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Former academic, traveler, Third Culture Kid.
Writing about academia, travel, culture, and everything in between.
13 July 2011
The Tokyo Transit Shuffle Interlude: Naritasan Shinshoji Temple
In order to get there, I had to take the shuttle bus that leaves the hotel and takes passengers to the city center. The good thing was that the hotel had free shuttles that take people to the two most important destinations that are relevant to its guests: the Narita International Airport; and the JR and Keisei Narita Station, which happens to be in the middle of the town. I used the first shuttle to get to the hotel, and I used the second shuttle to visit the temple.
I heard that the temple opens and closes early, so I figured that I could even visit it in the morning the day after, which is what I did. I woke up early, around 5:45 AM, took a shower, and then got dressed to catch the 6:20 AM shuttle to Narita City. The ride took 20 minutes, and then it was a 10-minute walk from there. After the 10-minute walk, this is what I saw.
That's the gate that greets visitors. This is the Somon Gate, with two lions guarding it side by side.
As one proceeds inside, one can see some offices to the left, as seen in the picture above. These are offices that sell amulets, and if I have read the signs correctly, they can also receive your wishes and prayers so that they can convey it to the Gods.
The grounds are full of rocks that are lavishly presented. As one moves toward the interior, a series of rock pillars guard the path that leads to another gate.
This is the second gate, which is considerably older than the first one, given the quality of the wood that is used. There's a bright giant red lantern that hangs in the middle.
The first thing that can you see is the three-story pagoda. I especially loved the colors of this structure, and the contrast it forms against the Grand Hall, which is found in the background.
The Grand Hall is less colorful, but is definitely still impressive. I loved the woodwork here, and the golden doors that can be seen in the next picture. I was able to enter this Grand Hall, and the inside was quite extravagant. However, I was not allowed to take pictures of the golden explosion of a room that is located inside. Add to that, every person entering the Grand Hall had to take off their shoes and put it in a bag. It reminded me of old times spent in Japan, where the value of clean hole-less socks was reinforced upon me time and time again.
One of the newer structures in the temple complex is this Prince Shotoku Hall. It's an interestingly-shaped building, and contains stuff that I think was related to the named prince. If I remember correctly, this structure was finished just within the last 10 years.
The temple complex is quite huge, and so far, that's just half of the whole set-up. Thus, I went behind the Grand Hall, and saw a sign leading to the Great Pagoda. The sign said that it would take a 1-minute walk from where I was. Along the pretty path, I saw a statue of Kukai, a Japanese monk who founded Shingon Buddhism.
The path was rather long, and along the way, there were several other smaller structures both old and new, but they were too plenty to show in this entry. I guess it'll just have to wait when I finally show them as a photo attachment to my other posts.
The Great Pagoda is huge, too big to actually fit inside my frame without me standing from a very very far place. It is also painted bright red, and was a feast of color in the eyes. And perhaps not surprising given this is Japan, but it was also wheelchair accessible; the ramp had several switchbacks given the height of the pagoda. As usual, pictures are not allowed inside, so you just have to take my word that the interior of this pagoda was quite marvelous.
After touring the whole place, I realized that I have been here for about an hour, and it was time to return. After all, I haven't had breakfast yet, opting to do this first thing in the morning. As a result, I had the whole place to myself, which was quite serene. Heck, everything in this temple complex is serene, even the stone staircase leading to the exit.
4 comments:
I don't think I ever visited a Japanese temple but they look very interesting. While the dominant colours (especially red) is similar to Chinese temple, the architecture is quite different.ReplyDelete
This was also my first time to visit a Japanese temple. I would assume that since this is a Buddhist temple, and Buddhism also exists in China, then I would think that there are similarities. But yes, China should be in my travel destination list sometime in the future.
I'm envious because I always wanted to travel to Japan. I hope we can do it two years from now or who knows it might be next year :)ReplyDelete
I'll keep my fingers crossed, I'm pretty sure you'd enjoy the place!


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| 6.8°C Belfast
A family has claimed that a diamond and sapphire Princess Diana-style ring went missing from their 85-year-old grandmother's finger while she was being treated at the Ulster Hospital.
The pensioner - a retired civil servant - was rushed to the hospital on the outskirts of east Belfast last week after suffering a stroke.
Her granddaughter said her grandmother cannot remember anything about the ring going missing apart from waking up to find the ring was gone from her finger.
Determined to pursue the matter, the family contacted the Belfast Telegraph yesterday to tell of their family's heartbreak and concern at what has seemed to have happened - and also to launch an appeal for help.
The ring comprised of real diamonds and a sapphire, exactly like Princess Diana's famous engagement ring.
The pensioner's granddaughter said within minutes of sharing what happened on Facebook, it had been shared more than 30 times, with people expressing their horror.
A spokeswoman from the Ulster Hospital was unable to respond to the Belfast Telegraph's inquiry by the time of going to press last night.
The granddaughter said her entire family has been left devastated by the incident and begged for the ring would be returned - even anonymously.
"It is not just any diamond ring, it was the real thing, and a copy of Princess Diana's engagement ring," she said. "My grandfather gave it to my grandmother for a special anniversary.
"It has never been off my grandmother's finger from the moment my grandfather put it on her finger.
"She does not have much jewellery and this ring means so much to her.
"Everybody is so distraught at the idea this could have happened to an ill, and such a vulnerable, lady."
She said her grandmother suffers from dementia but is aware the ring is missing and very upset that it is gone.
"We have made a complaint to the hospital but we wanted to make this public appeal so we can find this ring," she said.
"We are hoping that by making this appeal, we will be able to get the ring back.
"However it comes back, we just want it back on my grandmother's finger.
"She is still in a bad way, that is why we have gone public."
The determined granddaughter, who did not wish to be named, even said she will scour pawn shops in the hope of finding the ring.
"Even if this ring ends up in a pawn shop, I will buy it back for nanny," she added.
Belfast Telegraph

subset: commoncrawl


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Matthew E. King
Attorney at Law
Matthew also counsels business units on regulatory compliance, reporting requirements, cyber security and privacy concerns, insurance requirements, trademark matters, and various sensitive research projects.
Practice Areas
- Equipment Lease
- Loan Agreement
- Non-Disclosure Agreement (Commercial)
- Privacy Policy
- Release of Liability
- Sales Agreement
- Service Agreement
- Terms of Service
- Other Commercial Contract Matter
- Outside General Counsel
- Buying & Selling Commercial Real Estate
- Buying & Selling Residential Real Estate
- Commercial Lease
- Construction Contract
- Property Management Contract
- Purchase & Sale Agreement (Commercial)
- Real Estate Investment Compliance
- Real Estate LLC
- Residential Lease
- Tenant Dispute
- Other Real Estate Matter
Client Reviews
Work History
Aug 2016 - Present
I provide in-house counsel at a fast-paced real estate private equity firm. In addition to reviewing various contracts and agreements, I also assist with construction and development projects, fund administration, asset management, regulatory compliance, cyber security/privacy matters, etc.
Moritz Civil Law Clinic
Certified Legal Intern
Jan 2016 - May 2016
Practicing law as a third year law student via the Ohio Supreme Court Certified Legal Intern program, I assisted my client with collecting unpaid wages and overtime through the Fair Labor Standards Act. After a great deal of investigation and research, I successfully negotiated a favorable settlement for my client.
State Street Global Advisors
Compliance Associate
Jun 2015 - Aug 2015
I worked as a graduate intern during the summer between my second and third year of law school. I focused on fund board reporting, investment compliance, and marketing compliance.


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It is packed with omegas 3 and 6, and these polyunsaturated fats help in the formation of cell membranes keeping them supple and fluid to allow nutrients into each cell and waste out. Omega 3 supports the body's anti-inflammatory processes and so may help reduce the incidence of inflammatory skin conditions. Omega 6 helps the body maintain hydration and if we eat enough raw, unprocessed Omega 6 then we can effectively moisturise the skin and hair from the inside.
The Ultimate Beauty Smoothie
100ml Orange Juice
1 Banana
100g Strawberries
50g Blueberries
2 tsp Natural yoghurt
1 Thin slice of cantaloupe
2 tbsps Ultimate Oil Blend
Method: simply blend, serve and enjoy


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Lady Arpels™ Colibri Indigo
Lady Arpels™ Martin-Pêcheur Azur
Lady Arpels™ Cardinal Carmin
For these new Extraordinary Dials™ watches, Van Cleef & Arpels has instigated a partnership with Nelly Saunier, a feather artist. Thanks to the delicate techniques of miniature feather art, Enchanting Nature takes on three dimensions to endow the birds with shimmering natural plumage.
The miniature feather art requires perfect familiarity with the organic material. The Maître d'art searches the bird's coat for the feather that matches the desired effect: colors, overtones, density and texture. She studies each feather, selecting those sections where tones and variations of multiple colors shimmer according to the spectrum of light and the angle of vision. Once carefully chosen, they are smoothed and stuck down. They are then delicately trimmed and inserted to fit the design of the composition. The artist plays with thicknesses to produce relief effects and with light and shade to enhance the three-dimensional aspect.


