text:
November 2013 Victim Member of the month.
Another month, another winner! This month's prestigious award goes to Francky. Please join me in congratulating Francky and let's see what Francky thinks of us all.
Now follows an interview conducted in the stylesheet language.
Paul:Hi Franky, congratulations on becoming the November 2013 member of the month and thanks for taking part in this interview. You have been absolutely fabulous this month but are still a relative newcomer to Sitepoint forums so first, tell us a little bit about yourself, what you do for a living, and how you got involved in web development, hobbies etc?
In essence what floats your boat?
Francky:First I wish to thank the Sitepoint Staff, it's a great honour to be chosen!
Well, my boat is floating sometimes left, sometimes right, sometimes floating by the stream - the normal flow, and sometimes floating by myself (it's a rowing boat ). And sometimes I've to row against the stream. In my jobs (paid or as volunteer) always a kind of advocacy is present: for more social justice or for the beauty of creativity. The sport is to enthusiasm other folks, or to convince them that what my vision is, is not totally wrong. I experienced that humour is a big drive for change, and can be way more efficient than a lot of heavy talk. Also visual examples can tell often more than a 1000 words.
I try to integrate my hobbies (photography, visual work, puzzling, writing) in the things I do, and that seems easier as the years go on. Difficult to integrate are my holidays; mostly you can find me with backpack and bivouac on footpaths in the French Alps. But my camera is with me, and at home I can afterglow by pasting the pictures to a panorama. As showcase I made a little site with some photos of this summer (I'm living in the Netherlands: summer over here in July!). They can be found on clba.nl/sitepoint/vanoise. Happily there are a lot of splendid cascades in the Alps, so I'm not too far away from CSS.
About web development: in the beginning of this century I got the feeling that websites could get an important role in life, and the organisation I worked for didn't have one (and no money). So in the background, my free time, I made a kind of site: with FrontPage, tables, frames, and all other forbidden things. Then the fire was burning and my curiosity was aroused: I bought some magazines (but never a book), and Google became my friend. A certain day I wrote a comment on a site about proper styling and coding, and was pointed to the [css-discuss mailing list and the [URL="http://css-discuss.incutio.com/wiki/Main_Page"]css-discuss Wiki](http://css-discuss.org/). Good stuff - for some years I was completely absorbed!
Paul:We've seen you around the CSS forums quite a lot but I see that you are also accomplished with JavaScript. What other aspects of web development take your fancy?
Besides (1): if you start a site with accessibility in mind, it is not so difficult. Besides (2): an accessible site has advantages for everybody (and for every search engine). For those who will get an impression about what can be done: see Stories of Web Users.
Paul:What tools do you use to code and design with or do you do it all by hand?
Francky:By hand, so all errors are on my conscience.
Maybe it is not so fast, but I'm a self-made geek, not a professional designer and not in a hurry. The benefit is that I haven't to study the manual of a pricey program, - and I don't have to correct the program (weird pseudo-code in Dreamweaver or so). For that correcting you need in fact the same knowledge as when doing it by hand. Then I can do it by hand as well, without all the ballast.O, mistake: sometimes I make a small practical tool for myself, like the "Valid-o-Link".
Paul:What is your position on html5 yet? On which side of the fence do you float?
Francky:I'm absolutely sure I have to relativate(sic) myself here. I'm still floating at the surface, and should dive more into the deep waters of html5. Time, o time, where are you? A time transformation should be welcome. - As long as I'm dropping ideas in the SitePoint Forum Q&A's, time is floating away...
Paul:What do you think of grids and frameworks (bootstrap etc)?
Francky:Again I've to be humble, for I did not study the Pro's and Con's; nor do I have experience in this matter. Also the complex subject of responsive layouts is rather virgin territory for me. My hands are full already!
Paul:CSS3 is really starting to flex its muscle with good browser support these days and transforming the way we work. What is your perspective on this? What are the features you love, what do you hate and what else would you like to see implemented?
Francky:For sure, CSS3 has unprecedented opportunities. My whole Liquid Corners Playgarden (2006) can be dismantled, just with the simple {border-radius} property. So there are good chances for CSS3 to simplify things. On the other hand, I'm a bit afraid that the first years a lot of designers will go out of their way in order to trump one another in the most extraordinary applications of CSS3. More or less like the flash intro pages some years ago: a hype, nowadays happily considered as not professional. The main thing of a site is the content, the style is supporting!
Paul:How did you find out about SitePoint and what do you think of the recent re-design? What can we improve?
Francky:The SitePoint Forum I encountered regularly in my Google escapades, and in the Q&A's I found the Forum is quite international and has a low threshold to participate. That I like!
The recent re-design? Oops, I'm afraid I missed something, for I do visit only the SP Forum and didn't remark any design changes of the Forum in the last months.
In the margin I have some positive colored criticism.
On the homepage I'm missing a <h1> description of what this site is all about. - To stay simple: that could be a variant of the <meta> description text "Learn Web Design & Development with SitePoint tutorials, courses and books. Or consult the SitePoint forum". That is 1.5 line, for me far more appealing than the marquee-ish promotion lines "Learn to create: inspirational designs, scalable applications, profitable web sites, brilliant mobile apps, anything you desire". These ego-centered language can be in a sub-header, that's enough I think.
Maybe in the Topics pages there can be made a link to the corresponding item in the Forum.
To improve: the accessibility! The outline of the homepage is not clear. For instance: if I disable CSS, on the SitePoint page I see a padding of big unordered lists of internal links, without sections, and without the "skip menu" possibility. The "back" link is in a strange place. The "Menu" and "Topics" links are going to nowhere. The main topics are two times in the list (!), once as sub-items in the list item "Topics", and once each apart. A visually impaired visitor with a reading device has to hear all these links before the content is coming... - In the content, again links without any explication. On screen, I can see that the topics must be the most recent articles in the various main sections, but in pure text or with a reader one has to guess. That kind of things, not very inline with the KISS-principles...
But it is not all doom and gloom. To end this question in a happy way: I admire the kindness and patience which can be heard in the Forum answers.
Paul:Thanks Francky and now I'm forced to ask these final trivial questions:
Favourite Film: / Favourite Book: / Favourite Song: / Favourite Web Personality:
Francky:Aha, I'm not an idol adorer, so I haven't 1:1 answers. It is more classes than an ID. I can't even imagine what a web personality should be. Some films I appreciate: Les Enfants du Paradis, the Fellini films.
There are a lot of good books around: books of the Dutch writer Multatuli, Sartre, more light painted romans, and last summer "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance". Music: classic and sitar as well as Pink Floyd, Soft Machine, Zappa and others.
Favourite Song: what is coming upwards if I hum or whistle something for myself.
BTW: I expected the question "Which Favourite Animal?" This should be the answer: I don't have a special one, but I decided it must be a mountain marmot, living in a beautiful landscape and mostly non-alcoholic and vegetarian. If you hear a loud marmot shriek, there must be a hawk flying over!
Paul:Thanks for taking part in the interview and congratulations on winning this much sought after award. Before you go is there something that you would like to shamelessly promote or anything you would like to add?
Francky:Thanks again! I hope that sites as the SitePoint Forum with lots of volunteers do change the way of thinking in only terms of profit and money. People who come here with a commercial attitude can scratch their head: "are these advices for free?". Yes: knowledge belongs to the public domain. As food, water, health and a lot more. Still much to do!
Last shout: maybe no slider is the best, but if sliders are used, they should not be greater (and preferable a lot less) than 1/4 of the screen!
Paul:Thanks Francky that has been a wonderful insight into your world and I'm sure the other Sitepointers will now all wish to join me in thanking you for your contributions in the forum.
Nice work @Francky; - you now have a shiny new badge.
And I love the interview guys - awesome work.
Congratulations, Francky. It's nice to get to know you better, and thanks for your awesome contributions to the forums.
An effusion of congratulations, Francky, for an award well deserved! You honor us with your presence. It's great to get to know more about you. I've learned something new from each of your posts that I've read... from splendidly presented position papers in some cases to meticulous evaluations of issues. You seem to thoroughly enjoy applying and sharing your knowledge. I hope you will be here for a very long time. A very stylish interview, Paul. Well done to both of you!
Congratulations with a well deserved award. A very interesting interview (I know, I say that every month, but hey! It's true!), some food for thought there.And some beautiful pictures as well. France is almost as beautiful as Italy...
Great interview guys. I really enjoyed it. Congrats Francky, well deserved.
Congratulations @Francky for being named Member of the Month. Your interview was excellent.
Congratulations, Francky. And well done to you and Paul for a very interesting interview with an unusual twist.
Thank you all for your congratulations and kind words: I'm a bit shy of it! :)
@guido2004: Yes, the Italian National Parc "[[U]Gran Paradiso[/U]" ([URL="http://www.parks.it/parco.nazionale.gran.paradiso/Emap_fullscreen.php"][U]Google Map[/U]) is [URL="http://www.parcnational-vanoise.fr/websig/carto.php"]around the corner of the [URL="http://www.parcnational-vanoise.fr/"]National Parc of the Vanoise](http://www.parks.it/parco.nazionale.gran.paradiso/Eindex.php), and must be at least as beautiful. It's on my ToDo list!
Great interview guys - a very interesting read!It was nice to find out more about you Francky.
Your comments about including a different JS library for every single widget are food for thought
Congratulations Francky


