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Wood slatted foundations, more commonly known as European wood slats, were developed in 1956 by Karl Thomas and his son Wilfried Thomas for better support of mattresses. Just as James Marshall invented pocket coils for his wife, Karl Thomas developed the slatted frame for his. In other words each invention was to meet a need.
The Thomases sold the slatted frames under the name of Lattoflex. Wood slats became the standard flexible foundation for beds in continental Europe just as box springs became the standard in America. Over the next 40 years, the Thomas Group improved the design of slatted frames. The first development was adjustability of the slats, a prime feature of slatted foundations used by Design Sleep and European Sleep Works in this country.
Meanwhile, sleep research continued on both continents. Thomas Group used results of this research in their research and development department in Germany.
In 1996, Lattoflex introduced a new kind of slatted foundation. Instead of wooden slats, metal rods went across beneath the mattress. Extending from these rods were wings, plates of metal at the ends of arms. These had two advantages over the wood slats. First, they were more flexible, with more response points under the mattress. Second, they provided full support with much less contact surface. This meant more ventilation for the underside of the mattress, making it cooler and discouraging mildew and mold.
There were–and are–two Lattoflex series, Lattoflex 200 and Lattoflex 300. The firmness of areas in the 300 series can be adjusted. Lattoflex also makes adjustable beds with this kind of surface.
The winged suspension concept is applied in the lower half of Thevo therapy mattresses, made by Thomashilfen, a member of the Thomas Group.
It remains to be seen how this concept will affect foundation designs by other bed manufacturers. But since Dormeo Octaspring introduced the foam spring, other manufacturers have begun making foam springs of their own.
Penicillin was dicovered by accident when Alexander Fleming noticed bacteria dying in the presence of certain molds. Vulcanization of rubber by sulfur was also accidentally discovered by Charles Goodyear. In 1898 in Germany, Hans von Pechmann accidentally synthesized polyethylene. It took longer for polyethylene to become widely used than for rubber and penicillin, but now it is one of the most widely used food packaging materials. And it is also being used in bedding.
Polyethylene is a polymer. Polymers are made by linking smaller molecules together into long chains or sheets.
Polyethylene is named after ethylene, the gas it is synthesized from. It is a chain of methyl (CH2) units linked carbon-to-carbon. It is an extremely stable and non-reactive material, which makes it suitable for food and skin contact. It is non-toxic if consumed or inhaled.
Most of the ethylene produced to make polyethelylene is made from petroleum, but it can also be made from ethanol produced by fermentation of plant materials. Unlike "plant-based" polyurethane (in which only a portion of the polyols come from plant oils), it can be 100% bio-generated.
Polyethylene is strong and impermeable to fluids. This is why it is used for food containers and trash bags. This is also why it is used by a few manufacturers (such as Naturepedic) as waterproofing for bedding materials, such as mattress protectors, and mattress covers. Its non-toxicity makes it preferrable to other plastics, such as vinyl, polyurethane and polypropylene.
Since catalysts are used to polymerize polyethylene, there was the possibility of some of the catalyst elements being in the plastic and migrating out of the material. One much-used catalyst has antimony. Experiments show that extremely little antimony migrates from polyethylene when it is there. But antimony does not have to be there. Magnesium chloride, a naturally ocurring salt often found in foods, can also be used as a catalyst, and it causes no concern.
Since polyethylene is very stable, it does not easily break down. This has been a concern for environmentalists, since it can build up in waste landfills. However, bacteria have been found that can digest polyethylene, making it biodegradable.
As of now, only a very few manufacturers use polyethylene for waterproofing covers on mattresses and adjustable beds. Most use sheets of vinyl or polyurethane. Some use high denier nylon, since it is also breathable. It remains to be seen if more will switch to polyethylene.
We in North America (United States and Canada) are conditioned to think of divans as some kind of couch or sofa which may or may not have armrests at the ends. Thus we are initally puzzled when a divan is one of the foundations available for a mattress. However, the two usages are related. After all, many people will stretch out on a divan for a nap.
Ottomans, likewise, come from across the Atlantic with a different application than what we are used to. Here an ottoman is a large, fully upholstered footstool. In Great Britain, however, it is a type of divan where the top is hinged to lift up, revealing storage underneath. This feature does relate to some American ottomans, those with a hinged top and interior storage space.
The word divan comes to us from diwan in the Persian language through Turkish and French. It was originally a long cushion ("mattress" if you will), placed against a wall. Sometimes it was on a raised surface. The wall provided a back for sitting. From here it evolved into a self-standing piece of furniture with its own back.
Divans were introduced into Europe in the Rennaisance and into England in the 1700s as both a couch and a bed. In America, the general sense of the term centered primarily on a couch or sofa, while in Britain the sense moved to beds, then more particularly to a boxed supporting frame.
Ottomans were named after the ruling Turkish ethnic group in the Ottoman Empire (Turkey). They came into use in Europe about the same time as divans.
The British divan is a box foundation, supporting the mattress as part of a bed. The kind of support is variable. The sides of the divan are predominantly made of wood. There are several kinds of divans.
Sprung divans have supporting springs, often coils, the equivalent of our box springs. There are two basic types, edge sprung and solid edge. In the solid edge divan, the wood side continues up to or very near the top surface, enclosing the coils on the sides and ends. In a fully sprung divan, the coils continue to the edge, the outer coils providing edge support to the mattress. This kind of support is suitable for Bonnell coil, offset coil and continuous coil innerspring mattresses, but its use is often discouraged for pocket coil, memory foam and latex mattresses.
Another type of mattress support in a divan is wooden slats, the equivalent of the European style wood slat base. Slat bases are the preferred foundations for some American mattress companies, such as European Sleep Works in California and Design Sleep in Ohio. Slatted top divans are quite commonly sold by British bed retailers, paired with all kinds of mattresses.
A solid top divan is essentially a platform bed, and it is a frequent match for specialty sleep beds with memory foam mattresses and latex mattresses. For example, the divans Dormeo pairs with its foam spring mattresses are described as "all wood construction," the perfect description of a platform bed.
Another style is the adjustable divan. It comes with the adjustable bed fitted into the wood framed box. In the flat position, it looks like any other divan bed.
One advantage of divans as bed foundations is the availability of storage space. Most divans have drawer options: 2-drawer, 2+2 drawer, 4-drawer and foot drawer. In a 4-drawer divan, all four drawers are the same size, while with the 2+2 option the drawers near the head are narrower. The named options are for two-person beds.
Sprung divans may also have storage, but the drawers are not as high since springs take up the top half of the frame. Foot drawers are found on adjustable divans, since that is the only accessible space left.
In US retail terminology, "box spring" has come to mean any box-type foundation, whether it has springs or not. This is a carry-over from when the foundations were almost all box springs. Now real box springs are in the minority. Most box foundations here have solid or fixed slat tops.
Almost all divans Full size and up are split models, with left side and right side units. This is reasonable, since it facilitates delivery and set up.
So far, at least two mattress companies sell divans with their mattresses in the U.S. Hypnos Beds USA is a joint venture of Paramount Sleep of Norfolk, Virginia, and Hypnos, the British luxury mattress manufacturer with a royal warrant. The other is Dormeo North America, a subsidiary through the London branch of Dormeo Octaspring, an international manufacturer of foam spring mattresses. If more British beds are marketed here, we will hear "divan" more often as the foundation for a bed.
Using "divan" as the term for a framed box foundation may be a good thing. Since the market share expansion of memory foam, latex and pocket coil mattresses, real box springs have declined, even as foundations for traditional coil mattresses, replaced by platform and slatted box foundations. Yet many major retailers still habitually call any framed foundation a "box spring," which is confusing to consumers. "Divan" is an inclusive term, making a box spring one of the divan types.
Reverie Adjustable Bed ~ Innomax Night Magic ~ Amazing Bed
Ahh! A good massage is so nice! Especially when I am tired and/or sore. A well-done massage stimulates blood circulation. It relieves tension and relaxes muscles. Stimulating the nerves coming out of the upper back will stimulate the digestive system, improving digestion and movement of materials. A massage can sometimes even manipulate joints back into place. And it helps me get a good night's sleep.
We used to have a Homedic massage pad for our armchair and rocking chair. Zones, intensity, and pulse patterns could be selected to customize the massage for specific needs. It was, within limits, like having our own personal masseur or masseuse.
For the past 30 years, the market for adjustable beds used at home has grown until it is a significant segment of the bedding market. Once used almost exclusively in healthcare facilities, they are now found in many homes and even in some hotel rooms.
Now most adjustable base manufacturers sell beds that have a massage function. For some companies, this is most of their models, for others a few higher end beds. Almost all manufacturers have at least one or two models without a massage, either to make them less expensive, or for customers who'd rather not have a massage.
One or more motors generate impulses, vibrations or mechanical motions which are felt through the mattress. Like the Homedic pad, this is usually a vibro-massage. Also like the pad, most of these have timers for limiting the time to reduce the chance of injury from overuse.
There are two basic patterns of massage, wave and pulse. A wave massage begins at one end of the bed, flows through to the other and back again. Pulse massages can be in various patterns (more common) or for the entire surface.
A massage feature can be either a dual massage or a full body massage. A dual massage has separate massages for the upper body and lower body. It requires two or more motors (three if there is a separate lumbar massage). The motors can be 110 volt AC or 24 volt DC. The newer ones are DC.
