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It has been only six days since I landed in France, and I'm almost ready to move into my French apartment!
Renting the apartment unfurnished, I knew there would be a lot to do. I thought I'd be doing good if I had a bed and a refrigerator by the first week. That's before I knew I had engaged the world's # 1 administrator to help me — Nandine. In less than one week, Nandine has helped find not only a bed, but also furniture for the living room and dining room — along with arranging for telephone and utilities. All that's left to do is to find furnishings for the guest room, lamps, and accessories.Needless to say, I'm ecstatic! Nandine's knock on my bedroom door at 8 am, and our everyday trips to either a furniture store, Carrefour, or to Intermarche have gotten the job done in record time.
Check list
Landline phone
Basic household items
More wine
On Tuesday I will wait at the apartment in Uzes for the delivery of furniture and appliances. It should be an interesting day watching the delivery people maneuver the armoires and bed up the narrow spiral staircase. My bet is that most will all be hauled up through the top floor terrace … by ropes. With camera in hand, you'll experience the pain and triumph with me.
Time to play
All work and no play is really dull. So I'm visiting nearby La Grande Motte. Just outside Montpelier, the resort town on the Mediterranean seems much like Hilton Head Island resort in South Carolina. Condominiums are stacked many stories high, shaped like pyramids, around the boat docks and along the stretch of nearby beaches.
Built in the late 1960's, La Grande Motte has golf courses, tennis courts, pools, lakes, and boat access to the Mediterranean. The commercial area at the yacht basin is busy with restaurants, tourists, and children's amusement areas. The day I visited there was a race of small catamarans starring world-class yachtsmen. It was truly a beautiful sight when each boat, one after the other, unfurled a different colored sail that fluttered in the clear, blue sky.
Tomorrow… Move in day!
Stay tuned


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Think Thailand's Koh Pha-Ngan is all about neon paint splattered gap year students throwing some shapes under the full moon and spacing out on shroom mountain? Well, hold your horses cowgirls, there's more to this infamous Thai island than super-strength buckets and passing out on the sand at 6am. I love Koh Pha-Ngan long time. I've loved it since way back when I joined the ranks of starry-eyed youngsters mooning over Alex Garland's backpacker bible and although it's fair to say the place is no longer an empty Eden, it is still possible to leave the heaving hedonism of Haad Rin behind and get a good old hit of sweet, Mother Nature on this versatile, little island.
Heading away from the busy, port town of Thong Sala, out to the north-east, the dense jungle interior reveals that although the island may have been somewhat domesticated by tourist development, it is by no means fully tame. Out on these coastlines, backpackers can still discover exquisite beaches where time stops – probably due to the pot-holed, unfinished roads which make these areas a bit of a bitch to reach. As any backpacker worth her sea-salt knows, any destination involving a good bit of trekking/boating/bouncing around in a 4×4 on the edge of teetering cliffs gets you extra juicy, bonus points on the 'real traveller' props scale.
Which brings me to one of my favourite east coast destinations: Thong Nai Pan. The main draw are the two lovely bays – hot, curvy, little numbers separated by a hump of headland. A sleepy district, Thong Nai Pan offers decent beach-side accommodation and deliciously priced opportunities for eats and cocktails right on the sand perfectly balanced by a gentle, lazy, village vibe. Perfect for a break within a break.
Thong Nai Pan Noi is the bay of your fantasy island dreams – a deep, secluded, crescent-shaped bay of thick, white sand sheltered by imposing forest-clad cliffs and one of the most idyllic beaches I've had the pleasure to encounter. We stayed in Baan Panburi Village on the farthest tip of the beach, a lovely collection of huts built from natural materials where stepping outside in the early, morning light delivers a five star, 'right that's it, I'm never leaving' view of the glimmering sea framed by swaying palms. The seafood, beach BBQ and cocktails delivered right to you on the sand are pretty darn ace too. Oh and there's a teeny, tiny puppy there. It's practically heaven.
The beach is long and spacious and life here is so chilled out it's practically horizontal. Great swimming, sunning, boat trips and kayaking in the glassy, bay waters by day followed by drinks on the sand and a brilliant bit of fire dancing at Yai Bar by night – it's a hard life but someone's got to do it. For a little change of scenery, tackle one of the waterfall treks or simply take a hike over the headland to Thong Nai Pan Yoi, the little sister beach. Accommodation is more upmarket here but the village itself is delightfully quaint and pretty as a postcard.
Unfortunately, every silver lining has a cloud and life on the east coast means invariably missing out on the sunset… but when dusk falls and the sun dips behind those wild-looking, jungle hills, casting fantastic shadows over the bay while you sea-gaze, sip a beer and watch the beach boys play football – I think you'll agree the view ain't too shabby. Life could certainly be a whole lot worse.
All pics by Alex.
Alex Saint is a writer based in Bristol, England – a place she calls home due to its friendly, diverse atmosphere and never-ending list of fun things to do. She loves tattoos, quirky fashion, pugs and, of course, travelling.
Keep up with the Saint sisters and their adventures in Bristol, London and beyond at www.saintsonaplane.com and @saintsonaplane or Alex herself @alexsaint13

subset: commoncrawl


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Impurity Isolation
Isolation of impurities may be required for a variety of reasons, such as structure elucidation, generation of materials for use as reference standards and separation of racemic mixtures into enantiomers.
Cambrex has preparative equipment with multiple modes of separation, including normal and reverse phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), to enable isolation of materials as necessary. Cambrex has many years of experience with these techniques to enable effective isolation in the most efficient possible manner.
Impurity Identification and Characterization
Structurally characterizing small amounts of material is a key step in solving many challenging hurdles encountered during pharmaceutical development and manufacturing.
Materials of interest include:
Reaction side products produced during process development and scale up; impurities formed during stability studies via API degradation or reaction with excipients; metabolites of APIs observed during clinical testing.
At Cambrex we have extensive experience tackling these issues and a proven track record of identifying, isolating and characterizing these materials. Areas of expertise and capabilities include mass spectrometry (MS), preparative and semi-preparative chromatography, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The most difficult structure elucidation challenges require an integrated approach that utilizes advanced analytical techniques in concert. Cambrex excels at tackling such problems efficiently and providing concise professional reports suitable for inclusion in regulatory filings.
Further information
For more information about our processes or analytical services in general, get in touch with our team.


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On Monday, the 60th Brigade of the Syrian Arab Army's 11th Tank Division supported by the 67th Brigade of the 18th Tank Division and the National Defense Forces liberated several points along the International Highway en route to the besieged city of Deir El Zor.
These advances place the pro-government forces about 4km off the desert village of Arak which is positioned about midway from the oil rich town of Al-Sukhanah. ISIS finds itself in deeper trouble as the Syrian army endeavors to open multiple fronts against it. We remember that a few days ago the Syrian army entered administrative border of Raqqa province.
According to different reports, ISIS has lost from 50 to 70 militants in the clashes with Syrian troops in the province of Raqqa.


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Welcome to the first episode of Temple Archives. Noma recounts the stories of both Star Wars: A New Dawn and Star Wars Volume 1: Skywalker Strikes. Dan, Ed, and Noma discuss the events of both and what they mean for the galaxy far, far away. There may be a slight Batman tangent near the end.
Do you have opinions on what we covered today, want to leave us feedback or a question?
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Listen on Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, TuneIn, Overcasts, Pocketcasts, Podbean & Listen, Rate, Review & Subscribe on Apple Podcasts.


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New Patient Forms
Advanced Dermatology Center
If you would like to save time when you get to the office, please print out the forms below and bring them with you when you come for your first appointment. Please make sure you bring a copy of your insurance card and referral (if needed).
Advanced Dermatology Center Payment Policy
To view a list of all of the insurance companies where Lisa Benest, MD is a participating provider click here.


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Course code: ICAR303P
Subject area: Homecrafts
Study level: Part Time
Course level: U
7:00pm - 9:00pm
19th Apr 2021 - 5th Jul 2021
01235 555 585
This course is designed to extend all aspects of dress making and garment construction using a commercial pattern. To read more complex patterns and use a wider range of sewing techniques and use of machines and attachments. You will gain confidence and skills in a relaxed and friendly learning environment.
During the course you will build upon your existing skills and knowledge to produce a summer dress that can be lined, a blouse or shirt. You will learn how to take body measurements and amend your pattern before producing a toile for fitting before making your dress, blouse or shirt.
1. Take body measurements accurately2. How to choose paper patterns and buy suitable fabric3. How to adjust patterns & fit a toile.4. How to follow pattern instructions, cut out & make a garment5. Cover construction methods such as collars inserting sleeve & openings6. Cover simple pattern adaptations7. Use & maintenance of the sewing machine8. Identify fashion trends
Do not buy any materials until your course is confirmed as running.
Sewing machines are provided but you are welcome to bring your own. Information about patterns, fabric and sewing equipment will be given at the first session.
Some items to bring with you:A4 Ring binder & 12 plastic sleevesA4 lined and plain paper, pen, pencil, ruler, rubber and calculator. 1.5 metres of calico
Basic sewing equipment:Fabric, paper and embroidery scissors, colour-headed pins, hand sewing needles, tape measure, tailors chalk, marking pen.
Please note there will be no teaching sessions on 03/05/2021 and 31/05/2021
Abingdon and Witney College is subject to Ofsted regulation and is required to work with all its students to make sure they understand Government initiatives around Safeguarding, Prevent and Fundamental British Values. Information on these matters will be shared with you during your course.
You will also be asked to complete monitoring paperwork, which helps us to deliver course content to the highest quality.
16 - 18 Fee
19+ Fee
Tution Fee: £140.00Exam Fee: £0.00
Total Cost: £140.00
19+ Reduced Fee
Tuition Fee: £84.00Exam Fee: £0.00
Total Cost: £84.00


