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Yes it seems that the trend these days is to always do a twist on something that has already been done, ie. change up a classic. In some cases it's a really good idea not to mess with a classic, in others its okay. I don't mind mixing up a daiquiri, the original is a wonderful … [Read more...]
The Classic Daiquiri Done Right
It's getting warmer out and we're definitely feeling the urge for having friends over for a garden party of some sort, so who can blame me for wanting to kick back in to my spring / summer cocktail recipe book. We've all heard the stories of Ernest Hemingway tossing back … [Read more...]
A Delicious Spring Luncheon Risotto
Risotto is rice, I don't understand why so many people find it difficult to cook, granted a great risotto is truly transcendent, but only an okay risotto is still pretty good. The one trick I've found to making at least a very good risotto, is to quickly toast the grains in olive … [Read more...]
Fat Kids Loving Cake Topper
Oh no, how's that for a great title to this post?!?! Okay, it's funny and it is a line from 50 Cent, but lets hope that there weren't any fat kids at the wedding, that would be kind of not so nice. The bride and groom found this on Etsy, and heck, if as I've said before a cake … [Read more...]
Driftwood Cake Topper Not So Great
Wow, I feel like I'm turning into one of those negative nellies, who just lashes out randomly at things I don't like, having given my questionable thumbs down to cake toppers in the past, now I have to give them thumbs down to a driftwood cake topper? Well, okay, so here's my … [Read more...]
Simple Pasta Salad Asparagus and Pecans
Great served hot or cold, or even room temperature, heck it's going to be great no matter what. I love pasta salads. I think this is the first one I've posted, have to look back, but there will be many, many more coming over the years. I like penne for this but you can use any … [Read more...]


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Welcome to the Danish Museum of Science & Technology
The Danish Museum of Science & Technology is a museum for everyone. From the first childlike fascination with technology and machines, through the contemporary critical view on technology and everyday life, to the nerdy insight into mechanics and function. At the museum you can explore a breathtaking collection and unique narratives, from significant technical inventions to the notion of what may await in the future.