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The redhead duck egg clutch we saw in the last installment of "The Egg Craters" is shown above. Zoology department volunteer Alika Brooks designed and fabricated this hand-made "egg crate" to properly house the 36 eggs in this set.
The box is made from acid-free cardboard and the eggs are resting on polyethylene foam covered by Tyvek. Each egg is separated from its nest mate by a wall of polyethylene batting, the same kind you can find in quilters' supply stores.
We are employing these materials and custom work to rehouse all of the egg sets and nests in the Museum's collections. Check this site for future installments on the Egg Crater's progress.

subset: commoncrawl


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Warminster cadet Ciaron Milne joined around 200 fellow graduates in a prestigious ceremony as he passed out from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
Each officer cadet at Sandhurst has undergone 44 weeks of intensive military and academic training, combined with adventurous training and sporting challenges, before taking part in the Sovereign's Parade in front of Her Majesty's representative, General Sir Peter Wall, Chief of General Staff.
The parade has been run at the end of each term on Old College Square at Sandhurst for more than 200 years.
The Army is always recruiting, and there are currently hundreds of jobs available for officers, from engineering and communications specialists to veterinary surgeons, and dentists.
Junior officers who graduate from Sandhurst are placed in charge of a team of soldiers, learning vital leadership and management skills which are highly valued and easily transferrable to civilian careers.
Ciaron, 23, who will be joining the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME), said: "I'm really proud to have passed out from Sandhurst.
"It's the premier leadership academy in the world and I've been able to represent the Army at sports while studying, which was very rewarding.
"I want to develop as a leader in the Army, and I also aim to gain chartered engineer status."
The ceremony took place on Friday, August 9, and ended in traditional fashion with the Adjutant of the College riding a horse up the steps of the Old College, following the graduating officer cadets through the Grand Entrance.
At the stroke of midnight at the Commissioning Ball, each newly commissioned Second Lieutenant displayed their rank insignia for the first time.
Brigadier Andrew Jackson, director of recruiting and training for the Army, said: "The British Army has a long history of recruiting the brightest and best young officers, and Sandhurst is just the start of the outstanding training they will receive throughout their careers.
"Junior officers are given great responsibility early in their Army life, and are rewarded with a challenging and exciting career, both at home and overseas, during peacetime or on operations.
"Our officers gain personal skills which apply to all walks of life, such as leadership, judgement, responsibility and respect."
For more information about career opportunities available in the Army search "Army jobs" or visit www.army.mod.uk/join/


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Saint Leo Fitness Center Policies
Fitness Center Facility Usage Policies & Procedures:
Students: All full-time/part time students use the SLU Fitness Center by presenting their valid SLU ID.
Student Spouses: Bring spouse's valid SLU ID and your driver's license when purchasing a membership in the SLU Fitness Center.
Faculty and Staff: All full-time/part-time faculty and staff use the SLU Fitness Center by presenting their valid SLU ID.
Faculty/Staff Spouses: Bring spouse's valid SLU ID and your driver's license when purchasing a membership in the SLU Fitness Center.
Children: The SLU Fitness Center is not open to children. We do not permit children spectators during parental fitness activities.
Guests: (18 years of age and older) will be permitted to the SLU Fitness Center when accompanied by an eligible student, faculty or staff with a valid SLU ID.
The following
limitations shall prevail:
1. Limit for the number of guests per ID is two. If an exception to the guest list is needed, please contact the Fitness Director a day in advance.
2. Sponsor will take full responsibility for conduct of guest and any destruction of equipment and/or facilities
3. Guest must present picture ID before entering
4. Guest fee is $5.00 per person/per visit.
There are three (3) semesters per year. These semesters are defined as:
Fall: First day of class through December 31st
Spring: January 1st-Saturday of May Graduation
Summer: First Monday after May graduation through August 8th
*Membership fees will not be prorated, or refunded.
Alumni: For information regarding Alumni memberships, please contact Office of Alumni Relations in St. Francis Hall.
Community/General Public: The usage of the SLU Fitness Center is available for a nominal fee.
POLICIES and PROCEDURES
All users must present a valid SLU ID or a SLU Fitness Membership ID to enter and use the facilities. There are no exceptions to this policy.
Entry Violation
Individuals who present false identification or whose ID is presented by another individual shall incur an automatic suspension from the facility of between two weeks and one year.
Facility Supervisors have the authority to demand unruly members and/ or guests to leave the SLU Fitness Center if their conduct necessitates such action. Examples include, but are not limited to: spitting on floors, vandalism, yelling, fighting, dropping weights, threatening employees, and damaging the equipment.
General Policies
1. Smoking or use of tobacco in any form is prohibited.
2. Food and beverages are not permitted beyond the ID checkpoint.
3. Spitting is not permitted in the facility, including water fountains.
4. Shirts must be worn
5. Non-marking athletic shoes must be worn in the activity areas. Cleats, sandals, bare or stocking feet are not allowed.
6. Portable stereos may be used with headphones only.
7. No animals are allowed in the facility except guide dogs.
8. Saint Leo University Athletics Department and SLU Fitness Center is not responsible for lost or stolen items.
Pants with belts or metal rivets and cut-off pants are not allowed. Street clothing compromises the safety of the wearer and is also not permitted. For hygiene purposes and to prolong the life of the equipment, a full shirt, covering the torso is required.
Closed toe athletic footwear is required in all areas except the locker room. Do not wear dark soled shoes that may damage or mark the floors of the gyms and aerobics rooms.
Locker Rooms
1. Lockers are available for daily use only. All belongings must be removed daily.
2. Inquires regarding lost items should be made at the front desk.
Lost and Found
1. Saint Leo University Athletics Department and SLU Fitness Center is not responsible for lost or stolen items.
2. Store and secure personal items in lockers.
3. Staff members are not permitted to hold valuables.
4. Items found should be turned in to the equipment check out center. Items not claimed within seven days will be donated to charity.
5. Inquires regarding lost items should be made at the equipment check out center.
Bag Policy
All backpacks and gym bags must be placed in a locker or on Racks provided at front entrance.
1. All advertising materials, (flyers, banners, etc.), must be approved by the Saint Leo University Athletics Department and SLU Fitness Center.
2. Advertising materials will be confined to designated bulletin boards. No flyers on the glass, windows or doors.
Food and Beverages
1. Food is not permitted past the front desk of the SLU Fitness Center.
2. No glass or metal containers allowed in the Fitness Center.
3. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco are not allowed.
Equipment Check-Out Policies
1. Only authorized users of the SLU Fitness Center may check out equipment.
2. You must present a valid SLU ID or a SLU Fitness Membership ID to check out equipment.
3. Users are responsible for equipment checked out in their name. Fees will be charged for late, lost and/or damaged equipment.
4. If outdoor equipment is not returned within one week of check out, the equipment will be considered lost and the individual will be charged replacement fees. Indoor equipment (Basketballs, Volleyballs, etc.) may not leave the facility, therefore, will be considered lost after one day.
5. An individual who has not returned equipment or paid replacement fees will not be allowed to check out equipment. If fees remain unpaid the member may lose additional privileges.


