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holding that alien twice detained and beaten for participation in large demonstrations did not establish past persecutionSummary of this case from Rodriguez-Valladares v. Holder
No. 94-41155.
January 15, 1996.
Brian K. Bates, Houston, TX, for petitioner.
Janet Reno, Atty. Gen., U.S. Dept. of Justice, Washington, DC, Nelda C. Reyna, David J. Kline, Robert L. Bonbough, Director, Office of Immigration Litigation, Civil Div., Washington, DC, for respondent.
John B.Z. Caplinger, INS Dist. Director, New Orleans, LA Attn: Joseph Aguilar, Frank Strapp, Dist. Counsel, INS, Dallas, TX, for other interested parties.
Petition for Review of and Order of the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
Before WISDOM, GARWOOD and JONES, Circuit Judges.
The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) initiated deportation proceedings against Mamdouh Abdel-Masieh (Abdel) on December 4, 1990. The immigration judge found Abdel to be ineligible for asylum and for withholding of deportation under the Immigration and Naturalization Act. The Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) affirmed the immigration judge's decision and dismissed Abdel's appeal. Abdel brings this petition to review the final order of deportation pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1105a(a). We vacate the order of deportation and remand to the BIA.
Facts and Proceedings Below
Petitioner Abdel is a thirty-two year old native and citizen of Sudan. He was employed in Sudan as an aircraft mechanic and engineer, an occupation which he has characterized as well-paying. Abdel is a member of the Coptic faith, a Christian denomination comprising a small fraction of the Christian minority residing in the predominantly Muslim nation of Sudan. In the aggregate, ten percent of Sudanese citizens are Christians. Prior to leaving Sudan for the United States, Abdel resided in Sudan most of his life, leaving only for a two and one-half year period of study in India from 1985 to 1987.
In June 1989, the democratically elected government of Sudan was overthrown in a military coup and replaced by a military government heavily influenced by the National Islamic Front (NIF). The new government quickly instituted a drive to Islamicize Sudan, replacing secular judges with Islamic ones, and imposing the Islamic Shari'a laws on all Sudanese people, Muslim and non-Muslim alike. The imposition of the Shari'a on non-Muslim Sudanese, which provides for such harsh penalties as amputation, stoning, and lashes, has raised a volatile issue in that nation, an issue which is important in the civil war raging in the southern portion of Sudan.
Abdel concedes that the difficulties for Christians can be traced to 1983, when Sudan was governed by Chatrin Numary. Numary initiated the application of Shari'a in Sudan, and Abdel testified that Numary's government and the current NIF government are closely associated.
In August 1989, soon after the NIF government seized power, Abdel participated in a demonstration against the government's efforts to apply the Shari'a to all Sudanese citizens. From a group of two hundred protesters, twenty-five to thirty were arrested, including Abdel. During his three-hour detention, Abdel was interrogated and beaten. Before releasing Abdel, the officials recorded his name and other identifying information, but filed no charges against him.
Then, in late December 1989 or early January 1990, one of Abdel's cousins was arrested and ultimately executed by the government for allegedly carrying United States currency in an airport. This cousin was the son of a Coptic priest who was a leader in the Sudanese Coptic community. Trials of the sort afforded to Abdel's cousin were summarily conducted by military tribunals, and the accused were denied representation by counsel. In January 1990, the funeral procession for Abdel's cousin evolved into a large demonstration against this perceived religious persecution. In an effort to prevent the funeral procession, comprised of an estimated 10,000 protestors, from passing in front of the United States embassy in Khartoum, security forces arrested approximately 20 demonstrators, including Abdel. He was again detained for three hours, during which time he was interrogated and beaten. After his release, Abdel was picked up again for an additional two hours. As was the case with his August 1989 arrest, Abdel was not charged upon his release. He was able to return to work after each of these episodes involving the police, and ultimately left his employment voluntarily in February 1990.
Abdel noted the contrast between the capital sentence imposed against his cousin and the minimal sentences received by five members of an Islamic terrorist organization convicted of killing seven people in an attack on a Khartoum hotel.
On February 24, 1990, Abdel entered the United States as an "M-1" nonimmigrant student pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(15)(M). He testified that he left Sudan for the United States for two reasons: first, he sought to advance his education and obtain a permit related to his aircraft engineering vocation; second, he hoped to escape his conflict with the government of Sudan. He further testified that he was able to obtain his passport renewal — on January 6, 1990 — and visa only through the help of a brother-in-law with American connections. It is clear that many Sudanese in suspect classifications have great difficulty obtaining passports and exit visas. Since his arrival in the United States, Abdel has worked as a cash register attendant in a gas station.
Abdel points to several events which have occurred since his departure from Sudan in support of his contention that he will face persecution if he returns to that nation. He indicated in his application for asylum that his mother, formerly a department director of a textile factory, was fired because of her religious beliefs. Abdel's brother, who operates his own business, was arrested, detained, and beaten by Sudanese security forces in an effort to obtain information regarding Abdel. Abdel's brother and a co-worker have warned Abdel not to return to Sudan under any circumstances. Abdel testified that he is on a "wanted list" at the Khartoum airport, although he concedes that he has never seen this list and does not explain how he knows he is on it. Additionally, individuals assumed by Abdel to be government agents have on several occasions made inquiries at his former place of employment regarding his whereabouts and the duration of his stay in the United States. Finally, Abdel has indicated that his family's telephone conversations and mail have been monitored, a practice which the United States Department of State has characterized as pervasive in Sudan.
Abdel's student visa expired on March 26, 1990, and deportation proceedings were commenced against him on November 26, 1990. Abdel conceded deportability in these proceedings, and the immigration judge denied his application for asylum or temporary withholding of deportation. Pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1254(e), Abdel was given two months to voluntarily depart the United States.
Abdel appealed this decision to the BIA, and the BIA dismissed Abdel's appeal on October 5, 1994. Abdel timely brought the present petition before this Court to review the BIA's final order of deportation pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1105a(a).
Abdel seeks asylum pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1158(a). This section of the Immigration and Naturalization Act (INA) affords asylum to aliens who are "refugees", defined by the INA as:
"[A]ny person who is outside any country of such person's nationality . . . who is unable or unwilling to return to, and is unable or unwilling to avail himself or herself of the protection of, that country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion . . ." 8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(42)(A).
We review the BIA's factual determination that Abdel is not a "refugee" within this definition, and therefore that Abdel is not eligible for asylum nor for withholding of deportation, under the substantial evidence standard. Ozdemir v. INS, 46 F.3d 6, 7 (5th Cir. 1994) (citations omitted); Adebisi v. INS, 952 F.2d 910, 912 (5th Cir. 1992) (citations omitted). The errors or other failings of the immigration judge's opinion are considered only if they have some impact on the BIA's decision. 952 F.2d at 912.
I. Past Persecution
The BIA agreed with the immigration judge's finding that Abdel's two arrests did not rise to the level of "persecution" contemplated by the INA. After reviewing the facts surrounding Abdel's two arrests, the BIA cited three cases to support its finding that these arrests did not constitute persecution. However, in all three of these cases, the prisoners were not mistreated during their respective detentions. See Zalega v. INS, 916 F.2d 1257, 1260 (7th Cir. 1990)(Zalega, though arrested and interrogated five times, with detentions of up to thirty-six hours, "was not mistreated while incarcerated"); Mendez-Efrain v. INS, 813 F.2d 279, 283 (9th Cir. 1987) (four days' detention; "There is no indication that [Mendez] was tortured or molested while in detention"); Kubon v. INS, 913 F.2d 386, 388 (7th Cir. 1990) (no evidence that Kubon was mistreated during his five-day detention). Additionally, in Zalega and Kubon, the Seventh Circuit also relied on the improving political situation in Poland to justify its affirmance of the BIA's denial of asylum in both cases. 913 F.2d at 388; 916 F.2d at 1261 n. 5. None of the evidence in the present case suggests a similar "improvement" is on the horizon in Sudan. On the other hand, in each of those cases the detention was for substantially longer than here.
While the term "persecution" under the INA is by no means well-defined, the BIA has provided some insight into the working parameters of this term:
"[T]he infliction of suffering or harm, under government sanction, upon persons who differ in a way regarded as offensive ( e.g., race, religion, political opinion, etc.), in a manner condemned by civilized governments. The harm or suffering need not be physical, but may take other forms, such as the deliberate imposition of severe economic disadvantage or the deprivation of liberty, food, housing, employment or other essentials of life." Matter of Laipenieks, 18 I N Dec. 433, 456-457 (BIA 1983), rev'd on other grounds, 750 F.2d 1427 (9th Cir. 1985).
See also Osaghae v. INS, 942 F.2d 1160, 1163 (7th Cir. 1991) (persecution encompasses "punishment for political, religious, or other reasons that our country does not recognize as legitimate").
In Laipenieks, the BIA applied this interpretive language and determined that:
"While punishment of criminal conduct in itself is not persecution, where that punishment entails such things as severe beatings or being sent to a Nazi concentration camp — i.e., is `excessive or arbitrary' — and is motivated by one of the specified grounds, such punishment would constitute persecution under the Act." Id. at 459 n. 18.
Abdel asserts that he was twice arrested, twice detained, and beaten on both occasions. As Abdel's credibility has not been impugned in these proceedings, his testimony may be sufficient to sustain his burden of proof without corroboration. 8 C.F.R. § 208.13(a). However, Abdel does not in his testimony characterize the beatings he received as "severe", nor does he demonstrate that his detentions were "excessive or arbitrary". He was never detained overnight. Most importantly, Abdel fails to establish that he was singled out and arrested on either occasion due to his religious or political affiliations. Abdel was twice arrested while participating in large, public demonstrations. He has not demonstrated that the treatment he received was different than that which would have been received by any other participant in a public disturbance in Khartoum. It seems plausible that Abdel may have been arrested on both occasions simply because he was at the front of the crowd. There is no evidence to the contrary. Each time he was detained, the authorities were apparently unaware of his identity. In short, it is by no means clear that Abdel's mistreatment was motivated by his "differ[ences] in a way regarded as offensive (e.g., race, religion, political opinion, etc.)." Thus, we cannot say that the BIA erred in finding that Abdel has not suffered past persecution.
II. Well-Founded Fear of Future Persecution
In concluding that Abdel failed to demonstrate a well-founded fear of future persecution, the BIA noted that:
"If the government was interested in persecuting the respondent, they [sic] had ample opportunity when he was in their [sic] custody twice. Particularly the second time the respondent was in custody the government had full information about who he was and what he had done. Nevertheless, the government released him after a relatively short period of detention."
The BIA has apparently taken the position that, since Abdel was not — during his two episodes of detention and beating — mistreated to such a degree that his experiences would constitute "persecution", he should not fear persecution by the Sudanese government in the future. Without more, this reasoning by the BIA is unpersuasive. There is little reason to generally suppose that a government's past actions in this respect create an "outer limit" on its future actions. In fact, the evidence in the record suggests that the opposite is true in the present case; since the time of Abdel's second arrest, the Sudanese government has become even more active in this context. Abdel's mother, who still had her job at the time of Abdel's second arrest, was subsequently fired due to her religious beliefs. Also after the second arrest, Abdel's brother was detained and beaten, not because he participated in any civil protest, but because the Sudanese security forces wanted additional information regarding Abdel. The evidence further suggests that, while the government's involvement with Abdel in the past was reactive — reacting to public demonstrations in which he participated — the Sudanese government has now taken the initiative to locate Abdel for purposes as yet unknown. In addition, it is clear that the Sudanese government can be ruthless with regard to its own citizens. The United States Department of State Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1991 (February 1992) for Sudan indicate that the government has likely perpetrated any number of heinous atrocities against its citizenry. Twenty-five civilian residents of southern Sudan disappeared in 1991, purportedly the result of military executions relating to the civil war in that region. Id. at 378. Additionally, the State Department reports that persons suspected of activity against the Sudanese government have been whipped, clubbed, shocked with electricity, kicked in the ribs and kidneys, bound for long periods, boiled, and psychologically tortured. Id.
Responding to the evidence brought forward by Abdel, the BIA found that:
"The fact that unidentified people were asking questions about the respondent at his former work place does not show that the government may now be inclined to persecute him upon his return to Sudan. He was supposed to return to Sudan and his job there after a 3-month period of study in the United States. He does not alleged that the government has discovered any new facts about him which might change their interest in him."
This paragraph constitutes the BIA's complete analysis of the evidence introduced by Abdel pertaining to the developments which have occurred in Sudan since Abdel's departure to the United States. We do not require the BIA to specifically address every piece of evidence put before it, but, in the present case, the BIA has failed to address much of Abdel's key evidence in this respect. The BIA makes no mention of Abdel's testimony regarding the firing of his mother or the beating and questioning of his brother.
And, the asserted appearance of Abdel's name on a wanted list at the airport is not mentioned.
As the BIA found that Abdel did not have a well-founded fear of persecution, it is settled that we may not conclude that he did unless the evidence is "such that a reasonable factfinder would have to conclude that the requisite fear of persecution existed." INS v. Elias-Zacarias, 112 S.Ct. 812, 815 (1992). Nevertheless, we generally also review the BIA's decision "`procedurally' to ensure that the complaining alien has received full and fair consideration of all circumstances that give rise to his or her claims." Zamora-Garcia v. INS, 737 F.2d 488, 490 (5th Cir. 1984). While we do not require that the BIA address evidentiary minutiae or write any lengthy exegesis, Ramos v. INS, 695 F.2d 181, 189 (5th Cir. 1983), its decision must reflect meaningful consideration of the relevant substantial evidence supporting the alien's claims. Id. at 188. See also Diaz-Resendez v. INS, 960 F.2d 493, 495, 497-98 (5th Cir. 1992); Ganjour v. INS, 796 F.2d 832, 839 (5th Cir. 1986).
In a recent case involving an alien's appeal of a BIA decision denying his application for asylum, the Seventh Circuit recognized the petitioner's heavy burden on appeal in light of the Supreme Court's language in Elias-Zacarias. Sanon v. INS, 52 F.3d 648, 651 (7th Cir. 1995). Also recognizing the fact-sensitive nature of such cases, together with the general observation that appellate judges are often not experts in immigration or foreign affairs, the court noted its tendency to defer in such matters to the BIA. Nevertheless, the court observed that it must "require some proof that the Board has exercised its expertise in hearing a case." Id. After noting the BIA's failure to adequately consider the situation in Sanon's country — Burkina Faso — as well as Sanon's evidence that his family was afraid to contact him, the court held that the BIA should address these issues on remand. Id. at 651-52. In the present case, the BIA has likewise failed to expressly address the relevant conditions in Sudan and the experiences of Abdel's family members and co-workers since his departure for the United States. In Sanon, the Seventh Circuit held that, "Where an agency has failed to comply with its responsibilities, we should insist on its compliance rather than attempt to supplement its efforts." Id. at 652. We find this approach to be appropriate in the present case.
In concluding that Abdel failed to make the requisite showing that the Sudanese government had the ability to seek him out, the BIA found that:
"The respondent lived in the capital city of Sudan. He stated that he never lived in the southern part of the country. He stated that the southern part of the country is predominantly Christian. The respondent has the burden of showing he could not live in southern Sudan."
In support of its conclusion that Abdel had failed to make the requisite showing in this regard, the BIA cited Matter of R-, Interim Decision 3195 (BIA 1992), for the proposition that,
"[A]n alien seeking to meet the definition of a refugee must do more than show a well-founded fear of persecution in a particular place or abode within a country — he must show that the threat of persecution exists for him country-wide."
The BIA appears to have relied on the opinion of the immigration judge, who stated that Abdel "could probably live in safety in those sections of Sudan . . . where Christians constitute the majority of the particular community."
We hold that the BIA erred in finding no reasonable likelihood of persecution on the theory that Abdel could escape persecution by living in southern Sudan where Christians were in the majority. The immigration judge sua sponte reached the above conclusion — that Abdel could probably live in safety in southern Sudan — after the deportation hearing was concluded; the INS had not previously raised this issue and Abdel had no opportunity to address it during the hearing. Furthermore, there is no substantial evidence in the record to support the BIA's holding that Abdel failed to establish a likelihood of persecution on a country-wide basis. Abdel brought forward evidence that the NIF-dominated military government has consistently promoted an agenda for imposing the Islamic Shari'a laws on all Sudanese citizens, and that these efforts by the government have markedly increased religious intolerance and discrimination throughout Sudan. The INS has presented no evidence which might suggest that the efforts or influence of the present military government in Sudan are localized.
In his appeal of the immigration judge's ruling to the BIA, Abdel introduced evidence that the concentration of Sudan's Christian citizens in the southern part of the country explained why the civil war was raging in that region, also noting that the United States Department of State has characterized considerable portions the southern region of Sudan as "largely unpopulated and plagued by banditry". Country Reports, supra, at 376. These reports also observe that 4.5 million Sudanese have been displaced by the civil war in that nation. Id. Even if we were to agree that relocation to southern Sudan would free Abdel from persecution at the hands of Sudanese security forces, it seems unreasonable to expect him to make such a move under the present circumstances. In addition, nothing of record suggests that Abdel would be able to avoid flying back into Khartoum if he is deported; we suspect that Abdel's efforts to bypass Khartoum and travel directly to southern Sudan would be difficult, if not impossible.
The INS states twice in its brief to this Court that Abdel conceded the probability that he could live safely in the southern part of Sudan. This is inaccurate. The INS's citations in support of these statements are to the immigration judge's findings, not to any testimony given by Abdel.
The Ninth Circuit recently addressed the issue of whether a petitioner must prove that the persecution he faces is "country-wide" when the alleged "persecutor" is the national government. See Singh v. Moschorak, 53 F.3d 1031 (9th Cir. 1995). The petitioner in Singh was a Sikh who had been persecuted by the national Indian army in his home state of Punjab. The Ninth Circuit held that:
"[T]he district court remanded to the [BIA] to determine if Singh can `live safely in another region of India' distinct from his home. The district court apparently believed that Singh would not qualify for asylum if his persecution by India for political opinion was confined to the Punjab. Such is not the law . . . We have recognized that where there was a danger of persecution in a single village from guerillas who knew the petitioner, and no showing of such danger elsewhere in the country, the petitioner failed to establish eligibility for asylum. The [INS] argues by analogy that these cases control this case. But where the persecution is by the government of the nation no such distinction may be taken . . . It has never been thought that there are safe places within a nation when it is the nation's government that has engaged in the acts of punishing opinion that have driven the victim to leave the country." Id. at 1034 (citations omitted).
Without deciding whether we agree with the Ninth Circuit's ultimate reasoning and conclusions in Singh, we recognize that the Ninth Circuit properly allocated the parties' respective burdens in such a case. When a party seeking asylum demonstrates that a national government is the "persecutor," the burden should fall upon the INS to show that this government's persecutive actions are truly limited to a clearly delineated and limited locality and situation, so that the applicant for asylum therefore need not fear a likelihood of persecution elsewhere in the nation. The INS made no such showing in the present case. Moreover, that an alien (at least one whose residence in a country was in that part of it under the government's control) might be safe from persecution by the national government in other areas of the nation (such as those under rebellion) where the government's writ does not run, does not suffice to show that the alien lacks the requisite fear of persecution.
For the foregoing reasons, the Board of Immigration's order of deportation is VACATED, and the case is REMANDED for reconsideration consistent herewith.
VACATED and REMANDED


