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Featured News
Film News
Political News
Actress Gallery
Actors Gallery
Movie Events
Movie Stills
Daily Serials
MAA Serials
Chinnari Pellikuthuru
Manasu Palike Mouna Geetham
Eetharam Illalu (MAA Gold)
Kodala Kodala Koduku Pellama
Eetharam Illalu (MAA TV)
Mahabharatham Telugu
Ramulamma Serial
Srinivasa Kalyanam
Ashta Chamma
Puttinti Pattucheera
Kanchana Ganga
Hara Hara Mahadeva
CID Telugu
Seethakoka Chiluka
Seetha Mahalakshmi
Shashirekha Parinayam
Pellante Nurella Panta
Zee Telugu Serials
Varudhini Parinayam
Mangamma Gari Manavaralu
Mooga Manasulu
Jodha Akhbar
Gorantha Deepam
Rama Seetha
Iddaru Ammayilu
Mudda Mandaram
Amma Na Kodala
Koncham Istam K.K
Meena Serial
Durga Serial
ETV Serials
Naa Peru Meenakshi
Manasu Mamatha
Swathi Chinukulu
Aadade Aadharam
Atharintiki Daredi
Gemini Serials
Shravana Sameeralu
Agni Poolu
TV Shows
ETV Shows
Jabardast Comedy Show
Extra Jabardast Comedy Show
Ali tho Jaleega
Suma Star Mahila
Dhee Juniors
Jhummandi Nadam
Padutha Theeyaga
Soundarya Lahari
Swara Sangamam
MAA TV Shows
Suma Connexion
Pandaga Chesuko
Anasuya Maa Mahalaxmi
Meelo Evaru Koteeswarudu
Super Singer 8
CID Telugu
Zee Telugu Shows
Koncham Touch lo Unte Chepta
3 2 1 Go - Celebrity Show
Mondi Mogudu Penki Pellam
Police Daily
Gemini TV Shows
Bol Baby Bol
Lucky Lakshmi
Dance Baby Dance
Ali ATM
Pillalu Pidugulu
Misc Shows
RK Open Heart-2
Kiraak Comedy Show
Murali Krishna Encounter
Political Video News
Listen Audio Songs
Film Video News
Movie Events
Movie Trailers
2015 Movies
2014 Movies
Comedy Movies
All Time Hits
Short Films
Cookery Shows
Aaha Emi Ruchi
Just Cooking
Sweet Home
Maa Oori Vanta
Mee Inti Vanta
Sanjeev Kapoor Vantillu
Astrology Shows
Shubhamasthu Daily
Vaara Phalalu
AP Videos
Chandrababu celebrates 64th birthday among people!
Chandrababu celebrates 64th birthday among people!
Posted :
April 19, 2013 at 11:10 pm IST
AP Videos
Maa TV
Zee TV
Koilamma Daily Serial – E297 – 15th Aug
Chinnari Pellikuthuru Daily Serial – E1940 – 15th Aug
Ashta Chamma Daily Serial – E1251 – 15th Aug
Lakshmi Kalyanam Daily Serial – E239-15th Aug
Uyyala Jampala New Daily Serial – E50- 15th Aug
Kodala Kodala Koduku Pellama – E1577 -15th Aug
Malleswari New Daily Serial -E193- 15th Aug
Kumkuma Puvvu Daily Serial – E334 – 15th Aug
OK Jaanu New Daily Serial – E68 -15th Aug
Kutumba Gouravam Telugu Daily Serial – E83 -15th July
Kongumudi New Daily Serial – E154 – 17th June
Nannaku Prematho – New Daily Serial -E45 – 2nd Jun
Kalyana Vaibhogam – New Daily Serial – E77 – 15th Aug
Naa Kodalu Bangaram Daily Serial -E 60 – 15th Aug
Punnaga Daily Serial – E152 – 15th Aug
Muthyala Muggu Daily Serial -E376 – 15th Aug
That is Mahalakshmi New Serial -E14- 15th Aug
Pakkinti Ammayi daily serial – E228 – 15th Aug
Rama Seetha Telugu Serial – E924 – 15th Aug
Suryavamsham – Daily Serial -E27- 15th Aug
Mudda Mandaram Serial – E853- 15th Aug
America Ammayi Telugu Serial – E640 – 15th Aug
Kumkuma Bagya Telugu Daily Serial – E558 – 15th Aug
Ganga Telugu Serial – E624 – 5th Aug
Saradaga Kasepu Comedy Serial – 15th Aug
Allare Allari అల్లరే అల్లరి Daily Serial – 15th Aug
Okariki Okaru – Daily Serial – E86 -15th Aug
Manasu Mamatha Daily Serial – 2047- 15th Aug
Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu -608 – 15th Aug
Savithri Serial – E738 – 15th Aug
Swathi Chinukulu Daily Serial – E1228 – 15th Aug
Atharintiki Daredi Daily Serial – E866 – 15th Aug
Naa Peru Meenakshi Daily Serial – E795- 15th Aug
Vasantham Daily Serial – E648 – 15th Aug
Aadade Aadharam Daily Serial – E2521 – 15th Aug
Abhishekam Daily Serial – E2676 – 15th Aug
Nuvvu Naku Nachav Daily Serial – E 61 – 15th Aug
Sri Anjaneyam Telugu Serial -E 347 – 15th Aug
Naagini 2 – Daily Serial – E61 – 15th Aug
Amma Nenu O Ammayi Daily Serial -E32-15th Aug
Agnipoolu Daily Serial – E1320 – 15th Aug
Shaneeshwaruni Divya Charitra – E20 – 15th Aug
Chakravakam Telugu Serial – Episode 389 – 15th Aug
Mogali Rekulu Telugu Serial – E360- 15th Aug
Prathighatana New Daily Serial – E196 – 15th Aug
Nandini Daily Serial – E175 – 15th Aug
Nathi Charami Daily Serial – E260 – 15th Aug
Manjula Naidu's Keratalu Telugu Serial – E306 – 22nd July – Final Episode


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Common Spine Conditions
The spine team at Piedmont utilizes a variety of diagnostic tests to evaluate each patient's condition and pinpoint the cause of the pain. Piedmont physicians are skilled in employing EMG testing, facet injections, nerve blocks, and more to learn the exact source of your pain so the most effective treatment plan can be applied. Your physician will also listen to you to learn more about your lifestyle and goals to determine what type of treatment would best fit your comfort level.
If you suffer from back pain, you know that it sometimes can be incredibly difficult to diagnose properly. The spine is a series of 25 joints stacked on top of each other. To put that in perspective, your knee has two joints. Those 25 joints must work together with 23 discs, a series of ligaments and multiple different muscles encasing the spinal cord to bend, twist, and support our body weight on a daily basis – a tall task. When your spine encounters an injury or additional stress, you want a skilled specialist in your corner helping to quickly and accurately diagnose the cause, and therefore prescribe the best treatment. Low back pain is said to be the single leading cause of disability worldwide.
You can learn more about some of the more common spine conditions in our Patient Education section, however we recommend making an appointment with a spine specialist who can evaluate your unique case and provide additional information that is most useful to you.
Common Spine Conditions
- Chronic Neck Pain (cervical pain)
- Chronic Neck Pain (cervical pain)
- Herniated discs
- Spinal stenosis
- Spondylolisthesis
- Degenerative Disc Disease
- Spine Fractures
- Cervical Radiculopathy
- Coccydynia
- Degernerative Disc Disease
- Herniated Discs
- Scoliosis
- Sciatica
- Spinal Stenosis
- Spinal Tumors
- Spondylosis
- Sacroiliac (SI) Joint Pain
Watch videos and download brochures about some of these conditions in the Patient Education section.
Make an appointment with a physician here or by calling 478.474.2114.
It's time to get back to your life. Piedmont Orthopaedic Complex can help you do it faster.

subset: commoncrawl


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Left Lateral Incisor Chipped tooth treated with Dental Bonding
*Treatment results may vary
Was this photo helpful? {{ voteCount + ' other' + (voteCountOthers == 1 ? '' : 's') }} found this helpful
Patient Chipped her front lateral incisor on a wine glass and immediately contacted Dr. Davidowitz to have it repaired prior to the next work day.
White Cosmetic bonding was completed to fully restore form, cosmetics and function of her left lateral incisor.


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Is turmeric is effective for weight lose
Turmeric is a magical spice for so many problems. In India it's a basic spice which is use in all type of food and recipe. Turmeric is so effective for so many problems if we take turmeric for medicine purpose then it may give you so many benefits. In India if any cut or burn happen on skin then the only treatment which is so effective and easy is turmeric and it's also so good for face and all skin type of problem. So there are so many uses of turmeric. It's also so effective if we use this for weight loses. It's also proved by scantiest that turmeric have so many property who helps to burn fat and if we take a proper and regular amount of turmeric in over food and salad then we can see amazing effect on losing ponds. So there are so many benefits of turmeric for weight loses.
What's Turmeric?
Turmeric is basically a spice which is use in India and other places to enhance the taste and color of food. Turmeric has so many healthy benefits.
- We can't any type of side effect in turmeric and when we eat this regular we can avoid so many body problems like We found anti-inflammatory in turmeric it's a purely natural herb.
- If you are injured any where then turmeric is best medicine to apply on this. We found antiseptic property in turmeric which is so good for cut and burns on skin.
- There are so many effective attributes are found in turmeric which are so good for so many different type of deases and protect us with this.
- Turmeric have so many beneficial property if you found to fight with a deases like cancer then it's good that we take a very little amount of turmeric in over daily food. It will boost your immune system and helps you to fight with such type of deases.
- It's so good for liver problems also. It will help you to fight with all type of toxins to protect liver.
How Turmeric helps you to reduce weight??
There are so many beneficial property in turmeric and when we eat this regularly then it may give you so many benefits and make you slim but people have doubt amount that how turmeric effective for weight lose so we are going to tell so many beneficial property of turmeric.
- Turmeric is Lowers Cholesterol spice:
Turmeric is so effective for weight lose people are facing the problem high cloistral and we always try to avoid this problem for that its must that we take the food in which we found low cholesterol and turmeric is one of them. If we take regular amount of turmeric in over food then we can easily lose weight faster and make over self slim and beautiful.
So there are so many beneficial properties in turmeric and it's also so good for reducing weight and makes you slim and beautiful and reduces so many pounds if we take this regularly.


