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Narrative Recursion

There are certain narrative devices that I’m a sucker for. One of those is the time loop. Alan Wake’s American Nightmare takes the time loop and runs with it. As this review covers a sequel, expect there to be spoilers about the previous game: Alan Wake.

American Nightmare picks up after the two DLCs for the original Alan Wake. Wake is still lost in the Dark Place and attempting to find his way back into the real world. To do that, he has written himself an escape plan. Of course, as with the original game, the act of calling upon the world-shaping narrative power of the Dark Place has mostly destroyed his memory of what he actually planned to do.

The complication this time, though, is that his foe is no longer the large and unknown dark place, but a sentient, and clever at that, doppelganger. Wake’s opponent has trapped him in the work that Wake created to escape the Dark Place and simply keeps looping him through it, making this more difficult each time.

In gameplay terms, this comes together as playing through each of about 4 or 5 areas three times each. Though the levels are the same, the other characters in each place slowly become aware of their situation and help Wake more on each pass.

The game plays much like its predecessor, but has become somewhat more actiony with the introduction of a greater variety of enemies. In keeping with that, this iteration, unlike the original, doesn’t periodically confiscate your equipment.

I think that, as a bridge between Alan Wake and its eventual sequel, it is pretty solid. What I really want though, is Alan Wake 2.

Alan Wake’s American Nightmare: 1

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Revolving Indians

The Assassin’s Creed series has a problem. That problem is the yearly release schedule. Unfortunately, Assassin’s Creed III is the result of a schedule that is untenable.

Producing a continuous series with an iteration every year is a monumental effort. Even more difficult, though, is ensuring that each entry into the series is fresh and interesting enough to pull players in. I don’t think Assassin’s Creed III has managed that.

From a gameplay standpoint, little has changed about the Assassin’s Creed games since Assassin’s Creed II. Equipment, weapons, and tactics all remain virtually unchanged. Yes, there are now firearms, but they mostly don’t matter. Their damage output isn’t extraordinary and most enemies only ever fire once.

What has changed, however, is uniformly for the worse. Enemies now seem to spawn endlessly and to be nearly unshakable once alerted; it is common to spend several minutes escaping from a single bad exposure. Double assassinations–a great feature that was added in Assassin’s Creed II–are gone without any explanation. The countering system has been made even more finicky with combo assassinations now failing randomly. Worse yet, the “rock-paper-scissors” of the countering system has now been replaced with “rock always works” as  long as “rock” is either a gun or the bow and arrow.

If the system changes weren’t bad enough, they’ve also brought in a wonderful smorgasbord of general bugginess. I was once attacked in the middle of a cutscene. The attack wasn’t part of the cutscene, the game just didn’t properly disable the logic to prevent me from being attacked. On many occasions, I had enemies fail to die because the air assassination technique just failed to hit. I had to redo many an optional objective because the game decided that I simply wasn’t killing correctly enough. And of course, I spent countless hours filling in the “Encyclopedia of the Common Man” because an NPC decided to repeatedly do the same action without ever switching to one that I hadn’t seen.

I could probably have taken the bad gameplay changes and the general bugginess if there had been a worthwhile plot underlying it.  There is not. The whole game seems disconnected and random. Connor’s motivations are rarely clear and often entirely bizarre, especially when coupled with general gameplay. He seems to flip back and forth between being a cold-blooded killer and a man trying to take no life. It seems like he has no narrative inertia. Whatever is convenient to the plot is what happens without anything really tying it back to the character development or existing narrative.

I don’t know who at Ubisoft greenlit this game, as it is. I do know that that person should be fired.

Assassin’s Creed III: 0

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What is a level 24 cleaver?

I have long been a fan of the survival horror genre and zombie games in particular. Though I’d heard mixed reviews of Dead Island, I decided to give it a chance nonetheless.

This was a poor decision.

The premise of Dead Island is that a hopeless git wakes up in his hotel room after a night of alcohol, randomly taking drugs he found lying on the floor of the women’s restroom, and attempting to woo women who were entirely uninterested in him. In between last night and now, zombies have taken over the island resort where he is making an idiot of himself. A voice over the radio entices him with the promise of rescue in exchange for his help.

Gameplay wise, Dead Island wants to be Boarderlands: it is a level-based action game with randomly generated loot and auto-scaling enemies–Diablo with guns and zombies. The whole thing takes place from a first-person perspective and features both melee and firearm combat…sort of.

Despite having a character who specializes in firearms (the one that I picked), ammunition doesn’t ever seem to appear until almost a quarter of the way through the game. Worse still, even when firearms are unlocked, ammo is scarce and the weapons themselves do far, far less damage to the zombies than the melee weapons–even when using head shots.

But then, maybe that doesn’t matter, the game’s only penalty for death is a 7 second respawn timer, 10% of your money, and being randomly relocated to a nearby respawn point. Once you’re back on your feet, you can rush blindly into the enemies again with full health and little in the way of repercussions. In fact, on at least one occasion, I completely subverted a difficult area filled with enemies by dying inside of it and then respawning in a place I hadn’t yet reached–the room that I was trying to get to.

This problem is endemic of something that permeates the game. That is, the game feels like it hasn’t really been thought through. You’re tasked to run from objective to objective– all too often through the same few areas–but the objectives seem arbitrary and unrelated to your ultimate goal of escaping the island or even saving survivors. Zombies start inexplicably carrying weapons about halfway through the game which seems bizarre given that they are never shown to have anything like intelligence. Whole plotlines are just dropped on the ground as soon as your characters get more than 100 yards away from their participants.

Eventually, I decided to skip all sidequesting and just run down the main quest path as quickly as I could. This made the problems of the main quest all the more glaring as I wasn’t spending time doing other things that might make me forget about the idiocy of it all.

This game is irredeemable. The only way to win is not to play.

Dead Island: 0

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Locked In

Before I beat Mass Effect 3, I had actually beaten Assassin’s Creed: Revelations. Revelations is the third, and hopefully final, game in the story of Ezio Auditore, a Renaissance era assassin. Like the previous 3 Assassin’s Creed games, Revelations is a third-person, free-exploration game.

Mechanically, Revelations has very few gameplay changes beyond what its predecessor AC: Brotherhood had on offer. Though they’ve added a “hook blade” which effectively increases climbing speed and maximum reach and a mildly complex bomb creation system, neither of these additions fundamentally alter the game. Careful planing, stealth and precise application of the hidden blade remain the easiest way clear most missions.

From a plot standpoint, Revelations feels like it could mostly have been replaced by a few cutscenes. Most of the game isn’t spent on a great struggle against an unassailable enemy, but instead on an extended fetch quest. The best parts of the game are the short sequences in which we see bits and pieces of Altaïr’s life post Assassin’s Creed 1 and those amount to perhaps 6 scenes scattered over the length of the entire game. Of course, I hadn’t had lingering questions about Altaïr’s life before playing Revelations, so it is difficult for me to say that this was necessary information.

It doesn’t help that Revelations removed both the ability to interact with the “real” world and the interesting (if not terribly fun) puzzles that lead to true revelations about the game universe. The first game’s “subject 16” data were puzzles layered on top of puzzles. The lack of something similar is a real disappointment.

Though the game is solidly constructed, Assassin’s Creed: Revelations feels a bit too much like Ubisoft just phoned it in. It certainly isn’t terrible, but from a franchise with the consistent level of quality that Assassin’s Creed has brought to each game, this feels like an expansion pack in the clothes (and with the price tag) of a full game.

Assassin’s Creed: Revelations: 0

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On Content Reuse

Originally Published 27 March 2011

Earlier this month, I finished my playthrough of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II. If you missed the first one, my review has unmarked spoilers related to the ending of the first and therefore the set-up for the second.

In the first Force Unleashed, you take the roll of Starkiller. He is apparently the most powerful Jedi ever and has been indoctrinated since youth by Darth Vader to be his apprentice. To this end, Starkiller’s been hunting down Jedi who escaped the purge at the end of Episode III. Over the course of the game, he meets a woman and begins to doubt the mission that he has been given. Eventually, he turns on Vader and helps to form the rebel alliance. However, forming the Rebel Alliance was always Vader’s plan for Starkiller–doing so would gather them in one place where they could be destroyed. In the end, he dies fighting the Emperor in order to allow the Rebel leaders to have time to escape.

Since the main character is canonically dead, it would seem as though making a sequel would be difficult. Fortunately, cloning is a fact of the Star Wars universe, so they just clone a copy of Starkiller and start things up again. Vader, for whatever reason, has been cloning Starkiller. Most copies have been failures, but this one at least hasn’t gone insane yet.

Given the say these things tend to go, Starkiller quickly breaks out and attempts to find both the woman he loved and (by coincidence) the rebel alliance he helped form.

Gameplay wise, Force Unleashed II is essentially identical to its predecessor. Very little has been changed in that area, though there are new, force-empowered enemies that are rather common and immune to many of the force powers that you can level up. In the late game, the game likes to throw large groups of jedi-clones at you. This leads to very annoying fights where you can only use lightsaber attacks and none of the high level force powers are of any use.