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Kyle and Drew are back, this time with guest Aaron Flynn of the Lonestar Brigade. They talk about how Aaron fell in love with the Timbers, the nearly confirmed new jerseys, pre-season friendlies, Omar Cummings, and the potential of Jake Gleeson.
Join the East Coast Platoon on facebook, follow the Timbers Field Report on twitter, and email us at [email protected]


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Courage isn't just a willingness to confront pain or fear. Courage, like character, also involves doing the right thing when no one is watching… or will ever know what you've done.
When you think of courage you may think of physical bravery, but there are many other forms of courage. After all, "Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it." That means courage – sometimes remarkable courage – is required in business and entrepreneurship: Taking a chance when others will not; following your vision, no matter where it takes you; standing up for what you believe in, especially when your beliefs are unpopular; or simply doing the right thing even though easier options exist.
1. They Have the Courage to Believe the Unbelievable
Most people try to achieve the achievable. That's why most goals and targets are incremental rather than massive or even inconceivable. Incremental is safe. Believable is safe. Why? Because you're less likely to fall short. You're less likely to fail. You're less likely to lose credibility and authority. A few people do expect more from themselves and from others. But they don't stop there. They also show you how to get to "more." And they bring you along for what turns out to be an unbelievable ride.
2. They Have the Courage to be Patient
When things go poorly, giving up or making a change is often the easiest way out. It takes more courage to be patient, to believe in yourself, or to show people you believe in them. Showing patience in others also shows you care. And when you show you truly care about the people around you, even when others clamor for a change, they may find ways to do things that will amaze everyone — including themselves.
3. They Have the Courage to Say, "No."
They have the courage to say no to requests for unusual favors, for unreasonable demands on your time, or to people who are only concerned with their own interests? Saying yes is the easy move. Saying no, when you know you'll later resent or regret having said yes, is much harder — but is often the best thing to do, both for you and for the other person.
4. They Have the Courage to Take an Unpopular Stand
Many people try to stand out in a superficial way: clothes, or interests, or public displays of support for popular initiatives. They're conspicuous for reasons of sizzle, not steak. It takes real courage to take an unpopular stand. And it takes real courage to take risks not just for the sake of risk but for the sake of the reward you believe is possible, and by your example to inspire others to take a risk in order to achieve what they believe is possible.
5. They Have the Courage to Ask for Help
No one does anything worthwhile on his or her own. Even the most brilliant, visionary, fabulously talented people achieve their success through collective effort. Still, it takes courage to sincerely and humbly say, "Can you help me?" Asking for help shows vulnerability. But it also shows respect and a willingness to listen. And those are qualities every great leader possesses.
6. They Have the Courage to Show Genuine Emotion
Acting professionally is actually fairly easy. Acting professionally while also remaining openly human takes courage–the willingness to show sincere excitement, sincere appreciation, and sincere disappointment, not just in others, but also in yourself. It takes real bravery to openly celebrate, openly empathize, and openly worry. It's hard to be professional and also remain a person.
7. They Have the Courage to Forgive
When an employee makes a mistake –- especially a major mistake –- it's easy to forever view that employee through the lens of that mistake. But one mistake, or one weakness, or one failing is also just one part of a person. It's easy to fire, to punish, to resent; it's much harder to step back, set aside a mistake, and think about the whole person. It takes courage to move past and forget mistakes and to treat an employee, a colleague, or a friend as a whole person and not just a living reminder of an error, no matter how grievous that mistake may have been.
8. They Have the Courage to Stay the Course
It's easy to have ideas. It's a lot harder to stick with your ideas in the face of repeated failure. It's incredibly hard to stay the course when everyone else feels you should give up. Every day, hesitation, uncertainty, and failure causes people to quit. It takes courage to face the fear of the unknown and the fear of failure. But how many ideas could turn out well if you trust your judgment, your instincts, and your willingness to overcome every obstacle?
9. They Have the Courage to Lead by Permission
Every boss has a title. In theory that title confers the right to direct, to make decisions, to organize and instruct and discipline. The truly brave leader forgets the title and leads by making people feel they work with, not for, that person. It takes courage to not fall back on a title but to instead work to earn respect–and through gaining that respect earn the permission to lead.
10. They Have the Courage to Succeed Through Others
Great teams are made up of people who know their roles, set aside personal goals, willingly help each other, and value team success over everything else. Great business teams win because their most talented members are willing to sacrifice to make others successful and happy.
11. They Have the Courage to Say, "I'm Sorry."
We all make mistakes and we all have things we need to apologize for: Words, actions, omissions, failing to step up, step in, show support. It takes courage to say, "I'm sorry." It takes even more courage not to add, "But I was really mad, because…" or "But I did think you were…" or any words that in any way places the smallest amount of blame back on the other person.
12. They Have the Courage to Take the Hit
A customer is upset. A coworker is frustrated. A supplier feels shortchanged. An investor is impatient. Whatever the issue, the courageous people step up and take the hit. They support others. They support their teams. They willingly take responsibility and draw negative attention to themselves because to do otherwise is not just demotivating and demoralizing, it also undermines other people's credibility and authority. Courageous people never throw others under the bus, even if that shines a negative spotlight on themselves.


