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Monday, 2 April 2012

The World Is Quiet Here...

I am sitting in one of the reading rooms of the New York Public Library.  The place where Carrie got stood up by Big in the SATC movie.  I love the big metropolitan public libraries in the US.  Maybe I've just made some massive oversights, but I don't find anything like them in the UK.  Oh sure we have lots of little community libraries, though lots of those are getting closed down at the moment of course, and we have places like the British Library, but what I love about public libraries in major cities in the US is that they're in the grand impressive buildings, and that I as a foreigner, can freely walk in, roam all over, even set up in a reading room and get on with some blogging, or use their internet to plan the rest of my day, or whatever.

They remind me of University libraries, the rooms are big and bright with lots of people working and, with power, and personal desk lamps, and high ceilings and giant paintings on the walls.  And you don't need any access card, any sign up, anything to be able to enjoy this.  It's a very hard feeling to explain, but I don't find similar places in the UK, and I certainly don't find many UK libraries at all as inviting as the ones in the US.

As I said, I'm in New York today, I got in yesterday afternoon and went over to my friend Jarrod's place in Astoria.  We went to Madison Square Garden last night to see the New York Rangers play hockey, in case you hadn't guessed from my twitter and facebook posts.  It was my birthday present to myself which I bought about 9 months ago, I spent $350 on the tickets, but fuck yeah was it worth it.  They lost their game, but it was amazing to see MY TEAM, which I love, and follow, even to the point of keeping up on the scouting reports for next season's prospects like a really dedicated sports fan - playing live.  On home ice.  They didn't play as good as they could have done and it was a shame I didn't get to see them win, as that's likely the only game I'll ever get to in my life, or at least for a good few years, but I loved every single second of it, even the guy throwing homophobic slurs at players who was sitting next to me.  If I drunk beer I even would have gladly paid the $10 a bottle price.

Wandering round NYC today, I did all the tourist stuff like 2 years ago, and I'm only here for about 36 hours so there's not much I can get up to, I'm mostly just having fun walking around the city, I went to some of the gay shops, there's a rather impressive Rufskin boutique who sell some really beautiful jeans that I just can't justify at $160 even thought they fit me PERFECTLY.  I got to visit the Nasty Pig store which was awesome, the guys in there are REALLY HOT, and I found out even I love Nasty Pig rubber, it feels great, doesn't have that rubber smell (which is one of the things that turns me off about the whole deal), and their rubber trousers are only $140 which is pretty damned fucking cheap!  They even do them in a 28" waist which is awesome.  They don't fit great, so I didn't buy them, but it was worth a visit to the store, if only just to make Adam jealous :P

I also got to visit Big Gay Ice Cream, who I've been following for ages and all through their recent store purchase and fit up so was really eager to head over and get something.  I highly recommend the Mermaid - ice cream, key lime curd and graham crackers.  I just wish I was here more days so I could go work my way through the entire menu over 2 weeks or so.

Currently wandering the streets of 5th Avenue, then might head over to Penn Station, then down to Wall St AFTER business hours when it's a little quieter, then maybe back up to Central Park for the museums.  I've only been going 4 hours and I've probably walked 80 blocks already.  I'm impatient when it comes to the metro, just like I'm impatient with tubes and buses in London, so I just tend to walk.  I'm really looking forward to being over in California again, current forecast of 70-80 degrees whilst I'm there so if I'm lucky maybe I can go hit the beach and find some cute surfer boys to play with (not on the beach though, sand gets everywhere, it's not pleasant)  Will need to find some power i.e. an empty starbucks eventually to recharge laptop and phone, but I'm having fun.  Missing certain peoples obviously, but I have several ideas of presents to bring them back and I'll probably be arranging some Skype dates when I'm kicking around in LA later in the week.

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Australian National Fabrication Facility

Established under the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy, the Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF) links 8 university-based nodes to provide researchers and industry with access to state-of-the-art fabrication facilities.

The capability provided by ANFF enables users to process hard materials (metals, composites and ceramics) and soft materials (polymers and polymer-biological moieties) and transform these into structures that have application in sensors, medical devices, nanophotonics and nanoelectronics.

The nodes, which are located across Australia, draw on existing infrastructure and expertise. Each offers a specific area of expertise including advanced materials, nanoelectronics & photonics and bio nano applications. Our commitment to providing a world-class user facility is underpinned by the sharing of best practice in service provision across the nodes.

The ANFF Difference

Of course, opening the doors to world-class infrastructure is only the first step. Without dedicated staff to support access, your potential breakthrough research remains just an idea. Each ANFF node has experts on hand to assist researchers, experienced in meeting user requirements and maintaining leading-edge instrumentation. In fact, over 25 technical staff positions are funded through the program.

Researchers are able to either work at the node under expert guidance, or to contract for specialised products to be fabricated at a reasonable cost.

We look forward to welcoming you to the ANFF.

ANFF-NSW Undergraduate Student Research Scholarship program launch, New nanofabrication tools, Awards & Paper of the Month. View more

ARC and NHMRC applicants

Advice for ARC and NHMRC applicants for projects commencing in 2013 View more

ICONN 2012

Visit the ANFF booth or attend the Nanofabrication Technologies shortcourse in Perth, Sunday 5 Feb 2012

View more

Position available

Medical Device Engineer/ Materials Scientist position available ANFF QLD View more

Funding Sources

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Friday, September 2, 2016

Why I ♥ @LizSchulte & You Should Too! #Giveaway #PrintBooks #FreebieFriday

I met Liz Schulte briefly at the RT Booklovers Convention a few years back. Shortly after that, I stumbled upon a bookmark I'd picked up from her (featuring her cleverly titled Easy Bake Coven novel) and reached out to ask her if she'd like to submit a short story to Badass and the Beast, an anthology I was co-editing with my critique partner Kory Shrum. She said yes, and I've been stalking her ever since.

Okay, stalking might be too strong of a word. I am pretty impressed by her though. With 20+ books out, spanning multiple genres, her motivation and stamina are enviable. Consider me in awe. Since Liz is in Columbia, MO, less than 2 hours from my home at Lake of the Ozarks, I was lucky enough to hang out with her a bit this summer and do a few joint book signings. I especially enjoyed checking out her local haunt in Columbia, Village Books. Becky, the owner, is the sweetest! And a total book pimp. I left with a bag full of awesome. ♥  If you're local or passing through, definitely stop in and say hello. Here's a little slideshow of our fancy time there:

If you're new to Liz and her books, you can find out more on her website  www.lizschulte.com  You can also enter below for a chance to win a starter library of some of her awesome books! I have 9 paperbacks up for grabs:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And since I can't stand letting anyone go empty handed (especially when it comes to books) everyone is welcome to grab the first book in Liz's Sekhmet Bounty series on Kindle for FREE by clicking HERE.

And if you're a kindle unlimited subscriber, check out Liz's popular Easy Bake Cover series HERE.

Want more FREE ebooks? (Don't we all?) HERE are 33 more by various authors across various genres. Happy Friday! xoxo

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Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Author Spotlight: K.J. McPike featured in the #DarkFates #boxset

Today's spotlight author: K.J. McPike
Novel featured in the Dark Fates boxed set: Xodus

All Lali Yavari wanted for her sixteenth birthday was for her mom to come back. Instead, she starts flashing between realities and seeing people disappear before her very eyes. Then the unsettling Kai Awana shows up at school, and Lali soon discovers she has inherited the ability to astral project—with a surprising twist. When Kai offers to use his own unique ability to help Lali find her mother in exchange for her help on a misguided mission, she can't refuse ... even if she's not quite sure she can trust him.

Don't miss this multi-award-winning urban fantasy adventure, where what one girl learns about her mother's past will make her question everything she thought was true—and just might put her family in even more danger.

Multi-award-winning author K.J. McPike grew up in rural Virginia, where she started writing stories as a way to escape small-town horrors like Drive Your Tractor To School Day. (Yes, that was an official part of her high school’s spirit week.) Nowadays, she has embraced the nomad life and has lived in Spain and Thailand, as well as all over the United States. Her travels have also taken her to places like Argentina, Turkey, Portugal, England, Italy, Mexico, and Ireland, and she is actively adding more to the list. No matter where she is around the globe, she is likely consuming too much caffeine and spending more time in coffee shops than her own apartment.

Keep up with K.J.’s books and her nomadic ways through Instagram and Twitter.

K.J. online:

Pre-order Dark Fates for just 99¢
and read Exodus along with 21 more deliciously dark urban fantasy and paranormal romance novels by bestselling authors.

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Wednesday, February 1, 2017

Author Spotlight: T.F. Walsh featured in the #DarkFates #boxset

Today's spotlight author: T.F. Walsh
Novel featured in the Dark Fates boxed set: Demon's Fever

Demon's Fever by T.F. Walsh

A Hell Unleashed Novel

After falling for the enemy, there’s no going back.

After losing her dishwasher job, Cary Stone finds herself broke and homeless. And, oh yeah, she’s also a half-demon who has to stay in hiding because everyone wants her dead. Awesome. So when she’s offered a job to hunt demons at Argos Inc., she jumps at the chance to get a new lease on life. But in order to keep the job, she has to pass a series of tests…all of which she fails miserably.

Failing isn’t an option as Cary has to do whatever it takes to nail this opportunity. And then there is the hotshot demon hunter that is sexy motivation to reach her goal… but if he knew she what she really was, he’d want her dead too. Can things get any worse?

