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Eye on the sky
Amateur astronomers are making a unique contribution to science's understanding of the universe, reports Marilyn Moore a Melbourne geologist and writer.
CHRIS MORLEY's Sandy Ridge Observatory sits astride a prominent ridge in Victoria's Strzelecki Ranges. Morley belongs to the Latrobe Valley Astronomical Society, a small group of enthusiasts based some 150 kilometres east of Melbourne, and he enjoys hosting occasional viewing nights. Only a short walk from his house, the observatory is home to a Meade 14-inch Schmidt Cassegrain telescope as well as smaller refractor and finder scopes. These are not huge telescopes – deep space telescopes are measured in metres rather than inches or millimetres – but they are far bigger than those that most people would typically look through.
It's 9.30 pm and moonrise is still several hours away. We cross the lawn in complete darkness, assisting the slow process of allowing our eyes to adjust. An engineer by day and stargazer by night, Morley built this observatory himself. The building, set on a heavily reinforced concrete foundation, is cylindrical, 3.6 metres in diameter and two storeys high to the base of the dome, which rotates on a pair of custom-made steel rings fitted with heavy-duty rollers. A sliding roof panel opens the dome to the sky.
Morley unlocks the observatory and we step inside. An almost impenetrable darkness smothers a brief impression of computers, bookcase, desk and whiteboard. Barely illuminated, an elegant timber staircase spirals upward. We tread cautiously to the upper level, where the dome has already opened to reveal a narrow slice of star-studded sky. I begin to make out the main telescope, locked into position on its heavy computer-controlled mount, with piggybacked refractor and finder scopes. The setup fills centre-stage, leaving only a narrow ring of standing room for onlookers. Morley picks up a remote control device and enters a code that identifies our first target object. "Watch out!" he calls. From out of the gloom, like the massive arm of a giant deep-sea creature, the forty-six-kilogram counterweight swings past my ear as the telescope rotates smoothly into position.
Now I, too, am about to witness the magic that has transfixed stargazers throughout history as Chris Morley takes me on a beginner's tour of the night sky. I put my eye to the eyepiece and am almost immediately mesmerised. Our first object is Pleiades, better known as the Seven Sisters. It's an "open star" cluster, one of the closest to Earth, consisting of an exquisite "little dipper" among an array of other stars. Most people see at least six of Pleiades's stars with the naked eye, but up to one hundred are visible through the refractor scope tonight. It's as stunning as a giant explosion of fireworks during that brief eternity when they seem to hang in the sky. This cluster of predominantly hot blue stars is relatively young and lies about 400 light years from Earth, so we are looking at it as it was 400 years ago – while Shakespeare was writing his plays and Galileo convincing himself of the merit of Copernicus's heliocentric theories.
Reluctantly we leave Pleiades to travel to the great star Aldebaran. With a luminosity 425 times that of the Sun and a diameter forty-four times as great, it's classified as a Red Giant and is the fourteenth-brightest star in the sky. It sits in the constellation Taurus, easily visible between Pleiades and the nearby constellation Orion ("The Saucepan"). The name is Arabic: Al Debaran, the follower. Pleiades's little friend. It's humbling to realise that the ancients knew these stars so much better than I do.
The big counterweight swings again as the telescope repositions its focus on Jupiter low in the northern sky. We can easily pick out all four Galilean moons and the latitudinal banding on the giant gas planet. I am impressed: for the first time in my life, I am beginning to see the night sky in three dimensions. It's no exaggeration to say that this is a life-changing experience.
PETER NELSON's Ellinbank Observatory has a particularly impressive dome: it's fully electronic and rotates automatically as the telescope tracks across the night sky. Nelson himself is impressive, too: an engaging man with a quiet twinkle, he's a physicist-turned-radiographer by day. He's also an excellent communicator, the sort of person people listen to. It's no surprise to find that he was the early driving force behind the contributions made to world astronomy by members of the Latrobe Valley Astronomical Society. A member himself since 1987, Nelson is also director of the Variable Star Section of the Astronomical Society of Victoria. It was at the 1987 Victorian Astronomy Convention that Nelson first met Chris Stockdale, a lifelong enthusiast who'd built his own observatory and joined the Latrobe Valley group in 1972. Stockdale, whose background was in IT and electronics, proved an eager colleague for Nelson, adept at building and adapting software and gadgetry to make observing simpler, faster and more accurate.
At first glance, Stockdale's Latrobe Valley observatory appears more primitive – you have to stoop quite low to get inside and the computers are far from new – but it's a serious workplace. Noticeably, both Stockdale's 11-inch Schmidt Cassegrain and Nelson's 12.5-inch Corrected Dall Kirkham telescopes have no eyepieces fitted. They are set up for scientific work and have cylindrical CCD detectors (effectively digital cameras) mounted behind the lenses and connected to various computers. Nelson and Stockdale are both internationally recognised experts in the art of high-precision photometry.
Because the tracking capability of the telescope allows long exposures to be made, photometry is especially useful when the target object is only faintly detectable. The fainter the object, the higher the absolute value of the star's brightness (or "magnitude"). The naked eye detects objects up to magnitude 6, or magnitude 9 with binoculars. Nelson's and Stockdale's CCD/telescope combinations usually detect to magnitude 17 or 18, especially when images are combined to improve signal-to-noise ratios. "A lot of useful science can be done with small telescopes," says Nelson. "Off the shelf stuff can reach magnitudes that Palomar" – Caltech's much-lauded 200-inch telescope, still used by researchers today – "did in the fifties."
To investigate changes in the brightness of an object – a star, planet or moon – telescopes set up for photometry take repeated snapshots over a period of time. The data is corrected for background noise, colour bias and uneven illumination, and then graphed, resulting in a curve that describes the variation in brightness over time for the event being observed. This could be an eclipse or occultation (when an apparently larger body passes in front of, and blocks light from, an apparently smaller body) or any other event that causes the amount of light reaching Earth from a particular source to change. Eclipses of moons by their planets provide important data for deducing precise orbits, essential for navigating interplanetary spacecraft, among other things.
Peter Nelson started working on the Jupiter project with US mathematician and software engineer Tony Mallama and a couple of others. Between 1990 and 2000 the group, which Stockdale joined around 1996, made over 200 measurements of the occultations of Jupiter's moons. The results were impressive. "The exact moment that the moon exits Jupiter's shadow is taken to be the halfway point between it being in full shadow and full light," says Stockdale, "and every pixel of each CCD image is analysed to determine those points as accurately as possible. By taking many measurements over a number of years, a precise story gradually emerges." Countless observations of these eclipses had, of course, been previously made, but the use of CCDs and Nelson's and Stockdale's meticulous observations served to significantly refine existing models. "We found that Io was in a different place in its orbit by sixty-two kilometres," says Stockdale. "Europa was out by 267 kilometres, Ganymede by 142 kilometres and Callisto by 146 kilometres. That's quite a lot, really."
According to Morley, it's a discovery that "would have been of particular interest to an organisation like NASA." The more precisely the locations of Jupiter's moons can be predicted, the less likely it is that interplanetary spacecraft will interact with them in an unexpected manner. Close-range work like remote sensing and gravity-assisted spacecraft navigation is critically dependent on knowing exactly where the moons will be at any given moment. "The Galileo space probe used our data," recalls Nelson with satisfaction. The probe, launched on 18 October 1989, monitored the Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet's collision with Jupiter in 1994, observed Io's volcanism, and discovered not only liquid oceans under the icy surfaces of Europa, Ganymede and Callisto but also Ganymede's magnetic field. These discoveries all owe something to Nelson's painstaking early work.
Stockdale quickly got used to setting his alarm for the wee hours and was soon monitoring every eclipse by a Jovian moon that was visible from his observatory. By 2010, Tony Mallama at the University of Baltimore had analysed 548 data points spanning two decades and produced a precise data set with an almost continuous distribution. "The new data set allowed measurement of regular oscillations in the orbits of the Galilean moons," explains Stockdale, "something which could never have been achieved before." As with the earlier work, a number of anomalies showed up between the predicted and observed locations of the moons – anomalies so fine-scale they'd previously been unrecognised.
Such far-reaching results seem a far cry from the discoveries arising from Rømer's first occultation measurements in 1671, but the basis for well-supported research has never changed – it has always required dedicated, accurate and reliable observation. When Stockdale and Nelson independently record the same event, the tight coincidence of their data presents an unassailable story. "We're usually the same to within 0.3 seconds or better," says Stockdale. "Most curves are virtually on top of one another." Even using only a "primitive" time standard – the two observatories are about 45 kilometres apart as the crow flies – agreement to within a fraction of a second is pretty amazing given the relatively imprecise definition of some of the events they monitor.
An international focal point for variable star research is Arne Henden, director of the American Association of Variable Star Observers, or AAVSO. Henden, a professional astronomer and software/instrument specialist, has done much to upgrade the calibre of (and respect for) amateur observations. "Previously things were a bit patchy," says Nelson, who has been on one of Henden's courses in Boston and has now "officially" notched up over 100,000 observations. "You had to establish credibility over time." Despite their modesty, observations conducted by Nelson and Stockdale are clearly up there with the best. Recognition brings rewards in the shape of exciting collaborations – Nelson babysits an AAVSO research telescope in a second observatory on his property – and a significant proportion of their work focuses on requests from professional organisations. "There's a project happening with Hubble and the Cosmic Origin Spectroscope," Nelson later reveals. "They're studying a white dwarf at the hub of a binary pair, and they need to do some far-UV spectrometry. They can only look at this variable star when it's dull, or the satellite's delicate spectroscope sensors would be irretrievably damaged. " The project relies on a small group of amateurs, including Nelson, to provide this vital information. There's no shortage of motivation to keep up the good work.
Are there other amateur observers doing this sort of work? Not too many, it seems. Nelson mentions Tom Richards at the Woodridge Observatory near Eltham in Victoria, whom both he and Stockdale have collaborated with from time to time. "He does his own thing (with variable stars) and he does it very well." Richards, a former professor of computer science, is the current director of the Variable Star Section of the Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand, or RASNZ, (now called Variable Stars South) and, like Stockdale and Nelson, is also a regular contributor to New York's Centre for Backyard Astrophysics, a global network of small telescopes dedicated to photometry of cataclysmic variables. There are, of course, quite a few private observatories run by amateurs not known to the ASV, as well as a large number of telescopes not necessarily being used in an observatory. According to the Australian Astronomical Society, there are ten registered private observatories in Victoria, forty-two in Australia. The list doesn't include Nelson's, Richards's or Morley's, although all would meet the strict registration conditions.
Registered or not, individual backyard astronomers who contribute significantly to the professional research effort generally become well-known within the fraternity. And it's not necessary to own a lot of expensive gear. Many important discoveries have been made (or contributed to) by amateurs using relatively basic equipment. "Amateur astronomers are usually best placed to make discoveries that require long-term detailed observations," confirms Chris Morley. "They have relatively unlimited viewing opportunities. Professional astronomers usually have limited access to large telescopes – there is a lot of competition." Nelson agrees. "As an amateur, you can contribute significantly," he says. As a professional, he adds, "you might book three nights on Mauna Kea two years ahead. When you get there your target might not perform, or it might be cloudy, or you might have equipment problems … As equipment improves, astronomers look further and further into space for fainter and fainter objects. However there is still much to be learned from studying brighter objects closer to home. We shouldn't forget that."
