Youth Employment, Peace Building Resume in March
The youth section of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, as of March, will stage a consultative meeting across the country with concession companies for a short or long-term employment for about 5,000 Liberians who have graduated from technical and vocational schools.Deputy Minister for Youth Development, Saah Charles N’Tow in an interview yesterday said the exercise is aimed to give a ‘career move’ to the students with specific trades, crafts and careers.“Over the years, government has increasingly been investing in the future of vocational education to make young Liberians become more specialized,” Deputy Minister N’Tow said. “Government also deems it necessary to find placement for these graduates to stand on their own and contribute to the economy.”According to Mr. N’Tow, the consultative meetings might last for at least a month in order to talk to all the concession companies.The Deputy Minister further announced that about 100 young Liberians, in collaboration with the Liberia Telecommunication Corporation (LIBTELCO), would be employed for three months to help laid fiber optic cables.Minister N’Tow said the criteria for the recruitment would be released to the public hopefully this weekend.The Deputy Youth Minister also indicated that in Nimba County, about 120 student leaders as well as community leaders would undergo a week-long training in basic leadership skills, including public speaking, grant writing, project proposal, asset mapping, amongst others to grow them into outstanding leaders.“Developing student leaders is not only positive for the young people but also for the communities, schools and the country,” Minister N’Tow said, “Placing and nurturing young people in leadership roles gives them a more hands-on experience and opens up opportunities for them.”The leadership training is expected to be supported by the UNMIL Quick Impact Project and ExxonMobil (an American multinational oil and gas corporation)Minister N’Tow said the ministry will exert efforts to re-deployment of the 50 Supply Chain Managers, who are part of the Health Commodity Security National Volunteer Service Program.The youths, prior to the deadly Ebola outbreak, were responsible to manage and control the distribution of drugs (medicines) in Montserrado in the southeastern Liberia. UNESCO sponsored the program.Beside the Supply Chain Program, the Ministry is also considering the National Cadet Program, which was revived under his appointment in 2013, National Youth Volunteer Service and the On-the-Job’s training programs.Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
The Alliance For Change (AFC) on Friday said it stands in support of the decisions taken by President David Granger on the Guyana Elections Commission’s (GECOM) chairmanship, noting that those assessments are very much constitutional.The situation, as it stands, has seen President David Granger rejecting the list of nominees presented by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, arguing that it was unacceptable. Jagdeo and former Attorney General Anil Nandlall are considering taking the matter to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).However, AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan, speaking to journalists at the party’s first bi-weekly press conference for the year, at its Campbellsville, Georgetown office, said the Constitution has clearly laid out that the nominee for the position must be someone that is “acceptable to the President”.“In my understanding of what transpired in the letter between the President and the OppositionLeader is that he (the President) has found that those first names on that list are not acceptable to him and that is wholly constitutional. You go to a second list and if on the second list the President feels that those six other names are not acceptable, he can say that they are unacceptable and he can proceed to name whosoever he wants of his own volition,” Ramjattan said.According to the party leader, the President really does not have to give the Opposition Leader any reason for refusing the names. There is also no court of law that can compel him to do so.“It is a political question and the matter is ‘non-justiciable’.” He said the issue of Anil Nandlall and Jagdeo going to the CCJ is not even possible, since any matter has to pass through the High Court and the Court of Appeal before it reaches the CCJ.“It is totally constitutional what the President is doing.” Ramjattan said he understands that the President has found the list of names submitted unacceptable and he will now await another list of names.On Thursday, Jagdeo said he strongly believed President Granger was playing politics with the matter and said he was considering having the issue resolved at the CCJ.He contended that Attorney General Basil Williams is erroneous in his assertion that the interpretation of the Constitution is at the discretion of the President.The Opposition Leader also warned that Government might be setting the stage for a possible rigging of the next General and Regional Elections.Jagdeo also suspects that Granger is relying on the “Burnham Constitution” – the 1980 Constitution which stipulates that the person to be appointed as GECOM Chairman has to be a Judge or eligible to be a Judge only to be appointed by the President unilaterally.The Opposition Leader highlighted that while individuals would have their own understandings, only the courts can make a determination of the most rightful interpretation.Jagdeo also believes that the AG is wrong in his interpretation of the constitutional provision which allows for the President to unilaterally appoint a GECOM Chairman.Williams expressed that the Opposition Leader will have to submit the list several times until “he gets it right… failing which the President will be forced to make an appointment.”But Jagdeo believes that provision is designed to ensure the country moves forward in the event the Opposition party refuses to participate in the process.The Government and the parliamentary Opposition have differing interpretations of the Constitution regarding the appointment of the GECOM Chairman – a situation that has never occurred before in the country’s history.Article 161(2) states, “Subject to the provision of paragraph (4), the Chairman of the Elections Commission shall be a person who holds or who has held office as a Judge of a court having unlimited jurisdiction in civil and criminal matters in some part of the Commonwealth or a court having jurisdiction in appeals from any such court, or who is qualified to be appointed as any such Judge, or any other fit and proper person, to be appointed by the President from a list of six persons, not unacceptable to the President, submitted by the Leader of the Opposition after meaningful consultation with the non-governmental political parties represented in the National Assembly.”President David Granger initially rejected the six nominees submitted by the Opposition Leader following consultations with civil society on the grounds that they do not meet the constitutional requirement of being a Judge or being eligible to become one.