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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Police are searching for a suspect considered armed and dangerous after a shootout with officers late Wednesday night, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.
Police were dispatched to a shooting at Beach Boulevard and San Pablo Road at 10:10 p.m. One victim was located and transported to a local hospital in life-threatening condition.
A few minutes later, a JSO officer saw a vehicle near South Kernan Boulevard and Beach Boulevard that looked suspicious. It also fit a description of a vehicle they may have been looking for in a previous incident.
Police followed the vehicle and around 10:20 p.m., the driver pulled into the entrance of the Timberwood Trace Apartments off Atlantic Boulevard, according to JSO.
The suspect, who appears to have been the passenger in the car, got out of the vehicle and pointed a handgun at the officer and fire. Police returned fire, according to JSO.
"The exchange of gunfire did take place, and we don't know if that individual was injured," JSO spokeswoman Melissa Bujeda said.
The officer was not injured and the gunman ran from the scene.
Detectives were questioning the driver of the vehicle early Thursday morning.
At this time, JSO believes the victim transported from the scene at Beach and San Pablo was shot inside the same vehicle police have at Timberwood Trace Apartments. That victim, as well as the suspect, appear to be acquaintances, according to investigators.
Police do not believe this is a random shooting.
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is actively looking for the suspect. K9 teams as well as the JSO helicopter are being utilized.
Anyone with information about the gunman or his whereabouts is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 866-845-TIPS.
Copyright 2012 by News4Jax.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Find the best in design from independent artists, and make it uniquely yours.
Bring unique design to your wedding website, stationery, and decor, created by independent artists and customized for your big day.
This take on Minted was made by
undefined from , a member of Minted's
community of independent artists.
Find the perfect Christmas card to suit your style, from classic to modern.
Our gift to you: FREE recipient address printing.
Your Christmas card may be the only piece of mailed correspondence you send all year. It's the perfect opportunity to catch your family and friends up on the past year and to create something beautiful to be displayed on their mantles all season. Once you've taken the perfect photo for your card and picked a design that showcases it, how do you decide what note to include inside?
Here are some ideas for the inside and back of your card:
- Write a Christmas letter. See tips for writing a Christmas letter below.
- Do a year in review. Share family highlights, do a month-by-month recap, or write a newsletter-style update.
- Write a Christmas song or poem, or create an acrostic poem with a festive word.
- Make a top 10 list or a list of things that your family is grateful for from the past year.
- Create a photo collage to showcase more snapshots of your family, and don't forget the pets.
- Add captioned photos illustrating some of your favorite moments.
- Highlight each of your children's stories for the year. Name some of their biggest milestones and accomplishments.
- Get the family involved. Let your kids write their own greetings or tell a story of their favorite part of the year.


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HOUSTON - A family is searching for a woman who has been missing for several days.
Harris County sheriff's deputies said Amber Chantel Elkins, 20, was last seen Sunday evening.
Detectives said Elkins' vehicle, a dark green 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer with Georgia license plates, was found abandoned in a vacant business parking lot in the 13900 block of Homestead Road, just north of Greens Bayou, about 2:45 p.m. Tuesday.
The front passenger window was broken out and a substantial amount of blood was found inside the vehicle, investigators said.
The owner of Tommy's Car Care, the business next door, discovered the SUV with his brother and called 911.
"We walked over together and looked in, that's when we saw the blood and it looked like, you know, commotion had taken place in there," said Tommy Johnson. "Her purse and stuff like that was thrown all over the place, blood was on the seat, on the console, the shifter, on the sides of the driver seat."
Elkins' mom, Shani Kilpatrick, said her daughter would never go a day without letting someone know where she was. Kilpatrick said her phone rang at 3:30 a.m. Sunday, but she missed the call because she was sleeping. When she woke up later that morning, she realized it was her daughter, so she called her back.
"I called her back and a guy answered, I asked where Amber was and he hung up." said Kilpatrick. "She would only call me at 3:30 in the morning if something was wrong. That's why I know something was wrong."
Kilpatrick also said Elkins was due in court on Monday for a custody hearing regarding her 9-month-old daughter, who is staying with relatives.
Homicide detectives said they believe foul play may be involved in Elkins' disappearance.
Texas EquuSearch Founder Tim Miller said volunteers will start searching for Elkins on Friday.
"We're not going to sugarcoat anything. This looks bad," Miller said. "We're going to hold on to that tiny miracle, but the reality is we've got a big problem here. We got a 20-year-old that's got to be found."
Elkins is white, 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 9 inches tall with black hair and brown eyes. She has two stars tattooed on her wrist and the word "ACE" tattooed on an ankle.
Anyone with information regarding Elkins' disappearance is asked to call the HCSO Homicide Unit at 713-967-5810 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.
Copyright 2011 by Click2Houston.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


text:
An insult directed at a human. Often associated with road rage when a motorist or pedestrian is slowing the progress of another vehicle.
55 year old short man travelling 100km/h on a road with a posted speed limit of 50km/h "Come on dumpstick, get out of my way you fucking cock sucking piece of shit."
by TommyWright May 28, 2010
The Urban Dictionary Mug
One side has the word, one side has the definition. Microwave and dishwasher safe. Lotsa space for your liquids.Buy the mug


text:
You exercise your body to stay physically in shape, so why shouldn't you exercise your brain to stay mentally fit? With these daily exercises you will learn how to flex your mind, improve your creativity and boost your memory. As with any exercise, repetition is necessary for you to see improvement, so pick your favorite exercises from our daily suggestions and repeat them as desired. Try to do some mentalrobics every single day!
Earlier, we talked about how thinking of alternate solutions to a problem can help you find creative ways to solve it. Here's an exercise to help you practice this technique.
Imagine that you're a detective. Try to solve the case by coming up with at least 10 different explanations for the following situations.
1. A shopping cart full of hay is found in an alley.
2. You wake up to notice that a blue X has been drawn on your ceiling.
3. The grass was mowed yesterday, but it's already 5 inches high.
Come up with your own strange situation, then try to think of 10 creative explanations.
Similar Articles
Related Content
Mentalrobics Public Forums
Chat about these articles and other mind related topics.
Creative Caption Game
Can you make the funniest caption for these odd pictures?


text:
From Rihanna to Xtina, music's hottest stars strutted their styles down the 2013 American Music Awards red carpet on Sunday night, Nov. 24, at Los Angeles' Nokia Theatre with some flashy, sexy and sometimes questionable getups.
Check out ETonline's gallery for all the big AMA fashion statements.
- Zendaya
- Taylor Swift
- Naya Rivera
- Miley Cyrus
- Lance Bass
- Kesha
- Jordin Sparks
- Jesse Mccartney
- Jennifer Hudson
- Hillary Scott
- Heidi Klum
- Emma Roberts
- Ciara
- Christina Aguilera
- Lady Gaga


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HOAX 999 callers have been slammed by firefighters after falsely reporting fireworks had been put through the letterbox of a Blackburn home.
The call, made from a phonebox at 7.30pm yesterday, also informed the emergency services that there was smoke coming from the front door of the house in Whalley Range.
Watch manager Rob Birtwistle, from Blackburn fire station, said two crews were tied up for 15 minutes while the call-out was investigated.
He said: "If there had been another fire in Blackburn, fire engines would have had to come from Darwen or Accrington, which could have been a dangerous 10-minute delay.
"Our headquarters do checks to see if calls are malicious, but these callers sounded very plausible.
"Malicious calls can cost lives and I want to urge people to think about that before they consider acting so irresponsibly."


text:
River Rush Catering
What We Do
We serve food for all kinds of campus-related events, including fundraisers, conferences, weddings, luncheons, workshops and more. Are you going to have a business meeting for your UCC department or local business? We can provide the food!
Internal Meetings, Conferences & Events
Because hunger is distracting, we prepare delicious food to keep your team sharp. We deliver everywhere on campus.
We can give you some delectable menu selections and competitive pricing. Plus, you'll be supporting our students! Our catering jobs give UCC Culinary Arts Students valuable real-world experience.
UCC employees can make a catering request using the button below. Just login with your UCC network username and password. Need help? View / download instructions to Submit a Help Desk Ticket.
Local and Regional Business Meetings, Parties & Conferences
Do you represent a local organization or business? Do you have a wedding or party to plan? UCC has world-class facilities that fit a variety of needs. We work with our special events department to plan and provide the details such as seating, sound, lighting and FOOD! Please contact the Special Events Department to rent our event spaces. If you would like catering to be provided, let's make a deal. We offer package discounts (space rental + catering) at a competitive price.
If you are a member of the public or a student at UCC, you can request catering using the button below.
Need Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner served? No problem! Soft drinks? No problem! We can do it!
View / download the River Rush Catering Menu
Janine Clute - Contact
Special Events Coordinator
Phone: 541-440-4705


