#so theres no way we can reach in time with public transport
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Just Another Class Trip :) Part 6
Marinette goes on a nice peaceful trip to the pool. Me? sarcasm? how dare you sir!
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“Did you find what you were looking for Marinette?” Kagami asks oh so foolishly.
“Kagami look into my eyes and ask me that again,” Marinette dares, her eyes red rimmed with bags underneath bigger than Chloe's luggage.
“... You found your glasses?”
“Never mind,” She sighs, finishing the rest of her coffee, “At least that one isn't missing,”
“I thought you only wore them as M-you-know-who,” Chloe whispers, a purposeful look towards Lila’s posse leading the way to the bus.
“Just wanted to try them out without a mask,” She brushes off easily, she needed to be able to transport back to Paris at any time after all.
“Oh it was just terrible!” Lila cries, capturing the attention of everyone surrounding her.
“Did she finally hear a recording of herself?” Chloe scoffs, making Adrien shush her and Marinette crack a smile.
“This Starling kidnapped and tortured me for information,”
If only I had
“Luckily Batman was there to save me, but I knew he would be,” Lila croons, the class fretting over her all the while, “He was probably searching furiously the second I didn’t return his call,”
“When did she get Batman’s phone number?” Chloe whispers to her.
“No idea, think she’d give it to me?” Marinette smirks.
“Oh sure I bet it's 3825968,” Chloe laughs at her own joke.
Marinette doesn't get it but Kagami starts laughing, so she moves to stand next to Adrien while they share a moment.
“Any idea?”
“Not really,”
They reach the door going through it to find Gotham in the nice peaceful state it's always been.
Just kidding, lights start flashing in their faces and everyone around them is yelling. Lila of course tries to take this opportunity to get attention. To Marinette's great delight they push right past her, and to her horror opt to shove a million microphones in her face.
“Miss Wayne were you adopted?!”
“Yes but-” the cameras start flashing and the yelling increases tenfold.
“When?! How long ago!?!”
“A baby I guess?” She hadn't known her birth parents after all.
“How have you stay'n out of the public's eye for so long?”
By not being like Lila for one
“Mari I don’t think you’re talking about the same thing,”
“Yeah thanks, I’m getting that Adrien,”
“Adrien Agreste? Are you two dating?!”
“Great,” She ignores them, instead whispering to Adrien, “From now on Buttercup will be your codename,”
“Cool,” He leans in to whisper in her ear, “But I don’t think that’s helping things,”
It’s at this point the cameras are going crazy taking a million pictures of the two whispering in each others ear, while Kagami and Chloe try to push them all back. The class follow behind just as confused. Madame Bustier is trying to reason with the crowd, trying to . They reach the curb, fighting not to be pushed onto the road by the crowd. A limousine pulls up and for a wonderful second Marinette thinks Liam has come to save her, the wonderful manager he is. Instead Alfred steps out, surprising to say the least. He ushers her inside and tells the rest of the class the bus will be through momentarily. Marinette slides into the car right next to Bruce Wayne… well.
“Hello again, I um…” Marinette thinks back to their last meeting, “I don’t think I actually told you my name,”
“No you didn’t,” Bruce chuckles, “And Selina has been avoiding me ever since,”
“Sorry, well I’m Marinette Dupain-Cheng Auntie Selina’s niece,” Marinette shakes his hand, “She didn’t tell me she was engaged,”
“Bruce Wayne, Selina didn’t tell me she had a niece,”
“Yeah, that's a bad habit isn't it?”
“Indeed,” Bruce pauses, both trying to reach for a conversation topic, “So you like fashion?”
She had said she would design her aunts wedding dress. She should probably double check that with the groom, whoops,
“I do I already sketched out some designs,” She takes out her sketchbook which has a good thirty pages dedicated to wedding dresses, “Oh you were probably going to hire a professional designer weren’t you?”
“We were considering MDC,”
“.... I think that’ll work out just fine either way,”
“Hm,” Bruce looks curiously at her as she hides away her sketch book, she would be using those designs either way.
“Anyway!” She changes the topic oh so subtly, “About those reporters…”
“Theres a certain rumour running rampant that you are a Wayne, after someone took a photo of you with my son at the airport,” Bruce explains, switching over to business mode in a heat beat, she could appreciate that, “We’ve been doing our best to contain it, but…”
“At the airport…” She mutters to herself, “Oh! Tim’s your son, that explains Alfred, that must mean Dick is too!... work at Wayne tower, yeah very funny,”
She tries not to roll her eyes at their understatement of the century, wasn't Tim Drake a CEO there?
“Impressive, have you met Damian too?” Bruce asks, a slight smile that would have called Kagami expressive.
“Not yet, but should I invest in a bingo card?”
“Maybe so,”
They fall into silence Marinette would usually hold polite conversation but her thoughts were in turmoil. Lila didn’t seem to know anything about the miraculous then again her interrogation was cut short by a certain someone . However Tikki had advised her against placing all the blame on Lila, she needed to consider other options as well. But who else could it be? she was in Gotham Hawkmoth couldn't reach her… unless he somehow...
“Marinette are you alright?”
Marinette startles look over at Bruce who is blurred by tears. She hadn't even realised she’d been crying.
“I-I’m sorry,” She hiccups trying fruitlessly to wipe away the tears, “I-it just…”
“It’s ok,” Bruce rubs her back comfortingly, but boy did he choose the wrong words.
“IT’S NOT OK!” Marinette yells not looking at anyone in the car, they didn’t matter, nothing else mattered, she had failed and people were going to suffer for it, “I left it behind! It’s all my fault! Now it’s GONE! It’s been stolen and I don’t know where it is!”
“What was stolen?” Bruce presses, getting over the shock of the polite and put together girl melting down into a puddle of sobs.
Now I’ve gone and messed up, time for a classic cover story and some half truths
“A good friend of mine gave me a very important jewellery box,” Marinette sighs, wiping the tears away and rebuilding herself, “It was stolen shortly after arriving in Gotham and I’ve been trying to find it,”
“Do you know who stole it?”
“I thought it was one of my classmates,” Marinette frowns, they should have certainly been there by now, “Still do honestly,”
“Which one?”
“Lila probably,” Marinette tries to keep her tone neutral, tries, “Brown hair that looks like sausages,”
Marinette could almost see the words ‘oh fuck’ written across his face.
“Miss Dupain-Cheng, we have arrived,” Alfred speaks up for the first time, not leaving her time to puzzle over the reaction, “Your class arrived some time ago,”
“How did that happen?” Marinette frowns, they should have arrived ages ago.
“Alfred must have taken the scenic route,” Bruce shrugs, acting like an innocent party in all this.
“Well then I guess I’ll see you for the wedding,” Marinette tries not to rush out of the car, certain her class or rather Lila would have caused some grief by now.
“I’ll make sure to send the invites to your family personally,” Bruce promises, shaking her hand before she can run off.
“And I’ll make sure Auntie Selina doesn’t destroy them,” Marinette smiles back brightly, she can see the concern for her all over Bruce's face but doesn't have time to reassure him.
Marinette walks into the indoor pool, knowing her luck the class was already inside. They were and the owner was not happy about it.
“First your class was late then you waltz in here late as well?” The manager berates her.
“I’m sorry sir,” Marinette tries to seem more sincere but her tardiness falls short on the things she has to worry about now.
“That class mate of yours came an yelled at me that one of our pools were dirty so we had to drain the whole thing,”
“Let me guess, sausage hair?” Marinette raises a bow, it really being all the energy she can put into the action.
“Yes,”
“Sorry sir I’ll talk with her,” Marinette promises, she slips into the changing rooms as they grumble about lazy employees.
There is absolutely no way Marinette was going to talk to Lila. She enters the changing room, a shower running somewhere. She tucks Tikki and Kaalki into her bag, Tikki had insisted she relax today, recharge and get ready to find the miraculous. She couldn’t find enough will to argue not after having to wake up in the middle of the night to fight an Akuma back in Paris.
She slowly changes into a red and orange ruffled one piece swimwear. She honestly just wanted to take a nap in here, hide away from the class and the well meaning questions from her friends. Instead she drags herself towards the shower, they are all open and there's someone towards the back standing underneath the spray in their bathers.
Something fires back at her to be careful, it puts her on edge but with miraculously potentially loose in Gotham city it’s no wonder her instincts are screaming at her. Instead she steps under the spray hoping to loosen up.
She doesn't, after standing there for ten minutes she still can’t relax. Maybe it’s the cold water, maybe its the other person. The were still standing there, they had been in the shower even before she entered the changing room. Marinette peaks over, they are still standing still, with their arm out… the same way they had been ten minutes ago.
“Are you ok?” Marinette calls, no answer, not even a twitch.
Marinette creeps over. They are standing stock still, she can’t see evidence of them so much as breathing.
“Hello,” Her voice echoes off the tiles, not a noise in the empty room besides from the shower running.
She is right behind them, they haven't even moved, arm still raised. She walks around to see their face. Frozen in a look of concentration, not so much as blinking with water running into their eyes. She follows their eyeline to see them peeling off dead skin from their arm, stretching towards their fingertips. There's a faint glow of yellow all around them, concentrated at their back.
Marinette steps away, walking out the showers, she closes the nearest door to find herself in the pool area. Her friends are on the other side. Kagami is dunking Adrien as Chloe waves her over. Marinette sprints over to them.
“No running!” The life guard yells.
But that doesn't matter, all that matters is that there is someone using the bee miraculous for evil, she has to stop them before they get another Hawkmoth. They probably have the whole miracle box! She'll need the back up.
“Mari-”
“Come with me,” She doesn't let them have another question helping Adrien out of the pool.
She pulls them along despite Chloe's protests, pushing them through the door.
“Mari what's-”
“Hush now Buttercup,”
“You were serious?” Adrien gasps, Chloe just giggles.
“Yes,” She walks over to the frozen body, “Look at this,”
“Whats-” Chloe pokes them, immediately recoiling, “The fuck?”
“They’re frozen,” Kagami does the same.
“We have to help them,” Adrien waves in front of their face, looking on in horror.
“We have to hide them,” Chloe pokes them again, getting slapped away by Kagami.
“We have to find the culprit,” Marinette races at the idea that this could be the Bee miraculous.
“We’ll do all three,” Kagami decides, getting their attention, “Now first let's put them in a stall so we don’t alarm anyone or the villain, then we need to look for clues,"
They all nod, Marinette turns the water off. Adrien tries to move their arm to no avail.
“Looks like we have to carry them,” Adrien suggests, he and Marinette each taking an arm.
“Ew, no I’m not touching it Buttercup!” Chloe cringes away, backing up as Kagami lifts a leg off the ground.
“Has that really stuck?” Adrien asks Marinette, as Kagami sends Chloe a powerful enough death glare to get her to help.
“You bet Buttercup,” Marinette grins, as they shuffle through the changing rooms to the toilet stalls.
“Fine then, I’m calling you Cupcake,” Adrien teases, sticking out his tongue.
“As you wish Buttercup,”
“Someone get the door,” Kagami commands.
“I will!” Chloe lets go of the leg, the body becoming no heavier.
They manage to fit them inside the stall without too much hassle.
“Who could have done this?” Adrien looks on sadly at the person, tilted at a slight angle to fit into the stall.
“I’ve been thinking,” Marinette speaks up, “If this is a villain it doesn't make much sense to attack a random person, and if they were trying to be stealthy they would have hidden the body,”
“They aren’t dead!” Adrien says aghast.
“Exactly, why wouldn’t a villain just kill them?”
“That's very dark of you Cupcake,” Kagami says, missing Adrien’s pout, “What’s your theory?”
“This is likely a new villain, one not ready to kill,” Marinette decides, not even blinking at the nickname, “They have something against the pool, they probably want to ruin its reputation,”
“You did say that this was a very safe pool for Gotham,” Chloe closes the stall door, “Minimal murders, so why would someone want to ruin it?”
“Insurance? Sick of their job?” Marinette’s eyes go wide in realisation, “The pool!”
She darts out the changing room the others close on her heels.
“No Running!”
“Where are we going!?”
“The manager said they were refilling the pool,”
“Why- oh my god,” Chloe gasps, overtaking the lot of them, “Run faster!”
They burst into another pool room, the pool noticeable empty with diving boards on the other end. They run to the edge of the pool. A frozen body wearing employee uniform frozen at the bottom the water slowly rising.
“Get them out! Get them out!”
Marinette jumps down into the pool, causing a splash, the water is up to her ankles, barely a centimeter from covering the person at the bottom. She runs over and tries to pull them up. Kagami makes a splash behind her running over to help. They drag the person, frozen in horror the yellow focused on their chest instead. The pool is far too deep to climb out of so they pass the body up to Adrien and Chloe.
“Who would do this?!” Adrien can just reach them when Marinette and Kagami lift the person over their heads.
“I heard the manager mutter about lazy employees,” Marinette gives one last push, Chloe and Adrien pull them up over the edge.
“So we have a suspect,” Kagami says, water rising up her leg, “We should check their office next,”
“Well, they went from no murder to yes murder in record time,” Chloe huffs, the employee safely to the side.
“It’s concerning, but they may have more of a grudge against them than the other person,” Marinette points Kagami towards the ladder to get out.
“More evidence towards the manager,” Kagami nods, letting her up the ladder first, “We should choose codenames if the manager is potentially familiar with us,”
“They did have the class roster,” Marinette nods along, then grins, “You should be Teacup!”
“Fine by me,” Kagami nods, not showing how happy she truly is with the nickname.
“Oh I want to be-” Chloe cuts herself off head snapping towards the door.
They hear scratching at the door, everyone tenses. Marinette crouches in a position to defend her friends. The door slowly creeps open and… a little snout pokes through followed by the rest of the dog.
“Is this what you wanted to see Cuppy?” A person wearing a lifeguard uniform follows in a second later.
“Excuse me is your dog named Cuppy?” Marinette plasters on a fake smile quickly pulling a nearby towel over the body.
“Yes it’s a weird name I know,”
“No! It’s perfect! On another note could we please borrow your dog?”
“Um... sure?”
“Thank you, we have to go! Careful the pool is empty!” She calls as they race out the room, the person tucked away out of sight, “Come on Cuppy!”
"NO RUNNING!"
The dog wags its tail following them out the pool area and through the changing rooms. They come to stand outside the staffroom door, dripping water on the carpet.
“Everyone ready?” Marinette asks, hand on the door, they nod and Cuppy lets out an 'off', the door slowly creaks open.
Marinette looks through to see, nothing, the hallway is desolate and dark.
“It’s safe,”
“You call that safe?” Adrien pokes his head through the door, followed by Chloe and Kagami.
“Be brave Buttercup be brave,” With that Chloe pushes him into the corridor.
They creep along the empty hallway, footsteps echoing around them. The manager's office door could be seen at the end of the hall. Gold color plate glinting in the few stray beams of light filtering through. Marinette could feel every hair stand on end, danger seeming to lurk from every shadow in the dark hall. The pressure of something ready to pounce and immobilise them at any moment hung heavy in the air, dragging them down into a pressure that-
“HIC!”
Everyone jumps out of their skins, Adrien actually hits the ceiling, rubbing his head on the way down. Kagami draws her sword, Marinette falls into a defensive position.
“Hic!”
“Chloe!
“I’m sorry! Hic! It’s not like I can help it! Hic,”
“Thats it! You’re Hiccup!” Kagami snaps, Marinette tries not to snort.
‘What?!” Chloe screeches stamping her foot, “No way!”
“Deal with it and lower your voices!” Marinette shouts, Cuppy barks along, “Not you too Cuppy?”
