end up getting run-over by one of the tourist buses flying by in the sidewalk-free portions of the Monte Verde district.
Marshall Cobb and his family moved to the Monte Verde district in 2015. He takes breaks from working on his novel by posting blogs on his website and can be reached at: marshall@marshall-cobb.com.
Stay tuned for more on Monteverde in Marshall's new series in The Tico Times. Next up: a look at this region's unusual history.
To pave or not to pave? Monteverde's ongoing roadway saga
Monteverde plans to grow with focus on sustainable tourism
columnCosta Rica tourismExpat livingMonteverdeMonteverde cloud forest
Lionel Messi surprises Real Madrid, Keylor Navas with 500th Barcelona goal
Moín cargo terminal will not be ready in January
Costa Rica has administered 25,000 vaccine shots, Caja says
The Tico Times - January 15, 2021
Costa Rica's public-health system has administered nearly 25,000 coronavirus vaccine shots, the Social Security System (Caja) reported. The figure —…
FAQ: The United States' new Covid travel requirements
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has announced that all international airline passengers flying to the United States must show proof…
UK bans South American, Panama arrivals over Brazil virus strain
AFP - January 15, 2021
Britain will ban all arrivals from South America, Panama, Cape Verde and Portugal from 0400 GMT Friday over fears of…
The Tico Times - Jan 15, 2021
AFP - Jan 15, 2021
Mexico to host rescheduled CONCACAF Olympic qualifying
Someone lucky from Costa Rica could win over $1.3 billion in USA lotteries this weekend
The Lotter - Jan 14, 2021
5 top reasons to consider Costa Rica real estate
Gustavo Lopez / AMSI - Jan 14, 2021


Ivory and grey peacock jamdani brocade motif panelled layered maxi dress available only at Pernia's Pop Up Shop.
Featuring an ivory panelled fitted maxi dress in blended khadi silk with peacock jamdani brocade motif and jamdani brocade butis. It has a light grey border and a double layered look.


text:
AOC 'Ignorance' Deepens Demo Race-Card Rift
"How dare they try to play the race card?" demanded Rep. William Lacy Clay.
Yesterday, in "Pelosi vs. Ocasio-Cortez," Nate Jackson noted yet another significant rift opened up between Democrat Party leadership and the new Socialist Democrats headed by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
In response to Speaker Nancy Pelosi's assertion that Ocasio-Cortez and her trio of useful idiots — Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, and Ayanna Pressley — are masters at promoting themselves on social-media platforms, AOC responded by asserting that Pelosi was "singling out newly elected women of color."
That's right — she accused the leader of her party of being a racist.
In response, another Demo person of more color, Rep. William Lacy Clay of Missouri, fired back at AOC, saying it was asinine for Ocasio-Cortez and her "squad" to accuse Pelosi of racism. "I find it juvenile, their tactics. I find their ignorance to be beyond belief about American history," he said. "How dare they try to play the race card?" Clay added, "It shows their lack of sensitivity to racism. To fall back on that [trope] is a weak argument. It has no place in a civil discussion. It shows they have no sensibility to different members from our caucus."
Earlier, Pelosi had chastised the head of Ocasio-Cortez's congressional staff, Saikat Chakrabarti, for comparing moderate Democrats to segregationists. Chakrabarti said centrist Democrats (yes, there are still a few of those) were the "new Southern Democrats" who "certainly seem hell bent to do to black and brown people today what the old Southern Democrats did in the 40s."
When your party's platform is built on identity politics, the inevitable outcome is identity infighting.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Quality Plumbers in Century City, CA.
When want affordable and honest plumbing service for your residence, look no further than the professional plumbers at Sunset West Plumbing & Rooter At Sunset West Plumbing & Rooter, our plumbers are skilled in performing household repairs and preventative maintenance that will leave your systems working more productively. When we opened our doors in 1989, our number one goal has been to deliver plumbing services that are top-quality, efficient, and convenient. Plumbing repairs and maintenance can seem like a hassle, but we are here to offer excellent customer and plumbing services that will make the process smoother. You don't have to deal with inadequate plumbing services and that are way too expensive, because our plumbers have got you covered. If you're looking for a plumbing company in Century City, CA, give us a call today at (310) 454-2010 for affordable and quality service you can rely on!
Whether you want sewer line or sprinkler system repairs, our plumbers are here to deliver incredible service to our Century City, CA. customers. For home plumbing services you can rely on, look at our overview.
Bathtub & Shower When you want affordable and dependable bathtub and shower repairs, our plumbers are here to help!
Hydro Jetting Our plumbers can unblock your drain and sewer using an advanced Hydro Jet system.
Kitchen To keep your kitchen plumbing working in peak shape, give us a call!
Re-models We are able to deliver excellent bathroom and kitchen remodels at an dependable cost.
Sprinkler Systems When you need a sprinkler system outfitted on your grounds, our plumbing professionals are able to help you!
Tank Water Heater Repair When your water heater is leaky, we can repair it right away so you can have excellent water.
Tankless Water Heater Repair When your tankless water stops producing hot water, contact our plumbing company today for dependable repairs and services.
Toilet Repair Economical, outstanding, and efficient toilet replacements and upgrades from our licensed plumbers.
When your plumbing repairs can't wait, give our plumbers a call at (310) 454-2010 to mend your Century City, CA plumbing! Our plumbers take the stress out of the repairs by coming prepared with the correct instruments and materials. Below are the emergency plumbing repairs our plumbing company provides.
Garbage Disposal Repair Your garbage disposal is vital to your kitchen, so contact our plumbers if your disposal is not running correctly.
Leaky Faucets & Pipes Our plumbing company will get your faucets and pipes fixed to stop future leaks.
Sewer Relining Our plumbing team know sewer replacement is expensive, which is why we provide affordable sewer relining!
Slab Leak Detection When you need slab leak detection service, you can rely on the plumbers at Sunset West Plumbing & Rooter.
Trenchless Pipe Repair Don't wait until your pipes are exceeding repair, our experienced plumbers are able to repair your pipes quickly!
If you need preventative maintenance service for your Century City, CA residence, call our plumbing company today at (310) 454-2010. Our plumbers provide maintenance services that are affordable and convenient for our clients. We offer a variety of preventative maintenance services that you can find at the bottom.
Camera Inspection For an advanced and easy way for us to check your plumbing pipes, our plumbers use cameras to inspect your pipes.
Gas Lines Our plumbing team can provide gas line repairs and installations that will keep your residence safe from toxic odors.
Sewer Line Cleaning Our plumbing company will be able to get your sewer in better condition with our safe repairs.
Water Purification & Filtration If your water purification system needs maintenance or you want to install a water filtration, give us a call today!
When you work with our company, we want to ensure our services meet your particular needs. Our plumbers ensure customer happiness by using premium tools and equipment, but also by being reliable and truthful with the upgrades and maintenance that we offer. Our plumbers are thoroughly experienced to repair any plumbing problem you might have, so you won't have to worry about faulty and inadequate repairs and installations. Whether you have a big or tiny plumbing issue, our team can always provide reliable and durable service at an affordable price When you need a dependable and trusting plumbing company in Century City, CA., you can call us at (310) 454-2010.


text:
August Rei (22 de març de 1886 - Estocolm, 29 de març de 1963) fou un polític socialdemòcrata d'Estònia. Va néixer a Pilistvere, Parròquia de Kõo, al Comtat de Viljandi.