Levi Walker is pissed off. Seriously. After being the best demon hunter at Argos Inc. since forever, they want to screw him by not paying him for the jobs? Nope, Levi decides it’s time to go. Or at least it was until a hunt he’s on spins wildly out of control and causes a catastrophic loss…and everyone at Argos blames Levi. Now faced with being sued for the damage, Levi begins pursuing the evidence to clear his name. Jumping right into the fray, Levi soon finds himself in mortal danger. But he’s a fighter who'll battle until the end…which may come sooner rather than later, now that he’s met a beautiful and mysterious hunter at Argos and can barely keep his mind on the job.

Will Levi stay alive long enough to find the proof to clear his name and leave Argos for good or will Cary prove to be the sexy and dangerous distraction that he just can't ignore?

Amazon Bestselling Author, T.F. Walsh emigrated from Romania to Australia at the age of eight and now lives in a regional city south of Sydney with her husband. Growing up hearing dark fairytales, she's always had a passion for reading and writing horror, paranormal romance, urban fantasy and young adult stories. She balances all the dark with light fluffy stuff like baking and traveling.

Sign up to T.F. Walsh's newsletter for latest updates, exclusive content, and giveaways. www.tfwalsh.com/subscribe-to-my-newsletter

T.F. Walsh online:

Pre-order Dark Fates for just 99¢
and read Demon's Fever along with 21 more deliciously dark urban fantasy and paranormal romance novels by bestselling authors.

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Gavin S. Banta

Mr. Banta has represented several institutional and individual clients and real estate matters throughout Florida and the United States. He has extensive experience in all types of real estate acquisitions and dispositions, commercial leases, as well as the review of complex title and survey matters.

Real Estate Transactions

  • Represented Sophia Enterprises, LLC and TRD of Fort Lauderdale, LLC in negotiating and closing the sale of 435 S. Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard for $18.7 million and the acquisition of a 18,535 square foot beachfront retail building and adjacent parking lot at 201-213 S. Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard for $32 million.
Read More

  • Represented Black Marble E 2013, LLC, in the $180,000,000.00 refinancing of The Miami Beach EDITION hotel in Miami Beach, Florida. The EDITION is an elegant design hotel located at 2901 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, Florida and has 294 individually designed guest rooms and suites, including 28 private bungalows.
  • Represented AutoNation, a Fortune 200 company in the leasing and relocation of its corporate headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
  • Represented American Land Ventures in the development and $63,000,000 financing of a 250 unit multifamily project in Plantation, Florida.
  • Assisted a large developer in a 529 unit, 3-phased condominium development, together with adjacent marina, located on the St. John’s River in Jacksonville, Florida, including the negotiation of construction and mezzanine financing, joint venture and partnership agreements and other project documents.
  • Represented the buyer in negotiating a $300 million purchase contract for the acquisition of a 2,200 unit, six property Class A multi-family residential portfolio and supervised related due diligence.
  • Represented the developer of several Walgreens drugstores in all phases of acquisition, development and financing.
  • Represented a national retail store chain in negotiating over 60 retail leases throughout the United States.
  • Represented the seller of 2-acres of land in Broward County for an amount in excess of $28,000,000 per acre, the highest per acre price in Broward County history.
  • Represented various financial institutions including SunTrust, RBC Bank, Regions Bank and Bank of America in connection with the sale of properties within their REO portfolios as well as loan sales.

  • 1998:  J.D., University of Florida, with Honors
  • 1994:  B.A., in Finance, University of Florida

Awards & Recognition

  • Recognized as one of South Florida’s “Top Lawyers in Real Estate and Finance” for 2018 South Florida Legal Guide.
  • Listed, Legal Elite Up & Comers, Florida Trend Magazine, listing of Florida’s top attorneys as selected by their peers for the years 2008 – 2013.


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Anglicans Online
Worldwide Anglicanism Anglican Dioceses and Parishes
Noted this Week News Centre A to Z Start Here The Anglican Communion Africa Australia BIPS Canada
Letters to AO News Archives Events Anglicans Believe... In Full Communion England Europe Hong Kong Ireland
Search, Archive Newspapers Online Vacancies The Prayer Book Not in the Communion Japan New Zealand Nigeria Scotland
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This page last updated 18 November 2017
Anglicans Online last updated 18 March 2018

Church of England: Diocese of Salisbury

Diocesan web page is http:// www.salisbury
Salisbury Cathedral

Salisbury Cathedral Friends

Salisbury Diocesan Board of Education

Diocese of Salisbury Mothers' Union

Parishes in the Diocese of Salisbury that have web pages. If you cannot find what you are looking for, see the note at the bottom of this page.

Alderbury Deanery
Heytesbury Deanery
Sherborne Deanery

Alderholt, St James
Avon River Team
Avon Valley Churches
Bearwood, St Barnabas
Bemerton Parish [St Andrew, St John; St Michael, Bemerton Heath]
Bere Regis, St John the Baptist
Benefice of Bishopstrow and Boreham
Branksome, St Aldhelm
Branksome, St Clement
Branksome Park, Poole, All Saints
Bridport, Bridport Team Ministry [St Swithun, Holy Trinity in Bothenhampton and Bradpole, St Mary in Bridport and Walditch, St John]
Parish of Calne and Blackland [St Peter, Blackland; St Mary the Virgin, Calne; The Open Door, Fynamore; Holy Trinity, Quemerford]
Canford Cliffs, Transfiguration
Canford Heath, St Paul
Canford Magna Churches
Castleton, St Mary Magdalene
Chalke Valley, Chalke Valley Church
Clarendon Team Ministry
Colehill, St Michael and All Angels
Corfe Mullen, St Hubert and St Nicholas
Creekmoor, Christ Church [Local Ecumenical Partnership]
Devizes (Southbroom), St James
Devizes, St John the Baptist
Devizes, St John with St Mary
Parish of Dorchester [St George, Fordington; St Mary, Victoria Park; St Peter, Dorchester]
Downton, St Laurence
Durrington, All Saints
Ensbury Park, St Thomas
Ferndown, St Mary
Gillingham, St Mary the Virgin
Heatherlands, St John
Iwerne Courtney (also known as Shroton), St Mary
Kinson, Kinson Team Ministry: Emmanuel, St Andrew, St Philip
Lillington, St Martin of Tours
Littlemoor, St Francis
Longburton, St James
Lytchett Minster, Poole, Parish of Lytchett Minster with Upton [Lychett Minster and St Dunstan]
Market Lavington and Easterton, St Mary and St Barnabas
Mere, St Michael
Milborne, St Andrew
Milton-on-Stour, St Simon and St Jude
North Bradford on Avon and Villages
Okeford Benefice
Oldbury Benefice
Parish of Parkstone [St Peter, St Osmund; St Mary, Branksea]
Pewsey and Swanborough Team [St John the Baptist, Pewsey; Holy Cross, Wilcot; Holy Trinity, Oare; St Nicholas, Huish; St James, North Newnton; St Peter, Manningford Bruce; St Mary Magdalene, Woodborough; St Mary, Alton Barnes; St Stephen, Beechingstoke; All Saints, Stanton St Bernard; All Saints, Alton Priors; Holy Trinity, Easton Royal; St Peter, Milton Lilbourne; St Andrew, Wootton Rivers]
The Pilgrim Parishes
Poole, St James
Poole (Longfleet), St Mary
Portland, All Saints and St Andrew
Quintet Group [Cranborne with Boveridge, Edmondsham, Wimborne St. Giles and Woodlands]
Radipole Parish, Weymouth, Dorset
Ramsbury Team
Ridgeway Benefice
[Holy Cross, Chiseldon; St Andrew, Ogbourne; St George, Ogbourne]
Benefice of St Bartholomew [
St John the Baptist, Charlton; St Andrew, Donhead St Andrew; St Mary, Donhead St Mary; St Mary, East Knoyle; St Catherine, Sedgehill; St Leonard, Semley]
St Paul's Green, St Paul
Salisbury, St Francis
Salisbury, St Paul
Salisbury, Parish of St Thomas
Salisbury, Sarum St Martin
Savernake Team Parish [St Katherine, St Mary, and St Michael]
Shaftesbury Team Ministry
Sherborne, Abbey Church of St Mary the Virgin
Shillingstone, Holy Rood
Shrewton, St Mary
Silton, St Nicholas
Sixpenny Handley, St Mary
Spire Hill Parishes [Purse Caundle, Stalbridge, Stock Gaylard and Stourton Caundle]
Stalbridge, Stalbridge parish churches [St Peter in Purse Caundle and Stourton Caundle, St Barnabas, and St Mary]
Stour Vale Benefice
Studley, St John
Sturminster Marshall, Kingston Lacy, and Shapwick: United Benefice
Sturminster Newton, St Mary
Swanage and Studland Team Ministry
Talbot Village, St Mark
Three Legged Cross, All Saints
Tisbury, St John the Baptist
Trowbridge, Kingfisher Church
Trowbridge, St James
Trowbridge, St Thomas
Upper Stour
Upper Wylye Valley Team
Vale of Pewsey Team
Verwood, St Michael and All Angels
Wareham Team Ministry
Warminster, Christ Church
Warminster, Minster Church of St Denys
Watercombe Benefice [St Martin, Broadmayne; St Catherine, Holworth; St Michael, Owermoigne; All Saints, Warmwell; St Peter, West Knighton]
West Moors, St Mary the Virgin
West Parley, St Mark
Wexcombe Team Ministry
Weymouth, Emmanuel Church
Weymouth, Holy Trinity with St Nicholas
Wilsford, St Nicholas
Wimborne Minster
Wimborne, St John
Winterborne and Milton Benefice
Woodford Valley Parish
Wool, Holy Rood
Wooton Bassett, St Bartholomew
Worton, Christ Church
Wriggle Valley Benefice [St Andrew in Yetminster and Leigh, St Mary Magdalene, St Peter in Hermitage and Chetnole, Hilfield, Ryme Intrinseca]
Wyke Regis, All Saints with St Edmund

If a parish is not listed above, you might be able to get information from the diocese. Most diocesan web sites include information about parishes in the diocese, even those parishes without web pages. You should be able to find a church by looking in the diocesan pages.