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This is a solution of International trade finance Assignment in which we discuss International trade finance,Activity ratios,Liquidity Ratios,Impact of Increased in overdraft.
International trade finance
Financial Forecast:
Income Statement for the Year ended January 31, 2016
($ Million)
less: Cost of Goods Sold
Gross Profit
Less: Selling, Admin and Distribution expenses
Earnings before interest and tax
Less: Interest expense
Earnings before taxes
Less: Income Taxes
Net Income
Balance Sheet as at January 31, 2016
($ Million)
Current Assets
Account receivable
Total Current Assets
Property, Plant and Equipment
Land, Buildings & Equipment
Total Property, Plant and Equipment
Current Liabilities
Bank Overdraft
Accounts Payable
Total Current Liabilities
Long-term Liabilities
Debentures (secured on Land)
Total Liabilities
Shareholder's Equity
Common Shares
Retained Earnings
Total Shareholder's Equity
Total Liabilities and Shareholder's Equity
Liquidity and Efficiency Ratios:
Activity Ratios
Days of inventory
Inventory turnover
Average collection period
Total Asset Turnover
Liquidity Ratios
Current ratio
Quick ratio
Working capital
Activity ratios:
Days in inventory ratio reveals efficiency in the management of inventory. Days are pected to be higher here, which is not a good sign to the company.Inventory turnover shows the inventory turns number on yearly basis. Expected to be higher here, this is not a good sign to the company.Average collection period reveals the average span of time a company waits for sale proceeds. The period 88 days on average here is shorter one, which is favorable for the company.The total asset's turnover ratio of 1.2 is revealing that each $1 asset of the company is generating about $1.2 of sales.
See more : Financial Feasibility Assignment
Liquidity Ratios:
Current ratio reveals an entity's capability of paying current liabilities utilizing the assets which are convertible to cash in a shorter time period. The ratio of 1.39 is showing that the company has $1.39 of current assets to pay the current liability of every $1.Quick ratio reveals an entity's capability of paying current liabilities through utilizing its quick assets. The ratio of 0.69 is showing that the company has $0.69 of current assets to pay the current liability of every $1.Working capital ratio is showing that the company has $2.10 Million current assets in excess of its current liabilities.
Amount to be paid to suppliers:
The formula for calculating the Days payable outstanding (DPO) is;
Days payable outstanding = (average accounts payable / cost of goods sold) * 365 days
Days payable outstanding = 1.8 / 8.19 * 365
Days payable outstanding = 80 Days
Therefore the current day's payable outstanding of the company is 80 Days.
For the purpose of reducing the Account Payable to 40 Days span, the company should have to reduce the Account's Payable to $0.9 Million, therefore;
Days payable outstanding = 0.9 / 8.19 * 365
Days payable outstanding = 40 Days
As the current Accounts Payable has the balance of $1.8 Million therefore in order to reduce the amount to $0.9 Million the Company should have to settle the accounts payable of $0.9 (1.8 – 0.9) Million to the creditor's exceeding 40 day's span.
Visit now for more information-:Finance Program Assignment Help
Impact of Increased in overdraft:
For the purpose of settling the Accounts Receivable amount from $1.8 Million to $0.9 Million, the company should have to pay $0.9 to the creditor's exceeding 40 day's span. Since the company is financing this payment through Bank overdraft therefore the company has to pay the additional interest charges on $0.9 Million, i.e. $0.108 Million to the Bank. Consequently the company's earnings will also reduce by the amount of $0.108 Million.Sources of financing The sources of finance available to the company for reducing the amount of Account's Receivable include.
Short term loans that have a small span of time, generally from a only some days to a only some months or only some years. The applicant gets the cash from the bank on a short notice, and returns the same within a limited span of time. They are quick to apply with simplicity.Debt having a Long term is a form of financing that is generally provided for a span of more than a year. Long term debt services are usually provided to those entities that face a capital shortage. The company is entitled of tax saving on the interest.Stocks that are issued to the general public. The shareholders are the owners of the business. They may be of two types:
-Equity shares and
-Preference shares
when you make issuance of stock, there is no obligation for repayment of the funds. Instead, you also have other owners to share the risk of the business investment with.
Issuing Debenture to general public which are required to be secured against company's asset's including property. Recommendation for picking the source of Financing is the Issuance of common stock to the public as it has there is no debt obligation, and no financial fees. Moreover no type of collateral is required for equity investment.
Oz Assignment Help provide assignment writing service based on case study requirements in affordable prices and we are providing most flexible online assignment writing help, so book your Assignment with us, order no


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EEG - Neuroscience in practice
Marketing and advertising works, but primarily because they influence consumers in nonconscious ways. At a conscious level, consumers can't grasp the effect ads and marketing have on them.
Marketing and advertising works, but primarily because they influence consumers in nonconscious ways. At a conscious level, consumers can't grasp the effect ads and marketing have on them.
EEG shows how marketing works
EEG creates insight of how the brain react to marketing stimuli like TVC's, ads, designs, copy text, logos etc. Even small changes of appearance or content will have an effect on how the brain process information. One example is that stimuli easy to interpret make your brain process information fluency without effort and have good opportunities to cut through.
EEG (electroencephalography) is one of the most powerful and hard-core neuromarketing tools, frequently used by scientists and universities giving it an in depth validation. EEG creates direct measures of brain activity by using sensors on the head to record the electrical activity of neurons firing across the brain. The system and the algorithm used by Straylight are the Exakti EEG methodology, built up by the university of Helsinki.
EEG can be used for understanding moment by moment activity and identify cause and effect on the brain activity. It can be used for analysing both the marketing cocktail as a unit and for maximising the different ingredients building up the marketing.
Execution is king
If a brands visual identity, it´s communication and it´s offer is executed well the cocktail of brand ingredients will draw the consumer in closer and approach the brand, both physically and metaphorical. A bad execution will push the consumer away from the brand, from the TV channel, from the web site and in worst case establish resistance for future relations.
Straylight Neuro Lab is where it´s happening
The EEG study is conducted on a sample of approx. 40 persons in a target group that are invited to participate. The location is the Straylight Neuro Lab in Stockholm where all conditions like sound, light and materials are under 100% control. The lab can be moved to other locations when needed and when the strict lab conditions can be solved
The study takes 10-12 minutes. The participants have a small cap with sensors on and watch a screen with stimulus while we record their brain activity in a computer.
The EEG KPI's
The EEG analysis is built around four basic KPI's:
- Attention: Does the brain filter the stimuli out of the information cluster?
- Interest: Does the brain decide to evaluate the stimuli?
- Want: Does the brain decide to approach or avoid?
- Memory: Does the brain process the information?
Four areas where you absolutely should use EEG based analysis
EEG is a great tool for advertising audits, testing ideas, copy text and propositions. Both prepared material like final version TVC's and idea storyboards can be evaluated.
Design Test
EEG can measure consumer responses to new products and package designs that are automatic, emotional, and beyond our conscious awareness.
Value Propositions
EEG is a great way of testing how to communicate brand values, propositions and headlines. EEG shows which proposition area is best and which specific formulation has the best prerequisites to activate new behaviors.
Point of Sale
EEG is the best way of testing how to create point of sale material and messages that make you win the store battle. The information from an analysis can be used to optimize every step in the purchase journey.


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Thank you to everyone who's contributed so far to my one-question ADR marketing survey! If you haven't done so already, please visit the page and let me know what your one burning question is about marketing and building an ADR practice — and please share this link with anyone else you think might be interested! Your feedback will help me provide the most thorough and helpful information possible in my upcoming ADR marketing webinar.
Right now, I want to answer a couple of the burning questions that people have shared with me so far...
Question 1: How can I get people aware of the benefits of ADR?
This is a great question that cuts right to the heart of what I want to share in my webinar. First, please understand is that marketing is not advertising — although advertising is one form of marketing! It's better to think of marketing as the whole range of activities we pursue to build awareness of the services we offer. That might include taking out ads or putting up a billboard, but there are so many other options available to you — including various forms of public education!
Step one is to define your brand. What is your unique value proposition? You may be a general practitioner with "years of experience in a broad range of practice areas," but that message isn't going to resonate with people looking to solve a specific problem. I submit that calling yourself a "family lawyer" or "commercial lawyer" probably isn't narrow enough, either. I keep divorces private and respectful, without litigation. That's my brand in just 8 words. You should be able to define your brand in 15 words or less. It should be concise and give people a clear reason to choose to hire you.
Once you know your brand, step two is to start marketing it — getting it in front of the people who matter. Those people might be clients or referral sources. Either one is fine, and you don't have to choose just one, as long as you have a clear audience in mind for each marketing effort. And there are lots of options available to you. Here's a quick list (which I explore in much more depth in my webinar):
- Website
- Local listings
- Blogs and other free content
- Social media
- Networking
- Journal articles
- Public outreach
- Ratings websites
- Video
- Podcasts
Some of these should be considered mandatory, but you don't have to use all of them — I sure don't. I know people who make informational videos a core part of their marketing, while others (like myself) haven't ever made a single video. Same with podcasting, which is huge for some people. The key is to find the marketing approach that feels "right" to you and then deliberately, systematically follow through.
It takes time, but it really pays off when you start getting those calls asking for specifically what you're offering!
Question 2. How can I get consistent income from mediating?
Obviously it's possible. We all know at least one person who's making a living as a mediator. So how can you make it happen for you?
First, you need to hold yourself out as a mediator. Don't bury mediation at the bottom of a list of services you offer. If you want to be a full-time mediator, make sure the world knows that you're serious about mediation. Make it central to your brand (see question 1).
Second, define what you mean by "consistent income." What we're really talking about is having the right combination of billing rate and caseload to reach the income you want. I'll use some nice round numbers to show you a couple of ways to get there. These aren't my actual numbers, but they make the math easy...
Option 1: Target Caseload
Here, the idea is to determine your target caseload based on how many hours you predict each case will take and how much you can reasonably charge per hour. Here are some inputs you might use:
- $200,000 target gross income (or whatever your personal goal is)
- 10 hours per case (or whatever estimate seems reasonable to you)
- $200 per hour (or whatever you actually charge)
Putting it all together, $200,000/$200 = 1,000 hours per year. At 10 hours per case, that's 100 cases per year, or about 2 new cases per week. That's your target caseload.
Option 2: Target Billing Rate
Another option is to set your billing rate based on your target income and how many hours you expect to work each year. Here are some potential inputs for this option:
- $200,000 target gross income (or whatever your personal goal is)
- 261 workdays in 2016, excluding holidays
- 21 additional workdays of vacation and sick days, for a net of 240 workdays
- 3 hours of billable work per day (assuming you allow one third of your time for marketing and another third for administration and other non-billable tasks)
$200,000/240 workdays = $833 per day. If you expect to bill 3 hours per day on average, you should charge $833/3 = $278/hour. If that's more than you're comfortable charging, prepare to work more days per year or more hours per day — or adjust your income expectations accordingly.
Option 3: Complementary Services
Did I say there were two options? There's a third option you should consider! Here it is...
Most of us have complementary services we can offer beyond mediation. If you're a lawyer, you can be a collaborative law attorney, settlement counsel (i.e., with a limited scope engagement letter), consulting attorney for parties in mediation, etc. If you're a mental health professional, you can offer counseling or divorce coaching to parties going through divorce, no matter what process they've chosen. If you're a financial professional, of course there is a whole host of additional financial services you can provide. Consider becoming a CDFA, to start.
If you're not meeting your target mediation caseload, offering these kinds of services can help you meet your target income, while remaining true to your brand. Eventually, as your marketing pays off and your mediation caseload grows, you can drop those additional services. Or you might decide that you enjoy them and keep them on. Up to you.
Do you have more questions?
These are great questions and I enjoy answering them. If you have more questions, please visit the survey page and submit your question there — or use the comment section below, where your feedback is always welcome! And again, please share this link with anyone else you think might be interested!


