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International Journal of Morphology
versión On-line ISSN 0717-9502
Int. J. Morphol. vol.30 no.2 Temuco jun. 2012
Int. J. Morphol., 30(2):524-530, 2012.
The Topography and Gross Anatomy of the Abdominal Gastrointestinal Tract of the Persian Squirrel (Sciurus anomalus)
La Topografía y Anatomía Macroscópica del Tracto Gastrointestinal Abdominal de la Ardilla Persa (Sciurus anomalus)
*Sadeghinezhad, J.; *Tootian, Z.; *Akbari, G. H. & **Chiocchetti, R.
* Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
** Department of Veterinary Medical Science, University of Bologna, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy.
SUMMARY: The Persian Squirrel (Sciurus anomalus) is the only member of the Sciuridae family found in the Middle East. It is herbivorous, feeding mostly on pine acorns and other seeds and fruits. It is a wild animal nesting in forest trees, although it is frequently found close to city gardens and parks. As Persian squirrels are also found in homes as "companion animals", veterinarian assistance may be sometimes required; this is a good reason to gain more specific knowledge of the anatomical features of this animal. Due to the scantiness of relevant literature, we carried out this study with the aim to provide further information on the topography and gross anatomy of its abdominal gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Seven animals of this species were utilized to measure the length, content weight and area surface of the relative segments of the abdominal GIT. The stomach is unilocular, lined with glandular epithelium; the small intestine is divided into duodenum, jejunum and ileum. The cecum is situated on the right side of the abdominal cavity and lacks the vermiform appendix observed in some rodents. The ascending colon is extensive, consisting of two loops and two straight parts forming a unique topographic arrangement, closely resembling the ascending colon of the horse. The transverse colon connects the ascending and the descending colon located on the left side of the abdominal cavity, and shows a distinct sigmoid flexure before entering the pelvic cavity. Overall, the in situ examination and the relative measurements of the various parts of the abdominal GIT suggest that the ascending colon is the main fermentation chamber in the Persian Squirrel.
KEY WORDS: Persian squirrel; Gross anatomy; Abdominal gastrointestinal tract.
RESUMEN: La ardilla es el único miembro de la familia de los Sciuridae que se encuentra en el Medio Oriente. Es un herbívoro, come semillas, principalmente de pino, y fruta. Vive mayormente en el bosque en estado salvaje, aunque a veces se puede encontrar en las ciudades, en parques y jardines. Las ardillas persianas tambien se tienen en casas como mascotas y algunas veces es necesaria la atención del veterinario. Esta es una buena razón para conocer más profundamente sus características anatómicas. Teniendo en cuenta la escasa bibliografía existente a cerca de este animal, el objetivo de este estudio fue aportar nueva información sobre la anatomía topográfica y mascroscópica del tracto abdominal gastrointestinal (GIT) de la ardilla. Siete animales de esta especie han sido utilizados para medir el largo, el peso y el área de la superficie de los segmentos del GIT. El estómago es unilocular, alineado con epitelio glandular; el pequeño intestino está dividido en duodeno, jejuno e ileo. El ciego está localizado en la parte derecha de la cavidad abdominal y le falta el apéndice vermiforme que poseen los roedores. El colon ascendente es extenso, constituido de dos partes curvas y dos rectilíneas que forman una única dispoción topográfica cerrada como el colon ascendente en el caballo. El colon trasverso, que conecta el ascendente y el descendente, está localizado en el lado izquierdo de la cavidad abdominal y muestra una clara flexión sigmoide antes de entrar en la cavidad pélvica. En resumen, el examen in situ y las relativas medidas de las varias partes del GIT sugieren que el colon ascendente es la principal "cámara" de fermentación en la ardilla persiana.
PALABRAS CLAVE: Ardilla; Anatomía macroscópica; Tracto gastrointestinal abdominal.
Squirrels are mammals which belong to the order Rodentia. There are approximately 50 genera and 273 species recognized in the family of Sciuridae (Thorington & Darrow, 2000). The Persian Squirrel (Sciurus anomalus) is the only representative of the Sciuridae family found in the Middle East. This species is found from Greece through Turkey, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Lebanon, and Syria in coniferous and temperate mixed forests (Amr et al., 2006).
The Persian Squirrel is a herbivorous animal feeding mostly on pine acorns and other seeds and fruits. However, habitat fragmentation, wood cutting, deforestation, fire and habitat disturbance are the major threats to the current population of this species in these areas (Matsinos & Papadopoulou, 2004; Amr et al.). Persian squirrels are a wild species, but as some people keep them as a companion animals referral to veterinary hospitals has increased (Khazraiinia et al., 2008).
Understanding the morphology of the digestive system is necessary for diagnosis and treatment of the digestive disorders in veterinary medicine.
There are several reports on feeding ecology and anatomy of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of other species such as the red squirrel (Sullivan & Klenner, 1993; Layne, 1954), the Korean Tree Squirrel (Lee et al., 1991), Abert's Squirrel (Murphy & Linhart, 1999) and of most rodents such as myomorph rodents (Perrin & Curtis, 1980), Laboratory Mice (Komarek, 2004), Laboratory Rats (Hofstetter et al., 2006) and Cape Dune Mole-Rats (Kotzé et al., 2006). Despite the massive range of distribution of the Persian Squirrel, as far as we know there is no information on the anatomical features of the gastrointestinal tract in this species.
Therefore, we carried out a study aimed to provide comprehensive anatomical features and accurate measurements of the abdominal GIT of the Persian Squirrel to provide clinicians with basic findings, based on the progress in diagnostic approaches (ultrasonography, computer axial tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, etc) in veterinary medicine. In addition, this information study will be compared with those carried out on other rodents and also some squirrels.
Seven Persian Squirrels of varying age and size which suffered for diseases unrelated to the GIT were used for this research thanks to the collaboration with some veterinarians, and the owner's permission. Subjects were euthanized by the deep halothane inhalation followed by a swift cervical dislocation. Body weight and length of the animals were measured. A midline abdominal wall incision was then made on each animal and the abdominal contents were scrutinized and photographed. The abdominal GIT was then removed and, after dissection of all peritoneal attachments, it was gently distended. The length of each part of the GIT was measured along the greater curvature of the stomach and the anti-mesenteric border of the intestine, using a pliable and non-stretchable tape. In addition, the surface areas of the various parts of the GIT were estimated calculating the mean of three different circumference measurements, taken at corresponding positions in all species, multiplied by the length of each part and expressed as percentage of the total gut surface area (more details in Kotzé et al., 2010).
In addition, the weight of the content of each GIT section was taken as the difference of pre-and post-cleaning weight. Finally the tabulated data and recorded photographs were utilized to illustrate the GIT of the Persian Squirrel.
Table I shows the average body measurements (weight and length) and total abdominal GIT (length, content weight and surface area) of the seven Persian Squirrels (S. anomalus) compared to those of S. aberti and S. niger.
The mean proportion (expressed in percentage) of each part of the abdominal GIT to total abdominal GIT in the relative measurements (length, content weight and surface area) is shown in Table II.
The topographic anatomy of the abdominal GIT of the Persian Squirrel shows that the well developed greater omentum covers most abdominal contents from the greater curvature of the stomach to the pelvic inlet. The right edge of the greater omentum is situated along the entire length of the cecum (Fig. 1).
Fig. 1. Topographic anatomy showing the abdominal GIT "in situ" of the Persian Squirrel (Sciurus anomalus) after incising the ventral abdominal wall. The dashed line shows the edge of the greater omentum covering most organs of the abdominal cavity. The cecum (1a-1c) is situated on the right side of the abdominal cavity. The base of the cecum (1a) is directed caudally and the body of the cecum (1b) continues ventro-cranially toward the apex (1c). The major axis of the caudal (2a) and cranial (2b) limbs of the caudal loop and the ventral limb of the cranial loop (3) of the ascending colon are directed transversely. The liver (4), stomach (5) and spleen (6) are visible. The loops of the small intestine (7) and descending colon (8a) with its sigmoid flexure (9) are pushed against the left abdominal wall.
The stomach, positioned in the left hypochondrium (Regio hypochondriaca), is simple, showing a developed angular incisure (Incisura angularis), as seen in the stomach of carnivores. The spleen has two large extremities connected with a narrow middle portion, and is attached along its hilus (hilus lienis) to the greater curvature of the stomach by the gastrosplenic ligament on the left abdominal wall (Figs. 1 and 3).
The small intestine begins at the pylorus and ends at the cecum with the ileocecal opening. The duodenum is divided into three parts (cranial part, descending and ascending duodenum) where the right lobe of the pancreas is associated with the former (Fig. 3).
Fig. 2. Complete abdominal gastrointestinal tract of the Persian Squirrel (Sciurus anomalus) after removing the abdominal cavity. The cecum (1) and cranial loops of the ascending colon (7-9) are slightly displaced from their original position to show their connections with the various parts of the ascending colon (2-9). The straight caudal part (2), the cranial limb of the caudal loop (3), the caudal limb of the caudal loop (4) and the 180° turn between the two limbs of the caudal limb are indicated. Continuing, the straight cranial part (6), the ventral limb (7), the 180° turn (8) and the dorsal limb (9) of the cranial loop of the ascending colon are visible. The transverse colon (10) and especially the descending colon (11) are filled with fecal balls.
Fig. 3. The complete abdominal gastrointestinal tract of the Persian Squirrel (Sciurus anomalus) after dissection of the mesenteric attachments (a), and its schematic illustration (b) showing the following structures: the spleen (1), gastrosplenic ligament (2), greater omentum (3), stomach (4), cranial part of duodenum (5), descending duodenum (6), ascending duodenum (7), jejunum (8), and ileum (9). Furthermore the cecum (10) and the various portions of the ascending colon are shown as follows: the straight caudal part (11), the caudal loop with its cranial (12) and caudal (13) limbs, the straight cranial part (14), the cranial loop with its dorsal (15) and ventral (16) limbs. Finally the transverse colon (17), the descending colon (18) with its sigmoid flexure (19) are visible.
The mass of the jejunal loops occupy the leftmost side of the abdominal cavity (Fig. 1). The ileum is the terminal part of the small intestine and is connected to the cecum by the ileocecal fold (Fig. 4).
The cecum is situated on the right side of the abdominal cavity. The base of the cecum is directed caudally, with the ileocecal and cecocolic openings close to each other on its medial aspect. The body of the cecum extends cranially from the base; this gradually tapers toward the apex, which is oriented cranially and medially. The cecum has three distinct tenia on the lateral, medial and ventral aspects; the ileocecal fold is attached along the medial one. The sacculations (haustra ceci) between these three bands are not clearly visible (Fig. 1).
The ascending colon is arranged into two loops (cranial and caudal loops) and two straight parts (cranial and caudal parts). Each loop is directed transversely toward the right abdominal wall with a fat-filled mesenteric fold between its limbs, whereas the major axis of each straight part is directed caudo-cranially in a sagittal plane (Figs. 1 to 3).
The straight caudal part extends from the cecum to the cranial limb of the caudal loop, making a 180° turn and then continuing to form the caudal limb of the caudal loop. The straight cranial part connects the caudal loop to the dorsal limb of the cranial loop, making a 180° turn to form the ventral limb of the cranial loop (Figs. 1 to 3).
The transverse colon connects the ascending and the descending colon facing the left abdominal wall. The descending colon has a distinct sigmoid flexure (sigmoid colon) before entering the pelvic cavity (Fig. 3).
Since only a peritoneal fold (mesocolic) is connected to the antimesenteric border of the colon, it does not present any sacculations. Although no tenia were observed on the rest of the colon, hard fecal balls caused the descending colon to appear as if presenting sacculations.
Fig. 4. The ileo-ceco-colic junction of the intestine of the Persian Squirrel (Sciurus anomalus) showing the ileum (1), the ileo-cecal fold (2), the cecum (3) and the ascending colon (4). In addition some mesenteric lymph nodes (5) are marked.
The Persian Squirrel has a markedly different GIT morphology from what reported in the literature for other rodents. Body weight and length in this species (Table I) are smaller than in other squirrels such as Sciurus aberti and Sciurus niger (Murphy & Linhart). It seems that body size may play a role in food intake and sorting in small herbivorous rodents (Smith, 1995).
Despite the compartmentalization of the stomach of some rodents such as the hamster and vole (Stevens & Hume, 1995), and the hemiglandular stomach in the mouse (Komarek) and rat (Hofstetter et al.), the Persian Squirrel has a unilocular stomach lined exclusively with glandular epithelium. According to Langer (2002), small herbivorous mammals with a high degree of intestinal differentiation in the distal part of their GIT often show little differentiation in the stomach. In addition, Perrin & Curits concluded that dentination may play a role in determining stomach morphology. Therefore both dentination and complexity of the distal part of the GIT may be two important factors determining the simplicity of the shape of the stomach observed in the Persian Squirrel.
Unlike many rodents, whose cecum lies against the left abdominal wall (Behmann, 1973), in the Persian Squirrel the cecum is situated on the right side of the abdominal cavity. A voluminous cecum, with taenie and haustra, a common feature in many rodents (Perrin & Curtis), was observed also in the species studied in the present research; this species, however, lacks the vermiform appendix found in some rodents such as the rabbit (Stevens & Hume), rat (Hofstetter et al.) and Cape Dume Mole-rat (Kotzé et al., 2006).
Despite the visibly larger volume of the Persian Squirrel's cecum and ascending colon observed in situ (Fig.1), in addition to their relative lengths (Table II), Kotzé et al. (2010) stated that the mere measurement of GIT length cannot accurately reflect the size of the various parts of the GIT and their absorptive areas. It has also been stated that GIT volume is determined either by using relative intestinal circumference measurements directly, or by comparing the intestinal content weight of various parts of the GIT to total GIT content weight indirectly. However, in the present study, besides measuring the GIT surface area, the weight of the GIT content in various parts was carried out. Therefore, the large size of the cecum and the ascending colon can be easily illustrated on the remaining parts of the GIT in the Persian Squirrel.
The large hind-gut of squirrels has been previously reported in some species (Layne; Murphy & Linhart) but the exclusive and unique topographic arrangement of the loops of the ascending colon in the Persian Squirrel has not been reported in any other species of squirrels. It is reported that the looping of the colon in various rodents with different morphological features is a way to package their relatively long colon into their abdominal cavity (Kotzé et al., 2010). This finding is consistent with our study, in which the extreme looping of colon was due to the high ratio of intestine length to body length.
In addition, as the presence of taeniae in the cecum regulates the flow of the ingesta in small herbivores (Langer), it seems that, in the Persian squirrel, the taeniae of the cecum might have the same role of transporting the ingesta from the small intestine to the rest of the intestinal tube.
The large size of the ascending colon and cecum is indicative of hind gut fermentation in the Persian Squirrel. This finding is similar to that described in S. aberti which presents a large hind-gut, due to its need to digest food by symbiotic microbes in the cecum and colon (Murphy & Linhart).
In conclusion, the stomach of the Persian Squirrel is simple and, furthermore, the enlarged cecum and especially the elongated ascending colon indicate that this animal is a colon fermenter. The results of this study may open new vistas to help clinicians know the exact structures of the abdominal gastrointestinal tract in Persian Squirrels in veterinary medicine and to promote future investigations in gastroenterological knowledge.
Amr, Z. S.; Eid, E.; Qarqaz, M. A. & Abu Baker, M. A. The Status and distribution of the Persian Squirrel, Sciurus anomalus (Mammalia: Rodentia: Sciuridae), in Dibbeen Nature Reserve, Jordan. Zool. Abhand., 55:199-207, 2006. [ Links ]
Behmann, H. Vergleichend-und funktionell-anatomische Untersuchungen am Caecum und Colon myomorpher Nagetiere. Z. Wiss. Zool., 186:173-294, 1973. [ Links ]
Hofstetter, J.; Suckow, M. A. & Hickman, D. L. Morphophysiology. In: Suckow, M. A.; Weisbroth, S. H. & Franklin, C. L. (Eds.). The Laboratory Rat, San Diego, Elsevier/Academic Press, 2006. [ Links ]
Khazraiinia, P.; Rostami, A.; Haddadzadeh, H. R. & Nassiri, S. M. Hematological characteristics and hemoglobin typing of the Persian Squirrel (Sciurus anomalus). J. Exot. Pet Med., 17:44-8, 2008. [ Links ]
Komarek, V. Gross Anatomy. In: Hedrich, H. J. & Bullock, G. (Eds.). The Laboratory Mouse. Amsterdan, Elsevier, 2004. [ Links ]
Kotzé, S. H.; Van Der Merwe, E. L.; Bennett, N. C. & O'Riain, M. J. The comparative anatomy of the abdominal gastrointestinal tract of six species of African mole-rats (Rodentia, Bathyergidae). J. Morphol., 271(1):50-60, 2010. [ Links ]
Kotzé, S. H.; van der Merwe, E. L. & O'riain, M. J. The topography and gross anatomy of the gastrointestinal tract of the Cape dune mole-rat (Bathyergus suillus). Anat. Histol. Embryol., 35(4):259-64, 2006. [ Links ]
Langer, P. The digestive tract and life history of small mammals. Mammal Rev., 32:107-31, 2002. [ Links ]
Layne, J. N. The biology of the red squirrel, Tamiaciurus hudsonicus loquax (Bangs), in central New York. Ecol. Monogr., 24:227-68, 1954. [ Links ]
Lee, H. S.; Hashimoto, Y.; Kon, Y. & Sugimura, M. An immunohistochemical study of the gastro-entero-pancreatic endocrine cells in the alimentary tract of the Korean tree squirrel, Sciurus vulgaris corea. Jpn. J. Vet. Res., 39(2-4):117-31, 1991. [ Links ]
Matsinos, Y. G. & Papadopoulou, E. Investigating the viability of squirrel populations; A modeling approach for the Island of Lesvos, Greece. Nat. Resour. Model., 17:423-44, 2004. [ Links ]
Murphy, S. M. & Linhart, Y. B. Comparative morphology of the gastrointestinal tract in the feeding specialist Sciurus aberti and several generalist congeners. J. Mammal., 80:1325-30, 1999. [ Links ]
Perrin, M. R. & Curtis, B. A. Comparative morphology of the digestive system of 19 species of Southern African myomorph rodents in relation to diet and evolution. S. Afr. J. Zool., 15(15):22-33, 1980. [ Links ]
Smith, F. A. Scaling of digestive efficiency with body mass in Neotoma. Funct. Ecol., 9:299-305, 1995. [ Links ]
Stevens, C. E. & Hume, I. D. Comparative Physiology of the Vertebrate Digestive System. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1995. [ Links ]
Sullivan, T. P. & Klenner, W. Influence of diversionary food on Red Squirrel populations and damage to crop trees in young lodgepole pine forest. Ecol. Appl., 3:708-18, 1993. [ Links ]
Thorington, R. W. Jr. & Darrow, K. Anatomy of the Squirrel Wrist: Bones, Ligaments, and Muscles. J. Morphol., 246(2):85-102, 2000. [ Links ]
R. Chiocchetti
Department of Veterinary Medical Science
University of Bologna
Ozzano dell'Emilia
Phone: +39/051/2097946
Fax: +39/051/2097953
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Received: 23-01-2012
Accepted: 27-02-2012