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Exclusive Interview with The Guest Book's Carly Jibson
Although she's new to the small screen, Carly Jibson is not a novice when it comes to acting; she is most known for having played Tracy Turnblad in the first National Tour of Hairspray, and a few months later re-opening the Broadway version in New York City. She's currently starring as "Tickles"/Vivian in season two of TBS' hit comedy anthology show, The Guest Book.
I got the chance to talk with Carly about how she got into acting, the difference between doing Broadway and doing television, how Vivian is trying to be a "good girl" this season, why she was starstruck over Martha Plimpton and so much more! Keep reading to see what she had to say.
Tell me a little bit about how you got into acting.
I always had an interest in music. Both of my parents were rock and roll aficionados, so my brother and I spent a large part of our childhood seeing concerts and going to shows. Naturally, it was my 6-year-old life goal to be the lead singer of a rock and roll band. Unfortunately, there weren't any openings for a 3-foot tall frontwoman, so I kind of organically fell into musical theater. It was the perfect way to meld my love of music and acting together and I was hooked. It wasn't until my teenage years that I really started taking it seriously, or I should say that I really saw a potential to turn this hobby into a career. From that moment on, I got involved with anything and everything they'd let me chew the scenery in.
Was there a specific person or experience that you would credit with helping you decide that acting is what you wanted to do for a living?
I was very influenced by icons like Lucille Ball, and performances like Dolly Parton in Steel Magnolias or Marisa Tomei in My Cousin Vinny. I was obsessed with SNL and the Chris Farleys and Molly Shannons of the world. I was enamored with comedic actors and studied and emulated every move they made. But it was moments like watching The Color Purple for the first time at 8-years-old and sobbing my eyes out, even though at the time I am sure that most of it went over my head, that changed me forever. I was obsessed with the evocation of it all. It wasn't just about the escapism aspect, it was the realization of the impact that a performance could have; maybe it could change you, change the way you look at the world and hopefully, change the way you operate in the world as a result. I thought that was the most powerful and beautiful concept I'd ever seen and I wanted IN!
With that being said, I would have to say my biggest influence, supporter, and catalyst for it all, was my mother, Renee. She was the largest champion of not only my dreams but my individuality. She let me be exactly who I was without restriction or judgment and that was everything.
You started your career on Broadway and The Guest Book is your first television role. What has the transition been like from theater to television? Any unexpected challenges that have come up going between the two mediums?
I would have to say that theater gave me an incredible amount of discipline. It gave me a work ethic and overall respect for the art, which is truly an education you can't put a price on. I found the transition quite seamless and I truly owe that to the extensive training I was given and I will always be grateful for my theater beginnings for that.
The thing that I love so much about the format of television is the fast-paced, ever-changing aspect of it all. You take a scene or a piece and you bust your ass and put everything you have into it and then it's done, you leave it there and you move on. You are continuously given new material so you are constantly being challenged and I love that, it speaks to my sensibilities in every way.
Tell me about your audition process.
When I first read the script for the pilot, I was blown away. Being a huge fan of Greg's already, I was very excited at the prospect of working with him. I thought the fact that it was a comedic anthology was so unique and fun. I also LOVED the idea of being a part of something that was breaking new ground on an up and coming network like TBS, that was foraying into original content, all lead by a twisted genius like Greg Garcia.
When I went in, I was wary. I was pretty new to the LA scene, and though I had several network tests under my belt, I had ZERO television credits on my actual resume. I was also going up against some incredibly formidable actresses that I not only adored, but respected, so it was intense. My goal was just to go in and do "my thing." Sometimes you just have to be like a racehorse and shut it all out, put your blinders on and "run your own race." I try to approach everything with that energy and this was no different. Greg creates such a relaxed environment in an audition room, so I felt pretty comfortable almost immediately (though I was secretly doing my best to keep my heart from jumping out of my ass the entire time.) I went back the next day for a callback, to which I was just grateful to be humored as an option, and then I got the call later that day that I would be testing for the role. The screen test is really a blur because it's my own personal theory that I lapsed into an anxiety-driven "blackout" during the whole thing, but SOMEHOW I ended up getting a call the very next day, from Greg Garcia himself, that "she's yours," and my life hasn't been the same since.
The show is so unique in that it's an anthology comedy series. With that being said, where do we find ourselves in season 2?
After all of the shenanigans Season 1 leaves us with, Season 2 picks up with "Eddie" (Eddie Steeples) and my character, "Tickles", or as she is now going by, "Vivian", leaving the mountains for a "fresh, new start." That is how we find ourselves at the beach this season where we meet a few new faces (Nikki, Tommy, and Bhodi.) Nikki and Tommy run a local diner and also rent out Tommy's mother's beach house which is how we find ourselves back in the familiar rental format of Season 1. This is what brings in all of our crazy and amazing guest stars and one of a kind hilarious stories that can truly only live in the mind of Greg.
In the vein of a "new start," Tickles/Vivian is going to try to be a good girl this year. She is going to try a new approach and see how far that gets her. The real question is: how long is that going to last?
Let's talk about your character, Vivian. What's she like? Do you think she is similar or different, and in what ways, to the person that Carly is?
Tickles is just like everyone else and ultimately wants the same thing everyone in life does; she wants to be heard, she wants to be understood and she wants to be accepted. The problem lies within her approach to things. Her intentions are good, but her execution is shit, which oftentimes finds her in hot water. I think at her core, she is just a simple girl, looking for love, but she is too impulsive. She doesn't tend to think things ALL the way through first and just reacts out of desire and instinct, which I can relate to a lot. I too have a tendency to be more of the school of "ask for forgiveness, not permission," within reason, of course. [laughs]
The things I love about her the most is that she is tough, sassy and unapologetic. She doesn't see boundaries or limitations on her dreams. She doesn't allow the societal norms to dictate or quantify her worthiness. She doesn't self-deprecate or internalize insecurity to the point that it keeps her from achieving her goals. She sees herself as an equal with everyone around her, in every way, and I just feel like we don't see enough characters like this in television. I think that is the most personal aspect of me that I have tried to bring to this role.
Greg Garcia has done, and continues to do, such a phenomenal job with this show. Can you talk about what it's like working with him?
I truly can't speak highly enough about working with Greg. He is kind, patient, approachable, fun loving, easy going, brilliant, funny, warm and the best leader any show could wish for. I think a lot of his success is attributed to this unique demeanor. He has a very healthy outlook on all of it. "We're not curing cancer here, we're making a TV show." It's serious, yes, because people have put money behind it and we should all be doing our jobs and doing them well, sure, but it's not that "deep." There's no need to freak out, or yell, or stress or treat someone badly. There are no egos on set. There is no tension. It's just fun! And it should be, after all, we are, as Greg always says, "playing make-believe today, and people are paying us for it" so we should be able to find some joy in that!
You guys have had an incredible rotating cast of guest stars. Who were you the most "star-struck" by?
It's funny, but I get "star struck" over the most RANDOM people. It isn't necessarily equal to the level of their "status" as it is about what impact they have had in my life. I would have to say that person for me this year was Martha Plimpton. She is a part of that quintessential "young Hollywood," in an era that I am probably the most fascinated by. The strip, rock and roll (see childhood), the incredible and iconic films that were being made at the time that she was a part of. She is like a time capsule of awesome and sometimes I would just stare at her on set and think, "Damn, the stories you must have, the things you must have seen." I will never be able to see those people as "peers," they will always be on a pedestal in my eyes.
And as it turned out, she was every bit as kick-ass as I hoped she'd be. She couldn't have been kinder.
What can you tease about the rest of Season 2?
What I can tell you about Season 2 is JUST GET READY! It goes there, in every way! It has heart and soul and shock and awe and comedy and tragedy and silliness and surprises. I think people will be the most surprised with the heart and soul this year. People who watched Season 1 know how funny the show is, but this year really sneaks in those moments that can make even the most dead inside person feel their feels. It's good!
Oh, and Tickles trying oh so hard to keep up that "good girl ruse," inevitably weaves herself into a whole mess of trouble you do NOT WANT TO MISS!
I figured we could end with two more fun questions. Since The Guest Book is focused on these vacationers who come and visit these small touristy towns, what is the best vacation you've ever been on?
I went backpacking through Europe with my mother when I was 13 and it was the most cathartic and life-changing 3 weeks of my life. I think it was the most impactful because we really didn't have much. I came from very humble beginnings but my mom really wanted to give this to me before I started high school. Before the crazy pangs of adolescence set in and I would become a proverbial nightmare. [laughs] Man, we saved and budgeted and used miles from people and sometimes stayed in the tiniest, sketchiest little places, but we were together, seeing the world, experiencing history and culture and doing this adventure all on our own. Two strong, independent females. It was magical and one of my favorite memories I have with her.
Last question — we're called Talk Nerdy With Us because we all have an inner-nerd so what is something you're nerding out about?
This is going to sound so trite and I really don't mean to sound this cheesy, but I'm truly nerding out about LIFE right now. Life can be so stressful as we obsess about money, success, "Am I good enough, am I doing it right, should I have said that, does this person respect me, am I going to be okay, should I spend that money, how much longer until my insurance runs out, what's the president doing now, is the country falling apart, should I get an Apple watch," shit like that. And I have just finally arrived at a place of gratitude and acceptance.
Now, I KNOW that sounds super "LA," but hear me out! I just decided that instead of worrying about all of the things I can't actually control like where my career is going to go, will someone hire me again, when I'm gonna die, etc. – I just take comfort in the knowledge that so far my life has been pretty amazing. Yes, there have been some dark parts, the loss of my mother being a big one. But truly, they're all a part of what made me who I am – a strong, resilient, resourceful woman who never takes a single day for granted. I feel truly free and that might not be anything of "worth" to anyone else but to me it's priceless.
Make sure you follow Carly on Twitter and Instagram. The Guest Book airs Tuesdays at 10:30/9:30c on TBS.


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Breaking it down for you
|from Steidl, makers of the new "Paper Passion" perfume
Missing that distinctive smell of a book while flicking through virtual pages on your snazzy new e-reader? Apply some Paper Passion perfume to your wrists! (or maybe the air around you, instead) No, I'm not joking. What fun ideas people have! I am always pleasantly surprised with what other people come up with: the simpler, the better. This product, packaged in a hollowed-out book, even has it's own ISBN number.
|from Steidl, "Paper Passion" perfume
And then, also featured in this article: the sound of typewriter keys while you type on your laptop. Of course, there would be an app for that, wouldn't there? You can call it nostalgia, if you must. But I think that there's just something to be said for the full sensory experience that these smells and sounds are a part of, that we just don't feel quite whole without all of these seemingly trivial details. Maybe we have technological advances to thank for helping bring these things to our notice, helping us to identify specifically all the reasons why we love the old ways of doing things.
As a writer, I find this all falls into the essential requirement of storytelling: show, don't tell. It's not a matter of finding the most efficient means to an end. There are five senses that need feeding; and when they are, that is when we are fully engaged in the experience. Which certainly is the point.


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Teddi Mellencamp, the newest addition to "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills," has made a career of holding people accountable.
"My definition of an accountability coach is someone who helps monitor your health and fitness goals," Mellencamp, 36, recently told Page Six. "I'm trying to empower my clients to plan ahead and stay committed to their initial intentions."
But with New Year's resolutions fresh on everyone's lips, the daughter of rocker John Mellencamp warns that a "New year, new me" mentality is a setup for failure.
"People say, 'I'm going to tell myself to do this and I'm going to do it every day for a year,'" she explained. "Of course that's not gonna happen, and of course things are going to fall off the tracks and then you know what you're gonna feel? Guilty."
Mellencamp launched her business because she had struggled with her weight, first when moving to LA at age 18, and then again when having her two young children.
"I was still significantly larger than I had ever been," she said of trying to drop the baby weight the second time around. "I realized I'm complaining to my husband, I'm complaining to my friends, and I'm not doing anything about it, it was that moment where I was like, 'Oh my gosh, I'm looking for someone else to change something that I need to change.'"
"Then I became that person," changing her mindset and making a career out of motivating others to stick to their goals.
She's currently coaching 35 women personally, while coaches that work for her are helping 200 other clients this month. Their progress is documented on Instagram.
For those looking to get a jump on their fitness goals, the workout guru (whose business is appropriately named LA Workout Junkie) suggests setting obtainable goals — specifically, something enjoyable that doesn't have to cost a lot of money.
"I wouldn't set a goal of going to CrossFit every day because I don't like going to CrossFit," she explained, noting that her favorite workouts consist of outdoor running, hiking and hitting up celeb-favorite class Rise Nation. "Set things that you don't have to be obsessed with doing, but that you enjoy so you start to develop a habit and start to like it."
Before you know it, Mellencamp insists, "things will start to change."
"You don't have to worry about being motivated, you have to be committed," she told us, adding, "Even if you say, 'I'm going to go to the gym for 30 minutes because I worked a long day,' guaranteed, after two weeks you're going to go for 45 [minutes], because once it becomes a habit it becomes easier."
As for Mellencamp's own routine, she starts her day with a full glass of water, has no carbs at dinner and stops eating three hours before bedtime. She commits to an hour of exercise daily, which can be as simple as walking with her children in a stroller.
Now, watching herself on TV, which she admits is "kind of hard," she puts what she teaches her clients into practice.
"What I can kind of live with was 'I was me,' and as silly and cliché as it sounds, I was accountable to the person that I am and I think you'll be able to see that as the show progresses."
And as for her icy dynamic with Erika Jayne?
"Let's just say it's gonna get good," she told us.
"The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. EST.