Not all massage beds are adjustable bed foundations. There are three notable exceptions. These are the Vivon Prestige II and Prestige III, the Amazing Bed by Innovative Standards, and the Night Magic Sleep Massage Therapy Unit by Innomax.
The simplest of these is the Innomax Night Magic Sleep Massage Therapy Unit. It consists of seven massage motors arrayed in four zones with a wall outlet power adapter and a wired remote control handset. The customer justs arranges the motors on the foundation under the mattress, plugs it in, lies on the bed and turns it on. According to Innomax, the Night Magic has 15-minute and 30 minute preset sessions, speed control, three levels of intensity, and ten customized (or customizable?) modes (rhythmic pulses or soft waves). One button switches between auto or manual modes of operation.
The Vivon Life Positional Mattress was introduced in 2010 by Vivon International (now Vivon Life). It functions as a mattress and adjustable bed in one adjustable mattress (also called a folding bed) with a massage. Two series that followed were the Prestige II and the Prestige III (which is sold by US Beds). This uses a Brookstone massage unit and wireless remote. The full body massage has five modes.
The most amazing massage bed is the Amazing Bed. Designed and made by Innovative Standards, the Amazing Bed has mechanical massage heads that imitate the actions of fingers. These travel between the head and foot of the bed on pairs of rails which can be raised or lowered. The mattress and the foundation are integral parts of this bed, making the whole bed one unit. Innovative Standards has beds for residential use, for spas and chiropractic clinics, and for the hospitality industry.
So, there are basically four options if we are shopping for a bed with a massage: an adjustable bed with a massage function, an all-in-one adjustable mattress with massage, an all-in-one bed with mechanical massage, or massage units we place between the mattress and the base.
Ahh! If I could get one of these beds with a built-in massage, then the bed would be my masseuse!
US Beds:
Absolute Comfort On Sale:
Slumberland Furniture:
Adjustable Bed Mart:
American Discount Home Medical Equipment:
iDream Mattress:
Innovative Standards:
Leggett & Platt:
American Massage Products:
With just a slip in pronunciation, "sleeping on air" becomes "sleeping on hair," and is not taken as a joke, because even today horsehair is the stuff (or stuffing) of several luxury mattresses. These include some of the most expensive mattresses in the world, made by high-class names such as ES Kluft and Aireloom, Hypnos, WJ Southard, Hastens, and others. Besides filling, horsehair is also used in the covers or quilting of a few models.
This is nothing new. For hundreds of years, better mattresses were filled with horsehair, along with other natural fibers. Those who could not get horsehair settled for grain husks (chaff), sawdust, straw and other cheaper alternatives. Horsehair was generally for the nobles. Today it is found in mattresses made for English royalty. The feel of a horsehair mattress is used in describing mattresses made by Organic Mattresses, Inc., even though they do not contain horsehair.
The most common sources of horsehair are the mane and the tail. Some of this is obtained by collecting loose hairs from grooming, but most comes from clipping hairs from manes and tails. Body hairs of shaggy northern horse breeds could conceivably be harvested in late Spring, but that is currently unheard of for commercial production.
Horsehair is classified by the length of the hairs. The longest ones (6″ or longer) are called horsetail hair, the medium ones (4″ to 6″) tail hair, and the shorter ones (under 4″) horsehair. This means that horsehair contains some of the shorter horsetail strands. And, depending on the processor, some tail hair and horsehair can have some hair from cattle in it.
Harvested horsehair is washed, steamed and rinsed, but not bleached. This clears it of almost all allergens. The cut and washed horsehair is curly. Since horsehair is stiff, it is cushioning.
Horse hairs are hollow, so they funnel air through the batting. This serves to ventilate a mattress and keep it dry. Being hollow also makes them more resilient. Horsehair is also a very durable material. Some horsehair mattresses have lasted 80 to 100 years. Tail hairs are used in violin bows, and can last a long time even with frequent use.
Often horsehair is used in combination with other natural materials, such as wool, linen, cashmere, cotton and latex. Sometimes two fibers are mixed, but these components are usually in separate layers.
The ticking for a horsehair layer is tightly woven so the horsehairs don't creep through. The ticking of the horsehair layer for a mattress or topper is normally sewn into chambers, each one filled with hairs. This keeps the horsehair in place, forestalling a lumpy mattress.
In closing, here is a quote from the NovosBed website:
Horsehair: the stuff of luxury for those for whom luxury is a given. Care to hazard a guess as to which is the mattress of choice for the Queen of England? Your average oil sheik? Billionaire-otherwise-obtained? They're all sleeping on horsehair.
Chas. H Becley
John Ryan by Design
Wall Street Journal
My Custom Bedding
Horsetalk Nrw Zealand
Apartment Therapy
Parker Sleep Systems (Toronto, Canada)
You've come to the conclusion that you need a new mattress. The first questions are, "What kind of mattress and bed do we want? What are our needs? What will help us get the restful sleep we really need?"
So what kind of mattress is right for us? Is it an innerspring mattress? A memory foam mattress or latex mattress? Should it be a pillowtop model? How about a waterbed or an airbed?
When you determine what kind of bed you want, you want to know what the best brands and models are. Other people's experiences can help, so we get online and check the reviews. But which reviews can we trust?
Now it's time for serious shopping. So do we visit mattress stores? Or do we shop online? This is a choice almost unheard of a decade ago. Now almost anything can be sold over the Internet—clothing & shoes, groceries, appliances, musical instruments, pets, even automobiles and mattresses.
Shopping for clothes involves getting the right fit. I don't know whether a shirt or a pair of jeans really fits until I wear it. Shopping for a mattress is not far off. We don't really know if the mattress is right for us until we've slept on it. We are like Goldilocks in a way. A mattress can be too soft or too hard, too warm or too cool; it may or may not be suitable for my sleeping position; and so on. So how do we know that a particular mattress is right for each of us before buying it?
A quick check on mattress prices reveals that they are generally lower online than in stores for the same or equivalent model from the same manufacturer. Also, online retailers usually have trial periods, which means that if the mattress is not the right fit, we can exchange it for another or just send it back. However, It has to be shipped back (unless a contract service company picks it up). In some cases you, the customer, have to pay for the shipping, which makes you wonder if returning the mattress is worth the hassle. So, before buying a mattress online, find out what the return policies are—not only for the seller, but for that mattress model—and get it in writing.
If we go to a store which sells several brands of mattresses, we can try several of them for comparison. But one to three minutes on a mattress in a retailer's showroom is not the same as sleeping on a mattress for a week or a month.
☞Just a hint: Some mattresses manufacturers precompress their bedding materials so that they are already broken-in when you try them in the showroom and when they're delivered.☜
The uncertainty of a showroom tryout is reflected in the satisfaction rates between mattresses purchased in stores and online, which generally differ by only a couple of percentage points. But returning a mattresss to a local store is easier than shipping it.
According to several reports, the current trend is toward combining shopping online with shopping in stores. This generally takes one of two forms: webrooming and showrooming. Webrooming is researching mattresses online then purchasing them in the store. Showrooming is visiting retail showrooms to look at mattresses up close, even try them out, then purchase the same mattress or an equivalent online. Some retailers sell both online and in stores, which makes either method easier (have you ever tried to compare mattresses at different retailers?).
This only works for lines of matresses available in both venues. However, there are a handful of mattress manufacturers who sell their products exclusively online.
Buying a mattress online and buying one in a store each has its own advantages and disadvanteges. In the end, you have to answer the question for yourself, "Should I buy a mattress online?"
BedTimes Magazine
Consumer Reports
Sleep Like the Dead
Mattress Nerd
US News & World Report – Money
Mattress Inquirer (a supposedly independent review site owned by a mattress manufacturer)
Get Rich Slowly (a financial advice site)
Sleep.org (by the National Sleep Foundation)
Lycra, Spandex and Elastane are all names for the same fiber. First developed by DuPont, Lycra is a polyurethane fiber. The two prepolymers, one long and flexible and the other short and stiff, link to form a folded or twisted fiber which can be stretched up to five times its length. When tension is released, the fiber springs back to its original length.
Diagrams of Spandex Production (from How Products Are Made) —
Lycra is the trade name used by Invista, the DuPont spin-off which developed this material. "Spandex" is the generic name used in North America, "Lycra" has become the generic in Britain, while "Elastane" and its linguistic derivatives are used in Europe. "Spandex" was coined by switching the "ex" and the "s" in "expands."
The development of spandex extends back to the search for rubber substitutes in 1940. Lycra was first produced commercially in 1962 by DuPont. Since then it has become widely used, especially as the cost of the material has dropped to more affordable levels. The popularity of this fiber is largely attributable to the use of spandex by entertainers and athletes. It is especially beneficial in activities requiring a great deal of movement, such as in sports. Loose clothing is no longer required for high flexibilty in doing a job. Also, loose clothing can get in the way, get caught, which gives spandex a safety advantage as well.
Several bedding manufacturers use spandex in the covers of their mattresses. Company and retailer descriptions variously call it Lycra, spandex or elastan. Many mattresses have stretch-knit ticking, which allows the cover to flex with the top-layer foams and the sleeper. Using spandex in woven fabrics makes them more flexible, while it enhances flexibility in knits (thus the "super-stretch" knits). Beds.org reviews of mattresses by seven manufacturers mention Lycra, spandex or elastan. Other manufacturers' use of this super-stretch fiber may have escaped notice or have not been included in manufacturer and retailer accounts.
Depending on the real life perfomance of spandex on mattresses used by consumers, more bedding manufacturers may use it in the future.
Graphite Lump ~~~ Pencil ~~~ Cut Diamond ~~~ Graphite Structure
Several mattresses are described as having foams or fibers infused with graphite or diamond particles. Graphite and diamond are two kinds of carbon crystals. Both are pure carbon, but they differ in the crystalline structure. The structural difference makes diamond extremely hard and graphite relatively soft. Real diamond particles (a.k.a. diamond dust) are very abrasive and are used industrially for grinding and polishing. Solid graphite is commonly used for pencil lead, while granular or powdered graphite is a lubricant (for example in locks).
