How to talk to your children about natural disasters In parenting, sometimes nothing is as scary as reality. We wish we could keep our children's lives full of rainbows, unicorns and fancy trucks that fly. But we can't. Because at some point, our children are going to learn about the reality of life, loss and scary things that are out of our control. First and foremost, make sure your child knows she is safe If nothing else, it's your responsibility as a parent to keep your child safe. And the first way to do that is to tell them they're safe. Offering hugs and security is your job. So when you sit your child down, make sure he knows that you will do everything you can to keep him as safe as he is, always. During natural disasters, things can always get out of hand. But your kids will feel confident knowing that you're doing your best for them. Be gentle in your discussion Next, tell your children that something horrible or scary or unplanned happened in the world in a very calm voice. If it makes you cry, that's okay, you're sharing your emotional ties to the story. Let them know that what happened is something no one wants to happen and how hard it is for you to share it or know it. But don't tell them more than they need to know. Let your child ask the questions After you tell your child the basics, go ahead and open the floor to their questions and let their questions take them where they need to go. They likely don't need to know all the statistics that the news is sharing. They may be more interested in what is happening to pets or how kids can get to a hospital. Most likely, kids will need to know how this disaster will affect them or could affect them. Stick with answering their questions and you'll keep your children safe. Expect a follow-up, or two A day or so after we shared the Haitian earthquake in 2010 with our kids, my 4 year old came to me saying "I don't know what an Earthquake is." It turned out that he'd been thinking about it off and on through the day before, rolling around the possibilities and the answers we'd given then. But his persona is one that needs to know how things happen. So we took that opportunity to explain fault lines and the earth shifting. Had we shared all of this when we told him about the quake, he might have been overwhelmed with facts. He asked when he was ready. Offer ways you can help as a family As Pennsylvanian's we were fortunate during Hurricane Sandy. Our house had minimal damage and we never lost power. We know it could have been much worse. During the worst of the storm, my kids and I cleaned out their closets, trying on clothing and setting things aside to give to charity. Later that week, when discussing what to do with the extra 5-year-old boy clothing, my son asked if we could bring it to the kids that lost their homes. While that wasn't possible, we researched drop-off points and lists of supplies and things needed. When we found a drop-off (the ladies of PSMM teamed up to donate), my son raced to his room to find more to help. Many kids want to help other kids, especially those who are able to imagine if they lost their own homes. Further resources to discuss disasters with your kids I posted Earthquakes for Kids lists several parent conversations and resources after the Japanese Tsunami in 2011. About Julie Meyers Pron Julie Meyers Pron has written 1051 post in this blog. mom of 3 and wife, Julie is a former elementary school teacher and a Public Relations manager. She is the owner/editor of Just Precious, founding partner of Just Centsible, and a team member of Splash Creative Media. Julie is a PTOer, volunteer, elementary educator and that's just the beginning of the list. I have a feeling it's very different outside of this area. Here, it's consumed us. But I've talked to people in the midwest who aren't anywhere near as affected. I'm sure if it had happened on the west coast our kids would barely know about it.


Related Posts Market share: gluten-free baking a piece of cake In August, if you live in Villeray or Parc-Ex (or many other neighborhoods around Montreal), you can go onto your balcony and pick the grapes, crab apples and plums that earlier generations of Greek and Portuguese families planted, long before the sea change of gentrification swept through their neighbourhoods. But if you don't have access to backyard fruit, worry not: The markets are flush with Quebec-grown plums, and unlike other summer fruits, they're cheap as hell. They are also a pretty fruit, so plump and purple. I am always drawn to them, but don't actually enjoy eating them as much as I think I should. Yesterday, however, remembering a time when I made a thyme-scented plum sorbet with honey, I grabbed a basket, thinking I would do the same. But as the weather is starting to cool, and turning on the oven does not seem like the worst idea on earth, I decided instead to make a cake. When traveling through the southern U.S. this summer, I met a number of people who were obsessed with CrossFit , a health and lifestyle regime that "forges elite fitness" through old-school calisthenics ("just finish your burpees, and then we'll head out and toss around the ol' medicine ball") and an even older approach to eating and nutrition: the Paleo diet , in which people try to emulate a caveman's diet. The protagonists in Haruki Murakami novels are always doing calisthenics in their high-rise Tokyo apartments. I like this about them, but when I think about spending an hour doing jumping jacks and gnawing on elk jerky, my enthusiasm wanes. Still, I am compelled by new thinking on diet and exercise, and about the effects that certain foods can have on the body. And so it was that I recently embarked on a diet low in sugar and even lower in wheat. Who knew that one could do this and still eat cake? Cake! Not me. Not until a few months ago. I had set out to make the Brown Butter Financier from the Mission Street Food cookbook -- a cake made with browned butter, toasted ground almonds, icing sugar, egg white and just a teensy bit of flour -- when I thought, heck, I'm throwing caution to the wind and leaving that flour out. I won't exaggerate -- it was a minor revelation. But the result was as delicious as it would have been with the wheat. Over the summer, when the weather permitted, I made the cake countless times, growing lazier with each effort. First, I decided not to brown the butter. Then I determined that the ground almonds were perfectly fine sans toasting. A note: Because it is so trendy these days, almond flour, which is really just finely ground blanched almonds, is often required in recipes,  gluten-free or otherwise. You can make it yourself if you have a good blender. Just grab some bulk almonds and blend them up. You don't even need to blanch them if you like more texture. What remains is a cake that takes about five minutes to make, is gluten-free and low in sugar, has a slightly sweet, nutty flavour and has the airy, slightly chewy texture of the much more labour-intensive madeleine. And because the cake is so straightforward in flavour, it goes well with any sort of fruit you desire. On this particular occasion, I used my, by now, very ripe plums. First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. To make the cake, you will need half a cup of melted butter that has cooled slightly. Put one cup of ground almonds and half a cup of icing sugar into a large mixing bowl. And the melted butter, and then add one whole egg and the whites of two more. Stir to mix everything together. The batter will be tacky, so you will need a spatula to scrape it onto the cookie sheet -- do not worry if it does not spread to the edges. Put it in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until it is golden brown around the edges. While the cake is in the oven, remove the stones from about 10 plums and put them in a shallow pan with one cup of Lillet . Add two sprigs of fresh thyme and, depending on the ripeness of the fruit, some honey to taste. Bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer. Poach the plums in the liquid for about 10 minutes, or until they start to soften and break apart. Then remove them, and the thyme, and raise the heat under the liquid. Cook for about five minutes, stirring often, until the liquid is reduced to a syrup. Taste, and if you feel it is not sweet enough, add a bit more honey. Pour the liquid back over the plums. To serve, use a cookie cutter or drinking glass to cut shapes out of the cake. Dollop the cake pieces with plain or flavoured yogurt, ice cream or whipped cream, and add the poached fruit.


