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At f8, Facebook Developers Could Get a Smarter Way to Structure Their News Feed Stories
While Facebook product launches tend to get the most speculation before the f8 developer conference — there are 750 million users who care, after all — the company has often used the event to push grand presentations that instead target developers.
That trend may be the case again next Thursday, we're hearing from a trusted source with some knowledge of what the company has planned.
Developers might be getting new access to Facebook's news feed, building off of the graph API that Facebook presented at last year's f8. They'd be able to provide new structure to the information they share into the news feed, allowing Facebook's news feed algorithm to present it to the audience most likely to find it relevant and engage with it.
Update: Facebook spokesman Jonny Thaw has also confirmed with us that "Yes, there will be platform integration" for Smart Lists. This includes the ability for developers that have been granted access to a user's Friend Lists to publish content specifically to members of Smart Lists.
The goal is to help developers focus on sharing what's right for users (not just their own traffic and revenue numbers), while giving the users themselves a more subtle and serendipitous experience.
With a more structured input of information, Facebook could then match content to users who've previously enjoyed similar content. It could also measure which developers are producing the most beloved content, based on factors like users resharing or hiding the story, and reward the developer with more visibility for their stories. That would create a more virtuous cycle where high-quality developers become more prominent, inspiring more user engagement that benefits both developers and Facebook, the company no doubt hopes.
Structured Content for Enhanced Relevancy
To understand what the changes mean, one example might be the well-understood problem of social game spam. Say a user achieves a new high score in Scrabble, an event that's exceptional enough that they want all of their friends to know about, not just their Scrabble-playing companions. A developer could structure the story about the high score to signal to Facebook that it is of more general interest to all of a user's friends, or maybe just the larger subgroup of friends who have played some social games on Facebook, but have not installed Scrabble.
In another situation, a local business discovery app could structure the content shared by its users such that Facebook knows its more relevant to local users. The content would then appear more prominently in the news feed to those living in the same city as the user posting it.
This isn't just about games and apps. The change would impact anyone sharing any information to Facebook, including all of the sites that have installed the Facebook Like button and other plugins since they launched at f8 last year, or integrated with Facebook Connect (in total, Facebook's official stats say that more than 2.5 million sites have integrated it so far).
Developers can already ask users permission to access their Friend Lists, but since they're unique to each user, it's difficult to know what type of audience corresponds to what list. With platform integration for Smart Lists and special lists, which Facebook confirms with us will be available in a few days, developers will be able to ask permission to target updates published by users through their apps to local friends, classmates, coworkers, family, Close friends, and Acquaintances.
Currently, the Graph API allows developers to provide a variety of more straightforward meta data about the content they publish, like the title of the info they're sharing, a blurb, etc. But Facebook has used other signals in its news feed algorithm to figure out what to share and with whom, such as who a user's closest friends are based on photo tags and who's Liked a user's previous posts.
The Context Is Right for This Launch
In the past, Facebook has taken blunter measures to fight spam, with methods such as clumping all stories from specific applications into a single thread, and hiding most stories about social games from friends who have not installed the app.
It has also taken a still-changing approach to how users make the news feed work for them. It has constantly iterated on the news feed algorithm since bringing it back a few years ago, and tested features that ask users how often they want to discover new games, or what types of content they prefer to see in the feed.
Just today, it officially launched a variety of Smart Lists and special lists — automatically created and populated lists of a user's local friends, coworkers, and those that share other characteristics, and lists of best friends and distant contacts whose members appear more or less in the standard view of a user's news feed. It's probably not a coincidence that this particular launch is coming now. Users can apply the Friends Lists as news feed filters, but Facebook could allow developers target some stories to these lists as well. For example, the Scrabble high-score story could be formatted to be shared with the "Acquaintances" list, while less monumental stories would be formatted to just appear for "close friends." That example is, to be clear, just a guess based on what our source has said.
Thinking more long-term, Facebook has steadily laid the foundation for this move over the years. The first f8, in 2007, was where the app platform was unveiled. Facebook Connect came in 2008, which started Facebook's reach outside of the site by helping people to log in using their Facebook identities. The Graph API came at its next conference, last year. In addition to the consumer-facing social plugins and instant personalization, the company created the Open Graph protocol system for assigning web pages meta data that improves the format of news feed stories shared from them. The plugins utilizing this meta data pushed Facebook across the web. All that effort on the part of Facebook and its growing ecosystem now makes this change a natural progression.
In this context, the other big and interesting things that Facebook is rumored to be launching — a music platform that might include a scrobbling tool, a mobile web development platform, an iPad app — are more pieces of the puzzle that Facebook has been putting together. That is, making anything, from a catchy song to a popular mobile game, get the exposure it deserves to the users who want it.
The move would also aid Facebook against long-time competitor for owning and distributing the world's information: Google. The launch of better methods for sharing quality information into Facebook could help it improve its news feed and box out Google, which is trying to move its new social alternative Google+ to the mainstream. Last year was about Facebook pushing itself out to the world via plugins, this year could be about pulling more of the world into Facebook.
Want to join us for some casual drinks, rumor and speculation the night before f8, come to the Inside Network happy hour next Wednesday at Mercury Lounge in SF. RSVP here to get a free drink on us.
Josh Constine co-authored this article.


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Over the course of nearly a quarter century following the fall of communist regimes in Central and Eastern Europe, relations between the United States and the Czech Republic have been excellent, reflecting a common approach to so many regional and global challenges. The two countries have developed an important and reliable alliance, experiencing an intense and intimate partnership, particularly in the areas of defense and diplomacy, as well as in the field of energy security.
The closeness and depth of the partnership is shown in many ways: shared democratic and spiritual values, diplomatic cooperation, military cooperation, human rights initiatives, political exchanges, direct investments, social interactions, educational exchanges, professional and artistic exchanges and cooperation, energy cooperation, and the constant two-way movement of individuals as tourists.
Czechs and Americans share a common admiration for political leaders such as Tomáš G. Masaryk, Woodrow Wilson, Thomas Jefferson, and Václav Havel. At the United Nations General Assembly in December 2012 the Czech Republic voted along with the U.S. and Israel against the resolution to admit Palestine as a non-member participant. In Syria the Czech Republic has represented the U.S. since the closure of the American Embassy. The two countries are NATO allies and jointly pursue counter-terrorism activities. Economic activities include a bilateral investment treaty and the forthcoming Trans-Atlantic Free Trade Agreement (TAFTA) between the United States and the European Union. Educational exchanges include both high school students and Ph.D. candidates at research universities. The steady flow of artists and professionals includes the fields of music, literature, art, interior and fashion design, and drama.
To facilitate the free flow of people, the Czech Republic participates in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program that allows nationals of partnership countries to travel to the United States for certain business or tourism purposes for stays of 90-days or less without obtaining a visa.
The special nature of the bilateral relationship evolved from a one-sided dependency in the first decade of the post-communist period to a mature commonality between Washington and Prague, the same as between Washington and the other capitals of Central Europe. These nation-states want equality and partnership, not miracles from America, not overarching vision and generosity. The democratic United States is the strongest single country in the world, and the Czechs want the American shield, particularly against the increasingly nasty Russia of Vladimir Putin. Today's Kremlin is regularly asserting anti-western themes; it pursues aggressive energy and financial actions in each of the Central European countries to the point that its policy looks like a return to the post-World War II, but this time not militarily but economically led by huge companies such as Gasprom and other energy companies. Good, solid relations with the U.S. are critically important to the Czech Republic.
In 2013, energy security has emerged as the primary issue facing Prague's political leadership and in the bilateral relationship. It is critical that the Czech Republic diversify its sources of energy power as at present 80 percent of Czech natural gas and crude oil demand is covered by Russia.
This dependence leaves the Czechs highly vulnerable. During Europe's crippling cold spell last year, Russia demonstrated to its Central and Eastern European neighbors that it will use energy and its related supplies as a sharp geo-political weapon, having cut off oil and gas over the course of several freezing weeks due to a dispute between Moscow and Kiev over unpaid transit fees. Thereafter the Czech state-owned energy firm CEZ began in earnest instituting a policy of diversification, moving away from dependence on Russian energy and toward Western partners. In this regard, Mero CR, the Czech-owned pipeline operator, purchased a 5 percent stake in Transalpine Pipeline (TAL) in mid-November 2012 as part of a new acquisition drive. TAL links the Italian Adriatic coast with southern Germany. This transaction took place after an October supply shutdown when Russia said bottlenecks had forced it to divert shipments from the Druzhba pipeline that links Siberia with Europe. As a TAL shareholder, Mero CR can now fully utilize the pipeline and more easily make up any shortfall in Russian supplies.
Greatly improving and expanding Czech nuclear power is also part of diversification -- and potentially improving and expanding the bilateral American-Czech connection. When Secretary of State Hillary Clinton traveled to the Czech Republic in early December 2012, her primary purpose was to lobby the Czech government to approve in 2013 a bid by Westinghouse Electric Company of Pittsburgh for a $10 billion expansion to 4,000 megawatts of the Temelin nuclear power plant in Southern Bohemia. A rival tender has also been offered by Russia's state-owned Rosatom. In her Prague mission, the Secretary promised financial assistance from the U.S. Export-Import Bank; Westinghouse's top executives have said that if CEZ chooses them to build two new reactors, Japan's Toshiba Corporation and Westinghouse together will help secure a range of financing options. The stakes are high.
View details: http://www.mzv.cz/washington/en/czech_u_s_relations/index.html
Principal government officials in the United States and the Czech Republic are:
Czech Republic
President Miloš Zeman
Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobatka
Foreign Minister Lubomír Zaorálek
Defence Minister Martin Stropnický
Czech Ambassador to Washington Hynek Kmoníček
United States
President Donald Trump
Vice President Michael Pence
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson
Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis
U.S. Ambassador to Prague (TBD)
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Read this tip to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about ADHD ADD Behavior Management and other ADD-ADHD topics.
Parents, just as they advise about putting your own oxygen mask first before you help others, be sure to create a support structure for you. Locate knowledgeable professions and consult them when behavioral issues arise. Be sure to ask for help when you need it - know your limits. Structure, structure, structure. Create an environment to function as a kind of internal support system. AD/HD children feel happier when there is a predictable safety net of rules and consequences. Make lists. Create check-off charts. Repetition brings a greater sense of confidence and can lead to mastery of a skill over time.
|Guru Spotlight
|Sherril Steele-Carlin