How and why are graphite and diamond dust used in mattresses? The stated reason given by those mattress manufacturers who use "diamond" particles in their mattresses is for cooling (it is usually infused into foams). According to them, diamond dust is highly heat-conductive, transferring heat away from the sleepers to where it can dissipate.
The same reason is often listed for the use of graphite, but graphite is also credited with adding strength to mattress components, from foams to fibers. Graphite is more heat conductive than foam, cotton, rayon and polyester. This would be true whatever the shape of the graphite: powder, flakes, sheets or fibers.
The strengthening factor indicates the likely use of oriented monocrystaline graphite fibers, similar to the carbon/graphite fibers used in high-performance fishing rods. In this case, the term graphite may have been applied to carbon nano-tubes. However, it may also be the use of graphene (a single sheet of graphite) rolled up into a fiber.
Technical literature about the use of graphite in foam and topside mattress components (just under the cover) addresses another, less glamorous reason, one seldom linked with graphite in mattress descriptions: fire safety. Certain forms of graphite flakes will expand at the combution temperatures of polyurethane foam (and its derivatives, such as memory foam). This will cover the foam and cut off the supply of oxygen. For this to be effective, the exact form of the graphite must be balanced with the combustion point of the foam. It's not perfect, but it is a non-chemical method of flame retardation, which should be a selling point.
Graphite is not very commonly used in mattresses, at least not yet. Before 2013, a few mattresses with graphite were introduced. On Beds.org, reviewed mattresses with graphite or diamond represent only ten manufacturers out of 115.
As to diamond powder/particles/crystals/dust, I suspect that this could be a more fashionable wording for graphite. After all, both diamond and graphite are carbon crystals.
For two or three generations, most beds consist of a mattress, a foundation (box spring, box platform or slatted box) and a bed frame. The bed frame for these is usually side rails, cross bars, and (for larger sizes) a center beam, made of angle steel. These frames have legs (or feet), usually with gliders or casters to facilitate moving the bed.
The invention of this kind of metal bed frame without slats is credited to Henry Feldman of The Fredman Brothers Furniture Company, who developed it in the 1950s. Glideaway is a subsidiary of Feldman Brothers. By now, there are several manufacturers of slatless steel bed frames, including Mantua, W Silver Products, and Knickerbocker Advanced Bed Support Systems. Most United States manufacturers of bed frames use steel angle made by Jersey Shore Steel from recycled railroad tracks, one of the toughest types of steel.
Before Feldman developed frames without slats, particularly useful with the almost universally used box springs, most mattresses were used with wooden or iron beds. This kind of bed had a head and foot with side rails. Between the side rails were slats to hold the mattress.
With the introduction of innerspring mattresses, usually 6″ to 8″ high, and box springs, which were usually 8″ to 10″ high, a mattress and box spring on a bed with 18″ to 24″ legs made the surface too high for many people. The slatless bed frame sitting only about 6″ above the floor made for a lower bed, easier to get into and out of at about 20″ to 24″ high. Higher mattresses stimulated the introduction of low profile foundations, solidifying the roles of slatless steel bed frames.
Now there are many variations of steel bed frames. The category has expanded to include steel bed foundations. These are steel frames with a steel grid to support a mattress directly without a box spring, slatted box or other foundation. These can have longer legs, achieving the same overall bed height with room under the bed for storage.
In another development, the increase in heavier sleeper and heavier mattresses and foundations has led to the introduction of sturdier bed frames. One example of these is the Heavy-Duty Bed Frame by Knickerbocker, which is sold by several retailers in this country.
Although many steel bed frames are imported, a good percentage of those sold in North America are made in the U.S.A. or Canada. Most bed frames sold as brands of mattress manufacturers are made by Glideaway or Mantua.
A very old wish for a good night's rest is "Sleep tight, and don't let the bedbugs bite." This is testimony to the fact that bed bug bites can disturb sleep, robbing a person of needed rest. Bed bugs have been recorded in ancient history, being mentioned as early as 400 BC. The historical accounts of these insects indicates their spread from the Mediterranean region to northern Europe, then to North America. Our word "bug" is derived from bugge, the original English name for these creatures.
The bed bug (Cimex lectularius) is a small, oval, flat wingless insect. Its only food is blood. The bedbug has mouth parts designed to pierce the skin of a host, inject an anti-coagulant with a painkiller, and suck the blood. A bed-bug can survive as long as half-a-year on one meal. These small parasites–an adult is only 5mm long–can hide in almost any crack or crevasse.
Bed bugs are so called because they are usually found in and around beds and mattresses. They can slip through the seams of mattress covers, hide in a box spring, or seclude themselves in the frames and upholstery of other furniture, or behind baseboards. Their small size and avoidance of light makes them hard to see, but signs of their presence can be found: feces, molted skins, stains from crushed bugs, etc., even odor.
The most personal sign of bed bugs is their bite. When a bedbug bites, a pain killer is injected along with the anti-coagulant. This anesthetic keeps the victim numbed long enough for the bug to finish its meal. But later, the bite site begins to itch. It may swell and become fevered. If scratched or rubbed, it can become infected. It is the irritation of the bite which disturbs sleepers, causing restlessness.
From the time they hatch until they die, bedbugs are bloodsuckers. The chart above shows their average sizes from the egg to adult from less than 1 mm as a newly hatched nymph to the 5 mm long adult.
Bed bugs had become almost unheard of in North America and Western Europe, but now they have made a comeback. A few years ago, these pests were being found in many high-class hotels. This has been blamed on travelers going to and from areas of the world where bed bugs and other parasites are common. Due to their minute size and secretive habits, they hitchike unnoticed in luggage.
Because they hide so well, bed bugs are hard to combat. Complicating this is the fact that many of them have become resistant to insecticides. The only sure way to eliminate bedbugs in a room is to heat it to about 130° F long enough to kill them. This is a job better left to experts who know how to do it safely.
The most effective way to prevent bed bug bites is to keep the little critters from getting to you. As noted in a previous Beds Blog article, mattress encasement serves this purpose two ways. First, bedbugs cannot get into a properly encased mattress. Secondly, if a bed bug happens to already be in a mattress, encasement will keep it from biting you.
All the seams in an effective mattress encasement will be sealed to close this avenue. And the zipper must have not gaps in the teeth big enough for a bed-bug, with the zipper kept tightly closed at the end. Some manufacturers of encasements have a special bug-proof zipper for this purpose.
Some mattresses are made with bedbug-proof seams, such as Naturepedic Baby and the Vinyl mattress by Paramount Mattress.
The most effective means of prevention is to deny the bed-bugs a place to hide or to prevent them from getting up to the bed. This means reducung or eliminating clutter. Other measures are keeping bedding from touching the floor and drying bedding and nightclothes with heat to kill any bugs which may be there, and thoroughly cleaning luggage when returning from a trip. A couple of generations ago, some people placed the feet of their beds in cans or pans of kerosene and kept the bed away from the wall. This worked because bed bugs cannot fly or jump.
Bed bugs have not been found to transmit disease-causing organisms from one human to another, even though they ingest pathogens with a host's blood. The apparent reason for this is that, unlike mosquitoes, bed-bugs do not insert any of a previous host's blood when they inject the anti-coalgulant. However, there is the opportunity for infection to enter the wound. Also, some persons may be allergic to bedbugs with the potential for a serious reaction, especially if they are already allergic to other insect bites and stings.
Although the potential for infectious diseases from bed bugs may be very low, sleep disturbance and lack of rest can be a hinderance to good health. We all need a good night's rest, and one way is to not let the bed bugs bite.
Bed Bug Central: http://www.bedbugcentral.com/bedbugs101/mattress-and-box-spring-encasements
EPA: http://www2.epa.gov/bedbugs
The Straight Dope: http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1570/whats-the-origin-of-the-expression-sleep-tight
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bed_bug
MedicineNet: http://www.medicinenet.com/bed_bugs/article.htm
Sleep Train: http://www.sleeptrain.com/education-bed-bugs.html
Beds Blog: http://beds.org/blog/mattresses-beds-and-how-we-sleep/
Many producers and sellers label or describe their merchandise as "natural" or "organic" products. "Organic" and "natural" food, clothing, bedding and many other goods are fashionable. Significant numbers of shoppers now ask, "Is it natural? Is it organic?"
Two concerns drive this trend: health and the environment. There is also, for some, a philosophical or religious undertone, a belief that there is an intrinsic value to being as natural or organic as possible. While the last perspective may be considered debatable by many, the first two considerations do have some empirical basis.
Before going on, let's define natural and organic.
Natural materials are those produced by natural means, as opposed to artificial materials. These may be produced by plants or animals or be naturally ocurring compounds and elements (for example, minerals). For instance, natural fibers include linen (plant), wool (animal) and asbestos (mineral). One fiber used in bedding and clothing is on the borderline between natural and artificial. Rayon is naturally produced cellulose, but it has been extracted and liquified from natural sources and reconstituted as sheets (cellophane) and fiber (rayon/viscose).
Organic is not the same as natural, though it is related. Cotton, for instance, is a natural fiber, but not necessarily organic. Modern cotton farming uses chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Organic farming, whether of cotton or some other crop, is without any applications of chemicals. Being organic extends to the processing of raw materials into finished products without the uses of harmful substances.