subset: commoncrawl


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Maximum Overdrive (1986 De Laurentiis Entertainment Group Dir. Stephen King)
Let us drop hyperbole for a moment and admit that this is the best feature film Stephen King has ever directed. Those of you who don't have your hymnals open to page 19 won't get that joke, and if you didn't bring your hymnbook with you, I'm not going to explain things. This is, however, King's single best directorial effort with no mistake or argument. I've heard that the impetus was a bet between King and George Romero after King commented that making a movie didn't look all that hard. At the time, King was working with Dino De Laurentiis, who I will always love because the man never turned his nose up at a stupid idea. DEG Produced both Evil Dead II and Cat's Eye as well. Without him, there might not be a Maximum Overdrive and the world would be a darker place. Based on the short story Trucks, King pulls double duty as both director and writer of this magnificent piece of Grade A 80s era cheddar.
The man, the myth, the stupid clip-on sunglasses.
Maximum Overdrive is a film that challenges you as a viewer. It's a movie that asks "Am I really a bad movie?" to which you are expected to answer "Well, yeah, obviously." Except, if you dismiss it like that you're going to get hit right between the eyes with "Yes, but are you sure that wasn't deliberate?" and then you'll have to stop and think. Because there is this sense that maybe it was supposed to be like this, that maybe King got exactly what he was going for with this movie. Go watch Creepshow again and tell me this man doesn't have a screwy sense of humor. Twenty years before Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez were hailed as heroes for failing with Grindhouse, Stephen King failed with Maximum Overdrive. Not artistically, financially. I think it was too early, and too many people didn't quite get the idea of winking comedy and horror put together yet. Odd, because Creepshow had come out almost five years before this.
Ah the 80s, when an entire movie could be explained with a single paragraph.
The movie begins with a text wall explaining that a comet made everything happen. This isn't really important, because the rest of the story will more or less follow the story of Trucks in that the characters don't actually know why the machines have decided to rebel. The first person to have any lines is King himself, getting the cameo out of the way to complain about and ATM calling him an asshole. And then the AC/DC music starts and you have to love King all the more. Who else gets one of the best rock bands in the world to score his movie? The first sign that the machines have more than profanity in mind when a drawbridge decides to raise itself. This movie isn't 6 minutes old and we've had asshole, what the hell, shit, goddamn, Jesus Christ and fuck all spoken by characters. Shit doesn't get a mention until later. If only there was a naked woman this would be everything I love about crappy 80s movies. Okay, technically, there are naked women, there are some photos from dirty books taped up to a wall in the truck stop. It's not quite a later day Pearl, but you've got to make allowances. You don't get everything in the first 6 minutes, the gratuitous machine guns don't show up until later. We did get a blond in a white headband though, and that was awesome. It's like we're witnessing the Citizen Kane of 80s horror.
It's not so much hard to come up with a joke for this shot as much as it's hard to pick a joke.
After the opening madness at the bridge, we go to the Dixie Boy Truck Stop where the bulk of the movie will take place. Good idea, a single shooting location in North Carolina provided a lot of economy in those days and made it possible to show more of America than just New York and L.A. in the bargain. We're introduced to our hero, a fella named Billy Robinson, who we are told is an ex-con. While we're introduced, the games room of the truck stop is going nuts and braking, where upon a young man tells the machines how he feels explaining, "Your momma!" before stuffing his pockets with cigarettes that the vending machine begins to spit out. After that, a man is sprayed in the face by a malfunctioning pump hose and screams and screams. The reason Billy being an ex-con comes into the story is that there is a subplot that, in true drive-in fashion, fails to go anywhere about the boss of the Dixie Boy being a corrupt so and so. This reflects the deep seated corruption we remember from Chinatown, only it's more personal and believable here.
It's like Film Noir. Only, you know, not.
While Billy is talking to the boss, a waitress is taking care of the grill, until she's attacked by an insane electric knife that is. The knife effect is really neat since it turns towards her before switching itself on and cutting into her arm. Blood sprays all over the place and Billy takes a hammer to the knife, killing it after several blows, proving him to be a kin to St. George who slew the Dragon of Silene all those years ago. Only Billy has no horse, or sword, or armor and goes off on an electric knife with a hammer. Still though, in this modern age without noble heroes, we take what we can get. Now while that's going on, the fellow in the game room manages to get himself electrocuted and Sir Billy of Robinson is sent in to deal with him.
All he says is "Yo momma!" but when he says it, we believe him.
Suddenly, the focus of the movie shits to a little league game, where a young man has just hit what is sure to be the winning run of the game. This scene would later be mirrored in Kitano Takeshi's 3-4 x Jugatsu only that movie was a fantasy of yakuza violence and retribution where a loser imagines himself to be slightly less of a loser where as here the kid makes the run and wins the game. The coach goes to buy some sodas (which I assume it a southern word for pop) and is attacked by the machine in a way that Jamie Hyneman would later use for a 7 Up commercial. As you are no doubt becoming aware, Maximum Overdrive is both the alpha and the omega of pop culture. The machine attacks kids left and right, before a steamroller comes for them. How awesome is it to still hear the under 16s using phrases like "Oh shit!" and "What the hell?" in a movie? We don't get that anymore. Mom's groups have fits and don't let us have any fun these days. Once the kid who was good at baseball gets away, we shift story lines again. These interweaving story lines will come together in the end, focusing into a single thread, much like L.A. Confidential would do later. We're introduced to a lecherous bible salesman and the girl he's picked up names Brett. Point of order, why did girls stop wearing suit jackets with the sleeves pushed up and fedoras with their jeans and white shirts? She looks so good, and other girls looked great when that was the fashion.
Incredulous cuttie is incredulous.
When they get to the Dixie Boy, the big truck attacks. You shouldn't be surprised that they get to the Dixie Boy. Everyone in this movie eventually gets to the Dixie Boy. Like Rome, all roads lead to the Dixie Boy. Once again the movie shifts and we meet Curt and Connie, a nice couple on their honeymoon. I don't know about the guy, but Connie sounds a lot like Lisa Simpson, so I'm assuming that The Simpsons used an actress that imitates her voice with out the southern drawl in an obvious homage to this film. As the two of them stop at the wreckage of a filling station, they're merciless attacked by an enraged tow truck. Curtis, at first, tries to reason with the truck, missing the patches of blood that adorn the front of the cab. For the first time, we get a confirmation that there is no one actually in the vehicles that are attacking people. One wonders why the cars aren't acting up like the trucks and knives, but perhaps being more domesticated they don't rebel as easily.
Please Matt Groening, get your show started and save me from all this.
Billy, being the heroic type, goes to investigate the big rig that tried to kill the bible salesman and Brett a scene or two ago. He's still of the belief that someone must have gotten into the rig, but the facts don't bear that out. As he investigates, Brett sneaks up on him and that have a Lead Male/Lead Female sort of conversation. She actually does just look at him and say "You're cute" as an opener. It's the sort of sparkeling dialogue I'd expect from My Man Godfrey, not some b-grade horror flick! She then asks "Did you ever see that much nothing at 10:15 in the morning hero?" which you must admit, is a hell of a philosophical question. Think about it for a moment. Have you ever seen that much nothing at 10:15 in the morning? I haven't. These sort of weighty questions harkens back to The Seventh Seal and the questions that picture raises for the viewer. Only, instead of asking the question with impenetrable symbolism, it asks it outright through the medium of insane machinery on a rampage. In that way, it makes these questions more accessible to the mainstream audience and thus creates a more palatable sense of dread when facing a cruel an uncaring universe.
You're the lead male
Yeah, and you're the lead female
And this is the 80s. You know what that means don't you?
We get to shoot guns later?
…Yes, that as well.
Our baseball player rides through the suburbs of his small North Carolina town, witnessing the violence that has be fallen his neighborhood and following in their wake like the narrator of War of the Worlds, dodging death at every turn when even the lawn mower comes after him. As it turns out, the baseball player is the son of the man who got the facefull of diesel in his face. He decides that he has to get to his son, announcing that "I gotta find my boy" to the world entire. This sort of fatherly dedication is right out of The Godfather. His dedication is short lived, since a rig runs him down almost upon the instant, killing him and driving the inmates of the Dixie Boy into the building. All but the bible salesman that is, who runs out to confront the evil like Don Quixote tilting at windmills, only in this case the windmill actually is the imagined giant. The reward for his gallantry is a blow that sends him right out of his shoes and into a ditch.
Just a little hay fever.
The group tries to raise help, but the radio is a machine and the machines have risen against them. This story line would later be mirrored in the Terminator series, and while the first movie came out before this, the original story of Trucks is clearly the inspiration for that movie's back-story. The trucks now begin a campaign of terror by driving around and around the Dixie Boy in an attempt to break the spirit of the humans within. Meanwhile Curtis and Connie head inexorably toward the Dixie Boy, only to be menaced by another of the phantom trucks. Connie cries out "Why is this happening?" which is both a reasonable question and a great demand to the gods for an explanation for the entirety of the mortal world. Curt and Connie barely make it into the Dixie Boy parking lot. Connie then engages in a stream of profanity hardly seen outside of a Tarentino movie. As Billy and Brett attempt to get Connie and Curtis from the wreckage of their car, the first of the weapons come out. The boss of the Dixie Boy pulls out a bazooka, yes a bazooka and fires a round into one of the trucks which destroys it. Score one for the human race. They then fire a second rocket and boom goes another truck. It's like Rambo, without the muscles, the mullet or the knife fetishism.
It took hours for them to realize that the first one in line was following the last one.
This leads to a tender male lead/female lead moment between Billy and Brett. This is because there must be a love story and they're the lovers for today. Then they investigate the armory in the basement and discuss how Billy got to be an ex-con for a bit. It's a confession that will be mirrored years later when George Lucas would borrow the scene in Episdoe Two, having Anakin explain his murder of the Sand people to Padmé. Meanwhile, the baseball player continues his Odyssey like journey toward the Dixie Boy, but finds his progress stymied by a series of obstacles put before him by the almighty. We then cut back to Billy and Brett, who have consummated their Male Lead/Female Lead status in the back of the truck stop, because romance happens anywhere. I was going to put a TV Tropes link here about how everyone always falls in love, but I can't seem to find it and frankly, after 10 minutes I don't care anymore. You'd think that'd be the easy one to find, but no. I guess it's so obvious that there is ALWAYS a romance they don't even bother to mention it. So fuck them, let's get back to the movie. They then discuss the idea of going to a small island which is free of motor vehicles for the duration of the madness. One sentence? I continued for one sentence?
Nice to see Dee Synder kept working after the operation.
Sadly, the waitress has decided to go insane. She bangs a beer bottle on the table as she demands "They can't do this" and then runs outside screaming "We made you!" to the machines demand that they can't do this. The machines however, like the slave revolting in Spartacus, insist that they can. Once the machines decide they've had enough, they cut the power and leave their former masters in the dark. After a moment of that, the bible salesman proves that he isn't quite dead by screaming in pain. The Dixie Boy inmates, or at least Billy and Curtis decide to go and rescue him. Connie complains that he should go and tells him not to make her a widow on her wedding day. He begs her "Do not forsake me, oh my darling, on this our wedding day". It's just like Gary Cooperonly without him selling a load of crap to McCarthy in hopes of ruining a lot of people he didn't like. In greatest 80s fashion he and Billy strap on a bazooka and an M-16 before they run out to save the day. The guns aren't immediately useful as they only want to get to a large shower drain in order to sneak along and find the salesman while AC/DC rocks along with them.
I will not make a lit fart joke, I will not make a lit fart joke, I will not make a lit fart joke…
It's always great seeing in a movie when someone waves a small flashlight and it results in a grip off camera waving a large halogen light to create the illusion that the room is being lit by the single bulb. Billy and Curtis come out of the drains to discover that the bible salesman has passed on, but they do find the young baseball player and thus complete the trinity of useful male characters in this movie, bringing them all together at last. We are then left and the characters are all allowed to sleep for a while.
He actually believes this is a "Yee-Ha" situation we've got right here.
The morning of day two begins with a little military mobile platform and a bulldozer pulling up to the Dixie Boy. The dozer gets their attention by pushing away the wreckage of the destroyed vehicles and then attacking the front of the Dixie Boy. There is a small attempt to fight back, but the platform has a machine gun. Ho, ho, ho. The military scoot then pulls up and honks out at them inmates in Morse Code, delivering terms to them. The baseball player got a merit badge in Morse recently, so it's up to him to translate. Interestingly, there doesn't seem to be a merit badge just for knowing Morse code. There is the Radio Merit badge, which requires knowing Morse, but none for the code itself. The machines explain that if they pump gas, the inmates of the Dixie Boy will be allowed to live. They agree because, well, what else can they do? A rock montage then ensues of them filling the trucks all day long. "They don't understand how a man gets tired" Billy complains as the unending stream of trucks just keep on coming. This of course is the symbolic complaint of the proletariat against the uncaring factory owner who constantly uses men and grinds them into the dust. There will be no union to help them though, because the trucks won't allow such a thing. This is more or less where the original story ended, with them filling up the trucks, slaves forever under the wheels of the trucks. However, here there is a little more going on and besides it's the 80s and we have rocket launchers. Billy suggests that a race of aliens is controlling the machines to destroy the humans and wipe the place clean before infesting the planet. From there, he begins to form a plan.
See? Heat, camel, it's all symbolic.
A hand grenade into the platform removes the issue of the machine gun. Once they remove that threat, they run from the Dixie Boy, slipping away through some of the other drainpipes. Once the trucks realize that they haven't seen the humans for a while, they start to smash into the Dixie Boy, turning it into a big pile of kindling. The destruction of Dixie Boy reminds me of the destruction of… oh hell, I don't know. Pick something. I mean I could mention a lot of things, but it's all a bit silly at this point and I can't think of anything good at the moment. I mean damn, I've compared this movie to enough things, you think of one for a change! Why is it always me that has to do all the heavy lifting around here?
Can I a get a Woo Hoo?
The Dixie Boy escapees then run away to a marina where they finally finish off one of the main trucks and escape on a sailboat to the island we talked about earlier. I haven't really talked about it, but you know what truck I mean. What's perhaps most surprising is the sheer number of survivors there are. In most movies the group is picked off one by one until one three or four remain. Now there is a certain amount of picking off, but there are a dozen or so survivors by the end of this movie. Far more live than died. The end claims that a large UFO was destroyed and that six days later the world passed through the tail of the comet and everything was alright after that. The survivors of the Dixie Boy, we are told, are still survivors. And what better way could you end a movie than that? It makes the Triumphant ending to Star Wars seem small potatoes by comparison.
There! I showed the Green Goblin Truck! Happy now?
I guess I can understand why someone might not like this movie. It's not funny enough to be a pure comedy, but there are too many jokes for it to be a straight horror. It's not an easy movie to categorize. It also addresses too many of the greater questions that face humanity, which could scare away the sort of person who never looked into the abyss and found the abyss looking back. There are also some people who have no taste in music at all. Those folk might not like the AC/DC songs, but those people are bastards and should be punched in the crotch. If the movie has a flaw, it's that the story telling is very much the "Tab A into Slot B" style with action around the story points to pad the run time. That's not really a problem for me though. King was a first time director after all and at least his movie makes sense. Had he made more, I'm sure he would have done even better. No, in the end, this is the finest movie of its kind to come out of the 80s and it's everything I love about cheap cinema. It's filled with screwy ideas, a lot of "yeah, whatever" explanations as to why some very convenient things happen, and it lets the scrappy good guy win in the end. What's not to love? Yesterday's review was painful, but this was joy.
And the whole epilogue is explained in one paragraph too. God, I miss those days.
This may just be the best movie ever made.
Did you come? I came.
Happy Halloween everybody!