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Weblinks on Interspirituality
2. InterSpiritual Meditation, an article in the contemplative journal
3. Website of the book: The Coming Interspiritual Age, by Kurt Johnson and David Ord
4. Council on Spiritual Practices (CSP), Article: The Interspiritual Age Practical Mysticism for the Third Millennium, by Wayne Teasdale
5. Interspiritual Dialogue Schedules
6. Facebook Community of the Book: The Coming Interspiritual Age, by Kurt Johnson and David Ord
7. Namaste Insights (Special Archive Edition about The Coming Interspiritual Age, by Namaste Publishing)
8. Spirituality and Practice (Resources for Spiritual Journeys): E-Course on InterSpiritual Meditation
9. Integral Life (The Coming Interspiritual Age: An Integral View, dialogue between Kurt Johnson and Ken Wilber, January 27th, 2013)
10. Council on Spiritual Practices (CSP), Article: The Mystical Core of Organized Religion, by David Steindl-Rast
11. Council on Spiritual Practices (CSP), Article: Spiritual Development: Outcomes and Indicators, by Frances Vaughan, Ph.D., Aug. 1998
12. Council on Spiritual Practices, Mysticism as the Crossing of Ultimate Boundaries: A Theological Reflection, by Wayne Teasdale
13. Spirituality and Practice, eCourse: Interspiritual Wisdom, Led by Shaikh Kabir and Shaikha Camille Helminski, Rabbi Rami Shapiro, Swami Atmarupananda, Dr. Ed Bastian, Rev. Cynthia Bourgeault, Spiritual Paths Institute; Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
14. Interspiritual Center of Vancouver Society (Creating Shared Sacred Space)
15. Global Spirit: The Interspiritual Dialogue with Father Thomas Keating
16. St. Paul Denver (A United Methodist and Interspiritual Community): History – InterSpiritual, Buddhist Christian InterSpiritual Community – 1995
17. Omega: Interspiritual Movement
18. Interspiritual Center of Vancouver Society
19. Universalus Interspiritual Community at the Insight Center
20. Claritas Institute For Interspiritual Inquiry
21. Patheos: Hosting the Conversation on Faith: Dawning of Interspiritual Age
22. Order of Universal Interfaith: A Path for Interfaith-Interspiritual-Integral Service to All
23. Universal Life Church Monastery: Are Universal Life Church Ministers "Interspiritual Revolutionaries?"
24. Livestream: Interspiritual, Interfaith, Wisdom and Peace
25. Mike Morrell, An opti-mystic on a path of growth, wonder, and courage: Speakeasy campaign for The Coming Interspiritual Age
26. Interspiritual Divinity School: Educating the Whole Person and Equipping them for the Spiritual Journey
28. Interspiritual Sacred Dance Festival: From Ancient Roots to Modern Expression of the Divine
29. Soul Friending: Training Interspiritual Spiritual Directors, by Suzanne Fageol, MDiv, Sep 2000
30. What to Expect in Interspiritual Spiritual Direction, by Freya Secrest and Suzanne Fageol
31. New Monasticism: An Interspiritual Manifesto for Contemplative Life in the 21st Century, by Adam Bucko and Rory McEntee, PUBLISHED IN SPRING | SUMMER 2013
32. Janet Nuria Ashki Quinn, InterSpiritual Guide & Soul Friend
33. Spiritual Director/Mentor/Guide with an Interspiritual perspective and roots in Roman Catholicism. I have been a practitioner of Centering Prayer, a contemplative prayer form, forover 20 years. I am also a mureed in the Sufi Order International and a happy dervish in the circle of the Nur Ashki Jerrahi Sufi Order.
34. Are You on an Interspiritual Journey? A Visit with Mirabai Starr
35. Walking an Interspiritual Path, by Mirabai Starr
36. Order of Engaged Buddhists: Interspiritual Guides
37. First Church in Jamaica Plain, Unitarian Universalist: Interspiritual Counseling Services, by Sarah Hawkins
38. Interfaith and Interspiritual on Pintrest
39. Interfaith Interspiritual Ministers in New Jersey: Reverands Franne and Bob Demetrician
40. Interspiritual Counseling Program
41. Interspiritual Community Summit
42. An Interspiritual Approach to Peace, by John Dear
43. The Interfaith Center of Light: Elements Interspiritual Counseling
44. Blog Talk Radio: Interspiritual Insights
45. Contemplative Journal: The Intersection of "Direct Paths" in Interspirituality, by Kurt Johnson and Karuna
46. Swami Abhishiktananda: Christian Sannyasi and Advaitin, by Brother Wayne Teasdale
47. Order of Universal Interfaith: Polydoxy, Thoughts from Matthew Wright
48. Interspiritual Revolution: How the Occupy Generation Is Re-Envisioning Spirituality and [New] Monasticism, by Rory McEntee and Adam Bucko
49. World Catalog: Reshaping religion : interspirituality and multiple religious belonging, by Matthew Wright
50. Diamond Body Healing: Ayisha Zaman is designer of Diamond Body Healing which engages an integrated approach to realign the body, mind, heart, and soul with one's highest spiritual potential.