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Learn from one of the world's leading yoga teachers and deepen your practice on this life-enhancing 200hr Vinyasa Flow Yoga Teacher training. This course will offer student teachers of all levels of experience the chance to immerse in the theoretical, practical, historical and spiritual dimensions of yoga with Andrea Everingham and her teaching team. Feel empowered, bathe in the Fuerteventura sunshine as you uncover the richness of the yogic experience with our incredible teaching faculty.
Everything you need to know…
What will I learn?
200 hour yoga teacher training with an emphasis on Hatha Yoga and Vinyasa Yoga sequencing. Students are expected to maintain a daily yoga practice before starting this course. We will ask students to take part in 10 yoga classes in a variety of styles and write an essay on their experiences, commenting on teaching style, adjustments and alignments cues in a positive way.
Students will also be expected to read the yoga manual given beforehand, becoming familiar with yoga history and philosophy, and complete a reading list.
The course content will include the following:
- asana, bandha, drishti,
- chakra theory and meditation
- anatomy for yoga sequencing
- philosophy
- teaching methodology
- restorative yoga, therapeutic yoga
- adjustments and modifications
- the business of yoga
Surya Retreat, Fuerteventura
This Teacher Training course takes place at Surya Retreat in Fuerteventura. The hacienda-style property is nestled amongst the volcanoes with views to the sea.
Offering different levels of accommodation to suit all budgets, we are sure to have the perfect place for you to lay your head. The standard price includes a twin shared room or cabin.'Unlike most teacher trainings Azulfit's stunning setting really provides a beautiful and peaceful setting to aid mental emotional and physical rejuvenation between all the hard work and challenge of such a huge learning process. Providing the comfort needed so the mind and body can perform it's best. The delicious and food is intelligently thought through mostly following Ayurvedic discipline which gives the mind and body the best opportunity for optimum performance. I unexpectedly learned more about myself promoting great eating habits which have remained with me thanks to this.' - Helen, YTT Alumnni 2016
Meet your teachers
Andrea Everingham
Head teacher – Jivamukti Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga and Yoga Therapy (800 hours)
Andrea Everingham began her journey with yoga 15 years ago, quickly developing a serious relationship with many styles and teaching Ashtanga for 10 of those years.
It was when she stumbled into a Jivamukti class that a spark turned into an inferno and she fell in love with the style dubbed the 'wild child' of yoga. Instantly knowing this was for her – this untamed style that takes all energy and fuses it harmoniously with traditional yoga practices, gifting the soul true liberation. Fast-forward to today and she is a 500hr yoga therapist and a 300hr Jivamukti teacher – studying directly with its founders Sharon Gannon and David Life. Andrea's passion and enthusiasm for sharing her knowledge fuels her teachings where exploring postures in a playful, present way instils the kind of liberated attitude found in her classes. Her classes are always fun, full of energy and a warmth that open hearts and creates smiles, inspiring you to work your own magic on the mat. Andrea has fast become known as one of the UK's most versatile, energetic, and inspirational teachers – an open minded, dynamic, fearless and raw individual who is devoted to the continuous growth of her students. Her style of balancing high energy hands-on fun classes with deep relaxation infused with yogic teachings leaves you feeling uplifted, renewed, enlightened and connected. You can experience her particular essence of Jivamukti awesomeness at her studio in Manchester or one of her many international retreats.
Andrea is the founder of OneYoga Studio in Manchester and a regular contributor to 'Ask The Expert' (Manchester Evening News). She combines her many years of experience studying and working with the human body and movement with an in-depth study of nutrition and raw foods and their impact on overall wellbeing.
She joins the Azulfit team in the Fuerteventura sunshine with her natural and empathetic teaching style and infectious enthusiasm. Her holistic and sophisticated approach of total body, mind and spirit integration is as accessible to those new to yoga as it is challenging for the more practiced yogi.
Check out Andrea in May 2013's Look Magazine or visit Andrea's OneYoga studio online.
Stefan Podolczuk
Assistant Teacher – 500hr Yoga Teacher
Assistant teacher trainer for your 200 hr YTT, Stefan is passionate about yoga, and deeply committed to the student trainees. His empathetic, style allows student teachers to thrive as he shares his knowledge and encouragement throughout the course and beyond. Stefan is well practiced in Hatha, Vinyasa, Iyegnar, hot yoga, Anusara, Yin, Flow, Power Yoga, Stefan enjoys the discipline of Ashtanga. His practice has been deeply committed since his first teacher training in 2014 in Australia.
He is a 500hr registered teacher, completing an advanced 300hr Ashtanga teacher training in Mysore in 2016.
"I am interested in the sense of constant evolution of all individual yoga journeys, that anyone can do it."
Jigyasa Shiv
Jigyasa is a Traditional Yoga Teacher and Energy Therapist with a Modern twist. She started practicing Yoga when she was a kid, using the practice as a remedy to help with her health issues. Seeing how the practice worked for her, she has believed strongly ever since in the power of Yoga and Meditation.
Originally born, brought up and trained in India, Jigyasa has been living on the beautiful island of Fuerteventura for a couple of years teaching Yoga and practicing Energy Therapies. Classes/Sessions with her will help you heal your Body, Mind and Soul and connect better with your inner-self. Her classes provide a good mix of Chanting, Pranayama, Asana and Meditation.
Jigyasa strongly believes that Each body is different and dedication can bring in great results.
Yoga Aphorism that Jigyasa strongly believes in is "Ishwarapranidhanadva" meaning "Inner peace can be achieved through complete devotion and surrender (pranidhana) to God or a higher power (isvara)"
Chloe Rose
I began studying and practicing yoga in 2006; completed alignment based vinyasa training with Suzanne Slocum Gori (2013); attained Jivamukti certification with Sharon Gannon, Yogeswari and Jules Febre (2017); and most recently undertook Restorative Yoga teacher training with Anna Ashby (2018). I have experienced Jivamukti primarily as a student of Emma Henry (Divya Devi), without whom my practice would not be so magical nor life so bright. I also extend deep respect and appreciation to Manorama whose lambent teaching shone much light on the yogic texts and whose warmth suffused study with a softer joy than I had known before.
A.C. Grayling founded The New College of the Humanities in 2012. I was one of the founding cohort and have since graduated and matriculated for a second time as one of the inaugural postgraduate cohort. I take the bit between my teeth with great relish, revelling in the blithe ease and freedom found with the well-read enfant terrible of academia and the well-lived 'wild child of yoga'.
In teaching I hope to share what I have experienced in philosophy and yoga alike: that the role of a teacher is to educate, etymologically 'to lead out', never to impose. For in dialogue there's the thrilling exhilaration and sweeping pleasure whereby one's own narrow point of view becomes broader than ever before- all thanks to one's interlocutors. We need not know everything if we are willing to know one another."
Leticia Porto
Leticia found Yoga during a particularly challenging time in her life, like many others at a time she needed it the most. Having never been particularly sporty, but loved (and still does) the joy that comes with dance, movement and meditation; yoga gave Leticia the opportunity to not only do this, but to reconnect to herself.
For the subsequent two years she followed a strict diet of Ashtanga Mysore style, before undertaking her first 200 hour Vinyasa YTT with her original Yoga Teacher, Andrea Everingham. Having taught locally in Manchester, Leti felt called once again to dive deeper into her practice, and undertook her second 200 hour YTT in her first love, Ashtanga Yoga, with European Yoga Institute. She will continue her training this Summer on a 6 weeks pilgrimage to India, the home of yoga, a trip she is both excited and humbled to make.Running parallel to her Yoga journey has been her work with young people. She began volunteering in Spain with the Red Cross for young people. On moving to England in 2009, she began volunteering and eventually teaching Spanish and the Humanities to children that had fallen out of education due to social, emotional, behavioural and mental health barriers; many of which had been written off altogether by the system. In 2018 she developed her own Yoga Therapy programme for these pupils with measurable Ofstead –approved targets. The results were outstanding – behaviour, sleep pattern, wellbeing all improved in leaps and bounds. Presently she is in the process of copyrighting and codifying this programme, with goal to implement it in schools in both the UK and Spain – wherever there is belief in children and second chances.
Leticia Porto is a student at the core of her being. She has studied with world wide recognised teachers such as David Swenson and Manju Jois. She is guided by a thirst for knowledge that can better herself, her students and her planet. Leti believes in the nourishment of connection and seeks to create community wherever she goes.
Bob Johnson
Bob is physiotherapist with many years experience in anatomy and human movement. He presents the anatomy module of the course tailored for the needs of yoga teachers. The module contains anatomy and physiology in specific relation to yoga practice. Bob presents anatomy in a practical, fun and hands on manner using a variety of techniques to help you see, feel and learn your anatomy.
The anatomy module will cover: Respiration, Circulation, Myofascial chains, The Skeleton, The Muscles, Ligaments, Health, Injury management, Neurological symptoms that effect yoga practice & a Psychological approach to injury management.
As the Azulfit resident nutritionist, author and busy working mom, Jo Dombernowsky has developed a vibrant, holistic approach to the food here at the retreat. Jo has carefully designed our menus to reflect her simple, yet effective nutritional principles and genuinely believes in the power of food to improve health, energy and general wellbeing.
Alongside her kitchen team, she helps to create an energetic and fun kitchen atmosphere, which is reflected in the delicious, and eagerly anticipated meals prepared on site; all of which can of course be enjoyed without self deprivation or guilt! Through her workshops, dedicated nutritionally focused retreats, blog and recipe book, 'Truly Healthy, Truly Delicious', this inspirational passion and knowledge is passed on to our guests.
14 Day Intensive, 1st - 15th August 2020 @ Azulfit Surya Yoga Retreat Fuerteventura (Canaries, Spain)
Anatomy Module + Full Weekend Assessment in Manchester UK (3 days - 4th - 6th December 2020) or Fuerteventura (date to be mutally agreed)
Daily schedule
|07:00 – 07:30
|08:30 – 08:00
|Chants and Scripture
|08:00 – 08:15
|Re-hydrate Tea Water Nourish
|08:15 – 10:15
|Asana Practice
|10:15 – 11:15
|Sattvic Breakfast
|11:15 – 13:15
|Yoga Philosophy, lifestyle and ethics for Yoga
|13:30 – 14:30
|Lunch Nourish
|14:30 – 15:30
|Self Study, journal, rest
|15:30 – 17:30
|Asana Lab, teaching Methodology
|17:30 – 17:45
|Nourish break
|17:45 – 19:15
|Yin Yoga, restorative yoga, yoga Nidra
|19:15 – 20:15
|Evening Nourishment
|20:15 – 21:00
|Pranayama, Yoga Nidra, Satsang, Guided meditation
£3200 - includes 14 nights deluxe accommodation and full board at Azulfit, course tuition, course manual, anatomy module.
Deposit £500.
Supplements apply for private rooms and ensuite facilities - please enquire for full details.
NB flights not included.Final Evaluation weekend date: December 2020: Practical Teaching assessments
Before the journey begins
Q: How much yoga do I need to have done previously?
A: A suggested minimum of 2 years practice required, however if you have a strong practice your application will be considered.
Q: Are there any guidelines on where my practice needs to be in order to apply i.e., headstand, lotus?
A: Having a consistent practice is the most important. Being able to demonstrate advanced postures is not essential, especially if you have injuries or anatomical challenges. An example of some postures to have the foundations of include arm balances, working towards hip opening, working towards headstand.
Q: How can I prepare physically for the TT?
A: It's necessary that you keep a regular and consistent practice in the lead up to the TT.
Q: Can I do a digital detox while I'm on the Teacher Training?
A: Yes of course! This will be profound time of personal journey and a digital detox would definitely help towards your spiritual experience and learning and development with less distractions, however it's not mandatory and you may feel you would like to contact family.
What pre–course prep do I need to do?
You will be expected to read four yogic texts:
Jivamukti Yoga: Practices for Liberating Body and Soul, Book by David Life and Sharon Gannon
Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
*You will be required to write a 250 word commentary on any section, part or whole of these books, for EACH book – 4 commentaries in total. Submitted to by 30th April 2019 to [email protected]Q: What support is available to me if I have questions? A: Before the course starts we are available to offer guidance and support via email/telephone, ensuring that you feel completely prepared for the journey ahead. Prior to the course beginning we set up a WhatsApp Group for all students and teachers, this gives everyone the opportunity to get to know each other before the course. The group also allows students(and teachers) to support each other after the course… the chats have been a huge success, in fact we still have all TT group chats from 2016 onwards going strong, with students still supporting each other today!
Q: What type of accommodation will I have?
A: Students will be allocated twin accommodation, which is included within the course fee. Suites and private rooms are available with a supplement. Contact [email protected] for private room upgrades and supplement pricing.
The Intensive
Q: What would I need to bring with me?
A: A full list of 'what to pack for Azulfit' is listed in the Course Welcome Pack.
Q: What Syllabi will be covered? :
* Asana, Bandha, Drishti* Asana Propping, Variations and Modifications * Chakra theory * Meditation and Pranayama * Mantra and Chanting * Anatomy and Physiology for yoga * History and Philosophy of Yoga * Teaching methodology * How to present a class with excellence; formatting and sequencing of the class * Restorative yoga, therapeutic yoga
Q: How many hours of physical practice will there be each day?
A: 4 hours of asana practice. 4 further hours of intermittent standing during asana lab.
Q: What will a typical day at Azulfit YTT be like?
07:00 – 07:30 |Meditation08:30 – 08:00 |Chants and Scripture 08:00 – 08:15 |Re-hydrate Tea Water Nourish 08:15 – 10:15 |Asana Practice 10:15 – 11:15 |Sattvic Breakfast 11:15 – 13:15 |Yoga Philosophy, lifestyle and ethics for Yoga 13:30 – 14:30 |Lunch Nourish 14:30 – 15:30 |Self Study, journal, rest 15:30 – 17:30 |Asana Lab, teaching Methodology 17:30 – 17:45 |Nourish break 17:45 – 19:15 |Yin Yoga, restorative yoga, yoga Nidra 19:15 – 20:15 |Evening Nourishment 20:15 – 21:00 |Pranayama, Yoga Nidra, Satsang, Guided meditation 21:00 |Rest/Journal
Q: How much practical teaching will I do?
A: We believe in starting as we mean to go on, students will begin teaching from day one. This offers the opportunity to gain the necessary skills to teach and truly feel comfortable and confident in themselves
Q: How much anatomy do I need to know / will there be within the content?
A: You are not required to have any previous knowledge of anatomy, there will be two sessions of anatomy and physiology. A basic anatomy class during the intensive and a deeper session of anatomy and physiology during the assessment weekend.
Q: How much feedback and 1:1 time will I get throughout the process to know if I am on track?
A: You will be given regular vocal feedback during the intensive and 1:1 time with the tutors. Once you have completed the assessment weekend you will be given a final feedback sheet to help you with your growth and progression.
Q: Will I be ready to teach at the end of the course?
A: This course will provide you with foundations of teaching yoga and all the necessary tools to be able to teach a full class from start to end, it will be an individual choice as to whether or not you choose to teach as soon as the intensive has finished.
Q: Would I get a Qualification through Yoga Alliance? How is that processed?
A: Upon completion of the course you will receive a Yoga Alliance Professionals accredited certification. You will then be able join YAP as a full member. They will be in touch with you at this time.
Q: Could I teach right after my course?
A: Once you have completed the intensive you will be fully insured with Yoga Alliance Professionals as a 'Student Teacher' to teach up to two classes per week. Some studios may ask for a reference which we will happily provide given successful completion.
Q: When is the exam, what is the format, how will I be assessed, how long is it?
A: The assessment day lasts around 6 hours during which time you will be assessed on the routine you have learned during your intensive. Each student will be required to teach a (approximately) 20 minute section of the routine and students are all assessed together, therefore you will be teaching each other on the assessment day.
How will I be assessed?
During the assessment weekend you will be expected to teach a 30 minute section of any given part of the Flow sequence, which you will have learned during the course, you will be observed by Andrea. In order to gain your 200hr accreditation you will need to pass this assessment. You will be given feedback after the assessment and if unsuccessful you will be offered the opportunity to re-sit.
How do I apply?
Fill in the application form and include a short piece stating your yoga experience (how long you have been/how often you practice), expressing why you would like to be a yoga teacher and how you will take you knowledge out into the world. Provide a reference from your yoga teacher.
Is this training right for me?
"Becoming a teacher is about so much more than just choosing any course, receiving a certificate and standing in front of a class. Making the decision to teach should be a step in your journey towards deepening your understanding and relationship with yoga, as well as passing on a passion that has been lit within you.
Teaching is an incredible experience. Often fun and exciting, at times challenging, but immensely rewarding. It's a journey, and we feel that it's a journey that you should not have to take alone. We want our teachers to feel supported and empowered, from choosing the course and beyond, with the tools to rise beyond the challenges and the knowledge to revel in the celebration of sharing something great.
There are so many options out there for trainings to choose from. This is great, but can be a daunting prospect to know which is the right one of you. There are questions to ask ourselves even beyond whether its our preferred style of yoga or if it's within our budget? Will the training leave you with the knowledge to confidently step into the role as a teacher? Will it deepen your understanding of yoga? Will it provide support after the course for any questions or situations that arise along my journey?
Andrea is one of my favourite yoga teachers. I say this as someone who has experienced classes with some incredible, well known teachers. The reason I hold Andrea in such high esteem is beyond her vibrant and fun personality, her obvious experience and knowledge, her ability to teach and communicate so articulately, and beyond Andrea being the real deal and embodying her yoga teaching through self practice, both on and off the mat.
My favourite thing about learning from Andrea is that she truly cares. She connects with everyone in her class and passionately desires to impart all she can upon her students. Its this caring quality that makes her teacher training so powerful."
Jamie Isaac, Azulfit Founder