Persones del comtat de Viljandi
Polítics estonians
Ministres d'Afers Exteriors d'Estònia
Periodistes estonians
Alumnes de la Facultat de Dret de la Universitat de Sant Petersburg
Morts a Estocolm
Periodistes suecs
Diplomàtics suecs
Polítics suecs
Emigrants cap a Suècia

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


The school holidays are in full swing. Why not take your children to the theatre? Gayle Edmunds reviews some of the wonderful productions on offer.
The school holidays are in full swing. Why not take your children to the theatre? Here are some of the wonderful productions on offer.
If you're regular pantomime-goers in Durban you'll be familiar with KickstArt Theatre's annual festival of silliness. This year they're changing it up – not only have they brought their latest offering to Jozi, they're doing it throughout the winter school holidays.
Puss in Boots, originally written in 1695, is about a wily cat who does what he can to get his rather dozy master a royal bride. This long (but fun) mashup uses this version of the story, but with a good injection of Antonio Banderas' inspired passion.
Earl Gregory dons the fabled boots, whiskers and Latin flair as Puss, with Skeem Saam's Sean John Louw as his master, Tom Marzipan. Darren King, ever the panto dame, dons a donut-inspired ensemble as Mother Marzipan; Michael Richard revels in the role of Grimsby Withergood – the bad goblin; and Ilse Klink wears her wings as the good fairy, Calypso Honeybunch.
Londiwe Dhlomo-Dlamini, who most recently starred in Priscilla Queen of the Desert as one of the three divas, is Princess Miranda; relative newcomer Yamikani Mahaka-Phiri is her father King Magnum; while Zak Hendrikz and Caitlin Kilburn round out the cast as Tristram Marzipan and Selina Swiftclaw.
With a cast of just 15, the team manages to make this feel like a big, bright, traditional pantomime and, despite the first half being a whopping 75 minutes, the two eight-year-olds I took with me loved it. There's also enough adult humour to keep the parents in their seats. This is a good holiday afternoon filler.
This latest offering from the National Children's Theatre under the direction of Francois Theron is based on Kenneth Grahame's classic, The Wind in the Willows. It takes up the story of Rat (Bradley Nowikow) and Badger (JT Medupe), who, with the bewildered help of their new friend, Mole (John Tsenoli), must try to save their crazy and impulsive friend Toad (Gamelihle Bovana), who is his own worst enemy.
It's all very well when Mr Toad takes to the road in a horse-drawn carriage, but when he's run off the road by a car, things take a fast and dangerous turn – because he wants one! And when he gets one, he crashes it and wants another. Which is how he ends up in jail and his grand home, Toad Hall, ends up in the hands of the weasels.
The most incredible thing about this production is how cleverly the team uses the space to create an intimate environment for children to enjoy the theatre. The children huddle at the front of the stage, their noses in the action, and they love it. The songs are wonderful, the set a crafty use of space and, most of all, the cast is dressed to capture the essence of the animals they portray with boundless amounts of energy.
This is a must for the holiday theatre calendar.
Slick and professional, Disney on Ice never puts a skate wrong. However, it's a show that children love and parents don't. It isn't that the show isn't magical and the content familiar, it's the extras – the popcorn, which comes with a little bag, costs R100, ditto the candy floss, which comes with a Nemo hat. The stalls and stalls of merchandise – from fantastic glowing wands to plush Nemos – mean you must not forget to negotiate terms with your children before arriving.
This year's ice-skating extravaganza began with The Lion King, before Snow White is enticed into taking a bite of a poisoned apple. Snow White and the Seven Dwarves – the first animated film put out by Walt Disney – is 80 years old this year. It feels like such an old-fashioned story next to the likes of Tangled and Frozen, both of which feature in this year's offering, but it does show just how far the Disney princess has come in those eight decades.
Aladdin, which turns a mere 25 years old this year, also features, as does Toy Story and Finding Dory. But the one all the children were waiting for was Frozen and the cast of skaters didn't disappoint. It was spectacular and one little girl stood on her chair and belted out every single word of Let it Go – with gestures. This alone was worth going for.
It's expensive, but it caters to all children who love Disney, so dig deep for a visit if you haven't been before.


text:
Drew Houston Net Worth
Drew Houston is a famous American entrepreneur. He is most renowned as the founder and CEO of Dropbox, online storage and backup service. Continue reading to find the net worth of Drew Houston as of 2019.
Early Life & Biography:
Drew Houston was born as Andrew W. Houston on 4th May 1983 in Acton in Massachusetts in the US. Around the 1990s, Drew Houston studied from the Acton-Boxborough Regional High School. Drew Houston graduated with Computer Science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). While at MIT, Drew Houston was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. Drew met Arash Ferdowsi who later became the co-founder and CTO of Dropbox.
Career, Awards & Nominations:
While in college, Drew Houston often left his USB drive behind at the college dormitory. Drew Houston wished to upload his work online but, the then available facilities had technical issues. As a Computer Science student of MIT, Drew Houston knew the significance of online storage and backup service. This idea prompted Drew Houston to establish his start-up called Dropbox that has provided beneficial facilities to several users all over the world.
Drew Houston and Arash Ferdowsi, his close friend, and fellow classmate from MIT was responsible for establishing Dropbox. The duo took around $15,000 from Y Combinator, the start-up funding firm, to officially create Dropbox in 2007. After one year, the Company formally launched at the annual technology conference called TechCrunch50. After its official establishment, Dropbox is considered one of the most successful start-ups in Silicon Valley.
The Dropbox Company is based in San Francisco. Yet, the Company has been so successful that it has become very popular all over the world. It is most popularly used in Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Dropbox users can store their documents, photographs, and videos for future access and sharing.
Drew Houston was considered as one of the best start-ups of the Silicon Valley. The Business Week named Drew Houston as one of the most promising businessmen aged 30. Moreover, Inc.com named Drew Houston as one of the top 30 under-30 entrepreneurs of the world.
Net Worth & Earnings:
The net worth of Drew Houston is $3 billion. Drew Houston earns as the co-founder and CEO of Dropbox, the online storage and backup service Company. In 2007, when he was 24 , Drew Houston and his close friend and classmate Arash Ferdowsi established Dropbox. Drew Houston held 24.4% voting power in Dropbox before filing for IPO on 23rd February 2018. In March 2018, Dropbox went public after its shares were listed on the Nasdaq exchange. At that point in time, Dropbox achieved market capital of $30 billion.
Before Dropbox, Drew Houston tried several start-ups namely Accolade, Bit9, and HubSpot that were unsuccessful. Today, over 500 million people globally use Dropbox for storing online and getting backup services.


Trinity Anglican Church regularly participates in the Rochester Community Kitchen. Our team serves food to those in need from the Kitchen of First United Methodist Church. Fr. Mirabile attends and spends time building relationships with those who are served. We hope not only to serve food, but to serve dignity and love as well.
We partner with the Share Fund to provide housing and financial aid to those in need. Through our Thrift Shop we provide goods and clothing very inexpensively and also donate a large amount of clothing to local ministries and services.


White City Place's very own podcast connects creative thought leaders for invigorating conversations about the creative industry. Proudly recorded in the Pod.
Book the Pod to record your podcast at White City Place, using professional-grade equipment, overseen by trained audio engineers. Your first three recordings are free.
For live presentations, live podcast recordings, lectures, screenings and panel discussions, the Studio is a flexible, 100-seat multimedia presentation space with audio and video livestream capability.


There is no question that we are blessed with an abundance of amazing beer bars here in Seattle. Any time a list of "Top Beer Bars" comes out, there are bound to be some glaring omissions. But, it's always nice to see some of our local spots recognized in a national publication.
Draft Magazine's annual list of "America's 100 Best Beer Bars" is one of the more popular lists, and the 2015 edition was posted on their website today. Four Seattle beer bars made the cut for 2015: Beveridge Place Pub, The Pine Box, The Sixgill and Stumbling Monk. All four of these bars were named to the list in 2014 as well, and Beveridge Place Pub and Stumbling Monk have been on the list for as long as I can remember it being put together. A few Seattle bars have dropped off the list over the years, but I certainly can't argue with Pine Box and Sixgill being in there. I'd consider all four of these bars some of my favorites in the city.
What about all the other outstanding beer bars that didn't make the list: Uber Tavern, Brouwer's Cafe, Collins Pub, Tippe & Drague, etc…? Again, it just goes to show how lucky we are here. These lists can be arbitrary when you are looking at some great bars and only have room for a certain number.
This reminds me that someday I should probably consider updating my own list of Top 10 Beer Spots in Seattle….which I last did in 2012. Much has changed since then.
A big congrats to all four of the bars on the Draft list, and cheers to all the other great bars in town.


text:
Fenix commences development of iron ore mine in Western Australia
21 September 2020	(Last Updated September 21st, 2020 12:42)
Exploration company Fenix Resources has started works including clearing, grubbing as well as topsoil stripping activities at the Iron Ridge direct shipping ore (DSO) iron-ore project in Western Australia (WA).
Topsoil stripping at Iron Ridge project. Credit: Fenix Resources.
Located about 600km north-north-east of Perth, the Iron Ridge project is approximately 67km north-east of the township of Cue in WA.
The company, alongside a local Western Australian contractor, is building an access road and camp, having secured camp buildings and key working personnel. The company has also ordered truck and trailer combinations for the road transport fleet.
With these plant and equipment items in place, the exploration company believes a mining contract award is 'imminent'.
The Iron Ridge project is on track to begin production before the end of this year, with first ore shipment scheduled for early next year.
Fenix Resources managing director Rob Brierley said: "We are fully focussed on taking advantage of one of Iron Ridge's key attributes; speed to market, in that it can be transitioned into a production asset in a timeframe of around three months.
"In advance of awarding the mining contract, we have local businesses doing early stage works for us, consistent with our objective of benefitting the community in which we will operate. We look forward to delivering on our previously announced timeline to achieve first sales in early 2021."
The feasibility study on the project was completed in November last year using contract mining and trucking methods to minimise upfront capital requirements.
TRJ Engineering
Stainless-Steel Fabrication and Engineering Services
Red Meters
Process Characterization For Dry Bulk and Wet Slurries
Adria Manufacture
Portable Substations for Mining