There is good reason to be concerned about the impact of what we eat, wear, sleep on or otherwise use on our health. Many things once assumed to be safe have now been found to be detrimental to health, some even deadly. For example, Paris green was a fashionable color for walls. then people with Paris green in their houses became ill, some even dying. The pigments in Paris green contained arsenic, which escaped into the air and poisoned the residents. Now we ban lead-based paint and asbestos because they are health hazards.
Many chemicals used in agriculture and manufacturing are suspected or proven health hazards. Notable are pesticides and fungicides, designed to be deadly to organisms that damage and destroy crops, and chemical fire retardants applied to clothing and bedding. Also suspect are cleaning and bleaching agents and certain fabric dyes and food colorings. Recently added to the list are BPAs used in plastics.
Concern for the environment includes not just the natural ecosystem, but also those who work in the fields, mines and factories, and the communities in which they live and work. Today, for many, this also includes the economies where materials are produced and products made.
The keyword for agriculture is now not just organic, but organic and sustainable. More than how a crop is fertilized and pests are controlled, it is also how agricultural practices treat the land itself. Consumers today want to know how rubber plantations affect the rainforests, how much water is used on the cotton, and whether trees cut for wood used in the foundations are replanted.
This is the easy question. The two sources of natural materials in beds and bedding are plants and animals. These include fibers in the textiles and padding, wood for frames and slats, and oils for foams. It also includes plant-based dyes for fabrics.
Until early in the 20th Century, all fibers used in textiles came from either plants or animals. Even the first man-made fiber was made of cellulose extracted from plants. Plant produced fibers used in beds include cotton, linen (flax), kapok, bamboo fibers, hemp, sisal, ramie, and others. Some of these, such as cotton, come from the seed pods. Linen is from the bast (outer layer) of flax stems. Hemp fiber is from the hemp stem, while coconut fiber comes from the seed itself.
Organic concerns for plant fibers are the fertilizers and pesticides used in growing the plants. For instance, raising cotton uses an extraodinarily large proportion of pesticides and fertilizer compared to other crops. Only in the past two decades has raising cotton organically become economically viable.
With bast fibers, this extends to extraction of the fibers. Traditionally, linen fibers have been extracted from flax stems by retting, letting the stems rot until the fibers are separated. Modern extraction uses acids or enzymes to speed the process. However, disposal of the retting water is a problem.
Bleaching of plant fibers raises environmental concerns, especially with the disposal of liquid waste.
Animal fibers are the oldset used in clothing. Wool seems to be the longest used animal fiber. Other animal fibers used are cashmere and mohair (goat hair), alpaca, angora (rabbit) and silk. All but silk are hairs shorn or combed from the animal. Silk is threads extruded by silk moth caterpillars to make thier cocoons.
Concerns related to animal fibers are care of the animal, pest control and processing the fiber. Does raising the animals damage the land? Are the animals treated humanely?
With wool, are chemicals used to treat the sheep for ticks? How is the wool cleaned after shearing?
In 2013, leaders of clothing companies discussed the environmental impact of their businesses, whether synthetic or natural. The answer was not simple. It was complicated by the raising of cotton, the most widely used natural plant fiber. The same issue is also faced in choices of materials for mattresses, pillows, sheets and blankets.
Organic Trade Association – http://www.ota.com/
Organic.org – http://www.organic.org/articles/showarticle/article-224
NCBI – NIH – http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10968564
Wkipedia – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_clothing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_fiber
Sustainable Cotton Project – http://www.sustainablecotton.org/
CoolNotCruel – http://www.coolnotcruel.com/
Hemp Industries Association (NA) – www.thehia.org
Natural Life Magazine – http://www.life.ca/naturallife/0406/organic_fibers.htm
Vermont Organic Fiber – http://vtorganicfiber.com/
Eileen Fisher – http://www.eileenfisher.com/EileenFisher/Behind_the_Label/Behind_the_Label/Organic_Fibers.jsp?bmLocale=en_US
Numei – http://www.numei.com/fiber-facts.html
Fabric University | Fabric Seminar | Fiber History – http://www.fabriclink.com/university/history.cfm
Suppose someone taking a survey asked you, "Do you get enough sleep?" How would you answer? The answer to this depends on knowing the answers to two other questions: "How much sleep do you get?" and "How much sleep do you need?"
For most of us that means how long do we sleep in bed at night? That is, minus interruptions. New parents know all about this, waking up to check on the wee one, responding to a cry or a whimper in the dark, taking time to feed, change, or rock the newest member of the family. But most of us sleep through hours at a time with little or no interruption.
For some others, this includes a nap or two taken during the day. This may include a new mother or father compensating for nighttime interruptions. It could include a rotating shift worker trying to reset his body clock on days off. Sometimes it is a bored stay-at-home person, or an older adult whose body no longer tolerates lying down very long at one time.
The simplest answer is, "That all depends." How much sleep is needed depends on a few factors, such as developmental stage, age, sex, physical condition, and health. It may also be affected by the demands of ones occupation. It may surprise many to learn that more rest may be necessary for non-physical work requiring alertness and a sharp mind than for physically demanding jobs.
It is common knowledge that babies sleep a lot. A newborn is asleep for more time than awake. By the time an infant is a year old, this balance is even or reversed, but a large part of the day is still spent sleeping. Kindergarten used to be known for the naptimes when the entire class lay on their mats. By the time a child is in the grades, all the school day is waking hours. The average time needed for sleep lessens as one approaches adulthood, where it levels off for the last two-thirds of a person's expected lifetime. But in the senior years, it does shrink by about an hour.
I was surprised to learn how prevalent sleep deprivation is. Study after study shows that a significant percentage of people own up to dozing in meetings, glazing over while working, and driving while drowsy, some of the common signs of not enough sleep. This and statistics underscore the importance of adequate sleep. Lack of sleep causes accidents on the road, in the shop and at home. Quality of products depends on engineers, technicians, operators and inspectors being alert. How many costly recalls are due to sleep deprivation? How much lost business? How many injuries and loss of life? Sleep deprivation has economic and social costs.
Most youth enter adolescence during their teenage years. The hormonal changes include the circadian rhythm, the cycle of wakefulness and sleep. The adolescents naturally stay awake later (such as until 11 PM) and naturally wake up later. Studies show that they need, on the average, 8½ to 9½ hours of sleep a night. This includes a long deep-sleep (slow-wave) cycle in addition to the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) cycle.
Statistics show that sleep deprived high school students have more traffic accidents, doze more in class, and have lower scores on tests. One contributing factor in teen sleep deprivation is early school hours. High school students do better overall when school begins at 8:30 AM or later (the "ten-o-clock scholar" in the nursery rhyme).
Class schedules are not the only culprit in teens' lack of sleep. Others include extracurricular school activities, non-school activities, and modern technology. Some of the observations made by organizations and professionals include keeping electronic devices out of the bedroom and allowing non-structured social time within accepted waking hours. Also recommended is encouraging and promoting physical activity each day. Of course, it is easier to motivate a teen to get more sleep when we set the example.
Several organizations have recommended hours of sleep for childrenn, youth and adults. The National Sleep Foundation, which Beds.org is a member of, has used decades of sleep research to make a chart of recommended hours of sleep per night for nine age groups: Newborn (0-3 month), Infant (4-11 months), Toddler (1-2 years), Pre-school (3-5 years), School age (6-13 years), Teenage (14-17 years), Young adult (18-25 years), Adult (26-64 years), and Older adult (65 years and older). In each of these categories, the recommendation is a range of hours per day, from 14-17 hours for a newborn to 7-8 hours for an older adult. Outside each recommended range is a range of acceptable hours, from 11-19 to 5-9.
The ranges of hours of sleep are based on the needs of members of each age group. However, we are individuals, and our need of sleep does differ from one person to another. The same studies leading to these recommendations also show that some individuals require more or less sleep than the hours in the range for their age group. When considering our own needs, it can be hard to be objective, so it is wise to listen to other's observations, such as, "You've been more irritable lately," and "You're nodding off."
How much sleep we need involves not only the number of hours, but the quality of sleep itself. Our health status affects how long and how well we sleep. So do our activities and what and when we eat.
Another factor in how well and how long we sleep is what we wear. Even in a climate-controlled house, this can be a seasonal issue. We want to be warm enough in the winter and not too warm in the summer. Also, of course, irritating and ill-fitting nightclothes would interfere with sleep.
Another major factor is the bed. In this case, each one of us is a Goldilocks. Is the mattress too hard, too soft or just right? Mattresses are available from ultra firm to ultra plush and the range between. Do we prefer to lie on or in the bed? This could be the difference between memory foam and latex. Does a partner's snoring or motion keep you awake? Motion isolation will eliminate partner movement disturbance. Is the bed too small? The next size up helps. Can you find the optimal position? Here's where adjustable beds come in, and some of them deal with the snoring issue too. With so many choices, it pays to know what you yourself need and look for a mattress and bed that meet those needs.
National Sleep Foundation <http://sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need>
Center for Disease Control <http://www.cdc.gov/features/dssleep/>
Huffington Post <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/20/get-enough-sleep_n_4475645.html>
Web MD <http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/adult-sleep-needs-and-habits>
In February 2014, I posted an article about wood coils, a new kind of mattress innerspring invented and developed by a Hungarian company. Not long before the launch of wooden coils in the bedding market, another new kind of mattress spring was invented and introduced into the market by Willy Poppe, a Belgian. Poppe is CEO of a family-owned bedding manufacturer, Diamond Spring Company, in Sint-Niklaas, East Flanders, Belgium.