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As noted earlier, Scott Hall moved in with DDP and Jake Roberts earlier this week to undergo the DDP YOGA program. Page had released videos that showed a phone call where Hall agreed to move in with Page and Roberts. The videos were removed shortly after.
Scott Hall admitted that he first saw the videos a couple of days ago, but that said he wanted them back online.
"It came to my attention a day and a half or so ago when I was in Florida that there was an unflattering recording of a phone call of me talking to Dallas and Jake that I have no memory of, and apparently I was very intoxicated at the time. Dallas and I were talking on the phone and he offered to pull it down… and I said, yeah, yeah, pull it down. Having arrived here in Atlanta now and after seeing it, I just want to say that I don't recommend that kind of behavior, I'm not endorsing it. It's been my story, I'm Scott Hall and I approve these message."
Page said that Hall is currently getting "the lay of the land," and that everyone is working together to help him.


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With the holidays and the format war both over, the number of high-def media sales have dropped dramatically. So this sale from Amazon is welcome – 134 Blu-ray titles up to 55% off. Make sure you check all three categories (Action & Adventure, Comedy & Drama, and Horror & Suspense) to see all the titles in the sale. Figures, I just ordered some of these titles over the weekend, before the sale started.
Via Blu-ray.com.


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Kay Giesecke,
Francis Longstaff,
Stephen Schaefer and
Ilya Strebulaev (
No 15848, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc
We study corporate bond default rates using an extensive new data set spanning the 1866-2008 period. We find that the corporate bond market has repeatedly suffered clustered default events much worse than those experienced during the Great Depression. For example, during the railroad crisis of 1873-1875, total defaults amounted to 36 percent of the par value of the entire corporate bond market. We examine whether corporate default rates are best forecast by structural, reduced-form, or macroeconomic credit models and find that variables suggested by structural models outperform the others. Default events are only weakly correlated with business downturns. We find that over the long term, credit spreads are roughly twice as large as default losses, resulting in an average credit risk premium of about 80 basis points. We also find that credit spreads do not adjust in response to realized default rates.
JEL-codes: G12 G33 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010-03
Note: AP
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc Citations: View citations in EconPapers (14) Track citations by RSS feed
Published as Corporate Bond Default Risk: A 150-Year Perspective (with K. Giesecke, I. Strebulaev, and S. Schaefer), Journal of Financial Economics 102, 233-250, 2011.
Downloads: (external link)http://www.nber.org/papers/w15848.pdf (application/pdf)
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text: A fire in a single-family home filled with items piled 3 to 4 feet (0.9 to 1 meter) high took the lives of a 78-year-old woman and her 81-year-old husband. Responding firefighters immediately tried to drag hose lines into position for a rescue, but the lines became hung up on items stored outside the house, delaying the rescue attempt. Once inside, firefighters' movements were hampered by hoarding condition, which also prevented the couple from escaping. For more information on this and other fires, read "Firewatch" in the latest issue of NFPA Journal.


text: 3D printed sculptris head Jun 16, 2010 12:35:29 GMT 1 Quote Select PostDeselect PostLink to PostMemberGive GiftBack to Top Post by pixellegolas on Jun 16, 2010 12:35:29 GMT 1 So, we had some rest material in our 3D printer and decided to test-print a head. We usually do totally different models as I am working with CAD.Here is the result with a TPE similar material (like rubber). In background you also see my space navigator 3d mouse It will be nice this autum because we will have a www.nextengine.com 3D scanner alsoAttachments:


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Before we begin, let's first firm a few things up (get it). All jokes aside, this post is designed to be a helpful guide for you to firm up your existing mattress. Let's get to it.
Why You Might Need A Firm Bed
There are many reasons why you might need a firmer mattress. Your bed may have simply arrived a little softer than expected. Also, some mattresses tend to get softer with time, as you break them in. If you have a back injury or some back pain, your doctor may have recommended that you sleep on a firmer surface. Or maybe your partner moved in, and they need a firmer mattress. Whatever it is, we're here to help.
Let's first go over some reasons why having a firmer versus a softer bed can be so important, and then we'll talk about some options for making your mattress firmer.
Why Firmness Level Is Important
When we talk about firmness here at the Slumber Yard, know that we are doing so in a relative manner, as firmness is a term that is relative to weight. Basically, the less you weigh, the more you lay on top of a mattress, sofa, or any other surface for that matter. When you're laying more on top of a surface, instead of sinking down in it, it will feel firmer to you. Because of this, petite people might find more mattresses feel firm to them.
On the opposite end of spectrum, the more you weigh, the more you sink into a mattress or other surface. Because you're sinking down into the material more, the surface will feel softer. Heavier people might find more mattresses feel softer to them, and may have a more difficult time finding a firm enough bed. In some cases, though, we have found that heavier people will sink right through the comfort layers of a mattress and will settle more on the poly foam or coil base layers, which actually make the bed feel firmer. This isn't good for your spine though.
RELATED: Best Firm Mattresses List
Your sleeper type is also important when considering the firmness level you need in your mattress. Side sleepers tend to need a softer mattress that will accommodate their curves, instead of fighting against them and possibly limiting blood flow. Back and stomach sleepers will need a firmer mattress that will keep their spine in proper alignment while they sleep. Back and stomach sleepers shouldn't have their hips or shoulders sinking into the bed too much, as this will cause the spine to be in an arched position, which can lead to back aches or other problems.
Having a firm bed can also be better for your health. Remember, you sleep on your mattress for (hopefully) eight hours every night. Over the course of a lifetime, that's a third of your life spent sleeping. Keeping the spine in proper alignment, whether sleeping on your back or on your side, is very important for the overall health of your body. This study even explores the concept that firmer bedding can reduce back pain, improve sleep quality, and decrease overall stress.
Keep all this in mind as we explore the different options you have when it comes to making your mattress more firm.
Options To Increase Firmness
Trial period. Many online mattress brands have trial periods, so that you can really get to know your new mattress before you commit. Most companies offer a 100-night trial period, but others, like Nectar for example, have year-long trial periods.
Check to see if your mattress is still within its trial period, because you might be able to return the bed for a full refund, and most of the time the company will come remove the mattress for you, also free of charge. You could also try contacting the company and see if they can help you. Novosbed will even send you a Comfort+ Kit, which is a free foam topper, if you feel the firmness of the bed isn't quite right for you.
Try placing your mattress on the floor. If that makes it feel firm enough for you, you could either go for a cool college kid vibe and leave it there, or you can try slipping some plywood boards between your mattress and the bed frame. This will add some extra firm support and possibly harden your mattress.
Check your box spring. Box springs can wear out with prolonged use. When they lose their strength, they provide less support for your mattress than they should, which in turn may make your mattress feel softer. Replacing a box spring is usually much less pricey than replacing a mattress, and can help to harden up your bed.
Replace the worn out layers. More and more companies are manufacturing their mattresses with different layers of material, so it's easy to switch out the ones that are more damaged. This is also a more affordable way to make your mattress firmer. Just make sure your mattress has a removable mattress cover and you're not
Dampness. Your bed can become soft from absorbing moisture from the air. This is common in humid areas or if you live close to the beach. If you think this might be the problem, just take your bed and lay it in the sun, and let it dry out for the day. This should not only firm up your mattress, but the sun should also kill off any bacteria, mold, and germs that may have occurred from the dampness. If you're super worried about a contaminated mattress, you can also pay for a professional cleaning, but make sure to try this first.
Mattress topper. I know, you're probably thinking, aren't mattress toppers suppose to make beds softer? But there are tons of great mattress toppers you can find on Amazon that will make your bed firmer.
We suggest a dense memory foam or a latex one. Latex is a natural foam material made from the sap of rubber trees, and its known to be pretty firm and responsive. They have synthetic latex options, as well, which are usually cheaper. Toppers are usually around 2"-6" thick, so they can make your bed decently thicker, or just a little bit thicker, if that's what you prefer. Also, mattress pads tend to be thinner and make mattresses softer, so look specifically for a topper.
Consider your room temperature. Some materials, like 100% memory foam or airy polyurethane foam, can be temperature sensitive. If you leave them in a cold room they We've even heard of pure memory foam freezing solid if left in a super cold climate! Try adjusting your thermostat in your bedroom to a lower temperature, or even leave a window open and get the fan going and see if that firms up your bed a bit. Likewise, a warmer temperature might make your bed softer.
Rotate or flip your mattress. Sometimes simply rotating your bed so that the heavier parts of your body lay in different spots can help. We always recommend that, no matter what kind of mattress you have, you rotate it seasonally to help prevent against sagging or impressions.
If your bed is two-sided, you can also try flipping it to make it firmer. Just double check first that it's a flippable mattress. Some beds, like the Plank for example, come with two different firmness levels on each side. If there aren't different firmness levels, the unused side will still often be firmer.
If all else fails, get a new mattress. As we explained above, the firmness of your bed is very important for your spinal health, and to prevent against body aches and stiffness. This is especially true for strict back or stomach sleepers. Also, having a worn out bed that's been around too long is just not great for your body. If you've had your bed for over 10 years and it's much softer than when you first got it, it might be time for a new mattress anyway. You can check out our list of Best Firm Beds or Best Beds for Back Sleepers if you want some help figuring out which bed might be best for you.
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text: Stella has lived and worked in London for nearly thirty years after moving from her native Aberdeen. She worked at Great Ormond Street hospital, studied and gained a PhD in Crystallography at Birkbeck College, University of London where, until 2014, she managed a research laboratory. Stella qualified as a Camden Tour Guide in 2015 and has a keen interest in in sharing the hidden gems of Camden. For both visitors and those who think they know London, there will be many new things to see and hear about!


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With the mounting concerns for environmentally safe practices in the commercial building industry, one of the biggest challenges that conventional construction increasingly faces is excess waste and lack of innovative practices to minimize and recycle it.
According to the statistics from the US Office of Solid Waste, Building-related construction and demolition (C&D) debris totals approximately 160 million tons per year, accounting for nearly 26 percent of total non-industrial waste generation in the U.S.
Sources of the building-related C&D debris waste-stream include demolition (accounting for approximately 48 percent of the waste stream per year), renovation (44 percent), and new construction (8 percent). (Source: http://www.epa.gov/greenbuilding/pubs/gbstats.pdf PDF file) This astounding amount of waste can in great part be attributed to the fact that architects and builders do not design commercial and residential structures with an easy re-purposing or deconstruction in mind.
However, in recent years modular construction industry has emerged as a pioneer in successfully employing a completely different approach to waste management- one that saves money and helps our environment.
A common practice in onsite construction is to focus on recovery, reuse, recycling or diversion of waste only post-construction. This turns out to be highly ineffective and a lot of energy and materials that could have been put to better use simply get wasted, while builders foot the additional cost. A staggering 135 million tons of construction debris ends up in our overflowing landfills every year.
Modular construction has taken a completely different approach to reducing waste at the front end by using a number of smart practices such as improved management, efficient materials procurement and streamlined production practices. Moreover, modular buildings are uniquely designed to have a longer service life.
Instead of being demolished or abandoned, modular buildings and their components can be easily deconstructed and reused. These practices combined greatly minimize the total amount of construction waste, and what is left over can then be recycled or disposed of. Overall, waste management practices employed in the modular construction industry offer more environmentally sustainable building solutions.
The difference of prefabricated construction
The very nature of modular construction makes it an energy-and-materials efficient process. The production of modules is streamlined and controlled every step of the way, making it possible to execute very tight inventory control that leaves very little room for waste.
Additionally, a factory controlled environment makes it possible to have a number of construction projects going on simultaneously. This makes it possible to re-inventory materials and immediately allocate them for another project if the need arises. By comparison, with on site construction, a project manager simply sends any extra materials to the recycle facility or the dump.
Moreover, in a factory environment it is much easier to account for and protect materials, keeping them safe from getting stolen, lost or damaged by inclement weather (all common incidents in onsite construction). All of these mechanisms greatly reduce the amount of building materials that would otherwise be wasted and dumped into landfills.
Less waste on site
It is not surprising that prefabricated models also create less waste once they arrive on site. Since they come in as whole modular units – largely finished prior to arriving at the construction site, there is significantly less waste generated in the final stages of the onsite construction process. Moreover, because modular construction is inherently waste-conscious, effort is made to deliver modules in careful and strategic ways that will have minimum site impact and waste. Thus, since there is overall less waste, it also becomes easier and cheaper to manage it properly.
The WRAP report clearly demonstrates that up to a 90% reduction can be achieved by reducing wastes such as wood pallets, shrink wrap, cardboard, plasterboard, timber, concrete, bricks and cement by increasing the use of off-site modular construction.
Less room for human error
Modular construction helps reduce waste by minimizing the amount of worker errors and the need for re-work. Mistakes and poor workmanship quality, which are rampant in onsite construction, also greatly contribute to the overall amount of waste. These issues are largely eliminated in modular construction- the streamlined, repetitive manufacturing process results in a much higher quality of workmanship and leaves little necessity to redo any parts of a project.
Designed for reuse
One of the key principles that set modular construction apart from its competitors is the fact that modules are designed to be re purposed many times beyond the scope of the initial project. This concept challenges the accepted norms and standards of the construction industry where a building is expected to have an end to its service life, after which it is either demolished or simply abandoned.
Typically, it is too costly to try to reuse or recycle parts of these unwanted structures, so waste is an expected component of a building's end of service life. Not so in modular construction. Every module itself and the building as a whole is specifically designed for easy deconstruction, removal and reuse in other projects.
It is truly innovative that the process by which the building was installed can literally be reversed: the building can come apart in pieces in the same way it was created. In this manner, modular construction strives to model after the best practices of mother nature: where nothing is wasted and every element continues to serve a purpose in the life-cycle of the planet.