My real complaint with the game came when I made a second pass and made a strong realization. On the second run through, I realized that the game only actually has about 4 levels. To extend the apparent length of the game, the developers have you run through each level twice. Furthermore, the game commits the primary sin of Clive Barker’s Clive Barker’s Jericho (by Clive Barker)–its encounters are slightly too long and much too similar. Encounters with enemies should have things that differentiate them and make each one at least slightly unique. This game manages to forget that and have wave after wave of samey encounter.

Ultimately, I don’t think the game has enough content to justify its existence.

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II: 0

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Originally Published 16 March 2011

Last week, I finished my run through Condemned: Criminal Origins. It had been in my 360 since before the holidays, but I’d been distracted by other things and just got around to finishing it.

The PC in Condemned is a law enforcement officer with a track record of capturing serial killers. Lately, however, he has been in a slump. The last few killers that he had been investigating have apparently gone to ground, their trails ice cold, soon after he begins pursuing them. The game starts with him doing an investigation into a new killer.

Soon into the investigation of the most recent murder scene, the PC is ambushed and has his gun stolen. The thief makes various comments that seem to allude to a greater knowledge of the PC before running off. Said thief very soon kills two police agents with the PC’s gun and leaves him wanted for two cop killings. The PC then flees to pursue the real killer, find the missing serial killer (who doesn’t seem to be the same person as the one who took his gun) and to clear his name.

Although the plot of the game sounds as good a starting point as any, the later end of the plot quickly decays into a rather disjointed mess as (insufficiently explained) supernatural forces begin to pop up as the ultimate root of all the madness. This is compounded by the fact that–although the PC is ostensibly being driven to clear his name for two murders–by the time even the first level is completed, he has murdered at least a dozen people. To me, this made deep motivations very unclear.

Condemned is a mess, gameplay wise. The game uses a first person perspective, but uses melee combat as the most common form of interaction with enemies. This style choice results in rather frustrating interactions if you get surrounded or are hit from behind and have to very slowly pan around with the analog stick. Furthermore, the game is deliberately drawn out by the insufferably slow moving speed of the character. The game also uses a checkpoint/autosave as its primary method of saving. While nice in theory, Condemned’s checkpoints store complete game state, so if you were two steps ahead of an enemy who is about to stab you to death, you’re stuck being stabbed to death every time you load (unless you choose to restart the level of course).

It also doesn’t help that the game probably would have looked at home on the Dreamcast. Although I understand that it is a five year old game and an early title in the current generation, but it has aged very poorly. Consider that Jade Empire, Devil May Cry 3, and Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones are contemporaries and consider in that light. It also mostly takes place in badly lit sewers or abandoned buildings, resulting in a lot of generic, gray/brown, destroyed levels.

There wasn’t much for me to like here. I tend to enjoy and seek out horror games, but this was yet another game that attempts to startle rather than to induce an actual environment of fear and apprehension.

Condemned: Criminal Origins: 0

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Heading West

Originally Published 8 March 2011

Last week, I fired up my 360 and decided that I wanted to play more Dead Rising 2. I’d mostly played that game to death, though, so I decided to instead play Case West. Case West is a standalone DLC / epilogue to the Dead Rising 2 storyline. Because of its status as an epilogue, expect unmarked Dead Rising 2 spoilers below.

At the beginning of Case West, Chuck is fighting off a zombified TK. Into the scene enters Frank West (he’s covered wars, you know) carrying a baseball bat. After saving Chuck, Frank quickly realizes who he’s just saved and questions Chuck about his role in the zombie outbreak in the city. Chuck still needs to clear his name, so he and Frank team up to go to a nearby Phenotrans (the Dead Rising universe’s Umbrella Corp) facility.

Said facility supposedly has a contact that Frank had been working with to get inside information on Phenotrans to help expose them. Chuck goes along under the assumption that the facility might have evidence to incrimination Phenotrans for the Fortune City outbreak and to help clear his own name.

Gameplay in Case West is mostly identical to that in DR2. The main difference is that there is an ever present CPU (or coop) companion in Frank. Mostly though, he just distracts enemies. This function turns out to be vitally important, however, due to the very large number of non-zombie enemies who carry firearms. Although there were some such enemies in the main game, Case West is quite full of them and they are a major source of unfun in Case West. Since being hit by an enemy, even by an attack that doesn’t cause you to actually lose a hit point, causes you to drop any two-handed weapon, their long-range machine guns quickly become the bane of Chuck and Franks’ existences as you’re dropping weapons or having attacks interrupted. This is especially bad in the “zombie pens”–one of the largest rooms and one often used for transit between other areas–because these gun wielders are numerous and in areas which are somewhat isolated from the main travel paths.

At the very beginning I was confused by Case West. Although I’d beaten DR2 multiple times, I’d always gotten Ending S (the best ending, at least based on PP reward) because it is so easy to get. It turns out that Case West begins from Ending A (the second best), instead. This seems to me like a strange shift since Dead Rising 2 seemed to follow from the best ending to the original Dead Rising. Before I learned about that decision, I was wondering why the game made no references to Chuck’s daughter or love interest and was completely at a loss for why Chuck would abandon them to go off on a jaunt with Frank.

Overall, I wasn’t that impressed with Case West. The human enemies detract from a lot of the fun and the plot really doesn’t do much for the series as a whole–it’s basically just a setup for a sequel.

Dead Rising 2: Case West: 0

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Kim’s Ending is the Best

This was originally published as part of a game roundup on 28 February 2011.

I played Scott Pilgrim: The Video Game on the 360. This made me nostalgic for The Simpsons Arcade Game which is a fond memory from my youth. I thought it played very well, but the game was a bit unstable. I suspect that Adobe Flash is to blame for this. Regardless, it was solid and I’d recommend it.

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World: The Game: 1

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Duct Tape Fixes Everything

This was originally published as part of a game roundup on 28 February 2011.

Of all the games on this list, Dead Rising 2 is the game which ate the most of my free time and the only one which will get a full review. The first Dead Rising game was what caused me to purchase a 360, so I was somewhat excited about the sequel. Nevertheless, I held back because of my giant backlog. Instead, I ended up getting Case Zero (the prequel, stand alone DLC). After playing through it two or three times, I immediately went out and purchased the full game.

For those unaware, Dead Rising is a zombie game. In the predecessor, zombies broke out in a small town in the Midwest. Since then, there have been other zombie outbreaks around the US, but things have mostly been contained. Knowledge of zombies is now widespread. The player character, Chuck Greene, lost his wife to a zombie outbreak a few years before the start of the game. His daughter was also bitten, but hasn’t yet turned due to daily injections of an antidote called Zombrex which keeps her from turning, but only at one day per dose. In order to afford the extremely expensive medication, Chuck competes on a pay-per-view event called “Terror Is Reality” in which zombies are dismembered in various ways to entertain the masses.

After one taping of TIR, the zombies used for the event are released and overrun the city of Fortune City (a lawyer-friendly clone of Las Vegas). For reasons that he doesn’t understand, Chuck is framed for the release of the zombies and must attempt to clear his name, save himself and his daughter from the outbreak, and get enough Zombrex to keep his daughter from turning.

The game plays very much like its predecessor: large open areas to explore, tons of zombies, dozens of ways to kill them. The game has managed to improved in several important ways: Firstly, the game finally allows you to have multiple save games. Moreover, it is completely possible to beat the game in your first play through–something essentially impossible in the first game. Also, survivor AI has improved markedly which makes saving said survivors far easier.

Perhaps the best change in this iteration is that the vast majority of the world is open to you at the beginning of the game. In the former, you had to work slowly to open it piece by piece through story progression and every new game required you to do most of the unlocking from scratch. This time, only a few areas remain unlocked, and those mostly open up quickly.

Overall, I probably played at least 8 passes through the entire game which is somewhat remarkable for me, as is paying full price at a big-box store for it.

Dead Rising 2: 1!

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The Power of Metal

Originally Published 31 August 2010

Last week, I finished my playthrough of Brutal Legend. Brutal Legend is the Jack Black heavy metal game from late last year.

Brutal Legend begins with the Jack Black character (Eddie) as a roadie for a band consisting mostly of characters who are expies of characters from Psychonauts. He is quickly smashed by a portion of the band’s stage and apparently dies. Upon waking, he is on an alter being worshipped by cultists who seem disappointed to have found him rather than whatever they were attempting to summon and begin to attack him. A few moments later, he has found a guitar and a literal axe and is cutting them up. Eddie quickly finds some freedom fighters who are trying to overthrow the evil cultist power structure and he signs up. The game thereafter follows the progression of their rebellion.

The main distinguishing feature of Brutal Legends is its setting. The game is set in a sort of post-apocalyptic future (incorrectly recognized by the protagonist as the past) where music has been forgotten. Of course, the whole point of the game is the Metal, so the game features a soundtrack almost completely filled with it as well as characters who are designed to look like (and often voiced by) famous Rock and Metal artists. Ozzy Osbourne is the Guardian of Metal–a mystical shopkeeper of sorts–for instance.