Willy Poppe's invention is the foam spring, an eight-sided hollow column made of memory foam. The column is cut in a honeycomb pattern, which resembles expanded metal. Poppe dubbed this "Octaspring." the Octaspring can be compressed like a spring. According to Willy Poppe in a video, these MemoryCoils were first used in memory foam pillows. However, while these memory foam springs worked well in pillows, they were not firm enough for mattresses. So the Octasprings were reinforced with the addition of firmer polyurethane. These EcoSprings could be made soft or firm or somewhere in between.
Now a grid of Octasprings would be the support core of a mattress. With a 1″ foam layer between, one layer of foam springs can be placed on another. Dormeo, a company set up to manufacture and distribute Octaspring memory foam matresses, has models with one to three foam core layers.
One advantage of foam springs instead of metal is that they are not felt the way metal springs are. Also, like the wood coils reviewed earlier, they do not focus environmental electromagnetic radiation on the users.
An additional advantage is airflow. The honeycomb cuts go all the way to the open core of the Octaspring, allowing air to flow all the way through. Pressing down on the "coil" forces air out, and releasing pressure lets it back in. So any movement by the sleeper pumps air through the mattress, increasing the cooling effect, another advantage over metal springs.
The article on wooden coils ended with a paragraph asking, "What Will They Make Springs from Next?" Foam springs were already being made, and foam spring mattresses are selling. Look for other firms to develop their own types of foam springs or buy a license to make Octasprings, the way that Tempur-Pedic was quickly and widely imitated in using memory foam.
Now at least two American manufacturers, Kingsdown and Reverie, have their own foam springs. Although at first glance these foam springs look similar, closer views reveal differences.
Models in Kingsdown's new Elliptica Collection have three kinds of foam coils made with different types of foam. Qualatex Foam Coils are made from Qualatex, a proprietary synthetic latex developed by foam manufacturer Carpenter. Omalon Foam Coils consist of Omalon, a foam also developed by Carpenter. The third kind of foam spring in Kingsdown Elliptica mattresses is the DNA Foam Coil.
Reverie, an adjustable bed manufacturer, is also a mattresses manufacturer, making mattresses for its adjustable bases. Reverie's models are Dream Mattresses with 10″ high latex foam Dream Cells for support and comfort. These foam springs are cylinder-like in shape. Each Dream Cell has a waist with the top and bottom segments tapering toward their ends. Like other foam springs, the core of a Dream Cell is hollow. Dream Cells are color coded, with each color representing on of four firmnesses: Pink for Extra Soft, Light Blue for Soft, Light Green for Medium, and Ivory/Tan for Firm. The cover of each Dream Mattress is zippered so the user can reconfigure the Dream Cells to change the zoning or the overall firmness level.
With two U.S. companies developing their own foam coils, the likelihood of more manufacturers using foam springs has increased. Look for more foam coil mattresses to reach the market in the next few years.
Nylon is a thermoplastic amide polymer.* Invented in 1935 by DuPont chemical engineer Wallace Carothers and first used for toothbrush bristles, nylon is the most used synthetic fiber. In 1940 it was introduced as a substitute for silk in stockings. Nylon is very similar to silk, and with Japanese occupation of China the supply of silk was restricted. Then in 1942, nylon replaced silk in parachutes. Ripstop nylon, developed for sturdier parachutes, is now used for tents and awnings, coats, ponchos, and bags. And solid nylon is used for gears, rollers and bearings in light applications. By the way, it is still widely used for toothbrush bristles.
Nylon is also used in mattresses. Invacare and Paramount Mattress use nylon in covers of institutional and healthcare mattresses. Some Beautyrest Recharge mattresses use a nylon/polyester blend. Boyd Specialty Sleep uses nylon tricot in the covers of the support modules for its Broyhill Cube Series mattresses.
The two variations of nylon used today are nylon 6,6 and nylon 6. With essentially the same final product, the difference between these two is how they are made. The 6 stands for the six carbon atoms in the precursor molecule. Nylon 6,6 was patented by DuPont, so other manufacturers had to find another way to make nylon. DuPont's process simply linked two six-carbon chain molecules together with amide bonds (which also exist in silk). Other manufacturers discovered how to open the ring of an aromatic molecule (one with a six-carbon ring) and link it to others. Either way, what you get is nylon.
Two other types of fiber developed from nylon are Kevlar® and Nomex®. Nomex replaced asbestos in fireproof clothing, and Kevlar is used for bulletproof vests. These are called aramids, because they are actually made of carbon rings.
Nylon is not widely used in mattress covers. Except for the Beautyrest Recharge, it is used in top panels of healthcare and institutional beds. The advantage of nylon in this usage is that it can be resist fluids and still be breathable. This protects the mattress foam core and is easy to clean without trapping heat the way totally impermeable vinyl would. Boyd uses it for its support cubes so they can be removed and reinserted easily.
Thermoplastic means that it gets softer when heated.
Polymer means that it is made of bonded chains of similar molecules.
Amide means that one molecule is bonded to the next by an amide group: one atom of nitrogen with a hydrogen atom (NH) linked to a carbon atom with a double bond to an oxygen atom (C=O). The link can be typed out as NH-C=O. The two components are linked to the N and the C respectively.
Several manufacturers claim that some or all of the foams used in their mattresses are either partially or wholly made from plant oils. Terms used for these are soy foam, plant-based, botanical-oil, natural oils, etc. Plant oils used include those extracted from soy beans, castor beans, canola (rapeseed), palm kernel, coconut, peanuts, and other seeds. How are these oils used in making foam? And how does this affect the use of fossil fuel sources (petroleum and coal oil)?
Oil itself does not form foam, at least not the kind you can sleep on. Bedding and furniture foams, other than latex foam (foam rubber), are forms of polyurethane foam, a semi-rigid, flexible material which is both supportive and cushioning. Polyurethane is a polymer, chains of repeated links of molecules. These molecules are polyols, alcohols with several hydroxyl branches. An alcohol is an oil (hydrocarbon) which is partly oxidized. A hydroxyl is an -OH branch of oxygen and hydrogen.
Some polyols are always produced when refining petroleum. One plant oil, castor bean oil, contains a natural polyol. Most other plant oils have to be modifed to make polyols. The components of these oils are fatty acids, like mono-, di- and triglycerides, the precursors of cholesterol. The fatty acids used are long chains with a double carbon bond (C=C on a diagram) in the middle. Using ozone or other reactors, hydroxyls are added to the chains.
To make the polyurethane, the polyols are combined with isocyanates. The reactions form endless chains which cross-link to form the polyurethane. Gasses released by the reactions and air introduced during the process make the foam.
Until recently, only a small portion of petroleum in polyurethane foam could be replace by plant polyols (aka biopolyols) and still produce a quality foam. Refinement of the process, including using water for the solvent, make it possible to use a higher percentage of biopolyols. However, we need to carefully examine the claims of manufacturers and retailers in promoting their products. Don't be afraid to ask what proportion of the oils used in making the foams are plant derived.
Use of polyols derived from natural plant oils reduces the use of petroleum in more than one way. First, it means less petroleum is used as the raw material. Second, this means less petroleum used as fuel for refining petroleum for polyols. Third, modifying plant oils requires less energy.
Other advantages of using plant polyols in manufacturing polyurethane and its derivative foams include 1) less or no VOCs (volatile organic compounds), and 2) less degradation of the foam by moisture (such as from sweat), and some plant-oil foams are less flammable.
However, use of plant oils has its own environmental concerns. First is land use for growing plant oil crops. Is the land chosen wisely? Or does it degrade natural resources (such as rain forests)? Second, are the farming practices environmentally acceptable? This includes preventing erosion and whether chemical pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers are used. Also, does raising and using plants for this purpose compete with food crops, thereby raising food prices?
In the final analysis, using natural plant oils to make polyurethane, memory foam, and other foams for bedding products is a net benefit for health, safety, and the environment. And this will grow as technological development improves the processes involved.
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Comfort Inn
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Greetings from post 9/11 America.
I write from New Jersey, where I will be spending the first 8 weeks of my big trip. This is where my family lives - my sister, her two darling daughters, my grandmother, two aunts, one cousin, and uncles too. After the summer of my discontent, I have come home to heal.
In addition to the curative powers of grandma's cooking, there is a practical reason for my visit too. After my father, ...
Big Apple to Philly Cheesesteak
... It was abandoned and was scheduled for demolition before it was saved. It is now a park with trees and plants and a path for people to walk on. It gets so dense in some areas that you can hardly tell that you are in Manhattan. After this we headed back to our hotel to do some laundry and pack for our trip to Philadelphia.
We got up Saturday morning and walked over to the car rental to get our car. It took ...
Our adventure begins
We managed to secure an upgrade to first class on our flight to Los Angeles. I think we upset the flight attendant because we had already had dinner and refused his offer of dinner. We accepted dessert, though, so I think we redeemed ourselves. By the time we got our bags (which took forever) and got to the hotel, it was past midnight. We stayed at the Radisson near LAX and if we were so inclined, could have watched the planes landing and taking ...
What An Absolutely Wonderful Day!!!
... was used by Groucho Marx on is show, You Bet Your Life. He would ask contestants who hadn't won any money at all the question, "Who was buried in Grant's Tomb?" He gave credit to them for one of two answers...Grant or no one. And both are correct...sort of. No one is the more correct answer. As Grant (and his wife) are entombed in the mausoleum, not actually buried. I got there shortly before it opened, but the nice guy who was working ...
Day 21 - Recuperation
... electricity and internet. So we went at around 12. When we got there, we ate lunch and some of us went down to the High School field to play football. But me and one of my friends came back early, with the dog. We stayed there until 6, when we left and came to Bordentown. We watched TV for some time and then ate dinner. After a while, I got bored and went to bed.