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While on Connecticut Title 19 can recipient give monetary gifts to family and friends like at Christmas time?
Can an elder give gifts at Christmas with any monies in her account leftover from the 60.00 per month allotment if she is in nursing home care on medicaid?
Yes, as long as it is from the allowance, and not from her income that must go to nursing home in order for Medicaid to pay for her care.
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As you know, Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that helps with medical costs for some people with limited income and resources. Medicaid also offers benefits not normally covered by Medicare, like nursing home care and personal care services. Each state has different rules about eligibility and applying for Medicaid. I would suggest calling your state Medicaid program to see if you qualify and learn how to apply and you might also consider consulting an elder law attorney in your state.
Under CT Title 19, if you are on Medicaid, you will probably have to spend your monthly pension, Social Security, or other income to pay for your nursing home. What is not clear from my initial reading of the statute is whether giving gifts is a permissible way to "spend down". Clearly medicial bills are, but what else? This what you need to find out.
You are allowed to keep some money each month:
§ $60 for personal needs. (****I am not sure what the definition of personal needs is but perhaps, the elder could perhaps give gifts from this amount)
§ Support for your spouse or other dependent living at home.
§ Health costs that Medicaid does not cover.
§ $90 each month for a single war veteran or the spouse of a deceased war veteran.
§ Some expenses for your home if you will go back within 6 months, including rent or the mortgage.
Again, since each state's programs are different, I would suggest that you call your state Medicaid program and ask them for their definition of personal needs and see if gifting is included in personal needs.
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The Healthcare Technology Association (HTANZ) hosted an after hour event on Friday, 15th march which brought both students and health professionals together to educate, inspire and share the upcoming digitalisation processes in healthcare. The Decima Glenn Room at the University of Auckland Business School bustled with an eager audience to hear what the three health organization speakers had to say about the future of our healthcare system. But before the speakers could hit the spotlight the Healthcare Technology Association's very own founder and president, Christiane Zhao warmly welcomed the room expressing what an honour it was to be there, and have all of us there to share this moment of her career, and the exciting news of health technology together.
First to present Orion Health's developed technology in clinical information searching was their former clinical product specialist, Michael Hosking (who recently became the director of Clinnovation Limited). Hosking's work of more efficient and accurate patient searching within the healthcare system he states, will give New Zealanders "more confidence in their healthcare professional having access to accurate information more quickly than currently exists." This development, Hosking further explained in his presentation will not only improve time scheduling and workload for clinicians but will also save patients time and money. The underlying NLP technology behind Hosking's work he claims has uses other than system efficiency, "some other uses could include: real-time bio-surveillance to improve national responses to infectious disease outbreaks; similarity analytics which supports scenarios for more individualistic care plans; and advanced clinical decision support informing disease prevention."
When I asked Michael what students should take away from this event, his answer was one directed towards those who wish to be a part of this growing industry and advice to current technology tasks, "clinical engagement and active ownership of the problem and solution is critical- ensure this early and often to improve the likelihood of success of any digital project." Hosking's future in health technology is something he looks at with an open mind as he expressed "I believe the opportunities are boundless. My passion lies in sustainable, data driven, healthcare system design and workforce development", which reminds us all to keep our doors open, keep our passions close by and look forward to what lies ahead.
Next to bring laughter all around but also the incredibly futuristic world of healthcare was Vensa Health's business strategist, Dr. Tom Varghese. Varghese's presentation explored the technology of AI 'communication' with patients nationwide. The idea that patients can simply type their symptoms into a message-like forum and a computer will reply with a diagnosis. This of course lead me to ask Tom a question a vast majority of us were thinking, why should people trust a computer? Tom's response was simple, "a human being comes with inherent errors and flaws, you forget, you say things you're not meant to say, you're not sometimes empathetic, a machine won't do that." It seemed understandable enough, and yet some of us were still sceptical so Tom further explained, "a machine is fed a bit of information and follows an algorithm, responds with data, reproduces that over and over again. So as a clinician, I would trust a machine because I'm able to get consistency, I cannot demand consistency from a human being."
Varghese's answer truly connected the dots that in order to have easy access, affordability and convenience in healthcare we must put trust in the very thing society has had queries about for decades. In terms of patient information security Varghese commented, "My personal take is information is never 100% bulletproof, you could have the best encrypted data procedures and you could still get hacked into, but what we do with that is, we learn and reiterate and we get better." Which is why of course Vensa Health's project will keep all patient information in the cloud rather than in "a little box sitting under your doctor's desk." When I asked Dr. Tom Varghese my final question of why university students should take an interest in this area of the health industry, his reply I believe not only spoke out to those aspirating to be involved in health, but all of us aspiring to be involved in the future, Tom said, "You're a digital generation, thinking differently is part of your DNA. Those people sitting there making those decisions, they probably don't understand or comprehend it that well. Why should you be involved in it? Exactly that, because it is you inheriting this legacy."
To wrap up the evening Dr. Lloyd McCann took centre stage to talk about the overall ambitions and obstacles of health technology and about digitalisation from a private company's perspective. McCann brought to light the problems the healthcare system will face when undergoing this digital transition. He stated, "with any change you create some friction, which is not necessarily a bad thing. I think there are ways we can change our thinking and the way we act that allows us to get better at doing it." In foreseeing the digital health uptake McCann predicted, "we probably will reach that point, the tipping point theory, where there is suddenly a very sharp rise in uptakes and adoption in terms of digital approaches."
Healthcare, as we all know is one of the pillars that hold up the world we live in today and what these three health technology professionals subconsciously projected through their presentations is that this pillar must not only be maintained, but also improved. With these new, exciting developments in health technology, we can all share in the life changing opportunities of this growing industry.