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Netupitant-palonosetron combo + dexamethasone may prevent chemo-induced nausea, vomiting
A single administration of the fixed-dose combination consisting of netupitant plus palonosetron (NEPA) in addition to dexamethasone may be an effective strategy for preventing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) among breast cancer patients receiving combination chemotherapy consisting of anthracycline and cyclophosphamide (AC), according to results from the GIM15-NEPA* trial presented at EBCC 2018.
A triple-drug combination consisting of an NK1RA**, a 5-HT3RA***, and dexamethasone is particularly recommended for breast cancer patients receiving AC-based chemotherapy to prevent CINV, which is likely to occur following chemotherapy due to the highly emetogenic nature of the agents used, noted the researchers.
NEPA is the first oral combination antiemetic that fulfils this requirement for the prevention of acute and delayed CINV as it consists of the highly selective NK1RA netupitant, and the 5-HT3RA palonosetron, said the researchers.
This open-label, multicentre study evaluated the efficacy of oral NEPA and dexamethasone 12 mg on 146 breast cancer patients undergoing AC-based chemotherapy. The antiemetic agents were administered on day 1 before each AC chemotherapy commenced, for a maximum of four cycles. The primary endpoint was the achievement of a complete response (CR), which pertains to the lack of emetic episode as well as the nonuse of rescue medication during the overall phase (0–120 hours) after the four cycles of chemotherapy. [EBCC-11, abstract PB-110]
The primary endpoint was achieved throughout all cycles (overall CR, 0.705, 90 percent confidence limit [CL], 0.641–0.769 for the first and second cycles; 0.724, 90 percent CL, 0.662–0.787 and 0.705, 90 percent CL, 0.642–0.770 for the third and fourth cycles, respectively).
NEPA was also well-tolerated, and most adverse events (AEs) were mild to moderate in intensity, which is consistent with the SmPC#-documented safety profile of NEPA, noted the researchers. The most common drug-related AE was fatigue (3.4 percent), followed by anaemia (2.7 percent), headache (2.1 percent), and reduction in neutrophil count (1.4 percent).
"[T]his study [demonstrated] a clinically relevant efficacy of one-day NEPA plus dexamethasone in preventing [CINV] during the entire period of … AC-based chemotherapy," said the researchers.
These findings are consistent with evidence highlighting NEPA as a convenient, safe, and effective prophylactic antiemetic therapy for CINV, given its potential to target two antiemetic pathways with only a single dose. [Support Care Cancer 2018;26:1151-1159]