Another yip
“Traitor,”
“Cupcake stop picking fights with the dog and lets move on,” Adrien implores, still rubbing his head.
Marinette rolls her eyes speed walking to the manager's office before the tension rises again. The reach outside the door, Marinette counts down to three on her fingers and they burst through the door.
Inside is silent, the bright light blinds them for a second, she shuffles in front of her friends acting as a shield, waiting for them to adjust. When she does she sees the desk chair is turned away, Cuppy pads forward Marinette doesn't grab his collar in time.
He starts licking someone's hand, Marinette creeps around the desk, waiting for the hand to snap out and grab her. The others follow, surrounding the chair preparing to come face to face with the villain. She peeks around the edge they are sitting there, she freezes the others following her lead. A beat, another one, nothing. They’re frozen.
“It’s not the manager,” She relaxes, patting Cuppy’s head.
She lets out a sigh, releasing all her tension.
BAM
Turning around the door is slammed shut, a striped villain standing before it. They all drop into a fighting stance watching for the stinger on their right hand. Cuppy starts wagging his tail, trying to approach the villain.
“Cuppy no,” Marinette grabs his harness, bringing the Pitbull back.
“He’s my therapy dog,” The villain growls, Cuppy wagging his tail happily.
“Not a very good one is he?” Chloe sneers, looking the villain wearing her stripes up and down with disgust.
“Wait, you’re the lifeguard at the pool?” Marinette gasps, maybe she really shouldn't have run, “Why did you-”
“I work here, you can’t imagine the horrors I face every day, people are disgusting,” The villain shudders, this was the guy who stole the miracle box?
“Yes, but murder?” Kagami gets a nod from Chloe and hissed at by Adrien.
“My co workers are completely useless and the boss always yells at me,” A sinister smirk crosses their face, “Or at least they did,”
“So you thought murder before you thought quitting ,” Adrien points out, probably not the best time to imply a villain is stupid.
“I didn’t kill anyone,”
“Ah yeah thanks to us!”
“Shut up!” They lash out at Chloe, stinging her in a single strike.
“Run!” Marinette shouts, they all scatter.
Marinette dodges the first swipe, ducking down. They get distracted by Kagami lashing out. Marinette darts around them to get closer to the door, Kagami gets hit. Marinette reaches the door the villain comes after her, they are inches away. Adrien leaps in front of her, getting stung. With the distraction Marinette bursts out the door Cuppy on her heels.
“Traitor,” She sprints down the hall, “Did you know?”
Cuppy happily pants beside her. She can hear the villain banging around the corridor behind her and runs faster. She dodges into a room around the corner, hiding among the pool noodles. She sees the shadow pass under the door. Pause. She holds her breath intently watching the shadow, she has no one, not even Tikki. He heart beat rises, she can feel her breaths shorten, this is it, this is it, this is it, this is-
Something nuzzles her hand, she looks down to see Cuppy. He starts to lick her hand, letting her relax into it, focusing on him as the shadow continues on. With a sigh Marinette starts to take off her skirt, flipping it inside out to the cape side.
“You aren't going to tell anyone about this are you?” Marinette asks Cuppy, right before pulling up her mask, he lets out a happy bark, “Good boy,”
She sneaks out the room, looking up and down the clear hallway. She walks the opposite way of the office. She doesn't need to see her friends paralysed, she just needs to help them, she just needs to fix her mistake.
She reaches the pool area, hiding behind a lounge chair, watching through the slats as the villain gathers everyone together. Starling sneaks closer, Cuppy on her heels. There are several civilians, locals if their calm demeanour is anything to go by, although they do seem uneasy at an unknown villain. Her class is significantly less calm.
She had told them time and again that there was no coming back in Gotham, no miraculous cure. It seems for once they had decided to listen to her. Unfortunately they did not do well under pressure. Lila of course was aggravating the situation, making empty threats. The villain reared up to silence her and man, Marinette could relate.
“I don’t suppose I can wait a minute can I?” She whispers to Cuppy, he settle a paw on her knee, letting out a quiet whine, “I guess that’s a no,”
She runs up behind the villain, signalling the civilians to be quiet. Lila looks down at her, anger flashing over her face. Starling bears her teeth right back, she can just try it. Lila ultimately decides her life is more precious than petty revenge, a hard choice for her to be sure.
Starling stands up to her full height behind the villain tapping them on the shoulder. They turn around in surprise, to find her dazzling smile. But the real thing that makes them see stars is her right hook. As the fall Starling rips the bee miraculously right out of their hair, their transformation falling. Marinette stands above them as they detransform, Pollen hiding behind her. It makes her stomach churn watching them detransform, looking up at her with fear. The twisting of her insides lessens when Cuppy nuzzles up next to her. She busies herself with hiding the miraculous away.
“It’s them!” Lila screeches, ah now she can get to that petty revenge, “The one that kidnapped me!”
“Look what you did,” Staling bites instead, looking down at the villain.
“I had nothing to do with this!” Starling is highly entertained when Cuppy growls at Lila, actually getting her to back off.
“Sure you didn’t,” Starling openly rolls their eyes, grabbing the villain and hauling them up by their shirt, "Where is the rest!"
"I-I don't know what you're talking about!" She scowls, making them whimper, guess they really didn't know,
Shit
"Where did you get this?" She holds up the miraculous.
"I found it! it was just lying out on the street!"
Shit
"Did you see any others?!"
"No!" the blubber swearing by it and begging for mercy.
Shit
The police sirens can now be heard, Starling drops them and runs from the room.
“NO RUNNING!” She turns on her heel and glares down at the villain, “... sorry, it’s a reflex,”
She nods running from the room to change, grabbing her bag with Tikki and Kaalki on the way. After a small celebration at finding another miraculous and reunion with Pollen, they have to make a plan to find the other miraculous. They are cut short when sirens are heard outside. She wears the Bee miraculous under her ponytail, to keep it hidden from view.
When she is ready she goes to find her friends. They are outside talking to the police. Marinette only gets the chance to signal she’s ok before being intercepted by officers to get her statement. When she’s retold her account of trying to find the pool freezer she is finally allowed to check on her friends.
“Hey Cupcake, glad to see you missed all the fun,” Chloe teases.
“Sorry Hiccup,” Marinette looks her in the eye deadly serious grasping each shoulder, “You were an adequate shield,”
“Shut it,” Chloe pushes her away playfully.
“Teacup, Buttercup are you alright?”
“It was nothing,” Kagami assures.
“Didn’t you guys think their powers were a lot like Queen Bees?”
“You would know Hiccup,” She nudges Chloe playfully, “If it was I think we should keep that to ourselves, wouldn't want that information somehow getting back to Hawkmoth,”
She looks purposefully towards Lila, the others nod along.
“Still some random person now might have the miraculous,” Chloe glares down at the ground, “Can we really trust this Starling person,”
I mean no I'm operating on negative six hours of sleep, but also yes
“I don’t think we have much other choice,”
“Marinette,” She freezes at that familiar, low gravelly voice.
“Batman, sir,” She adds, trying to look like someone who wasn't chased down by him yesterday, “How can I help you?”
“I heard you knew the most about this villain,” How did she get in trouble for interrogating Lila when this is how he talks to civilians.
“Not really I just found someone paralysed and tried to find the culprit,” Marinette shrugs, hoping her friends wouldn't point out that she is lying to The Batman.
“You didn’t call the police,”
Well thats a good point, not that I would have
“... To be honest it absolutely did not occur to me,”
“These abilities were spontaneous and now they seem to be gone,” Batman points out, damn he already knows too much, “Do you know what caused this?”
“I do not,”
“Very well,” Batman nods turning away, “Go to your class,”
“Yes sir,” Marinette walks away far too quickly.
How was she going to search the city with that hunting her down?!
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Cold Snap: Chapter 1
I’m back, again, hopefully a bit more consistently. This time returning to the world of Anna Swift with a story that’s been an idea for almost 2 years but couldn’t quite come together. No resus in this part, just setting up the scene, but I hope you enjoy.
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Shona dragged her large suitcase up the ramp and onto the lower deck of the old water taxi. It had become almost like an old friend to her over the last few years, the point of seperation between home and college. She turned and waved to her parents, who stood back on the quay, watching thier daughter leave for the last semester of her college life. In truth she wasn't going all that far. Only a dozen or so miles as the crow flies, and within the limits of the same greater city area. But while the city had grown and expanded to absorb her old home town as a mere suburb, the city's transport links had not kept pace. While the rail network ran along each side of the river, it didn't cross at this end of the city. There were plans for new bridges, but they never materialised. And so, instead of taking a 3 hour trip on the city metro, Shona would take the trusty water taxi that had been crossing the river back and forth for as long as her mother remembered, and be at her dorm within 40 minutes.
A good idea really, she thought, pulling on the suitcase behind her, trying to get it rolling again. She cursed internally at her professors for giving them so much work over the spring break, the suitcase weighed down with what felt like half a library. A gust of cold wind blasted her face, and she thought of another curse, this one at the northern climate. To many, spring break was about running around on beaches nearly naked having parties and getting tanned. To say it would not be advisable here was an understatement. This far north, winter was still clinging on, to the point where snow lay on the ground just a few weeks ago.
Shona pulled her scarf up a little further as she dragged the suitcase toward the door at the rear of the cabin, where luggage could be stowed out of the way. She pushed it open then spun to grip the suitcase handle with both hands and haul it over the small threshold, staggering back a little as the wheels finally rocked over. A gust of wind sucked the door closed with a loud bang and shone flinched, glancing around to see if anyone noticed. Like public transport in most cities, no one so much as glanced at her.
She ducked into the luggage area, and her heart sank. All the lower shelves were full. She walked over, wondering just how she was going to stow the case. She vaguely heard the door behind her, then the sound of rolling wheels that approached and stopped beside her.
"Erm, would you like a hand?" A male voice said. Shone turned to him. He was young, maybe a similar age to herself, with black hair in that intentionally messy style. He raised his hands in a surrendering gesture. "Not infering anything about the strength of your gender...You just looked... and I need to..." He glanced at his own case, similar sized to hers.
Shona shook her head "Sorry, yes that would be great." She smiled. "We can each lift half." She commented, prompting a grin from the young man. Together they lifted her bag. Well, Shona steadied it at least.
"Student?" The young man asked, with a slight pant from the effort. Shona nodded, and opened her mouth to reply. "Wait, let me try and guess. Your on this taxi, so you must be studying at Central. That amount of books, over spring break no less, narrows it down. Medical students are already back, my roomate's doing Chem and says all the natural sciences work is based on their own labs now. And, I haven't seen you in any of my classes or on my floor of the library, so by process of elimination I'm going to say... History."
"Impressive." Shona told him with a grin. "You must be studying literature." She grinned at his shocked face. "My roommate is in that course. She can almost quote the entire works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle at this point, and she told me that almost everyone goes through a Sherlock phase in that course."
He chuckles. "Well played. I must know the name of the lady who bested me." He said, with a mock bow.
Shona couldn't help but chuckle too, though it was drowned out by the horn of the water taxi, as it gave it's last call. Shona felt the familiar rumble as the engine got into gear and began to ramp up in power. "Shona. Shona Smith-Carlson. Yes it's double barrelled. Ardent Feminist of a mother refused to give up her maiden name."
"Well theres nothing wrong with that. Though by the look on your face you aren't too happy it."
"It's not that," Shona shrugs. "She just never shuts up about it. Still loves dad though." She trails off, the silence starting to become awkward. "What about you?" She re-directs. "I'm guessing your name isn't actually Sherlock."
He smiles. "Jack Davidson. Not literally, My dad's actually called Mark."
"You must have practiced that line." Shona said, trying not to laugh at the perfect delivery.
"Maybe once or twice, but it's a good ice breaker, don't you think?" He replied with another dazzling smile.
It was a nice smile. The boat jerked slightly as it left the quay and started its journey across the river. Shona rocked a little, Jacks arm moved, lifting a little, not quite reaching out, but ready to steady her if she had stumbled, and Shona suddenly realised he was flirting. Why did this always happen? She fought to not roll her eyes. Her girlfriend was going to rib her again. She would have to let him down gently. She took off her scarf, wrapping it and putting it into one pocket, and then unzipped her coat. She caught his eyes flick down as all men’s do, then slightly to one side, catching sight of the rainbow badge.
He blew out a breath, then nodded with a wry grin. "That's a good move. I am out played once again. Though I suppose we aren't quite playing the same game are we."
Shona shrugged. "Sorry." She mumbled.
Jack waved his hand. "Don't be. Not like you can change who you are. How about we get my bag stowed and then we grab a coffee on the upper deck?" Shona looked at him, puzzled. "Your roommate. From what you were saying she's a year ahead of me. A bit of early information is always good."
Shona considered it for a moment. He wasn't being pushy or angry like one of those guys. And she was planning on getting a coffee. So she shrugged. "Why not, company is always nice."
Together they lifted Jack's case, a little lighter than her own, and placed it in the rack. But as he was checking it was secure, Shona felt a rumble. A different rumble, one that she had never felt before on over two dozen journeys. If she'd been outside, she would have seen a plume of black smoke rise out the tall exhaust stack. If she'd been in the cabin that qualified as the bridge of the boat, she'd have heard voices filled with panic as alarms squarked.
Shona and Jack started up the stairs in front of the luggage compartment, when there was another rumble, and a strange noise filled the passenger cabin as the whole ship vibrated. Shona stopped halfway up the stairs, looking behind her. Jack turned to her, three steps higher up.
"What is it?" He asked
Shona shook her head "The boat. Somethings wr..."
Her voice was totally drowned out by the noise of the engine exploding.
**********
Officer Matt Jones sat on the small river patrol boat, bobbing slightly against it's mooring. He glanced at his watch. Just another 7 hours and 50 minutes of his 8 hour shift. He sighed, feeling that boiling anger as he rembered getting busted down to river patrol. Not even standard beat cop, river patrol. In March, in this city, where even the foolish wouldn't think of getting in the river. Only the desperate. But this section of the river didn't even have any bridges, ruling that out too.
"So..." The old timer, Winston, who was now his partner muttered. "Who did you piss off to land yourself here?"
Jones breathed out slowly, sending the anger with it. "You know Dean Campbell?"
"The head of HR Dean Campbell?" Jones nodded, Winston whistled. "What did you do?"
"I may have pointed out that he was... inadequate for the position. In somewhat more forceful terms. To his face..."
Winston spat into the river. "That would do it. Not that you are wrong of course, that little weasel has done nothing but damage to the department, but, not exactly the wisest decision.
Jones nodded. "What about you?"
"I asked to be here." Winston replied, prompting a look from Jones. "Coming up on retirement. The last thing I wanted was to be that stereotype. Always liked fishing, figured I'd get some boat time and avoid anything likely to finish me off before my service is done."
"That's fair enough I guess." Jones told him, sipping at the coffee, watching the old water taxi make it's way across the river. He noticed the black smoke, but thought nothing of it. "Does anything interesting happen here?"
"Wouldn't have picked this spot if it did." Winston replied. "Occasionally that floating wreck needs a hand when it breaks, but that's about it." He says turning to look. "Speking of which, that exhaust don't look too healthy." He said a moment before the radio squarked, lighting up an indicator on the emergency channel.
"This is the Beetle, may-day, may-day, our engine is...." The radio cut off as a gout of thick black smoke burst from the exhaust tube, and the distant boat seemed to lurch. A split second later the sound wave of the explosion reached them.
"Get us moving!" Jones shouted to Winston, as he grabbed at his own radio. "This is officer Jones, Badge number 4582. We have a major incident in progress on the river between....between..."
"Between North Inglebank and Trippers point!" Winston shouted.