0Shares0000Arsenal’s English midfielder Theo Walcott evades the challenge from Chelsea’s English defender John Terry (2nd L) during the FA Community Shield football match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Wembley Stadium in north London on August 2, 2015. PHOTO/AFP LONDON, August 4- It is a reflection of Chelsea’s dominance last season that although they are yet to strengthen their squad, they remain strong favourites to retain the Premier League title in 2015-16.Arsenal, third last season, appear better-equipped for a title tilt, while Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool have spent big in the hope of closing the gap on Chelsea, who finished eight points clear of outgoing champions City in May. But with their title-winning side intact, Jose Mourinho’s men are widely perceived as the team to beat.“Throughout the Premier League there is strength now because a lot of clubs are buying big players, not just the top clubs,” said Mourinho, who hopes to repeat his feat of leading Chelsea to successive titles in 2005 and 2006.“At the moment, we are champions of the toughest league in the world, so we know how difficult it is going to be to repeat the achievement, but we are ready for the challenge and we will enjoy the challenge.”With Asmir Begovic having replaced Petr Cech as reserve goalkeeper and Radamel Falcao taking the place of Didier Drogba, Chelsea’s squad is materially the same as it was last season.However, Diego Costa’s troublesome hamstrings, which caused him to miss Sunday’s Community Shield loss to Arsenal, and some leggy pre-season performances have given their rivals reason for optimism.That 1-0 Community Shield win, coupled with the arrival of Cech, has encouraged belief at Arsenal, back-to-back FA Cup-winners, that their 12-year wait for a league title may be approaching an end.With a world-class goalkeeper backing up a settled defence and a midfield that bristles with guile and inventiveness, the only weak spot is up front, where Arsene Wenger must choose between the not particularly prolific trio of Olivier Giroud, Theo Walcott and Danny Welbeck.Another team brimming with midfielders and short on strikers is United, with Louis van Gaal having added Bastian Schweinsteiger, Morgan Schneiderlin and Memphis Depay to a department of his squad that already included Michael Carrick, Ander Herrera, Marouane Fellaini, Juan Mata, Ashley Young and Adnan Januzaj, not to mention the departing Angel di Maria, whose place in the squad could go to Barcelona’s Pedro Rodriguez.Falcao, Nani and Robin van Persie have also left, but as a Champions League qualifying play-off looms, goalkeeper David de Gea’s future remains up in the air.– Financial behemoth –With a new £5.1 billion ($8 billion, 7.3 billion euros) domestic television rights deal kicking in next year, Premier League clubs have not been shy in splashing out.The biggest transfer to date has been Raheem Sterling’s £49 million switch from Liverpool to City, after a protracted transfer saga that opposition fans are unlikely to forget in a hurry.Despite falling short in defence of their title, City have kept faith with manager Manuel Pellegrini, but with the club hierarchy continuing to flutter their eyelashes at Pep Guardiola and last season’s Golden Boot-winner Sergio Aguero short of fitness after the Copa America, doubts remain.Shorn of Sterling and the emblematic Steven Gerrard, Liverpool have brought in seven new players, among them Christian Benteke, James Milner and Roberto Firmino, but ahead of an opening-weekend trip to Stoke City, where they were humiliated 6-1 on last season’s final day, manager Brendan Rodgers is also under pressure.For all the title contenders’ big-money moves, it is the transfers involving England’s mid-ranked clubs that have emphasised the Premier League’s transformation into a financial behemoth and none more so than Yohan Cabaye’s £10 million switch from French champions Paris Saint-Germain to Crystal Palace, who finished 10th in 2014-15.With even the smaller teams now boasting budgets that put them on a par with all but the very biggest European clubs, a whole host of sides — among them Tottenham Hotspur, Southampton and Everton — will have designs on the European places.Stoke and Swansea City will hope to build on impressive campaigns, while Palace, Aston Villa, West Bromwich Albion and Sunderland finished last season dreaming of better things after successful managerial changes.West Ham United, Newcastle United and Leicester City have new managers — respectively, Slaven Bilic, Steve McClaren and Claudio Ranieri — as well as Watford (Quique Sanchez Flores), who were promoted from the Championship alongside Bournemouth and Norwich City.“It’s not rocket science,” says Bournemouth’s affable 37-year-old manager Eddie Howe.“Bournemouth are not going to be able to compete with those top clubs, but when you put 11 players on the pitch, it’s not really about money.”0Shares0000(Visited 1 times, 1 visits today)