DEEP in Gippsland's Strzelecki Ranges, another dedicated enthusiast shows just how much can be achieved with a minimum of equipment. Rod Stubbings, a plumber by trade and self-confessed "variable star" junkie, has made more than 214,000 observations of the changing brightness of variable stars over the past nineteen years. This feat alone elevates him to the ranks of a small handful of observers worldwide. Along the way his humble observations have led to a string of significant discoveries.
Stubbings, who looks pretty good for a bloke who didn't get to bed until 4 am, tells me his life changed dramatically after he attended his first meeting of the Latrobe Valley Astronomical Society in 1992 or 1993, where he was introduced to Peter Nelson. Nelson was clearly angling to recruit new blood, and Stubbings, on his own admission, took the bait. He realised that he could make a real contribution to astronomy if he were to accurately record changes in brightness of variable stars and send them on to the proper organisations.
The Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand had become the recognised centre for variable star research in the southern hemisphere, so Stubbings contacted then director, Sir Frank Bateson. Armed with the society's beginner's manual, he made his first observation in May 1993. After a month he'd made ten. He took to it like a duck to water, and Nelson kept him supplied with charts of additional variable stars to monitor. By 1997 he realised he was observing more outbursts than the "official" ones appearing on the network, so he decided to submit his as well. "There was no point in keeping my outbursts in my logbook," he says logically. About two months after he had begun to send off his data, he received the following email from Bateson: "You will be pleased to know that your alert notices are being well regarded world wide. Keep up the good work." The former director of the AAVSO, Janet Mattei, also encouraged him, requesting that the association be copied into all his alerts. Stubbings suddenly found himself centre-stage in a global network.
Rod Stubbings's biggest asset is his extraordinary memory – the sort of memory that leaves mere mortals dumbfounded. Nelson confirms that Stubbings has "rock-star" status in astronomy circles, but you'd never realise this in meeting him; he's just an easy-to-talk-to chap who's as proud of his family, the new paint job on the house and his pedigree black-faced Dorper sheep as he is of his astronomical achievements.
What is it, exactly, that he does so well? Stubbings has memorised some 500 different groupings of stars that he observes during the course of a year. Not only has he memorised their locations, but also their magnitudes. If one star is even 0.1 brighter than before, he notices. Experienced observers can estimate the brightness of a variable star by comparing it with nearby reference stars of known (and constant) magnitude. He insists that it's not difficult. "I 'star hop' with the finder first," he explains, pointing to the refractor that's piggybacked onto his Meade DS-16 400 mm Newtonian reflector, "and I see angles and patterns that lead directly to my various star fields. That's all done from memory. Then I transfer to the big telescope." The locations and magnitudes of countless guide stars, along with hundreds of variable stars and their associated reference stars, are all in his head, although he admits he does occasionally double-check with a set of star charts before sending out an important alert. No computers, no complicated analysis or calibration, no worries about temperature fluctuations and shifting focus or tracking… just an astoundingly accurate memory.
Stubbings studies about 150 stars on a single night. "I don't follow the guidelines for observing," he admits. It seems that once observers understand a star's activity pattern, they usually concentrate on observing it only when it's expected to flare. "I'd rather look at all of mine every couple of days, even several times per night," says Stubbings. That's how I pick things up." It's a system that's certainly worked well for him. Stubbings is responsible for a large number of first-ever visual outburst detections, along with many others that have revealed the true nature and reclassification of variable stars. A list of his publications, awards and most notable observations was recently compiled for a forthcoming AAVSO newsletter. It's a huge body of work, a significant achievement by any standard. And he's still a youngish man.
Over time, Stubbings's attention has progressively shifted from regularly variable stars like Eta Carinae to "cataclysmic" variable stars, whose shifts in brightness were unpredictable but often explosive and nova-like. He likes to recall one of his first such observations, on the eclipsing-type dwarf nova OY Carinae, which occurred around 2 am. "Do I ring somebody at this hour?" he wondered. Would Frank Bateson be awake? Stubbings made the call. Bateson answered immediately – typically, as Stubbings was later to learn. "He was very appreciative," recalls Stubbings. "The alert triggered [all the necessary] satellite observations."
Development of the internet during the 1990s streamlined the notification process considerably. The Variable Star Network was set up to create a global professional-amateur network of researchers observing not only cataclysmic variables but also things like black-hole binaries, supernovae and gamma-ray bursts. Stubbings, now recording more than 1400 observations (including thirty to sixty dwarf nova outbursts) each month, emails notifications of outbursts to the American Association of Variable Star Observers, the Variable Star Network and the Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand each night. Photometrists Nelson and Stockdale would also be alerted by this process and leap into action.
"Last year T Pyxis went off," says Nelson. "It's a recurrent nova that goes off every thirty years or so. And that's the beauty of the network: Rod alerted us and within half an hour we were all onto it." Nelson recorded some 10,000 observations of this event, including three hours of data taken over the time that the star brightened. The professionals need as much data as possible, says Nelson, covering "the brightening, the maximum, the decay so they can look at pulsations and orbital humps." As with most of his work, Nelson's detailed observations were conveyed to AAVSO as well as to the Centre for Backyard Astrophysics in New York and Taichi Kato in Japan.
ON STUBBINGS's long list of "firsts," one particular date stands out in his memory: 15 September 1999. An abnormally bright flare-up of variable star V4641 Sgr (in the constellation Sagittarius) caused him to send out an alert that attracted immediate attention around the world. Information consequently collected from large radio telescopes revealed that V4641 Sgr is a black-hole binary system, a fact previously unrecognised, and at 1600 light years away, one of the nearest black holes to Earth. "This emphasises the scientific value of visual observations in variable star astronomy," Stubbings firmly points out. He is adamant that amateurs are best-placed to make them. "Professionals have to schedule observing time at large observatories a year or so in advance. These (important) outbursts would go unobserved."
Stubbings received the prestigious AAVSO Director's Award in 2002. On 24 January 2012 he clocked up his 200,000th observation. As well as conducting his own observations, he regularly receives requests from astronomers and professional organisations around the globe to monitor specific stars for them, usually to assist with scientific research programs. Perhaps the most poignant request came from New Zealand astronomy legend, Albert Jones, now aged ninety-two. Realising that he didn't have a lot of observing time left, Jones wrote to Stubbings a couple of years ago and asked him to take over the regular monitoring of a number of "his" variable stars. "He was worried that nobody would keep a proper eye on them,' says Stubbings.
Stubbings has been compared with another amateur astronomer noted for his exceptional memory, Reverend Robert Evans of Hazelbrook in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales. Evans, who has received numerous prestigious international awards and been written about by Bill Bryson (in The Short History of Nearly Everything) and Oliver Sacks (in An Anthropologist on Mars), regularly scans more than 1500 galaxies by eye through his portable twelve-inch telescope, and can immediately tell if a new brighter star appears. Since 1980 he has single-handedly discovered more than forty supernovae (giant stars that collapse and brilliantly explode as they die, visible as such for only a few days or weeks); prior to his discoveries, fewer than sixty supernovae had been discovered worldwide. When interviewed, Evans inadvertently (but beautifully) summed up the improbability of one man's ever achieving such a feat: "There's something satisfying, I think," he told Bill Bryson, "about the idea of light travelling for millions of years through space and just at the right moment as it reaches Earth someone looks at the right bit of sky and sees it." I'm sure Stubbings would feel this way too.
Evans's world record is likely to remain unchallenged as traditional techniques are superseded by technology. Stubbings is concerned that the move towards automation and digital processing might affect the usefulness of his own work. "Dunno if you'll get observers like me any more," he says pensively. "We live in a gadget world now." Will astronomers stop listening to his alerts? It doesn't seem likely, not in the short term, anyway. Evans and Stubbings are both delighted by the occasional failures of modern technology. "Automatic detectors can't always distinguish binary stars," says Stubbings. "And occasionally they are simply wrong! I believe you cannot undervalue the contribution of visual observing compared to CCD imaging. A CCD camera cannot make instant judgments on a star's state, or call upon experience the way a visual observer can when directly viewing the stars." A massive new CCD array being built in South America "will minimise bleeps like the ones Rod mentioned," says Peter Nelson, "but people like Rod will always be needed. The new array will be programmed to immediately latch onto important alerts. There are lots of smarts happening."
Of course Nelson, Stockdale and Stubbings are not the only Australian amateurs to have made a significant contribution to global astronomy. There is a long tradition here of noteworthy observations, and the achievements of two early amateurs in particular have been famously recognised: Gale Crater on Mars, the touchdown site of NASA's probe Curiosity in August 2012, was named after renowned planetary observer Walter Frederick Gale (1865–1945); and the Australian $100 note bears a portrait of legendary astronomer John Tebbutt, who between 1880 and 1889 continually outperformed the state observatories. Exciting achievements continue to this day in backyards across the country: since 1973, the Astronomical Society of Australia has awarded its Page Medal seventeen times for outstanding feats of amateur research. "Amateur" in no way implies second-rate when referring to such distinguished researchers – it's just that nobody pays them to undertake their work.
BACK at the Sandy Ridge Observatory, we have been admiring Alnitak (a hot blue supergiant) and Rigel (the brightest star in Orion, a blue-white supergiant with a luminosity 130,000 times that of the Sun). Now Morley has bumped up magnification of the Schmidt Cassegrain telescope so that we can have a closer look at that most intensively studied of celestial features, the Great Orion Nebula. If you could spend the rest of your life looking at only one thing, this magnificent nebula might be it. Some 1320 light years distant, Orion has revealed much to scientists about the process of how stars and planet systems are formed from collapsing clouds of hydrogen gas and dust. It's an engrossing sight, often referred to as a stellar nursery.
But perhaps the best is yet to come. The roof opening is rearranged so that we can take a look at the southern sky. The telescope zooms in on a large, low-density cloud of partially ionized gas sitting on the leading edge of the Large Magellanic Cloud, itself a well-known galaxy easily visible to the naked eye. And what a sight: the Tarantula nebula, a mere 160,000 light years away, looms immediately into sharp focus, revealing events that happened at the time when modern man – Homo sapiens sapiens – first walked on Earth. Fabulously beautiful swirling arms of cloud surround a brilliant star cluster. Morley describes the core as an "extremely bright compact star cluster some thirty-five light years in diameter." His words are technical and precise but the enthusiasm shines through. "It's by far the most active starburst region within the realm of 'nearby' galaxies," he says. "Tarantula Nebula would cast shadows on Earth were it as close as Orion."
With the imminent rise of a gibbous moon over Sandy Ridge, our evening's viewing comes to an end. We shut down the observatory and trail blindly back across the lawn, eyes watering from the unaccustomed brightness of household lights. My brain's simply buzzing. It's been such an experience. Such a privilege, too, to have been allowed a glimpse into this hidden community of dedicated observers, driven by a passion for their subject and an unbounded sense of adventure. A touch of technical genius hasn't gone astray, either. They say they do it for relaxation, for the excitement of discovery and for the sheer enjoyment, but there's no doubt whatsoever that the extraordinary commitment of these unpaid astronomers and their meticulously obtained (and generously shared) observations are germane to many of the successes of professional astronomy.
"It's more than excitement," confirms Peter Nelson. "It's really worth doing. We do have an impact." So next time you read that a black hole has been discovered, or an especially bright supernova, or a new comet – spare more than a passing thought for the observers whose countless hours of nighttime effort may well have triggered that discovery. In the cut-throat world of scientific research, this example of ongoing cooperation and respect between amateur and professional astronomers is a circumstance almost as wondrous as the heavens themselves. •
Marilyn Moore is a Melbourne geologist and writer who happens to number Chris Morley amongst her siblings. This is an edited version of a longer essay which can be downloaded here as a PDF.