The Lunkerhunt Link is very unique as the hinge between the two baits allows it to have an extremely life-like swimming action. You can walk it, swim it like a snake, or make it look like fleeing baitfish. Use short twitches of the rod tips with a steady retrieve for best results.


text:
Home Health Innovation
Omnibus HIPAA: BAs, Breaches Will Get Worse Before Better
TOPICS:Brian AhierGovernment Health IThipaa breachHIPAA OmnibusPonemon InstituteRick KamTom Sullivan
By Tom Sullivan, Editor, Government Health IT
Twitter: @GovHITEditor
If the healthcare providers that have been operating under HIPAA for nearly two decades were the only ones required to comply with the new rule on privacy and security, that would be challenging enough. But they're not.
Instead, the business associates deemed covered entities beginning September 23 are entirely new to the law and that could open up a whole slew of problems.
"A lot of folks are real nervous about that," said Brian Ahier, founder of Advanced Health Information Exchange Resources (AHIER). "Some are taking a wait-and-see approach."
Ahier explained that among the healthcare organizations he has encountered most are at least prepared for the low-hanging fruit within the law, activities including updating notice of privacy practices, getting policy and legal experts involved, generally making sure they are set to meet new requirements.
Yet, those are the existing covered entities and, as such, they are more or less used to HIPAA — and even for them it will require major adjustments. But it's the Business Associates (BAs), essentially partners, vendors, contractors and subcontractors or anyone who maintains protected health information (PHI) that have Rick Kam, president and co-founder of security vendor ID Experts, most concerned.
"We anticipate that as opposed to the organizations that are covered entities today, the few hundred thousand if you will, the final rule adds several million business associates including technology and services providers to the mix," Kam explained. "The good news is now they're accountable to protecting PHI; the bad news is now, I think, we will see a lot more issues arise out of these organizations becoming accountable."
Having those business associates in a realm that all too frequently dedicates scant resources to securing protected health information, Kam continued, will likely expand the problem. In other words: More covered entities will translate to more reported breaches.
"The omnibus rules, now that they'll be applied, are entirely new to BAs. So they're going to need a lot of help understanding what they need to do," Kam said. "It's going to get worse before it gets better."
Choppy water ahead
Laura Adams, president and CEO of the Rhode Island Quality Institute explained that among her concerns are raising awareness among existing healthcare organizations and newly-minted covered entities — even though Rhode Island as a state is actually ahead of the curve, having enacted legislation and other initiatives to protect patient data well before of the final HIPAA rule.
"As we've become very transparent about breaches in this country, that has raised awareness because we're all seeing the breaches being reported, publications are reminding us of that, and they should," Adams said, explaining that RIQI and the Rhode Island HIE Current Care are hosting educational webinars, pushing out information via Twitter and blog posts, "everything it can do," to spread the word and educate participants about tools available to help them comply. "I think we have more rough water ahead to navigate before we pass through that initiation into the new world of sharing very, very sensitive data."
Ponemon Institute founder and chairman Larry Ponemon said he doesn't expect data breaches to subside anytime soon but added that the omnibus rule "will have a positive impact because the verdict is out concerning how you actually go about securing all that information, especially in a health information exchange environment when by protecting the information you're sometimes stopping the flow of data."
And that is exactly what Adams and no doubt other HIE executives want, if not need, to avoid.
"We have to keep working to put the foundation in place," Adams explained, "so we are able to connect all the data that's needed to take care of people."
Despite the tricky new BA regulations, none of the experts Government Health IT interviewed tended toward doomsday scenarios.
"A lot of people have been predicting the apocalypse because of this giant new rule coming in that's going to change the face of privacy and security in healthcare. I don't think that so much," Ahier explained. "Obviously there will be a new level of scrutiny but I think it's more an incremental change than the massive overhaul some people are calling it."
This article was originally published on Government Health IT and is republished here with permission.


text:
Q: How to keep question marks for input field values in GET forms? I have an HTML form like the following:
<form method="GET" name="search" action="/api">
Name: <input type="url" name="url" />
<input type="submit" value="Search"/>
</form>

If I input some value in the URL field like www.google.com?teste=a, I receive on my server-side the following value from the parameter www.google.com teste=a (notice the question mark disappeared).
Is it possible to fix this without using JavaScript to receive the question mark on the server-side?

A: Without changing the form method to POST you could possibly use Javascript to modify the value of the URL field just prior to submitting the form itself.

document.forms.search.bttn.addEventListener('click',function(e){
  e.preventDefault();
  this.previousElementSibling.value=encodeURIComponent(this.previousElementSibling.value);
  this.parentNode.submit()
});
<form method="GET" name="search" action="/api">
  Name: <input type="url" name="url" />
  <input type="submit" name='bttn' value="Search" />
</form>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
William Whifler
William A. Whifler House
The William Whifler HouseWilliam Whifler Son2017-07-27T05:17:45+00:00
– Unknown California mid-century master-architect recognized –
THE WILLIAM A. WHIFLER HOUSE IN BURLINGAME, CA, HAS BEEN LISTED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES.
The architecture of a formally undiscovered Mid-Century California Modernist Master has found national recognition by the listing of the William A. Whifler House on the National Register of Historic Places by the U.S. Department of the Interior, and inclusion into the California Register of Historical Resources.
The William A. Whifler House, 1544 Drake Ave. Burlingame CA.
Built in 1958, the architect, William A. Whifler designed it as a "retirement" home for his mother on a plot of land that had been a formal garden next to their 1912 craftsman bungalow family home. His design for this house, containing some 1500 square feet of floor area, stands out like a jewel among Bay Area Modernism for its bold yet delicate interplay of structural steel, glass, concrete block, copper, and redwood. The home gracefully cantilevers out over the steep back portion of the lot and Mills Creek below. There is nothing like it in Burlingame, or California, or beyond. Still owned by the Whifler family, The William A. Whifler House has remained in the pristine condition of its building in 1958. Besides his civic architectural work, the Burlingame City Hall, Whifler's residential creations are mostly hidden treasures of the San Francisco Peninsula, set back deep into lots so his clients could privately enjoy their glass houses surrounded by nature.
Getting the William A. Whifler House on both the National Register of Historic Places and the California Register of Historical Resources proved a long and arduous journey but three things made it possible. First, the great work done by Thomas Rex Hardy, AIA, Architect, and Robert Bruce Anderson who recognized the home's extraordinary architectural significance then set out to research, document, and delineate in technical detail a presentation through a myriad of forms the petitions for recognition that were ultimately accepted by the State and Federal Governments. Second, it was the desire and determination by the Whifler family to seek recognition of this creation and to share its artistic significance with the community and future generations. Thirdly, fundamentally, it was Whifler's inspired architecture that made all this possible. Also a shout-out of thanks to Jay Correia and Amy Crain at the California Office of Historic Preservation.
May 8, 2017. William Whifler's son Graeme Whifler and granddaughter Suzanne Whifler at the plaque hanging.
The conclusion to the National Register of Historic Places reads as follows.
"The design and construction of the house at 1544 Drake Avenue together achieve a refined elegance as is evident in the building's well-crafted, cohesive use of building materials that characterize modernist architecture: wood, steel, masonry, and glass. Interior rooms and improved outdoor spaces, such as the U-shaped, rectangular court and the Japanese garden in the house's front yard, coexist with one another through the extensive use of floor-to-ceiling planes of transparent glazing. With the notable exception of the peaked living room roof, supported by steel frames fabricated in a manner whose custom configuration suggests the letter W, the ceilings and roof areas are horizontal planes that project expansively, enhanced by widely cantilevered soffited eaves. In addition to embracing California, and more specifically, Bay Area Modernism, the Whifler House draws inspiration from an intensely personal and local source, the next-door childhood home of the architect, a 1912 California Craftsman bungalow that had at its core a U-shaped courtyard. Formed with a similar U-shaped courtyard, the Whifler House at 1544 Drake Avenue draws upon a delicate floating masonry and steel structure to hang a curtain of glass creating a masterwork of Modernism that is in part a reimagination of the architect's boyhood Craftsman home. The Whifler House exemplifies a historically significant contribution to Modernism in both design and use of materials. It also embodies a unique vision of high artistic values and is the work of a master. It is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historical Places under Criterion C in the area of Architecture."
William A. Whifler
His creations embraced modernism, yet the architecture of William A. Whifler (1925-1984) was of his own, personal, individual, inspired by the textures and light of Northern California, and by a boyhood fascination with a neighbor's exotic house. Born in San Francisco, Whifler grew up on Drake Avenue in the Bay Area suburb of Burlingame, CA. Located at the end of a sparsely populated street, where the suburb gave way to dairy pastures, the family home was a Craftsman Courtyard Bungalow surrounded by endless sprawling gardens. For a young William Whifler it was an ordinary Peninsula neighborhood of the 1920's and 30's save for one unlikely structure, an authentic traditional Japanese tea house directly across the street.
Whifler's works spanned the boom times after the war, from the 1950's to the '70's, a remarkable era of seemingly endless creative architectural possibilities that today is marked by the title, Mid-Century Modern.
c 1958. Clara Whifler's Desoto parked in the carport at her new house. On the right is the peaked roof of the old family craftsman home.
His designs were mostly residential, crafted of wood, glass, concrete block and steel; and sublime in form as to bring to mind names like Rudolph Schindler, Richard Neutra, or Frank Lloyd Wright.
William Whifler's life and architectural creations were grounded in the communities of San Francisco's Mid-Peninsula. He married his Burlingame High School sweetheart Jean, attended The College of San Mateo, graduated in architecture at Stanford University, raised his family in Hillsborough, and went on to become Professor and Co-Founder of the Department of Architecture at the College of San Mateo.
At a time when tracts of Eichler homes were erected en masse, Whifler was commissioned by those seeking something extraordinary, something custom, modern, and warmly human. Whifler's clients wanted to both own and live within a work of art.
Relatively few have seen his creations. And many have been lost to "makeovers" or teardowns. This home, untouched by time, designed for his mom and sited in the expansive garden of his childhood home, is a jewel of design, and now a recognized national treasure.
c 1930. William A. Whifler stands in the family garden fishpond on the land he would design a home for his mother 28 years later.
More about the William A. Whifler House
More about the architect William A. Whifler
Contact for more info.
Graeme Whifler
Email: Graeme Whifler
Web: Graeme Whifler Images
Dan Whifler
Web: Daniel Whifler Production Design
Copyright 2017 Graeme Whifler