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A recent LIMRA briefing confirmed many of my personal observations about life insurance sales. According to LIMRA's May 2012 Research Briefing*, 14 million U.S. households bought life insurance in the past two years. Conversely, the industry lost sales to an almost equal number.
Twelve million potential prospects ended up not buying life insurance after spending considerable time and effort. And their prospective agents invested significant time, as well. LIMRA calculates $4 trillion in additional sales if these prospects had bought only the average amount of insurance sold to recent buyers. Bear in mind, many of the customers' issues and concerns causing this non-buyer mentality are not agent-related. Money — especially in this economy, plays a huge factor in spending.
LIMRA classifies the 12 million non-buyers as shoppers who had issues or concerns, which, if addressed, could have turned them into buyers. LIMRA research confirmed what Genworth's 2011 and forthcoming 2012 LifeJacket Studies show: people are influenced by the relationships they develop, the life triggers that propel them to make a decision and how often they interact with their agents and advisors. What we can look at here is how to alleviate issues that may interrupt the buying process.
I call it the RIFT principle:
- Relationship building
- Interest
- Frequency
- Trigger response
Every time you don't practice these principles, you may create a rift between you and your existing or prospective clients. That rift could result in diminishing respect and trust.
Here's why:
Relationship building strengthens existing relations and creates new ones.
We were pleased to learn that the majority of the Genworth 2011 LifeJacket Study respondents surveyed, 69%, said they trust their own advisor/agent. Thirty-four percent said a recommendation from a friend or family member would, and does, help in building trust with the advisor. However, the agent who is cold-calling a stranger won't have the advantage of established trust.
Interest in your client must be genuine and make an impact.
Each client is different. Different interests. Different financial situations. I have been able to build meaningful relationships, for the large part, by taking a genuine interest in my customers right from the beginning. At that first meeting, if you are at the customer's office or home, look around. Pay attention to the pictures and collectibles. Ask about them and learn more. Customize your responses.
Both women and men have diverse personal interests and hobbies that you will want to learn more about. By investing a little time and imagination to learn what your customer or prospect likes, you can make a lasting impression. I work with a wholesaler who loves fly-fishing. I went to an Orvis store, bought a set of three flies for $12 and sent a personal note. It changed the tone of our relationship dramatically. Another contact collects watches. I shared a link to a site all about watches and we have since maintained a nice connection.
Frequency — regular communication and personally checking in at least annually — is important.
The LifeJacket Study showed us that 69% of consumers wanted contact within one year from their advisor or agent. Additionally, 66% of LifeJacket Study respondents stated annual reviews and frequent communication helped build trust with their agent/advisor. Social media, like LinkedIn as well as quick emails and regular newsletters help make keeping in touch effective, yet unobtrusive.
Triggers require rapid response.
LIMRA's May research briefing found that 4 in 10 life insurance shoppers are most influenced to shop for life insurance by life events that create the need for coverage. However, LifeJacket research has revealed that many consumers don't respond immediately to their life events, such as the birth of a child, a change in marital status, a home purchase or the loss of a loved one. Surprisingly, these "trigger" events showed a significant lag time of six to 15 months from the trigger event to actual purchase or a change in coverage. The LifeJacketStudy showed the most dramatic gaps were:
- Birth of a child: 10.5 months lag time
- Death of a family member or friend :10 months lag time
- Marriage: 13.5 months lag time
To turn your non-buyers into buyers, revisit those sales opportunities. Applying the RIFT principle to those existing prospects and using them to cultivate new ones should become part of your daily routine. It might be interesting to track your successes using the RIFT method. I am sure you will see an uptick in sales.
*LIMRA Briefing was published in May 2012. Information is based on results from LIMRA's 2011 U.S. Buyer-Nonbuyer Study. A sample of 2,777 consumers was interviewed.
For more from Anthony Vossenberg, see:
Staying On Top of Product Offerings in a Changing Marketplace
Best Practices: Understanding What Your Client Wants
As April 15 Looms, What Can You Do to Help Your Clients?


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Break out those "Pom Poms," America: The Jonas Brothers are back.
The former Disney trio enlists a gaggle (?) of sexy cheerleaders for their latest video, a fun pop confection with lots of choreographed booty-shaking and other PG-13 titillations set on a high school football field. The clip (which leaked a little earlier than intended thanks to Perez Hilton) is for the first single off the Brothers' upcoming fifth studio album.
While it doesn't break any new ground for the now-twentysomething siblings (though it's perhaps a tad racier than their previous output), the video is good hand-clapping fun with a vibe befitting the song's light-as-air sonics and goofy lyrical content.
The new album will be the Brothers' first since 2009's "Lines Vines and Trying Times," and their first since 2006 not to be released by Hollywood Records. The title and release date for the new set have yet to be determined.
My grade for the video: B+. After checking it out below, you can rate it for yourself at top left.


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Office of Education Development and Gateway Education (EDGE) is a unit in City University of Hong Kong to deliver services that aim to enhance student learning and/or facilitate the professional development of staff. Below is a list of EDGE's courses you may find useful for professional development.
For details, please visit http://www.cityu.edu.hk/edge/staffdev/eess/
For details, please visit http://www.cityu.edu.hk/edge/staffdev/eess/
For details, please visit http://www.cityu.edu.hk/edge/staffdev/eess/EESS_201819A_1.png
The Office of Education Development and Gateway Education offers a wide selection of online staff development modules and series. Faculty and instructional staff may learn more about each of them by clicking on the links below.
For details, please visit http://www.cityu.edu.hk/edge/staffdev/
In this online module you will:
The module video is about 12 minutes long. Participants will be requested to take a short mini-quiz before they start the module and again at the end of the module. A Certificate of Completion will be awarded to those who successfully complete the module.
For more information , please visit http://www.cityu.edu.hk/edge/staffdev/nfm.htm
This series is to engage faculty and instructors in some of the most important issues in university teaching and guide them towards reflecting how they can apply that knowledge to their own teaching. Modules will be available through Canvas as online videos of about 30 minutes each with supporting materials. A degree of interactivity for each module would be achieved through the posing of question prompts in the supporting materials which will be linked to particular points in the video. Participants may base their written reflections on those prompts as part of a larger teaching portfolio.
Modules in the series include these topics:
Module I - Course Design
Module II - Lecturing
Module III - Facilitating Discussion
Module IV - Assignments and Assessment
Module V - Diversity and Inclusion
Module VI - Reflective Teaching and Teaching Portfolios
For more information , please visit http://www.cityu.edu.hk/edge/staffdev/sd_teaching.htm
Outcome based teaching and learning is a student-centered approach to learning. The approach is about expressing learning outcomes from the students' point of view, organizing our teaching around those student outcomes, and then creating assessment which will provide evidence to show the extent to which an individual student has achieved those outcomes. The three modules in this series provide faculty and teaching staff with basic details on the outcome based teaching and learning approach at CityU. Modules are available through Canvas with online videos of about 10-12 minutes each with some supporting materials. Faculty and teaching staff who register for a module will be requested to take a short quiz before they start the module and to do so again at the end of the module. Faculty and teaching staff who complete all three modules and complete a short written reflection are then eligible for an in-house staff development credit. Participants planning to complete all three modules are recommended to take the modules in sequence.
Modules in the series include:
Module I - Intended Learning Outcomes
Module II - Teaching and Learning Activities
Module III - Assessment Tasks
For more information , please visit http://www.cityu.edu.hk/edge/staffdev/obtl.htm
Innovative Teaching Techniques shows faculty and instructional staff several innovative, simple-to-plan and simple-to-implement techniques for boosting student learning. The five techniques can be used in your lecture or tutorial to increase student attention while promoting deep learning. Besides the techniques presented in the first five modules in the series, a sixth module introduces you to Action Research so that you can create, implement, and assess your own innovative teaching techniques.Modules are available through Canvas with online videos of about 6-8 minutes each and with some supporting materials. Faculty and instructors who register for a module will be asked to take a short quiz before they start a module and to do so again to complete the module.
Module I - Introduction and the Classification Table Technique
Module II - One-Sentence Synopsis
Module III - Recognizing the Problem
Module IV - Identifying the Principle
Module V - Conducting Opinion, Values and Attitudes Surveys
Module VI - Introduction to Action Research
For more information , please visit http://www.cityu.edu.hk/edge/staffdev/itts.htm


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Fagor Arrasate is a world reference in the design and manufacturing of Presses and Stamping Systems, beingable to supply presses from 630 KN up to 150,000 KN, using mechanical, hydraulic or the most updated servodriven technology depending on the needs of the Users.
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FAGOR is also especially qualified for providing complete Stamping Systems includingnot only the press but also all the necessary peripherals (feeding line, transfers, robotization, dies, etc, etc). In this way we can provide our customers with integrated and tested turnkey systems.
Fagor Arrasate has specialized software programs for simulating the movement of its presses and calculating the high-precision link drives which enable Fagor Engineering to supply the best productive systems.


text: What happened on what day in history: What happened all those years ago -- and not so long ago too. Look up your birthday! I'm 23rd January Interesting that the Sex Pistols played Watford College in 1976. I had no idea the place was so cool, shame I was three. (saw them in 1996 though)


