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Today's Top 10 Riding Boots for Fall
Can you believe we're already in September? Can you believe we always say the same thing every year expecting, somehow, that time is going to slow down and seasons won't show up faster and faster? Yea, well, September has arrived and I am beyond ecstatic. I love Fall, adore it in fact. It's probably my favorite time of year.
There are a couple of major holidays that revolve around eating copious amounts of candy or turkey (which means I'll be eating everything but the turkey because that's the best part) and I finally get to tap into my jackets (they have their own closet and get stuck in the dark for month upon month since I currently reside in the sauna that is Dallas, TX). How could I not be obsessed with the season, right? Right.
This Top 10 is not about jackets, sweaters, or layering anything (we'll get there soon enough). This is about a huge trend for fall, the riding boot. They can go from a full-on, equestrian-detailed boot, to your everyday flat boot that will be worn all over the place as the temps continue to drop.
I narrowed down the list to ten at the request of a personal styling client (a.k.a. my co-hosts on this site). Having just re-organized her closet, it was evident, glaringly so, that the woman needed some everyday boots for Fall, so Christy, this is for you. Shop the top 10 riding boots below & get 8 celebrity looks that will show you ways to wear the trend (bonus!):
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The 'what-to-wear' piece of the puzzle is covered. Now it's on to how to wear a riding boot. Here's a little inspiration to get you going:
1. source: www.peoplestylewatch.com
2. source: www.littlebluedeer.com
3. www.peoplestylewatch.com
4. www.peoplestylewatch.com
5. www.intermixonline.com
6. www.peoplestylewatch.com
7. www.style.com: Aquascutum Fall 2011
8. ww.peoplestylewatch.com
So the flat riding boot is now covered and checked of the Fall Essentials Shopping List. That's just one pieces of the equation to get prepped for the season. See more on what to wear, how to wear it, and where to shop for it here.
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5 Important Things to Pack While Travelling
Congratulations! You are finally going to that dream destination of yours after years of dreaming, planning and saving and I bet you can't contain your excitement. However, while you might be preoccupied with preparations, and farewells, and spending time with people during the days building up to the D-day, have you given thought to how you are going to pack your luggage?
If you think packing would be merely putting some wears here, putting your gadgets there, and that's all, you are terribly mistaken. Packing is an art that need to be carried out carefully if you wish to be successful. How many times have you gotten to your travel destination only to find out that you forgot something so basic you should have originally remembered? Yeah, me too.
To avoid mistakes like these that would leave you with regrets during your vacation, ensure to pack these 5 basic things from home prior to travelling.
- Enough Underwear: In my opinion, underwear is grossly underrated. As a person traveling to an unknown destination, you should do so with lots of underwear so as to prevent embarrassment. You might be so engrossed in the sightseeing and friend making you find it hard to do laundry for days at a stretch. With lots of underwear in your backpack, this will not be a problem for you.
- Water Bottle: While you might want to go get this at your destination perhaps to lighten the weight of your backpack, it would be a lot better if you took your water bottle along with you from home. The water bottle would serve you during the journey to your destination and when you eventually arrive your destination. You wouldn't want to arrive the mountains without a water bottle now would you?
- Socks: Do not forget to also pack enough socks! Asides from keeping your legs warm during a cold and snowy weather, they also protect your feet to an extent from bruises and insects bites. You never know which you are going to meet at your destination and to what extent so just endeavour to pack enough socks along.
- Phone Chargers: These days, we are so attached to our phones and chargers it is almost impossible to forget them. However, in the rush of packing and the habit of packing our phone chargers last for easy accessibility, you just might skip that cord and adapter buried under a rubble of clothes. To avoid this, try putting your chargers around your neck or somewhere it would be so noticeable a bat couldn't miss it in broad daylight.
- Deodorant: Very important! Smelling nice shouldn't be reserved for occasions alone, you should smell good all the time. Endeavour to pack your deodorant along with you to your new destination as people who smell nice are more attractive.
There you have it! To prevent being left with a red face the next time you intend to travel, endeavour to check that you have successfully packed all the items on this list before proceeding to pack other items such as your camera, wallet, etc.

subset: commoncrawl


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Mapping the Human Toxome
The project will comprehensively map pathways of endocrine disruption (ED), representing a first step towards mapping the human toxome. The area of ED is especially suited to pioneer this approach for several reasons: First, several large-scale testing programs, whose results can be leveraged for this project, are already under way. Second, these testing programs have led to the prioritization of cellular assays and reference compounds (by EPA, NIEHS and the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM)) on the national level and OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) on the international level that will be used in the project. Finally, the physiological pathways of the endocrine system are relatively well understood, making Pathways of Toxicity (PoT) identification simpler for ED than for other potential target organs. The central goal of this project is to define, experimentally verify and systematically annotate ED PoT, as a proof of concept of mapping PoT by systems toxicology. Beyond that, this project will develop a common, community-accessible framework and databases that will enable the toxicology community at large to comprehensively and cooperatively map the human toxome using integrated testing strategies that combine "omics" data with computational models. To that end, we will achieve the following specific aims:
- Use complementary "omics" approaches (transcriptomics, metabolomics), to map and annotate PoT for a defined set of endocrine disruptors.
- Complete the development of software and visualization tools to enable the integration, analysis and visualization of data across multiple omics hardware platforms.
- Identify PoT and develop a consensus-driven process for pathway annotation, validation, sharing; establishment of the public database on PoT.
- Validate PoT and extend the PoT concept to additional toxicants.
Principal investigator:
Thomas Hartung, MD PhD
Professor of Toxicology (Chair for Evidence-based Toxicology), Pharmacology, Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, and University of Konstanz, Germany
Centers for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT) at Johns Hopkins and University of Konstanz, Germany
Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Co- investigators:
James Yager PhD, Professor of Toxicology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University
David Dix PhD, Acting Director of the National Center for Computational Toxicology, US EPA
Michael Rosenberg PhD, Director of Genomics Software Life Science Group, Agilent Technologies
Melvin Andersen PhD, Associate Director of the Hamner Institute for Chemical Safety Sciences
Kim Boekelheide MD, Professor of Medical Science, Brown University
Albert J. Fornace, Jr. MD, Molecular Cancer Research Chair at Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center


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The Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, Louisiana, has had a reputation as one of the toughest places for criminals to do time in this country. If you go in, and the crime is serious enough, you're not likely to come out. For years, decades even, the prison was a hotbed of violence and strife.
NYTimes offers tales of two very different Christian colleges
Please respect our Commenting Policy


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Mike Sleeter
I was born and raised in Escondido, Ca in 1980 in a family of 5. My Mom and Dad, Mike and Donna raised 3 boys Scott, Cole and myself being the middle child. We were raised with a very active lifestyle given every oppurtunity to choose our path in life.
7 years ago I married the women of my dreams. Sarah and I have two Amazing boys Mason 5 and Noah 3. Sarah comes from a family of 6 the only girl of 3 Motocross racers and we are now learning to raise two very active little boys. As you follow me I hope to give you a little insight of what supporting a family of 4 is like when your job and passion is everything two wheels


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It is tragic that we live in a world that is so plagued with many diseases. Some diseases tend to be somewhat isolated to certain areas while others tend to be widespread throughout the world. One disease that seems to unfortunately be prevalent all over the world is diabetes.
It is estimated that several hundred million people all over the world battle with diabetes in one form or another. While some people who battle with diabetes feel that it has taken over their life, does diabetes really have to have that much control over a person's existence? Are there ways to counteract diabetes that are simple and easy to commit to? The answer is yes, and here are a few things that you can do to effectively battle your diabetes without it controlling your life.
Bring on the Beans
One of the struggles that many diabetics face is the constant need to monitor and maintain the right blood sugar levels. When it comes to foods, the faster that foods digest, the more of an impact they are going to have on your blood sugar levels. Foods, however, like beans, take longer to digest and therefore have less of an impact on those blood sugar levels that diabetics monitor so closely.
Knock Out for a Few More Hours
Research indicates that people who sleep between 7-9 hours a day tend to do much better with their blood sugar levels. While the demands of life can often make it seem that sleep deprivation is a must, try to prioritize more sleep, and see what kind of an impact it has on your diabetes.
Shed a Couple Pounds
I know. I know. Nobody wants to hear that they need to lose weight. However, I am not alluding to the fact that you should commit yourself to some kind of rigorous diet or exercise routine, I am only suggesting that you make time to walk a little bit more, and maybe say no to the half n half in your coffee. Making these seemingly subtle changes can really make a difference, and dropping a few pounds can really help you as you fight against your diabetes.
I will also add that any of these strategies should not be implemented without the approval of your doctor. I hope that these strategies really prove to be effective in helping your live with your diabetes in a way that it does not control your life.


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Next-Generation Firewalls: An Investment Checklist
When evaluating a next-generation firewall (NGFW) to determine whether the solution can give you comprehensive protection for your entire enterprise, you need to look for seven must-have capabilities. The NGFW should:1. Integrate security functions tightly to provide effective threat and advanced malware protection2. Provide complete and unified management3. Provide actionable indications of compromise to identify malicious activity across networks and endpoints4. Offer comprehensive network visibility5. Help reduce complexity and costs6. Integrate and interface with third-party security solutions7. Provide investment protectionThis white paper explains this checklist in depth and provides examples of the benefits a truly effective NGFW solution can deliver.


