The flashes, cracks, and booms of fireworks may be fun for you, but for your pet they can be frightening and confusing.  The Placer SPCA, local companion animal welfare experts, reminds pet owners to keep their pets inside, especially during the evening hours.

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With fireworks on sale already, be prepared now to keep your companion animals safe.  Fireworks set off near your home can panic your dog or cat, and in trying to get away from the noises they can become disoriented and lost.  It is important to remember that many people set off fireworks a few days after the holiday as well.

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Many local shelters, including the Placer SPCA, see an increase in stray animals in the first week of July.

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“We suggest that pets be kept in a quiet, familiar room in your home any time loud noises are nearby,” said Placer SPCA CEO Leilani Vierra in a news release.  “Even a very mellow animal might try to dart out the door if he is scared by fireworks blasting nearby.”

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If your pet does get lost, a tag and microchip may make the difference in getting him or her back home.  The Placer SPCA offers microchip implants for only $20 during all business hours.  About the size of a grain of rice, the microchip contains a code that a shelter or veterinarian can scan to obtain a pet owner’s name from a national database maintained by the manufacturer.  If your pet already has a microchip, please be sure to keep your contact information current.  If you don’t know the manufacturer information, come in to the Placer SPCA for a free scan.

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If you have questions regarding animal care and behavior, contact the Placer SPCA at 916-782-7722 or 530-885-7387 or visit www.placerspca.org.

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Tips for your pet this Fourth of July:

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• Keep pets inside, especially during the evening

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• Keep pets in a quiet and familiar room

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• Make sure your animal is microchipped and information is current in case they run away

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Tags : Pets

@Faz-

No way Viccis duet tonight was easily better than Dias.

It wasnt earth shattering or anything but it as pretty good (I should say that I like Train, maybe if you dont like Train.). I liked it.

Dia+Lambert, it was sooooo boring, flat and plain (but then I usually find that sort of countryish stuff boring). No energy. Sometimes a little thin sounding.

Beverly did well on some parts but yeah some parts were really bad and yeah I have to give you those parts were easily the worst of the four tonight by far.

I thought Javier did pretty well tonight, although it seemed like it may have been because Stevie Nicks led him note by note on the phrasing which doesnt necessarily speak well for his artistry which has been the one thing that made me never be able to end up really getting into him.

Tags : Artistry

Six months after special permits were approved for the proposed Chestnut Hill Square project, developers just down the street from that site are looking to renovate and expand another shopping center on Route 9.

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Representatives from WS Development, a Chestnut Hill-based development firm, presented its plans last night to take down part of a building at the Chestnut Hill Shopping Center and in its place, re-build a three-story, mixed-use structure. The presentation came during a public hearing held before both the Land Use Committee and the Planning Board.

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Robert Frazier, the firms Senior Vice President of Development, explained that the firm will also look to improve the carriageway on the south side of the shopping center (closest to Boylston Street) as well as create traffic calming measures, pedestrian improvements and landscaping additions.

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During last nights meeting, both Frazier and the firms lawyer, Frank Stearns, went through the details for the requested special permits and zoning changes needed to make WS Developments plan happen. The chamber at City Hall was filled with representatives from the firm as well as architects, a civil engineer and traffic engineer.

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A lot of work has gone into putting this proposal together, Frazier said.

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Plans for a new building#13;

The portion of the building the firm proposes to take down currently houses Century Bank and City Sports and sits at 33 Boylston St., just between The Container Store and Legal Sea Foods. In its place, the firm looks to build a three-story building that will stand 50-feet tall and incorporate retail space, office space and potentially restaurant space.

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We are a very dynamic industry, Frazier said. We are working very hard with proposals and working with multiple types of tenants for that facility. Were going to come forward with something the city of Newton and the Chestnut Hill neighborhood can be proud of.

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The project was initiated by the firm looking re-locate its headquarters, which is currently housed at 1330 Boylston St. in the Brookline section of Chestnut Hill. The WS Development offices are proposed to be on the third floor of the three-story building, with a pedestrians bridge connecting the new office to a small marketing center run by the firm that is already on the site. 

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Frazier explained that the bottom floor would house anywhere between two and nine retail spaces, keeping in mind that the firm hopes to retain the Century Bank and City Sports in the current building. The second floor would be open to more retail space, a restaurant, a fitness club or more office space, Frazier said. 