Any listing that is new to Anglicans Online in the last few weeks is in Noted This Week. If you learn of a parish web page in the Diocese of Salisbury that is not in our listing, please tell us about it.


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Saturday, August 12, 2017

Petitions and More, August 12 We pledge not to visit Namibia whilst the seal hunt continues! US-info.  Please reject efforts to undermine and weaken the Endangered Species Act, including S. 935!  Call on the UK government to help stop the elephant poaching crisis, some elephant ivory trade is still legal in the UK! 1) Prevent the Execution of Endangered Wolves, Smackout wolf pack! 2) Tippah County: Stop Abusing Rabbits for Entertainment More actions, if not signed yet. Don't Silence Animal Advocates Through Anti-Net Neutrality! If not signed yet! If not signed yet. Switzerland. Spay and neuter stray cats in, stop the suffering! France.  No to the increasingly flagrant laxity of the French courts! This guy, dragging his dog behind his car to death, must pay for it! To confirm Pacific Fishery Management Council, authorize innovative fishing gear designed to avoid the capture of whales, dolphins, and sea turtles in California’s swordfish fishery: deep-set buoy gear!  Ecuador, Amazon. A Chinese oil company wants to drill for oil in one of the most biodiverse places on Earth. If Big Oil drills in this region, it would devastate the Sapara community and the ecosystem they live in Colombia. Governor and ICA: I urge you to urgently monitor the population, both canine (dogs) and feline (cats) in the municipality of Herveo, Tolima; sterilization and complete vaccination programs for dogs and cats are urgent Romania. Braila: Mayor, council, Stop the massacre of dogs in the dogpound, cooperate in the neutering, spaying programs! Russia. Amend Article 245 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, take into account the wishes of the representatives of the animal protection community from different cities of Russia, a large number of cruel and sadistic acts has not been mentioned! Russia. Justice for dog Linda, severely beaten by the neighbor, Kostroma Region; please start criminal proceedings! Russia. Punish the brutal killer of dog Caesar, tied to the car and dragged along the road in Spas, Kostroma region. To the full extent of the law! Russia. Punish the killers of the dogs with a real term, also a fine of 5 million rubles, to finance shelters for homeless animals and their sterilization No to the prestigious World Dog Show to be held in China, a country without any animal protection laws Argentina. Changes are needed! 32 hostels in the BAP program (Buenos Aires Presente), and none provides accommodation for the homeless with pets! Argentina. Urgent protection of grasslands and forest of Talar and declaration of Natural Reserve  Argentina. Córdoba Capital, avoid further contamination of the Suquía River and clean it Instagram: No Likes for Selfies that Promote Animal Cruelty
                =========    News and more   ==========

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Information on AniMore 2016

AniMore [visit site]

January 22-24, 2016
Hyatt Regency Baltimore

Organized by Black Materia Inc.

AniMore is organized by Black Materia Inc. Join us at our annual convention by getting tickets in advance. AniMore will be filled with three-days of anime events, autographs, dances, social activities, video games, and more.

Advance Rates:
$25 through Jul 30, 2015
$28 through Aug 30, 2015
$30 through Oct 30, 2015
$35 through Nov 30, 2015

Felecia Angelle (Voice Actress)
Anthony Bowling (Voice Actor)
Cosplay, Inc. (Cosplayers)
Mark Lancaster (Assistant Director, Dementia7 Studios LLC)
Vic Mignogna (Voice Actor)
Kamikaze Miko (Cosplayer)
Emily Neves (Voice Actress)
Aaron Rabe (Cosplayer)
Rhou (Cosplayer)
Cubbi Thompson (Cosplayer)
Carrie Wood (Cosplayer / Assistant Editor, Gemstone Publishing)

Photos and Reports:
Submit a link to your report

Previous/Future Events:
AniMore 2016  January 22-24, 2016
AniMore 2017  January 13-15, 2017
AniMore 2018  January 19-21, 2018

Update Information for AniMore 2016
Last updated: 2017-08-10


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Information on SakuraNatsu 2016

SakuraNatsu [visit site]

August 27, 2016
Gainesville Garden Club

SakuraNatsu is a Gainesville based convention and festival created entirely by high school students. We are dedicated to bringing Japanese culture to our community and we hope you will join us in this venture.

At-Door Rates:

Photos and Reports:
Submit a link to your report

Previous/Future Events:
SakuraNatsu 2016  August 27, 2016
SakuraNatsu 2017  August 26, 2017

Update Information for SakuraNatsu 2016


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OuterStats is here to display any thing is needed for www.anitamakela.com. We seek and locate Anitamakela.com information for inquirer. We will show you Anitamakela value, date of creation, location, hosted server, local language and estimated data - The estimated data is a special algorithm built by us to demonstrate www.anitamakela.com worth.

T&A Top Fuel racing team is located in a small town called Vilppula, in central Finland.In Vilppula Tommi and Anita also have their chicken farm. They hatch day-old chickens as…

Anitamakela.com was created on the 2000-12-27, domain is hosted in ip:, and owner of this ips: . Anitamakela.com using Apache server and powered by unknown.

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Domain Archive: anitamakela.com in the past

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Registry Domain ID: 50156983_DOMAIN_COM-VRSN
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Wednesday, January 21, 2009

cp a b . ; \
cp c . ;

The \ indicates that both the cp are to be done on the same shell, that is they will be inclusive. But if I remove the '\' the cp commands will be exclusive. They will be executed with a break in continuity.

Searching and changing permission of files and folders

find . -name "*" -type f -exec chmod 444 {} \; -print

find . -name "*" -type d -exec chmod 555 {} \; -print

All of us have faced this problem one time or the other. We do a scp, and midway through the process scp feels knotty(naughty). The solution is rsync. To resume a partially scp-ed file we use rsync.

$> scp anjan@server1:/a/b/xyz
95% complete
Connection timed out :-(

$> rsync --partial --progress anjan@server1:/a/b/xyz

1. There are lots of other neat things you can do with block selects. Here is a way of adding a string to the end of each line, like so:

i. Press Ctrl+V and then j to extend the selection to all the lines you want.

ii. Press $. This will create a 'ragged edge' selection that extends to the right end of each line in your selection.

iii. Press A. I inserts text at the beginning of a block selection, A appends text at the end of a block selection.

iiii. Type your text and press Esc.

2. To search for ':' and remove everything in the line after that

3. All words are jumbled in one line. The must be put in separate lines...
:%s/\ /\r/g (search blanks and replace with return; globally)

4. map = j$?\/d$

To chk if the process whose pid is known is alive or dead

#! /usr/bin/perl
$exists = kill 0, $PID ;
if ($exists) {print "YES\n";} else {print "NO\n";}

Friday, January 2, 2009

Lets plan a trip and skip the meet

To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive.
-R.L. Stevenson

So aptly said but not so widely appreciated. A new year has dawned upon us. Old and new calenders have changed places. Till yesterday what decked our desks has now been relegated to the bin. Give the new a chance is what seems to be the mantra. These were the thoughts when I woke up in the morning. I immediately left my bed and went to the living room. Subhro was already up and he was already looking at the new calender. In many things our frequencies match.

Turn turn sift sift...yes here is the holidays list. "Wow, so many 4 day weeks this year". I said, "look 26th Jan is a Monday".
"Why not plan something?"

"Plan what", came the instant retort from Subhro.

"Plan anything you fool."

"So be it if you insist. Let's wake up early", quipped Subhro in all seriousness, "and catch the live telecast from
Rajpath from the very beginning. I never seen it from the beginning. Ages ago when I was 5-6 my mom once pulled me out of the bed early; I was all groggy and very annoyed and..."

"Ah cut the crap. Someone please do something with this fellow. Well what can I say, other than curse my luck to be talking to you".

"What do you mean? You yourself asked me to plan something and I did. God! if I do I am damned, if I do not then also I am damned" said Subhro in a mocking anger. He knows very well how to annoy me.

"It was not your fault, planning, thinking, contemplating, I should not associate these words with you".

This is our general lingo. Nobody takes offense. But the other person always waits for the chance to give back in the same coin as soon as possible.

"I was thinking of a trip." I said.

"Great. As a matter of fact I was also thinking about it. I have shortlisted on either Goa or Pondicherry". "Both places are very similar yet very distinct too".

That's the fun part with Subhro my room mate and in many ways my alter-ego. We can think alike.

"Exactly my thought". I have already thought of these two places with a bit of a tilt towards Pondicherry. I told this to Subhro and it seemed he also agreed to it.

I am not the bag packer type tourist who just has to pick the sack and start the journey. I love to plan and plan hard. More than the tour it's the planning which fills me with joy and excitement. Many don't agree though.

"So how are we going". "Car or bus or train may be. If we are going to Goa then car is not a very good option. so we need to fix on the place".

"The weekend is Friday 23rd, Sat 24th, Sun 25th and finally 26th Monday. Pondi takes 8hrs, we start
earliest morning at around 4:00. We can take Bangalore-Krishnagiri-Chennai-Pondicherry route or the Chennai route but that will add some extra Kms. I heard that Chennai route is good so many people take it. We need to find someone who has been there rcently". Subhro continued, "10hrs is my estimate. So ideally we should be there by 2:00pm unless we plan to stop at Gingee Fort. So anyway we can be there by 6pm". "We can make a booking in the Aurobindo Ashram"

"We can not take accomodation in the Ashram, remember. No late nights no

Suddenly Subhro jumped off the chair. It's already 8 and today is not a holiday.