I think it had more to do with $$$ than any commitment or ability issues. Didn't both Marvel and Norton come out and say it wasn't about cash? I vaguely remember reading it was some crap about creativity and blending all the actors. I think they were negotiating and Marvel suddenly pulled out. Could be wrong though. "'Do it?' Dan, I'm not a Republic serial villain. Do you seriously think I'd explain my master-stroke if there remained the slightest chance of you affecting its outcome? I did it thirty-five minutes ago." The way the Avengers origin is, you could have Banner as the Hulk throughout the entire film, so don't really see Norton being too big a loss. Not been reading much at the moment, but stumbled upon "Invincible" ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invincible_\\... )) a while back and would say it's one of the best ongoing series I've ever read.  Also managed to get my hands on the Dreamwave Transformers series, which are incredible. Just need Runaways to come back from hiatus and I'd have something to properly look forward to. I've read the first 10 Invincible and enjoyed it, maybe I'll get my hands on the rest. I like Image stuff. Didn't both Marvel and Norton come out and say it wasn't about cash? I vaguely remember reading it was some crap about creativity and blending all the actors. I think they were negotiating and Marvel suddenly pulled out. Could be wrong though. I didn't know about Norton interfering with the creative process so I guess the money angle is wrong. Mark Ruffalo could be good, still got a bit of romcom about him though. "'Do it?' Dan, I'm not a Republic serial villain. Do you seriously think I'd explain my master-stroke if there remained the slightest chance of you affecting its outcome? I did it thirty-five minutes ago." What's really turning me off the Thor movie though is that people in Hollywood have somehow magically come up with this. = Not being racist like, but that's hardly the image you instantly get when you think Norwegian. Still the movie has Anthony Hopkins and Ray Stevensson so I'll no doubt see it. It's hardly an attempt to be a historically accurate documentary of the Viking people, is it? It's a big, loud, comic book movie. Heimdall is a god, he's been a seal and a bird and a mysterious walking stranger, and he can look like Idris Elba if he wants to. Has anyone been paying attention to X-Men: First Class? It was mentioned a bit above that director Matthew Vaughn (of recent Kick Ass fame) had gotten his friend Jane Goldman to write screenplay (also of Kick Ass fame), so that's two brits signed to the project. Filming begins next month and here's the cast so far: X-Men's not my favourite title at the best of times, and if I'm being honest the cast looks like absolute shite. But it figures, since they want to appeal to the non comic-reader crowd. Will be the first comic book movie that I'll give a miss. I've seen lots of people saying it's not right having Idris Elba playing a character from norse mythology, who are all completely missing the fact that it's a comic adaptation, and Idris Elba is one bad mofo. If you want to get upset how about the historical detail then have a read of the comic. Thor (the other made up one) is red headed and has a beard... The characters from the Thor film are actually going to be from an alternate universe rather than any supernatural origin like in the comics. So they don't look as daft in the universe created in Iron Man/Cap America. Also, lulz at the guy complaining about the lack of historical accuracy in the Comics "'Do it?' Dan, I'm not a Republic serial villain. Do you seriously think I'd explain my master-stroke if there remained the slightest chance of you affecting its outcome? I did it thirty-five minutes ago." You have posted literally nothing of substance to flame about.  Your "points", and I dread to call them that, were superficial and completely arbitrary.  Nothing you said could be argued against because nothing you said elaborated a position of any kind. At ComicCon this weeked, they also announced Joss Whedon is defo directing which I'm not so sure about...although he does have a lot of experience with ensembles. I think it's going to be a massive challenge to get all of these characters on screen together without fucking it up, but I can't wait. I'm still quite amazed that Marvel are actually making five movies all leading up to a massive crossover film. "'Do it?' Dan, I'm not a Republic serial villain. Do you seriously think I'd explain my master-stroke if there remained the slightest chance of you affecting its outcome? I did it thirty-five minutes ago." You have posted literally nothing of substance to flame about.  Your "points", and I dread to call them that, were superficial and completely arbitrary.  Nothing you said could be argued against because nothing you said elaborated a position of any kind. The clock is ticking on the superhero craze in Hollywood, according to Matthew Vaughn, the director now filming "X-Men: First Class" for Fox in London. "It's been mined to death and in some cases the quality control is not what it's supposed to be," Vaughn said. "People are just going to get bored of it." Vaughn, who produced, directed and co-wrote "Kick-Ass," says he pounced on the chance to make a film about the uncanny mutants from Marvel Comics because he expects the current boom in superhero cinema to fizzle out in the near future. "I've always wanted to do a big-budget superhero film and I think we've kind of crossed the Rubicon with superhero films," Vaughn said. "I think [the opportunity to do one], it's only going to be there two or three more times." "Then," he added, "the genre is going to be dead for a while because the audience has just been pummelled too much." Next summer, "X-Men: First Class" will join "Captain America: The First Avenger," "Thor" and "Green Lantern" in a parade of costumed heroes in big-budget films at the cineplex. Vaughn said audience fatigue is already starting to set in. The subject material can't sustain the Hollywood trample, he said, and the inevitable box-office duds and derivative projects will mark the end of the gold rush by studios. "It is a crowded room," Vaughn said "It's too crowded." The 39-year-old filmmaker (who is married to German model Claudia Schiffer) is known for a candor that is rare in Hollywood circles. He had been in talks to direct the third "X-Men" film but that didn't work out (he instead went off to make the underrated "Stardust") and the superhero project went to Brett Ratner ("Rush Hour"), who delivered "X-Men: The Last Stand," the 2006 film that became the biggest money-maker in the franchise despite far more sour reviews than the two previous films. Vaughn didn't shy away from slagging on Ratner's film: "As it happens, I could have made something a hundred times better than the film that was eventually made," Vaughn told the Daily Telegraph. "It sounds arrogant, but I could have done something with far more emotion and heart." Vaughn made his mark in movies as the producer of three Guy Ritchie films -- "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels," "Snatch" and "Swept Away." He made his directorial debut with "Layer Cake" in 2004. "X-Men: First Class," starring James McAvoy as Charles Xavier (aka Professor X) and Michael Fassbender as Erik Lehnsherr (aka, Magneto) is due in theaters in June 2011. I thought this was an interesting read. There's a lot riding on the Avenger movies, the Green Lantern one (and they've already hired Michael Goldenberg to write the script for the sequel), the third Batman film, and the Xmen/Spiderman reboots. Looking at box office sales the superhero genre is as popular as ever but I guess the fad will lessen eventually. I thought this was an interesting read. There's a lot riding on the Avenger movies, the Green Lantern one (and they've already hired Michael Goldenberg to write the script for the sequel), the third Batman film, and the Xmen/Spiderman reboots. Looking at box office sales the superhero genre is as popular as ever but I guess the fad will lessen eventually. I thought this was a good retort to Vaughn. Quote WHY MATTHEW VAUGHN IS WRONG ABOUT SUPERHERO MOVIES Matthew Vaughn has sounded the death knell for superhero movies, and a couple of months ago I might have been inclined to agree with him. We've gone past the most exciting and popular heroes, and we seem to have gotten past that brief phase where truly astonishing directors were being attached to superhero films. What's more, the filmic genre itself has begun to feel more than a little long in the tooth, with every movie being essentially an origin tale and with the action often feeling constrained locally, with the stakes being more personal than epic. I recently had dinner with Green Lantern writer and DC Comics Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns, and he brought up a point that stopped me in my tracks: Why don't movie superheroes save the world?  Looking at the modern superhero movie they're all-too often just standard action (or cop) movies in funny outfits. In fact one of the few modern films we could think of where the heroes saved the world was Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. (A friend later pointed out that technically Watchmen fits this category as well) 'I think we've kind of crossed the Rubicon with superhero films,' Vaughn told the LA Times. 'The genre is going to be dead for a while because the audience has just been pummeled too much.' On one level he's right. There have been an awful lot of superhero films, and almost all of them have been in the same mold - the mold established by Spider-Man back in 2002. You can see that basic structure echo in most superhero movies since then, and as in Spider-Man most of the threats have felt small, localized, and in almost every single film have been so completely connected to the hero that the villain feels more like an extension of the hero than a threat on his own. That's been great, and it's created some truly wonderful superhero movies, but it's also begun to run its course. Vaughn declared superheroes dead while working on X-Men: First Class, a movie likely to continue that style - a threat whose menace is small (probably just impacting the mutants) and that grows directly from the heroes (if Magneto isn't the bad guy at the start, he certainly will be by the end).* But on another level he's wrong. The superhero movies that we've had have only scratched the surface of what is possible with a superhero story. And I think that could be about to change. I was hoping that Thor would be the first to break the mold; the original script that Marvel Studios had was nothing short of a Lord of the Rings style epic, with Thor only coming to Earth in the final minutes of the film. That would have been a major kick in the pants for the superhero movie concept - the genre is not what you think it is, and to actually classify it as one genre is misleading. It's a way to tell stories within many genres. Sadly the Thor that we're getting is going to be much closer to the standard blueprint, with a smaller, localized threat that is very personal for the hero. Captain America: The First Avenger is another story, though. While I doubt the movie will be a war film per se - this won't be Saving Bucky Barnes - it'll be a movie where the stakes aren't about Captain America himself, his girlfriend or even his hometown. It's going to be the fate of the free world as Captain America tries to stop the Red Skull from winning World War II for the Nazis. That's the kind of selfless heroism that hasn't been en vogue in superhero movies for a while. I'm excited for a hero to be a hero not because he accidentally created the villain or because the villain's plans are all an effort to get revenge, but simply because it's the right thing to do. Then there's Green Lantern; if Captain America is the superhero movie filtered through pulp adventure, Green Lantern will be the superhero movie filtered through pulp science fiction. With a scope that spans the stars and a villain who threatens all life in the universe, Green Lantern will feature a hero who does battle not just to save those close to him but to do right by everybody. And this time I mean everybody. And then we have The Avengers. I am crossing my fingers that Marvel Studios and Joss Whedon have this one figured out and that they realize that you can't get together Earth's Mightiest Heroes for anything less than a global threat of staggering proportions. It can't simply be a revenge plot by Loki or some other villain established in a previous film - it must be something that threatens every living being in the world. Scope. This is the missing element in the modern superhero movie. The stakes have to be huge. The stakes have to be planetary. Failure by the hero can't result just in his own death, or the death of his girlfriend or the destruction of his hometown - it has to result in the deaths of millions, if not billions. It's time to stop looking at Arnold Schwarzenegger action vehicles as the models for superhero films and turn to the world-spanning madness of Roland Emmerich. There will always be room for the more personal stories of Spider-Man and Daredevil, but as the focus of Hollywood moves on to characters like Green Lantern and Dr. Strange and Wonder Woman, it's time to stretch out and think big. Maybe Vaughn's right. Maybe the only type of superhero movie that really works is the smaller, personal, and vigilante-based type. If that's the case, yeah, we're at the end of the ride. But if the magical and the fantastical and the cosmic and science fiction heroes can get a toehold, the superhero cycle will renew itself and it'll be something very different. It'll be something grander, more exciting and wilder. Let's get senses-shattering. Let's get reality-rending. Let's make it so that heroes live, heroes die and nothing is ever again the same. It's time to put the super back in superhero movies. * For the record you could say that the modern superhero movie actually gets its blueprint from the original X-Men, but I argue that it was Spider-Man that refined and perfected it. He's got a point about Vaughn making this statement while he currently filming his second comic book film in a row but as he said, the next batch of films are really upping the scope and stakes. I really want to see more superheros saving the planet rather than their girlfriend. I'm really looking forward to Cap America, the first (decent) period set Superhero film. The past ten years worth of superhero films have been a bit hamstrung by being limited to origin stories, which are obviously going to get tiring when there is one every year, but with these nearly out of the way they can really open up. "'Do it?' Dan, I'm not a Republic serial villain. Do you seriously think I'd explain my master-stroke if there remained the slightest chance of you affecting its outcome? I did it thirty-five minutes ago." As they said in the second piece, I think the Avengers series could be the key, if the people involved can pull characters and stories from what should really be several different genres (Iron Man: Action, Thor: Fantasy, Cap: War?) into one single, genre defying megahit then it could really open the door for things to be done differently. I agree that current superhero films are almost by the numbers formulaic and by their nature struggle with pacing unless handled incredibly well but Holywood hasn't helped either.  You want no origin? There were rumours of a Green Arrow prison film circulating a few years ago that would have been a breath of fresh air.  Want planetary endangerment? Invincible was picked up by a studio back in 2006, had a script written, and was then dropped. There are signs that this is going to change, with Kick Ass, Scott Pilgrim and Jonah Hex getting the go ahead, but the flipside is the decision to continue (and high schoolize) the Spiderman and X-men franchises, which worryingly look to be continuing the trend (one of which, hypocritically, is being directed by Vaughn). Logged "Baby take off your beret, everyone's a critic and most people are DJs" I think we've hardly seen any world saving antics in the current run of films because most of them need smaller, personal stories when presenting an origin story. This obviously makes for a better narrative and more engaging characters when the good guy and bad guy are Intimately entwined, like the Spider-man and X Men films. I imagine the cost of presently a worldwide threat is a problem too, now that comic book films are established and successful most of the time lots more cash can be pumped into them. "'Do it?' Dan, I'm not a Republic serial villain. Do you seriously think I'd explain my master-stroke if there remained the slightest chance of you affecting its outcome? I did it thirty-five minutes ago." I agree with Vaughn. There have been loads of superhero films and if it wasn't for Nolan's efforts, Kick Ass in particular and hopefully Scott Pilgrim, my reaction of upcoming comic book films would be negative. It seems that all the big movies in any year tend to be comic book adaptations. You have Marvel making 5 films and then a 6th that brings all them together, with some questionable directors in there. Then you have X-men, which I had no idea that it was being made. You have that one with Ryan Reynolds, some more Superman films and, lest we forget, Batman. We even have Spider-man being made again if I am correct? Its just too many films and with the majority being shite, we are likely to be served more shite. I am not a follower of comics and it can be hard to stomach so many films. He's got a point about Vaughn making this statement while he currently filming his second comic book film in a row but as he said, the next batch of films are really upping the scope and stakes. I really want to see more superheros saving the planet rather than their girlfriend. I'm really looking forward to Cap America, the first (decent) period set Superhero film. The past ten years worth of superhero films have been a bit hamstrung by being limited to origin stories, which are obviously going to get tiring when there is one every year, but with these nearly out of the way they can really open up. That's a good article from Devin. I hope they don't start to die out because as hit and miss as some of them may be, I really enjoy them. Even the shitty ones like Daredevil, and there are some really good stories out there to be told that don't have to be origin stories or involving saving the entire world. It's all about them finding the balance without chasing the box office sales but also maintaining the human element to it all. It's possible for them to go too big, too epic. Fingers crossed they get it right. I'm looking forward to Captain America and Green Lantern especially, I think Ryan Reynolds would make a good Hal Jordan. Wonder if they've changed the Lanterns rather laughable weakness, anything the colour yellow! Always thought that was hilarious. Superhero/Comic book movies aren't going anywhere for a while. Just like with novels, books etc they are too easy turn into cash for that to happen. Most people didn't read or even know Kick-Ass was a comic book I'll bet, same with Scott Pilgrim, same with that Aliens vs. Cowboys etc. It won't matter though, they'll all do well and make a tonne of money. Have to say though I'm not all that interested in this Avengers stuff, all the films just look a bit samey to me, all style, no substance. The acting talent too, all just really uninteresting to me. You do know that between them, the directors of Captain America and Green Lantern are responsible for the masterpieces that are The Edge of Darkness, Legend of Zorro, Wolfman and Jurassic Park 3. At least Campbell directed Casino Royale. To be fair, Joe Johnston came on board Wolfman very late and had to pick up where everyone else had shat all over it. So you can't really blame him for that one. They will be filming Captain America here in Liverpool. They called the Philharmonic too, as they were looking for an Art Deco building (I know this because I know people ) I think I agree slightly with Bob about the Avengers, but I do think it's admirable that they are trying basically to tie 5 big seperate entity comic-book movies together, Iron Man 1&2, Hulk, Capt America and Thor. It's never been done in this way before, and it's a very ambitious thing to do. They did fail in that regard with Iron Man 2 though, Samuel L Jacksons character showing up with little regard to anyone who DIDN'T stay until after the credits of Iron Man, with little or no introduction. I think they forgot that not every member of the public would A. know who he was and B. bothered to wait around to SEE who he was. That said, I like the way they've tied them together so far - Interesting, if a little too samey as Bob said. Still lapping it up me though. I'm definitely curious about how they'll bring them all together, and of all the directors tied to this stuff, Whedon i think has the best chance of making the actual Avengers movie a fun one at least. I just don't think the movies leading up to it will be that good. The two Iron Man's, The Hulk were only decent. Quote That said, I like the way they've tied them together so far - I'd say all of that stuff has been prop easter eggs and little else to be honest. I have to say I have very low expectations for this Avengers movie. I haven't particularly enjoyed any of the X-Men movies and I suspect the net effect of this Avengers movie will feel something similar to those. Daniel LuVisi's "LMS" comic has just had the rights bought by Paramount to make a big multi-platform franchise thing about it. The guy's artwork is amazing, here's the plot & list of characters involved: Last Man Standing, or "LMS", "takes place 600 years in the future, in an alternate universe and is about Gabriel, this invincible soldier, who's been created to help win a war Earth got itself too deep into with Mars. After Gabe wins the war, he comes back down to Earth and is celebrated as this incredible hero. From there, he becomes somewhat of a celebrity, a Superman of this story, but then it all takes a quick turn. Gabriel is framed for an atrocious crime, by a terrorist organization known as Pandemonium and their leader, Dante. He is then sent to Level-9 Facility, where he'll spend the next nine years in the worst prison of all time. Once Gabriel breaks out, only then does his true story begin, and the lies and twists unravel. Dante too was put into the prison and escaped at Level 7, here's what he looks like when he gets out Amazing artwork! Needs to be like a trilogy with that many characters, but it's got high potential and big demand. "'Do it?' Dan, I'm not a Republic serial villain. Do you seriously think I'd explain my master-stroke if there remained the slightest chance of you affecting its outcome? I did it thirty-five minutes ago." I'd say all of that stuff has been prop easter eggs and little else to be honest. Yeah, see what you mean. I suppose tying the threads of the films together would be difficult, and alienate the general public as an audience. But yeah, they are simply just prop easter eggs and little references. Nice to spot though!