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should be used if you are passing harder, drier stools less often and dietary
methods haven't worked
Laxatives work
in five ways and any individual laxative may work in more than one way:
are laxatives which soften the motion such
as lactulose, lubricate the motion such as
liquid paraffin, increase
the bulk of
the motion such as fybogel, stimulate the bowel to contract to push the
motions around the bowel such as senekot, or draw water into the bowel such as 'salts'
like magnesium or aluminium hydroxide
you also have indigestion, it is a good idea to take magnesium hydroxide rather
than aluminium hydroxide which tends to constipate the stool
you buy a laxative, ask your pharmacist how it works. The most gentle are
lactulose and fybogel. Other laxatives are more powerful and may have side
effects such as urgent diarrhoea
these medicines are very safe to take but it is always a good idea to
discuss this with the pharmacist if you have any worries. The laxatives which stimulate
or draw water into the bowel always work if you take enough of them! However in larger doses they can cause bowel
spasms, colic and diarrhoea, which may be difficult to control
particularly if you are older and can result in incontinence
Email to a friend popup text


text:
A unique and interactive Education HR online toolkit, featuring a range of standard letters, policies, advice documents
and intuitive work flow patterns for you to download and use.
Unlimited access for all staff for just £495 per year
Direct Telephone access to a highly experienced panel of Education HR advisers, able to offer assistance on a variety
of HR issues, including unlimited access to SAS HR Enable.
From £35 per employee, per year
Expert provision of a face to face HR Consultancy service, offering proactive issue resolution delivered by a team of
highly experienced Education HR Professionals.
Flexible packages to suit


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Will Burybones was an Undead Gravedigger Boss who haunted the Tortuga Graveyard as well as the Governor's Garden, King's Run, the cemetery on Port Royal, and Las Pulgas. He appears as a level 1-3. He was one of the least deadly bosses. He used a Dagger and was not a danger to even lower level pirates.
Will was not a static boss, his apperance was random where Undead Gravediggers were likely to appear. Also, he had been spotted during Invasions.
- Note: His name breaks down to Will Bury Bones. Which is his former career as a gravedigger - he buried bones.


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See the latest update on Chef Meeker's progress!
Congrats to Kim Sheridan and Chef Meeker…WAY TO GO!
Keep up the great work!!
Archive for April, 2011
27 Apr
Check out this Video Featuring Chef Meeker and Kim Sheridan!
See the latest update on Chef Meeker's progress!
25 Apr
It's Your Lucky Day!
Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Harry Valentino!
Monday, April 25, 2011
Enjoy two complimentary entrees in Scot's Grille this evening.
Please inform the receptionist when making your reservation.
(Valid for date above only, must dine in Lock Bar.)
19 Apr
Thanks to all who attended the Indian Celebrity Maitre d'Night last Thursday evening. It was a great night!
1 Apr
Much fun was had by our Glenmoor Housewives at last nights event!


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Books We Love: The Kissing Hand/
Title: The Kissing Hand
Author: Audrey Penn
Illustrator: Ruth E. Harper and Nancy M. Leak
Reading level: 3+
Publisher: Tanglewood Press
Chester the Raccoon is starting school, but is nervous and afraid. He doesn't want to go. Mrs. Raccoon, with her caring nature, knows just what to do to give her son comfort and courage. She places a gentle kiss on the palm of his hand. Whenever he feels scared or lonely, the Kissing Hand reminds him of his mother's love and gives him a sense of courage to take on the new challenge.
Things to Love:
- The relationship between Chester and his mother is beautiful. The heartwarming story is something that parents will enjoy sharing with their children.
- Even though this book is about starting school, it can be used to help prepare children for any new situation.
- The illustrations are beautiful, warm and play an essential role in this story.


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I think that meeting new friends as an adult is probably one of the hardest things we do. It's not like you're in school and are put together with people – and the people we're put together with at work aren't always people we could approach to become friends with.
Cambridge is a strange place. Big enough to have a lot going on, but small enough to feel like a village. Everyone knows everyone else, and once you've made a few connections, you're sorted. But it's taking those first few steps and getting those first connections that is the hardest.
I've written about this before, but having spoken with people recently about what they can do right now to help them make more friends, I thought it'd be worth writing about it again. [Read more…]


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I thought instead of doing a whole makeup collection I'd go brand by brand to show you some of my favourite things.
I thought I'd start with MUA, this was the first brand I ever properly tried and liked.
I am so obsessed with their lipstick in shade 11 (far left), it's so creamy and the colour is so, so nice. Shade 2 is the one in the middle and I don't reach for this unless I go out but I really like it. Finally I have on of their matte lipsticks and I'm not really a fan, the colour is nice but it's so dry and hard to apply.
Their blush in "Bon Bon" is really lovely. I don't wear blush that often but this is one I'll reach to. It is so pigmented so you only need the tiniest bit.
I want to try so many of their eyeshadows, they're only £1 and are amazing. The one in "Copper" on the left is so pigmented and blends so well – it had a nice bit of shimmet to it and I love it. "Fudge" on the right is the shadow I use everyday for the base of my eyeshadow – I love it so much and would definitely get it again.
Their highlighters are only £3 and I can not describe how good they are – I love them so much. The pigment of them is incredible and I just love the way they look.


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Needles and Pins
More from Tully West. Featuring Digby Luxton, Mat Kinsman, Max couling, Jeremy Corea, Jack Dargan, Jarrad Carlin, Tom Snape & more. More ›
More from Tully West. Featuring Digby Luxton, Mat Kinsman, Max couling, Jeremy Corea, Jack Dargan, Jarrad Carlin, Tom Snape & more. More ›
Straw Talk from Tully West on Vimeo. New clips, new clips. This time from Melbourne filmer Tully West featuring Cade Wilson-Russ, Bryce Golder, Jeremy Corea, Elijah Robertson, Hootie Andrewes, Jack Fagan (breaking rails), LP Nuku, Digby Luxton, Max Couling, Jack Dargan, Isaac Matz, Arthur Kay… More ›
Jake Darwen takes a gaggle of Australasians to the emerging transport hub of Zhengzhou results follow. Filmed and edited by Neihana Tonkin. More ›
Colin Evans' latest video project could well be named the 'Unofficial Ex-Pat Video' with the exception of a handful of your favourite Aussies; but until then lets go with its given name, Onti Goes – which is possibly the best video from a wax company that you'll ever see. Featuring:… More ›
Everything that went unseen from a recent trip to the eastern-central city of China, Zhenghou – featuring Jake Darwen, Kayle Lawson, Max Couling, Neihana Tonkin, Jarrad Carlin, along with Adam Davies, Tully West and Paul Battlay. More ›
Max Couling skates to The Smiths and owns it in his latest part from Dylan Bruns' UBG Vol. 1. Guest appearance by Harry Clark. More ›
Tully West recently graced the online world with his 2015 full-length video, School Holidays. The Melbourne based video features the likes of Jarrad Carlin, Jake Darwen, Casey Foley, Tim Williams, Max Couling, Bryce Golder and many more Aussie inhabitants. Enjoy. More ›
Geoff Campbell, the crafty lensman, has come through with a sack of spuds for The Skateboarder's Journal. More ›
Check out the trailer for UBG Vol. 1 – a Melbourne video by Dylan Bruns, featuring classic Kiwi culprits, Geoff Campbell, Casey Foley, Max Couling and Colin Evans, along with Quayde Baker, Bryce Golder, Jason Rainbird and more. More ›
The latest edit from ex-pat Logan J. Moodie, featuring all your favourites. More ›
Outspoken? Definitely. But it's undeniable that what Max produced in 2014 was great. Max had one of those years where everything fell into place. That's not to say it was easy; if anything, the complete opposite. He worked his arse off to produce a ten-page… More ›
Melbourne's Tully West has just dropped a teaser from his new video, School Holidays, and it's bloody good. More ›
Technically it's still Gregg Timms Appreciation Week (depending on when you're watching this), and we've saved some unseen gems for last. Here's an assortment of new and old footage donated from Max Couling's Lost Tapes for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy! More ›
Digby Luxton who features in this video hounded me to put this up, so here it is. More top quality skateboarding from the likes of: Tom Snape, Tim Williams, Geoff Campbell, Colin Evans, Max Couling, Bryce Golder, Jack Kirk and many more I can't be… More ›
It's 9:00am, there's work to be done, but not watching it is obviously out of the question. More ›
This spot in the heart of Melbourne city had been sitting dormant for over a decade ruined by large metal seats screwed on top of the marble blocks. All this footage is from November 2011 when for reasons unknown the metal was removed from the… More ›
Max is draining, but he means business. He's as streetwise as a Runangian can get, he can out skate-nerd the best of them and when the gauntlet is thrown down he holds his own. He's a formidable force and he's still not afraid to bring… More ›