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This year has not been kind to two of Florida's most treasured animals. Florida panthers and manatees have been killed in record numbers in 2016, with a couple of weeks still to go. These grim milestones are a reminder that wildlife managers must follow sensible measures to protect these vulnerable species and Floridians must be cautious not to add to the death toll even as the numbers of panthers and manatees are on the rise.
On Dec. 2, a manatee was found dead in Fort Lauderdale's Stranahan River, the 98th fatality this year, breaking the record set in 2009. The 10-foot-long female died from boat propeller wounds, which is not the typical cause of death for manatees in Florida. Most die from boat strikes that shatter their bones and drive shards into their heart and lungs. Regardless, both types of injuries reinforce the critical need for boaters to abide by low-wake zones. Speeding through shallow manatee habitats poses mortal danger to these gentle animals, which have been on the U.S. endangered species list since the list's inception in 1967.
That endangered status, however, is in doubt even as boat-related fatalities climb. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced in 2014 that it was considering changing the manatee's status from "endangered" to "threatened," a lower level of protection. The downgrade, based on computer modeling that tries to predict population levels, is not justified. Manatees weren't put on the endangered list because of their numbers. They were given the special protection because of threats to their habitat from pollution and development, as well as boat collisions — all threats that remain today. One bright spot for the sea cow: More than 6,000 manatees were counted in the latest aerial count of the state's waters. That's a healthy figure that has bounced back after a precipitous die-off in 2013.
Panthers' numbers have rebounded as well, but their survival hopes remain precarious. The state estimates the panther population at between 100 and 180 adults, a big jump from the mid 1990s, when there were no more than 30 roaming Florida. But rapid development in southwest Florida is encroaching on panther habitat and resulting in deadly interactions. This year, a record 32 cats have been struck and killed by cars. The latest, a 4-month-old kitten, was found this month near the Fort Myers airport.
The best hope for saving the Florida panther, which is also on the endangered species list, is protection of the Florida Wildlife Corridor, 16 million acres of public and private lands that provide wildlife habitat stretching from the Everglades to Georgia and Alabama. The corridor includes private ranches that are vulnerable to being sold for development as the state's agriculture industry struggles to remain competitive and land values rise. But their preservation is critical to the panther's survival. How critical? For the first time since 1973, a Florida panther was spotted on a former ranch north of the Caloosahatchee River in November. For decades the river was thought to be the northern boundary of the panther's breeding ground.
The female was photographed on Babcock Ranch, a former private cattle and timber ranch between Punta Gorda and Lake Okeechobee. The ranch was sold to the state in 2006 and is now preserved as part of the wildlife corridor. For private ranches still in operation, conservation easements enable ranchers to keep working their land while protecting it from eventual development. In those deals, a state or county government buys the development rights, essentially taking the land off the market forever. The federal government also has a program that compensates ranchers for livestock that are killed by panthers — a significant problem in southwest Florida. Both the easements and the livestock program are reasonable policies that can help save Florida's state animal.
Florida has made important progress in protecting manatees and panthers. But the work of defending vulnerable species is never done. Even as their numbers increase, record deaths this year of both animals due to interactions with humans are a clear sign that this is no time to pull back protections.


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Smoke Bluff Management Plan
Agreement between climbers (and other park users) and District of Squamish on management of the park. Released 2017 (PDF, 0.7MB).
Best Practices Guide For Rock Climbing Route Development
Further agreement between climbers and BC Parks on climber conduct, especially regarding new route development. Released 2012 (PDF, 2.3MB).
Squamish Climbing Strategy Report
Released 2009 (PDF, 3.1MB).
BC Parks – Chief Master Plan
The Master Plan of 1997 that determines how the park is run.
BC Parks – Chief Rockclimbing Strategy – 1999
The agreement between climbers and BC Parks over how climbers can conduct themselves on the rock. Needs a revamp.
The Rogues Gallery Risk Analysis Report
The spring 2004 SAS/CASBC sponsored report by Pierre Friele that sets out the case as to why climbers at Rogue's Gallery are not under risk from the Garibaldi Barrier collapse.
Highway 99 Upgrade – The Rockclimbers Perspective
The report of January 2004 by Kevin McLane that first brought rockclimbing issues to the attention of the Sea to Sky Highway Upgrade team.
Highway 99 Upgrade – Socio-economic Impacts on Climbing
The District of Squamish position paper of spring 2004 that sets out the economic case for protecting its rockclimbing assets through the Highway upgrade, and determines the benefit of climbing to be currently at $20 million a year.
Squamish River Pedestrian Crossing Study 1998
Study commissioned by District of Squamish considering options for a pedestrian crossing of the Squamish River, in consideration of climbing and alpine access.


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I'm chugging along on this blogging train, trying to get back on track! I had this post on my to-do list at least 3 weeks ago but clearly I am riding the struggle bus instead of the blogging train. ;-)
Seriously, these freebies are back to school must-haves for me so let's get started!
I love this survey. Especially because it's great for the first week of school, but it's equally important any other time of year. If you want to get to know your kids as readers use this or something like it. I gave it at least one more time (usually after Christmas) to see what had changed since August. It's also a great activity for new kiddos to complete on their first day or so and buys you a little time to get their reading materials ready. ;-)
My only "deadline" for using this survey in class was to make sure we did it before I put in our first Scholastic Book Clubs order. That way I could order new books based on the interests of my new students! There were always "holes" in my classroom library and I loved finding a good excuse to buy more books!!!
Next up...
This is one of my very early Writer's Workshop lessons. I made it two pages so that my students had plenty of room to illustrate and label whatever they needed. We glue it down side by side on the first couple of pages in our Writer's Notebooks and come back to it all year long!
I know you might be thinking, "Why would she have them write down a bunch of things they detest?? People, that page is a gold mine during opinion writing lessons!
This might be my most favorite freebie. The minute I started using these, my stress level during student work time decreased immediately! My support teachers and I could immediately see where we needed to focus our energy, who to keep an eye on, and who was ready to go.
I hope at least one of these makes your year a little better! See you soon!


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Communication skills, DiSC, behavioural styles, listening techniques, planning
Request a Quote or More Information on this Workshop >
Uses the Wiley DiSC Personal Profile System and the Personal Listening Profile tools
- Recognize your strengths and weaknesses as a communicator
- Capitalize on your strengths and overcome shortcomings
- Develop appropriate body language for mirroring during a communication
- Create effective listening habits and behaviours
- Understand what steps in the way of effective communication
- Develop techniques to deal with confrontations and conflicts
An assessment instrument called DiSC© and one called Personal Listening Profile© are used in this workshop. Both are the product of John Wiley & Sons Inc.
DiSC© identifies:
- Why we act the way we do
- How others see us
- What skills we need to develop to become more effective
Personal Listening Profile© identifies:
- A preferred listening approach
- The motivation and behavioural indicators of the 5 listening approaches
- Strategies to create a personal development plan to improve overall communications
Communication Impact
- Body language, what are you really saying?
- It is not what you say, but how you say it that makes the difference
- First impressions are made in seconds, how to make them powerful
- Following the Platinum Rule: do unto others as they would do unto themselves
Your behaviour styles
- The four behavioural styles and their impact on communication
- Developing communication techniques for each style
- The impact our style has on others and how to mirror their style
- Identify how your style can maintain effective teams
- Create methods to deal with other styles
Effective Listening techniques
- The barriers to effective listening
- How to listen when angry
- How to create an open environment
- How to probe to discover the real situation
Planning for the Future
- Preparing a communication network
- Determining the purpose of the communication results
- Create a personal criteria of "must do", "should do" and "like to do" to be the best communicator possible
This workshop is highly-interactive involving two recognized Wiley learning tools, DiSC Personal Profile System and the Personal Listening Profile supplied at a cost of about $59 per participant.
< Back to all Communication Skills Courses
Course Code: CSC701


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Johnny Coca, Mulberry's new creative director, has shared his plans for the brand ahead of his first London Fashion Week show on Sunday.
In a new video, the Spanish designer talks about his inspirations for the autumn/winter 2016 collection, as well as his what's next for the beloved English fashion house.
"It's quite an honour to be trusted with this brand that people love so much… and I'm not even British," he said. "With this collection, I hope that certain influences will come through. The idea of contradiction, of contrast, of tradition but also rebellion – but there is a balance of femininity, poetic but strong. I'm excited to share it with you."
Watch the video below.
Jenny Packham launches bridal collection