"Between North Inglebank and Trippers point. Explosion on a water taxi, we are en-route, unknown casualties, unknown situation, requesting additional backup for evacuation and medical assistance!"
"Acknowledged Officer Jones. Relaying now."
Winston had gotten the speed boat unmoored, tossing a high-vis life jacket to Jones, before he gunned the motor and they began to cut through the waves, heading for the vessel that was now smoking from more than just the exhaust.
(Edit: Fixed some errors and details. A little out of practice.)
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Week 5
There’s a tagging facility in Miro - Whaatt
Optimal Workshop - Reframer - play around with that
can do cord diagrams
can like attributes to personas
Can make a highlights reel out of your interviews
A pyramid of understanding
All your findings need to be backed up
Insight is something new
— Check out article on atomic research
Insights
Inform Do they shed light on what people need and want
Inspire Is it motivating? Does it make you FEEL something in order to DO something
Memorable Is it phrased in a way that will stick with you and be easy to share with others?
HMW - part of poster deliverable
It was developed by Procter and Gamble in 1970s! whaat
of course theres a history but its still cool
Used a lot in business
Used a lot in ideation and brainstorm sessions
How - is enquiring towards a solution
Might - is optimistic regarding possibility in a polite manner
We - is a collaborative and inclusive, implying the team will solve this together
Steps to createa a How Might we
HMW statements can be challenging to write
Start with your insights. If you have good insights it will be easier to turn them into HMW statements .
Insights are slso supposed to inspire action, essentially the difference is attitude
An insight can present an opportunity but it can also hilight a problem (smae thing)
Fligpping an insight into a HMW statement frames it more positively
Example Ingisht: In the rising tide of the great resignation employees see changing jobs as the way to get ahead
Use this formula to get you started
How might we
A: Action (redesign, encourage improve, solve, re-imagine)
B: User (persona, role, generation, target audience, demographic group
C: Effect/Outcome (fun, frictionless, engaging)
How might we Iterate
The HMW question should help you focus, define the problem you want to solve and be good starting point for brainstorming and ideation. So you know what youre dealing with but not so much that you can’t be creative in dealing with it
They should inspire you to come up with solutions
If they don’t keep trying. They are challenging to master so don’t worry if this is difficult
We assume solving the problem is the hard part but it can be just as hard to really get to the bottom of the problem we’re trying to solve.
HMW hsould
In the Goldilocks zone, not to broad that the problem is unsolvable, not too narrow that it limits your creativity.
Human centred, your persona or user’s needs and goals should be baked into the question
HMW shouldn’t
Journey Map: Future State
Get onto interviews and user testing - start on your recruitment!
---
Week 5 |
_Do you use public transport?
_Are you an Auckland native?
_If yes
_Where do you live in Auckland?
_Have you lived in other areas?
_How do your experiences compare using AT in these different locations?
_If No
_Where are you from?
_What was your first experience like planning a journey?
_What was your first experience like using public transport?
_Do you use other modes of transport? e.g. do you use/own a private car, do you bike, use ride sharing apps etc.
_How often do you use the AT app/website?
_What do you usually use AT Journey Planner to do?
_How do you travel to your stop/station? (what am I trying to gain from this question?)
_If you need to travel to a place in Auckland you are unfamiliar with, what steps do you take to get there?
_What influences your decision to take a certain route?
_Tell me about an experience you've had using AT Journey Planner to reach an unfamiliar destination?
_Do you ever feel overwhelmed by choice? (is this too leading?)
_Do you use other apps to support your unfamiliar journey?
_How comfortable are you with the bus times/routes given to you by the AT App?
_How do you find out about delays to services?
_How would you like to find out about delays to services?
_ Is there anything you feel the app should be able to do that it doesn't?
Example questions—user-testing
_Scenario: You have a job interview in (unfamiliar location) at (specific time), show me how you'd use the app to plan your journey to make sure you'd get to your interview on time
_How easy was it for you to plan your trip?
_Are you confident in the journey plan?
How much in advance do you plan your trips
The stability of the journey
There’s a bus you’ve been taking only to realise later on there’s a better bus you could have been taking this entire time?
the suggestions they give you are crap
does you feel like AT shows you the easiest route first?
Has this happened to you?
Has AT app ever given you an inefficient route?
How much do you trust the app to take you to the place you need to be?
How do you find out about the Bus route to see if it’s the best option for you? (e.g. 171, WEST, 70 etc.)
Notifications
saved routes/journeys notifications
Click on bus
Info
Follow option
Covid option
NB1450
Report problem/make compliment
Journey map and live departures should be the same
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fuck this year man u dont even get cute emojis in the title this time
so lemme just start by saying fuck 2020
now that we’re on the same page, lets get into it
so i dont have to explain all the reasons why this year sucked bc u just need to google 2020 and there will be a million reasons why it was TOTAL FUCKING GARBAGE...... usually when so many people collectively say a year sucked ass, i can be like “oh it wasnt *all* bad for me, personally” haha not this year!!!
its super fucking depressing to look at how hopeful and positive i was about 2020 a year ago..... ofc there was no way for me to have known it would all go to shit but i still really appreciate the tone i had set... reading over the previous reflections and seeing how harsh and negative i was @ myself made the softness of last years post super refreshing....
now i said i dont *have* to explain all the ways 2020 was shitty, but i am gonna explain the biggest reason this year was shitty for me, personally..... it might seem really small in comparison to the ways 2020 was shitty as a whole on like a global scale? but really the biggest reason 2020 sucked ass was i didnt get to really hang out with any of my friends in real life for 9 out of the 12 months of the year.... and really it was like the first week of march that shit hit the fan so like really it was only 2 months that we got to see each other....... if u rmbr p much every previous retrospective post ive made, there was a big emphasis on friends..... ive come to realize that im actually a very *extra*verted person??? despite my overall shyness and homebody attitude, i would always choose to hang out with people over being alone so stay-at-home orders FUCKING SUCKED??? when we all thought it would be over in a couple weeks, maybe a month it was fine?? hey its a good time to draw or catch up on that reading and/or writing i said i was gonna do maybe even start learning to drive?? it’ll be no big deal THEN it wasn’t over in a month and it wasnt gonna BE over anytime soon and no one important was doing anything about it and its an election year and black lives have always mattered and yet everything is so uncertain and
[inhale]
[exhale]
this year was..... a lot...... too much in fact
in 2018, i had said that i watched vox’s video on the year in 5 mins and cried... if i watched this year in five minutes, i dont think i would be able to breathe......
SO instead of making myself CRY..... lets try to think about any GOOD things that happened and think about what we can do to make 2021 good for ourselves:
GOOD THINGS THAT HAPPENED:
-i *didn’t* lose my job!! sad that so many others cannot say the same but im trying to make myself feel *better* not WORSE so i got to keep my job and i actually work more hours than before so!!
-i actually *did* learn to drive this year!!!! and im pretty good at it??? for someone that just started this year anyway?? i probably *would* have my DRIVER’S LICENSE right now if it weren’t for a surge in cases in a certain STATE that i happen to live in......... but w/e its fine i get more time to practice and im ~~**DEFINITELY**~~ going pass my test and get my license ~whenever it is that i can reschedule my dmv appt~
lmfao its so funny that last year, i was absolutely *dreading* learning to drive but i so fucking get why everyone was like ‘you need to learn how to drive’ i legit love it so much???? ive always been a car person but that was like purely for the aesthetic but now that i can drive im just....... WOOOW this really is what freedom feels like.... like ik that public transportation is amazing and i will always champion it but nothing beats being purely in control of your destination.... i also wanted to buy myself a car for my birthday even tho i couldnt really drive yet but then sien had to fix smthg on her car and it was EXPENSIVE AF and my mom was like “u dont need to buy a car yet” so i put the brakes [haha] on that... but soon... once i get my license,,, then i will have u my love................. so with that being “my most serious goal of 2020″ im glad i did it
-i was one of lucky ones and got unemployment when i couldn’t work so i have a lot of money saved in the bank??? pls no one steal my identity i wanna use that money to buy myself a car and/or for when we move out 🤞🤞 we’ll just have to wait and seeeeee....................
-i had mentioned playing dnd last year too and thats been going STRONG as hell thank goodness....... we couldnt keep playing in person but when we moved it to online, not only did we actually get to hang out a lot more, we made more friends??? introduced new people to the group?? its so good and in fact probably the only thing that kept me even a little bit sane this year......
-this is more of an honorable mention than an accomplishment but im this 🤏close to catching up with critical role and thats partially thanks to the pandemic lmao sooooo ???
aaaaaaand thats p much it lol i didnt really accomplish any of my other goals bc reasons................. but!!! as cliche as it sounds, with a light at the end of the tunnel, im confident that i can turn that all around this year.... so if 2016 was the year of change, 2017 was the year of getting used to shit, 2018 was the year of getting *too* used to shit and 2019 ended up being the year of friends, 2020 was the year of absolute shit and it doesn’t fucking count....... i learned a lot this year, biggest lesson of all is that life is short and if i were to have died at any point last year, what the fuck would i have to show for it??? so usually i end up giving a theme or name to a year after its done but this time im determined to make 2021 into what i want it to be SO i am declaring this year, the year of our lord 2021, the year of new experiences!!!! what the fuck does that mean you ask? well ill tell you!!! im gonna try new things this year!! make a very pointed effort to do things outside my comfort zone?? and for my goals this year, im going back to my old way of making a huge list of stuff u wanna do and seeing how much i can actuallly accomplish!! now i said theres a light but we really dont know when all this shit will end and life will go “bAcK tO nOrMaL” so whos to say ill get to accomplish any of it? at the same time, there are plenty of stuff on the list that i can do within the pandemic set parameters so!! lets see this list!!
2021 GOALS:
[check boxes bc there is no plain box emoji lmao]
☑️ read new books!! i’ll keep last years goal bc i didnt meet it and i have good reads now which tells me i just need to read 1.5 books a month to reach that goal!! huzzah!
☑️ watch new shows and new movies b4 u end up watching shit you’ve already seen a million times... i bought an old planner for 2020 instead of 2021 by accident but i hope it will help keep track of the movies/shows along with the books too!
☑️ listen to new music!! this years spotify wrapped was garbo it only had like 3 albums and a bunch of other shit i always listen to so i gotta fix that lmfao
☑️ write new stories!! i am comforted by the shit ive been writing for the past like 7 years but if my screenplay class taught me anything its that there are a lot of stories to tell and i got so many ideas floating around in this noggin!! instead of an arbitrary word count, why dont i say write idk 3 new stories, start to finish, in whatever medium idc screenplay, short story, comic, twine WHATEVER!! do it!
☑️ eat new food!! lmao this one seems the most silly to me but ive never had indian food, ive never had [not really anyway] korean food, i want to find new restaurants and eat new food!!! yum!
☑️ go on a road trip!!
☑️ visit some place ive never been before!!
☑️ go on a hike??
☑️ go to mexico again
☑️ ride a scary rollercoaster you previously wouldnt have
☑️ go to a club
☑️ get silly drunk fr
☑️ FUCK IT go on dates!! self date friend dates sister date cousin dates R- Romantic... dates ??? FUCK IT!!! YEAH!! DATE ALL UP IN THIS BITCH!!
☑️ learn to use blender
☑️ animate something
☑️ make a big painting
☑️ cosplay ???? AHH
☑️ learn to roller skate lmao u bought the skates and were so excited for them!!
☑️ go somewhere SUPER DARK and go see some real stars!!!!
☑️ and to top it all off, throw the airbnb house party that we’ve been talking about for MONTHS lmao
hmmmm,, i think thats a good enough list for now ?? another thing i wanted to accomplish.... that im scared to speak into existence bc then i cant back out of doing it...........and it doesnt align with the whole “new” spirit of 2021 but.......... i want to like start making apartments for rent????? like i want to have something of it to show by, if not the 8th anniversary then by the end of the year HHUFF THERE I SAID IT......... no turning back now..........
alright its almost midnight on.... whats this? its already jan. 1st??? lmao yeah fuck it i didnt keep up with anything i normally did this year who cares i made up the rules i can break them too lol
so yeah
we’ll see what this year brings us,,,,
hoo boy
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(Tag Eve) Part 1: Lately my depression has been getting worse than it ever has. Its gotten to the point where I'm no longer able to play the sports I used to love (ex. I don't have very good aim anymore while playing basketball, I can't seem to block a volleyball anymore, ect.) Its been affecting my school work as well, I haven't been completing projects on time and I can't concentrate in class. My marks have dropped big time.
(Tag Eve) Part 2: Its been getting bad to the point where some days I can't even get out of bed. Its really been affecting how I live daily. Simple things like showering or brushing my teeth have become an effort. I can't see a professional about it because I don't have a car and my parents deny the existence of depression, calling me lazy and stuck up instead, and theres no way I could afford it anyways. I've been suicidal for a while, with no real reason to be.
(Tag Eve) Part 3: I've just been doing little things like no longer looking when I cross the street or not wearing seat belts anymore. Part of me wants to stop, but I can't bring myself to stop. (As stupid as that sounds)
Hi Eve,
Nothing that you’ve said sounds stupid and I’m so sorry thatyou’re struggling so much!
What you’re describing sounds really frustrating and I wantyou to know that you don’t need a “reason” to feel like this or to be suicidal.While certain situations can lead to depression or suicidal ideation (losing aloved one or getting fired from a job, for example), mental illness issomething that just happens. For whatever reason, our brain chemistry just getsout of balance and causes issues like depression or any other mental illness.This can be really frustrating because, when something like this is going on,we tend to want to find a tangible reason for why it’s happening, which isn’tpossible when it’s caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. So although itseems like you don’t have a true reason to be depressed or suicidal, what you’refeeling is valid and you do have a reason to feel like this – it’s just not areason that’s as obvious as it seems like it should be.
It does sound like you would really benefit from seekinghelp and I think there might actually be ways around physically getting totherapy and paying for it. You mentioned that you’re in school and most schoolsoffer counseling services of some sort, so that might be worth looking into. Counselingservices in schools are often free for students, too. If that’s not an option,there may be a clinic in your area that provides free therapy for people whocan’t afford it. Some of those clinics will even offer free bus passes (orwhatever form of public transportation your area has) for people who don’t havetransportation. You might try asking around, perhaps with teachers or friendsif you have any that struggle with mental health, to see what services areavailable to you. Your doctor might even have some suggestions and you can alsotry doing some research online. We have a page about getting help if you’d likesome information on how to reach out.
When it comes to your depression, there are some things thatyou can do on your own in addition to seeking professional help. It’s reallycommon for people who struggle with depression to lose interest in activitiesthat they usually enjoy, but it can still be helpful to keep doing them even ifyou don’t like doing them as much especially if it involves being around peoplebecause that’s good for depression. For your schoolwork, you could try talkingto your teachers about what’s going on, just so they are aware of what’s goingon. In general, self-care is super important. Even if it means that you brushyour teeth or brush your hair on days that you can’t get out of bed, it’s stillsomething that will help you feel human since being stuck in bed can make youfeel bad about yourself. You can find more self-help suggestions for depressionhere if you’re interested.
It’s really concerning that you often want to get hurt orwant to hurt yourself, so I want to give you some resources in case you feellike you’re a danger to yourself. In a situation where you feel like you wantto die but you don’t want to act on the thoughts, you can try reaching out to ahelpline or web counselor. Those are helpful for when you just feel like youcould use someone to talk to when you’re having suicidal thoughts. However, ifyou’re ever actively suicidal and you’re an immediate danger to yourself, youshould contact your local emergency services or find another safe way to ahospital. I know it can be incredibly difficult to ask for help when you feellike hurting yourself, but there are always people out there who can help youand you shouldn’t ever have to go through this on your own. You’re deserving ofhelp and you deserve to keep going.