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2019 Panini National Convention Instant Football NFLPA Rookie Premiere #FL5 Dwayne Haskins 19/25
Only available to Panini VIP Party attendees, this card is numbered out of 25 on the back.
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Save Money with High-Quality Refurbished Office Furniture
If you're outfitting your business, and looking for a way to keep costs down while still getting high-quality brands, refurbished office furniture is your solution. The Furniture X-Change is one of the largest pre owned office furniture dealers in the U.S., primarily serving clients in the NY, NJ, CT and PA areas. With 125,000 square-feet of top-of-the line matching secondhand office furniture, TFX has one of the widest inventories in the northeast to offer you exactly what you're looking for.
When it comes to value, service and execution, nobody matches TFX. We provide Fortune 500 remanufactured furniture at discounts of up to 65 to 90 percent, and offer highly customized options like enhancements and retrofits that other office furniture providers simply cannot. Whether you're in the market for cubicles, workstations, desks, tables, chairs, credenzas or more, we offer a wide range of refurbished office furniture that will perfectly furnish your office and meet your budget. And as a full-service solution, we offer consultations, layout design, delivery and installation to save you time, money and stress.
Why Buy Used?
Companies buy pre owned office furniture for the same reasons that families buy used cars instead of new ones. You can get a quality product for much less money.
As with cars, new furniture loses more than a third of its value the first month it is put into use and almost half its value within one year. The manufacturers and dealers they work with all have high overhead and operating costs that must be factored into the price of new furniture.
By selling refurbished office furniture, we leave all those expenses with the original owner, passing huge cost savings and great furniture on to you.
Better products are sometimes difficult to identify in a new furniture show room. Under specialized lighting in controlled conditions, many products appear indistinguishable. Not so with secondhand office furniture. Of the thousands of offices we liquidate every month, only a small fraction wind up as products we sell.
Some of the big box office stores sell new furniture for very low prices. They can charge such low prices because they're selling cheaper goods.
Choosing to buy pre-owned office furniture will be one of the most important environmental decisions you will make for your business.
New office furniture production is intensive in its use of fossil fuels, raw materials and waste. Buying and installing remanufactured office furniture eliminates over 90% of the environmental impact associated with the material inputs, production and distribution of office equipment.
Some companies include their purchase of used furniture, vehicles or equipment in their environmental impact planning and marketing.
Contact us today to learn more about our wide selection of refurbished office furniture.


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Correction: The original announcement of this Alert Notice included the incorrect assignment of observations made by David Boyd to David Blane. The attribution has been corrected in the observations below. We extend sincere apologies to David Boyd for the error. -- EOW May 17, 2017
May 16, 2017
Event: SN 2017eaw - bright supernova in NGC 6946 (Cepheus)
Discovered by: Patrick Wiggins (Tooele, UT)
June 3, 2011: As an update to AAVSO Special Notice #241 (http://www.aavso.org/aavso-special-notice-241), the supernova in M51 has been designated SN 2011dh. Discovery, classification, and observation information have been published in IAU CBET 2736 (Daniel W. E. Green, ed.).
Coordinates: 13:30:05.08 +47:10:11.2 (J2000.0)
Coordinates source is Silverman et al., ATEL 3398
Observations should be submitted to the AAVSO International Database using the name SN 2011dh.
Thank you and good observing!
25 Birch Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
INTERNET: firstname.lastname@example.com
Tel. 617-354-0484 Fax 617-354-0665
AAVSO ALERT NOTICE 263 (November 1, 1999)
0436-03 SUPERNOVA 1999em IN NGC 1637
AAVSO ALERT NOTICE 267 (December 10, 1999)
1012+41 SUPERNOVA 1999gi IN NGC 3184


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PSYC 110 Midterm Exam
Purchase here
Product Description
Question 1.1. (TCOs 1, 2) Participants in research early in psychology's history might have been asked to view a chair and describe its color, shape, texture, and other aspects of their conscious experience. These individuals would have been using a method called (Points : 2)
objective introspection.
Question 2.2. (TCO 4) As part of a psychology experiment, Brett decides to measure a person's "anxiety" by noting the number of blinks a person makes in a 20-minute social interaction with a stranger. Brett appears to have offered a(n) _____ of anxiety. (Points : 2)
operational definition
Question 3.3. (TCOs 2, 3) Marta was in an automobile accident and suffered an injury to her brain, resulting in the paralysis of her left arm. What part of Marta's brain was injured?(Points : 2)
Auditory association area
Motor cortex
Association areas
Somatosensory cortex
Question 4.4. (TCOs 2, 3) A group of axons bundled together coated in myelin that travels together through the body is called a (Points : 2)
synaptic vesicle.
myelinated pathway.
Question 5.5. (TCOs 2, 3) _____ synapses make it more likely that a neuron will send its message to other neurons, whereas _____ synapses make it less likely that a neuron will send its message. (Points : 2)
Excitatory; inhibitory
Inhibitory; excitatory
Augmentation; depletion
Depletion; augmentation
Question 6.6. (TCO 4) Which of the following phenomena is a function of the distribution of the rods and cones in the retina? (Points : 2)
The moon looks much larger near the horizon than it looks when it is higher in the sky.
The light...


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TOWN/TOWNSHIP: Gornji Grad - Medveščak ESTATE: Pantovčak
A beautiful residential house on Pantovčak on a very quiet area of 550m2. The house was built in 2002, oriented to all four sides of the world. It consists of a ground floor with a guest bedroom with a bedroom, living room with terrace access, kitchen, bathroom, pantry, refrigerator and boiler room. On the 1st floor is the main entrance to the house, large living room, large dining room with balcony access, separate kitchen, 2 toilets and a working room. On the 2nd floor are 3 bedrooms, en suite bathroom, toilet, kitchen and terrace of 29m2, in the attic 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms en suite and wardrobe. The house has an alarm system, video surveillance, is fully air-conditioned, has central vacuum cleaner, underfloor heating bathrooms, roller shutter, armoire is a combination of aluminum and wood, a luxurious granite staircase dominates the house, and from the terrace provides a united view of the entire city. An ideal property for an embassy or residence near the Presidential Courts. There are two garage on the ground floor and ten parking places in the yard, and there is a garden house with a barbecue.


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4 steps to branding yourselfTuesday, January 06, 2009
In these tough and troubled job market conditions, finding a suitable job will involve a lot of effort. We have previously talked about how important it is to create a favourable image and the need for a personal branding. Just like in the commodity markets, in the job markets too, it is the best brands that sell the most. Similarly, it is important for you as a job seeker to create a good brand for yourself and sell it aggressively.
Creating and establishing a personal brand is not as difficult as it sounds. We present the steps involved in the process of establishing a brand called you.
- Identify: The first step involves discovering yourself and identifying what is it about you that should make recruiters prefer you over others. This basically includes listing who you are, what your ambitions are, what are your strengths, educational qualifications, achievements, experience etc. This prepares the raw material of your brand that should be strengthened by identifying your long term and short term goals and creating plans around them.
- Develop: Now that the raw material is ready, you have to plan how to present it to the world. There are two ways of approaching it - traditional that includes resumes, cover letter, business cards, professional portfolio, reference letters etc. and non-traditional that includes methods like video resumes, job portals, blogs etc. Research to find out what methods will work for your area of work and then create your marketing tools based on the research. Whatever method you decide to use, ensure that the content is concise, has all the relevant points and can compel people to sit up and take notice.
- Communicate: Now that the material is ready, you need to let the world know of it. Focus on the people you want to target and decide upon the best strategies to approach them. Network extensively and find out the opportunities that exist. Create and practice a small selling proposition that contains a summary of your strengths, achievements etc, which can be used whenever you get an opportunity to market yourself. Make sure that people know you exist.
- Maintain: Update the material regularly because as time goes by, things change. Your strengths, achievements etc. change and your marketing material has to reflect it. Similarly, whenever these changes happen, you also have to ensure that the relevant people come to know of it. In order to be successful, maintaining a positive image is as important as creating it.
The markets are becoming more and more competitive, and only the best strategies and brands will be able to sail through smoothly. Go all out and tell the world that you exist and you are the best. Remember, bigger the reach of your brand, brighter are your chances of success.
Naveen T. Nair


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What You'll Learn
High-energy, fast-paced results in a fun format for your next team building event! A Hackathon builds collaboration and generates ideas by encouraging participants to come up with innovative solutions to a problem or question. A hack is a "novel creation or solution to a problem," and the purpose of a Hackathon is to generate solutions to a problem or situation. While Hackathons were created to promote innovation in the IT community, this format can be used to solve problems or generate ideas in any team or organization. You provide the situation, and the participants create a solution! The Hackathon is an experience in innovation and encourages participants to think on their feet, manage in the moment, and be collaboratively creative using improvisational behaviors. By the end of the session, each team will have a fully generated solution to the problem or challenge!
Watch Our Videos
See what our dynamic keynote speeches and addresses are like. Watch a video now!