subset: commoncrawl


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Spatio-temporal Approaches presents a well-built set of concepts, methods and approaches, in order to represent and understand the evolution of social and environmental phenomena within the space. It is basedon examples in human geography and archeology (which will enable us to explore questions regarding various temporalities) and tackles social and environmental phenomena. Chapter 1 discusses how to apprehend change: objects, attributes, relations, processes.Chapter 2 introduces multiple points of view about modeling and the authors try to shed a new light on the different, but complementary approaches of geomaticians and thematicians. Chapter 3 is devoted to the construction of spatio-temporal indicators, to various measurements of the change, while highlighting the advantage of an approach crossing several points of view, in order to understand the phenomenon at hand. Chapter 4 presents different categories of simulation model in line with complexity sciences. These models rely notably on the concepts of emergence and self-organization and allow us to highlight the roles of interaction within change. Chapter 5 provides ideas on research concerning the various construction approaches of hybrid objects and model couplings.
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I had expected to have several more sessions with DJ in order to continue our post-transition work. However, we met on only two other occasions to discuss his career development path, and then he felt he no longer needed to return.
In the fall of 1998 Paul began experiencing increased allergic reactions. It was unclear whether this was due to his ingestion of milk products, or whether he had developed new allergies. He tried using hypnosis to control his allergic reactions, which usually involved mild breathing difficulties, but was unsuccessful. I urged him to visit his allergist again.
Paul reported that his allergist strongly advised him to be very careful not to eat food products which Paul or his family did not prepare for him. If Paul wanted to eat at a restaurant, the allergist recommended that Paul scratch his skin with a small amount of the food he was about to eat, to see whether he was allergic to it. Paul did not like this idea at all, because he complained that testing himself before eating made him feel so very different from his peers.
So I came up with an idea. "Why don't you use hypnosis to change the taste of the foods you are eating, so that you can imagine you are eating great food even as you are eating the bland food you have prepared for yourself?"
Paul liked this idea and together we practiced having him change the taste of foods. He learned to change the taste of water to that of a soft drink, and the taste of white bread to that of a turkey sandwich with mustard.
While Paul was hypnotized, he usually moved sluggishly and spoke in a soft voice. We decided that if he was going to use his ability to change foods in a social situation that he would need to learn to act as if he was not hypnotized even while he was doing hypnosis. Therefore, we worked on a couple of occasions to teach Paul how to "act normally" while he was doing hypnosis. He then practiced this at home. He reported that he ate a few meals with his family while in hypnosis, and they appeared to be unaware of anything unusual in his behavior.
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I had expected to have several more sessions with DJ in order to continue our post-transition work. However, we met on only two other occasions to discuss his career development path, and then he felt he no longer needed to return.
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The amazing events with DJ reinforced ideas and feelings about life that I had been developing for a couple of decades. Thus far I have shared how my involvement with the world of medicine helped instruct me about how life can work.
During the following two weeks until DJ's next appointment with me, I kept thinking about the remarkable lessons that DJ and his subconscious were teaching.
DJ brought a copy of "Dharma Bums" to his next visit with me two weeks later. "You were right!" he exclaimed. "The part about the paths was not in the book."


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Following on from our blog about mandatory client money protection being introduced for agents, Northwood is pleased, once again, to lend its support to "SAFEagent Awareness Week" 2018, which is taking place all this week across social media.
SAFEagent is the campaign that encourages consumers – tenants and landlords – to only let through an agent who has recognised client money protection in place.
All registered SAFEagents get involved in the Week as well as supplier supporters of the campaign, industry and consumer organisations. The participants in the campaign all use their social media streams to create awareness of the issue of client money protection and encourage consumers to look for the SAFEagent kite mark.
This is the seventh year of the campaign, and likely to be the last as mandatory client money protection is coming into force on 1st April 2019.
However, until then, consumers' money is still at risk!
John Midgley, Chair of the SAFEagent Steering Group, says:
"SAFEagent's original aim – to make it mandatory for all agents be part of a client money protection scheme is finally close to becoming reality. Over the past seven years the agents who got behind the SAFEagent campaign have been instrumental in getting us to this stage. They should quite rightly be proud they have been the standard bearers for this important protection for tenants and landlords' money.
"As the requirement doesn't come in until April 2019, we'll continue to raise awareness with consumers, reminding them to vote with their feet, and only use an agent who can offer them financial protection now."
All Northwood agents have client money protection in place, giving our landlords and tenants complete peace of mind over letting through us.
Here is a reprise of an interview with our M.D. Eric Walker from 2016, where he talks about the history and importance of the campaign as it celebrated its 5th birthday:
Clearly, SAFEagent has had a significant impact on protecting consumers in the private rented sector and even influenced government policy.
Northwood thanks all involved in the campaign for playing their part in making the private rented sector a safer place and standing for consumer protection.
Find your nearest Northwood office >>> here.
Northwood is one of the largest and most recognised estate agents in the U.K. and the leading supplier of Guaranteed Rent to give landlords complete peace of mind.
Find us on Twitter @northwoodUK or visit our YouTube Channel.


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Dorchester DT2 9PW
Round 3 of the Rotax British Kart Championship 2020 comes to Clay Pigeon
The Clay Pigeon Kart Circuit was founded in the late 1950's early 1960's on a disused Second World War Military Hospital site. The original track was built by joining the hut (ward) concrete bases together with tarmac to make a 500 metre track. The Blandford Karting Club was formed and a Royal Automobile Club Permit was obtained and the first 'official' race took place on Sunday, 5th May 1963. The circuit has now become a seven day a week business organising Arrive and Drive Sessions, Corporate Race Events and hosting most major championships that tour Britain. Recently Chelborough Ltd. (the circuit owners) has come under the control of Southern Counties Leisure who now own all the leisure facilities surrounding this circuit.


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Review of Anadrole and Anadrol 50 – WHAT IS IT?
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- Outstanding alternate to sex hormone, Anadrol.
- Anadrole is legal and delivered with none health policy rules and laws.
- Results begin to seem at intervals 15 days.
- Fast retrieval.
- Huge pumps.
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Who will use?
The main purpose of this steroid different is to create muscle mass and increase strength that is why it's principal men who use this supplement. But it also can be utilized by feminine bodybuilders additionally.
Important instructions:
Always use dosage according to given instructions with the product. In case you are suffering from any disease or disorder, do not use this. And also in case you are on the medication process, avoid using this or try to consult to your physician first.


text: Leave it to Kate Spade and Magnolia Bakery to team up and create one of the sweetest collaborations we've seen in a long time. The designer brand and the bakery have brought us a line of accessories including favorites like their Magnolia bakery cupcake purse, Magnolia Bakery Mini Cupcake pendant, and, of course, the Magnolia Bakery banana pudding container cross-body bag—that we didn't even know we needed…until now. Like everything sweet in life, this collection won't last! Read more