What you’re going through isn’t easy, but you’re so muchstronger than you think. Depression can make life feel so bleak and pointless,which can make it really hard to keep going. It sounds like this is somethingyou’ve been struggling with for a while and, although this is the worst it hasever been, remember that you have managed to get through all of it. You’restill here and that says a lot about how strong you really are! And even thoughit can be hard to think about the future when you’re hurting this much, itreally is possible to get back to a place where you feel okay again. It mightnot happen today, tomorrow, or next week, but eventually you will get there. Aslong as you can hang on until then, I think you will be glad that you decided tostick around. There are always reasons to stay.
You can do this!
-Samantha
#mhasamantha#advice#advice blog#mental health advice#Eve#depression#getting help#suicide#suicidal#suicidal thoughts#suicidal ideation#death#therapy#school#Anonymous
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Update 5
(Note: As usual, time has passed between writing this and being able to post it! Today is our 5th day in China, so this post is 5 days old!) Mat here, aboard the ferry to Shanghai! We are feeling sad to have left Japan, the 3 weeks here have flown by! But we have loved it. Here's what we've been up to with our final days here. After leaving the Fuji area, we made our way to Komoro. We arrived at Komoro station where our host Yuu San collected us. He seemed quiet and cautious, but friendly. We drove out of the city and over the hills, into a beautiful area filled mainly with rice fields. Yuu San and his family run a book cafe, which was an incredibly tranquil room filled with art (all created by family friends) and many shelves of somewhat antique looking books. The place had such a nice relaxed feeling. It was helped by the cup of green tea and acoustic guitar Japanese singer/songwriter music that Yuu San played. After meeting Yuu San's wife, Megumi San, we had a tour of the place, noting some interesting musical instruments that we were allowed to play, and also seeing a huge loom that Megumi San creates big textile artworks with. It's a really lovely house. Our room was outside - the home-made building was made from mid and straw, with old Japanese tatami mats used for insulation! It was a nice, comfortable place, and nice to be outside and feel connected to nature. We joined Yuu San and his family for meals. Megumi San's cooking was amazing! We had all sorts of brilliant traditional Japanese food that was totally different to what we could find in the restaurants around Japan. They are big Beatles fans! Yuu San proudly told us about when he sang with Paul McCartney - leaving us in disbelief before adding that it was with tens of thousands of other people, at a Paul McCartney concert! After dinner he got out his guitar, which he let me play - it was so nice to play a guitar again after over a month without playing any music! Yuu San played and sang us his 'welcome song' - a version of John Lennon's 'Imagine', with each verse sung in a different language! They have had their guests from around the world contribute translations to help expand the song. It was really beautiful and quite moving! Megumi San is a textiles artist, and so they have many artist friends. The cafe is a nice, creative space, and they seem very keen to support creativity. One thing they like to do is arrange festivals with music and dancing - the biggest one they held had 700 people show up, just in their garden!! They have one in August, called the International Bon Dance Festival. In the past they've had guests help create adverts for the festival - they showed us some videos of previous adverts, before Yuu San quietly suggested, "Why don't you try to create a Bon Dance advertisement for us?" Challenge accepted! So outside our Tatami house was a big crazy looking wooden building. This was the Doraku Organ- the entire building is a musical instrument. It used to be in a city as an art installation, but heavy snow on the roof meant it couldn't stay, so it was transported to Yuu San's house. We had listened to a song that was written about the organ - at the festivals, they perform this song and everyone does a special dance to it! The organ contains many different ways to create funny sounds - most of which work like a pipe organ. It's really amazing, because you have to go inside this huge wooden sculpture to play it. The sounds are weird, and unlike any other musical instrument in the world! It was one of the coolest things I'd ever seen. We decided to make the Organ, and the song, part of our advert. The advert is on YouTube, here: https://youtu.be/Mc7zlM0_YgM Everyone was really happy with the advert, including us - we both really enjoyed coming up with ideas and making the video! It was a fun, weird, creative day. Aside from playing music, we explored the local area a bit. The family have a goat in their garden, who seemed pretty friendly! And we walked through the woods down to a nice lake. One evening we walked down with Yuu San and Megumi San's daughter, Mizuki, to see the family's rice fields, where they had spotted fireflies! Apparently there's only a couple of weeks in the year when you can see fireflies, so we felt very lucky to see them! It's really quite a beautiful site, it feels a bit like seeing fairies! Yuu San also encouraged us to go to the local Onsen (hot spring/public bath). We'd heard trying an Onsen is a good experience, but we're a bit nervous about it, because, well, everyone goes completely naked. No swimsuits allowed. Apparently the Japanese like this, because it is a great equaliser in society! I'd find it awkward enough in England where I understand the culture, but because there's a lot of rules and etiquette in Japan, it's even more scary! Still, we thought we should try it. We decided to walk to the Onsen, which was a nice walk through the rice fields, over some hills and through a tiny village tooked away in a valley. It was a nice walk, and it seemed we had earned our relaxing bath. We arrived at the Onsen, and said goodbye - for obvious reasons, the Onsen is gender separated. (Blue curtain for male, red for female, don't get that wrong!) It's easy enough, you get undressed, go to the washing area and shower off so you're clean, then you're free to enjoy the indoor bath or the outside bath. I spent my time in the outside bath, because, well, you can have an indoor bath anywhere... The water is very hot, and it is believed that the water contains lots of minerals that are good for your skin and for relaxation. The last thing I should mention about Yuu San's is the kittens. Oh my god the kittens. Their 1 year-old cat recently had kittens, one of which still lives with them. They are so damn cute! Then a friend who took another of the kittens home brought him round to see his family, so the 2 kittens spent ages wrestling on the table whilst their Mum watched. She was very protective, and extremely talkative, always meowing for attention. So that was our experience in Komoro! Next up was our final stop in Japan - Kyoto! Our first evening was a trip to the Hoon district, which has a street considered to be one of the most beautiful in all of Asia! From there we walked across to a ramen restaurant in the downtown area. It was Saturday night so the downtown area was rammed with people, it was almost as busy as some of the busiest parts of Tokyo! The next day we walked to a craft museum, which had lots of examples of and demonstrations of traditional Japanese crafts. Then we went to the Philosopher's Walk, a popular walking route near a river where university professors used to like walking for quiet reflection time! On the way we found a pottery shop where you could make your own pottery on a wheel - I convinced Libby to have a go, and she seemed like a natural! We walked through the university where Mizuki used to study- it seemed like a nice university building, but we passed the student halls and couldn't believe how crazy untidy and run down it was! No idea what the students had done to the place! And the building itself looked like some kind of prison camp, all in all the most un-japanese thing we saw on our trip! We then headed to the Yuu San family reccomended Beatles Bar - a beatles themed bar, which played Beatles music videos on a massive projector all evening! The next day we saw the world famous rock garden at Ryoku temple, a temple of zen buddhism. The garden consists of just white gravel, and 15 carefully placed rocks. Its been there about 1200 years and there is much speculation as to why it was built the way it was. It's a very beautiful, meditative space, as is the rest of the gardens that surround it. Then we headed to the Arashiyama district, a residential suburb with the famous bamboo forest, a really magical place with dense tall bamboo trees and fantastic colour, shame you spend most of your time trying to get out of the background of other people's photos! Theres also the famous moon crossing bridge and lots more parks and temples. We then went to see the Fushimi Inari Taisha. Inari shrines are dedicated to prosperity, and this is the grandest one in Japan. The animal spirit of inari shrines is a white fox, so there are fox statues everywhere guarding the shrines. It has 1000s of Inari gates, which help prayers reach the temple, so they line all the paths around the hills, which makes a really interesting spectacle of long bright red tunnels! We walked up to the top of the mountain passing many small shrines and really haunting graveyards, all lit by lanterns as it was early evening , passing through another bamboo forest before reaching the top of the mountain , partly overlooking the city . A lot of effort is made to look after the surrounding environment , particularly as Shintoism sees many aspects of nature as sacred - this gives the surrounding environment a real importance and I wonder how this affects how Japanese shintoists see the world around them. The next day we headed to Nara, a city where deer used to be sacred, so there are hundreds of deer roaming free in the huge park! You can buy crackers to feed them, and they seem used to knowing that humans = free food. Which makes them pretty tame, but big signs warn that they're wild animals which may kick, bite or push you over. Nonsense! Although they did try and eat both mine and Libby's clothes. Anyway, they're insanely cute. I gave most of my biscuits to a cute deer that seemed a bit shy and was hanging out by himself, I think he was grateful!There's also a huge ancient temple with an absolutely humongous golden Buddah inside, its hand is the size of a human being, really breathtaking! The next day we went to Kurama, a beautiful temple atop a mountain out in spectacular hills North of Kyoto. Feeling lazy from several days intense walking, we cheated and took the cable car up. An easy day, we spent a lot of time just relaxing and taking in the wonderful views. Theres lots of statues of a red face with a huge nose, it's a sort of evil spirit. One winter the nose of the biggest statue fell off, so the locals put a giant plaster on it! The train home had awesome comfy seats that faced the windows directly, so you can really enjoy the great scenery. Then for our last day in Japan (!!) we headed to the South Higashiyama area to see this area's very well preserved old architecture. It is also an area famous for having a lot of geisha houses. From there we walked up to Kiyomizudera temple, which was a beautiful old temple with great views of the city. Many of the Japanese visitors wear traditional Kimonos to visit the area, including wooden shoes that make a very satisfying sound but I imagine must be pretty uncomfortable! One last ramen (a really good on too, with a veggie option and everything), one last sake, and that was it, our time in Japan was up! It's hard to sum up 3 weeks in Japan, but in short, it's been a wonderful time. The people here are so nice and welcoming, the cities are amazing, the scenery incredible, the food delicious, the roller coasters massive... It's just a wonderful place and I'm so pleased to have had the chance to come here! This ferry is a ghost town, I think there's about 10 passengers on board! No idea why, but it's very relaxing! Shanghaï here we come!
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Meet the Support Network Addressing Out-Of-School Challenges for Every Student
ROXBURY, Mass. — Last year, a student in Yvonne Steadman’s Kindergarten class began missing a lot of days. Steadman, who teaches at Mendell Elementary School in this highly-diverse Boston neighborhood, passed along her concerns to a colleague, Madeline Gillespie, a family support coordinator.
Gillespie spoke with the girl’s mother and learned they were living in a shelter and had no way to get to school. It was less than a mile away, so the family wouldn’t ordinarily qualify for free transportation. But shelters are a special exception—students are eligible to ride on a school bus. Equipped with this information, Gillespie helped set up regular pickups and drop offs, and just like that, attendance improved.
Gillespie spends five days a week at Mendell helping the families of its 275 students negotiate complicated situations like this, but she doesn’t work for the school, or even the district. Gillespie is an employee of City Connects, a longstanding nonprofit organization that serves as a liaison between Boston Public Schools, families and, frequently, the community partners that offer much-needed assistance to low-income families that may need more support than what their schools traditionally provide.
City Connects has been around since 2001, but has even earlier roots in a two-year partnership between Boston Public Schools and researchers at Boston College from diverse disciplines, including psychology and special education. Mary Walsh, a researcher, and Pat DiNatale, a school principal, convened a group of other local principals who acknowledged the importance of providing supports to address challenges faced outside of school. These principals reported that relatively few students were receiving such supports and when they did, the supports were ad hoc, meaning there was no thoughtful integration. This working group laid the foundation for the student support City Connects now provides, which span three categories ranging in intensity from prevention to crisis intervention.
Total number of services delivered to students, by service category, 2016-17; Image Credit: City Connects
“Research demonstrates that about two-thirds of the achievement gap can be explained by the out-of-school challenges of students living in poverty,” explains Walsh, one of the original Boston College researchers and the current executive director of City Connects. “And it's absolutely the case that achievement is correlated with zip code, and the correlation is pretty high.” City Connects was developed to address those challenges and, according to Walsh, to enhance life chances for these students.
Nationally, City Connects serves about 85 schools in five states, including Massachusetts, and is funded through a mix of philanthropy, district dollars and government grants. According to the organization, half the students it serves identify as Hispanic; a quarter are black. In Boston, City Connects serves about 11,000 students a year in around 30 public and Catholic schools.
At Mendell, City Connects has had a continuous presence since 2013. The goal is to plug a gap identified during that first research project 20 years ago: providing an integrated and intentional support plan for every student, regardless of whether they show signs of distress.
“There are a lot of children that benefit who aren't particularly struggling in school, but really get opportunities to grow and develop,” Walsh says, adding that each student’s plan looks at a variety of factors, including academics, mental health, behavior, social-emotional learning, their physical health and home environment.
Around the country, a growing number of districts have been grappling with how to address poverty and other factors that impact students outside of school. Often referred to as wraparound supports or community schools, these emerging programs provide a mix of enrichment, early intervention and crisis management. Some match students and families with services in the community, while others embed services right in the building.
To that end, City Connects doesn’t just match people with services offered at a given school. There’s actually a sophisticated third-party network of nonprofits that partners with families and uses City Connects as a sort of liaison.
One of the most popular organizations, Cradles to Crayons, provides essentials like clothes, school supplies and books. In winter, the organization distributes entire outfits with layers and accessories to deal with the biting Boston weather. Another organization, Fresh Truck, is a sort of health food store on wheels, and provides vouchers for families to go shopping. A coordinator might arrange for a truck to be present at an event, but also serve on a wellness committee at school to boost awareness about nutrition.
Sometimes what a student really needs is a committed, local mentor—and City Connects works with groups, such as Strong Women, Strong Girls, operating off the basis of research that shows students engaged in formal mentoring programs see gains in academics, behavior and traits like resilience and empathy.
How It Works
Even though family support coordinators like Gillespie aren’t employees of the school—their salaries are paid by City Connects—they do everything possible to integrate their practice into a school’s community. Most days, Gillespie stands outside the school building as parents and kids file in for the day, greeting families and introducing herself. She serves on the school’s family engagement team as well as its positive behavior interventions and supports team. And she meets with groups of students during their usual lunch breaks.
The City Connects core practice; Image Credit: City Connects
If a teacher comes to her with a student who needs extra behavior support outside the classroom, Gillespie is ready to step in and schedule a series of one-on-one meetings with the student to discuss de-escalation techniques. It’s not traditional behavior therapy, she says—the school has a separate counselor on hand for that—but rather a limited intervention designed to help the student develop strategies for navigating stressful situations more independently.
“I think we are delineated pretty strictly,” Gillespie says about the way she works with her school counselor. As a licensed clinician, “she would be the person to communicate with a primary care physician, or in our school, her role is really with the Department of Children and Family Services.”
Naturally, a big part of the job is building relationships with families. Where some families quickly learn to ask for help from a coordinator, others are more reticent. Maybe, after months of conversation and familiarity, a parent might finally feel comfortable enough to approach Gillespie about a precarious housing situation on the verge of coming to an end or a charity or assistance program they’ve heard about, but don’t know how to apply to. In other cases, the school counselor will hear parents say they need a specific support outside of school, and pass their request on to her.
Teachers are also tremendously important sources of information for coordinators. They meet regularly and discuss students and families receiving active assistance. But teachers also facilitate new relationships between families and coordinators as well, based on their own observations.
Out of the 22 students in Steadman’s Kindergarten class, she estimates around ten of them consistently use supports arranged through City Connects—but last year it was only five. “It depends on the need of the families and what they feel comfortable sharing,” notes Steadman, adding that not all families feel comfortable asking for help. “And then you don't want to pry.”