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The Piazza Center for Plastic Surgery and Advanced Skin Care
7900 Farm to Market Road 1826, Bldg 2, Suite 206
Austin, TX 78737
Phone: (512) 288-8200
Monday–Thursday: 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Friday: 8 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
Tummy Tuck
Having children or losing a significant amount of weight often results in excess abdominal skin that remains even if you exercise and eat a healthy diet. Tummy tuck and mini tummy tuck surgery performed in Austin, TX, by board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Rocco Piazza can be truly transformative procedures, creating a flatter, more contoured stomach with long-lasting results.
Tummy Tuck
Before & After Photos
This feature contains nudity. Please click OK to confirm you are at least 18 years of age and are not offended by such material.OK
Tummy Tuck Before & After Photos
Keep in mind that each patient is unique and your results may vary.
Case #296
Case #82
Case #341 Abdominoplasty
Case #46
This is a 60-year-old women who lives in Austin, Texas was looking for an Austin plastic surgery office for a tummy tuck procedure After many years of raising children and a time consuming career she was ready to do something for herself and her confidence. She spent many years working hard through diet and exercise... Read More
Case #291
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Case #230
Case #73
Case #94
Case #343 Abdominoplasty
Case #76
Case #274
Case #344 Abominoplasty with CoolSculpting of Braline
Case #113
Case #182
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Keep in mind that each patient is unique and your results may vary.
Your Personal Consultation
Women and men considering a tummy tuck, who visit from San Antonio and cities around Austin, meet with Dr. Piazza to discuss their concerns and aesthetic goals. During the consultation, he performs a physical exam to ensure that a tummy tuck is the best procedure to meet those goals. Because every patient's case is unique, Dr. Piazza creates a customized surgical plan based on the exam and your discussion.
Meet Dr. Piazza
Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Rocco C. Piazza looks forward to meeting with you to help you discover how you can achieve your cosmetic goals and desires.About Dr. Piazza
A Surgeon's Perspective
"Many of my tummy tuck patients come to see me with the desire to feel restored and reverse many of the changes that occurred to their body during pregnancy. It is my goal to make sure that each patient's goals and desires are met so that she feels restored and confident to be her best-self."Read My Blog Post
Ideal Tummy Tuck Candidates
Most tummy tucks address three primary concerns, especially for women who have had children:
- During the procedure, Dr. Piazza uses liposuction to reduce abdominal fat.
- He also repairs the rectus abdominis muscles if they have become separated during pregnancy.
- He removes excess skin from the abdominal area.
The combination of these three procedures improves the appearance of the abdomen and provides a slim and toned midsection that looks great in a bathing suit. Even though a tummy tuck combined with liposuction reduces fat, it's not a weight-loss procedure. Ideal tummy tuck candidates are in good overall health and are at or near their ideal weight. A tummy tuck isn't recommended if you're planning to have another baby or if you are significantly overweight.
Patients with a body mass index (BMI) of less than 30 can safely undergo a tummy tuck. Here's a BMI calculator that can help you estimate your body fat.
Adult BMI Calculator
Your BMI is
- Underweight (Below 18.5)
- Normal (18.5 - 24.9)
- Overweight (25.0 - 29.9)
- Obese (30.0 and above)
Your weight ( pounds) is in the category for adults of your height ( feet, inches)
To learn more, visit the CDC's Healthy Weight website
Your Custom Tummy Tuck Surgery
Dr. Piazza begins your tummy tuck by creating an incision just above the pubic bone. This incision extends across the lower abdomen where the scar can be easily concealed by a bikini bottom. Dr. Piazza then tightens the abdominal muscles utilizing an advanced suturing technique and uses liposuction to sculpt a toned midsection. After that, he removes excess skin from the area.
Before closing the incision, Dr. Piazza repositions your belly button and ensures its appearance is aesthetically pleasing. Dr. Piazza believes that positioning the belly button correctly is one of the most important outcomes of the procedure because the belly button is so visible on the body. He sculpts the abdominal tissue around the belly button and plans the procedure so that the scar is concealed just inside the belly button.
A tummy tuck can take anywhere from 1 to 4 hours, depending on your specific concerns and your anatomy. During your consultation, Dr. Piazza can explain precisely what techniques he uses and answer any questions you may have.
Mini Tummy Tuck
In a few Austin patients, Dr. Piazza determines that a full tummy tuck isn't needed. When the area of loose skin and excess fat is confined completely below the belly button, a mini tummy tuck may be possible. The advantage of this technique is that Dr. Piazza can make a shorter incision and the belly button isn't re-positioned. Additionally, the recovery time is a bit shorter. You can discuss this option during your consultation, but most patients need a full abdominoplasty.
Dr. Piazza has created a special mini tummy tuck technique called "The Skin Pinch™." Designed to address excess fat and skin in the lower abdomen, this procedure is appropriate for patients who are seeking a flatter stomach but don't require a traditional tummy tuck. Learn more about The Skin Pinch™ on our blog.
A Patient for Life™
When you get plastic surgery at The Piazza Center, we make a long-term commitment to your recovery, your beauty, and your well-being. Learn about the dedication you receive when you become a patient for life.Learn More
Your Tummy Tuck Recovery & Results
Tummy tuck surgery is an outpatient procedure, which means you can return home the day of your operation. You will need someone to drive you and stay with you for the first 24 hours as you recover from the effects of the general anesthetic. Your abdomen will feel very tight and pretty sore for the first few days, so it's generally a good idea to stay ahead of your discomfort by taking the prescribed pain medications on schedule.
You won't be able to walk fully upright for a few a week or two. However, Dr. Piazza expects all of his tummy tuck patients to start walking around their homes at least 7 to 8 times each day, starting the first day after surgery. Walking helps with circulation and will enable you to be active as soon as possible. It is important to gradually increase the amount you exercise as you are healing.
During your recovery, you will have dressings on your incisions and wear a snug compression garment, which helps with swelling and provides support for your incision. You will also likely have at least one surgical drain in place to help prevent fluid from building up. In the following video, Dr. Piazza explains how to care for surgical drains.
Caring for Your Drain After a Tummy Tuck
Your tummy will be flatter and your skin tighter right away, but you'll also have swelling and bruising. It will take a few weeks – or even months for some patients – for the swelling to resolve completely. Wearing your compression garment as directed will help. Within a few weeks of your surgery, you'll feel a difference in your clothes, and you'll be enjoying a slimmer waist and flatter tummy.
Tummy Tuck at a Glance
Goal: To restore balance and shape to the tummy and waistline.
Procedure: This procedure focuses on reshaping the tummy by restoring the underlying anatomy. Dr. Piazza focuses primarily on repairing separated abdominal muscles (rectus diastasis), reshaping the belly button, and removing excess skin and fat from the lower tummy. Patients may benefit from liposuction to further sculpt the sides of the waist area also known as the flanks, love handles, or muffin top.
Anesthesia: General anesthesia
Procedure length: 2.5 to 3.5 hours
Aftercare: There are 2 incisions for a tummy tuck procedure. One incision is inside the belly button and the second is along the bikini line in the lower tummy. The lower incision will have one or two drains that are secured along the incision to minimize scarring. Both incisions will be closed with dissolvable sutures and covered with white Steri-Strips™. A compressive binder will be placed around the abdomen to keep the patient in a flexed or "beach-chair" position (even when upright) for the first 10 to 14 days.
Recovery: Ranges from 1 to 2 weeks on average. The right-side drain and all Steri-Strips will be removed 5 to 7 days after surgery. Swelling and tightness of the tummy can be expected for the first few weeks. Patients remain in a flexed or beach-chair position for the first 10 to 14 days even when upright. After approximately 10 days, most patients begin to stand more upright as the swelling and tightness have decreased. The second drain is removed 7 to 14 days after surgery.
- Surgery
- Day 5 to 7: Steri-Strip removal and right-side drain
- Day 6 to 14: Removal of second drain
- 2 weeks: Return to work and social activities
- 3 months: 80% healed
- 6 months: 90% healed
- 1 year: 100% healed
At The Piazza Center, we believe that beautiful surgical results are enhanced by a healthy lifestyle. Our aim is to help you achieve your cosmetic goals and desires. If you would like to find out more information regarding tummy tuck surgery, you can request an in-person or virtual consultation online or call our office at (512) 551-1067.
Let's Talk Tummy Tuck
Dr. Piazza has helped hundreds of people to regain a slender waist and firm, flat abdomen after pregnancy or weight loss. He can help you, too. What do you have to lose (besides the muffin top)?(512) 288-8200 Request Your Consultation
Dr. Piazza Answers Common Questions
Can a tummy tuck be combined with other procedures?
Yes, it is possible to combine other procedures with a tummy tuck. I typically use liposuction to further enhance the results of the tummy tuck procedure by removing excess fat in specific areas of the midsection. Also, a lot of my Austin tummy tuck patients who have had children also have interest in correcting sagging breasts with a breast lift. By combining these procedures as part of a mommy makeover, a more comprehensive result is achievable.
Real Patients. Real Stories
Helping Our Patients to Live Confidently
Find out what it's like to be a patient of The Piazza Center. Review the stories and "after" photos of some of the plastic surgery patients who've shared their experiences with us.View Stories
Should I lose weight before a tummy tuck?
In general, I prefer my patients to be close to their ideal weight before their surgery, usually within 5 to 10 pounds of their goal weight. For your tummy tuck to be as successful as possible, it is important that you maintain a healthy, active lifestyle. For instance, not smoking and exercising regularly will help you recover faster from surgery. Each patient has their own unique story when they come in for a consultation, and I create a customized treatment plan based on our discussion. Tummy tuck surgery is not a weight loss method; it is important for my patients to understand that this is a body contouring surgery aimed to create a smoother and firmer midsection.
Do I need a tummy tuck or just liposuction?
Liposuction is a great option for someone with firm, elastic skin whose primary concern is addressing extra fat in the midsection. I can sculpt this area with liposuction, and healthy, resilient skin will shrink to fit the new contours. Tummy tuck surgery is the right choice if you have excess, stretched skin and separated abdominal muscles, which is often the case after massive weight loss or pregnancy. Liposuction alone will not improve either of these conditions and would produce an unsatisfying result.