subset: commoncrawl


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Spain soccer players say they were robbed
Published June 20, 2013 11:57 am
This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Rio de Janeiro • Players for World Cup champion Spain say they were robbed at their hotel in the Brazilian city of Recife during the Confederations Cup.
Soccer's governing body said Thursday police are investigating. FIFA spokesman Pekka Odriozola says he has no details of what happened.
Spanish media say several players were targeted. The Spanish newspaper Marca says six players, including Gerard Pique, reported that items, including money, had been stolen from their rooms. A spokeswoman for the Spanish team declined to comment.
Spain plays Uruguay on Saturday in the northern city of Recife.
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Dive on in.. the water's fine!
Swamp Radio aims to provide the Greater Northeast Florida area with a live radio experience (and podcast) which celebrates the culture, art, and history of Jacksonville and its surrounding areas. During its inaugural season, Swamp Radio will present a quarterly, scripted variety series which draws from the songwriters, poets, playwrights and storytellers of the area to create an audio tapestry of the place many call home. In addition to the thrill of live performance taking place at various locales in the Spark district, Swamp Radio will also establish a presence in the digital arena with a series of podcasts available to the public at no charge.
Saturday, July 18 at 7:30pm
ALL THINGS SUMMER | A sun-filled evening of songs, stories, sketches and interviews celebrating the summer season in St. Augustine. Special musical guests include Shea Birney, Herd of Watts, and Charlotte Mabrey.
LEWIS AUDITORIUM – FLAGLER COLLEGE, 14 Granada St, St. Augustine
Saturday, November 21 | 7pm
EARLY THANKS | Join the cast of Swamp Radio, Northeast Florida's beloved (and hilarious) live radio show, for an Early Thanksgiving event at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre. Enjoy a down-home, three-course Southern Thanksgiving meal turned slightly on its head by notable St. Augustine chefs Ned Pollock of Ned's Southside Kitchen, Stephen DiMare of The Hyppo Café, and Terri Gamble of The Blue Hen Café while dining under the trees in the St. Augustine Amphitheatre Pavilion, followed by an 80-minute Swamp Radio show celebrating the Ancient City in all its autumnal glory.
Special musical guests include hometown favorites The WillowWacks and percussionist Charlotte Mabrey.
Only 80 tickets available for this unforgettable early Thanksgiving celebration!GET TICKETS
WJCT 89.8 FM | Friday, September 4 at 7:00pm
ALL THINGS SUMMER | It's time for our annual summer road trip to the Ancient city. This episode is packed with a cooler full of laughs, conversations and stories from St. Augustine. Highlights include Derek Coghlan remembering a hilarious family funeral, a chat with restaurateur Ned Pollock and musical offerings from Shea Birney and Herd of Watts.
ALL THINGS SUMMER | It's time for our annual summer road trip to the Ancient city. This episode is packed with a cooler full of laughs, conversations and stories from St. Augustine. Highlights include Derek Coghlan remembering a hilarious family funeral, a chat with restaurateur Ned Pollock and musical offerings from Shea Birney and Herd of Watts.
Note from the Executive Director / Show Creator
My father moved us to Jacksonville from Los Angeles in 1970. From the minute we crossed the state line, I felt I had set foot on a new planet. The air was hot and wet. The trees were lush and green. Everyone spoke with a funny accent. It didn't take long for me to be hypnotized by the place. I came to understand folks in North Florida had a certain way of doing everything: cooking vegetables (frying them), making iced tea (with a ton of sugar) and answering your elders (with a "yes ma'am" on the end of every response.)
Over the past three decades, I have been blessed to interact with a group of artists who also shared a passion for the sights and sounds of the Northeast Florida area. With this project, I am striving to present the residents of Jacksonville with a banquet table of those artist's words and music which will the sustain the hunger we all have for art which defines our present experience— IAN MAIRS
News From The Swamp
Swamp Radio is a 2013 Spark Grant recipient


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Special CAUV meeting scheduled for March 5
Ohio Farm Bureaus proposed changes to the states Current Agricultural Use Value formula will be examined during a special meeting by the Ohio Department of Taxations agricultural advisory committee.
Reporters, please visit our news room located in the Media and Publications section of this site.
Ohio Farm Bureaus proposed changes to the states Current Agricultural Use Value formula will be examined during a special meeting by the Ohio Department of Taxations agricultural advisory committee.
OFBF staff consistently receive questions about taxation issues, and most often, property taxes.
Farmers and other rural business owners should take their time as they evaluate a federal program that helps them manage energy costs.
Can we have clean water without limiting our capacity to grow food? Is energy exploration and development possible without harming the environment?
Grain farmers in Ohio should know there is a safety net in place in case their grain elevator closes its doors. In 1983 the Ohio legislature enacted laws specific to agricultural commodity handlers, including the Grain Indemnity Fund. Here are five things to know.
Ohio Farm Bureau Federation is currently accepting applications for members of its 2015-2016 AgriPOWER Institute Class VII.
High crop yields combined with below-normal temperatures and a wet harvest in 2014 have farmers and other grain handlers working with less-than-ideal corn and soybeans. Experts are projecting the deadliest year for grain engulfments since 2010, when 59 entrapments were recorded.
The state legislature is fast-tracking legislation dealing with water quality issues. This week the Senate passed a bill that would ban the application of fertilizer and livestock manure to frozen, snow-covered and saturated ground in the Western Lake Erie Basin. The House is working on a similar bill.
The weather has been challenging in Ohio this week, but the work doesnt end for farmers. Early in the week we shared some winter photos from our archives and farmers across the state shared their photos with us. Here are ten of our favorite. To see the others shared with us search #OFBF on Instagram or check out posts to our Facebook Page.
Ohio Farm Bureaus Workers Compensation Group Rating Program members are required to attend one safety seminar per year to remain program eligible. For a list of dates and locations open the document attached to this page or contact your county Farm Bureau for details about upcoming meetings.
The fifth session of AgriPOWER Class VI Jan. 22-23 focused on local government and local issues in the Toledo area. Class VI focused on local agriculture issues in that part of the state including the water issues Toledo faced this past summer. The class also learned about local government from township, county and city government officials in that part of the state.
A blog from AgriPOWER Class VI member Roshelle Rowe about the fifth session of the leadership program that focused on local government and northwest Ohio agricultural issues including water quality.
With the state legislature and Congress back in full session, Ohio Farm Bureaus policy department has been busy examining various proposals that impact agriculture such as taxes, water quality and nutrient application.
Heres a look at some notable bills introduced in Ohio and in Congress, as well as Gov. John Kasichs tax proposals.
A blog from AgriPOWER Class VI member Kent Jorgensen about the fifth session of the leadership program that focused on local government and northwest Ohio agricultural issues including water quality.
As Ohio Farm Bureau approaches its 100th year in 2019, we are starting preparations to commemorate the centennial by telling the Farm Bureau story through an updated history book. Because this book belongs to our members, were requesting photographs that can help tell the story of agriculture and Farm Bureau since 1919.
Over the last few years Ohio Farm Bureau's Young Ag Professionals Winter Leadership Experience conference has been growing at a rapid rate. Three years ago there was 150 attendees, last year 280 and this year 540! The conference was buzzing with energy from the growth and for the top notch agenda. Below you will find photos, messages and videos from the conference. To learn more about the YAP program visit the Facebook Page or subscribe to receive emails.
Local level Young Ag Professionals groups are popping up all across the state. Each group's activities is driven by those who participate with some focusing on educational activities, some on social activities and some combine both. Find out where these local groups are in this directory. If there is not a group near you contact your county Farm Bureau about starting one!
Ohio Farm Bureau is making progress on its $1 million water quality action plan.
Three Ohio Farm Bureau foundations are becoming one this year: The Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation will now encompass the Animals for Life Foundation (AFL) and the Ohio Center of Agricultural Law, Inc.
Three Ohio farmers took time out of their busy schedules to testify in favor of an agritourism bill that was based on model legislation created by Ohio Farm Bureau.
An Ohio Board of Tax Appeals ruling that nonpermanent grain storage bins are not real property under Ohio law has been appealed and is now an Ohio Supreme Court case.
Ohio Farm Bureau is conducting an intensive review of the state and local tax burden on Ohio farmers and landowners. OFBF has hired a tax consulting firm, Howard Fleeter & Associates, to provide estimates of several types of taxes paid by the agricultural sector over the past 20 years.
At the end of the year, Ohio lawmakers passed House Bill 5, a municipal tax reform bill. The legislation simplifies and establishes consistency for the filing of municipal income tax returns.
Ohio Farm Bureau Board Trustee Roger Baker was in Washington, D.C. listening to a House panel discussion about the causes of the harmful algal blooms (HABs) on Lake Erie when his ears perked up.
Over the next 10 years, Ohio is expected to have at least 38,000 miles of pipeline development statewide. Ohio residents are encouraged to attend upcoming scope meetings held by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.


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Columbus Blue Jackets v Los Angeles Kings
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Goaltender Jonathan Bernier of the Los Angeles Kings leads his team... Foto di attualitàCalifornia,Columbus Blue Jackets,Composizione orizzontale,Hockey,Hockey su ghiaccio,Jonathan Bernier,Los Angeles - Città,Los Angeles Kings,Match sportivo,National Hockey League,Portiere,Precedente,Sport,Squadra sportiva,Staples Center,Stati Uniti d'AmericaPhotographer Victor DecolongonCollection: Getty Images Sport 2013 Victor DecolongonLOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 15: Goaltender Jonathan Bernier #45 of the Los Angeles Kings leads his team onto the ice prior to the NHL game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Staples Center on February 15, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. The Kings defeated the Blue Jackets 2-1. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images)


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Dirty White Boys - Scene 2
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DVD Title Dirty White Boys
Category Anal Sex
Added November 08, 2013
Viewed 477 times
Favored 0 times Add to favorites
Duration 19m, 12s
Tags Anal Creampies, Anal Sex, Blowjobs
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Bili and Mateya greatly enjoy getting the chance to wrap their lips around each other's dicks and go to town, especially when they know that they are going to get to taste that sweet and wonderful cream. They're going harder and harder by the second, and if you want to see some sweet lean white boy meat getting tore up this is the perfect scene to watch. The guys are not going to stop until they've had as much satisfaction as they can handle, and it leaves them breathless with the intensity as they cum.
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Dirty White Boys
November 08 2013
More Scenes From DVD
- Scene 2 - Bili and Mateya Enjoy Cock Sucking Good Time
- Scene 1 - Bili Spits Two Cumloads In To Andrija's Wide Open Mouth
- Scene 3 - Porn Stud Erik Takes Hard Anal And A Sticky Ass Creampie
- Scene 4 - Naughty White Guys Getting Their Freak On
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Tuesday, 06 October 2015
Written by // Guest Authors - Revolving Door
Categories // Research, Health, Living with HIV, Revolving Door, Guest Authors
Leger's Healthcare Insights is currently conducting online research on behalf of pharmaceutical company Merck and with the help of the Canadian AIDS Society (CAS) and The AIDS Committee of Toronto (ACT), among people living with HIV as well as with physicians treating HIV.
The main objective of this research is to gather insights on the disease and treatment of HIV, and to assess how patient and physician perceptions and beliefs align.
More specifically, it is to assess satisfaction with current treatments and identify any unmet needs.
If you are living with HIV, Leger would like to hear from you in an ANONYMOUS SURVEY! The survey will take about about 20 minutes to complete.
You will also be given an opportunity to enter a draw to win one of two $250 cash prizes for participating
Here is the link to the survey.
Thank you!
Continue Reading
Dr. Kevin Russelo & Associates
Dr. Kevin Russelo + Associates has operated in the Church-Wellesley neighbourhood for the past 5 years, proudly serving the LGBT community.
The 519 Church Street Community Centre
Distinct Hair Design
Village Pharmacy
The Village Pharmacy is a pharmacist-owned business based in Toront We are fully accredited by the Ontario College of Pharmacists.