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Have Your Say
Laya Healthcare
Hot Topics
Public Beds Charge
Lifetime Community Rating
The Health Levy
Tax Relief
Health Insurance in Ireland
Choosing Your Policy
What Affects the Cost of Health Insurance?
Market Decline and Why it Matters
Public Bed Charges
In 2014 new legislation was introduced - charging private patients up to €813 a day to stay in a public hospital bed. Now in 2017 we are seeing the impacts.
The Public Beds Re-designation charge
In January 2014 the Government introduced new legislation for privately insured patients admitted into public hospitals through A&E which has resulted in those with health insurance being charged up to 10 times the cost of a hospital bed, while receiving the exact same treatment as a public patient.
Patients who are admitted into public hospitals through A&E departments are being asked to sign a waiver which allows the hospital admit that member as a private patient rather than a public patient.
We appreciate that if you are in hospital, you are unwell and most likely stressed and anxious – why wouldn't you sign the waiver to try to get the best service possible? What difference does it make to you if your insurer is charged more? Is that not why you have your insurance in the first place?
The three main impacts for you are:
1) There are no additional medical benefits available to a member who is admitted as a private patient into the public system in an emergency situation. Members admitted to public hospitals through A&E do not get access to any additional services (i.e. a private room, the choice of a consultant etc) as a result of signing the waiver.
If you are admitted through A&E you are there on an emergency unplanned basis and you will receive the exact same services and procedures as a public patient would on a needs basis. Every resident in Ireland is entitled to public hospital cover as a public patient.
2) These unfair charges are pushing the cost of insurance premiums up. Since the introduction of the charge there has been a significant increase in the number and cost of public hospital beds claims. Between 2013 and 2016, we have experienced a 37 per cent increase in the cost of claims from public hospitals, and a corresponding 40 per cent increase in the volume of claims from public hospitals. As a company we cannot absorb these significant increases – they are rising to an unsustainable level – and claims costs are unfortunately passed on to members through increased premiums.
3) The manner in which the Private Insurance Patient Form is being presented also causes great concern. We continue to receive direct feedback from members who claim to have been put under pressure to sign the waiver form on admission in emergency situations, and in some cases members have retrospectively received the waiver form by post following discharge from hospital.
We encourage any member with concerns regarding pressure being put on them in Public Hospitals to sign a waiver form, to contact us immediately.
What you need to know when visiting A&E
Cost of a bed in a public hospital to receive the exact same service
public patient
/ day
private patient
/ day
Directly leading to a
in premiums
Public Bed Redesignation Charge
Ricky Fraher
Team member, Laya Healthcare


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INTEGRIS Health Partners is committed to providing the highest quality of care at the lowest cost to the patients and communities it serves. Under the leadership of the IHP Board and the Performance Improvement Committee, physician task forces have been developed to determine the care guidelines that network physicians will focus on to help us meet our mission. At the same time, these task forces will develop protocols around the selected guidelines. Evidence-based guidelines and national research will be used to develop network protocols. The board's vision for metric development can be found by visiting this page.
Current care guidelines developed and approved:


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For 3.5″- 6.0″ Android, Samsung, LG, SONY, Moto, Nokia, BlackBerry, HUAWEI, Xiaomi, HTC, Meizu, Lenovo, IOS, iPhone, iTouch smart devices.
It has the best design for loading your phone into it. This unit uses smooth scrolling button to attach your phone quickly and it works flawlessly with any smartphones. much faster and more convenient that the other versions which offer slide out phone holders, snap on holders, and stick on holders.
The headset quality is A+ and it made every game and video played through it look amazing. It is hard to explain the picture comparison to other ones as this one is so much sharper and defined. It is like going to the eye doctor for the first time and they put on corrective lenses that you've needed and you realize the world is totally different than what you've thought previously.
Product information
|OS Support
|Android & IOS
|Phone SreenSize Support
|3.5″- 6.0″ (Lmax: 154mm Wmax: 82mm Tmax:12mm)
|Pupil Distance Adjust
|Focal Distance Adjust
|Screen Resolution Suggest
|Above 1080P
|The equivalent of five meters away to see 320-inch screen
|ABS shell with piano paint tech, imported resin lenses with 8 nano coating layers,artificial leather patch
Specifications of Remote control
|Wireless 3.0 compliant
|Wireless Distance:
|2-10 Meters
|Android , IOS
|ARM968E-S Core
|Working time
|About 20 hours
|Working current
|Standby current
|Recharging current
|5V 200mA
|Shutdown current
Note: When the remote controller on Game mode, it only can be use for the game which support game handle.
And for the IOS, it only can be use for the icade game.
For more detail and function, please read the instructions.
Product Description
Highly Compatible:
Compatible with 3.5″- 6.0″ screen smartphones with Andriod or IOS include most of smartphones' brands. Works with over 300+ iOS/Android virtual reality apps on Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
As long as your phone is compatible with the VR APP, the Blitzwolf VR glasses are compatible with your phone. You can scan the QR code below and download the VR APP to have a try.
Premium Quality Material:
Strong ABS shell and high definition optical resin lenses, 8-layer nano-coating, 5 times polishing.Improved soft artificial leather material around eye area and headband to make it comfortable to wear while watching movies or playing games.
Adjustable, perfect fit:
Pupil distance and focal distance could be adjustable, at a range of 55mm – 75mm(PD) and ±5mm(FD), fits for eye-sight below 600 degrees.
Convenient and Practical Design:
The front cover is adsorbed by magnet, easily to be remove so that beneficial to your phone cool down, great for ventilation for long use and use your back camera which some VR Apps.
*You can charge and use earphone at the same time through the ventilation holes on both sides.
This 3D VR glasses wouldn't automatically transform images to 3d, It need you to find 3D sources. Firstly, Youtube is available for panorama videos/movies. Secondly, Search 3D SBS movies/videos/torrent in google/bing/yahoo.
We suggest our customer buy the proper bluetooth game controller by themselves according to the type of their phone since there was no controller that can be compatible to all kind of smartphones in the market at present.
In order to improve the viewing comfort, we suggest that the angle of back-rest and seat is 60°. In order to protect your vision, it is recommended that the viewing time should not be more than 60 minutes.
An 18-Month Warranty:
We believe in our products, join BlitzWolf to get what you need. We back them all with an 18-month warranty and provide friendly, convenient support.
Package include
1 Remote Control
1 Glasses Cloth
1 BlitzWolf BW-VR1 User Manual
1 BlitzWolf 18-Month Warranty Card


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The Kuhn Rikon Dual Grater has two ultra-sharp stainless graters in one compact tool! One side can be used to finely grate nuts and citrus and the other side for cheeses and chocolate. The textured handle provides a safe and secure grip. Once youre done, the grater slides into the base for compact and safe storage.
kuhn Rikon Dual Cheese Grate Details:
Fine / Extra Fine Grater
Ultra-sharp stainless steel etched grater.
Warning: Not for children - grater is sharp. Improper use may result in injury.
Dishwasher safe.