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Fuel data for May is showing a listless fuel price picture. This is according to the unaudited mid-month fuel price data released by the Central Energy Fund.
The overall picture is of little change. The Rand has slipped marginally by thirteen cents against the US dollar since the Department of Energy's surprise early announcement of the May fuel price on Sunday, April 28. The international oil price has also ebbed and flowed, with the landed basic price of petrol dropping by over 60 cents per litre in the first days of May before regaining ground after the election.
The result is a mixed picture. For petrol, the Rand's weakness was mostly a counterpart of oil's retreat, pointing to a seven cents-a-litre reduction at month end. Diesel fared worse, with a slight increase of 12 cents a litre on the cards, and illuminating paraffin showing a nine-cent rise. However, we remind you that the forthcoming Carbon Tax is due for introduction on June 5, and will add an additional nine cents a litre to the petrol price, and ten cents to the diesel price.
Our hope is that the new government will immediately set out its policy agenda which has a direct impact on fuel prices.

subset: commoncrawl


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Patients—and their doctors—would have to be living under a rock to have missed the memo that exercise is beneficial for health. We all know this, and yet, there are multiple barriers to actually doing it. For some, it's time constraints. You have to go to the gym, change clothes, and possibly wait for certain pieces of equipment to free up. For others, it's cost. Until gyms start handing out free memberships, the price tag can be an obstacle. And for others, particularly those with obesity, self-consciousness or fear of what others will think may keep them out of a gym or health club. Whatever someone's reasons for not exercising, there's good news: by working out intensely in the comfort of their own home, they can reap many of the same cardiovascular benefits they would get from a supervised program performed in a lab.
A study conducted at Liverpool John Moores University in the United Kingdom and published in the Journal of Physiology determined that obese individuals with elevated risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) experienced similar improvements in multiple parameters whether they participated in a lab-based supervised high-intensity interval training (HIT) program, did a HIT program at home, or did home-based moderate-intensity continuous training that was virtually supervised.
The study was small (n=32) but adds to the growing body of scientific literature that indicates you don't have to spend half your life in the gym to improve cardiometabolic health. Subjects completed one of three protocols: nine participated in the home-based HIT program, ten did the lab-based supervised HIT, and thirteen did the virtually supervised home‐based moderate‐intensity continuous training, all for 12 weeks. Muscle biopsies were taken at baseline and after the study training to assess changes in mitochondrial density, intramuscular triglyceride content, vascular enzymes, capillarization, and expression of GLUT4 (an insulin-sensitive glucose transporter in muscle tissue).
All three training protocols led to significant increases in VO2 max, whole‐body insulin sensitivity and flow‐mediated dilatation. There were also comparable increases in total eNOS (endothelial nitric oxide synthase) content in terminal arterioles and capillaries, and all measures of capillarization increased. The authors said it very clearly: "There were no between‐group differences."
This is either good or bad news, depending on how people look at it. If time, money, and self-doubt or personal discomfort are obstacles to someone going to a gym regularly, now there are no excuses. They can reap the same benefits in a shorter time without having to leave home. No traffic, no funky gym shower, no weird guy flexing in front of a mirror taking selfies. Moreover, no equipment is required, not even an exercise bike or treadmill. (Feeling intimidated by complicated looking gadgets and machines may be another reason people avoid joining a gym.)
This study echoes findings we previously covered regarding a study out of Canada's McMaster University that showed that among sedentary men, 12 weeks of a thrice-weekly ten-minute workout session—of which only one minute was high intensity—resulted in similar effects on insulin sensitivity, skeletal muscle adaptation, and VO2 max as a thrice-weekly session of 45 minutes of activity at 70% maximal heart rate.
Studies conducted by some of the same Liverpool researchers had similar conclusions. In a cohort of young men with obesity, a 4-week program of sprint interval training performed three times a week led to comparable improvements in aerobic capacity, insulin sensitivity and muscle capillarization as moderate-intensity continuous training performed five times a week. (It should be noted, though, that while both approaches improved glucose and insulin areas under the curve [AUC] and decreased resting heart rate, the improvements were slightly greater in the moderate-intensity group. It's possible they would have been equivalent or closer to it had the sprint interval training been performed with equal frequency to the moderate intensity, but that is unknown.) Subjects' weight, BMI and body fat percentage decreased but only slightly, which confirms what numerous other studies have shown: exercise can lead to cardiometabolic improvements even in the absence of significant weight loss.
Both of the UK studies involved cohorts of individuals with obesity, but similar results came from a study in sedentary young men without obesity (BMI 23.8 ± 0.7 kg/m2). Six weeks of endurance training (40–60 min cycling at ∼65% VO2 max 5 times per week) and sprint interval training (4–6 Wingate tests, 3 times per week) were equally effective for decreasing arterial stiffness and increasing skeletal muscle eNOS content and capillarization. Both cohorts experienced decreases in glucose and insulin AUC, but decreases were greater in the sprint interval group.
Recent meta-analyses comparing high-intensity intervals to moderate-intensity continuous training in subjects with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes echo all these conclusions: there's little difference in outcomes between the two types of training but high-intensity training appears to have a slight edge with regard to VO2 max and cardiorespiratory fitness.
A systematic review and meta-analysis comparing the effects of sprint interval training versus moderate-intensity continuous training on body fat found that there were no differences between the two, and that, unfortunately, no clinically meaningful reductions in body fat were seen in short-term interventions (minimum 4 weeks). It's possible that long-term exercise interventions, whether high or moderate intensity, would lead to clinically relevant decreases in body fat, but it's also worth pointing out that exercise, by itself, is often not enough to reduce body fat to any meaningful degree, nor does it automatically guarantee good health.
With this in mind, whether they have obesity or not, people should exercise because it improves fitness and health (including mental health), and not because it's an effective weight-loss tool. Depending on exercise alone to induce a significant change in weight or body fat is often a losing proposition, as many thousands of dedicated gym-goers can attest. But at least now we know they can do a short workout at home with no equipment and get some of those health and fitness benefits.