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Born at 1:12pm on April 26, 2012. It's been a little over 15 hours since she came.
I'm fairly certain I'll never sleep again.
Seems like a fair trade.
Born at 1:12pm on April 26, 2012. It's been a little over 15 hours since she came.
I'm fairly certain I'll never sleep again.
Seems like a fair trade.
My wife is resting in a hospital bed across the room, and I should probably be doing the same. Then again, this is the last day of my life as a not-parent. I feel like I should say something about it.
I won't ever be the person I am tonight again. My priorities, my focus, my entire approach to life will change once my daughter is born.
What' I'm saying is, this is sort of a Big Deal.
If she's born tomorrow, that actual date won't hold much importance to her. Beyond using it as proof of identity, I don't attach any real emotional significance to what happened on June 20, 1983. June 20, 1996 was pretty great. And 2004 was epic. But it never occurred to me until tonight what that birth date must mean to my parents. To me, it's cake and presents. To them, it's the day their son was born.
That's really pretty awesome, in the original sense of the word.
If the first chapter of my life was growing up, and the second was independence and marriage, tomorrow or the day after will clearly begin the third chapter. So, here we go. I expect the next post will be the one introducing my daughter.
End Chapter 2.
If you're wondering why I haven't pushed the "Owl Book" more, it's because I've discovered it is fucking expensive to print color. It's looking like this 24-page book is going to cost something like $15. That's ridiculous, but it's a whole other order of magnitude on the ridiculous scale when you realize my last book was 100 pages and sold for $10. What the hell do they make color ink out of anyway? Baby harp seals?
With shipping, it cost me an absurd amount to get my proof copy from Blurb. Something like $22, after coupons. The printing is gorgeous, and the quality is amazing, but I can't even sell that to people "at cost" with a straight face. I found a way to shave at least $3 off the base price with Lulu, but for some reason their book upload process shits the bed when faced with CMYK files, and all my colors turned neon.
As interesting as my new book about a radioactive owl was, it's not quite what I had in mind. As was evidenced by my stream of consciousness tweets.
Don't worry, the neighbors don't even have a cat. (any more)
So I converted everything, and now I'm going to sit here wondering what the hell the colors in this book will actually be when it shows up on my doorstep in a week. And then, if it looks as good as it should, I'll put up a site and pimp this owl properly*.
If you people didn't keep liking this stupid shit I do, I wouldn't have to go to all this trouble.
Thanks for that.
So, how about them timely updates? Eh? EH?
Sorry everyone. I mean if any of you are still here. Since I haven't bothered to do even a Friday Feature in like, a month.
Much of this is due to the insanity that is my life right now. The sad thing is that insanity makes for good reading, and so the blog should be bloggier than ever. Chock full of blogginess. It should be blogglutony up in here.
But things are happening at the speed of life these days, a velocity with is entirely outside of my control no matter what the odometer reads. And I feel it's more important to live the experiences I'm having rather than spending time recording them. In a world of social media this is perhaps a revolutionary act. If so, hand me a torch, and point me towards the occupation.
At the end of last year, I started to get really burned out on the blog. I didn't like the quality of the posts I was putting up, and I often found myself up until midnight trying to dash out a post just to meet my own arbitrary deadline. That seems dumb. Bad enough I submit the internet to my narcissistic ramblings, they should at least be well-written ones.
So it's time to switch things up. This is still my home on the web, but blogging itself is no longer my creative focus. I want to do stuff that scares me slightly, and this format is too familiar. A few years ago I read this post on Wil Wheaton's blog, and it mildly changed my life. I published my first book. Now I've published my second one. There are other firsts and seconds of things in the works that I won't tell you about right now. But they're coming. And right now, they're way more interesting to me than making fun of myself in long-copy format.
I like that too, and I'm sure it will still happen. In fact, once the kid comes next week, I bet it will happen a lot. But forcing it to happen every Monday? No longer the goal.
The new goal is to keep creating stuff that excites me. And to make sure that the posts I write here are worthy of being read by you all.
PS- Did you read that part about me becoming a father in a week? If anyone needs me I'll be over in the corner hyperventilating into a paper bag.
It's interesting that the busier I am, the less time I
waste spend talking about what I'm doing. I mean, I finished my second book over a week ago, and I'm just posting about it now. (I just dropped that shit like it was nothing, didn't I? That's how we experienced authors roll, bitches.)
The proof copy did just come in this evening, so that's part of my excuse. I had it as an iBook on The Wife's iPad as soon as the pages were done, but there's something special about holding a physical copy. I don't even know if I'm going to make the physical one available for purchase (all the color options I'm finding are laughably expensive) but I'm glad I have one for myself. Maybe I'll do a limited run or something.
Why'd I do this, you ask? Because the only thing I could think of that would screw with people's heads more than being "the guy who wrote the dick book" was to be "the guy who wrote the dick book and a children's book." Also, it was because I felt the need to do something really special for my unborn daughter, something that we could share even before I knew what she was like. But don't tell people that. It'll totally ruin my street cred.
So, maybe I'm a slightly more legitimate not-at-all-legitimate author now. That's two books. Neither of which have what you'd call plot, exactly. And they're surprisingly heavy on illustration for a guy who dropped out of graphic design in college, and claims to be a professional writer. But still, they're books. I'm pretty proud of them.
Like I said, I'm not sure what the sales options will be like for this one. I see a few very minor tweaks I'd like to make to the physical version, and there's been a surprising amount of talk regarding board-books and plush Little Owls. There'll definitely be an iBook version out, but I need to make those tweaks first.


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Video Games
"Pokémon Moon" is bloated and has a horrible storyline, but it's still home
Back in my day, Pokémon had no use for food, cuddles or grooming. They didn't participate in pageants. They showed no affection and received none in return.
No, the Pokémon of the '90s were unfeeling pixels with only one purpose: Fighting. Beating the opposing creature into submission was their only goal, and they did so with ruthless efficiency.
But my day was a long time ago – a fact made painfully clear to me as I spent the last week playing through "Pokémon Moon."
I was about five months late to the party, but "Moon" is an intriguing enough game to warrant a bleated review. It is likely the last great game to be released for the Nintendo 3DS, as the company looks to focus exclusively on its hybrid Switch console.
At first, "Moon" is overwhelming. Players are transported to a group of islands – not the textbook circular body of land – called Alola. The islands are filled with a diverse group of Pokémon and a frightening number of Pacific Islander stereotypes.
I love the look of Alola. It's a vibrant universe that serves as a believable home for hundreds of adorable Pokémon begging for a life of indentured servitude.
The new pocket monsters are even better. A few previous generations – I'm looking at you "Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald" – had awful "Pokémon." You just can't do a "Pokémon" game without decent Pokémon. It's never been done.
"Moon" and its counterpart, "Sun," also mess with the mold a bit by shuffling up the look and skills of a few my-generation Pokémon. Sandshrew, for example, is no longer a ground type. He is now ice/steel, which means he's usable in a variety of different ways and fills a different spot on your team.
The latest generation also brings a bunch of new features – online castles in the sky and slave Pokémon who are not yours but can be called on to perform one and only one function. I hate these. Maybe I am just too old, but I am here for creatures, battles and maybe some story.
Ah yes. The story. Does "Pokémon Moon" have a good story?
Insert a four-letter word of your choice, and add no.
It's just so bad. I mean – I get it. It's meant for kids. And the drama is by no means the major draw of a "Pokémon" game. The story is basically the vehicle you use to get to new places and catch new Pokémon.
But holy – why, in the name of Oak, do I have to battle Juggalos and protect an extremely sexist damsel in distress character while also fighting space Pokémon?
The point of every other "Pokémon" was pretty simple: Catch them all, train the good ones, defeat your rival and anyone else stupid enough to get in your way. Someone decided that, after 20 years of limitless success, kids also wanted interdimensional travel.
I am not saying I oppose all changes to the Pokémon formula. In Alola, you don't fight gym leaders for badges – a central part of my first 20 years as a trainer.
Instead, you participate in various themed trials. The core concept is basically the same: Defeat some Pokémon of one specific type, earn rewards and the right to push forward into the game. But the trials have fun quirks such as having to snap pictures of ghost Pokémon or fight electric Pokémon in the dark.
Change is scary, so I initially rejected this system. But I came to love the variety. It's much better than pushing through a meat grinder of baby trainers on your way to a showdown with an emotionless gym leader.
Brace yourself for a bit of a deep dive into a relatively simple children's franchise.
"Pokémon Moon" continued a heartening trend for the franchise with Hau, the player's rival. He is your buddy – a happy-go-lucky kid who's much more concerned with his next meal than he is with your next battle.
In the first few games, players were pitted against Gary Oak. Gary was an jerk. There's no escaping that. He was arrogant and hurled insults seconds after your Pokémon beat the hell out his.
I was always a little irked by the negativity Gary presented. It's a children's game. I was 10 when I first tangled with him. Sure, it provided motivation to train a strong Pokémon team, but it just didn't really fit into the paradise where kids wander the world gathering tiny creatures as friends with no real fears.
Over the years, the franchise has moved away from that. The rivals slowly turned into buddies who you occasionally sparred with. You no longer have to beat them in order to progress. It's just part of the journey.
"Pokémon Moon" probably wasn't designed for a 28-year-old still looking to kill countless hours training tiny creatures into angry monsters. The story is awful, and the game has a tutorial every 2.5 seconds. Seriously, everything you can think of gets a tutorial. I half-expected an adult to show my character which buttons he has to press in order to breathe.
Regardless, I loved it. It feels like home. I poured more than 30 hours into "Moon" without a second thought. The hunt for rare, cute and strong Pokémon has gripped millions for most of their lives. As Nintendo fades from relevance, I'm not worried about losing Link or Mario. But a world without Pikachu? That's a chilling thought, indeed.
Rory Appleton: 559-441-6015, @RoryDoesPhonics
Pokémon Moon
Video game review
▪ Rated e for everyone
▪ Developer: Game Freak
▪ Publisher: The Pokémon Company
▪ Out now for the Nintendo 3DS


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The big buzz in Asia has been the forthcoming East Asia trilateral summit that looks to be taking place in Seoul, South Korea this weekend. That, in and of itself, is a huge deal, as it's the first time in years the heads of the three nations have met – and it would be the first formal sit-down between Park, Xi, and Abe.
Then news surfaced that it appeared there would be a pair of bilateral meetings on November 2 with Abe meeting with Xi and Park independently. However, that may not be the case.
Tokyo reports that Abe hasn't accepted Parks offer for bilateral summit, with some suggesting the "comfort women" issue being the sticking point. Park in the past has said she would be unwilling to meet with Abe, unless he apologizes for Japan's wrong doing, and its unclear if that's a condition for the meeting.
Park has been softening her stance on Abe in recent months, which is why we're seeing this trilateral meeting now; however, agreeing to meet with Abe, in Seoul, without an apology might be too big of a political price to pay given the furor over his perceived lack of contrition Abe gave in August.