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- Hartford HS
Hartford HS LinksHartford HS Sports
WOODSTOCK — Mariah Luce scored the game's lone goal with an assist by Kallan... Full Story
WHITE RIVER JCT. Full StoryWILMINGTON While it was pouring all around the state, it was a perfect night for boys soccer in... Full StoryMANCHESTER Neshobe Golf Club pro Rodney Bicknell clinched his second Vermont PGA Player of the... Full StoryDORSET Brynn McClallen had a monster game with five goals and an assist as the MSJ girls soccer... Full StoryNORTH CLARENDON Haley Hull and Olivia McPhee scored second-half goals to lift Mill River over... Full StoryBRADFORD Woodstocks 25-21 victory over Oxbow in Division III football on Saturday morning had... Full StoryTOWNSHEND Brynn McClallen scored twice and the MSJ won its girls soccer opener 4-1 over Leland ... Full StoryHANOVER, N.H. Full StoryCASTLETON The Fair Haven Shrine baton has been passed to Ian Misencik and Jake Carter. Full StoryRANDOLPH Senior power carried No. 7 Randolph past No. Full StoryMANCHESTER Drake Hulls tee shot on the 15th hole was in the rough. Full StoryGIRLS LACROSSE Full StoryGIRLS LACROSSE Full StoryBASEBALL Full StoryBOYS TENNIS Full StoryBOYS LACROSSE Full StoryBOYS BASEBALL Full Story
National Election Headlines
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Hotel Esplanade
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Last day in Austria :(
So not a very peaceful night Bobby has taken to talking (very loudly) in his sleep. With that and multiple loo trips its was a very disturbed sleep. Heh ho never mind. Today will be spent doing the last bits of washing (towels and bedding) and swimming in the lake. Charlotte has requested that we go off to a nearby park so we will give that a go ...
Wolfgangsee day
... rid the world of one this evening. So a day to chill was had, Chicken Curry for tea. Ahhhh. Bobby Today was an AWESOME day I jumped in the lake about 2000 times from a long wooden pontoon. I made friends with a boy called Jay who is from Derby and going to be in year 4 in September. We played ping pong then we went in the lake. They are going to St Wolfgang tomorrow but we will play when they come back. Charlotte Today we made friends ...
Wake up in Austria
... dingy in the world finally got a dunking as the kids played on the lake. Afterwards we showered and did pasta and pizza. The pizzeria in the campsite needs to work on its timings. 20 minute wait turned into 80 minutes. They realised they had an upset Englishman on their hands at my wait - so fed me free beer!!!!!! And tea was great. Tomorrow is Salzburg and the pleasures of the Austrian public transport system. Of its anything like the scenery I won't want to get off the ...
5 Fingers in the Alps
... cable station was strenuous, cold and mostly uphill. Quite the workout for all who were brave enough to brave the height and the weather.
We left this beautiful location for a three hour drive - much of it within the Alps - to Bled Slovenia. I will never tire of the seeing the Austria homes (with their window boxes overflowing with colorful flowers) on the hillside. Awesome sights this day!
Alpine Austria
... day and time for a mountain hike to a waterfall (Ben and Chris went on ahead here as I was slower and we weren't sure we would get to the other side) and then on through the Alps down past a Salt Mine to a place where we had spectacular views of the Hallstatt valley and could catch the Funicular railway back down the mountain. Tomorrow will be another travelling day - off to another Alpine Mountain ...


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Bowers and Wilkins MM-1 ears on
Announced in early November, we've managed to score a photo gallery and ears on with the new Bowers and Wilkins MM-1 PC speakers that according to the company will "revolutionise the experience" of music, video and games.
The speakers, which as you can see from the pictures look like two large towers, are stylishly designed, bringing with them some of the styling found on the B&W Zeppelin and the Zeppelin Mini.
It's to be expected. After all the product has been built by the same team behind the company's Zeppelin iPod speaker, and each channel contains a full range, active, near field monitor with two drive units that include an aluminium dome tweeter for snazzier treble.
Bass output shouldn't be too much of a problem either, says the company, thanks to various proprietary DSP techs that have been crammed in.
There's a headphone jack in there so you can switch over to quiet mode while at your desk and the whole system connects to your PC or Mac via a USB socket, so it can do the audio encoding and processing itself rather than letting your computer do it.
Sound wise, we heard a very early pre-production model (we actually saw them a day after the announcement, but they were empty shells) and are happy to report that they produce a very mellow sound that would happily fill your desk with sweet music. We were subjected to Seal, Razorback, and Pink, not a great choice admittedly, but the speakers coped well even though B&W were keen to point out a lot of work was still to be done. It would be interesting to see how they perform with some Dylan for vocals and Crystal Method or The Prodigy when turned up loud.
We will wait for the final thing before giving a verdict, but from what we've heard so far, if you're looking for PC speakers with good sound and great style, this might just be the thing.
We will keep you posted.
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Masterpiece Classic
The Paradise, Part SixSeries Website »
Episode Guide »
This adaptation of the beloved French novel by Emile Zola is a rags to riches story of a young woman seduced by the dangerous charms of the modern world. Set against the Victorian splendor of a British department store, "The Paradise" follows Denise Lovett who lands a job as a shop girl and finds herself facing a future filled with never-before-imagined opportunities. With her high-profile nuptials just around the corner, Katherine turns The Paradise upside-down as she prepares for what promises to be a dazzling society event. Across the street, Denise proves her aptitude for business once again, though not all the shopkeepers are easily convinced. When Glendenning spots Moray consoling Denise, he warns Katherine of the threat. Will the wedding go ahead as planned or will Moray follow his heart?
Indian Summers: Episode 2Home Fires: Episode 1
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- 34Promote
Tote Bag
Grunge sticker of Argentina flagby Lulla
Our quality crafted Tote Bags are hand sewn in America using durable, yet lightweight, poly poplin fabric. All seams and stress points are double stitched for durability. Available in 13" x 13", 16" x 16" and 18" x 18" variations, the tote bags are washable, feature original artwork on both sides and a sturdy 1" wide cotton webbing strap for comfortably carrying over your shoulder.
Argentina!!! :D ♥♥
Thank you Carina Povarchik!!! Are you from Argentina?:)
Beautiful *****promotion ;~} Valz ♥
thank you Valz!:))
I am :) born and living in Arg :D
to Catrina: Vivat Argentina!
Nicely done ✯✯✯✯✯
Beautiful! Love the series!
wonderful flag series
Love the sun, dearest Lulla!!!
See More Comments