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The UAN is a Universal Account Number with is a 12-digit pin prearranged to each member of Employee Provident Fund, EPF. The number if issued by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India. The number lets the employee connect his PF across organisations.
The UAN has enabled smooth functioning and easy tracking of the PF for EPFO as well as the account holders. It helps the EPFO to track the changes in jobs for every employee. On a change of the job, the employee can link a new PF account with the UAN number.
Thus, the EPFO can keep track of updated information of where the person is currently employed. Further, the UAN allows people to make excessive EPF withdrawals on switching jobs. Let us consider the benefits in detail:
The UAN number is a huge benefit for the employees for a number of reasons. There is no interference of employer in PF withdrawals. Further, there is no need to transfer funds while changing jobs.
SMS alerts make it easy to manage the fund's account. The UAN number lastly enhances the effectiveness of employee pension scheme and benefits the employee in regards to taxes and future savings.
Akshar Blue Chip IT Park, 703, Thane - Belapur Rd, Turbhe, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra 400705
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Mixing Board Simulator Software
The 3D circuit board simulator is a project based on 3D engine to make simple circuit boards. This simulator should give everyone insight in how circuit boards works, even for children.
- 3D Circuit board simulator
- playshiva
- Freeware (Free)
- Windows
MicroSim is a handy, small, Java based tool specially designed to offer users a micro-controller based Digital Input/output board simulator. This tool was developed based on 8-bit PIC18F4520 from Microchip. for WindowsAll. ...
- MicroSim.jar
- School of Electrical and Electronics Eng
- Freeware (Free)
- WindowsAll
DJ Mixer Professional for Mac is the leading-edge DJ software for mixing audio, music, video, and karaoke. This software will satisfy the expectations of professional DJs who need a powerful and reliable DJ mixing tool.
- DJMixerPro3.zip
- DJMixerSoft.com
- Shareware ($119.95)
- 17.55 Mb
- Mac OS X
WaVeSim (Water Vehicle Simulator) is a simulation environment to test water vehicles' on-board software. It simulates surface and underwater vehicles' dynamics and acoustic signal propagation. Virtual sensors and 3D visualization system are. ...
- WaVeSim - Water Vehicle Simulator
- wavesim
- Freeware (Free)
- 63 Kb
- Linux
A Battle Simulator for the Axis & Allies series of board games. A Battle Simulator for the Axis & Allies series of board games..
- Axis & Allies Battle Simulator
- Justyn Hunter
- Freeware (Free)
- Windows
The Motorola 68HC11 is a popular microcontroller and several evaluation boards are available (including Motorola's original board, known as the EVBU) for exploring the capabilities of this microcontroller. This software is a 68HC11 simulator that ...
- EVBU -- An Open Source 68HC11 Simulator
- Qichang Liang
- Freeware (Free)
- Windows
The MPS Simulator project is an effort to create a virtual machine for different CPUs and different board configurations especially for the embedded sector..
- MPS Simulator
- Andy Schmidt
- Freeware (Free)
- Windows
Create and offer Web Message Boards. No Scripting, No HTML required. Just install the Post-A-Board server and run it alongside your current Web Server - or on its own. Control Panel-driven Web interface lets you create Public and Private Boards.
- apostbrd.exe
- Viable Software Alternatives
- Freeware (Free)
- 3.4 Mb
- Win95, Win98, WinME, WinXP, WinNT 4.x, Windows2000
Simulator is ideal to debug short programs, and to study assembly language programming as part of computer science course. Freeware.
- emulator.zip
- Simulation Soft
- Freeware ($)
- 894 Kb
- Win95, Win98, WinME, WinNT 4.x, Windows2000, WinXP, Windows2003
2003 WHOS-IN is a professional in-out board program for Windows that allows everyone on your Local Area Network (especially your receptionist) know where everyone else is. With WI2003 there is no time wasted checking a wall-mounted Office Board.
- whosin.exe
- Hudson Software
- Shareware ($66.00)
- 9.07 Mb
- Win98, WinME, WinNT 3.x, WinNT 4.x, Windows2000, WinXP
RouterSim Network Visualizer 4.0 is a CCNA network simulator that allows you to design, build and configure your own network with drag and drop design. Use unlimited devices, 432 commands and work with 233 supported labs in building your networks.
- NetVis4_Demo.exe
- RouterSim, LLC
- Demo ($199.00)
- 32 Mb
- Win98, WinME, WinNT 4.x, Windows2000, WinXP
Drawing Board ActiveX Control acts as a drawing board for creating online drawing programs rapidly. The OCX is lightweight and flexible, and gives developers new possibilities for drawing flowcharts, organizational charts, workflow, network diagrams.
- EDImageCtrl.exe
- Any Draw
- Shareware ($299.95)
- 1.52 Mb
- Win 3.1x, WinXP, Windows2000, Windows2003
Related: Mixing Board Simulator - Yamaha Mixing Board - Free Mixing Board - Mixing Board Basic - Audio Mixing Board


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GuildWiki has been locked down: anonymous editing and account creation are disabled. Current registered users are unaffected. Leave any comments on the Community Portal.
Category:Sunward Marches
This is a list of the creatures and people located in Sunward Marches.
Pages in category "Sunward Marches"
The following 21 pages are in this category, out of 21 total.


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Reviews by category
The Hanging Gardens
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Developed by Suricate Games, Babylonia belongs to the Match-3 genre. This game takes you back to a time in the dim and distant past when King Nebuchadnezzar ruled the grand city and kingdom of Babylon. It was on his orders that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were created. These Gardens were given, as a gift, to Nebuchadnezzar beloved wife, Amyitis. The construction of the Hanging Gardens delighted the goddess Ishtar who was impressed by the splendour of this artificial oasis.
Unfortunately, as time went by, Nebuchadnezzar became more interested in making conquests to widen his kingdom. As a result the Hanging Gardens were neglected and fell into ruin. This fall from grace upset Ishtar so much that she punished the King by inflicting a series of cataclysmic earthquakes and swarms of pests on the land. The once wondrous gardens faded into the shadows of ancient history. Now you have the opportunity to restore the Gardens to their former glory through the completion of numerous Match-3 grids in the game of Babylonia.
Prior to venturing into the game of Babylonia, you can create profiles for individual players. These profiles will hold the progress of the player and contain the volume levels for music, sound effects and ambience. You also have the choice of playing the game in full screen or windows mode.
The game of Babylonia uses familiar style grids filled with tiles embossed with symbols that are appropriate to the game's garden subject matter. You need to create groups of three or more matches of similar tiles by transposing two adjacent tiles. The matched tiles then disappear and are replaced by other tiles falling downwards while any underlying elements, such as chains or coloured areas that might be there, are removed.
One final task will need to be completed at the end of each grid. An amulet will appear at the top of the grid. You will need to manipulate this amulet to the bottom of the grid by removing all the tiles that are supporting it.
Along with different coloured flower symbols, coins of various value will appear from time to time. Once clicked on, these coins will then be added to the resources you build up to complete various tasks such as rebuilding the structure of the Gardens and any replanting and care of the flowers populating the grounds. These actions become available at the conclusion of each grid when you will also have access to the game's Shop facility. Items available from the Shop include a Spell Book, Gamble Box and a Treasure Chest for holding your resources.
As you complete the various grids you can earn yourself some helpful tools. By creating a match of four tiles, you get a rainbow flower which acts in wildcard mode and can be used to create a matched group. If you manage to create a matched group made up of five tiles then your reward will be a Helix. This particular tool, once activated with a mouse click, will remove all the tiles that share its row. You can also build up a hammer tool which, depending upon its current strength it has built up, can remove either a single tile or all the tiles bearing a similar symbol.
Although most of the action in this game might appear to involve the various Match-3 grid play, you do need to keep a close watch on the restoration of the Hanging Gardens aspect which is the whole point of the game. Remember Ishtar, the goddess, and how she reacted when Nebuchadnezzar neglected the Gardens? You quickly learn that she is a hard task master when it comes to the condition of her beloved Hanging Gardens. If Ishtar is displeased with the progress of the condition of the Hanging Gardens then her anger will take over and she will destroy elements that have only just been added to the structure. You also need to ensure any flowers planted are well cared for with the application of plenty of water and pesticides otherwise they will die and upset Ishtar.
I found this aspect of the game to be rather annoying. It forced me to change the way I would normally tackle such a game. Rather than building up my resources for a big splurge of development, I was forced to make more minor regular contributions to the redevelopment of the Gardens in order to keep Ishtar happy. However this aspect did make Babylonia a more challenging title than other games in this genre.
My copy of the game was downloaded from Gamehouse.com where it is available for $9.99. System requirements call for a 600MHz processor with 512MB of RAM and 52MB of hard disk space running Windows XP and later.
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Riverbear/ Gordon
Riverbear built his first guitar at age 14. When he was 17 he had his own established playing style, having taught himself by ear, following the likes of popular music in the 70s. Riverbear fell in love with Poco, Eagles, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and others. By then, he was able to hear a song and pick up his guitar and play along adding his own leads. At 19, Riverbear began his thirty-seven-year career with a major aerospace company but that did not slow him down. He would come home after long shifts and write his own songs and music. He recruited a couple of friends who were also musicians, located some recording equipment - 4 track recorder (this was rather high tech in those days) and produced several albums on cassette tape. He even got a little radio play! In the early, to mid-1980s Riverbear's career had picked up steam and he had married and started a family. Eventually, he was too busy to play, much less record, his music. He put away his guitar and spent the next 15 years focusing on work and home. Riverbear did not forget his dreams. Early in the new millennium, Riverbear found himself single once again. By this time he had reached his peak in his career and was beginning to think about making music again. The time still wasn't quite right but he chewed on these thoughts for a while. Riverbear re-married in 2006 and his new wife was wildly supportive of his creativity, encouraging him to play every day and even nudged him to attend open mics at some local music venues. He wasn't finished with his career just yet but had realized he could make time for all this, and besides, soon he would be able to think about his retirement! The possibilities! In 2014 Riverbear was finally able to leave his career behind. His hard work over those thirty-seven years made it possible for him to officially retire at 55 years young. Oh, the possibilities! The next couple of years were spent gradually moving to a smaller town in his state and get out the big city rat race. Now, Riverbear could build his in-home studio. This was comparatively easy as he had already acquired most of the equipment and instruments he could want. He spent some time putting it all together and began…. What you will find here on CD Baby are the products of Riverbear's creations over the last nearly 40 years. We hope you enjoy!