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October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and in recognition of this, 24/7 Wall St. decided to highlight several well-known women who have defeated the disease. Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women, with 245,299 new cases reported in 2016 in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Breast cancer is most commonly diagnosed in women who are 55 years and older.
About one in eight women in the United States will develop breast cancer during their lifetime. After lung cancer, it is the second leading cause of death from cancer among women. These are the most common types of cancer in men and women.
24/7 Wall St. compiled a list of 30 famous women who survived their battle with breast cancer. We reviewed sources such as the National Breast Cancer Foundation to create our list, which features women who were diagnosed at a range of ages and from a variety of professions. We only included women who have completed treatment and are now cancer-free.
Women who have an immediate family member, such as a mother, sister, or even a daughter, with a history of breast cancer are at a much greater risk of developing cancer themselves — about twice as likely — as women without such history. It is important for women to check for hereditary breast cancer and other cancers. Here are some other health tips every woman should know.
Three women on this list have died, although not from their bout with breast cancer. Shirley Temple Black, Happy Rockefeller, and Betty Ford all go down in history as women who raised awareness of the disease during the 1970s, a time when such ailments were not publicly discussed. All three women defeated breast cancer and lived long lives.


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Chicken Parmesan With Spaghetti Squash
I grow spaghetti squash and herbs in my garden every year, so this recipe is the perfect way to use them up. —Kristina Krummel, Elkins, Arkansas
Total TimePrep/Total Time: 30 min.
Makes4 servings
- 1 medium spaghetti squash
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each)
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, plus more for topping
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano or 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh basil or 3/4 teaspoon dried basil
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 jar (14 ounces) pasta sauce
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Halve squash lengthwise; discard seeds. Place squash on a microwave-safe plate, cut side down; microwave on high until tender, about 15 minutes. Cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, sprinkle chicken with parsley, oregano and basil. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken; cook 7-9 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 165°. Stir in pasta sauce; sprinkle with cheeses. Cover and cook until cheese is melted, 3-5 minutes.
- Separate strands of squash with a fork. Serve with chicken and sauce. If desired, top with chopped parsley.
Health tip Cup-for-cup, spaghetti squash is lower in carbs than white pasta, but it's also higher in fiber and vitamin C.
Test Kitchen tips
Nutrition Facts1 chicken breast half with 3/4 cup squash and 1/2 cup sauce: 501 calories, 19g fat (5g saturated fat), 109mg cholesterol, 704mg sodium, 43g carbohydrate (8g sugars, 9g fiber), 43g protein.
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Nov 14, 2018
Very good. I cook the spaghetti squash in slow cooker, so I have it ready for dinner.


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Myxomatosis in Rabbits: Key aspects for an effective vaccination
Myxomatosis in Rabbits: Key aspects for an effective vaccination
The myxomatosis virus has been affecting rabbits for many years, with a high level of mortality, often being very difficult to control.
In addition to the implementation of strict biosecurity measures, vaccines are an excellent tool for the prevention of this disease.
It is therefore essential to follow good vaccination practice in order to obtain the best results.
MIXOHIPRA-H® and MIXOHIPRA-FSA® are vaccines containing live attenuated virus. It must be kept alive throughout the vaccination process, from receipt until administration.
If the vaccine virus is inactivated, it will have no effect in the rabbit and the animal will not be protected against this important disease.
The contents of this page are aimed specifically at prescribing veterinarians. By clicking on "Accept" you state that you are a veterinary professional. Otherwise, please click on "Decline" and contact a veterinary professional.


text: Get a Quote Please use the form below to request a personalized quote for your project, or to ask us a question about our available services. You may also use the contact information in the box at left. Name* Email* Phone Preferred method of contact* Email Phone No Preference If you would prefer we call you, what time is preferable to you? (Please include time zone) On what services would you like more information? Print (promotional, advertising, stationary, informational, signage, etc.) Web (blog, email template, small business, buttons/graphics, etc.) Resumé Logo/Branding Photo Retouching Other (Please Specify) Details about your project* What is your budget for this project? (optional) What is your deadline for this project? (optional) If you would like to attach any sketches, photos, or other reference materials, please feel free! (optional)


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This Woodland collection is inspired by woodland creatures with lovely flower prints that are designed exclusively by MarMoo.
The two specialist designs which we are incredibly proud of are Daisy print, which reminds us of those lovely Indian Summers and Garden print, which originates from simple drawings of flowers inspired by children's art works.
These two new prints reflected all things that make us happy, as the seasons change the colours changes and so does our collection of Daisy and Garden. This is a collection that takes you through Summer and into the Fall with lovely purples, mustards, reds and soft blues. So as the season changes your collection of MarMoo Jewellery can too, making the transition of summer to fall appear seamless just as it does in Nature.
These tiny works of art are decorated by Amanda Cope. Each piece has hand painted details and finished off with a hand painted glazed to protect the piece from harsh conditions. All of the jewellery is made of wood and assembled with sterling silver. These are custom made pieces.


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What have I done?
I had my second visit at Edge Hill University, I was taught about the different learning styles in the first lesson. I learnt what type of learner I am and this was very useful information for me, because I was a visual learner which I was unaware of. I then had a lesson on critical thinking, the lesson on critical thinking was beneficial because I learnt what critical thinking was and I also learn the basic knowledge of critical thinking. I was then given information sheets that give more detailed information on critical thinking and the characteristics of a critical thinker. I also took part in some practical activities and I learned about good activities for the brain, the activities were also a very good way of warming up.
What have I learn about this?
In the lessons about the different learning styles I learnt what kind of learner I was, and I also learned about critical thinking. I am now able to identify the type of learner I am which is very important because when I am revising I will know how I learn best and I will be able to but my knowledge into practice.
During the critical thinking lesson I was mixed with people from other groups who I have never worked with before, I found out that I work well when I am in a group and I am able to do things much quicker when I am communicating with other people. I also found the information sheets on the characteristics of a critical thinker very useful because it was detailed information that gave an overview of critical thinking and it also answered all the questions that I was unsure of. I learned different kinds of activities to do in the morning for the right and left hand side of the brain.
Is there anything that stopped my progress?
My progress was stopped because I was quiet and was interacting less with other members of the group, I was also unsure about certain things in the critical thinking lesson but because I was not very familiar with the tutor I was unable to...


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TEAM NEWS: Terry starts Chelsea farewell against Sunderland
John Terry has been handed the opportunity to say his farewells to Chelsea by starting the Premier League champion's final match of the season against Sunderland.
Conte set to buy house in Italy
He will make his 717th appearance for the club that he joined when he was 14-years-old. After the game, Chelsea will be presented with the Premier League trophy, which will be jointly lifted by the club captain and Gary Cahill.
Editors' Picks
Willian and Cesc Fabregas start ahead of Pedro and Nemanja Matic, as competition for places heats up in Chelsea's squad ahead of the FA Cup final against Arsenal next Saturday.
Chelsea line up in a 3-4-3 formation in what is virtually their strongest side, as they aim for a record 30th win in a Premier League season.
Terry wrote in his final programme notes ahead of the match: "These are my last captain's notes at Chelsea. Even writing that is difficult for me, but I can't tell you how happy I am to be going out at the Bridge with a title celebration."


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Electro-Harmonix XO Germanium OD Overdrive Guitar Effects Pedal
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The Electro-Harmonix Germanium OD Pedal delivers classic 60's distortion based on the germanium transistor. Gain, Bias and Volts controls are on top ...Click To Read More About This Product
Real '60s-style distortion with a whole lot of tweakability.
The Electro-Harmonix Germanium OD Pedal delivers classic 60's distortion based on the germanium transistor. Gain, Bias and Volts controls are on top of the pedal, not hidden inside the case. Easily dial in that perfect vintage germanium overdrive.
The Bias control adds emphasis while the Volts control helps you dial in that that sweet spot produced when your battery's voltage dips. Dial up that slightly torn speaker sound or unleash total Germanium satisfaction. The Germanium OD pedal features true bypass switching, an LED on/off indicator, and a compact and rugged die-cast chassis
- Controls: Gain, Bias & Volts
- 1/4" input and output
- DC power input for battery replacement.
- LED indicates whether effect is engaged or bypassed.
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- For products under $200 experiencing the above failures, a Musician's Friend gift card will be issued for the full price of the product + tax.
- Shipping fees covered if required for repair or replacement
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*Limitations and exclusions apply. See terms and conditions (Opens in new window) for program details
Term for New Gear begins on date of purchase but does not replace the store return policy or manufacturer coverage.


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The Vice-President of the Lower Normandy Region met the institutional partners from the Decentralised cooperation Lower Normandy/ Macedonia
Ms. Annie Anne, Vice-President of the French Region Lower Normandy, in charge of International Relations, visited Skopje, Republic of Macedonia, from 24 to 27 June 2013, to meet the institutional actors of the Decentralised cooperation which started since 2006.
Ms. Annie Anne, accompanied by Mr. Alexander Follot, Director of European Affairs and International Relations, and Miss Audrey Paulmier in charge of the program for the Region, presented to Macedonian institutions the new guidelines of the programme, planned for the period 2013-2015. The project is supported by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Regional Council of Lower Normandy and the Ministry of Local Self-Government of Macedonia.
The delegation met with Mr. Tahir Hani, newly appointed Minister of Local Self-Government, which confirmed his desire to strengthen institutional ties with the region of Lower Normandy, and to support, through joint actions, local and regional development of Macedonia, contributing to its integration into the European Union process.
During her mission, Ms. Annie Anne was able to discuss with Mr. Fatmir Besimi, Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs, Mr. Koce Trajanovski, Skopje Mayor and President of the Association of the units of local self-government of the Republic of Macedonia (ZELS) and Mr. Nikola Popovski, Minister of Foreign Affairs. The delegations exchanged on different topics, important both for the Lower Normandy Region and for Macedonia. The discussed on shared objectives, such as: local development, supporting decentralisation, European integration,democracy and citizen participation.
Ms. Laurence Auer, Ambassador of France in Macedonia, officially received the delegation and reaffirmed the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the program. Ms. Anne also opened the sixth edition of the French Film Festival in Macedonia, organised by the French Institute of Skopje and supported by the Region Lower Normandy.
The Decentralised cooperation between Lower Normandy and Macedonia is a rich program with vast diversity of actors and projects that can be networked. It contributes to European framework in both territories, and confirms the major role of local governments in international cooperation.
The Programme for Decentralised cooperation is coordinated by ALDA, the Association of Local Democracy Agencies. For further information please consult the website of the Cooperation programme www.bn-mk.org, or contact Ivana Dimitrovska (firstname.lastname@example.com).