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The total footprint of the building would be around 22,000 square feet and the added space (with additional stores) would be around 48,000 square feet, Frazier said.

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Aside from the building construction, Frazier said the carriageway on the Boylston-street side of the building will see some work if the proposal goes through as it is in somewhat poor condition and in need of better parking definition, lighting and landscaping. Sidewalks will also be improved, Frazier added.

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We see the center as part of the evolving, urban character of the village, Frazier said. We don’t see a major change here, this is incremental, but character will improve over time.

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Special permits and approval needed#13;

The project cannot go through, though, without the necessary permits and zoning changes. Stearns outlined those changes the committee will need to vote on:

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• Zoning change for the land around 33 Boylston to be changed from Business 1 to Business 4 to allow for a three-story, mixed-use building

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• Change carriageway zoning from public use to Business 4; Stearns clarified that there will not be any businesses built on the carriageway and will remain as a sidewalk and travel lane

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• Special permit to replace the one-story building with a three-story building that is 50-feet tall and allow restaurants greater than 50 seats 

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• Special permit for improvements to sidewalk and carriageway

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As outlined in a memo from the Planning Department, the firm will also look for a waiver for some of the parking stalls and reduce the total number of parking stalls on the lot. 

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Concerns and questions from the board, public#13;

Aldermen, Planning Board members and those from the public expressed common concerns at Tuesday nights public hearing. Following WS Developments presentation, similar questions around the following subjects began to emerge:

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• Improved public access to Hammond Pond; Alderman Susan Albright asked if the firm could consider making access more user-friendly.

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• Whether the reduction of parking stalls would have a negative impact (Note: Stearns mentioned in his presentation a traffic study that showed roughly 40 hours a year where parking would max out, particularly around the holidays)

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• Whether the zoning change from Business 1 to Business 4 was necessary for the entire area around the building, and how it would affect future developments in the area

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• Encouraging the firm to present more of a master plan for the shopping center; incorporating this project into a bigger picture of the building and space

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• How the firm plans to handle or help stormwater management, as runoff from the shopping center area goes into Hammond Pond. Jane Sender, a member of the Newton Conservators, said the pond is believed to be suffering from eutrophication, or filling in with overgrown plants due to pollutants. 

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• How to connect the various shopping areas (The Mall at Chestnut Hill, Chestnut Hill Shopping Center and Atrium Mall) to reduce traffic. Alderman Brian Yates, for example, suggested a shuttle bus system.

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The Land Use Committee will meet again on this project during a working session on July 19. The Planning Board will continue its discussion on this proposal at its next meeting, scheduled for July 11. 

Tags : Shopping

Landon Donovan the international midfielder captaining the US team to meet Panama in the semi finals of the CONCAFA Gold cup promises no more surprises for his team.

But fans in Panama City, and across the country, will be assembling in bars, restaurants and homes to cheer on their team to prove him wrong.

In the qualifying rounds the favored US players lost 2-1, Panamas first ever victory over the northern team. The boys in red went on to tie Canada 1-1, and emerge top of their qualifying group.

Against El Salvador, in the quarter finals Panama was taken to extra time, and finally won in a penalty shoot out. We had a bad surprise Panama in the first round of Group C and now we have learned our lesson, Donovan said after the last training night on Tuesday, June 21.

Donovan, 29, has played in 134 international games and has scored 45 goals.

Donovan was not dismayed by the earlier performance of his team:On the contrary, we demonstrated great skills . playing on the cross but, if we are not focused from the first minute of the game will regenerate our problems, said Donovan.Now we know what we must do

Donovan acknowledged that of the more than 60 000 spectators that will pack the stands of the Reliant Stadium in Houston, most of the followers will give their support to Latino Panama. But, he says, the U.S, they will also have thousands of supporters.I have no doubt that we will have a great atmosphere at Reliant Stadium with fans that will give us their support.

He refused to speculate on the possibility of final rematch against Mexico defending champions, Mexico who will play Hinduras in the second game of the doubleheader is facing Honduras.

Donovan said first both teams have to win both their respective semi-finals. The challenge will not be easy for both teams, but if we come back to the final Mexico has shown that it is the team to beat.

Panamas head coach, Julio Cesar Dely Valdes, said his team was ready for the new game with the United States.

