Note: Please bear in mind that whilst this topic does canvass opinions, it is not a fight club. You may disagree with other posters but we do ask you please to stick to our Talk Guidelines and to be civil. We don't allow personal attacks or troll-hunting . Do please report any. Thanks, MNHQ. To think that the British work is insidious (132 Posts) Please click the 'Recommend' button below to confirm that you would like to post this thread to your facebook wall: If you have previously recommended this thread, you should see a tick / check mark on the recommend button. Click the tick to undo the recommendation (the tick may appear to change to a cross as you do this.) If you added a comment with your recommendation, you will need to delete that from your facebook wall separately. I don't understand. It's about team work; being part of the team; playing the game. Doing a good job, being reliable. What exactly do you mean. I don't think I have every come across what you are inferring. I must admit to being a bit shocked in moving to a city which is dominated by a particular industry, which is itself male-dominated. I know a lot of jobs are allocated on the basis of who you know, not what you know, but they actually turn down decent employees here on the basis that they will show up their cronies. Happens again and again. And its not my field, so I have no vested interest. Depends. I think that especially in the public sector this can be an issue. Can be very cliquey. Most promotions are not based on merit IME but through preventing people access to all relevant information resulting in them not having a chance ... What is going on in the Department of Transport is scandalous IMO, it is not the ordinary civil servants carrying out the work, it is the top who is at fault. The underlings only do what the top wants (or what they think the top wants), otherwise they will be out during the next reorganisation (tend to be many in the Civil Service). So it is the top they should get rid off, small chance of that happening, it is rather blame the messenger as usual. That's why nothing will really change/improve. Just power games. That's why I held out when I was made redundant and did some temping until my perfect dynamic, all-working-for-the-same-thing, no bullshit owner and employees small-but-rapidly growing company job came along. I love it. Never worked harder, but never felt more of a round peg in a round hole. I loathed the dead men's shoes, hidden agenda, greasy pole mentality of other places I have worked. Not all large companies, either. And the acceptance of mediocrity. Bleugh. A good manager recognises that everyone has something valuable to give and finds a way to enable them to give it. Poor management looks after friends. I have experienced both and like to think I am the former. Hard to know what you should do on so little information but please don't think there is anything wrong with being the shy one. An effective team has a mix of people, not all loud or all shy, but it takes a good manager to make the most of that team. Quiet and brilliant is fantastic! Well, if you happen to be in the Civil Service, then you have to lick arse ... It is not about doing the best job you can, it is not about being truthful, factual, integrity. It is about finding out what your superiors want and giving them that bending the information to suit their view even if totally incorrect. And of course, always be very nice to your superiors and try not to be too nice to the people underneath you as this may be seen as weak. You can earn a lot, a lot money this way plus a good pension, but it does involve selling your soul. Teaching won't pay me enough. I love what I do but for the lack of recognition. Just today saw a colleague (an utter twat) get promoted over me. I am better at everything. Except that I am not in the in crowd. Sometimes, if there is an opportunity you have to move upwards and outwards rather than staying in the same place for too long and getting stuck there. You can then move back in at a more senior level. I think teaching is quite well paid these days (have just started my 9th year) but I am amused by the concept that it is free from all the things described in this thread. Come to my school and see the politics in action! Doesn't teaching have any of these issues? The NHS certainly does Survival strategies? Well, remember it's only work and make sure you have a life outside. If you can't change it, try to figure out if it's likely to change within a time frame you can cope with, maybe through restructuring - this happens in the NHS all the time, sometimes for the better in terms of the management environment and sometimes not. If not, plan an escape strategy to something better. Above all remember there is nothing intrinsically wrong with being the quiet brilliant one 'A good manager recognises that everyone has something valuable to give and finds a way to enable them to give it. ' Yes. yes. I also think many managers forget to do the basic stuff; saying positive things; giving bad news face to face; all the simple good manners. They treat their employees as they would not treat even the most distant member of their family, and then wonder why relationships with and between the people they spend all day with are shite. One woman in our team is an absolute workhorse; a colleague and teamworker par excellence (sorry, i believe in teamwork). But she doesn't take any shit, our manager is scared of her and now avoids giving her any positive feedback. She is going to walk out of our team on maternity leave, we are going to struggle so much without her, and she is not even going to look back Yy public sector, crappy people getting promoted, and then when they're not surprisingly crappy n the new job, moved into another new job, until eventually a super fancy job is created with big money and no actual responsibilities so they can't do any more damage. Because you can't actually sack them, can you. I also don't think teamwork involves carrying people weaker than you necessarily. It's about pulling together, accepting differences and enjoying commonality, and doing your level best and working with integrity and decency. Can you tell I like my job and feel privileged to have my colleagues and managers? Silibilimili, you say teaching wont pay you enough. I dont actually know what ordinary teachers get paid,,but they are not on strike,so I sort of assume they are getting a decentish wage. Which begs the question,and I dont mean to be rude,but why do you need to earn more than what I assume is a pretty average salary for the country. Do you have large overheads? Do you need to work in a work environment,that probably means you earn more,which probably means the people working there are more competitive,which probably means it feels like some of them would sell their granny? Actually this post is coming across to me as a bit harsh,and for all I know could be complete rubbish.But I cant be bothered to redo it,so hope you do not take offence. That's the thing sili; and the bad people know it. The world is full of brilliant people who do not get promoted. It's not enough to do your job well, even brilliantly. You have to put other people down, compare their work unfavourably to yours and kiss ass, even publicly, shamefully. amillionyears - I expenct that Silibilimili is actually working hard, good at her job and wants some recognition for a change. Rather than seeing not very clever and possibly someone not really pulling his weight being promoted above her. amillion , your post is good. Don't worry. It's not even the money. By should I give up something I love because of these people? There has to be some tricks of the trade in can learn to 'play the game' and not compromise my morals/integrity? I am waiting to see what Silibilimili says,but now that my kids are older,one of the first things we look at when they apply for jobs,is the ethos of the company. If we dont like the look of it,we dont apply. obviously now that the op is working there,not such an easy situation. Also,to me,what we do or dont do in life,is a series of priorities. To me,work culture is quite a high priority,so if Sili doesnt like it there,she needs to look around for companies that would hopefully appreciate her. I don't know "a million years". Go in, get there on time, don't rock the boat, be nice to people, be honest, don't shaft anyone, protect colleagues when necessary, follow procedure where necessary, bend procedure where one can. Agree generally and if things need changing do it incrementally, trying to get people on side first. amillion , I did not realise the culture is like this before I joined. All was well for a whole while. Things started going belly up when i did not want to do the 12hr days to meet deadlines for nothing jn return etc. it's hard to choose an 'ethical' company. How do you know what the culture is like?! Months on end for nothing on end is harsh. Was that in your contract? Did the financially reward you properly for that? Standing outside. a.what is the dress code,important if you end up having an interview there. b.if you stand outside in the morning,do the workers arrive on time? c.do they look happy do be there? d.are they sloppily dressed. e.what sort of people are they? f.do their cars look like yours at all. g.very importantly,do they look as if you will fit with them h.if it is the evening,how do they look now? i.even go into the building casualy for a brief look round.How does it feel.What is the receptionist like. j.do you want to work on an industrial estate etc k.what is the transport system like there All this helps to give a glimpse of what the company is actually like and whether you think you may enjoy working there. I understand what you mean but in my experience those who claimed about cliques and conspiracies and agendas and corruption were paranoid dick heads. I spend 10 years working with someone who complained that the reason she wasn't being promoted was because her ideas were too 'forward thinking' or too 'out there'. She was being held back because people were threatened. She was a knob. People loathed her. There are two reasons you are not getting on at work. One is the place is corrupt and full of cronies, the other is you are the problem It's not you silibili, in the sense of you are crap, you are no good. It's you in the sense of, you do not blow your own trumpet enough and are too nice to the people below you and not creepy enough to the people above. It's ludicrous to sggest this is paranoid. It's the way it is! Yes agree with zoomeister: stop expecting people at work to be your friends and to like you. Locate someone above you who is clearly headed for higher things. Latch on to them; suck up to them. You might think it's cringingly obvious. Not to them. Hang on to their coat tails, for a start. Diss your colleagues to them if necessary but in a subtle way, back-handed compliments for example. Never bitch outright; don't smile too much; be very cool; never apologise. Sili: i'm like you but towards the end of my career, which has been fine, reasonable, decent pay so I haven't minded. But because i don't mind so much personally (which let's be honest really can cloud things) I have a very clear view of what happens in my workplace and in the other offices linked to it. I would say it's got about ten per cent to do with how good you are at your job. That's it. I think you would either have to change, or make yourself content with the way things are. Change or make myself content. I know. So hard. I don't think I can do either. As for slating off colleagues, not in my nature. It makes you look bad in the long run. I am not saying I am perfect. However, I see incompetent people going waaaay above and think, 'it's not fair!!' I recent went from being a contractor to staff so here is what the problem is. To put up with all the work politics. But just made me wonder, I can't be alone. There must be 'good' people out there that cope somehow. Or even get to the top. How? That's all. Maybe it's time I went back to earning money again than having a career. The apparently good people who get to the top have ALL had their moments of ruthlessness behind the scenes. The truly good get half way there, director rather than VP, sidelined into a nice job in training and so on. But slating off colleagues YES it looks bad if you are bitchy. It's not about being bitchy. It's positioning yourself above them in conversation and appraisals, explaining how you helped them achieve something when they couldn't do it, making sure you get the credit, "helpfully" suggesting to someone they need training in an area because they'd then be really good at it. You don't have to lie. Bosses want people who can be like them ie hard. I have worked for people who haven't been ruthless or evil. Ok so they were truly genious or minor royalty, but have been fairly decent human beings. These were old school boys (very few women - who did tend to be unpleasant) though. The new generation tend to be slimeballs whod sell their own granny for a profit. I think for women it's a sexism thing - women have to be better, harder, faster, stronger to get the