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Stonehenge Therapeutic Community reviews it's strategic plan approximately every three years. The process involves a 2-day retreat to seek input from, and collaboration between, the Board of Directors, the Leadership Team, and administrative and clinical staff from every level of the organization. The current 2018 – 2021 plan is entitled Building on Legacy, Leading through Innovation and outlines five strategic goals for the agency.
Click the picture below to view the Stonehenge Therapeutic Community 2018 – 2021 Strategic Plan.
Annual Reports


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Product Code:
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15 litre tank.
2 year guarantee.


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1. Your bio on your website describes how your expertise in yoga, meditation and relaxation has allowed you to flourish and be happy in life.
How do you feel yoga or meditation can bring improvements in the lives of others?
Let's begin with where we are in society. Many of today's lifestyles create overstimulation and energetic fragmentation. We're woefully addicted to digital devices which bombard us with constant "noise" and mental activity.RELATED: RECOMMENDED PLANS FOR YOU
We spend excessive amounts of time sitting and we live in our minds, our egos, and are not in touch with our body. We're stuck in the challenges of everyday and we've lost contact with the expansiveness that we are.
We've stopped exploring our unmanifest potential.
As a result, people of all ages in our culture are suffering from obesity, diabetes, autoimmune diseases and a litany of mental issues from anxiety to depression.
Yoga and meditation return us to our essence and reconnect us in a way that integrates body and mind.
When you practice every day, you restore and renew physically and mentally.
You enter into a seemingly magical place of alignment which is necessary for your biological systems to function optimally. You feel content. You're unperturbed by external matters and you accept that you are exactly where you are supposed to be.
The Integrative Yoga that I teach along with the Quantum Breath meditation guides a practitioner into a personal place of inner wisdom, power and optimal homeostasis. These practices reduce stress, encourage revitalizing forms of relaxation which accelerate healing and wellbeing.
2. How often and how long should people meditate for to feel the effects and benefits meditation can bring?
Great question.
Regular practice is the key. Yogis recommend 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes in late afternoon EVERY day.
This would be ideal but for many of my clients it isn't practical. Recent studies in the neurosciences show that even taking just a one-minute break every 90 minutes restores better brain function and provides more energetic balance.
I created a free audio which readers can download and use several times a day with good results. Connect with me on WatchFit to learn more about this.
3. Besides meditation or yoga, what is your favourite way to combat stress and anxiety? What would you recommend to readers?
I'm trained in such a range of modalities so I offer hundreds of strategies that can interrupt patterns of stress and anxiety very effectively.
Each of my clients has a different set of beliefs, values and priorities so I develop protocols that resonate specifically for someone's unique needs and perspectives.
In general, the simplest method is to take a break from whatever is triggering the reaction and do something completely unrelated: take a walk in nature, or do some form of exercise, or call a friend just to see how they are doing.
Personally, one of my favorite stress relievers is playing competitive tennis. When I'm on the tennis court, I can only focus on what is in front of me and nothing else. All challenges disappear except the one I'm facing in my opponent!
4. You provide a plan called the Stress-Anxiety Buster, could you tell any readers suffering from anxiety or stress a little about the benefits and steps of this plan?
As I mentioned earlier, we often get trapped in patterns of behavior. For example, someone cuts us off in traffic and our automatic default is to get angry or irritated.
What if instead of focusing on the annoying situation, we shift our attention to our breathing and we blow out any aggravating thoughts.
After all, such a negative reaction serves no one and only hurts ourselves.
So to change that unproductive habit and create new positive habits takes a minimum of 21 days.
The Stress-Anxiety Buster teaches readers how to stop and interrupt those negative, depleting reactions with simple techniques. Day after day for 21 days, the reader is trained in these beneficial practices so they become assimilated into everyday life.
In this way, these become a more productive default behavior that relieves stress and anxiety and becomes the "normal" – and very positive – habit.
5. Anxiety is now being recognised as something of an epidemic. Why do you think this is? And, as an expert on combatting anxiety and stress, what tips or plans can you give to people suffering from this condition?
Unfortunately chronic stress is commonplace and it's dangerous to our health. We live in a perpetual state of high alert which activates our built-in biological survival mechanism.
This stress response was intended for short bursts so hormones like cortisol and adrenaline could speed up our heart rates and pump energy into our limbs so we could run away from the predator.
But now the predator is within us and bubbles up in the form of disturbing thoughts and fears.
We deal with inner tensions of not being good enough or smart enough or thin enough. We face a constant state of lack and this relentless stress evolves into anxiety which essentially overloads our biological circuits.
The first step in combatting all forms of stress or anxiety is developing awareness so that you can recognize that you are in a danger zone.
You may need professional support if you feel overwhelmed and unable to cope with everyday tasks.
Alternatively, a good starting point would be to use the Stress-Anxiety Buster Plan or contact me directly for my Integrative Personal Coaching System which is a fast-track customized approach to becoming the best you.
Come back tomorrow for Peggy's answers to five further questions in Part 2.
Connect with Expert Peggy Sealfon


text: Russo's Family Style catering always delivers. Any time. Any where. Any size. From our authentic New York-style Pizza to our made-from-scratch entrées, your order can be ready for pick-up on your special day, or delivered at no cost! Let us do all the work so you can enjoy the party.


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MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company is expanding its fleet with a huge order of 5,000 refrigerated containers equipped with Carrier Transicold's XtendFRESH atmosphere control technology.
The XtendFRESH system manages oxygen and carbon dioxide levels within refrigerated containers and removes ethylene, thus slowing the ripening of produce, according to a news release.
The XtendFRESH-equipped containers are being leased through SeaCube Containers LLC.
"By adding atmosphere control for selected perishable cargoes, we are enhancing the care we provide for the valuable commodities we ship for our customers," Giuseppe Prudente, chief logistics officer, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, said in a news release. "XtendFRESH technology enables MSC to transport fruit and other refrigerated cargo over longer distances, creating tremendous new opportunities for exporters and importers."
The order is the largest for the XtendFRESH option since the system was introduced in 2013. It adds to the growing trend among shipping lines to provide controlled-atmosphere technology for the benefit of their customers, Willy Yeo, director, marketing, Global Container Refrigeration, Carrier Transicold.
"MSC is just one example of the very strong demand we've seen for controlled-atmosphere equipment," SeaCube CEO Robert Sappio said in the release. He said controlled atmosphere is a way for shipping lines to assure their customers that they are carrying their products more safely.
The XtendFRESH system's patented, self-regenerating activated-carbon scrubber assembly captures carbon dioxide and ethylene, a hormone given off by ripening produce that can accelerate ripening if left unchecked. As perishable cargo consumes oxygen, on-demand fresh-air ventilation automatically maintains the optimum level inside the container.
"The innovative XtendFRESH system allows shipping lines to optimize conditions for specific commodities," Carrier Transicold's Yeo said. "It is the only atmosphere control solution with an integrated ethylene removal capability."
Carrier Transicold is a part of UTC Climate, Controls & Security, a unit of United Technologies Corp.