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Passed through Chatsworth Park, though not quite dressed appropriately for an invitation to tea. Then over the border from Derbyshire into Yorkshire, battling against the gales wrought by Storm Hector. The sun comes back out as we hit the stunning Pennine Way. Perfect walking weather and making good time. Day 16 & a challenging 28 miles in the hills, with most of it in the rain. We survived cow head-butts, mist covered summits, slippery rocks and biblical deluges with flapjacks & plenty of black humour!
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Market access for medical devices
Manufacturers or importers may only place medical devices on the market when the applicable conformity assessment procedure has been successfully completed. This legal requirement also applies to medical devices that are given away free of charge, rented or used directly on patients. Certain medical devices are associated with a duty to notify the Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products.


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21 Mar 2017
Two years after going global, Australian healthcare company Medical Developments International (MDI) which manufactures the acute pain killer Penthrox (commonly known as 'the green whistle') has opened a new facility in Melbourne
[Music plays and CSIRO logo appears and then images flash through of empty bottles moving, a female in a lab and bottles moving through a machine on a conveyer belt]
Narrator: CSIRO have been a fantastic resource for MDI.
[Image shows the bottles being removed from the conveyer belt and then the camera zooms out to show the bottles moving around in a filling machine and then the image changes to show a female looking at a computer screen]
Being a small company we don't often have the ability to invest in a lot of research and development.
[Image changes to show the bottles being picked up off the conveyer belt and stacked in a plastic container and then the image changes to show the capped bottles moving over a rolling conveyer belt and then being labelled]
There's a lot of resources, a lot of equipment that would have to be brought into the four walls here at MDI to be able to support such a large research programme.
[Image changes to show the labelled bottles being inspected and then the image changes to show the narrator talking to the camera in front of Penthrox boxes stacked on shelves]
Penthrox is an analgesic. It's a fast onsetting pain reliver. It's been used significantly in the ambulance services in Australia for many years for treating traumatic pain.
[Image changes to show a Penthrox bottle being opened and poured into an inhaler, the inhaler being rubbed between the hands and then the Penthrox being inhaled]
It's not administered through IV. It's a non-opiate, so it's a non-narcotic. It doesn't have any side effects with regards to ability to be abused.
[Music plays and images move through of Penthrox bottles on a rolling conveyer belt]
We've recently sold into the UK
[Camera zooms out to show the machine the bottles are moving through and then the camera zooms in on the bottles dropping off the rolling conveyer belt]
and we've also… looking at selling into parts of Europe, particular two countries are France and Belgium.
[Camera zooms out to show the Penthrox bottles moving along a rolling conveyer belt, down a chute and into a plastic box and the camera zooms in on the bottles in the box]
They're recent markets. We're looking to open up into 22 other countries in the next 12 months.
[Image changes to show empty bottles being funnelled into a conveyer belt and then the camera zooms in on the empty bottles]
With the international markets coming on board we had to look at options to be able to support that increased capacity
[Image changes to show the outside of a building and then the camera zooms in on a sign: Medical Developments International]
and Scoresby was a site that we looked at very quickly.
[Music plays and image changes to show the narrator talking to the camera]
Scoresby allows us to design a purpose built facility for not only the current process but also for the new manufacturing process which we've designed with collaboration with the CSIRO
[Image changes to show a sign "Caribbean Park" outside a building and then the image changes to show the inside of the building and the camera pans around the room]
and it also… I guess the footprint is a huge bonus for us as well.
[Camera zooms in on a piece of stainless steel machinery in the room and the camera pans up the machinery]
So, this new facility has been built to not only house the current requirements but then the projected requirements for five or ten years going forward.
[Music plays and the image changes to show the Penthrox manufacturing process and then the camera zooms in on the bottles being filled and capped]
The new process allows us to do it a lot safer.
[Camera zooms out to show the whole process again and then the camera zooms in on bottles being filled one after the other]
It reduces the risk and provides, I think, a quick turnaround.
[Music plays and the camera zooms out to show the bottles moving through the process and then the image changes to show two packaged Penthrox bottles]
We have seen significant increases in product yield.
[Camera zooms out to show a range of Penthrox products]
Also, the product can be scaled quite simply and easily
[Image changes to show a female opening a Penthrox inhaler package and filling the inhaler from a Penthrox bottle, and then rubbing the inhaler between her hands]
without the investment in large equipment.
[Image changes to show a laboratory worker placing a Penthrox bottle in a vice like machine on a bench and then placing a cap on the bottle]
The CSIRO has been in the story of Penthrox since 1999.
[Image changes to show the female removing the bottle and making notes and then the image changes to show the narrator talking to the camera]
During that time they've assisted us with many other requirements from an R and D perspective. The support is always there and also, I think having the CSIRO from the early stages of the development of the original process here in Australia,
[Image changes to show a bottle being filled with a syringe and then the camera zooms out to show the male holding the bottle]
they have that familiarity. They know where we are going.
[Image changes to show the narrator talking to the camera]
They are an extension to our own R and D Department. They really do feel like they're part of the family.
[CSIRO logo and text appears: Australia's innovation catalyst]
Assisted by CSIRO, MDI has seen its market value rise from less than $10 million dollars in March 2010, to around $290 million now.
Dr Paul Savage, CSIRO Biomedical Research Director, said CSIRO was pleased to play a role in the company's export growth, by helping MDI lower processing costs while increasing production.
"We've enjoyed a long-standing partnership of over 17 years with MDI, and in that time seen have them become a world-leading SME in the biomed space," Dr Savage said.
"As the Australian manufacturing industry transitions from high volume commodity products to innovation-driven high-value exports, it is companies like Medical Developments International that are leading the way.
"Australian SMEs are the engine-room of economic development in Australia and CSIRO is proud to play its small part in the growth strategy of star SME's like MDI."
MDI's CEO, John Sharman said the new manufacturing facility in Melbourne's East was being launched to keep up with global demand for the product.
The company has also added 26 new jobs to keep up with demand.
"Penthrox has now been approved for sale in the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, France and Belgium," Mr Sharman said.
"We're expecting to enter another 37 markets over the next two years, including Germany, Spain and Italy, and commence the product approval process in the USA.
"This state of the art facility allows us to keep up with not only current demand but future growth over the next decade.
"We expect our work force to grow considerably over the next 12 months."
MDI is the only company in the world that makes Penthrox, which offers a safe, simple to use, non-narcotic, non-addictive alternative for acute pain management, fitting a significant market need globally.
Want to hear our news as it happens, and be the first to see our most exciting stories? Subscribing to our news releases and newsletters including Snapshot will give you the latest info.