Dan Windle hosts ‘The 72 on talkSPORT 2’, two hours on all the big talking points in the EFL Championship, League One and League Two.In this show, he was joined by Sam Parkin and Tom Barclay in the studio to reflect on all the midweek championship action and look ahead to this weekend’s games.Plus, Peterborough defender Steven Taylor and Coventry City manager Mark Robins joined the boys on the phone.You can hear ‘The72 on talkSPORT2’ every Monday and Thursday from 6pm on talkSPORT
AD Quality Auto 360p 720p 1080p Top articles1/5READ MOREWhicker: John Jackson greets a Christmas that he wasn’t sure he’d seeThe CHP’s so-called “maximum enforcement period” begins at 6 p.m. this evening and extends through midnight Monday, officials said. Officers will be looking for drivers who are speeding, who are not wearing a seat belt, and who are exhibiting signs of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol, said CHP Southern Division spokesman Terry Liu. Whittier Police Department will similarly have additional officers on duty through the holiday period, said Lt. Jeff Piper. “On holiday weekends, particularly on New Year’s Eve, we are fully staffed,” said Piper. He said all officers have had DUI training and are able to evaluate people under the influence of drugs or alcohol. “We’re asking everyone to observe the speed limit, slow down, allow extra time to get to your destinations,” Liu said. “Everyone riding in a motor vehicle needs to be properly restrained, either with a seat belt, a car seat or a booster seat. Also, don’t drive drunk. If you’re going to celebrate the holiday with alcohol, designate a driver who will not drink so you can have a safe, happy New Year.” sandy.mazza@sgvn.com (562) 698-0955, Ext. 3026160Want local news?Sign up for the Localist and stay informed Something went wrong. Please try again.subscribeCongratulations! You’re all set! California’s top road cop said his officers will be out in force during the three-day New Year holiday weekend. “Our goal is to take the drunk driver off the road before they can kill somebody,” said California Highway Patrol Commissioner Mike Brown. “Statistics over the Christmas weekend show that increased enforcement resulted in fewer traffic fatalities and increased arrests for DUI.” Last year, 44 people died in traffic collisions over the New Year’s holiday weekend. Last weekend, 28 people were killed in crashes statewide and the CHP arrested 1,351 motorists for driving under the influence. As during this past Christmas weekend, up to 80 percent of all available uniformed CHP officers will be on duty through Monday, said Brown. 
Robbie Neilson has defended his derby record as Hearts boss in the wake of criticism from fans following their Scottish Cup exit to Hibernian. Jason Cummings scored the only goal of the game at Easter Road to send the Tynecastle men out of the competition, leaving Neilson with one win and three draws from six Edinburgh derby clashes.Having guided the Jam Tarts to the Scottish Championship title last term, Neilson has the club sitting third during their first season back in the top flight.And while understanding frustration from supporters, the coach believes some perspective is required when examining how his team have performed over the past 18 months. Asked if he was concerned by his record against Hibernian, Neilson told STV: “Not at all, it’s football with small margins in games.“We had two chalked off for offside the other night and had a couple of chances that we could and should have scored so that’s part of football.“You have to accept the highs and lows, the wins with the losses and you have to move on and try and progress. We’ve done very well this season to be sitting in third position quite comfortably and now we have to try and push for second.“It’s understandable you get criticism in football, it’s very polar whether you win or you lose. It doesn’t matter how you win or you lose, that’s what it is about. You have to accept that as staff or a player and we do that. “We have to try and progress all the time and we’ve progressed very well this season from getting promoted from the Championship. The derbies are always difficult to take, the players understand that but you just have to focus on the next game.”