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The Solomon Islands are accessible by both sea and air. Solomon Airlines has a series of flights, and many tour operators offer domestic cruises if you are interested in some island hopping. The roads are not in very good condition, so travelling within the islands can be hard at times. Local transportation facilities are also sometimes unreliable, but using them will get you to mix with the locals. Solomon Islands are in a much more remote part of Melanesia and receive fewer tourists, which makes it easier for travellers to experience the local culture, tradition and history.
The people of the Solomon Islands are a friendly lot and will be more than happy to help you in making your vacation special.
This Solomon Islands transportation guide provides general information on travelling within the Solomon Islands. Be sure to check out the Solomon Islands tours available for getting around the islands. The Solomon Island country travel guide is also a useful tool for planning a vacation.
Honiara International Airport is located at Henderson, 11 km (7 ml) east of Honiara. The airport is small, but there are taxis, local car rental agencies available to deliver cars, ATM and facilities for foreign exchange. Conveniently located within the departure lounge at the Honiara International Airport is Solomon Islands Terminal Services. They are on standby to assist with transfers to hotels, airport baggage storage, transfers to domestic flights and cargo handling.
The main reason why so few tourists visit the Solomon Islands is the lack of any direct flights. The state-owned Solomon Airlines ( www.flysolomons.com ) is proud to offers flights four times a week from Brisbane in Australia, with their new AIRBUS A320 -232 starting Feb 2020 and has regular flights from several other South Pacific countries. Services from Fiji use a code-sharing agreement with Air Pacific. Currently Pacific Blue also flys from Brisbane on Tuesday and Thursday and can be booked on www.flypacificblue.com The best way to reach the Solomon Islands from North America is via Fiji. Coming from Europe, you have a choice transiting via Australia or Fiji. Air Niugini offers flights once a week from Port Moresby.
If you are a Round-the-World traveler coming from North America, Europe or Asia, you can pick up your regional passes from your travel agent. You should be aware that the departure tax is now included in the ticket cost.
For transport from the airport to the city (or from the city to the airport), taxis are available for $150- $100 depending on the direction of travel and company, who offer eco-friendly airport transfers in hundreds of destinations around the world.
If you have more time, you can arrive by sea. Cruise ships visit Honiara occasionally or you can get a lift on a yacht from Australia, New Zealand or the West Coast of the US, which is a cheaper option.
Although many people travel from Papua New Guinea's southern island, Bougainville, to the Western Province of Solomon Islands by boat, it is an illegal method as authorities are not stationed there. Locals habitually travel between Shortland Islands in the Solomons and Bougainville.
One of the best ways to get around Solomon Islands is by air. Since most airplanes fly at 2000 m (6500 ft), the views are spectacular. Solomon Airlines offers services to 20 airfields in various provinces. All flights have a baggage limit of 16 kg (35 lbs). It is good to book in advance, as most domestic flights are heavily booked. Online ticketing is available on www.flysolomons.com
While transport by sea is the local way, it can be unpredictable and in most cases there are no timetables. It is however, the most economical and interesting way to travel between the islands. There is a boat service between Honiara and Auki and Honiara and Gizo which is frequent and regular. Most of the Solomon's other islands are also well connected by boat. Do keep in mind that since the fares are quite low, services are also quite basic. Choose from large, passenger-carrying vessels to cargo boats and copras that usually have some space for passengers as well. Check fares before travelling as they vary quite a bit.
Cars can be rented mainly in Honiara and one vehicle in Gizo, but they are a little more expensive than Australia. Taxis are a better way to travel in the city for short stays. Local taxis do not have meters and can be flagged in the street or booked in advance. They calculate the fare by the distance and currently charge $10 SBD per kilometer off the odometer. Honiara also has minibuses, which are a cheap and reliable way to travel in Solomon Islands. The fare is currently $3 SBD per fare whether you go one stop or 20.


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Health & Wellness
Health & CALM
Grade 7A Health and grade 10 CALM are both taught by Mr. Rodgers.
Grade 7B Health is taught by Mrs. Thompson.
Grade 8 and 9 Health outcomes are covered through various presentations and through our Health Conference.
Find Resources on Health & Wellness
Click on the Link to Read the Article
Healthy Eating Resources:
Single Serving Package Food List
Active Living Resources:
Tips to Get Active - Ages 12-17
Healthy Eating/Active Living Resources:
Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Booklet - Age 13-18
Find Out More About Comprehensive School Health:
Alberta Healthy Schools Community Wellness Fund


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TRAINThe College is served by train along the Cleveland line and is about a 10-minute walk from the Wellington Point station.For current rail timetables please access http://www.qr.com.au/
BUSChartered bus services to the College operate from the following areas:
Wynnum - Wynnum West - Manly - Wakerley - Birkdale - Wellington Point
Cleveland - Ormiston - Wellington Point
PUBLIC/PRIVATE SCHOOL SERVICE - not affiliated with Redlands College (students utilise their GO card for this service)
Translink Service: Wynnum - Wynnum West - Manly - Wakerley - Birkdale - Wellington Point
TRANSPORT CONTACTFor further information or to register your child/ren on a bus service please contact the College's Public Reception - 3286 0222
DOWNLOADSAll students must apply to use the school bus service (routes are below). A place on the bus is not guaranteed unless a bus pass has been issued. Download the application form below and return it to reception.


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A healthy, satisfying snack.
- 150 g reduced-fat butter (i am going to try oil) plus extra for greasing
- 150 g ready-to-eat, soft (stoned dates)
- 3 tblsp apple juice
- 30 g toasted sunflower seeds (finely chopped)
- 100 g ready-to-eat dried apricots (finely chopped)
- 225 g porridge oats
- Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan170°C (gas 5). Grease and line a shallow 17.5cm-square tin with baking paper.
- Put the dates and apple juice in a food processor and whizz until smooth.
- Add the oil or butter to a large pan and heat slowly. Add the date purée and all the other ingredients. Stir well, then press into the tin with damp hands. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until just golden.
- Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes. Cut into squares in the tin. Cool completely before turning out and cutting again to separate.


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Filipino prodigious painter Benedicto Cabrera takes the spotlight in his very own art museum a la Van Gogh in Baguio's BenCab, currently one of the most-visited spots in the province. The red-and-gray minimalist building is perched in the woodcarving village on the way to the hot springs, about a 15-minute drive away from the city center; you can either take a taxi or get the best local experience by riding a jeep. General admission is Php 120, but students and seniors get discounts with their valid IDs.
My dad, who turns 60 on that day, managed to score his first discount when he entered the lobby.
Airy, tranquil and beautifully modern, the BenCab space greets you with info + reception and a shop on the side. His paintings take the highlight in most corners; on the wall, by the staircase, or installed on the floor. The museum combines a mix of prominent and independent names in watercolor, oil, gouache, acrylic and mixed media, plus a ton of local wood carvings Baguio is known for. Themes are divided in different spaces, and the large glass windows let you bask into the glorious natural beauty of Baguio's mountain views, as well as the botanical garden in the lowest floor. No food is allowed, but you can quell your hunger at the BenCab bar by the garden, where you can sip the local's coffee brew as well as healthy gastronomical feasts before you jaunt off to your next destination.
Photos are allowed, but, just like in the Louvre, sans the use of flash. Glide through Philippine Contemporary Art, as well as Cordillera woodworks and paintings and get to know about Baguio's heritage through visual masterpieces.
The number of photos I took was nothing remarkable, because if you have a taxi waiting outside and parents who easily gets tired of climbing up and down, you just have to soak in every bit of art and ditch the secondary-necessary souvenir. The good news is, my brother has plenty; and we'd be sharing it to you through this blog once he gets them up.
Watercolor Women
A Room Full of Old-Folk Deities
Wooden anito, pottery, tribal weapons and pigs get featured in this special display. Some of these items have been showcased in The Louvre — my art heart couldn't be any more proud.
See more of my snaps by viewing this thread on Twitter!
Still some stuff from yesterday:
Fluid movements and brilliant techniques I mean c'mon#BenCab #Museum #Baguio #Art pic.twitter.com/NxcUWmFiv1
— Caris Cruz (@hellocaris) February 14, 2017
What is cute pic.twitter.com/eEJf9KMOk4
— Caris Cruz (@hellocaris) February 14, 2017
oookay guy is literally red-faced pic.twitter.com/sxlLf1Cm1v
— Caris Cruz (@hellocaris) February 15, 2017
Subdivision – Virgilio Aviado pic.twitter.com/vuOxxx4kde
— Caris Cruz (@hellocaris) February 15, 2017


