text:
This article will be permanently flagged as inappropriate and made unaccessible to everyone.
Are you certain this article is inappropriate?
Excessive Violence
Sexual Content
Political / Social
Email Address:
Article Id:
Reproduction Date:
Recent referendums
Politics portal
The Croatian Parliament (Croatian: Hrvatski sabor) or the Sabor is the unicameral representative body of the citizens of the Republic of Croatia; it is Croatia's legislature. Under the terms of the Croatian Constitution, the Sabor represents the people and is vested with legislative power.[upper-alpha 1] The Sabor is composed of 151 members elected to a four-year term on the basis of direct, universal and equal suffrage by secret ballot. Seats are allocated according to the Croatian Parliament electoral districts: 140 members of the parliament are elected in multi-seat constituencies, 8 from the minorities and 3 from the Croatian diaspora. The Sabor is presided over by a Speaker, who is assisted by at least one deputy speaker (usually four or five deputies). The Speaker's office is currently held by Josip Leko; the 7th assembly of the Croatian Parliament is composed of 143 MPs from 13 political parties, most of them affiliated with the Social Democratic Party of Croatia (59) and the Croatian Democratic Union (42), in addition to 8 independent MPs.
The Sabor's powers are defined by the Constitution and they include: defining economic, legal and political relations in Croatia, preservation and use of its heritage and entering into alliances. The Sabor has the right to deploy the Croatian armed forces abroad, and it may restrict some constitutional rights and liberties in wartime or in cases of imminent war or following natural disasters. The Sabor amends the borders of Croatia or the Constitution, enacts legislation, passes the state budget, declares war and decides on cessation of hostilities, adopts parliamentary resolutions and bylaws, adopts long-term national security and defence strategies, implements civil supervision of the armed forces and security services, calls referenda, performs elections and appointments conforming to the constitution and applicable legislation, supervises operations of the Government and other civil services responsible to the parliament, grants amnesty for criminal offences and performs other duties defined by the constitution.
The oldest Sabor with extant records was held in Zagreb on 19 April 1273. This was the Sabor of Slavonia, and not of Croatia and Dalmatia. The earliest Sabor of the Kingdom of Croatia and Dalmatia dates to 1351. The Parliament session held in 1527 in Cetin affirmed the House of Habsburg as Croatian rulers. After this, the Sabor became a regular gathering of the nobility, and its official title gradually stabilised by 1558 as the Parliament of the Kingdom of Croatia and Slavonia. Since 1681, it has been formally called the Diet of the Kingdom of Croatia, Dalmatia and Slavonia. In 1712, the Sabor once again invoked its prerogative to select the ruler, supporting what later became the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713. Since the mid-1800s, the Sabor has regularly met and its members have been regularly elected. Exercising its sovereignty once again on 29 October 1918, the Sabor decided on independence from Austria-Hungary and formation of the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs which later joined the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. The Sabor did not meet between 1918 and 1945, except for an unelected Sabor convened in 1942. The Sabor initially reconvened as an assembly of ZAVNOH (State Anti-fascist Council for the National Liberation of Croatia) in 1943 and evolved since through various structures following the November 1945 elections and several changes of the constitution. After the first multi-party elections since Communist rule and the adoption of the 1990 constitution, the Sabor was bicameral (Chamber of Representatives and Chamber of Counties) until 2001, when constitutional amendments changed it to the unicameral form currently used.
The Parliament represents the citizens of the Republic of Croatia; it acts as the country's legislature. It convenes regularly in two sessions each year, from 15 January to 15 July and from 15 September to 15 December; however, extraordinary sessions may be called by the President of Croatia, the Croatian Government or a majority of the parliamentary members. The sessions are open to the public. The parliament decides through simple majority votes, except in issues pertaining to (constitutionally recognised) ethnic minorities in Croatia, the constitution, electoral legislation, the scope and operational methods of governmental bodies and local government; in these cases, decisions are made by two-thirds majority votes. The parliament may authorise the government to enact regulations dealing with matters normally covered by parliamentary acts. Such regulations expire one year after the authorisation is issued. The authorisation does not apply to matters that must be decided upon by a parliamentary two-thirds vote. Legislation enacted by the parliament is either endorsed by the President of Croatia within eight days or referred to the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Croatia.[1]
The Constitution of Croatia mandates that the parliament consists of at least 100 members and no more than 160 members, elected by a direct secret ballot for four-year terms. The members of the parliament elect the Speaker of the Parliament and one or more deputy speakers by a simple majority vote. Parliamentary elections are held within 60 days following the term's expiration or parliamentary dissolution (the latter takes place with a parliamentary no-confidence vote or if the parliament fails to approve a state budget within 120 days after the government submits one for approval), and a new parliament must convene within 20 days after the elections.[1]
The members are granted parliamentary immunity; their criminal prosecution is possible only after parliamentary consent, except for crimes with five or more years of imprisonment mandated. The parliament may appoint investigative commissions for any matter of public interest.[1]
The Croatian parliament's powers are defined by the Constitution of Croatia. These include: defining economic, legal and political relations in the Republic of Croatia; preservation of Croatia's natural and cultural heritage and its utilisation; and forming alliances with other states. The parliament has the right to deploy Croatian armed forces abroad. It may also restrict constitutional rights and liberties in wartime or in cases of imminent war or following natural disasters, although that constitutional provision is limited to specific rights—right to life, prohibition of torture, cruel or denigrating conduct or punishment, upholding of habeas corpus and freedoms of thought, conscience and religious views. In addition, in those circumstances parliamentary members' terms may be extended. (As these rights are defined by the constitution, the decision would require a two-thirds majority. Since Croatia never declared a state of war during the breakup of Yugoslavia, this option has not been exercised in practice.[2]) The parliament reserves the right to amend the borders of Croatia. The parliament decides on constitutional amendments, enacts legislation, passes the state budget, declares war and decides on the cessation of hostilities, adopts declarations of policy of the parliament, adopts national defence strategy, representing a long-term defence resource planning document,[3] and national defence strategy, which defines bases for establishment and implementation of institutions, measures and activities in response to general security issues and specific challenges and threats to Croatia,[4] implements civil supervision of the armed forces and security services, calls referenda, performs elections and appointments conforming to the constitution and applicable legislation, supervises operations of the government (headed by the Prime Minister of Croatia) and other civil services responsible to the parliament, grants amnesty for criminal offences and performs various other duties defined by the constitution.[1] Becoming the Prime Minister of Croatia requires majority support in the parliament.[5]
The Government is responsible to the parliament; some other institutions, such as the Croatian National Bank and the State Audit Office, also report directly to the parliament. The parliament appoints an ombudsman to promote and protect human rights and liberties established by the constitution, parliamentary legislation and treaties adopted by Croatia. The ombudsman is appointed for an eight-year term; the ombudsman's work is independent. The ombudsman, as well as all other persons authorised to act on behalf of the parliament, is granted parliamentary immunity equal to that enjoyed by parliamentary members.[1]
Since the first multi-party elections held after the start of Communist rule, there have been eight speakers of the parliament; the first five, executing the office until constitutional amendments in March 2001, were also speakers of the Chamber of Deputies (since the parliament was bicameral at the time).[6] As of 10 October 2012, Josip Leko (SDP) is the ninth Speaker of the Sabor. Five deputy speakers are: Nenad Stazić, (SDP) Milorad Batinić (SDP), Jadranka Kosor (HDZ), Vladimir Šeks (HDZ) and Dragica Zgrebec (SDP).[7]
The speaker of the parliament becomes the acting President of the Republic in the event of the death, resignation or incapacitation[upper-alpha 2] of the President of Croatia, as specified by the constitution.[1] This situation occurred after the death of Franjo Tuđman in 1999, when Vlatko Pavletić became the acting president.[8] After the 2000 parliamentary elections, the role was transferred to Zlatko Tomčić, who filled the office until Stjepan Mesić was elected President of Croatia in 2000.[9]
As specified by the current electoral legislation in Croatia, 140 members of the Parliament are elected in multi-seat constituencies, up to 3 members are chosen by proportional representation to represent Croatian citizens residing abroad and 8 members represent ethnic and national communities or minorities (including "undeclared", "unknown", or otherwise other than constitutionally recognized groups).[10] The two largest political parties in Croatia are the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and the Social Democratic Party of Croatia (SDP).[11] The last parliamentary elections were held on 4 December 2011. Since the members of the parliament may change political affiliations or be appointed to other offices during their term, the numbers of seats and the actual balance of power in the parliament can change between the elections, although there are usually few changes.[12] For instance, by 23 December 2011, HDZ had gained an additional seat compared to the 2011 Croatian parliamentary election results, while the Democratic Centre (DC) party had lost one seat.[13]
As of 23 December 2011, the 7th assembly of the Parliament consisted of 151 members of the parliament; 60 were SDP, 45 were HDZ, 14 were Croatian People's Party – Liberal Democrats (HNS), 6 were Croatian Labourists – Labour Party, 6 were Croatian Democratic Alliance of Slavonia and Baranja (HDSSB), 3 were Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS), 3 were Croatian Party of Pensioners (HSU), 3 were Independent Democratic Serb Party (SDSS), 2 were Croatian Citizen Party, 1 each were from the Croatian Peasant Party (HSS), the Croatian Party of Rights dr. Ante Starčević (HSP-AS) and the Bosnian Democratic Party of Croatia (BDPC) while the remaining 6 seats were independent. All the SDSS and BDPC seats, as well as one of the HNS seats, were won in the national minority representative elections.[14][15]
Since 1990, seven parliamentary elections have been held in Croatia. The elections held in 1990 were the first multi-party elections following 45 years of Communist rule. The Parliament had three chambers at the time; the candidates ran for all 80 seats in the Social-Political Council of Croatia, all 116 seats to the Municipalities Council of Croatia and all 160 seats to the Associated Labour Council of Croatia. The first round of the election saw a turnout of 85.5%; the turnout for the runoff election was 74.8%. In this election, the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) won 205 seats and the Social Democratic Party of Croatia won 107. Between then and 2007, five parliamentary elections were held for the Chamber of Deputies (Croatian: Zastupnički dom) of the parliament or the unicameral parliament since (in 1992, 1995, 2000, 2003 and 2007). Starting with the 1992 elections, the number of seats first in the Chamber of Deputies, and then in the unicameral parliament, were significantly variable: ranging from 127 in 1995 to 153 in 2007. In the Croatian parliamentary elections held since 1992, when the number of seats in the parliament was limited to below 160, only 5 parties have won 10 seats or more in any one parliamentary election. These were the HDZ, the Croatian Peasant Party (HSS), the Croatian People's Party – Liberal Democrats (HNS), the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) and the SDP.[19]