Unfortunately, the gameplay of Brutal Legends is rather disappointing. The game has two main modes. The first is an uninspiring free-exploration type game mode. In this mode, you play as Eddie and have the ability to do sidequests, search for power-ups, and the like. Despite my normal tendency to wander in open worlds, I found myself completely disinterested with such a proposition, primarily due to the lack of much to do in the world near the beginning of the game and the relative ease of dying.

The second game mode is the real core of the gameplay–real-time strategy. Unfortunately, this game offers up a real-time strategy model that is mostly untenable. Firstly, you still can only directly control Eddie (who acts somewhat like a Hero unit from Warcraft III), so you spend most of the time in any given RTS encounter by running around the map relaying orders. Secondly, it is difficult to impossible to deliver fine-grained orders or to control troops tactically. Instead, you often are forced to control units en masse and hope that your unit mix is successful at defeating the enemy. The whole system tends to encourage an attitude of “rush first; restart if you stall” since enemies are almost always better able to manage their troop mix.

I had initially been somewhat interested in the plot of the game. The writing was generally decent and the characters somewhat interesting, but the quality tended to fall over the course of the game. Eddie began to show knowledge that he had no business having (since he wasn’t from this time period) and the last third or so of the game is actually revealed to be an idiot plot right before the final fight.

Taken together, I can’t say there was much to like here. The music is decent, but that should be expected of a game that gets to choose the best metal of the last 30 years as its soundtrack. Luckily, the game is very short–perhaps 4-6 hours if you only do the main plot.

Brutal Legend: 0

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Martina Felderman

Executive Coach, Leadership Development Coach, Career Coach

From executives to local entrepreneurs and small business owners, Martina Felderman serves her clients as an experienced leadership and career coach. Martina has a true passion for integrating scientifically proven techniques with holistic approaches to support her clients in establishing a career and balance that aligns with their life goals and core values.

How I can help

Using a customized and holistic approach, Martina empowers business professionals to become better leaders while establishing a healthy work-life balance. As a former molecular biologist and cancer researcher, she has a deep understanding of how stress, lack of exercise and nutrition affect overall health and well-being.

Who I work with

High-achieving business professionals who want to take their leadership skills to the next level.

Martina is one of the best coaches I’ve had the good fortune to work with. Martina is a tremendous collaborator with an amazing creative side. I am impressed by her ability to enable me to find solutions for the most complex problems and to deliver on any challenge that was brought to the table. I would jump at an opportunity to work with Marinta again and I highly recommend her to anyone looking to work with a strong coach to support you in achieving your goals.

- James B., Senior Director Sales Operations & Strategy

I have had the pleasure of working with Martina for three months. It was during a time where I was finalizing large projects and I felt a lot of anxiety and stress. Martina helped me to break through my "perceived barriers" and create new perspectives which helped me to achieve a more balanced and successful approach and outcome. I would highly recommend Martina to anyone who is looking for achieving their goals with success while also maintaining balance.

- Deborah H., Retail Executive

Contact Me

Greater Denver Area, Colorado, US

Send Email
Languages Spoken

English, German

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Thursday, 3 March 2016

Meebox Review: Gold Glitter Roses

Hey everyone! Today I'm showcasing a 'new' subscription box: the Meebox*. I say 'new' because they've been around for a few months now but they're new to me, and my first experience was definitely a positive one. Each box contains "at least three top brand and indie nail polishes, essential tools, vital treatments and stunning nail art supplies".

In this Meebox* I got Smith and Cult - Porn-a-thon (RRP £19), Leighton Denny - Feel The Burn (RRP £11), Nails Inc - Chelsea Embankment (RRP £14), Sparkly Nails Square Studs (RRP £1.50), plus three swatch sticks. Some lucky buyers also got a bottle of Chanel polish in their box, but unfortunately I wasn't one of them! Meebox is £20 for a rolling subscription, or £54 for 3 months. Each month has a new theme, this month's theme was 'Red Carpet.'

I decided to create some nail art with the polishes I was received, I didn't use the studs because once I tried to add them to the design I decided they didn't really work, but the other polishes were all used. I wanted to experiment with a different kind of rose design, I'm still trying to perfect roses, I've done them very similarly for years but I never feel satisfied with them. I was really proud of how these turned out but there's still some work to do too.

I must admit that Smith + Cult is a much more peachy colour than this picture shows, as can be seen from the design, but otherwise the picture is colour accurate, for some reason it just couldn't capture it in this picture. I also used OPI - Don't Mess With OPI for the leaves - because what are roses without leaves? This Nails Inc gold is AMAZING though. Just two coats and it's so opaque and glittery. I couldn't stop staring at my nails whilst I had this on. Leighton Denny - Feel The Burn was also a fabulous one-coater, although I actually used two because I'm always worried that the camera will see something I don't!

What do you think? Do you want to/have you tried Meebox?
Let me know in the comments!

  1. Oh it looks fantastic! :-)

  2. This box looks awesome, though I would be bummed if I wasn't one of the lucky Chanel polish recipients haha. That Nails Inc glitter is gorgeous and of course I adore your roses!!

  3. Beautiful, I love your roses and that gold is gorgeous! I've done a few Meebox reviews, had their first 5 boxes actually and have only recently stopped because I was getting too many dupes with my collection anyway. I do miss receiving it though, such a lovely box to get through and always such great value (plus I'm in love with the little "Hello, it's mee" sticker you always get :))

  4. Gr8 colors combination and beautiful roses <3

  5. ooh, I love that gold! I think this looks like a great box, and I love the look you've created from it. I always admire your roses so much!

I absolutely love to read all your comments, they make my day! So please do not hesitate to tell me what you think, but I ask that you don't link spam to your blog in your comment, thankyou so much everyone!


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Hamrokitchen.com is Nepal’s Ultimate Online Shopping Destination. It is a part of ATC Group. It’s vision is to create Nepal’s most reliable and frictionless e-commerce ecosystem that creates life-changing experience for buyers and sellers. It is the only online store which deals with each and every kitchen related products with over 5,000 products in its domain and the number is increasing day by day. Hamrokitchen has been committed to providing top-quality kitchenware and appliances at the lowest prices possible, while maintaining the highest standards of integrity and customer service. Each member of our friendly, knowledgeable sales staff has undergone extensive, hands-on training with the products we offer. We are also confident in our unbeatable pricing. Hamrokitchen customer is never too far from our large delivery network. Whether you are in a city or in a remote area, if you have shopped with us, your product will reach your door step within the promised time. We also have very favorable after sales features which guarantees that the product sold will be replaced or repaired hassle-free within the warranty period. Shopping online particularly with Hamrokitchen is a child’s play; all you need is a mobile phone or laptop or tablet with internet connection to get started. Simply log on to Hamrokitchen.com or download Hamrokitchen app available for both Android and Apple users and browse through the wide assortment of products across categories. Once you have zeroed in your favourite products, simply place the order by filling the details and the products will be delivered right at your doorstep.

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Travel tales

Summer in Verbier: The infinite playground in the Swiss Alps

Summer in Verbier: The infinite playground in the Swiss Alps

Dylan Jones from Shoot from the Trip heads to Verbier in Switzerland on assignment for On the Luce to check out what this stunning ski resort has to offer during the summer months.

Birds tweeting, cowbells clanging quietly in the distance and the occasional sound of a mountain bike whizzing past. These are the sounds that you will hear while sitting on your balcony during the summer season in Verbier, Switzerland. You may know Verbier as a luxury ski resort and winter playground, but this beautiful location in the Alps has so much to offer during the summer season. Located in the south of Switzerland and perched on a south-facing plateau 1500m above sea level, Verbier is the perfect mountain resort for a summer break.

This trip was hosted by Verbier Tourist Office, but all views are our own.

With breathtaking views across the Val de Bagnes and the surrounding mountain ranges, it’s an infinite playground for those who want adventure, fun, culture and relaxation. You’re unlikely to spend much time on your hotel balcony though, as there’s so much to do during summer in Verbier. With over 800km of bike tracks and 500km of walking trails, there’s no excuse to stay indoors. The town and the surrounding hills are packed full of restaurants offering wonderful and locally produced dishes, especially cheese. Or for those looking for a more relaxed break, there are spas and mountain yoga. It’s the ultimate all-round destination.

Verbier Infinite Playground Pass (VIP Pass)

Verbier’s VIP pass (photo credit

Verbier Infinite Playground (VIP Pass)

When you stay a minimum of one night in the region and pay the tourist tax, you’re issued with the Verbier Infinite Playground Pass (VIP Pass). This pass provides you with discounts to many local attractions and free access to the ski lifts for pedestrians and a 50% reduction for cyclists throughout the summer season. There is unlimited access to the region’s local buses, meaning it’s easy to get out and explore further afield. So whether you are an explorer, a nature-lover or a thrill-seeker, you are likely to make some great savings by using the VIP Pass.

Things to do in summer in Verbier

Window box with flowers in Swiss mountain chalet

Colourful Verbier

Outdoor activities

A visit to the Alps during the summer months is mostly focused on spending time outdoors. The bright green valleys are bathed in sunshine, sitting against the backdrop of snow-capped jagged peaks which stretch out as far as you can see on the horizon. The scenery is stunning and perfect for hiking, biking and exploring.