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President Barack Obama was headed West Wednesday to deliver a speech in Denver promoting gun control measures. But in the evening, Obama shifts to fundraising.
The president is scheduled to attend two fundraisers in San Francisco for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), which assists Democrats running for the House. Both events will have limited coverage—just a small group of "pool" reporters will be permitted to record Obama's remarks.
The first event will be a cocktail reception for about 100 attendees at the home of Kat Taylor and Tom Steyer, a Democratic official confirmed to the White House pool following previous news reports. Steyer is a hedge fund billionaire and environmentalist as well as a prominent Democratic fundraiser.
Tickets to the event run from $5,000 to $34,200, according to the official. Two supporters will be allowed to attend because they won a DCCC contest that drew 78,000 entrants.
Steyer is a strong opponent of the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline extension, which would carry Canadian crude oil south to Texas. Pipeline protesters are preparing to rally around the event.
Obama's second fundraising stop will be a dinner at the home of Ann and Gordon Getty, the official confirmed. Gordon Getty is a billionaire philanthropist and music composer from the Getty Oil family. The dinner, according to the official, is an annual DCCC event and raised about $1.7 million last year.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, whose district includes San Francisco, will attend, as will DCCC Chairman Rep. Steve Israel of New York. Both are slated to speak.
Obama has committed to eight DCCC events this year, including two to be shared with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. He's scheduled to remain overnight in California and attend two fundraisers for the Democratic National Committee in Silicon Valley.
The two-day fundraising swing is Obama's first since he began his second term.


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Who is the male fashion icon for summer 2018?
Scarlett, London
Jeff Goldblum. What's that, you cry? A 65-year-old dude who has been around longer than many of your readers have been alive? You have lost your mind, Freeman! Not yet, my friends. Not yet.
Goldblum is one of those perennials – like a fine wine, a little black dress – who gets more delectable with time. Many of us first noticed him in Annie Hall, looking for his mantra, and resembling a tall, dark glass of Guinness. He then debuted his trademark fast-talking geek persona in The Big Chill, later perfected in The Fly. Shall we run through some of Goldblum's greatest hits? G'wan, treat yo'self! His swarthy weirdness in The Tall Guy, his otherworldly smouldering in Earth Girls Are Easy and, best of all, his legendary purr of a laugh in Jurassic Park. Fans all have their favourite Goldblum phase: some like the fresh-faced innocent of the 70s, others the eccentric silver-haired jazz player of today.
Maybe it is true that our tastes are formed in childhood because my favourite Goldblum will always be the shaggy-haired, shag-me faced one of the 80s, whom I first saw when my mother – for reasons that defy comprehension now – took me and my little sister to see Earth Girls Are Easy. Well, let's just say that the moment Jeff, freshly shorn of his alien fur, steps out of the salon left a VERY strong imprint on an impressionable mind. Hmm. Yes. Mmm.
ANYWAY. So, we all know about Goldblum's enduring appeal – the issue is why is he so relevant now. Well, "Jeff: summer 2018 style icon" was confirmed when he appeared on Jimmy Kimmel in the US, wearing a, shall we say, distinctive shirt from Prada's autumn/winter 2018 collection. As it happened, Pusha T wore the same shirt the same week and a Twitter poll about who wore it best inevitably named Jeff the winner, because one of them may well be a celebrated hip-hop star, but the other one is Jeff Goldblum, and when you go up against Jeff in the style stakes, my friend, you are a wooden sword and he is drone warfare.
Goldblum is having what we in the business call "a fashion moment". He can be found in GQ, posing in Pucci swimming shorts, larking around in Prada and apparently having the time of his life. Fashion blogs are ablaze with discussions about his essential Jeff-ness, and why it is so essential. The question, really, is why now? Why the sudden love for Jeff from all these Jeff-come-latelies, when he has always been exactly as he is now: goofy, eccentrically dressed, cheerful, handsome? He hasn't changed, but we must have. How?
Well, you will all be relieved to know that I have been thinking about this a lot. Here is my theory: Jeff represents the opposite of everything we are seeing in the US at the moment. While the rest of the country is hopelessly locked in the deranged news cycle, Goldblum comes across as an ethereal eccentric who doesn't even read a newspaper, let alone a news website. Goldblum doesn't waste time on social media because he is too busy making a jazz album, hanging out with fellow oddballs in jazz clubs and buying utterly absurd shirts in Prada – because why not? And it has to be said, he looks a lot happier, and better, than the rest of us.
More than that, Goldblum represents not giving a damn. Without getting into an "Oh, social media; oh, Kardashians; oh, narcissism – what a world" rant, Goldblum, for a celebrity, comes across as refreshingly unconcerned with how he looks. The fact that he wore that completely ridiculous shirt on Kimmel sums up his modus operandi: he cares so little about how he looks that it's cool. He just happens to have an amazing, innate sense of high-fashion, wearing clothes that look absurd and wouldn't get past any stylist, but are adored by fashion people who, by nature, love absurd clothes.
So, there we go. Goldblum: loves absurd clothes, doesn't care how he looks, doesn't shout at people on Twitter, is crazy handsome (still). He manages to be one of the few humans on Earth who is an inspiration to fashion people and should be one to non-fashion folk, too. Does Goldblum know the secret of life? I wouldn't bet against it [insert purring Goldblum laugh].


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December 5, 2015 from 12pm to 1:30pm – At meeting time, click the link beow: Topic: The Souls of White Folk Time: Dec 5, 2015 12:00 PM (GMT-8:00) Pacific Time (US and Canada) Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://zoom.us/j/918233191 Or join by phone: +1 408 63… Organized by James Newell | Type: free panel & community discussion — times listed are u.s. pacific time
May 4, 2015 at 6pm to January 31, 2016 at 7pm – Yahoo listserv FREE STUDY GROUP... My colleague, Lama Khouri, is hosting a reading / studying group on the work of the psychologist / psychoanalyst / author, Michael Eigen. If you're unfamiliar with Mike, he is the… Organized by Dr. Brent Potter | Type: drop-in, reading, /, study, group
August 12, 2015 at 5pm to December 16, 2015 at 6pm – "online or on the phone - Times listed are Pacific Time" Alliance members get 10% off! USE CODE "Depth" at checkout (or if that doesn't work, choose the "earlybird" discount, even though the deadline has technically passed) Join Jungian psychotherapist Ro… Organized by Jung Platform | Type: 10-webinar course—times listed are u.s pacific time
November 5, 2015 at 6pm to March 17, 2016 at 7:30pm – "online or on the phone" Starts November 5th! 10% OFF for Depth Psychology Alliance members! Use code DEPTH at checkout. REGISTER HERE James Hillman was a master of alchemical psychology. This field uses metaphors derived… Organized by Jung Platform | Type: online alchemy course
December 1, 2015 to December 15, 2015 – online THE 2016 IASD ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE, KERKRADE, THE NETHERLANDS: DEADLINES FAST APPROACHING • CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS – 15 DECEMBER 2015 • PRESENTER EARLY REGISTRATION DISCOUNT – 31 DE… Organized by IASD | Type: call for presentations
December 2, 2015 at 6pm to January 31, 2016 at 7pm – various Pacifica Graduate Institute Alumni Association (PGIAA) announces our First Annual Film Festival, September 8-11, 2016. Share your time, resources, experience or expertise to be part of this groundbre… Organized by Pacifica Graduate Institute Alumni Association | Type: call for volunteers
December 5, 2015 from 9:30am to 5:30pm – Earthrise Retreat Center A Day-long Workshop at Earthrise Retreat Center How do we know where to go, what decision to make, how to prioritize and set intentions for our lives? We learn to live the questions, read the signs,… Organized by Veriditas | Type: workshop
December 5, 2015 from 12pm to 3:30pm – Every Child Counts conference room Allan Schore's East Bay study group is an unparalleled opportunity to study on the frontiers of our knowledge about attachment, brain development and the nature of psychotherapy with the neuroscient… Organized by Linda Chapman | Type: ongoing, study, group


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The original Monsoon flat-panel systems were arguably the most accurate computer speakers ever sold. So we can't be too hard on the second-generation Level 9 Monsoon PlanarMedia 14, even though it doesn't quite match the crystalline sound of its pricier forebears.
Each 25-watt PM-14 satellite contains a single flat-panel transducer that, except for its shape, is much like a traditional dynamic speaker cone. The panels are encased in classy black anodized-metal chassis that look especially sharp sitting next to an LCD monitor. Frequencies below 200 Hz are handled by a 50-watt bass amp and conventional 8-inch cone.
Our test unit's maximum volume level topped out at a respectable 96 dB. Except for a 7- to 8-dB dip from 300 to 600 Hz, the system's frequency response is exceptionally flat, rarely varying by more than 3 dB from 60 Hz through 10 kHz, and rolling off smoothly outside of that range. The system's sound is fairly transparent and uncolored, although it doesn't equal the subtle detail, dynamic range, and commanding low end of the Cambridge and Creative systems.
To be fair, its flaws are apparent only when the PM-14 is compared with the best speakers on the market. For its price range, it offers excellent looks and sound.