Brendan Rodgers says he empathises with caretaker Rangers boss Graeme Murty ahead of his Old Firm debut in the dugout on Sunday. The Ibrox side were expected to appoint managerial target Pedro Caixinha ahead of the Scottish Premiership clash at Celtic Park but Murty will remain for at least one more game.It will be his first time taking charge in the derby – an experience he admitted was a daunting prospect shortly after stepping into Mark Warburton’s role. The Celtic manager, who started his coaching career by working with youth teams just like Murty, acknowledged how difficult it is to make the step up. He said: “It’s not an easy situation at all when you’re working with the younger players and then you’ve got to step into that position when the manager goes. “You would look forward to it. You’d be getting a flavour for it but nothing really prepares you. I was 15 years as a youth coach working in development football. “I started off with kids at five, six years of age, tying their laces to progressing through every age group.”Rodgers continued: “I worked as an assistant academy director, an academy director to then eventually working with the reserves at Chelsea where I was with some of the best players in the world. “But my first game, when I walked out at Vicarage Road as the manager of Watford, nothing prepared me for that. I had 15 years of a great grounding, nearly perfect you could say in terms of development as a coach.“It’s totally different and I’m sure Graeme will have experienced that over the last number of weeks.”Rodgers also acknowledged Murty’s playing experience may have given him a head start when he first took on the role at Rangers but says that will not last in the long run. He said: “If you’ve been a high-profile player, the minute you walk in you’ll get that respect but then after a couple of weeks, players are looking at you and judging you, not on what you were before but what you are now, to help them as a coach.”
After an exciting journey through Hogwarts Castle, we headed to Seuss Landing for a little whimsy and lots of holiday cheer. A coworker friend of mine met up with mom and I, and we immediately entered the queue for one of my favorite little rides in Universal Orlando. The High-in-the-Sky Seuss Trolley Train is a fairly simple ride, but it holds as much endearment to me as Tomorrowland’s beloved TTA / Peoplemover.We practically walked right onto the ride because both tracks were open. Each track takes you on a different path and has different narration. The views on either track are impossible to beat and I love the use of practical sets and figures throughout the attraction, especially the rooftop village at the end of the left side track. Good morning, Universal Studios FloridaIt is a rare occasion in which I find myself in a theme park in the morning, but since this would be my mom’s one and only visit to Universal Orlando I wanted to make sure we got as much done as possible. When we arrived to CityWalk something told me to check at the Concierge booth across from Cinnabon to see if they could print my mother’s will call ticket.I’ve found that the services provided at this Concierge booth depend on the specific skill set and willingness of the team member working at this location. On this occasion the team member kindly obliged and printed off my mom’s ticket, and explained that the ticket system was down at the parks so the lines at the ticket windows and Guest Services were quite long. Sure enough when we made it to the entrance we saw such sights. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is going through a refurbishment until December 19, 2016. But don’t be too disappointed because Hogwarts Castle is still welcoming muggles to walk through the entire castle’s queue. A few Hogwarts students (aka Universal Team Members) were staffed throughout the queue and some even offered to take unique photos for us. I applaud the helpfulness of these team members! When we reached the end of the boulevard I intended to guide us over to the London Waterfront so we could board Hogwarts Express. However, that silly guy who lives in a pineapple under the sea made a grand entrance. Mom snapped a few pictures and videos to send to my nieces and nephews. The depth of the scenery outside the window impressed my mother. I still thrill at the level of detail inside the cabins. Of course the annoying voice of the Hermoine character still frustrates me, but that’s besides the point. The landscaping and the rooftops of Hogsmeade Village are a beautiful sight to take in when arriving from Hogsmeade station.Photo opportunities that I normally pass by became important to me again now that I had someone who had never visited the Wizarding World of Harry Potter before. I broke out my wand and posed for a few pictures with the Hogwarts Express Conductor. I pointed out a few of the spell effects to my mom and attempted the Aresto Momentum spell to no avail.The holiday decorations that adorn Hogsmeade Village are simple and match the theme of the area very well. However, it is frustrating that Hot Butterbeer is only available inside The Three Broomsticks and no where else in the village. Still, we enjoyed our stroll as we headed for Hogwarts Castle. I delighted in seeing familiar favorites of mine like the