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Join guest speaker Grant Elliott, a Cobourg educator and environmentalist, as he presents "The Amazing Biodiversity of the Amazon". Discover many of the species in the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve and find out how local high school students joined researchers from Operation Wallacea to collect environmental data in the flooded forest of the western Amazon River basin.
Also - our annual Silent Auction fundraiser and AGM
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. meeting starts 7:30 PM
COBOURG Public Library
200 Ontario Street, COBOURG, ON
All welcome - bring a friend


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Switch box helps bike patrol keep hands on
| firstname.lastname@example.com | @jeffreysykes
Let's say you're one of Greensboro's finest bike patrol officers and you simultaneously need to take off pedaling for all you're worth and activate your safety lights.
In the past, officers with the Greensboro Police Department's downtown bike squad would've had bulky clip-on lights and a push-button control switch attached to the stem of the steering column.
Officers needed to fumble with the control switch while maintaining control of the bike with one hand. Not the most efficient set-up for people who often work in highstress situations.
One Greensboro police officer's innovative switch box is a prime example of what happens when preparation meets opportunity.
Patrol Officer Al Lewis describes himself as an electronics tinkerer. His dad worked in the field of electronics and passed the trait on to Lewis, who joined GPD in 2010 after seeing several recruiting billboards around town.
Five years later, Lewis found himself assigned to the bike team, CCRT-B, which patrols Downtown Greensboro. This past March, Lewis found himself on a traffic assignment. He was trying to block off a street with his bike but kept thinking to himself "I wish I had a patrol car right about now."
That's when the 'eureka moment' struck. What if the department could deck out the patrol bikes with blue lights, making them more visible? Lewis asked his sergeant at the time, who said they used to have clip-on blue lights but stopped using them because they were bulky and in the way. The lights would clip on to the handlebars, or the cargo rack, but they stuck out a lot.
"Since these are police bikes they get used and abused more than your average bike," Lewis said. "They get dropped. They run into things. (The lights) kept getting broken because they stuck out."
Lewis began to research existing products, but found only more bulky assemblies. He thought that surely someone had come up with something better.
"The more I looked, the more I realized no one had," Lewis said.
After getting permission to research the matter, Lewis found a product with slim strobe strips and modules that attach to various parts of the bike""front of handle bars, side of cargo rack""but they were controlled by a push-button switch attached to the steering column.
The set-up worked better as far as the lights were concerned, but the control switch remained a problem. The strobe controller had a push on/hold off switch.
"When you are riding a bike and chasing somebody, it's kind of hard to do that. It was also really easy to bump it and turn it on accidentally," Lewis said.
Lewis developed an idea for a rockerswitch""a box controlled by an officer's thumb and attached to the handlebars. The idea was solid, but available products fell short of ideal. Some were too long. Others too wide. None were just right.
One of his colleagues, Officer Stafford, was a member of The Forge, a makerspace community on West Lewis Street in Downtown Greensboro, and invited Lewis to explore the space to see if they had what he needed to make a switch box to meet his specifications.
Lewis had tools at home, of course, and an available work space at the police department. What he didn't have was a 3D printer. The Forge does.
Lewis worked on a basic design""compact enough not to be in the way, but durable enough to use in the field""and took it in. Once at The Forge, Mario Aldayuz, the board vice-president, and members Mikey Burggaf and Chandler Mayo, helped him engineer the shape of the switch box. Mayo helped him develop a prototype that was very close to ideal. From there, Lewis customized the final design and learned to use the 3D printer to make his idea a reality.
The switch box is designed to fit on a standard handlebar, with slots for zip ties to secure the box in place. A separate plate with two holes for the rocker switches fits into the open top of the box.
The switch, which Lewis has dubbed "The Panther," is important because it allows the bike patrol officer to control the lights on his bike in a more efficient manner. The switch box also splits the existing strobe strip package into two: one for the blue light modules and one for the basic front and rear safety lights.
"The whole thing can now be controlled exactly like that with your thumb while you are still riding, while you are still on the bike and ready to go," Lewis said. "That was all made possible with that 3D printer. Nothing like (this light system), as far as I can tell, exists out there. Everything is either front only, rear only, nothing is completely 360-degrees all the way around."
Lewis has fabricated 19 switch boxes for his colleagues on the bike patrol so far.
Sgt. Kory Flowers said that when Lewis approached his chain of command with the idea for an integrated strobe system, nothing like it had been suggested before. Command wanted to see an initial design.
"After the first prototype was finished, the possibilities were clearly obvious and downtown bike officers realized quickly what a simple, yet profound, creation this was for our job function," Flowers said.
The combination of technology and design innovation coming from a "fairly new line officer" was unique, Flowers said. The switch's compact design keeps it out of the way and allows officers to focus on patrol duties.
"Often when downtown officers are operating among large, chaotic crowds, a simple flick of the blue light switch turns the patrol bicycle into a flashing beacon of blue, and allows other officers and supervisors instant and ready recognition of exactly where our guys are in the masses," Flowers said. "In day-to-day patrol bike operations downtown, the bright LED lights keep our officers safer than they would be with a simple front and rear light package, as is standard fare among recreational cyclists."
Lewis created "an instant waiting list," Flowers said, as other officers expressed interest in the strobe-rocker switch package.
Staff at The Forge are excited that a product designed in their casual community of creators is having an impact on the streets.
"It's a really great example of what The Forge is capable of. There are similar examples, but nothing that's so beautifully involved in the community," said Joe Rotondi, the recently announced executive director of The Forge. "It really shows off Greensboro as a community as a whole and The Forge's place in it."
Rotondi said the design's impact exceeds the scope of The Forge and shows off the talents of a bike patrol officer outside of his normal course of duty.
"It's exciting in the context that it really puts The Forge in the community. It really places the police force more in the community outside of their regular context," he said.
Lewis has other ideas he's working on now, including an integrated strobe-switch package and an improved, more durable wire system for the department's body worn cameras.
Having his love of electronics meet the need for process improvements in his work life was something unexpected for Lewis.
"I never thought I'd be a bike officer for one, but when I did, I never thought I'd be able to put all those mechanical and electrical talents to use," Lewis said. "It really kind of came out of left field. I saw the opportunity and thought, 'hey, I can do this.' I asked 'can I do this?' and they said 'sure, go ahead and we will see what happens.' It just kind of blossomed from there." !


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Hello and thank you for taking time here.
I am 49 year old male. For 2 months I have had pain in what I thought was my lower neck. Once I saw a chiropractor it turns out it is T-2.
Symptoms are:
General deep ache at T-2.
Painful/sensitive when I touch just to the left and right side of that boney joint.
Pain can radiate up L & R back side into my Trapezious, this pain is stabbing and intermittent.
I have been to the Chiropractor 8 times over the past 3.5 weeks, and at his recommendation, have combined his adjustments, with 20 minute back/shoulder massage immediately after the adjustments, at a local place nearby.
I have ended up with some relief, about a 40% reduction in pain after these adjustments, however it has not lasted more than through that day. By next morning I wake up tight, and tender and aching. The chiropractor says he can tell I am getting easier to adjust, and we are adjusting M-W-F 3x a week as it is my only pain relief. Advil does not help.
On one occasion last week, I did get a 60-70% reduction in the pain which lasted for almost 2 days. However this week it is back as bad as ever. This morning it is painful to take a deep breath, which is why I am writing in, trying to advance my knowledge.
Thanks again for your time.
Hello Scott,
What I can tell you is that T2 is probably the most difficult bone in the spine to adjust, so it may just be a technical problem.
However, let's look a little further.
1. After 8 treatments you've had no significant relief.
2. There's no radiation to the arms, right?
3. Which movements are most painful, and where does it hurt most of all?
4. You're in good health. Have you had any significant trauma?
5. If you haven't had xrays it's perhaps time.
6. There was presumably fairly sudden onset. Have you any idea what caused it?
7. Does your chiropractor seem to have technically speaking good skills? Are you getting releases when he does the manipulation?
8. You don't sleep on your tum? One pillow?
9. The pain with breathing suggests a rib subluxation. But no reason to suspect a lung problem? Are you a smoker?
Give me some answers, and we'll take this further. Keep to this thread please.
Dr B
Chiropractic Help homepage»Changing chiropractors » T-2 area pain - not having much success
Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Chiropractic help Questions (Neck pain).
Did you find this page useful? Then perhaps forward it to a suffering friend. Better still, Tweet or Face Book it.
Interesting challenges of the day
1. Mr S is a 76 year old man with neck pain of some 9 months duration. Luckily, most of the discomfort is upper cervical which is only rarely arthritic; his lower cervical spine is a degenerative mess that I've left alone. After seven treatments his pain and stiffness is 50 percent better, and he's happy in the circumstances. He can sleep through the night now and that makes a huge difference.
2. Mr P is 32 year old man with very severe lower back pain radiating to the big toe which is 30 percent numb. He had an episode three weeks ago, took anti inflammatories and was soon better as is typical of the medial disc herniation. But before it healed, after a trivia it came roaring back, much worse. The characteristic crossed sign was evident; sitting in a chair, straightening the right leg provoked severe left back pain and tingling in the leg. He's doing well.
3. Severe lower back pain is scary; just ask Mrs P. Just watching her get out of the car I she was in trouble; she had a slipped disc at L4 making her lean towards the opposite side; luckily she had no pain in the leg. Despite family pressure that this was far too severe for a chiropractor, she persevered. Within five days she was standing upright, and after two weeks almost painfree.
Despite a hectic job, she wisely took my advice and stayed home for what I call exercising bed rest.
4. Mr S has had lower back, groin and back of thigh and calf pain for fourth months.
He has a pincer deformity in the hip causing the stabs in the groin, and a degenerative facet causing the sciatica. Both are responding well to chiropractic and he's well pleased; sixty five percent better after three treatments.
5. Mr T is a wise man; he's taken a warning TIA seriously and has lost 15 pounds, and has at least as much again to lose. A change to a low starch diet and half hour daily walk has made the difference; but the walking is making his foot and back miserable. The expensive orthotic is hopeless; luckily his hips and back are fine, but he needs a simple heel lift.
6. I too have had serious lower back issues, luckily fixed by my own chiropractor; so I too have to do my exercises, take care when lifting supers full of honey, gardening and using the chainsaw. Regaining the function of your spine is just as important as the pain.
7. My own granddaughter, only 7 is hypermobile giving her pelvic, knee and ankle issues. Xrays show a mildly dysplastic hip. Years ago we would have called it growing pains. She too regularly needs chiropractic care and luckily responds well. Increased range of motion is more difficult than too stiff in my opinion. Our care is for kids too.
8. This 65 year old lady is a serious gardener; every day she is bending, lifting and digging for 2 to 3 hours a day. It regularly catches her in the sacroiliac joint, so she has a treatment once a month that sorts it out. She does her lower back exercises faithfully.
9. This 88 year old lady is an inspiration; every day she is busy in the community. With a nasty scoliosis she manages very well with a chiropractic adjustment every six weeks and exercises faithfully done.
10. Mr X is a 71 year old retired man who wants to continue with maintenance care every six to eight weeks; he had suffered from two years of lower back pain when he first came a year ago. He has no discomfort now after 8 chiropractic treatments, but is aware that danger lurks.
11. Mrs C has been having severe headaches, and taking a lot of analgesics. It's a non complicated upper cervical facet syndrome, and she's doing well.
12. Mr D is a 38 old year man with chronic shoulder pain after a rotator cuff tear playing cricket. It responded well to treatment, but he knows he must do his exercises every day; for two years he couldn't sleep on that shoulder.
13. Mr D, a 71 year old man, has a severe ache in the shoulder and midback since working above his head. Trapped nerve tests are negative but he has advanced degenerative joints of Luschka; after just two treatments he is 50 percent better. Can we reach 90?
And so the day goes; chiropractors shouldn't be treating the elderly most medical sites state but that's so much bunkum.
Have a problem that's not getting better? Looking for a different slant on your pain? Want to pose a question?
CLS writes:
Greetings, Dr B.
You helped me quite some time back with a soothing and professional response which turned out to be exactly correct. I now consult a local chiropractor. You write a superb newsletter, too.
Your own unresolved problem. Pose a question
Knowing that up to 70% of the time the correct diagnosis is made with no examination, no special tests, no xrays, but just from the history, there's a fair chance I can add some insight to your unresolved problem. But at least 30% of the time, I may be quite wrong! Give plenty of detail if you want a sensible reply.
You visited this chiropractic help site no doubt because you have a problem that is not resolving and want to know more about what chiropractors do.
The quickest and most interesting way is to read one of my ebooks of anecdotes. Described by a reader as gems, both funny and healthful, from the life and work of a chiropractor, you'll love them. Priced right at $2.99, though Kindle fiddles the price without telling me.