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No alternative to ethics: Athreya
Sending out a strong message to MBA students, management guru and academic Mrityunjaya Athreya has said that ethics should not be compromised on, whether in the corporate world or elsewhere. He was speaking at the inauguration of 'LIBA Beacon: Business Ethics Conference 2016' organised by Loyola Institute of Business Administration (LIBA) in collaboration with National HRD Network, Chennai chapter. The event saw a host of speakers engaging the students on the theme 'Leadership and ethics for the emerging future.'
'Be firm'
Regarded as one of the founders and pioneers of the Indian management movement, Athreya urged the students to be firm on upholding ethics.
Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, Athreya said, "The world has enough for everyone's need, but not for everyone's greed." When a student mentioned that being unethical is the norm these days, he asked her not to be so harsh. "That is just a cop-out!" he said.
He took examples of Volkswagen, Deutsche Bank, Apple, Wells Fargo, the Satyam scam and the Kingfisher case to point out how corruption affects businesses. In the end, regardless of the challenges we face, it is those companies that are ethical that will survive, he said.
But Athreya made it clear that ethics does not directly turn into good performance. "Skill is needed."
Legality vs ethics
Another LIBA student broached the point of legality as opposed to ethics. The legal requirements at one time may have been different, so can a person or organisation be held accountable?
"India has always had ethics. The law is for laggards; the better companies are ahead of it, and laws should be amended for those few. Your conscience is important," said Athreya.
According to him, India is slowly getting rid of its colonial hangover, which is a signal for improved ethics. He is also of the opinion that ethics should be taught from a young age.
"It starts from home — parents must teach their children ethics and not get seduced by materialistic gains."
Teachers are the next biggest influencers. But since children aren't taught ethics at these levels, he said, it should at least be taught in MBA courses.
The other speakers at the inaugural event were P Christie, SJ, Director, LIBA; AM Francis Jayapathy, SJ, Rector, Loyola College; Sujith Kumar, President, National HRD Network, Chennai; and Sridhar Ganesh, Chairperson, Management Development Centre, LIBA.
All of them emphasised on the difficulty of being ethical in a world that is so corrupt, but gave hope to the students by telling them that it is becoming a better place. While corruption remains on a smaller scale, more people are becoming aware, Athreya said.


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All our governors have a four year term of office. Each governor can be re-elected or re-appointed at the end of their term by their appointing body, except parent governors who must be elected by the parents of the school.
All governors have declared no relevant business and pecuniary interests including:
- Governance roles in other educational institutions.
- Any material interests arising from relationships between governors or relationships between governors and school staff (including spouses, partners and close relatives).
|Governor Type
|Appointing Body
|Term Starts
|Term Ends
|Jess Butler
|Headteacher (Ex-Officio)
|Mrs Hayley Munro
|Chair, Finance, Health and Safety
|Governing Body
|Miss Jo Fitzpatrick
|Governing Body
|Mr Trevor House
|Vice Chair, Safeguarding
|Martin Ponce
|Mrs Caroline Thompson
|Health & Safety
|Governing Body
|Lucy Lindsay
|Governing Body
|Miss Sophie Appleby
|Governing Body
|Mr Steven Marr
|Parent Governor
|Governing Body
Gemma Hubbard
|Parent Governor
Governing Body
Jess Butler
Headteacher (Ex-Officio)
Miss Sophie Appleby
I am very excited to be a co-opted governor, with responsibilities for teaching and learning. I want to use my experiences as a teacher at SHSK, and the policies and procedures we have, to make an impact on the learning opportunities the pupils have at Stephen Freeman. I will be undertaking a Masters in Education programme with Exeter beginning in September which will allow me to have access to up to date, research based knowledge within the education field which I think can allow me look at the way in which children learn at the school and how that can be fine-tuned. Finally, I would like to help with the extra-curricular activities provided for children at the school. I could talk for an age about the benefits of exercise, but I believe it is essential to get children enjoying being active from as early on as possible.
Miss Jo Fitzpatrick
I am a local childminder, and I am currently studying for a leadership diploma in children and young people's services.
My current experience is in early years and I am looking forward to developing my understanding of other aspects of primary education through my role as parent governor
I can offer insight on working in partnership with parents, express my understanding of the policies in place, support in safeguarding and welfare aspects, as well as other transferable skills as I progress in this role.
Mr Trevor House
Vice Chair/Safeguarding
I specialised in Criminal Investigation spending 7 years on the Drug Squad, half of that time as Detective Constable and later as Detective Sergeant. In between I was seconded for two years to the South East Regional Crime Squad. In January 1983 I was seconded to the Home Office Forensic Science Laboratory as a Police Liaison Officer for three years.
I subsequently held a number of different posts as a Police Supervisor including time at Oxford, Abingdon, Didcot and Wallingford. In 1996 I became the first File Quality Manager for what is now South and Vale. As part of this role I established an admin hub for Licensing and Warrants at Didcot. After retirement in December 1997 I worked briefly as a Private Investigator for a Didcot based company before working for a short while at Rutherford Laboratory in the Finance section.
I returned to TVP at Oxford in the Identification Department during which time I helped in the introduction to TVP of an electronic ID process perfected by West Yorkshire Police. I returned to the business of quality assuring files en route to CPS as well as being Decision Maker in Youth Justice Cases. In 2007 I became Criminal Justice Manager for Oxfordshire taking responsibility for quality assuring all processes from Charge to final Court disposal in respect of Criminal Cases. This included managing performance of Warrant execution, Youth Justice processes and the supervision of 3,000 Licensed premises across the county. I was also instrumental in introducing pilot schemes in the Criminal Justice arena due to Oxfordshire being selected as a Beacon project on behalf of TVP. I chaired the Criminal Justice Mental Health panel, the Special Domestic Violence Court Operational Group, the Pre Trials Performance Management Group and the Cross County Licensing Group. Since retirement I became the Chair of the Didcot Neighbourhood Action Group; I am the South and Vale representative on the Thames Valley Neighbourhood Watch Association and I chair the Wantage Probus Club.
I believe in children being encouraged by family and schools together to achieve their full potential in order that they can become balanced Independent members of society who contribute to safe welcoming and thriving communities.
Mrs Hayley Munro
Chair/Finance governor
In my spare time I enjoy reading, watching films and generally spending time with my family.
Lucy Lindsay
Mrs Caroline Thompson
Health & Safety
My name is Caroline Thompson, originally from a small sea side village in Northern Ireland, I moved to England in 1990 for work which provided me with the opportunity to move around the UK and over seas, living in some lovely locations. I work for the Ministry of Defence and have done for over 20+ years. I bought my first property in Didcot in 2004 whilst I worked at RAF Benson. I loved it so much that I am still here!
At home, I live with my partner Scott and have a daughter Ciara who is currently a pupil at Stephen Freeman in year two. In my free time, I enjoy exercising, be it a spot of Zumba, fight club or running. I look forward to being a part of the Governing Board and doing what I can to contribute in ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and direction of the school going forward.
Mr Martin Pounce
Mr Steven Marr


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I spent January reading 'Adventures for your Soul' by Shannon Kaiser. This book was filled with reminders of how to push towards your dreams and live to your full potential. She reminded me that to truly find our passions and live them we have to be true to ourselves, we have to love ourselves honestly and openly. Shannon outlines '21 Ways to Transform Your Habits and Reach Your Full Potential' breaking it down into action items for the reader to put into place right away, creating new, positive thought patterns.
She shares examples in how she actively changed her life to a life she loves by sharing her story and how she overcame her challenges. I loved how Shannon included notes of awareness of habits that are creating blocks of the happiness we desire and motivational mantras.
Some of my favorite parts & Lessons:
"Emotions are the way that you assess or react to a situation. Emotions are rooted in assessing situations, whereas feelings are grounded in truth in the moment. Emotions are often in your head, whereas feelings are inspired by your body and heart……Distinguishing between the two is an important step in moving forward in life with clarity and confidence."
"We lean into love by recognizing that everything is in our life for a reason, that we are in those situations to help us grow and to learn……They lead us to new opportunities and to new doors that may open, but life is an ever-expansive journey where we are growing, changing, and morphing into what we want to be based on where we have come from."
"Accept where you are fully to reach where you want to go faster. You are not broken; there is nothing to fix."
"……it doesn't matter what our life "looks" like, it matters how our life feels."
"…….ask yourself what you want, and what feels good for you in the moment. Aligning with your own truth in each moment will help you become who you want to be."
What I realized reading this book is that I shared so many of the beliefs Shannon was sharing in her book but I have been limiting myself. I have only been going halfway in. I need to commit to my beliefs, my passions and my dreams, go all in, allow them to lead me in my life.
*This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. An affiliate link means I may receive payment if you make a purchase through my link, without any extra cost to you. For more information about my disclosures and policies please visit my Legal & Privacy Policies. Thank you for your support so I can keep Do Five Things A Day rocking <3


text: I just can't resist physical keyboards - I'm typing this on the new one for my tablet. Although, the fact that this one has the delete key next to the lock key will perhaps force me to improve my typing :) I am actually going to try to update this again. I know this is the perenial promise of those who don't update their livejournals, but I do miss having a record of life so I am going to try to go for updating once a month with a little digest of what's been going on in life. Here's hoping!


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US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan today announced a new partnership with the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards to encourage additional school leadership roles for teachers. Under "Lead the Change," National Board-certified teachers would collaborate with principals, district leaders and other stakeholders to develop a plan for teachers to lead in their schools without having to leave their classrooms.
Prior to the announcement this afternoon, NASSP Executive Director JoAnn Bartoletti had an opportunity to speak to Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education Deb Delisle about the proposal and how our organization could contribute to the initiative. During the conversation, she expressed the association's excitement about the prospect of principals' involvement in the development and implementation of Lead the Change.
As the Breaking Ranks framework for school improvement reminds us, school success relies on the outstanding skills and contributions from many individual leaders working together. A culture of shared responsibility and true collaborative leadership will require principals to bring together coalitions of teacher leaders who have the skills to meet the school's objectives and create a culture of continuous learning and shared decision-making.
While the initiative is short on details at this time, we expect that recommendations will be submitted to Secretary Duncan by March 2015. We know that middle and high school leaders are struggling to implement new college and career-ready standards and teacher evaluation systems, and NASSP will continue to work with the US Department of Education to ensure that the principal's perspective is taken into consideration as the plan for teacher leaders is developed.
More information will be posted on the Department's blog on Monday, March 17.