same job as a man. They have to PROVE they aren't going to melt. It's unfair. The old school boys could afford to be nice - they had a job whatever they did,and f they fucked up one of Dad's friends in the foreigno office would find a little spot fo rhim. Or her. such an interesting and enlightening thread.I have been sat all morning thinking about work problems and getting stressed. like everyone I have watched others bitch,kiss ass and then get promoted when they are generally lazy or not great at their jobs and have been frustrated that my hard work and achievements has never seemed to get me anywhere. this thread helps me to accept that this is business and I must either choose to be like others and move to the top or just do enough to ensure my working day is as stress free as poss so I can enjoy time out of work I may be broke in the meantime but hey one day I will run my own business where things are different. .s.if there are any business owners out there who require hard working and extremely capable employees who will fit into their ethical, honest and truly rewarding team environment please pm me! It should be a lesson really - we've all thought "how can Boss X not SEE how much of a suck-up employee Y is being. It's so fake!" Because they can't. They're on the receiving end and they are also playing the game. It depends on the culture of the office. I have known unqualified secretaries scamper up the greasy pole very very quickly (very naively I thought it was because she must have been talented ans well-liked). When she left all the men talked about how she wanted to sleep with them all - then I was told that she was having an affair with the boss. She was very self promoting 'look at meeee, I'm fabulous!!' Very self confident but didn't have a tufty really. Emperors new clothes syndrome! Most places I have work have had a bad reputation in the industry for being really horrible places to work. One place had a reputation for being great and I loved it - there was such a lack of politics! I go into quite a few organisations as part of my job and it's amazing the variety of business cultures that exist. Few I would want to be part of too. For me slef employment or small business works best. front , I have seen that too here. It's natures way. It's a part of office life. The sexual tensions, prettier women doing better than the uglier ones, the taller men doing better than the shorter ones. That's Darwinian theory. I just need to be more thick skinned and less sensitive, more controlled I suppose. It is going to be tricky? Any women out there who are emotional and are doing well in their careers? This thread has indeed been insightful for me too. Thank you all for the contribution. I tend to think that those who deny it have done it ..so they see others as whingers and moaners rather than "actors". The thinking goes, well I did it, why can't you instead of moaning on. And I've been promoted, so I can't possibly be incompetent or a bad manager. It's a mindset, and you have to buy it! By whinging and moaning, quite frankly I don't blame you, I've done it myself, but it doesn't buy you promotion. It basically says "I am unhappy but impotent". That's not the impression you want to give. And by those who deny it, i mean those people who say, this does not happen, you are paranoid. Yes, it does, it's almost universal, and you are not paranoic. People who say that have climbed the greasy pole or are doing it and will see others as weak, impotent, whingers and so on. There's nothing wrong with constructive criticism - noticing that something isn't working and suggesting an improvement or a better way of working. But some people - and I am not suggesting that this is you btw, I don't know you - really do just moan. About everything. Even the stuff that clearly can't be changed. Even the stuff that everyone else manages perfectly well with. They are often the same ones who won't work 5mins overtime, with a 'they don't do anything for me, so why should I do anything for them' attitude. They are often also heard complaining about colleagues in a bitter way. Who is going to promote someone like that, someone that they essentially don't like and don't want to spend more time working with than they absolutely have to? There's usually a pool of people to choose from, and enthusiastic competence wins every time. ade , agree. I have all the good qualities you mention. Enthusiastic, technically competent, moaner but do try and change or influence things, which makes me quiet and direct and do not suck up. So do tend to piss people off by my great 'communication' skills. How do I get out of this quandary or my predicament. Surely it's the work that matters and not the other bullshit surely. Who would you rather have in your team at the end of the day? Someone hi gets the job done or someone who agrees with everything you say and does mediocre? I certainly wouldn't want someone who agreed with everything I said, but someone who gets the job done with a smile on their face and doesn't rattle the feathers of their colleagues unnecessarily. There are two words that you have used to describe yourself on this thread that would concern me - 'emotional' and 'direct'. IME people who describe themselves in this way can often come across as a little self absorbed, maybe rude (and you may not be like that at all, have just heard colleagues describing themselves as 'direct' and I've thought 'no, you are tactless and a bit rude'). I think it sounds like your communication skills are your issue, perhaps make a big effort for a few months and see where it gets you. If you genuinely don't think that you are doing anything wrong at all, go and see your line manager and make it clear that you are looking for extra responsibilities/promotion, and ask what you need to do to make that happen. It depends what organization and what industry. Its certainly true that a lot of "desirable" industries (journalism, investment banking, advertising, charity sector, civil service) are riddled with cronyism and basically its hard to get in without contacts and impossible past a certain point without a large degree of arse-licking. But in all honesty I don't think Britain is worse than most places. A good friend of mine emigrated to Italy and then moved back because she had totally lost faith in the possibility that her children would ever get good jobs because they weren't Italian/didn't have right family connections. Britain isn't the meritocracy it likes to think it is but anecdotally I think a lot of the "latin" economies are far, far worse. I don't think all industries are like this though. Definetely do something. My Dad is a lovely man but spent 30 + years in an office that was back stabbing and very political - he was a work horse but found himself blamed for other mistakes. He was made reduant 55 + and is now a very bitter person. Having said that he has the opposite of charm - he makes the most innocent remarks and people take offense its not obvious why. My first work place was like this as well - I did the bare minimum amount of time and left for somewhere better and got more money with it. ques agree and can relate to all that you say. However, I thought we were meritocratic. We definitely are not. That's what I can't get my wad around. And comparing to the worst of the lot and feeling good is not really what I want to do either. Another problem is that none of us really know what other people think of us and that can vary from person to person. Eg you think I am direct someone else thinks I am rude. I work ith someone who thinks she is really hard working; I think she is a lazy cow who spends too much time making everything into a drama instead of just getting on with it. But who is right? You say you are emotional.What sorts of things have you got emotional at work about,that maybe other work colleagues didnt get emotional over? What changes have you suggested be implemented that have not been taken up. I think you said you moan.Have fellow colleagues commented on this. Are you British? Have you worked abroad and are now working in the UK,and have suggested your work place does some things that you have gleaned from working overseas. What age are you? Dont answer any if this if you dont want to. Might they think you may want to start a family soon,so are possibly discriminating against you. Do you meet up with them socially at all. Do you say to them from time to time that you feel like leaving? ooh,coming across as arrogant and unapproachable. If that is what people see and think,even though it is not true,that is not going to help you at all. I you said you didnt want to change character. It sounds like you need to change the public perception of yourself so they can understand and see the real you. The classic book for this thread is "How to win friends and influence people". I havent read all of it,but I think you would find it useful if you havent read it already.


Facebook Friends Reviews from Your Friends 32 reviews in English Review from Laura P. Shout out to the excellent staff at Swartz Bay!  We heard that the waits could be interminable so we got in line 1.5 hours before our ferry.  We somehow forgot to unplug our GPS and ipod so right before our ferry started boarding, our lovely, trusty hybrid engine was no go.  Bummer was we obviously didn't need the GPS and the ipod wasn't even being used.   It kind of hurt to see our ferry leave the dock without us. Hubby ran back to the toll booth to let them know we'd need a jump, but secretly I thought it would be a no go due to the hybrid.  Sure enough, minutes later BC Ferries arrived to assist.  Right away I asked if they'd be able to jump the hybrid and they couldn't.  I'm not blaming them in any way whatsoever.  They had a handy card at the ready explaining that they can't be liable for hybrid jump starts.  Sounds like in the past, major electrical damage has been done to hybrid cars due to an improper jump. BC Ferries gave us the number to a local CAAA (AAA to US users) and we got our jump in time for the next ferry.  While we got our jump, another BC Ferry staff member came out to check on us.  He reassured us that this has happened numerous times to Honda and Toyota hybrids.  I chatted with him later outside the terminal during our wait for the second ferry.  Sounds like other people have drained their battery just by watching dvds while plugged in.  This somehow causing the hybrid battery great problems. Since we were totally weirded out by the experience, we hung out in lane 13 next to all the big rigs.  We didn't want our car not to start a second time and didn't want to be in the way again if there was failure.   The staff was completely understanding and reassuring during this glitch. Thanks BC Ferries!  The amenities on board rock.  I'm sad that I didn't partake of the buffet but glad that the view from the cafeteria's eating area was better than the buffet (forward vs aft).  The sundeck was an amazing place to catch the views. Review from Brian W. It's funny that we can review public services, hmm like anyone has a choice to come on a Ferry.  Why I love them - well they let me get all over our amazing islands, and happens I will be getting on one in 48 hours for the Sunshine coast.  Not many places in the world offer the consistent, classy, working, on time, nice staff, roomy and safe ride our Ferries do.  If it wasn't for them, nobody would live on Gambier? etc, lol....  My buddies will be scarfing back whitespot and we can all get some sunshine and wind on the decks.  The massive humm of the engines is easy to sleep outside to.  I have been on boats on Thailand where we get lost and the captain jumps off and swims to shore, boats in Mexico with waves nearly capsizing us.  Most excitement you get on a Ferry is the horn to goto your Car, that's right most these beasts allow you to friggin drive right on and off. "'And then, we get on the ferry and they made us sit there, for 40 minutes. We had to sit there.' Oh? Really? What happened next? Did you sail through the sea in your car, incredibly, like a whale? Did you partake in the miracle of human sailing, you non-contributing zero?"  "People, like, they say there's delays on ferry's. Delays? Really? Vancouver to Victoria in 2 hours. That used to take 30 years. Plus, you would die on the way there." Review from Robin M. It's a ship, people. A ship. You get to ride on a ship on the ocean. This blows my mind in itself, but then add a gift shop, a classy restaurant, a kid's play area, a White Spot, TVs (wut! I don't even have one of those at home! No, for real. I don't), clean bathrooms (may I remind you that we are on a BOAT) and some workstations for us laptop-tech-types, and holy hell -- we have ourselves a winning experience. Offering some of the best views in the entire world for a fraction of the price of a cruise, BC Ferries is a luxurious experience disguised as a public service. Yes, we could talk about the price -- both financial and environmental -- but you should be so lucky as to go for a ride. Review from Vivian A. We rode the BC Ferry from Vancouver to Victoria on a 4pm ferry. It wasn't too packed when we got there. We were able to check out the Tswwassen Quay Market while we waited. They announced our ferry had arrived and they loaded the cars quickly and left on schedule. Review from Scotty D. I LOVE THE BC FERRIES! anytime our family went into victoria this was our way of getting to the island. the fact of driving your car onto a large boat was crazy to me as a kid. all of these people and all of the cars make one heavy boat. it was always a pretty long trip back and forth but the scenery was always breathtaking. i always had to go up to the top deck and feel the brisk wind and hope to see the whales in the waters below. well i was lucky enough to see a family of whales once and it was remarkable. they seemed to be chasing along side us as they thought it was some sort of game. make sure you head down into the restarant or caferteria for some suprisingly good food. and the duty free shops are a must. lucky for me i never get seasick so this will always be my way of getting around to the many different islands next time i'm up there. it's sure beats flying. Review from Tam F. I had never been on a ferry before so I had/have nothing to compare it to.The concierge at our hotel made reservations for us from Tsawwassen to Victoria and even advised us as to what time to leave the hotel in the morning and what time to make sure were in line to board the ferry upon our departure from Victoria. Since we had rented a car we paid about $80.00 each way which seemed a bit steep in price, but when in Rome (err) Canada, you pay for the adventure. The ride was seamless and there was plenty of people watching to be had. There were restaurants aboard from a buffet style place to a take and eat cafeteria style place. Gift shop, coffee shop, even a "spa" available for a quick mani/pedi. For an extra $10 per person, there is a separate lounge with less noise, less people and comfortable seats along with snacks and beverages. There was a small arcade and I passed some time playing Ms. PacMan which was great fun. The service was wonderful as well and the driving on and off the boat was super fun (and my husband let me do it)! The ferry terminal in Tsawwassen had a great food court and even a Starbucks while the terminal in Victoria was much smaller with less food options/clean bathrooms. Review from D.J. Y. This is how a ferry line should be run. On time, clean, and helpful staff. We've ridden the Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay run many times over the years.  This is, in my opinion, the only way to travel to Victoria BC from the mainland.  Take your car/truck/van and travel the island in comfort of your own vehicle, only down side is you'll need to convert Kilometers to Miles to figure out the speed limit! The ferries themselves are in great condition, comparing the Washington State line to this would be insulting!  Decently price food options are available and they offer both restaurant and cafeteria style dinning.  Can anyone say White Spot!!!  OH YEAH!! Another really great item to note is the waiting/staging areas for your vehicle.  While you wait for your ride, the Tsawwassen side has a very state of the art facility.  A huge big screen, almost the size of a drive-in theater, keeps peeps entertained, updated on the boats and at the terminal itself, is wonderful.  The market-style food and trinket  vendors are well equipped to tickle your fancy!  And there are plenty of restrooms! Online booking of sailing reservations is suggested during the busy summer months.  Check this out for time schedules and reservation information: http://www.bcferries.com/ Oh, hey, during your trip, the views are not to be missed, enjoy the top-side ride and check out the Orcas and bald eagles, what a treat!! Review from Ed U. Love, exciting and new Come aboard! We're expecting you Love, life's sweetest reward Let it flow, it floats back to you... What an operation. The model of efficiency. It works like clockwork. It's about an hour's drive from Vancouver to Tsawwassen where the ferry departs. Make an online reservation in advance, and you get to wait in a special lane where drive onto the boat first. You deserve it, right? It also gives you peace of mind because the occupancy capacity probably gets heady during the summer. Once you're on, you lock up the car and climb up to hang out on deck or in the seating area just a level below. The Love Boat soon will be making another run The Love Boat promises something for everyone Set a course for adventure Your mind on a new romance The crossing through the Georgia Strait is gorgeous (see photos). It lasts close to ninety minutes, and there is even a nature specialist who gives lectures on the local flora and fauna. I'd avoid the movie-multiplex-level food since it's pricey and stale. This was my first time on the ferry as a motorist, and it does add up - C$46.75 for a standard vehicle plus C$14 per passenger. Yikes! I would have told Jamie W. to hide in the trunk. The Swartz Bay side on Vancouver Island is even more commercial with a fast-food cafeteria in full operation while you wait. Food still looks awful, so make sure to fill up on those Nanaimo bars in Victoria before you head back to the mainland. Run fast when you get on the boat because everyone grabs a chair on the way back. It's exhausting to buzz through the Butchart Gardens, tea at the Empress, and make it back to the ferry queue for the 5PM sailing. But this is a must-do for any tourist, so just accept the consequences. Review from Jen D. Pretty good for public transportation!  While they've gotten more and more expensive over the years, they've very rarely stranded us on Vancouver Island (nope, not Victoria Island). And they're almost always running on schedule - while growing up very close to where the ferries let you out (in Sidney), and working in the visitor information center a couple summers that caters to the ferry users, you can almost set your watch by the PCL busses that lead the "ferry traffic" down Pat Bay Hwy. You are always sure to commute to Victoria down 17 outside of the ferry traffic. That aside, the ferries -- they're clean and they have white spot burgers in the cafeteria. Must try (get the BC burger), and worth suspending a diet for - they are pretty awesome and just as good as White Spot proper. Although I'm not sure they have the Sunshine Breakfast anymore. What a shame. The view is nice, and on rare occasions you may see a whale, which may be noted over the PA system by the crew.  It's a very "west coast" experience with the salt air and forested islands. Oh yeah, the last time I was on a BC ferry a few years ago I saw that comic steven wright. That was cool. And finally, if you've never been to Vancouver Island, you can't drive around it in a day. It's about 6 hours to Tofino, and a full day to drive end to end. And yes, the roads are paved and we have electricity :)   (this may seem ridiculous, but I did work in the visitor info centre and answered these regularly) Review from Tony S. I find it hard to believe I am posting a 5 star rating for a 25 minute ferry ride (car and passenger). Hear me out....if this route works into your travels, hopefully you will be equal in praise. This ferry run is advertised as the most picturesque, perhaps, of the BC Ferry offerings. We found it, indeed, to be that, and more. Personable, attentive, fortunately on time, and a great way to break up a road trip from Nanaimo into Victoria. Cost: modest ($26.25) for one vehicle and 2 adults. Wished, if anything, the on-the-water time was more than just 1/2 hour. Pay as you board or purchase in-advance your fees at a local convenience store a short distance prior to arrival at the Mill Bay landing. Review from Jen N. First time on a ferry and it reminded me of going whale watching only this is a much bigger boat! For a family of 6, 30 bucks RT per person and 100 RT for our minivan was worth it from Vancouver to Victoria, and from Victoria to Point Angeles, Washington. The weather and view was nice, the ride was smooth, and there's a lot of amenities within the boat. Would use BC Ferry again and recommend it to others! Review from joe w. I'd rather swim to Vancouver! No local residents enjoy taking this trip, we actually loath it. For some reason "mainlanders" enjoy it though. Run to the cafeteria and save a seat, or you will wish you had. Have a fries and gravy,  play a game of Pacman, and hit the massage chair, really live and enjoy the voyage. Be sure to locate life boats, and remember what floor you parked on in case you get to stoned like I have in the past. Review from Eric B. It's not cheap but that's the government's fault for treating a critical piece of infrastructure like it's NOT a critical piece of infrastructure. Otherwise BC Ferries works pretty well - the ships are in good shape, there's decent food on board (though the selection is rather poor and it's not exactly cheap) and the scenery is great. If you don't like being a captive on the ship bring an iPod or a laptop to watch a movie, the time will go by quickly. You can also go outside and enjoy the sights. Review from Katie F. Loved the ferry ride itself and the cleanliness... definitely did not like the price! I haven't taken the ferry to the island since I was a kid, so this was a pretty novel thing for me!  That being said, this ferry is fabulous compared to the stench and crowding I've experienced on the ferries in Greece and Mexico.  It's reasonably well-organized, lots of seating, TVs, a kid zone, some workstation areas, and food ranging from $10 cafeteria meals to the $22/person dinner buffet. The views to and from the island are great and the buffet isn't bad - salads, 2 soups, prime rib, salmon, shrimp and canneloni were available when we went.  The time flies by if you eat on the ferry. The wait time sucks if you come when it's busy - we lucked out on the way over but got stuck waiting a couple of hours on the way back to Vancouver. It's pretty pricey to use - about $46-ish for a car and $14 per person each way.  Didn't like the fact that there's a charge to make a reservation but I suppose I'll cough up the money next time if I don't want to risk waiting in line. Review from Amy Y. Ferries were on time, staff members keep everything running smoothly and keep everybody in check. Once on board, there's plenty of things to do- such as rush to the cafeteria so you can buy fries with triple O sauce, there's gift shop for you to browse. Seats are comfortable so you see a lot of people taking a nap. Restrooms are clean and well-supplied. Review from Shannon N. Can't argue with this service - went from Victoria to Vancouver [Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen].  It's a bit expensive if you've got a car, but with a reservation, you get first on/first off privilege so that's nice. Didn't feel any rocking but there was an odd vibration on the ferry the whole ride.  Tons of tourist brochures near the rear of the ferry to help entertain you on the ride and find things to do at your destination. I've added a photo from our view of docking at Tsawwassen from the front of the boat.  Whee! Review from Susan A. Smooth sailing, good ferries!  First experience riding on a ferry and driving a car into it so I was really happy with how smooth & flawless the transition was.  Upper deck was closed both times due to weather and people on prior trips hurting themselves, which is unfortunate.  During the wait to go on the ferry, there's a mini-plaza to walk around with food and trinkets which was pretty neat (both on victoria side and vancouver side). On the ferry, you have the option of either cafeteria food or buffet-food.  Also have coffee-bar,dessert, etc.  And... last but not least, the "store" where you can kill some time browsing mags, books, and lotions, earrings, toys, randomness of sorts. Seating area was vast, with different types.  Tables, benches, facing each other, aisle-style, almost everything I can think of at least.  They even have electric outlets for those laptops!  TVs were out (thank goodness!) otherwise would have been subjected to non-stop Canadian hockey action... but for the hockey fans, sorry! All in all, quite enjoyable.  It's a lot for a boat ride though.  But, since they are moving so many cars and people, I s'pose it can't be helped.  However, I can't help feeling it's a huge monopoly. Review from Yiling W. Compared to the Washington State Ferries I've been on, the Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay ferry is awesome. It's huge, there's room to wander, there's a gift shop, a cafeteria/food area, a kiddie zone, a buffet restaurant, work stations, lots of vending machines, and relatively comfy seats. The bathrooms were pretty clean, and it just seemed well-kept and newly painted overall. The terminal at Tsawwassen, however, didn't have quite enough signage to get my friends and I to the right terminal, so we had to just ask some one random. Oh well. Review from Stacey E. If you're an islander the ferries are the bane of your existence. We never reserve unless we're attempting to travel on a really busy day (check the ferry traffic reports before you leave). The 9pm is hardly ever busy and is much quieter. If you aren't driving on, take the PCL. It takes half the time of the city bus. Note to tour group operators: I have a proposal for an onboard activity. Everyone in your group has to communicate without speaking until they get back on the tour bus. It's a traditional local custom... ummm.... and the whales like it. That's it, they'll be GUARANTEED to see whales. But no talking. See, I told you it was a good idea. Review from Dave D. You've got me trapped on an island and you privatized my only way off.  