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With an increased interest in our informal and realistic one to one business tuition sessions there are now dates available in January, February and March.
The very nature of our bespoke training means that it suits your needs perfectly; all information will be highly relevant and in a form that you can implement immediately.
Before enquiring, it's worth mentioning that this tuition is suited to ambitious full time photographers looking to succeed in the industry as well as semi-professional photographers determined to break into it. The course is theory based so there will be no building of portfolios on organised photo shoots however, what there will be is sound and practical advice on how to structure and plan your business model and to reach your goals in the most efficient and successful way available to you.
These intensive one to one training sessions utilise our comprehensive knowledge of the wedding, photographic and marketing industries. Our tuition is aimed at putting aspiring wedding photographers on the correct path and progressing their success with the benefit of experience. Ongoing training and advice, for instance tailored photographic mentoring programmes, is available for all applicants.
You can come to the studio for sessions to discuss specific topics or we can simply work from the ground up. Once you've booked your day we'll gather more background information about your business so that we can prepare for your session.
Just a few of the 'umbrella' topics that could be discussed with Allister are:
- Photographing the day - improving your ethos and approach
- Portfolio Critique - creating and defining a unique wedding photography style
- Worklow - a full assessment of your processes and advice on how to improve
- Creating Wedding Packages that sell - products, materials & suppliers
- Marketing - your target clients, converting enquiries, building a brand, your ambitions and goals
- Customer Service - post wedding sales and referrals
Price including VAT is £249.
Further details:
January dates are the 16th, 22nd, 23rd and 29th
February dates are the 16th, 22nd, 23rd and 29th
March dates are the 16th, 22nd, 23rd and 29th
Sessions start at 09.00 and finish at 16.00
To book your day simply email email@example.com


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certified financial intelligence professional
Course Description:
This course will help you for the Strategic and Operational Decision Making, Corporate Compliance Management, Cost & Profitability Analysis, Incentive Compensation Management, Reconciliation of Statement, Planning – Budgeting and Costing Analysis and Regulatory Compliance, for Financial Consolidation and Book Closing by understanding Financial Process Architecture.
Course Deliverables:
- How to determine your competitors' cost structure
- Works with inventories, accounts receivable and payable
- Identify areas of the business in need of improvement and evaluate alternative strategies for business impact and greater profit
- Understand reporting, planning, and analysis processes to access the information you need and close the gap between strategy and execution
- How to achieve operational excellence by identifying and eliminating the most crippling costs to your business and focusing on areas that deliver the most profit
- How to exploit key financial and nonfinancial performance indicators and benchmarking data to enhance your company's results and improve its market share
- How to improve regulatory compliance by closely aligning your risk-based processes with your corporate strategy and the continuous and automated monitoring of controls
- How to cut costs, improve your business processes, and enhance your stakeholder relationships, while advancing the brand, lowering cost of capital, increasing market demand, and optimizing opportunities for growth
Delivery mode:
- Instructor Led
- E Learning
Course Duration: 3 Months
Recommended participant size: 5
Who should attend:
Managers or Executives, who want to enhance their ability to read, understand and manipulate the information contained in their company's financial statements and the financial statements of their competitors. Excellent program for the new business analyst as well as a good review for experienced CI practitioners.
Thanks for contacting us. We'll get back to you as soon as we can.


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Graham Rahal converts Detroit pole into fifth career win
Graham Rahal scored his fifth IndyCar Series victory in a career today at the Detroit Belle Isle circuit. A driver of the #15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda started the race from pole and converts the best starting position into his first victory at the iconic 2.35-mile 14-turn race track.
Rahal had the perfect tactical race with two pit stops and he led for 55 of 70 laps, beating Scott Dixon (Chip Ganassi Racing) for 6.1474 seconds at the checkered flag. James Hinchcliffe (Schmidt Peterson Motorsports) completed the podium, ahead of Josef Newgarden (Team Penske).
Hinchcliffe recovered from early spin in the opening lap, which caused the first of two caution periods. The second interruption followed on lap 26 when Charlie Kimball spun and Conor Daly stopped on a track. Kimball continued the race while Daly was the only driver to retire.
The Detroit Grand Prix, the only double-header event in the season, is marking a debut for Esteban Gutierrez, who took over the #18 Dale Coyne Racing's Honda of injured Sebastien Bourdais. Gutierrez finished the race in 19th place.
Check the full results of the Detroit Grand Prix
After seven races in 2017, Scott Dixon takes the championship lead ahead of Helio Castroneves. It's interesting that Rahal is the seventh different winner in seven races. One more race at Detroit Belle Isle circuit is scheduled for Sunday.
Photos: indycar.com,


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Touch-and-heal, demon chaser, goatweed, Barbe de Saint-Jean, chasse diable, herbe a mille vertus, millepertuis, amber, St John's wort. These are some of the names given to hypericum perforata.
This ragged, deep yellow flower has an endless list of properties and is used to help lift people out of melancholy and mild depression. It is soothing to the nervous system and is a very good remedy for anxiety and feelings of overwhelm.
Being a powerful antiviral agent, Hypericum is known to help prevent and heal outbreaks of Herpes simplex 1 and 2.
It is often used for helping with premenstrual tension and menopausal symptoms.
The olive oil infusion makes a wonderful massage oil. It is also used to treat grazes, burns, sprains, frozen shoulder, insect bites, sunburn and chapped lips. A balm can be made by emulsifying the infused olive oil with beeswax. More on this to come in a few weeks.
Hypericum's affinity with the sun is obvious. It's stamen look like sun rays. One of the main active ingredients, hypericin, is at its strongest when the plant is not fully in flower, when there are still some unopened buds on the plant. Traditionally, the time to pick it is in the days around the solstice or on the feast of its namesake, St John the Baptist, 24th June. That it helps lift the spirits, especially in the winter months makes sense.
It grows everywhere in the world other than in the desert, tropical lowlands and the polar regions, so very likely it grows near you. Once I spotted it and took an interest in the plant, it caught my eye wherever I went.
To make the oil infusion, pick the flowers, including a short section of stem and leaves. Leave some flowers to remain on the plant so that it can seed itself. Allow the flowers to dry in the sunshine for a few hours so that any insects can crawl out, and there is not too much moisture in them. Fill a clean jar with the blossoms, stalks, leaves and all, and cover with olive oil, making sure they are submerged, and leaving some head room. Place somewhere sunny, either outside or in a window, or failing that, somewhere warm. Leave for four to six weeks, checking the inside of the lids every now and again for condensation, which you can wipe off with some paper towel.
Then, when it has turned amber, it is strained through a clean cloth.
Thank you to my old friend, Angus in Devon, for reminding me to look into Hypericum and thank you to Jacky for showing me the plant.