Medanwhile in Panama, if you plan to visit a sports bar to watch the game, which starts at 6 pm local time, be sure to arrive early. Thousands will be gathering to watch Panama make soccer history, and its likely that while the bars will be packed, rush hour traffic will also benefit as sport on the field takes over from jousting in traffic.

Tags : Sporting

Find out what Kim Kardashian bought during her shopping trip to La Perla in LA! Hint: It was white!

Kim Kardashian went shopping at La Perla with a girlfriend on Monday, and an eyewitness says the two were being very giggly and girly. They apparently looked at almost everything in the store and Kim bought two sexy items before she left! Was this in preparation for her honeymoon?

The girls looked at everything from bridal lingerie to regular lingerie to loungewear. Kim ended up buying a white nightie and underwear, an eyewitness tells HollywoodLife.com.

She kept mentioning that she wanted to buy something for herself and for her sisters. Kim also said she wanted to buy underwear for her mom, telling the clerk that she should get a late Fathers Day gift for her stepdad Bruce, the source reveals. Well, thats nice of Kim. It was unclear whether the underwear she bought was for herself or her mom, but the white nightie seemed to be for her.

So do you guys think that Kim is stocking up before her upcoming wedding and honeymoon? And what do you think of her buying her stepfather a fathers day gift of lingerie for her mom? Cute or awkward?

Tags : Shopping

Introduction
Legal implications
Comment

Introduction

Beneath the great humanitarian concerns underlying the evacuations from Libyan territory over the past few weeks lies a steadily turning commercial cogwheel, the magnitude of which few commentators appreciate. As of April 25 2011, more than 600,000 persons had fled violence in Libya by road, sea or air. Numerous shipping companies reacted to the crisis by operating round-trip charters to Benghazi and Misurata from Crete and Malta, mainly on the request of governments in Europe, Latin America and the Far East.

While tragic in its humanitarian and socio-political implications, a crisis such as this presents those with the requisite resources and expertise with a commercial opportunity. Were it not for these operators, tens of thousands of people would still be stuck in a war zone and the humanitarian consequences would be even more severe.

Legal implications

Maltas location has attracted a number of persons wishing to charter vessels for the purpose of evacuation. From a shipping perspective, the carriage of passengers onboard commercial vessels out of a high risk zone may present delicate legal problems and such operations should not be entered into blindly or without a clear awareness of the legal intricacies involved.

There is no standard form contract which caters for the carriage of passengers in such a scenario.

In contracting a voyage charterparty for the carriage of goods, the parties would normally resort to the terms of standard form contracts, most notably Gencon 1994. As is evident from the type of language used, these contracts do not by their nature contemplate the carriage of persons.

The charter of a vessel for the carriage of passengers (as opposed to cargo) for a specified trip or series of trips is the subject of a number of standard form agreements formulated by the international shipping industry – namely, the Baltic and International Maritime Council Cruisevoy and the Mediterranean Yacht Brokers Association Charter Agreement. However, these contracts fall short of addressing the specific circumstances faced in an evacuation, as they focus on the carriage of passengers onboard leisure vessels, such as cruise liners and superyachts.

It is therefore necessary to formulate an ad hoc agreement between the owner and the charterer. One of the main considerations to be addressed by the parties at the initial stage of their negotiations is whether the voyage charterparty will be a berth charterparty or a port charterparty. In the case of a berth charterparty, the vessel would be considered as an arrived ship, and therefore ready to take on passengers upon its arrival at a designated berth. In such a case, laytime and therefore the time allowed to the charterer to load and discharge passengers – the consideration included in the lump-sum freight – would commence only on the ships arrival at a particular berth. This would disadvantage the owner, since any time spent outside the berth due to the inability of the vessel to berth – especially where, for example, a ship is waiting to enter a Libyan port before returning to Malta – would be at the owners expense.

Alternatively, the voyage charterparty can be designated as a port charterparty. In such a case, the vessel is deemed to be an arrived ship as soon as it arrives at the port, which could be the anchorage. In contrast to a berth charterparty, this is to the owners advantage and to the charterers disadvantage, as laytime would commence as soon as the vessel is deemed to have arrived at the port and not necessarily at the berth – that is, ultimately irrespective of whether the passengers are embarking or disembarking from the vessel.