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Angel Pink(Memento Dew Drops), Distress Paint-Picket Fence(Tim Holtz), Distress Stickles-Spun Sugar(Tim Holtz), Frantage Embossing Kit(Stampendous), Hemp Brights(American Crafts), Lulu Lavender, Pincushion Bo Bunny, Rose Bud, She Loves Me(Stampendous House Mouse), Stickles-Yellow(Ranger), Studio 490 Embossing Paste-White(Stampers Anonymous)
Hello crafty peeps! I would like say Happy Easter to all and share my very first Easter card ever, I also have a special bonus card from my daughter. For my creation I incorporated a few aspects from my shabby chic tutorial as did my mini me. I used a mixed medley of memory box dies. combining tiny tulips with the grassland border. The tulips were cut with yellow cardstock, then coloured with copics and glittered with stickles. I added lots of bows with some twine, then used my yellow pearl pen(which I think is the perfect shade of yellow for Easter).
"All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt!"
Lucy Van Pelt
In Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz.
She Loves Me(Stampendous House Mouse), Frantage Embossing Kit(Stampendous), Hemp Brights(American Crafts), Stickles-Yellow(Ranger), Distress Stickles-Spun Sugar(Tim Holtz), Distress Paint-Picket Fence(Tim Holtz)
Copics Used:
Be sure to join us in our "Anything Goes" challenge at One Crazy Stamper!!!
Here is my daughters "Shabby Chic Easter Card". She did the layout and placement of everything herself, even the mica and embossing paste. There is also a little rainbow done in stickles!
She Loves Me(Stampendous House Mouse), Mica Kit(Stampendous), Studio 490 Embossing Paste-White(Stampers Anonymous), Stickles-Yellow(Ranger), Distress Stickles-Spun Sugar(Tim Holtz), Lulu Lavender, Rose Bud, Angel Pink(Memento Dew Drops)


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SMF - Just Installed!
Table of Contents:Women with Cameras vs. Women Camera OperatorsOther Professional Camera WomenFrancelia Billington: From Film Actress to Camera Operator and BackDuring the silent era there does not appear to have been much serious thought given to the question of why there might or might not be women working as motion picture camera operators. The handful who did do this work kept a very low profile, and, as a consequence, many in the commercial industry may have thought that there was just no such thing as a female camera operator at all. Even one of the most well-connected women in the industry couldnt think of one. Powerful executive producer and screenwriter June Mathis, when asked in 1925 to reflect on womens contributions said she could think of cases in which a woman worked as a cutter or a title writer but had yet to find a woman turning a camera crank (664). There were, however, a handful of women who despite the skepticism and even hostility they must have encountered on the set, did operate the heavy 35mm motion picture camera and mastered the new technology despite cultural expectations.Women with Cameras vs. Women Camera OperatorsWhile women as camera operators were rare, women with cameras was a publicity trend. If in 1916 silent actress Marie Doro took footage of Blanche Sweet with a motion picture camera, a gift from Charlie Chaplin, the New York Dramatic Mirror printed it as news (22). A bigger story, however, was not women and little 16mm cameras it was women with big 35mm cameras on the motion picture set. Yet not all women photographed with cameras were professional camera operatorssome were actress directors or female producers, and here the photographic composition is telling. When actress-directors or female producers are photographed with cameras, either with men or alone in the frame, they are next to the motion picture camera. The female camera operator, however, is photographed behind the motion picture camera and in this she is a total novelty. In her strange new relation to the technological device this female aberration becomes a metaphor for the wonderous strangeness of motion picture photography itself.Other Professional Camera WomenHow many of you have ever heard of a woman camera man? begins the most in-depth of these stories, The Only Camera Woman (59). The Picture Play Magazine writers story angle is the attempt to correct incorrect assumptions about womens technological abilities that the story attributes to the 1916 reader. Although the author byline is the gender inspecific A.J. Dixon the contemporary reader may assume that the writer is male from remarks made about the interview-shy Miss Davison as well as from an easy familiarity with men on the Astor Company setdirector Al Ray and veteran cameraman Harry Fischbeck. Part of the writers approach is to make a joke about the expectation of female incompetence, all the better to turn the tables on the reader. The writer has imagined footage out-of-focus and either over or under-exposed negative. Before arriving on the set she wants to know from the two men about the camera womans technological skill, a seque into questions that give the writer a chance to display technological knowledge. And does Miss Davison understand all about trick photography? the writer asks (61). The writer is assured that she does triple exposure as well as double exposure (61). Davison then explains to the writer that she started with a Graflax still camera because it is easier to master than the motion picture camera because there is no crank to turn (62). But it is the professional Fischbeck, not Davison, who gets to explain the technique of one-crank motion animation produced with the hand crank on the side of the camera which he says is turned and stopped while the pose is changed, then turned and stopped again. Cameraman Fischbeck, continuing to testify to Grace Davisons competence hands the fan magazine writer a strip of Eastman Kodak film negative which turns out to be Davisons own experimental footage shot with the one-crank motion technique he has explained. The fascinated writer sees from the little pictures that looked like ping-pongs that Davison has taken an image of herself against black velvet using a mirror and reflector (64). Thus the new and startling woman camera operator advances a metaphor for the new and startling phenomenon of motion pictures (65).In addition, the female camera operators looks are startling. In October, 1916, Photoplay featured a full page photo of camera woman Margery Ordway wearing a checked cap, striped blouse, and checked puttees. The caption below attempts to make light humor out of the gender switch: This is the New Fall Style in Camera Men (103). The quirky unconventionality of her outfit confirms the atypicality of women on this job. The gender-unspecified writer A.J. Dixon describes Grace Davisons outfit similarly. What she calls her camera dress is a checked suit with a matching cap (61). The dress goes with the oddity of the terms grinding or cranking used to in the article to describe camerawork, slyly invoking the double meaning of the slang crank for operator without exactly saying that a woman behind a camera is bad-tempered.Francelia Billington: From Film Actress to Camera Operator and BackIn a 1914 Photoplay article based on an interview with camera operator Francelia Billington the motion picture actress herself comments on the double fascination of the strange machine and a woman operating the mechanical wonder: I suppose that it is still a novelty to see a girl more interested in a mechanical problem than in make-up (59). Like Davison, Billington says that she started with the still camera at a young age and moved up to the motion picture camera although she says that her interest in photography did not mean that she was interested in popular films. Katherine Synons interview finds Francelia Billington on the Los Angeles of the Reliance-Majestic Studio assisting director W. C. Cabanne. She is effectively doing the work of the cameraman or what would later be credited as photography by, described as turning a crank as she keeps close watch on the scene that a group of players are enacting (n.p.) In 1914, however, Billingtons work is not taken so seriously and the reference to her double role of actress and camera operator suggests that she is a lucky cameraman stand-in who helps out with the camera operation when she isnt acting (n.p.)Considering the organization of work on the set, one can see from this still taken from around the same time at the Edison Studio that jobs are already gender-hierarchized and one imagines the difficulty with which Billington moved back and forth across the invisible line between the all-male camera department and the dramatic scene. Like Davison, Billington says that she began as an actress but preferred camera work. However, the year of the interview must have been her last opportunity. The Reliance-Majestic Studio was new on the West coast under director-in-chief D.W. Griffith and he had big plans that did not include a woman camera operator.Francelia Billingtons career trajectory, summarized in William M. Drew in More Than Just a Pretty Face, gets a slow start by association with an aborted 1915 project written by Nell Shipman, but picks up soon after. She was prolific as an actress at American Film Co. and Universal Pictures beginning around 1916-17 and even though she no longer worked with cameras she was featured in Movieland Notes working, like a mechanic, on her car.The high point in her career was a co-starring role in director Erich von Stroheims Blind Husbands, New York Times (1919). But it is down hill for Billington in the 1920s, with parts in western and adventure genre films and an appearance in one sound film before she died in 1934. Grace Davisons career similarly accelerates once she resigns herself to acting after 1916, but like others she also took advantage of the 19171918 window of opportunity for independent production and started her own producing company. See Womens Production and Pre-Production Companies. A note in the American Film Catalog refers to actress Davison as having started the company in order to produce Wives of Men (1918), directed and written by John M. Stahl. While Harry Fischbeck (as Fishbeck) gets the credit for photography, Davison is credited as part of the cast in publicity and reviews but not as producer (Hanson, 1050). After producing Wives of Men she took one or two acting roles per year with independent productions until 1922.The female camera operator was a phenomenon of the first decade which explains why in 1925 June Mathis had never seen nor heard of one. It was not until the 1970s when Anthony Slide began to discover women directors in the silent era that camera operators were also brought to our attention. In his first book he refers to Grace Davison and Margery Ordway, having found them in the fan magazines referenced here, and briefly mentions Dorothy Dunn who he says was part of a corps of cameramen working at the Universal Animated Weekly (Slide 1974, 168). Dunn confirms the pattern of women beginning as actresses before they take up cameras, but unlike Davison and Billington who give up camera work for acting, Dunn gives up acting, becoming the only woman staff photographer, according to the Moving Picture World (1609). In his later book Slide mentions Dunn, Davison, and Ordway and adds Louise Lowell who worked for Fox News in 1920 (1996, 5-6). But the trope of the first or the only continues to lure us and more recently Suzy Groves discovers Katherine R. Bleecker as the earliest professional moving camera woman (as quoted in Krasilovsky 1997, xxi). While the New York Times covers Bleecker in 1915 and Photoplay discovers Billington in 1914, the difference between the kind of work the two undertook is more important than the year between them. While Billington had some opportunities to shoot motion picture fiction shorts, Bleecker wrote, directed and photographed scenarios set in New York prisons, casting inmates as themselves, and thus should also be understood as pioneering what we today call documentary fiction.Selected BibliographyAll Ready! Now the Villain Enters! Camera! Photoplay (Nov. 1915): 91. (Francelia Billington)Dixon, A.J. The Only Camera Woman. Picture Play Magazine (1 Jan. 1916): 59-65. (Grace Davison)Drew, William. More Than Just a Pretty Face: Actresses Behind the Camerahttp://www.welcometosilentmovies.com/features/fb/fb1.htmEnter the Camerawoman. Moving Picture World (9 June 1917): 1609. (Dorothy Dunn)Groves, Suzy. Katherine Russell Bleecker: The First Professional Moving Camera Picturewoman, Behind the Lens Newsletter 3, no. 4 (June 1985): 1-2, as quoted in Krasilovsky, Alexis. Women Behind the Camera: Conversations with Camerawomen, Westport, Connecticut: Praeger, 1997Marie Doro, Camerawoman. New York Dramatic Mirror (24 June 1916): 22.Mathis, June, The Feminine Mind in Picture Making. Film Daily (7 June 1925): 115,Repr. in Antonia Lant, ed. The Red Velvet Seat: Womens Writings on the First Fifty Years of Cinema. New York and London: Verso, 2006, 663 65.News Notes from Movieland. The Capital Times (24 December, 1917): n.p. (Francelia Billington)Prison Moving Pictures Taken by a Girl. New York Times (21 November 1915): SM 19. (Katherine R. Bleecker)Slide, Anthony. Forgotten Early Women Directors. Films in Review XXV.3 (1974): 165 68; 92.Synon, Katherine. Francelia Billington Who Can Play Both Ends of a Camera Againstthe Middle. Photoplay (Dec. 1914): 58 60.------. This is the New Fall Style in Camera Men Photoplay (Oct. 1916): 103. (Margery Ordway)