Several political parties, besides the HDZ, HSS, HNS, HSLS and SDP, have won parliamentary seats in the elections since 1990. These have been (in alphabetical order): the Alliance of Primorje-Gorski Kotar (previously named Rijeka Democratic Alliance), the Croatian Christian Democratic Union, the Croatian Citizen Party, the Croatian Democratic Alliance of Slavonia and Baranja, the Croatian Democratic Peasant Party, the Croatian Independent Democrats, the Croatian Party of Pensioners, the Croatian Party of Rights, the Croatian Party of Rights dr. Ante Starčević, the Dalmatian Action party, the Democratic Centre party, the Istrian Democratic Assembly, the Liberal Party, the Party of Liberal Democrats, the Serb Democratic Party, the Slavonia-Baranja Croatian Party, and the Social Democratic Action of Croatia party.[19] The following parties have won special seats reserved for representatives elected by[upper-alpha 12] minorities (also in alphabetical order): the Bosnian Democratic Party of Croatia, the Democratic Union of Hungarians of Croatia, the German People's Union – National Association of Danube Swabians in Croatia, the Independent Democratic Serb Party, the Party of Democratic Action of Croatia, and the Serb People's Party.[19]
In addition, some independents have won seats through party lists by being elected as an independent running on a party's list, and Ivan Grubišić's list of non-partisan candidates has won seats as well.[19] Since individuals (not parties) possess parliamentary seats once won, there also can be (and have been) instances where seat-holders became independent or switched to another political party.[20]
Under the Constitution of Croatia adopted in 1990, the parliament became counties that were to be represented by the new Chamber of Counties (Croatian: Županijski dom). The first election of members of the chamber was on 7 February 1993, with each of the counties acting as a three-seat constituency using proportional representation. In addition, as per Article 71 of the 1990 constitution, the President of Croatia was given the option of appointing up to 5 additional members of the Chamber of Counties; it could have as many as 68 members.[21] The second and last election for the Chamber of Counties of the parliament was on 13 April 1997.[19][22] The Chamber of Counties was abolished by a 2001 constitutional amendment.[23]
The Croatian Parliament publishes all its decisions in Narodne Novine, the official gazette of the Republic of Croatia. Article 90 of the constitution requires publication of all acts and other regulations in the gazette before they are legally binding.[1] Narodne Novine is available through a paid subscription as print,[24] or for free online.[25] Parliamentary debates and other proceedings are the subject of news coverage by media of Croatia, and Saborska televizija was set up in 2007 in addition as an IPTV channel broadcasting all plenary sessions of the parliament.[26][27] Finally, the Parliament's Public Relations Department publishes a news bulletin available to all institutions and citizens of Croatia through a print paid subscription,[28] and online for free.[29]
The Sabor, in its various forms, has represented the identity and opinions of Croats from the diets of the 9th century nobility to the modern parliament. The oldest Sabor whose records are preserved was held in Zagreb on 19 April 1273 as the Congregatio Regni tocius Sclavonie generalis (General diet of the entire kingdom of Slavonia). Its decisions had legislative power.[30] The 1527 Parliament decision was a decisive event of fundamental importance for the extension and confirmation of Croatian statehood, as described by the Constitution of Croatia.[1] The parliament freely chose Ferdinand I of the House of Habsburg as the new ruler of Croatia, after centuries of Croatian personal union with Hungary.[30][31] Following the entry into the Habsburg Monarchy, the Sabor became a regular noble diet, and its official title gradually stabilised by 1558 to the Parliament of the Kingdom of Croatia and Slavonia. Since 1681 it has been formally styled as the Congregatio Regnorum Croatie, Dalmatiae et Slavoniae (Diet of Kingdom of Croatia, Dalmatia and Slavonia).[30] In 1712, the Sabor once again invoked its prerogative to select the ruler, supporting what later became the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713 and electing Maria Theresa of Austria as monarch.[30] This event is also specified by the Constitution of Croatia as a part of the foundation of unbroken Croatian statehood from the Middle Ages to the present.[1]
The events of 1848 in Europe and in the Austrian Empire represent a watershed in Croatian society and politics, given their linkage to the Croatian national revival that strongly influenced and significantly shaped political and social events in Croatia from that point onwards to the end of the 20th century. At the time, the Sabor advocated the implicit severance of ties with the Kingdom of Hungary, emphasizing links to other South Slavic lands within the empire. A period of neo-absolutism was followed by the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 and Croatian–Hungarian Settlement, recognizing the limited independence of Croatia, together with reinvigorated claims of uninterrupted Croatian statehood.[32] Two political parties that evolved in the 1860s and contributed significantly to this sentiment were the Party of Rights (1861–1929) and the People's Party. They were opposed by the National Constitutional Party that was in power for most of the period between the 1860s and 1918, which advocated closer ties between Croatia and Hungary. Another significant party formed in this era was the Serb People's Independent Party, which would later form the Croat-Serb Coalition with the Party of Rights and other Croat and Serb parties. This Coalition ruled Croatia between 1903 and 1918. The Croatian Peasant Party (HSS), established in 1904 and led by Stjepan Radić, advocated Croatian autonomy but achieved only moderate gains by 1918.[32] In the Kingdom of Dalmatia, two major parties were the People's Party, a branch of the People's Party active in the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia, and the Autonomist Party, which advocated maintaining the autonomy of Dalmatia, opposing the People's Party's demands for unifying Croatia-Slavonia and Dalmatia. The Autonomist Party was also linked to Italian irredentism. By the 1900s, the Party of Rights also made electoral gains in Dalmatia.[33] In Dalmatia, the Autonomists won the first three elections held there in 1861, 1864 and 1867, while those from 1870 to 1908 were won by the People's Party. In 1861–1918 there were 17 elections in Croatia-Slavonia and 10 in Dalmatia.[32]
Exercising its sovereignty once again on 29 October 1918, the Sabor decided on independence from Austria–Hungary and formation of the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs. The council of the newly established state voted to form the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes; however, the Sabor never confirmed that decision.[1][30] The 1921 constitution defining the new kingdom as a unitary state, and the abolition of historical administrative divisions, effectively ended Croatian autonomy for the time and the Sabor did not convene until the 1940s.[34] The Cvetković–Maček Agreement of August 1939 established the autonomous Province of Croatia, or Banovina of Croatia, in which the Yugoslav government retained control of defence, internal security, foreign affairs, trade, and transport, while other matters were left to the Croatian Sabor and a crown-appointed ban (Viceroy or governor).[35] Before any elections were held, the establishment was made obsolete with the beginning of World War II and the establishment of the Independent State of Croatia which banned all political opposition.[36] In 1942, three sessions of an unelected Sabor were held in the Independent State of Croatia; these were held between 23 February and 28 December 1942, when it was formally dissolved. The assembly had no real power as the state was under the direct rule of (the fascist) Ante Pavelić.[30]
The post-World War II Sabor developed from the National Anti-Fascist Council of the People's Liberation of Croatia (ZAVNOH), formed in 1943.[30] In 1945, ZAVNOH transformed itself into the National Sabor of Croatia, preserving the continuity of Croatian sovereignty.[37] After the war, the Communists ran unopposed in the 1945 elections;[38] all opposition parties boycotted the elections due to coercion and intimidation by the OZNA secret police and the Communist Party, aimed at eliminating electoral dissent.[39] Once in power, the Communists introduced a single-party political system, with the Communist Party of Yugoslavia as the ruling party and the Communist Party of Croatia as a branch party.[40] In January 1990, the Communist Party fragmented along national lines, with the Croatian faction demanding a looser federation.[41] During Communist rule, the Sabor went from a unicameral parliament as specified by the 1947 constitution, to bicameral in 1953, changing again in 1963 to as many as five chambers, and then to three in 1974. The constitutional amendments of 1971 established the Presidency of the Sabor, and one of its functions became representing Croatia,[30] as the Yugoslav constituent republics were essentially viewed as nation-states generally surrendering only their foreign and defence policies to the federation; the federal bodies were no longer independent of, but instead formed by, the republics.[42]
The first political party founded in Croatia since beginning of the Communist rule was the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS), established on 20 May 1989, followed by the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) on 17 June 1989. In December, first multi-party elections, held on 22 April 1990, there were 33 registered parties. There were single-seat constituencies for half of the seats and a single nationwide constituency (through election lists) for the remaining seats.[43] Still, the most relevant parties and coalitions were the renamed Communist party (the League of Communists of Croatia — Party of Democratic Changes), the HDZ and the Coalition of People's Accord (KNS), which included the HSLS, led by Dražen Budiša, and the HSS, which resumed operating in Croatia in December 1989.[44][45] The runoff election, open to any candidate receiving at least 7% of the vote,[43] was held on 6 May 1990. The HDZ led by Franjo Tuđman won ahead of the reformed Communists and the KNS. The KNS, led by the former leaders of the Croatian Spring (Savka Dabčević-Kučar and Miko Tripalo), soon splintered into individual parties. On 8 October 1991, Croatia's declaration of independence took effect.[46] The HDZ maintained a parliamentary majority until the 2000 parliamentary elections when it was defeated by the SDP led by Račan.[47] The HDZ returned to power in the 2003 elections, while the SDP remained the largest opposition party.[19]
The Sabor has convened in Zagreb since the 13th century, but there was no special building for this until the 18th century. Previously, sessions of the Sabor had been held in private houses, in royal estates in Gradec and at the bishop's residence.[48] During the Croatian-Ottoman Wars, which severely disrupted the functioning of the Croatian kingdom, the Sabor's sessions became so impractical that the 1685 session decided to have the ban appoint a six-member committee to do the work of the Sabor when sessions were not possible. This body became operational in 1689 and had its mandate extended through the entire 18th and into the 19th century. This Conferentia Regnorum Croatiae, Dalmatiae et Slavoniae consisted of the ban, two high clerics and three or four noblemen, and it would bring forward numerous acts; it met in various places, usually Zagreb or Varaždin, but also in Čiče, Ludbreg, Kerestinec, Vienna, Želin, Bratislava, Klenovnik, Slunj, Glina, Petrinja, Rasinja, Ptuj and Budim.[49]
In 1731, the government purchased houses at the site of the present building and construction of a new building started the next year. The Sabor first met in the new building on 6 May 1737. The building was originally designed to accommodate archives, the court and the office of the ban; however, the government of Zagreb County moved in as well in 1765. The ban's office, the court and the archives moved out of the building in 1807, when a building across St. Mark's Square was bought to accommodate them. Subsequently, the newly purchased building was named Banski dvori after its new primary purpose of housing the ban and his office. The Zagreb County government purchased buildings adjacent to the parliament in 1839 and commissioned a new building at the site. It was completed in 1849; in the meantime, the Sabor had to convene elsewhere; it met in a theatre building located on a corner of the square. The theatre building later became the Zagreb City Hall.[48]
In 1907, the government of the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia bought the parliament building and adjacent structures, starting construction of the present parliament building. At the same time, the Zagreb County government moved its headquarters elsewhere, leaving the Sabor as the sole user. The present parliament building was completed in 1911 using the design of Lav Kalda and Karlo Susan.[48]
Croatia, London, Vienna, Sava, Copenhagen
Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Romania, European Union
Croatia, Serbia, European People's Party, European Union, Slovenia
Croatian language, Zagreb, Split, Croatia, Rijeka, Vukovar
Croatian parliamentary election, 2007, Croatia, Croatian Democratic Union, Kukuriku coalition, Social Democratic Party of Croatia
Croatia, Zagreb, Split, Croatia, Lgbt, Rijeka
Croatia, European Union, Zagreb, Counties of Croatia, Croatian language
Croatian language, Zagreb, Croatia, World War II, Counties of Croatia
Croatia, Liberalism, Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party, Istrian Democratic Assembly, Liberal International