Verbier and the Val Bagnes area has 500km of walking trails in the mountains, valleys and surrounding forests. From gentle hikes to more challenging climbs, there are a wide range of trails available depending on your fitness levels. For a simple family hike, the Bisse du Levron trail is perfect. The Bisse, a manmade stream constructed in 1460, transports water along the mountainside above Verbier before leading to a waterfall cascading to the valley below.

The trail can be accessed by taking the Medran lift to Les Ruinettes from Verbier. The trail follows the Bisse along the hillside with stunning views down to Verbier and the valleys below. Being so high above the town was a really peaceful experience. Apart from a few hikers we passed along the way, the only noises were the trickling of the Bisse and sounds of surrounding wildlife. The gentle cowbells of cattle grazing on the pastures and the chirping of marmots were the most prominent, along with birdsong coming from the trees.

Signposts for hiking routes in Switzerland

Walking the Bisse du Levron trail

A gentle hike completed, it was time to make a stop at a mountain restaurant. Conveniently located near the Bisse du Levron trail is the Restaurant La Marlénaz. A lovely high-altitude restaurant at 1895m with a large terrace overlooking Verbier, the service was friendly and the food was delicious. Serving rostis, fondues, raclette, meats and salads, there was a heavy focus on traditional Swiss cuisine. We all opted for rostis with various toppings, washed down with a local fruity white Fendant wine. It was all fantastic.

For a slightly more strenuous hike, it’s worth taking the trail to Pierre Avoi. A tall rock formation, Pierre Avoi towers over the surrounding landscape at 2473m and provides 360-degree views of Verbier, the Rhone Valley and Mont Blanc mountain range. The Pierre Avoi trail can be reached by taking the Savoleyres mountain lift from Verbier. The hike is fairly simple until the final climb to the top of the Pierre Avoi, where ladders and chains assist hikers reaching the summit.

Wooden mountain restaurant in the Swiss Alps

La Marlénaz

A hugely popular summer activity in Verbier is mountain biking. Verbier BikePark has more than 800km of trails and mountain roads, suitable for downhill, enduro and the slightly simpler E-biking. Bicycles are a great way to cover a lot of ground, providing optimum opportunities to see the awesome mountain scenery. If you are not in great shape though, the added assistance offered by the E-bike (a bike with an integrated motor) is perfect.

If you’re a beginner to E-biking, there are guides on hand from Verbier BikePark to offer introductory sessions, who provide great technical advice. Our E-biking excursion was with a guide, who gauged our experience and recommended the best and most suitable routes for our skill level. E-bikes can be hired from many locations across Verbier. Ours were hired and collected from the Backside Verbier shop in the centre of the resort (CHF55 for half a day).

E-Biking in the mountains

E-Biking in the mountains

After a ride across Verbier, we then started our climb, initially heading up some winding mountain roads with stops on request for photographs, before hitting the forest and some true mountain bike-worthy paths. With the bikes in electric mountain bike mode there was some assistance which was matched to the effort put in by pedalling. This made light work of the ascent, especially useful on hill starts after pausing to take in the views. This was followed by a descent back to Verbier, but only to pass through before heading to the organised lunch spot.

The Restaurant la Croix-de-Coeur is a fine dining mountain restaurant located between Verbier and La Tzoumaz. With fantastic panoramic views of the surrounding mountains, it’s a beautiful opportunity to sit out on the sunny terrace, soak up the views and enjoy the delicious dishes on offer. Lunch over, it was time to head back to Verbier after a really enjoyable experience. If you are looking for a way to see great views that change as your perspective does, challenging yourself, but with the back-up of an electric motor, then this activity is for you.

Mountain hut and peaks in the Alps

Mountain views

From the mines to the Alpine flavours

Another outdoor activity, and something a little unusual, was a guided walk and tour of an abandoned mine (CHF10 for adults and CHF5 for children with the VIP pass). Beginning at the Col des Planches mountain pasture, packed with summer wildflowers, we were briefed on the geological richness of the area and the history of mining at Mont-Chemin. The walk to the mine takes an hour, through meadows and forests with information boards along the way.

At the mine entrance, we were provided with hard hats and torches before heading into the dark passageways deep underground. Within seconds of entering the dark tunnel, the temperature plummeted in comparison to the balmy summer temperatures outside. It’s important to have warm clothing and sturdy footwear. Although the 400-metre-long tunnel through the mine is flat, it can be a little uneven underfoot with some moisture seeping through the rock.

Once inside, it was fascinating to see the changes in the rock formations where granite, quartz and marble were intertwined with sudden flecks of blue and green minerals, used for making jewellery. Iron, lead and silver were mined from the beginning of the Middle Ages and extensive mining of fluorine took place in the 20th century. The mine tour is followed by a hike back to Col des Planches where the group have the opportunity to taste a selection of local produce from the area. You can be pretty much guaranteed that this will involve cheese!

Entrance to a mine near the Col des Planches

The entrance to the mine

Aerial walkway

For an adventure without leaving the resort, the aerial walkway near the Medran cable car station is ideal for the whole family. A high ropes adventure course, there are three difficulty levels and it is suitable for children from seven years of age (CHF12.50 for adults and CHF7.50 for children with the VIP pass). There are three courses, made up of a series of high walkways and zip wires. Some sections can be quite challenging, but the adrenaline rush of whizzing through the trees on the zip wires makes the hard work worthwhile.

For a slightly more challenging adventure, there are two Via Ferrata courses in the region. These are far more challenging and nerve-wracking, and you will be accompanied by a mountain guide. Rope bridges, carved steps and ladders, suspended high over deep gorges – if this sounds more like your idea of adventure then they are great options.

Aerial Walkway high ropes adventure course

The aerial walkway

Food and drink

Food and drink plays a huge part in the culture of the area. The Val de Bagnes region is famed for its cheese. Raclette and Tomme cheese are popular in the area, so naturally there is the opportunity to see the production and learn about cheese-making techniques.

From Cow to Cheese

A really informative and enjoyable excursion, From Cow to Cheese is a half-day activity which takes you to a cheese-making facility before visiting the alpine pastures where the Herens cows graze, to see a more traditional method of cheese production (CHF10 for adults and CHF5 for children with the VIP pass). This is followed by a tasty lunch at a mountain restaurant.

The tour begins at Fromagerie D’Etiez in Volleges to see the production of raclette cheese from start to finish. Unpasteurised milk arrives early in the morning from local farmers before the process begins. The milk is warmed and mixed with cultures to thicken, forming a curd before being placed in circular moulds and pressed for a designated time. It’s then turned and pressed again and the cycle continues to remove excess liquid to reach the correct consistency.

Stacks of cheese

Cheese heaven

The cheese is the submerged in a salt bath which adds flavour as well as forming a rind. Finally, the cheese is stored in cool (and carefully monitored) temperatures on wooden shelves to age. During this aging process, the cheese is washed and turned regularly by hand. The raclette cheese is stored for at least 90 days before it is ready to be sold.

A tasting session followed, with the opportunity to sample of range of delicious cheeses produced at the Fromagerie D’Etiez. These cheeses as well as other local produce can be purchased from the store on site. No need to worry during closed hours, as there is a cheese vending machine outside. Yes, you heard it right, a cheese vending machine. Heaven!

Herens cows in Verbier

Herens cows in the mountain pastures

Following the tour of the fromagerie, it was time to head to the mountain pasture at Alpage du Tronc to meet the Herens cows. These cows are a small, horned breed of alpine cattle coloured black, brown or dark red. They are bred primarily for beef but produce around 3200kg of milk per year and are well adapted to graze on high-altitude pastures. A distinguishing feature of these cows is that the females are aggressive and dominant, and there is a local tradition of cow fighting in the Valais region, which is a major tourist attraction.

The cows are herded in twice daily for milking and a more traditional cheese making process takes place here. The general process is the same as the Fromagerie D’Etiez, albeit with less machinery and more processes carried out by hand. It was interesting to compare both. The excursion was concluded with another delicious lunch involving, you’ve guessed it, cheese.

Cheese samples at Fromagerie D’Etiez

Cheese tasting at Fromagerie D’Etiez

Brewery tour

If beer is to your tastes, then the V Bier Brewery Tour at Vie Montagne is right up your street (CHF12.50 for adults with the VIP pass and free for children under 15 with a non-alcoholic drink). Vie Montagne is a private members club with a restaurant, gym and a public bar. Located on the Rue Medran in the centre of Verbier it also has a microbrewery, with six of its own beers on tap. These beers are all brewed on site by the resident brewer, ensuring freshness is guaranteed.

The set-up is impressive with the malt being ground on site, before being mixed with water drawn from nearby Lac de Louvie, locally purified and nothing other than ingredients added. Once brewed and cooled the beers are sent to one of six dedicated fermentation tanks before being pumped to casks and served. This has to be one of the shortest travelled beers in the world, from brewery to glass in less than a hundred feet.