You are here How to leave Red Cross a gift in your Will Making your Will can be a daunting task, but it doesn't need to be complicated. Red Cross has made it easy for you to make or update your Will. We hold a number ofA Wills Days in many areas across Australia and have aA network of solicitors where you can make or update your Will from $75. While there is no obligation to include Red Cross in your Will, we do hope by using this service you will consider it. Download ourA Will Checklist toA help put your wishes in order and make the most of your time with your legal advisor. Steps to making your Will Step 1: Find a Legal Advisor Find a solicitor or trustee company who can help. To find out more about speaking with a solicitor who may be able to help you make or update your simple Will from $75 please, look at our calendar of upcoming Wills Days or contact us for a solicitor in your local area . Step 2: Preparing your Will Our Will Checklist may be beneficial for you to complete before you see your legal advisor. If you are unsure of any question, leave it blank and ask on the day. Step 3: Meeting the solicitor/ trustee Once you have completed your Will Checklist take it with you to your appointment. The solicitor will discuss your instructions and advise how best to word your Will (see Preferred wording for solicitors, below). Step 4: Approving your Will When drafted, your Will shall be sent to you to look over for approval. Any changes can be made at this point. Once you are happy with the document your legal advisor will ask you to sign it in the presence of two witnesses. Step 5: Keeping your Will safe You can keep your will at home or your legal advisor may offer to hold it for you. Don't forget to let your family know where it is and make sure it is safe. Ways to leave a gift in your Will We know that your first priority when making a Will is to provide for your loved ones. Many people find that even after they've done this they can leave a gift in their Will to charity. Leaving a gift in your Will is one of the most valuable and lasting ways you can support the Red Cross. There are a number of different ways you can remember the Red Cross in your will, depending on your circumstances. You can leave a share of your estate A good way to help is to leave a proportion, or the whole of what is left in your estate after you have provided for your loved ones. This type of gift (known as a residuary bequest) is easy to add to an existing Will without interfering with any specific sums you have left to family or friends. It also has the advantage that it will not be eroded in value by inflation over the years. Just 1, 2, 5% or more of your estate can make a difference. You can leave a fixed sum of money You may wish to leave us a fixed sum of money (known as a pecuniary bequest). Please remember that this type of gift does not allow for changes in your circumstances or inflation. You can leave a specific item of value You may wish to leave us a particular item (known as a specific bequest), which can be sold to support our work. It could be property or an item of value such as real estate, art or a piece of jewellery. The following are examples of specific wording recommended for leaving a gift in your Will to Red Cross. In all cases, the most important thing is your own peace of mind so we encourage you to discuss your Will with your legal advisor. To include Australian Red Cross in you Will, you could include the following: To donate a percentage of your estate: "I give to Australian Red Cross (ABN 50 169 561 394), for its general purposes, free of all duties % of my residuary estate for which an authorised receipt from Australian Red Cross will be a sufficient discharge for the executor(s) or trustee." or "I give to Australian Red Cross (ABN 50 169 561 394), for its general purposes, free of all duties the whole of the residue of my estate for which an authorised receipt from Australian Red Cross will be a sufficient discharge for the executor(s) or trustee." ToA donate a specific sum: "I give to Australian Red Cross (ABN 50 169 561 394), for its general purposes, free of all duties the sum of $ for which an authorised receipt from Australian Red Cross will be a sufficient discharge for the executor(s) or trustee."