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GLOUCESTERSHIRE batsman Chris Dent is looking to make up for lost time and get his international ambitions back on track after an injury ravaged season.
The 21-year-old Thornbury star caught the eye of the England selectors with his promising form before fracturing his finger and then dislocating a shoulder just three weeks into his return to rule him out for the rest of the campaign. Dent, who played for England under-19s, is now training again in the nets and hoping for a change of luck next year.
He said: "I am hoping that if I have a big season I will be considered for the England Performance Squads. I felt I was on my way to making that happen when injury struck last summer and it remains a very important target.
"Everyone should have aspirations to play at the highest possible level and I certainly do.
"I'm really looking forward to next season. I feel I can take confidence from how I started last summer and again I will have some targets.
"I am pretty much fully recovered now. The shoulder is feeling solid and I'm able to take part in training fully.
"Having missed so much cricket this year, I have to regain my spot in the first team. I am working very hard at the moment and the aim will be to open the batting again.
"I can't expect to be put straight back into the side, so I shall need some runs in the pre-season games. But if I can get a few scores before the opening Championship match I hope to be in contention.
"As a team we started last season quite well and it was a case of not maintaining sufficient consistency. I still have big personal ambitions and the better I play the more it will help the side get to where we want to be."
While much of Gloucestershire's squad are spending their winter playing in sunnier climes abroad, Dent is happy to be working on his own game in the County Ground nets.
He said: "I'm not 100 per cent sure what will be happening after Christmas, but the chances are I shall be staying at home this winter.
"I stayed here last winter and felt I got better as a player, as well as fitter and stronger, so I'm happy to be at the ground each day working hard."


text:
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - There are new questions Tuesday morning about whether Brazilian authorities can ensure safety in venues after more than 230 people died in a nightclub fire.
Police say a band's pyrotechnics caused the fire.
Brazil is hosting next year's World Cup and the 2016 Olympics, leaving many people questioning the safety of tourists as they visit Brazil's venues.
Investigators are looking at all the exits, and at this point, it appears one door was inadequate, protected by bars that wouldn't open.
Many people even here in America are asking about safety equipment and code compliance at nightclubs and other venues.
Channel 4 spoke to the fire department and a local venue similar in size.
Tom Francis, of Jacksonville Fire-Rescue, said Americans should be very thankful that here in the U.S. there are such strict fire safety codes and standards that all places of business must follow to operate.
These inspections could mean the difference between life or death.
Places like Latitude 30, a popular night spot in Jacksonville must comply to stay open.O
On any given night at Latitude 30, there can be up to 1,500 people inside.
Lit exits, a sounding alarm, working fire extinguishers and a safety measure that cuts the music off and turns the lights on immediately are all in place in case of a fire or other emergency.
"For us, we have 10 emergency exits in this building alone," chief marketing officer of Latitude Global Philip Alia said. "All of our venues have something very similar, and we have a fire extinguisher every 40 feet. So do I think that was the case in Brazil? I'm afraid probably not."
Reports already indicate there was no fire alarm, no sprinklers, no signed escaped doors and fire extinguishers that didn't work at the Kiss Nightclub in Brazil when a fire broke out Saturday morning.
"The tragedy in Santa Maria, Brazil is undeniably once again in a horrific fashion," Francis said. "Emphasizes the absolute necessity for adherence and enforcement of all life safety code and fire prevention objectives."
All public buildings, restaurants, stores and other businesses must pass a fire inspection every year to stay open in the United States.
If a place doesn't pass inspection, it must stay closed and can face fines until fixed.
Many probably remember the very delayed opening of the new courthouse because it failed inspection -- a testament to how seriously these safety measures are taken here.
"I think it's important to understand that these inspections as we're quite familiar with are unpopular," Francis said. "Often times viewed as possibly a disingenuous form of revenue stream. But nothing could be further from the truth."
Copyright 2013 by News4Jax.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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At Adobe, we often talk about Engagement— the technology put in place to make customer interactions better and more meaningful.
One critical aspect of Engagement is good design. Good design is the "face" of the technology to the customer. Get it right, and you have the opportunity to delight the customer. Neglect design at your peril.
Unfortunately, as Wired Magazine pointed out in the December 2010 issue, good design in healthcare is an exception.
Here's the lead-in paragraph from the Wired Magazine article "Blood Simple":
Lab reports are often beyond our comprehension. But they don't have to be. Better design and more context can clarify the results— and help us understand our options.
Amen to that!
The article is not posted on the Wired website yet. I'd suggest getting to a newstand to check out the December issue yourself.
Here's a spread from the article to get you thinking.