What a surprise - the prices keep climbing "due to oil prices" even when the price of oil goes down. The service itself is alright and if the price was better (or at least if they stopped jacking it up or perhaps gave a discount to people on an island who have no other way to get to the rest of the world) I'd be much happier. Review from Jean P. My family and I will never forget our last trip to Bristish Columbia. The day we drove into Canada after visiting relatives in Tacoma, we headed straight to the port at Tsawwassen in Vancouver to catch a BC Ferry to Victoria Island. There were 7 of us all together. I found it neat that we got to take our old school Toyota van on the ferry despite the wait time.  Once we arrived in Victoria, we practically spent the entire day sightseeing and checking out the wax museum and gardens. My mother had with her a red Nina Ricci totebag which inside held all of our passports, some cash, credit cards, and precious jewelry. By the end of the day, we headed back to the port to catch the ferry back to Vancouver. We were tired, beat, and exhausted. All we could think of was heading back to my cousin's house in Tacoma and crashing. When we were only a few minutes away from arriving at Vancouver, my mother gave her tote bag to my Dad's Aunt to hold while she went to the restroom. The line in the restroom was pretty long so we waited for her in the cafeteria up until we were told we could head back to our cars. The family decided to just to head to the van since everyone was leaving the ferry lobby/cafeteria and that my mom would just find us there. When my mom got to our van, everything was good up until about 20 minutes after we drove out the ferry boat on our way back to the U.S.A. My mother asked my Dad's Aunt, "Oh can I have my bag?" "I need to get the passports ready." My Dad's Aunt responds (in Filipino), "HOLY SH*T!" "I TOTALLY FORGOT ABOUT IT!" "I LEFT IT IN THE FERRY BOAT!" "SUSMARIYOSEP!" My dad suddenly braked out of shock and busted a U-turn on the highway and drove as fast as he could back to the port. By the time we got there, the ferry was gone. My mom, dad, and dad's Aunt went to the the BC ferry office to let them know what had happened and to have them locate and search the tote bag. It took them a long time talking to the authorities and reps at the office. In my mind all I could think of was that it was too late and that some stranger probably took the bag and kept it for themselves because of all the jewelry and money that was stored inside. Because it was going to take BC Ferries overnight to conduct the search, we had no choice but to crash in Vancouver since it was already pretty late. It was a good thing we had relatives living in the area because no one else had a credit card in thier possession to book a hotel room. Our relatives, who live in the Richmond district were kind enough to offer their place to let us crash. By noon time the next day, BC Ferries called my cousin's house to let my parents know that they had found the tote bag and that it was sitting in the Vancouver office ready for pickup. When we got there, my mom was able to retrieve every single thing. According to her, there was nothing missing. All our passports, money, credit cards, and jewelry were all in the bag. Somehow, an employee of the ferry found the tote bag under the table in the cafeteria while she was cleaning and had brought it to the lost and found office in Victoria. A staff member at BC was able to get it transported back to Vancouver. Because the employees of BC Ferries were honest, extremely helpful and responsive in retrieving our family valuables, they deserve 5 stars. If it wasn't for them, we would have had a lot of trouble getting back home to San Jose, California. Review from Randy T. -Drive up to a booth and pay your fare. -Get in a lane and pull up to the car in front of you. -Park car and enter gift shops to buy souvenirs, snacks to munch on, and trinkets you think might be great gifts for friends. -Get into car and wait.........and wait...........and wait. Possibly take a nap while waiting as well. -When time comes to board ferry, observe the mass of cars in the opposite lanes to the left fleeing the ferry at tremendous speeds. -Drive forward and enter the lower car holding area of the ferry. -Lock car, take a whiff of all the car exhaust, and hurry upstairs. -Relax inside or outside the ferry and take pics of the scenery like a typical tourist. -Upon arriving, get in line and be prepared to violate each other's personal space to get to the lower deck to your car. -Enter car and wait patiently for cue to leave. -Drive off ferry, accelerate like a madman, and continue to your destination. Great trip to have and everyone needs to do this at least once in their lives. Review from Fraulein C. I love that you can drive a car into a little ferry boat so you can tug it all the way to Victoria Island. Awesome I tell you! Along the way, you feel a bit queazy if you're not a "sea" type of person. I sure as hell felt sick, but after getting off the ferry boat...I was a happy kid standing on solid ground. Hehe! Anyway, you get the chance to take wonderful breathtaking views for a slight bit of Canada. Stuff like this...makes me want to go back and give BC another visit. Sucks that it takes a while to get from one place to another with all the "extra" weight. Review from Beth C. Haha, I love how all the four and five star reviews are tourist reviews. If it's something you don't have to do with any regularity, yeah, the ferries are novel enough (so beautiful with the scenery) to seem really wonderful. But once you get over the breathtaking surroundings and how cool it is to drive your car onto a boat.....BC Ferries is overpriced. They basically have a monopoly and drive their prices far too high far too often. The food sucks, and as if it wasn't expensive enough, if you're driving, they also basically either force you to get a reservation (by allowing so much of the boat to be reserved that drive-ups wait hours and hours) and spend another $20+ to do so, or wait out there for, occasionally, as long as 5-6 hours. The main purpose of my gripe today is the new (ish) system they have for parking out there. I drove up on Friday to pick a friend up at the Swartz Bay terminal. She'd walked on in Tsawassen. When I got out there, a little man with a glow-stick waved me vehemently to one side, where I was greeted with a PAY parking lot (like I'm going to pay to pick someone up when I'm out there for 5 minutes?) and no free spots. It's confusing, maze-like, and vastly insufficient in size, as well as being too far from the terminal for a quick pick up. I was in a car accident recently and walking hurts a bit, but there were NO spots anywhere, and we joined the sea of confused, frustrated people driving in circles. My boyfriend jumped in the driver's seat for me and kept circling while I limped into the terminal to get my friend. While I was in the terminal I overheard at least three other people complaining about how ridiculously insufficent the parking was, and saw two people saying "we have to hurry, so and so is circling while I come get you", cutting off their hugs to run out to the stupid parking lot. and the arrivals area is supposed to be relished! It's where all the smiles and hugging happen! As an islander, I'm stuck with BC Ferries and have no choice but to utilize them sometimes, but for the amount they charge, and how often they hike their fees, I expect better. Review from Andrew P. We took the Tsawassen-Swartz Bay ferry via the Pacific Coach bus.  It was a nice way to get conveniently from Vancouver to Victoria.  We made the crossing on a beautiful glassy smooth summer afternoon.  The bus and boat left and arrived right on time.  Both were clean and pleasant to ride.   It was a really nice trip. Review from Patrick R. I am very fond of the ferries. I find my self taking a trip across and back, with or without my car at least once a month, usually more. I always take time to marvel at the view on the way across (even at night. If there are no clouds, the stars are breathtaking). Being a regular on Route 1 between Swartz Bay and Tswassen, I'm most familiar with the two Superferries (the Spirit of British Columbia and the Spirit of Vancouver Island). I adore these two. They are big and comfy with plenty of space. I'd recommend going to the top deck lounges, which fill up more slowly than the main deck, and sport TVs with children's programming in the forward lounge and a news broadcast in the rear lounge (though avoid the rear lounge during any playoffs if you do not like sports) The cafeteria is large and well designed with two queues for hot entrees (and quick through-ways for cold), though long line-ups can develop. If you are on any ferry, try to wait til about mid-voyage to dine in the cafeteria, you'll get through a lot quicker. If you are in the mood for a nice meal, the Pacific Buffet is well worth a visit (and well worth the price). The food placed out is of wonderfully high quality and I have never been disappointed. The other amenities available on the Superferries are nice, though since I don't really use them and other reviews note them so I won't go into detail. The Coastal Celebration is the other ship I am familiar with on the route (the fourth ship was switched, so I cannot speak to it). It matches the Superferries for amenities, but not space. The Coastals feel cramped and maze-like compared to their larger cousins, though I must note that if you are traveling with kids, the ship is a bit better designed with properly enclosed play areas and the Caf view is to die for (again wait til mid-voyage when the ship is close to the islands). While you may have a different experience, I'd recommend aiming for a sailing at an odd-numbered hour to ensure passage on the Superferries. BC ferries scheduling is one of the annoyances of traveling with them. While they make an admirable effort to keep on schedule, they are easily delayed and often fall behind. (There have been occasions when it was as much as an hour or more, however cases such as this are rare and usually the result of mechanical failure or medical emergency). I find the best thing is just to bring your patience and a book. I'll also note here that if you are traveling by vehicle, be prepared to wait. It is minimum one hour between sailings, two in the off-season, and if it is busy there will usually be sailing waits for vehicles. If you're traveling during a busy time, make a reservation and make sure to show up at least a half-hour early like they say (you -will- lose your reservation if you don't, regardless of circumstances) Price wise, I find the ferries to be quite reasonable. The single passenger cost  is very cheap and makes it easy to make several trips. The vehicle cost can be a little more prohibitive though. At $45 +$14/vehicle occupant one-way  the cost for frequent passengers can get pretty steep. However, when compared to the cost of flying, it is still the cheaper way across (especially when you consider that you are able to take your car). I'll also note that BC Ferries will also sometimes do fare-sales where the cost will drop significantly, so it's worth keeping an eye on their website. Review from Brenda G. This was my first time on a vehicle transfer ferry and I liked it a lot.  It's pretty expensive, it cost $76 CD for a car plus two people.  It's $12 per person so the car is what gets you.  It's like others say, drive to the booth, pay your fare, get in line and drive onto the ferry.  The BEST advice I can give regarding the ferries is MAKE A RESERVATION.  If you are coming or going on the weekend the wait can be up to two hours to get on the ferry.  Thank goodness they have facilities and food at the port.  Last Friday, we were leaving Victoria heading to Vancouver and they took one of the large ferries out of comission for the weekend.  Instead of making a reservation, we headed out to the port and had a 1.5 hour wait then the 1.5 hour ride.   The ride itself is great.  There are a couple of decks, you can go outside and look at the wonderous view, sit inside, read, eat, whatever.  Clean bathrooms to boot.  All in all, it's great. About This Business Provided by business Specialties BC Ferries is one of the largest ferry operators in the world, providing year-round vehicle and passenger transportation service to communities along Canada's West Coast.  From Prince Rupert to Haida Gwaii, Vancouver to Victoria, and all the beautiful island and mainland destinations in-between... BC Ferries takes you there! Visit us at bcferries.com ~ with over 60 packages to choose from, BC Ferries Vacations brings the coast within reach.