Vie Montagne members club in Verbier

Vie Montagne

There are six beers on offer: Pilsner, V-Wit, Pale 3, Pale 4, Pale Ale and Red IPA. From a refreshing Pilsner, to a great Wheat Beer, a range of Pale Ales varying in strength to the final Red IPA – a flavoured beer which is infused with the earthy tasting beetroot. This surprisingly complimented the Pale Ale flavour, making for a great all-rounder.

The beers were all served in a magnificently fitted out space. Books and curiosities lined the walls, lots of wood befitting the nature of cabins in the area and great lighting (a wonderful array of lamps hanging from above into the public bar). The restaurant was a more cosy club-style with leather tub chairs and darker wood. Definitely a space worth visiting.

Beer making and tasting at V Bier brewery in Verbier

Beer making and tasting at V Bier

Relaxation and wellness

Whenever you take a trip, you should always allow some down time. Time to relax and recharge. And what better place to recharge than high up in the Alps with the fresh mountain air around you. Summer in Verbier offers plenty of options for rest and relaxation.

Mountain yoga

Spending a weekend in the mountains hiking, biking, eating, drinking and relaxing brings with it a special kind of mindfulness and reflection. However, sometimes that isn’t enough. It’s just the start of the journey and you need more. Wholey Cow offer a range of yoga, massage, fitness, PT and Pilates options at their premises in the centre of Verbier.

What they also offer, something extra special, is yoga at the mountain top. It’s a short gondola ride on the Medran lift to Les Ruinettes, before crossing to the terrace of Le Mouton Noir Restaurant. This is where the class takes place – in front of an amazing backdrop of the Mont Blanc mountain range. This is the spectacular location for an hour-long yoga session.

Mountain yoga in Verbier in the Swiss Alps

Mountain yoga views

The class was geared to all talents, with three options for differing yoga abilities (beginners for me). We were guided through the class and calmly given instructions and the rhythm for breathing and holding poses. The location, the exercise and the mindfulness time left me feeling really good at the end of the class. A great experience.

Spa days

For a truly relaxing and indulgent experience, head to the luxurious W Verbier hotel and visit the AWAY Spa. With 800 square metres of relaxation space including nine treatment rooms, a jacuzzi and steam rooms, you can relax, rejuvenate and feel refreshed for the remainder of your trip. Spend time in the indoor/outdoor heated swimming pool to make the most of the surroundings.

Indoor/outdoor swimming pool and spa at the W Verbier hotel

The AWAY Spa at the W Verbier (photo credit Marriott)

Exploring the resort of Verbier

With Verbier being geared up for the busy winter season, there is no shortage of bars, restaurants and shopping options in the resort. The ski gear may be put away but there are stores selling summer hiking and biking gear as well as accessories. We paid a visit to SunGod’s Basecamp in the resort centre. If you haven’t heard of SunGod before, they are a super-cool company that sell innovative and stylish sunglasses, snow goggles and accessories that are built to last and suitable for all of your outdoor adventures.

Predominantly an online retailer, their recently opened flagship store in Verbier is a space where people can come in, design their own sunglasses from a wide range of options, grab a beer or a coffee and chill out in cool surroundings. SunGod have so much confidence in their product that they carry a lifetime guarantee. They are durable and hardwearing, but also really cool and customisable – we were gifted a pair to customise to suit our tastes.

Custom made sunglasses at SunGod in Verbier

Sunglasses at SunGod

There might not be any après-ski in summer, but there’s certainly the need to chill and wind down after a hard day of hiking or biking. You’re never too far from a bar or restaurant in the resort. Notable restaurants to mention were Chez Martin and Millenium, both of which are centrally located. Smart and stylish Chez Martin provided a friendly welcome with a menu of local foods, meat, fish and a selection of Italian dishes. A starter of tasty beef carpaccio, followed by a saffron risotto with slow cooked beef ragu was washed down with a hearty glass of Pinot.

Millenium, on the corner of Rue Medran, has the option of outdoor or indoor seating. The interior was cosy and welcoming with low-hanging lamps, dark wood and traditional features, creating a lovely atmosphere. A perfectly cooked tuna with wasabi on blini starter, followed by Yakitori beef skewers and fried polenta as a main was beautifully presented and the flavours were divine. Alongside a glass of local Gamay, it was a really enjoyable dining experience.

Room at the Hotel Bristol in Verbier

Room at the Hotel Bristol in Verbier

Verbier accommodation

There are a range of accommodation options in Verbier, with self-catering chalets, Airbnbs and several hotels of varying star ratings. We stayed at the three-star Hotel Bristol on the Route des Creux, in the very heart of the resort. A lovely family-run hotel, the welcome was friendly and personable. The rooms have been recently decorated and are simple and stylish, with splashes of colour and wood details. They are large and airy featuring a king-sized bed, desk area, large wardrobe, mini bar and a balcony with the most stunning views of the mountains.

Breakfast is included in the room rate. A continental buffet style breakfast with hot offerings such as bacon and eggs, served in a lovely bright conservatory. The lobby area has a small bar and seating area. It’s the perfect base to explore the town and surrounding area. There is no onsite restaurant, but given the location in the centre of the resort, everything is on the doorstep. Rooms from CHF173/£138 per room per night for a twin room.

The Hotel Bristol exterior and terrace view

The Hotel Bristol

How to get to Verbier

Verbier is conveniently located in the south east of Switzerland, and is well serviced by planes, rail or by road. We flew from London Heathrow to Geneva with Swiss International Air Lines – a short flight of less than 90 minutes. SWISS operates more than 170 weekly flights to Switzerland from London Heathrow, London City, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Dublin, which start from £55 one-way (hand luggage only) or £71 one-way (all-inclusive).

From Geneva Airport, we took a scenic train journey following the Swiss edge of Lake Geneva, before arriving at Martigny. The Swiss Transfer Ticket covers a round-trip between the airport/Swiss border and your destination for £112 second class or £182 first class. A transfer at Martigny railway station onto the St Bernard Express train whisked us into the mountains to Le Chable, then you can either take a gondola, local bus or taxi to Verbier, a 15-minute journey.

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Visiting the Swiss ski resort of Verbier in summer, with great food, mountain views, hiking, biking and VIP pass discounts for your summer in Verbier #Switzerland #Alps #Verbier

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  • Reply
    July 17, 2019 at 3:18 pm

    Switzerland looks like the perfect option for adrenaline junkies whatever season! I’ve never thought of it for a summer destination but it looks beautiful.

    The Crown Wings | UK Travel & Lifestyle Blog

    • Reply
      July 21, 2019 at 9:12 pm

      Summer in the mountains is such an underrated trip – definitely worth trying!

  • Reply
    Janet Nelson
    July 17, 2019 at 9:02 pm

    Switzerland is my heaven! I go back as much as possible. Can’t wait to explore this area.

    • Reply
      July 21, 2019 at 9:13 pm

      Such a beautiful country isn’t it!

  • Reply
    Kacie Morgan
    July 19, 2019 at 12:46 am

    The room at Hotel Bristol looks so cosy and the food seems right up my street too – always something I look for in a destination!

    • Reply
      July 21, 2019 at 9:15 pm

      Good food is always a bonus!

  • Reply
    July 19, 2019 at 9:30 am

    Looks absolutely stunning. But how long did it actually take to get there? Is it worth it for just a weekend or should you plan for a longer stay.

    • Reply
      July 21, 2019 at 9:23 pm

      It takes around 7 hours from London to Verbier so would be a bit of a push for a couple of days, but a long weekend or a week would be perfect.

  • Reply
    July 19, 2019 at 4:55 pm

    Wow! I would love to go hiking here! I would never have considered visiting Verbier in summer before reading this.

    • Reply
      July 21, 2019 at 9:27 pm

      The mountains are such a great destination in summer, and usually good value too!

  • Reply
    Stuart Forster
    July 21, 2019 at 8:45 pm

    There’s bags of info there for readers to pick from.

    • Reply
      July 21, 2019 at 9:32 pm

      Tons to do!

  • Reply
    Dylan Jones
    July 21, 2019 at 10:03 pm

    Verbier was fantastic for a few days. There so much outdoor scenery to explore and they are really ramping up their summer programme of activities. Already planning a return visit.

    • Reply
      July 22, 2019 at 5:31 pm

      I’m going to have to make the trip myself too!

  • Reply
    Kathryn Burrington
    July 22, 2019 at 8:16 am

    Riverside walks, mountain yoga and cheese, I couldn’t imagine a better holiday and in such a stunning setting! The e-bikes sound fabulous too. A great way to explore. I’ve just come back from a trip in the Alps and it’s left me wanting more!

    • Reply
      July 22, 2019 at 5:32 pm

      I am such a big fan of the mountains in summer now – the views are just as good without the snow!

  • Reply
    Stuart Fahy
    July 22, 2019 at 11:57 am

    I’ve never thought about going to the Alps, mainly because I’ve never skied and am fairly certain I’d do some serious damage. But there’s a lot here that make it look like it’d be worth a trip some time. The outdoors stuff (hiking and cycling) look particular great, as does the brewery tour.

    • Reply
      July 22, 2019 at 5:33 pm

      I used to love skiing but I’ve definitely got a bit more cautious and would rather be in the mountains in the summer now!