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What is Planning?
In simple terms, town planning is a process that establishes a vision through clearly defined goals and images, which lead to better decision making by examining important factors affecting new development including the following: location, slope of land, street access, soils, environment, the ability to provide services, and the amount of development a community can hold. Planning helps determine ideal places such as Town Centers, neighborhoods, and locations for employment. The Town uses planning to guide smart investments. Using effective planning reduces costs of vital services and saves the town money.
What is Zoning?
Zoning takes the visions of the adopted town plan and assist owners and developers of properties by making their projects possible while maintaining harmony with other neighboring properties and the overall community. For example, homes are typically zoned in a residential class, farms in agriculture, and businesses in commercial. Zoning protects your home from the intensity of business and industry. Zoning can also protect opportunities for jobs from being lost due to improper sight selection for residential development. That said, these places (homes and businesses) all have a right to exist together within the Town of Midland.
Midland Planning, Zoning & Subdivision Administrator
Kassie Watts, AICP, CZO (available 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday)
[email protected]
704-888-2232 ext. 17
Planning Clerk (available on Tuesdays and Thursdays)
Hilda Keeney
[email protected]
704-888-2232 ext. 14
Town Engineer (available on Tuesdays and Thursdays)
Richard McMillan, PE
[email protected]
704-888-2232 ext. 18
Midland Code Administration Services
Midland Code Administrator
Kassie Watts, AICP, CZO (available 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday)
704-888-2232 ext. 17
[email protected]


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Fl. star-shaped, 45 mm wide, facing up; perianth segments narrowly ovate, acute, vivid yellow, spreading, twisted, with margins wavy, smooth and of heavy substance, overlapping at base only; the inner segments narrower; corona cylindrical, yellow-orange, mouth expanded and frilled, rim flanged and deeply notched. Sunproof. Sweetly scented
Little Liz, 1 Y-O, Walter J.M. Blom, United States, 1998, United States
Photo: Tom Stettner, USA


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Free Stuff in North Pomfret, VT
(updated October 23, 2020 at 7:16 pm EST)
- Free Nespresso Coffee Pods (Capsules)
- Free LED Booklight
- Awake America Bumper Stickers
- Personalized Labels - Woodford Reserve
- Up To 3 Free Samples Of Your Choice Of Holiday Card From Their Catalog! Select A Card, Then Click "Free Sample" Button. You Can Also Customize Them. Sample Cards Do Not Come With Envelopes.
- The Voice In His Head- FREE FOR A LIMITED TIME (UNTIL 10/31 ) URBAN FANTASY NOVEL
- Complete The Registration Form To Claim Your Free Amorepacific Vintage Single Extract Essence Deluxe 5ml Sample
- Free Catheter SpeediCath Compact Sample
- Tom Ford Black Orchid Parfum Sample
- Download And Register For McDonald's App And Get Your Choice Of A Sausage McMuffin® With Egg, A McChicken® Or A Cheeseburger Free!
- Pampers Club - Get Your Free Pampers Sample Kit, Which Includes Newborn-size Diapers, Wipes, And Coupons! Not Eligible If You Have Already Received A Pampers Sample In The Past 5 Months.
- Get A Free 20 Oz Bottle Of Casey's Soda On Wednesday, October 21.
- Big Lots Rewards Members Get A FREE Bag Of Peppermint Candy Puffs (4oz) Valid Thru 10/25
- Free "JIFFY" Mix Recipe Book
- Request A FREE Sample Of BOOST COMPLETE Chocolate Oats & Flaxseed Meal Replacement Powder! Allow 4 – 10 Weeks For Delivery
- 2021 Calendar Sample Kit
- Free Sample Of Minéral 89
- Free Samples On Depend® Products For Men And Women. Other Countries In The Comment
- Sign Up To Receive A Free SkinCeuticals Serum Sample!
- Download The UNIQLO App And Register By Oct 25. You Will Receive A Coupon For A Free HeatTech Top ($14.9 Value) Valid In Stores Only Starting October 26
- General Shale 2021 Calendar
- Get One Free Just Because Card Every Month At Participating Hallmark Gold Crown Stores Through 12/31. A New Coupon Will Arrive In Your Inbox With Your Crown Rewards Monthly Statement.
- 2021 Milk Calendar (BC Link) PLEASE READ COMMENTS FOR YOUR PROVINCE
- Get A Sample Of La Roche Posay Toleriane Ultra Cream
- Free HBO Max Voter Kit(Mask,stickers...etc)
- Free KIND Energy Bar! (First 50,000)
- Brava Barrier Cream Sample
- Boo Avenue At Target From 10am To 1pm On Halloween
- If Your Child Is Between The Ages Of 5 And 9, You Can Get Them A FREE Subscription To The LEGO Life Magazine. Free Shipping And Delivered 4 Times A Year. You Can Also Download PDF
- SkinCeuticals Sample
This is the list of freebies you can potentially get in North Pomfret, VT.
Please don't hold your breath that you'll get it all. Companies are often have limited quantities of items to give away. So move fast, click, and request while it's fresh.
If you requested some free stuff before and haven't got it in a month or two, politely write to a company and ask what happened. They often re-send free samples if you ask.
Please note: we only provide links to other websites. We don't send out any freebies.