text:
Weight Watchers Easy 5-Ingredient Chicken Wild Rice Casserole Recipe
Sunday, March 31, 2019 Add Comment Edit
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds (I used chopped cashews)
- 1 package (6 ounces) long grain wild rice blend (I use Uncle Ben's which makes 2.5 cups cooked rice)
- 1 can (10 to 12 ounces) chicken breast, drained
- 1 can (14 to 15 ounces) green beans, drained
- 1 can (10.75 ounces) reduced-fat cream of celery soup (or cream of chicken or mushroom)
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray a pie plate, or casserole dish, with nonstick spray and set it aside.
- Cook the rice according to the package directions in a pot big enough to mix up the casserole.
- When the rice is done add the chicken, green beans, can of soup and almonds. Stir until well combined.
- .........
- .........
- Get full recipe >> CLICK HERE

subset: commoncrawl


text:
You know that feeling when you look in the mirror and think, "I look pretty good!" Your hair came out great, your makeup looks natural and for the rest of the day, you're rocking the "I can take on the world" vibe. I love that feeling.
Then there are those times when you look in the mirror and you think, "Who in the hell is that?" Or worse, you make the mistake of looking down at your camera phone that happens to be pointed towards you, and you're instantly terrified. I hate that feeling.
Lately, I've been more horrified than happy with my reflection.
The lines on my forehead are becoming more pronounced and my frown lines, or the elevens as they're referred to, are deep—especially the one on my right. It's angry and I'm pretty sure it hates me.
What has really been annoying are the lines around my mouth, the nasolabial folds and marionette lines. If you have them, you know how bothersome, and frankly, depressing they can be. We can thank aging, a lack of collagen, too much sun exposure and heredity for that.
So for the subject of Akari's January blog, we decided to focus on fillers.
I got to work with Cheri D'Alessandro, an Aesthetic Nurse at Akari. When it comes to Botox and fillers, Cheri is a genius. She's also so warm and welcoming you'll want to invite her to lunch after your appointment.
The first thing Cheri does is ask questions. Every person is unique, so each treatment is unique. Cheri's goal is to learn about what's bothering you, what you're hoping to achieve and making sure the results look completely natural. It's all about her experience and technique.
During our appointment, Cheri first used Botox on my forehead, eleven lines, and crows feet.
Botox injections relax the muscle under a wrinkle. The needles are tiny, so there isn't really any pain and the process is fast. The results aren't immediate but in 2 to 3 days you'll be staring at yourself in the mirror, smiling a goofy grin, because you can't believe your wrinkles have disappeared or dramatically softened.
Next, it was time for filler. After applying a numbing cream to the target areas, Cheri used Vollure, an injectable gel, to fill the facial folds and lines and add a little volume to my slightly deflated cheeks. To inject the product into my lower cheek area, Cheri used a microcannula. It's a small, flexible needle with a blunt tip that is used to transport the gel to the right place, evenly and effectively. It also helps to minimize bruising. The process didn't necessarily hurt, but you could certainly feel some pressure.
As for the folds and lines around my mouth, Cheri used a straight needle to insert the Vollure. It wasn't painful, but with any needle prick, you do feel a slight pinch. After the filler was injected Cheri massaged the area to make sure the filler is making itself at home.
After the treatment was over I did experience a little swelling and some internal bumps in the area of the injection site, which is normal. Those disappeared after a few days. I also had zero bruising.
With fillers, you might see a slight change in volume right away, but it takes a few days to really kick in. And when it does, the results are incredible. The best part is they're long-lasting…18 to 24 months.
Do something that makes you look younger and makes you feel more confident. I can't think of a better way to kick of 2019!
For more information on Botox or fillers or any of Akari's other services call 207-772-9060 to schedule an appointment!


text:
Finding Ways To Keep Up With
Easier Painting With Dcor-Tastic
Disclosure: This site is owned independently and the posts are written by the owners. This is a professional review website that will receive products as well as compensation from this company that own the products or services that are being reviewed. The products and services will be personally tested and the compensation will not be affected by the opinions from the website. The opinions that will be stated here are true and based on personal experiences, read more now.
Everytime it comes to decorating your home, it is easy to go wrong. That is because there are a lot of people that are not aware of how they should paint the walls inside their homes. And when they see the finished result, they will feel disappointed. One of the reasons why it is ending up as a failure is because people are making it complicated. You should read more here in order for you to know about how you can make an easier home painting with dcor-tastic ways.
You need to learn first how you do it.
There are so many people that are making the error of starting to paint without knowing first what to do. And it will only cause a lot of issues during the process of paint job. That is why it is important that you should read first about paint before you will be selecting one. For example, you should be choosing a waterproof paint if you will be painting the bathroom or the kitchen. You can click here for more about dcor-tastic ways to paint, check it out.
You should use a paint sprayer all the time.
There are people that consider painting using brushes is the best way to paint. But you can actually make it easier if you will use a paint sprayer. You can paint a lot faster if you use a paint sprayer than brushes. A paint sprayer will also make sure that you will be painting all the parts of the wall. And take note that you should always cover all the other things in the room if you will be painting with a paint sprayer.
You should sand flaws away before you start painting.
You will have a hard time painting every time you will not have a smooth surface to paint. It can be a tricky job if you will have bumps and ridges on your wall. That is why it is important for you to sand the surface first before you start painting. That will give you nice and smooth wall for an easier painting job. You can also check other sites for more info. about how you can have a much easier painting job. Go ahead and check it out!


text:
CREWNY members are achieving extraordinary success in commercial real estate and demonstrating exceptional leadership and talent. They support CREWNY's mission of advancing the success of women in CRE, through their collaboration and accomplishments.
This year, CREWNY Impact Awards will again recognize and promote our extraordinary member achievements in the four areas described below:
The Career Advancement for Women Impact Award honors a CREWNY member who consistently exemplifies CREWNY's commitment to elevating the status of women in commercial real estate by working to advance the careers of other women. This award is presented to a CREWNY member whose actions had a significant impact on one or more women, giving them the skills or confidence to pursue and succeed in new opportunities over the past eighteen months. Please note: this award is intended to honor an individual member for his/her commitment to advancing the careers of women.
followed by an Accept/Decline; and thereafter a completed Application by all who accept.
A single CREW New York Impact Award winner (and all nominees) will be recognized at our June 4th annual members-only lunch.
Each 2019 CREWNY Impact Award mirrors the corresponding 2019 CREW Network Award. So if you complete an application for a CREW Network Impact Award, those application responses may also be used to respond to the corresponding questions in the appropriate CREWNY Impact Award application.