After the release of their LP "Purple Naked Ladies" earlier this year, The Internet (Syd The Kid and Matt Martians), bring us a mellow track with their latest "Give It Time". Plus, they've got Mike Einziger from Incubus playing guitar. I must say.. if this the direction the duo is headed, then we have a [...] I'm always a little bit suspicious of new producers these days, especially when my first introduction to them is via a remix they posted on soundcloud. Seems every time a new track comes out, or a legendary artist dies there are immediately 15 remixes that sound like they were done in about 20 minutes. But [...] Music Is My Sanctuary is very proud to bring you the new VLOOPER record which happens to be our very first "release". We have tons of love, admiration and respect from "traditional" labels which is why we won't call ourselves one (at least for now). The most important thing here is that we are using [...] Here is third second compilation of  "forgotten treasures" which is -- if you're new here -- one of the pillars of this website. We plan to put out one of these every month to go along with our monthly MIMS night in Montreal (every second saturday of the month at Belmont). The idea is to [...] After the release of their LP "Purple Naked Ladies" earlier this year, The Internet (Syd The Kid and Matt Martians), bring us a mellow track with their latest "Give It Time". Plus, they've got Mike Einzige... I'm always a little bit suspicious of new producers these days, especially when my first introduction to them is via a remix they posted on soundcloud. Seems every time a new track comes out, or a legendary artist dies th... Music Is My Sanctuary is very proud to bring you the new VLOOPER record which happens to be our very first "release". We have tons of love, admiration and respect from "traditional" labels which is why w... We've all heard Leon Haywood's infamous track, I Wanna Do Something Freaky With You, a sample that was made tremendously popular by Dr. Dre and Snoop Dog in, Ain't Nuthin But a G Thang. It is such a recognizable tune, and... When I think of my people, I can't help but feel that swell in my chest that only comes with blatant Latin Pride. I made a point of bringing that flavor over to MIMS in my articles on Crema Prpura, Willie Coln and Joh... Brand new MIMS Guest mix and this one is from our very good homie BOWLY, a great producer and DJ from Montreal (by way of la France). Bowly is a member of the ESL Crew, along with Bus and Skinnybones arguably the most important... Memories don't leave like people do. No matter where Yassin Alsalman (better known as The Narcicyst) winds up, he'll forever remain Montreal's favorite son when it comes to this rap shit. The song and video to... You've already bounced to the vibes of Lil' Kim, Foxy Brown, Lauryn Hill or even legends like MC Lyte and Roxanne Shante. But the grandiose universe of hip-hop gave birth to some fly ladies you might not even not ab... Our third instalment of our forgotten treasure mix series is another great one and captures the idea perfectly. Our good friend Fred Everything who is a certified deep & funky house master: great producer and DJ whose pl... Along with Live 9, Ableton has announced a dedicated controller called Push. After designing some of the most widely used music production software they have jumped into the dedicated controller market. Having teamed up with ... West Coast jazz developed around Los Angeles and San Francisco in the 1950s and 60s at the same time the hard bop sound was developing in New York City. West Coast jazz was generally seen as a sub-genre of cool jazz, which was ... "Club culture has changed a great deal over the last 30 years. Nowadays, DJ's become household names in a matter of months. True players like Theo Parrish, Louie Vega, Harvey, or Francois K -- DJ's that can play for ...


Argentina v Ghana at ITLOS On 14 November 2012 Argentina submitted a request for provisional measures to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (' ITLOS ') regarding the dispute over the Frigate ARA Libertad. Argentina has requested "that Ghana unconditionally enable the Argentine warship Frigate ARA Libertad to leave the Tema port and the jurisdictional waters of Ghana and to be resupplied to that end." On 29 October 2012, Argentina instituted arbitral proceedings under Annex VII of UNCLOS against Ghana. Article 290(5) of UNCLOS provides that pending the constitution of an arbitral tribunal to which a dispute is being submitted under Annex VII, any party to the dispute may request ITLOS to prescribe provisional measures. ITLOS may prescribe provisional measures if it considers that prima facie the arbitral tribunal would have jurisdiction and that the urgency of the situation so requires. The Libertad is a 100-meter-long tall sailing ship, used as a training vessel by the Argentine navy. It was arrested in Tema, Ghana on 2 September 2012 after a subsidiary of US hedge fund Elliott Capital Management (NML Capital) gained an injunction from the Ghanaian Commercial Court to prevent the ship and its crew members from leaving the port. The arrest of the ship arises in the context of the sovereign debt moratorium announced by Argentina in 2001. NML Capital is the holder of Fiscal Agency Agreement ('FAA') bonds issued by Argentina, purchased at a discount on face value. In 2001, Argentina announced a temporary moratorium on principal and interest payments on public external debt, including the FAA bonds. In 2005 and 2010, Argentina initiated a restructuring of its debt, offering FAA bondholders the opportunity to exchange their defaulted bonds for new unsecured and unsubordinated external debt. The majority of bondholders participated in the exchange, accepting roughly 30 cents on the dollar for their FAA bonds. However, NML Capital held out on both the 2005 and 2010 debt restructurings. Before the Ghanaian Court, NML submitted that it is owed $370 million by Argentina (based on the outstanding principle plus interest). NML Capital has sued Argentina for face value of the bonds plus interest and has sought to enforce its debt in a variety of judicial fora around the world, including the UK Supreme Court, the Tribunal de Grande Instance de Paris and the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. On 11 May 2006, NML Capital was granted a summary judgment by the US District Court for the Southern District of New York for the principal amount of the bonds valued at $284,184,632.30, plus interest thereon. The UK Supreme Court decision in NML Capital v Argentina [2011] UKSC 31 recognised and declared enforceable the US judgment. Most recently, on 26 October 2012, in the case of NML Capital Ltd v Republic of Argentina , the US Court of Appeal for the 2nd Circuit ruled that Argentina had improperly discriminated against NML Capital by giving priority to the payment of bondholders who had entered the 2005 and 2010 debt swaps. Argentina claims that the order of the Ghanaian court is in violation of international law and, in particular, of the immunities enjoyed by warships. Article 32 of UNCLOS provides "With such exceptions as are contained in subsection A and in articles 30 and 31, nothing in this Convention affects the immunities of warships and other government ships operated for non-commercial purposes." Under the terms and conditions governing the bonds held by NML Capital (as quoted in the UK Supreme Court judgment), Argentina waived sovereign immunity in relation to execution of judgments by bondholders as follows: "To the extent that the republic ... shall be entitled, in any jurisdiction ... in which any ... other court is located in which any suit, action or proceeding may at any time be brought solely for the purpose of enforcing or executing any related judgment, to any immunity from suit, from the jurisdiction of any such court ... from execution of a judgment or from any other legal or judicial process or remedy, and to the extent that in any such jurisdiction there shall be attributed such an immunity, the republic has irrevocably agreed not to claim and has irrevocably waived such immunity to the fullest extent permitted by the laws of such jurisdiction ... solely for the purpose of enabling ... a holder of securities of this series to enforce or execute a related judgment." The Ghanaian Court held that this wording clearly amounted to a waiver of sovereign immunity by Argentina. Since the Argentine application to ITLOS has yet to be published, the Argentine position on this waiver remains unclear. Presumably, Argentina will argue that sovereign immunity of warships is unwaivable and that the waiver in the bond conditions does not apply to warships. It will be interesting to see how Argentina supports this argument. Comments JP Selwyn Thursday, 15 November 2012 Whilst this is a 'legal' article, allow me to add a comment on the 'economics' side of this case. Whilst what NML has done is completely legal, it is highly un-ethical and probably immoral. They bought discounted bonds, and some of them enjoyed outrageous interest payment (to a total many times over their investment) precisely because they were very risky. If they wanted certainty, they should have bought US Treasury bonds at 1%, not the 21% paid by Argentina! In addition, looking at the human cost of the Argentine collapse, they should have taken the money when it was offered, which was still more than what they had paid for it. Just sayin..