purple hippo balloon (a tribute to the adorable Christmas song “I want a hippopotamus for Christmas”) and the Central Park ice skating float (which has appeared in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade for many years, including this year). Plus there are a few new elements like the Yes, Virginia balloon and the rocking horse style flamingo float. My mom beamed with joy and said she felt like she was in New York City itself. The finale of the parade is the arrival of Santa Claus. Right in front of the Macy’s storefront façade is the gigantic Christmas tree and Santa leads a countdown to light the tree. The parade stops for this moment and that countdown concludes with the tree aglow and confetti in the air. Yet another reason I love watching the parade in the New York area of the park.Goodnight, Universal OrlandoAfter the parade we practically floated as we strolled over to Springfield USA. I just had to show my mom this area since she knows what a huge The Simpsons fan I am. We wrapped our extraordinary day with a spin on Kang and Kodos’ Twirl and Hurl. I pointed out all the fun names on each of the flying saucers, my favorite being the Mai Tai Fighter. The views on this ride are fantastic; it was a fun way to end our day. Share This!Experiencing a theme park for the first time is an eye opening experience. If there is any downside at all to being a frequent theme park visitor it is that the excitement and thrill of the first time quickly gives way to the comfort of the familiar. But really, that’s not actually a problem is it? This weekend I had the privilege of taking my mother to Universal Orlando for her first visit in 20 years. This day in the parks together is one of the best days I ever had in a theme park in my entire life, especially now that Universal Holidays have begun! Now in full Seuss mode we went for a spin on the Cat in the Hat ride (though the spinning is all but eliminated in this ride now). At 12:30PM we merely waited 10 minutes. This ride could do with a little TLC, a few scenes here and there have seen better days. Still, this is a classic, family friendly ride that matches classic dark ride effects with a few modern effects as well.One of my favorite parts of Universal Holidays is Grinchmas, and not just the stage show. There are decorations nearly everywhere you turn in Seuss Landing. As soon as we exited the ride I caught sight of the Whos of Whoville out in their Christmasy best. I made a mad dash towards them. One of the Whos invited me to help decorate one of the trees! Even though I only got to place one ornament on the tree I felt gleeful. What a fun way to get guests into the spirit of the season.
We arrived at Kings Cross station to a glorious 10 minute wait, at 10:45 AM on a Saturday. I enjoyed pointing out the luggage pieces and the magical effect of going through the brick wall to Platform 9 ¾ in order to board the awe inspiring Hogwarts Express train. I know the newness has worn off, but I am still so happy they made such improvements with this Olivander’s location versus the Hogsmeade location. It’s a much more enjoyable experience, I implore you to select the Diagon Alley location (that’s where Ollivander’s is in the books and movies anyway). It’s bigger, better themed, and immerses you in the entire experience. I’m a big mushball so I got a little misty eyed when during our visit a young girl was selected by the Wand Master and her parents beamed.As we departed Ollivander’s I remembered Celestina Warbeck took the stage at 3:00 PM. It doesn’t feel like a complete trip to Diagon Alley without seeing the glamorous Celeistina grace the stage with her Banshees. They did not disappoint as per usual. Good afternoon, Islands of AdventureSo that my mom could get the Hogwarts Express experience in its entirety we backtracked a little and headed for Hogmeade Station. Ten minutes later, cozy in our train cabin, we headed back to Kings Cross station. I longed to show my mother around Diagon Alley, but our stomachs growled louder than the Hungarian Ironbelly dragon atop Gringotts Bank, so we headed to Finnegan’s to check in for our lunch reservations a bit early.You can make reservations for restaurants inside the Universal Orlando theme parks here. Reservations are rarely needed, however, on peak days they are a great idea. I figured with Finnegan’s ideal location on the Macy’s Holiday Parade on route reservations would come in handy, especially on the opening day of Universal Holidays. I felt like I would have not done my mother justice if we departed Diagon Alley without a visit to Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlor. Thankfully the line wasn’t near as bad as I’ve seen it on peak days, we waited less than 10 minutes. I cannot resist the Toffee Apple soft serve in a cone. It’s my favorite! Mom went with Clotted Cream because it reminded her of her childhood when she would sneak behind my grandmother’s back to indulge in the cream at the top of the milk bottle (back when milk was still delivered to your doorstep). What a sweet way to end our time in Diagon Alley. Now it was time for the ultimate Universal Holidays finale.Macy’s Holiday ParadeI adore the Macy’s Holiday Parade. It is impressive to me that nearly every single element of the parade, each float and