text:
A few people wanted to see some more landscapes from Costa Rica so I've posted some up on my Flickr page if anyone wants to have a peak.
A few people wanted to see some more landscapes from Costa Rica so I've posted some up on my Flickr page if anyone wants to have a peak.
20 May 2007 in Country - Costa Rica | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
In Costa Rica when we were crossing the continental divide we stayed at a crazy little lodge balanced on the top on a mountain. It had some really nice stuff there including a 1960s Wurlitzer but the thing that caught my eye, was some of the art.
Sweet little tiger painting
Some local villagers… with no faces! Either, it's a spiritual thing, or the guy just couldn't paint faces, I think it's the later.
Oh and this painted rock! I have no idea what it is or who made it, but you gotta admit it's pretty unique.
12 May 2007 in Art & Design, Country - Costa Rica | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Day Seven – Finca Pacuarito to Caribbean
We had to get up super early for the Kayaking – still very much nighttime. We packed up our gear for the last time and start paddling in the dark with head torches on. This was pretty novel and kinda fun.
I don't know if anyone has ever tried kayaking 40km, but it's pretty hard work especially in 35-degree heat. Everyone got sunburnt, all 60 of us. I applied factor 30 four times and still got burnt.
Happy days.
There was a 14km race, which was seriously tiring. We were in pairs and my kayak came 3rd out of 30 kayaks, which I was quite pleased about. We weren't allowed to paddle right into the sea as the rip currents are very dangerous not too mention the Bull sharks and Caiman. Perhaps not surprisingly no one argued this. We then reached the Caribbean sea and had out pictures taken.
We were all pretty tired after a week of pretty intensive physical activities. I was pretty sad it wasn't going to continue though. I couldn't have done much more but I felt I wanted to try. I certainly didn't want to go home. We then caught a boat up river to where we would take our bus. It was about 4pm. Nearly everyone fell asleep.
12 May 2007 in Adventure, Country - Costa Rica | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
I can't believe I'm still writing this account, but there you go!
Day Six – El Nido del Tigre to Finca Pacuarito
We rafted 20km today, which wasn't too stressful, but by now we really needed a slight rest. We spent sometime drifting downstream on our backs in the water. A very pleasant way to spend the afternoon.
We also had a raft-flipping contest, which we were amazing at in the practice and rubbish at in the real event. Typical.
By the end of the day the rapids had ended and we were on flat water – sea level! Just the Kayaking to go.
10 May 2007 in Adventure, Country - Costa Rica | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Day Five – Turrialtico to El Nido del Tigre
Much of the biking was off road and downhill, some of it was brilliant and some of it was suicidal. We were forced to walk down some sections and quite frankly people would have died trying to do it. This was over 20km dropping from 800m to 200m. We were nearly at sea level!
On the very last section of the biking I managed to come off the bike quite impressively, bruising both thighs, my hip and chest, cutting my knee, hands, chin and cheek. That was literally 50m from the end of the biking.
I know. I was delighted.
We got in the rafts and rafted for 7km on the Pacuare river, which actually takes quite a while. The scenery was stunning.
This was obviously brilliant fun. Here's nice shot of Dan coming a cropper and deciding to investigate the underside of our raft.
That night we finished up at stunning camp in the middle of the rainforest.
This was a zip line that the local indigenous tribes use to cross the river. They all have very large machetes, ripped jeans and Wellington boots, seriously. They make money crafting hand-made goods, which they sell in the local town. There were a lot of mosquitoes here!
29 April 2007 in Adventure, Country - Costa Rica | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Day Four – Orosi to Turrialtico
More biking, like we were gonna get away from it! We had the impression that since we were dropping from 1200m to 800m then this would be a nice descent. The trouble with a mountain range is that it goes up and down…obviously. So while there were some nice downhill sections, there were also some pretty brutal uphills. Great!
The downhill sections on the road were amazing though – bendy good roads snaking through the mountain. It felt like we were in the Tour de France. I scared myself to death several times by going too quickly and at one point I was so sure I was coming off I unclipped my feet from the pedals, expecting the worst. But as I'm writing this you obviously realise I didn't cripple myself.
Day four also included a 15km race, with teams being released at 1 minute intervals. This was great fun if damn hard work with every team going hell for leather trying to gain points. We think we either came first or second in this, but they screwed up the timings so we'll never know. We over took several teams and no one over took us so we had to be pretty high on the board. We were slipstreaming and everything, well, we were sort of slipstreaming.
Everytime we had a pause, everyone took the opportunity to stuff their faces with sugar. I think I drank more coke and ate more chocolate in a week than I normally do in a year.
This was a really good day of biking – 46km, and by the time we climbed the steep hill to the hill-top lodge everyone was shattered. I say hill-top as it was exactly that with stunning views and a pretty impressive sunset. We could see them burning the sugar cane for miles and miles.
Everyone was ecstatic - we had beds and hot, well warm showers. There were animals and birds virtually in the rooms, but no one cared, this was the best accommodation we'd seen and boy did we need it.
That night everyone had several beers and the odd Sambuca, after all we'd earned it and tomorrow was downhill to the river. How hard could that be?
24 April 2007 in Adventure, Country - Costa Rica | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Day Three - Santa Maria to Orosi
This was the one everyone was worried about - a 45km cycle climbing 730m with a very steep 14km uphill race. We had to get up at 5am to start early (everyone was thrilled about this) otherwise the sun would be too hot and the uphill cycle would be too difficult. Basically after the 14km race we would take us to the highest point of our trip - the continental divide at 2330m.
The race went badly for our team, we broke a chain and got two punctures. We came about 5th out of 11 teams. We probably would have won it as we had one of the strongest team on the bikes. I have no photos of the race because we were all praying to God to give us strength to carry on. It took just under two hours to complete the run and for 80% of that we were in the lowest gear on the bike – pedalling like madmen but going very slowly. At the top it was perhaps unsurprisingly quite chilly and after being so hot - working so hard for two hours, several people went into shock.
In the afternoon we had some off road sections to attack, which were pretty fun. We also had the uphill challenge. For this, each team had to cycle up a very steep hill and the winning team was the one that got highest up the hill without putting their feet down. This was very hard. The track was only 500m but it was virtually vertical. The biggest struggle was getting enough air into your lungs to feed your legs. Only one person in the group of 60 made it to the top without putting their foot down. That person wasn't from our team but we did win this event as we had the best average.
We were camping in the Orosi valley. Cold Showers again, but there were small pools feed by hot springs, which were very very welcome.
Day Two – Naranjillo to Santa Maria
More hiking - oh my lord.
"Hike uphill all morning – very steep, hot and challenging"
We started getting injuries and several people; well maybe just me thought we were in trouble. 12km uphill to 1500m on our way to Santa Maria.
In the afternoon the biking began. But this was pretty easy only climbing 100m over 16km. You still knew you'd been cycling though. And yes there were a few bits, which no one could cycle. Steeper than it looks.
The campsite in Santa Maria was picturesque, pretty much like all of Costa Rica so far. Cold lightless showers again, although this time there was beer.
I wrote a post about the journey out to Costa Rica a while back. It was the worst journey I have possibly ever made. We had been travelling for 27 hours by the time we arrived at our hotel at 1am.
We then had to get up at 5:30am to have an early breakfast and get under way. Everyone was pretty shattered but at the same time very excited by what lay ahead. Left, Dan, Tom and Mike (half of our team) show their enthusiasm.
Day One – Quepos to Naranjillo
We started our journey on the Pacific coast. So here it is. After a short spell of people sorting out their pedals and saddles we were under way.
We Biked 20km from sea level to 200m. This was from the Pacific Ocean to the edge of the mountain range that we somehow had to cross. Everyone pretty much cruised through this, eager to get on the road and get going.
This is what they told us about the afternoon:
"Afternoon hiking into the mountains of Central Costa Rica. The distance covered is not huge, but will be tough going – it's a constant steep ascent and will be very hot."
Oh my God, they weren't kidding. I've hiked a few mountains in my time and I tell you this was hard going. It was very rocky and arid, 30 degrees and very uphill. Everyone in the team was part broken by this and we all got quite worried that we hadn't prepared enough and that this was only going to get harder. It was only 14km and I thought I was going to die. But then we had just climbed 800m in the burning sun, so maybe I was meant to be tired.
We camped at a really picturesque campsite in the tiny village of Naranjillo, eating our dinner in a covered area, used during the day by the village school. It was pretty charming although primitive, with open cold showers that were pitch black, and to top it off there was no beer! I should point out that this was a staff tent and we were in itty bitty tents.
You may have noticed that I have been doing some posts about Costa Rica. I came back from there recently after completing a seven-day cross-country challenge, raising money for the Prince's Trust. I'll be posting some pictures over the next week detailing what we did in the land of coffee.
How charming is this little drawing! I saw it on a farming hut on a hillside in Costa Rica. I have a fairly romantic viewpoint of love in Latin American countries, perhaps derived from the novels of Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Louis de Bernières of which I'm pretty fond. Romance and passion have always seemed as much part of life there, as sunshine and coffee.
16 April 2007 in Country - Costa Rica, In The Street, Signs | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
This was in a remote bar on the side of a hill in Costa Rica. We stopped for lunch after cycling uphill for what felt like half my life. This is actually a cabin rental sign. It says (according to Babel Fish) "rent familiar cabins" and then "we reserve the right to refuse admission". I like the bit stuck on the bottom (with the eye). It's really strange. Why does it have bumps all around the edge? It's almost like a deformed whale. Weird.
13 April 2007 in Country - Costa Rica, Signs | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
This great sign in Costa Rica was not at a tourist spot as you might expect, with a sign of this nature, but simply at a cross roads in the middle of nowhere…literally. They don't really have much commercial printing or sign making in Costa Rica (lucky them) so therefore virtually everything is handmade and is pretty lo-fi.
12 April 2007 in Country - Costa Rica, Signs | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
12 April 2007 in Country - Costa Rica, In The Street, Signs | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
This was in a small lay-by somewhere in Costa Rica (I have no idea where). The toilet was pretty scummy, but the little painted man was amazing. His arms join his body at the elbows, which must be inconvenient. Plus he has a very small forehead, so there cant be much brain in there. Nice big mouth though – a burrito in one bite.
There was no ladies toilet, so no painted lady sadly.
31 March 2007 in Country - Costa Rica, Signs | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)