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If you check Steam, you'll notice that the big Steam winter sale kicked off today. It's got a couple good deals, a bunch more alright ones, and... that's kinda it. No big game-like event, no real frills, no surprises. Just like the autumn sale before it. Is it just me, or are Steam sales getting kinda boring?
To an extent, I think this feeling is unavoidable, given that Valve has been slashing prices like so many extraneous branches from Christmas trees for such a long time. The first time you see a 75-percent-off tag dangling from Skyrim or XCOM or whatever, it's goddamn revelatory. After a year or two of it, though, the sheen starts to slough away, revealing the whole event's rote capitalistic bones—the mundanely humming gears of Valve's machine. You've probably already picked up the stuff you want the most in other big sales or daily sales or weekend sales, and the biggest new games—stuff like Fallout 4, Assassin's Creed Syndicate, Just Cause 3, and Rainbow Six Siege—only slash their prices a little or not at all.
It goes deeper than that, though. This summer, there was a big, fairly exciting game—the Monster Game—that didn't work perfectly but at least added some eventfulness to the proceedings. It tied to the sale together and gave it a sense of momentum and excitement. No sale since has had anything of the sort, unfortunately. Maybe Valve will create another game for the next summer sale, but for now all we get is a dripfeed of comic pages.
Meanwhile, Valve recently did away with two longtime Steam sale traditions: daily deals and flash sales. The move was probably for the best in terms of making Steam sales more accessible and convenient, but it also took away some of the thrill, the Christmas-morning-like glee of "What's gonna be under the tree today?" As a result of the aforementioned things, Steam sales have become less game-like (and, some would say, less manipulative), but also less fun.
I don't 100 percent know Valve's intentions here, but I wouldn't be surprised if all of this is intentional. In the short term, creating this sort of "sale culture"—turning big seasonal sales into Steam's ice sculpture swan or Gabe Newell knife chandelier, a centerpiece among centerpieces—makes good business sense, but it could be hurtful in the long run. The conversation around Steam has distinctly shifted toward, "A cool new game is out? Eh, I'll just wait until it's on sale" for all except the biggest new releases.
Sales have become this massive cloud of inevitability, silently hovering over every conversation. While they draw attention, they also put people who create games in a position to make less money if that's how most people choose to buy their games. And of course, Valve loses out too. So it makes sense to shift away from that, and Valve seems to be doing so in a way that actually benefits its users for the most part (unless you're purely in the market for games at dirt cheap prices, consequences be damned).
Don't get me wrong: big Steam sales still come with a certain amount of excitement. It's just a diet portion rather than the glorious feast of The Olden Years. In many ways, that's for the better. Due to changes in the Steam sales' structure, people don't feel as pressured by limited time offers, their friends, and their old frenemy The Zeitgeist to buy, buy, buy (even if it's stuff they'll never get around to playing). On top of that, it's easier for them to buy the stuff they want when they want to—not when some arbitrary clock says it's finally time.
I do feel, though, that some kind of game-like event that doesn't necessarily interlock with a sale but does coincide with it could be cool. Something to make Steam sales feel a bit more like a Big Occasion again—to recapture the feeling of fun, if not the same form. Or, you know, Valve could just let sales be sales. There are worse fates, after all, than getting a whole mess of Star Wars games for the price of a new Han Solo action figure, or The Witcher 3 for the amount you'd spend on fancy beard grooming.
Illustration by Tara Jacoby.
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To contact the author of this post, write to firstname.lastname@example.com or find him on Twitter @vahn16.