Like a still picture from within the whirlwind of memories. Great in its simplicity, beyond understanding like the becoming of a butterfly. Congratulations.
Very well Writen and dreamy. I like it very much..
i remembered...thoughts that shouldn't be thought without being done. yet good thoughts. to tomorrow, sailor wings !


Notre-Dame Cathedral, Mueller Report, Boston Marathon Your Monday Evening Briefing Tayla Parx Helped Ariana Grande Evolve. Now Its Her Turn. Illuminated UV paintings on women's backs celebrate beauty Series from The Walking Dead creator will explore future where social media is linked to your BRAIN On Tennis Bianca Andreescu Is Rising in the Tennis Rankings Ahead of Schedule Well How Do You Die of Parkinsons Disease? Fund curacne managers skittish over Levi's long-term growth prospects The Week in Books Front Burner A Swirl of Spring for the Table How to Go Paperless in Your Home Office Shazam! Keeps Box-Office Lead as Hellboy Flounders Two sides of Tiger Woods Londoners rage at second day of Extinction Rebellion action Juan Guaido has been banned from running for office Whats Life Like as a Student at U.S.C.? Depends on the Size of the Bank Account Fiction A Comic Novel Reunites a Damaged Dad and His Recalcitrant Offspring Paris' Notre-Dame Cathedral on fire A Joyful Oasis Thrives in the California Desert Tiger Woods wins Masters, first major in 11 years Purchase now curacne shopping europe.


text:
« Forced Pregnancy in Italy Violated 'Woman's Human Right to Health' – UN Experts Rule | Ctrl – So Many Evil Things over the Internet »
Stoking Fear: We Must Remember How the Iraq War Was Sold
By Roy Eidelson – TRANSCEND Media Service*
Roy Eidelson
History shows that fearmongering has long been a standard tactic used to rally public support and acquiescence for military interventions that are both unwarranted and unwise.
"Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country."
— Nazi propagandist Hermann Goering
It was 16 years ago this month, on March 19, 2003, that U.S. forces began a misguided and illegal "shock and awe" military assault on Iraq. The enormous costs of that invasion and subsequent occupation are all too clear today.
Thousands of American soldiers and coalition allies were killed and many more suffered horrific, debilitating injuries; among the U.S. casualties, a disproportionate numberwere underprivileged youth.
At the same time, hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians died, and millions were driven from their homes. To this toll we can also add the emergence and growth of the monstrous Islamic State (ISIS). And our Iraq War expenditures—past, present, and future—total trillions of dollars, a massive drain on crucial domestic programs for those in need.
Many painful lessons can still be drawn from this devastating war and its ongoing aftermath. Among them, the tragedy represents a distressing case study in the manipulative use of fear—what I call "It's a Dangerous World" appeals—by disingenuous leaders who insist that disaster awaits if we fail to heed their policy prescriptions.
Unfortunately, dire warnings from influential figures can short-circuit our critical thinking and propel us toward action even before we've examined the evidence or considered the consequences and alternatives.
Psychologically, we're soft targets for these tactics because, in our desire to avoid being unprepared when danger strikes, we're often too quick to conjure catastrophe—the worst outcome imaginable—regardless of how unlikely it may be.
These "It's a Dangerous World" appeals were employed by the George W. Bush White House throughout the Iraq War. They began with repeated claims months before the invasion that Saddam Hussein—the country's brutal dictator—had weapons of mass destruction (WMDs).
In August 2002, for example, Vice President Dick Cheney told attendees at the national convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Nashville: "There is no doubt that Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction. There is no doubt he is amassing them to use against our friends, against our allies, and against us."
Two months later, President Bush presented this frightful image to an audience in Cincinnati: "Knowing these realities, America must not ignore the threat gathering against us. Facing clear evidence of peril, we cannot wait for the final proof—the smoking gun—that could come in the form of a mushroom cloud."
And Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld was unequivocal at a December 2002 Department of Defense news briefing: "Any country on the face of the earth with an active intelligence program knows that Iraq has weapons of mass destruction."
It didn't matter that these claims were all untrue; they were effective nonetheless. As White House officials had hoped, their warnings and alarmist predictions succeeded in persuading most Americans of two things: Iraq's dictator had WMDs, and "preventive" military action was therefore necessary.
Indeed, Bush knew he already had won over a majority of Americans when he sat before the television cameras in the Oval Office 16 years ago and announced that U.S. forces had invaded Iraq.
After the invasion, when WMD stockpiles couldn't be found, the Bush administration simply shifted gears a bit. It continued to feed the public's fears by linking the war in Iraq to the larger "global war on terror."
Speaking at the National Lawyers Convention of the Federalist Society in Washington, D.C., in 2006, Cheney offered this: "On the morning of September 11th, we saw that the terrorists need to get only one break, need to be right only once, to carry out an attack. We have to be right every time to stop them. So to adopt a purely defensive posture, to simply brace for attacks and react to them, is to play against lengthening odds, and to leave the nation permanently vulnerable."
When debate over the correct course in Iraq intensified even more the following year, the president yet again resorted to "It's a Dangerous World" appeals. Bush warned of looming catastrophe with public statements like this: "If we do not defeat the terrorists and extremists in Iraq, they won't leave us alone—they will follow us to the United States of America. That's what makes this battle in the war on terror so incredibly important." The fearmongering didn't stop when Bush left office. In a 2010 Veterans Day speech in St. Louis, General John Kelly—most recently Donald Trump's chief of staff—insisted: "Our enemy is savage, offers absolutely no quarter, and has a single focus, and that is either kill every one of us here at home or enslave us with a sick form of extremism that serves no God or purpose that decent men and women could ever grasp."
Today it's clear that Iraq did not have an active WMD program. Yet many Americans—including more than half of Fox News viewers—continue to erroneously believe that such a program was found.
So too, in a 2011 poll almost half of Americans believed that Iraq either gave substantial support to al-Qaeda or was involved in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Neither claim is true. The persistence of these false beliefs demonstrates the staying power of manipulative psychological appeals designed to exploit our fears.
But despite the devastation wrought, we shouldn't overlook the fact that the Iraq War created its share of winners too. Consider the executives and largest shareholders in companies like Halliburton's former subsidiary Kellogg, Brown, and Root; General Dynamics; Lockheed Martin; and ExxonMobil, to name just a few. These corporations garnered huge war profits through no-bid defense contracts, oil sales, environmental cleanup, infrastructure repair, prison services, and private security.
Indeed, speaking to defense contractors at an August 2015 private event, the former president's brother Jeb Bush—who failed to gain the 2016 Republican presidential nomination—explained, "Taking out Saddam Hussein turned out to be a pretty good deal."
Sadly, the high-level machinations that produced the Iraq War are far from unique. History shows that fearmongering has long been a standard tactic used to rally public support and acquiescence for military interventions that are both unwarranted and unwise.
It has happened many times before, it has happened since, and it will happen yet again—perhaps soon—unless we collectively learn to recognize, resist, and counter these false appeals from self-serving peddlers of war.
*Roy Eidelson is a member of the TRANSCEND Network and was a member of the American Psychological Association for over 25 years, prior to his resignation. He is a clinical psychologist and the president of Eidelson Consulting, where he studies, writes about, and consults on the role of psychological issues in political, organizational, and group conflict settings.
He is a past president of Psychologists for Social Responsibility, associate director of the Solomon Asch Center for Study of Ethnopolitical Conflict at Bryn Mawr College, and a member of the Coalition for an Ethical Psychology. Roy can be reached at reidelson@eidelsonconsulting.com.
This article originally appeared on Transcend Media Service (TMS) on 25 Mar 2019. TMS: Stoking Fear: We Must Remember How the Iraq War Was Sold
Posted on 28/03/2019 at 08:44 in Africa, Asia, Latin America & Caribbean, Market Lords, Middle East, Migrants and Refugees, Mother Earth, Others-USA-Europe-etc., The Peoples, Uncategorized, War Lords	| RSS feed | Reply	| Trackback URL