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Water for Elephants Book Club: Recipes, Movie Clips, & a Deluxe GiveawayApril 11, 2011 • 24 Comments • category: Algonquin Books Blog, Book Club, Book Club Picks
In exactly two weeks from today (!), Sara Gruen and Kathryn Stockett (author of the amazing debut novel The Help) will discuss Water for Elephants in front of a live audience, which will be simultaneously streamed live on our Algonquin Book Club website. When you tune in to the live webcast you can chat with other viewers and even ask questions of Sara Gruen. How cool is that? Mark the date: Monday, April 26, 7:00 p.m. EST.
To tie you over until then, we have a special Water for Elephants meal planned for you, taken right from the book. It's the same meal Jacob had when Marlena and August invited him to join them for dinner in the railway car. We've taken a few liberties with the dishes, but in our humble opinion, we've improved upon them. Sara Gruen herself offers a divine spin on Oyster Bisque with a recipe for Oyster Brie Soup, courtesy of the Grove Park Inn. You can view the full recipe, plus recipes for the other dishes, here.
And speaking of two weeks–the Water for Elephants film opens up in less than two weeks (!), on Friday, April 22. You can view eight high-definition clips from the movie over at the Water for Elephants Movie Fan Site. Our favorite of the eight is below. So what do you think: Are you excited to see the film?
This week we're giving away an autographed copy of Water for Elephants and several Algonquin tote bags. To enter, tell us in the comments below or on our Facebook page: What Water for Elephants-themed dish would you bring to a book club party? We're looking for creativity here, folks, so put your thinking caps on!
24 Comments On This Post:
10:37 am
Virginia says...
In honor of the tents, I'd make papillote de poisson, wherein the fish and aromatics would be contained in parchment paper and steamed to perfection. I'd use brightly colored veggies to emulate the colors of the circus.
Dessert would be a bombe. I found a recipe for one that combines chocolate and peanut butter. To make it extra fancy, I'd create a cage out of caramel, formed around a bowl that's larger than the bombe. I might do individual bombes w/smaller cages.
10:41 am
Lisa Emig says...
Beautiful clip. I'm a voracious reader, and must admit to having never been excited to see a novel adapted to the big screen. However curiosity got the better of me, and I've followed the movie's production on Twitter and the Water For Elephants website. What I've seen so far has been truly breath taking. Beautiful cast, wonderful director and a terrific story – I'm really looking forward to April 22nd!
11:33 am
Shari Stauch says...
We'd make vegetarian (in honor of the elephants) tortilla tents (in honor of the circus!). A tortilla or pita base, sprinkled with your favorite shredded cheese (sawdust), topped with selections of "three rings", i.e. onion, tomato, green, red or yellow pepper rings. Another tortilla (the big top) can be propped over the base with a variety of fresh veggie sticks, i.e. carrots, celery. When it's time to eat, just fold up your "tents" and go… Peanuts optional!
12:06 pm
Jana Harver says...
Not sure what circus cuisine really is, but would include popcorn (or carmel corn) and do the tortilla thing held up by carrot sticks. Love the book and can't wait to go to movie with my book club sisters!
12:35 pm
Ewa Laurance says...
Salmon papillote on a bed of spinach, covered with herbs and veggies…Easiest, tastiest tent I know of!
And yes…can't wait to see the movie. Loved, loved the book!
1:21 pm
amy lahr says...
I would go simple. Cotton Candy and homemade Lemonade.
2:26 pm
Carin says...
I would take the lobster salad and the plum pudding. Both of those sound amazing. I got addicted to lobster in Nova Scotia a few years ago. It's been several years since I read the book, but it was amazing and I recommended it to several people. I am also planning on seeing Miss Gruen this summer when she comes to do an author event. I am looking forward to the movie and a possible reread of the book!
5:01 pm
Hira H. says...
I borrowed "Water for Elephants" from the library during medical school – I had merely borrowed it for light reading,but I remember being completely engrossed in it, and greatly touched by the novel.
Now,I cannot wait for Director Francis Lawrence to bring Sara Gruen's vision to life on the silver screen. I think Reese Witherspoon looks absolutely adorable, and Robert Pattinson makes an handsome Jacob Jankowski. I cannot believe that no one is talking about Christoff Waltz playing August – because he is absolutely PERFECT for that role. The real star, however, should be Tai, as Rosie! I know I am no critic, but I am so very excited, and getting carried away.
Our book club is reading "Water for Elephants" for the April 26th Live webchat event with Sara Gruen, so we were planning on holding a meeting on that day – and we were thinking of making
1)"Boiled Seasoned Peanuts", and sweet-cinnamon dusted "Elephant Ears". The BEST bit: I'm making "Elephant Turds" which are basically baked potatoes stuffed with cheese and beef and covered in barbeque sauce! Yes, they sound GROSS, but they taste DELICIOUS! ALL in honor of darling ROSIE!
2) Having popcorn and caramel apples, in honor of the Circus.
3)"Clown Cones" with brownie bits (You take an icecream cone with one large scoop of icecream,and turn it upside down – The sugar cones will look like hats and the ice cream ball will look like the face. With brownie bits to decorate for eyes & mouth) to honor the Clowns.
4)I'm also making deep-fried pickle spears, as a tribute to Southern and "fair/circus foods".
5) And of course, hot dogs & corn-on-the-cob for fun & simple circus foods.
Thank you for this amazing opportunity, and for the webchat event that we cannot WAIT for!!!
5:16 pm
Allison says...
Elephant ears and corn dogs, of course! As for the movie, my daughter, a good friend of mine, and I are psyched to go see it. We all three devoured the book and can only hope that the movie lives up to it.
6:51 pm
Gina says...
I read this book with a bookclub I'm in within my community and loved the book. I enjoyed how the author was able to switch from the main charagter being an elderly man in the nursing home and then to him working with the traveling circus. I am looking forward to viewing the movie!
9:27 am
Colleen Tracey says...
Cracker Jack shrimp
11:47 am
Torri Jackson says...
I loved this book. There were so many times when I actually laughed out loud but I can just image Jacob's face when he walked in on Walter with his pants down. I cried laughing so hard.
But what touched me more than anything was the care that Jacob and Walter (who tries to be so hard, and really is a softy) took of Camel. Hiding him away behind boxes during the day and giving him the cot. They both risked so much for him.
I loved the fact that Jacob never understood why performers and workers should not mix together. We are all people. Great underlying message.
1:45 pm
Debby says...
The changes sound delicious. I like the idea of the 1930's Apple Cake, but wouldn't it be better with extra apples? I make an apple cake, and I modified it to use applesauce and apples of any kind.
2:14 pm
Martha says...
Chicken on a stick, popcorn balls, cotton candy cupcakes, and big, soft hot pretzels…strawberry lemonade to drink!
2:53 pm
Jessica M. says...
I seriously can't wait for this movie to come out. 🙂 I'd bring all the sort of stereotypical circus and carnival themed foods — cotton candy, circus peanuts, corn dogs, popcorn, etc. Not very creative, I know, but I was thinking it would be fun to come up with a creative way to present it — maybe make a big top circus tent out of the food, gingerbread-house style.
4:50 pm
Susan says...
Our book club did a circus theme under the big top. We actually were able to get a big top tent for a couple hours. We had peanuts(Rosy's favorites). Cotton candy, hot dogs, and popcorn. We had such a good book club that day. I always like to have a theme with the book. Looking forward to the book discussion at Aloquin boooks. Looking forward to the movie with Reese Witherspoon.
4:58 pm
Susan M. says...
Roasted peanuts in the shells, which would be scattered on the floor as they were being consumed. Then we'd draw straws to see who would get to sweep up afterwards, thus continuing the elephant theme even further!
5:15 pm
Deana says...
Why, fried elephant ears of course! Made with dough of course, no real elephants would be harmed in making of these delicious treats.
5:22 pm
Corey K says...
Peanut curry with ginkgo biloba tea (because elephants never forget!) or maybe some watermelon martinis…
8:38 am
Mika says...
I would bring a strawberry pineapple punch, reindeer food, chicken and steak kabobs, and chocolate truffles!
12:20 pm
Nikki Hodgkins says...
I would have to make carnival themed foods! I'd start out with a cake made to look like the face of an elephant and make the ears out of fried dough. Then I'd use the mini ice cream cones for buckets and fill them with blue cotton candy to make it look like water!
9:41 pm
Mizjen says...
Absolutely loved this book can't wait til friday!
12:45 am
Shari Stauch says...
Who won?
9:33 pm
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John Tortorella:
On Biron:
"He kind of gets thrown in. He was at the (morning) skate this morning and I don't think he had the day to prepare for a game. We found out about Hank this evening. And I thought he made some huge saves. So that's what I liked about him. He made big saves at key times for us.
"We may not get it to overtime at a point in time without some of the saves he made. So not just for tonight, but for what we're trying to do with our goalies, he comes back … he had one good game in Toronto, he struggled a little bit in the second one, now he comes back with two good ones. So that's good new for us, not only for tonight but in the future."
On the game-winning play:
"It's a battle by Fed(otenko) initially in the corner. Then another one in the slot area, and Artie, who has done so many good things for us, scores a huge goal, the second one of the night. That's what Feds has been doing for us, just those little battles. It's a grind for us to try to win a hockey game and that's a big win for us."
On Gaborik:
"It's the talent level that he brings. You saw his first couple of shifts, on his first power-play he has a couple of great chances, and that's just his first game back. He's dynamic and I think he's going to make other people better, too."
On the Anisimov line:
"I think they've been good. They played against Backstrom's line the other night, every shift, and they played well. They just haven't converted. I think Cally's fighting that a little bit around the net. But they have played well. You have to be really careful about stats in terms of determing how they've played. They've played well."
"Our second period stunk. What we did to them in the first period, they did to us (in the second). That's why we have to … and then to allow that to happen, and us to score a big goal on them within (the last) minute, and then to have them come down (and score in the final seconds) … we lost battles. They scored two goals where I think we're (usually) strong, on the posts, not allowing plays coming out of the posts. But our whole second period, we were brutal."
"Our bench was good (after the late Buffalo goal in the second). I thought we made a couple of mistakes and gave them some good chances, and Marty stood in there. Our bench was fine. We played one good period, played a lousy period, and all we talked about between periods was trying to win A period, and that was the third. We found a way. We certainly have things to work on as far as consistency."
"I'll tell you, when you don't score on your 5-on-3, I'd like to know what the percentage is winning a hockey game. We don't score on our 5-on-3, we don't score on our power play, but the key was killing the penalties. We did not allow one in, and that's a big reason, especially in the third period, why we won the hockey game."
"We had some chances on the power play. The first one we had some really good chances. I thought we entered OK. I think the biggest thing on our power play is to get the puck the second and third time as far as the battles. I thought our second group struggled with that in keeping possession of the puck. We didn't score. I don't think our 5 on 3 was great. But some of the other ones, I thought were pretty good."
On whether he'd wanted to see Fedotenko's disallowed goal reviewed:
"It's a goal. I'm not complaining, but it's a goal. It's three of them the past week. That's two of them for Feds."
On the brand of hockey they play:
"I don't think we got it consistently tonight. I thought we did some good forechecking in the first period. I thought we were physical when we had to be. I don't think we leaned on people in the middle part of that game. That's what we're trying to have here, a team that's going to lean on people, finish their checks, back one another up, which they've done from the get-go this year, and just work your forecheck.
"We started playing a little East-West in the second period and it didn't allow us to play straight-ahead. We need to be a straight-ahead hockey team to allow us to play the way we need to."