balloon, has traveled the streets of Manhattan on Thanksgiving Day. Many floats and balloons were used in past Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parades while a lucky few were used this year.We arrived to the New York area just slightly after 4:00 PM. Parade time is 5:00 PM and most of the street’s spots were already taken. The New York area is my favorite spot to watch the parade since the actual Macy’s parade takes place in actual New York.At about 4:15 PM we heard the short Marilyn Monroe show begin. A member of our party stayed to save our spots while I escorted mom down to in front of the tree so we could catch a few moments of the show.The beginning of this parade, as well as the Mardi Gras Parade, is actually my favorite part. A small motorcade from the Orlando Police Department leads off the parade, performing precise maneuvers as a squad. It fills me with hometown pride to see the OPD starting off the parade. My mother’s excitement began the minute we walked into CityWalk, but once we entered Universal Studios Florida it escalated. As soon as we entered I noticed Cabbie, a character I’ve personally never seen before. He had a New York attitude and lovable charm about him.Hogwarts Express Kings Cross station was our goal, so I led us through the Hollywood area. It was alive with energy. The jazz band performing on the corner put a pep in everyone’s step. Characters from Scooby Doo greeted excited guests. Christmas decorations seemed to drip from every façade and lamppost, even the vehicles along the street had decorations. We were seated immediately and soon laid out before me, the glorious sight of a pint of Guinness and a basket of Irish soda bread with delectable apple butter. Finnegan’s is one of best values of theme parks dining in all of Orlando. Many of the prices are on par with counter service locations in Universal Orlando, and even cost less than many counter service locations at Walt Disney World. My absolute favorite thing on the menu is the Irish Cobb Salad ($11.99), but this time I decided to try the Pork Loin ($12.99).The Pork Loin is a generous serving, however, the pork was dry and tough. The vegetables and garlic mashed potatoes made for the perfect accompaniment and worth me cheating on my desire to limit carbs in my diet. Overall, a satisfying entree, but I’ll stick to my beloved Irish Cobb Salad.After a satisfying meal the time finally arrived for me to share the glories of Diagon Alley with my mom. It never fails. The minute someone passes through the brick wall and sets eyes on Diagon Alley for the first time, the expression on their face is priceless. My mother became transformed, she was a kid again. We browsed the many magical window displays, cast a few spells of our own, and entered Ollivander’s Wand Shop. As we departed, heading back through the Hollywood area, my mother repeatedly remarked on how wonderful of a day we had together. As though Universal had just a little more holiday magic to share with us, Mrs. Claus and her greeter appeared before us and walked alongside us for a few moments as they headed over to the New York area for pictures by the Christmas tree. We shared with her what a great day we had together and in as warm and genuine a tone as you would expect from Mrs. Claus she said “Oh I’m so pleased you’ve had a lovely day. Merry Christmas to you both.” A lovely day is an understatement, it was one of the best days ever!
Share This!©Rikki NiblettThe Polite Pig (which is the sister restaurant to the Orlando restaurant The Ravenous Pig) will officially open on April 10 in the Town Center section of Disney Springs! Award-winning Orlando Chefs, husband and wife team, James and Julie Petrakis are opening this newest concept with James Petrakis’ brother Brian.The Polite Pig will be a fast causal dining experience that will feature an open kitchen and is going to be a southern delight! The 5,000-square-foot eatery will be open daily, and will offer seating for 190 guests. In addition to indoor seating, The Polite Pig will have a great outdoor patio for Guests to enjoy. According to Julie, this restaurant will focus more on wood-smoked and grilled items. It will include modern barbecue and southern sides like a tomato and watermelon salad, mac and cheese and smoked corn with lime butter. Other items will include a Southern Pig Sandwich with pulled pork off the smoker, apple slaw, mustard sauce and Duke’s mayo; peel-and-eat shrimp with bourbon-cocktail sauce; crispy Brussels sprouts with whiskey caramel; Hop Salt Pretzel with beer cheese fondue and IPA mustard; the Salmon BLT with bacon jam, marinated tomato, romaine and aioli; charred broccoli tossed with herb buttermilk dressing and house granola. There will be seven different sauces to choose from, from sweet to hot.For those looking for beverages, there will be a solid selection of craft beers including four of beloved Cask & Larder Brewery brews on tap, as well as a couple other Florida/domestic craft beers. There will be five house cocktails including some of crowd favorites from The Ravenous Pig, such as the Gin and Tonic and Old-Fashioned, as well as a bourbon bar with more than 50 selections.I have to say that this is one restaurant that I’m looking forward to experiencing the next time I’m at Disney Springs.