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The Lasting Advantages of Siblings
For those of us with siblings -- I'm the youngest of three -- it's perhaps not too surprising to read about the benefits of having brothers and sisters. Who else could ever know you as well, for better or worse? But according to a new study done at Ohio State University, an unexpected advantage of siblings is a decreased likelihood of getting divorced as a grownup. Have more than one sibling? Your chances of divorce will fall even lower -- with each sibling up to seven, the study found that the probability of divorce fell by two percent.
Why would having more siblings decrease the probability of a divorce? Perhaps those years of squabbles and resolutions teach a lesson that it's possible to still love someone deeply and wholeheartedly even when there are disagreements and frustrations. Donna Bobbitt-Zeher, a co-author of the study, speculates that "growing up with siblings provides opportunities to develop those kinds of skills, like conflict negotiation, that helps us form and sustain meaningful relationships into adulthood" while also cautioning that having a sibling is of course not that only factor that leads to divorce. As one of my coworker points out, several of her mom's many siblings are divorced -- having a brother or sister is not a magic solution for future relationships.
My soon-to-be husband, a younger sibling himself, is firmly convinced that siblings are essential for developing social skills and coping abilities, and when we talk about family planning, it's always children -- and not an only child -- that we're hoping to have. What do you think: Did your early years with a brother or sister help you develop the relationship skills that you still put to work in your marriage today? And when you think about family planning, do you keep the benefits of siblings in mind?
Image of two brothers via Shutterstock


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This episode of Deep Focus is all about I AM SHAKESPEARE, a new documentary from New Haven filmmaker Stephen Dest that tells the story of Henry Green, a young man from Newhalville struggling to reconcile the many different sides of himself in a city painfully divided by class, race, education, and violence. Breen talks with Dest and Green about the story behind this film, the power of committing so much of yourself to a work of art, and the prospect of better understanding yourself and your city through movies. For the second segment of the show, Tom is joined by Inner City News editor Babz Rawls-Ivy and New Haven Independent reporter Markeshia Ricks for a review of MOONLIGHT.
More Links


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A few weeks ago we flew out east as a family (with our toddler) for a wedding in Vermont, during peak foliage season! The long weekend turned out to be beautiful, we had great company: got to catch up with friends and family. Perhaps what was best is how our weekend started. We knew we …
Tag Archive: lounge
Oct 29
My Best Use of SPG Points
Feb 10
Are annual fees on Credit Cards worth it?
Is It Worth Paying Annual Fees on Credit Cards? This is an often asked question and no doubt something that you've probably considered whilst you make your selection on which credit card to chose. There are variety of cards out there, all with their own benefits, and while some may be free some cost $49, …
Feb 03
Amazing New York to Hawaii Deal
Amazing Round-Trip Fair from New York to Hawaii for $575 There are a few very cheap fares available right now between New York City (JFK) and Hawaii (HNL) for March that are showing up. I did a quick search for a 7 day trip and here's what the spread for the few weeks in March …


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Dirt Road Anthem Stealth Edition Brantley Gilbert's Stealth Platinum F-250 SuperDuty
We are honored to welcome local backbone of American country music Brantley Gilbert to the Rocky Ridge Family.
The Jefferson, Georgia native just took delivery of his unique Dirt Road Anthem Rocky Ridge Stealth SuperDuty from Ford President's Award-Winning Athens Ford.
This Military-Grade Aluminum beast features a unique e-coated 4" Rocky Ridge Signature Edition SuperDuty lift and 20" Machine Finished black powder coated wheels wrapped in 35" Mickey Thompson ATZ Tires.
Rocky Ridge's Stealth-Coating Technology washes every drop of chrome from this machine. The brushed aluminum front grille and fender flares are coated in two perfectly textured layers of resin at Rocky Ridge before being sealed with a layer of polyurethane. Made just right for where the black top ends.
Take a ride with Brantley and go


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Latest News
How to handle a week with nagging She-Beast
Dear Advice Diva:
I was just informed by my loving husband that his mother (who I have nicknamed She-Beast) will be staying with us for a full week in our small condo. As you might guess, we don't really get along. She shadows me constantly, telling me what she thinks I'm doing wrong. I don't clean right, I don't know how to drive, I don't know how to cook, it's always something. I don't want him to know how much she gets under my skin and I would rather just make the best of it. What are some good tips on keeping her busy or maybe ways to help us see eye-to-eye?
Married to His Mother
Dear Married to:
Why internalize your angst when this is clearly an opportunity for you to stand up for yourself and slay the She-Beast? Not literally, of course.
Your success will depend on how strong you are and how cool you can deliver your message. Go over what you are going to say, and we don't think you need to drag your husband into this. It's between you and the mother-in-law. She has sniffed out your insecurity and is preying on your naiveness. No mas. Let her know that you are the Mama Bear of your condo-cave and while her comments may amuse her, they are no longer welcome. At this point, she either chills and starts to respect you or checks into the hotel room that you have wisely already reserved.
Everywhere I go people tell me I look like Britney Spears, but I do not agree. The comments were somewhat flattering until this guy approached me at a club with, ''You look like Britney Spears out of rehab,'' referring to my new dark hair. I had no choice but to just laugh.
K.L. in Miami
Dear K.L.: Now that that Fed-Ex's ex is cleanly shorn, we doubt you'll be hearing that line anytime soon.
The Advice Diva welcomes your questions -- particularly the more amusing ones -- and your worst pick-up lines. Write her at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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By now, most of us will have heard about the disgraceful, "not a looker" comment that was said about professional tennis player and Wimbledon winner, Marion Bartoli by BBC presenter John Inverdale.
Worse than Mr. Inverdale's comment was the way so many members of the general public took to social media after her win to insult, demean and verbally assault her on the basis that they just didn't think she was pretty enough to win such a prestigious competition. I, like so many others, felt completely disgusted with the way Ms. Bartoli was treated and couldn't believe that after accomplishing such a spectacular feat of athleticism, she was forced to confront criticism over how her body looked instead of praise for how well it obviously worked.
While I'm disappointed with the way she's been treated, I can't say I'm surprised. Sadly, Marion Bartoli is not the first female athlete to have her physical appearance be judged, mocked and ridiculed and I doubt she'll be the last. The whole, "she's too fat to compete" argument has become a familiar mantra of the most ignorant and shallowest of sports fans. Competing at the level that these women do is stressful enough, having to deal with nasty criticism from fans or even coaches and teammates can be too much to bear. It's not unusual to hear about professional athletes suffering from eating disorders after dealing with years of pressure to be thin. After several years of battling an eating disorder, Olympic triathlete Hollie Avil decided to put her health first and leave her sport and at the age of 15, Olympic diver Brittany Viola also developed an eating disorder.
While campaigns like Girls Unstoppable from Dove are encouraging girls to get off the sidelines and into the game, there are still way too many messages thrown at them on a daily basis telling them that what they can do isn't nearly as important is how they look while they're doing it. What is it about successful, talented, powerful women that make so many people uncomfortable? Why are women being crucified for caring more about skill than sex appeal? With sex taking over our magazines, TVs and music videos, can't we please keep it out of our sports?
Marion answered her critics with more class and respect than they deserved, but I'm still bothered by how many people are missing a key element to this story. When the internet trolls called her ugly, those wanting to defend her, replied by saying, "she's not ugly, she's beautiful!" The problem with this response is that it still puts too much emphasis on the wrong thing: Beauty. This isn't about whether or not Marion Bartoli is attractive, this is about the fact that it just shouldn't matter. She won at Wimbledon! That's a pretty amazing accomplishment and one that should stand on its own. I'm disgusted that there's more discussion going on about where she ranks on the "sexy meter" than any of her matches.
Interestingly, while there are some privileges that come along with being considered an attractive male athlete in the way of endorsement deals (David Beckham) and even reality shows (Ryan Lochte), I cannot think of any "average looking" male athletes who have been slaughtered in the media the way so many women have been. It's as if women, all women, have a responsibility to be sexy. It's expected that from the minute we're born we will do everything we can to maintain a level of attractiveness that others will find pleasing throughout or entire lives or be subjected to the harsh judgement of any goon with an opinion, as irrelevant as it may be.
During the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, photographers had a field day taking pictures of the female volleyball players. The problem is that most of the pictures focused primarily on their rear ends and completely ignored the rest of their bodies; like their FACES. This might not seem like a big deal until you see how ridiculous it would be if male athletes were treated the same way. Metro.us was curious enough to find out and published a compilation of pictures that highlighted male Olympians in a way we rarely ever see and cleverly proved a point that needed to be made. An athlete's body should be admired for its mechanics not its aesthetics and the best female athletes are the ones who train and compete the hardest, not the ones who induce the most erections.
All girls deserve the right to grow into confident women with the fearlessness to go after their dreams and to believe that they are worthy of achieving great success in the things that excite and inspire them the most. Our daughters need to understand that being respected is much more important than being lusted after.