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Serves: 4-5
1 can (15 oz.) chili
1 can (15 oz.) chili beans, drained
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies
1 can (2.25 oz.) sliced black olives, drained
1 1/2 c. (6 oz.) cheddar cheese, shredded
1 1/2 c. tortilla chips, crushed
In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Transfer to a greased 2-quart baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly.
Click here to see if there are any coupons available to go with this recipe!
Tips: This easy chili casserole is very tasty and even my 2-year old gobbles it up. To keep this dish a bit healthier, use turkey or vegetarian low-fat chili. I also shared this recipe at Designs by Gollum's Foodie Friday.
Recipe adapted from Taste of Home's 2002 Quick Cooking Annual Recipes
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Chili Casserole
Posted by Stacy at 7:52 AM
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Boost your hiking energy: Glutathione Rapid Boost Sports Drink review
I'm always on the lookout for things that are going to help me go faster, farther and hurt less after an adventure.
Better food, gear and technique all count. You can be way more fit than the next guy but if you can't get out of bed for 2 days after then you won't be on the trail much.
I don't normally get into supplements or tips for eating on the blog just because we're mostly about gear. Sometimes I get my hands on other things that could improve your hiking in other ways, and I want to let you know what I find.
That thing today is the Rob Keller Glutathione Rapid Boost sports drink that increases an important antioxidant, a pretty major one called glutathione. It does a ton of stuff around your body. I'll explain in a second.
First, a note about the whole medical thing. I'm not a doctor, just writing about a product today I tried that should be safe for most people. Always ask your health care person, right?
Also, it's got shellfish in there somewhere so not vegan and not for those with allergies.What is Glutathione?
So back to glutathione.
Errr, what is glutathione? And how is this going to help me hike?
Ok, let's back up a little and explain.
Whenever you get sick, stressed, work out hard, hike long distances or anything else thats rough on your body, you end up with oxidants floating around in your body. They're the result of normal processes but they're unstable and need to be dealt with.
This is where anti-oxidants come in. They bind together with the oxidants and prevent them from causing inflammation. Otherwise the oxidants run around making you feel like crap.
Glutathione is one of the best anti-oxidants there is. Best meaning it does a ton of good stuff in your body.
It helps with your cells metabolism (power plants), moves things around in the blood, can help with altitude sickness, detoxify things coming into our body and tons of other stuff.
I won't go into all the sciency details here. The Rob Keller site has a ton of info in their Glutathione ebook.
But Glutathione isn't one of the things in the drink. Wait, how does that work?What is Rapid Boost drink and what does it do?
So, right, glutathione isn't in the drink.
All the ingredients that are in the drink work together to activate all the glutathione-building processes. The theobromine, N-Acetyl Cysteine and L-Glutamine help create more Glutathione in your body. The other ingredients do helpful things as well.
You get 15 pixie sticks of powder to dissolve into 8-12 oz of water.
From the Rapid Boost page:
Vitamin C – Reduces oxidative damage from exercise.
L-Theanine – Amino acid found in green tea. Improves concentration and attention span.
Quercetin – Natural flavonoid that increases endurance, exercise recovery and fuels fat burn.
N-Acetyl D-Glucosamine – Increases joint comfort, mobility and flexibility.
Selenium – Antioxidant mineral. Reduces oxidative stress during exercise.
B6, B12 & Niacin – Important to production and repair of cells, including red blood cell.
A whole cocktail of good stuff in there.
One thing to note that glutathione isn't an electrolyte. It's not like a Nuun tablet or Clif Shot Bloks. If you need something to replenish those from sweating a lot you'll need to bring something more. You will get lots of liquids from drinking all the Rapid Boost though. The glutathione and other ingredients are going to help your body recover from heavy exertions.Why is that good for hiking and adventures?
So with the other ingredients in the drink, it gives you energy, helps you focus for longer, hike longer, recover faster and get sick less. Good deal if you ask me.
Hiking, running and riding can be hard on your body. It has to recover in between bouts of running trails and scrambling mountains. The better your food and drinks are the faster it's going to recover so you can get at it again.
Like sleep, giving your body high quality fuel is going to result in the most energy and focus. Garbage in, garbage out, they say. Feed your body junk and you'll feel like junk.
The better you feel on a hike, the more fun it will be and the farther you'll want to go. Hiking on a wicked hangover isn't much fun. Hiking refreshed, full of energy and a clear mind is the best way to a satisfying hike.The ReviewRecovery
I'm not usually sore after hiking. Most of my hikes are long and slow and don't put a lot of pressure on my body. The fast power hikes can certainly hurt a few days later. Most of my CrossFit workouts lately have been intense and I'm almost always sore from those.
The Rapid Boost drink seems to help with the recovery on that. Day 2 after a workout is much less painful. Adding in an extra litre of water certainly helps with recovery as well.Immune System Boost
Every seems to be sick right now. We've had a terrible run right now with my family and everyone in the office sick multiple times so far this year. Some of them are still sick! I'm constantly battling colds I'm sure and trying to keep my head above the sicknesses.
A few days now I've woken up with a touch of a sore throat but after throwing back some Rapid Boost, I'm good to go again. I'm not sure if it's the massive dose of vitamin C or the glutathione that does it. Either way I'm happy for the immune system boost.Energy
It's been subtle and hard to differentiate from the caffeine boosts of coffee during the day but there's a nice little boost of energy after a Rapid Boost. Early or late morning on a hiking trip would be a nice time to have one.Flavours
The flavour is kind of a citrus-berry mix that's easy to drink. I thought I might have to choke down the drink like some others are but it's been easy to drink. All except the bits at the end.Slow to dissolve
There are always some bits at the end that don't dissolve no matter what I do. Some other bloggers noticed it as well. Shaking and shaking still doesn't get rid of them. I want all the goodness so usually end up just with a shot at the end with some floaties in it. Not the best but it's not terrible and I don't want to waste any of it.Conclusion
Should you get some Glutathione Rapid Boost?
If you feel great and have tons of energy on the trail all the time then maybe you don't need any.
If you're feeling a bit sluggish or like you might be sick with your tent mates cold then these are great to have along with you. I've been having one of the 15 pixie sticks almost every day but it would be good to tuck a few of these in your pack for a trip. Grab a stick any time you need an energy or immune boost or just a new flavour to the water.
The post Boost your hiking energy: Glutathione Rapid Boost Sports Drink review appeared first on The PureOutside Blog.
Buff Hats: The Anti-Stink Toque
I always thought Buff just made Buffs. But I reviewed the Canadian Collection Buff last week and mentioned Buff doesn't just make the one thing. They now have balaclava's, bandana's, hats and toques as well.
I'm never very far from a toque on most trips. Out running, skiing, riding, hiking and sailing I throw on a toque to stay warm or just to cover up my crazy adventure hair. Most of my toques are quite thick. Nice and toasty for sitting around or moderate movement in the winter but too warm for moving hard or anything in the shoulder seasons. The Buff toques are now my lightweight option.
Buff has 4 types of hats and toques. For toques, they have Reversible Microfibre, Polar Fleece and Microfibre, and Merino versions. For hats they have a polyester running hat with a neoprene brim which makes it easy to fold. I got my hands on the Reversible Microfibre and Polar Fleece versions to run them through some trips over this past winter.
Just to clarify toques are called hats on the website. The runnings hats are called caps.
I took both toques hiking, running and camping over the winter and spring. Both are super comfortable to wear but are suited to different purposes or conditions. Let's dig into the differences.What are they made of?
Both the toques are microfibre polyester, a soft, wicking, fast-drying fabric just like in the regular Buffs. The reversible model is microfibre inside and out where as the fleece model is fleece on the inside against your skin and microfibre on the outside.
The microfibre polyester is treated with Polygiene, a silver-ion anti-odor treatment. Here's a bit more on that.Polygiene
Sweating hard in your shirt, socks and toques creates perfect conditions for smelly bacteria to grow. It's not your sweat that smells, it's the bacteria that builds up in the warm, moist conditions in the fabric. Get rid of the bacteria, get rid of the smell.
Wool naturally has anti-bacterial properties but what happens if you can't wear wool or just want something that wicks and dries faster? Synthetics are perfect breeding grounds for bacteria.
Activated charcoal and silver treatments are now the go to solutions for the smell in synthetic fabrics, both eliminating bacterial growth in the fabric. Polygiene is a silver treatment on the microfibre polyester before it's made into anything.
The silver chloride in the fabric lasts the lifetime of the garment. You don't have to wash it as much because it smells less. When you do, a quick wash with mild soap then hang to dry is all you need. You spend less time washing and the shirts, toques and socks spend less time being battered around in the washer and dryer.Hook loop on top
There is a small transparent loop of thin plastic on the top of both the hats. I think they're for hanging to dry or store I have to confirm that. I think they just look funny and will probably just cut them off after I confirm what they're actually for.Soft
I love how soft and smooth the microfibre and fleece are. Even the softest merino can't yet match how smooth synthetics are. I tend to stick with merino for most things because of the temperature regulation and the smell factor. But with Polygiene solving the smell problem, synthetics look much more attractive for moderate and high-intensity activities.Wicking
Both the microfibre and fleece wick well. The fleece is warmer than just the thin microfibre and insulates well when it's wet.
Wearing the reversible microfibre against your skin will wick any moisture away. Running and hiking hard, it was keeping me dry. When the temperature warms up it becomes a trade off. Keep the toque on, trapping heat and sweating more or just take the toque off. A headband or rolled Buff to keep the sweat out of your eyes is probably the best option at that point.Fit
Both the microfibre and polar fleece toques are the active or beanie fit Buff talks about in their sizing chart. It fit snug against your skin. If you want something looser they do have a couple models with comfort or slouchy fits.Conclusion
Normally I stay away from synthetics for anything sweaty and outdoors because of the smell. Merino is my go to for toques, shirts and socks. The Polygiene in the Buff hats eliminates any smell.
The microfibre polyester and fleece are so soft it's easy to forget their on. To wear overnight or for multiple days, I'd be inclined to go with synthetic for the softness.
Find more about the Buff reversible microfibre hat and the Buff polar fleece and microfibre hat on the Buff site.Thanks! And a disclaimer
I got these hats for free from Buff to review. I wasn't paid to review them. I accept free items to review so I can test and review as much gear as possible. More reviews means you have more information when you go to buy something. I use them hard and give you honest feedback about what they're like.
Thanks so much to Buff for providing toques to get very sweaty.
The post Buff Hats: The Anti-Stink Toque appeared first on The PureOutside Blog.
Swiss army toque: A Review of the Buff
Say buff to someone and they won't be thinking lightweight, multipurpose outdoor garment. They might be thinking some dude with huge muscles strutting around on the beach. That's what you were thinking, right?
Well it's actually a lightweight, multipurpose outdoor garment. It's basically a tube of fabric that can be worn in many different ways. I never knew a fabric tube was this useful.
The first thing you need to do with a buff is figure out how to wear it.How to wear a buff
On the website they have an image for 12 different "official" ways to wear a buff. I'd imagine the real number is far higher than that. Searching around online and talking to people, everyone wears it differently and comes up with their own ways to do it.
Here are the quick explanations for how to wear the the buff in 12 different ways.
- Scarf – around neck
- Neck warmer – around neck, over bottom of chin
- Face mask – pull it up to your eyes
- Sun guard – up over your chin and the back of your head
- Hood – under your chin but up over the back of your head
- Balaclava – Hood and up to your nose
- Headband – around your head
- Beanie – twist it in the middle and pull it down to make a toque shape
- Bandana – tie a knot in it and put one end on your head
- Sahariane – lay flat on head and pull top down over head
- Hair band – just like the head band
- Head scarf – around your head but pull it back to cover your hair too
And if that makes no sense here's a video for a better visual.
For travelling or backpacking when you don't have much space and can't carry much weight having a toque, bandana, balaclava, scarf and headband in one is a pretty good deal.
The Original series made of wicking polyester (haven't tried a merino or polar fleece) are very soft. I'd imagine the others are designed to be on your face. My favourite ways to wear it so far has been a scarf or neck warmer on cold evenings and bandana or head scarf to keep the sun off my forehead and neck.Styles and fabrics
There are a few different fabrics for the Buffs. The Polar Buff is microfibre and fleece, and the Merino Buff is, well, merino wool. The UV Buff and the Original are polyester. The UV Buff is Coolmax Extreme that breathes and wicks the best.
I got one of the Originals from the Canadian Collection which is out now to commemorate Canada's 150th birthday this year. The polyester wicks really well in even the warmest conditions. Staying dry is priority number one to stay warm in cold conditions as well.
7 rad designs from Cameron Stevens from Burlington, Ontario make up the collection. There's one for the North, West Coast, Rockies, Prairies, Great Lakes, Quebec and the Maritimes.Other Buff things
Not to be content with just making tubes, Buff makes a ton of other stuff too. There are the slim fit and reflective versions of the Original Buff. They also do Bandana and Balaclava styles that are cut to be those specific shapes compared to the standard Buff tube. They even do Buffs for dogs! A couple of them in blaze orange if you're out during hunting season.
This year was the launch of a bunch of toque's and hats as well. I've been wearing the reversible microfibre toque as well as the microfibre with polar fleece version this past winter. A review on those is coming soon.Final Thoughts
Even if you think the Buff's are weird I suggest you give them a try. They are super useful and you can get them in a muted colour so it doesn't scream that you're wearing a fabric tube thingy. The new Canadian Collection is pretty rad if you're want to collect them all or just pick one up for your favourite part of the country.
Mine has replaced a toque in my bag for most trips because of how useful they are. Even if they're just a sweat band on your arm, it still doing more than just a regular ol' toque in your bag.
The post Swiss army toque: A Review of the Buff appeared first on The PureOutside Blog.
Light, Soft, Stretchy: Royal Robbins Traveler Stretch Pant Review
Making a good hiking pant is tough. It has to be light but durable and fit well. Traveler Stretch Pant from Royal Robins has met those and then some.
I'll dive into the specs and my experience with the Traveler Stretch Pant in this article but won't touch on much of the history of Royal Robbins. I've done that in the MerinoLux 1/4 Zip Review if you want to know more.Specs
The Traveller Stretch Pants features are simple. They fit well and are durable.
Here's the specs:
- Discovery Stretch Nylon (96% nylon, 4% spandex)
- Tricot lined waistband
- Machine wash and dry
- Fast drying
- Zipper back pocket on right, Velcro back pocket on left.
- Open front pockets with small velcro stack pocket on front right
- Zipper stash pocket on right leg big enough for a large phone or GPS
- Snap on the waist with with additional button
- Burro (light brown) and Charcoal for colours
The sizing is pretty accurate. I'm a 32 (31 on a good day) and the 32 fits well. The 32 inseam is a touch long for me but I've got short legs so that's to be expected. There are 30, 32 and 34 available for inseam lengths.
The nylon is softer than other nylon pants I've got. It's nice to not swish swish swish as much everywhere you go. It's now a hiking alarm for my dog. When the swishy pants come out it's hiking time.
I couldn't find the weight of them on Royal Robbins website. I will update this post when I found out. Their thickness is between my North Face and GoLite pants so probably around average for weight.Good fit and comfortable
Good fit on me, could even be a bit snugger down the legs. I've got thick legs so if you've got skinny legs they might be a big big. Nice for airflow though.
The fit is pretty standard for a hiking pant, like my other North Face and GoLite pants.
I don't find them constricting anywhere and the waist is tight enough but isn't too tight. This will just be a sizing thing though.
I've only hiked in mine but they would be great for spending days of travel in. The UPF 50+ would keep you covered in hot sunny areas and if you're caught in a rainstorm, they'll dry quickly for you.They don't sag
One of the things I've found with these when they get wet or sweaty is they don't sag much. Other nylon pants I've had, albeit thicker ones, get wet and sag, then end up dragging on the ground if they're too long. The spandex in these gives some stretch but don't sag much. Great combo for hiking with long pants in rainy or sweaty conditions.Durable
The Discovery Stretch Nylon has been very durable. I often end up bushwhacking trying to find trails or get to viewpoints I've spotted and there is no sign of wear after many hikes.
The stretch is going to help durability here. Stiff pants will snag and tear whereas stretchy ones will move with the snag and hopefully just bounce back instead of breaking the threads and tearing.Side pocket gets behind knee
I love side pockets to put my phone or GPS into for easy access (I can't be without my electronics!). But the side pocket on the right leg is low and too far around the side. Anything I put it there ends up around behind my knee while I'm walking. After one hike with my phone there, I haven't used it much for anything. Keys or anything pointy would not be comfortable.90 out of 100 for the Traveller Stretch Pant
The Royal Robbins Traveler Stretch Pant is a great travelling and hiking pant. The soft, stretchy nylon is really comfortable and moves easily for hiking or just lounging around. I found them quieter than my other nylon pants which is nice for not screaming "HIKER HIKER HIKER!"
The deep pockets hold everything I need to like phones and GPS and with the extra zipper on the back right pocket, adds a little bit of security.
I'd like to see the side zipper on the leg moved so the contents don't end up behind your knee when walking but it's a good option if you need to stuff more in your pockets.
For numbers I'd give the Traveller Stretch Pant a 90 out of 100 with it's fit, durability and comfort.More Photos
The post Light, Soft, Stretchy: Royal Robbins Traveler Stretch Pant Review appeared first on The PureOutside Blog.