text: Breadcrumb Home Blog Workforce challenges will define the government's record on the NHS This content relates to the following topics: Workforce and skills Share this content Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn Share on Email Print this page The NHS – like all health services – is critically reliant on its staff. For the government the success with which it handles the current array of workforce challenges will increasingly come to define its record on the NHS.In the immediate weeks and months ahead, the government will need to find a way through the minefield of NHS pay, staffing shortages and the surge in agency spending. With deficit reduction firmly in place, the pressure to keep NHS pay rises to a minimum will continue, with all the risks this brings to industrial relations. Yet this needs to happen in tandem with attracting permanent staff into the NHS to reduce the number of vacancies and bring down agency spending – something that Secretary of State for Health Jeremy Hunt has committed to today. This interplay of pay, recruitment and managing down agency costs all needs to be done while delivering on the government's own priorities of high-quality and safe care (also known as safe staffing and nurse–patient staffing ratios) and keeping a grip on A&E and 18-week waiting times.All this is required just to keep the NHS delivering existing services within budget. Added to this is a new set of commitments to seven-day working and easier access to GPs (or primary care more generally), the latter presumably made possible by the related – but very challenging – pledge to recruit 5,000 more GPs. Achieving seven-day working across the NHS would be a challenge at the best of times, but this new commitment comes at a time when the immediate pressures of recruitment and retention are already exceptionally acute, particularly for general practice. In the hospital sector, the potential need to reform staff contracts and the certain need for a change in the way staff work while still controlling the pay bill look no less daunting. However, with the Prime Minister's Challenge Fund investing in innovative ways to improve access in primary care and examples of best practice in seven-day working across the NHS we can hope that working differently (rather than just working harder) may hold the key.Our recent report underlined the long-term difficulties the NHS has experienced in converting national aspirations for more community-based services and better mental health services into actual staff on the ground. With the NHS five year forward view re-emphasising the need to develop new services in new settings, the NHS must also plan for the workforce of tomorrow while managing the workforce of today. This may mean making better use of the skills of existing staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists. But it will almost certainly mean developing new skills and developing new staff roles. With the long lead times in training the clinical workforce, the NHS cannot afford to wait until 2020 to re-think the workforce that it will need or to start implementing changes.The NHS needs a comprehensive workforce strategy that meets all these challenges – immediate operational and financial issues, new policy commitments and the need to place the NHS and its workforce on a sustainable path for the future all at a time when money is in very short supply – and that understands the inter-relationships between them. With national workforce responsibilities spread across a range of organisations and without the regional footprint provided by the old strategic health authorities, meeting the challenges successfully will need close co-operation across multiple organisations. So while NHS funding is perhaps at the top of most people's concerns on health, it is the (admittedly intertwined) approach to workforce that will determine the government's legacy.See our resources on health and social care under the new governmentRead our report: Workforce planning in the NHSSee our our work on the NHS five year forward view Related contentCompleted projectHealth and social care under the new government Priorities and selected commentary/analysis for the new government, which takes up office with the NHS facing its biggest challenges for many years, while pressures on social care are escalating. BlogHow can we plan the future NHS workforce with incomplete information? Rachael Addicott looks at NHS data from the electronic staff record and realises that we don't know nearly enough about the numbers or nature of the workforce currently delivering NHS-commissioned services.Completed projectThe NHS five year forward view The NHS five year forward view set out a positive vision for the future based around seven new models of care. Here we highlight our research, analysis, events and other content relevant to the main themes in the report. ReportWorkforce planning in the NHS This report look at past experience with NHS workforce planning and the challenges facing workforce planning in the future, in the light of changing health care needs and the need to deliver the future care models outlines in the NHS five year forward view. The report focuses on three areas key to providing integrated care: mental health, primary care and community nursing. Comments Add your comment Your name Email (your email will not be made public) Your job/role Organisation Comment Post comment You may also be interested in Commissioned report The courage of compassion: Supporting nurses and midwives to deliver high-quality care This report, commissioned by the RCN Foundation, explores the causes and consequences of poor mental health and wellbeing among nurses and midwives, and seeks to identify solutions to these issues and examples of good practice. Press release Urgent action is needed to improve working conditions for nurses and midwives New minimum standards to improve working conditions and a review of 12-hour shifts are needed to address exhaustion and burnout among nurses and midwives, according to a new report from The King's Fund, commissioned by the RCN Foundation. Blog The Comprehensive Spending Review and Covid-19: the more we know, the less we know... How will the autumn Comprehensive Spending Review address the short-term and long-term needs of the health and care system, especially when the future is so uncertain? Jonathon Holmes considers the Chancellor's options. Press release Our response to the government announcement of funding for nurse apprenticeships The announcement of funding for nurse apprenticeships is a positive step, but it alone will not solve chronic staff shortages in health and care services.


text:
There has been speculation regarding whether the ex-royal couple will unite on their daughter's big day.
Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson sat separately at the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's wedding due to royal protocol, but could Eugenie's wedding see them together again?
Princess Eugenie, 28, is set to marry Jack Brooksbank on 12th October this year. Her father will walk her down the aisle, and it is thought that her older sister Beatrice will be her Maid of Honour.
At Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding, Prince Andrew sat with the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall, the Duchess of Cambridge and his daughters. Sarah Ferguson arrived separately from the family.
Although Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson divorced over 20 years ago, they have remained close while co-parenting their daughters. The family are said to be very close and see each other at least once every two weeks.
Last year, the Duchess of York spoke to Hello! about just how close the family were, despite their separation.
"A table can't stand on three legs, really, so you have the Duke and I, and the two girls. We're a family unit and we lead by example. We support each other emotionally, and we support each other health wise.
"At least every two weeks we sit down together and communicate, the four of us."
The family also regularly share support for one another on social media. Princess Eugenie recently shared a never-before-seen photo of herself and her father in honour of Father's Day. In the sweet black-and-white photo, a much younger Eugenie and her sister Beatrice kiss their father's cheek, with Sarah thought to be behind the camera.
Latest Stories
A company are offering 'Phone PAs' £25 an hour to wipe memories of a person's ex from their phone
All you need to know about Ivy Cottage, Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank's London home
Have one of these 16 items in your home? Then you're in the 'middle class' bracket, according to this etiquette expert
Earlier this month, Sarah publicly congratulated Andrew when he took part in Trooping the Colour for the first time as Colonel in Chief of the Grenadier Guards. On Instagram, she wrote, 'Very proud of @hrhthedukeofyork Colonel of the Grenadier Guards'.
Royal biographer Sarah Bradford said in her book that the Duke and Duchess of York's marriage was unable to withstand Andrew's long periods away from home with his naval duties. The pair announced their separation in 1992, and divorced in May 1996.


text:
May and June Webinar Schedule
Our webinar schedule for May and June 2019 is now live on Unicorn Help covering our core administrator topics including:
- Content Management
- Introduction to eCreator
- Registration Rules & Email Reminders
- Reporting Administration
The new Forms and Workflows webinar focuses entirely on form templates, demonstrating the exciting new features and recent developments we've communicated through our release notes. This includes fully customising your workflows, designing your layout using the range of fields available and automating how data appears in your forms. To ensure you get the most out of this session, we recommend you watch Create a Form Activity on Unicorn Help. This video provides an introduction to how Forms and Workflows work in the Unicorn LMS, along with guidance on creating form activities.
Responsibilities Maps is now a regular feature in our webinar schedule. The Responsibilities Map tool helps you comply with the Senior Managers and Certification Regime (SMCR) requirements. We're running one session a month so make sure you book early to guarantee a space.
All administrators are welcome on our webinars whether you are new to the LMS or need a refresher. They are also free of charge! You can access the schedule here, where you can read a description of what is included in each webinar.
Please email our Learning Managers to enquire or book on to a session. Places are limited to six per session to encourage questions and interaction so please book early to avoid disappointment. May we also politely remind you, should you no longer be able to attend a webinar, please email the Learning Managers to cancel your booking as we often have people on the waiting list.
If you are unable to join a scheduled webinar, you can watch one of the recordings available on Unicorn Help. The recorded webinars cover all of the topics on our schedule.


text: The Importance of Visiting our Dental Hygienist Did you know more than 30% of people suffer from Gum Disease? This can lead to heart disease as well as other medical conditions. The lack of good dental hygiene causes a build-up of plaque and tartar (see picture) which have bacteria, causing Gingivitis – the inflammation of … Continued


text:
Who are we?
We are a newly established clothing brand headquartered in Siegen, Germany. Our logo displays a red panda, which is an awesome animal. Unfortunately though the red panda is endangered. Our goal is to sell awesome red panda merch and donate a part of our revenue to save this cute little creature. Given that the red panda is a fairly unknown species we also want to use this opportunity to spread awareness about this cute little animal.
What is a 'red panda'?
"The red panda is slightly larger than a domestic cat with a bear-like body and thick russet fur. The belly and limbs are black, and there are white markings on the side of the head and above its small eyes. Red pandas are very skillful and acrobatic animals that predominantly stay in trees. Almost 50% of the red panda's habitat is in the Eastern Himalayas. They use their long, bushy tails for balance and to cover themselves in winter, presumably for warmth. Primarily an herbivore, the name panda is said to come from the Nepali word 'ponya,' which means bamboo or plant eating animal." – Source: WWF
What impact does my order have?
You order one of the awesome red panda clothing or accessoires articles on our online shop and we donate a part of the money to a red panda organization of our choice. Every order counts and helps us to make an even bigger impact with every donation.