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The South coast 1 and South 3 are the MOST SOUGHT-AFTER tours of João Pessoa!
- HOW DOES IT WORKS and the info to BOOK;
- the TOURS and the PRICES;
- the detail of the BEACHES (in the end)
→ PHOTOS: Paraiba Beaches, the south coast
The south coast beaches of Joao Pessoa are of an indescriptible beauty, and each beach is different from the other. It has cliffs, canyons, palm trees, natural pools and breathtaking views. For those who like blue and unspoiled nature, here is the place...
There are 3 JEEP Tours on the South coast Beaches of João Pessoa (up to 8 hours each, it's impossible to see all in one day):
South coast 1: Barra de Gramame (side Conde), Love Beach, Tabatinga, Coqueirinho, the naturist beach of Tambaba, Arapuca Beach and Marcelia Beach, with several trails and viewpoints, and the Canyon of Coqueirinho
South coast 2: Jacarapé Beach, Barra de Gramame (side João Pessoa), Jacumã Beach, Caripabus, Barra do Grau and Beautiful Beach, with several trails and viewpoints
South coast 3: Coqueirinho, the naturist beach of Tambaba, Arapuca Beach, Marcelia Beach, Barra do Grau, Beautiful Beach and Barra do Abiai with a long stretch on the beach, several trails and viewpoints, and the Canyon of Coqueirinho
See the Beaches on our Blog South Coast Beaches of Paraiba
Formed by a large lagoon surrounded by mangroves, a nature reserve with Indians and a beach accessible to JEEP 4x4, Barra de Gramame is a true paradise for fish, crabs ... and families with children!
With the pierced stone, Beach of Love is the ideal place to take some cool photos. This perfect place for romantics has several Indian legends talking about the positive effects for couples... who believe it can not miss it!
Do not miss the incredible visual looking up the intense blue of the lagoon. For those who like baths and tranquility, the Beach of Tabatinga always deserted, offers two options: a pond whose cliff is formed by a white curative mud, and a long stretch of beach with a visual on red cliffs.
Hidden from tourists, the best beach of Coqueirinho combines amazing visual (360º pure beauty!) with warm waters and is protected by a coral... nobody resist, nor guides! The JEEP 4x4 tour on the main beach, beneath the colorful cliffs until Tambaba (when the level of the sea permit) is a must!
Situated amidst a environmental protection area (APA Tambaba), covered with fine white sand and protected by high reefs, the Beach of Tambaba at low sea offers pools with hot water: delicious! In the naturist part, the show is other ...
Don't miss it, this is worth: the viewpoints above the cliffs are breathtaking! Only access via JEEP 4x4.
The Canyon of Coqueirinho consists of impressive formations with plenty of shapes and colors, formed by the erosion of rain: Amazing!
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I found this section of metal wireway in the attic of a tall building during an electrical inspection. The wireway was not only missing its covers, but at some point in time someone had used this area as a trash receptacle. This would no doubt add fuel load in this space if a fire were to break out in this area. In addition, the blocks used to support the conductors are not a recognized method of installation.
Find the Answer
The rules for this type of raceway installation can be found in Art. 376. Section 376.2 defines metal wireways as "sheet metal troughs with hinged or removable covers for housing and protecting electrical wires and cable." The conductors in this type of wireway are laid in place after the complete wireway system has been installed.


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The Arbitration Clause and the Contractor
In Massachusetts, the homeowner has a presumptive right to pursue his or her claim through the Home Improvement Contractor Arbitration Program. However, if the contractor wants to go through the arbitration program, he must insert a clause in his contract that states that he is entitled to do so. The state of Massachusetts has a model home improvement contract on its website, and there is a sample clause that most contractors insert in their contracts. It states as follows:
The Contractor and Homeowner hereby mutually agree in advance that in the event the Contractor has a dispute concerning the contract, the Contractor may submit such dispute to a private arbitration service, which has been approved by the Secretary of the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulations. The consumer shall be required to submit to such arbitration as provided in M.G.L. c. 142A.
Most contractors think that this clause would require the homeowner to go through arbitration if they have a dispute. I recently had a case however, where the homeowner filed suit, and I filed a motion to compel arbitration. The judge did not agree with my argument, and said that the clause only applies where the contractor initiates arbitration, and it does not prevent the homeowner from filing suit.
So contractors need to consider re-writing their contracts if they want to require homeowners to proceed to arbitration in the event of a dispute.


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text: I saw this lovely apple fabric in a shop back in NYC. It came as a fat quater and I purchased it with the intention of using it in some type of present for my grandma's birthday (she loves apples). Wasn't sure what I was going to make with it, but I knew it'd come in handy. I ended up making a set of quilted coasters... kinda want to make a set for myself too.


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Painted: 11/3/2015
Climate Threat: Less than half of the coastal Tricolored Heron's summer range is projected to still be stable by 2080, according to Audubon's Birds and Climate Change Report. Learn more about how climate change could affect this species at climate.audubon.org.
About the Artist: New York artist Federico Massa (known in the global street art world as Iena Cruz) is a university-trained fine artist from Milan who has called Brooklyn his home for the past five years. Since his arrival, he has received the EB-1—the coveted U.S. Visa for Extraordinary Ability—and a number of gallery shows in New York City, Baltimore, and Miami, as well as commissions for wall murals in Mexico City, Ibiza, Manhattan, Barcelona, Milan, and Brooklyn. Since his teen years in 1990s Milan, Massa forged a solid reputation as a renegade street-art painter. At the Academy of Fine Arts of Brera in Milan he developed a unique signature layered style of spray paint stenciling mixed with finely calibrated brush work on a range of textured surfaces. This layering technique became the foundation for a series called "Homages" that was exhibited in his first solo show at the Graphite Gallery in Brooklyn. Large-scale commissions include the rear facade of the Williamsburg Cinemas, a 40' X 100' mural of comic book heroes in the Iena Cruz style; it was among the BuzzFeed top 10 best worldwide street art murals of 2013. See more at his website or follow him on Instagram.
The Artist on the Mural: "Climate change and the animals and plant life affected by climate change has been the focus of my large-scale works for the past few years. In my current work I cast the climate-threatened Tricolored Heron in a melting glacier tableau inspired by 18th century British naturalist Mark Catesby, whose detailed plates set a standard for documenting nature. I created a vivid natural environment in layers of spray paint and stenciling that, while dream-like and fantastical, hide a sad message of extinction. I am proud to have been included in this project and to have the opportunity to create a mural with these important birds whose future in the current ecosystem is uncertain. It is projects like this that can help record the species for the future, and increase awareness that can hopefully hinder their extinction."
Come Visit:


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JC Journeys with a Christian Spirit
Welcome to JC Journeys. We are an independent tour operator with a passion for taking you to discover and experience the inspirational beauty of our amazing world. We have 17 years of experience planning tailor-made pilgrimages, journeys and adventures.
We love to arrange for family or parish groups to go on pilgrimages to visit Christian sites including The Holy Land, Rome, Patmos, Medjugorje and many other places of interest. Take a look at our Pilgrimage Page to find out what we have on offer. Furthermore, we offer incredible Journeys of Spiritual Discovery from the Northern Lights to the African bush.
In addition to planning pilgrimages, we have years of experience planning Battlefield Tours. We arrange bespoke tours for families, friends and regiments to visit the places where their loved ones fought and maybe died. These tours are led by military historians and retired soldiers.
Get a feel for one of our pilgrimages:
"This was a trip of a lifetime!" Richenda, Holy Land Pilgrimage
"Wonderful spiritual experience, really brought St John alive" Pat, Patmos Pilgrimage


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Main navigation | Main content
Atmospheric researchers have long attempted to untie the Gordian Knot of meteorology—that intractable and intertwined tangle of observational imprecision, theoretical uncertainties, and non-linear influences—that, if unraveled, would provide perfect prevision of the weather for ten days, of seasonal conditions for next year, and of climatic conditions for a decade, a century, a millennium, or longer. This presentation, based on Inventing Atmospheric Science (The M.I.T. Press, 2016), examines the work of three interconnected generations of scientists and the influence of three families of transformative technologies in the first six decades of the twentieth century, from the dawn of applied fluid dynamics to the emergence, by 1960, of the interdisciplinary atmospheric sciences.
The weekly calendar is also available via subscription to the physics-announce mailing list, and by RSS feed.


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27 photos
2016 Pictures
137 photos
These pictures are from quick snap from iPhone, Cell Phones, Laptops, and device with a picture. We had no plans or what-so-ever for the event.
Kim-Ngan Birthday 2016
25 photos
Thursday, November 24, 2014 is Kim-Ngan Le Nguyen birthday. This picture is about that special day for my baby girl in the family to remember her for ever.


