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Princess Alice Bank at the Azores is a volcanic seamount on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge rising from more than thousand metres to a depth of around 40 metres below the ocean surface. The abundance of marine life, especially devil rays (Mobula tarapacana), make it an exquisite, albeit remote and exposed offshore spot for diving.
We wake before sunrise, as the dive boat is set to leave early to motor the 45 nautical miles to the Southwest. The harbour of Horta rests quiet at this hour. We assemble our dive gear and load it into the boat.
Under Way to Princess Alice Bank
We leave the port with a headwind. Light rain drizzles. There's not much swell, and waves are less than a metre high. Nevertheless our motor catamaran starts to bounce. After an hour, the island of Faial disappears in the clouds. Thick clouds obscure the sky. Another rain squall approaches. The translucent blue sails of Portuguese man o' war drift in the dark ocean.
Then the sky opens and the sea turns to the deepest ultramarine. After four hours, we have reached our destination at 38°00'20" North, 29°17'54" West: Princess Alice Bank. Nothing but blue water surrounds us.
The Discovery of Princess Alice Bank
The Portuguese are a nation of sailors: Diogo Cão, Bartolomeu Dias, Vasco da Gama, and Fernão de Magalhães (better known as Magellan) are only the most famous of Portuguese seafarers. The epos Os Lusíadas narrates the discovery of the sea route to India by Vasco da Gama, and its author Luís de Camões is celebrated on Portugal's National Day.
It thus comes as a surprise that Princess Alice Bank was discovered by a foreigner. In 1896, Prince Albert I of Monaco, an avid oceanographer, sailed near the Azores. He discovered a seamount south of Faial Island that steeply rises from more than thousand metres depth. The Arquipélago dos Açores is a volcanic hotspot on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, similar to other islands such as Iceland, Tristan da Cunha, or Saint Helena. He named the plateau Princess Alice Bank after his research yacht (and second wife Alice Heine, a relative of the writer Heinrich Heine).
Princess Alice Bank became a significant fishing area. Years later, the accounts of ray sightings by the local Azorean fishermen led to its evolution as an offshore dive spot in the midst of the Atlantic Ocean.
Diving with Devil Rays
Our skipper Jairo points to the water: three Manta rays are swimming just below the surface. Princess Alice Bank serves as a pit stop for devil rays who are long distance travellers. The rays apparently like the seamount that steeply rises from over two thousand metres depth almost to the surface. The ascending deep sea ocean current carries food. Moreover, the site seems to be important for social interactions and mating.
Manta rays migrate through the oceans and do so at great depth (>1'800 metres). Devil rays (Mobula tarapacana) are among the deepest-diving ocean animals. The word Manta is Portuguese for cape or mantle. Indeed, their wing-like pectoral fins give the impression of a cape. Also, the name devil ray reflects the appearance of their fins on the head: former scientific names included vampyrus, daemomanta, and diabolichthys. They were seen as diabolic creatures.
We jump into the water. We dive and the tip of the volcanic seamount appears at around forty metres depth. Princess Alice Bank lies 45 nautical miles offshore, that's 80 kilometres from the nearest Azores island Faial. Pelagic fish surround us: barracuda (Sphyraena viridensis), Almaco jack (Seriola rivoliana), and tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis).
A large group of devil rays appears in the dark blue to our left and glides towards us. The ocean current moves our exhaled air bubbles away. We pay attention not to get carried away, as warned by divemasters and marine biologists Fábio and José. The current can reach several knots and drag someone away several hundred metres in a few minutes.
Fábio dives deeper to free a mobula entangled in a fishing line around the neck. Although the rays move their wings slowly, they are fast swimmers. Fishing is a threat to these ray populations. Their gill plates are sought after for food and Chinese medicine. They are classified as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
To ensure the flow of water through their gills, the rays need to stay in motion. Gliding through the water with open mouths, Mobula eat plancton. Time and again, groups of rays appear in the far blue and quietly pass us. Some of the female animals seem pregnant with protruding bellies. These rays are ovoviviparous, giving birth to freely swimming offspring, not eggs. Their live expectancy is several decades.
José installs an underwater camera that repeatedly takes photos of the site for a research project. It will stay there. The main species found at Princess Alice Bank is Mobula tarapacana. The University of the Azores also has a photo identification study project: the colour shape on the underside of the rays allows their identification for migration studies. However, there are only few, and often remote sites worldwide where these animals can be studied. Indeed, the Azores are among the few places where the rays seasonally aggregate on their migratory routes, in particular at Princess Alice Bank.
We ascend to the surface, trying to avoid the stinging Portuguese man o' war and climb into the boat, deeply impressed by this place.
Land in Sight
The cliffs at the southern tip of Faial Island appear in the glistening clouds. It's evening as we approach our homeport Horta. Nowadays, Horta is a popular pitstop for transatlantic sailors. The yachts commonly arrive in May, and leave in September for an Atlantic circuit. A visit to the famous Peter Café Sport for a Gin do Mar is kind of a rite of passage – also for us after these dives.
The Azores archipelago consists of nine islands, however they are small and scattered in the surrounding vast Atlantic. The Azores appeared on sea maps in the 14th century, and were officially taken in Portuguese possession in the 15th century. How many seafarers have sailed by without discovering them? Did the Phoenician or Viking sailors already knew the Azores? Did they marvel at the devil rays as well and were as impressed?


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Hainan Sets Up Association For Tourist Scenic Spots
The Tourist Scenic Spots Sub-group of the Hainan Provincial Tourism Association has been formally established in Haikou, Hainan.
Lu Zhiyuan, director of Hainan Provincial Tourism Bureau, says that the Tourist Scenic Spots Sub-group will provide a comprehensive service for the planning, construction and management of scenic spots and undertake some tasks transferred by the government.
According to Chen Yao, the deputy director of HPTB, there are a total of 72 scenic spots in Hainan, including two 5A scenic spots and nine 4A scenic spots. Chen says that HPTB will transfer its task in scenic spot management to the Tourism Scenic Spots Sub-group and encourage each scenic spot to establish its own travel agency to explore the market.

subset: commoncrawl


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How to Remove the Fuel Filter From a Ford Sport Tracby Don Bowman
Replace your fuel filter at least every 30,000 miles to prevent any contaminants from getting through to the fuel injectors. The fuel filter on a Ford Sport Trac uses plastic spring clip fittings. For safety reasons, always replace the plastic spring clips when replacing the fuel pump. Also, make sure you install the fuel filter in the right direction; the arrow on the filter must point toward the front of the vehicle, as this is the direction of fuel flow.
Step 1
Raise and support the vehicle on jack stands. Remove the heat shield covering the fuel filter, which is in front of the fuel tank, using the ¼-inch ratchet and a socket.
Step 2
Remove the black shield over the fuel pump using the same ratchet and socket. Squeeze the white plastic spring clip all the way in, and pull the fuel line away from the filter. Do the same for the opposite side.
Step 3
Install new spring clips in either side of the hose, then insert the fuel filter nozzle into the hose and push it in until it clips. Give it a couple of tugs to make sure that it is locked in. Do the same for the other side.
Replace the two shields in reverse order of removal.
Items you will need
- Floor jack
- Jack stands
- ¼-inch drive ratchet
- Set of ¼-inch drive sockets


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Release Update - July 23, 2019
- Drop zone for new idea workflow now matches the size of the card. Like a match made in heaven.
- Admins can now delete other users on IE11. Later we'll have to have a chat about why you're still using IE11.
- Headers now remain static when scrolling down the workflow page.
Release 5.15
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Optimal Inflation and the Identification of the Phillips Curve
NBER Working Paper No. 25892
Several academics and practitioners have pointed out that inflation follows a seemingly exogenous statistical process, unrelated to the output gap, leading some to argue that the Phillips curve has weakened or disappeared. In this paper we explain why this seemingly exogenous process arises, or, in other words, why it is difficult to empirically identify a Phillips curve, a key building block of the policy framework used by central banks. We show why this result need not imply that the Phillips curve does not hold – on the contrary, our conceptual framework is built under the assumption that the Phillips curve always holds. The reason is simple: if monetary policy is set with the goal of minimising welfare losses (measured as the sum of deviations of inflation from its target and output from its potential), subject to a Phillips curve, a central bank will seek to increase inflation when output is below potential. This targeting rule will impart a negative correlation between inflation and the output gap, blurring the identification of the (positively sloped) Phillips curve. We discuss different strategies to circumvent the identification problem and present evidence of a robust Phillips curve in US data.
You may purchase this paper on-line in .pdf format from SSRN.com ($5) for electronic delivery.
Machine-readable bibliographic record - MARC, RIS, BibTeX
Document Object Identifier (DOI): 10.3386/w25892
Published: Optimal Inflation and the Identification of the Phillips Curve, Michael McLeay, Silvana Tenreyro. in NBER Macroeconomics Annual 2019, volume 34, Eichenbaum, Hurst, and Parker. 2020
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President Cyril Ramaphosa recently stated in his 2019 SONA address that every school pupil in South Africa will have a tablet device within the next six years.
"Over the next six years, we will provide every school child in South Africa with digital workbooks and textbooks on a tablet device," said the president.
He added that the government will start the rollout of devices at disadvantaged schools located in poor communities.
While the idea may look good on the surface, giving every child a tablet is not a solution to South Africa's education problems – and to put it bluntly, is a dumb idea.
No evidence of improvement
Studies have shown that giving learners tablets and e-readers does not benefit them in terms of improved learning, and the roll out of devices to pupils is not a cost-efficient solution.
As documented by education expert Nic Spaull, evidence shows that ensuring all high-schools have functional computer labs – as opposed to each child having a smart device – is a much more efficient solution.
The area of "one-device-per-child" has been studied extensively in various developing countries and has consistently shown that "providing technology to individual learners is not the most cost-effective method of improving learning outcomes", stated a report by Spaull.
In fact, in "every country where it has been implemented, it was deemed a failure".
The problem of crime is another issue, particularly in South Africa, which affects the rollout of tablets to schools.
In a perfect world, we would be able to dismiss the threat of criminals and implement education plans without the fear of them being torn apart by thugs – but we do not live in a perfect world.
The threat of IT equipment and hundreds of tablets at a school being stolen is high, particularly at schools in areas with high crime rates.
This was the case in January when the new Menzi Primary School – equipped with digital boards and tablets – was robbed within a week of opening.
185 tablets were stolen, along with 8 laptops, 2 projectors, 3 desktop PCs, a TV, and R500 cash.
This was not the first time a smart school in South Africa has been targeted by criminals. In 2015, it was reported that the Gauteng Department of Education was withdrawing 88,000 tablets from seven township schools due to a rise in the number of burglaries.
The money and time put into rolling out tablets to schools, only for them to be stolen days later, can be better spent in ensuring learners have a safe environment to study in.
There are bigger problems
Tablets in schools may eventually become the norm across South Africa, but before this happens there are many issues which must be addressed first.
According to News24, at the time Ramaphosa announced his tablet rollout plan, 4,000 schools across the country still used pit toilets.
Giving a school smart devices before it receives safe and hygienic ablution facilities has been called a poor prioritisation of funds, along with money not first being allocated to desks, chairs, text books, and fans or air conditioning for well-built classrooms in all government schools.
Another burning issue is the state of teaching in South Africa, a matter which hurts the development of pupils.
Providing a tablet to a learner and teacher will not wipe away a teacher's inability to do basic maths or teach language comprehension, nor will it help a child who does not know how to read or write several years into their school career.
In 2018, it was reported that South African teachers cannot pass basic maths and English tests.
The majority of teachers who took part in a sample survey on the national school curriculum "were unable to identify the main idea in a paragraph, or do a simple maths calculation".
The following findings were observed:
- 5 of 22 primary school teachers were able to identify the main idea in a simple paragraph.
- 6 of 22 were able to do a simple calculation in maths.
- Teachers scored as low as 10% for English first additional language and 5% for maths.
An allocation of resources to better train and evaluate teachers on a continual basis would therefore be more beneficial for students.
The hardware factor
Then there's the hardware factors and the requirements which come with deploying tablets.
Tablets intended for schools are not going to be iPad Pros, they will be budget or mid-level devices which are aimed at the education sector.
Besides not having the most responsive touchscreen or powerful processors, budget devices present a host of challenges.
Battery life will be a concern, as after a year or two of being used every day, they are likely to require a battery replacement. Will battery replacements be available, and will there be budget for this?
If there is no intention to replace batteries, then every desk in every classroom must have a plug point present so the tablets can be charged when needed.
Smart devices will also break or fail, and replacement tablets must be available at short notice. Failing this, replacement parts and repairs will have to be provisioned for.
Software is another concern. Do the tablets come with a service agreement that they will receive operating system and security updates for their lifespan?
Even big smartphone brands which run Android battle to keep their devices up to date with the latest software following their launch. The issue became so bad that Google launched the Android One programme in response – promising users at least two years of OS updates for their device.
With the challenges South Africa's education sector faces, prioritising tablets for students is the government trying to fix issues at the wrong end of the chain.
You don't give a shaky building a new penthouse in order to stabilise it, you first make sure its foundations are solid.


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Following his "Backflip Remix" with Wiz Khalifa, Iamsu! and A$AP Ferg west coast maverick Casey Veggies has liberated yet another radio friendly jam.
This time, he's brought the luscious Dej Loaf along for the ride on "Tied Up." On their new cut, Veggies and Loaf pay homage to both the ladies in the streets and the freaks in the sheets, and it will live on Casey's debut album Live & Grow, expected to arrive this summer. Listen to it below.
– Def Soul (@DefSoulNJ)


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What Is after Death?
Samenvatting: Life is short; preparing for the future is important. God's plan for people. The atonement; prayer of repentance; God's love and protection and help.
|Hell; Death; Prayer, petition; Heaven; Punishment for guilt
|Catholic; General
|Bible Stories & Teac
|Bijbelse verwijzing:
Dit script dient als basis voor de vertaling en het maken van opnames in een andere taal. Het moet aangepast worden aan de verschillende talen en culturen om het zo relevant mogelijk te maken. Sommige termen en begrippen moeten verder uitgelegd worden of zelfs weggelaten worden binnen bepaalde culturen.
Skrif teks
*Hello. How are you? Let us talk together about some of the important things of life. We know that this life is very short. Then we die. But what happens after we die? Where do we go? Many people do not know about these things. We should all hear what the true God says, so we can prepare for the future.
The true God made the world and everything in it. He lives in heaven. There it is light and beautiful. God loves us and He wants us to live with Him in heaven. When we die, He wants to take us to be with Him where we will always be happy. But we are full of sin; we are always doing evil. God hates sin. He says those who sin must be punished. They will go to hell when they die. That is a place of terrible pain and fire.
But God loved all the people of the world. He did not want them to suffer. He wanted to rescue them from this punishment. For this reason He sent His Son Jesus Christ to this world. He was born as a baby and grew to be a man like one of us, but He was good. He never did anything bad. Then He gave His life to die on a cross. There He took the punishment which we should have had. God says that all who believe on Jesus Christ will not be punished in hell, because Jesus loved them and died instead of them. After dying He came to life again because He was God. Later He went back to Heaven.
Do you want to be rescued from the punishment of hell? Pray to Jesus. He is alive and He will hear you. Say to him, "Dear Lord Jesus, I am sorry I am bad. Please forgive me. Thank you for dying for me. Take away all the sin from my heart and make me good."
When you pray like this, Jesus will take the sin from your heart. Then He will live with you. He will put His own Spirit inside you. He will help you not to do evil things any more. You can pray to Jesus always, at any time, and He will help you, because He loves you.
Never pray to anyone or anything else besides the true God and His Son Jesus. You need never fear, because God will protect you. When you die you go directly from this earth to heaven. Prepare for the long future, today.
Believe in Jesus as God has said.
**Use the customary greeting of the people.


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The Songs We Can't Escape
No, Kelly, our lives would suck without you. We're totally throwing this on our BFF's next mix CD, no joke.
"Disappearing Ink"
Kind of like the Strokes trying to condense a shadowy, cryptic David Lynch flick into a two-and-a-half-minute indie-rock song, which isn't necessarily a diss.
JAMIE FOXX feat. T-PAIN
"Blame It"
The subtext here, I guess, is that brand-name intoxicants and cyborg-twisted vocals and T-Pain aren't what's luring you under Foxx's silk sheets—rather, it's the singer's very essence and the promise of what a future as his one and only could be like. Which is a tidy way of legitimizing a narcotically catchy hit single about bumping and grinding en route to what's basically rape in most states. Happy club-hopping!
"So What"
The longer Pink's around, the less likable she becomes. I want to root for her (like I did back circa "Trouble")—consistently invigorating chart pop with rock 'tude is laudable even if she isn't the only diva doing it—yet there's been a standoffish bird-flip streak to her every single and public action over the past three or four years that makes me wish she'd turn into her generation's Courtney Love sooner rather than later. Oh, and my wife and son love "So What," for whatever that's worth.
I puzzle over Rye Rye's name, really. How'd she arrive at that? Does she just really like rye bread, or is it supposed to be a play on a breathless/Ebonic way of pronouncing "right, right"? Anyhow, this is rapid-fire club rap from a hyped-to-shreds Baltimore-based teenager who's less disciplined than Lil Mama was, but there's an emptiness—a flatness—at the heart of her rattlin' gat flow that keeps "Bang" from registering as anything more than cheap chrome flash. Or maybe I'm just too old.


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Attention to detail
Maximizing potential
Technical and Commercial Consultancy, Including Operational Management of Renewables and Other Assets
Partnerships for Renewables (PfR) is an established technical consultancy and asset management service provider to the renewables industry. Our experienced team deliver a complete solution or bespoke service, tailored to the specific needs of our clients.
Our mission is to provide the highest quality of service within our industry, focussing on an unparalleled attention to detail, operating as if each project were our own.
PfR believes that incorporating environmental, social, corporate governance and ethics considerations in its business activities is essential to creating value for its clients and to develop a more sustainable long-term strategy. Please click here to view our ESGC policy.
Clients include:
PfR offer a wide range of services, including the following:
Read more


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Print + Layout Design
Interface Design
Graphic Design
Content Creation
CREATED AT Google Startup Weekend, Infinity Dashboard's main claim to fame was its reliability in setting up events quickly and selling tickets. But what happens as soon as an event has launched or concluded?
view case study
BEFORE HANGING OUT with my friends, I often end up in indecisive conversations over 'where to meet', 'where to eat' or 'what to do'. How can we make this process better?
view case study
REMEMBER WHEN you had to wait until you received event tickets in the mail? Ticket Manager aims to help alleviate the digital age pains of scanning and validating guests, selling tickets on the spot and managing payment transactions.
view case study


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A LoyaltyLobby reader sent me an email about a question regarding IHG Rewards Club Bonus Points Packages and reply (incorrect) that he had received from IHG's Customer Service.
Remember that you can always email us, send a message via Facebook or use Twitter and include photos too. We'll try to cover Reader Questions & Comments here several times a week.
You can access IHG's web page for Bonus Points Packages here.
READ MORE: IHG Rewards Club Rate & Bonus Points And Miles Promotion
Here's the email from the reader:
Below, you will find a chat between me and IHG Rewards club.
It looks like the new Your Rate 2000/3000 Bonus Points pack rates does not count towards elite status.
IMHO this is not correct and definitely not made clear up front during booking proces.
I stayed on my 5000 rate bonus point packs and they all qualified for elite status.
Can you advise what more to do? If so, please advise on your blog so that fellow travelers will not have the same issues.
See below a print-screen of my account:
Here's the reply from IHG Rewards Club Service Center:
I hope you're doing well.
I have received your inquiry if the elite status bonus counts towards maintaining your current elite status. For your reference, I'm happy to provide you the following information:
For purposes of determining Elite status, IHG® Rewards Club points are classified as either Qualifying Points or Non-Qualifying Points. Points earned from Qualifying Rates paid for hotel stays, spend on IHG® Rewards Club credit cards, select partner activity, IHG® Rewards Club Bonus Points Packages, and Qualified Spend through IHG® Business Rewards are considered Qualifying Points and are counted toward Elite status. A Qualifying Rate includes the following: non-discounted rate, standard corporate rate, worldwide sales negotiated rate, national/regional/local government rate and specified leisure rates as confirmed by the IHG reservation system.
All other point earning transactions, including points earned from IHG® promotions, Elite status bonuses, activation bonuses or select promotions offered through IHG® Rewards Club credit cards, select partner promotions, point vouchers, point purchases, point transfers, and point deposits, will be considered Non-Qualifying Points and will not be counted towards Elite status.
Don't worry Mr. REMOVED, IHG Rewards Club has a lot of offers helping members to achieve a higher elite status in a faster way. To know more about this, you may visit www.ihgrewardsclub.com directly.
I hope this helped to answer your inquiry. If not, please let us know — and we'd be happy follow up.
Note that the IHG Rewards Club customer service had BOLD the part of T&C that deals with ineligible elite points. I have clarified in BOLD RED in what they should have referred to.
These are Bonus Points Packages and thus count as Elite Qualifying Points for status earning purposes:
IHG Rewards Club made these as Elite qualifying to make them more attractive for members to purchase. Counting them as elite qualifying doesn't cost IHG penny considering that all the elite benefits are provided by hotels.
It is really unfortunate that IHG Rewards Club Customer Service internal goal appears to be the number of emails/customer request "solved" rather than the quality of them considering the amount of incorrect information sent out.
Members that purchase these Bonus Points Packages must make sure that they post and that they correctly post as Elite points qualifying.


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These two men were cellmates at state penitentiary for nine years. One day
Larry said to Joe, "You know man its been a long time since we had some
sex so you oughta let me fuck you." Joe replied. "Are you crazy?!!" Larry
went on to say, "I promise you that it won't hurt and we'll flip a coin
and see who fucks, who first. So, Joe thought about it for a minute and
finally agreed. They flipped a coin and Larry won. Still having strong
reservation Joe asked, "How will you tell if it hurts or not?" Larry told
Joe, "If it hurts you start making animal noises, and I'll stop. But if it
feels good start singing." Larry started the insertion and Joe screamed,
Moooooooo. Moooooo. Mooooon River......


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Each year, the fastest, loudest, and some might even say craziest enthusiasts come together for the annual Bullrun Rally. This year, running amongst the pack of performance cars is a very different type of raw strength: a 2008 Ram 2500 Diesel. Navigated by Chris Morrow and his friends Blake & Doyle, the 2500 has been converted to run on biodiesel and outfitted with auxiliary tanks to meet the rigorous, long-distance demands of the cross-country trek.
While a behemoth like the 2500 might not seem like a natural fit for the 8-day, time-sensitive run, Morrow and his rig have a unique advantage thanks to the fuel-efficient set-up. According to Morrow, the 2500 can average about 1300 to 1500 miles between fuel-ups, making the race from NYC to Vegas a lot less daunting.
The rally officially kicked off on July 9th, and the guys are committed to documenting their exhilarating journey from start to finish. For a glimpse behind the scenes (and into the cab) of their homegrown operation, check out their blog: GreeningMan.org.
On behalf of Ram Trucks and all our loyal Ram fans – good luck, Greening Men!


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Pensioner dies of suspected heart attack whilst playing walking football at Queen of the South stadium
Players and staff members rushed to his aid but the man was pronounced dead at the scene
A PENSIONER collapsed and died after suffering a suspected heart attack during a game of walking football
The 70-year-old, from Dumfries in Scotland, was taking part in a game at Palmerston Park, home of Scottish Championship side Queen of the South .
Players and spectators rushed to his aid but they were unable to save him.
Emergency services were called out at 11.10am today but the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
related stories
It is believed he suffered a heart attack but this is yet to be confirmed by police.
The procurator fiscal at Dumfries has been informed of the man's death.
Walking football is a slowed-down version of the beautiful game and is typically played by pensioners.
The opposition is awarded a free kick if a player is caught running with the ball.
It was launched to help elderly people, who may have played in their younger days, to stay in the game.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at firstname.lastname@example.com or call 0207 782 4368


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In collaboration with the Office of Vital Records, the State Archives of the Minnesota Historical Society continues to collect original "historic" paper vital records from Minnesota local governments. During the past year, the State Archives received, in transfer from Minnesota local governments, a number of valuable birth and death records, many dating from 1870. These vital records complement other records preserved by the State Archives and are extremely useful for family and local history research. In accordance with Minnesota state law, access to non-marital birth records and adoptions are restricted for 100 years; now most of the records are available in the Library at the Minnesota History Center: http://sites.mnhs.org/library/.
Here is a brief summary of the records transferred to the State Archives.
Hennepin County, City of Edina - The city transferred birth and death records dated 1890 and 1903-1953. Included in the transfer were birth and death records (dated 1922-1953) of the now defunct Village of Morningside. Morningside was a distinct neighborhood in the Village (now City) of Edina. The community voted to secede from Edina and form their own village in 1920. In 1966, Morningside citizens voted to rejoin Edina.
Hubbard County - The county recorder transferred birth and death records (dated 1870-1953) for many of the cities and townships in the county. The records have not yet been processed and cataloged.
Washington County - Birth (dated 1911-1928) and death (dated 1911-1945) books, and township and city death returns* (dated 1870-1883) of the county. Included in the transfer were birth and death records (dated 1893-1940) of May Township. (*Returns are handwritten lists of births/deaths that occurred in the jurisdiction during each month. Information on the returns was used to record birth and death information in the county's set of birth and death records.)
Winona County - Delayed birth certificates dated 1870-1908; the date span of the delayed birth certificates is based on the date of birth. Also, a separate set of delayed birth affidavits dated 1886-1902, and delayed birth registrations dated circa 1864-1946. The delayed birth affidavits and delayed registrations are distinct from the set of delayed certificates. The reason for creating and maintaining two separate sets of documents is unknown. The State Archives also received delayed death certificates dated 1904-1953.
Wright County, City of Delano - Birth and death records dated 1908-1953. The State Archives received these records in transfer with cooperation from the Delano Franklin Area Township Historical Society in Wright County.
For more information about vital records preserved by the State Archives, and how to use the records, see the Minnesota Historical Society Library vital records (birth, death, marriage) research guide at: http://libguides.mnhs.org/vital/ov.
The State Archives continues to collect vital records from Minnesota local governments. For information about transferring custody of historical vital records, contact 651-259-3260 or email@example.com and visit the State Archives website at www.mnhs.org/statearchives.
Thanks to Charles L. Rodgers, Government Records Archivist at the Minnesota Historical Society, State Archives, for contributing this article.
Image courtesy of Laura Slaughter.


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Article Text
Statistics from Altmetric.com
Adolescence is an important developmental period characterised by accelerated biological, psychological and sociological development. Adolescence is also the high-risk period for onset of major psychiatric disorders that persist into adulthood. In particular, mood disorders in youth account for a substantial proportion of disability and premature death in those aged 10–24 years.1 In contrast to prepubertal mood disorders, adolescent mood disorders recur or persist lifelong and are associated with a high estimated heritability.2 Suicide is the second leading cause of death in youth in Canada and the UK and is strongly associated with psychiatric disorders; with mood disorders accounting for the greatest proportion.3 Therefore, early accurate identification of serious recurrent or persistent mood disorders is of paramount importance, and yet represents a major challenge. This is in part attributable to the overlap of psychiatric symptoms with normative transient distress in this age group, lack of youth friendly specialised mental health programmes and the failure of the current diagnostic approach to consider the natural history of illness development. This paper focuses on the latter problem and specifically highlights evidence from high-risk studies illustrating how a developmental approach, in the context of other risk factors, advances an earlier accurate diagnosis of mood disorders in adolescents and young adults.
Natural history of recurrent mood disorders in high-risk offspring
Mood disorders are complex brain diseases that run in families. This is especially true of recurrent melancholic depressive and bipolar disorder, with heritability estimates in the order of 80%.4 The current model is consistent with substantial heterogeneity in multiple predisposing genes that interact with each other and with other risk exposures early in life (including hormones, substance use, early adversity and stress) to determine from among those at familial risk who develops illness and the timing of illness onset.5 Epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation and covalent histone modifications within gene promoters, have been shown to be responsive to the environment and in some cases these stable modifications are passed between generations.6 Accruing evidence suggests that epigenetic mechanisms may in part explain the 'missing heritability' in these complex disorders.7
A confirmed positive family history of recurrent melancholic depression or bipolar disorder in a first-degree family member is the single most robust risk factor predicting the development of mood disorders in young people.8 However, the majority of high-risk youth defined by family history alone do not develop mood disorders and the risk actually varies substantially for individuals in different families.9 A major problem in risk prediction is that there are currently no reliable indicators of illness risk beyond a positive family history. Furthermore, current psychiatric diagnostic approaches do not even consider family history in the formulation, increasing the risk of phenocopies (false positives) and heterogeneity (aetiological). The lack of inclusion of important predictive factors in psychiatry differs from the approach taken in other areas of medicine, where the incorporation of risk factors represents a routine strategy improving early identification and resulting in the development of targeted high-risk early intervention and prevention strategies. Moving forward it will be important to shift from solely syndrome-based diagnoses. The essential platform for studies of illness risk markers must start from a very good understanding of the early natural history of illness development in high-risk youth, ideally based on prospective longitudinal observation.
We are fortunate in this regard in that there are now a number of published and ongoing longitudinal prospective studies of the offspring of parents with confirmed bipolar disorder.10 ,11 While there are a number of important differences in included families across the different studies stemming from differences in recruitment, diagnostic methods and loading of psychiatric disorders in adult family members, there are nonetheless complementary consistent findings informing the natural history of recurrent mood disorders in high-risk youth. Specifically, in youth at confirmed familial risk, the predominant presenting mood disorder is a single or recurrent major depressive disorder manifesting in adolescence.12 Furthermore, anxiety and circadian disturbances early in childhood appear to be predictive risk syndromes for adolescent-onset mood disorders in high-risk offspring. Specifically, these childhood syndromes have been shown to increase the risk of subsequent mood disorders up to 2.5-fold in youth at confirmed familial risk.13 ,14
In some clinical and cross-sectional studies of children of affected parents, childhood attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been proposed as an early risk syndrome. However, longitudinal studies of prospectively assessed offspring of bipolar parents have not generally found ADHD to be a reliable risk syndrome predicting the subsequent onset of bipolar disorder. Rather ADHD in these high-risk children appears associated with other non-specific familial risk factors, and/or limited to a subgroup of high-risk offspring at risk for a psychotic spectrum disorders in others.15 Substance use disorders (abuse and dependence) have been shown to manifest early in the course of the evolving mood disorder in high-risk offspring, and represent a substantial early complicating factor associated with worse remission quality, increased hospitalisation and suicide risk and poorer psychosocial and vocational/academic outcomes.16 Interesting, emerging evidence suggests that temperament, in the form of high-emotionality and cognitive response style characterised by the propensity to ruminate, may be early psychological indicators of mood disorder risk and as such potentially important early intervention targets in high-risk youth.17 ,18
Clinical staging and a developmental approach to diagnosis
In an attempt to provide an evidence-based aggregate describing the natural history of recurrent depressive and bipolar disorder in youth at familial risk, Duffy et al13 ,19 recently proposed a clinical staging model (figure 1). Clinical staging has been a very useful approach to refining the phenotype along developmental lines in other areas of medicine. Further, understanding the clinical progression of primary recurrent mood disorders holds promise for significant advances in improved early accurate diagnosis, the identification of associated risk factors and biomarkers, and for the development of stage-specific interventions.20 Essentially the proposed model includes: Stage 0 (well, but at confirmed familial risk given a first-degree affected relative); Stage 1 (in those at familial risk—non-mood childhood disorders including sleep and anxiety disorders, and in some children cognitive deficits/ADHD); Stage 2 (in those at familial risk — minor mood, single episode depression and adjustment disorders such as anxiety and mood symptoms in association with a stressor around puberty); Stage 3 (recurrent major depressive disorders typically in mid-to-late adolescence); Stage 4 (bipolar or schizoaffective disorder typically late adolescence to early adulthood).
An essential component of this staging model, based on prospective study of high-risk youth, is the limitation of the first few stages (non-specific but impairing syndromes) to children and youth at confirmed familial risk of developing bipolar disorder or recurrent major depressive disorder. Recurrent major depressive disorder in this context has been shown much more likely related to the bipolar diathesis. Similarly, adolescent onset melancholic depression has been identified as having a higher probability of continuity into adulthood and a higher risk of conversion to bipolar disorder on longitudinal follow-up, especially if characterised by psychotic symptoms, abrupt onset and paradoxical response to antidepressants.21 This staging strategy therefore seeks to optimise the early identification hit rate but at the same time limiting over-labelling or the false-positive rate.
Other staging models of bipolar disorder have been proposed but focus on adult patients with already established illness or represent modifications to a staging model that is based on the natural history of psychotic disorders and focuses on the onset of first episode mania (the equivalent to first episode psychosis in these models).22 ,23 A central problem with these approaches is the neglect of important and predictive early stages or clinical risk syndromes in high-risk youth, occurring years prior to any major mood episodes. By overlooking these early clinical stages in youth at confirmed familial risk, a significant and important opportunity for prevention, early intervention and research aiming to understand the origins of disease are lost. Specifically, anxiety disorders in high-risk offspring have been estimated to onset 8 years on average prior to any diagnosable mood episodes, and depressive episodes have been estimated to onset 4 years on average prior to any diagnosable hypomanic/manic episodes.
The argument for limiting the first few clinical stages to only those youth at confirmed familial risk is to protect against over-labelling and to reduce heterogeneity. For example, prospective studies of youth unselected for family history and manifesting manic-like symptoms have not supported continuity with a bipolar diagnosis in adulthood. Further, epidemiological studies have illustrated that manic-like symptoms are common and typically transient in the adolescent general population.24
Implications of a developmental clinical staging approach
Awareness of the limitations of the current syndrome-based diagnostic systems (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, International Classification of Diseases) and the need to reduce heterogeneity inherent in the resulting broad diagnostic categories is increasing. The need for prospective studies of well-characterised high-risk and patient populations is of paramount importance. These well-characterised high-risk populations are ideally suited to advance our understanding of the nature of the inherited vulnerability, identify genetically sensitive interactive pathways leading to illness onset and to develop effective preventative and early stage acceptable treatments. It is very likely that there are reliable changes at neurological, biological and psychological levels manifesting years prior to any recognisable clinical syndromes in high-risk youth. Unlike psychosis, recurrent mood disorders generally have higher heritability and penetrance across generations. Therefore, a familial high-risk strategy is particularly informative for mood disorder research.
Studies are currently underway to identify vulnerability indicators and markers of illness risk in youth at familial risk of mood disorders. Promising preliminary findings have been reported spanning neuroanatomical markers25 to psychological targets26 to markers of circadian27 and neuroendocrine disturbance to a proinflammatory bias.28 The identification of reliable risk indicators will enable the development of an individualised risk assessment model akin to those available for assessing risk of cardiovascular disease and various forms of cancer. This information will also inform the development of novel treatments targeting implicated and interactive biological, psychological and sociological pathways. In the meantime, based on the available evidence and a common sense and 'do no harm' approach, there are certain preliminary recommendations that can be made for youth at high-risk, particularly those that are in the early clinical stages.29
The most important requirement for effective prevention and early intervention starts with the development of specialised assessment, treatment and surveillance services targeting high-risk youth. Traditionally, child and adolescent clinical services have been completely separate from adult services. Moreover, child services have largely focused on identifying and treating traditional developmental disorders (autism, learning disabilities, ADHD) and distress of psychosocial origin in young children. However, there remains a major gap in services designed specifically for those at the highest risk of persistent or recurring mood disorders; namely those youth aged 15–25 years. A necessary and welcome change in this direction was the organisation of evidence-based early psychosis programmes spearheaded by the Australian experience. These services are typically organised for youth clinical high-risk of developing psychosis and have been shown to effectively engage this population and reduce the progression to full-blown disorder.30 Similar specialised clinical services for youth at risk of or in the early clinical stages of recurrent mood disorders are a needed priority. To this end, integrated collaboration between child and adult services to facilitate the identification and support of children of parents with recurrent melancholic depression and bipolar disorder would be an important initiative. This gap represents a major opportunity for change, which would most definitely advance the early intervention clinical and research effort and save lives.
Competing interests None.
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We love dogs
Dogs are welcome in our bar area and outside, where we serve both our full menu & our dog menu.
Click here for our DOG MENU
Our rooms are also all dog-friendly, please just leave us a note to say you're bringing your pet along. We will add on an extra £10 per room, per stay (but this does include a toy to play with!).
Love Rudolph X


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Collaboration Tools
Use tech to work together better
"Processes don't do work, people do"
John Seely Brown
Our Own Projects
We use better collaboration to help improve society
Human Interactions
"the overarching framework for 21st century business technology"
The ground-breaking theory of collaborative work across organisational boundaries.
Watch out for Keith's forthcoming book "Community in the Twenty First Century".
Reinvent the NHS. Not the wheel.
A strategic NHS service for replication of successful innovations of all types and across the entire UK. Sponsors of the NHS GATHER service created their own showcase of Innovation Guides for specific clinical needs and/or regional communities to enable take-up of recommended innovations:
Cheaply by reducing the manual effort required to communicate innovations to stakeholders
Safely by providing a standard basis for implementation of innovations
Widely by using social media to share innovations
Quickly by making it easy for stakeholders to understand innovations
Town Digital Hub
Manage life issues with local help
The free web platform for volunteer supported wellness planning:
Help others learn to self-manage their wellness
Show people how to create a holistic wellness plan from local resources and share it with their personal support network
Fund good things. Get a return. See the impact.
Our Vision
People are able to fund good things, get returns appropriate to their needs, and see the impacts of their contributions.
Our Mission
Provide an app for community teams that helps fund projects to do good things and automatically measure impact.


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Wireless Charging Phone Stands
Wireless Charging Phone Stands
Available in Round or Square, these wireless charging stands are a great business gift to present your branding in a way they'll use every day. This phone charging stand is adjustable to 5 heights which will accommodate many phone styles.
Please note, quote requests are for orders of 25 pieces or more.
Product Features:
* Certifications that offer Peace of Mind
* Height adjustable stand with 5 settings ensures a fit for most phones
* Rear vents allow for heat to dissipate
* Base is dismountable for more efficient packing/lower shipping costs
* Rubber foot offers phone stability
* 3+ ft. charging cord for more flexibility
• Size: Face: Round– 4.13" Diameter x 0.89". Base: Round—3.54 Dia x 0.53". Square—3.38"x3.38"x0.5" 3.54" Diameter x 0.53"
• Color: White
• Material: ABS plastic
• Packaging: White gift box
• Charging cord: Included
• Imprint: 4 Color Process (Full bleeds available – request pricing)
• Imprint Area: Round: 4.13" diameter; Full bleed 4.38". Square: 3.54" x 3.54"
Request a Quote.
Wireless Charging Stands
We'll add your logo or message to our Wireless Charging Stands giving you repeat brand impressions with a large imprint area. Let us quote your next job!
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Why work with Forbes Custom Products
Thanks for doing a killer job on our binders!Tyler
Thanks for all your effort and persistence developing this project from an idea to reality. You listened to our needs and in turn provided great support and insight to help create an excellent solution that met the needs of our business. We loved the way it turned out.Laura
You do so much for MBCI and we greatly appreciate it. You are truly an extension of our team!!!Jan
Service is Our #1 Priority
At Forbes Custom Products our desire is to create the perfect custom solution for you that meets your branding and project needs, as well as keeping you within your budget. We value relationships and pride ourselves on the great service we provide. Here are some of the reasons our clients love working with us:
- American Made Products
- Fast Response Time
- Experience Account Executives
- Attention to Detail
- Wide Range of Capabilities


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Facility Services in the Great Lakes Bay Region of Michigan
Stevens Moving & Storage Great Lakes Bay Region in Michigan knows that no two corporate relocations will be the same. While there are common challenges throughout, every moving solution we offer is customized to fit the culture, priorities, budget and requirements of your organization.
We are an experienced moving and storage service that has been operating for over a century. Our team understands the fundamental elements of your facility move and can help you come up with a perfect strategy.
Facility moves can be difficult and time consuming, but we can help you stay on schedule. Have you been looking for "moving companies Bay City, Michigan" or "moving companies near me"? As proud workers in the Great Lakes Bay Region, we assist the Midland, Saginaw, and Bay City, Michigan areas.
At Stevens Moving & Storage Great Lakes Bay Region, we have a team of office and industrial moving professionals prepared to assist you. Whether it's relocating rooms within your existing building, re-configuring space, installing equipment, or moving into a new complex, we can help you every step of the way.
We focus on three key points while planning a commercial facility move:
- Timing: We understand your business schedule cannot be compromised by a move.
- Security: All Stevens' employees are background checked and drug screened.
- Environment: Special consideration is given to the nature and functionality of the commercial facility.
Prioritizing these three key factors allows us to focus on the most important elements of your move.
Facility Relocation Assistance for Commercial Facilities
For commercial facility operators, such as manufacturers, moving to a new location is full of tedium. While relocating to a larger space or a more attractive location is a good thing, positivity can dwindle once the stress of organizing the actual move comes into play.
It can be difficult to figure out where to get started, and hiring a company to spear-head a plan and act as a project manager is a surefire way to get your moving process on track.
From moving trucks and supplies to organizing the layout of your new facility, you will need a consultant to walk you through the process. Our professional moving experts are trained and passionate about what they do.
Our professional moving experts can help you with:
- Project management services
- Office and industrial moves
- Asset management/ storage
- National move management
- MAC service
- Records management
- Equipment moves
- File relocations
- Server relocations
- Laboratory moves
Each of the services we provide is critical to providing excellent and wide-ranging service to commercial facilities. We have a long history of moving experience and have steadily evolved with the changing tides in the industry.
Laboratory and server room rooms require a very detailed approach and some background knowledge on the equipment being moved. Delicate machines can easily break if not handled properly with the right moving tools.
Handling these tricky moves by yourself can end up costing you a fortune in repair or replacement costs. It takes a unique strategy to move a computer server out of your facility and unload it into another. Without proper tools and care, this expensive and important item can get destroyed. Not only is a server an expensive piece of technology – it also contains priceless digital files that can be lost forever once the machine is down.
We recognize that every facility will require a unique, personalized strategy. Our consultants take the time to get to know you and your vision for the new facility layout. We will work tirelessly to ensure that vision becomes a reality.
Moving a commercial facility like a factory or warehouse is a completely different process than relocating an office or medical space. Heavy machinery and complicated technology rigs can cause unexpected issues during the moving process if not handled by an expert. Special equipment, such as forklifts, pallets and protective coverings will be required for your facility move.
Vehicles like a forklift can be bulky and complicated to use. You will save time and energy by hiring a professional to navigate it for you.
Healthcare Moving Tips
Hospital move planning is a serious undertaking and requires a highly coordinated effort. Lucky for you, we have some tips to help you get started on your healthcare move:
- If you are relocating, the equipment you currently own should be evaluated for utility. You can resell or re-purpose functional items.
- Create a hospital relocation checklist to stay organized throughout the moving process.
- Organize a mock move day with your crew to identify areas for improvement and efficiency. Creating an atmosphere that promotes organization is pivotal to ensuring that your hospital staff will remain efficient throughout the relocation process.
If you are moving a large facility, relocating becomes much more of a strategy-driven process. Having a team behind you will ensure that you won't forget things that might slip through the cracks. There are many small details that go into relocating to a new facility and with a partner like Stevens, we're here to help keep you on track!
Tips for Commercial Facility Moving
Stevens Moving & Storage of the Great Lakes Bay Region would like to get you on track with your facility move ahead of time. There are a couple preliminary measures you can take to get a general idea for where to get started on your commercial facility move:
Following these simple steps should give you a head start on the pre-move planning stage. Ultimately, hiring a consultant to walk you through the process will leave little room for error and will save you some headaches down the road.
It is certainly difficult to operate your business and move your facility at the same time, and we aim to give you the support you need so that it doesn't become overwhelming.
It can be a difficult and cumbersome task to move a commercial facility if you are unfamiliar with the process. Hiring a professional moving expert to give you some clarity may be just the thing your company needs to seamlessly transition into its new location.
If you are in the Saginaw, Bay City, or Midland areas and looking for a commercial facility moving service, contact Stevens Moving & Storage Great Lakes Bay Region. We offer comprehensive moving options with pricing flexibility based on your needs.
For more information on our commercial services, please contact us for a free quote or give us a call at (989) 755-1404.


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Your Belly Fat The Science Behind Burning it
One of the most common asked questions is…. "How do I get rid of my belly fat?"… Here is an explanation on the methods behind getting rid of that stubborn belly fat….. I have tried to provided you with as much info as possible
Understanding what makes up belly fat
There are 3 layers to recognize:
- Visceral belly fat which is also known as the deep fat. This lies around the organs under the abdominal muscles and can't be pinched. The deep fat is rich in Beta-receptors, it has higher blood supply and it is easier to burn.
It is important to know that even if you're thin you can still have too much visual fat. So to burn visceral belly fat you need to:
- exercise regularly;
- learn stress management;
- reduce carbs to moderation.
- Superficial subcutaneous belly fat which hangs over your waistline and this can be pinched. This fat layer is rich in Alpha-receptors, it has lower blood supply and it is harder to burn. This is the fat most of us are concerned about because we can visually see it hanging over our waistline.
To burn subcutaneous belly fat you need to:
- exercise regularly;
- learn stress management;
- reduce carbs to low levels and choose the right carbs.
- Deep subcutaneous belly fat which is a hybrid of both layers above.
There are 2 enzymes which are responsible for holding onto fat and also burning it. They are:
- lipoprotein lipase (LPL) which is responsible for fat storage;
- hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) which is involved in fat release (what we want);
Hormones that trigger belly fat
So to beat belly fat it is not just about creating calorie deficit, it is a combination of calorie deficit with hormone balance. The main hormones that impact the LPL activity are your insulin and your cortisol. INSULIN + CORTISON = BELLY FAT BULLIES!
How insulin cause us belly fat?
When it comes to the brain, muscles and liver you want the body to be insulin sensitive and not resistant. Being insulin resistance in these areas make a person unable to burn fat and sugar or to feel satisfied after eating. This is why many overweight people who are insulin resistance tend to overeat because they are hungry all the time.
How cortisol cause us belly fats?
Excess cortisol in our body can drive us to eat more of the wrong foods more often which means higher daily calorie intake and fat gain. This also causes smaller, immature fat cells to become larger; mature fat cells which are not a good thing when you are trying to burn belly fat.
In order to burn fat we need to make sure that these hormones are well balanced in our body.
Dieting doesn't help to beat belly fat
Let me start by making it clear that diets don't work. "Dieting" makes belly fat fatter. The common "eat less, exercise more" approach is only a short term success. This approach accomplishes the calorie deficit but makes the hormone balance worse.
Remember: BURN BELLY FAT = CALORIE DEFICIT + BALANCED HORMONES.
Just think of insulin as a starch and sugar hormone and cortisol as a sleep and stress hormone. I am sure you have heard about the low carb and high protein approach to reduce belly fat. This would work. However, a diet too low in carbs (which can cause low blood sugar) stresses the body and raises cortisol levels. But choosing the right carbs (which are lower in glycaemic load) can help with belly fat and also to reduce weight gain overall.
So apply this on a combination of protein and vegetables as they help to suppress hunger with minimal insulin production. This results in fewer calories consumed and a good hormone balance.
While dealing with cortisol hormone, sleep and stress management is essential. Aim for a good 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night and practicing meditation or calming exercises would help as well.
Belly fat meal plans
Eat less; exercise less – 3-2-1 plan:
- 3 meals a day;
- 2 of these meals should be mostly protein and fiber with less starch;
- 1 meal in a day should have havier starch (post-workout meal).
This 3-2-1 approach works well for those of you who are not heavy exercisers. I would say if you train 3 times or less in a week or perform light exercises.
Eat more, exercise more – 3-2-2 plan which is for those of you who exercise regularly:
- 3 meals per day;
- 2 snacks per day;
- double the starch intake one meal per day (post-workout meal).
Both these methods generate low calorie intake and naturally reduce starch intake in a way that provides enough fuel to keep hunger, energy and cravings stable but not enough to slow fat loss.
Assess your progress…
How do you know if you are successful in a plan to reduce belly fat? Well again, you will need to check both calorie deficit and hormone balance.
Assess for hormone balance, on a scale from 1 to 10 (10 being high and 1 being low):
- hunger and cravings < 5;
- energy level > 6;
Do these assessments at the end of each week and if your hunger and cravings are lesser than 5 with your energy level more than 6, it means that your hormone balance is good.
Assess for body shape using the waist to hip ratio. So take your waist measurements and divide it with the hip measurement. For women, these ratios should be about 0.7 and for men the optimal number is 0.77. Always keep it below 0.8 for a healthy waistline. Also get your body fat % measured as well as your body circumference…
Be strong & Stay fit!!
By Manuella Myburgh


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Entertainment Arts
To assist within the preparation of a more compressive arts and leisure market analysis, the next resources can be found. The MAC is a cultural hub; deciding on, creating and mixing up music, theatre, dance and artwork. Due to this fact, the commerce unions, representing employees within the arts and entertainment sector the world over, endorse the significance of public funding for culture and of public service broadcasting for democracy and for our societies.
The international music neighborhood wouldn't understand if the Italian Government, which currently holds the Presidency of the European Union, didn't take all essential measures to make sure that the brutal, anti-cultural decision of the Rome Opera Board be overturned.
Due to the latest explosive progress in these bordering districts, The Arts and Leisure District has seen a renaissance in its residential, culinary, entertainment and nightlife offerings. There are five full-time school devoted totally to the Radio Arts and Leisure Program.
As a manager in Arts and Leisure, you be part of a major sector of media and leisure firms headquartered in New York Metropolis. On this course, college students will study and show all elements of skilled voicing, together with newsreads, 'voice over' and other scripted performances.
The scheduled arts entertainment could also be supplied together with one or more scheduled arts entertainments. It will likely be essential to use your data from the market analysis to find out what age categories are in your community, and surrounding space, and the way to gear your programming and advertising towards them accordingly.


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Barbarian Match Ball
Barbarian Match Ball
Gilbert have worked with our suppliers to produce the Barbarian Match Ball. This ball offers the ultimate playing experience. With standard grip and high grade rubber surface, the ball enhances players handling skills as they work their way to victory. The Barbarian match ball also has a patent truflight bladder to ensure the ball remains inflated through all match conditions.
This hand stitched ball provides the high quality product Gilbert consistently supplies, to ensure Senior, Club and School players experience the match of their lives.
The traditional World Rugby green and blue trim outlines a high quality match ball of the 1995 Rugby World Cup, ready to take the pitch straight away.
If you want a spectacular game, with the ultimate ball, the Barbarian Match Ball is an essential this year.
Orders over £10 get FREE uk Shipping. Below £10 shipping costs £3.95.
All UK customers get FAST shipping via UPS or DPD - usually with you in 2 working days.
Rates for international shipments vary depending on country. See our delivery page for more information.
We offer FREE Returns for UK customers. Simply use our self service tool to generate a return label and drop it off at your local UPS drop-off (thousands across the UK)
We offer a 30 day window to return your product.
Customers from other countries - please see our returns page for more information.
Does My Rugby Ball Arrive Inflated?
No- the balls arrive deflated. Choose from one of our ball pumps and add this to your order!
Do the rugby balls arrive inflated?
No- the balls come deflated. Choose from one of our ball pumps and add this to your order!
What are rugby balls made from?
Traditionally, rugby balls were made from pigs bladders! Today they are made from rubber.
What size rugby ball do I need?
Use our size guide below to work out which rugby ball is suitable for you based on your age.
Choosing the perfect rugby ball? Gilbert have got your back.
If you are unsure of what size rugby ball is for you, use our simple size guide to find your ideal rugby ball based on your age.


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Featuring gorgeous women is great, labeling their body types is not okay
Taylor Stuck, Columnist
February 12, 2015
While the rest of the country was cheering Feb. 5, I sat grumbling at my computer screen. Sports Illustrated had announced it would be running an ad featuring plus-sized model Ashley Graham in its annual swimsuit edition. Graham, a beautiful dark-haired woman with an all-around gorgeous body, will be m...


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We're back showing more HBCU entrepreneur love! This time to our brothers and sisters at SpelHouse aka Spelman College and Morehouse College. Check out a few of the business owners that these esteemed institutions have produced.
Spelhouse Alumni Owned Businesses
DCity Smokehouse is THE barbecue establishment of Washington, DC. The Washington post dubbed it "the finest barbecue establishment in town." Founder: Melvin Hines
Mischo Beauty (Washington D.C.) is an Award-Winning Luxury, Eco-Conscious Cosmetics Brand. Founder: Kitiya Mischo King
Oyin Handmade (Baltimore) is a fun-loving hair and body natural products line for men, women and children. Co-Founder: Jamyla Bennu
Onehunted (Philadelphia) bridges the gap between smart consumers and smart products. They curate digital and physical campaigns that connect good people with good brands. Founder: Isaac Ewell
Luma (Atlanta) gives you the fastest WiFi everywhere. It creates a Wi-Fi hotspot that connects using a "surround sound" method to ensure there are no dead spots in your home. Co-Founder: Dr. Paul Judge
Perennial Strategy Group (Washington, D.C.) is a strategic advisory firm that provides government, public, community relations and public affairs services for Fortune 500 companies, national non-profits, trade associations policy issues. Founder: Lamell McMorris
Onion Cut & Sewn (Harlem) features beautiful effortless clothes that feel like lotion. Founder: Whitney Mero
My Crowning Jewel (Connecticut) is a line of stylish head wraps for daytime wear and nighttime wraps. Founder: Veronica Chapman
Partpic (Atlanta) utilizing patent pending technology, it allows users to snap a picture and receive search results for replacement maintenance, repair and operations parts. Co-Founder: Jason Crain
Posh & Private (Houston) is a special event firm that offers event design, planning, and consulting for corporate and social events. Founders: Husband and wife team Brandon Carson (Morehouse) and Brandi Carson (Spelman)
Dental Kidz (Newark) is a full service pediatric dental & orthodontic practice. Serving infants, children, & special needs patients, they offer in-office sedation & hospital services. Co-Founder: Dr. Lezli Levene Harvell, D.M.D
Worldview Realty Group (Manhattan) is a boutique real estate brokerage and consulting firm that assists clients all over the world with purchasing properties in New York and Georgia. Founder: Adeola Adejobi, Esq.
Florida Avenue Grill (Washington D.C.) is one of the Chocoloate City's oldest soul food spots and according to the website, it's been "determined that it is the oldest soul food restaurant in the world." According to the Washington Post, "The Grill attracted patrons from all strata of Washington's African American community — the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Stokely Carmichael ate here, as did jazz musicians, Howard University students, construction workers and cab drivers." New owner :
Frederick Benjamin (New York) is a premium grooming line that fuses the power of natural ingredients with the art of science, all while honoring the elements of style. Founder: Michael James
Bingham-Lester Dentistry (Maryland) is located in a state-of-the-art office, which features private treatment rooms and modern comfort dentistry. At Bingham-Lester Dentistry, patients of all ages are treated for preventive, restorative, and surgical care. Founder:Dr. Vickii Bingham-Lester DMD
The Law Office of Council & Associates (Atlanta) is a law firm specializing in representing victims of automobile accidents, trucking accidents, daycare center neglect and slips and falls. Founder: Lashonda Council Rogers
Team Spirits Imports Company (Michigan) is an independent importer of fine spirits, committed to offering innovative, heritage based products of the highest quality.They offer a unique selection of the highest quality rums, tequila, syrup, wines and liqueur. Co-Founder: Clyde Davis Jr.
NanBon (Washington D.C.) produces a range of baked goodies using recipes that have been passed down for over five generations. They use local produce and locally grown ingredients whenever possible. Founder: Aisha Wilson Bond
Liberation Center (Phoenix) is an integrated medical and psychiatric care facility. They offer specialized eating disorder treatment, substance abuse/DUI services and outpatient medical and psychiatric consultations. Co-Founder: Lesley Williams MD, CEDS
Joyful Delights Sweets (Atlanta) makes designs edible, cake pop favors as well as dessert tablescapes. Their customized and handmade cake pops ship nationwide and have been given as favors for birthdays, bridal showers, weddings, graduations, retirements, and corporate events. Founder: Joy Andrews
Sanford Biggers (Harlem) creates art that integrates film, video, installation, sculpture, drawing, original music and performance. He intentionally complicates issues such as hip hop, Buddhism, politics, identity and art history in order to offer new perspectives and associations for established symbols. Founder: Sanford Biggers
Bovanti Cosmetics (Atlanta) is a diverse family owned cosmetics brand that "empowers women through and educational workshops, seminars, makeup classes, and beauty tours." C0-Founder: Anita Bohannon
Source Booksellers (Detroit) is an independent bookstore that offers a unique niche of non-fiction books. They also offer activities and events like Book/Author talks and Mind, Body & Spirit Classes such as Tai Chi, Yoga, Qi Gong & Belly Dancing. Founder: Janet Webster Jones


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On the evening of April 19th our family lost a great man. Ashleigh's grandpa Don went home to be with The Lord after six months of treatment for Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma. How can words adequately summarize 67 years of a man's life? I could do it no justice.
I will say only this – One thing that truly stuck out to me in his final months was how, with bold intensity, Don testified to the work of Jesus in his life. The Holy Spirit was moving over him in such a way that as he witnessed to Jesus his eyes widened with amazement, his heart overflowed with gratitude, and his mind dialed in with laser focus. It reminded me of how the apostles in the 1st Century Church, after seeing the resurrected Lord, went from town to town declaring the works of God.
Now Don literally stands with his Lord, his faith having become sight. It reminds me of Stephen in Acts, "'But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.'"
I had the heartbreaking honor of capturing his family's final goodbye to Don. It was devastatingly beautiful to be able to take photos of these moments; a flag being given in tribute to his wife of almost 46 years of marriage, a son proudly and humbly holding the urn of his father's ashes, his family comforting and loving each other through the time that they still have together.


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There are two stories connected to the coat of many colours, one from the bible and one from Dolly Parton. Their meaning is similar in a way, but also different. The embroidery patch below is my interpretation of the Coat of Many Colours. Also, given and made with love.
Category: Embroidery
Storytime with a smart cross-stitch dragon, a clever upcycle and a theft
Like all good stories, this story has three elements. A book-loving dragon, a bookmark made with creativity and theft of something valuable, by the author even! And as all good fairytales, there might be redemption at the end when the bad person shows remorse. If she doesn't there will be a bloody ending. Come, open this book with me, and listen to my story.
How to turn a drawing into a cross stitch piece: The any one colour design
This piece is originally made for a contest on Deviantart. The challenge of the contest was to only use one colour in a piece. Different
10 years from now I'll be a tree
So, I participated in a contest on Deviantart which was called the 10 years from now contest. Click on the link if you want to
V.F.D, a series of unfortunately events, shoes
Sadly these shoes died in the mountains of South-Africa a few years ago. They have been loved them for so long that they deserved this


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|Merlin (www.bbcamerica.com).
Title: Merlin
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Action
Original Broadcast Network: BBC One
Broadcast Period: 20 September 2008 - 24 December 2012
Season(s)/Episode(s): 5/65
Main Cast:
Colin Morgan as Merlin
Bradley James as Arthur
Angel Coulby as Gwen/Guinevere
Katie McGrath as Morgana
Richard Wilson as Gaius
Anthony Head as Uther Pendragon
John Hurt as The Dragon
The Story:
Merlin is a series based on the Arthurian legends. Different from the traditional story, this series is about Merlin, a young warlock, whose destiny is to help Prince Arthur to become the great king.
Merlin comes to Camelot to stay with Gaius, the court physician. He becomes Prince Arthur's servant after saving his life. The series focuses on the relationship between Merlin and Arthur in order for Merlin to fulfill his destiny to make sure that Arthur becomes the once and future king who will bring forth the great kingdom of Albion (Great Britain).
My Thoughts:
I re-watched this series so I can finally do a review. Although it was not exactly the same as the traditional stories, as a fan of the Arthurian legends, I enjoyed watching this series. To those who are not familiar with the legend, the handsome Arthur and the Knights can be a reason to watch this series.
Also, there was sword-clanging action in almost every episode. Although there was a love story between Arthur and Gwen/Guinevere, it did not focus on the love story. So, do not expect for a cliché love story. The relationship between Merlin and Arthur, which was usually depicted in a dark way, was shown humorously with Merlin being bullied by Arthur.
The story started with Merlin trying to gain Arthur's trust but then gradually became darker with enough portions of love story, action, and humor to keep it away from serious dullness. I like the series but I think that it was a right decision to end it in the fifth season. I didn't really like the ending though. I was hoping for Merlin to perform some epic magic tricks especially in the last episodes but they, in my opinion, were not THAT epic.
When I first watched the series, I love it, especially because I'm a sucker for Arthurian Legends. However, after re-watching it, I changed my mind. Yes, I still like it. But do I love it? Sadly, no.


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Last but not certainly not least, my final artist interview of 2017! Many thanks to Jinbo for responding to my… Read more Jinbo the SuperFreak | Artist Interview
Category: Artist Highlight
Rad Museum 'Scene' Album Review
I've only known about Rad Museum since his feature on offonoff's boy. album (on the track 'homeless door'). Exactly one… Read more Rad Museum 'Scene' Album Review
[Artist Highlight] Double Feature: Changmo and Sumin
Sumin is a R&B vocalist currently signed under Luv Jones Records. She has a very soulful voice that is perfect… Read more [Artist Highlight] Double Feature: Changmo and Sumin
Have You Listened to Millic's 'Vida' Yet? [Album Review]
On July 10th of this year, HIGHGRND/Club Eskimo artist Millic released what might be THE standout album of the year.… Read more Have You Listened to Millic's 'Vida' Yet? [Album Review]
YunB Releases His Self-Titled Debut EP [Album Review & Artist Highlight]
If you're not familiar with YunB, I would encourage you to do three things after reading this review: 1) Follow… Read more YunB Releases His Self-Titled Debut EP [Album Review & Artist Highlight]
Artist Highlight: MKIT RAIN
MKIT RAIN, based in LA, is made up of artists Loopy, Owen Ovadoz, Bloo, Nafla, and Young West. The first… Read more Artist Highlight: MKIT RAIN
Artist Highlight: Sleeq
If you don't already know Sleeq, she is a rapper with the Daze Alive label headed by Jerry.K. Her label… Read more Artist Highlight: Sleeq
Artist Highlight | ELO
ELO has been making quite an impression on the K-R&B scene ever since his start with vv:D crew. The first song… Read more Artist Highlight | ELO
Artist Highlight – pH-1
Update: ph-1 has joined H1GHR Music since this was published! Check out my interview with pH-1 here. Here's a quick… Read more Artist Highlight – pH-1
88 Rising Interviews Simon D
If you couldn't tell, I'm a big fan of Simon D. I've always enjoyed him as an artist but seeing… Read more 88 Rising Interviews Simon D