  • Reply
    August 1, 2019 at 2:12 pm

    It looks absolutely beautiful in summer! There’s something really special about visiting somewhere ‘out of season’ – it feels a lot more peaceful and somewhat more exciting, I think! I can’t get over the beautiful view from the spa – it must have been incredibly relaxing to look out onto.

    Blushing Lately

    • Reply
      August 1, 2019 at 9:13 pm

      So gorgeous! It’s great to see a different side to places like this away from what you expect.

  • Reply
    swati@homestay in himachal
    September 7, 2019 at 9:15 am

    If you are vegetarian and want to fill your dining area with veggies and other items then visit to grocery stores in Switzerland. You can shop your own meals and cook it which will cost you less as compared to eating from outside.

  • Leave a Reply

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Abbas resignation threat puts PA in jeopardy

Abbas's threat to resign puts PA in jeopardy. China outlines £6bn plan for African development. Saudi forces gain ground against Shia insurgents. Market bombing kills mayor and eleven others near Peshawar, Pakistan. Iraq agrees essential electoral law. Obama announces 34,000 more troops for Afghanistan. All this and more in today's briefing.
Maddy Fry
9 November 2009

Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, has threatened to walk out on the struggling peace process between Palestine and Israel.  Abbas announced he would not be running for election in January only a few days before other Palestinian officials claimed they were meeting in order to consider disbanding the authority. Internationally this has caused much dismay, as it strikes a blow to the fragile infrastructure of Palestine’s limited sovereignty as well as crushing hopes of further peace talks with Israel.

Although officials from the Palestinian National Council have offered to talk over the decision with outside observers, some have admitted that the move was an angry reaction to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s remarks last week regarding Israel’s policy on settlements. Clinton claimed talks between the two sides should restart without demands being placed on Israel to halt the building of Israeli houses on Palestinian land, a statement which seemed to dilute Obama’s previous demand for a complete freeze in settlement construction.

Israel and  the US have favoured Abbas, head of the Fatah faction which rules the West Bank, as a moderate voice within the Palestinian movement. Accordingly, the Israeli government expressed concern over the decision, with foreign minister Danny Ayalon stating that Israel and the United States are interested in a Palestinian leadership that is ‘responsible and pragmatic’. Israeli President Shimon Peres is also reported to have called  Abbas the day before he announced his resignation, saying to him that if he left, ‘ the situation in the region would deteriorate’ and called on him to ‘stay, for the Palestinian people's sake’ .

The openSecurity verdict: Mahmoud Abbas’s apparent decision to step down comes at a very significant point in the peace negotiations. Even if he were to withdraw from his role as president, he would certainly not have vanished from the political scene in Palestine; he has stated that he has plans to stay on as head of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, and it is even thought that he may actually stay in the post of president for many months yet, due to the fact that the election set to take place on 24  January may be delayed if Hamas obstructs voting in Gaza where it remains dominant. Coupled with the fact that the decision is viewed by many as a clear political move designed to exert pressure on the US and Israel, there is reason to suggest that Abbas may go back on his decision.

Yet on the other hand, the possibility remains that Abbas’s move is about more than extracting concessions, particularly as so many of his colleagues have backed the decision, supplementing it with threats to dissolve the Palestinian Authority. If it is a heartfelt protest a lot may need to change for him to reconsider, including further concessions from Israel on settlement expansion and more signs of support for the Palestinian cause from the Americans. Although the US regards Abbas as key to its strategy in the middle east, both options seem unlikely, especially as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been resolutely digging his heels over calls by the US for Israel to freeze settlement building. In the face of such failures, President Obama may be reluctant to raise the stakes.

If the withdrawal of Abbas is indeed permanent, then the only hope for the region is that it reignites debate and topples a dead-end status quo.. The esteem with which he is held in the eyes of the US is possibly a sign that there are few other options. Whilst he has spent years trying and failing in his negotiations with Israel and the West, Benjamin Netanyahu has done little more than refuse to compromise over the expansion of Israeli settlements. With the order of the day so fruitless, few will mourn its passing.

The most popular choice for president in the wake of Abbas’s departure is Marghan Barghouti, a man currently detained by the Israelis and looking at serving five consecutive life sentences, he is widely regarded as a figure akin to Mandela. His popularity in so immense with Palestinians that, despite being in prison, he could successfully reunite the Fatah movement and reverse Hamas’s electoral victory in 2006. Outside of the prison walls, however, there are no other obvious successors, and Fatah may be critically weakened. A change in leadership is clearly needed in both Israel and Palestine – but whether it will come in the right direction is proving hard to tell.

China's six billion pound bid for greater influence in Africa

At a high-profile summit in Egypt yesterday the Chinese premier Wen Jiabao promised a loan of at least £6bn for resource-rich African countries in a bid to cement ties with them. The money would go towards investment in social programmes and infrastructure in the hope of expanding African markets eligible for trading with Chinese ones, as well as increasing the volume of raw materials for export. China also seeks to promote the loans as a means for helping African countries write off the debts owed and to help them cope with environmental challenges such as climate change.

Saudis overpower Yemeni insurgents

After nearly a week of intense fighting with Shia rebels, Saudi forces claimed to have driven them out of the mountainous region of Jabal Dukhan on the Yemeni border. However, spokesmen for the Shia Zaidi minority, members of whom had been conducting the insurgency, denied they had lost control of the area. They claimed that the Saudi Arabian government had given them permission to operate inside the area.

Should the Saudis have succeeded in expelling Houthi fighters, the development will be welcomed by the Yemeni government in Sana’a, who launched their own recent offensive against the Houthi and who are beset by violence perpetrated by Sunni militants in the south. Foreign observers fear the influence of al Qaeda combined with separatist rumblings may propel the country to become ‘a new Afghanistan.’

Twelve killed in market bombing in Pakistan

The Taliban yesterday took responsibility for a suicide bombing in a market near Peshawar. The attack, which was launched from a nearby car, killed twelve, one of whom was a mayor who had  formerly been known for sympathising with the Taliban’s cause. The group claimed that it was taking its revenge upon Abdul Malik for defecting to the campaign against the militias. The Pakistani government continues to fight against the insurgents in the north-west of the county, the response from whom has been a bout of suicide attacks that have killed and wounded hundreds of civilians.

Today, the Peshawar region bore witness to a further attack as a suicide bomber struck a police checkpoint after being stopped on the outskirts of the city, killing three people including a policeman.

Iraq overcomes legal obstacle to January elections

Under increased pressure from the United States, Iraq has passed an electoral law allowing votes for both the president and parliamentary seats to take place in January.   The law resolved the distribution of seats in the oil-laden city of Kirkuk, impeded by sectarian rivalry between Kurds, Arabs and Turkmen who all lay claim to the city. President Obama expressed his thanks, claiming that the development would speed the withdrawal of US troops.

Obama will send more soldiers to Afghanistan

President Obama has announced that despite the decision being set back in order to attempt to convince NATO to commit more resources to fighting the Taliban, he will be deploying a further 34,000 US troops to Afghanistan. The president rejected both Joe Biden’s proposal for only 10,000 more soldiers as well as that of Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the commander for NATO and the US in Afghanistan, who had demanded 40,000 more.

Meanwhile President Hamid Karzai pledged to do more to tackle corruption and commit more to helping fight the Taliban.

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Federal state / province: Niedersachsen
Administrative district: Landkreis Nienburg/Weser
association of local authorities: Samtgemeinde Heemsen
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Mārtiņš Vilkārsis

Set Designer

MĀRTIŅŠ VIKĀRSIS studied at the Art Academy of Latvia in its Department of Graphic Design, as well as in Andris Freibergs’ scenography master workshop. He is behind the scenography for more than 200 performances at the Daile Theatre, Valmiera Theatre, Latvian National Theatre, Mikhail Chekhov Riga Russian Theatre, Liepāja Theatre, Theatre TT and the New Riga Theatre. In addition to his work in Latvia, he has designed sets for performances in Russia, Lithuania, Estonia, Kazakhstan and Japan. He also designed the sets for the Latvian National Ballet’s productions of Don Quixote (2004), Anna Karenina (2007), Karlsson Flies... (2013) and Bolero... (2015), as well as for the Latvian National Opera’s production of The Rose of Turaida (2017), Manon Lescaut and Die Fledermaus (2015). Mārtiņš Vilkārsis is a five-time winner of Spēlmaņu nakts annual theatre award.

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Home Crime "Her last words were 'burn them alive', she should get justice": Lawyer who filed PIL to execute Nirbhaya's rapists

“Her last words were ‘burn them alive’, she should get justice”: Lawyer who filed PIL to execute Nirbhaya’s rapists

The SC had upheld the Delhi HC's verdict of the death penalty to Nirbhaya's rapists in May 2017.

Advocate Alakh Alok Srivastava has filed a PIL in the Supreme Court seeking the execution of the death penalty awarded to the convicts in Nirbhaya rape and murder case. As per reports, the lawyer has appealed the apex court to issue directions to the central government to execute the death penalty awarded to all convicts within two weeks from the listing of the case.