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There was really only one place I thought of going for our honeymoon and luckily Michael agreed with me, we were going to Bali! I felt it would give us a great mix of relaxation, fun activities and adventure and it certainly did! After months of scrolling through #Bali on Instagram and adding to my Honeymoon Planning Google Doc, the planning was complete, everything was booked and all that was left was to experience the trip of a lifetime.
We spent 11 days exploring in and around Bali, staying in Canggu, Nusa Lembongan, Gili Air and Ubud, with a day trip to Nusa Penida thrown in for good measure. Our trip started quite slow, with us exploring and eating our way around Canggu and ramped up by the time we got to Ubud with lots of road trips and sightseeing packed in.
If you're planning a trip to Bali of your own, I hope this post will help you. I've shared our itinerary, where we stayed, what we did and where we ate because if Bali delivers on anything, it's beautiful accommodation, tonnes of sightseeing and more delicious, Instaworthy meals than you can physically eat.
Days 1-3: Canggu, Bali
Canggu and Seminyak are always talked about whenever I read other people's travel blogs and guides to Bali. They sounded like they were THE places to be. I'd read that Canggu was a more laidback version of Seminyak, so it sounded like the right place for us. We loved Canggu, but I think it's a little over-hyped I'm sad to say. At first, the masses of scooters on the roads are a little overwhelming and there's not that much to do in terms of sightseeing. However, I'd say Canggu is definitely worth a visit, I just think my expectations were heightened by all the Instagram posts. If you want to surf, get the perfect Instagram pic at trendy cafes and/or meet other travellers, then you'll love Canggu.
Where we stayed
We stayed in Villa Lua, which we booked via Airbnb. Villa Lua is a 3 bedroom villa, but we booked the whole place to ourselves. I loved the white interior and the pool and garden area was cute. Unfortunately, the lovely hanging chair was taken away to be repaired and the white sunbeds needed cleaning. We weren't given a padlock or anything to lock the main gate and on our second day, our room was broken into and our money was stolen. Michael and I decided not to let this ruin the rest of our honeymoon and it didn't – thank God for savings and travel insurance!! I don't recommend staying at Villa Lua for obvious reasons, but there are so many beautiful villas on Airbnb and the best ones do get booked early, so be quick.
What we did
Canggu is the place to go to eat at insta-worthy cafes, get pampered with massages and watch the sunset by the beach, which is exactly what we did! If you love surfing, Canggu is perfect for that. The roads are busy with loads of scooters, which are the best way to get around, but we were fine just walking everywhere. We mostly ate to be honest, which is why the 'Where we ate' section below is so big! We also spent time walking along the beach at sunset, getting pampered at Spring Spa (which we loved! The place is beautiful and the staff are lovely – 540k IDR for a 60min couple's massage) and heading out for drinks at Old Man's by the beach and Pretty Poison, a bar with a skate ramp in the middle, pretty cool! We thought we'd head to Seminyak for a day and head to Motel Mexicola for dinner and drinks, but we decided to stay in Canggu. There's not much to do in terms of sightseeing in Canggu itself, but it is a good base for a lot of day trips/tours.
Where we ate
Our favourite breakfast/brunch spot was Crate, so good we went twice. It was always busy and the queue can be off-putting at first glance, but it moved quickly and we never had a problem finding a seat. The portions are big, prices are great and the view over rice terraces is lovely. I highly recommend the Chik Chik Boom Super Bowl salad which was huge and delicious and Michael vouches for the Brekkie Plate and Shregg. The smoothies looked incredible too, but we were always too full to try one. The Loft was also a great spot. It looked a lot smaller from the outside, but the interior is lovely and the food is great. The Tacos 3 ways were incredible and I wish I'd gone back to try the waffles. Warung Bu Mi was perfect for trying the local food. You can get a plate of rice and fill it with whatever you choose from the selection on display for just a couple of pounds. The Lawn is a great spot to watch the sunset by the beach whilst having dinner or drinks, with a lovely interior and great music. It is pricey for Bali (710k for a starter, 2 mains, 2 alcoholic drinks and water), but still cheaper than dinner in the UK. You can book a daybed and spend most of the day here as it overlooks the beach and has its own pool, but we just went for dinner at sunset. We also went to Luigis Hot Pizza which has delicious pizza, a great vibe and the friendliest staff. Other honourable mentions that we didn't have time for are Motion Cafe, The Shady Shack, Cafe Organic, The Avocado Factory and La Brisa.
Day 4: Nusa Penida & Nusa Lembongan
We booked a day trip to Nusa Penida with Route X (150k IDR), who arranged our pick-up from our villa in Canggu and saw us on to the boat at the Sanur port. From there we were picked up in Nusa Penida by our private driver Wayan, who was super sweet but unfortunately didn't speak much English. The roads in Nusa Penida are very broken, so I highly recommend getting a driver, unless you're very confident on a scooter to go by yourself. I think Nusa Penida is definitely worth a visit for the sights alone.
What we did
We did the West tour, which included Crystal Bay, Kelingking, Broken Beach and Angel's Billabong. All four sights were beautiful, though a little marred by the number of tourists. Of course, we can't complain as we're tourists just adding to the numbers! Kelingking was the worst of the four, as it was a relatively small cliff edge with everyone waiting to sit in the same spot and get the same picture, but it moved quickly. If you want to head down to the beach, which looked like paradise from above, just be warned I've read it takes about 45 minutes to an hour to get down, and even longer to climb back up. Crystal Bay was lovely and Michael and I just played around in the sea for ages, then found this beautiful row of palm trees which no one else seemed to know about. I found the cliff edges just past Broken Beach strangely calming, just watching the waves crash below. In the middle of our tour, our driver Wayan took us to a Warung for lunch, but we found out lunch wasn't included in our tour with Route X, although it is included with a lot of other tours, so just double-check that when booking.
Where we stayed
After Nusa Penida, we caught a boat to Nusa Lembongan just to stay one night before heading to Gili Air. Our driver Wayan took us to the port on Nusa Penida and we booked our boat to Nusa Lembongan there and then (50k IDR). We didn't get to see much of Nusa Lembongan arrived after dark, but I'm told it's beautiful. We stayed at Sari Nusa Inn which was super cheap and had everything we needed for one night, but I didn't realise it was the opposite side of the island to where we'd get the boat to Gili Air. I wish we'd stayed at Dream Beach Huts instead, which look beautiful, are by the beach and are closer to where we caught the boat next to the yellow bridge. We booked our boat to Gili Air through Sari Nusa Inn (400k IDR each) and the boat was Eka Jaya. We were collected on a small boat and transferred to the big Eka Jaya boat on a large floating platform. The service was slick, the boat was modern and the ride was smooth, I highly recommend Eka Jaya.
Days 5-7: Gili Air
Where do I start with Gili Air? It looked and felt like paradise! There are no vehicles allowed on the island, apart from bicycles and horses, although I hear that the horses aren't treated the best so we avoided using them. The beaches are beautiful, the water is so clear and the perfect place to go snorkelling, and the people are just lovely. I wish we'd spent less time in Canggu and more time in Gili Air! There are three islands close together, Gili Trawangan which is known as the party island and the bigger of the three, Gili Meno which is the quieter, honeymooners island, and Gili Air which is a mix of the two. I highly, highly recommend this beautiful tiny island for your stay.
Where we stayed
We absolutely loved where we stayed, which was Gili Air Escape. When we arrived at the port, we just walked to Gili Air Escape instead of using the horses and it was only about a 15-minute walk in a relatively straight line. We had our own bungalow and I thought it would be cute but basic inside and it absolutely wasn't basic! I loved the bathroom and open-air shower and the bed was so comfortable. It was just gorgeous and we definitely recommend staying here! We would stay at Gili Air Escape again if we were to go back to Gili Air. The pool is communal but a good size and great to lounge beside, but we actually didn't use it as we spent our time in and beside the sea instead. If you're looking for something a bit more private, then I recommend checking out Slow Villas which have private pools and also a spa.
What we did
We hired bicycles from Gili Air Escape and cycled around the entire island to explore. I loved seeing the island this way, although cycling on soft sand is next to impossible! We found a place hiring out snorkelling gear, so we decided to practice. I've never snorkelled before because well, I can't swim! Michael and I stuck close to the shoreline so that I could still stand up if I ever got in a panic and I just practised breathing. The next day we booked onto a snorkelling trip and I made it clear to them that I can't swim, so they gave me a life jacket. I can't remember who we booked with, but they were just down from Blue Marine Dive along the beach and were fantastic. The trip was really cheap and included snorkelling in spots near all three of the Gili islands and we stopped at Gili Meno for lunch too. Snorkelling was incredible!! I've only swum in the open sea once because like I said, I can't swim, so looking down at all the fish was amazing!! We even got to swim with turtles which was incredible, they're so majestic. On top of that, we stopped at the underwater statues. We were there around midday and there were many other boats with lots of people snorkelling to see the statues so it was very busy. If you want those Instagram-worthy shots of just you and the statues then hire a private boat and go early in the morning, otherwise you'll have many other tourists in your photos.
Where we ate
We loved Pachamama Organic Cafe and would have eaten there more times if it wasn't closed on Sundays. The decor was a chilled boho beachy vibe, the music was great and the food was delicious! Most of the menu was vegetarian, with lots of vegan options but Michael and I managed to choose pretty much the only meat options on the menu. He went for the Pachamama Burger and I had the Spiced Beef Bowl and we were very happy customers. We also stopped by Coffee & Thyme which was right by the port and had the best iced coffees and banana bread. We had dinner one night at Mowie's and I absolutely loved the Chicken Katsu Burger. We also made use of the happy hour at Lucky's Bar, sipping cocktails on bean bags on the beach at night, looking up at the stars and listening to the calming waves – dreamy. Our favourite spot was PinkCoco, so much so we went there twice. Once for dinner and another time for drinks as we sat on the beach watching the sunset.
Days 8-11: Ubud, Bali
To me, Ubud is the heart of Bali with so much greenery everywhere, from the rice terraces to the forests and the hidden waterfalls. Ubud is a must-visit for any trip to Bali in my opinion. It's also a great base to explore further afield with excursions and trips, whether on your own or with a driver. I would have loved to spend longer in Ubud, especially because I was ill with 'Bali Belly' on one of the days which meant I didn't get to spend much time in Ubud itself. If we're ever lucky enough to go back to Bali, I'd definitely want to explore more of Ubud.
Where we stayed
We splurged a bit with our last hotel and I'm glad we did! Tejaprana Resort & Spa was stunning and the staff made us feel so special. We booked the Valley View room, which gave us uninterrupted views of the forest from our private balcony and plunge pool. On our first
What we did
We crammed a lot into the few days we had in Ubud, a hell of a lot! So instead of keeping this section as one paragraph, I'll break it down into the different activities we did. We booked our own private drivers with RouteX Bali, who helped us create an itinerary to visit all the places we wanted to see. We also booked our sunrise Mount Batur hike with RouteX.
Tegalalang Rice Terraces
I'd seen so many pictures of the Tegalalang Rice Terraces on Instagram and if you get there at sunrise/sunset or if you have a drone you can get some seriously stunning photos! First, we queued up to use the infamous swings. We didn't have long to wait as the Balinese run a slick operation and man the swings were fun!! I've loved swings since I was a child and this was something else, swinging high into the sky above the treetops. It felt so freeing. That is until they turn you around so you're backwards, and hoist you up so that the swing is even greater – my stomach was doing backflips!
Then we head down into the rice terraces. Don't wear fancy shoes here as it can be quite muddy and if you take a wrong step you'll end up in the rice and water. It can be a little tricky to get down, but nothing too difficult, and if you pass through several farmer's terraces it is custom to offer a small tip. The terraces are beautiful and like nothing I'd seen before.
Coffee Tasting
After the rice
Elephant Sanctuary
Michael had never seen an elephant in person before and I'd never been this close to them and man, they are majestic creatures. You can't
Mount Batur Climb
On our second day in Ubud, we had a lot planned but I woke up in the night with 'Bali Belly' and so we cancelled our plans and I spent the whole day in our hotel room resting. Not ideal for our honeymoon! However, that night, after I'd been in bed all day and not eaten, our RouteX driver picked us up around midnight and we headed to Mount Batur. I'm sure the climb up the mountain is difficult at the best of times but in my condition, I found it very hard. Luckily it was just Michael and
Pura Lempuyang & Tirta Gangga Temples
We head to Pura Lempuyang straight from Mount Batur so we were there in the morning, yet we still had to queue for over an hour. The Temple itself is vast and spread out over miles, so give yourself a few hours if you wish to explore the whole area. However, most people just go to the 'gates of Heaven' which is what you can see in our pictures above. Because of this, there is a queuing system whilst us tourists take it in turns to stand in the middle of the gates and the Balinese workers take your phone to create the pictures you see on Instagram. I absolutely love the pictures that we got, but having to stand around for an hour in the heat did make us question whether it was worth it and to many people, it probably isn't. We went on a cloudy day, but if you go on a clear day you can see the peak of a mountain between the gates and if you go at sunrise, your pictures will be stunning!
Tirta Gangga is a short drive from Pura Lempuyang and is beautiful, however there were a lot of people by the time we got there, so we had to be clever about framing our pictures to avoid the crowds in the background. The Koi fish are huge and there are stalls outside the temple selling food if you want the fish to come up to you. The temple has several fountains and pools in the gardens which are lovely so do walk around if you go.
Goa Gajah Temple
I'd seen lots of pictures of Goa Gajah online when we were planning our Bali honeymoon, so I knew what to expect in terms of the Temple but I had no idea there were these beautiful gardens just behind it. Don't just stop at the sculpted Temple when you go, explore a little further and you'll find these stunning gardens! There was a small temple in the gardens which our driver took us to and a local man led us in a short blessing and prayer ceremony which was lovely. The main temple itself is carved into a cave and is quite small and warm, so you won't want to spend too long in there but you can make an offering and say a prayer if you wish, as many Balinese do daily.
Tibumana Waterfall
Bali has many beautiful waterfalls to explore. Some are more hidden and can be quite a trek to get to, but reward you with huge waterfalls. We only had time to visit one, but as we'd never seen a waterfall before we definitely wanted to squeeze it in. We went to see Tibumana Waterfall, which had steps all the way down to it so wasn't difficult to get to. The waterfall itself was tall but I was surprised that the body of water it fell into was quite small. There weren't too many people there when we went and we all politely took it in turns to get pictures in the water. There's something very calming about being near a waterfall and listening to the water come crashing down.
Monkey Forest
This was our favourite place! We spent a few hours here and could have spent longer if we weren't hungry and didn't have a plane to catch. The monkeys run around freely and aren't afraid of us tourists walking around. The forest is quite large and there are monkeys to be seen everywhere, just going about their monkey business. Be warned though, do not take any loose belongings with you as the monkeys can grab them and run. We left everything in the car with our driver and only took my camera and Michael's GoPro which were both strapped to us. We saw baby monkeys playing with each other, mums napping whilst the babies fed, big monkeys getting first dibs on the food and monkeys jumping through the trees. It was so much fun!!
And that's it! We head straight from the Monkey Forest to the airport for the long, long, very long flight home. Bali was everything we could have hoped for and although we did as much exploring as we could fit in 11 days, there is still much more to do and see. I guess we'll just have to go back again, ey?
It's been so much fun reliving our honeymoon whilst writing this post. Bali will always hold a special place in our hearts, especially because we now know that we fell pregnant in Bali!! I hope this post is helpful for anyone thinking about or planning a trip to Bali. Go, you won't be disappointed.


text: I've been looking for an excuse to build one of these clever tamper-detecting switches for a long time. When a mystery critter recently started raiding the fresh catnip I grow outside as a treat for my indoors-only cat, I saw my opportunity. Sure, I could've bought or borrowed a commercial trail camera, or hacked a PIR motion detector circuit, or set up an IR webcam with software-level motion detection, but I've long been charmed by the simple low-tech design of the ball-in-cage switch. Here's how I did it.