text:
Carmelita SmithCarmelita Smith was arrested on 2019-09-12 12:00:00.
Below you can find more information about the charges of Carmelita Smith (if available).
This official record of Carmelita Smith is redistributed by FindMugshots.com and is protected by publishing, constitutional and other legal rights. The official record was collected from local law enforcement agencies of Minnesota. Not all of outcomes of this arrest report are known or final.
Not the Carmelita Smith you were searching for? Use the search bar above to find the correct record or view all results for Carmelita Smith in All States.


text:
Our Approach
Wealth management is a long game.
Doing our job well takes discipline, a steady hand, and constant analysis of how shifts in global markets impact portfolio strategy over time.
We get to strong results for clients by focusing on four key areas:
Whether meeting for the first time or years into a relationship, we begin by listening to our clients. This enables us to remain connected with clients over time, and continually focused on their goals. Listening is the foundation upon which our work thrives.
Drawing on a mix of publicly traded offerings and unique private investments, we build portfolios that make sense. Portfolios that we can explain in simple terms, and that are designed to help meet each client's individual goals.
This isn't the 100 meter dash. Think of us as marathon runners, focused on consistency and reliability over a longer period of time. This requires a steady hand to stay the course, and disciplined rebalancing as market conditions change.
All of our efforts — from listening and strategy development to monitoring and rebalancing over time — are built to drive bottom line results. By remaining selective about our client base and focused in our scope of services, we create an environment where we can and do exceed expectations.
A Simple Perspective
This is about ensuring the future looks exactly how you want it to, one step at a time.
Let's Talk
We'll start by getting to know you, discussing your financial goals, and assessing whether we're a fit for your needs.


text:
Rabbi and Cantor Steven Blane of Sim Shalom Online Synagogue has a brand new album coming. "I Walk Alone," will be released on April 16, 2019. It's a collection of songs that Blane wrote and produced. He played all the instruments, recorded, mixed and mastered everything.
Blane says, "It's been cathartic. It's the closest I've come to getting what I really have heard in my head. "I Walk Alone" is an album comprised of 60's Rock & Roll, Jazz Story Songs" Read his first review here and access teasers to some of the songs.
The Huffington Post wrote, "Stylistically, Blane fits in the Americana category. But there's more going on in his music than simply Americana. There's a pop influence in there, along with a 1950's rock vibe that gives his sound a unique signature. It's much different from the usual run-of-the-mill stuff most bands turn out today."
As a young boy in Jersey City, his grandma stood him on a table at a Knights of Pythias Talent Show. Singing "Delilah," Tom Jones style, in front of a supportive audience left a profound effect on Steven. Years later, when college was over, he plotted his escape to NYC where he currently resides with his wife and dog Ari.
Blane is also a Cantor, Founder and Dean of Jewish Spiritual Leaders' Institute and Rabbi of Sim Shalom Online Synagogue where he combines his love of Judaism and music.


text:
Elevate your skills to help you to succeed.
Dr Steve Harris's course material has been created with content & material from his motivational topics and offers teaches delegates the mental toughness required to achieve the desired outcome.
Dr Steve Harris
Your Instructor
Internationally Sought After Celebrity Motivational Speaker, Facilitator & Team Builder, Dr Steve Harris
Dr Steve Harris has been studying performance for thirty years of which fifteen have been devoted to performance improvement through an integrated mind and body approach.
His MBA dissertation at the University of Cape Town focused on business performance improvement. He followed this with a PhD thesis on Mental Toughness as a factor in performance.
Check course availability.
Our range of courses are available to groups of 5 or more delegates. Contact us to find out more about our courses available.


text:
What's the benefit of having multiple ads in an ad group?
I have been bombarded with this question several times over the past few weeks.
So, here goes the answer.
In essence, you need to use several keywords in tandem with matching ads in the same group. You can have several hundred ads in the same group, but this doesn't mean that you must use them all simultaneously.
The number of ads that you want to use in a particular group depends on you. This will also depend on the number of impressions that you're reviving for each ad. Ideally, I would recommend using three variations of the same ad and see which one is performing the best.
In the meanwhile, here are 5 advantages of running multiple ads in an ad group:
1) Eliminates Ad Rotation & Repetition
Just like you cannot expect people to laugh at the same joke again and again, a customer searching for a product will ignore the ad if it keeps appearing in response to their searches. Maybe the same customer will convert if they see a totally different and for the same keyword since if the ad failed to convert them the first time around, there are slim chances of it succeeding in the next few searches. By using multiple ads in an ad group, you eliminate the possibility of showing the same ad to the user.
You can try out the Ad rotation feature in Adwords and frequency limit capping (limits on the impressions that are shown to an individual user over a period) if you're willing to use multiple ads in the same group. Setting your ads to rotate evenly leads to a higher ad coverage.
2) A/B testing without spending a dime
One of my personal favorite benefits of having multiple ads in the same group is that Google will analyze and show you the best performing ads.
You cannot guarantee which of the ads will perform best. So, this is your freeway to test ads against each other and see which performs the best. There is no other way to test multiple ads in the same group.
3) Keyword variation is a life saver
Although you can use multiple keywords in one-page, that are semantic variations on each other, you can never create an ad that incorporates all those variations. When you have multiple ads in a single ad group, each targeting a new keyword, there will be a greater chance for your ad to show up.
Another option is to use dynamic search ads.
4) Various Ad types
The more you try, the more you fail. The more you fail, the more you will succeed. With multiple ads in the same group, such as rich ads, mobile ads, and dynamic search ads, you can try out different variations for each ad type to increase your return on investment. This will help you create better ads in the future.
5) Variation in Ad sizes
This links to the previous benefit. With several ads, you can try out various sizes and see how each ad size will affect the perception of the buyer. With multiple ads in an ad group, you'll be able to test all sizes.
For me, I prefer using 3-4 ads for one ad group. This seems to be working fine for me and my clients. However, I will warn you not to use more than 5 ads per ad group, well, unless you own a huge mention or are a friend of Bill Gates.
I prefer running ads for at least 1,000 impressions to conclude the result. You can set the threshold as per your convenience. You cannot afford to exceed your budget by going over the threshold, or you don't want it to be so small that it is statistically irrelevant. I prefer running ads for a week and see how things roll-out.
The final advice
Once you've gathered all the data regarding the ads that you're running, root out the worst performing ads and eliminate them ASAP. Furthermore, try to find out why these ads are not performing well. Now, replace the not performing ads with a new ad and note the difference. There are benefits of having multiple ads in an ad group but there are disadvantages as well. And for those, you guys need to wait for my next blog.


text:
Holy City and a Garden
An upbeat, informative journey through Jerusalem with host David Nunn. Visit some of the Holy City's most intriguing attractions – the Western (Wailing) Wall, the Dome of the Rock, the Garden Tomb— and discover the history behind their triumphant yet turbulent past. It's the next best thing to being there in person to experience these fascinating locations in all their magnificence!
- Study Guide (7.1 MB)
Code: 100000858
Year: 2010
Running time: 23 minutes
Price: $10.00 (AUD, including GST) (was $12.95)
Categories: Easter , Inspirational


text:
The Year in Review, 1981
Welcome to the Mark in Russia Podcast Network and Episode # 037. I'm Mark and today I'm going to take you for a journey back in time.
I was recently listening to an Adam Carolla podcast the other day, and by the way, Adam Carolla is the king of on demand internet radio, in the episode I was listening to he mentioned that now is the time when we see and hear all of the 2011, year in review programs and he made a good point; he said, "all of us still clearly remember what happened in 2011, maybe it would be more interesting to review a year about 20 years ago". I thought that this was kind of a cool idea and I went back even further to 1981, 30 years ago. So, welcome to, "1981, the Year in Review".