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Idyllic fishing hamlet
Hesnæs in the north of Falster is a small fishing hamlet famous for its thatched houses and idyllic location. It was first mentioned in the middle of the 15th century in written sources. In the 18th century, Hesnæs was sold to J.F. Classen, the founder of the Det…
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Vinteren 2010-2011 var hård.
År: 2010 PHOTO:Annette Horn
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Architect-designed fishermen's cottages
The great flood of 1872 ravaged Hesnæs and washed away some of its cottages into the sea. After…


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Anechoic Room
Anechoic Room which absorbs reflections of sound.
Essential measurement facility for our audio products such as microphones and headphones.
The facilities in the headquarters of audio-technica in Machida, Tokyo, audio-technica US and audio-technica Taiwan are all made with the same specification, in order to share the measurement data by measuring product characteristics under the same condition.


text: I was at Brands Hatch yesterday (Saturday) for the DTM and Support qualifying/races. VERY VERY hot, too hot really, but all good fun Here's a few compressed "forum friendly sized" photos... #1 Viktor Jensen on his qualifying "flying" lap (1) #2 Viktor Jensen on his qualifying "flying" lap (2) #3 Euro F3 #4 Exiting Druids #5 Jamie Green rounds Druids #6 Oops... synchronised action at Druids #7 Vintage racing #8 Whoops! If you would like you can view more and larger versions here - http://www.ae-photography.co.uk/010706.html (be patient it can take a few seconds to fully load) Again, comments always welcomed, enjoy Cheers


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The Marines were also hampered by the crowds of wounded men in the valley and did not reach the head of it until the dawn was almost breaking. There followed a scene of pitiable confusion. The time chosen by the Marines to make their way to the front coincided with the explosion of the shells fired by their own side, and the return of part of the 16th. The Marines retired with them. Sometime later when Major festing … brigade-major and Major Tilney rallied them their attempt to climb the eastern slope of the valley to reinforce the 16th was done in full daylight. As they neared the top, they came under view of Turkish machine gunners on 'The Nek' or 'Baby 700'making it impossible for them to join the 16th. Their only option was to dig a communication trench through to them. Captain Jess and an officer of the Marines endeavoured to start the Marines upon this work, but the fire of the same machine-gun followed them and defeated the attempt. The men of the 16th who were still in the trench on the crest had watched the Marines struggling to reach them, and realised that the effort had failed.
Throughout the morning the 16th gradually fell back in twos and threes, the men jumping over the top and rolling down the hill. A few still stayed in their trenches.
Lance-Corporal Percy Black. twice wounded earlier in the week, held on with his machine-gun until he had fired away all the ammunition, and then brought the gun back. Sergeant-Major Harvey lay in the trench till the Turks reached it. They kicked him, bayoneted him across the chest, and flung him on to the parapet for dead. He eventually rolled down the hillside, and three days later reached the lines of his battalion dazed and mortally wounded. Another man. named Troy, when the Turks attacked in the morning, was knocked senseless by a bomb. He woke to find his mates, Privates White and Gray dead beside him, and others all dead or wounded. He attempted to crawl away after dark, but was captured. Of those Australians who fought this action, he was the only one who survived it in the hands of the Turks.
While the 16th was gradually falling back from its trenches the bottom of the Bloody Angle was crowded with troops and officers, Australians, Marines, wounded men, fighting men, stretcher-bearers. But above them on the Chessboard the 13th Battalion still held out. During the early hours of the morning half of the Nelson Battalion of the Royal Naval Division, which was in reserve to the New Zealanders, had come up, apparently by mistake, to the support line of the 13th. Imagining that it was the front line, the newcomers opened fire upon the line of the 13th, who were digging. Durrant, rushed back to find an officer to stop the fire but the first man he found fell dead as he reached him; the second fell mortally wounded. But eventually he was able to stop the firing and the Nelson Battalion took its place on the right of the 13th above the edge of Monash Valley.
The lack of communication was an ongoing problem and the same Allied guns which had fired on the 16th in the morning now fired on the Nelson Battalion. Its men were ordered by their officers to withdraw.
Part of the 13th momentarily withdrew with them, but immediately afterwards, hearing the shouts of their comrades in the line, and realising that the order did not apply to them, these Australians separated themselves and climbed back up the hill to their trenches amid the cheers of the men who were there. Shortly after this the Portsmouth Marines, having been caught by machine-guns from their left rear while attempting to climb the eastern slope, were led with great bravery up the western slope on to Dead Man's Ridge. No sooner had they reached the top than machine-guns from 'German Officers' Ridge' in their right rear were turned upon them and, with much slaughter, they were driven again to the valley.
For many days p.597 afterwards on the ugly bare shoulder at the top of Monash Valley their dead lay like ants shrivelled by a fire, until a marine climbed out at night and pushed them down into the valley, where they were buried. The name of 'Dead Man's Ridge' clung to this shoulder when its origin was almost forgotten.
Thus by the afternoon the 13th in its trenches at the foot of the Chessboard were the last group holding out. The trenches gave good shelter, but their situation was bad as it was low on the side of the hill, overlooked, and outflanked. To make matters worse Burridge could get no word either by telephone or messenger to or from the brigade headquarters. As a result he knew nothing about the situation elsewhere. At 3 p.m. he and Durrant decided that one of them must make the journey to brigade headquarters. After tossing a coin the Colonel went, while Durrant stayed in charge of the battalion. Burridge made his way to Monash, and after a conference it was decided that the 13th could not be usefully maintained in front of Pope's Hill unsupported. Burnage therefore returned to the trenches at dusk and dictated the order for withdrawal. During the night of May 3rd, under cover of dark, the 13th retired. The wounded were cleared first, the rest of the battalion following.
The system of trenches dug by the 13th was eventually incorporated into the Turkish system known as the 'Chessboard'. At the 'Bloody Angle' the trench of the 16th which was actually continuous with the northern trenches of 'Quinn's Post', was also gradually occupied by the enemy.
The attempt to improve the defective position at Anzac by seizing the heights at the head of Monash Valley had completely failed. The capture of 'Baby 700' had been urgently necessary and, so far as Colonel Monash's arrangements were concerned, had been planned with all that scrupulous care which was to mark his operations throughout the war. But when the Otago Battalion failed to arrive. the battle was hopelessly lost. The Turkish rifles and machine-guns had defeated every effort of the Australians on their flank, and they could not subsequently be silenced by the sheer bravery of the Otago Battalion. The commanding heights had not been taken when the chance offered immediately after the bombardment.
The Turks overlooked every position which had been gained, and only those who had dug then~selves deep trenches before the dawn had a chance of living after daylight.
The throwing in of the Marines at daybreak to retrieve a battle already lost resulted only in the slaughter of many brave officers and men and the disorganization of these already over-strained battalions. The 16th Battalion, upon which the brunt of the fighting fell, had landed on April 25th about 1,000 strong. It had entered the assault with a strength of 17 officers and 620 men. On May 3rd it came out of the fight with 9 officers and 290 men. Of the New Zealand infantry the Otago Battalion lost at least ten officers and 252 men, and Canterbury two officers and forty-six men. Twenty New Zealand engineers, under Sergeant Wallace, a Rhodes Scholar, had been sent with the 4th Brigade to plan roads and other facilities. Only five of these returned. The whole action cost about 1,000men.
Compiled from Charles Bean's, History of World War One, Volume 1, by Geoff Barker, Collections and Research Services Coordinator, Parramatta Council Heritage Centre, 2015


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A rail system comprises many parts. On the engineering front, in each of the disciplines of Track, Electrical, Rolling Stock, Command and Control Systems and Civil, change is constant. Systems, products and technologies, many with safety critical functions, are constantly being tweaked and optimised to squeeze performance improvement or to bring about rather more significant change. The challenges in bringing together and integrating safely a range of systems and technologies, hardware and software, old and new, within the desired timescales are huge.
Today's rail system in Great Britain comprises 28 passenger train operating companies, 7 freight train operating companies, 3 rolling stock companies, 1 regulator, 1 infrastructure manager, many infrastructure maintenance companies, various supply chains, the UK Government, the public and a plethora of industry bodies, associations and working groups.
Each year approximately 87,000 staff use over 100 different classes of rolling stock to 20,000 services each day to 3.35 million commuters. 1.5 billion journeys are made by passengers travelling 58 billion passenger kilometres across 32,000km of track to 2,500 stations, and 110 billion tonnes of freight are carried each year.
In addition, there are European and UK legislations, associated duties and obligations, Railway Group Standards, the Rule Book, company specific safety management systems, operating procedures and maintenance plans. All these parts come together to make the whole that is the rail system; the socio-technical paradigm is immense. One of the properties of this system is safety and Rail System Safety is about adopting a structured approach to make sure that nothing falls through the gaps.
It is a legal duty. In 2009 the Common Safety Method for Risk Evaluation and Assessment legislated engineering safety management requirements in European law and includes in its scope, the management of change to operations and organisations. Prior to this, UK manufacturers had been practicing the engineering safety management detailed in CENELEC EN-50126/8/9 since 1999, and before that the Yellow Book.
People want to use safe railways. Passenger journeys rose by more than 50% between 2003 and 2013 and the railways carry 17% more freight than in 2001. In the face of this increase in utilisation the GB rail system has established itself as one of the safest in the world. It has achieved this through rigorous safety management, adopting a structured approach to managing safety risk. As demand continues to rise, with 14% more passengers and 19% more freight forecast by 2019, so the risk profile increases. It is imperative that all technical, operational and organisational change and innovation be brought about maintaining current system safety levels or improving them, where reasonably practicable.
CRA is here to help you create a safer and more cost-effective railway. We do this by providing a range of consultancy services during all phases of the lifecycle. Whether you are an operator, an infrastructure manager, an engineering company or an industry body, CRA can help you get to the next stage in your journey.
Our team of consultants has a combined experience of over 50 years providing Rail System Safety services to clients in the UK and internationally. Our capability statements describe each of our Rail System Safety capabilities.
Download the Service Delivery Statement:
CRA – Rail System Safety
For further information, please contact Ruairi Kennedy
E email@example.com


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Rumor has it that Jay Leno could be exiting the "Tonight Show" and that Jimmy Fallon will take his place. Meanwhile, according to the Post, Stern is being "groomed" by NBC to take over Fallon's spot.
Beth told "Extra," "I always thought Howard and late night TV would be a perfect fit. But, then again, I think everything Howard does is perfect."
She added, "I'm personally not looking for him to take on yet another job. With his 'America's Got Talent' schedule and his morning radio show, I need more Howard at home!"
Beth Stern: Howard Would Be Perfect for Late-Night, But I Want Him Home
Shock jock Howard Stern could be joining NBC's late night lineup, according to the New York Post, and his wife, Beth, tells "Extra" he would be "perfect" for the job.