"Do some more reserach. We have to chalk out the trip ASAP. Oh yeah today you have your client call so don't be late on first day..." and saying this Subhro marched into the bathroom.

He had his revenge.


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Kenyans vote in tight, tense elections

AFP Tuesday, Aug 08, 2017 304 reads

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AFP / Marco LONGARIVoters queue as they wait for a polling station to open in Kibera, one the largest slums in Africa, in Nairobi on August 8

Kenyans began voting Tuesday in general elections headlined by a too-close-to-call battle between incumbent Uhuru Kenyatta and his rival Raila Odinga that has sent tensions soaring in east Africa's richest economy.

From first-time voters to those bent with age, thousands descended upon polling stations, some from before midnight, to cast their ballots under heavy security.

Voting began relatively smoothly, with minor delays and technical hiccups, while all eyes are on a biometric voter identification and tallying system whose success is seen as crucial to a smooth election.

"I voted Raila, because he will be so much better to us. But if he does not win, it's ok. It's a democracy after all. Really, there's no need for violence," said Tom Mboya, 43, who works in construction and voted in the capital's largest slum Kibera.

Tensions soared in the last days of the campaign with the murder of a top election official in charge of the electronic voting system and opposition claims of a plot to rig the vote heightening a feverish atmosphere of conspiracy and suspicion.

The polls come a decade after a shambolic election -- which foreign observers agreed was riddled with irregularities -- sparked violence which left more than 1,100 dead and 600,000 displaced.

Odinga, 72, who is the flagbearer for the NASA coalition, is taking his fourth and likely final stab at the presidency.

He claims elections in 2007 and 2013 were stolen from him and right up until the eve of the vote, insisted that Kenyatta's Jubilee Party planned to rig Tuesday's presidential election.

Elections in 2013 were marred by the widespread failure of the electronic system, forcing officials to revert to manual counting of the vote. However Odinga took his grievances to the courts instead of the streets, where he lost.

- Dynastic rivalry -

The devolution of power to Kenya's 47 counties after a post-conflict constitutional reform means elections are now a complex affair, with citizens casting six different ballots.

Several tight races for posts such as governor have seen tensions flaring at the local level.

Nevertheless all eyes are on what is set to be the last showdown of a dynastic rivalry that has lasted more than half a century since the presidential candidates' fathers Jomo Kenyatta and Jaramogi Odinga went from allies in the struggle for independence to bitter rivals.

The men belong to two of the country's main ethnic groups, Kenyatta from the Kikuyu, the largest, and Odinga from the Luo.

Both have secured formidable alliances with other influential communities in a country where voting takes place largely along tribal lines.

Kenyatta, 55, is seeking re-election after a first term in which he oversaw a massive infrastructure drive and steady economic growth of more than five percent.

"He has done a lot for the country and he must absolutely be re-elected. He has built a lot of infrastructure, like the SGR train (between Nairobi and Mombasa), he has created jobs," said Evelyn Sum, 32, dressed in an elegant brown coat.

However Kenyatta is also criticised for soaring food prices -- with prices jumping 20 percent year-on-year in May -- and massive corruption scandals on his watch.

"Life is more and more expensive, especially the flour and the sugar. That's not good for poor people like us, and we hope that Odinga will change this," said Rose Lida, 48, wrapped in a red Maasai blanket on the chilly morning.

- Obama urges peace -

Former US president Barack Obama, whose father was born in Kenya, led a chorus of international calls on the eve of the vote for a peaceful election.

"I urge Kenyan leaders to reject violence and incitement; respect the will of the people," Obama said in a statement.

There are more than 19 million registered voters in the nation of 48 million. Half are aged under 35.

More than 150,000 security forces -- including wildlife, prison and forestry officers -- have been deployed for the vote, which ends at 5pm (1400 GMT).

Counting will begin immediately and the polls commission has a week to release final results.

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12 January 2012

In the other direction

As I said in the previous post we then went off in the other direction and ran into some summer snow... it was great catching up with family and having time to think about some new work.  Hope you enjoy the travelogue - more clay soon I promise...

Heading out of town again

Some mountains a change of weather approaching

Lake Jindabyne was man made to feed a huge Hydro Electric project just after WWII

I believe this type of snow is referred to as Sago

Enough to make tracks

then the sun came out again

State number three, Australian Capital Territory..

Back to the coast again

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Back to Articles
Florida Today

Selling and Still Waiting

By Anne Straub

You’ve heard the stories: bidding wars for your average single-family home. Homes that sell before the sign goes up. Double-digit appreciation in less than a year.

So why does your home seem to languishing on the market?

Local real estate agents have several possible answers.

“Ninety-percent of the time, it’s overpriced,” said Cindy Peterson, owner of Peterson & Cox VIP Realty Inc. in Cocoa Beach.

When a home seller interviews agents to list their home for sale, each agent will prepare a comparative market analysis that uses recent sales prices of comparable nearby properties to suggest a selling price for the home. Agents generally recommend that home sellers interview three agents – but the agent who recommends the highest price isn’t necessarily the best choice. That agent might be trying to get the listing and lower the price to a more realistic level later.

Sometimes, notes real estate columnist Robert Bruss, listing agents bow to pressure from the owner to set the price too high, hoping to persuade the seller later to reduce the price.

That’s a bad approach, agents warn. If a home doesn’t sell in a reasonable period of time, it might become stigmatized, said Tony Ayala, a Realtor with Pruitt Real Estate in Melbourne. The end result likely will be a lower sale price than if the property was priced correctly at the start.

If you’re getting a lot of showings but no offers, that’s a good sign you need to reevaluate your price, said Linda Wise, broker-owner of Tropical Realty on Merritt Island.

Even in a seller’s market, existing homes are competing with new homes for buyers and so should seem as new as possible. A bad smell – pet odor, cigarette smoke, or even cooking smells – will turn away buyers in a heartbeat, Ayala said.

Another major turnoff is clutter. Buyers want to imagine their furniture in their house, Ayala said, but that can be difficult if they’re too overwhelmed with your stuff.

That’s an experience that helped guide Julia and Sam Carmichael to their home in Palm Bay. The Gainesville couple is relocating to Brevard County to be closer to family. They looked at some new houses but found the lots were too small to accommodate their travel trailer. Some of the existing homes were cluttered and not well cared for. So when they found a well-maintained existing home with bright, open rooms, nothing could compete with it.

Get rid of the stacks of mail, Wise said, and make enough room for buyers to mentally move themselves in.

Deferred maintenance.

Even a clean home can have repairs left undone, foreshadowing bigger problems. Rust stains and peeling paint can make home shoppers nervous. “If you can see this on the surface, can you imagine what’s inside that you cannot see?” Ayala said.

Homeowners might get used to living with an unfinished project. But as sellers, they need to get picky about the appearance of the home. “Anything that’s an eyesore to the owner will be a bigger eyesore to the buyer,” Peterson said.

Poor curb appeal.

Realtors emphasize the importance of first impressions, or what a buyer will think of your home before he or she even enters.

“Walk out to your mailbox, turn around and look at your house,” Wise suggested. Look for overgrown landscaping and weeds. “So many of us drive into our garages, but we don’t walk up to our front door.”

Pay extra attention to that door, she said: Buyers will stand there waiting for you to answer or for the agent to fiddle with the lockbox. Make sure the door is clean, and if you know someone’s coming to look at the house, spray some air freshener around the front door, Wise said.

Peterson usually picks a few important points to ask a seller to address. For example, a bush could hide an unsightly air-conditioning unit. “Get the bikes out of the yard, and get the garbage cans put back in the garage,” she said.

Inadequate marketing.

The listing agent should have a marketing plan that includes things like newspaper advertising, fliers, Internet exposure and inclusion in the local multiple listing service. “They just don’t get sold by sitting there,” Peterson said.

She recommends that sellers ask for the shortest possible listing period. That way, if you’re happy with the agent, you can renew if the house doesn’t sell. But if you feel he or she hasn’t done a good job, you’re free to look elsewhere. She learned that lesson the hard way: As a home seller before she went into the business, she was stuck with a poor agent for six months.

Her agents sign contracts for a 30-day listing, with an unconditional release permitted after that. “That encourages agents to work doubly hard for them, or they’ll lose the listing,” she said.

Though some agents say the market has slowed in recent months, sellers still can get top price, and fast, by attention to detail. “A house that’s well cared for and has all those things taken care of is a house that’s going to receive multiple offers,” Ayala said. “There’s not a lot of inventory out there.”


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Saturday, 15 September 2012

Sound Check

I actually wore this on Wednesday but life (which should actually be non-life thanks to a ridiculously intensive workload) has kept me pretty damn busy.  I'm going to be doing weekly updates of the projects I do for my classes, so look out for a blog post sometime this week/early next week on what I've been up to/has been sucking away my life.  This is the second lovely piece I snagged from Modcloth - I ended up going for a M size as it was the only one left and because this lovely shirt-shift dress would probably look a nicer on a looser fit.  The officially named the 'Sound Level Headed Dress' is kind of brilliant and I promise you that I am not getting paid/sponsored to say this whatsoever.  The end of summer has still been pretty damn hot and the fit and fabric are oh-so-easy-breezy in summer heat, the slight high-low hem of the dress means I can show off that leg and avoid wind flips in the back, not to mention I've never had a geometric dress quite like this.  On top of all that, the neon accent edges are a really cute touch which I didn't expect because the color was a little richer on the website, but not unwelcome as I have no hints of neon in my closet.  The little crop cardi is surprisingly a great deal from F21 which was neat little find - I love the retro pattern and although I could definitely work it in a more preppier style, I went for a little throwback color blocking for the day.