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|Latitude: 41° 28' 49" N
|Longitude: 100° 30' 46" W
|Duration of Totality*: 2m 33s
|Partial phase start: 11:30:45AM (CDT), at "1:00 o'clock" on the sun's disk
|Totality Start*: 12:53:58PM (CDT)
*All times shown are calculated for the lat/long specified above, and are accurate to within a couple of seconds, due mainly to influences of the "edge effects" at the start and end of totality.
For a more detailed explanation of this, please see the "About Accuracy" section of this great 2017 eclipse page by Ernie Wright of NASA!
Please also note that these times have been converted from UTC; if you see times on other sites that say "UTC"/ "UT", or "GMT", those are NOT the local times for you in Stapleton!
Stapleton is in the path of totality for the
Total Solar Eclipse of August 21, 2017!
Observers there will see (appx.) 2m 33s of totality!
(Get your eclipse glasses here – you MUST have them to safely view the partial phases!)
Visit Stapleton's official page about the total eclipse!
On this link, you'll also be able to see all the great events that are being planned!
Stapleton has created an eclipse organizing committee, and the contacts are:
Gary & Liz Johnsen
Stapleton is currently promoting two excellent viewing areas, with few trees or other objects that might block your view:
1. The Augusta Wind Golf Course, located 1 mile south of Stapleton on Hwy 83
This is an excellent location, with wide open fairways and few trees. The Central line of the eclipse path goes directly over the course!
The prime location on the course would be the #4 and #7 tee boxes, which have a raised elevation.
2. The Logan County Fairgrounds, located on the corner of Hwy 83 and 92 on the east edge of town
The Fairgrounds has plenty of wide open spaces for viewing, and also has a slight elevation in some areas.
Eclipse2017.org has also received the following news from the Stapleton eclipse organizing committee!
Stapleton, Nebraska, where "Outstanding is Ordinary"!
We may be a small community but we are mighty. When we have a challenge, we meet it head on and conquer it. The 2017 Total Solar Eclipse is a challenge, and we have already come up with plans for a week of fun and western style entertainment.
Things will start here on Wednesday evening, 8/16 for our fair!
Thursday 8/17 is Open Class entry day: Team Roping and Slack
Friday 8/18, the first performance of Nebraska's Biggest Little Rodeo will begin, with the second performance on Saturday 8/19. Enjoy barrel racing cowgirls and bull riding cowboys!
Bull riding and barrel racing will take place on Saturday, August 19, 2017; with more to come!
This will be followed by a non-denominational open air church service, Working Ranch Rodeo, and an informative Eclipse Presentation by Darryl Barr, an avid eclipse chaser, on Sunday August 20th.
Followed by the big event -- the "Total Solar Eclipse" on Monday, August 21st!
Stapleton currently has 24 RV sites, with more being planned. We have several families who are willing to open their homes to visitors. We will have mobile home/RV available to rent on certain properties, who will provide electricity and water. The City park also has an RV dump site.
We are constantly working on more housing opportunities!
Stapleton is also planning a range of activities for adults as well as children: A children's play area, street dance, working ranch tours, just to name a few.
We are planning to have vendors on site, to provide food and drink throughout the day through numerous organizations.
We are also planning a package deal which would include all week-end activities plus the site of your choice. Another package deal is in the works, with North Platte located 30 miles south. This would include lodging, transportation to Stapleton. Eclipse site access and activities can also be added.
If you are an official of Stapleton, who is responsible for Eclipse2017 public outreach,
please send us information about your community's 2017 eclipse plans – so we can share it here with everyone!
(Please note, we are completely swamped with requests, so NO more pictures - and PLEASE give us the text EXACTLY so we can cut and paste it in!)
Eclipse2017.org encourages everyone to get into the path of totality on eclipse day,
and see one of the greatest sights the sky has to offer!
(And make sure to have eclipse glasses on hand for everyone!)


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Nationale en internationale nostalgie 24 uur per dag non-stop bij Radio Tijdloos!
Radioline gives to users access to more than 60.000 News, Sports, Talk, Music radio stations and podcasts worldwide. The user can easily find and listen to his favorite radio stations, and discover new ones according to his mood, location, musical taste and more!


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Lavish Bath Company3 sur 5
2919 Dufferin St
Toronto, Ontario
Toronto, Ontario
Welcome to GLOTIQUE
Our mission is to deliver optimal skin care to both men and women in an ethical, skilled, comprehensive and caring manner. We strive to deliver outstanding customer service to our clients at all times.
- Complimentary Beverages
- Complimentary Parking
- Tea


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Letter Report: An Intensive Cultural Resource Survey of the Petty-Ray Seismic Line #107, Weston County, Wyoming
Author(s): Barry Shelley; Carmel Swidler
Year: 1981
This resource is a citation record only, the Center for Digital Antiquity does not have a copy of this document. The information in this record has been migrated into tDAR from the National Archaeological Database Reports Module (NADB-R) and updated. Most NADB-R records consist of a document citation and other metadata but do not have the documents themselves uploaded.
If you have a digital copy of the document and would like to have it curated in tDAR, please contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Cite this Record
Letter Report: An Intensive Cultural Resource Survey of the Petty-Ray Seismic Line #107, Weston County, Wyoming. Barry Shelley, Carmel Swidler. 1981 ( tDAR id: 42867)
This Resource is Part of the Following Collections
Investigation Types
Archaeological Overview • Site Evaluation / Testing
Cultural Resource • Cultural Resource Survey • No Cultural Resources
Spatial Coverage
min long: -105.082; min lat: 43.498 ; max long: -104.054; max lat: 44.182 ;
Individual & Institutional Roles
Sponsor(s): Forest Service; Petty-Ray Geophysical, Newcastle, WY
Prepared By(s): Archeological Services, Laramie, WY
Record Identifiers
NADB document id number(s): 908488
NADB citation id number(s): 000000124098
General Note: Sent from: Archeological Services, Laramie, WY
General Note: Submitted to: Petty-Ray Geophysical, Newcastle, WY


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I'm sure many of you have heard about the OC Blogger Bash.
From the Blogger Bash website–
Anaheim/OC Visitor & Convention Bureau is proud to host 300 of Southern California's hottest bloggers for an evening of retro fun on Sunday, October 9, 2011 from 5pm-8pm.
The Anaheim Convention Center will be our time machine for the evening, where we'll head back to the early 1960s. Be sure to don your best Betty Draper-esque attire for an evening of cocktails, food, mingling, live music, a fashion show, lots of amazing prizes and so much more.
Get to know Anaheim and Orange County in a whole new fashion and join us for a great time!
The event is October 9, 2011 from 5-8 p.m. at the Anaheim Convention Center.
Check out the website and if you're interested, please submit the following information to firstname.lastname@example.com.
Blog name, link & a brief description
Twitter handle
Maybe I will see you there!


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"The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it..." Psalm 24:1
Special Calendar Dates
- March 22 is World Water Day
- April 22 is Earth Day
Around the world people face increasing food shortages, natural disasters and rising sea waters due to climate change. Climate change has created conflict over scarce land and natural resources and contributed to the problem of migration. As communities of faith we can take steps to be good stewards of the earth, but significant industry and international efforts are also needed to curb carbon pollution and reduce the impact on the environment and on vulnerable communities. Addressing climate concerns with partners is a priority of Global Ministries.
How Do We Contribute to Global Warming?
As fossil fuels like coal and oil are burned for energy, carbon pollution increases. The level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has reached significantly higher than the threshold scientists agree is needed to maintain a healthy global temperature. With the world population now at 7 billion, reducing carbon pollution is essential.
Care for the Environment
However, even if we changed our fossil-fuel based economy immediately, the compounding effects of current global warming will continue to heat the planet, so it is necessary also to find—and fund—ways to adapt to the effects of climate change. The effects of atmospheric warming do not remain within the borders of nations. Countries with high poverty levels, those who depend directly on local food production, or whose fragile ecosystems are highly susceptible to changes in sea and weather patterns are impacted the most.
Climate Change, Poverty and Hunger
Those most impacted by climate change are also least able to adjust to the effects of a warming planet. Many will lose their homes or be unable to grow food for their families. Communities will have to adapt to increasing natural disasters like flooding, stronger hurricanes, and changes in rainfall patterns. Climate migrants—those displaced due to climate change-will add stress to already overcrowded urban centers and exacerbate the current global food crisis.
Since climate damage cuts across all borders, an international strategy and mechanisms for international financing are needed to assist all countries in adapting to the impacts of climate change. U.S. foreign assistance should include programs aimed at helping communities suffering the consequences of climate change, and programs that invest in clean technology and in disaster risk reduction. Failing to do so will cost more in the future when environmental disasters are cataclysmic and an even greater number are in need of emergency assistance. The U.S. must provide international leadership toward climate adaptation and must do its part. It is only fair that those who have benefited most from using the earth's resources now take responsibility for ensuring the world to come is still livable and that there is enough for all.
What Can You Do?
- Take the Paris Pledge - Interfaith Power & Light has created the "Paris Pledge". You can commit to reducing your carbon pollution by 50% by the year 2030 and to be carbon neutral by 2050. IPL will tally all pledges and share these results with the global community in Paris. By living as examples, we will show our world leaders that we believe change is not only possible, but happening now.
- Calculate your carbon footprint and make energy-saving choices like buying less and buying local at home, in your workplace, and in your congregation. Cutting back on driving and flying is another way to reduce your carbon footprint.
- Contact your elected officials in local, state, and federal government. Tell them that preserving God's creation and providing justice to "the least of these" affected by global warming are issues of faith and that it is urgent we enact smart public policies not only to reduce carbon pollution, but also to help communities around the world adapt to a world made warmer and wetter by climate change.
- Learn more about climate change and what we all can do, at home, at church, in your community and through government advocacy.
- Support Global Ministries projects that protect the environment.
Other Environmental Issues
- Water and Sanitation
- Mining and Resource Extraction
- Disciples of Christ Green Chalice Ministries
- United Church of Christ Environmental Ministries
- UCC Lenten Carbon Fast Resources
- UCC Carbon Neutral Resources for Congregations
- Creation Justice Ministries Educational Resources
- Earth Ministry Worship Resources
- Web of Creation Worship Resources
- Eco-Justice Ministries
- National Religious Partnership for the Environment
- United Nations Work on Climate Change