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Especially in a new relationship, getting to know your boyfriend is something you obviously want to do. But rather than interrogating them with serious questions, why not put some fun into it, and take advantage of these 10 cool questions to ask your boyfriend, to see what he has to say!
Being in a relationship is all about learning about each other, and how to communicate with each other. If you are able to keep the light-hearted, you will find that you will learn a lot about them, and gain a greater understanding of the type of person they really are.
So here are 10 cool questions to ask your boyfriend, so that you can get to know each other better:
1. What is your favourite food (keep this in mind for future special occasions!)?
2. How would you describe yourself to me in one sentence?
3. What is the most thoughtful thing you have ever done for your mother?
4. Apart from me (!), who is your favourite person in the entire world?
5. What is your favourite thing about me?
6. What is the most important thing you would like me to know about you?
7. If there is one thing about me that you could change, what would it be and why?
8. What is your biggest goal in life?
9. If you suddenly had the means to do what ever you wanted, what is the first thing you would do?
10. If I were to be your slave for one day, what are the things you would make me do? (Ok, this one could get very naughty, but it's a fun question to ask!)
All good relationships are based on communicating well, and this will be a great start to get you both talking about your hopes and dreams, how you feel about each other, and what you would like to do in your lives.
These questions should not be asked like an interrogation, but maybe dropped into conversation as you talk about other topics. They are meant to be light-hearted, but we'll definitely help you to get to know him a little better.
Once you know a little bit more about him and what he likes, this will also help you to come up with gift ideas as well, especially if your relationship is a long-term one – and he will never guess that this was ever your motive!
These 10 cool questions to ask your boyfriend will definitely spice up any conversation you are having with your boyfriend, and you never know, you may gain a great deal of knowledge about the workings of his mind! That's not a bad thing when you are getting to know somebody new.


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Legislators eye increase in gasoline tax
MONTGOMERY — Alabama lawmakers might soon debate an increase in the state's gasoline tax to pay for road and bridge construction. If passed, it would be the first raise in the state gas tax since 1992.
The Alabama Legislature's Joint Transportation Committee will hold five meetings around the state in January to discuss the possibility and take the public's temperature on the idea.
"We are going to have to make a decision on what we want. … If we want to widen some of these roads, fix bridges, do some major work, we have some revenue," said Rep. Mac McCutcheon, chairman of the committee.
"We've got roads that were built for 20,000 cars a day that are carrying twice that today," McCutcheon, R-Capshaw, said.
A bill introduced by McCutcheon in the most recent special session would have raised the tax by 5 cents per gallon and then adjust the tax up or down another 2 cents each year, depending on consumer prices and other factors. But the bill never got a floor vote.
McCutcheon said he is still working on the proposal for the session that begins Feb. 2. One change, he said, will be a cap on the amount of tax that can be added through indexing.
Sonny Brasfield, executive director of the Association of County Commissions of Alabama, said the price of road construction and repairs has increased while improvements in automobile fuel efficiency have caused tax collections, which help pay for the work, to stagnate.
"We're selling about the same amount of gas that we were in 1992," Brasfield said.
The association has started a website and campaign called Drive Alabama to discuss the need for additional money for road maintenance and construction.
"A third of our bridges are more than 50 years old," Brasfield said.
Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley said he anticipates a legislative effort to at least index the gasoline tax so it will increase over time.
"I think the people accept a tax if it is earmarked specifically for a project like a road," Bentley said.


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Starting out in the Swedish film industry 10 years ago, I found myself making music videos for a famous Ugandan R&B act in Stockholm. I was in film school and met one of the group members during a break. He was also teaching dance at the same culture school and had been living here for many years. Soon thereafter I found myself shooting half-naked women and two dudes who didn't know their own lyrics.
Even though we had a lot of fun, one thing that struck me during those days was how homophobic they were, leading me to start annoying them by teasing them about it, being a bit too close, and stroking their neck hair, just to see how they would react. It was mainly friends joking around, but a couple of years later, when the Anti-Homosexuality Act was introduced in Uganda, I understood that there was much more to it than a couple of hip-hop brothers having a hard time reacting to male affection. Behind the jokes lay a serious issue, which manifested itself both culturally and religiously.
Reading about the issues that gay people were facing in Uganda, I felt that there was a lack of stories capturing the universal human themes of love and the human right to love whomever we love. But at that time I had no idea how I would help remedy the situation, or how difficult it would be.
I had never been to Uganda, so I started looking for people who could help me get in touch with the local LGBTI community there. Eventually I found Geoffrey, who is a journalist and today a good friend, in Kampala. He helped me out in the search for a story to tell, introducing me to organizations and activists from the Ugandan LGBTI community.
While researching, I'd seen very few stories about the everyday human aspects of being trans. To me, there was too much focus on the physical aspects of being trans and not enough focus on the emotional aspects of it. I felt the emotional side was something I could capture in a unique way, which could help people understand trans people from their own point of view rather than from the ironic filmmaker's point of view.
In June 2013 I landed at Entebbe International Airport for the first time, without any permits and with my usual small package of travel film gear.
The following week I did an intensive search for someone who had a personal story that could carry my idea of creating a human portrait of a trans community living in the shadows of Ugandan society.
After a lot of meetings I was finally introduced to Cleopatra Kambugu, a then-26-year-old student and trans activist. I was fascinated by her courage as the first trans woman to openly transition in the discriminatory Ugandan society. She was determined not to let other people's ignorance stand in the way of her life.
We both shared a will to tell a story that humanizes the trans community, and to avoid doing so through the story of an activist. Even though Cleo is an activist, we both thought that activism isn't always best served when provocative; provocation can be counter-effective, alienating people rather than helping them understand things they have little knowledge about. In order to reach people who weren't promoting LGBTI rights, we needed to find a story that was universal and could reach across all groups of people.
Since then, I've been following Cleo's life up close for 18 months, and we're still shooting. I even moved in with Cleo and her straight boyfriend, Nelson, during one of my trips to Kampala, getting to know them both as human beings and as friends. Having been forced to live apart only to find each other once again in a foreign country, their love story is a true inspiration.
What I've witnessed is a personal story of love, acceptance and being trans, a story that gives a glimpse into the Ugandan trans community and the struggles they face every day, from the days before the first Anti-Homosexuality Act was presented to today, when once again there are talks of a new draconian law being proposed in Uganda. The last one was brought down by activists after President Museveni signed it into law, but Cleo had already been outed in the Ugandan tabloid Red Pepper as a "homosexual," forcing her to leave Uganda for her own safety. What will happen if a new law is introduced in Uganda? Who will now have to leave their friends and family?


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Systolic Architectures for Finite-State Vector Quantization
Kolagotla, Ravi K.
Yu, S-S.
JaJa, Joseph F.
MetadataShow full item record
We present a new systolic architecture for implementing Finite State Vector Quantization in real-time for both speech and image data. This architecture is modular and has a very simple control flow. Only one processor is needed for speech compression. A linear array of processors is used for image compression; the number of processors needed is independent of the size of the image. We also present a simple architecture for converting line- scanned image data into the format required by this systolic architecture. Image data is processed at a rate of 1 pixel per clock cycle. An implementation at 31.5 MHz can quantize 1024 x 1024 pixel images at 30 frames/sec in real-time. We describe a VLSI implementation of these FSTSVQ processors.


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H.A. Brendekilde was a forerunner of the social realist style, embraced by Diego Rivera. His early work often depicted the daily lives of the rural working class. One of his most famous paintings, "Worn Out" (1889) shows an elderly man lying fallen on his back in the plowed field. I included this piece in a post on March 30, 2018, but I wanted to look more closely at it today.
Brendekilde's genius shows in the way he depicts the central subject. The rocky, barren field is immense, nearly blending with the sky. Dirt and rocks dominate this painting–Dirt on their clothes, small rocks embedded in the soil, larger rocks gathered into piles to be carted from the field–this man's life was the soil, hard and rocky though it was. Yet he clung to it, working to clear the rocks until he could go no further.
I love the detail in this painting. It's easy to see how their day began: the man and woman spent the morning picking rocks from a field and making small piles of them, preparatory to plowing the field. Then, something happened. A heart attack? A stroke? One of the man's clogs has fallen off his foot, lost when he stumbled and fell. The stones he was picking up and carrying in his apron have tumbled to the ground beside him.
Farming is working in the dirt, and dirt clings to his clothes. The woman wears a dress that has been patched many times, the loose, dry soil on her garments show she too has been picking rocks all morning. Is she his daughter? Or perhaps his wife? Even if only a friend, she is terribly concerned for him.
They are nearing the end of their winter stores and the first new vegetables have yet to be planted. Has he worked himself to death? Will he recover?
This old man's entire world is this rocky barren field. As I said in my earlier piece, a story is told in this stark painting.
Credits and Attributions:
Worn Out by H. A. Brendekilde [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons


text: Dec 23, 2014 Merry Christmas! Hello, apologies and Merry Christmas to all our fabulous Highlands Private Concierge clients, Well! Firstly an apology for the distinct lack of "blogging" this last month or two. The simple truth is that's its been such a mad, crazy, busy Spring and start of Summer for HPC that I firstly forgot, and then just couldn't find time to upload Decembers Blog and News - sorry everyone! Now the excuses...There have been parties, functions, weddings and events galore keeping us more than busy this Spring...not to mention another extra special new project in the making...but, there will be more news on that to come in the new year! All I can say is its been a truly exhilarating and exhausting Spring time! Unfortunately that's all I've got time for now, but I will upload some photos and hopefully get onto January's blog and news over the(well deserved) Christmas break! Best wishes to you all for a fabulous 2015! Much love Teresa and Team.XXX