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Umovement: A Wikipedia for Social Good
Everyone's heard of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) such as the Red Cross or Oxfam, but fewer people are aware that the long tail of NGOs adds up to 1.5 million entities in the United State alone
According to Kamran Elahian, co-chair of of UNGAID and co-founder of Global Catalyst Partners, smaller organizations across the world are doing amazing work but lack a global voice.
But Elahian plans to give smaller NGOs that voice through Umovement, part of his plan to "democratize the world of philanthropy."
"It's a grassroots movement to allow any non-profit organization, any NGO, any individual which has any project in any part of the world that help [the] UN MDGs to achieve their goals, to be introduced on this site and to use web 2.0, web 3.0 technlogies to get promoted."
Elahian, while onstage at Mashable and 92Y's UN Week Digital Media Lounge Thursday, estimated that there are 20 million NGOs worldwide that could benefit from a centralized, Wikipedia-like website that could serve as a hub of information as well as ease the donation process.
The site is organized under goals such as ending poverty or reducing child mortality and is completely free for any organization to use. Each NGO is given a uniform landing page designed to give brief overviews of their projects and links to donate or volunteer. Further, Elahian is banking on the power of crowdsourcing, much like Wikipedia, to breed success. Organizations or their individual projects can be rated or commented on by any user. Rather than police the success of individual projects, Elahian believes that their base of users will help monitor and promote the most successful or important causes.
The site also hopes to make social media more accessible to smaller organizations by providing a "Uki," a banner to promote specific projects that can be embedded nearly anywhere, and other tools to maximize social networks, including Facebook and Twitter. Also, the site operates in 50 different languages using an automatic translator. While the resulting translations might not be "the work of Shakespeare," according to Elahian, it will go far to expanding the scope of the site.
Watch the above interview for a deeper look at how Umovement plans to reinvigorate the NGO space and level the playing field for charities across the world, and let us know what you think of this project in the comments.


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Walking through Cardiff City Centre at lunchtime, I saw a small anti-war/anti-Bush demo. Eight protesters were conducting a sit-in on one lane of the road, thoughtfully allowing traffic to procede at a snail's pace through the other lane. Meanwhile a crowd of 20-30 anti-war demonstrators complete with generic Socialist Worker placards (why oh why oh why is it *always* the Socialist Workers ?!), surrounded by about 10 police officers. But not to worry, the forces of law and order in the shape of two or three police vans were parked around the corner each filled with bored police officers.
While it's great that on a grey and miserable day such as we have in Cardiff, people still feel empowered to protest, what was the point really? No TV crews, since they're all far more concerned about the Wales vs. Russia match tonight – or the main demonstrations of American imperialism power in London. Yer average shopper is not going to give two figs about the demonstration – except perhaps grumbling about them getting in the way of your Christmas shopping. So just who are the protesters trying to convince?
And as I write, not a single piece of news coverage on the Cardiff demo on any news site that I can see. Not even BBC News Wales or iC Wales


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– Fingerprint biometrical identification technology.
– Surface installation on walls.
– Simple installation for all types of construction.
– High safety device with cabled connection through the data bus.
Conik®Access Wall
Biometric reading unit
Design and functionality in one single product
– Fingerprint biometrical identification technology.
product overview
Conik®Access Wall
Conik®Access Wall is is a biometric device for access control. The device is designed for wall mounting, providing quick and easy access of users to different rooms through fingerprint identification.
Thanks to its cutting-edge design Conik®Access Wall is applicable to any interior. Connected to the network controller provides maximum security and effective control in areas of high priority .
The connection between Conik®Access Wall and Biodit Management Software is done through DriverControl® via RS485 interface with a maximum distance of 1 km.
Main Characteristics & Technical Features
– Attractive design in high quality material.
– Fingerprint biometrical identification technology.
– Simple installation with just one UTP CAT5 cable.
– Range of the UTP cabling for data bus of up to 1Km*.
– Encrypted communication between the reading unit and the control unit through 485 bus.
– Surface installation on walls.
– For covered exteriors.
– Requires connection to a control unit such as Relay Switch or Driver Control.
– Compatible with any control unit and on ONLINE or OFFLINE mode.
– Sound warning by buzzer on access.
*for distances greater than 25m it will require external power supply
– Required power supply: Through the data bus for distances of up
to 25m. Requires 3.6Vdc 500mA external power supply for greater
– External power supply connector. Removable terminal type connector.
– Auxiliary connector, Removable terminal type connectors.
– RJ45 connector for bus connection with the control unit.
Biometric features
– Optical sensor.
– Area of the sensor: 18 x 22 mm.
– Resolution: 500dpi.
– Authentication time (1:1): Less than 1 second (standard time).
– Identification time (1:500 people): 1.5 seconds.
– Maximum number of fingerprints per Conik WaLL® device: 500
(extendable to 3000 and 5000).
Environmental characteristics
– Operating temperature: -10ºC to 45ºC.
– Storage temperature: -20ºC to 70ºC.
– Relative humidity: 20% to 80%.
Network and communications
– Communication through the 485 bus.
– Possibility of ONLINE and OFFLINE operation.
– For interiors and covered exteriors.
– Surface


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If you are a regular follower of Rock My Wedding you'll know our ethos is 'Your Day Your Way' (It's also the title or our wedding planning & inspiration book), so it was really lovely to see Sarah & Mark's following the exact sentiment and having a moroccan themed wedding in pub with epic floral installations, lanterns and an abundance of cushions and throws. They also decided not to have speeches and carried on their celebrations over a two day period. because why not.
Bride Sarah looked breathtaking in embellished Suzanne Neville bridal separates from The Mews Bridal and her Sophia Webster shoes are epic! Grace Elizabeth Photo & Film did an amazing job of capturing all the emotion and pretty, so get ready to swoon and sigh.
Bridal Style
Sarah the Bride: I wore a high waisted silk skirt, a simple cami with four buttons fastened down the back by Suzanne Neville, paired with a beaded sheer bolero.
I chose this outfit, mainly because it's a two piece and I felt the beaded top made it a bit more interesting. I really wanted something a bit more unusual and I love that this outfit was both classic and unusual! I wanted to show my shape in a really subtle way, which the two piece allowed for, as it showed a bit of waist!
As it was a more classic outfit than I'd initially planned, I wore Sophia Webster's Firebird shoes, I went with these crazy bright shoes to add a bit more colour!
Groom Fashion
Mark wore a dark navy single breasted suit with a boot cut trouser. He had a bright single flower in his button hole. As a fashion designer, his suit again is totally classic, with every slight detail really thought about. With a flare to the trousers, there is a subtle hint of Mark's character coming through. He went for simple and elegant which looked really great on the day.
The Olde Bell in Hurley, Berkshire is the oldest Inn in England apparently. We hired the Malt House where we had our legal ceremony in The Oak Room, an oak panelled, marble floored room with our close family present. We then had a holistic ceremony in their Tithe Barn the following day with all our friends & family, followed by a good knees up in the Malt House and garden. We chose The Olde Bell because we loved the feel of the place. We loved how private the Malt House felt. It was just us and our loved ones, it felt so intimate. We planned for an outdoorsy, chilled vibe and that's exactly what The Olde Bell gave us!
Colour Scheme / Decor
We worked with a wedding stylist, the Revival Rooms to decorate the beautiful setting. We decided on a Moroccan theme, with wild flowers climbing the stairs, tucked in all the corners, falling out of the mini grand piano and tea light lanterns scattered throughout!
We had an old friend who is now a DJ spin the decks – Audiohead. We have had SO many positive comments from our friends and families about the music. We danced the night away and laughed until we were dizzy. The music made the whole day complete.
The Olde bell supplied & catered the food which was a Moroccan themed barbecue, including fruity cous cous, lamb shanks and roulade. It was delicious!
Grace & Mitch from Grace Elizabeth Photo & Film did our wedding photography – they were amazing. They were really lovely to have there, they were polite and charming. They felt a main part of the day and we are so happy we chose to go with them. Our photos are perfect, exactly what we asked for! Natural photos that have really captured the spirit of the day and of those we love.
Photography by Grace Elizabeth Photo & Film
- Bridal Skirt & Top Suzanne Neville
- Bridal Boutique The Mews
- Bridal Shoes Sophia Webster
- Grooms Suit Gieves and Hawkes
- Venue The Olde Bell
- Florist Revival Rooms
- Stationery Else Simpson illustration
- Entertainment Audio Head


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Search results for author:"Teresa Torres Coronas"
Total records matched: 5 Search took: 0.122 secs
Teresa Torres-Coronas
Adapting a Face-To-Face Competence Framework for Digital Competence Assessment
Teresa Torres-Coronas; M. Vidal-Blasco
International Journal of Information and Communication Technology Education Vol. 7, No. 1 (January 2011) pp. 60–69
In the present landscape of technological change there is increasing awareness of the need to support the acquisition of digital competences. In this paper, the authors address how digital competences can be developed through formal learning. The...
MOOC and Blended Learning Models: Analysis from a Stakeholders' Perspective
Teresa Torres-Coronas; María-Arántzazu Vidal-Blasco
International Journal of Information and Communication Technology Education Vol. 13, No. 3 (July 2017) pp. 88–99
Interest is growing in educational designs that blend MOOCs with on-campus teaching and researchers are seeking to incorporate the spirit of a MOOC into a hybrid model. This article reports on the current experience of a higher education institution ...
The Impacts of Trait Emotional Intelligence and Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy on Perceived Behavioral Control Among Undergraduate Students
María-Arántzazu Vidal-Blasco; Teresa Torres-Coronas
International Journal of Adult Vocational Education and Technology Vol. 9, No. 3 (July 2018) pp. 47–58
The economy needs entrepreneurs to identify market opportunities to offer solutions to social problems. Therefore, understanding the factors that affect entrepreneurial intention has become an important research topic. This article examines...
Adding technology to the learning process
Teresa Torres-Coronas; Maria-Arantzazu Vidal-Blasco; Ricard Monclus-Guitart; Mario Arias-Oliva; Maria José Simón-Olmos
World Conference on Educational Media and Technology 2011 (Jun 27, 2011) pp. 2610–2616
A significant category of problems related to promoting digital competences among HE students pertains to the absence of an effective learning framework. Academics use traditional course objectives, educational material and evaluation methods that...