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As Keanu Hits Theaters, 17 Famous Felines That Paved the Way for the Latest Leading Cat
Get ready to meet your newest animal obsession. In the new movie Keanu, Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele star as cousins who infiltrate a street gang when their ridiculously cute kitten, Keanu, is catnapped. But soon enough, their mission erupts into a full-on gang war over the precious pet—and the little guy's fate is anyone's guess.
Keanu may be the first kitten to face such absurd circumstances onscreen, but he's in good company when it comes to the famous felines that have paved the way to success before him. From tabbys to calicos, titular characters to supporting stars, cool cats have been ruling the entertainment industry for years—way before the rise of their Internet-famous counterparts (we're looking at you, Grumpy Cat and Lil Bub). Scroll down for 17 of the most fabulous felines to ever grace our TV and movie screens.
Perhaps the most recognizable feline in the world, the orange tabby cat was first introduced to the public in Jim Davis's 1978 comic strip, Garfield. Lazy and lasagna-loving, the character went on to become a beloved TV and movie star in his own right. From 2004 until 2006, he was even voiced by Bill Murray for two live-action films—and if that doesn't earn him a spot on coolest cat list, we don't know what will.
The Cat in the Hat
Dr. Seuss's classic 1957 children's tale hit the big screen in 2003, with Mike Myers playing the fun-loving human-like cat. He mesmerized the story's characters and audiences alike with his tricks, games, and unforgettable red-and-white striped hat—not to mention, he brought along the creatures we've come to know and love as Thing 1 and Thing 2.
Salem from Sabrina the Teenage Witch
This former warlock was turned into a cat as punishment after trying to take over the planet, but he seemed truly comfortable in his feline skin once he was taken in by the Spellman family on the ABC sitcom starring Melissa Joan Hart. Sure, he cared more about world domination than about being a good pet, but his sarcastic sense of humor and loyalty to Sabrina ultimately made him a lovable character.
Sylvester from Looney Tunes
Sylvester the Cat has been a Looney Tunes staple since the 1940s. The cartoon tuxedo cat with an unforgettable lisp is best known for chasing Tweety Bird around, spitting while he talks, and refusing to give up no matter the odds against him. He even repeatedly "died" throughout the course of the series, but luckily for us, he always managed to survive.
Tom Cat from Tom and Jerry
Thomas "Tom" Cat and Jerry Mouse made their debut in a series of short films in 1940, and the public couldn't get enough of the ongoing rivalry between the mostly-mute pair. They've gone on to star in numerous feature films and television series, with Tom often defeated by a clever Jerry. Over the years, we've seen Tom court several love interests and somehow find his way out of precarious situations—proving that he's not going anywhere.
Binx from Hocus Pocus
At the start of Hocus Pocus, Thackery Binx was just like any other teenage boy living in 17th century Salem. But when he found himself face to face with three witches known as the Sanderson sisters, Thackery was turned into an immortal black cat. The witches were ultimately killed, but Thackery continued to roam the streets of Salem—and he was on hand to help when the Sandersons were accidentally brought back to life by Max Dennison in the 1993 film's present day. Max teamed up with his sister, Dani, and his crush, Allison, to defeat the Sandersons once and for all—but Thackery (known just as "Binx") is the one who truly helped them succeed. His soul was finally freed from the Earth once the Sandersons' magic no longer worked, and we all shed a tear as he said goodbye to his new friends.
Puss in Boots
We first met the most badass cat in movie history in Shrek 2, when he tried to attack the friendly titular ogre before ultimately teaming up with him. Since then, he's starred Puss in Boots, a feature film about his early life, and a Netflix series, The Adventures of Puss in Boots. Voiced by Antonio Banderas, it's hard not to fall in love with the talking feline when he uses his wide-eyed stare to appear innocent—until he attacks with his sword, that is.
Felix the Cat
The cartoon character first rose to fame in 1919, and starred in silent short films and comic strips throughout the 1920s. But after a brief lull in popularity, Felix was fully revamped in the 1950s. With the new addition of his magical satchel, known as his "Bag of Tricks," the character was back to starring in TV shows and feature films—and he's remained one of the most famous cats in pop culture ever since.
Mr. Bigglesworth from Austin Powers
Based on the cat-toting enemy from the original James Bond films, Dr. Evil's feline companion started off as a Persian cat with beautiful long fur. But after being "cryogenically frozen" for 30 years, the feline suddenly appeared hairless—just like his villainous owner. From then on, Mr. Bigglesworth was played by a naturally-bald Egyptian Sphynx—but he still spent most of his time in Dr. Evil's arms.
Mr. Jinx in Meet the Parents
This Himalayan cat truly landed the role of a lifetime, playing Robert De Niro's pet in the Meet the Parents films. And Mr. Jinx had some major skills. He preferred toilets to litter boxes and created mass chaos when he ran away, causing Ben Stiller's desperate character, Greg, to try to replace him with a lookalike stray cat (spray-painted tail and all). The plan ultimately backfired, and Mr. Jinx made it home safe and sound—although Greg was in the doghouse.
Snowbell from Stuart Little
In the Stuart Little films, yet another unlikely friendship developed between the titular character, a mouse, and his adoptive family's pet cat, Snowbell. The white Persian cat was skeptical of Stuart when he first moved in, doing whatever he could to get rid of his new rodent "master" (he even tried to eat him). But the former alley cat gang member ultimately warmed up to Stuart and became the mouse's biggest protector and loyal friend.
D.C. from That Darn Cat
Christina Ricci starred as teenager Patti Randall in the 1997 remake, which followed the aftermath of a kidnapping gone wrong. Patti's tomcat, D.C., returned home with a clue to the mystery after stumbling upon the kidnappers' hideaway—and after some major investigating and some help from her trusty "Darn Cat," Patti found the kidnapped victim. There were a few setbacks along the way, but the canine-and-human pair managed to save the day and were hailed as heroes in the end.
Sassy from Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey
Sassy was a total #girlboss in this 1993 movie. Voiced by Sally Field, the Himalayan cat reluctantly teamed up with her canine brothers, Chance and Shadow, to find their vacationing family in the remake of 1963'sThe Incredible Journey. Smart and witty, Sassy truly lived up to her name—and it was her quick thinking that ultimately helped the trio of pets find their way back home.
The Aristocats
Who could forget the French family of singing cats from this 1970 animated film? The Aristocats followed the story of Duchess, a mother cat, and her three kittens in 1910 Paris. They lived with an older wealthy woman, who decided that she'd leave her estate to the feline fam when setting up her will. But her butler threw a wrench into her plan when he kidnapped the cats, and chaos ensued. Despite the drama, the kittens remained pitch-perfect—and they hit all the right notes in our hearts.
Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland
Perhaps the most mischievous feline in pop culture is none other than the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland. In the original 1951 animated film, he appeared as a pink-and-purple-striped character who could make his entire body disappear, save for his yellow eyes or devilish grin. He enjoyed giving Alice the wrong directions as she navigated Wonderland in both the original movie and Tim Burton's 2010 live-action film, although he was friendlier and a bit more helpful in the latter. His appearance also changed, with a new gray coat and turquoise eyes—but his invisibility tricks still remained.
Crookshanks from Harry Potter
As Hermione Granger's furry ginger pet, Crookshanks was one smart kitty. He was integral in discovering the truth about Ron Weasley's pet rat, Scabbers—who actually turned out to be disguised villain Peter Pettigrew—and his instincts led him to protect the beloved Sirius Black on more than one occasion. But despite his friendliness towards some, Crookshanks still had his moody moments—and they were usually directed at Ron. Still, we're glad that Hermione took him home from the Magical Menagerie instead of the owl she was initially planning on adopting.
Oliver from Oliver and Company
This 1988 animated film was based on Charles Dickens's novel Oliver Twist—only in this adaptation, Oliver was a homeless orange kitten rather than an orphaned boy. Alone on the streets of New York City, Oliver teamed up with a rough gang of dogs to survive. Although he became good friends with his canine crew, Oliver was ultimately adopted by a wealthy girl named Jenny who could provide the loving home that he truly needed.