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"I think I'm going to take my time,
life is too short
for immortality and its attendant disregards.
I have enough memories now for any weather,
either here or there.
I will take my time.
Tomorrow's not what I'm looking forward to, or the next day.
My home isn't here, but I doubt that it's there either –
Empty and full have the same glass,
though neither shows you
the way. "
Charles Wright Poet Laureate 2014
Charles Wright, our new Poet Laureate, shared this poem during a PBS interview I saw recently. While seeming a gentle man, Mr. Wright appeared more ordinary than I expected, bookish and bright, but more the next door neighbor you'd like to talk to than a celebrity, or poet of reknown. His thoughts felt like they could have grown in my own head and not felt like weeds.
It's been a while since I have written here. I think I am somewhat a creature of habit. For quite a while writing this blog was my way of being, but when I stopped during my husband's recovery, I fell out of the pattern. Charles Wright's sharing of his perspective on life and poetry jolted me back to thinking about things and wanting to share them.
I'm not sure when I felt in love with English, with poetry and prose. I know reading became a way to understand the big things in life and the small. Discussing the meanings behind works like Tennyson's poem, In Memorium, or Faulkner's novel, Light in August, as well as a lot of other literature in English classes in college, changed my thinking, shaped my choices, made me more me, as they helped clarify what I believed and why I believed it.
There are passages and quotes that stopped me in my tracks when, like one of Emerson's sleepers on the train, I was headed in a thoughtless direction. J.R.R. Tolkien's quote, "Many who live deserve death, and some who die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then be not too eager to deal out death in judgement, fearing for your safety. Even the wise cannot see all ends." was one such quote. It made me completely rethink my view on capital punishment. Other passages in other works simply made me think.
Wright's poem and especially the line, "empty and full have the same glass but neither show you the way," created another one of those philosophical pauses for me to think about life.
I loved Wright's concepts on time in this poem, dealing with life's end by taking our time; not getting so caught up in thoughts of immortality as to disregard the present. I am intrigued that like Wordsworth in Intimations of Immortality, Wright seems to allude to memories of here…..and of "heaven." Wordsworth says it like this:
"Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting:
The Soul that rises with us, our life's Star,
Hath had elsewhere its setting,
And cometh from afar:
Not in entire forgetfulness,
And not in utter nakedness,
But trailing clouds of glory do we come
From God, who is our home"
But Wright says his "…home isn't here," yet equally doubts "it's there." Ah, so the poet wants me to think, to question. So… is the poet caught in the middle between here and there, a child of earth who has had glimpses of eternity? Or like many of us, does he just believe in the now, love life, and just not want to leave it? Or is he wanting to be with God, but not wanting to leave family and friends? Perhaps he is caught somewhere between "full of life" and "not yet quite empty of living?" Knowing that more of his time on earth lies behind, but not sure what waits ahead, unclear which way to go? Wright's answer to these question is implied; it is a simple but good one: Don't live for tomorrow whatever it may bring, but live in the now, fully. Yet, also implied is that to fully live one must be touch with the eternal.
For me, I believe it matters less about half-empty or half-full than what you do to fill your glass. I think, for much of our life, we pour ourselves out into the lives of others, (our friends, our children,) and even into our work. Often, we fill up with joy by doing that, but at other times it feels we are running near empty.
At least while we live, I think it is our job to find ways to refill the glass. Certainly that requires knowing that unless we care for ourselves, attending to our physical, mental, and spiritual health, we can accomplish very little. We do need to take a rest, live in the moment. To paraphrase Walt Whitman, we need to take a walk in the wood, go to the beach and rediscover "the world in a grain of sand," wander a meadow and "find heaven in a wildflower."
Perhaps to reenergize, you need to listen to a concert, play with a child, pray or meditate, write or read, exercise or sleep. Whatever it is, fill your cup anew so that you can pour yourself out and refill your cup, only to pour and fill again and again. I toast the gift you give in doing that.


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Editor's note: We're listening to you. Every day, we spot thought-provoking comments from readers. Here's some comments we noticed today.
Andy Warhol once said that "in the future, everybody will be famous for 15 minutes." He's been dead for 25 years, but he's still got his fame. This week, 1.2 million limited-edition cans of condensed tomato soup with Pop-art-inspired labels go on sale to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Warhol's famed art piece "32 Campbell's Soup Cans."
Readers shared their thoughts on the artist's style and got us thinking about our own fleeting moments in the limelight.
Andy Warhol's '15 minutes' of fame are not up yet
One reader described her Warhol-esque decor.
AndreaMilnes: "I love Warhol, and really pop art in general. You should see my apartment, it's a minor explosion of modernism and it happens to feature the Warhol Wall. Fittingly above my TV I have four tinted photos of him, each with a quote, and I freakin love it. The quotes aren't particularly deep (ex: "everybody must have a fantasy") but then I'm not particularly deep either. It's part of the reason I love his work, you don't have to be 6ft up your own rear and up to your eyeballs in meaning to be interesting and produce great art. Art is awesome when it's done merely for the sake of itself. Add in the pop cultural and fashion aspects of Warhol, and it's a recipe for my adoration. So please believe I'll be eating lots of soup for a while, lol!"
Others took a different view.
norcalmojo: "Warhol was the Sid Vicious of the art world. He knew his art was commercial junk and also knew that people would buy anything if they were told it was cool. It was a joke on his own fans. At least Pistols' fans were in on the joke. Warhol fans are still convinced they're sophisticated."
One commenter described the story of Billy Name, a photographer who knew Warhol at the time the artist survived being shot. He described Name's apartment as a "mini Warhol gallery."
Jabooy: "My friend and tenant worked with Andy at the factory and they were good friends up until he died. In fact he was in the darkroom when he was shot and was the first to come to Andy's aid. I can tell you he will be pleased to see these soup cans and will buy a lot of soup!"
When we replied to him about his comment (and later reached out to him), this conversation was the result:
Jabooy: "Mr. Name has shared so many stories of the factory with me, both in person and watching him do interviews with television and magazines, I feel like I was a there! 🙂 A little too young however ..."
CeltinWood Responder: "Seems Jabooy mined his '15 minutes of fame' directly from the Warhol playbook with his recent entry?!"
So that got us thinking, what about you? Have you ever found yourself suddenly famous, but only for a few minutes? Have you ever been "Internet famous"? Or are you simply famous all the time?
Whatever your degree of celebrity, please share your story in the comments area below or sound off on video via CNN iReport.
Compiled by the CNN.com moderation staff. Some comments edited for length or clarity.
I was interviewed on CNN by Ben Weedeman at the New Years Eve 2000 concert at The Pyramids in Egypt...it was more like 30 seconds of fame...all good.
Well, surely you didn't use the name talkic.com. It's pretty hard to gauge how famous you are/ were when you use a screen name.. If you WANT fame to last longer than thirty seconds( or fifteen minutes for that matter) you gotta put yourself out there, my friend!
Hey, I pride myself on being able to spell guage! Dunno how that happened...
Well done raven. I'm proud of you.
hi @chrissy and all you good folks.
I did savor the speeches last night and was just savoring Bill Clinton'r charisma. destroying the phony facade of the 'opponents' who have sadly come to rely on propaganda and tactics like voters block etc.
My faith in this country's future, which was at a low ebb, has had a bump listening to what makes sense, hits where it should, makes us sit up and and gauge (did i spell that right @raven?) the difference between noise and substance.
I sure hope voters are able to do that.
When my uncle Jerry came back from 'Nam, he wasn't the same. Before, he was a ladies man. He owned several automobiles, incl. his fav 69 Dodge Charger, and a '72 Ford Bronco 302. And don't go gettin' all huffy. He also owned a '65 Vette, a '64 GTO, and a '55 Nomad.
But when he came back from 'Nam, he wouldn't even go fishing with me or drink a Olympia Beer with me...his fav beer in spite of his dad, my grandpa.
They drug our boys. And have been doing so for a long long time. Poor little fellers. I had another uncle fighting in Alaska during WWII, only MJ instead of petrochemical pharmaceutical. Ivan Emil Roper (R'ingIP) If yer ever in Collbran CO, cemetary to the north.
Actually, your body will have regenerated everything in itself over the course of seven years.Even your organs.It's true. Promise.
I heard five years, but yep its true. If everybody gets 15 mins, and they can't overlap, that's about 200,000 yrs. who wants to be last?
Hi @raven. True, but you are considering each cell rather than each organ.
Every seven years, the human body is an entirely new human body. Each cell is replaced every seven years. (other than our brains and it's vital connections, our neurosystem)
Our lungs, for example, begin being REPAIRED after 20 minutes of not being damaged. Our VITAL one and only LIVER, is our only organ that REGENERATES (not simply repairs) ITSELF!
Until 75% of your liver is shot, you will live. Acetomenophen is responsible for over half of all liver damage. (FDA)
Organs are not simply masses of cells, @raven.
Your heart isn't just a pump, for example.
The complexities of the human species of animal perplex EVERYONE by an order of MAGNITUDE over other animal speicies and their trivial pursuits.
That one single species would be the only species' future ever thought of disproves human evolution. How is it that we are the strongest, if we are the obly ones who were allowed to even think of being strong?
We are in a league of our own. One big team with several coaches pitting us against each other.
@raven. You know this. Do you not?
How do we know how intelligent animals are when we can't communicate with them? I've seen squids who are more intelligent than some people I know.
Philip, respectfully disagree. That we are the smartest ( also the dumbest, in my opinion) species does not preclude the intelligence of other species. Or that their survival/future isn't in the grand scheme of things. Otherwise all other species wouldn't even HAVE reproductive organs. We are smart. We have designed weapons that could obliterate all life on the planet. Yeah, we are smart, I'll give you that.
Psst, there was no fighting in Alaska...
Hey; Are the guys – who've been steal'n our Maple Syrup??? Don't drink that stuff, man – it's toxic!! cfa
p.s. It's worst then 'Agent Orange' / / /