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Reviews and Downloads
From the Arcade to Consoles and PCs
A correlation of mini reviews of games that have an overhead view of the Spaceship while flying around and laser blasting your enemies or opponents. Not Shumps but more of Space Explore Shooters combined with Arena Play. The connections or similarities between these games. There are many others, but I'll review a few I have tried and still play today. Okay, might as well start with my view on an older Arcade classic.
Space Wars - Cinematronics Arcade 1978 First Vector game
The very first Vector game and one of the best in plot line draw vector games. This game was inspired by an earlier gaming experiment called Computer Space from 1962. The cabinet is a huge monster! A two player head to head game. One Spaceship looks like an Asteroids ship and the other passes for a Star Trek ship. Everyone always fights to get the "Enterprise".
After inserting the coin, a level can be customized. Reverse Gravity of the Black Hole, Bounce, Hyperspace and Ship Speed adds to the fun. That black hole can suck your ship in, an instant death. Start the game by flying around the black hole gravity, the famous CBS Eye opening. Unique that your ship when hit can be damaged and flies at a slower rate, adding to the chance revenge. Even when flight is disabled completely, one can still spin and destroy the moving opponent. A very satisfying shot!
There are many Vector graphic games that follow the floating Space Ship theme. Some include Asteroids, Rip Off, Solar Quest, Space Duel, and Star Castle. Many of these games have been ported to the Vectrex Console with the built in Vector screen.
A very good Space War History Article
Play it yourself:
Or Mame it, a beautiful two player game. View a larger pic here
Cinematronics Space Wars Vector Arcade Game
Slot Racers - Atari 2600 1978
Don't let the rudimentary graphics put you off, this is a great hidden gem of a game. The "dahdum" sound is easily recognized in this classic Retro. Think of the Arcade game Space Wars but now each player faces off with a jet car with cannons in a maze. As in Space Wars, one can set the parameters and the velocity of their ship. The impossibly high speed setting is a blast! Be careful in the later mazes, drive too fast and get caught in a spiraling loop, easily targeted by your opponent. You can aim the missile to go around the walls by pulling left or right before firing the shot.
This two player game is better with a couple Sega Genesis game pads attached. A loss form of gameplay. No split screen here, all the action on one screen. Your human opponent is in the same room to catch all the reactions.
More Info, play the browser version:
http://www.atariage.com/software_page.h ... abelID=895
But get the original or 2600 Stella Emulate it!
Ships move a lot faster in a 2600.
Fire Fight - PC - Epic Mega Games, Chaos Works and EA 1998
Another hidden gem, lost in time. At first this space shooter was released as a shareware game in 1996 by Chaos Works and Epic Mega Games. This is the same company that designed the Unreal Game Engine for Gears of War. Electronic Arts sponsored a commercial release that didn't sell too well, only on the market for a few months. A loss to anyone who has not played it. I am very lucky to have bought this game new, when it came out, got the two disc LAN version.
Hovering your ship over a jungle, this game plays like Desert Strike. The uniqueness here is an inspired Robotron dual control game. Instead of two sticks, the keyboard is for movement while the mouse controls the laser gun. As in Robotron, move in one direction while firing your shots in another. A frenzied control offering a different take on strafe movement shooting. The Radar ring around your craft gives a visual indication of way points and enemies.
Fire Fight comes with two identical game discs which allows Lan play! Hook a direct crossover ethernet cable from a Laptop to the Desktop and enjoy head to head gaming in person. Though a Windows 95 game, it runs great in Windows XP when using Win95 640x480 compatibility mode. There is even a Hi resolution Wide Screen mode; this years before wide screen monitors came out. Each disc is the full game and no install needed. You could dump the game disc on a Thumb Drive, but lose out all the great Redbook Music tracks. However the Memory Stick does allow for a quick game anytime or any PC.
As you collect powerups a female computer voice announces what is acquired. This was common for games of the day, sadly not used any more. Charm of the game; "Plasma Gun Activated".
More Info on this rare PC game:Home of the Underdogs wrote:http://www.homeoftheunderdogs.net/game.php?name=Fire%20Fight
One of the most underrated shareware releases from Epic Megagames, Fire Fight is an excellent, very addictive isometric shoot em-up from Polish developer Chaos Works. Although the game did well enough to warrant a later retail release by Electronic Arts, it unfortunately did not do well in the market and disappeared in the matter of months.
Fans of EA's own Desert Strike will be right at home with Fire Fight -- in fact, the designers aren't ashamed at admitting their influence: there is one mission in the game called "AKA Future Strike" to dispel any doubt. You play a futuristic skimmer pilot working for the autocratic "Phantom Council" which reminds me of the Empire for good reason Your job, naturally, is to bring subversive planets back under the Council?s control by flying strike missions against air and ground targets.
As Epic's own Zone 66 took the shooter genre to new heights with 360-degree freedom of movement, Fire Fight takes the innovation one step further by placing the 360-degree view within a smooth-scrolling isometric environment, brought to life by sharp SVGA graphics. The game also requires some tactical planning to succeed: in addition to shooting everything in sight, you need to collect weapons and equipment upgrades, beam up important items, drop off and pick up strike teams, and so on. Similar to Tie Fighter, you are given next objectives in the mission by radio as you complete each phase. Although bare, the HUD provides all important information, including an excellent situational radar that tells you where to go next (as well as warn you incoming air-to-air threats).
As usual, the missions (18 in total) get bigger and tougher as you progress, and there are secret bonuses for the perfectionists to find. Six dedicated multiplayer maps are available for fragfest fun, where as many as four ships can fight to the death under numerous customizable rules. Although the controls take some time to get used to, they are remarkably versatile once mastered, and allows for some impressive maneuvers. (the designers even make them similar to DOOM keys to help you along). There are tons of cool power-ups, including homing missiles, space mines, cloaking devices, grenades, and electric shockwaves. The single-player missions may not last that long, but with the replayability of the multi-player mode, Fire Fight is undoubtedly one of the best 2D shoot em-ups you will ever play, bar none. Two thumbs up, way up!
A hard to find game, Amazon has it!
http://www.amazon.com/Fire-Fight-Pc/dp/ ... 724&sr=1-1
You can download a shareware version, play the first four levels.
Go here for all the shareware versions including the optional High Res Packs:
Fire Fight FAQ:
Another Gamer's Rant:
Fire Fight Demo Mission One Playthrough
Spheres of Chaos - Acorn, PC, Linux and PS2 Linux 1992-2007
I forgot to mention one of the more famous overhead view space ship shooters. Asteroids, there are so many remakes on just about every system. This Asteroids clone is one of the most colorful.
So much neon and sparkle effects, this reminds of an old C64 game called Moon Dust, anyone ever play that one? It was considered one of the first "Art Video Games". Both games will leave contrails as the ships fly around adding a psychedelic strobe effect.
This games starts off like Asteroids, shoot the Spheres, and they split up until the whole screen is full of small rocks. But hidden in some of the spheres, sometimes a colored diamond appears. These can be collected for a bonus function.
Acorn Arcade wrote: http://www.acornarcade.com/articles/Sph ... ex980.html
Spheres of Chaos bonus list
Dark Purple: Fast shots
Blue: Destruct shield
Bright blue:Add 2000 to score
Light blue: Add 2000 to score
Dull cyan: 5 second multiplier
Cyan: Add 2000 To Score
Pale green: Slow objects
Mid-green: Add 2000 To Score
Bright green: Clear screen
Lime green: Change objects direction (reverse)
Yellow: Add 2000 To Score
Orange: Bounce shield
Dark orange: Add 3000 To Score
Red: Extra Life
Redish pink: Attract shield
Magenta: Repel shield
Light purple: Add 2000 to Score
The ship can be controlled with the Keyboard, Mouse or Joystick. When selecting the mouse, a special bonus if you have a USB or PC/PS2 Spinner. Since only the left and right movement is needed, this game can play just like many Space Flight games of the past such as Omega Race and Star Castle.
I performed an Arcade Spinner Mod with a gutted Microsoft Mouse, works beautiful in this inspired retro game. Asteroids plus Trippy Effects plus a Spinner!
As the game progresses various enemies start to appear. Each one reacts differently, some you can dodge and others require a desperate Hyperspace to get out of the way.
A few of your enemies:
Spheres - Just like Asteroids, splits up when hit.
Miners - Lays Mines in a large circular pattern.
Rockets - When hit, splits into multiple homing rockets.
Spiralers and Pentagons - When hit, splits into random spiraling ships.
Jumpers - Jumps around the screen, multiplies when hit.
Up to eight players at once on the screen. Play in Team mode or a great Space War Enemy mode. No split screen, just up to eight players, each trying to stay alive!
This game can be played on the Acorn Risc OS, PC Windows and Linux but also runs on of all things, the PS2 with Linux! This may be the game to push me to get Linux up and running in my PS2 Fat Hard drive arrangement.
This game is FREEWARE!
The game author's home page with FREEWARE download:
Spheres of Chaos on an Acorn A3010
There is a way to play it on a Mac, with a PC emulator.
Star Trek Encounters - PS2 Exclusive Bethesda Softworks 2006
Outer Space has never been so pretty! Planets, Stars, Black Holes, Nebulas; some exquisite scenery. A blue CD game released the same year the PS3 came out, I thought Sony pressed CDs on only older PS2 games! I was not sure about getting this one with all the bad reviews out there. William Shatner does narrate in a very controlled monotone dialog, but I'll take this over screaming announcers in other games. I think the bad reviews is because of the difficulty in the controls, which are great once learned. As in Fire Fight, a dual control game but now back to a twin stick like Robotron. No this doesn't zip like the robot; you are flying a huge Starship. More akin to moving a battleship in Space, love it.
The first mission of flying through the rings is difficult, reviews comparing this to the rings in N64 Superman. The later levels takes cues from various movies, with great gameplay. So I shamelessly used Action Replay Max to unlock all the levels. After the unlock, played and saved a mission. Now I can play all the levels even using the HDAdvance installed game.
Change directions with the left analog stick to move that big ship around. Use the right analog stick to scan or aim. The right triggers lock and fire the Lasers or Photon Torpedos. Once locked a continual Laser fire to burn up the enemy ship. Sweet how multiple targets can be fired upon at the same time. Later levels introduce more weapons including a tractor beam to pull the enemy aside. Ever seen the movie Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan where Spock advises Kirk to think in three dimensions while in the Nebula? The Nebula is here and you can climb or dive using the left triggers. Objects have scale markers similar to an old game called Elite.
You can play Skirmish for instant never ending ships to blast or be blasted, but the Episodes offer more. There are different missions to undertake, so its not just a maddening shoot till your ship is destroyed. Hunt the Spheres or tractor beam in objects from a Black Hole. On one level your ship can't move, so you have to rely on your skills to shoot at incoming objects. Similar to Space War when your ship is disabled or the Arcade game Space Zap. Another level has your ship inside an alien, taken from a TV episode, not sure which.
There is also a collector aspect, player cards of all the main characters and ships of all the series. Viewing the ships is interesting, rotating the ship around and zooming in. Disappointed that there is not a fact screen for each card and ship though.
More Info with a video clip at the bottom:
Star Trek: Encounters Review and Video
Star Trek Encounters at Gamestop - $2.99
http://www.gamestop.com/ps2/games/star- ... ters/43305