text:
Instant Kill - Volume 4 Chapter 4
Hunting Chariots
Luo Jie whispered, "The trap has been triggered! 12th, good idea, now gather everything and keep moving!"
12th said, "Master, we should try to avoid them. According to Fu Ye Jie, their power is far beyond what we can handle. Hopefully we can avoid them long enough for the Mysterious Land to kick us out, otherwise…… we'll be in trouble."
Qi Nan Shan suddenly sat up, looked around, then quietly commanded, "Everyone hide! Go! Go! Go!"
12th, without much thought, hid next to a giant rock. It was thick with grass and even had a tree covering it. Waves of noise came through the air soon after everyone hid. It was the zooming sound of something moving really fast and as the noise got louder and louder, everyone then saw it.
There were at least one hundred hunting chariots zooming through the air; each one about ten meters apart. It was frightening how crowded they were. The ones hiding in the thickets all paled. They wouldn't be able to handle a couple dozen of those, let alone one hundred! Individual power had nothing to do with this, they were far outnumbered; this was the advantage of preparation.
One of the chariots suddenly zoomed towards them; a ray of golden light of about a hundred meters swept across the forest, the trees fell one after the other. Thankfully, the light was far away enough, or else it would've forced them out of hiding. Luo Jie couldn't help but stare in amazement. That was a Super Fu Greatsword, it was stronger than an ordinary Ancient Fu; it was very possible that that was a True Ancient Fu that Li Ran mentioned.
That chariot circled the area once and didn't find anything, so it rejoined with the group. There was cold sweat running down Luo Jie's forehead, realising that they, indeed, were caught in a helpless situation. After waiting for fifteen minutes, he quietly said, "Nan Shan, gather everyone and retreat southward!"
12th whispered, "Master, we ought to go East!"
Luo Jie raised his brow, "Why's that?"
12th said, "Well, we can't outrun hunting chariots that can fly, especially since they have such large numbers. Should they discover us…… we wouldn't be able to escape at all. As such, we should head towards their gathering point; they shouldn't be patrolling that area as rigorously as all the way out here, so unless they launch a full scale search in the area, we should be able to hide there!"
Qi Nan Shan agreed, quietly saying, "He's got a point, Elder!"
Luo Jie understood what 12th had said, that that was their only option. He lightly patted 12th's head, smiled, and said, "You really are so smart, 12th. Alright we'll listen to him, head East!"
The twenty odd people, under the cover of the forest, snuck their way eastward. Because of the gloom casted by the trees, it was hard for anybody to spot them at a cursory glance.
Luo Zhan said, "We need to have a backup plan. If we hide long enough for the Mysterious Land to close, then we'll be out of here."
Luo Jie swallowed a breath, saying, "If we didn't fight with those people with Fu Ye Jie, then that could work. However, it'll be difficult now, we need to keep moving lest we be found by their search parties. They have flying chariots so it's easier for them to move around."
Luo Zhan nodded, saying, "12th, I'll carry you."
Everyone set off again; this time, increasing in carefulness. After seeing that golden Fu Sword's power, they all understood that should they be discovered, they wouldn't have a hope of escaping alive, let alone returning to their own land.
Under Qi Nan Shan's instructions, everyone moved at a moderate pace, being very careful, and trying to leave as little of a trace as possible. Even though it was difficult, everyone tried their best. Two Fu Masters deliberately stayed at the back to cover their tracks.
12th, hanging from Luo Zhan's back, was very worried, thinking, "Upper and lower levels of the FuZhou Land? What does this mean? Where was Li Ran from? He's basically stronger than the people from the Upper levels. Argh! This world is too complicated!"
With the knowledge from his past life, it was very difficult to understand this world, but the phenomenon of reincarnation was all the harder to understand. He sighed and decided to not think any more about it, as he focused on staying alive. But looking at his present situation, even staying alive seemed difficult.
While 12th thought about everything, the group pressed on silently.
After half a day, two more chariots passed them. It was thanks to Qi Nan Shan's foresight and everyone's fast reactions that they successfully avoided them.
12th was carefully watching the surroundings. The forest was getting thinner, and he couldn't help but feel uneasy; are they about to exit the forest? They could only hide from the chariots under the cover of the forest, but as soon as they got to a flat plain, there would be no chance of survival.
The group stopped. Luo Jie and Qi Nan Shan also noticed this problem, which was why they called everyone to stop. Qi Nan Shan said, "Spread out and rest. 12th, come with me."
Luo Jie and Qi Nan Shan always treated 12th like a grown man; in their eyes, this boy was attentive and decisive, and would often provide an idea that nobody else would think of. In this moment, one extra head for ideas was better for everybody.
12th came and said straightforwardly, "Master, if we keep going…… I'm afraid that we'll leave the forest; that's detrimental to us, we can't afford to lose the cover of the trees."
Luo Jie said, "Of course, we mustn't leave the forest. But that means we can't keep going this way, so which direction do we go now?"
Qi Nan Shan shook his head saying, "That's the problem!"
12th said, "Don't decide yet, send some people to scout the area ahead to see what is really there."
Qi Nan Shan, "Haha, pressure will cause us to make mistakes…… Good thing 12th is collected as always. Alright, I'll send someone immediately." He called over two Fu Masters and told them to go scout ahead, saying, "Whatever you find, try to come back within half an hour."
The two of them ran through the thickets so fast that it was like they flew. Qi Nan Shan said, "We should prepare ourselves. In case there's danger, we'll be at least somewhat prepared, rather than stumbling over our hands and feet."
Luo Jie nodded, "Yeah, let's plan."
Very quickly, an emergency plan was made; it wasn't a particularly detailed plan. 12th was at a loss; because he didn't know the strength of every Fu Master there, he couldn't think of too many ideas. Luo Jie and Qi Nan Shan decided that the purpose of this plan was firstly, to protect 12th and the other four children, and then the safety of everyone else.
At the North Fu Sect, for any person with power, the most basic duty was to protect posterity and to ensure the safety of the next generation. The next generation was the hope and future of the Sect, as such, viewing 12th and the other children as the most important people, wasn't strange. It was also something that made 12th quite emotional.
Everyone rushed to eat and drink. Unfortunately, they couldn't start a fire; otherwise, drinking a nice bowl of warm soup would've been the best.
The two Fu Masters who went to scout came back shortly, one of them said, "There's a hill up ahead. We went up to take a look and found a few hundred chariots. It looked like they were surrounding something, there were also flashes of their artillery being shot."
12th asked, "It's not forest up ahead?"
The other Fu Master said, "There are low lying trees, it's possible to hide but it's also easy to be discovered, it's not as safe as in the forest."
Qi Nan Shan asked, "You said a few hundred chariots? What are they gathering around?"
"We don't know, it was too far. We could only see it faintly…… it didn't look like they were surrounding people, they might've been surrounding a Fu Beast."
As soon as he finished, a faint cry was heard. They didn't know what Fu Beast it was; they couldn't believe that they could hear the sound this far away. 12th said, "This place is already too dangerous, we need to quickly leave."
Luo Jie said, "You're right, we need to find somewhere to hide and rest a day or two, see what happens then."
12th disagreed, "Master, we can't stop. Even if we're scurrying through the forest, we still can't stop…… As soon as we're surrounded, we wouldn't even get the chance to retaliate. The hunting chariots are too powerful, we have to keep moving constantly. It's the only way to confuse the enemy and given enough time, they'll stop searching themselves…… Now isn't the time to be resting."
Luo Jie thought for a moment and asked, "Nan Shan, what do you think?"
Qi Nan Shan was also hesitant. He was in the same position as Luo Jie, they must be responsible for the entire group. He said, "Everyone is already exhausted……"
12th couldn't help but say, "Master, Grandpa Nan Shan, a little more tiredness won't kill them…… Getting discovered by the chariots will kill us! I'd rather be half-dead from exhaustion than be killed by those people!"
Luo Jie laughed at that, saying, "So pessimistic! Have a little optimism…… Your Master is a Great FuZhou Master. To kill me, heh, we'll see how much they're willing to sacrifice for that!"
12th smiled bitterly, "Master, no sacrifice is enough to trade your life, I don't want you to die." That was 12th expressing his desire, he didn't want to see his Master in grave danger.
Qi Nan Shan said, "12th is right, as long as we can get out this time, if we record our position in our own land into the Fu Door, then in the future, we'll be able to come and go as we please, we won't need to fear those people! Let's keep moving then…… So fucking aggravating."
Luo Jie also decided, saying, "Alright then, let's continue!"
It didn't matter how aggravating it was, this was their duty overwhelming their power. The most irritating part was that the enemy wasn't even strong, they just had numbers. Even if they fought, Luo Jie wouldn't even care, but for now, they must keep fleeing. He needed to make sure his disciple stayed alive; if they started fighting, 12th wouldn't be able to escape at all.
The group gathered and changed their direction as they continued. Luo Jie didn't want to take the group out of the forest, so they must move around the edge of the forest; this way, they could go deeper into the forest at any time.
The paths that they took were all decided by 12th. It was like a maze; sometimes east, sometimes west, other times north and south. They moved around non-stop, moving randomly, and rarely staying in one place for longer than 8 hours. By moving around constantly, they successfully avoided being discovered a few times. There were a few times were Luo Jie really wanted to strike, but he remembered his young disciple, and so, forced himself to resist his urge to attack.
As a Great FuZhou Master, he was one of the strongest people in the North Fu Sect, and had it not been for his good upbringing, it would've been very hard to ignore the enemy's arrogance. Those bastards chased them relentlessly for more than four months. During that time, they ate and slept badly, their supplies were pretty much gone, and they didn't dare to hunt openly - it was very frustrating.
As their supplies dwindled day by day, it became harder and harder to survive.
Two days have already passed without any sign of the chariots, everyone started to relax a little. 12th, on the other hand, didn't relax at all. He found Luo Jie and said, "Master, I have a bad feeling about this!"
Luo Jie was surprised, 12th's instincts have had plenty of experience, and as such, they were very sharp, which was why he respected those instincts, so he asked, "We haven't seen the chariots in two days, surely they've given up by now?"
12th smiled bitterly, "I don't know what the problem is which is frustrating, but I think…… I think we should head backwards, toward the mountain……"
Luo Jie shook his head saying, "12th, you can't possibly still remember the way back there……"
12th said, "Yeah, I've long since forgotten. I don't even know where we are right now, but I feel like going back there is the only way we can ensure our safety."
Qi Nan Shan said, "We can't even find our way back to those ruins, let alone the mountain. Haha, looks like we're truly lost; although we shouldn't worry, we just need to wait until the Mysterious Land closes, then even if we're lost, it wouldn't be a problem."
12th was perpetually frustrated, he said, "I don't know…… Should we carry on ahead or go back, or maybe stay here and not move. Since we don't have any reasonable route to go, I always feel like there's a trap waiting for us, but the question is where…… As long as we avoid this one, then we'll be safe!"
Luo Jie consoled him, "12th, this isn't your responsibility, it's mine."
12th shook his head saying, "Master, your responsibilities are also my responsibilities; as long as I am able, I will help you carry this burden."
Luo Jie sighed, patted 12th's shoulder and said, "12th, you should rest, you've been tired for a while now."
12th was indeed very tired, but he wasn't so tired that he was about to collapse. He said, "Master, we still can't rest yet. Whatever the case, we can't stay in one spot too long."
Luo Jie said, "I know, but you go sleep and relax a little, maybe afterwards you'll feel better."
12th took his Master's words to heart, nodded and said, "Alright, I'll go sleep a bit. Remember to wake me, I only need to sleep around two hours." The child lacks sleep; even though he's trained his spirit so he doesn't require as much sleep as usual, but some sleep was still required to ameliorate the fatigue.
He slept for four hours straight. Luo Jie purposely didn't wake him so he could let his disciple rest a bit longer.
When 12th woke up, he asked, "What time is it? How long did I sleep?"
Huo Bao said, "It's almost light."
12th panicked a little, asking, "Why haven't we left this place already?"
Huo Bao said, "Your Master wanted you to rest more, he said that you've exerted yourself too much recently……"
12th smiled bitterly, "I know, Master wants what's best for me…… Huo Bao, you guys hurry and gather your things and prepare to leave, I'll go see Master."
Most of the people already finished gathering their things, ready to leave. 12th found Luo Jie, saying, "Master, we should leave this place now."
Luo Jie asked, "How was your rest?"
12th said, "Master, I've rested well, but we can't stay here for much longer, it's best that we leave as soon as possible."
Qi Nan Shan said, "Elder, we should leave soon."
Luo Jie said, "Go! Nan Shan, send some people to scout ahead, we'll head deeper into the forest."
Everyone immediately left, heading deeper into the woods.This time, they travelled in a straight line, hoping that they could get deep enough into the woods faster.
At noon, the group arrived at a hill; there was a small stream enclosed by the forest. Luo Jie said, "We'll rest here for one hour. Hurry and eat, then we'll continue on!"
"There's a mountain up ahead!"
The scouting party reported back. At that moment, everyone all roused; this meant that they could flee that way to avoid being hunted. As long as they were in a mountainous region, those hunting chariots will be less effective. Even if they were discovered, it would be easier to retaliate. This would be much more advantageous than flat plains, where as soon as their positions were known, the other chariots would be able to surround them and cut off any escape routes.
12th guessed that the hunting chariots would need to be careful of where they fly in a mountainous area, he had noticed that the chariots had a very limited altitude.
Qi Nan Shan said, "Everyone, persevere for a while longer and get to the mountain region as fast as possible. There, we can rest for longer." His words felt more relaxed now. After running for their lives for a few months, everyone was already exhausted to the limit; their fighting power had decreased a lot as a result, it was best for them to rest a while.
Luo Jie and Qi Nan Shan both felt lucky. 12th was the most important person in this expedition into the Mysterious Lands. The little guy's actions were extraordinary; nobody knew where he learn it all from, his ability to escape goes far beyond normal. It was like he had a new idea every time he blinked, setting disruptive traps one after the other, making them travel in the strangest, most unpredictable patterns. He loved to set traps in the most ingenious of places, thoroughly annoying the pursuing enemy.
The group made their way through the forest. After a few months of flight, they were rather accustomed to the forest, so their speed was very fast; it only took them a day to reach near the foot of the mountain.
The summit was very high; from where they were, it was very easy to see the snowy cap. The entire group tilted their heads back to see the top; there were about a dozen black dots circling it, they looked like large birds - like eagles or buzzards. 12th smiled bitterly, "The remaining distance to the foot of the mountain is very dangerous, there's no cover at all, I estimate…… If we rushed as fast as possible, it would take twenty minutes at least."
"We need to go even if it's dangerous, it shouldn't be that easy to spot us!" Qi Nan Shan said closing his eyes.
Luo Jie said, "Yeah, we have to rush over. This bit of empty flat plain only has low grass and small trees, it's impossible to hide. If there's a chariot nearby, as soon as we walk out, we'll be found."
12th turned and said, "Why don't we wait until nightfall, there's no better cover than the cover of darkness!"
Luo Jie slapped his forehead saying, "Oh Nan Shan, we really are getting old. Absolutely! We'll wait for nightfall, that shouldn't be a problem."
Qi Nan Shan nodded, saying, "Alright, everyone rest up, we set off at nightfall."
Everyone was very tired; the second they were told to rest, each one of them fell down on the ground. If it weren't for the fact that they needed to eat, they would've all fallen asleep. It would be hard to recover their strength without food.
There wasn't much food left at all. Good thing in his past life, 12th was deathly afraid of starvation; he'd rather bring less of something else as long as he was carrying enough food. Now, most of the food had run out; only the five children could bring out some food to share with everyone. It was primarily braised pork - since that stuff was quite filling and didn't spoil easily - so it would last a long time inside a Hidden Fu Bag.
12th ate heartily, he said, "If it wasn't for these Hidden Fu Bags, I'm afraid we would have died a long time ago. Oh, if only there was some warm soup, that would've been nice!"
Huo Bao swallowed a bite of the pork, saying, "Warm soup, bread, it's all finished. We even brought some fresh meat, but it's a shame that we can't light a fire to cook it."
Hong Shi smiled, "Just be thankful that we even have food. If it wasn't for 12th's amazing foresight to bring all of this food, everyone would've starved by now."
Chen Bing said, "After this meal, if we can successfully enter the mountain, then we can cook our food."
Qi Nan Shan was pacing back and forth, occasionally reminding everyone, "After you finish eating, take a rest, be cautious of staying hidden, try to hide yourself as best as possible, and don't be careless…… If anybody doesn't hide well and so causes the enemy to find us, I'll kill you first!"
They were at the edge of the forest. The trees, there, were strange; the edge was very uniform, it was as though someone cut the forest down the middle. One side was crowded with large trees, the other side was just grassland with the occasional tree here and there - the line of separation was obvious.
Two Fu Warriors stayed up as watchmen while the others all hid in the forest, sleeping.
Ever since they trained together, Chen Hong had grown close with 12th. Of course, she was still young and there weren't any wrong ideas to be had, but she had just grown used to being by 12th's side. Good thing 12th wasn't even ten years old yet. Able to feign innocence, it wasn't a big deal for Chen Hong to be following him; it was just as if they were siblings.
Chen Hong quietly said, "12th, there isn't much food left."
12th was hiding beneath a tree, turning his head to see a worrying Chen Hong. He smiled and asked, "What are you worried about? Don't worry, after we reach the mountain, we'll be able to hunt and eat fresh meat; stop worrying and rest will you? I'll wake you up when it's time to leave." Chen Hong nodded, and lying next to 12th, she fell asleep holding onto his sleeve.
The sky gradually darkened, the giant birds all flew back to their nests with the occasional squawk. 12th shook Chen Hong lightly, and said quietly, "Hey, wake up! Chen Hong, you can get up now, we're about to leave."
Chen Hong slowly opened her eyes and asked, "Huh? Is it time to leave already?"
12th said quietly, "It's almost dusk; as soon as it's dark enough, we're leaving." He gathered his little companions, and said, "Wait until we start moving, there'll be people coming to carry us. Remember, do not make a sound, cooperate with the person carrying you as best as possible, and don't distract them."
Qi Nan Shan squatted next to an ancient tree, carefully watching ahead, planning their route. At that moment, about a kilometer away in the forest, there was a large commotion which scared all of the roosted birds to take flight. Surprised, he wondered, "What alarmed the birds?"
Suddenly, from the forest, a large group of people moved swiftly towards the mountain.
Luo Jie and 12th both felt that something was off, and quickly arrived next to Qi Nan Shan. Luo Jie asked, "What's wrong?" 12th's eyes were sharp and he could see the sprinting group of people of about 100, all running as fast as possible.
"It's the Beast Raising Fu Sect! This is a big problem!"
12th said, "They're running too carelessly and openly, they'll be discovered for sure!"
Qi Nan Shan looked around and his expression changed slightly, he said, "12th, you were right! They're coming!"
Luo Jie cursed, "Those sons of bitches! They're fucking stupid!"