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Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment of H. Pylori
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a Gram-negative, microaerophilic bacterium typically found in the stomach and digestive tract. H. pylori grow profusely in the digestive tract and have a tendency to attack the stomach lining. Almost 50-60% of the world population has H.pylori in their upper gastrointestinal tracts. Usually, H. pylori are considered to be harmless, but they are responsible for causing sores, called ulcers, in the lining of the stomach or upper gastrointestinal tract. The intensity of infection varies from person to person. Most people remain unaffected by these bacteria. However, for some people, H. pylori can cause Peptic Ulcers and Gastritis. Also, in some individuals, the infections may lead to Stomach Cancer.
The helical shape of H. pylori allows them to penetrate the mucoid lining of the stomach, where the body's immune cells cannot reach. Hence the bacteria can interfere with the immune system leading to various stomach ailments.
CAUSES OF H. pylori INFECTIONS:
The exact method of spreading of H. pylori infections is unknown yet. The bacteria have coexisted with humans in their gastrointestinal lining for thousands of years. The infections are thought to spread through contacts with saliva or other body fluids of infected people. H. pylori can be obtained from food, water, and utensils. It is most common in countries or communities having a poor sewage system and hygiene.
After the bacteria enters the body, it attacks the mucoid lining of the stomach which is responsible for protecting the stomach from the acids used for digestion of food. This makes the stomach cells susceptible to the harsh acids, thereby leading to stomach ulcers. In this way, H. pylori induce stomach disorders.
SYMPTOMS OF H. pylori INFECTIONS:
As most of the people remain unaffected by H. pylori infections, they do not experience any symptoms of the infection.
Individuals who get affected by H. pylori infection mostly have stomach ulcers. Symptoms of stomach ulcer include abdominal pain, felt especially when the stomach is empty. It is also known as gnawing pain, which may come and go. Consuming antacids may relieve such pains. Other symptoms may be listed as:
• Excessive Burping
• Bloating
• Lack of appetite
• Nausea & vomiting
• Unexplained weight loss
• Fever
• Heartburn
Following symptoms seek immediate medical help:
• Bloody stool
• Trouble breathing
• Trouble swallowing
• Dizziness or fainting
• Blood in vomit
• Anemia
• Severe stomach pain
In rare cases, H. pylori cause stomach cancer. So, the persistence of the above-stated symptoms needs proper diagnosis and medical assistance.
DIAGNOSIS OF H. pylori INFECTIONS:
If an individual has the symptoms of an ulcer, then he/she needs to be appropriately diagnosed. Following are some of the diagnostic methods for H. pylori infections:
1. Physical Exam:
A doctor will examine the stomach of the patient to check for signs of bloating and tenderness. This is the preliminary step for the diagnosis of infection.
2. Blood Test:
The blood sample of the patient is collected and examined to detect for H. pylori infections. Presence of antibodies against H. pylori indicates infection. However, this test is beneficial for people, who have never been treated for H. pylori infections before.
3. Stool Test:
A stool sample of the patient needs to be collected and checked for traces of H. pylori in the feces.
4. Urea Breath Test:
The patient is asked to drink a medicated liquid that contains urea, and his/her breath is collected as a sample for examination. If H. pylori are present, then it will release an enzyme that breaks down the urea into carbon dioxide gas. Thus, the presence of higher levels of gas than normal indicates H. pylori infections.
5. Endoscopy:
The doctor will insert a long, thin instrument called endoscope attached with a camera into the mouth and down into the gastrointestinal tract. If any abnormal area is detected through the attached camera, samples are collected from these areas for further examination.
TREATMENT FOR H. pylori INFECTIONS:
Following are some of the ways of treating H. pylori infections:
• Medications: Doctors generally prescribe a combination of two different antibiotics, along with another drug that reduces stomach acid. This treatment is also known as Triple Therapy.
• Maintaining proper hygiene & sanitation: Washing hands before eating food and consumption of clean water is necessary to treat as well as prevent H. pylori infections.
• Following a healthy diet: Avoiding spicy food, alcohol and smoking may heal ulcers.
If either of the symptoms is observed consult your doctor immediately and start the treatment as soon as possible.
Also Read What is the Causes, Symptoms, Treatment of Fatty Liver? Click Here
1 Comment
yarinshabatovJune 16, 2020 at 2:37 pm
How can genes be real, but not evolution? How can you accept one, but not the other? It all depends upon how you define human being then I would point you right back to genes and ask you how "chance" could add the massive amounts of genetic information needed
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Acer Aspire One netbook SlashGear Review
While there's no shortage of variety in the netbook market, one of the most commonly recommended – and certainly most commonly searched for here on SlashGear – is the Acer Aspire One. With a slick casing, brand name recognition and relatively large degree of flexibility in specifications, even with new rivals from Dell and others, Acer is holding its own. We've had the Aspire One in for the past fortnight to put it through its paces; check out the full SlashGear review after the cut.
Announced in June 2008, Acer offers multiple versions of their netbook. Each uses Intel's N270 1.6GHz Atom processor, but it can be paired with either 512MB or 1GB of RAM, and a choice of either an 8GB SSD or 120GB or 160GB hard-drive. Operating system is either Windows XP Home or Linpus Linux Lite, and there are several color options. Battery can either be a three-cell or six-cell pack.
Whichever you choose, you'll get an 8.9-inch 1024 x 600 LED-backlit display, integrated microphone, stereo speakers and webcam, WiFi b/g and a memory card slot (capable of reading MMC, SD, MS, xD and other formats). Interestingly, Acer also include a second SDHC slot, intended for more permanent storage expansion; the multi-format reader is there for quick transfer of files, or viewing photos from your digital camera, while the SD slot means you can add a chunk of extra capacity. This is most useful in the SSD-based Aspire One, obviously.
Our review unit was a white, Linux-based Aspire One, with 512MB of RAM and the SSD drive. In the box is a relatively small AC adaptor, soft slip-case, installation media (though obviously there's no optical drive to read it with) and printed documentation (including both a quick-start guide and full manual). You can see the video unboxing here.
At 9.8 x 6.7 x 1.1-inches, the Aspire One is a little wider than the ASUS Eee PC 901 (which we reviewed back in June) but is thinner and not as deep; it's also a little lighter, at 1.04kg versus around 1.1kg for the ASUS. Acer have used a mixture of matte and gloss plastics, with a high-gloss lid and screen-surround, while the lower half of the netbook is matte. It sounds like it shouldn't work, but it does, helped no doubt by the high-quality plastics and the sturdy hinge. Ports are split between the left and right sides: power, VGA out, 10/100 ethernet, one USB and the SD slot on the left; microphone input, headphone output, two USB ports, multi-format card reader and Kensington lock slot on the right.
On the front edge is a switch for toggling the WiFi on and off and underneath are vents and the speakers, together with a hatch to access what would be a Mini-PCIe slot if Acer had soldered the connector in. Running along the hinge section are four LEDs, indicating battery status and drive activity, as well as caps-lock and num-lock. The keyboard has 84 keys in total, with a full function row and several Fn combinations to adjust brightness, volume, internal or external display and enter sleep mode. There's also the useful ability to switch off the touchpad for times when you're using an external mouse.
In all, aside from one notable point, the build quality and design of the Aspire One doesn't disappoint. That one contentious point is the touchpad or, more accurately its buttons. The slight depth Acer shaved off of the Aspire One required – or was fulfilled by – moving the left and right mouse buttons from their usual spot underneath the touchpad to flank it on either side, and for a regular laptop user it's a real challenge to get used to it. The left button no longer falls naturally under the right thumb when mousing, and requires either an awkwardly-twisted wrist or a switch to using the index finger. They're loud, too, and while we usually appreciate buttons that you know whether you've pushed, the Acer's tip over into sounding a little cheap.
It's a real shame, because the Aspire One keyboard is a surprising pleasure to type on. Personally I may be a little biased, as my daily-driver is a Sony VAIO TZ, but others who have tried the Acer have had little difficulty acclimatizing to its compact keys. Key travel is 1.6mm; less, certainly, than full-sized notebooks but comfortable enough overall. And of course, there are three USB ports for plugging in keyboards and mice if larger peripherals are needed.
Like most other netbooks currently available, the cheaper Aspire One models use a Linux-based OS rather than the more familiar Microsoft Windows. In the Acer's case, the distro in question is Linpus Linux Lite, and while that might seem enough to send novice users running for cover it's actually one of the most usable netbook interfaces we've played with.
Turn on – which takes 24 seconds from cold, or 12 seconds from sleep mode – and you're presented with four panels: Connect, Work, Fun and Files. Connect offers Firefox, a multi-client IM app and email app, with an RSS reader and links to Wikipedia, Google Maps and Hotmail in an extended menu. Work offers Writer, Spreadsheets and Presentations, all from the OpenOffice 2.3 stable, with Calendar, Contacts, a calculator and notes app in the extended menu.
Fun offers a surprising choice of games and media, with a media player, photo viewer, webcam and paint app, together with eleven games including Tetris and Mahjong. Finally Files is the expected file management system, with shortcuts to music, photos and videos.
Consistent across all the menus is a search bar at the top, which can be switched on the fly between an internet search or a local file search, and a status bar across the bottom of the screen. That offers a quick jump to the home screen, as well as showing status icons for keyboard language, network connectivity, battery and volume. Finally it shows a clock and the power button, with choices to lock, sleep, restart or shutdown.
It's all clear and straightforward, and eminently usable. Yes, you can get to Linpus underneath, but the average owner won't ever want to. It's also possible to load new software, but the preinstalled apps will likely be enough for most; that then reduces the chance of system instability, unlike a Windows-based machine which almost seems to tempt modification (and then bite you for it ten apps down the line).
What the Aspire One will be used for most is internet access, and here it certainly holds its own. Firefox behaves exactly as it does on a regular desktop, loading in around two seconds, and while the 8.9-inch display might not be as big as many are used to, it's colorful and bright. It makes sense to hit F11 for full-screen mode to take advantage of every inch, though.
Word processing is similarly uneventful, and although Writer takes around four seconds to load, once up it'll present no hurdles to most users. The media player is happy with the regular formats, though DRM-encrypted files aren't welcome.
In a way, then, it all comes down to battery life. The Aspire One is certainly a surprising pleasure to use – if you've never had a solid-state-based notebook, you'll be shocked at how liberating it is to move it around without concern for a "delicate" hard-drive – and that makes you want to keep on using it. Acer rate the three-cell battery of our test unit as good for three hours, a figure we never reached. With WiFi on and display brightness at medium (the preset for battery use) the Aspire One lasted just over two hours and twenty minutes; turning off the WiFi squeezed out an extra twenty minutes. Frustratingly, battery drain during sleep mode was higher than we expected; left overnight, the netbook was down almost 20-percent in the morning.
It's worth noting that Acer's estimates depend on your storage format: up to 3hrs on SSD machines, but 2.5hrs on those with hard-drives. Based on our experience we'd expect Aspire One units with traditional hard-drives to last around two hours. Acer also offer a six-cell pack, rated for up to 5.5hrs with a hard-drive netbook; it'll add bulk, but the price is relatively low (around $50 more) and any extra longevity would be welcome.
No netbook is perfect, but the Aspire One makes a good hash at a number of important factors. Usability of the Linux version is high, better than that of the Eee we'd say, and aside from a couple of design blips the hardware is reassuringly high-quality. Battery life isn't great, but on the plus side the AC adapter is reasonably compact, and while the Eee PC 901 has more SSD storage as standard, SDHC cards are a cheap and easy way to add capacity to the Acer.
Where it really scores is price. The original netbook concept was something cheap, and the Aspire One is now available from a bargain $329.99. That gets you the model we've been testing; for $399.95 you can have the 1GB/160GB version with XP Home and the six-cell battery. If 8GB of storage isn't enough, but you still want to stay solid-state, Amazon have 16GB SDHC cards from around $30.
The Aspire One has been a pleasant surprise. There's a feeling that Acer have developed everything, made every design decision and hardware choice, with the mantra "don't price it out of the market" ringing in their ears. The end result could've been a cheap, flimsy, carbon-copy netbook, but turned out to have more neat touches and design strength than machines $200 more expensive. No, it's not for everyone, but if web browsing, occasional documents and portability are your daily chores, the Acer Aspire One deserves your consideration.