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I'm not sure what people on this site would want to know about me, but...here goes.
I'm a student. So, that takes up an ungodly amount of my life. I love to dance and draw and generally make things along with reading and writing of course.
I'm a vegetarian, and I could live on Propel and Reese's Cups and Spaghettio's. Don't think I haven't tried.
Too much of my time is spent reading Twilight fanfiction, but I don't mind one little bit. Although I'm pretty new to FF, I love to write it. Exploring the different sides and variations of characters and plots is so much fun. It's easier for me to write EPOV-probably because I love the character so much. My stories always have an Edward :)
If you ever have any questions about a story or just want to say whaddup, I always respond :)
I'm on Fanfiction.net too!
And visit Snowed In's forum
In case you missed it, here's my one-shot for Ninapolitan's Friday Free For All!
My cousin Courtney from Robinson's Designs made this logo :)
Bella Swan thinks she has her whole life figured out, but what happens when everything in Bella's life is turned upside down? With a new neighbor, admirer, and some healthy competition, Bella quickly learns that life is not exactly a piece of cake.
While enjoying a family bonfire, Bella treats Edward to a leather wrapped surprise. A one-shot written for my awesome beta for the Support Stacie Auction. I do not own Twilight.
All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the intellectual property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended.


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We win AFS production grant
It's going to be Kodak film stock for 'Bagatelle'. Thank you, Austin Film Society!
September 2, 2015
On to 'Strategic Partners'
On September 18, 2015 we will present 'Bagatelle' at Strategic Partners co-production market in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Stop by if you will also be there.
September 2, 2015
'Bagatelle' at Guanajuato
Had a lot of fun presenting 'Bagatelle' at Incubadora co-production event at Guanajuato IFF in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
September 2, 2015


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Million-dollar profit: Why Norco is still staying strong
NORCO has reported a net profit of more than $1.1 million for the 2016/17 financial year.
Norco Co-operative Limited Chairman Greg McNamara said he was pleased to announce the "solid set of financial figures" ahead of the Annual General Meeting to be held on November 15.
He said a good quality product, strong long-term relationships and growing consumer support were amongst the driving factors behind the solid results.
He said: "We have finished the 2016/17 financial year with an EBITDA (Earnings before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortisation) of $8.859 million and a net profit of $1.122 million. This is after having been able to retain our total average farm gate price for our northern region supply as well as maintain the previously communicated position for our southern region milk supply.
"We are absolutely focused on consistently demonstrating that a farmer owned co-operative model with solid strategy, direction, management and performance can continue to prosper.
"Our diversified business model, geographical positioning, quality of product and strong long-term relationships have again been significant drivers in achieving these financial results. Our unique proposition in the market place as a true co-operative owned by Australian farmers continues to resonate with a growing consumer base.
"The board and management team are closely aligned on growing our geographic footprint beyond our traditional areas in the Norco Foods business. This strategy will have far reaching benefits, including creating efficiencies in our manufacturing facilities and opportunities for our members to grow their milk supply with stable milk prices. The profitability of our rural retail / agri business unit also plays a key role in our diversified business model, helping to safeguard both overall business profitability and member profitability."
He identified the highlights for the company during the financial year:
Record total sales of $555.6 million, up 2.2 per cent on the previous year
Record member milk supply volume of 221.8 million litres
Record Total Average Member Return (TAMR) of 58.18 cents per litre, up from 58.06 cents per litre on the previous year (TAMR consists of milk pay, dividends and Suppliers' Patronage Scheme rewards)
Norco branded milk sales increased by 34.6 per cent over the previous year.
Mr McNamara also acknowledged Norco's former Chief Executive Officer, Brett Kelly, who resigned on September 29.
He said Mr Kelly played a pivotal role in Norco achieving the excellent results as well as the company's continued growth.
At the AGM, members will be asked to approve a 6 per cent dividend based on the profit result.
Directors for the northern and central regions, Heath Hoffman and Greg McNamara were expected to be re-elected.
Norco's new Chief Executive Officer Ben White will be introduced to members at the meeting.


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- Member: Gothakane
- Title: Burning for C-Ko
- Premiered: 2003-02-15
- Categories:
- Iced Earth Burnin' for you
- Anime:
This is the first time I've released an AMV I've made, it took late 5 nights with Adobe Premiere 6.0 to create.
In this vid I focused on B-ko's obsessive burning desire for C-Ko, and her struggle to steal her away from A-ko. You can't help but sympathise with B-ko, she cannot force C-ko to love her, nor can she ever be friends with her like A-ko is, her jealousy and greed prevent it. This isn't just some random clips thrown together, the clips were chosen to fit the lyrics of the song, so listen up ^_- Lyrics are below...
Footage was taken from the DVD of the 1st Project A-ko movie. The song is Iced Earth's cover of Blue Oyster Cult's "Burnin for you", it has a very 80's feel to it like Project A-ko itself ;) I attempted a little lip syncing, see if you can spot it! ^^ I had alot of fun making this, as I hope you have fun watching it, any opinions or criticisms would be great! Its in Divx 3.11 to decrease the size, I have a XVid version as well, contact me on MSN if you want me to send it to you.
**Update 17/2/2003 -- Some people are criticising the fact I used Iced Earth's version of the song instead of Blue Oyster's, I happen to think the BOC version is way too mellow for the action/comedy/romance video I wanted to create, and it didn't feel as 80's as Iced Earth.
Iced Earth - Burnin' for You
Home in the valley
Home in the city
Home isn't pretty
Ain't no home for me
Home in the darkness
Home on the highway
Home isn't my way
Home will never be
Burn out the day
Burn out the night
I can't see no reason to put up a fight
I'm living for giving the devil his due
And I'm burning, I'm burning, I'm burning for you
I'm burning, I'm burning, I'm burning for you
Time is the essence
Time is the season
Time ain't no reason
Got no time to slow
Time everlasting
Time to play besides
Time ain't on my side
Time I'll never know
Burn out the day
Burn out the night
I'm not the one to tell you what's wrong or what's right
I've seen signs of what (freezing their eyes) went through
Well I'm burning, I'm burning, I'm burning for you
I'm burning, I'm burning, I'm burning for you
Burn out the day
Burn out the night
I can't see no reason to put up a fight
I'm living for giving the devil his due
And I'm burning, I'm burning, I'm burning for you [repeat]
Opinions (10)
- Orig
- Visual
- Sound
- Synch
- Lip
- Effects
- Effort
- Re-View
- Overall
- 7.50
- 8.50
- 8.88
- 7.00
- 6.29
- 7.75
- 6.50
- 7.38
- Link Format Bitrate Codec Duration Filesize Link Check Information Comments
- Direct AVI (.avi) 1200 Divx 3.11 04:27:00 45.7 Meg Last Checked: 2006-01-03 05:39:51 200 OK
43.6 MiB
Local File (Gothakane) Iced Earth - Burning for C-Ko [Divx 3.11].avi Duration 267.1 seconds Video Track 1198.576 kb/s DIV3 [DIV3] 512 x 288 @ 29.97 fps Audio Track MP3 @ 160 kbps 44.1 kHz, stereophonic sound


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Ideal place to learn to sailing.
We offer internationally recognised sailing courses that provide opportunities to pursue a hobby or a new career path. Sheltered waters, a year-round temperate climate, and stunning backdrop makes the Whitsundays the ideal place to learn to sail.
Learn to Earn, our most popular program, offers a pathway to future employment in the marine industry. Over 23 days, trainees gain knowledge and practical skills that will propel them towards a maritime career.
Learning and working on local vessels, previous trainees have progressed to become qualified skippers working in exotic destinations around the world.


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This story is from the category Education
Date posted: 20/03/2010
Could Nintendo's Mario be swapping power blocks for the chalkboard?
The man behind the massively popular videogame franchise and the best-selling Wii console says he's devoting most of his energy to turning Nintendo Co.'s DS handheld consoles into tour guides and educational aids.
Japanese video game guru Shigeru Miyamoto says the console is already being used in museums, galleries, and aquariums in Japan and that he's working on introducing the console to junior high schools in the country.
See the full Story via external site: www.physorg.com
Most recent stories in this category (Education):
24/11/2016: Oxford University to launch first online 'Mooc' course


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Enroll for free at reframing.teachable.com
Reframing is a simple but powerful technique to think differently: an easy, four-step process that generates creative approaches for your own life and work. Reframing helps us to innovate, to approach the world from a fresh perspective and to overcome engrained patterns. Reframing will take you out of your mental comfort zone, enabling you to discover new perspectives and creative solutions. And it can be fun: if you can make yourself laugh, you're on the right path.