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Guns Play Oversize Role in Rural Suicides
August 17, 2017,
Cryoglobulinemia is the presence of abnormal proteins in the blood. These proteins thicken in cold temperatures.
Cryoglobulins are antibodies. It is not yet known why they become solid or gel-like at low temperatures. When this occurs, these antibodies can block blood vessels. This may lead to problems ranging from skin rashes to kidney failure.
Cryoglobulinemia is part of a group of diseases that cause damage and inflammation of the blood vessels throughout the body (vasculitis). There are three main types of the disorder. They are grouped based on the type of antibody that is produced:
Types II and III are also referred to as mixed cryoglobulinemia .
Type I cryoglobulinemia is most often related to cancer of the blood or immune systems.
Types II and III are most often found in people who have a chronic (long-lasting) inflammatory condition, such as an autoimmune disease or hepatitis C. Most people with mixed cryoglobulinemia have a chronic hepatitis C infection.
Other conditions that may be related to cryoglobulinemia include:
Symptoms will vary depending on the type of disorder you have and the organs that are involved. Symptoms may include:
Mild or moderate forms of cryoglobulinemia can often be treated by taking steps to deal with the underlying cause.
Severe cryoglobulinemia involves vital organs or large areas of skin. It is treated with corticosteroids and other medicines that calm the immune system.
Treatment may also involve plasmapheresis. In this procedure, blood plasma is taken out of blood circulation. It is replaced by fluid, protein, or donated plasma.
There is no known prevention.
Rajkumar VS. Plasma Cell Disorders. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Cecil Medicine . 24th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2011:chap 193.
Stone JH. Immune Complex-Mediated Small Vessel Vasculitis. In: Firestein GS, Budd RC, Gabriel SE, et al, eds. Kelley's Textbook of Rheumatology . 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2012:chap 91.


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A kiss for Caroline
When Max sees Sophie depressed after being swindled by the contractor in charge of building her dream house, she offers to make her a silent partner in the cupcake business, however, Caroline and Sophie have very different visions for the company. Photo: Darren Michaels/Warner Bros. © 2012 Warner Bros. Television. All Rights Reserved.


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AROUND 1,500 jobs are being axed and 85 per cent of Worcestershire County Council's services handed to new providers - as the biggest change in its entire history was given the nod.
Politicians yesterday voted to accept the most radical overhaul the council has ever seen, signalling the start of a huge four-year plan to cut £100 million and radically shrink the workforce.
It means: - The private sector will be invited to take over swathes of service areas, as well as other interested bodies like charities and voluntary groups
- By 2018 the council is aiming to have just 2,000 in-house staff of its own, with 85 per cent of services provided externally
- The massive cull of the workforce includes the £78,500 assistant chief executive role, which is being scrapped, as well as finance director Patrick Birch's job, which pays £128,000
- Scores of middle-ranking managerial jobs are also in line to go, but a new 'commercial and change' director will be appointed to get working on the transformation
The council hopes many of the staff implicated can be found jobs with the new employers, transferring their terms and conditions over, although it will be done on a case-by-case basis.
The controversial change, which is partly being driven by shrinking Government funding, was voted through at a tense full council meeting yesterday despite bitter opposition from Labour, the Liberal Democrats and Green Party.
The new operating model will see only a few key areas remain in-house including social care and adults and children, support for businesses, and various environmental functions.
But almost everything else will up for grabs to the best bidders, with the council acting as a 'contract manager' to get the best deal.
Councillor Adrian Hardman, the leader, said: "It's quite clear to us that the prolonged austerity is really starting to drive significant change in local government and Worcestershire is not immune to this.
"We've developed a new operating model for a new era - it's a council which will move forward with the times."
He said the changes signal the end of supplying services "in a directly controlled way", adding that given the finances it was "a sensible and rational thing to do".
Councillor John Campion, who sits in the Conservative cabinet, said it was a way of "making services carry on in our communities that would otherwise cease to exist".
But during the debate Councillor Peter McDonald, Labour group leader, said: "The services we deliver, in the main, are ones the private sector doesn't because they can't afford to in their drive for profits.
"We would never accept this in a month of Sundays."
Labour, the Lib Dems and Greens all voted against it, but after Conservative backing it was accepted by 35 votes to 16.
WARNINGS are being made about the speed at which Worcestershire County Council is to shrink - amid fears the change is "too fast, too soon".
The Liberal Democrat group joined all the opposition parties in voting against the new operating model yesterday, saying they were in "depression" over it.
It came just after Councillor Adrian Hardman, the leader, compared the county's possible plight to "Liverpool in the 80s", saying he wanted to avoid a situation where he did nothing and had to make people redundant.
The council hopes in-house workers can transfer their roles to any new providers, saving at least some of the impact on the economy.
Among those safe from the job cuts is the current assistant chief executive Clare Marchant, as despite her existing role being axed, she is taking over the top position from Trish Haines in two weeks.
Councillor Liz Tucker, Lib Dem group leader, said: "I think we are going too fast, too soon.
"Yes, we do need to change but we don't need this dogma that everything needs to be externalised."
Councillor Sue Askin, a fellow Lib Dem, said she has looked at the new structure "with a degree of depression", saying it was "too much, too soon" to be voted through.
But the Cllr Hardman said he had thought about it for a long time, saying any more delays in what they call 'commisioning' would be risky.
"There is a difference of opinion, which is not surprising as that's what politics is all about," he said.
"My view is that we are going about it at the right pace, we've spent a lot of time thinking about this issue, I believe it's a measured approach."
Around 750 staff were consulted over it and he said they were optimistic about it.
He said Liverpool Council made so many staff redundant in the 1980s they "sent redundancy notices out in taxis", something he would not preside over in Worcestershire.
A ll manner of solutions will be looked at for making savings, including the prospect of some "joint venture" organisations created with other bodies.
A report on the new model says the private sector will also have a role, as will the possible creation of new arms-length bodies to take services over.


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Just wondering how FFXI users feel about this because it came up in a discussion between my friend and I.
Would you guys want in-game voice/mic support for FFXIV?
Personally, I do not. Something about communicating with other players with a mic seems to ruin the role-playing aspect of the game for me...
When I'm role-playing some Dark Knight Tarutaru(-esque) character, I don't want to sound like the 16-year-old white kid that I am!
It would also be really awkward to say a lot of things Square Enix comes up with aloud.
I know these aren't the reasons why the rest of you might be opposed to it. (awkward for people without mic, annoyed by other players talking, etc.)
BUT, voice/mic support is becoming pretty standard for online games, so I have a feeling it may be included in FFXIV; especially if there's a 360 release.
I know that when I played Phantasy Star Universe on the 360 everyone used a mic only to communicate and it was one of the most awkward things ever. Made me basically want to solo.