October 22, 2012 Tommy Douglas: Not Dead Enough During the first presidential debate, President Barack Obama made a claim against Mitt Romney that has been ringing in my ears ever since. Speaking on the topic of health care, Obama said that Romney would leave people "At the mercy of private insurance." The implication of course is that Obama will protect people from the big, mean insurance companies, and his own plan, Obamacare, is the more compassionate way. Supporters of government health care, and that is what Obamacare will morph into, love to make the insurance industry out to be the boogeyman. Obama's premise only make sense if you believe that government bureaucrats are so much better at serving the public than for profit enterprises. Anyone who has ever been to the MoT for a new driver's licence knows better. Current average wait time in Ottawa for an MRI is 259 days. If you are willing to pay $800 the private MRI clinic in Hull will take you this week. I would certainly like to have a dual care option in this country, but if you can't afford the private insurance in the USA, you are truly screwed too. I have friends in Oregon that lost the house they lived in for over twenty years because although they had medical coverage, it was insufficient to cover the catastrophic medical situation they faced. Not many people in this country lose their house or life savings because of illness or accident. On the other hand we probably have more that die while waiting for help. Neither system is ideal. eterj - there is no such thing a 'system' that works, IMO. Living is risky and everyone always dies. It is expensive to take care of the human being but not much more expensive than taking care of a house or car. I know people who lost everything because they got Drunk and drove home, hitting something along the way; I know country people who could not insure their houses (too far from the fire station) who lost everything when their houses and barns caught fire, I know others who lost everything in a war zone. Health is a private affair and should be just that: private. In the past, before TommyDougiecare/Robama care, people helped their friends and neighbours during times of health crisis via $$ or time. I am old enough to remember fund raisers for people who could not pay medical bills (polio and war wounds were the $$ eaters in my younger days). We do not have a 'system' that works right now, and, IMO, it is bound to get worse as boomers and new immigrants step in the line for 'care', Sarah Palin's Death Panels are now a hidden reality. And as Kate has said: "Nobody has to be a Doctor" stress the good Docs out too much and they will move or quit, we will be left with Duds who are in it only for the money (like a paper shuffler with life and death power). I have a grand child who has been the recipient of close to $100,000 from private individuals to help him "live" because the Canadian system will not step up and pick up the tab for the treatment and tests he needs that are only available in the USA. The health boards as well as the "Minister Of Sickness" are aware of the public fundraisers for him. The only help they have offered...was to take over and manage the funds given by family and friends. And here I sit still waiting to see an orthopedic surgeon since June. Another month and a half to go. My family doctor decided to order an MRI so we wouldn't have to wait? Ha. Surgeon appointment on Dec 6, MRI appointment on Dec 24. On the plus side the company I work for (which was privatized by the federal government 15 years ago) is arranging a private MRI to move things along and want to help me get back to work asap. Thank God I'm not still working for the government. Yeah you might get "free" care or whatever but it's not all that great at all. In Victoria for a few years now we've have ONE anesthesiology on duty in the entire city overnight. Sure they've got others on call I guess but by the time they get there it could be too late. A baby already died because of this and pressure was applied to have more hours for another one but once the firestorm dies down a little I'm sure we'll be back to having just one again. Don't get sick. I am a relatively healthy 'boomer' so it is easy for me to say that reduced health care has to be a reality that we accept. We cannot cry about health care rationing and in the next breath complain about government deficit spending. The demographics tell the tale as our system simply cannot pay for all the demand. Our generation has enjoyed all that government could provide as boomers. As we inevitably march to our demise our kids should not have to pay. It was up to our generation to fund these costs and we didn't do it. We will have to pay the piper. A)Aunt Jeanne died of heatstroke in the emergency ward, all they had to do was put her in tub of icewater to save her, but they 'forgot' her. She was in her 50s with no health problems. B) Uncle Ovide (Jeanne's husband) went to the ER complaining of fatigue and lethargy. The diagnosis 'You've just lost your wife, you're depressed here are some pills'. He died two days later because his pacemaker was defective. He was also in his 50s. The Ontario government bought thousands of pacemakers with defective leads because they bargain shopped. C)My grandmother in Quebec also had one of the defective pacemakers inside her, because the Quebec beancounters bargain shopped too. Fortunately she got a new one before it failed but having a pacemaker swapped out takes a lot out of you when you're in your 80s. She only needed a pacemaker because she was over-prescribed blood thinners, instead of bringing her blood pressure down slightly the overdose caused a heart attack. D)My uncle in Quebec has no family doctor, as his GP retired. For his yearly physical he went to a clinic, a nurse took his vitals and helped him fill out a questionnaire which was then sent off to be reviewed by a doctor. The prescription for blood pressure medications was never mailed to him. He had a stroke and only survived because my cousin had forgotten her phone at his house and doubled back for it. He needs a cane now. E) I was diagnosed with gallstone blockages last December, despite inconclusive ultrasound results that reported 'sludge' in my gallbladder. I was scheduled for an MRI. I was in hospital again in June briefly and was referred to a surgeon. I had emergency surgery July 31st. The 'sludge' was pus, a bacterial infection had killed my bladder which turned gangrenous, another 3-4 days and it would have spread to my liver, killing me. In September I received a call from the surgeons office to schedule an appointment in December. In October I was contacted by the MRI department. ct, We're not complaining about rationing and deficits, I'm personally complaining about the priorities governments utilize. Here in BC the Liberals spent $600,000,000 fixing the highway to Whistler for rich folk to get to their condos to ski. They spent $500,000,000 on the new roof for BC Place for the Lions, They force the anethesiologists to threaten strikes because of lack of funding. They spend untold millions on toll bridges that people aren't using. They spend more time travelling to avoid the tolls. They attack the Gateway pipeline project to appease the enviro freaks and take away good paying jobs for BC residents. I could go on but hopefully I've made my point. As Phantom says, it all about how much you spend. I don't know the inside details on what went sideways with my friends but do know they were spending $610. per month for coverage of 3 people. Also know he was caught in the recession and lost his job in 2009 so he may have gone to a cheaper plan. Found a lower paying job within 2 months but no medical coverage. None of my business so I didn't dig deeper on that end of the story. Medical cost in 2009 was something like this: In a report (Individual Health Insurance 2009: A Comprehensive Survey of Premiums,Availability, and Benefits) made public in October 2009, America's Health Insurance Plans (a trade group representing health plans) presented some information that gives a sense of what a health insurance policy costs when purchased by an individual. On average, the annual premium was $2,985 for a single person and $6,328 for a family. The annual premium differed from state to state. For example, the premium for a family health plan in New York was $13,296, while a similar plan in Iowa was $5609. The annual premiums for health plans were also different depending if the annual deductible was high or low. For example, family plans with no deductible had an average premium of $12686 each year, while plans with an annual deductible of $10,000 had an average premium of $5380 each year. I can see problems with trying to maintain coverage if the finacial situation of the individual deteriorates. I should add that he envies the Canadian system, warts and all. I think you can sum up the differences between US health care and Canadian health care thusly: in the USA, you pay with money. In Canada, you pay with time - waiting time. At least in the USA you can choose to spend more money and get better care. In Canada you have no such choice.


2 Apr 2009 '"My boss (yes, a senior manager at the bank I work at!) went over last night to see what was going on. He literally was next to the man who collapsed and died. He swears NO ONE was throwing a thing. And that the reason the police couldn't get to the guy was because the cops were using dogs against the protesters and the protesters were running away from them (towards where the guy was). Now interestingly, my boss said the guy looked about 50. The man who died went to the ground and started convulsing. So he seemed to think it was natural causes. But other than that bit, every single thing the police have said is wrong. I will ask my boss to contact the solicitors, as he is a senior manager at the bank and a very unimpeachable source (in that the police can't say he was involved in any way or had any sympathies to the protestors - they can't just brush him off). But I won't hold my breath. He's a good man, but it may be too difficult for him to do (i.e. to stand up)." This comment was on a blog here ....well we shall see what happens, the non violent climate camp does not seem the place where people would throw things at the cops...I dare say all of us might become a less non violent if baton charged by the police or assaulted by their dogs. Watch this space...not so long ago the police killed a man on the tube and a whole series of lies came out from the authorities within hours of the event. No comments: No Nonsense Guide to Green Politics Followers About Me I am a green activist, writer and economist. Three kids, live in Winkfield. Live low impact on the land in my trailer, I am a Green Party local councillor. Ecosocialist and fan of Elinor Ostrom, have worked closely with the Peruvian indigenous leader Hugo Blanco to fight.


Just as it is easy to forget that Giancarlo Stanton is very young , it is easy to forget that the big man is quite a tidy little right fielder (+8 UZR/150 and +24 DRS in nearly 2800 career innings in RF.) Here he robs extra bases from Eric Kratz of the Phillies, going over his shoulder to make a fine running grab. You could argue that the route Stanton took was less than optimal. I could just as easily argue that you hate fun and still angry at your cold, indifferent father. Then you would argue that not everything Giancarlo Stanton does is worth a Getting Blanked post. Then I'd argue that...what are you, my mother? How I choose to spend my every waking moment is my business, pal. My interest in the progress of Stanton's career is between me, Stanton's legal representation, and the Miami Dade County Sheriff's Office. Stupid Patriot Act for fascist jerks...