# 2 – Potential guests still stuck in line at Hagrid’s Magic Creatures Motorbike AdventureOkay, we know that crowds in Disneyland are light, but have we considered it’s because many potential guests are still in Florida stuck in an “inhumane” line for Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure at Islands of Adventure?! The principal behind Occam’s Razor is that the simple solution is generally the correct one, and we know that Universal is packed. If Universal is packed, it means that we know what people are doing: Enjoying Volcano Bay, riding the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, or Googling “signs of a possible cardiac arrest” after eating the Voodoo Doughnut Burger. If Universal is packed it also means we know what they aren’t doing: going to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.Line for Hagrid’s can stretch….(photo by Alicia Stella of Orlando Park Stop)and stretch….(photo by @bioconstruct)and stop at any time. (photo by @bioreconstruct)If Hagrid’s is “at capacity”, it means a lot of people are in a line at Islands of Adventure and NOT in a line over at Disneyland’s Batuu! (photo by @bioreconstruct)Uh oh! (photo by @bioreconstruct) # 1 – FOBO – Fear Of Bloggers OutsideWe’ve all heard of “FOMO,” the Fear Of Missing Out. A recent article explaining the “feeling” of low crowds at Disneyland blamed it on JOMO, the Joy Of Missing Out by non-fans. At the SATURDAY SIX we feel the issue goes deeper and even more sillier than that, with FOBO, the Fear Of Bloggers Outside.You see, while in the grand scheme of things there may not be many people inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the one demographic that the land is filled to the brim with is BLOGGERS. These bloggers are some of the hardest working men and women this planet has to offer, but some of them may lack what conventional wisdom refers to as “social skills.” So while the planet Tatooine may be home to a wretched hive of scum and villainy, the planet of Batuu is home to a group of individuals who may scare people even more: bloggers and vloggers.Star Wars fans are able to quote “these aren’t the droids you’re looking for” from memory, but the phrase you’ll hear the most on Batuu is “HEY GUYS!” as various “theme park personalities” film every square inch of the land for their dedicated audience. Don’t forget to like and subscribe, but most importantly: RUN!(Ryan Grover of ThrillGeek)(Guy Selga)(Brian McNichols and the Grand Poohbah of TouringPlans, Len Testa)(Craig Williams of the DIS Unplugged podcast)(Jackie and Matt Roseboom of Attractions Magazine)(Seth Kubersky of The Unofficial Guide series)(Vincent Vision of his must-watch YouTube channel) Within days, the sporks were replaced with normal plastic forks. Disney has not given any reason for this change, but word on the streets is that most of the sporks “walked away.” In fact, many of them walked straight to eBay. A check of the auction site reveals that many of these stolen sporks are being resold to the highest bidder. Not just sporks either, if an item wasn’t nailed down, someone was going to take it and try to resell it. # 4 – Disneyland Social Clubs still upset about merchandise put into Main Street CinemaOn June 17, Disneyland transitioned the fabled Main Street Cinema into a merchandise location. The general reaction to this change was – to put it lightly – not kind. While not admitting it was due to overwhelming negative response, on June 21, the merchandise “test” was removed.For those of us immersed in the world of theme parks, we know how invested the Disneyland Social Clubs feel about “their park.” A change to the Main Street Cinema, especially one that involved throwing in generic merchandise, was going to grind their gears. Unfortunately this may be the future of Disney parks, and is the direct result of corporate restructuring. In the past “Parks and Resorts” and “Consumer Products” were two completely separate divisions of the company. Now, they are combined into one: Parks, Experiences, and Consumer Products. What does that mean? It means that bags of popcorn are strategically placed in the queue of the Millenium Falcon: Smugglers Run to help generate sales for Kat-Saka’s Kettle. It also means places like the Main Street Cinema are going to need a find a way to “generate revenue” to justify their existence in this whole new world. (And speaking of whole new world, you can read about the new Aladdin tea pot for sale here.) Honorable Mentions – We’re not done yet….After our brainstorming session, we realized there had to be even MORE legitimate, 100% completely true reasons why the Disneyland resort “feels” less crowded. Here’s some of our top choices:Marvel fans still at movie theater trying to help Avengers: Endgame pass AvatarGoogle Maps hasn’t updated location of new Pixar parking garageEveryone at Church (Sundays only)Weather not goodWeather too goodCostume ban keeping out all the real Star Wars fansNo avocado toast on Batuu making it a barrier of entry to MillennialsSo there you have it: The 100% Completely REAL