Photobucket Photobucket PhotobucketMy default for accessorizing - rich berry hued lipstick, statement necklace and sturdy cuff.   Photobucket
I was also extra excited for this look because my other amazing, amazing purchase came through - namely, these mint gingerbread man print wedges from ASOS which I first spotted on Lauren from Horrible Lauren here.  I did find them a bit exxy though, so I kept them on my waiting list and lo and behold with the massive back to school sale, plus a extra 10% deal at the checkout I was sold and these were ALL MINE.  They are still on sale at ASOS here so snap up a pair if you hear the call ;)
Sound Level Dress- Modcloth
Crop cardi - F21
Necklace - EQUIP, Bracelet - Cotton On
Gingerbread wedges - ASOS

Tuesday, 11 September 2012

Summer Acid

 The last couple of days have been crazy and tiring just settling back into my sophomore year of college.  Brilliant things include having gorgeous sunny weather which also results in much nicer skin for me, being back in this damn inspiring place, a lovely abundance of packages from F21, ASOS, Modcloth and others which made me feel like it was Christmas with so much to unwrap, a lovely wireless remote which is the most brilliant investment ever (less than $30 bucks guys!) and of course, lovely sunlight to shoot photos in.  I've never bought anything from Modcloth before due to the prices before their lovely back-to-school sale so I was super pleased that the two items I snagged were just as wonderful as they are on the website.   I'm so stoked with both, that I'll be showcasing them on my blog one after another this week.  Seeing as I'm still  catching lots of sunshine, I'm sort of celebrating my mini US summer by wearing the most summery-outfits instinctively; neon doesn't work too well on my skintone but acidic brights, feather, glitter and summer waves are just right.
Photobucket This lovely, lovely cut-out crop top is one of my new Modcloth purchases - admittedly, it is a little on the small side for my bust which I assumed it would be considering XS was the only size left, but it is such a lovely shape and I've never owned a tight crop top before so I can't bear to donate it or attempt to re-sell it on line.  I love the sci-fi feel of the cut out and shape, high neck lines are always a bonus for me and the crop sits right under my bust which is exactly where I want it as I like to emphasize my waist when I dress. For petite girls: never listen to advice that maxi skirts make us look short (that, is a confusion mix up between the midi and maxi) - floor sweeping maxi's elongate our frames so we can look tall even via flats so don't be scared to wear one, especially since a change in fabric can make it a staple all year round. Photobucket Photobucket No that is not a super cool, hipster key bracelet.  That is my room key, because I am so forgetful I have to literally keep it on me at all times so I can't possibly lock myself out. Photobucket My feet have been hell after that 28-ordeal via the Auckland/LA/Atlanta/Savannah flight so I've just been dressed down in flats all week so far and my Ed Hardy's were perfect. They really are the comfiest, and as Ed Hardy shoes - the grungier they get, the better they look. Photobucket
crop top - Motel Rocks @ Modcloth
skirt, bracelets - Shanghai
 feather necklace - EQUIP
glasses - dollar store somewhere
shoes - Ed Hardy

Thursday, 6 September 2012

Gelivable-y Awesome (a sneak preview)

I'm going to be a little MIA for a couple days as I leave Auckland tonight and seeing as I probably will have no internet for a couple of days in my dorm (Hello Savannah again!) while I unpack my shit and get life sorted, I'm going to leave you with a tantalizing little sneakpeek at what you could buy with the store credit at Geliveable Gift which has offered to collaborate with me for a giveway I will announce sometime next week!  Geliveable - is a chinglish made up word that pretty much means awesome or cool, and that is exactly what each piece is. At super affordable prices (all these amazing pieces below are less than $10 USD so you can find some for yourself even if you don't win the giveaway), you can afford to express that inner geek with style.  If there's two things I'm equally passionate it's geeking out over shit I love and getting over-dressed every single day so I pretty much squealed when I discovered this little wonder of a Etsy store.

 I know what you're thinking - everyone's seen ear cuffs now but the coolest thing about these, is that the spiked ends are modelled after kunai (daggers) from Naruto!  :)  For those who are Narutards (like my sister), there is also a lovely little sand gourd necklace as well in store.
Steampunk style snitch book mark that opens up to reveal a hidden pocket watch inside.  How could this get any cooler?
This charming DeathNote necklace actually opens up to reveal yet another hidden clock - this is kind of awesome.
Day of the Dead inspired bracelet: his constitutes some serious rave candy.
This, my lovely readers is a steampunk inspired fanmade custom Hunger Games pocket watch!  The pocket watch (which is gorgeously ornate and working!) comes attached with a mockingjay chain and a little bow and arrow charm.
And last but not least, this little dragonfly charm definitely caught my eye because of its simple, but effective design.  I definitely see this a great transition piece for both fall and spring, not even mentioning how rad this would look layered with fringe and chokers for a summer festival vibe.

Excited yet?  Well, you should be. :P

Wednesday, 5 September 2012

Flowers Blossom/Leaves Fall

And today (technically tomorrow) marks my last full day of Spring in NZ and my last of the Spring outfits to show you all!  If any of you are Auckland girls, you'll know that the last couple of days have suddenly gotten really cold again so I figured I'd showcase a light layering look.  This hat is just a brand new purchase because yesterday I popped by a EQUIP store, saw the massive, massive fall/winter clearance sale and pretty much just grabbed everything.  I'm a sucker for floppy brimmed hats and what's really great about the two I have so far is that because they are transeasonal colors and not made out of summery-straw material, they are going to slide nicely into my fall wardrobe as well.  I had to show you this little kimchi skort I snagged at Urban Outfitters last Spring because it pretty much became my spring staple of 2012 and also because it is like the BFFL to these fun aztec print booties that are my ultimate year round staple.  This is slightly more of a spring look as I've added a sunny trenchcoat on top to keep me warm, but I could just as easily pair it with a slick dark blazer or a brown hooded cape and it would instantly transition into a fall look just by switching up the color palette a little.

I also am super excited to tell you that I will be partnering up with a fantastic little etsy store for a really, really awesome fashionably geeky giveaway (Hunger Games, Harry Potter fans get excited, especially if you like custom jewelry!) which will be announced next week so keep a eye out.
Photobucket Photobucket Photobucket
trenchcoat - rupsapa @ Shanghai
contrast trim blouse - ASOS
pleated skort - kimchi @ Urban Outfitters
maroon tights - Glassons
aztec print booties - Charlotte Russe

Sunday, 2 September 2012

This is kind of a cheat outfit, well, atleast I consider it cheating because it takes absolutely no brain-power to put together on days where I can't be bothered dressing creatively and just need to look semi-presentable.  For those days - printed leggings, a collared shirt and a slubby knit of some sort is kind of my version of "dressing down." :)  You've seen these leggings before in a more work-appropriate look a while back, but this sweater is a steal at $10 over the last couple of weeks at the Supre sale.  While I usually don't go for this kind of thing, the beautiful color just kind of called to me and with all the wine-palette inspiration I've been dying to work for fall, I think I'm going to get a fair bit of use out of it.  When I do casual, I still like to keep little hints of interest going so I picked up a piece of ribbon to use as a bowtie on my first and most loved vintage silk blouse, threw on a pair of pom-pom decorated hoops that still make me smile everytime and topped off to give these grey ankle booties a last good-bye as these will be staying in my Auckland wardrobe for the foreseeable future.

Photobucket Photobucket Photobucket

sweater - supre
blouse - vintage
leggings - Glassons
shoes - Charlotte russe

Saturday, 1 September 2012

Springtime Schoolgirl

The truth about envelope clutches is that they are a bit like slinkies - quirky, fun but essentially useless.  Unless everything you carry with you is a perfect square shape that fits like a tangram puzzle into a rectangular frame, your bag starts to look lumpy and the perfection that is a envelope clutch is killed.....unless, you use it to carry the thin flat A4 notebooks for lectures that don't require a laptop/can't take a laptop because the lecture is so damn boring that you will be completely distracted by the internetz.  Now that I've figured that out - this little clutch is coming straight back to the US with me this time after being left behind for the much more wearable rocking horse satchel.  To be fair, this outfit is a little full of items that were a little tricksy in their own way - I bought this dress on whim just because it looked so interesting although I only saw it online on a hanger and I had no idea how it was actually going to turn out on my body (answer: AWESOME).  The boater hat on the other hand has been mine for a while but it's only since I got a perm recently that I've been able to wear it without looking hella awkward.  These amazeball slip on heels are my mum's staples and I totally get why, they have a design that is almost furniture-like in conception (look at that heel - wait a moment, no pictures of the heel but it is like a polished metal cylinder with absolutely no tapering so it looks like it could be feet of a armchair) and look adorable with these khaki lace socks I nabbed from Glassons.

Photobucket Photobucket Look at how regularly shaped my head looks guys - I tell you, perms are seriously magic! I am now hopelessly addicted to hats now that I can wear all kind of them now. Prepare to see one nearly ever post. Or something on my head. Photobucket Photobucket Photobucket  Photobucket
dress - MD Fashion @ Taobao
boater - somewhere over the internets
rose necklace and various shiny things - EQUIP
lace socks - Glassons


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Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Communion card - it's THAT time of the year!

It's going to be a quick post today, I have about gazillion things I need to get done! Life - so gets in the way of blogging, doesn't it!!??

The card I'm showing today was actually commissioned (I know, gasp!) for a Communion day of the little boy who's a big Celtic fan. I was also told that there shouldn't really be anything religious on the card.

So here it is:

I got a little Soccer Boy from Mo's Digital Pencil store and coloured his uniform to match Celtic team ... not sure how good of a job I did.