Know your ISP. 3 tell me it's because they are now using Vodaphone towers primarily and roaming onto Vodaphone. I don't understand why it's roaming if the the primary network and the roaming network are both vodaphone. Furthermore I don't see that thier suggestion of moving my contract to vodaphone will help. Any thoughts? I'd rather move over to telstra but I still have 10 months left on my contract. So 3 customers still on contract will continue to roam to Telstra until the contract finishes? Telstra roaming will be available to at least April 2013, until the Optus JV (with Vodafone) takes off ie: Voda 2G default -> Telstra NextG Once 3GIS shuts shop at the end of this month, Vodafone will be the HOME network, then you'll roam to Telstra (considering your in a coverage area with a compatible handset) when no Vodafone coverage is available. Be aware of the data charges when roaming onto Telstra (50c per MB, not included in any allowance/cap or data pack) I had the same issue and since last 2 days $$$ on pending bill start going up, I called overseas shit CC and found out that its because I am still a 3 customer and vodafone is my roming network so I will charged for data roaming everytime i used data on vodafone network. the sollution they gave me was to change my mobile service provider to vodafone, I took it seriously and changed it to TPG ;-) ... found out that its because I am still a 3 customer and vodafone is my roming network so I will charged for data roaming everytime i used data on vodafone network. Happy Dude told you yesterday that using data while connected to the Voda network does not incur any extra charge. 3 customers will only be charged extra for data if they consume it while connected to a Telstra network. using data while connected to the Voda network does not incur any extra charge. 3 customers will only be charged extra for data if they consume it while connected to a Telstra network. Given that my phone displayed ` roaming' when it was on 3 but connected to Voda, and I had ` use data when roaming' off so as not to incur charges to Telstra, how are the users supposed to tell the difference -- and be able to use their service properly when on Voda.? It wouldn't do that. If it displayed "Roaming", you were connected to Telstra. When the changeover first happened, I realised because my phone showed ` roaming' I checked what provider I was connected too, and the phone informed me I was on Vodaphone. When I went back to the home screen I was still on `roaming.' The phone at this location, with a flaky 3 signal that would fail by my bed, had _never_ gone to roaming before. I'm quite ready to accept that it wasn't _supposed_ to show Voda as roaming. This was on an Acer Liquid Metal. It may be a frunction of the phone. It certainly was what occured. Try taking the simcard out and doing it. Or swap in a different simcard from a different carrier. Thanks for that advice. Turned the phone off, took out the SIM and still no carrier option. Turned it off again, reinserted the SMI and voila....we have the "carrier" option, but only at the turn on stage. After that, no carrier option.....even after repeating the process. I find its better not to put your phone in.. .then you can see the full range of frequencies available in the area and ascertain whether upgrading your phone (to 850 3G for example) may make a difference. Or put in a quad 3G phone. All SIMs issued by 3 were capable of OTA update. As I said before, it doesn't matter how old it is. It is quite possible that the update fails and if that's the case, Care can try the OTA again manually -- or just get a new SIM. *lol* You're most welcome. Your logic is also wonderful. Even though the Carrier has a clearly stated contract condition, the fact that a phone has a function, which you've misinterpreted in any case, obviously overrides that. NO -- the operator has an option -- the user can roam onto Telstra, however data is charged at a high rate when they do so. The phone the carrier sells has a function -- the user must turn on roaming for data. It is called ` Data Roaming' -- subtext ` Connect to a data service when roaming.' When the phone on 3 is connected to Telstra, it informs the user it is roaming. We now have a phone that offers the ability to toggle data when roaming and is roaming. Apparently, from what you tell us, 3 chose to ignore this, and allow data to flow. We now have the situation [on your planet] where not only is the user culpable, ignorant and fully liable for the charges incurred by an action they took reasonable steps to avoid, but the phone manufacturer and programmers as also rather mischievous and foolish. We could, and I imagine the assessors at the TIO, would, in the event of any dispute, look at the arguments, who stands to profit from such a situation, and assess the situation accordingly. However you dice it, you are stating that, on 3, that function doesn't work. _If_ so, then that is unacceptable, and clearly misleading. We could, and I imagine the assessors at the TIO, would, in the event of any dispute, look at the arguments, who stands to profit from such a situation, and assess the situation accordingly. It's listed in your contract and SFOA that 3 may use the services of another network to provide you with network access to services and that rates may vary. You are warned at signup and you can always refuse to sign if you do not agree with the t&c's laid out infront of you -- and walk away to another carrier If roaming is such a problem, why stay with 3? (ps -- Telstra are the ones who make the most out of data roaming. Take it up with them for not offering Hutchison/VHA a cheaper wholesale rate?) It is -- my part in this is when I commented that the first time my phone had shown ` roaming' was when it first went onto the Voda network [according to the carrier and signal strength reported by it]. David stated that was impossible. I observed that that was what appeared to have happened. My second point, raised on that, is that a person who had taken reasonable steps for their phone _not_ to use data when roaming has a reasonable expectation that the data use would not occur. All the spin and pointing to the `conditions of the contract' do not affect that. However, feel free to quote them. I'll take them at their face value.:-) NO -- the operator has an option -- the user can roam onto Telstra, however data is charged at a high rate when they do so. So there's the basic misunderstanding. You think that Telstra roaming is being offered as an option. It's not. When you're in a location with no "3" (that now means Voda) coverage but where Telstra coverage exists and is available to 3 customers, then you'll connect via Telstra. No choice. This was explained in the contract. The phone the carrier sells has a function -- the user must turn on roaming for data. It is called ` Data Roaming' -- subtext ` Connect to a data service when roaming.' That's your subtext. The function actually disallows data when connected to a non-home network. Telstra is a home network for 3 customers. In any case, this is a really stupid argument. Do you think you're the first 3 customer in the nearly 10 years the Telstra network agreement has been in place to be caught with high excess data costs because they didn't understand the contract they signed? Whirlpool has many threads on the subject. It's really simple to avoid these costs: swap to Vodafone or some other carrier. Are you sure you're not connected to Telstra? What handset do you have? What networks are in your network list, and which one are you connected to? I am using Samsung Galaxy S2. I am not sure what network my phone is connecting and that is the help I was looking from 3 Tech support, but the only option they offered me is to have my services moved to Vodafone and that was not acceptable solution to me, considering the over service I moved to vodafone 3 months back had lots of issues and their customer service is the worst I have ever seen. There for I am moved on from 3/vodafone now :-) Switching to vodafone is not an option for me due to some unpleasant recent experience. Hence the second part of my statement (which wasn't addressed to you anyway). You were very non-specific about your problems other than lots of issues so I can't comment on that and Voda's service is conducted in the same way by the same people as 3 -- so it's hard to guess what suddenly got your goat there either. You were very non-specific about your problems other than lots of issues so I can't comment on that and Voda's service is conducted in the same way by the same people as 3 -- so it's hard to guess what suddenly got your goat there either. Well there are too may issues, the most annoying one is that what customer service staff says is different to what Vodafone shop staff says and this has happens to me few times in last few weeks, also, I had to go through changing 3 instrument in my first 8 weeks which was lots of pain due to contradicting statements by the staffs. Any ways, its no more an issue for me as one of my service is no longer with them so pain is only  . Three set up their simcard and networking arrangement so that when it roams to Telstra the phone is NOT informed that it in fact roaming. They have just renamed "Telstra" to "Roaming". Sure it's a little misleading, if you're just looking at your phone settings at face value. It's always been the worst thing about 3. "Fake" roaming tags make data use very expensive (unless you manually initated data and checked things yourself). Telstra was probably quite happy with the arrangement, but I wonder if 3/Voda tried to fix it. If you didn't need data then the 3 coverage combining 3GIS, Telstra & Vodafone was quite extensive and no hidden costs. If your phone could have turned off data when on Telstra it would've been brilliant.


...Breastfeeding Only Works For A Few Weeks. "But you need this -- how else are you going to feed your baby?  Breastfeeding only works for a few weeks." -- Postpartum nurse after chasing the mother down the hallway after discharge.  The mother had left the formula gift bag in the room. Wow, this is a very sad comment if this nurse really believes this. Besides, even if this were the case, does this nurse think the mother would be incapable of going to the store and buying formula if she wanted? This baby would starve without the all-important sample sized can. "...and here's how we make sure! Studies show that receiving samples of formula reduces duration and exclusivity of breastfeeding. You wouldn't want to miss out on this sample and risk meeting your own breastfeeding goals, would you?!" Bahahahahhaha! So before the invention of formula, all the babies in the human race starved to death after a few weeks, when breastfeeding stopped working. Oh, wait... Oh well, we modern day women must just have mutated boobs that stop producing milk around week 3 Yeah, whenever I hear these kind of comments I have a barely resistable urge to say something incredibly sarcastic like: so you think the world sprang into existance in the 1940?s huh? Wow, and they call Biblical Creationists 'Young Earthers'. Then I must have 5 zombie babies who were all breastfed at least a year. And really "How else are you going to feed the baby?" Does that nurse really think that the tiny sample of formula is going to feed the baby for any substantial length of time? If mom is going to formula feed she is going to have to go to the store to buy formula whether she takes the stupid bag or not. I'm laughing at the visualization of a nurse dashing through the L&D unit with an outstretched hand holding the oh-so-important formula bag, jumping over isolettes and sliding foot first into the elevator to give the mother her life saving 12oz. of free formula. Wow, good thing she was on shift today or else this mother would have been sent into the big cruel world with only her breasts to nourish her child. I agree with the suggestion to send a letter. The nurse may be assuming the mother is going to go back to work full-time in a few weeks, but the way it's said, the nurse has communicated a belief that breasts only produce milk for a month or two at the most. You gotta wonder how we managed to survive as a species and live on this planet for as long as we have if that were the case. All babies would've died and we wouldn't be here to have this conversation, would we? The more I read this site and my own background in medicine tells me that people just don't THINK anymore. Even if this was true, why on earth couldn't the mother just drive to the nearest Wal-Mart and buy a can of formula? I think the lack of logic behind the "this goody bag of formula will sustain your child for the first year of his/her life" bugs me more than the "breastfeeding only works for a few weeks" nonsense! Icon Search the Site My OB Said What?!? The purpose of this site is to capture the crazy but true comments said to birthing women by doctors, midwives, doulas, lactation consultants, and childbirth educators when they are having their babies! Got a "My OB Said WHAT?!?" to share?? Send them to submissions@myobsaidwhat.com . And watch this site for more unbelievable but true comments said to women as they birth their babies!