Reasons Disneyland Crowds Are Low! See you next weekend for the latest installment of the SATURDAY SIX, where we’ll look at something fun from the world of Disney and Universal. If you enjoyed yourself, be sure to check out The Magic, The Memories, and Merch! articles, or, for your listening pleasure, check out the E-Ticket Report podcast. You can also follow Your Humble Author on Twitter (@derekburgan).If you enjoyed this article, you will surely like the following: The DO’S and DON’TS of STAR WARS: GALAXY’S EDGEThe SATURDAY SIX Looks at STAR WARS at Walt Disney WorldHow to Survive STAR WARS WEEKENDS in 6 Easy StepsSpecial Thanks to The Elite Brandon Glover, Minnesota’s third favorite son and creator of Little Tiki Hut on the Prarie @dizwire, the bio-est of all reconstructs @bioreconstruct, Mr. ‘Ohana Tim Grassey, the SAT SIX Fun Squad of Parkscope Joe and Nick, hot shot Michael Carelli, and Hermione Granger’s tutor Megan Stump for their invaluable assistance with this article. The SAT SIX is inspired each week by goofballs Aengus Mackenzie and LitemAndHyde and you Potterheads will enjoy Meg’s other blog work over at the Central Florida Slug Club.FINAL PLUG! Did you know The 2019 Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando has a special edition of the SATURDAY SIX in it?That’s right, ANOTHER NEW ONE EXCLUSIVE TO THIS EDITION!Finally, someone came up with an actual reason to read a book. ORDER this baby now! # 3 – Yeah, there’s lightsabers and blue milk on Batuu, but turns out everyone just wanted the sporksThere are a lot of great things to buy in Galaxy’s Edge. The lightsaber experience at Savi’s Workshop has earned rave reviews from everyone who has done it. Guests who have built their own droid love the amount of options they have for their creation. Blue milk? Well, at least it doesn’t taste as bad as the green milk does. But the biggest surprise hit of the entire land were the metal sporks used during the opening preview days of Docking Bay 7. With a unique look that evokes the design of the Death Star, these sporks just looked cool (despite being a relatively impractical eating utensil).Metal sporks at Docking Bay 7. Photo taken on May 31. By June 3 they were replaced by the same type of plastic forks you would get at KFC. # 5 – It’s California. People arrive “fashionably late” for things. Everyone knows this.In Game of Thrones, the Dothraki have a saying: it is known. One thing that is known about the residents of California is that they show up late for everything, so why should the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge be any different? It’s not “cool” or “hip” to be early. NAY NAY, if you want to show true measure of status you show up late. If that mentality applies to sporting events, red carpet events, and Hollywood parties, why wouldn’t it also apply to the theme parks? It just makes sense.Los Angeles Dodgers crowd is well known for showing up late. The good news is that they also leave early to beat traffic!Los Angeles Lakers using a time honored tradition of the pro wrestling business and darkening out a light crowd while waiting for everyone to arrive. Share This!This week’s SATURDAY SIX takes a look at the REAL reasons why Disneyland “feels” empty after the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge! TouringPlans has been leading the way on coverage from Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge out in Disneyland. From Millenium Falcon: Smugglers Run, to merchandise, to food at Docking Bay 7, to even the garbage cans, we’ve covered every square inch of the new 14 acre land. TouringPlans had all hands on deck because – like everyone else – we expected the opening of Galaxy’s Edge to be the biggest event in the history of Disneyland. Going in, most had the mindset of “pack a lunch, because you’re going to be waiting a while to get into what will surely be the most popular theme park land ever created.”But then a funny thing happened. The crowds didn’t come.This past week there was an article posted online giving 7 reasons why Disneyland feels less crowded this summer after the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Don’t get us wrong; it was good, but it wasn’t quite good enough. We here at the SATURDAY SIX aren’t completely onboard with the idea of the opening of Emotional Whirlwind at DCA being a legitimate reason why the Indiana Jones Adventure and Pirates of the Caribbean have become a “walk on.”So we put our heads together and came out with even MORE reasons why Disneyland feels less crowded since Galaxy’s Edge opened starting with…# 6 – Disney banned loose ice. What did they think would happen?!Back in May, Disney implemented some major changes at the theme parks. They banned larger strollers, smoking, and loose ice. Not since the halcyon days of selfie sticks have we seen a change that affected such a large amount of guests. On the ice planet of Hoth, Luke considers his options after seeing USH has soft-opened Jurassic World: The Ride and introduced roaming dinosaurs into the park. (huge art assist shout out to @dizwire)