The Pakistani government must explain how Osama bin Laden was able to hide in Abbottabad for years and reveal who in Pakistan helped him, Pakistan's former Ambassador to Washington Husain Haqqani said Wednesday. "It's Pakistan's responsibility to the world to say who did it," Haqqani told an audience at the Center for the National Interest, formerly known as the Nixon Center.  "It doesn't have to be the government, it doesn't have to be the military, but whoever it is, we have to come clean on that, because that is the only way we will assure the rest of the world that Pakistan's government and Pakistan's state has its hands clean on this whole thing." Haqqani said that he has no information on how the late al Qaeda leader lived with a large number of family for five years in a military garrison town, but that there were clearly sympathizers in Pakistan that supported bin Laden and the government has failed to issue any report on who they were. "There's no report on bin Laden yet. No one is saying it was the government ... but somebody helped him. Somebody bought the place for him, somebody paid for the electricity bills, somebody helped bring food there, and at least that should be identified and it hasn't been," he said. "Somebody knew. I mean, nobody lives anywhere without anybody knowing. Even Friday knew where Robinson Crusoe was. Somebody in Pakistan knew. Who that somebody is, it's Pakistan's responsibility to identify." Haqqani speculated that bin Laden might have been helped by a private group, a set of individuals, people in Pakistan's jihadi groups, or people in Pakistan's Islamic political parties. He said the U.S.-Pakistani relationship is hampered by the lack of official answers. "The bin Laden event was a very huge event from the point of view of American psyche and it hasn't registered in Pakistan sufficiently ... I tried very hard at that time in Islamabad to get people to realize that people in Washington really want answers," he said. A forthcoming book by journalist Richard Miniter claims that a senior colonel in Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence directorate walked into the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad in Dec. 2010, five months before the bin Laden raid, and told U.S. officials about bin Laden's whereabouts. The book also reports that the bin Laden compound was "carved out" of the Kakul Military Academy and that senior Pakistani military officials may have been briefed on the raid in advance. Haqqani said he has no idea what the ISI knew or did but he can be sure that the civilian leadership in Pakistan had no idea that the Abbottabad raid was coming on the night of May 1, 2011. "We really, on the Pakistani side, were totally taken by surprise by what happened on May 1, 2011. That said, a full, proper investigation on the Pakistani side is needed to find out how Osama bin Laden lived in Pakistan and who supported him, within or outside the government," said Haqqani. Haqqani returned to Washington earlier this year following three months of house arrest in Pakistan while the Pakistani Supreme Court investigated the " Memogate " scandal, in which Haqqani stood accused of being behind a secret memo passed from Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz to Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen , calling on the United States to support an overthrow of the military and intelligence leadership in Pakistan. A commission set up by the Supreme Court eventually determined that Haqqani was behind the memo, but Haqqani maintains that he was not and that the commission's ruling was politically motivated. He has not been indicted on any charges and is free to go back to Pakistan, he said, but fears for his safety if he were to travel there. He returns to Boston this fall to resume teaching at Boston University. Haqqani's new book, Magnificent Delusions , is set to come out later this year. The book argues that, since 1947, Washington and Islamabad's tumultuous relationship has been based on the false assumption that if the two countries could simply engage enough, they could develop a close strategic relationship based on overlapping interests. "I have reached the conclusion that 60 years is long enough for two countries to understand if they really do see things each other's way," he said. "The two countries should look for a non-alliance future that is not based on security assistance and aid." Opinions of the two countries among their respective populations is at historical lows, Haqqani noted, and the relationship won't change for the better until the unhealthy dynamic of giving and then threatening to withdraw U.S. aid to Pakistan is ended, he argued. "Pakistan ends up behaving like Syria while wanting to be treated like Israel," Haqqani said. He called for an amicable divorce in the relationship. "If in 65 years if you haven't been able to find sufficient common ground to live together and you've had three separations and four affirmations of marriage, then maybe the better way is to find friendship outside of the marital bond," he said.


It seems no muslim restaurents know how to cook chinese food in leicester, everytime we go to one its always a dissapointment. Only my mum can cook it properly with all the chinese flavours -exactly how it is in pakistan. I'm dying for some chinese food like they have in pakistan, its the only legit chinese i've had and it tastes soo good. Jahil people over here don't know how to make it. They turn chinese soups into curry's and chicken stirfry into chicken masala, they have to add coriander into every dish. I've been to halal places run by chinese people and even they can't make it as good as my mum or as good as you get it in pakistan. Restaurents in pakistan have mastered it from the chinese, but dunno why so few decent chinese restaurents down here, plenty of pakis but probably cause thers not enough in leicester. Anyone know of any good places in the midlands or even this country? It has to be the proper thing like how it is in pakistan. Leicesters good for all your halal takeaways and grilled food but when it comes to proper food only pakistanis know how to cook. sis_on_sunnah 02-05-10, 08:20 PM assalamu alaykum you know that najeb guy on london road im pretty sure he does ok chinese food? not certain because i dont really like eat chinese but i remember when he was working in that shop near the chippy his food was proper nice!! just go to wagamamas and have vegetarian!! have you been to the new noodle place in town next door to the maryland and opposite the subway? is it even halal? aadil77 02-05-10, 08:26 PM assalamu alaykum you know that najeb guy on london road im pretty sure he does ok chinese food? not certain because i dont really like eat chinese but i remember when he was working in that shop near the chippy his food was proper nice!! just go to wagamamas and have vegetarian!! have you been to the new noodle place in town next door to the maryland and opposite the subway? is it even halal? Wa Alaykum Asalam an najeeb was crap for chinese but decent for indian food wagamama stinks - nearly puked when I went in there lol and all they sell is sushi, its japanese food I know the one next to maryland on granby street, even that was crap and it was run by chinese people, now I doubt it was even halal sis_on_sunnah 02-05-10, 08:32 PM Wa Alaykum Asalam an najeeb was crap for chinese but decent for indian food wagamama stinks - nearly puked when I went in there lol and all they sell is sushi, its japanese food I know the one next to maryland on granby street, even that was crap and it was run by chinese people, now I doubt it was even halal yeah even i was doubting that it was halaal, hmm i reckon theres a business opportunity for a 100% halal authentic chinese place in lesta! aadil77 02-05-10, 08:37 PM yeah even i was doubting that it was halaal, hmm i reckon theres a business opportunity for a 100% halal authentic chinese place in lesta! I was tellin my mum, she goes there defo is cause all of these places are useless at cooking it. I'd love to set up a chinese restaurent by my mum, it would be on E road lol sis_on_sunnah 02-05-10, 08:41 PM I was tellin my mum, she goes there defo is cause all of these places are useless at cooking it. I'd love to set up a chinese restaurent by my mum, it would be on E road lol yeah that would be ideal! .Abu.Rambo. 02-05-10, 09:02 PM Oodles noodles aG123 02-05-10, 10:01 PM Acha in alperton is chineese and halal.... I think TKC in southall do chineese.... Theres one in Mile end road called red dragon but it aint all that... chineese in acton i think does halal chicken etc... aadil77 02-05-10, 10:05 PM Acha in alperton is chineese and halal.... I think TKC in southall do chineese.... Theres one in Mile end road called red dragon but it aint all that... chineese in acton i think does halal chicken etc... the oodles noodles in brum is Halal alhamdulilah and it's booooootiful :p but i've not been in a while EastLondon_Bro 02-05-10, 10:27 PM what wong wit kury chip row...:outta: Asma-SE 03-05-10, 08:19 AM You want pakistani chinese? :0: So just a noodle curry then... xfathimax 04-05-10, 05:02 PM It seems no muslim restaurents know how to cook chinese food in leicester, everytime we go to one its always a dissapointment. Only my mum can cook it properly with all the chinese flavours -exactly how it is in pakistan. I'm dying for some chinese food like they have in pakistan, its the only legit chinese i've had and it tastes soo good. Jahil people over here don't know how to make it. They turn chinese soups into curry's and chicken stirfry into chicken masala, they have to add coriander into every dish. I've been to halal places run by chinese people and even they can't make it as good as my mum or as good as you get it in pakistan. Restaurents in pakistan have mastered it from the chinese, but dunno why so few decent chinese restaurents down here, plenty of pakis but probably cause thers not enough in leicester. Anyone know of any good places in the midlands or even this country? It has to be the proper thing like how it is in pakistan. Leicesters good for all your halal takeaways and grilled food but when it comes to proper food only pakistanis know how to cook. in birmingham there is a place called Lahore Karahi Chinese, there chinese is really nice and tastes like the 1 that u get in pakistan, heres the address, check it out, they also have a website http://www.xpresstrader.tv/lahore/lahore\\... Address 309 Highgate Road, Birmingham, B12 8DN aadil77 04-05-10, 05:17 PM in birmingham there is a place called Lahore Karahi Chinese, there chinese is really nice and tastes like the 1 that u get in pakistan, heres the address, check it out, they also have a website http://www.xpresstrader.tv/lahore/lahore\\... Address 309 Highgate Road, Birmingham, B12 8DN JazakhAllah khair, owned by pakstanis - must be the real deal :D lenty of celebs been there, even prince charles lol lol aadil77 04-05-10, 05:20 PM they do chicken drumsticks!!! no chinese place I been here does them, they have to be the real thing yessshh! and crispy beef- oh yeshhhh brum here I como PEACE TO YOU 04-05-10, 06:59 PM Yes there is a good Restaurant in the Midlands i have visited it when am there it is in STAR CITY it is called Flames if it is not changed it name, they do very very good buffets . All Halal and GUESS WHAT it is not run by Pakistanis not that i have a problem with them, it is run by Chinese people. aadil77 04-05-10, 07:06 PM Yes there is a good Restaurant in the Midlands i have visited it when am there it is in STAR CITY it is called Flames if it is not changed it name, they do very very good buffets . All Halal and GUESS WHAT it is not run by Pakistanis not that i have a problem with them, it is run by Chinese people. I think flames is a chain restaurent, they have one here in leicester claiming to be halal and it was the worst most disgusting chinese I've had in my life, - even tho it was run by chinese, this was a buffet tho FullImaan 05-05-10, 02:13 PM ttp://www.fusionhalal.co.uk/ ttp://www.wokshalalchinese.com/ Masha'Allah :up: Hijabistani 05-05-10, 04:07 PM JazakhAllah khair, owned by pakstanis - must be the real deal :D lenty of celebs been there, even prince charles lol lol Yup owned by paks and if you go for their chicken chow mein dont be tooo surprised when you find out of date chicken bits in it. Tried and Tested, and then rejected them! one of the reasosn we no longer go. there is another place in solihull, Kings chinese takeaway and they also sell chips. Halal, new owners. xfathimax 02-08-10, 04:33 PM im from solihull and occasionaly go to kings for chips, didnt know their chinese was halal, but they have pork on the menu................ can they be trusted?? naila-k 02-08-10, 07:12 PM ne1 4 thai? http://www.thai-thai.co.uk/ ahmeduk 03-08-10, 12:01 PM I think flames is a chain restaurent, they have one here in leicester claiming to be halal and it was the worst most disgusting chinese I've had in my life, - even tho it was run by chinese, this was a buffet tho Haha flames was the place where a mouse jumped out from under a wok when a health inspector visited, goes without saying it was shut down for lack of hygiene. The only problem with Chinese food is the vast majority is cooked with natural brewed soy sauce, which is haram. The synthetic stuff doesn't taste as good apparently, but you'll be hard pushed to find a Chinese restaurant that doesn't cook with natural soy sauce. I might give the HMC one above a try. I'm not that far from Leicester :) muslimprincesss 22-02-11, 10:11 PM Salams. There are several restaurants in Manchester. :) islam4u2 22-02-11, 10:28 PM Oodles noodles i tried that place, it is very good, but the malaysian parathas or whatever they call it are shaan out of the packet jobs. Excuse_me 23-02-11, 12:38 AM We have one in Los Angeles, luckily. Just a couple hour drive for some awesome chinese food. 2-3 times a month. Amaira 24-02-11, 09:22 AM Salams. There are several restaurants in Manchester. :) Ricebars.com Its not exactly chinese, but amazingly yummy. Is it wrong to want a Nasi Goreng at 9 in the morning? muslimprincesss 24-02-11, 11:14 AM Ricebars.com Its not exactly chinese, but amazingly yummy. Is it wrong to want a Nasi Goreng at 9 in the morning? Haha.. It is never wrong in wanting food at 9am! :) seven 24-02-11, 11:39 AM ttp://www.chinagrill.co.uk/ sis_on_sunnah 24-02-11, 01:00 PM brother aadil, i think the business men/women have read your thread as suddenly loads of chinese places seem to have opened up in leicester! ave you tried the one on evington road? oh, you know who do nice chinese? moghul durbar. aurorascopic 24-02-11, 02:47 PM Fortune Cookie, Leeds. Owned by pakistanis but the chefs are chinese. It's not a restaurant, proper little take away, you get food in chinese boxes etc. Their chinese sticky chicken wings are gorgeous! Amaira 25-02-11, 09:36 AM Haha.. It is never wrong in wanting food at 9am! :) Anywhere else in Manc that you would recommend? There seems to be more and more that use halal chicken now. ahmeduk 23-06-11, 09:46 AM Salaams - Chicken and Noodles, Charles Street, Leicester (HMC Certified - http://www.halalmc.net/) Assalam Alaykum, Has anyone eaten at this place? I saw it the other day and picked up a menu, just wondered what the verdict was from those that had already been here. Wasalam elza3d 24-06-11, 03:41 PM This is very strange. What is the difference between Chinese and Pakistani-Chinese? I don't get it. CurlzsRUs 24-06-11, 08:32 PM Uff i hate Chinese food no offense Thai food is amazing tho CurlzsRUs 24-06-11, 08:33 PM This is very strange. What is the difference between Chinese and Pakistani-Chinese? I don't get it. It's not authentic. i doubt anyone in here has actually tasted real Chinese food aka from China I have and it's bland, didn't care for the chilly-oil neither. I too love Thai, as well as Malaysian and Japanese food. CurlzsRUs 24-06-11, 10:04 PM I have and it's bland, didn't care for the chilly-oil neither. I too love Thai, as well as Malaysian and Japanese food. Now you are someone who knows good food lol minus the Japanese food i tried sushi once i would have spit it out if the chef wasn't looking at me :torture: elza3d 24-06-11, 10:49 PM i tried sushi once i would have spit it out if the chef wasn't looking at me :torture: Was it authentic Japanese? There's a world of a difference when it's not. I especially don't like it when Chinese restaurants have it on their menu, or the crap sold in the supermarkets. It just doesn't taste right. Got to get it from a Japanese chief you can't speak a word of English *smile*