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Cosmedicine Medi-Matte Oil Control Lotion SPF 20 Reviews
Like using rubber cementI received a deluxe sample size from Sephora. Living in southern Georgia, it's hard to find a product that will control shine all day. Well, this one does it, but I have never struggled so hard to apply a product! I thought maybe the product was bad until I read other reviews before I first used it. It is unbelievably thick and dries really quickly so you have to be fast when putting it on. I...read moret does control shine all day though. My makeup stayed in place and I was shine free. The price is a bit much, but this may be just a summer purchase when my skin gets oilier. Once you get past the feel of it, it really is a good oil fighter. — 8 years agoradar626 | 326 reviews
IckThis lotion has a yucky consistency that reminds me of honey, and doesn't absorb well, and didn't leave my skin feeling hydrated but more like there was something sitting on my skin. I don't have an oil situation typically, but I think I have more of a sheen than usual with this lotion. I would say it's good that it has SPF 20, but that's all the good I could say for this product - doesn't deliver on the promise, and the price is ridiculous. — 9 years agobeautyguru_24_7 | 284 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 0 of 1 people said helpful
Love multi-taskers!I'm bummed to see this get such bad reviews, personally i love the stuff. I'm a huge fan of multi-tasking products, this is my moisturizer, sunscreen, primer and mattifying lotion all in one! It is really thick which was a put-off at first but you learn how to manipulate it real quick, just work on small sections instead of trying to rub a huge glob over your whole face. It instantly mattifies and...read more doesn't take long to dry. Mineral make-up and powder look fab over this stuff. Not sure about liquid foundation cause i don't use it. I lasts a long time too, i only have to blot once after work (7 hours later), maybe twice if i'm going out for the night, though i prefer to shower and put on a fresh layer. In any case i would recommend tring it. I'm not a fan of the retail price but i get bottles in bulk on e-bay :) oh and one bottle lasts me over 3 months, not bad for the price especially considering it's 4 products in one! — 8 years, 5 months agoluxylexi | 234 reviews
I've moved on.When this first arrived on the skincare scene a few years ago, I was all for it. Anything that can help balance out my oil in my t-zone is a welcome addition to my routine. But honestly-- this stuff reminds me of Elmer's Glue when it comes out of the tube and I had flashbacks of elementary school and of cutting hearts out of construction paper to make a boy I liked a collage. *laughs* It's eff...read moreective for a short while, but the sebum starts up again within an hour or 2 for me and it's pointless. It can be difficult to wear foundation over this if you don't let it dry for several minutes beforehand is what I've found. When I wore liquid foundation with it-- it made a weird texture on my face so I stuck with wearing minerals when I wore this. It does get points for having an SPF 20 versus most products which are 15. But I've moved on the other things. This isn't the answer for me personally. — 8 years, 9 months agoBeautyJunkieAmber | 231 reviews
Shine BegoneA great morning moisturizer that eliminates shine throughout the day. — 4 years, 6 months agotaylorsgems | 70 reviews
8-hours shine freeThis product hydrates, reduces shine, increases mattification, reduces pore size, and protects (SPF 20) -what more can you ask for?! It's a great lotion for oily-skin types. The consistency is like glue, because mattifying products should perform like glue. Anyone that has tried multiple mattifying products knows that the glue-like consistency is a good sign. Just dispense a pea sized amount on ...read moreyour fingertip, dot around your face (focusing on your t-zone) and then blend gently. You'll be shine-free for 8 hours. Love it :) — 5 years, 3 months agomondaysdelay | 1 reviews
I love this oil control lotion!I was looking for a new cleanser for my oily skin at Ulta. A saleslady recommended this line and I bought the 30 day kit to see if I liked it. She even told me that I could return it if I did not like it. What was to lose? I loved the set so much that I continue to use it! I first tried this oil control lotion with SPF on a blistering hot humid day here in Louisiana in the middle of June last year...read more. I was working outside in the heat and humidity and also inside an un-airconditioned home rescuing animals. I was outside all day and it was also being filmed for TV. This oil control lotion really worked! My face did not get super oily at all! I did have to touch up with my Napoleon Perdis Camera Finish a couple of times but that was it! I was sold and am now a loyal Cosmedicine customer! — 5 years, 4 months agobrumzoo | 25 reviews
Worth the $$$This is the first mattifying product I've used that actually worked. It's a really thick formula, so a little bit goes a long way and one tube can last forever. I just couldn't believe how matte and flawless my skin looks every time I put it on, after having such shine and big pores my whole life. It's also great that it has spf 20 — 7 years, 1 month agoMiraBlackSnape | 37 reviews
Cosmedicine ConvertI LOVE LOVE LOVE everything in this line. The Medi Matte lotion is fantastic. Yes, it is thick and a bit like "glue" as one reviewer states. However, it is NOT sticky or tacky like glue. It is tinted and meant to give you coverage and moisture all in one. It has not ever made me break out and my face is so sensitive and fickle. The whole Cosmedicine product line rocks! The Speedy Recover...read morey scrub/face wash is a lifesaver! It keeps my occasional adult acne at bay. Note: I use Neutrogena Sunblock in 70+ first, let it soak in and "dry", and then use the Medi-Matte and let it set, and then apply makeup. It works very well. It also is a killer under eye concealer for my thin skin/bags. LOVE Cosmedicine!!! Very thrilled to have found their products, especially since I have tried every product known to man. — 7 years, 4 months agowhomoi | 3 reviews
Felt thick on my skinPerhaps the idea is that the heavy layer absorbs oil but I felt like I was adding a noticable layer to my face daily without much result. Not a fan. — 7 years, 9 months agoateliervo | 5 reviews
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Hello, I am a new python programmer, I am trying to learn as I will be using it at work.
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You are here: Home → Forum Home → Bumblebee forums → Bumblebee discussion → Thread
15 June 2012 09:34 PM #16
Hi Vanessa,
Good photos and definitely B. hypnorum (the Tree Bumblebee).
B. hypnorum fascinates me. I'm a beekeeper who has become fascinated by bumblebees, which are to me even more fascinating than honey bees - and you don't have the bother of dealing with a honey crop either ! So I have some significant bee handling skills.
I've had one or two colonies of hypnorum in bird boxes in my garden for the last three or four years. Two have set up home there themselves, the rest have been re-located here. I put them on the apex of the back wall of my garage, so they can be watched easily, but don't usually get in our way.
I recently re-located a colony to my garden to allow a person with a tiny garden to use that garden again - rather like your situation.
As a result I've been able to get some more video footage showing what Drone cloud 'nest surveillance' looks like. This colony is very strong - but others can be quite short-lived. The drone activity can be incredibly busy and persistent, but it is significantly reduced by colder weather conditions, or rain.
(Ben Darvill of BBCT plans to work up some of this footage to generate some video evidence of B. hypnorum drone clouds for the website. We had some footage of a colony of mine from about three years ago on the Mark1 website, but it needs updating for the new Mk2 version.)
The annual cycle of bumblebees is that colonies are active for two to say eight months, depending on species. If a colony reaches full strength, it will produce 'reproductives'. These queens will then mate and go off somewhere to hibernate over winter.
Although a colony may restart in a similar (close-by) area the following spring, this is most unlikely to be in an old nest.
In my experience most colonies of bumblebees will eventually go down from wax moth attack. The caterpillars start at the bottom of the nest, fill it up with protective and amazingly strong caterpillar silk, then live beneath this and eat their way upwards. The bees get demoralised and the colony eventually succumbs. One sign of wax moth attack is finding the odd bee crawling about which is missing bits.
My experience is that you get about 100 caterpillars. Eventually they make a strong spongey mass of silk about 10 x 5 x 5 cm, or more, then prepare to pupate in it. They change to pupae the following spring and emerge as moths around May/June ish. The moths look like clothes moths, females bigger than males. You can kill them before they hatch out as moths by putting the silk structure in a domestic freezer for a few days.
It sounds as though you are making the transition from terror to wonder in your mindset, so do enjoy the glimpses of natural history that are unfolding for you to see.
Come back if I can advise more !
16 June 2012 10:49 AM #17
Hi Vanessa,
It's B Hypnorum, (tree bumblebee) that has only been seen in this country since 2000. It has come over from Europe and seems to be doing very well over here. This bee can be double brooded and the new queens can be seen searching for nest in March and again in June with the new females seen at the end of May & September.
I won't go over the good advice Clive has already given earlier in this thread; but just to answer your Q on do they die out or hibernate, the answer is that the nest will naturally die out by autum, if it doesn't get invaded by wax moth and die out sooner.
It is only the newly mated queens that survive and hopefully, if all goes well, next spring they emerge from their winter hibernation and form a new nest and the whole amazing process starts again !
On the BBCT website its self, there is a good explaination on the BB lifecycle…... click on the 'about bees' tab at the top of the page, then on the left hand side click 'Lifecycle'....
Somewhere on this forum clive mentioned about wax moths and the process that takes place if the nest becomes invaded !
17 June 2012 09:47 PM #18
We have a nest in the eaves of our house, unsure of what BB they are but we found this one outside on the ground close to the house, I think its a hypnorum can you confirm
How long will the nest live, we plan to have the Soffits and facias renewed but we are happy to wait until the nest has completed its lifecycle, especially with the decline of the BB's
I have attatched a Photo for ID purposes
Thanks Mary
17 June 2012 11:40 PM #19
Hi Bonebox99,
Yes it is a B. hypnorum.