text:
Derek Chauvin found guilty of murder of George Floyd
Published in the Guardian on 21st April 2021
In Minneapolis, celebrations broke out at the news of a guilty verdict. Photograph: Nikolas Liepins/Rex/Shutterstock
Derek Chauvin, a police officer who was charged with the murder of George Floyd, was found guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter. Chauvin will face up to 40 years in prison. Philonise Floyd was the only member of the Floyd family to hear the verdict in person and he shared "I was just praying they would find him guilty. As an African American, we usually never get justice".
Benjamin Crump, a lawyer who represents Floyd's family, stated that "Justice for Black America is justice for all of America." Crump commented that this verdict represents a change in the accountability of law enforcement agencies and hopes that this message will be heard, loud and clear, across the country.
The Floyd family was contacted by President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris after the verdict was announced. President Biden said to the family that "Nothing is going to make it all better, but at least now there is some justice. We're all so relieved."
When the verdict was announced, hundreds of people outside the courthouse celebrated the news. Prior to the verdict, national guards troops had been stationed across the city in case there was an acquittal, which might have incited violent protests. The trial is not over yet because three of the officers who witnessed George Floyd's murder and did not intervene will be tried in court later in the year.
Read the Full Story at https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/apr/20/derek-chauvin-verdict-guilty-murder-george-floyd


Your current business license expires December 31st. Please make any changes on this page. If you need to change emergency contacts or manager, please put that in the additional comments box.
Your business license # is on the top right hand corner of the renewal notice.


text:
446bddd2-1172-5d3e-bfa8-df854b0d28c1
AC/DC reuniting with Brian Johnson for new album, famous friend says
December 10, 2019 By Andy Sahadeo
AC/DC, hard rock's biggest band of all time, may be reuniting. Former lead singer Brian Johnson, drummer Phil Rudd, and bass player Cliff Williams are rejoining founding member Angus Young to record a … [Read more...] about AC/DC reuniting with Brian Johnson for new album, famous friend says


Blog | Tridacom IT Solutions Inc.
Tridacom is pleased to be part of the team supporting VoxISM and Microsoft at the BEST MANUFACTURING APPS FOR MICROSOFT DYNAMICS 365!
Managed IT Support for Small Business is a valuable asset that your organization can use when its needed most to get your systems back to operational status.
VoIP (VoIP) is the latest technology for connecting people, using internet connections to replace traditional phone lines.
With Cloud-based telephony, technology has made it possible to remain connected to your office when travelling around the globe, and communicate with coworkers or clients with the freedom of mobile devices.


Friday evening found a couple of us setting up another Modern Spearhead game, yet again set in 1982. We use the Scenario Generation System to develop the context of our games and this uses various lists in the different scenarios that are generated. For my part I had spent a couple of hours coming up with a list that would enable me to use my West Germans. I have a tendency to use tanks that aren't particularly powerful. However, I wanted to use something different this time to counter the T-80s my opponent has been using of late.
Having not used Leopard 2s for several years I focussed my efforts on the Defend List which had some of these beasts. Of course I didn't spend as much time on an Attack List and then found the West Germans were conducting a hasty attack. My three West German battalions, from a Panzer Grenadier Brigade, would be facing a Soviet Naval Infantry Regiment – that had no tanks!
Now, I won't give a blow by blow of the game. However, one aspect that was absolutely fascinating was the various initiatives used by the Soviets to suppress the German air defences. Critical if the Soviets were counter the Leopards. If you are interested I have placed a short article on my Modern Spearhead site. It looks at fixed wing air support and air defence suppression in general and the how it played out last night. You can find it here.
With one of the local Moderns players finally free of work commitments we took the opportunity to deploy our Cold War forces for another encounter last night.
Typically with games generated by the Scenario System we find attackers when selecting an attack scenario for a Hasty Attack over a Deliberate Attack. In part this is due to the additional planning required when preparing a Deliberate Attack. Last night however Andrew, commanding his Soviets, selected a Deliberate Attack. Now, I wasn't keen to attempt another Spoiling Attack, with less than desirable results previously. In addition I believed the terrain favoured defence. Therefore, I focussed on preparing the French forces for the inevitable artillery barrage and focussed reconnaissance which was certain to occur as the Soviet attack began.
The resulting game was fascinating. Concentrated the Soviets, in reinforced regimental strength, moved forward with massed artillery fires aimed at neutralising forward French positions. Then as the French were overwhelmed the the Soviet commander planned for his artillery to switch to secondary objectives. Fortunately, not everything went to plan for the Soviet commander. French forces meanwhile tried to reposition themselves in an effort to restore balance, again with mixed results.
A short report of the engagement near Baudenbach, fought using Modern Spearhead and our 6mm miniatures, can be found here.
Over the last few months I've managed a reasonable number of WWII Spearhead games but last night we deployed our forces for a Modern Spearhead game set in Cold War Europe during 1982. The scenario developed using the Scenario Generation System found my French facing a front line reinforced Soviet Tank Regiment conducted a hasty attack.
Unfortunately, with a late start and some of the nuisances of the rules needing to be confirmed, the game wasn't fully resolved by our usual finish time. In fact as the victory conditions went it was a draw, though clearly the Soviets were clearly in the strongest position, if behind on their timings. Despite the lack of time the game highlighted many deficiencies in my force structure and the application of this force to the tactical situation.
One local describes Spearhead, and Modern Spearhead as having multiple layers. If you like you have a tactical situation which is be modified by different layers of weapon systems each shaping and impacting the other. So electronic warfare, counter battery, air strikes and air defence all combine to impact the tactical situation at the sharp end.
Certainly last night was a fascinating game and the following day I'm still processing what worked and what didn't. How my opponents force composition impacted mine and how the battlefield was shaped by counter battery, electronic warfare and artillery fires. All lessons to be learnt if you like. I've posted a few of my post game contemplations on my Modern Spearhead blog here.
Over the last week or so I thought it time I wrote a couple of short articles on some Cold War gaming topics. Specifically on forming brigade sized formations for use with Modern Spearhead and the Scenario Generation System.
Most of my gaming occurs during an evening time slot and over the years we have played a large number of Spearhead and Modern Spearhead games. As such the scenario system is designed to produced reinforced brigade actions playable in an evening. However, it's often difficult to know where to start when organising a suitable army.
In a previous post I outlined a sample Soviet list so in the latest two posts I look at NATO armies. First up was the Cold War French drawing elements from a French Armoured Division. More recently I've considered a West German Panzer Grenadier Brigade. In each article I provide a brief outline and both a Defend List and an Attack List for use with the Scenario Generation System.
A long weekend and time for a game on Saturday evening of Modern Spearhead, and what a fine game it was.
The Soviets complete with BMPs and BTRs launched a considered attack on the British who conducted a flexible defence. Supported by tanks the Soviets struggled to gain traction initially, but as additional battalions were committed so the British defenders came under increasing pressure.
Realising the Soviet plan the British commander ordered forward one then two battalions. Now, while Chieftains and FV432s lurched forward in counter-attacks artillery observers directed coordinated fires in support of mechanised infantry in a desperate effort to breakup the Soviet attack.
Yet would the Soviet Hind helicopters wreck havoc on the British defenders around Erlabrunn?
A short report of this excellent game can be found here.