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I occasionally find myself in an Uber or Lyft. I like to hear about the lives of the people who do the driving. They're overwhelmingly from the distant suburbs and drive in to the city to collect fares. An hour away is the most typical distance. I ask why they don't just drive near where they live. The numbers don't add up. Not enough volume. The distances are too far and the empty round trips burn up miles with no income. And the price they get for each trip is geographically sensitive based on supply and demand. A driver can pick up and drop off fares continuously all day and all night in the city at a higher rate than a few scattered fares in the suburbs with a lower rate. Commuting in to town is wildly more profitable.
In Denver I chatted with a 30-ish woman driver about her situation. She left West Virginia looking for work. She rents an apartment in Colorado Springs an hour away since rents are half what they are in Denver. This arrangement is what economists call geospatial arbitrage. Her commute in and out of the city is paid for with airport fares from suburbia. She earns 90% of her income from Lyft and Uber. She said she's saving up to buy a house back in Appalachia. She had a pleasant hippy vibe. She just got her certificate for therapeutic massage and a table at a work share space in a trendy neighborhood. She talked about how she liked Colorado because people ask if she enjoys her work and what she's striving to achieve in her personal growth. No one back home in West Virginia ever asks about happiness. They focus more specifically on bread and butter and keeping warm and dry. But it's home and West Virginia is beautiful and the kind of place where you can buy a house on the cheap and be close to your people. She'll never buy a home in Denver. Never.


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So this is a thing, apparently (Kate Bernot—The Takeout):
I can't form an opinion for you because honestly, after way too much thought, I myself can't resolve competing feelings about the merits of glitter beer. The part of my brain that loves technically perfect, well-constructed classic beer styles says the fad—reported on first by Munchies—is ridiculous.
Yeah, my brain says the same. I guess it gives you something to look at while enjoying the beer, though.
#glitterBeer #novelty


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What does psoriasis look like? What are the symptoms and signs?
Psoriasis typically looks like red or pink areas of thickened, raised, and dry skin. It classically affects areas over the elbows, knees, and scalp. Essentially any body area may be involved. It tends to be more common in areas of trauma, repeat rubbing, use, or abrasions.
Psoriasis has many different appearances. It may be small flattened bumps, large thick plaques of raised skin, red patches, and pink mildly dry skin to big flakes of dry skin that flake off.
How many people have psoriasis?
Psoriasis is a fairly common skin condition and is estimated to affect approximately 1%-3% of the U.S. population. It currently affects roughly 7.5 million to 8.5 million people in the U.S. It is seen worldwide in about 125 million people. Interestingly, African Americans have about half the rate of psoriasis as Caucasians.
Is psoriasis curable?
No, psoriasis is not currently curable. However, it can go into remission and show no signs of disease. Ongoing research is actively making progress on finding better treatments and a possible cure in the future.
Is psoriasis contagious?
No. Research studies have not shown it to be contagious from person to person. You cannot catch it from anyone, and you cannot pass it to anyone else by skin-to-skin contact. You can directly touch someone with psoriasis every day and never catch the skin condition.
Source: http://www.psoriasis.com, http://www.medicinenet.com


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LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN -- Covenant director of athletics Tim Sceggel has announced that current faculty athletics representative Rodney Miller has stepped down from the position after 24 years of service.
Dr. Chris Robinson, assistant professor of sociology, has been named the new representative.
"I am deeply grateful for Rodney's astounding 24 years of service as the faculty athletics representative," Sceggel said. "His care and concern for the success of student athletes on the court, in the classroom, and in their faith was evident during his steadfast tenure in this role. His service within athletics will be missed, but our campus will still continue to benefit from his great work as the college registrar."
Miller completed his 30th year at Covenant in 2016-17 where he serves as the college's Dean of Records and Registrar. Miller will continue his work in those roles. He began serving as the faculty athletics representative in 1993 and was a conference registrar and conference eligibility committee member during Covenant's years in the NAIA. In addition, he played a vital role in Covenant's transition from the NAIA to NCAA Division III. Miller has also served as the head cross country coach during his time at Covenant.
"As FAR for the last 24 years, I enjoyed working with student-athletes to encourage them in both their academic and athletic programs as they represent Covenant," Miller said. "I also appreciate the commitment of the Covenant leadership and the athletic administration to hire coaches who understand the student experience requires the balance of academic, spiritual and athletic discipline. All three disciplines are required to deliver the best student-athlete experience at Covenant."
Dr. Robinson has been a full-time faculty member since 2015, but has taught at the college since 2011. For the last two years, Dr. Robinson has served on the athletic committee at Covenant. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina and an M.Div. from Union Theological Seminary. Dr. Robinson earned his bachelor's degree from Anderson (Ind.) University, where he also competed on the men's tennis team.
In addition to teaching, Dr. Robinson heads up Project 52, a non-profit dedicated to completing 52 local service projects a year.
Be sure to follow the Scots all season long on athletics.covenant.edu and on social media at Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for up-to-date scores, news and other information. To receive text alerts with score updates or e-newsletters, click here


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Please rotate your device
in order to view this website properly.
People whose teeth and gums are in poor condition may be more susceptible to an oral virus that can cause certain mouth and throat cancers, a new study suggests.
Researchers found that of more than 3,400 U.S. adults, those who rated their oral health as "poor" to "fair" were more likely to have an oral infection with human papillomavirus (HPV), which, in certain cases, can eventually lead to cancer. Overall, 10 percent of people with tooth or gum disease tested positive for oral HPV. That compared with 6.5 percent of those who rated their dental health as "good" to "excellent." The results, reported Aug. 21 in the journal Cancer Prevention Research, do not actually prove that diseased teeth and gums cause HPV infection.
"We don't know if poor oral health led to the HPV infection," said Christine Markham, one of the researchers on the study.
Her team tried to account for other factors that could affect dental health or the odds of having HPV — such as smoking or multiple oral sex partners. And poor oral health was still linked to a 56 percent increase in the risk of having oral HPV. But there could be other explanations for the connection, and more research is needed, said Markham, an associate professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston. Still, she said, there are already plenty of reasons to take care of your teeth and gums. "Good oral health care is important for your health in general," Markham said. This study just offers some more incentive, she added.
HPV, which can cause genital and anal warts, is the most commonly transmitted sexual infection in the United States. Usually, the immune system clears the infection, but in some cases the virus persists in the body. And persistent infection with certain HPV strains can eventually lead to cancer — with cervical cancer the best known. HPV can also invade the mouth during oral sex. Those infections usually cause no symptoms, but a lingering infection with a cancer-linked strain can lead to oropharyngeal cancer, which affects the back of the throat, base of the tongue and tonsils. It's a rare cancer, but cases tied to HPV are on the rise in the United States. No one knows why.
It's already known that poor oral hygiene is tied to a heightened risk of oropharyngeal cancer, even when smoking and heavy drinking — two big risk factors for the cancer — are taken into account. But it has not been known whether dental health matters in the risk of oral HPV infection, Markham noted. This study, however, does not answer that question, according to a specialist in head and neck cancers.
The study is hampered by some limitations, said Dr. Amy Chen, a professor of otolaryngology, head and neck surgery at Emory University in Atlanta. The findings come from a large federal health survey that included more than 10,500 Americans. But Markham's team had to exclude two-thirds of them from the analysis because the participants lacked key information — such as an HPV test result. Paring down the group like that is problematic because it can bias the results, Chen said. The "take-away," she said, is that people should be aware of the already-known link between oral health and cancers of the mouth and throat.
Anna Giuliano, of the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Fla., agreed that the study leaves questions — including whether people with poor oral health have a higher risk of a long-lasting HPV infection, which is the real concern. If unhealthy gums and teeth do raise the odds of oral HPV infection, it's not certain how. But Markham said it's possible that diseased gums offer an "entry portal" for the virus. Fewer than 12,000 cases of oropharyngeal cancer occur among Americans each year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But it's thought that HPV causes nearly three-quarters of them. So preventing the infection is key to preventing the cancer.
There are two vaccines available against the most common cancer-linked strains of HPV (Gardasil and Cervarix). Experts advise vaccination for girls, boys and young adults.
Of course, that would not be of help to most of the people in this study, the majority of whom were aged 30 or older, said Dr. Dennis Kraus, director of the Center for Head and Neck Oncology at North Shore-LIJ Cancer Institute in Lake Success, N.Y. Oral hygiene, on the other hand, is something we all can pay attention to, Kraus noted. "Taking care of your teeth, taking care of your gums — it makes sense," he said. To help keep your mouth healthy, the American Dental Association recommends dental visits at regular intervals determined by your dentist.


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Sarah Decker, MA, LMFT
Sarah is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who works with individuals, couples and families. Sarah is trained from a family systems perspective in which individuals are considered in the context of all they systems they belong to. Sarah works from collaborative, solution focused and trauma informed care perspectives. She enjoys working with children, adolescents, adults and families dealing with life transitions, depression, anxiety, parenting difficulties and those that have experienced trauma. Sarah has 7 years of experience providing counseling in various settings including in-home, group home, school based and outpatient settings with a variety of life experiences and diagnoses. Sarah works to create a safe space in which people can express themselves and feel comfortable with that expression. She strives to help her clients find their own strengths and solutions to make the changes they desire in their own life, for both individuals and families. Sarah has a particular interest in assisting parents feel more confident in their parenting abilities and connecting with their children. Sarah obtained her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from St. Norbert College and her Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy from the Minnesota School of Professional Psychology/Argosy University.


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