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Phone Anxiety Is a Real Thing (and It's Hurting Your Career)
negativespace.co/Pexels If you feel anxious before using the phone, you are not alone. Phone anxiety is real. It's similar in some ways to socia...
3 Female Former Employees Sue Google, Alleging Gender Pay Discrimination
wildpixel/Getty Images Last week, three former Google employees filed a lawsuit against the company, claiming gender pay discrimination. Kelly Ellis, ...
Talk Like a Pirate Day: 5 Modern Pirate Jobs
fuzzcat/Flickr Arr, mateys! It be Talk Like a Pirate Day, the best nonsense holiday in the history of nonsense holidays. (Sorry, Everything You Do Is ...
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Finding a Business Mentor
In the first months of opening your business, you'll need to make many important decisions. But you don't have to make every decision on your own. Ultimately, you're responsible for your business, but you can always consult a mentor for advice.
What is a mentor?
A mentor is someone who has been down the same path you're taking. He or she is experienced, successful and willing to provide advice and guidance — for no real personal gain. But how do you find a mentor?
Here are some steps for finding and working with a mentor for your new small business venture.
1. Government-Sponsored Mentor Organizations
The government offers a great deal of free resources and services to support small business owners, both online and in person:
- SCORE Mentors: Sponsored by SBA, SCORE provides free and confidential counseling, mentoring and advice to small business owners nationwide via a network of business executives, leaders and volunteers. You can connect with a SCORE volunteer through in-person and/or online counseling.
- Small Business Development Centers: SBDCs provide management assistance to current and prospective small business owners. SBDC services include financial counseling, marketing advice and management guidance. Some SBDCs provide specialized assistance with information technology, exporting or manufacturing. SBDCs are partnerships primarily between the government and colleges, administered by SBA.
- Women's Business Centers: WBCs provides business training and counseling with the unique needs of women entrepreneurs in mind. WBCs are a national network of nearly 100 educational centers designed to support women who want to start and grow small businesses.
- Veteran's Business Outreach Centers: VBOCs provide veterans with entrepreneurial development services such as business training, counseling and mentoring.
- Minority Business Development Agency: MBDA advisors help minority business owners gain access to capital, contracts, market research and general business consulting.
- Additional federal counseling programs can be found on Business.USA.gov.
2. Trade Associations
Many trade associations operate mentor-protégé programs that provide guidance to help you build a business. These mentoring programs are often conducted through a combination of formal one-on-one mentoring sessions and group networking with fellow protégés. Business owners might be connected with multiple mentors for a more holistic experience.
Most industries are represented by trade associations, as are genders, ethnic groups and business types. If you need help finding a trade association, consult your local SBA district office.
3. Mentoring for Government Contractors
If your business plans to sell products and services to the federal government, you may need specialized mentorship. The General Services Administration (GSA) offers a Mentor-Protégé Programthat is specifically designed to encourage prime contractors to help small businesses participate in government contracting. The SBA also has a Mentor-Protégé Program for small businesses.
4. Look to Your Network
Who do you know? Do you have a previous boss who inspired you or a friend who is a successful business owner? Ask that person to be your mentor, and learn from his or her advice and best practices. Just be prepared to share with them why you chose them in particular, your goals and what you are looking for from them.
5. Working with a Mentor
If you decide to work with a mentoring organization, ensure there is a formal mentor-protégé structure in place. If you work with an individual, you'll need to establish a mutually beneficial, structured relationship. Remember these tips about mentoring:
Be organized, prepared and consistent. Make sure you are respectful of your mentor's time.
Do not expect your mentor to run your business for you or make decisions for you. You should have realistic expectations about what a mentor can provide you.
Plan your mentoring sessions in advance. These could be as simple as having a one-on-one meeting once a month to discuss business goals, obstacles and regulatory requirements that you don't understand.
Take notes, create action items and be prepared to review progress during your next session.
Thank your mentor for his or her time and assistance with your business decision-making skills.
Source: sba.gov

subset: commoncrawl


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Wells Fargo on Friday posted record profit in its fourth quarter, but the bank's shares tumbled because Wells said it originated fewer loans in the October-December period and suffered contraction in its interest margins.
San Francisco-based Wells earned $5.09 billion, up 24 percent from the year-ago quarter. Revenue totaled $21.9 billion, a 7 percent increase. The profit was a record for a full year and for a quarter.
"These strong quarterly results are just part of an outstanding year of achievement for Wells Fargo," John Stumpf, the bank's chief executive, said during a conference call with analysts.
For all of 2012, Wells Fargo earned $18.9 billion, up 19 percent from 2011. Revenue totaled $86.1 billion, up 6.4 percent from the year before.
"The housing market began a steady rebound during 2012," Stumpf said. However, he added, "Many measures of activity and prices remained low by historical standards and a complete recovery will still take some time."
Wells Fargo dominates the housing market as a lender, which is why residential real estate is vital to the bank — and why its fortunes mirror the realty sector.
"There is no doubt that a corner was turned, which is a real positive for our economy and for Wells Fargo," Stumpf said.
Over the first nine months of 2012, Wells Fargo accounted for 30 percent of all new and refinanced mortgages, capturing a larger market share of the mortgage sector than JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and Citigroup combined.
Still, Wells Fargo's shares fell 0.8 percent Friday, closing at $35.10.
Investors apparently were spooked by two disclosures in the quarterly report. Wells Fargo's originations for home loans faltered, and the bank said its net interest margins contracted.
Originations for home loans totaled $125 billion, down 10 percent from a year ago. Applications for home loans fell 19 percent, Wells said.
Michael Yoshikami, president of Walnut Creek-based Destination Wealth Management, said Wells turned in a "great quarterly report, even though the stock was down. Wells Fargo is a best-of-breed lender."
Despite the flattening of mortgage originations and the difficulties with the shrinking margins, Wells Fargo still remains one of the nation's two most elite banks, along with Chase, according to Ken Thomas, a Miami-based banking analyst and economist.
"I wouldn't bet against Wells Fargo," Thomas said. "As the economy recovers, housing will recover further. And as real estate gets stronger, Wells Fargo will achieve an even stronger position."
Contact George Avalos at 408-373-3556 or 925-977-8477. Follow him at Twitter.com/george_avalos.


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Muskingum alumna and trustee donates nearly $3 million
Muskingum College recently received an extraordinarily generous bequest—totaling $2.8 million—from alumna and former trustee, Dr. Charleen Green Kirkpatrick '50.
Dr. Kirkpatrick graduated from Muskingum College in 1950, having majored in chemistry. She subsequently obtained her medical degree from Women's Medical College of Philadelphia.
Following her graduation from medical school, Dr. Kirkpatrick became a prominent anesthesiologist in California. She was a member of the American Medical Association, the California Medical Association, the American Medical Women's Association, the American Society of Anesthesiologists, and the California Society of Anesthesiologists.
As a student, Dr. Kirkpatrick was active in the FAD Club, the band, the Pre-Med Club and the Gospel Team. As an alumna, Dr. Kirkpatrick continued her dedication to Muskingum, participating in the Alumni Council. From 1980 to 1999, Dr. Kirkpatrick served Muskingum as a long-time member of the Board of Trustees. Passionate about academics and scholarship, Dr. Kirkpatrick was both a member and chair of the Board's Academic Affairs Committee. After retiring from active trusteeship, Dr. Kirkpatrick continued to serve Muskingum College as an emeritus member of the Board. In total, Dr. Kirkpatrick's commitment to our learning community spanned almost six decades.
With her final gift, Dr. Kirkpatrick's legacy of leadership will endure throughout time. Her bequest—earmarked for our endowment—will help ensure the long-term distinction of our educational program. "Dr. Kirkpatrick's commitment to her alma mater challenges us to continue our legacy of educational excellence while simultaneously providing us with the important resources to do so," noted President Anne Steele. She continued, "Our community of learning will be forever appreciative to Dr. Kirkpatrick."
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Hi Karen. Thanks for the compliment! We have already contacted the winner of our LITV contest. Good luck on all of the other contests.
Live in the Vineyard is Almost Here!
November 01, 2012
| Posted by Megan for Sutter Home
Winners of the Live in the Vineyard contest are flying in from all over the country as we speak. The Sutter Home team is getting ready for their arrival - we're hosting them at the winery on Saturday! Visit Twitter, Facebook and our blog to follow the event.
I am so excited about Live in the Vineyard, I've never been and am dying to go this year! I've entered ALL of the contests I can find for this event, is there anything else I can do, ANYTHING? I LOVE NKOTB and need to see them. Also your plastic mini bottles of wine are amazing! I buy them all the time.


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Important Step Taken to Bring Rail to Dulles
August 27, 2009
News Highlights
Another important step was taken today toward completing the long-awaited extension of Metrorail in the Dulles Corridor serving not only Tysons and Fairfax County, but also serving Dulles International Airport and Loudoun County and completing the transit link to the rest of the National Capital Region.
This morning, Circuit Court Judge Stanley P. Klein ruled from the bench that the proposed plan to finance up to $400 million of the local share of the cost to construct Phase I of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project (the Project) through the issuance of EDA Bonds to be repaid with the proceeds of the special tax levied on commercial and industrial real estate in the Dulles Corridor Phase I Special Improvement Tax District (the District) is completely lawful and constitutional.
At its June 18, 2007, meeting, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors authorized a local funding agreement with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) and Loudoun County and a cooperative agreement with MWAA, and also authorized expenditure of funds from the District for the construction of the Project.
Subject to future approval by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors with respect to Phase II of the Project and subject to annual appropriation by the board, it committed Fairfax County to funding a percentage of the total cost of construction.
Today's action, taken in a bond validation suit brought in Fairfax County Circuit Court by the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (EDA), the County, and the District, validated the proposed plan for financing a portion of the cost of Phase I of the Project through EDA bonds, which had been approved by the board on June 22, 2009.
"Fairfax County looks forward to continuing the collaborative effort between local, state and federal governments and the private sector to realize our long-term aspiration of bringing rail to the Dulles Corridor," said Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova.
For more information, contact the Chairman's Office at 703-324-2321, TTY 711.
Contact: Merni Fitzgerald, Director, Office of Public Affairs
703-324-3189, TTY 711, Media Pager: 703-324-NEWS (6397)
To request this information in an alternate format, call 703-324-3187, TTY 711


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NetWellness is a global, community service providing quality, unbiased health information from our partner university faculty. NetWellness is commercial-free and does not accept advertising.
Monday, September 25, 2017
Child Abuse
Accidental Spiral Fracture
My 10 month old son was left on the couch by the babysitter while the babysitter was vacuuming. When the baby sitter returned, my son was on the floor crying. The baby sitter later said that my son was not as active after the fall. He was later put into and taken out of a walker 2 times. It was discovered later that he had a spiral fracture in his left femure. 1. Could this fracture have been caused by the fall (he may have had his leg stuck between the pillows on the couch when he fell)? 2. If he only slightly fractured his leg in the fall, could he have damaged it more with the activity during the rest of the day, like being taken in and out of the walker and playing with the other kids?
A femur fracture is very unlikely to occur following such a short fall. Physicians have difficulty being 100% certain when trying to correlate unwitnessed trauma with injury and so giving you an absolute answer is not possible. However, using "known" data, i.e. injuries resulting from observed short falls and observed falls which resulted in femur fracture, a femur fracture is very unlikely following a fall from a couch.
Fractures can be extended, or further displaced, if left untreated and manipulated. Whether this might have occurred with your son could be better explained by your treating physician.
Femur fractures are often painful. The timing of his injury might be related to when he became less active or irritable.
It would be very reasonable to question the history above. More than likely, there is another explanation for this fracture.
Robert Shapiro, MD
Professor of Clinical Pediatrics
College of Medicine
University of Cincinnati


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DOUBLE Olympic gold medallist Michael Jung is expected to compete at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials for the first time this year.
The German, who became the first eventer to hold the World, European and Olympic titles at the same time when triumphing in the individual and team competition at London 2012, was due to compete at the premier event last year before it was cancelled due to heavy rain.
He is set to join a list of top international riders to participate in the Horse Trials from Thursday, May 2 to Sunday, May 6.
New Zealander Andrew Nicholson, who has completed Badminton more times than any rider without ever winning, finished 2012 in spectacular form, winning both the HSBC FEI Classics events at Burghley and Pau and will be keener than ever to lift the Mitsubishi Motors trophy and consolidate his lead in that series.
In addition, for the first time Badminton has emerged as the event which might provide the elusive third leg of the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing for William Fox- Pitt, after his victories at Burghley 2011 and Kentucky in 2012.
For the final time Cross Country day, over a similar course to the one built but not jumped last year, will run on the Sunday of the Trials after two days of dressage.
Badminton concludes with the nail biting jumping round on Bank Holiday Monday. Proceedings get going on the Thursday with the recreational riders' Mitsubishi Motors Grassroots Championships, which will feature both the 2013 and the postponed 2012 classes, over the hallowed turf of the Duke of Beaufort's Gloucestershire park.
Badminton's annual designated charity in 2013 will be Alzheimer's Research UK, which will as usual be recognised by a cross country fence and which will have the opportunity to publicise its important work and of course seek to raise funds. Early booking of tickets is strongly advised, particular for the camping site and grandstand tickets for the final day, both of which have sold out in recent years.
Badminton has been able to renew its insurance, so in the very unlikely event of another cancellation advance ticket holders are assured of their money back in full.
The box office is open at www.badminton-horse.co.uk. Ticket prices remain largely unchanged from 2012 in view of the cancellation and demand for sites in the huge tradestand village has been as strong as ever.


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Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Ambit Biosciences Files For IPO
San Diego-based Ambit Biosciences has filed for an IPO, saying in an S-1 with the SEC that it is looking to raised $57.5M in a funding round. The firm said it intends to list as AMBI on the Nasdaq Global Market. The IPO is being underwritten by Citigroup, Leerink Swann, BMO Capital Markets, and Baird.
Ambit Biosciences is venture backed by Apposite Healthcare Fund, Forward Ventures, GIMV, GrowthWorks, MedImmune Ventures, OrbiMed, Perseus-Soros Biopharmaceutical Fund, Roche, along with others. The IPO filing comes two years after Ambit dropped an earlier, IPO bid, due to lack of interest in the public markets.


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If there is one of our mixes that I find myself continuously purchasing, it is our Gluten Free Cornbread Mix. The first time I tried this mix, I was preparing a chili and cornbread feast for my family. In an effort to temporarily stay off gluten, I decided to make the meal free of gluten for all! The cast iron skillet was piping hot and the cornbread came right out, baked to perfection. Not only was it gluten free, but vegan as well. It was a big hit with my family and I can almost guarantee yours will love it too!
Multiple egg substitutes work well for this mix, but applesauce in particular makes a nice looking top to the bread. The Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Cornbread Mix is also very versatile. Every Saturday, in the Bob's Red Mill bakery you can find a delicious Sweet Potato Corn Muffin that is sure to satisfy. Another treat we are making from this mix is a Tart Cherry Orange Corncake. This variation will be available on Mondays in the Wheat-Free case. Perfect for a breakfast sweet or later in the day topped with some ice cream. Let's just say I have tried the ice cream accompaniment a few times. Following, you will find a recipe for the Gluten Free Sweet Potato Muffins. Hope you enjoy them and feel free to ask any questions.
Gluten Free Sweet Potato Corn Muffins
1 Package (1 lb. 4 oz.) Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Cornbread Mix
1 cup rice milk
¾ cup applesauce
¾ cup brown sugar
1/3 cup oil
2 medium size sweet potatoes, cooked, peeled and mashed
Preheat oven to 350. Combine all ingredients together in a bowl until well incorporated. Scoop batter into a lined muffin tin and bake for 20-25 minutes. Yield: 12 muffins


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Contact Information
219 Bryant Street
Buffalo, NY 14222
Family Resource Center
The Family Resource Center of Women & Children's Hospital of Buffalo is an online and actual location for families of patients to access health education, hospital and community resources and other helpful information.
These online pages provides access to information for families of patients, including hospital services, amenities, maps/directions, visitation guidelines, community resources and much more.
The physical Family Resource Center is located on the first floor just off the main lobby and near the 118 Hodge Avenue entrance. It is open to all patients and their families Monday through Friday from 9 am – 4:30 pm, with extended hours planned for the future.
This new multi-purpose Family Resource Center offers comfortable space for families that includes the following:
- Information on community resources, agencies, and services accessible via websites and hard copies
- Approved information, books and websites specific to condition and diagnosis
- Recreational books and videos, in a lending library setting, for patients and families
- Computers for family use (to check email, research, pay bills, etc.)
- Copy/Fax machines
- Space for support groups to meet
Overall, the Family Resource Center is a place for family members of patients to get away for a little while to research, re-charge and relax throughout your child's hospital stay.
This center has been implemented largely due to the generous support from the Family Advisory Council, a group of families collaborating with hospital staff and participating as partners of Women & Children's Hospital of Buffalo. The main principals of this council are to help families and to promote Patient and Family Centered Care as an approach to health care that recognizes that the family is the center of the patient's lives both in and out of the hospital setting.


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Viacom CEO Comments on THE BOOK OF MORMON Movie Plans
According to Variety, Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman recently commented on a potential movie version of "South Park" creators' Trey Parker and Matt Stone's hit Broadway musical The Book of Mormon. Viacom owns Comedy Central, which airs "South Park".
"We love working with the two of them," Dauman said at a conference for investors. "In face we have small investment in the play given our association. 'South Park' is a major property for us, so we always talk to them. We've done movies with them in the past and we always look for opportunities to work with them."
Read the original report here.
Despite Dauman's interest, the film will most likely be put on hold for a while. This September, Parker told Entertainment Weekly, "Hopefully it will have a big run and a big tour and then we can do the movie in several years."
With its far reach, the show's busy schedule—The Book of Mormon continues to play on Broadway, as well as in two national tours, and the show debuts in the West End in February—might be enough on its own to keep talks of a film in the wings.
Parker and Stone have done film work in the past, releasing "Bigger, Longer and Uncut" and "Team America: World Police" with Paramount.
THE BOOK OF MORMON features book, music and lyrics by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone. Parker and Stone are the four-time Emmy Award-winning creators of the landmark animated series, "South Park." Tony Award-winner Lopez is co-creator of the long-running hit musical comedy, Avenue Q. The musical is choreographed by Tony Award-winner Casey Nicholaw (Monty Python's Spamalot, The Drowsy Chaperone) and is directed by Nicholaw and Parker.
THE BOOK OF MORMON is the winner of nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score (Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone), Best Book (Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone), Best Direction (Casey Nicholaw, Trey Parker), Best Featured Actress (Nikki M. James), Best Scenic Design (Scott Pask), Best Lighting Design (Brian MacDevitt), Best Sound Design (Brian Ronan) and Best Orchestrations (Larry Hochman, Stephen Oremus); the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical; five Drama Desk Awards including Best Musical, the 2011 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album; four Outer Critics Circle Awards, including Best Musical, and the Drama League Award for Best Musical.
THE BOOK OF MORMON features set design by Scott Pask, costume design by Ann Roth, lighting design by Brian MacDevitt and sound design by Brian Ronan. Orchestrations are by Larry Hochman and Stephen Oremus. Music direction and vocal arrangements are by Stephen Oremus.
The Original Broadway Cast Recording for THE BOOK OF MORMON, winner of the 2011 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, is available on Ghostlight Records.


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Student to present research at geological society meeting
Muskingum College student Keri Roe '05 has been invited to present her research findings at the North-Central section of the Geological Society of America (GSA) meeting, to be held May 19-20 at the Radisson Hotel Metrodome on University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis.
Roe will present her findings with Associate Professor of Geology Dr. Eric Law. Their presentation is titled Diagnesis Peloidal Fossil in Ohio Ordovician Limestone.
Established in 1888, The Geological Society of America provides access to elements that are essential to the professional growth of earth scientists at all levels of expertise and from all sectors: academic, government, business, and industry.
The Geological Society's growing membership unites thousands of earth scientists from every corner of the globe in a common purpose to study the mysteries of our planet and share scientific findings.
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The adage tells us that while achieving a goal is difficult, maintaining success is even tougher.
That isn't always the case in Major League Baseball, but it is accurate for many teams each season. If a club qualifies for the postseason one year, there is zero assurance it will do so the following year.
Some teams that earned playoff berths last fall won't return this October, while others that were absent from last season's postseason party gladly will fill those vacancies.
How the playoff landscape will change in 2013:
IN: Los Angeles Angels
This team was burdened by high expectations last season and missed the playoffs for the third consecutive year. Adding insult to the Angels' pain, their AL West rivals, the Oakland A's and Texas Rangers, earned postseason berths.
The Angels won't miss the postseason for a fourth consecutive year. With Mike Trout in the lineup for a full season and newcomer Josh Hamilton joining Albert Pujols, the offense shouldn't struggle out of the gate like it did last spring.
LA's bullpen is greatly improved and shouldn't duplicate its 3.97 ERA (12th in the AL last season). And the rotation will have Jered Weaver and a healthy C.J. Wilson, who had bone spurs surgically removed from his pitching elbow after the 2012 season.
It all will translate into a playoff appearance and possibly a deep October run.
MLB 2013: SN's Top 25 players
OUT: Texas Rangers
While the Angels look like an improved team, the Rangers look like one in decline. Not only did they back into a wild-card berth last season, they were eliminated in their lone postseason game and hardly resembled the powerhouse they had been the previous two Octobers.
The offense not only lost Hamilton to a division rival, it also lost Mike Napoli, who hit 54 homers with a .931 OPS in his two seasons with Texas. Because of the team's inability to sign or trade for an impact bat during the offseason, that production won't be easily replaced. In addition, right fielder Nelson Cruz is part of the ongoing Biogenesis investigation and could be suspended for his link to the clinic and performance-enhancing drugs.
The rotation is headed by Yu Darvish, who is in his second major league season after coming over from Japan. It lacks a true ace and failed in its bid to add Zack Greinke, who opted for the money the Los Angeles Dodgers tossed his way.
With the A's a real threat to repeat as division champs and the Angels set to break their playoff drought, the Rangers will be left out.
IN: Los Angeles Dodgers
They didn't play well enough in the final month of the 2012 season for all their blockbuster acquisitions to pay off with a playoff appearance. But a full season with that group, which now includes Greinke, should ensure the club will not miss the postseason for a fourth consecutive year.
The offense should be in good shape even with Hanley Ramirez out for about two months, and the rotation trio of Greinke, Clayton Kershaw and Josh Beckett might be one of the NL's strongest.
Of course, the Dodgers and their record-setting payroll won't be content to just make the playoffs. Anything less than a World Series title will be considered a failure.
OUT: San Francisco Giants
Considering they came out of nowhere in 2010 and 2012 to win the World Series, lopping the Giants off the list of postseason participants is almost blasphemous. But you only have to look back to 2011 when the team missed the playoffs.
The offense, while no longer completely anemic and featuring the reigning NL MVP (Buster Posey), still has huge question marks. The rotation does as well, mainly Tim Lincecum and, as always, Barry Zito.
Given the Dodgers' improvement, the Giants will suffer another post-championship letdown.
IN: Kansas City Royals
Spring training statistics usually mean zilch, and the Royals being Cactus League juggernauts this year is no exception. However, this team is no longer immune to regular season success the way it has been since 1985.
General manager Dayton Moore made gutsy trades to improve the rotation, and that will be the main reason Kansas City will transform from a 90-loss squad to a wild-card winner. James Shields and Ervin Santana are huge upgrades, and Wade Davis can be an effective fourth starter.
On the offensive side, youngsters Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Salvador Perez and Lorenzo Cain should improve enough to help Billy Butler and Alex Gordon make this lineup formidable.
The Royals aren't ready to upend the Detroit Tigers as AL Central champions, but they are primed to end their 27-year playoff drought.
OUT: Baltimore Orioles
Based on the Pythagorean formula for projecting wins and losses (usually a fairly accurate gauge), the Orioles, thanks to their inept rotation, should have won 82 games last season. But largely because of an incredible bullpen and a lot of homers, they defied the odds and won 93 games and a wild-card spot.
Unless Baltimore's starting pitchers can improve on their 4.42 ERA from last season, this team will return to reality. With a much-improved Toronto Blue Jays team in the same division, the Orioles won't pitch well enough to make a second consecutive postseason run.
IN: Toronto Blue Jays
Like the Dodgers in the NL, the Blue Jays made a couple of blockbuster trades to turn themselves legitimate contenders. If Toronto can stay relatively healthy, it will make the playoffs for the first time since 1993 (when it last won it all).
OUT: Oakland A's or New York Yankees
The Jays' success has to come at the expense of another of last season's postseason participants, and the likeliest to fall back are the Yankees and A's. Toronto was 7-11 against New York last season and 4-5 against Oakland, but those records will improve thanks to the remade rotation and with a healthy and protected Jose Bautista.


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Upon reading the first, remarkable sentence of Alice Sebold's 2002 novel The Lovely Bones, and after watching only a few moments of Peter Jackson's Oscar-bait adaptation, we know our protagonist, 14-year-old Susie Salmon, is dead. But what about God? Susie narrates the tale from beyond the grave following her rape, murder and dismemberment by a neighbor on December 6, 1973, in Norristown, Pa. That there's an afterlife at all can be taken as a positive sign; and yet God, by any definition, goes unmentioned.
Bracketing the question of how everything came to be, God's existence is not essential to the narrative logic of the movie or the book. Up to a point, the book and film work beautifully in God's absence--in a theological void, so to speak. Moreover, both author and filmmaker are aware of the omission, having studiously avoided anything that might suggest religion. Still, it's odd. Especially given the emphasis Jackson, director of "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy and "Heavenly Creatures," places on the afterlife in his movie.
Whereas Sebold offered a shudder-and-cry melodrama about loss, built using an enticingly vague supernatural scaffold, Jackson was evidently drawn to the material because it afforded him a chance to fashion another world--a surreal place where fantasy and human yearning meld. Unfortunately, the film's major aesthetic weakness turns out to be his cheesy rendering of what constitutes Susie's purgatory, what Sebold calls the "In-between" and describes as part of heaven.
The result is a lava lamp of a movie with a brightly colored, ever-shifting liquefied center. Whether one interprets it as a tricked-out, late-Age-of-Aquarius ghost story or as a genuine spiritual investigation will depend on one's beliefs. Either way, Jackson's depiction of the post-mortem realm Susie inhabits detracts from what made the book so powerful: the grief of her parents (Rachel Weisz and Mark Wahlberg) and Susie's tender, uniquely feminine insights into the interrupted blossoming of a teenaged girl.
After her demise in a cornfield on the way home from school, Susie, played by the Irish actress Saoirse Ronan, lingers in a state in which she is still fixated on her earthly imprint, caught between the earthbound and what is to follow. From this vantage point, she watches her killer Mr. Harvey (Stanley Tucci), her family--including her two younger siblings and dipsomaniac grandmother (Susan Sarandon)--the boy she had a crush on, and a peer eerily attuned to female apparitions.
It's not all backward-looking gloom in this anteroom. Popcorn is served and other wishes are readily fulfilled. Susie dreamt of becoming a wildlife photographer when she grew up and the design of her limbo reflects her early-1970s "Partridge Family" sensibility, along with her emotional turmoil and biography. While animals are scarce, this dramatically lit environment boasts a tree of life, sunsets and sunrises, Alpine meadows, seascapes featuring the ships-in-the-bottles she helped her father make, plus lots of running in slow motion and drowning in murky bodies of water. A lighthouse figures prominently. You half expect to spy a unicorn, or a hobbit.
This afterlife may or may not jive with Catholic doctrine, but it sticks out cinematically, feeling schlocky and conventional--more expressive of Jackson's creative inclinations than Susie's. Her progression through this realm isn't particularly detailed in the book and, naturally, Jackson and his screenwriting partners, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, have had to jettison and rearrange many plot elements. The essentials remain, however. Briefly, in order for Susie to continue her journey she must shed the hatred she has for Harvey (which, by the way, does not preclude supernatural if not specifically divine justice) and be reassured her loved ones will remember her.
The biggest divergence between the novel and the movie is due to radical time compression. Instead of a process lasting a dozen years, coming to terms with Susie's death in the film takes much less time, both in heaven and on earth. The plot's violence and sexuality are handled tastefully and movingly. There's ample suspense, even though the crime-solving dimension is downplayed. Brian Eno's tinny, celestial score and Tucci's mannered performance--making Harvey an obvious villain rather than an authentically chilling, mundane monster next door--are two other glaring faults in the production.
The creation of miniature, self-contained worlds is a major theme in "The Lovely Bones"--from the penguin shown trapped in a "perfect world" snow globe at the outset, to Jack Salmon's hobby of building ships-in-a-bottle, to serial killer Harvey constructing dollhouses and building spaces in which to catch his victims. In terms of scale, these worlds are dwarfed by Jackson's abilities as a celluloid architect. Perhaps he got carried away and took his eye off what is most compelling about Sebold's story. Whether it stemmed from his own God complex or from trying too hard to be faithful to Susie's spirit (and Sebold's coyness about religion), the afterlife he offers is ultimately hollow, without a solidly transcendent base.
The hope and solace provided by the movie and book are fleeting at best--secular humanism with special effects. Not addressing the theological elephant in the room, i.e. God, certainly diminishes the spiritual impact of "The Lovely Bones" for the faithful. It brings to mind the advertising campaign launched by atheist organization in cities around the world this holiday season. Intending to hearten non-believers (and maybe annoy theists), one of their billboard slogans reads, "No God?...No Problem!" Positing a godless afterlife amounts to trying to have it both ways; it's the ultimate hedge.
Faced with unbearable temporal pain and sorrow, you can be agnostic and still enjoy the trappings of salvation. Talk about creating a perfect, imaginary world. And they say believers have bought into a fiction.
Thanks for your review. I've not read the Alice Sebold 2002 novel The Lovely Bones, nor viewed Peter Jackson's film. So I would like to comment from the perspective of one that might be interested, from your writing, to read and watch. You did get my attention and I would like to react to your words, mindful that everything could change should I read the book or see the movie.
Dating myself, I remember an article in the Knghts of Columbus magazine, perhaps 35 or so years ago, on the subject of Transcendental Meditation (TM). The gist of the article was a sarcastic appraisal of TM as nothing more than prayer, wrapped in guru's clothing, and something we Catholics already had in copious amounts. It was old wine in new bottles, and the modern consumer was probably better off with the original estate label.
I didn't like the article then and I don't like it know. The writing betrayed a narrow view of the world that could not assess, or possibly appreciate, something like TM on its own terms. The unfamiliar could only be understood in orthodox terms. I sensed, also, that the motivation behind the TM article was a jealousy over the universal availability of a prayer form that did not require church approvals or definitions.
My reading of your review raises questions about your reservations concerning Sebold's and Jackson's treatments of the afterlife. One way to approach the handling of any literary device or subject, is to examine whether or not it helped advance the intent of the author. Did it promote the story line, the development of tension, the delineation of character, the amplification of the moral or philosophical underpinnings? To this service, I don't understand why a review should take the position that the treatment of the afterlife is inconsistent with the church's theological views on life, death, and salvation.
Are the novel and the film vehicles for criticism and sarcasm directed at Catholics and their belief's? Are the author and director taking such obvious and purposeful positions against the sensibilities of people of God? I wonder if there is a tone similar to that which I read in the old Legion of Decency reviews of movies. If the movie script contained elements that were forbidden by the Church (divorce and remarriage) then there is nothings that could be redeeming in watching the film. If you did watch it, your own redemption could be at stake.
You raise a number of interesting questions. I hope the tone of my review of The Lovely Bones isn't too harsh or sarcastic. I didn't find there to be anything in the novel or film that was particularly hostile toward Catholicism. No moviegoer's redemption is in jeopardy. It may even be that Jackson's conception of the afterlife is totally consistent with Catholic doctrine - once God is put into the equation.
What struck me is that the major aesthetic or artistic weakness of the film - the depiction of the afterlife - also happens to be where you'd expect to find signs of the divine or transcendent. Might the hollowness of Jackson's rendering of heaven have something to do with the absence of God?
Even allowing for the mystery of what follows death, the migration of Susie's soul doesn't have much meaningful substance in the movie. Letting go of her anger toward her murderer, along with other earthbound concerns, is certainly praiseworthy and possibly necessary for her progress deeper into heaven. But for theists, that's not enough. Her relationship with God and God's role in all this is essential.
Jackson (and Sebold) can argue that God isn't necessary for the stories they are telling to make logical sense or to be emotionally persuasive. And, up to a point, the same goes for viewers (or readers) of faith. Ultimately, however, those who believe in God need and expect more.
Finally, I'm not suggesting that Susie has to met by a bearded fellow in long flowing robes with a booming voice. I'm saying that to posit an afterlife without offering some definition of God or the divine is to risk being shallow, both aesthetically and spiritually.
Now I'll have to read the book or see the film. Thanks.
The AHA bus ads are mere propaganda that answers to an argument that no one has made. The claim is not that atheists lack of morals but lack of moral premise, lack of ethos.
It is also a reprinting of their ads from last year:
And they are all a part of the atheist bus ads fracas:
Yet again, during a time of the year when people are generally more inclined towards charity—peace on earth and good will towards non-gender specific personages—atheists are busily collecting hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of dollars during a time of recession not in order to help anyone in real material need but in order to purchase bill boards and bus ads whereby they seek to demonstrate, to themselves, just how clever they are—need any more be said?


text:
Snow storm prompts accidents around Northern Nevada
January 11, 2013
A traffic accident at Highway 395 and Sixth Street in Minden resulted in nonlife threatening injuries after a light snowstorm struck Carson Valley this afternoon.
The Nevada Highway Patrol is reporting three injury accidents in Western Nevada, including one at Interstate 580 and 80 and another at Interstate 580 and Highway 431 all in the last 90 minutes.
National Weather Service forecasters tracked an area of snow showers across the Tahoe basin and along Highway 395 through Western Nevada.
Snow was falling at a half-inch an hour with visibilities of around a mile. Forecasters said that wet roads can freeze quickly and that motorists on Highway 50 and 395 should watch out for black ice.


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Re: My surgery
Best of luck Porter! I'm keeping you in my thoughts.
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Best of luck Porter! I'm keeping you in my thoughts.
Hoping to hear good news soon. Was reading this thread and thinking of you yesterday.
I'm with you LisaS. Thinking of her today and patiently waiting to hear the good news.
I hope soon you can read these posts and know that we are all thinking of you. I've been praying for you every day. Positive vibes being sent your way!
Peace, Love & Hugs,
Dear Porter,
I've been thinking of you and looking forward to good news.
I have been away from the board and just catching with people. Is there any word on how Porter is doing? Would like to hear the latest leg if her journey as I don't have the Caring Bridge info. Thanks!
Porter is doing well. You can find her posts here by searching pfox2100 to read all her posts or on Caring Bridge search for Porter Fox.
HI all. I have been real busy and almost into a month post op. I am doing really well and almost back into a normal routine with my family, kids, driving, etc. I have a post op appt next week with my amazing surgeon and believe I will find out what my next steps are as far as if they want to continue with any kind of chemo or radiation. I haven't been on here too much lately, but always thinking about this group of people. Hugs and blessings to you all.
Hi Porter, glad to hear your normal life is resuming, that is a great sign and you are a very strong woman. Keep the good news coming, we love it!
That is really great news, Porter! Here's hoping for more good news at your appt next week!
I do have a question, I also HAVE NOT used the search tool. Are there recommendations as far as post op in regards to continuing chemo or radiation if they have achieved clear margins? As far as this being a benefit or not?
Thanks all.
Actually was just reading through some posts and found some info
Please be patient for just a bit longer - we expect to launch the new website within the next few days. It will be much more user friendly and the search function will allow for easier access to previously posted threads whereas the advanced function will retrieve older postings.
Hugs to you,
Porter..Thanks for your post on my site. I tried to access your caring bridge and my poor computer skills didn't get me there. Somewhere I have missed what the results of your surgery were. You mentioned clear margins. Was that your situation? That was for me, too, and I know there is a debate about this and the last I heard, (correct me Marion if I'm wrong here), they are leaning toward doing chemo. I did not have any chemo after my surgery 3 1/2 years ago as my doctor said at that time that the jury was out on the effectiveness. I was not keen on it either (but who is??)So far so good.
I am wondering myself what the studies are for why it comes back for some and not for others? Are there different characteristics? Is it different whether it is extra hepatic or intraheptic or hilar? (sorry if I'm using wrong terms). I had a klatskin tumor which had been growing for quite awhile (Should have been picked up 1 1/2 years before, but masked by the statin I was taking for high cholesterol). My CA-19-9 was 88 at the time of surgery..I have read here of extremely high counts. Is that any indicator of how virulent the tumor is?
I am so happy to hear that you are back in the swing of things with your family. You are remarkable. Let us hear what the future plan is for you.
Interesting that you mentioned that the meds for the high cholesterol may have been the reason your tumor was not found sooner. My husband never took any drugs, but had been put on a low dose of statins for high cholesterol against his better judgment and I often wonder if that is why his was not found sooner or if that is what triggered it. There are just too many unknowns about this rare disease and I am hoping that is changing and will keep changing in the future and eventually we can beat this.
Good luck to you and you also Porter.
Love & Hugs,
Kathy....you are right with your statement re: adjuvant therapy. It is estimated that 7 of 10 oncologists recommend it however; at this point, we don't have large scale studies providing data in re: to the efficacy of the drugs.
Several adjuvant studies will complete by mid to end of this year and those results will shed more light on the situation.
Porter, sorry for not reading your question correctly. When Kathy underwent the resection 3 1/2 years ago, there was less inclination of administering adjuvant therapy because; there was no evidence that it might work - which drug - which combination of drugs? Many felt that rather than have the patient undergo difficult treatment with unknown results, the conservative approach appeared to be that of no chemo. We also have to remember that we are witnessing a higher increase of resections than that of several years ago in addition to a few targeted drugs available and the increase in radiation treatments for adjuvant therapy. Rarely do we see "debulking" of tumors rather, the approach of shrinking the tumor, resect, and then treat, appears to be in the forefront.
Porter, from what we have seen on this site, adjuvant therapy will begin 6 weeks post surgery if you so choose to do it. You might want to reach out to others and address the question as to why they choose adjuvant therapy.
Kathy, you have done extremely well - no recurrence 3 1/2 years out; that is fantastic.
Hugs to both of you,
Congratulations on such a remarkable recovery...I can't believe you're back to running kids around and holding down the fort after only a month! Then again, you came through chemo with stride and there's not much time for chilling with little ones! Marion gave a really good picture of the adjuvant chemo situation from past and present. It is interesting that more docs are rec it than in the past though there are still big studies needed to show efficacy. Did they take so e of your tumor for genetic testing? So happy to see you doing great and with the resection behind you.
Hi Kathy, sorry you were not able to access the caring bridge site. As far as reoccurrence, I have no idea what the factors could be, only that I have heard that with this cancer, unfortunately it is common for it to return. It sounds like so far you are beating those odds and that is awesome. Congrats! I also don't know if a particular type of CC makes a difference on that reoccurrence (anyone feel free to join in ) You mentioned Klatsin, I have intrahepatic. Unfortunately they had found my tumor back in 2009 and had been keeping an eye on in until 2013 under the impression that it was a liver hemangioma and that was not the case. It grew from 6cm to 17cm! I have also read somewhere that size of tumors during resection could indicate more probability of reoccurrence or not. If that is the case mine was still in double digits when resected and I don't know if that puts me in a higher risk or not for reoccurrence. As far as tumor markers mine was never that high. At the time of surgery mine was 21 I believe. I still don't know what these numbers mean alone. I do know that during chemo treatment my onc told me that these numbers were a good indicator whether or not treatment was working, aside from that...I do not know. The results of my surgery so far (I have not had a scan yet, will soon I believe) but the pathology report came back with clear margins and no lymph node involvement. My surgeon was wanting to achieve a certain dimension for a clean margin and got even more of a clean margin than she was hoping for, she and the team were very happy about the results. Honestly, I still don't completely understand the whole margin thing and still learning about all of this really. My surgeon was leaning towards not continuing chemo but bringing it to the board to get a unanimous decision. Ultimately I know the decision Is mine. It seems like it might be good to do for a bit based on the responses I have read. Thanks everyone for all the love and support. Right back at ya!
Willow and everyone again, thank you! You have all been here since day 1 and it means so much to me to have this support system and I try to give it back as well. You are all so wonderful I do believe they sent it for testing. I remember signing a release for it. I should follow up with that at my next appt!
The information expressed is not medical advice. The discussion boards are not intended to replace the services of a trained health professional or to be a substitute for the medical advice of physicians or other healthcare providers. Read the full disclaimer.


text: Oversized crystal earrings Item F3149 Color: PALE POOL Size: ONE SIZE All sizes are US sizes. ONE SIZE Quantity: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Prices do not include taxes. Add to Bag Wishlist Add to Bag Add To Wishlist share: size & fit Length: 2". Product Details These oversized crystal earrings are the "!" on every outfit. Brass, epoxy stone. Light gold ox plating. Import. Item F3149.


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" Brand: Comfort / Type: Fabric Conditioner / Category: Laundry "
I love the Comfort range of fabric conditioners and this fragrance I am reviewing today is one I have bought quite a few times because it works well and is often on special offer. Saves me some money when I purchase it at a reduced price.
It comes in a plastic bottle and has a large cap which can be used as a measuring cap. The name is very clear on the front of the bottle and so can easily be spotted on a shelf. . The bottle is very easy to get a good grip comfortably in the hands without dropping it and also for pouring it into the cap or the machine. As soon as the top is removed the fragrance is apparent. It has a really nice sweet fragrance and one which has smell which is mostly a perfume scent and a kind of sweet smell to it. It smells refreshing too.. The liquid is a nice blue colour, it has a rich consistency and doesn't drip from the bottle neck. The texture of the liquid is really soft and smooth and fairly thick.
I like to just fill the cap almost full for a full wash load and then just half a cap when I am only washing just a few items. This amount for both loads is an adequate amount. A little does go a very long way with this conditioner and using too much just isn't really necessary. The cap is useful if you do like to fill a cap with conditioner and then pour it into your machine drawer.
When I take my fabrics from my machine I can really detect the fragrance immediately. It is quite a strong scent and aroma but it is not too overpowering, my fabrics smell really fresh and clean.. Once my fabrics have dried I can really smell the fragrance them and again the scent is really nice and smells gorgeous. When I take my clothes from my wardrobe or drawers a few weeks later I can still smell the fragrance on them but it does fade the longer my clothing is in my wardrobe and over a period of weeks but the clothing still has a fresh smell to them and it is still apparent but not as strong a smell on them but they still smell nice when I want to wear them.
I find this conditoner softens fabrics really well and leaves my towels nice and fluffy and really soft. It also gives a really nice smell to my curtains and when I walk past them or open my windows I can smell how fresh they smell and with a nice perfume smell to them. I love it when I walk past fabrics such as curtains or when I sit on my sofa or chair and my cushion covers smell really nice. If I cannot smell any fragrance from them I then know a conditioner doesn't work very well for a lasting fragrance but this one certainly does last.
I also like to use the conditioner for softening my delicate fabrics and I just pour a tiny amount in my sink or washing up bowl and then just add warm water and soak the fabrics in the solution. I only leave them to soak for around a couple of minutes and usually no longer than 5 minutes in total. I find this amount of time is well enough to soften them and not ruin them. It is very easy to rinse the conditioner from the fabrics in no time at all and then just to hang out to dry naturally. I always dry my delicate fabrics naturally on my washing line or on my clothes rack. I never tumble dry them because delicates do need to dry naturally in my opinion so not to ruin the fabric. This conditioner has never ruined my fabrics.
I just love the smell of my bedding when I get into bed at night, I can really detect the fragrance on my bedding and they smell really nice and fresh. I find that fresh smelling bedding really does help me relax a little bit more and have a better night's sleep.
For a 750ml bottle the usual full price is £2.30 but on offer it can be often bought for just a £1 sometimes and so if seen at this price it is well worth stocking up if you use a conditioner on a regular basis as I do. For this size of liquid it is designed to soften 21 normal wash loads. I would say it comes pretty close to this amount and a true statement from this brand. Also comes in larger bottle of 1.2 Litres and is priced around £3.50 and this size bottle is for around 34 wash loads.
It does tell me on the bottle that it has 100% more fragrance in every drop. It is a strong fragrance so who really knows if it contains more than some other brands in my opinion but this is what it claims so I have to believe that and from my experience of using this liquid I think the claims are true enough.
I have found that this conditioner hasn't cause any rashes or irritations to my sensitive skin or the skins of my grandchildren. I have used this one for softening my grandchildren's clothing when I wash them at my home on a regular basis. It is more than suitable for the little ones clothing.
I highly recommend this conditioner if you are looking for one which softens fabrics well and leaves a lasting fragrance on the clothing. Which has a very nice fragrance to it and a lasting smell on fabrics.
I will continue to buy this conditioner in the future because it gives my fabrics all the results for softening them and leaving them with a nice scent to them and for a very long time after using it in a machine or a washing up bowl for hand soaking.
Also appears on Ciao under my username pinky50.
I give this one 5 stars.
Thank you for reading my review and I hope it has been of some help.
~Bluebell and Bergamot~
Comfort offer a range of scented fabric conditioners and today I will be discussing my experience of the 'Bluebell and Bergamot' fabric conditioner.
This fabric conditioner is designed to be used alongside your normal laundry detergent and should be dispensed into your washing machine drawer. This fabric conditioner has been created by perfume experts and is designed to offer 100% more fragrance per drop compared to the Comfort Jojoba Oil fabric conditioner. It should also leave your laundry feeling softer.
Bluebell and Bergamot is presented in a tall, curvy plastic bottle which has an attractive and eyecatching blue sleeve. The important product information and usage instructions are noted on the back of the bottle and the lid doubles up as a measuring cap. The empty bottle can be recycled. It is recommended that you use 18ml of liquid for handwashing, 35ml for regular loads and 55ml for larger loads of laundry.
~Where To Buy~
Blueberry and Bergamot fabric conditioner can be purchased from most supermarkets. The 1.2l is designed to offer approximately 34 standard washes and is priced at around £3.50 per bottle. It is, however, currently on offer at just £2.00 in Tesco and from www.tesco.com. The smaller 750ml bottle can be bought from Wilkos priced at £2.25.
~My Thoughts~
I am always looking for new or different laundry products to try as I do a lot of washing! On a Friday, I can often be found down the laundry detergent aisle sniffing different fabric conditioners - sad I know! When it comes to Comfort, my favourite fabric conditioner is Strawberry and Lily Kiss. I did plan on purchasing that particular scent a few weeks ago whilst in Tesco but was drawn in by the low price of £1.80 for a 1.2l bottle of Bluebell and Bergamot. I can't resist a bargain and a quick sniff inside the bottle confirmed that this would be going home with me!
I have a large capacity washing machine but do not always fill it completely so how much fabric conditioner i use varies between washes. Regardless of whether I use this fabric conditioner in a big or small load, at 30c of 60c or which laundry detergent I use alongside it, the results have been equally as good. The blue liquid is easily poured from the bottle and appears to have a substantial thickness but not so thick that it clogs up my machine drawer. I personally choose to pour it in to the lid and then in to my drawer as this means less chance of me making a mess.
Within the bottle, this fabric conditioner has quite a powerful, concentrated smell which is very uplifting and refreshing. After my laundry has been washed and spun, I open the door to reveal a very clean and fresh aroma. This fabric conditioner scent overides any laundry detergent and transfers on to my laundry very well. With some laundry detergents, the scent is weak and barely noticeable but I am pleased to confirm that the Bluebell and Bergamot scent is very much evident on my laundry. The scent is gorgeous and very gender neutral. The scent is very bright and Summery in my opinion. There is a well balanced mix of light florals with sweetness and I personally notice a slight minty undertone which gives the scent a refreshing and very pleasant boost. Ultimately, my laundry smells lovely and the scent remains on my laundry for quite a few days even when the laundry has been stored away in the wardrobe. I have noticed that bed sheets hold the scent well even when stored away. Some may find the scent a little too strong but this can be altered by simply using less fabric conditioner.
As well as leaving my laundry smelling nice, this fabric conditioner performs well at softening my laundry. I generally find that Comfort is the best range of fabric conditioners for leaving my laundry feeling very soft and conditioned after being washed. I particularly like how well it softens towels as there is nothing more appealing than stepping out the shower and wrapping a super soft, fluffy towel around you in my opinion. I dry laundry out on the line and also indoors over the clothes airer and find that whilst I prefer drying my laundry out on the line, the laundry still feels good and smells nice after being dried indoors. My home also benefits from the fragrant aroma of this fabric conditioner when the laundry is dried indoors.
~Final Thoughts~
I find that this fabric conditioner is of a high quality. It works a treat on all types of laundry and smells gorgeous. Both myself and my son have sensitive skin but haven't experienced any irritation from using this product. It ticks all the boxes for me. I only buy Comfort when it is on offer but I do feel that it is worth the higher price. I will be stocking up on this one whilst Tesco have it reduced. I have been pleased by how many washes I have been able to get from one bottle as I used different amounts each time.
Thanks for reading :)
***Why do I use it? and How much?***
I have been using Comfort fabric softener on and off for many years and after giving up on the Ecover softener I came across the Exhilarations line which boasts 100% more fragrance in every drop and has quite a wide range of scents including Strawberry and Lily (Not to my taste), Poppy and Peach (Not a fan of peach), Blueberry & Jasmine (A lovely aroma), Vanilla & Gold (Not exactly certain what gold is supposed to smell of but I'm not one to smell like an ice-cream) and finally my favourite Bluebell and Bergamot. As much as I love this softener I will not pay the RRP of £3.30 for 1.2 Litres as you can always find it for £2 somewhere provided you shop around.
The plastic bottle is recyclable and the lid is too but double check with your local recycling service provider as some have got a bizarre idea about lids not being recyclable. The plastic bottle tapers on one side near the lid making handing much easier when it comes to pouring the solution and the cap is pretty much bog-standard for a fabric softener. The measurement of solution is explained on the rear of the bottle with the following recommendations: 6-7Kg load - 55mL (full cap), 4-5Kg load - 35mL (2/3's of a cap) and finally Handwashing - 18mL (1/3 of a cap). I personally do find these measurements a little generous and tend to use a little less and have found the product to be just as effective.
***Scent & Softness***
As for the scent labelled as Bluebell and Bergamot well I can certainly make out Bergamot but as for Bluebell which is actually a rather scentless flower (from what I can recall from spending time in Bluebell covered forests as a child) I cannot detect it's presence. However apart from the obvious Bergamot scent I can also make out notes of lemon, orange blossom and other white florals which I cannot specify with certainty. The combination of the above notes produces a happy spring/summer time aroma which permeates the room and pretty much the whole home but without being too heady. As for softness this conditioner works really well with both my son's clothing and mine and hasn't triggered any allergies in either of us - unlike Ecover which left too much of a coating on the clothes and inturn left us itching like crazy.
I have definitely noticed that my ironing has gotten easier since I used this product and my iron glides through the toughest of shirts and skirts without any creasing issues. I had real issues with Ecover when it came to this as I found that there was far too much friction due to the coating on the clothes and ironing took much longer and I hate ironing as it is.
***Would I recommend this product?***
Well if you like the scent yes but if you're not so keen then give it a miss. Not everyone has the same taste in scent which is why there are so many fragrances in the world so check out the other aromas and if you like them well you can't go wrong really.
I am not one to buy a fabric softener without first having had a good sniff and so, needing a new bottle recently I looked forward to having a good look around to see what fragrances I hadn't yet tried. The world of fabric softeners, just the thing to pick up a tired and slightly blocked nose for a smell of summer as the winter ensues. Trudging down my Wilkinsons aisle, the colours of the various bottles grouped together like colours of the rainbow, each one unique in the scent that they gave. I have for many years been a fan of Comfort, not least because they provide good quality products but also because they offer some interesting takes on classic smells. As a result, noticing that the Comfort Exhilarations were on offer at 2 for £3, I popped a couple of bottles in the basket, one of which was this Bluebell and Bergamot bottle.
The product itself is definitely eye catching in my opinion. The bottle is plastic in material and is topped with a dark blue screw top cap which also serves as a measuring device. The body of the bottle is illustrated with two curved lines of colour in differing shades of blue, together with a bergamot leaf and two bluebell flower heads. Text on the front of the bottle indicates that my bottle provides up to 21 washes and has '100% more fragrance in every drop'.
Upon screwing the cap off my bottle the liquid is a light blue in colour and I can see why they say more fragrance in every drop. The fragrance is very strong and filled my nose with the strong scent of bluebell flowers and a hint of bergamot. The combined affect produces a floral and slightly citrus scent which reminded me of somewhere Mediterranean far far away, which isn't really a bad thing at this time of year. I really love the fragrance of this fabric softener and was keen to see how strong the scent would be after a wash cycle.
On the back of the bottle we are told about the quantity of fabric softener to use for each wash cycle, be it a large load (55ml), normal load (35ml) or handwash (18ml). Whilst I am normally a person who sticks to instructions, I do like my clothes to smell good and do own a family sized washing machine which can wash more clothes than standard. As a result, I will usually put a 'large load' quantity of fabric softener in each wash cycle, that being just under one capful of product.
To use this softener is simply a case of pouring the required amount of liquid into the washing machine drawer at the start of a wash cycle and then sitting back and letting the washing machine take care of the rest. It is advised that this product should not be poured directly onto clothing neither should it be left on skin and therefore your hands should be washed after use. At the end of my first was cycle with this product I eagerly pulled the clothes out of the machine and was pleased with the sweet floral scent that wafted out of my wet washing. My clothes were subject to a good drying cycle in the tumble drier at my local laundrette, and despite this the smell still was noticeable in my clean clothes.
Over time I have really enjoyed using this product as I feel that it not only helps my clothes to smell nicer but also makes them feel soft against my skin. This fabric softener is particularly good on towels as it seems to soften the surface of the towel whilst giving it a good dowse of fragrance. As with all reviews, the proof is in the result and I am delighted with this softener as I can still smell hints of this product on my clothing today as I sit at my desk.
This product can be purchased in any number of supermarkets and is currently priced at £2.25 in Wilkinson for 750ml and a slightly reduced £2.00 in Tesco. However, a larger 1.5 litre bottle is available for larger households.
This is another excellent product from Comfort and one which I really enjoy using and I would therefore recommend it. As a result of the above this softener scores an excellent five stars from me.
Thanks for reading! x
I use fabric conditioner with almost every wash and my favourite brand is Comfort, which I find to provide consistent high quality and a range of beautiful fragrances. When in Morrison's a while ago, I noticed the Bluebell and Bergamot scent, which is one I hadn't tried before. I thought that this sounded like it would be a lovely fragrance and even better it was on special offer, so I snapped one up.
The fabric conditioner comes in the usual shaped Comfort bottle, with a screw top cap which doubles as a dosing device. The label is decorated in luscious tones of blue and is certainly appealing on the eye - well as much as a bottle of fabric conditioner can be anyway!
The conditioner is a pale blue in colour and reasonably thick. Unlike some other fabric conditioners I've used, it doesn't leave a residue in the drawer compartment of my washing machine. The dosing instructions are printed clearly on the back of the pack alongside diagrams.
The scent of the product can be detected as soon as the lid is unscrewed and in my opinion the fragrance is the best thing about the product. It has quite a feminine smell, which is orangey but with a sweet floral undertone. It's a very fresh scent, very clean smelling and perfectly suited to this kind of product.
As soon as the machine door is opened after using this product the scent hits you. I have used with both scented and unscented detergents, but even with the scented ones the smell of this fabric conditioner seems to take over and is the only thing that can be smelled. I have also found if drying my clothes indoors, wherever I hang them the room is always filled with scent, so it's almost like getting a free air freshener! In fact yesterday, I was drying my clothes in the spare room as it was raining outside and I could smell the scent of this fabric softener all the way up the stairs.
In terms of softness, although it can be quite difficult to judge with these things, my personal feeling is that this does leave fabrics feeling softer after use. I have also noticed that clothes and fabrics retain the scent quite well and even if I wash an item and don't wear it for a week or so, I can still smell traces of this product on it when I take it out of the wardrobe.
Both myself and my fiancé have sensitive skin and neither of us have experienced any irritation since using this product.
I paid £2 for a 34 wash bottle of this in Morrison's and ASDA are currently selling it for the same price.
Overall, I've been very pleased with this product and would use it again. It smells lovely and my clothes retain the scent, so it gets a big recommendation from me.
I love fabric conditioner...I tend to go for quite sweet smelling ones, Im not too keen on the talcy perfume type.
Comfort never seems to let me down, in particular this range, I have so far tried the Bluebell and Bergamont variety and was perfectly happy with the lovely flowery yet slightly fruity fragrance that seems to last forever, nothing beats that feeling when you climb in to clean sheets that still have the just washed fragrance.
However I have now discovered the new Blushing Poppy and Peach creation. This is beautiful, a fresh very fruity slightly flowery fragrance, I think this is definately my new favourite.....for now....until the next one!
The bottle I purchased was on offer in Asda at £1 well worth it, it contains 750ml or 21 measured doses, I always tend to be a bit heavy handed with fabric conditioner so I dont think I get 21 washes however this is an uneccessary extravagance on my part.
The bottle states that the range has been designed by top international perfume experts..I really do believe this. All of the fragrances in this range are absolutely beautiful, I find that when I dry clothes around the house, the whole house takes on the refreshing fragrances, even when dried on the washing line or in the dryer the fragrance still lingers!
I have totally dwelled on the smell of these fabric conditioner so just a quicky on the effects..my washing is really soft when I use this and even jeans are easy to iron after this has been in the wash so recommended on this part too.
I am a massive fan of these new fragrances from comfort, I am looking forward to working my way through the whole range and will no doubt keep you informed via updates of how I get on with them.
Recommended for anyone who likes nice smelling soft clothes!
Those of you who read my reviews regularly will know I am a sucker for the aroma of bergamot - so much so that I actually find it hard to walk past products which are scented with it.
I recently spied Comfort Exhilarations had added a new fragrance to their fabric conditioner range, entitled Wild Bluebell and Bergamot Thrill. I honestly think they could have had me in mind when they were developing this fragrance - well certainly I was thrilled to see another product with my beloved bergamot! Add to that childhood memories of picking copious amounts of bluebells in the woods across the road from my parents' house and of the beautiful scent these pretty wild flowers left when put in vases throughout the house then this was a "must buy" for me.
The one thing that did put me off however was the price. I try to only buy Comfort when it's on offer purely because of the price, which seems to be around the £2.20 mark currently for a 750 ml bottle. I usually shop at Morrisons but they only had the larger 1.5 ml bottles, so when I found myself in Asda a couple of weeks ago with my daughter and her friend, I decided to pick up a 750 ml bottle while I had the chance.
~~The Product~~
The Comfort Exhilarations range includes several scents but the only one I have used prior to the Wild Blueberry & Bergamot Thrill is the Strawberry and Lily Kiss version which I must admit was my fabric softener of choice until recently and something I would always stock up on when it was on offer. Sadly those offers seem to have dried up of late, leading to me using Cussons' Morning Fresh range which I have reviewed previously.
The 750ml bottle of fabric conditioner is supposed to be sufficient for 21 washes but this is only the case if you follow the dosing advice for normal loads and only use 35 ml of product. If you use a full cap of 55ml then you will only get 13 washes from the bottle.
The conditioner itself is a very deep shade of blue and the smell when you open the bottle is very strongly floral - but not instantly detectable as bergamot - or bluebell for that matter. You do have to bear in mind that this is a concentrated fabric conditioner however and as such you are not going to get a really good idea of how this will smell until after your washing machine has finished washing clothes dosed with this product.
~~My Experience~~
I have been using this softener every day and in every load for the past week and have to say that I was a bit dubious even when I picked this up in the shop to try about how "intense" the fragrance is. My doubts weren't due to any lack of intensity - more by the sheer power of an indeterminably floral aroma which emanates from the bottle when you open it.
I had to remind myself however that the Morning Fresh products have been a bit of a letdown in the fragrance stakes so hopefully the pungency of the fragrance would be a good sign.
I have to admit at this juncture that I have been using a full cap every time I have used this product. That's probably more by habit than anything else and I haven't really got an excuse because unlike the Morning Fresh fabric conditioner, the correct doses are measured inside the cap with 18ml marked for handwashing along with a clear line showing 35 ml. The cap capacity is 55ml.
When I opened the washing machine after using this for the first time I was delighted to be met with a more recognisable aroma of bluebells and while the bergamot isn't as obvious as I would have liked, you can still pick it up. The overall fragrance is one of the bluebell wood where I used to play as a child and I have to say I really like it.
I have been very happy with the softness of my laundry too, with towels coming out noticeably softer. I've also found it seems to make ironing a little easier too.
The aroma seems to linger on the clothes too - and certainly when I am drying clothes indoors you can pick up the fragrance indoors as it dries. The fragrance doesn't hang about on the clothes so much if they are dried outdoors and as such I am minded to stick to using the cheaper Morning Fresh product on days when the sun shines and keep this one purely for when I need to dry indoors.
The floral fragrance might be a bit too feminine for some men too - I live in an all girl household so it's not an issue here but I can't imagine my husband would have liked this one at all!
Comfort do claim this product has an intense fragrance and I really cannot disagree with that. However it's perhaps a little too intense before it is diluted and I wouldn't recommend you leave the bottle open for long otherwise the scent does become a little overpowering. It's fine once it's been diluted in the washing machine.
I have been a bit concerned that because the aroma is so strong that this might irritate the skin but there have been no problems. I do my mother's laundry as well as my own and she has eczema and other skin problems but this hasn't caused any of these problems to flare up.
It is also expensive - especially if you use a full cap - but at the end of the day I can't argue with a fabric conditioner which softens so well and also fragrances clothes so well. Just don't expect the aroma to linger if you line dry outdoors however - this is one for days when that's impossible.
In my house I do a lot of washing and I really like it to smell nice so I tend to buy a more expensive fabric conditioner, at the moment I am using Comfort Exhilarations in Wild Bluebell and Bergamot Thrill. The exhilarations range is available in four different fragrances the one above plus Strawberry and lily Kisses, Melon and Lotus Flower and Blueberry and Jasmine Twist. There are two different sized bottles, 21 wash and 42 wash, the 21 wash bottle currently sells in Asda for £2 and the 42 wash bottle for £3.86 which I don't think is a great saving and more of a pain as it is such a big bottle it will only fit in one spot under my sink.
The bottles are all very brightly coloured, this one is coloured bright blue and has pictures of flowers floating around on the bottle, the bottles are certainly attractive all stood together on the supermarket shelves. The bottle is curved upover so that the bottom is much wider than the top but the neck of the bottle is also shaped to allow easy use and then there is a screw on cap which hides a pour dispnser underneath. This bottle also has the great value 42 wash written across on a yellow banner and the name and fragrance of the product written on the front.
On the rear of the bottle is all of the information you should need, there is a statement about the product basically telling you it is good for the environment as it is a concentrated product it means 50% less packaging. You are provided with a few ingredients but it states along with others, the ones that are declared on the bottle are catonic surfactants, perfume, limonene and benzisothiazolinone. The other information is the dosages, you are given three different dosages for 6-7kg, 4-5kg and if handwashing although I would never think to use a fabric softenener if I was handwashing. These bottles I think are quite misleading as I personally think that most people just think that one capful is what is needed in each wash which actually isn't the case most the time, I personally use about ¾ of a capful even though our machine is a bigger one.
The smell of this product is lovely and you can smell it as soon as you open the bottle, I think it smells flowery yet sweet at the same time. The product is easy to use as it is simply pouring the correct dose into the machine although getting the right dose can be a little more difficult with the bigger bottle as it is so heavy when it is full. When you open your machine after using this the smell is instant and when drying clothes around the house it leaves a lovely fragrance however if you dry your clothes in a dryer the clothers seem to lose the fragrance pretty quickly. I love this product and most in this range as they smell divine however I do stock up when I see them on offer which is actually quite often especially in Asdas cleaning events that are often running.
As readers of my reviews will know I dont write about products like this very often at all - let alone suggest them to Dooyoo so you know it is either a fantastic product or a really rubbish one for me to do that. Thankfully this "Comfort Exhilarations Fabric Conditioner Bluebell & Bergamot" falls into the first category and I couldnt wait to write about it because it is a fantastic product and now something I dont like being without a bottle of. My mom is always buying different fabric conditioners and we probably have about 10 bottles sitting under the sink at the moment but recently the Comfort Exhilarations range has become a firm favourite with everyone in the house and even though they all smell amazing this one - which happens to be the newest scent in the range - has got be be my favourite!
Useful Information:
Price: 750ml bottle - 2.20 1.5L bottle - Around 4.00
Stockists: Any supermarket.
Other Info: A 1.5L bottle is said to eb enough for 42 loads of washing & one capfull each time you want to use this is MORE than enough so one bottle will last a proper long time!
This product comes in a large, bright blue bottle which if nothing else is sure to capture your attention in the supermarket. There is the usual screw off cap at the top which is used to measure the liquid and any details you may need about the product such as: other scents, address, website and warnings can be found on the back.
Now I know people tend to use fabric softeners in 2 ways, either: pour the capful into the little draw on your washing machine or pour it directly onto your clothes while they are in the drum. Now this one actually says not to do it the second way but Ive tried it both ways and I think it is just as effective either way and dont worry this will not stain your clothes or anything like that! One capful is more than enough to make all your clothes smell really amazing though so I doubt you would need any more than that regardless of how big the washing load is.
Now I assumed this was going to smell horrible before I used it in all honesty. Im not keen on the scent of bergamot usually and in this case mixed the bluebell I just didnt think they would mix well but I was wrong. Also dont expect this to be a floral scent either because again it isnt really at all - it does have very light floral notes but nothing to major. This to me smells more fruity than anything and reminds me of Hubba Bubba chewing gum I used to have as a kid and it makes all your clothes smell really fresh and fruity but best of all proper clean.
This makes the whole house smell gorgeous whenever we've used it and Ive been washing all my bed sheets practically every other day just so they smell of this! It's definitely my favourite from the range and my clothes smell and feel dead clean after Ive used this so I highly recommend it. One bottle will last you a proper long time and this is something I will no longer be without!
Thanks For Reading.
x0 Salz 0x


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LONDON, Ohio (AP) -- Prosecutors are fighting to stop a former Ohio police captain from being released from prison after a judge exonerated him in his ex-wife's murder.
Summit County Court of Common Pleas Judge Judy Hunter said in a Tuesday ruling that new DNA test results prove former Akron police captain Doug Prade's innocence. She ordered him released immediately.
Prosecutors asked Hunter to stop Prade from being released until their appeal works its way through the court system, but she turned them down. Now the prosecutors are appealing that decision to the Ninth District Court of Appeals in Akron.
It's unclear how soon a ruling might come.
Margo Prade, a prominent 41-year-old Akron doctor, was found shot dead in her minivan outside her office on Nov. 26, 1997.


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Amazing Monument AnagramLanguage brain teasers are those that involve the English language. You need to think about and manipulate words and letters.
The following not only describes a famous monument, but is an anagram for its name. What is it?
Built to Stay Free
HintA gift from France
AnswerStatue of Liberty
What Next?
See another brain teaser just like this one...
Or, just get a random brain teaser
If you become a registered user you can vote on this brain teaser, keep track of
which ones you have seen, and even make your own.
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Please call Above All Art for Prices and Availability on Originals and Giclees of Jim Daly Fine Art
Artist Jim Daly is beloved by his many collectors. "Being an artist, he says, "was all I ever wanted to be. I've had not career decisions to make. I'm doing now exactly what I wanted to do when I was a boy. I'm really lucky – some people work so that when they retire they can take up painting."
But before he could devote his life to his art, Daly, a soft-spoken Oklahoma native, spent three years in the army infantry, where, as an amateur boxer, he remained undefeated. After his discharge, he studied nights at the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles on the G.I. Bill, while working at an aerospace company to support his family. His love for painting children began when he started using his four young sons as models. He further developed his talent by studying the works of great artists.
"The excitement I felt when I first viewed the art of Michelangelo, Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, J.W. Waterhouse, Andrew Wyeth, and my hero, Norman Rockwell, inspired me to begin a never-ending search for the same truth in my own work." Daly believes in following the lead of his creative instincts and his emotions, rather than focusing exclusively on the technique of painting: "Creativity is never quite knowing what you're doing. The best things happen when you let go and let the spark that flows through all of us lead the way. It's as strong an emotion as I can imagine."
The emotion that drives Jim Daly to paint manifests itself in captivating subjects that take us on a sentimental journey, like treasured old photographs, lovingly preserved in a family album. But unlike the solemn black-and-white photos of long ago, his paintings evoke emotions for which there are no photographs – emotions which are universal. His paintings of children from another time remind us of ourselves as children. They remind us of the unconditional love of our best friends (whether real or stuffed), or of Mom, who could fix anything and always knew how to make us laugh. Though they command our eyes, the paintings of Jim Daly speak directly to our hearts.
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text:
The Vallejo Police Department is warning consumers of a potential scam after officers uncovered a stash of fake iPad boxes last week.
"(Detectives) located numerous boxes containing a life-size object disguised as an iPad," Vallejo Lt. Lee Horton said.
The fake iPad boxes were discovered in a car after a police pulled over a vehicle at a local shopping center, Horton said. Similar to scams involving VCRs in the 1980s and DVD players in the 1990s, investigators believe the person found with the boxes intended to sell them for a cheaper rate than real iPads.
"People think they're getting a good deal, and they fork over $100 bucks and get a brick," Horton said of the scam.
It is unclear where the fake boxes were going to be sold, or what the asking price would be, Horton said.
Inside the boxes, police found a replica of an iPad made of a picture frame wrapped with duct tape to mimic the silver back of many iPad models. Further, the creator of the fake iPads even cut out an Apple logo from the duct tape.
To further confuse buyers, the fake iPad was then wrapped in bubble wrap to obscure its true features, Horton said.
"They were all prepped and ready to go," Horton said.
Horton cautions buyers to beware of the potential scam. Though it is unclear how much the boxes were going to be sold for, the real tablets retail from $329 to $829, depending on the model.
No arrests have been made so far, and the case remains under investigation.


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Photo By: Joyce Goldschmid/Special to the Town Crier
The cast of Bus Barn Stage Company's "The House of Blue Leaves" includes, from left, Brooke Silva (as Corinna Stroller), Edie Dwan (Head Nun), Lucinda Dobinson (Second Nun) and Jessica Yurash (Little Nun).
Bus Barn Stage Company's production of the satirical comedy "The House of Blue Leaves" is set to close Sunday in Los Altos.
Directed by Jeanie K. Smith, the production marks Bus Barn's first foray into the works of award-winning American playwright John Guare.
"Leaves" is the story of Artie Shaughnessy, a zookeeper by day who harbors dreams of songwriting fame and glory. Burdened by his wife's mental illness, his son's alienating behavior and his girlfriend's Lady Macbethlike demands, Artie struggles hopelessly to attain his singular desire. From seedy piano bars to a rundown Queens apartment, his world and its inhabitants – the visiting pope, a trio of zealous nuns, the military police, psych-ward orderlies and eccentric Hollywood personalities – conspire to hold him back
The play stars Bay Area actors Jeff Swan (as Artie), Pat Tyler (Artie's wife, Bananas) and Deb Anderson (Artie's downstairs neighbor and girlfriend, Bunny Flingus). Supporting cast members include Ronald Feichtmeir (Artie and Bananas' son, Ronnie), Todd Wright (movie producer Billy Einhorn), Brooke Silva (former starlet Corinna Stroller) and Edie Dwan, Lucinda Dobinson and Jessica Yurash as a trio of out-of-control nuns. Scott Stanley and Daniel H. Tookman round out the cast, playing M.P. and the White Man, respectively.
Performances are scheduled 7:30 p.m. today, 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at Bus Barn Theater, 97 Hillview Ave.
Tickets are $18-$30.
For advance tickets and more information, call 941-0551 or visit www.busbarn.org.


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ARGENTINA international prop Francisco Chaparro is poised for his Cross Keys debut against Moseley in the British and Irish Cup this afternoon (kick-off 2pm).
The twice-capped Newport Gwent Dragons tighthead has been named on the bench for the Pool One encounter at Billesley Common.
He is joined in the matchday squad by four regional teammates – centre Lewis Robling, hooker Elliot Dee, flanker Darren Waters and scrum-half Luc Jones.
It brings the total of senior Dragons that have turned out for the Pandy Park outfit in the cross-border tournament to nine and head coach Greg Woods believes the club have enjoyed a fruitful partnership with the region.
"I think that we have dealt with it in the correct way and it has benefited everyone," he said.
"The Dragons have given us great support and have benefitted from players getting game time against quality opposition but we have kept our club identity."
The British and Irish Cup games have also helped in the development of openside flanker Scott Matthews, who made his European debut for the Dragons on Thursday evening.
The combative 19-year-old has impressed for Keys this season and will feature for Wales Under-20s in the Six Nations.
Leinster A have already won Pool One and even a bonus point victory is unlikely to be enough to secure a quarter-final spot as one of the two best runners-up for Keys.
Cross Keys: R Lee, K Baller, N Williams, L Robling, N Trowbridge, D Jones, O Jones, R Cornock, E Dee, C Gould, D Hodge, O Hodge, P Sargent, R Tucker, A Powell (captain). Replacements: L Garrett, H Palmer, F Chaparro, T Lampard, D Waters, L Jones, P Williams.
- Ebbw Vale can take another step towards the Championship title with victory against their nearest rivals this afternoon.
The Steelmen have won all 14 of their league games so far this season, 12 of them with bonus points, and head west to Narberth.
Last weekend the second-placed outfit suffered their first defeat in their 10 games since losing at Eugene Cross Park in September when downed 28-6 at RGC 1404.
If Ebbw take the spoils then Pontypool will climb up a place from third with a home victory against Llanharan.
Pooler, who lost when the sides met at the Dairy Field, are unbeaten in five league games.
It may not be tight at the top but there is plenty to play for at the bottom of the table.
Blackwood, in 12th, and Newbridge, 10th, are in need of victories when they host bottom club Bonymaen and one-from-bottom Beddau respectively.
Other fixtures: Cardiff Met v RGC 1404, Tata Steel v Bargoed, Tondu v Bridgend Athletic.


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Gibson confident calling for Bell out of bullpen
MILWAUKEE -- D-backs reliever Heath Bell has not pitched since giving up three runs in one-third of an inning Tuesday, but manager Kirk Gibson said he won't hesitate to put the veteran right-hander back out there.
"We're going to get Heath on track," Gibson said. "This guy's had a ton of success in the big leagues, you don't think he's ever been through this before? He's got a ton of confidence. Nobody likes to go through it, but he's not going to run from it."
Bell was hugely successful during his time in San Diego, but struggled in 2012 after signing a big free-agent deal with the Marlins.
Gibson and his staff carefully watched video from Bell's outing to see if maybe he was tipping his pitches, but they did not see any indications of that.
In addition, they liked the velocity they saw from him as he hit 95 mph with his fastball.
"That's when you know it's minor," Gibson said. "When I went back and looked at the film I saw balls down the middle of the plate, I saw him miss his location, so I know if he gets it there, it's a different story."
Steve Gilbert is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Inside the D-backs, and follow him on Twitter @SteveGilbertMLB. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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