The apex court has reportedly admitted the PIL. Confirming the report, advocate Srivastava has stated that Nirbhaya’s last words before she succumbed to her injuries were, “Burn them alive”. He has added even after 6 long years of committing the barbaric act that resulted in the death of the innocent victim, the perpetrators are still alive. He has pledged that Nirbhaya should get justice before 16 December 2018. The incident had occurred on 16 December 2012.

It is notable here that the Supreme Court had, in July this year, rejected the review petition for the death penalty of three of the four living convicts of the Nirbhaya rape and murder case. The court has stated that they will hang. Six people, namely Ram Singh, Pawan Gupta, Akshay Singh, Vinay Sharma, Mukesh, and an alleged juvenile were convicted of the heinous rape and murder of Delhi student Nirbhaya (not her real name) inside a moving bus in the national capital.

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Ram Singh had committed suicide inside the jail. The alleged juvenile was released after a three-year prison sentence. One of the four remaining convicts, Akshay Singh had not filed a review petition.

Nirbhaya was brutally raped in the most barbaric manner and was left to die on the road. She was later sent for treatment to Singapore but had succumbed to her injuries. The case had generated widespread public outrage both nationally and internationally and has made a huge impact in the psyche of the nation.

The case made a profound impact on the Indian legal system and led to the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013, known as the Nirbhaya Act which ensured harsher punishment for sexual violence against women. The Supreme Court had in May 2017, upheld the death penalty awarded to the convicts by the Delhi HC.

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Home Entertainment Nothing heroic about surgical strikes, previous governments did it too: Congress Leader Nagma Morarji

Nothing heroic about surgical strikes, previous governments did it too: Congress Leader Nagma Morarji

Congress leaders' distasteful remarks on the armed forces continue

Actor-turned-politician and Congress leader Nagma on Wednesday questioned the heroics of the armed forces who conducted the Surgical Strikes on the terrorist camps inside Pakistan occupied Kashmir. Nagma went to claim that previous governments had also carried out similar surgical strikes.

Nagma, who was the part of a show along with actor Vivek Oberoi, downplayed the valour of the Armed Forces as she asserted that there was nothing heroic about carrying out surgical strikes. Interestingly, Nagma seems to be following a trend like other Congress leaders who had questioned the strikes by demanding proof. She also claimed that the previous governments have had also conducted surgical strikes on Pakistan soil.

In a hurry to discredit the armed forces and PM Modi, Nagma went on to propagate false facts regarding her claim of previous government conducting the surgical strike. In fact, the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) of the Indian Army had categorically said that there were no surgical strikes took place before September 2016.

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Soon after the surgical strikes, the Congress President Rahul Gandhi along with other senior leaders of the party had united in asking the government and the army for ‘proof of surgical strike’. Rahul Gandhi had even hurled allegations that the strikes were being announced because the Modi government wanted to do “khoon ki dalaali’ and that even Congress had conducted surgical strikes but had never announced the same.

Congress party had even questioned the recent Balakot air strikes and some of its leaders had demanded proof by the Indian government. The Congress ideologue and advisor to Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Sam Pitroda had questioned the casualty count of the Balakot airstrikes, carried out by the Indian Armed Forces.

Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal had questioned the strikes by referring to international media outlets, claiming that they are citing no evidence of the strikes. Another Congress leader Digvijay Singh had called the terror attack an ‘accident’. He said that reports in various foreign media regarding the “air strike” have created a doubt in our minds. Madhya Pradesh CM Kamalnath had also raised doubts about the authenticity of the attacks.

The disdains of the Congress party towards the security forces is being increasingly manifested lately. In the Lok Sabha election manifesto released by the Congress, the Congress party has also promised to review the deployment of forces in the valley if voted to power and has also accused the Indian Army of heinous crimes like sexual violence in the Valley owing to AFSPA similar to the claims of Pro-Pak Kashmiri separatists.

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live online training icon Live Online training

CCNP and CCIE Enterprise Core ENCOR 350-401 Crash Course

Implementing Cisco Enterprise Network Core Technologies

Anthony Sequeira

The Implementing Cisco Enterprise Network Core live training sessions explore the topics required for the popular CCNP Enterprise certification. This is the core exam for that certification and also serves as the new CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure written qualification exam. This course also assists students interested in achieving their CCNP Collaboration, CCIE Enterprise Wireless, and/or their Cisco Certified Specialist - Enterprise Core certifications. The topics covered in this course are not just critical for success in the Cisco Certification space but are also core topics for network engineers that want to be able to implement and support enterprise-scale network topologies.

What you'll learn-and how you can apply it

  • Students will learn to implement dual stack (IPv4 and IPv6) architectures, including Layer 2, Layer 3, wireless, and IP services.
  • Students will be able to configure key modern virtualization technologies.
  • Students will also learn about critical enterprise scale network assurance, security, and automation.

This training course is for you because...

  • This training is targeted at those network engineers wanting to achieve their CCNP Enterprise or CCIE Enterprise Architecture certifications from Cisco Systems. This training also assists with CCNP Collaboration, CCIE Enterprise Wireless, and the Cisco Certified Specialist - Enterprise Core.
  • This training is also targeted at those that do not require certification in these areas but that want to focus on the real-world skills required to implement scalable and reliable enterprise network infrastructures that include the latest highly-regarded technologies.

  • Students should possess their CCNA (200-301) certification or should possess the equivalent knowledge. This includes a knowledge of Layer 2, Layer 3, IP Services, and network programmability basics as well as automation.

Course Set-up:

  • Students should have a high-bandwidth Internet connection in order to enjoy this live, online event. No specific network equipment is required.

Recommended Preparation:

Recommended Follow-up:

  • Students should consider exploring one of the various concentration areas following completion of this course. These include Implementing Cisco Enterprise Advanced Routing and Services (ENARSI), Implementing Cisco SD-WAN Solutions (SDWAN300), Designing Cisco Enterprise Networks (ENSLD), Designing Cisco Enterprise Wireless Networks (ENWLSD), Implementing Cisco Enterprise Wireless Networks (ENWLSI), or Implementing Automation for Cisco Enterprise Solutions (ENAUI).

About your instructor

  • Anthony Sequeira (CCIE No. 15626) began his IT career in 1994 with IBM in Tampa, Florida. He quickly formed his own computer consultancy, Computer Solutions, and then discovered his true passion - teaching and writing about Microsoft, Cisco and related technologies. Anthony has lectured to massive audiences around the world while working for Mastering Computers, and he is currently a freelance trainer and author. He is an avid tennis player, a private pilot, a semi-professional poker player, and enjoys many other hobbies.

The timeframes are only estimates and may vary according to how the class is progressing

Day 1:

Segment 1 Enterprise Architectures Length (100min)

  • Participants will learn general enterprise design principles and then focus on WLAN, cloud, and SD-WAN and SD-Access design principles.
  • QA (15 min)
  • Break (10 min)

Segment 2 QoS and Hardware and Software Switching Mechanisms Length (100min)

  • Participants will learn key QoS principles for wireless and wired networks. They will also discuss hardware and software switching mechanisms found in the modern enterprise network.
  • QA (15 min)

Day 2:

Segment 3 Virtualization Length (100min)

  • Participants will learn to describe and implement key virtualization technologies including device, data path, and network virtualization.
  • QA (15 min)
  • Break (length: 10 min)

Segment 4 Layer 2 Length (100min)

  • Participants will learn to implement key Layer 2 technologies such as trunking, RSTP, and MST.
  • QA (15 min)

Day 3:

Segment 5 Layer 3 Length (100min)

  • Participants will learn to implement key Layer 3 technologies including interior and exterior routing protocols.
  • QA (15 min)
  • Break (length: 10min)

Segment 6 Wireless Length (100min)

  • Participants will learn to describe key wireless principles used in today’s wireless LANs of the enterprise. They will also learn to troubleshoot common connectivity issues.
  • QA (15 min)

Day 4: Segment 7 IP Services and Network Assurance Length (100min)

  • Participants will learn to implement key network services and deploy tools to ensure the network is performing in a reliable and optimal manner.
  • QA (15 min)
  • Break (10min)

Segment 8 Security and Automation Length (100min)

  • Participants will learn about some of the latest security technologies deployed in the enterprise. Students will also discover key principles of network programmability and automation.
  • QA (15 min)


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Why the Arts Are an Integral Part of a Good Education

Artist's Palette With Brushes

In an academic day and age when a strong emphasis is placed on increasing standardized test scores, art-based programs are often set aside to make way for other core subjects. This trend is especially evident amid public schools, whose federal funding is dependent upon meeting rigorous national standards set forth by legislation. For students with varied learning styles, however, a creative, artistic approach to education is not only beneficial—it’s essential to ensure success. Learn why arts are an integral part of a strong education in both public and private schools and how attending an arts-based prep school can benefit your student.

Arts Engage Students

According to a 2002 study entitled Involvement in the Arts and Success in Secondary School, students who participate in the arts in school show achievement in other realms of life. On average, students engaged in art watch less television, report less boredom, and are more likely to participate within their communities through service-based projects. Attending an arts-focused private school can help improve students’ social skills, confidence, and collaboration abilities.