One of the biggest problems prior to placing concrete is determining the correct amount of concrete for the job. To make this task a little easier we have created a useful Concrete Calculator. Simply plug in the correct length, width and depth of your project and click on the "Calculate Now!" button. We will provide you with an approximation of the total amount of concrete you will need for your project. You will also want to add 5% more concrete to your "Total Yardage Needed" in order to allow for spillage, waste, overexcavation, and other causes. We have taken this into account also in our Concrete Calculator, providing you with the "Total Concrete Yardage Plus 5% Extra". Simply provide your results to the concrete dispatcher and we can conveniently arrange to have the necessary concrete delivered to your location. Concrete Calculator Please Input Measurements Below Total Length (in feet): Total Width (in feet): Total Depth (in inches): Calculation Results Total Concrete Yardage Needed: Total Concrete Yardage Plus 5% Extra: You can also figure the amount of concrete you will need manually by using the following formula:


Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro Directed by: David O. Russell Damaged goods, that's Tiffany and Pat. He's a bipolar teacher just out of eight months in a state loony bin. She's a young widow, overcompensating for the death of her cop husband by fucking, well, anyone. They're manic energy unleashed. But as played with go-for-broke intensity, humor and raw feeling by Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper, they're deranged romantics you can't help rooting for. Playing the Hollywood cute game has no appeal for director David O.... | More  Keira Knightley, Jude Law Directed by: Joe Wright It could have weighed a ton. That can happen when you film an 1877 classic by Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy. But thanks to director Joe Wright, Anna Karenina lifts off into the wild blue of his imagination. The surging romantic tragedy of a woman who dies for love is still there in Tom Stoppard's screenplay. Anna (Keira Knightley) leaves her dull husband, Karenin (Jude Law, so good he makes virtue worth investigating), and their beloved son to experience unbridled passion with studly Cou... | More  Daniel Craig Directed by: Sam Mendes If you can forget the putrid follow-up to Casino Royale that was Quantum of Solace, then Skyfall continues James Bond's backstory with staggering style and assurance. This is Bond like you've never seen him, almost Freudian in his vulnerability. And a dynamite Daniel Craig, never better in the role, nails Bond's ferocity and feeling. Mortality lurks in the shadows as Craig digs deep into Bond's past. Citizen Kane had his Rosebud. Bond has his Skyfall. What is it? I'll... | More  Daniel Day-Lewis Directed by: Steven Spielberg In Steven Spielberg's brilliant, brawling epic about the last four months in the life of our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln takes a few hits up there on his marble pedestal. Political double-dealing was not beyond this American icon, not when his country was struggling in the darkness. What Honest Abe gets back from this defiantly alive film is his humanity -- flaws, fears and personal feelings that serve to deepen his thoughts rather than distract them. The phenomenal Daniel Day-L... | More  Directed by: In September 1965, weeks after "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" hit the charts, the Rolling Stones landed in Dublin to play four manic gigs in two days. The band's manager, Andrew Loog Oldham, commissioned filmmaker Peter Whitehead to capture every moment. "Everybody had done a movie, even Gerry and the Pacemakers," says Oldham. "I wanted to get the Stones in the mood for dealing with the film business." Now that remarkable footage -- which rivals the intimate portrait of Bob D... | More  Denzel Washington Directed by: Robert Zemeckis First lesson learned from Flight: Never take Denzel Washington for granted. After making his bones with Glory, Malcolm X and The Hurricane, and winning a Best Actor Oscar for 2001's Training Day, Washington settled into a groove of action films (Safe House, Unstoppable). With the exception of 2007's incisive American Gangster, they relied more on his star power than his acting skills. Flight reminds us of what Washington can do when a role hits him with a challenge that would floor ... | More  John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Jane Lynch Directed by: Rich Moore There's been a rash of recent movies fired up with imaginative risk. And the 3D computer-animated Wreck-It Ralph is one of them. Big props to director Rich Moore, making the switch to features after knocking it out of the park on The Simpsons and Futurama. Moore brings a video junkie's passion to the movie game, and it's hilariously infectious. The plot pivots on a crisis of conscience for Wreck-It Ralph (voiced by John C. Reilly), an arcade-video-game villain for 30 years. Ra... | More  Christopher Walken, Philip Seymour Hoffman Directed by: Yaron Zilberman Grace notes abound in A Late Quartet, a small, shining gem of a movie that works its way into your heart with insinuating potency of music. The Fugue, a New York-based chamber quartet, is facing a crisis. At the start of their 26th season together, cellist Peter Mitchell (Christopher Walken) breaks the news that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Proper sympathy is offered by his colleagues: First violinist Daniel Lerner (Mark Ivanir) thinks Peter should continue to play as ... | More  Tom Hanks, Halle Berry Directed by: Lana Wachowski, Tom Tykwer, Andy Wachowski It's elating to watch filmmakers you admire take on the impossible. David Mitchell's 2004 novel Cloud Atlas is an uphill battle incarnate. And nobody makes it to the top. A sprawling literary opus that tells six stories that range across continents from the 19th century to the post-apocalyptic future is a killer to squeeze into one movie, even a movie that runs nearly three hours. So naturally the Wachowski siblings, Andy and Lana (the former Larry, now identifying as female), took ... | More


After what he done to Millwall, I doubt he'll ever find it a pleasant place to come down to again. If you don't know what happened, he claimed he was racially abused by the Millwall fans. None of the other players heard it, nor did the Bolton fans (One Bolton fan even said on Twitter nothing happened). After a couple of weeks, our club questioned a 13 year old boy and he was found guilty of 'abusing' Sordell. He called him Nemo because he had orange boots and looks like a fish, the Media twisted it and said the 13 year old was 'racially abusing' Sordell. Sordell replied after being called Nemo by saying 'You look like you need to go to the gym you fat little c**t'. And apparently this is perfectly acceptable to abuse a 13 year old boy. The boy was banned from Millwall and was sent to a class to help change his outlook on racism etc. when he didn't even racially abuse Sordell. So, at the next home game after this whole incident, a small group of Millwall fans protested with a banner saying 'Sordell, you're a c**t'. It was swiftly removed by the stewards and the fans involved were also banned from the ground. So because of Sordell's lying and our clubs poor management with the whole issue, we've had a handful of fans banned from The Den because Sordell is a little whining tosspot. Needs to keep his toys in the pram to be honest, black people, as soon as a few horrible words get thrown at them, it's instantly 'racial abuse'. Highlighted Game FIFA 13 captures all the drama and unpredictability of real-world soccer, and is driven by five game-changing innovations which revolutionize artificial intelligence, dribbling, ball control and phy...