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NOTICE INVITING TENDER from eligible suppliers
The Tourism Council of Bhutan, Thimphu would like to invite sealed quotation from eligible suppliers for supply of the following office equipment.
1. Creative 4.1 Speaker (With specification & cost)
2. HD Projector (With specification & cost)
The last date for submission of sealed quotation is on or before 12Pm on 11th September 2015. The tender will be opened at 2:30pm on the same day in the TCB conference hall 'B'. For further enquiry please contact Mr. Raju Gurung at 323251/51 (Extn. 226) during office hours.


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Regular readers may recall a couple of posts back in January where we told the story of an Autonomous Mind reader who complained to the BBC about an edition of Hardtalk.
This is the one in December 2010 where President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives was allowed to state, without challenge, that due to human induced climate change sea levels around the Maldives are rising. The lack of journalistic rigour and blind acceptance of such a controversial viewpoint as fact led to the complaint being made and the BBC's two fingered resp0nse in January which included the immortal words:
We're committed to honest, unbiased reporting and are determined to remain free from influence by outside parties.
Following the response, our reader then filed a Freedom of Information request to the BBC asking for details of:
- how many complaints/ accusations of bias the BBC received from the public about the BBC's coverage of climate change
- how many of the complaints received about climate change were upheld by the BBC, i.e. were accepted
- brief details / a list of all the complaints upheld, i.e. the details of the upheld complaint and the BBC's response (excluding details of the person complaining)
In publishing the story in a follow up post we shared the unsurprising news that the response from the BBC to our reader's request was a refusal to provide the information sought. Once again the BBC was hiding behind its establishment-given provision to withhold any information the BBC considers to be held for the 'purposes of journalism, art or literature'.
As this blog said in our commentary on the decision, the BBC seemed to have chosen to interpret the Act in a very loose way by extending it 'to the sifting and review of praise and criticism from audiences, as well as the seeking of an independent view of criticism in order to undertake this review process.' The thrust of the BBC's response was that complaints are used to inform the creation or improvement of programming. As a result our commentary concluded:
It would seem obvious that complaints rejected by the BBC are not used to inform the creation or improvement of programmes because they are arguing the complaints are baseless. So, the only possible reason for withholding details of rejected complaints is to hide the extent of viewer and listener dissatisfaction with an editorial line the BBC is determined to pursue.
Our reader was advised that if he disagreed with the decision he could appeal to the Information Commissioner. So he did.
We now fast forward to last week when our reader received an incredibly lengthy reply from David McNeil, a Complaints Officer and the Information Commissioner's Office, which you can read below:
This is quite a staggering communication from the ICO, if again completely unsurprising. At the heart of it is the assumption or belief that because the BBC says the complaints material informs their editorial direction they should not be bound to reveal how many complaints they receive.
However at no point is the BBC asked to provide evidence that demonstrates, on the basis of complaints received, they have ever adjusted their editorial approach. We are simply enjoined to accept it without proof.
The only way this can ever be assessed is if the complaints process was made transparent, but they continue to hide behind the Act, with establishment approval, to prevent that happening. The question of course is 'what are they hiding and why?' which takes us back to the Balen Report and Steven Sugar's attempt to uncover the details of the report. It is simply that the findings would reveal the bias so many people believe the BBC possesses and that many more people reject the BBC worldview than the corporation is comfortable with revealing? If we do not know what the report held we cannot assess whether any material change in editoral approach was ever made. Likewise, when it comes to complaints such as these.
Why should the license fee payer, compelled to pay the fee under pain of fine or imprisonment, be denied information about how many people complain about the BBC's output and be able to ascertain for themselves whether the views of the public are ever taken into account?
This is just another example of the establishment, of which the BBC is an integral part, protecting its propaganda arm and treating the public who are forced to pay their wages with utter contempt. On this basis our reader is now considering taking this complaint to the next stage. Is it worthwhile? You decide.
See also this post about a rare BBC u-turn after originally turning down a FOI request.


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Butterfly Tattoos
$ 5.00
Colorful Butterflies
Ladies! Would You Like To Get Your Hands On Over 100 Rare And Beautiful Colored Butterfly Tattoos?
That You Can Download, Print And Take Straight Away To Your Tattoo Artist?
Butterfly tattoos, when done by a skilled artist can be a dynamic piece of art. They symbolize the female's charisma, beauty and diversity and they are also highly symbolic creatures in many cultures, including our own.
Accordingly, over time, the butterfly has also come to represent not only beauty itself but also the transitory nature of that beauty and indeed of all life. Does that sound like you? If so it's worth looking through this eBook to find the perfect tattoo for you that suits your personality, characteristic and one that exemplifies your physical being!