Math, Language, and Higher SAT Scores

Musical instruction has been shown to help increase spatial temporal reasoning, which is the relationship of objects and ideas in space and time. Students involved in musical classes in high school are more likely to score higher on standardized mathematics tests.

In the 2005 College-Bound Seniors: Total Group Profile Report compiled by the College Board, students involved in art achieved higher scores on the verbal and math sections of the SAT. Scores are as follows:

  • Students with a half year or less of art: Verbal: 485, Math: 502
  • Students with four years of art: Verbal: 543, Math: 541

These numbers provide compelling evidence of art’s impact in other academic areas.

By combining art exposure with the creative, all-encompassing curriculum found in prep school, you will ensure your child’s future success. Located in the East Bay, the Orinda Academy takes pride in providing students in grades 6 through 12 with a creative academic experience. Call us at (925) 254-7553 to learn more.


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Buy an exclusive property in Franche-Comté

Orpi Exclusive properties offers a selection of top range real estate throughout France. Each property is carefully selected by specialised professionals, according to extremely strict criteria, be it exceptionally interesting architecture, luxury amenities, great individual charm, unique view… Our staff provides personalised guidance and support to make your project a success. Entrust your search to the leading real estate network in France (number of agencies) and choose from Orpi’s outstanding selection of exclusive properties.

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Business Strategy: How Staff Leasing Can Help Your Business

Spread the love

“To win in the marketplace, you must first win in the workplace.” This statement from internationally-renowned business leader Douglas Conant speaks volumes about how important it is to hire the right people, as competent employees can make any enterprise thrive.

Indeed, any business owner must recruit impeccably-skilled and career-driven professionals. However, finding talent can be quite strenuous and time-consuming, thus taking a toll on a company’s financial and labor resources.

For this reason, looking into more time-efficient and cost-effective recruitment processes will be more beneficial in the long run. An example of this is the staff leasing model. Staff leasing typically revolves around a client and a service provider or supplier, wherein the latter takes over the recruitment process of employees for the client based on their distinct business needs.

In addition, the service provider is also responsible for the provision of necessary work equipment, as well as the supervision of operations for the client.  This will ensure that their leased employees or staff will be well-equipped to deliver the standards of performance quality that is required and expected of them by the client.

In this article, we will tackle the multiple benefits of staff leasing; but before that, let’s discuss an overview of staff leasing, including what makes it different from the traditional outsourcing management model.

Staff Leasing VS Traditional Outsourcing | The Difference

Given that you’re already familiar with traditional outsourcing management, you may find yourself asking why staff leasing is better than the former. The two mentioned recruitment systems are widely used in today’s modern business practices.

As for their most obvious difference, traditional outsourcing is usually overseen or administered internally by a team of experts from an outsourcing company. Meanwhile, in staff leasing, the client ensures that the outsourced team will perform the work following their rubrics and criteria, with a selected team lead managing the associates.

The Step-by-Step Guide to Staff Leasing

  • Consult an Expert

Before plunging into any new, unfamiliar idea or task/s, it is best to seek an expert’s advice. This enables you to know whether or not your desired change for your business will have a substantially high likelihood to lead to success. Furthermore, an expert’s insights allow you to determine if the move is practical in terms of costs and other factors you’ll be required to invest in.

Schedule a meeting with a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) and open up about your concerns and questions regarding your plan of venturing into staff leasing. In addition, with the help of a PEO, you can learn more deeply about its advantages and benefits to your company.

  • Carefully Review the Proposal

Do a diligent run-through of the document that the PEO has provided you. Be sure that it includes and highlights all the essential details that you need. Remember, you should be given an extensive proposal for you to understand the scope and objectives with ease. If you are satisfied, you may proceed with the signing.

  • Recruitment and Turnover of Employees

Recruiting employees in staff leasing entail a meticulous selection process. That being said, candidates are carefully assessed through their credentials and employment background to determine if they fit the job description and to ensure that they will perform excellently when assigned particular responsibilities.

After the completion of a written exam/s and an extensive interview process, the qualified applicants will be introduced to you. With that, you will be given a chance to conduct another interview to know the candidates further.

  • Implementation Commences

Once you have selected the employees that best fit the position, you will now receive documents detailing the onboarding process of your newly hired employees, which consists of basic information such as the starting date and mapped-out training plan.

  • Hold Periodical Assessments

In every structured recruitment model, it is a norm for every company to verify that all hired employees are continuously performing well and, thus, still a good match for the job. This is done through monthly or annual employee performance evaluations.

For staff leasing, the evaluation of employees is very crucial since the main purpose of the system is to ensure consistency of the employees’ performance. In this manner, the PEO should address your concerns, and if the situation calls it necessary, underperforming employees will be replaced.

Key Advantages of Staff Leasing

  • Significantly Lowers Liabilities

Staff leasing can considerably reduce the liabilities associated with hiring as an independent. Having to consider compensation details like payroll, benefits, and income tax makes the latter extremely time-consuming and complicated.

  • Brings Forth a Well-Organized Framework for Your Business

For many small- to medium-sized enterprises, designing an HR Framework is somehow a difficult task since ample funds are needed to establish one.  By availing of staff leasing services, creating a business framework will not be your problem since they will provide a systematic model that you can apply and use. Hence, you can save money, time, and the workforce.

  • Advance Management of Employee Performance

Staff leasing companies are the ones that manage the performance of the employees and their work environment. Moreover, they come up with plans and courses of action on how to further improve the performance of the employees in the company, which is crucial for successful retention.

  • More Extensive Support with No Extra Expenses

Working with a staff leasing company is not the same as merely outsourcing an HR consultant. Instead, the provider takes charge of indispensable HR functions in lieu of the client, which is equivalent to having an in-house HR department but without the additional costs. Furthermore, staff leasing agencies offer a variety of HR and staffing solutions that can be tailored to suit your staff management needs.

The Takeaway

Staff leasing offers many impactful benefits that could help your company, from filling positions with talented professionals to fostering an organizational structure that works best for you.

More importantly, the proper and timely implementation allows budget allocation to be more flexible, as staff leasing can decrease costs on employment factors like engagement, workplace facilities, and employee’s salary. Lastly, staff leasing aids businesses in cultivating a coherent and labor-saving business framework that can boost corporate growth and profitability.


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A hit and run traffic accident that caused damage to city property last week remains under investigation.

Midland Police have received some tips about the accident, which occurred at 2:42 p.m. Oct. 10 at the corner of George and East Carpenter streets. The driver of the truck involved remains at large. He was headed south on East Carpenter Street when his truck struck two other vehicles. The force of the collision caused the truck to go onto the shoulder and strike a fire hydrant in the outlawn of the Midland Public Schools administration building.

The truck was described as a newer, red Chevrolet with a black topper. It was being driven by a white man in his 30s, and sustained noticeable damage to the front end as a well as a flat tire on the rear passenger side. It was last seen driving south on East Carpenter.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at (989) 839-4713.


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Discover how my program works.

Life doesn’t have to be this way. I’ve always believed this, even when traditional methods, self-help manuals, and well-meaning friends talked about medication and ways to cope with anxiety. Living with debilitating anxiety is not a life I accept, which is why I’ve spent years learning about ways to bring about true change and transformation. The Body Code system changed my life—it set my sister free—and has helped change the lives of so many people living with anxiety.

How many sessions.

No one’s anxiety is the same. We all carry baggage, experience trauma, and suffer in our own way. We’re unique, and so is our anxiety. For those who have struggled for many years, I’ve found that 20 sessions are the average amount of time it takes to uncover the source of your anxiety and allow your body to restore balance. And yes, it is entirely possible for your anxiety to be resolved sooner than 20 sessions.

Working together.

My program is designed for your life. Each session is thirty minutes long, occurring once a week, at a time agreed on between us. I conduct each session via FaceTime, Skype, or by phone, so you can get the help you need from the comfort of your own home.

Session Rate:

Single Session- $85 cdn.      Package of 10- $750 cdn

Types of Anxiety.

Generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)- different ways anxiety presents itself in others. The labels may vary but the underlying causes are all similar in nature. The body's natural defense system is out of balance. Stuck. Detecting danger without reason. I have successfully helped clients with these various anxiety disorders completely change their lives, let go of their anxiety and finally feel peace.   Now it's your turn.


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Hollister 15203 New Image Flat Flexwear Skin Barrier With Integrated Beige Floating Flange Cut To Fit 2-1/4", Can Cut Up To 1-3/4" Without Tape

Box of 5

  • $45.99 CAD

New Image Flat FlexWear Skin Barrier. This skin barrier is part of a two-piece pouching system. The FlexWear barrier is a skin barrier that provides excellent adhesion to the skin and is designed to be worn for more than one day. The skin barrier has an integrated floating flange, which allows fingers to be placed under the flange, to help minimize pressure on the abdomen when attaching a pouch. Features: Skin barrier with integrated beige floating flange, FlexWear skin barrier, flat, Cut-to-fit and pre-sized skin barriers, Available with or without tape border, Designed to be used with any New Image drainable, closed or urostomy pouch with same flange size, Not made with natural rubber latex.

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