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Mesotherapy – the ultimate treatment
This is a therapy that does amazing things for your skin, your body and more.
This therapy uses micro-injections that integrate both pharmaceutical and homeopathic medications to create fantastic results. Mesotherapy can:
- Reduce the rate at which your skin ages using vitamins, minerals and amino acids to nourish and rejuvenate
- Break down cellulite and reduce that dimpled 'orange-peel' effect
- Restore the natural elasticity in your skin by promoting your natural collagen and elastin production and stimulating your metabolism
- Reverse alopecia by restoring hormone balance in the hair follicle. This improves circulation and introduces essential nutrients.
Imagine – you can get rid of dark circles under your eyes, give your skin a new lease of life, banish cellulite, reduce fat deposits and stimulate new hair growth – a real wonder-therapy!
Mesotherpy can be applied on your face, neck, décolletage and hands to nourish your skin. If you've got that firm skin that's well hydrated and looks smooth and luminous, you'll look radiant.
You might choose to use Mesotherapy to get rid of cellulite on your thighs, tum or derrière to create smooth, sleek skin that you'll be proud to show off in swimwear or with a shorter hemline.
Please call us on 01582 762877 to book or if you have any questions that are not answered below.
How does Mesotherapy work?
The treatment involves a series of micro-injections with a very fine needle that target the skin cells in the middle layer of skin. Active ingredients that have been carefully chosen to create the effect you want are injected directly where they're needed. These stimulate your circulation and metabolism and cause fat cells to break down.
How long does it last?
This therapy involves a number of treatments – depending on what you want to achieve. This will be discussed with you at your initial consultation. Usually treatments are at two week intervals and you may need top up treatments later on.
How quickly will I see the results?
There's usually a visible difference by the third or fourth session. You'll see the skin start to look smoother, firmer and more hydrated.
Is it safe?
We never recommend any treatment that we have not thoroughly investigated. The great thing about Mesotherapy is that the components are natural and therefore, your system isn't having any 'foreign' material introduced. The only thing to check – and you will be asked about this during your consultation – is if you have allergies to any of the components.
If you are suffering from cancer, an active skin infection or are pregnant or breast feeding you should not have this treatment.
You'll need to tell us if you're taking any medication – you'll be asked about this during your initial consultation.
What's the downtime?
A little swelling and/or bruising may occur – but it usually disappears quickly. Applying ice packs locally can help to reduce this.
You can use moisturiser and SPF cream after the treatment, but should let your skin rest until the following day before applying make-up.
If you drink plenty of water before and after each session it will help your skin to recover and also to flush out the fat that's broken down.


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As soon as I saw the title of this book I knew I needed to read it! Over the years I have been that mom that is always saying, "Hurry up!" I have really been asking God to help me and sharing with you here how he is helping me, but I know that God is still working on un hurrying me. Thankfully Durenda( the author) was kind enough not only to give me a copy, but one to one of my readers as well!! I am so excited to be able to share this encouraging resource with you.
Reading this book was like a breath of fresh air to my homeschooling mama heart.
I literally shed tears of relief as I read her heart for homeschoolers to walk in freedom not in fear. I realized through reading her book that so much of the pressure that I put on myself and my children is out of fear. Fear they won't succeed, fear that they are not keeping up with the public school system and fear that I am not a good enough teacher. I constantly have to remind myself not to base how I homeschool on these fears. I know that they are not founded on truths.
I feel like everything she wrote about an unhurried homeschool is what I have believed homeschooling to be about all along. I felt like she was speaking directly to me as I nodded my head in agreement and gave a hearty, "Amen sister!"
In my homeschooling journey I have been daily trying to slow down my tendencies to want to try to fit as much as possible in one day. But then I start thinking about all the things I am "supposed" to be teaching my children and there I go again...hurrying.
Not only does Durenda show you how to apply unhurrying to your home school but she shares studies to back up her theories, not only from credible sources but from her own 8 children! I love how she gave her children time to explore their interests and time to grow in areas that they were not excelling in at a young age but later on they more than excelled in these areas.
I have even seen this to be true for my own children. One example is of my son Judah. He was really struggling to read last year in 2nd grade. I felt I shouldn't push him any harder and just left him be over the summer. As we started third grade I was amazed at how all of a sudden he could read perfectly! Now I find him reading all the time without me even asking him! I can't take any credit for this but I know that by waiting till he was ready made such a huge difference in him wanting to read and in his ability to do so.
In this book you will not find someone telling you exactly how to homeschool or what the best curriculums are but you will find what I think we are all looking for as homeschoolers; a clear and definitive affirmation of why we started homeschooling in the first place.
We all want what is best for our children and families and that is why we chose to homeschool.
Durenda simply shares from her heart why we don't have to try to keep up with the public school system and why we need to stop putting so much pressure on ourselves and our children.
Like many of you, I homeschool my children for a number of reasons. One of which is that I want them to have a childhood free from stress and worry and loads of homework and testings. This in no way means that my children don't have to do things they don't like, or any book work or tests; it just means that I believe they should be free to be children and not have to face all the peer pressure and challenges that we as adults have to deal with.
If you are like me and need to constantly be reminded that you are the best teacher for your children and that you are teaching them life skills and qualities that are going to go far beyond what a book can teach or a test can determine...this book is for you!
I would love for you to enter the giveaway to receive your very own autographed copy of Durenda Wilson's book "The Unhurried Homeschooler" The giveaway will run for 2 weeks! Open to all!
The catch phrase for her book is "A simple, mercifully short book on homeschooling." This is really true as I read through it in an afternoon not only because it was short but chocked full of such great encouragement and truths that I couldn't put it down! I really could go on and on about it but I hope you will enter the giveaway or purchase a copy for yourself!---> The Unhurried Homeschooler
Can you relate to me as well and find yourself hurrying yourself and your children?
Do you put pressure on yourself and your children to keep up?
Why did you start homeschooling?
Linking up here!


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Prominent South Florida Commercial Real Estate Brokerage Firm CEO Discusses Why Effective Leadership Matters
Sperry Van Ness President and CEO Kevin Maggiacomo discussed his role and vision for the company in a recent interview.
October 18, 2009 – President and CEO of leading commercial real estate brokerage firm, Sperry Van Ness International, Kevin Maggiacomo, was recently profiled in an interview for the real estate blog Leadership Matters. Maggiacomo gave readers insight into his vision for the company and his role in leading the world's 12th largest commercial real estate brokerage firm in implementing a new and innovative branding strategy.
The Leadership of Maggiacomo
Maggiacomo has worked for Sperry Van Ness since 2001, initially joining the team to assist with the firm's national expansion, and subsequently working his way up the ranks to attain his current position. In his recent interview for the GlobeSt.com and N2growth blog, the CEO discussed the importance of the use of social media in strengthening one's brand, the repositioning of SVN for increased profitability, and what it takes to succeed as a leader in addition to other issues pertaining to effective leadership today. Maggiacomo is quoted as stating of the need for remaining open to change and unconventional forms of creativity, "Getting outside of the comfort zone for leaders, new to the business advisers or investors is paramount to success in today's economy. There will not be a return to the glory days of CRE and the ways in which transactions were consummated."
Since publication of the interview, many have deemed the advice provided by the executive as valuable for those seeking ways to improve the bottom line for their own firms or companies in the current economy. The complete interview can be viewed online by visiting http://myattleadershipmatters.wordpress.com/2009/10/13/interview-kevin-maggiacomo-ceo-sperry-van-ness/.
About Sperry Van Ness
Sperry Van Ness currently has over 950 advisers globally, and has reportedly completed a sales volume of nearly 40 billion dollars in commercial real estate transactions over the past four years. West Palm Beach Sperry Van Ness broker Edward Kearney invites those with an interest in buying, selling or leasing commercial property to visit http://www.svnpalmbeach.com/ for more information about the firm and the services it provides.
For more information about Sperry Van Ness real estate brokerage firm, please visit http://www.svn.com.
Edward A. Kearney, CCIM – Sperry Van Ness Florida Commercial Real Estate Professional