Better than merino? The Royal Robbins MerinoLux 1/4 Zip Review
The elusive perfect merino shirt. Does it exist? Or do they all fall apart after wearing them hard?
After finding out about merino working in a gear shop nearly 10 years ago, I've been infatuated with it's amazing abilities. No smell, regulates your temperature, keeps some heat when wet. It seems like the perfect fabric for all outdoor clothing.
There's one problem though.
It's not very durable. Wear a piece of merino a lot and you'll see holes in less than a year. After wearing many brands of merino for some travel, work and all my outdoor adventures I concluded that merino wool is amazing but it just doesn't last that long.
Today we review the MerinoLux 1/4 zip, a base or mid layer from Royal Robbins designed to be the perfect merino piece that will last longer. Will it stand up to the abuse? Let's have a look.
But first we need a little backstory.Who's Royal Robbins?
Royal Robbins, the company, was created by Royal Robbins, the climber, and his wife Liz after climbing Half Dome in Yosemite. Noticing their ragged and ripped cut-off jean shorts after climbing, they realized they needed something better. Liz put together the Billy Goat, a simple, rugged short built for climbing and the apparel company was born.
Both the climbers and the company are run by a deep respect for the natural world. Royal and his friends pushed clean climbing for the first time in the late 60s, a new technique of climbing with no permanent bolts or pitons in the rock. Royals ascent of the Nutcracker in 1967 with nothing but temporary climbing protection ushered in a new era in climbing, and continued his legacy of respecting the natural world. Royal Robbins, the company, continues with that ethos today, swapping out fabrics that use less energy to make, and striving to be a more eco-friendly outdoor apparel company.
Instead of sticking with the standard polyesters used these days, they've upgraded to something better.What's Sorona?
A quick note before we look at Sorona. I apologize in advance for any misspellings of Sorona as Corona. Auto-correct was insistent that I was trying to say Corona. I wasn't drinking while writing this (well maybe a bit of wine), just over-active auto-correct. Back to Sorona.
In their efforts to be produce performance but eco-friendly garments, Royal Robbins have included Sorona, a corn-based polyester from DuPont, to their line.
Most often combined with other materials like merino, Sorona dries and wicks like a nylon polyester but requires less energy and greenhouse gases to produce. It's lower dying temperature requires less energy to colour and its washable in cold water. It dries fast and also lasts longer so you're buying fewer shirts.What's MerinoLux?
MerinoLux which is the fabric in the 1/4 base or mid-layer we're looking at today is Sorona polyester combined with fine merino wool.
The combination gives you the stink free benefits of merino but still wicks and dries like polyester. The merino regulates the temperature while the Sorona adds a soft, smooth feel to the fabric as well as some durability. It's wrinkle resistant and UPF 50 for travelling in the sun.
Merino can sag when it's wet or pulled. The Sorona prevents the sag with a slim fit to the long sleeves and body and a comfy 4 way stretch.
It still has the downside of not being machine dryable because of the merin but if you're looking to save some energy or travelling, you'll probably be hanging some of your gear anyways.Soft
No matter how fine the merino, I find there is still a bit of a wool feel there. It's hardly noticeable in most of the superfine wool garments these days but it would be nice to be as soft as polyester or fleece.
With the combination of wool and Sorona in the MerinoLux, Royal Robbins has created a very soft combination. It's not got quite the smooth feel as straight polyester but it's close. And still has most of the benefits of the merino wool.Merino but durable
The whole reason merino is so popular is because of the temperature regulation and the lack of smell with sustained use. Being able to sweat in the same shirt for a week and be able to stand yourself is wondrous. The downside is lack of durability. I can't wear my merino too much where it rubs against other gear because it just wears out.
By adding the strong but more eco-conscious Sorona polyester too the mix you get a more durable shirt with the benefits of merino. You also get better 4 way stretch than a typical merino shirt too. I have yet to hit the smelling point on this one which is impressive. Often as soon as there's polyester in there, the smell factor goes up.Fit
Merino can get saggy and lose it's shape over time. MerinoLux fabric maintains it's shape a bit better than standard merino and has good 4 way stretch. I have a medium in the MerinoLux 1/4 and it's fairly fitted but not constricting. I usually have a merino base layer t-shirt on underneath and it fits well. It fits close enough to be it's on base layer as well if it was cooler. The 1/4 zip makes it easy to regulate the temperature without having to take it off. Thumb loops have become my favourite thing lately. I wish it had some.Smell?
Recent runs and hikes I've kept my jacket and long sleeves of the 1/4 zip on much longer than I would normally. This results in a lot more sweat than usual. It's been a sweaty test.
But that's the point with merino and other fabrics. It has to deal with sweat well or else why would you wear it. I've worn the 1/4 zip for days straight now before washing and it's yet to smell. I assumed it was going to start to smell a bit right away from the polyester but so far so good. Future testing will include a head to head with a 100% merino 1/4 zip, wearing them for as many days as it takes to smell (I will show in between!).Quick-drying
Though not as fast-drying as straight polyester, I'll take a bit of a slower dry any day just so that it won't stink. It seems to dry a bit faster than 100% merino but is still slower than polyester. I won't say I love the feel of wet wool against my skin but it's not a terrible thing. I don't mind hiking in it for long periods of time.For Travel
Having travelled for months through Australia and New Zealand for 4 months in merino, it's my go to for any sustained adventure. Even just wearing on planes and tour buses, you won't get more comfortable, especially when it's warm.
You can wear the MerinoLux 1/4 zip out for a hike and then dinner than night. UPF 50 will keep you out of the sun during the day and you won't need to do any ironing with it.Final Thoughts
This might be the ultimate fabric for adventure. No stink temperature regulation from the merino. Faster drying and durability from the polyester. I'll be continuing to test this as much as possible in the coming year to see what long-term durability is like but so far I'm giving it 2 thumbs up. 100% merino is amazing but it's just not holding up to hard use. I think the blends will come out on top as the most popular in the end.
The Royal Robbins MerinoLux 1/4 Zip is a great piece for every adventure and a good one to get into for your first piece or if your merino just isn't lasting as long as you'd like. This versatile piece can be a base or second layer over a wide range of conditions, thumb loops being one thing that would take it up one more notch for me.
Mens MerinoLux 1/4 Zip at Royal Robbins ($70 USD)
Mens MerinoLux 1/4 Zip on Amazon
The post Better than merino? The Royal Robbins MerinoLux 1/4 Zip Review appeared first on The PureOutside Blog.
Alpaca Power: Ausangate Alpacor Hiking Socks Review
Merino is all the rage these days for outdoors base and mid layers but alpaca is better in almost every respect, on paper at least.
Merino seems to be the best choice for most garments: soft, doesn't stink, warm when wet, sustainably produced. But alpaca is all that plus some.
Today's review is all about Ausangate socks made with what might be the outdoor industry's next big fibre: Alpaca fleece.What is Alpacor
The Alpacor High Calf Hiking Sock from Ausungate aren't made with only Alpaca fibre, it's a blend with 80% Alpacor, 18% Nylon and 2% Spandex. Cool, but what's Alpacor?
Alpacor yarn is a blend of natural and synthetic fibres, one of them being Tencel, a smooth, wicking wood-based fibre. Tencel is a very soft fibre, good at wicking and likely a little cheaper than Alpaca so it helps bring the cost down a bit. Icebreaker uses Tencel in their Cool-Lite fabric.Benefits of Alpaca
With the Alpacor yarn you should get performance that can top wool.
Hollow alpaca fleece fibre traps heat even better than fine wool strands without extra weight. This also contributes to the excellent wicking. Moisture is evaporated off the strands instead of reaching a saturation point like wool does.
Little barbs on wool cause the itchy factor. The merino produced today is so fine and the processes afterwards attempt to remove the barbs or fill in the gaps, creating a smoother strand. Alpaca doesn't have these little barbs creating a very soft sock. The added Tencel to Alpacor is very smooth as well, often called softer than silk and used in cosmetic face masks.
Another irritant in wool is lanolin which is often removed through a chemical process. Alpaca is lanolin free naturally.
Merino wool is famous for it's care and handling restrictions. Don't dry it in the dryer or you'll end up with a shirt 2 sizes to small. Alpacor socks can be washed and dried just like everything else. I did notice a slight shrinking when I accidentally dried one of mine. Nothing even noticeable out hiking though.
Some of the literature says Alpaca tensile strength is better as well, or the breaking strength when pulled from each end. There's much debate about this online. Sounds like it depends on many other factors as to which ends up stronger in a sock so the jury's still out on this one. If there's any possibility I can get a stronger sock that doesn't get holes in the heels then I'll take it. I have to regularly replace my merino wool socks.Likes for the Ausangate Alpacor Hiking Sock
Ok, so now we can finally get to the sock review.
These are technically winter socks on the website but I've been wearing them in a warm May. Every hike the last few weeks has been with the Alpaca socks and I've also warm them most days in my Blundstones to work and afterwards to get as much testing time in the socks as possible before writing this.Soft and Comfortable.
The first thing you'll notice is how soft the socks are. I don't have a problem with merino wool but the softer the better in my mind. Comparing it side by side with a Hike+ Medium from Icebreaker there is a difference. Slight but noticeable.
There aren't any seams inside, just the LIN toe seam above the toes to close the end. It's slightly raised which I think is just because of the thicker fabric around the toes hitting the thinner material on top of the foot. The only part of the sock that sticks out all inside is the Ausangate logo. I can't feel it when I wear them though.
Stretchy "compression ribs" around the middle of the foot and just above the ankle are slightly tighter than the rest and keep the sock in place. I have yet to have it move around much on me.Good temperature
Hiking in the heat and sitting in the office in leather boots, I was expecting my feet to overheat. I run pretty warm most of the time, especially if I'm moving quickly in warm weather. I brought extra thinner socks to change into. I didn't have to. I didn't even think about it. Comfortable all day.
The breathable Alpacor with Tencel must be doing what it's supposed to be. The thinner fabric on the top of the socks and front of the calf must help shed some of that heat as well.Keeps shape and doesn't shrink – much
The Alpacor is advertised as no shrink. Throw it in the washer and dryer just like everything else.
I accidentally tossed on of mine in the drier so I got a side-by-side test. Looks like just laying on top of one another the dried one is 1 centimetre shorter on the top. Not a big deal though, can't even feel it when they're on. Some of the merino garments will shrink inches in the drier. Seeing some of my own go through the drier, socks are less of an issue.Dislikes
My only dislike out of all my testing so far is the tufts of thread around the Ausangate logo. I'm not sure if it's just pilling there from wear or the extra thread from the logo creates the bumps. I've hardly noticed them at all yet. If you had a tight spot on your hiking boots just above your toes they might irritate the top of your foot. The rest of the sock is so comfortable and well-made, hopefully they can sort out the thread in the logo.Will we see more alpaca?
Before looking into all the alpaca information for this review, I had no idea it was such a unique and high-performing material.
The alpaca wool industry is not nearly as mature as the merino wool side of things. I'm very interested to see how it grows and spreads. I have a feeling we'll all be wearing Alpaca base layers very soon.Get a pair of Alpacor socks
The Alpacor socks are about the same price as merino at $19.99 (USD). Find them at Ausangate or Amazon.
More Photos
Disclosure Stuff
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the Alpacor Hiking Socks from Ausangate as coordinated by Deep Creek PR, an Outdoor Industry Public Relations Company, in consideration for review publication.
In other words, I get these items free to review. I use these connections to get more rad gear to test so you guys get more gear reviews. All opinions on the items are my own. Honest feedback about the products are in everyone's best interest. Gear companies can make better gear and you can get straight recommendations on which is the best for you.
The post Alpaca Power: Ausangate Alpacor Hiking Socks Review appeared first on The PureOutside Blog.
GoalZero Flip 30 Review
GoalZero started in 2009 out of Robert Workmans work abroad to reduce poverty. He was frustrated with all the obstacles to helping people create sustainable lifestyles.
After almost giving up and leaving the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where he was helping at the time, he came to a realization:
"If not us, who? If not now, when?"
One of the issues was power. Getting reliable power opens a lot of doors for people in developing countries and helps those in need after emergencies like natural disasters.
Since the start with a focus on helping in developing countries and emergency situations GoalZero has really pushed into the outdoor market with charging, storage and lighting solutions for base camping and backpacking. Recent innovations have included partnering with tent makers for lighting and power storage built right into the tent.
The Flip 30 is another well-made power storage solution from GoalZero aimed at anyone needing extra power on the go. If you own a smart phone or tablet these days, that's you.What is the Flip 30?
The GoalZero Flip 30 is a USB battery pack for charging your USB devices. Charge it up with a laptop, wall outlet or solar panel and then take it on your adventures to power up other USB devices. It's perfect for charging your phone, tablet, cameras or GPS.How to Use the Flip 30
Using the Flip 30 is easy. Plug it in anywhere with the attached USB plug. The 4 blue lights on the side flash until it's full. Each of the lights show 25% so 2 lights mean it's 50% full.
When you need a charge plug in your USB device and press the charge button by pressing the USB plug into the side of the Flip 30.
If you need to know how much charge is left on the battery, click the USB plug button once and the lights will come on show a light for each 25%.Features
The GoalZero Flip 30 is a pretty simple device. Charge it up from a laptop, wall, or solar charger. Take it with you on adventures and use it to charge any USB device like phone, GPS or camera.
Here's a few specs of the Flip 30:
- flip-out USB plug
- one 5V 2.1A USB output
- 5V 1.5A input to charge from laptop, wall or solar charger
- charge status lights
- 7800 mAh (3 phones charges or 1 tablet charge)
All battery packs will have a size rating in mAh, or milliamps. It's the rating for the size of the battery in them, how big their gas tank is. These numbers are important when you're taking a battery pack on a trip to charge something. You'll need to find out how much each of your devices takes to charge.
If I wanted to charge an iPhone 7, it's battery requires 1960 mAh to charge so if I have 7800 mAh total in the Flip 30 then I'll get 3 to 4 charges for the phone.
4 charges * 1960 mAh = 7840 mAh
That's cutting it close and requires the Flip 30 to be brand new, working perfectly and fully charged. Most batteries capacity drop a bit over time.
If you wanted to charge an iPad mini that requires 6470 mAh, then you'll get 1 charge and have a bit left over.
7800 – 6470 = 1330 mAh.
The Flip 30 is a small to medium sized battery pack these days. You can get 10,000 to 20,000 mAh charges in relatively small sizes. The bigger batteries will be heavier. Add up the number of charges for each device you'll need on your trip for the total number of battery packs you'll need.Built-in USB plug
The best feature about the Flip 30 is it's built in USB plug. You don't need to carry around a USB cable to charge it, just flip out the plug and plug it in. I've forgotten the charger cable for other batteries I've had and been stuck carrying around a dead battery. Not as useful.
This flip out plug is a mixed blessing. Trying to plug the Flip 30 into something other than a laptop isn't great, it hangs off the flip out plug. So far nothing has broken and everything is charging properly. I feel like hanging off a desktop computer or wall charger too much puts a lot of stress on the flip out plug and might lead to issues.Solid construction
Some electronics feel cheap and like they'll fall apart after a few uses. Definitely not the case with the GoalZero Flip 30. The case on the battery feels solid like it would survive drops from a good distance. I haven't tried to drop mine to see how it would survive but it's fallen to the ground a few times on the dirt or carpet with no issue.
The flip out USB plug is the only thing I worry about. Rotating out, the wires have to move. Only long term use is going to show how long the plug lasts. So far it's worked great.Long USB cord issue
The only issue I've had with the Flip 30 is an intermittent one. One of my 10' long USB cords causes the Flip 30 to stop charging after a random amount of time. All my shorter cords have worked perfectly.
Usually I get 5 to 10 minutes of charging with the long cable and then it stops like it's not connected to anything and I have to press the charge button again.
Chatting with a GoalZero rep, they are aware if the issue and are working on a fix. Normal length USB cords still work perfectly.Alternative: GoalZero Venture 30
One alternative to the Flip 30 is the Venture 30. Another one by GoalZero the Venture 30 is pretty similar to the Flip 30 with a couple of differences.
The similarities are that it's got a 7800 mAh charge, the same capacity as the Flip 30. Outside of that it's got a few notable differences.
The Venture 30 is waterproof. IPX6 water resistant which means splash resistant getting a bit wet from rain or snow isn't going to phase this battery. It's not dunk resistant though. Don't chuck it in the lake.
There are three connections on the Venture 30 compared to the Flip 30's one. Two of the connections are just female usb ports and one male micro-USB port.
The downside to the additional features is that the Venture 30 is more expensive at $99 US and 2 oz heavier. If you need the waterproofness or additional connections though the extra cost is worth it.Summary
- Solid construction
- No cord required with the flip-out plug
- Charge status lights
- Compatible with any solar charger with USB out
- Thicker than other batteries (but short)
- Doesn't work with some long USB cords (will be fixed soon)
- Only one port
If you need power on the goal, GoalZero has a solution for you. If it's waterproof then the Venture 30 is the one for you. Otherwise, the Flip 30 is less expensive and still has enough power for a few phone charges. It's thicker than some other battery packs but much more compact. Depends on where you're going to put it for what form factor you need.
Whether we like it or not, we're dependent on the little gadgets in our pockets. You might have the willpower to leave your phone at home for all your hikes. I don't. And then the battery dies. But not any more.More Photos
The post GoalZero Flip 30 Review appeared first on The PureOutside Blog.