Kept the card very simple as 8-year old boys don't really appreciate frills too much - to my knowledge anyway. Just used MME Quite Contrary papers (again, I know, but they ARE perfect in every way, lol) and some card candy and MS border punch to add some interest.

I love Mo's image though, he really looks like he's having fun! :)

I would like to enter this card into following challenges:
Dare U 2 Digi Stamp  - One For The Boys
Creative Ispirations - Card for a Child
Digital Tuesday - Cute People
Mo's Challenge - LOVE
Rosie D's - Easel Card
Sew Many Challenges - Anything Goes

Thanks for looking and happy crafting!

Kellie Winnell said...

WOW your colouring is amazing and I think you nailed the requirements on the head! Love it!
Hugs Kel x

Linda Coughlin, the funkie junkie said...

I hear ya; I think I have the same to-do list today! Great card - LOVE the colors and the coloring, especially the stripes on the little guy's shirt. I think it's the perfect card for an 8 yr. old!

~Jeri~ said...

Awesome card!!! I love the colors and image! Stunning work!

Thanks for joining us this week at Sew Many Challenges!

kimmie_35 said...

Brilliant! I love it... the border punch is perfect, isn't it?

Marlene said...

You did a fantastic job with this! Beautifully colored, of course!

NGCARDS said...

I really like this, adorable image.
Thank you for joining in this week at Creative Inspirations Wednesday Challenge blog! xxx

Netty said...

Terrific card, love everything about it. Annette x

Anita said...

That is just so cute. Congrats on your commission for the card. Thanks for playing along with us this week at Sew Many Cards. Hugs, Anita

Anesha said...

Adorable image, love your colouring.

Sylvia said...

perfect in every way! I'm sure the little confirmand and his parents will be thrilled about this card :)

{hugs} Sylvia

Creatieve handgemaakte kaarten said...

Again a amanzing card!

By the way, do you like to following me at blog?

Hugs Ida

Saskia said...

Great card! Thanks for joining us at Rosie-D's Challenge! Good luck!

Greetings, Saskia :)

Therese said...

Perfect for an eight year old guy. This little football boy is sooo cute, love your colouring as well. That border punch you have used is looking great on this card. Have a wonderful evening. Hugs Tessa :)

Mervi said...

Great image and fab colouring, love this too - thanks for sharing this with us
at Rosie D's Challenge, good luck;-))m

Fleer said...

What a fun card! very much) This dynamic and cheerful)))

carol said...

This looks super, fab image, thanks for sharing your card with us at SMC x carol

Heather said...

So super fun! I know my little guy LOVES soccer, so I'm sure this little guy would LOVE this card as well! Hugs!

Cec said...

I think the little guy will absolutely love the card. You did a great job without frilly stuff and still gave it your signature awesomeness (is that a word?)

Anneke said...

Such a beautifull card, and cute little boy :)
Thank you for joining us at Digital Tuesday!
Greetings Anneke

coldwaters2 said...

This is one super cutie card what a fabulous image and the little boy is gonna love this to bits thank you for sharing this with us at both Digital Tuesday and SMC this week.
Lorraine x

Peri said...

Love, love, love it Annika! Nuff said!
Peri xxx

Stef H (Glitterbabe) said...

fantabulous! your coloring is just to die for awesome. but i think i say that every time i visit!!!!

absolutely fabulous!

Kathy Czygan said...

EYE CANDY ALERT!! This is perfect in every way Annika! I'm crazy about those colors you used on this! Your coloring is just beyond compare! Easels are a favorite of mine! Love the border bunch!

debby4000 said...

Oh gorgeous card Annika, beautiful papers and love the fab footballer.

The Wired Angel said...

Lovely, lovely card Annika.. Your colorig is amazing. Thanks for playing along with us at Mo's this week!

Cheri said...

Great card.

Thanks for joining us at Sew Many Challenges this week!

♥ Lydia ♥ said...

Such an adorable card, great image and brilliantly coloured :)
Thanks for joining in with Mo's challenge this week x

Ann English said...

Girl, you're a rock star! Love this card!

Jeanette (Forest Ranger) said...

Very cute!

Thank you for participating in Sew Many Challenges this week!

Tracy said...

Fab entry, thanks for joining Rosie-D’s challenge, good luck.
Happy crafting
Tracy x

Chris said...

Another fantastic card Annika, I love it! Thanks for joining us at DU2DS. Chris :)

Kathy Czygan said...

Beautiful coloring again! As always! I love coming here to get my Annika Fix! Love the detail on the hair and the uniform is awesome!

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Thursday, September 06, 2007

What's the big deal?

So I'm conducting a cultural experiment. No, it doesn't involve launching myself into outer space and watching cheesy movies. Instead of waking up to the sounds of MPR in the morning, as is my normal routine, I turn on the TV to one of those "wake-up" shows, featuring some seriously perky anchors yapping about nothing in particular. The goal of my grand experiment is to know what the hell "other people" (as in, those who don't listen to public radio) are thinking about.

Anyway, today this got me to thinking: why is everyone so hyped up on Fred Thompson? Yes, he's an actor, and he just announced his candidacy last night, but what's the big deal? I don't know where he stands on any issue, and somehow this guy is the next Gipper? Is it because the rest of the field is so weak?

So I decided to do a bit of research. On his official campaign website, when you hover over the "Principles" menu bar, there is only ONE item. FEDERALISM. Okay, that's pretty sweet, I can get down with that. But, uhhh, is that the only thing you take a stand on? And how do you work Federalism into a campaign for PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT?

According to the Washington Post's kinda cool issue tracker, this guy's bread and butter issue is abortion. Stick with the classics, right?

Also, while he was a Senator from 1994 to 2003, he never really introduced much legislation. He took Al Gore's seat and just kinda rode in on Newt Gingrich's Contract with America.

I also like how this guy skipped a GOP debate last night and ran an ad during it instead. That tells me something: this man is not afraid to spend money instead of arguing.

Oh, and I just found a transcript of a commercial he was in. Good stuff:
"With all the criticism of our president's policy on Iraq lately, Americans might ask, What should we do with the inevitable prospect of nuclear weapons in the hands of a murderous and aggressive enemy?"
Would any American really ask that question? Well, this commercial was from early 2003, during the PR phase of the war, so I'll let it slide.
"And when people ask what has Saddam done to us, I ask, what had the 9/11 hijackers done to us -- before 9/11?"
I dunno...this guy just seems like the last candidate the GOP fielded for President - has no issues, few stances, and zero fresh ideas. Doesn't debate. Says cryptic shit. Pro-life. High name recognition. Is that all a candidate is these days?

If the Dems are going to lose this one, I'd prefer the devil I know (Giuliani) to one that I don't.

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January 18, 2009

Akhara - a forgotten heritage!

.....from my visit to an Akhara in Varanasi, India......
This age old form of wrestling, wearing only a langot (a 'T' shaped piece of cloth), is still practiced by few in India, mostly in the cities with old traditions. The soft mud is tilled before the action. Wrestlers get together early in the morning and pray to the monkey god - Hanuman, known for his immense power that he possessed.

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Friday, 29 March 2013

Lakes and deserts

Related to my last post, I received this this in my inbox yesterday:

Media Advisory
March 28, 2013

Council of Canadians plans on-site protest at the Experimental Lakes Area this weekend

The Council of Canadians will stage a protest this weekend at the Experimental Lakes Area (ELA) in a last-ditch effort to save the institution.

Mark Calzavara, the Council of Canadians’ Ontario organizer, will be on-site at the protest and available for interviews via satellite phone.

“Canada needs the ELA’s scientific research to develop sound and long term policies on water, climate and public safety,” says Emma Lui, Council of Canadians water campaigner. “Despite the Harper government’s reckless water policies, we’re not giving up yet.”

The ELA – a world-renowned water research facility – costs as little as $400,000 per year to keep open.

If a protest takes place in a forest and nobody is there to film it, are people still angry?

I hope that the media does turn out because I think it's an issue worth attention. Given the remoteness of the location and the Easter weekend timing I'm not sure how it will work out. In any case, I wish them well and hope people take notice.

Something else that came out recently -- the Canadian Government's decision to back out of the UN droughts and deserts convention -- is not unlike their move to cut the ELA.

The move was ostensibly to save money. "It’s not an effective way to spend taxpayers’ money" says PM Stephen Harper, but the amount of money being saved is negligible. The government has spent $283,000 over the past two years on this program according to the Maclean's article, although our commitment is for $350,000.

Harper claims that only 18% of the funds are being spent on anything useful. My question is: how is this different than any other UN program? In fact, with 18% of the funds surviving the UN bureaucracy and getting applied in a productive way, I would consider this astonishingly successful.

The point, of course, is not the money. The real story here is how this reflects the priorities of the current administration, the optics that a move like this generates among the public, and the impression it leaves on the other 193 countries (every other country in the UN, in case you're wondering) that are signatories to the convention.

The damage done to Canada's goodwill among other nations as a result of not being a team player on this matter, whatever that damage may be, must certainly exceed the $350k that we're saving, if one were able to quantify it.

I also find it bizarre that a government that spends $21 million per year on Economic Action Plan advertising would risk the negative publicity that a move like this generates to save a paltry $350k.

The government might argue that these small and supposedly wasteful expenses add up to a significant amount, and at a time when the government is struggling to return to a balanced budget every expense needs to be carefully vetted (except Action Plan advertising apparently).

I agree that small things add up. Small polarizing decisions such as the two mentioned above, as well as others like the Conservative's reluctance to stop the importation of shark fins, combine to create a growing distaste of the government and it's intransigent approach to the environment and social issues.