the freedom to say whatever you want, write whatever you want, make movies about anything you want, etc. has it gone too far? Do you think we would have a more civilized society with a little censorship? People need to use more discretion as to what they print. Just because a person can do something, doesn't mean they should. We have that right for a reason, but some rights can and are being abused. I am typically against censorship, but with the way are society is declining, I think the only way we can start to get back on track is by pulling in the reigns a bit. There are some movies/videos/tv shows which i believe have a lower rating than they should eg PG 13 when there are sex scenes in a movie, shouldnt this be a higher rating? Also you often see movies on tv in nz which have nudity and sex etc but at the start of the movie this isnt always stated it might just say violence etc and parental guidence is advised. I think these types of things need to have a tighter net so that we can get the propert warning before choosing to tune in with our younge family or not. Im by no means a prude, but belive its out right to be informed so we can make the best decicions for ourselves as to what we want to watch. side censorship issue would be some music videos which are out there these days which have fully topless woman in them rubbing on each other. shouldnt these be censored instead of being shown during day hours? perhpas these should be shown later or "rude bits" blurred during "children"hours? Its not what id want my young neices looking at thats for sure. Censorship a very broad topic. There are so many different kinds of censorship put in place for many different reasons under many different agendas. It's not a question like what toothpaste do you use? This is why I haven't commented so far and am unlikely to do so unless I have enough spare time to write a decent and honest, thought-out personal response. I like to think about this sort of topic before giving my opinion rather than just plunging in. Perhaps a little more positive censorship would benefit society. So much of the aberant behaviour we see in the youth today seems to be a reflection of the behaviour portrayed in third rate videos. Trouble is, who sets the bench mark? And how do we censor the internet? I am in favor of our rating system, but not censorship. People can choose not to watch if they are given informed information about the content of a program. Generally people in favor of censorship are so because they think the material will negatively effect other people. No one ever says "Oh, I can't watch that because I think it will inspire me to go out and commit crime" do they. I agree Fiona. No one can make informed decisions without some information on which to base them. It's setting acceptable guidelines that seems to be the problem. Still most censorship is for not aimed at adults, but at younger people and children. I think information, along with the free will to choose, is the way to go. I think thats what God seems to have gone for! I dont like to see evil or disturbing things myself, and I like to be able to choose to avoid them. I choose to watch and listen to positive things myself. Perhaps alongside the age ratings we could have a good cheer factor!


Interview: Diane Gaston, author of 'Born to Scandal' Tags 11:41PM EST November 13. 2012 - Diane Gaston grew up with a head full of romantic stories and yet never imagined being a writer until she read a really bad best seller -- and decided she could do better. Now Gaston is a successful author of Regency romance with numerous awards to her name, including the 2006 RITA award for best Regency romance. We tracked her down to chat with her about Born to Scandal , her latest release, and to find out just what happens in a woman's life when she decides to pursue the things that make her happy. Pamela: Welcome back to HEA, Diane! You had a career as a mental health worker before you were published in romance. Do you think that foundation and your understanding of the complexity of human emotion and interaction have helped you in your writing? Diane: Hi, Pamela! It is delightful to be at Happy Ever After again. Thank you so much for having me. I know without a shadow of a doubt that my career as a mental health worker has helped me understand the complexity of human emotion. I was privileged to learn this from my clients. Another thing they taught me was the resilience and strength of the human spirit, even in face of enormous hardship and pain. My clients taught me what drives human behavior, what people need and what they fear. My child and family clients gave me a good sense of how a person's early life experiences and family relationships affect later behavior and emotions. Pamela: Although your master's work was in psychology and social work, your undergraduate degree was in English literature. Among the authors you enjoyed were Jane Austen and later Georgette Heyer. When did you realize that you wanted to leave mental health work and write romance? Diane: First I must confess that I never even heard of Georgette Heyer (or Regency romance) before I started writing. It still amazes me that I never read Heyer when I was young. I would have loved her books! When I was an English major in college, I never, ever thought I would be a writer. The only writing course I took was basic composition. I was an English major because I loved reading and I hadn't yet discovered psychology. In college I read Thomas Hardy and D.H. Lawrence. And Austen. When I was a mental health therapist, also raising children, also studying for a master's in social work, I didn't have time to read for pleasure. By the time I earned my MSW and my social work license, my children were old enough to be a bit independent. I suddenly had time on my hands. I started reading again, and I read a runaway best seller that I thought was dreadful. Any romance I'd ever read was light years better than that book. I thought, if this author's book can make the best-seller list, maybe I can write a book. It also helped that a friend of mine had gone back to college to get a degree in creative writing. She kinda normalized the idea of writing for me. I never considered writing anything but romance, though. It was what I loved to read. I'd always had romantic stories running around in my head, so I just dared to write them down. Pamela: I think it's incredible that the day you retired was also the day you got "The Call." It seems like destiny. Can you tell us about that experience? I can't imagine how that must have felt. Diane: It wasn't quite that serendipitous, but almost. I made the decision to retire and that next week I got The Call. The truly amazing event was how I made the decision to retire. I happened to be instant messaging at the same time as an Australian friend who is very spiritual. We never IM'd before, nor have we since. She convinced me to follow my dream, to retire even though I'd not sold yet. She convinced me that God wanted me (and all of us) to be happy. In my mind I made the decision right then and there. I worked another six months after that day. Two weeks after I retired, I took my first trip to England, a Regency tour designed for writers, and while there went to the Mills and Boon offices in Richmond to meet with my editors. Pamela: As an author, you've written about the gritty underside of the Regency period, taking risks by depicting characters normally shunned by respectable society -- prostitutes, for example -- with depth and compassion. What led you to write those kinds of stories? Diane: The dark, gritty side of the Regency really captures my imagination. There is something that captivates me about the contrast between the wealth and beauty and privilege of the aristocracy and the darker side of war, gambling, prostitution, poverty. I think there is more emotion and potential conflict in the darker sides of the Regency, as there always is in places of suffering. I also love to give characters who ordinarily wouldn't have a happy ever after their happy ever after. Pamela: How do you research those parts of Regency history and culture? Typically speaking, history favors recording the lives and actions of the powerful, not the marginalized. Is historical research something you enjoy? Diane: I am surprised how much I love the research! I've amassed a whole library of research books and I have become rather skilled at researching online. Information about the darker side of the Regency is harder to find, but there has been a great deal written about the Regency and a lot of primary sources still available, both in print and online. One of my favorite sources is the Annual Register , thanks to my friend, Kathryn Caskie who found two shabby sets of the books for the years 1810 to 1820 and sold one of them to me. The Annual Register has a chronology of news events throughout the year. Murders. Crimes. Storms. Shipwrecks. It is a gold mine. Google Books now has some of the Annual Registers online, by the way. Pamela: What a terrific source for a writer! What are the essential qualities a man must possess to be a hero in one of your books? How about a heroine? Diane: My Regency heroes must, above all things, be honorable. They do the right thing, no matter what, although what he believes is the right thing may not be what society tells him. They are strong and protective -- and I also like to make them tortured in some way. My Regency heroines must be strong, independent women, which goes a bit against the norm for women in that time in history. I want them to act on their own behalf, not just passively accept whatever men decide for them. Pamela: Tell us about Born to Scandal, your Nov. 20 release. Diane: Born to Scandal is my homage to Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre . Like Jane Eyre , it is a governess story complete with secrets and betrayals. The Marquess of Brentmore -- half Irish peasant, half English aristocrat -- grew up under a cloud of scandal. Even money and a title aren't enough to stay the wagging tongues of the Ton. But he's vowed that his children will never experience the same stigma. After the death of their infamous mother, they need a reputable governess. Anna Hill is too passionate, too alluring, but she fills Brentmore Hall with light and laughter again -- and its master with feelings he's forgotten. But even if he dared risk the gossip of a lord marrying a governess, Anna's birth is even more scandalous than his own. Pamela: Sounds captivating! What topics did you find yourself researching for this book? Diane: I researched the role of governesses, Regency-era toys, kitchen gardens, Irish tenant farms, Irish legends, Ingatestone Hall, the model for Brentmore Hall, Gunter's Tea Shop, and a variety of other small things. Pamela: Regency-era toys! I love it. Those kinds of details are precious in a story and bring such life to the pages. What can your devoted fans look forward to getting from you next year? Diane: Next for me is a two-book series: The Masquerade Club ... identities concealed; desires revealed. The first book, A Reputation for Notoriety , will be released June 2013. Someone is trying to sabotage the gaming hell the illegitimate Rhys Marrick runs for his biological father in return for his father's public acceptance. Is it Celia Gale, the secretive woman with a need for revenge whom Rhys hired to induce gentlemen to gamble and who is quickly winning his jaded heart? Little does he know how entwined their lives already are and how much more entwined by passion they will become. Pamela Clare is an award-winning journalist and nationally best-selling author of both historical romance and contemporary romantic suspense. She loves coffee, the Colorado mountains, and her two grown sons. Her website is PamelaClare.com .