Okay y'all. A while back I vowed never to report on Fifty Shades Of Grey again... until I'd read the book . So you know what this means! I finally found some time for the mommy porn to end all mommy porn and based on everything everyone told me about the book (good, bad, and anti-feminist) I was not disappointed. And I'm so excited to talk about the book and the forthcoming movie now that I have an actual foundation, lol. So here's the deal. Ryan Gosling fans will either be really really happy, or really really sad to hear that the actor is not one of the frontrunners for the role of Christian Grey in the Fifty Shades Of Grey movie adaptation, as was previously reported . Click inside to learn more from author E.L. James who recently denied these rumors in an interview with Ryan Seacrest . Fifty Shades of Grey author E.L. James shot down those casting rumors to E!'s own Ryan Seacrest on his radio show Friday, saying stories about the Drive star being the frontrunner to play the coveted role were simply not true. The story started brewing after James' hubby Niall Leonard told the U.K.'s Now magazine that the "last he heard" Gosling was the No. 1 choice to star in the highly anticipated film. But James said those reports were "completely misreported." "What happened is that his local paper, he's from Northern Ireland, there's a newspaper there called the Belfast Telegraph that reported on my husband being the inspiration for Christian Grey. Underneath it they put a picture of Ryan Gosling, as well. So, that's how that came about," James said. While the author played coy when Seacrest brought up a few other actors' names as possibilities for Christian Grey, including Jake Gyllenhaal and Ian Somerhalder , she did admit she's a big Vampire Diaries fan, but said the lead actor would be selected by the studio and they weren't that far along in the casting process. Now HUNDREDS of you already weighed in about who you'd like to see get cast as Christian and Ana (and some of you said the whole idea of a movie was terrible, seeing as how the whole idea of the book was terrible, lol), but I'm curious to know if any new ideas come to mind. Honestly? I couldn't imagine Ryan Gosling as Christian ( Ryan can get intense for sure, but Christian is actually a really dark, troubled character at times), and I do like the idea of unknown actors (or lesser-known actors) coming in and changing the game. But it's tricky! And I still don't get how they are going to make this movie without it being an NC-17 production! What do y'all think? Are you happy Ryan 's kind of out of the running here? Or are you sitting somewhere, trying to figure out how to do some sort of Drive / Fifty Shades Of Grey reading mash-up on YouTube? What? Matt Bomer!!! I know he's older than Christian, but that's exactly how I pictured him when I read it. And maybe Amanda Seyfried. I think she has the kinda original/almost odd pretty thing that Ana does. I think alexander skarsgard is perfect for the role he has something dark and he is tall, handsome he has something that i cant explain but i think he fits the description for christian grey also ryan is a good choice but i see more alexander as christian than any other actor IMHO Ryan would be perfect.He can be dark and broody like in Drive and amorous and hot like in Blue Valentine and really sweet and loving as in the The Notebook.I think he will be perfect.I'm voting for him. Joan and katie, I'm wondering if this could be one of those RARE occasions where the movie turns out better than the book. I actually liked the plot of 50 Shades but the writing style was obviously not... you know... really good. But a good director and good actors could take that plot and make a strong movie, I think. I like Matt Bomer, and maybe Zooey Deschenal (I know i butchered her last name). I see Ana as this beautiful girl who is quirky and doesn't really see herself the way others see her, looks wise. @Shannon -- I agree 100% with your comment about not knowing how this movie will not be NC-17. How are they going to make a movie based on these books and do them justice but leave out all of the juicy sex stuff. R-rated movies can only go so far. In my opinion, its not quite far enough to include everything that goes on in these books. chrisdc77, I know a lot of directors hate for their movies to get NC-17 ratings because it immediately loses whole crowds of people. But I'd like to think that the books are popular enough that everyone will clamor to see the movie either way. Otherwise, it's gonna be pretty annoying to see things get watered down, lol. 100% agreed. Everyone knows what to expect when it comes to this book and will look forward to it in the movie version. If they can't make this movie how it should be made, then don't make it. Maybe HBO or one of these other premium stations could pick up the option to make this movie and do with it what they want. That could be another option (which i doubt will happen, there is just too much money to be made from this).


Government protects water systems for future generations Government protects water systems for future generations August 16, 2004 12:00 am Ministry of Infrastructure Expert Panel to Consult with Stakeholders; Provide Advice on All Aspects of Water and Wastewater Treatment Systems QUEEN'S PARK, ON, Aug. 16 - The McGuinty government is taking further steps to ensure that municipal water and wastewater systems continue to provide safe, clean drinking water for Ontario residents by appointing an expert panel to advise on how to best manage these systems, Public Infrastructure Renewal Minister David Caplan said today. "The most important thing our government can do is to lay the groundwork now for safe and clean drinking water through the proper long-term management of Ontario's water and wastewater infrastructure," Public Infrastructure Renewal Minister David Caplan said. "I am pleased that Dr. Harry Swain has agreed to lead the Panel's work on this important issue." The Expert Panel will consult with a variety of stakeholders, including municipalities, environmental organizations, plant operators, consumers and ratepayers, and business and industry groups. The Panel has a mandate to provide advice on all aspects of organization, governance, investment, financing and pricing related to Ontario's water and wastewater systems. "The work of the Panel will help communities across Ontario upgrade and enhance their water systems to meet our government's tough environmental standards and protect human health," Minister of the Environment Leona Dombrowsky said. "We welcome opportunities to work with the provincial government on achieving practical solutions to financing water and wastewater systems in our communities that are affordable for consumers," said Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) President Ann Mulvale. "Water issues have been a high priority in Ontario since the Walkerton tragedy in 2000," said Dr. Harry Swain, Chair of the Expert Panel. "Jim Pine, Fred Lazar and I will work hard with all stakeholders. We aim to give the government the best possible advice on how to manage systems that deeply affect health and quality of life for all Ontarians." "We are encouraged to see this welcome step forward," said Sam Morra, Executive Director of the Ontario Sewer and Watermain Contractors Association. "This Committee's work will be important in ensuring that we address the province's water and sewer needs, both now and in the future." WHAT: The Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal (PIR) is spearheading the development of a strategic water and wastewater infrastructure investment and financing plan to ensure the safety of Ontario's drinking water. In order to have the best research and information available, eight (8) expert studies were commissioned by the ministry on a range of water and wastewater issues, which were completed in winter 2003. This work indicates that very large capital investments in our water and wastewater infrastructure are needed and will continue to be needed for a considerable period of time. The next step in the plan is the creation of an expert panel to provide the government with advice on all aspects of organization, governance, investment, financing and pricing related to Ontario's water and wastewater systems. The Expert Panel is tasked with developing a solution that maintains public ownership, while ensuring that the investment needed to improve our water and wastewater infrastructure takes place, that water and wastewater systems are financially sustainable and that water rates are affordable. The Panel will consult with a variety of stakeholders over the coming months, including individual, large and small municipalities, municipal and environmental organizations, plant operators, engineering and public works experts, economic and financial experts, business and industry groups, and consumer and user groups. WHY: The Walkerton crisis of 2000 highlighted the public health risks associated with the improper management of water and wastewater systems. Since then, the government has introduced strong new regulations to help ensure that our drinking water is clean and safe. The government has also made significant progress on Watershed-based Source Protection Planning and is moving forward on other initiatives that are linked to the protection of drinking water, including Places to Grow, greenbelt protection, Planning Act reform and the Provincial Policy Statement review. The next step is to invest in the systems that treat and distribute water, and collect and treat wastewater. Changes are needed to make water and wastewater systems more financially sustainable. In general, users are not paying the full amount that it actually costs municipalities to provide water and wastewater services on a sustainable basis. Limited funds are available for investment in rehabilitation, renovation and expansion. Some municipalities do not have the resources to invest in needed renewal; for others, the cost of making the improvements would make water too expensive. Multi-billion dollar capital investments are required for an extended period to bring distribution and treatment systems into a state of good repair and to allow for expansion. During the next two decades, Ontario's population is forecast to grow by 40 per cent. These people will all need water and sewer services as well as schools, hospitals, and roads. The goal of a strategic and comprehensive approach to planning, managing and financing water and wastewater infrastructure is to ensure environmentally safe and clean drinking water for all Ontarians. The results, over the next decade, will be the creation of sustainable systems that will protect public health and allow communities to grow. The long-term water and wastewater investment and financing strategy will feed into the development of the government's 10-year public infrastructure plan. WHO: Dr. Harry Swain, Mr. Jim Pine and Professor Fred Lazar are the members of the Expert Panel. Dr. Harry Swain was the Chair of the Walkerton Research Advisory Panel and is a frequent speaker on water provision and governance policy issues. He served as Deputy Minister of Industry and Deputy Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development for the Government of Canada. He holds a doctorate from the University of Minnesota and was awarded an honorary degree by the University of Victoria. Mr. Jim Pine is the Chief Administrative Officer of the County of Hastings and a member of the Implementation Committee of the Expert Source Water Protection Committee, providing advice to the Ontario government on tools and approaches to implement watershed-based source protection planning. He brings broad experience of municipal management in a wide variety of municipal settings to the Panel. Professor Fred Lazar brings the perspective of an economist to the panel. He is Associate Professor of Economics at York University and the Schulich School of Business. He has a PhD from Harvard University. He has written extensively on a wide variety of economic policy issues, including water industry investment and regulation, and employment and trade. WHEN: The Panel is expected to deliver its report to the government by end of the year, making recommendations on Ontario's Long-term Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Investment and Financing Strategy. The report will be released publicly. The Ontario government has appointed an Expert Panel to advise on how to make the investment needed to improve Ontario's water and wastewater infrastructure and on how to best organize and deliver water and wastewater services. The overarching public policy goal is to ensure clean, safe drinking water for all Ontarians. The investment and financing strategy will play a key role in achieving this goal, in a manner that is consistent with continued public ownership and the recommendations of the O'Connor Report. The strategy will need to strike a balance between the objectives of financial sustainability, affordable rates, and achievability. Ontario Water Sector Statistics - Multi-billion dollar capital investments in Ontario's water and wastewater systems will be required for an extended period of time to bring those systems into a good state of repair and to permit expansion - There are nearly 1,200 municipal water and wastewater plants in Ontario - Over 90 per cent of Ontarians are served by municipal water and wastewater treatment systems - Ontario has a few large treatment plants and many small ones. Ten per cent of all water plants provide 87 per cent of Ontario's municipal water, and 10 per cent of all wastewater treatment plants provide 84 per cent of wastewater treatment - Municipalities with less than 2,000 people are nearly five times as expensive to service as communities with more than 100,000 people - Although there are variations across Ontario, an average household pays less than $50 per month for water services in almost two thirds of municipalities.