Gillespie also works with her school’s principal—a lot. “We talk multiple times a day,” explains Julie Bott, Mendell’s principal. Some, of their conversations are specifically related to City Connects work, she says, while others are more general. “I see City Connects as the work of the school, I don't see them as separate entities.” Part of that dialogue is just simple check-ins about specific families and services. But on any given week there’s a battery of meetings about how well individual support services are working and how students doing. The idea is to make sure no one is falling through the cracks.
“Just this morning we met as a support team to talk about kids who might be in mental health crisis or have behavioral needs,” Bott says. “We talk explicitly about kids who are showing patterns of chronic absenteeism, and identify case managers to reach out to the teacher, to reach out to the family and discuss the intervention plan.”
Does It Help?
Bott is convinced of the program’s tangible impacts as well. School suspensions hovered around 40 kids per year when she first started at Mendell almost a decade ago. Now, numbers are negligible—one to two students per year. The overall attendance rate has risen since City Connects began its work. And teachers report having more support to meet the needs of diverse learners socially, emotionally and behaviorally.
More generally, research conducted by Walsh in 2014 showed that students in schools that used City Connects had higher report card grades than comparable peers. Additional research by Walsh reveals notable gains for English language learners and immigrant students, and overall lower rates of chronic absenteeism associated with the program. She has also linked exposure to the program in elementary school with higher standardized test scores in middle school, when compared with peers who have not been exposed to City Connects. In all, the conclusion seems to be that the longer a student stays in the program, the better they fare.
Walsh believes the extra assistance students receive through the program helps them build a kind of resilience, as well as a network of supportive relationships that help them cope when life gets tough. “We think it has a preventive effect that helps to explain the long term positive outcomes we see for students,” she explains.
According to Bott, programs like City Connects tackle root causes that are the very real lived experience of its community—trauma from poverty, mental health services, transportation issues—which in turn allow teachers to deliver their best education in the classroom. And that’s only possible when the supports are deeply woven into the very fabric of a school.
“Most people don't know that I don't technically work for Mendell,” Gillespie says of her role. “If you're doing it well, people think you're part of the school.”
At that, Bott looks to her colleague. “Because you are.”
Meet the Support Network Addressing Out-Of-School Challenges for Every Student published first on https://medium.com/@GetNewDLBusiness
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Electric Picnic 2018: Everything you need to know – traffic, weather, alcohol rules and more
New Post has been published on https://funnythingshere.xyz/electric-picnic-2018-everything-you-need-to-know-traffic-weather-alcohol-rules-and-more/
Electric Picnic 2018: Everything you need to know – traffic, weather, alcohol rules and more
As kids pack their school bags for their first week back in class, adults pack their cars with tents, blow-up mattresses, a bag of cans and enough crisps to cure the hangovers of 1,000 men for the last big hoopla of the summer: Electric Picnic.
Even though the hotter-than-hell summer weather has gone, the forecast is for a good weekend in Stradbally, with temperatures of up to 20 degrees predicted for Saturday and Sunday. So we can keep our raincoats tied around our waists until the 2am chill sets in – and our Penneys wellies might even stay as fresh as the day we bought them. (But don’t risk leaving your raincoat and wellies at home; should there be lashings of rain – this being Ireland, you can never rule it out – you don’t want to be standing knee deep in mud with only a pair of Converse to protect you.)
The line-up this year is rather tasty. The big show-stopping performances should come from Kendrick Lamar (who’s headlining the main stage on Friday night), Dua Lipa and Massive Attack (who are both playing the main stage on Saturday). 2FM Live’s The Story of Hip Hop: Part 3, which features some of the best names in Irish music, should see Rankin’s Wood reach full capacity on Friday night.
Before you hit the road for Stradbally this weekend, here’s everything you need to know for Electric Picnic 2018.
Here’s the lineup in full and all the stage times
Are tickets still available?
Tickets are long gone, but if you keep an eye on Twitter, using the #ticketfairy hashtag, you might come across someone actually selling a ticket and not begging for one. But take note, as An Garda Síochána has warned gig-goers about fake print-at-home tickets that are being sold online, so double- and triple-check before you hand over your money for a ticket from someone you don’t know.
What time does it kick off at?
Early-ticket holders, plus holders of general camper-van and family camper-van tickets, can get into their campsites from 4pm on Thursday; everyone else can get in from 9am on Friday, when the general and family campsites open to all. Holders of Sunday tickets (who don’t have access to campsites) are allowed in to the festival site from 11am that day.
When can we actually see some music?
The main arena opens at 2pm on Friday and runs until midnight; the late-night arena is open from midnight until 4am. On Saturday the main arena is open from 11am until 2am; the late-night arena will be open from 8am until 4am. On Sunday, if you’ve any energy left at all, the main arena will open from 11am until midnight and the late-night arena will open from 8am until 4am.
The general campsite and the family campsite will open their gates at 9am on Friday. Photograph: Dave Meehan
What’s the camping situation like?
Boutique camping is still available in Pink Moon Village, Harvest Moon Boutique and Harvest Moon (In the Woods), but they’re likely to sell out soon. With bell tents, huts, tepees (regular and “Tardis”)and yurts available from Silk Road Tents, LPM Bohemia, FestiHut, PodPads and Earthworks, a group of you – from two to eight people – could try a lusher approach to camping for a shiny penny. Check out here what boutique options are left.
Another camping option is Kip’n’Go, in the Janis Joplin campsite. For €7.50 per person per day you get a prepitched tent that can include sleeping bags and mats – so there’s no need to pack it all up to go home, and certainly no need to create unnecessary waste by abandoning your tent when you leave.
If you want to cook in the campsites, you should bring only disposable barbecues or a permitted cooking stove, such as a solid-fuel, firelighter or methylated-spirit stove. Leave the gas canisters (any size, including capsules), petrol burners and any form of aerosol can over 250ml at home, as they are not permitted.
All camping areas will close at 1pm on Monday, September 3rd.
Will we be fed, watered and showered?
Yes. More than 100 food stalls will be running, again across the main arena and campsites, all weekend, catering to all appetites. If you want to up your notions game, an artisan food market will offer good local produce, or you can pop into the Theatre of Food to catch some of Ireland’s best chefs in action.
There will be free drinking-water points across all of the campsites and the main arena, beside the toilet blocks.
Showers will be available from 8am until 2pm, and again from 4pm until 7pm, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. They’re being sponsored by Nivea, a range of whose products will be available for sampling in the showers at the Jimi Hendrix campsite.
After 1am, up to four cans per person will be permitted into the main arena; there is an overall limit of 48 cans per person in the camping areas. Photograph: Dave Meehan
What about alcohol?
All bars will close at 1am. After 1am, up to four – let me repeat that: four – cans per person will be allowed into the main arena. There’s a limit of 48 cans per person for the weekend in the camping areas. Glass is not permitted anywhere in the festival. The bars will be operating a Challenge 25 policy; accepted forms of ID are passport, driver’s licence and Garda age cards.
What if I run out of cash?
There will be ATMs in the late-night arena, beside the entrance to the main arena, but be prepared to queue. Treat the wait as some much-needed me time, perhaps. Contactless payment will be available at every bar, so tap until you can tap no more.
What else can we do there?
If music isn’t your thing – although, in that case, what are you doing at Electric Picnic at all? – the comedy tent has Alison Spittle, David O’Doherty, Russell Howard and Paul Currie, among many others. It’s also worth visiting the Mindfield spoken-word area, where you can catch the likes of Lisa Hannigan and Dylan Haskins interviewing Marian Keyes for their podcast, Soundings, on Ah, Hear! the new podcast stage.
The Irish Times’s Sorcha Pollak will be chatting to the writer Michael Harding, the former political prisoner Ibrahim Halawa and the theatre maker Oonagh Murphy as part of New to the Parish.
The Theatre Stage, in association with Dublin Theatre Festival, will see Thisispopbaby’s presentation of Tara Flynn’s Not a Funny Word, Pan Narran Theatre’s My Left Nut, performed and cowritten by Michael Patrick and Oisín Kearney, Malaprop’s Love +, which was devised by Dylan Coburn Gray, Claire O’Reilly, Breffni Holahan and Maeve O’Mahony. Plenty of things other than dancing to do here.
Click on the site map below to download
How do I get there by public transport?
By bus and train Bus Éireann is running return services from Dublin, Cork and Galway. Check buseireann.ie for more.
Marathon Coaches has return and one-way services from George’s Quay in central Dublin. You can book tickets on its website.
TravelMaster will be running services from more than 20 locations in Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, Kilkenny, Waterford and Carlow.
Concertbus.ie is serving two routes that cover nine pick-up points across the country. Return tickets cost between €40 and €50.
Portlaoise has the closest railway station; Martley’s is running a shuttle bus to and from the festival. Tickets are €5 each way; no booking required.
By bike If you are cycling down, you should come through Gate 1a, on the Abbeyleix road. You can leave your bike in the designated area beside the Tour de Picnic bike racks.
And what if I’m driving? Weekend ticket holders, here are your driving routes:
M7 southbound, from Dublin and the north
Cars should leave the M7 at Ballydavis (junction 16) and then take the R445 (the old Dublin road). At Rathbrennan, turn left on to the R425, the new Carlow road, going straight through Bloomfield roundabout (signposted Abbeyleix) and on to Sheffield Cross. At Sheffield Cross follow the main road left on to the R426 and head for Money Cross and Lamberton Cross. Turn left at either Lamberton or Money Cross, as directed by gardaí, and on to designated parking areas.
You should expect delays because of roadworks on the M7 between junctions 8 and 11; factor this into your travel plans.
The M7 is being widened in both directions in Co Kildare between junction 8, at Johnstown, and junction 11, near Newbridge, where the M9 begins; the affected area has a temporary speed restriction of 60km/h.
“Make sure you plan ahead for your journey to Electric Picnic and allow yourself plenty of time to get to the festival site,” said Elaine O’Sullivan of AA Roadwatch. “If you are leaving after work on Friday, keep in mind that evening rush-hour delays start to pick up a little earlier and you will see increased volumes of commuter traffic from about 2.30pm onwards.”
M7 northbound, from Limerick and the southwest
Leave the M7 at the Togher interchange (junction 17) and head left, towards Portlaoise. At the Meelick junction turn right on to the L6310-0. Turn right when the road meets the R426. This road then joins the R425 at Rathleague; continue on the R426 and turn left at either Lamberton or Money Cross, as directed by gardaí, and on to designated parking areas.
M8 northbound, from Cork and the south
Leave the M8 at junction 3, for Ballacolla and Abbeyleix. Turn right on to the R433, heading through Ballacolla village and on to Abbeyleix. At Abbeyleix town turn left on to the N77 through the town, then, just before leaving Abbeyleix, turn right on to the R425 towards Ballyroan Village, and on to Cashel Cross. From here follow the main road to the right on to the R427, merging with other event traffic at Money Cross and on into the designated parking areas.
The M8 has been closed in both directions all week between junction 13, at Mitchelstown South, and junction 14, at Fermoy. Diversions have been in place via the R639, the old N8. The motorway is scheduled to reopen at 8pm on Friday.
N80, from Carlow and the southeast
Take the N80 and N78 to Simmons Mills, then head via the Windy Gap into Stradbally. Turn left at Court Square (opposite Dunne’s pub) on to the Timahoe road, then turn left into the designated car park.
N80, from the west
Proceed via Mountmellick and on to Portlaoise town. At the Fairgreen roundabout turn right on to the ring road. Continue to Mountrath Road – the R445 – and turn right. At Rockdale roundabout turn left on to the ring road (L26964-0). Turn right at the roundabout, to take the N77 to Meelick junction, where you’ll merge with traffic from the M7 northbound, from Limerick and the southwest, as above.
Family weekend ticket holders, here are your routes (NB, you must have family weekend tickets to use the family car park):
M7 southbound (Dublin and the north), M7 northbound (Limerick and the southwest), N80 (west) and M8 northbound (Cork and south)
Take junction 16 off the M7 towards Bloomfield Cross on the R445, in the direction of Portlaoise. Turn left on to the R425, heading towards the N80, Stradbally. At the roundabout take the first exit, on to the N80 for Stradbally. The family car park is in the centre of the town, on the left hand side, and will be signposted.
N80, from Carlow and the southeast
Take the N80 and N78 to Simmons Mills, then the N80 via the Windy Gap into Stradbally. Continue on the N80: the family car park is in the centre of the town, on the right-hand side, and will be signposted.
Sunday ticket holders, here are your routes:
M7 southbound (Dublin and the north), M7 northbound (Limerick and the southewest) and M8 northbound (Cork and the south)
Take junction 16 off the M7 towards Bloomfield Cross on the R445 in the direction of Portlaoise. Turn left on to the R425, heading towards the N80, Stradbally. At the roundabout take the first exit on to the N80 Stradbally. Before you enter the town turn right into the designated car parks.
N80, from Carlow and the southeast
Take the N80 and N78 to Simmons Mills, then head via the Windy Gap into Stradbally. Turn left at Court Square (opposite Dunne’s pub) on to the Timahoe road and turn left into the designated car park.
Electric Picnic: the festival provides free parking, but factor in plenty of time to get there by car. Photograph: Alan Betson
Parking
Electric Picnic provides free parking. Weekend ticket holders can use red car parks A, B and C, on the Abbeyleix road; green car parks V, W, X, Y and Z, off the N80; and the yellow car park on the Timahoe road.
What if I need access facilities?
Disabled customers must already have a standard weekend ticket. The deadline for the personal-assistant ticket has passed, but Electric Picnic’s access scheme includes the following facilities: wheelchair-accessible viewing platform, accessible car parking or drop-off pass, personal-assistant ticket at no additional cost, accessible toilets and disabled-access camping.
The disabled-access campsite will have accessible toilets, fridges (for storing medication) and electrical hook-ups for wheelchair charging. Disabled guests can have two friends camping with them. Disabled platforms/viewing areas will be at most of the stages, with a strict one-plus-one policy. Accessible toilets should be located beside each viewing platform. There will also be accessible toilets in the disabled campsite and at the medical tent. If you have any access queries, email [email protected].
What about the weather?
The ever-reliable yr.no is telling us that there will no rain in Stradbally this weekend, with temperatures reaching 20 degrees on Saturday and Sunday. Friday will be a little cooler, at 16 degrees. Pack your sunscreen and your wellies nevertheless.
What about security and personal safety?
Stay hydrated all weekend and know your limits with booze. Pick a meeting point for your friends ahead of time, just in case your phone runs out of charge or gets lost. A welfare tent, open 24 hours a day, has experienced staff who can provide confidential advice about drugs, alcohol, legal highs and sexual health, and offer any support if you need to talk. They offer a monitored rest and recovery area if you’ve overdone it. Please go to the welfare tent if you experience any problems or need to talk to someone for any reason.
Do not bring large bags into the arena, as they will take longer to search. There will be a separate lane for people without bags and people with small bags (no bigger than an A4 sheet of paper).
Banned items include animals (other than registered guide and hearing dogs), candles/incense sticks, weapons, sky lanterns and kites, drones, fireworks, flares, blowtorches, glass items over 10ml, unofficial high-visibility and reflective jackets, spray cans, sound systems, professional cameras and video/audio equipment, portable laser equipment and laser pens, nitrous oxide, megaphones, illegal substances, drugs and legal/herbal highs, goods for unauthorised trading, glass, skateboards or scooters, and air horns. Campfires are also banned.
Source: https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/electric-picnic-2018-everything-you-need-to-know-traffic-weather-alcohol-rules-and-more-1.3610301
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Also does a 2 door, 2 seat also increase the insurance cost?""
Motorcycle insurance help?