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Student travel awards are available for students (graduate and undergraduate) who will be atten ding and presenting their papers (oral or poster) at one of the following I&M-sponsored conferences:
- IEEE Instrumentation and Measurement Technology Conference (I2MTC)
- IEEE Sensors Applications Symposium (SAS)
The award may be applied towards the student's registration fee and allowable travel expenses. Interested students should consult the appropriate conference website. Without an exception, awardees MUST present their paper/poster at the conference in order to receive the award.


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International Society of Knowledge Organization
Promoting the theory and practice of organizing knowledge and information
An in-depth study of faceted classification theory, as presented by Ranganathan and further developed by Brian Vickery and the Classification Research Group, led to the creation of a methodology based on the Postulate of Fundamental Categories, the Postulate of Basic Facet and the Postulate of Isolate Facet. This methodology was then used to analyze the facets of a dataset consisting of over 107,000 instances of 1,275 unique tags representing 76 popular non-fiction history books collected from the LibraryThing folksonomy (see http://www.librarything.com/). Preliminary results of the facet analysis show the manually-produced, two-faceted classification models in the dataset, one representing the universe of books, and the other representing the universe of subjects within the universe of books. The model representing the universe of books is considered to be complete, whereas the model representing the universe of subjects is incomplete. These differences are discussed in the light of theoretical differences between special and universal faceted classifications. The model representing the universe of books is then compared to other models of books, including the BIBO ontology and the FRBR model. Finally, the models are discussed in terms of their confirmation or violation of Ranganathan's seven Canons of Classification, upon which the postulates are based.
Folksonomy research has not developed a standardized toolbox of analytical strategies, generally relying on descriptive methods to investigate the structure, composition and evolution of tagging vocabularies. Rank order (RO) based on tag frequency has been used to study various aspects of folksonomies: how well tags categorize resources (Brooks & Montanez, 2005; Kipp & Campbell, 2006) and identification of tagging patterns (Munk & Mork, 2007), and trends in user interest (Ding et al., 2009). However, results of simple RO may be misleading. For example, a tag whose frequency of use increases across two years may actually account for a smaller percentage of total tags assigned in the second year, or a tag whose rank declines across two years may actually account for a greater percentage of tags in the second year than the first. This research addresses the validity of assumptions underlying RO analysis by investigating how it correlates with both frequency and percentage of tag frequency across various time periods. Effects of RO by frequency of tag occurrence, taggers and URLs were investigated in a targeted sample collected from delicious.com for 2004 through 2007. After removing all singleton tags, the dataset consisted of 7,863 URLs to which 1,804,379 tags had been assigned by 186,075 taggers. Because of the non-normal distribution of tag frequency data, non-parametric statistical tests were used to calculate correlations. Results of the analysis found that the correlation between RO and frequency was high, but that correlation between RO and percentage of actual use was problematic.
This paper was not presented at the Conference due to illness of the authors.
Traditional subject indexing and classification are considered infeasible in many digital collections. Automated means and social tagging are often suggested as the two possible solutions. Both, however, have disadvantages and, depending on the purpose of use or context, require additional manual input. This study investigates ways of enhancing social tagging via knowledge organization systems, with a view to improving the quality of tags for increased information discovery and retrieval performance. Benefits of using both social tags and controlled terms are also explored, including enriching knowledge organization systems with new concepts.


text: Where To Find the Late Summer Freight August 23, 2017 Comments Off on Where To Find the Late Summer Freight Wondering where the best places to find freight are as summer enters its final stretch? Freight volumes may fluctuate on a national level, but there are a few places where load opportunities are consistently strong. Check out these freight locations on our load board. The Best Places for Freight Texas Natives from the Lone Star Read More


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Sale Ended
Meditative Glass Globes
Conceived from season-change nostalgia in San Francisco but born in the rapture of Vermont's autumns and winters, CoolSnowGlobes™ set out to revolutionize the snow globe. Partners in business and marriage, founders Liz Ross and David Westby bring their backgrounds as fine artists and creators to their unique designs. Each water globe captures a small, exquisite moment frozen in time. Art objects, toys for grown-ups, or a soothing source of stillness, Liz and David's expanding collection offers an invigorating spin on an old favorite.


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Hey there PA DeMolay fans. I want to apologize for the less-than-regular updates over the last week. It's been a bit busy in my world and the Blog just didn't make the top of the list of things to get done. But, fear not! For, I'm back and ready to blog some more (I mean, we are at darn near 500 posts on this thing!)
I know many DeMolays have become interested in how to tie a bow tie. So, I dug up the video from the Art of Manliness Blog and thought I'd share it with you here as a good way to get back into the groove. Enjoy!
Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony


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Intro to Python Scripting: 15 Export Points to CSV
Course or Collection:
Video Duration:
21 minutes
In this tutorial we look at how to export a set of points to the CSV file format so that we can view the data in Excel. We export X,Y,Z coordinate info from our points as well as their color values. I use the random point script from before to create 1000 points to export. We introduce a few new Rhinoscript methods rs.PointCoordinates and rs.SaveFileName. We also look at thepython open() and close() methods for file I/O.
#Export Points to CSV import rhinoscriptsyntax as rs #Select our points pts = rs.GetObjects("Select Points for CSV Export", 1) #create a filename variable filename = rs.SaveFileName("Save CSV file","*.csv||", None, "ptExport", "csv") #open the file for writing file = open(filename, 'w') #create and write a headerline for our CSV headerline = "X,Y,Z,R,G,B\n" file.write(headerline) #print pts for pt in pts: ptCoord = rs.PointCoordinates(pt) x = ptCoord[0] y = ptCoord[1] z = ptCoord[2] color = rs.ObjectColor(pt) print color r = color.R g = color.G b = color.B print "x: %.4f, y: %.4f, z: %.4f, r: %d, g: %d, b: %d" %(x,y,z,r,g,b) line = "%.4f,%.4f,%.4f,%d,%d,%d \n" %(x,y,z,r,g,b) file.write(line) #Close the file after writing! file.close()
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Already have a video you'd like to post? Send us a link and we'll get you going.