This may be a miscalculation on the part of Harper. The negative impressions that these actions leave could accumulate to the point where they threaten to overcome people's fear of what Justin Trudeau might do to the country, and could spell the end of the conservative majority next election.

Wednesday, 20 March 2013

Experimental Lakes Area Travesty

In spite of my somewhat conservative leanings, I gotta say that I've been disappointed with a great many things that Stephen Harper and the Federal Conservative government has done. There have been a whole slew of things from wasting money on misguided "stimulus" programs to their embarrassing response to Palestine's promotion to non-member observer state at the UN.

Some things are big. Some things are small. The closure of the Experimental Lakes Area in western Ontario near Kenora could be considered small. A below-the-radar operation that survived on a budget of less than a million dollars for most of it's existence, the ELA is a modest operation but has had a tremendous impact.

Some people will cite research done at the ELA as being a fundamental part of the effort to reduce acid rain in the 1980's. (Interestingly, this effort was led by another conservative PM, Brian Mulroney, proving that being environmentally friendly and right-of-center are not mutually exclusive concepts.) This is a notable example, but at any given time dozens of research projects might be on the go, impacting many industries or aspects of life in some small way.

The closure of the ELA strikes me as a particularly harsh move, simply because it costs so little and it does so much. Of all the things that the government spends money on, this operation must be near the top in terms of bang for the buck.

Money is not wasted at the ELA. That, at least, is my experience. As a summer student one year I spent some time there assisting with experiments and collecting lake-dwelling bugs for further study back at the lab. There was a communal eating area, small buildings with bunk beds, a sand volleyball court on the compound, and not a whole lot more. Our showers in the morning were limited to 5 minutes. There was a schedule, so if your shower lasted much longer than 5 minutes you risked having a naked biologist walking in on you.

The place was nerd central. Scientists from all over the place, dressed in cargo pants, would gather and chat about their respective projects over dinner, go to bed early, and wake up at ungodly hours to continue their research.

Most governments brag about supporting research. Besides directly providing science and technology-related jobs, research often leads to development and the additional jobs that go with that. Some research also leads to a better understanding of the world we live in, which in turn can lead to policy enhancements.

This is the primary objective of the ELA: a better understanding of how human activity impacts our environment, and this is why some people think the Conservative government has pulled the center's funding. They portray this as a "war on science":
“The Harper government is gutting all and any tools, rules, and science projects that stand in the way of corporate abuse of our freshwater heritage,” says Maude Barlow, National Chairperson of the Council of Canadians. “No ELA means that the damage done to water from extractive industries will forever be hidden.”
The language I would use would be less inflamatory, but it's hard to argue against the notion that this is an ideological move by the government, because there are few other plausible explanations. The government's purported reason, saving money, doesn't wash when you consider how little money is being saved in relation to the value of the research being done and the uniqueness of the operation. At the very least, this speaks to how little the government values environmental research.

The ELA may live on. The government is not locking the doors and throwing away the key -- they are just locking the doors. There is a chance that the Ontario government (yeah, they have money to spend ...) or some other party may take over the funding of the facility, but until that happens there is to be no research done there ... even if the federal funding agreement is still in effect and research grants are in place.

This may not seem like an tremendously important issue for many people, but to me the closure of the ELA and the government's handling of it has a spiteful tone. This is not an isolated thing either: the end of the mandatory long form census is another similar issue. As somebody who had to merge longitudinal data sets for quantitative studies in university, I can appreciate the value of having consistent information, and the census change will cause more problems than you might imagine.

While individually these issues may be small and you may not care a great deal about them, they reflect poorly on the character of the government, and you should at least care about that.

Fun fact: if you fry these guys in pure acetic acid they become transparent.
Another fun fact: frying chironomus larvae in acetic acid does not smell good.

*** UPDATE ***

Also published in Winnipeg Free Press: Sorry, Harper, it just doesn't wash Blog of the week: Anybody Want a Peanut?

Another interesting link: As dismantling begins, shuttering of research station called a 'travesty'
"The doors of the old sleeping cabins at the 45-year-old Experimental Lakes Area (ELA) are being ripped off, the appliances are being taken away, and the personal belongings of researchers are being removed.
this brings into serious doubt the government’s sincerity to actually transfer the facility over to another operator."

Sunday, 17 March 2013

Exchange Brew Pub

A column in the Free Press this weekend - Exchange brew pub might make Irish eyes smile - correctly points out that Winnipeg does not have a brew pub. I am not quite sure why this is, but it is shameful.

The author, a Benjamin Gillies, also reminded us of the complete lack of foresight that our civic government had when it rejected a proposal to sell an abandoned pump house in the exchange district to an entrepreneur to create a unique brew pub: the Pump House Restaurant and Brewing Co. This, and the nonesense that followed whereby the city lost $600,000 in a failed attempt to do something with the building, is also shameful.

Benji (can I call you Benji? Good... thanks) goes on to propose a reviving that old brewpub idea:

"Should another developer approach the city with a solid business plan for establishing a microbrew restaurant, the government should seriously consider donating the pumping station to the project (as it did for the Red River College's downtown campus).
Instead of holding onto an empty building as it slowly succumbs to demolition by neglect, the city would be putting the heritage structure to productive use and earning tax revenue in the process. It would also be contributing to the growing list of unique attractions that make Winnipeg a more dynamic place to live in and visit. And that is definitely something worth raising a glass to."
The location is great. It's an area that growing in popularity with condo developments springing up, and an interesting development directly across the street where Sunstone Group is developing a boutique hotel and outdoor plaza area on the waterfront.

The concept includes a restaurant and wine bar to be built in another old building: the Harbour Master building that juts directly out onto the Red River.

If the James Avenue Pumping Station doesn't work out, that doesn't mean that we should give up on a brew pub in the exchange district. It's a great idea, and a natural fit in my opinion. There are lots of heritage buildings with wood beams and rustic brick walls -- not to mention space for vats and equipment -- that could make a great brew pub location.

There is certainly more to this absence of brew pubs than a shortage of appropriate spaces, and I suspect part of the answer lies in mounds of red tape. I haven't had an opportunity to compare the Manitoba brew pub application process to those of other provinces, but given that the MLCC has 12 different types of liquor licenses, one could guess that anything having to do with booze in this province is probably unnecessarily complicated.

Nevertheless, I am hopeful that our local beer diversity may increase. One reason: The Government of Manitoba is slowly relaxing some of it's liquor laws. Some initial changes were made in 2011 and 2012, and you can view some more proposed changes here. (Thanks Ben). Though the changes are mostly incremental, the general tendency is to make liquor regulations less restrictive, which is a good thing for consumers. For brew pubs, one of the most important changes I think is this one:
"Brew pubs will be able to sell their product on an off-sale basis and through other retailers such as Liquor Marts."

There is also a brew pub concept brewing in Brandon MB. The Brewtinerie, to be established in an old fire hall, is not yet a sure thing but it's an exciting proposal for beeries, especially those in Brandon, and I see it as a good omen for Winnipeg.

Another local beer development that is worth mentioning is Farmery Brewing: a true made-in-Manitoba beer. Read more about it here.

While the old Waterfront pump house might have missed it's opportunity to become a brew pub, I am optimistic about the beer landscape expanding beyond our existing local beer heroes Half Pints Brewing Co. and Fort Garry Brewing Co. because of the developments mentioned above.

Wednesday, 13 March 2013

Proposed new Winnipeg Jets logo!

Now that we have the matter of selecting a pope over and done with, we can get on with other priorities like creating a new Winnipeg Jets logo.

Why do the Jets need a new logo? It's a perfectly fine logo, although I did nit-pick it somewhat when it came out.

However there is a reason all teams except the Detroit Red Wings and New Jersey Devils have come out with so-called "third jerseys" or alternate uniforms: marketing. There is always more money to be made from the fans, and a new jersey with a new logo is one way to do that. It also gives the fans more choice.

By the way, it makes sense to me that the Red Wings would resist creating an alternate jersey and logo -- they have a classic original six look that's hard to improve upon. Possibly the best overall uniforms in the league -- but the Devils?? The Devils have one of the worst logos in the NHL: an "N" and "J" fused together into a deformed faceless demon. There are sooo many things you could do with their logo, like this or this.

I am sure the Jets will come out with an alternate jersey at some point. Whether it's a WHA-era retro jersey or something completely new, it's going to happen.

An alternate logo should be a different look and feel than the original. For example, if the original is cartoonish or playful, then the alternate should be more sedate or formal. Some teams choose to go with throw-back uniforms and logos pulled from the past, or designed to look like they came from the past. Some replace their picture-based crests with plain text logos. This is fine too.

Phoenix shows us an example of what not to do. Their alternate logo is in the same style as their regular crest, making it almost completely pointless ...

The Jets' crest is of the more serious variety, therefore I envision something a little more playful or whimsical as their alternate crest. For this I look to their farm team, the St. John's Ice Caps. I happen to like the Ice Caps logo. It has a nice bold aesthetic.
It is certainly in a different style than the Jet's current logo, and it has the additional shade of blue which could be worked in to the redesigned uniforms, along with the grey.

So what might this new logo look like?

Ladies and gentlemen .... the new Winnipeg Jets logo!

The alternate Jets logo above is the property of the author of this blog. If you wish to use this logo for commercial or personal use, please contact the author in the comment section of this blog post or by email at: cherenkov *at* live *dot* com

Monday, 4 March 2013

Around This Town: Safety, PechaKucha, blogs and other stuff

Downtown safety
I'm not sure what brought this on, but a big discussion among the on-line community about downtown safety emerged recently. I guess it started with this article in the Spectator Tribune ...