Hi, I am 16 years old with no road or driving experience ever, I want a transportation from my house to school, and an all around commuter, I wanted a car, but I know I cant afford one due to gas and insurance. Now I am thinking of getting a motorcycle, theres alot here for sale like a 2006 GSXR600 for only $5,500. Now I can afford the bike, I can pay the monthly payments if I get an after school job, but my problem is insurance, how much might be my insurance for maybe a 2006 GSXR600, I heard it is expensive because its riskier but motorcycle cause less damage, can anyone like guesstimate or estimate or just give a guess of how much will be the cheapest insurance for a 16 year old with no road experience at all here in California? thanks""
Does Car insurance in Canada discriminate on the basis of sex?
Does Canadian car insurance discriminate based on gender like they do in most U.S. States?
Can I rent a car without my own insurance?
I don't have any car insurance since I go to college in the city and rely on public transportation. I'm 21 years old and I am making a trip to LA where I want to rent a car. I am wondering if I am still able to rent a car since I don't have my own car insurance. Can I bring my parents insurance information with me? The insurance card only has their names on it, not mine. What should I do?""
Car insurance for teen?
ok so i am going to get my drivers license tommorrow, and my mom brought up the whole insurance thing. my question is, i dont have a car of my own yet so i would have to drive my mom's in her words (IF i let you drive at all)--how stupid is that?!? anyways. would she have to change anything about her insirance if im driving her car and have been since ive had my permit, or can she leave everything as it already is???""
The Car insurance company gave me a low estimate on repairs?
Long story short. Not my fault. I can not take this up with my insurance company because I don't have one. We got his info. My car has 140K miles on it. It's worth about 2K. It wouldn't be worth it to fix it. I decided to get the estimate and put the cash to another car. I have not signed anything yet. Insurance Company Quoted $1013.76 Auto Body Shop $1162.04 Ford Dealership $1284.90 271.14 difference. I asked to split the difference between the auto body shop and the Ford dealership. The Insurance compnay ofcourse said no. What should I do? If I had gone to an auto body repair shop of my choice with 1013.76 in hand they would have called the insurance compnay and asked for them to kick down more money. So I think it's fair that I get more cash. Don't even get me started on the medical. My health insurance is getting billed. Not the insurance company.
Bankruptcy and life insurance?
I have plain old life insurance with my husband as beneficiary. Do I have to cancel life insurance if I file bankruptcy? I want to have this for security for my husband and five children should anything ever happen to me. It has no cash value.
What can I do if my car insurance company denied my claim for inconsistency in my report?
Im going to lay down what happened and I would appreciate your opinion. It started when my 2007 gs eclipse clutch gave out the dealership close to my house wasn't a very professional looking place when it came to their shop they mistreated the cars that where there and had old rusted cars parked in their lot. So, I did not want to get it repaired there, I made a big fuss with mitsubishi but after sitting the car in my lot for 2 months I lost my job and I had to get it fixed there anyway cause of warranty issues and I needed my car to look for another job i'm a truck driver that's why it took 2 months and my car had 7000 miles on it i hardly ever used it. I noticed that after I had it back the cruise control wasn't working I didn't take it back because of the fear of something worse happening to it. My mom suggested that I get repair by my cousins husband so my mom handed me her cell phone called him and told me to bring it in the morning because he worked all day til 7pm and if i couldn't get to him to leave the key under the plant in front of the garage door (that call was on 6-24-09). I tried to get there early enough (6-25-09) but i missed him and no one was home so I placed the key under the plant and left I told the police officer that I had made a call to him after dropping the key but the phone number to reach him was on my moms cell phone. I thought I did I couldn't remember because I came back a day later for the car. After I walked home I thought id leave it there a day so he could find the problem, since he gets home at 7pm. When I got there on 6-26-09 my car wasn't there and they said they never saw it there so i called the police to see if it was towed it wasn't and the key wasn't there either, police came over and took my statement but on the report he stated that the car was stolen on 6-26-09 and the phone number I used to call to tell them I was leaving the car there was written down wrong. The insurance company said that the inconsistencies where that I did not use my cell to make a phone call on the 6-24-09 or 6-25-09 I told them that i used my mothers cell phone in the oath recorded meeting they recorded my statement a week after i reported my car stolen and i failed to tell them i used my mothers cell phone but they didn't ask and I also told them I called when I placed the key under the plant but I was confused because I had called my cousin twice on 6-24-09. I never failed to make a payment on any of my bills and i have good credit score I'm in fact almost done with my car payment. They also brought to my attention that I tried to sell the car but i have proof that i've been trying to sell my car since 2008 and there was a buyer and i have his emails that offered to buy my car with a $1000.00 profit for me. please tell me what do think i should do about this situation?""
Homework / car insurance question?
I have to do a budget for the next 5 years of my life and im lost on how to get the car insurance part figured out. I have to figure out hom much i would be paying for car insurance if i was to buy a car in the future? can someone please help, i'm so lost. and plz dont just give me a website to go to, plz explain it a little. thanks""
Why is my car insurance so high?
About me; I'm 18 years old, no past convictions / points on my license. Passed my test as well as Pass Plus a week or so back. Car I've got; 1994 1.2 Corsa LS (5 door) --- Most of my friends have similarly old / small cars and are paying between 500 - 900 insurance. I'm keeping the car on my drive, and yet the cheapest I can find any insurance is with Direct Line (1,600) Why is my insurance nearly 3 times as expensive as theirs? :(""
""Can you explain car insurance system in the UK, how it works?""
It is illegal to drive without a valid car insurance. I am unable to get a single quote for car insurance, what am I doing wrong or where is the catch? I am a new driver, have a provisional driving licence for a month. The car I want to buy is a large Mercedes S class (5-litre engine) that cost ca. 15K (I have my reasons). Why they would not insure me if I only want the THIRD PARTY LIABILITY cover (the minimum required by law)? The insurance company does not risk paying for my luxury car as third party cover does not cover the car, is that correct? My circumstances that I put in online forms: I am 26, UK resident for 3 years. The car would be bought and registered (and probably insured) under my mum's name, she is an EU national, has EEC (non-UK) driving licence for 20 years and is resident in the UK for 3 months only. I would need to add myself as a second driver... No company would give me an insurance quotation, do you know why? When I change driving licence in forms from provisional to full UK the result is the same (also no quotes at all). But when I change the car to e.g. a small Focus or similar, no problem, cheap insurance available and dozens of quotations are appearing. Are new drivers not allowed to drive luxury cars? HELP!""
Why do people keep comparing health insurance mandates to car insurance mandates?
Car insurance mandates are done at the STATE level, in accordance with the Tenth Amendment of the U.S. constitution. Yet people (the president included) continue to claim that a FEDERAL mandate to buy insurance is no different than being required to cover your car. (Completely ignoring that you have to BUY a car before you must get insurance...the govt's basically saying they own your body...insure it or be taxed) So isn't a FEDERAL mandate unconstitutional unless you plan on writing an amendment to the Constitution so that such a mandate is in accordance with the Tenth Amendment?? http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0909/27384.html The questions from ABCs George Stephanopoulos highlighted a politically dangerous new aspect of the health reform debate for Obama as critics from Republican leaders to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce say his reform proposals amount to a middle-class tax increase. Obama promised during the campaign that Americans earning less than $250,000 a year would not see any tax increases from an Obama administration. Obama strongly denied that the mandate amounts to a tax increase saying it was no different than requiring people to have auto insurance and charging a penalty if they dont. He also said it was important for everyone to have insurance so that people who do carry insurance dont have to shoulder the load for people who dont. The excise tax is designed as an enforcement mechanism to ensure people will carry insurance.""
""Hey, i need help finding the right car insurance for me..? im 18 im from california.....?
im 18 and im from california.. i barely got my drivers license 2 days agooo and i was wondering what insurance is right for me? i want an insurance that is affordable... not so expensive... what do u recommend? what do you have? and how much do you pay for it?
""I'm Irish and moved to uk with my car 30 days ago, my insurance ran out today,?""
what do I need as regards car tax, insurance, mot etc, the system seems a bit different from the one I am used to back home. How much is car tax and how do I pay it etc. plus any other advice you could think of would be great. do i need to have a uk reg. before i can insure it over here""
What about insurance for 1st offense DUI's?
Geico quoted me with $2,000 for 6 months.....hiyaaahhh... I've heard about Freeway Insurance and then there are the strip-mall insurance companies. Are they legite ? thanks""
How much will 4 points cost me in auto insurance in New Jersey?
I have State Farm Insurance, Comp and Collision, New Vehicle in New Jersey""
Cheap auto insurance in Alberta?
I just got my first car and I am looking for auto insurance for the first time. Which companies offer the best rates? My car is 1988 mazda, how much does the insurance usually cost for my situation per month?""
Good insurance companies for 17 year old passed my test!!?
ok ive pased my test a month on friday and i gettin a car this week and i need some insurance on the car obviiously lol, well basically whats the cheapest car insurance all you 17 year old have and who is it with, please :)""
Car insurance compared to motorcycle insurance?
exactly on an average, with no tickets and a first time driver, how much cheaper is motorcycle insurance.""
How much would a jeep commander insurance cost if you have state farm?
I was wondering how much would the insurance cost and what is the average pay for insurance?
Has legislative push for affordable insurance been cut short in the u.s congress?
Has legislative push for affordable insurance been cut short in the u.s congress?
Where can I get a great health insurance for a student?
Where can I get a great health insurance for a student?
Health Insurance coverage?
My husband's Cobra coverage lapsed. He has been turned down by two insurance companies for health insurance because of low testosterone levels. Any advice on where or how to apply for health insurance? He is self-employed; we live in TX.
""How much would insurance be for a 17 year old with a 06 Altima,?
I live in Texas. I have no driving history. How can I bring down that cost?
Fairbanks Louisiana Cheap car insurance quotes zip 71240
Fairbanks Louisiana Cheap car insurance quotes zip 71240
I got a car accident for the first time.. how much my insurance will go up?
This is first time I caused the accident and I had someone rear me before which came out as it wasnt my fault.... but accident that I caused I hit a school bus thankfully there were ...show more
Car insurance 15 year old with 4.0 gpa?
my son is going to turn 15 i wanted to know what it would cost and what options i have
Car insurance for 16 year old boy in Bay Area California under parents?
I have good grades (above a 3.5), and I'm looking for cheap insurance for either a 2003 Honda Odyssey LX or a 2002 Lexus RX300. As of now, I am 16 and 4 months.""
Where can I get affordable health insurance?
I am a full time college student, and my school offers insurance, but it is expensive. I need basic health care to cover doctors visits, specialist visits, and x rays. The main reason I need coverage is that my back is messed up from a car accident about a year and a half ago and I can't take the pain anymore. I went to my states website and the insurance they offer is currently not accepting applications. I have looked at tons of sites online, but so far am having no luck. Any advice would be appreciated.""
""Female 19 year-old-, non-owner, occasional driver, Florida. Insurance premium increase?""
Okay, here are the details: My sister (who is 5 years older than me) got her first car 6 years ago at the age of 18. She didn't get her license until AFTER she bought the car. It was a '94 Blazer SUV. My parents' insurance went up about $800/year when she and the car were added. Then, she got married in 2002 and was removed from my parents' policy. Not much has changed since then; they are still paying pretty much the same premiums. So, since I also decided to wait until I was at least 18 to get my license due to the increase of insurance premiums, last fall I started inquiring with my parents' agent about how much it would be for me to be added. I turned 19 in December 2007, and was quite sure it would be less for me to be added considering I am a year older than my sister was when she got her license, and I do not own a car of my own. (Continued below...)""
Car Stolen with Keys - Insurance Claim Issue?
Hey guys need some help My partners car was stolen last night and we have just noticed this morning The keys to said car was in another car (within a handbag) parked beside the stolen car what has happened is the car with handbag in it was broken in to, handbags were raided, found keys to the car beside and it was then driven off with What way will insurance see this? I know if the keys for car are left within that car and its stole most insurers dont pay out but what way might this situation pan out??? any advise greatly appreciated""
How can I find affordable auto insurance quote online?
How can I find auto car cheap insurance quote?
50CC Does motorbike insurance cost more than moped insurance?
Ok so i just turned 16 and have got my provisional license and also have done a CBT my mum tells me that a 50cc Motorbike that you put your leg over costs way more in insurance then a moped that you put your leg through is this true ? also im talking About 50cc motorbikes and mopeds
Jeep wrangler Insurance rates?
Does anyone have a wrangler? Im looking at buying a 2007 this year and would like a heads up about insurance rates.
""Im learning to drive, do i need insurance?""
I'm 17 and i'm learning to drive. If my parents take me out to teach me, will I need insurance? How does it work? And if i need it where can i get it cheap.""
Any ideas how i could get my car insurance quotes lower? 18 year old female driver?
Okay so every time i go on price comparison sites etc, my quote will not go below 2300! no matter what car i put in with a small engine, nothing chages what else can i do? i must be going wrong somewhere because lots of people get insurance below 2000! i cannt add any additional drivers because noone in my family drives thanks! :)""
So where do I get health insurance?
My job doesn't give me health insurance and I'm usually broke and mommy and daddy can't get it for me. Where do I go to get health insurance?
What do insurance brokers do?
1. What is an insurance broker? 2. What do you have to do as an insurance broker? 3. If you are an insurance broker, how is your job related to the law? 4. What is your typical day like? 5. What are the educational requirements to become an insurance broker? 6. Why did you want to become an insurance broker? 7. What do you enjoy most about being an insurance broker? 8. What's challenging about it? 9. How long have you been an insurance broker? 10. What advice would you give to someone who wanted to be an insurance broker?""
22y/o tourists getting car insurance in the US?
My mate and I are hoping to tour across the U.S. to celebrate graduation. Starting in one place and driving to another, so we'll have to buy the car (he's staying over there), and we want to get insured on it. However, we're 22 y/o Brits and I've heard that can be difficult. Google just feeds me lots of car rental insurance stuff; how would it work in the US if we wanted to buy the car there? Do you guys have any advice?""
Can i get car insurance without owning a car?
Before the smart *** answers come in, let me explain. I looked up this subject and saw many people saying that's stupid, why would you want insurance on something you don't own . This is not the point. I'm a full time college student in Massachusetts and take the train around to get to places because its easier that way living in the city. It's illegal to drive here without car insurance. So could i get coverage driving a parents or friends vehicle? My parents don't have the money to add me onto their policy so i want to know if i could get my own, almost like a non owner policy, and be covered driving their vehicle in case anything ever happened? I heard that as long as you have the owners permission, you're covered. that doesn't sound right though.""
Acura RSX or Toyota Celica. only have 8 grand to spend
which will have cheaper insurance, is faster, can be modified more""
""Are there any good insurance companies who dont take part in comparison websites like confused, gocompare etc?""
Are there any good insurance companies who dont take part in comparison websites like confused, gocompare etc?""
Insurance for a first time motorcycle driver?
is insurance cheaper for a pickup truck or motorcycle for a first time driver? either would be pre 1990 the motorcycle would be a 250cc honda
""New driver, car, insurance etc..?""
I've started saving for my first car, driving lessons and tests, and obviously insurance. Any tips on choosing a car, and a teacher? How much would it cost, roughly? Detailed answers really appreciated, thankyou x""
High School Sport Insurance?
If i want to join track for high school as a freshman and i don't think i have health insurance... do i need it to join?
""After receiving a check from car insurance company, am I obligated to use the car shop that gave me the quote?""
My car was damaged by hail. I took it to a shop recommended by my insurance company, they gave me a quote, and the car insurance company gave me a check for that amount. Am I obligated to use that same shop that gave me the original quote, or am I allowed to still take it somewhere else that might repair it for less?""