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From the town planning dug up from Earth Union records they had made their plan. Ezral and the rest of fireteam Rook, consisting of Adrian, Pwcca and Saethwyr, would reach around the perimeter of the courthouse and infiltrate the building from the eastern side whilst Bishop – Sparek, Yuri, Harved and Clara – would reach around the northwest and make their way over the walls before the inquisitive lights spotted them secreting themselves across the gardens and into the government building proper.
Pulling himself into an alcove just shy of a cellar door saved his arse. Sparek, making sure that the others had gotten in, had almost been caught in the spotlight. If that had happened then it was due to be one needless firefight either to the objectives or out of the city. Sparek fancied that nobody wanted to run all the way back to the deployment zone whilst avoiding rebel hounds and peppering fire.
Sparek quickly made his way to the cellar doors, closing them behind him and for all their efforts not leaving a shred of evidence that they were ever there. Yuri kept his eyes on the door – the only other exit and the only way forward. The room was cleared when Clara first entered the room and was now cleaning the excess gore from her blade. Nobody wanted to leave a trail of the blood of the Mandate soldier slumped up against a nearby wine barrel. Sparek squinted at the bottle in its hand. If he didn't know any better than he would have thought the bugger a sleeping drunkard. An ugly, disgusting drunkard, but still a sleeping drunkard nonetheless. Harved saw Sparek's face and smirked.
"Couldn't find anywhere to hide the body. It could buy us more time if it's found like that," he explained. Sparek grinned largely. He'd found the idea of hiding a corpse as a napping drunk amusing. The pooling blood on its tunic was even disguised as a wine spill. "Sir…"
"I know," he said. Sparek's thoughts echoed his face. "This isn't a Mandate soldier." His comrades frowned and looked at him rather than exclaimed their surprise at this. They must have known. Clara did, certainly. She'd served alongside Sparek for years now. She knew that something was wrong too.
"The pair of watchmen outside the walls weren't either," she said. To this Sparek agreed.
"The hanging corpses aren't the usual MO for them either. They're a lot less inclined to that level of depravity." His eye itched. Sparek balled it with his fist.
"Which one first?" Clara interrupted his thoughts.
"We're already in the cellars and basement rooms. We'll check the holding cells for the Unit first, then make our way to the roof. If Rook doesn't find anything then they'll meet us there, like we planned, before time is up." He checked his watch. Two hundred and seven minutes left, then Sparek retrieved the overhanging bulb with his bandana after it was turned off. "Ghosts and shadows, my friends."
With their eyes adjusted like a well oiled mechanism they entered each room, one by one, each room as dark as the last. Their night vision optimal and covering each other and their rear, the fellowship constantly ventured forwards to the cell area.
All the while, neither Mandate revolutionaries nor these imposters. Sparek hated it. Where were they? He hadn't seen an absence like this in years. "Colonel!"
Yuri spoke his harsh call. He pointed down a long corridor with his longrifle. Sparek peered. A way down the length of the corridor saw the telltale sign of a captive's area.
A set of iron bars signified a security checkpoint for the holding cells that they had sought after. It was open.
"It's a trap, sir, surely," said the medic. Sparek shook his head.
Clara spoke for him. "Who even knows we're here?"
"The only other entrance would be from outside or the courtroom itself." Sparek rubbed his jaw – an instinctive habit since his first meeting with Clara. "We don't have time to give the room the proverbial reach-around. Clara and I will go in first."
They passed the checkpoint with little problem. The metal detector was offline, as was all the electrical equipment here. Still no hostiles. The large metal doors of the cells lay beyond. Large, heavy metal doors sat imposingly on their threshold seats. He lay a hand upon one. Sparek could feel the aching cold through his thick woolen glove. A well grew in the pit of his stomach. Something gnawed at the back of his mind, driving his eyes into an impossible itch. He took his hand from the door. The feeling slipped away. A distant memory that was never quite there.
Then he grasped the handle.
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© Copyright Kier Sparey 2014


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This house is a recent project I took on for a family that lived in a house dating back from 1890. Due to subsidence in the area their ceilings had cracked and begun to sag and cracks above door ways and running along all corners had appeared.
To remedy the situation I suggested an overboard of their landing ceiling and bathroom ceiling. Any blown plaster (where it had come away from the wall) I removed and filled with a backing plaster level with the old skim. All corners were covered in a meshed fibre tape so where the plastered corners that had previously cracked met it gives strength and stops the cracks re-appearing.
The family agreed to the remedial work and after this was completed I re-skimmed both ceiling and all walls in the halls, stairs and landing. During this I had to skim around decorative cornices and a decorative arches always taking time and care not to damage any of the existing features of the room.
When all work was completed both I and the customer were very satisfied with the outcome and after recently speaking to the customer for a routine follow up she was happy to report that no cracks have re—appeared and all plasterwork has now been painted and looking fantastic. Please find before, during and after photos of the work.


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Doors Open 6:30 PM
Come, my beloved, my desire, don't weep,
Lift your veil, let me see your beautiful face
If I say in Arabic 'your laugh' and if I say in Persian 'your laugh'
And if I say in Turki 'your laugh,' let this world be your fragrant hair
Asia House and SOAS have partnered to present a musical concert - Sufis on the Silk Road: Nawa'I. In this concert we explore the Central Asian mystic poetry of Ali Shir Nava'i as it has been handed down in different musical traditions, from the classical songs of the Ferghana Valley to the Sufi rituals of Khotan. We bring these traditions to life on the concert stage, and create new improvisations based on their repertoires.
This collaboration brings together Europe-based Central Asian and Iranian musicians to explore the shared traditions of the Silk Road and forge new musical connections across international borders cutting across the established narrow nationalist visions of the region's culture.
Rahima Mahmut (vocals)
Sardor Mirzakhojaev (rubab and vocals)
Veria Amiri (setar)
Iskander Ding (frame drum)
Rachel Harris (dutar)
Asia House Arts Members need to enter their unique membership number when booking online. This can be found on the back of your membership card. Please call 0207 307 5454 if you experience any issues booking tickets.


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Movemeon provides jobs, insight, advice and career tips for an exclusive community of consultants, ex-consultants, accountants and freelancers. Click here to create a free account and stay up-to-date with our opportunities and advice.
Movemeon's Inspiring Interviews relate stories from members who have found jobs through Movemeon. They answer a few questions about their career and career progression. All ex-top tier consultants (and some still are), every one of them with a fascinating story to tell and thoughtful insights to share. Sort of like a consulting 'before-and-after', just a bit more playful.
Company: Leading FMCG company
What's your current job title and what do you do?
Commercial Strategy Manager at a leading FMCG company.
My role focuses on maximising the net revenue we make on the products we sell, primarily focused on the grocery market. It's a mixture of recommending the right prices, promotions and products for our customers and the consumer, including identifying potential gaps in the market for new products.
With the changing world of grocery, each day is different. And it's fantastic to see my recommendations followed through in store.
In the capacity-building side of my role, I help train these civil servants in the basic management consulting toolkit, which will allow the delivery unit to eventually function independently from consulting support. However, I am also accountable for making sure things get done. So on any given day, I might be coaching a member of the delivery unit, leading a meeting with a permanent secretary, interviewing private sector companies or leading development of a report deck for our next stocktake meeting with the head of state. No two days look the same.
How many hours a week do you work on average?
An average week is about 40hrs…I tend to be out the office on my bike between 5- 6 pm, although the occasional project might take up a bit more time. It's also incredibly flexible, with the option to work from home or balance hours with external commitments. We also check in each week on our "work/life balance" – it's incredibly supportive.
Why did you decide to leave your previous job?
The attraction of this role was incredibly hard to pass up on, and the location of my old job meant I was permanently based several hours away from friends and family, so it made sense to move closer to them.
What are the best bits about your current job?
The people I work with, plus the variety and the intellectual challenge that comes with it, which means I'm constantly learning and developing.
On top of that, I get to work on some of the leading brands in the UK, so I can see my work have a real impact on the people around me.
What's the best career-building decision you ever made? And what's your one biggest regret?
Going into consultancy was definitely the best decision because it's led to where I am now. Even if you don't want to be a life consultant, it's a brilliant foundation for any future career…Both from a learning and a people perspective.
My biggest regret…possibly deliberating a lot over career decisions. It makes sense to look before your leap, but definitely worth trusting your gut and not having fear of the unknown. If exciting opportunities present themselves, grab them! Saying that everything has still worked out really well.
What's the best work perk you've come across?
The free lunches and fancy dinners that the consulting lifestyle brings are definitely nice! But the biggest perk is definitely working in an organisation that's both fulfilling from a work perspective and allows for fulfilment outside of work. That and the free products!
Where's the most interesting place your work has taken you?
From a geographical perspective, Moscow… I was able to visit at the height of the trade sanctions and economic troubles. It's an incredibly beautiful and fascinating city.
From a working environment perspective… all the various food processing plants I've visited. The complexity that goes into putting food on the shelves of Supermarkets is astounding.
What's your favourite song to work to (if any)?
I don't tend to listen to music at work, but my manager occasionally hums Bieber songs!
What one piece of career advice has stuck with you?
I'm going to go with two, rather than one.
- You are the person who's in control of your career, so make sure you take it where you want it to go
- You don't always have to know all the answers. Knowing how to get to the best answer can be much more valuable… if you can seek out and integrate the right contributions from others, you can facilitate an even better answer than the one you'd have achieved on your own.
Like our advice? Hear even more at one of our events:
Announcing: From consulting to social impact
More & more professionals feel they want to do something worthwhile with their career, but are not sure about how to make the shift. Find out at this event.
Boutique Consulting Event: Why Boutiques?
At our 1st boutique consulting event with Hunch, CIL, 2020 & Advancy, we heard exclusive perspectives on the unique features of boutiques – read them here
Starting & scaling your business: the Q&A
On 22nd June 2017 LoveCrafts & Trouva joined movemeon to answer questions about the challenges of launching your own business. The consultant turned founder speakers gave advice on recruitment, raising funding and finding the right co-founder(s)


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Campaigners today gave a cautious welcome to a new council plan - which could mean all libraries in Sheffield stay open.
A funding pot of £262,000 in public health cash would be available from Sheffield Council to help volunteers run 10 facilities independently, if the proposal is agreed.
But residents who have fought to save their libraries from closure say they have fears about the challenges they may face.
Michael Davis, who is involved with the Friends of Greenhill Library, said the funding could create a 'two-tier system' of libraries - some council funded, others not.
"It's a step forward but not far enough," he said.
"It's an improvement, but it doesn't seem a lot of money between the libraries over three years."
If the plans are agreed, the council will work with community groups to finalise business plans by June.
Under the new funding plan, revealed yesterday afternoon, Broomhill, Upperthorpe, Greenhill, Tinsley, Jordanthorpe, Ecclesfield, Stannington, Frecheville, Totley, Gleadless and Walkley libraries could all 'bid' for cash.
The council says each library has a business plan and cash could pay for running costs such as heating or training over three years.
Coun Mazher Iqbal, cabinet member for communities, said the proposal showed the council had 'listened' and acted on the 7,000 respondents' views.
"This has always been about, 'How do we keep as many libraries open in Sheffield as we can?'," he said.
"We are now recommending this extra investment to give community groups the chance to make a success of the independent libraries they will run."
Another 12 sites will remain open as 'key' libraries, and five will be community-led, receiving council funding for two years.
Around 75 library staff would lose their jobs.
Coun David Baker, Sheffield Liberal Democrats' spokesman for libraries, pointed out libraries still remain under threat of closure.


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Lilford Gallery
The Challenge
Re-position Lilford's print material to reflect the galleries contemporary art.
With the aim to create a piece of art out of an A5 brochure.
What we did
We held creative workshops to generate some interesting print ideas. The accordion layout option gives an intriguing and exciting visual display when opened out, creating an art piece in itself.
Final printed A5 brochure
Printed on 200gsm, matt lamination.
Let's create
something we both can be proud of
Email us at
Call us on
01227 392269
We'd love to work with you and bring your projects to life.


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Join several of Cornell's best scholars for a lunchtime conversation about how to develop a student technology policy that furthers classroom learning.
Open to the entire community of Cornell faculty and educators. However, space is limited. Please rsvp at cornell.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_em7c1qjREufeK8t
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