text:
For as long as the modern day woman has existed there has been the question of whether women can really do things as good as, or even better than men. The gender battle is an ongoing everlasting point of contention. The fight for equal wages and salaries, the debate about who should be the main provider within the family structure, the question of whether men should be stay at home fathers, all these issues exist and is most likely to keep stewing on.
While working at Oxford English Academy I have often wondered who makes the better learner, male or female? As we always note with our students, personality, goals and general interest in the subject always plays a huge role in how a student performs. But can something as basic as the gender they were born into actually play a role too? Apparently so!
According to various studies women learn a foreign language faster than men. There are many reasons that attribute to this interesting fact. One such being the fact that women talk more! In general it is said that women can speak up to almost 20 000 words per day, where men will average almost 10 000. This means that not only do women talk more, they also use more words to express themselves. Females tend to make longer sentences than men do in general. (I can hear the nods of agreement from the male population out there!) Therefore, women (who are also less afraid of making mistakes) tend to practise their newly acquired skill more than men and do so with more abundance.
According to an article in the Washington Post women do make better language learners but specifically better English learners as well. The article discusses research done by Education First, on which Kate Bell, co-authors on the report had this to say:" Women use a wider range of learning strategies, which helps them to memorise vocabularies better…" However the reason for being better at learning English, specifically as a second language, comes back to gender equity in developing countries. Adam Bickelman was quoted saying," In countries with low gender equity, women are more likely to be pushed toward careers in the humanities versus engineering, math or science." This means that most teachers in these countries are females, making the English language more widely used by women.
Add to that the fact that women have also been proven to be more attentive listeners who analyse what they hear. (To the dismay of many a man I'm sure!) Through this analysis comes comprehension and finding the meaning of new words and new expressions, which is all key to mastering a second language.
All in all I do believe these factors play a role to a certain extent. However I have witnessed some amazingly fast learning and progression in some of our male students. It most definitely also comes down to the individual's frame of mind, approach to the subject and general attitude towards their learning experience. Yet, it's still good to know that the ladies are one up here. So for now, enough said!