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Hi, I ported a number to 2talk and plan to use an unused Cisco SPA122.
I have VDSL with a Ubiquiti Edgemax lite router. Just a question on the network hookup of the SPA122 since it is also a router, do I connect both the Internet and WAN ports to my LAN switch and leave the Internet port as DHCP?
Or just connect the SPA122 LAN port to my switch, and configure it on a local address, leaving the internet port disconnected?


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Courtney Buckley
Director of Communications
Office: 949-945-0485
Fax: 949-945-0475
Toll Free: 888-701-8438
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Courtney began her career in the entertainment industry as a contract administrator, insurance and immigration specialist, and assistant to the Executive Vice President and General Counsel at HSI, an award-winning production company specializing in commercials, music videos and new media. In 2005, she began her own company providing strategic digital communications services to a broad range of clients. Courtney now serves as Director of Communications for Berus Law Group where she manages marketing and public relations for the firm. She is a graduate of UCLA with a bachelor of arts degree in English.


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Marvels Comic-Con Hall H panel this weekend past was, quite frankly, RIDICULOUS. We expected big announcements, but we just werent prepared for so many of them as Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige outlined every single thing the studio is releasing in Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe through to the end of 2021, including some real shockers like a rebooted Blade and Natalie Portman returning to play the female Thor from the comics.
But those films are just the top of this spandex-covered iceberg though. Feige and co are famous for planning their cinematic universe far in advance. In fact, earlier this year he alluded to already having the next five years mapped out, and as he revealed to MTV News after the Comic-Con panel we came very close to being shown a whole lot more of it on Sunday morning, including whats coming in Phase 5.
So why did Feige hold back those other announcements? Well, exactly a month from now is Disneys D23 Expo, and a number of film industry insiders are reportedly hearing that Marvel is going to continue dropping bombs there. The official expo schedule just got released recently, and the Saturday is hosting a huge Disney movie panel including something Marvel-related.
At the end of this weekend pasts Comic-Con panel, Feige had already mentioned that the movies that they had shown off werent all that the comic book studio has planned with the likes of Black Panther 2, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3, Captain Marvel 2 also in the pipeline. And lets not forget those two comic elephants in the room in the Fantastic Four and X-Men, which Feige has confirmed are also in development now that Marvel owner Disney has taken over Fox and regained the film rights. Could those bombs be dropped in a mere matter of weeks? Oh, be still my geeky heart.


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This Sexy photo Shoot of Vani Kapoor is Seductive as Flame
We all have seen Vani Kapoor's sexy moves in Befikre. She won stealing everyone's heart and making them groove on with her in the song Nashe si Chadd Gayi. Now, she's ready to drive everyone crazy with her latest photo shoot for Maxim India. And along with this she has joined the ranks of Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone, Kareena Kapoor and various other top Bollywood actresses to be featured on the cover of Maxim India Magazine.
The cover picture of the magazine itself is enough to predict hot the pictures would be inside.
Let's have a look at that sizzling photos featured In the magazine.
The self-saying cover
Unzipping the pants
The seductive shyness
Those killer eyes
The way she rests down on the bench


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The Social Blog with Nikon at The NAB Show.
The Insight to going to the Nab Show can help Improve your Video Productions to Audio. One can learn everything he or she needs to learn on what needs to be Successful on Podcasting as well as Blogging!
My Partner The Socialite DJ hasn't just Improve on the production of her show called Traveling Kicks www.travelingKicks.com Which is becoming very well known and becoming one of the most sought out Independent show's emerging from Las Vegas! But don't take my word for it, she is my partner and well I have nothing but love for as well! She has become more than just some DJ, she has involved into a Radio Personality Dj on the rise! Traveling Kicks popularity is growing worldwide everyday. Here is one of her shows that she show cased. I believe The Nab Show was a great start for her. I believe its also a great starting point for anyone who is Blogging or becoming a Journalist on some kind level!
One Comment
Very nice and well written piece !


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PRESS publisher Danny Lockwood appeared on BBC Newsnight on Tuesday as part of a panel discussing the recent harassment of politicians by protestors.
Mr Lockwood debated the subject with, from right above, Remain campaigner Gina Miller, pro-Brexit Labour MP Kate Hoey, presenter Emily Maitlis and Times political columnist Lord Daniel Finkelstein.
Topics included the harassment of Anna Soubry, the pro-remain Conservative MP, who faced chants of 'Soubry is a Nazi' from pro-Brexit protesters wearing yellow vests. She was also called 'scum' as she tried to re-enter Parliament.
All the Newsnight panelists condemned the actions of the protestors and Mr Lockwood said: "If you look at the entire level of debate across the last two and a half years, it's been driven down. A lot of people feel marginalised and I just worry that it is taken as yet another example of what your typical Brexiteer is – because it certainly isn't."
The Press contacted the district's two MPs in the wake of the Soubry incident. Paula Sherriff (Lab, Dewsbury and Mirfield) said: "I'm appalled by the comments directed at Anna Soubry.
"MPs inevitably draw criticism for their views, particularly on issues that people feel passionately about, and I wholeheartedly support the right to peaceful protest.
"But it is wholly unacceptable for anyone, MP or otherwise, to be subject to intimidation and abuse while they go about their work.
"There is a distinct difference between scrutiny and debate and bullying and abuse – they have no place in our democracy or our society."
Batley and Spen MP Tracy Brabin said: "No-one should have to endure abuse and intimidation at their place of work or anywhere else.
"This type of behaviour has no place in our society and politicians along with everyone else should be free to go about their work without fear of harassment.
"I realise we live in a challenging political era where emotions are running high but it is vital we treat each other with respect."