Winnipeg’s most perpetuated myth: Downtown is dangerous

"Get downtown.  Break the cycle of lies and misdirection that our local media outlets propagate.  See for yourself what is going on.  And remember, just because someone is brown doesn’t mean that they are going to gut you."

... which spawned this response in the same alternative media outlet ...

Winnipeg’s most perpetuated myth: A response

"saying that Winnipeg’s downtown is safe simply because I haven’t experienced violence, or so that my family isn’t worried about visiting in my ‘edgy’ neighbourhood doesn’t cut it if we are going to be real about the problems of race and class in the city."

... and this blog post ...

 Entry number "I've lost count" re: safety in downtown Winnipeg
"Men don't have the same fear complex as women because in a purely physical sense, it is MUCH EASIER to physically intimidate a woman. As a woman, I know we're a much easier target than the average male. We carry giant purses and vaginas everywhere we go. We have much more to lose on very, very extreme levels.
Here is the discussion. It's so simple. Downtown Winnipeg has a crime problem, but it's also a great place with a lot to offer. How do we reconcile the two? How do we make people feel safe to be here, and how do we deal with what makes people afraid to come down here?"
... and an on-going twitter conversation. The Winnipeg Internet Pundits will carry on the conversation on Wednesday with the author of the previous blog and some of the usual pundits.

I worked downtown for 14 years and never had a problem, but I also know people who have been assaulted, including somebody who was shot in the head and killed, although those incidents were a while back.

It's a complicated discussion and one I should probably stay out of ... actual safety vs perceived safety; safety of women vs men, safety during the day vs at night, et cetera. And what is safe? Is there some metric of Assaults per 1000 People Hours that defines the threshold of "safe"? Everybody agrees that more safe is better than less safe, but how safe is safe enough?

Oh look, somebody got stabbed.

Community centre funding

Arenas and swimming pools are crumbling all over the city. When Southdale Community Centre launched it's $9.4 million expansion, some accused it of queue jumping. Some accused elected officials of buying votes in a swing riding. Some complained about preferential treatment for a relatively affluent part of town.

But what's done is done. The expansion was completed one year ago, and now it's time to focus on spending scarce tax dollars on those other facilities that are in dire need of attention in areas of town were kids rely on ...

Wait... What's that? Southdale needs another half mil? Sure, here you go!

Oh stop complaining. They did have a Bud Spud & Steak to raise some of their own money you know.

PechaKucha is kind of like a mini Ted talk with shorter presentations. Volume 13 of PechaKucha Winnipeg is taking place this Thursday at the Park Theatre.

There is an interesting and diverse group of speakers. Should be a good evening. Maybe see you there.

New blog

Somebody named after my favourite Thanksgiving meal has started a new blog called Winnipeg Spends. He or she is monitoring the contracts that the city is awarding and all money that is being spent, and summarizing on the blog with bar charts and analysis.

Did you know that the city just spent $95,000 on gloves? Well I do, and that's because I read Winnipeg Spends !

Audience participation blog

As far as Winnipeg bloggers go, James Hope Howard is about as famous as they come (second only to Winnipeg Cat). If you're a fan of Slurpees and Murder, now is your chance to find out more about the author, because ... March is Ask James Anything Month at Slurpees and Murder!

Random act of heritage

Another one of Winnipeg's top local bloggers, Christian Cassidy, held a Random Act of Heritage this Sunday. It was a presentation and tour of the intrepid Arlington Bridge, which is really much more interesting than it sounds. The Arlington Bridge is the second oldest bridge in Winnipeg and was built using surplus parts from the Eiffel Tower.

That might not be true. I didn't actually make it to the event. I took advantage of the nice day to go for a big long bike ride up the Seine River instead, however I do have a picture from somebody else who was able to go:

This random act of heritage thing is a great idea. It is encouraging to see that the media picked up on it, and hopefully Mr.C does more of them. He needs to schedule them around my bike rides though.

Well, that's it for this week's edition of Around This Town. Tune in 3 months from now for next week's edition.

RIP Nick Ternette. Very few people worked harder to make their city a better place than him.

Sunday, 3 March 2013

Downtown surface parking lot to be filled?

About 8-10 years ago, around the time I was living in Osborne Village, I remember a decrepit building being torn down on the corner of Osborne St N and York Street. I joked to one of the workers as I walked by that they should keep going and tear down the old Red Cross building next to it.

Of course I envisioned at the time that something new and exciting would rise in it's place, but sadly the lot on the corner of Osborne and York became nothing more than another unfinished surface parking lot blighting downtown Winnipeg; a signboard with an optimistic picture of a new building mocking us year after year.

Google Maps. I am lazy.

Well, it may actually happen. Something resembling that building on the sign may get built after all. The owner is seeking rezoning approval for a 10 story mixed use building...
"This building will house 50,000 square feet of residential space in 42 condominium units on the top eight storeys (sic), and office and commercial space on the first two floors."

Their web site says 28 residential units, not 40 as in the zoning application, but whatever ... this could work. I don't know about the commercial space, but the condos could fill up. They are close to work or University for many people, and walking distance to Osborne Village and the increasingly trendy West Broadway area.

The floor plans are diverse, but larger than the Glasshouse condos I reviewed earlier. They range from a tidy 750 sq ft, about the size of the largest Glasshouse units, to a massive 1,650 sq ft. I can't imagine what the asking price for that will be.

Perhaps the commercial space will work too. I'm envisioning an art supply store. Just a block away from the Winnipeg Art Gallery Studio, and with Lewis Art Supplies having abandoned Graham Avenue nearby, this might be something that could work. Just throwing ideas out there.

It will be nice to see something fill this space finally, assuming the numbers work and the zoning changes are approved.

(h/t: headhorse at Skyscraper Page)

/* Google Tracker Code


text:
3 bedroom home for rent
Henshaw St., Boston, MA 02135 · Allston-Brighton

  • 3 bed
  • 1 bath

Map of Henshaw St., Boston...

Nearby Transit

14 min Warren St Green Line Green Line
14 min New Balance - 38 Guest St. Hubway Hubway

Nearby Schools

5 min Shaloh House Jewish Day School (PK-6) priv
5 min Winship Elementary School (PK-5) priv
8 min Another Course To College (9-12) priv

School data provided by GreatSchools

Features & Amenities

  • Deck
  • Parking

Apartable Overview

This apartment unit is a 3 bedroom apartment listed for $2000/mo. The building is located around the Allston-Brighton area of Boston. The property features deck, and, parking and will be available September 1, 2012.

This listing is no longer active as of November 1st, 2013.

Neighborhood & Prices

This unit is located in Allston-Brighton, a neighborhood in Boston.

The average price of a 3 bed rental in Allston-Brighton is $2,890. This unit is listed for $2,000, which makes it 30.80% cheaper than the average 3 bed in this neighborhood.

Monthly Costs

Price $2,000
Included Utilities
Net effect of broker fee $83
Bottom Line Price $2,083

Move-in Costs

First month's rent $2,000
Deposit $0
Application fee
1/2 Month Fee $1,000
Estimated Move-In Costs $3,000

Leasing Info

Move-in Date September 1, 2012
Lease term 1 year
Pet Policy
Posted at June 17, 2012
Last updated April 6, 2013

More Apartments for Rent in Allston-Brighton

You can also try more Boston rentals by category:


text:
Thursday, 6 March 2014

The Wheels on the Sentinel...

.....go round and round.

Which is something of a relief.

It isn't a great photo but it is a great leap forward for me. Early this morning I got round to fitting the Ultrascale EM gauge wheels to the Sentinel, and slipped in a cheap and cheerful Hornby 8 pin DCC decoder. It would have been a ten minute job if they hadn't started gluing the brakegear on to the chassis. And yes I know the body isn't fully seated in the photo, it will be coming off again soon as I need to pack the decoder a bit more carefully in the cab and disguise it a little.

But hey, I now have my first functioning EM gauge loco, and it ran like a dream.

  1. Brilliant news James, so that is one down with how many to go ?

    1. Geoff,

      Good question. A 14XX or the pannier should really be next but in either case it will mean diving into chassis construction. I don't think I'll need to convert anything other than that this year with the rate I'm making progress.. It is the Leamington show this weekend so I might get inspired to make another push, and I've also got the EMGS pointwork jigs on order.I could do with a day off and some sunshine to encourage me to get baseboard construction underway.

    2. The 14XX can be fitted with EM drivers rather easily James, in fact my very first conversion was done by dropping the Airfix wheels out and new Gibsons in, I even retained the old Airfix coupling rods and pins, it all worked rather well as a stop gap until I had cut my teeth on etched chassis. Assuming your Pannier is a Bachmann model then an Ultrascale drop in conversion will easily sort that out, many people have assumed that my own Pannier has an etched chassis and have been surprised to find that isn't the case, now there is a lesson to be learned there don't you think ?

      The advantages of taking such an approach is that it will allow you to get up and running rather quickly thus maintaining interest which I feel is essential when you change gauge.

  2. Geoff,

    I might take that approach to the Pannier then. I know the 14XX needs quite a bit of work on the body>Incidentally where did you get the tank vents for your 14XX? I've lost one so I might as well replace them.

    1. James,

      Try for GWR tank vents,

      You can find all you need to know about the Pannier chassis conversion here
      A little weathering, the thinning down or replacement of the brake pull rods and some decent etched balance weights make a world of difference to the chassis. Body wise not much work is needed, a turned smokebox dart, sandbox control linkages, extra lamp irons and etched No.plates really lift the model.

      So, for say a mornings work you will end up with a really decent Pannier which is the perfect GWR branch loco.

    2. Thanks Geoff, I think that definitely moves the Pannier to next in line, even allowing for the lead time from Ultrascale, especially now I believe his wheelsets include balance weights