How to Work with the Psychopath-in-Chief And now for the latest "no-duh" news: According to a recent study in Behavioral Sciences and the Law, bosses are four times more likely to be psychopathic than the average worker. That's hardly shocking. In fact, the real news should be that somewhere, somebody has found a boss that isn't psychopathic. Our workplaces choose the craziest people to lead us precisely because they are psychopaths, a condition that brings lots of great business attributes with it: viciousness, narcissism, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and wild mood swings, to name a few. And those who aren't psychopaths when they become bosses? The job turns them into one. Psychopaths have gotten a bad rap in recent years because a very small percentage of them, you know, kill people. Unfortunately, that's made problems for the friendly, witty, hard-working psychopaths who run our corporations, universities, and nation. None of them are likely to kill people. They simply go about their business, being charming when they need to be and ruthless when necessary. They are not troubled by doubts about themselves or their future, and they have no conscience. In short, these folks are everything a successful businessperson should be, and they have a tremendous leg up on those who are not psychopaths. Which is why, in the evolutionary sense, they are selected to be our bosses so much of the time. The good news for those of you non-psychopaths is that madness conveys weakness as much as strength. And the thoughtful, savvy, strategic person who does not have the benefit of being crazy can manipulate the boss who is. Use these tools to deal with the psycho in charge. 1. Listen Up The psychopath relates well to the people who can put up with his incessant, ongoing ruminations about himself. In my career, I've enjoyed the company of many psychopaths who rattle on for hours about whatever is roiling around inside them. I listen. And somewhere in there, as I'm listening, I manage to tease out a duty, an objective, a thing to do . Psychopaths very often have ideas that need help being actualized. If you listen well enough, you can help make your boss's dreams come true -- and reap the benefits. MORE USEFUL STUFF 2. Use Your Lever One of those classy Greek dudes said it: Give me a lever long enough and I will move the world. The corporate strategist puts it another way: Give me a boss who's crazy enough and I will control the organization. History is chock full of Rasputins who had a merry time while their psychopath was bouncing off the walls. When President Nixon was bubbling and fulminating in the Oval Office, it was two canny ad-men who ran much of the nation's business. Because everybody in the organization fears the psychopath, you carry that fear in your arsenal of corporate weapons every time you emerge from his office and into the world. 3. Beat Him at His Own Game The one thing that may be most difficult for you, and most necessary, is to learn one crucial lesson: The psychopath is all about himself. You cannot beat, manipulate or otherwise manage a psychopath by going up against him self-for-self. You have to step away from yourself -- your feelings, fears, and ambitions -- and approach the psychopath as a cool, focused, selfless embodiment of Duty. I know that sounds like a crock, but believe me, it works. It's like Jiu-Jitsu. Your power is not in your weight and size. It's in the way you use the weight and size of the monster's madness against himself. In that war, your coldness and sagacity is your best offense. I guess that makes you a bit a psychopath, too, doesn't it? Good for you.


Posted in: Guides The single player campaign in Call Of Duty: Black Ops 2 has eleven total missions: each mission has a set of ten challenges that can be completed. You'll be rewarded after you complete two and then 5 of the challenges but if you're a true completionists, you probably want to complete all of them. And here we are to help you in this task! Remember to take the Access kit with you since you may need to access all of the areas for each mission. Eliminate 15 enemies with the pulwar sword Destroy an helicopter with a mortar shot Destroy the tank with an anti-tank mine Run over ten enemies while horseback Destroy an helicopter with a truck mounted machine gun Destroy 4 helicopter at North Pass Destroy an helicopter by using a Stinger without aircraft lock on Eliminate 25 enemies using Stinger's alternate fire method Collect all intel Get a 100% survivability rating


Promote Advertisement Britain stun Brazil in front of record home crowd Brazil's Marta (R) dribbles the ball against Britain's Alex Scott during their women's Group E football match at the London 2012 Olympic Games at Wembley stadium in London July 31, 2012. REUTERS/Paul Hackett LONDON (Reuters) - Britain secured a remarkable 1-0 win over Olympic gold medal contenders Brazil at Wembley on Tuesday in front of the biggest crowd to watch a women's football match in the country. LONDON (Reuters) - Britain secured a remarkable 1-0 win over Olympic gold medal contenders Brazil at Wembley on Tuesday in front of the biggest crowd to watch a women's football match in the country. The victory, thanks to Steph Houghton's brilliantly-taken second minute goal, meant Britain finished top of the group having won all three matches without conceding a goal and will now face Canada in the quarter-finals at Coventry on Friday. Brazil also qualified for the last eight and will play world champions Japan in their last eight match in Cardiff on the same evening. Britain, who are also emerging as real medal contenders, took the lead 90 seconds into the game when Brazil failed to clear a corner and the ball eventually fell to Houghton, who showed some superb skill to turn the defender and score from an acute angle. Left back Houghton also scored in the 1-0 win against New Zealand in Britain's opening game and in the 3-0 win over Cameroon. Her goal against Brazil brought 70,584 fans to their feet - a record crowd for a women's match in Britain, beating the old record of 53,000 which was set at a women's club match 92 years ago. It was also only 6,000 shy of the Olympic record of 76,489 set when the United States beat China in the 1996 final. The atmosphere in the stadium was totally different to the usual one at either an England international or Cup Final and was far more relaxed, with the crowd largely appreciating the skills of both teams in a very sporting, Olympian manner. And there was plenty to be impressed with as Brazil came back looking for an equaliser and going close when Alex Scott was forced to head against her own post after pressure from Marta and Cristiane. Britain though, were often quicker to the ball than Brazil and should have doubled their lead after 56 minutes when Francielle tripped Eni Aluko to concede a clear penalty. But Kelly Smith's left-footed spot-kick was a poor one, lacking pace and accuracy and Brazil keeper Andreia scrambled it away down to her left.


Now imagine how many of those signs could go up in the line of Hurricane Sandy. Even as hundreds, perhaps thousands, are still displaced from their neighborhoods, an act-alike Facebook page has caught the attention of the media, and a warning -- it's equally touching and heartbreaking to visit. Hurricane Sandy Lost and Found Pets , established the day before Sandy made landfall in the U.S., doesn't recommend any particular charity deserving your dollars, nor take donations. (Refreshing a week before Election Day, isn't it?) It exists solely to create a place where people can post photos of lost and found pets in affected areas, as well as animals shelters in need and temporary shelters that allow animals. For example, all 76 evacuation shelters in New York City accepted pets, as did the city's subways, trains and taxi rides, according to USA Today . It's a good sign that lessons were learned from Hurricane Katrina, which left an estimated 250,000 pets stranded when pets weren't factored into the rescue plan, as explained by Modern Dog Magazine . Cats, dogs, a good number of birds are all listed among the missing from Sandy. But there are the happy stories, too, if you look. The photo used for this column , of a dog found in Patchogue, on the South Shore of Long Island, New York, is one of them. Posted Friday and shared 11, 144 times by mid-Sunday, its comment stream ends with a link to this follow-up post . "UPDATE: REUNITED WITH HIS OWNER! His name is Kodi!" You've gotta see the before and after pictures. So many more continue to need help, on this and a few more targeted other pages, first glance is discouraging. Then you wrap your head around all the people mobilizing for the animals. And as if on cue, Sistercat leaps onto my lap and drapes herself over my belly, reminding me to be grateful we're all safe and sound, and that maybe an extra treat today wouldn't be completely out of order either.


Line to take For all exceptions other than that provided by regulation 12(5)(a), the duty to confirm or deny still always applies whether or not the information, if held, would be disclosed. Further Information In the Freedom of Information Act, the duty to confirm or deny is clearly set out in s1(1)(a), which provides that, "Any person making a request for information to a public authority is entitled to be informed in writing by the public authority whether it holds information of the description specified in the request." Section 1(6) provides that it be called "the duty to confirm or deny." In relation to most of the exemptions, if complying with the duty would itself engage the exemption (whether or not the information is actually held), subject to the public interest test where applicable, the duty does not arise. The EIR do not set out the duty to confirm or deny in the same way. However, regulation 12(6) states that where the disclosure of information would adversely affect any of the interests referred to regulation 12(5)(a) (international relations, defence, national security or public security) and would not be in the public interest, a public authority can respond by neither confirming nor denying that the information exists and is held. This implies that, for all other exceptions, public authorities may not respond in this way. In other words, in practice, the duty to confirm or deny does exist for all other environmental information in all circumstances, including where the disclosure of the information itself is not required.


One Direction's Niall 'Is In Love With Local Girl' His dad blabs about 'childhood sweetheart' in magazine interview... One Direction star Niall Horan is in love with a local girl, his father Bobby has revealed to the world. The 18-year-old may well be giving his dad an earful after seeing that he has told the world about his childhood sweetheart in the Irish town of Mullingar, County Westmeath. His dad Bobby told Heat magazine: "There's a local girl that Niall loves. I know he thinks of her as his sweetheart." "She's very attractive, and they're close, but I don't know whether he's made any advances on her yet. I'm not going to embarrass her by giving her name, though. "She would stand her ground with any of these beautiful celebrities. She's a brunette with big brown eyes and pale skin like Niall's. She's from the town but the other end to us, and I always knew Niall has big feelings for her." Bobby continued to pile on the awkwardness for poor Niall, as he went on to discuss teenager's love life with the world. The 51-year-old butcher said: "He never really brought girls home. He had some girls that were friends and they would all sit on the wall outside together, but that was all. "He's never had a real girlfriend... He went to an all-boys school so it was hard to meet girls, but that's certainly changed now. "I don't believe he's a virgin. I couldn't say, and I wasn't in the house all the time, so I don't really know what went on when I wasn't there."