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Program Coordinator - Africa
- Location
- Arlington, Virginia
- Salary
- Negotiable
- Posted
- Sep 09, 2019
- Closes
- Oct 14, 2019
- Function
- Other
- Industry
- Nonprofit
- Career Level
- Entry Level
- Hours
- Full Time
Project Description: The Program Coordinator is the entry-level position to program work at IFES, providing support to the program division. The Program Coordinator will provide administrative and programmatic support for current and developing programs. This position may support multiple country projects in Africa. Job Responsibilities: MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Coordinate project implementation and monitoring. Assist with program work and other special projects for the division. Assist with writing and reviewing of monthly/quarterly reports, writing program success stories, etc. Contribute to analytical reports, project design, and project evaluations. Participate in budget development processes. Input financial data for pipelines, review data in financial system for accuracy, and review and reconcile credit cards. Troubleshoot project problems. Identify and implement creative solutions. Review/prepare/submit material for procurement including drafting Request for Proposals/Quotations, preparing selection packages, tracking existing contracts, etc. Monitor/track pending IFES grant/contract actions and coordinates timely response. Participate in proposal development and new initiative processes. Assist with recruitment of field staff and consultants including preparing posting, collecting documents for hiring packages etc. Under the direction of the supervisor, provides guidance to Program Associates and interns, as requested. Participate in IFES' knowledge management initiatives and other thought leadership efforts. Attend meetings at request of supervisor to gather and share information with colleagues. Other duties as assigned.
POSITION SCOPE: Provides varied support functions and performs routine job duties requiring familiarity with proposal development, program management, and research and development initiatives. Contribute to program planning and development. Coordinate work activities performed by internal and external partners.
DECISION MAKING/PROBLEM SOLVING: Identifies and analyzes problems or discrepancies affecting own work or work products. Works to overcome barriers and constructively deal with unexpected challenging situations. Develops or supports the introduction of new and improved methods or procedures, based on knowledge of procedures and logic.
FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY: Participates in project budget planning, perform routine processing, recording and reporting of financial transactions, including field expenses, in compliance with IFES policies and procedures.
RELATIONSHIPS: Maintains collaborative working relationship with team members and other staff within the Programs Division. Proactively works with team members and across departments to improve team collaboration and functioning on a continuous basis.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/WORK ENVIRONMENT: Standard office work environment. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.
Education: Bachelor's degree required in relevant field; master's degree preferred.
Experience: At least 2 years of relevant experience in international development required. Previous experience backstopping USAID projects strongly preferred.
Related Skills or Knowledge: Experienced with Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint required. Introductory experience in business and proposal development required, with experience in program management preferred. Familiarity with USAID and other donor regulations and reporting requirements preferred. Detailed-oriented and organized. Ability to prioritize and meet deadlines. Strong communicator, both verbally and in writing. Collaborative, team oriented individual.
LANGUAGE SKILLS: English required; French or other regional language preferred.
TRAVEL: Travel may be required, up to 10%.
"All qualified applicants/employees will receive consideration for employment/promotions and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, race, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristic.
IFES takes affirmative action with respect to the employment and promotion of women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and covered veterans. IFES will also take affirmative action on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
IFES is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor"


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$ 29.99 $ 59.99 You Save 50% ($ 30.00)
Watch Wild Birds up close while they feed right from your living room, kitchen, den or family room windows. Kids love seeing wild birds in the morning from the breakfast table before school! ENDLESS Entertainment for Pets, Children, and Guests!
Safe for all your Birds, The removable feed tray with an integrated moisture removal system which incorporates precision laser drilled drainage holes to help dissipate moisture and keep the seed free from mold.
Perfect gift for bird's lover and cat lovers, See colorful wild birds from up close. No need to go out. Just sit in your kitchen and have fun discovering your garden birds. Fits on to any plain glass window. "This is one of the very best items I have purchased on Amazon. It extremely well-made, sturdy, and attractive! Anyone interested in this feeder should have absolutely no hesitations."
Beautiful Garden Bird Feeder is perfect for First-Timers, Want to attract birds to your window, your squirrel-free gardens (or use with guardians)? You'll love how quickly it draws in the birds
Easy to install, easy to fill and clean: three strong suction cups are fixed on the outside of the window glass and it can be filled with food that your birds love to eat.
Multi-function, House shape bird feeder provides you real-time entertainment, you can sit down and enjoy the flock of birds flocking to your yard and it can prevent squirrels from stealing food.
At Deep Discounted Deals, we strive to offer the top and high-quality products in the world.
Your Satisfaction is our Top Priority.
We will provide outstanding customer service to assist you as we highly value our customer satisfaction with absolutely Zero Risk.
If you have any questions about your order, please email us at firstname.lastname@example.com or call us at 1 (800) 760-6826


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So this year for the May showing of the Brimfield Antiques and Collectables Market (otherwise known as the Brimfield Flea Market by the locals), I made it appoint to remember to take lots of pictures for my blog! Not to say that it didn't take me a little over a month to post it, because it definitely did, but that's besides the point here! I came across a lot of great finds, and with the July Market just around the corner I figured I would post some of the goodies i fell in love with in it honor!
Gaaaaah, the face of excitement!!!!!
::Sigh:: Every little girls dream…. loads of jewelry…
I love to read but miss the feeling of a good book in my hands, which is what drew me to these antique books…. I love my kindle, but nothing competes with the smell of old leather and inked pages paired with a worn and cracked spine from being read so often…. Nostalgia at its fines….
Dainty little dessert glasses ❤
Antique motor oil jugs… I loved the steam punk feel I got from them!
I cant describe how sad I am that I didn't come home with this red glass pitcher… I should have know I would kick myself for not getting it! Now i know better!
Chic retro dinner plates…
Okay, I have a bit of a thing for old trunks… and old suitcases…. so sue me!
Would go perfect with The Christmas Story's leg lamp XD
Poor little Gypsy dog…. I fell in love with him and gave him lots of lovin, my poor friend practically had to drag me away! I don't know what was wrong with him but he belonged to one of the dealers at the show…. Sigh…
Vintage children's Red Sox shirt ❤
What girl doesn't love beads!!!!
Sigh… and again we have every little girls dream come true here….
I love the ships wheels and they would go great on our pool shed!
Lobster traps!!!
These crates would be perfect for lots of things such as displaying dried herbs, a display tray for cocktail hour, or just to stack in the corner of a room as a decoration representing a long forgotten time….
So after everything was said and done i ended up walking away with a ton of old silver as well as two wrought iron plant holders for our pool shed!
Now all I need is a couple more potted plants to hang in these bad boys! Oh and some silver polish…


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As we all know, buying a new home can be challenging in many ways. Aside from all of the paperwork and legal requirements there is the process of getting approved for a home loan. Part of this process involves the lender taking a close look at your credit report in order to determine if you are a good credit risk. Currently there are 3 major agencies that all major lenders use to obtain your credit report; Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
Unfortunately not everyone is considered credit worthy as a result of what may or may not be contained within their credit report and may not be able to obtain a home loan. Now, however, there may be new hope for those persons that have not been able to obtain mortgage loan in the past. All 3 credit reporting agencies have announced the launch of what is being called the "National Consumer Assistance Plan". This plan took over 3 years to fully develop and promises a lot of changes to the way that the agencies currently record and maintain entries pertaining to people's credit history.
One common problem that many people have is a number of unpaid medical debts that are recorded as "negative" entries in their credit report. Now, such adverse entries will not be recorded for a 180 "grace period" allowing someone extra time to pay off these types of expenses. Many times people have an adverse entry placed into their credit report simply because the insurance company took so long to process the payment on their behalf. Now, much of that will be avoided in the future. The agencies will also remove these types of entries for you if they have already been paid or about to be paid by your insurance company.
Another very important change will be that any unpaid debts that are not the result of an actual contract or agreement between the consumer and another party will no longer be included as part of anyone's credit history. Up until now such unpaid debts such as parking tickets, moving violations and other non-voluntary obligations have been reported, but that is about to change. The ability for someone to report a negative entry concerning you is also going to require that the person making the claim be able to provide your date of birth to the agency. This was not a requirement before and adds further assurance that you won't have a negative entry placed on your report that doesn't even belong to you.
If you've ever tried to have a mistaken entry removed from your credit report or wished to file a dispute than you know how difficult a proposition that can turn out to be! As part of the upcoming changes the credit bureaus are promising to provide consumers with more information than has been done in the past including what additional steps they can take if not satisfied with the outcome of a dispute they have filed. Victims of fraud or identity theft will also be provided with an easier resolution process to help quickly remove inaccurate negative entries that are a result of these crimes.
All of these changes can make a big difference for those persons with a below average credit rating and in some cases can be the difference between being able or not being able to buy a home. For anyone that is interested it is possible to get a free copy of your credit report once a year by simply going to AnnualCreditReport.com.


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First of all, make sure you have Google Chrome installed as a web browser on your computer.
When in Chrome,
- Click on this link to go to the Flowbox Chrome extension page on Chrome Webstore
- Click on the blue 'Add to Chrome' button
- Allow the Flowbox extension to install by clicking 'Add extension'
- A window asking you to login to your Flowbox account should now appear. Log in with your Flowbox user credentials
Thats it - you're now good to go 🎉
Time to test it out! Continue with the article Using the Chrome extension


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FIFA Mobile has started a new season, bringing the latest updates
The update brought by FIFA Mobile in the new season announces better gameplay and graphics effects as well as new features like PVP and team reaction. Sounds pretty good, here is the latest news.
Another period of FIFA Mobile has arrived. The present update totally patches up the famous versatile soccer match, presenting an overhauled game motor that conveys refreshed interactivity mechanics, designs, AI, group Chemistry, and all the more new highlights.
Submitting a general direction to EA's Madden NFL Mobile, which got a comparable update not long ago, FIFA Mobile presently includes continuous PvP. With this new mode, you would now be able to Buy FIFA Mobile Coins contend in bona fide 11v11 soccer, no holds barred with different players around the globe continuously. EA cautions that you can possibly take an interest in this mode on the off chance that you have a cell phone that meets the base spec prerequisite.
"Gadgets that don't meet it won't have the option to play the mode on the grounds that the game experience will influence the two players, regardless of whether one player has a gadget that is meeting the prerequisite," the designer said. You can discover the rundown of gadgets that help straight on here.
Another game motor likewise implies improved material science and refined activities on the pitch. As recently nitty-gritty, the overhauled material science motor "makes genuine rawness between players, with reasonable shakes and associations." New expertise moves like "the progression over, path change and heel-to-heel," have additionally been included while existing moves, similar to rainbow and roulette, have gotten refreshed liveliness.
Another major new element is group Chemistry for Ultimate Team. This takes into account in-game lifts when you have players from a similar certifiable club, association, nationality, or live program in your beginning XI. The list incorporates players from more than 550 genuine groups and you'll have the option to set methodologies to supplement your arrangement in front of each match. If you want to buy a lot of FIFA Mobile Coins, then I suggest you visit MMOAH. They will provide you with quality service.
Nitty-gritty inside the FIFA Mobile Coins game application posting itself is data about the social part of FIFA Mobile, which will permit you to join close by companions and different contenders around the world. You'll have the option to contend in between association titles and even overall League versus Alliance Tournaments.