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Highly detailed casting of the ICX container wagon. Comes with brass etching, wire, LWC brass air pipes, genuine Kadee couplers, decals screws and detail accessories to complete the kit. Price includes bogies with the kit.
ICX/NQIX Goninans built 22000 series container wagon kit (Including bogies)
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Other than family, work and running, I have few passions ... except college football. I live in the South, and perhaps you may not get it, maybe you do. IF you do then read on ... .
While I toil away at the office, I start seeing about this time of the year the slightest uptick of emails from lawyers sending along not some PI form for this blog or news about an unsafe drug, but helpful items like ... an SEC football composite football helmet schedule, the two deep QB lists for all D1 squads, and the early "Top 100" high school football players for the 2007 Recruiting Class. And those are just the ones I read.
So here, with many thanks to the boys over at ESPN is how excited we college football nuts are - this week, with a month to go before game one:
Your calendar says the 2006 college football season starts Aug. 31. Mine says it officially began in Birmingham, Alabama on Wednesday July 26th at 12:47 p.m., when grown women clutching footballs and Sharpies climbed over tables, chairs -- even sports-talk radio personnel -- in a crazed attempt to nearly gang tackle Alabama coach Mike Shula as he tried to make his way to the second floor of the Wynfrey Hotel.
Gawd, I love the living, breathing freak show that is the SEC Football Media Days. You don't attend the SEC's 52-hour football overdose as much as you try to survive it. No place in the world has more Urkels per square foot than the lobby of the Wynfrey during the league's annual kickoff sessions. The place is more crowded than a Wal-Mart the day after Thanksgiving.
One of the women got his autograph, thanks to a bull rush around the corner and then over a radio guy sitting at a table. Too bad Bama doesn't need help on the D-line. Also in the crowd was a guy holding a stack of houndstooth hats (can't they let the Bear rest in peace?), a codger wearing shin-high Crimson socks and shorts (pause for fashion scream), and assorted people wearing T-shirts that generally made fun of Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer.
Shula took an elevator to the room, and missed the media greeting party waiting for him at the nearby escalator: 18 TV cameramen, three photographers and a few goobers like myself who wanted to see if the fourth-year Bama coach would be overwhelmed by the attention and ask for his blanky and a glass of warm buttermilk.
I'll admit it: I usually build my summer around the SEC Media Days. It's the preseason football equivalent of Mardi Gras. It's Tommy Lee kooky. It's off-the-charts excessive.
I'm not alone. There are more than 600 credentialed media members here, which is more credentials than the league issues for its championship game. If you add the credentials given to the conference's corporate and bowl partners, the number reaches 740. Now you know why Shula stammered his way through his SEC Media Days debut in 2003. Or why conference commissioner Mike Slive, also a rookie in 2002, took one look at the massive media crowd and almost required medical assistance.
"I walked in here and I'll tell you, I could hardly breathe," says Slive, who came to the SEC from Conference USA. "I have very little recollection."
Every major conference has football media days. And it usually works like this: Each coach launches into a painful monologue detailing his three-deep depth chart, and then answers such detailed questions as, "When your tight end blocks down on the strongside backer, who seals the cornerback when he forces on run support?"
Only the SEC Media Days has featured Nick Saban's massive dog darting around the Wynfrey's second floor after the pooch somehow escaped from the then-LSU coach's hotel room.
This is the event where some players (two from each of the SEC's 12 teams are invited) actually design and coordinate their own outfits, as if it were the NFL draft. This is where a taxi driver once pulled a gun on a visiting SEC writer.
"It's 24-7-365," Slive says.
And Slive's staff already has prepared the interview schedule for 2007. Is it too early to request a credential?
Go here for the story with pics.
I hear you Geno, I hear you. I just spent my lunch time going over my beloved Gators' O-Line experience/height/weight compared to the team's first four opponents. When we got to the comparison of the Univ. of Georgia's Line, a total stranger sitting next to us not only "harumphed" loud enough to hear, but made a few helpful comments that we had not considered. Why four teams you may be asking? Because the next eight get covered this weekend.


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United Nations special envoy Razali Ismail is going to Burma this week in a bid to press for a breakthrough in secretive talks between the military government and Burma's opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi.
International impatience with the military over slow progress in the talks is running out.
The three-day visit by Mr. Ismail comes amid mounting pressures on Burma's military government to show clear signs of progress in talks with Burma's opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi.
U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan sent Mr. Razali to Burma to provide what he termed "fresh momentum" to the talks.
During his visit Mr. Razali is expected to meet with senior government and ethnic leaders, including the chairman of State Peace and Development Council, Senior General Than Shwe. Mr. Razali will also meet with Aung San Suu Kyi and members of the National League for Democracy.
The negotiations between the junta and the opposition began in October 2000. They yielded little, apart from the release of about 200 political prisoners while more than 1,000 remain in jail.
Analysts are now looking for concrete results, such as the release of Aung San Suu Kyi from house detention, as well as opening the talks to the national media.
Diplomatic sources in Rangoon said real results were needed amid reports Mr. Razali may resign unless progress is made towards a political dialogue. They also say that without visible progress, international sanctions may be tightened.
A March visit by Mr. Razali was postponed after the arrest of family members of former strongman General Ne Win over an alleged coup plot triggered political instability in Rangoon.
Debbie Stothard, coordinator for the Alternative Asean Network on Burma, says the military government has raised expectations of a breakthrough, only to fail to deliver.
"It is a make-or-break visit this time, but it is make or break for the military regime. The military has failed to deliver on tangible outcomes in these past few months, and they have been playing a very dangerous game."
Ms. Stothard says raised expectations have come not only from the international community but also among the people of Burma.
Growing frustrations are also evident among Burma's closest diplomatic allies, member states of the Association of South East Asian Nations, ASEAN, which backed Burma's entry into the 10 nation group.
"If there is no tangible progress in the next few days what we are going to see a loss of eagerness on the part of the Asean countries to protect and defend the military regime."
There were many breakthroughs predicted before, and it remains to be seen whether this time the military delivers.


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My personal work and passion is stone carving. Using Cornish and Dorset stones I create fluid forms which invite tactile journeys. Although not directly figurative, the pieces explore varied moods and qualities: poise, protection, expectancy, inspiration, dialogue and expansion.
The sculptures aim to be housed in dwellings and landscapes where they can stand with quiet presence and dignity, addressing the contemplative nature of the viewer.
In 1998 I began working at the Clay Door Studio in Chudleigh near Exeter, making sculptures in stone and other media for sale and commission.
I like to think of the studio as an open door, offering classes to adults and children of all level of experience and skill to come and explore their own creative potential; working with those with learning disabilities has been a consistent thread throughout my life. I have exhibited in local galleries and sculpture parks and have a variety of work on display at the studio.
|Dartington College of Arts Diploma of Art in Education
|Rolle College, Exmouth Certificate in Education
|Camphill School, Hermanus, Rep. of South Africa – Craft Teacher, houseparent and co-ordinator of activities for teenagers with learning disabilities.
|Camphill Devon Community, Buckfastleigh – Leader of Copper-workshop for adults with special needs.
|West of England College, Exeter – Pottery teacher (part-time) for teenagers with little or no sight.
|'New Horizons', Teignbridge – Painting and weaving classes for adults with learning disabilities.
|Home Farm Trust, Rivendell, Chudleigh – Creative Clay teacher (part-time) for adults with learning disabilities
|Clay Door Studio, Chudleigh – Sculptor and teacher
South West Sculptors Association: www.swsculptors.co.uk
Devon Guild of Craftsmen: www.crafts.org.uk
Chudleigh Business Guild: www.chudleighguild.co.uk
Double Elephant Print Workshop: www.doubleelephant.org.uk