House eaves, soffit boxes and under roof tiles are all well used by this species - but Bird Boxes are probably even commoner !
If you take a look at some of the earlier posts in this thread, you should find some useful information there.
In the past the colonies I've had in Bird Boxes have run out of steam in July. This is in Bucks.
Come back again if you need any further comments !
18 June 2012 04:36 PM #20
Hi, I have come across this site whilst investigating the bees that are nesting in our loft, accessing under the eaves by my bedroom window and have read this thread with interest as the behaviour described sounds very like what we are seeing, we have small bees going back and forth and have noticed larger bees buzzing around the entrance. I was becoming fairly convinced this was our bee, until my husband tried to get a picture and their heads seem a lot darker than the ones pictured here (pictures are very blurred having been taken of bees in flight whilst leaning out of the bedroom window, he will try again later as he is supposed to be working!) I will try and add a pic later in the hope that some wise person can ID for us.
18 June 2012 11:46 PM #21
Is there anybody out there with access to a B. hypnorum colony which has the usual ongoing Drone bee Nest Surveillance ?
Are they seeing Mating Pairs of the bees ?
I've seen this twice now for a very short time period: but they have flown off !
What happens and where do they go ? and how far from the nest ?
I've found B. lapidarius (red tailed BB) mating pairs before and they have stayed coupled for ages.
Any comments ?
20 June 2012 12:20 PM #22
Hello all and thanks for all this useful information. I've also got some bees nesting under the eaves just above my front door - for about a week now - near Milton Keynes. They are furrier than honey bees, and I've seen the odd big one. The behaviour sounds similar to your description - a few busily guarding the entrance and not many actually going in or out. Hard to get a photo, but I will try when I get a moment. I looked in the loft (it's a bungalow) and there is no sign, but then I spotted a strange pale lantern-shaped thing hanging from a rafter some distance away - it may have been there for years - not very obvious - only 10 or 15 cm high. Wonder if that is the wax moth nest you mentioned, and whether I should try to get at it and put it in the freezer. I'm not very agile, and wouldn't like to pull it off if it is actually the bee nest (sorry to be so ignorant, I don't know what the nest looks like).
I previously had a wasps nest under those eaves, and it just died out after a couple of years. They used to strip lots of wood off my garden chairs, but not so much that I minded.
This is just above our heads as we go in and out - that's me and my brown woolly dog , who might look like a bear to a bee. Do you think they might regard her as a threat? I'm reassured to read that the guarding ones don't sting, as they look rather annoyed with me as I stand and watch them.
21 June 2012 05:53 AM #23
Got a better look at them today. They have a white tail, black tum and ginger thorax, so most likely hypnorum. They are currently all over the snowberry blossom (Symphoricarpos Albas).
22 June 2012 05:25 PM #24
Hi karenandmerry,
You have raised several points, so let's take them in turn.
The bees going in an out above your door will almost certainly be a colony of the Tree Bumblebee, B. hypnorum. They nest frequently in Bird Boxes, but commonly also in House Eaves and Soffit Boxes - the things behind gutters. The fur colour you describe fits well and is an excellent identifier, but quite frequently I see much darker bees of this species and sometimes ones that can look mainly black, but with a white tail.
The nest won't necessarily be close to where they are going in/out, because bumblebees sometimes walk a few feet to the nest. It might be in an old bird nest, or maybe in a bit of loft-insulation, or Cavity Wall insulation. They tend to be about 1 - 2 litres in volume, often much less and contain cocoons etc which look like an accumulation of tiny birds eggs. (See if the BBCT Photo Gallery has some pictures, or check for videos on YouTube - there was an excellent one there last year. Try searching for "Bumblebee Nest", or "Bombus hypnorum nest".
It sounds like the colony is strong enough to produce new (virgin) queens - which you are seeing as large bees - and they will be the start of a new generation colony, either later this summer, or next spring after hibernation over winter. Not all colonies get this strong, so produce only workers. If this species is like other bumblebee species, some colonies produce only male "reproductives", some virgin queens only, others both.
Most of the bees you are seeing flying in the air above the door will be visiting drone (male) bees which are hoping to mate with a virgin queen. These chaps sometimes collide and fall out of the air/ fall a short distance and you can sometimes hear a bit of a bang ! Sometimes I see them on a surface beneath my nest with one wing looking a bit dislocated, and they might be a bit "bruised" or winded too, but mostly they quickly pick themselves up and re-join the throng. You should also see bees coming into the 'cloud' and others moving on to another site.
And also you are seeing a low level of smaller sized bee-traffic going out from and back into the nest "entrance" (flight -point). These are the workers and they seem to ignore the crowd of drones in the air outside. Workers can sting, which they can do if they sense their colony is threatened. The sting is un-barbed, so the 'bee-threatener' gets a low dose of venom - just a quick jab - but humans find it painful and there may be some later redness and swelling.
In humans, anti-histamine tablets will help reduce the symptoms. Zirtek type anti-histamine tablets have 24 hour effect, whereas some of the older types (eg Piriton) have a shorter action. Perhaps the majority of people probably won't need to take any medication for a bumblebee sting.
In the loft the "strange pale lantern-shaped thing hanging from a rafter" will be an old wasp nest. Lots of these get made in lofts, and die out before they get to full size, or are made by a wasp species that make just small nests.
Wax moth (Aphomia sociella) silk structures are like major accumulations of cobwebs inside the remains of a bumblebee nest, but eventually the caterpillars seem to move a short distance for the nest and build themselves a block of silk composed of dense tunnels lying close together. It has the resilience of a piece of furniture foam and is incredibly strong and will be perhaps 10 x 5 x 3 (or more) cm in dimensions. When still occupied it will contain a large number of caterpillars which are 2 -3 cm long and have brown heads with very powerful jaws. There might be ~100 of them. They can chew wood to make themselves a shallow scooped depression which fits the silk tunnel. The caterpillars rest in the tunnels until the following year, then pupate. The moths look like big clothes moths and are speckled greyish colour (the females) and can move very fast. The males are much smaller and also greyish.
Your dog should be quite safe, being a long way from the nest entrance. You, since you will be taller, might possibly be chased if you hang around too close while you are admiring the spectacle: but I regularly watch my colony in a bird-box from about 2- 3 metres away and have had little bother.
Since the flight point is above a doorway, if the bee activity gets to be annoying, you could consider diverting the bee activity zone to a less inconvenient place. You can do things like this by (at night) fixing a piece of kitchen waste-pipe up where the bees are coming in and out, and using something like Duct Tape, or a pipe elbow etc ,to make the bees walk down the inside of the waste-pipe to the far end. There would be a period of flight chaos until the bees have left enough scent-trace (from their sweaty feet) down the pipe and around the end of the pipe where they fly. Bumblebees are fairly "plastic" in their location memory of where home is; and can fairly easily accept diversions like this. You will need to work quickly, or you might upset any Guard Bees. Doing it at night and working with red light (cycle rear light) will allow you to see what you are doing, but as the bees can't see red, they will still think it is dark, so be much less mobile / ready to fly.
Yes, I've seen this species on Snowberry flowers in the past, but haven't looked yet this year. They have however been busy recently working the bright blue flowers of Green Alkanet in my garden!
I hope the above helps you and gives you some perspective about these bees - there is not much available about them in most bumblebee books, because they are pretty new to the UK.
Enjoy and, like me, be amazed and intrigued at the spectacle !
Yours Clive
22 June 2012 05:28 PM #25
Hi saagmum,
Hopefully the long and detailed answer I gave above to karenandmerry will be helpful to you as well.
Don't worry about blurred photos, you are looking for the fur colour combination, it doesn't have to be all that clear to be useful !
23 June 2012 01:43 PM #26
Hi Clive and thank you for all this fantastic information. I kept the old wooden fascia board rather than getting plastic board with soffits, when it needed painting recently, and I think this makes it a welcoming place for bees and birds. There was a robins nest a metre or two along a few years ago, before the magpie got him, so maybe that is what the bees are using.
In case of stings, I remember the rule that you put acid - lemon or vinegar - on a wasp sting, and alkaline (bicarbonate of soda) on bee stings. Presumably these tree bumblebee stings are like other bee stings in this regard?
The bumblebees are round the back too now, enjoying the roses which have all burst into bloom this week, after holding back with the cold weather. Actually I just went to take a photo, and they are ignoring the roses, and even the highly scented philadelphus, but are all over the blue geranium. There are a couple of honey-bees too, and the odd other bumblebee with a black body and ginger tail. Interestingly, the white-tailed ones feeding in the garden seem to vary in size - as if some drones are out feeding too. Could that be the case, or can the workers vary in size?
I will be careful not to intrude too closely in the bees territory. Your helpful advice on this was much appreciated.
23 June 2012 03:07 PM #27
24 June 2012 02:42 PM #28
26 June 2012 01:15 PM #29
Hi karenand merry,
To go back to your earlier post, lemon juice and bicarbonate etc may be a folk medicine, so have good placebo effects, but the active materials in bee stings are proteins, so not grossly affected.
Go for an anti-histamine for a real sting-reducing effect !
26 June 2012 01:19 PM #30
Hi again karenandmerry,
Pollen is carried around by bees in their "corbiculum" - plural corbiculae.
This is the latin word for a basket.
It is a hair-fringed area on the back leg and they use a structure called a Pollen Press to pack the pollen into the basket.
Try Googling it - there is much detail to learn, or forget !