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SEOUL Indian drama "Zubaan" will open the Busan International Film Festival celebrating its 20th anniversary in October, organisers said Tuesday, after months of political and financial turmoil surrounding Asia s biggest film event.The coming-of-age drama involving a young Sikh musician is a debut film by Mozez Singh, and produced by Guneet Monga, a star producer behind international hits including the 2013 romantic comedy, The Lunchbox."It s not easy to pick a movie by a first-time director
RAWALPINDI Army Chief General Raheel Sharif inspected the Indian aggression on Line of Control (LoC) and Working Boundary at Corps Commanders conference on Tuesday. General Sharif said that the Pakistan Army is fully prepared to face any challenge,According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Corps Commanders conference took place under leadership of General Sharif at GHQ, Rawalpindi under which Indian aggression on borders was discussed.Addressing the conference, General Raheel Sharif said that
KARACHI: Commissioner of Karachi, Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui chairing a meeting Tuesday to review availability of potable water appreciated marked improvement in the situation, as compared to recent past.He, however, directed the concerned officials to arrange provision for water tankers in few of the areas that still faced with deficiency due to non existent or faulty pipe lines."People of these areas mainly un-regularized due to unchecked population must be properly informed
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaurdhy Nisar Ali Khan met with British High Commissioner to Pakistan Philip Barton on Tuesday.According to sources, during the meeting the Pakistani government's decision to prepare a reference for legal proceedings against MQM chief Altaf Hussain was discussed. Barton and Nisar also spoke about the investigation of Dr Imran Farooq's murder case.Earlier, speaking at the Rawalpindi Police Lines Chaudhry Nisar said the government was preparing a reference for initiating legal
ISTANBUL - Europe and the United States on Tuesday urged Turkey to show a "proportionate response" in the face of daily attacks by Kurdish militants amid growing concern over the scale of Ankara s air campaign against the rebels.Two more Turkish soldiers were killed in the latest assault blamed on Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants, as Ankara pressed on with a relentless air campaign against hideouts in northern Iraq.Ankara is waging a two-pronged cross-border "anti-terror"
Kabul: The head of the Taliban´s Qatar-based political office has stepped down, a statement said, a high-profile resignation within leadership ranks highlighting growing discord over the movement´s recent power transition.Mullah Akhtar Mansour was announced as the new Taliban chief on Friday after the insurgents confirmed the death of Mullah Omar, who led the militant movement for some 20 years.But splits immediately emerged between Mansour
KOLKATA: Floods from days of torrential rain have now claimed at least 180 lives in India with one million people sheltering in relief camps after fleeing surging waters, officials said Tuesday.Rivers have burst their banks, hitting thousands of villages in parts of West Bengal as well as northeastern Manipur state, where roads and bridges have been cut and communications were patchy.Most of those 180 died from drowning, while at least four people have been killed in a
CALIFORNIA World number one golfer Rory McIlroy has scheduled a Saturday practice round at Whistling Straits, site of next week s PGA Championship, a reliable source told Reuters on Monday.The Northern Irishman has not played since rupturing the anterior ligament in his left ankle early last month, an injury that prevented him from defending his British Open title at St. Andrews.McIlroy s manager, Sean O Flaherty, did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.News that the four-times major
HARARE: Zimbabwe won the toss and surprisingly elected to bat first as they looked to close out a three-match series against New Zealand with victory in Tuesday's second one-day international.With early morning starts at Harare Sports Club, conditions generally favour the side bowling first and so it is highly unusual for teams to win the toss and bat.The only two teams to do so at the venue in the past three years — Pakistan in 2013 and Australia in 2014 — both suffered shock defeats at the hands of Zimbabwe.The
HARARE: Sikandar Raza Butt´s unbeaten century hauled Zimbabwe out of trouble and gave them a fighting chance in the second one-day international against New Zealand at Harare Sports Club on Tuesday.Raza arrived at the crease with Zimbabwe struggling on 68 for five, and hit 100 not out from 95 balls to guide the hosts to 235 for nine.With early morning starts at Harare Sports Club, conditions generally favour the side bowling first and so it was a surprise when Zimbabwe captain Elton Chigumbura decided to have a
BISHEK: Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif concluded a visit to the Central Asian region Friday, pushing to expand energy ties with the former Soviet states to tackle Pakistan's chronic power shortages.In a meeting with his Kyrgyz counterpart, Temir Sariyev, in the capital Bishkek on Thursday, PM Nawaz discussed an electricity project that would see Pakistan import up to 1,000 megawatts from mountainous Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.The 1,200-kilometre (750-mile) power line, which
KARACHI A heavy contingent of the Sindh Police on Friday has conducted a raid at the house of former home minister Zulfiqar Mirza for his arrest.The new Home Minister Sohail Anwar Sial has taken an action against his former counter-part immediately after his appointment. The police have arrested at least two people from the house premises. According to the sources, Mirza is likely to be arrested.Sial was appointed as Home Minister on May 21.Earlier, Mirza stormed the Badin Police Station and took the law in hands after
ISLAMABAD: At least 34 bank accounts of Axact have been opened on fake identity cards, This was stated at a briefing held by the Federal Investigation Agency in Islamabad.Officials from FIA briefed the director.It was stated that the agency will investigate all of these bank accounts. It was also said that help from the United States will be taken in order to find out more about the alleged fake universities.After the disclosure of forensic report the investigation will be further expanded, it was added.Earlier,Last Updated on Friday, 22 May 2015 20:50


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I've a div in which I dynamically load a piece of code from the result of an AJAX request. Then I want to format it using prettify. It works but it's damn slow. The code I use is the following:
var jqxhr = $.get(fileName)
.success(function(data) {
In short I do the GET request, I put the result of the request in #myDiv I format it and I fadeIn the div. It takes a while but loads. But when I fade out the div then the page remains unresponsive for a couple of seconds. I removed the prettyPrint() and the page behaves just perfectly. Any hint?


text: NewsBeFunny, YouTube Hilarious '80s and '90s News Bloopers Are Perfectly Timeless By TheFW Staff April 27, 2015 | TheFW Times change and people change and but one thing that will never change? News bloopers being funny. Read More|Comment Category: Daily Distraction, News Send to a friend! Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Pin it! Reddit This! Share on Tumblr!


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- Reds lose 98 games, short-term future looks bleak Updated: Oct-05-15 4:35 pm
CINCINNATI - Todd Frazier summed up the Reds' worst season in 33 years with two familiar words.
- Hamilton to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery Updated: Sep-22-15 12:13 am
ST. LOUIS - Billy Hamilton will undergo arthroscopic shoulder surgery later this week, ending the season for the Cincinnati Reds speedster.
- Brewers end 8-game skid in 8-4 win over Reds Updated: Sep-20-15 6:45 pm
MILWAUKEE - In a lineup depleted by injuries and trades, steady veteran Adam Lind served as the offensive spark for the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday.
- Frazier joins elite company in helping Reds beat Brewers 9-7 Updated: Sep-20-15 12:00 am
MILWAUKEE - Cincinnati Reds third baseman Todd Frazier moved into quite a place in team history Saturday.
- Peavy hits 1st HR in 9 years, pitches Giants past Reds 5-3 Updated: Sep-17-15 2:24 am
SAN FRANCISCO - Sure, Jake Peavy can remember his last home run - and the pitcher who gave it up.
- Todd Frazier homers in 10th as Reds hold off Giants 9-8 Updated: Sep-16-15 3:08 am
SAN FRANCISCO - Todd Frazier made a celebratory hop as he rounded first base and gestured toward his dugout in delight.
- Duvall powers Reds past Cardinals 4-2 Updated: Sep-12-15 2:35 pm
CINCINNATI - Two rookies trying to prove they belong in the majors powered the Cincinnati Reds to another win over St. Louis.
- Cardinals at Reds game suspended in top of 8th tied 2-2 Updated: Sep-11-15 11:26 pm
CINCINNATI - John Lackey could win a game Saturday without taking the mound.


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AM980 Top Story:
Police Identify 10-Year-Old Boy Killed in Strathroy Area House Fire
Police have now identified a body found in the wreckage of a devastating house fire, southwest of Strathroy, as that of 10-year-old Quinn Derbyshire. It was located early Monday evening, almost a full 24 hours after the home on Melbourne Road, just south of Glen Oak Road, was destroyed by fire. The 10-year-old's parents, and two other brothers all made it out alive, and were treated in hospital for injuries described as non-life threatening. Police confirmed the identity of the body on...
AM980 Lexus of London Traffic


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Follow the money.
Adhering to that old journalistic adage pays off for Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Jennifer Berry Hawes in yet another rock-solid story on Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C.
This time, Hawes' coverage concerns not the faith nor the forgiving nature of a black congregation devastated by a white gunman's attack on a Wednesday Bible study.
Rather, the projects writer for The Post and Courier, Charleston's daily newspaper, digs into the touchy subject of church finances:
In the weeks after a suspected white racist gunned down nine worshippers in Charleston's historic Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, applause for the Rev. Norvel Goff Sr. swelled as talk of forgiveness inspired mourners nationwide.
Praise poured in — even mention of the Nobel Peace Prize — along with millions of dollars in donations to Emanuel AME Church and the families of the victims.
But others are coming forward to paint a much different picture of the man named interim pastor and now overseeing how the donations are doled out.
Across Goff's path of past churches, from New York to Columbia to Charleston, accusations of poor financial oversight swirl amid lingering questions about how he is handling the huge pot of donations at Emanuel AME.
Among them, a woman who served as secretary to the Rev. Clementa Pinckney, slain pastor of Emanuel AME, said she was terminated after raising concerns about the oversight of incoming donations.
And several members of Goff's most recent church, Reid Chapel AME in Columbia, contend their former pastor took out large mortgages against the church without proper permission while amassing federal and state tax liens that reached $200,000.
Similarly, the pastor who succeeded Goff at his previous church, Baber AME in Rochester, N.Y., said Goff also left it saddled with debt and hard feelings among members.
After that broad introduction, Hawes methodically presents the facts and accusations in a 2,700-word investigative piece that is both hard-hitting and fair.


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Protected on two sides by the wide, caramel-colored waters of the Tigris and surrounded by high cement walls, the 4-sq.-mi. Green Zone (officially called the International Zone) sits in the middle of Baghdad and is home to thousands of people, including many members of the Iraqi government.
- Inside the Green Zone


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Analysis: Shiloh
Inexact title. See the list below. We don't have an article named Analysis/Shiloh, exactly. We do have:
If you meant one of those, just click and go. If you want to start a Analysis/Shiloh page, just click the edit button above. Be careful, though, the only things that go in the Main namespace are tropes. Don't put in redirects for shows, books, etc.. Use the right namespace for those.


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Over the course of one day, the average U.S. citizen will read thousands digital words and see hundreds marketing messages. Here's what happened in the last 60 seconds alone: n Seven hundred thousand Google searches were performed. … more
TWO FRIENDS WERE WALKING down a busy street one evening when one paused and said, "Listen to those crickets chirping.""What crickets?" said the other person. "I don't hear any crickets. Hey, you!" He … more
How's it going? I mean this year so far? Accomplishing what you thought you would? On the path of amazing achievement? Or are you stuck in neutral, or worse, reverse? I am AGAINST "having … more
As a homebuyer or seller, do you really understand real estate commissions? Do you know how much a real estate agent who lists a house for sale typically gets? Equally important, how much the agent … more
It's February, the month for love. Your Statehouse bulges with people who profess to love you. Now make them give you a Valentine's bouquet of healthy legislation. State laws and regulations … more
EVEN HIGHLY EXPERIENCED and successful salespeople can have a blind spot. So intent on what they want to accomplish, it's easy to ignore how others view them. And it isn't always complimentary. "Oh, … more
I'M CHALLENGING YOU not to have your best year ever. Rather, have a great year. A great family year. A great achievement year. A great money year. A great health year. The secret of "great" is not to … more
HERE ARE A FEW MORE SALES, business and life answers that can help you make more sales today, and help you build a personal brand and reputation forever. more
DO YOU REMEMBER the TV show "MacGyver"? The titular hero was the epitome of resourcefulness. He would get trapped, usually in a building that contained a ticking time bomb, but he was able to free himself by being resourceful and using what was available to him, like duct tape or chewing gum. I was always intrigued -- and impressed. more
One of the nightmares that business owners experience is the unexpected departure of their controller, chief finance officer or bookkeeper. But, this sort of occurrence in not unheard of and the wise CEO will make sure a contingency plan is always in place. more