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Professional Hospital Sitters 24 Hours a Day 7 Days a Week
If your loved one is hospitalized or you are a hospital professional with a special needs patient who needs round-the-clock monitoring, you can trust Home Care Assistance for fast and reliable hospital sitters. Our hospital sitters have a wide range of skills and backgrounds to fit your needs and are available immediately. Many geriatric physicians and geriatric care managers ask us to watch over their patients in the hospital setting to ensure patient safety and comfort.
Continuous Monitoring for Seniors & Older Adults in the Hospital
For reliable home care, Albuquerque hospital sitters provide round-the-clock companionship and watching of the patients they are assigned. Trained in active listening skills, our sitters monitor and keep the patient company, converse and read or even run errands for the patient. Our sitters are also trained to stay out of the way of hospital staff. In addition to serving the patient, our sitters will always treat doctors, nurses and other members of the health care team with the utmost respect.
Improving Patient Health And Safety
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On today's post I would like to talk about a monument that gives us the opportunity to dig into different aspects of the Roman Society.
The Arch Of Septimius Severus
Leaning down the slopes of the Capitoline hill, the massive marble profile of the Arch of Septimius Severus is one of the most characteristic images of the Roman Forum…. I'm quite sure that if you have been in Rome and visited the Forum, you have a picture of it.
It was dedicated in 302 to celebrate the emperor's victory over the Parthians, a population that ruled one of the biggest empire of the ancient world, spanned between Turkey and Iran.
There is too much to say about the triumphal arches and the Triumphus, that we would need another post for it…in the meanwhile take a look here
Who Was Septimius Severus?
Septimius Severus was a Roman general who, while in 193 was leading the legions in Cornutum (Lower Austria), was acclaimed as an emperor by his own soldiers, after the death of the previous emperor Pertinax. In the meanwhile all over the Roman empire the soldiers acclaimed other three emperors…too many for just one city and so, after a bloody war, Septimius Severus smote all the rivals and became the only ruler in 197.
Anyway there is still something that you should know about him: if you are imagining a genuine Roman, born and raised in the Urbs, well, you are totally wrong! He was indeed born in Leptis Magna, corresponding to the modern city of Lebda, Libya… yes, he was African! Longer before Barack Obama, Romans had their own black ruler and with such a less clamor than today!
Actually on Roman time no one cared about the color of someone's skin. Racism, as we are used to think of it, didn't exist in the ancient Rome. What really mattered was just being a Roman citizen, or not. This could make the difference in many crucial occasions. Of course citizens had more rights than the strangers. For example, when someone was sentenced to death there were different kinds of execution: less cruel for the citizens, imaginatively cruel for the strangers. Not such a great benefit you could think…but I'm quite sure that your thought would be different if you were going to be eaten slowly by a lion instead of being quickly beheaded!
When Saint Paul was imprisoned and was going to be judged in Jerusalem for his Christian preaching he asserted his citizenship saying "Civis Romanus sum"… translated "Eat my shorts! I'm a citizen and I have the right of a fair trial in Rome!"
Actually what that also mattered was the census, money as always. But at least no one was discriminated for his race or religion ("And what about the Christians?" you may ask. Well, this is another topic that needs another entire post. Anyway just let me say about this that God wasn't the real problem. Politics was. Trust me )
A Multicultural Society
Rome had a very multicultural society. People from all over the Roman empire (that at its apex spanned from Spain to Iran and from Britain to North Africa) lived in Rome and you could see people of any culture and religion and listen almost each spoken language.
Indeed Septimius' family was really multicultural too: he married Julia Domna a Syrian girl daughter of the supreme priest of El Gabal (there had been an horoscope predicting that she was destined to become a king's wife. And that's why Septiums married her….Ah the love!). Together they had two sons, Caracalla, born in 188 in Lugdunum (France) and Geta, born in 189 in Rome.
A Dysfunctional Family
Geta was the younger son and, as sometimes happen in every age, he was often neglected by his father. Of course this generated conflicts and rivalries between the brothers, often moderated by Julia. If you are thinking to the typical skirmish between brothers, well, wait for the rest of the story…
We started with the arch that – despite they were just teenagers – was indeed dedicated also to Caracalla and Geta and this is what we expect to find on the inscription but wait…look carefully at the fourth line from the top: it was clearly erased and rewritten. And, no worries, you don't need to learn Latin, I can tell you: there is no mention of the poor Geta.
The Disappearance Of Geta
In 208 Septimius went to Britain to fight the local tribes: that war was a hard life. Four years later, when he was almost near to die, he decided to name his two sons as co-emperors: this meaning they were supposed to rule together after the death of their father.
It is said that Septimius' last words to his sons were: "Love your brother, enrich the soldiers and scorn all the other men"…Well Caracalla got 2 of 3. Let's see…
Enrich The Soldiers: Done
He made a currency reform to raise the money to increase soldiers's wage.
Love Your Brother: Failed!
As I wrote before, there was a huge rivalry between the two brothers, but Caracalla solved it in the most drastic, and efficient actually, way: he murdered Geta in the arms of their mother! Hard co-ruling? Maybe. But Geta was murdered soon after his father's death! Probably the main reason was just Caracalla's hate for the world…and here we are at the third point…
Scorn All The Other Men: Done, Well Done!
For this last warning we have plenty of examples…
Around 205 he had his father in law, Plautianus, assassinated. Soon after, he exiled his wife Fulvia Plautilla and her brother to Lipari island…and this was just a happy period: later they have been, of course, killed.
Is this not enough? Family doesn't count? Well, after Geta's death, in Alexandria of Egypt was performed a comedy in which Caracalla was twitted because he had said (true story) that he had killed Geta for his own legitimate defense. Come on guys! Are you kidding me? Did you trust in Caracalla's sense of humor? Of course they were punished: 20.000 citizens of Alexandria were put to death!
The Hate Pays Off
So much hate had consequences: in 217 Caracalla was murdered by Julius Martialis, the officer of his own bodyguard as a revenge for having killed Martialis' brother.
So much hate deserve to be remembered too: the Renaissance politician and writer Machiavelli in his masterpiece "The Prince" mentioned Caracalla as an example of the cruel and ruthless prince (in chapter 19, "That one should avoid being despised and hated"). Anyway Machiavelli didn't criticized him for his cruelty (that had made his father great) but for having kept with him a bodyguard whose brother he had killed before.
The Inscription
Finally: why the inscription was erased? Because, as if having been killed weren't enough, Geta had also the damnatio memoriae, usually reserved to those who had sullied the Roman reputation.
Geta's name was erased from each Roman monument, as his portraits (look that above!), as if he never existed!
Poor Geta!So finally this post is a small compensation for him: all cheer Geta!
If you liked the story browse for other Tales of Rome and don't forget to follow my updates on Twitter and Facebook! And share this story!
Pictures Credits:
- View of the Arch of Septimius Severus – Giovanni Battista Piranesi, 1774
- View of the Arch of Septimius Severus – CC BY 2.0 – Jean Christophe Benoist
- Bust of Septimius Severus – II sec. AD – Glyptothek, Munich
- Map of the Roman empire at its greatest extent- CC BY-SA 3.0 – Tataryn77
- Inscription of the Arch of Septimius Severus – CC BY-SA 2.0 – Arienne McCracken
- Denarius of Caracalla – 217 AD
- Geta and Caracalla – Lawrence Alma-Tadema, 1907
- Tondo showing the Severan dynasty, 199-200 AD – Berlin, Antikensammlung


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This Thanksgiving, let's give the turkey something to be thankful for – compassionate cooking! In this season of gratitude, we are choosing to show our appreciation for these intelligent and social animals by leaving them OFF our plate.
While some turkeys (like Marley, Lennon, and Jean, pictured right) are lucky and end up at animal sanctuaries across the country, each Thanksgiving 46 million turkeys are not so lucky. Keeping the spirit of compassion alive through tradition is important, so we've whipped up three irresistible ways to celebrate with your family that everyone — including turkeys — can enjoy.
Whether you've got a day or a week to prepare, or are cooking for one or twenty, we guarantee you'll find something heart-warming and palate-pleasing on our three expertly-curated menus.
Just be careful: These will inspire jealousy in fellow pot-luckers, and may result in several requests for second and third portions!
Classic & Simple
Total cooking time: 1.5 hours, including soaking, chilling, and prep
- Get 'em hooked: Veggies & Ranch dip
- Bring 'em Bread: Best Damn Vegan Biscuits
- Main Course: Tofurky Roast
- Served with Mashed Potatoes with Gravy and Maple Glazed Carrots
- Spoil 'em: Pumpkin Pie or Pecan Pie
New & Extravagant
Total cooking time: 3.5 hours, including chilling and prep
- Get 'em hooked: Cauliflower Wings
- Bring 'em bread: Jalepeno Cheddar Biscuits
- Main Course: Veggieducken (see video below!)
- Served with Cranberry Balsalmic Brussel Sprouts and Hasselback Sweet Potatoes
- Spoil 'em: Truffles or Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
Best of Both Worlds
Total cooking time: 2 hours, including chilling and prep
- Get 'em hooked: Queso & Chips or Veggies
- Bring 'em bread: Popovers
- Main Course: Traditional Meatloaf
- Served with Holiday Stuffing and Creamy Mac & Cheese Expert Chef's note: stir in some broccoli and minced chipotle peppers for a twist!
- Spoil 'em: Apple Crisp or Mint Chocolate Cake


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TRIVANDRUM, Kerala, India — Communist-led electoral coalitions registered substantial gains in two Indian states and several other regions this month in a development that observers say will have national repercussions.
In Kerala, at India's southern tip, the Left Democratic Front, led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist), wrested power back from the United Democratic Front (UDF), the centrist Congress Party-led coalition. The LDF won roughly two-thirds of the seats, 98 out of 140, in the provincial parliament.
In West Bengal, in the country's northeast region, the Left Front, a similar coalition, was returned to office for an unprecedented seventh term, winning three-fourths of the seats, 235 out of 293. The CPI(M) won over half of the seats by itself.
"We had the people's complete trust and we knew we would win by a huge margin," Biman Bose, the West Bengal secretary of the CPI(M), told Reuters.
The Left Front has won substantial support as a result of its improvements in the state's water supply, literacy, health care and other social services. Its latest campaign platform emphasized the need to further reduce poverty.
The struggles of common people, especially workers, helped the LDF win back power in Kerala. Voters were fed up with the misrule of the UDF government, whose neoliberal policies created adverse effects in several sectors of the economy.
As a result of the UDF's "liberalization" policies, growers of agricultural products like coffee, tea, cocoa and coconut are facing extreme hardship. Prices for these products have fallen to an all-time low, even as the UDF has allowed multinational companies to enter the agricultural sector. These policies have spelled ruin for many small farmers, and hundreds committed suicide in one small district in Kerala alone.
During its five years in office, the UDF government in Kerala also undermined the public education system, shifting more and more schools into to a private, profit-oriented set-up charging tuition and fees. As a result, higher education became a dream for poor people.
The effect of all these measures was to further undermine the hard-won social gains won by the people of Kerala over the course of many years of struggle. Communist parties and socialist groups led those struggles, and the election of the LDF candidates is widely seen as a vote of confidence in their ability to reverse the UDF's course.
V.S. Achuthanandan, a longtime leader of the CPI(M), will serve as the new chief minister of Kerala.
The victory of the CPI(M)-led Left Front in West Bengal is remarkable for several reasons. No other political force in the nation has received the people's mandate seven times in a row. The government's bold moves to rein in privatization and liberalization, and its empowerment of the cooperative sector, have won it widespread support among the state's working people.
While there are many private multinationals operating in West Bengal, they are doing so under the strict and watchful eye of the government, which seeks to protect the public interest.
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee will continue as the chief minister of West Bengal.
In Kerala and West Bengal the right-wing, Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lost almost all of its races. The erosion of its support signals a growing rejection of narrow, communalist-oriented politics.
"Overall these results have strengthened the role of the left in national politics," said Prakash Karat, leader of the CPI(M), at a post-election news conference.
M.K.N. Moorthy is the publisher of a progressive Malayalam language publication in Kerala, India.