Any way to get a line installed quicker? Hi I am in the process of moving offices and have just been informed by BT openreach that they can not get the line installed by my the move date. This is a total nightmare as we need to have broadband active on the line on the day we move. The order is through my ISP who have in turn placed an order through BT openreach. I was just wondering if anyone had any tricks to get install dates moved forward. They currently want to put the line in 3 days after we move which will mean broadband takes a further 3 days. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. BT are busy dealing with backlogs caused by flooding (allegedly) and so long lead times are normal in some areas at the moment. Apparently an ISP can escalate the install/get it expedited if it's a business connection. So changing to a business package with a business line might be an option. Your other option is Virgin Media cable if you can get it. To be honest, 6 days without broadband is actually quiite good for a home move, others have waited weeks or months. Thanks for your reply, should have mentioned this is for a business and is business lines that have been ordered. BT also claim it's the Olympics that is delaying things, as an official sponsor you'd have thought they would be more prepared. I think I'm just going to have to keep on pestering openreach.


Thursday, May 17. 2012 Bloomberg survey - 79% think Facebook is overvalued - so who is over-buying all this stock? Readers of this blog may know that we are a tad sceptical of the IPO valuation price (We wrote this in February): So, what do we have to believe to believe that Facebook is worth the $100bn? Firstly, you need to believe that the numbers are even achievable. A valuation of $100bn on a user base of 845m implies a valuation of c $118 per user, within a reasonable timeframe. In financial modelling that is usually taken as 5 years. There are about 2 billion people online today, most estimates think it will be about 3-3.5 billion in 5 years or so time, a reasonable estimate of the the maximum Facebook user base is probably in the region of about 1.5 bn, ie roughly double today, so let us assume the endgame is the valuation of $100bn over 1.5m people, ie about $70 per person in 5 years time. A simple approximation therefore is that Facebook needs to go from c $70/5 = c $15 ARPU, from the c $4 today. Incidentally, Google's ARPU is about $18 today. So it comes to this - do you believe that Facebook can eventually make the same sort of ARPU as Google does, and keep its current market share? Bear in mind that the next 800m people Facebook adds will have much less disposable income than the current 800,000, so the ARPU growth in ratio terms is far higher than Google had to do, as it grew from a smaller base into a wealthier market. Secondly, long term, ultimately valuation is based on profit. Facebook has a higher profitability than Google at IPO, at c 25%. Google's IPO was c half of that and it only hit the c 25% sort of ratios c 2 years after IPO, and has more or less stayed at around that level. Google now has a c $150bn valuation on c $40bn revenues and c $10bn profit, so for Facebook to justify $100bn longer term you have to believe it can hit c $6-7bn profits, ie revenues of c $24-28bn in about 5 years, and maintaining profis at about 25%. So the question is do you believe there is a sustainable 6-7x growth in profits? Thirdly, to believe the above two things, we pretty much have to believe that Facebook has as easy or easier a time in the next 5 years than Google has had, ie you have to believe competition and regulatory interference (little surprise the Facebook is beefing up its lobbying arm) will be at worst the same, preferably better and that it makes better use of its cash in funding its growth. Now this is not a "proper" analysis, but it does bracket the relative IPOs and trajectories for comparison. What it boils down to is that Facebook has set a significantly higher value per dollar earned and user gained than Google, and you have to believe Facebook gets a fairer wind for the next 5 years than Google had over its first 5 years post IPO to justify the $100bn valuation. In other words, you heve to believe it is a (2x) better company than Google. At that time we wrote that, it seemed Facebook could do no wrong (There Is No Bubble!), and we seemed to be our usual lone contrarian voice. Lets be clear - they have done some amazing things (and some less amzing, like their approach to privacy), and are run and funded by some very smart people - but nothing we have seen in the last few weeks make us change our mind, in fact as valuations go up yet business numbers go static, you have to believe even more things will go very very right right for a very long time. But what has been interesting to watch is in the run up to IPO, an interesting split in attitude is opening up between US West and East Coast thinking, between San Fran and New York states of mind, if you like. Yes, the New Yorkers are becoming more sceptical (whats thay you say - New Yorkers are always sceptical). 79% of Bloomberg readers think its overvalued (see graphic above), Madison Avenue, the Wall Street et al are a tad sceptical aboutthe valuation into question now: On Tuesday, General Motors, the third-largest advertiser in the country, shut down its Facebook budget, about $10 million, saying that those ads were simply not doing enough to sell automobiles. For Facebook, the loss of $10 million is not a big deal. The company generated $3.7 billion of revenue last year, 85 percent from advertising. But the loss underlines the company's need to convince a skeptical Madison Avenue that Facebook pages are the perfect vehicle for marketers and to convince eager investors that it can increase its advertising revenue, and quickly. "It's one of the most powerful branding mechanisms in the world, but it's not an advertising mechanism," said Martin Sorrell, chief executive of WPP, the giant advertising agency. The smart money is flying out of Facebook as the dumb money piles in. A week ago, Facebook was targeting a valuation of $77 billion to $96 billion in its IPO and early investors were already looking to book plenty of profits by selling their own shares to the public. Venture capitalists Peter Thiel and Accel Partners were planning to sell up to 20% and 22% of their stakes respectively in the offering. Fast forward to this week. Facebook has raised its target price range to as much as $104 billion. Now, some early investors want to sell a lot more. Accel Partners plans to sell up to 28% of its shares. Peter Thiel plans to sell as much as 50% of his stake. Goldman Sachs will also sell as much as 50%, up from 23% previously. DST Global and Mail.ru will dump up to 40% of their shares, up from 23% previously. Tiger Global will sell up to 50% of its stake. Previously it planned to sell 7%. And there are other early investors that aren't increasing their share sales. T. Rowe Price for instance is holding on to what it has. Another interesting wrinkle is the comparison with previous tech IPOs. At Groupon, insiders and early investors didn't sell any of their stake in its IPO. LinkedIn's IPO similarly saw very little selling. At Zynga, insiders and early investors sold just 7% of their stakes on average. Early investors know Facebook as intimately as anyone. That they are selling so much of their stakes should discourage public investors from chasing the stock when it opens. One can argue that Olde New York Establishment is a bit fuddy duddy whn it comes to the New New Things, but principals bailing out of their own company shares at IPO time is not a good sign in any market. The MIT Review (Boston) is even more to the point : Farhad Manjoo has pointed out that for Facebook to maintain its share price, it needs to figure out how to increase its revenue by a factor of ten. Going from $5 per user per year in advertising revenue to $50 per user per year is about as likely as Facebook going from 1 billion users to 10 billion, which I suppose is the other way the company could increase revenue proportionally, even if it requires an alternate Earth's worth of additional human beings. So! Either this IPO is, as the Wall Street Journal has suggested, the biggest shell game in the history of stock offerings, pushed along by those who want to cash out their shares in the company at the expense of unsophisticated investors who are piling on, or Facebook has a plan. The MIT review thinks facebook doesn't have a plan, but their only way out of such an Overvaluation Impasse is to become a bank: Forget Square, the credit card processing dongle for mobile devices produced by a company headed by Twitter alum Jack Dorsey. What the payments industry needs is a fast follower with serious reach and the desire to vanquish every other player in this space. Or, as Dan Hon, interactive creative director at Wieden and Kennedy recently told me, "It would be really interesting if Facebook launched a credit card. In fact, it would be terrifying." Hmmm..they could almost be honorary Londoners . And then you go over to the West Coast, where excitement is palpable. If New York is going "hang on", San Fran is going "Paaaarty" This is what its all about, the biggest IPO since Google, a megaboost for the Great Startup Dream. A quick visit to Techmeme shows all the usual crowd are like totally boosting up, ready for blast off - TechCrunch is waxing lyrical about overnight sleepathon hackathons , and how they are Big in Brazil and Bangkok, that Eduardo is a bad lad, and how the Big Bad Government is a fly in the future ointment. Nary an economic analysis in sight. GigaOm is hopefully pointing to where the Missing Ad Billions may come from , others say there will never be another deal again like Facebook for the small investor, This week, Facebook's IPO will be the largest venture-backed IPO of all time, and not in the subjective Kanye West sense. If, as expected, the company's valuation creeps toward $104 billion, it would be four times larger than Google's 2004 IPO. Facebook will also have earned the distinction of raising the most venture capital of any venture-backed company in the U.S. -- a grand total of $2.2 billion from some of the biggest names in venture capital around the world. This is almost double the amount raised by the second-place company in this category, Clearwire, a wireless broadband service provider that raised $1.2 billion. It's also exactly double the amount Twitter has raised to date, $1.1 billion. Also, Facebook breaks the record for most companies acquired pre-IPO. To date, Facebook has bought 13 other startups, only two more than Twitter, which is the second-most acquisitive company that is still privately held. I guess what you think of it all depends on where you are sitting. My concern is more "who is over-buying", given that the smart money is either very sceptical or bailing out. My cynical side (yes, dear reader, it exists) suspects its the dumb money in the main (that's your and my pension funds, by the way....) Facebook IPO and a Tale of Two Cities - Part 2 The Facebook IPO really has also been a Tale of 2 Cities - or rather, one city and the Rest Of World. Lets face it, an IPO of this level of hype that sputters, which still forces the under-writers to step in and buy the shares to keep it at the out-the -g E-Mail addresses will not be displayed and will only be used for E-Mail notifications To prevent automated Bots from commentspamming, please enter the string you see in the image below in the appropriate input box. Your comment will only be submitted if the strings match. Please ensure that your browser supports and accepts cookies, or your comment cannot be verified correctly. Enter the string from the spam-prevention image above: