text:
How a Sentence is Determined
A judge or magistrate must consider many factors in deciding on the appropriate sentence for an offence. There is no single correct sentence for a particular crime because the circumstances of each offence and each offender will influence the severity, duration and nature of the sentence that is appropriate.
The court must order a sentence that is fair considering the gravity of the offence and the particular circumstances of the offender. This is known as the principle of proportionality.
The court follows a two-step method for sentencing:
- A judge must first determine the "objective seriousness" of the offence. Objective seriousness is how serious the particular instance of the offence is. A case may fall at the lower end of seriousness for an offence and attract a very minor penalty, or it may be towards to the most serious example of the offence and attract close to the maximum penalty. To determine the objective seriousness of an offence, the judge must take into account the facts and circumstances of the offence, the maximum penalty that can be ordered for such an offence, as well as any aggravating factors (factors that make the offence more serious) and mitigating factors (factors that may reduce the sentence).
- Second, the judge may take into account the personal circumstances of the offender where they are relevant. These are known as "subjective factors" and include things like the age of the offender, whether they have a prior criminal record and what step they have taken to take responsibility for their actions and avoid reoffending.
The judge will also consider the general pattern of sentencing for a particular offence and attempt to treat cases which are similar in a similar way. Courts may look at previous decisions and relevant statistics to identify whether there is a pattern for sentencing that offence.
Importantly, the judge will consider that the purpose of imposing a sentence is primarily to punish and deter.
Aggravating and mitigating factors
An aggravating factor can increase the sentence a person receives, while a mitigating factor may reduce it. However, the importance of each factor and whether it influences the sentence will vary according to the nature of the crime and the circumstances surrounding it.
Aggravating and mitigating factors are set out in section 21A of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW).
The maximum penalty
The maximum penalty is the highest fine, most severe order or the longest term of imprisonment possible for an offence. The law states the maximum penalty for each offence. The maximum penalty reflects the seriousness of that offence and will only be given when the case falls within the most serious category of cases for that offence.
The maximum penalty is used by the judge as the upper limit for punishment and as a comparison to place it on a scale of severity for that crime. The judge will adjust the penalty according to the seriousness or triviality of the case.
A magistrate in the Local Court is limited in the severity and duration of penalties he or she can order due to its particular range of powers (its jurisdiction). However, in the District and Supreme Court, the judge may order the maximum penalty stated by law. If a matter is heard in the Local Court and the offence attracts a maximum penalty beyond the jurisdiction of the Local Court, the judge must still order a sentence reflecting the objective seriousness of the offence, being careful not to exceed the Local Court limit.
The judge will consider how much the offender planned the commission of the offence. A high degree of premeditation indicates a strong intention to commit the act and makes the offence more serious. An offence committed spontaneously is seen by the court as less serious.
Breach of trust
A breach of trust between the offender and the victim is viewed as a significant aggravating factor, and may lead to a more severe punishment.
For a relationship of trust to occur, there must be a special relationship between you and the victim, for example, the relationship between a teacher and student or a professional and a client.
Degree of participation
Where there is more than one offender, the defendant's degree of participation will be a factor that impacts the severity of the sentence they receive. Where a person's degree of participation in the offence is lesser, the offence will attract a less severe penalty.
Impact on the victim
A judge is likely to look at the injury, emotional harm, loss or damage done to the victim as a result of the offence. A judge may only consider harm if you intended for the harm to occur or if the harm could have been foreseen. Where the harm is greater, the penalty will reflect the greater seriousness of the offence.
Uncharged offences and Isolated Incidents
Where the offender has committed other similar offences but has not been charged for them, the judge may still consider evidence of these events in order to identify whether the current offence forms a pattern of breaking the law.
If the offence appears to be out of character, the judge may give a lighter sentence. However, the judge may only consider the evidence if you admit to committing the other offences.
Subjective factors
Subjective factors are personal factors which affect the offender.
While objective factors form a boundary for the penalty of the offence, subjective factors can help the judge to arrive at the most appropriate sentence within that boundary.
The judge will look at personal factors where they are relevant, to give an appropriate and proportionate sentence. Subjective factors include:
Prior Criminal Record
A judge must consider your prior convictions.. The criminal record can be used to show whether you have committed an isolated, uncharacteristic act or whether the act forms part of a pattern of breaking the law. Where there are several or many charges in your record, the offence will be viewed as more serious. On the other hand, if you don't have a prior record, the offence may attract a less severe sentence.
Where your record shows a gap where no convictions have been recorded, this may be treated favourably by the judge as indication that you have reasonable prospects of rehabilitation.
Good Character
Evidence of good character may mitigate the penalty imposed. The circumstances of the case and the nature of the offence committed will influence the weight given to good character. Good character may be evidenced by community involvement, general compliance with the law or other obligations or written character references from members of the community known to you personally or professionally.
However, good character and lack of previous offences will not mitigate the penalty for child sexual offences if good character and reputation helped you commit the offence. Where the offence involves drug couriers, dangerous driving, drink driving or child pornography, good character will be afforded less weight in deciding the severity of the penalty.
Contrition, repentance and remorse
Feelings of regret or sadness for doing wrong may help persuade the judge to be lenient when sentencing. You can show remorse by confessing to the police, entering an early plea of guilty and co-operating with authorities. However, it is important to note that an absence of remorse will not justify a more severe penalty.
Where the offender was not fully aware of the consequences of his or her actions, due to youth or advanced age, the sentence may be adjusted to reflect this. However, a sentence must reflect the objective seriousness of the offence and a jail sentence will not be avoided if it is proportionate to the offence committed.
Mental Illness
Mental illness may be considered where there is evidence that it contributed to or caused the commission of the offence, as the offender is often considered to be less blameworthy. The link between the commission of the crime and the mental illness will be considered along with the circumstances of the case and may not amount to a reduction in sentence. Imprisonment may be more difficult for such an offender and it may be necessary to reflect this in the sentence. If the offender acts knowing the gravity of his or her actions, any mitigation will be slight.
Importantly, a mental illness that renders an offender dangerous to the public may result in a longer custodial sentence, usually carried out in a mental health facility.
General ill-health may only impact the length of a prison sentence when the health condition renders imprisonment more difficult.
Intoxication and Drug Addiction
If you have a history of alcohol-related violence and the offence is not out of character, intoxication will not be considered favourably.
Drug addiction does not usually mitigate a sentence where the matter is serious, particularly where premeditation occurred in the commission of the offence. However, it may be relevant if it is likely to have an effect on the prospects of re-offending or rehabilitation. Compulsory treatment and rehabilitation programs for re-offenders must be complied with where the offender qualifies for the treatment program.
A delay in bringing the matter before the court by the prosecution or court administration may mitigate a sentence if you have improved your behaviour and decisions in the period of time. Extended delay can also lead to unjust restrictions on an offender's life, for example, if you are subject to bail conditions that prevent you from leaving your suburb of residence for an extended period of time. Such prolonged restrictions may result in a less severe sentence that accounts for the restrictions already imposed on you.
The Offence Was Committed While You Were on Conditional Liberty
If you commit another offence while subject to bail conditions, a good behaviour bond or a community service order, this will be treated as a serious aggravating factor by the court and usually attract a more severe sentence.
Post-Crime Behaviour
An improvement in your behaviour immediately after committing the offence may mitigate the sentence imposed. However, the judge requires more than an attempt to reverse the consequences of the crime; for example, a judge may mitigate the sentence if your post-crime conduct saves the victim's life.
If you suspect that you may be under investigation, or if you have been charged with an offence, it is vital to get competent legal advice as early as possible. Our lawyers are highly specialised in criminal law and will be able to guide you through the process while dealing with the various authorities related to your matter.


text:
Introduction Compare Wordstream To Spyfu
SpyFu is among the more feature rich tools, but has the Least appealing interface on the market. SpyFu provides SEO and PPC spy tool choices along with their very own keyword search tool. Compare Wordstream To Spyfu
Click here to sign up to Spyfu today!
Keyword User and Search Experience
The SpyFu dashboard is laid out with a navigation bar across the top with tabs for SEO Research, PPC Research, Keyword Research, Backlinks, the List Builder, Tracking, and Reports. There's a lot SpyFu can perform across the spectrum of SEO tooling, but with this particular review we are focusing primarily on its ad hoc keyword research capabilities. When a business is looking to identifying the best possible search engine results pages (SERP) to aim with an optimization plan, keyword-driven investigation is the legwork to get pages to rank higher. Direction capacities and recommendations are built in throughout SpyFu, but I began from the Keyword Research tab.
When I used exactly the same set of five Key words to observe outcomes differed between each of my opponents. Were digital marketing, pcmag, internet shopping, IT consultant, and small business bookkeeping. I chose this combination to simulate real world terms that companies might search for (such as publishers like PCMag) and to find related search results and vulnerable competition websites.
After running searches on my five evaluation terms, I discovered that SpyFu creates and structures its keyword benefits and metrics somewhat differently than Moz Pro, KWFinder, or Ahrefs$82.00 at Ahrefs. Rather than populating a table of related key words with Page Authority (PA) and Domain Name Authority (DA) metrics along with stats on price per click (CPC) and keyword difficulty, SpyFu brings a far more apparent correlation with exactly how much money a key word could be worth. After hunting"digital advertising," for instance, another navigation bar appeared across the top of the results page further breaking down the search results. You can then drill down into keyword summary, related key words, advertiser background, ranking history, traffic, key word group, and SERP analysis. That's only for one key word revealing how SpyFu does the most granular deep-dive research into keyword data of all the tools I tested.
Atop the primary results, SpyFu gave me not just CPC for the Keyword, but a daily and yearly cost breakdown as well as how many unique advertisers had emerged on the keyword in the last year. I received the exact same level of price breakdown when I clicked on the Associated Keywords tab, which also enabled me to narrow results using a left-hand filter menu to a particular price per day, daily search volume, difficulty rating, and more.
In the bottom of the keyword results was the SERP analysis. This broke down every URL in the search results page, even however KWFinder and Moz Pro equally provide a much more comprehensive breakdown in this respect. SpyFu focuses on price, which may or might not be important to your small business. Results such as the Advertiser History graph, a lengthy list and complicated diagram of the ads appearing on this search page over time, was a bit too from the weeds for me as a newcomer SEO tool user. However, for digital entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs, SpyFu can be a gold mine. Compare Wordstream To Spyfu
SpyFu Kombat
With SpyFu Kombat you can look at overlapping and website key words To get up to 3 sites. For your PPC version you may also find a graph which goes over a period of a couple years showing that the overall number of key words being bid on by all three websites. You can also rollover the graph to see key words specific to only 2 of the websites if you feel the 3rd site may not be doing as great a job (or vice versa) as two of the other sites. It is going to also show you that the PPC budgets of the sites in addition to the amount of organic keywords rank in the top 50 results for keyword.
When you click an area of the circle graph it will show you the Keywords in whatever bucket you click. You can see and download those key words for your use. As you can see I'm on the ads tab but the choices are similar once you click on the organic tab (on the upper box, the natural one at the bottom shows you total organic keywords).
Switching between the natural tab along with the ppc tab (as well as the Overall # of organic keywords + PPC ad budget should also give you an idea of what of the larger sites are more into the PPC or SEO side of things which can be a fantastic barometer to check in if you chance to be concentrating on a single area on the other hand.
SpyFu Classic
SpyFu Classic is the"flagship" section in order to speak. This is Where you enter one domain name on the home page and also are presented using a slew of data including:
– Daily AdWords PPC Budget
– Links through to SpyFu Kombat
– Average Ranking of Ads vs # of Clients
– Estimated Value of Organic Traffic (estimated traffic with a factor of CPC factored in)
– Paid Traffic In comparison with Organic Traffic Estimates
– Subdomains (useful for looking at how a site might break out parts of the main domain, perhaps a fantastic place to look for niche keywords???)
– Top Ten Paid Key Word w/ Keyword Advertisement History (links through to full Keyword Ad History tool)
– Complete Paid Keywords
– Total Organic Keywords
– PPC Competitors (using a URL to overlapping keywords)
– Organic Competitors (using a URL to overlapping key words )
– Category
The data can be useful, as you can see the:
– Estimated PPC, Clicks, Cost Daily, Total Advertisers. . .all with trend data
– Top Ten Domains Marketing on the Keyword, together with Domain Ad History
– Added Keywords Purchased By Relevant Domains
– PPC Ad Copy With a URL to Keyword Ad History
– Top Ten Organic Results with Title, Meta Description
– Related Terms
– Related Concepts (according to semantic relationships)
– Categories Compare Wordstream To Spyfu
Click here to register to Spyfu today!
Keyword Management and Reports
Keyword management is baked into SpyFu through the platform. Within each of its three major research tabs–SEO, PPC, and Keyword–there are options in the drop-down menus for both SEO and PPC-specific keywords, and Keyword Groups. The Keyword Groups attributes in each tab are rather similar, populating a table using monthly search volume, CPC, problem score, and monthly cost. These are SpyFu's four main metrics where keyword research is concerned. On the left of this desk are either the keyword you have researched and booted yourself, or top keyword group tips from SpyFu. On the top right of the table you can subsequently add selected key words to lists, or export your chosen keyword within an Microsoft Excel file, CSV, or PDF. This basic keyword grouping functionality is much like SEMrush$99.95 in SEMrush and implemented better in Moz Professional and KWFinder.
Where SpyFu's keyword management capabilities really stand Out are at its List Builder and Tracking tabs. This is also where SpyFu creates its deep link between SEO and customer relationship management (CRM). In the List Builder tab, there is a Best Lists section with concentrated lists of domains and key words like"Assets Which Spend the maximum On AdWords," keywords with the highest CPC. There is also a listing of the most expensive keywords, which you can then filter by state, business, or a particular web-based technology: Ad buying platform, internet affiliate marketing, email marketing, and internet shopping cart are some of the choices.
Alongside Top Lists, there's a dedicated Company Leads tab. This acts exactly the exact same manner as a keyword search: You enter a place, industries and key words, and refine results using filters like AdWords budget and SEO clicks. The research returns a list of URL leads with this site advertising budget and contact information that is accessible that can then be exported to your CRM or lead management system. I'd love to view SpyFu proceed a step farther with this and integrate its SEO lead lists straight with a stage such as Salesforce$75.00 at salesforce.com, but this tool is already ahead of the curve. SEMrush has a lead generation instrument, but that is the closest comes to what SpyFu offers.
But, SpyFu recently included AdWords Templates as Part of a Google AdWords campaign. The templates include prewritten ads for groups that are key word in countless businesses. The templates can be downloaded by users in the SpyFu site and upload into an AdWords account.
The system also includes SEO campaign direction Using its SpyFu Project Manager tool. SpyFu made this as a project management(PM) feature inside the SEO platform for overseeing integrated keyword research and rank tracking in a campaign. My SpyFu is just available in paid plans (not the free trial), but it allows you to install multiple projects tracking grouped key words plotted against SEO position, traffic value, ROI, and a number of different metrics. All you need to do is open the My SpyFu menu and include a new project. It is the greatest and only example in this roundup of SEO-focused PM.
There's also the Tracking tab, which lets you choose You start ongoing monitoring that keyword ranking changes and reports back together with weekly domain positions and've identified. Utilizing the webpage, I was also able to set up custom SEO reports in a few simple steps: Enter a domain name choose if to run a report on SpyFu's suggested custom key words or domain keywords. I entered my five custom keywords picked up to five opponents' URLs, then was given the option to run a report or a monthly report.
That Type of analysis is another area where SpyFu stands outside, since it also includes a tool called"Kombat" that is offered in the SEO and PPC Research tabs. In Kombat, I typed in the domain of PCMag along with the tool built an interactive data visualization that revealed where the top keywords of PCMag overlapped with our competitors. There is also what SpyFu calls for a"key word world," listing CPC, CTR, monthly price, and monthly clicks for core keywords and advocated keywords. This research breakdown is just another feature that will help ways for one to acquire an SEO edge on your competitors. Compare Wordstream To Spyfu
With the SEO functionality of its product, SpyFu has introduced a research tool called Nacho Analytics, which offers access to the web analytics of other sites. Through this stage, you can view time-of-day visitors, sections, and search-engine behaviour.
Keyword Ad History
You will be shown by Advertisement Background, through colour coded bars, how frequently the Keyword appeared in a domain's PPC campaign along with any modifications in the advertisement copy (all of which may be exported into excel). It extends back to 2006 through the Bonus History Button and shows a year's worth of information.
So it's pretty straightforward, and that's what I enjoy about SpyFu Tools. No over-reliance on"in-house metrics" it is only"here's the advertisement history of this keyword", plain and simple. Typically, if you find a keyword being advertised on by a PPC advertiser that is good persistent then it's possible to look to apply that advertisement copy technique to a market of the keyword that is larger. If I were advertising for"resorts in Oklahoma" I would listen to that which ad copy was successful, as time passes, for this main/core key word"resorts".
Domain Advertisement History
Except it shows the domain Ad History is similar to Keyword Advertisement History Key word history of a specific domainname.
This instrument is useful in looking at keywords that have been successful for Your competitors (or bigger players in your niche) and which ones they attempted and abandoned (which may be ones that you prevent out of the gate). All of this assumes the domain you're exploring is capable PPC advertiser.
Keyword Smart Search
The Keyword Smart Search instrument in SpyFu utilizes term relationships, Publicly accessible keyword data, and PPC campaign information to return a list of keywords related to the keyword(s) (up to 10) you input. You can filter search volume, from CPC as you can see, and you might also exclude key words.
For me, I prefer to use the PPC keywords and the Organic key words found In SpyFu Classic or SpyFu Kombat. I love to use other tools for pure keyword research (Google tools, Microsoft Ad Center Intelligence, and Wordtracker). I feel SpyFu is at its best when used as a research instrument versus a keyword search tool. Compare Wordstream To Spyfu
Pricing and Plans
Since I said, SpyFu's Basic plan starts at $33 per Month when billed annually (or $39 month-to-month). Though, unlike other tools in this SEO tool inspection roundup, such as Moz Pro and KWFinder$12.00 in KWFinder, SpyFu does not cost by search results. All programs have an infinite number of backlink , keyword group, domain, and competitor/domain comparison search results combined with unlimited data export. The performance you receive with SpyFu for your cost is an important element in why we gave it an Editors' Choice, and the boundless search volumes make the instrument much more appealing for ad hoc study.
That is not to say SpyFu doesn't cap anything. The Fundamental Program gives you a capacity of 250 sales leads and domain contacts, and 5,000 weekly monitored keyword positions, along with 10 domain name reports and 10 pay-per-click (PPC) reports through SpyFu's AdWords Advisor tool. The $78-per-month expert plan (also $58 a month when billed annually) lumps contacts and leads to 500 and weekly tracked keyword positions to 15,000, together with custom-branded reports and accessibility to SpyFu's application programming interface (API).
Ultimately, SpyFu has included a $199 per month Team program (billed annually, or $299 month-to-month) with 2,000 sales leads and domain contacts, 40,000 weekly monitored keyword positions, and five user logins. SpyFu also includes a 30-day money-back warranty. The firm has slashed on its pricing since our original inspection, which makes it even more attractive to SMBs.
I find their tools pretty useful for competitive search. I don't use Their own Keyword Smart Search described above but the number of data which They give (in a straightforward fashion) in the price points that they give is very A wonderful combination. SpyFu makes its way into my arsenal on just about Every project. Compare Wordstream To Spyfu
Click here to subscribe to Spyfu!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
What is glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a condition of the eyes that causes damage to the optic nerve in your eye and worsens over time. It's often associated with a build-up of pressure inside your eye. This condition tends to be inherited and you may not notice it until later on in life.
The increased pressure is what causes the damage to the optic nerve, which provides images to your brain. If the damage is persistent, then glaucoma could lead to permanent loss of vision.
Without treatment, this condition can cause complete blindness within a few years, which is irreversible.
There are two main forms of glaucoma: angle-closure and open-angle glaucoma, which is the most common.
What causes glaucoma?
Glaucoma is the result of high fluid pressure inside your eyes. This is a result of when the liquid in the front section of the eye won't circulate the way it is meant to.
Normally, the fluid flows out of your eye via a mesh-like channel. When this channel gets blocked, this leads to a build-up of the liquid. This is what causes glaucoma. The specific reason for this blockage is not currently known, however, doctors are aware that it can be inherited, which means it can be passed from parents to children.
More causes, which are less common, include a chemical or blunt injury to the eye, blocked blood vessels within the eye, a severe eye infection or an inflammatory condition. In rare cases, sometimes eye surgery used to correct a separate eye condition can cause the onset of glaucoma.
Are there any glaucoma symptoms?
The most common symptoms of glaucoma include:
Blurred or hazy vision
Seeing rainbow-coloured circles around bright lights
Severe head and eye pain
Vomiting or nausea alongside the eye pain
Sudden loss of sight
If you experience any of these symptoms, it's best to visit your doctor.
Need a professional opinion?
Click here to search for your local optician today!


text:
A whole year has flown by and we are already halfway through December! With Christmas and New year looming on the horizon, there is hardly any time left for gift shopping.
When it comes to choosing gifts for friends, we tend to reflect on the special moments that were spent with them in the past year. We end up choosing what could be relevant to this precious moment in time. But what about our parents? More often than not, we fail to arrive at sterling conclusions.
Best Tech Gift Ideas For Parents
Scratching our brain cells late into the eleventh hour, we turn into a bustling little group of maniacs trying to get something that'd pass off as a thoughtful gift.
With a little consideration and attention for detail, you can probably get your parents something from this list of Best Tech Gift Ideas For Parents.
BedJet Climate Comfort For Bed
This can be a perfect gift for your parents who will love to use this all year along. This dual climate comfort zone makes sure that each of the parents gets the warmth or cool according to their liking.
You can use the mobile app to set the temperature which gives a comfortable sleep and BedJet will create that comfort zone for you. Each one can set the temperature separately and also gets a separate remote to keep the control.
One of the good gift ideas for the parents who complains cold feet or humidity while sleeping. This Climate Comfort can help them in proper sleep and refresh their moods.
You also get the oil aromatherapy with the dual climate comfort which will also help in proper sleep. Washable air filters and no wires make sure that you can easily manage and install it on your bed.
Suggested Read: Best Gift Ideas For Your Mother This Holiday Season
iPad Pro
Have you ever heard your workaholic parent mumbling something about a missed show? Well then, what are you waiting for? Get one of these already!
iPad Pro is your all-in-one superhero. It is basically a power station of a tablet that has got all the things you can imagine- be it Face ID, iOS, or speedy performance.
You also get to binge-watch the Netflix show of your choosing. Add an Apple Stylus and a Smart Keyboard Folio into the equation and you've got an amazing gift in the bag!
There is no way your parents would complain about other missed show! There are many different configurations including WiFi Only or Cellular, 10.5-inch or 11-inch or 12.9-inch screen sizes and storage options. Just select based on your parents need and give them something to remember.
Polk Audio Command Sound Bar
Have your parents got an Amazon Echo or Google Home yet? If not, then you should surely get them the Pol Command Bar for this Christmas!
It has got specific modes for listening to movies, sports or music. With the Echo Dot embedded inside, you can connect to Amazon music stores as well.
The biggest plus is that you can fix it on the wall. You don't have to worry about missing it under a load of year-old magazines on the coffee table!
It can easily get connected to your TV or home theater system with the included HDMI connection. You can enjoy your movies and TV shows with Dolby and DTS surround sound.
Suggested Read: Best Tech Gift Ideas For Kids This Christmas
OnePlus 6T Android Smartphone
The new Android phone OnePlus 6T has certainly got an outstanding style! This high-end device is one of the Best Tech Gift Ideas For Parents.
The elegant OnePlus 6T has got a huge battery, a mammoth but pretty screen, and perfect speakers. You can also record 4k video with 60FPS and snapdragon 845 octa-core processor.
There is no need for your parent to fear for the security of data as the device comes with an in-display fingerprint reader. The phone can handle multiple tasks simultaneously and looks beautiful in vibrant colors.
Get the holiday fun kicking with your parents by watching movies while sharing giggles over some hot cocoa!
Lutron Caseta Wireless Smart Lighting Switch
One of the best gifts for your parents can be a smart Wireless Lighting switch. It makes sure they don't need to get up and walk to turn off the lights.
If you have Alexa, Google Home or Siri devices, you can also use voice control for turning on and off your lights.
You can also schedule the turn on and turn off time with the help of iOS and Android app. It can also automatically align for daylight saving as and when required.
Remote turn on and off, status check and all the other features are also available in the app. So go ahead and give them a test of smart home with the easy to install smart wireless lighting switch.
Suggested Read: Best Beginners Home Automation Ideas To Start Your Home Automation Efforts
eufy Boost IQ RoboVac
Ever wanted a machine that could clean your house and also clean up after itself? Then, here's the magic word – eufy Boost IQ RoboVac. This is the answer to all your housecleaning problems.
With Boost IQ only a click away, you can kiss your worries a big goodbye! Your parents would definitely love this contraption for what it is.
One of the slimmest model which has intelligent auto charging. It can sense when it is low on charge and automatically reach to charging base to make sure it is always ready with a full charge.
Slim profile makes sure it can clean under the furniture and drop sensing technology make sure it doesn't fall off stairs while cleaning. It can constantly work to make your house clean without any human interaction.
Phaiser BHS-730 Wireless Headphones
The best kind of freedom is when there is music in your ears and the burdens of life seem lighter on your shoulders.
You can afford this for your parents by getting them a pair of Phaiser BHS-730 headphones! Wireless in nature, they come with multiple sets of earbuds.
This makes it easy for you to choose the set which fits perfectly for your ears. It has got eight hours of playtime.
They lock into your ears and is worn with a cord behind the neck. You can also lock them with around your neck with the help of magnets. This makes sure they won't fall while not in use.
Let a little music make all the difference!
Suggested Read: Best Wireless Bluetooth Headphones For iPhone XR / XS and XS Max
Skullcandy Venue Wireless Headphones
If your parents do not like in-ear headphones and want something over the ear, this is for them.
Wireless in nature, as most techs are, these can connect to smart assistants. They are capable of answering calls and are remarkably great at noise-canceling.
You should get one not only because they are effective but also since it comes embedded with Tile. Tile is a tracking device which helps you locate lost articles through a Bluetooth connection.
So, if in case you dropped it on your way to the subway, chances are Skullcandy Venue will be back within a day.
It also has a fast charging capability which can give you around 5 hours of play time with 10 minutes charging.
Nokia HR Hybrid Smartwatch
Here is the next Best Tech Gift Idea For Parents- a hybrid smartwatch under the name Nokia HR Hybrid Smartwatch.
This doesn't just let you check the time but it is built to read notifications from your smartphone. With a vibration feature, it also works as a fitness tracker.
It looks like a normal watch with analog hands and a second dial that points out the steps you took out in a day.
This is a perfect gift for your parents if they want to track their exercise. Being water-resistant, it can also be worn to a pool.
Alexa integration makes it voice compatible. Heart rate and Sleep monitoring with smart alarm make it easy to wake up in a refreshing mood.
Suggested Read: Best Wireless Bluetooth Outdoor Speakers For Your Outdoor Parties
Echo Show (2nd Generation)
If you are looking for a smart speaker to help your parents get through the roads to work, or to show the weather, you need to get them Echo Show. We can talk through its A.I. voice, Alexa.
You can also connect the Hub to other smart devices in your home, facilitating the control of the various appliances through the screen.
It also has a camera, which makes it possible to make video calls. You can also use it as a digital frame, rotating the photos of your family.
It can also show the step by step recipe video, movies or music on the big screen. One of the good companion for your parents which can help them in their day to day work.
MOODO Smart Home Fragrance Diffuser
Has your place has strange smells? Worry not! Here is MOODO, one of the Best Tech Gift Ideas For Parents, to save your day!
MOODO is an air freshener device that works with Google Assistant, Siri, and Alexa. Place it on your table-top and trust MOODO to do its job.
It can create compounds of scents that you desire! Be it tulips, fried turkey or gingerbread, you've got it all! It can work for seven hours after each charging session.
This gadget is perfect for parents who work day in and out, with no time for light or heavy dusting.
There you go! You've got a list of the best tech gift ideas for your parents! All you now need to do is to find out which idea you think would make your parents the happiest.
Of course, any little thing for a gift from children makes parents cheerful but your thoughtfulness matters even more. If you could prove your gratitude with a single Christmas present, don't you want to make it count?


text:
Poetry has long been a vehicle for voicing unrest, from the words of Maya Angelou to Nikki Giovanni. A new series, "Poetry for the People" Read-Outs, is using the words of poet-activists like Audre Lorde, Lucille Clifton and more to add Miami's voice in the fight for justice for Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager who was killed by Ferguson, Mo. police officer Darren Wilson. The gatherings, held October 21 and October 28, will feature FIU students and faculty members reading works by renowned poets as well as original works.
A read-out was recently held at FIU's Biscayne Bay Campus, which included a chance to sign the Change.org petition, to "establish state-wide task forces to provide community oversight of the Florida Police Departments," which will be sent to Rick Scott. The events at the Modesto Maidique Campus will give students and faculty an even bigger opportunity to air their concerns about current racial issues plaguing the country.
See also: The Spotlight: New Spoken Word Venue Seeks Poets and Performers
Dr. Donna Weir-Soley, associate professor of FIU's Department of English, says the name of the event comes from the late poet/activist June Jordan's poetry group at the University of California, Berkeley.
"I knew June Jordan while I was a student at Berkeley, and I joined her and other activists to celebrate the end of apartheid in South Africa. I recall that we danced the Toi-Toi (a South African freedom dance) on Sproul Plaza when Mandela was elected president of a free South Africa," Weir-Soley said. "I named the read-outs after June Jordan's group because she was a true poet of the people.
"She never pandered to the subtle (and not so subtle) demand that poets be apolitical... She spoke truth to power...that is one of the main things I think poetry ought to do -- expose the raw underbelly of social structures and of human nature and push us to change, to transform, to be kinder, to use our words to demand life, justice and peace for all of us."
Weir-Soley, who works with activist-poets, reached out to her colleagues in FIU's English and African and African Diaspora Studies departments about developing a read-out to support Ferguson and connect today's issues on race and police brutality with America's history of racism, suppression, and violence in black and brown communities. Weir-Soley, who put together the event with friend and co-organizer Tiffany Austin, hopes the events trigger a larger sense of artistic activism in Miami.
"According to a seven-year long FBI study that ended in 2012, a minimum of two black men are killed in police custody every single week in America. The report says there could be more because there are deaths in police custody whose causes are unaccounted for and the FBI only reported the ones they were sure were directly caused by the police," Weir-Soley said. "We are approaching the end of 2014, so I am sure those statistics have gone up since the study was done -- it sure appears so. Either way, two deaths per week already boggles my mind. I hope most Americans would want to see due process served rather than have cops serve as judge, jury, and executioner of young black men, [most of them] barely out of boyhood."
Weir-Soley also cites that more black people are stopped by the police and harassed or even arrested for minor infractions that white Americans wouldn't be harassed for. "This is one way to criminalize black and brown bodies. Most white Americans do not know this and some do not believe it when you tell them," she wrote. "But, at the very least, I would hope most of them would agree that killing black men without even bringing them to jail, without even bringing them before a jury and a judge, is a violation of human and civil rights."
The read-outs echo the amount of marches, rallies and petitions that have defined Ferguson in the past few months. There have been many instances in which black men and women have been persecuted by police or renegade individuals. Quite a few of the cases stem from Florida.
Three cases include Trayvon Martin, an unarmed Miami Gardens teen killed in Sanford by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman. Another is Marissa Alexander from Jacksonville, whose 20-year sentence for firing a warning shot into the air to keep her husband from attacking her has recently been overturned. Also from Jacksonville is Jordan Davis, a teen who was killed in 2012 by Michael Dunn for playing loud music. Dunn was sentenced to life in prison without parole plus 90 years for three attempted murder charges and 15 years for firing into an occupied vehicle.
"What you see in Ferguson is, I believe, a result of years of pent-up frustration at inequality, police brutality, and domestic terror in the form of extreme socio-political and economic disenfranchisement and the erosion of human and civil rights in that region and across the United States," Weir-Soley said. "Mike Brown, John Crawford, Eric Garner, Daren Hunt, Renisha McBride, Oscar Grant, and a lot more young black people have been killed nationwide primarily because of their race. Many of them are killed by the very police who are supposed to protect them from violence. They are killed without due process, and that is the part that really gets to me."
Weir-Soley echoes what many black Americans already fear: "It can happen to anyone of us and it is very scary to be black right now, especially if you happen to be a black male or the parent of one," she said. "Perhaps Mike Brown is our wake-up call to just how pernicious and ubiquitous racial terror and violence is in our society. Most Blacks are terrified of the police. We don't see them as our protectors, we see them as our potential killers."
Two of the readers at the previous read-out, Ashley M. Jones and Cathleen Chambless, poetry MFA candidates for FIU, discussed how the event gave them a chance to join the fight against police brutality.
"[It] was an opportunity to use my poetry for an important cause, and I wanted to show solidarity with people who are displeased with the injustices that occurred in crimes against black people and people of color in this country," Jones said. "From a political standpoint, it's necessary because these issues affect us as Floridians and Americans. From an arts standpoint, Miami is extremely arts-centric, so it would only make sense that we would use our art for political reasons."
Chambless, who was asked to join the event by Jones, felt the event also gave political poets a viable platform for expression. "[Jones] and I are one of the few political poets in our MFA program at FIU," she wrote. "I felt honored to be asked and was happy to participate. I wanted to participate because these crimes against humanity should not go unnoticed. These victims deserve justice and recognition."
Some of the poets that have been read, though still considered contemporary, are from the '60s and '70s, such as the poetry of Audre Lorde. Chambless says that the words are as relevant today as they were years ago. "Not much has changed. Donna Weir-Soley said [at the read-out] that our poets need to be listened to, and clearly have not been, which is why they need to be read again," she said. "I hope people also find some sort of connection with the poetry and it stirs up a fire within them to help become part of the process of change, to not be complacent."
We Believe Local Journalism is Critical to the Life of a City
Engaging with our readers is essential to Miami New Times's mission. Make a financial contribution or sign up for a newsletter, and help us keep telling Miami's stories with no paywalls.
Support Our Journalism
Weir-Soley encourages people of all trades and interests to attend and contribute. "You do not have to be a writer yourself to contribute. You can read the work of a famous or not so famous writer. We also need journalists, photographers, audience members, and just people of good will cheering us on and doing their part in whatever way they can.
"I hope they learn that what affects one of us affects all of us. I hope they will put color, class, race, and ethnicity and personal prejudices aside and join in this effort to confront racism and police brutality because it is the right thing to do."
The read-outs at the Modesto Maidique Campus will take place at 1 p.m. in front of the fountain near the Charles Perry (Primera Casa) Building. The event is free to the public and is co-sponsored by FIU's Department of English. Call 305-348-6860.
Follow Cultist on Facebook and Twitter @CultistMiami.


text: Rating: 1 2 3 4 5 Submission Date: 6 years 4 weeks ago Exactly what it says, It does. Review Questions: State: Pennsylvania SkinType: Normal/Combination SkinCare: Daily Pimple prevention Age: 18-24 Review Text: This product is something that was created by the gods (at clean and clear). I don't get too many pimples but when I get them they're huge and obvious like directly in the middle of my forehead like a gigantic unicorn horn. I can always feel my pimples coming and the last time I did I knew it would be a big one, I did everything I could to clean my face but nothing focused in enough to stop the pimple. I was really desperate so I raided my sisters bathroom and found this product, I was willing to try anything so I used it. The next day the pimple had reduced and was a million times less obvious. I went out and bought my own ADVANTAGE Acne Spot Treatment and have been using it for a few months now. This thing has made it so I'm basically acne free and has made my life a million times better. For spot treatment I would definitely recommend this product. Recommended: Yes, I'd recommend this product Nickname: The Pimple Unicorn Location: The Pimple Unicorn Ratings Overall: 1 2 3 4 5 Helpfulness: Was this review helpful to you? Yes (141) No (19) Report: Report


text:
What teams make the best betting in the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals?
The last East Conference Semis, the teams to bet on were: Milwaukee Bucks against the Boston Celtics and the other game was the Toronto Raptors vs the Philadelphia 76ers.
East Conference Semifinals Results
Betting on one of these teams (especially the Raptors) to win would've been smart!
Not only would you have won some bets in the Eastern Conference, but you might also have taken it all.
The results (and best teams to bet on in the Eastern Conference Semis) were:
- Bucks over Celtics (4-1 in the series)
- Raptors over 76ers (4-3 in the series)
The Raptors would go on to take the Eastern Conference Finals and eventually also be the best bet in the NBA Finals.
Bet on Basketball
Bet in
NBA & College Markets
Easy-To-Make Parlay Slips
Get $250 Bonus With Code
Register an Account at SugarHouse. You may register from any state in the U.S., but must be 21+ and located in NJ to wager. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-Gambler.
How to bet on the Eastern Conference Semifinals
- Find basketball betting apps that are playable in where you live.
- Select the one that best fits your NBA betting needs.
- Complete the registration process and, deposit money to your betting account.
- Find the best Eastern Conference Semifinals bets.
- Choose a bet (or add more bets to make it a parlay), and good luck!


text:
Trent House Annex
Trent House Annex is a studio apartment for one person, located on the Trent House site south of Horley, Surrey. Whereas Trent House is a registered care home, however, the Annex apartment is let out as a tenancy, with support being provided by the Ashcroft Community Support team. The apartment has a living/bedroom space, and a separate kitchen and bathroom. There is a private garden to the rear, with access to the swimming pool.
People: 1
Gender: Male or Female
Support Model: Tenancy/Supported Living
CQC Rating: Outstanding
Property Location:


text:
I'm excited about my upcoming film showing at this great theater!
Welcome back. While traveling through several communities last week I found a true Oklahoma treasure that you may not have heard of. Built in 1929, alongside the famous Route 66 highway, the Coleman Theatre in Miami, Oklahoma was designed to be the most elaborate entertainment venue between Kansas City and Dallas. The theatre was constructed by George L. Coleman, Sr., a native of Miami who made a fortune in the mining industry and was placed on the National Register of Historic places in 1983. I learned all this before I got there as well as the fact that the Coleman has operated continuously for 88 years and has never gone "black" as it is called in the industry when a theater shuts down.
From the street when I saw the Spanish style exterior, the spiral staircase and bell tower on one side and the twin bell towers on the other side I knew I was in for something special. Entering the building through the magnificent front doors, one is immediately mesmerized by the beauty of the carved winding staircase which lead to the balcony level and the two sculptures that point the way. Giant chandeliers hang from arched ceilings and the walls are decorated with carving of gargoyles, dolphins and masked figures along the hallways that lead to another set of large wooden doors. When the doors are open the entire theater lays before you and it is a truly breathtaking sight. I would never have guessed that a small Oklahoma town with a population of only 13,570 residents would house such a treasure. For me it was like finding gold and while I was admiring the historic stage I discovered even more.
It was a vintage pipe organ called "the Mighty Wurlitzer" and friends they are rare and beautiful both to listen to and to look at. It was a special experience to see one up close. True vaudeville theaters from this era had these organs to accompany performances but most closed down over the years when movie theaters became popular. Fortunately, the Coleman and its Mighty Wurlitzer have survived.
I also learned that the Coleman heirs donated the theater to the City of Miami in 1989 and a not for profit organization was formed to manage it. Through a successful fundraising campaign, the group secured grants and individual donations which allowed them to restore the exterior of the main structure and then replace the carpet, clean and paint the inside to bring all of the beautiful details of the building back to their former glory and what a great job they have done.
As their guest book shows, tourists from around the world who are traveling Route 66 make a point of stopping at the theatre and like me I'm sure they marvel at what they see. From the second story balcony to the fancy seating everything at the Coleman is top of the line and it is easy to envision the many famous actors who appeared on their stage. Will Rogers played there to a full house of course. Tom Mix, Bing Crosby, the magician Harry Black and even Jim Thorpe had an act which was presented at the Coleman and on January 14th Footprints in the Dew: The Last Ten Tapes will be shown there as well. What an honor it is for sure.
But there's more to the Coleman than the theater itself as a large ballroom adjoins the main building. Folks, you can rent this space and it comes complete with a pocket garden containing a fountain and benches which are all designed in the same style as the theater. It is elegant to say the least.
Put a stop at the Coleman Theatre on your list of things to do in 2017 and take one of their free guided tours of the building which also bring you behind the scenes. Coming up next week: who was George Coleman, the man who had the vision and the money to build such a fine theater in what was at the time a fairly remote part of the country.
As for me, there will also be a command showing of my film on January 15th at the Poncan Theatre in Ponca city, Oklahoma which is often called the sister theater of the Coleman. If you haven't been to the Poncan it's a must see as well.
Till next time, I'll see ya down the road…..


text:
I pray to You, Lord God so that You may help me to remain Your child all the days of my life. I desire so much to always do Your Holy Will, just like Your beloved son Our Lord Jesus Christ did. I may not be perfect like Jesus, but I pray, with much humility, that You accept me with my shortcomings.
Help me Oh lord to always accept and correct my mistakes that displease You. Help me also to be very sorry for the sins I commit against You. Give me the strength to overcome the worldly invitations that may lead me into sin and evil temptations and cause You to turn Your gaze of providence away from me. Lord God, I love You and I will praise Your Holy name forever and ever. Amen.


text:
Statewide Carpet Cleaners
Statewide Carpet CleanersAdelaide's Premium Carpet Cleaners
Statewide Carpet Cleaners are an Adelaide owned and operated company which specializes in all aspects of carpet and upholstery cleaning.
Our knowledgeable technicians are nationally qualified and accredited, combined with our industry leading equipment and chemicals used will provide you with the very best results available, the fastest drying times and yet still being gentle on your carpet or upholstery.
Have your carpet cleaned via the "STEAMDRY" method, where the carpet is first steam cleaned then a special drying process is performed to remove even more water which drastically reduces the drying time to minutes instead of hours!
You will be amazed at how bright and clean your lounge suite or dinning chairs will look after they have been steam cleaned! They will also smell lovely and fresh as well as having that soft new fabric feel it used to ...read more
Contact details
- Odour Control
- Stain Removal
- Upholstery Cleaning
- Move In / Out Cleaning
- Carpet Cleaning
Payment options
- Cash
- MasterCard
- Cheque
- Visa
After a disaster with a watermelon dissolving in a cooler bag, leaking sticky, sweet juice into our carpet we called Statewide Carpet Cleaners.
They came the same day and talked us through our options. The cleaner was very friendly, knowledgeable and professional. He did an excellent job. We had a square green stain from the ribbing on the bag and he used a spot cleaner on that before steam cleaning the area. The suction on his machine was quite strong, and the water and steam sucked out the juice and cleaned the carpet very well. He went over the area a number of times.
We still have a mild smell, but we're told it could take up to a week before that disappeared. He used a deodoriser.
I highly recommend this company.
I hadn't had my carpets cleaned for a couple of years. I had a baby and an old dog that had been through a few bouts of sickness. This plus a couple of spilt coffees made me think that I needed new carpets. I called Gianni and didn't expect him to be able to remove all of the stains. I could not believe how well the carpets came up. They felt new again. He was on time, friendly and respected my house. The price was much less than I paid another company the previous time. Thank you!


text:
|Albums > Corbridge > World War 1 Memorial - Lych Gate, St Andrew's Chur
|This is the memorial Lych Gate to the fallen of the First World War at St Andrew's Church, Corbridge, photographed 17th August 2016.
The memorial was unveiled by Lt.Gen. Sir Percy Wilkinson, KCMG and dedicated by Rt.Rev. Bishop Hornby, D.D. on 25th July 1920.
Formed from sandstone with a slate roof. and wooden gates. The plaques bearing the names are of green Westmorland slate
Funded by public subscription the sculptor was H. Martindale of Carlisle and builder Messrs. Davidson of Newcastle on Tyne.
]More information, press cuttings etc can be found at the North East War Memorials Project @ http://www.newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=6820
The llych gate is Grade II Listed and this is the listing text courtesy of the British Listed Buildings web site @ http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-239928-lych-gate-to-churchyard-corbridge-#.V9u7Ba2um34
Description: Lych Gate to Churchyard
Grade: II
Date Listed: 24 May 1988
English Heritage Building ID: 239928
OS Grid Reference: NY9883264402
OS Grid Coordinates: 398832, 564402
Latitude/Longitude: 54.9742, -2.0198
Location: Market Place, Corbridge, Northumberland NE45 5AW
Locality: Corbridge
County: Northumberland
Country: England
Postcode: NE45 5AW
CORBRIDGE MARKET PLACE (North side)
21/167 Lych Gate to churchyard
Lych Gate, 1919 as World War I memorial.
Squared tooled stone with ashlar quoins and dressings; Westmorland slate roof. 4-centred arch of 2 hollow-chamfered orders in square frame, with heraldry and oak foliage in spandrels. Flanking buttresses on battered bases, carried up to hollow-chamfered eaves cornice stepped up over inscribed tablet above arch.
Open-panelled wooden gates with alpha and omega on stiles. Open timbered gable with vertical studding to rear.
Listing NGR: NY9883264401


text:
Speculative Christmas, Episode III: A New Joy
The third week of Advent is upon us. Just as our faith in God's love, and the hope He promised, begins to waver, we light another candle, and its flickering glow reveals a parade of scruffy-looking
nerfherders shepherds trotting toward Bethlehem, their voices brimming with joy and excitement.
Hmm. I wonder why they're so happy?
This week, I'd like to turn your attention to one of the oldest old-school works of speculative fiction: A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens. It's the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, a man who's lost his joy, though we don't understand that at the beginning of the story. All we see is "a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner! Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster."
Most of you are probably well-familiar with this story. As I was thinking about it today, I realized it also follows the pattern of the Advent wreath.
You don't believe me?
Come along. Today, I'm the Ghost of Speculative Christmas. Rise, and walk with me.
Marley's Ghost: the Prophecy Candle and voice of Hope
One Christmas Eve, after a long, hard day of evicting widows and orphans and counting his gold sovereigns, Scrooge retires to his drafty apartments with a bowl of gruel, and he's confronted by the horrifying spectre of his old business partner, Jacob Marley. Marley is doomed to an eternity of wandering about the world, without the power to intervene for good, and he's burdened by an enormous length of ectoplasmic chain—the weight of his sin. He warns Scrooge that a similar fate awaits him if he does not change his ways, but a fragile hope remains. To that end, Marley has arranged for Scrooge to be haunted on three successive nights by three spirits, who will lead him down the path to righteousness.
The Ghost of Christmas Past: the Bethlehem Candle and voice of Love
The first spirit takes Scrooge on a whirlwind tour of his youth, where we learn how he came to be the decrepit, penny-pinching miser we know. To our surprise, we discover that Scrooge's early life was lonely at times, but not miserable. His older sister loved and cared for him. He was intelligent and hardworking, and enjoyed the example of a generous employer. He wooed and won the heart of a beautiful young lady, but lost her when his lust for the power and security of wealth led him astray and accelerated his descent into hard-hearted bitterness. The spirit's travelogue of self-examination leaves Scrooge shaken and overwhelmed: "Leave me! Take me back! Haunt me no longer!"
The Ghost of Christmas Present: the Shepherds' Candle and voice of Joy
An evening with the jolly Ghost of Christmas Present, passing invisibly among the merrymakers of London and the countryside beyond, reminds Scrooge of the abandoned joys of his early life and reveals that wealth is irrelevant to true happiness. His eyes are also opened to the plight of his poor clerk, Bob Cratchit, whose family celebrates Christmas with gusto despite their privation and the illness of their youngest child, Tiny Tim. That brave little boy moves Scrooge to a novel emotion—compassion. As the spirit ages and dwindles, he reminds Scrooge that there are many others he has denied his sympathy and mocks him with his own callous words: "Are there no prisons?…Are there no workhouses?'"
The Ghost of Christmas Future: the Angels' Candle and voice of Peace
Peace seems an odd theme for Dickens' final spirit, but by the time he appears, Scrooge is beginning to understand the purpose and value of these strange visitations and accepts the spirit's guidance without protest. He has come to terms with the reality of his plight and his role in creating his own misery. However, he learns that merely acquiescing to the truth isn't enough—the shadows of the future still forecast his ultimate despair and doom. Scrooge's soul will never experience peace without a change of heart. He must repent. The shattering revelation of his own mortality, near at hand, inscribed upon a tombstone, provides the crisis that prompts his transformation. He awakens to a brilliant Christmas morning, amazed to discover his journeys have taken only a single night, and grateful he still has time to make good on his promise to reform: I am here — the shadows of the things that would have been, may be dispelled. They will be. I know they will!
In the aftermath of his travels through the unseen world, we see the fruits of new life in Scrooge. He falls to his knees and offers glory to Heaven. He's inundated with joy, a baptism that leaves him "giddy as a drunken man." He leaves his dank, musty lair to gaze in wonder at a city full of people he'd hardly noticed before. He goes to church. He begins to reconnect broken family ties and makes the welfare of Bob Cratchit and his brood his personal responsibility. Most significant of all, the changes stick. His changed heart and newfound generosity, both emotional and material, characterize him forever after, despite the skepticism of a few acquainted with the old Scrooge:
He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough, in the good old world. Some people laughed to see the alteration in him, but he let them laugh, and little heeded them; for he was wise enough to know that nothing ever happened on this globe, for good, at which some people did not have their fill of laughter in the outset; and knowing that such as these would be blind anyway, he thought it quite as well that they should wrinkle up their eyes in grins, as have the malady in less attractive forms. His own heart laughed: and that was quite enough for him.
May our own journey through Advent bring us joy and transformation in like measure, and as Tiny Tim observed, "God bless us, every one!"
UPDATE: Stephen has a great post in our archives that offers more insights and historical background on Dickens' beloved Christmas tale. Check it out here.
Considering all the adaptations of A Christmas Carol, this is definately an interesting point. Even though I've seen the advent wreath, I never knew that each candle has a meaning, which makes it much more interesting.
Fred, this is a lovely "lesson" showing why Dickens' A Christmas Carol is so ageless. I clicked over here because of the Muppet version being my personal favorite, and I think that's because, while taking some obvious "dramatic license", it's very true to Mr. Dickens' intent and spirit and has a LOT more direct quotes from Dickens than any other "children's" version I know of. Before the Muppets, I found this tale either silly (Mickey Mouse et al) or too dark and depressing (just about every other live action dramatic version) even when it got to the end. Michael Caine is the first actor to make me see Scrooge as sympathetic and pitiful, someone I could RELATE to instead of hate and write off. That makes the story PERSONAL and oh so much more meaningful. I have this movie on DVD and I watch it at least once every Christmas season. I find myself singing the songs from this movie as much as any traditional carols. And Belle's song literally brings tears to my eyes every doggoned time I watch it. Thanks for the post.
Well done, Fred! God bless us, everyone–yes!
You deserve a gift–sorry that it's not the best!
There once was a man named Fred,
who had a store of good stuff in his head,
all these truths he never forgot,
but mulled over them quite a lot.
Glad you like it!
I read A Christmas Carol again this Christmas while working on a homage to it. Until then, I hadn't realized how well the Muppets had captured it. The Disney version made Scrooge's nephew out to be an idiot, when Dickens had obviously intended him to be the benevolent equal to Scrooge–intelligent, but generous.
I really loved the parallel to advent that you pulled out of this. Thanks so much for taking the time to share it.
The Muppets' Christmas Carol is indeed amazing! It's one of my favorite Christmas movies, and one of my favorite quotes originates from it ("I am here for the food!"). 🙂 Interesting how you can go through it like an Advent wreath…
Fred, thanks for walking us through the story. For a number of years, I made A Christmas Carol, in some version or other, part of my Christmas tradition. Your delightful recap paralleling the Advent season reminds me why. You vividly brought back the scenes from the story. Thanks so much.


text:
If all else fails, there is always one other method of hitting the golf ball; grip it and rip it. Want to hit it long and straight? Make it simple! There are three main components to the golf swing: 1) The Backswing, 2) The Downswing, and 3) The Follow-Through. As a young man growing up, I never had a problem with distance. My problem was accuracy. I was fortunate enough to get instruction from some of the best teachers around. I learned that if you want to hit it long and straight, simplify the swing. Break it down to its simplest components.
Power in your golf swing comes from your big muscles, not your small muscles. It's about staying under control with your big muscles and not swinging your smaller ones faster. Some of your biggest muscles are in your legs, back, and your core (stomach). Some of your smallest muscles are in your fingers and hands. The more movement you have with your small muscles the more room for error you create. So the simplest way to hit the ball is through your larger muscles. I tell my students that the best way to generate more power and control is to swing the club using your big muscles. It allows you to generate more power from your core and when you eliminate your hands you minimize your scatter balls and create a straight, long ball flight.
First off, once your backswing is complete, the hips and core start turning out of the way creating some separation from the club, creating the lag you hear about so often on the downswing. Then once the club is in "the slot", release the arms through the ball and continue to turn out of the way. Many amateurs misinterpret the release as a slap with the hands causing a breakdown with the left wrist for right-handed golfers, when actually it is a rotation with the left forearm instead. This allows the right hand to finish on top of the left. As I said before, you must limit the use of the small muscles in your hands throughout your swing by locking your hands in your address position and retaining that position throughout the golf swing. The more lag you create by turning out of the way and retaining your address position with your hands, the more centrifugal force you create, which generates more club head speed.
Picture a giant wheel. To generate motion, you must turn the axle at the center of the wheel. The center of the wheel does not move as fast as the outer part of the wheel, so if you speed up the center of the wheel which is the core of the golf swing (your body), the outer part of the wheel rotates even that much faster; creating more club head speed. So, if you break down with your hands or slap at the ball, you also break down the arc of the swing and lose club head speed.
With these simple adjustments and a developed sense of how to make your large muscle groups work dominantly in your golf swing, you will improve your body control, simplify your swing, and rip it.


text:
A timing based action puzzle game that sends you flying through razor sharp blades to find the love you lost. Sometimes it will seem obvious. Sometimes it will be hard. Just remember that there will always be a way.
Instructions :
Mouse controls the movement in the game
Controls :
{"fire": "na", "jump": "na", "movement": "mouse"}


text:
SNDT University
SNDT University introduced distance education programmes in 1979.india Updated: May 26, 2008 15:25 IST
SNDT University
SNDT University introduced distance education programmes in 1979. Since then it has benefited thousands of working women, housewives and girls who aspire for higher education but are unable to pursue full-time degrees. In the last academic year, 11,500 women pursued the BA and B.Com degrees from the university's Centre for Distance Education.
The BA and B.Com degree programmes are of three-year duration and open to those who have completed HSC in Arts/Commerce or the University Entrance Test (UET) — an alternate preparatory course.
Anyone with a SSC or UET can pursue the nine-month certificate course in Basics of Diet Therapy, which initiates students into the use of diets for health reasons.
The courses in BPO Skills and Call Centre Management, Guidance and Counselling and English for Communication are open to those with HSC qualification.
June to September
Centre for Distance Education — 2660 77 58/ 2660 81 76


text:
6 July 2011
A month ago, a 39-year-old single mother from Hawthorne suffered a severe stroke that left her unable to walk.
Paramedics took her to a designated hospital stroke center. To preserve her brain function, doctors treated her with clot-busting drugs and asked her if she would be the first to participate in a clinical trial involving stem cells.
Dr. George Rappard of the Los Angeles Brain & Spine Institute at Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center is the principal investigator. The stem cells were separated out and treated, which appears to have increased the cell's ability to fill in where the body needs it. One to two million cells were then injected through a catheter that runs from the groin to the brain.


text:
Does anyone know if the SAGE Ethno Techno is shipping yet? Isn't it supposed to be coming out sometime this month? If it's already available, please let me know where.
Does anyone know if the SAGE Ethno Techno is shipping yet? Isn't it supposed to be coming out sometime this month? If it's already available, please let me know where.
Hello Nathan,
Please don't take any offense in this...it's not directed necessarily towards you but as a general observation...
It seems to me that if I am interested in the release date of a particular product, I would either contact the manufacturer directly or contact a retailer who carries the product for info. In this case you could send an e-mail to Spectrasonics directly (Spectrasonics.net), try a couple of their retail outlets such as Ilio.com, Audiomidi.com, Houseofsamples.com, Guitar Center, Sam Ash...you get the idea.
A simple search on Google for Stylus or Spectrasonics will probably reveal even more sources.
I guess the point I'm trying to get across is that this forum is not necessarily the best place from which to get this kind of information, it is mostly geared towards solving technical issues, discussing the pros and cons of certain products, and discussing musical composition techniques.
Music Composition for Feature Films, Television and Interactive Entertainment
No offense taken. ) I've always thought of this forum as having some of the most "in-the-know" individuals who often seem to be ahead of the game as far as knowledge about what's going on and what's coming out. My experience with retailer's knowing about a products availability is spotted at best, for instance, Guitar Center here in Dallas doesn't have Akoustik Piano and didn't know when it was supposed to be available, whereas I'm reading others' posts here that are already using it, so it is available.
Ethno Techno is made by ILIO, not Spectrasonics.
Not out yet. Plus it's NOT a Spectrasonics release. It is an ILIO release. You can pre-order on Ilio's website.


text:
The Australasian lawyer reports……Two firms have acted in Australia as an ASX-listed medicinal cannabis company makes and acquisition in Canada.
DLA Piper acted as Australian and Canadian counsel to Althea, which has agreed to acquire Peak Processing Solutions, its first foray into extraction and manufacturing of cannabis-infused products. The firm also advised on Althea's associated $30m capital raising, though exact financial details of the acquisition itself were not disclosed.
Russell Kennedy acted for the founders of Peak Processing as Australian counsel. The firm said it received instructions from Torkin Manes, the Canadian counsel for Peak Processing, through Ally Law Alliance.
DLA Piper fielded a cross-border team to act on the deal. The team was headed by Melbourne-based corporate and projects partner Chris Mitchell, who recently joined the firm. He was supported in Australia by senior associates Dylan Burke and Simone Lim, and solicitors Chanel Mercurio and Tara Alexander.
In Canada, the DLA Piper team included corporate partner Robert Fonn, finance partner Ilia Danef, tax partner Kevin Fritz, counsel Nicole Kapos and associate Christopher Pejovic.
Mitchell said that the deal allows Althea to expand its current business portfolio into the Canadian recreational market. To ensure the deal succeeded, DLA Piper tapped its experts in equity capital markets, M&A, regulatory, and the North American cannabis industry, he said.
The Russell Kennedy team was led by special counsel Rory Maguire and principal Andrew Parlour. They were assisted by associate Stephanie Quatela.
Maguire said that the deal is particularly significant given new regulations covering cannabis in Canada. Earlier this month, Health Canada started accepting applications for companies seeking to produce cannabis-derived products, including edibles, beverages, and vaping goods.
Althea, which operates in Australia and the UK, plans to expand in emerging markets in Europe and Asia. It listed last year on the ASX, counselled by Norton Rose Fulbright.
Source: https://www.australasianlawyer.com.au/news/two-firms-act-as-australian-medicinal-cannabis-company-makes-canadian-acquisition-267800.aspx


text:
10 Under £1020:19
Stockings are one of my favourite things to open on Christmas day.
Jam packed full of sweets, treats, beauty gifts and stationary, the stocking is the perfect vessel for giving friends and loved ones an assortment of lovely gifts.
I have chosen a selection of gifts, all under £10, that are perfect for adding to a stocking. (Technically, there are 11 gifts on offer here, but I couldn't choose between the two nail varnish colours!)
I must also admit, that these gifts would be very welcome in my stocking and there is a lack of male orientated gifts, but hey, I have to give my hints one way or another!
What would you like in your stocking this year? Let me know in the comments below!
See you tomorrow for the second installment of blogmas!
Shop the Post: http://polyv.re/1Rkbhq6


text:
Have you considered printing pull up banners for your business?
Great pull up banners will demand attention and can be produced and delivered to your door within 48 hours.*
Pull up banners are a fantastic mobile solution to promote your brand, product or service. Light weight and highly mobile, they are a cost-effective product which will increase awareness of any business.
This versatile marketing solution use to come at a cost, but with new technology and modern printing solutions, the price to produce a mobile branding tool for your business may surprise you.
Our banners are easy to pull up, put down and are compact to store, and can be placed almost anywhere to promote your business. Requiring only limited floor space, our versatile pull up banner is perfect for any trade show or exhibition.
Our in-house designer can take your brand, product or service and design a banner with a striking effect that is eye-catching to any audience.
Introduce one or a range of pull up banners to your mobile business branding plan today to make in impact on your market.
Contact our Sales Team via email or phone 07 5591 4699 to discuss what pull up banners are best to suit your company's needs.
*A 48 hour turnaround is achievable for orders of 1-5 pull up banners (845 x 2100mm) delivered within the Gold Coast region. Orders exceeding 5 pull up banners or require delivery outside the Gold Coast region may take additional time.


text:
If you've learnt everything you know about Benidorm by watching the television series, you'll need to forget it all. This tourist centre on the eastern coast of Spain, has been one of the most popular destinations for UK tourists for decades and has a well-earned reputation for being a perfect place to enjoy all inclusive holidays. With a tourism-based economy, Benidorm has bars and clubs to attract groups of young adults as well as theme parks, a zoo and waterparks that make Benidorm Holidays a great choice for family holidays. It's a highly developed area, so don't come to Benidorm looking for nature trails, as luxury hotel complexes and skyscrapers are the order of the day.
One thing that Cheap Benidorm Holidays does well, is making sure that nobody gets bored. The sea-themed park, Mundomar is perfect for children, with a range of live animal shows, such as those featuring dolphins and sea lions, as well as many exotic birds on display. If you are particularly fond of animals, you should visit Terra Natura, where you can walk right through the animals' terrain and see the less ferocious animals, such as deer and parrots, in a simulation of their natural habitat. You can get very close to the tigers, albeit at the right side of some very strong glass, but it's still quite impressive to see such intimidating and beautiful animals feeding and interacting.
If you don't have children with you, you should visit Levi's Showboat, where the shows, featuring female impersonators, are hilarious but adult-oriented. The food and drink are very reasonably priced and the portions are generous. With no admission fee, this is definitely a cheap but entertaining night out. You can't end Spain Holidays without experiencing a fiesta and Benidorm has plenty to choose from, as they take place almost every month. In the winter, there are fiestas to celebrate Christmas, New Year and the feast days of many saints, often including processions, shows and sporting competitions. During the summer months, as well as saints' feasts, there is the ancient Romeria del Corpus, which features a fairground and a captivating horse procession that makes you feel as though you're in the middle of something timeless.
Excellently placed in the heart of Benidorm and 150 metres from the Levante Beach, the Hotel Magic Villa Benidorm offers modern, All-Inclusive accommodation that is just steps from numerous shops, bars and restaurants. Make yourself at home in one of the comfortably appointed guest rooms that are modern in décor featuring a balcony as well as a full bathroom. A fridge, TV and telephone all come as standard and a safety deposit box can be hired locally. The attentive and multi-lingual staff are also on hand from the 24 hour reception to ensure you have all you need as well as to offer information on how to make the most of your valuable time in the resort.
On-site leisure facilities include a modern gym that is equipped with a selection of cardio-vascular and weight machines ensuring you can catch up on your workout regimes from home. The younger guests will also have the time of their lives at the seasonal mini-club or they can cool off in the kids pool where water games are on offer.
Please note:
All Stag/Hen Parties must stay a minimum of five nights and an additional €40 per person per night charge is payable locally. In return for this supplement the hotel offer an exclusive area for these groups for their specific celebrations for up to three hours during the day with their own waiter and drinks as contracted in the all-inclusive service. The time schedule and specific area will be conveniently agreed with the group in question. The supplement is to be paid directly upon check-in at the reception of the hotel before receiving the room keys.
The right choice?
This hotel will appeal to families and couples looking a central accommodation from which to enjoy the beautiful Levante Beach and the wealth of entertainment Benidorm has to offer.
Location and resort
The Hotel Magic Villa Benidorm is in the resort centre with plenty of shops, bars and restaurants within 100 metres and Levante Beach just 250 metres away. Benidorm has mountains on one side and the clear Mediterranean on the other. Its beaches stretch the length of the resort and have every water sport activity possible available.
per person
Learn More
*terms & conditions apply.
With our low deposit option and Easy Monthly Installement options, you can book ahead and secure your holiday from as little as £99 per person, paying the final balance up until 14 days before departure
Sit back, relax and look forward to your trip without the financial worry.
Subject to supplier availability. Terms and conditions apply.
If you make an online booking and later find your holiday combination on sale, and available, at a lower price somewhere else on the internet, we will refund the difference to you.
We reserve the right to refuse and claim where we are unable to substantiate the
claim to our satisfaction and in accordance with the above points. We reserve the
right to remove this offer at any time.
This site uses cookies to distinguish you from other users. Some of these cookies are essential to make this website work correctly, to allow you to make your travel booking or other purchases, and to enable SuperEscapes.co.uk to fulfil your purchase requests. Other types of cookie help us to provide you with a good experience when you shop on our site, allow us to improve our site or the way we provide our service to customers, or are used to provide you with information or offers from SuperEscapes.co.uk or third parties that may be of interest to you.
You can accept or decline cookies at any time by accessing the preference panels from your browser's main menu (usually found under 'Edit', 'Tools' or 'Options'). However, if you choose to remove cookies elements of the site may not work properly or your use of the site may be impaired.
In order to help us improve our customer service to you we also use 'cookies' to collect information about your use of the website. Cookies are a feature of web browser software that allows web servers to temporarily store information within your browser, which in turn allows us to recognise the computer used to access our site. Most browsers automatically accept cookies but you can delete existing cookies from your browser. You can also edit your browser options to choose not to receive cookies in future. We may use cookies to keep track of the transaction from one page to the next. We may also collect data on your visit to our website, based on your browsing activities.
This information may include the pages you visit and products viewed or purchased. This helps us to improve and develop our offers and to provide you with better products and services tailored to your individual interests and needs.
PLEASE NOTE: if you choose to use SuperEscapes.co.uk without declining any non-essential cookies, then your use will constitute implied consent to the non-essential cookies that are set.
The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO)
issues up-to-date travel advice on destinations, health, safety and security as well as information on
passports and visas. We advise all passengers to check for any travel advice for the destination that they are travelling to.
Click here to visit their website.
We are sorry to hear that Thomas Cook has now gone into administration. Firstly we would like to extend our thoughts to our travel colleagues at Thomas Cook and all of those passengers sadly affected. We are currently identifying all customers who have been affected by this and we will be in touch shortly, to explain what will happen next. Please note, we our priority is for the customers who are departing next 15 days and customers who are departing after 15 days, our customer service team will be in touch with you in next 7 days.
In the meantime, if you are currently on holiday please visit the CAA website to find out more about your options https://thomascook.caa.co.uk/…/if-you-are-currently-abroad/ or you can find out more by visiting https://www.superescapes.co.uk/
If you have lost your holiday, and need a helping hand to rebook your well-deserved break, please visit https://www.superescapes.co.uk/ or call us on 01386298033
Kindest Regards,
Customer Service Team
This means you will be able to continue with your holiday or suitable alternative holiday (at no extra cost) or receive a refund of the amount paid to us in the unlikely event of our insolvency or the insolvency of one or more of your service Travel Suppliers
When you book with us, we'll send you an ATOL confirmation invoice that provides you with all the information you'll need about your ATOL protection
A Flight Plus Holiday is where you purchase through us, at the same time or within a day of each other, a flight plus overseas accommodation and / or car hire from separate Travel Suppliers and as separate bookings (i.e. not a package holiday)


text:
Sixth Form students enjoy their trip to Paris over the Easter holiday.
During the first week of the Easter holidays, 25 Year 12 and 13 students along with Mr. Taborda, Mr. Gordon and Miss O'Neill visited Paris for the annual Sixth Form trip. The pupils visited the key tourist sites in the city, exploring and learning more about the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Palace of Versailles, Stade de France and the Champs-Elysees. As well as this, the pupils had the opportunity to visit Disneyland Paris and enjoy the attractions there for a whole day. The engagement of the pupils must be commended throughout the trip and it was a very enjoyable experience all round. Planning is already underway for next year's Sixth Form trip to Berlin!


text:
Mother's Day 2012 Ideal Gifts
Mother's Day 2012. If you're looking for a perfect gift for your mum, but still want to be kind to mother nature at the same time why not check out these Eco-friendly Mother's Day gift Ideas. Mother's Day is an excuse to show all those mums out there how much they are appreciated and loved. So this Mother's Day why not spoil your mum silly and make her feel like a queen for the day with one of the Mother's Day 2012 Gift like makeup or clothes and many more Mother's Day gift ideas available. So let's see what it would be like to be spoilt for just a little while with a wonderful mother's day gift 2012.
Mother's Day gifts A treasure trove of Unique gifts perfect for your mum like thank you mum chocolate bar marks and spencer, heathcote and ivory vintage rose luxury bubble bath £7 john lewis, with love pocket mirror £10 johnlewis.com, silver rings £95 (small) £120 (large) each azendi house of fraser, gin & tonic shower gel £7.95 handpickedcollection.com, beauty must haves body shop, emma bridgewater mummy mug £19.99 emmabridgewater.co.uk, object d'art make-up bag love it have it £16.99 loveithaveit.com, tea for two candle duo £30 lilyandlime.com, dior eye palette £38 johnlewis.com, tresor paris stud earrings. various colours and sizes available £11 – £24 millman, bedford, interflora mothers day cupcakes £29.99, fairtrade bird-necklace, cropped cardigan peopletree.co.uk, orla kiely dress peopletree.co.uk, neals yard rose & geranium kit £13 uk.nyrorganic.com/shop/tracynorman. The English celebrate Mother's Day with great enthusiasm and thrill. The English celebrate Mother's Day on the fourth Sunday of the month of Lent. Since the Lent days vary every year, Mother's Day date also varies accordingly. Millions of gifts are sent out on Mother's Day celebration every year. The flowers have been an emblem of mother's love for centuries. So just celebrate Mother's Day with worth gift in this special occasion Mother's Day 2012.


text:
IN CONSIDERATION of being given the opportunity to participate in the Event, I, the undersigned, on behalf of myself and my personal representatives, assigns, heirs, and next of kin, represent, warrant, acknowledge, and agree as follows:
1. I understand the nature of the Event. I am voluntarily participating in the Event at my own request and I hereby assume all risk associated with my participation in the Event. In the event the Event involves any form of physical activity or requirement, I am qualified, in good health, and in proper physical condition to participate in the Event, and willingly agree to comply with the stated and customary terms and conditions of participation.
2. (a) THE EVENT MAY INVOLVE RISKS AND DANGERS of serious bodily injury, including permanent disability, paralysis, death, and other risks and social and economic losses either not known to me or not readily foreseeable at this time (collectively, the "Risks"); and (b) the Risks may be caused by my own actions or inactions, the actions or inactions of others participating in the Event, the condition in which the Event takes place, or the actions, inactions or negligence of any of the Releasees named below. I FULLY ACCEPT AND ASSUME ALL SUCH RISKS AND ALL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY INJURY, LOSS, COST, AND/OR DAMAGE I incur as a result of my participation in the Event.
3. While participating in the Event, if I observe any condition which I consider to be unacceptably hazardous or dangerous, I will notify the proper authority in charge of the Event and will refuse to take part in the Event until the condition has been corrected to my satisfaction.
4. I HEREBY RELEASE, DISCHARGE, AND COVENANT NOT TO SUE, AND I HEREBY WAIVE ALL CLAIMS AGAINST, the National Psoriasis Foundation, the owners and lessors of premises on which the Event takes place, participating Event coaches, trainers, organizers, volunteers, sponsors, and advertisers, and their respective administrators, directors, officers, managers, agents, volunteers and employees (collectively, the "Releasees") from, for and against all liability, claims, demands, injuries, losses and damages on my account caused or alleged to be caused in whole or in part by the negligence of any of the Releasees or otherwise, including negligent rescue operations. I further agree that if, despite this Waiver and Release, I, or anyone on my behalf, makes a claim against any of the Releasees, I WILL INDEMNIFY, SAVE, AND HOLD HARMLESS each of the Releasees from, for and against any and all litigation expenses, attorney fees, loss, liability, damage, or cost which any of the Releasees may incur as a result of such claim, to the fullest extent permitted by law.
5. I hereby grant to the National Psoriasis Foundation and its legal representatives and assigns, and those acting with its authority and permission, the irrevocable and unrestricted right and permission to copyright and use, re-use, publish, and re-publish recordings of my voice, photographic portraits or pictures, including in video, or other formats depicting movement, of me or in which I may be included, in whole or in part, or composite or distorted in character or form, without restriction as to changes or alterations, in conjunction with my own or a fictitious name, or reproductions thereof in color or otherwise in any and all media, including use in websites or other internet based mediums, now or hereafter known for illustration, promotion, art, editorial, advertising, trade, or any other purpose whatsoever. I also consent to the use of any printed matter in conjunction therewith. I hereby waive any right that I may have to inspect or approve the finished product or products and the advertising copy or other matter that may be used in connection therewith or the use to which it may be applied. I hereby release, discharge and agree to save harmless the National Psoriasis Foundation, its legal representatives and assigns, and all persons acting under its permission or authority from any liability by virtue of any blurring, distortion, alteration, optical illusion, or use in composite form, whether intentional or otherwise, that may occur or be produced in the taking of said picture or recording of my voice or in any subsequent processing thereof, as well as any publication thereof, including without limitation any claims for libel or invasion of privacy.
6. I am over 13 years old.
I have read this Waiver and Release, fully understand its terms, understand that I have given up substantial rights by signing it, and have signed it freely and without any inducement or assurance of any nature, and intend it to be a complete and unconditional waiver and release of all liability and assumption of all risk to the greatest extent allowed by law, and agree that if any portion of this Waiver and Release is held to be invalid, the balance, notwithstanding, shall continue in full force and effect.
(Necessary if participant is under the age of 18 years).
If the participant is under the age of 18 years, by entering my full name, address, telephone number, e-mail address and relationship to the minor participant in the box, I, the minor participant's parent and/or legal guardian, hereby acknowledge and agree, on behalf of myself and the minor participant, that I have read the following Waiver and Release, fully understand and agree to its terms, understand that I have given up substantial rights by signing it, and have signed it freely and without any inducement or assurance of any nature, and intend it to be a complete and unconditional waiver and release of all liability and assumption of all risk to the greatest extent allowed by law, and agree that if any portion of the below Waiver and Release is held to be invalid, the balance, notwithstanding, shall continue in full force and effect.
Click the box below to indicate acceptance and agreement to the above Team NPF Event Waiver and Release.
16408-001\Release of Liability 1 (00504490);5
For your security, your session has expired. Please try again.


text:
With the Internet of Things driving large-scale automation and data exchange in manufacturing technologies, drive engineering company SEWEurodrive South Africa national sales manager Norman Maleka says that materials handling systems will become increasingly integral to improving manufacturing efficiencies, reducing costs and tracking products.
He notes that, globally, discussions on the future of materials handling are focused on increasing automation and variety, improving system performance and integration, and optimising efficiency and flexibility, while reducing costs.
"The main objectives are to improve material flow control, promote safe and hazard-free work conditions and increase productivity through the improved management of time and equipment."
As such, robotics and automation are garnering much attention, with systems being developed that will facilitate the movement of materials through production and loading lines without any human intervention. Sensors are also increasing the communication potential of materials handling systems, with tracking, maintenance and decision- making increasingly digitised when it comes to product orders and shipments.
"This technology will ensure that products are tracked in real time, in transit and at the various facilities the products pass through, from the instant an order is placed, during production and to the point of delivery."
He notes that technologies – such as SEWEurodrive's Movitrans, a contactless energy transfer system – are paving the way to the fully integrated and automated future of materials handling. The system functions according to the principle of inductive energy transfer, with electrical energy transferred without contact from a fixed conductor to one or more mobile consumers.
The electromagnetic connection is made by means of an air gap and is, thus, not subject to wear – eliminating the cost and time of maintenance. The power supply is also emission-free and resistant to contamination from external sources.
"Movitrans is an ideal power supply system for all mobile applications, especially where equipment needs to cover long distances at high speeds, or if maintenance-free operation is required. It is also suited to applications in sensitive environments where outside contaminants are not permitted, and in wet and damp environments," says Maleka.
He adds that fixed conveyors are limited in terms of their flexibility, but Movitrans allows for materials and products to be moved quickly, safely and reliably in a facility. The system can be programmed to move material in any format using the cable loop buried underneath the surface, which further allows for the layout to be manipulated.
Common applications of the system include conveyor trolleys, transport systems in logistics centres, linear-motion platforms with elevating tables or battery-charging supply units and overhead trolley systems, as well as storage and retrieval systems. The system can also be applied to floor conveyors, such as automated guided vehicles, to transport materials in a self-guided mode using sensor-based technology.
Maleka notes that, through the reliability of the system, Movitrans has been operating for two years at a wax plant in the Free State without any problems or need for replacement parts, thus boosting the plant's productivity and reducing operating costs.
Movitrans replaced the drag chains that used to power two transverse trolleys, each servicing conveyor lines from one of the packing robots. Maleka explains that the transverse pallet trolleys each had two motors: one to drive the conveyor rollers and another to move the trolley along the rails. These were used to power the drag chain, which carried the power and communication cables.
"Wax would often clog the chain links, impeding free movement, and operators would have to step into the cell to align the trolleys properly. "During this process, there was a high risk of standing on the chain, causing it to break – and resulting in costly production stoppages for repair or replacement."
Edited by: Zandile Mavuso
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor: Features
To subscribe email firstname.lastname@example.com or click here
To advertise email firstname.lastname@example.com or click here