What can I do when a cap on my tooth is breaking away and I cannot afford insurance and not enough money?
What can I do when a cap on my tooth is breaking away and I cannot afford insurance and not enough money?
Is there a auto insurance i can get for a low cost?
Is there a auto insurance i can get for a low cost?
""If a trucking company is self-insured,what are deductibles?
I've been told that I have to cover damages in a backing accident between two trucks belonging to the same self-insured company.
How can i get cheap car insurance?
cheap car insurance
Fairbanks Louisiana Cheap car insurance quotes zip 71240
Fairbanks Louisiana Cheap car insurance quotes zip 71240
What kinds of insurance should I have?
I have several different kinds of insurance. I want to know which ones to keep. And what to get rid of. I'm looking for an objective opinion.
How dos US car insurance work compared to english car insurance?
I'm looking to get a bmw x5 but insurance is 9000k a year like $13000k I heard they do it different so its easier to get bigger cars. In england they don't allow young drivers to get big cars so the insurance is expensive How dos us car insurance work
How much should health insurance cost a 24 year old female in los angeles?
I'm looking into geting health Insurance and i not sure how mush it would cost a healthy 24 year old female who's monthly income is ruffly 1500 a month. I don't have any major health problem. Can someone please give me an idea of what i might be looking at or any suggestions ... thanks
How can I buy car insurance?
Sorry, my real question is as follows: My mom owns a car, and I want to drive the car and get it insured. I do not know if I can find an auto insurance agent and tell her or him that I want to insurance the car for myself alone, without paying insurance fees for my mom. I just want to insurance my mother's car and drive it by myself without paying any premium fees of insuring both mom and I. Any one has experience about that? Is it possible?""
Do I need insurance to take my drivers test?
I want to get my licence and all I have to do is take the driving part. The car I am going to take my test in is insured in another persons name but since I'm not a registered driver on the car, am I still able to drive it just to take my test? I've tried getting on the policy but they will not insure me until I have a valid license, duh lol. So how exactly does this work?""
How much would it be for a 20 year old male car insurance?
I am 20 , male in California driving a 2000 Honda civic how much will my insurance be ?? First time being under insurance . And please don't send me links trying to bribe me with your insurance . Please help""
Only have Learners - Car and insurance?
I need to drive asap. I have my learners currently but cant sit my test until Sept. Would love some help with the process of where to start, can I buy a car and/or insurance before I get sit my test? If so how does the registration work? Maybe worth noting that I need to drive asap for work, I am 23 and going on parents etc is not an option? also im in canada Thanks!""
Should my wife and I have to pay for your health insurance?
With my royalty checks, my wife's salary and bonus package (she is a Pharm D and a senior Vp at a large nationwide pharmacy retailer) we earn more than 250K a year and are considered Rich by Obama standards .We just paid off our student loans a couple of years ago. We live in a house well within our means, we have three children who we would like to put through University without them incurring debt like we had to. We save, have to drive older models cars and we have a very good but expensive health care plan. Basically we just made it we are in our mid forties. I mean I just got the breaks in my career that I have worked hard through lean years for. My wife was promoted two years ago. Why should we have to pay higher premiums in a national health system for the same coverage of someone else? Why would we be taxed more for earning more? We lived within our means, we don't carry credit card debt, w live in a 2700 sq ft house ( not huge by any standards). If we have to pay even higher taxes and even higher insurance premiums, then we will have to wait to retire three extra years ( or more) Why do we get punished for being industrious?""
""What is the best choice for life insurance age 34 term, universal, whole, accidental?""
What is the best choice for life insurance age 34 term, universal, whole, accidental?""
How much does insurance for a motorcycle cost?
I currently don't own a motorcycle but am curious the cost of insuring it. I live in Vermont so I would only be riding it from June to September. I would probably be riding a 2002 Yamaha YZF R6.
What kind of motorcycle could I get?
I want a vehicle and I think a motorcycle would be kickass. If anybody has any experience, please help me out. Is there a good bike I could get used under $3000 that I could ride on the highway (75 mph). Does your car insurance go up when you get the license? What would insurance cost for a 17 y/o male with no collisions or infractions? Any help would be greatly appreciated.""
Anyone know any car insurance company's that can offer cheap car insurance for a 18 year old?
I am 18 and just bought a Nissan Altima 08. I live in California, Los Angeles. I am trying to get insured and they want to charge me $3000 a year. Thats $250 a month for car insurance. Its more then my car payments. Anyone know any insurance company that can offer a better deal?""
Car Insurance?
I got a ticket 15 monthes ago and didn't told my parents, but they aren't that hard on me but the car insurance is going up now why is that.""
Can i get insured on a chevrolet camaro 1ss 2 door v6 in the uk?
my parents said they will buy me a chevrolet camaro and ship it to the uk, its the 1ss v6 2door. they told me i had to pay insurance does anyone know wether or not i can get insured on this car in the uk, i live in london, im im turning 18 in november and this wil be my first car, and do you know approx how much it will cost?""
Do you have health insurance?
if so, how much is it per month?? How old are you?? what kind of deducatble do you have?? feel free to answer also if you do not have insurance and how you might pay any medical costs.""
Does anyone know where i can get car insurance?
does anyone know where a college student with bad credit can get a car insurance
Why do people ask yahoo answers about car insurance quotes.?
When its so much quicker, easier and obviously more accurate to either call insurance company or do an online quote.""
Is anyone in need of affordable life insurance and you live in South Carolina?
Is anyone in need of affordable life insurance and you live in South Carolina?
How much will insurance be on a 125cc scooter?
I will soon be 17, and considering buying a 125cc scooter. It will be my first motor vehicle , never had a moped, car is too expensive etc. I live in a rural area so would be using it to get to nearby places. If i buy one, and after i take the CBT test, how much roughly would insurance be? Any other info on related costs appreciated.....thanks""
What liability would you have if you let someone else use your address to obtain cheaper car insurance?
I know it is morally wrong but the situation is not what it appears. I let this relative use my address before in order to hide from a former abusive spouse. Now that scenario is not the issue and for a long time I was only receiving junk mailings for her. But once or twice this year I received something from a car insurance co. I could not open it but it looked like a bill. She lives in an area notorious for sky high insurance rates. Can I get into trouble, or is she the only one committing fraud? I don't want to get in trouble for her but I do feel bad because she doesn't make much money.""
15 1/2 year old male insurence in california ?
im 15 1/2 and just got my permit and i have a 72 galaxie 500 2 door hard top but its not registered i was wondering if it would be cheaper to register the car in my name but be on my parents insurance or register it in my dads name and be on his insurance or just have my own insurance? i live in california. so if you can help that be great and dose anyone know how much it be if i joined my parents?
Insurance estimate for 99 mustang GT for 16 year old girl?
I'm looking at a 99 mustang GT and some other years (all the 4.6L engine years....99-04 mainly) I was wondering if anyone would know from experience a good estimate of the price of insurance on it. It's bone stock. I know that if you make decent grades you get discounts and I make A/B's in all AP so I don't know if that would help very much? and I have never had a wreck or ticket, & I am just turning 16. This would be my first car. I'm looking at one GT coupe and one convertible. If you have an idea of how much more it would go up with a convertible please tell me. Thank you!""
How does car insurance work? my mom recently wrecked our car-it cost 2000. we have 25000/500 deductible.?
what part do we pay
Why do men have higher insurance rates than women?
Why do men have higher insurance rates than women?
Can anyone help me find a source that explains Hourly Cost to Employer for employee's health insurance?
I can't find anything that says how much a year or hour it costs employers to offer health insurance. I'm sure there is a range, but I'd just like to find anything factual that isn't someone's esteemed opinion, saying that Obamacare will save 30% on costs or Obamacare will cost employers Billions. I would like to find some real numbers and come up with my own ideas. Thanks, in advance for your assistance.""
Fairbanks Louisiana Cheap car insurance quotes zip 71240
Fairbanks Louisiana Cheap car insurance quotes zip 71240
How much do you pay for your car insurance ? (UK)?
I am 19 with a VW polo 1.4 payin 140 a month
Is this car insurance thing true?
I heard online that in Texas if you drive less than 35 miles a day, you'll get a HUGE discount in your insurance. It this true? Or is this just a lie?""
Average price for public libility insurance?
Average price for public libility insurance?
2 health insurance plans?
Currently I am using my wife's health insurance plan (which is very great) and not using anything from my company which states We currently offer medical (including prescriptions) and dental coverage. The Company will contribute up to $300 per month to the cost of such coverage. What would you guys recommend in this situation? My wife's insurance plan is worth a lot more than $300 a month and it makes no sense that I leave it. What should I do in this situation? For instance, my current insurance deductible is $500. Could I add some kind of secondary insurance thru my company which would take that deductible down to $0? Thanks""
Car insurance for 16 year old?
I am 16. Live in Miami, Florida. Drive a Toyota Corolla 1992. I want the insurance that I'll only be paying to cover the repairs of the other car if i get into an accident and not mine. About how much do you think the insurance will cost me? Oh and I plan to pay for the full year in one full payment and not monthly.""
Car insurance for a road-trip? HELP!?
My friends and I are going on a road trip for 5 weeks from San Francisco to New York and are thinking of buying a car for the duration that we're there. Obviously we'll need car insurance, however how would we go about it when we aren't American nationals and don't have an address there? We do have full British driving licences. ANY help would be much appreciated.""
I'm auto insured in CA but not in NY how do i get insured in NY?
Hi I have auto insurance in california that's where i live and the car is registered in Ca also. The company that I have doesn't cover my car in NY it only covers for 10 days while I'm there in NY, But I'm going to be in NY for a while I might move there. What do I have to do to get insured in NY? And also the car is not in my name. What Do I DO?""
What cars are cheap to insure for 18 year old?
I've just passed my test and I'm trying to find cheaper insurance, I'm not bothered what car as long as it's not expensive. The black box isn't suitable for me please don't suggest that. The other thing is, what insurance company is good""
Just passed driving test. 18 years old. What is the cheapest insurance company for me?
Just recently passed 17, turning 18 in a few days. What is the best insurance company in terms of price? also what car would i need to purchase to get the cheapest possible quote? Advice needed!""
Suspended liscense and car insurance?
So in two more months my license suspension will be over from a dui. First of all the type of dui that I got from what I've been told isn't as bad as the real one seeing as I got a dui for blowing a 0.3 but being under 21 makes it illegal at any alcohol level. My dui is considered and infraction so no criminal record but still not sure if this goes in my driving record. When I get my license back and look for car insurance will I have to pay extra for insurance for having a dui infraction?
Would car insurance be less if i got an older car/truck?
like from the 1980 to 2000? and would a pickup truck cost less to insure than a small car? im 18 if that helps any.
Which Insurance is best in California?
Hello Car Users(Especially Mercedes), I would like to know for New Mercedes C 250 Sport Sedan, which Insurance criterion will be best as I'm in California? Also, Which Insurance company is good? This is my first time experience hence need your inputs. Thanks""
What value does insurance companies go by to determine if car is totaled or not?
I have 2001 honda civic ex with 140,600 miles on it. I recently wrecked it and the body work, paint, and labor is coming up to $3900. There is some work under the hood that needs to be done, but I was told to get a seperate estimate for that and contact the insurance company. How much does the repairs have to amount to before the car is considered totaled???""
What are my options regarding insurance?
My insurance coverage ended on Dec 9 and i forgot to pay for the renewal. According to the letter I received last week my insurance company will reinstate me if I paid by Dec 29th. So I paid today. However a guy hit a bunch of parked cars including my car in a parking lot and died on the spot. This happened last night. I will get the police report next week from our local police station. So now what should i do? Should i wait for the police report and file a claim against this guy's insurance company? Should I contact my insurance company and ask them to deal with it? Will they actually agree to handle this claim?
What Texas insurance company covers composition over wood shake shingles?
Hi everyone I'm selling a house and want to be prepared to answer questions about insuring a roof with composition shingles over wood shakes (or wood shingles). I have a major carrier, but I've heard there are insurance companies that refuse to insure these roofs these days. I'd like to know for sure what insurance companies I can say cover these roofs. I am in Dallas, Texas, so it should be a company that is in Texas. Thanks so much for your help!""
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SO how old do you have to be to have only liability insurance? My son got his license and I might only get him liability insurance cause its cheaper. But, some people told me you have to be 18 to have only liability""
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Automobile insurance coverage indemnifying insureds for damage to their won vehicles is a- collision b- comprehensive c- not available d- both a and b
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I'm 19 year old male. I got my license for the first time (1 month ago) in NC. I was added to my moms insurance (i don't have a car) and first they told me it was $300 every 2 months for me, now they are saying its $445. I am trying to save up for a car to buy in January and I don't drive my moms car. I asked the insurance company can I be taken off the policy and they said Turn your license back in or show proof of insurance with another company... I rent a car about once a week from ZipCar (Insurance included) and I don't want to turn my license back in. Anyone have any experience?""
Best oklahoma home insurance companies?
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Affordable Health Insuance that includes maternity coverage?
My husband just started a new job that offers NO benefits until he moves up in the company which could take over a year to happen or even longer, and I only work part time. I am ...show more""
What is the cheapest car insurance company?
My auto insurance went up AGAIN! I am a safe driver! OHIO mutual is horrible! What is a cheap insurance company? NOT SAFE AUTO>THEY SUCK
Fairbanks Louisiana Cheap car insurance quotes zip 71240
Fairbanks Louisiana Cheap car insurance quotes zip 71240
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/auto-insurance-quotes-nevada-justin-gonzalez/"
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FROM DUBAI TO GEORGIA! Yiey ❤
4-Day Trip💓
Advantage about being a resident of UAE is getting easy access to several travel destinations in the world. A Filipino passport holder and a Dubai resident can go to Georgia, VISA FREE for up to 90 days (source: Visa HQ). All you need to secure is the validity of your passport and some blank pages and you are good to go.
• Flight Tickets: Air Arabia
• Hotel: Tekla Palace (exactly in the city center) Thumbs up👍👌
• Currency: Georgian Lari (1 AED = 0.671725 GEL)
Fare from Tbilisi, Airport to our Hotel will cost you around 14.00-20.00 lari, but better to ask your hotel to book a taxi to pick you up from the Airport. There will be extra charges but its fine. ( kesa ma- scam like us! HAHAHA)
DAY 1: Explore the capital of Georgia- Tbilisi
Since our hotel is just in the city center, we didn't use any public transport to explore the whole area of Old Tbilisi.
We visited the following:
- Narikala Fortress
- Mother of Georgia
- Statue of Vakhtang Georgasali
- Bridge of Peace
- Cable Car
- Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi (THE BEST!)
- Anchiskhati Basilica
- National Botanical Garden of Georgia
- Metekhi St. Virgin Church
- Saint George's Church, Tbilisi
- SULFUR BATHS
- ETC. (theres a lot of old churches around the area) too many too mention 🙃✌️
Breakfast- Free from hotel
Lunch- Bread with Sausage (YUMMY!) 1 Lari Only. 😍
Dinner- Bread with Sausage (again) and Bread with full of Cheese.
Day 2: We booked a tour package going to Borjomi and Vardzia, Aspindzis Raioni, Georgia from Holidays In Georgia We spent almost the day on the road, because its a 3-4 hour drive from the main city (Tbilisi). You can see and drink the water from Borjomi, they said that it can heal a lot diseases. Thrilling adventure to see the beautiful caves in Vardzia. So from a really tiring tour, we arrived in Tbilisi around 8:00pm, we still went out to go and check the Funicular Tbilisi and Mtatsminda Park (we can't see the beauty of the park because its already 12am when we reached there)
Breakfast- Free from hotel (again) 😍
Lunch- Khachapuri and Pork bbq ( Don't know whats the name of the Restaurant)
Dinner- Assorted breads from bakery.