text:
Niles West Science Olympiad Team Takes 13th in State Competition
By Wyatt Zwik, Staff Writer
The Niles West Science Olympiad team competed on Saturday, April 21st at the state competition at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The team placed 13th out of the 24 teams in their division.
The team won medals in a variety of the events: freshman Alex Thoppil and senior Christopher Rohn, second in Dynamic Planet; sophomore Zachary Werth, senior Michael Rohn, and senior Christopher Rohn, third in Experimental Design; junior Muhammad Afzal and senior Jeremy Steegmueller, third in Game On; sophomores Agata Soltys and Adrian Recinto, second in Geocaching; sophomore Daniel Cudzich and Michael Rohn, third in Thermodynamics.
For Michael Rohn, placing in his events was especially important, with it being his sixth and final year of Science Olympiad with this team.
"I felt like it was a perfect way to end a very strong passion of mine," Rohn said. "I would've liked to seen our team crack the top ten, but in terms of personal accomplishment I don't think it could have been really any better."
Muhammad Afzal believes the team worked extremely hard and placed well based on their expectations.
"Overall, I think the team did much better than what we expected," Afzal said. "I think that per events, students tried their best and that it showed, their accomplishments in their scores and also just the amount of fun they had, and how they were able to accomplish tasks was necessary for their events. So overall, I think it was a really good time of the year and we were successful."
In Science Olympiad, it's rare for a freshman to compete at the varsity level, and winning awards as one is even rarer. Coach Parin Patel explains his hopes for the upcoming talent next year, exemplified by freshman Alex Thoppil.
"I'm really excited to get to know all the younger members and see what they are going to do at the varsity level," Patel said. "I'm also really excited about all the building events and seeing all the creativity they bring. The younger students really come together and work well together, so I'm excited to see how that translates to success for Science Olympiad and as a team bonding."
According to Afzal, Science Olympiad is hoping to carry on their success this season towards next year, and possibly qualify for the national tournament.
"Next year, I want Science Olympiad to be able to get a lot faster in terms of getting on track for events early in the season, building stuff beforehand and studying, so that we have a much better chance at going to nationals," Afzal said. "Now I see it where we are at the same level as New Trier and Stevenson and other high-level schools are we just need to take that one step forward and make it."
Tags: adrian recinto, Agata Soltys, Alex Thoppil, Christopher Rohn, Daniel Cudzich, Jeremy Steegmueller, Michael Rohn, Muhammad Afzal, parin patel, science, science olympiad, Zachary Werth


The new president of the Maldives, Mohamed Waheed, vowed to form a "multi-party" unity government Wednesday, even as his predecessor suggested he was involved in a coup plot to seize power.
Waheed, the former vice president, was sworn in Tuesday hours after the dramatic resignation of Mohamed Nasheed following weeks of anti-government protests and a police mutiny on the Indian Ocean holiday islands.
Speaking at his first press conference since taking office, Waheed denied accusations that the former president had been overthrown in a takeover orchestrated by opposition leaders and the security forces.
"It is wrong to describe the events as a coup. We did not know this was going to happen. I was unprepared," he said.
However, in an exclusive interview with AFP, Nasheed insisted that he had been forced into resigning by a group of rebel police and army officers who had threatened a bloodbath if he refused.
"They told me if I didn't resign they would resort to use arms," Nasheed told AFP by telephone from a family property in the capital Male.
He added that he feared Waheed "was in on it" and had seized the chance to take over.
"I am afraid he's always entertained an idea to become the president. He's never been able to do that. When the opportunity was available to him, he took it," he said.
The army on Tuesday had categorically denied playing any coercive role in the former president's decision to step down.
In his press conference, Waheed said he would appoint a "truly multi-party cabinet" in the next few days, and was in talks with all groups including Nasheed's Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).
The MDP had released statements late Tuesday, condemning what it called a "coup d'etat" and accusing the police of beating up a number of its MPs and trashing its party headquarters.
Male was calm Wednesday, but there was added security with checkpoints set up in and around the police and military headquarters.
The weeks of protests that led to Nasheed's downfall had erupted after he ordered the army to arrest Criminal Court Chief Justice Abdulla Mohamed on charges of misconduct and favouring opposition figures.
Opposition parties accused him of trampling over the constitution, and the demonstrations were swelled by religious conservatives who regarded his regime as un-Islamic.
Waheed said Wednesday that Islamic parties "will be represented" in his new cabinet, adding that they are "part of our society and can't be ignored".
Islam is the official religion of the Maldives and open practice of any other religion is forbidden and liable to prosecution.
Tuesday's events marked a spectacular fall for Nasheed.
The 44-year-old rose to power from grassroots opposition to the 30-year autocratic regime of former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who imprisoned him on several occasions.
His clear victory over Gayoom in the country's first free elections in 2008 was hailed as heralding a new era of democracy and progressive politics.
He used his mandate to build a reputation internationally as a committed campaigner against climate change and once held a cabinet meeting underwater to highlight the dangers of rising sea levels.
But economic problems and high inflation damaged his popular standing, while Islamic activists attacked him on religious issues, including flights arriving with Israeli tourists and "improper" social conduct on island resorts.
After his resignation, police said they found alcohol -- which is illegal in the capital Male -- at Nasheed's residence. Officers were shown on national television carrying away bottles.
The Maldives, a nation of almost 1,200 islands on the equator, is dependent on tourism and is famous for its upmarket holiday resorts and hotels that cater to honeymooning couples and high-end travellers.
Waheed said he wanted to reassure the tourism industry that his government was committed to its protection and development.
UN Assistant Secretary General Oscar Fernandez-Taranco was due to arrive in the Maldives late Wednesday for talks on the political crisis that had been scheduled before Tuesday's power transition.


text:
"I love practicing law and the great people I get to work with. It makes me happy to be able to make a difficult situation a little easier for my clients. They often feel just like family."
Judy started her legal career representing automobile manufacturers, vaccine manufacturers, insurance companies and numerous corporations. After being a pedestrian struck by a car and sustaining her own significant personal injury, Judy realized that she wanted to change the direction of her legal career and work directly with injured victims. She initially worked only with legal situations involving children and has since expanded her focus to include all personal injuries.
During high school and college, Judy had the opportunity on several occasions to represent both the state of Kentucky and her university nationally. While still in college, she was privileged to be selected to serve as a Congressional Intern in Washington, D.C., where she had her first experience with the law at its most formational level. It was this experience that instilled a love of the law in Judy. Her time in Washington, D.C. led her desire to pursue law school following college.
While attending law school, Judy won recognition for her legal writing and spent her time involved in a variety of social and community causes. She extensively worked as a volunteer acute crisis counselor. Judy now currently serves as a member of the Kentucky Bar Association, Bowling Green/Warren County Bar Association, Tennessee Bar Association, Kentucky Justice Association and Louisiana Bar Association.
Judy's legal career has covered multiple jurisdictions and been composed of a wide variety of practice areas including both automobile and medical product liability, seatbelt legislation, construction contracts, architect malpractice actions, insurance and surety matters, children's interests, child support and custody matters, and father's rights. These matters were pursued in the three jurisdictions where Judy is licensed: Kentucky, Tennessee, and Louisiana. She has handled litigation in both state and federal courts.
University of Kentucky, Bachelor of Science in Agriculture
University of Kentucky College of Law, Juris Doctor
State Bar of Louisiana


Very nice, but I'll bet that stand was built for a big aquarium. Did you switch hobbies??
i only keep a few aquariums these days.Taking a brake.Yes that stand was once filled with aquariums and will be again some day.I have been collecting figures and things for years as well but can finally display them.
I took the kayak out for the first time this year. The bass were pretty active already.
What are you grabbing them on? How big is that pond?
Jerk baits fished with long pauses. It's a big pond, 500+ acres.
Answering the age old question, "does the bear sh*t in the woods?" Sometimes, but sometimes they sh*t in my yard.
Nice Kid, especially like the last one.
Thanks , It's one of those deals that I almost deleted .