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At a Memorial Day commemoration to honor the veterans who have served America and been laid to rest, many in attendance could not help but worry about the future.
For Americans who served their country in the armed forces, burial in a national cemetery is a final honor, a nation's gesture of gratitude.
By law, veterans have earned it.
But the Los Angeles National Cemetery in Westwood is almost completely full, and applications for gravesite plots or niches for the ashes of cremation are still coming in.
"We virtually have no room left, but for second interments at existing gravesites," said George Bacon, Cemetery Director, who took the position last year.
It's hardly a new situation.
By the mid-1970's, the cemetery's 80,000 gravesites were all either occupied or committed. Niches remained available for cremation ashes for another two decades in the cemetery's 1940's era columbarium. But by the mid-1990s, all of its roughly 5,500 niches had been spoken for.
Special arrangements have continued to be made for service members killed in action, and family members can share burial space. But Los Angeles cannot accommodate other veterans on their passing.
The alternative is burial in another national cemetery that still has space. The nearest is 75 miles away in Riverside.
It should not have to be that way, says one veteran whose efforts to get the Westwood cemetery more space were acknowledged at Monday's Memorial Day program.
"This is my home. This is where I want to be buried," said retired U.S. Army Col. Dick Littlestone, who moved to the Westside of Los Angeles four decades ago.
For more than a decade, Littlestone, 89, has been pushing the Veterans Administration to provide nearby additional space for the National Cemetery Administration to build a newer and much larger columbarium, one with 100,000 niches that could effectively double the capacity of the cemetery.
After years of effort, a location was selected, and plans and funding were finally approved, but obstacles continue to hold back the project.
"Dick Littlestone has never given up, so I don't either," said Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Los Angeles) during his comments Monday at the cemetery. Waxman revealed that in recent weeks he has requested a progress report from Gen. Eric Shinseki, Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Opened in the 19th century on land originally set aside as a retirement home for disabled or aging soldiers, the cemetery is hemmed in by Westwood on three sides, and by the 405 Freeway to the west.
But a site for the new columbarium has been identified just the other side of the freeway, and accessible to the cemetery by way of Constitution Avenue, which passes beneath the freeway.
Like the cemetery, the proposed columbarium site is on property under the control of the Veterans Administration, but a different branch, for healthcare.
An "intra-agency" property transfer would be relatively simple, but for one thing: decades ago, the VA began leasing off portions of its healthcare campus to commercial enterprises, and the columbarium site is under lease to an oil company.
Breitburn Energy uses it to store pipes and other equipment for its nearby production site on the south side of Constitution Ave.
It's not an insurmountable problem. The company is willing to swap its storage yard for another lease site, said Breitburn's Gregory Brown, General Counsel and Executive VP.
But that was not done before a 2011 lawsuit against the VA challenged the legality of leasing to private enterprises, prompting the VA to put a hold on property transactions, at least temporarily.
"So until the lawsuit is resolved, we're at a standstill," said Bacon, the cemetery director.
"It makes you cry," said Littlestone, as he spoke with a reporter in the study of his Westside home, where he meticulously files every scrap of correspondence dealing with the columbarium.
"He's like a bulldog with it," said his wife of 65 years, Doris Littlestone.
If there is one consolation for Littlestone, it might be that the National Cemetery Administration has embraced his idea for large columbariums, not just in Los Angeles, but in other cities where national cemeteries are nearing capacity. The "urban initiative," it's called.
The irony is that urban initiative cities, such as Oakland - with a later proposal, but without the property transfer controversy - may get new columbariums before Los Angeles.
But Littlestone is not one to be worn down, and he has not given hope LA's new columbarium will be built during his lifetime.
"I just had open-heart surgery," Littlestone said. "I understand it's extended my life another 10 years."


text: Case study: Redesigning health and welfare benefits plans Print Connect Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Google+ By Mike Williams | 24 May 2013 Two programs, two challenges A multi-state oil and gas service company required assistance in redesigning its health and welfare benefit plans, primarily for the following reasons: Its population increased from 300 to 1,600+ employees over four years. It recently acquired another company with approximately 500 employees in several different states. Within the past year, it went public on the New York Stock Exchange and needed to attract senior executives. It was vital to communicate and brand the company's benefits program to convey its value to employees. It was interested in ways to strategically comply with healthcare reform. The legacy company had a solid benefits program, but this was better suited to a population of 300 employees as opposed to 1,600 employees. For example, it did not offer short- or long-term disability, a Section 125 plan, or vision coverage. Also, the voluntary life guarantee issue amount was low for a large employer. It outsourced the enrollment function and had a passive enrollment process. Furthermore, the contribution scheme required the employees to pay the majority of the medical dependent coverage expense. In addition to this, the company was experiencing a period of high turnover for employees working out in the field. This situation contrasted sharply with the newly acquired company's benefits program that compared favorably to large international oil and gas service companies' programs; also, the majority of the employee's medical costs were employer paid. The human resources (HR) team was heavily involved throughout the enrollment process, attended every open enrollment meeting in more than 10 locations, and encouraged the employees to call it directly with any questions. The company's intention was to merge all the medical benefits for both companies and develop a cost-effective benefits package that would be valued by employees and be competitive in the industry. It expanded its current HR team by hiring a vice president of HR (newly created position) to focus on making it an employer of choice and redesigning the health and welfare plans. The move to higher deductibles Milliman gathered financial, vendor, and plan design data from each company in order to thoroughly understand the current programs. A project team was created with various representatives from each company. Once we had a strong working knowledge of the current programs, we held a strategy meeting with the client to understand the company cultures, management risk tolerance, employee relations, service expectations, budget parameters, etc. These areas were discussed from a historical perspective of each separate company, but also from the perspective of the integrated company going forward. Milliman acted as the facilitator and the subject matter expert at the strategy meetings in providing consulting and actuarial advice. The biggest hurdle was the merging of the two medical plans. Using the Milliman Health Cost Guidelines, we priced each historical medical plan, compared them to their actual experience, considered various combined alternative medical plans, and then advised on a go-forward basis using a decision matrix that included weightings for cost, coverage, industry competitiveness, and employee disruption. Once the 2013 medical plans were finalized, we completed a vendor search for administrative services only (ASO) and reinsurance coverage. We evaluated reinsurers that were bundled with the ASO vendors and standalone reinsurers in order to present all options to the client. Based on the recent acquisition, we recommended that the client evaluate higher specific reinsurance deductibles. Using the large volumes of data associated the Milliman's proprietary actuarial pricing model, Health Cost Guidelines, and claim probability distribution tables, we performed a Monte Carlo simulation to simulate 10,000 plan years for each plan member. Once we calibrated the model for group-specific factors such as age, gender, area, trend, and network savings, we measured the severity and frequency of large claims and compared these with each of the carrier's premium quotes. We used the current stop-loss level as a baseline for comparison. Moving to a higher deductible level decreases the premiums but increases the company's additional liability. Thus, the optimal deductible is one where the additional claims liability is equal to (or less than) the premium savings received. Using this logic alongside the company's tolerance for risk, we were able to recommend a higher deductible level that made financial sense. Other tools incorporated into our analysis include The Milliman Discount Benchmark Model and the Health Cost Guidelines – Dental model. The Milliman Discount Benchmark Model provides discounts at each major service category level to adjust the starting billed charges to the appropriate reimbursement level depending on the area and market. We compared the model results to actual discount reports from both companies. Using both sources, we were able to understand and measure the total cost impact due to network discounts. Milliman's Health Cost Guidelines – Dental provides a flexible but consistent basis for the determination of claim costs and premium rates for a wide variety of dental plans. The guidelines are calibrated for factors such as area, demographics, and plan design. Using these guidelines, we were able to anticipate future claim levels, evaluate their past claims experience, and estimate the impact of plan design changes. During the redesign process, we incorporated many items from the Milliman Healthcare Reform Strategic Impact Study in order to minimize future additional transition items. This is an ongoing project as we continue to address the requirements under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act as regulations are released and finalized. Solution expands benefits, lowers spending From the strategy meeting, it was clear that the client wanted to enhance its employee benefits programs to be consistent with those offered by its competition. The challenge was to remain financially prudent in achieving this goal while integrating the two separate company cultures. Milliman was able to expand the employee offering in key areas such as medical, basic life and AD&D, long-term disability, short-term disability, and flexible spending accounts and still save an estimated $300,000 in annual health and welfare benefit plan spend. A summary of the projected savings is shown in the table below. Coverage Calendar year 2012 Calendar year 2013 Annual change Medical $12,468,000 $12,268,000 ($200,000) Dental $845,000 $733,000 ($112,000) Basic Life and AD&D $279,000 $232,000 ($47,000) Short Term Disability $160,000 $209,000 $49,000 Long Term Disability Voluntary / Employee Paid Voluntary / Employee Paid Voluntary / Employee Paid Total $13,752,000 $13,442,000 ($310,000) % Difference N/A N/A -2.3% Through the combination of expanding the benefits offered and adjusting the employer contributions by dependent tier, the redesign project was favorably received by employees. The client received positive comments from field employees, and the family tier enrollment increased compared with 2012. Also, due to the coverage consolidation, the client has been able to transfer employees between subsidiaries without any benefit differentials. Next steps Contact us Employee Benefits and Investment Defined benefit plansDefined contribution plansInvestment See all topics HealthcareAffordable Care Act researchHealthcare costsHealthcare reform 2.0Healthcare reform reading list: From the ACA archivesLong-term care insurance MedicaidMedical professional liabilityMedicareMedicare ACOs and Alternative Payment ModelsProviderEmployee Benefits and InvestmentDefined benefit plansDefined contribution plansInvestmentInsuranceAnalytics and modelingCatastrophe risk and insurance-linked securitiesInsurtechLife insuranceLong-term care insuranceMedical professional liabilityProperty and casualty insuranceRisk managementSolvency IITelematicsRisk Management and Financial ServicesEnterprise risk management Related links US GAAP Targeted Improvements & Disability Income InsuranceDoL proposes new voluntary electronic disclosure rule for retirement plansPension Funding Index November 20192020 COLAs for retirement, Social Security, and health benefits2020 key administrative dates and deadlines for calendar-year multiemployer defined benefit plans


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Take Action! Ensure there will be a Jewish Future.
Support students' Jewish identity with cultural and holiday experiences. Support their physical and emotional well being with adult guidance.
Chabad on Fulton is responsible to and 100% supported by alumnae/i, parents, and friends. Your gift makes it possible to give students a warm, open and welcoming Jewish Home away from home.
Together, we can foster a vibrant Jewish campus culture!
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Chabad on Fulton is the assumed name of Chabad on Campus Dutchess, inc. a 501(c)3 non-profit organization registered with the state of New York.


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Quick-change artist! Go-anywhere Lace Fringe Shawl features an elegant, all-over lace pattern and luxuriant fringe trim. Top an ordinary tee, wear it wrap-style or throw it on over a swimsuit (tee and swimsuit not included). Polyester. Machine wash. Imported. One size fits most. Approx. 36"l. Hurry! Quantities are limited!
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