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The Best Tokyo Street Food You Need To Try
In order for a travel destination to be awesome, it has to have amazing food. Tokyo street food didn't disappoint. Street food is always a bonus because it usually comes cheap, freshly made in front of your eyes and it tastes delicious. I am one of those foodie travellers and throughout my adventures, I found an interesting correlation. If a place I visited didn't have good food, or the restaurants were way too expensive for the quality I got, I ended up liking the destination less.
Table of ContentsOpen
See Also
- Where to Stay In Tokyo
- The Ultimate Guide to Tokyo
- Best Places to visit in Tokyo
- Tokyo Restaurants Guide
- Best Tokyo Street Food
- The Best Spots To See Tokyo From Above
- Best Day Trips from Tokyo
Tokyo Street Food
When it comes to Japan's capital, Tokyo street food is amazing! There is absolutely no doubt about it: Tokyo is the best place on Earth for the foodie soul. There are more restaurants per capita than in any other city on this great planet of ours, which translate to fantastic food, great culinary dedication and some of the most incredible street food I've ever got to try. Get a 7 day Tokyo itinerary and indulge yourself in Tokyo's best street food.
I still remember how reticent I was in trying this. At first glance, I saw some sticky ball with lots of powdery "stuff" all over it. I was like, no thank you, I don't know what that is and don't really want it. But the Japanese vendor just handed me one of this mystery (apparently edible) things and encouraged me to try. I couldn't refuse the smiley man now, could I? I armed myself with courage and tasted it. I thought one small bite won't kill me. And that's when the magic happened. Oh My GOD! This weird item (which is called a dango by the way) turned out to be one of my absolute favourite desserts in this whole world. Suffice to say I bought 4 more for the road. WOW, Japan. You and your amazing dangos!
The Okonomiyaki has become a phenomenon even in the Western countries. Japan managed to make us fall in love with yet another one of their famed (and very simple) dishes. The Okonomiyaki is nothing more than a type of pancake carefully crafted with leftovers. Of course, when you buy it in a restaurant or from a food stall, you won't actually get the leftovers. This came about in Japanese families who (rightfully so) didn't want to throw away perfectly good food which was left over from other dishes. So they created a layered pancake with batter, lettuce, bamboo shoots, egg, bacon, seafood, meat and served with nori, ginger, tonkatsu sauce and sometimes Japanese mayo and fishy.
I was in Harajuku when I first discovered the Japanese crazy crepes. No, I didn't name them crazy, this is their actual name. Why? I have no idea, probably because you have to be crazy not to try them? The Japanese crepes are a marvellous dessert invention on this planet. Yes, even more so than the dango! Imagine a thin layer of perfectly cooked batter, filled with cream, matcha cake, strawberries, bananas, blueberries, kiwis, mangoes, chocolate sprinkles, ice cream and so much more. Are you drooling? Don't blame you! There are countless variations and they cost something like £3. Be warn though! Once you eat one, you will never be the same again, you will become a Japanese Crazy pancake addict. I should form a secret society. Who's in?
Cotton candy (watame)
I don't get it, how come that all these Japanese people are so incredibly skinny when all they eat is sweets upon sweets? The Watame is yet another example of how amazing life on the Tokyo streets really is: this is essentially cotton candy pre-bagged and available to buy virtually anywhere. I found some whilst strolling through Ueno. It was pink, fluffy and delicious.
This is grilled squid on a stick. I tried this in the Tsukiji market for the first time, then found it all over in the Shinjuku neighbourhood. It goes without saying that you have to like seafood to enjoy this, but since I adore squid and octopus more than anything else, you can imagine how much I recommend this simple dish. It's usually served with some sauce on it. (I actually don't know the type of sauce, it's similar to soy, but a bit sweeter? Maybe you can help me if you know more about this?)
Sweet Potato
Baked sweet potatoes or Yaki Imo are cooked over wood fire. Usually, these are sold in a truck which goes around the neighbourhoods screaming "yaki imo". Very similar to our ice cream vans in the UK for example. I would sure rather buy a healthy baked sweet potato as opposed to a calorie-packed ice cream. I bought one of these baked sweet potatoes and actually, they were incredibly delicious, especially because of the exquisite taste it acquired due to it being baked over a wood fire. Yum!
This is essentially a Japanese rolled omelette served on a stick with roe over it. I tasted this at the Tsukiji market and absolutely fell in love with it. I've started making it at home for breakfast and it's now one of my favorite morning dishes.
When I was a little girl, me and mum used to buy grilled or boiled corn when visiting the seaside. It was almost like one of those cute family traditions for us. We loved walking on the beach, chilling by the sea and admiring the sunset whilst munching on corn on the cob. It probably sounds a bit weird to you, but I am still really fond of those memories. Tomorokoshi is grilled corn on the cob served on a stick of course, with a bit of miso, soy sauce, butter and salt. When I saw this in Tokyo, my heart skipped a beat in excitement as I immediately thought of mum and our time spent at the seaside. I must say though, the Japanese version of corn on the cob is the most delicious I have tried so far.
Yakitori is basically a Japanese skewer with chicken or seafood and vegetables. You can find Yakitori everywhere in Tokyo but here's what I recommend: go to the Omoide Yokocho (Memory Lane or Piss Alley) in Shinjuku, because that's where you will find the best yakitori. You are welcome.
First time I ate this, I was most excited to run to a nearby vending machine and buy 5 litres of water! Shioyaki is a baked mackerel served, you guessed it, on a stick. It's so salty, you will honestly feel as if you just ate one kilo of salt in one bite. If you are not into salty stuff, then probably skip this one, but otherwise, it's really delicious (in small quantities).
Ok, there is something rather awesome about grabbing a large portion of fried soba noodles and eating it on a bench in Ueno Park. I don't know why, but I loved that so much. I didn't feel weird, eating in a park, I actually loved it. Many people do it in Tokyo, so it's perfectly fine. The only thing you need to know about eating yakisoba as street food? Make sure you know how to handle your chopsticks as otherwise, your outfit will become a yakisoba plate.
Tsukune is a type of chicken meatball served in a very similar manner as they yakitori. This is something I tried in Shinjuku and I really liked it. Although I found this type of street food in Shinjuku and Ueno Park, it's also possible to enjoy it as part of a larger dish in a restaurant.
The Japanese know how to sell you things alright, take the Taiyaki for example: a pretty little fish-shaped cake filled with custard, chocolate or savoury cheese. I personally prefer the custard version, but they are all equally amazing. It looks super cute and delicious. I found this in Harajuku, where you will find Japan's kawaii packed in a few streets.
Whilst meandering around Ueno, I came across this food stall selling lots of handmade mochi. I particularly loved the sakura and matcha tea flavoured ones. You can usually find mochi with red bean paste, but I'm a sucker for green tea so I always go for the green matcha goodies. I can eat 10+ mochies without blinking, although, given the high content of sugar, I probably shouldn't.
This is another Tokyo street food favourite which becomes very addictive, very quickly. Takoyaki is a Japanese ball shaped batter, filled with bits of grilled octopus. You can also call it Octopus Dumplings if you wish. It's a really cheap and satisfying snack, usually served with sauce, mayo, nori and green onion. It's fun to see the way the street food vendors cook the octopus balls, it's a lot of fun.
I was surprised to see street food vendors selling cucumbers on a stick. This is a type of street food usually served during the summer months as it's cooling and refreshing. What a great idea, right? They are served with some miso paste on them. You might be sceptical now, but after the first bite, you'll be going back for more green cooling cucumbers on a stick.
There is no trip to Tokyo without allocating time to eating lots and lots of gyoza. I like the prawn gyoza the most as I find them less heavy. Of course, you can find tons of dedicated gyoza restaurants in Tokyo, but I really enjoyed eating them as street food from street sellers. They were always made to perfection and oh, so delicious.
Red bean paste cakes
Sure you remember me telling you about those cute fishy shaped cakes. Well, the red bean paste cakes are very similar to the Taiyaki, only that they are cute cartoons, animations, kittens or robot shaped. They are usually quite tiny and very yummy. They make the perfect snack in between meals. I reckon those should be sold as part of a bento box, as they look so incredibly appetizing and super fun.
There is a ton of Japanese street food to be enjoyed in Tokyo and these are my very favourite which I recommend you try. Do tell me what's your favourite Japanese street food and let me know why you love it so much. Tell me all about it in the comments section below.
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Sibiu International Theatre Festival is an event that promotes excellence in the Performing Arts. The festival represents, besides a celebration of arts, a perfect combination of theatre, music, dance, circus, movie, conferences, exhibitions and an opportunity for connections and friendships.
Sibiu International Theater Festival celebrated its 20th edition this year with great performances, from all cultural areas. It was a mixture of theater, music concerts, theater for children, dance, street performance and circus. I was happy to be a part of all this and get the chance to see some great acts with great artists.
Summer starts this year in Sibiu with an amassing celebration, the twentieth edition of the International Theatre Festival. Something that no man truly in love with art and culture should under no circumstances miss.
For those of you who are from Slovenia, or intend to visit Slovenia this weekend, go directly to Maribor (The European Cultural Capital for 2012) and see Faust, by the Romanian Director Silviu Purcarete.


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I still remember the day a few years back when David Tamarkin, the site director of Epicurious, announced to me that he had chosen a word to summarize the brand's new approach: realness. Having worked alongside David for (not even kidding) more than ten years, I know that when he says realness, he means it. It's not just an ethos that he applies to everything on the Epicurious site; realness is David's way of life. Which is why it didn't surprise me that one January, he challenged himself to make three meals a day, with very few repeats, for the entire month, a project he dubbed "COOK90." That project is now a book (buy it!), which is, I'm happy to say, our January selection for the Bon Appétit Cookbook Club.
In a world of aspiration and lifestyle and glitter bagels and CBD water, COOK90 is the ultimate distillation of "home-cook realness," to use David's terminology. It's not about the latest iteration of Keto or how amazing your life will be if you eat cold oats that have been sitting in your fridge overnight. The COOK90 book is unflinching in its dedication to recipes, tools, and strategies that make weeknight cooking not just possible but enjoyable—like a gift to yourself rather than an end-of-day chore. And the concept is totally, refreshingly un-prescriptive: Cook the recipes in the book, or simply cook whatever you want. Either way, you're still doing COOK90.
Before David walks over here and says that I am telling people they don't need to buy the book and can just cook whatever recipes they want, let me just add one final note: Even as someone who is pretty much resigned to being what I'll call a "Cook9" (and that's in a good month, and yes I'm including breakfast in that figure), David's perspective on cooking is so smart and practical, and his voice is so candid and—yes—real, that he makes the prospect of cooking 90 meals in 30 days feel not just accomplishable but truly rewarding.
Later this month, we'll be sharing some of our favorite recipes from the book. And in lieu of a blowout Cookbook Club dinner, we're all going to bring "nextovers" (the COOK90 term for non-depressing leftovers) to work one day and trade lunches with each other. That, my friends, is realness.
Pick up a copy of COOK90 wherever you buy cookbooks. And if you want to learn more about the BA Cookbook Club and how to start your own club, you'll find all that right here.


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Ignite your life today by being grateful. Look around and give thanks for all that you have, your family, friends and the future ahead. Move forward in the week by recognizing one thing you are thankful for. Practicing gratitude in your everyday routine enables you to stay in touch with life's best opportunities and attracts positive possibilities.
One love...Cedella


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A blank page. A story, a poem, even a work of nonfiction, always begins with a blank page. A writer can, literally, write about anything. So what turns a blank page into one filled with words? Well, of course it is the writer, but beyond that it is the the writer's thoughts and ideas. Going even further, though, there must be influences. Books, movies, music, friends, family, the list goes on and on…. I've always considered these influences to be my muses, which is why I dedicated "The Past, Present, and Future" to all of my muses. As I continue the writing process of the companion novel to "The Past, Present, and Future," I would like to spend some blog-time honoring the muses that made this project happen. In total, I have singled out five poems, five songs, five movies, and five books that in many ways influenced me and became my muses for this project.
Each week, for the next 20 weeks, I'll reveal one of my muses and explain how each influenced this project. It should be a fun journey through my mind, and my writing process. Hopefully, it will shed light on the moment of inception. That is, the moment this project went from a loose collection of thoughts and ideas floating through the river of consciousness in my mind to words filling up blank pages.
Since this project began with poetry, I'll start there. This Saturday, I'll begin the poetry countdown with my number five poetic influence. I'll then progress through the rest of my poetic influences. Afterward, I will move through my music, film, and book influences in succession. I'm excited to continue "The Past, Present, and Future" with this mini-project, as it will give me the opportunity to both single out my influences and explain how each contributed to my writing process.


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Despite uncertainties about pace and magnitude, climate change is a reality. The National Climate Assessment confirms that warming trends and related impacts have been observed in the United States. Land trusts are working to understand and account for climate changes in their work. You can learn more about defining the problem and working towards solutions from the links below.
You can also browse our library or learn more about specific impacts to land types that land trusts typically manage.