text:
B&C Home
Commission on Disabilities
Water and Sewer Board
Our Water and Sewer Board has been continuously engaged in strenuous and independent oversight of the department's strategic direction, budget, and operations since its creation. This overseeing is supplemented by the annual examination of our budget by City Council.
With the adoption of the 1958 City Charter, Greeley citizens created a Council-appointed Water Board with the duty to "acquire, develop, convey, lease, and protect water and sewer assets, supplies, and facilities." The citizens also gave the Board the power to set the minimum water and sewer rates necessary for operation, maintenance, debt service, and depreciation. This separate rate setting authority allows City Council to focus on economic development, knowing there will be a healthy water system to support their efforts. Consequently, we have one of the more robust water systems in Colorado.
Our Board has an important role in Greeley leadership, with seven voting members appointed by the City Council, as well as the Mayor, City Manager and Director of Finance as ex-officio members. The Director of Water and Sewer is the primary staff representative to this Board. As such, the Director has the responsibility to provide reports and recommendations to the Board related to their autonomous rate-making and water resource authority, and to adhere to the City Council policies and priorities as directed by the City Manager.
CC Water Board
Harold Evans, Chairman
First appointed: June 1997
Term expires: June 2023
Board Chairman Harold Evans has been a member of the Greeley Water and Sewer Board since 1997 and has served as its chairman since 2003. His extensive background in water issues includes bachelors and masters degrees in civil engineering from the University of Missouri. He also holds licenses as a professional engineer in both Missouri and Colorado and since 1990, is the owner of the Evans Group, a commercial real estate development and construction management consulting service.
Mr. Evans was appointed by Gov. Bill Ritter in 2007 to the South Platte River Task Force. He also served on the Statewide Water Supply Initiative and has served as the Weld County Municipal Representative on the South Platte Basin Roundtable since 2005. In July 2010, he testified before the US Congress Subcommittee on Water and Power, Committee on Natural Resources, regarding municipal water resource planning.
Mr. Evans currently is a member of the Colorado Water Congress and the Colorado Foundation for Water Education. He has received numerous community awards and belongs to many civic associations, including Greeley Rotary Club, United Way and Boy Scouts of America.
Mick Todd, Vice-Chairman
Date First Appointed: June 1998
John M. "Mick" Todd has been a member of the Greeley Water and Sewer Board since 1998. Mick is the former President of Toddy's Supermarkets and is currently the manager of Cottonwood Management LLC, a real estate investment and management company.
Mr. Todd has a degree in finance from the University of Colorado and a Juris Doctor degree from Southern Methodist University. As a resident of Greeley, he has served on numerous local boards including Union Colony Bank, NCMC Foundation, the Greeley Chorale, United Way, and the Greeley Art Commission to name a few.
Mick is married to Susan Todd and they have three children: Haynes, Perry, and Paul.
Fred Otis
Term Expires: July 2024
Fred Otis grew up in Greeley and currently practices law, focusing on real estate and business matters. He is a founding member of Otis & Bedingfield, LLC. Prior to entering private practice, Mr. Otis served as a Special Agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Mr. Otis is admitted to practice law in the State courts of Colorado and before the United States District Court for the District of Colorado, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court. He is a member of the Colorado Bar Association and the Weld County Bar Association.
Mr. Otis has previously served as a Municipal Court Judge for the City of Greeley, Chairman of the Greeley/Weld Chamber of Commerce, member of the Commission on Judicial Performance for the 19th Judicial District, the Weld County Planning Commission and the Board of United Way of Weld County.
In addition to participating in many civic organizations, Mr. Otis currently serves on the Board of Poudre River Trail Corridor, Inc.
Joe Murphy has been a member of the Greeley Water and Sewer Board since 2010. Mr. Murphy is a native of Greeley and graduated from Greeley Central High School. He received a degree in Engineering from the US Military Academy in 1974 and an MBA from Georgia State University in 1979. Mr. Murphy spent five years on active duty in the US Army Corps of Engineers where he managed building and road construction projects. After the service, Mr. Murphy worked for a number of companies including General Electric and International Paper Company as a Finance Manager, Product Manager, Sales Manager, Vice President of Marketing and Division General Manager.
Since returning to Greeley in 2007, Mr. Murphy has been a real estate agent working primarily in the residential market. He is an avid golfer, biker, fisherman, and outdoorsman. Joe is married to JoAnne Murphy and they have two children.
Tony Miller
Tony Miller is Executive Vice President of First FarmBank, an independent community bank with headquarters in Greeley and branches in Yuma and Sterling, Colorado. He has been with First FarmBank since its formation in 2006. Mr. Miller has been involved in banking in Northern Colorado since 1981 and has been in Greeley since 1984.
Mr. Miller was appointed to the Greeley Water & Sewer Board in July 2013. His strong interest in water comes from being a lifelong resident of the front range of Northern Colorado with a farming background and a belief in prudent oversight of water resource management and beneficial use of this valuable resource.
Mr. Miller has a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Business from Colorado State University and has completed numerous banking related programs.
Mr. Miller is Chairman of the Greeley Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Committee, a member of the Local Government and Business Affairs Committee, and serves as Secretary / Treasurer and Executive Committee Member for the Colorado Farm Show. He has also served on several boards for local community service organizations.
Manuel Sisneros
Manuel Sisneros was the co-owner of Dumar Contractors, which was in business for 37 years. Dumar Contractors completed concrete contracts throughout northeastern Colorado which included box culverts, bridges, and retaining walls on nearly every county highway north of Denver as well as at DIA; the Crystal Lakes Dam structure; curb, gutter and sidewalks in most communities; boat ramps at Horse Tooth reservoir; and decorative concrete fences in many residential areas. They were selected by the Greeley/Weld Chamber of Commerce to receive the 1998 Winners Circle Award and several of the projects they worked on received awards – one of the most notable the sculpture plaza "When Champions Meet" at the Greeley Independence Stampede which was selected by the Daily Journal/Construction Management Report for Outstanding Landscape Project. They donated concrete projects to the Poudre Trail as well as Island Grove Park via the Gold Spur program.
Mr. Sisneros also has the owner of Alamo Liquors, co-owner or convenience stores, and gas stations, was the Chairman of Security for 4 years and the General Chairman for 2 years of the Greeley Independence Stampede, Chairman of the Old Buckers Group (past members of Stampede Committee) for 2 years, served as the Greeley Independence Stampede Grand Marshall in 2006, and serves on the Greeley Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Colorado Christian Businessmen, and United Way Board of Directors. His hobbies include golf and traveling.
Cheri Witt-Brown
Term starts: July 2021
Term ends: June 2026
For 30 years, Witt-Brown owned and operated multiple construction/design businesses, including a general contracting company which helped build the small community of Battlement Mesa on the Western Slope of Colorado. She worked to develop quality communities and build over 400 homes from Glenwood Springs to Grand Junction. Her career includes eight years in banking and finance, 25 years leading several successful construction-related businesses, and she serves as the Executive Director of Greeley-Weld Habitat for Humanity. In the past 5 ½ years as the Executive Director for GWHFH, she has served on a number of city of Greeley committees, including the city of Greeley Housing Task Force committee which provided input for city staff on the Strategic Housing Plan. She also serves on the Development Task Force & Code Update Advisory committees for the city of Greeley.
Access agendas and minutes for all public meetings, including meetings of boards and commissions and City Council and Work Session meetings, in the City Meeting Portal. Calendars of meetings are also available in the portal, along with meeting videos for boards that record their meetings.
Enter City Meeting Portal
Use this for general inquiries. Individual boards may have their own contact person
Select Language  ▼