Both the laytime allowed for the charterer to load and discharge passengers and the rate at which demurrage (the pre-agreed rate of liquidated damages) will be charged by the owner once laytime is exceeded are to be clearly expressed in the agreement.

Comment

Unfortunately, these are just some of the important considerations that persons who may be unfamiliar with this sector may not begin to contemplate when entering into charterparties in emergency scenarios, such as the current evacuations to Malta.

It is crucial therefore that specialised professional legal advice is sought before a contract is finalised. This can go a long way in preempting problems in a business venture that can turn to litigation once the immediate urgency has died down or, even worse, lead to complex legal wrangling during the running of the contract. These negative effects increase in gravity where the consequences of a failed contract may stretch beyond the legal and commercial and touch human lives.

For further information on this topic please contact Alison Vassallo at Fenech amp; Fenech Advocates by telephone (+356 2124 1232), fax (+356 2599 0645) or email (alison.vassallo@fenlex.com).

Tags : Voyage

Posted by Royce Young

This might come as a great surprise, but the Spurs have denied shopping Tony Parker. Via the San Antonio Express-News:

Were not shopping anyone, (Spurs GM RC) Buford said, via text message. Weve received calls on a lot of our guys and weve answered the phone.

Thats the story NBA GMs like to stick to. Were not trying to trade anyone, but were going to at least listen… A little further down in fact, is this tidbit:

An executive of a team not involved in the discussions said he had no knowledge that the Spurs were seeking deals for Parker, but confirmed the belief they were gauging the interest of teams that called about him.

A basketball executive of another team said the Spurs were unwilling to discuss trading Parker to the Raptors unless they agreed to also consider taking small forward Richard Jefferson.

But theyre not trying to trade anyone! Just listening! It does seem like a pretty unlikely prospect that the Spurs are going to shop Tony Parker for the seventh or eighth pick in a weak draft, but I guess if someone wants to call Buford and offer away, hes going to hear him out. As he should.

Remember, Parker was the one that said the Spurs window was closing. But he also signed a long-term extension to stay with the team through 2014. I dont think hes getting traded. For whatever reason, teams like to leak information out like this to try and gain something out of it.

And if you remember, earlier Rod Thorn, the Sixers president, admitted to shopping Andre Iguodala. Why cant more people be like that? I guess because theres a fine line between shopping and listening. Either way, the Spurs arent hanging anyone out as meat on their roster. At least thats what they say.

Tags : Shopping

Luxury cruise line the Yachts of Seabourn has launched its latest liner at a glittering ceremony in Barcelona.

The new Seabourn Quest was christened June 20 by Blythe Danner, the star of Hollywood hits Meet the Parents and Meet the Fockers, in Barcelona, ahead of its maiden voyage to Athens.

It marks the end of a significant period of expansion for top-end line Seabourn, which has raised the number of ships it operates from three to six ships in two years.

The Seabourn Quest is the final ship of the Odyssey class, a significantly larger type of ship compared to Seabourns previous vessels, which has won several awards since 2009.

Like the others in its class, the Seabourn Odyssey and Seabourn Sojourn, it features an 11,400 square foot (1,050 square meter) spa and 225 suites, 95 percent of which offer private verandas.

Suites are also fitted out with walk-in closets, iPod connectors, granite bathrooms with a bath and separate shower/twin sinks, and a bar which is stocked according to the wishes of the passenger.

Particular attention has been paid to the gastronomical offerings, with the ship offering four dining venues, including a patio grill and the open-kitchen Colonnade, along with a further six bars which serve a range of premium beverages that – somewhat uniquely – are free of charge to guests.

Seabourn Quests debut comes just weeks ahead of the launch of the Costa Favalosa, due to set sail July 7 following a launch on July 2 in Trieste, Italy.

It will be the largest ship flying the Italian flag, according to its operator, Costa Cruises.

http://www.seabourn.com

Tags : Voyage

While Anthony Weiner certainly has no place in politics, the unapologetic entertainment industry is willing to take him in.

Following the distribution of lewd photos to a young woman on his Twitter account, Weiner resigned from Congress yesterday. However, Access Hollywood reports that he has already received offers from Hollywood.

Entourage executive producer, Doug Ellin has offered the scorned politician a cameo on the HBO show as himself, The Hollywood Reporter writes.