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What the FAQ?! - Collecting Frequently Asked Questions With Confluence (Including Four Pro Tips)
Are you receiving the same questions over and over again? If so, it's time to give your users and customers what they need – a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page.
In this blog post, you'll find some tips and examples that will help you create and manage your very own FAQ collection in Confluence.
Confluence for Knowledge Management and FAQs
A customer recently asked me the best way to build an FAQ page in Atlassian Confluence. Was there a standard method they could use? Confluence ships with a troubleshooting and how-to article blueprint that allows users to easily capture useful information and create a knowledge base. What it doesn't include, though, is an FAQ page blueprint or template.
FAQ collections provide users with answers to common issues. And Confluence is a central source of corporate knowledge, so it's the first place users will turn to when looking for help. Readers expect to find at-a-glance solutions – short, to-the-point and free of sales jargon. Let's find out how to build an FAQ collection that gives them exactly what they want.
Pro Tip #1
Before we start, here's an important piece of advice: You should place a reasonable limit on the number of questions (and answers) in your FAQs. Remember that 'FAQ' stands for 'Frequently Asked Questions' – not 'Almost any question in the universe that could possibly be asked'.
Getting Started With A Single FAQ Page
The easiest way to create an FAQ collection is to put all your questions and answers on a single page. This works particularly well if all the questions relate to the same topic – such as purchasing and licensing – and the answers are relatively short and simple.
To keep the page clutter-free, I recommend making your answers collapsible. Our free Expando add-on is a useful macro that allows you to expand page sections with a single click. Alternatively, you could use the simple Expand macro instead.
If your FAQ has too many questions to fit on a standard screen, I suggest including a table of contents above the list.
Pro Tip #2
Add a note that invites readers to suggest their own questions – which an editor can add to the FAQs at a later date. Confluence is a collaboration platform – so if your user base is highly proficient at authoring in Confluence, you could encourage them to edit the page themselves and add their own FAQ entries.
Each FAQ Entry on a Separate Page
You'll need multiple question categories for more complex topics – such as when differentiating between products, business scopes, or other subjects. In addition, you'll need a consistent content structure for more detailed answers.
For these subjects, it's better to create an overview page that lists the FAQ sets at a glance, and a separate Confluence page for each question. By using a custom page template, you can ensure that the pages follow a standardized structure:
- The page title containing the question.
- A rich-text area where authors can enter more detailed text, e.g. information, examples, and additional descriptions.
- The answer, which may contain rich-text formatting, images, tables, etc.
- Related pages, using the Content by Label macro.
- A label 'FAQ', accompanied by a label that corresponds to the question category, e.g. 'product_a".
Providing An FAQ Overview Page
You'll need to create an overview page that consolidates all of your question/answer pages. It is good practice to use a three-column layout, and to group child pages of a specific type using the Content by Label macro that lists all pages within a category (that also have the 'FAQ' label).
Alternatively, you could use the Children Display macro to display the hierarchy of subpages at a glance.
A Recently Updated macro will help frequent visitors quickly access the latest changes in your FAQ collection.
Pro Tip #3
Give your readers an alternative way to find answers by providing a search function, e.g. by using Confluence's Livesearch macro. Search results can be limited to pages with a specific label, e.g. 'FAQ'.
Advanced FAQ Structure Using Page Properties
You may have noticed that the Confluence editor screenshot above contains a table in the question template's sidebar. This table is surrounded by a Page Properties macro that lets you define tabular metadata for Confluence pages.
If you have multiple criteria for your FAQ pages, it may be worth adding the corresponding Page Properties Report macro to your FAQ overview. In this example, you could use the macro to display the validity period of the information provided, or to differentiate between target audiences.
Pro Tip #4
The Page Properties Report macro also enables you to display only certain columns in the report table. So if some page properties aren't relevant to the overview page, you can use the macro's 'Columns to show' parameter to specify the properties to be displayed (the page title will always be shown).
Managing User-Generated Q&A Content With Confluence Questions
Another even more collaborative approach is to move from FAQs to Q&As, by crowd-sourcing both questions and answers. That's the main purpose of Confluence Questions for Confluence. This add-on, provided by Atlassian, lets Confluence users ask questions, while their colleagues and fellow users provide the answers. In addition, users can rate responses – so the best answers rise to the top of the page.
If you want to consolidate knowledge from across your entire organization and create a Q&A expert community, Confluence Questions is the perfect choice.
Anything Else?
Now you've got all the information you need to create FAQs in Confluence. But why stop there?
- Create FAQ page templates that already have the corresponding labels and/or page properties.
- You could develop a Confluence page blueprint that automates FAQ page creation, and provides a step-by-step configuration wizard.
- Integrate user ratings that show you just how helpful your users find the FAQ pages.
- You could also opt for the commercial FAQ blueprint available on the Atlassian Marketplace.
- Publish your FAQ collection to PDF, Word or other deliverables, so everyone can access it in the format they require.
Providing an FAQ section in Confluence makes this collaboration platform even more attractive to your user base. Readers and writers alike will find the platform more powerful and even more useful.
How's your FAQ collection in Confluence looking now? Do you need any help to expand it, or to create a Confluence page blueprint that perfectly matches your use case?
Please let us know in the comments section, or email us at email@example.com.


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» Click to list general statistics » OR, select a date :
The Darkest Hour
The world is truly a volatile place, much in need of protective grace,
The Grace of The Sovereign Lord, when His help below is implored.
Even when He's not thought of, God moves, based upon His Love,
A Love which goes unparalleled, in opposing the evil forces of Hell.
read more >>
- Hits: Number of visitors who read the poem on the given date.
- Posts: Number of visitors who posted the poem to a friend (via e-mail) on the given date.
- Dates that have "0" hits may not be shown on the list.
- Dates, poems and poets that have "0" hits may not be shown on the list. Statistics are generated daily.


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We're supported by a vast number of individuals, foundations and corporations including the following:
- A.T. Kearney
- Ace Hardware
- Aircell
- Allstate
- American Medical Association (AMA)
- BMO Harris Bank
- Better Oats Cereal
- Bohemia Beer
- CME Group
- Comcast
- Crown Imports/Negra Modelo Beer
- E-trade
- ERA Real Estate
- FedEx Corporation
- FiveStar
- Ford Foundation
- Gulfstream Aerospace
- Harvard Medical School Center for Primary Care
- Homedics
- MassMutual
- MasterCard
- John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
- Negaunee Foundation
- Primary Care Progress
- Progressive Insurance
- Samsung
- Sara Lee
- Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
- Sodexo
- Starbucks
- Subaru
- The John Templeton Foundation
- UnitedHealthcare
- United Financial
We have a number of programs and series for which national sponsorship is currently available. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, contact us.
For those who loved the original series, Soundstage® was reborn on PBS in 2001 with a new vision which featured High-Definition visual technologies and cutting-edge Dolby 5.1 surround sound, giving Soundstage® a state-of-the-art makeover. The majority of the concerts are taped before an intimate studio audience at WTTW's Grainger Studio in Chicago, and the production also hits the road to Red Rocks, Colorado; Frederick P. Rose Hall at Lincoln Center, NY; the Fleet Center in Boston and the Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas, among other venues. Soundstage® continues to build its legacy, giving viewers front row seats to passionate concert performances by the most sought-after artists in the music business. [6 1-hour episodes + 1 special]
Beneath Blue Seas
Welcome to the world of Beneath Blue Seas – an exciting combination of science and quest. The waters beneath are a world apart, and viewers will experience a sense of adventure and excitement while also learning to understand the role that oceans play in the global environment. The result is more than just a TV series … it's an event that takes viewers out of their armchairs and into our beautiful oceans right along with scientists and other explorers. [6 1-hour episodes]
Nature Cat
Meet Fred the housecat. When his family leaves for the day, he doesn't just sit inside watching the outside world go by. He becomes Nature Cat, backyard explorer extraordinaire! Each episode in this hilarious new PBS Kids series follows Nature Cat and his pals – Squeaks the mouse, Hal the dog, Ronald, another housecat and Daisy, a super-cute pet rabbit – as they embark on action-packed adventures, perilous missions, nature investigations, "a-ha" discovery moments and loads of humor including live-action interstitials featuring real kids and their outdoor discoveries. The series intends to help children discover nature and inspire them to get outdoors to develop connections with the natural world. Nature Cat premieres in the PBS Kids schedule in Fall, 2015.


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You may have heard about Hard Money loans Arizona but still have some questions about how these types of loans can help you achieve your financial goals. Learn how hard money can help you get started with real estate investing as soon as today.
If you do not have the financial status or credit history required to get a loan from a broker at a traditional bank, hard money can be a better way to get a loan without have to choose a more traditional mortgage option. When you choose to opt for hard money, the property that you invest with is used to serve as collateral rather than through the upfront costs that are associated with a mortgage. If you are hoping to achieve a loan quickly and do not have a good credit score, hard money may be your best option.
Getting approved for a loan from hard money does not require the same financial status as a more traditional approach. Lenders from a bank will analyze your credit score before deciding if you are the right candidate for a loan. When you choose hard money, you only need to show that you are able to repay the loan. This makes the process of getting approved for your loan must more fast than the approval process at a bank. If you are trying to begin investing in real estate as quickly as possible, Hard Money loans Arizona are a great solution.
Hard Money loans Arizona are great due to their:
Speed: Quickly get approved for your loan and avoid the long process of a bank.
Approval Ratings: Be eligible to receive a loan even if you do not have a good credit score or have established a positive line of credit before.
Opportunity for Advancement: Networking with hard money lenders can open more doors for you to achieve further real estate and investment goals.
How Do I Know If Hard Money loans Arizona are Best for Me?
If you are looking to get a loan quickly and do not have a good credit score, hard money is your best choice. This type of loan is also much more flexible than other options and can have terms that work with your budget or financial goals. With more opportunities for approval, hard money can give you opportunities that traditional lenders would otherwise refuse.
With any new business venture or investment, it is important to weigh all of the facts into consideration so that you can make the best financial decision for you or your business.
Finding the right lender is as easy as attending a networking event or reaching out to private brokers in your area. With looser options for approval regardless of your poor credit, hard money makes it possible to begin investing in real estate as soon as possible. The real estate industry is a thriving business venture that can help you achieve financial prosperity and begin turning around your poor credit quickly.
Dennis Dahlberg
Level 4 Funding LLC
Hard Money Lender
Hard Money Loans
Hard Money Loan
Arizona Tel: (623) 582-4444
Texas Tel: (512) 516-1177
Dennis Dahlberg Broker/RI/CEO
22601 N 19th Ave Suite 112 | Phoenix | AZ | 85027
111 Congress Ave | Austin | Texas | 78701
About the Author: Dennis has been working in the real estate industry in some capacity for the last 40 years. He purchased his first property when he was just 18 years old. He quickly learned about the amazing investment opportunities provided by trust deed investing and hard money loans. His desire to help others make money in real estate investing led him to specialize in alternative funding for real estate investors who may have trouble getting a traditional bank loan. Dennis is passionate about alternative funding sources and sharing his knowledge with others to help make their dreams come true. Dennis has been married to his wonderful wife for 43 years. They have 2 beautiful daughters 5 amazing grandchildren. Dennis has been an Arizona resident for the past 40 years.© 2016 Level 4 Funding LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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Episodes 13
Archer has amnesia and decides the only cure is a spa weekend.Read More
Archer and his former best friend are holed up in the Vermont wilderness, fighting hard to come out on top.Read More
The beginning of beautiful hatred between Archer and his new stepfather plays out as the two are chased by gangsters.Read More
Archer's former fiancée calls on him to rescue her cyborg boyfriend from outer space, but he has other things on his mind.Read More
Crew 0
Directed by: No director has been added.
Written by: No writer has been added.
Guest Stars 0 Full Cast & Crew
No guest stars have been added.
Episode Images 2 View All Episode Images
Archer, Lana, and Cyril go undercover in celebrity chef Lance Casteau's hellish kitchen.Read More
Archer heads to the Mexican border to capture a notorious coyote, which is Spanish for coyote.Read More
Archer and Lana pose as newlyweds to stop a sale of enriched uranium.Read More
Archer and Lana extract an agent from Morocco only to find out his bark is worse than his bite.Read More
Archer must rescue the Pope from an assassination plot using Woodhouse as a decoy. Operation Bad Habit is a go.Read More
Cheryl's brother Cecil Tunt and his girlfriend Tiffy drive her crazier than usual as they travel into the Bermuda Triangle. Where mysteries abound!.Read More
Archer and the ISIS crew go to an underwater SEA LABoratory to stop the deranged Captain Murphy.Read More