text:
Brumby, Brumbies or Brumby's: What Does It Mean?
by BobinOz on March 30, 2012 Updated March 30, 2012
in Australia's Bad Things
In all the time I lived in England I'm sure I never came across the words Brumby, Brumbies or Brumby's. But we have the word here in Australia, so what does it mean?
I know, let's turn this one into a quiz. So, what does it mean?
a) it's the name of a bread shop.
b) it's a wild Australian horse.
c) it's the name of a rugby team.
Up until about an hour ago, I would have opted for a), because Brumby's is the name of a franchised baker's store here in Australia; we even have one down the road from my house.
It'll be where we buy our hot crossed buns from this Easter.
But about 45 minutes ago, as I was researching tonight's post, I found out that a Brumby is also a free-roaming feral horse in Australia. Here we go, this is a story we've heard before.
These horses were first brought into Australia in 1788 to do farm and utility work. Then some escaped, some were released into the wild because they weren't needed, blah, blah, blah and now Australia has something like 400,000 feral horses roaming around the countryside.
So, where have we heard this before? Add Brumby's to this list:
Imported cane toads.
Imported camels.
Imported fire ants.
Imported rabbits.
Imported water buffalo.
Red Ant aside, all of these animals were imported into Australia to do a job; mostly, they failed to do that job or were no longer required for it.
Result; they all went off to mooch around the countryside, doing not much of anything except extending their families.
So now, all of these creatures are being culled in one way or another. I'm all for it when it comes to the Red Ant and the cane toad, but it's sad when it's happening to rabbits, camels, water buffalo and Brumby's.
There are plenty of sad videos about the plight of the Brumby's, here's one that celebrates their beauty….
Oh, nearly forgot, the brumbies are also a rugby team, they come from Canberra. So it doesn't matter which one you when for, a) b) or c) – you were right!
Snake Bite First Aid in Australia: What You Need to Know in an Emergency
Close Encounters with the Wonderful Australian Wildlife
Swimming and Crocodile Risks in Northern Australia
Red-bellied Black's Keeping Snake Catchers Busy
An Australian Snake Attack Out Of Thin Air?
Tagged as: Brumbies, Brumby, Brumby's, imported
Kamma March 29, 2014, 2:08 am | Link
Hi Bob, they've just started a new initiative to control the Brumby population and, well, see for yourself: http://www.australianbrumbychallenge.com.au
They got the idea from something the US is doing with their mustangs. There is a good documentary about that, if you're interested.
BobinOz March 31, 2014, 1:45 pm | Link
What a good idea, certainly makes sense. Horses, I would have thought, are a valuable asset so rounding up the wild ones and training them up has to be a win-win.
beena manu April 2, 2012, 4:22 pm | Link
I want that white crossed Brumby's for my son …………
Look so nice ………
Advanced Easter wishes from our family to all of you especially the little cute Elizabeth
Today is the best day
BobinOz April 2, 2012, 9:37 pm | Link
Thanks beena, hope you have a good Easter too.
Next post: Free Things to Do for Kids in Brisbane.
Previous post: Australians and Sport: It's a Serious Business!


text:
package org.apache.usergrid.tools;

import java.util.LinkedHashMap;
import java.util.Map;
import java.util.UUID;

import org.slf4j.Logger;
import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
import org.apache.usergrid.management.OrganizationInfo;
import org.apache.usergrid.management.UserInfo;
import org.apache.usergrid.persistence.Entity;
import org.apache.usergrid.persistence.EntityManager;
import org.apache.usergrid.persistence.entities.Activity;
import org.apache.usergrid.services.ServiceAction;
import org.apache.usergrid.services.ServiceManager;
import org.apache.usergrid.services.ServiceRequest;
import org.apache.usergrid.services.ServiceResults;

import org.apache.commons.cli.CommandLine;
import org.apache.commons.cli.Option;
import org.apache.commons.cli.OptionBuilder;
import org.apache.commons.cli.Options;

import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
import static org.apache.usergrid.services.ServiceParameter.parameters;
import static org.apache.usergrid.services.ServicePayload.payload;

public class PopulateSample extends ToolBase {

    private static final Logger logger = LoggerFactory.getLogger( PopulateSample.class );

    @Override
    public Options createOptions() {

        Option useSpring = OptionBuilder.create( "spring" );

        Options options = new Options();
        options.addOption( useSpring );

        return options;
    }

    @Override
    public void runTool( CommandLine line ) throws Exception {
        logger.info( "Starting test..." );
        startSpring();

        UserInfo user = managementService.createAdminUser( null, "admin", "admin", "admin@ug.com", "none", false, false );

        logger.info( "Creating organization: sample-organization" );
        // management
        // .createOrganization("sample-organization", "sample@organization.com",
        // "1234");
        OrganizationInfo organization = managementService.createOrganization( "sample-organization", user, false );

        logger.info( "creating application: testEntityManagerTest" );
        // TODO update to organizationName/applicationName
        UUID applicationId =
                managementService.createApplication( organization.getUuid(), "sample-application" ).getId();

        ServiceManager sm = smf.getServiceManager( applicationId );

        EntityManager em = emf.getEntityManager( applicationId );

        // Create user
        Map<String, Object> properties = new LinkedHashMap<String, Object>();
        properties.put( "username", "edanuff" );
        properties.put( "email", "ed@anuff.com" );
        properties.put( "name", "Ed Anuff" );

        Entity user1 = em.create( "user", properties );

        // Create activity
        properties =
                Activity.newActivity( Activity.VERB_POST, null, "I ate a sammich", null, user1, null, "tweet", null,
                        null ).getProperties();

        @SuppressWarnings("unused") Entity activity =
                testRequest( sm, ServiceAction.POST, 1, properties, "users", user1.getUuid(), "activities" )
                        .getEntity();

        // Create another activity
        properties = Activity.newActivity( Activity.VERB_POST, null, "cool pic dude", null, user1, null, "tweet", null,
                null ).getProperties();

        activity = testRequest( sm, ServiceAction.POST, 1, properties, "users", user1.getUuid(), "activities" )
                .getEntity();

        // Create another user
        properties = new LinkedHashMap<String, Object>();
        properties.put( "username", "justin" );
        properties.put( "email", "justin@gmail.com" );
        properties.put( "name", "Justin Clark" );

        Entity user2 = em.create( "user", properties );

        // Create activity
        properties =
                Activity.newActivity( Activity.VERB_POST, null, "ATT U-verse May payment", null, user2, null, "payment",
                        null, null ).getProperties();

        activity = testRequest( sm, ServiceAction.POST, 1, properties, "users", user2.getUuid(), "activities" )
                .getEntity();

        // Connections
        em.createConnection( user1, "workWith", user2 );
    }

    public ServiceResults testRequest( ServiceManager sm, ServiceAction action, int expectedCount,
                                       Map<String, Object> properties, Object... params ) throws Exception {
        ServiceRequest request = sm.newRequest( action, parameters( params ), payload( properties ) );

        logger.info( "Request: " + action + " " + request.toString() );

        ServiceResults results = request.execute();
        assertNotNull( results );
        assertEquals( expectedCount, results.getEntities().size() );

        return results;
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Back in 2006, when the five Courtyard Societies collectively fought the Government in the High Court of Chancery over their rights of occupancy at Burlington House, a debate opened up in Geoscientist's letters column over whether we should bother to keep our Mayfair palace at all. Wouldn't something functional, closer to the geographical heart of Britain be more appropriate 'in our modern age'?
This argument – dubbed the 'Arthur Scargill Gambit', in honour of the NUM leader who moved the Union's HQ away from London's fleshpots to wholesome oblivion in Barnsley - proved moot when the Trustees discovered that the cost of relocating anywhere would bankrupt us. So we fought on, and after mediation settled on an affordable rent. Years of planning blight were lifted and the Bicentenary refurbishments followed.
I harboured doubts of a different sort. As well as general neglect, I saw drawing pins being stuck in oak doorcases, maps fixed to oil paintings with Blu-tack, gnawed chicken bones dropped onto the Lower Library's grubby lino; and in my darker moments wondered whether these ragamuffins really deserved a building so evidently wasted on them.
But enhancing the environment really does improve people, and behaviour slowly improved. Yes, I did find chewing gum stuck to the backs of the new seating on day one after the Lecture Theatre's first major (1999) refurb, but later, the Lower Library's new carpet imposed its gentle discipline on the bone-chuckers. Visitors realised that Burlington House was not to be treated as though it were some 1960s lavatory of learning.
Organisations wishing to be taken seriously in the wider world have to behave properly. This is a serious point. Maintaining the interiors of a Grade II* listed building, to an appropriate standard is an unequivocal stipulation of our lease. Yes, it's expensive; but over and above our need to generate income as a conference venue, it is worth it solely for the inestimable status-boost we get from occupying a nationally important home, on the 'world's most famous street'.
With the refitting of the Council Room (see review, p. ??) Phase Four of the refurbishments is finally complete. It is a tribute to the Trustees – and above all the Executive Secretary, who has brought continuity and personal commitment to this long-term project - that the Society has been prepared to budget for, and spend, the sums made available by our improved finances on maintaining the national heritage - despite other demands that might, superficially, seem closer to home.
Not so. Outsiders may finally conclude that geologists are not the oiks they might once have taken us for.


New for 2012, Vilmain's four piece Nutcracker Band ornament set. These nutcrcakers are playing the tuba, saxophone, trumpet, and bass drum. Cast in pewter and comes in a gift box.
Be sure to see all of our Vilmain Pewter Ornament Sets!