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At Rush University Medical Center, we are putting your safety first. For information about COVID-19, see the latest updates. Rush accepts donations to support our response effort, staff, and patients and families.
Think about your day-to-day routine: How many places do you usually go?
If you're the type of person who is always out and about, who travels a lot or enjoys exploring new venues, you may be better off than those who sit at home all the time.
That's because researchers at Rush have discovered that our "life space" is intimately linked with cognitive function. Life space is the extent to which we move through our environments as we carry out our daily lives — from home to garden to restaurants to workplace and beyond.
In a study published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, researchers found that seniors who had a constricted life space were almost twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's disease as seniors whose life space extended well beyond the home.
"Life space may represent a new way to identify, out of a group of older adults displaying no memory or thinking problems, who is likely to develop Alzheimer's disease," says Bryan James, PhD, an epidemiologist in the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center and the study's lead investigator.
Participants in the study included 1,294 older adults living in the community taking part in two studies: the Rush Memory and Aging Project, a study of chronic conditions of aging involving older people from retirement communities and subsidized housing in Chicago, and the Minority Aging Research Study, which examines risk factors for cognitive decline in older blacks.
At the outset of the investigation, none of the participants showed signs of clinical dementia. Over up to eight years of follow-up, 180 developed Alzheimer's disease. Those who did tended to have more constricted life spaces. Specifically, those with a life space restricted to their immediate home environment at the start of the study were almost twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's disease as those who traveled out of town.
Confinement to the home was also associated with an increased risk of mild cognitive impairment, often a precursor of Alzheimer's, and a more rapid rate of cognitive decline, the hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. This was true even when researchers factored in other variables that might explain the link, such as health problems known to be predictors of Alzheimer's disease like cardiovascular disease or depression.
The reasons why a constricted life space is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease is not clear. But as we continue to search for it, we recommend that people get out as much as possible.
"The reasons why a constricted life space is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease is not clear," James says. "Certain disease processes in the brain may affect how far we move through the world years before they affect our memory and thinking. Or perhaps life space is an indicator of how much we are actively engaging and challenging our cognitive abilities.
"We don't yet have the answer," he adds. "But as we continue to search for it, we recommend that people — particularly older adults — get out as much as possible and enjoy the world beyond their front doors."
Sign up now for free health tips and medical news.


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Volunteer, lawmakers earn bouquets
Well, we survived the winter's first cold snap. Rivers and ponds froze and snow covered the landscape, but we otherwise came out of the cold relatively unscathed. Now we have warmer days ahead with temperatures in the 20s and 30s dominating the forecast. Surely not a heat wave, but let's not forget this is January in New England. It's supposed to be cold.
As we prepare to make the most of this winter, we turn our attention toward honoring those who are making a positive impact on our community.
Our first bouquet this week goes out to a local woman who took a painful experience from her past and, instead of shrinking from it, used it as motivation to help herself and empower others.
Cora Delibertis, a Norwalk resident, recently received the Outstanding New Adult Individual Volunteer Award from the United Way of Western Connecticut. Delibertis is a hotline volunteer at the Center for Sexual Assault Crisis Counseling and Education in Stamford. She also visits sexual assault victims in person as part of her volunteering.
Delibertis was a victim of sexual assault herself when she was a child in Oregon. She initially came to the Center looking for help, but quickly turned her attention toward helping others. She did the rigorous training to become a volunteer to help sexual assault victims and now donates her time for eight six-hour shifts each month on the hotline.
We are proud to have people like Delibertis in our community. It's not easy to take a difficult experience from your past and turn it into a positive for the greater good. We join the United Way in honoring Delibertis for doing just that.
A brickbat goes out for the cowardly and repulsive attack on the freedom of the press and expression that took place this week in France by religious extremists. We all know by now how French cartoonists and others from a satirical magazine were gunned down in cold blood in retaliation for the magazine running images depicting the prophet Mohammed.
We are lucky to live in a society where the freedom of the press and expression is understood and fiercely defended. We mourn the loss of those who were killed and we honor them for their commitment to freedom. Extremists may despise and sometimes even attack those freedoms, but they aren't going anywhere.
We have a bunch of bouquets this week for several of our local lawmakers. This week state legislators were sworn in at Hartford as they accepted the responsibility of governing on behalf of our area. The oaths taken by lawmakers is always important, but we had a few this week that took on special meaning.
State Sen. Bob Duff, D-25, was sworn in as Senate Majority Leader. He took the oath in Hartford with his wife, children and parents by his side. We congratulate Sen. Duff and wish him the best with his new role.
Also of note this week was Fred Wilms, R-142, appearing in Hartford on an official basis for the first time as a state Rep. Wilms replaces long-time legislator Lawrence Cafero, who stepped down last year after representing the 142nd district for the last 20-plus years. Wilms has been active in local politics for a long time and have confidence in his ability to be a strong state lawmaker.
This week state Rep. Bruce Morris, D-140, took over as Deputy Speaker of the House. Morris will preside over the House should Rep. Brendan Sharkey (the Speaker of the House) be absent from the chamber.
Norwalk is well represented with leadership roles in the House and Senate. That should bode well for this area.


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A "slip and fall" or "trip and fall" refers to an injury caused by slipping, tripping, or falling as the result of dangerous or hazardous conditions on another person's property. Slip and falls are often caused by water, ice, or snow on the ground, as well as abrupt changes in flooring (like a sharp step down), poor lighting, or hidden hazards. If you are one of the 8 million Americans who were injured in falls last year and you believe that the conditions of the property were to blame, the landowner or business proprietor may be responsible for your injuries. The attorneys at Taylor King Law will represent you in seeking compensation.
Slip and falls can be serious. They are the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries. Older people are more likely to sustain fractures and serious injuries after falling, with over 400,000 adults age 65 or older hospitalized after slip and falls each year.
If you or your loved one have experienced a slip and fall accident and find the medical bills piling up, reach out to one of our experienced attorneys for a free consultation about your case. We'll be by your side throughout the entire process.


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Trump says he's not worried as public impeachment hearings loom
Trump says he's not worried as public impeachment hearings loom
An official on the White House's National Security Council said he heard the U.S. ambassador to the European Union explicitly press Ukrainian officials to investigate Joe Biden and his son, according to a transcript released on Friday by Democrats leading the impeachment probe of President Donald Trump.
Chris Dignam has more
Trump says he's not worried as public impeachment hearings loom
(SOUND BITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING: "This whole thing is a phony deal.
It's a phony setup." President Donald Trump railed against the impeachment probe on Friday, after House investigators released two more transcripts of closed-door testimony from Fiona Hill and Lt.
Alexander Vindman, whom the president said he was not worried about.
(SOUND BITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING: "I'm not concerned about anything.
The testimony has all been fine.
I mean, for the most part, I never even heard of these people.
I have no idea who they are... all that matters is one thing: the transcript.
And the transcript is perfect." Trump has made "READ THE TRANSCRIPT" a rallying cry, even though the "transcript" is not actually a transcript.
The document itself says on the first page that it's not a verbatim readout of the July 25th phone call with Ukraine's president - the subject of the whistleblower complaint that set off the impeachment inquiry.
The testimony from Lt.
Vindman, the top Ukraine expert on the National Security Council, showed that he told investigators that - on the call - Trump demanded Ukraine open investigations into his political rivals "in order to get what they have been looking for." He also told investigators that specific words in the readout of the call were deliberately omitted from the version that was shared with the public.
The transcript of testimony from Hill, Trump's former adviser on Russia and Europe, revealed that her boss, former National Security Adviser John Bolton, appeared "pained" over the unceremonious ouster of U.S. ambassador Marie Yovanovitch.
The New York Times reported on Friday that Bolton has knowledge of "many relevant meetings and conversations" connected to whether Trump pressured Ukraine to probe his political rivals.
Bolton did not show up for scheduled testimony on Thursday.
The Times reported that his lawyer said he wants a judge to determine whether he or his former deputy should testify in defiance of the White House, which has said it will not cooperate with the impeachment investigation.
(SOUND BITE) (English) ACTING WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF MICK MULVANEY, SAYING: "I have news for everybody: Get over it." House investigators are still pursuing testimony from acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, who was subpoenaed to appear for a deposition Friday but also did not show up.
(SOUND BITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING: "I don't want to give credibility to a corrupt witch hunt.
I'd love to have Mick go up, frankly.
I think he'd do great." Trump also also criticized House Democrats for moving the impeachment inquiry into the public eye with open, televised hearings that begin on Wednesday, after weeks of Republican demands for openness and transparency.
(SOUND BITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING: "They shouldn't be having public hearings; this is a hoax!"