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Save time creating individual warning letters and purchase our ready to use template. Easy to customise, our Verbal Warning letter template has been created by qualified HR Consultants to be polite, professional and to be compliant with New Zealand law.
The Verbal Warning letter template is the first step throughout the formal warning process. While the warning is issued verbally, you are legally required to record it in writing so that you have evidence that it took place. You can feel confident knowing that our warnings are professional and compliant with New Zealand war to protect you from legal and professional challenges.
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We're really proud of our students & graduates and we want the best for them. Therefore we are careful about the positions we offer them on the Jobs Board.
If you have a small (or non-existent) budget and are looking for a student to design something for you at a low rate we're unlikely to post your job.
If you're offering an internship please describe what the position involves and what training the intern will receive. We believe it is fair and reasonable for a student or graduate to receive payment, or at the very least some travel and lunch expenses for their time.


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Climate Is Big Issue for Hispanics, and Personal
By CORAL DAVENPORT
New York Times
WASHINGTON — Alfredo Padilla grew up in Texas as a migrant farmworker who followed the harvest with his parents to pick sugar beets in Minnesota each summer. He has not forgotten the aches of labor or how much the weather — too little rain, or too much — affected the family livelihood.
Now an insurance lawyer in Carrizo Springs, Tex., he said he was concerned about global warming.
"It's obviously happening, the flooding, the record droughts," said Mr. Padilla, who agrees with the science that human activities are the leading cause of climate change. "And all this affects poor people harder. The jobs are more based on weather. And when there are hurricanes, when there is flooding, who gets hit the worst? The people on the poor side of town".
Leadership would be for public figures to treat environmental issues with importance, not waiting for poll-tested sound bites.
Mr. Padilla's concern is echoed by other Hispanics across the country, according to a poll conducted last month by The New York Times, Stanford University and the nonpartisan environmental research group Resources for the Future. The survey, in which Mr. Padilla was a respondent, found that Hispanics are more likely than non-Hispanic whites to view global warming as a problem that affects them personally. It also found that they are more likely to support policies, such as taxes and regulations on greenhouse gas pollution, aimed at curbing it.
The findings in the poll could have significant implications for the 2016 presidential campaign as both parties seek to win votes from Hispanics, particularly in states like Florida and Colorado that will be influential in determining the outcome of the election. The poll also shows the challenge for the potential Republican presidential candidates — including two Hispanics — many of whom question or deny the scientific basis for the finding that humans caused global warming.
Read the rest of the story at the New York Times website.
This document contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. SEED Coalition is making this article available in our efforts to advance understanding of ecological sustainability, human rights, economic democracy and social justice issues. We believe that this constitutes a "fair use" of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond "fair use", you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.


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Toyota Taken to the Mat
At this point it is still an advisory, not a recall. That will happen when a fix is determined. In the meantime, there are driver's side mats to be removed. Removed from:
· 2007 – 2010 Camry
Featured Content
· 2005 – 2010 Avalon
· 2004 – 2009 Prius
· 2005 – 2010 Tacoma
· 2007 – 2010 Tundra
· 2006 – 2010 IS250 and IS350
That, to put it mildly, is one hell of a list. Toyota spokespeople estimate on the order of 3.8-million vehicles. The biggest advisory, action, what-have-you in Toyota's history. A huge number of vehicles. And it is Toyota.
While some people may have a feeling of glee, skip it. There are lives at stake here. Accelerator pedals can become stuck. People can lose control of their cars and trucks. And people can die.
According to Toyota, it comes down to three things: the design of the mats, the design of the accelerator, and the steps required to shut off the engine of those with push-button ignition. The recommendation of the moment is to simply remove the driver's side mats in those vehicles. Certainly, this is not going to be a problem that will have a quick fix, as the mat setup in a Camry isn't what it is in a Prius which is different than what is in a Tundra.
Sometimes people wonder why it tends to take so long for vehicle product development when things like iPods and Maytags come rolling out on a comparatively fast cycle. When you have to take even the safety implications of floor mats into account, imagine how certain you have to be about how well the suspension system will hold up and whether the electrical system will assure airbag deployment even though the radio is cranked, the HVAC system is blasting, the heated seats are activated. . . .
No small feat for any company.


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Image ganked from UberGizmo
Product Name: Toshiba Qosmio G45-AV690
Description: This 2.5-GHz Core 2 Duo laptop includes HD DVD playback, for what that's worth these days. It plays back in full 1080p and includes a mini webcam and GeForce 8600M graphics card. It also supports HDMI-CEC out.
Price: About $3,000
In-store date: Immediate
Site: I love Qosmio screens but as I said before, single format HD disc playing devices are going the way of the Dodo — if HD DVD doesn't get there first. However, the value of these laptops is clear to anyone in a dorm room or small apt. This is basically a TV with a computer attached, which is good for everybody.


text: You are now leaving Spring Bank Pharmaceutical's website. This link will take you to a website to which this Privacy Policy does not apply. We encourage you to read the Privacy Policy of every website you visit. Spring Bank Pharmaceutical does not endorse and/or influence the content found on websites not owned/operated by us.


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News & Updates
The Latest on Internet Pharmacies, Supplements, Designer Drugs,
and Other High-Risk Merchants
Rogue Online Pharmacies and the Japanese Market
Recently, LegitScript has begun taking a look at the Japanese Internet pharmacy market. (We already monitor the Internet pharmacy market in multiple countries including the US, Canada, Australia, multiple EU nations, Russia, and elsewhere.) It should come as no surprise that Internet pharmacies, including illicit ones, would target Japan: the country has the second largest pharmaceutical market in the world, valued at $96 billion in 2010.
So how big of a problem are rogue Internet pharmacies in Japan? Are there legitimate ones? And what does it mean for an Internet pharmacy targeting Japan (that is, selling to Japanese residents) to be "legitimate"?
Today's blog post focuses on the last question –– what it means for a Japanese Internet pharmacy to be legitimate. As we recently tweeted, we've been adding some Japanese Internet pharmacies to our database, and will be stepping up our monitoring of the Japanese search space to help Japanese residents who choose to fill a prescription online make informed decisions to protect their safety and health. We'll also be working with Registrars and ISPs to help them identify violations of their Terms and Conditions.
What makes an Internet pharmacy legitimate (or, alternatively, "rogue") in Japan is surprisingly similar to standards in other countries. Here are a few highlights.
Want prescription drugs? Better have a prescription
Japanese law states that it's illegal to sell prescription drugs without a valid prescription. (Article 49, Pharmaceutical Affairs Law.) Like most places, a physician must examine the patient before issuing a prescription. (Article 20, Medical Practitioners Law.) Consequently, Japanese online consultation Internet pharmacies –– websites that allow you to fill out an online form without ever seeing a doctor –– will be classified as rogue Internet pharmacies in LegitScript's database.
Want to sell prescription drugs? Better be licensed in the Japanese prefecture
As in nearly every other country, if you want to sell prescription drugs to Japanese residents, you have to be licensed and physically located in a Japanese prefecture. (A "prefecture" is like a US state or Canadian province.) (Article 4 and 24, Pharmaceutical Affairs Law.) So, entities selling prescription drugs to Japanese residents will be classified as rogue if they don't have the legally required licenses.
Selling Prescription Drugs from outside of Japan? Almost always illegal
Like many countries, Japanese law allows for some flexibility on the physical importation of prescription drugs. But as in the US, Canada and elsewhere, this flexibility was written to apply to situations where a person is physically entering the country –– for example, flying into Narita Airport near Tokyo –– and has their foreign medication with them, physically on their person. (See the Japanese government's guidance on this, which clearly applies to physically entering the country with a month's worth of medication on you for your own personal use –– not ordering over the Internet.) The faux "Canadian" Internet pharmacies and their defenders, which have a financial interest in convincing customers that Internet importation is legal and safe, incorrectly argue that wholesale importation over the Internet is either legal or ignored by authorities. The same dynamics can be observed regarding foreign rogue Internet pharmacies targeting Japan, who incorrectly argue that they are operating legally under Japanese law.
Japanese authorities have warned about importing prescription drugs via the Internet into Japan. Moreover, Japan's Customs Law contains requirements about obtaining certification for most prescription drugs, including showing a valid prescription. (Article 70-1, Customs Law.) And, even if theoretically a month's importation were allowed, that doesn't change the requirement that pharmacies dispensing to Japanese residents be physically located in a Japanese prefecture and require valid prescriptions. (Article 4 and 24, Pharmaceutical Affairs Law.) Consequently, LegitScript will classify as rogue or unapproved websites whose business model focuses on dispensing prescription drugs into Japan from foreign locations.
So who are the biggest offenders in this space? We see the multi-national (not really defunct) criminal network RxCash.biz as operating numerous Japanese rogue Internet pharmacies such as i-kusuri.jp. Smaller criminal network eDrugNet has made a play into the market with individual websites like edrugnet.jp. And some networks, such as Hampstead Corporation / Oz International (using websites like idrugstore.com, which hides its domain name registration information...never a good sign), actually have a corporate presence in the United States but ship prescription drugs from unapproved locations into Japan.
There are, unfortunately for Japanese residents, plenty more rogue Internet pharmacies targeting Japan. Over the coming months, we look forward to notifying Registrars, ISPs and the .JP registry about these illicit websites that put the health and safety of Japanese residents at risk.


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Various chamber groups are assembled each semester depending on educational goals and availability of players. These groups are supervised by individual faculty and rehearse a minimum of two times each week. Students interested in participating in a chamber ensemble should contact the appropriate faculty member Participation is open to all NMU students. The course number for Chamber Ensemble is MU118.
For more information contact the Music Department Office at (906) 227-2563.