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A company doesn't need to be a wildly successful, global technology innovator to be a great place to work in, but it helps.
Google India, known for pampering its people with spas and massage chairs, has emerged top dog in the India's Best Companies to Work For study this year, up from second position in 2015.
Next in the rankings is another global company, credit card major American Express India, which has climbed two places this year. Then comes a very different kind of company.
Homegrown microfinance provider Ujjivan Financial Services has climbed a massive 24 places in the rankings to take the third place. It's not just the satisfaction of working with the under-privileged that keeps Ujjivan's employees motivated.
The company has just gone public with a very successful initial public offering (IPO) and stock options have made its people rich. "Financial performance is just one of the measures of our success," said founder Samit Ghosh, who started Ujjivan in 2005 to serve the economically active poor who are not adequately served by financial institutions, according to its website.
Now in its ninth year, The Economic Times-Great Places to Work study had 791 participants and involved interviewing 1.55 lakh employees, making it one of the largest efforts of its kind. In the top 10 are hospitality brands like Marriott, Oberoi and Lemon Tree.
In hospitality sector, employee engagement closely correlates to customer satisfaction and it's all about EQ (emotional quotient).
Then there are the hi-tech companies like SAP Labs and Intuit Product Development Centre, where engineers rule the roost and it's about IQ (intelligence quotient).
In between are Teleperformance India, a global call centre giant, and Godrej Consumer Products, the only manufacturing company and FMCG (fastmoving consumer goods) major to make it to the top 10.
"Any company can be a great place to work," said Prasenjit Bhattacharya, CEO of Great Places to Work. "It doesn't matter what size they are or what industry they are in."
As CXOs of the top 50 companies climbed on stage to receive their awards at a glittering ceremony at the Grand Hyatt Mumbai on July 1, the sheer range and diversity of the winners became apparent.
Executives of giants like Cisco and Microsoft happily rubbed shoulders with restaurant chain Barbeque Nation and garment maker Silver Spark Apparel.
Public sector monoliths like NTPC and Indian Oil came together with newbies like Pitney Bowes Software and Global Analytics India. There was no particular formula for success - or was there?
In his keynote address, chief guest Ravi Venkatesan said in today's volatile world, there are only disrupter companies and disrupted companies.
The former chairman of Microsoft India, who is now chairman of Bank of Baroda, brought both identities to bear as he cited Bill Gates: "Banking is necessary, banks are not. Resources and strategy do not guarantee success, as the collapse of Kodak and Nokia demonstrate: today, it's about leadership."
And what is required of leaders today? Venkatesan listed five qualities.
First, there is obsession - for the biggest and smallest of things. Or, to quote NR Narayana Murthy of Infosys, "A good leader is one who can connect a bird's eye view with a worm's eye view." Second, leaders need to have learning agility, a curiosity that enables them to connect the dots in ambiguous situations. Third, leaders must have courage. "That means being ready to fail and being willing to ask forgiveness rather than permission for everything they try," said Venkatesan.
Drawing from his own experience in the world of tech, Venkatesan said one of the big challenges today's leaders face is in setting up the creative but difficult people - the 'mad scientists' - for success.
"You have to combine these brilliant guys with more steady people, in a yin-yang balance," he said.
Leaders also have to grow people from within because there is are high risks of a cultural misfit when a company brings in outside talent. And how do you develop people in the organisation?
"If you wait for them to be ready for a bigger role, you end up waiting forever. People are never ready in advance. Development is about giving them the responsibility and letting them grow into the job."
Earlier, in his welcome address, Shrijeet Mishra, COO, Bennett Coleman, said friendliness and a sense of community are the greatest strengths of organisations in India.
"However, managing perceptions on favouritism and creating a higher degree of collaboration in decision making are seen as opportunities for improvement in this study. These issues reflect the motivations of the changing demographics of the workforce," he said.
Also Read
- Google Pay has no access to Aadhaar database: Google to Delhi High Court
- Startup founders take row with Google to CCI doors
- Paytm First Games is back on Google Play Store
- China preparing an antitrust investigation into Google: Sources
- Startups accuse 'gatekeeper' Google of not playing fair
- Explained: Google's new Play Store policy


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Up in the Air: Meet the Man Who Flies Around the World for Free
Ben Schlappig is a master of flying around the world — at no cost to himself. Bryan Derballa
he boarding procedure has barely started at Chicago O'Hare, and Ben Schlappig has already taken over the first-class cabin. Inside Cathay Pacific Flight 807 bound for Hong Kong, he's passing out a couple of hundred dollars' worth of designer chocolates to a small swarm of giggling flight attendants. The six suites in this leather-bound playpen of faux mahogany and fresh-cut flowers comprise the inner sanctum of commercial flight that few ever witness. They're mostly empty now, save for two men in their twenties who seem even giddier than the flight attendants. The two stand to greet him. "This is so cool!" exclaims one, and soon Schlappig is ordering champagne for everyone.
Schlappig, 25, is one of the biggest stars among an elite group of obsessive flyers whose mission is to outwit the airlines. They're self-styled competitors with a singular objective: fly for free, as much as they can, without getting caught. In the past 20 years, the Internet has drawn together this strange band of savants with an odd mix of skills: the digital talent of a code writer, a lawyer's love affair with fine print, and a passion for airline bureaucracy. It's a whirring hive mind of IT whizzes, stats majors, aviation nerds and everyone else you knew who skipped the prom.
Schlappig owes his small slice of fame to his blog "One Mile at a Time," a diary of a young man living the life of the world's most implausible airline ad. Posting as often as six times a day, he metes out meticulous counsel on the art of travel hacking — known in this world as the Hobby. It's not simply how-to tips that draw his fans, it's the vicarious thrill of Schlappig's nonstop-luxury life — one recent flight with a personal shower and butler service, or the time Schlappig was chauffeured across a tarmac in a Porsche. But his fans aren't just travel readers — they're gamers, and Schlappig is teaching them how to win.
Read the full text news in resource site…
Source News: Rollingstone.com


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Monday, January 27, 2014
Official Stills for the Upcoming Teen Comedy "That Awkward Moment"
Film District recently released stills for the upcoming comedy "That Awkward Moment". The upcoming film stars Zac Efron (The Lucky One), Miles Teller (The Spectacular Now, Divergent), Michael B. Jordan (Fruitvale Station, Chronicle), Imogen Poots (Fright Night), Mackenzie Davis and Jessica Lucas (Evil Dead). "That Awkward Moment" hits theaters on 1/30.
For more information on this film, you can visit the film's official website at: http://www.thatawkwardmomentmovie.com/
Plot Synopsis:
Zac Efron, Miles Teller and Michael B. Jordan star in the R-rated comedy, THAT AWKWARD MOMENT, about three best friends who find themselves where we've all been– at that confusing "moment" in every dating relationship when you have to decide "So…where is this going?"
at 7:52 PM
Labels: Michael B. Jordan, Miles Teller, News, Stills, That Awkward Moment, Zac Efron
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If you were one of the many viewers who rewound your DVR multiple times to catch Claire Dunphy falling down over and over and over again after last week's Modern Family, you're not alone.
Homeland, Modern Family and The Artist top Golden Globes
Julie Bowen took physical comedy to new heights when her Family character slammed onto the ground after slipping on a dozen falling eggs that Luke (Nolan Gould) was using for a school project. How did Bowen make the fall so bone-crushingly realistic? "By accident," Bowen tells TVGuide.com with a laugh. "That's your basic candid-camera idiot moment."
To be fair, Bowen had prepared to slip on the eggs, but she wasn't planning on crashing all the way to the ground. "I was like, 'Guys, there's no way I'm not going to fall. I'm a klutz, I'm wearing heels, there are slippery eggs. I fell and all I thought was, 'Please don't cut!' because that's on film! They used it, so I'm thrilled."
"I wish I could say, 'I practiced and physical comedy is really important to me,'" she says with mock-seriousness. "Because I do like physical comedy, but that was just raw, unadulterated klutziness."
Check out all the Golden Globes red carpet arrivals
And because the fall was realistic, so was the injury that followed. "I couldn't admit [that I got hurt] because I knew they would freak out," she says. "My hip was purple, and I couldn't tell them. They'd make me see a doctor."
What did you think of Bowen's spill? Rewatch the thump heard 'round the world over and over again below:
Modern Family airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on ABC.


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Swiss authorities said a 17-year-old girl was pronounced dead early Wednesday due to injuries she sustained in a brutal attack on a train earlier this month.
The girl, identified in local media only as Melissa B., is reported to have had burns across 75 percent of her body. She died in a hospital sometime Tuesday night, police said.
The attacker, who died from his injuries a day after the August 19 incident, set a fire on the train and stabbed several passengers. Six other people were wounded by the assailant, though none of them are in critical condition.
The girl became the second to die from wounds sustained in the assault. The other victim, a 34 year-old mother reportedly from Croatia, died a day after the attack.
Police have ruled out terrorism as a motive in the attack, though they have not been able to offer any other explanation for the man's actions.