Day 3- Again we booked a tour package going to Ananuri • ანანური and Gudauri, Dushet'Is Raioni, Georgia from Holidays In Georgia. The tour is from 9:00am to 7pm. We spent a lot of time in Gudauri where in you can try Skiing, Paragliding, ATV's and many more. Theres a lot of restaurants also in the area. You can have some booze while enjoying the snow.
For your information:
Paragliding is 250 Lari
Skiing is 40 Lari for the gear and 50 lari for the instructor
ATV is 70 Lari (you can bargain)
Cable car is 10 lari (2-way)
We reached the city by 7pm, we decided to walk around the city again. We discovered a lot of beautiful places in Tbilisi at night like:
- Freedom Square, Tbilisi
- 9th of april park
- Georgian National Museum
- Davit Agmashenebeli Avenue
Breakfast- Free from the Hotel (Sinulit ni ate girl!)
Lunch- Ojakhuri (sana tama spelling ko) From one of the restaurant in Gudauri.
Dinner- Same bread from the bakery along the way.
Day 4- Since its our last day and we have to be in the airport around 2pm, we woke up early just to see the beautiful park from above the mountain Mtatsminda Park. We had breakfast from the hotel then walk to the park. We have to ride a Funicular Tbilisi, just to reach the park. From the park we walk again going to the Old Tbilisi to buy some wines and souvenirs.
So ayuuun, pagbalik ng Dubai sakit katawan ni Ate Girl. Sinulit ang apat na araw. HAHA 😀
Link of the travel agency:https://www.facebook.com/pg/Holidays-In-Georgia-855797294468133/about/?ref=page_internal
Thumbs up 👍 to this travel agency and to the very kind tour guide (Mr. Oleg)
You can privately ask me for the cost of the whole trip 😊
Thank you for reading!
#TravelGoals #DXBTOGEORGIA #WINTERINGEORGIA #Traveladdict#travelblogger #simplebeyond #weekend
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Are smart cities just a utopian fantasy?
Tyler Edell Crunch Network Contributor
Tyler Edell is a technical marketing manager at Oppkey, a developer relations company in San Francisco. He holds degrees in writing and literature from Emerson College and San Francisco State University.
How to join the network
Songdo, South Korea began its life as tidal marshland. Now its leading the charge into the future of smart cities. Once home to small-scale fishing operations, Songdo comprises massive, LEED-certified buildings, an efficient garbage collection system and even an island for rabbits.
The project began in 2000, when 500 tons of sand were poured into the marshland, laying the foundation for architectural achievements like the Northeast Asian Trade Tower, a 68-story building that is now the tallest in South Korea.
While Songdo is nearing completion and the flashy, meticulously designed buildings certainly suggest an eye on the future, much of what makes Songdo impressive lies under the surface. For example, the entire city is connected by an underground network of pipes that serve to funnel garbage directly from residents apartments into the highly automated waste collection plant. The garbage is automatically sorted and then recycled, buried or burned for fuel. This might be Songdos most avant-garde integration, and only seven employees are needed to handle the entire citys garbage.
Songdo has the benefit of being a greenfield deployment, meaning that the citys infrastructure could be designed beforehand, based on the predicted needs of the architecture and residents, instead of being integrated reactively, as is the case with most smart city deployments. Integrating Songdos garbage collection system with cities like San Francisco or New York would take years of legislation and astronomical amounts of money.
Not all of Songdos future-focused initiatives are out of reach for established cities, though. Songdo has sensors everywhere to monitor temperature, energy use, traffic flow and the salt water canal that runs through the city. Sensor prices have dropped drastically over the past few years, allowing an unprecedented degree of connection even to established cities. Still, most cities have been reluctant to roll out full-fledged initiatives for smart city deployments. Theres great optimism surrounding the smart city discussion, but that optimism seems to wilt whenever someone asks Whos going to fund this?
The city certainly isnt going to, at least in the case of San Francisco. While SF does have an outrageous $9.6 billion budget for the 2016-2017 fiscal year, most of that will be funneled toward the mismanagement of the citys disastrous infrastructure. Its a fair question to ask why they cant dedicate a portion of that budget to smart city initiatives, but maybe they were relying on the $50 million Smart City Challenge award from the federal government, for which they were a contender. If they had won the award, private contributions would have been added to the federal award, bringing the total for the initiative to $200 million.
The social factors of smart cities might be the most difficult to measure.
The federal government has dedicated $80 million in new investments toward its smart city program, but that money will be spread out over 70+ cities, bringing the average to a whopping $1.1 million per city. That might sound like a lot of money (it is), but when you compare it to, for example, the average price of repaving one mile of a four-lane road ($1.25 million), it isnt exactly breathtaking. And even if you think the SF municipal government could do great things with more money, keep in mind that its the same government that allows somewhere between 6,000 and 10,000 people to sleep on the streets, while dedicating $224 million to keeping them off of them.
Current funding for smart city initiatives is only good enough for proof-of-concept trials, which would lead, at best, to a piecemeal approach to smart city construction. The reluctance is understandable Songdo cost roughly $35 billion to build from scratch but without genuine investment in changing the infrastructure of a city to fit smart city needs, widespread deployment will be riddled with integration and adoption issues. Maybe the biggest obstacle to its full deployment is one question: Are smart cities profitable?
There have been compelling waste-reduction efforts based on smart city sensor technology, like using sensors in the water supply to mitigate waste. While these efforts have resulted in corking budget leaks, they havent appeared to bleed over into other aspects of smart city deployments. Cities can use smart meters to make street parking easier, but that might actually work against them. If a driver finds a spot, they pay $2. If they get a ticket, they pay $72. Thats why some companies are offering cities analytics to optimize a police officers ability to hand out tickets its all about profit.
Another example: Lets say a city opens its streets to autonomous vehicle rideshares, and that those rideshares catch on. And that they catch on to the point that it eats into the Department of Transportations revenue, so they have to slash public transportation frequency to a point where its no longer viable to maintain a robust public transportation system. They end up having to subsidize rides for low-income commuters, as well as lay off a slew of public transportation workers. In this scenario, the government not only doesnt make a profit, but it has to deal with the headache of transitioning its transportation system and the social upheaval that comes with massive layoffs.
The social factors of smart cities might be the most difficult to measure or engage with, which is probably why we havent heard very much about them. Smart cities seem abstracted from the cities themselves, as evidenced by the unwanted consequences of LinkNYCs free Wi-Fi program. If you arent familiar with LinkNYC, the goal is to replace payphones around NYC with free Wi-Fi kiosks. These kiosks come equipped with tablet-like touchscreens that allow anyone to browse the web. At least they used to.
A few weeks after the program went live, LinkNYC had to disable web browsing on all of its public tablets, for obvious reasons. If it doesnt seem obvious to you, let me list some of the ingredients in this debacle: homeless people, substance abuse, free video streaming and a public space. One of my favorite headlines about this misuse of the project is, Wi-Fi kiosks have become living rooms for vagrants, which was in the NY Post. My favorite excerpt, though, is from the Chicago Tribune: Its free. Thats the best part about it, said a tall man drinking a beer out of a paper bag as he watched an R. Kelly video at a terminal in Manhattans Chelsea neighborhood.
That pretty much says it all. The unintended social consequences of smart city projects are a real concern, and a technological imbalance is at the heart of it. Smart cities are clearly not intended for the homeless, but homeless people are a reality of cities you cant just ignore them. Smart cities seem to be taking hold most effectively in areas where theres significantly less income inequality and crime. For example, the United States ranks 63rd on a list of nations by largest income inequalities, while South Korea, where Songdo is located, ranks 129th. The United States intentional homicide rate is also more than five times greater than South Koreas.
Every smart city deployment affects different groups of people in different ways. While some drivers might appreciate the traffic flow optimization that comes with cameras on traffic lights, others will bemoan the surveillance state. A major question to grapple with is how to assuage (usually reasonable) fears while improving efficiency and standard of living. When the Songdo project broke ground, plenty of fishermen lost their way of life, but instead of giving them a bus ticket and wishing them good luck, the South Korean government handed them urban farm plots as a way to keep them going. This is the level of understanding and foresight thats needed for successful deployments.
A common complaint about greenfield smart city deployments is that theyre antiseptic they lack character. When cities are designed and deployed as a single unit, they dont carry the cultural vibrancy of a city built organically in response to the needs and desires of its denizens.
As someone who moved to San Francisco because of its cultural fabric, the piecemeal approach to integrating smart city technology is more appealing than the built-from-scratch approach, even though its less efficient and more expensive. Its the only way to preserve the character of the city. We just have to hope the people who compose the city arent forgotten.
Source: http://allofbeer.com/are-smart-cities-just-a-utopian-fantasy/
from All of Beer https://allofbeer.wordpress.com/2018/04/22/are-smart-cities-just-a-utopian-fantasy/
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Text
Are smart cities just a utopian fantasy?
Tyler Edell Crunch Network Contributor
Tyler Edell is a technical marketing manager at Oppkey, a developer relations company in San Francisco. He holds degrees in writing and literature from Emerson College and San Francisco State University.
How to join the network
Songdo, South Korea began its life as tidal marshland. Now its leading the charge into the future of smart cities. Once home to small-scale fishing operations, Songdo comprises massive, LEED-certified buildings, an efficient garbage collection system and even an island for rabbits.
The project began in 2000, when 500 tons of sand were poured into the marshland, laying the foundation for architectural achievements like the Northeast Asian Trade Tower, a 68-story building that is now the tallest in South Korea.
While Songdo is nearing completion and the flashy, meticulously designed buildings certainly suggest an eye on the future, much of what makes Songdo impressive lies under the surface. For example, the entire city is connected by an underground network of pipes that serve to funnel garbage directly from residents apartments into the highly automated waste collection plant. The garbage is automatically sorted and then recycled, buried or burned for fuel. This might be Songdos most avant-garde integration, and only seven employees are needed to handle the entire citys garbage.
Songdo has the benefit of being a greenfield deployment, meaning that the citys infrastructure could be designed beforehand, based on the predicted needs of the architecture and residents, instead of being integrated reactively, as is the case with most smart city deployments. Integrating Songdos garbage collection system with cities like San Francisco or New York would take years of legislation and astronomical amounts of money.
Not all of Songdos future-focused initiatives are out of reach for established cities, though. Songdo has sensors everywhere to monitor temperature, energy use, traffic flow and the salt water canal that runs through the city. Sensor prices have dropped drastically over the past few years, allowing an unprecedented degree of connection even to established cities. Still, most cities have been reluctant to roll out full-fledged initiatives for smart city deployments. Theres great optimism surrounding the smart city discussion, but that optimism seems to wilt whenever someone asks Whos going to fund this?
The city certainly isnt going to, at least in the case of San Francisco. While SF does have an outrageous $9.6 billion budget for the 2016-2017 fiscal year, most of that will be funneled toward the mismanagement of the citys disastrous infrastructure. Its a fair question to ask why they cant dedicate a portion of that budget to smart city initiatives, but maybe they were relying on the $50 million Smart City Challenge award from the federal government, for which they were a contender. If they had won the award, private contributions would have been added to the federal award, bringing the total for the initiative to $200 million.
The social factors of smart cities might be the most difficult to measure.
The federal government has dedicated $80 million in new investments toward its smart city program, but that money will be spread out over 70+ cities, bringing the average to a whopping $1.1 million per city. That might sound like a lot of money (it is), but when you compare it to, for example, the average price of repaving one mile of a four-lane road ($1.25 million), it isnt exactly breathtaking. And even if you think the SF municipal government could do great things with more money, keep in mind that its the same government that allows somewhere between 6,000 and 10,000 people to sleep on the streets, while dedicating $224 million to keeping them off of them.
Current funding for smart city initiatives is only good enough for proof-of-concept trials, which would lead, at best, to a piecemeal approach to smart city construction. The reluctance is understandable Songdo cost roughly $35 billion to build from scratch but without genuine investment in changing the infrastructure of a city to fit smart city needs, widespread deployment will be riddled with integration and adoption issues. Maybe the biggest obstacle to its full deployment is one question: Are smart cities profitable?
There have been compelling waste-reduction efforts based on smart city sensor technology, like using sensors in the water supply to mitigate waste. While these efforts have resulted in corking budget leaks, they havent appeared to bleed over into other aspects of smart city deployments. Cities can use smart meters to make street parking easier, but that might actually work against them. If a driver finds a spot, they pay $2. If they get a ticket, they pay $72. Thats why some companies are offering cities analytics to optimize a police officers ability to hand out tickets its all about profit.
Another example: Lets say a city opens its streets to autonomous vehicle rideshares, and that those rideshares catch on. And that they catch on to the point that it eats into the Department of Transportations revenue, so they have to slash public transportation frequency to a point where its no longer viable to maintain a robust public transportation system. They end up having to subsidize rides for low-income commuters, as well as lay off a slew of public transportation workers. In this scenario, the government not only doesnt make a profit, but it has to deal with the headache of transitioning its transportation system and the social upheaval that comes with massive layoffs.
The social factors of smart cities might be the most difficult to measure or engage with, which is probably why we havent heard very much about them. Smart cities seem abstracted from the cities themselves, as evidenced by the unwanted consequences of LinkNYCs free Wi-Fi program. If you arent familiar with LinkNYC, the goal is to replace payphones around NYC with free Wi-Fi kiosks. These kiosks come equipped with tablet-like touchscreens that allow anyone to browse the web. At least they used to.
A few weeks after the program went live, LinkNYC had to disable web browsing on all of its public tablets, for obvious reasons. If it doesnt seem obvious to you, let me list some of the ingredients in this debacle: homeless people, substance abuse, free video streaming and a public space. One of my favorite headlines about this misuse of the project is, Wi-Fi kiosks have become living rooms for vagrants, which was in the NY Post. My favorite excerpt, though, is from the Chicago Tribune: Its free. Thats the best part about it, said a tall man drinking a beer out of a paper bag as he watched an R. Kelly video at a terminal in Manhattans Chelsea neighborhood.
That pretty much says it all. The unintended social consequences of smart city projects are a real concern, and a technological imbalance is at the heart of it. Smart cities are clearly not intended for the homeless, but homeless people are a reality of cities you cant just ignore them. Smart cities seem to be taking hold most effectively in areas where theres significantly less income inequality and crime. For example, the United States ranks 63rd on a list of nations by largest income inequalities, while South Korea, where Songdo is located, ranks 129th. The United States intentional homicide rate is also more than five times greater than South Koreas.
Every smart city deployment affects different groups of people in different ways. While some drivers might appreciate the traffic flow optimization that comes with cameras on traffic lights, others will bemoan the surveillance state. A major question to grapple with is how to assuage (usually reasonable) fears while improving efficiency and standard of living. When the Songdo project broke ground, plenty of fishermen lost their way of life, but instead of giving them a bus ticket and wishing them good luck, the South Korean government handed them urban farm plots as a way to keep them going. This is the level of understanding and foresight thats needed for successful deployments.
A common complaint about greenfield smart city deployments is that theyre antiseptic they lack character. When cities are designed and deployed as a single unit, they dont carry the cultural vibrancy of a city built organically in response to the needs and desires of its denizens.
As someone who moved to San Francisco because of its cultural fabric, the piecemeal approach to integrating smart city technology is more appealing than the built-from-scratch approach, even though its less efficient and more expensive. Its the only way to preserve the character of the city. We just have to hope the people who compose the city arent forgotten.
from All Of Beer http://allofbeer.com/are-smart-cities-just-a-utopian-fantasy/
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