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...is about saying NO to the pharma-medico-industrial-baby complex and discovering the possibilities afforded by focusing on wellness of self and earth. Essays on parenting, race, life, and writing appear in The New York Times, Newsweek, The Washington Post, Slate. We're a Treehugger.com Favorite Green blog. FTC compliant disclosure: all items we test are complimentary samples. WINNER OF THE RICHARD MARGOLIS AWARD FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE REPORTING
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Mind Fertility: 13 Ways of Seeing Nature in LA
You're thinking nature? LA? But Price writes, "...the City of Angels feels like a distinctly honest place to seek and write about nature." The article is full of surprises: the trip a mango makes from orchard to the Beverly Center Mall, the river (!) that runs through the city, and how our attempts (esp. those Californians) to be out in nature and commune with it are a lot more complicated that it seems.
A nice outside-the-box romp, with coyotes, mallard ducks, ocean air, Aaron Spelling's mansion, Gore-tex (please don't wear that, Jenny! It's teflon!)...all in a glorious, free (in every sense of the word) essay that'll make you realize nature's where you find it, and maybe you've been missing a lot of it all this time...makes ya think, don't it?
1 comment:
- David said...
I think I saw some nature once or twice in Los Angeles, right when I moved here. Oh wait, that wasnt nature, that was a movie set.
Seriously, its a tough place to find anything nice, but there are some nice places. I just moved to the beach a few months ago, and it makes a world of difference...I actually dont mind LA now. (That probably wont last!)


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A Thibodaux man serving 10 years for possessing child pornography and storing a large amount of marijuana will not get a rehearing after a court denied his application this week.
Donald Crochet, 53, of Pleasure Lane, was convicted in 2018 of 50 counts of child pornography and one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
State District Judge Christopher Boudreaux of Thibodaux gave Crochet the mandatory minimum five years in prison on the child-porn charges and 10 years on the drug charge. The judge ordered Crochet to serve the sentences concurrently, or at the same time.
Contending there wasn't enough evidence to support his conviction on the drug charges, Crochet appealed to the Louisiana 1st Circuit Court of Appeal in Baton Rouge. The defendant claimed the marijuana being stored in his attic belonged to someone else and that he believed there were only 2 pounds rather than the 23 that police seized, according to court papers.
Investigators began investigating Crochet when they received a report about a stolen iPhone 6 in 2015, prosecutors said. Cellphone-tracking software led them to Crochet's house, where he admitted he had marijuana inside his attic.
The marijuana in Crochet's home had a street value of $25,000 to $50,000, authorities said. After detectives received a warrant they searched Crochet's computer and found images of child pornography.
The appeals court ruled against Crochet in November because the evidence "proved beyond a reasonable doubt" that he was guilty of the drug charge.
Crochet then filed an application for a new hearing on Dec. 24 but that request was denied on Thursday by appeals Judges J. Michael McDonald, Mitchell R. Theriot and Wayne Ray Chutz.
Crochet is serving his sentence in the Lafourche Parish jail, records show.
--Staff Writer Dan Copp can be reached at 448-7639 or at email@example.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanVCopp.


text: One of the central pieces of our worship is communion. Communion is the meal instituted by Christ to remember His life, death, and resurrection. The bread and wine symbolize the Body and Blood of Christ which strengthens and sustains us. At BLC we celebrate open communion which means all are welcome to receive the gift of Christ in communion. We go to the altar to receive the meal and use intinction (dipping the bread into the wine), we wait until everyone at the altar is served, and then we receive a special blessing from our pastor before going back to our seats.


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This HD camcorder is designed to transfer videos and and still pictures automatically to computer through USB connection when placed in its dock. The camera able to take video at 1280 x 720 resolution with 30 fps and can capture still image at 3200 x 2400 resolution. Coming with 2x digital zoom, the camera also feature 2.5-inch TFT display.
The camcorder can plug directly to a TV to view images or video using the included composite or RCA cables. Its rechargeable battery provides two hours of operation from a three-hour charge when placed in its dock. Includes USB cable and a soft carrying case. Requires a computer with USB 2.0 and Windows XP or Vista. 3 3/4″ L x 2 1/2″ W x 3/4″ D. (23/4 oz.)


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My friend Megan over in Auckland at Pink to Green just tagged me. I've never been tagged before, fun!
1. Respond and rework. Answer the questions on your blog, replace one question you dislike with a question of your own invention; add a question of your own.
2. Tag eight other un-tagged people.
What is your current obsession? The thought of buying our first house and the search to find it!
Do you use canvas or plastic bags when you go shopping? Canvas (I try).
Do you nap a lot? Not so much currently, but when we were traveling, they were the best! When you're not working, naps start to fit into your schedule like breakfast.
Who was the last person you hugged? My husband, he's sweet. He went to California today.
What's for dinner? Takeaway pizzas because we had a late day antiquing at Round Top!
What was the last thing you bought? A little chair and an oil painting for my Mom's house.
What are you listening to right now? Is it bad that I love that 'Just Dance' Lady GaGa song?
What is your favorite weather? Blue skies and sunny with a slight breeze, not too blazing hot, but pretty warm. Oh, and rain when I'm sleeping, which happened last night and I woke up not knowing where I was, what day it was, or what I was supposed to do today…you get the point.
What's on your bedside table? The White Man's Burden, Elle Decor, the jewelry I had on today and ice water.
Say something to the person/s who tagged you. Megan, best wishes on your move, the south is the best, I know you'll love it! Change is always good!
If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would you want it to be? A rusty, old, farm type, barn house in Provence. It would have white sofas and exposed beams, colorful old carpets, gorgeous pottery everywhere in the kitchen and linen curtains. You could smell lavender at all times which is growing like weeds in the garden. Then you could walk down the cobblestone path to the morning market to pick up flowers, fruit, veges and bread for the day, grabbing a coffee and a croissant for the walk home. Drives down to the beach on the weekends, and every now and then long train rides up to Paris for a bit of the big city. Everyone speaking French all the time!
Favorite vacation spot? Tough one, it's a tie between Lake Verret, Louisiana and Millbrook in Queenstown, New Zealand.
Name the things you can't live without. My family, friends, yoga, coffee, sunshine, travel and magazines.
What would you like to have in your hands right now? A hot cup of peppermint tea.
What is your favorite tea flavor? Peppermint
What is your favorite book? The Alchemist
If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go? Paris
What did you want to become as a child? I wanted to be a marine biologist, to scuba dive and swim with all the dolphins and creatures of the sea.
What is your favorite sport to play? Is yoga a sport?
What was your favorite concert you attended? Fly My Pretties was pretty cool and different, love those NZ bands!
What is your favorite flower? Tulips, Lilies, Peonies.
What are the top three things you must have in your carry on? Rosebud, Any Magazine, and a Moleskine.
Tagging: The Wisteria House, Makeshift Life, Under a Paper Moon, You Are My Fave, Bandelle Blog, A Bloomsbury Life, Cakewalk, From the Right Bank


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Nursery Ministry
Serving Those That Can Only Thank You With Smiles
For infants and toddlers, we have a newly upgraded nursery and separate toddler room. Our dedicated church members attend to their needs as moms and dads can worship in the sanctuary. The parents aren't the only ones being taught the stories from Scripture. We present bite sized bits from the Word with mini lesson for the little ones.
As a matter of peace of mind and safety for your children, a check in/out system is provided with vibrating pagers so the moms and dads can be notified if any problem should arise. These little ones bless our hearts and having your family here to participate, brings joy to our church.
FSBC provides nursery care for all regular scheduled services & special events.


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Wellness & treatments
You can look forward to exceptional experiences as Alsik Nordic Spa & Wellness' skilled therapists pamper you with both classic and new spa and wellness treatments.
All treatments build on a deep respect for your body's natural balance, and we meticulously ensure that each visit has your personal well-being in mind.
Receive classic treatments based on the best spa and wellness traditions, experience the effect of new pioneering techniques and technologies, or enjoy your time with unique treatments in our personal spa suites with private steam bath and sauna.
Each treatment also includes access to the authentic, exclusive Tea Lounge, to patios with panoramic views across Alssund and to the unique Salt Lounge that stimulates the body into deep relaxation – naturally and effectively. The beautiful surroundings provide time for reflection and space for calming, attuning and balancing your body and mind.
Alsik Nordic Spa & Wellness offers wellness screenings, wellness therapies, massage & body treatments, skincare & facials, as well as beauty care in our Beauty Lounge.


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Watch more How to Breastfeed videos: http://www.howcast.com/videos/500817-How-to-Use-Breast-Pump-on-Plugged-Ducts-Breastfeeding
Learn how to breastfeed your baby using the cradle hold from lactation consultant Melissa K. Nagin in this Howcast video.
The cradle hold is used typically for babies who are a little bit older, who can latch themselves on, who have much better head control. Sort of doesn't matter if they're hanging over your shoulder or they're actually cradled in the crook of your arm. They're not going anywhere. There"s really no nipple soreness involved anymore. It's usually not the ideal position for a newborn because they do need so much more body support and head support.
So really for the older babies, the cradle hold would be much better. And they fall into it much more naturally as they don't need that support from the cross cradle or the football hold anymore. The cradle hold is pretty much the most popular hold that you'll see. Most moms, they're usually the ones on the park bench with the cell phone in one hand, the baby in the other latched on, maybe even a dog leash. That's usually the cradle hold that you see. And it's really not intended for very, very little babies who need a lot more support.